Specific contrast ultrasound using sterically stabilized microbubbles for early diagnosis of thromboembolic disease in a rabbit model

Specific contrast ultrasound is widely applied in diagnostic procedures on humans but remains underused in veterinary medicine. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of microbubble-based contrast for rapid ultrasonographic diagnosis of thrombosis in small animals, using male New Zealand white rabbits (average weight about 3.5 kg) as a model. It was hypothesized that the use of microbubble-based contrast agents will result in a faster and more precise diagnosis in our model of thrombosis. A pro-coagulant environment had been previously established by combining endothelial denudation and external vessel wall damage. Visualization of thrombi was achieved by application of contrast microbubbles [sterically stabilized, phospholipid-based microbubbles filled with sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) gas] and ultrasonography. As a result, rapid and clear diagnosis of thrombi in aorta abdominalis was achieved within 10 to 30 s (mean: 17.3 s) by applying microbubbles as an ultrasound contrast medium. In the control group, diagnosis was not possible or took 90 to 180 s. Therefore, sterically stabilized microbubbles were found to be a suitable contrast agent for the rapid diagnosis of thrombi in an experimental model in rabbits. This contrast agent could be of practical importance in small animal practice for rapid diagnosis of thrombosis.     

Stress responses in adult cattle due to surgical dehorning using three different types of anaesthesia

Dehorning adult cattle is a surgical procedure causing distress of varying intensities that can be reflected in behavioural changes and alterations in plasma cortisol levels. Stress responses during the dehorning process were evaluated in 18 Red Pied cows. The cows were divided into 3 groups of six and kept in tie-stall housing. Those in the first group were dehorned under general anaesthesia (GA) induced by intravenous administration of xylazine and ketamine. The second group was dehorned under sedation and local anaesthesia (SLA) induced by intramuscular administration of xylazine and local anaesthesia with lidocaine. The third group was dehorned under local anaesthesia (LA) with lidocaine. Dehorning was performed with a foetotomy wire. Blood samples were taken 0.5 h before dehorning to determine cortisol levels, and, by means of a central venous catheter inserted into the jugular vein, during surgery at 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 h post-surgery. Concurrently, occurrence of stress behaviours was assessed. Cortisol levels were measured by enzyme immunoassay (EIA). The lowest mean peak levels of plasma cortisol (82.53 +/- 6.04 nmol l(-1)), the most rapid return of plasma cortisol levels to baseline values (1.92 +/- 1.11 h), and the lowest occurrence of stress behaviours (2.38 +/- 5.83%) were noted in the SLA group. The highest mean peak levels plasma cortisol (113.86 +/- 25.65 nmol l(-1)), the slowest return of plasma cortisol levels to baseline values (3.83 +/- 2.18 h) and the most frequent occurrence of stress behaviours (65.48 +/- 28.72%) were observed in the LA group. There were significant differences between the SLA and LA groups in peak plasma cortisol levels (p = 0.011) and in occurrence of stress behaviours (p = 0.003). Sedation induced by intramuscular administration of xylazine in conjunction with local anaesthesia with lidocaine is considered the most suitable method of anaesthesia when dehorning adult cattle. Local anaesthesia with lidocaine alone was least suitable.     

Soil variability through spatial scales in a permanently disturbed natural spruce-fir-beech forest

Soil variability was assessed in a 74.2-ha area within the Žofínsky prales natural forest. Parameters evaluated for 1765 soil profiles inside 353 graticule plots were as follows: (1) thickness of organic horizons, (2) thickness and form of mineral horizons, (3) humus form (HF), (4) soil taxonomic unit (STU) and (5) anomalies. In addition, soil reaction (pH_KCl) and oxidizable carbon content (C_ox) were measured in the laboratory for 734 samples from the upper mineral (A) and lower mineral (B) horizons. The most frequently occurring humus form was mor followed by moder, hydromor and peaty T-horizon. Entic Podzols, Dystric Cambisols, Haplic Cambisols, Albic Podzols, Histic (or Haplic) Gleysols, Endogleyic Stagnosols, Fibric or Hemic or Sapric Histosols and Stagnic Gleysols were all present at the site despite its homogeneous geological bedrock. Overall coefficient of variance (CV) was lower in terrestrial soils compared with (semi-)hydromorphic soils. Overall variance decreased in both soil groups with increasing depth, as did CV differences between the fine (up to 10 m) and the locality scales. The lowest CV values occurred for C_ox and pH_KCl. The CV values differed between STUs as well. Compared to lower horizons, variograms of upper horizons showed greater autocorrelation at the intermediate spatial scale (10–320 m)—ranging from 50 to 150 m. Semivariance values, however, reached 70–80% of sill already at a distance of 10 m. The most significant factor of variability at all studied spatial scales is presumably the soil disturbance regime, followed by terrain micro-topography and the effect of tree species.     

Genetics of wood quality attributes in Western Larch

Context

Wood quality traits are important to balance the negative decline of wood quality associated with selection for growth attributes in gymnosperm breeding programs. Obtaining wood quality estimates quickly is crucial for successful incorporation in breeding programs.

Aims

The aims of this paper are to: (1) Estimate genetic and phenotypic correlations between growth and wood quality attributes, (2) Estimate heritability of the studied traits, and (3) Assess the accuracy of in situ non-destructive tools as a representative of actual wood density.

Methods

Wood density (X-ray densitometry), tree height, diameter, volume, resistance drilling, acoustic velocity, and dynamic modulus of elasticity were estimated, along with their genetic parameters, for 1,200, 20-year-old trees from 25 open-pollinated families.

Results

Individual tree level heritabilities for non-destructive evaluation attributes were moderate ( $ {\widehat{h}}_i^2=0.37-0.42 $ ), wood density and growth traits were lower ( $ {\widehat{h}}_i^2=0.23-0.35 $ ). Favorable genetic and phenotypic correlations between growth traits, wood density, and non-destructive evaluation traits were observed. A perfect genetic correlation was found between resistance drilling and wood density (r _G ?=?1.00?±?0.07), while acoustic velocity and dynamic modulus of elasticity showed weaker genetic correlations with wood density (r _G ?=?0.25?±?0.24;?0.46?±?0.21, respectively).

Conclusion

This study confirmed that resistance drilling is a reliable predictor of wood density in western larch, while the weak genetic correlations displayed by acoustic velocity and dynamic modulus of elasticity suggest limited dependability for their use as fast in situ wood density assessment methods in this species.     

Bioindication and modelling of atmospheric deposition in forests enable exposure and effect monitoring at high spatial density across scales

Key message

Moss surveys provide spatially dense data on environmental concentrations of heavy metals and nitrogen which, together with other biomonitoring and modelling data, can be used for indicating deposition to terrestrial ecosystems and related effects across time and areas of different spatial extension.

Context

For enhancing the spatial resolution of measuring and mapping atmospheric deposition by technical devices and by modelling, moss is used complementarily as bio-monitor.

Aims

This paper investigated whether nitrogen and heavy metal concentrations derived by biomonitoring of atmospheric deposition are statistically meaningful in terms of compliance with minimum sample size across several spatial levels (objective 1), whether this is also true in terms of geostatistical criteria such as spatial auto-correlation and, by this, estimated values for unsampled locations (objective 2) and whether moss indicates atmospheric deposition in a similar way as modelled deposition, tree foliage and natural surface soil at the European and country level, and whether they indicate site-specific variance due to canopy drip (objective 3).

Methods

Data from modelling and biomonitoring atmospheric deposition were statistically analysed by means of minimum sample size calculation, by geostatistics as well as by bivariate correlation analyses and by multivariate correlation analyses using the Classification and Regression Tree approach and the Random Forests method.

Results

It was found that the compliance of measurements with the minimum sample size varies by spatial scale and element measured. For unsampled locations, estimation could be derived. Statistically significant correlations between concentrations of heavy metals and nitrogen in moss and modelled atmospheric deposition, and concentrations in leaves, needles and soil were found. Significant influence of canopy drip on nitrogen concentration in moss was proven.

Conclusion

Moss surveys should complement modelled atmospheric deposition data as well as other biomonitoring approaches and offer a great potential for various terrestrial monitoring programmes dealing with exposure and effects.

     

Species proportions by area in mixtures of Scots pine (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus sylvestris</Emphasis> L.) and European beech (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Fagus sylvatica</Emphasis> L.)

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) dominate many of the European forest stands. Also, mixtures of European beech and Scots pine more or less occur over all European countries, but have been scarcely investigated. The area occupied by each species is of high relevance, especially for growth evaluation and comparison of different species in mixed and monospecific stands. Thus, we studied different methods to describe species proportions and their definition as proportion by area. 25 triplets consisting of mixed and monospecific stands were established across Europe ranging from Lithuania to Spain in northern to southern direction and from Bulgaria to Belgium in eastern to western direction. On stand level, the conclusive method for estimating the species proportion as a fraction of the stand area relates the observed density (tree number or basal area) to its potential. This stand-level estimation makes use of the potential from comparable neighboring monospecific stands or from maximum density lines derived from other data, e.g. forest inventories or permanent observations plots. At tree level, the fraction of the stand area occupied by a species can be derived from the proportions of their crown projection area or of their leaf area. The estimates of the potentials obtained from neighboring monospecific stands, especially in older stands, were poorer than those from the maximum density line depending on the Martonne aridity index. Therefore, the stand-level method in combination with the Martonne aridity index for potential densities can be highly recommended. The species’ proportions estimated with this method are best approximated by the proportions of the species’ leaf areas. In forest practice, the most commonly applied method is an ocular estimation of the proportions by crown projection area. Even though the proportions of pine were calculated here by measuring crown projection areas in the field, we found this method to underestimate the proportion by 25% compared to the stand-level approach.     

Changes in the phosphorus and nitrogen status and supply in the young spruce stands in the Lužické, the Jizerské and the Orlické Mts. in the Czech Republic during the 2004–2014 period

The contribution shows changes in the phosphorus and nitrogen status in long-term investigated spruce stands in the Lu?ické, the Jizerské and the Orlické Mts. on the border between the Czech Republic and Germany and Poland. During the 11 evaluated years, low phosphorus concentrations were measured, often below the deficiency limit 1.2 mg P/g, and an N/P ratio exceeding the optimal range (6–12), primarily in the second needle-year class. Values of an N/P ratio of between 12 and 18 in the Jizerské Mts. and of between 12 and 27 in the Lu?ické Mts. were discovered. A low phosphorus concentration below the 10 mg·kg^?1 was also detected in the mineral soil horizon. Temporal changes of N/P ratio (increase) and of P concentration (decrease) in the needles are significant for the spruce stands that are in the Orlické Mts. In the Jizerské Mts. and the Lu?ické Mts., there is fluctuation during evaluated period without any clear trend.     

Modeling soil water dynamics in a drip-irrigated intercropping field under plastic mulch

Intercropping, drip irrigation, and the use of plastic mulch are important management practices, which can, when utilized simultaneously, increase crop production and save irrigation water. Investigating soil water dynamics in the root zone of the intercropping field under such conditions is essential in order to understand the combined effects of these practices and to promote their wider use. However, not much work has been done to investigate soil water dynamics in the root zone of drip-irrigated, strip intercropping fields under plastic mulch. Three field experiments with different irrigation treatments (high T1, moderate T2, and low T3) were conducted to evaluate soil water contents (SWC) at different locations, for different irrigation treatments, and with respect to dripper lines and plants (corn and tomatoes). Experimental data were then used to calibrate the HYDRUS (2D/3D) model. Comparison between experimental data and model simulations showed that HYDRUS (2D/3D) described different irrigation events and SWC in the root zone well, with average relative errors of 10.8, 9.5, and 11.6 % for irrigation treatments T1, T2, and T3, respectively, and with corresponding root mean square errors of 0.043, 0.035, and 0.040 cm³ cm^?3, respectively. The results showed that the SWC in the shallow root zone (0–40 cm) was lower under non-mulched locations than under mulched locations, irrespective of the irrigation treatment, while no significant differences in the SWC were observed in the deeper root zone (40–100 cm). The SWC in the shallow root zone was significantly higher for the high irrigation treatment (T1) than for the low irrigation treatment, while, again, no differences were observed in the deeper root zone. Simulations of two-dimensional SWC distributions revealed that the low irrigation treatment (T3) produced serious severe water stress (with SWCs near the wilting point) in the 30–40 cm part of the root zone, and that using separate drip emitter lines for each crop is well suited for producing the optimal soil water distribution pattern in the root zone of the intercropping field. The results of this study can be very useful in designing an optimal irrigation plan for intercropped fields.     

Enantiomeric purity of biodegradation products of juvenogens by newly isolated soil bacteria

Two bacteria were isolated from sand RQ30, characterized as Bacillus simplex and Bacillus sp. strain 05 (GenBank EU399813 ), and were used as biocatalysts for a hydrolytic assay of stability of the cis or trans isomers of ethyl N-{2-{4-{[2-(butanoyl)oxycyclohexyl]methyl}phenoxy}ethyl}carbamate, which are among insect hormonogen substances (juvenogens). The stability tests were performed using simple modeling under laboratory conditions. The structures of the products were assigned as ethyl (1 R,2 R)- N-{2-{4-[(2-hydroxycyclohexyl)methyl]phenoxy}ethyl}carbamate and ethyl (1 S,2 R)- N-{2-{4-[(2-hydroxycyclohexyl)methyl]phenoxy}ethyl}carbamate on the basis of (1)H and (13)C NMR, IR, and FAB-MS analyses.     

Radioactivity of Selected Agricultural Soils in Croatia: Effects of Soil Properties,Soil Management,and Geological Parameters

We present a study on the radioactivity of selected Croatian agricultural soils that vary considerably with respect to geological background; physical, chemical, and biological characteristics; soil type; land use; and soil management. Our investigation is focused on the main naturally occurring radionuclides (⁴⁰K, ²³⁸U, ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ²³⁵U) and ¹³⁷Cs as the most threatening long-lived anthropogenic radionuclide. We find that the radioactivity level is not influenced by the application of different soil amendments, at least in moderate quantities, and that no effect of soil management can be detected as well. In contrast, geological and location-specific properties influence radionuclide content in soil, especially regarding the naturally occurring ones. Moreover, physical and chemical soil properties such as texture and soil adsorption complex, respectively, seem to be the main factors regarding fixation of ¹³⁷Cs in soil. Calculated dose rates for external exposure to the gamma radiation originating from soil have been found to be generally low, except for two locations where they are higher but not at a level that would lead to health problems for workers on the field.