Adaptive conjoint analysis to determine perceived risk factors of farmers, veterinarians and AI technicians for introduction of BHV1 to dairy farms

A study was carried out to determine the possibility of a more-closed farming system for (Dutch) dairy farms. The objective of the study was to provide effective and economically profitable management advice for improving the animal-health status of farms. Management measures will only be successfully applied if supported by farmers and their advisors (such as veterinarians). Therefore, the perception of farmers and advisors of the importance of various risk factors for the introduction of diseases to a farm was determined by using bovine herpes virus type 1 (BHV1) as an example.

As part of the study, an evening-long workshop was organized and run thrice. In total, 49 farmers, veterinarians and AI technicians participated in these workshops. The computerized questionnaire technique was based on adaptive conjoint analysis (ACA). ACA has the advantage that participants can work with a large number of risk factors in a relatively short period of time. Another advantage of ACA (compared with standard questionnaires) is that the answers from each participant can be checked with regard to consistency with respect to the importance assigned to them. Data from participants with inconsistent responses can be excluded from further analyses. The results of the ACA interview were compared with the risk factors reported in the literature as being associated with BHV1 status (e.g. purchase of cattle, participation in cattle shows) and with farmers' actual management to prevent the introduction of diseases.

The workshop participants were all operating in the dairy sector and they seemed well aware of the risk of direct animal contacts for the introduction of BHV1. Farmers thought visitors to be more risky than did AI technicians and (especially) veterinarians. Farmers who purchased cattle or participated in cattle shows were of the opinion that the risks of direct animal contacts were more important than did farmers who were not involved in those practices. Farmers whose farms were BHV1-positive (and participated in cattle shows more often) thought the risk of participation smaller than did farmers with BHV1-negative farms.     

Neonatal Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 Infection on a Thoroughbred Breeding Farm

Of 17 foals born on a Thoroughbred breeding farm between March and April 1995, infection with equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) was associated with neonatal morbidity in 5 foals, 3 of which died or were euthanized. Morbidity and mortality were associated with pulmonary inflammation, and EHV-1 was identified in the lungs of the 3 foals that died. All neonatal EHV-1 infections occurred in foals of mares housed in the same pasture and barn. No other clinical manifestations of EHV-1 infection (eg, abortion, neurologic disease, or respiratory disease) occurred during this outbreak. Three foals were treated with acyclovir (1 died, 2 survived), which may have influenced the clinical outcome in the surviving foals.     

Leukocyte differentiation antigens in canine cutaneous and oral plasmacytomas

Seventeen cutaneous and oral tumours with light microscopic features of plasmacytomas from 16 dogs were studied. Clinically, most neoplasms were benign, although three recurred after excision and three were locally invasive. Tumours most often arose on the pinnae, digits, gingiva, and inguinal regions near areas of chronic inflammation and exhibited variable degrees of plasmacytic differentiation microscopically. Diagnosis of plasmacytoma was confirmed in paraffin-embedded tissues with a panel of leukocyte differentiation antigen markers that included cross-reactive antibodies for Mb-1 (CD79a), CD3, and vimentin and canine-specific antibodies for CD45RA and CD18. Immunoreactivity for Mb-1 and CD45RA, including staining of multinucleate cells and cells with karyomegaly, confirmed a B-cell origin of neoplasms, while staining for CD3 and CD18 revealed an extensive network of infiltrative T-cells and dendritic cells in tumours suggestive of a directed immune response. These findings (i) demonstrate the value of using a panel of antibodies for leukocyte antigens to differentiate plasmacytomas from other cutaneous and oral round cell tumours, and (ii) suggest that immune recognition and responsiveness within tumours may play a role in the behaviour of plasmacytomas in dogs by affecting tumour cell growth and differentiation.     

用大肠杆菌K99和F41菌毛抗原检测牛血清抗体的琼脂扩散试验的研究

用含２ｍｏｌ／Ｌ尿素的磷酸盐缓冲液以热处理方法提取的Ｋ９９和Ｆ４１菌毛作为抗原,对琼脂扩散试验方法进行研究。结果表明本试验方法简便,特异性强,敏感性高,可用于血清抗体检测;所制备的抗原稳定、重复性好。     

厚皮甜瓜新蜜13号(新皇后)的选育

新蜜１３号一代杂种的父本８９－４和母本８９－１均来自新疆当地厚皮甜瓜红心脆与欧美类型厚皮甜瓜的杂交后代。该品种单瓜重３ｋｇ以上,果实椭圆形,成熟果果皮金黄色,果面网纹细致,果肉浅桔红色,中心折光糖１４度以上,肉质细、脆、香味浓郁,较耐贮运。成熟期比对照品种皇后提前５～１０天,一般６６７ｍ２产量可达２０００～２５００ｋｇ,对甜瓜枯萎病、蔓枯病、疫霉病有较强的抗性。     

杉木正反交组合F_1代生理生化特性的比较研究

选择数量性状存在明显差异的９年生杉木正、反交组合Ｆ１代及其亲本、测定和分析其生理生化特性。结果表明：杉木种内杂交存在较明显的“母本效应”只要父母本选配恰当，获得超优势亲本的杂合体是完全可能的。     

紫科1号红豆杉栽培技术研究

以中科院选育的优良无性系紫科1号红豆杉为试材,设置密度、底肥各3个水平共9个交叉组合,3次重复,在4种海拔进行栽培试验。结果表明:紫科1号红豆杉最适宜的栽培条件为海拔784 m左右、底肥0.5 kg/株左右(复合肥)。该条件下紫科1号红豆杉第1年高生长量可达40 cm以上,分枝达8个以上,冠幅可达14 cm。因此,推荐种植密度为25 000株/hm2(50 cm×80 cm)。     

Varietal Differences in Cell Wall β-(1→3),(1→4)-Glucan and Nonstructural Carbohydrate in Rice Stems during the Grain Filling Stage

Abstract

The contribution of cell wall components and nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) to grain filling in rice (Oryza sativa L.) was clarified by investigating the differences in the dynamics of hemicellulose, sugar composition of hemicellulose, β-(1→3),(1→4)-glucan, and NSC among cultivars with different grain filling capacities. This investigation was performed using the stems of standard, high yield and low harvest index (HI) cultivars. Hemicellulose concentration in stems tended to decrease slightly during the grain filling stage. This decrease was attributed to a decrease in β-(1→3),(1→4)-glucan concentration, which was detected as a decrease in glucose composition of hemicellulose in the stems during the grain filling stage. The rate of decrease and decrease in the amount of β-(1→3),(1→4)-glucan in the stems differed among the cultivars. These were higher in high yield and high HI cultivars than in relatively low yield and low HI cultivars. Moreover, a positive correlation was observed between the rate of decrease in β-(1→3),(1→4)-glucan and NSC, indicating similarities in the dynamics of β-(1→3),(1→4)-glucan and NSC among the cultivars. When the top half of panicle was removed, β-(1→3),(1→4)-glucan and NSC concentrations in the culm and leaf sheath did not decrease during the grain filling stage. Therefore, the β-(1→3),(1→4)-glucan in stems might be one of the sources that supply substrate to panicle as well as NSC.     

SC1(pluripotin)对昆明小鼠胚胎干细胞分离培养的影响

比较了在无血清培养体系中分别添加小分子化学物质pluripotin(SCl)和白血病抑制因子(LIF)对昆明小鼠ES细胞未分化状态的维持作用,并探讨了SC1在培养液中的最佳浓度.以小鼠胎儿成纤维细胞(MEF)为饲养层,以含LIF的添加血清替代品(KSR)的培养基(ESC-SR)为对照,分别用SC1浓度为0.3、1、3μmol/L的ESC-SR培养液对昆明小鼠胚胎进行分离培养.结果显示:胚胎在添加3 μmol/L SC1的ESC-SR培养液中ICM形成率显著高于对照组(P＜0.05),形成的ES集落与对照组形态差异不明显,最高传至第7代,并且在无饲养层条件下可以传至第6代而保持未分化状态.不同浓度SC1培养液中,胚胎在SC1浓度为0.3 μmol/L组的F2代形成率显著高于1 μmol/L组和3μmol/L组(P＜0.05),所分离的细胞AKP染色呈阳性,Oct4、Nanog和Sox2的免疫荧光染色均显阳性,具有ES细胞的特点.结果表明,ESC-SR培养液中SC1可以替代LIF用于小鼠ES细胞未分化状态的维持,并且可以在无饲养层条件下进行昆明小鼠ES细胞的培养.     

Decomposition of (1–3,1–4)-β-Glucan and Expression of the (1–3,1–4) -β-Glucanase Gene in Rice Stems during Ripening

Abstract

To elucidate the possible participation of hemicellulose decomposition in lodging resistance, we studied the change of hemicellulose and cellulose content in the stems of rice during the ripening stage by methylation analysis and the expression of related genes by Northern blotting. In the rice stem in ripening stage, content of (1-3,1-4)-β-glucan, a component of hemicellulose, decreased markedly although the content of arabinoxylan, a major component of hemicellulose, and cellulose showed little change during the same growth period. On the other hand, expression of the Gns 1 gene, which may encode (1-3,1-4) -β-glucanase that catalyzes the degradation of (1-3,14) -β-glucan, increased sharply in the stem. The mechanism of decomposition of (1-3,1-4) -β-glucan in rice stem and the possible association with lodging resistance is discussed.