Some Eugregarines (Sporozoa, Apicomplexa) from the Stored Fruit Beetle, Oryzaephilus mercator Fauv. (Coleoptera) from India

Morphology and life history of 3 cephaline gregarines found in the gut of the pest of stored fruit, Oryzaephilus mercator. are described. Of these 3, 2 are new species. The 3 species are (1) Hirmocystis minuta (Ishii, 1914) (LP TL = 1:7 – 1:22, WP/WD = 1:1, 6–1:7); (2) Amsotobus indicus n. sp. (LP/TL = 1:3–1:6, WP/WD = 1:1 – 1:1.3); (3) Leidyana oryzaephili n. sp. (LP/TL = 1:2 – 1:12; WP/WD = 1:1–1:1.6).     

A panel of bovine, ovine and caprine polymorphic microsatellites

We report a set of six new bovine microsatellite polymorphisms based on (CA)_n repeats. They are highly polymorphic and thus represent valuable markers for genome mapping. Four of the six are polymorphic in sheep and two are polymorphic in goats. One, which is polymorphic in cattle and sheep and apparently monomorphic in goats, is X-chromosome specific and has potential value in, for example, sex determination and detection of chimaerism.     

Antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles (AgNps) synthesized by tea leaf extracts against pathogenic Vibrio harveyi and its protective efficacy on juvenile Feneropenaeus indicus

Aims: To determine the antibacterial potential of silver nanoparticles (AgNps) synthesized by tea leaf extract against Vibrio harveyi and its protective effect on juvenile Feneropenaeus indicus. Methods and Results: AgNps were synthesized by a simple procedure using tea leaf extract as the reducing agent. Bacteriological tests were performed in Luria–Bertani medium on solid agar plates and in liquid systems supplemented with V. harveyi against different concentrations of AgNps. AgNps synthesized in the present study were shown to be effective against V. harveyi isolated from F. indicus. The combined results of long‐ and short‐term treatment of AgNps synthesized by tea leaf extract showed a 71% reduction in accumulated mortality. Conclusions: The long‐term administration of AgNps synthesized by tea leaf extracts at the concentration of 10 μg significantly reduced the mortalities in F. indicus from V. harveyi infections. Significance and Impact of the Study: The AgNps synthesized by tea leaf extract may be an alternative to antibiotics in controlling V. harveyi infections.     

Geographic and breed distribution of an Msp I PCR-RFLP in the bovine growth hormone (bGH) gene

Information is presented on the frequency of the Msp I (-) allele in the third intron of the bovine growth hormone gene in a large number of cattle breeds. Consideration of the breed frequencies in relation to their geographic origin shows a low frequency for breeds originating in Northern Europe, moderate frequencies for breeds originating in Eastern Europe or the countries surrounding the Mediterranean basin, and very high frequencies for breeds originating in the Indian subcontinent. Consideration of breed frequencies in relation to breed type, shows low to moderate frequencies for the humpless breeds, high frequencies for the humped breeds. Various explanations for this distribution are discussed, among them the possibility that the Msp I (-) allele originated in the Bos indicus breeds of the Indian subcontinent, from which it diffused through the humpless Bos taurus breeds of Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean basin, eventually reaching Western, Northern Europe, Western Africa in low frequencies.     

On the origin of cattle: How aurochs became cattle and colonized the world

Since their domestication in the Neolithic, cattle have belonged to our cultural heritage. The reconstruction of their history is an active field of research 1 that contributes to our understanding of human history. Archeological data are now supplemented by analyses of modern and ancient samples of cattle with DNA markers of maternal, paternal, or autosomal inheritance. The most recent genetic data suggest that maternal lineages of taurine cattle originated in the Fertile Crescent with a possible contribution of South‐European wild cattle populations, while zebu cattle originate from the Indus Valley. Subsequently, cattle accompanied human migrations, which led to the dispersal of domestic cattle of taurine, indicine, or mixed origin over Asia, Africa, Europe, and the New World. This has resulted in their adaptation to different environments and considerable variation in appearance and performance. More recently, rational management of breeding led to international movements of sires, which again changed the global patterns of genetic diversity.     

查谟-克什米尔地区查谟后西瓦立克沉积中的亚洲象化石(英文)

描述了一件象属( Elephas) 的右上臼齿化石。标本产自查谟紧靠上西瓦立克亚群巨砾岩组( Boulder Conglomerate Formation) 之上的砂质、粉砂质泥岩夹砾石层中,化石地点位于查谟市南10 km,Kharian 村北约500 m 处。根据齿板数、齿脊频率、釉质层厚度、冠高指数、绝对大小和齿长/齿高指数等牙齿形态参数,暂时将之归为 Elephas cf. E. maximus indicus。还简短讨论了象属的地理分布和地质时代。     

Ethanol production from hexoses, pentoses, and dilute-acid hydrolyzate by Mucor indicus

Consumption of hexoses and pentoses and production of ethanol by Mucor indicus were investigated in both synthetic media and dilute-acid hydrolyzates. The fungus was able to grow in a poor medium containing only carbon, nitrogen, phosphate, potassium, and magnesium sources. However, the cultivation took more than a week and the ethanol yield was only 0.2 gg(-1). Enrichment of the medium by addition of trace metals, particularly zinc and yeast extract, improved the growth rate and yield, such that the cultivation was completed in less than 24 h and the ethanol and biomass yields were increased to 0.40 and 0.20 gg(-1), respectively. The fungus was able to assimilate glucose, galactose, mannose, and xylose, and produced ethanol with yields of 0.40, 0.34, 0.39, and 0.18 gg(-1), respectively. However, arabinose was poorly consumed and no formation of ethanol was detected. Glycerol was the major by-product in the cultivation on the hexoses, while formation of glycerol and xylitol were detected in the cultivation of the fungus on xylose. The fungus was able to take up the sugars present in dilute-acid hydrolyzate as well as the inhibitors, acetic acid, furfural, and hydroxymethyl furfural. M. indicus was able to grow under anaerobic conditions when glucose was the sole carbon source, but not on xylose or the hydrolyzate. The yield of ethanol in anaerobic cultivation on glucose was 0.46 g g(-1).     

Combination of multiple microsatellite data sets to investigate genetic diversity and admixture of domestic cattle

Microsatellite markers are commonly used for population genetic analyses of livestock. However, up to now, combinations of microsatellite data sets or comparison of population genetic parameters from different studies and breeds has proven difficult. Often different genotyping methods have been employed, preventing standardization of microsatellite allele calling. In other cases different sets of markers have been genotyped, providing differing estimates of population genetic parameters. Here, we address these issues and illustrate a general two-step regression approach in cattle using three different sets of microsatellite data, to combine population genetics estimates of diversity and admixture. This regression-based method is independent of the loci genotyped but requires common breeds in the data sets. We show that combining microsatellite data sets can provide new insights on the origin and geographical distribution of genetic diversity and admixture in cattle, which will facilitate global management of this livestock species.     

堰蜒逃逸行为的影响因子

通过野外和室内实试检测蝘蜒逃逸行为的影响因子。野外研究显示,蝘蜒可接近距离与隐蔽所间距呈显著正相关。与动物体温和基底温度无关;在开阔生境中,成体和幼体的可接近距离相似．而郁闭生境中成体的可接近距离显著大于幼体。室内试验表明。两性蝘蜒的可接近距离差异显著,繁殖期雌体的可接近距离大于雄体。     

摄食对印度蜓蜥代谢率的影响

通过测定摄食后印度蜓蜥雌性成体的耗氧量变化 ,研究摄食特殊热动力作用 (SDA)。动物分为摄食黄粉虫幼虫实验组和禁食对照组 ,两组蜥蜴平均体重无显著差异。测定耗氧量前 ,将所有动物在 3 0℃恒温室内禁食 3d。用容积为 3 0 0ml的封闭式呼吸室测定两组蜥蜴在 3 0℃条件下连续 3d的耗氧量 ,测定间隔时间为 4～ 2 5h。禁食组动物实验期间的耗氧量无显著的时间变异 ,实验组动物耗氧量的时间变异显著 ,这些结果表明摄食影响印度蜓蜥的代谢率。实验组动物摄食 8h后耗氧量已显著大于禁食组 ,摄食 3 0h后两组动物的耗氧量无显著差异。印度蜓蜥达到SDA峰值的平均时间约为 1 2 7h ,SDA峰值耗氧量是禁食对照组动物耗氧量的 1 6倍。印度蜓蜥单次摄食实验中的SDA具有进食后耗氧量迅速增加 ,达到峰值后下降至摄食前水平的典型模式。