Growth and nitrogen fixation by subterranean clover in response to inoculation,molybdenum application and soil amendment with lime

Liming an acid soil increased the yield and N content of subterranean clover in both field and glasshouse experiments. Application of Mo increased the N concentration of field-grown subterranean clover which corresponded with observed colour and growth differences, but did not change C₂H₂ reduction activity. Herbage Mo was not increased by liming, suggesting an absolute deficiency of Mo in these acid soils. In the glasshouse liming increased nodulation which increased the amount of N₂ fixed but the lime had no direct effect on nitrogenase activity as measured by C₂H₂ reduction. In the field both inoculation and lime application increased soil populations of R. trifolii, but clover yield was greater with liming alone than with inoculation alone, indicating the sensitivity of the host plant to soil acidity.     

St. Johns: A round white potato variety for fresh market

The St. Johns potato variety is high-yielding and late-maturing with attractive, round to oblong, white-skinned, white-fleshed tubers with mediumshallow eyes. Its major use is expected to be as a maincrop tablestock variety. Taste panels rated St. Johns better than or equal to Katahdin in texture, color, mealiness, and flavor. St. Johns tubers do not show the net necrosis caused by potato leafroll virus, and are resistant to golden nematode, corky ringspot, hollow heart, and blackspot bruising. St. Johns is also moderately resistant to greening, shatter bruise, verticillium wilt, early blight, common scab, the common race of late blight, leafroll,Fusarium sambucinum (dry rot) andErwinia carotovora (soft rot), although some breakdown has been reported in commercial storages. Symptoms of leafroll virus infection are somewhat difficult to detect.     

Anatomical and functional communications between the synovial sacs of the equine stifle joint

The anatomical and functional communications of the synovial sacs of the equine stifle joint were evaluated in 50 stifle joints of 25 horses. Femoropatellar joint (FPJ) sacs were injected with 50 ml of gelatin-based dye and horses were then walked for 50 m. Horses were subsequently killed, the stifle joints dissected and the location of the dye recorded. Twenty-three horses (46 joints) had clinically normal stifle joints and in this group, anatomical communications of the stifle joints were bilaterally symmetrical in each horse. In 15 of these 23 horses (65 per cent), direct anatomical communication between the FPJ sac and the medial sac of the femorotibial joint (FTJ) was demonstrated. The FPJ sac communicated with both the medial and lateral sacs of the FTJ in four of these 23 horses (17.5 per cent). There were no anatomical communications between the FPJ sac and either sac of the FTJ in the remaining four horses (17.5 per cent). Functional communication, which was established by finding dye in the FTJ sacs were anatomical communication with the FPJ sac existed, was demonstrated in 14 of 19 horses (74 per cent). Two horses were affected with degenerative joint disease of one stifle joint. In both of these joints the FPJ sac communicated with both the medial and lateral FTJ sacs. This distribution was different from that of the contralateral joint. When performing intra-articular anaesthesia of equine stifle joints, each synovial sac needs to be injected separately to ensure that anaesthesia of the appropriate synovial sac is obtained.     

Tarsocrural joint luxation in a horse.

A 14-year-old Quarter Horse x Thoroughbred gelding was admitted to the teaching hospital because of inability to bear weight on its right hind limb, associated with a severe deviation of the tarsus. The provisional diagnosis was tarsal joint luxation or fracture. Radiography revealed complete luxation of the tarsocrural joint. The luxation was reduced, using minimal force. The horse was confined to a box stall and was maintained in a full-length hind-limb cast for 33 days. Box stall confinement was continued for 3 months after removal of the cast. On reexamination 18 months after the injury, the horse had only mild lameness (grade 1 of 5), but had marked reduction in the range of motion of the tarsus. Radiography revealed extensive changes indicative of severe degenerative joint disease. The horse was still used occasionally as a light pleasure riding horse and maintained itself on pasture well.     

Analogs of growth hormone-releasing hormone induce release of growth hormone in the bovine

Biological potencies of three 29 amino acid growth hormone-releasing hormone analogs (GHRH[1-29]) were determined in the bovine and compared to synthetic human GHRH (44 amino acids; hGHRH[1-44]NH2) for their ability to increase serum growth hormone (GH) concentrations. Four prepubertal Holstein heifers (179 +/- 10 kg) received hGHRH(1-44)NH2 or analogs (D-Ala2, Nle27, Agm29 GHRH[1-29], [JG-73]; D-N-MeAla2, Nle27, Agm29 GHRH[1-29], [JG-75]; and desamino-Tyr1, D-Ala2, Nle27, Agm29 GHRH[1-29], [JG-77]) at the following doses: 0, 6.25, 25, 100 and 400 micrograms/animal. All treatment-dose combinations were administered to each heifer with at least a 1-d interval between treatments. Sixteen blood samples were collected via jugular cannulas 20 min before and up to 6 h after treatment injection. There was a linear dose-dependent GH release in response to hGHRH(1-44)NH2 and the three analogs. Growth hormone peak amplitudes for the three analogs were similar to those observed after administration of the hGHRH(1-44)NH2 (P greater than .05). However, when total area under the GH response curves for each treatment was averaged over all the doses, JG-73 stimulated greater GH release than hGHRH(1-44)NH2 (P less than .05) Heifers injected with the 400-microgram dose of hGHRH(1-44)NH2 or the three analogs showed a primary release of GH followed by a secondary release 1 h later. At all other doses, only a primary GH release was observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Arthroscopic verification of ultrasonographic diagnosis of meniscal pathology in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To determine the clinical usefulness of ultrasonography for diagnosis of meniscal pathology in dogs. STUDY DESIGN: Double-blind prospective study. ANIMALS: Dogs (n=10) with lameness localized to the stifle. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sonographic examination of each affected stifle was performed by 1 ultrasonographer unaware of specific historical and clinical data for the dog. Sonographic findings were recorded, but not reviewed until study completion. Arthroscopic examination of the affected stifle was performed within 48 hours of ultrasonography by 1 surgeon unaware of ultrasonographic findings. Arthroscopic findings were recorded, but not reviewed until study completion. Two investigators compared the ultrasonographic and arthroscopic findings at study completion to determine the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value. RESULTS: Two of the 10 dogs had bilateral stifle evaluation. Twenty-four lateral and medial menisci, with normal and abnormal findings, were examined. The sensitivity and specificity for ultrasonographic diagnosis were 90.0% and 92.9%, respectively; positive and negative predictive values were 90.0% and 92.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasonography is highly specific and sensitive for diagnosing bucket handle tears of the medial meniscus in dogs. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Ultrasonographic evaluation of menisci in dogs is a noninvasive method for accurately and efficiently diagnosing pathology, determining the need for surgical intervention, and providing comprehensive information to clients.     

Idiopathic gastroesophageal reflux disease in an adult horse

Chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease was diagnosed in a 22-year-old female Tennessee Walking Horse that had signs of bruxism and ptyalism. Esophageal ulceration was detected via endoscopy. Compared with the damage to the proximal portions of the esophagus, the severity of the ulceration increased toward the gastroesophageal junction. Esophageal ulceration attributable to chronic gastric acid reflux is usually secondary to pyloric outflow obstruction in horses. In the horse of this report, there was no evidence of either a chronic pyloric or duodenal obstruction that could have resulted in esophageal ulceration. Esophageal ulceration in this horse was attributed to gastroesophageal reflux disease, a common condition in humans in which the underlying abnormality is functional incompetence of the gastroesophageal junction. Treatment is directed at decreasing gastric acidity and protecting the ulcerated mucosa. In the horse of this report, treatment was unsuccessful and the horse was euthanatized; a physical cause of gastroesophageal reflux disease was not identified during an extensive postmortem examination.