RADIATION PNEUMONITIS IN THREE DOGS

Radiation pneumonitis developed within the radiation treatment field in three dogs with soft tissue sarcomas located on or adjacent to the thoracic wall. Radiographic signs compatible with a diagnosis of radiation pneumonitis developed from one (n = 2 dogs) to two (n = 1 dog) months after completion of therapy. The initial radiographic sign was an alveolar infiltrate in all three dogs. At subsequent examinations at variable time periods after treatment, radiographic findings included: bronchiectasis (n = 3 dogs), alveolar infiltrate (n = 2 dogs), decreased lung volume (n = 2 dogs), and unstructured interstitial opacification (n = 1 dog). Necropsy examination of one dog at fourteen months after the completion of radiotherapy showed evidence of pulmonary fibrosis within the irradiated lung. Necropsy examination of the second dog did not show any evidence of radiation induced changes. It is possible that histopathologic examination did not include irradiated lung. No clinical signs that could be attributed to the radiation pneumonitis were observed in any dog. It appears that approximately 25% of the lung can be safely irradiated to high doses, if indicated, in order to deliver an adequate dose of radiation to a primary tumor site.     

Selection against the bracting defect of cauliflower

Summary The appearance of bracts through the surface of the cauliflower curd had a heritability estimate of 0.73 ± 0.10 based on the regression of progeny on parent when grown under field conditions. When curds were taken from field grown plants and aseptically cultured, their bracting characteristics were enhanced. It is advocated that a two-tier system of selection, firstly in the field and then in culture, would increase the likelihood of breeding bract free cauliflowers.Also, Department of Biological Sciences, The Polytechnic, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, UK.     

Improved selection against the purple colour defect of cauliflower curds

Summary Purple colourations of the cauliflower curd detract from the commercial value of the crop. Curds were found to develop purple colourations when in aseptic nutrient culture, and this was correlated with their inherent tendencies to form purple curds in the field as revealed by a progeny test. It was advocated that selection against the defect in the field should be supported by assessment in culture.     

Breeding system,taxonomy, and breeding strategy in cauliflower,Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.)

Summary Cauliflowers representing those maturing in Britain in autumn, winter and spring were assessed for self-compatibility by self-pollen tube growth. A tendency existed for groups taking longer to mature to be more self-incompatible, but a range of incompatibilities was apparent in all groups. These results complement those of other workers.It is argued that despite demonstrable heterosis within many groups of cauliflowers, radical advances are probably best made by selecting self-compatible material from annual × biennial hybrid populations.     

Ellagitannins,flavonoids, and other phenolics in red raspberries and their contribution to antioxidant capacity and vasorelaxation properties

Analysis of extracts of Glen Ample raspberries (Rubus idaeus L.) by gradient, reverse phase HPLC with diode array and tandem mass spectrometry identified eleven anthocyanins, including cyanidin-3-sophoroside, cyanidin-3-(2(G)-glucosylrutinoside), cyanidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-rutinoside, pelargonidin-3-sophoroside, pelargonidin-3-(2(G)-glucosylrutinoside), and pelargonidin-3-glucoside. Significant quantities of an ellagitannin, sanguiin H-6, with an M(r) of 1870 were detected along with lower levels of a second ellagitannin, lambertianin C, which has an M(r) of 2804. Other phenolic compounds that were detected included trace levels of ellagic acid and its sugar conjugates along with one kaempferol- and four quercetin-based flavonol conjugates. Fractionation by preparative HPLC revealed that sanguiin H-6 was a major contributor to the antioxidant capacity of raspberries together with vitamin C and the anthocyanins. Vasodilation activity was restricted to fractions containing lambertianin C and sanguiin H-6.     

The Potted-Plant Microcosm Substantially Reduces Indoor Air VOC Pollution: I. Office Field-Study

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are major contaminants of indoor air, with concentrations often several times higher than outdoors. They are recognized as causative agents of “building-related illness” or “sick-building syndrome”. Our previous laboratory test-chamber studies have shown that the potted-plant/root-zone microorganism microcosm can eliminate high concentrations of air-borne VOCs within 24 hours, once the removal response has been induced by an initial dose. However, the effectiveness of the potted-plant microcosm in ‘real-world’ indoor spaces has never previously been tested experimentally. This paper reports the results of a field-study on the effects of potted-plant presence on total VOC (TVOC) levels, measured in 60 offices (12 per treatment), over two 5–9 week periods, using three planting regimes, with two ‘international indoor-plant’ species. Fourteen VOCs were identified in the office air. When TVOC loads in reference offices rose above 100 ppb, large reductions, of from 50 to 75% (to <100 ppb), were found in planted offices, under all planting regimes The results indicate that air-borne TVOC levels above a threshold of about 100 ppb stimulate the graded induction of an efficient metabolic VOC-removal mechanism in the microcosm. Follow-up laboratory dose-response experiments, reported in the following paper, confirm the graded induction response, over a wide range of VOC concentrations. The findings together demonstrate that potted-plants can provide an efficient, self-regulating, low-cost, sustainable, bioremediation system for indoor air pollution, which can effectively complement engineering measures to reduce indoor air pollution, and hence improve human wellbeing and productivity.     

Metal Enrichment in Zlatna, a Romanian Copper Smelting Town

A preliminary survey of metal concentrations in soil and vegetable samples was undertaken in the town of Zlatna, in western Romania that is dominated by a large copper smelter. One data set (town survey) consisted of soil samples taken from sites both in the centre of the town (near smelter and school grounds) and the outskirts and included those from roadside verges and wooded areas. The second data set consisted of soil samples taken from vegetable garden plots together with an associated sample of spring onion (Allium fistulosum). The aim of this study was to measure levels of the elements Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd and As in soil samples from Zlatna in general, and to assess their uptake into home grown vegetables and thus into the food chain. Concentrations of the elements of interest in soils and vegetables peaked southwest of the smelter and also in soils near the school in the town centre. Concentrations of elements in soils from the town, including those near the school, had the following ranges: Cu, 41–12,000, geometric mean 863 μg/g; Zn, 89–15,600, geometric mean 920 μg/g; Pb, 32–7860, geometric mean 740 μg/g; Cd, BDL–329.5, geometric mean 3.35 μg/g; As, 15–1440 geometric mean 223 μg/g; Thus, the residents of Zlatna are potentially exposed to levels of these elements that are higher than the recommended guideline values. Mean concentrations of the toxic elements in spring onions were: Cu, 10.2; Zn, 95; Pb, 11; Cd, 0.8; As 2.6 μg/g dry weight.     

Quantitative monitoring of airborne lead pollution by a foliose lichen

The potential use of lichens as quantitative monitors of airborne heavy metal pollution has been demonstrated by measurements of Po²¹⁰, Pb, Cd, Zn, and V levels in sequential growth of the foliose lichen Pseudoparmelia baltimorensis from three localities in the greater Washington, D.C. area. Samples were dated using the growth rate measured by Lawrey and Hale (1977). Po²¹⁰, Pb, and V increase with age in a given colony. Higher levels of Pb, V, Cd, and Zn are present in samples from the two more polluted sites. The retention of heavy metals is consistent with trapping by an ion exchange mechanism. Since Po²¹⁰ is the daughter product of in situ decay of Pb²¹⁰, accumulated from atmospheric fallout of known rate, its levels can be used to calculate trapping efficiencies of Pb and retrospective fallout rates. These rates are similar to published data from rural and urban areas.