An improved ferritin assay for canine sera

An improved serum ferritin assay for canine serum has been developed. It uses two monoclonal antibodies in a sandwich arrangement. Serum ferritin can be determined on undiluted canine sera with this assay. The recovery of ferritin added to canine serum ranged from 98 to 106%, the within-assay coefficient of variability was 3.3 to 4.5%, and the assay-to-assay variability was 9.8 to 10.2%. Serum ferritin from 61 apparently healthy dogs had a geometric mean of 252 ng/ml, with a range of 80 ng/ml to 800 ng/ml.     

Alterations of selected intestinal enzymes in hamsters with hamster enteritis syndrome.

Portions of duodenum, jejunum, and ileum from 21 hamsters clinically affected with enteritis were examined for enzymes. Utilizing a variety of techniques, the activities of alkaline phosphatase, nonspecific esterases, leucine aminopeptidase, beta-glucuronidase, and methyl green pyroninophilia were determined. The activities of enzymes normally associated with tissue proliferation and active protein synthesis were decreased, whereas those enzymes associated by cytolysis were increased.     

山羊传染性胸膜肺炎支原体和绵羊肺炎支原体对抗菌药物敏感性的研究

测定了环丙沙星、氧氟沙星、单诺沙星、红霉素、罗红霉素、泰乐菌素、泰妙菌素、四环素等8种药物对羊肺炎支原体两个标准株Y-98和Y-goat的体外抑菌浓度以及红霉素与氧氟沙星、泰乐菌素对Y-goat和四环素与氧氟沙星、泰乐菌素对Y-98的联合药敏作用.结果表明,这8种抗菌药物对Y-goat和Y-98的MIC(μg/mL)分别为:环丙沙星0.223、0.002 23,氧氟沙星0.281、0.014 0,单诺沙星0.136、0.014 0,红霉素0.021 8、无效,罗红霉素0.032 7、无效,泰乐菌素0.042 2、0.039 0,泰妙菌素0.021 7、0.052 0,四环素0.195、0.052 0.红霉素与氧氟沙星的联合药敏指数为1,是相加作用;红霉素与泰乐菌素对Y-goat的联合药敏指数为1.5,是无关作用;四环素与氧氟沙星、泰乐菌素对Y-98的联合药敏试验指数均为0.375,是协同作用.     

In vitro studies of Norwegian Red bovine semen immobilized and cryopreserved in alginate solid gel network

Development of new semen cryopreservation techniques improving sperm survival and ensuring availability of viable spermatozoa for a prolonged time‐period after AI is promising tools to reduce sensitivity of timing of AI and enhance overall fertility. The SpermVital^® technology utilizes immobilization of bull spermatozoa in a solid network of alginate gel prior to freezing, which will provide a gradual release of spermatozoa after AI. The objective of this study was to compare post‐thaw sperm quality and in vitro sperm survival over time of Norwegian Red bull semen processed by the SpermVital^® (SV) technology, the first commercialized production line of SpermVital^® (C) and by conventional procedure applying Biladyl^® extender (B). Post‐thaw sperm motility was not significantly different between SV, C and B semen (p > .05). However, sperm viability and acrosome intactness were higher for SV than C and B semen (p < .05). Small differences in DNA quality were observed (p < .05). Sperm viability after storage in uterus ex vivo was higher for SV than for C semen (p < .05). Furthermore, sperm survival in vitro over time at physiological temperature was significantly higher for SV semen than C semen as well as B semen during the incubation period of 48 hr (p < .05). In conclusion, the SpermVital^® technology is improved and is more efficient in conserving post‐thaw sperm quality and results in higher sperm viability over time in vitro for SV than for C and B semen.     

Genotypic and environmental variation in crop yield. A method of estimating the interdependence of the components of yield

Summary Because yield components do not behave as independent attributes the conclusions derived from simple yield analyses are of limited value in plant breeding programmes. By calculating a function W of the variances and covariances of the yield components, it is possible to estimate, on a scale from 0 to 1, the degree to which the variations in yield components were independent of one another in any given experiment. By this approach examples of almost complete compensation among the components (W = 0), of mutual independence of the components (W = 0.5), and of additivity of the components (W = 1.0) have been discovered in original data and in the literature. Reasons, and possible applications for these findings are discussed. Investigations into the sampling properties of W are reported in an appendix.     

Indication and use of electrodiagnostic aids in neurologic disease

Electrodiagnostic aids, electromyography, auditory brainstem response testing, and electroencephalography are extensions of the neurologic examination and provide valuable information about the nervous system. This article discusses the use and interpretation of electrodiagnostic aids in equine neurology as well as the equipment that is employed. It is hoped that with a better understanding of the available electrodiagnostic aids, they will come into greater use.