A Tremor Syndrome With a Central Axonopathy in Scottish Terriers

A central axonopathy in 2 male and 1 female Scottish Terrier puppies from 3 different but related litters is reported. Clinical signs consisting of severe whole-body tremors and ataxia were first detected at the age of 10 to 12 weeks. They worsened with activity and excitement and diminished during rest or sleep. Two dogs also had paraparesis. In 1 dog the neurological deficits progressed over several months. Neuropathological examination revealed widespread axonal changes, vacuolation, and gliosis in the white matter of the central nervous system.     

Distribution of ASFV antigens in pig tissues experimentally infected with two different Spanish virus isolates.

Lymph nodes, spleen, liver, lung and kidney obtained from pigs experimentally infected with two African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) isolates of differing virulence were fixed by perfusion with glutaraldehyde and embedded in paraffin. An immunoperoxidase technique using a polyclonal anti-ASFV serum was performed on tissue sections in order to detect ASFV antigen. The distribution of ASFV antigen in such infected organs is shown and the differences between both infections compared and discussed. Monocytes, macrophages, hepatocytes, endothelial cells, neutrophils and epithelial cells were found to contain ASFV antigens.     

Clostridium piliforme infection (Tyzzer disease) in horses: retrospective study of 25 cases and literature review

Tyzzer disease (TD) is caused by Clostridium piliforme, a gram-negative and obligate intracellular bacterium. The disease occurs in multiple species. A triad of lesions, namely colitis, hepatitis, and myocarditis, is described in cases of TD in some species, such as rats and mice. We carried out a retrospective analysis of 25 equine cases with a diagnosis of TD; 24 of 25 cases occurred in foals <45 d old; the remaining foal was 90 d old. There were 12 males and 12 females; no sex information was available for one foal. The affected breeds were Quarter Horse, Thoroughbred, Arabian, Paint, and Hanoverian. Most of the cases (19 of 25) occurred in the spring. There were 9 cases of sudden death; the remaining animals had diarrhea, fever, distended abdomen, depression, weakness, non-responsiveness, and/or recumbency. Gross findings included icterus, hepatomegaly with acinar pattern, serosal hemorrhages, pulmonary edema, and/or fluid content in small and large intestine. Microscopically, all foals had severe, multifocal, necrotizing hepatitis. Necrotizing lymphohistiocytic colitis was observed in 10 of 25 foals, and multifocal necrotizing myocarditis was found in 8 of 25. Gram-negative, Steiner-positive, intracytoplasmic filamentous bacteria were observed in hepatocytes, enterocytes, and myocardiocytes, respectively. PCR detected C. piliforme DNA in the liver (24 of 24), colon (20 of 24), and heart (5 of 25). Our results indicate that necrotic hepatitis is the hallmark of TD in horses; the so-called triad of lesions is not a consistent characteristic of the disease in this species.     

Major mechanisms in formation of spodic horizons

Current explanations of the formation of spodic horizons do not accomodate all features of the horizons in their natural state. In this paper, a more complete explanation of major mechanisms is proposed, using two principles of colloid chemistry: (1) organic substances may form hydrophylic colloids with surface charges, and (2) the hydrophylic character and negative surface charges determine the dispersibility of the colloids. The hydrophylic character is due to the presence of hydrophylic radicals as parts of the organic compounds in soils. The surface charges are the result of dissociation of -COOH and possibly phenol-OH radicals.The neutralization of the surface charge can in principle occur: (1) through electrostatic or physical adsorption and (2) through chemisorption. The first case is typical for monovalent alkali cations. The adsorbed cations are distributed in a double layer, which favours dispersion. Chemisorption occurs mostly with polyvalent cations. This process corresponds in reality to the formation of organo-metallic compounds. It results in a relatively complete disappearance of the double layer and in the formation of large immobile “polymerized” organo-metallic compounds. Because these compounds contain much hydrophylic water, they form a gel. Transition into the solid state is accompanied by the loss of most of the hydration water. The dehydration may be induced by a decrease in thickness of the double layer. At a certain stage of the dehydration process, Van der Waals bonds and protonic bridges can form and bring about a certain degree of hydrophoby.In soils, mobile organic substances are formed during breakdown of plant remains. If at the top of the mineral soil enough polyvalent cations, especially Al and Fe, are available, the mobile organic substances formed are immobilized immediately and no migration occurs. In case insufficient amounts of Al and/or Fe are available to completely immobilize the mobile compounds, these cations are complexed by the mobile compounds and transported downward. Immobilization may occur at some depth through supplementary fixation of cations, through dessication or on arrival at a level with different ionic concentration.In nature, spodic horizons range from loose, with many roots, to very cemented with few roots. These differences can be related to changes in microstructure. Loose spodic horizons have a predominance of polymorphic pellets and aggregates, whereas organans or monomorphic coatings prevail in cemented horizons. The former horizons have many features suggesting major biological influences during their formation, viz., high numbers of roots, thorough mixing of the organic units with clay and silt, the presence of pedotubules and relatively young mean residence times. The latter horizons have features consistent with organo-metallic compounds immobilized in a gel-state, viz., the coatings are strongly cracked, indicating the transition of a gel into a solid; they contain much Al or Al plus Fe but very little or no Si, and the mean residence time is considerably higher than in loose horizons.The two processes seem to operate simultaneously during the formation of spodic horizons and their relative intensities determine the composition of each spodic horizon at any moment in its evolution. As long as the biological activity predominates, the horizon remains loose; if the accumulation of mobile organo-metallic compounds starts to prevail, the horizon is gradually cemented and fossilized.     

内燃机燃烧模型的发展现状

利用CFD技术对内燃机燃烧过程进行数值模拟已成为内燃机研究的重要工具。选用恰当的燃烧模型对准确预测内燃机燃烧过程具有重要意义。内燃机CFD燃烧模型主要针对自燃、预混燃烧和非预混燃烧3种燃烧模式,其中有些模型可以同时模拟2种模式或3种模式。内燃机新的燃烧系统的不断出现促进了燃烧模型的发展。本文以STAR—CD和FIRE软件为出发点,介绍了内燃机燃烧模型的发展现状。     

生草和树枝覆盖对果园土壤持水性能的影响

针对黄土高原枣园普遍盛行传统清耕制,将生草及覆盖技术引入枣园生产中,于2011—2013年采用人工土槽模拟研究方法,探讨不同生草和覆盖措施对枣树地土壤持水性能的影响。结果表明:生草与枣树枝覆盖能有效改善土壤物理结构、提高土壤孔隙度、降低土壤容重;各处理土壤水分蓄持能力及比水容量均按枣树枝半覆盖+白三叶生草、枣树枝全覆盖、白三叶生草覆盖和清耕处理依次递减,处理间的差异在高吸力阶段更为明显;与清耕处理相比,生草与覆盖处理土壤饱和含水量、田间持水量、凋萎系数均有提高,枣树枝半覆盖+白三叶生草处理增加最为明显,分别增加9%、20%、33%。     

烟草丛顶病毒RNA依赖RNA聚合酶(RdRp)介导的体外复制体系

通过重叠PCR扩增得到烟草丛顶病毒(Tobacco bushy top virus,TBTV)中国分离物RdRp的编码序列,构建以pMALC2X为基础载体的原核表达载体pMAL-TB-RdRp。0.5 mM IPTG诱导可特异性表达分子量约为120 kDa的MBP-RdRp融合蛋白。温度梯度实验显示,18℃下诱导表达的MBP-RdRp融合蛋白的可溶性比例较高,约17%;经亲和层析纯化的MBPRdRp可特异性识别TBTV正链和负链的3'末端序列,催化体外复制;对正负链的3'末端的体外复制效率存在差别,识别负链3'末端的体外复制效率明显高于正链3'末端。本研究创建的TBTV RdRp介导的体外复制体系为进一步研究TBTV基因组复制调控奠定了基础。     

玉米秸秆切割过程的非线性数值模拟与仿真试验

应用Solidworks软件建立玉米秸秆—切割刀片参数化模型,借助LS-DYNA971非线性有限元软件模拟切割刀片切割玉米秸秆的过程。玉米秸秆切割的有限元数值模拟能降低试验成本和缩短试验时间,可视化数值模拟过程可为玉米秸秆收获机械的设计提供理论参考。利用参数化模型特点,通过改变玉米秸秆直径大小、秸秆含水率、切割方式和刀片刀端线速度进行正交仿真试验。结果表明：对切割力来说,含水率对其影响最显著,其它影响依次为：秸秆直径、切割方式、刀片刀端线速度;对切割功耗来说,含水率影响最显著,其次分别为：秸秆直径、刀片刀端线速度、切割方式。经正交综合平衡法分析可知：当刀片刀端线速度为28 m·s^-1,采取滑切方式,玉米秸秆含水率、直径分别为45%、26 mm时为最优。玉米秸秆—切割刀片动力学可视化数值模拟仿真模型的构建和分析, 对玉米秸秆收获机械设计具有重要的参考价值。     

小菜蛾为害不同生育期秋甘蓝对产量的影响及经济阈值研究

采用笼罩法测定了小菜蛾在秋甘蓝不同生育期为害造成的产量损失,建立了产量损失率与小菜蛾虫口密度的回归关系式。结果表明,在秋甘蓝苗期、莲座期、结球始期和结球中后期秋甘蓝损失率(y)与小菜蛾虫口密度(x)关系式分别为:y=9.480 6x-2.586 2,y=3.621 8x-0.790 2,y=-0.210 7x2+6.698 1x-1.906 5和y=0.081 1x2-0.147 9x+0.405 4。根据经济阈值模型,秋甘蓝不同生育阶段的小菜蛾幼虫经济阈值分别为苗期0.54头/株,莲座期0.91头/株,结球始期0.67头/株,结球中后期6.08头/株。该研究为秋甘蓝小菜蛾的防治策略和经济阈值的确定提供了科学依据。