Determination of the Bioavailable Fraction of Cu and Zn in Soils Amended with Biosolids as Determined by Diffusive Gradients in Thin Films (DGT), BCR Sequential Extraction, and Ryegrass Plant

This study assessed the effect of biosolids applied at rates, 0, 30, 45, and 60?Mg?ha^?1 on the chemical associations and bioavailability of Cu and Zn in soils from an important agricultural zone of the Metropolitan Region in Central Chile. Three methods were used to determine the bioavailability of Cu and Zn in soils: ryegrass (Lolium perenne) plants, diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) technique, and Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) sequential extraction. The DGT effective concentration (C _E) and sequential extract acid soluble fraction of the BCR extraction (most labile fraction of the soils, normally associated with bioavailability) were compared with total metal concentration in ryegrass plants as a means to compare the chemical and biological measures of bioavailability. Total Zn was higher in comparison to Cu for all treatments. Concentrations were within the limits set by the Chilean regulations for land-applied biosolids. Metals in the control soil were primarily found in the residual fraction of soils. Biosolids application generally decreased this fraction, with a subsequent increase observed mainly in the acid soluble fraction. The contents of Cu and Zn in ryegrass plants increased with increasing rates of biosolids. Comparison of the Cu and Zn content in ryegrass plants with C _E, showed a good correlation for Zn. However, the C _E for soil Cu was only related to plant Cu for some of the soils studied. Correlation between Zn in ryegrass plants and the labile fraction of Zn as measured by the sequential extraction was excellent, with correlation coefficients >0.9, while for Cu, correlation coefficients were lower.     

Check-list for scientific names of common parasitic fungi

An antibiotic substance, MYC 8005, was found to be produced by aStreptomyces strain, D197. It proved to possess strong antibiotic activities against bacteria, fungi and spider mites. It might be similar to antibiotic 323/58 reported in 1962 by Kruglyaket al. This antibiotic, however, is no longer available for comparison. The producing organism resmblesStreptomyces exfoliatus (Waksman & Curtis) Waksman & Henrici but differs from this species in the surface structure of the spores. For this reason it is proposed to give D 197 the nameStreptomyces exfoliatus var.echinosporus var. nov. The nature of the symptoms observed with spider mites and the susceptibility of various acaricide-resistant strains to this antibiotic suggest a new mode of action.     

Commercial cuts and chemical and sensory attributes of meat from crossbred Boer goats fed sunflower cake‐based diets

This study aimed to evaluate sunflower cake feed in commercial cut yields and chemical and sensory attributes of goat meat. Thirty‐two castrated male goats were distributed in four levels (0, 8, 16 and 24%) of sunflower cake supplementation. The animals were slaughtered and the carcasses were placed in a cold chamber and sectioned into five anatomical regions corresponding to commercial cuts. Samples of the Longissimus lumborum muscle were analyzed for chemical composition and sensory quality. The chemical composition and pH were not affected by the treatments. The smell, taste and ‘goatiness’ of the aroma and flavor of the meat were also unaffected by the treatments. The appearance, tenderness and juiciness of the meat differed by treatment. The highest level (24%) of sunflower cake increased meat tenderness; however, according to the tasters there was reduced softness, although none of the samples were rejected by the tasters. Sunflower cake can be added to the diet at a level of up to 16% without altering the quantitative and qualitative attributes of the meat.     

A Hybrid Artificial Intelligence Model for Aeneolamia varia (Hemiptera: Cercopidae) Populations in Sugarcane Crops

Sugarcane spittlebugs are considered important pests in sugarcane crops ranging from the southeastern United States to northern Argentina. To evaluate the effects of climate variables on adult populations of Aeneolamia varia (Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Cercopidae), a 3-yr monitoring study was carried out in sugarcane fields at week-long intervals during the rainy season (May to November 2005–2007). The resulting data were analyzed using the univariate Forest-Genetic method. The best predictive model explained 75.8% variability in physiological damage threshold. It predicted that the main climatic factors influencing the adult population would be, in order of importance, evaporation; evapotranspiration by 0.5; evapotranspiration, cloudiness at 2:00 p.m.; average sunshine and relative humidity at 8:00 a.m. The optimization of the predictive model established that the lower and upper limits of the climatic variables produced a threshold in the population development rate of 184 to 267 adult insects under the agroecological conditions of the study area. These results provide a new perspective on decision-making in the preventive management of A. varia adults in sugarcane crops.     

Oxylipin Diversity in the Diatom Family Leptocylindraceae Reveals DHA Derivatives in Marine Diatoms

Marine planktonic organisms, such as diatoms, are prospective sources of novel bioactive metabolites. Oxygenated derivatives of fatty acids, generally referred to as oxylipins, in diatoms comprise a highly diverse and complex family of secondary metabolites. These molecules have recently been implicated in several biological processes including intra- and inter-cellular signaling as well as in defense against biotic stressors and grazers. Here, we analyze the production and diversity of C₂₀ and C₂₂ non-volatile oxylipins in five species of the family Leptocylindraceae, which constitute a basal clade in the diatom phylogeny. We report the presence of species-specific lipoxygenase activity and oxylipin patterns, providing the first demonstration of enzymatic production of docosahexaenoic acid derivatives in marine diatoms. The differences observed in lipoxygenase pathways among the species investigated broadly reflected the relationships observed with phylogenetic markers, thus providing functional support to the taxonomic diversity of the individual species.     

Solomonsterol A,a Marine Pregnane-X-Receptor Agonist,Attenuates Inflammation and Immune Dysfunction in a Mouse Model of Arthritis

In the present study we provide evidence that solomonsterol A, a selective pregnane X receptor (PXR) agonist isolated from the marine sponge Theonella swinhoei, exerts anti-inflammatory activity and attenuates systemic inflammation and immune dysfunction in a mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis. Solomonsterol A was effective in protecting against the development of arthritis induced by injecting transgenic mice harboring a humanized PXR, with anti-collagen antibodies (CAIA) with beneficial effects on joint histopathology and local inflammatory response reducing the expression of inflammatory markers (TNFα, IFNγ and IL-17 and chemokines MIP1α and RANTES) in draining lymph nodes. Solomonsterol A rescued mice from systemic inflammation were assessed by measuring arthritis score, CRP and cytokines in the blood. In summary, the present study provides a molecular basis for the regulation of systemic local and systemic immunity by PXR agonists.     

Simulated yield advantages of extending post-flowering development at the expense of a shorter pre-flowering development in soybean

Field experiments with soybean demonstrated that the extension of photoperiod after flowering increases both the duration of the post-flowering phase and the production of seeds. These results suggest that cultivars with increased duration of the post-flowering phase could be selected to improve soybean yields. The aims of this paper were to: (a) evaluate the ability of the CROPGRO-soybean model to reproduce the experimental relationships between seed number and duration of the critical phase between first and last pod, and (b) assess the putative benefits and trade-offs of variable durations of the critical phase in a south–north transect in the Pampas of Argentina.     

Genetic diversity and population structure in Jatropha (Jatropha curcas L.) based on molecular markers

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - Jatropha (Jatropha curcas L.) is an oleaginous potential, howetever, some studies report that there is low genetic diversity in Brazilian genotypes....     

Application of Experimental Design Technique to the Optimization of Bench-Scale Composting Conditions of Municipal Raw Sludge

Evaluation of the parameters affecting the compostability of dewatered raw sludge from a wastewater treatment plant has been carried out by means of a full factorial composite experimental design. The factors and their correspondent levels considered in the experimental design were: bulking agent:sludge ratio (from 1:1 to 4:1 by volume), bulking agent particle size (from 0-5 mm to 10-20 mm) and composting volume (in the range of typical laboratory-scale, from 1.5 to 25 L). Experimental design has permitted obtaining a polynomial second-order function that quantitatively describes the influence of the considered factors on the compostability of this waste in laboratory reactors. The function has been numerically optimized to find the optimal values for composting raw sludge resulting in a values of: 0-5 mm for bulking agent size, 1:1 for ratio bulking agent:sludge and a composting volume around 10 L. The use of this technique can be generalized and applied to the composting of other organic wastes and will permit comparison of composting performance of different wastes.