海西东部及环青海湖地区40多年的气候变化研究

利用1961～2004年地面观测资料,分析了海西东部及环青海湖地区年、季气候变化的特征和规律。结果表明,海西东部及环青海湖40多年来年季平均气温平均增温幅度为0．3～0．6℃,平均最低和最高气温多数季节增温具有非对称性。并且20世纪90年代四季增暖最为明显。夏季和冬季降水略有增加,而过渡季节降水变化基本呈减少趋势。年均和秋、冬、春、夏四季的气温变化倾向率均为正值．分别为0．48、0．57、0．692、0．337、0．373℃／10a。冬、夏季降水变化的倾向率为0．442、4．672mm／10a;而秋、春季了水变化的倾向率为-2．304、-0．022mm／10a。冬季降水量和累计积雪量的缓慢增加容易导致该地区地表积雪的积累,极易形成雪灾或低温冻害。春季气温升高、降水减少。干旱发生的频次将增加;秋、冬季气温上升幅度比较大．将有利于病虫害的越冬、繁殖,加重病虫害对农牧业生产的危害程度。     

A new species of Mymarothecium and new host and geographical records for M. viatorum (Monogenea: Dactylogyridae), parasites of freshwater fishes in Brazil

Mymarothecium boegeri sp. n. (Monogenea: Dactylogyridae) is described from the gills of Colossoma macropomum Cuvier (Characidae), collected from the aquaria of the "Centro de Pesquisas em Aquicultura, Departamento Nacional de Obras Contra as Secas (DNOCS)", Pentecoste City, State of Ceará, Brazil. Mymarothecium viatorum Boeger, Piasecki et Sobecka, 2002 is reported from the type host, Piaractus brachypomus (Cuvier) (Characidae) and from a new host, P. mesopotamicus (Holmberg) (Characidae), confirming the occurrence of M. viatorum in the Neotropical Region. The new species differs from the congeneric species in the structure of male copulatory complex; it is more closely related to M. viatorum by the presence of a posteromedial projection on ventral bar.     

Investigations of an enteric infection of cockatoos caused by an enterovirus-like agent

An enteric infection in cockatoos associated with a 30 nm diameter enterovirus-like agent seen in faeces and intestinal epithelial cells is described. The disease is characterised by intractable, profuse, mucoid diarrhoea, weight loss, dehydration and death. Lesions in the intestine consist of villous atrophy, villous fusion, enterocyte hyperplasia and, in some cases, chronic inflammation. Affected birds so far examined have concurrent psittacine beak and feather disease.     

Serum amyloid A isoforms in serum and synovial fluid in horses with lipopolysaccharide-induced arthritis

The aim of the study was to determine the intraarticular serum amyloid A (SAA) response pattern in horses with inflammatory arthritis. Inflammatory arthritis was induced by injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into the radiocarpal joint of four horses. Serum and synovial fluid (SF) samples were collected before and at 4, 8, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96, and 144 h after injection. Concentrations of SAA were measured by immunoturbidometry, and expression of SAA isoforms was visualized by denaturing isoelectric focusing and Western blotting. The LPS injection caused systemic and local clinical signs of inflammation. Serum amyloid A appeared in serum and SF within 8 h after LPS injection. Isoelectric focusing showed three major SAA bands with apparent isoelectric points (pI) of 7.9, 8.6, and >9.3 in serum and SF. Synovial fluid contained two additional isoforms with highly alkaline apparent pI values (apparent pI value extrapolated from standard curve = 10.0 and 10.2), which were not present in any of the serum samples. In conclusion, intraarticular injection of LPS induced systemic and local inflammatory responses in the horses. By demonstrating SF-specific SAA isoforms the results of the present study suggest that SAA is synthesized locally in the equine inflamed joint, similar to what has been demonstrated in humans previously. The marked local SAA synthesis suggests an important pathophysiological role in inflammatory arthritis.     

Severe weight loss in lambs infected with Giardia duodenalis assemblage B

An outbreak of giardiasis was observed in a sheep farm in Central Italy. Infected lambs (30-90 days of age) showed a malabsorption syndrome, decreased weight gain and impairment in feed efficiency. The most relevant clinical sign was the excretion of malodorous and poorly formed faeces, whereas diarrhoea was rarely observed in the flock. Laboratory investigations revealed the presence of Giardia in affected animals, while no other significant viral, bacterial or parasitic pathogens were identified in faeces or tissue samples. A mild to severe infiltrative enteritis with eosinophils, lymphocytes and plasma cells was detected in histological sections of the gut. Giardia parasites collected from duodenal aspirates were typed as Giardia duodenalis Assemblage B, by PCR amplification and sequencing of the TPI gene. Treatment with fenbendazole at a dose of 10mg/kg for 3 consecutive days, successfully cleared the infection. These results show that G. duodenalis can cause significant economic losses in sheep farming.     

Characterisation of transthyretin and retinol-binding protein in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid of dogs

The aim of this study was to investigate differences in concentrations of vitamin A, transthyretin (TTR) and retinol-binding protein (RBP) between plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in dogs. RBP was detected using ELISA, and both RBP and TTR by Western blot analysis after separation on SDS-PAGE. Vitamin A was determined by high performance liquid chromatography. RBP and TTR as well as vitamin A were detected in all samples but at substantially lower concentrations in CSF compared to plasma. RBP in dog plasma showed a similar molecular mass to that of humans, whereas canine TTR had a lower molecular mass. Comparison between plasma and CSF showed that both RBP and TTR were of lower molecular mass in CSF. In CSF, RBP and retinol were present at 10-100-fold lower concentrations compared to plasma. Retinyl esters were present only in minute amounts in 5/17 samples. In conclusion, the CSF of dogs compared to humans is significantly different in terms of both quality and quantity of transport proteins for vitamin A.     

Characterization of flavonol conjugates in immature leaves of pak choi [Brassica rapa L. Ssp. chinensis L. (Hanelt.)] by HPLC-DAD and LC-MS/MS

The flavonoid composition of immature leaves of pak choi [Brassica rapa L. ssp. chinensis L. (Hanelt.)] was investigated. Flavonol aglycone content was measured in 11 pak choi varieties, indicating significant differences (P < 0.05) in content between varieties and relatively high contents of kaempferol and isorhamnetin. Levels of quercetin ranged from 3.2 to 6.1 mg/100 g of dry weight (DW), whereas levels of isorhamnetin and kaempferol were significantly higher (8.1-35.1 and 36.0-102.6 mg/100 g of DW, respectively). A large number of glycoside and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives of quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin were identified in cv. 'Shanghai' by LC/UV-DAD/ESI-MS/MS. The UV-DAD data allowed identification of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, but detailed MS/MS fragmentations were required for the structure elucidation. Pak choi could be a potentially important source of dietary flavonols, in particular, kaempferol and isorhamnetin.