Pseudocercospora griseola,the causal agent of common bean angular leaf spot: Strain characterization and sensitivity to fungicides

Angular leaf spot (ALS), an important disease of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), is caused by the fungus Pseudocercospora griseola. This pathogen has a wide genetic variability and, therefore, poses a challenge to integrated disease management. The use of resistant cultivars is difficult; hence, the application of fungicides has been a common practice in common bean cultivation. P. griseola strains were morphophysiologically characterized and their sensitivity to common fungicides used to control ALS was studied. The strains were evaluated for sporulation capacity and a representative sample of 34 strains was bioassayed to determine their sensitivity to commercial concentrations of five fungicides, namely pyraclostrobin, mancozeb, pyraclostrobin + metconazole, chlorothalonil and tebuconazole. Another sample of 29 strains was studied for conidial germination and dimensions. Sporulation capacity ranged from 0.88 to 27.67 × 10⁴ conidia/ml and germination percentage ranged from 39% to 72%. The large differences among strains suggest a wide genetic variability among the strains. A wide variability in aggressiveness of P. griseola was observed, which has consequences for breeding programmes aimed at resistance. The behaviour of pathogen strains differed in every fungicide evaluated, even in a population that has not been under selection pressure in the field. These results confirm the need for further studies and may guide future research with this pathogen.     

Measurement of Parity Nonconservation and an Anapole Moment in Cesium

The amplitude of the parity-nonconserving transition between the 6S and 7S states of cesium was precisely measured with the use of a spin-polarized atomic beam. This measurement gives Im(E1pnc)/beta = -1.5935(56) millivolts per centimeter and provides an improved test of the standard model at low energy, including a value for the S parameter of -1.3(3)exp (11)theory. The nuclear spin-dependent contribution was 0.077(11) millivolts per centimeter; this contribution is a manifestation of parity violation in atomic nuclei and is a measurement of the long-sought anapole moment.     

Spirometra erinacei / S. erinaceieuropaei in a feral cat in Manawatu with chronic intermittent diarrhoea

CASE HISTORY: A feral cat captured in the Manawatu region of New Zealand was treated for worms and fleas, and kept confined in a metabolic cage. It showed good appetite and weight gain but had intermittent watery, yellow diarrhoea.

CLINICAL FINDINGS: Clinical examination under sedation was unremarkable and routine blood tests showed no significant abnormalities. The cat was negative for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukaemia virus (FeLV). Different canned cat foods did not alter the course of the diarrhoea, and the cat was euthanised 6 months after capture. At necropsy, two sections of adult Spirometra tapeworms were found in the jejunum and typical Spirometra eggs were found in colonic contents. Molecular identification of the parasite was undertaken, using the cytochrome- c oxidase subunit-1 gene (cox1) sequence.

DIAGNOSIS: Chronic intermittent diarrhoea associated with Spirometra erinacei / S. erinaceieuropaei infection.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Spirometra has not been reported in New Zealand before but has been associated with gastrointestinal disease in cats in other parts of the world. It requires speciestargeted treatment to be eliminated effectively, and is zoonotic. Diagnosis could be diffi cult for clinicians who are not familiar with the parasite and its life cycle.     

Short communication: Acute toxicity of hydrogen peroxide in juvenile white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei reared in biofloc technology systems

Biofloc technology (BFT) has been used to rear white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. In this culturing system, the absence of aeration causes a rapid drop in dissolved oxygen levels, and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) can be used as an emergency source of oxygen. This study aimed to determine the lethal concentration and safe level of H₂O₂ applied as a source of oxygen for juvenile white shrimp L. vannamei in a BFT system. Juveniles (1.39 ± 0.37 g) were exposed for 2 h to different concentrations of H₂O₂ [29 (100), 58 (200), 116 (400), 174 (600), 232 (800), 290 (1,000) and 348 (1,200) μL H₂O₂/L (ppm H₂O₂-29 %/L)] in addition to a control group without addition of H₂O₂, and the survival rates were monitored for 96 h. The LC₅₀ values and 95 % confidence intervals at 24, 48, 72 and 96 h were 235.5 (207–268), 199.1 (172–229), 171.1 (146–198) and 143.3 (120–170) μL H₂O₂/L, respectively. The safe level was 14.3 μL H₂O₂/L, and the highest concentration with survival rates similar to the control group (NOAEC) was 29 μL H₂O₂/L. In these concentrations, H₂O₂ can be used as a safe source of oxygen for L. vannamei reared in BFT systems.     

First report of botryosphaeriaceous fungi causing canker on Cedrela fissilis and leaf spots on Cariniana estrellensis in forest nursery in Brazil

Cariniana estrellensis and Cedrela fissilis are native forest species from Brazil that are widely used for arborization of parks and recuperation of degraded areas. The production of seedlings from these two forest trees in nurseries is severely affected by fungal diseases. Morphological identification, sequencing analysis of three gene regions (TEF+ACT+ITS or TEF+TUB2 + ITS) and pathogenicity tests confirmed that fungi belonging to Botryosphaeriales are the aetiological agent of the diseases. This is the first report of Phyllosticta capitalensis causing leaf spots on C. estrellensis and Botryosphaeria dothidea causing canker on C. fissilis in forest nurseries in Brazil.     

Climatic favourability zones for Eucalyptus rust in Brazil

Brazilian forest‐based industries are supported by more than 5.5 million hectares of Eucalyptus growing under different climatic conditions with different degrees of favourability for rust Puccinia psidii, including both traditional and expanding areas, where such disease is of major concern for the industry, foresters and scientists. The main objective of this study was to define favourable climatic zones for Eucalyptus rust in Brazil with the following aims: (i) to develop a spatial method for estimating the mean night‐time temperature (T_ng); (ii) to assess and validate a Eucalyptus rust model; and (iii) to map Eucalyptus rust favourability zones in Brazil based on the proposed model. A straightforward method, based only on latitude, day of the year, maximum and minimum air temperatures, was developed to estimate T_ng, which is a key variable for a proper application of Ruiz rust model. Based on 37 field experiments with natural rust occurrence, it was observed that climatic conditions are determining factors for disease severity. Significant correlations between disease severity observed in the field and climatic conditions were found: a negative correlation with temperature (r = .50, p < .01) and a positive correlation with relative humidity (r = .89, p < .0001). A significant correlation (r = .81, p < .0001) between the normalized infection index, produced from Ruiz model, and the average rust score was also observed. Once the model was validated under field conditions, it was applied using historical average data of air temperature and leaf wetness duration to obtain monthly Eucalyptus rust favourability maps for the whole country. These final maps show that favourable climatic zones for Eucalyptus rust are extremely dynamic, with high temporal and spatial variability in Brazil and that climatic conditions should be considered for expansion of Eucalyptus to new areas, in breeding programmes, and for defining the most suitable seasons for forest establishment in each climate of the country. These results provide forestry managers with practical tools to reduce uncertainty about the expected severity of Eucalyptus rust in Brazil.     

Humic acid composition and soil fertility of soils near an ancient charcoal kiln: are they similar to Terra Preta de Índios soils?

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Charcoal production during the nineteenth century transformed landscapes in the Brazilian Atlantic Forests in Rio de Janeiro city. These paleo-territories were...     

Pharmacokinetics of hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier hemoglobin-glutamer-200 bovine (oxyglobin) in the horse

Oxyglobin (OXY) is a hemoglobin‐based oxygen carrier (HBOC) made of glutaraldehyde‐polymerized bovine hemoglobin (bHb). Products similar to OXY are under development for use as temporary blood substitutes in trauma, shock and anemia. Since they all may increase blood O₂‐carrying capacity and thus, possibly tissue oxygenation, they may also be used to enhance performance of both equine and human athletes. That is why HBOCs are banned from use in athletic competition. Our goal was to determine the pharmacokinetics of OXY after intravenous (IV) infusion to horses. Blood and urine samples were collected from adult horses that received an IV dose of 32.5 g of OXY. Concentrations of OXY in plasma and urine were quantified using a newly developed LC/Q‐TOF‐MS/MS detection technique. Level of quantification (LOQ) was 50 μg mL^–1. The decline of the plasma concentration‐time curve of the HBOC was described by a 2‐compartment model (C1 and C2). The median distribution alpha (t1/2k1,0) and elimination beta (t1/2k2,0) half‐lives were 1.3 and 12.0 hours, respectively. The bHb molecules in OXY are not of uniform size and vary substantially in molecular weight (MW). Of the OXY molecules 53% were eliminated in C1, which represented the smaller MW molecules and 47% in C2, which represented the larger MW bHb. The maximal 0‐time plasma concentration was 662.0 μg/mL and declined to 97.1 μg mL^–1 at 24 h. The area below the plasma concentration‐time curve was 5143 μg h^–1 mL^–1. The volumes of C₁ and C₂ were 86.9 and 63.9 mL kg^–1, respectively. Oxyglobin was not detected in urine. This study shows the detection and quantification in equine plasma of a HBOC following IV infusion and demonstrates the short half‐life of about 50% of infused bHb molecules.     

Effects of light availability and soil flooding on growth and photosynthetic characteristics of Genipa americana L. seedlings

Genipa americana L. (Rubiaceae) is a late successional neotropical fruit tree used in riparian forest restoration programs. We analyze the effects of light availability and soil flooding on the growth and photosynthetic characteristics of G. americana seedlings under nursery and natural light conditions. Two light levels (full sunlight and shade), and two levels of soil water (flooded and control) were used in the experiment. Flooding induced significant changes in the total seedling biomass (P < 0.01). The differences among water treatments were 70 and 10% at full sunlight and shade, respectively. These changes were explained by alterations in the maximum quantum efficiency of the photosystem 2 (Fv/Fm), light-saturated net photosynthetic rates (A _sat) and intrinsic water use efficiency (WUE). G. americana has high physiological plasticity in relation to the light availability and flooding, although significant interactive effects between high light exposure and soil flooding were observed in several photosynthetic and growth variables. The results highlight the importance of the synergistic effects between physical environmental variables on the establishment and growth of G. americana seedlings. In the practical point of view we can indicate that, in degraded riparian forests subjected to soil flooding, seedlings of this species should be planted under partially shaded environments.     

Primary penile adenocarcinoma with concurrent hypercalcaemia of malignancy in a dog

A 13‐year‐old male neutered Siberian husky crossbreed dog was presented with a 3‐week history of haematuria and penile swelling. Clinical examination and computed tomography demonstrated a soft‐tissue mass located at the base of the penis without signs of other primary tumours or metastasis. Clinicopathological findings revealed paraneoplastic hypercalcaemia. Fine‐needle aspiration cytology of the mass suggested an epithelial tumour with several criteria of malignancy present. Following surgical excision of the mass, the hypercalcaemia resolved. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry revealed features consistent with an adenocarcinoma. Despite thorough examination, no perineal or anal sac tumour was found. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first reported case of a penile adenocarcinoma with hypercalcaemia of malignancy.