Effects of Natural EstradioI-17β and Synthetic 17α- Ethynylestradiol on Direct Feminization of European Sea Bass Dicentrarchus labrax

To produce a monosex female population of European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax, fry were fed dry diets containing dosages of 12.5, 25, and 50 mg/kg food of either the natural estrogen estradiol-170β(E₂) or the synthetic estrogen 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE₂) for 60 d starting at 88 d post-hatch (dph). A complete feminization (100%) was achieved in all E₂-treated groups at the age of 11 mo (330 dph). All affected fish had ovaries similar in size and histological structure to those of control females. In the E₂-treated groups, feminized fish were heavier and longer than untreated controls (males and females combined). In control groups females exhibited significantly higher body weight and total length than males. Untreated females from control groups and females from the group treated with E₂ at 12.5 mg/kg food had similar body weight, suggesting that in sea bass growth is related to phenotypic sex. In the Entreated groups, survival rates were similar to those of the control fish. A relatively high percentage of females was obtained in the EE₂-treated groups (from 38.6 to 96.5%). However, the gonadal development in these fish was significantly suppressed and a dose-dependent reduction of gonadal sizes was evident. Treatments with the EE₂ (12-5, 25, and 50 mg/kg food) resulted in many fish having abnormal (2.9-5.4-39.8%, respectively) and sterile (0.6-6.0-21.6%, respectively) gonads. Effects also included significantly lower weight and shorter length when compared with controls. Furthermore, fish fed with EE₂ at the dosage of 50 mg/kg food had high mortality rate. A simple protocol was developed for the complete feminization in sea bass in which the fry (80-100 dph) were fed to satiation two times daily with a diet containing 12.5 me of E₂/ks food for a period of 60 d.     

Effect of Collection Rhythms and Season on Rabbit Semen Production

The effects of collection regimen and time of year on rabbit semen production were determined in this study. A total of 14 crossbreed Hyla bucks were used in winter and summer. In each season, rabbits were assigned to two groups. In group 1, (n = 7) rabbits were subjected to an extensive collection regimen (two ejaculates per male, once daily/week) and in group 2, (n = 7) a semi‐intensive semen collection regimen was performed (two ejaculates per male, twice weekly). The traits recorded for each sample were libido, volume, pH, motility, sperm concentration, percentage of alive spermatozoa and sperm abnormalities. The results obtained in this study indicate that when increasing collection frequency, the rate of useful collections decreased (from 0.81 ± 0.017 to 0.69 ± 0.016; p < 0.01). The rate of useful collection also decreased in the transition from winter to summer (from 0.79 ± 0.018 to 0.70 ± 0.017; p < 0.01). Among the ejaculate characteristics studied, only volume/ejaculate (from 0.64 ± 0.015 to 0.53 ± 0.017; p < 0.01) and spermatozoa/ml (from 406 ± 15 to 359 ± 13 million; p < 0.01) appeared negatively affected by collection. In winter fewer volume/ejaculates were produced (0.55 ± 0.015 vs 0.60 ± 0.016 ml; p < 0.01) and fewer spermatozoa/ml (360 ± 14 vs 394 ± 16 million; p < 0.01) than in summer. The doses produced per ejaculate decreased as collection frequency increased, but the number of doses produced per week was higher in the semi‐intensive than the extensive rhythm (26.5 ± 2.1 vs 20.9 ± 1.5; p < 0.01). The results suggest that a semi‐intensive rhythm may be viewed favourably.     

Different biological behaviour of Waldenström macroglobulinemia in two dogs

Waldenström Macroglobulinemia is a low‐grade immunosecretory disorder associated with lymphoid tumours, which is rarely reported in veterinary medicine. In this study, we describe two clinical cases of this rare syndrome in dogs, each characterized by a different onset and clinical course. In one case, a hyperacute onset and aggressive behaviour of the neoplasm was observed. Absolute serum viscosity (SV) was retrospectively evaluated in order to explain clinical findings. Rotational viscosimetry showed good precision in measuring SV. Both dogs had SV values higher than a control groups of healthy dogs although only one subject developed hyperviscosity symptoms and complications. At high paraprotein concentrations, a slight reduction of the M‐component was associated with a marked decrease in SV. Thus, this work suggests that SV assessment is a relevant tool for managing monoclonal gammopathies, whose usefulness should be further confirmed in larger cohorts of dogs.     

Use of computer tomography for imaging of Crassicauda grampicola in a Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus).

A mature male Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus) stranded along the coasts of Friuli Venezia Giulia, northeast Italy, in May 2001. Parasitic infection with Crassicauda grampicola is often found in the tympanic bullae and pterygoid sinuses in many of the Risso's dolphins examined from the same area. For this reason, it was decided to perform computed tomography of the head to assess this imaging technique for the diagnosis of crassicaudosis in dolphins. A full postmortem examination confirmed the pathologic findings of the computed tomography scan. This technique can be considered a useful adjunct in the diagnosis of cranial crassicaudosis in live dolphins.     

内蒙古羊屠宰场致泻性大肠杆菌和沙门氏菌污染状况分析

为了解内蒙古地区羊屠宰场各屠宰环节致泻性大肠杆菌和沙门氏菌的携带情况,评估是否存在污染风险,选取不同规模屠宰场,用棉拭子法分别采集不同屠宰环节样品349份,36 h内进行试验;应用PCR方法分离鉴定病原菌,对鉴定为致泻性大肠杆菌的分离株进行16S r DNA测序并构建系统发育树。结果显示:从刚宰杀的羊胴体表面和环境中共分离到致泻性大肠杆菌12株,其中11株携带毒力基因elt,1株携带毒力基因eae和elt;大中型屠宰场(1.21%)的致泻性大肠杆菌阳性率低于小型屠宰场(5.43%),不同规模屠宰场的预冷间均未检出致泻性大肠杆菌和沙门氏菌;从屠宰环境中分离出1株携带inv A基因的沙门氏菌,阳性率为0.29%;经高压冲洗和排酸预冷等屠宰工艺后,在羊胴体表面均未发现致泻性大肠杆菌和沙门氏菌。     

江苏某地区稻虾蟹综合种养模式下养殖水和产品中农药残留与风险评价

为掌握江苏省某地区稻田综合种养基地内（“稻-蟹”及“稻-虾”）养殖水环境及水产品中的农药残留特征与生态风险及健康风险,利用三重四极杆气质联用仪（GC-MS/MS）,选择6个养殖区,根据生长周期,跟踪监测养殖水环境及同期水产品（虾、蟹）中208种农药残留情况,并根据商值法对养殖水环境进行生态风险评价,利用食用安全风险指数对水产品进行食用安全分析。结果表明：综合种养模式下,水环境中检出农药的主要类型为除草剂、杀菌剂、植物生长调节剂等,平均质量分数为0.33 μg·L^-1,同时有少量杀虫剂、杀螨剂、增效剂有检出;在整个生长周期内,稻虾、稻蟹农药残留的主要类型为除草剂、杀菌剂、杀虫剂和植物生长调节剂,平均质量分数为6.1 μg·kg^-1 （以湿质量计）。养殖水环境中农药主要来源于养殖前期环境中残留或外源性污染,随着养殖时间延长,农药含量整体趋向于减少,通过对养殖水环境生态风险进行分析,发现各抽样点位联合风险商值（RQ）均在0~1之间,属于中风险,对环境仍具有一定的压力,除草剂等类型农药应引起重视;在监测周期内,水产品中大部分农药的残留量逐渐减少直至未检出,仅有部分点位杀菌剂有少量存在,通过对同期虾、蟹的健康风险进行分析发现,平均食品安全指数远小于1,农药残留的食品安全风险可以接受。     

Detection of arboviruses in Culicoides(Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) collected from animal farms in the border areas of Yunnan Province,China

Biting midges of the genus Culicoides(order Diptera, family Ceratopogonidae) are potential biological vectors for the transmission of certain arboviruses among humans, livestock, and wild animals. This study collected a total of 405 Culicoides individuals from seven animal farms located in five counties in the border areas of Yunnan Province, China, and examined the Culicoides species composition and the major arboviruses carried by the Culicoides species. The collected Culicoides were classified into seven species with variable abundances: Culicoides arakawae(5.43%, 22/405), Culicoides homotomus(1.23%, 5/405), Culicoides obsoletus(19.75%, 80/405), Culicoides orientalis(17.28%, 70/405), Culicoides oxystoma(29.38%, 119/405), Culicoides peregrinus(5.68%, 23/405), and Culicoides nipponensis(21.23%, 86/405). Among the seven species, C. oxystoma and C. nipponensis were distributed in all the five counties with abundances of 13.33–44.87% and 10.00–46.83%, respectively, suggesting that these were the dominant species of Culicoides widespread on animal farms in the border areas. PCR was used to detect major arboviruses in the collected Culicoides specimens, including bluetongue virus(BTV), Japanese encephalitis virus, Dengue virus, Zika virus, African swine fever virus, and African horse sickness virus. Among the tested viruses, only BTV serotype 1 was tested positive in C. oxystoma specimens collected from a buffalo farm. Culicoides oxystoma was the dominant species on animal farms in the sampled areas, but it has not previously been documented as positive for BTV in China. The current results thus suggest that C. oxystoma could be an important vector for BTV transmission in these border areas, which, however, needs to be confirmed by further comprehensive experiments. Overall, the present study provides the first profile of Culicoides species on animal farms in the China, Vietnam, and Myanmar border areas, establishes the prevalence of arboviruses carried by these Culicoides species, and suggests the vector potential of C. oxystoma species for the transmission of BTV.