Conidia of black aspergilli as new biological adsorbents for ochratoxin A in grape juices and musts

Biological removal of ochratoxin A (OTA) by living and heat-treated dead conidia of black Aspergillus isolates representing the species Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus carbonarius, and Aspergillus japonicus in synthetic and natural grape juices was found to be a two-stage phenomenon. Several lines of evidence suggest that the first observed stage was passive, metabolism was not required, and OTA adsorption on conidia of black aspergilli could be involved. This removal was fast, without delay just after conidial inoculation both in synthetic and natural grape juices. Moreover, even nonviable, heat-treated conidia were capable of removing OTA. Finally, no OTA degradation products were detected. In the second observed stage, removal of OTA was linked to degradation by live conidia only. Ochratoxin alpha, a degradation product of OTA, was detected in the medium after incubation for 30 and 14 h for biseriate (A. niger and A. carbonarius) and uniseriate (A. japonicus) black aspergilli, respectively, when well-developed mycelium appeared. Comparisons between the three black Aspergillus isolates tested showed that A. carbonarius detoxified grape juice most effectively. However, this species often produces OTA. A. niger and A. japonicus isolates were also effective and because those species are not systematically OTA producers, they could be interesting for further OTA detoxification processes in grape juices and musts.     

Metabolism of glycitein (7,4'-dihydroxy-6-methoxy-isoflavone) by human gut microflora

Gut microbial disappearance and metabolism of the soy isoflavone glycitein, 7,4'-dihydroxy-6-methoxyisoflavone, were investigated by incubating glycitein anaerobically with feces from 12 human subjects. The subjects' ages ranged from 24 to 53 years with a body mass index (BMI) of 20.9-25.8 kg/m(2) (mean BMI = 24.0 +/- 1.1 kg/m(2)). Glycitein disappearance followed an apparent first-order rate loss. Fecal glycitein disappearance rates for the subjects segregated into three different groups described as high (k = 0.67 +/- 0.14/h), moderate (k = 0.34 +/- 0.04/h), and low (k = 0.15 +/- 0.07/h) glycitein degraders (p < 0.0001). There was no dose effect on the disappearance rates for each subject from 10 to 250 microM glycitein (average k = 0.32 +/- 0.03/h, p > 0.05). Four putative glycitein metabolites, characterized by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (electrospray ionization using positive ionization mode), were dihydroglycitein, dihydro-6,7,4'-trihydroxyisoflavone, and 5'-O-methyl-O-desmethylangolensin. Two subjects produced a metabolite tentatively identified as 6-O-methyl-equol, and one subject produced daidzein as an additional metabolite of glycitein. These results show that glycitein is metabolized by human gut microorganisms and may follow metabolic pathways similar to other soy isoflavones.     

Systematic conservation planning products for land-use planning: Interpretation for implementation

There is an obvious need to incorporate biodiversity concerns into the policies and practices of sectors that operate outside protected areas, especially given the widespread devolution of power to local (municipal) authorities regarding land-use decision-making. Consequently, it is essential that we develop systematic (target-driven) conservation planning products that are both user-friendly and user-useful for local government officials, their consultants and the elected decision makers. Here, we describe a systematic conservation planning assessment for South Africa’s Subtropical Thicket Biome that considered implementation opportunities and constraints from the outset by developing - with stakeholders - products (maps and guidelines) that could be readily used for local government land-use planning. The assessment, with concomitant stakeholder input, developed (i) Megaconservancy Networks, which are large-scale conservation corridors of multiple ownership that achieve targets principally for biodiversity processes; (ii) conservation status categories (critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable, currently not vulnerable) for all biodiversity features, identified on the basis of available extant habitat to achieve conservation targets, and (iii) a conservation priority map which integrates (i) and (ii). This map was further interpreted for municipal-level decision-makers by way of corresponding guidelines for land-use in each of the conservation status categories. To improve general awareness of the value of biodiversity and its services, a handbook was compiled, which also introduced new and impending environmental legislation. Within 18 months of the production of these products, evidence of the effective integration, or mainstreaming, of the map and its guidelines into land-use planning has been encouraging. However, more effort on increasing awareness of the value of biodiversity and its services among many stakeholder groups is still required. Nonetheless, our approach of planning for implementation by considering the needs and obligations of end users has already yielded positive outcomes. We conclude by providing suggestions for further improving our approach.     

Comparison of classic and needle arthroscopy to diagnose canine medial shoulder instability: 31 cases

This retrospective study compared surgery time, anesthesia time, and costs recorded with classic arthroscopy or needle arthroscopy when diagnosing canine medial shoulder instability. Signalment, examination findings, diagnostics, anesthesia time, surgery time, treatment, invoices, and complications were reported. All cases (classic arthroscopy, 14 cases; needle arthroscopy, 17 cases) were diagnosed with medial shoulder instability. Anesthesia times, surgery times, and invoices were statistically compared for classic and needle arthroscopy (P < 0.05). No significant differences were reported for surgery time (P = 0.13) but existed for anesthesia time (35 minutes shorter with needle arthroscopy; P < 0.0001) and invoice (38% lower with needle arthroscopy; P < 0.0001). No complications were recorded by the time of last direct follow-up, which was at a mean of 12.4 weeks after surgery. Needle arthroscopy offers an alternative, safe technique to reliably diagnose canine medial shoulder instability. Shorter anesthesia times and lower costs to the client may be advantages of needle over classic arthroscopy.     

Scale-dependent effects of terrestrial habitat on genetic variation in the great crested newt (Triturus cristatus)

Landscape Ecology - Terrestrial landscapes surrounding aquatic habitat influence the persistence of amphibian spatially structured populations (SSPs) via their crucial role in providing estivation...     

The anomalous Hall effect and magnetic monopoles in momentum space

Efforts to find the magnetic monopole in real space have been made in cosmic rays and in particle accelerators, but there has not yet been any firm evidence for its existence because of its very heavy mass, approximately 10(16) giga-electron volts. We show that the magnetic monopole can appear in the crystal momentum space of solids in the accessible low-energy region (approximately 0.1 to 1 electron volts) in the context of the anomalous Hall effect. We report experimental results together with first-principles calculations on the ferromagnetic crystal SrRuO3 that provide evidence for the magnetic monopole in the crystal momentum space.     

Effect of heat stress and feeding management on growth performance and physiological responses of finishing pigs

This study aimed to determine whether pig responses to heat stress (HS) were directly due to heat exposure (regardless of feeding level and pattern) or were indirectly due to the reduction of feed intake (FI) and to determine if increasing feeding frequency (splitting heat increments) can improve pig response to HS. A total of 48 pigs (66.1 ± 1.7 kg) were allocated to four groups in three replicates. After 7 d in thermoneutral (TN) conditions (22 °C; period 1 [P1; day −7 to −1]), pigs were placed in either TN or HS (32 °C) conditions for 20 d (period 2 [P2; day 0 to 19]). The diet was provided either ad libitum (AL; 2 distributions/d) or pair-fed (PF8; 8 distributions/d) using HS–AL pigs as the reference group. Thus, the four experimental groups were TN–AL, HS–AL, TN–PF8, and HS–PF8. The daily ration of PF8 pigs was distributed at every 90-min intervals from 0900 to 1930 hours. Data were analyzed using the PROC MIXED procedure with replicate (n = 3), experimental group (n = 4), and their interactions as fixed effects, and the REPEATED statement was used for repeated measures data. Pigs had a similar average daily feed intake (ADFI) during P1 (P > 0.05). In P2, HS–AL and PF8 pigs had lower ADFI (−19%), average daily gain (−25%), and final body weight (−6.1 kg) than TN–AL pigs (P < 0.01). TN–AL pigs had thicker backfat than TN–PF8 pigs (P < 0.05), while the HS pigs had intermediate results. HS pigs had a higher perirenal fat percentage based on the contrast analysis between PF8 pigs (P < 0.05). Thermoregulatory responses of pigs increased with HS exposure but did not differ between HS or between TN groups (P > 0.05). For TN pigs, variation in muscle temperature (T_muscle) depended on feeding and physical activity, while for HS pigs, T_muscle gradually increased throughout the day. The T_muscle of PF8 pigs increased with each additional meal but plateaued earlier for HS–PF8 than TN–PF8 pigs; an increase in T_muscle per meal was also lower in HS–PF8 than TN–PF8 (P < 0.05). Exposure to HS decreased plasma T3 and T4 (P < 0.05) and increased plasma creatinine (P < 0.05). Between the PF8 groups, HS pigs also had a transient increase in plasma insulin on day 8 (P < 0.05). The effect of HS on FI decreased the growth rate of pigs but there are heat-induced effects, such as altered physiological responses, which might explain the direct HS effects seen in other literature especially in terms of increased adiposity. The increased feed provision frequency in the present study did not improve the HS response of pigs.