Assessment of the Hemocue-b for measuring hemoglobin in horse blood

Our purpose was to assess the accuracy and precision of a point of care hemoglobinometer (HemoCue‐B hemoglobin photometer) for measuring hemoglobin concentration in horse blood. Samples of jugular venous blood from 12 healthy adult horses were collected in EDTA. In order to test the device over a wide range of values, each sample was divided into nine aliquots, and autologous plasma was added or removed from the aliquots to produce blood with PCV values that approximated 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80%, respectively. The aliquots were rocked to ensure mixing of plasma and cells. Then hemoglobin by HemoCue‐B (Hb_HQ) and hemoglobin by the cyanmethemoglobin method (Hb_CY) were measured on each aliquot. The PCV of each aliquot was also measured and this value was used for subsequent analyses. To test repeatability, hemoglobin was measured twice by the HemoCue‐B on approximately 40% samples. Samples with Hb_HQ >25.4 g dL^?1 required dilution prior to analysis. Hb_CY ranged from 1.6 to 33.4 g dL^?1. After regression, Hb_CY = ?0.16 + 1.04 Hb_HQ (n = 101; r² = 99.6%). By inspection of a modified Bland‐Altman plot, Hb_HQ values <16 g dL^?1 closely approximated Hb_CY; however, at greater values, Hb_HQ underestimated Hb_CY by as much as 3.2 g dL^?1. The difference between repeated measurements with the HemoCue‐B was 0.02 ± 0.16 g dL^?1 (mean ± SD; n = 10) and nonsignificant. After regression, PCV = ?0.76 + 2.78 Hb_HQ (n = 101; r² = 99.4%). We conclude that HemoCue‐B can be used to measure hemoglobin concentration in horse blood, and that it is accurate when hemoglobin is <16 g dL^?1. PCV can be estimated by multiplying Hb_HQ by 2.8 and then subtracting 0.8.     

Bulb-dip application of growth-regulating chemicals for inhibiting stem elongation of ‘Enchantment’ and ‘Harmony’ lilies

An improved method of treating Lilium cultivars ‘Enchantment’ and ‘Harmony’ with the growth regulators Ancymidol, CCC, and Ethrel is described. When bulbs were treated, prior to planting, by immersing them for 12 h in aqueous solutions of the growth regulators, shoot elongation was more effectively inhibited than when the chemicals were applied as soil drenches. Ancymidol was the most potent inhibitor of stem elongation. Although Ethrel effectively inhibited stem growth during the first treatment season, it resulted in increased elongation of the renewal shoots. Ethrel interfered with apical meristematic activity, and induced early flower senescence. The inhibitory effects of a single bulb-dip with Ancymidol and CCC were evident on the growth of the renewal shoots in the following non-treatment season.The bulb-dip procedure offers several advantages: chemicals can be applied effectively at a much earlier development stage of the shoot; more effective control of shoot elongation is possible; significant control of shoot elongation may be obtained with lower concentrations of a growth regulator; one application of the growth regulator affected growth of the current season's shoot and also the growth of the renewal shoot in the following season; bulbs may be pretreated for use either as pot plants or for landscaping; chemically pretreated bulbs can be readily packaged and distributed without further chemical treatments being required.     

Resistance to late blight inAndigena potatoes

Summary Andigena clones derived from mass-selected seedling populations which had been subjected to several generations of natural selection in the field for late blight resistance were studied. The average level of resistance (score about 3 on scale 1–5) was better than a sample ofTuberosum potatoes (score about 4) and the best individual clones were very resistant indeed. It is concluded thatAndigena has the genetic capacity for excellent response to selection for resistance and that thus one major obstacle to the use of the Group in potato breeding has been removed.

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Zusammenfassung Es wurdenAndigena-Klone verwendet, die durch Massenauslese aus S?mlingspopulationen gewonnen wurden. Diese S?mlingspopulationen wurden w?hrend mehrerer Generationen der natürlichen Auslese aulPhytophthora-resistenz im Feld unterworfen. Ungef?hr 100 Klone wurden mittels des Einzelblatt-Testes mit einer gr?sseren Zahl vonTuberosum-Klonen verglichen. Aus den Ergebnissen in Tabelle 1 geht hervor, dass der durchschnittliche Resistenzgrad vonAndigena (ungef?hr Note 3 bei einer Skala von 1 bis 5) bedeutend besser war als der vonTuberosum (ungef?hr Note 4); derjenige der bestenAndigena-Einzelklone war wirklich sehr gut (Note 1 bis 2). Andere Ergebnisse (Tabelle 2) betreffen das Verh?ltnis zwischen Krautf?uleresistenz und Reifezeit; in diesem Material gab es keine signifikante Kor relation, und es war offensichtlich, dass eine befriedigende Resistenz h?tte aufrechterhalten werden k?nnen, sogar ohne durch Auslese auf Frühreife gef?hrdet zu werden. Daraus wird geschlossen, dass dieAndigena-gruppe, obwohl in ihrem Urzustand sehr anf?llig für Krautf?ule, die genetische F?higkeit zu ausgezeichneter Reaktion in der Resistenzzucht besitzt und dass ein Haupthindernis für die Anwendung dieser Gruppe in der Kartoffelzüchtung beseitigt wurde. In diesem Zusammenhang wird auf die von Paxman kürzlich gemachte Feststellung hingewiesen, dass es im Vergleich mit reinenTuberosum-Familien inAndigena Tuberosum F₁-Hybrid-Familien ungef?hr 60% Ertragsheterosis gibt.

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Résumé Les auteurs ont utilisé les clonesAndigena provenant d’une sélection massale dans des populations de plantules soumises pendant plusieurs générations à la sélection naturelle au champ vis-à-vis du mildiou. Ils ont comparé quelque 100 clones au moyen d’un test sur foliole détachée avec un vaste échantillon de clonesTuberosum. Les résultats (Tableau 1) montrent que le niveau moyen de résistance des Andigena (cote: 3 environ sur une échelle 1–5) est significativement meilleur que ceux deTuberosum (cote de 4 environ) et que les meilleurs clones individuels sont réellement très bons (cote 1–2). D’autres résultats (Tableau 2) concernent la relation entre la résistance au mildiou et la maturité; il n’y a aucune corrélation significative dans ce matériel et il apparait qu’une résistance satisfaisante peut être maintenue sans risque sérieux de perte due à la sélection pour la précocité. Il est conclu que le groupeAndigena, quoique hautement susceptible au mildiou dans son état primitif, possède la capacité génétique de répondre excellemment à la sélection pour la résistance et qu’un obstacle majeur à l’utilisation du groupe dans l’amélioration de la Pomme de terre a été éliminé. A ce sujet, l’attention est attirée sur la récente découverte de Paxman qu’il y a approximativement 60% de production d’hétérosis dans les familles hybrides F₁ Andigena × Tuberosum en comparaison avec les familles puresTuberosum.

     

兔出血症病毒与大肠杆菌混合感染的诊治

兔出血症是由兔出血症病毒引起的以呼吸系统出血、肝坏死、实质器官水肿、淤血及出血性变化为特征一种高度接触性传染病,具有潜伏期短、发病率和死亡率极高的特点。兔出血症病毒与大肠杆菌混合感染,大大增加了兔群的死亡率,给养兔业带来巨大的经济损失。本文以一起兔混合感染病例为题材,从发病情况、临床症状、剖检变化、实验室检查、防治等几个方面,做了详尽阐述。