Diagnostic evaluation and short-term outcome as indicators of long-term prognosis in horses with findings suggestive of inflammatory bowel disease treated with corticosteroids and anthelmintics

Background

Recurrent colic and unexplained weight loss despite good appetite and adequate feeding and management practices are common conditions in the horse. However, little information has been published on the systematic diagnostic evaluation, response to treatment, prognostic factors or outcome of either presentation. The aims of this study were to 1) identify possible prognostic indicators and 2) report the short- and long-term response to treatment with corticosteroid therapy of a variety of horses with a presumptive diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).Thirty-six horses with a history of recurrent colic and/or unexplained weight loss were screened with a detailed clinical, clinicopathological and diagnostic imaging examination. Twenty horses were subsequently selected that had findings consistent with inflammatory bowel disease based on the fulfilment of one or more of the following additional inclusion criteria: hypoproteinaemia, hypoalbuminaemia, malabsorption, an increased intestinal wall thickness on ultrasonographic examination or histopathological changes in rectal biopsy. These 20 horses were treated with a standardized larvicidal anthelmintic regime and a minimum of three weeks of corticosteroid therapy.

Results

The initial response to treatment was good in 75% (15/20) of horses, with a 3-year survival rate of 65% (13/20). The overall 3-year survival in horses that responded to initial treatment (12/15) was significantly higher (P = 0.031) than in those that did not respond to initial treatment (1/5). The peak xylose concentration was significantly (P = 0.048) higher in survivors (1.36 ± 0.44 mmol/L) than non-survivors (0.94 ± 0.36 mmol/L).

Conclusions

The overall prognosis for long-term survival in horses with a presumptive diagnosis of IBD appears to be fair to moderate, and the initial response to anthelmintic and corticosteroid therapy could be a useful prognostic indicator. The findings of the present study suggest that a low peak xylose concentration in absorption testing is associated with a less favourable prognosis, supporting the use of this test.     

Relationship of Progesterone,Bovine Pregnancy-Associated Glycoprotein-1 and Nitric Oxide with Late Embryonic and Early Fetal Mortalities in Dairy Cows

The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship of progesterone (P4), bovine pregnancy-associated glycoprotein-1 (bPAG-1) and nitric oxide (NO) levels with late embryonic (LEM; day 28 to day 42) and early fetal mortalities (EFM; > day 42 to day 56) in dairy cows. Transrectal ultrasonography (6–8 MHz) was performed in 100 Holstein-Friesian cows at days 28, 42 and 56 after artificial insemination (AI; day 0) to diagnose pregnancy and to monitor the fate of the embryo. After ultrasound scanning of each cow, a milk sample was collected for assessment of P4 by an ELISA test and a blood sample was collected for assessment of bPAG-1, by using a double-antibody radioimmunoassay, and serum NO metabolites (nitrate + nitrite). Based on ultrasonographic examinations and bPAG-1-RIA, 41 of 100 inseminated cows were confirmed pregnant at day 28 after AI. Nine cows suffered of LEM, and 6 cows suffered of EFM and the overall pregnancy loss rate was 36.6% (15/41) between days 28 and 56 of pregnancy. By logistic regression analysis, there were no significant relationships between the level of P4 and bPAG-1 at day 28 after AI and the occurrence of LEM and EFM. Also, there were no significant relationships between the levels of P4 and bPAG-1 at day 42 and the occurrence of EFM. On the other hand, a significant relationship (P<0.05) was found between NO level at day 28 and the occurrence of LEM. In conclusion, measurement of the serum NO concentration at day 28 of pregnancy might help to predict the outcome of pregnancy by day 42 in dairy cows but further studies are needed to confirm this.     

Effect of feeding level on ileal and total tract digestibility of nutrients and energy from soybean meal‐based diets for piglets

A total of 36 piglets with an initial body weight (BW) of 5.6 ± 0.7 kg, fitted with simple T‐cannulas at the distal ileum, were used to evaluate the effect of three graded feeding levels (50, 75 or 100 g/kg BW^0.75 day) on apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter (DM), nitrogen (N) and energy, and on ATTD of organic matter (OM), ether extracts (EE), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and digestible (DE), metabolisable (ME) and net energy (NE) content in soybean meal (SBM)–casein–cornstarch‐based diets. The AID of DM, N and energy and ATTD of NDF, ADF and EE in the diets were not affected (p > 0.05) by the feed intake (FI) level. There was a small decrease in ATTD of DM, N (CP), OM, ash and energy, and in DE, ME and NE content in the diets (p < 0.05) with increasing FI level. The net disappearance in the large intestine (in % of ileal recovery) decreased for DM, N and energy (p < 0.05) with increasing FI level. The design of the study allowed for estimating ileal endogenous loss of N and total tract endogenous loss of ash, N and EE, for estimating corresponding true ileal and total tract digestibility values, and for estimating urinary endogenous N loss. High variability in estimates of ileal endogenous N loss and total tract endogenous losses of N, EE and ash reflects great variation in individual endogenous losses between animals. Estimation of true total tract digestibility of N, EE and ash by regression analysis was affected by their decrease in ATTD with increasing FI level, as estimates for true digestibility were lower compared to their apparent values. The present results suggest that FI level can affect both apparent and true total tract nutrient digestibility in piglets.     

赤麻鸭（Tadorna ferruginea）的人工孵化初探

2011年4—5月,对徐州金桥禽业发展有限公司养殖的赤麻鸭所产的44枚卵进行了人工孵化研究。其中43枚卵受精,出雏35枚,4枚在孵化中期死胚,5枚为27d落盘后啄壳困难而死亡,受精卵的孵化率为81．40％。孵化温度前期为38．5℃;中期为38．2℃;后期为37．8℃,落盘后温度降为37．5℃。赤麻鸭卵鲜重为（79．80±6．72）g,长径为（66．10±2．53）mnq,短径为（46．40±1．45）／mm,卵形指数为1．43±0．06,出雏后的卵壳等剩余物质重（12．60±1．07）g,新生雏鸟重占鲜卵重的（67．20±3．71）％。卵总失重率为17％。孵化期间的卵重（Y）与孵化天数（x）之间的线性方程为Y=一0．9071x＋81．019（R2=0．9997,P〈0．01）,根据卵失重方程可以比较准确地推算出赤麻鸭卵的孵化天数。     

A preliminary evaluation of throughfall sampling techniques in a mature coniferous forest

Rainfall, throughfall and stemflow were measured and canopy interception loss was derived for 14 rainfall events from June 22 to August 30, 2008 within a mature declining hybrid white spruce(Picea glauca(Moench) Voss × P. engelmannii Parry ex Engelm.)- subalpine fir(Abies lasiocarpa(Hook.) Nutt.)- lodgepole pine(Pinus contorta var.latifolia Dougl. ex Loud.) stand in south-central British Columbia, Canada. Stemflow was negligible during the study period, while, respectively throughfall and canopy interception loss accounted for approximately59.4% and 40.6% of the 50.1 mm of cumulative rainfall. Throughfall variability was assessed with three approaches involving roving and stationary wedge-type gauges, and stationary trough gauges. Throughfall exhibited large spatial variability with the coefficient of variability of study period throughfall sampled using 16 stationary trough gauges being30.3%, while it was 38.0% and 28.7% for 32 stationary and 32 roving wedge gauges, respectively. Our analysis suggests that a roving gauge method is better than a stationary approach since the errors associated with event mean throughfalls are summed quadratically and a greater portion of the canopy area is sampled. Trough gauges were more efficient than wedge gauges; however, this efficiency was less than expected given their much larger sampling areas, suggesting that spatial autocor-relation lengths of throughfall may be longer than the trough systems. The spatial distribution of throughfall showed a high degree of temporal persistence throughout the study suggesting the existence of stable "wet" and "dry" inputs to the floors of these coniferous forests.     

基于直接驱动和自增力技术的AMT换挡系统

为进一步提高电控机械式自动变速器(AMT)的换挡品质和系统鲁棒性,提出一种应用直驱自增力换挡系统的AMT方案。设计了直接驱动装置的结构并对其性能进行测试,针对直接驱动技术存在的问题,研究一种具有自增力和提高换挡系统鲁棒性功能的增力式同步器,参考实车的相关参数,研制了直驱自增力换挡系统的原理性样机,完成了技术方案可行性与功能性的试验研究。结果表明,追求的换挡品质相同时,直驱自增力换挡系统同步阶段需要驱动装置提供的最大瞬时驱动力较小,降低了换挡过程中的能量损耗;当增力斜面角θ=116°时,增力式同步器的力放大系数nF约为1.54,实现了换挡系统放大驱动装置输出力和提高换挡系统鲁棒性的功能,为缩小驱动装置体积和降低换挡控制系统设计难度奠定了良好的技术基础。     

西藏飞蝗对青稞危害损失与防治指标初步探讨

利用笼罩接虫的方法,测定西藏飞蝗虫口密度与青稞产量损失率（％）的关系,结果表明,青稞产量损失随着西藏飞蝗虫口数量增加而增加,西藏飞蝗的虫口密度（X）与产量损失率（Y）的关系为：y=-15．39＋10．25x;从而确定青稞田西藏飞蝗的理论防治指标2头／m^2。     

几种液压控制系统对比分析

对几种简单的液压控制系统进行对比分析。结果表明,闭心负载系统是节能系统。     

放疗后复发鼻咽癌微卫星不稳定和杂合性缺失改变的研究

目的比较放疗后复发鼻咽癌（NPC）与初诊NPC中染色体微卫星不稳定（MSI）和杂合性缺失（LOH）发生情况。方法选择1p、3p、3q、4q、9q、11q、13q、14q的12个微卫星多态性位点,显微切割分离22例初诊和18例放疗后复发NPC组织和正常组织,提取DNA,经PCR扩增及聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳和硝酸银染色,进行MSI及LOH分析研究。结果（1）8个位点发生了LOH：复发癌与初诊癌相比,LOH发生率在D1S2697位点为28.6%比20.0%,在D13S133位点为30.0%比20.0%,在D9S1682位点为7.7%比9.1%;D5S433和D14S65位点只在复发癌中发生LOH,分别为33.3%和6.7%;D13S263、D4S350、D14S258位点只在初诊癌发生LOH,分别为20.0%、33.3%、16.6%。（2）11个位点发生了MSI：4个位点在复发癌和初诊癌中都发生MSI,4个位点只在复发癌中发生MSI,3个位点只在初诊癌中发生MSI。结论 D1S2697、D13S133、D5S433位点可能含有与放疗后复发NPC相关的肿瘤抑制基因,放疗后复发NPC中MSI发生率呈增高趋势,提示部分放疗后复发NPC与原发癌可能属不同细胞克隆起源。     

基于小波神经网络的穆棱河作物生育期径流预测

为提高研究精度,在基本的小波神经网络基础上改变隐含层节点数选取方法,降低基本方法随机性和盲目性。将改进的小波网络与人工神经网络进行对比分析。结果表明,小波神经网络改进方法更适合穆棱河流域径流预测。