Development of qPCR assays to monitor the ability of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gliocladium catenulatum</Emphasis> J1446 to reduce the cereal pathogen <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium graminearum</Emphasis> inoculum in soils

A qPCR approach was developed to specifically monitor in soils Fusarium graminearum, the main agent responsible for Fusarium Head Blight, and the biocontrol agent Gliocladium catenulatum J1446 (Prestop®). For both fungi, the amplification efficacy of standard curves obtained by mixing pure fungal DNA and soil background DNA was high (qPCR efficacy>96% with R²?>?0.97) with a linear range from 10^?3 ng to 10 ng/μL. Our qPCR method allowed quantifying down to 1 μg of F. graminearum and G. catenulatum J1446 mycelium per g of soil. The strong correlation observed between fungal biomass and quantified DNA (R²?=?0.9927 and 0.9356 for F. graminearum and G. catenulatum J1446, respectively) supported the use of the primers to monitor both fungi in soils. Under our experimental conditions, the ability of Prestop® to reduce F. graminearum growth was significantly higher in autoclaved soil compared to living soils, suggesting that there is an antagonistic effect of the soil microbial communities. In contrast, G. catenulatum J1446 growth was mostly not affected by the presence of F. graminearum and was able to persist in both autoclaved and living soils after 15 days of incubation. These results indicate that our qPCR approach may be used to assess the success of soil colonization by a biocontrol agent and its control efficacy by monitoring the dynamics of the BCA and the targeted pathogen in soil.     

The significance of ketonuria in lactating cows

In two large sized farms in Hungary and in several small and medium farms in Bavaria the authors studied the development of ketonuria in cows after calving. In two flocks without problems 30 percent of the cows developed ketonuria, whereas the rate was 56 percent in one problematic flock. Milk yield of the cows observed was above 5000 kg per year, their age differing only slightly. Cows with ketonuria revealed an increased enzyme activity of AST and a decreased plasma-glucose concentration in comparison to the ketone-free animals. Also, the ketonuria cows showed higher amounts of free fatty acids in plasma and lower amounts of total cholesterol. Additionally, these animals more often revealed reproductive disorders. The rate of culling and emergency slaughter was also increased, whereas their pregnancy rate was decreased.     

Effect of deferoxamine and L-arginine treatment on lipid peroxidation in an intestinal ischaemia-reperfusion model in rats

This study investigated lipid peroxidation (LPO) changes during intestinal ischaemia-reperfusion with and without deferoxamine or L-arginine treatment. White Wistar rats were allotted into four groups as follows: sham-operated (Group SOP), ischaemia-reperfusion only (Group I/R), I/R with deferoxamine (Group D) or L-arginine (Group A) treatment. Concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), overall concentration of malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxy-alkenals (LPO586), activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) of the jejunal homogenates were determined. The same analytes except LPO586 were assayed in RBC haemolysates. Measurements of ferric reducing ability (FRAP), total antioxidant status (TAS) and nitric oxide (NO) concentrations of plasma samples were also completed. The only significant change observed in the SOP group was an increased SOD activity after the ischaemic period. In the I/R group significant increase of intestinal LPO586 concentration was observed during hypoxia that was followed by similar changes in intestinal and RBC TBARS and plasma FRAP values upon reperfusion. In Group D the intestinal TBARS and LPO586 concentrations were significantly lower while FRAP and NO concentrations were significantly higher compared to the I/R group. At the same time RBC TBARS concentration and GPX activity significantly decreased within Group D. In Group A the intestinal LPO586 concentration was significantly lower than in the I/R group whilst RBC TBARS concentration showed a similar pattern. Plasma FRAP and NO concentration showed similar changes to those seen in Group D. It is concluded that I/R increased the LPO in the intestinal tissue and altered some parameters of plasma and RBCs, too. Deferoxamine treatment prevented these effects, while the usefulness of L-arginine remained doubtful.     

Percutaneous ultrasound-guided cholecystocentesis in dogs

Percutaneous ultrasound-guided cholecystocentesis was performed on 13 healthy beagle dogs to determine whether percutaneous ultrasound-guided cholecystocentesis in the dog was a feasible and safe procedure. Clinical, laboratory and ultrasonographic examinations were done at 0 and 10 minutes, in the 2nd and 16th hour, and on the 7th day. They included a detailed physical examination of the mucous membranes, cardiorespiratory system and abdominal organs. Laboratory examinations of the blood consisted of a complete blood count, determination of packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (Hb), total plasma protein (TPP), parameters of haemostasis including prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), and enzyme activities reflecting hepatobiliary function, i.e. aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT). Ultrasonographic findings of the gallbladder (size, shape, wall, content) and appearance of the biliary tract and the surrounding cranial intraabdominal organs were also evaluated. Percutaneous ultrasound-guided cholecystocentesis was performed easily during the study, and dogs tolerated well the procedure performed without anaesthesia. All laboratory parameters of the blood remained within normal limits throughout the study. However, some follow-up values, i.e. PCV, TPP, APTT and ALT, demonstrated statistically significant differences when compared to baseline measurements, which might reflect the effect of 24-hour fasting before the experiment, as well as day-to-day metabolic fluctuations due to feeding and water supply during the study. There were no visible signs of bleeding from the liver, bile leakage from the gallbladder or accumulation of free peritoneal fluid during repeated ultrasonographic examinations. Percutaneous ultrasound-guided cholecystocentesis seems to be an important diagnostic procedure in canine gallbladder diseases and can be used safely and easily to gain gallbladder bile for diagnosis of bacterial cholecystitis or for investigating hepatobiliary function in the dog.     

中国北方地区羊泰勒虫病流行病学调查

采用传统调查方法,对中国北方羊泰勒虫病流行的9省区部分县市进行了羊泰勒虫病流行病学调查,除陕西省陇县未发现本病外,其余各地均有流行,其发病季节主要在3～7月份,8～10月有少数羊只发病,病症较轻.现已确认青海省、宁夏回族自治州隆德县及甘肃省甘南州境内羊泰勒虫病的传播媒介为青海血蜱,初步鉴定河北省和辽宁省羊泰勒虫病的媒介蜱是血蜱属的蜱.     

Roots under the load of heavy machinery in spruce trees

The effects of the passage of forwarders on soil and damage to spruce root systems along an experimental trail were studied. The site was characterized by medium-textured soil of the pseudogley type under favorable moisture conditions. Due to the passages, the soil was compacted down to a depth of 20 cm, soil porosity was decreased by 5% (volume) and soil aeration was decreased by more than 5%. Substantially higher values of mechanical soil resistance occurred (estimated by penetrometric measurements) in a soil pit situated in a rut after passages. Pressure measured by sensors placed at a depth of 10 cm below the soil surface reached values ranging from 0.09 to 0.11 MPa in plots uncovered with slash and 0.03–0.07 MPa in plots covered with slash after two to four passages, and 0.06–0.07 after six to ten passages. Soil surface deformations occurred in the upper soil layers through tire impression. This resulted in the origin of ruts, whose depth and width was dependent on the type of tires, their load, surface conditions, type and texture of soil, soil moisture and number of passages. Pressure in the soil layers imposed by the tire of a given type, inflation and load changed in relation to depth, ground cover, soil properties and reinforcing components on the soil surface. Sap flow in coarse roots actually treated by a moving heavy load clearly and immediately responded with a sharp increase followed by a similar decrease (peak flow) after several minutes. On average, the flow rate decreased by about 8% after the first treatment compared to the untreated state, and remained the same after passing the peak during the second pass when the maximum load was applied. However, this decrease amounted to about 40%, when compared to the “relative zero flow” after root severing. This indicates serious local damage to the conducting system. Even when loading directly damaged rather small fractions of the total root systems, it opened tree tissues to subsequent fungal infection, whose impact could be very serious in future years. Flow in stem sections oriented in the opposite direction to the trail and the flow in stem sections and root buttresses oriented toward the trail (but where roots were not actually growing below the trail or grew deeper in the soil), neither responded to the treatment or responded insignificantly. Sap flow responded only in surface roots below trails, occurring down to a depth of about 10 cm below the original soil (litter) surface. This occurred only when a significant part of the roots (with the total projected area of treated root branches more then 500 cm²) were under the tires. This indicates the protective ability of soils and also, a possible method of artificial root protection.     

Evaluation of the effect of ketoprofen and carprofen on platelet function in dogs studied by PFA-100 point-of-care analyser

The effect of two nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (carprofen and ketoprofen) on platelet adhesion and aggregation functions was evaluated by the PFA-100 analyser (Dade-Behring, CA, U.S.A.) using its collagen-adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and collagen-epinephrine (EPI) cartridges. The function of platelets was evaluated in 55 healthy dogs, in 7 dogs treated with ketoprofen and in 31 dogs treated with carprofen in a therapeutic dose for minimum 5 days. The therapeutic doses of carprofen had no effect on the closure time of PFA-100 (which is the marker of platelet function) but ketoprofen caused a significant increase when using collagen-EPI stimulation The closure times for both the healthy (control) and the treated dogs using EPI cartridges were often longer than the upper default cut-off point (300 sec) of the device. The PFA-100 analyser with collagen-ADP cartridges could be a useful tool for veterinary applications including the evaluation of platelet aggregation in dogs treated with NSAIDs. The upper cut-off point of PFA-100 might be extended.     

Effect of supplementation with methionine and different fat sources on the glutathione redox system of growing chickens

The effect of supplementary methionine and fats of different saturation levels on the glutathione redox system of growing broiler cockerels was studied. The diet of three groups of chicks was supplemented with corn germ oil, beef tallow and fish oil at the levels of 30 g/kg and 50 g/kg of feed, respectively. The diet of further three groups was supplemented with methionine (5 g/kg of feed) in addition to the different fat sources. Control chicks were fed with a compound feed without methionine and fat supplementation. Reduced glutathione (GSH) and glutathione disulphide (GSSG) content as well as glutathione peroxidase activity in the liver were determined and GSH/GSSG ratio was calculated at day old and then at one and three weeks of age. Our results indicate that supplementary methionine stimulates both the synthesis of the glutathione redox system and glutathione peroxidase activity in growing chickens in the first period of postnatal life, when the risk of lipid peroxidation is high due to feeding unsaturated fats in the diet.     

天然草地放牧牦牛采食行为及食性选择的研究

对青南地区玉树县境内2牧场的草地植被及成年母牦牛的采食行为和选择性采食习性及其关系进行了探讨,结果表明:B牧场禁牧区的生物量显著高于A牧场的禁牧区及A,B牧场的放牧区(P<0.05),B牧场的可食植物量显著高于A牧场(P＜0.05),A牧场的可食植物量只占地上生物量的一半以下;B牧场分别以小嵩草,矮嵩草,披碱草,针茅,蒲公英等优良牧草为优势种,次优势种,而A牧场以线叶嵩草为优势种,凤毛菊,狼毒,黄帚橐吾等毒杂草及早熟禾等为次优势种;B牧场以小嵩草、矮嵩草等莎草科和为主要采食植物,而在A牧场除以莎草科植物为主要采食植物外,由于可食牧草量的不足,还采食一些本不喜食的植物.矮嵩草和小嵩草是牦牛最喜食,选择性最高的植物;斑块内采食口数A牧场为50.6 bite/patch显著少于B牧场的81.1 bite/patch (P<0.01);斑块内采食站数A牧场为8.4 FS/patch显著多于B牧场的5.2 FS/patch(P<0.001);采食站内采食口数A牧场为6.6 bite/FS显著少于B牧场的17.4 bite/FS(P<0.001);采食速度A牧场为1.32 bites/sec 显著慢于B牧场的1.46 bites/sec(P<0.01).放牧草地的食物资源的匮乏,使放牧牦牛的食物选择性降低,采食行为的内容变劣,A牧场草地处于严重退化状态;牦牛处于缺营养状态,草地的退化对牦牛的生产性能有很大的影响.     

Effect of various dietary fat supplementations on liver lipid and glycogen of high-yielding dairy cows in the peripartal period

In a model experiment, Holstein-Friesian dairy cows were fed on a corn-silage-based diet supplemented with 11.75 MJ NE1 per day of calcium soaps of palm oil fatty acids (CAS) or hydrogenated triglyceride (HTG) or without fat supplementation (control). All diets were fed to the cows over a period from 21 +/- 3 days (d) prior to the expected calving to d 100 +/- 5 postpartum. On d 25 (basal sample) and d 14 prepartum as well as on d 5 and 25 postpartum liver samples were collected by percutaneous biopsy. Total lipid content, fatty acid composition and glycogen of liver tissues were determined. At d 5 postpartum, both control and CAS cows had higher liver lipid (P < 0.05) and lower glycogen (P < 0.05) concentrations than cows in the HTG group. No significant (P < 0.05) differences were detected in liver fat content among the groups at d 14 prepartum or d 25 postpartum. The glycogen concentration slightly decreased in the liver of cows in each treatment group from d 14 prepartum to d 5 postpartum; however, this decrease was more intensive in both the control and CAS groups than in the HTG group. The variations in liver lipid concentrations were accompanied by significant changes in the proportion of C16:0, C16:1n-7, C18:0, C18:1n-9, C18:2n-6 and C20:4n-6 fatty acids in the liver lipids. The results show that HTG supplementation exerted more advantageous effects on liver lipid and glycogen metabolism than did CAS supplementation.