Crystal diversity and macropatterns in leaves of Oleaceae

Oleaceae leaves surveyed from herbarium specimens of 240 species from 23 genera were rehydrated, bleached, processed into xylol, mounted unstained, and viewed microscopically between crossed polarizers. Occurrence of five crystal types and two variants (tiny acicular crystals and sphaerites) within one family is unusual. Number of crystal types within a single species was one (108 spp.), two (53 spp.), three (51 spp.), four (15 spp.), and five (6 spp.). Seven species lacked crystals. The tiny acicular crystal variant was most common (167 spp.), followed by prisms (67 spp.), raphides (65 spp.), druses (61 spp.), sphaerites variant (50 spp.), styloids (36 spp.), and crystal sand (21 spp.). Epidermal crystals were common (155 spp.), with epidermal crystals clustering at base of trichomes in 21 species. Jasminum was exceptional in having mostly druses and almost no crystals around vascular bundles. Most Oleaceae crystals are tiny, usually about 5 μm in length, except for larger styloids and raphides.     

Diet composition and foraging ecology of Asian elephants in Shangyong, Xishuangbanna, China

The composition of the diet and the foraging ecology of the Asian elephant in its natural habitat were studied from 1998 to 2000 in the Shangyong National Natural Reserve located at Xishuangbanna, China, using field observation and dung analysis. A total of 106 plant species were recorded as being eaten by Asian elephants, 83 of which were identified in the elephants' dung. The plant families that contributed to a major proportion of the elephants' diet in the study area were: Gramineae (8 spp., 10.0%), Moraceae (7 spp., 9.9%), Papilionaceae (4 spp., 8.4%), Araliaceae (3 spp., 6.6%), Vitaceae (3 spp., 5.7%), Apocynaceae (3 spp., 4.6%), Musaceae (1 spp., 4.2%), Zingiberaceae (3 spp., 3.7%), Myrsinaceae (3 spp., 3.6%), Rosaceae (3 spp., 3.6%), Euphorbiaceae (5 spp., 3.3%), Ulmaceae (2 spp., 3.0%) and Mimosaceae (4 spp., 2.9%). The most important plants in the elephants' diet were Ficus spp. (Moraceae, 9.0%), Dendrocalamus spp. (Gramineae, 4.5%), Musa acuminata (Musaceae, 4.2%), Microstegium ciliatum (Gramineae, 3.5%) and Amalocalyx yunnanensis (Apocynaceae, 3.1%). Asian elephants consumed a variety of plants in terms of life forms, including trees, vines, shrubs and herbs. Early successional plant species constitute a higher proportion of the diet than late successional plants (42 spp. taking 59% vs. 32 spp. taking 37%). Browsing species accounted for a larger proportion of the diet compared to grazing species (77 spp. taking 91% vs. 6 spp. taking 9%). The number of plant taxa (species, genus, family) in elephants' diet each month negatively correlated with monthly rainfall and mean temperature. The study may help to develop proper strategies for wildlife management especially with regard to the human-elephant conflict, which is now a serious issue in the conservation of Asian elephants in this area.     

西双版纳尚勇亚洲象的食物组成与取食生态

于1998—2000在西双版纳国家级自然保护区尚勇子保护区的自然生境中,通过对亚洲象取食植物调查和粪便分析,了解亚洲象的食物组成与取食习性。结果显示,野外跟踪调查共记录有106种植物被亚洲象所取食。其中有83种出现在象的粪便中,这些种类分别属于：禾本科8种（10．0％）、桑科7种（9．9％）、蝶形花科4种（8．4％）、五加科3种（6．6％）、葡萄科3种（5．7％）、夹竹桃科3种（4．6％）、芭蕉科1种（4．2％）、姜科3种（3．7％）、紫金牛科3种（3．6％）、蔷薇科3种（3．6％）、大戟科5种（3．3％）、榆科2种（3．O％）、含羞草科4种（2．9％）13个植物科。根据食物中所占的比率,桑科的榕属（Ficus）、禾本科的竹类（Bambusoideae）、小果野芭蕉（Musa acuminate）和莠竹（Microstegium ciliatum）是亚洲象的主要食物资源。在觅食过程中,亚洲象取食包括乔木、藤本灌木和草本等各种生活型的植物,其中先锋种所占比率（59％）高于后续种;选择性啃食枝条的植物种类（77种）高于牧草式取食的种类（6种）。亚洲象取食植物种类的月变化与月平均温度和月降雨量成负相关,旱季取食植物种类高于雨季。本研究对制定保护区野生动物管理策略,以及解决保护区周边日趋恶化的人象矛盾,具有一定的参考价值。     

Latitudinal gradients in the species richness of Australian termites (Isoptera)

Abstract Using data on the geographic range of 260 described species in the Atlas of Australian Termites, seven ‘regions’ with more complete data, across a wide range of latitudes were selected for further analysis. For these regions, mean species richness (± SE) was calculated for (i) all species from all families, (ii) Termitidae (197 spp.), (iii) Amitermes spp. (Termitidae, 58 spp.), (iv) all families excluding Amitermes spp. (139 spp.), (v) Termopsidae (5 spp.), (vi) Kalotermitidae (32 spp.) and (vii) Rhinotermitidae (25 spp.). In addition, we compared the Atlas data with species richness for five regions, across a comparable range of latitudes, based on the pooled species richness of described and un-described species given in community studies. No group of termites showed a consistent decline in species richness from tropical to temperate latitudes for either data set. The Atlas data showed similar total species richness from the tropics to the mediterranean southwest, before declining to lowest species richness at the highest latitudes. Species richness of Amitermes spp. and Rhinotermitidae was highest in the southwest. Termopsidae and Kalotermitidae showed no latitudinal pattern in species richness. Community studies showed highest and lowest total species richness in the southwest and at the highest latitudes (south-coastal Western Australia), respectively, and similar species richness from the tropics to arid central Australia. Species richness of. Amitermes spp. was highest in the southwest (31 spp.). Kalotermitidae and Rhinotermitidae showed no clear latitudinal pattern. The latitudinal patterns of species richness for the Australian termites is consistent with that for the Australian vertebrates and ants in that they differ from patterns established for these taxa on other continents.     

Blood parasites of Nearctic-Neotropical migrant passerine birds during spring trans-Gulf migration: impact on host body condition

To test the hypothesis that migrants infected with blood parasites arrive on the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico in poorer condition than uninfected birds, we examined 1705 migrant passerine birds representing 54 species of 11 families from 2 Gulf Coast sites for blood parasites. Three hundred and sixty (21.1%) were infected with 1 or more species of 4 genera of blood parasites. The prevalence of parasites was as follows: Haemoproteus spp. (11.7%), Plasmodium spp. (6.7%), Leucocytozoon spp. (1.3%), and Trypanosoma spp. (1.2%). Both prevalence and density of Haemoproteus spp. infection varied among species. We found no relationship of gender or age with the prevalence of Haemoproteus spp. infection or Plasmodium spp. infection, with the exception of the orchard oriole (Icterus spurius) for which older birds were more likely to be infected with Haemoproteus spp. than younger birds. We also found that scarlet tanagers and summer tanagers infected with species of Haemoproteus have lower fat scores than uninfected individuals and that rose-breasted grosbeaks and Baltimore orioles infected with Haemoproteus spp. have a smaller mean body mass than uninfected individuals. Blood parasites do seem to pose a physiological cost for Neotropical migrant passerines and may be important components of the ecology of these species.     

Characterization of geographically distinct bacterial communities associated with coral mucus produced by Acropora spp. and Porites spp

Acropora and Porites corals are important reef builders in the Indo-Pacific and Caribbean. Bacteria associated with mucus produced by Porites spp. and Acropora spp. from Caribbean (Punta Maroma, Mexico) and Indo-Pacific (Hoga and Sampela, Indonesia) reefs were determined. Analysis of pyrosequencing libraries showed that bacterial communities from Caribbean corals were significantly more diverse (H', 3.18 to 4.25) than their Indonesian counterparts (H', 2.54 to 3.25). Dominant taxa were Gammaproteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Cyanobacteria, which varied in relative abundance between coral genera and region. Distinct coral host-specific communities were also found; for example, Clostridiales were dominant on Acropora spp. (at Hoga and the Mexican Caribbean) compared to Porites spp. and seawater. Within the Gammproteobacteria, Halomonas spp. dominated sequence libraries from Porites spp. (49%) and Acropora spp. (5.6%) from the Mexican Caribbean, compared to the corresponding Indonesian coral libraries (<2%). Interestingly, with the exception of Porites spp. from the Mexican Caribbean, there was also a ubiquity of Psychrobacter spp., which dominated Acropora and Porites libraries from Indonesia and Acropora libraries from the Caribbean. In conclusion, there was a dominance of Halomonas spp. (associated with Acropora and Porites [Mexican Caribbean]), Firmicutes (associated with Acropora [Mexican Caribbean] and with Acropora and Porites [Hoga]), and Cyanobacteria (associated with Acropora and Porites [Hoga] and Porites [Sampela]). This is also the first report describing geographically distinct Psychrobacter spp. associated with coral mucus. In addition, the predominance of Clostridiales associated with Acropora spp. provided additional evidence for coral host-specific microorganisms.     

MALDI-TOF质谱技术对克罗诺杆菌的鉴定与分型

以基质辅助激光解析电离飞行时间质谱(MALDI-TOFMS)技术用于克罗诺杆菌的鉴定与分型。通过对获得的克罗诺杆菌属典型菌株、阴沟肠杆菌和产气肠杆菌近似菌株以及克罗诺杆菌分离株的蛋白质质量图谱进行对比分析,找出克罗诺杆菌特征性离子峰,将其作为鉴定克罗诺杆菌的生物标识物;对全细菌蛋白质质量图谱进行聚类分析,将克罗诺杆菌属进一步划分为不同类型,结果显示,4株克罗诺杆菌参考菌株质量图谱约在5740(m/z)离子质荷比处出现1个相近离子峰,28株克罗诺杆菌分离株中27株(占96.4%)表现出相同结果;32株克罗诺杆菌被分为6种类型(以50%距离水平为分类界限)。MALDI-TOFMS作为一种新的技术,不仅能够用于克罗诺杆菌的鉴定,而且根据获得的细菌蛋白质质量图谱可将克罗诺杆菌划分为不同类型。     

Campylobacteriosis, salmonellosis, and shigellosis in free-ranging human-habituated mountain gorillas of Uganda

For conservation purposes and due to growing ecotourism, free-ranging mountain gorillas (Gorilla gorilla beringei) have been habituated to humans. Fecal specimens (n = 62) collected in January 1999 from mountain gorillas of the Bwindi and Mgahinga National Parks, Uganda, were tested for Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp., and Shigella spp., and the overall prevalence of infection was 19%, 13%, and 6%, respectively. The prevalence of positive specimens was not related to the year of habituation of a gorilla group to humans. Campylobacter spp., Salmonella, and Shigella spp. infections were not distributed equally among the age classes of gorillas; most of the enteropathogens (80%), and all Shigella spp. organisms, S. sonnei, S. boydii, and S. flexneri, were isolated from subadults and adult gorillas with ages ranging from 6.0 to 11.9 yr. The prevalence of Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella spp. infections among human-habituated gorillas has doubled during the last 4 yr, and isolation of Shigella spp. for the first time from mountain gorillas, may indicate enhanced anthropozoonotic transmission of these enteropathogens.     

Extragenic Suppressors of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Prp4 Mutations Identify a Negative Regulator of Prp Genes

The PRP4 gene encodes a protein that is a component of the U4/U6 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle and is necessary for both spliceosome assembly and pre-mRNA splicing. To identify genes whose products interact with the PRP4 gene or gene product, we isolated second-site suppressors of temperature-sensitive prp4 mutations. We limited ourselves to suppressors with a distinct phenotype, cold sensitivity, to facilitate analysis of mutants. Ten independent recessive suppressors were obtained that identified four complementation groups, spp41, spp42, spp43 and spp44 (suppressor of prp4, numbers 1-4). spp41-spp44 suppress the pre-mRNA splicing defect as well as the temperature-sensitive phenotype of prp4 strains. Each of these spp mutations also suppresses prp3; spp41 and spp42 suppress prp11 as well. Neither spp41 nor spp42 suppresses null alleles of prp3 or prp4, indicating that the suppression does not occur via a bypass mechanism. The spp41 and spp42 mutations are neither allele- nor gene-specific in their pattern of suppression and do not result in a defect in pre-mRNA splicing. Thus the SPP41 and SPP42 gene products are unlikely to participate directly in mRNA splicing or interact directly with Prp3p or Prp4p. Expression of PRP3-lacZ and PRP4-lacZ gene fusions is increased in spp41 strains, suggesting that wild-type Spp41p represses expression of PRP3 and PRP4. SPP41 was cloned and sequenced and found to be essential. spp43 is allelic to the previously identified suppressor srn1, which encodes a negative regulator of gene expression.     

Sensitivity of calcification to thermal stress varies among genera of massive reef-building corals

Reductions in calcification in reef-building corals occur when thermal conditions are suboptimal, but it is unclear how they vary between genera in response to the same thermal stress event. Using densitometry techniques, we investigate reductions in the calcification rate of massive Porites spp. from the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), and P. astreoides, Montastraea faveolata, and M. franksi from the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef (MBR), and correlate them to thermal stress associated with ocean warming. Results show that Porites spp. are more sensitive to increasing temperature than Montastraea, with calcification rates decreasing by 0.40 g cm(-2) year(-1) in Porites spp. and 0.12 g cm(-2) year(-1) in Montastraea spp. for each 1°C increase. Under similar warming trends, the predicted calcification rates at 2100 are close to zero in Porites spp. and reduced by 40% in Montastraea spp. However, these predictions do not account for ocean acidification. Although yearly mean aragonite saturation (Ω(ar)) at MBR sites has recently decreased, only P. astreoides at Chinchorro showed a reduction in calcification. In corals at the other sites calcification did not change, indicating there was no widespread effect of Ω(ar) changes on coral calcification rate in the MBR. Even in the absence of ocean acidification, differential reductions in calcification between Porites spp. and Montastraea spp. associated with warming might be expected to have significant ecological repercussions. For instance, Porites spp. invest increased calcification in extension, and under warming scenarios it may reduce their ability to compete for space. As a consequence, shifts in taxonomic composition would be expected in Indo-Pacific reefs with uncertain repercussions for biodiversity. By contrast, Montastraea spp. use their increased calcification resources to construct denser skeletons. Reductions in calcification would therefore make them more susceptible to both physical and biological breakdown, seriously affecting ecosystem function in Atlantic reefs.     

The presence of bacteria and yeast like fungi in specimens from surgical patients

The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of Candida spp. strains in specimens obtained from surgically treated patients as well as to analyze the accompanying bacterial flora, both aerobic and anaerobic. The material came from two groups of patients. In the first group consisting of patients operated for colon and rectum carcinoma, the samples included peritoneal fluid, colon or rectum bioptates, pus, blood, and wound swabs. In the other group, biopsy material and smears from post operation wounds were taken from patients who underwent a surgical treatment of larynx carcinoma. Altogether, 282 various clinical specimens from 165 patients were analysed, and 41 Candida spp. strains were isolated: 39 strains of C. albicans and 2 strains of C. tropicalis. In 20 out of 41 specimens infected with Candida spp. (48.8%) the co-infection with bacterial aerobic flora was found. In 10 cases (24.4%), the fungi were isolated together with aerobic and anaerobic bacterial flora, whereas in 2 specimens (4.9%) the anaerobes and Candida albicans were diagnosed. The remaining 9 samples showed only the presence of Candida spp. (21.9%). From among aerobic bacterial flora Enterococcus spp. strains (n = 17) and Gram negative rods from Enterobacteriaceae family (n = 13) were the most frequently isolated. The bacterial strains of Streptococcus spp. (n = 5), Pseudomonas spp. (n = 3), Staphylococcus spp. and Corynebacterium spp. (2 strains, both) were identified more rarely. Bacteroides spp. were the most frequent members of bacterial anaerobic flora (n = 10). Other isolated anaerobic bacteria were classified as Fusobacterium spp. or Peptostreptococcus spp. (1 strain each). E. coli and Enterococcus spp. strains of aerobic bacterial flora were more frequently isolated together with Candida spp. CONCLUSIONS: (i) Mixed bacterial flora was found to predominate in the clinical material from the patients after surgery. (ii) Candida spp. were most frequently found together with aerobic bacterial flora.     

Evaluation of three different forward primers by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis for determination of fecal bifidobacterium spp. in healthy subjects

The 27F forward primer is frequently used in 16S rRNA gene libraries and T-RFLP analysis. However, Bifidobacterium spp. were barely detected with this primer in human fecal samples. In this study, fecal microbiota were analyzed using the T-RFLP method with three different forward primers (27F, 35F, and 529F) in conjunction with one reverse primer (1492R). T-RFLP analysis of fecal microbiota using 35F and 529F detected higher proportions of the terminal restriction fragment (T-RF) corresponding to Bifidobacterium spp. than that using 27F. 27F is in imperfect agreement while 35F and 529F are in good concordance with the 16S rRNA gene sequences of Bifidobacterium spp., and the latter primers allowed for the detection of T-RFs of Bifidobacterium spp. in fecal samples from five healthy subjects. The T-RFs presumed to be Bifidobacterium spp. were cloned and sequenced, and found to match the 16S rRNA gene sequences of Bifidobacterium spp. Among the five fecal samples, two samples with low frequencies of T-RFs of Bifidobacterium spp. were detected using these forward primers. This probably reflects a low prevalence of Bifidobacterium spp. in these two samples. Our study emphasizes the importance of selecting a suitable forward primer for detection of Bifidobacterium spp.     

Reconstruction of the last marine connectivity of the Zagros basin,based on fossil evidences of the clastic-dominated Bakhtiari Formation

In this study, new paleontology and lithology foundations on the Bakhtiari Formation were obtained from Shalamzar area in Zagros basin. A depositional mollasic cycle was divided into Bk1, Bk2 and Bk3 units from the base to the top of the Formation. Bk2, with limestone- and mudstone-dominated deposits, was found to alternate with conglomerates and form a marine succession between the two limestone clast-supported conglomeratic continental units. A diverse fossil association has been described for the first time and consists of foraminifera (Oolina spp., Oolina hexagona, Textularia spp., Spiroloculina spp., Peneroplis spp., Elphidium spp., Planulina sp., Amphistegina spp., Lagena spp. Globigerina spp., Globigerinoides spp., Uvigerina spp., Triloculina spp., Quinqueloculina spp., Spiroloculina spp. Nodosariid., Orbitina spp., Borelis melo, Bolivina spp. and Miogypsina spp.), a gastropod community of Strombus spp., Potamides spp., Turitella spp., Cyprea cf. persica and Pleurotomaria sp. and a higher energy colony of scleractinian corals comprising Porites branching, Porites-encrusting massive Favites spp., Favia spp., Tarbellastrea spp. and Acropora spp. The early–middle Miocene marine level of the Bakhtiari Formation, confirms a nearshore accommodation through a middle shelf and an open coastal lagoon (inner shelf) within a fluvial-dominated delta or open estuary during the last presence of a marine trough in the Zagros basin. This saline to hypersaline shallow marine regime was probably dominated in tropical to subtropical conditions. Palaeobiogeography analysis reflects a last seaway faunal exchange between the area and early–middle Miocene basins of Pakistan, India, Australia, Turkey, Greece, Romania Algeria, Egypt, Italy, France, Portugal and Austrian/Hungarian border, which reconstructs a shallow junction between Zagros basin and Mediterranean Tethys and Indo-pacific Ocean during Burdigalian–Langhian (Badenian) before the terminal Tethyan event in late middle Miocene and Tortonian.     

Antimycotic activity of 4-thioisosteres of flavonoids towards yeast and yeast-like microorganisms

Different substituted methoxy- and hydroxy-4-thioisosteres of flavonoids were prepared and their in vitro antimycotic activity towards yeast (Candida spp., Clavispora spp., Cryptococcus spp., Filobasidiella spp., Issatchenkia spp., Pichia spp., Kluyveromyces spp., Saccharomyces spp. and Yarrowia spp.) and yeast-like (Prototheca spp.) microorganisms was tested. Further insights in the biological activities of these antioxidant, oestrogenic and antimicrobial biomimetic derivatives were obtained.     

spp42, identified as a classical suppressor of prp4-73, which encodes a kinase involved in pre-mRNA splicing in fission yeast, is a homologue of the splicing factor Prp8p.

We have identified two classical extragenic suppressors, spp41 and spp42, of the temperature sensitive (ts) allele prp4-73. The prp4(+) gene of Schizosaccharomyces pombe encodes a protein kinase. Mutations in both suppressor genes suppress the growth and the pre-mRNA splicing defect of prp4-73(ts) at the restrictive temperature (36 degrees ). spp41 and spp42 are synthetically lethal with each other in the presence of prp4-73(ts), indicating a functional relationship between spp41 and spp42. The suppressor genes were mapped on the left arm of chromosome I proximal to the his6 gene. Based on our mapping data we isolated spp42 by screening PCR fragments for functional complementation of the prp4-73(ts) mutant at the restrictive temperature. spp42 encodes a large protein (p275), which is the homologue of Prp8p. This protein has been shown in budding yeast and mammalian cells to be a bona fide pre-mRNA splicing factor. Taken together with other recent genetic and biochemical data, our results suggest that Prp4 kinase plays an important role in the formation of catalytic spliceosomes.     

贺兰山马鹿冬季食性分析

2003年11月-2004年2月在宁夏贺兰山国家级自然保护区和内蒙古贺兰山国家级自然保护区,利用粪便显微组织学分析技术结合野外啃食调查对马鹿阿拉善亚种(Cervus elaphus alxaicus)冬季食性进行了研究.从7个沟系中一共收集了219堆马鹿粪便中捡拾粪粒,组成14个复合样本进行分析,其结果表明,灰榆(27.37%)、山杨(11.75%)、蒙古扁桃(9.83%)、金露梅(8.12%)、锦鸡儿(6.52%)等植物的当年枝和落叶以及禾本科草本植物(7.51%)是马鹿冬季主要食物,其中灰榆为大宗食物,针叶树种(杜松、油松、青海云杉)和其他草本植物所占比例均较小.马鹿对灰榆、山杨、蒙占扁桃、金露梅、锦鸡儿和杜松有正选择性;而对禾本科草本植物、油松和青海云杉有负选择性.马鹿对它们选择性的强弱顺序为:山杨＞杜松＞锦鸡儿＞蒙古扁桃＞金露梅＞灰榆＞禾本科草本植物＞油松＞青海云杉.马鹿取食乔木36.8%、灌木44.7%、禾本科草本植物8.0%和非禾本科草本植物10.5%,这4类植物的利用性与可利用性存在极显著差异,乔木和灌木的利用性高于可利用性;禾本科草本植物和非禾本科草本植物的利用性低于可利用性,说明马鹿的食物以木本植物镲为主,草本植物为辅.Spearman相关分析得出马鹿对食物的选择性与水分、灰分、粗蛋白、粗脂肪、粗纤维和无氮浸出物之间无明显的相关关系.被啃食植物中粗蛋白含量较高,蛋白质不是越冬马鹿的限制因子,而能量可能是影响冬季马鹿采食较为关键的因子.马鹿冬季采食策略主要是以最小的能量消耗获取最大的能量收益.     

Biodiversity of human faecal bacteria isolated from phytic acid enriched chemostat fermenters

BACKGROUND: Myo-inositol hexaphosphate (IP6) or phytic acid is found mostly in cereals and legumes and is thought to possess anti-carcinogenic properties. AIM: To isolate and identify faecal bacteria capable of phytic acid metabolism and to assess the effectiveness of prebiotics (dietary oligosaccharides, metabolised by selective colonic bacteria) in preserving the integrity of phytic acid. METHODS: Faecal samples from three volunteers were used in continuous culture experiments under varying conditions of pH, substrate concentration and dilution rates, seventy three different isolates cultured at steady state were then screened for phytic acid metabolism and identified through partial sequencing of their 16S rRNA genes (16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid). Utilisation of phytic acid was also assessed in a continuous culture system enriched with prebiotic fructooligosaccharides (FOS). RESULTS: Bacteroides spp., Clostridium spp. and facultatively anaerobic bacteria generally appeared to maintain viable counts in the presence of phytic acid. Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp. appeared less able to maintain viable counts in the presence of phytic acid. These results were confirmed by an increase in viable counts of Bacteroides spp., Clostridium spp. and a decrease in viable counts of Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp. once phytic acid was introduced to a FOS enriched continuous culture. CONCLUSIONS: The phytate metabolising biodiversity from the human large intestine does not appear to encompass major bacterial genera associated with beneficial or benign health effects (e.g. Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp).     

Value of antigen and antibody detection,and blood evaluation parameters in diagnosis of avian invasive aspergillosis

The applicability of ELISA detection of circulating Aspergillus spp. antigen (Ag) and systemic antibody (Ab) of IgG class, and the blood parameter values were evaluated for diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis in Aspergillus spp.-challenged Peking ducks (Anas platyrhynchos). The protective role of Aspergillus spp. IgG was evaluated in Cape shelducks (Tadorna cana) immunized with Aspergillus spp. Ag. Challenged but non-immunized A. platyrhynchos developed invasive aspergillosis on day 21 as demonstrated histopathologically by the presence of fungal microgranuloma in air sacs and lung tissue, with serum antigenemia fluctuating from 65 to 270 ng of 55-kD basic protein Ag per ml. Immunized A. platyrhynchos did not demonstrate Aspergillus spp. serum antigenemia but did show rare histopathological changes in some air sacs associated with fungal inflammation. Although the differences between immunized and non-immunized T. cana in blood evaluation parameters did not differ significantly, immunized birds mounted high Aspergillus spp.-specific IgG titer. There was no correlation between the blood parameter values and post-immunization timepoints in T. cana and in A. platyrhynchos. Intramuscular immunization with Aspergillus spp. mycelial phase cultures Ag provided protection against the pathogens. The lack of relations between blood parameter values and increasing Aspergillus spp. IgG titers (in T. cana and A. platyrhynchos) indicate low applicability of these parameters in evaluation of a bird Aspergillus spp. status. Detection of circulating 55-kDa Aspergillus spp. Ag has high early predictive values for invasive aspergillosis in birds. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

黑河林区驼鹿冬季食性研究

1987—1988年在黑龙江省黑河林区,应用粪便显微组织学分析技术,结合野外啃食调查,对驼鹿冬季食物组成、食物选择性和利用率进行了研究。结果表明,冬季驼鹿共采食31种(属)植物,其中柳、榛、桦、红松、杨和紫椴是主要的冬季食物(19.9％、18.0％、16.7％、14.9％、7.3％和6.7％)。驼鹿对杨、柳、红松和紫椴有正选择性,对榛、桦和毛赤杨有负选择性。选择性的强弱顺序为:杨>柳>红松>紫椴>榛>桦>毛赤杨。驼鹿对柳的选用率最高(32.1％),对桦的利用率最低(12.1％)。     

Association of beet leafhopper (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) with a clover proliferation group phytoplasma in Columbia basin of Washington and Oregon

At least 16 taxa of cicadellids and delphacids were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of a phytoplasma in the clover proliferation group, designated 16SrVI. Nucleic acid extracts from individual insects or groups of 5-10 were tested using PCR primers designed from the DNA sequence of 16S-23S rRNA or ribosomal protein genes of the pathogen. The beet leafhopper, Circulifer tenellus (Baker), was most often associated with the phytoplasma, with approximately 16% of the insects testing positive. The phytoplasma was occasionally found associated with Ceratagallia spp. Leafhopper species that were not associated with the phytoplasma included Macrosteles spp., Dikraneura spp., Colladonus montanus (Van Duzee), Circulifer geminatus (Van Duzee), Ballana spp., Amplysellus spp., Paraphlepsius spp., Texananus spp., Balclutha spp., Latalus spp., Erythroneura spp., Exitianus exitiosus (Uhler), and unidentified delphacids. The detected phytoplasma was similar to, or synonymous with, the beet leafhopper-transmitted virescence agent that is associated with the potato purple top disease in the Columbia Basin region of Washington and Oregon. This is in contrast to the phytoplasma associated with potato purple top disease in Mexico that is related to aster yellows (group 16SrI). The association of the group 16SrVI phytoplasma almost exclusively with the beet leafhopper suggests that this insect is the major vector of the phytoplasma in this region.