The genome sequence of Drosophila melanogaster

The fly Drosophila melanogaster is one of the most intensively studied organisms in biology and serves as a model system for the investigation of many developmental and cellular processes common to higher eukaryotes, including humans. We have determined the nucleotide sequence of nearly all of the approximately 120-megabase euchromatic portion of the Drosophila genome using a whole-genome shotgun sequencing strategy supported by extensive clone-based sequence and a high-quality bacterial artificial chromosome physical map. Efforts are under way to close the remaining gaps; however, the sequence is of sufficient accuracy and contiguity to be declared substantially complete and to support an initial analysis of genome structure and preliminary gene annotation and interpretation. The genome encodes approximately 13,600 genes, somewhat fewer than the smaller Caenorhabditis elegans genome, but with comparable functional diversity.     

The response of pigs to being loaded or unloaded onto commercial animal transporters using three systems

Groups of pigs were subjected to three different systems of loading and unloading to and from commercial animal transporters. The systems under trial were: the use of a hydraulic tail-lift, a tail board ramp at an angle of 18 degrees and a modular system. The module was a container 2 m x 2.4 m x 1 m high into which the pigs were loaded. The module could then be lifted on and off the lorry with a fork lift truck. Non-invasive monitoring techniques were used to study the responses of the pigs. A subjective handling score, time taken to load and unload, skin temperature, heart rate and salivary cortisol were recorded. Loading and unloading were subjectively assessed as being easiest and quickest using the modular system, which also appeared to be less physically demanding for the animals, as evidenced by lower heart rate and a reduced maximum heart rate. However, with the modular system, elevated cortisol was found during the loading, unloading and resting periods. This could be interpreted as indicating that the pigs were unable to settle in the module and suffered some small degree of stress, which might become more of a problem during prolonged transport. Of the other two systems, there appeared to be little difference between the hydraulic tail-lift and the ramp.     

Nucleotide sequencing, whitefly transmission, and screening tomato for resistance against two newly described begomoviruses in bangladesh

ABSTRACT The molecular diversity of Tomato leaf curl viruses (ToLCVs), from the two main tomato growing areas of Jessore and Joydebpur, Bangladesh, was investigated. The viral DNA was amplified from tomato plants exhibiting mild and severe symptoms by polymerase chain reaction, and the complete genomes of the ToLCVs were sequenced. An isolate of the bipartite Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus-Severe (ToLCNDV-Svr) was associated with the severe symptom phenotype from Jessore (ToLCNDV-Svr[Jes]). A previously undescribed monopartite virus, designated Tomato leaf curl Joydebpur virus-Mild (ToLCJV-Mld), was sequenced from plants showing mild symptoms. ToLCNDV-Svr[Jes] was most closely related to ToLCNDV-[Lucknow] at 95.7% nucleotide (nt) identity and Tomato leaf curl Gujarat virus-[Varanasi] at 90.6% nt identity, based on DNA-A and -B component sequences. ToLCJV-Mld was similar to Pepper leaf curl Bangladesh virus at 87.1% DNA-A nt identity. Identification of ToLCNDV-Svr[Jes] and ToLCJV-Mld was in addition to the previously described Tomato leaf curl Bangladesh virus, with which they shared 73.2 and 86.0% DNA-A nt identities, thus demonstrating the existence of at least three distinct viruses infecting tomato in Bangladesh. Nucleotide identities and placement in phylogenetic trees suggested that the three ToLCVs may have had different evolutionary pathways. The whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, transmitted the viruses of this study equally efficiently. Four tomato cultivars (TLB111, TLB130, TLB133, and TLB182) resistant/ tolerant to South Indian ToLCV were screened against the Bangladesh ToLCVs in 2003-04. Although challenged by diverse viruses and potentially mixed infections, disease incidence remained low (6 to 45%) in the resistant cultivars compared with local cultivars (68 to 100%).     

Supplemental fat in the diet of horses...is it advantageous?

Feeding fat-supplemented diets to horses has drawn considerable interest. One of the advantages of such diets is that the energy density is increased, so that less feed is needed to meet energy requirements. In addition, adding fat to the diet enhances the contribution of fat oxidation to energy production, thus sparing muscle glycogen. The 'spared' glycogen is available for energy metabolism when the acutely exercising horse reaches a point of oxygen deficit and must rely on anaerobic metabolism. This appears to be beneficial for both aerobic and anaerobic performance. Fats are readily digested by the horse. Vegetable oils are more palatable to horses than animal fats, but the palatability of fat-rich diets may decrease in the long term.     

History of the concept of 'levels of evidence' and their current status in relation to primary prevention through lifestyle interventions

Primary prevention is a major option to reduce the burden of chronic disease in populations. Because lifestyle interventions have proved to be effective, lifestyle recommendations including nutritional advice are made abundantly. However, both their credibility and their effectiveness are often considered not to be high. Therefore, scientific evidence should form the basis of recommendations and, as in clinical medicine, a rational approach should be followed for the evaluation of evidence. In this paper, the development and current concepts of 'levels of evidence' as they are applied in clinical medicine are outlined and their impact on evidence-based recommendations is discussed. Next, the question is raised as to how far the existing schemes are applicable to the evaluation of issues pertaining to primary prevention through lifestyle changes. Current schemes were developed mainly for clinical research questions and therefore place major emphasis on randomised controlled trials as the main and most convincing evidence in the evaluation process. These types of study are rarely available for lifestyle-related factors and might even not be feasible to obtain. Arguments are advanced to support the notion that a modification of currently existing 'levels of evidence' as developed for clinical research questions might be necessary. Thereby, one might be able to accommodate the specific aspects of evidence-related issues of recommendations for primary prevention through lifestyle changes, like dietary changes.     

Genetic Analysis of Isolates of Botrytis cinerea Sensitive and Resistant to Benzimidazole and Dicarboximide Fungicides

ABSTRACT A total of 56 isolates of B. cinerea collected from ornamental crops from commercial greenhouses were examined by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) fingerprint analyses. Isolates were examined as two independent sets of 35 and 36 isolates, with 15 isolates common to both sets. The isolates had four phenotypes: 17 were sensitive to two commonly used fungicides, thiophanate-methyl (a benzimidazole) and vinclozolin (a dicarboximide) (S(T)S(V)); 18 were resistant to both fungicides (R(T)R(V)); 16 were resistant to thiophanate-methyl but sensitive to vinclozolin (R(T)S(V)); and 5 were sensitive to thiophanate-methyl but resistant to vinclozolin (S(T)R(V)). Relationships among the isolates were determined by cluster analyses of mean character differences using the unweighted pair group method using arithmetic average and cladograms were constructed. Isolates were clustered primarily by fungicide-sensitivity phenotype. In one set of greenhouse isolates, 6 of 10 S(T)S(V) isolates clustered together with a bootstrap confidence value of 91%. In the other fingerprint set of greenhouse isolates, 9 of 11 S(T)S(V) isolates clustered together and had a bootstrap confidence value of 98%. Isolates resistant to thiophanate-methyl, vinclozolin, or both fungicides usually were not clustered with other isolates or were clustered with isolates of the same phenotype. To further elucidate these relationships, variant isolates resistant to one or both fungicides were produced on fungicide-amended agar medium from 14 S(T)S(V) greenhouse isolates. These 14 S(T)S(V) parent isolates, 57 resistant variant isolates, and 11 resistant greenhouse isolates were analyzed as three independent RAPD fingerprint sets. Variants selected from eight S(T)S(V) parent isolates were resistant to both thiophanate-methyl and vinclozolin even though parent isolates were exposed to only one of the fungicides. Isolates resistant only to vinclozolin (S(T)R(V)) had fingerprint patterns similar to and clustered with those of parent isolates, while fingerprint patterns of isolates resistant to thiophanate-methyl (i.e., R(T)R(V) or R(T)S(V)), regardless of sensitivity to vinclozolin, clustered differently from both those of S(T)S(V) parent isolates and those of S(T)R(V) isolates derived from the same parent. R(T)R(V) and R(T)S(V) variant isolates derived from the same fungicide-sensitive parents only clustered with other variants having the same phenotype.     

Changes in the blood biochemical and haematological profile of neonatal calves with age

Fourteen calves were used to investigate the changes from birth to 83 days of age in the concentrations of serum albumin, alkaline phosphatase, beta-hydroxybutyrate, plasma cortisol, serum creatine kinase, creatinine, iron, plasma fibrinogen, serum gamma-glutamyl transferase, plasma glucose, haptoglobin, serum non-esterified fatty acids, total protein, transferrin, triglycerides, urea and gamma globulin; the haematological variables measured were: basophils, eosinophils, haematocrit, haemoglobin, lymphocytes, mean cell haemoglobin, mean cell haemoglobin concentration, mean cell volume, monocytes, band neutrophils, neutrophils, platelets, red blood cells and white blood cells. The changes are presented as a series of graphs and the values are discussed in relation to the published reference ranges for adult cattle. Two populations of calves were identified which gave rise to a bimodal distribution for some of the variables. Differences in haematocrit, haemoglobin and red blood cell counts were apparent at birth, with raised values for these measurements being associated with an increased white blood cell and neutrophil count between three and 27 days of age.