The effect of temperature on sensory quality,chemical composition and growth of carrots (Daucus carota L.). III. Different diurnal temperature amplitudes

Summary

Data from experiments with carrots grown in phytotrons under different day and night temperatures at two locations in Norway and three harvesting dates were treated by means of Principal Component Analysis (PCA). No effect of the single temperature amplitudes were found, the significant main effects were due to the mean temperature levels of 12 and 188C, location and harvest date. The PCA visualized the effect of mean temperature level on sensory, chemical and physical variables. Differences between the two groups were mainly caused by variation in sensory variables, the first group being characterized by high score for whiteness, sweetness, acidic taste, crispness, juiciness, glucose, fructose and root length. The other group had a high score for colour, odour, overall taste and flavour parameters, firmness, dry matter, sucrose, a and b-carotene, root weight and root diameters.     

Root-associated fungi of healthy-looking Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies seedlings in Swedish forest nurseries

The aim of this study was to assess fungal communities in roots of healthy-looking Pinus sylvestris L. and Picea abies (L.) Karst. seedlings in nine forest nurseries in Sweden using a combination of traditional culturing and direct sequencing of internal transcribed spacer of fungal ribosomal RNA (ITS rRNA) from the roots. Culturing from 1800 surface-sterilised root segments resulted in 2387 fungal cultures representing 42 different taxa. Direct sequencing from 180 root segments resulted in 119 ITS rRNA sequences representing 25 different taxa. In total, 55 different fungal taxa were detected using both methods. Although direct sequencing was more efficient than culturing in detecting different fungal taxa, both methods provided complementary information about fungal communities in roots since each detected rather different groups of fungi. The most dominant taxa detected by culturing were Trichoderma viride Pers. (19.5%), Phoma mucivora Davey & Currah (19.1%), Phialocephala fortinii Wang & Wilcox (17.4%) and Meliniomyces variabilis Hambl. & Sigler (10.2%), while Thelephora terrestris Ehrh. (26.1%), Unidentified sp. NS126 (25.2%) and Heliotales sp. C20 (10.1%) were most commonly detected by direct sequencing. In conclusion, results showed that forest nurseries in Sweden harbour diverse communities of fungi associated with the roots of healthy-looking P. sylvestris and P. abies seedlings. Although fungal communities were often dominated by saprotrophs and endophytes, several facultative pathogens were also detected indicating that under suitable conditions they may be a potential threat to the plants.     

MMS19 assembles iron-sulfur proteins required for DNA metabolism and genomic integrity

Instability of the nuclear genome is a hallmark of cancer and aging. MMS19 protein has been linked to maintenance of genomic integrity, but the molecular basis of this connection is unknown. Here, we identify MMS19 as a member of the cytosolic iron-sulfur protein assembly (CIA) machinery. MMS19 functions as part of the CIA targeting complex that specifically interacts with and facilitates iron-sulfur cluster insertion into apoproteins involved in methionine biosynthesis, DNA replication, DNA repair, and telomere maintenance. MMS19 thus serves as an adapter between early-acting CIA components and a subset of cellular iron-sulfur proteins. The function of MMS19 in the maturation of crucial components of DNA metabolism may explain the sensitivity of MMS19 mutants to DNA damage and the presence of extended telomeres.     

Correction to: When is it biological control? A framework of definitions,mechanisms, and classifications

Journal of Pest Science - A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-021-01386-z     

Differential leukocyte counts determined in chicken blood using the Cell-Dyn 3500

Background: Automated hematology instruments commonly are used for mammalian blood analysis, but there is a lack of accurate automated methods available for avian leukocyte analysis. Objective: The aim of this study was to validate differential leukocyte counts in blood from chickens using the Cell-Dyn 3500 hematology system and avian-specific software.
Methods: Blood samples were collected in lithium-heparin tubes from 2 groups (n = 84 and n = 139) of laying hens. Manual 200-cell differential counts were done on routinely-stained blood smears, and manual total granulocyte counts (heterophils and eosinophils) were done using an eosinophil stain in a counting chamber. Automated differential counts were done using VET 2.3, a research and development version of avian-specific software for the Cell-Dyn 3500. Results were analyzed using Pearson's correlation and difference plots.
Results: Automated granulocyte counts from the Cell-Dyn were in good agreement with manual granulocyte counts ( r = 0.93 and 0.80 for the 2 study groups). No correlation was found between automated and manual lymphocyte counts. Correlation coefficients for monocyte counts were 0.70 and 0.43. Conclusion: Automated leukocyte results from the Cell-Dyn using VET 2.3 software were not fully accurate. Total granulocyte counts may be of clinical usefulness, but results obtained for other parameters were unreliable.     

Estimation of distance related probability of animal movements between holdings and implications for disease spread modeling

Between holding contacts are more common over short distances and this may have implications for the dynamics of disease spread through these contacts. A reliable estimation of how contacts depend on distance is therefore important when modeling livestock diseases. In this study, we have developed a method for analyzing distant dependent contacts and applied it to animal movement data from Sweden. The data were analyzed with two competing models. The first model assumes that contacts arise from a purely distance dependent process. The second is a mixture model and assumes that, in addition, some contacts arise independent of distance. Parameters were estimated with a Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) approach and the model probabilities were compared. We also investigated possible between model differences in predicted contact structures, using a collection of network measures.We found that the mixture model was a much better model for the data analyzed. Also, the network measures showed that the models differed considerably in predictions of contact structures, which is expected to be important for disease spread dynamics. We conclude that a model with contacts being both dependent on, and independent of, distance was preferred for modeling the example animal movement contact data.     

The productivity effects of cattle tick (Boophilus microplus) infestation on cattle, with particular reference to Bos indicus cattle and their crosses

In response to uncertainty among cattle producers in Australia regarding the need to treat Bos indicus and B. indicus crossbreeds, the scientific literature relating to the productivity effects of Boophilus microplus on cattle of all breeds was reviewed. Estimates of the mean effect of each engorging tick (damage coefficient, d) were made from a simple analysis of the reported data. On average, each engorging female tick is responsible for the loss of 1.37 +/- 0.25 g bodyweight in B. taurus cattle. The comparable value for B. taurusxB. indicus cattle is 1.18 +/- 0.21 g/engorging tick. These values were not statistically significantly different, indicating that if a threshold approach to tick control were taken, then the threshold number of standard ticks would be the same regardless of cattle genotype. No studies provided useable estimates of the effect of tick infestation on pure B. indicus cattle. An economic threshold for treatment, below which acaricide application is not beneficial, can be predicted, using known values for the cost of acaricide application and the price of beef. However, the application of a threshold approach to control has not been embraced by government advisers and runs contrary to the accepted principals of strategic control programs.     

The importance of debarking in mitigating the leaching of pollutants from common Swedish tree species submerged in water

Sprinkling wood with water is a common method for protecting wood during storage, yet the polluted runoff generated by the log yard is a major drawback. To study bark’s ability to leach pollutants from logs, the Picea abies, Pinus sylvestris, and Betula pubescens wood species were submerged with and without bark for 6?weeks. The water was analysed during the study for total organic carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen, colour, pH, and distillable phenols. The results showed that the leaching from carefully debarked wood is lower than that of both gently debarked wood and intact wood. Storing carefully debarked logs is a viable method for reducing pollutants in log yard runoff.     

Frequency of feline diabetes mellitus and breed predisposition in domestic cats in Australia

The frequency of diabetes mellitus is described for cats that received veterinary care from two large feline-only clinics in Brisbane, Australia. Frequency was estimated using period prevalences (the proportion of the population at risk that was affected by diabetes at any point during a specified time period). Of the 12,576 study cats, 93 were affected with diabetes during the 5-year study period, resulting in a 5-year period prevalence of 7.4 per 1000 cats. Period prevalence was significantly higher in Burmese cats (22.4 cats per 1000) than domestic short and longhaired cats (7.6 cats per 1000) and the mean age at first diagnosis during the study period was significantly higher amongst Burmese cats (13.6 years) compared to domestic short and longhaired cats (10.9 years). Further investigations into the apparent predisposition of Burmese cats to diabetes mellitus are indicated.