First record of fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) in Syria

The fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda is a lepidopteran pest that can damage and destroy a wide variety of crops. It is widely present in the Americans and has been invasive in Africa since 2016. Larvae of S. frugiperda were found for the first time in four rural farms on maize plants (Zea mays) located in Tafas town (Dara’a Governorate, in the south‐west of Syria) in November 2020. Infested maize showed the typical damage symptoms caused by S. frugiperda. Furthermore, morphological identification of larvae based on standard parameters of larvae confirmed the identity of the pest as fall armyworm. Considering the recent introduction of the pest into the EPPO region, it could be concluded that the pest probably entered Syria through natural spread (active flight and via wind currents) from Jordan, which borders Syria in the southern part and where the pest was found very recently.     

Comparative studies of versatile extracellular proteolytic activities of lactic acid bacteria and their potential for extracellular amino acid productions as feed supplements

Background: Increasing understanding on the functions of amino acids(AA) has led to new commercial applications and expansion of the worldwide markets. However, the current technologies rely heavily on non-food grade microorganism and chemical synthesis for the production of AA. Several studies reported that lactic acid bacteria(LAB) have the capability of producing AA owing to their well-established proteolytic system and amino acid biosynthesis genes. Hence, the objectives of this study were to explore the extracellular proteolytic activity of LAB isolated from various Malaysian fermented foods and their potential to produce AA extracellularly as feed supplements.Results: Al the studied LAB isolates were versatile extracel ular protease producers, whereby extracel ular protease activities were detected from acidic to alkaline pH(pH 5, pH 6.5, pH 8) using qualitative and quantitative proteolytic assays.The highest proteolytic activity at pH 5(15.76 U/mg) and pH 8(19.42 U/mg) was achieved by Lactobacil us plantarum RG14, while Lactobacil us plantarum RS5 exhibited the highest proteolytic activity of 17.22 U/mg at pH 6.5. As for the results of AA production conducted in de Man, Rogosa and Sharpe medium and analysed by high pressure liquid chromatography system, al LAB isolates were capable of producing an array of AA. General y, Pediococcus sp. showed greater ability for AA production as compared to Lactobacil us sp. Moreover, the studied LAB were able to produce a few major feed supplement AA such as methionine, lysine, threonine and tryptophan. P. pentosaceus TL-3 recorded the highest methionine and threonine productivity of 3.72 mg/L/h and 5.58 mg/L/h respectively. However, L. plantarum I-UL4 demonstrated a lysine productivity of 1.24 mg/L/h, while P. acidilactici TP-6 achieved up to 1.73 mg/L/h of tryptophan productivity.Conclusion: Al the 17 studied LAB isolates possessed versatile extracel ular proteolytic system and have vast capability of producing various amino acids including a few major feed supplement AA such as methionine, lysine, threonine and tryptophan. Despite AA production was strain dependent, the studied LAB isolates possessed vast potential and can be exploited further as a bio-agent or an alternative amino acids and bioactive peptide producers.     

Ingestion of food pellets containing Escherichia coli overexpressing the heat‐shock protein DnaK protects Penaeus vannamei (Boone) against Vibrio harveyi (Baumann) infection

Feeding aquatic animals with bacterial encapsulated heat‐shock proteins (Hsps) is potentially a new method to combat vibriosis, an important disease affecting aquatic animals used in aquaculture. Food pellets comprised of shrimp and containing Escherichia coli overexpressing either DnaK‐DnaJ‐GrpE, the prokaryotic equivalents of Hsp70‐Hsp40‐Hsp20, or only DnaK were fed to juveniles of the white leg shrimp Penaeus vannamei, and protection against pathogenic Vibrio harveyi was determined. Maintaining pellets at different temperatures for varying lengths of time reduced the number of live adhering E. coli, as did contact with sea water, demonstrating that storage and immersion adversely affected bacterial survival and attachment to pellets. Feeding P. vannamei with E. coli did not compromise their survival, indicating that the bacteria were not pathogenic to shrimp. Feeding P. vannamei with pellets containing bacteria overproducing DnaK (approximately 60 cells g^?1 pellets) boosted P. vannamei survival twofold against V. harveyi, suggesting that DnaK plays a role in Vibrio tolerance. Pellets containing DnaK were effective in providing protection to P. vannamei for up to 2 weeks before loss of viability and that DnaK encapsulated by these bacteria enhanced shrimp resistance against Vibrio infection.     

SPERMATIC GRANULOMA IN THE RAM: DIAGNOSIS BY ULTRASONOGRAPHY AND SEMEN CHARACTERISTICS

Ultrasonographic appearance of the testis and epididymis, and seminal characteristics, with regard to localization of spermatic granuloma were studied. In rams with spermatic granuloma (n = 9), diagnosed by clinical or ultrasonographic examinations before histopathological confirmation, localization of each lesion was recorded. Epididymal granulomas, caput and cauda, were seen as anechoic or hyperechoic areas with a distinct margin with or without a hyperechoic capsule. Granulomas in the testis were microscopic and, therefore, could not be detected by ultrasonography. Enlargement in the mediastinum testis was detected in all rams when there were granulomas in the caput. Heterogeneous testis parenchyma invaded by numerous hyperechoic foci, representing testicular degeneration, was associated with granulomas both in the epididymis and testis. Ultrasonographic appearance of the lesions did not differ with regard to season. Seminal characteristics varied between rams. It was concluded that ultrasonographic evaluation may give valuable information in the diagnosis of sperm granuloma in the ram.     

Potential of using polyester reinforced coconut fiber composites derived from recycling polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste

Unsaturated polyester resin synthesized from glycolyzed product of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste was used as a matrix to form coconut fiber/polyester composites. PET wastes were recycled through glycolysis and polyesterification reaction to produce a formulation for unsaturated polyester resin (UPR). FTIR spectra of glycolyzed product and prepared resin revealed that cross-links between unsaturated polyester chain and styrene monomer occurred at the saturated sites which resulted in the forming of cross linking network. To improve the adhesion between coconut fiber and polyester resin, various concentrations of alkali, silane and silane on alkalized fiber were applied and the optimum concentration of treatments was determined. The influence of water uptake on the sorption characteristics of composites was studied via immersion in distilled water at room temperature. Surface treatment of coconut fiber caused a significant increase in the tensile properties with the optimum treatment is 0.5 % silane on the 5 % alkalized coconut fiber/polyester composites. It was also observed that the treated fiber composites showed lower water absorption properties in comparison to those of untreated fiber composites. This observation was well supported by the SEM investigations of the fracture surfaces. From the study, it was concluded that polyester reinforced coconut fiber composites derived from recycling polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste may have the potential application in the fields of construction and automotive interior substrates.