CRANIAL MEDIASTINAL CYSTS IN NINE CATS

Nine cats, from 11 to 17 years of age (mean 13.6 years of age), were diagnosed with a cranial mediastinal cyst. Thoracic radiographs in all cats were characterized by an increased soft tissue opacity in the cranial mediastinum confirmed to be a cyst by ultrasonography or necropsy. Ultrasonographically cysts appeared as an anechoic mass. A low-cellularity clear fluid was obtained on aspiration. The majority of the cats (n = 8) presented for unrelated conditions with no signs of respiratory distress. No treatment for the cyst was pursued except for drainage during ultrasonographic-guided aspiration in several cats. On follow-up of eight cats, none were symptomatic for the cyst from 3-45 months after diagnosis. Mediastinal cyst should be considered when a cranial mediastinal mass is evident radiographically in an older cat. The majority of feline cranial mediastinal cysts are benign with no need for treatment.     

Reduced expression of SIRT2 in serous ovarian carcinoma promotes cell proliferation,migration and invasion

AIM: To compare the expression of SIRT2 in ovarian surface epithelial (OSE) cell line and serous ovarian carcinoma (SOC) cell lines, and to investigate the effects of SIRT2 on the cell proliferation, migration and invasion. METHODS: The expression levels of SIRT2 in the OSE cell line and the SOC cell lines were determined by Western blot. The SIRT2 siRNAs and overexpression construct were designed and verified. Transient transfection of SIRT2 siRNAs or overexpression construct was performed, and the effect of SIRT2 on the cell proliferation, migration and invasion was evaluated. RESULTS: SIRT2 levels in the 5 strains of SOC cell lines were significantly lower than that in the OSE cell line. SIRT2 knockdown in HOSEpiC cells significantly enhanced the ability of cell colony formation and accelerated the cell growth rate. On the contrary, overexpression of SIRT2 in HO8910 cells dramatically repressed the number of cell colonies and cell activity. SIRT2 significantly changed the ability of ovarian cell migration. Knockdown of SIRT2 facilitated the cell invasion. CONCLUSION: The expression of SIRT2 in the SOC cells is significantly down-regulated. In the OSE cells, SIRT2 acts as a tumor suppressor and mediates the inhibition of cell proliferation, migration and invasion.     

Chromosome localisation of genes for resistance to Heterodera schachtii, Cercospora beticola and Polymyxa betae using sets of Beta procumbens and B. patellaris derived monosomic additions in B. vulgaris

Beet cyst nematodes (BCN, Heterodera schachtii), Cercospora beticola, and rhizomania, caused by the beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV) and vectored by the soil-borne fungus Polymyxa betae, are the most serious diseases of sugar beet ( Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris). The wild Beta species of section Procumbentes are known to be completely resistant to H. schachtii, C. beticola and P. betae. Alien monosomic additions (2n=19), plants of cultivated beet (2n=18) carrying different individual chromosomes of B. procumbens (2n=18) or B. patellaris (2n=36), were tested in greenhouse experiments for resistance to these pathogens. Gene(s) conferring full resistance to the beet cyst nematode in B. patellaris are located on chromosome 1.1, and the other tested chromosomes of B. patellaris are not involved in the expression of resistance. Artificial inoculation under greenhouse conditions, with in vitro produced inoculum of C. beticola and spot-percentage rating of the disease intensity, showed that the high level of resistance that was observed in the wild species B. procumbens and B. patellaris was not found in any of the monosomic additions tested. It was suggested that genes on various chromosomes of the wild species are needed to express full resistance, and that the chromosomes of group 7 of B. patellaris and chromosome 7 of B. procumbens have the largest effect. The greenhouse tests for resistance to P. betae in B. patellaris derived monosomic additions showed that the addition families of group 4.1 have a strong partial resistance, while the addition families of group 8.1 appeared to be completely resistant to the pathogen. Resistance to P. betae in the two wild species as well as in the two resistant addition types did not exclude infection with BNYVV, but resulted in a considerable reduction of the virus concentration. It was concluded that resistance to the vector would complement virus resistance, and may provide a more effective and durable control of rhizomania. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The development of Raparadish (x Brassicoraphanus, 2n=38), a new crop in agriculture

Summary Raparadish, x Brassicoraphanus, the amphidiploid hybrid between Brassica rapa (syn. B.campestris) and Raphanus sativus (fodder radish) was made by Dolstra (1982). Primary hybrid plants grew vigorously, suggesting that the amphidiploid AARR might be useful as a fodder crop. Three populations of this new material were studied, with special attention to improvement of fertility and resistance to beet cyst nematode (Heterodera schachtii), whilst preserving genetic variability. For lack of progress one of the populations was abandoned after the fourth generation. The other two populations were observed through nine or ten generations. Apart from the last two generations mass selection for seed set was carried out on the basis of single plants. This led to a considerable increase in average seed production, without losing a wide variation for this trait. Thus more progress is being expected. Five cycles of mass selection for resistance to beet cyst nematodes led to a considerable increase of the level of resistance of both populations. The prospects of this new agricultural crop are discussed.     

The Importance of the Bolivian Wild Potato Species in Breeding for Globodera pallida Resistance

Screening for resistance to the potato cyst nematode, Globodera pallida, in potatoes from. Bolivia, was carried out in 1983 and 1984, using a mixture of four nematode populations representing pathotypes Pa₁, Pa₂ and Pa₃ From the 66 accessions of 17 species and subspecies evaluated, highly resistant genotypes were identified in 21 accessions from seven species. All had Pf/Pi values of 2 or less, whereas the susceptible control, Solanum tuberosum cv. ‘Disiree’ had Pf/Pi values of more than 2G in both tests. Two diploid wild species, S. brevicaule and S. leptophyes, showed the best resistant. The geographical distributional of resistant populations and the evolution of resistance in wild potato populations are discussed.     

Nematode Resistance and Meiotic Abnormality in Diploid Sugar Beet Selected from Interspecific Beta vulgaris×B. procumbens Hybrids*

Two nematode-resistant trisomic lines which were derived from interspecific Beta, vulgaris × B. procumbens hybrids were intercrossed or backcrossed with susceptible diploid sugar beer and their progenies were screened for nematode resistance. The transmission rate of resistance varied from 1.5 % to 47.6 % with an average of 20.4 % in the progenies of individual insomics derived from the two trisomic lines. Eleven resistant diploads were selected with a frequency of 0.2 %. These resistant diploids were classified into two groups, i.e., one group showed relatively high transmission rates of resistance with an average of 25.4 % and the other extremely low with an average of 1.2 % in their backcrossed and s el fed progenies., Meiotic chromosome behavior in a resistant diploid group with high transmission rates was considerably normal as compared to that in a resistant diploid group with low transmission rates. Chromatid bridges and acertric fragments were detected in 93 % of resistant diploids and in 46 % of susceptible diploids. Two different sized fragments occurred in resistant diploids, while only a smaller fragment was present in susceptible diploids. A frequency of sporocytes with bridges-fragments was 17.4% at anaphase I and 13.9 % at anaphase II in resistant diploids, while in susceptible diploids a frequency was 2.9 % and 5.3 % at the respective stages. These results suggest that at least two paracentric inversions are present in resistant diploids, one of which is linked to nernatode resistance and may be responsible for the low transmission rate of resistance.     

Sampling Survey and Identification of Races of Soybean Cyst Nematode (Heterodera glycines Ichinohe) in Huang-Huai Valleys

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN Heterodera glycines Ichinohe) is one of the most important nationwide soybean diseases in China. A total of 38 soil specimens or locations in the area was sampled and tested for SCN races during 2001-2003 for the inspection of race distribution in Huang-Huai Valleys. A map of race distribution was constructed according to the data from both the present study and the published reports cited. Three areas, namely, the area of southeast to Jinan in Shangdong Province; the area of northern Henan Province and its border region to south of Hebei Province; and the area of Luohe, Zhoukou of Henan Province and Fuyang of Anhui Province mainly infested with Race 1 were identified. Race 4 was predominant in Shanxi Province, Beijing and the adjacent area of Henan, Shandong, and Anhui provinces, and the delta of Huanghe River in Shandong Province. Race 2 was mainly found in Liaocheng, Dezhou of Shangdong Province and Shijiazhuang of Hebei Province, and Jiaozuo and Huojia of Henan Province. Race 7 was distributed in the west part of Jiaodong Peninsula of Shandong Province and Kaifeng, Huaxian, Wenxian of Henan Province. Race 5 was found and scattered in Hebei and Henan Province. Race 9 was found in Shangqiu of Henan Province, which was reported for the first time in China. It can be seen that Race 1 and Race 4 were the two predominant races in Huang-Huai Valleys, and that research should focus on developing resistant cultivars of these races. There might exist other races in an area with some predominant races. The race substitution in the past decade was not obviously found, therefore, the results should be meaningful to future breeding for resistance to SCN in Huang-Huai Valleys.     

大豆孢囊线虫病研究进展及其抗病育种展望

综述了国内外大豆孢囊线虫的分布与危害、寄主范围、抗源筛选与利用、生化抗性机制;论述了研究该病的意义。在综述了抗病育种进展的同时,也指出了抗病育种中存在的问题;指出注意综合农艺性状改进,合理组配杂交,加强抗性鉴定,注重抗病性持久性等问题;还提出了深化抗病分子研究,开展基因转移和分子辅助育种等抗病育种工作的建议。     

中国大豆遗传资源对大豆孢囊线虫4号生理小种的抗性鉴定研究

 大豆孢囊线虫4号生理小种在我国主要为害黄淮海夏大豆。1986-1990年，鉴定了中国各地8240份大豆遗传资源对该小种的抗性，未发现免疫材料，筛选出9个抗病品种，占供试材料的0.1%。它们来自河北、山西和陕西省，均为小黑豆。其中兴县灰皮支黑豆还兼抗1、3和5号小种，抗性强而稳定，是国内外不多见的抗多个小种的优异资源。     

山羊卵巢卵母细胞的体外受精试验

将18枚细胞质均匀、包有完整致密卵丘细胞的山羊小卵泡(2～5mm)卵母细胞培养于含有hCG(20μg/mL)和FCS(10％)的TCM_(199)中30h,然后用经含有肝素(20μg/mL)和BSA(10mg/mL)的BO液诱导获能的山羊新鲜精子进行授精处理,授精后8h,转移入含有10％FCS的TCM_(199)中继续培养12h,结果有10枚卵子成熟,成熟率为55.6％,7枚卵子受精,受精率为70％。把7枚原核期受精卵移植给3只同期发情的受体山羊,2只妊娠,妊娠率为66.7％,并获得一只雄性试管山羊胎羔,胎龄为52d。