A comparison of rapid bovine spongiform encephalopathy testing methods on autolyzed bovine brain tissue.

In 1999, the European Union (EU) approved 3 rapid methods for the testing of bovine brain samples for the presence of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). The evaluation that led to the approval did not include an analysis of autolyzed material. Member states of the EU have active surveillance programs for BSE, which target fallen stock as well as other categories of cattle. Autolysis is a common feature of fallen stock samples because there can be a considerable delay between death and collection of samples. Therefore, it is important to know whether these tests perform optimally on autolyzed samples. The Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) selected 250 positive fallen stock samples. These had been detected during routine testing using the Prionics-Check Western blot and confirmed as BSE cases by immunohistochemistry or electron microscopy. Samples were graded according to the degree of autolysis and then tested by the 3 methods: Prionics-Check Western blot, Platelia test, and Enfer test. All 3 methods correctly classified the samples as positive BSE cases, therefore alleviating doubt about their ability to do so. Subsequent EU validation exercises, such as those conducted in 2002--2003, have included the testing of autolyzed material. It is important that all new methods be evaluated on autolyzed tissue before approval for official use.     

Estimation of Quantitative Enzymuria in Dogs With Gentamicin-Induced Nephrotoxicosis Using Urine Enzyme/Creatinine Ratios From Spot Urine Samples

The correlation between 24-hour urinary excretion of N -acetyl-β- d -glucosaminidase (NAG) and γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT) with urine NAG and GGT/creatinine ratios was assessed in dogs with gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicosis. Eighteen 6-month-oid male Beagles with normal renal function were randomly divided into 3 groups of 6. Each group was fed a different concentration of protein (high protein, 27.3%; medium protein, 13.7%; and low protein, 9.4%) for 21 days. After dietary conditioning, gentamicin was administered at a dose of 10 mg/kg IM tid for 8 days and each group was continued on its respective diet. Endogenous creatinine clearance and 24-hour urinary excretion of NAG and GGT were determined after dietary conditioning (day 0) and on days 2, 4, 6, and 8 of gentamicin administration. In addition, urine NAG and GGT/creatinine ratios (IU/L ± mg/dL) were determined from catheterized spot urine samples obtained between 7 and 10 am on the same days. The correlation between 24-hour urinary enzyme excretion and urine enzyme/creatinine ratio in the spot urine samples was evaluated by simple linear regression analysis. Spot sample urine enzyme/creatinine ratios were significantly correlated with 24-hour urinary enzyme excretion through day 4 for dogs on low dietary protein, through day 6 for those on medium protein, and through day 8 for those on high dietary protein. Mean ± SD baseline values for urine NAG/creatinine ratio and 24-hour urinary NAG excretion were 0.06 ± 0.04 and 0.19 ± 0.14 IU/kg/24 hr, respectively. Baseline values for urine GGT/creatinine ratio and 24-hour urinary GGT excretion were 0.39 ± 0.18 and 1.42 ± 0.82 IU/kg/24 hr, respectively.     

Biophysical quantification of biodiversity and ecosystems services of forest ecosystems in the Western Ghats: a case study of Uttara Kannada District,India

Biodiversity and ecosystem services play key roles in future economic strategies seeking to promote development and prosperity. This study assesses the status of biodiversity and flow of ecosystem services from selected forest types in the Western Ghats. At the sampling sites, the number of tree species ranged from 16 to 79 per hectare depending on the forest type. The estimates for Shannon–Wiener index for trees in the evergreen, moist deciduous and dry deciduous forest plots were 3.02, 2.9 and 1.54, respectively. The total biomass carbon stocks in evergreen, moist deciduous and dry deciduous forests in the study area was 229, 221 and 189 t C/ha, respectively.Analysis of dependency patterns of local communities on forest resources indicated a high dependency on provisional services such as fuelwood, manure and fodder. The study records the highest dependency rates for fuelwood,ranging between 72 and 100% for the three forest types and indicates that forest ecosystems underpin the well-being of the population dependent directly and indirectly on them.     

蛋鸽早期性别DNA分子鉴定

蛋鸽早期性别的鉴定一直是制约蛋鸽业发展的瓶颈问题。在本研究中,我们采用PCR扩增和琼脂糖凝胶电泳检测的方法,对20日龄期的100只蛋鸽的性别连锁基因染色体解旋酶DNA结合基因CHD（chromo-helicase DNA binding）进行跨内含子扩增检测。蛋鸽早期DNA分子电泳检测结果与成年后的真实性别核对结果表明：所有雌性蛋鸽扩增结果含有两条带,其大小分别为280bp和250bp,雄性蛋鸽仅有一条280bp的条带;泊松统计分析发现,蛋鸽早期DNA分子判定结果达到统计学上显著水平,可以作为蛋鸽早期性别鉴定的一种方法。本实验实现了以DNA分子为基础的早期蛋鸽性别鉴定,将对蛋鸽业早期的饲养成本降低和早期雄性蛋鸽的淘汰起到准确的指导作用。     

半胱氨酸合成酶基因CPCSaseA植物表达载体的构建

半胱氨酸合成酶是植物硫代谢过程中催化O-乙酰丝氨酸和硫化氢合成半胱氨酸的关键酶。用全长cDNA文库EST随机测序的方法获得了蜡梅的半胱氨酸合成酶胞质异形体基因,构建了全长正义植物表达载体pB I121-CPOASTL。