Study of the genetic variability of porcine circovirus type 2 detected in Serbia and Slovenia

Recent variants of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) were obtained from tissues of domestic pigs with porcine circovirus associated disease and from randomly selected wild boar samples from Serbia and Slovenia. A 450-base-pair nucleotide sequence was obtained by PCR from the ORF2. The derived nucleotide and amino acid sequences were aligned and compared to the corresponding region of closely related PCV2 sequences determined in previous years and retrieved from the GenBank. The 30 Serbian and 17 Slovenian PCV2 sequences clustered into three previously determined genotypes (PCV2a: 7), (PCV2b: 38) and (PCV2d: 2). Three major variable regions, concerning 29 amino acid position substitutions within the ORF2, were observed, which further supports the segregation of the detected strains into three separate genotypes. This study indicates that PCV2b is the predominant genotype in Serbia and Slovenia and the detected PCV2 strains are closely related to those previously described in Europe and in other parts of the world.     

Effects of high carbohydrate and high fat diet on plasma metabolite levels and on i.v. glucose tolerance test in intact and neutered male cats

To elucidate the impact of dietary influence on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and on the development of diabetes mellitus in the carnivorous cat, a 3 weeks feeding trial was carried out on six sexually intact and six neutered adult male cats. The effects of two isonitrogenic diets, differing in carbohydrate and fat content, were investigated on plasma metabolite levels in a 24-h blood sampling trial. Plasma leptin concentrations were also determined at the beginning and at the end of the 24-h trial. Glucose and insulin response was measured in an i.v. glucose tolerance test. A 5 days long digestion trial was also performed, which revealed a high digestion capacity of both fat and carbohydrates in cats. The high fat diet induced a significant rise in the plasma triglyceride, FFA, beta-hydroxybutyrate and cholesterol concentration, while the elevation in the glucose level did not reach significance. In the glucose tolerance test no significant difference was found between the neutered and intact cats. However, independently of the sexual state, the cats on the high fat diet showed a slightly elongated glucose clearance and reduced acute insulin response to glucose administration. This is indicative of diminished pancreatic insulin secretion and/or beta-cell responsiveness to glucose. The results of this preliminary study may be the impetus for a long-term study to find out whether it is rather the fat rich ration than carbohydrate rich diet that is expected to impair glucose tolerance and thus might contribute to the development of diabetes mellitus in cats. Whether the alteration in glucose metabolism is due to altered leptin levels remains to be determined.     

Arsenic speciation in farmed Hungarian freshwater fish

Arsenic speciation analysis was carried out on freshwater farmed fish collected from an area with elevated groundwater arsenic concentrations in Hungary as well as from outside of the area (control samples). The arsenic species were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry on methanol extracts of the muscle tissue from the fish. Catfish (Claries gariepinus) were raised in geothermal water where the average total arsenic concentrations were 167 (contaminated sites) and 15.1 ng As mL(-1) (control); they were all fed an artificial diet containing 2880 microg As kg(-1) total arsenic, mostly present as arsenobetaine. In the catfish, the accumulated total arsenic (2510-4720 microg As kg(-1)) was found mostly in the form of arsenobetaine suggesting that uptake of arsenic was dominated by their diet. Carp (Cyprinus carpio) were cultured in surface lakes with no significant arsenic pollution and had total arsenic concentrations ranging from 62 to 363 microg As kg(-1). The arsenic species found in the carp extracts differed markedly from those in the catfish in that no arsenobetaine was detected. Most samples of carp from the investigated sites contained low concentrations of As(III) (arsenite), As(V) (arsenate), MA (methylarsonate), and DMA (dimethylarsinate), and no other compounds were detected. The four individuals from the control site, however, all contained appreciable levels of oxo-arsenosugar-glycerol and oxo-arsenosugar-phosphate. Indeed, the oxo-arsenosugar-phosphate dominated the speciation pattern for these carp contributing about 75% of the sum of species. The contrast between these two freshwater aquaculture species regarding total arsenic and arsenic species has relevant toxicological aspects in terms of food safety.     

Cerebrovascular β‐dystroglycan immunoreactivity in vertebrates: not detected in anurans and in the teleosts Ostariophysi and Euteleostei

The aim of the present paper was to check for the presence of cerebrovascular dystroglycan in vertebrates, because dystroglycan, which is localized in the vascular astroglial end‐feet, has a pivotal function in glio‐vascular connections. In mammalian brains, the immunoreactivity of β‐dystroglycan subunit delineates the vessels. The results of the present study demonstrate similar patterns in other vertebrates, except for anurans and the teleost groups Ostariophysi and Euteleostei. In this study, we investigated 1 or 2 representative species of the main groups of Chondrichthyes, teleost and non‐teleost ray‐finned fishes, urodeles, anurans, and reptiles. We also investigated 5 mammalian and 3 bird species. Animals were obtained from breeders or fishermen. The presence of β‐dystroglycan was investigated immunohistochemically in free‐floating sections. Pre‐embedding electron microscopical immunohistochemistry on Heterodontus japonicus shark brains demonstrated that in Elasmobranchii, β‐dystroglycan is also localized in the perivascular glial end‐feet despite the different construction of their blood–brain barrier. The results indicated that the cerebrovascular β‐dystroglycan immunoreactivity disappeared separately in anurans, and in teleosts, in the latter group before its division to Ostariophysi and Euteleostei. Immunohistochemistry in muscles and western blots from brain homogenates, however, detected the presence of β‐dystroglycan, even in anurans and all teleosts. A possible explanation is that in the glial end‐feet, β‐dystroglycan is masked in these animals, or disappeared during adaptation to the freshwater habitat.     

Root system traits of Mahonia aquifolium and its potential use in soil reinforcement in mountain horticultural practices

The structural changes of Hungarian agriculture in 1989 led to many mountain horticultural farms being abandoned. These structural changes have modified land use patterns which often resulted in decreasing slope stability in mountainous farms. Mahonia aquifolium has been cultivated in Hungary for over half a century for ornamental purposes; however its possible application in shallow slope stabilization has not been discussed. This paper presents the first results on the root morphology, and root tensile strength of M. aquifolium and determines its efficiency for soil protection in horticultural farming practice. Measurements were carried out on M. aquifolium seedlings from cultivated (C) and non-cultivated (NC) soil conditions. The C and NC specimens were measured and compared for root area ratio (RAR) and root tensile strength (T_R). These results were then compared with other species for which data was available. Results showed that M. aquifolium plants from C soil conditions had a significantly higher mean RAR with depth than M. aquifolium plants from NC soil conditions. The mean T_R results showed no significant difference between M. aquifolium plants from C and NC environments. The study also showed that M. aquifolium's root structure is comparable as soil protection with the other species although a higher degree of soil reinforcement by roots was obtained with C M. aquifolium specimens. M. aquifolium roots could represent effective soil protection. Moreover the plant is well suited to the demands of small-scale horticultural farm practices under mountainous conditions.     

Preliminary results about the efficacy of abamectin trunk injection against the walnut husk fly (Rhagoletis completa)

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - The walnut husk fly (Rhagoletis completa) is one of the main pests affecting common walnut in both Europe and America. This work examines the effects of...     

Evaluation of alkaloid profiles in hybrid generations of different poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) genotypes

Five varieties (‘Minoan’, ‘Medea’, ‘Korona’, ‘Przemko’, ‘Kozmosz’) of poppy representing different chemotypes were combined and the alkaloid profiles of F1-F3 progenies were studied during 2006-2009.In the crosses of high alkaloid containing varieties the content of total alkaloids and that of morphine and thebaine showed increased levels in the hybrid generations which persisted till F3. Narcotine (noscapine), however accumulated at lower level than the midparent values and showed a decreasing tendency over generations. A higher number of homogenous strains starts to appear in F3 progenies. The majority of codeine containing individuals concentrates to certain strains. A growing number of high thebaine containing individuals was observed in several combinations. In the crosses with low alkaloid containing parent (‘Przemko’) the F1 exhibits considerable heterosis for total alkaloid content. Low alkaloid containing recessive individuals segregate in F2 and stabilise in F3.Results of our crossing experiments reflected well the effects of genetic regulation at three levels of enzymatic processes during the biosynthesis of poppy alkaloids. Data support the recessive determination of transformations at TyDC (tyrosine decarboxylase) and BBE (berberine bridge enzyme) levels while more complex (polygenic) effects are supposed in controlling the quantity of narcotine (noscapine) and morphinanes. Selection for fixing very low alkaloid content and narcotine may be effective in early F2 generations, however a selection for morphinanes is not worthy before F3.     

Changes of surface, fine pore and variable charge properties of a brown forest soil under various tillage practices

Effects of 6 years no-tillage (NT), ploughing, disking and the two last treatments combined with loosening on surface area, water vapor adsorption energy, variable charge and fine pore properties of a brown forest soils were studied using water vapor adsorption–desorption, back-titration and mercury intrusion measurements. The studied soil properties altered markedly under mechanical tillage treatment as compared to NT soil. The radii and the volumes of cryptopores (sizes from 1 to a few tens of nanometers) decreased and the opposite was found for ultramicropores (sizes from a few tens of nanometers to around 10 μm). However, fractal dimension of cryptopores and ultramicropores had changed very slightly, indicating that general geometrical structure of the fine pore system in the studied range (ca 1 nm–10 μm) remained unaltered despite pore size-shift. Surface areas and the amount of variable surface charge were markedly lower in mechanically tilled soil. A decrease of organic matter content was observed as well. Decrease of water vapor adsorption energy and increase of the fraction of strongly acidic surface functional groups accompanied mechanical tillage treatments.