Preliminary investigations into factors that affect plasma aldosterone concentrations in horses

The effect of feeding diets with low, adequate and high sodium contents on plasma aldosterone concentrations in horses and ponies was evaluated using human immunoassay kits. The effect of moderate to high intensity exercise of up to six minutes duration on plasma aldosterone concentrations in three thoroughbred- horses was also investigated. On an adequate sodium diet plasma aldosterone concentrations increased to a peak around four hours after feeding. Little daily variation was found in the pre-feeding aldosterone concentrations over three days. Feeding additional salt resulted initially in no increase in plasma aldosterone concentrations in three out of four animals. After five days all four animals had lower pre-feeding concentrations, an increase in the magnitude of the response to feeding but a decreased rise in absolute concentration. Feeding a diet with a decreased sodium content for several months did not result in a consistent change in the pre-feeding aldosterone concentrations although there were times when all three animals showed an increase in the magnitude of the aldosterone response to feeding. No correlation between changes in the fractional electrolyte excretion values determined and alterations in aldosterone response was found. Exercise resulted in a marked increase in aldosterone concentrations. The expected biological response to feeding and exercise was demonstrated with an acceptable level of reproducibility and repeatability. Samples had similar values when assayed by either of the kits evaluated.     

Releases in israel ofAphelinus perpallidus,a recently introduced parasite of the pecan blackmargined aphid,Monellia caryella

Six shipments totaling 3452 mummies of the blackmargined aphid,Monellia caryella (Fitch), parasitized withAphelinus perpallidus Gahan, were obtained by air freight during the years 1982-1985 from Texas A&M Research Center, El Paso, Texas. About two-thirds of the mummies did not yield parasites. A colony ofA. perpallidus was established in the laboratory. Under laboratory conditions the percentage of emerged parasites was higher than that in the imported mummies, and the parasite had very limited impact on the aphid population. Field releases of the parasite were made but no establishment ofA. perpallidus was observed through the years.     

Lung sounds in cattle, horses, sheep and goats

The purpose of this paper is to emphasize the importance of pulmonary auscultation for the clinician. It suggests a clarification and simplification of the terminology to be used which would be helpful to veterinary students and allow better communications between veterinarians. The interpretation of these sounds and the relationships to conditions and diseases of the lungs in cattle, horses, sheep and goats are discussed.     

Non-specific immunity parameters and the formation of advanced glycosylation end-products (AGE) in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), fed high levels of dietary carbohydrates

The effects of long-term hyperglycaemia (5 months), through feeding high levels of dietary carbohydrates, on the non-specific immunity parameters of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), was assessed. Fish were fed one of three diets composed of a basal diet containing ≈ 14% digestible carbohydrate which was progressively diluted with gelatinized potato starch in the following ratios of basal diet to supplemental carbohydrate (gelatinized potato starch): 65:00, 65:20, 65:35. The three diets were pair-fed based on the feed intake of the fish fed the diet containing the highest level of starch (65:35) and representing 100% intake. The other diets were then fed at different levels in a manner that allowed all the groups of fish in the same block to receive the same amount of the basal diet [e.g. the basal diet (undiluted, 65:00) was fed at 65% of the dietary intake of the 65:35 diet]. Blood glucose concentrations and relative liver-to-body size increased with increased dietary carbohydrate intake. Feeding supplemental carbohydrates resulted in a small increase in weight gain of the fish at both supplemental levels. Pronephros tissue lysozyme activity and pronephros macrophage superoxide production were not affected by the dietary treatments. The results suggest the presence of advanced glycosylation end-products in muscle tissue collagen, but were not significantly different between treatments. No substantial effect of long-term feeding of a high carbohydrate diet on the non-specific immunity of rainbow trout was observed. However, the results suggest that dietary carbohydrates may have a slight stimulatory effect on phagocytosis at low–moderate levels.     

Sectional notes

American Journal of Potato Research -     

Antioxidant properties of bran extracts from "Akron" wheat grown at different locations

Bran extracts of Akron wheat grown at four nonirrigated and one irrigated testing locations were examined and compared for their free radical scavenging properties against the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH(*)) and the radical cation ABTS(*)(+), chelating capacities, and total phenolic content (TPC) to determine the potential effects of environmental factors on the antioxidant properties of hard winter wheat. The environmental factors included total solar radiation, average daily solar radiation, and number of hours exceeding 32 degrees C. The results showed that bran samples from different growing locations may significantly differ in their radical scavenging activities against both DPPH(*) and ABTS(*)(+), chelating capacities, and TPC. A significant negative correlation was detected between the chelating activities of the bran samples from the four nonirrigated locations and total solar or daily average solar radiation (r = -0.999 and P = 0.001). These data suggest potential influences of growing conditions on the antioxidant properties of hard winter wheat and the possibility of producing wheat that is strong in a selected antioxidant property by optimizing the growing conditions of a selected wheat variety. More research is required to further investigate the relationship among antioxidant properties and environmental factors using different wheat varieties and larger sample sizes.     

Field Evaluation of Cocksfoot,Tall Fescue and Phalaris for Dry Marginal Environments of South‐Eastern Australia. 1. Establishment and Herbage Production

Newly developed candidate cultivars of cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.), phalaris (Phalaris aquatica L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb. = syn. L. arundinaceum (Schreb) Darbysh.) were evaluated over four years for persistence and productivity against current commercial cultivars in small plots at five locations selected for lower and less reliable rainfall and difficult soils (low pH and high Al) in south‐eastern Australia known to be marginally too dry for these grass species. The five locations were ‐ representing summer dominant rainfall, Inverell, in northern New South Wales (NSW); ‐ representing uniform rainfall; Trungley Hall, (medium rainfall), and Beckom (lower rainfall) both in southern NSW; and; representing a winter dominant pattern ‐ Eversley, (higher rainfall), and Bealiba, (lower rainfall), in central Victoria. The objective was to determine if the new candidate cultivars were more likely to persist and to be productive than current commercial cultivars. The study showed that most phalaris and cocksfoot treatments were highly productive in high rainfall years at one or both sites in southern NSW. However, all treatments had become much less productive by the end of the experimental period due to plant loss under hot, dry conditions in the final summer. At Bealiba in central Victoria, cocksfoot was the most productive species with several cocksfoot treatments of both subsp. hispanica and subsp. glomerata still present at the final harvest despite a hot and dry final summer‐autumn. Tall fescue was the most productive species in the two higher rainfall environments (Inverell, Eversley) although most treatments of all species performed well at those sites. Continental tall fescues were more productive on average than Mediterranean tall fescues at the strongly acidic Eversley site. As a result of this work, two of the new cocksfoot candidates (Moroccan Fine and AVH48 Selection) and one of the tall fescue candidates (Summer Active 1) have been licensed for commercial development and release.