Evaluation of cystatin C as an endogenous marker of glomerular filtration rate in dogs

Cystatin C is a cysteine protease inhibitor produced by all nucleated cells. It is freely filtered by the glomerulus and is unaffected by nonrenal factors such as inflammation and gender. Because of greater sensitivity and specificity, cystatin C has been proposed to replace creatinine as a marker of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in humans. The aims of this study were to validate an automated assay in canine plasma and to evaluate the usefulness of cystatin C as a marker of GFR in dogs. Western blotting was used to demonstrate cross-reactivity of an anti-human cystatin C antibody. An immunoturbidimetric assay was used to detect cystatin C in 25 clinically healthy dogs and 25 dogs with renal failure. Mean cystatin C concentration in the healthy dogs and the dogs with renal failure was 1.08 +/- 0.16 mg/L and 4.37 +/- 1.79 mg/L respectively. Intra- and interassay variability was <5%. The assay was linear (r = .974) between 0.14 and 7.53 mg/L. Both cystatin C and creatinine concentrations were measured in banked, frozen serum from 20 remnant kidney model dogs and 10 volume-depleted dogs for which GFR measurements by exogenous creatinine clearance had been determined previously. In the remnant kidney model, cystatin C was better correlated with GFR than creatinine (r = .79 versus .54) but was less well correlated with GFR in volume-depleted dogs (r = .54 versus .95). GFR measurements were repeated in the remnant kidney model dogs 60 days after initial GFR measurements. At this time, cystatin C and creatinine concentrations correlated equally well with GFR (r = .891 versus .894, respectively). Cystatin C concentration is a reasonable alternative to creatinine for screening dogs with decreased GFR due to chronic renal failure.     

阿司匹林诱导大鼠肠道损伤模型的构建

本试验旨在建立阿司匹林诱导的大鼠肠道损伤模型。试验采用单因素试验设计,选用6周龄SD大鼠18只,经过7 d的适应性饲养后随机分为3个组,每组6只,单笼饲喂。模型1组和模型2组阿司匹林的灌胃剂量分别为50和200 mg/kg,空白对照组灌胃等量生理盐水,持续灌胃14 d。结果表明:与空白对照组相比,灌服50 mg/kg阿司匹林显著降低了大鼠的体增重、血清白细胞介素-2(IL⁃2)含量、肠道黏膜分泌性免疫球蛋白A(sIgA)含量、肠道绒毛高度和绒毛高度与隐窝深度的比值(P<0.05),但对肝脏指数、脾脏指数和血清溶菌酶(LZM)活性没有显著影响(P>0.05);灌服200 mg/kg阿司匹林显著降低了大鼠的体增重、肝脏指数、血清IL⁃2含量与LZM活性、肠道黏膜sIgA含量、肠道绒毛高度和隐窝深度及二者的比值(P<0.05)。在本试验条件下,采用200 mg/kg剂量的阿司匹林连续灌胃14 d可以成功建立大鼠的肠道损伤模型。     

Kinematics of whip spider pedipalps: a 3D comparative morpho-functional approach

Amblypygi are tropical and subtropical ambush predators that use elongated, raptorial pedipalps for different activities. Although pedipalp use in predation and courtship has been explored in videography in vivo analyses, kinematic ex vivo examination of these appendages has not been conducted. Here, we rectify this lack of data by using micro-CT scans to 3D-kinematically model the appendage morphology and the range of motion (ROM) of the joints for Damon medius and Heterophrynus elaphus. We illustrate the successful application of this technique to terrestrial euarthropods in determining the maximum ROM values for each pedipalp joint. We also note that, in life, these values would be lower due to motion restricting structures like tendons, arthrodial membranes, and muscles. We further compare our maximum values obtained here with data from video-based motion analyses. The ROM of each joint shows the greatest flexibility in the femur-tibia joint (140–150°), the lowest in the basitarsus-claw joint (35–40°). ROM in the tibia-basitarsus joint is markedly distinct (D. medius: 44°; H. elaphus: 105°). This disparity reflects how H. elaphus uses the joint in the capture basket, while D. medius uses the femur-tibia joint to form the capture basket. We further illustrate notable vertical motion of the H. elaphus pedipalp compared to D. medius. This difference reflects the retro-ventral trochanter apophysis of H. elaphus. Our study opens the possibility to further whip spider kinematic understanding. Examination of other taxa using this approach will result in a more comprehensive understanding of the ecological significance and ethological implications of this unique arachnid group.     

An animal model for interface tissue formation in cemented hip replacements

OBJECTIVE: To create a model in sheep for investigation of early changes related to the formation of an interface membrane in hip prosthesis. STUDY DESIGN: Experimental study. ANIMALS: Twenty-four female adult Swiss Alpine sheep. METHODS: Sheep were divided into 2 groups of 12 for unilateral cemented total hip arthroplasty. In Group I, the prosthesis was fixed with retrograde cement gun injection to achieve a complete cement mantle, whereas in Group II a primary cement mantle defect was produced. Groups I and II were further divided into 2 sub-groups with study end points of 2 and 8.5 months after surgery. Radiographs were evaluated postoperatively and at euthanasia for migration of the femoral component and bone resorption. Histologic sections were evaluated semiquantitatively for changes in cell types and numbers, and bone reactions; and quantitatively for size of interface membrane and new bone formation. RESULTS: Radiographically, there tended to be an increase in bone resorption and periosteal bone formation throughout the femoral shaft in Group II compared with Group I, but this was only statistically significant at the region of the femoral neck (R5) at both time periods (P<.05). Semiquantitative histologic evaluation revealed significant increases (P<.05) in cellularity, numbers of fibroblasts, giant cells, macrophages, and mononuclear cells, in Group II primarily at 2 months after surgery. This was also true for interface membrane formation and bone remodeling. Quantitative data showed an increased in the size of the interface membrane and area of bone formation at 8.5 months in Group II. CONCLUSIONS: The cement defect model offered controlled and repeatable production of an interface membrane. The results suggest that a primary cement mantle defect could be a possible trigger for implant instability, eliciting a cascade of biomechanical and molecular events in bone tissue leading to aseptic loosening. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The results show the effect of defects in the cement mantle in promoting interface membrane formation. Long-term and biochemical studies are required to evaluate the relevance of this interface membrane formation.     

《家禽生产学》培养学生实践能力教学模式的建立

从大学教育中注重学生实践能力培养的重要性入手,对作者在《家禽生产学》专业教学中总结出的专业课《家禽生产学》的教学模式进行探讨,旨在提出一种新的思路——如何在专业课教学中培养学生的实践操作能力,以切实提高课程的教学效果,使学生在毕业后走向工作岗位时,既具有扎实的理论知识,又具有和娴熟的实践技能。     

临界氮浓度稀释模型在牧草种子生产中的应用前景

氮素是影响牧草种子产量的关键因素,氮素对于植株分蘖、干物质生产、花序形成、产量组分动态变化等均具有影响.文章主要从临界氮浓度稀释模型的概念、构建方法、研究现状、应用等方面进行了综述,提出临界氮浓度稀释模型在实际生产中应用时存在的问题,并对其在牧草种子生产中的应用前景进行了展望.     

Muscle reorganisation through local injection of stem cells in the diaphragm of mdx mice

Background

The diaphragm is the major respiratory muscle affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and is responsible for causing 80% of deaths. The use of mechanical forces that act on the body or intermittent pressure on the airways improves the quality of life of patients but does not prevent the progression of respiratory failure. Thus, diseases that require tissue repair, such as DMD, represent a group of pathologies that have great potential for cell therapy. The application of stem cells directly into the diaphragm instead of systemic application can reduce cell migration to other affected areas and increase the chances of muscle reorganisation. The mdx mouse is a suitable animal model for this research because its diaphragmatic phenotype is similar to human DMD. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the potential cell implantation in the diaphragm muscle after the xenotransplantation of stem cells.

Methods

A total of 9 mice, including 3 control BALB/Cmice, 3 5-month-old mdx mice without stem cell injections and 3 mdx mice injected with stem cells, were used. The animals injected with stem cells underwent laparoscopy so that stem cells from GFP-labelled rabbit olfactory epithelium could be locally injected into the diaphragm muscle. After 8 days, all animals were euthanised, and the diaphragm muscle was dissected and subjected to histological and immunohistochemical analyses.

Results

Both the fresh diaphragm tissue and immunohistochemical analyses showed immunopositive GFP labelling of some of the cells and immunonegativity of myoblast bundles. In the histological analysis, we observed a reduction in the inflammatory infiltrate as well as the presence of a few peripheral nuclei and myoblast bundles.

Conclusion

We were able to implant stem cells into the diaphragm via local injection, which promoted moderate muscle reorganisation. The presence of myoblast bundles cannot be attributed to stem cell incorporation because there was no immunopositive labelling in this structure. It is believed that the formation of the bundles may have been stimulated by cellular signalling mechanisms that have not yet been elucidated.     

带幅设计对玉米/苜蓿间作群体光环境特征及光能利用效率的影响北大核心CSCD

探究间作带幅设计对玉米/苜蓿间作群体光环境特征、产量及光能利用效率(LUE)的影响,提出黄土高原旱作条件下玉米/苜蓿间作群体最佳带幅比例。研究设置了玉米单作(SM)、紫花苜蓿单作(SA)以及玉米/紫花苜蓿1∶2(I_(12))、2∶2(I_(22))和2∶4(I_(24))间作5种种植模式,并采用田间试验和数学模拟相结合的方法,分别测定了玉米和苜蓿的干物质产量及作物冠层光合有效辐射(PAR)等指标;建立了考虑光线入射角度和群体冠层结构几何关系的玉米/苜蓿间作群体辐射传输模型,并用实测值对其进行了验证。试验结果表明,在2018年,单作处理的苜蓿干物质产量显著高于间作处理(P<0.05),而在2019年各间作处理苜蓿的干物质分别比单作高197.8、180.3和197.0 g·m^(-2);处理I_(12)、I_(22)和I_(24)两年总的玉米生物量比SM处理高12.1%、0.9%和23.9%。所有间作处理的土地当量比在2019年均大于1.0,表现出间作优势。辐射传输模型可准确模拟玉米/苜蓿间作群体冠层底部的光合有效辐射,间作群体光合有效辐射模拟值与实测值的平均绝对误差和均方根误差分别为59.0和66.6μmol·m^(-2)·s^(-1)。除玉米和苜蓿生育前期及玉米收获后,不同间作处理苜蓿群体冠层上方的PAR均低于单作苜蓿。2018和2019年I_(12)、I_(22)和I_(24)间作处理玉米的光能利用效率分别比单作处理高52.5%、9.3%、51.7%和28.5%、9.6%、21.0%,而间作苜蓿的LUE仅在2019年显著高于单作19.2%、32.4%和20.9%(P<0.05)。因此,合理的玉米/苜蓿间作带幅搭配可改善苜蓿的光照环境,提高其光能利用效率,尤其是玉米/紫花苜蓿2∶4间作群体光能利用效率和产量优势显著,建议在具有类似气候的地区推广种植。     

系统工程在畜牧业中的应用

本文主要从畜牧业发展战略与规划、遗传育种、营养、养猪、养禽、养羊、养牛等方面阐述了系统工程近二十年来在畜牧业的应用。