Oxidative stress and liver disease.

Pro-oxidants are numerous and varied. Antioxidants are equally varied in their mechanism of action, and oxidative stress is likely not a simple arithmetic summation of these two opposing forces. More likely, it is a complex set of interrelated formulas with large areas of overlap and small areas of unique effect. In this article, the language of oxidative stress is reviewed, the consequences of oxidative stress are presented, the pathophysiology of oxidative stress in the liver is briefly discussed, and various antioxidant treatment options most relevant to small animal patients with liver disease are reviewed.     

Adult Plant Phenotype of the Rp1-DJ Compound Rust Resistance Gene in Maize

ABSTRACT The complex structure of the rp1 rust resistance locus of maize allows two or more resistance genes to be recombined together in coupling phase. The phenotypic effects of the Rp1-DJ compound gene, which carries both Rp1-D and Rp1-J, were analyzed. The Rp1-DJ compound gene was associated with a chlorotic spotting phenotype in some genetic backgrounds. At the seedling stage, lines carrying Rp1-DJ are fully susceptible to Puccinia sorghi biotype HI1, which is virulent on lines with the two genes singly. At later stages of growth, however, Rp1-DJ lines show partial resistance when compared with sibling lines not carrying the compound gene. The Rp1-DJ gene also confers partial resistance to P. polysora in adult plants.     

Inheritance and expression of transgenes in T2 and T3 generations of Lotus corniculatus transformed using Agrobacterium tumefaciens

The inheritance and expression of the reporter gene uidA, encoding β-glucuronidase (GUS), was previously analysed in the T₁ generation of 25 independent transformed lines of Lotus corniculatus cv. Leo. In the work reported here, GUS activity in various tissues of seven of these lines was tested in the T₂ generation. Four representative lines were chosen for more detailed study in the T₃ generation. Lines 25 and 38 had multiple, independently segregating transgene inserts; lines 24 and 39 appeared to transmit one segregating transgene insert to their T₁ progeny, although transgene expression was low and was detected in fewer seedlings than expected in line 39. The uidA gene was inherited and expressed in seedlings of T₁, T₂ and T₃ generations of all four lines. In all lines, transgene expression varied between tissues, with more embryos than seedlings having detectable GUS activity. Studies in the T₂ generation showed that use of transgenic plants as female or male parents altered the frequency of expression of the transgene in progeny. By contrast, in the T₃ generation the use of transgenic plants as female or male parents did not effect either frequency of transmission, or expression of the transgene, in any of the four lines. Transgene inheritance was also similar among individual pods within flower heads and between individual flower heads. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Intravenous regional anesthesia (Bier block) in a dog.

Intravenous regional anesthesia was used in an adult dog as part of a balanced approach to general anesthesia for amputation of the 4th digit of its right hind limb. It allowed the concentration of isoflurane to be reduced to 0.5%.     

Filial Cannibalism in the Swordtail Xiphophorus Helleri (Poeciliidae)

To understand behaviour during filial cannibalism in swordtails (Xiphophorus helleri), the parturition behaviour of eight individually kept females was recorded on videotape. Three levels of female activity (low, medium and high) were quantified by measuring the duration of each. Four additional behavioural events (non-cannibalistic feeding, as well as the birth, attack and cannibalism of juveniles) were quantified by determining the frequency of each. Females gave birth most frequently at a low level of activity and at this level of activity they most often gave birth at the top of the tank. Of all the attacks by females on the young, 84.4% occurred in the light. Most attacks were recorded at the bottom of the tank and 84.0% of all cannibalism occurred at the bottom. Cannibalism was most successful at the bottom of the tank with a cannibalism:attack ratio of 1:2.2 and least successful in the middle where no cannibalism was recorded. In the light, females spent more time at the top of the tank, whereas in the dark they spent more time at the bottom. It was suggested that the rate of cannibalism might be reduced if parts of the tank were kept constantly dark and if females were restricted from reaching those areas in the tank where the frequency of cannibalism was highest, namely the top and the bottom of the tank. Experimental designs and working hypotheses for future studies are discussed.     

PIT标记技术在幼鲵标记中的应用研究

对347尾预放流幼鲵的尾部皮下层和肌肉层分别进行横向和纵向PIT标记,通过对标记幼鲵6个月的跟踪观察,共收集到脱落芯片94枚,总脱落率高达27.1%,严重影响标记目的。对植入芯片时的记录进行对比分析,得出尾部皮下层纵向植入法对幼鲵肌体伤害最小,脱落率最低,为3.0%,笔者认为该方法是PIT标记幼鲵的最佳方法。     

Rapid Gas Chromatographic Technique for Quantifying 2‐Acetyl‐1‐Pyrroline and Hexanal in Rice (Oryza sativa,L.)

The aroma of rice plays a role in its consumer acceptability. The popcorn‐like smell of aromatic rice stemming primarily from its 2‐ acetyl‐1‐pyrroline (2‐AP) content is considered desirable by many consumers. Conversely, hexanal has been correlated with off odors in rice that develop from lipid oxidation. A rapid method for 2‐AP and hexanal quantification suitable for use in breeding programs, large‐scale research efforts, and quality assurance programs is needed. While developing such a method, sample preparation (degree of milling, particle size), solvent extraction time and temperature, and gas chromatographic parameters were studied. Particle size had no influence on 2‐AP or hexanal recovered. One extraction solubilized ≈80% of the 2‐AP and 56% of the hexanal present in milled rice. The optimum extraction method was assessed to require 0.3 g of ground brown or milled rice in methylene chloride held at 85°C for 2.5 hr. The complete gas chromatographic run requires ≈25 min, and 50 samples can be analyzed per day. The optimized method's linear response (R² = 0.99) and reproducibility was demonstrated. The stability of 2‐AP and hexanal in frozen milled rice and in refrigerated methylene chloride extracts was excellent for at least six months. Milled and unmilled commercial and breeders' aromatic rice samples contained 10–1,104 ng/g of 2‐AP and 148–2,541 ng/g of hexanal. Genotype had the greatest effect on the 2‐AP and hexanal content of two lines grown over four years and in four states.