Quick decline of macadamia trees: association with Xylaria arbuscula

Some macadamia trees in a commercial orchard on the island of Hawaii showing symptoms of quick decline had club-shaped fruiting bodies of Xylaria arbuscula on the trunk. X arbuscula was consistently isolated from diseased wood and was shown to kill branches of healthy macadamia trees on inoculation. Trunk infection by this pathogen leading to girdling resulted in a more rapid decline than would be expected with root infection by soil-borne pathogens.     

Cytotoxicity of surfactants to the FHM-sp cell line

Cytotoxicity of eight surfactants was determined by the neutral red assay with the fathead minnow (FHM)-sp cell line, a cell line in suspension culture from fish. The toxicity ranking of the surfactants was benzalkonium chloride > benzethonium chloride > sodium linear - dodecylbenzene–sulfonate (LAS) > potassium laurate > sodium dodecylsulfate > polyoxyethylene(20)sorbitan monolaurate > polyoxyethylene(20)sorbitan monooleate > betaine. The toxicity ranking of the surfactants classified into four groups based on the ion of the hydrophilic group was cationic surfactants > anionic surfactants > non-ionic surfactants > amphipathic surfactants. The FHM-sp cells, as well as the chinook salmon embryo (CHSE)-sp cells, could be inoculated directly to the microplate wells without dispersion by trypsin treatment of cell sheets at room temperature. Therefore, the cytotoxicity assay of the surfactants could be carried out quickly by using the FHM-sp cell line. The FHM-sp cell line had similar or higher sensitivity to sodium dodecylsulfate compared with several cell lines from mammals. The cytotoxicity assay could be shortened by the procedure exposing the surfactants to the FHM-sp cells before the cell monolayer formation in the microplate wells. To use the FHM-sp cell line as a screening tool prior to in vivo testing, studies on the correlation between in vivo data and in vitro data on the toxicity of surfactants are necessary.     

A study on Flexibacter columnaris infection in loach, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus (Bleeker, Günther)

Abstract. Infectivity of Flexibator columnaris to loach, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus (Blecker, Günther), was studied with variation conditions and the presence of other bacteria in the water medium. Invasion of fish by the poathogen varied with different water conditions. The highest prevalence of infection was observed in an experimentally formulated water containing 0·03% NaCl 0·01% KCl, 0·002% CaCl₂2H₂O and 0·004% MgCI₂ 6H₂O. The percentage of infection in tap water was similar to that of the formulated water. The infeetion rate was low in the individual salt solutions, and no infection occurred in distilled water. Even in the formulated water, the pathogen failed to infect the fish when Citrobacter freundii, Aeromonas hydrophila or Pseudomonas fluorescens were present at densities 100 times that of F. columnaris. However, in such cases, the numbers of F. columnaris in the mucus of the fish body surface did not increase much throughout the experimental period. In contrast, F. columnaris suceessfully invaded the fish in the presence of either Streptococcus sp., Flavobacterium flavescens or Flavobacterium fuscum , even when the numbers of these bacteria were 1000 times that of F. columnaris. In this ease, F. columnaris gradually increased its numbers on the fish body surface.     

Effect of environmental conditions on the infectivity of Flexibacter columnaris to fish

Abstract. Columnaris disease, Flexibacter columnaris infection, was first described in North America. Recent publications indicate that its distribution is worldwide. Both warmwater and coldwater fish are infected with F. columnaris. All freshwater fish are probably susceptible to the disease under environmental conditions favourable to the bacterium and stressful to the fish. Flexibacter columnaris cannot tolerate sea water. Generally, outbreaks occur when the average water temperatures reach 15°C. The bacterium apparently enters the fish through the skin and gills. The swarms of bacteria involved give the lesions a characteristic yellow pigmentation. The external lesions destroy the skin, muscle and gill tissues. It is relatively easy to isolate the bacteria from the internal organs of the diseased fish, but there is no evidence of internal tissue damage. In this short review, emphasis is placed on several factors relative to water environment which play a role in the development of outbreaks of columnaris disease:

• 1 The optimum temperature for an outbreak of F. columnaris infection is thought to be between 20 and 30°C. Mortalities seldom occur at temperatures below 15°C, although highly virulent strains can kill fish at lower temperatures.
• 2 Flexibacter columnaris can survive longer in water of normal to high hardness, as well as in water containing small amounts of sodium, potassium, calcium or magnesium salts, but it cannot live in sea water.
• 3 Flexibacter columnaris grows well on paniculate fish feeds so that such deposits in the water may act as reservoirs of infection.
• 4 An important source of infection is feral fish. In the Columbia River or the Fraser River, resident coarse fish such as suckers, Catostomus spp., are thought to transmit the infection to returning adult salmon.
• 5 Flexibacter columnaris fails to invade fish in the presence of competitive bacteria like Citrobacter freundii when its initial numbers are approximately one in a 100 less than those of the competitors.
• 6 Crowding seems to be not only a stressor for fish, but also a factor that increases the chance of adhesion of F. columnaris to the external tissues of fish.

     

Genetic‐Quantitative Study of the First‐Service Pregnancy Probability of Murrah Heifers

Because of the importance of reproduction in stock breeding systems, it is necessary to find selection criteria that increase reproductive efficiency. The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for the probability of conception on first service (PROB) in Murrah heifers, and its association with other traits of economic interest [age at first calving (AFC), service period, calving interval and milk yield at 270 days], with the purpose of evaluating their use as selection criteria. Reproductive information and first lactation records of 1200 Murrah heifers were used to perform two‐trait analyses between PROB and the other characteristics. Bayesian inference was used to estimate the variance components, considering PROB as threshold and the other as linear factors. The results demonstrate that this trait has heritability of 0.15, indicating the possibility of a genetic gain by using it for selection. With respect to the genetic correlation estimates, the only high‐magnitude association was with AFC (?0.899), which is the current criterion indicating sexual precocity of females. In the light of the parameters estimated, the first‐service pregnancy rate is an alternative for indication of sexual precocity, although presenting a smaller genetic gain than the current standard AFC. Nevertheless, additional research should be conducted regarding this trait to assess the economic importance of its use in dairy buffalo production systems.     

Phytotoxic sites of action for molecular design of modern herbicides (Part 1): The photosynthetic electron transport system

A bird's eye review was tried to select the bio‐rational targets from known and novel plant‐specific ones for the molecular design of modern herbicides, which exhibit efficient phytotoxicity at a low‐use rate and preserve a good environment in the 21st century. In phytotoxic sites in the photosynthetic electron transport (PET) system discussed in the present article (Part 1), the generally called bleaching herbicides interfering with the biosynthesis of photosynthetic pigments, chlorophylls and carotenoids, and the biosynthesis of plastoquinone, were considered to be good models for the molecular design of modern herbicides. The PET itself was still considered as an interesting target site for new herbicides, although they need to exert their action in all green leaves of weeds to achieve herbicidal efficacy. Because these herbicides never form a tight binding with D1‐protein, their use‐rate cannot be expected to be as low as the herbicides inhibiting chlorophyll or branched amino‐acid biosynthesis. Other herbicidal targets found in chloroplasts, namely ATP and NADPH formations, have already been omitted from the worldwide biorational molecular design program of herbicides targeting the PET system.     

Age‐dependent distribution of juvenile southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyii) on the continental shelf off southwest Australia determined by acoustic monitoring

Juvenile southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyii, SBT) were monitored in nearshore waters off southwest Australia using acoustic tagging and monitoring over five austral summers (2002/2003–2006/2007) to determine patterns in age‐based distribution of SBT. A total of 20–70 receivers were deployed in early December along one to three cross‐shelf transects and at three inshore topographic features (lumps) where SBT are known to occur; and a total of 59–84 juvenile SBT (41–90 cm fork length) were tagged and released each year. After several months, receivers were recovered, and data extracted. In 2002/2003 and 2003/2004, 2‐yr‐old SBT were detected more frequently in nearshore areas than did 1‐yr old fish. Similarly in 2004/2005 and 2006/2007, it was the larger 1‐yr‐old SBT that were detected more frequently at inshore lumps (>85% of detections) while small 1‐yr‐old SBT were detected more widely over the study area. In 2005/2006, although large 1‐yr‐old SBT were still detected more frequently at inshore lumps than small 1‐yr old SBT, the percentage of all detections at lumps was lower at 31.5%, indicating wider distribution of both small and large age‐1 fish. The observed age‐dependent distribution pattern may be enhanced by the distribution of prey, which disperse or concentrate depending on the local oceanography.     

CHARACTERIZATION OF CANINE FOCAL LIVER LESIONS WITH CONTRAST-ENHANCED ULTRASOUND USING A NOVEL CONTRAST AGENT—SONAZOID

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound using Sonazoid, a novel contrast medium with a liver-specific Kupffer phase, was evaluated in canine focal liver lesions Twenty-five dogs with a liver mass were given intravenous Sonazoid, and the enhancement pattern in the arterial, portal, and parenchymal phase was characterized. An enhancement defect in the lesion in the parenchymal phase was observed in all malignant lesions, whereas only one of nine benign lesions had a filling defect. The diagnostic value of the presence of a filling defect for malignancy was statistically significant (100% sensitivity, 88.9% specificity, 94.1% positive predictive value, 100% negative predictive value), and was equal to that of hypoenhancement in the portal or delayed phase. The defect pattern (clear or irregular defect) was dependent ( P <0.05) on the types of malignancy (i.e., hepatocellular carcinoma and other types of malignancies). In the arterial phase, five of the six hepatocellular carcinomas had hypervascularity, whereas no other lesion was characterized by hypervascularity. In some dogs, additional lesions that could not be observed with conventional B-mode ultrasonography were detected in the parenchymal phase. The enhancement pattern of Sonazoid, especially in the parenchymal phase, has potential as a diagnostic tool for canine focal liver lesions.     

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING OF THE CANINE BRAIN AT 7 T

The purpose of this study was to describe relevant canine brain structures as seen on T2-weighted images following magnetic resonance (MR) imaging at 7 T and to compare the results with imaging at 1.5 T. Imaging was performed on five healthy laboratory beagle dogs using 1.5 and 7 T clinical scanners. At 1.5 T, spin echo images were acquired, while gradient echo images were acquired at 3 T. Image quality and conspicuity of anatomic structures were evaluated qualitatively by direct comparison of the images obtained from the two different magnetic fields. The signal-to-nose ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were calculated and compared between 1.5 and 7 T. The T2-weighted images at 7 T provided good spatial and contrast resolution for the identification of clinically relevant brain anatomy; these images provided better delineation and conspicuity of the brain stem and cerebellar structures, which were difficult to unequivocally identify at 1.5 T. However, frontal and parietal lobe and the trigeminal nerve were difficult to identify at 7 T due to susceptibility artifact. The SNR and CNR of the images at 7 T were significantly increased up to 318% and 715% compared with the 1.5 T images. If some disadvantages of 7 T imaging, such as susceptibility artifacts, technical difficulties, and high cost, can be improved, 7 T clinical MR imaging could provide a good experimental and diagnostic tool for the evaluation of canine brain disorders.