Allozyme Variation Among Some Pearl Millet (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pennisetum glaucum</Emphasis> L.) Cultivars Collected from Tunisia and West Africa

Allozyme variation was assessed in a collection of pearl millet cultivars derived from three different regions of traditional cultivation of this cereal in Tunisia and West African countries. Using starch gel electrophoresis, 11 loci corresponding to seven enzyme staining systems were identified. Important within-cultivar genetic diversity was detected. Genetic diversity within Tunisian cultivars was similar and was more pronounced than for West African ones. This result could be explained by the low level of the human selection characterizing the Tunisian cultivars. Most of the total genetic diversity is maintained within subregions suggesting little genetic differentiation. Cluster analysis did not reveal separate clusters for the various subregion cultivars. However the cluster analysis should help in the selection of interesting genotypes for future breeding programs.     

Biological activity of natural phytoecdysteroids from Ajuga iva against the sweetpotato whitefly Bemisia tabaci and the persea mite Oligonychus perseae

BACKGROUND: Ecdysteroids are steroid hormones that control moulting and govern several changes during metamorphoses in arthropods. The discovery of the same molecules (phytoecdysteroids) in several plant species displayed a wide array of rather beneficial agricultural impact. Many representatives of the genus Ajuga plants contain phytoecdysteroids with a 5β‐7‐ene‐6‐one system exhibiting physiological activities in insects. RESULTS: By means of chromatographic (silica gel column, TLC) and LC‐MS, two major ecdysteroids (20‐hydroxyecdysone and cyasterone) have been isolated and identified from Israeli carpet bugle Ajuga iva (L.) Schreber (Lamiales: Lamiaceae) plants. Ajuga iva extract fractionated on the silica gel column yielded two fractions that showed high activity against the sweetpotato whitefly Bemisis tabaci and the persea mite Oligonychus perseae. A dose of 5 mg AI L^?1 of the purely identified A. iva ecdysterone significantly reduced fecundity, fertility and survival of these pests, while commercial 20‐hydroxyecdysone at the same dose had lesser effects. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate considerable efficacy of natural phytoecdysteroids against major agricultural pests, and suggests that these materials should be considered for potential development of friendly control agents. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Influence of strain, dose of virus, and age at inoculation on subgroup J avian leukosis virus persistence, antibody response, and oncogenicity in commercial meat-type chickens

The effects of viral strain, viral dose, and age of bird at inoculation on subgroup J avian leukosis virus (ALV J) persistence, neutralizing antibody (VNAb) response, and tumors were studied in commercial meat-type chickens. Chickens were inoculated on the fifth day of embryonation (5 ED) or on day of hatch (DOH) with either 100 or 10,000 50% tissue-culture infective dose (TCID50) of one of three ALV J strains, namely ADOL Hcl, ADOL 6803, or ADOL 4817. At 1, 3, 7, 11, 15, 19, 23, 27, and 32 wk posthatch, chickens were examined for ALV J viremia and VNAb against the inoculated strain of ALV J. A high incidence (83%-100%) of ALV J persistence was observed in all treatment groups. Development of VNAb did not always lead to viremia-free status; even though 18% of the chickens developed VNAb, only 4% were able to clear viremia. The viral strain, dose, and age of bird at inoculation seemed to have an effect on the incidence of VNAb; however, the differences were statistically significant in only some treatment groups. Chickens infected with ADOL 6803 had higher incidence of VNAb than chickens infected with ADOL Hc1 and ADOL 4817 (P < 0.05 in groups 5 ED at 100 TCID50 and DOH at 10,000 TCID50). There was a trend in all groups inoculated with 100 TCID50 to have higher incidence of VNAb than that of groups inoculated with 10,000 TCID50 (ADOL 6803 at 5 ED and ADOL 4817 at DOH [P < 0.05]; ADOL Hc1 at DOH [P < 0.08]). In most treatment groups (ADOL Hc1 at 100 and 10,000 TCID50, ADOL 6803 at 10,000 TCID50, and ADOL 4817 at 100 TCID50), chickens inoculated at DOH had higher incidence of VNAb than that of chickens inoculated at 5 ED (ADOL 6803 at 10,000 TCID50 [P < 0.05], ADOL Hc1 at 100 TCID50 [P < 0.08]). Incidence of ALV J-induced tumors and tumor spectrum were influenced by viral strain, age at inoculation, and VNAb response.     

Early embryonic development of the camel lumbar spinal cord segment

The lumbar spinal cord segment of the one-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius) embryos at 2.4- to 28-cm crown vertebral rump length (CVRL) was examined. Major changes are occurring in the organization of the lumbar spinal cord segment at this early developmental period. At first, the spinal cord is flattened from side to side but with increase in gestational age it becomes flattened dorsoventrally. The size and shape of the lumen changes in indifferent stage of development. These changes may be in relation to the decrease of ependymal layer and increase of the mantel layer during the developmental stages. The lumen of the spinal cord is a wide spindle in shape at 2.4-cm CVRL, diamond in shape at 5.5-cm CVRL and narrow oval in shape at 28-cm CVRL. It occupies about the whole, half and one-seventh of the total height of the spinal cord at 2.4-, 5.5- and 28-cm CVRL, respectively. At the 2.4-2.7 CVRL, the spinal cord is formed of six plates: roof, floor, two alar and two basal plates. The present investigation indicates that the distribution of the ependymal, mantle and marginal layers differs in the various developmental stages of the camel embryos. The majority of the cross section of the spinal cord consists at first of ependymal and mantle layers, and a thin outer rim of the marginal layer. With the advancement of age, the ependymal layer diminishes in size, while the mantle and marginal layers increase in size forming the future grey and white matters, respectively.     

Development of the mesonephros in camel (Camelus dromedarius)

The study of the development of the mesonephros in the camel (Camelus dromedarius) was carried out on 16 embryos ranging from 0.9 to 8.6 cm crown vertebral rump length (CVRL). At 0.9 cm CVRL, the mesonephros is represented by a narrow strip along the roof of the thoracolumbar part of the vertebral column. At 1.4 cm CVRL, some of the mesonephric tubules are canalized but others are still solid. The mesonephric corpuscles are well developed at 1.9 cm CVRL and occupy almost the entire abdominal cavity in between the liver and the gut. Histologically, the glomeruli occupy the ventromedial aspect of the mesonephros while the mesonephric tubules become numerous, larger and more coiled. At 3 cm CVRL, the metanephros is invaginated in the caudal pole of the mesonephros, and the mesonephric tubules in some areas are differentiated into secretory and collecting tubules. At 3.5 cm CVRL the mesonephros is related dorsally to the postcardinal vein and ventrally to the subcardinal vein. At 4.7 cm CVRL continuous regression of the mesonephros from cranialwards to caudalwards is observed. At 5.3-5.5 cm CVRL, the cranial part of the mesonephros is divided into medial and lateral regions, and later the medial region completely disappears and is replaced by the primordium of the adrenal gland. At 8.6 cm CVRL, the caudal part of the mesonephros completely disappears.     

The spatial distribution of excreta under intensive cattle grazing

The spatial distribution of excreta from intensive cattle grazing was recorded and was described by a negative binomial function. This enabled the proportion of a pasture surface affected by excreta to be calculated for various grazing periods. Where the effect of excreta on the sward was short-lived, as for urine N, or where the total area covered by excreta remained small, as for dung, then little overlapping of effective excreta patches could be expected. Appreciable overlapping of effective patches could, however, occur for the long-lived urine K effect and this should be taken into account when estimating the proportion of a pasture surface affected.     

Green Approach for Multifunctionalization of Cellulose-Containing Fabrics

Development of multifunctional textile and clothing products with improved environmental profiles has been demanded both by textile industry and by consumer. Herein, dialdehyde sodium alginate (DASA) and dialdehyde carboxymethyl cellulose (DACMC) have been prepared, characterized and utilized, as an eco-friendly binding/ macromolecular crosslinking/hand building agents, in functional finishing of cellulose-containing fabrics. Fabric samples were treated with the nominated dialdehyde polysaccharide (DAPS, 10 g/l) along with the reactant resin (DMDHEU, 50 g/l), Ag- or TiO₂-NPs as active ingredients (20 g/l) and ammonium persulfate catalyst (5 g/l) using the padding method. After functional finishing, the finished fabrics demonstrated a remarkable improvement in their antibacterial efficacy, UV-blocking ability, self-cleaning capacity, and surface roughness functionality without adversely affecting fabrics resiliency. The variation in these functional properties is affected by kind of DAPS, type of added nanoparticles as well as the treated substrate. Additionally, FTIR, SEM, EDS, and durability to wash measurements for selected samples were performed. Moreover, pre-oxidation of DAPS, functionalization reactions/interactions among the nominated reactants and the textile materials were also suggested.     

家禽主要肿瘤病的控制

家禽病毒性肿瘤病是最常见的自发性肿瘤病,包括疱疹病毒病、马立克氏病、反转录病毒病、白血病、网状内皮组织增生症和淋巴细胞增生症.商业鸡群中不明病因的肿瘤病发生几率很低,这是因为商业鸡群的生活时间通常都很短(少于肿瘤发生所需的时间).但是,多中心组织细胞增生症和扁平真皮癌(家禽角化棘皮瘤)是商业肉鸡经常发生的2种不明病因的肿瘤病[1～3].     

Movement and behaviour of large southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyii) in the Australian region determined using pop‐up satellite archival tags

Pop‐up satellite archival tags (PSATs) were deployed on 52 large (156–200 cm length to caudal fork) southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyii) in the western Tasman Sea during the austral winters of 2001–2005. Southern bluefin tuna (SBT) were resident in the Tasman Sea for up to 6 months with movements away from the tagging area occurring at highly variable rates. The data indicated a general tendency for SBT to move south from the tagging area in the Western Tasman Sea. Four individuals migrated west along the southern continental margin of Australia and into the Indian Ocean. Three individuals moved east into the central Tasman Sea, with one individual reaching New Zealand. We also describe the first observed migration of an SBT from the Tasman Sea to the Indian Ocean spawning grounds south of Indonesia. Individuals spent most of their time relatively close to the Australian coast, with an estimated 84% of time spent in the Australian Fishing Zone. SBT favored temperatures between 19 and 21°C, adjusting their depth to the vertical temperature distribution. Distinct diurnal diving patterns were observed and adjustment of depth to maintain constant ambient light levels over a 24‐h period. The findings of this study are a significant advance toward greater understanding of the spatial dynamics of large SBT and understanding the connectivity between distant regions of their distribution.