Evaluation of analgesic effect of Datura fastuosa leaves and seed extracts

The aqueous extracts of Datura fastuosa leaves and seeds were evaluated for the analgesic effect on acetic acid-induced writhing and hot plate reaction in mice. According to the results, D. fastuosa leaves and seeds extracts at oral doses of 400 and 800 mg/kg are effective as analgesic. The analgesic activity of leaf extract is reduced by naloxone but not that of seed extract.     

Use of natural and modified cyclodextrins as inhibiting agents of peach juice enzymatic browning

Although cyclodextrins (CDs) have been successfully used as antibrowning agents in different fruit juices, no research has studied the effect of these compounds on enzymatic browning in peach juice. In this paper, the color of fresh peach juice was evaluated in the presence of two types of natural (alpha-CD and beta-CD) and a modified (maltosyl-beta-CD) CD, and the effectiveness of these compounds as browning inhibitors was determined using the color space CIELAB system. Moreover, to clarify the mechanism by which CDs inhibit peach juice enzymatic browning, the process was kinetically modeled in the absence and presence of CDs using a colorimetric method; the apparent complexation constants between the mixtures of diphenols present in peach juice and some types of CD were calculated. The results show that the highest affinity constant was presented by alpha-CD (Kc = 18.31 mM-1) followed by maltosyl-beta-CD (Kc = 11.17 mM-1), whereas beta-CD was incapable of inhibiting peach juice enzymatic browning. Keywords: Cyclodextrin; browning; peach; juice; color; polyphenol oxidase.     

Method of determination of nitrosamines in sausages by CO2 supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC)

In this paper, the use of supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MEKC) is proposed for the complete analysis of volatile nitrosamines in sausages. The extraction fluid used was CO2 and variables such as density, temperature of thimbles, extraction time, modifier, fluid flow, and kind of traps were investigated. Several experiments were carried out to obtain the most favorable conditions for analysis of volatile nitrosamines in sausages. The recoveries ranged from 21 to 82% for the five nitrosamines studied. The optimal condition of extraction was 0.2 g of sample fortified with 10 mg/kg, using dynamic extraction during 20 min and with adsorbent Florisil in the trap. The solvent selected for the elution of the analytes was methanol.     

Milk yield and reproductive performance of brucellosis-vaccinated but seropositive Holstein cows

The aim of this research was to study if seropositivity for brucellosis in vaccinated cows against this disease hampers reproductive performance and milk production in high-yielding Holstein cows. For this purpose 1,026 healthy cows and 372 cows seropositive for brucellosis were enrolled in this study. Cows positive to card test and subsequently to the rivanol test were further subjected to the radial immunodiffusion (RID) test. It was found that only 11 % of the presumably infected cows by brucellosis screening tests were really infected with this disease. The reproductive performance of the group of cows with 11 % Brucella-infected animals was not impaired; overall pregnancy rate did not differ between seropositive and healthy cows (30.9 vs. 29.6 %). The abortion rates were similar between seropositive cows (5.3 %) and seronegative animals (6.9 %). Cows in the herd with 11 % Brucella-infected animals produced significantly more milk than unaffected cows over a 305-day lactation (10,684?±?1,720 vs. 10,345?±?1,736; mean ± SD; P?<?0.05). It was concluded that in dairy herds vaccinated against brucellosis with both 19 and RB51 strains, supplemental tests such as RID need to be conducted on all reactors in order to maintain diagnostic accuracy. These results also indicate that 11 % animal prevalence of brucellosis did not exert a detrimental effect on 305-day milk yield and reproductive performance in high milk-yielding Holstein cows.     

Association between cattle herd Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) infection and infection of a hare population

Paratuberculosis has long been considered a disease of domestic and wild ruminants only. The known host range of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) was recently extended to include non-ruminant wildlife species believed to be exposed to spillover of MAP from infected domestic cattle herds. The aim of the present study was to assess the association between cattle herd MAP infection pressure level and the infection level of a hare population in two dairy farms of southern Chile. Fifty hares from a herd A and 42 hares from herd B were captured and sampled for MAP culture. The results showed a statistically significant association between the cattle herds’ infection prevalence and the hare infection prevalence.     

First report of Enterocytozoon bieneusi from dairy cattle in Argentina

Fecal specimens were obtained from a total of 70 dairy calves less than two months old on 11 municipalities in Buenos Aires, Argentina. After removal of fecal debris by sieving and sucrose flotation, specimens were subjected to PCR to detect the presence of Enterocytozoon bieneusi. PCR revealed a 14.3% of prevalence for E. bieneusi with 10 positive calves from 7 municipalities. Gene sequence analysis conducted in all samples positives by PCR revealed the presence of six genotypes; four previously reported in cattle as well as humans (D, I, J, and BEB4), one never reported in cattle before but previously reported in humans (EbpC), and one novel genotype (BEB10). These results constitute the first molecular characterization of E. bieneusi in Argentina, and suggest a potential risk of zoonotic transmission in this area.     

Fragmentation patterns and systematic transitions of the forested landscape in the upper Amazon region,Ecuador 1990–2008

The analysis of the systematic transitions in the forested landscape and the study of the forest fragmentation patterns allow us to deepen our understanding of the changes in the vegetation ground cover. The importance of knowing the intricate patterns of the land usage of the upper basin of the Amazon region is widely recognized. This zone is one of the most diverse biological areas in the world, is home to large areas of mature tropical cloud forest and demonstrates high probabilities of stable climatic conditions in light of global warming. The research quan- tiffed systematic transitions through the ＂loss＂ and ＂gain＂ of the different categories of landscape during the eighteen-year study period of the Ecuadorian Amazon Region （EAR）, the forest fragmentation patterns were also analyzed based on a set of indicators. Therefore, with respect to the entirety of the landscape, the results registered for the ground coverage in forested areas during the first period （1990-2000）, show a decrease of 6.99% and an increase of 0.68%; and during the second period （2000-2008）, show a decrease of 3.99% and an increase of 2.14%. It demonstrated that forest and agricultural areas tended to replace or be replaced by herbaceous vegetation faster than expected fortuitously. Finally, the indices of fragmentation signaled intense changes during the 1990-2000 period with a reduction during the period 2000-2008. Per- centages registered in the Largest Patch Index （LPI） were between 79.58%; 52.39% and 49.99% respectively; while the Patch Density （PD） varied between 0.04; 0.06 and 0.07. This suggests the propensity of for- est cover to remain intact. The results of this investigation suggest a tendency towards stability in Ecuador＇s Amazon landscape. Within the framework for development and management of this area, the tendency is natural regeneration. This permits a consolidation of the conservation, reforestation, forestation and agricultural forestry plans, programs and systems for the protected areas in EAR.     

Effect of increasing levels of seven tree species extracts added to a high concentrate diet on in vitro rumen gas output

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of increasing levels of extracts of Byrsonima crassifolia, Celtis pallida, Enterolobium cyclocarpum, Fraxinus excelsior, Ficus trigonata, Phoradendrom brevifolium and Prunus domestica on in vitro gas production (GP) and ruminal fermentation of a high concentrate diet. Plant extracts were prepared at 1 g dry matter (DM)/8 mL of solvent mixture (methanol : ethanol : water, 1:1:8) and added at levels of 0, 0.6, 1.2 and 1.8 mL/g DM of a high concentrate diet. In vitro GP was recorded at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h of incubation. Increasing addition of extracts linearly increased (P < 0.001), the GP₂₄, GP₄₈ and GP₇₂ (mL/g DM), and linearly decreased (P < 0.001), the discrete GP lag time. Moreover, increasing extract doses linearly increased (P < 0.001) the asymptotic GP and decreased (P < 0.001) the rate of GP. GP₆ was not impacted by treatments and GP₁₂ increased linearly (P = 0.01) with increasing addition of extracts. Rumen pH declined linearly (P < 0.05) with increasing doses of extracts added. As no interactions (P > 0.05) occurred between the extracts and doses, it could be conclude that all extracts positively modified rumen fermentation at doses of 1.2 to 1.8 mL extract/g diet DM.     

Intestinal phytase I: Detection and preliminary characterization of activity in the intestinal brush border membrane of hybrid striped bass Morone saxatilis × M. chrysops

While numerous studies have evaluated intestinal phytase activity in terrestrial monogastric species, little work has been conducted investigating the enzyme's activity in finfish. This experiment was conducted to determine if hybrid striped bass Morone saxatilis × M. chrysops possess intestinal phytase activity, and to perform a preliminary characterization of this activity in terms of pH, metal ion dependence and substrate kinetics. Hybrid bass do exhibit low levels of intestinal phytase activity. The activity has an acidic pH optimum between 3.5 and 4.5. Low concentrations of Mn²⁺ slightly enhance this activity. The divalent cations Mg²⁺ and Zn²⁺ were shown to either have no effect on the enzyme activity or to be inhibitory, particularly at high concentrations. The present results indicate that intestinal phytase activity in hybrid bass does follow Michaelis-Menten kinetics, with estimated K_m and V_max values of 2.5 mM phytate and 4.8 units mg⁻¹ protein, respectively. The physiologic significance of the enzyme's presence in hybrid striped bass is questionable due to the low activity as compared to terrestrial monogastrics, the acidic pH optimum and the low affinity the enzyme appears to have for phytate. These observations also raise the question of whether the intestinal phytase activity detected in hybrid bass is merely a manifestation of non-specific acid phosphatase activity. Further investigation is needed to determine the practical significance of phytase activity in hybrid bass in terms of phytate phosphorus utilization. Additional experiments should also be conducted which evaluate intestinal phytase activity in other important aquacultured finfish species. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Variability of herbaceous productivity along Nothofagus pumilio forest-open grassland boundaries in northern Chilean Patagonia

In order to develop a general model of aboveground net primary production (ANPP) of herbaceous communities in grazing systems that combine forested and open grasslands in temperate areas, biomass production and a set of biotic and abiotic variables were measured at four adjacent forest and grassland sites in Chile’s northern Patagonia for two consecutive growing seasons. At each site, one transect of 80 m long (40 m in open grassland and 40 m in forest) × 10 m wide was established. ANPP was significantly higher in open grasslands but no gradual change in biomass production was observed from inside the forest towards the open grassland. In open grasslands ANPP was spatially uniform but highly variable between years of contrasting weather conditions, whereas in forests it was more spatially heterogeneous and less variable over time. ANPP was highly correlated with cattle consumption. Structural equation models developed for the whole system confirm that ANPP was driven mainly by photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and available nitrogen. However, we found important differences between forests and the adjacent open grasslands. In forests ANPP was enhanced by positive feedbacks between the amount of transmitted PAR through the canopy and soil nutrient input via cattle dung deposition. In open grasslands nitrogen availability appeared to be the main limiting factor but also influenced by weather conditions (dryer or wetter years). The coexistence of forests and grasslands patches, with different susceptibility of ANPP to meteorological and soil nutrient availability, highlights the importance of implementing an integrated silvopastoral system with lenga (Nothofagus pumilio [Poepp. & Endl.] Krasser) in northern Patagonia.