Qualitative tear film and conjunctival goblet cell assessment of cats with corneal sequestra

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the tear film qualitatively and conjunctival goblet cell numbers in cats with and without corneal sequestra. ANIMALS STUDIED AND PROCEDURES: This was a prospective evaluation of 11 cats with corneal sequestra and 14 control eyes that were either the contralateral normal eye when the sequestrum was unilateral or from control cats of similar age with no ocular disease. All cats in this study were examined by a veterinary ophthalmologist. The ophthalmic examinations included a neuro-ophthalmic evaluation, Schirmer tear tests, fluorescein staining, tear film break-up times, applanation tonometry, biomicroscopy, and indirect ophthalmoscopy. The palpebral conjunctiva at the dorsal nasal, ventral nasal, dorsal temporal and ventral temporal fornices were biopsied after topical anesthetic was applied to the cornea and conjunctiva. The conjunctival biopsies were fixed in formalin and sectioned routinely and stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and periodic acid-Schiff. These slides were examined by light microscopy by a blinded examiner. Goblet cell numbers were compared to conjunctival basal epithelial cell numbers by region. The goblet cell numbers by region from the eyes with sequestra was statistically compared to those from eyes without sequestra, with a student's paired t-test. Conjunctival swabs were collected from the cats with corneal sequestra and submitted for polymerase chain reaction for Herpes felis, Chlamydia psiitticia, and Mycoplasma felis. The corneal sequestra were removed by surgical keratectomy and fixed and stained routinely, and examined by light microscopy. RESULTS: No neurologic abnormalities were detected in any of the cats. The Schirmer tear tests (eyes with sequestra 14+/-5.1 mm/min; normal eyes 15+/-6.8 mm/min) and intraocular pressures (eyes with sequestra 21+/-6.6; normal eyes 22+/-5.8) were within normal reference ranges for cats. Biomicroscopic examinations revealed varied sizes and depths of brown- and amber-colored corneal sequestra. No abnormalities were noted on indirect ophthalmoscopic examinations. The tear film break-up time was 21 s (+/-12) for the normal eyes (n=14) and 14 s (+/-13) in eyes with corneal sequestra (n=11). The average goblet/epithelial cell ratios by region for the normal eyes and the eyes with sequestra respectively were 0.66, 0.56 for the dorsal nasal fornix, 0.68, 0.57 for the ventral nasal fornix, 0.63, 0.48 for the temporal dorsal fornix, and 0.55, 0.49 for the temporal ventral fornix. There were no significant differences in tear film break-up times and goblet cell numbers in eyes with corneal sequestra and those without sequestra. Three conjunctival swabs from two of 11 cats with sequestra were positive with PCR for Herpes felis virus. These included one cat with bilateral sequestra and one cat with unilateral corneal sequestrum. CONCLUSIONS: The pathogenesis of feline corneal sequestra does not appear to be linked primarily to abnormal goblet cell numbers, qualitative tear film abnormalities, and accelerated tear film break-up time.     

呋虫胺及其代谢物UF和DN在水稻上残留行为及其储存稳定性

[目的]研究呋虫胺及其代谢物1-甲基-3-[(3-四氢呋喃)甲基]脲(1-methyl-3-[(3-tetra-hydrofuran)methyl]urea,UF)及1-甲基-3-[(3-四氢呋喃)甲基]二氢胍盐(1-methyl-3-[(3-tet-rahydrofuran)methyl]dihydroguanidi...     

Effects of time and concentration on mortality of phosphine-resistant Sitophilus oryzae (L) fumigated with phosphine

The effects of exposure period and phosphine concentration on mortality of susceptible and resistant Sitophilus oryzae (L) were investigated. Although S oryzae is one of the world's most serious pests of stored grain there are few data on the practical significance of phosphine resistance in this species. The strains investigated were an Australian susceptible strain, a homozygous resistant strain exhibiting a level of resistance common in Australia and an unselected field strain from China with a much stronger resistance. Fumigations were carried out at 25 degrees C on adults and mixed-age cultures. For adults of all three strains and mixed-age cultures of the susceptible and resistant Australian strains, the relationship between concentration and time could be described by equations of the form Cnt = k. In all cases n < 1, indicating that time was a more important variable than concentration. In all fumigations of adults the resistant strains were harder to kill than the susceptible strain. However, in fumigations of mixed-age cultures, which contained the tolerant pupal stage, the difference between susceptible and resistant strains was more pronounced at lower concentrations than higher concentrations. For example, at 0.02 mg litre-1 the estimated LT99.9 for mixed-age cultures of the Australian resistant strain (27 days) is 3.4 times that of the susceptible strain (8 days), but at 1 mg litre-1 there is no difference between the two strains (4 days). Limited data on the Chinese resistant strain supported this finding. Twenty-three days exposure at 0.02 mg litre-1 had no effect on mixed-age cultures of this strain, but there were no survivors after 5 days exposure to 1 mg litre-1.     

Assessment of clonal fidelity of micropropagated gerbera plants by ISSR markers

True-to-type clonal fidelity is one of the most important pre-requisites in micropropagation of crop species. Genetic fidelity of in vitro raised 45 plants of gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii Bolus) derived from three different explants, viz., capitulum, leaf and shoot tips, was assessed by 32 ISSR markers, for their genetic stability. Out of 32 ISSR markers, 15 markers produced clear, distinct and scorable bands with an average of 5.47 bands per marker. The markers designed from AG motif amplified more number of bands. The markers anchored at 3′ ends produced high number of consistent bands than unanchored markers. Fifteen ISSR markers generated a total of 3773 bands, out of which 3770 were monomorphic among all the clones. The Jaccard's similarity coefficient revealed that out of 45 clones derived from different explants, 44 were grouped into a single large cluster alongwith the mother plant with a similarity coefficient value of 1.00, whereas one clone (C38) remained ungrouped. The clones derived from capitulum and shoot tip explants did not show any genetic variation, whereas, one of the leaf-derived clones exhibited some degree of variation.     

A quantitative real‐time PCR assay for detection of Colletotrichum lindemuthianum in navy bean seeds

Bean anthracnose is a seedborne disease of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) caused by the fungal pathogen Colletotrichum lindemuthianum. Using seed that did not test positive for the pathogen has been proven to be an effective strategy for bean anthracnose control. To quantify the extent of anthracnose seed infection, a real‐time PCR‐based diagnostic assay was developed for detecting C. lindemuthianum in seeds of the commercial bean class navy bean. The ribosomal DNA (rDNA) region consisting of part of the18S rDNA, 5^.8S rDNA, internal transcribed spacers (ITS) 1, 2 and part of the 28S rDNA of seven races of C. lindemuthianum, 21 isolates of Colletotrichum species and nine other bean pathogens were sequenced with the universal primer set ITS5/ITS4. Based on the aligned sequence matrix, one primer set and a probe were designed for a SYBR Green dye assay and a TaqMan MGB (minor groove binder) assay. The primer set was demonstrated to be specific for C. lindemuthianum and showed a high sensitivity for the target pathogen. The detection limit of both assays was 5 fg of C. lindemuthianum genomic DNA. To explore the correlation between the lesion area and the DNA amount of C. lindemuthianum in bean seed, seeds of the navy bean cultivar Navigator with lesions of different sizes, as well as symptomless seeds, were used in both real‐time PCR assays.     

利用注射叶片法快速鉴定大豆GmCRY1和GmCRY2基因功能

将大豆隐花色素基因GmCRY1、GmCRY2构建在N端含有绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)的pEGAD载体上,并转化农杆菌EHA105菌株.将含有上述基因的EHA105菌液分别注射到大豆单叶及复叶叶片中,观察长日条件下(16 h光照/8h黑暗)和短日条件下(8h光照/16 h黑暗)注射植株的开花时间.结果叶片注射含GmCRY1基...     

葡萄品种浆果成熟期多样性及归类标准评价

对郑州葡萄圃内260个鲜食和153个酿酒品种的浆果成熟期进行了鉴定评价。在郑州地区,最早熟的葡萄种质材料早莎巴珍珠6月29日生理成熟,果实发育期48d;最晚熟的种质材料大宝10月12日成熟,果实发育期144d,在其间的103d时间里不断有成熟的葡萄品种,表现了丰富的多样性。酿酒葡萄的果实成熟期相对集中,大多数酿酒葡萄品种在8月中旬成熟,7月份和9月份成熟的葡萄品种所占的比例极少。果实发育期≤60d、61～80d、81～100d、101～120d、≥121d的品种次数呈正态分布,果实发育期81～100d的品种占收集品种的53.03%;果实发育期少于60d的极早熟品种和果实发育期多于120d的极晚熟品种所占比例较少。早、中、晚熟品种按照浆果发育期进行归类较为简便。     

Dynamics and determinants of Quercus alba seedling success following savanna encroachment and restoration

The scattered tree layer that defines savannas is important for structuring the understory community and determining patterns of overstory recruitment. However, encroachment by woody plants has altered overstory tree densities and regeneration dynamics. We characterized seedling success of the savanna-forming species Quercus alba within Midwestern (USA) oak savannas that had been degraded by encroachment (control; n = 4) or experimentally restored by removal of encroaching woody vegetation (treatment; n = 4). In early 2004, 981 seedlings were transplanted along transects radiating from tree boles of overstory Q. alba trees to inter-canopy gaps and monitored for three growing seasons. Seedlings in restored sites had greater survival (>2×), height growth (by >50%), and basal diameter growth (by >20%). In general, seedling survival and growth parameters increased with distance from overstory trees and were greatest in inter-canopy gaps of restored sites. By the final growing season (2006), the seedling survival-by-distance from tree correlation was stronger in control (r² = 0.25) than treatment sites (r² = 0.18), due to relatively uniform (and greater) survival at all distances from trees in treatment sites. In 2006, growth parameters (seedling height, diameter, Δ height, Δ diameter, and # leaves) were significantly (and more strongly) positively correlated with distance from trees in treatment sites. However, seedling herbivory was also greater after treatment and increased with distance from overstory trees. To understand seedling/microenvironment relationships, we created logistic (survival) and linear regression models (Δ height, Δ basal diameter, # leaves in 2006). Control seedling models had consistently greater predictive power and included more variables, suggesting that savanna restoration may decouple seedlings from their microenvironments, potentially by decreasing competition for limiting resources. Encroachment of the savannas in this study is limiting regeneration of Q. alba, suggesting substantially altered regeneration dynamics from those under which these savannas originally formed. Initial responses from our test of restoration, however, were promising and mechanical encroachment removal may be a means to promote overstory regeneration of this species. Finally, the savannas in this study appear inherently unstable and a scattered canopy tree configuration is unlikely to persist without regular disturbance, even in the restoration sites. Repeated mechanical thinning treatments with selected retention of recruiting Q. alba individuals or reintroduction of understory fire or grazing animals may be potential mechanisms for promoting long-term persistence of savannas at these sites.     

应用缩节安(DPC)调控棉花株型的定位定量效应研究

缩节安(1,1-dimeyl piperidinium cloride, DPC)是棉花生产中广泛应用的植物生长延缓剂,其调控棉花茎枝生长的定位定量效应尚缺乏系统的量化研究。本研究 2013-2014 年在田间条件下分别于棉花现蕾期、盛蕾期后、盛花期前、盛花期后和打顶后单次应用不同剂量的 DPC,测量了 DPC 作用有效期内的棉花株高和主茎生长速率,探究了所有主茎节间及所有果节对 DPC 的响应。结果表明, DPC 处理对棉花主茎节间的影响范围为 N 节(应用 DPC 时的主茎节)以下 1~4 个和 N 节以上 0~6 个(打顶条件下),对果枝的影响范围为 N 节以下 1~11 个和 N 节以上 0~5 个,其中 N 节以下果枝受影响的果节多于 N 节以上果枝。将盛蕾期后和盛花期前 2 次应用 DPC 的效应叠加,其影响范围几乎可以覆盖全部主茎节间(果枝始节以上)和全部果节。DPC 应用剂量与其作用强度并不总存在较好的线性关系。DPC 的定位定量效应除了与应用时间和剂量有关,还受到温度、降水等环境条件和棉株生物量、源库关系的影响。     

荸荠开花习性和人工辅助授粉结实特性观察

【目的】了解荸荠开花习性和人工辅助授粉结实特性,为荸荠杂交育种提供参考依据。【方法】以桂蹄2号荸荠为材料,观察荸荠茎及花序生长情况,了解荸荠开花规律和雌雄蕊生长情况,并通过显微观察人工辅助授粉和自然授粉部位,对比荸荠在人工辅助授粉和自然授粉后的结子情况。【结果】同一花茎的花序雌、雄蕊分别在花茎约长37.00和46.90 cm时达到盛期,两者平均高度差为9.84 cm,时间差为28.5 h;上午9:00~11:00是进行人工辅助授粉的最佳时段,授粉雌蕊约7.0 h后迅速萎蔫;通过人工辅助授粉的结子率明显高于自然授粉的结子率,人工辅助授粉的结子率为43.0%,自然授粉的结子率仅为15.5%。【结论】人工辅助授粉可大幅度提高荸荠结子率,且荸荠两性花的特性和雌、雄蕊生长及盛期均存在时间差,是荸荠开展人工辅助授粉的关键因素。