Strain specificity of the immune response of pigs following vaccination with various strains of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus

The primary objective of the study was to determine strain specificity of the immune response of pigs following vaccination with selected strains of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). The experimental design included five groups (I through V, six pigs per group) free of antibody for PRRSV at the beginning of the experiment (day 0). On day 0, groups III, IV, and V were vaccinated with attenuated versions of PRRSV strains 8, 9, and 14, respectively. On day 21, the immunity of group II (non-vaccinated/challenged controls) and groups III, IV, and V was challenged by exposing each pig to a composite of the virulent versions of these same three strains. On day 35, all pigs, including non-vaccinated/non-challenged pigs of group I, were necropsied. Lungs and selected lymph nodes were examined for lesions. Serum samples obtained at weekly intervals throughout the study and lung lavage fluids obtained at necropsy were tested for the presence of PRRSV and its strain identity. Before challenge the strain of PRRSV identified in the sera of vaccinated pigs was always that with which the particular pig had been vaccinated (i.e. homologous strain), whereas, with one exception, only heterologous strains were identified after challenge. This apparent strain exclusion as a result of vaccination was statistically significant (P = 0.004). The tendency for heterologous strains to predominate after challenge suggests that a pig's immune response to PRRSV has some degree of strain specificity. Whether this finding has any clinical relevance in regard to immunoprophylaxis remains to be determined.     

Associations between dry dietary factors and canine calcium oxalate uroliths

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors in dry diets associated with the occurrence of calcium oxalate (CaOx) uroliths in dogs. ANIMALS: 600 dogs with CaOx uroliths and 898 dogs without urinary tract diseases. PROCEDURE: Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed. RESULTS: Compared with diets with the highest concentrations of sodium, dry diets with the lowest concentrations of sodium, phosphorus, calcium, chloride, protein, magnesium, or potassium were linearly associated with increased risk of CaOx urolith formation. Significant nonlinear associations between increased occurrence of CaOx uroliths and urine acidifying potential and low moisture content were observed. Significant nonlinear associations between decreased occurrence of CaOx uroliths and carbohydrate and fiber contents were observed. A significant association between the occurrence of CaOx uroliths and dietary fat was not observed. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that dry diets formulated to contain high concentrations of protein, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and chloride may minimize formation of CaOx uroliths. In addition, comparison of risk and protective factors of various diet ingredients fed to dogs with CaOx uroliths suggests that although similar findings were observed in canned and dry formulations, in general, greater risk is associated with dry formulations. However, before these hypotheses about dietary modifications are adopted by food manufacturers, they must be investigated by use of appropriately designed clinical studies of dogs with CaOx urolithiasis.     

Associations between dietary factors in canned food and formation of calcium oxalate uroliths in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To identify dietary factors in commercially available canned foods associated with the development of calcium oxalate (CaOx) uroliths in dogs. ANIMALS: 117 dogs with CaOx uroliths and 174 dogs without urinary tract disease. PROCEDURE: Case dogs were those that developed CaOx uroliths submitted to the Minnesota Urolith Center for quantitative analysis between 1990 and 1992 while fed a commercially available canned diet. Control dogs were those without urinary tract disease evaluated at the same veterinary hospital just prior to or immediately after each case dog. A content-validated multiple-choice questionnaire was mailed to each owner of case and control dogs with the permission of the primary care veterinarian. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions for each dietary component were performed to test the hypothesis that a given factor was associated with CaOx urolith formation. RESULTS: Canned foods with the highest amount of protein, fat, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, or moisture were associated with a decreased risk of CaOx urolith formation, compared with diets with the lowest amounts. In contrast, canned diets with the highest amount of carbohydrate were associated with an increased risk of CaOx urolith formation. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Feeding canned diets formulated to contain high amounts of protein, fat, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, and moisture and a low amount of carbohydrate may minimize the risk of CaOx urolith formation in dogs.     

不同处理方法对美国截叶胡枝子种子发芽的影响

美国截叶胡枝子的硬实率很高,发芽率只有17.3%.经过种子预处理,如采用不同温度下浸种、98%浓硫酸浸泡、机械破皮和机械破皮结合热水浸种等处理,结果表明,机械破皮后用60℃热水浸种处理的效果最好,发芽势和发芽率分别达到64.0%和74.3%;其次是机械破皮,平均发芽率达到50%;浓硫酸浸种可以显著提高种子发芽势,浓硫酸浸种5min效果最好,发芽率达到44.7%;热水浸种的处理效果不佳,最好的90℃热水浸种处理发芽率也仅有26.7%.     

Detection of antibodies in serum and egg yolk following infection of chickens with an H6N2 avian influenza virus.

Active serologic surveillance programs to detect avian influenza viruses (AIVs) in table egg-laying chickens have been initiated by several states as a response to the economic threat posed by these viruses. Most outbreaks of avian influenza in domestic poultry are caused by mildly pathogenic AIVs. In the study reported here, infection by an H6N2 AIV was used as a model of mildly pathogenic AIV infections in egg-type chickens. The total number of eggs laid by 5 control hens was 619 or 0.904 eggs/day/hen, whereas the total number laid by 10 infected hens was 1,018 or 0.743 eggs/day/hen. The difference in egg production between the 2 groups was not statistically significant (P = 0.38). Anti-influenza antibodies were monitored by use of an agar gel immunodiffusion test and an ELISA for a period of 20 weeks after inoculation. Antibodies in serum developed sooner, peaked at higher levels, and remained at higher levels than did antibodies found in egg yolk, as indicated by ELISA results. For infected chickens, the correlation between serum and egg yolk ratios was 0.66. Serum samples would appear to be preferable to egg yolk samples for surveillance programs intended to identify chicken flocks that may have been infected by an AIV weeks or months before samples are collected.     

不同处理方法对美国截叶胡枝子种子发芽的影响

截叶胡枝子(Lespedezacunecta)是原产于亚洲东部的一种多年生的豆科植物,在我国南方地区野生分布很广。它具有耐瘠、耐旱、耐酸、耐热、固土能力强、适应性广等特性,在国外也颇受重视。我国于1983年从美国引种,通过对其生物学和生态学特性、经济性状和栽培技术研究证明,引进的美国截叶胡枝子在人工栽培条件下,表现出良好的经济性状,是南方草地改良的希望种子。但是在生产中,由于其硬实的存在,使得种子的发芽率很低,往往造成出苗困难和草地建植缓慢,甚至出现严重缺苗断垄的现象,直接影响田间产量,限制了它的进一步推广应用。试验采用不同处…     

不同处理方法对美国截叶胡枝子种子发芽的影响

美国截叶胡枝子的硬实率很高,发芽率只有17.3%。经过种子预处理,如采用不同温度下浸种、98%浓硫酸浸泡、机械破皮和机械破皮结合热水浸种等处理,结果表明,机械破皮后用60℃热水浸种处理的效果最好,发芽势和发芽率分别达到64.0%和74.3%;其次是机械破皮,平均发芽率达到50%;浓硫酸浸种可以显著提高种子发芽势,浓硫酸浸种5min效果最好,发芽率达到44.7%;热水浸种的处理效果不佳,最好的90℃热水浸种处理发芽率也仅有26.7%。     

不同退化程度高寒草甸植物物种多样性与生态系统多功能性关系

为探究高寒草甸不同退化程度生态系统多功能性的变化,本研究综合考虑了植物物种多样性和多种生态系统功能如生产力、养分循环和固存能力、土壤涵养水分能力等,运用降维因子分析的方法计算了生态系统多功能性,综合分析了植物物种多样性与生态系统功能和多功能性间的关系。结果表明：高寒草甸退化显著降低了Margalef指数、Shannon-weiner指数、Simpson指数和Pielou指数(P<0.05),各生态系统功能趋于恶化。高寒草甸退化导致生态系统多功能性的下降,综合统计量结果为轻度退化(21.9955)＞中度退化(8.7295)＞重度退化(—30.7245)。植物物种多样性与生态系统多功能性之间均存在正相关关系,其中Simpson指数与生态系统多功能性指数拟合的结果最好,说明高寒草甸生态系统多功能性受植物物种多样性的制约。本研究可为青藏高原草地退化及恢复的过程和机理研究提供理论依据。     

Mechanical perturbation affects conductivity, mechanical properties and aboveground biomass of hybrid poplars

Xylem development in trees is affected by dynamic mechanical stresses imposed on stems by wind. To assess clonal differences in response to mechanical perturbation (MP), we subjected seven greenhouse-grown F1 hybrids of Populus trichocarpa Torr. and A. Gray. x P. deltoides Bartr. ex Marsh. to a standard MP treatment consisting of 20 manually imposed stem flexures per day for 70-90 days. Effects of MP on aboveground biomass, hydraulic conductivity (k(h)), specific conductivity (k(s)), flexural stiffness (EI), modulus of elasticity (MOE) and modulus of rupture (MOR) were determined. Treatment increased stem radial growth and decreased height growth, leaf area and total aboveground biomass. It also significantly decreased k(s), MOE and MOR, but significantly increased EI and wood specific gravity in most clones. Mechanical perturbation caused greater stem rigidity, without having a significant effect on whole-stem k(h) or percent loss of conductivity due to embolism. Maximum k(h) was positively correlated with EI in both control (r(2) = 0.54, P < 0.0001) and MP-treated (r(2) = 0.61, P < 0.0001) plants, and k(s) and MOE were positively correlated with percent vessel lumen area (r(2) = 0.45, P < 0.0001 and r(2) = 0.28, P = 0.002, respectively). Thus, contrary to our expectation of a trade-off between conductivity and wood strength, there may be an opportunity to select clones for woody biomass production that are superior in both mechanical strength and hydraulic conductivity, as is the triploid Clone 19-61.