Episodic rewetting enhances carbon and nitrogen release from chaparral soils

The short-term pulse of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) mineralization that accompanies the wetting of dry soils may dominate annual C and N production in many arid and semi-arid environments characterized by seasonal transitions. We used a laboratory incubation to evaluate the impact of short-term fluctuations in soil moisture on long-term carbon and nitrogen dynamics, and the degree to which rewetting enhances C and N release. Following repeated drying and rewetting of chaparral soils, cumulative CO₂ release in rewet soils was 2.2-3.7 times greater than from soils maintained at equivalent mean soil moisture and represented 12-18% of the total soil C pool. Rewetting frequency did not affect cumulative CO₂ release but did enhance N turnover, and net N mineralization and nitrification increased with rewetting in spite of significant reductions in nitrification potential. Litter addition decreased inorganic N release but enhanced dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from dry soils, indicating the potential importance of a litter-derived pulse to short-term nutrient dynamics.     

Detection of antibodies to West Nile virus in equine sera using microsphere immunoassay.

One hundred and ninety-one sera from horses that recently were exposed to West Nile virus (WNV) by either vaccination or natural infection or that were not vaccinated and remained free of infection were used to evaluate fluorescent microsphere immunoassays (MIAs) incorporating recombinant WNV envelope protein (rE) and recombinant nonstructural proteins (rNS1, rNS3, and rNS5) for detection of equine antibodies to WNV. The rE MIA had a diagnostic sensitivity and specificity, respectively, of 99.3% and 97.4% for detection of WNV antibodies in the serum of horses that were recently vaccinated or naturally infected with WNV, as compared to the plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT). The positive rE MIA results were assumed to be WNV-specific because of the close agreement between this assay and the PRNT and the fact that unvaccinated control horses included in this study were confirmed to be free of exposure to the related St Louis encephalitis virus. The NS protein-based MIA were all less sensitive than either the rE MIA or PRNT (sensitivity 0-48.0), although the rNSI MIA distinguished horses vaccinated with the recombinant WNV vaccine from those that were immunized with the inactivated WNV vaccine (P < 0.0001) or naturally infected with WNV (P < 0.0001). The rE MIA would appear to provide a rapid, convenient, inexpensive, and accurate test for the screening of equine sera for the presence of antibodies to WNV.     

根系限制对番茄幼苗生长、根系呼吸、ATPase和PPase活性的影响

 采用营养液水培的方式, 研究了根系限制处理对番茄幼苗生长、根系呼吸、质膜和液泡膜上相关酶以及根尖细胞超微结构的影响。结果表明, 在处理初期, 根系限制促进了番茄幼苗根系细胞色素途径呼吸而抑制了交替途径呼吸; 而在后期, 根系限制处理显著地抑制了番茄植株的生长, 对根系的生长抑制更为明显, 且抑制过程伴随着根系总呼吸、细胞色素途径呼吸的降低。此外, 根系限制显著抑制了质膜H⁺ -ATPase, 液泡膜H⁺-ATPase和H⁺ -PPase的活性并导致根尖细胞核的解体。     

CONSUMPTION OF FROZEN AND LIVE Artemia BY PROTOZOEA OF Penaeus setiferus

The role of an animal component in the diet of protozoeal penaeid shrimp larvae is not known. Short-term experiments were performed on the larvae of Penaeus setiferus (L.) to determine the ability of each protozoeal substage to consume frozen and live Artemia nauplii. Significant consumption of frozen Artemia took place during the protozoea 2 and 3 substages at rates of 1.0 and 1.6 Artemia nauplii/penaeid larva/hour respectively. Consumption of live Artemia occurred in the protozoea 3 substage, at a rate of 0.7 Artemia nauplii/penaeid larva/hour. Data suggesting that there is a beneficial role of an animal component in the diet of protozoeal penaeid shrimp larvae are discussed.     

Symposium on Diseases of Gats—IV. Feline Geriatrics

Abstract— A review of the problems associated with senile changes in the cat. Husbandry and management are discussed together with an outline of the conditions most frequently found in the aged animal in the various body systems.
Résumé— –Examen des problémes relatifs aux transformations séniles chez le chat. Discussion de la conduite à tenir et des soins à donner; apercu des troubles les plus fréquents rencontrés chez l'animal agé dans les différents systèmes de l'organisme.
Zusammenfassung— Ein Überblick über die mit den Altersveränderungen bei der Katin ez Verbindung stehenden Probleme. Es wird über die Zucht ünd Beaufsichtigung gesprochen und eine kurze Beschreibung der Zustände, die in den verschidenen Körpersystemen des gealterten Tieres am häufigsten auftreten, gegeben.     

Determination of free and total cyst(e)ine in plasma of dogs and cats

BACKGROUND: In human blood, the amino acid cysteine forms disulfide bonds with itself and with other sulfhydryl compounds in their free form and with sulfhydryls in protein. Protein-bound cysteine is lost when plasma proteins are removed before amino acid analysis. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the time course and extent of cyst(e)ine (cysteine + half-cystine) loss in dog and cat plasma. METHODS: An equal volume of 6% sulfosalicylic acid was added to plasma aliquots at 0, 2, 4, 10, 16, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 hours after separation of blood cells. Tris-2-carboxyethyl-phosphine hydrochloride (TCEP - HCl), a reducing agent, was used to regenerate total plasma cyst(e)ine after 3 months of sample storage (-20 degrees C). RESULTS: Initial free cyst(e)ine concentrations (mean +/- SEM) were higher in canine plasma (77 +/- 4 micromol/L) than in feline plasma (37 +/- 3 micromol/L). Free plasma cyst(e)ine concentrations in dogs and cats decreased after first-order kinetics, with a half-life of 23 and 69 hours, respectively. Total plasma cysteine after TCEP - HCl treatment was similar for dogs (290 micromol/L) and cats (296 micromol/L), but the percentage of free cysteine was higher (P = .02) in dogs (27%) than in cats (13%). Over half of the cyst(e)ine, homocysteine, cysteinylglycine, and glutathione were bound in vivo to plasma proteins. CONCLUSION: These results emphasize the importance of removing plasma proteins within 1 hour after blood collection for reliable assay of free plasma cyst(e)ine.     

Historic distribution and recent loss of tigers in China

Historical records can provide important evidence of changes in distributions of wildlife species. Here we discuss the distribution of the tiger (Panthera tigris Linnaeus, 1758) over the past 2000 years in China based on 2635 historical records. We also compare tiger distributions outlined in these records with ecosystem type maps. Throughout this time period, tigers maintained a broad distribution across 7 biomes (from forests to deserts). However, in recent decades the range has been significantly condensed. Today, only 2 populations remain, neither of which is independently viable. Tigers have completely disappeared from the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests of central China, a region that was traditionally their most important biome in China. The continued presence of wild tigers in China is highly dependent on significant conservation measures.