A long-snouted predatory dinosaur from africa and the evolution of spinosaurids

Fossils discovered in Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) rocks in the Tenere Desert of central Niger provide new information about spinosaurids, a peculiar group of piscivorous theropod dinosaurs. The remains, which represent a new genus and species, reveal the extreme elongation and transverse compression of the spinosaurid snout. The postcranial bones include blade-shaped vertebral spines that form a low sail over the hips. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the enlarged thumb claw and robust forelimb evolved during the Jurassic, before the elongated snout and other fish-eating adaptations in the skull. The close phylogenetic relationship between the new African spinosaurid and Baryonyx from Europe provides evidence of dispersal across the Tethys seaway during the Early Cretaceous.     

North American veterinary pathology residency training programs: an overview of where they are today and where they were five years ago, with an analysis of trends

An e-mail/telephone survey of all active North American residency training programs in veterinary pathology was conducted in September 2005. The purpose of this survey was to determine current numbers of trainees, their program length and type, and salaries; to compare current numbers to five years earlier; and, finally, to gauge interest in expanding current programs. All 41 training institutions contacted responded to the survey. Briefly, the survey found that there are currently 235 veterinary pathology residents, for a mean of 5.7 residents per training program. The number of residents currently in training programs and the number of applicants for these programs has increased compared to five years earlier. There is widespread interest in further expanding capacity in these programs, and the coalition of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists and the Society of Toxicologic Pathology is a well-known source of possible funding for additional residents. This survey report further documents the numbers of combined residency/PhD programs, average starting salaries for new residents, outside sponsorship effects on pathology training programs, and some of the common concerns regarding veterinary pathology training programs voiced by the respondents. While residency training capacity has expanded in the last five years, and there is widespread desire to further expand these training programs, a shortage of veterinary pathologists for future market needs will need to be addressed by increased funding from as yet unspecified sources.     

Lactate Kinetics in veterinary Critical Care: A Review

Elevation in blood lactate concentration, with or without accompanying metabolic acidosis, is a hallmark finding in patients with circulatory compromise, and is also consistently noted in other conditions affecting critically ill or injured individuals. Little is reported in a veterinary literature regarding lactate measurement in the emergency and critical care setting, despite impressive reports of the clinical usefulness of lactate measurement in people. The purpose of this article is to review lactate kinetics and the clinical utility of lactate measurement. Limitations to lactate evaluation will also be discussed.     

The rate of Salmonella spp. infection in zoo animals at Seoul Grand Park, Korea

Salmonellosis is an important zoonotic disease that affects both people and animals. The incidence of reptile-associated salmonellosis has increased in Western countries due to the increasing popularity of reptiles as pets. In Korea, where reptiles are not popular as pets, many zoos offer programs in which people have contact with animals, including reptiles. So, we determined the rate of Salmonella spp. infection in animals by taking anal swabs from 294 animals at Seoul Grand Park. Salmonella spp. were isolated from 14 of 46 reptiles (30.4%), 1 of 15 birds (6.7%) and 2 of 233 mammals (0.9%). These findings indicate that vigilance is required for determining the presence of zoonotic pathogen infections in zoo animals and contamination of animal facilities to prevent human infection with zoonotic diseases from zoo facilities and animal exhibitions. In addition, prevention of human infection requires proper education about personal hygiene.     

稀释海水灌溉的芦荟中矿质营养与有效成分分布情况研究

With increasing demand for irrigation water, agricultural scientists and planners pay more attention to the utilization of diluted seawater as an alternative source for irrigation of crops. A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to study how seawater stress（SS） affects growth, water content, cationic accumulation, and active ingredients in leaves of Aloe vera after 30 d of growth in nutrient media with 0%（control）, 22%（22% SS）, and 42%（42% SS） seawater stress. Results indicated the SS did not change dry biomass of leaves and stems, but gradually decreased biomass allocation to roots with increasing seawater stress. Na^＋ and Cl^- in A. vera plant did not increase obviously with a big increase in seawater percentage due to low transpiration of Aloe vera. 42% SS decreased N concentration in most plant organs, but did not change or increased P concentration. Seawater stress tended to decrease concentrations of K^＋ and Ca^2＋ in A. vera. However, seawater salinity tended to increase the concentrations of aloin concentration in top（young） and middle leaves, and there was no significant effect of both stresses on aloin concentration in base（old） leaves. The 42% SS treatment decreased polysaccharide concentrations only in the base leaves, but not in top and middle leaves. In summary, supplying suitably diluted seawater for 30 d could increase the qualities and value of A. vera, without substantial effects on shoot dry biomass production.     

Characterizing the Role of Animal Exposures in Cryptosporidiosis and Shiga Toxin‐producing Escherichia coli Infections: South Dakota, 2012

Cryptosporidium spp. and Shiga toxin‐producing Escherichia coli strains (STEC) are important causes of human illness. Incidence rates of these illnesses are high in South Dakota compared to the USA as a whole. Direct animal contact has been identified as a possible route of exposure for these illnesses. Ruminant animals may carry STEC subclinically, while young ruminants are common sources of zoonotic strains of Cryptosporidium. South Dakota patients with either STEC or cryptosporidiosis during 2012 were interviewed regarding seven categories of animal exposure: (i) petting zoo/fair attendance, (ii) animal event/rodeo attendance, (iii) feed/pet store visits, (iv) farm visits, (v) employment or residence at a farm, (vi) residence with pets and (vii) visiting other households with pets. Of the 50 STEC cases, 78.0% reported animal exposure prior to illness onset, with 23.3% having lived or worked on a farm. Farm visitors in particular had high degrees of animal contact and infrequently practiced personal protective measures. Of the 115 cryptosporidiosis cases, 87.8% reported animal exposures, with 45.6% having lived or worked on a farm and 29.0% having visited a farm prior to illness. Cases with farm exposures reported a high degree of direct animal contact and inconsistent use of personal protective measures. Cryptosporidiosis patients were significantly more likely than STEC patients to have lived or worked on a farm prior to their illness and were older on average. Patients with these illnesses had high rates of animal contact prior to illness. Animal contact on farms emerged as an important exposure route. Educational messages about personal protective measures should be directed at these individuals.     

Molecular tracing of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bradyrhizobium </Emphasis>strains helps to correctly interpret <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acacia mangium </Emphasis>response to inoculation in a reforestation experiment in Madagascar

A field inoculation experiment using two Bradyrhizobium sp. strains was set up in Madagascar to test the growth response of Acacia mangium and to follow up the survival of inoculant strains using molecular tools. Three months after inoculation, one of the inoculant strains, AUST13c, exhibited a marked growth-promoting effect with a shoot height about 40% higher than that of the uninoculated control plants or TEL8-inoculated plants. The positive effect on tree growth initially observed with AUST13c was no more significant 6 months after transfer to the field and disappeared completely at 13 and 19 months. Analyses of nodule bacterial rRNA by PCR/RFLP displayed an early contamination of the different inoculation treatments by AUST13c 3 months after inoculation, spreading to almost all nodules of the trial 6 months later. This work clearly demonstrated that the progressive reduction of the positive effect of AUST13c inoculation on tree growth after field transplanting was not due to a progressive disappearance of this introduced strain but, on the contrary, was related to the widening spreading of AUST13c in all the plots. This was attributed to a higher competitiveness and effectiveness of AUST13c over the local strains and TEL8.     

Ralstonia solanacearum virulence in tomato seedlings inoculated by leaf clipping

Ralstonia solanacearum is a phytopathogenic bacterium that colonizes the xylem vessels of host plants leading to a lethal wilt disease. Although several studies have investigated the virulence of R. solanacearum on adult host plants, infection studies of this pathogen on the seedling stages of hosts are less common. In a preliminary observation, inoculation of R. solanacearum F1C1 on 6‐ to 7‐day‐old tomato seedlings by a simple leaf‐clip strategy resulted in a lethal pathogenic condition in seedlings that eventually killed these seedlings within a week post‐inoculation. This prompted testing of the effect of this inoculation technique in seedlings from different cultivars of tomato and similar results were obtained. Colonization and spread of the bacteria throughout the infected seedlings was demonstrated using gus‐tagged R. solanacearum F1C1. The same method of inoculating tomato seedlings was used with R. solanacearum GMI1000 and independent mutants of R. solanacearum GMI1000, deficient in the virulence genes hrpB, hrpG, phcA and gspD. Wildtype R. solanacearum GMI1000 was found to be virulent on tomato seedlings, whereas the mutants were found to be non‐virulent. This leaf‐clip technique, for inoculation of tomato seedlings, has the potential to be a valuable approach, saving time, space, labour and costs.     

甘蓝型油菜株高及其相关性状的主基因+多基因遗传分析

油菜株高对产量、抗逆性尤其是抗倒伏性有重要影响,适当降低株高可提高油菜抗性和收获指数进而提高产量。甘蓝型油菜(Brassica napus L.)矮秆自交系‘74-1002’具有早熟、分枝多、抗倒伏等优良性状,是进行油菜株高遗传和矮化育种的良好材料。以高秆甘蓝型油菜自交系‘HN92’为母本,‘74-1002’为父本,杂交构建6世代遗传群体(P1、P2、F1、F2、B1和B2),对6世代群体的株高及其相关性状进行度量,采用主基因+多基因混合遗传模型进行遗传分析。结果表明:株高(PH)、主花序长度(MIL)及一次有效分枝高度(VBH)均受到2对加性主基因控制,并存在加性—显性多基因效应,PH和MIL的最适遗传模型为E-0模型(MX2-ADI-ADI),VBH的最适遗传模型为E-3模型(MX2-A-AD);有效分枝节间距(IL)和有效分枝数(BN)的遗传均只受加性—显性—上位多基因控制,无主基因效应,其最适遗传模型为C-0模型(PG-ADI)。在B1、B2和F2世代中,PH的主基因+多基因遗传率最高,分别为71.22%、78.71%、81.87%;其次是VBH和MIL,分离世代主基因+多基因平均遗传率分别为57.10%和44.09%;IL和BN的遗传率偏低,3个世代主基因+多基因平均遗传率分别为15.24%和9.68%。相关性分析表明:PH与VBH、MIL和IL的相关性表现为极显著的正相关,相关系数分别为0.533、0.721和0.520。因此,在甘蓝型油菜理想株高育种进程中,在早代对株高进行选择是有效的,该研究也为后期开展株高相关性状QTL分析奠定基础,有利于加快油菜株高分子标记辅助育种进程。