Quantitation of inert feed ingestion in larval silver sea bream (Sparus sarba) using auto-fluorescence of alginate-based microparticulate diets

The ingestion of an inert feed as a sole food source was investigated in larval silver sea bream (Sparus sarba) fed an alginate-based microparticulate diet. Using the auto-fluorescent properties of pigments associated with the alginate base, ingestion and gut content were investigated over a 6 h experimental period in fed and unfed larvae. By extracting and measuring chlorophyll a (Chl a) and phaeopigment content of feeding larval fish and relating this to standardized Chl a and phaeopigment content of the diet, relative to diet weight, it was determined that individual fed 7-day old larvae had a maximum gut content of 1.05±0.09 g diet while 14-day old fed fish had a maximum gut content of 3.17±0.90 g diet. On average, the gut content of 14-day old fish was 2.89 times greater than the gut content of 7-day old fish. The dry weight of larval sea bream increased from 43±4.2 g at day 7 to 134.3±20.4 g at day 14 indicating that growth of fish fed this inert feed was substantial. Gut pigment dynamics suggested that Chl a was degraded to phaeopigments by 7-day but not 14-day old larvae and the individual gut dietary content varied considerably in 14-day old fish. The maximum Chl a and phaeopigment content in larval sea bream was 0.4 ng ind^–1 and 0.55 ng ind^–1 for 7-day old fish and 1.54 ng ind^–1 and 2.81 ng ind^–1 for 14-day old fish respectively. The present method may potentially allow simple and direct assessment of larval fish feed ingestion in both an experimental and commercial setting.     

Laboratory studies of crust development in Irish and Iraqi soils II. Effects of some physico-chemical constituents on crust strength and seedling emergence

The influence of soil constituents including sand, silt, clay, organic substances, aluminium and iron on crust development and seedling emergence was investigated in a selection of 30 soils. After treatment with simulated rain, soil crust strength as measured by penetration resistance to an upward-moving probe tended to decrease with increasing total organic carbon content, but the relationship was not a simple one. Consideration of other factors showed that in some soils (soils of 1.5–2% total organic carbon), alkali-exractable carbon and clay contents had the greatest influence on penetration resistance values whereas in other soils (2.4–3% total organic carbon), coarse sand, fine sand, EDTA-extractable aluminium and humic acid carbon were highly correlated with penetration resistance. In a group of soils with around 4% total organic carbon, oxalate-extractable aluminium appeared to exert a dominant influence. There was a good correlation between humic acid carbon and penetration resistance after rain treatment in soils containing less than 40% sand. A similar relationship was also noted with EDTA-extractable iron.Combination of all factors in a multiple regression analysis accounted for a considerable proportion of the variation in penetration resistance of soils with and without simulated rain application and in seedling emergence of barley. Organic carbon, and the humic acid fraction in particular, were most important in determining crust strength for all soils as a group.A significant correlation between plastic limit moisture and the logarithm of penetration resistance is explained partially, at least, by the relationships that exist between organic carbon alone, clay alone and a combination of both, with variation in moisture.     

Analysis of herbal teas made from the leaves of comfrey (Symphytum officinale): reduction of N-oxides results in order of magnitude increases in the measurable concentration of pyrrolizidine alkaloids

OBJECTIVES: To determine the relative quantities of two hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids, symphytine and echimidine, in teas prepared from comfrey leaves (Symphytum officinale), and to determine the potential contribution of the N-oxide forms of these alkaloids to levels of the parent alkaloids. DESIGN: Comfrey leaves were purchased from three commercial sources and used to prepare tea in a manner consistent with the methods used by consumers. An extraction scheme was devised for extraction of the alkaloids, and a gas chromatographic method was developed to quantify the two major alkaloids, symphytine and echimidine. Recognising that the N-oxide derivatives of these alkaloids have also been identified in comfrey preparations, chemical reduction was applied to determine the total quantities of the alkaloids as free bases and as N-oxide derivatives. RESULTS: The concentration of symphytine and echimidine varied considerably between teas prepared from leaves purchased from the different vendors of plant material. Moreover, a much higher concentration of symphytine was found in the tea when steps were included to reduce N-oxides prior to analysis. The treatment of pure symphytine with hot water did not generate the N-oxide derivative de novo. CONCLUSIONS: Since the pyrrolizidine alkaloids are known to be hepatotoxic, consumption of herbal teas made from comfrey leaves may be ill-advised. The concentration of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in such teas may be underestimated substantially unless the concentration of N-oxides is taken into consideration.     

Determination of spinosad and its metabolites in food and environmental matrices. 3. Immunoassay methods

Spinosad is an insect control agent that is derived from a naturally occurring soil bacterium and is effective on several classes of insects, especially Lepidopteran larvae. Spinosad is registered in many countries for use on a variety of crops, including cotton, corn, soybeans, fruits, and vegetables. Residue methods utilizing a magnetic particle-based immunoassay (IA) test kit have been developed and validated for determining spinosad in environmental and food matrices. These methods involve an extraction of the residues from the matrices with appropriate solvents. For some matrices, the sample extracts can be diluted and measured directly by IA without any cleanup. For other matrices, sample extracts are purified using liquid-liquid partitioning and/or solid phase extraction prior to measurement by IA. The methods determine the total residue of spinosad, which includes the active ingredients (spinosyns A and D) and several minor metabolites, including spinosyn B, spinosyn K, and N-demethylspinosyn D. The methods have validated limits of quantitation of 0.0001 microgram/mL in water, 0.05 microgram/g in sediment, and 0.010 microgram/g in crops, crop processed commodities, and animal tissues. This paper briefly summarizes the residue methodology and method validation data for spinosad in 34 food, feed, and environmental matrices.     

Voyager 2 in the uranian system: imaging science results

Voyager 2 images of the southern hemisphere of Uranus indicate that submicrometersize haze particles and particles of a methane condensation cloud produce faint patterns in the atmosphere. The alignment of the cloud bands is similar to that of bands on Jupiter and Saturn, but the zonal winds are nearly opposite. At mid-latitudes (-70 degrees to -27 degrees ), where winds were measured, the atmosphere rotates faster than the magnetic field; however, the rotation rate of the atmosphere decreases toward the equator, so that the two probably corotate at about -20 degrees . Voyager images confirm the extremely low albedo of the ring particles. High phase angle images reveal on the order of 10(2) new ringlike features of very low optical depth and relatively high dust abundance interspersed within the main rings, as well as a broad, diffuse, low optical depth ring just inside the main rings system. Nine of the newly discovered small satellites (40 to 165 kilometers in diameter) orbit between the rings and Miranda; the tenth is within the ring system. Two of these small objects may gravitationally confine the e ring. Oberon and Umbriel have heavily cratered surfaces resembling the ancient cratered highlands of Earth's moon, although Umbriel is almost completely covered with uniform dark material, which perhaps indicates some ongoing process. Titania and Ariel show crater populations different from those on Oberon and Umbriel; these were probably generated by collisions with debris confined to their orbits. Titania and Ariel also show many extensional fault systems; Ariel shows strong evidence for the presence of extrusive material. About halfof Miranda's surface is relatively bland, old, cratered terrain. The remainder comprises three large regions of younger terrain, each rectangular to ovoid in plan, that display complex sets of parallel and intersecting scarps and ridges as well as numerous outcrops of bright and dark materials, perhaps suggesting some exotic composition.     

Protein uptake in multivesicular bodies in the molt-intermolt cycle of an insect

Plant peroxidase injected into the hemocoel is taken up in granules by almost all tissues. These granules may become multivesicular bodies or isolation bodies which later breakdown. There is most uptake and breakdown at times in the molt-intermolt cycle when cells are engaged in active syntheses.     

Corresponding spatial gradients of TOP molecules in the developing retina and optic tectum

The topographic map of cell position in the avian retina is inverted in its projection to the optic tectum. Dorsal retinal ganglion cell axons project to ventral tectum, and ventral retinal ganglion cells project to dorsal tectum. Topographic gradients of toponymic (TOP) cell surface molecules along the dorsoventral axes of retina and tectum also are inverted. TOP molecules are most abundant in dorsal retina and ventral tectum and least abundant in ventral retina and dorsal tectum during the period of initial retinal-tectal interaction. Thus, TOP molecules may be involved in orienting the retinotectal map.     

Ecological Aspects of Amphibian Metamorphosis: Nonnormal distributions of competitive ability reflect selection for facultative metamorphosis

A synthetic theory of the ecology of amphibian metamorphosis is founded on the observation that the large variation in length of larval period and body size at metamorphosis typical of a particular species of amphibian cannot be directly explained by differences in dates of hatching or egg sizes. It is proposed that as development proceeds, variation in exponential growth coefficients causes a trend from a normal distribution to a skewed distribution of body sizes. The degree of skewing increases and the median of the distribution decreases with increasing initial densities of populations. The relative advantages of the largest members of a cohort may arise from a variety of mechanisms including the production of growth inhibitors, interference competition, and size-selective feeding behavior. These mechanisms result in a nonnormal distribution of competitive ability, a possible source of the density-dependent competition coefficient found in systems with many species (1). In our model the ranges of body sizes and dates of metamorphosis are determined by a minimum body size that must be obtained and a maximum body size that will not be exceeded at metamorphosis. Between these two size thresholds the endocrinological initiation of metamorphosis is expected to be related to the recent growth history of the individual larva. Species that exploit uncertain environments will have a wide range of possible sizes at metamorphosis. Species exploiting relatively certain environments will have a narrower range. The evolution of neoteny and direct development logically follow from the application of these ideas to the ecological context of the evolution of amphibian life histories. Species that live in constant aquatic habitats surrounded by hostile environments (desert ponds, caves, high-altitude lakes) may evolve permanent larvae genetically incapable of metamorphosis. Other populations may evolve a facultative metamorphosis such that populations are a mixture of neotenes and terrestrial adults. Direct development results from selection to escape the competition, predation, and environmental uncertainty characteristic of some aquatic habitats and is usually accompanied by parental care. The relation between our ecological model and the physiological mechanisms that initiate metamorphosis can only be suggested and it remains an open problem for developmental biologists.     

An inhibitor of FtsZ with potent and selective anti-staphylococcal activity

FtsZ is an essential bacterial guanosine triphosphatase and homolog of mammalian beta-tubulin that polymerizes and assembles into a ring to initiate cell division. We have created a class of small synthetic antibacterials, exemplified by PC190723, which inhibits FtsZ and prevents cell division. PC190723 has potent and selective in vitro bactericidal activity against staphylococci, including methicillin- and multi-drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The putative inhibitor-binding site of PC190723 was mapped to a region of FtsZ that is analogous to the Taxol-binding site of tubulin. PC190723 was efficacious in an in vivo model of infection, curing mice infected with a lethal dose of S. aureus. The data validate FtsZ as a target for antibacterial intervention and identify PC190723 as suitable for optimization into a new anti-staphylococcal therapy.