<Emphasis Type="Italic">Erwinia aphidicola</Emphasis> isolated from commercial bean seeds (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phaseolus vulgaris)</Emphasis>

In late 2003, a new disease appeared in protected bean crops in southeastern Spain, causing a decrease of over 50% in production. Several samples of affected plants were collected and analyzed and the agent of this disease was identified as the bacterium Erwinia aphidicola, which had never been described as a pathogen previously. We attempted to determine the possible bacterium transmission through seeds, using 120 commercial bean seeds from the same batch as that used in an affected farm, and 120 seeds from the fruiting plants of the same farm. Seed coats, cotyledons and leaves of plants originating from them, were taken and analyzed. Several of the developed symptoms on plants from commercial and fruiting plant seeds were internervial chlorosis, necrotic pits and rough roots and they coincided with those observed on affected crops. Bacteria present in commercial seed cotyledons were isolated and analyzed by biochemical and molecular tests. Results confirmed the presence of Erwinia aphidicola in four analyzed seeds; moreover, Bacillus simplex/Bacillus muralis, Pseudomonas mendocina, Pseudomonas putida and Paenibacillus polymyxa were also identified.     

Determination of phytohormones of environmental impact by capillary zone electrophoresis

A test mixture of five phytohormones [naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), naphthoxyacetic acid (NOA), indoleacetic acid (IAA), indolebutyric acid (IBA), and indolepropionic acid (IPA)] was investigated. These compounds were cleanly separated with good resolution by capillary zone electrophoresis with a UV diode array detector using 20 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.25). The lowest detection limit was obtained for IPA (0.45 mg L(-)(1) or 0.005 mg kg(-)(1)) and the highest for NAA (1.04 mg L(-)(1) or 0.014 mg kg(-)(1)). The method has been applied for tomato samples fortified with the five phytohormones using a liquid-liquid extraction procedure, obtaining recovery percentages ranging from 91 to 109.0%.     

Influence of fruit ripeness at the time of seed extraction on pepper (Capsicum annuum) seed germination

The influence of fruit ripeness (half ripe, fully ripe, overripe) at the time of seed extraction on seed germination behaviour, at 25 °C and 13 °C, was studied in two Spanish pepper cultivars for canning. Seeds from half ripe fruits had a poorer behaviour than those taken from fully ripe fruits, especially at 13 °C. Room ripening and overripening of half ripe fruits improved the germination behaviour of the seeds although this behaviour was poorer than that of seeds extracted from fully ripe fruits that were allowed to overripen. Overripening of fully ripe picked fruits slightly improved germination behaviour.     

Alterations in serum parathyroid hormone and electrolyte concentrations and urinary excretion of electrolytes in horses with induced endotoxemia

Hypocalcemia and hypomagnesemia are common in horses with sepsis and endotoxemia. We hypothesize that endotoxemia triggers a systemic inflammatory response that results in hypocalcemia and hypomagnesemia. The goal of this study was to determine the effect of endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide [LPS]) administration to healthy horses on serum parathyroid hormone (PTH), ionized calcium (Ca2+) and total calcium (tCa), ionized magnesium (Mg2+) and total magnesium (tMg), phosphate (Pi), potassium (K+), sodium (Na+), chloride (Cl-), and insulin concentrations, and on the urinary excretion of these electrolytes. Twelve mares were infused with Escherichia coli LPS (30 ng/kg/h i.v.) for 1 hour. Six mares were infused with saline (controls). In LPS-infused horses, heart rate increased significantly from (mean +/- SD) 40.0 +/- 1.3 to 70.0 +/- 9.0 beats/min, respiratory rate from 12.7 +/- 1.0 to 21.1 +/- 3.0 breaths/min, body temperature from 37.4 +/- 0.3 to 38.9 +/- 0.6 degrees C, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations from 6.6 +/- 3.5 to 507 +/- 260 pg/mL (P < .05). White blood cell count decreased significantly from 7570 +/- 600 to 1960 +/- 560 cells/ microL. Serum concentrations of Ca2+ decreased from 6.5 +/- 0.3 to 6.0 +/- 0.3 mg/dL, of Mg2+ from 0.53 +/- 0.06 to 0.43 +/- 0.04 mM, of tMg from 0.78 +/- 0.05 to 0.62 +/- 0.08 mM, of K+ from 4.3 +/- 0.4 to 3.0 +/- 0.5 mEq/L, and of Pi from 3.4 +/- 0.5 to 1.7 +/- 0.5 mg/dL (all P < .05). PTH increased significantly from 1.3 +/- 0.4 to 6.0 +/- 5.2 pM; however, in some horses (n=2), PTH did not increase despite hypocalcemia. Insulin increased significantly from 9.4 +/- 3.6 to 50.5 +/- 9.6 microIU/mL (n=3). Urinary fractional excretion of Ca2+ decreased significantly from 4.7 +/- 1.4 to 1.7 +/- 1.2%, of Mg2+ from 36.6 +/- 6.5 to 11.7 +/- 7.3%, and of K+ from 37.9 +/- 11.3 to 17.7 +/- 6.2%. Fractional excretion of Pi increased from 0.02 +/- 0.02 to 0.14 +/- 0.07% and of Na+ from 0.26 +/- 0.13% to 1.2 +/- 0.5%. No changes were found in serum tCa, Na+, and Cl- concentrations. In conclusion, endotoxemia in horses resulted in electrolyte abnormalities that included hypocalcemia, hypomagnesemia, hypokalemia, hypophosphatemia, and increased serum PTH and insulin concentrations.     

Participation of Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Acari: Ixodidae) in the epidemiology of canine visceral leishmaniasis

The vectorial competence of the tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus is discussed in relation to the epidemiology of canine visceral leishmaniasis, taking into account its strict association with dogs and the low indices of natural infection presented by its known vector, the phlebotomine sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis. In order to evaluate natural infection by Leishmania chagasi and the infectivity of these parasites in the tick, 39 specimens (6 females, 11 males and 22 nymphs) of R. sanguineus were removed from 21 dogs showing diverse symptoms of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (ZVL). Six ticks (15.4%) gave positive results for the genus Leishmania using the PCR technique. To determine the infectivity of the parasites, 36 hamsters were inoculated orally and peritoneally with macerates of ticks removed from nine dogs symptomatic for visceral leishmaniasis. After 6 months the hamsters were sacrificed and necropsied. Serum was removed for IFAT, as well as spleen and liver fragments to make imprint smears and for PCR. Eight (88.9%) of these dogs presented ticks that were infective for 14 hamsters (41.2%), 12 (85.7%) of them infected peritoneally and two (14.3%) orally. PCR revealed 27 smears (40.9%) to be positive, 20 (62.5%) of them infected peritoneally and seven (20.6%) orally. IFAT showed 14 positive animals (41.2%). Based on these findings, we suggest that the vectorial capacity of R. sanguineus for L. chagasi should be evaluated further, opening new perspectives in the epidemiology of ZVL.     

Enzymatic treatment to improve extraction of capsaicinoids and carotenoids from chili (Capsicum annuum) fruits

Enzymatic treatments using noncommercial enzymes as a means to the improve the extraction of carotenoids and capsaicinoids from chili fruits are explored in this study. The results show that it is possible to obtain chili fruit powder with a higher concentration of both capsaicinoids and carotenoids than previously reported for similar processes. Furthermore, extraction yields above 96% for carotenoids and 85% for capsaicinoids as separate fractions can be achieved using a sequential and selective two-stage extraction. Evidence is presented demonstrating that the content and extraction yield depend directly on the extent of the enzymatic hydrolysis of chili cell walls, and higher yields are obtained when the sample is completely hydrolyzed. The enzymatic treatment described here is a promising alternative to current industrial practices, and it improves the extraction of carotenoids and capsaicinoids from chili fruits.     

Nonsurgical repair of an umbilical hernia in two Asian elephant calves (Elephas maximus)

Umbilical hernias were diagnosed in two captive-born, female Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) calves several weeks after birth. Daily manual reduction of the hernias for 5 wk in the first case and for 5 mo in the second resulted in complete closure of the defects. Nonsurgical repair of uncomplicated, fully reducible umbilical hernias in Asian elephants can be an alternative to surgery.