Naturally occurring bacteraemia in American lobsters, Homarus americanus Milne-Edwards, in Long Island Sound

The health status of the American lobster, Homarus americanus Milne-Edwards, in Long Island Sound (LIS) has been in decline, with seasonal mortality events occurring since 1998. In order to assess the potential effects of environmental conditions on lobster health via haemolymph analysis, lobsters collected from various sites in LIS were examined and sampled while concurrent environmental data (water temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen) were recorded. The pH of the haemolymph of each lobster was tested, followed by a collection of haemolymph for serum biochemistry analysis and bacterial culture. This report focuses on the results of the bacterial sampling. The majority of bacteria cultured were opportunistic pathogens commonly found in the environment, including some that are associated with sewage and pollution. The prevalence of bacteraemia was correlated with the site of collection, the month in which the lobsters were sampled, and water temperature.     

Influence of gene action across different time scales on behavior

Genes can affect natural behavioral variation in different ways. Allelic variation causes alternative behavioral phenotypes, whereas changes in gene expression can influence the initiation of behavior at different ages. We show that the age-related transition by honey bees from hive work to foraging is associated with an increase in the expression of the foraging (for) gene, which encodes a guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP)-dependent protein kinase (PKG). cGMP treatment elevated PKG activity and caused foraging behavior. Previous research showed that allelic differences in PKG expression result in two Drosophila foraging variants. The same gene can thus exert different types of influence on a behavior.     

Antigenicity of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose with or without 9-fluoroprednisolone acetate in the adult cow.

Multiple intramuscular injections of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose with or without 9-fluoroprednisolone acetate were not antigenic in the cow, as measured by anaphylactoid response or delayed hypersensitivity.     

施钾对小麦/ 玉米产量及土壤钾素平衡的影响

为指导河南小麦/玉米生产中钾肥的合理施用,于2010-2012年在高、中和低三种土壤供钾水平的试验点,研究了施钾量及施钾技术对小麦/玉米轮作产量、钾肥利用效率及土壤钾素平衡的影响。结果表明,在高钾、中钾和低钾土壤上施用钾肥,玉米分别增产4.76%～12.49%、7.56%～16.08%和7.01%～22.61%;小麦分别增产6.87%～13.87%、11.19%～18.57%和18.71%～27.49%。在不同供钾水平土壤上小麦钾肥利用效率均高于玉米,钾肥偏生产力表现为高钾点>中钾点>低钾点,高钾点钾肥当季利用率较高,低钾点的农学效率较高;当施钾量为90、135 kg·hm^-2时,小麦和玉米均以钾肥分2次施用效果较好;施钾量为45 kg·hm^-2时,玉米以底施较好,小麦以追施较好。低钾和中钾点在施钾量大于45 kg·hm^-2时,基本就能维持土壤钾素平衡,而高钾点则在施钾量大于90 kg·hm^-2时土壤钾素才有盈余。综合来看,高、中和低钾点适宜的钾肥用量分别在45、90、135 kg·hm^-2左右,以钾肥分2次施用效果较好。     

Biology and integrated pest management for the banana weevil Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

The banana weevil Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar) is the most important insect pest of bananas and plantains (Musa spp.). The larvae bore in the corm, reducing nutrient uptake and weakening the stability of the plant. Attack in newly planted banana stands can lead to crop failure. In established fields, weevil damage can result in reduced bunch weights, mat die-out and shortened stand life. Damage and yield losses tend to increase with time. This paper reviews the research on the taxonomy, distribution, biology, pest status, sampling methods, and integrated pest management (IPM) of banana weevil. Salient features of the weevil's biology include nocturnal activity, long life span, limited mobility, low fecundity, and slow population growth. The adults are free living and most often associated with banana mats and cut residues. They are attracted to their hosts by volatiles, especially following damage to the plant corm. Males produce an aggregation pheromone that is attractive to both sexes. Eggs are laid in the corm or lower pseudostem. The immature stages are all passed within the host plant, mostly in the corm. The weevil's biology creates sampling problems and makes its control difficult. Most commonly, weevils are monitored by trapping adults, mark and recapture methods and damage assessment to harvested or dead plants. Weevil pest status and control options reflect the type of banana being grown and the production system. Plantains and highland bananas are more susceptible to the weevil than dessert or brewing bananas. Banana production systems range from kitchen gardens and small, low-input stands to large-scale export plantations. IPM options for banana weevils include habitat management (cultural controls), biological control, host plant resistance, botanicals, and (in some cases) chemical control. Cultural controls have been widely recommended but data demonstrating their efficacy are limited. The most important are clean planting material in new stands, crop sanitation (especially destruction of residues), agronomic methods to improve plant vigour and tolerance to weevil attack and, possibly, trapping. Tissue culture plantlets, where available, assure the farmer with weevil-free material. Suckers may be cleaned by paring, hot water treatment and/or the applications of entomopathogens, neem, or pesticides. None of these methods assure elimination of weevils. Adult weevils may also invade from nearby plantations. As a result, the benefits of clean planting material may be limited to a few crop cycles. Field surveys suggest that reduced weevil populations may be associated with high levels of crop sanitation, yet definitive studies on residue management and weevil pest status are wanting. Trapping of adult weevils with pseudostem or corm traps can reduce weevil populations, but material and labour requirements may be beyond the resources of many farmers. The use of enhanced trapping with pheromones and kairomones is currently under study. A combination of clean planting material, sanitation, and trapping is likely to provide at least partial control of banana weevil.Classical biological control of banana weevil, using natural enemies from Asia, has so far been unsuccessful. Most known arthropod natural enemies are opportunistic, generalist predators with limited efficacy. Myrmicine ants have been reported to help control the weevil in Cuba, but their effects elsewhere are unknown. Microbial control, using entomopathogenic fungi and nematodes tend to be more promising. Effective strains of microbial agents are known but economic mass production and delivery systems need further development.     

Histologic evaluation of gallbladder in progestogen-treated bitches.

Adverse histologic effects were not observed in the gallbladder mucosa of selected bitches with endometrial hyperplasia experimentally induced by administration of exogenous medroxyprogesterone acetate.     

Clinical, morphologic, and clinicopathologic findings in Beagles treated for two years with melengestrol acetate

Melengestrol acetate (MGA) was administered orally to groups of 10 female and 3 male Beagles at doses of 0, 1, 2, or 8 microgram/kg of body weight/day for 2 years. Treatment was continuous at the same dose rate in the first 3 groups, but in the 4th group, the dose for bitches was reduced to 4 microgram of MGA/kg/day during the 2nd year. Matings were made within MGA-dosage groups and among 10 additional bitches treated at 1 microgram of MGA/kg/day and the dogs treated at 8 microgram/kg/day. Doses of 8 and 4 microgram of MGS/kg caused progestational effects on the uterus resulting in expected histopathologic changes, dystocia, and pyometritis. Leukocytosis, normocytic, hypochromic anemia, and increased alkaline phosphatase values were the results of systemic and uterine effects consistent with the indirect and expected pharmacologic action of progestational agents in the bitch. Doses of 1 and 2 microgram of MGA/kg in dogs and bitches and 8 microgram/kg in dogs produced no significant differences in clinical observations, hematologic findings, blood chemical analysis, urinalysis, organ weights, or gross and microscopic observations at necropsy.