Exogenous application of allelopathic water extracts helps improving tolerance against terminal heat and drought stresses in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L. Em. Thell.)

The allelopathic water extracts (AWEs) may help improve the tolerance of crop plants against abiotic stresses owing to the presence of the secondary metabolites (i.e., allelochemicals). We conducted four independent experiments to evaluate the influence of exogenous application of AWEs (applied through seed priming or foliage spray) in improving the terminal heat and drought tolerance in bread wheat. In all the experiments, two wheat cultivars, viz. Mairaj‐2008 (drought and heat tolerant) and Faisalabad‐2008 (drought and heat sensitive), were raised in pots. Both wheat cultivars were raised under ambient conditions in the wire house till leaf boot stage (booting) by maintaining the pots at 75% water‐holding capacity (WHC). Then, managed drought and heat stresses were imposed by maintaining the pots at 35% WHC, or shifting the pots inside the glass canopies (at 75% WHC), at booting, anthesis and the grain filling stages. Drought stress reduced the grain yield of wheat by 39%–49%. Foliar application of AWEs improved the grain yield of wheat by 26%–31%, while seed priming with AWEs improved the grain yield by 18%–26%, respectively, than drought stress. Terminal heat stress reduced the grain yield of wheat by 38%. Seed priming with AWEs improved the grain yield by 21%–27%; while foliar application of AWEs improved the grain yield by 25%–29% than the heat stress treatment. In conclusion, the exogenous application of AWEs improved the stay green, accumulation of proline, soluble phenolics and glycine betaine, which helped to stabilize the biological membranes and improved the tolerance against terminal drought and heat stresses.     

Impact of grassland contract policy on soil organic carbon losses from alpine grassland on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Carbon storage in the soils on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau plays a very important role in the global carbon budget. In the 1990s, a policy of contracting collective grasslands to smaller units was implemented, resulting in a change from the traditional collective grassland management to two new management patterns: a multi‐household management pattern (MMP: grassland shared by several households without enclosures) and a single‐household management pattern (SMP: grassland enclosed and used by only one household). In 2016, 50 MMP and 54 SMP winter pastures on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau were sampled to assess the differences in soil organic carbon (SOC) between the two management patterns. Results showed that average SOC was significantly greater under MMP than under SMP, with an estimated 0.41 Mg C/ha/yr lost due to SMP following the new grassland contract. Based on the government's grassland policy, four grassland utilization scenarios were developed for both summer and winter pastures. We found that if the grassland were managed under SMP, likely C losses ranged between 0.31 × 10⁷ and 6.15 × 10⁷ Mg C/yr across the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau relative to MMP, which more closely resembles pre‐1990s grassland management. Previous estimates of C losses have only considered land use change (with cover change) and ignored the impacts driven by land management pattern changes (without cover change). The new data suggest that C losses from the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau are greater than previously estimated, and therefore that the grassland contract policy should be reviewed and SMP households should be encouraged to reunite into the MMP. These findings have potential implications for land management strategies not only on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau but also other grazing regions globally where such practices may exist.     

Immunodeficiency associated with lymphosarcoma in a horse.

Immune system dysfunction and immunoglobulin deficiency was diagnosed in a 2-year-old horse with disseminated lymphosarcoma. Prolonged (35 days) parenteral nutrition was delivered to support the horse during a period in which immune function studies could be performed. Correction of nutritional compromise by use of parenteral nutrition did not correct the immunoglobulin deficiency, and results of lymphocyte phenotype testing did not indicate abnormal proportions of leukocytes. Lymphoblast transformation studies were suggestive of a circulating immunosuppressive factor in the horse's serum. Normal cell function was detected when the cells were stimulated in precolostral equine serum.     

Staining pattern of the brush border and detection of cytoplasmic granules in the uriniferous tubules of female DBA/2Cr mouse kidney: comparison among various fixations and stains.

The proximal straight tubules of the female mouse kidney exhibit heavy periodic acid Schiff (PAS) staining in their brush borders and numerous cytoplasmic granules. In the present study, the female DBA/2Cr mouse kidney was examined, using various fixatives (formalin, PFA, PLP, Zamboni's, Bouin, or Carnoy solution) and various staining methods (HE, PAS, alcian blue, periodic acid methenamine-silver (PAM), toluidine blue, azan, or Congo red). Under azan and PAM, the staining pattern of the brush border was similar to that of PAS, and few effects of the fixative were observed. Cytoplasmic granules were clearly detected with PAM as well as PAS. However, these granules were not detected with Carnoy solution. Furthermore, distribution of granules differed between PAS and PAM.     

Behaviour of laying hens in a deep litter house

1. Flocks of medium hybrid laying hens were housed in a modified deep litter system; the house was divided into 2, 3 and 4 pens in three successive years. Flock size was 300 or 370 and stocking density varied from 3.4 to 10.7 birds/m2. Higher densities used were above those recommended by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF). 2. A random sample of 100 birds was identified with individual tags in each of the 9 flocks; regular observations using a scanning technique were made in each laying cycle to determine bird location and behaviour. 3. In all flocks the use of area by some individuals was uneven, that is, they were sighted in certain areas significantly more often than would have been expected by chance. The proportion of such individuals varied between flocks from 35 to 65%. Overall, birds spent more time on the slatted area than would have been expected from the area that it occupied. 4. A wide variety of different behaviour patterns was observed both on litter and on slats, but with foraging occurring more on litter and feeding more on slats. 5. Movement appeared to be constrained by crowding, because time spent in locomotion decreased in approximately linear fashion with increased stocking density. This provides support for MAFF recommendations of limits on stocking density in deep litter houses.     

Surgical treatment of dorsal cortical fractures of the third metacarpal bone in thoroughbred racehorses: 53 cases (1985-1989).

Between January 1985 and May 1989, 53 Thoroughbred horses (mean age 3.2 years) were surgically treated for dorsal cortical fractures of the third metacarpal bone (MC III). All horses were treated with cortical drilling through the fracture line (osteostixis). Diagnosis of the fractures was confirmed by xeroradiography. Lifetime racing records were obtained for all horses. Forty-seven horses returned to racing after surgery (89%). The mean time between surgery and the first race was 6.8 months. Horses had a mean of 10.9 starts before surgery and 16.1 starts after surgery. The mean earnings per start before surgery was $6,459 and after surgery was $5,685. Of the 47 horses that raced after surgery, 70% raced at the same class or improved. Complications related to surgery were seen in 10 horses. Two horses had a second fracture of MC III at the same site, and were again treated by osteostixis, after which both horses returned to competition. Fractured drill bits were left in the MC III of 4 horses. One of these horses had catastrophic failure of MC III. Two horses developed subcutaneous infections and 2 horses had catastrophic failure of MC III in the surgically treated limb. Osteostixis appears to be an effective treatment for returning horses affected with dorsal cortical fractures to racing.     

Large granular lymphoma in an FIV-positive and FeLV-negative cat

The clinical course of a feline leukaemia virus (FeLV)-negative and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-positive cat affected with a large granular lymphocyte lymphoma is presented. Cyto-logical examination showed neoplastic cells in the pleural effusion and in two abdominal masses. Bone marrow and peripheral blood were moderately involved and chemotherapy was used to control the tumour. Cytochemistry, immunohis-tochemistry and ultrastructural studies were applied to define the cellular lineage; cytochemistry suggested a T-cell lineage.     

The effect of porcine somatotropin supplementation in pigs on the lipid profile of subcutaneous and intermuscular adipose tissue and longissimus muscle.

The effect of porcine somatotropin (pST) on the lipid profiles of adipose tissue and muscle was investigated. Sixteen crossbred barrows were injected daily with either 3 mg of pST or a placebo. After slaughter, total lipid and fatty acid composition of raw subcutaneous (SC) adipose and intermuscular (IM) adipose tissue and longissimus muscle were determined. The SC adipose tissue from pST-treated pigs had a 7.5% decrease in total lipid content; specific fatty acids 16:0, 18:0, and 18:1(n-9)c decreased most. The IM fat from pST-treated pigs had lower levels of 16:0 and 20:0. There was no effect of pST treatment on the lipid profile of the longissimus muscle. The data suggest that pST treatment produces small but significant changes in the saturated fatty acid content of adipose tissue in pigs.     

Antitumor effect of adriamycin entrapped in liposomes conjugated with anti-bovine tumor antigen monoclonal antibody in leukemic cows

Monoclonal antibody c143 against tumor-associated antigen (TAA) expressed on bovine leukemia cells was conjugated to liposomes containing adriamycin (ADM), and therapeutic effects of conjugates were examined in leukemic or preleukemic cows to prevent the progression of the disease. Five cows with TAA-positive in their peripheral blood lymphocytes were divided into two groups. Each group of cows received 4 injections of ADM alone (0.4 mg/kg) or c143-conjugated liposomes containing the same dose of ADM (L-AMD-c143) through the jugular vein at about 4 day intervals. In three animals treated with L-ADM-c143, the TAA-positive cells gradually decreased with treatment and finally two animals became TAA-negative during a 6 week period and a 14 week period after treatment, respectively. In the control, two animals treated with ADM alone showed only a slight decrease of TAA-positive cells.