Management of Tibial Fractures Using a Circular External Fixator in Two Calves

Objectives: To report the repair of tibial diaphyseal fractures in 2 calves using a circular external skeletal fixator (CEF). Study Design: Clinical report. Animals: Crossbred calves (n=2; age: 6 months; weight: 55 and 60 kg). Methods: Mid‐diaphyseal tibial fractures were repaired by the use of a 4‐ring CEF (made of aluminum rings with 2 mm K‐wires) alone in 1 calf and in combination with hemicerclage wiring in 1 calf. Results: Both calves had good weight bearing with moderate lameness postoperatively. Fracture healing occurred by day 60 in 1 calf and by day 30 in calf 2. The CEF was well maintained and tolerated by both calves through fracture healing. Joint mobility and limb usage improved gradually after CEF removal. Conclusions: CEF provided a stable fixation of tibial fractures and healing within 60 days and functional recovery within 90 days. Clinical Relevance: CEF can be safely and successfully used for the management of selected tibial fractures in calves.     

Biology and seasonal abundance of the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, on orchids and rose

Biology of the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) was studied on five orchids and one rose species under laboratory conditions. The duration of developmental stages of this mite was the shortest on rose (7.17 ± 0.20 days) followed by Cymbidium (10.49 ± 1.50 days), Oncidium (11.60 ± 1.32 days), Dendrobium (12.67 ± 0.21 days), Phalaenopsis (14.47 ± 1.21 days) and Coelogyne (17.10 ± 1.29 days). The number of eggs/female laid was maximum on rose, whereas the minimum was on Phalaenopsis under the most suitable temperature (26 ± 2°C) and relative humidity (65 ± 5%) conditions. The five orchid farms (three conventionally sprayed and two unsprayed) in the northeastern region of India were surveyed during 2009 and 2010 for mite incidence. Twenty-three species and 11 hybrids of orchids were encountered as the most preferred host, 12 species as moderately preferred, and 28 species and one hybrid were found to be the least preferred orchid host for T. urticae. The mite’s incidence was recorded on orchids all year round, indicative of overlapping generations; however, two distinct population peaks were recorded during April and May. Subsequently its population declined at the start of the rainy season and remained at extremely low levels in the winter. Maximum and minimum temperatures had a significant positive correlation with mite incidence; daylight had a non-significant positive correlation; and rainfall and relative humidity had non-significant negative correlations with mite incidence. The results are discussed in relation to the most susceptible stage on orchids and suitable management practices for the two-spotted spider mite in India.     

The oil content and fatty acid composition of various genotypes of cauliflower,turnip and radish

Seeds of thirteen genotypes of cauliflower, four of turnip and seven of radish were analysed for oil content and fatty acid composition. Turnip and radish had higher oil content as compared to cauliflower. Oleic, linoleic + eicosenoic and erucic acids were the major fatty acids in the oils of these seeds. Levels of erucic acid were in the order of radish < turnip < cauliflower. Compared to cauliflower and turnip seeds, radish seeds contained higher amounts of palmitic, oleic, and linolenic + eicosenoic acids and lower amounts of linoleic and erucic acids.     

Influence of increasing doses of nitrogen and organic matter on nitrogen loss from sodium nitrate

There is a general belief that most of the nitrogen contained in artificial nitrogenous fertilizers is utilized by the growing crops when applied to them. But unfortunately the Position is not so and the recovery of nitrogen from artificial fertilizers remains only in the neighbourhood of 50%. Indeed, the loss of nitrogen from artificial fertilizers is often even more than 50% as indicated by the following observations of RUSSELL (1) : “Crops that respond to nitrogen manuring commonly take up and fix in their tissues between one-third and one-half of the nitrogen added as sulphate of ammonia and a rather high proportion of nitrogen added as nitrate, the remainder is lost .... though its fate has not been too well determined.”     

Formation of alkali soils by neutral salt solutions

It has been reported that large tracts of land under irrigation in the western part of United States contain enough soluble salts to depress crop production and thousands of acres have been abandoned because of salinity. In soils commonly called white alkali soils, containing accumulation of neutral salts in the form of chlorides or sulphates, 0.2% of salt will reduce yields of salt sensitive plants and 1.0% will cause marked yield reduction in most crops. If the drainage is poor and water table is maintained near the surface of the soil, evaporaLion will be high and the salt will accumulate. When large amount of soluble salts accumulate at the surface, the soil is termed as saline and has a pH value below 8.5. The soils containing alkali salts such as Na.COa or NaHC03 and having a pH value above 8.5 are called alkali soils or black alkali soils. Misra (1954) has reported that a gradual replacement of calcium ions and a subsequent increase in the exchangeable Na or K in the exchange complex of the soil, due to repeated leaching of the soils with dilute salt solutions of Na or K takes place which is similar to the repeated leaching of agricultural fields by irrigation.al water containing smaller amounts of soluble salts of Na or K. He has also reported that K-soils, which are also alkaline, are formed under similar conditions of leaching of the soil with K-salLs. Greater amounts of calcium were found in the filtrate when soluble salts were used instead of water alone for leaching the soil.     

Nomen est Omen: do antidepressants increase p11 or S100A10?

Occasionally, multiple names are given to the same gene/protein. When this happens, different names can be used in subsequent publications, for example in different research areas, sometimes with little or no awareness that the same entity known under a different name may have a major role in another field of science. Recent reports about the protein p11 presented findings that this protein, commonly known as S100A10, may play a crucial role in depression and antidepressant treatment mechanisms. One set of data showed an increased expression of this protein in the brain of mice treated with antidepressants. P11/S100A10 is only one of several S100 proteins expressed in the brain. Interestingly, it has been previously noted that antidepressant treatment increases the brain content of another S100 protein, S100B. It appears that up-regulating the brain content of various S100 proteins might be a common feature of antidepressants. In cells coexpressing S100A10 and S100B, these proteins may interact and exert opposite regulatory roles. Nevertheless, S100A10 is predominantly expressed in certain types of neurons whereas S100B is more abundant in glia. Thus, an interplay among multiple members of the S100 proteins might be important in determining the region and cell specificity of antidepressant mechanisms. Calling the p11 protein by its other name, S100A10, may prompt more investigators from different fields to participate in this new direction of neurobiological research.     

一些竹种在不同季节不定根诱导的形式

考察了季节和植物激素、非植物激素生长调节剂对不定根形成的影响,以进行黄竹、孝顺竹、马甲竹和龙竹无性繁殖。在冬天,夏天和雨季的3个生长季节,将成熟秆截取成单节扦插方式,并用IAA,IBA、NAA、硼酸和水进行24h处理。之后,将扦插秆水平放置,盖上沙子,在喷雾箱中放2个月。     

Effect of adult nutrition and insect density on the performance of spotted stem borer, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chilo partellus</Emphasis> in laboratory cultures

The spotted stem borer, Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is being successfully reared on artificial diets for screening programmes. Besides quality characteristics of the diet, rearing density and adult nutrition have significant implications on the successful mass multiplication of lepidopterans. The performance of C. partellus moths was assessed on different adult diets (water and sugar solution) and compared with unfed adults. Further, three pairing densities, viz. 2, 5 and 8 pairs/oviposition jar (1177.5 cm³) were compared for their effect on C. partellus longevity and fecundity. In another experiment, different larval densities (100, 150 and 200 neonate larvae/diet jar) were evaluated for their effect on the larval survival. Water-fed moths (both males and females) lived longer (7.32 and 7.26 days, respectively) and showed higher fecundity (307.17 eggs) than the sugar-fed or unfed moths. The latter, however, showed better egg hatchability (76.55%) than the water- or sugar-fed moths (60.45 and 50.59%, respectively). The longevity (5.67 days) and fecundity (258.46 eggs) were significantly greater at pairing density of 2 pairs/jar. The larval survival was higher (58.50%) at rearing density of 100 larvae/jar. The neonate larval release into diet jars was compared with conventional egg release and both modes were no different with respect to larval survival.     

Random amplification of polymorphic DNA and phenotypic typing of Zimbabwean isolates of Pasteurella multocida

Eighty-one isolates presumptively identified as Pasteurella multocida from a variety of diseases in animals in Zimbabwe were subjected to biochemical characterization, capsular typing and RAPD analysis. The majority of isolates (over 80%) were assigned into named taxa and were predominantly P. multocida subsp. multocida and P. multocida subsp. septica, whilst the remainder were unassigned. Serogroup A was predominant among the three capsular types (A, B and D) of P. multocida detected. Three main RAPD clusters and three subclusters were observed among the majority of isolates (93.8%), whilst the remainder was found to be weakly related. Nine different groups of strains with similar RAPD profiles (100% similarity) were also observed. The reference strain of capsular serogroup F clustered with the reference strain of P. multocida subsp. septica, whilst all other serogroups clustered with reference strains of subsp. multocida and gallicida. Notably, serogroups A and D were observed to be closely related to the reference strain of subsp. multocida. The relationship between biotype, capsular type, host origin and disease manifestation was not clear-cut. However, most pig isolates of subsp. multocida clustered together as did most cattle isolates of subsp. multocida. RAPD tended to separate subsp. multocida from septica.