A COMPARISON OF DIATRIZOATE* AND IOXAGLATE† FOR POSITIVE CONTRAST SHOULDER ARTHROGRAPHY IN DOGS

In six experimental dogs, arthrographic quality and synovial inflammatory response with shoulder arthrography comparing meglumine-sodium diatrizoate (Urovison) and the monoacidic dimer, meglumine-sodium ioxaglate (Hexabrix) was evaluated. In our study initial films were of equally high diagnostic quality for both contrast media, but delayed films significantly favored ioxaglate for diagnostic quality. The rise in white blood cells in synovial fluid samples collected 24 hours after the arthrographic procedure was significantly lower after the use of ioxaglate. Histologic examination performed 14 days after the intra-articular injection revealed no drug related lesions.     

Reproductive performance of three fat-tailed breeds of sheep mated to native,Corriedale and Targhee rams

Summary Reproduction and lamb production of three fat-tailed, carpet-wool Iranian breeds of sheep; Karakul (130 ewes), Mehraban (103) and Baluchi (119) were studied. The ewes were mated either as purebreds or with Corriedale or Targhee rams. The overall least-squares means for ewes mated (showed oestrus) or ewes exposed, ewes lambed or ewes mated, lambs born of ewes lambing (prolificacy), lambs born alive of total lambs born, lambs weaned of live lambs born, lambs weaned (75 days of age) of ewes mated, kg lamb weaned per ewe mated and kg lamb weaned per 100 kg ewe mated were 98.3%, 93.5%, 103.1%, 94.9%, 97.8%, 90.0%, 18.2 kg and 38.4 kg respectively. The native breeds were not different for any of the traits studied except for prolificacy which was higher in Mehraban than in Karakul. Purebred matings did not differ from the crossbred matings for any of the traits concerning the number of lambs but crossbreeding improved kg lamb weaned per ewe mated (9.2%, P=0.08) and kg lamb weaned per 100 kg ewe mated (10.0%, P<0.05). Among the three native breeds Karakul showed the largest improvement when crossed with the exotic rams for the traits concerning kg lambs weaned. Corriedale and Targhee rams had similar effects on all the traits studied. A lower percentage of virgin ewes showed oestrus, had a lower twinning rate and productivity compared with the mature ones. Sex was not a significant source of variation in lamb livability.

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Desempeño Reproductivo De Tres Razas Cola Gruesa De Ovejas Apareadas Con Moruecos Nativos, Corridale Y Targhee

Resumen Se estudiaron la reproducción y producción de corderos iraníes de tres razas fat-tailed (Cola gruesa o grasosa) productores de lana para carpetas: Karakul (130 ovejas), Mehraban (103) y Baluchi (119). Las ovejas fueron apareadas como puras, o con moruecos Corridale o Targhee. Las medias mínimas cuadradas para ovejas apareadas (que mostraron estro) de ovejas expuestas, ovejas paridas de ovejas apareadas, corderos nacidos de ovejas paridas (prolificidad), corderos nacidos vivos del total de corderos nacidos, corderos destetados de corderos nacidos vivos, corderos destetados (75 días de edad) de ovejas apareadas, kg de cordero destetado por oveja apareada y kg de cordero destetado por 100 kg de oveja apareada, fueron: 98.3%, 93.5%, 103.1%, 94.9%, 97.8%, 90.0%, 18.2 kg y 38.4 kg respectivamente. Las razas nativas no fueron diferentes en ninguna de las características estudiadas, excepto por le prolificidad la cual fue mayor en Mehraban, que en Karakul. El apareamiento de razas puras, no difirió de los apareamientos cruzados para cualquiera de las características estudiadas concernientes con el número de corderos, pero el cruzamiento mejoró los kg. de cordero destetado por oveja apareada (9.2%,p<0.08) y kg de cordero destetado por 100 kg de oveja apareada (10.0%,P<0.05). De las tres razas nativas, la Karakul fue superior cuando se cruzó con las razas exóticas en lo concerniente a las características kg de cordero destetado. Las razas Corriedale y Targhee tuvieron efectos similares en todas las características estudiadas. Un bajo porcentaje de ovejas vírgenes ciclaron regularmente, tuvieron un porcentaje bajo de mellizos y productividad en general, comparada con las ovejas maduras. El sexo no fue una fuente significativa de variabilidad, en la supervivencia de los corderos.

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Performances De Reproduction De Trois Races De Moutons À Queue Grasse Accouplées À Des Locales, Corriedale Et Targhee

Résumé La reproduction et la production d'agneaux de 3 races iranienes à queue grasse élevées pour la production de laine à tapis: karakul (130 brebis), Mehraban (103) et Baluchi (119) furent étudiées; Les brebis furent accouplées soit en race pure soit avec des béliers Corriedale ou Targhee; Les moyennes estimées par la méthode des moindres carrés de l'ensemble des brebis accouplées (oestrus visible) par rapport aux brebis exposées; des brebis agnelant par rapport aux brebis accouplées, des agneaux nés par rapport aux brebis agnelant (prolificité); des agneaux nés vivants sur les nés totaux, des agneaux sevrés sur les nés vivants, des agneaux sevrés par brebis accouplée, et du kg d'agneau sevré par 100 kg de brebis accouplées étaient 98,3%; 93,5%, 103,1%, 94,9%, 97,8%, 90,0%, 18; 2 kg et 38,4 kg respectivement. Les races natives n'étaient pas différentes pour les autres caractères étudiés excepté pour la prolificité qui était plus élevée en Mehraban qu'en Karakul. Les accouplements en race pure ne différaient pas des croisements pour tous les caractères concernant le nombre d'agneaux mais le croisement améliorait les kg d'agneaux sevrés par 100 kg de brebis accouplée (9,2%P=0,08) et les kg sevrés par 100 kg de brebis accouplée (10,0%P<0,05). Parmi les 3 races natives, la Karakul montrait l'amélioration la plus grande lorsque croisée avec les béliers exotiques pour les caractères concernant les kg d'agneaux sevrés. Les béliers Corriedale et Targhee avaient des effets similaires sur tous les caractères étudiés. Un plus faible pourcentage de brebis vierges à oestrus visible, avait un plus faible taux de jumeaux et de productivité comparé aux brebis matures. Le sexe n'était pas une source significative de variation dans la viabilité des agneaux.

     

Estimation of Genetic Variation Among Verticillium Isolates using AFLP Analysis

Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis was used to study genetic variation among 76 isolates of Verticillium. A dendrogram based on the AFLP data revealed three main groups. One group consisted of 35 European isolates derived from Brassica napus together with five Californian isolates taken from B. oleracea. This group displayed a high degree of genetic similarity and included three isolates earlier classified as Verticillium longisporum, indicating that all isolates in this group probably should be regarded as members of V. longisporum. V. dahliae isolates constituted the second group while the third group contained four V. albo-atrum isolates. In addition to these three groups, a cluster of six V. nigrescens isolates was observed. However, the genetic distances between the isolates of V. nigrescens were much higher than those between members in the other groups and the bootstrap value for the V. nigrescens cluster was subsequently low. Four isolates classified as V. tricorpus were highly diverse and did not cluster together. Analysis of molecular variance revealed that the isolates of V. longisporum were separated into four subgroups, based on geographic origin. The study furthermore shows that AFLP is a suitable method for studying population structure in Verticillium.     

微管、微丝特异性抑制剂处理对水稻抗病性的影响

 微管特异性抑制剂oryzalin、微丝特异性抑制剂细胞松弛素A (cytochalasin A,CA)和细胞松弛素D (cytochalasin D,CD)的试验表明:oryzalin在5~50μmol/L、CA在0.5~1.0μg/mL、CD在1~20μg/mL的浓度范围内,对稻瘟病菌孢子的萌发和附着胞的形成基本上没有影响。采用以上几种细胞骨架特异性抑制剂处理水稻叶鞘都可以不同程度地抑制寄主细胞抗病菌扩展的能力。在抑制剂处理的水稻叶鞘细胞中,病菌扩展的速度加快。进一步的观察发现,抑制剂处理抑制水稻细胞抗病菌的扩展能力与水稻的抗病防卫反应如原生质颗粒化、多酚类物质的积累和HR发生的延迟是相关的。     

Equine foetal gender determination in mid‐ to late gestational mares: A practical inquiry

In recent years, the interest in equine foetal gender determination (FGD) during gestation increased remarkably. Ultrasonographic FGD can be performed in two different periods during gestation. The earliest examination can take place at a gestational age of 60–70 days, whereby the genital tubercle is used to differentiate between male and female foeti. The time window of the second approach is wider (120–210 days), and there are more characteristics to take into consideration. In this article, the feasibility and accuracy of ultrasonographic FGD in mid‐ to late gestation are evaluated. One hundred twenty‐one mares from different breeds with a pregnancy stage between 120 and 270 days were examined once, using B‐scale ultrasonography (Esaote MyLab™ClassC). None of the mares were sedated nor shaved, and the procedure was completed within 15 min. Diagnosis was firstly based on the gonads. The final judgement was made based on all visible foetal reproductive organs. In three cases with a pregnancy stage beyond 257 days, FGD was not possible. All of the examined mares in which a FGD could be performed gave birth to a healthy foal. In 98% of the examinations (116/118), the diagnosis was correctly made. In both cases of misdiagnosis, only one characteristic was seen during the procedure and wrongly interpreted. Beyond 210 days of pregnancy, the extremities can preclude a good visualization of the inguinal region. In conclusion, equine FGD in mid‐ to late gestation is an accessible and accurate technique, although a good ultrasound device is a prerequisite and experience and expertise is necessary.     

Spatial relationship between biodiversity and geodiversity across a gradient of land-use intensity in high-latitude landscapes

Context

‘Conserving Nature’s stage’ has been advanced as an important conservation principle because of known links between biodiversity and abiotic environmental diversity, especially in sensitive high-latitude environments and at the landscape scale. However these links have not been examined across gradients of human impact on the landscape.

Objectives

To (1) analyze the relationships between land-use intensity and both landscape-scale biodiversity and geodiversity, and (2) assess the contributions of geodiversity, climate and spatial variables to explaining vascular plant species richness in landscapes of low, moderate and high human impact.

Methods

We used generalized additive models (GAMs) to analyze relationships between land-use intensity and both geodiversity (geological, geomorphological and hydrological richness) and plant species richness in 6191 1-km² grid squares across Finland. We used linear regression-based variation partitioning (VP) to assess contributions of climate, geodiversity and spatial variable groups to accounting for spatial variation in species richness.

Results

In GAMs, geodiversity correlated negatively, and plant species richness positively, with land-use intensity. Both relationships were non-linear. In VP, geodiversity best accounted for species richness in areas of moderate to high human impact. These overall contributions were mainly due to variation explained jointly with climate, which dominated the models. Independent geodiversity contributions were highest in pristine environments, but low throughout.

Conclusions

Human action increases biodiversity but may reduce geodiversity, at landscape scale in high-latitude environments. Better understanding of the connections between biodiversity and abiotic environment along changing land-use gradients is essential in developing sustainable measures to conserve biodiversity under global change.

     

Genetic relationships among resynthesized,semi-resynthesized and natural <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassica napus</Emphasis> L. genotypes

The allopolyploidization event that created cultivated oilseed rape Brassica napus L, followed by intense breeding, reduced its genetic diversity. Resynthesized (RS) B. napus L. obtained by interspecific hybridization between genotypes of B. rapa L. and B. oleracea L. can be a valuable source for broadening genetic diversity in cultivated oilseed rape. In this study, we determined the extent of DNA polymorphism among natural accessions of oilseed rape, resynthesized B. napus, their parental species and double-low quality semi-RS lines carrying the Rfo gene. Using 10 selected primer combinations, 522 polymorphic AFLP markers were scored in the complete set of 100 Brassica sp. To detect relationships between these genotypes, a cluster analysis was performed using the Jaccard’s distance. Resynthesized allopolyploids clustered directly between their diploid parents. Cultivated accessions of oilseed rape created a compact group away from resynthesized allopolyploids as well as semi-RS lines. The natural oilseed rape group, which consists of 49 cultivars and breeding lines of oilseed rape, is characterized by lower genetic diversity than the group of 33 accessions of resynthesized oilseed rape, and the analysis showed that the double-low quality semi-RS lines represent a specific genetic variation of B. napus. The de novo resynthesized B. napus lines and the semi-RS lines of double-low quality generated from them, provide a significant opportunity for enrichment the gene pool of oilseed rape.