福氏志贺菌gyrA和parC基因QRDR序列的测定与同源性分析

测定了我国痢疾流行病原志贺菌福氏2 a 3 0 1株与喹喏酮类药物耐药性相关的 gyr A( DNA旋转酶 A亚单位 )和 par C(拓扑异构酶IVA亚单位 )基因 ,并将 gyr A和 par C基因QRDR(喹喏酮类药物耐药性决定区 )核苷酸序列与几种动物和人的病原菌进行了同源性和遗传进化比较分析。结果显示 ,志贺菌福氏 2 agyr A和 par C基因 QRDR序列分别与宋内氏志贺菌、大肠杆菌 O1 57、大肠杆菌 K1 2、阴沟肠杆菌、坂口肠道杆菌、鼠伤寒沙门氏菌、副伤寒沙门氏菌、肺炎克氏杆菌、产道克氏杆菌、空肠弯曲杆菌、弗氏柠檬酸杆菌具有显著同源性(均大于 88% ) ,表明 gyr A和 par C是这些细菌中的看家基因 ,推测在各种细菌中具有类似的起源 ,因此对在不同细菌之间进行喹喏酮类药物耐药性的研究非常有利。 QRDR的遗传进化分析表明 ,同属或相近属细菌 gyr A或 par CQRDR的遗传距离明显接近 ,其中与大肠杆菌属的距离最近 ,认为可列到同一个属 ,结果有力支持了近年提出的大肠杆菌与志贺菌属于同族细菌的理论。研究对理解喹喏酮类药物耐药性的分子机理及其与细菌遗传进化之间的关系具有重要意义     

山羊肺淋巴系的研究

24例山羊肺经肺实质和肺胸膜下注射30％普鲁士蓝氯仿溶液，剖查其器官内淋巴管及淋巴流向。结果表明，山羊肺的器官内淋巴管有浅淋巴管和深淋巴管2种。左肺尖叶淋巴管注入左支气管肺淋巴结和气管支气管左淋巴结，左肺心叶淋巴管注入左支气管肺淋巴结、气管支气管左淋巴结和气管支气管中淋巴结，左肺膈叶淋巴管注入气管支气管左淋巴结、气管支气管中淋巴结和纵隔后淋巴结；右肺尖叶淋巴管注入右支气管肺淋巴结和气管支气管前淋巴结，右肺心叶淋巴管注入右支气管肺淋巴结和气管支气管右淋巴结，右肺膈叶淋巴管注入气管支气管右淋巴结、气管支气管中淋巴结和纵隔后淋巴结，右肺副叶淋巴管注入右支气管肺淋巴结、气管支气管中淋巴结和纵隔后淋巴结。     

Haemothorax associated with Angiostrongylus vasorum infection in a dog

Angiostrongylosis was diagnosed in a dog presenting with haemothorax on the basis of detection of Angiostrongylus vasorum first-stage larvae both in the pleural effusion and in faeces. A one-year-old, male, mixed-breed dog was presented with fever, depression and persistent cough of one month's duration. Clinical examination revealed temperature of 39.5 degrees C, loud bronchovesicular sounds on thoracic auscultation and attenuated cardiac sounds. Thoracic radiographs showed a moderate bilateral pleural effusion and a diffuse interstitial pulmonary pattern, with an alveolar pattern in one lobe. Routine haematology revealed anaemia and leucocytosis with eosinophilia, basophilia and thrombocytopenia. Coagulation assays showed a consumptive coagulopathy resembling disseminated intravascular coagulation. The relationship between haemothorax and the presence of A vasorum larvae in the pleural effusion is discussed. The dog was successfully treated with fenbendazole until negative for larvae on faecal examination. This case report indicates that A vasorum infection should be considered as a possible aetiological cause of haemothorax in dogs.     

Influence of Ammoniacal Copper Quaternary treatments on mechanical properties of blue-stained Lodgepole Pine wood

Three concentrations （2.8%, 2.0%, 1.2%） of Ammoniacal Copper Quaternary （ACQ） was selected to treat Lodgepole pine wood for evaluating ACQ treatment on mechanical properties of blue-stained wood. The bending modules of elasticity （MOE）, modules of rupture （MOR）, toughness and shearing strength parallel to grain on tangential surface, are tested according to the criteria GB1927-1943-91. Non-treated sample were also tested according to the same procedure. The results showed that the three groups specimen impregnated by different concentrations of ACQ solution met the AWPA standard 2003 of America （UC4A 6.4g/cm^3）. There were significant difference of toughness between treated wood and non-treated wood （p=0.01）, but there were no statistically significant differences among three concentrations in terms of toughness, and toughness of treated wood was approximately 20% lower than non-treated. MOR, MOE as well as sheafing strength parallel to grain were found to be not significantly different between treated wood and non-treated one, and there were no statistically significant difference among three concentrations of ACQ too. Toughness, MOR, MOE and sheafing strength parallel to grain increased with decrease of concentration of ACQ, but they were hardly affected by ACQ preservatives.     

Estimating “autotrophic” belowground respiration in spruce and beech forests: decreases following girdling

Seasonal fluxes of CO₂ from soil and the contribution of autotrophic (root + mycorrhizal) to total soil respiration (SR) were estimated for a mixed stand of European beech (Fagus sylvatica) and Norway spruce (Picea abies) in Central Europe. Mature trees of each species were girdled in August 2002 to eliminate carbohydrate allocation to roots. SR was measured at distances of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5/2.0 m from the bole of each tree at 1–2 weeks intervals throughout the fall of 2002 and monthly during the spring and summer of 2003. The contribution of roots and mycorrhizae to total SR was estimated by the decrease in SR compared to ungirdled control trees to account for seasonal patterns evident in controls. SR decreased with soil temperature in the fall 2002 and increased again in 2003 as soil warmed. During most of the study period, SR was strongly related to soil temperature. During the dry summer of 2003, however, SR appeared to be uncoupled from temperature and was strongly related to soil water content (SWC). Mean rates of SR in beech and spruce control plots as well as root densities did not show a clear pattern with distance from the bole. SR decreased to levels below controls in beech within a few days after girdling, whereas spruce did not show a significant decrease until October 2002, 6 weeks after girdling. In both beech and spruce, decreased SR in response to girdling was greatest closest to the bole, possibly reflecting increased mycorrhizal activity close to the bole. Autotrophic respiration was estimated in beech to be as much as 50% of the total SR in the stand. The contribution of autotrophic respiration was less certain for spruce, although close to the bole, the autotrophic fraction may contribute to total SR as much as in beech. The large fraction of autotrophic respiration in total SR requires better understanding of tree level stresses that affect carbon allocation below ground.     

Farm Forestry Prospects Among Some Local Communities in Rachuonyo District,Kenya

Deforestation and degradation of productive lands are serious threats to the sustainability of forestry/agricultural practices in Kenya. In the last two decades farm forestry (FF) has been promoted through pilot projects among local communities as an example of sustainable land use. However adoption of FF is limited outside the project locations because FF improvement measures focused mainly on biological (e.g. succession, biodiversity and traditional industrial timber production) and technical concerns (e.g. material input delivery such as providing free tree seedlings for field planting) rather than local values, and interests and the constraints facing farmers. This study examined the local farm priorities and constraints and the prospects for the wider implementation of farm-level tree planting in four communities in Rachuonyo District. Using interviews with 597 randomly selected household heads, the study assessed farmer’s production assets and activities, land tenure, priority tree species and the constraints to growing trees on farms. Results show that farm labour is represented by a young population, 56.3% under the age of forty. They are mainly engaged in small-scale mixed cropping integrated with multipurpose trees and some livestock. Tree products contribute about 32% to household cash income, more than any other source (agricultural products, labour sales, etc). Females were more often household heads and had considerable influence over productive activities, making them an important target group in FF development. Farmers preferred exotic tree species due to their ability to provide short-term cash income, fuel and shade. Farmers’ concerns included population pressure on limited farmlands and the problem of credit for agricultural inputs. Given the feeling of secured tenure arrangement and influence of tree products on the household economy, farmers are likely to invest more in efficient land uses such as FF if consideration is given to local priorities.     

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Coupled with Chemometrics Tools: A Rapid and Non-Destructive Alternative on Soil Evaluation

Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is a rapid, non-destructive and accurate technique for analyzing a wide variety of samples, thus, the growing interest of using this technique in soil science. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of NIR spectroscopy to predict organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus (P) and available potassium (K) in the soil. NIR spectra from 20 cm³ of soil samples were acquired on the range of 750 to 2500 nm in diffuse reflectance mode, resolution of 16 cm^?1 and 64 scans. Eight models of calibration/validation were constructed. Calibration and validation models showed that the predictive potential of NIR varied with the specific soil property (OC, TN, P and K) under evaluation and according to the methodology employed in the model construction (cross-validation or test set). Good prediction models were obtained for OC and TN content based on the statistical parameters. Test set methodology was able to predict soil OC, TN, P, and K better than cross-validation methodology.     

Using leaf tip necrosis as a phenotypic marker to predict the presence of durable rust resistance gene pair <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lr34</Emphasis>/<Emphasis Type="Italic">Yr18</Emphasis> in wheat

Fifty wheat varieties along with Jupateco-73 and Morocco were studied for the expression of leaf tip necrosis (LTN), a trait linked with the durable rust resistance gene pair Lr34/Yr18. LTN was frequent (i.e., ≥6) in nine replications of a field experiment over 3 years in 17 genotypes, and the varieties were considered positive for LTN. In molecular analyses of these varieties, having relative severity values up to 78 for yellow rust and 45 for leaf rust, the 150-bp Lr34/Yr18-linked allele was consistently amplified. Expression of LTN in six of nine replications is an appropriate threshold for predicting the presence of Lr34/Yr18 gene pair, and genotypes can be selected using this trait.     

Dietary roughage sources affect lactating Holstein x Zebu cows under experimental conditions in Brazil: a meta-analysis

Tropical Animal Health and Production - To reduce costs, lactating cows are often fed a higher proportion of roughage and alternative feeds; however, such protocols may not lead to optimal milk...