Presence of cervical vertebral malformation in Dobermann puppies and the effects of diet and growth rate

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between diet, growth rate and the presence of caudal cervical malformation in Doberman puppies. DESIGN: A prospective study of 15 Dobermann puppies from three unrelated litters, aged from 0 to 16 weeks. PROCEDURE: The growth rate in terms of body weight gain and increase in ulna length were measured weekly for all puppies. In addition the nutritional quality of the diets was assessed. Radiographs of the cervical spine were taken at 6 and between 12 and 16 weeks of age and examined for the presence of caudal cervical vertebral malformation. A mixed model for repeated measures data was used to investigate the relationship between the growth rate of the puppies and the fixed effects age, dam, diet, gender and presence of caudal cervical malformation. RESULTS: Five of the puppies had changes consistent with caudal cervical malformation. The diets fed were either balanced or transiently deficient in protein, calcium, phosphorus and/or magnesium. There was no significant association between growth rate and the variables dam, gender and the presence of caudal cervical vertebral malformation. There was no significant association between diet and increase in ulna length, but a trend existed between body weight gain and the feeding of a balanced diet (P = 0.0672). CONCLUSION: Caudal cervical vertebral changes can be detected radiographically as early as 6 weeks of age in some Dobermann puppies. A balanced diet and growth rate are not significant factors in its initial development.     

Detection of cigarettes and other tobacco products by giant African pouched rats (Cricetomys gambianus)

If the illicit tobacco trade were eliminated, governments could gain at least $31.3 billion a year, and more than 164,000 premature deaths a year could be avoided after 2030 (Joossens, Merriman, Ross, and Raw, 2009). Dogs have been used successfully in tobacco control programs, and there is a good chance that rats could also play an important role. In the present experiment, giant African pouched rats were trained to respond to filters that had been stored together with cigarettes (i.e., soaked) and to not respond to filters that had been soaked with noncigarette items. Generalization to untrained types of tobacco was then tested. The sensitivity of 4 rats trained on filters soaked with 1 of 7 types of cigarettes ranged from 86% to 100% (mean, 95%). There was very little evidence of generalization when the rats were tested on tobacco leaves and snuff but good evidence of generalization when the rats were tested on cigarettes that had been soaked with strong-smelling additives. These findings suggest that rats may be a valuable asset in the global effort to control illicit cigarette trade.     

容积率对地价的影响及修正系数的确定--以南京市六合区为例

容积率是评价地价的重要指标,它对地区的经济发展有很大的影响。为此,通过对容积率内涵的挖掘,分析了容积率影响地价的几个主要方面;结合南京市六合区本次基准地价更新的调查资料,从样点地价的容积率修正和基准地价的容积率修正两个方面对容积率修正系数进行了分析。     

阿鲁科尔沁旗紫花苜蓿需水规律与灌溉定额

为了给阿鲁科尔沁旗紫花苜蓿(Medicago sativa)灌溉提供科学依据,利用1984-2013年30年气象数据,采用联合国粮农组织推荐的彭曼-蒙特斯公式法,研究了阿鲁科尔沁旗紫花苜蓿需水规律和灌溉定额。结果表明,阿鲁科尔沁旗紫花苜蓿第1茬、第2茬、第3茬、第4茬、生长季、非生长季和全年需水量分别为221、187、169、179、755、70和825mm,需水强度分别为4.3、4.7、4.1、2.5、3.7、0.4和2.3 mm·d~(-1),灌溉需水量分别为194、118、66、131、508、56和564mm,灌溉定额分别为228、139、78、154、598、66和664 mm。     

EFFECT OF OBSERVER VARIABILITY ON GLOMERULAR FILTRATION RATE MEASUREMENT BY RENAL SCINTIGRAPHY IN DOGS

Observer variation in kidney depth measurement for correction of soft-tissue attenuation and kidney region of interest (ROI) drawing was evaluated using 60 clinical dogs with a wide range of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) for their effect on the calculated percentage uptake of 99mTc-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) and individual kidney GFR by scintigraphy. Kidney depth was measured separately on the lateral image using two color tables: a threshold and a continuous red-green-blue. Within-observer variability of the semi-automatic ROI drawing of the estimated total GFR was up to 10% for the right kidney (RK) and 9% for the left kidney (LK). The variability was lower between observers, 6% for RK and 8% for LK. Manual ROI drawing caused more within observer variation than semi-automatic: up to 14% for RK and 11% for LK. Continuous red-green-blue table caused more variation within and between observers than threshold table. Average within-observer variability from both observers of kidney depth measurement on different color tables could vary up to 5.5% and 6.5% variation of the GFR of RK and LK, respectively. Most variation affecting the DTPA percentage uptake came from the ROI drawing technique. Variations of the method because of the effects of both kidney depth and kidney ROI drawing were up to 8% and 10% for RK and LK, respectively. To minimize these variations a threshold scale should be used for the kidney depth measurement and an automatic or semi-automatic ROI should be used whenever possible. In sequential examinations the same person should make all the measurements.     

蝗虫微孢子虫病在蝗虫和群间的流行规律研究

在同德县北巴滩进行了不同浓度蝗虫微孢子虫（N.L)小区试验和大面积推广试验，并在1997和1999年对防治效果作了调查，结果表明N.L不仅当年虫口减退率和感病率可达60％和50％以上（30天），而且在1997年、1999年防区内平均感病率仍保持在30％和40％。说明N.L具有较强的水平扩散能力和垂直感染能力，可持续、有效地控制蝗灾的发生。     

家兔超数排卵和胚胎移植妊娠率的影响因素分析

应用FSH和HCG相结合的不同方法 (递减量与恒量法),对不同兔龄和是否经产的中国家兔进行了超数排卵处理。其中,递减量法超排处理:每间隔12 h依次肌肉注射15、15、10、10、5及5 U/只共60 U的FSH,6次之后间隔12 h,经耳缘静脉注射HCG 100 U/只,合笼;恒量法超排处理:每间隔12 h肌肉注射10 U/只共60 U的FSH,6次之后间隔12 h,经耳缘静脉注射HCG 100 U/只,合笼。17 h后,取卵经显微注射后移植到排卵点分布不同的家兔输卵管中,比较分析了超数排卵及胚胎移植妊娠率的影响因素,旨在优化兔超数排卵和胚胎移植方法。结果显示,①总量为60 U的FSH递减量肌肉注射法超排效果略优于恒量法(688枚、671枚),但差异不显著(P>0.05);②9～11月龄的母兔超排效果明显优于6～8月龄的母兔(794枚、565枚),差异显著(P<0.05);③经产母兔的超排效果明显优于未经产的母兔(887枚、472枚),差异显著(P<0.05);④经显微注射重组DNA的胚胎移植受体时,两侧卵巢均有排卵点的胚胎移植受体妊娠率明显高于一侧卵巢有排卵点和两侧卵巢均无排卵点的受体(81.25%、38.46%、37.50%),差异显著(P<0.05)。试验证明,通过肌肉注射递减总量为60 U的FSH对9～11月龄经产母兔的超排效果最佳,且两侧卵巢均有排卵点的受体胚胎移植妊娠率最高,为胚胎研究工作者提供了一定的参考依据。     

河南省部分地区乳牛隐孢子虫病的流行病学调查

为进一步掌握乳牛隐孢子虫病在河南省的流行动态,从河南省郑州、开封、济源和鹤壁4个地区9个奶牛场采集12月龄以内的乳牛粪便样品582份,用饱和蔗糖溶液漂浮法和改良抗酸染色法进行检测。结果显示,隐孢子虫总感染率为26．12％（152／582）。其中,断乳前犊牛（5日龄至2月龄）隐孢子虫感染率为30．91％（51／165）,断乳后犊牛（3～12月龄）感染率为24．22％（101／417）。依据形态数值初步鉴定为2种隐孢子虫,即微小隐孢子虫和安氏隐孢子虫。微小隐孢子虫在断乳前犊牛阳性样品中的比率为50．98％（26／51）,在断乳后乳牛阳性样品中的比率为9．90％（10／101）。另外,饲养方式（断乳前犊牛单独隔离饲养和未隔离饲养）对断乳前犊牛2种隐孢子虫的感染率有显著影响。     

A Cross-Sectional Survey of Foaling-Related Parameters of Jennies (Equus asinus) Under Smallholder Farm Conditions in Northeast China

It is important to assess the reproductive efficiency and improve the reproductive management to promote the donkey population development. The overall foaling-related parameters of jennies under smallholder farm conditions in China were hardly under investigation. A cross-sectional survey of randomly selected 694 smallholder farms was conducted in 40 villages in the north, east, and south areas of Western Liaoning Province and Eastern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region between March and July, 2017. Foaling-related parameters were assessed such as the mean age at first foaling, foaling rate and foaling interval during 2014–2017. Only two-thirds of the adult jennies foaled during the 3-year survey period and delivered a foal every 1.9 years. The mean age at first foaling was 45.3 months. The lowest incidence of foaling rate was in coincidence with the peak of foaling. The overall mean values for the foaling rate and foaling interval were 75% and 500.5 days, respectively. Significant changes of foaling rates before the age of 15 years and foaling intervals in the first 8 parities were not observed. The results indicate that the jennies could maintain relatively fine foaling-related parameters under smallholder farm conditions in northeast of China. However, the foaling rates hardly remained high during the whole breeding season represented a major loss to the donkey breeding.     

DNA Methylation Pattern in Pronuclear-Stage Mouse Embryos: Effect of Oocyte Vitrification

This study was conducted to investigate the pattern of DNA methylation in pronuclearstage mouse embryos derived from vitrified-warmed oocytes.Mouse oocytes at metaphase Ⅱ (MⅡ) stage of meiosis were all...