Epidemiological studies on the expectation of life for cats computed from animal cemetery records

Based on the Chiang's method, the life table for cats was constructed from the death data of 3936 cats. They died in the Kanto area and were buried in an animal cemetery in Tokyo from June 1981 through May 1982. This life table seems to be the first one for domestic pet cats. The expectation of life for cats was 4.2 years at age 0, 5.0 years at age 1, 5.4 years at age 4, 5.3 years at age 5, 3.5 years at age 10, and 2.2 years at age 15. The maximum age at death was 22 years. From age 0 to age 5, the probability of dying for cats was higher than that for dogs, but over 6 years of age it seemed that Gompertz's equation was applicable to this life table for cats. From these results, if the probability of dying for cats at early ages decreases, the fundamental pattern of dying curve for cats seems to be a similar figure of dogs. The life table was constructed for different breeds and localities. Comparing the expectation of life at age 1 (e1) of the two populations divided by breeds or localities, there was significant difference in the e1 among different localities but not among different breeds. These facts suggest the existence of some factors which may influence the life span of cats among different localities.     

湖南省茶树黑刺粉虱寄生蜂调查

在湖南调查茶园黑刺粉虱的寄生蜂,共获5种。其中,长角广腹细蜂Amitus longicornis(?),粉虱长棒蚜小蜂东方型Eretmoeerus serius var orientalis Silvestri,粉虱蚜小蜂TrichaPorus formosus(Gah.)及黄盾粉虱蚜小蜂Encarsia sP.系中国新记录种。另一种为长腹扑虱蚜小蜂Prospaltella ishii Silvestri,系湖南新记录种。本文分别记述了它们的形态、寄主、分布及习性观察结果。     

Detection of early pregnancy factor in superovulated mice

Rosette inhibition tests for the detection of early pregnancy factor (EPF) were performed on naturally ovulated and superovulated mice from day 2 of pregnancy up to 4 days after parturition. In both groups of mice, the rosette inhibition titre (RIT) increased on day 2 of pregnancy, and persisted at high levels until day 15. Thereafter, the RITs of both groups of mice decreased to the non-pregnancy range. No significant differences of the mean RITs between these two groups were observed during the high RIT period. These results showed that the superovulatory treatment did not cause any changes or interference in the detection of EPF. In order to investigate the initial time of appearance of EPF in the maternal circulation in relation to the stage of fertilization, measurement of RIT and examination of the fertilization stage were carried out on superovulated mice 1 day after mating. The mean RIT of mice with pronucleus stage ova was significantly (p less than 0.01) higher than that of mice with sperm-penetrated ova. EPF was considered to appear in the maternal peripheral blood at the pronucleus stage.     

遗传背景对水稻无融合生殖材料C1001双胚苗频率影响的研究

同核异质雄性不育材料与无融合生殖材料Ｃ１００１Ｂ杂交和回交表明，Ｃ１００１Ｂ的双胚苗，是受核基因控制的性状，双胚苗频率的表达，具明显的胞质效应和胞核效应，在胞质效应中，不育胞质与可质胞质的差异尤其显著，不育胞质对双胚苗的表现有明显的抑制作用，不同世代间胞质效应和胞核效应的表现也不一致。此外，环境条件对Ｃ１００１的双胚苗表现有一定的影响。     

Type-I hypersensitivity as a component of eosinophilic myositis (muscular sarcocystosis) in cattle

Eight bovine hearts with lesions of eosinophilic myositis (EM) and 2 bovine hearts without EM lesions were collected at slaughter. Blood samples from these 10 hearts, and the heart of a newborn calf also were collected. Histologically, Sarcocystis cruzi was identified in the 8 hearts with EM lesions and the 2 hearts without EM lesions, but not in the heart of the newborn calf. Serum was harvested from the 10 blood samples and was used in homologous, modified, passive cutaneous anaphylaxis tests. Antigen was prepared from S cruzi bradyzoites isolated from the 2 hearts without EM lesions. Serum samples from the 8 cattle with EM lesions reacted positively to S cruzi antigen. When heat-inactivated IgE in serum (56 C for 4 hours) was used, all passive cutaneous anaphylaxis responses were considered negative. Using ELISA, serum IgE concentrations from the 10 cattle with and without EM lesions were 2.2 to 9 U/ml. As determined by radial immunodiffusion, IgM concentrations were 80 to 215 mg/dl. Immunoglobulin G concentrations were 420 to 2,050 mg/dl, but most were less than or equal to 1,700 mg/dl. Immunoglobulin A concentrations were 0 to 62 mg/dl; 1 steer with EM lesions had 0 mg/dl. Double-gel immunodiffusion confirmed the presence of Sarcocystis-specific precipitating antibodies. Sera from the 10 cattle with and without EM lesions formed at least 1 precipitin band.     

Effects of abiotic variables on the response of carnation cultivars to Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. dianthi

The effects of abiotic variables on the response of carnation cultivars to Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. dianthi ( F.o. dianthi  ) were examined in experiments conducted under semi-controlled environments. The abiotic variables examined were solar radiation intensity, temperature and growth substrate. Temperature was not controlled, but differed markedly among experiments, thus, its effect was not determined quantitatively. Disease incidence and disease severity varied significantly among the experiments (due mainly to differences in temperature), among the solar radiation treatments and among the cultivars tested. The three-way interaction term (i.e. cultivar × shade treatment × experiment) was highly significant ( P  < 0.001) when both disease incidence and disease severity were considered, indicating that no single variable was predominant in determining disease intensity. The effects of the growth substrate on disease progress was examined in plants grown in tuff or in tuff mixed with peat (1 : 1 and 1 : 3) substrates. The growth substrate had a potent effect on disease development in the less susceptible cultivars. Severe epidemics developed in all cultivars when they were grown in the tuff/peat mixture, although some were resistant when grown in tuff alone. These results led to the conclusion that the carnation response to F.o. dianthi is substantially influenced by the environmental conditions of the test.     

The effects of stubble burning and tillage on soil carbon sequestration and crop productivity in southeastern Australia

Abstract. In Australia, stubble burning and tillage are two of the major processes responsible for the decline of soil organic carbon concentration in cropped soils, and the resulting soil degradation. However, the relative importance of these two practices in influencing the soil organic carbon concentration and the long-term impact on soil quality and productivity are not clear. The effects of stubble burning as practised by farmers in southeastern Australia were evaluated in two field trials, one of 19 years duration, the other of 5 years. Conventional tillage (three tillage passes) led to greater loss of soil organic carbon than stubble burning. Loss of total soil organic carbon attributed to stubble burning in the 0–10 cm layer was estimated to be 1.75 t C ha⁻¹ over the period of the 19-year trial, equivalent to 29% of that lost due to tillage. In the 5-year trial, no change in soil organic carbon due to stubble burning was detectable. Changes in soil quality associated with stubble burning detected in the longer trial included a reduction in macro-aggregate stability, and increases in pH and exchangeable K⁺. Only the latter two were detected in the shorter trial. A higher mean wheat yield (average 0.15 t ha⁻¹) following stubble burning was observed in the 19-year trial but not in the 5-year trial. Research to monitor the longer term effects of stubble burning is needed, and to identify conditions where loss of soil organic carbon is minimized.     

猪肉毒梭菌毒素中毒的诊断报告

１９９９年７月１５日，遵化市某养猪场的６０ｋｇ左右的育肥猪，因饲喂霉变的小干鱼，引起猪只急性发病和死亡。发病猪只７５头，死亡２１头，治愈５４头，治愈率７２％，现将情况报告如下。１ 临床症状 病猪呆立，食欲废绝，精神沉郁，鼻端、眼结膜发绀，口角流涎并有泡沫，呼吸困难，腹壁松驰，有的腹泻，粪便呈黄绿色或灰绿色水样物，站立不稳或颤抖，尾下垂，不走动，叫声嘶哑，反应迟钝。后肢多呈瘫痪状，卧地不起，最后瞳孔散大，窒息死亡。病猪大多体温正常，个别达４０～４１℃。病程一般在１～３ｄ，个别猪发病到死亡仅 ５～６ ｈ…     

中国的枸橼

枸橼在我国有11个类型(变种、品种或杂种),根据它们的地理分布和植物学性状,认为枸橼的原发中心在云南的西南部和西部;野生的沧源香橼是枸橼的原始类型,由其演化为小香橼、小果香橼和栽培的大香橼等;佛手是由枸橙演化而来。