Predatory Dinosaurs from the Sahara and Late Cretaceous Faunal Differentiation

Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) fossils discovered in the Kem Kem region of Morocco include large predatory dinosaurs that inhabited Africa as it drifted into geographic isolation. One, represented by a skull approximately 1.6 meters in length, is an advanced allosauroid referable to the African genus Carcharodontosaurus. Another, represented by a partial skeleton with slender proportions, is a new basal coelurosaur closely resembling the Egyptian genus Bahariasaurus. Comparisons with Cretaceous theropods from other continents reveal a previously unrecognized global radiation of carcharodontosaurid predators. Substantial geographic differentiation of dinosaurian faunas in response to continental drift appears to have arisen abruptly at the beginning of the Late Cretaceous.     

Relationship between red wine grade and phenolics. 2. Tannin composition and size

Commercial red wines ( Vitis vinifera L. cv. Shiraz) produced during the 2009 vintage underwent winemaker assessment for allocation grade soon after production. The wines were then subjected to phenolic analysis to measure wine color (total anthocyanin, SO(2) nonbleachable pigment, and wine color density) and tannins (concentration, composition, and average degree of polymerization). A positive relationship was found between wine phenolic concentration and projected bottle price. Tannin compositional analysis suggested that there was specifically a relationship between wine grade and skin-derived tannins. These results suggest that maximization of skin tannin concentration and/or proportion is related to an increase in projected wine bottle price.     

Higher-tier assessment of the potential for groundwater issues due to the use of 1,3-D soil fumigant; evaluation of the active ingredient, metabolites and potentially related chlorinated compounds

BACKGROUND: 1,3‐Dichloropropene (1,3‐D, CAS No. 542‐75‐6) is a broad‐spectrum soil fumigant used to control numerous species of soilborne plant‐parasitic nematodes. 1,3‐D consists of two isomers, (Z)‐ and (E)‐1,3‐D. There are a number of low‐level chlorinated compounds that could potentially be produced as a part of the 1,3‐D manufacturing process. 1,3‐D and its metabolites, as well as potentially related chlorinated compounds, represent potential groundwater contaminants. RESULTS: This study has investigated the hydrolytic stability, under biotic and abiotic conditions in the laboratory, of an extensive representative list of 1,3‐D and potentially related chlorinated compounds in order to predict their environmental fate. All of these compounds showed intrinsic hydrolytic instability under both abiotic and biotic test conditions. Furthermore, a monitoring programme was carried out. Twenty‐five wells were monitored in five Italian regions characterised by historical and existing use of 1,3‐D. The parent compound, its two major metabolites and potentially related chlorinated compounds were not detected in the well water at > 0.1 µg L^?1 at any sampling location. CONCLUSION: The soil fumigant (E,Z)‐1,3‐D, its metabolites and potentially related chlorinated compounds constitute a low risk to groundwater. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Dynamic plant uptake model applied for drip irrigation of an insecticide to pepper fruit plants

BACKGROUND: Drip application of insecticides is an effective way to deliver the chemical to the plant that avoids off‐site movement via spray drift and minimizes applicator exposure. The aim of this paper is to present a cascade model for the uptake of pesticide into plants following drip irrigation, its application for a soil‐applied insecticide and a sensitivity analysis of the model parameters. RESULTS: The model predicted the measured increase and decline of residues following two soil applications of an insecticide to peppers, with an absolute error between model and measurement ranging from 0.002 to 0.034 mg kg fw^?1. Maximum measured concentrations in pepper fruit were approximately 0.22 mg kg fw^?1. Temperature was the most sensitive component for predicting the peak and final concentration in pepper fruit, through its influence on soil and plant degradation rates. CONCLUSION: Repeated simulations of pulse inputs with the cascade model adequately describe soil pesticide applications to an actual cropped system and reasonably mimic it. The model has the potential to be used for the optimization of practical features, such as application rates and waiting times between applications and before harvest, through the integrated accounting of soil, plant and environmental influences. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Analysis of proanthocyanidin cleavage products following acid-catalysis in the presence of excess phloroglucinol

The analysis of proanthocyanidin cleavage products after acid-catalysis in the presence of excess phloroglucinol was investigated. In the developed analytical method, a solution of 0.1 N HCl in methanol, containing 50 g/L phloroglucinol and 10 g/L ascorbic acid was prepared. The proanthocyanidin of interest was reacted in this solution (5 g/L) at 50 degrees C for 20 min, and afterward combined with 5 volumes of 40 mM aqueous sodium acetate before analysis by reversed-phase HPLC using an aqueous acetic acid and methanol gradient. This procedure was used to investigate the composition of proanthocyanidins isolated from the seed and skin tissue of Vitis vinifera L. berries. The results compared favorably to results obtained when benzyl mercaptan was used as the trapping nucleophile, indicating that phloroglucinol is an effective reagent for this analysis.     

Contamination environnementale par les métaux et maladie de Parkinson

Parkinson's disease (PD) has been proposed to result from the interaction of aging and environment in susceptible individuals. The prevalence of PD in Quebec was 84 per 100 000 in 1985. The regional variation observed has been linked with several environmental factors. We intended to verify the existence of a relation between the development of PD with exposure to 3 metal pollutants: Fe, Mn, and Al. The choice of these metals rests on their potential presence in the environment caused by the industrial activity in the region studied, and on the fact that it theoretically favors the prevalence of the illness. Environmental exposure to these metals and the resulting risks were evaluated using red spruce as a bio-indicator. The metal concentrations in tree rings were determined by neutron activation analysis. These concentrations permitted a temporal estimation of contamination in each of the territories studied, from 1938 to 1987. The risk of environmental exposure was assumed to be proportional to the concentration of the metal. The calculated risks combined with the history of residence allowed a comparison between parkinsonians and controls. It appeared that environmental exposure to the metals was not significantly different between those two groups.     

Enzyme activities and microbial community structure in semiarid agricultural soils

This study investigated the effect of management on -glucosidase, -glucosaminidase, alkaline phosphatase, and arylsulfatase activities and the microbial community structure in semiarid soils from West Texas, USA. Surface samples (0–5 cm) were taken from a fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam, and loam that were under continuous cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) or in cotton rotated with peanut ( Arachis hypogaea L.), sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor L.), rye ( Secale cereale) or wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.), and had different water management (irrigated or dryland), and tillage (conservation or conventional). The enzyme activities were higher in the loam and sandy clay loam than in the fine sandy loam. Soil pH was not affected by management, but the soil organic C and total N contents were generally affected by the different crop rotations and tillage practices studied. The trends of the enzyme activities as affected by management depended on the soil, but in general crop rotations and conservation tillage increased the enzyme activities in comparison to continuous cotton and conventional tillage. The soil enzyme activities were significantly correlated with the soil organic C ( r -values up to 0.90, P< 0.001), and were correlated among each other ( r -values up to 0.90, P <0.001). There were differences in the fatty acid methyl ester profiles between the fine sandy loam and the sandy clay loam and loam, and they reflected the differences in the enzyme activities found among the soils. For example, a 15:0 ranged from 1.61±0.25% in cotton-peanut/irrigated/no-till in the fine sandy loam to 3.86±0.48% in cotton-sorghum/dryland/conservation tillage in the sandy clay loam. There were no differences due to management within the same soil.Trade names and company names are included for the benefit of the reader and do not infer any endorsement or preferential treatment of the product by USDA-ARS     

Experimental reproduction of ovine vulvitis with bacteria of the haemophilus/histophilus group

Ovine vulvitis was experimentally reproduced by intravaginal inoculation of a mixture of bacterial strains of the histophilus/haemophilus group isolated from field cases. Grossly, the experimental vulvitis was identical to the field condition, and bacteria indistinguishable from the inoculated strains were reisolated.