Formation of pyrazines and a novel pyrrole in Maillard model systems of 1,3-dihydroxyacetone and 2-oxopropanal

Alkylpyrazines are a very important class of Maillard flavor compounds, but their mechanism of formation is complex and consists of different pathways. The model reaction of 20 different amino acids with 1,3-dihydroxyacetone, as a precursor of 2-oxopropanal, was studied by means of SPME-GC-MS to investigate the involvement of the amino acid side chain in the substitution pattern of the resulting pyrazines. 2,5-Dimethylpyrazine was quantitatively the most important pyrazine formed from all of the amino acids. The amino acid side chain is not involved in its formation. The substituents of other less abundant pyrazines resulted mainly from the incorporation of the Strecker aldehyde or aldol condensation products in the intermediate dihydropyrazine. The importance of different reaction mechanisms was evaluated, taking into account the pattern of pyrazines identified. In the solvent extracts of aqueous model reactions of 2-oxopropanal with amino acids, the main reaction product was not a pyrazine but a novel pyrrole. This pyrrole was identified as 2,5-diacetyl-3-methyl-1 H-pyrrole by means of spectral analysis, secured by chemical synthesis. A reaction mechanism for its formation was proposed and evaluated. The influence of various reaction conditions on the formation of 2,5-diacetyl-3-methyl-1 H-pyrrole and 2,5-dimethylpyrazine in the model reaction of alanine with 2-oxopropanal was studied. These results underscore the importance of the ratio of the different reagents and the presence of water in the resulting flavor formation in the Maillard reaction.     

Application of 10% imidacloprid/50% permethrin to prevent Ehrlichia canis exposure in dogs under natural conditions

Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME) caused by Ehrlichia canis is the most known canine tick-borne disease (TBD) spread throughout the world. Preventing tick bites is a priority to reduce the risk of TBDs and it was the aim of the present study to evaluate the efficacy of a combination of imidacloprid 10% and permethrin 50% (ImPer) (Advantix; Bayer AG, Germany) in a spot-on formulation to control CME under field conditions. On January-March 2005, 845 dogs from two kennels in southern Italy (kennels of Bari (KB)- and Ginosa (KG)), with a history of tick infestation were initially tested by serology and PCR assay for E. canis infection. Data on Leishmania infantum infection were also available from a previous study carried out on the same dog population. One hundred twenty-six dogs (14.9%) presented anti-E. canis antibodies with a relative prevalence of 15.6% (n=65 dogs in KB) and 14.2% (n=61 dogs in KG). Five hundred thirty-five animals found negative both for E. canis and L. infantum infections were enrolled in three groups (Group A--treated with ImPer once a month; Group B--treated every 2 weeks; and Group C--untreated control animals) and monitored for E. canis infection by serology and PCR in November 2005 (first follow-up) and in March 2006 (second follow-up). The E. canis infection was serologically revealed, at the first and/or second follow-up, in 26 animals from Group C in KB and KG (mean incidence density rate (IDR), 13.24%) while in none of the animals from Group A (KB and KG) and only in one animal from Group B (IDR 1.13%) in KG. The final protection efficacy of ImPer ranged from 95.57% to 100% in Groups B and A. At PCR only 15 dogs from KG were positive for Rickettsiales only at the first follow-up and at the sequence analysis two (both in Group C) revealed 100% homology with E. canis sequences while 13 with Anaplasma platys. Four out of 13 A. platys PCR-positive dogs were also seropositive for E. canis at one or both follow-ups. ImPer, by virtue of its repellent and acaricidal activity against ticks, has been shown to be efficacious to prevent E. canis infection in treated dogs living under natural conditions in endemic areas.     

Comparison of arterial and central venous cannulations using ultrasound guidance in pigs

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of ultrasound guided vascular access in pigs by comparing central venous and arterial cannulation techniques. ANIMALS: Twenty-two healthy female Pietrain pigs, 14-18 weeks old and weighing 51.1 +/- 4.3 kg (mean +/- SD). STUDY DESIGN: Comparative animal trial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After induction of general anaesthesia, cannulation of the external jugular vein and internal carotid artery was attempted using real-time ultrasound guidance. The quality of the ultrasound picture was assessed on an analogue scale from 1 (excellent) to 5 (insufficient). Vessel size, cannulation success rate, number of puncture attempts and time from first puncture attempt until insertion of the Seldinger wire were recorded. RESULTS: Cannulation was successful in all but one animal in which a cut-down technique was performed. The arteries were significantly smaller than the veins (p < 0.001) resulting in a significantly prolonged cannulation time (p = 0.032) for insertion of arterial catheters without differences in success rate. In 89% of attempted cannulations, the Seldinger wire was inserted within 5 minutes. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In anaesthetized pigs undergoing instrumentation for biomedical research, ultrasound-guided vascular access is a simple and rapid alternative to surgical cut-down. In veterinary anaesthesia, the technique might be useful in sedated or anesthetized pigs in which arterial or central venous access is required.     

RADIX: rhizoslide platform allowing high throughput digital image analysis of root system expansion

Background

Phenotyping of genotype-by-environment interactions in the root-zone is of major importance for crop improvement as the spatial distribution of a plant’s root system is crucial for a plant to access water and nutrient resources of the soil. However, so far it is unclear to what extent genetic variations in root system responses to spatially varying soil resources can be utilized for breeding applications. Among others, one limiting factor is the absence of phenotyping platforms allowing the analysis of such interactions.

Results

We developed a system that is able to (a) monitor root and shoot growth synchronously, (b) investigate their dynamic responses and (c) analyse the effect of heterogeneous N distribution to parts of the root system in a split-nutrient setup with a throughput (200 individual maize plants at once) sufficient for mapping of quantitative trait loci or for screens of multiple environmental factors. In a test trial, 24 maize genotypes were grown under split nitrogen conditions and the response of shoot and root growth was investigated. An almost double elongation rate of crown and lateral roots was observed under high N for all genotypes. The intensity of genotype-specific responses varied strongly. For example, elongation of crown roots differed almost two times between the fastest and slowest growing genotype. A stronger selective root placement in the high-N compartment was related to an increased shoot development indicating that early vigour might be related to a more intense foraging behaviour.

Conclusion

To our knowledge, RADIX is the only system currently existing which allows studying the differential response of crown roots to split-nutrient application to quantify foraging behaviour in genome mapping or selection experiments. In doing so, changes in root and shoot development and the connection to plant performance can be investigated.

     

Major compositional units of the moon: lunar prospector thermal and fast neutrons

Global maps of thermal and fast neutron fluxes from the moon suggest three end-member compositional units. A high thermal and low fast neutron flux unit correlates with the lunar highlands and is consistent with feldspathic rocks. The South Pole-Aitken basin and a strip that surrounds the nearside maria have intermediate thermal and fast neutron flux levels, consistent with more mafic rocks. There appears to be a smooth transition between the most mafic and feldspathic compositions, which correspond to low and high surface altitudes, respectively. The maria show low thermal and high fast neutron fluxes, consistent with basaltic rocks.     

Lunar Fe and Ti abundances: comparison of lunar prospector and clementine data

The Lunar Prospector neutron spectrometer data correlate well with iron and titanium abundances obtained through analysis of Clementine spectral reflectance data. With the iron and titanium dependence removed, the neutron spectrometer data also reveal regions with enhanced amounts of gadolinium and samarium, incompatible rare earth elements that are enriched in the final phases of magma crystallization. These regions are found mainly around the ramparts of the Imbrium impact basin but not around the other basins, including the much larger and deeper South Pole-Aitken basin. This result confirms the compositional uniqueness of the surface and interior of the Imbrium region.     

Synthesis and Anthelmintic Activity of 7-Hydroxy- 5-oxo-5H-thieno[3,2-b]pyran-6-carboxanilides and -6-thiocarboxanilides

7-Hydroxy-5-oxo-5H-thieno[3,2-b]pyran-6-carboxanilides and -6-thio-carboxanilides represent a novel series of anthelmintic compounds, with broad-spectrum activity against important parasitic nematodes in sheep and dogs. In particular, an improved efficacy against Trichostrongylus colubriformis in sheep over the related 3-carbamoyl-4-hydroxycoumarins has been noted. New synthetic routes to the key intermediate, 7-hydroxythieno[3,2-b]pyran-5-one, have been developed.     

Understanding the relationship between volunteers’ motivations and learning outcomes of Citizen Science in rice ecosystems in the Northern Philippines

This study relies on the Flying Beauties Citizen Science project conducted in the Philippines to assess personal motivations and learning outcomes of volunteers who were involved in documenting butterflies and dragonflies in rice ecosystems. While evaluation of motivations of volunteers in Citizen Science is not new, at least in affluent western countries, little is done in investigating volunteers’ motivations and learning outcomes of Citizen Science projects in low-income countries. Using surveys, we collected data from volunteers that were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. We adopted a two stages evaluation format—before and after volunteers finished the project exercise. We compared pre-motivations to motivations attained and changes in level of knowledge before and after the project ended. We use Spearman’s Rho, Kendall’s Tau—nonparametric tests to draw correlations between variables. The results showed that key determinants that drove people to volunteer in the project were (a) learning about species and (b) being part of scientific research and the principal learning outcome was improved awareness about ecosystem functions of the species.     

Spawning site fidelity and apparent annual survival of walleye (Sander vitreus) differ between a Lake Huron and Lake Erie tributary

Fidelity to spawning habitats can maximise reproductive success of fish by synchronising movements to sites of previous recruitment. To determine the role of reproductive fidelity in structuring walleye Sander vitreus populations in the Laurentian Great Lakes, we used acoustic telemetry combined with Cormack–Jolly–Seber capture–recapture models to estimate spawning site fidelity and apparent annual survival for the Tittabawassee River in Lake Huron and Maumee River in Lake Erie. Walleye in spawning condition were tagged from the Tittabawassee River in Lake Huron and Maumee River in Lake Erie in 2011–2012. Site fidelity and apparent annual survival were estimated from return of individuals to the stream where tagged. Site fidelity estimates were higher in the Tittabawassee River (95%) than the Maumee River (70%) and were not related to sex or fish length at tagging. Apparent annual survival of walleye tagged in the Tittabawassee did not differ among spawning seasons but was higher for female than male walleye and decreased linearly as fish length increased. Apparent annual survival of walleye tagged in the Maumee River did not differ among spawning seasons but was higher for female walleye than male walleye and increased linearly as fish length increased. Greater fidelity of walleye tagged in the Tittabawassee River than walleye tagged in the Maumee River may be related to the close proximity to the Maumee River of other spawning aggregations and multiple spawning sites in Lake Erie. As spawning site fidelity increases, management actions to conserve population structure require an increasing focus on individual stocks.     

Immunogene expression in head kidney and spleen of common carp (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cyprinus carpio</Emphasis> L.) following thermal stress and challenge with Gram-negative bacterium, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aeromonas hydrophila</Emphasis>

To evaluate the effect of thermal and microbial stress on the immune response of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.), relative mRNA expression level of pro-inflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL)-1β] and other genes related to immune or stress response [inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70), superoxide dismutase one (SOD1), and glucocorticoid receptor (GR)] was measured by quantitative PCR (qPCR). In addition, total protein and total immunoglobulin level in blood plasma of experimental common carp was also assayed. All the above parameters were estimated 24 h post-challenge with Gram-negative bacterium, Aeromonas hydrophila. Common carp (54.89?±?6.90 g) were initially exposed to 20 °C (control group) and 30 °C (thermal stress group) water temperature for 30 days, followed by experimental challenge with 2.29?×?10⁸ colony forming unit/mL (CFU/mL; LD₅₀ dose) of A. hydrophila. Exposure of fish to thermal stress and subsequently challenge with A. hydrophila significantly (P?<?0.05) increases the IL-1β mRNA expression in head kidney and spleen of common carp by ~?39.94 and ~?4.11-fold, respectively. However, TNF-α mRNA expression in spleen decreased ~?5.63-fold in control fish challenged with A. hydrophila. Thermal stress and challenge with bacterium suppresses the iNOS and GR mRNA expression in spleen of common carp. Moreover, significant (P?<?0.05) increase in total protein content of blood plasma (~?43 mg/g) was evident in fish exposed to thermal stress and challenged with A. hydrophila. In conclusion, our study highlights the importance of elevated temperature stress and microbial infection in differential regulation of expression of several immunogenes in common carp.