厚皮甜瓜新品种敦蜜1 号的选育

敦蜜1 号是以自交系ML29 为母本,以自交系ML20 为父本配制而成的厚皮甜瓜一代杂种。中早熟,露地栽培生育
期87 d（天）左右。果实发育期40 d（天）左右。植株生长势强,叶色深绿。果实椭圆形,果形指数1.4,果皮纯白色带网纹,
果肉浅绿色,肉厚3.4 cm,中心可溶性固形物含量16.4%,耐贮运。单瓜质量1.5 kg 左右,每667 m² 产量2 260 kg 左右。抗
甜瓜蔓枯病、霜霉病、白粉病。适宜于酒泉市及类似区域大田地膜覆盖种植。     

马铃薯新品种天薯12 号的选育

天薯12号是以品系天97-8-98为母本,庄薯3号为父本杂交选育而成的马铃薯新品种。从出苗至块茎成熟126 d（ 天）
左右,属晚熟品种。薯块椭圆形,黄皮黄肉,芽眼浅而紫。单株结薯4.1 个,平均单薯质量105 g,大中薯率87.4%。每667 m²
产量在1 500 kg 以上,适于甘肃天水、临夏、定西、平凉、陇南等地种植。     

毒蕈鉴别及毒素检测研究进展

我国各地每年经常发生人误食毒草中毒事件,危害严重,对可食蘑菇与毒蕈之间的区分识别是预防中毒的基本措施。对一些毒蕈的鉴别及各类毒蕈毒素的检测方法进行了概述,最后提出慎重采食的建议,以此避免毒草中毒悲剧的发生。     

Comparison of arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase and melatonin receptor type 1B immunoreactivity between young adult and aged canine spinal cord

Melatonin affects diverse physiological functions through its receptor and plays an important role in the central nervous system. In the present study, we compared immunoreactivity patterns of arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AANAT), an enzyme essential for melatonin synthesis, and melatonin receptor type 1B (MT2) in the spinal cord of young adult (2~3 years) and aged (10~12 years) beagle dogs using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. AANAT-specific immunoreactivity was observed in the nuclei of spinal neurons, and was significantly increased in aged dog spinal neurons compared to young adult spinal neurons. MT2-specific immunoreactivity was found in the cytoplasm of spinal neurons, and was predominantly increased in the margin of the neuron cytoplasm in aged spinal cord compared to that in the young adult dogs. These increased levels of AANAT and MT2 immunoreactivity in aged spinal cord might be a feature of normal aging and associated with a feedback mechanism that compensates for decreased production of melatonin during aging.     

Isolation,in vitro propagation,genetic analysis,and immunogenic characterization of an Ehrlichia canis strain from southeastern Brazil

Amplification of the 16S rRNA gene from a blood sample obtained from a dog in southeastern Brazil was used to confirm a naturally acquired Ehrlichia (E.) canis infection. Following isolation and culturing of the new bacterial strain called Uberlândia, partial sequences of the dsb and p28 genes were obtained. The dsb partial sequence of the novel strain was 100% similar to dsb gene sequences of E. canis obtained from different geographic areas around the world. Conversely, the p28 partial sequence for the E. canis Uberlândia strain differed at several nucleotides from other sequences available in GenBank. To confirm the antigenic profile of the Uberlândia strain, an indirect immunofluorescence assay against E. canis antigens was performed using dog sera collected from two different areas in Brazil (Uberlândia and São Paulo). The results suggest that both antigens were able to identify animals seropositive for E. canis in Brazil since these Brazilian strains appear to be highly conserved.     

Equine hyperimmune serum protects mice against Clostridium difficile spore challenge

Clostridium (C.) difficile is a common cause of nosocomial diarrhea in horses. Vancomycin and metronidazole have been used as standard treatments but are only moderately effective, which highlights the need for a novel alternative therapy. In the current study, we prepared antiserum of equine origin against both C. difficile toxins A and B as well as whole-cell bacteria. The toxin-neutralizing activities of the antibodies were evaluated in vitro and the prophylactic effects of in vivo passive immunotherapy were demonstrated using a conventional mouse model. The data demonstrated that immunized horses generated antibodies against both toxins A and B that possessed toxin-neutralizing activity. Additionally, mice treated with the antiserum lost less weight without any sign of illness and regained weight back to a normal range more rapidly compared to the control group when challenged orally with 10⁷ C. difficile spores 1 day after serum injection. These results indicate that intravenous delivery of hyperimmune serum can protect animals from C. difficile challenge in a dose-dependent manner. Hence, immunotherapy may be a promising prophylactic strategy for preventing C. difficile infection in horses.     

Development of a multiplex loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay to detect shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in cattle

A multiplex loop-mediated isothermal amplification (mLAMP) assay was developed for simultaneous detection of the stx1 and stx2 genes and applied for detection of shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in cattle farm samples. Two target genes were distinguished based on T_m values of 85.03 ± 0.54℃ for stx1 and 87.47 ± 0.35℃ for stx2. The mLAMP assay was specific (100% inclusivity and exclusivity), sensitive (with a detection limit as low as 10 fg/µL), and quantifiable (R² = 0.9313). The efficacy and sensitivity were measured to evaluate applicability of the mLAMP assay to cattle farm samples. A total of 12 (12/253; 4.7%) and 17 (17/253; 6.7%) STEC O157, and 11 (11/236; 4.7%) non-O157 STEC strains were isolated from cattle farm samples by conventional selective culture, immunomagnetic separation, and PCR-based culture methods, respectively. The coinciding multiplex PCR and mLAMP results for the types of shiga toxin revealed the value of the mLAMP assay in terms of accuracy and rapidity for characterizing shiga toxin genes. Furthermore, the high detection rate of specific genes from enrichment broth samples indicates the potential utility of this assay as a screening method for detecting STEC in cattle farm samples.     

Distribution,quantitative load and characterization of Salmonella associated with swine farms in upper-northern Thailand

This study was conducted to analyze the prevalence and quantitative loads of Salmonella spp. on pig farms in Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Thailand to assess loading levels before slaughtering. The serotype diversity, antimicrobial-resistance pattern and pulse-field type of Salmonella spp. were also characterized to assess the dynamic propagation of the pathogen. The Salmonella-positive prevalence was 246/805 (30.56%), and the quantitative loads varied from 1.48~4.04 Log₁₀MPN/g, with a mean ± standard deviation of 2.11 ± 0.57. AMP/S/TE (ampicillin/streptomycin/tetracycline) was the highest frequency antimicrobial resistance pattern found in this study. In addition, Salmonella Rissen was the primary serotype in this region. PFGE results indicated the occurrence of infection by cross contamination among pig farms. Our study showed that pork is easily contaminated with this pathogen. Farm control programs must be based on strict biosecurity and hygienic measures, which could further reduce the contamination pressure at slaughterhouses or retail shops.     

Changes in estrogen receptor expression in the chick thymus during late embryonic development

In chickens, although estrogen receptors (ER) are reported to be associated with the immunological processes, detailed information about the differences in ER expression in the tissues related to the development of lymphocytes is not fully known, especially during the developmental stage. To learn more about this immunological relationship, we used semi‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction method to detect the ER expression levels in the thymus tissues of chicks during the developmental stage. Furthermore, ER‐expressing cells were detected by immunohistochemistry. The results of this study show that the expression level of ER increased on embryonic day 16 and decreased on day 20. Furthermore, ER expression was significantly higher in male than in female chickens at day 16. The increased expression on day 16 and decreased level on day 20 were also reproduced in the incidence of immunoreactive cells, although there was a 1‐day delay in the elevated incidence of the cells. This study revealed the changes in ER expression and the incidence of ER‐positive cells in the thymus of chickens during the developmental stage.     

Development of a multiplex PCR assay to detect Edwardsiella tarda,Streptococcus parauberis,and Streptococcus iniae in olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus)

A multiplex PCR protocol was established to simultaneously detect major bacterial pathogens in olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) including Edwardsiella (E.) tarda, Streptococcus (S.) parauberis, and S. iniae. The PCR assay was able to detect 0.01 ng of E. tarda, 0.1 ng of S. parauberis, and 1 ng of S. iniae genomic DNA. Furthermore, this technique was found to have high specificity when tested with related bacterial species. This method represents a cheaper, faster, and reliable alternative for identifying major bacterial pathogens in olive flounder, the most important farmed fish in Korea.