Morphometric Study of the Equine Navicular Bone: Age-Related Changes and Influence of Exercise

Navicular bones from the four limbs of 95 horses, classified in 9 categories, were studied. The effects of age on navicular bone morphometry and histomorphometry were estimated, after adjustment of the data to even out the effects of front and rear limbs, morphometrical type, sex, weight, and size.All the external measurements of the navicular bone decreased significantly with increasing age. From the histomorphometrical data, cortical bone volume decreased with age in most horses, whereas cancellous bone volume and, in particular, the marrow spaces increased. The increase in the cancellous bone volume could have resulted from tunnelling of the internal part of the cortex, which converted it progressively into a porous trabecular-like structure. Trabecular bone volume also decreased with age and the trabecular lattice changed dramatically to become disconnected in aged horses. These observations corresponded closely to those reported for ageing of the skeletal system in humans.However, in sporting horses, the navicular cortical bone volume increased with age and the cancellous bone volume decreased. Exercise appeared to have decreased bone resorption and increased bone formation at the endocortical junction. The cancellous bone architecture was also improved, in that the trabecular lattice and trabecular bone volume remained unchanged in aged sporting horses. Our findings confirmed that exercise may be good practice to prevent age-related bone loss.     

狐狸巴氏杆菌病病原的分离与鉴定

巴氏杆菌病又叫出血性败血症，简称出败，主要是由多杀性巴氏杆菌所引起的各种畜禽和野生动物感染的一种传染病。临床特征急性病例主要表现为败血症和炎性出血，慢性特征表现为皮下组织、关节、各脏器的局灶性化脓性炎症。该病常在畜禽中发生，而在狐狸等经济动物方面报道相对较少。2006年秋，吉林左家某狐场的狐狸突然发病并陆续死亡，经流行病学调查、病理剖检和实验室检验，确诊为多杀性巴氏杆菌感染所致。     

Ecosystem service supply and vulnerability to global change in Europe

Global change will alter the supply of ecosystem services that are vital for human well-being. To investigate ecosystem service supply during the 21st century, we used a range of ecosystem models and scenarios of climate and land-use change to conduct a Europe-wide assessment. Large changes in climate and land use typically resulted in large changes in ecosystem service supply. Some of these trends may be positive (for example, increases in forest area and productivity) or offer opportunities (for example, "surplus land" for agricultural extensification and bioenergy production). However, many changes increase vulnerability as a result of a decreasing supply of ecosystem services (for example, declining soil fertility, declining water availability, increasing risk of forest fires), especially in the Mediterranean and mountain regions.     

Thermal burns of the spectacle associated with supplementary heating in native New Zealand geckos

ABSTRACT

Case history: Gradual onset of ocular opacity was observed in three gold-striped geckos (Woodworthia chrysosiretica), and five Pacific geckos (Dactylocnemis pacificus) held in two adjacent terrariums in a zoological institution located in the North Island of New Zealand. Ultraviolet light and heat had been provided for the previous 3–4 years by a fluorescent bulb, but in the last 4 weeks of winter a ceramic heat bulb had been added, situated 10?cm above the upper mesh of the cage

Clinical findings: All eight geckos presented with mostly bilateral lesions of varying severity confined to the central or upper quadrant of the spectacles. These lesions ranged from variable areas of opacity within the stroma of the spectacle to similarly distributed ulcers of the surface epithelium of both spectacles. The spectacle lesions in the Pacific geckos responded well to treatment with topical combined antimicrobial therapy, within 18–29 days. The gold-striped geckos suffered complications including dysecdysis, severe spectacle ulceration and perforation, mycotic spectaculitis, and widespread mycotic dermatitis resulting in death or leading to euthanasia.

Pathological findings: In the three gold-striped geckos, there were extensive areas of deep ulceration and replacement of the spectacle with a thick serocellular crust containing large numbers of fungal elements. The affected areas of the stroma were expanded by large deposits of proteinaceous and mucinous material, pyknotic cellular debris and moderate numbers of heterophils and macrophages as well as infiltrating fungal hyphae.

Diagnosis: Mycotic spectaculitis with ulceration and perforation, and disseminated mycotic dermatitis likely secondary to thermal burns.

Clinical relevance: This is the first report of thermal burns of the spectacle in any reptile. There was species variation in the burn severity with gold-striped geckos showing more severe lesions, possibly due to a mix of behavioural and anatomical factors. The thermal burns to the spectacles in three cases were complicated by delayed healing, perforation, dysecdysis and severe mycotic infection.     

Serial Transrectal Ultrasonography for Monitoring the Reproductive Activity of the Asiatic Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus ussuricus)

This study evaluated the structural changes in the reproductive tract of Asiatic black bears using serial transrectal ultrasonography. In addition, the ultrasonographic observations were compared with the results of vaginal cytology and hormonal analyses. The collection of blood for hormonal analysis, vaginal cytology and transrectal ultrasonography was performed in two bears (Bears 1 and 2) from June 2011 to August 2013 without mating and in a third bear (Bear 3) from April to December 2012, allowing natural mating. Serial ultrasonographic observations showed cyclic changes in ovarian structures (e.g. emergence of small follicles, growth and ovulation of dominant follicles and corpus luteum (CL) formation) during the reproductive cycles of the three bears. The diameter of the uterine horns remained similar throughout the reproductive cycle in Bears 1 and 2, and it remained similar from April until October, but an enlargement containing foetuses was observed in Bear 3 in December. The ultrasonographic observations were consistent with the data obtained through vaginal cytology and progesterone analysis during the reproductive cycle. An average of 4.0 (±0.4) dominant follicles was observed during the oestrous stage (May‐August), during which the superficial cells accounted for >90% of the total vaginal cells. In addition, the detection of an average of 2.6 (±0.2) CL was associated with increased plasma progesterone concentrations (3.0 ± 0.4 ng/ml) between June and December (near hibernation). In conclusion, serial transrectal ultrasonography demonstrated yearly oestrous (ovulation) cycles via follicular dynamics and CL formation on ovaries, accordingly with vaginal cytology and hormonal level in the Asiatic black bear.     

Immunohistochemistry Diagnosis of an Ovarian Dysgerminoma in One Bitch

An ovarian enlargement (diameter, 8 cm) was identified and surgically excised from a 5-year-old female dog. Microscopic examination of the multinodular neoplasm revealed sheets of polygonal neoplastic cells with large nuclei, frequent mitosis, necrosis and haemorrhage. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic cells were positive for vimentin and alkaline phosphatase but were negative for CD3, CD79a, cytokeratin, alpha-fetoprotein, inhibin-α and S-100. The histopathological diagnosis of the mass was unilateral ovarian dysgerminoma.     

鸡葡萄球菌病的诊断与防治

鸡葡萄球菌病是由葡萄球菌引起的一种急性或慢性传染性疾病。该病是一种多发、易发的禽病,尤其现在的禽类养殖多采用密度大的集约化方式,接触、磨擦、蹬踩,以及消毒不彻底都易引发此病。该病表现多种临床症状,包括鸡卵黄囊感染、皮下脓肿、跛脚、败血症、关节炎、脊椎炎、坏疽性皮炎以及细菌性心内膜炎、肝的肉芽肿等,给养鸡业造成较大经济损失。现将笔者在临床工作中对一起鸡群发生葡萄球菌发病的诊断与治疗情况报告如下。1发病情况2006年7月10日临沂市某户饲养7000余只40日龄海兰蛋鸡突然发病,11、12、13日分别死亡180、200、220只。病鸡…     

Hepatitis B Surface Antigen S Gene is an Effective Carrier Molecule for Developing GnRH DNA Immunocastration Vaccine in Mice

Relatively molecular mass of GnRH antigens is small and hence needs to couple to a large carrier molecule to enhance its immunogenicity. This study investigated whether hepatitis B surface antigen S (HBsAg‐S) gene can be used as an effective carrier molecule for developing GnRH DNA immunocastration vaccine. Two copies of human GnRH gene were fused with HBsAg‐S gene for constructing a recombinant plasmid pVAX‐HBsAg‐S‐2GnRH that coded for 27 kDa target fusion protein. Ten male mice were divided into two equal groups, treatment and control. The vaccine (50 μg/mice) prepared in saline solution was injected into male mice at weeks 0, 1, 2, 4 and 7 of the experiment. Vaccine's efficacy was evaluated in terms of GnRH‐specific IgG antibody response, plasma testosterone levels, testicular weight and extent of the testicular tissue damage. The specific anti‐GnRH antibody titre in vaccinated animals was significantly higher than in controls in only 4th week of immunization (p < 0.05). In addition, vaccinated animals showed lower testicular weight than those of the controls (p < 0.05). Spermatogenesis in seminiferous tubules in vaccinated animals was suppressed. In conclusion, in this study, the engineered plasmid to be used as a GnRH DNA vaccine induced antibody response and suppressed spermatogenesis in mice. This suggests that HBsAg‐S gene can be an effective carrier molecule for developing GnRH DNA immunocastration vaccine when relatively molecular mass of the aimed antigens is small.