Effects of Large Saddle Panels on the Biomechanics of the Equine Back During Rising Trot: Preliminary Results

The saddle panels, directly in contact with the horse's back, are likely an important element to optimize the fitting of the saddle, the comfort of the horse, and subsequently, the pain management in dorsalgic horses. The aim of this study was to better understand the effect of the saddle panels on the horse's back, by evaluating a prototype saddle (comfort panels: CP) compared to a standard saddle (STD). The horse's back movements were measured using inertial measurement units (IMUs) fixed at the levels of thoracic vertebrae T6, T12, T16 (under the saddle) and lumbar vertebrae L2 and L5. The centers of mass (COMs) of the horse and the rider and limb's protraction-retraction angles, pressure between saddle and horse's back, and force on the stirrups were measured using respectively 2D motion capture, pressure mat and force sensors in the stirrup leather. Three horses were trotted at the rising trot (sitting: left diagonal-rider seated; standing: right diagonal-rider standing) by the same rider. To compare saddles, linear mixed-effects regression models were used. The estimated means (SE) were calculated. During sitting phase, pressure in the cranial and middle areas of the saddle significantly increased for CP compared to STD (+0.9 (0.2) kPa and +1.0 (0.1) kPa, respectively) whereas caudal pressure decreased (−1.8 (0.4) kPa). Concurrently, the range of motion of angles T12-T16 and T16-L2 under the saddle significantly increased (+1.8 (0.2)° and +2.3 (0.3)°, respectively). The results showed that modifications of the panels' shape not only affect the pressure distribution but also the kinematics of the thoracic and lumbar regions of the equine back.     

2010年版《中华人民共和国兽药典》一部凡例及其品种标准增修订概况

解读2010年版《中华人民共和国兽药典》一部收载兽药标准的增修订内容和特点,详细描述了兽药典一部收载凡例和兽用化学药品、抗生素等兽药标准的增修订情况。对于读者理解、领会和执行2010年版《中华人民共和国兽药典》一部标准,将起到较好的帮助作用。     

热加工方式对牛乳过敏原αs1-酪蛋白二级结构和抗原性的影响

为探究热加工方式对牛乳过敏原αs1-酪蛋白构象和抗原性的影响,利用间接竞争酶联免疫吸附测定方法、 免疫印迹方法分析不同加热条件下αs1-酪蛋白免疫原性的变化,进而通过8-苯胺-1-萘磺酸荧光探针和圆二色谱分 析其二级结构变化,初步揭示热处理调控过敏原αs1-酪蛋白抗原性的机制。结果表明：在80 ℃、60 min,90 ℃、 10 min,90 ℃、60 min条件下热处理后,αs1-酪蛋白中α-螺旋结构含量显著低于未加热αs1-酪蛋白,在70 ℃、 20 min,80 ℃、20 min,90 ℃、20 min条件下热处理后,αs1-酪蛋白中无规卷曲含量显著增加,70～100 ℃加热 20 min条件下表面荧光强度最强,其他温度-时间条件下二级结构含量变化不显著;αs1-酪蛋白构象的变化导致αs1-酪 蛋白的抗原性显著降低,间接竞争酶联免疫吸附测定显示,在70～100 ℃加热20 min条件下,αs1-酪蛋白的抗原残留 量均较高,而免疫印迹方法显示不同温度-时间条件下αs1-酪蛋白仍具有免疫反应特性,建议进一步通过动物实验揭 示热处理调控αs1-酪蛋白抗原性的机制。     

Characterization of the LH peak after short and long fixed‐time artificial insemination protocols in sheep raised in the tropics

The aim of this study was to evaluate the peak in luteinizing hormone (LH) and the pregnancy rate of sheep (Texel × Santa Inês) in the tropics using short‐ (6 days) and long‐term (12 days) progesterone protocols followed by artificial insemination (AI) both in and out of the breeding season. Experiment 1 was conducted within (IN) the breeding season (autumn, n = 36), and experiment 2 was conducted outside (OUT) of the breeding season (spring, n = 43). In each experiment, the sheep were divided into two groups (6 or 12 days) according to the duration of treatment with a single‐use progesterone release vaginal device (CIDR^®, Pfizer, São Paulo, SP, Brazil), and blood samples were collected from 10 animals per group every 4 hr to measure the LH and progesterone concentrations. In the spring, the characteristics of the LH peak did not differ between groups; but in the autumn, there were differences between groups at the beginning (G‐6 IN: 36.44 ± 5.46 hr; G‐12 IN: 26.57 ± 4.99 hr) and end of the LH peak (G‐6 IN: 46.22 ± 7.51 hr; G‐12 IN: 34.86 ± 8.86 hr). The results showed alterations in the LH peak during the breeding season only in the sheep undergoing the short‐term protocol.     

Pathological findings and probable causes of the death of Stejneger’s beaked whales (Mesoplodon stejnegeri) stranded in Japan from 1999 and 2011

One hundred and twenty stranding events of Stejneger’s beaked whales were reported in Japan between 1999 and 2011. The purpose of this study is to introduce pathological data and to discuss probable causes of death for 44 Stejneger’s beaked whales among them. The significant pathological findings were the pulmonary edema, parasitic granulomatous nephritis, emaciation, amyloidosis, suppurative bronchopneumonia and so on. The probable causes of death were categorized as noninfectious in 43 of the cases, which included drowning, starvation and secondary amyloidosis. One individual was diagnosed with septicemia, which was the only example of an infectious disease. Because we could not always perform advanced analyses, such as microbiology tests, biotoxin examinations or contaminant analyses, the finality of our findings may be impaired. However, the present study has broad implications on the causes of death of Stejneger’s beaked whales of the seas around Japan, which are valuable for the future studies and for the detection of emerging diseases.     

原位杂交技术用于虹彩病毒对美国青蛙侵染的诊断

蛙虹彩病毒（Rana grylio virus,RGV)能引起鱼类、两栖类和爬行类水生动物严重的系统性疾病，RGV是从我国患病蛙中分离到一种虹彩病毒。体外扩增的RGV经人工方法感染幼龄美国青蛙（Rana grylio)，运用原位杂交技术，分别对感染1-3d后的蛙心、肺、肾、肠、脾、肝等6种组织进行RGV分子定位和检测，结果显示，在幼蛙的肺和肠中有较强的阳性信号，在其他组织中也检测到RGV的存在。本试验探讨了RGV感染早期在宿主体内的增殖及在不同组织中的分布状况，建立了一种彩虹病毒的早期诊断方法，并为揭示RGV的致病机制奠定了基础。     

猪日粮中酵母硒应用的研究进展

酵母硒是饲料中优质的有机硒源,较无机硒具有更高的吸收率与生物安全性,可提高猪的生长、成活率和繁殖性能,而且可提高肉品质和营养价值。作者综述了酵母硒在猪日粮中的应用研究进展。