Uricotelism and low evaporative water loss in a South American frog

A South American anuran (Phyllomedusa sauvagii) produced large amounts of semisolid urate when it was maintained on a diet of insects. Rates of evaporative water loss in Phyllomedusa sauvagii were only about 5 to 10 percent of those other anurans tested and were similar to those of lizards of comparable size.     

Systemic Immunosuppression by Methylprednisolone and Pregnancy Rates in Goats Undergoing the Transfer of Cloned Embryos

The presence of the zona pellucida has been perceived as a requirement for the oviductal transfer of cloned embryos at early stages of development while protecting the embryo from an immune system response. We hypothesized that steroid hormone therapy could reduce a potential cellular immune response after the transfer of zona‐free cloned embryos into the oviduct of recipient female goats. In Experiment 1, seven does were used to study the systemic immunosuppressant effect of the methylprednisolone administration (for 3 days) on blood cell counts. Whole blood was collected prior to treatment with methyprednisolone and then on Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 14, 21 and 28 after the first dose of methylprednisolone for the analysis of haematological parameters. Methylprednisolone treatment significantly reduced circulating white blood cells and neutrophils in comparison with pre‐treatment levels, demonstrating a systemic immunosuppressant effect. In Experiment 2, a group of 58 does were used as recipient females to study the effect of administration of methylprednisolone for 3 days on the establishment of pregnancies after the transfer of zona‐free cloned embryos into the oviducts. No effects on pregnancy rates on Day 30 were observed regarding the distinct treatment groups (control vs. methylprednisolone), the source of oocytes (in vivo‐ vs in vitro‐matured) or the presence or absence of the zona pellucida in embryos. In summary, methylprednisolone was effective at inducing a systemic immunosuppressed state in goats, but the treatment prior to embryo transfer did not affect pregnancy rates. Moreover, pregnancy rates were similar between zona‐free and zona‐intact goat cloned embryos.     

Altered regulation of airway epithelial cell chloride channels in cystic fibrosis

In many epithelial cells the chloride conductance of the apical membrane increases during the stimulation of electrolyte secretion. Single-channel recordings from human airway epithelial cells showed that beta-adrenergic stimulation evoked apical membrane chloride channel activity, but this response was absent in cells from patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). However, when membrane patches were excised from CF cells into media containing sufficient free calcium (approximately 180 nanomolar), chloride channels were activated. The chloride channels of CF cells were similar to those of normal cells as judged by their current-voltage relations, ion selectivity, and kinetic behavior. These findings demonstrate the presence of chloride channels in the apical membranes of CF airway cells. Their regulation by calcium appears to be intact, but cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent control of their activity is defective.     

Detection and Characterization of the Cumulene Carbenes H2C5 and H2C6

Two cumulene carbenes, H2C5 and H2C6, were detected in a supersonic molecular beam by Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. Their rotational and leading centrifugal distortion constants were determined with high accuracy, such that the entire radio spectrum can now be calculated. Like the known carbenes H2C3 and H2C4, both molecules have singlet electronic ground states and linear carbon-chain backbones. They can be produced in sufficiently high concentrations in the laboratory that their electronic spectra, expected to lie in the visible, should be readily detectable by laser spectroscopy. The microwave spectra of other, more exotic isomers may be detectable as well.     

ELISA在苏云金杆菌杀虫蛋白毒素检测中的应用及新进展

苏云金杆菌是目前应用较广泛的生物杀虫细菌之一，其产生的杀虫蛋白毒素是主要的杀虫成分，目前对苏云金杆菌的毒力和杀虫蛋白毒素的检测主要采用生物测定、SDS-PAGE等方法，但这些方法的灵敏度较差。本文综述了酶联免疫吸附分析法在苏云金杆菌蛋白毒素检测中的应用，以及在检测中采用的ELISA的类型和基本原理，并对其应用前景进行了展望。     

球孢白僵菌生长及毒力影响因子的研究进展

随着害虫综合治理的提出，昆虫病原真菌在防治农林害虫上的应用日趋广泛，白僵菌是世界各国研究应用最多的真菌杀虫剂。从白僵菌生长所需的营养、温湿度条件等方面的研究进展进行阐述，总结了提高菌株生长水平和杀虫效果的主要措施，以期对今后白僵菌的培养及应用提供参考。     

Characterization of flowering time and SSR marker analysis of spring and winter type Brassica napus L. germplasm

Flowering dates and life forms of all available Brassica napus accessions conserved at the North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station (NCRPIS) were characterized, and a survey of molecular variation was conducted by using simple sequence repeats (SSR) in order to support better management of accessions with diverse life forms. To characterize flowering phenology, 598 B. napus accessions from the NCRPIS collection were planted in Iowa and Kansas field sites together with a current commercial cultivar and observed for days to flowering (first, 50% and 100% flowering) in 2003. Days from planting to 50% flowering ranged from 34 to 83 in Iowa and from 53 to 89 in Kansas. The mean accumulated growing degree days (GDD) to 50% flowering were 1,997 in Iowa, and 2,106 in Kansas. Between locations, the correlation in flowering time (r = 0.42) and the correlation in computed GDD (r = 0.40) were both significant. Differences in flowering-time rank were observed for several accessions. Accessions that failed to flower in Iowa in a single growing season comprised 28.5% of the accessions; of the flowering accessions, 100% plant flowering was not always achieved. Accessions were grouped according to flowering time. A stratified sample of 50 accessions was selected from these groups, including 10 non-flowering and 40 flowering accessions of diverse geographic origins and phenological variation. The flowering time observed in the sampled accessions when grown in the greenhouse were found to be significantly correlated to the flowering time observed in the field locations in Iowa (r = 0.79) and Kansas (r = 0.49). Thirty SSR markers, selected across 18 Brassica linkage groups from BrassicaDB, and 3 derived from Brassica expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were scored in the stratified sample. An average of three bands per SSR primer pair was observed. Associations of SSR marker fragments with the life forms were determined. Analysis of molecular variation by using cluster analysis and ordination resulted in recognizable, distinct groups of annual and biennial life-form types, which may have direct applications for planning and management of future seed regenerations. Mention of commercial brand names in this paper does not constitute an endorsement of any product by the U.S. Department of Agriculture or cooperating agencies.     

Passive immunization of tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.), with anti-Streptococcus iniae whole sera

Passive immunization of tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, was conducted to determine whether anti- Streptococcus iniae whole sera (ASI), heat inactivated anti- S . iniae whole sera (HIASI) and normal whole sera (NWS) were protective when intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected into tilapia. The ASI was produced in tilapia actively immunized (challenged) with virulent S. iniae by i.p. injection. An antibody response against S. iniae was demonstrated by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and 18% of the immunized fish died because of the S. iniae infection. The actively immunized tilapia demonstrated a secondary antibody response and immunity to S. iniae after challenge with S. iniae by i.p. injection. Survival was 100% in the actively immunized fish. The NWS was obtained from tilapia free of ASI antibody and susceptible to S. iniae infection (40% mortality). In two separate experiments, significantly higher mortality was noted in tilapia passively immunized with NWS (33 and 53%) and phosphate buffered saline (PBS) (30 and 60%), in comparison with mortalities of 0 and 10% or 3.3 and 6.7% in the fish passively immunized with ASI or HIASI 14 days after S . iniae infection by i.p. injection ( P  = 0.0003 and 0.0023). Results suggest that immunity provided by ASI and HIASI was because of antibody against S. iniae . Inactivation of complement in the HIASI treatment further suggests that ASI antibody plays a primary role in immunity against S. iniae infection.