Investigations on the Occurrence of Hereditary Diseases in the Danish Cattle Population 1989-1991

Agerholm, J.S., A. Basse and K. Christensen: Investigations on the occurrence of hereditary diseases in the Danish cattle population 1989-1991. Acta vet. scand. 1993, 34, 245-253.– The methods of the Danish Bovine Genetic Disease Programme are outlined, and the results obtained during the first 3 years in function are described. The most common disease reported was spinal muscular atrophy in calves of the Red Danish Dairy breed with 312 reports. Necropsy was performed on 162 cases, and spinal muscular atrophy was diagnosed in 82 of these. Bovine progressive degenerative mye-loencephalopathy, rectovaginal constriction, syndrome of arthrogryposis and palatoschisis, hereditary chondrodysplasia (2 different types), syndactylism, epitheliogenesis imperfecta, and osteogenesis imperfecta was diagnosed with 1 case each. Lethal trait A46 was diagnosed in 4 calves. Some of these diseases have not previously been described in Denmark, and epitheliogenesis imperfecta was for the first time diagnosed in the Hereford breed. Chromosome translocation 1/29 was detected in the Blonde d’Aquitaine (BAQ), Limousine, and Red Danish Dairy breed. The aberration occurred frequently in BAQ. Furthermore, a complex chromosome translocation t(l;8;9)(q45;ql3;q26) was detected in the Red Danish Dairy breed.     

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING FEATURES OF EQUINE NIGROPALLIDAL ENCEPHALOMALACIA

Magnetic resonance imaging (MR) was used to make a diagnosis of equine nigropallidal encephalomalacia in a horse. Equine nigropallidal encephalomalacia is a neurodegenerative disease that has many characteristics with Parkinson-like diseases in humans. Historically, horses were euthanized based on clinical signs and exposure to the toxic weed, yellow star thistle (Centaurea solstitialis). Previously, the disease has only been confirmed on necropsy. MR imaging can provide accurate and sensitive visualization of typical lesions seen in the brain of horses affected with equine nigropallidal encephalomalacia. Lesions were seen on T1-weighted, T2-weighted and proton density images. There was no contrast enhancement following Gd-DTPA administration. Lesions seen on MR were confirmed at necropsy. Using MR to confirm a diagnosis of equine nigropallidal encephalomalacia will prevent unnecessary suffering of horses and expense to owners that would otherwise incur, while further diagnostics are performed.     

Action of deltamethrin on N-type (Cav2.2) voltage-sensitive calcium channels in rat brain

Isolated presynaptic nerve terminals prepared from whole rat brain were used to evaluate the action of deltamethrin on voltage-sensitive calcium channels by measuring calcium influx and endogenous glutamate release. Deltamethrin-enhanced K⁺-stimulated calcium influx and subsequent Ca²⁺-dependent glutamate release. The effect of deltamethrin was concentration-dependent, stereospecific, blocked by ω-conotoxin MVIIC but unaltered in the presence of tetrodotoxin. These results suggest that N-type voltage-sensitive calcium channels are a site of action at the presynaptic nerve terminal. Electrophysiological studies were carried out using rat brain Ca_v2.2 and β₃ subunits coexpressed in Xenopus oocytes to validate such action. Deltamethrin reduced barium peak current in a concentraion-dependent and stereospecific manner, increased the rate of activation, and prolonged the inactivation rate of this channel. These experiments support the conclusion that N-type voltage-sensitive calcium channel operation is altered by deltamethrin.     

Magnetic resonance imaging of a brain abscess in a 10-month-old filly

The purpose of this paper was to correlate the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics of a mature brain abscess in a horse with histopathologic alterations of brain tissue. Eight months after the onset of clinical signs, MRI of the brain of a 10-month-old filly was performed. A large space-occupying lesion in the right cerebral hemisphere was identified. This space-occupying lesion was delineated by a thick and well-defined capsule that was isointense to brain parenchyma on the T1-weighted images and with a markedly hypointense on the T2-weighted images. The identification of such a capsule is highly diagnostic of a mature brain abscess. The lesion seen on MR images was confirmed at necropsy where a large abscess of the right hemisphere was observed. Streptococcus zooepidemicus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were isolated from the abscess. Based on histopathologic examination, the signal characteristics of the capsule on T1-weighted and T2-weighted images were found to be due to the presence of numerous hemosiderin-laden macrophages. These results are in agreement with previous studies on human patients. This report confirms the value of MRI in the diagnosis of equine brain diseases.     

雏鸡脑雌激素受体的表达及分布

采用免疫组化SP法研究了雌激素受体在lO日龄雏鸡脑组织内的表达，着重观察了雌激素受体在小脑、中脑、下丘脑及端脑的分布。研究表明，雌激素受体主要存在于细胞核中，少数区域仅存于胞浆或胞膜。雌激素受体在脑内分布广泛。在小脑中部皮质的颗粒层、蒲肯野氏层，中脑的中央白质、外侧丘系腹侧核、视束、后连合等区域，雌激素受体免疫反应产物为高密度；在小脑前部皮质的颗粒层，中脑中央灰质、尾侧线形核，端脑副高纹状体等区域，雌激素受体免疫反应产物为中等密度；小脑前部皮质的蒲肯野氏细胞，下丘脑视上核，端脑原始旧纹状体等区域，雌激素受体免疫反应产物为低密度。结果揭示，在鸡脑早期发育过程中，雌激素起著广泛而重要的作用。     

4种鲌脑形态度量的比较研究

对鲌属翘嘴鲐（Culter albunms）、蒙古鲌C．mongolicus）、达氏鲌（C．dabryi）和原鲌属红鳍原鲌（Cultrichthys erythropterus）脑形态进行度量学及判别函数分析。结果表明：鲌属与原鲌属鱼类脑形态差异主要表现在小脑大小、嗅束长等,达氏鲌与翘嘴鲌、蒙古鲌脑形态差异主要表现在小脑及端脑大小。脑形态度量的聚类分析结果与依据表型性状进行的分类结果相一致,形态度量可作为对生态位相近的鱼类间的脑形态区分的一种有效方法。     

长蛸脑显微结构及视腺的超微结构

为研究长蛸神经系统结构及神经调控机制,通过解剖学和石蜡组织切片技术对长蛸的脑部结构进行观察。结果显示,以食道为参照,根据所处位置将脑分为3部分:食道上神经团、食道下神经团以及位于食道上下神经团两侧的视叶区。食道上神经团包含垂直叶、上额叶、下额叶、前基底叶和后基底叶,食道下神经团包含腕叶、足叶、巨细胞叶、色素细胞叶、内脏叶、外套内脏叶和血管舒缩叶,视叶区包含视神经、视叶、视腺、嗅叶、脑脚叶和视神经束。采用石蜡组织切片、光镜和透射电镜技术对视腺进行显微和超显微结构观察,结果发现视腺外有一层结缔组织包裹,位于视神经束区上,与嗅叶和脑脚叶相邻;内部可观察到大量分泌细胞,细胞核较大,直径范围为4～8μm;分泌细胞含有丰富的粗面内质网、高尔基体及高尔基体分泌的分泌小泡与大泡。研究表明,长蛸视腺结构特征与曼氏无针乌贼和真蛸的高度相似。     

小花棘豆中毒对和田羊脑组织α-甘露糖苷酶的影响

探讨小花棘豆中毒对和田羊脑组织α-甘露糖苷酶(AMA)的影响,进一步揭示小花棘豆的毒性作用机理。将12只和田羊随机分为3组,即对照组、试验Ⅰ组和试验Ⅱ组。试验组每日分别按每千克体质量10 g和20 g的剂量饲喂小花棘豆,饲喂至典型中毒症状出现为止。试验第35天屠宰后每组采集试验羊的全脑,检测和田羊不同脑区AMA活性及表达的变化。结果显示和田羊脑组织中高尔基体α-甘露糖苷酶Ⅱ(AMA1)和溶酶体α-甘露糖苷酶(AMA2)均有表达,但各试验组表达转录水平与对照组差异显著,试验Ⅰ组和田羊各脑区的AMA2的表达均与对照组差异不显著(P0.05),试验Ⅱ组和田羊小脑AMA2的表达显著低于对照(P0.05),其余脑区AMA2的表达均与对照组差异不显著(P0.05);试验Ⅱ组和田羊小脑和丘脑AMA1的表达极显著低于对照(P0.01),大脑AMA1的表达显著低于对照(P﹤0.05);试验Ⅰ组和田羊小脑AMA1的表达显著低于对照(P0.05),其余脑区AMA1的表达均与对照组差异不显著(P0.05)。结果表明不同剂量小花棘豆均可降低和田羊脑组织AMA活性及其mRNA表达量,小脑、大脑和丘脑是其主要作用的靶区,小花棘豆毒性成分可通过影响AMA活性导致和田羊发生中毒反应。     

妊娠后期营养限制对蒙古绵羊胎儿生物原胺类神经递质的影响

本试验旨在研究妊娠后期营养限制对蒙古绵羊胎儿生物原胺类神经递质的影响。选择健康、体况相近的蒙古绵羊18只,对其进行同期发情、配种后,从妊娠第90天开始,随机分为3个组:营养限制1组[NG1组,n=6,代谢能(ME)=0.175 MJ/(kg BW 0.75·d)]、营养限制2组[NG2组,n=6,ME=0.330 MJ/(kg BW 0.75·d)]和对照组[CG组,n=6,ME=0.670 MJ/(kg BW 0.75·d)],在妊娠第140天时屠宰,取各组胎儿及其脑组织和血液。结果显示:NG1组胎儿的脑重较CG组显著增高(P<0.05),并且NG1组胎儿脑中5-羟色胺(5-HT)(P<0.01)、肾上腺素(EPI)(P<0.05)含量显著或极显著高于CG组,去甲肾上腺素(NA)的含量极显著低于CG组(P<0.01)。NG2组胎儿脑中5-HT含量极显著高于CG组(P<0.01),而NA(P<0.01)、多巴胺(DA)(P<0.05)含量显著或极显著低于CG组。另外,NG1组胎儿血浆中5-HT(P<0.01)、EPI(P<0.01)、NA(P<0.05)、DA(P<0.01)含量显著或极显著低于CG组;NG2组胎儿血浆中5-HT(P<0.01)、NA(P<0.01)、DA(P<0.05)含量显著或极显著低于CG组。由此得出,妊娠后期营养限制使得蒙古绵羊胎儿脑中5-HT、EPI含量升高和NA含量降低,血浆中5-HT、EPI、NA、DA含量降低。     

白肉灵芝水提物对脑缺血大鼠海马神经元的保护作用

试验旨在探讨白肉灵芝水提物（Ganoderma leucocontextum aqueous extracts,GLAE）对脑缺血后海马神经元的保护作用及机制。将50只健康大鼠分为对照组、模型组、GLAE低（0.05 mg/（g·BW））、中（0.1 mg/（g·BW））、高（0.2 mg/（g·BW））剂量组。利用双侧颈总动脉夹闭法建立大鼠脑缺血模型,GLAE组灌胃不同剂量的GLAE干预,对照组和模型组灌胃同体积的生理盐水,连续2周。用跳台试验方法检测记忆获得、记忆巩固和记忆再现障碍大鼠的学习记忆能力,HE染色观察大鼠海马组织的病理形态的变化,比色法检测海马组织一氧化氮合酶（nitric oxide synthase,NOS）活性和一氧化氮（nitric oxide,NO）含量,Western blotting和实时荧光定量PCR法分别检测海马组织生长相关蛋白-43（growth associated protein-43,GAP-43）和脑源性神经生长因子（brain derived neurotrophic factor,BDNF）的水平。结果显示,与对照组相比,模型组大鼠跳台试验的逃避潜伏期显著缩短、电击次数显著增加（P<0.05）;海马神经元细胞出现明显核固缩、排列松散紊乱等退行性改变,细胞数量显著减少（P<0.05）;海马组织NOS活性和NO含量均显著降低（P<0.05）;大鼠海马组织GAP-43蛋白表达量显著升高（P<0.05）;海马组织BDNF mRNA表达量显著下调（P<0.05）。与模型组相比,GLAE干预后,大鼠逃避潜伏期均显著延长、电击次数均显著减少（P<0.05）;GLAE高剂量组大鼠CA1区和齿状回锥体神经元细胞形态明显改善,神经元数量显著增加（P<0.05）;GLAE低剂量组对NOS活性影响不明显（P>0.05）,显著增加NO含量（P<0.05）,GLAE中、高剂量组NOS活性和NO含量均显著升高（P<0.05）;GLAE低、中、高剂量组海马组织GAP-43蛋白表达量均显著增加（P<0.05）;GLAE低、中、高剂量组海马组织BDNF mRNA表达量均显著增加（P<0.05）。以上结果表明,GLAE可通过提高NOS活性和NO水平、促进海马神经发生和功能恢复对脑缺血后海马神经元损伤有一定的保护作用,从而改善大鼠认知功能,0.2 mg/g GLAE效果最好。