Comparison of Stainless Steel Fascial Staples and Polypropylene Suture Material for Closure of the Linea Alba in Dogs

Five centimeter segments of the linea alba in mature, female, mixed breed dogs were incised and then approximated with either stainless steel fascial staples or size 0 polypropylene suture material. Breaking strength of the linea alba closures was determined at 0 (Phase I, 18 dogs) and at 7,14, and 31 days (Phase II, 18 dogs). Histology and videointeractive planar morphometry were used to evaluate healing of the linea alba. Breaking strength and histologic and morphometric variables were analyzed statistically using analysis of variance in a split plot design. In a clinical trial, 20 cm linea alba incisions were approximated with stainless steel fascial staples after elective ovariohysterectomy in mature, female, mixed breed dogs (Phase III, eight dogs). The dogs were evaluated at 1, 2, 7,14, 31, 90, and 180 days. Linea alba incisions approximated with polypropylene suture material were significantly stronger than linea alba incisions approximated with stainless steel fascial staples on day 0. There was no significant difference between breaking strength values, histologic, and morphometric appearance of linea alba incisions closed with stainless steel fascial staples or polypropylene suture material when compared 7,14, and 31 days after surgery. All of the dogs in the clinical trial appeared to be normal at all evaluation times. Approximation of linea alba incisions with stainless steel fascial staples compares favorably to closure with a simple continuous pattern of polypropylene suture material with regard to breaking strength, clinical, histologic, and morphometric appearance.     

Stocking experiments using progeny of freshwater-reconditioned Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L.

The progeny of salmon, Salmo salar L., kelts reconditioned in fresh water for one and two years were stocked in the spring as swim-up fry into good salmonid habitat in 1993 and 1994. Survival to the first summer was compared with that of control groups. There was no significant difference ( P > 0.4) between the average number of reconditioned kelt and control fry caught per five-minute semiquantitative electric fishing for the two years. Transformation of semiquantitative electric fishing results showed that average survival rates were about 24% and 30% for reconditioned kelt progeny and their controls, respectively, in 1993, and about 34% for both groups in 1994.     

Soil Solution Chemistry and Throughfall Under Adjacent Stands of Japanese Larch and Sitka Spruce at Three Contrasting Locations in Britain

Soil solution and throughfall chemistry were investigated inadjacent stands of Japanese larch and Sitka spruce at threesites in Britain. Throughfall was collected in open funnel collectorsand soil solution was collected using tensionless tray lysimetersat the base of the H horizon and ceramic cup suction samplersat the base of the B horizon. Sampling took place fortnightlyfor 14 months and samples were analysed for the major ions anddissolved organic carbon. Most ions were present in higher concentrationsunder spruce than larch. Most notably under the spruce at allsites SO₄ in throughfall and NO₃ Ca and Al in the B horizonwere present in greater concentrations. However there were notrends in fortnightly concentrations of any ion, associatedwith the presence and absence of needles on the larch. Whensolutes are expressed as fluxes the only consistent effect ofspecies on the B horizon is higher quantities of NO₃ and NH₄under spruce. The study suggests that in areas exposed to atmosphericpollution, thinned stands of larch could have a beneficial rolerelative to Sitka spruce, in the maintenance of low acidityand aluminium concentrations in drainage water.     

Frequency of virulence phenotypes of Phytophthora fragariae in the field

The virulences of 102 single-zoospore cultures of Phytophthora fragariae from one field site were determined on a range of strawberry differentials, and used to assign the cultures to four clusters (I, II A, IIB, IIC) using cluster analysis. On cv. Favourite, which is susceptible to all known races of the pathogen, isolates in cluster I were recovered most frequently and had the narrowest spectrum of virulence. On cv. Saladin isolates in cluster IIB were more common and were pathogenic to this cultivar. However, c. 30% of the single zoospores from field isolates from Saladin were avirulent on this cultivar and belonged to cluster I. Hyphal-tip and single-zoospore cultures from selected field isolates in cluster IIB did not always have the same virulence phenotype as the parent isolates. One hyphal-tip culture from a field isolate in cluster IIB had a virulence phenotype (IID) which had not been recorded before in Europe, and it attacked some cultivars not previously affected by red core. When cultivars such as Saladin were inoculated with mixtures of zoospores from two isolates from different clusters, with and without the corresponding virulence factors, the isolate with the corresponding virulence factor was selected. However, on the universally susceptible cv. Favourite the results depended on the relative competitiveness of the isolates and not on virulence factors.     

Expression and Characterization of Constitutive Heat Shock Protein 70.1 (HSPA‐1A) Gene in In Vitro Produced and In Vivo‐Derived Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) Embryos

Cells are blessed with a group of stress protector molecules known as heat shock proteins (HSPs), amongst them HSP70, encoded by HSPA‐1A gene, is most abundant and highly conserved protein. Variety of stresses hampers the developmental competence of embryos under in vivo and in vitro conditions. Present work was designed to study the quantitative expression of HSPA‐1A mRNA in immature oocytes (IMO), matured oocytes (MO), in vitro produced (IVP) and in vivo‐derived (IVD) buffalo embryos to assess the level of stress to which embryos are exposed under in vivo and in vitro culture conditions. Further, HSPA‐1A gene sequence was analysed to determine its homology with other mammalian sequences. The mRNA expression analysis was carried out on 72 oocytes (40 IMO; 32 MO), 76 IVP and 55 IVD buffalo embryos. Expression of HSPA‐1A was found in oocytes and throughout the developmental stages of embryos examined irrespective of the embryo source; however, higher (p < 0.05) expression was observed in 8–16 cell, morula and blastocyst stages of IVP embryos as compared to IVD embryos. Phylogenetic analysis of bubaline HSPA‐1A revealed that it shares 91–98% identity with other mammalian sequences. It can be concluded that higher level of HSPA‐1A mRNA in IVP embryos in comparison with in vivo‐derived embryos is an indicator of cellular stress in IVP system. This study suggests need for further optimization of in vitro culture system in which HSPA‐1A gene could be used as a stress biomarker during pre‐implantation development.     

Effect of fertilizer nitrogen rate and timing on herbage production and nitrogen use efficiency for first-cut silage

Eight field-plot experiments were carried out on established grassland swards between 1984 and 1988 to examine the effects of date and rate of application of calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) on herbage dry matter (DM) yield and apparent efficiency of nitrogen (N) use at first-cut silage.
CAN application significantly increased ( P <0 ·001) the mean yields of herbage and N uptakes by herbage in all experiments. Herbage yields were similar ( P > 0·05) with N rates of 100 kg ha⁻¹, 125 kg ha⁻¹ or 150 kg ha⁻¹ in five experiments but in the other three there were increases above 100 kg ha⁻¹. Date of N application had a significant effect on DM yield in three experiments; this effect was inconsistent for both single and split dressings. Lower production was associated with reduced uptake of N, a trend that primarily reflected lower DM yields and not wide herbage N content variation.
It is concluded that selection of the date on which to apply fertilizer N in early spring to obtain optimum herbage yields at first-cut silage often required little precision. The use of fertilizer N rates >100 kg ha⁻¹ should be questioned where there are likely to be appreciable quantities of available N derived from non-fertilizer sources.