Morphology of the tongue and laryngeal entrance in the Common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus); a light and scanning electron microscopic study

The present work was carried out to describe morphological features of the tongue and laryngeal entrance of the Common pheasantPhasianus colchicus, using light and scanning electron microscopy. The lingual apex was taper-shaped with a shallow median sulcus. A V-shaped papillary crest with 15–20 caudally directed conical papillae was located between the radix and corpus linguae. The second row of papillae consisting of three caudolaterally directed conical papillae was arranged caudal to the main papillary crest. The mons laryngealis was equipped caudally with a double-layer of large conical papillae as pharyngeal crest, and few small conical papillae were seen around the glottis. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation showed that the apex linguae and corpus were covered with compact filiform papillae, while the radix linguae were free of papillae. Numerous openings of salivary gland can be seen on the radix linguae and mons laryngealis at higher magnification. On histological sections, all parts of the tongue and mons laryngealis were covered with a keratinised stratified squamous epithelium. The keratinised layer became thinner rostro-caudally. The simple alveolar salivary glands were distributed in the submucosa from the apex linguae to the radix linguae as well as the mons laryngealis. PAS staining revealed mucin-secreting activity of this glands. According to the findings, although the tongue and laryngeal entrance of the Common pheasant is characteristics of a galliform bird, it has some features similar to passeriformes and falconiformes.     

Controlling runoff under low pressure center pivot irrigation systems

A research study was conducted in commercial potato production fields irrigated by low pressure center pivot irrigation systems for three growing seasons in southern Idaho, USA. Plots were established to give several replications of both conventional and reservoir tillage under the outermost spans, where the highest application rates occur. The soil was silt loam, and the topography varied from nearly level to 5% slopes. The sprinkler devices included spray nozzles on drops (spraydrops), spray nozzles on booms (spraybooms) and rotator spray nozzles on drops (rotator spraydrops) with an operating pressure of 138 kPa.The purpose of this study was to investigate and assess the role of reservoir tillage on controlling runoff, uniformity of soil water content throughout the field, and crop yield, as compared with conventional tillage. Reservoir tillage effectively reduced runoff losses to less than 1% of the applied water, when the dike were intact and remained stable. Over the three years of this study reservoir tillage increased the average soil water content by 18%. In addition, a statistical analysis showed that reservoir tillage significantly increased the percent available water in the top 65 cm of the root zone (P=0.01). The use of reservoir tillage elevated average yield by 21%, and average percent number one tubers was increased from 64% for conventional plots to 68% for reservoirtilled plots. While reservoir tillage increased the yield significantly (P=0.01), the sprinkler type did not have a significant influence on yield.     

The effect of water salinity on growth and physiological stages of eight Canola (Brassica napus) cultivars

Laboratory/greenhouse and field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of salinity levels ranging from 1 to 12 dS/m on germination rate, 8 leaf seedling dry matter, seed yield, and seed oil content of the 8 Canola (Brassica napus) cultivars: ACSN1, Falcon, Shirali, Ceres, Tower, Cobra, Global, and Oyerka. Statistical results revealed that the factors: salinity, cultivar, and their interaction had significant (P<0.01) effect on germination rate and 8 leaf seedling dry matter. Based on statistical analysis seed yield was significantly influenced by both salinity and cultivar at the 5% significance level; while the cultivar factor had a significant effect on seed oil content, salinity did not show any effect on seed oil content. Analytical results, using the well-known sigmoid or S-shape salinity response function gave reliable results for determining tolerant and sensitive cultivars to salinity. Applying an existing model on canola response to salinity levels in different growth stages, the values of C ₅₀ and P parameters were developed for local canola cultivars. Results showed that the response of cultivars to salinity levels vary in different growth stages. While a cultivar is tolerant in a growth stage, it may be sensitive to salinity in another growth stage. Based on observed data and ANOVA analysis, we concluded that ACSN1, Shiraly, and Falcon can be ranked as salt-tolerant, and Global and Oyerka as the salt-sensitive cultivars.     

Pharmacokinetics of levamisole after intramuscular and oral administrations to Caspian salmon (Salmo trutta caspius)

The pharmacokinetic parameters of levamisole were determined in the Caspian salmon after intramuscular (IM), oral by gavage, and oral by feed administrations. Eighty-one healthy fish in three different groups received levamisole at the dose of 25 mg/fish by each route. Blood samples were collected at time points of 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 14, and 24 hr after administrations. Plasma levamisole concentrations were measured by a validated high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay and were analyzed using a noncompartmental approach. The mean terminal half-life was 4.56, 3.95, and 2.91 hr for IM, gavage and feed routes, respectively. The peak plasma concentration for IM, gavage, and feed routes of levamisole were 35.53, 4.63, and 8.36 µg/ml, respectively, at the time of 0.25 for IM, and 1 hr for gavage and feed. The relative bioavailability for gavage and feed routes was 54.80 and 69.30. The similar bioavailability for gavage and feed might be indicative of similar efficacy for these routes of administrations. Further studies are warranted to evaluate the absolute oral bioavailability and the effective dose in Caspian salmon.     

Estimation of additive and non-additive genetic variance component for growth traits in Adani goats

Tropical Animal Health and Production - Non-additive genetic effects are important to increase the accuracy of estimating genetic parameters for growth traits. The aim of this study was to estimate...     

Comparison of floral ontogeny in wild-type and double-flowered phenotypes of Syringa vulgaris L. (Oleaceae)

A comparative study of floral ontogeny in normal and double-flowered phenotype of Syringa vulgaris was conducted using the epi-illumination light microscopy. In the wild phenotype, floral differentiation starts with calyx inception and the formation of four sepals in orthogonal positions (two median and two lateral). The corolla emerges as a continuous ring-like structure leading to the appearance of four petal lobes alternating with the sepals. Androecium was formed by initiation of two stamen primordia in transverse plane and finally the bicarpellate gynoecium emerges in median position. In the case of the double-flowered lilac, there are supernumerary petals in an additional whorl. In double-flowered phenotype, a ring meristem is formed acropetally after the first petal whorl initiates. Stamens and carpels initiated similarly in double-flowered as well as in wild-type plants. However, position of stamens deviates from the typical transverse situation. It seems that the appearing of an extra petal whorl did not exhibit any adverse effect on the initiation of other whorls, in terms of organ identity. Therefore, it would be suggested that the double-flowered phenotype of Syringa represents a case of neoheterotopy, with formation of an extra petal whorl, rather than a case of homoheterotopy with transformation of an ancestral androecium whorl into petals.     

Acute erythroid leukemia with multilineage dysplasia in a cat

Dysplastic features of erythroid and megakaryocytic lineages were observed in a cat with acute erythroid leukemia. We demonstrated that flow cytometry analysis of the expression of glycophorin A and CD71 by neoplastic cells can be helpful in the diagnosis of this type of feline leukemia.     

Effects of superabsorbent polyacrylamide hydrogel and gypsum applications on colloidal phosphorus release from agricultural soils

Purpose

The present study aimed to assess the synergistic effects of superabsorbent polyacrylamide hydrogel (SPH) and gypsum on colloidal phosphorus (CP) release from different farmlands (i.e. tea, vegetable, and paddy soils).

Materials and methods

A laboratory experiment was carried out to examine the effects of SPH at different rates of 0.00, 0.01, 0.05, and 0.1% (w/w) and gypsum at the rates of 0 and 0.005% (w/w) on CP released from different farmland soils. For this purpose, CP, colloidal molybdate–reactive P (MRPc), and colloidal molybdenum–unreactive P (MUPc) were measured in soil solutions.

Results and discussion

The results revealed that the release of CP, MRPc, and MUPc ranged respectively from 5.20 to 56.65, 1.62 to 39.09, and 0.33 to 37.10% of total P (TP) in soil solutions across three farmland soils. Besides, the soils treated with SPH and gypsum (0.1%) mitigated CP release respectively by 51.75%, 62.64%, 24.13%, and 62.74% for tea, vegetable, silt loam paddy, and loam paddy soils. However, the MRPc release dropped respectively by 40.22%, 41.04%, 38.55%, and 63.70% in tea, vegetable, silt loam paddy, and loam paddy soils, and similar trends were observed in MUPc, namely, 43.72%, 49.37%, 35.71%, and 56.17% respectively in tea, vegetable, silt loam paddy, and loam paddy soils. The results indicated that gypsum could make a binding in the carboxyl group of polyacrylamide (PAM)/SPH and anion CP because of decreased CP release.

Conclusions

The major form of P was CP, and co-application of PAM/SPH and gypsum could be a promising management approach to moderate CP release from agricultural soils.

     

Growth stage-based response of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to kinetin under water-deficit environment: pigments and gas exchange attributes

Plant growth regulator, kinetin, is known to modulate the key physiological processes under abiotic stresses in different crops. However, kinetin-mediated response at different growth stages of crop plants is lagging behind. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted to appraise the potential role of exogenously applied kinetin in alleviating the effects of water scarcity on wheat. Three levels of kinetin (0, 75, and 150 mg/L) were used either as seed treatment or foliar spray at the vegetative or the post-anthesis stage. Water deficit markedly reduced shoot fresh mass, plant chlorophyll level, flag leaf photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate. Degradation of chlorophyll a was greater in plants subjected to post-anthesis water-deficit conditions. However, plants growing under continuous water-deficit conditions had significantly lower concentration of chlorophyll b than those treated with water scarcity at the post-anthesis stage or receiving normal irrigation. Inhibited photosynthesis of wheat in response to post-anthesis water-deficit conditions was largely due to non-stomatal factors. In contrast, stomatal factors were the main constraints for photosynthesis in plants growing under continuous scarcity of water. Plants subjected to continuous water starvation had markedly lower grain yield than those subjected to water-deficit conditions at post-anthesis stage. Application of kinetin before seed sowing or at the post-anthesis stage significantly reduced the negative effects of drought on flag leaf chlorophyll and stomatal conductance. Lower level of kinetin (75 mg/L) was found to be more effective in mitigating the inhibitory effects of water shortage on photosynthesis and growth, and improved grain yield under water scarcity.