Plasma cell pododermatitis in a cat

Plasma cell pododermatitis, an uncommon disease of unknown etiology, is described in a six year old male domestic short-haired cat. The cat was referred with a history of lameness associated with swelling, softness and ulceration of the foot pads. The history suggested a seasonal occurrence of the condition. The dermis and subcutis of the foot pads were infiltrated by inflammatory cells which were mainly plasma cells. The large number of plasma cells present in the lesions suggests an immunological basis for the condition.     

Anastomosis Groups, Pathogenicity and Sensitivity to Fungicides of Rhizoctonia solani Isolates Collected on Potato Crops in France

A collection of 241 isolates of Rhizoctonia solani obtained from potato plants grown in different areas in France was characterized for anastomosis grouping, symptomatology on tubers of different cultivars and sensitivity to three fungicides. Most isolates collected belonged to (anastomosis groups (AGs)) AG 3, but 2% and 4% of the isolates were AG 5 and AG 2-1. AG 3 and AG 2-1 isolates were mostly obtained from sclerotia on tubers, but all AG 5, some AG 3 and some AG 2-1 isolates were recovered from superficial tuber alterations, like deformations, corky or scabby lesions. Sclerotia were formed on tubers produced by healthy stem cuttings grown in soil artificially infested with AG 3, but not on tubers grown in soil infested with either AG 5 or AG 2-1. No variation in susceptibility to sclerotial formation was observed among five potato cultivars. In all cases, a large proportion of tubers showed superficial corky lesions, often associated with deformations. The proportion of tubers with lesions and deformations was highest in soil infested with AG 2-1 and significantly lower on cv. Samba in all treatments. All isolates were highly sensitive to flutolanil, iprodione and pencycuron, except the AG 5 isolates, moderately sensitive to pencycuron. These results show that, although AG 3 is the most common R. solani group on potato in France, AG 5 and AG 2-1 may be present. Isolates differed for pathogenicity. In vitro sensitivity to fungicides varied among AGs.     

Adrenomedullin (AM) and adrenomedullin binding protein (AM-BP) in the bovine mammary gland and milk: Effects of stage of lactation and experimental intramammary E. coli infection

Adrenomedullin (AM) has been characterized as an endogenous tissue survival factor and modulator of many inflammatory processes. Because of the increased susceptibility of the mammary gland to infection during the time surrounding parturition in the cow, we investigated how milk and tissue content of AM and its binding protein (AM-BP) might be affected by the stage of lactation and the udder health status. Milk and mammary biopsy samples were obtained from Holstein cows 21 days prior to and at various times after calving to represent the dry period and early and mid-stages of lactation. Additional cows received an intramammary challenge with Escherichia coli for immunohistochemical characterization of AM and AM-BP. Milk AM concentrations were relatively constant across the stages of lactation while AM-BP increased two-fold (P<0.04) between early and mid-lactation. Milk AM (P<0.04) and AM-BP (P<0.03) increased as somatic cell counts (SCCs) increased within a given stage of lactation. Tissue content of both (AM and AM-BP) were significantly affected by stage of lactation, lowest in the dry period and progressively increasing to peak at mid-lactation as well as increasing in association with higher levels of SCCs. Following E. coli challenge, AM increased in epithelial cells surrounding mammary alveoli presenting high levels of SCCs. The data suggest that AM and AM-BP are cooperatively regulated in the mammary gland during lactation; changes in localized tissue AM and AM-BP content reflect a dynamic regulation of these tissue factors in the bovine mammary gland consistent with their protective effects within inflamed tissue.     

Genetic basis and origin of resistance to acetolactate synthase inhibitors in Amaranthus palmeri from Spain and Italy

BACKGROUND

Amaranthus palmeri is an aggressive annual weed native to the United States, which has become invasive in some European countries. Populations resistant to acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors have been recorded in Spain and Italy, but the evolutionary origin of the resistance traits remains unknown. Bioassays were conducted to identify cross-resistance to ALS inhibitors and a haplotype-based genetic approach was used to elucidate the origin and distribution of resistance in both countries.

RESULTS

Amaranthus palmeri populations were resistant to thifensulfuron-methyl and imazamox, and the 574-Leu mutant ALS allele was found to be the main cause of resistance among them. In two Spanish populations, 376-Glu and 197-Thr mutant ALS alleles were also found. The haplotype analyses revealed the presence of two and four distinct 574-Leu mutant haplotypes in the Italian and Spanish populations, respectively. None was common to both countries, but some mutant haplotypes were shared between geographically close populations or between populations more than 100 km apart. Wide genetic diversity was found in two very close Spanish populations.

CONCLUSION

ALS-resistant A. palmeri populations were introduced to Italy and Spain from outside Europe. Populations from both countries have different evolutionary histories and originate from independent introduction events. ALS resistance then spread over short and long distances by seed dispersal. The higher number and genetic diversity among mutant haplotypes from the Spanish populations indicated recurrent invasions. The implementation of control tactics to limit seed dispersal and the establishment of A. palmeri is recommended in both countries. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Review on estimation of evapotranspiration from remote sensing data: From empirical to numerical modeling approaches

Different methods have been developed to estimate evapotranspiration from remote sensing data, from empirical approaches such as the simplified relationship to complex methods based on remote sensing data assimilation along with SVAT models. The simplified relationship has been applied from small spatial scale using airborne TIR images to continental scale with NOAA data. Assimilation procedures often require remote sensing data over different spectral domains to retrieve input parameters which characterize surface properties such as albedo, emissivity or Leaf Area Index. A brief review of these different approaches is presented, with a discussion about the main physical bases and assumptions of various models. The paper reports also some examples and results obtained over the experimental area of the Alpilles Reseda project, where various types of models have been applied to estimate surface fluxes from remote sensing data.     

Phenolic composition of champagnes from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vintages

Nineteen phenolic compounds including hydroxybenzoic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonoids, phenolic alcohols, and phenolic aldehydes have been identified and quantified in two monovarietal champagnes, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, by using a reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system coupled with diode array detection. The identification of four hydroxycinnamic tartaric esters (caftaric, coutaric, fertaric, and 2-S-glutathionylcaftaric acids), two flavanonols (astilbin and engeletin), and some other compounds was confirmed by HPLC coupled with mass spectrometry. Caftaric acid and tyrosol were the major phenols. Hydroxybenzoic acids and flavonoids were present at low concentrations. The phenolic compositions of 2000 and 2001 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vary quantitatively according to the year and the variety, but the chemical natures of the molecules are the same. The total phenolic content determined by colorimetric measurement ranges from 176 to 195 mg/L of gallic acid equivalent and is similar to that described in white wines.     

植物促生菌及其促生机理 (续)

3 植物促生菌的促生长机理 3.1 产生嗜铁素 铁是生命的基本物质.不论是动、植物还是微生物,均需含铁蛋白来参与呼吸等一系列生理活动.尽管地球表面矿物含铁丰富,但土壤中能够直接为植物和微生物利用的铁却不多.土壤中铁主要以三价铁(Fe3+)状态存在,在pH值为7.4时其溶解度为10-18mol/L,此浓度下的铁一般无法满足土壤微生物繁衍和植物生长发育的需要.然而,某些细菌和植物分泌一种专门结合铁的小分子蛋白(siderophores)可从土壤中收集铁,这种物质被称之为嗜铁素.铁一旦与嗜铁素相结合则形成可溶性铁-嗜铁素复合体,并可通过植物和微生物细胞膜的特殊通道进入生物体内.氧化铁在体内还原后被释放并参与生物代谢活动.产生嗜铁素被认为是植物促生菌最主要的直接和间接促进植物生长的有效途径之一.植物促生菌产生的嗜铁素一般都具有高度的铁亲合性和专一性,含有各种能鳌合铁的结构基团(如邻二苯酚结构、羧基结构和乙二胺结构等)来摄取土壤中的铁,这种嗜铁素具有极强的吸收铁的能力,可在铁有效性极低时收集土壤中微量的移动性铁,从而使土壤中可用的铁降低至更为缺乏的程度.