Suppurative granulomatous sinorhinitis associated with Nocardia spp. infection in a cat

A 9-year-old spayed female cat was examined for cheek skin drainage. The skin lesion did not respond to medical therapy; thereafter, facial deformity developed. A computed tomography revealed an intranasal mass and maxillary osteolysis. The mass was histopathologically diagnosed as suppurative granulomatous inflammation caused by filamentous bacteria. The lesion responded well to radiation therapy. Although actinomycosis was suspected histopathologically, no actinomycetes were detected in the nasal lesion by a bacterial culture conducted at a commercial laboratory. The submandibular lymph node and subcutaneous tissue exhibited swelling. Microbiological examination and genetic analysis based on 16S rDNA gene sequence revealed that Nocardia spp. were isolated from both lesions.     

A case of nontraumatic gas gangrene in a common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus)

The common marmoset is widely used in neuroscience and regenerative medicine research. However, information concerning common marmoset disorders, particularly infectious diseases, is scarce. Here, we report a case of a female common marmoset that died suddenly due to gas gangrene. The animal presented with gaseous abdominal distention at postmortem, and Clostridium perfringens type A was isolated from several tissues. Vacuoles, a Gram-positive bacteremia and intravascular hemolysis were observed microscopically in the muscles, liver and lungs. On the basis of these findings, we diagnosed nontraumatic gas gangrene caused by Clostridium perfringens type A in this common marmoset.     

Endostatin inhibits T-type Ca2+ channel current in guinea pig ventricular myocyte

Endostatin, a fragment of collagen XVIII, is known as an endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor, and its serum concentration increases in various cardiovascular diseases. T-type Ca²⁺ channel, low voltage-activated Ca²⁺ channel, is not expressed in adult ventricular myocytes. Re-expression of T-type Ca²⁺ channels in cardiac myocytes is thought to be involved in the development of cardiac hypertrophy. We examined the effects of endostatin on T-type Ca²⁺ channel current by whole-cell patch clamp technique in freshly isolated adult guinea pig ventricular myocytes, which exceptionally express T-type Ca²⁺ channels. Although endostatin 300 ng/ml had no effect on L-type Ca²⁺ current, it significantly inhibited T-type Ca²⁺ current. These data indicate that endostatin can be an endogenous inhibitor of T-type Ca²⁺ channels in the cardiac myocytes.     

Effects of complete replacement of fish oil with plant oil mixtures and algal meal on growth performance and fatty acid composition in juvenile yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an essential fatty acid for marine carnivorous fish. Algal meal (AM), available as a new dietary DHA source, could completely replace dietary fish oil (FO). In this study, dietary FO was replaced with plant oil mixtures and AM in juvenile yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata to investigate its effects on growth performance and fatty acid composition. The FO control diet was prepared with only pollack liver oil as the lipid source. For the non-FO diets, pollack liver oil was completely replaced with mixtures of canola oil and palm oil, with AM supplementation at 0% (AM0), 1% (AM1), 2% (AM2), 3% (AM3), and 4% (AM4). After completion of the 8-week feeding trial, the AM2 group showed significantly higher values for final body weight and feed efficiency than the AM0 group. No significant differences were observed in the other parameters of growth performance. Whole-body fatty acid composition reflected the dietary fatty acid composition in all dietary groups. These findings demonstrate that AM is useful as a DHA source in yellowtail aquaculture, thus contributing to a reduction in the use of FO in fish diets.

     

Interdecadal variations in Japanese sardine and ocean/climate

Relations between the long-term variations in numbers of Japanese sardine and in ocean/climate were studied. We examined long-term records of the spring air temperature on the north-western coast of North America (ATNA; 40–50°N, 130–110°W) reconstructed from tree rings, and the sardine catch records inferred from documents dating from 1600 to 1990. High sardine catches occurred eight times in this period, and each high catch continued for 7–45 years. We found a significant difference in mean ATNAs between the abundant and poor catch periods: high (low) catch occurred in periods of high (low) ATNA. ATNA was negatively correlated with spring sea-surface temperature east of Japan (SSTJ; 36–40°N, 150–160°E), where the sardine possibly migrate north-eastward, a relation which was confirmed from 1940 to 1990. In years when the Aleutian Low Pressure System (AL) shifted south-east and intensified, the westerly wind was strong east of Japan along the south-western edge of the AL, resulting in low SSTJ; a warm south-westerly wind blows in the west coast of North America along the south-eastern edge of the AL. If we assume that this relation between ATNA and SSTJ can be extended back to the 1600s, high (low) catches occur in the period when SSTJ is low (high). This relation between sardine catch and SSTJ is consistent with previous studies based on data from after 1900. The present results suggest that long-term variations in Japanese sardine are related to interdecadal North Pacific ocean/climate variability.     

大豆地方品种豆腐产量、品质及有关加工性状的相关

以南方和黄淮地区大豆地方品种为材料,研究豆腐产量、品质及有关加工性状相互间的关系。研究表明,干豆腐产量与蛋白利用率、蛋白凝固率呈显著正相关;干、湿豆腐产量与脂肪利用率呈极显著正相关,而与残渣率、渣蛋白含量和渣脂肪含量都呈负相关。逐步回归分析结果,脂肪利用率、籽粒脂肪含量、全蛋白含量和蛋白利用率高的品种干豆腐产量高;而蛋白利用率高、残渣率低、百粒重大和豆浆蛋白量高的品种可能产生较高的湿豆腐产量。6个豆腐品质成分性状间多呈显著正相关,它们与脂肪利用率、蛋白利用率和蛋白凝固率都呈显著正相关,且相关系数较大。     

中国西南喀斯特地区石漠化治理

综述中国西南喀斯特石漠化成因及其环境评价体系,回顾近年来与国家生态林业工程相结合的石漠化综合治理实践,提出以探索石漠化形成机制、研究石漠化植被恢复机理和应用遥感等高新技术为基础的喀斯特石漠化研究方向.     

Appropriate ultra-low seed moisture content stabilizes the seed longevity of Calocedrus macrolepis,associated with changes in endogenous hormones,antioxidant enzymes,soluble sugars and unsaturated fatty acids

New Forests - Calocedrus macrolepis Kurz is a relic and endangered woody plant, which is naturally distributed in southwestern China and adjacent regions, and is known for its valuable timber....     

核桃芽接愈合的组织学机制

【目的】通过对核桃芽接愈合过程的组织学观察,研究不同嫁接时期砧穗在愈伤组织形成、增殖和输导组织连接过程中的组织学变化机制,旨在为核桃和其他木本植物嫁接提供理论指导。【方法】以12年生核桃品种‘香玲’半木质化新梢中部芽片为接穗,2年生本地核桃实生苗为砧木,采用方块芽接法分别于砧木萌芽后40~47天和100~107天2个时间进行芽接试验,采用本课题组建立的非均质化材料切片方法对芽接愈合过程进行组织学观察。【结果】核桃萌芽后40~47天的砧穗愈合方式与前人报道一致,即形成层细胞在嫁接体愈合过程中起主导作用,愈合过程中主要组织学变化包括:隔离层的产生(3天)→砧穗形成层细胞分化产生愈伤组织(4天)→愈伤组织连接(6天)→砧穗原有形成层的修复与连接(12天),完成愈合需要12~15天,成活率达95.6%。而在萌芽后100~107天的砧穗愈合过程中,发现了与上述常规愈合不同的嫁接愈合新方式。此过程中木射线细胞起主导作用,愈合过程依次历经隔离层的产生(3天)→木射线细胞分化产生愈伤组织(4天)→砧穗愈伤组织连接(9天)→导管分化形成(15天)→新的形成层产生以及木射线的连接(25天),需要25~30天才能完成愈合,成活率为61.7%;在木射线细胞主导的砧穗愈合过程中砧木一侧的隔离层要先于接穗发生溶解,在砧穗愈伤组织完成连接时消失,而接穗表面隔离层在愈伤组织分化时依然存在,直至新的形成层产生后才完全溶解消失。【结论】核桃芽接过程中,除了常见的由形成层细胞主导的砧穗愈合方式外,还存在由木射线细胞主导的砧穗木质部的愈合新方式,木射线细胞脱分化产生愈伤组织,并进一步分化出导管、形成层和木射线等组织完成最终的砧穗连接;在此过程中愈伤组织主要来自于砧木木射线细胞且砧木隔离层要先于接穗发生溶解。