Characterization of ovine strains of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis by restriction endonuclease analysis and DNA hybridization.

Restriction endonuclease analysis and DNA hybridization revealed five ovine strains of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis from South Africa had identical DNA patterns to an ovine strain from Canada. Genetically this strain type has features in common with the two major groups of M. paratuberculosis.     

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.     

Association between Chlamydia psittaci seropositivity and abortion in Italian dairy cows.

Although the seroprevalence of Chlamydia psittaci is widespread in Italian dairy herds, its role in inducing genital disorders has not been elucidated. We therefore set up a case-control study to compare seroprevalence to C. psittaci in an aborted-cow population and in a randomly selected control group in the province of Parma (the Po Valley of northern Italy). The true seroprevalence (45%) in aborted cows was significantly higher than that in the control group (24%) (adjusted odds ratio=2.53).     

A light and scanning-electron microscopic study of infection of tomato plants by virulent and avirulent races of Cladosporium fulvum

Infection of tomato plants byCladosporium fulvum Cooke was studied using light and scanning-electron microscopy. Races 1.2.3 and 4 ofCladosporium fulvum were used, whereas tomato cultivars, carrying the Cf2 gene (susceptible to race 1.2.3 and immune to race 4) and the Cf4 gene (immune to race 1.2.3 and susceptible to race 4) served as differentials. No differences were observed in growth between compatible and incompatible combinations during germination, subsequent formation of runner hyphae and stomatal penetration. Runner hyphae did not show directional growth towards stomata. Penetration usually occurred on the third or fourth day after inoculation. In compatible combinations the fungus grew intercellularly, often in close contact with spongy mesophyll cells. Under optimal conditions it did not cause visible damage to plant cells during early stages of infection. Under suboptimal conditions in winter, the host cells often reacted with callose deposition, but growth of the fungus did not appear to be inhibited. Ten to twelve days after inoculation conidiophores emerged through the stomata and produced conidia. In incompatible combinations fungal growth was arrested one to two days after penetration and confined to stomata and surrounding cells. Very soon the host cells, in contact with the fungus, deposited extensive amounts of callose. Later these cells turned brown and collapsed. At the surface of the host cells, contacted by fungal hyphae, abundant extracellular material could be observed by scanning-electron microscopy. Removing the epidermis of leaves before inoculation delayed the resistant response. On stripped leaves the rate of fungal growth was equal for both interactions up to ten days after inoculation, but the incompatible combination lacked sporulation.     

Polyarthritis secondary to septic thrombophlebitis in an Arabian mare

A 3‐year‐old Arabian mare presented with diarrhoea and depression. During hospitalisation, the mare developed septic thrombophlebitis associated with a jugular catheter. One week later, she developed secondary bilateral tarsocrural joint septic arthritis. Following surgical intervention and intensive medical therapy, the mare recovered successfully. The case highlights an unusual and previously unreported complication of septic thrombophlebitis.     

犬新孢子虫NcSRS2基因原核表达质粒的构建

根据已发表的犬新孢子虫NcSRS2基因序列,设计1对含有EcoRⅠ和NotⅠ酶切位点的引物。以提取犬新孢子虫虫体基因组DNA为模板,应用PCR扩增获得NcSRS2 ORF基因片段,将此基因片段克隆到pMD18-T Simple载体上,用EcoRⅠ和NotⅠ双酶切该片段,回收得到含有两个酶切位点黏端的Nc-SRS2 ORF基因,将此基因片段克隆至相同酶切回收后的PGEM-4T-2原核表达载体中,获得重组质粒pGEX-NcSRS2,经PCR鉴定,限制性内切酶分析和克隆片段序列测定比较,证实了重组质粒的正确性。     

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.     

The chemistry of humic and fulvic acids extracted from argentine soils—I. Analytical characteristics

Five humic and three fulvic acids were extracted from Argentine Chestnut, Brunizem, Solod and Solonetz soils and analysed by electrometric, spectroscopic and spectrometric methods. There were great similarities in elementary analysis, functional group content, absorption characteristics in the visible region and in the IR, and in the ESR measurements between the humic acids and, similarly, between the fulvic acids. There were distinct differences between the humic and fulvic acids in C, H, N and O content, distribution of oxygen in functional groups, E₄/E₆ ratios and free radical content.     

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。