Application of mycorrhizal roots improves growth of tropical tree seedlings in the nursery: a step towards reforestation with native species in the Andes of Ecuador

Most tree species in tropical mountain rain forests are naturally associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Previous studies in southern Ecuador of 115 tree species revealed that only three species were not associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Seedlings of tropical tree species raised in the nursery may need to be associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to survive transplantation shock in higher numbers. Methods for establishing plantations with native tree species are not yet established for Ecuador. Thus, we investigated the feasibility of using mycorrhizal roots of seedlings of Inga acreana, Tabebuia chrysantha, Cedrela montana and Heliocarpus americanus that had trapped mycorrhizal fungi from forest humus in the nursery to inoculate C. montana and H. americanus with native arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Inoculation with either a mixture of mycorrhizal roots from the four species or only with mycorrhizal roots from the same tree species were compared with effects of moderate fertilization. Assessment of plant growth and mycorrhizal status of 6-months-old Cedrela montana and Heliocarpus americanus revealed an improvement in growth and diverse associated fungi through mycorrhizal root inoculation in comparison with moderate fertilization. Moderate fertilization did not suppress mycorrhization.     

Determinants for successful reforestation of abandoned pastures in the Andes: Soil conditions and vegetation cover

The Andes of Ecuador are known for their outstanding biodiversity but also as the region with the highest deforestation rate in South America. This process is accompanied by accelerating degradation and loss of environmental services. Despite an extraordinary richness in native tree diversity, more than 90% of all forest plantations established in Ecuador consist of exotic species, primarily Eucalyptus spp. and Pinus spp. This is mainly due to the lack of information about the autecological and synecological requirements of the native species.     

Morphogeographic and molecular genetic analysis of the VIR white cabbage collection

It is shown that an analysis of microsatellites allows dividing the white cabbage collection into concultivars and geographic groups corresponding to its morphogeographic classification. Despite a different breeding history, cultivars remain belonging to the concultivar.     

In vitro selection of tomato transformants at the immature embryo stage

Summary A method is described for selecting resistant transformed tomato genotypes in vitro at the stage of immature embryos. The utilization of HLH nutrient medium with the selective agent kanamycin is proposed. Normal development of seedlings from immature embryos, which do not form callus, is a good and true indicator for isolation of resistant genotypes. The immature embryos do not germinate and develop on MS selective medium.     

东方山羊豆水通道蛋白基因的克隆及初步分析

根据已知EST片段结合RT-PCR和RACE技术,从东方山羊豆(Galega Orientalis)中克隆到一个水通道蛋白(AQP)基因,命名为GoAQP(GenBank登录号:HM 803185)。测序和生物信息学分析表明,此序列全长1258bp,开放读码框(ORF)870 bp,编码289个氨基酸。GoAQP包含MIP家族信号序列HINPAVT/SFG,高等植物PIP高度保守序列GGANXXXXGY和TGI/TNPARSL/FGAAI/VI/VF/YN。与拟南芥AQP基因家族的系统进化分析表明,GoAQP属于PIP1亚型AQP蛋白。Real-Time PCR检测结果表明,GoAQP基因在根中表达量最高,茎中表达量最少;且受NaCl和PEG胁迫表达上调,NaCl表达呈双峰分布。因此GoAQP基因可能参与了东方山羊豆耐盐性调控。同时成功构建超表达载体pCAMBIA-1302-GoAQP,为转基因验证基因功能创造了基础。     

Ganglioneuroblastoma in a cat: a rare neoplasm treated with electrochemotherapy

An 8-year-old male castrated cat was referred for sudden onset of lameness. Physical examination revealed a 1x2x1cm mass originating from a footpad of the right hind leg. A diagnosis of ganglioneuroblastoma was suggested by the tumour appearance following histopathological staining with haematoxylin and eosin and haematoxylin/van Gieson. Immunohistochemical staining for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), vimentin, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), neurofilament and S100 further confirmed the diagnosis. The staging process did not indicate metastatic spread. The cat was treated with three sessions of electrochemotherapy (ECT) 1 week apart, following local injection of bleomycin. The tumour had completely regressed within 1 week of the third ECT application and remained in remission for 402 days at which time a small recurrence was noted. The animal was given a further session of ECT using intra-lesional cisplatin and again went into remission. It remained tumour free at 450 days. Electrochemotherapy is considered a safe and effective treatment for localised neoplasms of cats and dogs and warrants further investigation.     

Economic and health burden of brucellosis in Kazakhstan

Brucellosis is a widespread zoonotic disease considered as an emerging and re‐emerging disease with a resulting threat of public health and animal health. Official reports document an animal incidence in Kazakhstan of about 0.6% per year, and the country still registers high number of human cases annually . The main objective of this paper was to evaluate the distribution and economic impact of brucellosis in Kazakhstan. We analysed human disease incidence data obtained from the Government Sanitary & Epidemiological Service with the aim to estimate the burden of disease in terms of disability‐adjusted life years (DALYs). We also estimated the economic impact in terms of monetary losses. Additionally, we mapped the geographical distribution of the disease throughout Kazakhstan. In total, 1,334 human cases of brucellosis were registered in 2015 in Kazakhstan that resulted in 713 DALYs. Around $21 million was spent on compensation for animals that had to be slaughtered due to brucellosis, and an additional $24 million was spent on testing animals. Animal brucellosis and human brucellosis occur throughout the whole country, some trends of which are reviewed in this paper. We estimated the burden of the disease and explored possible explanation for high human incidence rates. This paper is the first to estimate the human burden of disease and the economic costs in Kazakhstan. Both of these are substantial.     

东方山羊豆脱水蛋白基因的克隆及初步分析

 采用ＳＭＡＲＴ ＲＡＣＥ 方法,从东方山羊豆盐诱导抑制性差减杂交ｃＤＮＡ 文库中分离到了一个脱水蛋白（GoDHN）基因。该基因ｃＤＮＡ 全长１１６９ｂｐ,开放阅读框８４３ｂｐ,编码２８１ 个氨基酸,编码的蛋白质分子量为２８．７１ｋＤａ。经实时荧光定量ＰＣＲ 分析,GoDHN 基因在东方山羊豆的茎和叶中表达量明显高于根中表达量,并且基因表达受ＡＢＡ、ＮａＣｌ和ＰＥＧ 的诱导,随着诱导时间的增加,表达量呈持续增长趋势。这些结果表明,DHN 基因在东方山羊豆的抗逆性中可能起到重要的调控作用。本研究成功构建了ｐＣＡＭＢＩＡ１３０２-ＤＨＮ 植物表达载体,为下一步转基因研究奠定了基础。     

Electrochemotherapy for the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma in cats: a preliminary report

Squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) of the skin are commonly described in cats. Reported treatments include surgery, radiation therapy and photodynamic therapy. This preliminary study reports on the management of these lesions combining the local administration of bleomycin (plus hyaluronidase for a more uniform distribution) with permeabilizing biphasic electric pulses. Nine cats with SCC graded T(2)-T(4) were treated over a 5 year period, and each cat received two sessions of electrochemotherapy (ECT) 1 week apart. The side effects of this treatment were minimal and limited to mild erythema of the nose. Seven of the cats (77.7%) had a complete response lasting up to 3 years. ECT seems to be a safe and effective option for the treatment of feline sun-induced squamous cell carcinomas and warrants further investigation.     

Influence of distance to forest edges on natural regeneration of abandoned pastures: a case study in the tropical mountain rain forest of Southern Ecuador

In spite of its high diversity the forests in Southern Ecuador are highly endangered by deforestation. One of the main reasons for the loss of forests is the conversion into pastures. Due to their fast degradation, the pastures are abandoned after several years and form an increasing area of unproductive land. The remoteness from existing forest edges is discussed as one reason for the very slow natural reforestation of these areas. In this study we analyzed the regeneration of a secondary forest after approx. 38 years of succession in relation to the distance from the surrounding forest. We revealed that regeneration was rather slow. Especially larger trees with dbh > 10 cm were very scarce. Only Dioicodendron dioicum, Graffenrieda emarginata and Clusia sp. achieved larger diameters. The basal area of the secondary forest is still far beyond the original level in the primary forest. The number of species on plot level and the Shannon index were significantly lower in the secondary forest compared to the primary forest. The total number of species decreased from 47 to 31 with increasing distance from the forest edge and the similarity of species composition to the upper story declined to a level of 56.4 (Sörensen). Alzatea verticillata, Macrocarpea revoluta and Palicourea andaluciana had significantly higher abundances in the succession stages than in the natural forest. The most abundant species in all regeneration plots, G. emarginata and Purdiea nutans, seem to be generalists as they did not show preference either to natural forest or successional stages.