黄瓜新品种‘粤丰’

 ‘粤丰’是由早熟抗病的‘豫优4号’为母本，与‘渝亮3号’杂交育成的华北型黄瓜一代杂种。生长势强，主侧蔓结瓜，雌花节率高，回头瓜多。瓜条顺直、美观，长棒形，瓜长38.0 cm，横径3.8 cm，肉厚1.2 cm，单瓜质量约390 g，皮色深绿，光泽度好，刺白，瘤小而密，肉质脆，味微甜，商品性好，耐热，抗病、抗逆性强。适合华南地区春秋季种植。     

Prediction of Genetic Gain in Sweet Corn using Selection Indexes

Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology - The cultivation of sweet corn is expanding in Brazil, but there are serious constraints about the availability of commercial cultivars. The selection of...     

Comparative infectivity for axenic and specific-pathogen-free chickens of O2 Escherichia coli strains with or without virulence factors

Adhesion to epithelial respiratory cells, iron acquisition, and production of K1 polysaccharide capsules have been proposed as potential virulence factors of avian Escherichia coli. These factors were studied by inoculating groups of axenic or specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chickens intratracheally with O2 E. coli strains after previous challenge with a wild strain of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV). In all experiments, the association between IBV and an E. coli strain endowed with the three virulence factors previously mentioned resulted in the most severe pathological effects, as measured by mortality, weight gains, lesions, and reisolation of E. coli from internal organs. An E. coli strain devoid of virulence factors was able only to induce mild pathological effects restricted to the respiratory tract when combined with IBV. Both E. coli strains were more invasive in axenic chickens than in SPF chickens. These results confirm the probable involvement of the three factors studied in the pathogenic properties of avian E. coli. This model can be used to assess the role of virulence factors, by comparing pairs of positive and negative isogenic strains.     

Specificities of antinuclear antibodies detected in dogs with systemic lupus erythematosus

Five hundred and eighty dogs with at least one clinical sign compatible with a systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were entered in a prospective study aimed at evaluating the prevalence of antinuclear antibodies (ANAb). SLE was diagnosed in 38 of these dogs (group A) which fulfilled at least four American Rheumatism Association (ARA) criteria; of these, sixteen had ANAb titers greater than or equal to 4096. The 23 dogs which met three or two ARA criteria (group B) had an ANAb geometric mean titer (GMT) of 259. Dogs (group C) with only 1 criterium had an ANAb GMT of 75. Anti-ds-DNA Ab were present in 6 dogs from group A (16%), and 2 dogs from group B (9%). Anti-histone Ab were present among dogs from group A, B and C with frequencies of 81%, 67% and 26%, respectively. Among dogs from group A, the ANAb titers and the levels of anti-histone Ab correlated positively when individual sera were considered. Antibodies against the soluble nuclear antigen (SNA) were detected in 74%, 39% and 13% of the dogs from groups A, B and C, respectively. Antibodies initially described in human SLE also exist in SLE dogs. Anti-Sm Ab were found in 24% of dogs in group A. With anti-RNP Ab the frequency was still lower (10%). However, two other types of anti-SNA Ab against RNAse and trypsin-resistant antigens, not found in human "reference sera", were often detected. The first type (anti-type 1 Ab) was found in 26% and 9% of group A and group B, The first type (anti-type 1 Ab) was found in 26% and 9% of group A and group B, respectively; the second type (anti-type 2 Ab) is less frequent, and was found in 13% and 17% of group A and B, respectively. It appears that testing for anti-Sm, anti-type 1 and anti-histone Ab should be performed in order to improve the diagnosis of SLE in dogs.     

Une néphrose toxique chez des veaux traités par un médicament contenant des produits de dégradation des tétracyclines

A toxic nephrosis in calves treated with a drug containing tetracycline degradation products     

Biological features and life table parameters of the mealy plum aphidHyalopterus pruni on different apricot cultivars

Development, survival, reproduction rate, and population growth parameters of the mealy plum aphidHyalopterus pruni (Geoffroy) (Hom.: Aphididae) were evaluated on four different apricot cultivars (Tyrinte, Sakıt, Colomer, and Bebeco) under field conditions in the Van region of Turkey. Experiments were carried out on exterior leaves of trees, 1.5–2 m above the ground. Plexiglas clip-cells (25×6 mm) with the upper side covered by muslin were used in the experiments. The mealy plum aphid performed better on Tyrinte than on the other cultivars tested. The fastest development time (first instar to adult; 9.4 days), highest daily reproduction rate (2.6 offspring/aphid/day), and highest total fecundity (48.1 offspring/aphid) were obtained on Tyrinte. The intrinsic rate of increase — a good indicator of the growth potential of a population — of individuals fed on Tyrinte was significantly greater than that of individuals fed on cvs. Colomer and Bebeco. While mean generation times (T _o ) of populations on different cultivars were close to each other, the net reproductive rate was the highest (29.45 offspring/aphid/generation) on Tyrinte and the population doubling time on Tyrinte was 18.7%, 25.2% and 26.3% faster than those of individuals on other cultivars tested. The results obtained in this study indicated that Tyrinte appeared to be the most susceptible to the mealy plum aphid among the cultivars tested. http://www.phytoparasitica.org. posting Nov. 23, 2004.     

Pregnancy Rates in Repeat-breeder Heifers Following Multiple Artificial Inseminations during Spontaneous Oestrus

Hormonal asynchronies during oestrus, related to the presence of suprabasal plasma-progesterone (P4) concentrations and a delayed ovulation, interfere with the fertility of repeat-breeder heifers (RBH). Since tubal dysfunction can occur in connection with hormonal asynchronies and constrained availability of fertile spermatozoa at the time of ovulation, the present study tested the hypothesis that frequent sperm deposition from onset of oestrus to ovulation may improve pregnancy rates in RBH. Five RBH and five virgin heifers (VH; controls) were repeatedly artificially inseminated (AI) at 6 h intervals from onset of oestrus to spontaneous ovulation. Hormone analyses revealed suprabasal P₄ concentrations and a delay in the occurrence of the luteinising hormone (LH) surge, but a normal cortisol profile in RBH. Compared with controls, RBH presented longer interval from onset of oestrus to ovulation, and therefore, received more AIs. Pregnancy rates in RBH reached control levels (60%; NS), indicating that the hypothesis might be correct. Pregnancy rates in VH were below the expected range, presumably attributed to a deleterious influence of the frequent handling. The study suggests that pregnancy rates can be improved in RBH by frequent AI in relation to spontaneous ovulation. However, this practice of repeated manipulations, while seeming not to show adverse effects, lacks practicality for routine use.     

C-reactive protein measurement in canine saliva.

An established time-resolved immunofluorometric assay designed for measurement of C-reactive protein (CRP) in canine blood was evaluated and validated for use in canine saliva. C-reactive protein was measured in saliva specimens from 5 healthy dogs before and after the injection of casein and in 37 dogs with different disease conditions. The analytical and functional limits of detection were 0.000053 microg/ml and 0.0091 microg/ml, respectively, and intra- and interassay coefficients of variation ranged between 6.7-9.9% and 8.5-16.5%, respectively. A recovery experiment showed no significant disagreement between detected values and expected ones, and saliva CRP concentration was measured in a linear and proportional manner. A positive correlation was found between CRP levels obtained in saliva and serum samples in the experimental (R2 = 0.76) and clinical studies (R2 = 0.70). The assay was able to detect significant differences between salivary CRP levels in healthy dogs and dogs with inflammatory processes. These results suggest that saliva can be used for CRP measurement in dogs. The use of saliva presents the advantage of an easier and less stressful sampling method for the animals, which might be performed outside of hospital environments.