Hypokalaemic episodic polymyopathy in cats fed a vegetarian diet

A previously undocumented hypokalaemic condition with a cyclical nature, comprising acute bouts of polymyopathy followed by spontaneous recoveries, is described in the cat. Cats being fed a high protein vegetarian diet developed recurrent episodes of polymyopathy, characterised by ventroflexion of the head and neck, stiff forelimb gait, lateral head-resting and generalised muscle weakness. Plasma potassium concentrations (mean +/- standard deviation) were reduced from 3.28 +/- 0.33 mmol/l at the beginning of the experiment to 2.45 +/- 0.24 mmol/l during bouts of myopathy. This hypokalaemia was associated with increased creatine kinase activities indicative of muscle damage, and decreased urinary potassium concentrations, and was caused by insufficient dietary potassium. Cats that received the same diet supplemented with potassium did not develop hypokalaemic polymyopathy. Spontaneous recoveries of affected cats were not associated consistently with increases in plasma potassium concentrations. Plasma taurine concentrations decreased and glutamic acid increased markedly in all cats fed the experimental diet. There was no evidence of thiamin deficiency associated with the high glutamic acid intake. Veterinarians should be aware that hypokalaemic cats, and in particular those on potassium-deficient diets, may show cyclical disease with episodes of polymyopathy recurring after periods of spontaneous clinical recovery. This condition in cats may be a useful animal model for familial hypokalaemic periodic paralysis in humans.     

Process modeling of nitrogen effects on carbon assimilation and allocation-a review

Maximum forest productivity will only be realized through intensified management of mineral nutrition. This review examines selected individual tree and stand nutrition models. Nutrient supply is defined by mass flow and diffusion processes in a forest environment. Additionally, structures of biomass accumulation models are considered as well as nutritional limitations on assimilation functions and carbon allocation patterns.     

Screening for low grain cadmium phenotypes in sunflower, durum wheat and flax

Cadmium (Cd) level in nonoilseed sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), flax (Linum usitatissimum L.), and durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum) grown on uncontaminated, alkaline soils has exceeded limits established in Northern Europe. Separate field experiments were conducted to investigate variability of grain Cd levels among sunflower, durum wheat and flax germplasm, and to seek an efficient screening method for future breeding. There were large variations in leaf Cd concentration among 200 sunflower lines. These lines performed more consistently for Cd uptake at the R5 stage than at the V8 stage across 4 locations with markedly differing soils. Cd concentration in V8 leaves was not related to Cd in grain. The positive correlation between R5 leaf Cd and kernel Cd level was obtained from nonoilseed hybrid (Sigco 954) (R²; = 0.74**), and 200 lines (R² = 0.44**) tested over 4 locations in 2 field trials, respectively. This indicates that an efficient and low cost screening method can be developed for genotype selection, but plants must be grown to the R5 stage. A preliminary evaluation of 30 durum wheat and 74 flax lines indicated large variations in grain Cd level of durum wheat and flax. Grain Cd concentration ranged from 0.11 to 0.34 mg Cd kg^-1 DW for durum wheat, and 0.14 to 1.37 mg Cd kg^-1 DW for flax, respectively. This variability indicates that breeding for low grain Cd in durum wheat and flax should be feasible. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Heavy metal effects on soil populations and heavy metal tolerance of Rhizobium meliloti,nodulation, and growth of alfalfa

Effects of heavy metals on rhizobia and the symbiotic association with leguminous hosts are currently unclear. To investigate this problem, we examined Rhizobium meliloti (microsymbiont) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) (macrosymbiont) collected from soils contaminated with varying concentrations of heavy metals (varying distances from a Zn smelter operating 90 yr.). Soil populations of R. meliloti were not correlated with metal concentrations in soil. The lowest rhizobial population was found in the soil with the highest extractable metal concentrations, but the highest populations were found in soil which was moderately contaminated. A greenhouse study in which alfalfa was grown in the same soils showed no significant trend for nodulation or nitrogenase activity of roots. Highest nodule number and nitrogenase activity were observed in those soils which had the lowest population of R. meliloti. When the heavy metal Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of individual isolates was examined, no correlation was found between the MIC and soil metal concentration (total, or water or 0.01 M Ca(NO₃)₂ extractable).These results indicate that even in highly contaminated soils, metal activity was not high enough to exert an antagonistic influence on the soil rhizobial population or the symbiotic association between alfalfa and R. meliloti.     

Follow-up of mercury levels in fish,human hair and urine in the Madeira and Tapajós basins,Amazon, Brazil

Informal economy of gold mining has contaminated some important river basins in Amazon. Follow-up studies on critical compartments showed some areas with high Hg levels in fish as well as in human hair samples. Average Hg in piscivorous fish in the Madeira river itself was 846 ppb (N=284) with a maximum of 3921 ppb. Mercury in fish from non polluted areas in this basin shows high variability, even for single species. A seasonal variation in Hg content was observed, with higher values at the end of the dry season. In the upper Tapajós basin comparable values were found for fish but with a definite decreasing trend downstream. Average value for piscivorous fish in the whole Tapajós basin is 482 ppb (N=122) with a maximum value of 3770 ppb. Hair Hg was higher in fishing villages in the Tapajós (average: 17 ppm; with N=432 and maximum value of 176 ppm) than in the Madeira (average: 9 ppm; N=169; maximum 71 ppm), and data from some areas of the Tapajós suggest a decrease with time. Mercury was much higher in urine of goldshop workers in Santarém (low Tapajós) than in Alta Floresta (high Tapajbs) and show a decreasing trend in both cases, probably related to the significant decline in gold mining activities during the study period (1986–1994).     

Preliminary investigation on the response of spring barley (Hordeum sativum) to soil cultivation with the ‘paraplow’

In a long-term cultivation experiment on a sandy clay loam overlying magnesian limestone and cropped with spring barley (Hordeum sativum) each year, mouldboard ploughing, shallow tine cultivation and direct drilling were compared. Compaction had become evident on the direct drilled treatment and to alleviate this the ‘Paraplow’, a slant-legged soil loosening implement, was used on all treatments to a depth of 35 cm in the autumn of 1980.A crop of spring barley (var. Athos) was grown in 1981, at a nitrogen fertiliser rate of 75 kg ha^?1 N. Root growth, shoot dry matter, nitrogen uptake, grain yield and components of yield were recorded. Soil strength (by cone resistance) and dry bulk density of the soil were also measured. As a mean of all cultivation systems the ‘Paraplow’ increased grain yield by 12%. The response of the crop to cultivation by the ‘Paraplow’ was greatest on the mouldboard ploughed and long-term direct-drilled systems. The latter out-yielded the former, with shallow tine cultivation intermediate.The decrease in soil strength caused by the ‘Paraplow’ resulted in more rapid penetration of root axes and greater proliferation of roots in each horizon of the profile. There was no significant effect on shoot dry matter up to anthesis but, at harvest, barley on land treated with the ‘Paraplow’ had more ears with more grains per ear. Thousand-grain weight was not affected.The poorer growth of barley on ploughed than direct drilled land in 1981 was explained by temporary waterlogging of the soil in May.