Influence of sulfur fertilization on the amounts of free amino acids in wheat. correlation with baking properties as well as with 3-aminopropionamide and acrylamide generation during baking

Sulfur (S) fertilization has been long-known to influence the amounts of total free amino acids in plants. To determine the impact of S deficiency in wheat on the concentration of, in particular, free asparagine, the spring wheat cultivar 'Star' was grown in a laboratory scale (5 L pot) at five different levels of S fertilization. After maturity, the kernels were milled into white flours (1-5) and analyzed for their contents of total S and total nitrogen as well as for free amino acids and glucose, fructose, maltose, and sucrose. Extremely high concentrations of free asparagine (Asn; 3.9-5.7 g/kg) were determined in flours 1 and 2 (30 and 60 mg of S), whereas much lower amounts (0.03-0.4 g/kg) were present in flours grown at higher S levels. The amounts of the reducing carbohydrates were, however, scarcely affected by S fertilization. In agreement with the high amount of Asn in flours 1 and 2, heating of both flours led to the generation of very high amounts of acrylamide (1.7-3.1 mg/kg) as well as of 3-aminopropionamide (40-76 mg/kg). Similar concentrations were measured in crispbread prepared from both flours. Application of rheological measurements on doughs prepared from each flour and a determination of the loaf volume of bread baked therefrom clearly indicated that flours 1 and 2 would be excluded from commercial bread processing due to their poor technological properties. Two commercial flours showed relatively low concentrations of acrylamide after a thermal treatment.     

Nephrotoxicity in Goats Caused by Dosing with a Water Extract from the Stems of Narthecium Ossifragum Plants

Seven goats were given a single dose of an aqueous extract derived from 30 g (wet weight) of Narthecium ossifragum per kg liveweight. Their serum creatinine and urea concentrations increased to day 5 but then fell to normal by day 10. Serum magnesium increased to day 4 and decreased to normal by day 9. Their serum calcium concentration was lower than normal on days 4, 5 and 6. Histopathological examination of the kidneys of goats killed or found dead 2, 4, 6, 8, 11 or 16 days after dosing revealed tubular epithelial cell degeneration and necrosis. Regeneration of the tubular epithelium and signs of interstitial fibroplast proliferation and fibrosis could be seen in animals killed on days 8, 11, 16 and 42. No signs of liver damage were observed in 3 goats dosed with the insoluble plant material from 40 g (wet weight) Narthecium ossifragum per kg liveweight. The total dose was divided into three doses, which were given intraruminally within 7 h. The activities of aspartate aminotransferase, -glutamyl-transferase and glutamate dehydrogenase remained within the normal range in all 10 goats after dosing.     

Evaluation of the use of anesthesia and analgesia in reptiles

OBJECTIVE: To determine anesthetic techniques and the drugs used to provide anesthesia and analgesia to reptiles. DESIGN: Mail-out questionnaire. SAMPLE POPULATION: 367 members of the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians. PROCEDURE: 1,091 members listed in the 2002 directory of the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians were asked to complete a questionnaire regarding anesthesia and analgesia. RESULTS: 367 of 1,091 (33.6%) individuals completed the questionnaire; 88.8% used inhalants (particularly isoflurane) for anesthesia, and ketamine, propofol, and butorphanol were the most commonly used injectable agents. Intubation, fluids, and having a dedicated anesthetist were most commonly used for patient support, and pulse oximetry and Doppler ultrasonography were most commonly used for monitoring. Respiratory depression, difficulty monitoring anesthetic depth, prolonged recovery, and hypothermia were the most frequent complications. Nearly all respondents believed that reptiles feel pain, but analgesics were used infrequently for many reasons. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Providing anesthesia in reptiles is difficult, especially regarding anesthetic depth and vital parameters, and methods of support are used less frequently than in domestic species. Provision of analgesia is uncommon. Research regarding pain and its assessment, response to analgesics, and drug pharmacokinetics is needed. Dissemination of this information to practitioners needs to be improved for enhancement of the standard of care for reptiles.     

Die Wirkung von Monoterpenen auf das Mycelwachstum von Fomes annosus (Fr.) Cooke

The effect of monoterpenes on the mycelial growth of Fomes annosus (Fr.) Cke. Four monoterpenes, singly and in mixture, were tested for their effect on the mycelial growth of Fomes annosus. Inhibition was caused by all the substances, the severity depending on material and concentration. The inhibition was not maintained over the entire study period.     

Die Wirkung wäßriger Streuextrakte verschiedener Waldbäume auf Mycelwachstum und Konidiosporenkeimung von Fomes annosus (Fr.) Cke.

The effect of water extracts of leaf and needle litter from different forest trees on the mycelial growth and the germination rate of conidia of Fomes annosus (Fr.) Cke. Litter extracts from various forest trees and stands have distinct effects on mycelial growth and germination rate of conidia of Fomes annosus. The effects depend on concentration of the extract, period of extraction and on date of collecting the litter samples.     

Keeping watch on the unwatchable: technological solutions for the problems generated by ecosystem-based management

Ecosystem‐based management is an emerging paradigm influencing the management of commercial fisheries. Increasingly, developed nations are adopting explicit legislation and policy governing the assessment and management of their fisheries against criteria of ecological sustainability. Yet the ability to evaluate ecosystem impacts of fisheries is compromised by a general lack of understanding of marine ecosystem function (beyond the population level) and a lack of robust and practical indicators for ecosystem health and management. Recent technological advances can assist in developing criteria, including structural analyses of seafloor communities potentially impacted by fishing gears (e.g. demersal trawling). Similarly, advances in fishing gear technology, including improved selectivity and the development of gears which have a more benign environmental impact, can mitigate some of the ecological impacts of fishing. Such technological advances are summarized in the context of contemporary fisheries management.     

Matrix modification to improve the recovery of MMHg from clear water using distillation

The use of distillation from aqueous solution dramatically improves the recovery of methyl mercury (MMHg) from complex water samples, as compared to solvent extraction techniques. However, low and irreproducible spike recoveries are often observed when distillation is applied to very clear water samples (i.e., precipitation, double deionized water (DDW), etc.) or those containing high chloride concentrations. Based upon the observation that recoveries and reproducibility are higher for waters containing strong complexing compounds, such as humic matter, we investigated the potential of matrix modification to improve the reproducibility of MMHg by distillation from more difficult matrices. At sample acid concentrations of less than 0.1M hydrochloric acid (HCl), we found that the addition of complexers such as ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (APDC), and aqueous humic substances improved distillation spike recoveries and reproducibility. The use of complexers was also found to suppress the co-distillation of divalent mercury (Hg(II), which, in highly contaminated samples can be an interferant with the MMHg determination. At higher HCl concentrations, irreproducibility was dominated by the interference caused by chloride co-distilled with the water. In these cases, neither the addition of complexing agents, or buffers to bind the free hydrogen ions (H⁺) in solution were effective in improving results.     

Impacts of Bolbophorus damnificus (Digenea: Bolbophoridae) on Production Characteristics of Channel Catfish,Ictalurus punctatus,Raised in Experimental Ponds

Bolbophorus damnificus was recognized as a threat to channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, production in Louisiana and Mississippi in 1997 and 1999, respectively. Severe to moderate outbreaks (≥34% prevalence) are correlated to heavy losses, but impact of mild outbreaks with low prevalence (<33%) was unknown. Laboratory and field studies were conducted to evaluate sublethal acute (early stage) and chronic (late stage) trematode infection impacts on catfish production. Fish raised in ponds seeded with ram's horn snails from ponds harboring active B. damnificus outbreaks resulted in infection prevalence ranging from 1.6 to 20.4%. Compared to fish raised in ponds not seeded with infected snails (0% prevalence), fish biomass, number harvested, and total feed fed were significantly lower. These data agree with previous studies where mild infections reduced feed consumption, fish production, and economic returns. Infected fish were collected from ponds and used in a laboratory growth study. Once removed from the infection source, weight gain, growth rate, feed consumption, and feed efficiency were equal to or greater than trematode‐free fish. This suggests that although early B. damnificus infection (premetacercarial development) can severely impact production, infection has little impact on performance once metacercarial cysts are fully developed, and the infection source is removed.