Comparison of the microbial communities of alpacas and sheep fed diets with three different ratios of corn stalk to concentrate

The objective of this study was to investigate the characteristics of ruminal microbial communities of alpacas (Lama pacos) and sheep (Ovis aries) fed three diets with varying ratios of roughage (corn stalk) to concentrate, 3:7 (LS), 5:5 (MS) and 7:3 (HS). Six alpacas (one-year-old and weighing 29.5 ± 7.1 kg) and six sheep (one-year-old and weighing 27.9 ± 2.7 kg) were used in this study, in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square experiment. Total protozoa concentration was determined under the microscope; total fungi and methanogens were assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and expressed as a percentage of total bacterial 16S rRNA gene copies; bacterial communities were investigated by targeted 16S rRNA gene (V3–V4 region) sequencing. The percentage of fungi was significantly higher in alpacas than in sheep under the LS diet, while the concentration of protozoa was significantly lower in alpacas under HS, MS and LS diets. The alpha diversity including Shannon, Chao l and ACE indices of bacterial communities was higher in alpacas than in sheep, under the LS diet. A total of 299 genera belonging to 22 phyla were observed in the forestomach of alpaca and sheep, with Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes dominating both animal species. Phyla Armatimonadetes and Fusobacteria, as well as 64 genera, were detected only in alpacas, whereas phyla Acidobacteria and Nitrospira, as well as 44 genera, were found only in sheep. The abundance of cellulolytic bacteria, including Butyrivibrio and Pseudobutyrivibrio, was higher in alpacas than in sheep under all three diets. These differences in the forestomach microbial communities partly explained why alpacas displayed a higher poor-quality roughage digestibility, and a lower methane production. Results also revealed that the adverse effects of high-concentrate diets (70%) were lesser in alpacas than in sheep.     

Fever and associated clinical haematologic and blood biochemical changes in the goat and other animal species

Summary Acute febrile diseases are characterized by specific and non-specific symptoms. The non-specific responses are presented under the headings: fever, inflammation and pain, experimental models for investigating febrile reactions, haematologic changes, blood biochemical changes, cardiovascular effects, changes in gastric function, and the effects of fever upon pharmacokinetics of drugs. It was the purpose of this review to describe present concepts of thermoregulation and fever, the associated reactions produced by bacterial pyrogens and the mechanisms of these reactions. The available data illustrate, that many questions have not yet been clearly answered. However, the entire field of research involving endogenous substances, such as interleukin-1, is now moving ahead with great speed. Furthermore, there is some evidence which suggests that fever and the associated lower plasma zinc and iron levels act together as a co-ordinated non-specific host defence mechanism. Since experimental fever has a distinct effect upon the pharmacokinetics of drugs, more attention should be given to this aspect.     

恒河猴肾上腺皮质的显微与超微结构

应用光镜和透射电镜观察，恒河猴肾上腺皮质可分为球状带、束状带和网状带。其特点是：（1）被膜较发达，有时可伸入球状带将其细胞分隔为团块。（2）球状带有时呈指状指入束状带和网状带，其内可见嗜铬细胞；球状带细胞可分为明、暗2种类型，他们排列成团球状、滤泡状、索状和不规则形。（3）网状带较发达，有的可分为内、外2个区；有时网状带呈刺状伸入束状带；有时网状带细胞可见于被膜下或髓质内。（4）有时部分被膜连同皮质一起呈指状伸入髓质内。（5）皮质细胞均含丰富的溶酶体、线粒体和内质网，但不同部位的细胞所含的脂滴在数量、大小、形态和电子密度等方面存在差异。     

植物病原荧光假单胞杆菌数值分类研究

 采用数值分类法研究了来自21种寄主植物96个病原荧光假单胞菌菌株(包括5株非荧光菌)的分类问题。结果表明,所有参试荧光菌菌株可分成两大组,第一组(组I)生长较慢,精氨酸双水解酶呈阴性,营养谱窄,多数菌株不利用DL-苯丙氨酸,L-苯丙氨酸,L-羟脯氨酸,L-异亮氨酸,L-色氨酸,L-瓜氨酸,DL-nor-缬氨酸,L-胱氨酸,单宁酸和鼠李糖作为唯一碳源,不能利用天冬氨酸作为唯一碳源和氮源,而第二组(组Ⅱ)的菌株可利用这些化合物。组I的菌株可分为10个亚组(I₁-I₁₀),亚组与致病变种或命名种基本对应,与寄主来源密切相关;亚组间的区别在于它们利用底物的能力不同。组Ⅱ均具有精氨酸双水解酶,营养谱广泛。     

低聚糖对雏鸡大肠粪便NH3-N含量及肠道菌群的影响

试验选取1日龄罗曼蛋公雏250只，随机分为5组，试验组饲料或饮水中分别添加海藻糖(500mg／kg)、海藻胶(600mg／kg)、大豆寡糖(500mg／kg)、圆葱寡糖(500mg/d)。结果表明，四种低聚糖均可促进肠道乳酸菌及双歧杆菌的生长繁殖，对魏氏梭菌的生长呈现抑制作用。海藻糖、海藻胶对降低大肠粪便NH3—N含量效果不显著(P＞0．05)，而大豆寡糖效果显著(P＜0．05)，圆葱寡糖效果极显著(P＜0.01)。     

Effects of low and high calcium intake prepartum on calcium mobilization rate around parturition in dairy cows

Forty-one dairy cows were fed a low (LCa-13 g/d) and a high (HCa-83.5 g/d) calcium ration in the 8 weeks prior to parturition and the effect on the Ca mobilization rate around parturition was studied. Plasma Ca values were stable in the LCa group around parturition. In the older cows of the HCa group a very slight decrease in the mean plasma Ca was observed: 2.58 mmol/l at 12-36 h ante partum decreased to 2.38 mmol/l at parturition. Hypocalcaemia, which commonly occurs around parturition, did not occur in 40 of the cows. A subclinical hypocalcaemia (1.8 mmol/l) occurred in one cow (parity 10) from the HCa group. To assess the efficiency of Ca mobilization, a severe hypocalcaemia (1.0 mmol/l) with clinical signs was induced by means of Na2EDTA infusion (0.90 mmol/min), starting at 10 h post-partum. The older cows in the LCa group required more Na2EDTA than those in the HCa group. Higher urinary hydroxyproline excretion in the week before parturition in the LCa than in the HCa group suggested a higher bone turnover. Plasma PTH levels around parturition were not significantly different between the groups. The amount of colostrum milked out in the first 10 h post-partum did not influence Ca homeostasis around parturition. The results contradict those of many other experiments in which hypocalcaemia was observed in cows ingesting high levels of Ca. It is concluded that the restricted feed intake prepartum possibly had a favourable effect on Ca homeostasis.     

Evaluation of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for diagnosis of trichinellosis in swine.

Experimental and field trials were conducted to evaluate an ELISA for its ability to detect Trichinella-infected domestic swine and to compare ELISA results with muscle-digestion test results. The ELISA used was a commercial double-antibody kit, containing an excretory-secretory antigen, and was evaluated principally for epidemiologic use. Experimentally induced infection in swine (4 groups of 3 pigs each; inoculated with 0, 50, 500 or 5,000 larvae) was detected as early as postinoculation week 4, with seroconversion of all inoculated swine by postinoculation week 8. The rate of seroconversion appeared to be affected by initial larval dose, time after inoculation, and immunocompetence of the individual host. Determination of antibody kinetics generally revealed rapidly increasing antibody titer, followed by its steady decrease in most pigs. Once seropositive, however, all pigs remained seropositive for the duration of the 10-week study. Presence of muscle larvae was confirmed in all infected pigs at termination of the study. We recognize that the experimental conditions may not be truly representative of those under which natural infection develops in pigs; however, the ELISA detected an infected pig with muscle larval density of 0.87 larvae/g of tissue. Results of a field trial (n = 310) indicated no muscle digestion test-positive pigs (35 g of diaphragm muscle digested/pig), but 3 samples tested positive by ELISA for specificity of 99.0%.     

Hyperadrenocorticism in four cats.

This paper describes four cats with hyperadrenocorticism. Cat 1 showed polydipsia and polyphagia. Diabetes mellitus was initially diagnosed. As the animal appeared to be insulin resistant, pituitary and adrenocortical function tests were performed and the diagnosis of hyperadrenocorticism was made. Resistance to the high-dose dexamethasone suppression test was noticed in this cat. Pathological examination revealed a pituitary chromophobe adenoma. Cat 2 presented with diabetes mellitus, which was treated with insulin. The animal had a pendulous abdomen and its coat was in a poor condition. The low-dose dexamethasone suppression test demonstrated hyperadrenocorticism. Necropsy findings of pituitary tumour and hyperplasia of the adrenal cortex confirmed the diagnosis. Cat 3 showed clinical abnormalities indicative of hyperadrenocorticism, for instance, muscle weakness, alopecia, multiple abscesses. The diagnosis of hyperadrenocorticism was confirmed by the results of the lowe-dose dexamethasone suppression test. Pathological examination revealed an adrenocortical carcinoma. Cat 4 presented with polydipsia. The cause of this symptom was not found initially. One and a half years later additional symptoms, such as nephritis and polyphagia developed. Hyperadrenocorticism was diagnosed because of a palpable mass cranial to the left kidney. The diagnosis was confirmed by the results of the lowe-dose dexamethasone suppression test and the necropsy findings.     

蜂蜜的矿物质与营养

等离子体光谱分析表明：研究的１０种蜂蜜均含有人体所需的多种矿物元素。人体血浆中Ｃｕ／Ｚｎ，Ｋ／Ｎａ，Ｃａ／Ｍｇ比与身体状况密切相关。研究表明荞麦蜜的Ｃｕ／Ｚｎ比最高，Ｋ／Ｎａ比也较高，而Ｋ／Ｎａ，Ｃａ／Ｍｇ比以枣花蜜为最高。食用蜂蜜的人将受蜂蜜中矿物元素的影响而改善这些价值，有益于健康。