Feeding tactics and body condition of two introduced populations of pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus: taking advantages of human disturbances?

Abstract –  Feeding tactics, body condition and size structure of two populations of pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus from Cabañeros National Park (Guadiana River basin, central Spain) were compared to provide insight into the ecological requirements favouring levels of success/failure in relation to human intervention. Habitat, benthic macroinvertebrates and pumpkinseed were quantified in Bullaque (regulated flow, affected by agricultural activities) and Estena (natural conditions) rivers, from May to September of 2005 and 2006. Significant differences were found in the limnological characteristics between the two rivers. Spatial and temporal variations in diet composition were likely related to opportunistic feeding and high foraging plasticity. Diet diversity was higher in Bullaque River. Electivity of benthic prey showed variation between sized individuals and populations. The body condition of pumpkinseed was better in Bullaque River. Current results show that this invasive species is favoured by human intervention in Bullaque River.     

Histochemical study of the intestinal absorption,liver and lens effect with zinc‐supplemented diets for gilthead seabream

To describe the effect and the distribution of zinc in different tissues of a representative marine fish species, gilthead seabreams (Sparus aurata Linnaeus, 1758) were fed different diets containing zinc in different sources (organic, inorganic, encapsulated, blood‐rich diet or fishmeal). The effect was monitored by histology in the lens, liver and intestine. In addition, the anterior and posterior intestine was studied by means of autometallography, a histochemical silver‐based staining method to determine the zinc flow and distribution. The histology of lens did not improve by dietary zinc as there was no occurrence of cataracts. In the liver, the experimental diets were correlated with different changes in the tissue architecture. In the intestine, no histological changes were found using haematoxylin and eosin stain. However, with the use of autometallography stain, it was possible to visualize and describe the route that zinc follows through the enterocytes and the lamina propria. Organic and inorganic zinc diet produced the richest silver deposition in the anterior intestine.     

Phenotypic correlations, G × E interactions and broad sense heritability analysis of grain and flour quality characteristics in high latitude spring bread wheats from Kazakhstan and Siberia

Grain and flour samples of 42 high latitude spring bread wheat genotypes from Kazakhstan and Siberia evaluated in a multi-location trial were analyzed for grain concentrations of protein, zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe), as well as flour quality characteristics. The genotypes showed high grain protein concentrations (14–19%), but low dough strength was a common feature for most of them. Significant positive correlations were found between grain protein and flour protein, gluten, gliadin, gli/glu ratio, Zn, and Fe contents. Grain protein was also correlated positively with hardness, sedimentation, farinograph dough development time (DDT), stability time and ash content. Grain Fe concentration was positively associated with sedimentation, stability time, water absorption and valorimeter value, suggesting that improvements in micronutrient concentrations in the grain parallels enhancement in gluten strength. Interestingly, glutenin content correlated negatively with the concentrations of grain and flour protein, gluten, and minerals; and also with gluten deformation index (IDK), DDT, and stability time. Conversely, gliadin content showed strong positive correlations with the concentrations of grain and flour protein, gluten, and minerals. Gliadin also correlated positively, but in lesser magnitude, with DDT, stability time and IDK. Environment and G×E interaction were important sources of variation for some quality characteristics. This was reflected in the low broad sense heritability (H) values for traits related to flour strength, such as sedimentation, IDK, stability time and gliadin content. Breeding strategies, including three testing locations at the advanced selection stages, are adequate for the enhancement of most of the quality traits, but faster improvement in flour strength could be achieved with a larger number of locations.     

Foliar application of systemic insecticides disrupts feeding behavior of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci MEAM1 and the transmission of tomato chlorosis virus in potato plants

Journal of Pest Science - The whiteflies of the Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) complex (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) are serious agricultural pests that cause severe losses to vegetable, ornamental and fiber...     

Differential reaction of sweet pepper to infection with the crinivirus tomato chlorosis virus probably depends on the viral variant

The tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV), transmitted by whitefly species of the genera Bemisia and Trialeurodes in a semipersistent manner, causes significant losses in solanaceous crops including tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum). Worldwide reports of natural and experimental infection of sweet pepper plants with ToCV are contradictory, raising the question of whether the critical factor determining infection is related to the susceptibility of sweet pepper cultivars or the genetics of virus isolates. In this work, ToCV isolates obtained from different hosts and geographical origins were biologically and molecularly analysed, transmitted by B. tabaci MEAM1 and MED, and the reaction of different sweet pepper cultivars was evaluated under different environmental conditions. Brazilian ToCV isolates from tomato, potato (S. tuberosum), S. americanum, and Physalis angulata did not infect plants of five sweet pepper cultivars when transmitted by B. tabaci MEAM1. Temperatures did not affect the sweet pepper susceptibility to tomato-ToCV isolates from São Paulo, Brazil, and Florida, USA. However, sweet pepper-ToCV isolates from Spain and São Paulo, Brazil, were transmitted efficiently to sweet pepper plants by B. tabaci MEAM1 and MED. Although the results indicated that ToCV isolates from naturally infected sweet pepper plants seem to be better adapted to plants of C. annuum, phylogenetic analyses based on the complete nucleotide sequences of RNA1 and RNA2 as well as the p22 gene did not reveal significant nucleotide differences among them. Additional studies are needed to identify intrinsic characteristics of ToCV isolates that favour infection of sweet pepper plants.     

Rauheitsmessungen an Lebensmittelflächen—Erprobung einer methode an kartoffelgewebe

Zusammenfassung Die K?rnigkeit einer Lebensmitteloberfl?che wird am Beispiel der Kartoffel untersucht. Da eine Gewebeoberfl?che geprüft werden soll, muss das Prüfgut zun?chst geteilt werden. Als Teilverfahren erweist sich das Schneiden in einer fixierten Vorrichtung mit einem gespannten Stahldraht bzw. bei hoher Gewebefestigkeit mit einem Messer als am besten geeignet. Optimiert wurden dabei Schneidwinkel, Schneidgeschwindigkeit und Schneidbewegung. Nach dem Trocknen der Oberfl?che mit Warmluft wird ein m?glichst formtreuer Abguss der Gewebeoberfl?che erstellt. Zur Bestimmung der Rauheit wird ein Einkufentastsystem (Perthometer S 5 P) eingesetzt. Die vorgestellte Methode kann als begleitende Untersuchung zur Charakterisierung der K?rnigkeit von Kartoffeln dienen. Grundlage: M. Ringenberg, 1985: Rauheitsmessungen an Kartoffelgewebe. Erprobung einer Methode zur Charakterisierung von Kartoffeln. Freising, Technische Universit?t München-Weihenstephan, Fachgebiet Haushalttechnik, Diplomarbeit.     

Use of Pigmented Maize in Both Conventional Dry‐Grind and Modified Processes Using Granular Starch Hydrolyzing Enzyme

In the dry‐grind ethanol process, distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) is the main coproduct, which is primarily used as an ingredient in ruminant animal diets. Increasing the value of DDGS will improve the profitability of the dry‐grind ethanol process. One way to increase DDGS value is to use pigmented maize as the feedstock for ethanol production. Pigmented maize is rich in anthocyanin content, and the anthocyanin imparts red, blue, and purple color to the grain. It is reported that anthocyanin would be absorbed by yeast cell walls during the fermentation process. The effects of anthocyanin on fermentation characteristics in the dry‐grind process are not known. In this study, the effects of anthocyanin in conventional (conventional starch hydrolyzing enzymes) and modified (granular starch hydrolyzing enzymes [GSHE]) dry‐grind processes were evaluated. The modified process using GSHE replaced high‐temperature liquefaction. The ethanol conversion efficiencies of pigmented maize were comparable to that of yellow dent corn in both conventional (78.4 ± 0.5% for blue maize, 74.3 ± 0.4% for red maize, 81.2 ± 1.0% for purple maize, and 75.1 ± 0.2% for yellow dent corn) and modified dry‐grind processes using GSHE (83.8 ± 0.8% for blue maize, 81.1 ± 0.3% for red maize, 93.5 ± 0.8% for purple maize, and 85.6 ± 0.1% for yellow dent corn). Total anthocyanin content in DDGS from the modified process was 1.4, 1.9, and 2.4 times of that from the conventional process for purple, red, and blue maize samples, respectively. These results indicated that pigmented maize rich in anthocyanin did not negatively affect the fermentation characteristics of the dry‐grind process and that there was a potential to use pigmented maize in the dry‐grind process, especially when using GSHE.     

Zur Wirkung von Follikelflüssigkeit auf die Befruchtung in vitro gereifter Oozyten des Rindes

Inhalt Follikelflüssigkeit aus Follikeln des Rindes am Tag des Östrus gewonnen, wurde als Serumanalogon zum Kultivierungsmedium TCM 199 zugesetzt. Die Supplementierung des TCM mit 20%östrischer Follikelflüssigkeit (ÖFF) in der Reifungsphase und während der Zygotenkultivierung erbrachte 6–7 Tage post inseminationem einen Anteil an Morulae und Blastozysten von 41,7% (30,8–47,8%). Eine Reduzierung des Anteils ÖFF auf 10% zog einen Abfall transfertauglicher Rinderembryonen auf 9,2% (2,6–16,9%) nach sich. In einer Kurzzeitkultivierung von bis zu 90 h post inseminationem wurden außerdem verschiedene Serumanaloga, im Anteil von 10%, wie fetales Kälberserum (FKS), ÖFF und Follikelflüssigkeit (NÖFF) aus nicht östrischen Follikeln (≥ 10mm Durchmesser) auf ihre Wirksamkeit während verschiedener In-vitro-Phasen verglichen. Von den drei getesteten Seren erwies sich die ÖFF als der wirksamste Zusatz mit 19,9% morphologisch intakten 8- bis 16-Zeller. Das Ergebnis scheint unabhängig davon, ob die Applikation kontinuierlich während aller In-vitro-Phasen oder nur in der Reifungsphase erfolgte. Eine Schlüsselposition der Oozy tenreifung für die In-vitro-Fertilisation wird besonders deutlich. Contents: Influence of follicular fluid on fertilization of in vitro matured bovine oocytes Follicular fluid obtained from bovine follicles on the day of estrus was added to TCM 199 culture medium as a serum analogue. TCM supplementation with 20% estric follicular fluid (EFF) during maturation and zygote cultivation produced a morulae and blastozyst yield of 41,7% (30,8–47,8%) 6–7 days after insemination. Reduction of the EFF fraction to 10% reduced the yield of transferable bovine embryos to 9,2% (2,6–16,9%). In a short term cultivation experiment lasting up to 90 h after insemination, the effects of 10% supplementation with different serum analogues fetal calf serum (FCS), EFF and follicular fluid (NEFF) fiom non-estric follicles (≥10mm diameter) during various in vitro phases were compared. EFF with a yield of 19,9% morphologically intact 8 to 16 cell stages proved to be the most effective of the three sera. This yield is not apparently affected by whether the serum is applied continuously during all phases of in vitro development or only during the maturation phase. The oocyte maturation phase is obviously the key phase for successful in vitro fertilization.     

Ontogenetic and spatial variations in brown trout habitat selection

Ayllón D, Almodóvar A, Nicola GG, Elvira B. Ontogenetic and spatial variations in brown trout habitat selection.
Ecology of Freshwater Fish 2010: 19: 420–432. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S Abstract – Habitat quality and quantity determine many biological processes and traits that directly affect the population dynamics of stream fishes. Understanding how habitat selection is adjusted to different ecological conditions is essential to improve predictive modelling of population dynamics. We describe brown trout Salmo trutta summer habitat selection patterns through univariate and multivariate habitat selection functions across defined river reach typologies. We sampled 44 sites and performed a principal component analysis that defined eight reach types differing in both local site and catchment‐scale physical features. We observed ontogenetic changes in habitat selection, as trout preferred deeper and slower flowing water as they increased in size. Likewise, selectivity for different types of structural habitat elements changed through ontogeny. Both patterns were consistent across reach types. Moreover, we detected spatial variations in habitat selection patterns within age‐classes among different reach types. Our results indicate that brown trout is a habitat generalist and suggest that spatial variations in habitat selection patterns are driven by physical and environmental factors operating at multiple spatial scales.     

Evaluation of manufacturing variability, diffusion of filling solutions, and long-term maintenance of occlusion in silicone hydraulic occluders

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate manufacturing variability, diffusion of filling solutions, and maintenance of occlusion over time in 3 sizes of silicone hydraulic occluders (HOs). SAMPLE POPULATION: 2-, 5-, and 20-mm HOs (HO2, HO5, and HO20, respectively). PROCEDURES: Manufacturing variability was analyzed by comparing variation in internal luminal areas and filling volumes within each size group. Occluders were filled to 100% occlusion with air (n = 4), saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (4), or sodium hyaluronate (4) and submerged in simulated body fluid. Changes in luminal area and weight were recorded for 133 days to evaluate maintenance of occlusion. RESULTS: Considerable variability in uninflated luminal area and fill volumes was observed among the 3 sizes of HOs. Loss of occlusion developed in the first 12 hours in all air-filled HOs. Fluid-filled occluders were reliable in maintenance of occlusion after 133 days (99.99% for HO20, 99.59% for HO5, and 90.40% for HO2), although diffusion of saline solution and hyaluronate from all HOs was confirmed by detection of significant decreases in weight over time. There was no significant difference in weight loss between HOs filled with saline solution and HOs filled with sodium hyaluronate. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Saline solution or sodium hyaluronate may be used as a filling solution in the HOs tested. Maintenance of occlusion was best in the larger sizes. Saline solution or sodium hyaluronate should be used in future clinical investigations of HOs. Retrograde filling to remove air should be used when filling HOs with fluid.