Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) clonal seed orchards in Hungary

Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) is one of the most important stand-forming tree species in Hungary and its importance is increasing in many countries. The main aim of the discussed new selection programme is to identify black locust clones with good performance and good form for setting up clonal seed orchards. As a result of selection programme 16 new black locust clones have been improved. In spring 2002 a black locust seed orchard was established with the newly selected clones. About 40% of the plants can be considered to belong to the height growth rate class 1 and 2. Hungary was the first country where micropropagated black locust planting material was used for seed orchard establishment.     

Major Changes in Fusarium spp. in Wheat in the Netherlands

The re-emergence of fusarium head blight throughout the world and especially in Western Europe prompted a survey of the situation in the Netherlands. To allow for a high throughput screening of large numbers of samples, a diagnostic PCR method was developed to detect the most common species of Fusarium occurring on wheat. Seven primer pairs were tested for their ability to identify isolates of Fusarium avenaceum, F. culmorum, F. graminearum, F. poae, F. proliferatum and Microdochium nivale var. majus and M. nivale var. nivale. Each primer pair only generated a PCR product with the corresponding Fusarium species and all PCR fragments had different molecular sizes. This allowed the generation of these amplicons using a mixture of all seven primer pairs. The robustness of this multiplex PCR encouraged us to screen a large series of isolates collected in 2000 and 2001. In both years 40 fields were sampled leading to a collection of 209 isolates from 2000 and 145 isolates from 2001. The results of the multiplex PCR demonstrated that F. graminearum was the most abundant species in the Fusarium complex on wheat in both years. This is in sharp contrast to reports from the 1980s and early 1990s, which found F. culmorum as the predominant species. Primers derived from the tri7 and tri13 genes, which are implicated in the acetylation and oxygenation of the C-4 atom of the backbone of the trichothecene molecule, were used to discriminate between deoxynivalenol and nivalenol (NIV) producers. The populations of F. culmorum and F. graminearum both showed a slight increase in NIV-producers in 2001.     

Sticktight flea (Echidnophaga gallinacea) infestation in a Victoria crowned pigeon (Goura victoria).

A 12-yr-old female Victoria crowned pigeon (Goura victoria), acquired from a private aviculturalist, was diagnosed with a flea infestation during a quarantine examination. The fleas were embedded around the face and throat and were identified as sticktight fleas (Echidnophaga gallinacea). Despite the sticktight fleas' worldwide distribution and broad host range, there is a paucity of reports on flea infestations and their treatment in zoo and exotic pet birds. Although this parasite has the potential to induce morbidity and mortality, no feather loss, localized dermatitis, or anemia was noted in response to the ectoparasitism. The infestation was treated with manual removal of fleas combined with topical malathion dusting and environmental treatment. Subsequent recheck exams did not reveal any fleas on this pigeon or on any of the other birds housed in the same room. This case illustrates the importance of quarantine procedures for newly acquired birds as part of responsible captive management of a large, multispecies bird collection.     

Analysis of nitrate ion in nettle (Urtica dioica L.) by ion-pair chromatographic method on a C30 stationary phase

Nitrate ion is a frequent pollutant not only in soil and natural water resources but in vegetables and foods as well. In our study we focused on nettle due to its increased ability to accumulate nitrate ions. A new, simple method for the separation and determination of nitrate ion based on reversed-phase ion-pair chromatography has been elaborated. A new four-step sample pretreatment method enables the precipitation of proteins and oxidative degradation of compounds that may disturb the identification of the nitrate ion: (1) extraction of the total nitrate content, (2) precipitation of proteins with acetonitrile, (3) oxidative degradation of the organic contaminants with H2O2, (4) evaporation of the solvent and taking up of the residue in water. The chromatographic separations were carried out on a high-density C30 stationary phase under isocratic conditions. The optimal mobile-phase composition was 10% (v/v) acetonitrile and 90% (v/v) 20 mmol L(-1) phosphate buffer, containing 2 mmol of tetrabutylammonium hydroxide at pH 6.0. The method could also be used for the separation of IO3(-), SeO3(2-), BrO3(-), NO2(-), Br-, SeO4(2-), and I- ions. The validated method is sensitive (the detection limit is 0.18 ng of nitrate ion). The method is linear in a high concentration range (0.031-30.66 microg mL(-1)). Recoveries varied between 98% and 103%. Reproducibility of the elaborated sample pretreatment method showed 1.54%. The method can be used for the determination of nitrate ion from different plants.     

Models to capture the potential for disease transmission in domestic sheep flocks

Successful control of livestock diseases requires an understanding of how they spread amongst animals and between premises. Mathematical models can offer important insight into the dynamics of disease, especially when built upon experimental and/or field data. Here the dynamics of a range of epidemiological models are explored in order to determine which models perform best in capturing real-world heterogeneities at sufficient resolution. Individual based network models are considered together with one- and two-class compartmental models, for which the final epidemic size is calculated as a function of the probability of disease transmission occurring during a given physical contact between two individuals. For numerical results the special cases of a viral disease with a fast recovery rate (foot-and-mouth disease) and a bacterial disease with a slow recovery rate (brucellosis) amongst sheep are considered. Quantitative results from observational studies of physical contact amongst domestic sheep are applied and results from the differently structured flocks (ewes with newborn lambs, ewes with nearly weaned lambs and ewes only) compared. These indicate that the breeding cycle leads to significant changes in the expected basic reproduction ratio of diseases. The observed heterogeneity of contacts amongst animals is best captured by full network simulations, although simple compartmental models describe the key features of an outbreak but, as expected, often overestimate the speed of an outbreak. Here the weights of contacts are heterogeneous, with many low weight links. However, due to the well-connected nature of the networks, this has little effect and differences between models remain small. These results indicate that simple compartmental models can be a useful tool for modelling real-world flocks; their applicability will be greater still for more homogeneously mixed livestock, which could be promoted by higher intensity farming practices.     

Inhibition of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 by plant extracts used as traditional antidiabetic medicines

Elevated glucocorticoids are a key risk factor for metabolic diseases, and the glucocorticoid-activating enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (11β-HSD1) represents a promising therapeutic target. We measured the potential of six traditional antidiabetic medicinal plants extracts to inhibit 11β-HSD1 activity and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) activation in transfected HEK-293 cells. Leave extracts of Eriobotrya japonica preferentially inhibited 11β-HSD1 over 11β-HSD2. Extracts of roasted but not native coffee beans preferentially inhibited 11β-HSD1 over 11β-HSD2, emphasizing the importance of sample preparation. Thus, natural compounds inhibiting 11β-HSD1 may contribute to the antidiabetic effect of the investigated plant extracts.     

Folate in wheat genotypes in the HEALTHGRAIN Diversity Screen

As part of the diversity screen of the HEALTHGRAIN project, the total folate contents of bread wheat (130 winter and 20 spring wheat genotypes), durum wheat (10 genotypes), earlier cultivated diploid einkorn and tetraploid emmer wheat (5 genotypes of each), and spelt (5 genotypes), grown in the same location in a controlled manner, were determined by a microbiological assay. The total folate contents ranged from 364 to 774 ng/g of dm in winter wheat and from 323 to 741 ng/g of dm in spring wheat, thus showing a marked variation. The highest mean for total folate content was measured in the durum wheat genotypes, whereas the earlier cultivated diploid and tetraploid wheat genotypes and spelt were shown to possess comparable or even higher folate contents than bread wheat. HPLC analysis of selected genotypes showed that 5-formyltetrahydrofolate was the major vitamer. The data provide a basis for breeding wheat genotypes with improved folate content.     

Phytochemicals and dietary fiber components in rye varieties in the HEALTHGRAIN Diversity Screen

Ten rye varieties grown in one location were analyzed for their contents of dietary fiber (arabinoxylan and beta-glucan) and phytochemicals (folate, tocols, phenolic acids, alkylresorcinols, and sterols). The varieties included old and modern varieties from five European countries. Significant differences were observed in the contents of all phytochemicals in whole grains and in the fiber contents in the flour and bran. The old French varieties Haute Loire and Queyras had high contents of most phytochemicals, whereas the Polish varieties Dankowskie-Zlote and Warko were relatively poor in phytochemicals. The varieties with a high content of folate tended to have low alkylresorcinol contents and vice versa. Furthermore, high contents of arabinoxylans were associated with high contents in tocols and sterols. The 10 selected rye samples comprising old populations and old and modern varieties from different ecological regions of Europe demonstrate high natural variation in their composition and show that landraces and old populations are useful genetic resources for plant breeding. The contents of single phytochemicals can likely be affected by breeding, and they may be adjusted by the right selection of genotype.     

Spontaneous neoplasia in four captive greater hedgehog tenrecs (Setifer setosus)

Little information is available about diseases and pathology of species within the family Tenrecidae, including the greater hedgehog tenrec (Setifer setosus), a Madagascan insectivore. This report summarizes necropsy and histopathologic findings of neoplasia in four captive greater hedgehog tenrecs. Although only four animals are included in this report, neoplasia seems to be a common and significant source of morbidity and mortality in greater hedgehog tenrecs. Types of neoplasia identified include a thyroid follicular-solid carcinoma, two urinary bladder transitional cell carcinomas, uterine endometrial polyps, and multicentric B-cell lymphoma. Due to small sample size, no etiology could be determined, but genetics, viral infection, pesticide treatment, nutrition, or other environmental factors might contribute to the development of neoplasia in this species. This is the first report of neoplasia in greater hedgehog tenrecs.     

Gap junctions compensate for sublinear dendritic integration in an inhibitory network

Electrically coupled inhibitory interneurons dynamically control network excitability, yet little is known about how chemical and electrical synapses regulate their activity. Using two-photon glutamate uncaging and dendritic patch-clamp recordings, we found that the dendrites of cerebellar Golgi interneurons acted as passive cables. They conferred distance-dependent sublinear synaptic integration and weakened distal excitatory inputs. Gap junctions were present at a higher density on distal dendrites and contributed substantially to membrane conductance. Depolarization of one Golgi cell increased firing in its neighbors, and inclusion of dendritic gap junctions in interneuron network models enabled distal excitatory synapses to drive network activity more effectively. Our results suggest that dendritic gap junctions counteract sublinear dendritic integration by enabling excitatory synaptic charge to spread into the dendrites of neighboring inhibitory interneurons.