Comparison of the indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with the complement fixation test (CFT) for the serodiagnosis of bovine brucellosis

Complement fixation and ELISA tests were carried out on 8772 bovine sera. Results showed that ELISA titres were, on average, approximately sixteen times higher than the corresponding C.F. titres. The specificity of ELISA appeared comparable to that of the C.F.T. There was no evidence to show that the ELISA could detect infection earlier than the C.F.T.     

Evidence of identification of peste des petits ruminants from goats in Egypt

Peste des petits ruminants virus was isolated from young goats in an outbreak of the disease for the first time in Egypt. Affected goats showed symptoms simulating rinderpest, disease in cattle. The mortality rate was about 30%, and morbidity reached 90%. History, clinical symptoms, postmortem lesions, and diagnosis were discussed.     

Pathogenicity of 21 newly described Phytophthora species against seven Western Australian native plant species

The pathogenicity of some Phytophthora species recently described from Western Australia, together with P. cinnamomi as a control, was tested against seven Western Australian native plant species in the glasshouse. Host species were Banksia grandis, B. littoralis, B. occidentalis, Casuarina obesa, Corymbia calophylla, Eucalyptus marginata and Lambertia inermis. Twenty‐two Phytophthora species were grown on a vermiculite, millet seed and V8 substrate and used as soil inoculum when the plant hosts were approximately 3 months old. Pathogenicity was assessed after 6 weeks and plants were scored for death, root damage, and percentage reduction of shoot growth compared with control plants. The pathogenicity of P. cinnamomi was confirmed. Phytophthora niederhauserii was shown to be similar to P. cinnamomi in pathogenicity and of concern ecologically. Other species that killed one or more hosts were P. boodjera, P. constricta, P. elongata, P. moyootj and P. rosacearum, while P. condilina, P. gibbosa, P. gregata, P. litoralis and P. ‘personii’ caused significant reduction to shoot and/or root growth, but did not kill plants. Host species susceptible to the highest number of Phytophthora species were B. grandis, B. littoralis, B. occidentalis and E. marginata. No Phytophthora species tested killed C. calophylla.     

Phytopathogenic fungi new for southern Anatolia,Turkey

Twenty-nine new records are reported from Turkey. The fungi species, including their macro-and microscopic features and distributions, are described. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting July 14, 2004.     

Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis: seasonal variation in cultural, biochemical and immunoreactive properties of Moraxella bovis isolated from the eyes of cattle

The eyes of 20 young cattle were examined over an 18 month period in which 12 members of the group contracted infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK). On each of 23 occasions cultural, biochemical and immunoreactive properties of up to 6 isolates of Moraxella bovis derived from each eye were determined. Relationships between the clinical response of eyes, phenotypic properties of M. bovis and annual variations in the level of solar ultraviolet radiation of 280 to 320 nm wavelength were examined. M. bovis was isolated from all IBK-affected and some unaffected eyes less than one month after the maximum annual level of the mean weekly UV radiation (2,840 mWh.m-2 X nm-1) was recorded. A high proportion of M. bovis from IBK lesions were simultaneously active in haemolysis, agar corrosion, gelatin liquefaction and litmus milk peptonisation. Some of these characteristics showed marked dissociation despite consistent reactivity in the fluorescent antibody test, which had a sensitivity and specificity of 95%. Fall in the mean weekly level of UV radiation below 1,438 mWh X m-2 X nm-1 in autumn was accompanied by healing of ulcers, persistent scar formation and a decline in the number of M. bovis isolated from affected eyes. A slower decline in the number of M. bovis isolated from apparently healthy eyes occurred in the winter and occasional fresh IBK lesions occurred.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Balance of conversion of [14C]lindane in lettuce in hydroponic culture

After application of [¹⁴C]lindane to the nutrient medium (1.45 ppm), 14.1% of the radioactivity was taken up by 12 lettuce plants during 4 weeks; in the nutrient medium, 7.8% was recovered after the same time interval. The radioactivity in the nutrient extract comprised: unchanged lindane (about 82%); free 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol, free pentachlorophenol, conjugates of pentachlorophenol, and an unidentified polar compound (a total of 15%); 1,2,3-trichlorobenzene, 1,2,3,4-tetrachlorobenzene, pentachlorobenzene, hexachlorobenzene, 2,3,4,5,6-pentachlorocyclohex-1-ene, and probably 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorocyclohexene (a total of 3%). The radioactivity extracted from plants consisted of unchanged lindane (about 77%); free 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol, conjugates of a tetrachlorophenol and pentachlorophenol, and a strongly hydrophilic compound that was not identified (a total of 20%); 1,2,3-trichlorobenzene, 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene, pentachlorobenzene, 2,3,4,5,6-pentachlorocyclohex-1-ene, and probably 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorocyclohexene (a total of 3%). Identification was carried out by means of comparisons of chromatographic properties and of the mass spectra with those of authentic reference compounds. The significance of hexachlorobenzene as a metabolite of lindane is discussed.     

Conversion of the aldrin/dieldrin metabolite dihydrochlordene dicarboxylic acid-14C in rats

Upon intravenous application of dihydrochlordene dicarboxylic acid-¹⁴C to rats, the radioactivity is quickly excreted, and 44% of the excreted radioactivity consists of metabolites. Nine metabolites have been isolated from feces and urine extracts. Three metabolites could be identified by means of authentic samples by thin layer chromatography, gas chromatography, and mass spectrometry: two isomers of dechlorodihydrochlordene-dicarboxylic acid (metabolites I and II, total 22.5%) and dihydrochlordene-dicarboxylic acid-dimethyl-ester (metabolite III, 11.3%).     

Influence of ectomycorrhization and cesium/potassium ratio on uptake and localization of cesium in Norway spruce seedlings

Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) seedlings growing in a growth pouch system were used to investigate the effects of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Hebeloma crustuliniforme (Bull. ex St. Amans) Quél. and various Cs/K ratios on the uptake of (134)Cs, expressed as a percentage of the total amount of (134)Cs supplied. The amount of (134)Cs taken up by seedlings increased with increasing Cs/K ratio. At a Cs/K ratio of 0.1, uptake of (134)Cs ranged between 7.2 and 7.3% and was independent of ectomycorrhizal status, whereas at Cs/K ratios >/= 1 uptake of (134)Cs varied from 8.1 to 11.1% for ectomycorrhizal and from 10.4 to 14.4% for non-inoculated plants. Ectomycorrhizal seedlings contained a lower concentration of (134)Cs than non-inoculated seedlings. Among plant parts, the amount of (134)Cs was significantly lower in needles and lateral roots of ectomycorrhizal seedlings compared with non-inoculated seedlings. Among fungal and seedling tissues, highest X-ray net counts of (133)Cs were measured in fungal hyphae of ectomycorrhizal mantles. X-Ray net counts of (133)Cs in lateral roots of ectomycorrhizal and non-inoculated plants were similar, but 5 to 10 times higher than in main roots and needles, suggesting an accumulation of (133)Cs in lateral roots and slow translocation to other plant parts. In contrast, X-ray net counts of K indicated that K was readily mobilized from lateral roots to main roots and needles. Elemental mapping showed a relatively homogeneous distribution of (133)Cs within the root.     

Long-term retention of coded wire tags in juvenile Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus

Abstract  A hatchery experiment was organised to find out if the high loss rate of coded wire tags, noticed in connection with an Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus (L.) restocking programme, was size-dependent and also to test head moulds for future taggings. Six moulds made by Northwest Marine Technology Inc. and five moulds made at the Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute were used. A total of 100 charr were tagged with standard-length coded wire tags using each mould. One-summer old charr at tagging were held for 534 days and two-summer old charr for 320 days. The tag loss rate varied between 0% and 54% and was negatively related to the size of the charr at tagging. The high loss rate was connected with the poor alignment of some moulds, such that a large proportion of the tags were located in the nasal cavity instead of the nasal cartilage. Testing of the moulds and careful grading of the fish for tagging is emphasised, especially if Arctic charr smaller than 20 g in weight are to be tagged.     

Pythium yorkensis sp. nov., a potential soybean pathogen from southeastern Pennsylvania,USA

Biodiversity surveys of natural as well as agricultural ecosystems commonly reveal novel isolates. A new species, Pythium yorkensis sp. nov., is reported here, isolated from field soil during a survey of oomycete diversity in symptomless soybean across southeastern Pennsylvania. Molecular data from both mitochondrial and nuclear loci support a unique phylogenetic position for the isolates collected, and morphological features distinguish this new species from close relatives in Pythium clade J. Pathogenicity assays suggest that this new species may be a potential agricultural pathogen, as isolates were mildly aggressive on soybean. This study highlights the continued need for culture‐based surveys in collaboration with high‐throughput sequence‐based approaches for environmental sampling.