Comparative therapeutic efficacy and safety of type-II collagen (UC-II), glucosamine and chondroitin in arthritic dogs: pain evaluation by ground force plate

The investigation was conducted on client-owned moderately arthritic dogs with two objectives: (i) to evaluate therapeutic efficacy of type-II collagen (UC-II) alone or in combination with glucosamine hydrochloride (GLU) and chondroitin sulphate (CHO), and (ii) to determine their tolerability and safety. Dogs in four groups (n = 7-10), were treated daily for a period of 150 days with placebo (Group-I), 10 mg active UC-II (Group-II), 2000 mg GLU + 1600 mg CHO (Group-III), and UC-II + GLU + CHO (Group-IV). On a monthly basis, dogs were evaluated for observational pain (overall pain, pain upon limb manipulation, and pain after physical exertion) using different numeric scales. Pain level was also measured objectively using piezoelectric sensor-based GFP for peak vertical force and impulse area. Dogs were also examined every month for physical, hepatic (ALP, ALT and bilirubin) and renal (BUN and creatinine) functions. Based on observations, significant (p < 0.05) reduction in pain was noted in Group-II, III, and IV dogs. Using GFP, significant increases in peak vertical force (N/kg body wt) and impulse area (N s/kg body wt), indicative of a decrease in arthritis associated pain, were observed in Group-II dogs only. None of the dogs in any group showed changes in physical, hepatic or renal functions. In conclusion, based on GFP data, moderately arthritic dogs treated with UC-II (10 mg) showed a marked reduction in arthritic pain with maximum improvement by day 150. UC-II, GLU and CHO operate through different mechanisms of action, and were well tolerated over a period of 150 days.     

中国与孟中印缅经济走廊沿线国家木质林产品贸易前景分析

文中从贸易规模和贸易结构2个层面对中国与“孟中印缅经济走廊”沿线国家木质林产品贸易现状进行概述,运用贸易强度指数、贸易互补性指数、产业内贸易指数对中国与沿线各国木质林产品贸易联系进行分析。结果表明,中国与沿线各国木质林产品贸易规模处于逐年上升趋势,经贸联系也在逐年增强。中国应继续推进孟中印缅经济走廊建设,深化对沿线国家木质林产品贸易,实现区域林产品贸易和产业互利共赢。     

Tomato fruit quality as influenced by the interactions between agricultural techniques and harvesting period

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Mill) is an important crop in terms of its economic and nutritional value. Many factors, including cultivar, climate, geography, geochemistry, and agricultural practice, can affect its nutrient concentrations. An HJ‐biplot study was performed to examine the effects of cultivar (Dorothy, Boludo, Dominique, Thomas, and Dunkan), agricultural practices, climatic factors, and their interactions. Significant differences were analyzed using a one‐way ANOVA. All samples were collected and assayed at the same degree of ripeness. In the conventional and organic tomato samples, those harvested from December to April had the highest concentrations of fructose, glucose, citric acid, malic acid, ascorbic acid, protein, Na, and Mg, while those harvested in October had the highest concentrations of lycopene and hydroxycinnamic acid. There were high concentrations of Ca, P, Zn, and Cu in the no‐soil tomatoes. Conventional and organic cultivation practices showed similar results with respect to the collection period, both presenting high organic compound concentrations, while high mineral concentrations seemed to correspond to the no‐soil practice. No clear pattern was observed among the different cultivars, perhaps due to all the samples having been collected at the same degree of ripeness.     

大宗农产品市场竞争力的影响因素研究——基于对重庆市“两翼”地区的调研

采用结构方程模型分析技术,对影响重庆市大宗农产品市场竞争力的各要素进行了系统分析。结果表明,生态环境对市场竞争力的直接影响不显著;政策扶持、农户因素、生产条件、农业科技、生产能力等因素对农产品市场竞争力有不同程度的影响,体现出了直接和间接的影响,其作用路径和方式也不尽相同。     

九江市休闲旅游产品体系构建与开发研究

通过实地调研的方法分析了九江市休闲旅游产品开发的优势条件和存在的问题,并对产品体系的构建进行了初步探讨,认为应着重从加强资源整合和实施品牌战略、做好＂水＂的文章和彰显产品特色、优化产品结构和加快产品创新等方面入手,科学开发休闲旅游产品。     

早园竹林2种造瘿小蜂及其形成的虫瘿的研究

对浙江省德清县早园竹林进行造瘿昆虫危害和虫瘿类型调查,室内解剖和饲养观测虫瘿中的昆虫幼虫及成虫羽化情况。结果表明:(1)营林方式显著地影响造瘿昆虫2013年的造瘿率,砻糠覆盖样地造瘿率显著低于未覆盖砻糠的样地。(2)整株竹子上共获得349个虫瘿,其中新瘿291个,枯瘿58个;依据虫瘿的形态特征分成联瘿型、叶片型、叶鞘型、光瘿型和顶生型5种类型,其在整株竹子上所占比例分别为40.12%、30.95%、19.77%、6.01%和3.15%。(3)单虫瘿解剖最多可获得6头昆虫的幼虫,而联瘿型、叶片型、叶鞘型、光瘿型和顶生型虫瘿的平均幼虫数分别为1.83、2.88、2.77、1.00和2.27。(4)联瘿型、叶片型和叶鞘型虫瘿羽化出5种301头小蜂,包括竹泰广肩小蜂和刚竹泰广肩小蜂2种造瘿昆虫,栗瘿旋小蜂、点腹刻腹小蜂和纹黄枝瘿金小蜂3种寄生蜂;竹泰广肩小蜂、刚竹泰广肩小蜂和寄生蜂在3种不同类型虫瘿中的比率分别为59:18:1、70:31:2和83:31:6。研究结果将有助于加深对早园竹虫瘿的认识,并为下一步综合防治和生产实践提供理论依据。     

Variation in growth rates and aggressiveness of naturally occurring self‐fertile and self‐sterile isolates of the wilt pathogen Ceratocystis albifundus

Ceratocystis albifundus is the most important fungal pathogen of black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) grown in plantations in southern and eastern Africa. It is a homothallic fungus but also undergoes unidirectional mating type switching. As a result, the ascospore progeny can be either self‐fertile or self‐sterile. The only apparent difference between these mating types is the deletion of the MAT1‐2‐1 gene in self‐sterile isolates. There is some evidence suggesting that self‐sterile isolates grow more slowly than self‐fertile isolates, but this has not been tested rigorously. The aim of this study was to determine whether self‐sterile isolates are less fit by examining growth rate, relative germination rate and pathogenicity. Five self‐sterile isolates were generated from each of five self‐fertile isolates of C. albifundus and these 30 isolates were compared. The results showed that the self‐sterile isolates grew consistently slower and were less pathogenic than the self‐fertile isolates. The germination ratio of self‐fertile to self‐sterile isolates from single ascospores collected from the ascomata of five self‐fertile isolates was on average 7:3. This could be a consequence of the self‐sterile isolates having a lower germination rate. This observation, and the lower growth and pathogenicity levels, suggests that self‐sterile isolates are not likely to compete effectively in nature, raising intriguing questions regarding their role and value to C. albifundus and other fungi having a similar mating system.     

Sodium alginate supplementation modulates gut microbiota,health parameters,growth performance and growth‐related gene expression in Malaysian Mahseer Tor tambroides

This study investigated the effects of sodium alginate supplementation on gut microbiota composition, health parameters, growth performances and growth‐related gene expression of Malaysian mahseer. Five test diets were formulated by supplementing 0%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.4% and 0.8% sodium alginate. Triplicate groups of juvenile Tor tambroides (2.19 ± 0.05 g) were stocked in 15 aquaria (20 individuals per aquarium) and fed at 3.0% body weight per day for 60 days. PCoA and UPGMA analysis showed that gut bacterial community were more convergence in higher sodium alginate‐supplemented diets. The percentage of Porphyromonadaceae, Bacteroides, Plesiomonas and Shewanella were substantially higher and Aeromonas, Entomoplasmatales and Prevotellaceae were drastically lower in higher sodium alginate (0.2%–0.8%) diets. Sodium alginate supplementation (≥0.2%) significantly improved the haematocrit value and respiratory burst activity of T. tambroides. Growth performances and feed utilization were significantly higher in 0.2%–0.4% sodium alginate‐supplemented diets. The increased growth rate of T. tambroides was governed by both hyperplastic and hypertrophic muscle growth. Real‐time PCR data demonstrated that most of the growth‐related genes were significantly upregulated in 0.2%–0.4% sodium alginate‐supplemented diet. Finally, it can be concluded that sodium alginate should be supplemented at 2 g/kg in practical fish feed formulation.     

The immune response to anesthesia: Part 1

ObjectiveTo review the immune response to anesthesia including mechanical ventilation, inhaled anesthetic gases, and injectable anesthetics and sedatives.Study designReview.Methods and databasesMultiple literature searches were performed using PubMed and Google Scholar from spring 2012 through fall 2013. Relevant anesthetic and immune terms were used to search databases without year published or species constraints. The online database for Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia and the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care were searched by issue starting in 2000 for relevant articles.ConclusionRecent research data indicate that commonly used volatile anesthetic agents, such as isoflurane and sevoflurane, may have a protective effect on vital organs. With the lung as the target organ, protection using an appropriate anesthetic protocol may be possible during direct pulmonary insults, including mechanical ventilation, and during systemic disease processes, such as endotoxemia, generalized sepsis, and ischemia-reperfusion injury.     

生鲜农产品物流安全质量动态监测体系构建

近年来,我国食品安全问题频频出现,给社会带来了极大恐慌。本文在分析研究我国生鲜农产品物流现状的前提下,指出要确保生鲜农产品物流全过程的安全首先应具备一定的条件基础,并且在这个基础上从生鲜农产品物流结构和物流信息网络两方面来构建农产品物流安全质量动态检测体系。