Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in exotic wild felids from Brazilian zoos.

Serum samples from 37 captive exotic felids in 12 zoos from six Brazilian states were assayed for antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii by the modified agglutination test using formalin-fixed whole tachyzoites. Titers greater than or equal to 1:20 were considered positive. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 24 of 37 (64.9%) felids, including one European lynx (Lynx lynx), two jungle cats (Felis chaus), two servals (Leptailurus serval), two tigers (Panthera tigris), three leopards (Panthera pardus), and 14 of 27 lions (Panthera leo). This is the first serologic analysis for T. gondii infection in exotic wild felids from Brazilian zoos.     

Specificities of antinuclear antibodies detected in dogs with systemic lupus erythematosus

Five hundred and eighty dogs with at least one clinical sign compatible with a systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were entered in a prospective study aimed at evaluating the prevalence of antinuclear antibodies (ANAb). SLE was diagnosed in 38 of these dogs (group A) which fulfilled at least four American Rheumatism Association (ARA) criteria; of these, sixteen had ANAb titers greater than or equal to 4096. The 23 dogs which met three or two ARA criteria (group B) had an ANAb geometric mean titer (GMT) of 259. Dogs (group C) with only 1 criterium had an ANAb GMT of 75. Anti-ds-DNA Ab were present in 6 dogs from group A (16%), and 2 dogs from group B (9%). Anti-histone Ab were present among dogs from group A, B and C with frequencies of 81%, 67% and 26%, respectively. Among dogs from group A, the ANAb titers and the levels of anti-histone Ab correlated positively when individual sera were considered. Antibodies against the soluble nuclear antigen (SNA) were detected in 74%, 39% and 13% of the dogs from groups A, B and C, respectively. Antibodies initially described in human SLE also exist in SLE dogs. Anti-Sm Ab were found in 24% of dogs in group A. With anti-RNP Ab the frequency was still lower (10%). However, two other types of anti-SNA Ab against RNAse and trypsin-resistant antigens, not found in human "reference sera", were often detected. The first type (anti-type 1 Ab) was found in 26% and 9% of group A and group B, The first type (anti-type 1 Ab) was found in 26% and 9% of group A and group B, respectively; the second type (anti-type 2 Ab) is less frequent, and was found in 13% and 17% of group A and B, respectively. It appears that testing for anti-Sm, anti-type 1 and anti-histone Ab should be performed in order to improve the diagnosis of SLE in dogs.     

On estimating non‐additive genetic parameters in chickens 1

1. Several economically important traits in two Leghorn populations (over 9000 birds) were examined for additive and non‐additive components of genetic variance and sex‐linked effects. Data were analysed by two different statistical models based on least‐squares procedures.

2. Six different covariances were first calculated between relatives; i.e., full‐sibs, 3/4‐sisters, half‐sisters, dam‐daughters, grandam‐granddaughters and aunt‐nieces.

3. From the covariances, weighted least‐squares equations were used to obtain estimates of variance components for additive genetic, dominance, maternal and sex‐linkage effects.

4. The estimates of non‐additive components were highly variable but generally small compared with the additive genetic estimates.

5. In general this study suggests that for most traits, with the possible exception of rate of egg production, there is relatively little non‐additive genetic variation.

6. The consequences of possible negative correlations between additive effects and maternal effects are considered as they might apply to egg production in poultry.     

桃树不同生长型及其研究进展

生长型是桃树重要的树体特征,是控制树体大小的遗传因素,与栽培关系密切。综合有关文献介绍了桃树的紧凑型、半矮化型、矮化型、柱型、直立型、短枝型、垂枝型等生长型资源及不同生长型在遗传、形态特征、生理、栽培等方面的研究进展。紧凑型受单位点显性基因控制,树体开张,分枝角度大,萌芽率及成枝力均高,光透过率较低;半矮化型树体介于普通型和紧凑型之间;矮化型为单基因隐性性状,节间极短,树体矮小,叶片密度大,光透过率低;柱型枝条分枝角度小,冠幅小,叶面积指数大;直立型介于柱型和普通型之间;短枝型能形成较多的短果枝,并以短果枝结果为主;垂枝型枝条披散下垂,枝条弯曲。不同生长型之间在氮素、干物质分配和内源激素水平上也存在一定的差异。紧凑型、矮化型由于树冠密度大,光透过率低而在应用上受到限制,直立型和柱型因适应了高密度栽培而更受人们的重视。针对目前存在的生长型分类与命名问题,作者认为应首先考虑节间长度,其次为萌芽率、成枝力等,然后考虑的是枝条的分枝角度。     

U形渠道圆头量水柱测流影响因素试验及模拟

为研究U形渠道圆头量水柱的测流规律及影响因素,基于绕流理论和RNG k-?湍流模型,对18种体型圆头量水柱5种工况下的水力性能进行全流场数值计算,获得了时均流场、断面流速分布及柱后水流流态,并与实测值进行对比。同时,通过模型试验与数值仿真研究了V形尾翼对测流的影响。结果表明：水力参数的实测值与模拟值具有较好的一致性,渠道底坡为1/1 000,流量为45.01 L/s,收缩比及长宽比分别为0.50和2时,驻点处横断面最大流速模拟值与实测值相对误差为1.51%,水深15 cm位置剖面最大流速模拟值与实测值相对误差为0.45%。适宜长宽比的V形尾翼可以有效改善过槽水流：当收缩比为0.50～0.75时,建议长宽比为3/2～2;当收缩比＜0.50时,长宽比应相应增大,但不宜＞5/2。通过回归分析得到的圆头量水柱流量计算公式,在收缩比为0.63时最大测流误差为4.95%,平均误差仅为0.10%,该研究为圆头量水柱在中国北方灌区末级渠系的进一步应用提供参考。     

Soil carbon dioxide fluxes following tillage in semiarid Mediterranean agroecosystems

In semiarid Mediterranean agroecosystems, low and erratic annual rainfall together with the widespread use of mouldboard ploughing (conventional tillage, CT), as the main traditional tillage practice, has led to a depletion of soil organic matter (SOM) and with increases in CO₂ emissions from soil to the atmosphere. In this study, we evaluated the viability of conservation tillage: RT, reduced tillage (chisel and cultivator ploughing) and, especially, NT (no-tillage) to reduce short-term (from 0 to 48 h after a tillage operation) and mid-term (from 0 h to several days since tillage operation) tillage-induced CO₂ emissions. The study was conducted in three long-term tillage experiments located at different sites of the Ebro river valley (NE Spain) across a precipitation gradient. Soils were classified as: Fluventic Xerocrept, Typic Xerofluvent and Xerollic Calciorthid. Soil temperature and water content were also measured in order to determine their influence on tillage-induced CO₂ fluxes. The majority of the CO₂ flux measured immediately after tillage ranged from 0.17 to 6 g CO₂ m⁻² h⁻¹ and was from 3 to 15 times greater than the flux before tillage operations, except in NT where soil CO₂ flux was low and steady during the whole study period. Mid-term CO₂ emission showed a different trend depending on the time of the year in which tillage was implemented. Microclimatic soil conditions (soil temperature and water content) had little impact on soil CO₂ emission following tillage. In the semiarid Mediterranean agroecosystems studied, NT had low short-term soil CO₂ efflux compared with other soil tillage systems (e.g., conventional and reduced tillage) and therefore can be recommended to better manage C in soil.     

Free amino acid composition of quince (Cydonia oblonga Miller) fruit (pulp and peel) and jam

Twenty-one free amino acids present in several samples of quince fruit (pulp and peel) and quince jam (homemade and industrially manufactured) were analyzed by GC/FID. The analyses showed some differences between quince pulps and peels. Generally, the highest content in total free amino acids and in glycine was found in peels. As a general rule, the three major free amino acids detected in pulps were aspartic acid, asparagine, and hydroxyproline. For quince peels, usually, the three most abundant amino acids were glycine, aspartic acid, and asparagine. Similarly, for quince jams the most important free amino acids were aspartic acid, asparagine, and glycine or hydroxyproline. This study suggests that the free amino acid analysis can be useful for the evaluation of quince jam authenticity. It seems that glycine percentage can be used for the detection of quince peel addition while high alanine content can be related to pear addition.