Novel polymorphisms at codons 146 and 151 in the prion protein gene of Cyprus goats, and their association with natural scrapie

To discern whether an association exists between specific combinations of polymorphisms of the prion protein (PrP) and natural scrapie in Cyprus goats, 250 goats were examined, including 164 histologically positive cases. Previously reported amino acid polymorphisms were detected at codons 154 (R-->H), 168(P-->Q), 220(Q-->H) and 240 (S-->P) and nucleotide alterations at codons 42 (a-->g) and 138 (c-->t). Additionally, novel amino acid polymorphisms were detected at codons 146 (N-->S or D) and 151 (R-->H) and new "silent" mutations were found at codons 179 (V,g-->t), 181 (D,c-->t) and 219 (T,c-->t). The two novel polymorphisms at codon 146 were found only in the healthy control and scrapie-negative goats. By comparison, none of the scrapie-affected goats encoded these polymorphisms.     

Scrapie in Cyprus

Scrapie was first recorded in Cyprus in 1985 in two flocks of sheep and subsequently the disease was diagnosed in dairy goats kept in mixed flocks with affected sheep. By 1989 scrapie had been diagnosed in 23 flocks. Epidemiological data presented in the present study are essentially from clinicopathological investigations between 1985 and 1989. A total of 356 out of 957 sheep and 10 out of 30 goats examined from flocks in Nicosia, Larnaca and Limassol districts showed histopathological lesions consistent with a diagnosis of scrapie.     

Income Options for the Poorest of the Poor: The Case of Cardamom in Northern Laos

This study examines the potential of cardamom for poverty alleviation and sustainable rural development under conditions of increased resource scarcity in the uplands of northern Laos. Drawing on both qualitative and quantitative fieldwork in Luang Namtha province, the supply chain of cardamom is identified and the socio-economic opportunities for collectors and growers are examined. Rising demand in neighbouring countries, particularly China, provide sound income opportunities for all actors in the cardamom supply chain. Growing improved varieties has become a boon for farmers endowed with relatively large land areas with suitable agro-ecological conditions. However, land-poor and landless collectors of wild cardamom are facing increasing difficulties due to overharvesting, lower prices offered by middlemen, and the rapid conversion of remaining forests into monoculture plantations, especially rubber, which has reduced the natural habitat of cardamom and other non-timber forest products. The major policy implication is that protecting the remaining natural and secondary forests—for instance through making use of evolving international support mechanisms for community-based forest protection, including REDD-plus—will not only be of benefit for biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation, but would also enhance the livelihoods of the poorest groups in the uplands of northern Laos.     

Differences in ecophysiological responses to summer drought between seedlings of three deciduous oak species

Seasonal variations in water status and gas exchange were assessed in 2-year-old seedlings of Quercus pubescens Willd., Quercus ithaburensis Decaisne subsp. macrolepis (Kotsch) Hedge & Yalt, and Quercus frainetto Ten. during the 2004 growing season characterized by the typical summer drought conditions observed in Greece. The seedlings were grown under field conditions. After establishment half of the seedlings were well watered, while the rest received no irrigation other than natural rainfall. Measurements were conducted from April to October.     

Antibacterial activity in microalgae cultures

Five cultures of microalgae (Chlorella minutissima, Tetraselmis chui, Nannochloropsis sp., Arthrospira platensis and Isochrysis sp.) with no culturable bacteria were tested for their ability to inhibit the growth of six Vibrio bacterial strains (V. parahaemolyticus, V. anguillarum, V. splendidus, V. scophthalmi, V. alginolyticus and V. lentus). The influence of light on the antibacterial activity of the microalgae was investigated. All microalgae cultures inhibited the growth of bacteria compared with the control treatments (P < 0.05), and their antibacterial activity was not influenced by the presence or absence of light. In the control groups, the numbers of bacteria increased exponentially during the experimental period in the absence of microalgae cells demonstrating that the bacterial cells were able to utilize the growth medium of microalgae cultures. The present results may explain the low levels or absence of Vibrio strains in microalgae cultures, and the positive effect of addition of microalgae in rearing of fish larvae, and implicate the production of antibacterial compounds by microalgae cells.     

Peeling has no effect on respiration and ethylene production and only minimal effect on quality of fresh white asparagus spears

Fresh white asparagus spears were subjected to peeling or left unpeeled before storage at 10 °C for 7 days. CO₂ and ethylene production rates were determined during storage, while color, toughness and DPPH radical scavenging activity as well as soluble solids, total soluble phenols and nitrate content were determined before and after storage in both peeled and unpeeled spears. Peel CO₂ and ethylene production rates were also determined during storage. Spears subjected to peeling were more tender, and had lower lightness and chroma and higher hue angle values compared to the unpeeled ones. However, both peeled and unpeeled spears had similar DPPH radical scavenging activity, soluble solids, total soluble phenols and nitrate contents. Peeling resulted in increased CO₂ and C₂H₄ production rates, but peel contributed to total increase of CO₂ and C₂H₄ production. As the measured metabolic activity of the peeled asparagus spears was similar to that of the unpeeled, peeling did not adversely affect quality during storage.     

Effect of sowing date on seedling emergence of species with seeds enclosed in a stony endocarp

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of the natural sequence of temperature conditions between the time of seed sowing and their germination on dormancy release of Prunus avium, P. mahaleb, P. divaricata, P. laurocerasus, P. spinosa, Cornus mas, C. sanguinea, and Celtis australis seeds which are enclosed in a hard stony endocarp. According to their collection date, the seeds (with the endocarp) of the above species were sown outdoor in summer, autumn, and winter and the number of emerged seedlings was counted during the following two springs. For all species, the first sowing date was immediately after seed collection and cleaning. In all species, seedling emergence occurred in early spring and dormancy was released only after the exposure of seeds to specific season conditions. The exposure of seeds of all studied species, except C. australis, to a period of warm temperatures prior to winter was necessary for dormancy breaking and germination. Autumn sowing of P. laurocerasus and C. sanguinea seeds, which were collected in summer, and the sowing immediately after seed collection of the rest species, resulted in a maximum percentage of seedling emergence in the following spring.     

Interactions between fisheries and cetaceans in the Thracian sea (Greece) and management proposals

Greek fisheries (purse seine, trawling and small‐scale coastal, by order of importance) mostly operate in the Thracian Sea, which despite its relatively small size relative to the Aegean Sea (≈4.4%) is the most productive region in Greek waters due to its elevated nutrient concentration. The Thracian Sea is also vital to several species of cetaceans, mainly bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus (Montagu), and common dolphin, Delphinus delphis L. The area has been proposed as a potential cetacean conservation hotspot. For this reason, the interactions between fishing activities and local cetacean populations have been investigated through reports of stranded dolphins, interviews with fishers, surveys and detailed dolphin stomach content analysis. Reports of stranded cetaceans and interviews with fishers revealed cases of cetacean entanglement in fishing nets, as well as frequent dolphin damage to fishing nets. Necropsy stomach analysis of stranded dolphins revealed a preference for fish and cephalopods of low commercial value, indicating a low trophic overlap between cetaceans and commercial fisheries. Recommendations for the management of fisheries–cetacean interactions in the Thracian Sea are provided.     

First report of sheep pulmonary adenomatosis in Cyprus

The first recorded cases of sheep pulmonary adenomatosis in Cyprus are described. The diagnosis was based on histopathological examination of lung material obtained from sheep showing clinical signs of respiratory distress. Three flocks in three different locations of Cyprus were involved.     

PrP gene polymorphisms in Cyprus goats and their association with resistance or susceptibility to natural scrapie

In contrast to scrapie in sheep, the genetic basis of susceptibility to scrapie in goats is not well understood. To study the association of prion protein (PrP) alleles with susceptibility to scrapie in goats in Cyprus, the coding sequence of the caprine PrP gene was determined in 717 goats, including 218 scrapie positive animals. Several novel polymorphisms were detected, such as a novel octarepeat variant and a stop codon mutation. Amino acids at codons 146 and 154 were associated with susceptibility to goat scrapie. Animals heterozygous for serine (S) and aspartate (D) at codon 146 were significantly under-represented in scrapie positive animals and no positive animals were found that were homozygous for these amino acids at codon 146. These results might provide the basis for genetic control of scrapie in Cypriot goats.