Antinematodal activity of some Malaysian plant extracts against the pine wood nematode,Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

Methanolic extracts of 79 Malaysian plants representing 42 families were assessed for antinematodal activity against Bursaphelenchus xylophilus using a fungal-feeding assay. Extracts of 27 plants from 19 families showed antinematodal activity, while 52 species were inactive. Five extracts (Sauropus androgynus, Eugenia polyantha, Areca catechu, Piper betle and Piper nigrum) exhibited very strong activity against Bursaphelenchus xylophilus at a minimum effective dose (MED) of 0·625 mg per ball. Strong antinematodal activity (MED: 1·25–2·5 mg per ball) was shown by the extracts of Spondias cyntherea, Codiageum variegatum, Euodia glabra and Cicca acida. Eleven extracts (Carica papaya, Ipomoea aquatica, Ocimum basilicum, Leea gigantea, Pithecellobium jiringa, Crypteronia paniculata, Myristica fragrans, Murraya koenigii, Leucaena leucocephala, Melastoma malabathricum and Morinda citrifolia) demonstrated moderate activity between MED of 5 and 10 mg per ball, and weak activity was observed in seven extracts (Ipomoea batatas, Cymbopogon citratus, Garcinia atroviridis, Psophocarpus tetragonolobus, Tamarindus indica, Allium odorum and Stenochalaena palustris). © 1997 SCI     

Winter Time Concentrations and Size Distribution of Bioaerosols in Different Residential Settings in the UK

The total concentration and size distribution of bioaerosols in three different types of housing (single room in shared accommodation [type I], single bedroom flat in three-storey building [type II] and two- or three-bedroom detached houses [type III]) was assessed during the winter. This research was an extension of a previous study carried out in the summer. The measurement campaign was undertaken in winter 2008 and 30 houses were sampled. Samples were taken from kitchens, living rooms, corridors (only in housing type I) and outdoors with an Anderson 6 stage viable impactor. In housing type I, the total geometric mean concentration was highest in the corridor for both bacteria and fungi (3,171 and 1,281?CFU/m³, respectively). In type II residences, both culturable bacteria and fungi were greatest in the living rooms (3,487 and 833?CFU/m³, respectively). The living rooms in type III residences had largest number of culturable bacteria (1,361?CFU/m³) while fungi were highest in kitchens (280?CFU/m³). The concentrations of culturable bacteria and fungi were greater in mouldy houses than non-mouldy houses. A considerable variation was seen in the size distribution of culturable bacteria in type I residences compared to types II and III. For all housing types more than half of culturable bacterial and fungal aerosol were respirable (<4.7???m) and so have the potential to penetrate into lower respiratory system. Considerable variation in concentration and size distribution within different housing types in the same geographical region highlights the impact of differences in design, construction, use and management of residential built environment on bioaerosols levels and consequent varied risk of population exposure to airborne biological agents.     

Genomic estimation of additive and dominance effects and impact of accounting for dominance on accuracy of genomic evaluation in sheep populations

The objectives of this study were to estimate the additive and dominance variance component of several weight and ultrasound scanned body composition traits in purebred and combined cross‐bred sheep populations based on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) marker genotypes and then to investigate the effect of fitting additive and dominance effects on accuracy of genomic evaluation. Additive and dominance variance components were estimated in a mixed model equation based on “average information restricted maximum likelihood” using additive and dominance (co)variances between animals calculated from 48,599 SNP marker genotypes. Genomic prediction was based on genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP), and the accuracy of prediction was assessed based on a random 10‐fold cross‐validation. Across different weight and scanned body composition traits, dominance variance ranged from 0.0% to 7.3% of the phenotypic variance in the purebred population and from 7.1% to 19.2% in the combined cross‐bred population. In the combined cross‐bred population, the range of dominance variance decreased to 3.1% and 9.9% after accounting for heterosis effects. Accounting for dominance effects significantly improved the likelihood of the fitting model in the combined cross‐bred population. This study showed a substantial dominance genetic variance for weight and ultrasound scanned body composition traits particularly in cross‐bred population; however, improvement in the accuracy of genomic breeding values was small and statistically not significant. Dominance variance estimates in combined cross‐bred population could be overestimated if heterosis is not fitted in the model.     

Equine sarcoids: Bovine Papillomavirus type 1 transformed fibroblasts are sensitive to cisplatin and UVB induced apoptosis and show aberrant expression of p53

Bovine papillomavirus type 1 infects not only cattle but also equids and is a causative factor in the pathogenesis of commonly occurring equine sarcoid tumours. Whilst treatment of sarcoids is notoriously difficult, cisplatin has been shown to be one of the most effective treatment strategies for sarcoids. In this study we show that in equine fibroblasts, BPV-1 sensitises cells to cisplatin-induced and UVB-induced apoptosis, a known cofactor for papillomavirus associated disease, however BPV-1 transformed fibroblasts show increased clonogenic survival, which may potentially limit the therapeutic effects of repeated cisplatin treatment. Furthermore we show that BPV-1 increases p53 expression in sarcoid cell lines and p53 expression can be either nuclear or cytoplasmic. The mechanism and clinical significance of increase/abnormal p53 expression remains to be established.     

Development of a fluorescence polarization assay for the determination of aflatoxins in grains

Aflatoxins produced by Aspergillus flavus are commonly found in human and animal foods including grains, cereals, peanut products, sorghum, and soy seeds. Exposure to aflatoxins has been associated with carcinogenicity. This paper reports a simple, portable, and rapid fluorescence polarization (FP) assay for aflatoxin determination in grains. This immunoassay is field portable, homogeneous, and without any washing and cleaning steps. The assay is based upon the competition between free aflatoxin and an aflatoxin-fluorescein tracer for an aflatoxin-specific monoclonal antibody in solution. A series of naturally contaminated corn, sorghum, peanut butter, and peanut paste samples were analyzed by FP and compared with HPLC results. Similarly, spiked popcorn samples were analyzed by FP. FP results of naturally contaminated samples correlated well with HPLC (r (2) = 0.97). FP analysis of spiked popcorn samples (with a mixture of B(1)/B(2)/G(1)/G(2), 7/1/3/1, w/w) gave a good correlation with spiked values (r (2) = 0.99). However, FP consistently underestimated the aflatoxin contents. This was perhaps due to low cross-reactivity of the antibody used toward B(2), G(1), and G(2) aflatoxins. These results combined with the portability and simplicity of the assay suggest that the assay can be used for screening total aflatoxin in grains.     

Fluorescence polarization as a means for determination of fumonisins in maize

Fumonisins, mycotoxins produced by certain species of Fusaria, are commonly found worldwide as contaminants in maize. This paper reports the development of a rapid, portable fluorescence polarization-based assay for fumonisins in maize. The assay was based on the competition of unlabeled fumonisin, from a sample, with a fluorescently tagged fumonisin (FB(1)-FL) for a fumonisin-specific monoclonal antibody in solution. The fluorescence polarization (FP) of the tagged fumonisin was increased upon binding with the antibody. In the presence of free toxin, less of the FB(1)-FL was bound and the polarization signal was decreased. The assays were very simple to perform, requiring only mixing of an aqueous extract of maize with the tagged fumonisin and antibody, and required <2 min per sample, excluding extraction time. Two permutations of the assay were tested, one with each sample matrix serving as its own blank, and the other with all of the samples compared relative to a PBS blank with normalization of the data similar to an ELISA. The limit of detection, defined as the toxin content associated with a fluorescence polarization signal 5 standard deviations from that of a fumonisin-free control, was 0.5 microg of FB(1)/g in spiked maize. Recoveries from spiked maize over the range of 0.5-20 ppm averaged 94.3 +/- 13.8%. Forty-eight samples of field-contaminated maize were tested by the FP and an established HPLC method, with a good correlation between the two (r(2) = 0.85-0.88). For these samples, the two variations of the FP assay also compared well to one another (r(2) = 0.97), suggesting the assay principle is very robust. The results, combined with the speed and ease of use for the assay, suggest that this technology has substantial potential as a screening tool for mycotoxins in foods.     

Effect of Ozone Treatment on Cultures of Nannochloropsis oculata, Isochrysis galbana, and Chaetoceros gracilis

This research evaluated ozone treatment of three unicellular algal species commonly used in the culture of marine larvae. Isochrvsis galbana and Nannochloropsis oculata were found to be resistant to total residual oxidants (TRO); whereas, Chaetoceros gracilis was relatively sensitive to TRO. Isochrvsis galbana remained in log-phase growth after treatment with 0.05 mg/L to 0.50 mg/L TRO, and N. oculata exhibited strong growth after being exposed to TRO levels up to 0.67 mg/L. Only TRO levels of 0.92 mg/L and 0.90 tng/L reduced cell counts of N. oculata and I. galbana , respectively. Furthermore, algal cultures having higher concentrations at the time of ozone treatment may respond more favorably to the treatment. Initially, C. gracilis was reduced in cell count at TRO levels above 0.06 mg/L, but log-phase growth was resumed 2 d after exposure to TRO levels as high as 0.31 mg/L. It is concluded that I. galbana and N. oculata can be successfully treated with ozone in the mass production stages without hampering the timely production of concentrated cultures. Although C. gracilis was found to be relatively sensitive, ozone treatment of starter cultures can be performed routinely with this species. We have demonstrated that ozone treatment of algal cultures is a feasible technique, but studies need to be conducted on ozone treatment of other species of unicellular algae and on ozone treatment of varying concentrations of algae in order to enhance the applications of this technique. Also, in order to determine the extent of disinfection of algal cultures, bacterial and viral composition of the cultures should be evaluated in future studies.     

大豆种子老化的转录组学分析

大豆种子储存过程易老化劣变,研究大豆种子老化分子机制有助于耐储藏大豆品种遗传改良。文章对不同耐储性大豆品种老化种子作转录组测序分析,结果表明,储存2~4年后,易老化大豆"JP16"和耐储型大豆"JP6"分别有1 683个和832个差异转录基因,皆以上调为主。基因功能注释显示,这些基因主要富集于碳水化合物合成、水分损失、线粒体机能改变及蛋白质降解等生物过程。另外,"JP16"响应蛋白质泛素化和脂肪酸氧化基因上调,花青素、木质素合成相关基因下调;而"JP6"响应原花青素、异黄酮合成及活性氧水平调控相关基因上调,蜡质代谢相关基因下调。大豆种子通常随储存时间延长,内部碳水化合物降解,蛋白变性,扰乱胞内水分正常代谢,加剧活性氧积累,种子老化加剧。耐储型大豆种子可通过积累蜡质、原花青素、异黄酮等保护性成分,增强对活性氧调控提高细胞壁强度和抗氧化能力,延缓老化。研究结果为利用分子手段提高大豆种子耐储性能提供参考。     

Reactions of lentil accessions from 25 different countries to Australian isolates of Ascochyta lentis

488 lentil (Lens culinaris) accessions from 25 different countries were evaluated in glasshouse tests for resistance to three Australian isolates of Ascochyta lentis. Disease symptoms on the different accessions ranged from small flecks (resistant) to extensive lesions on both leaves and stems with death of some plants (highly susceptible). No accession was found with complete resistance to ascochyta blight. The 488 accessions showed differential resistance to all three isolates of A. lentis and could be divided into five resistance groups. 26 accessions originating from Greece (1), Pakistan (23) and Turkey (2) were resistant to all three isolates, while 142 accessions showed variable reactions and 320 accessions were susceptible to all three isolates. These results demonstrate there is considerable variation in lentil germ plasm for resistance to A. lentis.     

Oncolytic gene therapy for canine cancers: teaching old dog viruses new tricks

The use of viruses to treat cancer has been studied for decades. With the advancement of molecular biology, viruses have been modified and genetically engineered to optimize their ability to target cancer cells. Canine viruses, such as distemper virus and adenovirus, are being exploited for the treatment of canine cancer as the dog has proven to be a good comparative model for human cancer research and proof of concept investigations. In this review, we introduce the concept of oncolytic viruses and describe some of the preliminary attempts to use oncolytic viruses for the treatment of canine cancer.