Quantitative PCR demonstrates a positive correlation between a Rickettsia-like organism and severity of strawberry disease lesions in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum)

Strawberry disease (SD) is an inflammatory skin disorder in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum). The aetiology of SD is unknown although the 16S rDNA sequence of a Rickettsia-like organism (RLO) has been associated with SD lesions using a nested PCR assay. In this study, we developed a Taqman quantitative PCR assay (qPCR) that targeted the RLO 16S rDNA sequence to examine the distribution of RLO relative to lesion status. We compared 18 lesion samples from 13 fish representing high or low lesion severity as judged by gross examination. QPCR results showed that there was a higher number of RLO sequences in high severity lesions (mean of 12,068 copies) compared with fewer copies of RLO sequence in low severity lesions (mean of 3287 copies, P = 0.012). Grossly normal skin samples (n = 13) from SD-affected fish were all negative by qPCR except two samples (121 and 139 copies). The qPCR assay described herein is a useful tool to investigate the role of RLO in SD in the absence of a culture system for RLO. Our results demonstrate a positive correlation between copy number and lesion severity consistent with the hypothesis that the RLO is the aetiologic agent of SD.     

Detection of antigenic proteins expressed by lymphocystis virus as vaccine candidates in olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus (Temminck & Schlegel)

Although the major capsid proteins (MCPs) of lymphocystis disease virus (LCDV) have been characterized, little is known about the host-derived immune response to MCPs and other LCDV antigenic proteins. To identify antigenic proteins of LCDV that could be used as vaccine candidates in olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus, we analysed the viral proteins responsible for its virulence by applying immuno-proteomics. LCDV proteins were separated by one-dimensional gel electrophoresis, transferred to polyvinylidene difluoride membrane, and probed with homogeneous P. olivaceus antisera elicited by LCDV natural infection and vaccination with formalin-killed LCDV. Four immune-reactive proteins were obtained at 68-, 51-, 41- and 21 kDa using antisera collected from natural infection while two proteins at 51- and 21 kDa exhibited response to antisera from vaccinated fish, indicating that the latter two proteins have vaccine potential. Using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and nanoelectrospray MS/MS, the 51 and 21 kDa proteins were identified as MCP and an unknown protein, respectively.     

Identification of sources of resistance to damping-off and early root/hypocotyl damage from Rhizoctonia solani in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Rhizoctonia solani causes economically important root and hypocotyl diseases in common bean throughout the world. Root health is a vital factor in plant development and root diseases would negatively influence water and nutrient uptake as well as cause direct stand reduction and root rot damage to the crop. An efficient common bean screening method to evaluate damping-off and early root/hypocotyl damage from R. solani was developed and used to identify dry bean lines with levels of resistance to this disease. Two sets of 163 and 111 lines previously evaluated for drought tolerance in Nebraska and Puerto Rico were evaluated for damping-off resistance and early root/hypocotyl damage under greenhouse conditions. Disease severity on plants was identified based on above-ground symptoms, seedling survival and root lesions using a rating scale of 1 (resistant) to 9 (susceptible). In the first set of lines representing commonly grown dry bean cultivars, germplasm and sources of damping-off resistance, the Rhizoctonia mean rating ranged from 1.7 to 3.9; Phaseolus vulgaris lines PI 310668 and PI 533249 had the highest damping-off resistance. In the second set of the best lines from a drought tolerance shuttle breeding program the Rhizoctonia mean rating was between 2.6 and 5.7. The availability of drought tolerant dry bean lines allowed the testing of the hypothesis that there was a correlation between selecting for drought tolerance and R. solani damping-off resistance. No correlation between mean disease rating and drought tolerance was found, but adapted dry bean lines such as NE14-08-176 released as SB-DT1, and NE14-08-225 were identified with moderate damping-off resistance and drought tolerance. Lines with both traits and other attributes will facilitate development of resistant bean cultivars to manage damping-off caused by R. solani.     

枯草芽孢杆菌CN620菌株制剂对板栗烂果病的防治及病原的抑制作用初报

从板栗树体上分离得到枯草芽孢杆菌 [Bacillussubtilis(Ehrenberg)Cohn]CN62 0菌株。室内测定其菌株制剂对Glomerellasp .、Alternariaalternata、Trichotheciumroseum、Pestalotiasp .和Fusariumsp .5种板栗烂果病主要病原的抑制作用均为 1 0 0 % ,而CN62 0菌株 50倍培养液 ,对上述 5种病菌的抑制效果为 86.5%～ 96.6%。其抑菌机理主要是使病菌孢子和菌丝畸变 ,细胞壁溶解 ,原生质泄漏。 1 997年和 1 998年连续两年两点对板栗烂果病进行小区防治试验的防治效果分别为 87.7%和 87.6% ,明显高于化学农药处理的 30 .4 %和 31 .7%的效果     

天水市猪传染病调查样本量的确定

猪传染病的发生给养猪业的发展带来了严重的损失,造成了很大危害。为实时掌握天水市二三类猪传染病的发生和流行情况,为今后有效防控猪传染病提供科学依据,近两年天水市采用ELISA、平板凝集、免疫胶体金技术和细菌染色等检测方法进行了猪传染病调查,基本确定了近两年主要猪传染病的发生情况。在此基础上,论文运用生物统计学方法结合Excell建立了一种计算最小调查样本量的简便方法,确定了调查精度达到95%,至少发现1个阳性猪传染病例所需要的最小样本量,然后运用该计算方法计算出了天水市猪传染病调查所需要的最小样本量。     

Transplantation of adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells for acute thoracolumbar disc disease with no deep pain perception in dogs

Thirty-four dogs with no deep pain perception due to acute thoracolumbar intervertebral disc disease underwent decompression surgery within 1 week of diagnosis. All dogs underwent hemilaminectomy. Adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs) were transplanted into the injured spinal cord parenchyma for the AD-MSCs transplant dogs. Long-term outcome was evaluated at the end of the follow-up period (> 6 months). AD-MSCs combination treatment showed better recovery outcomes compared to decompression surgery alone. These results indicate that this stem cell therapy is a potential therapeutic strategy to overcome the limitations of treatment for spinal cord injury in clinical medicine.     

Suppression of clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae) development in Arabidopsis thaliana by the endophytic fungus Acremonium alternatum

This study investigated the ability of an endophytic fungus Acremonium alternatum to reduce clubroot formation in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, which is highly susceptible to Plasmodiophora brassicae . Quantitative PCR demonstrated that A. alternatum colonized the P. brassicae -infected roots and shoots of the host plant. When Arabidopsis plants were co-inoculated with P. brassicae and A. alternatum , gall formation was reduced as shown by the reduction of the disease index (DI) by up to 50% compared to plants only infected with P. brassicae, whereas the infection rate was lowered by about 20% only in several, but not all, experiments. Clubroot was similarly suppressed when plants were inoculated with autoclaved A. alternatum spores or spore extracts, showing that viable spores were not needed. However, A. alternatum spores did not inhibit P. brassicae resting spore germination. Compared to the normal root galls, the smaller root galls on A. alternatum -inoculated plants contained fewer resting spores of the clubroot pathogen. It was thus hypothesized that inoculation with A. alternatum delayed the development of P. brassicae . Using quantitative RT-PCR to monitor the expression of P. brassicae genes differentially expressed during the development of the disease, a delayed pathogen development was corroborated. Furthermore, greenhouse experiments identified a time window in which the endophyte had to be administered, where the latest effective time point was 5 days before inoculation with P. brassicae and the optimum treatment was to administer A. alternatum and P. brassicae at the same time. These results indicate that A. alternatum and perhaps similar endophytes could be useful for the management of clubroot disease.     

红细胞免疫与免疫复合物疾病

20世纪90年代,天然免疫研究升温,成了现代免疫学研究前沿,红细胞天然免疫研究又掀起了新的高潮。红细胞具有许多与免疫有关的物质,它们具有识别、黏附、浓缩、杀伤抗原、清除循环免疫复合物,还参与机体免疫的调控。随着免疫学的不断发展、免疫技术的不断改进,免疫复合物疾病越来越引起临床工作者的重视。本文主要研究红细胞对免疫复合物的调控作用,以及红细胞Ⅰ型补体受体(CR1)在循环免疫复合物清除中的作用机理,阐明红细胞CR1数量与活性的改变对免疫复合物疾病的影响。     

水稻硅素失调症及防治技术探讨

介绍了水稻硅素失调症的症状、发生条件,以及诊断和防治方法,以期为水稻科学生产提供理论依据。     

Effects of Plant and Soil Factors on Growth of Young Apple and Blackcurrant Plants

Abstract

Shoot growth as affected by plant size at planting, peat application in the planting hole, pruning, drip-irrigation and, for apple, specific apple replant disease (SARD) was investigated in apple (cv. Elstar) and blackcurrant (cvs Ben Lomond and Ben Nevis), using a multifactorial design. In the first year after planting, peat application and drip-irrigation enhanced shoot growth in both species, with a further interactional increase when both treatments were applied. The extension growth of apple, in contrast to blackcurrant, was positively related to plant size, and the strength of the relationship was distinctly improved when growth conditions were good. Pruning had only small effects on total shoot growth, with a trend towards an increase when growth conditions were poor.