人工育雏大紫胸鹦鹉生长发育的观察

对2000～2002年成都动物园人工孵化及人工育雏的8只大紫胸鹦鹉的生长发育情况进行了125天的观察分析.经回归分析表明,大紫胸鹦鹉雏鸟的平均出壳重为12.4±0.4 g,人工饲育下56日龄体重达到最高值,平均体重为259.55±2.45 g;鹦鹉体重(W)与日龄(D)的关系为W=259.55/(1 45.2227e-0.1297D).出壳时,嘴峰短于嘴裂,长度分别为7.75±0.25 mm和10.0±1.0 mm;35日龄时,嘴峰长度超过嘴裂,其长度分别为19.0±1.0 mm和18.75±0.75 mm;110日龄时,嘴峰和嘴裂的长度达生长期峰值,其长度分别为29.0±1.5 mm和25.0±1.5 mm;嘴峰长和嘴裂长与日龄的关系分别为L=29/(1 4.1023e-0.0636D)和L=25/(1 1.7967e-0.0473D).出壳时,跗跖长于中趾,长度分别为8.25±0.25 mm和7.25±0.25 mm;15日龄时,中趾长度超过跗跖,其长度分别为13.5±0.5 mm和13.0±0.5 mm;100日龄时,中趾与跗跖的长度达到峰值,其长度分别为24.5±0.5 mm和30±1.0 mm;跗跖和中趾长与日龄的关系分别为L=24.5/(1 1.4536e-0.0569D)和L=30/(1 2.941733e-0.0638122D).雏鸟孵化时,翅长10.5±0.5 mm;30日龄长出飞羽羽芽,平均翅长40.5±2.5 mm,35日龄羽鞘破樱,120日龄平均翅长201.0±6.0 mm;翅长与日龄的关系为L=201/(1 30.0624e-0.0780D).30日龄生出尾羽羽芽,125日龄时尾长为190.0±8.0 mm;尾长与日龄的关系为L=190/(1 177.1306e-0.07533D).     

中华蜜蜂气味受体AcerOR57的表达及定位分析

为研究中华蜜蜂气味受体AcerOR57的表达及定位,利用实时荧光定量PCR和Western blot技术检测气味受体AcerOR57 mRNA及蛋白在1日龄工蜂和雄蜂、采集蜂及性成熟雄蜂各部位(触角、头、胸、腹和足)的相对表达量;通过免疫组织化学技术检测该基因受体蛋白在中华蜜蜂触角中的表达定位。结果表明:AcerOR57转录本在1日龄工蜂和采集蜂,1日龄雄蜂和性成熟雄蜂各部位均有表达,但表达程度不一:在1日龄工蜂、采集蜂的触角和1日龄雄蜂、性成熟雄蜂的头部中高丰度表达,均极显著高于其它部位(P0.01);Western blot结果显示,AcerOR57受体蛋白在1日龄工蜂和采集蜂触角中的表达量高于其它部位,这与荧光定量PCR结果相一致;但该蛋白在1日龄雄蜂和性成熟雄蜂的触角和头部表达均不明显,与mRNA水平表达结果相反;免疫组化结果显示,AcerOR57在工蜂和雄蜂触角的毛形感器、板形感器和锥形感器中表达。在1日龄工蜂和性成熟雄蜂中,毛形感器所占的比例大于板形感器,说明其主要在毛形感器中表达;在1日龄雄蜂和采集蜂中,板形感器的表达量比毛形感器表达量多,说明其主要在板形感器中表达;除采集蜂外,其它样本中均发现少量锥形感器的表达。推测AcerOR57可能在探测外界气味分子中发挥一定的作用,这为进一步研究气味受体的功能提供了理论依据。     

密林熊蜂雄性成蜂生殖系统发育动态

为了研究密林熊蜂Bombus patagiatus Nylander雄蜂出房后生殖系统发育变化过程, 本研究首次对密林熊蜂雄性成蜂（1-15日龄）生殖系统的精液量、 精子数、 性腺大小、 储精囊大小等进行了测定。结果显示： 雄性成蜂在1日龄时精液量最大, 达到5.95±0.39 μL; 镜检精子数在2日龄最多; 而精液中活动精子数出现波浪式的循环趋势, 9日龄达到最大值, 为25.93±1.06个; 精液中精子总数在9日龄达到最大值, 为160.67±17.11万个; 活动精子百分比以8、 9日龄最高, 分别达到86.38%±2.02%及86.45%±2.50%; 性腺长度在1日龄时最小, 为1 522.01±37.93 μm; 储精囊的中部宽度在7日龄最宽, 达86.38±2.96 μm, 但与9日龄相比无显著差异。由此可见, 8-9日龄雄性成蜂个体各指标较为稳定, 该日龄即为雄性成蜂性成熟且可以交配的时期。本研究结果为密林熊蜂人工繁育提供了理论依据。     

棕色田鼠雄性幼体不同发育期犁鼻器和副嗅球的组织结构

通过对出生后不同发育时期雄性棕色田鼠犁鼻器和副嗅球进行组织学观察, 探讨棕色田鼠出生后犁鼻器和副嗅球的发育规律。实验以出生后当天(0 日龄) , 5 日龄, 15 日龄, 25 日龄以及成年棕色田鼠为研究对象,副嗅球采用Pischinger 氏染色法染色, 犁鼻器用H. E. 染色法染色后进行组织学观察。结果显示, 棕色田鼠出生时, 犁鼻器和副嗅球就已具有成体的基本结构, 随着动物个体的发育, 犁鼻上皮逐渐增厚, 犁鼻管变长, 犁鼻上皮中神经元密度增加; 腺体逐渐增大, 犁鼻管腔填充物增多, 犁鼻管背外侧的静脉血管逐日增大, 管腔周围出现越来越多的血管; 副嗅球长宽都增加, 僧帽细胞层和颗粒细胞层逐渐增长, 各层细胞密度变化稍有不同;出生后15 日内, 僧帽细胞层细胞密度增加, 15 日龄以后又开始降低, 25 日龄及成体的僧帽细胞层细胞密度与5日龄的相似; 颗粒细胞层细胞密度持续增高。实验结果提示, 棕色田鼠5 日龄时, 犁鼻器和副嗅球已具有了完整的结构, 到25 日龄时可能达到了功能上的成熟。     

猪胃组织中生长激素受体基因表达的发育性变化及品种特点

用相对定量RT PCR的方法研究二花脸猪 (Erhualian)和大白猪 (1argeWhite)胃组织中生长激素受体 (GHr)mR NA发育性变化并进行品种间比较。分别于出生当天、3、2 0、30、4 5、90、12 0和 180日龄随机选取纯种大白猪公猪和二花脸公猪各 4头宰杀并采样 ,同时记录胃重和体重。研究结果表明 :出生时胃组织中GHrmRNA水平较高 ,3日龄时显著下调 (P <0 0 5 ) ;二花脸猪胃组织中GHrmRNA水平在断奶时 (45日龄 )达到高峰 ,随后显著下降 (P <0 0 5 ) ,至 90日龄后维持相对稳定。大白猪公猪在 90日龄时胃组织中GHrmRNA水平达到高峰 ,并维持在较高水平 ;从出生到断奶 ,二花脸猪胃组织GHrmRNA水平高于大白猪 ,2 0日龄时差异显著 (P <0 0 5 ) ;90日龄至 180日龄期间二花脸猪胃组织GHrmRNA水平低于大白猪 ,90日龄时差异显著 (P <0 0 5 )。胃重相对于体重的变化模式和胃组织GHrmRNA水平的发育变化呈中等强度正直线相关 ,相关系数为r=0 5 4 (P <0 0 5 )。以上结果提示 :(1)猪胃组织中GHr基因表达有特定的发育模式 ,并且呈现显著的品种间差异 ;(2 )GH直接作用于胃组织并调节胃的生长 ,GH是否直接参与胃的功能性发育调节 ,尚有待于进一步的实验研究     

婴儿围产期感染乙型肝炎病毒后各项血清学指标的动态变化

本文观察了102名新生儿出生后至18月龄的HBV血清学指标的动态变化,婴儿分成乙型肝炎疫苗按种组(63人)和对照组(39人), 观察期间HBsAg始终阴性的70名婴儿,出生后6、12和18月龄的抗-HBc阳性率依次为90％、30％和4.3％;而HBsAg阳转的27名婴儿,18月龄时抗-HBc全都阳性,但仅有6名婴儿在6月龄时测出IgM抗-HBc,疫苗接种组婴儿出生后1、3、6、12和18月龄的抗-HBs阳性率,依次为28.6％、76.2％、77。8％、82.5％和82.5％;对照组婴儿18月龄时抗-HBs阳性率仅为12.8％。     

用16S rRNA荧光定量PCR技术分析低出生体重儿肠道菌群变化及影响因素

目的监测低出生体重儿肠道细菌分布情况,并分析影响低出生体重儿肠道微生态平衡的因素。方法以低出生体重儿(1 500g≤体重2 500g)为研究对象,采用16SrRNA荧光定量PCR技术检测新生儿出生后第1天、3天、7天粪便中双歧杆菌、乳杆菌、大肠埃希菌和肠球菌4种细菌的含量,比较正常新生儿与低出生体重儿肠道菌群构建的差异;分析不同胎龄、体重、喂养方式、疾病状态等因素对低出生体重儿肠道微生态平衡的影响。结果 (1)低出生体重儿组和健康新生儿组粪便中大肠埃希菌、肠球菌、乳杆菌和双歧杆菌含量与婴儿日龄呈明显正相关关系,且低出生体重儿组婴儿粪便4种细菌含量均明显低于健康对照组(P0.05)。(2)2 000g≤体重2 500g组低出生体重儿大肠埃希菌和肠球菌含量在各日龄明显高于体重2 000g组新生儿(P0.05),双歧杆菌和乳杆菌含量在3日龄和7日龄阶段明显高于体重2 000g组(P0.05),而1日龄阶段差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。(3)母乳喂养组在3日龄和7日龄阶段双歧杆菌和乳杆菌含量明显高于乳制品喂养组(P0.05)。(4)无并发症患儿组在3日龄和7日龄阶段乳杆菌和双歧杆菌含量明显高于有并发症组(P0.05)。结论低出生体重儿肠道菌群构建规律异于正常新生儿,尤其是乳杆菌和双歧杆菌的定植差异更为突出;低出生体重儿的出生体重与肠道乳杆菌和双歧杆菌的含量呈正相关;母乳喂养对低出生体重儿肠道中益生菌的定植有明显的优势;新生儿相关疾病直接影响低出生体重儿肠道微生态的构建,可导致其胃肠道生态系统的异常;16S rRNA荧光定量PCR技术适用于评价婴幼儿肠道微生态状况。     

小鼠小肠四种消化酶活力的胎后发育模式

为明确晚成型小鼠胎后发育肠道消化酶活力的建立过程和发育模式,探讨其与适应性调节假说的关系,测定了从出生后至27日龄小鼠小肠前、中、后段的乳糖酶、蔗糖酶、麦芽糖酶和氨基肽酶的酶活力。结果发现单位组织酶活力方面,乳糖酶活力先增后降,小肠前段在9日龄而中后段在12日龄达到最高,至27日龄时仅中段有微弱的酶活力;蔗糖酶活力12日龄始出现,前段和后段自15日龄迅速升高,至18日龄达最高,但随后显著降低,而中段在15日龄后持续升高至21日龄达到最高,此后维持在较高水平;麦芽糖酶出生时已具有活力,但在15日龄前维持较低水平,此后迅速升高,前后段在18日龄,中段在21日龄达到峰值,此后下降;小肠前段的氨基肽酶活力出生后至27日龄持续下降,而后段和中段从出生到断乳前则持续升高,断乳后略有下降。除乳糖酶总酶活力先增后降,在15日龄达峰值外,其余3种酶的总酶活力均持续增加。在小肠不同位置4种酶活力的分布具有显著差异,且日龄对不同位置酶活力的影响趋势不同。总之,小鼠小肠4种消化酶的酶活力随时间的变化能够与其食物转变的消化需求相匹配,部分地支持适应性调节假说。     

入侵植物五爪金龙生物学特性研究

通过栽培实验,观察入侵植物五爪金龙的形态学特征,测定两个不同生长期的生物量、根茎长度等指标,对实验数据进行统计分析,从几个方面研究五爪金龙的生物学特性。结果表明:生长期为6个月的五爪金龙生物量与生长期为3个月的五爪金龙生物量相比,根、茎、叶分别增长了2~5倍;平均含水量在7.41%~82.99%之间,两者无显著差异;两者之间的根冠比存在显著差异,但是跟其他草本植物相比,其根冠比相对较小;不同生长期的平均根长度分别为57cm、87cm,平均茎长度分别为319cm、714cm,两者之间的根茎比存在极显著差异。研究结果为进一步研究五爪金龙的入侵机制和控制五爪金龙的对策提供科学的理论依据。     

金针菇菇脚对肉鸡肠道菌群的影响

目的 研究金针菇菇脚（Flammulina velutipes stembase,FVS）对肉鸡生长性能、肠道发育及肠道菌群的影响。方法 选取4 550只1日龄爱拔益加（AA）肉鸡,随机分为5组：空白组（基础日粮）、2% FVS组（基础日粮+2% FVS）、4% FVS组（基础日粮+4% FVS）、6% FVS组（基础日粮+6% FVS）和6% FVS阶段组（基础日粮+试验第1、3、5周饲喂含有6%FVS的日粮,于试验2、4、6周饲喂基础日粮）。试验为期42 d。结果 FVS组肉鸡平均日增重量均显著高于空白组（P<0.05）。6% FVS组和6% FVS阶段组肉鸡平均日采食量显著高于空白组（P<0.05）。FVS组肉鸡料重比均显著低于空白组（P<0.05）。与空白组相比,日龄21 d时,2% FVS组肉鸡回肠和盲肠重量均显著增加（P<0.05）;4% FVS组十二指肠长度和盲肠重量均显著增加（P<0.05）;6% FVS阶段组十二指肠长度及重量、空肠长度及重量和回肠重量均显著增加（P<0.05）。与空白组相比,日龄42 d时,2% FVS组肉鸡十二指肠长度和重量及盲肠重量均显著增加（P<0.05）;4% FVS组十二指肠长度和重量、回肠长度和盲肠长度及重量均显著增加（P<0.05）;6% FVS组十二指肠长度和盲肠长度及重量均显著增加（P<0.05）;6% FVS阶段组十二指肠重量、空肠重量和回肠长度及重量均显著增加（P<0.05）。与空白组相比,日龄21 d时6% FVS阶段组肉鸡盲肠菌群DNA条带数显著增加;日龄42 d时FVS组肉鸡盲肠菌群DNA条带数均显著增加。日龄21 d和42 d时肉鸡盲肠菌群共性条带中均含有扭链胃球菌（Ruminococcus torques）,而FVS组含有大量的产酸菌。结论 日粮中添加FVS可提高肉鸡生长能力、促进肠道发育、增加肠道菌群多样性。     

Age at puberty, ovulation rate, uterine length, prenatal survival and litter size in Chinese Meishan and Yorkshire females

Studies on the ovulation rate, prenatal survival and litter size of Chinese Meishan pigs have given widely divergent results depending on the extent of inbreeding of the animals, their original genetic diversity, the age and parity, and the conditions of management. To obtain meaningful results, it is necessary to characterize the population under study. The following report characterizes populations of Meishan and Yorkshire of a widely diverse background. First farrowing data were collected on 21 Meishan and 20 Yorkshire gilts. Meishan gilts had 12.4 fully formed piglets and Yorkshire gilts had 7.4 fully formed piglets (P < 0.01). Meishan gilts averaged 1.86 mummified fetuses per litter vs 0.05 per Yorkshire litter (P < 0.01). Yorkshire piglets averaged 1.3 kg body weight at birth vs 0.9 kg for Meishan piglets (P < 0.01). At 47 days of second gestation, 19 Meishan and 12 Yorkshire sows averaged 22.7 and 16.3 corpora lutea (CL), respectively (P < 0.01). Uterine length and number of fetuses were not different (P > 0.40) in the two breeds. Daily estrous detection of 50 Meishan and 34 Yorkshire gilts began at 60 and 120 days of age, respectively. Meishan gilts reached sexual maturity at 95 days of age, which was 105 days earlier than Yorkshire gilts (P < 0.01). Meishan gilts were in estrus nearly 1 day longer than Yorkshire gilts at first, second and third estrus (P < 0.05). No differences in cycle length between breeds were detected for the first or second estrous cycle (P > 0.60). Nineteen Meishan gilts were slaughtered at 51 days of gestation and their reproductive tracts were recovered. The mean number of dissected CL (17.0), number of fetuses (13.1), total uterine length (396 cm), spacing per fetus (29.9 cm), allantoic (124.9 ml) and amniotic (32.2 ml) volumes, crown-rump length (82.8 mm), weight (35.4 g), sex, and direction of each fetus were determined. Chinese Meishan gilts reached puberty much earlier and were in estrus longer than Yorkshire gilts and Meishan sows had more CL than Yorkshire sows.     

Differences in amounts of pools and riffles between upper and lower reaches of a fully sedimented dam in a mountain gravel-bed river

To understand the extent of changes in the habitat structure of macroinvertebrates due to channel degradation, the amount of pools and riffles and bed materials were determined in upper and lower reaches of a fully sedimented dam in a mountain gravel-bed river. Pools occurred more frequently and individual pools were longer in the lower reach than in the upper reaches; the total length of pools in the former was four times than in the latter. In contrast, individual riffles in the upper reaches were longer than and the total length double that in the lower reach. The main bed materials in the upper reaches were moderate-sized cobbles and boulders (diameter 10–40 cm), which generated moderately steep and long riffles. In the lower reach, these materials were scarce and the main bed materials were large boulders (>50 cm) and bedrock, which generated steep and short riffles; finer materials (<10 cm) dominated in pools and runs. The reduced total length of riffles in the lower reach was partly associated with the steepening of individual riffles, which may be due to the shortage of moderate-sized cobbles and boulders. Macroinvertebrate biomass at reach scale, which was estimated based on the total lengths of pools and riffles, was more than two to four times in the upper reaches than in the lower reach.     

Factors affecting length of gestation and birth weight of Nili-Ravi buffaloes

This study was conducted to determine the effects of various factors on gestation length and calf birth weight of Nili-Ravi buffaloes in Pakistan. Records were analyzed from 421 uneventful calvings by 274 buffaloes inseminated artificially from 1980 to 1984. Gestation averaged 308.7±0.4 days and ranged from 275 to 346 days in length. Most (57.2%) buffaloes calved from 305 to 314 days after insemination. Calf birth weight, sire of calf, month of breeding, and month of calving accounted for significant amounts of variation in lengths of gestation. Gestation length changed quadratically with calf birth weight. Buffaloes producing calves weighing about 35 kg had the shortest (about 308 days) gestation period, and buffaloes producing calves weighing either more or less than 35 kg had longer gestation periods. Calf birth weight averaged 38.2 ± 0.2 kg and ranged from 17 to 48 kg. Bull calves were heavier at birth than were heifer calves (39.0 vs. 37.5 kg). Calf birth weight increased quadratically with body weight of the dam at calving. Heavier dams produced heavier calves, and body weight of the dam at calving increased with age of the dam at calving. This study indicates that sires, dams and months of breeding could be selected to help control gestation length and birth weight of Nili-Ravi buffaloes.     

REPRODUCTION AND LARVAL DEVELOPMENT OF LABEO UMBRATUS (PISCES,CYPRINIDAE) IN THE TYUME RIVER,EASTERN CAPE

SUMMARY

AN account is given of some aspects of the reproductive ecology and larval development of Lubeo umbrutus which is of great importance in the Eastern Cape due to its abundance in rivers and dams.

The sex ratio was found to be approximately 1:1 and females probably have a longer life span than males. Spawning takes place from October to January. Males become sexually mature at a length of 14 cm and females at a length of 20 cm. A spawning site is described. There is a curvilinear relationship between length and fecundity with the average fecundity increasing from 11 000 in fishes with a length of 20 cm to 48 000 in fishes with a length of 32 cm. Larval development from hatching to an age of 12 days is described.     

Sex differences in body composition early in life

Background: Early development of the percentage of fat and muscle is rarely considered, but is important because excessive fat is related to the development of diabetes and other morbidities later in life. In pediatric medicine, there are few to no data comparing sex differences in body composition in the first months of life despite the fact that males are typically longer and weigh more than girls at birth.Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether observed sex differences in body composition at birth persist through the first 6 months of life.Methods: Participants were healthy, full-term, male and female newborns. Children throughout the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, metropolitan area were enrolled. The inclusion criteria were: mothers aged 18 to 45 years at the time of delivery; a term pregnancy lasting ≥37 weeks of gestation (determined by mother's physician); weight adequate for gestational age; and a hospital stay for the infant of <3 days following delivery. The exclusion criteria were: maternal tobacco use or alcohol consumption (>1 drink per week) during pregnancy; gestational diabetes; preeclampsia; and infants with presumed or known congenital birth defects. Baseline assessment at birth included length and weight. Newborns had their body composition (percent fat [%fat], total fat, and fat-free mass) determined at ~1 month of age using whole body plethysmography. Mothers were invited to have their children take part in a 5-month extension that conducted additional body composition measurements at 3 and 6 months of age.Results: Sixty-four girls (mean [SD] age at time of testing, 20.9 [7.9] days; birth weight, 3500 [388] g; birth length, 49.9 [2.4] cm; white race, 73.4%) and 53 boys (mean age at time of testing, 20.2 [7.3] days; birth weight, 3353 [413] g; birth length, 51.0 [2.4] cm; white race, 69.8%) were assessed and included in the study. At birth, girls were significantly shorter and weighed more than boys (both, P < 0.05). At ~1 month of age, body composition revealed that girls had significantly greater %fat (15.1% vs 12.7%; P < 0.05) and less fat-free mass (3182 [303] vs 3454 [361] g; P < 0.001) than did boys. At 3 months of age, girls continued to have significantly less fat-free mass (4379 [347] vs 4787 [310] g; P < 0.01) than did boys; however, by 6 months of age, no significant sex difference was observed in any body composition variable studied.Conclusion: In this small sample of healthy, full-term newborns, at ~1 month of age, statistically significant differences in %fat and fat-free mass existed between girls and boys; however, by 6 months of age, these differences no longer existed.     

Birth weight and birth rate of heavy calves conceived by transfer of in vitro or in vivo produced bovine embryos

The aim of this study was to evaluate the difference in birth weight and gestation length between Japanese Black calves obtained from transfer of bovine embryos produced in vitro (IVP) and those developed in vivo (IVD). An additional objective was to clarify the sire effect on birth weight and gestation length and to examine the birth rate of heavier calves. Two Japanese Black bulls breed at our experimental station were used as a semen source for production of IVP and IVD embryos. Thirty-eight Japanese Black heifers and cows of various genetic backgrounds were used as embryo donors for IVD embryos. Ovaries for IVP embryos were collected at random at a local slaughterhouse from Japanese Black cattle of various genetic backgrounds. IVP embryos were produced using co-culturing with cumulus cells in 5% CS+TCM 199. Both the IVD and IVP embryos were transferred non-surgically to Holstein recipients on day 7+/-1 of estrous cycle. In this study, the birth weights and gestation lengths of half-sib single calves for bull A and B were analyzed.The numbers of single calves born by transfer of IVP and IVD embryos for bull A and B were 133 and 121, 243 and 465, respectively. The birth weight of the IVP calves was significantly higher (P<0.01) than that of the IVD (bull A: 31.0+/-0.4 kg versus 27.2+/-0.4 kg and bull B: 29.9+/-0.6 kg versus 26.6+/-0.2 kg). Gestation length of the IVP calves for bull A was significantly longer (P<0.01) than that of the IVD (291.9+/-0.9 days versus 283.6+/-0.5 days). However, for bull B, there were no differences in gestation length between the IVP and IVD calves (285.9+/-0.7 days versus 286.2+/-0.3 days). These results clearly indicated that IVP calves had heavier birth weights than IVD calves but that the average gestation length of IVP calves was not always longer than that of IVD calves. Furthermore, the birth rate of heavier calves and the incidence of stillbirth and perinatal mortality up to 48 h post partum in IVP calves (bull A: 11.3%, bull B: 7.8%) were greater (P<0.05) than those in IVD calves from both bulls (bull A: 4.1%, bull B: 3.7%).     

Phenotypic characterisation of extreme growth-selected mouse lines: An important prerequisite for future QTL analysis

A unique set of seven mouse lines, long-term selected for high growth, from different laboratories around the world has been comprehensively compared to evaluate these resources for future QTL and gene mapping for growth traits. The heaviest line (DUH) was 40% (males) to 44% (females) heavier than the smallest line (ROH) at birth, and 105% (males) to 114% (females) heavier at 98 d. Body conformation (body length and width, body areas), body composition (dry matter, fat, fatty acid composition, organ weights), and skeletal muscle cellularity also differed substantially. DUH was more than 20% longer (12.3 cm) compared to the shortest line ROH (9.7 cm). DAH (22.5%) had the highest percentage of gonadal fat and the leanest was BEH (7.7%). Line BEH (0.49 g) showed the highest weight for the left M. rectus femoris, which was 2.1 times higher, compared to ROH (0.23 g). These results suggest that different alleles, and possibly different physiological pathways, have contributed to the selection response in the different lines. Therefore these selection lines are an important tool with which to identify the genetic and physiological basis of growth as they may contain many, if not all, growth promoting alleles.     

Genetic control of scrapie and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in mice

Genetic control of experimental scrapie and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) was studied in inbred strains of mice by measuring the times from intracerebral inoculation with the agents to the onset of neurological dysfunction. Every strain of mice examined was susceptible to infection; however, a wide range of incubation times was found for both scrapie and CJD. New Zealand (NZ) mice, which eventually develop an autoimmune disorder, were inoculated intracerebrally with 10(6) ID50 units of the scrapie agent in a Chandler isolate. NZW mice showed incubation periods of less than 95 days; this is the shortest period recorded for any murine host with scrapie. In NZB and NZB X W F1 mice, the incubation periods were approximately 130 days and were similar to those in BALB/c and C57BL mice. Male and female NZ mice exhibited scrapie incubation periods of the same length. Similar results were obtained when B10.Q and C57BL/6J mice were inoculated intracerebrally with 10(4) ID50 units of the CJD agent in a K.Fu. isolate. These observations define a genetic locus or loci controlling the length of scrapie and CJD incubation periods; alleles coding for longer incubation times appear to be autosomal dominant. When congenic mice with a C57BL/10J background differing only in their H-2 haplotypes were studied, the results showed that the D subregion of the H-2 complex played a central role in controlling the length of the CJD incubation period. The q allele at the D subregion resulted in shorter incubation times, whereas the d allele resulted in long incubation times. The p, s, b, and k alleles gave intermediate incubation times. We propose the symbol PID-1 for designating this genetic locus which is located within the D subregion of the major histocompatibility (H-2) complex on murine chromosome 17. In addition, observations on congenic mice provide evidence for the influence of sex on CJD incubation periods. In some strains of inbred mice, males showed significantly shorter incubation periods compared with those for females with experimental CJD. These studies with inbred mice have defined previously unrecognized genes that control the length of scrapie and CJD incubation periods.     

Foot Length,Chest Circumference,and Mid Upper Arm Circumference Are Good Predictors of Low Birth Weight and Prematurity in Ethnic Minority Newborns in Vietnam: A Hospital-Based Observational Study

Background

The evaluation of tools to accurately identify low birth weight (LBW) and/or premature newborns in resource-limited countries is a research priority. We explored the use of foot length, chest circumference, and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) measured within 24 h as diagnostic tools for identifying newborns who are LBW, premature, or both; and compared measurements taken at birth with those taken at five days of age.

Materials and Methods

An observational study was undertaken in Hoa Binh Province General Hospital, Vietnam, in ethnic minority newborns. Birth weight, foot length, chest circumference, and MUAC were measured within 24 h of birth and in a subset of 200, were repeated on day five of life. Gestational age was estimated using the New Ballard Score. Receiver Operating Characteristic curves and optimal cut-points (the point with the highest sensitivity and specificity where the sensitivity was at least 0.8) were calculated, for predicting prematurity, LBW, and both. Measurements within 24 h and at five days of life were compared.

Results

485 newborns were recruited. Chest circumference and MUAC measured within 24 h of birth were found to be highly predictive of LBW (both yielding area under the curve [AUC] of 0.98, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.96–0.99), and performed marginally better than foot length (AUC 0.94, 95%CI 0.92–0.96). The optimal cut-points for measurements within 24 h of birth were ≤7.4cm for foot length; ≤30.4cm for chest circumference; and ≤ 9.0cm for MUAC. There was statistical evidence that anthropometric measurements taken within 24 h of birth were higher than measurements on day five (p<0.02 for all anthropometric measurements) but the magnitude of these differences was small (at most 2mm).

Conclusions

All measurements taken within 24 h of birth were good predictors of LBW, prematurity and both. Differences in measurements taken within 24 h and on day five were not clinically relevant. Further research will ensure that the application of these measures is reliable in community settings.