Primary meningeal T-cell lymphoma in a harbor seal (Phoca vitulina).

A 15-year-old female harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) was referred to the Nantes Veterinary School, Nantes, France, with a clinical history of anorexia, seizures, and left hemiplegia. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed large numbers of neoplastic lymphoid cells. After injection of a contrast agent into the cerebrospinal space, radiographs demonstrated an asymmetry of the right lateral ventricle. Necropsy examination revealed a marked edema of the right frontal lobe, extending to the basal nuclei and thalamus in the brain. Histological examination of the brain revealed leptomeningeal lymphoma. Immunohistochemical labeling demonstrated that the neoplasm was of T-cell origin. No significant macroscopic or microscopic lesions were observed in the other organs examined, including lymphoid organs. This is the first report of primary leptomeningeal lymphoma in a harbor seal.     

Secreted peptide Dilp8 coordinates Drosophila tissue growth with developmental timing

Little is known about how organ growth is monitored and coordinated with the developmental timing in complex organisms. In insects, impairment of larval tissue growth delays growth and morphogenesis, revealing a coupling mechanism. We carried out a genetic screen in Drosophila to identify molecules expressed by growing tissues participating in this coupling and identified dilp8 as a gene whose silencing rescues the developmental delay induced by abnormally growing tissues. dilp8 is highly induced in conditions where growth impairment produces a developmental delay. dilp8 encodes a peptide for which expression and secretion are sufficient to delay metamorphosis without affecting tissue integrity. We propose that Dilp8 peptide is a secreted signal that coordinates the growth status of tissues with developmental timing.     

Immune response to Rhodococcus equi ATCC 33701-secreted proteins in mice and identification of immunogenic recombinant proteins by dot-blotting

Rhodococcus equi remains a significant pathogen, causing severe pneumonia in foals. The development of vaccines and serologic diagnosis could be greatly facilitated by studying the humoral immune response to this equine pathogen. In this study, a crude extract of R. equi ATCC 33701-secreted proteins combined with the Montanide® ISA70 adjuvant was found to be highly immunogenic in mice with the highest titer of 99,000 on day 42 after the first subcutaneous immunization. This immune response was dependent on the quantity of proteins injected and the presence of adjuvant. By dot-blotting, eight recombinant secreted proteins were identified to react strongly with sera from immunized mice. Of these eight proteins, four were detected as immunogenic only when administered in conjunction with adjuvant. This screening strategy led to the identification of promising new candidates for vaccine development.     

Participatory landrace selection for on-farm conservation: An example from the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, Mexico

On-farm conservation is recognized as a key component of a comprehensive strategy to conserve crop genetic resources. A fundamental problem faced by any on-farm conservation project is the identification of crop populations on which efforts should be focused. This paper describes a method to identify a subset of landraces for further conservation efforts from a larger collection representing the diversity found in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, Mexico. Mexico is a center of origin and diversity for maize (Zea mays L.). The 17 landraces selected from an initial collection of 152 satisfy two criteria. First, they represent the diversity present in the larger collection. Second, they appear to serve the interests of farmers in the region. Data for applying the method were elicited through participatory as well as conventional techniques. They incorporate the complementary perspectives of both men and women members of farm households, and of plant breeders and social scientists.     

Relationships between individual movement,trophic position and growth of juvenile pike (Esox lucius)

Variation in movement between individuals can have important ecological effects on populations and ecosystems, yet the factors driving differences in movement and their consequences remain poorly understood. Here, individual variability in the movements of juvenile (age 0 +  and 1 +  year) pike Esox lucius was assessed using passive integrated transponder (PIT) telemetry in off‐channel nursery areas over a 26‐ month period. Differences in the movement patterns of individuals were tested against their body sizes, ages, growth rates and trophic positions using data collected through a combination of catch‐and‐release sampling and stable isotope analyses. Results revealed that variation in movement between individuals was affected by age, with 1 +  individuals moving more than individuals of age 0 + , but not length. Individuals whose TP was low on their initial capture event moved significantly less than those with a higher initial TP. Individuals that moved more grew faster and achieved a higher final TP. These results suggest that higher activity (i.e., increased movement) increases resource acquisition that enhances growth rates, which could ultimately maximise individual performances.     

Genomic Prediction of Arsenic Tolerance and Grain Yield in Rice: Contribution of Trait-Specific Markers and Multi-Environment Models

Many rice-growing areas are affected by high concentrations of arsenic(As). Rice varieties that prevent As uptake and/or accumulation can mitigate As threats to human health. Genomic selection is known to facilitate rapid selection of superior genotypes for complex traits. We explored the predictive ability(PA) of genomic prediction with single-environment models, accounting or not for trait-specific markers, multi-environment models, and multi-trait and multi-environment models, using the genotypic(1600 K SNPs) and phenotypic(grain As content, grain yield and days to flowering) data of the Bengal and Assam Aus Panel. Under the base-line single-environment model, PA of up to 0.707 and 0.654 was obtained for grain yield and grain As content, respectively; the three prediction methods(Bayesian Lasso, genomic best linear unbiased prediction and reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces) were considered to perform similarly, and marker selection based on linkage disequilibrium allowed to reduce the number of SNP to 17 K, without negative effect on PA of genomic predictions. Single-environment models giving distinct weight to trait-specific markers in the genomic relationship matrix outperformed the base-line models up to 32%. Multi-environment models, accounting for genotype × environment interactions, and multi-trait and multi-environment models outperformed the base-line models by up to 47% and 61%, respectively. Among the multi-trait and multi-environment models, the Bayesian multi-output regressor stacking function obtained the highest predictive ability(0.831 for grain As) with much higher efficiency for computing time. These findings pave the way for breeding for As-tolerance in the progenies of biparental crosses involving members of the Bengal and Assam Aus Panel. Genomic prediction can also be applied to breeding for other complex traits under multiple environments.     

Hepatic encephalomyelopathy in a calf with congenital portosystemic shunt (CPSS)

A 4-month-old female Holstein Friesian calf was referred to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Berne, Switzerland for evaluation of ataxia, weakness, apathy and stunted growth. Clinical examination revealed generalized ataxia, propioceptive deficits, decreased menace response and sensibility. Postmortem examination did not reveal macroscopic changes of major organs. Histologically, the brain and the spinal cord lesions were characterized by polymicrocavitation, preferentially affecting the white matter fibers at the junction of grey and white matter and by the presence of Alzheimer type II cells. The liver revealed lesions consistent with a congenital portosystemic shunt, characterized by increased numbers of arteriolar profiles and hypoplasia to absence of portal veins. The pathological investigations along with the animal history and clinical signs indicated a hepatic encephalomyelopathy due to a congenital portosystemic shunt.