Oxidant-antioxidant imbalance in horses infected with equine infectious anaemia virus

This study assesses the impact of equine infectious anaemia virus (EIAV) infection on the oxidant/antioxidant equilibrium of horses. Blood samples from 96 Romanian horses aged 1-25 years, were divided into different groups according to their EIAV-infection status, age, and time post-seroconversion. The effect of infection on oxidative stress was estimated by measuring enzymatic antioxidants (superoxide dismutase [SOD], glutathione peroxidase [GPx] and catalase), non-enzymatic antioxidants (uric acid and carotenoids), and lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde [MDA]). Infection modified the oxidant/antioxidant equilibrium in the horses, influencing GPx and uric acid levels (P<0.05). Time post-seroconversion also contributed to oxidative stress imbalance, exhibiting a significant influence on both SOD and MDA concentrations in the blood (P<0.05). Animal age did not have a significant influence on oxidative stress. Recently infected horses (<1 year following seroconversion), and horses >5 years old, represented the most vulnerable category in terms of oxidative stress, followed by recently infected animals <5 years old. The results of this study are novel in implicating EIAV infection in the development of oxidative stress in horses.     

Relating Ambrosia artemisiifolia and other weeds to the management of Hungarian sunflower crops

The weed control of sunflower is a great challenge for farmers throughout the World. In Hungary, one of the greatest concerns is the pernicious weed Ambrosia artemisiifolia, which produces allergenic pollen. The main goal of this study was to identify cultural, weed-management and environmental factors determining weed species composition and the abundance of A. artemisiifolia in sunflower fields. Altogether 49 sunflower fields across Hungary were surveyed for their weed flora, and 30 environmental, cultural and weed-management factors were measured. Using a minimal adequate model containing 14 terms, 38 % of the total variation in species data could be explained. Soil Mg and Ca content, preceding crop, temperature, and field size had significant effects on species composition. Most of the herbicides were effective against annual grass species, but no herbicide was universally effective against broad-leaved weeds. Almost all types of weeds were efficiently reduced with mechanical weed control. A relatively high share of the explanatory variables were environmental factors, suggesting that the success of weed management in sunflower fields strongly depends on a complex of edaphic and climatic constraints. The abundance of Ambrosia artemisiifolia was positively correlated with high soil Ca content, lower temperature, the preceding crop being a cereal, and smaller field sizes; while considering herbicides it seemed to be most sensitive to fluorchloridon and propisochlor application. To reduce noxious broad-leaved weed species could require specific herbicide mixtures, and mechanical weed control should also be integrated into weed management.     

Microbial and nutritional aspects of feeding fermented feed (poultry by‐products) to pigs

Summary

Broiler by‐products (heads, feet, and viscera) mixed with 4% dextrose were pasteurized for 4 min at 90°C core temperature, cooled to 20°C, and fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum as starter culture. These fermented poultry by‐products were fed to 12 individually housed fattening pigs as part (17.6% of the dry matter) of their fattening ration, the remainder composed of compound pig feed. Control pigs received a compound pig feed only. Both groups of pigs were fed restrictively on the basis of body weight. The technical results of the pigs fed the experimental diet showed a significantly improved feed:gain ratio (2.46 vs 2.57), a significantly higher carcass weight (86.1 vs 81.8 kg), a lower meat percentage (50.9 vs 52.5%) and an increased backfat thickness (21.5 vs 18.7%). The bacterial flora in the intestinal tract of the pigs fed the experimental diet differed significantly from the control animals. Decreased colony counts of mesophilic aerobic bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, enterococci and lactobacilli were found in the rectal content and the prevalence of salmonella was lower.

It is suggested that the improved feed:gain ratio and the reduced bacterial activity of the measured groups of bacteria is a result of 1) the higher energy content of the diet, and(or) 2) an assumed enhanced digestibility of nutritional components in the diet, and(or) 3) the lower incidence of diarrhea in the pigs fed with fermented poultry by‐products. This resulted in a lower contamination level of enteropathogenic bacteria like, salmonella and Escherichia coli, in the gastro‐intestinal tract of the pigs fed fermented poultry by‐products.     

Contamination history of suspended river sediments accumulated in oxbow lakes over the last 25 years

Background, aims, and scope  Embankment of meandering river systems in many industrial areas results in the formation of artificial oxbow lakes that may act as perennial or intermittent traps for river sediments. Their deposits can be dated using a combination of historical and stratigraphic data, providing a good means to study historical records of contamination transported by rivers. Contamination history over the last few decades is of special significance for Central and Eastern Europe as it can reflect high pollutant levels in the second half of the twentieth century and the subsequent improvement after the fall of the Iron Curtain. The purpose of this study was to investigate recent sediments of an oxbow lake of the Morava River, Czech Republic, their stratigraphic records, sediment architecture, and history of contamination. Materials and methods  Seven ground-penetrating radar (GPR) profiles and three sediment cores up to 4 m deep were studied. The stratigraphy of the cores was inferred from visible-light spectrophotometry, X-ray radiography, grain size analysis, and semiquantitative modal analysis of sandy fractions. The sediments were dated using the ¹³⁷Cs mass activity and combinations of stratigraphic and historical data. The cores were sampled for concentrations of heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants. Wet sampled, lyophilized, and sieved sediments were extracted and analyzed for heavy metals by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) of aqua regia leachate and for persistent organic pollutants by gas chromatography (GC-ECD and GC-MS). Results  Three distinct sedimentary sequences (S1, S2, and S3) were identified. The basal sequence S1 represents river channel sediments deposited before the formation of the oxbow lake, most likely before the 1930s. The boundary between the S1 and S2 sequence correlates with the level of sediment dredging from 1981 evidenced from historical data. The overlying sequences S2 and S3 represent a postdredging sediment wedge, which progrades into the lake. ¹³⁷Cs dating revealed a distinct Chernobyl 1986 peak at ∼150 cm depth inferring sedimentation rates up to 7.7 cm/year. Sediment contamination abruptly increased from the pre-1930s deposits to the post-1981 deposits. The concentration levels increased two to five times for Pb, As, Zn, and Cu, about 10 to 15 times for Cr, Sb, and Hg, up to 34 times for Cd, and 25 to 67 times for DDTs, PCBs, and PAHs. The concentrations of most contaminants remained approximately constant until the late 1980s when they started to decrease slowly. The decreasing trends were most prominent for heavy metals and anthracene, less prominent for DDTs, and almost absent for PCBs and most PAHs. Discussion  Different temporal and spatial patterns for various contaminants make it possible to distinguish between anthropogenic point sources from local industry (anthracene, Cr, Cd), possible diffuse sources (most PAHs), and geological background (V, Co, Ni, and Mo). The observed recent trends in heavy metal and persistent organic pollutant contamination are generally consistent with data from other Central European rivers. The roughly balanced contamination levels in sediments from the lake and the adjacent river channel suggest that the oxbow lake deposits reflect immediate levels of the contamination bound to suspended particulate matter passing through the river. Conclusions  The investigated oxbow lake accumulated suspended sediment from Morava River, developing a thick sedimentary body. The sediments offer a good time framework to study historical contamination of the river on a decade time scale. Continuous contamination trends can be traced back to the early 1980s. The results show that stratigraphic analysis of cores has a good potential for identification of uninterrupted historical trends and unconformities, e.g., due to dredging. Recommendations and perspectives  Oxbow lakes may provide an alternative to floodplains and reservoir deposits when studying river contamination history. High sedimentation rates of up to 7.7 cm/year offer a very good stratigraphic resolution, making it possible to study contamination patterns on annual or even seasonal time scales. On the other hand, oxbow lakes may represent long-term contamination stores, which are unlikely to be redistributed by river erosion and, hence, may possess significant environmental risks for the farther future.     

Influence of complexation between amylose and a flavored model sponge cake on the degree of aroma compound release

Flavoring is used in the food industry to reinforce the aroma profile of baked cereal goods. During the processing of such products, interactions between starch and aroma compounds can occur, and this may have an impact on aroma release and perception. In the present study, 20 aroma compounds were tested to establish whether they formed complexes with amylose. The structure of the complexes was determined by wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS). A cocomplexation study proved that several complexing compounds could be present in the same crystalline aggregate. WAXS and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) experiments were performed in a flavored model sponge cake at different steps of processing and showed that aroma compounds might form complexes with amylose in a sponge cake as they can do in simple system containing only amylose. Some of the aroma compounds trapped in the sponge cake were quantified, and their release behavior was followed by headspace analysis. The V-type structure could partly explain aroma retention in the product and the rate of aroma release.     

The Determination of Nematode Tolerance and Seedling Performance of The Selected Almond (Prunus amygdalus L.) Genotypes in Isparta Province

In the present study, selected almond genotypes in Keciborlu/Isparta region by Y?ld?r?m (2007) based on late blooming and superior nut chacteristics were used to evaluate seedling growth performances and the reaction to root knot nematodes. Seeds were planted on perlite medium and stored 60 days at +4 ^°C in order to break seed dormancy. After germinating, seedlings were transferred to plastic pots to evaluate seedling growth characteristics and remaining seedlings were inoculated with Meloidogyne javanica and Meloidogyne incognita in order to asses resistance status of the selected seedlings. The highest germination percentage was obtained from Genotype 54 (96.1?%), the highest plant was observed from Genotype 9 (62.18 cm), the longest primary root was found from Genotype 54 (30.28 cm), the average secondary root lenght was highest in Genotype 9 (31.04 cm) and the widest root collar was observed in Genotype 33 (8.38 mm). Seedling stem diameter changed between 4.76 mm (Genoype 40) to 7.67 mm (Genotype 33). The lowest variation for stem widht was observed in Genotype 55 (0.58?%) while the lowest variation for seedling hight was found in Genotype 33 (0.50?%). Evaluated almond genotypes showed different reactions to studied nematode species, M. javanica and M. incognita. Resistant reactions of almond genotypes to nematode species were classified as susceptible, tolerant and resistant based on gal index values. Genotype 9 and 31 classified as tolerant to M. javanica while Genotype 54 classified as resistant to M. incognita.     

In situ hybridization for the detection of rust fungi in paraffin embedded plant tissue sections

Background

Rust fungi are obligate pathogens with multiple life stages often including different spore types and multiple plant hosts. While individual rust pathogens are often associated with specific plants, a wide range of plant species are infected with rust fungi. To study the interactions between these important pathogenic fungi and their host plants, one must be able to differentiate fungal tissue from plant tissue. This can be accomplished using the In situ hybridization (ISH) protocol described here.

Results

To validate reproducibility using the ISH protocol, samples of Chrysanthemum × morifolium infected with Puccinia horiana, Gladiolus × hortulanus infected with Uromyces transversalis and Glycine max infected with Phakopsora pachyrhizi were tested alongside uninfected leaf tissue samples. The results of these tests show that this technique clearly distinguishes between rust pathogens and their respective host plant tissues.

Conclusions

This ISH protocol is applicable to rust fungi and potentially other plant pathogenic fungi as well. It has been shown here that this protocol can be applied to pathogens from different genera of rust fungi with no background staining of plant tissue. We encourage the use of this protocol for the study of plant pathogenic fungi in paraffin embedded sections of host plant tissue.

     

Inheritance and expression of transgenes in T2 and T3 generations of Lotus corniculatus transformed using Agrobacterium tumefaciens

The inheritance and expression of the reporter gene uidA, encoding β-glucuronidase (GUS), was previously analysed in the T₁ generation of 25 independent transformed lines of Lotus corniculatus cv. Leo. In the work reported here, GUS activity in various tissues of seven of these lines was tested in the T₂ generation. Four representative lines were chosen for more detailed study in the T₃ generation. Lines 25 and 38 had multiple, independently segregating transgene inserts; lines 24 and 39 appeared to transmit one segregating transgene insert to their T₁ progeny, although transgene expression was low and was detected in fewer seedlings than expected in line 39. The uidA gene was inherited and expressed in seedlings of T₁, T₂ and T₃ generations of all four lines. In all lines, transgene expression varied between tissues, with more embryos than seedlings having detectable GUS activity. Studies in the T₂ generation showed that use of transgenic plants as female or male parents altered the frequency of expression of the transgene in progeny. By contrast, in the T₃ generation the use of transgenic plants as female or male parents did not effect either frequency of transmission, or expression of the transgene, in any of the four lines. Transgene inheritance was also similar among individual pods within flower heads and between individual flower heads. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Do by‐catch reduction devices in longline fisheries reduce capture of sharks and rays? A global meta‐analysis

By‐catch in marine fisheries, particularly those using pelagic and demersal longlines, is a major driver of declines in abundance of sharks and rays around the world. A wide variety of by‐catch reduction devices (BRDs), that is, modified gears designed to reduce incidental captures of a variety of marine species while maintaining target catch rates, have been proposed, but the extent to which BRDs actually reduce the risk of catching sharks and rays remains unclear. We performed a meta‐analysis of 27 publications that reported the capture of sharks and rays and, in some cases, of targeted teleosts in longline gear deployed with and without BRDs. The risk of shark and ray capture differed between types of BRDs, but only one BRD type, longlines raised off the bottom, reduced by‐catch significantly. Circle hooks did not reduce the risk of capturing sharks and rays but might improve discard survival and are inexpensive, which might make them effective in reducing the detrimental effects of longlining on these species. In addition to being generally ineffective, some devices, such as electropositive and magnetic repellents, are expensive and have inherent construction drawbacks that are likely to make them unsuitable for commercial use. Overall, most BRDs did not affect the likelihood of catching targeted teleosts, but a substantial number of studies did not adequately assess target catch. We identified two poorly studied classes of BRD gear (i.e. raised demersal longlines, and monofilament nylon leaders), which represent promising directions for future research.     

Development and validation of glycoprotein‐based native‐subunit vaccine for fish against Aeromonas hydrophila

Aeromonas hydrophila is known to be causative agent of an infection named as Bacterial haemorrhagic septicaemia or red pest in freshwater fish. The aim of this study was to develop and validate the glycoprotein‐based fish vaccine against Aeromonas hydrophila. For this aim, after identification and characterization of A. hydrophila isolates from fish farms, one A. hydrophila isolate was selected as vaccine strain. Antigenic glycoproteins of this vaccine strain were determined by Western blotting and glycan detection kit. The connection types of these glycoproteins were examined by glycoprotein differentiation kit. Two glycoproteins, molecular weights of 19 and 38 kDa, with SNA connection type were selected for use in vaccination trials. After their purification by SNA‐specific lectin and size‐exclusion chromatography, protection studies with purified proteins were performed. For challenge trials, four experimental fish groups were designated: Group I (with montanide), Group II (with montanide and ginseng), Group III [with Al(OH)₃] and Group IV [with Al(OH)₃ and ginseng]. The survival ratings of fish were determined, and protection was calculated as 21.56%, 29.41%, 69.83% and 78.88% in groups I, II, III and IV, respectively. In conclusion, A. hydrophila glycoproteins with Al(OH)3 and ginseng could be used as a safe and effective vaccine for fish.