Hemostatic changes in dogs with naturally occurring sepsis

Sepsis is a frequent source of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. The goal of this case control study was to measure hemostatic changes in dogs with naturally occurring sepsis. Blood was collected within 24 hours of admission from 20 dogs that fulfilled the criteria for sepsis. Sepsis was defined as histologic or microbiological confirmation of infection and 2 or more of the following criteria: hypo- or hyperthermia, tachycardia, tachypnea, or leukopenia, leukocytosis, or > 3% bands. Culture and sensitivities were performed on appropriate samples from all septic dogs. Twenty-eight control dogs were enrolled on the basis of normal results of physical examination, CBC, serum biochemistry, and coagulation profile. Plasma samples were analyzed for prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), fibrin(ogen) degradation products (FDP), D-dimer (DD) concentrations, antithrombin (AT) activity, and protein C (PC) activity. Data were compared between groups by chi-square or independent t-tests. PC (P < .001) and AT (P < .001) activities were significantly lower in dogs with sepsis compared to controls. Dogs with sepsis had significantly higher PT (P = .007), PTT (P = .005), D-dimer (P = .005), and FDP (P = .001) compared to controls. Platelet counts were not significantly different between groups. Ten of the 20 septic dogs (50%) died, but no association was identified between any of the measured variables and outcome. These findings are consistent with previous studies in animals with experimentally induced disease and in clinical studies of humans. On the basis of these results, further investigation of the role of AT and PC in canine sepsis is warranted.     

Foot-and-mouth disease virus

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is an aphthovirus of the family Picornaviridae and the etiological agent of the economically most important animal disease. As a typical picornavirus, FMD virions are nonenveloped particles of icosahedral symmetry and its genome is a single stranded RNA of about 8500 nucleotides and of positive polarity. FMDV RNA is infectious and it replicates via a complementary, minus strand RNA. FMDV RNA replication is error-prone so that viral populations consist of mutant spectra (quasispecies) rather than a defined genomic sequence. Therefore FMDV in nature is genetically and antigenically diverse. This poses important challenges for the diagnosis, prevention and control of FMD. A deeper understanding of FMDV population complexity and evolution has suggested requirements for a new generation of anti-FMD vaccines. This is relevant to the current debate on the adequacy of non-vaccination versus vaccination policies for the control of FMD.

Résumé

Le virus de la fièvre aphteuse est un aphtovirus de la famille des Picornaviridae et l'agent de la maladie animale la plus importante sur le plan économique. En tant que picornavirus typique, le virus de la fièvre aphteuse est nu, sous forme d'icosaèdre et son génome comprend un acide ribonucléique monobrin avec environ 8500 nucléotides et une polarité positive. L'acide ribonucléique de ce virus est infectieux et il se réplique par l'intermédiaire d'un brin d'ARN moins, complémentaire. La réplication de l'acide nucléique de ce virus conduit à des erreurs, de telle sorte que les populations virales comprennent un ensemble de mutants (quasi espèce) plutôt qu'une séquence génomique bien définie. Par suite, le virus de la fièvre aphteuse est génétiquement et antigéniquement varié. Ceci entraîne des difficultés importantes pour le diagnostic, la prévention et la maîtrise de la fièvre aphteuse. Une connaissance plus approfondie de la complexité et de l'évolution de la population de ce virus a conduit à des besoins pour une nouvelle génération de vaccines aphteux. Ceci est lié au débat actuel sur le choix d'une politique de vaccination ou de non-vaccination dans la lutte contre la fièvre aphteuse.     

中华鲟幼鲟维生素C营养需要的研究

本研究旨在确定中华鲟幼鲟对维生素C(VC)的营养需要量。配制含VC分别为0.5、59.8、119.5、239.1、478.1和956.2 mg/kg饲料的6组日粮(分别编号为C0.5、C59.8、C119.5、C239.1、C478.1和C956.2),连续投喂中华鲟幼鲟8周后,以生长速度、组织VC含量和部分相关酶活性来确定中华鲟对VC的需求量。结果表明,C0.5和C59.8组鲟鱼的增重率、饲料效率、蛋白质效率都低于C119.5组,进一步提高饲料VC含量,也没有显著变化(P>0.05);C478.1组的肝脏和肌肉组织VC含量达最高水平;C239.1组血清溶菌酶活性最高;C239.1组SOD活性最低。根据平均增重率和饲料效率做折线法分析表明,维持中华鲟最佳生长的饲料VC含量为108.5 mg/kg;肝脏中VC含量达最大时饲料VC添加量为309.4 mg/kg;肌肉中VC含量达最大时饲料VC添加量为273.3 mg/kg。     

灭虫精对西施舌幼贝的毒性试验

在静水条件下,进行灭虫精对西施舌幼贝的毒性试验,试验结果显示:灭虫精对西施舌幼贝24 h致死浓度LC100为400 ms／L,半数致死浓度LC100为250 mg/L,安全浓度为2．50mg／L;48h致死浓度为260 mg／L,半数致死浓度LC50为224ms／L,安全浓度为2．24mg／L。灭虫精用于西施舌人工育苗过程中桡足类等敌害生物防治,具有较强的可用性。根据试验结果,建议使用2 mg／L浓度的灭虫精进行防治,可达到显著效果。     

D型魏氏梭菌毒素研究进展

魏氏梭菌病是由魏氏梭菌引起的一种重要的人兽共患传染病。可导致各种动物的肠毒血症或坏死性肠炎,D型魏氏梭菌病包括牛、羔羊、绵羊、山羊以及灰鼠的肠毒血症等。D型魏氏梭菌所产的毒素是引起动物死亡的重要因素之一,本文综述了D型魏氏梭菌毒素的结构、功能以及检测方法的研究进展。     

新垦淡灰钙土微生物生物量碳、氮、磷及玉米产量的研究

通过设置在宁夏红寺堡灌区开垦4 a的淡灰钙土上的定位试验,研究了不同施肥对新垦淡灰钙土微生物生物量碳、氮、磷及玉米产量的影响。结果表明:各施肥处理可以明显提高土壤微生物生物量碳、氮、磷含量,不同处理相比,化肥配合羊粪效果最好,单施羊粪次之,单施化肥最低;与对照相比各施肥处理对玉米的增产效果极显著,各处理作用效果的排序为:氮磷 羊粪>氮磷锌钾>氮磷锌>氮磷>氮>羊粪>不施肥,氮磷 羊粪处理与单施氮肥和单施羊粪之间差异达极显著水平。化肥与有机肥羊粪配合施用既能显著增加土壤微生物生物量碳、氮、磷含量又能使玉米产量显著提高,因此是新垦淡灰钙土施肥的最佳选择。土壤微生物量碳与有机碳呈极显著正相关,与全氮呈显著正相关,表明其与土壤肥力关系密切,可作为评价新垦地土壤质量变化的生物学指标。     

Alternaria Brown Spot of Minneola in Greece; Evaluation of Citrus Species Susceptibility

During the last three years, a new disease was observed in northwestern Greece on Minneola trees, hybrid of mandarin and grapefruit. On May small brown necrotic leaf spots surrounded by yellow halo areas of various sizes appeared and covered a major portion of the leaves with extension of necrosis into the veins. On young fruits small, slightly depressed black spots were the first symptoms, which later became 2–7 mm in diameter. Brown spots were observed on the leaves and fruits in several orchards in the same area, causing leaves and fruits to drop. In some orchards over 50% of the fruits were affected. From the fruit and leaf spots the typical small-spore species Alternaria alternata was isolated. Pathogenicity tests were performed by artificially inoculating fruits of Minneola, common mandarin and Clementine. The symptoms of the disease were reproduced only on fruits of Minneola hybrids by the specific strain of the fungus Alternaria alternata pv. citri. Different citrus susceptibility tests indicated that mandarins Minneola, Nova and Page were very susceptible to tested isolates while Clementine SRA and Poros Clementine were not. All lemons and lime Seedless were not susceptible. Grapefruit New Hall was not susceptible, while the Star Ruby was. Orange Lane Late, Navel Late, Oval Poros, Olinda, Navel Athos were not susceptible and only Moro showed reaction being slightly susceptible only to one isolate.     

Effects of pheromone loading, dispenser age, and trap height on pheromone trap catches of the oriental fruit moth in apple orchards

The effects of field aging (0–28 days) and pheromone loading rate on the longevity of red rubber septa loaded with the sex pheromone blend of the oriental fruit mothGrapholita molesta (Busck), were evaluated in North Carolina apple orchards in 2002. Separate field tests examined the influence of trap height and pheromone loading rate of rubber septa on trap catches of adultG. molesta males in an abandoned orchard. The loss of the major pheromone component, (Z)-8-dodecenyl acetate (Z8–12:OAc), from red rubber septa over a 4-week period exhibited a relatively constant release rate with 30, 100 and 300 μg pheromone. Trap catch was significantly higher in pheromone traps placed in the upper canopy than in those in the lower canopy. Pheromone traps baited with 100μg lures caught more moths compared with those loaded with 300 μg. There was no apparent relationship between pheromone trap catch and septa age, with trap catch appearing to be primarily a function ofG. molesta population density. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting May 14, 2006.     

Modifying Myxococcus xanthus protoporphyrinogen oxidase to plant codon usage and high level of oxyfluorfen resistance in transgenic rice

Protoporphyrinogen oxidase (Protox) of Myxococcus xanthus (Mx Protox) is a 49-kDa membrane protein that catalyzes conversion of protoporphyrinogen IX (Protogen IX) into protoporphyrin IX (Proto IX). Upon heterologous expression in transgenic rice plants, Mx Protox is dually targeted into plastids and mitochondria, increasing resistance against the herbicidal Protox inhibitor oxyfluorfen. Here, we describe the chemical synthesis of the Mx Protox gene by assembling several small synthetic DNA fragments derived by ligation-PCR. Codon usage in the resulting 1416-bp gene was modified to correspond to that of the Arabidopsis Protox gene, a change that resulted in a decrease in G+C content from 71 to 49%. The modified Mx Protox gene was used to generate transgenic rice plants via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Integration, expression, and inheritance of the transgenes were demonstrated by Southern, Northern, and Western blot analyses. In plants transformed with the modified, low G+C-content Mx Protox gene, levels of Protox expression and enzyme activity were low compared to the levels observed for plants transformed with the native Mx Protox gene. Nonetheless, like the native gene, the modified gene conferred a high level of resistance to the herbicide oxyfluorfen in a seedling growth test.     

Prokaryotic Expression and Polyclonal Antibody Preparation of σC Protein of Novel Duck Reovirus DH13 Strain

The aims of the experiment was to optimize the prokaryotic expression system of σC protein,prepare polyclonal antibody against σC protein of novel duck reovirus (NDRV),and evaluate the titer of the antibody.The σC gene of NDRV-DH13 strain was amplified by RT-PCR,ligated into pET-30a(+) and pET-32a(+) expression vector,constructed prokaryotic expression plasmid,which were transformed into E.coli BL21(DE3) and the expression of the σC protein were induced by IPTG.The proteins expression were analyzed by SDS-PAGE.The recombinant protein without His tag was purified by digestion,and the recombinant protein with His-tagged was purified by Ni-NTA column.Then the polyclonal antibody was obtained from rabbits which had been immunized by the purified protein without His tag.Anti-His-labeled mAb and NDRV-σC positive serum were used as primary antibodies to evaluate antibodies specificity,the antibodies titer was detected by indirect ELISA (iELISA).SDS-PAGE results showed that the molecular weight of the expression on recombinant proteins were 34 and 37 ku respectively,the proteins were highly expression.Western blotting showed that they had the specific reaction and the prepared antibodies had higher affinity with σC protein,the titer were about 1:25 600 by iELISA detection.This study successfully constructed and optimized the prokaryotic expression system of the polyclonal antibody against σC protein,laid a foundation for the further study of σC protein and the research of genetically engineered vaccine.