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The spread pattern of Abutilon theophrasti (velvetleaf) in Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia was analysed based on an exhaustive distribution data set (389 records). Cumulative number of all records showed a continuous increase since its introduction in the 19^th century and > 1970 its spread gained momentum with an exponential increase > 2000. In fields, the species remained rare until 2000. Since then, A. theophrasti has invaded fields much more frequently (78% of all records in fields > 2000) and it was mainly found in sugar beet and maize. Approximately a total of 188 000 ha of the agricultural area are currently at risk of being invaded. Given the on-going spread into fields, the results provide evidence that A. theophrasti may cause serious impacts. Control measures should focus on the prevention of spreading seeds and the establishment of new foci.

Using double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA), Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) was detected in 31 out of 132 symptomatic leaf samples collected from different hosts of Urmia province of Iran, during 2011-2012. In biological assays, five different host isolates caused severe mosaic in Nicotiana species and Capsicum annum without significant difference in severity. Based on phylogenetic analysis of coat protein nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequence, two isolates were clustered into subgroup IA, while other three isolates were grouped into IB subgroup of CMV. All Urmian isolates shared a common MspI, and no EcoRI and BsuRI restriction sites. In contrast to S-IA isolates, the second MspI site was found at 473-476 position of only S-IB isolates, which could be used to differentiate two S-IA and S-IB subgroups. Here, we report the first case of Abutilon theophrasti infection, as a new reservoir weed host for CMV in the world.

Avian mycobacteriosis was diagnosed in one female Mauritian Pink pigeon (Nesoenas mayeri) from a zoological collection. The bird displayed clinical symptoms of apathy, loss of body weight, ruffled feathers and diarrhoea. Necropsy revealed nodular lesions in the internal organs. Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium was isolated and also directly detected using qPCR in the female's liver. Avian mycobacteriosis may pose a threat to efforts directed towards conservation of this endangered species.

The present study was undertaken to sequentially fractionate nickel (Ni) in soils of divergent physicochemical characteristics and evaluate the contribution of different fractions towards plant uptake. For this, fifteen bulk surface (0-15 cm) soil samples were collected from the cultivated fields of northwestern Indo-Gangetic alluvial plains. A pot experiment was conducted with these soils to assess the contribution of soil Ni fractions to plant uptake using soybean as test crop. Results showed that residual Ni was the most dominant fraction in soil constituting 3.19-63.6% of total Ni. The water soluble plus exchangeable Ni accounted for only 0.70-4.04% of total soil Ni. Organically bound Ni varied from 1.60-6.85% of total Ni; these values are relatively lower as compared to those reported for temperate soils. Correlation studies showed that the free iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) and soil organic carbon correlated with various fractions of Ni in soil. Water soluble plus exchangeable and organically bound are the dominant fractions which contributed positively and manganese oxide (MnO₂) bound and residual fractions contributed negatively towards the phytoavailability of Ni in soil.

The yield forming response of maize cultivar to zinc (Zn) application depends on its timing. This hypothesis was validated in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 growing seasons. The zinc treatments as the first factor were: NPK; NPK + Zn applied before sowing; NPK + Zn applied to maize at the stage of 4^th leaf. The second factor was the maize type: stay-green (modern cultivars) - Paroli, Veritis, Anamur; classical (old cultivars) - Inagua, Kirola. The grain yield of modern cultivars responded the best to zinc applied before sowing, whereas the old ones, when applied to foliage. The yield of the stay-green maize depended upon the number of kernels per row, whereas the classical one on all yield structural components. The zinc management in the modern cultivars should be oriented towards maximization of the number of kernels per row, whereas in the old one on its optimization with the simultaneous kernel weight increase. The positive impact of zinc application before sowing on dry matter translocation from vegetative tissues to growing kernels underlines its practical usefulness, especially in areas with frequent water shortage during maize growth.

The Vistula is the longest river in Poland. It stretches from the Silesian Beskids to the Gulf of Gdańsk. Water from the Vistula is the source of drinking water for many cities and is used in industry, and therefore its quality and microbiological purity is an important issue. The quality of water in the Vistula depends, among others, on the quality of water in its basin. The aim of this study is to assess microbiological hazard to the Vistula waters from its tributaries in the vicinity of Kraków. The analyses were carried out on 10 tributaries of the Vistula: Prądnik, Dłubnia, Drwina Długa, Drwinka, Raba, Uszewka, Szreniawa, Uszwica, Kisielina, and Dunajec. The examinations were carried out in four series, from May 2012 to March 2013. The numbers of coliforms, faecal coliforms, Enterococcus faecalis, and sulphate reducing Clostridium were determined using the membrane filtration method, while the serial dilutions method was used to determine the numbers of mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria, Staphylococcus and Salmonella. There was a large variation in the number of microorganisms in the examined watercourses, however in most cases the water could be classified as clean, whereas waters of the Vistula in the vicinity of Kraków are microbiologically contaminated. Thus, the examined watercourses do not pose a serious threat to the quality of the Vistula. Among the analyzed tributaries, the waters of the Prądnik were characterized by the worst sanitary condition, while the best microbiological quality was observed in the Dunajec.

In November 2013, Scolytus koenigi Schevyrew, 1890 was recorded for the first time in the territory of the Czech Republic (Southern Moravia, at two localities near the village of Lednice). This finding represents the northernmost occurrence of this species in Central Europe. Because the knowledge of the S. koenigi bionomy is very limited, the characteristics of 52 galleries on 10 different host tree fragments were studied. The species was found to develop on dead or dying branches and thin trunks of maples Acer campestre L. and Acer platanoides L. with diameters of 3‒12 cm. All of the galleries comprised a 1.6-2.9 mm wide and 8-67 mm long single egg gallery oriented parallelly to the wood grain, with 18‒108 larval galleries emerging almost symmetrically on both sides of the egg gallery.

Doubled haploidy breeding protocols have revolutionized the varietal development programmes in bread wheat, however, the protocols have not proved much efficient in durum wheat. Presently, the durum wheat × maize system is being widely followed for haploid induction but the frequency of haploid development is very poor which has limited its application in durum wheat improvement programmes. In order to formulate an efficient wide hybridization-mediated approach for haploid induction in durum wheat, different genotypes of durum wheat were subjected to hybridization with Imperata cylindrica, a wild perennial grass for the first time in this laboratory. The investigation was carried out for two seasons. During the 1^st year, the investigation was carried out on one genotype only, Langdon, in order to notice the development of haploid embryos and the factors that influence the haploid induction frequency. The most important factor influencing the embryo formation frequency was found to be the concentration of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). Upon pollinating the emasculated spikes of durum wheat genotypes, various concentrations of 2,4-D were injected into the uppermost internode of wheat culm for three consecutive days after pollination to find out the most responding concentration for haploid induction. During the next year, the protocol was applied to eight durum wheat genotypes. The frequency of haploid induction parameters varied with the durum wheat genotypes as well as 2,4-D concentration used. The mean pseudoseed and embryo formation frequency over all the genotypes ranged from 30.2 to 56.3% and 1.2 to 18.4%, respectively. The average embryo formation frequency over all the genotypes was found to be highest (18.4%) at 250 mg/l 2,4-D whereas it was superior for the genotypes WH 896 and Langdon over all the 2,4-D concentrations. At the most responding 2,4-D concentration (250 mg/l), the genotype A-9-30-1 exhibited the highest embryo formation frequency (32.1%). The ploidy status of the developed embryos was identified using cytological analysis carried out on the rootlets of the tissue culture generated plantlets.

Anaplasmosis in animals is caused by Anaplasma spp. including A. phagocytophilum, A. marginale, A. centrale, A. ovis, and A. bovis, which are obligate intracellular rickettsial pathogens transmitted by ticks. Infection in animals is considered an important constraint on livestock production. In Korea, the prevalence of Anaplasma spp. has been investigated in several species, including cattle, dogs, and rodents, but there are no available data on anaplasmosis in goats. The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of Anaplasma spp. in native Korean goats (Capra hircus coreanae) using a commercial competitive ELISA which specifically detects antibodies against A. marginale, A. centrale, and A. ovis. A total of 36 (6.6%) of 544 goat serum samples tested seropositive for Anaplasma spp. With regard to age, 4.9% (7/144), 9.5% (27/283), and 1.7% (2/117) of samples tested seropositive in the young (< 1 year), adult (≥ 1 year), and unknown age groups, respectively, with significant differences among groups (P < 0.05). The seroprevalence by region was 1.7% (2/121), 2.6% (2/77), and 9.2% (32/346) in the northern, central, and southern regions, respectively, with significant differences among regions (P < 0.05). With regard to the season of sample collection, 3.3% (4/122) and 7.6% (32/422) samples tested seropositive during the cold and warm seasons, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first known study reporting the seroprevalence of Anaplasma spp. in native Korean goats. Despite the relatively low prevalence of Anaplasma spp. in native Korean goats compared with that in animals from other countries, these results should not be disregarded because infection with Anaplasma spp. in animals has long been recognised, and the potential for horizontal transmission cannot be excluded.

Canine aggression is a widespread problem which receives a lot of attention from the media. It has important consequences in terms of public health and animal welfare. To address this issue it is necessary to first determine its epidemiological characteristics in the target population. This study was aimed at exploring the characteristics and determining the risk factors for dog aggression in the Slovak Republic and, in particular, for aggression directed at humans. For this purpose, we used a questionnaire directed to dog owners which included information about dog and owner characteristics, housing, training and fear behaviour. From the 177 analysed questionnaires, 67% portrayed dogs with some type of aggressive behaviour. Half of the animals showed some degree of owner-directed aggression and almost 40% were aggressive towards unfamiliar people. The approach of an unfamiliar male was the situation that stimulated most dogs to behave aggressively (33.3%) and a small percentage (2.3%) of the animals always showed aggression when approached by an unfamiliar child. Multivariate logistic regression models found that "owner's age" (OR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.93 - 0.99) and "neuter status" (OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.13-0.98) were significantly associated (P < 0.05) with the exhibiting of aggressive behaviour in different contexts. "Dog's sex" (OR, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.09-4.27) and "type of training" (OR, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.19-4.80) were significantly associated (P < 0.05) with the exhibiting of aggressive behaviour towards familiar people. Younger owners were more likely to have aggressive dogs and neutered dogs were less likely to be aggressive in different contexts. Male dogs and dogs with informal training were more likely to be aggressive towards familiar people. Manifestations of fear were significantly associated with the expression of aggressive behaviour in all models. This study provides the first preliminary results on the characteristics and potential risk factors for human-directed aggression in Slovakia. The analysis of these data may help in determining which preventive measures should be given priority in this country.

The role of orexin-A in the regulation of prolactin secretion in lambs born in different photoperiods was determined. The experiment was conducted with 30 female lambs. Pituitary glands were collected from 40-day-old lambs in three different seasons (n = 10 per each season) and photoperiods (light (L) hours to darkness (D) hours): long (May - L 14 : D 10), intermediate (August - L 13 : D 11), and short (December - L 10 : D 14). At 40 days of age, the lambs were decapitated, and their pituitaries were dissected and cut in half along the longitudinal fissure so that each half contained both glandular and nervous parts. The in vitro incubation of the glands was performed for 3 h in Parker's medium at 37°C. In each season, the control pituitary glands (K1, K2, K3) were incubated in Parker's medium, while the experimental pituitary glands (Ox1, Ox2, Ox3) were incubated in medium containing 1000 ng/ml of exogenous orexin. The administration of orexin-A during the long photoperiod (May) caused a significant (P ≤ 0.01) increase in prolactin secretion during the first hour of incubation (Ox1: 47.56 ± 8.4 ng/ml vs K1: 36.08 ± 7.8 ng/ml). During the intermediate photoperiod (August), a significantly (P ≤ 0.01) higher concentration of prolactin was observed in the first hour of incubation in the Ox2 group than in the control group (K2). During the first hour of incubation in December, the prolactin concentrations were significantly (P ≤ 0.01) higher in the Ox3 group than in the K3 group. Orexin-A increased prolactin secretion from pituitary explants collected from lambs born under all investigated time-points. The study results indicate that orexin-A is a stimulatory factor of prolactin secretion in sheep.

The interactions between probiotic bacteria and the immune system in animals are known, but particularly in rabbits have not been sufficiently documented. Therefore the present study deals with the effect of the enterocin-producing probiotic strain Enterococcus faecium CCM7420 on the growth performance and jejunal morphometry in rabbits. Forty-eight weaned rabbits of male sex (NZB breed) at 5 weeks of age were randomly divided into experimental (EF) and control group (CG) with 24 rabbits in each group. Each day of the treatment period (21 days), the rabbits in the EF group were administered a fresh culture of the E. faecium CCM7420 strain (5.0 × 10⁸ CFU/animal/day in their drinking water); for the next 21 days after probiotic cessation the rabbits had untreated drinking water (the whole experiment lasted for 42 days). All animals had access to water ad libitum. Three animals from each group were randomly selected for slaughter at days 21 and 42 of the experiment to measure morphological parameters (villus height (VH), crypt depth (CD), VH : CD ratio) of the intestinal tissue in the proximal jejunum. The average daily gain was higher in EF group (39.49 g) than in CG (39.04 g). The jejunum VH, surface area, and VH : CD ratio increased, while CD decreased in EF group compared to CG. Inferring from these results, we conclude that administration of E. faecium CCM7420 strain to rabbits may improve weight gain due to better utilization of feed and larger absorption surface in the gut and also may positively influence the health status via enhancing the gut health in rabbits.

The contents of nitrogen (N), potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and sodium were estimated in tubers of Jerusalem artichoke Helianthus tuberosus coming from the field experiment conducted over 2010-2012. The experimental factors were the cultivars of Jerusalem artichoke cvs. Albik and Rubik and different nitrogen fertilization levels, against phosphorus and potassium fertilization and the full dose of manure. Determination of elements in the soil and the dry weight of the aerial parts are performed by standard methods. When using a fixed level of phosphorous-potassium fertilizer, the highest sodium content was obtained at a level of 50 kg N/ha, magnesium and sulphur at a dose of 100 kg of N, nitrogen - 150 kg N/ha, potassium and calcium - in the objects of fertilizer phosphorus-potassium, and phosphorus - in the building control without fertilization. Cv. Albik proved to be more abundant in mineral elements than cv. Rubik. The latter was characterized by a higher stability of characteristics.

The article describes natural, combined and artificial regeneration on 38 permanent research plots in both Czech and Polish part of the Krkonoše Mts. The attention is paid to species composition, spatial (horizontal and vertical) and age structure of forest regeneration according to different stand and site conditions. Concerning the structure and dynamics of forest stands and their regeneration, the potential and prospects of regeneration according to particular developmental stages and stand types (beech stands; mixed stands: spruce-beech, fir-beech, spruce-fir-beech; spruce stands, stands in the ecotone of the upper forest limit and relict pine woods) were evaluated. In many aspects the plots show several similarities, nevertheless the regeneration in different site and stand conditions show clear differences in dynamics of development. The main differences are result of different ecological conditions, environmental limits and biological characteristics of dominant tree species.

A survey was conducted in the Training Forest Enterprise called Masaryk Forest in Křtiny (TFE Křtiny) in order to determine the extent of recreational use of the area, visitors' travel costs and their willingness to pay for services provided by the forest ecosystem of TFE Křtiny in the years 2013-2014. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the partial results of the research from 2013 and 2014 which was focused on the economic assessment of the recreational potential of the TFE MF Křtiny. The busiest roads in the forest road network and bike trails located in the Bílovice nad Svitavou forest district were selected. The results can be used to assess the impact of the forest enterprise on the economic and social development of the area, to measure the attractiveness, quality and facilities offered in the forest.

The flowering onset of 19 apple progeny was evaluated in 2005-2014 on a total number of 715 seedlings in comparison with their parents and grandparents. A very low flower set delays generally the onset of flowering by one day in comparison with a higher flower set. The maximum span between the first flowering onset and the last one within all the progeny of the study was 11 days. With one exception, the incidence of the first flowering dates of all the progeny fluctuated only within four days - April 28 and May 1. Among them, the great majority of the seedlings had the first flowering date span of not more than ± one day. The progeny of Pink Lady × Discovery was the most exceptional having the mean day on the April 17 and the span about two days longer. The means of the first flowering dates within seedling populations and corresponding dates of both their parents and grandparents were very highly correlated (r = 0.926 for parents and r = 0.877 for grandparents). The incidence of flowering onset dates in almost all progeny followed a typical Gaussian distribution, in which the majority of seedlings start flowering within 3 or 4 days. The maximum difference between both extremes (found only in one progeny) was 11 days. The share of seedlings in both extremes was, however, very small - less than 2%.

Scaphoideus titanus Ball, the main vector of Flavescence dorée phytoplasma, was monitored in Slovakia during 2013 and 2014. The species was present in the vineyards of eastern Slovakia but it was rarely found in the south of central part of the country. It was also found at many locations of western Slovakia but not in the southeast of western Slovakia. Higher abundance of S. titanus was detected in the vineyards with biological control. Varietal preference of the leafhopper was not confirmed. The first nymphs were found on June 5 and the last nymphs on July 17, adults occurred from the end of June to the end of September. There is one generation of S. titanus per year in Slovakia.

Immunomodulatory products have been used for years in veterinary medicine. Inactivated Parapoxvirus ovis (iPPVO) is currently used in equine medicine as an immunomodulator to improve the immune system and as a prophylactic treatment to prevent or treat infectious diseases. This study was designed to determine the effects of iPPVO on polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL) function (phagocytosis and intracellular killing activity) and the myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity of PMNLs in horses. Twenty-four healthy English thoroughbred horses with an average age of 11 years were included in the study. Venous blood samples (10 ml) were taken before (agent-free controls) and after the administration of iPPVO (2 ml i.m. injection on Days 1, 3, and 5). PMNLs (1 × 10⁷ cells/ml) were isolated from venous blood containing EDTA (0.1 g/ml) with Ficoll-Hypaque gradient centrifugation. Cellular phagocytosis and intracellular killing activities were assayed using a modification of Alexander's method before and after treatment with iPPVO. MPO activity was also measured. The administration of iPPVO significantly increased the phagocytic, intracellular killing, and MPO activities of equine PMNLs (P = 0.0058, P = 0.0050, and P = 0.0070, respectively). This study demonstrates a strong correlation between MPO activity and PMNL function. The administration of iPPVO to horses has a supportive effect on their cellular immunity and an immunomodulatory effect against equine viral infections.

Trichinellosis is a parasitic zoonosis that is of importance to public health; human trichinellosis usually occurs when improperly cooked pork or wild animal meat is consumed. The purpose of this study was to determine the nationwide seroprevalence of Trichinella infection in wild boar and domestic pig populations in Korea. Using ELISA, we detected no seropositivity among the serum samples of 2350 domestic pigs collected in 2013, indicating that the domestic cycles of Trichinella spp. have disappeared from the domestic pig population in Korea. In contrast, approximately 13% of the 434 wild boars hunted in 2013 were seropositive. Furthermore, the seroprevalence of six of the seven provinces was between 6.7% and 18.3%, indicating that Trichinella infection occurred in the wild boar population throughout the country. The results of this study suggest that Trichinella circulates in the wild boar population and could be transmitted from infected wild boars to other wildlife, domestic pigs, and humans in Korea. Therefore, we recommend continued surveillance of Trichinella infection prevalence in wild animals and an appropriate strategy to prevent human infection in Korea.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of canine inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) on the density of cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) immunoreactive nerve fibres in the mucosa of different sections of the gastrointestinal tract. Fibre density was analysed in mucosal specimens from the duodenum, jejunum and descending colon of healthy dogs and patients with inflammatory bowel disease of varying intensity. Nervous fibres were stained in single-cell immunofluorescence assays. The density of CART-immunoreactive fibres was determined using a semi-quantitative approach by counting the number of fibres in the field of view (0.1 mm²). An increase in the density of CART-immunoreactive fibres was observed in dogs with moderate and severe IBD in comparison with healthy subjects. The results suggest that the presence of CART in enteric nerve fibres could play a role in the pathogenesis and development of canine IBD.

The field experiment with different soil tillage treatments has been carried out in Prague-Ruzyně locality (Czech Republic) since 1995. Data of two growing cycles in the years 2007-2010 and 2011-2014 were evaluated. Tillage technique was decisive for changes in soil characteristics and crop yields. Bulk density, organic carbon (C_org) and microbial biomass C (C_mic) were more equilibrated throughout all tested soil layers (0-0.1; 0.1-0.2 and 0.2-0.3 m) in conventional tillage (CT). In reduced tillage (RT) and no-tillage (NT) treatments significant accumulation of C_org and increase of C_mic in the surface layer were found, compared to CT. No significant differences in C_org and C_mic between two growing cycles were determined; however, mostly higher values were obtained in the top layer of NT during the second growing period. Higher bulk density under conservation tillage techniques did not negatively affect soil characteristics and should be taken in consideration for data evaluation as it can alter interpretation of their changes in the soil profile. Crop yields were comparable in CT and RT. Yield decrease in NT was mostly observed for winter wheat and pea. Beneficial effects of RT and NT conserving soil moisture on crop yield were not observed in dry years.

The investigation of the hydrothermal exposure effect on the glue-line strength is obvious when outdoor application of wood products is in option. In our research the bonding quality of oak (Quercus L.) and beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) wood was tested in different conditions according to EN 205. After each exposure the lap joint test specified the shear strength of wood bonded with PVAC and PU adhesive. In our research different behaviour concerning both types of adhesives and selected wood species was observed. The most significant decrease (-80%) of the shear strength was found when the PVAC was used to bond oak wood. Therefore the PVAC adhesive is most likely less suitable for the bonding of the block board in outdoor conditions. On the contrary, the best results in the same conditions were obtained by the oak when the polyurethane adhesive was used. It indicates that the PU adhesive is more suitable for the bonding of oak wood. Considering results of beech wood, there were not found this interaction.

The differentiation of thermotolerant Campylobacter spp. on the species level (C. jejuni, C. coli, C. lari, and C. upsalien-sis) was provided. Identification is based on different banding patterns obtained for individual species during simple multiplex PCR where regions within the 23S rRNA gene are amplified using newly designed specific forward primers.

We ranked the most frequently used pre-emergent herbicides in sunflower (Helianthus annuus) according to their efficacy and selectivity under different soil moisture conditions within 2008-2011. The efficacy of oxyfluorfen, aclonifen, acetochlor, dimethenamid, and propisochlor on the majority of weeds (Chenopodium album, Echinochloa crus-galli, Amaranthus retroflexus, Mercurialis annua,and Solanum physalifolium) was only slightly affected by the soil moisture and these herbicides can be used in arid and semiarid regions. The efficacy of linuron, prosulfocarb, and pethoxamid was strongly affected by soil moisture and was insufficient under dry conditions. The majority of herbicides showed good selectivity for sunflower. Crop injury rate of 5-15% was recorded after application of flurochloridone and acetochlor. For flurochloridone, the phytotoxicity increased due to irrigation after herbicide application. The highest sunflower injury rate (27-35%) was recorded after application of oxyfluorfen.

Aneurysmal bone cysts are expansile osteolytic bone lesions that can manifest clinically as lameness, pain and swelling. In humans, aneurysmal bone cysts are considered benign tumours that have been classified as primary or secondary to a previous coexisting lesion. Local recurrence after treatment or malignant transformation has been reported in both humans and in a dog. Different treatment options have been proposed. This report describes the treatment of an 11-month-old Irish wolfhound with an aneurysmal bone cyst with a combination of computed tomography-guided cementoplasty and radiation therapy, 30 Gy delivered in 10 fractions. The dog recovered completely, with no lameness observed 30 months after treatment.

Abomasal cannulation, an important research tool in experimental procedures, provides a method for the placement of an abomasal cannula in sheep. The aim of this study was to describe a technique for laparoscopic abomasal cannulation in sheep. It was performed in six anaesthetised sheep positioned in dorsal recumbency using three portals in the abdomen. The first absorbable traction suture was placed 1 cm cranial to the determined abomasal cannula site. A stab incision was made with a laparoscopic monopolar hook electrode in the middle of a purse-string suture placed around the abomasal cannula site. The T-shaped cannula was inserted into the abomasum lumen through the stab incision, and the second traction suture was then placed 1 cm caudal to the abomasal cannula site. The T-shaped abomasal cannula was pulled out of the abdominal cavity through the exit wound located 3-5 cm lateral and 10-12 cm cranial to the right side of the umbilicus. The two traction sutures were tied. The T-shaped cannula was secured to the skin with a finger-trap suture. Repeat laparoscopy was performed 1 month later. Firm adhesion between the abomasum and abdominal wall was observed in all sheep, with no evidence of leakage or peritonitis. No major intraoperative or postoperative complications were encountered. The median surgical time was 49 min, with a range from 42 to 58 min. The abomasal contents were collected easily. In conclusion, laparoscopic abomasal cannulation is safe and easy to perform. Its low complication rates and the "ideal" placement of the tube into the abomasum make it an especially attractive alternative to traditional surgical abomasal cannulation in veterinary practice.

The objective of this study was to investigate the nationwide prevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in horses reared in Korea using a commercial ELISA kit and two different nested PCR (nPCR) analyses. Our analysis showed that 2.9% (true prevalence: 3.1%, 16/549) of the horses were seropositive by ELISA, and none were positive by the two nPCR analyses. Significant differences were observed in the ELISA results when the data were analysed according to breed and geographic region. In light of a recent case of human granulocytic anaplasmosis in Korea and the predicted increase in the number and distribution of ticks due to global warming, continuous monitoring and appropriate control programs for Anaplasma spp. and other tick-borne pathogens need to be established.

The study evaluates the effect of liming materials application in combination with NPK fertilizer and borax on macronutrient contents (nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg)), in an extremely acid soil and raspberry leaves and fruits during a two-year period. Liming increased soil pH, N mineral content, P, Ca and Mg soil content, while K content either increased (dolomite and borax application), or decreased (lime application). The N and P contents in raspberry leaves after liming increased significantly, but P content remained below the optimal values. Some treatments with lime caused a decrease in K content in leaves, while dolomite and borax application increased K content. Initially optimal Ca content in leaves increased significantly in the treatments with lime, but decreased after dolomite application. The Mg content in leaves increased after dolomite and borax application, but mainly remained below optimal values. Liming either did not alter or only slightly altered macronutrient contents in raspberry fruits.

We aimed to evaluate the extractability of different extractants for zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) in soils of long-term field experiments covering different agro-ecological zones of India. The relationships between the amounts of Zn and Cu extracted by Mehlich 3, 0.1 mol/L HCl and AB-DTPA (ammonium bicarbonate-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) with those extracted by DTPA, the conventional extraction method widely used in soil testing laboratories in India, were elucidated. The treatments of the long-term experiments included control (no fertilizer), 100% NPK, 50%NPK + 50% N through FYM (farm yard manure) and a fallow soil. Some important physico-chemical properties of soil like pH, organic carbon, textural class, CaCO₃ content, etc. were analyzed. The NPK + FYM treatment was found to be the most effective treatment in terms of increased content of Zn and Cu in soils. The results showed that the amount of Zn and Cu extracted by Mehlich 3 were significantly correlated with that extracted by 0.1 mol/L HCl (r = 0.970** for Zn and r = 0.914** for Cu). Accordingly, Mehlich 3 and 0.1 mol/L HCl could be used effectively for estimating Zn and Cu availability in soils of India. However, Mehlich 3 was superior to all the other extractants used for the study.

This study evaluated the effects of biochar application on some properties of an alkaline soil and on lentil (Lens culinaris Medik) growth. Lentils were grown in the soil amended with the rates of 0.4, 0.8, 1.6, 2.4, and 3.3 weight percent of two biochars (B₁ and B₂), produced from rice husk under different pyrolysis conditions. Lentils were harvested after 70 days. Soil samples were also analysed for changes in physico-chemical properties. The results indicated that biochar application significantly increased soil organic carbon, cation exchange capacity, available potassium and below ground biomass of lentil, while it decreased soil bulk density. The results suggested that biochar application to alkaline soils has benefits to both soil quality and plant growth.