Genetic differentiation between fake abalone and genuine Haliotis species using the forensically informative nucleotide sequencing (FINS) method

Abalones ( Haliotis species) are a popular delicacy and commonly preserved in dried form either whole or in slices or small pieces for consumption in Asian countries. Driven by the huge profit from trading abalones, dishonest traders may substitute other molluscan species for processed abalone, of which the morphological characteristics are frequently lost in the processed form. For protection of consumer rights and law enforcement against fraud, there is a need for an effective methodology to differentiate between fake and genuine abalone. This paper describes a method (validated according to the international forensic guidelines provided by SWGDAM) for the identification of fake abalone species using forensically informative nucleotide sequence (FINS) analysis. A study of the local market revealed that many claimed "abalone slice" samples on sale are not genuine. The fake abalone samples were found to be either volutids of the genus Cymbium (93%) or the muricid Concholepas concholepas (7%). This is the first report of Cymbium species being used for the preparation and sale as "abalone" in dried sliced form in Hong Kong.     

A COMPARISON OF LUCERNE VARIETIES IN SOUTH-WEST SCOTLAND

Five early, three mid-season and two late varieties of lucerne were grown in drills in a replicated plot experiment at the Hannah Dairy Research Institute in south-west Scotland in the period 1956–59, inclusive. The lucerne was cut three times each year after the year of establishment (1956).
Average yields were 10,200 lb. of dry matter and 1970 lb. of crude protein per acre in the first harvest year, but declined rapidly to 6290 lb. of dry matter and 1190 lb. of crude protein per acre in the third year. On average, the early types of lucerne gave the highest yields of dry matter and crude protein. Over the three harvest years of the experiment, Flandria was the highest yielding variety and New Zealand B the lowest. The distribution of dry-matter yields averaged over all varieties was 44, 29 and 27% for cuts 1, 2 and 3, respectively.
The crude-protein content of the herbage from all the varieties was high, 63% of the values being greater than 19%. Grimm, a late variety, had the highest crude-protein content.
With all varieties tiller density declined rapidly from the first to the second harvest year, but increased again at the third harvest year.
11–34% of the total yield of dry matter in the second harvest year consisted of weed grasses, but this was reduced in the following year by spraying the plots with Dowpon, a selective herbicide.     

Neoamphimedine circumvents metnase-enhanced DNA topoisomerase IIα activity through ATP-competitive inhibition

Type IIα DNA topoisomerase (TopoIIα) is among the most important clinical drug targets for the treatment of cancer. Recently, the DNA repair protein Metnase was shown to enhance TopoIIα activity and increase resistance to TopoIIα poisons. Using in vitro DNA decatenation assays we show that neoamphimedine potently inhibits TopoIIα-dependent DNA decatenation in the presence of Metnase. Cell proliferation assays demonstrate that neoamphimedine can inhibit Metnase-enhanced cell growth with an IC(50) of 0.5 μM. Additionally, we find that the apparent K(m) of TopoIIα for ATP increases linearly with higher concentrations of neoamphimedine, indicating ATP-competitive inhibition, which is substantiated by molecular modeling. These findings support the continued development of neoamphimedine as an anticancer agent, particularly in solid tumors that over-express Metnase.     

Interactions between glyphosate and imazethapyr on four annual weeds

Greenhouse and field experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of various combinations of imazethapyr (0, 23, 46, and 70 g ai/ha) with glyphosate (0, 210, 420, 630, and 840 g ae/ha) on Setaria faberi, Amaranthus rudis, Abutilon theophrasti, and Ipomoea hederacea control. Additivity was the most frequently observed interaction and no synergistic interaction occurred throughout this study. The combination of imazethapyr with glyphosate at 210 g/ha caused an antagonistic response on Setaria faberi. Glyphosate at 420 g/ha with or without imazethapyr provided at least 95% control of Setaria faberi. The interaction between glyphosate and imazethapyr was additive on Amaranthus rudis control. Eight of the twenty-one herbicide combinations were antagonistic on Abutilon theophrasti control. Antagonistic interactions occurred when 46 or 70 g/ha of imazethapyr was added to 420 or 630 g/ha of glyphosate; while no antagonistic interactions were noted when glyphosate rate was 840 g/ha. The interactions on Ipomoea hederacea control were additive when the glyphosate rate was at least 420 g/ha. Glyphosate at 210 g/ha plus imazethapyr at 46 or 70 g/ha caused antagonistic interactions on Ipomoea hederacea control. Weed control tended to be more variable when the glyphosate rate was 210 g/ha and the imazethapyr rate was 46 or 70 g/ha. In general, the addition of imazethapyr to low rates of glyphosate improved control of Amaranthus rudis and Ipomoea hederacea and did not improve control of Setaria faberi and Abutilon theophrasti.     

Association analysis reveals effects of wheat glutenin alleles and rye translocations on dough-mixing properties

The glutenin loci of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) are important determinants of bread-making quality, although the effects of alleles at those loci are incompletely understood. We applied an association analysis method to assess the effects of glutenin alleles and 1RS wheat–rye (Secale cereale L.) translocations on dough-mixing properties in 96 wheat cultivars and advanced lines grown at three Colorado locations while accounting for population structure and relatedness of individuals in the population. The results indicated that (1) in the majority of cases, controlling relatedness of individuals reduced the significance of associations between glutenin loci and Mixograph traits; (2) the Glu-D1 and Glu-B3 loci and 1RS translocations had greater impacts on dough-mixing properties compared to other glutenin loci; (3) Glu-B1w, Glu-D1d, and Glu-B3b were consistently associated with greater (more favorable) Mixograph peak time (MPT) than other alleles at the respective loci, whereas Glu-B1e, Glu-D1a, and Glu-B3c were associated with reduced MPT; (4) the 1BL.1RS translocation was associated with a decrease in Mixograph properties. Our results indicate that taking multiple-level relatedness of individuals into account can improve the results of association analysis for wheat-quality traits.     

Comparison of Methods for Gluten Strength Assessment

Five methods that employed very different testing principles and procedures for assessing gluten quality were compared for 33 North American soft red and white wheats. The three methods analyzed flour (alveograph work, lactic acid solvent retention capacity, and mixograph peak time) and two methods employed ground wheat meal (Glutomatic gluten index and SDS sedimentation volume). Compared against the normalized mean of all five assessments, the ability of the assessment methods to evaluate gluten quality decreased in the order: alveograph work, lactic acid solvent retention capacity, mixograph peak time, Glutomatic gluten index, and SDS sedimentation volume. The methods utilizing flour were substantially superior predictive methods; however, the two meal‐based methods could be sufficient for early generation screening when flour is not available.     

Antibody to alcelaphine herpesvirus-1 (AHV-1) in hamsters experimentally infected with AHV-1 and the 'sheep-associated' agent of malignant catarrhal fever

Malignant catarrhal fever was induced in four groups of hamsters by the inoculation of cells infected with either the C/500 isolate of alcelaphine herpes-virus-1 (AHV-1) or the sheep-associated agent derived from cattle, red deer or Père David's deer. Using an indirect immunofluorescence assay, antibody to AHV-1 was detected in sera of clinically affected animals of all four groups. The reaction of sera from hamsters affected with malignant catarrhal fever induced by AHV-1 caused diffuse cytoplasmic staining while that from sera of hamsters with the sheep-associated form of the disease stained particulate nuclear antigens. Tests employing three other bovid herpesviruses were negative and no reaction was found with sera from normal hamsters. These studies provide convincing evidence that a virus antigenically related to AHV-1 is the cause of sheep-associated malignant catarrhal fever and that the same virus probably causes this form of the disease in both cattle and deer.     

Prevalence of echocardiographic evidence of cardiac disease in apparently healthy cats with murmurs

The objective of this prospective study was to determine the prevalence of echocardiographic evidence of heart disease in apparently healthy cats with heart murmurs. Thirty-two privately owned domestic cats were examined. All cats were considered healthy on the basis of history and physical examination, except for the finding of a heart murmur on auscultation. Cats on any medications (besides regular flea, tick and heartworm preventative) or that were pregnant or lactating were excluded from this study. The prevalence of echocardiographic evidence of heart disease in this population of cats was 53%. Therefore, identification of a heart murmur on routine physical examination in apparently healthy cats warrants further investigation.     

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of enrofloxacin and a low dose of amikacin administered via regional intravenous limb perfusion in standing horses

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic parameters of enrofloxacin and a low dose of amikacin administered via regional IV limb perfusion (RILP) in standing horses. ANIMALS: 14 adult horses. PROCEDURES: Standing horses (7 horses/group) received either enrofloxacin (1.5 mg/kg) or amikacin (250 mg) via RILP (involving tourniquet application) in 1 forelimb. Samples of interstitial fluid (collected via implanted capillary ultrafiltration devices) from the bone marrow (BMIF) of the third metacarpal bone and overlying subcutaneous tissues (STIF), blood, and synovial fluid of the radiocarpal joint were collected prior to (time 0) and at intervals after tourniquet release for determination of drug concentrations. For pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic analyses, minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 16 microg/mL (amikacin) and 0.5 microg/mL (enrofloxacin) were applied. RESULTS: After RILP with enrofloxacin, 3 horses developed vasculitis. The highest synovial fluid concentrations of enrofloxacin and amikacin were detected at time 0; median values (range) were 13.22 microg/mL (0.254 to 167.9 microg/mL) and 26.2 microg/mL (5.78 to 50.0 microg/mL), respectively. Enrofloxacin concentrations exceeded MIC for approximately 24 hours in STIF and synovial fluid and for 36 hours in BMIF. After perfusion of amikacin, concentrations greater than the MIC were not detected in any samples. Effective therapeutic concentrations of enrofloxacin were attained in all samples. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In horses with orthopedic infections, RILP of enrofloxacin (1.5 mg/kg) should be considered as a treatment option. However, care must be taken during administration. A dose of amikacin > 250 mg is recommended to attain effective tissue concentrations via RILP in standing horses.