MEASUREMENT OF BODY COMPOSITION IN CATS USING COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY AND DUAL ENERGY X‐RAY ABSORPTIOMETRY

Dual energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DEXA) is a reference method for assessing body composition but is seldom `accessible in veterinary settings. Computed tomography (CT) can provide similar body composition estimates and we propose that it can be used in body composition studies in animals. We compared CT and DEXA data from 73 healthy adult neutered domestic cats. Three approaches for measuring adipose tissue percentage from full‐body CT scans were explored. By examining the frequency distribution of voxels by Hounsfield unit (HU) value, it is possible to calculate a fat index (Fat%) that is in close agreement with the fat percentages obtained from DEXA scans. Fat% values obtained by the best of the methods had a mean difference of 0.96% (95% confidence interval 0.33–1.59%) from the DEXA results. Fat% obtained by the other two methods were characterized by good correlation but poor agreement and in one of the methods, the difference between the values from the two modalities was proportional to their mean. By using CT, it is possible to obtain body composition estimates that are in close agreement with those available using DEXA. While the significance of individual Fat% measurements obtained from CT can be difficult to interpret and to compare between centers, CT can contribute to research studies concerned either with nutrition or with obesity‐related disorders.     

X染色体失活、失活逃逸及相关疾病的研究进展

剂量补偿效应是表观遗传的机制之一,它是指使X连锁基因的表达水平在两性间达到平衡的过程。不同的物种所实现剂量补偿的机制不同,人同其他哺乳动物的剂量补偿机制是雌性个体随即失活一条X染色体。但最近的研究发现,在人和小鼠的失活X染色体上有些基因仍能表达,逃避了失活。目前,许多人类疾病尤其是具有女性发病优势病症的发生与治疗可能与这些逃逸基因密切相关。针对以上内容的最新进展作了相关综述。     

Relationship between ATP content and motility in bovine spermatozoa with reference to the effects of the bull and the A.I. centre.

Deep-frozen semen from 28 bulls belonging to 6 different A.I. centres was studied after thawing and the ATP content in the spermatozoa was assayed using a bioluminescence technique. The sperm motility was subjectively estimated under a phase contrast microscope and the sperm concentration of each ejaculate was calculated in a haemocytometer. The overall mean ATP content was 16.6 nmoles ATP/spermatozoa x 10(8). There was a significant variation in ATP content between A.I. centres. Significant differences between bulls in ATP content were found as well as a significant correlation between ATP concentration and the number of motile spermatozoa. This may indicate that ATP assessment may be useful as an additional, objective laboratory test.     

Sperm localization in the oviducts of artificially inseminated dairy cattle

Eight animals, 3 heifers and 5 primiparous cows, were artificially inseminated by intrauterine deposition of frozen-thawed semen. The insemination dose comprised 20×10⁶ or 200 × 10⁶ spermatozoa, frozen in French mini straws. Four animals were inseminated at fixed time interval (72 or 84 h) after cloprostenol injection. The remaining 4 animals were inseminated in spontaneous oestrus. Slaughter took place 2 or 12 h after insemination. After fixation the oviducts were cut into segments, which were serial-sectioned and stained. Six sections per segment were examined under the microscope for sperm recovery.The number of spermatozoa recovered from the oviducts varied considerably among animals. Recovery was poor (less than 50 spermatozoa) in 4 animals. Recovery was low when insemination took place in induced oestrus and with the lower sperm number (20×10⁶). In animals in which more than 50 spermatozoa were found the distribution varied both between animals and between oviducts within the same animal. Overall, more spermatozoa were found in the lower (UTJ, isthmus and AIJ) than in the upper (ampulla) parts of the oviducts. In 3 out of 4 animals more spermatozoa were recovered from the left than from the right oviduct. Only in 1 animal were the majority of spermatozoa found in the oviduct ipsilateral to the follicle-bearing ovary.     

Effect of the strain combination of the donor and recipient on the production efficiency of W‐bearing sperm in mixed‐sex germline chimeric chickens

Effect of the strain combination of the donor and recipient on production efficiency of W‐bearing sperm in mixed‐sex chimeric testes was analyzed. The combinations of the donors and recipients were White Leghorn (WL) and Rhode Island Red (RIR), and vice versa. Generated mixed‐sex chimeras that had the male phenotype at sexual maturity were classified into four groups: (1) a female WL donor and a male RIR recipient; (2) a male WL donor and a female RIR recipient; (3) a female RIR donor and a male WL recipient; (4) a male RIR donor and a female WL recipient. The mean number of W‐bearing sperm detected by in situ hybridization among 10 000 sperm observed were 147, 165, 30 and 45 in groups 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. The numbers in groups 1 and 2 were both significantly higher than those of groups 3 and 4 (P < 0.05). The combination of a WL donor and a RIR recipient produced W‐bearing sperm more efficiently than the reverse combination.     

Gefrierkonservierung von Schafbockspermien in Gegenwart oberflächenaktiver Substanzen

Inhalt Ein Zusatz von Alkylsulfaten bzw. von TRITON X 45 in sehr geringer Konzentration zum Medium für die Gefrierkonservierung von Schafbocksperma führt zu verbesserten Auftauergebnissen. In einem Medium ohne Kryoprotektiva wird die Empfindlichkeit gegenüber Kälteschock bzw. osmotischen Schock verringert. Der vermutlich membranstabilisierende Effekt von Natriumhexadecylsulfat hatte keinen Einfluβ auf das Befruchtungsergebnis nach Insemination gefrierkonservierten Schafbockspermas.
Ein Zusatz von N-Acetyl-cystein bei der Gefrierkonservierung von Schafbocksperma verbessert Motilität und Resistenz nach dem Auftauen signifikant. Andere Vitalitätsparameter werden nicht beeinfluβt. Im Besamungsversuch konnte der positive Effekt dieses Zusatzes bestätigt werden, ohne daβ damit praxisrelevante Ergebnisse erreicht wurden.
Contents: Cryopreservation of ram spermatozoa in the presence of surface active substances
The addition of alkylsulphates or TRITON X 45 in very low concentrations to diluents for the cryopreservation of ram semen leads to an improvement of after-thawing results. In a diluent without cryoprotectives the sensitivity against cold shock as well as osmotic shock is diminished. The membrane stabilising effect of sodium-hexadecylsulphate has no influence on the fertility rate after insemination of cryopreserved ram semen.
The addition of N-acetyl-cysteine in cry opreservation of ram spermatozoa increases the motility and lifetime in a resistance test after thawing significantly. Other parameters of viability are not influenced. In insemination experiments the positive effect of this addition could be verified, but, on the whole, the effect is too small to be relevant in practice.     

菜豆普通细菌性疫病菌在土壤和植株残体中的越冬能力

为评估菜豆普通细菌性疫病菌地毯草黄单胞杆菌菜豆致病变种或褐色黄单胞菌褐色亚种在土壤及植物残体中的越冬能力,对采自黑龙江、内蒙古、山西、河北及新疆的18块菜豆生产田的20份土壤及14份植物残体样品进行病原菌分离和鉴定。在MT选择性培养基上有12个土壤样品和13个植株残体样品提取液产生典型的类似黄单胞菌菌落。选取29个分离物进行致病性测定,有27个分离物对菜豆品种"英国红"致病。利用地毯草黄单胞杆菌菜豆致病变种和褐色黄单胞菌褐色亚种的特异性引物X4c/X4e及褐色黄单胞菌褐色亚种特异性引物Xf1/Xf2对29个分离物进行多重PCR检测,其中17个分离物为地毯草黄单胞杆菌菜豆致病变种,10个分离物为褐色黄单胞菌褐色亚种。结果表明,菜豆普通细菌性疫病菌可以在黑龙江、内蒙古、山西、河北的一些菜豆种植区的土壤及植株残体中越冬存活。