Evaluation of hematological,biochemical and oxidative stress profile in calves under propofol anesthesia

Veterinary Research Communications - Propofol is a widely used drug in veterinary medicine to induce anesthesia; as well as the chosen compound for protocols of intravenous anesthesia. The present...     

Molecular evidence of Leishmania spp. in spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) from The Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve,Veracruz, Mexico

Veterinary Research Communications - The black-handed spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) is a platyrrhine primate distributed in southern Mexico, Central America, and part of South America. Two...     

Dynamics of natural infection by Toxoplasma gondii in goat herds in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil: transitional antibody observation

Veterinary Research Communications - This study aimed to describe the transmission of T. gondii in naturally infected goats in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil, through evaluating the...     

Narrow genetic base in forest restoration with holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) in Sicily

In order to empirically assess the effect of actual seed sampling strategy on genetic diversity of holm oak (Quercus ilex) forestations in Sicily, we have analysed the genetic composition of two seedling lots (nursery stock and plantation) and their known natural seed origin stand by means of six nuclear microsatellite loci. Significant reduction in genetic diversity and significant difference in genetic composition of the seedling lots compared to the seed origin stand were detected. The female and the total effective number of parents were quantified by means of maternity assignment of seedlings and temporal changes in allele frequencies. Extremely low effective maternity numbers were estimated (Nf _e ≈ 2–4) and estimates accounting for both seed and pollen donors gave also low values (N _e ≈ 35–50). These values can be explained by an inappropriate forestry seed harvest strategy limited to a small number of spatially close trees.     

Effects of two iron sources on iron and cadmium allocation in poplar (Populus alba) plants exposed to cadmium

Effects of 10 microM cadmium (supplied as Cd nitrate) on the utilization and allocation of iron (Fe) were investigated in poplar (Populus alba L.) plants grown in nutrient solution with Fe(III)-EDTA or Fe(III)-citrate as the Fe source. The effects of Cd were also compared with those of Fe deprivation. The accumulation of Fe in roots was 10-fold higher in plants grown with Fe-citrate than with Fe-EDTA. Cadmium decreased leaf chlorophyll concentrations and photosynthetic rates, and these decreases were more marked in plants grown with Fe-citrate than with Fe-EDTA. In both Fe treatments, addition of Cd caused large increases in root and shoot apoplasmic and non-apoplasmic Cd contents and increases in root Fe content; however, Cd decreased shoot Fe content, especially in plants grown with Fe-citrate. New leaves of plants grown with Fe-citrate had small cellular (non-apoplasmic) Fe pools, whereas these pools were large in new leaves of plants grown with Fe-EDTA. Non-apoplasmic Cd pools in new leaves were smaller in plants grown with Fe-citrate than with Fe-EDTA, indicating that inactivation of non-apoplasmic Cd pools is facilitated more by Fe-EDTA than by Fe-citrate. In the presence of Cd, Fe-EDTA was also superior to Fe-citrate in maintaining an adequate Fe supply to poplar shoots. Differences in plant responses to Fe-EDTA and Fe-citrate may reflect differences in long-distance transport of Fe rather than in acquisition of Fe by roots.     

Application of the pipe model theory to non-destructive estimation of leaf biomass and leaf area of pruned agroforestry trees

The relationship of branch cross sectional area (CS) to leaf biomass (LM) and leaf area (LA) was studied in three agroforestry tree species,Calliandra calothyrsus Maissn.,Erythrina berteroana Urban andErythrina poeppigiana (Walpers) O.F. Cook, to develop a non-destructive method for the estimation of LM and LA for trees managed with periodic pruning. Variation in these relationships was observed according to the bifurcation level and, in theErythrina spp., by clone. All the relationships were linear except the CS-LM relation in small branches ofE. poeppigiana, where it was initially exponential. At main branch level the relationship of CS to LM and LA was linear in all cases but the regression parameter values varied between species and clones, with determination coefficient (R²) 0.88–0.99. It was concluded that the ratio of main branch CS to LM and LA can be used for non-destructive estimation of the latter variables. The method has the additional benefit that the regression parameter value reflects the allocation of dry matter within a tree and, consequently, may give indications about its possible uses in different agroforestry systems.Work carried out at the Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE), Turrialba, Costa Rica.     

Modelling agroforestry systems of cacao (Theobroma cacao) with laurel (Cordia alliodora) and poro (Erythrina poeppigiana) in Costa Rica III. Cycles of organic matter and nutrients

Models for cycles for organic matter and nutrients element (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) are presented for the agroforestry systems of cacao (Theobroma cacao) withCordia alliodora orErythrina poeppigiana in Turrialba, Costa Rica. For the models, system reserves (soil, humus, vegetation divided into leaves, branches, stems, fine roots, fruits) and transference between compartments (production and decomposition of litter residues) inputs (fertilizer, rainfall) and outputs (harvests) of the system are considered. The implications of the models are discussed in detail. Aspects of net primary production in the systems studied are considered. N fixation is calculated on the basis of balances. Analysis of soil water showed high variations that coincided with rainfall patterns and pruning of theE. poeppigiana. For part I see Vol. 4, No. 3, 1986 For part II see this issue Agroforestry Project, CATIE/GTZ (Tropical Agricultural Research and Training Center/Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit), Turrialba, Costa Rica     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus halepensis</Emphasis> somatic embryogenesis is affected by the physical and chemical conditions at the initial stages of the process

Pinus halepensis has been described as a drought-tolerant species with high plasticity to growth in different environments. Its eco-physiological characteristics could facilitate the use of this species in large afforestations in the future scenery of climate change. Somatic embryogenesis is a biotechnological tool with potential for large-scale clonal propagation. In order to establish an improved regeneration protocol for Pinus halepensis, the effects of different temperatures (18, 23, and 28 °C) and water availability conditions (2, 3, and 4 g L^?1 Gelrite^®), during initiation of embryonal masses on the rate of initiation, proliferation, maturation, and the number of embryos developed, were evaluated. It was found that environmental conditions during the initiation stage of Pinus halepensis somatic embryogenesis influence the success of initiation and proliferation. In contrast, there was no effect of these conditions on the maturation rates and the number of somatic embryos. Somatic embryos were obtained in all treatments tested, indicating that plants can be produced from extreme conditions of induction, such as high temperatures (28 °C) and low water availability conditions (4 g L^?1).     

Eine Methode zur integrierten Bekämpfung des Rüsselkäfers (Hylobius abietis L.)

Zusammenfassung Es wird gezeigt, da? es m?glich ist, durch die Anwendung subletaler Konzentrationen des Insektizids DTHP, d. h. durch eine allgemeine Schw?chung des Organismus erwachsener Rüsselk?fer (Hylobius abietis L.), eine geeignete Disposition dieses Sch?dlings zur Infektion durch den parasitischen PilzBeauveria bassiana (Bals-Criv.) Vuill. herbeizuführen. Die K?fer, die in Fangrinden oder Fallen an Kiefern? stchen — welche in ein kombiniertes Pr?parat einer 0,05% DTHP-Suspension (Organophosphorverbindung vom Dipterex-Typ, technischer Block 0,0-Dimethyl-2,2,2-trichlor-1-hydroxy?thyl-phosphonat) mit 0,1% Sporen vonBeauveria bassiana getaucht worden waren — konzentriert wurden, nahmen keine Nahrung mehr auf und starben allm?hlich ab. Wie die histologischen Untersuchungen gezeigt haben, wurden Erkrankung und Tod der K?fer durch den genannten parasitischen Pilz herbeigeführt. Obwohl nur zwei Vergleichsfl?chen zur Verfügung standen, ist aus dem obengesagten klar, da? bei der Anwendung des kombinierten Pr?parates mit einer gewissen selektiven Wirkung gerechnet werden kann: W?hrend an der nur mit 1% DTHP behandelten Versuchsfl?che ungef?hr 2,5% nützlicher Insekten unter den get?teten K?fern festgestellt wurden (vor allem Laufk?fer der GattungPterostichus), betrug der Prozentsatz der get?teten nützlichen Insekten bei der Anwendung des kombinierten Pr?parates (DTHPBeauveria bassiana-Sporen) nur 0,25%. Die angeführten Versuche bewiesen die Anwendbarkeit der Kombination von Insektiziden — in subletalen Dosen oder Konzentrationen — mit Sporen parasitischer Pilze.