Ethylenediurea (EDU) spray effects on willows (Salix sachalinensis F. Schmid) grown in ambient or ozone?enriched air: implications for renewable biomass production

Ground-level ozone -(O3) is a widespread air pollutant causing extensive injuries in plants. However, its effects on perennial energy crops remain poorly under-...     

The effect of an L-type calcium channel blocker on the hemodynamics of orbital arteries in dogs

Purpose (1) To determine the effect of the l ‐type calcium channel blocker amlodipine on color Doppler ultrasound‐determined vascular resistance and blood flow velocities in the distal retrobulbar arteries of dogs; (2) to determine any effect of blood pressure and PCO₂ rate on such color Doppler‐determined circulatory measurements. Methods Color Doppler imaging measurements of the short posterior ciliary artery, long posterior ciliary artery, and ophthalmic artery of normal eyes of 10 dogs were obtained under isofluorane anesthesia before and 1 week after oral amlodipine administration. Mean systemic arterial blood pressure and PCO₂ were monitored. Results The mean resistive index decreased significantly in the short posterior ciliary artery (P = 0.0347), in the long posterior ciliary artery (P = 0.0092), and ophthalmic artery (P = 0.0004) following systemic amlodipine administration. The end diastolic velocity increased significantly in the long posterior ciliary artery (P = 0.0368) and ophthalmic artery (P < 0.0001). The peak systolic velocity increased significantly in the ophthalmic artery (P = 0.0256). Mean systemic arterial blood pressure was significantly negatively associated with resistive index (P < 0.0001) and significantly associated with the log of the end diastolic velocity (P < 0.0001). Conclusions Systemically administered amlodipine increases color Doppler imaging‐determined blood flow velocity and decreases vascular resistive index in the ophthalmic artery, short posterior ciliary artery and long posterior ciliary artery of normal dogs. Changes in systemic arterial blood pressure can significantly affect the measurement of color Doppler imaging parameters.     

GASTRIC EMPTYING IN THE NORMAL DOG A Contrast Radiographic Technique

A total of 22 radiographic studies was made to determine comparative gastric emptying times of two different solid test meals (intact kibble food and ground kibble food mixed with barium sulfate suspension) in four mature (15-26 months) normal Beagle dogs under controlled conditions. Complete gastric emptying times of the intact kibble and ground kibble meals of a given dose (8 g/kg of dog food plus 5-7 ml/kg of the contrast agent) ranged from five to ten hours (7.6 ± 1.98 hours with intact kibble meal and 7.0 ± 1.86 hours with ground kibble meal). Feeding a halfdose of ground kibble meal (4 g/kg of dog food plus 3.5 ml/kg of the contrast agent) resulted in complete gastric emptying times of four to six hours (4.7 ± 0.67 hours). Individual dogs had repeatable gastric emptying times although the times varied among different dogs.     

SONOGRAPHIC INVESTIGATION OF TRANSITIONAL CELL CARCINOMA OF THE URINARY BLADDER IN SMALL ANIMALS

This report compares results from imaging of transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder in 15 dogs using intravenous urography, double-contrast cystography, and ultrasonography. Intravenous urography demonstrated filling defects in the urinary bladder in 3 of the 5 cases examined with this modality. Double-contrast cystography identified bladder masses in 8 of 10 animals. Ultrasonography was the only imaging modality which detected bladder masses in all patients.     

Ultrasonography of Diffuse Liver Disease A Review

Radiographically, the liver may appear normal even if severely diseased. Ultrasonography can be an important adjunct in the evaluation of diffuse parenchymal hepatic disease. Diffuse liver disease appears ultrasonographically as a change in liver echogenicity from normal when compared with the renal cortex or spleen. Diffuse liver disease can be characterized as either hyperechoic due to fatty change, steroid hepatopathy, and cirrhosis or hypoechoic due to congestion, suppurative hepatitis, and lymphoma. Ultrasonographic diagnosis of diffuse liver disease should be substantiated by biopsy and histopathologic evaluation.     

Cervical spine motion: radiographic study

Knowledge of the acceptable range of motion of the cervical spine of the dog is used in the radiographic diagnosis of both developmental and degenerative diseases. A series of radiographs of mature Beagle dogs was used to identify motion within sagittal and transverse planes. Positioning of the dog's head and neck was standardized, using a restraining board, and mimicked those thought to be of value in diagnostic radiology. The range of motion was greatest between C2 and C5. Reports of severe disk degeneration in the cervical spine of the Beagle describe the most severely involved disks to be C4 through C7. Thus, a high range of motion between vertebral segments does not seem to be the cause for the severe degenerative disk disease. Dorsoventral slippage between vertebral segments was seen, but was not accurately measured. Wedging of disks was clearly identified. At the atlantoaxio-occipital region, there was a high degree of motion within the sagittal plane at the atlantoaxial and atlanto-occipital joints; the measurement can be a guideline in the radiographic diagnosis of instability due to developmental anomalies in this region. Lateral motion within the transverse plane was detected at the 2 joints; however, motion was minimal, and the measurements seemed to be less accurate because of rotation of the cervical spine. Height of the vertebral canal was consistently noted to be greater at the caudal orifice, giving some warning to the possibility of overdiagnosis in suspected instances of cervical spondylopathy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Identification of an antihypertensive peptide derived from chicken bone extract

A novel angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptide was isolated and purified from chicken bone extract by enzymatic digestion. The peptide was defined as an ACE inhibitor, and it demonstrated antihypertensive activity following oral administration to spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). The results of this study suggest that peptides derived from an extract of chicken bones, administered orally, have the ability to reduce the blood pressure of SHRs significantly over a short period of time (3 h). Moreover, the blood pressure then remains low for 3 h. This peptide derived from chicken bones may therefore have great value as a short‐term remedy for chronic conditions such as high blood pressure. The amino acid sequence of the peptide was YYRA (Tyr‐Tyr‐Arg‐Ala), which was the origin of the Ig heavy chain V region (27–30 position). The IC₅₀ value of its synthetic peptide was 33.9 μg/mL. We suggest that the ACE inhibitory and antihypertensive peptides derived from chicken bone extract may contribute to develop physiologically functional foods or improve food functionality.     

Interaction of drought and elevated CO2 concentration on photosynthetic down-regulation and susceptibility to photoinhibition in Japanese white birch seedlings grown with limited N availability

The interaction of drought and elevated carbon dioxide concentration ([CO(2)]) on carboxylation capacity of Rubisco (V(cmax)) and susceptibility to photoinhibition may be an important determinant of plant responses to seasonal fluctuations in precipitation in an anticipated elevated [CO(2)] environment. Japanese white birch (Betula platyphylla var. japonica) leaves that developed wholly during a period of drought showed an increase in leaf nitrogen and a decrease in leaf carbohydrates that could ameliorate photosynthetic down-regulation, defined as a decrease in V(cmax) in response to elevated [CO(2)]. Photochemical quenching (q(P)) was decreased by elevated [CO(2)] but increased by drought when compared at a given intercellular [CO(2)] (C(i)), indicating that elevated [CO(2)] could increase the risk of photoinhibition, whereas long-term drought could alleviate the risk of photoinhibition. However, only a small variation in q(P) was measured among seedlings in the various water availability x [CO(2)] treatment combinations, consistent with the small treatment differences in chronic photoinhibition among the seedlings, as indicated by the ratio of variable to maximum chlorophyll fluorescence after overnight dark-adaptation. Our results suggest that the offsetting responses-reduced V(cmax) plus increased C(i) at elevated [CO(2)] and increased V(cmax) plus reduced C(i) under drought conditions-resulted in a narrow range of susceptibility to photoinhibition at the growth [CO(2)] in Japanese white birch seedlings grown in various water availability x [CO(2)] treatment combinations.     

Plasticity of shoot and needle morphology and photosynthesis of two Picea species with different site preferences in northern Japan

We compared shoot and needle morphology and photosynthesis in Picea glehnii (Friedr. Schmidt) M.T. Mast. and Picea jezoensis (Sieb. et Zucc.) Carr. trees planted on immature volcanic ash and well-developed brown forest soils to investigate whether species differences in morphological and physiological plasticity affected tree growth on different soil types. Height growth of P. glehnii was reduced by about 10% on volcanic ash compared with forest soil, whereas that of P. jezoensis was reduced by more than 60%. Needle morphology of P. glehnii was unaffected by soil type. In contrast, needles of P. jezoensis trees growing on volcanic ash were shorter, narrower and thicker, with less dry mass and area, than those of trees growing on forest soil, and specific needle area was lower, indicating lower foliar light-interception efficiency. In both species, changes in needle morphology with increasing irradiance were similar in trees growing on both soil types, indicating that plasticity of needle morphology was unaffected by soil type. In both species, shoot mass and shoot silhouette area were lower and needle mass per unit shoot mass was higher in trees growing on volcanic ash than in trees growing on forest soil. Trees of both species had more needles per unit shoot length, lower shoot silhouette to projected needle area ratios and lower shoot silhouette areas per unit shoot mass (SAM) on volcanic ash than on forest soil, indicating lower shoot-level light-interception efficiency. For P. glehnii, the response of shoot morphology to increasing irradiance was similar on both soil types, with the exception of SAM, which showed lower plasticity in trees growing on volcanic ash. In contrast, shoot-level morphological plasticity of P. jezoensis was reduced in trees growing on volcanic ash. Light-saturated maximum photosynthetic rate (P(max)) of P. glehnii was unaffected by soil type, whereas mass-based P(max) of P. jezoensis was lower in trees growing on volcanic ash than in trees growing on forest soil. In P. jezoensis trees growing on forest soil, area-based P(max) increased with increasing irradiance, but this response was not observed in trees growing on volcanic ash. As a result, area-based P(max) at the top of the canopy was 39 to 54% lower in trees growing on volcanic ash than in trees growing on forest soil. Our results indicate that constraints on morphological acclimation to high irradiances may contribute to reduced height growth of P. jezoensis on volcanic ash.     

Comparison of ratoon yield under high-level cutting in two varieties of forage sugarcane,KRFo93-1, and Shimanoushie

High-level cutting without stubble shaving has been recommended in the cultivation of forage sugarcane, KRFo93-1. However, it is unclear whether this management practice is appropriate for the more recently developed variety Shimanoushie. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the dry matter yield of both varieties to high-level cutting. The study included five ratoon crops (RC1–RC5). In KRFo93-1, dry matter yield was higher in HC plots (high-level cutting without stubble shaving plots) than in Control plots (stubble shaving after high-level cutting plots), and the differences were significant for the first three ratoon crops. A similar trend was observed in Shimanoushie; however, the dry matter yield of HC plots was slightly lower than Control plots in RC4 and RC5 owing to a lower stem number. Although the sum of dry matter yield of five ratoon crops was significantly higher in HC plots of both varieties, the influence of high-level cutting was more effective in KRFo93-1 than in Shimanoushie.