ULTRASONOGRAPHIC DETECTION OF ADRENAL GLAND TUMOR AND URETEROLITHIASIS IN A GUINEA PIG

A 5-year-old guinea pig was presented to the University of Berne Small Animal Radiology Department for an ultrasound examination of the abdomen to confirm a suspected diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome. The patient had bilateral alopecia, was apathic and obese. Ultrasonographically, a tumor of the left adrenal gland, obstruction of the left ureter by an ureterolith, as well as hydronephrosis of the left kidney were detected. During surgery to relieve the ureteral obstruction the adrenal gland tumor was removed. The guinea pig died post-operatively due to blood loss. The left adrenal gland tumor was found histopathologically to be an adenoma and the right adrenal gland also had multiple small adenomas, but grossly appeared normal. The ureterolith was analyzed and found by x-ray diffraction to consist of calcium carbonate.     

Relationships between nutrient composition of flowers and fruit quality in orange trees grown in calcareous soil

To determine if flower nutrient composition can be used to predict fruit quality, a field experiment was conducted over three seasons (1996-1999) in a commercial orange orchard (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck cv. 'Valencia Late', budded on Troyer citrange rootstock) established on a calcareous soil in southern Portugal. Flowers were collected from 20 trees during full bloom in April and their nutrient composition determined, and fruits were harvested the following March and their quality evaluated. Patterns of covariation in flower nutrient concentrations and in fruit quality variables were evaluated by principal component analysis. Regression models relating fruit quality variables to flower nutrient composition were developed by stepwise selection procedures. The predictive power of the regression models was evaluated with an independent data set. Nutrient composition of flowers at full bloom could be used to predict the fruit quality variables fresh fruit mass and maturation index in the following year. Magnesium, Ca and Zn concentrations measured in flowers were related to fruit fresh mass estimations and N, P, Mg and Fe concentrations were related to fruit maturation index. We also established reference values for the nutrient composition of flowers based on measurements made in trees that produced large (> 76 mm in diameter) fruit.     

Zur Überwinterung vonOrchestes (Rhynchaenus) fagi L.

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Wie fertigtAncylis mitterbacheriana Schiff. (Lep. Tortricidae) das Gehäuse?

Ohne ZusammenfassungHerrn Professor Dr. F. Schwerdtfeger zum 60. Geburtstag gewidmet.     

Daily time course of whole-shoot gas exchange rates in two drought-exposed Mediterranean shrubs

Effects of drought on water relations, whole-shoot gas-exchange characteristics, and pigment and zeatin concentrations were investigated in the Mediterranean shrubs rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) and lavender (Lavandula stoechas L.). Two-year-old, greenhouse-grown plants were placed in a whole-shoot gas-exchange measurement system and subjected to 10 days of drought, resulting in severe water stress, and then re-watered for 5 days in order to study their recovery. Water stress resulted in a significant decline in maximum whole-shoot net CO2 assimilation rates (An) for both species that was associated with reductions in leaf area and stomatal conductance. Because shoot dark respiration rate (Rd) was less sensitive to water stress than An, shoot Rd/An ratio increased from about 15 to 95% during water stress. No major changes in chlorophyll and carotenoid concentrations of rosemary leaves were observed during the experiments, but chlorophyll and carotenoid concentrations fell significantly in water-stressed lavender leaves. Zeatin concentrations were higher in rosemary leaves than in lavender leaves during water stress. After re-watering, whole-shoot An and Rd rapidly recovered to their pre-drought rates.     

Marking and retention of harlequin bug,Murgantia histrionica (Hahn) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), on pheromone-baited and unbaited plants

Harlequin bug (Murgantia histrionica) is an important pest of cole crops in the USA. The adults and nymphs feed on aboveground plant tissues by sucking cell contents and can seriously damage the host. Current insect control measures on cole crops target mainly lepidopteran pests, and the insecticides generally used do not control harlequin bug, so alternative management practices need to be explored. Previous research has established the existence of a male-produced pheromone attractive to both sexes and nymphs of M. histrionica. In this work, two systems of marking bugs were tested to verify if the mark affected fitness traits such as survival and host location. In a second phase, marked individuals were placed on trap host plants baited with synthetic pheromone lures to test whether migration rates were related to M. histrionica density on the trap plants and the presence of the attractants. Neither marking system affected the survival or orientation of the subjects compared to unmarked individuals. The pheromone lures significantly increased the attractiveness of the trap plants, but did not increase the retention time of the plants compared to unbaited plants. Emigration from the trap plants showed a constant rate and seemed unrelated to bug density on the plants. However, a mean peak density of ca. 36 bugs/plant was calculated. Beyond this number, density tended to decrease. These successful marking methods and retention time models support development of M. histrionica management with trap crops, by providing tentative control thresholds and decision rules.     

Why extensive research and development did not promote use of peach palm fruit in Latin America

Agroforestry Systems - Peach palm (Bactris gasipaes) was domesticated as a fruit crop by the first Amazonians in traditional Neotropical agroforestry systems, but research and development...     

16jährige Probeanbauten von Lärchenbastarden

Zusammenfassung Im Jahre 1951 überwiegend durch gelenkte Kreuzung und teilweise aus freiem Abblühen entstandene L?rchen-Einzelbaumnachkommenschaften, die zusammen mit einigen Bestandes-Nachkommenschaften im Versuchsgarten Grafrath erzogen und anschlie?end auf vier Versuchsfl?chen innerhalb Bayerns angebaut worden waren, wurden zuletzt im zehn- bzw. achtj?hrigen Alter (in der Dickungsphase vor dem ersten Pflegeeingriff) sowie im 16j?hrigen Alter (in der beginnenden Stangenholzphase nach dem ersten Eingriff) aufgenommen. Auf Grund der aus diesen beiden Aufnahmen gewonnenen Ergebnisse (H?hen- und Durchmesser-Wuchsleistung, Variation der H?henwerte vor dem ersten Eingriff, natürliche Ausf?lle, Schaftform, Astst?rke und Krebsbefall-H?ufigkeit) sind die verschiedenen Kombinationen und Bestandes-Nachkommenschaften auf ihre Anbaubew?hrung hin überprüft worden: Die Anbaubew?hrung kann unter Berücksichtigung der erfa?ten Merkmale für drei Kreuzungen voll bejaht werden, und zwar für die Nummern 16 L. decidua 7/51×L. leptolepis (Gaut.), 20 L. decidua Kr. 1×L. leptolepis (Gaut.) und 10 Bastard 11/51×L. leptolepis (Gaut.). Bei vier Nachkommenschaften (Nr. 5 L. leptolepis Kr. 4×L. decidua (Gaut.); Nr. 35 L. leptolepis-Bestandesnachk.; Nr. 22 L. leptolepis 9/51×L. decidua 7/51 und Nr. 25 L. leptolepis 10/51×Bastard 1/51) mit überdurchschnittlicher Wüchsigkeit darf das Ja zur Anbaubew?hrung wegen nicht voll überzeugenden Abschneidens in den übrigen Merkmalen nur mit gewisser Einschr?nkung ausgesprochen werden. Die Anbaubew?hrung mu? für drei Nachkommenschaften wegen Krebsbefalls und sehr geringer Wuchsleistung verneint werden; es handelt sich dabei um die Nummern 4 L. lepteuropaea Kr. 2×L. decidua (Gaut.), 36 L. decidua-Bestandesnachkommenschaft und 20 L. decidua 7/51× freibest?ubt. Die überwiegende Mehrzahl der angebauten L?rchen-Nachkommenschaften ist in eine breitangelegte Mittelgruppe mit nicht oder nur sehr wenig differenziertem Wachstum inzuordnen, so da? erst die künftige Entwicklung die zu treffende Entscheidung erm?glichen wird.     

Milk production,intake, digestion,blood parameters,and ingestive behavior of cows supplemented with by-products from the biodiesel industry

This study aimed to evaluate the intake, digestion, blood parameters, and feeding behavior of crossbred dairy cows (Holstein?×?Gir) managed on Panicum maximum Jacq. cv. Tanzania-1 and provided supplementation with groundnut cake, sunflower cake, or palm kernel cake (to replace soybean meal). Sixteen cows were randomly assigned in a Latin square design with four treatments and four experimental periods. The consumption of nutrients from the pasture did not vary between experimental treatments. Cows receiving the palm kernel cake supplement had a reduced crude protein, non-fibrous carbohydrate, and total digestible nutrient intake and an increase in the average consumption of ether extract. There was also a reduction in the digestibility of dry matter. The inclusion of supplements in the diet did not influence the average time spent eating, ruminating, or resting. The mean values of respiratory and heart rates showed thermal comfort during the trial period. There was a reduction in blood urea nitrogen with palm kernel cake supplementation, and the values of total protein, albumin, and glucose were also significantly different with this supplement. It is recommended that cakes of groundnut cake and sunflower cake seed be used for a total replacement of soybean meal supplements for lactating cows, but the use of palm kernel cake is not recommended.