Immunological and pathological investigations in equine experimental uveitis

Background

The pathogenic mechanism of equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) is still poorly defined and many variations between experimental animal models and spontaneous disease exist.

Objectives

The aim of our study was to investigate if Th17 cell-mediated response plays role in the pathogenesis of the used experimental model in horses and to reveal its pathological findings.

Methods

Experimental uveitis was induced in 6 healthy horses. The concentrations of retinal autoantigen CRALBP and IL-17 were measured using ELISA in aqueous humor and vitreous body of the 12 inflamed eyes as well as in 12 control non-inflamed eyes taken from 6 horses in slaughter house. After centrifugation of the two eye media, smears were prepared and cytological investigation was performed. Tissue specimens were taken from all eye globes and were submitted to histopathological investigation.

Results

CRALBP and IL-17 concentrations were significantly elevated in eye media of horses with experimental uveitis in comparison with controls. Cytological and histopathological findings corresponded to the changes characteristic of chronic immune-mediated inflammation with mononuclear cell infiltration of uvea, choroid, retina, and eye media as well as severe retinal destruction.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated the involvement of the retinal autoantigen CRALBP as well as IL-17 in the pathogenesis of experimental uveitis in horses. These findings suggests that this experimental uveitis in horses may serve as a suitable animal model for investigation of IL-17- mediated immune response during spontaneous autoimmune uveitis in horses as well as in humans.

     

发展乡村旅游推进新农村建设

本文通过对合肥市乡村"农家乐"旅游发展现状的解析,提出了推进其发展的建设性意见.     

种衣剂在小麦上的应用效果初报

就17%多·克·酮小麦种衣剂对幼苗生长的调控作用以及田间防治甘肃省小麦主要病害的实际应用效果进行了试验研究。盆栽试验结果表明，17%多·克·酮种衣剂安全的药种比为1:50，在此包衣比例下，不仅可提高出苗率，对植株生长无不良影响，而且能使植株根系活力显著增强，叶片叶绿素含量明显提高，生长后期抗倒伏能力增强；田间小区试验结果表明，对早期小麦条锈病的防效可达76.2%、小麦白粉病可达77.0%，对土传性小麦全蚀病的防效可达到82.1%，冬麦区小麦产量提高6.8%，春麦区小麦产量提高10.9%。     

土壤水分对稻米外观品质的影响

水稻的分蘖期、长穗期、抽穗后1～10d、11～20d、21～30d及1～30d,用负压式土壤湿度计监测,分别进行土壤水势为-30～-35kPa、-60～-65kPa的控水处理,收获后对优势粒、中位粒、劣势粒进行粒形和垩白测定,发现在不同土壤水分下S品种长穗期和抽穗后1～10d控水显著抑制了籽粒伸长,也不同程度的抑制了籽粒增宽和长厚,以S4处理受抑制的程度最为严重;Y品种主要是长穗期控水显著抑制了粒长、粒宽和粒厚;两品种的多数处理不同程度的提高了粒厚,这在优势粒中更明显;土壤水分对粒长/宽的影响很小。S品种各处理垩白率、垩白度多低于CK,Y品种各处理垩白率、垩白度多高于CK。对两个品种来说长穗期是影响外观品质的主要水分敏感期,节水栽培应从品种选择入手。     

油初始坐果机制研究

以成年油木奈树为材料,对其初始坐果进行了研究。结果表明,盛花后2周内,油木奈出现大量的落花落果;幼果(子房)低水平的GA1 3与油木奈的落花落果高峰关系密切,而内源细胞分裂素ZRs和[diH]ZRs以及ABA与幼果(子房)的生长呈显著的正相关;初始坐果期,油木奈的雌配子体发育缓慢,且有相当数量的胚囊中途退化、败育,无法正常受精,从而导致其大量的落花落果。文中就油木奈的初始坐果机制进行了讨论。     

X射线灭活活体日本沼虾精子的初步研究

为检测X射线对日本沼虾精子的灭活效果,利用X射线对雄性日本沼虾进行不同时间的照射处理,将处理后的雄虾与刚完成生殖脱壳的雌虾交配。待雌虾产卵后,计数雌虾抱卵天数,并在显微镜下观察卵的畸形情况。X射线管照射强度为100 k V,5 m A,源距10 cm,照射时间为0、30、60、90、120 min。结果发现:照射30 min组的抱卵天数及卵的畸形率较0 min组无变化,卵的畸形率为0,卵能正常发育至孵化出膜。随着照射时间的增加,在30~90 min之间,雌虾抱卵天数逐渐减少,且所抱卵的畸形率呈上升趋势。照射120 min组的抱卵天数较90 min组变化不大,卵的畸形率达100%。在本试验照射时间范围(0~120 min)内,灭活日本沼虾精子遗传物质的最佳照射时间为90~120 min。     

Using midday stem water potential for scheduling deficit irrigation in mid–late maturing peach trees under Mediterranean conditions

Irrigation techniques that reduce water applications are increasingly applied in areas with scarce water resources. In this study, the effect of two regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) strategies on peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch cv. “Catherine”] performance was studied over three growing seasons. The experimental site was located in Murcia (SE Spain), a Mediterranean region. Two RDI strategies (restricting water applications at stage II of fruit development and postharvest) based on stem water potential (Ψ_s) thresholds (?1.5 and ?1.8 MPa during fruit growth and ?1.5 and ?2.0 MPa during postharvest) were compared to a fully irrigated control. Soil water content (θ_v), Ψ_s, gas exchange parameters, vegetative growth, crop load, yield and fruit quality were determined. RDI treatments showed significantly lower values of θ_v and Ψ_s than control trees when irrigation water was restricted, causing reductions in stomatal conductance and photosynthesis rates. Vegetative growth was reduced by RDI, as lower shoot lengths and pruning weights were observed under those treatments when compared to control. However, fruit size and yield were unaffected, and fruit quality was slightly improved by RDI. Water savings from 43 to 65 % were achieved depending on the year and the RDI strategy, and no negative carryover effect was detected during the study period. In conclusion, RDI strategies using Ψ_s thresholds for scheduling irrigation in mid–late maturing peach trees under Mediterranean conditions are viable options to save water without compromising yield and even improving fruit quality.     

Measured and estimated water use and crop coefficients of grapevines trained to overhead trellis systems in California’s San Joaquin Valley

The use of overhead trellis systems for the production of dry-on-vine (DOV) raisins and table grapes in California is expanding. Studies were conducted from 2006 to 2009 using Thompson Seedless grapevines grown in a weighing lysimeter trained to an overhead arbor trellis and farmed as DOV raisins for the first two years and for use as table grapes thereafter. Maximum canopy coverage for the two lysimeter vines across years was in excess of 80 %. Seasonal (15 March–31 October) evapotranspiration for the lysimeter vines (ET_Lys) was 952 mm in 2007 (farmed as DOV raisins) and 943 and 952 mm (when farmed as table grapes). The maximum crop coefficient (K _cLys) across all 4 years ranged from 1.3 to 1.4. These maximum values were similar to those estimated using the relationship where K _c is a function of the amount of shaded area measured beneath the canopy at solar noon (K _c = 0.017 × percent shaded area). Covering the lysimeter’s soil surface with plastic (and then removing it) numerous times during the 2009 growing season (1 June–14 September) reduced ET_Lys from an average of 6.4 to 5.6 mm day^?1 and the K _c from 1.07 to 0.93. A seasonal basal K _c (K _cb) was calculated for grapevines using an overhead trellis system with a 13 % reduction in the K _cLys across the growing season.     

努力提高文化生产力意识

文化生产力在当代社会不仅已经成为综合国力的构成要素之一,而且也是衡量一个国家,一个地区综合竞争能力的重要标志。因此我们要努力提高文化生产力意识,加强综合竞争能力。     

Crop response of drought-tolerant and conventional maize hybrids in a semiarid environment

In the High Plains, corn (Zea mays L.) is an important commodity for livestock feed. However, limited water resources and drought conditions continue to hinder corn production. Drought-tolerant (DT) corn hybrids could help maintain high yields under water-limited conditions, though consistent response of such hybrids is unverified. In this two-year study, the effects of three irrigation treatments were investigated for a DT and conventional maize hybrid, Pioneer AQUAMax P0876HR and Pioneer 33Y75, respectively. In 2013, the drier of the 2 years, irrigation amounts and crop water use (ET_c) were greater for the conventional hybrid, but grain water use efficiency (WUE) and harvest index were significantly greater for the DT hybrid. In 2014, grain yields and WUE were not significantly different between hybrids. However, irrigation amounts, ET_c and biomass yields were greater for the conventional hybrid. Results from both years indicate that the DT hybrid required less water to maximize grain yield as compared to the conventional hybrid. Producing relatively high yields with reduced amounts of water may provide a means for producers to continue corn production in a semiarid environment with declining water supplies.