Acute non-ambulatory tetraparesis attributable to cranial cervical intervertebral disc disease in a cat

A 10-year-old domestic longhair cat was presented for acute non-ambulatory tetraparesis. Clinicopathologic diagnostics revealed no abnormalities. Cervical myelogram revealed an extradural compressive lesion consistent with intervertebral disc disease of the C2-C3 intervertebral disc space. Ventral slot decompression confirmed the presence of extruded intervertebral disc material into the vertebral canal of the C2-C3 intervertebral space. The patient succumbed to cardiorespiratory arrest 3 days postoperatively.     

A quantitative comparison between diet and body fatty acid composition in wild northern pike (Esox lucius L.)

The fatty acid compositions of wild female northern pike (Esox lucius L.) and their principle prey species were compared to assess the extent to which pike modify the relative abundance of dietary fatty acids during assimilation and to indicate the optimum dietary content of essential fatty acids (EFAs) for pike. Only minor differences existed between the estimated whole body fatty acid composition of pike and diet fatty acid composition as calculated from the contribution of each prey species to the pike's diet. Saturated fatty acids comprised a slightly higher percentage of diet lipids (25% wt) than of pike lipids (21% wt) whereas monounsaturated fatty acids were less abundant in diet lipids (26% wt) than in pike (29% wt). Percentages of total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), n - 3 fatty acids, and n - 6 fatty acids were approximately 43, 30, and 13% wt respectively and differed by less than 1% wt between pike and diet lipids. Among individual PUFAs, the largest differences occurred in 20:5 (n-3) and 22:6(n-3) which comprised, on average, 9.6 and 14.7% wt respectively of diet lipids and 5.9 and 18.3% wt respectively of pike lipids. The close similarity in fatty acid composition between pike and their diet suggests that pike may have limited abilities to elongate and desaturate 18 carbon PUFAs and may require specific long chain PUFAs in the diet. The n-3 PUFA content of the pike's natural diet may exceed the minimum EFA requirements of better studied species such as rainbow trout and turbot.     

Correlation of in situ respiration rates and microbial biomass in prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) ponds

Microbial biomass estimates (based on ATP concentrations) were highly correlated with water and sediment respiration rates in freshwater prawn ponds. Water column biomass-specific respiration rates (x ± 1 SD, 572.4 ± 410.6 μl O₂ μg ATP^?1 day^?1) were higher than sediment rates (11.5 ± 8.1 μl O₂ μg ATP^?1 day^?1). Phytoplankton cells dominated the seston, with nutrient-saturated, light-limited growth in the range 75–80%μ_max. Doubling times of phytoplankton ranged from 0.4–19 days. Measurement of benthic ATP biomass is recommended as a diagnostic water quality parameter for commercial freshwater prawn culture.     

Carosello and the taxonomy ofCucumis melo L. especially of its vegetable races

Summary Carosello, a local vegetable from South Italy, is used in the same way asCucumis sativus but, in fact, it is a vegetable race ofCucumis melo. In the light of this local vegetable race which is presumed to be a relic of a former, more wide-spread cultivation, the infraspecific taxonomy ofCucumis melo together with some aspects of the history of melon systematics are discussed.Carosello is taken as an example to demonstrate that in the course of domestication of several completely unrelated taxa special varieties had been selected for the consumption of unripe fruits which are unpalatable when ripe in the majority of the cultivars of these species.

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Carosello und die Taxonomie vonCucumis melo L. unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Gemüsesippen

Zusammenfassung Carosello, eine lokale Gemüsesippe aus Süditalien, wird in der gleichen Weise wieCucumis sativus genutzt, ist aber eine Form vonCucumis melo. Im Lichte dieser lokalen Gemüsesippe, von der angenommen wird, daß sie das Relikt einer weiteren Verbreitung in früheren Zeiten ist, werden Fragen der infraspezifischen Taxonomie vonCucumis melo sowie Aspekte der historischen Entwicklung der Melonen-Systematik diskutiert.Carosello wird als Beispiel dafür herangezogen, daß im Verlaufe der Domestikation aus verschiedenen, nicht miteinander verwandten Taxa Sorten selektiert wurden, die im unreifen Zustand genutzt werden können, während sie zur Reife bei der Mehrheit der Sorten dieser Arten wenig schmackhaft oder sogar ungenießbar sind.

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Carosello Cucumis melo L. ë

Carosello — , , Cucumis sativus, Cucumis melo. , , , ë , Cucumis melo, .Carosello , , , , .

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Dedicated to the memory of I. S.Grebenikov (1912–1986), well-known researcher of the cultivated taxa of the cucurbit family, to whom we owe valuable stimulations for this paper.

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Preliminary studies towards a Flora plantarum agri- et horticulturae Italiae australis.     

Mercury Cycling in Lake Gordon and Lake Pedder,Tasmania (Australia). I: In-lake Processes

The processes affecting the concentrations of total mercury (total Hg) and methylmercury (MeHg) in a freshwater system comprising two connected reservoirs in southwest Tasmania were investigated. Surface concentrations of total mercury (total Hg)were temporally and spatially uniform in both Lake Gordon (2.3±0.4 ng L^-1, n = 27) and Lake Pedder (2.3±0.3 ng L^-1, n = 11). The surface concentrations of MeHg in Lake Gordon (0.35±0.39 ng L^-1, n = 25) were more variable than total Hg and MeHg typically comprised 10–20% of total Hg. The relatively high amount of total mercury present as MeHg in Lake Gordon was attributed to the high proportion of wetlandsin the upper catchment (50% of total area) and in-lake contributions (ca. 40% of total MeHg). Despite the close proximity of the two lakes, MeHg concentrations in Lake Pedder were consistently lower than in Lake Gordon. This phenomenon canbe explained in part by the greater contribution of direct rainfall to Lake Pedder leading to the dilution of MeHg. Water column MeHg concentrations were higher in warmer months in bothlakes, reflecting increased net methylation of inorganic mercury.Unlike previous studies of seasonally anoxic lakes, depth profiles of total mercury and MeHg in Lake Gordon were uniform and were not affected by water column stratification occurringin the summer months, and oxygen depletion with depth. This suggests that redox cycling and accumulation of MeHg in the hypolimnion following seasonally-induced anoxia is not a significant part of the mercury cycle in Lake Gordon. The primary location of MeHg production within the lake's water column is not conspicuous. Mercury speciation measurements made above and below the lake system over a period of 19 months indicates that after 20 yr of impoundment, the reservoirs are not significantly affecting MeHg concentrations in the downstreamriverine environment.     

Role of Plasmalemma H+ ATPase in Sugar Retention by Roots of Intact Maize and Field Bean Plants

Net release and net uptake of sugars by roots of intact maize (Zea mays cv. Blizzard) and field bean (Vicia faba L. cv. Alfred) were studied at micromolar external sugar concentrations that are relevant to the rhizosphere. Besides various sugars not further characterized there was net release of glucose, fructose, sucrose, arabinose, ribose, and galactose. The net release of these sugars into the root medium (0.1 mM CaSO₄) was stimulated by the protonophore CCCP (10 μM), the sulfhydryl reagent NEM (300 μM), the specific inhibitor of plasmalemma H⁺ ATPase vanadate (0.5 mM), and by the inhibitor of the glucose carrier phlorizin (2 mM). Net uptake of glucose, fructose, and arabinose from 10 μM external concentrations was inhibited by these substances. Stimulation of net release and inhibition of net uptake was most pronounced for glucose. Sucrose added to the root medium was hydrolyzed by invertase activity leading to glucose and fructose uptake by roots. It is concluded that the retention of sugars by plant roots is not only determined by plasmalemma permeability but is also controlled by the H⁺ electrochemical gradient established by ATPase activity (retrieval mechanism). The proton gradient drives a sugar/H⁺ cotransport system that is selective for glucose but may also transport other sugars, particularly in the absence of glucose.