Validation of a Commercially Available Immunoassay for the Measurement of Bovine Cardiac Troponin I

Background: Commercially available cardiac troponin I (cTnI) assays developed for use in humans have not yet been validated for use in cattle.
Hypotheses: The ADVIA Centaur TnI-Ultra immunoassay can be used for the detection of bovine cTnI. In healthy cattle, serum cTnI is undetectable or is present only in trace amounts.
Methods: Purified bovine cTnI and cTnI-free bovine serum were used for the evaluation of assay performance including intra- and inter-assay precision, sensitivity, interference, linearity, and recovery. Effects of storage at 23, 4, −20, and −80 °C for 2 days, and at −20 and −80 °C for 7 and 14 days and repeated freeze-thaw cycles on recovery of cTnI were analyzed. Serum cTnI concentrations in 30 healthy dairy cows were determined.
Results: Intra- and inter-assay precisions (mean ± SD) were 4.48 ± 2.26 and 13.36 ± 6.59%, respectively. The assay demonstrated linearity at 0.5, 2, 15, and 30 ng/mL cTnI. Mean recovery was 100.81, 85.26, 87.72, and 114.42%, respectively. Skeletal muscle homogenate added to serum of known cTnI concentration did not alter the concentration of the analyte ( P > .05). Concentration of cTnI significantly decreased when samples were stored at 4 and 23 °C for 2 days ( P < .05). Repeated freeze-thaw cycles and storage at −20 °C for 7 days had no significant influence on cTnI concentration ( P > .05). Serum cTnI concentration in healthy cattle was ≤0.03 ng/mL.
Conclusion and Clinical Importance: ADVIA Centaur can be used reliably for the detection of serum cTnI concentration in cattle.     

Electrocardiographic reference values in whippets

The aim of this study was to determine the electrocardiographic characteristics of whippets and to compare the results with published reference values for a general dog population. Electrocardiographic parameters from 105 healthy whippets were used to establish reference values for the breed.The most important differences compared to published reference values were the higher median R-wave amplitudes in leads II, CV₆LL and CV₆LU. For some parameters (P-wave amplitude, ST-segment deflection and T-wave amplitude in lead II; R-wave amplitude in CV₅RL), a marked percentage of the whippet values were above the published maximum reference data. The results confirmed that whippets have electrocardiographic characteristics similar to those reported in athletic heart syndrome in humans. Some of these characteristics could be erroneously taken as evidence of cardiac disease and clinicians should be aware of these factors to prevent unnecessary investigations in healthy dogs.     

淮河流域参考作物蒸散量变化特征及主要气象因子的贡献分析

利用淮河流域171个站点1971-2010年的气象资料,采用FAO Penman-Monteith公式计算该区近40a的参考作物蒸散量（ET0）,并对ET0的时空分布特征和影响因子进行定量分析。结果表明：淮河流域年ET0为898mm,近40a总体以17.5mm/10a的速率减小（P〈0.05）;空间分布显示西北部大部站点ET0呈显著下降趋势（P〈0.05）,仅东南部个别站点呈显著上升趋势（P〈0.05）。各气象因子对ET0变化的贡献表现为两方面,即ET0对气象因子的敏感性和气象因子的多年相对变化率,在4个主要因子中（平均温度、相对湿度、日照时数和风速）,ET0对相对湿度的变化最敏感（敏感系数最大）,而风速的多年平均变化率最大。从各因子的贡献率看,对ET0贡献最大的是风速,平均温度的贡献最小,4个因子对ET0变化的总贡献率为-4.96%,总贡献率为负在很大程度上解释了ET0呈下降趋势的原因。     

‘琯溪蜜柚’荧光定量PCR内参基因的筛选

【目的】为了克隆‘琯溪蜜柚’的管家基因,并筛选合适的管家基因作为内参,【方法】以‘琯溪蜜柚’盛花期后5个不同时期的果实汁胞,以及根﹑茎﹑叶为材料,采用实时荧光定量PCR技术,分析actin1﹑β-tubulin﹑18S rRNA﹑EF1-α和Ubiquitin 5个管家基因在不同材料中的表达情况,并结合geNorm、NormFinder﹑comparative Delta-CT和BestKeeper 4种评估方法进行稳定性分析。【结果】结果表明,actin1和β-tubulin是‘琯溪蜜柚’果实发育进程中较为稳定的内参基因,而EF1-α和β-tubulin则是研究不同组织特定靶基因表达中稳定的内参基因。【结论】筛选出了‘琯溪蜜柚’最佳的内参基因β-tubulin,为今后目的基因的表达分析奠定了基础。     

日粮精粗比对围产期奶牛乳腺内参基因表达的影响

选择合适的内参基因是利用实时荧光定量PCR准确分析基因相对表达量的先决条件。选择了奶牛乳腺研究中广泛使用的7个候选内参基因,包括GAPDH、ACTB、18S rRNA、RPS9、RPS15、UXT、MYC。奶牛以精粗比不同的2种日粮饲喂,并在产后16 d采集乳腺组织。利用qRT-PCR技术探讨了候选内参基因在围产奶牛乳腺组织中的表达情况,并利用geNorm程序对数据进行分析。结果发现,UXT和RPS9表达稳定,不受日粮精粗比的影响,因此,可作为围产期奶牛乳腺组织基因表达分析中相对合适的内参基因。     

生态茶园环境质量标准

针对我国现行茶园环境质量相关标准已经不能适应当前日益严重的环境污染的状况,在借鉴和参考国内外最新农业环境质量相关标准的基础上,结合我国茶园环境质量的实测情况,提出了更为科学的《生态茶园环境质量标准》,对茶园环境空气中12项指标、土壤中54项指标、灌溉水中130项指标进行了限制,拟从源头上有效控制茶园的环境污染,保障茶叶的质量安全,以期为我国茶产业可持续快速发展提供强有力的技术支撑。     

我国木材标准发展综述

本文详细论述了我国木材标准从无到有，从少到多的发展历程，对我国今后的木材标准的发展进行了展望。     

论工具书的功能

工具书的内容广泛，检索迅速方便，是读书治学和日常工作学习的重要工具。本文论述了工具书提供查阅知识、介绍信息的功用。     

日本农业科研成果推广的实践与借鉴

日本政府非常重视农业科研成果的推广,主要从法规建设、源头保证、体系建设、队伍建设、经费筹措和提高农民素质等方面总结了日本农业科研成果推广的经验;并针对我国农业推广活动中的问题,从科学制定政策、加强科研管理、大力发展教育事业、完善推广体制、提高人员素质和拓宽经费来源渠道等6个方面概要指出了加强我国农业推广事业的方法.     

The challenge of providing plant pest diagnostic services for Africa

The consequences of a globalisation of trade and climate change present an increased threat from first-entry pests and a challenge to plant health authorities. In this paper, pest reporting for the continents of Africa and Europe are discussed, and argued as a barometer of effective Plant Pest Diagnostic Services (PPDS) in terms of human capacity, infrastructure and policy-culture for phytosanitary issues. To illustrate particular areas of concern, case studies are presented on recent pest events which include outbreaks of Ralstonia solanacearum on Pelargonium, Xanthomonas campestris pv. musacearum on banana (banana Xanthomonas wilt) and Puccinia graminis f.sp. tritici race Ug99 on wheat (black stem rust). Examples are given of some recent initiatives to invigorate diagnostic capacity in East Africa, spanning state-of-the-art centres of excellence, traditional capacity building and networking projects, and grass-root level 'going-public' pest surveillance initiatives. Discussion is presented on the provision of PPDS and the impact of technology, institutional factors, the private sector, accreditation of services and policy. Emphasis is placed on the role of PPDS in support of regulatory policy. In recognising the precarious nature of many African cropping systems, the argument is made for a more consolidated approach to PPDS in and for Africa. The paper is presented from the perspective of European practitioners in pest diagnostic and risk analysis.