Atypical thymoma in a horse: Diagnostic approach and application of an alternative histological classification system

Thymoma is a rare condition in horses. This case of a 24-year-old Warmblood gelding that was presented with oedema and signs of vascular congestion of the left forelimb caused by a thoracic mass is described. The diagnostic work-up included blood chemistry, cytology of pleural effusion, ultrasonography, radiography and the visualisation and collection of a tissue sample by thoracoscopy. Finally, post-mortem findings and histopathology revealed thymic epithelial neoplasia with histomorphologic features previously unreported in horses. The unique mixture of spindle-shaped and epithelioid tumour cells in combination with clear features of malignancy suggested the application of the Moran and Suster histological classification system for thymomas in humans (Moran and Suster, 2008, Curr. Treat. Options Oncol., 9, 288), which has not been reported in an equine case before and fits well to the present case.     

Leaf carbohydrates assimilation and metabolism affect seed yield of rapeseed with different waterlogging tolerance under the interactive effects of nitrogen and waterlogging

Waterlogging is a main factor causing rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) yield loss, and reasonable nitrogen (N) applications can compensate for this loss. To investigate the effects of N rates on seed yield of waterlogged rapeseed, the waterlogging-tolerant rapeseed variety ZS 9 and sensitive variety GH01 were waterlogged for 0 and 10 days with five leaves at the seedling stage under four N rates (0, 90, 180 and 270 kg/ha). Waterlogging significantly decreased seed yield, while N application can alleviate the yield loss. The yield decrease rate of waterlogged GH01 was greater than that of ZS 9 under the same N rate. During the seedling and bolting stage, the leaf photosynthetic rate (Pn) and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) activity increased, while activities of adenosine diphosphate glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase), sucrose synthase (SuSy) and sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) decreased with more N under the same watering conditions. Compared to the plants without waterlogging, the leaf Pn and Rubisco activity, starch and sucrose contents of waterlogged rapeseed decreased at the two stages; activities of AGPase, SuSy and SPS of waterlogged rapeseed decreased at the seedling while increased at the bolting stage for both the two varieties. At the flowering stage, the Pn, the activities of Rubisco, AGPase, SuSy, SPS and contents of sucrose, starch increased with more N application for both ZS 9 and GH01. Compared to the plants without waterlogging, the Pn and Rubisco activity for waterlogged plants of the two varieties increased; the waterlogged plants of tolerant variety had higher activities of AGPase, SuSy and SPS, while those of sensitive variety was significantly lower. However, the decreased starch and sucrose content were found in both tolerant and sensitive varieties. The activities of AGPase, SuSy and SPS at flowering were highly positively correlated with yield under the interactive effects of N and waterlogging. These results suggested that the flowering stage is the most important stage that N had the positive regulation on waterlogged rapeseed growth. The carbohydrates translocation from leaves to seeds of the tolerant variety were enhanced after waterlogging, while that of the sensitive variety was still inhibited. This was the main reason for the difference in yield between the two waterlogged varieties.     

11个葡萄品种在乐山地区的花芽分化规律

研究了11个葡萄品种3年生树在四川乐山地区避雨栽培条件下的花芽分化表现。结果表明,结果母枝的花芽分化率,魏可、维多利亚、黑芭拉多、金手指、金优2号和巨玫瑰6个品种的都高于50%,较易形成花芽;户太8号、巨峰、夏黑的在43%~48%;美人指和红指较难形成花芽。结果母枝不同节位的花芽分化率,多数品种在第3节位≥50%;结果枝上花穗着生节位在第3.8~4.9节,其中双花率以巨玫瑰、巨峰和户太8号较高,分别为83.45%、73.61%和73.06%。以结果母枝的花芽分化率≥50%节位作为冬剪的最低节位,则金优2号、户太8号、巨玫瑰、金手指、维多利亚5个品种在第3~4节,黑芭拉多和巨峰2个品种在第2~3节,魏可在1~2节。夏黑表现花芽分化率较低,为43.33%,可能与夏黑不耐弱光有关,设施栽培时应加强透光性。     

正交设计优化青蒿SRAP-PCR反应体系及引物筛选

为了建立青蒿的SRAP最佳扩增体系,并筛选出SRAP多态性引物,本研究以青蒿叶片DNA为模板,采用正交试验设计,以Mg^2+、dNTP Mix、Taq DNA聚合酶、引物和DNA模板5种因素5个水平,对青蒿SRAP反应体系进行研究。结果表明,青蒿SRAP-PCR最佳反应体系为:引物0.6μmol/L、Mg^2+2.0 mmol/L、模板DNA 5.1 ng、Taq DNA聚合酶2.0 U、dNTPs 0.25 mmol/L,总体积为25μL。各因素对扩增反应均有不同影响,其中引物浓度的影响最大,dNTPs的影响最小。运用该体系对不同种质资源的青蒿进行验证,证明该体系稳定可靠,并在30个引物组合中筛选出了25对扩增条带清晰,多态性丰富的引物组合。这一结论为今后利用SRAP标记技术进行青蒿分子遗传学研究提供了科学依据。     

浅谈楼房养猪除臭技术设计与应用

楼房养猪相较于传统平房养猪,占用面积更小,可节省用地60%以上。楼房养猪同时方便集中管理,易于采光通风和保暖;但是楼房养猪也有明显的缺点,相较于传统的平房养猪,楼房养猪作为集约化、规模化、现代化养猪的集中表现模式,建造及运营维护成本相对较高,消毒及防疫工作较为困难。高楼环境易于通风的同时,猪舍的污染问题也更加突出。猪舍给空气带来的污染不仅会影响猪舍内外的空气质量,同时还会影响猪只的繁殖、生长和发育,并将会对养殖人员与附近居民的身体健康产生重要影响。所以,必须采取相应完善的系统科学措施,处理楼房养猪中的空气除臭问题,保证生猪生活环境的清洁。文章通过结合平房养猪以及楼房养猪的特点,浅谈一下楼房养猪的除臭技术的设计与应用。     

社会林业与五指山的自然保护

五指山自然保护区是世界上现存地势最高的原始热带雨林之一，是我省目前面积最大的自然保护区，也是海南三大河流的发源地。但由于保护区横跨琼中、通什、保亭三县、市，紧邻保护区还生存着众多贫困的黎、苗族村民。因此，保护区与周边社区的联系是十分紧密的，社区的发展也直接影响到五指山热带天然林的保护。海南省林业局中德海南热带林保护和恢复项目在社会林业与五指山森林的保护上做出了有益的尝试，就在全省来说，也是首次对社会林业与森林保护上进行的探索。五指山地区社会林业的研究，对保护海南热带雨林也有着积极的意义。特对社会林业与五指山的森林保护进行了阐述、分析和设想。     

Long-term study of aerobic bacteria of the genital tract in stud dogs.

The aerobic bacterial flora of the genital tract was characterized in 15 stud dogs in an 18-month study. The dogs represented 4 breeds and were from 3 kennels. Bacterial samples from the prepuce and semen were collected every month, except in connection with matings, when they were collected weekly (464 samples). The dogs that were included all mated at least once during the study. The mean pregnancy rate, litter size, and pup mortality for the bitches with which they had mated were all within normal limits. The most frequent bacteria isolated from the prepuce and semen were Pasteurella multocida, beta-hemolytic streptococci, and Escherichia coli. There was a tendency for breeds to differ in frequency of the most common bacterial species. Bacterial culture yielded no aerobic growth in 14.2% of the preputial samples and 69.8% of the semen samples. Bacteria were transferred between dog and bitch at mating. In this study of healthy breeding dogs, neither the fertility of the dog nor that of the bitch was affected by the bacteria transferred.     

Clinical response of nasal adenocarcinoma to cisplatin chemotherapy in 11 dogs.

In 11 dogs with nasal adenocarcinoma, IV treatment with 2 to 8 cycles of cisplatin at a dosage of 60 mg/m2 of body surface, given at 3-week intervals, resulted in a survival time of 8 to 128 weeks (mean, 32.7 weeks; median, 20 weeks). Radiography revealed complete remission in 2 dogs and partial remission in 1 dog, for an overall response rate of 27%. Clinical problems such as nasal discharge (n = 11), sneezing (n = 6), and epistaxis (n = 4) resolved in 1 to 2 weeks in all dogs after beginning chemotherapy.     

Effect of a supply of raw or extruded rapeseeds on digestion in dairy cows.

The influence of extruded oilseeds on total tract digestibility and ruminal digestion in dairy cows was studied in three cows fed a hay-concentrate (60.5/39.5; 3.7% fatty acids in diet on DM basis) control diet (C) or the same diet supplemented with raw (R) or extruded (ER) rapeseeds (8.0% fatty acids in diet DM). The experimental design was a 3 x 3 Latin square design. Compared with diet C, diets containing rapeseed decreased ruminal OM digestibility (9.5%, P less than .10) and increased (P less than .05) the proportion of propionate in ruminal fluid VFA. Extrusion had no effect on DM and OM total tract digestibilities and increased (P less than .10) N digestion. Microbial N flow at the duodenum was calculated taking into account solid-adherent bacteria (SAB) and liquid-associated bacteria (LAB). Duodenal flows of total, SAB, and LAB of OM and N did not change with diet. Extrusion of the rapeseeds did not modify (P less than .10) the proportion of bacterial N at the duodenum and had no effect on crude fiber digestibility. This trial demonstrates that rapeseeds in hay-based diets can be fed at levels of up to 14% of the diet without adversely affecting crude fiber digestibility.