Infection and necrosis of cowpea mesophyll cells by tobacco necrosis virus and two strains of tobacco mosaic virus

When cowpea mesophyll tissue with or without any epidermal layer was inoculated with tobacco necrosis virus (TNV), local necrotic lesions were produced. In epidermal strips isolated after inoculation of intact leaves local lesions were never observed. Homogenates of epidermal strips removed within 30 min after inoculation of the leaf with the cowpea strain of tobacco mosaic virus (Cp-TMV) or with TNV and incubated on agar for 2 or 4 days were not infectious. However, when clusters of mesophyll cells or vein pieces were still attached to the epidermal strips after stripping, the homogenates showed virus activity. When cowpea leaves were inoculated with Cp-TMV or a common strain of TMV (TMV-U) infective virus material was present in the mesophyll tissue as measured in the homogenates, at the moment of stripping, i.e. within 10 min after inculation.It may be concluded that cowpea mesophyll cells can act as primary sites of viral ingress into the leaf and that the epidermis is not required for necrosis production after virus inoculation.Samenvatting De mogelijkheid werd onderzocht om cowpea-mesofylcellen zonder de aanwezigheid van epidermiscellen met TNV te infecteren. Kleine lokale necrotische lesies werden 40–72 uur na inoculatie zichtbaar waaruit blijkt, dat bij cowpea de epidermis niet noodzakelijk is voor de vorming van TNV-lesies. Geïsoleerd epidermisweefsel vertoonde nooit lokale lesies. Homogenaten van met TNV geïnoculeerde en daarna geïsoleerde cowpea-epidermisstukjes werden getoetst op virusactivitiet. Als de stukjes volledig vrij waren van mesofylcellen of nerfweefsel, dan vond daarin geen virusvermeerdering plaats tijdens een incubatie van 2 of 4 dagen op agar. Als na het strippen nog enkele mesofylcellen of nerfstukjes aanwezig waren, kon wel enige virusactiviteit in de homogenaten worden aangetoond.In cowpeabladeren die geïnoculeerd werden met de cowpea-stam van TMV of de normale stam van TMV had infectieus virusmateriaal al binnen 10 min na inoculatie het mesofyl bereikt. Blijkbaar is in cowpeabladeren de epidermis niet noodzakelijk voor de binnenkomst van virus of voor de necroseproduktie na virusinoculatie.     

Optimization of Phenolic Compounds Extraction of Different Parts of Camu-camu Fruit from Different Geographic Regions

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Phenolic compounds in camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia) have received interest due to their health-promoting effects. However, these compounds have been poorly...     

Effect of oak extract application to Verdejo grapevines on grape and wine aroma

Volatile compounds from a commercial aqueous oak extract application to white Verdejo grapevines at veraison have been studied. Treated grapes under two types of formulation (25% and 100%) have been analyzed at the optimum maturation time, and winemaking was then subsequently carried out. The volatile compounds were analyzed by stir bar sorptive extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results suggest that after the grapevine treatments, grapes store the volatiles in the form of nonvolatile precursors, and some of the volatiles are released during the winemaking process, especially six months after the alcoholic fermentation. The sensory analysis shows that wines maintain the typical aroma properties of Verdejo wines at the end of fermentation; but after six months, the wine color is greener and more astringent, and, in terms of aroma, it has wooden notes as if the wine has been aged in oak barrels.     

MINERALIZATION AND CORN RECOVERY OF 15NITROGEN FROM BLACK OATS RESIDUES TREATED WITH HERBICIDES

Nitrogen (N) mineralization from black oat residues (Avena strigosa), with or without previous application of herbicides, and its utilization by corn crop were investigated. The experiments were performed in a completely randomized setup, with three treatments and ten replicates. The treatments were: A) control - corn grown in soil with residues of black oats harvested without herbicide application; B) glyphosate - corn grown in soil with residues of glyphosate-desiccated black oat; and C) glufosinate - corn grown in soil with residues of black oat previously desiccated with glufosinate-ammonium. The remaining black oat residues on the soil surface were smaller in the control treatment than in glyphosate and glufosinate treatments. Black oat residues from the control treatment released 30% and 20% more carbon (C) and nitrogen (N), respectively, than from herbicide treatments. Microbial biomass carbon, total and mineral soil N arising from black oat residues were reduced by herbicide management. Black oat residues treated with glyphosate reduced corn total-N by 16%; however, dry mass yield was not affected by the treatments. Herbicide application on black oat reduced the total amount of residue-released nitrogen in the corn kernels, leaves and the whole plant. Net nitrogen mineralization from black oat residues is affected by the application of glyphosate or glufosinate-ammonium.     

Plasma profiles of ivermectin in horses following oral or intramuscular administration

A study was undertaken in order to evaluate and compare ivermectin's (IVM) plasma disposition kinetic parameters after oral or intramuscular (IM) administration in horses. Ten clinically healthy adult horses, weighing 380-496 kg body weight (BW), were allocated to two experimental groups of five horses. Group I, was treated with an oral paste formulation of IVM at the manufacturer's recommended dose of 0.2 mg/kg BW. Group II, was treated IM with an injectable 1% formulation of IVM at a dose of 0.2 mg/kg BW. Blood samples were collected by jugular puncture at different times between 0.5 h and 75 days post-treatment. After plasma extraction and derivatization, samples were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. A computerized kinetic analysis was performed, and data were compared using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. The parent molecule was detected in plasma between 30 min and either 20 (oral) or 40 (IM) days post-treatment. Significant differences were found for the time corresponding to peak plasma concentrations (tmax) and for absorption half-life. Peak plasma concentrations (Cmax) of 51.3 +/- 16.1 ng/ml (mean +/- SD) were obtained after oral administration and of 31.4 +/- 6.0 ng/ml for the IM route. The values for area under concentration-time curve were 137.1 +/- 35.9 ng day/ml for the group treated orally, and 303.2 +/- 4.3 ng day/ml for the IM treated group. The mean plasma residence times were 4.2 +/- 0.4 and 8.9 +/- 0.7 days for oral and IM-treated groups, respectively. The results of this study show that the route of administration considerably affects the disposition of IVM. A significant difference in bioavailabilty and half-life of elimination of IVM was observed after IM administration compared with oral administration. A close relationship between pharmacokinetic profiles and the clinical efficacy of IVM was established.     

Orbital cellulitis associated with Toxocara canis in a dog

Reports of Toxocara canis ocular larva migrans are uncommon in animals, with only a few cases reported. Most reports involve larval migration into the retina and choroid, with parasitic invasion of the orbit reported only in experimental studies. This is the first clinical case of Toxocara canis infection in the retrobulbar region of a 10-year-old, cross-bred male dog presenting with unilateral orbital cellulitis. Ophthalmic signs included protrusion of the nictitating membrane, chemosis, exophthalmos and hypertropia. The parasite was diagnosed by histologic and parasitologic examination of orbital tissues, which were removed during enucleation.     

Surface properties of Streptococcus phocae strains isolated from diseased Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L

Streptococcus phocae is an emerging pathogen for Chilean Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, but the factors determining its virulence are not yet elucidated. In this work, cell surface–related properties such as hydrophobicity and haemagglutination, adhesion to mucus and cell lines, capsule detection, survival and biofilm formation in skin mucus and serum resistance of the isolates responsible for outbreaks in Atlantic salmon and seals were examined. Adhesion to hydrocarbons and the results of salt aggregation tests indicated most of the S. phocae were strongly hydrophobic. All isolates exhibited a similar ability to attach to the Chinook salmon embryo (CHSE) cells line, but were not able to enter CHSE cells. Haemagglutination was not detected. Our data clearly indicate that S. phocae can resist the killing activity of mucus and serum and proliferate in them, which could be associated with the presence of a capsular layer around the cells. Pathogenicity studies using seal and fish isolates demonstrated mortality or pathological signs in fish injected only with the Atlantic salmon isolate. No mortalities or histopathological alterations were observed in fish injected with extracellular products.     

Fabrication and Characterization of Poly(L-lactic Acid) Fiber Mats Using Centrifugal Spinning

Polylactic acid (PLA) fine fibers and multi walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) reinforced PLA fine fiber composites were developed utilizing a centrifugal spinning process. Chloroform and chloroform combined with dimethylformamide (DMF) were used to prepare solutions with varying concentrations of PLA and MWCNTs. The optimum spinning conditions to produce PLA fibers and its composites were determined. The morphology of the fibers was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy. In addition, X-ray diffraction analysis and thermo-physical characterization was conducted using thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. PLA fibers with an average diameter of 481 nanometers and PLA/MWCNT fibers with an average diameter of 358 nanometers were obtained. A decrease in the crystallinity of the fibers was observed when compared to bulk PLA values.