D-Dimer Improves the Prognostic Value of Combined Clinical and Laboratory Data in Equine Gastrointestinal Colic

The discriminating ability of 15 parameters alone or in combinations, including results from analysis of plasma endotoxin, the Nycomed plasma D-Dimer test and phospholipase A₂, were analyzed to predict morbidity and mortality in equine gastrointestinal colic. Endotoxaemia was a characteristic feature of the colic horses. The problem of adequately predicting non-survivors among colic horses required several parameters to be included in the logistic model: if the “classical parameters”, (heart rate, respiratory rate, PCV, anion gap) were included in the model, addition of plasma D-dimer, phospholipase A₂, and Cl^- significantly improved the predictive value of the logistic model. Increasing heart rate and D-dimer together with decreasing chloride was a risk factor for nonsurvival. The sensitivity of this three-parameter logistic model to predict nonsurvival was 78% and specificity 77%. The Nycomed D-Dimer test is recommended as a horse-site test to predict disseminated intravascular coagulation and nonsurvival in equine colic.     

Preparation and Hepatoprotective Activities of Peptides Derived from Mussels (Mytilus edulis) and Clams (Ruditapes philippinarum)

Low molecular weight (<5 kDa) peptides from mussels (Mytilus edulis) (MPs) and the peptides from clams (Ruditapes philippinarum) (CPs) were prepared through enzymatic hydrolysis by proteases (dispase, pepsin, trypsin, alcalase and papain). Both the MPs and the CPs showed excellent in vitro scavenging ability of free radicals including OH, DPPH and ABTS in the concentration range of 0.625–10.000 mg/mL. By contrast, the MPs hydrolyzed by alcalase (MPs-A) and the CPs hydrolyzed by dispase (CPs-D) had the highest antioxidant activities. Furthermore, MPs-A and CPs-D exhibited protective capabilities against oxidative damage induced by H₂O₂ in HepG2 cells in the concentration range of 25–800 μg/mL. Meanwhile, compared with the corresponding indicators of the negative control (alcohol-fed) mice, lower contents of hepatic MDA and serums ALT and AST, as well as higher activities of hepatic SOD and GSH-PX were observed in experiment mice treated with MPs-A and CPs-D. The present results clearly indicated that Mytilus edulis and Ruditapes philippinarum are good sources of hepatoprotective peptides.     

四种新烟碱类杀虫剂对蜜蜂的急性毒性及初级风险评估

采用饲喂管法和点滴法,分别测定了吡虫啉、噻虫嗪、噻虫胺、啶虫脒4种原药及其制剂对意大利蜜蜂成年工蜂的急性毒性,并采用危害商值(HQ)法进行了初级风险评价。结果表明:饲喂管法测得97.3%吡虫啉原药、25%吡虫啉可湿性粉剂、96%噻虫嗪原药、30%噻虫嗪悬浮剂、97%噻虫胺原药、5%噻虫胺可湿性粉剂、96%啶虫脒原药及40%啶虫脒可溶性粉剂的经口毒性48 hLD50值分别为有效成分8.04×10-3、9.46×10-3、7.04×10-3、4.64×10-3、11.8×10-3、5.25×10-3、5.22和6.31μg/蜂;点滴法测得各药剂的接触毒性48 h-LD50值分别为有效成分2.46×10-2、1.33×10-2、3.63×10-2、9.27×10-3、1.52×10-2、2.21×10-2、5.82和5.07μg/蜂。按《化学农药环境安全评价试验准则》的毒性等级划分标准,啶虫脒原药及其可溶性粉剂对蜜蜂的急性毒性均为中等毒,其他6种药剂对蜜蜂的急性毒性均为高毒;根据危害商值(HQ),啶虫脒对蜜蜂为低风险,吡虫啉、噻虫嗪和噻虫胺对蜜蜂均存在高风险。     

急性温度胁迫对银鲳幼鱼代谢酶、离子酶活性及血清离子浓度的影响

为探明急性温度胁迫对银鲳( Pampus argenteus) 幼鱼生化指标的影响, 该实验设计了3 个温度梯度, 即22 ℃、27 ℃和32 ℃, 以27 ℃为对照组, 胁迫时间48 h, 分别测定胁迫前后其代谢酶、离子酶活性以及血清中离子浓度。结果显示, 2 个实验组的血清谷丙转氨酶( GPT) 的变化趋势相反, 肝脏谷草转氨酶( GOT) 的变化趋势也不同; 2 个实验组的碱性磷酸酶( AKP) 变化趋势相反, 而酸性磷酸酶( ACP) 变化趋势相同, 乳酸脱氢酶( LDH) 在 22 ℃实验组出现波浪式变化( P 0. 05) ; 血清钠( Na+ ) 、钾( K+ ) 、氯( Cl- ) 、钙( Ca2+ ) 在各组呈现不同的变化趋势; 鳃Na+ /K+ -ATP酶活性在32 ℃实验组出现下降趋势, 肾脏Na+ /K+-ATP酶活性在22 ℃实验组出现先升高后降低趋势( P 0. 05) ; 2 个实验组鳃Ca2+/Mg2+-ATP酶活性和肾脏Ca2+/Mg2+-ATP酶活性皆出现相反的变化趋势。结果表明, 急性温度胁迫可显著影响银鲳幼鱼的正常代谢, 因此在养殖过程中应尽量避免温度胁迫, 以使其有一个良好的生长环境。     

Study on Liver-protective Effect of Chinese Herbal Compound Probiotics on Acute Liver Injury Layers

This experiment was conducted to investigate the liver-protective effect of Chinese herbal compound probiotics (CHCP) on acute liver injury layers.One hundred and eight 1 day old hens were divided into 4 groups with 3 replicates in each group and 9 layers per replicate in trial 1.The layers in model groups Ⅰ to Ⅲ were gavaged with 10% (V/V) soybean oil solution of carbon tetrachloride (SCCl₄) according to 1,2 and 4 mL/(kg·BW) at 14,28 and 35 d,respectively.The layers in control group were gavaged with 2 mL/(kg·BW) soybean oil.In trial 2,sixty 1 d layers were divided into 5 groups:Control group (soybean oil),model control group(SCCl₄)and low-dose,middle-dose and high-dose CHCP group (SCCl₄+1‰ CHCP,SCCl₄+2‰ CHCP and SCCl₄+4‰ CHCP respectively).CHCP were used by drinking water since 7 days.SCCl₄ were gavaged according to 2 mL/(kg·BW) at 14 and 28 d.The results showed as follows:The model of layers liver damage could be built by intragastric administration of 2 mL/(kg·BW) 10%(V/V) SCCl₄ at 14,28 d respectively,with the signs of hepatic steatosis,severe vacuolar degeneration,nuclear condensation and necrosis.Compared to the model control group,the serum AST levels in low,medium and high dose CHCP groups were decreased by 4.35% (P > 0.05),7.57% (P > 0.05) and 9.79% (P < 0.05),the serum ALT levels in medium and high dose CHCP groups were decreased by 34.92% (P < 0.01),36.51% (P < 0.01),the serum total bilirubin content in medium and high dose CHCP groups were decreased by 25.49% (P < 0.01),27.45% (P < 0.01).The liver cell congestion was reduced to varying degrees in different dose CHCP groups,and the liver cell had no vacuoles,arranged in neat rows,abundant cytoplasm and uniform in different dose CHCP groups.In conclusion,2‰,4‰ CHCP could reduce hepatocyte necrosis,decrease the serum activities of ALT,AST and total bilirubin levels,and had protective effect on hepatic injury induced by SCCl₄.     

Setaria digitata was the main cause of equine neurological ataxia in Korea: 50 cases (2015–2016)

This study was performed to examine and clarify the cause of hindlimb ataxia and neuropathy seen in the South Korean horse population. Fifty horses diagnosed with hindlimb ataxia and neuropathy were referred for this study. Neurological examination was performed on 47 horses while necropsy was performed in all 50 animals. The occurrence of neurological diseases increased rapidly in the summer and 47 out of 50 horses were referred after the end of July. The incidence of neurological diseases started from the southern part of Korea in July and proceeded northward in August and September. Although there was no correlation with age, Thoroughbred and Warmblood horses showed a higher incidence rate than Halla and Jeju horses. The incidence rate was 5 times higher in geldings than in mares and stallions. Of the 20 cases, 16 were diagnosed with eosinophilic meningoencephalomyelitis in 2015. The most common lesions observed in 2016 were parasitic meningoencephalomyelitis (10 cases, 33%) and eosinophilic meningomyelitis (7 cases, 23%). Histopathological analysis of the brain and spinal cord revealed nematodes of approximately 100–200 µm in diameter, microcavitation and infiltrates of eosinophils, and brown pigmented macrophage infiltrates. The nematodes were identified as Setaria digitata via DNA sequencing, performed subsequent to polymerase chain reaction using DNA isolated from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections of the spinal cord. These results show that aberrant migration of Setaria digitata larva in the brain and spinal cord was a major cause for neurological signs in horses.     

Acute and Sub-chronic Toxicity Test on Rats of a New Kind of Antidiarrheal Chinese Herbal Medicine Compound Preparation for Livestock

In order to understand the security of a new kind of antidiarrheal Chinese herbal medicine compound preparation for livestock,acute and sub-chronic toxicity test were conducted.Acute toxicity test used the largest drug dose method,20 Wistar rats were orally treated with the Chinese medicine compound preparation.In the sub-chronic toxicity test,80 rats were randomly divided into 4 groups with 20 rats in each group and orally given a dose of 3 000,1 500,750 and 0 mg/(kg·BW）of Chinese medicine compound preparation once a day for 30 days.The general clinical status was observed,rats weight were measured and the dose was adjusted every week during the test,after the test measured blood routine index,biochemistry index,and preceded the gross anatomy observation,weighing each major organs and calculated the viscera coefficient,and proceded main viscera histopathological observation between the high dose group and the control group.The acute toxicity results showed that every rat would be alive gavaged with the lethal dose（LD₅₀）of compound preparation larger 5 g/(kg·BW).The sub-chronic toxicity autopsy showed that except heart,lung,and testicles in individual rats appeared mild bleeding in the high dose group,the other dose group organs found no abnormal change.The haematological index showed except mononuclear cell rate（P<0.05),and hematocrit declined significantly（P<0.05）in the high dose group,all the indexes of the other groups were in the normal range,there was no significant difference from the control group.The test suggested the Chinese medicine compound preparation was no toxicity under the condition of this test according to acute toxicity classification standard of exogenous chemicals by WTO,there was no effect on the growth and development of rats in the sub-chronic toxicity test,and there was no chronic toxicity at least 1 500 mg/kg feeding conditions in short-term repeated application.     

Assessment of interactions between glutamine and glucose on meat quality,AMPK, and glutamine concentrations in pectoralis major meat of broilers under acute heat stress

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of dietary glutamine and glucose on pectoralis major meat quality in broilers under acute heat stress. Three hundred 35-day-old male broilers (Arbor Acres) were randomly divided into 5 groups. Broilers in the positive control group were kept in a thermoneutral environment (23 ± 1°C, RH 45%–55%) and fed a basic diet, whereas the experimental (2 × 2) group was exposed to acute heat stress (34 ± 1°C, RH 65%–75%) for 12 h and fed the basic diet that contained glutamine (0 and 10 g/kg) and glucose (0 and 10 g/kg). Compared with the positive control group, acute heat stress without glutamine and glucose supplementation increased (P < 0.05) drip loss, L* values, and AMPK concentrations, but it decreased (P < 0.05) water-holding capacity, moisture, pH, a* values, b* values, and glutamine concentrations in pectoralis major meat of chickens. However, dietary glutamine (10 g/kg) increased (P < 0.05) water-holding capacity, moisture, pH, a* values, b* values, and glutamine concentrations, while it decreased (P < 0.05) drip loss, L* values, and AMPK concentrations in heat-stressed chicken pectoralis major meat. Dietary glucose (10 g/kg) increased (P < 0.05) water-holding capacity, moisture, pH, and a* and b* values, while it decreased (P < 0.05) L* values and AMPK concentrations of pectoralis major meat in chickens exposed to acute high temperature. There were significant interactions between glutamine and glucose in the water-holding capacity, pH values, AMPK, and glutamine levels of pectoralis major meat in the heat-stressed chickens. The above results suggest that the addition of glutamine and glucose in the diet is necessary for broilers during acute heat stress condition.