Study on the association of BoLA-DRB3.2 alleles with clinical mastitis in Norwegian Red cows

Genotyping of bovine leucocyte antigen DRB3.2 (BoLA-DRB3.2) in a total of 523 Norwegian Red (NR) cows from two groups selected for high protein yield and low clinical mastitis, respectively, identified 27 previously reported BoLA-DRB3.2 alleles across the groups. Significant differences in BoLA-DRB3.2 allele frequencies were found between the selection groups. Alleles *13, *18, *22 and *27 had a significantly higher frequency in cows selected for low clinical mastitis, while alleles *3, *9, *11 and *26 had a higher frequency in cows selected for high protein yield. Associations between BoLA-DRB3.2 alleles and clinical mastitis were analysed based on mastitis data from 741,072 first-lactation NR cows, of which 452 were genotyped. Alleles *22 and *26 were found to be associated with increased clinical mastitis, while alleles *7, *11, *18 and *24 had a favourable effect on mastitis resistance. Contradictory results from different studies investigating associations between BoLA-DRB3.2 alleles and mastitis indicate that future studies should focus on associations of mastitis with BoLA haplotypes rather than with single BoLA genes.     

Purification and characterisation of chicken liver monomeric glutathione peroxidase

1. A novel glutathione peroxidase, which is distinct from tetrameric glutathione peroxidase, was purified to homogeneity from a broiler chick liver cytosolic fraction using 5 different column chromatographic methods.

2. The enzyme in cytosol was separated from ‘classic’ tetrameric glutathione peroxidase and glutathione S‐transferases by DEAE‐Sephacel and Sephadex G‐100 chromatographies and further purified by Mono Q, hydroxylapatite and sulphobro‐mophthalein‐S‐glutathione‐agarose chromatographies.

3. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme determined by sodium dodecyl sulphate‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was 19,500 and that found by gel filtration chromatography was comparable. This indicates that the enzyme protein is a single polypeptide. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was determined as 7.0 by polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing.

4. The purified enzyme catalysed the reduction of hydrogen peroxide, cumene hydroperoxide, tert‐butyl hydroperoxide and linoleic acid hydroperoxide. Furthermore, it reduced phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide in the absence of phospholi‐pase A2. The optimum pH for the enzyme reaction was 7.0. The antiserum against the purified enzyme reacted with the 19.5 kDa polypeptide in the liver cytosol of duck and quail.     

Neuroendocrine regulation of growth hormone secretion in sheep. IV. Central and peripheral cholecystokinin

The result of alterations in the levels of CCK, in the blood and in the cerebrospinal fluid, on the functioning of the growth hormone axis has been examined in sheep. Male Coopworth sheep of about 40 kg liveweight were given various doses of CCK either intracerebroventricularly (icv) or intravenously (iv). Other similar sheep were given various doses of a CCK antagonist (loxiglumide) by the same routes. Bolus iv administration of either 35 μg or 200 μg of CCK had no effect on plasma GH levels. When given icv, however, CCK resulted in a marked (P<0.01) prolonged depression in plasma GH levels. The decrease in GH secretion could be partially attenuated by concurrent administration of loxiglumide, but was completely unaffected by concurrent administration of anti-somatostatin serum icv. Loxiglumide alone had no effect on plasma GH levels when given at up to 200 μg icv, but intravenous administration of 8 mg of the CCK antagonist resulted in an increase in plasma GH concentrations (P<0.05). Plasma levels of somatostatin, glucose and cortisol were unaffected by both icv and iv administration of CCK. These results show that CCK can have a strong GH-inhibiting effect in the brain. Furthermore, this effect seems to be independent of hypothalamic somatostatin, suggesting another GH-inhibiting system exists.     

Demonstrating freedom from disease using multiple complex data sources 2: case study--classical swine fever in Denmark

A method for quantitative evaluation of surveillance for disease freedom has been presented in the accompanying paper (Martin et al., 2007). This paper presents an application of the methods, using as an example surveillance for classical swine fever (CSF) in Denmark in 2005. A scenario tree model is presented for the abattoir-based serology component of the Danish CSF surveillance system, in which blood samples are collected in an ad hoc abattoir sampling process, from adult pigs originating in breeding herds in Denmark. The model incorporates effects of targeting (differential risk of seropositivity) associated with age and location (county), and disease clustering within herds. A surveillance time period of one month was used in the analysis. Records for the year 2005 were analysed, representing 25,332 samples from 3528 herds; all were negative for CSF-specific antibodies. Design prevalences of 0.1-1% of herds and 5% of animals within an infected herd were used. The estimated mean surveillance system component (SSC) sensitivities (probability that the SSC would give a positive outcome given the animals processed and that the country is infected at the design prevalences) per month were 0.18, 0.63 and 0.86, for among-herd design prevalences of 0.001, 0.005 and 0.01. The probabilities that the population was free from CSF at each of these design prevalences, after a year of accumulated negative surveillance data, were 0.91, 1.00 and 1.00. Targeting adults and herds from South Jutland was estimated to give approximately 1.9, 1.6 and 1.4 times the surveillance sensitivity of a proportionally representative sampling program for these three among-herd design prevalences.     

利用中芯一号SNP芯片检测隆林猪全基因组拷贝数变异

【目的】检测隆林猪的全基因组拷贝数变异。【方法】采集33头隆林猪的耳组织样本,通过酚-氯仿法提取DNA后,使用猪中芯一号50K SNP芯片进行基因分型,得到的原始数据通过Genomestudio软件和Linux系统进行处理,使用CNVPartition和PennCNV软件分别检测拷贝数变异(copy number variation, CNV),并利用Bedtools软件将CNV合并为拷贝数变异区域(copy number variation region, CNVR),使用Biomart对CNVR进行基因定位,利用David网站对定位到的基因进行GO和KEGG富集分析,使用猪QTL数据库对共同CNVR进行QTL注释。【结果】CNVPartition软件共检测到260个CNVs,合并为47个CNVRs,其中缺失型40个、获得型5个、混合型2个,共定位到84个基因,显著富集到13条信号通路;PennCNV软件共检测到96个CNVs,合并为15个CNVRs,其中缺失型9个、获得型1个、混合型5个,共定位到8个基因,显著富集到8条信号通路;2个软件检测结果定位到的基因主要富集在嗅觉相关通路和...     

Expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase in macrophages inversely correlates with parasitism of lymphoid tissues in dogs with visceral leishmaniasis

Background

There are only a few studies reporting the role of nitric oxide metabolites for controlling macrophage intracellular parasitism, and these are controversial. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the lymph nodes and spleen of dogs affected by visceral leishmaniasis through immunohistochemistry and to determine its correlation with tissue parasite burden and serum interferon (IFN)-γ levels. Twenty-eight dogs were selected and assigned to one of two groups, symptomatic (n = 18) and asymptomatic (n = 10), according to clinical status and laboratory evaluation. A negative control group (n = 6) from a non-endemic region for visceral leishmaniasis was included as well.

Results

Parasite density (amastigotes/mm²) was similar between clinical groups in the lymph nodes (P = 0.2401) and spleen (P = 0.8869). The density of iNOS⁺ cells was higher in infected dogs compared to controls (P < 0.05), without a significant difference in lymph node (P = 0.3257) and spleen (P = 0.5940) densities between symptomatic and asymptomatic dogs. A positive correlation was found between the number of iNOS⁺ cells in lymph nodes and interferon-γ levels (r = 0.3776; P = 0.0303), and there was a negative correlation between parasites and iNOS⁺ cell densities both in lymph nodes (r = −0.5341; P = 0.0034) and spleen (r = −0.4669; P = 0.0329).

Conclusion

The negative correlation observed between tissue parasitism and the expression of iNOS may be a reflection of NO acting on the control of parasites.     

O3对日光温室黄瓜病虫害的防治效果

通过室内与大田试验，明确O3对日光温室黄瓜病虫害的防治效果。研究结果表明，在病害发生初期，用O3发生器隔天施放O3，每天施放3次，每次40min，间隔20min，O3浓度维持约1mg／kg，施放后7天，对黄瓜霜霉病、白粉病、细菌性角斑病及灰霉病防治效果分别为63．4％、53．6％、68．7％和65．0％。室内施放O3 60s，间隔20min，持续12h，对温室白粉虱、南美斑潜蝇成虫杀伤力为100％。O3对黄瓜植株安全，但随着黄瓜生育期的推进，对O3的忍受能力依次减弱。苗期忍耐O3最大浓度为1～2mg／kg，结果期0．4～1mg/kg，后期0．2～0．4mg／kg。O3防治黄瓜病虫害新技术具有安全、有效、方便、无二次污染等特点，尤其在黄瓜定植前对棚室进行大剂量消毒，可不留死角，且有效地解决了硫磺等药物消毒所造成棚内一些设施的破坏及对生态环境污染的难题，具有广阔的推广应用前景。     

Microbial biomass and respiratory activity in soil aggregates of different sizes from three beechwood sites on a basalt hill

We studied the effects of aggregates of different sizes on the soil microbial biomass. The distribution of aggregate size classes (<2, 2–4, 4–10, >10 mm) in the upper mineral soil horizon (A_h layer) was very different in three sites (upper, intermediate, lower) in a beechwood (Fagus sylvatica) on a basalt hill (Germany). Aggregates of different sizes (<2, 2–4, 4–10 mm) contained different amounts of C and N but the C:N ratios were similar. C and N contents were generally higher in smaller aggregates. The maximum initial respiratory response by microorganisms in intact aggregates and in aggregates passed through a 1-mm sieve declined with the aggregate size, but the difference was more pronounced in intact aggregates. Disruption of aggregates generally increased this response, particularly in 4- to 10-mm aggregates in the lower site. Basal respiration differed strongly among sites, but was similar in each of the aggregate size classes. Aggregate size did not significantly affect the specific respiration (g O₂ g^–1 microbial C h^–1) nor the microbial: organic C ratio, but these parameters differed among sites. Microbial growth was increased strongly by passing the soil through a 1-mm sieve in each of the aggregate materials. The growth of microorganisms in disrupted aggregates was similar, and the effect of aggregate disruption depended on the growth of microorganisms in intact aggregates.