The Impact of Fertilization Methods on the Nutrient Balance and Changes of Soil Chemical Features in Crop Rotation

The effect of various fertilization methods on the simplified nutrients balance and changes of soil chemical features in crop rotation was estimated on the basis of 7-year (1994-2000) studies carried out on loess-based, sedimentary-gley, light-clay soil. Different fertilization methods were used: A - mineral fertilization; B - mineral and manure fertilization; C - straw, green manure and mineral fertilization; D - ecological compost and biodynamic preparation fertilization. Particular fertilization methods caused a significant differentiation of the nutrients balance. A positive phosphorus balance was found out in all the fertilization systems. It has been observed that the nitrogen and potassium carry-in with fertilizers was higher than the carry-out with crops in system B and C. A favorable calcium balance was achieved in systems C and D while a favorable magnesium balance - only in the ecologically fertilized systems (D). The changes of soil chemical features were only insignificantly dependent on the nutrient balance. After seven years of research, the contents of humus, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and calcium increased while the soil reaction decreased in the soil of all the fertilized systems except the ecologically fertilized system.     

Hemodynamic effects of nitrous oxide in isoflurane-anesthetized cats

OBJECTIVE: To determine the hemodynamic effects of nitrous oxide in isoflurane-anesthetized cats. ANIMALS: 12 healthy adult domestic shorthair cats. PROCEDURE: Cats were anesthetized by administration of isoflurane in oxygen. After instruments were inserted, end-tidal isoflurane concentration was set at 1.25 times the individual minimum alveolar concentration, and nitrous oxide was administered in a Latin-square design at 0, 30, 50, and 70%. Each concentration was administered for 25 minutes before measurements were obtained to allow for stabilization. Heart rate; systemic and pulmonary arterial pressures; central venous pressure; pulmonary artery occlusion pressure; cardiac output; body temperature; arterial and mixed-venous pH, PCO2, PO2, and hemoglobin concentrations; PCV; and total protein and lactate concentrations were measured before and during noxious stimulation for each nitrous oxide concentration. Arterial and mixed-venous bicarbonate concentrations and oxygen saturation, cardiac index, stroke index, rate-pressure product, systemic and pulmonary vascular resistance indices, left and right ventricular stroke work indices, arterial and mixed-venous oxygen contents, oxygen delivery, oxygen consumption, oxygen extraction ratio, alveolar-to-arterial oxygen difference, and venous admixture were calculated. RESULTS: Arterial pressure, central venous pressure, pulmonary arterial pressure, rate-pressure product, systemic and pulmonary vascular resistance indices, arterial PCO2, and PCV increased during administration of 70% nitrous oxide. Arterial and mixed-venous pH, mixed-venous PO2, and alveolar-to-arterial oxygen difference decreased during administration of 70% nitrous oxide. Results before and during noxious stimulation were similar. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Administration of 70% nitrous oxide to isoflurane-anesthetized cats resulted in improved arterial pressure, which was related to a vasoconstrictive effect.     

Activities of gastric,pancreatic, and intestinal brush-border membrane enzymes during postnatal development of dogs

OBJECTIVE: To measure activities of digestive enzymes during postnatal development in dogs. SAMPLE POPULATION: Gastrointestinal tract tissues obtained from 110 Beagles ranging from neonatal to adult dogs. PROCEDURE: Pepsin and lipase activities were measured in gastric contents, and amylase, lipase, trypsin, and chymotrypsin activities were measured in small intestinal contents and pancreatic tissue. Activities of lactase, sucrase, 4 peptidases, and enteropeptidase were assayed in samples of mucosa obtained from 3 regions of the small intestine. RESULTS: Gastric pH was low at all ages. Pepsin was not detected until day 21, and activity increased between day 63 and adulthood. Activities of amylase and lipase in contents of the small intestine and pancreatic tissue were lower during suckling than after weaning. Activities of trypsin and chymotrypsin did not vary among ages for luminal contents, whereas activities associated with pancreatic tissue decreased between birth and adulthood for trypsin but increased for chymotrypsin. Lactase and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase activities were highest at birth, whereas the activities of sucrase and the 4 peptidases increased after birth. Enteropeptidase was detected only in the proximal region of the small intestine at all ages. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Secretions in the gastrointestinal tract proximal to the duodenum, enzymes in milk, and other digestive mechanisms compensate for low luminal activities of pancreatic enzymes during the perinatal period. Postnatal changes in digestive secretions influence nutrient availability, concentrations of signaling molecules, and activity of antimicrobial compounds that inhibit pathogens. Matching sources of nutrients to digestive abilities will improve the health of dogs during development.     

Serum concentrations of pepsinogen A in healthy dogs after food deprivation and after feeding

OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate an ELISA for measurement of serum canine pepsinogen A (cPG A) as a diagnostic marker of gastric disorders in dogs and to measure serum cPG A in healthy dogs after food deprivation and after feeding. SAMPLE POPULATION: Sera from 72 healthy dogs. PROCEDURE: A sandwich ELISA was developed and validated. The reference range for serum concentrations of cPG A was determined in 64 healthy dogs. Postprandial changes in serum concentrations of cPG A were evaluated in 8 healthy dogs. RESULTS: Assay sensitivity was 18 microg/L, and the maximum detectable concentration was 1,080 microg/L. The observed-to-expected ratio (O:E) for 3 serial dilutions of 3 serum samples ranged from 69.3 to 104.1%. The O:E for 3 serum samples spiked with 8 concentrations of cPG A ranged from 58.8 to 120.4%. Coefficients of variation for intra- and interassay variability of 3 serum samples ranged from 7.6 to 11.9% and from 10.1 to 13.1%, respectively. Mean +/- SD serum concentration of cPG A in healthy dogs was 63.8 +/- 31.0 microg/L and the reference range was 18 to 129 microg/L. Significant increases in serum concentrations of cPG A were observed between 1 and 7 hours after feeding. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The ELISA for measuring cPG A was sufficiently sensitive, linear, accurate, precise, and reproducible for clinical use. Serum concentrations of cPG A increase substantially after feeding, which should be taken into account when conducting clinical studies.     

Immunological basis of differences in disease resistance in the chicken

Genetic resistance to diseases is a multigenic trait governed mainly by the immune system and its interactions with many physiologic and environmental factors. In the adaptive immunity, T cell and B cell responses, the specific recognition of antigens and interactions between antigen presenting cells, T cells and B cells are crucial. It occurs through a network of mediator proteins such as the molecules of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), T cell receptors, immunoglobulins and secreted proteins such as the cytokines and antibodies. The diversity of these proteins that mainly is due to an intrinsic polymorphism of the genes causes phenotypic variation in disease resistance. The well-known linkage of MHC polymorphism and Marek's disease resistance difference represents a classic model revealing immunological factors in resistance differences and diversity of mediator molecules. The molecular bases in any resistance variation to infectious pathogens are vaguely understood. This paper presents a review of the major immune mediators involved in resistance and susceptibility to infectious diseases and their functional mechanisms in the chicken. The genetic interaction of disease resistance with production traits and the environment is mentioned.     

Structure and Expression In planta of Botrytis cinerea Ubiquitin Genes

To identify genes of the necrotrophic pathogenic fungus Botrytis cinerea that are expressed during infection of tomato leaves, a differential screening of a genomic library with radioactively labelled cDNA was performed. This resulted in the identification of a B. cinerea gene, denominated Bcubi4, which encodes a precursor protein consisting of four identical head-to-tail repeats of a 76aa ubiquitin unit. Subsequently a gene denominated Bcubi1CEP79, encoding a single ubiquitin unit joined to a Carboxyl Extension Protein of 79 amino acids, was isolated. The expression of the two ubiquitin genes was studied during pathogenesis of B. cinerea on tomato. Bcubi1CEP79, but not Bcubi4, mRNA was transiently induced at 16h after inoculation. The increased expression of the Bcubi1CEP79 gene at this stage of pathogenesis might be required for enhanced ribosomal biogenesis.