bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factitious disease of the breast of a male due to injection of liquid plastic
Authors: Rosen Ted , Chen Minsue
Published: March 2003

Background  Factitious disease involving the breast is unusual. The rarely reported cases of this entity have been encountered in middle‐aged women. In general, factitious disease can be distinguished on clinical and/or psychological grounds from self‐induced disorders seen in malingerers and among those demonstrating Munchausen's syndrome.

Methods  We report herein a male patient displaying factitious disease of the breast due to injection of a high viscosity liquid plastic material.

Results  Establishment of the proper diagnosis was greatly delayed due to a lack of suspicion of this entity. Only direct confrontation of the patient with the biopsy results (lipogranulomatosis) led to a reluctant and then only partial admission of the self‐induced nature of this patient's illness.

Conclusion  The clinician should remain vigilant for factitious disease when confronted with chronic or recurrent lesions of a bizarre or atypical morphology. Any body site can be involved, including the breast. Management is difficult and is best accomplished in conjunction with an appropriate mental health professional. Continued dramatic surgical interventions are contraindicated.
S‐100‐negative atypical granular cell tumor: report of a case
Authors: Lee Mi‐Woo , Chang Sung‐Eun , Song Kye‐Yong , Choi Jee‐Ho , Sung Kyung‐Jeh , Moon Kee‐Chan , Koh Jai‐Kyoung
Published: March 2003

A 38‐year‐old man presented with a solitary, round, 1.2 × 1.2 cm, bluish‐colored, dome‐shaped, hard nodule on the left side of the neck, which had grown over 2 months (Fig. 1). The nodule was nontender and nonmovable. Light microscopy revealed that the neoplasm was situated in the reticular dermis with extension into the papillary dermis. The tumor showed expansile growth with smooth and round borders, and was made up of sheets of cells arranged in nests or lobules separated by thin delicate connective tissue septa. The tumor cells were round, oval, or polygonal in shape with distinct cellular borders. The cells had abundant eosinophilic granular cytoplasm, and considerable variation of cellular and nuclear size was noted (Fig. 2a). The tumor cell nuclei were vesicular and some had pleomorphism (Fig. 2b). Sometimes multiple nucleoli were seen. Mitoses and necrosis were virtually absent. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that some of the cytoplasmic granules stained positively with periodic acid–Schiff (PAS) after diastase treatment. Tumor cells showed strong reactivity for CD68 and neuron‐specific enolase, and negative results for S‐100, factor XIIIa, cytokeratin, desmin, CD34, and smooth muscle actin. Electron microscopy revealed that the tumor was composed of polygonal cells with round to irregular nuclei, and the cytoplasm contained numerous secondary lysosomes. The tumor was completely excised.

A solitary, round, 1.2 × 1.2 cm, bluish‐colored, dome‐shaped, hard nodule on the left side of the neck

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(a) Tumor cells contain granular cytoplasm and show atypical cytologic features (b) Neoplastic cells show variation of cell size and nuclear pleomorphism

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Localized hypopigmented keratoses
Authors: Kokturk Aysin , Ikizoglu Guliz , Kaya Tamer Irfan , Apa Duygu Dusmez , Baz Kiymet
Published: March 2003

A 16‐year‐old girl presented with a 2‐year history of hypopigmented, hard papules involving the extensor surfaces of the forearms and lower legs. Initially, 2–3‐mm‐sized papules were present on the forearms; gradually they increased in number and spread to involve the lower legs. Her family history was unremarkable. There was a history of worsening in the summer. On examination, she was skin type 3, with multiple, round, hypopigmented, keratotic, flat‐topped papules located on the distal dorsal parts of the extremities, with a stuck‐on appearance (Fig. 1). The papules were unrelated to follicular orifices, symmetrically distributed, and could not be detached. The lesions were not itchy. Her face, trunk, palms, and soles were spared, and no mucosal lesions were present. The nails and hair were normal.

Numerous, hypopigmented, flat‐topped papules on the arm

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Histologic examination of a papule revealed orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis, mild acanthosis, mild papillomatosis, and vacuolization in basal cells. A mild lymphocytic inflammatory response was seen. There were normal amounts of melanin in the basal cell layer and no melanophages were present (Fig. 2).

Hyperorthokeratosis, mild acanthosis, and papillomatosis. A mild inflammatory infiltrate is present in the dermis (hematoxylin and eosin, × 100)

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Despite some slight differences, the clinical and histologic features appeared to be similar to cases previously described under the title “disseminated hypopigmented keratoses”.

The patient was treated with 0.1% tretinoin gel and 10% salicylic acid ointment and marked improvement was observed after several weeks.
How to become large quickly: quantitative genetics of growth and foraging in a flush feeding lepidopteran larva
Authors: Kause  , Saloniemi  , Haukioja  , Hanhimäki
Published: March 2003

Rapid larval growth in insects may be selected for by rapid ephemeral phenological changes in food resources modifying the structure of phenotypic and genetic (co)variation in and among individual traits. We studied the relative effects of three processes which can modify expression of additive genetic and nongenetic variation in traits. First, natural selection tends to erode genetic variation in fitness-related traits. Second, there may be high variance even in traits closely coupled with fitness, if these traits are themselves products of variable lower level traits. Third, traits may be canalized by developmental processes which reduce phenotypic variation. Moreover, we investigated the phenotypic and genetic role played by the underlying traits in attaining simultaneously both large size and short development time.

We measured phenotypic and genetic (co)variation in several pre- and post-ingestive foraging traits, growth, development rate, development time and size, together forming a hierarchical network of traits, in the larvae of a flush feeding geometrid, Epirrita autumnata. Rapid larval growth rate and high pupal mass are closely related to fitness in E. autumnata. Traits closely associated with larval growth displayed low levels of additive genetic variation, indicating that genetic variability may have been exhausted by selection for rapid growth. The body size of E. autumnata, in spite of its close correlation with fitness, exhibited a significant additive genetic variation, possiblye because caterpillar size is the outcome of many underlying heritable traits. The low level traits in the hierarchical net, number (indicating larval movements) and size of feeding bouts in leaves, relative consumption rate and efficiency of conversion of ingested food, displayed high levels of residual variation. High residual variation in consumption and physiological ability to handle leaf material resulted from their flexibility which reduced variation in growth rate, i.e. growth rate was canalized. We did not detect a trade-off between development time and final size. On the contrary, large pupal masses were attained by short larval periods, and this relationship was strongly genetically determined, suggesting that both developmental time and final size are expressions of the same developmental process (vigorous growth) and the same genes (or linkage disequilibrium).
Different population structures in northern and southern populations of the European blue tit (Parus caeruleus)
Authors: Kvist  , Ruokonen  , Lumme  , Orell
Published: March 2003

We sequenced the control region of the mitochondrial DNA from a sample of six European blue tit populations to investigate the phylogeography of Parus species. Along a transect from Barcelona, Spain to Oulu, Finland, the blue tit showed a different phylogeographic structure than the great tit and the willow tit. The southernmost sample from Barcelona consisted of two widely divergent maternal lineages (nucleotide divergence, π = 0.30%), a situation also found earlier in the French Alps. The more northern populations had a relatively uniform structure (π = 0.19%) with distinctive marks of a growing population, thus resembling the great tit populations (π = 0.19%). The amount of genetic variation among blue tits is lower than in the willow tit (π = 0.53%). This probably reflects a smaller long-term effective population size in the great tit and the blue tit than in the willow tit. The different genetic structure of the Barcelona population vs. the rest had an influence on the estimated population parameters, which are calculated based on the assumptions of genetic equilibrium of the populations.
Local adaptation and effect of host genotype on the rate of pathogen evolution: an experimental test in a plant pathosystem
Authors: Zhan J. , Mundt C. C. , Hoffer M. E. , McDonald B. A.
Published: March 2003

Virulence is thought to be a driving force in host–pathogen coevolution. Theoretical models suggest that virulence is an unavoidable consequence of pathogens evolving towards a high rate of intrahost reproduction. These models predict a positive correlation between the reproductive fitness of a pathogen and its level of virulence. Theoretical models also suggest that the demography and genetic structure of a host population can influence the evolution of virulence. If evolution occurs faster in pathogen populations than in host populations, the predicted result is local adaptation of the pathogen population. In our studies, we used a combination of molecular and physiological markers to test these hypotheses in an agricultural system. We isolated five strains of the fungal pathogen Mycosphaerella graminicola from each of two wheat cultivars that differed in their level of resistance to this pathogen. Each of the 10 fungal strains had distinct genotypes as indicated by different DNA fingerprints. These fungal strains were re-inoculated onto the same two host cultivars in a field experiment and their genotype frequencies were monitored over several generations of asexual reproduction. We also measured the virulence of these 10 fungal strains and correlated it to the reproductive fitness of each fungal strain. We found that host genotypes had a strong impact on the dynamics of the pathogen populations. The pathogen population collected from the moderately resistant cultivar Madsen showed greater stability, higher genotype diversity, and smaller selection coefficients than the pathogen populations collected from the susceptible cultivar Stephens or a mixture of the two host cultivars. The pathogen collection from the mixed host population was midway between the two pure lines for most parameters measured. Our results also revealed that the measures of reproductive fitness and virulence of a pathogen strain were not always correlated. The pathogen strains varied in their patterns of local adaptation, ranging from locally adapted to locally maladapted.
Among-population variation and correlations in sexually dimorphic traits of Silene latifolia
Authors: Delph L. F. , Knapczyk F. N. , Taylor D. R.
Published: March 2003

The degree of sexual dimorphism in a trait may be determined directly by disruptive selection, as well as by correlations with other traits under selection. We grew seeds from nine populations of the dioecious plant Silene latifolia in a common-garden experiment to determine whether phenotypic variation and correlations existed for floral, leaf and resource allocation traits, and whether this variation had a genetic component. We also determined the traits which were sexually dimorphic, the degree of dimorphism, and whether it varied among populations. Seven traits exhibited among-population variation and sexual dimorphism. Variation in the degree of dimorphism occurred only for two traits, suggesting that dimorphism may be evolving more slowly than trait means. Males had more, smaller flowers, shorter leaves, and allocated less of their total biomass to stems and more to leaves than females. Flower production was the most sexually dimorphic trait and was correlated with all measured traits. Most traits exhibited significant correlations between the sexes. The pattern of correlations and the degree of sexual dimorphism among traits lead us to suggest that intrasexual selection for an exaggerated floral display in males has indirectly led to sexual dimorphism in a host of other traits.
Transfusion‐associated graft‐versus‐host disease in a patient with Waldenstrom's macroglobulinaemia
Authors: Munro L. R. , Culligan D. J. , Grant A. , Johnston P. W. , Watson H. G.
Published: March 2003

Background and Objectives Routine irradiation of cellular blood products is not presently recommended for patients with non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).

Materials and Methods We report the case of a 72‐year‐old‐man with Waldenstrom's macroglobulinaemia who developed transfusion‐associated graft‐versus‐host disease (TA‐GvHD) 13 days following a non‐irradiated red cell transfusion.

Results The patient had not previously received purine analogues and none of the donors was homozygous for a human leucocyte antigen (HLA) haplotype that was shared by the recipient. Therefore, his only apparent risk factor was lymphoplasmacytoid NHL.

Conclusions This case further strengthens the argument that NHL per se is a risk factor for TA‐GvHD and supports the proposal that the guidelines for prophylactic irradiation of cellular blood products be extended to include all cases of NHL.
Regional anticoagulation with acid citrate dextrose‐A for extracorporeal photoimmunochemotherapy
Authors: Apsner R. , Uenver B. , Sunder‐Plassmann G. , Knobler R. M.
Published: March 2003

Background and Objectives During photopheresis, intravenous heparin is used to prevent clotting in the extracorporeal circuit. Regional citrate anticoagulation could lower the risks associated with heparin treatment.

Materials and Methods Four‐hundred and six photophereses procedures that were anticoagulated by acid citrate dextrose‐A (ACD‐A) (of which 343 were performed in patients at risk for haemorrhage) were analysed together with 278 heparin‐anticoagulated treatments.

Results Four‐hundred and four of 406 citrate treatments were completed. Seven transient paresthesias (1·73%), five of which occurred in the first 50 treatments, were observed. Bleeding complications were noted during heparin anticoagulation (1·07%), but not during citrate anticoagulation. During photopheresis, haemoglobin values and platelet counts decreased by 11·4% and 14·6%, respectively (P < 0·0001). Twenty‐four hours after treatment, haemoglobin values, and platelet and leucocyte counts were still lower than at baseline (P < 0·0001). The changes of haemoglobin, platelet and leucocyte values did not differ for citrate and heparin.

Conclusions In patients with contraindications against heparin use, ACD‐A citrate anticoagulation during photopheresis is a safe and efficient alternative. Photopheresis induces profound changes of the blood count, irrespective of the anticoagulation method.
Cellular therapy for haematological malignancies
Authors: Roddie P. H. , Turner M. L.
Published: March 2003

The aim of this review was to summarize the recent progress made in the field of cellular therapeutics in haematological malignancy. The review also examined the role that the National Transfusion Services might play in the manufacture of new cellular therapeutic agents, given both their expertise in the safe provision of blood products and their possession of accredited cell manipulation facilities. Cellular therapy is entering an era in which novel cellular products will find increasing clinical use, particularly in the areas of haematopoietic stem cell transplantation and immunotherapy. The production of novel cell‐based therapies, both in Europe and North America, is now under strict regulatory control and therefore collaboration with the National Transfusion Services in the manufacture of these agents may well be beneficial if the production standards demanded by the regulatory authorities are to be fulfilled.
Lymphocyte T subsets and natural killer cells in Italian and Philippino blood donors
Authors: Pasqualetti D. , Ghirardini A. , Cafolla A. , Biffoni M. , Coluzzi S. , Vaglio S. , Girelli G.
Published: March 2003

Background and Objectives The characterization of lymphocyte subsets in blood donors has been utilized to determine the normal ranges that can be related to race. A study was performed in blood donors from two racial groups – Caucasian (Italians) and Asian (Philippinos) – to define respective T‐lymphocyte subsets and levels of cytokines.

Materials and Methods Ninety‐two blood donors (46 Italians and 46 Philippinos) were enrolled. Blood count and immunophenotyping of lymphocytes by flow cytometry were carried out, and cytokine production was tested in six blood donors of each group.

Results Philippino blood donors showed a significantly higher mean value of leucocytes (P = 0·01) and lymphocytes (P < 0·001) than Italians. The mean absolute count of lymphocyte subsets CD3− CD16+ CD56+ and CD3+ CD8+ were both significantly higher in Philippino than in Italian subjects, respectively, P < 0·01 and P < 0·0001. Philippinos showed a statistically significant higher frequency of lymphocytes producing interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) compared to Italians (P = 0·02).

Conclusions T‐lymphocyte subsets in Italian and Philippino blood donors seem to be correlated to ethnic background. The higher levels of CD3+ CD8+ T cells, natural killer (NK) cells and IFN‐γ‐producing cells found in Philippinos suggest leucoreduction in Asian blood donors.
Phenological Development–Yield Relationships in Dry Pea in Semiarid Mediterranean Conditions
Authors: Al‐Karaki Ghazi N.
Published: March 2003

Dry pea (Pisum sativum L.) growers in the semiarid Mediterranean region require cultivars that are both early maturing and high yielding. However, negative relationships between these two characteristics limit their simultaneous improvement. A better understanding of the relative importance of the developmental stages in determining yield would assist in pea improvement. Sixteen dry pea cultivars were grown for 2 years under semiarid Mediterranean conditions (Maru, north Jordan) in order to see if differences in growing degree days (GDD) to flowering and GDD from planting to physiological maturity exist and to study their relationships with seed yield. Seed yield was negatively correlated with GDD to maturity, but not significantly correlated with GDD to flowering. Increasing GDD to flowering resulted in higher seed yield, while increasing seed fill duration had little effect. Rapid seed fill rate was positively correlated with seed weight and negatively correlated with seed fill duration. These results indicate that Mediterranean‐adapted cultivars would have preflowering periods lasting as long as possible, followed by short seedfill periods. Simultaneous selection for early maturity and a relatively long time to flowering is recommended for the development of early‐maturing, high‐yielding cultivars adapted to semiarid Mediterranean environments.
Performance of Legume Mixtures under Small‐plot Periodic Grazing
Authors: Peters M. , Tarawali S. A. , Schultze‐Kraft R. , Smith J. W. , Musa A.
Published: March 2003

The potential of pastures sown with species mixtures of tropical legume species compared with single species was investigated in subhumid west Africa, over a period of three grazing seasons. Through compensation and complementation of the individual legume species, the mixtures were seasonally and temporally (seasonal refers to different seasons in a year, temporal to different years) more stable than the single species stands. Crude protein contents of individual legumes in the mixtures were higher than of the same species grown in single stands, indicating possible synergistic effects in the mixtures. The ability of legume mixtures to withstand environmental and management variations and, thus, their subsequent potential for on‐farm utilization under farmers’ conditions are discussed.
Effect of Management Intensities and Sward Structures on Dry‐matter Production of Meadow Fescue (Festuca pratensis Huds.) in Permanent Grassland
Authors: Zimmermann M. , Nösberger J.
Published: March 2003

A 3‐year experiment was conducted on an extensively managed hay meadow to assess the effect of management intensity and sward density on growth of meadow fescue. Two management treatments, intensive (6 cuts, 240 kg N ha−1 year−1) and extensive (3 cuts, 75 kg N ha−1 year−1), with and without gaps around the meadow fescue plants, were applied.

The highest yields were obtained under frequent defoliation. The yield of meadow fescue when grown in gaps increased four‐ to fivefold on an area basis in the first growing season, and reached a factor of 17 the following year. However, the difference between the treatments with and without gaps decreased strongly during the third growing season.

The contribution of meadow fescue to the total yield remained high and constant in swards with gaps combined with extensive management for the 3 years. In contrast, in swards with gaps combined with intensive management, the yield contribution of meadow fescue decreased, and in swards without gaps it remained very low under both management regimes.

The results show that meadow fescue was a weak competitor. Its response to management intensity was strongly affected by light intensity and soil water content. Low light intensity and dry top soils enhanced the suppression of meadow fescue.
Physiological Investigation of the Impact of Nitrogen and Sulphur Application on Seed and Oil Yield of Rapeseed (Brassica campestris L.) and Mustard (Brassica juncea L. Czern. and Coss.) Genotypes
Authors: Ahmad A. , Abraham G. , Abdin M. Z.
Published: March 2003

Field experiments were conducted to determine the physiological basis of the effects of N and S interactions on seed and oil yield of Brassica species. Five combinations of N and S (in kg ha−1) 0S+100N (T1), 40S+60N (T2), 40S+100N (T3), 60S+100N (T4) and 60S+150N (T5), were used for this purpose. Nitrate reductase (NR) activity and ATP‐sulphurylase activity in the leaves were measured at various growth stages, as the two enzymes catalyse rate‐limiting steps of the assimilatory pathways of nitrate and sulphate, respectively. The activities of these enzymes were strongly correlated with seed and oil yield. The highest nitrate reductase activity, ATP‐sulphurylase activity and yield were achieved with the combination T3 in both species. Any variation from this combination decreased the activity of these enzymes, resulting in a reduction of the seed and oil yield of Brassica species. The higher seed and oil yield achieved in these species at T3 could be due to optimization of leaf soluble protein and photosynthetic rate, as these parameters are influenced by N and S assimilation.
Temporal Variation of Infiltration Rate in a Vertisol under Lentil–Wheat Rotation
Authors: Battikhi A. M. , Suleiman A. A.
Published: March 2003

Understanding of the effect of tillage and plant residue incorporation on infiltration rate during plant growth is vital to improve tillage–plant residue management practices, especially in vertisols. These soils may shrink and swell markedly which, in turn, affects their physical properties. From 1992 to 1994, the effect of two tillage practices and two plant residue management treatments on final infiltration rate in a vertisol (very fine, smectitic, thermic, chromic Haploxerert) on a less than 1 % slope was investigated in a lentil–wheat rotation. The experiment consisted of two tillage treatments – moldboard (T1) and chisel (T2) – and two plant residue treatments – grazing after harvest for 1 month, followed by incorporation in August by ploughing (R1), and grazing after harvest for 1 month, followed by incorporation in mid‐October (R2). Results indicated that the final infiltration rate of T1 was higher than that of T2 in the lentil season, while in the wheat season it was lower under T1 than under T2. Plant residue incorporation had no significant effect on final infiltration rate. Final infiltration rate in winter was approximately 3 to 4 times higher than in summer; it was significantly lower in the lentil season than in the wheat season.
Elevated CO2 increases wheat cer, leaf and tiller development, and shoot and root growth
Authors: McMaster G. S. , LeCain D. R. , Morgan J. A. , Aiguo L. , Hendrix D. L.
Published: March 2003

Whole‐plant responses to elevated CO2 throughout the life cycle are needed to understand future impacts of elevated atmospheric CO2. In this study, Triticum aestivum L. leaf carbon exchange rates (CER) and carbohydrates, growth, and development were examined at the tillering, booting, and grain‐filling stages in growth chambers with CO2 concentrations of 350 (ambient) or 700 (high) μmol mol−1. Single‐leaf CER values measured on plants grown at high CO2 were 50% greater than those measured on plants grown at ambient CO2 for all growth stages, with no photosynthetic acclimation observed at high CO2. Leaves grown in high CO2 had more starch and simple sugars at tillering and booting, and more starch at grain‐filling, than those grown in ambient CO2. CER and carbohydrate levels were positively correlated with leaf appearance rates and tillering (especially third‐, fourth‐ and fifth‐order tillers). Elevated CO2 slightly delayed tiller appearance, but accelerated tiller development after appearance. Although high CO2 increased leaf appearance rates, final leaf number/culm was not effected because growth stages were reached slightly sooner. Greater plant biomass was related to greater tillering. Doubling CO2 significantly increased both shoot and root dry weight, but decreased the shoot to root ratio. High CO2 plants had more spikes plant−1 and spikelets spike−1, but a similar number of fertile spikelets spike−1. Elevated CO2 resulted in greater shoot, root and spike production and quicker canopy development by increasing leaf and tiller appearance rates and phenology.
Response of Black Nightshade (Solanum nigrum L.) to Phosphorus Application
Authors: Khan M. M. A. , Samiullah  , Afaq S. H. , Afridi R. M.
Published: March 2003

A pot experiment was conducted to study the effect of phosphorus (P) on the vegetative and reproductive growth of black nightshade (Solanum nigrum L.). Single superphosphate was applied at 0, 0.15, 0.30, 0.45, 0.60 and 0.75 g P/pot containing 3.5 kg of soil. Seeds were sown directly in pots and plant samples were taken at fortnightly intervals for recording growth and yield parameters. In addition, the solasodine content in fruit and N, P and K levels in leaves were also estimated. Most parameters were significantly influenced by P, with0.45 g/pot generally proving optimal. The data also established that the berries should be harvested between 160 and 190 days (days after sowing), preferably at 175 days for maximum fruit yield and solasodine production. Most parameters showed consistent and positive correlations with leaf P content. Interestingly, the correlation between leaf P content at 40 days and solasodine yield at 175 days was highly significant (r = 0.888), implying that the former is predictive of the latter. Thus, if low leaf P content was noted at 40 days corrective measures like foliar application or top dressing may be adopted to increase the leaf P content to ensure maximum solasodine at harvest.
Uniformity, Performance and Seed Quality of Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) Seed Crops Grown from Sub‐samples of One Seed Lot Obtained after Selection for Physical Seed Attributes
Authors: Illipronti R. A. , Langerak C. J. , Lommen W. J. M. , Struik P. C.
Published: March 2003

In a glasshouse experiment it was examined whether narrow grading and selection from a commercial soybean seed lot cultivar ‘IAS‐5’, could improve the uniformity of the seed crop grown from it and thereby enhance yield, quality and uniformity of seeds produced. The classes created were: Control (original seed lot); Size‐graded seeds (projected area measured by image analysis 37–46 mm2); Non‐cracked seeds; Yellow seeds; Size‐graded sound seeds (size‐graded, non‐cracked, yellow, non‐wrinkled, non‐etched). Compared to the control, percentage of emergence, survival and number of yielding plants were enhanced in crops from non‐cracked, yellow or size‐graded sound seeds. Differences in plant numbers did not result in differences in crop yield. The different seed lots also did not differ in crop uniformity: time interval between stages of plant development, plant height 20 days after sowing, yield components, physical or physiological quality attributes of seeds produced, and respective coefficients of variation were similar. Fewer plants survived in crops showing a larger variation in plant height 20 days after sowing, thus reducing differences in initial plant‐to‐plant variation. Creating more uniform crops by additional grading or selection of commercial seed lots may therefore not be promising.
Effect of Legume Management on Forage Production and Residual Effects on Upland Rice
Authors: Schulz S. , Keatinge J. D. H. , J. Wells G. , Shrestha R.
Published: March 2003

An experiment was conducted over the period 1995–96 in a warm‐temperate environment in Nepal to investigate the effect of cutting frequency on forage yields of three temperate legume species, grown during the winter season, and the residual treatment effects on a subsequent upland rice crop. The three species, Persian clover (Trifolium resupinatum), white clover (Trifolium repens) and vetch (Vicia benghalensis), proved to be well adapted to the winter growing conditions and produced cumulative forage yields between 6.8 t DM ha−1 (vetch) and 9.2 t DM ha−1 (Persian clover). Vetch grew vigorously throughout the winter months and provided reasonable forage yields between December and February, whereas the clovers provided green fodder up to July. These species may therefore make a substantial contribution to alleviating the severe shortage of quality feed during the winter months. Grain yields of the subsequent rice crop ranged from 3.6 to 7.3 t ha−1. Rice yields were greatly affected by the previous legume species and forage management practices. In general, the removal of legume forage greatly reduced the residual effect, and farmers will have to seek a compromise between maximizing green fodder production and the immediate beneficial residual effect of the legume crop on rice yield.
Response of Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] Cultivars to Genistein‐Preincubated Bradyrhizobium japonicum: Nodulation and Dry Matter Accumulation under Canadian Short‐Season Conditions
Authors: Belkheir A. M. , Zhou X. , Smith D. L.
Published: March 2003

The addition of genistein, a plant‐to‐bacteria signal molecule, to Bradyrhizobium japonicum cells prior to use as inocula has been shown to increase nodule number and promote soybean N2 fixation at low root zone temperatures. Previous greenhouse and field experiments involving only two cultivars have indicated that soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] cultivars can vary in their response to genistein application. The objective of this study was to evaluate a range of soybean cultivars for response to genistein application under short‐season cool‐spring Canadian conditions. A 2‐year field study was conducted in 1997 and 1998 with a range of soybean cultivars recommended for Quebec. The 11 cultivars tested represented a range of yield potentials and maturity groups. They were inoculated with genistein‐preincubated B. japonicum inocula or regular inocula, applied into the furrow at the time of planting. The results of these experiments indicated that neither maturity nor yield was correlated with increases in nodulation, biomass, and plant total nitrogen content resulting from genistein treatment and that all maturity groups responded to genistein application in essentially the same way. Thus, response of soybean cultivars to genistein addition is regulated by genotype characteristics other than maturity or yield level.
Applications of Foliar Fertilizers Containing Glycinebetaine Improve Wheat Yields
Authors: Díaz‐Zorita M. , Fernández‐Canigia M. V. , Grosso G. A.
Published: March 2003

Nitrogen availability and drought influence wheat (Triticum aestivumL.) grain yields in the semiarid and subhumid Pampas region of Argentina. The application of fertilizers containing osmoprotectants, such as glycinebetaine, to crop canopies might reduce crop losses caused by environmental stresses. The objectives of this study were (a) to determine the effects on wheat grain yields of the foliar application of a commercial fertilizer with glycinebetaine, and (b) to establish, under farmers’ field conditions, the relation between soil properties and the productivity of wheat crops treated with the same product. Two experiments were conducted in the north‐western part of the Buenos Aires province of Argentina on Typic Hapludolls and Entic Hapludolls. In the first, the treatments were N fertilization (0, 23 and 46 kg ha−1) and the foliar application to the wheat crop, in the vegetative stages, of a foliar fertilizer containing N, P, Zn and glycinebetaine (0 and 2.5 l ha−1). The second experiment was carried out on 10 farmers’ fields, for each of which the treatment was the foliar application to the wheat crop, in the vegetative stages, of the same foliar fertilizer (0 and 2.5 l ha−1). In both experiments, the grain yield, the individual grain weight, the number of grains per spike and the spike and plant density at the physiological maturity of the crops were determined. Soil organic matter (SOM) and available P were determined in each of the 10 fields of the second experiment. Wheat grain yields were increased by N fertilization and glycinebetaine treatment. The number of grains per spike was higher in the treatments with glycinebetaine application. In the farmers’ fields, the grain yields of the treatments with the application of the product with glycinebetaine were, on average, 18 % higher than those of the non‐treated plots, with greater responses at sites with low SOM levels. We conclude that, in subhumid regions with a dry period between the tillering and flowering stages of wheat, the foliar application of foliar fertilizers containing glycinebetaine at the vegetative stages of crop development enhances grain yields by increasing the number of grains per spike. This response is independent of the SOM level or the N fertilization rate.
Forage Quality Components in Grazing‐Type Lucerne (Medicago sativa L. complex)
Authors: Pecetti L. , Berardo N. , Odoardi M. , Piano E.
Published: March 2003

Much is now known about the morphological attributes of the lucerne plant that contribute to improved tolerance to grazing. With the aim of developing grazing‐tolerant varieties, a range of genotypes were preliminarily selected for the presence of desirable attributes, and categorized into four morphological models based on their top‐growth morphology and vigour. Little is known about the implications for forage quality of selection of non‐conventional, grazing‐type lucerne. This investigation was undertaken to study aspects of the quality (crude protein, fibre, and lignin content; nutritive value; plant leafiness) of the selected material, with particular reference to the morphological models identified in the first phase and to flower colour, which has taxonomic importance within the species. The results indicate that selection of grazing‐type cultivars would not produce detrimental effects in terms of forage quality relative to common, hay‐type lucerne. Plants with yellow or variegated flowers, often corresponding to rhizomatous types, were characterized by high leaf percentage, which resulted in high‐quality features.
Agronomic and Physiological Study of Cold and Flooding Tolerance of Spelt (Triticum spelta L.) and Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
Authors: Burgos St. , Stamp P. , Schmid J. E.
Published: March 2003

Flooding of soil occurs all over the world in areas of crop production. The resulting lack of available oxygen in the soil can hinder the establishment of field crops such as wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and thus lead to a decrease in yield. The current study compares the tolerance of spelt (Triticum spelta L.) and wheat to wet and cold stress during germination and early growth. Two specific traits seem to be related to the superior early flooding tolerance of spelt: (1) fast growth of the coleoptile, which reaches the soil surface rapidly, thus reducing the time span of hypoxia sensitivity, independent of temperatures between 10 and 20 °C; (2) the improved physiological adaptation for coleoptile growth under hypoxia is probably due to lower oxygen consumption between germination and emergence. Because of this high level of flooding tolerance, spelt would also be a good source for breeding for stress tolerance in wheat. These findings will help to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) for characters such as growth rate, flooding tolerance and oxygen consumption in future studies. A marker‐assisted introgression of spelt into wheat is necessary to avoid combination with undesirable agronomic traits of spelt.
Effects of Nonregular Spatial Distribution of Plants on Yield per Area: A Theoretical Approach with Applications to Winter Oilseed Rape (Brassica napus L.)
Authors: Hühn M.
Published: March 2003

In this study a stochastic approach, based on several simplifying assumptions, is developed that allows an estimation of the effects of nonregular spatial patterns of the distribution of individual plants on yield per area. In this approach, two random variables were attached to each individual plant: single plant yield and individual space per plant. The latter can be estimated, for example, by the area of Thiessen polygons. Yield per area is calculated theoretically by the expectation (=mean) of the ratio between individual yield and area. Based on the logarithmic relationship between single plant yield and individual space per plant, yield per area can be broken down into three additive terms: the first term depends only on the mean of individual plant areas, while the second depends on their mean and variance simultaneously. This second term is the product of the variance and a factor which depends only on the mean. The third term is a function of the mean and of higher order (≥ 3) central moments of a fractional linear transformation of individual plant area. Finally, these theoretical concepts were applied to 17 experimental data sets of three cultivars of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) with measurements for single plant yields and individual areas for the Thiessen polygon tesselations. Since yield per area is theoretically defined by the expectation of the ratio between individual yield and area, it is estimated by the arithmetic mean of the individual yield/area‐ratios. The agreement between this estimate and the sum of the estimated terms from the aforementioned additive decomposition of yield per area is particularly good. For the 17 data sets, percentages for these additive terms of approximately 71.4 % up to 98.4 % (mean: 89.0 %) for the first term, 1.6 % up to 20.0 % (mean: 9.8 %) for the second term and 0 % up to 8.7 % (mean: 1.2 %) for the third term are obtained. As a consequence it may be concluded, that yield per area can be explained mainly by dependencies on the means of individual plant areas while the variance of individual plant spaces is of only minor importance. The effect of the third term is insignificant. These results clearly indicate an answer to the main issue raised in the paper, namely the importance of seeding density as opposed to seeding accuracy/uniformity: nonuniformity is of limited influence and seeding density is the main correlate of yield/area. Seed placement accuracy of seeding technology therefore plays an only minor role.
The use of test day models with small size of contemporary groups
Authors: Strabel By T. , Szwaczkowski T.
Published: March 2003

Introduction

For many years genetic evaluation of dairy cattle has been based on the analysis of 305‐day lactation milk production. Thus, to account for environmental variance, records are usually grouped in herd–year–season (HYS) classes. The 305‐day milk yield is computed on the basis of single test day records. An alternative approach to genetic evaluation is an analysis of individual test day records (P tak and S
chaeffer 1993). A complete set of records contains more information than 305‐day milk yield, and, in consequence, by including the single herd–test date (HTD) effect, this approach leads to an improvement in the accuracy of genetic evaluation. Modeling the time–herd effect in this way reduces residual variance. In populations with a small herd size a number of records with no contemporaries in HTD classes could appear. It should be noted that accurate estimation and prediction in mixed linear models requires both model adequacy and respective data structure. Unfortunately, inclusion of a HTD effect when herds are small (typical situation for European cattle breeding) causes a decomposition of data structure (more unbalanced experimental design). Hence, a modification to the grouping of the records was recommended (S
walve 1995; S
trabel 1997).

When a lactation model is used various modifications to HYS definition could be implemented to improve its adjustment to environmental effects (S chmitz et al. 1991; S
trandberg and G
randinson 1997; C
rump et al. 1997). The definition of herd–test day class is so precise that it does not allow for a different assignment of records to classes. What could be done is to combine HTD classes within the herd by joining the consecutive records (S
walve 1995) or across herds looking for records from ‘similar’ herds taken at ‘similar’ periods of time (S
trabel 1997). HTD effect can also be set as random to avoid the loss of information especially when the number of single HTD classes is high (R
eents et al. 1995; P&
ouml;
s&
ouml; et al. 1996). Finally, the HTD effect can be replaced by HYS, typical for the traditional model (P
tak and Żarnecki 1998).

The objective of the present study was to compare animal model evaluations using test day (TD) models with different definitions of contemporary groups (CG). Evaluations based on the 305‐day lactation model were also carried out.
Estimation of heterotic components for lactation traits and reproductive performance in three crossbreeding trials of Holstein cattle with German Friesian raised under hot climatic conditions
Authors: Khalil M. H. , Afifi E. A. , Salem M. A. , Zahed S. M.
Published: March 2003

Lactation traits and reproductive performance of three trials of crossing Holstein cattle (H) and German Friesians (F) raised in a hot climatic were evaluated. The first 90‐day (M90), 305‐day (M305) and total milk yield (TMY), 305‐day milk yield per day of calving interval (MCI1), total milk yield per day of calving interval (MCI2) along with length of lactation period (LP), age at first calving (AC1) and calving interval (CI) were used. For these traits, a genetic model was applied for each trial separately to obtain estimates of individual (GI) and maternal (GM) additive effects, individual (HI) and maternal (HM) heterosis and individual recombination effect (RI). Data of 8045 normal lactations from the three trials were analysed. Among the crossbreds obtained in the three trials, cows of 3/4H 1/4F) ranked first in their lactational performance. Estimates of GI and GM were generally large and in favour of H cows (daughters) and dams for most milk‐yield traits, CI and AC1 in the three trials. Estimates of HI in crossbred cows for milk traits, CI and AC1 were mostly negative and reveal that crossing F with H was associated with a reduction in milk‐yield traits, shorter CI and earlier AC1 along with longer LP in the three trials. Estimates of HM for milk yields, LP, AC1 and CI in daughters of crossbred dams were mostly negative. Recombination losses in crossbred cows were negative for milk‐yield traits, AC1 and CI in most cases.
Genetic structure in Atlantic brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) populations in the Iberian peninsula: evidence from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA analysis
Authors: Dunner S. , Royo L. , Cañon J.
Published: March 2003

Brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) was sampled in rivers belonging to three different Spanish basins in order to analyse the distribution of genetic variability. The genetic analysis was performed by using two systems and techniques: nuclear DNA was screened through random amplified polymorphic DNAs (screening 2 × 105 bp of the whole genome), and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) through sequencing of the hypervariable control region. Genetic distances between the populations were similar using either analysis although some differences arise. For example, some populations of the Tajo basin were very close through nuclear analysis but more distant using mtDNA. Differences between the two DNA sources could be the result of a different evolutionary rate, and the fact that mtDNA is maternally transmitted and differences in sex migration rates will influence the patterns of genetic variation between the transmitted DNAs. Total variation was partitioned using amova showing a clear subdivision among basins although intrapopulation variation remained as high as 62%. A correspondence analysis defined the differences in a three‐dimensional way, clustering the populations according to their common basin. When mtDNA was sequenced, higher variability was noted in the segment between 400 and 600bp of the whole D‐loop sequence, suggesting that these 200bp improved the analysis of the variability more than sequencing the t‐RNA ends of the control region. A comparison was made between the t‐RNAPro ends of the 10 populations screened here and the rest of the published sequences found in the literature, leading to a concentration of these populations in group IV which includes all trouts which originate in the Atlantic. The analyses performed suggest that a high genetic variability is present in all populations and that although there has been a probable interference from stocked strains introduced to increase population density, this was only detectable through the variance between rivers which reflect different policies according to the region where the basin is located. However, the genetic analysis using the two approaches allows the control of the natural populations avoiding a loss of their genetic potential.
Body composition in non‐reproductive adult males and females in a long‐term selection experiment for litter size in mice
Authors: Rauw W. M. , Knap P. W. , Verstegen M. W. A. , Luiting P.
Published: March 2003

Earlier studies have shown that adult mice from a line selected for high litter size (S‐line), in particular females, had higher residual food intake (RFI) than mice from a non‐selected control line (C‐line). It was suggested that this increase in RFI, in particular the mature selected females, may anticipate the metabolically stressful periods of pregnancy and lactation. The present study investigated whether body composition at maturity has been changed as a correlated response to selection, in order to support the offspring during pregnancy and lactation. Furthermore, part of the observed differences between individuals in RFI may be attributable to differing proportions of body protein and lipid. For these reasons, differences in body composition at maturity between males and females of the S‐line and the C‐line were investigated. Lipid percentage was similar for C‐line animals and S‐line females; S‐line males had a significantly lower lipid percentage. Males had a higher protein percentage than females, in particular S‐line males. The results show that body composition in adult non‐reproductive females has not been affected as a correlated effect of selection for high litter size. Furthermore, the results suggest that the high lean content in S‐line males may explain part of the high RFI compared with C‐line animals. Body composition in S‐line females probably does not explain the high RFI compared with S‐line males and C‐line animals. Factors other than protein and lipid levels must be responsible for the differences found between the lines and sexes in RFI.