Assessment of the degree of genetic variation in beet based on RFLP analysis and the taxonomy of Beta

Summary Clones derived from Beta vulgaris and Beta maritima were assayed for their ability to detect restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) in different beet accessions. The clones able to detect polymorphism were used as genetic markers to assess the degree of genetic variation existing between and within different species of the genus Beta. The data support the current taxonomy of the Beta vulgaris section, while the great genetic similarity found between Beta webbiana and Beta procumbens indicates that they could belong to the same species.Enough variation was found between Beta vulgaris cultivars, allowing the isolation of a sufficient number of genetic markers for the construction of detailed genetic maps.     

A genomic library of Lycopersicon pennellii in L. esculentum: A tool for fine mapping of genes

The cultivated tomato contains only a small fraction of the genetic variation present in its wild relatives. In order to use the wild germplasm in tomato breeding and genetic studies we developed a new kind of genetic resource which is composed of 50 L. esculentum lines each containing a single introgression from the green fruited species L. pennellii (LA 716). Each of the introgression lines is nearly isogenic to the cultivated tomato; these lines provide complete coverage of the wild species genome. The lines contain on the average an introgression of 33 cM from a total genome size of 1200 cM. The size and identity of the introgressed segments was determined based on RFLP analysis of 350 markers. This resource can be viewed as a genomic library of the wild species in the cultivated background. It covers the entire genome with single independent inserts per line and therefore every phenotypic difference between the introgression lines can be associated with the unique introgressed segment. The development and potential application of this resource are discussed.     

Acetosolv delignification of marabou (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Dichrostachys cinerea</Emphasis>) wood with and without acid prehydrolysis

The chemical composition of marabou(Dichrostachys cinerea) wood and its treatment with acetic acid were investigated.Two different treatment approaches,direct acetosolv and combined acid prehydrolysis/acetosolv,were evaluated.The effects of acetic acid concentration(50%,70% and 90%) and temperature(normal boiling temperature and 121°C) on yield of solids,solubilization of lignin and hemicelluloses and recovery of cellulose were evaluated for both treatments.High solubilization of marabou components was observed in the direct acetosolv treatment at 121°C,especially at the highest acetic acid concentration,where around 84.8% of lignin and 78% of hemicelluloses were removed.When the material was subjected to acid prehydrolysis prior to acetosolv treatment,lignin solubilization was improved,especially at low acetic acid concentrations.Above 80% of the solubilized lignin was recovered from the liquors in the direct acetosolv treatment,but the recovery was lower in the combined treatment.Cellulose was well preserved in all the treatment schemes.     

CNS disease in the cat: current knowledge of infectious causes

PRACTICAL RELEVANCE: Neurological disease is a relatively common reason for referral, constituting approximately 10% of the feline referral caseload. Nearly one-third to one-half of these cases may be infectious in origin. As such, an awareness of infectious diseases causing central nervous system (CNS) signs in cats, and their clinical diagnosis and management, is relevant to anyone dealing with cats on a regular basis. GLOBAL IMPORTANCE: Some conditions (eg, rabies) are more common in certain countries than others. Conditions such as feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) and toxoplasmosis are of global significance. PATIENT GROUP: Many infectious diseases may affect any feline population. Some, such as FIP, are more common in pedigree households, whereas others such as toxoplasmosis, feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) or feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) infections, are more likely to affect a single cat with an outdoor lifestyle. EQUIPMENT: All patients benefit from thorough history taking and clinical, neurological and ophthalmic examinations, which all require minimal equipment. Infectious diseases may often be diagnosed on blood samples; however, definitive diagnosis may require more extensive investigation involving cerebrospinal fluid analysis or advanced imaging necessitating access to computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. EVIDENCE BASE: The information in this review, which summarises current knowledge of infectious diseases affecting the CNS, is collated from publications on the infectious diseases comprising previous research papers, review articles, case series, case reports and textbooks, supplemented by the clinical experience of the authors.     

Feline intracranial meningioma with skull erosion and tumour extension into an area of skull hyperostosis

Skull hyperostosis is a frequently recognised feature of meningioma in feline and human patients, occurring at a frequency of around 4.5% of human cases. Evidence of osteolysis with extension of meningioma into, and in some cases through, the region of skull hyperostosis is much less commonly described in human patients. Here we present a 12-year-old cat with marked skull hyperostosis secondary to an intracranial meningioma, with magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography evidence of tumour extension into the skull, centrally within the region of hyperostosis. Only a thin layer of bone was remaining between the mass and the extracranial region. Surgical resection of the region of skull demonstrating tumour invasion and the underlying mass resulted in good resolution of clinical signs and no post-surgical recurrence of meningioma within the 5 months follow-up period. Histopathological examination confirmed the mass to be fibroblastic meningioma.     

Hypertension in Cats With Chronic Renal Failure or Hyperthyroidism

The Doppler ultrasonic recording technique was used to measure systolic and diastolic blood pressures indirectly in 28 cats with naturally occurring renal failure, 39 cats with hyperthyroidism, and 33 clinically normal cats. The mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures in the normal cats were 118.4 +/- 10.6 mm Hg and 83.8 +/- 12.2 mm Hg, respectively. In the cats with chronic renal failure, both the systolic (146.6 +/- 25.4 mm Hg) and diastolic (96.6 +/- 15.2 mm Hg) blood pressures were significantly higher (P less than 0.0001 and P less than 0.01, respectively) than in the normal cats. Elevations in systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure were recorded in 17 (61%) of the 28 cats with chronic renal failure. In the 39 untreated hyperthyroid cats, both the mean systolic (167.9 +/- 28.9 mm Hg) and diastolic (111.6 +/- 21.5 mm Hg) pressures also were significantly higher (P less than 0.0001) than normal. Increased systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure was recorded in 34 (87%) of the 39 hyperthyroid cats. In seven cats with hyperthyroidism that were reevaluated two to four months after successful treatment of the hyperthyroid state, there was a significant fall in mean systolic pressure (P less than 0.05) from a pretreatment value of 159.5 +/- 15.4 mm Hg to a posttreatment value of 132.0 +/- 1.62 mm Hg. Overall, the results of this study indicate that mild to moderate hypertension is common in cats with chronic renal failure and in cats with untreated hyperthyroidism. In addition, the hypertension appears to be reversible following successful treatment of the hyperthyroid state.     

Prevalence of Tritrichomonas foetus infection in cats with diarrhoea in the UK

Faecal samples from 111 cats with diarrhoea that were living in the UK were submitted for the assessment of Tritrichomonas foetus infection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Sixteen (14.4%) samples were found to be positive. In agreement with studies from the USA, infected cats were predominantly of a year of age or less and of a pedigree breed, with Siamese and Bengal cats specifically over-represented in this population.     

Effect of sample type, and timing of assay, on feline blood potassium concentration

Blood samples were collected from 41 cats presented for pre-anaesthetic assessments, routine geriatric screening, or re-assessment of ongoing chronic medical disorders. Samples were either left to clot or anticoagulated with lithium heparin, then assessed for their potassium concentration within 1h of collection, and again after remaining in contact with their cell pellet for 48 h. There was a significantly higher potassium concentration in the serum samples compared to the plasma samples, both in the basal and 48-h samples (although this difference was most marked in the basal samples). Ageing of both serum and plasma samples also resulted in an increase in the potassium concentration when compared with the basal values for each sample type. The mean difference (basal serum minus basal plasma) in potassium concentration was 0.47 mmol/l. While it is probable that the potassium came from either leukocytes and/or thrombocytes the mean total leukocyte count and the mean thrombocyte count were below the upper limit of the reference intervals for our laboratory and the rise in the potassium level did not appear to be directly related to either of these values.