体外试验中不同粗精比对山羊瘤胃细菌氨态氮利用效率的影响

利用体外发酵法研究了4种粗精比(10∶0、8∶2、6∶4和4∶6)底物对山羊瘤胃细菌产量、15NH3-N利用效率的影响。结果表明:混合培养液的pH值与氨态氮浓度在8h内急剧下降,而后至24h呈缓慢下降;经24h培养的细菌产量在8∶2、6∶4和4∶6组中差异不显著(P>0.05),但都极显著地高于10∶0组(P<0.01);细菌体15N丰度以8∶2及4∶6组较高,显著高于10∶0和6∶4组(P<0.05);细菌体15N富集量以8∶2组最高,底物547.43μg15N中有120.44μg被细菌体富集,显著高于10∶0组(P<0.05),但6∶4、4∶6组与10∶0组间差异均不显著(P>0.05)。细菌赖氨酸的相对百分组成随精饲料比例的增加而显著增加,胱氨酸在粗饲料组(10∶0)显著高于其它组,但各精饲料添加组间差异不显著,组氨酸以8∶2组为最高,显著高于10∶0组,但与其它精饲料添加组间差异不显著(P>0.05)。     

几种缓释肥的氮释放特性以及对草坪草生长的影响

实验室内采用水浸泡法对尿素、3种缓效肥和山西省农业科学院土壤肥料研究所研制(自研草坪肥)的缓效肥的初期溶出率和微分溶出率进行了测定.其中尿素的初期溶出率为22.75%,超出了国际上公认的缓/控释肥的初期溶出率小于15%的指标,而微分溶出率为0.22%,也小于国际上公认的缓/控释肥的微分溶出率(0.25%～2.5%)指标.其他几种缓释肥的初期溶出率为8.73%～14.42%,微分溶出率为0.30%～2.11%,符合国际上公认的缓/控释肥的初期溶出率和微分溶出率指标.田间试验比较和研究了尿素、3种缓效肥和山西省农业科学院土壤肥料研究所研制的缓效肥对草坪草的干草产量和养分含量的影响,尿素和包衣尿素处理的草坪草的生长量前期较高,后期产草量较低,呈马鞍型.其他处理的草坪草干草产量则比较平缓,肥料的氮释放特性与草坪草生长趋势相同.不同肥料处理对草坪草的中量、微量元素含量有一定的影响.     

小叶锦鸡儿根瘤固氮活性的动态变化

对多年生小叶锦鸡儿不同生育期根瘤固氮能力、不同树龄小叶锦鸡儿根瘤固氮能力进行调查,结果表明:开花期固氮酶活性最高,此时土壤含氮量和植株含氮量最高;新瘤多发生于果后营养期,植株生物量的峰值出现在结实期;二年生和五年生植株的根瘤固氮能力强于三年、四年生植株,随生长年限的延长,植株生物量逐渐增大,含氮量呈小幅度下降趋势。     

鸭流感病毒4/2004-H6N2亚型毒株的血凝素基因全序列克隆与分析

2004初从正常鸭群中分离到一株鸭源禽流感病毒，命名为A／Duck／HN／4／2004(H6N2)。经对血凝素基因(HA)序列分析发现HA基因全长为1744bp，共编码566个氨基酸，在裂解位点仅含一个碱性氨基酸-精氨酸(R)，符合LPAIV的标准。将所得基因序列与已发表的同一亚型参考序列分析表明，与H6亚型流感HA基因同源性为89．2％-97．1％，经分子遗传演化分析表明本次分离株与香港分离株A／Duck／Hong Kong／3600／99(H6N2)、A／Duck／Hong Kong／3600／99(H6N2)最近。     

Distribution of alpha‐neoendorphin,ACTH (18–39) and beta‐endorphin (1–27) in the alpaca brainstem

Using an immunocytochemical technique, we have studied in the alpaca brainstem the distribution of immunoreactive structures containing prodynorphin (alpha‐neoendorphin)‐ and pro‐opiomelanocortin (adrenocorticotrophin hormone (18–39) (ACTH), beta‐endorphin (1–27))‐derived peptides. No peptidergic‐immunoreactive cell body was observed. Immunoreactive fibres were widely distributed, although in most of the brainstem nuclei the density of the peptidergic fibres was low or very low. In general, the distribution of the immunoreactive fibres containing the peptides studied was very similar. A close anatomical relationship occurred among the fibres containing alpha‐neoendorphin, ACTH or beta‐endorphin (1–27), suggesting a functional interaction among the three peptides in many of the brainstem nuclei. The number of fibres belonging to the prodynorphin system was higher than that of the pro‐opiomelanocortin system. A moderate/low density of immunoreactive fibres was observed in 65.11% (for alpha‐neoendorphin (1–27)), 18.18% (for ACTH) and 13.95% (for beta‐endorphin) of the brainstem nuclei/tracts. In the alpaca brainstem, a high density of immunoreactive fibres was not observed. The neuroanatomical distribution of the immunoreactive fibres suggests that the peptides studied are involved in auditory, motor, gastric, feeding, vigilance, stress, respiratory and cardiovascular mechanisms, taste response, sleep‐waking cycle and the control of pain transmission.     

Genetic risk factors for osteochondrosis in various horse breeds

Osteochondrosis (OC) is an injury to cartilage canals with a following necrosis in the growth cartilage, from there it can develop to osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD). Due to its high impact in the equine industry, new insights into predisposing factors and potential high‐risk genetic variants are warranted. This article reviews advancements in quantitative and molecular genetics in refining estimation of genetic parameters and identifying predisposing genetic loci. Heritabilities were highest for hock OC with estimates at 0.29–0.46 in Hanoverian warmblood and Norwegian trotters, whereas in Thoroughbreds only very low genetic variation seemed to be present in hock OC lesions. Whole genome scans using the Illumina Equine SNP50 or SNP70 Beadchip were performed in Thoroughbred, Standardbred, French and Norwegian trotter, Hanoverian and Dutch warmblood. Validation studies in Spanish Purebred and Hanoverian warmblood horses corroborated OC risk loci on ECA 3, 14, 27 and 29. Particularly, a strong association with hock‐OCD was found for a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) on horse chromosome (ECA) 3 upstream to the LCORL gene. Gene expression and microRNA analyses may be helpful to understand pathophysiological processes in equine OC and to connect OCD‐associated genomic regions with potential candidate genes. Furthermore progress in elucidating the underlying genetic variants and pathophysiological changes in OC may be expected from whole genome DNA and RNA next‐generation sequencing studies.     

Canine GM2‐Gangliosidosis Sandhoff Disease Associated with a 3‐Base Pair Deletion in the HEXB Gene

Background

GM2‐gangliosidosis is a fatal neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disease (LSD) caused by deficiency of either β‐hexosaminidase A (Hex‐A) and β‐hexosaminidase B (Hex‐B) together, or the GM2 activator protein. Clinical signs can be variable and are not pathognomonic for the specific, causal deficiency.

Objectives

To characterize the phenotype and genotype of GM2‐gangliosidosis disease in an affected dog.

Animals

One affected Shiba Inu and a clinically healthy dog.

Methods

Clinical and neurologic evaluation, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), assays of lysosomal enzyme activities, and sequencing of all coding regions of HEXA, HEXB, and GM2A genes.

Results

A 14‐month‐old, female Shiba Inu presented with clinical signs resembling GM2‐gangliosidosis in humans and GM1‐gangliosidosis in the Shiba Inu. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the dog's brain indicated neurodegenerative disease, and evaluation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) identified storage granules in leukocytes. Lysosomal enzyme assays of plasma and leukocytes showed deficiencies of Hex‐A and Hex‐B activities in both tissues. Genetic analysis identified a homozygous, 3‐base pair deletion in the HEXB gene (c.618‐620delCCT).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Clinical, biochemical, and molecular features are characterized in a Shiba Inu with GM2‐gangliosidosis. The deletion of 3 adjacent base pairs in HEXB predicts the loss of a leucine residue at amino acid position 207 (p.Leu207del) supporting the hypothesis that GM2‐gangliosidosis seen in this dog is the Sandhoff type. Because GM1‐gangliosidosis also exists in this breed with almost identical clinical signs, genetic testing for both GM1‐ and GM2‐gangliosidosis should be considered to make a definitive diagnosis.