The origin and course of the greater,lesser and least thoracic splanchnic nerves in New Zealand rabbits

In this study, the origin and course of the greater, lesser and least splanchnic nerves was investigated in 12 adult New Zealand rabbits with regard to sex and the side of the body. There were no significant differences between the female and male rabbits. The greater and lesser splanchnic nerves were present in all the cadavers examined. However, the least splanchnic nerve was found on the right side in 50% of the cadavers (nos. 2, 4, 6, 7, 11 and 12), and on the left side in 75% (1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 12). With regard to the origin and pattern of the greater, lesser and least splanchnic nerves, there were significant differences between the right and left sides of the body even in the same rabbit. No significant difference was observed between sexes.     

Fattening performance,slaughter, carcass and meat quality traits of Karayaka lambs

In order to verify the fattening performance, slaughter and carcass characteristics and to investigate the changes in some meat quality traits of Karayaka lambs weaned at 3 months of age, 39 lambs (23 males and 16 females) were used as experimental animals. The lambs were fed a concentrate mixture and alfalfa hay (120 and 168 g crude protein and 2,700 and 1,951 ME/kg, respectively) for a period of 60 days of fattening period. Male lambs were superior (p < 0.05) to female lambs in terms of daily weight gain (270.4 vs. 205.4 g; SEM = 9.46), hot and cold carcass weights (16.7 and 16.0 vs. 14.1 and 13.4 kg, respectively; SEM = 0.35), intra-muscular fat ratios (1.9% vs. 2.5%; SEM = 0.12) and dripping loss of semitendinosus muscle 3 days postmortem (8.1% vs. 10.2%; SEM = 0.36). The relative weights of some organs, the meat quality traits (pH, cooking loss, shear force, CIELab colour characteristics) and proximate analyses (dry matter, protein and ash) of longissimus dorsi and semitendinosus muscle samples from lambs were not affected by sex (p > 0.05). Dripping loss, pH and colour characteristics were affected by storage time (p < 0.05). These results provide a basic understanding of performance and meat quality of Karayaka sheep which may have potentials in improving sheep production using an indigenous sheep breed in Turkey.     

A detailed subgross morphometric study on the auditory ossicles of the New Zealand rabbit

This study was designed to reveal, in detail, the features of the auditory ossicles of the New Zealand rabbit, one of the most frequently used animals in scientific researches. Heads of 10 dead adult New Zealand rabbits of both sexes weighing 2.5 +/- 0.2 kg were used in the study. The auditory ossicles were gently removed from their situs and observed. The auditory ossicles were three small bones: the malleus, the incus and the stapes. The lenticular bone seemed to be the lenticular process, as is in human beings. In general, macroanatomic features of the bones were similar to those reported in the literature. Findings in this study, however, differed greatly, especially in detail. There were statistically significant differences in the morphometric data of the features of the auditory ossicles between the right- and left-hand sides. Data from the right-hand side were significantly higher.     

Effect of Nitrogen Fertilization on Quality Characteristics of Four Turf Mixtures Under Different Wear Treatments

ABSTRACT

The effect of three nitrogen (N) application regimes on the color, turf quality, cover, and clipping weights of four different sports type mixtures were evaluated under different wear frequencies for three years in an irrigated field. Nitrogen was applied monthly at rates of low (2.5 g N m^{? 2}), medium (5.0 g N m^{? 2}), and high (7.5 g N m^{? 2}). The turf mixtures were subjected to four different wear treatments at frequencies of zero (control), once per week, once biweekly, and once per month for approximately eight months each experimental year. Wear treatments reduced turf color and quality, cover percentage, and clipping yield. Application of wear every week was detrimental to turf characteristics, whereas wear once every month generally had no significant effect. Nitrogen fertilization resulted in improved color and quality, and increased cover percentage and clipping yield.     

Babesia ovis infections: Detailed clinical and laboratory observations in the pre- and post-treatment periods of 97 field cases

Ovine babesiosis, caused by Babesia ovis, is of major economic importance in Turkey. The changes in the blood profile of infected animals are informative about the course of infection. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the hematological and biochemical changes in the pre- and post-treatment periods of the natural B. ovis infections. The presence of the parasites was confirmed by microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. On the basis of the clinical and laboratory findings, the infections were categorized into different groups according to the degree of anemia and the level of parasitemia. All infected sheep were treated with imidocarb dipropionate (IMDP). The blood pictures in the pre- and post-treatment periods were compared.Pancytopenia occurred in animals with severe anemia and very high parasitemia, and bicytopenia in the other groups. The platelet count (PLT), plateletcrit (PCT) and mean platelet volume (MPV) returned to the normal ranges after treatment, except those in the group with severe anemia. In the biochemical profile, B. ovis infection caused an increase in blood urea nitrogen and total bilirubin, and these parameters returned to normal levels after treatment.The indirect fluorescein antibody test (IFAT) results showed that 38.1% of the cases raised specific antibodies during the period of infection, with titers ranging from 1/160 to 1/640. All of 45 animals re-examined after treatment were seropositive, with high titers that rose up to 1/5120.     

Leucemia inhibitory factor; investigating the time‐dependent effect on viability of vitrified bovine embryos

Leucemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is involved in various reproductive processes, including sperm development, regulation of ovulation, as well as blastocyst formation, hatching and implantation in embryos. Moreover, LIF has also been shown significantly to enhance the blastocyst formation rates of bovine embryos, a finding that remains controversial. Our purpose was to investigate time‐dependent effect of LIF on bovine embryo culture, especially in terms of addition timing. Presumptive zygotes were cultured in five different groups. In this study, 100 ng/ml LIF was added to the culture medium were as follows; control: SOF alone, group A: at day 0 (fertilization day), group B: at day 4 post‐insemination (p.i.), group C: at day 4 to 7 (p.i. before vitrification) and group D: at day 8 (p.i. after thawing). Addition of LIF to the culture medium at day 4 significantly increased the percentage of blastocyst rate when compared day 0, day 4 at 6/7 and control group (41.8% versus 24.3%, 19.7%, 34.6%). In conclusion, the addition of LIF only on day 4 (p.i.) to the culture medium was found to be beneficial for bovine embryonic development based on several measures, including blastocysts rate, re‐expansion rate and cellular cryotolerance after vitrification.     

Haploidy in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.): a critical review

Results on the induction of haploidy in tomato via both gynogenesis and microspore embryogenesis in vitro are far from satisfactory. The number of reports available on the gynogenic induction via in vitro non-fertilized ovary culture, wide hybridization and the use of irradiated pollen are limited. The main reason for this may be the difficulty experienced in working with this species. Therefore, many failed attempts have not been reported. Non-fertilized ovary culture and wide hybridization using Solanum sisymbriifolium Lam. as the male parent seem to be promising (Bal and Abak, Pak J Biol Sci 6:745–749, 2003a, b). Further efforts in this line may improve results obtained earlier. Several reports (Gresshoff and Doy, Planta 107:161–170, 1972; Sharp et al., Planta 104:357–361, 1972; Zamir et al., Plant Sci Lett 17:353–361, 1980; Chlyah and Taarji, Proc. Int. Symp. Plant tissue and cell culture application to crop improvement. 24–29 Sept. 1984; Jaramillo and Summers, J Amer Soc Hort Sci 115:1047–1050, 1990, HortScience 26:915–916, 1991; Summers et al., HortScience 27:838–840, 1992) are available on anther culture of tomato but a working protocol is yet to be developed. For the induction of anther callus, anthers carrying microspores at the meiotic stages appear to be the most responsive. However, the callus and the regenerants obtained were mainly of somatic origin. Somatic tissues of tomato anthers carrying the meiotic stages are highly responsive to tissue culture manipulations in comparison to anther tissues of the later stages. Therefore, reports on the induction of callus from anthers carrying early microspore stages should be met with caution. If culturing young anthers is of any help then it may be that the anther tissues are nursing the microspores and bringing them to the responsive uninucleate stage. Following the first report by Sharp et al. (Planta 104:357–361, 1972) on the induction of microspore embryogenesis, using a modified version of the microspore culture, reports concentrated only on anther culture (reviewed by Chlyah et al., Haploids in crop improvement I. Biotechnology in agriculture and forestry 12. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1990). Based on findings reported by Yinnan et al. (J Agric Biotechnol, , 1999) and Bal and Abak (Biotechnol Biotechnol Equip 19:35–42, 2005) on the induction of symmetrical division of microspore nuclei from uninucleate microspores, the formation of multicellular structures and globular embryos, it is likely that the future of tomato haploidy lies in the technique of isolated microspore culture.