Mapping quantitative trait loci affecting some carcass and meat traits in duck (Anas platyrhynchos)

Contrary to chicken and livestock mammals, duck genome has not been explored much. Nowadays a relatively small number of reports on molecular variability and mapping of loci in Peking ducks has been published. Therefore, the objective of this study was to detect single loci affecting body weight, carcass and meat traits in Peking ducks (Anas platyrhynchos). The study was based on an F2 cross between two parental lines A-55 and GL-30. Phenotypes of 387 birds from generation F2 including carcass and meat quality traits were collected. Linkage map, of the linkage group CAU1, consisting of 29 microsatellite markers was constructed. One highly significant (p?p?相似文献   

Synthesis of New Aromatic Pyrrolo[2,1- c] [1,4]benzodiazepines and Pyrrolo[1,2- a] thieno[3,2- e] [1,4]diazepines as Anti-tumoral Agents

Diazepine analogs of thieno[2,3- b] pyrrolizin-8-ones were synthesized by aromatization of 2-hydroxypyrrolo[1,2- a] thieno[3,2- e] [1,4]diazepines. These compounds were evaluated in vitro for their antiproliferative activity against the L1210 leukemia cell line. The activity of these compounds was in the micromolar range, the best result being for the mixture of the isomers 5 and 6 which showed a 0.35 μM IC 50 against cell growth.     

Enhanced β-turn conformational stability of tripeptides containing ΔPhe in cis over trans configuration

Conformations of three pairs of dehydropeptides with the opposite configuration of the ΔPhe residue, Boc-Gly-Δ^Z/EPhe-Phe-p-NA (Z- p -NA and E- p -NA), Boc-Gly-Δ^Z/EPhe-Phe-OMe (Z-OMe and E-OMe), and Boc-Gly-Δ^Z/EPhe-Phe-OH (Z-OH and E-OH) were compared on the basis of CD and NMR studies in MeOH, TFE, and DMSO. The CD results were used as the additional input data for the NMR-based calculations of the detailed solution conformations of the peptides. It was found that Z- p -NA, E- p -NA, Z-OMe, and Z-OH adopt the β-turn conformations and E-OMe and E-OH are unordered. There are two overlapping type III β-turns in Z- p -NA, type II’ β-turn in E- p -NA, and type II β-turn in Z-OMe and Z-OH. The results obtained indicate that in the case of methyl esters and peptides with a free carboxyl group, Δ^ZPhe is a much stronger inducer of ordered conformations than Δ^EPhe. It was also found that temperature coefficients of the amide protons are not reliable indicators of intramolecular hydrogen bonds donors in small peptides.     

Efficacy of Pseudomonas syringae in the management of potato tuber diseases in storage

Silver scurf caused by Helminthosporium solani and dry rot caused by Fusarium spp. are tuber diseases of economic importance in potato-growing areas worldwide. Recently, the two pathogens have developed resistance to thiabendazole (TBZ), a post-harvest fungicide commonly used for their control. Therefore, alternative disease control strategies are needed. The present study assessed the efficacy of the biopesticides Bio-Save 10LP (Pseudomonas syringae-strain ESC-10; Ps10) and Bio-Save 11LP (P. syringae-strain ESC-11; Ps11) against silver scurf and dry rot. Approximately 30 isolates representing the genus Fusarium were obtained from symptomatic potato specimens with dry rot from New Brunswick (NB), Nova Scotia (NS), Prince Edward Island (PE) and Alberta (AB), Canada. Species isolated were Fusarium sambucinum, Fusarium tumidum, Fusarium coeruleum, Fusarium culmorum, and Fusarium avenaceum. H. solani isolated from AB, NB and PE was included in the study as the causal agent of silver scurf. The efficacy of P. syringae against F. sambucinum and H. solani was tested in vitro. Ps10 and Ps11 inhibited the growth of H. solani up to 68% (NB isolate) and 73% (PE isolate), respectively and the inhibition was more or less comparable with that of TBZ. F. sambucinum was not significantly inhibited by Ps10; however Ps11 significantly inhibited AB, PE and NB isolates by 43%, 28% and 54%, respectively. Conversely, TBZ inhibited AB, PE and NB isolates of Fusarium spp. in vitro by 86%, 88% and 100%, respectively. TBZ in combination with either Ps10 or Ps11 did not always reduce the growth of H. solani or Fusarium spp. in vitro compared to that of TBZ alone. Storage trials conducted in NB and PE assessed the efficacy of P. syringae against H. solani or Fusarium spp. in vivo and confirmed that the application of P. syringae or TBZ alone or in combination significantly reduced the incidence and/or severity of silver scurf and Fusarium dry rot. Ps11 alone or in combination with TBZ was significantly more effective than Ps10 in controlling silver scurf disease severity. The reduction in disease severity of dry rot and silver scurf in storage due to Ps10, Ps11, or TBZ or their combinations was consistently comparable. Results indicate that the use of P. syringae (strains ESC-11 or ESC-10) as a post-harvest treatment can contribute to the management of both silver scurf and Fusarium dry rot in potato storages.     

Cathelicidins: family of antimicrobial peptides. A review

Cathelicidins are small, cationic, antimicrobial peptides found in humans and other species, including farm animals (cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, rabbits and in some species of fish). These proteolytically activated peptides are part of the innate immune system of many vertebrates. These peptides show a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against bacteria, enveloped viruses and fungi. Apart from exerting direct antimicrobial effects, cathelicidins can also trigger specific defense responses in the host. Their roles in various pathophysiological conditions have been studied in mice and humans, but there are limited information about their expression sites and activities in livestock. The aim of the present review is to summarize current information about these antimicrobial peptides in farm animals, highlighting peptide expression sites, activities, and future applications for human and veterinary medicine.     

Red Fox <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vulpes vulpes</Emphasis> (L., 1758) as a Bioindicator of Mercury Contamination in Terrestrial Ecosystems of North-Western Poland

In this study, we determined the concentrations of total mercury (Hg) in samples of liver, kidney and skeletal muscle of 27 red foxes Vulpes vulpes (L., 1758) from north-western Poland, and examined the morphometric characteristics of the collected specimens. The analysis also included the relationship between Hg concentration and the fox size, and the suitability of individual organs as bioindicators in indirect evaluation of environmental mercury contamination. Determination of Hg concentration was performed by atomic absorption spectroscopy. In the analysed samples, the Hg concentration was low and the maximum value did not exceed 0.85 mgHg/kg dry weight (dw). There were no significant differences in Hg concentrations in the analysed material between males and females or between immature and adult groups. The median concentrations of Hg in the liver, kidney and skeletal muscle were 0.22, 0.11 and 0.05 mgHg/kg dw, respectively. The correlation coefficients were significant between the concentrations of mercury in the liver, kidney and skeletal muscle (positive) and between the kidney Hg concentration and kidney mass (negative). Taking into account our results and findings of other authors, it may be argued that the red fox exhibits a measurable response to mercury environmental pollution and meets the requirements of a bioindicator.     

A new technique for staining mast cells using ferroin

We describe here a new method for specific staining of mast cells using ferroin. Different hamster tissues were fixed in 4% formalin and processed for paraffin embedding. Sections were stained with hematoxylin followed by ferroin acidified with 2.5 N sulfuric acid to pH 4.0. Mast cells stained an intense orange color that contrasted markedly with bluish violet nuclei. High contrast was also observed when ferroin colored sections were counterstained with light green instead of hematoxylin. To evaluate the specificity of the stain, hamster cheek pouch sections were stained with toluidine blue, alcian blue-safranin O, and ferroin. Quantitative evaluation of mast cells stained with the three techniques showed no statistical difference. The simplicity and selectivity of this method is sufficient for image analysis of mast cells.