Molecular mapping of the fertility restoration locus Rf1 in sunflower and development of diagnostic markers for the restorer gene

Fertility restoration by dominant nuclear genes is essential for hybrid breeding based on cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) to obtain heterotic effects and high seed yields. In sunflower, only the PET1 sterility inducing cytoplasm has been used in commercial hybrid breeding until now. This particular male sterility was derived from an interspecific hybrid Helianthus petiolaris × H. annuus. For the recent work we used the segregating population RHA325(CMS) × HA342, based on the PET1 cytoplasm. Molecular markers were mapped within 1.1 cM around the restoration locus Rf1. At the distal side, the marker OP-K13_454 mapped at a distance of 0.9 cM and E32M36-155R at 0.7 cM from Rf1. At the proximal side the markers E44M70-275A, E42M76-125A and E33M61-136R were mapped at 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 cM from the restorer locus, respectively. These markers provide an excellent basis for a map based cloning approach and for marker-assisted sunflower breeding.     

Time pattern analysis of swimming activity and heart rate under the influence of chloramphenicol in carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) and rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri R.)

In industrial fish production there is little information available about the effect of antibiotics on the fish organism. The swimming activity of carp and trout before, during and after treatment with chloramphenicol was observed. Due to the daily rhythmical organization of body function and closely correlated periods of activity and rest, a treatment with chloramphenicol at different times of the day has different effects on swimming activity. A significant increase in heart rate after treatment with chloramphenicol was detected as compared to the controls. These results suggest that treatment with chloramphenicol should be given during the last feeding.     

How does drought tolerance compare between two improved hybrids of balsam poplar and an unimproved native species?

Poplars are one of the woody plants that are very sensitive to water stress, which may reduce the productivity of fast-growing plantations. Poplars can exhibit several drought tolerance strategies that may impact productivity differently. Trees from two improved hybrids, Populus balsamifera?×?Populus trichocarpa Torr. & Gray (clone B?×?T) and P. balsamifera?×?Populus maximowiczii A. Henry (clone B?×?M), having P. balsamifera L. as a parent and trees from native and unimproved P. balsamifera were subjected to a 1-month drying cycle in a growth chamber and then rewatered. The unimproved and native B clone maintained higher stomatal conductance (g(s)) than the hybrids, and high photosynthetic activity and transpiration, even when soil water content was nearly zero. As a result, both instantaneous water use efficiency (WUE(i)) and leaf carbon isotope composition (δ(13)C) indicated that this clone was less affected by drought than both hybrids at maximal drought stress. However, this clone shed its leaves when the drought threshold was exceeded, which implied a greater loss of productivity. The B?×?M hybrid showed a relatively conservative response to water stress, with the greatest decrease in transpiring versus absorbing surface (total leaf area to root biomass ratio). This clone was also the only one to develop new leaves after rewatering, and its total biomass production was not significantly decreased by drought. Among the two hybrids, clone B?×?T was the most vigorous, with the greatest transpiration (E(i)) and net CO(2) assimilation (A) rates, allowing for high biomass production. However, it had a more risky strategy under drought conditions by keeping its stomata open and high E(i) rates under moderate drought, resulting in a lower recovery rate after rewatering. The opposite drought response strategies of the two hybrids were reflected by clone B?×?T having lower WUE(i) values than clone B?×?M at maximal drought, with a very low Ψ(min) value of -3.2 MPa, despite closed stomata and stopped photosynthetic activity. Positive linear relationships between A and g(s) for the three hybrids indicated strong stomatal control of photosynthesis. Moreover, the three poplar clones showed anisohydric behaviour for stomatal control and their use under long-term drought should be of interest, especially the B?×?M clone.     

Assessment of the biological control capability of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hippodamia variegata</Emphasis> (Col.: Coccinellidae) using functional response experiments

Lady beetles are among the most successful predators of aphids in different environments. The functional responses of different life stages of Hippodamia variegata (Goeze) towards cotton aphids were examined in two different set-ups, a two-dimensional Petri dish set-up with detached leaves and a three-dimensional set-up with whole plants. In addition, the functional responses in two-dimensional set-ups towards cotton aphids and the pea aphids were compared. H. variegata exhibited a functional type II response to both cotton aphids and pea aphids irrespective of life stage and spatial scale of the set-up. Females and fourth instars generally had higher search rates than third instars whereas handling times were consistently lower for the fourth instar stage compared with the preceding juvenile stage and with females. The spatial dimensions did not have any significant influence on the functional responses towards cotton aphids, except for third instars which in the three-dimensional set-up reduced their search rate and increased their handling time. Fourth instars reacted in the same way to both Aphis gossypii and Acyrthosiphon pisum whereas the functional response parameters for third instars and females were significantly different on the two prey species. Our study, a part of this first-step evaluation of H. variegata as a biocontrol agent against A. gossypii and A. pisum under field condition, suggest that the voracity of all tested stages of H. variegata towards both aphid species hold good promises for a use of especially fourth instars and females in inundative biocontrol.     

Detection of Coxiella burnetii, the agent of Q fever, in oviducts and uterine flushing media and in genital tract tissues of the non pregnant goat

The aim of the present study was the detection and quantification of Coxiella burnetii DNA in the flushing media (oviducts and uterine horns) and genital tract tissues of non pregnant goats from 20 goats chosen at random from 86 goats originating from 56 different breeding herds in south-west France. The serological prevalence rate of C. burnetii in the study population was 70.3%.The DNA of C. burnetii was identified using conventional PCR in the flushing media from the oviducts and uterus in 8/20 goats (40%) and in genital tract tissues (oviduct, uterus and ovary) in 5/20 goats (25%). This study clearly shows for the first time that the media used to flush the oviducts or uterine horns, collected using the standard embryo harvesting technique in goats, are susceptible to infection with C. burnetii. The 16 conventional PCR-positive samples were also analyzed using real-time PCR. The bacterial load of the oviduct and uterine flushing media varied from 2.9 × 10⁴ to 7.5 × 10⁶ bacteria per flushing medium, while the bacterial load of the tissue samples varied from 1.0 × 10² to 1.5 × 10⁵ bacteria per mg of tissue. The infection of genital tract flushing media and tissues is a risk factor for the transmission of C. burnetii from donor to recipient during embryo transfer or to the embryo and fetus when gestation is pursued to term.     

Transport across Caco-2 cell monolayer and sensitivity to hydrolysis of two anxiolytic peptides from αs1-casein, α-casozepine, and αs1-casein-f91-97: effect of bile salts

α-Casozepine and f91-97, peptides from α(s1)-casein, display anxiolytic activity in rats and may have to cross the intestinal epithelium to exert this central effect. We evaluated their resistance to hydrolysis by the peptidases of Caco-2 cells and their ability to cross the cell monolayer. To mimic physiological conditions, two preparations of bile salts were used in noncytotoxic concentrations: porcine bile extract and an equimolar mixture of taurocholate, cholate, and deoxycholate. The presence and composition of bile salts appeared to modulate the peptidase activities of the Caco-2 cells involved (i) in the hydrolysis of α-casozepine, leading to much higher formation of fragments f91-99, f91-98, and f91-97, and (ii) in the hydrolysis of f91-97, leading to lower degradation of this peptide. Transport of α-casozepine across Caco-2 monolayer increased significantly, in the presence of bile extract, and of fragment f91-97, in the presence of bile salts.     

IMAGING OF THE CANINE AND FELINE TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT: A REVIEW

The radiographic anatomy of the temporomandibular joint in the dog and cat is described in dorsoventral and oblique projections. The positioning for different oblique views in conventional radiography and technical details of computed tomography are reviewed. Typical radiographic features of craniomandibular osteopathy, dysplasia, luxation, subluxation, fractures, ankylosis, degenerative joint disease, infection, and neoplasia involving the temporomandibular joint are discussed.     

Lomustine and prednisone as a first-line treatment for dogs with multicentric lymphoma: 17 cases (2004-2005)

OBJECTIVE: To assess response rate, median duration of response, adverse effects, and prognostic factors associated with concurrent administration of lomustine and prednisone as a first-line treatment for dogs with multicentric lymphoma. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. ANIMALS: 17 dogs. PROCEDURES: Medical records were reviewed. Information obtained included signalment, physical examination findings, results of diagnostic testing, stage and substage, initial lomustine and prednisone dosages, and total number of lomustine doses administered. RESULTS: Lomustine was administered at a median starting dosage of 67 mg/m(2), PO, every 21 days until 5 doses were given or disease progression was observed. Prednisone was administered at a median starting dosage of 1.8 mg/kg/d (0.82 mg/lb/d), PO, with dosage tapered during the first month of treatment. Six dogs had a complete response, and 3 had a partial response. Mean and median durations of response were 48.8 and 39.5 days, respectively. Median survival time was 111.2 days. In multivariate analyses, female sex and higher total lomustine dose were significantly associated with a longer disease-free inter-val. Neutropenia was the dose-limiting factor, with 4 dogs developing clinically important neutropenia 1 week after administration of a dose of lomustine. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that concurrent treatment with lomustine and prednisone was well tolerated in dogs with multicentric lymphoma, but findings did not support the use of this combination for first-line treatment of affected dogs.     

Comparative diagnostic potential of three serological tests for abortive Q fever in goat herds

Performances of an ELISA, an immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and a complement fixation test (CFT) were assessed for detecting antibodies against Coxiella burnetii after Q fever abortions in naturally infected goats. The goal of the study was to provide information useful for veterinary serodiagnosis in regard to categories of goats either experiencing Q fever abortion or not, blood sampling times and recommended cut-offs. The study was conducted on eight goat herds with evidence of C. burnetii abortions. In each herd, at least 5 goats that had aborted and 10 goats prior to parturition or at term were monitored 15, 30 and 60 days (D15, D30, D60) after the onset of Q fever abortion. The overall CFT results distribution did not differ between the two groups of goats and showed poor agreement with the ELISA results. In contrast, the ELISA and IFA results revealed comparable significant differences, but overall the ELISA test was slightly more sensitive than the IFA test. Seroprevalence, according to ELISA and IFA respectively, was higher in the aborting (88% and 82%) than in the non-aborting group (60% and 50%). High levels of serum antibodies were detected in goats post-abortion with an average of 114 %OD using ELISA and a log10(titer) of 2.4 using IFA. Strongly positive ELISA (%OD>80) and positive IFA results (log10(titers)>1.9) were significantly associated with abortion. Sampling on D15 gave the best association with ORs of 10 for ELISA and 6 for IFA. The practical interest of these results is discussed.     

Metabolic and clinical traits in horses undergoing feed deprivation for elective orthopaedic surgery

The objective of this study was to investigate some metabolic and clinical effects of feed deprivation in horses that were submitted for orthopaedic surgery. The effects of preoperative feed restriction were investigated in 20 horses submitted for elective orthopaedic surgery.The patients were fasted from 12 hours before until 4 hours after surgery. Serum free amino acids, glucose,free fatty acids (FFA), white blood cell counts, creatine kinase (CK) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were determined 24 hours before surgery, 2 hours after the end of anaesthesia and 24 and 72 hours after surgery. Besides, abdominal sounds, appetite, faecal quality and body temperature were examined. Serum free amino acids did not react homogenously, concentrations were partly increasing or decreasing. Plasma glucose and FFA increased after surgery and returned to their preoperative levels 72 hours after surgery. A significant rise of the segmented granulocytes occurred 24 hours after surgery, all other parameters of the leukogram did not exceed the physiological range. AST reached its highest activity 24 hours after surgery, whereas CK activities were highest at 2 hours after surgery. Abdominal sounds were significantly reduced until 24 hours after surgery, however, appetite was not depressed. Faecal quality was physiological after surgery. Mean body temperature stayed within the physiological range. In conclusion, a relatively short perioperative fasting period had significant effects on the metabolic traits in horses, however the effects on physiological functions were minor. The consequences of major surgical procedures need to be addressed in future studies.