Preharvest applications of growth regulators and their effect on postharvest quality of table grapes during cold storage

Over 54,600 ha of table grapes (Vitis vinifera), mainly cvs. ‘Thompson Seedless’, ‘Flame Seedless’ and ‘Redglobe’, are planted in Chile. Almost the entire production is exported to the USA, Europe, Asia, or one of several Latin American countries, which typically requires 15–40 d of maritime transportation. During this period, several physical, physiological, and pathological factors cause table grape deterioration. Because berry size is the main quality factor in international markets, farmers often overuse the growth regulators, gibberellic acid (GA₃) and forchlorfenuron (CPPU), in an effort to increase berry size. We examined the effect of preharvest growth regulators on seedless (‘Thompson Seedless’, and ‘Ruby Seedless’) and seeded (‘Redglobe’) table grape cultivars during cold (0 °C) storage plus a shelf life period of 3 d at 20 °C. The overuse of GA₃, eight instead of two GA₃ applications on Thompson Seedless, and the use of one GA₃ application on Redglobe and ‘Ruby Seedless’, increased berry pedicel thickness and lowered cuticle content but induced shatter and predisposed grapes to gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea. In contrast, CPPU increased berry pedicel thickness and cuticle content but did not increase shatter or gray mold incidence. Clusters that were subjected to overuse of combined GA₃ and CPPU were highly sensitive to shatter, had the thickest pedicel, and developed a high gray mold incidence during cold storage. Hairline, a fine cracking developed during cold storage, was induced on ‘Thompson Seedless’ and ‘Ruby Seedless’ by growth regulators, but no hairline occurred on ‘Redglobe’ table grapes. Therefore, berry quality during cold storage is greatly influenced by growth regulator management in the vineyard.     

The pathology of disseminated Aspergillus terreus infection in dogs

Disseminated Aspergillus terreus infection was diagnosed in ten previously healthy adult dogs--nine German shepherds and one dalmatian. The disease was characterized by the presence of multiple granulomas and infarcts in a wide range of organs. The kidney, spleen, and skeletal system were most commonly and severely affected. Fungal hyphae were demonstrated in large numbers within granulomas and thrombi, and A. terreus was readily isolated by culture. This disseminated mycosis appears unique; in this series of cases there was no apparent predisposing factor, portal of entry, or primary focus for dissemination of the infection.     

磷对奶牛红细胞膜脂质的影响

对１５例临床上有明显低磷血症的奶牛血清磷、红细胞膜脂质成分进行了测定。结果表明，低磷血症奶牛血清磷、红细胞膜磷脂明显降低；红细胞膜胆固醇及膜胆固醇／磷脂摩尔比值（ｎｃｈ／ｎｐｌ）明显升高，与健康对照组牛相比差异极显著（Ｐ＜０．０１）；直线相关分析表明，血清磷与红细胞膜磷脂之间呈极显著正相关（ｒ＝０．９１７，ｙ＝１０．８５２ｘ＋３．１９６，Ｐ＜０．０１）；与红细胞膜胆固醇以及ｎｃｈ／ｎｐｌ之间分别呈显著负相关（ｒ＝－０．９４０，ｙ＝２．８５０ｘ－１．０７２，Ｐ＜０．０１；ｒ＝－０．９２０，ｙ＝１．９６８ｘ－１．４０１，Ｐ＜０．０１）。此外，红细胞膜微粘度与膜磷脂之间呈显著负相关（ｒ＝－０．９５４，ｙ＝１９．１２２ｘ－４．３８４，Ｐ＜０．０１），而与膜胆固醇以及ｎｃｈ／ｎｐｌ之间呈显著正相关（ｒ＝０．９８８，ｙ＝０．９２７ｘ＋０．９６４，Ｐ＜０．０１；ｒ＝０．９７８，ｙ＝－０．２９３ｘ＋１．１１３，Ｐ＜０．０１）。结果表明，磷是红细胞膜脂质成分改变的先决因素，而后者又是红细胞膜流动性及膜结构、功能发生变化并导致膜损伤的一个重要因素。     

绵羊瘤胃微生物胞外蛋白酶性质的研究

本试验测定了pH、温度和EDTA对纯化的绵羊的瘤胃微生物胞外蛋白酶活性的影响,并用一已知氨基酸排列顺序的肽段(由15个氨基酸组成)作为底物,进一步测定了蛋白酶的酶切位点。结果表明,(1)纯化蛋白酶的最适pH在6.0～6.5之间,最适温度为40℃左右。(2)不同浓度的EDTA(浓度分别为1,10,25,50,75和100mM)对蛋白酶活性没有影响,因而该酶属于丝氨酸蛋白酶类。(3)纯化蛋白酶是一种内肽酶,其酶切位点在组氨酸—酪氨酸(?)、天冬氨酸—丙氨酸(?)、亮氨酸—赖氨酸(?)和(或)缬氨酸—赖氨酸(?)相连的肽键。(4)胰蛋白酶和纯化的蛋白酶虽同属丝氨酸蛋白酶类,但前者对底物具有高度的专一性,后者对底物的专一性不强,这是瘤胃内饲料蛋白质强烈降解的主要原因之     

Estrogen and progesterone receptor status of mammary carcinomas and correlation with clinical outcome in dogs.

Estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER, PR) were measured in cytosol fractions from 18 primary canine mammary carcinomas by use of biochemical assays. One or both receptors were detected (> 10 fmol/mg of cytosol protein) in 11 tumors: 5 ER and PR; 2 ER only; 4 PR only. Mean cytoplasmic receptor concentrations (fmol/mg of cytosol protein) were 22.8 +/- 2.9 (SEM) for ER and 51.0 +/- 10.3 for PR in tumors containing ER and PR, 28.8 +/- 12.1 for ER in tumors containing only ER and 13.2 +/- 1.5 for PR in tumors containing only PR. Estrogen or progesterone receptors or both were identified in 6 of 9 tubular adenocarcinomas, 4 of 5 papillary adenocarcinomas, and 1 of 1 squamous cell carcinoma. These receptors were not identified in solid carcinomas (n = 2) or a single spindle cell carcinoma. Although the number of cases was limited, survival times of dogs tended to be longest in those with tumors containing ER alone or in combination with PR, intermediate in those with tumors containing only PR, and shortest in those with tumors without ER or PR. A correlation was not apparent between receptor status and age, presence of ovaries, tumor size, or histologic classification of the tumor. In the analysis of this series, the extent of surgery (mastectomy of the involved gland vs unilateral or bilateral mastectomy) did not appear to influence the outcome of the disease, and metastasis to regional lymph nodes did not appear to be a reliable prognostic indicator.     

Narbon Vetch (Vicia narbonensis L.): A Potential Feed Legume Crop for Dry Areas in West Asia

Provision of feed supplies for the rapidly growing livestock population is essential in West Asia. Shortages can be alleviated by growing forage crops in the existing fallow lands.
Narbon vetch (Vicia narbonensis L.) is a leguminous species with high yield potential, drought tolerance and cold resistance. It could be used for grain and straw production as source for animal feed in dry areas. It is good source of protein with seeds contain 28 % protein yielding 364 kg per hectare protein, whilst straw contains 9 % protein and yields a similar amounts of digestible protein per hectare.
Nine promising lines of Narbon vetch developed at ICARDA were tested at two sites over four years under rainfed conditions. Since climatic conditions were considered to be of considerable importance, each site in each year was treated as a separate environment to give eight environments with annual rainfall varied from 195 to 504 mm.
Narbon vetch possessed high seedling vigour with rapid winter growth and negligible cold damage. Grain yield varied form 0.47 to 1.90 t/ha, with a harvest index varying from 30 to 40 %. The data indicated that below 300 mm rainfall the grain yield varied from 0.47 t/ha when rain fall was 195 mm to 1.4 t/ha when rainfall was 245 mm. Most of the lines had wide adaptation to dry areas in terms of both grain yield and stability. Climate, except early spring rains had little effect on biological and grain yields.     

Induced Maturation and Spawning of the Chinese Catfish Clarias fuscus

Chinese catfish ( Clarias fuscus ) were successfully spawned in Hawaii using human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) at dosage rates of two and four international units (IU) per gram body weight. Fish not injected with HCG did not produce viable eggs. Successful spawns with HCG occurred between May and October. Hatch rates of up to 80% were obtained during June, July, and August for those fish given either a 2 or 4 IU per gram body weight injection of HCG. Fish spawned in either May or October yielded significantly higher hatch rates when injected with 4 rather than 2 IU per gram body weight. Fish held at elevated temperatures (28 to 30 C) prior to the normal spawning season developed significantly larger oocyte diameters, 60 days earlier than fish held under ambient temperature conditions (21.5 to 24 C). Photoperiod manipulation at ambient temperature conditions was associated with earlier oocyte maturation, but photoperiod effects were much less important than temperature.