Laryngotracheitis outbreak limited to a part of a chicken flock exposed to smoke and chemicals

Laryngotracheitis was diagnosed in a flock of molted, caged table-egg-layers. Morbidity was restricted to an area of the house in which the birds had been exposed to smoke from a fire in the house and to a powdered chemical fire-extinguisher used on the fire. Mortality in this group began to rise 6 days after the fire and continued to be above normal for about 3 weeks. Feed consumption dropped for about 1 1/2 weeks after the fire but was normal or above normal during the rest of the disease outbreak. Egg production dropped slightly for 1 week after the fire, then returned to normal. Microscopic tracheitis in the exposed birds continued for 11 weeks after the fire. Hens outside of the smoke-affected area did not show histopathological changes or shed laryngotracheitis virus.     

Control of the bindweeds Convolvulus arvensis and Calystegia sepium in fruit crops

Convolvulus arvensis is the most important species of bindweed in Britain. Established plants spread by means of lateral roots: establishment from seed and fragments of the underground growth is not important. The hormone weedkillers like 2,4-D and MCPA give good control in the year of treatment. With the correct dose and timing there is also good control in the year after treatment. Adding paraquat to 2,4-D reduces the effect in the year after treatment. Repeated annual treatment with high doses of chlorthiamid that prevent shoot growth for the entire season are no more effective against the underground growth than the standard dose of 2,4-D. Calystegia sepium spreads rapidly by rhizomes and stolons. It is more susceptible than C. arvensis to MCPB.     

Effect of daily injections of ACTH on growth and on the adrenal and lymphoid tissues of two strains of immature fowls.

1. The effects of daily injections of ACTH (30 IU/kg) or physiological saline on growth and on adrenal and lymphoid tissues of Rhode Island Red (RIR) and Light Sussex (LS) chickens were compared at 1, 2 and 3 weeks of age. 2. Saline injections retarded skeletal growth in both strains during the 1st week but only affected weight gain in LS birds. 3. Injections of ACTH depressed growth rate, caused adrenal enlargement and deplenished adrenal cholesterol to the same extent in both strains. 4. ACTH caused a greater reduction in bursal size in RIR than in LS birds. Spleen size was reduced by ACTH only in RIR birds. 5. At 2 and 3 weeks the plasma concentrations of corticosterone of RIR birds were greater than those of LS birds. Plasma corticosterone concentrations were within the normal range 24 h after the last injection of ACTH in both strains. 6. Plasma concentrations of growth hormone was unaffected by ACTH treatment in RIR birds, but it was increased in LS birds after 3 weeks of treatment.     

Does calcium constrain reproductive activity in insectivorous bats? Some empirical evidence for Schreibers’ long-fingered bat (Miniopterus schreibersii)

Insects are a poor source of dietary calcium and since they are seasonally abundant, it has been suggested that calcium availability may play a significant role in controlling the timing of reproduction in insectivorous bats. To assess the possible role of dietary calcium, we have measured bone calcium concentrations in female and male long-fingered bats (Miniopterus schreibersii) through a full reproductive cycle. The results indicate that winter was not a period of calcium stress and, therefore, that seasonal changes in insect abundance and dietary calcium availability are not a satisfactory explanation for the occurrence of delayed implantation in the long-fingered bat. Bone calcium concentrations of females did not differ significantly throughout pregnancy, indicating that the insects available in winter and early summer were sufficient to meet the calcium demands of pregnancy. Lactating females had the lowest bone calcium concentrations of all specimens, supporting the suggestion that lactation is indeed a period of severe calcium stress in aerial insectivores. We conclude that parturition is probably timed so that lactation coincides with the period of maximal insect abundance and corresponding dietary calcium availability.     

甜菜RAPD反应体系优化及亲缘关系研究

利用正交试验设计,从Mg~(2+)、dNTP、引物、Taq酶和模板5种因素5个水平上对甜菜RAPD反应体系进行优化,确立了适合甜菜RAPD反应体系:25μL反应体系中含1×Buffer、1.0 mmol/LMg~(2+)、1U Taq DNA聚合酶、0.25 mmol/LdNTP、0.4μmol/L随机引物和25 ngDNA模板。利用优化的RAPD反应体系对38个甜菜品种进行亲缘关系分析。结果表明,38个品种之间的多态性比较高,变异大。聚类图结果表明,38个甜菜品种遗传距离的变异范围在0.14～0.72。当以遗传距离0.50来划分时,可将38个品种分为两大类,以遗传距离0.40来划分时,又可以把第2大类分为6个亚类。结果显示,RAPD优化体系适合甜菜亲缘关系鉴定。     

甜菜SSR反应体系优化及重要农艺性状分子标记

[目的]为选育优质甜菜新品种,利用SSR法筛选与高糖、高产、耐盐相关的分子标注.[方法]研究对甜菜SSR-PCR反应体系进行优化,并利用SSR分子标记方法和分离群体分组分析法(Bulked SegregateAnalysis,BSA)对具有高糖/低糖、低产/高产、耐盐/不耐盐三种重要农艺性状的甜菜亲本和F2代植株进行分析.[结果]研究建立了适宜甜菜的SSR-PCR反应体系为:20μL反应体系中含l×Buffer、2.0 mmol/LMg2+、1.5 uTaq DNA聚合酶、0.20 mmol/L dNTP、1.5 μmol/L引物、60 ng DNA模板.依据优化体系,对不同农艺性状的甜菜亲本与F2代进行SSR-PCR扩增分析,高糖性状获得了200和100 bp两条与高糖性状连锁的标记,250和230 bp两条与高产性状连锁的标记,550、250和100 bp三条与耐盐性状紧密连锁的分子标记.[结论]研究获得的7条特异条带是与甜菜重要农艺性状连锁的分子标记,将为甜菜的育种工作提供重要的理论基础.     

Effects of photoperiod,light intensity,turbidity and prey density on feed incidence and survival in first feeding yellow tang (Zebrasoma flavescens)(Bennett)

Zebrasoma flavescens (Bennett) aquaculture is limited by high mortality during first feeding. Photoperiod, light intensity, turbidity and prey density are culture parameters that have been shown to affect feed incidence and survival in some food fish species, offering a logical starting point to improve first feeding in Z. flavescens. This study aimed to determine the effect of photoperiod, light intensity, turbidity and prey density on feed incidence and survival in larval yellow tang age 3 DPH to 5 DPH (days post hatch). Larvae were reared in four photoperiods (24L:0D, 16L:8D, 12L:12D, 0L:24D), four light intensities (1,500, 3,000, 4,500 and 6,500 lx), three turbidity ranges (0 cells/ml, 100,000–200,000 cells/ml and 400,000–600,000 cells/ml) and four prey densities (1, 3, 6 and 9 per mL). Photoperiod at 16L:8D and 12L:12D significantly increased feed incidence; 16L:8D significantly increased survival. Light intensities at 3,000 and 4,500 lx significantly increased feed incidence. Larvae reared in 400,000–600,000 cells/ml fed and survived significantly better than those in clear water. Larvae in 1 per mL fed and survived significantly less than those fed at 6 per mL.     

Linking nest histories,remotely sensed land use data and wildlife crime records to explore the impact of grouse moor management on peregrine falcon populations

Wildlife crime can be difficult to quantify, and its true impact on populations can be underestimated if rates are under-recorded. The illegal killing of birds of prey is an important form of wildlife crime, which in the UK, is often associated with land managed for the recreational shooting of red grouse Lagopus lagopus scoticus. In the UK, increases in peregrine falcons Falco peregrinus following recovery from organo-chlorine pesticides have not been uniform, with slow growth and localised declines in some areas, including those managed for red grouse shooting. In this study, we combined 1081 peregrine nest histories across northern England between 1980 and 2006 with a remotely sensed map of grouse moor management, to test whether breeding performance was lower in areas with active management for grouse shooting. Productivity of pairs on grouse moors was 50% lower than pairs breeding on non-grouse moor habitat. However, clutch size and brood size of successful nests did not differ between habitat types, suggesting that food constraints were unlikely to explain this difference. Population models suggested source-sink dynamics, with populations on grouse moors unable to sustain themselves without immigration. Population data confirmed that growth rates were indeed lower on grouse moors than on non-grouse moor sites. Analysis of wildlife crime data confirmed that persecution of the species was more frequent on grouse moors than in other habitat types. This population will be more secure, and better able to function as a barometer of environmental health and climate change, if illegal persecution of the species ceases on areas of land managed for grouse shooting.     

Long-term nutritional effects on the primary liver and kidney metabolism in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). II. Adaptive response of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity to high-carbohydrate/low-protein and high-fat/non-carbohydrate diets

The influence of long-term administration of high-carbohydrate/low-protein and high-fat/non-carbohydrate diets were studied in relation to kinetic behaviour of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase in liver and kidney of rainbow trout. In all cases studied, the saturation curves of these enzyme showed typical hyperbolic kinetics without evidence of sigmoidicity. After 30 days of feeding with a high-fat diet (170 g kg^?1), there was a significant decrease in V_max and specific activity (45%) as well as catalytic efficiency (39%) without changes in K_m or activity ratio of hepatic glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase. These changes agree more with a clearly decreased cell concentration than with an inhibition of the pre-existing enzyme. The administration of a high-carbohydrate diet (60 g kg^?1), contrary to what was previously thought, decreased V_max by 21% and specific activity and catalytic efficiency by 30%, without significant changes in the other kinetic parameters of the hepatic enzyme. The kinetic behaviour under these nutritional conditons was due to the rejection of this diet by the fish and thus could be considered a low-feeding situation. On the other hand, no variations in the kinetics of renal glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase were found, clearly demonstrating that in this organ, the pentosephosphate pathway showed no adaptive response related to fattyacid and other lipid synthesis. The activity of the renal enzyme was consistently half that of the hepatic enzyme.     

Oxygen uptake in the Antarctic teleost Pagothenia borchgrevinki. Limitations imposed by X-cell gill disease

Fish in a population of Pagothenia borchgrevinki in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, are affected by a gill disease (X-cell disease) which causes tissue hyperplasia that results in a decreased gill surface area and an increased water/blood diffusion distance. P. borchgrevinki acquires 95% of its oxygen via the gills, but damage to the gills by X-cell disease did not affect this function. There was no compensatory shift to cutaneous respiration. X-cell disease reduced the ability for oxygen uptake at low ambient P_{O 2} and the decreased uptake was related to the extent of the disease. _{O 2} max was greatly reduced in X-cell affected fish and substantially reduced their aerobic potential. This effect may impair the ability of diseased fish to catch prey and avoid predators.