Clonal propagation of Pterocarpus santalinoides L'Hér. ex DC.: the effect of substrate,cutting type,genotype and auxin

Pterocarpus santalinoides is a multipurpose tree species, native to Africa and South America. However, excessive pruning for fodder is jeopardising its seed production leading to poor regeneration in the Sahel region. Efficient vegetative propagation techniques may overcome this concern. To address this issue, four experiments were conducted to determine the effects of substrate (Experiment 1), cutting type (Experiments 2 and 3), genotype (Experiment 4) and auxins (Experiments 1, 2, and 4) on rooting ability in a non-mist propagating unit in Mali. Among the four tested substrates, no significant differences were found in rooting parameters, including the percentage of rooted cuttings, the number of roots and secondary roots per rooted cutting, and the length of the longest root per rooted cutting. Semi-hardwood cuttings rooted significantly better than softwood cuttings with a higher percentage of rooted cuttings (31.7?±?6.5% vs. 9.2?±?2.7%), greater number of roots (8.2?±?4.8 vs 1.5?±?0.7), greater number of secondary roots (16.7?±?4.2 vs 4.6?±?1.8) and longer root length (17.8?±?12.0?cm vs 2.3?±?1.0?cm) per rooted cutting. In addition, one-node cuttings cut below the second and third nodes, respectively, had the highest rooting success (88% and 90%, respectively) followed by cuttings cut below the fourth node (68%) and the first node (62%). Significant differences in the percentage of rooted cuttings were found among 12 randomly selected genotypes with rooting varying from 2% to 75%.The results also showed that auxin application, especially IBA, had a significant effect on rooting success, the number of roots and secondary roots per rooted cutting. Single-node cuttings, and cuttings of 10?cm length with multiple softwood and semi-hardwood nodes, can be used with or without auxin treatment for successful clonal propagation of P. santalinoides. The results of the present study indicated that P. santalinoides is amenable to clonal propagation using low-cost propagators and sand-based rooting media.     

p-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase inhibitor-resistant plants

The enzyme p-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) catalyzes the formation of homogentisic acid, the aromatic precursor of plastoquinone and vitamin E. HPPD is the specific target of several herbicide families: isoxazoles, triketones and pyroxazoles. Its inhibition results in the depletion of the plant plastoquinone and vitamin E pools, leading to bleaching symptoms. These herbicides are very potent for the selective pre- and in some cases post-emergence control of a wide range of broadleaf and grass weeds in maize and rice. Their herbicidal potential raised interest in the development of highly resistant transgenic crops. This goal was first achieved by over-expression of a bacterial HPPD in crop plants, and an increased level of resistance was obtained by using a mutant enzyme. A second strategy based on bypassing HPPD in the production of homogentisate was then developed. Recently, a third strategy of resistance based on the increase of p-hydroxyphenylpyruvate substrate flux has been developed. This was achieved by the introduction of the yeast prephenate dehydrogenase gene (PDH) into transgenic plants already overexpressing HPPD. In addition to a high level of herbicide resistance, a massive accumulation of vitamin E, mainly tocotrienols, was observed in leaves of the transgenic HPPD-PDH plants.     

Description and first results of a BVDV control scheme in Brittany (western France)

A collective zoo-sanitary control scheme for BVDV has been implemented in Brittany in successive steps since 1998. Prior evaluation of prevalence and dynamics of infection through bulk-milk ELISA showed that 40% of the dairy herds were likely to be free of BVDV but that, in the long term, no improvement was to be expected without control of new infections. The next step was a test-and-cull programme for PI animals in ELISA positive herds. Ten percentage of the herds were found to have at least one PI animal. The incidence decreased during this step. To lower costs of testing traded animals, a database was developed to collect all the available information to trace animals already known to be non-PI.     

Multiple eyelid apocrine hidrocystomas in two Persian cats

Abstract Two middle-aged Persian cats were presented for evaluation of periocular masses. On examination, multiple pigmented nodules, 2-10 mm in diameter, were found in the periocular skin. Excisional biopsy revealed unilocular cystic lesions derived from apocrine sweat glands and resembling apocrine hidrocystomas of the eyelids described in humans. Immunostaining for Ki67 identified actively proliferating epithelial cells and demonstrated, for the first time, that these cystic lesions are adenomatous proliferative tumors (cystadenomas) rather than retention cysts. In both cases, additional lesions appeared within 6 to 9 months at affected and previously unaffected sites on the eyelids.     

Mastitis of dairy small ruminants

Staphylococci are the main aetiological agents of small ruminants intramammary infections (IMI), the more frequent isolates being S. aureus in clinical cases and coagulase negative species in subclinical IMI. The clinical IMI, whose annual incidence is usually lower than 5%, mainly occur at the beginning of machine milking and during the first third of lactation. These features constitute small ruminant peculiarities compared to dairy cattle. Small ruminant mastitis is generally a chronic and contagious infection: the primary sources are mammary and cutaneous carriages, and spreading mainly occurs during milking. Somatic cell counts (SCC) represent a valuable tool for prevalence assessment and screening, but predictive values are better in ewes than in goats. Prevention is most often based on milking machine management, sanitation and annual control, and milking technique optimisation. Elimination mainly relies on culling animals exhibiting clinical, chronic and recurrent IMI, and on drying-off intramammary antibiotherapy; this treatment allows a good efficacy and may be used selectively by targeting infected udders only. Heritability values for lactation mean SCC scores are between 0.11 and 0.15. Effective inclusion of ewe's mastitis resistance in the breeding goal has recently been implemented in France following experimental and large scale estimations of genetic parameters for SCC scores.     

New volatile sulfur-containing constituents in a simultaneous distillation-extraction extract of red bell peppers (Capsicum annuum)

An extract of red bell peppers ( Capsicum annuum) was prepared by simultaneous distillation-extraction (SDE, Likens-Nickerson). In addition to the already known (3 E)-3-hepten-2-one ( 1), the unsaturated C9-ketones 1-nonen-4-one ( 2), (2 E)-2-nonen-4-one ( 3), and (2 E,5 E)-2,5-nonadien-4-one ( 4), 2-methoxy-3-isobutylpyrazine ( 5), and heptane-2-thiol ( 6), we identified 19 new thiols (the aliphatic saturated and unsaturated thiols 14- 16, and 22- 27, the mercapto-ketones 12 and 13, the mercapto-alcohols 17, 18, and 30, the dithiols 19 and 28, the methylthio-thiols 20 and 21, and the thiophene-thiol 31) and the two new dithiolanes 10 and 29. All of them are structurally related to the unsaturated C7- and C9-ketones 1- 4. The free thiols were enriched using Affi-Gel 501 ( p-aminophenyl-mercuric acetate grafted on an agarose gel). The new compounds were confirmed by syntheses and were organoleptically evaluated.     

A genome-wide association study identifies IL23R as an inflammatory bowel disease gene

The inflammatory bowel diseases Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are common, chronic disorders that cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, and gastrointestinal bleeding. To identify genetic factors that might contribute to these disorders, we performed a genome-wide association study. We found a highly significant association between Crohn's disease and the IL23R gene on chromosome 1p31, which encodes a subunit of the receptor for the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-23. An uncommon coding variant (rs11209026, c.1142G>A, p.Arg381Gln) confers strong protection against Crohn's disease, and additional noncoding IL23R variants are independently associated. Replication studies confirmed IL23R associations in independent cohorts of patients with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. These results and previous studies on the proinflammatory role of IL-23 prioritize this signaling pathway as a therapeutic target in inflammatory bowel disease.     

Neuronal computations with stochastic network states

Neuronal networks in vivo are characterized by considerable spontaneous activity, which is highly complex and intrinsically generated by a combination of single-cell electrophysiological properties and recurrent circuits. As seen, for example, during waking compared with being asleep or under anesthesia, neuronal responsiveness differs, concomitant with the pattern of spontaneous brain activity. This pattern, which defines the state of the network, has a dramatic influence on how local networks are engaged by inputs and, therefore, on how information is represented. We review here experimental and theoretical evidence of the decisive role played by stochastic network states in sensory responsiveness with emphasis on activated states such as waking. From single cells to networks, experiments and computational models have addressed the relation between neuronal responsiveness and the complex spatiotemporal patterns of network activity. The understanding of the relation between network state dynamics and information representation is a major challenge that will require developing, in conjunction, specific experimental paradigms and theoretical frameworks.     

Growth of planted seedlings inside protective sleeves under strip openings of different widths in a post-agricultural forest

Many second growth forests have poor regeneration and in some spatial and economic context, such as post-agricultural forests, it may be beneficial to increase tree diversity. We planted seedlings of yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis) and bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) in strip openings of 3, 6 and 9 m width to control light. Individual mesh sleeves were used to reduce browsing pressure but they also reduced available light for seedlings: a large mesh and a small mesh sleeves were tested in each opening. Available light for seedlings ranged from 5 to 46% of full sunlight. First year growth was almost non-responsive to all treatments for both species, but birch showed strong responses during second year. Birches in the large mesh sleeve and the 9 m opening had the largest height and diameter increments, while those in the small mesh sleeve and the 3 m opening had the smallest increments. Small mesh sleeves increased the height over stem diameter ratio for both species. Treatments affected several other morphometric variables of birch but none of the oak. More time is needed to assert if bur oak can be a candidate species for enrichment planting. We recommend strip openings of 9 m width and large mesh sleeves, for protection against deer browsing, while controlling neighbouring competition, to promote artificial regeneration of hardwood species.     

Growth,flowering and fruiting of stecklings,grafts and seedlings of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Allanblackia floribunda</Emphasis> Oliver (Clusiaceae)

A study was carried out to assess the growth, flowering and fruiting of stecklings (rooted cuttings), grafts and seedlings of Allanblackia floribunda in Cameroun. Thirty-one individuals of each plantlet type were planted in May 2006. Height, collar and crown diameters were recorded in September and October, while flowering and fruiting were recorded each month from January to December. In 2014, the trees with the greatest height were those from seeds (6.98 ± 0.25 m), followed by those from grafts (1.65 ± 0.23 m) and cuttings (1.09 ± 0.21 m). Grafts started flowering and fruiting 3 years after planting, while seedlings started flowering and fruiting after four and 6 years, respectively. Stecklings still had not flowered 8 years after planting. Fruit weight and length from seed-origin trees are about seven times higher than grafts. Correlations between height and crown diameter were significant and positive irrespective of the nature of the planting material. In conclusion, grafts fruited earlier, while seedlings grew faster and had greater yields than grafts and stecklings of A. floribunda.