High prevalence of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus in pigs

Recently methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was isolated from pigs and pig farmers in The Netherlands. In order to assess the dissemination of MRSA in the Dutch pig population, we screened 540 pigs in 9 slaughterhouses, where a representative portion of Dutch pigs (63%) was slaughtered in 2005. We found 209 (39%) of the pigs to carry MRSA in their nares. Forty-four of 54 groups of 10 consecutive pigs (81%), each group from a different farm, and all slaughterhouses were affected. All MRSA isolates belonged to 1 clonal group, showing Multi-Locus Sequence Type 398 and closely related spa types (mainly t011, t108 and t1254). Three types of the Staphylococcal Chromosome Cassette (SCCmec) were found: III (3%), IVa (39%) and V (57%). All 44 tested isolates (1 isolate per group) were resistant to tetracycline, reflecting the high and predominant use of tetracyclines in pig husbandry. Twenty-three percent of the isolates were resistant to both erythromycin and clindamycin and 36% to kanamycin, gentamicin and tobramycin but only a single isolate was resistant to co-trimoxazole and none to ciprofloxacin and several other antibiotics. The percentage of MRSA positive pigs was significantly different among slaughterhouses and among groups within slaughterhouses, indicating a high prevalence of MRSA in pigs delivered from the farms as well as cross contamination in the slaughterhouses.     

Comparison of duplex PCR and microscopic techniques for the identification of Babesia bigemina and Babesia bovis in engorged female ticks of Boophilus microplus

A single-step duplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique and traditional microscopic examination of haemolymph smears were used to detect Babesia bigemina and/or Babesia bovis infection in engorged female ticks of Boophilus microplus recovered from calves raised in an endemic area of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. In the PCR amplification of tick-derived DNA, pairs of oligonucleotide primers specific for a 278-bp sequence from B. bigemina and for a 350-bp sequence from B. bovis were used conjointly. The microscopic examination of haemolymph revealed that 16.7% of the engorged ticks were infected with Babesia spp., although no significant differences (rho > 0.05) were found in the infection rate of ticks collected from calves of different age groups. PCR analysis showed that 77.8% of the engorged ticks whose haemolymph contained sporokinetes were infected with B. bigemina, 7.8% with B. bovis and 14.4% with both protozoan species. However, the PCR assay further revealed that, amongst the engorged female ticks whose haemolymph was apparently negative for the presence of sporokinetes, 15.6% were infected with B. bigemina, 2.2% with B. bovis and 10.0% with both species. The duplex PCR method is thus more efficient and sensitive than the microscopic assay and also permits facile identification of the protozoa species present in engorged female ticks.     

Measurement of aldosterone in feline, canine and human urine

BACKGROUND: Systemic hypertension is an important problem in older cats associated with kidney disease and hypokalaemia, suggesting that excessive activity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system might contribute to the hypertensive state. Fluctuations in plasma renin activity and plasma aldosterone concentrations complicate the interpretation of these assays. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine whether measurement of urinary aldosterone excretion in cats aided the investigation of hypertension. METHODS: Urine concentrations of free (ethyl acetate extract) and 18-glucuronidated aldosterone (acid hydrolysis before extraction) were measured by radioimmunoassay in normal, normotensive and hypertensive azotaemic cats (n=11 per group). Urine samples from 11 healthy human volunteers and eight normal dogs were also analysed for comparison. Urinary aldosterone concentration was corrected for the urinary creatinine concentration. RESULTS: Cats excreted 7.3 times less free aldosterone than human beings, and no free aldosterone was detected in dog urine. Acid hydrolysis led to large increases in aldosterone recovery from both human beings and dog but not feline urine. No significant effect of hypertension or azotaemia on feline urinary aldosterone concentration was found. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Measurement of aldosterone in feline urine using the available methodology has limited or no utility in investigating feline hypertension.     

河北省玉米产量灰色理论分析与预测

为了解河北省玉米产量变化的规律,明确今后育种工作的目标和前景,利用灰色系统理论的GM（1,1）模型,依据1980-2003年河北省审定的玉米品种的区域试验产量,建立预测模型为：^X（k＋1）^（1）=324 818.583 945e^0.018524-318 652.083 945。并在生产因素保持相对稳定的条件下,据此模型对河北省玉米生产进行规划性预测,为生产的规划与决策提供科学依据。预测结果表明,在挖掘耕地资源和非耕地资源的生产潜力,提高农业资源综合生产能力的情况下,河北省的玉米产量将在2030年有可能达到15 052.6 kg/hm^2。     

蔬菜施肥污染及防治措施

本文介绍了菜田不合理的施肥所造成的对土壤、大气、地下水和食品等方面的污染情况，并提出了对菜田污染的防治措施。     

幼林抚育管理技术

幼林抚育管理是林业培育工作中的重要组成部分,也是提升幼林生长质量的关键工作。本文对幼林抚育管理的重要性进行阐述,并对幼林抚育管理中涉及的多项技术进行细致的分析,以期能提高森林培育效益、促进林业可持续发展。     

不同灌水处理小麦品种抗旱性鉴定指标遗传规律研究

依据Griffing方法配制种植不同类型的复合双列杂交组合,分别设水、旱二种水分条件。在不同生育时期测定株高、株穗数、株粒重、穗粒数、黄叶片数、SOD、POD、MDA等农艺、生理生化性状,研究不同组合类型对杂交后代的遗传力影响及其与抗旱性的关系及遗传规律。结果表明,可采用抗旱指数(DRI)作为评价小麦品种抗旱性强弱的指标。旱地株粒重、旱地穗下节长、旱地黄叶片、籽粒饱满度、落黄、旱地成穗数、旱地株高等7个质量性状和数量性状与抗旱性关系密切且遗传力较强,可作为高产种质杂种后代的早期抗旱性鉴定指标。SOD活性和MDA含量由于广义遗传力和狭义遗传力均较高,可以在杂种后代早期世代进行选择,OA能力和POD活性广义遗传力较高但狭义遗传力低,适宜在杂种后代的晚期世代进行选择。     

印度梨形孢真菌促进芝麻生长并提高芝麻抗旱性

将印度梨形孢（Piriformospora indica,Pi）真菌接种芝麻幼苗根部,分别在大田及温室条件下研究供试真菌对芝麻生长和抗旱性的效应。大田试验主要调查产量性状,温室试验在芝麻初花期进行15d的持续干旱处理,测定株高等形态性状、过氧化氢酶活性等生理指标。结果表明,接种及未接种Pi真菌的芝麻植株在干旱处理前后叶长、叶宽差异达到极显著水平,株高、全展叶片数、基部茎粗、叶绿素含量、根颈粗差异达到显著水平;在人工干旱胁迫条件下,接种Pi真菌后芝麻植株能维持较高的过氧化氢酶（CAT）活性和较高含量的脯氨酸（Pro）,降低丙二醛（MDA）含量,从而减轻干旱胁迫伤害。在千粒重及单株籽粒重两个产量性状上,大田和温室接种的芝麻与未接种的差异均达到显著水平。接种Pi真菌不仅能促进芝麻的生长,而且在干旱条件下,使得芝麻表现出较强的抗旱性,显著提高芝麻产量。     

大麦籽粒抗性淀粉含量快速测定方法研究

为探索快速高效测定大麦籽粒中抗性淀粉含量的方法,利用衰减全反射中红外（attenuated total reflection mid-infrared spectroscopy,ATR-MIR）和近红外（near-infrared spectroscopy,NIR）光谱技术,分别用3种不同方法进行预处理,建立大麦样品的抗性淀粉含量快速测定红外模型,通过不同预处理预测模型的校正和内部交叉验证结果的比较,依据决定系数（r）和均方根误差（RMSE）筛选出基于ATR-MIR和NIR光谱的最佳预测模型,再对最佳预测模型进行外部验证。结果表明,经基线位移校正+范围归一化（BOC+RN）预处理后的PLS模型为最佳ATR-MIR预测模型;经标准正态变换+Savitzky-Golay法一阶求导（SNV+1thD）的预处理模型为最佳NIR预测模型。用验证集材料对BOC+RN和SNV+1thD最佳预测模型的预测效果进行外部验证,光谱预测值与化学测定值之间没有显著差异,说明两种方法均可以用于大麦籽粒抗性淀粉含量测定;ATR-MIR光谱比NIR光谱具有更好的预测能力。