Cerebellar cystic meningioma in a dog

A 21-kg, seven-year-old, male, mixed-breed Labrador retriever was admitted for incoordination and a head tilt of approximately three months' duration. Ataxia was noted of the trunk and limbs, and there was a head tilt to the right side. Conscious proprioceptive deficits were present in the left thoracic and pelvic limbs (i.e., hemiparesis). These abnormalities were consistent with paradoxical vestibular syndrome and a lesion involving the caudal cerebellar peduncle. A mass lesion consisting primarily of fluid was present on magnetic resonance imaging and at craniectomy. Histopathological diagnosis was a cystic meningioma. Based upon previous reports and experience, the location of this tumor was unusual.     

猕猴桃成熟果实中脂氧合酶基因的克隆

采用ＰＣＲ扩增方法,从成熟猕猴桃果实组织中克隆到一个８２４ｂｐ的脂氧合酶（ＬＯＸ）基因片段（ｐＫＬＣ１）,该片段含有２７５个氨基酸组成的开放阅读框架,它与拟南芥菜、黄瓜、豌豆、土豆、水稻、大豆、烟草和番茄的核苷酸同源性为５９．０％～７４．６％,氨基酸同源性为６３．１％～７６．３％。Ｓｏｕｔｈｅｒｎ杂交表明,ｐＫＬＣ１片段为一低拷贝数基因家族所编码。     

What are the prospects for black bream Acanthopagrus butcheri (Munro) aquaculture in salt‐affected inland Australia?

Black bream are a highly regarded sport and table fish, and there has been considerable interest in their aquaculture potential for the salt‐affected agricultural regions of inland southern Australia. In many ways they are an ideal candidate species for inland saline aquaculture because they appear to be very hardy, hatchery techniques are well established for them, and high survival rates have been maintained under a variety of culture conditions and feeding regimes. However, their slow growth rate needs to be increased by at least 33% for black bream to become an economically viable aquaculture species. Growth is amenable to genetic improvement, and sub‐adult growth rate shows moderate heritability and no adverse genetic correlations with other production traits. Nevertheless fillet yield is comparatively low, and in conjunction with unpredictable and early sexual development in culture, industry‐scale meat production remains problematic. These obstacles, however, do not preclude the use of black bream as a recreational fish species for inland saline waters, where their stocking may provide an additional source of rural income and relieve fishing pressure on depleted estuarine populations.     

Familial canine dermatomyositis: clinical, electrodiagnostic, and genetic studies

Three Collies with a skin disorder, 6 progeny from a breeding of 2 of the Collies (incross litter), and the 4 progeny from the breeding of an affected Collie male and a normal Labrador Retriever female (outcross litter) were examined. By 7 to 11 weeks of age, all 6 dogs in the incross litter developed a qualitatively similar, but variably severe, dermatitis of the ears, face, lips, tip of the tail, and over bony prominences of limbs. Later, myopathic signs characterized by bilaterally symmetrical skeletal muscle atrophy of the head, neck, trunk, and extremities; facial palsy; decreased jaw tone; stiff gait; and hyperreflexia were observed in the dogs more severely affected by the dermatitis. Of the 4 dogs in the outcross litter, 3 had similar, but milder, clinical manifestations of the dermatitis and myopathy. Cutaneous lesions consisted of intraepidermal and subepidermal vesicles or pustules with intradermal infiltration by leukocytes. Muscle lesions included myositis; myofiber degeneration, regeneration, and atrophy; and fibrosis. A generalized myopathy in the severely affected dogs was indicated by abnormal readings on needle electromyograms and normal motor nerve conduction velocities. Spontaneous needle electromyogram abnormalities were fibrillation potentials, positive sharp waves, and bizarre high-frequency discharges. Retrospective and prospective genetic analyses disclosed a definite familial tendency and indicated the condition has an autosomal dominant component.     

Protein design, a minimalist approach

The question of how the amino acid sequence of a protein specifies its three-dimensional structure remains to be answered. Proteins are so large and complex that it is difficult to discern the features in their sequences that contribute to their structural stability and function. One approach to this problem is de novo design of model proteins, much simpler than their natural counterparts, yet containing sufficient information in their sequences to specify a given function (for example, folding in aqueous solution, folding in membranes, or formation of ion channels). Designed proteins provide simple model systems for understanding protein structure and function.     

Effects of temperature and salinity on larval survival and development of the western school prawn Metapenaeus dalli

International Aquatic Research - The effects of temperature and salinity on the survival and development of larval Metapenaeus dalli were investigated in two experiments. First, the effects of four...     

Identification of QTLs associated with resistance to Phomopsis pod blight (Diaporthe toxica) in Lupinus albus

Phomopsis blight in Lupinus albus is caused by a fungal pathogen, Diaporthe toxica. It can invade all plant parts, leading to plant material becoming toxic to grazing animals, and potentially resulting in lupinosis. Identifying sources of resistance and breeding for resistance remains the best strategy for controlling Phomopsis and reducing lupinosis risks. However, loci associated with resistance to Phomopsis blight have not yet been identified. In this study, quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis identified genomic regions associated with resistance to Phomopsis pod blight (PPB) using a linkage map of L. albus constructed previously from an F₈ recombinant inbred line population derived from a cross between Kiev-Mutant (susceptible to PPB) and {"type":"entrez-protein","attrs":{"text":"P27174","term_id":"14195583","term_text":"P27174"}}P27174 (resistant to PPB). Phenotyping was undertaken using a detached pod assay. In total, we identified eight QTLs for resistance to PPB on linkage group (LG) 3, LG6, LG10, LG12, LG17 and LG27 from different phenotyping environments. However, at least one QTL, QTL-5 on LG10 was consistently detected in both phenotyping environments and accounted for up to 28.2% of the total phenotypic variance. The results of this study showed that the QTL-2 on LG3 interacts epistatically with QTL-5 and QTL-6, which map on LG10 and LG12, respectively.     

Utilisation of the Commonwealth Potato Collection in potato breeding

Summary The use of the Commonwealth Potato Collection in potato breeding is set in the context of the evolution of the crop and the need to widen its genetic base by introgression and base broadening. The introduction of the potato to Europe and its subsequent worldwide spread is described. An introduction is given to the world's major potato genebanks, and the current status of the Commonwealth Potato Collection is presented. Material from this genebank has been extensively used to improve the potato. Work on wild species as sources of resistance to late blight started before the genebank was initiated, and since then CPC accessions have provided major R-genes and durable resistance to breeders, greatly benefiting growers and consumers of the potato. Progress identifying and exploiting resistance to viruses and potato cyst nematodes is described. New sources of further pest and disease resistance genes are present in the germplasm in the collection, offering the potential to overcome current and future pests and diseases. Use of the cultivated species in the collection for base broadening is described and discussed. The collection also harbours a wide range of quality traits of use to breeders, including variation for cooking and crisping, anthocyanins, carotenoids, ascorbate metabolism and others. As breeding and genetics become more precise, and as both the knowledge of biochemical pathways and means of analysing chemical composition advance, new ways of accessing this variation become possible. Possible strategies to achieve these goals are discussed.