Importance of water loss in the chilling injury of grapefruit stored at low temperature

Differences in chilling injury susceptibility of grapefruit from exterior and interior tree canopy positions were used to investigate the hypothesis that water loss is related to chilling injury symptom development during low-temperature storage. The sun-exposed surface of grapefruit from exterior canopy positions was more susceptible to chilling injury and had lower diffusive resistance than the shaded surface of the same fruit. Reducing the rate of fruit transpiration during the first week of storage by a pre-cooling treatment prior to low-temperature storage delayed, but did not eliminate, the development of chilling injury.     

Degradation of S-2-Di-isopropylaminoethyl O-ethyl methylphosphonothioate in soil: Phosphorus-containing products

The degradation of S-2-di-isopropylaminoethyl O-ethyl methylphosphonothioate in humic sand, humic loam and clayey peat has been studied under laboratory conditions. About 90% of the compound disappeared within 2 days and the remainder disappeared more slowly. Ethyl hydrogen methylphosphonate and methylphosphonic acid were identified as the only phosphorus-containing degradation products.     

Zones of exudation along plant roots and spatial distribution of micro-organisms in the rhizosphere

The use of ¹⁴C-labelling of plants in short-term studies has established that the major zone of release of carbon-containing materials from roots is the zone of elongation. Much of this material is in an insoluble form, comprising sloughed-off root cap cells and polysaccharide material, and remains in the immediate vicinity of the root. Electron microscopy of ultra-thin sections of the root-soil interface of wheat plants has shown that colonisation by micro-organisms of the rhizosphere is relatively sparse in the young parts of roots. In the older parts of roots, evidence was obtained that bacteria lyse the walls of the outer root cells and this is followed by dense colonisation of these moribund outer cells by bacteria.     

Therapy of ocular and visceral leishmaniasis in a cat

An 8-year-old, spayed female Domestic Short-haired cat was referred for further evaluation of chronic lymphocytic-plasmacytic stomatitis and bilateral ocular disease. The cat had been treated with systemic glucocorticoids for several months. Initial ophthalmic examination revealed bilateral deep stromal corneal ulcers, exudative panuveitis and secondary glaucoma. Mature mild neutrophilia and monocytosis were detected on complete blood cell count. Abnormalities in the serum profile were hyperglycemia, mild azotemia, hyperglobulinemia and moderate polyclonal gammapathy. Urinalysis revealed glucosuria without ketonuria. Diabetes mellitus was diagnosed and treatment with long-acting insulin was started. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was highly positive for leishmaniasis, and treatment with allopurinol was started. Although specific topical treatment was applied, melting ulcers progressed to corneal perforation and both eyes were enucleated. Ocular histology showed large numbers of intracellular organisms compatible with amastigotes of the genus Leishmania located in the uveal tract, cornea, sclera and retina. Results of inmunohistochemistry staining on ocular samples were positive for Leishmania. Bone marrow cytology demonstrated numerous macrophages with intracytoplasmatic Leishmania. Polymerase chain reaction results on bone marrow for Leishmania were positive. Three weeks later, hypoglycemic episodes permitted withdrawal of the insulin therapy. To the authors' knowledge this is the first case of ocular and visceral leishmaniasis diagnosed in vivo and under systemic treatment in a cat.