Serum opsonization capacity, phagocytosis, and oxidative burst activity in neonatal foals in the intensive care unit

BACKGROUND: Phagocytic activity of neonatal foals has been reported to be similar to that of adult horses, but serum opsonization capacity develops with age and may be further altered when opsonins are consumed during infection. HYPOTHESIS: Phagocytosis, oxidative burst activity, and serum opsonization capacity in neonatal foals admitted to an intensive care unit are reduced in comparison with control foals. ANIMALS: Blood samples were collected from hospitalized neonatal foals and from control foals. Hospitalized foals were characterized as sick or septic on the basis of a sepsis score and received intravenous plasma transfusion. METHODS: Phagocytosis, oxidative burst activity, and serum opsonization capacity were tested with flow cytometric analysis. Serum immunoglobulin and complement component 3 concentrations were determined with radial immunodiffusion. Serum amyloid A concentration was assayed with a commercially available solid-phase Sandwich ELISA Kit. Data were analyzed with nonparametric and regression methods. Alpha was set at P = .05. RESULTS: Phagocytic functions of septic and sick foals were lower than control foals in the initial phase of the study (P = .01). Opsonization capacity was significantly higher when bacteria were opsonized with serum from septic (P = .029) and sick (P = .006) foals than from control foals on day 1. Opsonization capacity in septic foals was comparable with control foals on days 2 and 5. This effect was not accompanied by an increase in serum complement C3 or immunoglobulin G concentrations independently. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Our results suggest that phagocytic function could be decreased in hospitalized foals. The synergistic effect of opsonic elements provided by plasma transfusion may sustain opsonization capacity during sepsis.     

Copper distribution and ionic form effects for postharvest treatments of cut Acacia holosericea stems

A short postharvest life is the major constraint associated with cut Acacia flowers and foliage. Treatment with CuSO₄ (Cu²⁺) has previously been shown to improve the longevity of cut Acacia holosericea stems. Towards refining the treatments, a range of Cu²⁺ and Cu⁺ salts were assessed for relative efficacy in improving vase life and water relations of A. holosericea. Five hour pulses with the Cu²⁺ salts CuSO₄, CuCl₂, (CH₃COO)₂Cu and Cu(NO₃)₂ at 2.2 mM gave equally longer vase lives by ∼2.5-fold over deionised water (DIW) and standard tap water (STW) controls. The same Cu²⁺ salts at 0.5 mM in the vase solution also gave significantly (P < 0.05) improved vase life, relative fresh weight and water uptake compared to the DIW control. For Cu²⁺ versus Cu⁺, optimum concentrations with Cu²⁺ could not be directly compared due to the low solubility of the Cu⁺ salt CuCl. However, Cu⁺ from CuCl at 0.415 mM also had positive effects on vase life compared to the DIW control. Thus, both Cu²⁺ and Cu⁺ treatments can enhance vase life parameters for cut A. holosericea foliage. The benefits were irrespective of the counter ion and, thus, Cu²⁺ and Cu⁺per se were responsible. The most effective Cu²⁺ pulse treatment decreased stomatal conductance of phyllodes initially, but did not cause sustained stomatal closure. Cu accumulated to greater levels in basal stem and phyllode tissues than in upper stem and phyllode tissues of cut A. holosericea stems. Possible mechanisms of Cu²⁺/Cu⁺ action are discussed.     

Salicylic acid and jasmonic acid treatments for potentially extending the longevity of cut Acacia holosericea foliage

Acacia holosericea is a novel cut foliage line with a short vase life. Postharvest application of salicylic acid (SA) can extend the vase life of cut flower. SA is a host defence inducer, as is jasmonic acid (JA). SA and JA were compared as vase solution additives for A. holosericea. Three experiments were conducted that also compared these two chemicals with H⁺ and Cu²⁺ as known vase life extending additives. Vase solutions containing SA at 0.5, 1.5, and 2.5 mM gave ~1.3- to 1.5-fold vase life extensions as compared with the distilled water (DW; control). Provision of Cu²⁺ and JA at 0.5 mM in vase solutions also prolonged vase life by ~1.3-fold as compared with DW. The positive effect of SA tended to be greater than that of JA, but was inferior to that of Cu²⁺ at the same concentration. However, trend differences among these treatments were not statistically significant. Cut A. holosericea foliage stems treated with SA and JA exhibited higher relative fresh weight (RFW) and vase solution uptake rates as compared with DW. Overall, SA and JA evidently extended the vase life of cut A. holosericea foliage by inhibiting water loss and maintaining RFW during the vase period.     

A selective agar medium for isolation,enumeration and morphological identification of Fusarium proliferatum

A selective agar medium based on macerated date fruits was developed for the isolation, enumeration and morphological identification of Fusarium proliferatum from soil and from infected tissues of various plants (including: onion bulbs, corn ears and stems, and various weed tissues). The selective date medium enhances the formation of polyphialide and longer chains of conidia for better separation from other related Fusarium species which also grow and proliferate on this medium. Furthermore, the date medium enables microscopic distinction among other closely related Fusarium species, e.g. F. oxysporum and F. verticillioides. Fruits of the date cultivars Medjoul and Deglet Noor provided the most useful results as compared with other cultivars tested. The date medium can serve as a selective medium for direct isolation and enumeration of F. proliferatum, as it suppresses the development of other soil fungi and plant pathogens such as Macrophomina phaseolina, Sclerotium rolfsii and Rhizoctonia solani, as well as bacteria.     

Mapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with dough quality in a soft × hard bread wheat progeny

Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) quality is a key trait for baking industry exigencies and broad consumer preferences. The main goal of this study was to undertake quantitative trait loci (QTL) analyses for bread wheat quality in a set of 79 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a soft × hard bread wheat cross. Field trials were conducted over two years, utilizing a randomized complete block design. Dough quality was evaluated by sedimentation test, mixograph and alveograph analysis. Protein content was measured by near-infrared reflectance analysis and grain hardness was determined by the single kernel characterization system (SKCS).     

Sprouts of shoot-clipped oak (Quercus alba and Q. robur) germinants show morphological and photosynthetic acclimation to contrasting light environments

New Forests - Sprouting by woody plants can increase species resilience to disturbance and foster regeneration during periods with little recruitment from seed. Though sprouting often plays a...     

Vapor pressures of sulfonylurea herbicides

Vapor pressure values for agricultural chemicals are necessary for estimating volatilization and dissipation through transport in the vapor phase. The low vapor pressures of the sulfonylurea herbicides have presented significant challenges in vapor pressure determination. We have used the Knudsen gas effusion method at elevated temperatures and extrapolated to 25 °C. Along with the Knudsen method, computer calculations using the Grain equation were also used to estimate vapor pressure. The gas saturation method with quantitation by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) provided an upper limit that confirmed the low vapor pressures obtained using Knudsen gas effusion and computer calculations. We report the best available experimental results for the vapor pressures of sulfonylurea herbicides. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry     

Biomineralization of gold: biofilms on bacterioform gold

Bacterial biofilms are associated with secondary gold grains from two sites in Australia. 16S ribosomal DNA clones of the genus Ralstonia that bear 99% similarity to the bacterium Ralstonia metallidurans-shown to precipitate gold from aqueous gold(III) tetrachloride-were present on all DNA-positive gold grains but were not detected in the surrounding soils. These results provide evidence for the bacterial contribution to the authigenic formation of secondary bacterioform gold grains and nuggets.     

Study on Relationship Between the Size Distribution of Glutenin Polymeric Protein and Wheat Flour Mixing Properties

Parental varieties Suneca and Cook have contrasting alleles at each of the five glutenin subunit loci (Glu-B1, Glu- D1, Glu-A3, Glu-B3, and Glu-D3), a set of 60 lines homozygous at these loci from the F4 progeny population of Suneca × Cook was chosen to analyze the variation of the size distribution of glutenin polymeric protein (measured by SE-HPLC) and flour mixing properties of these lines and to study relationship between the size distribution of glutenin polymeric protein and wheat flour mixing properties. The results showed that there were very significant differences among the relative size distributions of glutenin polymeric protein (i. e. percentage of unextracTable polymeric protein in the total polymeric protein, or UPP% ) and dough development times (i. e. peak time of mixograph, or PTM) of different homozygous lines, respectively.Flour mixograph shape was closely related to UPP% value. The results also indicated that UPP% was very strongly positive correlation with PTM and negative correlation with peak height of mixograph (PHM).Comparing with flour protein content (FP%), UPP% gave greater effect on PTM and PHM, i.e. flour mixing properties, and it can be considered as one of criteria for quality selecting from early generation of breeding program.     

Etiology of potato early dying in Delaware

Greenhouse and field plot experiments along with surveys of commercial potato fields were conducted to determine the etiology of potato early dying in Delaware and its impact on yield ofSolanum tuberosum cultivar Superior.Verticillium dahliae was the primary pathogen causing early dying, and no increase in disease severity or yield loss was observed when plants were inoculated with bothV. dahliae andColletotrichum coccodes. The field survey showed thatV. dahliae was the predominant pathogen in symptomatic plants, and nematodes were not essential in association withVerticillium to cause early dying. Disease severity was the same in the presence of a low population or absence of nematodes.