Diffusion of radiodense contrast medium after perineural injection of the palmar digital nerves

Limited information exists on distribution of local anaesthetic solution following palmar digital nerve blocks. The aim of this study was to demonstrate potential distribution of local anaesthetic solution following perineural injection of the palmar digital nerves using 2 different volumes of contrast medium and 2 different injections sites. Twelve mature horses were used. Perineural injection of the palmar digital nerves were performed at the level of or 2 cm proximal to the proximal aspect of the ipsilateral ungular cartilage, using 1.5 or 2.5 ml radiopaque contrast medium. In total, 96 injections were performed. Four standard radiographic views of the pastern were obtained immediately after injections and 10 and 20 min later. Images were analysed subjectively and objectively. After distal injections, the contrast medium was more localised around the injection site; after proximal injections the contrast patch had greater proximal–distal length. The greatest proximal diffusion was to 31.7% of the length of the proximal phalanx (from the level of the proximal interphalangeal joint) after distal injections and to 70% after proximal injections. The larger volume resulted in significantly greater proximal diffusion than the smaller volume at the distal, but not at the proximal injection site (P<0.01). There was significant proximal diffusion with time after proximal and distal injections (P<0.01). In most limbs, numerous radiopaque lines of various thickness extended proximally from the contrast patches; subjectively, their number and thickness were greater at the distal injection site. In conclusion, palmar digital nerve blocks at the level of the ungular cartilage using ≤2.5 ml local anaesthetic solution may improve proximal interphalangeal joint and pastern region pain. If using a more proximal site, distal fetlock region pain may be improved. Due to diffusion into lymphatic vessels, too small a volume at the distal injection site may not provide sufficient analgesia.     

Effects of Foliar Biofertilizer Sprays on Nutrient Uptake,Yield, and Quality Parameters of Blaufrankish (Vitis vinifera L.) Grapes

Nowadays the main task of scientists is to find natural ways of improving plant productivity that lead to environmentally friendly agriculture. Biofertilizers have a great potential to achieve this aim but unfortunately there is little information about their application in grape growing in Hungary. For this reason, a foliar nutrition experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of two biofertilizers (an algae product and a biostimulator, containing amino acids) on yield, leaf nutrient concentration, and quality parameters of Blaufrankish grape variety. The study was conducted in 2012 at Noszvaj in northeastern Hungary in a 24-year-old grapevine plantation on cv. Blaufrankish. Treatments (application time and doses) were adjusted to the phenological phases of grapevine. Effect of treatments was monitored by soil and leaf analysis, grape quality measurements, and field observations. Treatments increased the yield but did not affect the fruit quality compared to the control. The applied products significantly increased the bunch weight and the size of berries. Applied biofertilizers had no effect on leaf nutrient concentration. According to our field observations, it seemed that treated vines had larger and greener leaves.     

Electron temperatures and densities in the venus ionosphere: pioneer venus orbiter electron temperature probe results

Altitude profiles of electron temperature and density in the ionosphere of Venus have been obtained by the Pioneer Venus orbiter electron temperatutre probe. Elevated temperatutres observed at times of low solar wind flux exhibit height profiles that are consistent with a model in which less than 5 percent of the solar wind energy is deposited at the ionopause and is conducted downward through an unmagnetized ionosphere to the region below 200 kilomneters where electron cooling to the neutral atmosphere proceeds rapidly. When solar wind fluxes are higher, the electron temperatures and densities are highly structured and the ionopause moves to lower altitudes. The ionopause height in the late afternoon sector observed thus far varies so widely from day to (day that any height variation with solar zenith angle is not apparent in the observations. In the neighborhood of the ionopause, measuremnents of plasma temperatures and densities and magnetic field strength indicate that an induced magnetic barrier plays an important role in the pressure transfer between the solar wind and the ionosphere. The bow, shock is marked by a distinct increase in electron current collected by the instrument, a featutre that provides a convenient identification of the bow shock location.     

Growth and yield of cotton in response to a free-air carbon dioxide enrichment (FACE) environment

To quantify the growth and yield responses to CO₂ enrichment in an open field setting, freeair CO₂ enrichment (FACE) technology was used to expose a cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) crop to 550 γmol mol⁻² CO₂ throughout the growing seasons of 1989, 1990 and 1991 in fields near Maricopa, Arizona. In 1990 and 1991 a water stress treatment was also imposed. Response data for all years were consistent, and the data for 1991 were the least compromised by unusual weather or equipment failures. In that season the biomass was increased 37% by the 48% increase in CO₂ concentration. Harvestable yield was increased 43%. The increase in biomass and yield was attributed to increased early leaf area, more profuse flowering and a longer period of fruit retention. The FACE treatment increased water-use efficiency (WUE) to the same amount in the well-irrigated plots as in the water-stressed plots. The increase in WUE was due to the increase in biomass production rather than a reduction of consumptive use.     

Are mycoparasitism and chitinase production species or isolate dependent in Trichoderma ?

The relationship between taxonomic status of Trichoderma spp., chitinase production in solid substrate fermentation (SSF) on four media and mycoparasitism in dual culture (confrontation assay)against four plant pathogenic fungi was studied. Seventy five Trichoderma isolates belonging to 35species have been screened. The plant pathogenic fungi used in confrontation assay were Botrytis cinerea , Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. dianthi , Rhizoctonia solani and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum . The SSF media contained wheat bran, crude chitin (from crab shells, SIGMA) and salt solutions. The best performing isolates in mycoparasitism tests were Trichoderma flavofuscum, T. harzianum, T.inhamatum, T. koningii and T. strigosum. Some isolates exhibiting good mycoparasitism produced chitinase in SSF only at low or medium level. In contrary there were isolates with excellent extracellular chitinase production but their biocontrol potential did not belong to the leading group.Statistical methods have been used to evaluate the data.……     

Genetic mapping of sequence-specific PCR-based markers on the short arm of the 1BL.1RS wheat-rye translocation

Wheat cultivars carrying the 1BL.1RStranslocation were crossed with newly synthesised octoploid triticale lines involving four rye genotypes having ο-secalin banding patterns different from each other and from that of the 1BL.1RS translocation. Homologous recombination was expected between the short arm of the 1R chromosomes of the rye genotypes and the 1RS arm of the 1BL.1RSwheat/rye translocation. Seven sequence-specific PCR-based markers:Xiag95, RMS13, Bmac0213, GPI, Xpsr960, 5Sand SCM9, and ο-secalinproteins were used to detect recombination events in the BC₁F₂ generation. Segregation analysis demonstrated that a barley SSR marker (Bmac0213) locus was present on the 1RS chromosome arm. Of 834plants tested in four different BC₁F₂ populations, 246individuals were found to carry recombined1BL.1RS translocation chromosomes. Genetic linkage analysis was performed on the eight markers in the four different mapping populations. The physical positions of the markers are discussed. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Detection of infectious laryngotracheitis virus infected cells with cloned DNA probes.

A genomic library of infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV) DNA BamH1 fragments was prepared and two cloned fragments were evaluated for their potential as probes for the detection of ILTV infected cells. The virus was purified by a modified sucrose density gradient procedure for the isolation of pure ILTV DNA. A genomic library was constructed using BamH1-digested ILTV DNA and pGEM7 as a vector. A 1.1 kb cloned BamH1 fragment of ILTV DNA was tested in a slot or dot blot assay for the detection of ILTV infected cells. The limit of detection for this probe was at least 0.12 ng of pure ILTV DNA. The probe was able to identify both chicken embryo liver (CELi) cells and choriallantoic membranes infected with ILTV. Chicken embryo liver cells infected with several field isolates and a vaccine strain of ILTV were positive by dot blot analysis using this probe. Some qualitative differences in the degree of hybridization to cells infected by different ILTV isolates were observed. Uninfected cells and cells infected with fowlpox virus, turkey herpesvirus, Marek's disease virus or Newcastle disease virus were negative by the same assay. Compared with the 1.1 kb fragment, a larger 6 kb cloned BamH1 fragment of ILTV DNA showed a stronger hybridization signal to DNA from ILTV infected cells.