Radiation synovectomy with holmium-166 ferric hydroxide macroaggregate in equine metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of radiation synovectomy (RSYN) with holmium-166 ferric hydroxide macroaggregate (Ho-166 FHMA) on synovium and synovial fluid in normal metacarpo- and metatarsophalangeal joints of horses and to determine intraarticular distribution of radioactivity after Ho-166 FHMA treatment. STUDY DESIGN: Either Ho-166 FHMA or nonradioactive Ho-165 FHMA was injected into metacarpo- or metatarsophalangeal joints. ANIMALS: Six adult mixed-breed horses without any clinical evidence of metacarpo- or metatarsophalangeal joint disease. METHODS: Joints were injected with a single high dose of Ho-166 FHMA (mean, 1,000 MBq/joint) or a nonradioactive Ho-165 FHMA preparation (controls). Clinical examination, arthroscopy, synovial fluid analyses, and histologic studies were performed to detect effects of RSYN. Scintigraphy was used to localize intraarticular distribution of Ho-166 FHMA. RESULTS: Ho-166 FHMA treatment induced joint inflammation leading to regional edema, effusion, and scar tissue formation. Scintigraphy revealed the highest intensity of radioactivity in the proximal plantar joint pouch, at which the Ho-166 FHMA treatment caused multifocal necrosis. In the dorsal joint pouch, however, arthroscopic study and histologic analysis showed very little effect of RSYN. There was no regeneration of synovium evident within 2 months. Synovial fluid protein concentration was significantly (P <.01) elevated, and some residual radioactivity remained for 5 days after Ho-166 FHMA injection. CONCLUSIONS: Injection of a single high dose of Ho-166 FHMA caused multifocal necrosis of synovium and deep, soft-tissue injury in equine fetlock joints. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Inflamed equine joints with synovial lining hyperplasia could benefit from Ho-166 FHMA-induced radiation synovectomy if excessive scar tissue formation can be avoided.     

Spatial integration of freshwater fish markets in the Northern Baltic Sea area

Freshwater fish species and Baltic salmon (Salmo salar) are important to small-scale fisheries in Finland and Sweden. The formerly local markets for these species have expanded as trade has been opened up to international competition. In this study we use cointegration analysis to test the spatial integration of freshwater fish markets in Finland and between Finland and Sweden. The analysed fish species are salmon, perch (Perca fluviatilis), pikeperch (Sander lucioperca), European whitefish (Goregonus lavaretus) and pike (Exos lucius), and the data covers ex-vessel prices from 1993 or 1995 to 2004. We found that the regional prices in Finland were cointegrated. This indicates that the prices are determined on a single market in Finland. Moreover, the study suggests that Finnish and Swedish markets in Baltic salmon, whitefish, pikeperch and perch were partially integrated, while integration of pike markets could not be found. The political implication is that an essential part of the local small-scale fisheries’ operational environment is determined outside the national borders.     

Site preparation: Water relations and growth of newly planted jack pine and white spruce

Bareroot jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) and white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) were planted near Elliot Lake, Ontario, on a boreal reforestation site. Site preparation treatments were mixed, mineral and undisturbed (i.e., control) soil. Seedling water relations and growth were examined during the first field season. During the first 28 days after planting, jack pine base (i.e., predawn) and minimum xylem water potential readings were more negative in the control site preparation treatment. White spruce, during the first 10 days, in all site preparation treatments had base and minimum xylem water potential readings more negative than –1.7 MPa. By day 28 base xylem water potentials of white spruce had increased to approximately –1.0 MPa in all site preparation treatments. As the growing season progressed, white spruce minimum xylem water potential readings ceased exceeding the measured turgor loss point first in the mixed followed by the mineral and then control site preparation treatment. Jack pine minimum xylem water potential readings, in all site preparation treatments, almost never exceeded the measured turgor loss point. Water stress and stomatal optimization integrals, day 28 and 125, for both species showed least water stress and greater stomatal optimization in the mixed, mineral and control site preparation treatments, respectively. Both species had less new root growth in the field during the first 28 days after planting compared to seedlings grown for 28 days in a greenhouse for root growth capacity testing. Root growth at 28 days and both shoot and root development at the end of the growing season, were greatest to least in mixed, mineral, and control site preparation treatments, respectively.     

Do different agronomic soil tests identify similar nutrient deficiencies?

Traditionally, locally calibrated soil tests were used for fertilizer and lime recommendations. Farmers and advisors are increasingly using new ‘universal’ soil tests without local calibration. The objective of this study was to compare five commercially available soil tests and to determine whether they would provide similar recommendations. In total, 24 fields in Western Finland were sampled for 4 years while being treated with fertilizers, lime and manure. The soil samples were analysed with Mehlich-3, ammonium acetate, H3A, hydrochloric acid and mild acetic acid (Spurway) extractants. In addition, Soil Health Tool (CO₂ burst, water-soluble C and N) and tissue testing were conducted. The different tests extracted different orders of magnitude of nutrients (especially P and Mg), but the results from the different extractions were correlated. Mehlich-3 degree of phosphorus saturation (DPS) presented a threshold, below which soluble phosphorus was not detected. Similar thresholds were found for P, S and Mg. Mehlich-3 and ammonium acetate provided similar results for Ca, Mg and K and can be used interchangeably for liming recommendations. Mehlich-3 identified more fields with Zn, Cu, B and S deficiencies and less fields with Mn deficiencies compared with ammonium acetate + EDTA and tissue testing. The tests had strong correlation, but the determination of nutrient deficiencies needs local calibration of deficiency limits.     

Carbon partitioning in ectomycorrhizal Scots pine seedlings

The complete carbon budget and the turnover rate of assimilated carbon of ectomycorrhizal Scots pine seedlings growing on natural humus were determined in microcosm conditions. The main aim was to improve understanding of the partitioning of the assimilated carbohydrates within seedlings associated with multiple ectomycorrhizal fungi, and to discover carbon dynamics of the mycorrhizosphere.Plant photosynthesis and below-ground respiration were measured in order to obtain the actual carbon assimilation and respiration rates at the time of measurements. Soon after the photosynthesis and respiration rate measurements the seedlings were pulse-labeled with ¹⁴CO₂ to follow carbon allocation to different plant, fungal and soil compartments and rhizosphere respiration. Long-term carbon allocation during the entire life span of the seedlings was estimated by measuring plant and mycorrhizal root-tip biomass. The ectomycorrhizal community was analyzed using morphotyping and ITS-sequencing.The ¹⁴C label was detected in rhizosphere respiration after 12 h and it peaked between 36 and 60 h after labeling. More than half of the assimilated carbon was allocated below-ground as biomass or respiration and higher mycorrhizal biomass increased the below-ground carbon turnover. The presence of Suillus variegatus affected the plant carbon balance in several ways. When S. variegatus was present, the below-ground respiration increased and this carbon loss was compensated by higher photosynthetic activity. Other fungal species did not differ between each other in their effects on carbon balance. Our findings indicate that some root-associated mycorrhizal fungal symbionts can significantly alter plant CO₂ exchange, biomass distribution, and the allocation of recently photosynthesized plant-derived carbon.     

Regulation of mammalian tooth cusp patterning by ectodin

Mammalian tooth crowns have precise functional requirements but cannot be substantially remodeled after eruption. In developing teeth, epithelial signaling centers, the enamel knots, form at future cusp positions and are the first signs of cusp patterns that distinguish species. We report that ectodin, a secreted bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) inhibitor, is expressed as a "negative" image of mouse enamel knots. Furthermore, we show that ectodin-deficient mice have enlarged enamel knots, highly altered cusp patterns, and extra teeth. Unlike in normal teeth, excess BMP accelerates patterning in ectodin-deficient teeth. We propose that ectodin is critical for robust spatial delineation of enamel knots and cusps.     

Factors causing temporal and spatial variation in heterotrophic and rhizospheric components of soil respiration in afforested organic soil croplands in Finland

Partitioning soil respiration (SR) into its components, heterotrophic and rhizospheric respiration, is an important step for understanding and modelling carbon (C) cycling in organic soils. However, no partitioning studies on afforested organic soil croplands exist. We separated soil respiration originating from the decomposition of peat (SR_P), and aboveground litter (SR_L) and root respiration (SR_R) in six afforested organic soil croplands in Finland with varying tree species and stand ages using the trenching method. Across the sites temporal variation in SR was primarily related to changes in soil surface temperature (?5 cm), which explained 71–96% of variation in SR rates. Decomposition of peat and litter was not related to changes in water table level, whereas a minor increase in root respiration was observed with the increase in water table depth. Temperature sensitivity of SR varied between the different respiration components: SR_P was less sensitive to changes in soil surface temperature than SR_L or SR_R. Factors explaining spatial variation in SR differed between different respiration components. Annual SR_P correlated positively with peat ash content while that of SR_L was found to correlate positively with the amount of litter on the forest floor, separately for each tree species. Root respiration correlated positively with the biomass of ground vegetation. From the total soil respiration peat decomposition comprised a major share of 42%; the proportion of autotrophic respiration being 41% and aboveground litter 17%. Afforestation lowered peat decomposition rates. Nevertheless the effect of agricultural history can be seen in peat properties for decades and due to high peat decomposition rates these soils still loose carbon to the atmosphere.     

Effect of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Silene vulgaris</Emphasis> and Heavy Metal Pollution on Soil Microbial Diversity in Long-Term Contaminated Soil

In this study, we analysed the impact of heavy metals and plant rhizodeposition on the structure of indigenous microbial communities in rhizosphere and bulk soil that had been exposed to heavy metals for more than 150 years. Samples of the rhizosphere of Silene vulgaris and non-rhizosphere soils 250 and 450 m from the source of emission that had different metal concentrations were collected for analyses. The results showed that soils were collected 250 m from the smelter had a higher number of Cd-resistant CFU compared with the samples that were collected from 450 m, but no significant differences were observed in the number of total and oligotrophic CFU or the equivalent cell numbers between rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils that were taken 250 and 450 m from the emitter. Unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) cluster analysis of the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) profiles, as well as a cluster analysis that was generated on the phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles, showed that the bacterial community structure of rhizosphere soils depended more on the plant than on the distance and metal concentrations. The sequencing of the 16S rDNA fragments that were excised from the DGGE gel revealed representatives of the phyla Bacteroidetes, Acidobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes, Actinobacteria and Betaproteobacteria in the analysed soil with a predominance of the first three groups. The obtained results demonstrated that the presence of S. vulgaris did not affect the number of CFUs, except for those of Cd-resistant bacteria. However, the presence of S. vulgaris altered the soil bacterial community structure, regardless of the sampling site, which supported the thesis that plants have a higher impact on soil microbial community than metal contamination.