Antifeedant effects of marine halogenated monoterpenes

In this work the antifeedant effects of the halogenated monoterpenes 1-13 were tested against several divergent insect species. These compounds have been isolated from Plocamium cartilagineum (6 was isolated as an acetyl derivative), except for 4, which was isolated from Pantoneura plocamioides. We have also included the semisynthetic derivatives 1a, 2a, and 7. Compounds 1, 1a, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8-10, and 13 were antifeedants against Leptinotarsa decemlineata with varying potencies. The aphids Myzus persicae and Ropalosiphum padi were strongly deterred in the presence of compounds 2, 12, and 13. This effect was correlated with the electronic recording of their probing behavior. Compounds 2 and 12 were toxic to L. decemlineata and had selective cytotoxicity to insect-derived Sf9 cells. None of the tested compounds showed phytotoxic effects. The antifeedant and cytotoxic effects of these compounds were compared with those of the polyhalogenated insecticide gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (lindane).     

A note on the consistency of a behavioral play marker in piglets

Background： Play behavior has been proposed as a new potential indicator of animal welfare. Animals play only if they are in a relaxed state. Play may improve adaptability to challenging environments which may be of interest in the breeding objective. Little information is available on play behavior in livestock species. The aim of the present study is to investigate whether play behavior in post-weaned piglets can be induced instantly in the presence of additional space and whether play markers are body weight, sex, and litter dependent, it is investigated whether playfulness is elicited by the moment or if this measure is consistent over different days. Methods： Thirty two piglets from four litters were released into a corridor and video recorded for eight min at 37, 41, 44 and 48 d of age. The first test was considered as an adjustment period and was not included in the analysis. In the second to the fourth test, joyful brusque movements （jumping, turning and running） were recorded with a camera and total number of movements （JOY#） and total time （JOYtime） were estimated individually. Animals were weighed at 41 d of age. Results： Females had higher scores of JOY# and JOYtime than males but this was significant only for JOY# at 41 d of age （P 〈 0.05）. The effect of age was highly significant both for JOY# and JOYtime （P 〈 0.01）. Animals with a higher JOY# and JOYtime also expressed a higher JOY# and JOYtime in the other tests, but this was significant only between 44 and 48 d of age （P〈 0.01）. Body weight at 41 d of age was not significantly related to JOY# and JQYtime in any of the tests. Conclusions： Locomotor play was induced instantly by the provision of increased space allowance. Litter origin had a significant effect on play behavior. In addition, locomotor play scores were consistent between two of the three tests.     

Epochal evolution shapes the phylodynamics of interpandemic influenza A (H3N2) in humans

Human influenza A (subtype H3N2) is characterized genetically by the limited standing diversity of its hemagglutinin and antigenically by clusters that emerge and replace each other within 2 to 8 years. By introducing an epidemiological model that allows for differences between the genetic and antigenic properties of the virus's hemagglutinin, we show that these patterns can arise from cluster-specific immunity alone. Central to the formulation is a genotype-to-phenotype mapping, based on neutral networks, with antigenic phenotypes, not genotypes, determining the degree of strain cross-immunity. The model parsimoniously explains well-known, as well as previously unremarked, features of interpandemic influenza dynamics and evolution. It captures the observed boom-and-bust pattern of viral evolution, with periods of antigenic stasis during which genetic diversity grows, and with episodic contraction of this diversity during cluster transitions.     

Comment on "A keystone mutualism drives pattern in a power function"

Vandermeer and Perfecto (Reports, 17 February 2006, p. 1000) maintain that a mutualist ant disrupts the power law distribution of scale insect abundances. However, reanalysis of the data reveals that ants cause an increase in the range of the power law and modify its exponent. We present a tentative, but more realistic, model that is suitable for quantitative predictions.     

Efficiency of sperm-mediated gene transfer in the ovine by laparoscopic insemination, in vitro fertilization and ICSI

Transgenesis constitutes an important tool for pharmacological protein production and livestock improvement. We evaluated the potential of laparoscopic insemination (LI), in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to produce egfp-expressing ovine embryos, using spermatozoa previously exposed to pCX-EGFP plasmid in two different sperm/DNA incubation treatments: "Long Incubation" (2 h at 17 C) and "Short Incubation" (5 min at 5 C). For LI, Merino sheep were superovulated and inseminated with treated fresh semen from Merino rams. The embryos were recovered by flushing the uterine horns. For IVF and ICSI, slaughterhouse oocytes were fertilized with DNA-treated frozen/thawed sperm. All recovered embryos were exposed to blue light (488 nm) to determine green fluorescent morulae and blastocysts rates. High cleavage and morulae/blastocysts rates accompanied the LI and IVF procedures, but no egfp-expressing embryos resulted. In contrast, regardless of the sperm/plasmid incubation treatment, egfp-expressing morulae and blastocysts were always obtained by ICSI, and the highest transgenesis rate (91.6%) was achieved with Short Incubation. In addition, following the incubation of labeled plasmid DNA, after Long or Short exposure treatments, with fresh or frozen/thawed spermatozoa, only non-motile fresh spermatozoa could maintain an attached plasmid after washing procedures. No amplification product could be detected following PCR treatment of LI embryos whose zonae pellucidae (ZP) had been removed. In order to establish conditions for transgenic ICSI in the ovine, we compared three different activation treatments, and over 60% of the obtained blastocysts expressed the transgene. For ICSI embryos, FISH analysis found possible signals compatible with integration events. In conclusion, our results show that in the ovine, under the conditions studied, ICSI is the only method capable of producing exogenous gene-expressing embryos using spermatozoa as vectors.     

Diphasic sedimentation technique complemented by a statistical approach as a useful tool to the quantification and the determination of dynamics of eggs produced by adult monogenean parasitizing groupers,Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe, 1834), in captivity

Monogenean parasites create problems in confined fish, such as at aquaculture and aquariums facilities. Strategic timing of antihelminthic treatments should be based on the dynamics of monogenean egg production which requires egg quantification, but there is no standardized analytical method. The WHO diphasic sedimentation method for helminth quantification of eggs was applied in samples with tetrahedral and fusiform monogenean eggs from six specimens of confined groupers (Epinephelus marginatus) (31 m³ sea water tank; water temperature 21.1–14.4°C; photoperiod 9:53–15 h light; November 2011 to June 2012). Helminth eggs remain in the pellet, while most organic matter was removed forming a cap. In contrast, monogenean eggs are distributed within both the pellet and cap. The diphasic sedimentation method is suitable to quantify tetrahedral and total egg number by counting those eggs in the pellet and incorporing water temperature data to obtain a statistically significant model expression (R² = 0.943; R² = 0.809), while this approach only weakly predicted fusiform egg numbers (R² = 0.297). Fusiform egg numbers declined along November–December, and increased in February–March, until June. Tetrahedral eggs decreased in November–December, but did not increase until March. The trend of egg populations and best time for antihelminthic treatment application can be set by WHO technique with the statistical approach proposed.     

Phenoloxidase and peroxidase activity in the shrimp Litopenaeus schmitti,Pérez‐Farfante and Kensley (1997) exposed to low salinity

Phenoloxidase and peroxidase activity were analysed in haemolymph of juvenile shrimp, Litopenaeus schmitti, exposed to different salinity levels (35%, 18%, 8%) for 48 h. A significant reduction (P<0.05) in total glucose and phenoloxidase activity in animals exposed to lower salinities (18% and 8%) was recorded, while peroxidase activity and total protein concentration did not vary. Histology revealed the occurrence of oedema in gills in shrimp exposed to 8%. The work demonstrates for the first time that in L. schmitti, low salinities can decrease glucose levels in haemolymph and create an immunosuppressive state by reducing phenoloxidase activity.     

Short-term response of soil spiders to cover-crop removal in an organic olive orchard in a mediterranean setting

Abstract This study shows that disturbance caused by cover-crop removal (CCR) in an organic olive orchard affects ground-spider populations. The effect of CCR on various organic olive-orchard plots was assessed by monitoring the abundance and diversity of ground-dwelling spiders. Covered plots in the organic olive orchard were compared with uncovered plots where the covers had been removed mechanically. CCR positively affected the most abundant spider species Zodarion styliferum (Simon) (Araneae: Zodariidae) as well as other species of running spiders belonging to the families Gnaphosidae and Lycosidae. Over time, the two types of plots did not significantly differ in diversity or dominance. Similarly, no differences were detected between the study plots in terms of the distribution of individuals when a cluster-similarity analysis was performed. This lack of difference in diversity might be due to the spatial scale used in the study or climatology. Because of their general effects, CCR profoundly changed the abundance of spiders in the olive orchard, but with no clear impact on spider diversity.     

Comparison of Bioactive Compounds Content and Techno-Functional Properties of Pea and Bean Flours and their Protein Isolates

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Recently, legume protein isolates are increasingly of interest as ingredients for the food industry; however, in spite of their health benefits, there is a limited...     

White spots on the mucosal surface of the duodenum in dogs with lymphocytic plasmacytic enteritis

Distended lacteals, described as expanded white villi in duodenum, are strongly indicative of primary intestinal lymphangiectasia. In the present study, we evaluated the significance of white spots present in the duodenal mucosa of dogs with lymphocytic plasmacytic enteritis (LPE). Fifty dogs with LPE were included in this study, and white spots were detected in the duodenal mucosa in 22 dogs during endoscopy. Hypoproteinemia was more frequent in dogs with white spots than in dogs without spots (p = 0.02). Serum protein and albumin concentration were significantly lower in LPE dogs with white spots (p = 0.038) compared to LPE dogs without white spots (p = 0.039). There was a significant correlation between white spots density and lymphatic dilatation histological scores (p = 0.023; ρ = 0.481). These results suggest that the presence of white spots in the duodenal mucosa of dogs is not a finding exclusive for intestinal lymphangiectasia. Low serum protein and albumin concentrations together with lymphatic dilatation seem to be related to the presence of white spots in the duodenal mucosa of LPE dogs.