Geographical cline of DNA variation within the F intersterility group of Heterobasidion annosum in Italy

Eighty-six Heterobasidion annosum isolates, mainly belonging to the F intersterility group and obtained from 32 different geographical localities in Italy, were subjected to genetic analysis by the Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. The similarity between F and S groups was higher than that between F and P. In UPGMA Cluster Analysis, the F isolates originating from the same locality usually grouped in the same cluster. The isolates also showed a tendency to group at the level of larger geographical areas. Within the F group, isolates from the south of the Italian peninsula showed the highest genetic variation and northern isolates from the Alpine regions showed the lowest. This indicates a gradual cline along the peninsula. The genetic variability in the Italian F group is discussed in relation to the past and present distribution of the host species in Italy and Europe.     

Reptile neoplasia: a retrospective study of case submissions to a specialty diagnostic service.

This retrospective study appears to be the largest publication to date regarding the prevalence of neoplasia in reptiles. As in previous publications, neoplasia is most common in snakes, followed by lizards, chelonians, and crocodilians. Several interesting trends were documented in this study, some of which appear to be previously unidentified, and some that support the findings of previous publications.     

Combined application of nitrogen and phosphorus to enhance nitrogen use efficiency and close the wheat yield gap on varying soils in semi‐arid conditions

A primary driver of the wheat yield gap in Australia and globally is the supply of nitrogen (N) and options to increase N use efficiency (NUE) are fundamental to closure of the yield gap. Co‐application of N with phosphorus (P) is suggested as an avenue to increase fertiliser NUE, and inputs of N and P fertiliser are key variable costs in low rainfall cereal crops. Within field variability in the response to nutrients due to soil and season offers a further opportunity to refine inputs for increased efficiency. The response of wheat to N fertiliser input (0, 10, 20, 40 and 80 kg N ha^‐1) under four levels of P fertiliser (0, 5, 10 and 20 kg P ha^?1) was measured on three key low rainfall cropping soils (dune, mid‐slope and swale) across a dune‐swale system in a low rainfall semi‐arid environment in South Australia, for three successive cropping seasons. Wheat on sandy soils produced significant and linear yield and protein responses across all three seasons, while wheat on a clay loam only produced a yield response in a high rainfall season. Responses to P fertiliser were measured on the sandy soils but more variable in nature and a consistent effect of increased P nutrition leading to increased NUE was not measured.     

Pharmacokinetics of xylazine after 2-, 4-, and 6-hr durations of continuous rate infusions in horses

Intravenous (i.v.) bolus administration of xylazine (XYL) (0.5 mg/kg) immediately followed by a continuous rate infusion (CRI) of 1 mg kg⁻¹ hr⁻¹ for 2, 4, and 6 hr produced immediate sedation, which lasted throughout the duration of the CRI. Heart rate decreased and blood pressure increased significantly (p > .05) in all horses during the first 15 min of infusion, both returned to and then remained at baseline during the duration of the infusion. Compartmental models were used to investigate the pharmacokinetics of XYL administration. Plasma concentration–time curves following bolus and CRI were best described by a one-compartment model. No differences were found between pharmacokinetic estimates of the CRIs for the fractional elimination rate constant (K_e), half-life (t_1/2e), volume of distribution (V_d), and clearance (Cl). Median and range were 0.42 (0.15–0.97)/hr, 1.68 (0.87–4.52) hr, 5.85 (2.10–19.34) L/kg, and 28.7 (19.6–39.5) ml min⁻¹ kg⁻¹, respectively. Significant differences were seen for area under the curve ( ) (p < .0002) and maximum concentration (C_max) (p < .04). This indicates that with increasing duration of infusion, XYL may not accumulate in a clinically relevant way and hence no adjustments are required in a longer XYL CRI to maintain a constant level of sedation and a rapid recovery.     

Development and psychometric testing of an instrument designed to measure chronic pain in dogs with osteoarthritis

OBJECTIVE: To develop and psychometrically test an owner self-administered questionnaire designed to assess severity and impact of chronic pain in dogs with osteoarthritis. SAMPLE POPULATION: 70 owners of dogs with osteoarthritis and 50 owners of clinically normal dogs. PROCEDURES: Standard methods for the stepwise development and testing of instruments designed to assess subjective states were used. Items were generated through focus groups and an expert panel. Items were tested for readability and ambiguity, and poorly performing items were removed. The reduced set of items was subjected to factor analysis, reliability testing, and validity testing. RESULTS: Severity of pain and interference with function were 2 factors identified and named on the basis of the items contained in them. Cronbach's alpha was 0.93 and 0.89, respectively, suggesting that the items in each factor could be assessed as a group to compute factor scores (ie, severity score and interference score). The test-retest analysis revealed kappa values of 0.75 for the severity score and 0.81 for the interference score. Scores correlated moderately well (r = 0.51 and 0.50, respectively) with the overall quality-of-life (QOL) question, such that as severity and interference scores increased, QOL decreased. Clinically normal dogs had significantly lower severity and interference scores than dogs with osteoarthritis. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: A psychometrically sound instrument was developed. Responsiveness testing must be conducted to determine whether the questionnaire will be useful in reliably obtaining quantifiable assessments from owners regarding the severity and impact of chronic pain and its treatment on dogs with osteoarthritis.     

Evaluating evaporation from field crops using airborne radiometry and ground-based meteorological data

Summary Airborne measurements of reflected solar and emitted thermal radiation were combined with ground-based measurements of incoming solar radiation, air temperature, windspeed, and vapor pressure to calculate instantaneous evaporation (LE) rates using a form of the Penman equation. Estimates of evaporation over cotton, wheat, and alfalfa fields were obtained on 5 days during a one-year period. A Bowen ratio apparatus, employed simultaneously, provided ground-based measurements of evaporation. Comparison of the airborne and ground techniques showed good agreement, with the greatest difference being about 12% for the instantaneous values. Estimates of daily (24 h) evaporation were made from the instantaneous data. On three of the five days, the difference between the two techniques was less than 8%, with the greatest difference being 25%. The results demonstrate that airborne remote sensing techniques can be used to obtain spatially distributed values of evaporation over agricultural fields.     

Fatty acid profiles, tocopherol contents, and antioxidant activities of heartnut (Juglans ailanthifolia Var. cordiformis) and Persian walnut (Juglans regia L.)

The fatty acid and tocopherol compositions of three heartnut (Juglans ailanthifolia var. cordiformis) varieties (Imshu, Campbell CW1, and Campbell CW3) were examined and compared with those of two Persian walnut (Juglans regia L.) varieties (Combe and Lake). The major fatty acids found in heartnuts and walnuts were identified by gas chromatography as linoleic (18:2n-6), alpha-linolenic (18:3n-3), oleic (18:1n-9), palmitic (16:0), and stearic acid (18:0). Polyunsaturated fatty acids were the main group of fatty acids found in both heartnut and walnut, ranging from 73.07 to 80.98%, and were significantly higher in heartnut than in Persian walnuts (P < 0.001). In addition, heartnuts had significantly higher levels of 18:2n-6 and lower levels of 18:3n-3 compared to the Persian walnuts. gamma-Tocopherol was the main tocopherol homologue present in both types of nuts, followed by delta- and alpha-tocopherol. The highest concentration of gamma-tocopherol was found in Combe Persian walnut at 267.87 mug/g, followed by Lake Persian walnut and Imshu, Campbell CW1, and CW3 heartnut at 205.45, 187.33, 161.84, and 126.46 mug/g, respectively. Tocopherols, particularly the gamma-tocopherol, were found to contribute the most to the strong total antioxidant activities of both walnut and heartnut oils using either the free radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay or the photochemiluminescence method.     

甜菜SSR反应体系优化及重要农艺性状分子标记

[目的]为选育优质甜菜新品种,利用SSR法筛选与高糖、高产、耐盐相关的分子标注.[方法]研究对甜菜SSR-PCR反应体系进行优化,并利用SSR分子标记方法和分离群体分组分析法(Bulked SegregateAnalysis,BSA)对具有高糖/低糖、低产/高产、耐盐/不耐盐三种重要农艺性状的甜菜亲本和F2代植株进行分析.[结果]研究建立了适宜甜菜的SSR-PCR反应体系为:20μL反应体系中含l×Buffer、2.0 mmol/LMg2+、1.5 uTaq DNA聚合酶、0.20 mmol/L dNTP、1.5 μmol/L引物、60 ng DNA模板.依据优化体系,对不同农艺性状的甜菜亲本与F2代进行SSR-PCR扩增分析,高糖性状获得了200和100 bp两条与高糖性状连锁的标记,250和230 bp两条与高产性状连锁的标记,550、250和100 bp三条与耐盐性状紧密连锁的分子标记.[结论]研究获得的7条特异条带是与甜菜重要农艺性状连锁的分子标记,将为甜菜的育种工作提供重要的理论基础.