Real-time RT-qPCR assay to detect sequences in the Piscine orthoreovirus-1 genome segment S1 associated with heart and skeletal muscle inflammation in Atlantic salmon

During the last decade, Piscine orthoreovirus was identified as the main causative agent of heart and skeletal muscle inflammation (HSMI) in Atlantic Salmon, Norway. A recent study showed that PRV-1 sequences from salmonid collected in North Atlantic Pacific Coast (NAPC) grouped separately from the Norwegian sequences found in Atlantic Salmon diagnosed with HSMI. Currently, the routine assay used to screen for PRV-1 in NAPC water and worldwide cannot differentiate between the two groups of PRV-1. Therefore, this study aimed at developing a real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assay to target the PRV-1 genome segments specific for variants associated with HSMI. The assay was optimized and tested against 71 tissue samples collected from different regions including Norway, Chile and both coast of Canada and different hosts farmed Atlantic Salmon, wild Coho Salmon and escaped Atlantic Salmon collected in British Columbia, West Coast of Canada. This assay has the potential to be used for screening salmonids and non-salmonids that may carry PRV-1 potentially causing HSMI.     

Growth performance,nutrient digestibility and intestinal morphology of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fed graded levels of the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Wickerhamomyces anomalus

In a 10‐week study, we evaluated the effects of replacing 20%, 40% or 60% of fishmeal (present in control diet at 300 g/kg) on a digestible protein basis with yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae or a yeast mixture of Wickerhamomyces anomalus and S. cerevisiae on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, nutrient retention and intestinal health of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Triplicate tanks with 35 rainbow trout (144.7 ± 25.1 g mean ± SEM) were fed rations of 1.5% of total biomass per tank. Replacement of 60% of fishmeal with yeast mixture resulted in lower specific growth rate of 1.0% versus 1.2%/day for other diets. Apparent digestibility coefficients for crude protein and most amino acids were highest in fish fed fishmeal‐based diet, with similar values for fish fed the diet with 20% replacement with yeast mixture. Diet with 20% replacement with yeast mixture resulted in highest phosphorus digestibility. Replacement of 60% of fishmeal with S. cerevisiae resulted in oedematous mucosal fold tips in the proximal intestine. The results of this study suggest that these yeasts can replace up to 40% of fishmeal under current inclusion levels in diets for rainbow trout without compromising growth performance, nutrient digestibility or intestinal health.     

Transformation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Campanula</Emphasis> by wild type <Emphasis Type="Italic">Agrobacterium rhizogenes</Emphasis>

Compact growth is an important quality criterion in horticulture. Many Campanula species and cultivars exhibit elongated growth which is suppressed by chemical retardation and cultural practice during production to accommodate to the consumer’s desire. The production of compact plants via transformation with wild type Agrobacterium rhizogenes is an approach with great potential to produce plants that are non-GMO. Efficient transformation and regeneration procedures vary widely among both plant genera and species. Here we present a transformation protocol for Campanula. Hairy roots were produced on 26–90% of the petioles that were used for transformation of C. portenschlagiana (Cp), a C. takesimana × C. punctata hybrid (Chybr) and C. glomerata (Cg). Isolated hairy roots grew autonomously and vigorously without added hormones. The Cg hairy roots produced chlorophyll and generated plantlets in response to treatments with cytokinin (42 µM 2iP) and auxin (0.67 µM NAA). In contrast, regeneration attempts of transformed Cp and Chybr roots lead neither to the production of chlorophyll nor to the regeneration of shoots. Agropine A. rhizogenes strains integrate split T-DNA in T_L- and T_R-DNA fragments into the plant genome. In this study, regenerated plants of Cg did not contain T_R-DNA, indicating that a selective pressure against this T-DNA fragment may exist in Campanula.     

Palms in Indigenous and Settler Communities in Southeastern Ecuador: Farmers’ Perceptions and Cultivation Practices

Most palms used in agroforestry systems are exploited from wild stands or are only occasionally cultivated, while only a few palms have been domesticated. In this study we investigated how socio-economic factors and people's perceptions of changes in palm use and availability, influenced palm cultivation among indigenous Shuar and mestizo settlers in south-eastern Ecuador. We also looked at how different uses of palms influenced which species they cultivated. Our results showed that perceptions of declining palm availability in combination with heavy reliance on palm products was positively related to palm cultivation. Hence, cultivation was more common in more remote villages where alternative products were hard to get. In addition, palm cultivation was more common among wealthier people and among indigenous people than among recent settlers. This points to a limiting role of assets such as land and to the importance of history and culture with regard to cultivation. It was not possible to identify any single palm use as the primary reason for cultivating a species, but the more uses a species had, the more likely it was to be cultivated. These findings have important implications for development projects that promote cultivation of palms and other long-lived tree crops. They illustrate how market access and lack of necessary assets may undermine cultivation of native species even though these are regarded as important resources.     

Impregnation of Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.) wood by hydrophobic oil and dispersion patterns in different tissues

Wood from Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.) is biologicallydegraded in exposed conditions. It also has anatomical featuresthat make it difficult to impregnate with preservatives by currentlyavailable industrial processes. In the study reported here,we used the new Linotech process to impregnate Norway sprucewood with hydrophobic linseed oil and then quantified its uptakeand dispersal in anatomically distinct wood tissues. We alsoinvestigated the effects of the wood moisture content on theresults of the impregnation. Samples (500 x 25 x 25 mm) weretaken from 15 trees in a coniferous forest in northern Sweden(64° 10' N, 160–320 m a.s.l.). The parameters forthe Linotech process were 2–3 h treatment time at 0.8–1.4MPa and 60–140°C. To determine the level of uptake,the linseed oil was extracted from the impregnated wood usingmethyl-tertiary-butyl-ether. The uptake was quantitatively analysedby comparing X-ray microdensitometry values obtained followingimpregnation both before and after oil removal. In earlywood,initial moisture content had an obvious effect on the impregnationresult. Six times more oil was taken up when the moisture contentwas greater than ~150 per cent than when it was less than 30per cent. Theoretical calculations, based on density levels,suggest that the water-filled porosity of the wood (water volumedivided by porosity volume) was positively correlated with thelinseed oil uptake, and more strongly correlated in earlywoodthan in latewood. There were also significant differences inuptake between different wood tissues; heartwood/mature woodand heartwood/juvenile wood showed 10–20 per cent weightincreases due to linseed oil uptake, compared with 30–50per cent in sapwood/mature wood. Examination by scanning electronmicroscopy confirmed these uptake patterns. The moisture contentafter impregnation was about 5 per cent, irrespective of theLinotech process parameters, tissue type and initial moisturecontent. In conclusion, the impregnation process used here resultsin high levels of well-dispersed linseed oil uptake and shouldfacilitate drying.     

Modelling carbon dynamics in mixed grass–red clover swards

Growth and carbon dynamics in mixed grass–red clover leys were simulated using a growth model for pure stands based on radiation use, allocation within plant and loss of biomass. The model and its parameter values were taken from previous applications of the model to pure swards of grass and red clover grown in the same experiment at the same sites and years.     

A general model for assessment of the carbon sequestration potential of afforestation projects

Among the objectives of afforestation projects, carbon sequestration is attracting increasing political attention. Therefore, there is a need for understanding the carbon sequestration ??mechanism?? and for ex-ante assessment of the sequestration potential of afforestation projects. Such assessment must be based on parameter estimates that are inherently uncertain, making the basis for applying an advanced sequestration model weak. This paper presents a transparent, simple and general model for quantification of the carbon sequestration in afforestation projects. The model can easily be modified so as to fit specific conditions, and it is held sufficiently reliable when taking into account the ex-ante character of the decision problem. The use of the model is exemplified by application to a yield table for Sitka spruce. Limitations of the model framework and its application in combination with scenarios of climate change are discussed.     

At-sea distribution of waved albatrosses and the Galápagos Marine Reserve

Albatross populations worldwide are threatened by incidental takes in longline fishery operations. The recent establishment of the Galápagos Marine Reserve (GMR) is relevant to the longline bycatch issue, as it prohibits industrial longlining in the vicinity of the major nesting site of waved albatrosses (Phoebastria irrorata). However, the legality of the fishing protections is being challenged, highlighting a need for data on use of the GMR by albatrosses. We used satellite tracking over a total of four breeding seasons to determine the distribution of waved albatrosses inside and outside the GMR, and thereby assess the degree of protection that GMR provisions offer to this species. During the incubation period, breeding adults made commuting trips from the nesting island (Isla Española) to the Peruvian upwelling zone, traveling north, east, and south after leaving the nest. During the brooding period, the distribution contracted markedly, and most satellite fixes were within the GMR. During the rearing period, breeders performed both long trips outside the GMR and short trips within. The southeastern portion of the GMR is used throughout the incubation, brooding, and early rearing periods by breeding waved albatrosses. Indirect information from non-breeding adults indicates that they are likely to use the waters of the GMR extensively.     

Elucidation of membrane destabilization in post-mortem muscles using an extracellular paramagnetic agent (Gd-DTPA): an NMR study

The effect of Gd-DTPA on the development in NMR relaxation of skeletal rabbit muscles post-mortem was investigated by dynamic low-field (0.47 T) relaxation measurements from 4 min post-mortem and until 23 h post-mortem. Twelve rabbits were included in the study, and half of the animals were administered 0.2 mmol of Gd-DTPA iv 15 min before sacrifice, while the other half was administered an isotonic salt solution. A significant effect of Gd-DTPA treatment corresponding to a 25% reduction in the T(1) relaxation time was observed. T(2) relaxation was decomposed into two components reflecting intra- and extracellular components (T(2)()alpha and T(2)()beta, respectively), and Gd-DTPA treatment was found to affect both components. However, around 150 min post-mortem a dramatic increase in the difference between control and Gd-DTPA-treated rabbits was observed in the relaxation time of the intracellular water population (T(2)()alpha). Electrical stimulation of the muscles resulted in a significantly earlier onset of the increased effect of Gd-DTPA on the T(2)()alpha population. The increased effect of Gd-DTPA treatment on the T(2)()alpha component is believed to reflect leakage of water from the muscle cells due to membrane destabilization, known to be promoted by electrical stimulation. Accordingly, the present study demonstrates how Gd-DTPA can be used for probing membrane integrity in post-mortem muscles known to be of importance for subsequent water distribution and final water-holding capacity.     

Metsulfuron methyl sorption-desorption in field-moist soils

Pesticide sorption coefficients (K(d)) are generally obtained using batch slurry methods. As a consequence, the results may not adequately reflect sorption processes in field-moist or unsaturated soil. The objective of this study was to determine sorption of metsulfuron methyl, a weak acid, in field-moist soils. Experiments were performed using low density (i.e., 0.3 g mL(-)(1)) supercritical fluid carbon dioxide (SF-CO(2)) to convert anionic metsulfuron methyl to the molecular species and remove it from the soil water phase only, thus allowing calculation of sorption coefficients (K(d)) at low water contents. K(d) values for sorption of the metsulfuron methyl molecular species on sandy loam, silt loam, and clay loam soil at 11% water content were 120, 180, and 320 mL g(-)(1), respectively. Using neutral species K(d) values, the pK(a) of metsulfuron methyl, and the pH of the soil, we could successfully predict the K(d) values obtained using the batch slurry technique, which typically has a predominance of anionic species in solution during the sorption characterization. This application of supercritical fluid extraction to determine sorption coefficients, combined with sulfonylureas' pK(a) values and the soil pH, will provide an easy method to predict sorption in soil at different pH levels.