Detection,isolation and characterization of cowpea mosaic virus in Egypt

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Cowpea mosaic virus is among the most economically important viruses infecting cowpea. Incidence of infection was assessed in two governorates in Egypt,...     

Lipid metabolism in juveniles of Yellowtail,Seriola dorsalis,fed different levels of dietary methionine containing a low level of cholesterol: Implication in feed formulation

The involvement of dietary methionine in the lipid metabolism of Seriola dorsalis, at different levels of dietary methionine (Met), and low content of cholesterol was investigated. Four diets containing different Met levels and a low amount of cholesterol (0.23 g/kg diet) were prepared. One hundred and eighty juveniles (16.2 ± 1.5 g) were randomly distributed into each 12 500‐L ponds. After 60 days, the growth in weight (%) significantly increased following the Met supplementation, whereas SGR of all the experimental treatments was higher than the Basal Diet. The expression of the insulin‐like growth factor (IGF‐1) increased significantly (0.2‐fold) and was complemented by significant changes in Mat, BHMT and HMG‐CoA, for fish that were in the low and higher Met levels. The cholesterol content in the whole body and liver increased following methionine supplementation, similarly to that observed for crude lipids, in particular in the whole body and liver tissues. However, the relative amount of most fatty acids remained unchanged. Only the oleic acid increased at a higher amount of Met. Therefore, once the dietary requirement of methionine is met, the methionine is used to synthesize cholesterol. It is recommended to supply a higher amount of methionine to spare energy for growth.     

ELLA: A Rapid Technique to Estimate Chromium Stress-Induced Modification of E. coli EI19

An enzyme-linked lectin assay (ELLA) was used to differentiatebetween chromium-stressed and unstressed cells of Escherichia coli EI19. The assay is a modification of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that uses Concanavalin A (Con A) conjugated with peroxidase to detect the carbohydrate moiety of the cell envelope glycoconjugates. The ELLA test shows that Con A binds to stressed bacteria much moreefficiently than it does to unstressed bacteria. Effects of heat,phenol and papain treatments on Con A-binding to chromium-stressed bacteria were also studied. Con A-binding to bacteria was sensitive to heat and phenol treatment, but not to treatment with papain. A potential analytical method for estimating the concentration of certain environmental pollutants is outlined.     

Identification of proanthocyanidin dimers and trimers, flavone C-Glycosides, and antioxidants in Ficus deltoidea , a malaysian herbal tea

Phenolic compounds in an aqueous infusion of leaves of Ficus deltoidea (Moraceae), a well-known herbal tea in Malaysia, were analyzed by HPLC coupled to photodiode array and fluorescence detectors and an electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometer. Following chromatography of extracts on a reversed phase C(12) column, 25 flavonoids were characterized and/or tentatively identified with the main constituents being flavan-3-ol monomers, proanthocyanidins, and C-linked flavone glycosides. The proanthocyanidins were dimers and trimers comprising (epi)catechin and (epi)afzelechin units. No higher molecular weight proanthocyanidin polymers were detected. The antioxidant activity of F. deltoidea extract was analyzed using HPLC with online antioxidant detection. This revealed that 85% of the total antioxidant activity of the aqueous F. deltoidea infusion was attributable to the flavan-3-ol monomers and the proanthocyanidins.     

Measurements and estimates of potential evapotranspiration over Egypt

Mehanna (1976) estimated potential evapotranspiration (PE) for a number of stations in Egypt, using Penman's method with adjustment of the constants of the radiation term and the aerodynamic term, such that they would agree with measurements of radiation in Egypt and with estimations by Omar (1971a,b) of PE in a large field at Giza, to the southwest of Cairo. Measurements of PE were made at Bahtim, about 20 km to the north of Cairo, by evapotranspirometers.In the FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper No. 24 on “Crop Water Requirements” (Doorenbos and Pruitt,1977) four methods were given for the calculation of PE; Blaney—Criddle, radiation, Penman (adjusted) and pan evaporation. It was considered that the Penman method was the most accurate of those given.The main features of comparison of the Mehanna and FAO's estimates of PE with measurements at Bahtim were that Mehanna, and three of the FAO's estimates (Blaney—Criddle, radiation and pan evaporation) are within ±10%0 of the measurements while the Penman estimate was 15% higher. An estimate of PE at Aswan was based on measurements of pan evaporation and estimates of evaporation from a large water surface at both Bahtim and Aswan, together with measurement of PE at Bahtim. The estimates by the methods of Mehanna, Blaney—Criddle, radiation and Penman lie in the limits 0—6% of the estimate based on measurements while the pan evaporation estimate is markedly lower. Comparison of the estimates at eight stations over Egypt shows that the Penman estimate is higher than the other estimates in Northern Egypt. The pan evaporation estimate is lower than the other estimates except at Bahtim where it is generally higher than Mehanna's and Blaney—Criddle's estimates. The low values of the pan evaporation estimates at Assuit and Aswan are remarkable.     

Microbial Populations and Enzyme Activities in Soil Treated with Pesticides

The effect of soil treatment with brominal (a herbicide) and theinsecticide selecron (the equivalent field rates and five-fold) on population counts of bacteria, actinomycetes and celluloyticfungi in soil was tested throughout 10 weeks incubation at28 °C. Also, tested their effect on four soil enzymes:cellulase, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase andarylsulphatase. Bacterial and actinomycetes populations in soiltreated with the two pesticides were promoted at fieldapplication rates and inhibited at higher levels. The twopesticides significantly decreased the total number ofcellulolytic fungi and most fungal species after most incubationperiods either by one or the two used levels but the effect ofselecron was more pronounced.Cellulase activity in soil treated with brominal and selecronwas inhibited after most incubation periods. The effect of soiltreatment with the two pesticides on acid phosphatase waspromotive at field application rates after some incubationperiods but the enzyme activity was delayed at the higherapplication doses. Alkaline phosphatase activity in treated soilwas accelerated with both pesticides even at the higherapplication rates, suggesting a direct role of alkaline soil pHin increasing resistance of alkaline phosphatase to pesticides.The effect of soil treatment with pesticides on arylsulphataseactivity fluctuated between promotion and inhibition, butinhibition was predominant.     

Amino Acid Composition of Developing Larval Freshwater Prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii

Abstract.— Amino acid profiles of freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii were determined during early larval stages (I-IX) to provide some baseline biochemical information of the growing larvae. The larvae obtained from several females were stocked into three 250-L tanks at a density of 30 larvae/L. The feeding regime consisted of newly hatched Artemia nauplii and egg custard containing 5% cod liver oil. For each developmental stage, larval samples from each experimental tank were pooled, freeze dried and after acid hydrolysis, the quantification of amino acids was done by a reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography ( N = 2). The highest represented of the total amino acids were for glutamic acid and phenylalanine (with cystine) with ranges from 13.4–16.6 and 9.7–11.5%, respectively, whereas tryptophan (1.4–1.6%). methionine (1.4–2.7%) and histidine (2.9–4.2%) were relatively lower. The levels of the following essential amino acids did not significantly change during larval development: arginine, leucine, phenylalanine (plus cystine), threonine, tryptophan and valine. Despite statistically significant changes that were observed in levels of some amino acids, amino acid composition appeared to be relatively unchanged during the larval growth. The results may suggest that the amino acid requirements of the freshwater prawn is relatively constant during larval life and can be satistied by a suitable protein source that resembles the larval amino acid profile.     

准噶尔盆地东南缘绿洲-荒漠交错带土壤甲螨群落结构

为了查明准噶尔盆地东南缘绿洲-荒漠交错带土壤甲螨群落特征,2011年4月、7月、9月、11月中旬对该交错带的自然林、灌木林、防护林、荒草原、耕地、菜瓜地和荒漠等7种不同生境进行调查。结果表明:该区域共捕获土壤甲螨成体3767头,28科36属43种,其中覆盖头甲螨、萨勒盖头甲螨、新疆尖棱甲螨和普通尖棱甲螨为优势种,截合若甲螨、长单翼甲螨属、白上罗甲螨大洋亚种为亚优势种,优势种和亚优势种占总数的72.45%。7种不同生境土壤甲螨群落组成和数量分布均有明显的差异(P<0.05),在自然林种类(30种)和个体数(1001头)最多,而在菜瓜地种类(9种)最少,荒漠个体数(118头)最少。不同生境土壤甲螨的个体数具有明显季节变化差异(P<0.05),秋季数量最高、冬季次之、夏季其次、春季最低。MGP分析结果表明,该交错区土壤甲螨群落均属于O型,但G群的种类明显高于M群和P群。甲螨的群落异质性高,各生境间的多样性指数(H)有一定的差异,其中防护林最高,而菜瓜地最低。生境间相似性分析表明,自然林、灌木林、防护林生境之间是中等相似(0.50～0.70),荒漠和荒草原与其他生境间为中等不相似(0.25～0.50)或极不相似(0.00～0.25)。研究表明气候、植被和土壤差异是影响土壤甲螨群落的主要因素。