In Vitro Effect of the Reproductive Hormones on the Oxidative Burst Activity of Polymorphonuclear Leucocytes from Cows: A Flow Cytometric Study

In this study, the effect of reproductive hormones and substances with hormonal activity on the oxidative burst activity of blood polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) high yielding dairy cows was evaluated. Different concentrations of: progesterone, oestradiol 17β, FSH, LH, GnRH, cortisol and PGF2α were incubated in vitro for 4 h with PMN of seven high milk yielding cows, during the period of anoestrous postpartum. Controls were run in parallel in which each hormone was replaced by its solvent. After incubation with hormones the competence of PMN to generate H₂O₂ was monitored by flow cytometry. A down‐regulation on the oxidative burst activity of PMA‐stimulated PMN was observed when cells were incubated with progesterone. Significant (p ≤ 0.001) differences between control and progesterone incubated cells were observed from 6.56 μg/ml. The same predisposition was observed when PMNs were incubated with cortisol. Besides for all concentrations employed, a decrease in the burst activity was observed, only beyond 0.19 mg/ml, statistical differences between the results obtained by the control and the cortisol incubated cells were obtained. Concerning oestradiol 17β, an increase on H₂O₂‐production was observed when PMN were incubated with 15 pg/ml and 45 pg/ml of this steroid (p ≤ 0.05), followed by a depression of the cell’s activity when unphysiological concentrations were employed. Significant (p ≤ 0.05) differences between the obtained with the control and oestradiol 17β incubated cells were observed only in the highest concentration of oestradiol. No statistical differences were observed in the metabolic burst activity of PMN incubated with FSH, GnRH and LH when compared with the results obtained by the control.     

Effect of glyphosate on symbiotic N2 fixation and nickel concentration in glyphosate-resistant soybeans

Decreased biological nitrogen fixation in glyphosate-resistant (GR) soybeans has been attributed directly to toxicity of glyphosate or its metabolites, to N₂-fixing microorganisms. As a strong metal chelator, glyphosate could influence symbiotic N₂ fixation by lowering the concentration of nickel (Ni) that is essential for the symbiotic microorganisms. Evaluation of different cultivars grown on different soil types at the State University of Maringá, PR, Brazil during the summer 2008 revealed, significant decreases in photosynthetic parameters (chlorophyll, photosynthetic rate, transpiration and stomatal conductance) and nickel content with glyphosate use (single or sequential application). This work demonstrated that glyphosate can influence the symbiotic N₂ fixation by lowering nickel content available to the symbiotic microorganisms.     

Improvement of biomolecular methods for the identification and typing of Escherichia coli O157:H7 isolated from raw meat

The aim of the study was to evaluate the sensitivity of two m-PCR methods for the quantitative determination of E. coli O157:H7 in foodstuffs. Genomic serotyping was carried out on bacterial cultures, and the necessary time was optimized to increase the resolution of the method. Subsequently, artificial contamination trials using meat were conducted to assess method accuracy in foodstuffs and pursue the genetic typing of pathogens. Measurement thresholds were shown to range between 10⁵ and 10⁶ CFU/mL, but were reduced by four logarithmic cycles in 80% of samples. Relative to the meat contamination trials, serotypes were identified after 24 hours, corresponding to 10 CFU/mL inoculum, with higher rates seen when m-TSB was used for enrichment. Inoculated samples were found to contain three virulence factors (hlyA, eaeA, and stx1).

     

Artificial soil-like bodies of a river valley and their evolution in an urban environment (Based on the example of the Moscow River valley)

Technogenic soil-like bodies and raw soils on technogenic sediments in the valley of the Moscow River in the city territory were investigated. Soil destruction and the accumulation of techogenic sediments, as well as their remediation, result in the formation of soil-like bodies called replantozems. Spontaneous overgrowth and the formation of raw soils that gradually evolve into mature urban soils result in soils called urbanozems. It is shown that the best foundation for replantozems in river valleys is in situ alluvium with relatively favorable physical and physical-chemical properties.     

The pyrethrins and related compounds. Part XXXV. Esters of aryl-substituted cyclopentane alcohols and analogues

Synthesis of a range of 1-, 2-and 3-phenyl, benzyl and phenethyl substituted cyclopentanols and cyclopentylmethyl alcohols and related unsaturated compounds is reported. Results of bioassays of their esters with known pyrethroidal acids against two species of insect lead to recognition of some structure-activity relationships in this series. The distance and relative orientation between the alcoholic and aryl functions appears crucial, but in other respects the nature of the spacer group between them is less important. The most effective alcoholic components are based on cyclopentenes.     

Virus elimination by meristem-tip culture from a range of Alstroemeria cultivars

A technique for virus elimination by meristem culture was developed for a range ofAlstroemeria cultivars. Meristems were excised from the rhizome tips and placed on a medium with indole-3-butyric acid, the required concentration of which was cultivar dependent: Six to eight weeks after dissection a shoot had formed which was transferred to a medium without growth regulators. On filter paper bridges, in a liquid medium, root formation was better than on a solid medium. In many cases a new rhizome developed. If not, the plantlet eventually died. Transfer into soil was more successful with the plantlets rooted in liquid medium than with those rooted in solid medium. Virus elimination was cultivar dependent, but in most cultivars plants resulting negatively in serological tests could be obtained. After repeated testing and selection for horticultural properties these plants may be used to start high quality mother plots.Samenvatting Een techniek werd ontwikkeld om door middel van meristeemcultuur virus te elimineren uit een aantalAlstroemeria cultivars. De meristemen werden uit de toppen van de rhizomen geprepareerd en op een voedingsbodem met IBA als auxine geplaatst. De IBA-concentratie nodig voor scheutvorming was afhankelijk van de cultivar. Na een periode van zes tot acht weken had het meristeem zich ontwikkeld tot een scheutje, dat vervolgens werd overgebracht op een voedingsbodem zonder groeistoffen. In ongeveer twee maanden vormden zich dan wortels. Deze wortelvorming was beter op een vloeibare voedingsbodem met papieren bruggetjes dan op een vaste voedingsbodem van agar. In veel, maar niet in alle gevallen, vormde zich ook een nieuw rhizoom. Indien geen rhizoom werd gevormd stierf de plant. Gewortelde plantjes groeiden beter in grond indien de beworteling op papieren bruggetjes had plaatsgevonden. Het succes van het elimineren van hetAlstroemeria-mozaïek virus hing af van de cultivar. Na herhaalde toetsing kunnen de negatief reagerende planten worden gebruikt voor de opbouw van een partij gezonde moederplanten. Op deze manier kan de kwaliteit van het uitgangsmateriaal vanAlstroemeria worden verbeterd.     

Effects of growth stage, leaf position and temperature on adult-plant resistance of wheat infected by Puccinia recondita f.sp. tritici

Growth stage, leaf position and temperature effects on components of resistance to Puccinia recondita f.sp. tritici in wheat ( Triticum aestivum ) were studied. Inoculation of Era, Glenlea, Sinton and RL6044 plants at five growth stages showed that latent period increased and uredinium numbers decreased as each adult-plant-resistant wheat matured. Growth stage had little effect on latent period in the susceptible cultivar Morocco. No significant differences in latent period determined on the flag, flag -1 and flag -2 leaves of the same plant were observed for Era, Glenlea and RL6044. However, leaf age should be considered in assessing adult-plant resistance because the latent period of P. recondita f.sp. tritici in flag leaves of Sinton was shorter than that determined for the flag-1 and flag -2 leaves. Fewer uredinia developed on the flag -2 leaf of Glenlea than on the flag leaf. The latent period of leaf rust in Era, Glenlea, RL6044 and Morocco was significantly longer at 15°C than at 21°C, but temperature did not affect Sinton to the same degree. Uredinium size was a sensitive criterion of adult-plant resistance. Uredinium development in line RL6044 was significantly restricted at 15°C, but uredinia on Era, Glenlea and Sinton at 15°C were as large as those at 21°C. On the susceptible Morocco uredinia were larger at 15°C than at 21°C.     

Relative importance of root rots of subterranean clover caused by Aphanomyces euteiches and Phytophthora clandestina

In a growth-cabinet experiment, Aphanomyces euteiches caused more severe root disease and greater reductions in root and shoot weights of subterranean clover cv. Mount Barker than Phytophthora clandestina in pasteurized sandy loam flooded with water for a 24-h period each week. A. euteiches also reduced plant growth more than P. clandestina in untreated sandy loam. In a similar experiment, both fungi caused the same amount of disease and reduction in growth of cv. Yarloop in pasteurized clay loam flooded for 24 h each week, and P. clandestina caused more disease and a greater decrease in plant growth than A. euteiches when the soil was flooded for 4 h each week. The pathogens did not interact positively in either soil. In an irrigated pasture, soil drenches with the fungicides metalaxyl and fenaminosulf together reduced both root rots to low levels and increased subterranean clover dry matter by 1 96, 0.50 and 1 20 t/ha in the autumn, winter and spring of 1985, respectively, and by 0.59 t/ha in the autumn of 1986. Results suggest that P. clandestina caused most of these losses in yield.