Radio Frequency Signals in Jupiter's Atmosphere

During the Galileo probe's descent through Jupiter's atmosphere, under the ionosphere, the lightning and radio emission detector measured radio frequency signals at levels significantly above the probe's electromagnetic noise. The signal strengths at 3 and 15 kilohertz were relatively large at the beginning of the descent, decreased with depth to a pressure level of about 5 bars, and then increased slowly until the end of the mission. The 15-kilohertz signals show arrival direction anisotropies. Measurements of radio frequency wave forms show that the probe passed through an atmospheric region that did not support lightning within at least 100 kilometers and more likely a few thousand kilometers of the descent trajectory. The apparent opacity of the jovian atmosphere increases sharply at pressures greater than about 4 bars.     

Colloid oncotic pressure and total protein changes in horses during anesthesia fluid therapy

It is unknown whether overlapping or sequential use of nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory (NSAIDs) results in an increased risk for gastrointestinal (GI) ulceration. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the GI effects of various combinations of an injectable NSAID followed by an oral NSAID, a scenario often employed clinically for management of the pre‐ and post‐operative canine patient. Six healthy Walker hounds received four treatment regimens in a randomized, cross‐over design with a 2 week washout period between each treatment week: carprofen (4 mg kg^–1, SQ) followed by placebo (PO, q24 × 4 days); placebo (SQ) followed by deracoxib (3–4 mg kg^–1, PO, q24 × 4 days); carprofen (4 mg kg^–1, SQ) followed by carprofen (4 mg kg^–1, PO, q24 × 4 days); carprofen (4 mg kg^–1, SQ) followed by deracoxib (3–4 mg kg^–1, PO, q24 ×4 days). Weekly bloodwork (CBC, biochemistry panel, fecal evaluation, fecal occult blood) and daily clinical scoring (TPR, vomiting, diarrhea, appetite) were obtained. GI endoscopy was performed on days –2, 1, 2, 5, and 11 days post treatment of each treatment period and lesions scored using a previously reported 6‐point scale. Data was analyzed using a mixed anova for repeated measures. There were no significant differences in clinical or clinicopathologic data between groups. Within the carprofen‐carprofen and carprofen‐deracoxib groups, lesions worsened by Day 5 (1 day after last oral dose) for the fundic and antral regions (p < 0.05). Fundic, antral and lesser curvature lesions improved by Day 5 in the carprofen‐placebo group and lesser curvature lesions improved in the placebo‐deracoxib group (p < 0.05). No significant within‐group differences were noted for the esophagus, cardia or duodenum. The small number of dogs precludes general conclusions about the safety of sequential NSAID use, but these results suggest that a larger scale study is warranted.     

THE EFFECTS OF PICLORAM AND 2,4-D ON PLANT CELL MEMBRANES

Summary. The herbicide Tordon 50D (picloram + 2,4–D) caused severe shrinkage of the protoplasts of all cells of Pinus radiata needle segments within 24 h of treatment. Measurements of the resistance of these tissues to low-frequency and to high-frequency electrical currents showed a loss in the integrity of the plasmalemma within 4–8 h of treatment. Tordon 22K (picloram) had no such effects. The results with Tordon 50D could be attributed solely to the 2,4-D content.
Both Tordon 50D and Tordon 22K disrupted chloroplast structure in leaf discs, and the integrity of cell membranes in stem tips, of Eucalyptus viminalis.     

Convergence of developmental mutants into a single tomato model system: 'Micro-Tom' as an effective toolkit for plant development research

Background

The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plant is both an economically important food crop and an ideal dicot model to investigate various physiological phenomena not possible in Arabidopsis thaliana. Due to the great diversity of tomato cultivars used by the research community, it is often difficult to reliably compare phenotypes. The lack of tomato developmental mutants in a single genetic background prevents the stacking of mutations to facilitate analysis of double and multiple mutants, often required for elucidating developmental pathways.

Results

We took advantage of the small size and rapid life cycle of the tomato cultivar Micro-Tom (MT) to create near-isogenic lines (NILs) by introgressing a suite of hormonal and photomorphogenetic mutations (altered sensitivity or endogenous levels of auxin, ethylene, abscisic acid, gibberellin, brassinosteroid, and light response) into this genetic background. To demonstrate the usefulness of this collection, we compared developmental traits between the produced NILs. All expected mutant phenotypes were expressed in the NILs. We also created NILs harboring the wild type alleles for dwarf, self-pruning and uniform fruit, which are mutations characteristic of MT. This amplified both the applications of the mutant collection presented here and of MT as a genetic model system.

Conclusions

The community resource presented here is a useful toolkit for plant research, particularly for future studies in plant development, which will require the simultaneous observation of the effect of various hormones, signaling pathways and crosstalk.     

Stress related changes in the architecture of seedlings of three provenances ofEucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh

Abscisic acid (10^?4M) applied via absorbent discs bound to the stems of 6 wk oldE. camaldulensis seedlings caused changes in leaf shape and orientation similar to those induced by nutritional and water stress. Seedlings from the driest provenance, Tennant Creek, were more responsive to ABA than seedlings from the wettest provenance, Katherine, and the response of Petford seedlings was intermediate. Likewise, Tennant Creek seedlings were most, and Katherine seedlings least, responsive to water and/or nutritional stress. Seedlings that responded to the application of ABA produced prematurely strengthened, linear leaves with the lamina rotated from horizontal to vertical. The ability of Tennant Creek seedlings to readily assume this form may be a specific adaptation for the particularly difficult conditions in their natural environment.     

Expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase in macrophages inversely correlates with parasitism of lymphoid tissues in dogs with visceral leishmaniasis

Background

There are only a few studies reporting the role of nitric oxide metabolites for controlling macrophage intracellular parasitism, and these are controversial. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the lymph nodes and spleen of dogs affected by visceral leishmaniasis through immunohistochemistry and to determine its correlation with tissue parasite burden and serum interferon (IFN)-γ levels. Twenty-eight dogs were selected and assigned to one of two groups, symptomatic (n = 18) and asymptomatic (n = 10), according to clinical status and laboratory evaluation. A negative control group (n = 6) from a non-endemic region for visceral leishmaniasis was included as well.

Results

Parasite density (amastigotes/mm²) was similar between clinical groups in the lymph nodes (P = 0.2401) and spleen (P = 0.8869). The density of iNOS⁺ cells was higher in infected dogs compared to controls (P < 0.05), without a significant difference in lymph node (P = 0.3257) and spleen (P = 0.5940) densities between symptomatic and asymptomatic dogs. A positive correlation was found between the number of iNOS⁺ cells in lymph nodes and interferon-γ levels (r = 0.3776; P = 0.0303), and there was a negative correlation between parasites and iNOS⁺ cell densities both in lymph nodes (r = −0.5341; P = 0.0034) and spleen (r = −0.4669; P = 0.0329).

Conclusion

The negative correlation observed between tissue parasitism and the expression of iNOS may be a reflection of NO acting on the control of parasites.     

An effective buprenorphine analgesic protocol increases post-operative adhesions in rats after laparotomy

The use of analgesics in post‐operative adhesion (POA) research is problematic due to POA‐inhibiting effects of anti‐inflammatory agents and bowel motility‐inhibiting effects of opioids, which may increase adhesion formation. This study was conducted to assess a buprenorphine (BUP) protocol for analgesic efficacy and its effects on POA formation in a rat cecal abrasion model. The protocol was approved by the University of Florida's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). Forty‐one female Sprague‐Dawley rats were randomized into two groups (n = 20 or 21 group). Body weight, food and water intake were recorded daily from 2 days before until 7 days after surgery. Treatment rats received 0.05 mg kg^–1 BUP SQ at anesthesia induction and 0.3 mg kg^–1 BUP orally in flavored gelatin 6 hours after surgery. Control rats received saline placebo injection and plain gelatin. All rats underwent laparotomy and controlled cecal abrasion. At 3, 6 and 24 hours post‐operatively rats were individually observed in 10‐minutes periods for pain related behavior incidence: ‘twitch’ (contraction of muscles along dorsum and/or head), ‘back arch’ (cat‐like position with front legs extended and pushing backward), ‘writhe’ (flank contraction), and ‘stagger/fall’ (momentary loss of balance while grooming or ambulating), using the method of Roughan and Flecknell (Pain 2001,90, 65–74). On post‐op day seven rats were euthanized by CO₂ inhalation and POA evaluated (0 to 4 scale; ³Grade 2 = clinically significant.) BUP treated rats had lower mean pain scores than control rats at 3 hours (1.6 ± 1.7 versus 20.3 ± 13.5 (mean ± SD); p < 0.001) and 6 hours (2.1 ± 2.7 versus 23.7 ± 12.9; p < 0.001) but not 24 hours (1.5 ± 1.3 versus 4.9 ± 6.6; p = 0.35) post‐operatively. Predominant pain behavior was ‘writhe’ (flank contraction) in contrast to ‘twitch,’‘back arch,’ and ‘stagger/fall’ reported as most common pain indicators in other rat strains. BUP rats had greater mean adhesion incidence (2.4 ± 1.7 versus 1.4 ± 1.8; p < 0.03) and severity (90%³Gr.2 versus 65% of controls; p < 0.05). The BUP protocol appeared to provide effective analgesia for at least 24 hours post‐operatively. Strain of rat may affect pain related behavior. BUP should be used with caution after abdominal surgical procedures having high risk of POA formation.     

Growth and water relations of seedlings of two subspecies of Eucalyptus globulus

Seedlings of Eucalyptus globulus Labill subsp. globulus grown in soil in pots in the greenhouse grew faster than seedlings of E. globulus subsp. bicostata, and responded better to added nutrients and water. However, water stress caused a greater reduction in the growth of shoots and roots, and in the root/shoot ratios of fertilized seedlings of subsp. globulus than in those of bicostata. More leaf surface wax was produced by seedlings grown in the presence of fertilizer and an adequate supply of water than by seedlings subjected to nutrient or water stress. Despite larger amounts of leaf surface wax, seedlings of subsp. bicostata had higher epidermal conductances than seedlings of subspecies globulus. However, epidermal conductances were reduced more by water stress and by fertilization in seedlings of subsp. bicostata than in subsp. globulus. Tissue osmotic potentials at full and zero turgor were reduced by water stress only in seedlings of subsp. bicostata and were increased by fertilizer only in seedlings of subsp. globulus. The results indicate that although seedlings of subsp. globulus have inherently higher growth rates, seedlings of subsp. bicostata are better adapted to drought.     

Germination of Eucalyptus sieberi L. Johnson seeds. II. Internal water relations

At 15-20 degrees C, seeds of Eucalyptus sieberi L. Johnson need to maintain a water content equal to 30% or more of dry weight for approximately 60 h in order to germinate. Several shorter periods of imbibition at 30% water content separated by between 6 and 120 h desiccation were as effective as an unintenupted imbibition in bringing seeds to the point of germination. Even after 8 months' desiccation an earlier imbibition shortened the time required for the completion of germination, although it did not hasten the onset of germination. The water potential of seeds sufficiently hydrated to germinate was about -0.6 MPa, whereas that of the embryo was only about -4.5 MPa. The difference was caused by the inhibition of water uptake by the inner integument of the seed coat. During germination, reserve protein in a small group of cells above the collet was hydrolyzed. Subsequent expansion of these cells caused rupture of the inner integument thereby allowing further water uptake by the embryo. The balance of water absorption and evaporative loss by the outer integument was such that most seeds on a moist substrate but exposed to dry air (6.5-8 x 10(-4) MPa) did not maintain the 30% water content necessary for germination. Thus although able to germinate on seedbeds subject to intermittent drying, E. sieberi seeds have the capacity to avoid germination except under humid conditions.