Role of selenium in mitigation of cadmium toxicity in pepper grown in hydroponic condition

Selenium (Se) is an essential element for humans but is not considered as essential for plants. However, its beneficial role in improving plant growth and stress tolerances is well established. In order to study the role of Se in cadmium (Cd) toxicity in pepper (Capsicum frutescens cv. Suryankhi Cluster), this experiment was carried out in greenhouse conditions. Treatments comprised Cd [0, 0.25, and 0.5 mM cadmium chloride (CdCl₂)] and Se [0, 3, and 7 µM sodium selenite (Na₂SeO₃)] with three replications. The result showed that Cd decreased chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids, whereas Se supplementation diminished Cd toxicity on photosynthetic pigment. Selenium at 7 µM significantly increased the leaf area in the plants grown at 0.25 mM Cd. The application of Se at 3 µM with 0.25 mM Cd and Se at 3 µM and Se at 7 µM with 0.5 mM Cd increased the activity of catalase (CAT). Selenium at 7 µM decreased the proline content of pepper leaves exposed to Cd at 0.5 mM (30%). Selenium significantly enhanced the antioxidant activity of leaves, which was diminished by Cd toxicity. In general, Se has a beneficial effect on plant growth and is an antioxidant enzyme of pepper cv. Suryankhi Cluster under Cd stress and non-stress conditions.     

Effects of Bentonite Application and Urea Fertilization Time on Growth,Development and Nitrate Accumulation in Spinach (Spinacia oleraceae L.)

Under excessive application of nitrogen fertilizer, vegetables can accumulate high levels of nitrate in their vegetative body and, when consumed by living organisms, pose serious health-related risks for humans. Regarding such problems, it is necessary to minimize the accumulation of nitrate in leafy vegetables. Therefore, a pot experiment was conducted to evaluate bentonite levels (0, 20, 40, 60, 80 g/kg soil) application and urea fertilization times (25, 50, 75 days after sowing; at the rate of 0.2 g per pot) on the growth, development and nitrate accumulation of spinach. Results showed that urea fertilization on 25 days after sowing date had the highest effect on the quality, while application of 60 gr bentonite had the highest effect on the improvement of growth parameters of spinach. The lowest nitrate and nitrite accumulation rate was observed at urea fertilization on 50 days after planting and lack of bentonite application, whereas the lowest oxalic acid content was obtained at urea fertilization on 25 days after planting in a soil without bentonite application. The results showed that implementing an appropriate rate of bentonite and urea fertilization times may bring about favorable results for spinach production.     

Increased drug concentration and repeated eye drop administration as strategies to optimize topical drug delivery: A fluorophotometric study in healthy dogs

Objectives

Determine tear film kinetics with different fluorescein concentrations and repeated eye drop administration at various time intervals.

Animals Studied

Six healthy Beagles.

Procedures

Six experiments were conducted on separate days: single eye drop administration (control) or two separate eye drops administered at 30 s, 1, 2, 5, and 10 min intervals. For each experiment, one eye received 0.3% fluorescein solution while the other eye received 1% fluorescein solution, and tear fluid was collected with capillary tubes at 0, 1, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 90, 120, and 180 min. Fluorescein concentrations were measured using automated fluorophotometry.

Results

Compared with 0.3% solution, eyes receiving 1% fluorescein solution had significantly higher tear film concentrations (p ≤ .046) and the area-under-the-fluorescein-time curve was twofold greater (p = .005). Compared with control: (i) Tear film concentrations were significantly higher for up to 20 min when repeating administration 30 s to 5 min after the first drop (p ≤ .006); (ii) The highest increase in area-under-the-curve was obtained with 2 and 5 min intervals for 0.3% (+109%–130%) and 1% solutions (+153%–157%); (iii) The highest increase in median precorneal retention time (defined as tear film concentration < 5% from baseline values) was obtained with 5 min intervals for 0.3% (55 min vs. 15 min in control) and 2–5 min intervals for 1% solutions (50 min vs. 25 min in control).

Conclusions

Drug delivery to the ocular surface can be enhanced by using more concentrated formulations and/or by repeating eye drop administration 2–5 min after the first dose.     

Preventive factors related to brucellosis among rural population using the PRECEDE model: an application of path analysis

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The purpose of this model-based study was to identify behavioral and environmental prevention factors for brucellosis and to determine the causal linkage...     

An atypical Bacillus anthracis infection in a bull—A potential occupational health hazard

Bacillus anthracis infecting cattle is usually identified based on the typical symptom: sudden death. Bacillus anthracis causing atypical symptoms may remain undiagnosed and represent a potential occupational health hazard for, that is veterinarians and producers, butchers and tanners. In the year 2004, one case of sudden death in a dairy farm in southern Finland was diagnosed as bovine anthrax. Four years later 2008, an atypical case of anthrax was diagnosed in the same holding. The bull was taken to the Production Animal Hospital of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki because of fever, loss of appetite and a symmetrically swollen scrotal sac. Penicillin treatment cured the fever but not the swollen scrotum. Before the intended therapeutic castration, a punctuate consisting of 10 ml fluid collected into a syringe from the scrotal sac was cultivated on blood agar at 37°C. After 24 hr, an almost pure culture of a completely non‐hemolytic Bacillus cereus‐like bacteria was obtained. The strain was identified as B. anthracis using Ba‐specific primers by the Finnish Food Safety Authority (RUOKAVIRASTO). After the diagnosis, the bull was euthanized and destroyed, the personnel were treated with prophylactic antibiotics and the clinic was disinfected. In this particular case, treatment with water, Virkon S and lime seemed to be effective to eliminate endospores and vegetative cells since no relapses of anthrax have occurred in 10 years. This case is the last reported anthrax case in Finland.     

Papillary architecture of the Leopardus pardalis tongue

The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is a Felidae of wide geographical distribution and food flexibility; therefore, it is essential to understand the morphology of the species. Thus, we aimed to describe its lingual morphology in order to gain information regarding the anatomy of this carnivore's digestive system. The tongues ??were removed for ex situ macroscopic and morphometric analyses, as well as for light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, of fragments of the different lingual regions. The tongue of L. pardalis had an elongated form that was subdivided into the apex, body and root, in which four papillary types were observed: filiform, fungiform, circumvallate and conical. It presented with a stratified, keratinized squamous epithelium, followed by loose and dense connective tissues, as well as a skeletal striated musculature that comprised most of the organ. In addition, in scanning electron microscopy the filiform papillae showed a complex with multiple layers of keratin with triangular shape projected caudally in oral cavity. The fungiform papillae were distributed among the filiform and showed a rounded shape with some gustatory pores, and are keratinized but in a lower intensity if compared with filiform. The vallate papillae, located in lingual root, showed an oval format, had a deep groove surrounded the papillae and some gustatory pores. The conical papillae are located in lingual root and are similar to the filiform. The tongue of L. pardalis resembles other carnivorous species, mainly among felids. However, it differed in relation to the quantity of vallate papillae and the absence of foliate papillae.     

Chemical, Sensorial and Rheological Properties of a New Organic Rice Bran Beverage

Rice bran is a solid residue from rice polishing that is used in animal nutrition and rice oil production. Cultivation conditions with agro-toxics, lipids instability, and tendency for mycotoxin contamination restrict its application in human nutrition. Therefore, organic agriculture is an alternative to use the properties of rice bran. Rice bran beverage is a new cereal product from organic rice. This work presents the preliminary results of the chemical and rheological studies of a bath pasteurized rice bran beverage. Compared with integral defatted milk, soy extracts, and brown rice low-fat milk, the rice bran beverage studied in this work presents itself as an important source of minerals and unsaturated lipids. All essential amino acids were found in this product. Glutamic and aspartic acids were predominant. Bath pasteurization at boiling water temperature for 15 and 30 min was adequate for microbiological safety. Refrigeration storage for 20 days, evaluated by pH and acidity variations, was ideal for assessment of the beverage conservation time. The beverage viscosity was of the Newtonian standard behavior, and its viscosity during storage was not a good parameter to evaluate shelf life. Sensory preference tests showed positive perspectives for this new beverage.     

Carbohydrate molecule size affects the metabolic and digestive dynamics of jundiá (Rhamdia quelen)

This experiment was conducted to study the effects of carbohydrates with different molecular sizes on growth performance, feed utilization and composition, activity of digestive enzymes, plasma and hepatic metabolites of jundiá (Rhamdia quelen). Triplicate groups of jundiá (4.08 ± 0.005 g) were stocked in 12 tanks with stocking density of 25 individuals per tank and fed for 40 days with four isonitrogenous diets (37%) and isocaloric diets (3,200 kcal/kg) containing fructose (FRU), sucrose (SUC), maltodextrin (MALDEX) or corn starch (CS). The results showed no significant differences for growth variables and digestive enzymes. Fish whose diet received maltodextrin showed higher levels of deposited body fat and hepatosomatic index. Moreover, the above‐mentioned treatment resulted in lower concentrations of glucose and cholesterol in the plasma of jundiá, higher levels of triglycerides, and lower reserves of glucose and liver glycogen. However, fish fed the starch‐based diet presented higher moisture content, crude protein deposition, and body protein retention coefficient. In that same treatment, the jundiá presented higher levels of plasma glucose and liver protein. In conclusion, the efficiency of using digestible carbohydrates in iso‐nutritional diets for jundiá depends on the size of their molecular structure. The corn starch was the best dietary carbohydrate source for jundiá, based on feed utilization and composition and greater synchronicity between energy utilization and protein synthesis.     

Trials on Pacific oyster (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Crassostrea gigas</Emphasis> Thunberg) rearing in the middle Adriatic Sea by means of different trays

The aim of this study was to compare the growth of juvenile Pacific oysters (mean weight 2.22 g; mean length 26.8 mm) reared with the suspended technique using three different types of trays fixed to long lines at a mussel farm located in the middle Adriatic Sea. Growth, mortality rate and quality traits of oysters cultured in a new type of tray (EXP) were compared to those of specimens reared in conventional trays (CON) and in “poches” (POC). Culture density was fixed at 0.03 oysters cm⁻² in all the tray types. After 11 months of growth, oysters reared in all the tray types reached marketable size, weighing between 94.08 and 110 g without significant differences. Length (98.8–103.3 mm), width (61.1–70.5 mm) and height (31.6–34.1 mm) did not show significant variations. The condition index showed differences among EXP (93.17%) compared to CON (81%) and POC oysters (72.87%), and significant differences were found between those reared at the surface and the bottom, regardless of tray type. Concerning mortality, the EXP group (7.5%) recorded significantly smaller losses than CON (18.4%) trays and POC (31.6%).     

Planning and management modeling for treated wastewater usage

Due to urban growth, some agricultural lands have been replaced by residential, municipal, and industrial areas. In some cases the remaining agricultural land will not have enough water because of transfers from agriculture to M&I (municipal and industrial) users. Therefore, in many places, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, the use of treated wastewater as a reliable source of irrigation water has already been, or will be, considered in the future. Due to its unique characteristics, this new resource has many challenges that cannot be ignored, such as health issues, water quality, and long- and short-term effects on soils and crops. The study described herein considered the development of a new GIS-based model for planning and managing the reuse of treated wastewater for the irrigation of agricultural and green lands, considering various factors such as population and urban growth. The model is composed of several different modules, including an urban growth model. These modules are designed to help in the decision-making process for allocations of water resources to agricultural areas, considering factors such as crop types, crop pattern, water salinity, soil characteristics, pumping and conveyance costs, and also by comparing different management scenarios. Appropriate crops that can be grown with a specific water salinity and soil characteristics, proper water resources for each farm (according to pumping and conveyance costs, and analysis of water demand, and water supply) can be determined through the application of this model. The model can also rank agricultural areas and open spaces in and near an urban area according to their suitability for irrigated agriculture.