Stem elongation in Pennisetum purpureum results from a fixed pattern of vegetative development potentially enhanced by the initiation of flowering

The characterization of stem elongation is of fundamental importance in C4 tropical grasses as it affects forage quality and determines optimal management practices. The objectives of this study were to analyse the determinants of stem elongation and leaf area production in shoots of Pennisetum purpureum cv. Napier (elephant grass) using unstressed isolated plants. Three experiments were conducted in Brazil during the spring, summer and autumn seasons. Regular measurements of leaf and pseudostem length were performed on the main and primary axes. Ten destructive measurements were also performed during each experiment to monitor apical meristem height, internode length and the number of initiated leaves. The onset of stem elongation occurred at the same vegetative stage (i.e., appearance of leaf 13) irrespective of the seasons and experiments. The first internode to elongate belonged to phytomer 8, and a constant lag of five phyllochrons was systematically observed between internode production and its rapid elongation period. Higher stem and internode elongation rates were observed during the reproductive phase (autumn) versus the vegetative phase (summer and spring group). Maximal internode length reached 8–10 cm in summer and spring and 20 cm in autumn, at approximately phytomers 12–13. A similar pattern was reported for all primary axes irrespective of the experiments, the position of the first internode to elongate descending regularly down the main axis. These results provide key elements to predict the onset of stem elongation in the field from simple measurements. They could contribute to improving crop models for perennial tropical C4 grasses.     

Screening for skin carriage of methicillin-resistant coagulase-positive staphylococci and Staphylococcus schleiferi in dogs with healthy and inflamed skin

Methicillin resistance rates of 41% for Staphylococcus aureus, 16% for S. intermedius, and 40% for S. schleiferi have recently been reported in canine patients. These were deemed to be reflective of referral and clinician-selection biases, which would imply significantly lower methicillin-resistant staphylococcal carriage rates in less-biased canine populations. In this study, swabs for bacterial culture were collected from five cutaneous sites on each of 50 healthy dogs and 59 dogs with inflammatory skin disease to determine prevalence of carriage and relative frequency of methicillin resistance in coagulase-positive staphylococci and S. schleiferi ssp. schleiferi. These were identified morphologically and by Gram's staining, catalase and coagulase testing, and biochemical speciation. Coagulase-positive staphylococci and S. schleiferi ssp. schleiferi were isolated from 88% (52 of 59) of affected dogs. Species identified in the culture-positive dogs were: S. aureus in 12%, S. intermedius (92%), S. schleiferi ssp. schleiferi (10%), and S. schleiferi ssp. coagulans (10%) with methicillin resistance rates of 17%, 8%, 20% and 20%, respectively. Coagulase-positive staphylococci were isolated from 74% (37 of 50) of healthy dogs: S. aureus (16%), S. intermedius (92%) and S. schleiferi ssp. coagulans (5%). Methicillin resistance rates were 0%, 3% and 50%, respectively. Of total methicillin-resistant isolates, 11 of 13 were positive for PBP2a via latex agglutination. Methicillin-resistant S. intermedius and S. schleiferi ssp. schleiferi isolates were all positive for the mecA gene via PCR. There was no significant difference in staphylococcal isolation or methicillin resistance between study groups. While present, methicillin-resistant coagulase-positive staphylococci are significantly less common in these less-biased populations than in the clinical isolates previously reported from this institution which provided the impetus for this study.     

Cloning, expression and characterization of monkey (Macaca fascicularis) CD137

CD137 plays an important role as a co-stimulatory molecule in activated T cells. Agonistic CD137 specific antibodies have been investigated as therapeutic agents to promote tumor-specific immune responses by direct activation of T cells. As part of the pre-clinical pharmacological evaluation of cynomolgus monkeys, monkey CD137 was cloned and characterized. The deduced amino acid sequence encoded a full-length gene of 254 amino acids 95% identical to human CD137. Sequence variants identified in monkey CD137 include four splice variants lacking the transmembrane domain. These variants were detectable in human including two previously unreported variants. Two missense single nucleotide polymorphisms were detected present in 42 and 50% of 36 monkeys tested. In both monkey and human, mRNA expression of full-length CD137 and splice variants were significantly increased in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) upon stimulation by anti-CD3 antibodies. Recombinant monkey CD137 protein was bound with high affinity by an agonistic anti-human CD137 antibody but not by an anti-mouse CD137 antibody. In summary, compared to human, monkey CD137 showed distinct extracellular domain amino acid sequence and sequence polymorphisms. Thus, antibodies directed against epitopes in this extracellular domain could have differences in pharmacologic activity between cynomolgus monkeys and human or across individual cynomolgus monkeys.     

Bright artificial light at night is associated with increased body mass,poor reproductive success and compromised disease tolerance in Australian budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus)

Artificial light at night (ALAN) can cause circadian disruption and result in adverse behavioral and ecological effects in free‐living birds, but studies on captive pet birds as companion animals have been infrequent. We studied the effects of exposure to bright ALAN on body mass, melatonin sulfate levels, reproduction and disease severity in Australian budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) kept in captivity. During the experiment, birds were kept under outdoor temperature, humidity and natural photoperiod from September to December. A total of 48 birds were equally split into 4 groups (6 mating pairs each) and concurrently exposed to ALAN of 200 lux with different duration (0, 30, 60 and 90 min). Monthly observations were recorded for all dependent parameters. ALAN exposure increased mass gain and suppressed melatonin levels in a dose‐dependent manner, especially during December. In addition, ALAN exposure in all duration groups decreased egg production and reduced hatchability from 61% ± 14% in the ALAN‐unexposed control group to 0% in the ALAN‐exposed birds. Disease severity was also found to increase in line with the duration of ALAN exposure. In captive M. undulatus, ALAN exposure was demonstrated to affect photoperiodic regulation with subsequent excess mass gain and reproduction impairment, and increased susceptibility to infections plausibly through duration dose‐dependent suppression of melatonin. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate a possible association between acute bright ALAN of increasing duration and both natural development of infections as well as reproductive cessation in captive birds. Our findings could be used to improve breeding conditions of captive birds.     

Diversity among germplasm lines of the Ethiopian cereal tef [ Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter]

Three hundred twenty germplasm lines of the major Ethiopian cereal, tef, [ Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter], were evaluated for 20 morphological, phenological and agronomic characters in two-replicated randomized complete blocks at Debre Zeit and Melkassa Agricultural Research Centers in Ethiopia during the 1995 main season. The objectives were to assess the diversity of the lines, and to estimate the broad sense heritability (H) and genetic advance (GA) of the various characters. The mean squares of genotypes were highly significant (p ≤ 0.001) for all the traits. The phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation ranged in that order from about 6–40% and 3–23% for days to maturity and grain yield/plant, and days to maturity and number of spikelets/main shoot panicle, respectively. The cluster analysis grouped the genotypes into 14 major complexes consisting of one to 183 lines. Of the 19 principal components involved in explaining the entire variation among the genotypes the first five which had eigenvalues of more than one explained about 73.8%. The first principal component which accounted for about 34% of the total variance was due chiefly to plant height, culm and panicle length, diameters of the two basal culm internodes, main shoot panicle mass and grain yield, number of main shoot panicle branches and spikelets, and days to panicle emergence and maturity. Estimates of H varied from about 22% for length of the lowest main shoot stem internode to 74% for number of main shoot panicle branches. Values of GA (expected from selection of the superior 5% of the lines and expressed relative to the means) ranged from about 3% for days to maturity to 36% for number of spikelets/main shoot panicle. Overall, the study indicated the existence of trait diversity in tef germplasm and this can be exploited in the genetic improvement of the crop through hybridization and selection. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The Pacific yam (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Dioscorea nummularia</Emphasis> Lam.), an under-exploited tuber crop from Melanesia

This study aims to explore the potential of Dioscorea nummularia Lam. and to gather information as a prelude to its improvement by plant breeding. After a taxonomic clarification and a review of the botanical data, its geographical areas of origin and distribution are determined. A germplasm survey conducted on nine islands of Vanuatu enabled the collection of 110 accessions corresponding to 84 cultivars. These were grouped into: (1) wild forms under domestication, (2) annual types, (3) perennial-type cultivars of D. nummularia and (4) natural interspecific hybrids with D. alata L. Within each group, remarkable morphological variation exists for stem spininess, leaf shape, emerging leaf colour, tuber shape and tuber flesh colour. Selected accessions examined for ploidy had chromosome numbers ranging from 2n = 3x = 60 to 2n = 6x = 120. Chloroplast counts conducted on stomatal guard cells confirmed the variation in ploidy levels. Eight different male cultivars were studied for pollen fertility, but <5% of the pollen grains appeared to be fertile when stained with acetocarmine. However, profuse flowering and synchrony favour pollination and result in fruit set. All accessions are resistant to anthracnose. Viruses were detected but are morphologically not discernible, with no incidence on yield. Physicochemical analyses of tubers from 16 accessions revealed that D. nummularia and interspecific hybrids have high percentages of dry matter (mean of 33.11%) and starch (82.81%). The Pacific yam could be improved through conventional hybridisation or used for interspecific crosses with related economically important species. Recommendations are made for further research.     

The leaf beetle, Tricliona nr nigra Jacoby (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a new pest damaging pomegranate, Punica granatum

This is the first report on occurence of the leaf beetle, Tricliona nr nigra (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) from India infesting pomegranate, Punica granatum L. Preliminary observations on general biological aspects and feeding damage of T. nr nigra have been conducted. The beetles occurred in large numbers and the nature of damage was mainly through surface scraping.