Phenolic content as an indicator of tolerance of cowpea seedlings to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sclerotium rolfsii</Emphasis>

The role of phenolics in plant tolerance to pathogen infection is well documented. The objective of the present preliminary investigation was to study phenolic metabolites involved in the tolerance or susceptibility of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata Walp.) cultivars to Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. and to use their presence as a possible screening tool. Total, free acid, ester-bound and cell wall-bound phenolics of 10 cowpea cultivars were quantified. In healthy seedlings, the tolerant cultivars displayed the higher phenol content than the susceptible cultivars. In S. rolfsii infected seedlings, the highest increase was found from 48 h after inoculation. The net effect of inoculation was a 630% increase in total phenolics (soluble and insoluble) in the stem of tolerant cultivars while the total phenolic content increased only by 212% in the stems of susceptible cultivars. Although, no significant difference (P = 0.05) was detected among cultivars, in terms of free acid phenolics, the amount of ester-bound and cell wall-bound phenolics significantly increased, therefore demonstrating a similar trend to the one observed for the total phenolic content. These preliminary results showed that the presence of phenolics before and after S. rolfsii infection may be used as a rapid screening method for detection of tolerance to S. rolfsii damping-off and stem rot of cowpea.     

Depoliticizing land and water “grabs” in Colombia: the limits of Bonsucro certification for enhancing sustainable biofuel practices

As concerns heighten over links between biomass production and land grabs in the global south, attention is turning to understanding the role of governance of biofuels systems, whereby decision-making and conduct are not solely determined through government regulations but increasingly shaped by non-state actors, including multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSI). Launched in 2005, Bonsucro is the principal MSI that focuses on sustainability standards for sugar and sugarcane ethanol production. Bonsucro claims that because it is free from government interference and draws on scientific metrics, their standards transcend localized, political–economic contexts. In this paper, we illustrate how the local context shapes the prospects for Bonsucro sustainably certified biofuel production in relation to land and water grabs. To accomplish this, our case focuses on Colombia, which has used a range of national policy mandates to establish itself as one of the larger producers of agrofuels in Latin America. We draw on interviews with stakeholders in the sugar and ethanol industries, paired with an examination of Bonsucro principles on land rights and water use, to illustrate how the sugar industry is framing their participation in Bonsucro, and the effects of the increasing intensification of sugarcane for ethanol production on land and water access for communities. We find that within the context of Colombia, efforts such as Bonsucro provide a veil of legitimacy and authority to a system that is premised on deeply entrenched historical patterns of inequitable land ownership patterns and access to natural resources.     

Genetic population structure of black‐browed and Campbell albatrosses,and implications for assigning provenance of birds killed in fisheries

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Use of a Compounded Long-Acting Progesterone Formulation for Equine Pregnancy Maintenance

The objective of this study was to test the efficacy of a compounded long-acting progesterone formulation (BioRelease P4 LA 150; BETPHARM, Lexington, KY) containing 150 mg progesterone/ml for pregnancy maintenance in mares after prostaglandin (PG) F_2α-induced luteolysis. On day 18 of gestation, mares were randomly assigned to one of four groups (n = 7/group): (1) saline-treated control (Saline); (2) PGF_2α-treated control (PGF); (3) PGF_2α- and Regu-Mate-treated (Regu-Mate); and (4) PGF_2α- and BioRelease P4 LA 150-treated (BioRelease). On day 18, Saline mares received 1 ml sterile saline IM, whereas PGF, Regu-Mate, and BioRelease mares received 250 μg cloprostenol IM. Beginning on day 18, Regu-Mate mares received 10 ml Regu-Mate orally once daily and BioRelease mares received 10 ml BioRelease P4 LA 150 containing 150 mg/ml progesterone IM once every 7 days; treatments were continued until day 45 or until pregnancy loss occurred. Pregnancy diagnosis was performed every 3 days between days 18 and 45 (or until pregnancy loss). Pregnancy loss was defined as complete absence of a discernible embryonic vesicle as determined with transrectal ultrasonography. Pregnancy loss rates between days 18 and 45 were: Saline, 1/7; PGF, 7/7; Regu-Mate, 1/7; and BioRelease, 0/7. The pregnancy loss rate was higher (P < .01) in PGF_2α-treated control mares compared with the other groups. There were no differences (P > .1) in pregnancy loss rates among the saline-treated control, Regu-Mate-treated, and BioRelease P4 LA 150-treated mares. These results indicate that intramuscular administration of BioRelease P4 LA 150 containing a total of 1.5 g progesterone every 7 days provided a sufficient level of progesterone to maintain pregnancy between days 18 and 45 of gestation in mares that lacked an endogenous source of progesterone; therefore, this long-acting formulation of progesterone appears to be an efficacious and suitable alternative to currently available progesterone formulations that require daily administration.     

A circadian rhythm orchestrated by histone deacetylase 3 controls hepatic lipid metabolism

Disruption of the circadian clock exacerbates metabolic diseases, including obesity and diabetes. We show that histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) recruitment to the genome displays a circadian rhythm in mouse liver. Histone acetylation is inversely related to HDAC3 binding, and this rhythm is lost when HDAC3 is absent. Although amounts of HDAC3 are constant, its genomic recruitment in liver corresponds to the expression pattern of the circadian nuclear receptor Rev-erbα. Rev-erbα colocalizes with HDAC3 near genes regulating lipid metabolism, and deletion of HDAC3 or Rev-erbα in mouse liver causes hepatic steatosis. Thus, genomic recruitment of HDAC3 by Rev-erbα directs a circadian rhythm of histone acetylation and gene expression required for normal hepatic lipid homeostasis.     

Prevalence and patterns of self-reported animal-related injury among veterinarians in metropolitan Kampala

To establish the prevalence, patterns and risk factors of animal-related injuries among veterinarians, self-administered questionnaires were given to 60 veterinarians practicing in metropolitan Kampala. The prevalence of animal-related injuries in metropolitan Kampala was 72% (95%CI, 57~84). Some veterinarians (34%) suffered multiple injuries with a mean and median of 2.1 and 2.0 injuries per veterinarian, respectively. Of a total of 70 self-reported animal related injuries, cattle accounted for 72%, cats for 25%, dogs for 23%, self inoculation for 15% and birds for 13%. Injuries associated with poultry did not require hospital treatment. The upper limb was the most the frequently (68%) injured anatomical body part of veterinarians, and vaccination of animals (25%) was the major activity associated with injury. Animal-related injuries are common among practicing veterinarians in metropolitan Kampala; however, they did not differ significantly based on the veterinarian''s gender, experience or risk awareness.     

Foot-and-mouth disease virus subtyping by sequencing VP1 genes

In order to use nucleotide sequencing for foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) diagnostic subtyping, it is necessary to shorten the time required for preparation of suitable templates. The time required for analysis was reduced by use of the viral RNA present in the total RNA extract of tissue from infected cattle as a template in the Sanger sequencing reaction. Results are now available within 3 days. The sequences determined encode capsid protein VP1 and therefore major neutralization epitopes. Such a sequence of FMDV O1Kaufbeuren, cultured in the animal, was compared with those of tissue-cultured viruses. They did not differ. It was concluded that a change of virus culture conditions does not necessarily account for antigenic variation.     

Eimeria infections of sheep in northwest Germany

To investigate the incidence of ovine Eimeria spp. and seasonal dynamics in oocyst output, fecal samples of sheep from three different management systems were collected monthly over a 1-year period and examined for oocysts. A total of 10 species of Eimeria were observed. The most frequent species were E. bakuensis, E. ovinoidalis, E. weybridgensis/crandallis, E. parva and E. ahsata whereas E. faurei, E. granulosa, E. intricata and E. pallida were found less often. Lambs passed larger numbers of oocysts in their feces than either ewes or yearlings.     

Use of Lathyrus Sativus L. (var. seminis albi) as a foodstuff for poultry

1. The gross composition of Lathyrus sativus was examined, and its use as a foodstuff for growing chicks over time as well as the influence of supplementation with certain amino acid combinations were studied.

2. Chemical analyses indicated lathyrus to be high in crude protein with adequate concentrations of most inorganic elements and amino acids except methionine and cystine.

3. The performance of growing chicks fed 800 g/kg lathyrus over a four week period was significantly poorer than those given a wheat/ soyabean meal‐based diet (P<0.05), but there appeared to be some adaptation to the antinutritive factors in the lathyrus.

4. Chick performance was markedly improved by dietary methionine supplementation alone (P<0.05); it was slightly better when trypto‐phan was added in combination with methionine but was still inferior to that on a wheat/soyabean meal‐based diet.

5. Supplementation of lathyrus‐based diets with methionine and tryto‐phan may improve chick performance, but it is not sufficient to overcome the effects of antinutritive factors in the legume.