Regional distribution and integrity of equine ovarian pre‐antral follicles

The goal of this study was to determine the distribution of pre‐antral follicles in the ovarian parenchyma of mares. For Experiment 1, each ovary was cut longitudinally at the greater curvature, performing two hemiovaries. After that, six fragments from each hemiovary were obtained, resulting in 12 fragments, which were divided into the innermost region of the parenchyma, the middle region and the outermost region. All the three obtained sections were cut transversally to obtain two fragments from each one. For Experiment 2, each ovary also submitted to a longitudinal cut on the greater curvature, forming two hemiovaries. Each hemiovary was sectioned into four symmetrical fragments, resulting in eight fragments per ovary. The fragments were related as being near to or far from the ovulatory fossa. The fragments of both experiments were immediately fixed in Carnoy for 12 hr and kept in 70% ethanol for 24 hr. Follicles were classified according to the stages of development and for morphological integrity according to oocyte morphology and granulosa cells. After the histological assessment, a total of 1,130 follicles were visualized from Experiment 1, being 1,054 (93.3%) primordial follicles and 76 (4.7%) follicles in development. The innermost region had the highest percentage of pre‐antral follicles compared to the other regions (p < .05). The middle and outermost regions showed higher percentages of intact primordial and developing follicles than the innermost region (p < .05). Considering Experiment 2, 938 follicles were found, being 894 (95.3%) primordial and 44 (4.7%) follicles in development. The region near the ovulatory fossa presented higher (58.7%; 551 of 938) follicular concentration compared to the region far from the ovulatory fossa (41.3%; 387 of 938; p < .05). As a conclusion, distribution of pre‐antral follicles in the equine ovary has a specific pattern through the parenchyma. Also, the follicular integrity differed in the studied ovarian areas.     

Roles of bootstrap resampling,measure of central tendency,and method for calculating thermal units when developing phenology models for pest management

The successful development of phenology models from field studies depends on many factors, some of which are entirely under the control of pest managers. For example, one such factor is the choice of method for calculating thermal units. In this study, we have demonstrated that four methods for calculating thermal units provided for acceptable predictions of one phenological event of one insect species, while another method for calculating thermal units did not. The measure of central tendency (mean or median) that is used to estimate lower developmental temperatures and required thermal summations is another factor that pest managers can control when developing phenology models from field studies. Here, we show that predictions that were made when using phenology models based on median lower developmental temperatures and median required thermal summations were superior to predictions that were made when using phenology models based on mean lower developmental temperatures and mean required thermal summations. The use of bootstrap vs. non-bootstrap estimates of lower developmental temperatures and required thermal summations is yet another factor that pest managers can control when developing phenology models from field studies. In this study, we found that calculating and using bootstrap estimates of lower developmental temperatures and required thermal summations in phenology models did not improve the predictions of one phenological event for one insect species. The implications of these and other findings are discussed.     

Growth Promoting Substances in The Developing Fruit of Peach (Prunus Persica L.)

Growth substances extracted from the ovules of developing fruits of July Queen, Halehaven and Fall Late peaches–respectively early, midseason and late-maturing cultivars–were studied. Whole and fractionated extracts were bioassayed, and the growth of the fruit and the development of the seed were examined.

Determination of “total” growth-promoting substances during the development of the fruits resulted in concentration curves that were generally similar from year to year. The seeds of each cultivar, regardless of its season of maturation, produced a first flush of growth substances that seemed to be correlated with either nucellus or endosperm development. The second and major growth substance peak came at the time of rapid embryo growth and maximum endosperm development. At this time fruits of July Queen ripened and abscissed. A third flush of growth substance was detected at the same time in Halehaven and Fall Late seeds, at which time the embryo was essentially complete. The mature fruits of Halehaven then abscissed, but Fall Late fruits remained on the tree for another three or four weeks before maturation and abscission. It was concluded that the concentration of seed growth substances as measured here was not related to the final-flush of growth of peach fruits, or to the abscission of mature fruits.

In dissected ovules of Halehaven peaches the endosperm was the most concentrated source of total growth substances on a dry weight basis but, because of its small size, it contributed less of them on a per-seed basis than did the the integuments at first, and later the embryo. The nucellus was a minor source of growth substances, both on a concentration and on a per-ovule basis. Apparently, the total growth substances that constituted the second and major auxin peak in Halehaven peach ovules came mostly from the integuments, endosperm and embryo, whereas the third peak could be attributed almost entirely to substances from the embryo. These studies of individual ovule tissues were made after that period of development during which the first growth substance peak made its appearance.

Studies of growth substances in the flesh of developing peach fruits revealed only trace amounts with no consistent pattern, although there is some evidence that a true picture may not have been obtained because of interference by inhibitors.

Silica gel partition column chromatography showed the presence of several growth-promoting substances which changed qualitatively and quantitatively during the growing season. One of these was probably indole-3- acetic acid, its identification being based primarily on studies by gas chromatography and spectrophotofluorometry.     

Early Pregnancy Detection of Iraqi Riverine Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) Using the BioPRYN Enzyme‐Linked Immunosorbent Assay for PSPB and the Progesterone Assay

This study was undertaken to detect pregnancy in Iraqi riverine buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) using three different methods (rectal palpation, plasma progesterone concentration and detection of the presence of pregnancy‐specific protein B (PSPB) with the BioPRYN^® enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test. The aim of the study was to identify the most sensitive, early and accurate method for detecting pregnancy. Twenty‐two female riverine buffalo that were 6.0 ± 0.93 years old were used. Four blood samples per buffalo were taken via jugular venipuncture at days 22–24, 32–34, 42–44 and 58–61 post‐mating (PM) to measure the progesterone concentration (ng/ml) and to detect the presence of plasma PSPB. The rectal palpation method was employed to evaluate all buffalo on days 42–44 and 58–61 PM. The BioPRYN^® test differed (p < 0.01) from the other tests with earlier accuracy for detecting pregnant and non‐pregnant buffalo. Eighty‐eight percent of pregnant and 76.9% of non‐pregnant buffalo were distinguished early (days 22–24 PM) using BioPRYN^® and plasma PSPB‐ELISA level (2.09 ± 0.12 ng/ml) in relation to 66.7% and 53.9% detected using the progesterone assay at similar days (4.30 ± 0.40 ng/ml). In conclusion, these results described, for the first time, the early and accurate pregnancy detection of water riverine buffalo using BioPRYN^® technology and provided the plasma levels of PSPB using an ELISA test. These findings will improve the reproductive and productive efficiency of Iraqi riverine buffalo by adapting the recent management and reproductive strategies in Iraq and in the world.     

Histopathological and parasitological study of the gastrointestinal tract of dogs naturally infected with Leishmania infantum

Background

The aim of this study was to provide a systematic pathological and parasitological overview of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), including the stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, caecum and colon, of dogs naturally infected with Leishmania.

Methods

Twenty mongrel dogs naturally infected with Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum and obtained from the Control Zoonosis Center of the Municipality of Ribeirão das Neves, Belo Horizonte Metropolitan area, Minas Gerais (MG) state, Brazil, were analyzed. The dogs were divided into two groups: Group 1 comprised nine clinically normal dogs and group 2 comprised 11 clinically affected dogs. After necropsy, one sample was collected from each GIT segment, namely the stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, caecum and colon. Furthermore, paraffin-embedded samples were used for histological and parasitological (immunohistochemistry) evaluation and a morphometrical study were carried out to determine the parasite load (immunolabeled amastigote forms of Leishmania). The Friedman and the Mann Whitney tests were used for statistical analysis. The Friedman test was used to analyze each segment of the GIT within each group of dogs and the Mann Whitney test was used to compare the GIT segments between clinically unaffected and affected dogs.

Results

The infected dogs had an increased number of macrophages, plasma cells and lymphocytes, but lesions were generally mild. Parasite distribution in the GIT was evident in all intestinal segments and layers of the intestinal wall (mucosal, muscular and submucosal) irrespective of the clinical status of the dogs. However, the parasite load was statistically higher in the caecum and colon than in other segments of the GIT.

Conclusion

The high parasite burden evident throughout the GIT mucosa with only mild pathological alterations led us to consider whether Leishmania gains an advantage from the intestinal immunoregulatory response (immunological tolerance).     

Long-term productivity growth and sustainability of Greek irrigated agriculture

The present study examines the long-term productivity growth and sustainability of Greek irrigated agriculture. A log linear trend model was used to measure long-term productivity growth, and the total factor productivity (TFP) approach measures the sustainability of the irrigated production system. A time series database of inputs and outputs data were used for the production period of 1961?–?2001 (41 years) which revealed that there is an increasing trend in the irrigated area of the country. The annual growth rate of the irrigated area is 2.6% during this time period. The long-term trends in yields of crops grown in irrigated agriculture are positive. Fertilizer use rate per ha sharply increases during this period. The productivity of irrigated Greek agriculture also increases over the time period as a result of the introduction of High Yielding Variety (HYV), seed, fertilizer and water technology. The measurement of TFP indices indicates that the long-term trend in productivity growth of irrigated Greek agricultural system is positive. The result implies that the irrigated Greek agricultural production system has long-term sustainability. The result also indicates that fertilizer, fixed capital, rainfall and temperature are positively contributing to the mean production of Greek irrigated agriculture. On the other hand, pesticide, labour and fixed capital reduces variability of irrigated agriculture. To this end, long-term agricultural sustainability depends on patterns of input use.     

Effect of inoculum density and borate concentration in a stump treatment trial against Heterobasidion annosum

The effectiveness of disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (DOT) as a stump treatment chemical for Sitka spruce in Britain was tested on six occasions by inoculating treated and untreated stumps with basidiospores of Heterobasidion annosum at three concentrations ranging from an average 49 viable spores/ml to 4.9 × 10⁵/ml of water. The extent of colonization of heartwood by H. annosum was measured and, along with the incidence of infected stumps, provided a measure of the combined effects of spore concentration and of the two DOT treatments (15 and 30 g/m²) on the trial results. On untreated stumps, both the incidence of infection and the cross‐sectional area of stump heartwood colonized by the fungus increased with inoculum density. The same effect was evident in treated stumps, but it was reduced by increasing DOT application. Infection was at its lowest in stumps treated with DOT at 30 g/m², being entirely absent from those 60 stumps that were inoculated with the fewest spores. The implications of these findings for the design of trials of control agents that rely on artificial inoculation with H. annosum and for the selection of dose rates to use in harvesting operations are discussed.