Possible role for cryostabilizers in preventing protein and lipid alterations in frozen-stored minced muscle of Atlantic mackerel

Adding DE 18 maltodextrin (80 g kg(-1)) to high-fat minced mackerel was highly effective against lipid oxidation and protein and color changes during frozen storage. It increased the temperature of ice-melting onset (Tm') and decreased freeze concentration of solutes in the unfrozen water (UFW) phase, which would have allowed it to effectively slow such perturbations. This maltodextrin showed a higher effectiveness against lipid oxidation, but was slightly less effective in preventing the loss of protein solubility than common cryoprotectants, that is, an equiproportional mixture of sucrose and sorbitol. Such differences in effectiveness were much higher in low-fat minces, in which lipid oxidation proceeded to a much lower extent. Consequently, prior to replacing traditional cryoprotectants with maltodextrins, it should be known which processes limit the shelf life of the food. Decreasing (from 80 to 50 g kg(-1)) the proportion of maltodextrin added to high-fat minced mackerel showed that although it affected only slightly the effectiveness against lipid oxidation, it did notably affect the effectiveness in preventing the loss of protein solubility and color changes. Therefore, such a decrease could be accepted only if lipid oxidation is the most limiting process of shelf life, but does not seem appropriate when protein changes are important.     

Proapoptotic BAX and BAK modulate the unfolded protein response by a direct interaction with IRE1alpha

Accumulation of misfolded protein in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) triggers an adaptive stress response-termed the unfolded protein response (UPR)-mediated by the ER transmembrane protein kinase and endoribonuclease inositol-requiring enzyme-1alpha (IRE1alpha). We investigated UPR signaling events in mice in the absence of the proapoptotic BCL-2 family members BAX and BAK [double knockout (DKO)]. DKO mice responded abnormally to tunicamycin-induced ER stress in the liver, with extensive tissue damage and decreased expression of the IRE1 substrate X-box-binding protein 1 and its target genes. ER-stressed DKO cells showed deficient IRE1alpha signaling. BAX and BAK formed a protein complex with the cytosolic domain of IRE1alpha that was essential for IRE1alpha activation. Thus, BAX and BAK function at the ER membrane to activate IRE1alpha signaling and to provide a physical link between members of the core apoptotic pathway and the UPR.     

Evaluating the spatial range of the effect of synchronized antiparasitic treatments on the abundance of sea lice Caligus rogercresseyi (Boxshall & Bravo, 2000) in Chile

Sea lice are the most important ectoparasites affecting farmed salmonids in marine water worldwide and pharmacological treatments are widely used to control their abundance. Synchronization of antiparasitic treatments among closely located salmon farms has been recently evaluated as a promising strategy for improving treatment performance. However, the optimum distance at which farms should synchronize their treatments is not clear. We used a repeated measures linear mixed effects model to evaluate the impact of two nationwide treatment synchronization procedures conducted in Chile in 2014 and 2015 on subsequent adult lice counts up to 13 weeks after the procedure. Each treatment synchronization procedure consisted of two 2‐week synchronization windows, in which farms were required to treat their fish. A period of 3 weeks elapsed between the two windows. Treatment synchronization was measured as the number of neighbouring farms that treated their fish within a certain geographical threshold, each of them weighted by its distance from the farm of interest. We tested four different thresholds: 5, 10, 20 and 30 km. The results indicate that the abundance of adult lice on farms that synchronized treatments with their neighbours within a distance of 5 km was lower than the abundance on non‐synchronized farms from weeks 4 to 11 after the procedure. Our findings suggest the treatment synchronization effect was distance dependent and greater when neighbouring farms up to 5 km joined the procedure.     

A cross-sectional study of swine influenza in intensive and extensive farms in the northeastern region of the state of São Paulo,Brazil

Swine influenza (SI) is a seasonal infectious disease highly important to the world pig industry. Loss of daily weight gain, increased costs for the prevention and treatment of secondary infections are the main economic losses associated with the presence of this disease. However, some epidemiological features of SI remain quite unclear. This study focused on assessing the prevalence of swine influenza virus (SIV) infection in intensive and extensive pig herds and associating risk factors. A set of 601 blood samples of five intensive farrow-to-finish farms and 361 blood samples from 56 extensive farms were analyzed using an indirect ELISA kit CIVTEST SUIS INFLUENZA®, Hipra (Amer, Spain), in order to detect anti-SIV antibodies. In total, 24.13 % of samples from intensive herds were positive, while no positive samples were detected in extensive rearing herds. Sow and weaning piglets had the highest prevalence values. In the intensive rearing system, occurrence of reproductive disorders and exposure to recently introduced animals were positively associated with the disease occurrence in swine herds. The findings highlight the importance of sows in the epidemiology of the disease and bring information about risk factors involved in the occurrence of swine influenza in intensive herds.     

Variation in pinewood nematode susceptibility among <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus pinaster</Emphasis> Ait. provenances from the Iberian Peninsula and France

Key message

Pinus pinaster Ait. susceptibility to pinewood nematode significantly differed among provenances, and the two Atlantic provenances of the Iberian Peninsula being the most affected. However, significant provenance × environment interaction was found. Provenance susceptibility was related to basal diameter, number of branches and oleoresin flow, and some climatic parameters.

Context

The pinewood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, native to North America, is an important pest affecting pine forests throughout Eurasia. In Europe, it has been detected in Portugal and Spain and is primarily associated with Pinus pinaster, an important Mediterranean tree species.

Aims

We have investigated the differences in susceptibility among several P. pinaster provenances in the Iberian Peninsula and France, as well as their relationship to certain growth traits and physiological parameters.

Methods

Three independent inoculation tests were performed on 3 to 4-year-old trees, followed by assessment of growth traits and physiological variables, along with time course destructive sampling for nematode quantification.

Results

The results showed significant differences among provenances for almost all growth traits, wilting, and mortality, though a significant provenance × environment interaction was also detected. Two Atlantic provenances, Noroeste-Litoral and Leiria, displayed the largest susceptibility to pinewood nematode. Changes in susceptibility to B. xylophilus between experiments were influenced by temperature and seasonality. Autumn precipitation and mean maximum temperature during summer at the original provenance sites could be related to provenance susceptibility.

Conclusion

Noroeste-Litoral and Leiria were the most disease-affected provenances. This study emphasizes the need for further research on how tree growth stage influences susceptibility and on the possibility of cross-breeding among provenances.

     

Valorization of Organic Wastes to Reduce the Movement of Priority Substances Through a Semiarid Soil

In this work, we examined the effect of two different organic wastes, composted sheep manure and coir, on the sorption, persistence, and mobility of three pesticides (alachlor, chlorfenvinphos, and chlorpyrifos) included as priority substances in European Directive 2013/39/EU. With this aim, leaching studies were conducted using disturbed soil columns filled with a typical agricultural soil (hipercalcic calcisol) from a semiarid area (southeastern Spain) to determine their potential for groundwater pollution. The three compounds were found in leachates of unamended soil although in different proportions: 53% (alachlor), 9% (chlorfenvinphos), and 6% (chlorpiryfos). The addition of organic wastes significantly increased the sorption of the studied pesticides. As a consequence, the half-lives of the studied pesticides were higher in amended than in unamended soils. A marked reduction of the amount recovered in leachates was observed in the amended soils, except for chlorpiryfos, whose recoveries barely changed. According to their potential groundwater pollution calculated as the groundwater ubiquity score (GUS) index, alachlor and chlorfenvinphos show medium leachability while chlorpiryfos is unlikely to leach.     

Soil legacy phosphorus after 10 years of annual dairy liquid manure application in a no-tillage system

The benefits of manure as a source of nutrients for plants and to improve soil quality are well-known. Monitoring of manure application is needed if environmental issues are to be prevented. In particular, the availability and accumulation of phosphorus (P) has to be subject to rigorous monitoring. This study aims to both evaluate the efficacy of the resin method in extracting inorganic labile P in soils under the long-term application of dairy liquid manure (DLM), and verify the influence of DLM on the recovery of applied P and soil legacy P. To realize our objectives, two long-term field experiments were established under a no-tillage system with annual DLM application on sandy clay loam (sandy Oxisol) and clayey (clayey Oxisol) soils. Treatment consisted of DLM applications (0, 60, 120, 180 m³ ha⁻¹ year⁻¹), independent of mineral fertilizer. Soil samples were taken from the 0–5, 5–10 and 10–15 cm layers after 10 years from the beginning of the trial. A single extraction with resin underestimated inorganic labile P; however, successive extractions were able to take up 43% and 26% of the total P in sandy and clayey Oxisols, respectively, whereas in a single extraction the take-up was 17% and 8% from the same soils, respectively. The resin method was more effective in extracting P from the sandy Oxisol. Thus, when interpreting soil P contents for fertilizer planning, the soil texture should be taken into account. DLM application decreased P recovered from applied P, ranging from 54% to 83% (sandy), and 43% to 67% (clayey), and substantially increased soil legacy P.     

The novel pyridazine pyrazolecarboxamide insecticide dimpropyridaz inhibits chordotonal organ function upstream of TRPV channels

The cover image is based on the Research Article The novel pyridazine pyrazolecarboxamide insecticide dimpropyridaz inhibits chordotonal organ function upstream of TRPV channels by Christian Spalthoff et al., https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.7352