The extent of genetic diversity among Vanilla species: Comparative results for RAPD and ISSR

Vanilla is a large genus of about 110 species in the orchid family (Orchidaceae), including the species Vanilla planifolia from which commercial vanilla flavoring is derived. Since most species of vanilla are considered rare and endangered there is an urgent need to conserve them through genetic analysis and propagation/conservation studies on this crop.The present study investigated the genetic diversity among nine leafy- and leaf-less Vanilla species employing 30 decamer RAPD primers and 10 ISSR primers. The species under study were diverse and displayed a range of variability (0–66% and 0–81% for RAPD and ISSR, respectively). A total of 154 RAPD polymorphic markers (83.24%, h = 0.378) and 93 ISSR polymorphic markers (86.11%, h = 0.363) were used to generate a genetic similarity matrix followed by the cluster analysis. Specific groupings were revealed by each cluster analysis with slight variation between two different markers. Among the nine species studied, V. planifolia, Vanilla aphylla and Vanilla tahitensis revealed very low level of variation within their collections, thus indicating a narrow genetic base. The large genetic distance of Vanilla andamanica from other species suggests its different origin. A close genetic affinity was observed between the pairs V. planifolia, V. tahitensis and Vanilla albida, V. aphylla. These are the first comparative results for RAPD and ISSR reporting inter-relationship among nine cultivated, wild and hybrid Vanilla species.     

Predicting early pregnancy in Egyptian buffalo cows via measuring uterine and luteal blood flows,and serum and saliva progesterone

Various methods are being employed to detect early pregnancy in domestic animals. This study aimed to predict early pregnancy in buffaloes via measuring the corpus luteum (CL) diameter, the luteal blood flow (LBF) area, the uterine blood flow (UBF) vascularization area, and progesterones in saliva and serum for non-pregnant (NPBs, N = 12) and pregnant (PBs, N = 12) buffaloes. The results revealed that the CL diameter and the luteal color blood flow blue and red (P = 0.0001) areas of the pregnant animals kept increasing from day 1 to day 35 of the gestation period, but it decreased in NPBs on day 21 after reaching a peak from ovulation to day 18. Interestingly, the UBF of the pregnant buffaloes (PBs) kept increasing (P = 0.0001) from ovulation to day 42. The difference of the CL diameter (P = 0.03) and the LBF color blue vascularization area (P = 0.002) between PBs and NPBs became clear from day 14 after ovulation, though the difference of UBF between PBs and NPBs became markedly obvious from day 7 after breeding. Both saliva (P = 0.001) and serum (P = 0.0001) progesterones of PBs continued increasing (P = 0.0001) from day 14 to day 35, but those of NPBs started decreasing (P = 0.0001) from day 14 and reached low values on day 21. Therefore, measuring saliva progesterone in addition to the high LBF (day 14) and UBF (day 7) of the pregnant buffaloes using a Doppler ultrasound could be applicable as noninvasive methods to detect early pregnancy and to improve reproductive management of buffaloes.     

Inheritance of angular leaf spot resistance in common bean line BAT 332 and identification of RAPD markers linked to the resistance gene

The existence of genetic variability for angular leaf spot (ALS) resistance in the common bean germplasm allows the development of breeding lines resistant to this disease. The BAT 332 line is an important resistance source to common bean ALS. In this work we determined the inheritance pattern and identified RAPD markers linked to a resistance gene present in BAT 332. Populations F₁, F₂,BCs and BCr derived from crosses between BAT 332 and cultivar Rudá were used. Rudá is a commercial cultivar with carioca type grains and susceptible to ALS. The resistance of BAT 332 to race 61.41 of the pathogen was confirmed. Segregation analysis of the plants indicated that a single dominant gene confers resistance. For identification of RAPD markers linked to the resistance gene, bulk segregant analysis (BSA) was used. Two RAPD markers,OPAA07₉₅₀ and OPAO12₉₅₀, linked in coupling phase at 5.10 and 5.83 cM of this gene, respectively, were identified. These molecular markers are important for common bean breeders and geneticists as source of genetic information and for marker assisted selection in breeding programs. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Activity measurements of Ni2+ in soils

Nickel activities were measured in 11 alkaline and slightly acidic soils using the chelate method. The measured activities ranged from 10^?6.82 to 10^?8.78 M and were inversely related to the pH of the soils. The measured Ni²⁺ activities in the 11 soils could be predicted using the following expression: (Ni²⁺) = 10^6.95 (H⁺)². The solubility of Ni was plotted on a log (Ni²⁺) vs. pH solubility diagram for various Ni solid phase compounds. It is most likely that NiFe₂O₄ (trevorite) is the solid phase controlling Ni solubility in these soils. Identification of the presence of this mineral needs further investigation.     

Global human capital: integrating education and population

Almost universally, women with higher levels of education have fewer children. Better education is associated with lower mortality, better health, and different migration patterns. Hence, the global population outlook depends greatly on further progress in education, particularly of young women. By 2050, the highest and lowest education scenarios--assuming identical education-specific fertility rates--result in world population sizes of 8.9 and 10.0 billion, respectively. Better education also matters for human development, including health, economic growth, and democracy. Existing methods of multi-state demography can quantitatively integrate education into standard demographic analysis, thus adding the "quality" dimension.     

A reversibly switching surface

We report the design of surfaces that exhibit dynamic changes in interfacial properties, such as wettability, in response to an electrical potential. The change in wetting behavior was caused by surface-confined, single-layered molecules undergoing conformational transitions between a hydrophilic and a moderately hydrophobic state. Reversible conformational transitions were confirmed at a molecular level with the use of sum-frequency generation spectroscopy and at a macroscopic level with the use of contact angle measurements. This type of surface design enables amplification of molecular-level conformational transitions to macroscopic changes in surface properties without altering the chemical identity of the surface. Such reversibly switching surfaces may open previously unknown opportunities in interfacial engineering.     

Effect of treatment of chronic theileriosis with buparvaquone on milk yields

Summary Chronic, undulatingTheileria annulata infection was diagnosed as the cause of severely depressed milk yields in a herd of 44 Friesian cows in Egypt. The herd was divided at random into two groups of 22; one group was injected intramuscularly with a single dose of the experimental antitheilerial drug, buparvaquone, while the other remained untreated. Over the subsequent seven weeks milk yield in the treated group increased to double that of the untreated group (P<0.05). Pyrexia was controlled within two days of injection of buparvaquone and piroplasm parasitaemia was eliminated in one week. It is suggested that treatment of dairy cattle chronically infected withT. annulata using buparvaquone may have the dual beneficial effect of reducing the pathogenic effects of theileriosis, thereby permitting restoration of an impaired immune system, thus increasing resistance to other infections. If a similar effect could be produced inBos indicus cattle inT. annulata endemic areas, treatment of indigenous cattle with buparvaquone could be a useful alternative to the introduction ofBos taurus blood as a way of boosting milk production.

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Efecto Sobre La Produccion De Leche Del Tratamiento De La Theileriosis Cronica Con Buparvaquone

Resumen Se diagnosticó infección crónica ondulate deTheileria annulata, en un hato de 44 vacas Friesian en Egipto; la causa fue, la caida severa de la producción láctea. Se dividió el hato al azár, en dos grupos de 22 vacas cada uno; un grupo se inyectó via intramuscular, con una dosis única de la droga experimental buparvaquone y el otro no se trató. Durante las siete semanas subsiguientes, la producción láctea aumentó el doble en el grupo tratado, en relación con el grupo sin tratar (P<0.05). La pirexia fue controlada, dentro de los dos primeros dias después de la inyección de buparvaquone, y la parasitemia por piroplasmas se eliminó en una semana. Se sugiere, que el tratamiento con buparvaquone del genado de leche infectado crónicamente conT. annulata, podría tener doble efecto benéfico, al reducir el efecto patógeno de la theileriosis, permitiendo la restauración del sistema inmunológico, incrementando así la resistencia a otras infecciones. Si un efecto similar se produjera en ganadoBos indicus, en áreas endémicas deT. annulata, el tratamiento del ganado nativo con buparvaquone, podría convertirse en una alternativa a la introducción de sangreBos taurus, para incrementar la producción láctea.

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Effet Du Traitement De La Theileriose Chronique Par La Buparvaquone Sur Les Rendements Laitiers

Résumé L'infection chronique et à rechutes àTheileria annulata a été diagnostiquée comme étant la cause de rendements laitiers fortement déprimés dans un troupeau de 44 vaches frisonnes en Egypte. Le troupeau fut partagé, au hasard, en deux groupes de 22; un groupe a reçu par voie intramusculaire, une dose unique d'un médicament antitheileriose expériemental, la buparvaquone, tandis que l'autre n'était pas traité. Pendant les sept semaines suivantes, le rendement laitier du groupe traité a doublé par rapport à celui du groupe non triaté (P<0.05). L'hyperthermie a été contrôlée dans les deux jours suivant l'injection de buparvaquone, et la parantémie à piroplasme éliminée en une semaine. Il est suggéré que le traitement du bétail laitier chroniquement infecté parT. annulata à l'aide de la buparvaquone peut avoir le double effet bénéfique de réduire les effects pathologiques de la theilériose, permettant ainsi la restauration d'un système immunitaire affaibli, ce qui augmente la résistance aux autres infections. Si un effet similaire pouvait être produit chez le bétailBos indicus des régions à endémicitéT annulata, le traitement du bétail indigène avec la buparvaquone pourrait être une alternative utile à l'introduction du sangBos taurus dans le but de stimuler la production laitière.