Comparison of larval thermal maxima between <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fundulus heteroclitus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">F. grandis</Emphasis>

Fundulus heteroclitus and F. grandis are resident salt marsh fishes that overlap in distribution over a narrow range in northeastern Florida. The objective of the present study was to examine whether the limits of the species’ ranges could be explained by differences in thermal tolerance. Two populations of each species were collected and then spawned in the laboratory, and 9-day-old larvae were used for critical thermal maxima trials. Mean LOE temperatures of larvae ranged from 43.04 to 43.65°C and showed little difference between species. Therefore, differences in high temperatures experienced cannot account for the differences of the distributions of the two species. Condition-specific competition may play a greater role in determining the observed range of the two species.     

Analysis of rice blast resistance gene <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pi</Emphasis>-<Emphasis Type="Italic">z</Emphasis> in rice germplasm using pathogenicity assays and DNA markers

The Pi-z gene in rice confers resistance to a wide range of races of the rice blast fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae. The objective of this study was to characterize Pi-z in 111 rice germplasm accessions using DNA markers and pathogenicity assays. The existence of Pi-z in rice germplasm was detected by using four simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers (RM527, AP4791, AP5659-1, AP5659-5) closely linked to Pi-z, and was verified using pathogenicity assays with an avirulent strain (IE1k) and two virulent races (IB33 and IB49). Among 111 germplasm accessions evaluated, 73 were found to contain the Pi-z gene using both SSR markers and pathogenicity assays. The remaining 38 germplasm accessions were found to be inconsistent in their responses to the blast races IB33, IEIk and IB49 with expected SSR marker alleles, suggesting the presence of unexpected SSR alleles and additional R gene(s). These characterized germplasm can be used for genetic studies and marker-assisted breeding for improving blast resistance in rice.     

Assessing the Impacts of Time-to-Detection Distribution Assumptions on Detection Probability Estimation

Abundance estimates from animal point-count surveys require accurate estimates of detection probabilities. The standard model for estimating detection from removal-sampled point-count surveys assumes that organisms at a survey site are detected at a constant rate; however, this assumption can often lead to biased estimates. We consider a class of N-mixture models that allows for detection heterogeneity over time through a flexibly defined time-to-detection distribution (TTDD) and allows for fixed and random effects for both abundance and detection. Our model is thus a combination of survival time-to-event analysis with unknown-N, unknown-p abundance estimation. We specifically explore two-parameter families of TTDDs, e.g., gamma, that can additionally include a mixture component to model increased probability of detection in the initial observation period. Based on simulation analyses, we find that modeling a TTDD by using a two-parameter family is necessary when data have a chance of arising from a distribution of this nature. In addition, models with a mixture component can outperform non-mixture models even when the truth is non-mixture. Finally, we analyze an Ovenbird data set from the Chippewa National Forest using mixed effect models for both abundance and detection. We demonstrate that the effects of explanatory variables on abundance and detection are consistent across mixture TTDDs but that flexible TTDDs result in lower estimated probabilities of detection and therefore higher estimates of abundance.Supplementary materials accompanying this paper appear on-line.     

Lignin characteristics of bast fiber and core in kenaf, bark and wood of paper mulberry and mulberry

The structural features of bast fiber and core lignins in kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus), bark and wood lignin of paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) Vent × Broussonetia kazinoki Sieb.) and mulberry (Morus bombycis) were characterized by alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation, ozonation and methoxyl group determination. Bj?rkman lignins were isolated from bast fiber and core, and bark and wood fractions of the plant samples, and structural characteristics were investigated by ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopies. Kenaf bast fiber gave very high molar ratio of syringaldehyde to vanillin (S/V) of alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation products, while methoxyl content was about the same as that of the core fraction. Results of ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR of Bj?rkman lignin suggested the presence of aliphatic fragments in lignins isolated from paper mulberry and mulberry bark, but not in kenaf bast fiber. The lower yield of alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation products from bast fiber and bark might be due to the higher content of condensed structure of lignin compared to core fraction. Total yield of erythronic (E) and threonic (T) acids of ozonation products and the molar ratio of erythronic acid to threonic acid (E/T) of the bast fibers and bark were lower than the corresponding core and wood fractions, suggesting that the contents of arylglycerol-β-aryl ether intermonomer linkages in the bast fiber and bark lignin were lower than those of the core and wood fractions. Methoxyl content of bark lignin was lower than the corresponding wood lignin. The methoxyl content of the extract-free kenaf bast fiber was similar to that of the core fraction, while the values of paper mulberry and mulberry bark were about one-half of the corresponding wood fractions, respectively. In bark lignins, the methoxyl contents of Klason lignin and Bj?rkman lignin from bark were lower than those of the extract-free barks. This result suggests that the purity of Klason lignin and Bj?rkman lignins of bark may be rather low.     

Limited awareness of animal influenza prevention and control among Dai Lue smallholder farmers in Southwest China

Awareness of animal influenza and its prevention and control is important for ensuring livestock health, production and welfare. In China, a country stereotyped as a major source of emerging zoonotic infectious diseases, research on the public understanding of animal influenza is limited to the Han, the main ethnic group. The present qualitative study in Southwest China investigated awareness of animal influenza among the Dai, an ethnic minority. The participants (15 men and 10 women, ages 18–83) were smallholder farmers of pigs and poultry in rural areas of Jinghong, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province. A mixture of interviews and group discussions took place in homes and villages. The participants were asked about their knowledge of avian influenza (H7N9), swine influenza (H1N1), precautions taken to protect against influenza, procedures when animals were sick and perceived risk of animal influenza. The data were analysed following coding and thematic analysis. The findings demonstrated a limited understanding of animal health and welfare among participants. Specifically, they were largely unaware of animal influenza (H7N9, H1N1) including its causes, symptoms, prevention and treatment. The farmers were also uninformed of the risks they faced and unknowingly engaged in behaviours which increased direct or indirect exposure to infected animals, a risk factor for human infection. They also reported poor usage of veterinary services. In order to guarantee the health, welfare and production of their livestock, immediate action is needed to enable Dai smallholder farmers to prevent and respond to animal influenza effectively and timely.     

雏鹅氨气中毒的诊治

一发病情况 本镇李某购进太湖雏鹅1000只,在一面积60余平方米的塑料薄膜棚内育雏。该棚没有门窗,四面塑料薄膜下垂到地面,用砖头和木板压紧,内装有6只250W红外线灯作取暖用。雏鹅在11日龄前一切正常,12日龄时有4只死亡,以后每天都有死亡,至3月5日现场检查发现,棚内共死亡56只。     

貂,貉,犬病毒性肠炎快速诊断试剂的研究

用金黄葡萄球菌Ａ蛋白（ＳＰＡ）协同凝集方法（ＣｏＡ）对貂、貉、犬病毒性肠炎快速诊断的试剂进行了制备，确定了制备。艺及该制剂的标准操作程序。本制剂特异性强，不与健康动物的组织及其他几种病毒病（犬瘟热、犬传染性肝炎、狂犬病等）发生交叉凝集反应，灵敏度高，通过该制剂ＣｏＡ法与ＨＡ－ＨＩ法比较结果比现行的貂、貉、犬病毒性肠炎ＨＡ－ＨＩ诊断方法检出率高出３０％，同时具有微量、操作简便、易掌握、快速等特点，可在３～５ｍｉｎ获得诊断结果。     

Nitric oxide production by macrophages stimulated with Coccidia sporozoites, lipopolysaccharide, or interferon-gamma, and its dynamic changes in SC and TK strains of chickens infected with Eimeria tenella

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important mediator of innate and acquired immunities. In the studies reported here, we quantified NO produced in vitro by chicken leukocytes and macrophages and in vivo during the course of experimental infection with Eimeria, the causative agent of avian coccidiosis, and identified macrophages as the primary source of inducible NO. Eimeria tenella-infected chickens produced higher levels of NO compared with noninfected controls. In Eimeria-infected animals, SC chickens produced greater amounts of NO compared with infected TK chickens, particularly in the intestinal cecum, the region of the intestine infected by E. tenella. Macrophages that were isolated from normal spleen were a major source of NO induced by interferon (IFN)-gamma, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and E. tenella sporozoites. Macrophage cell line MQ-NCSU produced high levels of NO in response to Escherichia coli or Salmonella typhi LPS, whereas the HD-11 macrophage cell line was more responsive to IFN-gamma. These findings are discussed in the context of the genetic differences in SC and TK chickens that may contribute to their divergent disease phenotypes.