IMAGING DIAGNOSIS—MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING FEATURES OF CRANIOMANDIBULAR OSTEOPATHY IN AN AIREDALE TERRIER

An Airedale Terrier was presented for evaluation of depression and reluctance to be touched on the head. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the head was performed. The images revealed bone lesions affecting the calvarium at the level of the coronal suture and left mandibular ramus, with focal cortical destruction, expansion, and reactive new bone formation. Skull lesions were hypointense on T1‐weighted sequences, hyperintense on T2‐weighted sequences, and showed an intense and homogeneous enhancement after gadolinium administration. Reactive new bone formation and periosteal proliferation were confirmed histopathologically. The clinical signs, imaging findings, and histopathological examination were consistent with craniomandibular osteopathy.     

Enhancement of alkalinity tolerance in two cucumber genotypes inoculated with an arbuscular mycorrhizal biofertilizer containing Glomus intraradices

The aim of the present study was to determine whether arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) inoculation with a biofertilizer containing clays as granular carriers, leek root pieces and Glomus intraradices spores could improve alkalinity tolerance of two cucumber genotypes, and to study the changes induced by AM at agronomical and physiological level. A greenhouse experiment was carried out to determine yield, growth, fruit quality, net photosynthesis (A_CO2), electrolyte leakage, and mineral composition of two cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) genotypes (hybrid “Ekron” or open-pollinated variety “Marketmore”) with inoculated and noninoculated arbuscular mycorrhizal biofertilizer. Plants were supplied with nutrient solutions at two pH values (6.0 or 8.1). The high pH nutrient solution had the same basic composition with an additional 10 mM NaHCO₃ and 0.5 g l⁻¹ CaCO₃. The percentage root colonization was higher in “Marketmore” (21.8%) than “Ekron” (12.7%). Total and marketable yield and total biomass were significantly higher by 189%, 213%, and 77%, respectively, with Ekron in comparison to those recorded with Marketmore. The highest crop performance with Ekron in comparison to Marketmore was due to the improved nutritional status (higher N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, and B), higher leaf area, and net photosynthesis. Increasing the concentration of NaHCO₃ from 0 to 10 mM in the nutrient solution significantly decreased yield, plant growth, A_CO2, N, P, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, and B concentration in leaf tissue, whereas the electrolyte leakage increased. The inoculated plants under alkaline conditions had higher total, marketable yield, and total biomass than noninoculated plant. Mycorrhizal cucumber plants grown under alkaline conditions had a higher macronutrient concentration in leaf tissue compared to noninoculated plants. The highest yield and biomass production in inoculated plants seems to be related to the capacity of maintaining higher net A_CO2 and to a better nutritional status (high P, K, Mg, Fe, Zn, and Mn and low Na accumulation) in response to bicarbonate stress with respect to −AM plants.     

Drought pretreatment increases the salinity resistance of tomato plants

Agricultural productivity is worldwide subjected to increasing salinity problems. Various strategies are applied to overcome the deleterious effects of salinity on plants. This study was conducted in order to determine whether drought pretreatment of seedlings or seed pretreatment with NaCl increases the long‐term salinity resistance of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and whether the adaptive response to salinity is accompanied by physiological changes throughout the plant‐growth cycle. When plants were pretreated at the five‐leaf growth stage, the plant dry weight was significantly higher in drought‐pretreated than in non‐pretreated plants after 50 d of salt treatment. The positive effect of drought pretreatment applied at the five‐leaf stage was maintained throughout the entire growth cycle, as fruit yield of drought‐pretreated plants was 40% higher than that of non‐pretreated plants at the end of the harvest period (150 d of 70 mM NaCl treatment). Moreover, the most productive plants maintained lower Na⁺ and Cl^– accumulation in their leaves until the end of the growth cycle, which shows that adaptation is a long‐term response during which the plants adjust their physiology to the environmental conditions. Salt resistance was also improved through seed pretreatment with NaCl. In conclusion, drought pretreatment applied at the five‐leaf stage or seed pretreatment with NaCl provide an alternative way to enhance salt resistance in tomato, and the increase in yield is associated with physiological changes throughout the plant‐growth cycle.     

Fine‐scale analysis of heavily invaded Italian freshwater fish assemblages

Inland waters are highly vulnerable to the introduction and spread of non‐native species, due to heavy human use of aquatic ecosystems and the natural linkages among streams and lakes. This is particularly noticeable in freshwater fish communities. To better evaluate how these communities are affected by non‐native species introductions, we conducted a fine‐scale analysis of the changes in Italian freshwater fish assemblages after species introduction. For this analysis, we collected information on fish species present in 44 basins. The present Italian freshwater fish fauna is composed of 48 native and 41 established introduced species, while a further 15 introduced species have been reported but are not yet considered naturalized. The changes in the fish assemblages mostly took place in the past 2 centuries and have increased recently, with nearly 60% of the species introduced in the past 3 decades. The number of species introduced per basin ranged from 0 to 35 (mean 10.85 ± 7.77 species/basin), and in 10 basins the number of species introduced is now equal to or even higher than the number of native species. In the past, introduced species mainly originated from America, but over the past three decades, an increase of introductions from other parts of Europe and Asia has been recorded. Our results show that basins already rich in native species tend to become even richer as a consequence of the establishment of introduced species. This confirms the trend toward a biotic homogenization of ecosystems even at a local scale, due to an increase in the human‐mediated spread of generalist species.     

Plasma Concentration of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate in Horses after an Oral Dose

This study was conducted to study absorption of glucosamine (GlucN) and chondroitin sulfate (CS) in horses immediately after feeding. Six mature mares were used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin-square-designed experiment. The experiment consisted of three 15-day periods, which included 10 days of diet adaptation followed by a 5-day sampling period. Blood was drawn after feeding on one day during each sampling period. Horses were fed a control diet (40% hay, 60% concentrate) balanced to meet NRC requirements for maintenance of mature horses (NRC, Nutrient requirements of horses, 1989). In one experimental diet, 2.0 g CS and 5.5 g GlucN were added to the basal ration at each feeding. In the other experimental diet, 3.5 g CS and 8.5 g GlucN were added to the basal ration at each feeding. After collections, blood was centrifuged and plasma was harvested and stored until analyzed for the presence of each compound. Analyses for plasma GlucN were performed using high-performance liquid chromatography. CS in the plasma was analyzed using a color reagent, dimethylmethylene blue, followed by ultraviolet spectrophotometry. There were no significant differences (P < .05) in the concentration of either CS or GlucN in plasma, when comparing the three different diets. This leads to a conclusion that these compounds were not absorbed intact through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream. This poses a question as to whether oral forms of these compounds are absorbed and are able to migrate to joints through the blood to improve joint function.     

QTL mapping of volatile compounds in ripe apples detected by proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry

The availability of genetic linkage maps enables the detection and analysis of QTLs contributing to quality traits of the genotype. Proton Transfer Reaction Mass Spectrometry (PTR-MS), a relatively novel spectrometric technique, has been applied to measure the headspace composition of the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) emitted by apple fruit genotypes of the progeny ‘Fiesta’ × ‘Discovery’. Fruit samples were characterised by their PTR-MS spectra normalised to total area. QTL analysis for all PTR-MS peaks was carried out and 10 genomic regions associated with the peaks at m/z = 28, 43, 57, 61, 103, 115 and 145 were identified (LOD > 2.5). We show that it is possible to find quantitative trait loci (QTLs) related to PTR-MS characterisation of the headspace composition of single whole apple fruits indicating the presence of a link between molecular characterisation and PTR-MS data. We provide tentative information on the metabolites related to the detected QTLs based on available chemical information. A relation between apple skin colour and peaks related to carbonyl compounds was established. The two authors contributed equally to this work.     

Gas chromatography for detection of citrus infestation by fruit fly larvae (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Tephritid fruit flies are serious economic pests worldwide. As larvae, they feed and develop within the pulp of host fruits, making infestation difficult to detect by visual inspection. At U.S. ports of entry, incoming produce shipments are checked for infestation by manually cutting open a small sample of fruit and searching for tephritid larvae. Consequently, there is a need for more sensitive, high-throughput screening methods. This study evaluated gas chromatography (GC) as a potential technology for improved detection of hidden infestation. Grapefruits (Citrus × paradisi Macfad.) infested with immature stages of the Caribbean fruit fly Anastrepha suspensa (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae) were examined to determine if infested fruit emitted a chemical profile distinct from that of non-infested fruit. Peaks identified by GC analysis were grouped into three classes. Chemicals detected in similar quantities in all samples, or slightly elevated in infested samples, were regarded as non-diagnostic background volatiles. Chemicals highly elevated after oviposition, during the last instar exit stage, and in experimentally-pierced fruit were interpreted to be indicators of citrus peel injury, and included d-limonene and β-ocimene. Chemicals elevated exclusively in the larval infestation stages were considered indicators of feeding damage and potentially diagnostic of infestation, and included hexyl butanoate and an unidentified compound. The peaks associated with injury and feeding were also detectable with a portable ultra-fast GC analyzer that required less than 80 s per sample. Further studies will investigate the potential application of these results for development of a rapid, non-destructive screening method for detection of tephritid infestation.