Prevalence of Nosema sp. (Microsporidia: Nosematidae) during an outbreak of the jack pine budworm in Ontario

Microsporidia are believed to play little or no role in outbreaks of the jack pine budworm, Choristoneura pinuspinus Freeman (Lepidoptrera: Tortricidae), because the short duration (2–4 years) of those outbreaks may not permit significant build-up of the pathogen. We conducted the first survey of Nosema sp. (Microsporidia: Nosematidae) over the course of a recent jack pine budworm outbreak in Ontario. Between 2004 and 2010 the outbreak defoliated a cumulative total of 1.78 million ha. Microscopic examination of ∼15,000 overwintering larvae collected over 6 years in sites with densities of 3 larvae per branch or more revealed widespread occurrence of Nosema at generally high infection intensities. The pathogen was present in 69.5% of the 518 plots that were monitored. Prevalence of infection was generally low (below 40% in 84% of plots with infected larvae) but reached high levels (80–95%) locally and increased rapidly in most infestations within 1–2 years of onset. We hypothesize that the habit of early-instar larvae to feed on developing male flowers (pollen cones) after spring emergence is critical in allowing rapid build-up of Nosema by increasing efficiency of horizontal transmission (higher density of both infected larvae and egested spores). Nosema infection may contribute to the complexity of jack pine budworm outbreak patterns by affecting egg recruitment and early-instar survival at the stand level in concert with known effects of budworm-induced reductions in pollen cone production on those processes.     

Effects of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza on the availability of iron phosphates to plants

Summary The effect of inoculation with a mycorrhizal fungus on the growth of subterranean clover and of ryegrass was measured using three sources of phosphorus with different solubilities. These were (in order of decreasing solubility): potassium dihydrogen phosphate, colloidal iron phosphate and crystalline iron phosphate. Mycorrhizal infection increased growth more for subterranean clover than for ryegrass for all sources of phosphorus. For both species the greatest benefit from mycorrhizal inoculation was obtained with the least soluble source of iron phosphate. It is suggested that the mycorrhizas were able to explore the soil more thoroughly and hence were able to locate and use the point sources of phosphorus in the insoluble iron phosphates.     

Dimerization of morphine and orphanin FQ/nociceptin receptors: generation of a novel opioid receptor subtype

Although orphanin FQ/nociceptin (OFQ/N) receptors are a member of the opioid receptor family of receptors, they bind traditional opioids with very poor affinity. We now demonstrate that mu opioid receptors can physically associate with OFQ/N receptors, resulting in a complex with a unique binding selectivity profile. Immunoprecipitation of epitope-tagged OFQ/N receptors co-precipitates mu receptors. When the two receptors were co-expressed in CHO cells, [3H]OFQ/N retained its high binding affinity for its receptor. However, co-expression of the two receptors increased by up to 250-fold the affinity of a series of opioids in [3H]OFQ/N binding assays. This enhanced affinity was limited to agonists with high affinity for mu receptors. Selective kappa(1) and delta opioids did not lower binding. Despite the dramatic increase in affinity for the opioid agonists in co-expressing cells, the opioid antagonists naloxone and diprenorphine failed to compete [3H]OFQ/N binding.     

Ovulation of aged follicles does not affect embryo quality or fertility after a 14-day progestagen estrus synchronization protocol in ewes

The aim was to examine the effect of ovulation of aged follicles on embryo quality and fertility in ewes. In Experiment 1, ewes (n = 39) received a prostaglandin analogue on Day 6 of the cycle and then received either a progestagen sponge from Day 6 to 20 after estrus (Single sponge) or a progestagen sponge on Day 6 that was replaced on Day 11 and 16 and removed on Day 20 (Multiple sponges). In a subgroup of ewes, the growth of ovarian follicles was characterised using ultrasonography. Fertile rams were introduced 48 hours after sponge withdrawal; we slaughtered the ewes on Day 5 of pregnancy and recovered the embryos. The mean age of the ovulatory follicles was greater in ewes that received a single sponge compared with multiple sponges (8.7+/-0.8 days, range 4 to 14, versus 4.5+/-0.7 days, range 3 to 6; P<0.05). However, the groups did not differ (P>0.05) in ovulation rate (2.4+/-0.3 corporal lutea per ewe) or the proportion of good quality embryos recovered (71 to 82%; developed to the early morula stage or further). In Experiment 2, ewes (570 in total) received treatments similar to those in Experiment 1 but were kept until lambing. Ewes that received a single sponge came into heat earlier (P<0.05) than those that received multiple sponges, but > or = 97% of ewes in all groups (P>0.05) were bred by 48 to 72 hours after ram introduction. There was no difference (P>0.05) between groups for the proportion of ewes that lambed to first service (80 to 86%) or the number of lambs per ewe (1.94+/-0.08 lambs). We conclude that when luteolysis occurs at the beginning of progestagen synchronisation, ewes will ovulate aged follicles, but that compared to shorter duration follicles, these follicles produce oocytes that are equally competent to be fertilised and develop into good quality embryos and full-term lambs.     

Functional Polymorphisms of Interferon-gamma Affect Pneumonia-Induced Sepsis

Objective

Sepsis is an inflammatory syndrome caused by infection, and both its incidence and mortality are high. Because interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) plays an important role in inflammation, this work assessed IFN-γ single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) that may be associated with sepsis.

Methods

A total of 196 patients with pneumonia-induced sepsis and 213 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers participated in our study from July 2012 to July 2013 in Guangzhou, China. Patient clinical information was collected. Clinical pathology was assessed in subgroups defined based on clinical criteria, APACHE II (acute physiology and chronic health evaluation) and SOFA (sepsis-related organ failure assessment) scores and discharge rate. Four functional SNPs, −1616T/C (rs2069705), −764G/C (rs2069707), +874A/T (rs2430561) and +3234C/T (rs2069718), were genotyped by Snapshot in both sepsis patients and healthy controls. Pearson’s chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test were used to analyze the distribution of the SNPs, and the probability values (P values), odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.

Results

No mutations in the IFN-γ −764G/C SNP were detected among the participants in our study. The +874A/T and +3234C/T SNPs were in strong linkage disequilibrium (LD) (r² = 0.894). The −1616 TC+TT, +874 AT+AA genotype and the TAC haplotype were significantly associated with sepsis susceptibility, while the CTT haplotype was associated with protection against sepsis incidence. Genotype of −1616 TT wasn’t only protective against severity of sepsis, but also against higher APACHE II and SOFA scores as +874 AA and +3234 CC. The TAC haplotype was was protective against progression to severe sepsis either.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that functional IFN-γ SNPs and their haplotypes are associated with pneumonia-induced sepsis.     

High-precision high-coverage functional inference from integrated data sources

Background  

Information obtained from diverse data sources can be combined in a principled manner using various machine learning methods to increase the reliability and range of knowledge about protein function. The result is a weighted functional linkage network (FLN) in which linked neighbors share at least one function with high probability. Precision is, however, low. Aiming to provide precise functional annotation for as many proteins as possible, we explore and propose a two-step framework for functional annotation (1) construction of a high-coverage and reliable FLN via machine learning techniques (2) development of a decision rule for the constructed FLN to optimize functional annotation.     

林分因子对成都绕城高速路域不同人工林群落物种多样性的影响

【目的】为探究林分因子对不同路域人工林群落物种多样性的影响,为成都路域人工林营造与管理提供参考。【方法】研究采用典型样地法对成都绕城高速路域现种植的5种不同人工林群落（Ⅰ,加杨纯林;Ⅱ,樟树、加杨混交林;Ⅲ,樟树纯林;Ⅳ,樟树、巨桉混交林;Ⅴ,巨桉纯林）进行全面踏查,调查林分因子及林下植被物种多样性。【结果】（1）研究区共记录植物184种,隶属于72科132属。5种不同人工林群落乔-灌-草三层的植物科属种数量均为草本层＞灌木层＞乔木层,其中樟树纯林记录到的林下物种数最多。（2）构树（Broussonetia papyrifera）和葎草（Humulus scandens）重要值占比大,分别占据不同人工林群落灌木层与草本层的优势地位。（3）在5种不同人工林群落中,樟树纯林的灌木物种丰富度指数D显著高于其他群落（P<0.05）;草本层的Shannon-Wiener指数H、Simpson指数H′和D大小变化趋势一致,表现为群落Ⅲ>Ⅳ>I>I>V,其中樟树纯林的H显著高于樟树、巨桉混交林外其他群落（P<0.05）。（4）冗余分析结果表明：乔木层平均冠幅与灌木层的D和H、草本层的H、H''、D、Jsw均呈显著正相关（P<0.01）,与灌木层的H''和Jsw均呈显著负相关（P<0.01）;乔木层平均枝下高与灌木层的H、H''、D、Jsw均呈显著正相关（P<0.01）。【结论】乔木层的树种组成、平均枝下高和平均冠幅显著影响路域人工林群落的物种多样性,选择合适树种并定期修枝管理,将有利于路域人工林良好乔灌草群落结构形成和林下植被物种多样性维持。 关键词 林分因子;路域人工林;林下植被;物种多样性