Evaluation of uncalibrated preferential flow models against data for isoproturon movement to drains through a heavy clay soil

The uncalibrated predictive ability of four preferential flow models (CRACK‐NP, MACRO/MACRO_DB, PLM, SWAT) has been evaluated against point rates of drainflow and associated concentrations of isoproturon from a highly structured and heterogeneous clay soil in the south of England. Data were available for four plots for a number of storm events in each of three successive growing seasons. The mechanistic models CRACK‐NP and MACRO generally gave reasonable estimates of drainflow over the three seasons, but under‐estimated concentrations of isoproturon over a prolonged period in the first season and over‐estimated them in the two remaining seasons. CRACK‐NP simulated maximum concentrations of isoproturon over the first two events of each of the three seasons of 156, 527 and 24.4 µg litre^?1, respectively, and matched the observed data (465, 65.1 and 0.65 µg litre^?1) slightly better than MACRO (69.1, 566 and 58.5 µg litre^?1). Automatic selection of parameters from soils information within MACRO_DB reduced the emphasis on preferential flow relative to the stand‐alone version of MACRO. This gave a poor simulation of isoproturon breakthrough and simulated maximum concentrations were 0, 50.1 and 35.1 µg litre^?1, respectively. The capacity model PLM gave the best overall simulation of total drainflow for the first two events in each season, but over‐estimated concentrations of isoproturon (967, 808 and 51.3 µg litre^?1). The simple model SWAT represented total drainflow reasonably well and gave the best simulation of maximum isoproturon concentrations (140, 80.2 and 8.2 µg litre^?1). There was no clear advantage here in using the mechanistic models rather than the simpler models. None of the models tested was able to simulate consistently the data set, and uncalibrated modelling cannot be recommended for such artificially drained heavy clay soils. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

The transmission by nematodes of tobraviruses is not determined exclusively by the virus coat protein

The coat protein gene of the nematode non-transmissible, SP5 isolate of pea early-browning tobravius was replaced with that of the highly nematode transmissible, PPK20 isolate of tobacco rattle tobravirus. Plants were infected with the recombinant virus when mechanically inoculated and the virus invaded the plants systemically. However, although the PPK20 isolate of TRV was transmitted by nematodes from these plants, the recombinant virus was not transmitted. Therefore, the virus coat protein is not the exclusive determinant of nematode transmission.     

Characterization of residues in soybeans grown in soil treated with 1,3-dichloropropene soil fumigant

The metabolism of cis- and trans-1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) was studied in soybean plants grown in soil treated 24 days prior to planting with [U-¹⁴C]E- and Z-1,3-dichloropropene at 380 liters ha^?1. Isolation and identification of the ¹⁴C residue from soybean plants at 84 days (forage) and 176 days (mature) after application showed that no 1,3-dichloropropene or its putative metabolites, 3-chloroallyl alcohol and 3-chloroacrylic acid, could be detected in any of the tissues. The components of the ¹⁴C residue included major plant constituents (i.e. fatty acids, protein, pigments, organic acids, sucrose and other carbohydrates, and lignin).     

Evaluation of the white-coat effect in cats

The diagnosis and management of systemic hypertension in cats requires a reliable method for measurement of systemic arterial blood pressure (BP) in clinical patients. Unfortunately, the setting of a clinical practice and the act of measuring BP might raise BP and heart rate (HR), an effect referred to as the white-coat effect in human patients. The purpose of the present study was to determine if a white-coat effect was experienced by cats. Radiotelemetric implants were used to measure BP and HR in 13 conscious cats in a research colony while undisturbed in their cages and while subjected to simulated visits to a veterinarian's office. The white-coat effect was taken to be the difference between the overall 24-hour average value for parameters of BP and HR and the corresponding value during the simulated office visit. A white-coat effect was observed in cats. In healthy cats, the systolic BP measured during the examination period of the simulated office visit exceeded the 24-hour average systolic BP by 17.6+/-1.5 mm Hg. However, marked heterogeneity occurred in the pattern and magnitude of the increase in systolic BP above the 24-hour baseline and the increase varied between 75.3 and -27.2 mm Hg for the healthy cats. Variation in response to the simulated office visit was observed among cats and among visits by the same cat. During an office visit, the magnitude of the white-coat effect tended to decrease, but not disappear, over time. The magnitude of the white-coat effect varied when cats were subjected to 5 repeat office visits, but did not diminish in the group as a whole. The mean increase in systolic BP during the examination (22.3+/-0.9 mm Hg) was greater (P < .05) in cats with renal insufficiency. Although the heterogeneity of response expected from companion animals might be greater than that observed in these colony cats, these results indicate that veterinarians should carefully consider the white-coat effect in evaluation of BP in cats. A quiet, undisturbed environment and adequate time for acclimation should be included in the standard protocol for measurements of BP. Because of day-to-day variation in the white-coat effect in individual cats, multiple serial measurements following a standard protocol should provide the best estimate of BP in cats.     

Biotic, molecular, and phylogenetic characterization of bean calico mosaic virus, a distinct begomovirus species with affiliation in the squash leaf curl virus cluster

ABSTRACT Bean calico mosaic virus (BCMoV), a whitefly-transmitted geminivirus from Sonora, Mexico, was purified, and the genome components were cloned and sequenced. Purified viral fractions and cloned genome components were infectious by biolistic inoculation to bean, completing Koch's postulates for both. The B biotype of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci efficiently transmitted both native virus and progeny virus derived from cloned DNA inoculum. Host ranges of native virus and of progeny virus derived from cloned DNA were identical based upon whitefly and biolistic mediated transmission, respectively. BCMoV has a relatively wide experimental host range among begomoviruses known to infect bean, encompassing genera and species within the Fabaceae, Malvaceae, and Solanaceae. BCMoV has a bipartite genome, as do other New World begomoviruses. BCMoV DNA-A shared highest nucleotide sequence identities with squash leaf curl virus-E strain (SLCV-E) and cabbage leaf curl virus (CaLCV) at 80.1 and 80.7%, respectively. BCMoV DNA-B shared highest nucleotide sequence identity with SLCV-E at 70.7%. The common region (CR) sequences of BCMoV and SLCV-E are 73 to 76% identical; however, modular cis-acting elements within the CR involved in replication origin function and recognition are 100% conserved. Phy-logenetic analysis indicated that BCMoV DNA-A shares a most recent common ancestor with the DNA-A of two viruses that also occur in the Sonoran Desert, SLCV-E and Texas pepper virus (TPV-TAM), and CaLCV from Florida. In contrast, a phylogenetic analysis indicated that BCMoV DNA-B shares a most recent common ancestor with SLCV-E; whereas DNA-B of CaLCV clustered in a separate clade with pepper hausteco virus. Collectively, biological and molecular characteristics indicate that BCMoV is a distinct begomovirus species with the northernmost distribution of any begomovirus isolated from bean in the Americas. Furthermore, the phylogenetic relationships of begomovirus cognate components are not necessarily identical, suggesting that DNA-A and DNA-B of some begomoviruses may have different evolutionary histories.     

Comparative pathology and pathogenesis of spontaneous and experimentally induced fibropapillomas of green turtles (Chelonia mydas)

Tumor biopsy samples from 25 Floridian and 15 Hawaiian green turtles (Chelonia mydas) with spontaneous green turtle fibropapillomatosis (GTFP) and from 27 captive-reared green turtles with experimentally induced GTFP were examined microscopically to differentiate the histologic features that result from GTFP pathogenesis and those that result from incidental factors that may vary according to geographic region. Common histologic features for spontaneous and experimentally induced tumors included fibroblast proliferation in the superficial dermis, epidermal acanthosis and hyperkeratosis, epidermal basal cell degeneration with dermal-epidermal cleft formation, spinous layer degeneration with intraepidermal vesicle and pustule formation, and ulceration. Visceral tumors, found in eight of 10 (80%) free-ranging turtles with cutaneous disease that were examined after death, had extensive interstitial fibrous proliferation. The presence of spirorchid trematode eggs and associated foreign body granulomas, common secondary findings within spontaneous tumors, varied by geographic location, and these findings were not observed in experimentally induced tumors. Eosinophilic intranuclear inclusions and intranuclear herpesvirus-associated antigen immunoreactivity were found in 18 of 38 (47%) experimentally induced cutaneous tumors and nine of 119 (7.5%) spontaneous tumors from Floridian but not Hawaiian turtles. The possible involvement of GTFP-associated herpesvirus in the pathogenesis of epidermal degenerative changes and GTFP pathogenesis is discussed.     

Development of body temperature regulation in ostrich chicks

Information in the literature indicates that young ostrich chicks, despite being precocial, are poor thermoregulators and may take between 8 and 12 weeks to develop efficient homeothermy. We measured the body temperatures (Tb) of young ostrich chicks (1 to 10 d) at ambient temperatures between 13 degrees and 28 degrees C under controlled conditions in the laboratory and under typical farm-rearing conditions to assess their ability to thermoregulate. Even 1-d-old ostriches could maintain a Tb above 36 degrees C at temperatures of 20 degrees C and older chicks maintained typical adult Tb at ambient temperatures of 13 degrees C in a constant temperature room. Chicks from 2-d-old could maintain adult T(b)s outdoors under a wide range of ambient temperatures and weather conditions. We conclude that ostrich chicks have well developed homeothermy soon after hatching and that some of the higher rearing temperatures recommended in the literature are unnecessary. In appropriate climates, chicks can be allowed outdoors soon after hatching provided they are not exposed to unfavourable weather conditions. Thermoregulation is, however, energetically expensive and thermoregulatory behaviour such as huddling may compete with other important activities like feeding.     

Modulation of host immune responses by protozoal DNA

The pathology caused by acute Babesia bovis infection is similar to that seen in severe human malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum infection, which is related to dysregulated production of inflammatory cytokines and nitric oxide (NO). We have observed induction of NO, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and inflammatory cytokines in macrophages by B. bovis. Furthermore, proliferation of lymphocytes from individuals never exposed to certain protozoal pathogens can be induced by crude protozoal parasite extracts. We have repeatedly observed stimulation of naive PBMC from cattle to antigenic extracts of Babesia bovis. Based on recent studies demonstrating the mitogenicity of bacterial and other non-vertebrate DNAs for murine B cells and macrophages, the mitogenic properties of B. bovis DNA were examined. B. bovis and E. coli DNAs induced proliferation of PBMC and purified B cells from non-exposed cattle. Stimulatory activity was reduced by DNase treatment and methylation with CpG methylase, indicating the presence of stimulatory non-methylated CpG motifs in the B. bovis genome. B. bovis and E. coli DNAs enhanced IgG secretion by cultured B cells, stimulating IgG1 and more strongly, IgG2. Several hexameric CpG immunostimulatory sequences (ISS) active for murine B cells were identified in an 11 kb fragment of B. bovis DNA. An oligodeoxyribonucleotide containing one of these (AACGTT), located in the rhoptry associated protein-1 (rap-1) open reading frame, stimulated B cell proliferation. These studies identify a potential mechanism by which protozoal parasites may modulate host immune responses, leading to consequences such as hypergammaglobulinemia and splenomegaly. These results also support the use of ISS as vaccine adjuvants to enhance Type 1 immune responses in cattle.