Variation of prezygotic barriers in the interspecific hybridization between oilseed rape and wild radish

Escape of transgenes from genetically modified oilseed rape, Brassica napus, into wild radish, Raphanus raphanistrum, depends on sexual compatibility. The variation in prezygotic barriers of two different cultivars for interspecific hybridization with a population of wild radish was investigated by hand crossing and fluorescence microscopy of pistils. Significant differences were observed between oil seed rape cultivars in their ability to accept wild radish pollen germinating onto their stigma and the rate of fertilization of ovules. Some differences among the pollen donor plants were also detected. These results suggest that the rate of interspecific hybridization in the field would depend upon the oilseed rape cultivar and the genotype composition of the local wild populations. The implication of S-related genes, as revealed through identification by pistil tissue prints of class I and II S-types of SLG (S-Locus Glycoprotein) and SLR1 (S-Locus Related),and immuno-IEF, was not significant. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Higher-tier assessment of the potential for groundwater issues due to the use of 1,3-D soil fumigant; evaluation of the active ingredient, metabolites and potentially related chlorinated compounds

BACKGROUND: 1,3‐Dichloropropene (1,3‐D, CAS No. 542‐75‐6) is a broad‐spectrum soil fumigant used to control numerous species of soilborne plant‐parasitic nematodes. 1,3‐D consists of two isomers, (Z)‐ and (E)‐1,3‐D. There are a number of low‐level chlorinated compounds that could potentially be produced as a part of the 1,3‐D manufacturing process. 1,3‐D and its metabolites, as well as potentially related chlorinated compounds, represent potential groundwater contaminants. RESULTS: This study has investigated the hydrolytic stability, under biotic and abiotic conditions in the laboratory, of an extensive representative list of 1,3‐D and potentially related chlorinated compounds in order to predict their environmental fate. All of these compounds showed intrinsic hydrolytic instability under both abiotic and biotic test conditions. Furthermore, a monitoring programme was carried out. Twenty‐five wells were monitored in five Italian regions characterised by historical and existing use of 1,3‐D. The parent compound, its two major metabolites and potentially related chlorinated compounds were not detected in the well water at > 0.1 µg L^?1 at any sampling location. CONCLUSION: The soil fumigant (E,Z)‐1,3‐D, its metabolites and potentially related chlorinated compounds constitute a low risk to groundwater. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Evaluation of reticulocyte hemoglobin content (RET‐He) in the diagnosis of iron‐deficient erythropoiesis in dogs

Background

Reticulocyte hemoglobin content provided by the Siemens ADVIA (CHr) is an established marker of iron deficiency. The IDEXX ProCyte Dx hematology analyzer now provides a similar variable, reticulocyte hemoglobin equivalent (RET‐He).

Objectives

The objective was to evaluate RET‐He and its diagnostic utility in dogs, and to calculate a cutoff value for diagnosing iron‐deficient erythropoiesis (IDE). Furthermore, the prevalence of RET‐He values below this cutoff value was established.

Methods

One hundred and seventy‐one CBCs of healthy dogs were used to establish a RI. Stability of RET‐He was evaluated by repeated measurements over 48 hours (n = 10). The 25‐run coefficient of variation (CV) was calculated, and correlation and bias between measurements of RET‐He and CHr were assessed (n = 190). A cutoff value for diagnosing IDE was calculated. The utility of RET‐He in the detection of IDE was evaluated in 123 dogs. The prevalence of low RET‐He values was assessed retrospectively in a multicenter study (2012–2014) under participation of 7 veterinary clinics.

Results

Reticulocyte hemoglobin equivalent with an RI of 22.2 to 28.6 pg was statistically stable over 48 hours (P = .10). The CV was 1.8%. A fair correlation (ρ = 0.74) between RET‐He and CHr with a small bias of ?0.6 pg was found. The cutoff value for diagnosing IDE was 20.9 pg (sensitivity: 85%; specificity: 99%). The prevalence of RET‐He values below 20.9 pg was 10.3% (1084/10,553 dogs).

Conclusions

RET‐He on the ProCyte Dx is a precise screening tool in dogs to detect iron‐deficient erythropoiesis.     

Detection of antibodies against Pasteurella multocida using immunohistochemical staining in an outbreak of rabbit pasteurellosis

To detect serum antibody against Pasteurella multocida (P. multocida) in infected rabbits. a modified immunoperoxidase assay was applied. An outbreak of P. multocida infection in rabbits started from sudden death. The infected rabbits had severe fibrinous and purulent pneumonia with hemorrhage, and a large number of P. multocida (A:12) was isolated from the trachea and lungs of the animals. Antibodies of IgM and IgG to P. multocida were assessed by immunohistochemical staining using the sera of the animals as primary antibodies and applying them to formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections of P. multocida attached to calf fibrin. IgM antibodies to P. multocida were first detected 7 days after the onset of the disease. IgG antibodies began to rise on the 7th or 14th day. These results suggested that the modified immunoperoxidase assay could detect antibodies against P. multocida.     

Decreased serum apolipoprotein A-I concentrations in cows infected with Salmonella typhimurium.

Serum apolipoprotein A-I concentrations in cows infected with Salmonella Typhimurium were evaluated to assess its relevance in salmonellosis. Apolipoprotein A-I has been shown in rats to be secreted by the intestine as well as the liver. Clinical symptoms such as diarrhea revealed an outbreak of salmonellosis in 22 cows on a farm, and sera were obtained at 6 (acute phase), 16, 28 (convalescent period) and 42 d (postconvalescent period) after the outbreak. Apolipoprotein A-I concentrations (mean +/- SD, mg/mL), determined by ELISA, were 0.598 +/- 0.497 (day 6), 0.111 +/- 0.060 (day 16), 0.432 +/- 0.311 (day 28) and 0.727 +/- 0.516 (day 42). Compared with the concentration at day 42, those at 16 and 28 d were significantly (P < 0.01, P < 0.05) lower, but that at day 6 was not. The serum concentration of apolipoprotein B-100 (of liver origin in cattle) was unaltered during the course of salmonellosis. The concentration of apolipoprotein A-I was positively correlated with those of serum total cholesterol (r = 0.589, P < 0.01) and phospholipids (r = 0.590, P < 0.01). These results suggest that apolipoprotein A-I in cattle is in part of intestinal origin, and also that its decreased serum concentration in salmonellosis can be attributed to the reduced intestinal synthesis or secretion of this apolipoprotein. Moreover, as a potential carrier for dietary lipids such as cholesterol, determination of serum apolipoprotein A-I concentration is suggested to be useful when assessing the nutritional status of the affected cows.     

Isolation of Mycobacterium species from raw milk of pastoral cattle of the Southern Highlands of Tanzania

A study to determine the secretion of Mycobacterium spp. in milk from indigenous cattle was carried out in pastoral cattle reared in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania. The study was aimed at elucidating the dangers associated with milk-borne zoonoses in a society where milk is normally consumed raw. Out of 805 milk samples, 31 (3.9%) were positive for mycobacteria. There was a preponderance of atypical mycobacteria (87%) whereas only two isolates (6.5%) were confirmed as M. bovis. Atypical mycobacteria included: M. terrae (n=7), M. fortuitum (n=2), M. flavescens (n=13), M. gordonae (n=1) and M. smegmatis (n=4). Although the number of M. bovis positive samples was low, the habit of pooling milk may still pose great public health dangers to milk consumers in this part of the world. Moreover, isolation of atypical mycobacteria should also be considered to be a danger to human health in countries such as Tanzania, where the number of people with lowered immunity due to HIV infection is on the increase.     

Effect of dietary protein content on growth performance, feed utilization and carcass composition in the Australian freshwater crayfish, Cherax albidus Clark and Cherax destructor Clark (Decapoda, Parastacidae)

Cherax albidus (A) and Cherax destructor (D) male juveniles (mean weight 0.95 ± 0.03 g) were reared for 20 weeks on isoenergetic diets containing 150 g kg^?1 protein (A 15, D15) or 300 g kg^?1 protein (A30, D30). Mean weight, percentage weight gain, and specific growth rate (%) were substantially higher for both species on the 300 g kg^?1 protein diet. Mean percentage weight gain ranged from 2.39% day^?1 (D15) to 17.59% day^?1 (A30). A maximum weight of 33.81 g was attained by C. albidus on the higher protein diet. The most effective utilization of food was observed in C. albidus when fed the higher protein diet (food conversion ratio, 0.79; protein efficiency ratio, 4.21; apparent net protein utilization, 44.64%). Carcass composition was influenced by feed type. The higher protein diet resulted in an increase in carcass protein and ash and a decrease in carcass lipid and energy relative to the low-protein diet (150 g kg^?1 protein diet –C. albidus: 37.15% protein, 15.00% lipid, 25.20% ash, 15.55kJ g^?1 energy; C. destructor: 38.10% protein, 15.43% lipid, 25.70% ash, 15.65kJ g^?1 energy; 300 g kg^?1 protein diet –C. albidus: 46.10% protein, 8.71% lipid, 27.36% ash, 14.94kJ g^?1 energy; C. destructor: 42.99% protein, 8.56% lipid, 26.44% ash, 14.71kJ g^?1 energy). Carcass moisture and calcium were not affected by feed type. The time spent in the intermoult phase of growth was highly dependent on the premoult weight and varied according to diet and to species. A comparison of animals of similar weight (< 8 g) revealed that elevated dietary protein caused a reduction in the intermoult period by 11 days in C. albidus and 7 days in C. destructor. The moult increment, however, was independent of animal weight, and the highest percentage weight increment occurred for C. albidus fed the 300 g kg^?1 protein diet (per cent weight increase; A15, 33.1%; A30, 61.3%; D15, 31.2%; D30, 56.5%). Dietary induced morphological changes were also recorded. Animals of a standard carapace length had significantly larger abdomens (both species) and larger claws (C. albidus) when fed the higher protein diet.     

Effect of pH on nitrogen mineralization in crop-residue-treated soils

Summary This study compares N mineralization in soils treated with crop residues [corn (Zea mays L.), soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), sorghum (Sorghum vulgare Pers.)] or alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) at three adjusted soil pH values (4, 6, and 8); pH was adjusted with dilute H₂SO₄ or KOH. A sample of soil (20 g) was treated with 0.448 g plant material (equivalent to 50t ha^–1), mixed with 20 g silica sand adjusted to the pH of the soil, and packed in a leaching tube. The soil-sand mixture was leached with 100 ml 5 mM CaCl₂ adjusted to the same pH as that of the treated soil to remove the initial mineral N, and incubated at 30°C. The leaching procedure was repeated every 2 weeks for 20 weeks. Results from three soils showed that N mineralization increased as the soil pH increased. In one soil (Lester soil), significant amounts of NH ₄ ⁺ -N accumulated at pH 4 during the first 12 weeks. Treatment with corn and soybean residues resulted in a marked reduction in N mineralization, especially at pH 4. The percentage of organic N mineralized from sorghum residue and alfalfa added to soils increased as the soil pH increased; the values ranged from 7.7% to 37.0% for sorghum and from 17.2% to 30.1% for alfalfa.     

Telomere length and telomerase activity in canine mammary gland tumors

OBJECTIVE: To measure telomere length and telomerase activity in naturally occurring canine mammary gland tumors. SAMPLE POPULATION: 27 mammary gland tumor specimens obtained during resection or necropsy and 12 mammary gland tissue specimens obtained from healthy (control) dogs. PROCEDURE: Telomere length in tissue specimens was measured by use of restriction endonuclease digestion and Southern blot analysis. Telomerase activity was measured by use of a telomeric repeat amplification protocol assay. RESULTS: Telomere length in mammary gland tumors ranged from 11.0 to 21.6 kilobase pairs (kbp; mean +/- SEM, 14.5+/-0.5 kbp) but did not differ among tumor types. Telomeres in mammary gland tumors were slightly shorter than in normal tissue specimens, but telomere length could not be directly compared between groups, because mean age of dogs was significantly different between groups. Age was negatively correlated with telomere length in control dogs but was not significantly correlated with length in affected dogs. Telomerase activity was detected in 26 of 27 mammary gland tumors and in 4 of 12 normal tissue specimens. However, telomerase activity and telomere length were not correlated in tumor specimens. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Telomere length is maintained in canine mammary gland tumors regardless of the age of the affected dog. Measurement of telomere length may be a useful tool for monitoring the in vivo effects of telomerase inhibitors in dogs with tumors.     

Efficacy of ceftiofur hydrochloride for treatment of experimentally induced colibacillosis in neonatal swine

Ceftiofur hydrochloride was tested for effectiveness against induced colibacillosis in neonatal swine. In this model, pigs less than 12 hours old were inoculated via stomach tube with a virulent, K99+, nalidixic acid-resistant strain of Escherichia coli. Six hours after challenge exposure, 1 dose of ceftiofur was administered either IM or orally in experiment 1 and orally only in experiment 2. Mortality, shedding of bacteria, fecal consistency scores, and body weight changes were monitored for 10 days. In experiment 1 (n = 383 pigs), all treatments at dosage that ranged between 0.5 and 64.0 mg of ceftiofur/kg of body weight significantly (P less than 0.001) reduced mortality, bacterial shedding, and diarrhea and increased weight gain, compared with findings in untreated controls. There were no detectable differences between oral and IM routes, except that there was greater reduction in bacteria shedding associated with the oral route of administration. In experiment 2 (n = 505 pigs), ceftiofur was administered orally either once at 6 hours after challenge exposure or twice at 6 and at 48 hours after the first dose. Dosage of ceftiofur was 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, or 60 mg/kg administered once, or half the same dose was administered at each of 2 times. At the optimal dosage (10 mg/kg), a single dose was as effective as 2 doses. The single administration at all dosages reduced mortality, bacterial shedding, and diarrhea scores and increased body weight gain, compared with findings in untreated pigs (P less than 0.01). In this induced infection model, the optimal treatment dosage was determined to be 10 mg/kg administered once.