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API Candida was evaluated in comparison with the ID 32C system for the identification of 619 yeast isolates. The sensitivity of API Candida for the identification of the 15 species it claims to identify with and without additional tests was 97.4% (593 of 609) and 75.2% (458 of 609), respectively. The API Candida system is easy to use and rapid (result in 18 to 24 h).

We performed a nearest-neighbor analysis to determine the population dispersion pattern and the association between males and females in a Juniperus communis L. var. depressa Pursh population occupying a continental dune in subarctic Quebec, Canada. The overall dispersion pattern was contagious, and males (or females) were proportionately as likely to have a male as they were to have a female nearest neighbor. Crown size was positively related to nearest-neighbor distance for the male-male comparison only, suggesting a somewhat stronger intrasex competition between males. Nearest-neighbor distance increased with crown size (significantly related to age) suggesting a change in the intensity of aggregation with age possibly related to self-thinning. Higher mortality as a result of stronger male-male competition could explain the female-biased sex ratio and the absence of spatial segregation between sexes. The overall contagious dispersion pattern in the population may be related to the fact that most seed cones fall directly underneath the mother plant. Birds can eat the cones of J. communis and thus disperse seeds. However, these seeds are deposited in clumps, a process that may also explain contagion within the population.

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Background Canadienne cattle are the oldest breed of dairy cattle in North America. The Canadienne breed originates from cattle that were brought to America by the mid-seventeenth century French settlers. The herd book was established in 1886 and the current breed characteristics include dark coat color, small size compared to the modern Holstein breed, and overall rusticity shaped by the harsh environmental conditions that were prevalent during the settlement of North America. The Canadienne breed is an invaluable genetic resource due to its high resilience, longevity and fertility. However, it is heavily threatened with a current herd limited to an estimated 1200 registered animals, of which less than 300 are fullblood. To date, no effort has been made to document the genetic pool of this heritage breed in order to preserve it. Results In this project, we used genomic data, which allow a precise description of the genetic makeup of a population, to provide valuable information on the genetic diversity of this heritage breed and suggest management options for its long-term viability. Using a panel that includes 640,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), we genotyped 190 animals grouped into six purity ranges. Unsupervised clustering analyses revealed three genetically distinct groups among those with the higher levels of purity. The observed heterozygosity was higher than expected even in the 100% purebreds. Comparison with Holstein genotypes showed significantly shorter runs of homozygosity for the Canadienne breed, which was unexpected due to the high inbreeding value calculated from pedigree data. Conclusions Overall, our data indicate that the fullblood gene pool of the Canadienne breed is more diversified than expected and that bloodline management could promote breed sustainability. In its current state, the Canadienne is not a dead-end breed but remains highly vulnerable due to its small population size.