Feeding of yeast(Candida spp.) improves in vitro ruminal fermentation of fibrous substrates

In vitro gas production technique(IVGPT) was used with the objective of determining the inclusion effect of live cells of two strains of Candida yeast on in vitro ruminal fermentation of two fibrous substrates. In order to achieve this, two experiments were performed: A) using oat straw(Avena sativa) as substrate; B) using alfalfa hay(Medicabo sativa) as substrate, comparing the effect of two different strains of Candida genre, both isolated from the rumen, on the mentioned substrates. Levica 25(Candida tropicalis) yeast belongs to the culture collection of the Institute of Animal Science, Cuba, and Levazoot 15(Candida norvegensis) yeast is part of the collection of the Faculty of Zootechnology and Ecology of the Autonomous University of Chihuahua, Mexico. Both strains demonstrated their potential in activating the ruminal fermentation. They stimulated(P<0.0001) the ruminal fermentation of the substrates under study. However, the Levazoot strain stimulated the dry matter(DM) fermentation of alfalfa in 21.43%, more than Levica 25. It is concluded that there is an influence of yeast strain and diet on the rumen environment and, therefore, it is important to select the appropriate strain in every production condition.     

Effect of water recirculation rate and initial stocking densities on competent larvae and survival of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas in a recirculation aquaculture system

The present study evaluated the effect of initial stocking density and water recirculation rate on larval yield (percent of initially stocked larvae alive at the end of the experiment) and production of competent larvae (percent of initially stocked larvae alive at the end of the experiment retained on a sieve with mesh size 239 μm) of Crassostrea gigas in a recirculation aquaculture system (RAS). Different initial larval stocking densities (80, 160 and 320 larvae mL^?1) and water flow rates (100, 200 and 300 mL min^?1, totalling renewal rates of 60, 120 and 180 times day^?1 of water volume in culture tanks, respectively) were evaluated in 2.4-L tanks using a completely randomized design in a factorial scheme. The physicochemical parameters of the water (temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen and conductivity) were stable in all treatments during the experimental period. Our results demonstrated that the production of C. gigas larvae was feasible at the proposed densities. However, the water renewal rate affected both yield and competent larvae in the recirculation aquaculture system. Oyster cultures with densities of 160 larvae mL^?1 and flow of water of 300 mL min^?1 showed the best yield (89.34 ± 18.43%) and rate of competent larvae (84.09 ± 16.38%) and are therefore recommended with the aim of optimizing larvae cultivation.

     

In Focus: Spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, across perspectives

In August 2008, the first detection of the spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, to the North America mainland in California caused great concern, as the fly was found infesting a variety of commercial fruits. Subsequent detections followed in Oregon, Washington, Florida and British Columbia in 2009; in Utah, North Carolina, South Carolina, Michigan, and Louisiana in 2010; and in Virginia, Montana, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Mexico in 2011. In Europe, it has been detected in Italy and Spain in 2009 and in France in 2010. Economic costs to the grower from D. suzukii include the increased cost of production (increased labor and materials for chemical inputs, monitoring and other management tools) and crop loss. An effective response to the invasion of D. suzukii requires proper taxonomic identification at the initial phase, understanding basic biology and phenology, developing management tools, transferring information and technology quickly to user groups, and evaluating the impact of the research and extension program on an economic, social, and environmental level. As D. suzukii continues to expand its range, steps must be initiated in each new region to educate and inform the public as well as formulate management tactics suitable for the crops and growing conditions in each.     

A standardized method for the determination of the intrinsic carbon and nitrogen mineralization capacity of natural organic matter sources

A new method was developed for the simultaneous determination of the intrinsic carbon and nitrogen mineralization capacity of organic matter (OM) sources by means of an aerobic incubation in suspension. The proposed method is based on determination of the oxygen consumption, monitored indirectly via pressure measurement, and on determination of nitrogen mineralization, through the periodical measurement of NH₄⁺-N, in a liquid suspension of the samples. The suspension is standardized in terms of nutrient composition and pH, and well-controlled incubation conditions that can be enforced as desired. This method rules out the effect of soil conditions and thus reflects the intrinsic properties of the OM. The method is faster and more reproducible than soil incubation tests that are currently used. In such a system, it is important that nitrification is inhibited to avoid oxygen consumption by nitrifiers and prevent the production of gaseous nitrogen compounds. Two nitrification inhibitors, N-allylthiourea and 2-ethynylpyridine, were tested at different concentrations for three reference samples, soil, bark and manure. Both inhibitors completely suppress NO₃⁻ formation without suppressing the heterotrophic microbial activity, thus allowing the correct determination of the oxygen uptake rate (OUR). When nitrification inhibitors were added, nitrous oxide could not be detected anymore in the gas phase of the system, which confirms that nitrification was inhibited and indicates that denitrification and nitrifier denitrification activity was negligible. N mineralization rates were determined by frequent sampling from the liquid phase of the system without disturbing the pressure measurement during the incubation and subsequent determination of NH₄⁺-N. The method presented allows for the reliable and relatively easy and cheap, simultaneous determination of carbon and nitrogen mineralization rates for a wide range of OM sources.     

Diterpenoids from Cascarilla (Croton eluteria Bennet)

Cascarilla is a commercially available and cheap source of polyfunctionalized diterpenoids belonging to the clerodane structural type. In addition to the bitter triol cascarillin, 10 additional new diterpenoids (eluterins A-J) have been isolated and characterized by spectroscopic means. Structural diversity within cascarilla clerodanes involves mainly the linkage between the carbocyclic and the heterocyclic moieties and the functionalization of C-3, C-4, and C-6 of the decalin core. Cascarillin was shown to be a mixture of interconverting gamma-lactols and not a gamma-hydroxyaldehyde as previously reported.     

Nitrogen release from a 15N‐labeled compost in a sorghum growth experiment

In the near future, composted bio‐solids are expected to play a major role in agriculture. In order to evaluate their contribution to plant growth and nutrition, a mixed sorghum–poultry manure compost was prepared using ¹⁵N‐labeled materials. Four treatments were compared in a pot trial: fertilized with compost vs. unfertilized, both of them combined with (cultivated) and without (bare) plants of fibre sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench.). Soil mineral nitrogen (N‐min), plant growth, and N uptake were monitored over a whole growing season (167 d after fertilizer treatment; DAT). Apparent soil mineralization (ASM) and apparent recovery fraction of nitrogen by the plant (ARF) were assessed, as well as the ¹⁵N recovery fraction by the plant (¹⁵NRF). Compost enhanced sorghum biomass at mid growth (+ 200% of dry weight compared to the unfertilized). However, the difference between the control and the fertilized plants progressively decreased towards the end of the season (+ 70%). Fertilized and unfertilized plants followed different growth patterns over time, although of the same sigmoid type. Conversely, N concentration in plant tissues followed a common dilution curve, indicating that fertilized sorghum efficiently used the supplied N, avoiding luxury consumption. Apparent soil mineralization approximately reached 45% of compost total N in pots without plants. Apparent recovery fraction attained 100% at about two third of the growing season (DAT 111), then declined to about 50% because of root and leaf decline. Compared to it, ¹⁵NRF only reached ≈ 20% at mid growth (DAT 83), then declined to 12%. Despite the large difference in absolute values, ARF and ¹⁵NRF exhibited a significant correlation, indicating a common trend in time. In contrast to ¹⁵NRF, the amount of nutrient derived from fertilizer (Ndff) taken up by the plant decreased over the growth season, proving that compost contributed more to plant nutrition in the early (Ndff ≈ 50%) than in the late growing season (Ndff ≈ 25%). The large difference between ARF and ¹⁵NRF suggests that sorghum exerted a strong nutrient demand on the soil and on the fertilizer. Both ¹⁵NRF and ARF are considered valuable traits: the former better describes fertilizer behavior and actual supply of N, while the latter outlines the overall effect of fertilizer application on crop nutrition.     

Increased apoptosis of CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes in the airways of horses with recurrent airway obstruction

Recurrent airway obstruction (RAO, also known as equine heaves) is an inflammatory condition similar to human asthma caused by exposure of susceptible horses to poorly ventilated stable environments. The disease is characterized by neutrophilic airway inflammation, mucus hypersecretion and reversible bronchoconstriction. This inflammatory process is mediated by several factors, including antibodies, cytokines, resident cells of the airway and inflammatory cellular components that arrive in the respiratory tract. An increasing body of evidence has lent support to the concept that a dysregulation of T cell apoptosis may play a central role in the development of airway inflammation and the associated asthma. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate early and late apoptosis of CD4 and CD8 T cell subpopulations obtained from the airways of acute RAO-positive animals after exposure to hay/straw. The percentages of CD4 and CD8 T cells and their associated frequencies of apoptosis were quantified using flow cytometry. Hay/straw exposure induced clinical airway obstruction, airway neutrophilia and increased airway mucus production in RAO-positive horses. In addition, allergen exposure increased the percentage of CD4 T cells in RAO-positive horses as well as the frequency of early and late apoptosis in both CD4 and CD8 lymphocyte subpopulations. These results suggest that the higher frequency of lymphocyte apoptosis may play a role in disease progression of horses afflicted with RAO and may partially explain the characteristic remission of this pathological condition once the allergen source is removed. However, further studies are needed to clarify the role of T cell apoptosis in RAO-affected horses.     

Molecular characterisation of Cryptosporidium isolates from pre-weaned calves in Romania: is there an actual risk of zoonotic infections?

Diarrheic fecal samples from 258 pre-weaned calves (1-30 day-old) from 9 dairy farms located in Banat region, Romania, were microscopically examined for the presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts. Overall, 65 (25%) samples were found positive. A higher percent of infection was recorded in calves aged between 8 and 14 days compared with other age categories (1-7, 8-14, 15-21 and 22-30 days; p<0.05). Genetic characterization was carried out on all Cryptosporidium-positive samples. After DNA extraction, Cryptosporidium species were determined by a nested PCR of the small subunit rRNA gene (18S) followed by RFLP analysis with SspI, VspI and MboII restriction enzymes. The restriction patterns showed that animals were infected with Cryptosporidium parvum. Subsequently, subtyping of 13 C. parvum isolates, based on sequence analysis of the 60 kDa glycoprotein (GP60) gene, showed 2 subtypes (IIaA15G2R1 and IIaA16G1R1) belonging to the subtype family IIa. This is the first molecular study of bovine Cryptosporidium infection in Romania.     

Comparative changes in color features and pigment composition of red wines aged in oak and cherry wood casks

The color features and the evolution of both the monomeric and the derived pigments of red wines aged in oak and cherry 225 L barriques have been investigated during a four months period. For cherry wood, the utilization of 1000 L casks was tested as well. The use of cherry casks resulted in a faster evolution of pigments with a rapid decline of monomeric anthocyanins and a quick augmentation formation of derived and polymeric compounds. At the end of the aging, wines stored in oak and cherry barriques lost, respectively, about 20% and 80% of the initial pigment amount, while in the 1000 L cherry casks, the same compounds diminished by about 60%. Ethyl-bridged adducts and vitisins were the main class of derivatives formed, representing up to 25% of the total pigment amount in the cherry aged samples. Color density augmented in both the oak and cherry wood aged samples, but the latter had the highest values of this parameter. Because of the highly oxidative behavior of the cherry barriques, the use of larger casks (e.g., 1000 L) is proposed in the case of prolonged aging times.     

Metabolic profiling of potential probiotic or synbiotic cheeses by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy

To assess ripening of potential probiotic cheeses (containing either Lactobacillus casei -01 or Bifidobacterium lactis B94) or synbiotic cheeses with fructooligosaccharides (FOS) or a 50:50 mix of FOS/inulin, metabolic profiles have been obtained via classical biochemical analyses and by NMR spectroscopy. The addition of prebiotics to the cheeses resulted in lower proteolysis indices, especially in those synbiotic cheeses inoculated with B. lactis B94. Among synbiotic cheeses the combination of FOS and inulin resulted in an increase in lipolytic activity. The metabolic profiles of the cheeses analyzed by NMR spectroscopy, combined with multivariate statistics, allowed profiles to be distinguished by maturation time, added probiotic bacteria, or, in the case of B. lactis B94 cheese, added prebiotic. The NMR results are in agreement with the biochemical analyses and demonstrate the potential of NMR for the study of metabolic processes in probiotic/synbiotic food matrices.