Effect of breed of cattle on transmission rate and innate resistance to infection with Babesia bovis and B bigemina transmitted by Boophilus microplus

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of breed of cattle on the transmission rates of and innate resistance to Babesia bovis and B bigemina parasites transmitted by Boophilus microplus ticks. DESIGN: Groups of 56 purebred B indicus and 52 B indicus cross B taurus (50%, F1 generation) steers were placed in a paddock seeded with and also naturally infested with B microplus which were the progeny of females ticks fed on B taurus cattle specifically infected with a virulent isolate of B bovis. The cattle were placed in the infested paddock 50 days after seeding had started. PROCEDURE: Cattle were inspected from horseback daily for 50 days. Clinically ill cattle were brought to yards and assessed by monitoring fever, depression of packed-cell volume, parasitaemia and severity of clinical signs. Any animals that met preset criteria were treated for babesiosis. Blood samples were collected from all cattle on day 28, 35 and 42 after exposure and antibodies to Babesia spp and packed cell volume measured. RESULTS: All steers, except for one crossbred, seroconverted to B bovis and B bigemina by day 35 and 75% of the crossbred steers showed a maximum depression in packed cell volume of more than 15% due to infection with Babesia spp compared with only 36% of the B indicus group. Ten of the 52 crossbreds and 1 of the 56 B indicus steers showed severe clinical signs. Two of the crossbreds required treatment of which one died 2 weeks after initial treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Pure-bred B indicus cattle have a high degree of resistance to babesiosis, but crossbred cattle are sufficiently susceptible to warrant the use of preventive measures such as vaccination. Transmission rates of B bovis and B bigemina to B indicus and crossbred cattle previously unexposed to B microplus were the same.     

Genotypic diversity in field isolates of Babesia bovis from cattle with babesiosis after vaccination

Objective To determine whether particular genotypes of Babesia bovis were common to field isolates obtained from cattle properties in Queensland where the B bovis vaccine had apparently failed.
Design A comparative study of polymerase chain reaction genotypes in different populations of B bovis .
Procedure Two polymerase chain reaction assays were applied to analyse DNA extracts of B bovis vaccine (K, T and Dixie strains) and 27 field isolates from 24 properties where disease outbreaks had occurred despite the use of the vaccine. To evaluate the stability of the genotypes identified, 11 of the field isolates were inoculated into experimental cattle that had either been previously vaccinated with T strain or not vaccinated.
Results No particular genotype of B bovis was responsible for the problems observed in previously vaccinated herds. None of the isolates had genotypes identical to the vaccine strains used. No geographic trends among the genotypes were observed. Isolates that originated from the same property also had different genotypes. Blood passage of the 11 field isolates in either previously vaccinated or nonvaccinated cattle did not alter the original genotype.
Conclusion No particular genotypes identified by the Bv80 and BvVA1 polymerase chain reaction assays could be associated with vaccine failures.     

Analgesic effect of pre-operative etodolac and butorphanol administration in dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy

The analgesic, bleeding, and renal effects of dogs pre‐medicated with etodolac with and without butorphanol were evaluated. Twenty‐four 1‐year‐old healthy dogs, weighing 19 ± 3 kg (mean ± SD) were randomly assigned to four treatment groups (n = 6): control (C), etodolac (E), butorphanol (B), and etodolac with butorphanol (EB). Etodolac (12–14 mg kg^?1 PO) was given 1 hour before propofol induction and isoflurane maintenance anesthesia. Butorphanol (0.4 mg kg^?1 IV) was given immediately following endotracheal intubation. Control dogs received only propofol (8 mg kg^?1 to effect) and isoflurane anesthesia. All dogs were mechanically ventilated to maintain Pe ′CO₂ between 35 and 45 mm Hg (4.7–6.0 kPa). Lactated Ringer's solution was given at 10 mL kg^?1 hour^?1 during anesthesia. Plasma cortisol concentrations were assessed 1 day prior to surgery (baseline), immediately prior to anesthesia induction, and every 30 minutes until 5 hours following extubation, and 1 day after surgery. Total duration of anesthesia was 50 minutes and total surgery duration was 30 minutes. Isoflurane concentration area under the curve (AUC) over time during the anesthesia was compared among treatment groups. Buccal mucosal bleeding time (BMBT) was assessed 1 day before E administration and during surgery. Urine GGT to urine creatinine ratio, BUN, and plasma creatinine were taken daily from 1 day before to 3 days after surgery. Behavioral pain scores (numerical rating scale) were assessed by two observers blinded to the treatment during the 5‐hour recovery period at 30 minute intervals until 3 hours, and again at 5 hours after extubation. All data were analyzed using anova . Multiple comparisons were performed if the anova was significant. Alpha value was set at 0.05. Plasma cortisol concentrations significantly increased from time of extubation in all the treatment groups. They did not return to the baseline until 5, 2.5, 1.5, and 1.5 hours after extubation in the C, B, E, and EB groups, respectively. Isoflurane AUC was not significantly different among treatment groups. Dogs treated with EB had significantly less behavioral pain than all other groups throughout the 5‐hour recovery period. No significant difference was found between treatment groups or within treatment groups over time in BMBT, or any renal variables. This study demonstrated that (i) pre‐operative administration of E provides profound analgesia during the post‐operative period without renal or bleeding side‐effects in dogs undergoing OHE; and (ii) a combination of butorphanol–etodolac provides the best analgesic effect during the post‐operative period based on the behavioral pain score.     

Crystalline Ropes of Metallic Carbon Nanotubes

Fullerene single-wall nanotubes (SWNTs) were produced in yields of more than 70 percent by condensation of a laser-vaporized carbon-nickel-cobalt mixture at 1200degreesC. X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy showed that these SWNTs are nearly uniform in diameter and that they self-organize into "ropes," which consist of 100 to 500 SWNTs in a two-dimensional triangular lattice with a lattice constant of 17 angstroms. The x-ray form factor is consistent with that of uniformly charged cylinders 13.8 +/- 0.2 angstroms in diameter. The ropes were metallic, with a single-rope resistivity of <10(-4) ohm-centimeters at 300 kelvin. The uniformity of SWNT diameter is attributed to the efficient annealing of an initial fullerene tubelet kept open by a few metal atoms; the optimum diameter is determined by competition between the strain energy of curvature of the graphene sheet and the dangling-bond energy of the open edge, where growth occurs. These factors strongly favor the metallic (10,10) tube with C5v symmetry and an open edge stabilized by triple bonds.     

Ultrasound during mid‐gestation: Agreement with physical foetal and placental measurements and use in predicting gestational age in sheep

To determine the effects of poor maternal nutrition and litter size on foetal growth during mid‐gestation, pregnant ewes (n = 82) were fed 100%, 60% or 140% of NRC TDN beginning at day 30.2 ± 0.2 of gestation. Transabdominal ultrasound was performed weekly between day 46.0 ± 0.4 and 86.0 ± 0.7 to monitor foetal heart width (HW), umbilical diameter (UMB), rib width (RW) and placentome outer (OD) and inner diameter (ID). Data were analysed with repeated‐measures using the mixed procedure for effects of maternal diet, litter size and gestation, and equations predictive of gestational age were generated using the regression procedure. To determine the agreement of ultrasound measurement and actual size, ewes (n = 20–21) were euthanized at day 45 or 90 to obtain corresponding postmortem measurements for Bland–Altman analysis. The HW, UMB and placentome OD and ID increased with gestation (p < .0001) but were unaffected by maternal diet or litter size (p ≥ .12). Ultrasound underestimated postmortem measurements of HW (14.8%), UMB (7.3%), placentome OD (4.5%) and ID (37.3%) at day 90 of gestation. Ultrasound underestimated RW at day 45 (7.7%) but overestimated RW (23.8%) at day 90, indicating inconsistent bias when reporting RW by ultrasound. Combining the HW, UMB, RW and placentome OD generated the strongest equation predictive of gestational age (R² = .91). These findings indicate that during mid‐gestation, maternal diet or litter size did not affect HW, UMB or placentome diameters and these factors can be used to estimate gestational age.     

克拉玛依果树腐烂病病原菌鉴定及其拮抗菌的筛选

【目的】提高克拉玛依果树腐烂病生物防治的效率,为相关果树高效生物防治提供科学依据和物质基础。【方法】从克拉玛依林杨的苹果树和李子树腐烂病发病植株及周边采集病灶和土壤样品,分析病原菌及其拮抗菌的筛选及微生物分子鉴定及拮抗效果。【结果】苹果树和李子树腐烂病病原菌均黑腐皮壳菌属（Valsa）,其中李子树病原菌涉及该属的两个种：Valsa mali 和Valsa leucostoma ,而苹果树病原菌仅为Valsa mali。同时获得各类真菌拮抗菌15株,涉及4个属9个种,筛选到具有高效拮抗细菌2株,其最大抑菌圈菌落比分别达到2-11和2-79。【结论】菌株芽孢杆菌B4和B6对果树腐烂病具有较好的抑菌效果,研究报道了李子树腐烂病病原菌,为相关果树的高效生物防治提供了科学依据和物质基础。     

OsPPR9 encodes a DYW-type PPR protein that affects editing efficiency of multiple RNA editing sites and is essential for chloroplast development

Photosynthesis occurs mainly in chloroplasts, whose development is regulated by proteins encoded by nuclear genes.Among them, pentapeptide repeat(PPR) proteins participate in organelle RNA editing. Although there are more than 450members of the PPR protein family in rice, only a few affect RNA editing in rice chloroplasts. Gene editing technology has created new rice germplasm and mutants, which could be used for rice breeding and gene function study. This study evaluated the functions of OsPPR9...     

设施老汉瓜采后干制技术研究

以设施老汉瓜为试材,采用不同成熟度、前处理、预处理温度后进行干制,测定含水率、失重率、色差等指标变化。相同的干燥温度、时间条件下,6个成熟度、2种不同的前处理、5种预处理温度的设施老汉瓜的失重率、最终含水率、总色差值在干制期内变化不同。结果表明,不同成熟度的设施老汉瓜,干制期的预处理温度、前处理和烘制温度差距,影响老汉瓜在干制过程中水分的散失。采用不同处理方式至完全干燥,可溶性固形物含量11%的设施老汉瓜,瓜干失重率、含水率、瓜干总色差值ΔE变化略慢,较好地保持瓜干的品质,适宜于老汉瓜的加工。     

养殖和野生亚东鲑机体成分比较分析

亚东鲑(Salmo trutta fario)是鲑属鱼类在青藏高原仅有的鱼类种群,是亚东地区全国农产品地理标志产品。本研究对西藏亚东地区野生和养殖亚东鲑的常规营养成分及各组织氨基酸和脂肪酸组成进行分析,旨在比较野生和养殖亚东鲑营养成分的异同,为养殖亚东鲑的品质评价和饲料配方的完善提供参考信息。实验采集亚东河中野生亚东鲑和亚东渔业产业园中使用配合饲料养殖的亚东鲑各10尾用于相关成分分析,每尾为一个独立样本。结果显示,野生组肥满度显著低于养殖组,而全鱼水分和灰分显著高于养殖组。全鱼粗蛋白、粗脂肪以及肝脏常规成分在野生组和养殖组间无显著差异。野生组肌肉粗脂肪显著低于养殖组,而水分含量显著高于养殖组。野生组全鱼必需氨基酸总量显著高于养殖组,且野生组肌肉中苏氨酸、缬氨酸、苯丙氨酸、赖氨酸和甘氨酸含量显著高于养殖组。野生组全鱼、肌肉和肝脏中饱和脂肪酸、n-3多不饱和脂肪酸(n-3 PUFA)总量、EPA、C20:4n-6以及肌肉中DHA含量高于养殖组,而全鱼和组织中单不饱和脂肪酸和n-6 PUFA总量低于养殖组。综上所述,目前养殖亚东鲑和野生亚东鲑在机体成分上存在较大差异。由于养殖鱼类体成分很大程度上反映了饲料组成,因此,亚东鲑养殖中饲料营养组成可能有待进一步优化。