Odour Monitoring by Combined TD?CGC?CMS?CSniff Technique and Dynamic Olfactometry at the Wastewater Treatment Plant of Low H2S Concentration

Soil, olive leaves, and fruits, were sampled from an olive grove 200 ha, irrigated with treated municipal wastewater (TMWW), located at Al-Tafilah wastewater processing plant (WWPP), Jordan. Similar samples were also taken from plants not irrigated with TMWW (Control). The heavy metal and essential nutrients were determined in all samples, and the data were statistically processed. The following were found: Much smaller quantities of heavy metals than essential elements were accumulated in the leaves and fruits, the accumulation being independent of the TMWW heavy metal concentration, suggesting a selective uptake of the metals by the olive plants. Also the elemental interactions, which occurred in the olive fruits, contributed mainly essential nutrients and secondarily heavy metals. The trend of heavy metal transfer from soil to olive fruits, and leaves, was almost the same, showing a consistency of transfer.     

Analysis of the Mycosporine-Like Amino Acid (MAA) Pattern of the Salt Marsh Red Alga Bostrychia scorpioides

This study presents the validation of a high-performance liquid chromatography diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) method for the determination of different mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) in the red alga Bostrychia scorpioides. The investigated MAAs, named bostrychines, have only been found in this specific species so far. The developed HPLC-DAD method was successfully applied for the quantification of the major MAAs in Bostrychia scorpioides extracts, collected from four different countries in Europe showing only minor differences between the investigated samples. In the past, several Bostrychia spp. have been reported to include cryptic species, and in some cases such as B. calliptera, B. simpliciuscula, and B. moritziana, the polyphyly was supported by differences in their MAA composition. The uniformity in the MAA composition of the investigated B. scorpioides samples is in agreement with the reported monophyly of this Bostrychia sp.     

Effect of grassland harvesting frequency and N-fertilization on stocks and dynamics of soil organic matter in the temperate climate

ABSTRACT

Management of grassland may affect the dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC). Objectives were to analyze the effect of different harvesting frequencies and nitrogen fertilization regimes on SOC and total N stocks in a field trial on a sandy loam to loamy sand soil of a grassland site near Kiel (Germany). Additionally, effects on microbial biomass C (C_mic) and ergosterol (as proxy for fungi) contents, water-stable aggregate size-classes and density fractions were studied. In the surface soil (0–10 cm), SOC and total N stocks, amounts of large water-stable macroaggregates (> 2000 µm) and contents of C_mic and ergosterol were significantly higher under a five cut regime. C_mic (r_Spearman = 0.61) and ergosterol contents (r_Spearman = 0.67) were correlated with amounts of large water-stable macroaggregates suggesting that fungi and microbial biomass play an important role in binding of small macroaggregates into large macroaggregates. The free light fraction of SOM showed significantly higher C concentrations under three cut compared to five cut at 30–60 cm, presumably related to the C/N ratio and the decomposability of root litter. This study indicates the importance of cutting frequency on SOC and total N stocks, amounts of large macroaggregates and contents of C_mic and ergosterol.     

Biological control of fusarium dry rot of potato tubers under commercial storage conditions

Lack of effective chemicals impedes control of Fusarium dry rot of stored potato tubers destined for processed and table stock use. Biological control of dry rot incited byGibberella pulicaris (anamorph=Fusarium sambucinum) has been demonstrated in laboratory studies but not in commercial storage environments. Several Gram-negative bacterial strains that were efficacious and amenable to production in liquid culture in laboratory studies were selected for pilot studies in Idaho and for bin trials at commercial storage houses in Idaho and North Dakota. In the first year of pilot studies,Pseudomonas fluorescens S22:T:04 (≈1 x 10⁸ cfu/ml) decreased dry rot caused byG. pulicaris by 19% when coinoculated with the pathogen compared to controls and to the fungicide thiabendazole (TBZ) applied at label rates. In second year pilot studies,P. fluorescens P22:Y:05 andEnterobacter cloacae S11:T:07 (≈4 x 10⁸ cfu/ml) reduced the severity of disease incited byG. pulicaris (25% and 17% average disease decrease, respectively) when antagonists were applied after pathogen inoculum. Treatment effects on dry rot that developed from inoculation withNectria haematococca (anamorph=Fusariumsolani var.coeruleum) were variable and influenced by interactions between antagonists, a wetting agent, and TBZ. In commercial storage bin trials,E. cloacae S11:T:07 reduced naturally occurring levels of dry rot by an average of 21% compared to 14% for TBZ, demonstrating that this antagonist was effective when produced using a liquid culture medium and methodology that approximates commercial practices for producing biomass.     

A minor role of CD4+ T lymphocytes in the control of a primary infection of cattle with Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides

ABSTRACT: Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), caused by Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides, is an important livestock disease in Africa. The current control measures rely on a vaccine with limited efficacy and occasional severe side effects. Knowledge of the protective arms of immunity involved in this disease will be beneficial for the development of an improved vaccine. In previous studies on cattle infected with M. mycoides subsp. mycoides, a correlation was detected between the levels of mycoplasma-specific IFN-γ-secreting CD4+ T lymphocytes and reduced clinical signs. However, no cause and effect has been established, and the role of such cells and of protective responses acquired during a primary infection is not known.We investigated the role of CD4+ T lymphocytes in CBPP by comparing disease patterns and post mortem findings between CD4+ T cell depleted and non-depleted cattle. The depletion was carried out using several injections of BoCD4 specific murine monoclonal antibody on day 6 after experimental endotracheal infection with the strain Afadé. All cattle were monitored clinically daily and sacrificed 28-30 days post-infection. Statistically significant but small differences were observed in the mortality rate between the depleted and non-depleted animals. However, no differences in clinical parameters (fever, signs of respiratory distress) and pathological lesions were observed, despite elimination of CD4+ T cells for more than a week. The slightly higher mortality in the depleted group suggests a minor role of CD4+ T cells in control of CBPP.     

Assessment of in vitro interferon-gamma responses from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of cattle infected with Mycoplasma mycoides ssp. mycoides small colony type

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) is a lung disease caused by the bacterial pathogen Mycoplasma mycoides ssp. mycoides small colony type (MmmSC). It has been spreading due to a number of factors including poor vaccine efficacy and poor sensitivity of current diagnostic tests. The purpose of this study was to assess interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) release after stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from experimentally infected cattle. PBMC collected from 15 artificially infected animals were incubated with different concentrations of total MmmSC antigen. After 72h of incubation the IFN-gamma release was measured and found to be elevated in 11 animals. We did not observe a correlation between IFN-gamma release of animals with and without pathomorphological gross lesions. Therefore, our data do not confirm a role for CD4 T-lymphocytes in protection, since there is no correlation between IFN-g secretion (supposed to be mainly derived from CD4 T-cells) and disease severity. Additionally, we applied immunocytochemistry on affected lung tissue and detected no build up of T-lymphocytes (CD4 T-cells, CD8 T-cells) but a high presence of myeloid cells.     

Palms in Indigenous and Settler Communities in Southeastern Ecuador: Farmers’ Perceptions and Cultivation Practices

Most palms used in agroforestry systems are exploited from wild stands or are only occasionally cultivated, while only a few palms have been domesticated. In this study we investigated how socio-economic factors and people's perceptions of changes in palm use and availability, influenced palm cultivation among indigenous Shuar and mestizo settlers in south-eastern Ecuador. We also looked at how different uses of palms influenced which species they cultivated. Our results showed that perceptions of declining palm availability in combination with heavy reliance on palm products was positively related to palm cultivation. Hence, cultivation was more common in more remote villages where alternative products were hard to get. In addition, palm cultivation was more common among wealthier people and among indigenous people than among recent settlers. This points to a limiting role of assets such as land and to the importance of history and culture with regard to cultivation. It was not possible to identify any single palm use as the primary reason for cultivating a species, but the more uses a species had, the more likely it was to be cultivated. These findings have important implications for development projects that promote cultivation of palms and other long-lived tree crops. They illustrate how market access and lack of necessary assets may undermine cultivation of native species even though these are regarded as important resources.     

Second round of an interlaboratory comparison of SARS-CoV2 molecular detection assays used by 45 veterinary diagnostic laboratories in the United States

The COVID-19 pandemic presents a continued public health challenge. Veterinary diagnostic laboratories in the United States use RT-rtPCR for animal testing, and many laboratories are certified for testing human samples; hence, ensuring that laboratories have sensitive and specific SARS-CoV2 testing methods is a critical component of the pandemic response. In 2020, the FDA Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network (Vet-LIRN) led an interlaboratory comparison (ILC1) to help laboratories evaluate their existing RT-rtPCR methods for detecting SARS-CoV2. All participating laboratories were able to detect the viral RNA spiked in buffer and PrimeStore molecular transport medium (MTM). With ILC2, Vet-LIRN extended ILC1 by evaluating analytical sensitivity and specificity of the methods used by participating laboratories to detect 3 SARS-CoV2 variants (B.1; B.1.1.7 [Alpha]; B.1.351 [Beta]) at various copy levels. We analyzed 57 sets of results from 45 laboratories qualitatively and quantitatively according to the principles of ISO 16140-2:2016. More than 95% of analysts detected the SARS-CoV2 RNA in MTM at ≥500 copies for all 3 variants. In addition, for nucleocapsid markers N1 and N2, 81% and 92% of the analysts detected ≤20 copies in the assays, respectively. The analytical specificity of the evaluated methods was >99%. Participating laboratories were able to assess their current method performance, identify possible limitations, and recognize method strengths as part of a continuous learning environment to support the critical need for the reliable diagnosis of COVID-19 in potentially infected animals and humans.