Flower emasculation accelerates ovule degeneration and reduces fruit set in sweet cherry

Flower emasculation is commonly used to make flowers unattractive to pollinating insects and to carry out controlled pollinations. In sweet cherry, we have observed recurrent low fruit set after flower emasculation and compatible pollination without apparent causes. This led us to evaluate its effect on the progress of the reproductive phase and on fruit set in this species. Flower emasculation reduced by more than a half the fruit set obtained in crosses made during two consecutive years. This effect could be traced back to the first week after anthesis where weight increase of pistils from emasculated flowers was smaller and ovule degeneration was accelerated compared to pistils from non-emasculated flowers. Pollen tubes, which behaved similarly at the stigma-style level in emasculated and non-emasculated flowers, lost their directionality in the area close to the degenerated ovule in the ovary. While flower emasculation is valid to evaluate pollen tube performance in the style and to determine incompatibility relationships, the lower fruit set registered after emasculation alerts on its use in fruit set experiments and breeding programs.     

Pollen germination as affected by pollen age in cherimoya

Cherimoya (Annona cherimola (Mill.)) is a subtropical fruit tree, which is cultivated in a good range of subtropical regions. In most of these areas the crop relies on hand pollination. However, following this practice, erratic fruit set is often produced, which could be related to problems in pollen handling. Indeed, very little is known of the time that the pollen remains viable and on which is the best stage to collect the anthers or pollen from the flower. The aim of this work is to evaluate pollen germinability prior and after anther dehiscence and also how the age of pollen affects pollen vigor, understood as speed of germination. Pollen samples at different times following anther dehiscence were germinated in vitro and in vivo. Pollen up to 90 min following dehiscence performed as well as freshly dehisced pollen. However, the pollen taken 120 min following dehiscence, showed a clear reduction in vigor and germinated much slower in vivo. To overcome this short pollen germinability, pollen was taken from anthers 30 and 5 h prior to natural anther dehiscence and compared with pollen taken at anther dehiscence and 20 h later. However, a reduction in germination rate was obtained in pollen taken prior to anther dehiscence. The narrow stage at which pollen can be collected together to its ephemeral germinability explains erratic results obtained following hand pollination in this crop and these results provide the clues for an adequate pollen handling.     

Dispharynx nasuta (Nematoda:Acuariidae) infection causing proventricular lesions and death in three captive rosellas (Psittaciformes:Psittacidae)

Two adult male Crimson rosellas (Platycercus elegans) and an adult female eastern rosella (Platycercus eximius) were found dead in their cages in a private aviary in March 2009, April 2010, and February 2010, respectively, without premonitory signs. Their postmortem examination showed pectoral muscle atrophy and a distended proventriculus. The proventricular mucosal surface was covered with a gelatinous, whitish material, where a large number of nematode parasites identified as Dispharynx nasuta were present. A histologic examination revealed a hyperplastic mucosa, spirurid nematodes in the mucosal layer and inflammatory mononuclear cells in the lamina propria. This is the first report of a D. nasuta infection associated with proliferative proventriculitis and subsequent death in psittacine birds.     

Thermoluminescence dates and palaeoenvironmental information of the late Quaternary sand deposits, Tierra de Pinares, Central Spain

A large amount of Quaternary palaeo-environmental evidence lies within the terrestrial aeolian sediments filling the Duero basin in central Spain. Previous work has identified a number of stratigraphical units although the absolute age and origin of some of these is equivocal. The uppermost unit, the focus of this paper, is a widely distributed sand which covers most of the Tierra de Pinares, north of Segovia. Detailed investigations of an exposure at Burgomillodo reveal over 35 m of laminated and cross-bedded sand from which seven thermoluminescence dates were obtained. The bedding structures indicate a northwesterly palaeowind direction, different from the present dominating westerly winds. Two phases of sand deposition are identified at the site with evidence of erosion and reactivation phases. An upper unit of ca. 7 ka during the warm-aridity of the Atlantic period and a lower unit between 12.5–11 ka coinciding with the cold-aridity of the Younger Dryas event. The latter, in which at least 25 m of sand were deposited at the site, is the dominant phase and is coincident with what has been identified elsewhere in Spain from biological data as a period which was both cold and dry. The Burgomillodos site, therefore, represents the first sedimentological evidence for this arid phase in the Younger Dryas in central Spain.     

Community-based interventions for the use and conservation of animal genetic resources: the case of indigenous scavenger chicken production in Benin

Scavenging chicken production in Africa is important for the livelihood of the poor. In most countries, these low inputs, low output systems employ local breeds making use of the feeding resources available in the household. However, their replacement with introduced exotic breeds with higher productivities represents a risk for their conservation. Here, we present a simulation model to evaluate the impact of community-based interventions aiming to improve the profitability of local chicken breeds and promote their use and conservation. The results indicate that under the current conditions, farmers producing exotic chicken are able to sell more animals in a one year period; however the market price of local chicken makes their production more profitable. Vaccination campaigns significantly reduce the mortality rate of both breeds, having a positive effect on producers’ income but its impact on animal off-take is larger for exotic breeds, and the availability of feeding resources is the limiting factor as the flock size increases. The results of the intervention are positive in terms of increasing farmers’ income but do not clearly contribute to the conservation of indigenous breeds since after the vaccination campaign, the gap between the profitability of indigenous and exotic breeds is reduced. The simulation model indicates that under the current conditions, the conservation of indigenous chicken breeds in Benin is maintained by the existence of distinct niche markets with consumers able to pay higher prices for indigenous chicken. Policies for the conservation of chicken genetic resources in Benin are discussed.     

An insight on Octopus vulgaris paralarvae lipid requirements under rearing conditions

In this study, two new alternative preys: Grapsus adscensionis zoeae (as sole prey) and Palaemon elegans zoeae (in cofeeding with Artemia sp.), as well as, Artemia sp. juveniles were used as feed for octopus paralarvae, as a way to understand its lipid requirements. Total lipid (TL) content, lipid class (LC) and fatty acid (FA) profiles of preys, octopus hatchlings and 9‐day‐old paralarvae were analysed. Growth and survival of the paralarvae were also determined. Regardless the prey provided, a notable shift in the lipid profile of paralarvae was registered after 9 days of rearing. The highest index of growth rate (IGR) recorded when decapod crustacean zoeae were supplied might have some relation with levels of 20:4n‐6 (ARA) and DHA/EPA ratio observed. In this sense, Grapsus adscensionis zoeae leaded to a higher content of ARA and a lower content of EPA, which may indicate a possible competition between these two FA. For that a balanced EPA/ARA ratio might be significant in this species nutrition without disconsidering DHA levels as an essential fatty acid. Finally, the changes observed in paralarvae FA profile might not only be related to prey FA profile, but also with changes occurring in the lipid classes contents.     

In vitro Effect of Zearalenone and α-Zearalenol on Boar Sperm Characteristics and Acrosome Reaction

This study was conducted to determine the in vitro effects of three different concentrations (125, 187.5 and 250 microM in diluted semen) of zearalenone (zen) and alpha-zearalenol (alpha-zen) on boar sperm. Semen parameters such as motility, viability and spontaneous acrosome reaction were evaluated. From the results it was shown that both zen and alpha-zen affected the sperm characteristics significantly (p < 0.05), except for alpha-zen at the low concentration which did not decrease the percentage of live reacted spermatozoa significantly. In conclusion, zen and alpha-zen are directly toxic when they affect boar semen in vitro and consequently decrease the fertilization ability of the sperm. The higher the concentration of mycotoxin tested, the greater the decline of sperm parameters noticed. The influence of mycotoxins was found to be time- and dose-dependent.     

Post-Partum Involution of the Canine Uterus – Gross Anatomical and Histological Features

We aimed to study the normal puerperium in the bitch. Ovariohysterectomy was performed in nine bitches, each at a different day after normal whelping; their genital tract was subject to gross anatomical examination, as well as to histological examination and electron microscopy scanning. Corpora albicans were evenly distributed in the left and right ovaries and placental sites were evenly distributed among left and right uterine horns. Placental sites were initially of dark green to grey colour, later becoming dark brown; their length and height progressively decreased. Height of the myometrium and diameter of the uterine glands progressively decreased. Trophoblast-like cells were consistently observed at the placental sites and on the surface of the interplacental areas, at all time points where hysterectomy had been performed. It is suggested that involution of the canine genital tract can last up to 3 months and is slow. Continuous (up to D84 post-partum) presence of prominent placental sites should be considered a normal feature of canine uterine post-partum involution.     

Neutralizing antibodies against vesicular stomatitis viruses (serotypes New Jersey and Indiana) in horses in Costa Rica.

Serum samples were collected from domestic horses in 4 different regions of Costa Rica to detect antibodies against vesicular stomatitis viruses, serotypes New Jersey (VSV-NJ) and Indiana (VSV-IN). A total of 214 samples were tested by the virus neutralization test. The sampling regions were identified as low North Pacific dry area (1), low Middle Atlantic humid area (2), low South Pacific humid area (3), and the highlands (4). In region 1, 97.1% of horses were positive for VSV-NJ and 16.5% were positive for VSV-IN. The mean antibody titer and its standard deviation after logarithmic transformation were 5.86 +/- 0.9 for VSV-NJ and 3.55 +/- 1.66 for VSV-IN for region 1. In region 2, 40.7% of horses were positive for VSV-NJ and 32.2% were positive for VSV-IN. The mean antibody titer in region 2 was 4.33 +/- 1.82 for VSV-NJ and 3.47 +/- 1.73 for VSV-IN. In region 3, 20.79% of horses were positive for VSV-NJ and 27.6% were positive for VSV-IN. The mean antibody titer in region 3 was 4.39 +/- 1.89 for VSV-NJ and 3.47 +/- 1.82 for VSV-IN. In region 4, 91.3% of horses were positive for VSV-NJ and 73.9% were positive for VSV-IN. The mean antibody titer in region 4 was 5.77 +/- 1.10 for VSV-NJ and 4.85 +/- 1.63 for VSV-IN. This is the first published report of the detection of virus-neutralizing antibodies against VSV-NJ and VSV-IN in horses in Costa Rica.     

从西方国际关系理论看“和谐世界”构建

"和谐世界"得以构建的前提和基础,是主体和谐利益观的形成。"和谐世界"主张以和谐秩序超越现实主义权力冲突状态,以民主、平等、包容性和普适性的行为体互动关系来规范、超越新自由主义强权依附型的国际机制思想,以理性、唯物的国际政治观超越理想主义和建构主义。我们对"和谐世界"的理解,不能仅仅停留在外交政策或文化层面上。应深入挖掘其理论内涵,构建和完善与之相适应的逻辑体系,使之与国际相关理论尤其是西方理论相接轨,并自然融入到国际政治理论体系中,从而拓展民族性理论的世界影响力。