Restoring important hair properties with wool keratin proteins and peptides

In this work the effect on hair of two types of keratin samples obtained from wool, was investigated. Fiber surface changes were evaluated by contact angle measurements. The effectiveness of these keratin ingredients to restore the mechanical properties and the moisture content of the fibers was also determined. Modifications of hair properties due to some conventional chemical treatments were demonstrated with lower values of contact angle and detrimental effects on the mechanical properties. Application of keratin peptides and proteins to pretreated hair improved the fibers’ moisture content and their mechanical properties.     

Improving sink regulation,and searching for promising traits associated with hybrids,as a key avenue to increase yield potential of the rice crop in the tropics

Yield advantage of hybrid rice in the tropics has been reported recently as the result of higher biomass accumulation and better biomass partitioning over the whole crop growth. Considering that increasing biomass accumulation is the main target for higher yield potential in sub-tropical and temperate conditions, it is relevant to investigate in a wide range of growing conditions in the tropics if improved biomass partitioning plays a significant and consistent role in higher yield of hybrids. The growth pattern of two high-yielding and popular hybrid (H1) and inbred (I1) of the same maturity group was compared under six contrasted growing conditions to evaluate traits related to sink regulation. Grain yield of H1 was consistently higher than that of I1 by 16–32% with respect to the situation. Higher partitioning coefficients of the hybrid to key organs were confirmed over the whole crop growth for this set of environments whereas crop growth rates of hybrid were not consistently higher than that of inbreds. Sink strength index, as a way to express sink regulation at maturity more efficiently than harvest index, was higher with hybrids in five out of six environments. In search for promising traits related to sink regulation, higher specific leaf area of hybrids at very early stage was associated with higher leaf area, and earlier cessation of tiller production with hybrids coincided with higher partitioning of biomass to early culm growth: yet, maximum tiller number ranged from 548 to 962 tiller m⁻² with H1 and from 629 to 1427 tiller m⁻² with I1 while culm dry weight at 55 days after sowing ranged from 65 to 81 g m⁻² with H1 and from 46 to 53 g m⁻² with I1. This analysis strongly reinforced the pertinence of improving sink regulation for increasing yield potential in the tropics.     

Thromboelastography results on citrated whole blood from clinically healthy cats depend on modes of activation

Background

During the last decade, thromboelastography (TEG) has gained increasing acceptance as a diagnostic test in veterinary medicine for evaluation of haemostasis in dogs, however the use of TEG in cats has to date only been described in one previous study and a few abstracts. The objective of the present study was to evaluate and compare three different TEG assays in healthy cats, in order to establish which assay may be best suited for TEG analyses in cats.

Methods

90 TEG analyses were performed on citrated whole blood samples from 15 clinically healthy cats using assays without activator (native) or with human recombinant tissue factor (TF) or kaolin as activators. Results for reaction time (R), clotting time (K), angle (α), maximum amplitude (MA) and clot lysis (LY30; LY60) were recorded.

Results

Coefficients of variation (CVs) were highest in the native assay and comparable in TF and kaolin activated assays. Significant differences were observed between native and kaolin assays for all measured parameters, between kaolin and TF for all measured parameters except LY60 and between native and TF assays for R and K.

Conclusion

The results indicate that TEG is a reproducible method for evaluation of haemostasis in clinically healthy cats. However, the three assays cannot be used interchangeably and the kaolin- and TF activated assays have the lowest analytical variation indicating that using an activator may be superior for performing TEG in cats.     

Multiplex RT-PCR for detection and identification of three necroviruses that infect olive trees

An optimized multiplex RT-PCR assay was developed to discriminate three necrovirus (Olive latent virus 1 (OLV-1), Tobacco necrosis virus D (TNV-D) and Olive mild mosaic virus (OMMV)) that infect olive trees. An olive orchard consisting of 54 trees of cv. “Galega vulgar” in the south of Portugal was surveyed. dsRNA fraction was used as template and revealed the 3 viruses, singly or in multiple infections, present in 17 out of 54 trees in the orchard. OMMV was the most frequent occurring in 15 trees, followed by OLV-1 in 12 and TNV-D in 4 plants. The results obtained showed that necrovirus- specific dsRNAs do exist in infected tissues in amounts below the resolution permitted by gel electrophoresis analysis and that the developed multiplex PCR based assay is of much higher sensitivity. The design of the specific primers described enabled, for the first time, to discriminate between OMMV and TNV-D by means of RT-PCR assays, an indispensable tool in identification, epidemiology and survey studies.     

Vaccination withanaplasma centrale: Response after an experimental challenge withanaplasma marginale

Summary The haematological and clinical responses to vaccination withAnaplasma centrale and to subsequent challenge withAnaplasma marginale were evaluated. Twenty Holstein steers 14 to 16 months of age were divided into two groups of 12 and eight animals respectively (groups I and II). Group I was inoculated on day zero with 10⁷ A. centrale-infected erythrocytes and group II was kept as a control. On day 125 both groups were challenged with 5 × 10⁷ A. marginale-infected erythrocytes.A. centrale inoculation produced low parasitaemias (maximum -x 2.7%), moderate packed cell volume (PCV) falls (minimum -x 20.5%) and no clinical symptoms. After the challenge group I had significantly lower parasitaemia (maximum -x 2.3%) and higher PCV (minimum -x 20.1%) than group II (7.5% and 14.5% respectively). Four steers from group II developed acute anaplasmosis and required treatment.

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Vacunacion ConAnaplasma Centrale: Respuesta Despues del Desafio Experimental ConAnaplasma Marginale

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Vaccination AvecAnaplasma Centrale: Resultats Apres une Confrontation Experimentale AvecA. Marginale

Résumé Les auteurs ont évalué les résultats hématologiques et clinique de la vaccination avecAnaplasma centrale et secondairement ceux d'un essai comparatif expérimental avecAnaplasma marginale. Vingt bouvillons Holstein agés de 14 à 16 mois ont été divisés en deux groupes (I et II) respectivement de 12 et 8 sujets. Le groupe I a re?u au jour J⁰ une injection de 10⁷ érytrhocytes infectés parAnaplasma centrale. Le groupe II a servi de lot témoin. Au 125 ème jour les deux groupes ont été soumis à une injection de 5 × 10⁷ érythrocytes infectés parAnaplasma marginale. L'injection d'A. centrale a produit une parasitémie légère (maximum -x 2,7 p.100), une chute modérèe du volume de l'Hématocrite (PVC) (minimum -x 20,5 p.100) et aucun sympt?me clinique. Par rapport au groupe II et après l'épreuve expérimentale, le groupe I présentait significativement une parasitémie plus basse (maximum -x 2,3 p.100) et de taux plus élevés (minimum -x 20,1 p.100), contre 7,5 et 14,5 p.100 respectivement. Quatre bouvillons du groupe II ont été atteints d'une anaplasmose aigüe exigeant un traitement. Resumen Se evaluó la respuesta clínica y hematológica despues de la vacunación conA. centrale, seguida del desafío conA. marginale. Un grupo de novillos Holstein de 14 a 16 meses de edad, se dividieron en dos grupos de 12 y ocho animales respectivamente (grupos I y II). El grupo I se inoculó el día cero con 10⁷ eritrocitos infectados conA. centrale, sirviendo el grupo II de testigo. El día 125, ambos grupos recibieron una descarga de 5 × 10⁷ eritrocitos infectados conA. marginale. La inoculación conA. centrale produjo parasitémias bajas (máximo -x 2.7%), caídas moderadas del volumen corpuscular (PCV), (mínimo -x 20.5%) y no se presentaron síntomas clínicos, Despues de la descarga, el grupo I tuvo parasitémias significativamente más bajas (máximo -x 2.3%) y volumenes corpusculares (PCV) más altos (mínimo 20.1%) que el grupo II (7.5% y 14.5% respectivamente). Cuatro novillos del grupo II desarrollaron anaplasmosis aguda y fueron tratados.

     

Potential of Tamarix africana and other halophyte species for phytostabilisation of contaminated salt marsh soils

Purpose

Salt marsh plants are colonising wastes from a steel plant deposited on the Coina River Banks posing a potential contamination risk to the Tagus estuary ecosystem. The objectives of this study were to assess the uptake, accumulation and translocation of hazardous elements/nutrients in three spontaneous halophytic species, to evaluate the capacity of Tamarix africana to stabilise a contaminated salt marsh soil, and to evaluate the ecotoxicity of the pore water and elutriates from phytostabilised soils.

Materials and methods

The work comprises the following: fieldwork collection of soil samples from Coina River (an affluent of Tagus River) bank landfill, estuarine water and spontaneous plants (Aster tripolium, Halimione portulacoides and Sarcocornia sp.), and greenhouse studies (microcosm assay) with T. africana growing in one landfill salt marsh soil, for 97 days, and watered with estuarine water. Soils were analysed for pH, EC, C_organic, NPK, iron and manganese oxides. Soils total (acid digestion) elemental concentrations were determined by ICP/INAA. Estuarine waters, plants roots and shoots (acid digestion), soils available fraction (diluted organic acids extraction-RHIZO or pore water), and salts collected from the T. africana leaves surface were analysed for metals/metalloids (ICP-MS). Ecotoxicity assays were performed in T. africana soil elutriates and pore waters using Artemia franciscana and Brachionus plicatillis.

Results and discussion

Soils were contaminated, containing high total concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead and zinc. However, their concentrations in the available fraction were <4 % of the total. The estuarine waters were contaminated with cadmium, but negligible ecotoxicological effect was observed. The spontaneous plants had significant uptake of the above elements, being mostly stored in the roots. Elemental concentrations in the shoots were within the normal range for plants. These species are not hazardous elements accumulators. Tamarix africana was well adapted to the contaminated saline soils, stored the contaminants in the roots, and had small concentrations of hazardous elements in the shoots. Excretion of hazardous elements by the salt glands was also observed. Elutriates from soils with and without plant did not show ecotoxicity.

Conclusions

The salt marsh species play an important role in the stabilisation of the soils in natural conditions. Tamarix africana showed potential for phytostabilisation of saline-contaminated soils. The low translocation of the elements from roots to shoots and/or active excretion of the elements by the salt glands was a tolerance mechanism in T. africana.