Femoral diaphysis fractures in cattle: 26 cases (1994–2005)

Objective   This retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the outcome for cattle with diaphyseal fractures of the femur, but not including capital physeal injuries.
Methods   Sources of information were medical records of cattle having a definitive diagnosis of diaphyseal femoral fractures and telephone survey of owners.
Results   Medical records for 26 cattle with femoral fracture were found; of the 20 aged less than 2 months, 15 were treated surgically, 4 conservatively (stall rest) and 1 was euthanased without treatment. The surgical treatment varied according to the configuration of the fracture and the surgeon's experience. Surgery for mid-diaphyseal fractures had a significantly better surgical outcome then distal diaphyseal fractures (P < 0.05), as there were significantly fewer postoperative complications. Of the 15 calves treated surgically, 10 were discharged from hospital and 5 were retained in the herd without noticeable lameness. Of the 4 calves treated conservatively, 3 were alive at follow-up, but 2 were still lame. Of the 6 older cattle, 3 were euthanased without treatment and 3 were treated conservatively, 2 of which were alive at follow-up but 1 was still lame.
Conclusion   Conservative treatment of femur fracture in cattle is possible but associated with complications during the convalescence. Continued research is needed to optimise distal diaphyseal fracture stabilisation in young cattle.     

The novel polymorphism of the beta 3-adrenergic receptor gene and its distribution in domestic pigs and wild boars in Asia

The beta 3‐adrenergic receptor (ADRB3) is a G protein‐coupled receptor that is involved in regulating energy homeostasis. We have studied DNA sequences of porcine ADRB3 to find candidate genetic polymorphisms for economically important growth and performance traits in pigs. Five novel haplotypes derived from the three In/dels and 44 SNPs were identified among domestic pigs and wild boars. Three of them encode non‐synonymous amino acid sequences by five missense polymorphisms and a frameshift by a thymine insertion. The amino acid polymorphic sites were distributed as follows: one substitution was in extracellular loop 1, three substitutions were in intracellular loop3 and one substitution and the deletion of two amino acids were at the carboxyl‐terminal. There was no polymorphism in the transmembrane domains. In addition, we surveyed the allelic frequency of the thymine insertion that cause frameshift in South‐east Asian local pigs, including some commercial breeds and wild boars. This thymine insertion was distributed widely in the domestic pigs and wild boars. The frequencies of this allele were relatively low in Western improved breeds, while they were very common in Asian breeds and wild boars in Asia. This result indicates that this insertion originally occurred in ancient Asian wild boars and then circulated among Asian domestic pigs. This allele also spread over Western breeds, probably through the introgression of Asian pigs into European stocks during the 18th and 19th centuries.     

Marker assisted backcross breeding to improve cooking quality traits in Myanmar rice cultivar Manawthukha

Several components contribute to rice grain quality, and among these, fragrance and taste qualities are the most important to consumers. Manawthukha, an elite non-fragrant cultivar with high amylose content (AC), intermediate gel consistency (GC) and gelatinisation temperature (GT), occupies the largest number of acres in Myanmar. To improve fragrance and intermediate AC in Manawthukha, Basmati370 was used as a donor parent to introgress the Basmati alleles of genes conferring fragrance and intermediate AC into Manawthukha by Marker Assisted Backcrossing (MAB). Four backcrosses and one selfing were conducted to transfer positive alleles of badh2 and Wx from Basmati into Manawthukha. Twelve BC₄F₂ selected lines that carried the homozygous Basmati alleles were planted in multi-location trials (four in Myanmar and one in Thailand) and examined for their agronomic performance and cooking quality. The seeds of the improved lines and their parents, harvested from Kamphaeng Saen, Kuaukse, Kyauktada and Latpatan, were investigated for fragrance and AC. All improved lines had fragrance and intermediate AC similar to the donor parent Basmati, whereas their agronomic performances were the same as the original Manawthukha. All improved lines had medium plant heights, high tiller numbers, dense panicles, non-lodging phenotypes and high yielding potentials. Simultaneous improvement of fragrance and intermediate AC indicated that badh2 and Wx genes had major effects on the fragrance and AC, respectively. We show here the success of improving fragrance and intermediate AC by MAB and the high efficiency of selection in early generations. In the present study, MAB accelerated the development of superior qualities in the genetic background of Manawthukha. The improved Manawthukha should be immediately useful for Myanmar farmers and will help farmers to increase their incomes.     

Impacts of rising atmospheric carbon dioxide on model terrestrial ecosystems

In model terrestrial ecosystems maintained for three plant generations at elevated concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide, increases in photosynthetically fixed carbon were allocated below ground, raising concentrations of dissolved organic carbon in soil. These effects were then transmitted up the decomposer food chain. Soil microbial biomass was unaffected, but the composition of soil fungal species changed, with increases in rates of cellulose decomposition. There were also changes in the abundance and species composition of Collembola, fungal-feeding arthropods. These results have implications for long-term feedback processes in soil ecosystems that are subject to rising global atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations.     

Acid- and base-catalyzed hydrolysis of chloroacetamide herbicides

Despite the prevalence of chloroacetamides as herbicides, little is known about the rates or products of acid- or base-catalyzed hydrolysis of these compounds. Mechanisms of acid-catalyzed reactions may parallel those catalyzed by (hydr)oxide minerals, while base-catalyzed processes have as important counterparts reactions with environmental nucleophiles (such as reduced sulfur species). The current study systematically investigates how the structure of nine chloroacetamides affects their reactivity in 2 N NaOH, 2 N HCl, or 6 N HCl at 25 or 85 degrees C. Base-catalyzed hydrolysis proceeds either through an intermolecular SN2 reaction to hydroxy-substituted derivatives or (in a few cases) through amide cleavage, while both amide and ether group cleavages are observed under acidic conditions. Our results reveal that subtle differences in chloroacetamide structure [notably the type of (alkoxy)alkyl substituent] can dramatically influence reactivity and reaction mechanism. Hydroxy-substituted, morpholinone, and secondary aniline derivatives were identified upon reaction for several years in deionized water at circumneutral pH.     

Population structure of Nga Myin Yinn Silonia silondia in the Ayeyarwady River,Myanmar, by mitochondrial DNA markers

Fisheries Science - The Silond catfish Silonia silondia, locally known as Nga Myin Yinn, is a commercially important fish in Myanmar; however, fundamental knowledge of its population structure is...     

Fine mapping of stable QTLs related to eating quality in rice (Oryza sativa L.) by CSSLs harboring small target chromosomal segments

Amylose content (AC) and viscosity profile are primary indices for evaluating eating and cooking qualities of rice grain. Using chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs), previous studies identified a QTL cluster of genes for rice eating and cooking quality in the interval R727–G1149 on chromosome 8. In this study we report two QTLs for viscosity parameters, respectively controlling setback viscosity (SBV) and consistency viscosity (CSV), located in the same interval using rapid viscosity analyzer (RVA) profile as an indicator of eating quality. Previously reported QTL for AC was dissected into two components with opposite genetic effects. Of four QTLs, qCSV-8 and qAC-8-2 had stable genetic effects across three and four environments, respectively. qSBV-8, qCSV-8 and qAC-8-1 partly overlapped, but were separated from qAC-8-2. Based on data from an Affymetrix rice GeneChip, two genes related to starch biosynthesis at the qAC-8-2 locus were chosen for further quantitative expression analysis. Both genes showed enhanced expression in sub-CSSLs carrying the target qAC-8-2 allele, but not in sub-CSSLs without the target qAC-8-2 allele, indicating their possible role in rice quality determination. Molecular markers closely linked to the two stable QTL provide the opportunity for marker-assisted selection (MAS) in breeding high quality rice.     

Investigating seasonal habitat-use of saltwater crocodiles in the Ayeyarwady Delta to identify potential conservation areas in Myanmar

1. Understanding the impact of land-cover mosaics on crocodile distribution and habitat patterns is essential to prioritize areas for their conservation in human-dominated landscapes. This is especially important for species with specialist requirements; or where there is human–wildlife conflict, as is the case in many areas with crocodiles, such as Myanmar's Ayeyarwady Delta.
2. The saltwater crocodile is used as a surrogate species in this study to identify important conservation areas, and to propose potential protected areas for the Ayeyarwady coastal mangrove ecoregion. In total, 684 locations of saltwater crocodile encounters were collected, 444 for the wet season (May to June), and 240 for the dry season (December to January) between 1999 and 2018. Suitable habitats of saltwater crocodiles in the Ayeyarwady Delta were modelled for wet and dry seasons, using 12 predictor variables at 300-m resolution.
3. The area of suitable habitat in the wet season is about 1,272.3 km² but reduces to 563.7 km² in the dry season. Distance to the cropland, distance to the sea, mangrove cover, and wetland cover are identified as the key landscape variables that contributed to the seasonal habitat distribution of saltwater crocodiles in the Ayeyarwady Delta.
4. Protecting core and buffer areas in Kadonkani Reserved Forest and Pyindayae Reserved Forest would safeguard the seasonal habitats of saltwater crocodiles. Khaing Thaung Island, an unprotected area with suitable habitat areas for saltwater crocodiles, is proposed as a potential marine protected area in the Ayeyarwady Delta of Myanmar.

     

Effect of certain fasciolicides on malate dehydrogenase activity of Fasciola hepatica: A possible biochemical mode of action of hexachlorophene and oxyclozanide

The effect of nitroxynil, rafoxanide, diamphenethide, oxyclozanide and hexachlorophene on the malate dehydrogenase activity of homogenates of Fasciola hepatica was investigated. The ratio of oxaloacetate reduction to malate oxidation in homogenates of F. hepatica was 6.2:1. Nitroxynil, rafoxanide and diamphenethide had no inhibitory effect on malate dehydrogenase at 10^?3 M . Oxyclozanide at 10^?3 M inhibited malate oxidation by 100% and oxaloacetate reduction by 81%, while 10^?3 M hexachlorophene inhibited activity in both directions by 100%. The inhibition quotient (K₁ of bovine liver/K_i of F. hepatica) was 7.8 for oxyclozanide and 5.4 for hexachlorophene. No inhibition was seen with 2,4-dinitrophenol at 10^?3 M . Rapid death resulted in vitro with 10^?4 M oxyclozanide and 10^?5 M hexachlorophene. Oxaloacetate reduction was inhibited 61% and malate oxidation 91% with oxyclozanide and 71 and 100% respectively with hexachlorophene. Slow death was also seen at 10^?6 M concentration with both products although there was only 30% inhibition of malate dehydrogenase. Both products act as non-competitive inhibitors of malate dehydrogenase and this inhibition is more marked against the mitochondrial subcellular fraction than the cytoplasmic fraction.