Gnotobiotic calves: derivation, maintenance, Thiry-Vella loop preparation, and ethylene oxide gas sterilization

Twenty-four pregnant Holstein cows were used to develop techniques and procedures to obtain calves by hysterotomy and to maintain them in a closed gnotobiotic environment (sterile plastic-film isolators) for as long as 10 days for infectious disease research. Thiry-Vella loop preparation for obtaining intestinal loop secretions was done in a surgical isolator and was successful in 12 of 14 gnotobiotic calves. Ethylene oxide gas was effective in sterilizing heat-labile and moisture-sensitive instruments and equipment.     

Nitric Oxide Treatment and Induced Genes Role Against <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phytophthora infestans</Emphasis> in Potato

Effects of sodium nitroprusside (SNP; nitric oxide donor) treatments on enhancement of secondary metabolites production, oxidative stress mediators (\(\mathrm{O}_{2}^{-}\)) accumulation and antioxidant defense enzymes of Potato Spunta Sp. suspension culture cells elicited by a fungal extract from phytophthora infestans mycelium. The obtained data confirmed the significant increase in various oxidative burst (super oxide anion, hydrogen peroxide and total glutathione) contents. The administration of various NO concentrations strongly decreased hydrogen peroxide concentration and superoxide anion levels. Moreover, the SNP treatments regulate elicitor-induced activation of phenylalanine ammonium-lyase and total soluble phenols accumulation. The highest concentrations of NO donor sodium nitroprusside potentiated elicitor-induced H₂O₂ production. On the other hand, the lowest H₂O₂ contents coincided with elicitation regulated various activities of enzymes superoxide-dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT) and Phenyl alanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity, the decrease in H₂O₂ concentration was probably due to a direct reduction interaction of NO-H₂O₂. On the other hand, the addition of these previous NO treatments affects mRNA peroxidase gene expression using RT-PCR techniques. In general, the addition of lower concentrations of nitric oxide reduce the mRNA peroxidase activity on contrary, the higher concentrations induced the mRNA peroxidase activity, which induce the hypersensitive reactions against fungus infection.     

On the food of channel catfish stocked in farm ponds

Stomach contents of 382 channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque), ranging in length from 47 to 440 mm collected from farm ponds of Auburn University were examined. Fish in these ponds were fiven supplemental feed 6 days a week. Juvenile catfish below 100 mm fed more actively than other size groups. Channel catfish of all size groups were found to have eaten dipteran larvae and pupae more frequently than other natural food items. Dipterans contributed to a maximum of 47.7% and a minimum of 27.3% in the stomachs of 47–100 mm and 101–200 mm long fish, respectively. Supplemental feed was second in importance among other food items consumed by fish of all size groups. Other food items present in the stomachs in varying quantities were algae, molluscs, micro-crustaceans, coleopterans, trichopterans, fish remains and detritus, thus indicating the omnivorous feeding habit of channel catfish.     

Mechanical nociceptive thresholds within the pastern region of Tennessee Walking Horses

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: 'Soring' is the term used to describe the application of an irritant to the distal forelimbs of gaited horses with the sole intent of inflicting pain and inducing altered gait, illegally practiced in Tennessee Walking Horses. Objective methods for the detection of limb pain due to this practice are, however, lacking. OBJECTIVES: To assess whether Tennessee Walking Horses respond to manual pressures相似文献   

The effect of BAY SIR 8514, diflubenzuron,and Hercules 24108 on growth and development ofTribolium confusum

Phytoparasitica - The effect of BAY SIR 8514, diflubenzuron and Hercules 24108 on larval growth, pupation and emergence ofTribolium confusum was determined. BAY SIR 8514 was about twice as active...     

Sheep medicine,Quo Vadis?

Extract

In Europe, during the 18th century, the farm animal population was seriously reduced by the spread of disease due to increased travel and wars between states. At that time, there were no specialists in animal health, but this need was soon met by the founding of veterinary schools in France, Germany and England.     

Retarding effect of lowered heart rate on coronary atherosclerosis

The role of heart rate in the development of coronary atherosclerosis was assessed in adult male cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis). Heart rate was lowered in six animals by surgical ablation of the sinoatrial node. A sham procedure, which included all of the surgical steps except for sinoatrial node ablation, was carried out in eight animals. All of the monkeys were fed an atherogenic high cholesterol diet for 6 months, and heart rates were monitored repeatedly by telemetry during 24-hour test periods. Coronary atherosclerosis in animals with postoperative heart rates less than the preoperative mean for all of the animals that underwent surgery was less than half that of animals with heart rates above the mean or of diet-fed control animals not subjected to surgery. Groups did not differ in blood pressure, serum lipids, or body weight. These results suggest that heart rate in itself may contribute to the mechanisms by which behavioral patterns and physical training influence coronary artery disease.     

Sex differences in the brain: implications for explaining autism

Empathizing is the capacity to predict and to respond to the behavior of agents (usually people) by inferring their mental states and responding to these with an appropriate emotion. Systemizing is the capacity to predict and to respond to the behavior of nonagentive deterministic systems by analyzing input-operation-output relations and inferring the rules that govern such systems. At a population level, females are stronger empathizers and males are stronger systemizers. The "extreme male brain" theory posits that autism represents an extreme of the male pattern (impaired empathizing and enhanced systemizing). Here we suggest that specific aspects of autistic neuroanatomy may also be extremes of typical male neuroanatomy.     

Marker assisted polycross breeding to increase diversity and yield in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)

Summary In this study, the application of molecular markers to optimise genetic diversity in a polycross breeding program of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) was evaluated. The genetic diversity among 98 potential parental plants from three maturity groups (early, intermediate and late flowering) was investigated using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. For each maturity group, two polycrosses of six parental plants with contrasting levels of genetic diversity were composed. Average genetic diversity among parents selected for narrow polycrosses was 36% lower than among parents selected for wide polycrosses. Diversity within first generation synthetic progenies (Syn1) was proportional to the diversity within the respective parental polycrosses. However, differences were less pronounced with Syn1 progenies from narrow polycrosses showing 16% reduced diversity when compared to Syn1 progenies from wide polycrosses. Multivariate analyses allowed for a clear separation of the six Syn1 progenies based on AFLP markers and demonstrated their genetic distinctness. Evaluation of dry matter yield, date of ear emergence and stem length of Syn1 and Syn2 progenies showed progenies from wide polycrosses to be constantly higher yielding when compared to progenies from narrow polycrosses. On the other hand, there was no significant difference in variability for the two morphological traits between progenies of narrow- and wide polycrosses. The results presented here provide evidence for an efficient application of molecular markers to select genetically diverse polycross parents which resulted in an average yield increase of 3.8%.