Relevance of carnosic acid concentrations to the selection of rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis (L.), accessions for optimization of antioxidant yield

Methods were developed to identify and select accessions of rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis (L.), producing optimum antioxidant activity. Extracts from 12 different rosemary accessions, using three solvents of varying polarity, were assayed for their antioxidant activity, and their major antioxidant compounds were identified and quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Carnosic acid concentrations were correlated with (i) the free radical scavenging activity of these extracts, as measured by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay (adjusted R(2) = 77.3%) and (ii) their inhibition of linoleic acid oxidation, as measured by the beta-carotene assay (adjusted R(2) = 44.1%). The correlation was broadly confirmed by the production of volatile aldehydes as measured by the hexanal assay. The variation of carnosic acid concentrations in extracts of 29 accessions, grown in field trials at three sites in England, was determined.     

Behaviour of Phytophthora cinnamomi rands in different soils and water regimes

The effect of different soils, nutrient states and water regimes on the growth, sporulation and lysis of mycelial inocula of Phytophthora cinnamomi has been examined. It has been observed that the requirements for chlamydospore and sporangium production in soils are relatively non-specific with respect to soil type, pH, percentage organic matter and the presence or absence of an additional food source. In contrast to chlamydospore production, however, production of sporangia in soil depends on a sufficiently low water suction pressure. In some soils a low percentage water content or a water content well below field capacity did not necessarily inhibit sporangium production. The pathogen was a good competitor for pieces of both fresh and rotting Castanea sativa radicles. Trichoderma viride appeared to play a significant role in soil by lysing hyphae of P. cinnamomi and inducing it to produce oospores.     

Uptake of pesticides from water and soil by earthworms

The uptake of pesticides by earthworms from aqueous solutions was examined and shown to be a reversible physical process. Measurements of distributions of pesticides between aqueous solutions and worm solids showed that adsorption coefficients were related to octanol-water distribution coefficients, as are soil-water distributions. From these relationships it was calculated that concentration factors of stable chemicals in earthworms from soil should be similar, except for polar substances which penetrate poorly, and be determined mainly by the soil organic matter content. Examination of uptake from soils indicated that the calculated concentration factors are unlikely to be achieved because of slow diffusion of chemicals in soils and because of metabolism in the soil or the worm.     

Spondylosis Deformans (Vertebral Osteophytosis) in the Dog

Abstract— —Spondylosis deformans (vertebral osteophytosis) in the dog was studied radiographically in material from Bristol (England), Stockholm (Sweden), and Fort Collins (Colorado, U.S.A.). The incidence was dependent on age, sex, and breed with the lesion more common in older age, females and boxers. The pattern of distribution of the osteophytes was similar in all groups. The average size of the osteophytes was not dependent on its location but was similar throughout the vertebral column. The condition was present as often in dogs with clinical signs related to the spine as in those without. Résumé— —La spondylose deformans (ostéophytose vertebrale) chez le chien a étéétudiée radio-graphiquement avec un materiel de Bristol (Angleterre), Stockholm (Suéde) et Fort Collins (U.S.A.). L'incidence est indépendante de P'áge, du sexe et de la race avec des lésions plus communes chez les chiens d'âge avancé, les femelles et les boxers. Le motif de distribution des ostéophytes est similaire dans tous les groupes. La taille moyenne des ostéophytes ne dépend pas de son emplacement mais est similaire le long de la colonne vertebrale. La condition a été constatée aussi souvent chez les chiens ayant des signes cliniques reliés à l'épine dorsale que chez ceux n'en ayant pas. Zusammenfassung— —Material aus Bristol (England), Stockholm (Schweden), und Fort Collins (Colorado, U.S.A.) betreffend spondylosis deformans (vertebraler Knochenauswuchs) bei Hunden wurde radiographisch untersucht. Die auftretenden Fälle hingen vom Alter, dem Geschlecht und der Rasse ab, wobei Verletzungen bei älteren Tieren, Weibchen und Boxern häufiger vorkamen. Bei alien Gruppen war das Verteilungsbild der Knochenauswüchse ähnlich. Die Durchschnittsgrösse der Knochenauswüchse hing nicht von ihrer örtlichen Lage ab, sondern war gleichartig entlang der gesamten Wirbelsäule. Dieser Zustand zeigte sich ebenso oft bei Hunden mit klinischen Anzeichen in Verbindung mit dem Rückgrat wie bei solchen ohne derartige Erscheinungen.     

Evolution of character displacement in Darwin's finches

Competitor species can have evolutionary effects on each other that result in ecological character displacement; that is, divergence in resource-exploiting traits such as jaws and beaks. Nevertheless, the process of character displacement occurring in nature, from the initial encounter of competitors to the evolutionary change in one or more of them, has not previously been investigated. Here we report that a Darwin's finch species (Geospiza fortis) on an undisturbed Galápagos island diverged in beak size from a competitor species (G. magnirostris) 22 years after the competitor's arrival, when they jointly and severely depleted the food supply. The observed evolutionary response to natural selection was the strongest recorded in 33 years of study, and close to the value predicted from the high heritability of beak size. These findings support the role of competition in models of community assembly, speciation, and adaptive radiations.     

Prevalence of exposure to Salmonella spp in finishing swine marketed in Iowa

OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence of antibodies against Salmonella spp in swine marketed in Iowa. ANIMALS: Swine marketed by 1,044 low-volume producers and 45 high-volume producers. PROCEDURE: Samples of diaphragm muscle collected from swine carcasses were tested by an indirect ELISA based on lipopolysaccharides from Salmonella spp, in particular Salmonella serovar Typhimurium. Prevalence of positive results for antibodies against Salmonella spp for carcasses, lots, and swine for each producer was determined. Producer-level seroprevalence was used to classify swine from producers as having negligible, low, moderate, or widespread evidence of previous or historical exposure to Salmonella spp. RESULTS: From low-volume producers, 23,609 of 25,478 (92.7%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 92.4% to 92.9%) samples had negative results, and 1,863 (7.3%; 95% CI, 7.05% to 7.56%) had antibodies against Salmonella spp. Of the 6,299 lots of swine tested, 1,191 (18.9%) contained at least 1 sample with positive results. From high-volume producers, 203 of 2,486 (8.1%; 95% CI, 6.8% to 9.3%) samples had antibodies against Salmonella spp, and 124 of 629 lots had at least 1 sample with positive results for antibodies against Salmonella spp. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Less than 10% of pigs marketed in Iowa are apparently exposed to Salmonella spp. Most swine marketed by low-volume producers had negligible or little evidence of exposure to Salmonella spp, whereas a higher percentage of swine marketed by high-volume producers had positive results when tested to detect antibodies against Salmonella spp.     

Foraging areas of black‐browed and grey‐headed albatrosses breeding on Macquarie Island in relation to marine protected areas

• 1. Although marine protected areas (MPAs) are often established to protect threatened top‐order predators, there is a paucity of data that can be used to evaluate their efficacy in achieving this purpose.
• 2. We assessed the effectiveness of a network of MPAs around Macquarie Island in the Southern Ocean by examining the foraging areas of breeding black‐browed Thalassarche melanophrys and grey‐headed albatrosses T. chrysostoma.
• 3. During late incubation and brood periods over 90% of time spent foraging by black‐browed albatrosses was contained within MPAs, principally the Economic Exclusion Zone (EEZ) around Macquarie Island. In contrast, grey‐headed albatrosses spent only 34% of their time foraging in MPAs.
• 4. Black‐browed and grey‐headed albatrosses spent 30% and 15% of their respective foraging times in the Marine Park around Macquarie Island.
• 5. Both black‐browed and grey‐headed albatrosses foraged in Antarctic waters under the jurisdiction of the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), accounting for 5% and 12% of the total foraging times respectively.
• 6. The spatial extent of MPAs around Macquarie Island appear to adequately cover much of the foraging distribution of breeding black‐browed albatrosses from Macquarie Island.
• 7. Breeding grey‐headed albatrosses spend significantly more time in waters outside the spatial extent of the surrounding MPAs and are at higher risk from fisheries activities and other threats.
• 8. Further information on the foraging movements both of albatrosses outside the breeding season and of juvenile albatrosses is required to more fully assess the efficacy of MPAs in protecting foraging habitats of these species.

Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Explanatory model of cattle death by starvation in Manitoba: Forensic evaluation

Cattle death by starvation is a persistent annual event in Manitoba. Herds with more than 10% overwinter death loss are usually identified in the late winter or early spring. Field and postmortem findings suggest that there is complete mobilization of fat followed by inability to maintain adequate thermoregulation and death by cardiac arrest. Carcasses show only mild evidence of muscle catabolism and are in excellent preservation if located prior to or around the time of spring thaw. A forensic diagnosis of death by starvation-induced exposure can be made with a high level of confidence when considering field data, whole carcass appearance, and postmortem evaluation of residual fat stores.     

Spectrum of M-mode echocardiographic abnormalities in 75 cats with systemic hypertension

A retrospective study was performed in 75 hypertensive cats to determine the spectrum and frequency of M-mode echocardiographic abnormalities. Results indicated that 21.3% of the cats had M-mode measurements within normal reference ranges. For cats with echocardiographic abnormalities, changes were variable. Thirty-nine percent of hypertensive cats had hypertrophy of the interventricular septum in diastole, and 41.3% had hypertrophy of the left ventricular (LV) posterior wall in diastole. One cat in five had a dilated left atrium, while fractional shortening and LV internal dimension in diastole were normal in 82.7% and 86.7% of the cats, respectively. The marked variability of echocardiographic findings in hypertensive cats made echocardiography an unreliable screening test for hypertension.