Differentiation of species from the Penicillium roqueforti group by volatile metabolite profiling

Species from the Penicillium roqueforti group were differentiated by volatile metabolite profiling primarily of sesquiterpenes. A total of 24 isolates from species P. roqueforti, Penicillium carneum, and the recently described species Penicillium paneum were inoculated on yeast extract sucrose agar. Volatile metabolites were collected by diffusive sampling onto tubes containing Tenax TA, overnight between the fifth and sixth days of incubation. Volatiles were thermally desorbed and analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The sesquiterpene area of the chromatogram was investigated, and potential sesquiterpenes were tabulated by comparison of their Kovats retention index and mass spectrum. In general, P. carneum isolates produced the lowest number of sesquiterpenes, all of which were unique for P. carneum within the P. roqueforti group. P. roqueforti and P. paneum produced a larger variety of volatile metabolites, some of which they have in common and some of which are unique for the two species. (+)-Aristolochene was found in samples from P. paneum and P. roqueforti. Other Penicillium species in which (+)-aristolochene was also detected were P. commune, P. glandicola, and P. solitum.     

Behavioural Changes in Free-ranging Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) due to Sarcoptic Mange

Sarcoptic mange (Sarcoptes scabiei var. vulpes) reached Scandinavia in the mid-1970’s and is mainly prevalent among red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) (Borg 1987). In the laboratory, foxes succumb 2–4 months after being infested, and it is commonly thought that carriers in the wild exhibit an abnormal behaviour and quickly die (Mörner & Christensson 1984, Holt & Berg 1990). However, there is a lack of comparative data from free-ranging animals to contribute to the ecology of the species in general and ta supplement the content of the above selected references in particular (e.g. Plowright 1988). Using telemetry studies, I have compared the behaviour in winter of 2 mange infested and 2 healthy red foxes. The work took place in 1987 and 1990 in a boreal area adjacent to farmland in central Norway (63° 20′N 10° 45′E).     

Activin A: from sometime reproductive factor to genuine cytokine

The growth factor, activin A, was initially characterized as a putative reproductive hormone but is now known to have many other divergent roles. One of these is during inflammation. Following intravenous injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into sheep, activin A is released extremely rapidly into the circulation. The release of activin A appears to be independent of fever, prostaglandins or other key proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-alpha or IL-1beta. While the precise roles and function of this factor in inflammation are yet to be elucidated, the activin response occurs in other mammalian species besides the sheep and elevated activin has been documented for a number of clinical inflammatory conditions. Activin A therefore seems to be part of the regulatory component of the innate immune response.     

The influence of diet on Lawsonia intracellularis colonization in pigs upon experimental challenge

The objective of this investigation was to study if different feeding strategies influence experimental infections of pigs with Lawsonia intracellularis, the causative agent of proliferative enteropathy. In three sequential trials, a total of 144 weaned pigs were fed five different diets all made from a standard diet based on wheat and barley as carbohydrate source and soybean as protein source. The five diets were: a standard diet (fine ground and pelleted), the standard diet fed as fermented liquid feed, the standard diet added 1.8% formic acid, the standard diet added 2.4% lactic acid and a diet similar to the standard diet (made from the same ingredients), but fed coarse ground. Twenty-four pigs on each diet were orally inoculated with L. intracellularis and growth performance and faecal excretion of bacteria were monitored. Twenty-four pigs fed the standard diet were included as not experimentally infected controls. Pigs in the first two trials were sacrificed 4 weeks post-inoculation, whereas animals in the third trial were sacrificed after 5 weeks. Pigs in all experimentally infected groups excreted L. intracellularis. The fermented liquid diet delayed the excretion of L. intracellularis and furthermore, pigs fed the standard diet supplemented with lactic acid had limited pathological lesions when the intestines were examined 4 weeks after inoculation. The growth performance was reduced in pigs experimentally challenged with L. intracellularis, however the prevalence and severity of diarrhea was limited.     

Incomplete split-plot designs based on α-designs: a compromise between traditional split-plot designs and randomised complete block design

The paper shows how the α-design (also known as generalised lattice) may be used for constructing incomplete split-plot designs and describes four different methods (A, B, C and D) of construction. Intra-block efficiency factors and theoretical considerations are used to compare the methods. Based on those considerations method B was considered to be the most appropriate method for trials where tests for interaction between the two factors were important and thus this method was used and most of the paper deals with trials based on this construction method. The incomplete split-plots were superior to traditional split-plots in most cases—and the increase in efficiency of the designs can be quite large—especially for comparisons involving the whole-plot treatment. The efficiency for the comparison of the main effect of the whole-plot treatment was in most cases larger for randomized complete block design than for the incomplete split-plot design, but for other comparisons the proposed designs were in most cases more efficient than a randomized complete block design. The efficiency of the designs was compared to traditional split-plot designs and randomized complete block designs using three types of data. The three types were simulated data with known covariance structure, data from uniformity trials and data from actual trials using incomplete split-plot designs for comparing cereal varieties under different growing conditions. It is concluded that the incomplete split-plot designs may be a good alternative to traditional split-plots and a good compromise between split-plots and randomised complete blocks.     

Low prevalence of zoonotic multidrug‐resistant bacteria in veterinarians in a country with prudent use of antimicrobials in animals

The occurrence of multidrug‐resistant zoonotic bacteria in animals has been increasing worldwide. Working in close contact with livestock increases the risk of carriage of these bacteria. We investigated the occurrence of extended‐spectrum beta‐lactamase (ESBL) and plasmidic AmpC beta‐lactamase producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL/pAmpC‐PE) and livestock‐associated methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA‐MRSA) in Finnish veterinarians (n = 320). In addition to microbiological samples, background information was collected. Bacterial whole genome sequencing was performed to deduce sequence types (STs), spa types and resistance genes of the isolates. In total, 3.0% (9/297) of the veterinarians carried ESBL producing Escherichia coli, with one ESBL producing E. coli isolate producing also AmpC. Seven different STs, sequences of several different plasmid groups as well as several different bla_ESBL/pAmpC genes existed in different combinations. No carbapenemase or colistin resistance genes were detected. MRSA was detected in 0.3% (1/320) of the samples. The strain belonged to LA‐MRSA clonal complex (CC) 398 (ST398, spa type 011, lacking Panton‐Valentine leukocidin genes). In conclusion, this study shows low carriage of multidrug‐resistant zoonotic bacteria in Finnish veterinarians. However, finding LA‐MRSA for the first time in a sample from a veterinarian in a country with prudent use of animal antimicrobials and regarding the recent rise of LA‐MRSA on Finnish pig farms, a strong recommendation to protect people working in close contact with animals carrying LA‐MRSA CC398 is given. Further studies are needed to explain why the prevalence of LA‐MRSA in veterinarians is lower in Finland than in other European countries.     

Weed Growth Properties of Amaranthus Retroflexus,Echinochloa Crus-Galli and Setaria Viridis as Influenced by Shifts in the Maize Cropping Season

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Climate change is predicted to result in rising temperatures which directly influence weed growth. Moreover, alterations in farming practice and...     

Losses of essential mineral nutrients by polishing of rice differ among genotypes due to contrasting grain hardness and mineral distribution

The effect of different polishing techniques on loss of mineral elements from rice grains was quantified using a panel of indica and tropical japonica genotypes, previously classified as differing in ease of polishing. Gradients in mineral elements across the bran-endosperm interface were quantified using micro-scaled precision abrasive polishing in combination with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and synchrotron X-ray fluorescence microscopy. Frictional polishing, similar to that of commercial mills, i.e. 8–10% loss of grain weight, reduced the concentration of Fe, Mg, P, K and Mn by 60–80% in all genotypes. Following gentler polishing (3–5% weight loss), genotypes classified as difficult to polish showed smaller decreases in Fe, Mg, P, K and Mn compared to genotypes classified as easy to polish. The concentration of other elements, e.g. Zn, S, Ca, Cu, Mo and Cd, showed comparable reductions (<30%) irrespective of polishing technique or ease of polishing. The different patterns of polishing losses of minerals reflected their distribution within the grain. Five-fold differences in the reduction of Zn concentration during polishing were observed for different genotypes which started with similar Zn concentrations in the unpolished grain, thus showing clear potential for selecting genotypes with reduced polishing losses of Zn.     

利用根管法对油菜和冬小麦苗期根系形态的研究

快速、准确的根系原位观测方法是根系研究中的重要技术,本研究介绍了一种根管盆栽方法,该方法在透明PVC管内种植作物,通过遮光膜保持管内黑暗环境,以实现在作物生长过程中对其根系生长的原位动态观测,且根系生长环境更接近田间实际情况,并可通过改变根管长度、半径等将其应用于田间深根作物的研究中。利用此方法、结合根系扫描技术分析了油菜和冬小麦从发芽到出苗后16 d时的根系生长情况。结果表明,出苗后7和16 d冬小麦根系和地上部干物重均大于油菜,出苗后16 d冬小麦和油菜根冠比分别为0.513和0.372。大部分根系分布在0~16 cm表层土壤中,出苗后16 d冬小麦和油菜表层土壤中的根长在总根长中的比例分别为62.60%和67.76%,根系总表面积、总体积和一级侧根数均为表层土壤中占比最多,在出苗后7 d,总根长、总表面积、总体积和一级侧根数均为冬小麦显著高于油菜,而在出苗后16 d,两种作物的总根长和总表面积差别不大,说明油菜根系生长呈先缓后快趋势。表层土壤中根系平均直径小于底层土壤,油菜根系平均直径小于冬小麦,油菜和冬小麦的根系直径均大部分在0~0.50 mm之间,随着根系生长,较细的侧根逐渐增多,根系平均直径变小。出苗后16 d内的冬小麦根系伸长速率为1.83 cm/d,大于油菜的1.51 cm/d。因此,冬小麦苗期根系生长快于油菜,油菜根系呈先缓后快的生长特性。本研究介绍的根管法是一种原位研究根系的有效方法。