Reduced volume application of fungicides for the control of onion rots

A survey was conducted to define the fungi population contaminating onion bulbs in Israel during three growing seasons. Significant rots were found to be caused byBotrytis allii, B. cinerea andAspergillus niger. All the onion stocks tested showed infections, but the severity and identity of the pathogens varied between seasons.B. cinerea andB. allii were the most prevalent fungi in winter-harvested onions. Species ofAspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, Rhizopus andTrichoderma were also isolated. The first two were the only species found on summer onions. High fungal contamination had been the main factor affecting an attempt to improve the storage quality and shelf life of the harvested bulbs. Chemical disinfection using a reduced-volume application (RVA) technique was efficient in controlling the major storage rots (caused byA. niger andB. cinerea) of the bulbs, without the major disadvantages of the dipping method. The rate of control was directly correlated with the cover density of the deposited fungicide, but not with the amount deposited. The RVA technique should enable prolongation of postharvest shelf life and storability of onion bulbs.     

Jojoba seed meal proteins associated with proteolytic and protease inhibitory activities

The jojoba, Simmondsia chinensis, is a characteristic desert plant native to the Sonoran desert. The jojoba meal after oil extraction is rich in protein. The major jojoba proteins were albumins (79%) and globulins (21%), which have similar amino acid compositions and also showed a labile thrombin-inhibitory activity. SDS-PAGE showed two major proteins at 50 kDa and 25 kDa both in the albumins and in the globulins. The 25 kDa protein has trypsin- and chymotrypsin-inhibitory activities. In vitro digestibility of the globulins and albumins resembled that of casein and soybean protein concentrates and was increased after heat treatment. The increased digestibility achieved by boiling may be attributed to inactivation of the protease inhibitors and denaturation of proteins.     

Herd and sow-related risk factors for mortality in sows in group-housed systems

Mortality of sows is a major problem for pig production worldwide. In this study, we used hierarchical multivariable logistic analyses to investigate different risk factors for mortality at the sow and herd level in herds with group-housed pregnant sows. Data included 3652 pregnant and 1266 lactating sows from 34 sow herds. A clinical examination for 16 clinical signs was carried out for each sow, and information about 16 herd related factors was obtained by interviews. Farm records were used to obtain information about whether or not sows died suddenly or were euthanized within 3 months after the clinical examination. Factors increasing the risk of sow mortality in the gestation unit were solid pen floors (OR = 1.87), presence of vulva bites (OR = 1.73) and unwillingness to stand when approached (OR = 1.62). Factors increasing the risk of sow mortality in the lactation unit were pale vulva color (OR = 12.69), body leanness (OR = 4.11), and presence of shoulder ulcers (OR = 2.89). The estimated between herd variation was small. Thus, the findings for the sow level variables may be generally applicable for sows in herds with group housed systems.     

Amylolytic-, trypsin-inhibiting-, and urease-activity in three varieties of soybeans and in soybean plant

Summary A comparative study has been carried out on amylase, urease and trypsin-inhibiting activities in the soybean varieties Adams, Harosoy and Lincoln and in soybean plant material of Harosoy. No significant quantitative difference was found between these activities in the three varieties. Two pH optima, at 5.5 and at 6.4 were found for amylase activity from all three varieties of soybeans. Although the temperature of 60° was most favourable for Adams-, Harosoy-and Lincoln-amylase, the latter lost almost all its activity at 70° whereas that of Adams remained constant.No urease and trypsin-inhibiting activities and only slight amylase activity could be detected in the leaves, stems and empty pods of the soybean plant. Young seeds (three weeks after setting) were compared, on the basis of dry weight, to mature seeds and were found to contain 50% of the trypsin inhibiting activity, 34% of the amylase and only 3% of the urease of the latter.

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Zusammenfassung Eine vergleichende Studie wurde durchgeführt über Amylase-, Urease- und Trypsin-hemmende Wirkung der Sojabohnen-Sorten Adams, Harosoy und Lincoln sowie in Sojabohnenpflanzen der Sorte Harosoy. Keine mengenmäßig-signifikanten Unterschiede in der Wirkung fanden sich bei den drei Sorten. Zwei pH-Optima ergaben sich für die Amylase-Aktivität der drei Sojabohnen-Sorten bei 5,5 und 6,4. Obwohl die Temperatur von 60° sehr günstig für die Amylase der Sorten Adams, Harosoy und Lincoln war, verlor die Amylase der letztgenannten Sorte fast ihre gesamte Wirksamkeit bei 70°, während die der Sorte Adams dabei konstant blieb.Keine Urease- und Trypsin-hemmende Wirkung und eine nur leichte Amylase-Aktivität konnte in den Blättern, Sproßachsen und in den leeren Hülsen der Sojabohnen-Pflanze nachgewiesen werden. Junge Samen (drei Wochen nach der Aussaat) wurden auf Trockengewichtsbasis mit reifen Samen verglichen. Es wurde bei den jungen Samen — im Vergleich zu den reifen — eine nur 50%ige Trypsin-hemmende Wirkung, eine 34%ige der Amylase und eine nur 3%ige der Urease ermittelt.

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Resumen Se ha efectuado un estudio comparativo sobre las actividades de la amilasa, la ureasa y el inhibidor de la tripsina en las variedades de porotos de soya Adams, Harosoy y Lincoln, así como en algunas partes vegetativas de la variedad Harosoy. No se encontraron ningunas diferencias cuantitativas entre las actividades de estas variedades. Se encontraron dos valores optimales del pH, 5.5 y 6.4, para la amilasa de todas las tres variedades de porotos de soya. Aunque la temperatura más favorable para la amilasa de las variedades Adams, Harosoy y Lincoln fuera 60°, esta última perdió casi toda su actividad a 70°, mientras que la actividad de la variedad Adams se quedó sin cambiar.No se pudo demostrar la presencia de ureasa y actividad inhibidora de la tripsina en las hojas, los tallos y las cápsulas vacías de las plantas de soya, y se encontró solamante una ligera actividad de amilasa en estas partes vegetativas. Se compararon, en base seca, semillas nuevas (a las tres semanas de formarse) con semillas maduras. Se encontró que las primeras exhibieron 50% de la actividad inhibidora de la tripsina, 34% de la actividad de amilasa y solo 3% de la actividad de ureasa, en comparación con las actividades de las semillas maduras.

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Resumé Une étude comparative a été faite sur les activités de l'amylase, l'uréase et l'activité inhibitrice de la trypsine, dans les variétés de fèves de soya: Adams, Harosoy et Lincoln ainsi que sur différents stades de l'appareil végatatif du soya Harosoy. Aucune différence quantitative, significative, ne fut trouvée entre les activités dans les trois variétés. Deux pH optima à 5.5 et à 6.4 furent trouvés pour l'activité de l'amylase de toutes les trois variétés de fèves de soya. Bien que la témperature de 60° fut la plus favorable pour l'amylase de Adams, Harosoy et Lincoln, l'amylase de ces 2 derniers perdit presque toute son activité à 70° tandis que l'amylase dAdams resta constante.Ni activité d'urease, ni activité inhibitrice de trypsine ainsi que très peu d'amylase ne furent observés dans les feuilles, tiges et gousses vides de la plante soya. De jeunes semences (trois semaines après la fécondation) furent comparées, sur la base du poids sec, à des semences adultes et furent trouvées contenir 50% de l'activité inhibitrice de la trypsine, 34% de l'amylase et rien que 3% de l'uréase par rapport aux graines adultes.

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with 3 figs.     

Teaching small animal reproduction via virtual patients

Virtual patients have become an interesting alternative in medical education. Due to increasing demands regarding theoretical and clinical teaching and to improve an interdisciplinary approach, a new blended learning concept including virtual patients was developed and implemented in the veterinary curriculum of the Freie Universität Berlin. In the presented project, three virtual patients from the field of canine reproduction were developed. They focus on pregnancy diagnosis with suspected luteal insufficiency, pyometra and benign prostatic hyperplasia, respectively. The results of an evaluation by veterinary students of the 7th semester showed a high acceptance of virtual patients in a blended learning reproduction module in the interdisciplinary lectures. Students especially preferred videos, such as video lectures, hands-on videos and animations as well as a glossary for background information, to successfully and autonomously work on a virtual case. The content covered by the new modules that were developed in the context of this project is part of a spiral curriculum; they will be revised and enhanced during the clinical year.     

Azetidine-2-carboxylic acid: A naturally occurring inhibitor ofSpodoptera littoralis (boisd.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Ruscus hypoglossum andUrginea maritima (Liliaceae) are highly resistant toSpodoptera littoralis. The foliage of these plants contains a proline analog, L-azetidine-2-carboxylic acid (AZA): inUrginea at a concentration of 1.7% of fresh weight and inRuscus at a concentration of 0.019%. The concentration of AZA inUrginea accounts for its lethal effects onS. littoralis larvae and for the direct effect of an acetone-soluble 80% methanol extract on adultS. littoralis, as evidenced by reduced viability of eggs deposited. The toxicity ofRuscus extracts is only partly attributable to AZA content.     

An object-oriented Bayesian network modeling the causes of leg disorders in finisher herds

The implementation of an effective control strategy against disease in a finisher herd requires knowledge regarding the disease level in the herd. A Bayesian network was constructed that can estimate risk indexes for three cause-categories of leg disorders in a finisher herd. The cause-categories of leg disorders were divided into infectious causes (arthritis caused by infectious pathogens), physical causes (e.g. fracture and claw lesions), and inherited causes (osteochondrosis). Information about the herd (e.g. the herd size, floor type and number of suppliers) and information about individual pigs (e.g. results from diagnostic tests) were used to estimate the most likely cause of leg disorders at herd level. As information to the model originated from two different levels, we used an object-oriented structure in order to ease the specification of the Bayesian network. Hence, a Herd class and a Pig class comprised the basic components of the object-oriented structure. The causal structure of the model was based on evidence from published literature. The conditional probabilities used in the model were elicited from experts within the field and from the published literature. To illustrate the behaviour of the model, we investigated the value of different levels of evidence in two fictitious herds with different herd characteristics related to the risk of leg disorders (e.g. purchase policy, production type and the stocking density in pens). The model enabled us to demonstrate the value of performing systematic collection of additional information (i.e. clinical, pathological and bacteriological examination) when identifying causes of leg disorders at herd level.     

An ethnobotanical study on home gardens in a Transylvanian Hungarian Csángó village (Romania)

Due to their isolation and insufficiency of official medical care, the inhabitants of several Transylvanian “Csángó” farms in Romania have valuable archaic knowledge of plants. Such ethnobotanical data reported previously from different regions of the country are available only in Hungarian. Of the various ethnic groups constituting the Csángós’ culture the present study was undertaken to survey those living in the Úz-valley (Romania), focusing on the indigenous human ethnomedicine and ethnoveterinary practices of Csinód, a village in the Eastern Carpathian Mountains. The aim of the study was to summarize the occurrence and diversity of food, medicinal, ornamental and fodder plants, as well as herbal home remedies applied on a daily basis. In the summers of 2007–2009 altogether 85 plant taxa in 13 home gardens were registered, using free interviews with local terminology, concentrating on drug parts, use, origin of knowledge and peculiar magico-mythological procedures associated with the species concerned. Due to the obvious decrease in the villagers’ traditional knowledge the prevention of these data from disappearing has gained primary importance in an effort to preserve this heritage as an integral part of the folk medicinal system in Transylvania.