Antibody prevalence of low-pathogenicity avian influenza and evaluation of management practices in Minnesota backyard poultry flocks

Low‐pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) viruses have caused illness in poultry and humans with poultry contact. To determine whether there is evidence of exposure to avian influenza viruses (AIV) among backyard poultry in Minnesota and their human caretakers, 150 flocks of backyard birds were sampled for antibodies to AIV from August 2007 through December 2008. One hundred flocks were tested through routine slaughter surveillance by the Minnesota Board of Animal Health and an additional 50 flocks were contacted and sampled by study investigators. Blood was collected from 10 to 13 birds from each flock and a survey of biosecurity and management practices was administered to the flock owner. Blood samples were tested by agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) for influenza A antibodies. Tested flocks had a median flock size of 100 birds (range: 12–800 birds), and were most commonly owned for meat for personal use (81% of respondents), fun or hobby (58%) and eggs for personal use (56%). Although 7% of flock owners reported that their birds had shown respiratory signs in the previous 3 months, only 1 of 150 flocks tested positive for influenza by AGID. Antibodies to LPAI H6N1 were detected in the positive flock. The owner of the positive flock did not have antibodies to H6 or other common AIV. Based on the findings of this study, the risk of transmission of LPAI viruses from backyard poultry to owners in Minnesota appears to be low under current conditions and management practices.     

红景天多糖对幼鼠精原干细胞体外增殖的影响

为研究如何在体外获得更好的精原干细胞培养效果,以出生后6～8 d的小鼠为对象,应用两步酶消化法和差速贴壁法分离纯化精原干细胞.分别将浓度为100、200、300和400 ng/mL的红景天多糖加入以Sertoli细胞为饲养层的精原干细胞培养液中,以不添加红景天多糖组为对照,通过RT-PCR法和碱性磷酸酶（AP）染色鉴定细胞,MTT法研究红景天多糖对精原干细胞增殖的影响.RT-PCR和染色结果显示,分离得到的细胞为精原干细胞;MTT结果显示试验组比对照组细胞数量有显著增多（P＜0.05）,增殖率可达152％,且红景天多糖的最适添加量300 ng/mL.说明红景天多糖能显著促进小鼠精原干细胞的体外增殖.     

箭筈豌豆种子人工加速老化条件筛选的研究

人工加速老化法是种子活力测定的常用方法之一,但不同物种适宜的老化条件往往不同。以9个箭筈豌豆种批为材料,在100%相对湿度,41、43及45 ℃条件分别老化处理12、24、36、48、60及72 h,通过测定发芽率及发芽速率,筛选出箭筈豌豆适宜的人工加速老化条件。结果表明,老化温度、时间以及两者的交互作用对发芽率及发芽速率均有极显著影响(P<0.01)。随着老化温度及时间的增加,发芽率逐渐下降,老化处理48 h后发芽率均显著降低(P<0.05)(除种批6);发芽速率先增加后降低,24 h后呈现下降趋势。相关分析结果表明老化时间对箭筈豌豆发芽率和发芽速率的影响大于温度。在41 ℃-60 h老化条件下,发芽率和发芽速率分别将9个种批分为8和6个质量等级,比其他老化处理条件划分更多的质量等级,且各质量等级之间差异显著(P<0.05)。因此,41 ℃-60 h是箭筈豌豆适宜的人工加速老化条件。     

The effects of continuous and rotational grazing of sourveld on the quality of herbage selected by Simmentaler heifers

A grazing trial was conducted at the Kokstad Agricultural Station to compare the dry matter digestibility (DMD) and crude protein content (CP) of diets selected by four fistulated cattle which were continuously and rotationally grazing sourveld. Two stocking rates of 1,0 and 2,3 animals/ha (0,5 and 1,2 LSU/ha) were applied under each grazing method. The mean DMD and CP values of diets selected in the continuous and rotational grazing treatments, respectively, were: DMD=64,3%, 62,3%; CP=6,63%, 6,88%. The effect of stocking rate on the quality of the diet selected varied between the two grazing methods. DMD and CP of diets selected under rotational grazing decreased with time during the week‐long period of stay in each paddock. On average, DMD and CP values on the first and sixth day respectively, were: DMD=66,6%, 60,5%; CP=8,37%, 6,01%. These differences were more pronounced at the higher than at the lower stocking rate. It was concluded that, although some of the treatment differences were small, grazing method differences in the DMD of diets might at least partially account for observed differences in livemass gains under the two grazing systems.     

A model to assess the use of caecal and faecal inocula to study fermentability of nutrients in rabbit

An in vitro gas production trial was conducted using 10 Hyla rabbits to evaluate the use of caecal and faecal inocula in fermentability studies. Caecal content (CI) and hard faeces (FI) were used as inocula. Six legume and six cereal concentrates were used as substrates. Gas production was recorded 19 times at 2–24 h intervals throughout fermentation (120 h). The fermentation characteristics (degraded organic matter, OMd; potential gas production, A; volatile fatty acid, VFA; ammonia, NH₃) were measured by testing the inoculum and substrate (legumes vs. cereals). The inocula were different (p < 0.01) in OMd (818.2 vs. 799.4 g/kg OM for CI and FI respectively), A (255.0 vs. 267.1 ml/g OM), total VFA (67.3 vs. 53.2 mmol/g OM) and NH₃ content (21.2 vs. 19.8 mmol/l). Moreover, the significant differences in the (acetate + propionate)/butyrate ratio (5.02 vs. 4.09 for CI and FI respectively, p < 0.01) and in the branched chain proportion (isobutyrate + isovaleriate)/total VFA (0.044 vs. 0.031, p < 0.01) indicate that the inocula differed in fermenting legumes or cereals, but the equations for estimating caecal fermentation characteristics from those of faeces showed R² values from 0.673 to 0.975 (p ≤ 0.01). Our results confirm that in vitro fermentation characteristics of faeces were highly related to those of caecal content.     

海晏县牦牛布氏杆菌病的血清学检测

采用试管凝集反应对海晏县的牦牛进行了布氏杆菌病的血清学检测,共检测177份血清样品,结果检出阳性血清9份,阳性率为5．08％。     

体外培育抗苏拉灭伊氏锥虫克隆

将３个苏拉灭敏感的伊氏锥虫原种的克隆连续培养于改良Ｂａｌｔｚ无细胞培养系统中，通过逐步提高培养基中苏拉灭的含量，培育了３个抗苏拉灭的伊氏锥虫克隆─ＪＧｃ１－１６０、ＪＸ－１ｃ１－１６０和ＺＪｃ１－１４０。它们体外药敏试验的ＩＣ５０依次为３５８．５、４１２．３和２４６．４μｇ／ｍＬ，是各自亲本克隆的１２９２．５、１８７４．１和１７６０．ｏ倍；小鼠治疗试验的ＣＤ１００，对免疫功能正常小鼠依次为８０、１２０和３０ｍｇ／ｋｇ，为各自亲本克隆的５．３、８．０和３．０倍，对免疫抑制小鼠为２５０、３００和１００ｍｇ／ｋｇ，分别是相应免疫正常小鼠的３．１、２．５和３．３倍。试验结果表明，抗锥虫药治疗剂量不足和宿主免疫功能不全是导致产生抗药虫株的重要因素，各自既可单独发挥作用，又可相互协同。本文报道了体外培育伊氏锥虫抗药虫株的方法，这一方法对研究锥虫抗药性具有重要作用。     

Factors responsible for levels of male sterility in photoperiod-sensitive cytoplasmic male sterile (PCMS) wheat lines

A `two-line system' using photoperiod-sensitivecytoplasmic male sterility (PCMS) caused by Aegilops crassa cytoplasm has been proposed as a newmeans of producing hybrid wheat. The PCMS line ismaintained by self-pollination under short-dayconditions (14.5 h light period), and F<sub>1</sub> seedscan be produced by outcrossing of the PCMS line witha pollinator under long-day conditions (15 h lightperiod). As the levels of male sterility in PCMSlines under the long-day conditions is a crucialfactor in determining hybrid purity of the F<sub>1</sub>seeds, a study was conducted into the effect ofseeding rate on male sterility in PCMS lines. Threedifferent density levels were tested using analloplasmic line of Japanese wheat cultivar `Norin 26'which exhibits PCMS. Levels of male sterility of thePCMS line increased at sparse planting, because tiller(ear) number per plant increased at low seedingdensity and late-appearing ears tended to exhibithigher levels of male sterility than early-appearingears. On the other hand, male sterility levels of thePCMS lines depended on genotype, e.g., the PCMS`Fujimikomugi' was completely male sterile, whereasthe PCMS `Norin 26' showed partial male sterility. APCMS line showing complete male sterility, such as thePCMS `Fujimikomugi', should produce F<sub>1</sub> seeds withhigh purity. However, the PCMS `Fujimikomugi' showeda lower female fertility. For practical use, it isnecessary to produce PCMS lines having high malesterility with high female fertility under long-dayconditions.     

快速凝集试验与补体结合试验检测牛边缘无浆体感染的效果对比

从138份血清样品的比较试验结果显示，快速凝集试验（RCA）比补体结合试验（CF）检测边缘无浆体感染的敏感性高（88．9％：81．5％），假阴性率低（11．1％：18．5％），两者都具有良好的特异性和预测性，检测阳性符合率高，快速凝集试验对一次感染牛的持续检出阳性时间更长久（303天：92天）