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.     

Familial Congenital Methemoglobinemia in Pomeranian Dogs Caused by a Missense Variant in the NADH‐Cytochrome B5 Reductase Gene

Background

In veterinary medicine, congenital methemoglobinemia associated with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH)‐cytochrome b5 reductase (b5R) deficiency is rare. It has been reported in several breeds of dogs, but little information is available about its etiology.

Objectives

To analyze the NADH‐cytochrome b5 reductase gene, CYB5R3, in a Pomeranian dog family with methemoglobinemia suspected to be caused by congenital b5R deficiency.

Animals

Three Pomeranian dogs from a family with methemoglobinemia were analyzed. Five healthy beagles and 5 nonrelated Pomeranian dogs without methemoglobinemia were used as controls.

Methods

Methemoglobin concentration, b5R activity, and reduced glutathione (GSH) concentration were measured, and a turbidity index was used to evaluate Heinz body formation. The CYB5R3 genes of the affected dog and healthy dogs were analyzed by direct sequencing.

Results

Methemoglobin concentrations in erythrocytes of the affected dogs were remarkably higher than those of the control dogs. The b5R activity of the affected dogs was notably lower than that of the control dogs. DNA sequencing indicated that this Pomeranian family carried a CYB5R3 gene missense variant (ATC→CTC at codon 194) that resulted in the replacement of isoleucine (Ile) by leucine (Leu).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

This dog family had familial congenital methemoglobinemia caused by b5R deficiency, which resulted from a nonsynonymous variant in the CYB5R3 gene. This variation (c.580A>C) led to an amino acid substitution (p.Ile194Leu), and Ile194 was located in the proximal region of the NADH‐binding motif. Our data suggested that this variant in the canine CYB5R3 gene would affect function of the b5R in erythrocytes.     

Interaction between the sequence of feeding of hay and concentrate,and boiling of barley on feed intake,the activity of hydrolytic enzymes and fermentation in the hindgut of Arabian mares

The interaction between the sequence of feeding of hay and concentrate and the hydrothermal processing of barley in alleviating concentrate effects on intake, and hindgut fermentation in horses was tested. Six Arabian mares (4–10 years of age, 410 ± 35 kg body weight) were used to evaluate the effects of feeding sequence (FS) and type of barley (TB) on intake, and faecal volatile fatty acids (VFA), activities of α‐amylase (AA: EC 3.2.1.1), carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase: EC 3.2.1.4), microcrystalline cellulase (MCCase: EC 3.2.1.91) and general filter paper degrading activity (FPD). Mares were offered a ration of air‐dried alfalfa and concentrate (70:30 as‐fed) in four subsequent periods of 14 days including 8 days of adaptation and 6 days of sampling. In each period and each meal, mares received concentrate either 30 min after (HC) or 30 min before (CH) alfalfa hay. Barley was either milled or boiled in water. Rectal samples were grabbed directly from rectum once per period. Mares subjected to CH had higher dry matter intakes than mares under HC regime. The acetate:propionate ratio (A:P ratio) in rectal content was higher with CH than HC. The AA activity was higher under CH than under HC. Mares fed boiled barley had lower rectal concentrations of VFA and propionate and a higher A:P ratio than mares fed milled barley. Furthermore, the rectal content showed a higher MCCase activity but a lower AA activity when mares were fed boiled compared with milled barley. Interactions between FS and TB were observed with respect to CMCase activity, and concentrations of propionate and valerate. In conclusion, the present results suggest that both, feeding concentrate before hay and boiling the barley, might improve the hindgut environment in Arabian mares, and that the two measures were mostly additive and sometimes even synergistic.     

Disaccharide combinations and the expression of enolase3 and plasma membrane Ca2+ ATPase isoform in sturgeon sperm cryopreservation

Acipenser sinensis and Acipenser dabryanus are critically endangered species, so germplasm conservation via cryopreservation of sperm is necessary. Disaccharides can act as membrane‐impermeable cryoprotectants, and enolase3 (ENO3) and plasma membrane Ca²⁺ ATPase isoform (PMCA2) are proteins associated with sperm quality. We considered seven characteristics of sperm quality in cultured brood stock from A. sinensis and A. dabryanus. We tested use of sucrose or trehalose alone and in combination at different concentrations for cryopreservation of A. dabryanus sperm. A low concentration of sucrose plus trehalose (S₁₅T₁₅) was optimal. Mixing of the extender with sucrose, lactose, or trehalose alone or with pairwise mixtures revealed that a mixture of lactose and trehalose (L₁₅T₁₅) gave the best results for both A. sinensis and A. dabryanus. Enolase3 and PMCA2 expression levels were measured in cryopreserved A. sinensis sperm via Western blotting. Relative ENO3 and PMCA2 expression levels were examined, and the relationship between disaccharide composition, sperm quality and protein expression was explored in A. sinensis. The results showed that relative ENO3 and PMCA2 expression levels were the highest at L₁₅T₁₅ in cryopreserved A. sinensis sperm. There were significant positive correlations between ENO3 expression and percentage membrane integrity, and between PMCA2 expression and sperm motility parameters (percentage of motile sperm, curvilinear velocity, straight‐line velocity and average path velocity; p < .05) in cryopreserved A. sinensis sperm. Our results indicate the optimal disaccharide combination and concentrations for cryopreservation of A. sinensis and A. dabryanus sperm and suggest that ENO3 and PMCA2 expression levels could serve as a valuable indicator of sperm quality in A. sinensis.     

黔糖3号果蔗病害的致病原因与防控对策

针对黔糖3号果蔗生产上病害发生特点及危害程度提出了各病害等级划分标准,并介绍了各病害的田间表现症状、发生特点及变化规律,结合多年的调研结果,分析了导致黔糖3号病害发生的原因。同时提出了黔糖3号生产中各种病害的防控措施。     

杂交玉米品种黔玉3号耐旱和耐盐能力的鉴定

分别用不同浓度的PEG-6000和NaCl溶液模拟干旱和盐胁迫,以常规玉米品种农大108为对照,从水分状况、膜伤害、光合速率、渗透势和离子吸收等生理指标对杂交玉米品种黔玉3号幼苗的耐旱和耐盐能力进行了比较和鉴定.结果表明,供试两玉米品种受胁迫后,地上部相对含水量、叶片净光合速率(Pn)和 PSⅡ最大光化学效率(Fv/Fm)都降低,叶片相对电解质渗漏率及盐胁迫下植株的Na /K 值都升高,农大108的变幅大于黔玉3号;叶片渗透势都降低,在盐胁迫下植株SRK,Na值都升高,但农大108的变幅小于黔玉3号.通过上述指标的综合评价表明,黔玉3号的耐旱、耐盐能力大于农大108.     

含GA3的预处理液对百合切花的保鲜效应

采用预处理液[40 g/L蔗糖 300 mg/L 8-羟基喹啉柠檬酸盐 60 mg/L Al2(SO4)3 100 mg/L赤霉素(GA3)]对百合切花进行保鲜效应研究,预处理液保鲜效果明显,能延长切花瓶插寿命3 d,增加鲜重,增加花瓣可溶性糖及可溶性蛋白质含量,改善体内水分平衡,提高过氧化物酶(POD)活性,降低脯氨酸的含量,从而改善切花品质,延缓衰老进程。     

永佳牌2种机动喷雾器在果园的应用效果

2007年进行了永佳牌WFB18．2和3W-650型机动喷雾器喷药防治苹果斑点落叶病试验。结果表明：2种喷雾器与当好地常用喷雾器（红发3WJB-22型）用相同药剂防治苹果斑点落叶病的效果差异不显著,对果树也无不良影响。但2种喷雾器均比对照喷雾器节省药液60％,分别节省时间40．16％和25．96％。     

基于深度学习的车辆检测算法之特点分析

车辆检测是智能交通系统的基础架构。文章分析了三种经典的车辆检测算法——Faster R-CNN算法、YOLOv3算法、SSD算法的特点,在此基础上指出了它们的优点和缺点,为下一步的车辆检测算法改进做好了理论知识基础。     

饲料维生素C对急性降温后花鲈免疫、抗氧化及抗应激的影响

为研究饲料维生素C(Vc)对急性降温后花鲈(Lateolabrax maculatus)免疫、抗氧化及抗应激的影响,以含有不同水平Vc(6.85、46.90、88.24、167.43、329.21和658.69mg/kg)的饲料饲养花鲈56d后,进行急性降温(从33℃C水体转入27℃水体)处理24h和48h.结果显示,...