Toxicity of the herbicide glufosinate-ammonium to Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) under laboratory and field conditions

The toxicity of herbicides widely used in apple orchards to the two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) was evaluated in laboratory and field studies. In a laboratory study with susceptible T. urticae, glufosinate-ammonium was highly effective against larvae, protonymphs and adults, but non-toxic to eggs. Its efficacy was much greater than that of the commonly used acaricide azocyclotin. The immatures died within 24 h after treatment, suggesting that the nymphicidal action may be attributable to a direct effect rather than an inhibitory action of chitin synthesis. Glufosinate-ammonium showed a positive temperature coefficient of toxicity against T. urticae adults at six temperatures from 10 to 32°C, being more toxic at higher temperatures. Very low levels of resistance to the herbicide were observed in the seven field-collected T. urticae populations resistant to various acaricides. Treatment with glufosinate-ammonium did not cause a repellent response from either adults or immature stages of T. urticae. Paraquat dichloride and glyphosate were ineffective against all stages of T. urticae. In a field study of a population of T. urticae, glufosinate-ammonium when sprayed to weeds caused significant decrease in T. urticae population densities in apple trees for nine weeks after treatment, as compared with the control. Thereafter, a single application of standard acaricides to apple foliage greatly reduced population densities, although there was no difference in the densities between the glufosinate-ammonium-treated and control plots. Based upon laboratory and field data, two single treatments with glufosinate-ammonium to weeds in May and a selective acaricide to apple trees in July may be used to prevent damage by T. urticae. ©1997 SCI     

Improved Productivity of Astaxanthin from Photosensitive Haematococcus pluvialis Using Phototaxis Technology

Haematococcus pluvialis is a microalgae actively studied for the production of natural astaxanthin, which is a powerful antioxidant for human application. However, it is economically disadvantageous for commercialization owing to the low productivity of astaxanthin. This study reports an effective screening strategy using the negative phototaxis of the H. pluvialis to attain the mutants having high astaxanthin production. A polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based microfluidic device irradiated with a specific light was developed to efficiently figure out the phototactic response of H. pluvialis. The partial photosynthesis deficient (PP) mutant (negative control) showed a 0.78-fold decreased cellular response to blue light compared to the wild type, demonstrating the positive relationship between the photosynthetic efficiency and the phototaxis. Based on this relationship, the Haematococcus mutants showing photosensitivity to blue light were selected from the 10,000 random mutant libraries. The M1 strain attained from the phototaxis-based screening showed 1.17-fold improved growth rate and 1.26-fold increases in astaxanthin production (55.12 ± 4.12 mg g⁻¹) in the 100 L photo-bioreactor compared to the wild type. This study provides an effective selection tool for industrial application of the H. pluvialis with improved astaxanthin productivity.     

Increase in Oviposition interval due to the sex‐linked dwarf gene in white leghorns and Australorps

1. Oviposition patterns in dwarf and normal pullets were compared after the dw gene had been introduced into a White Leghorn and an Australorp strain, which had been selected for reduced oviposition interval.

2. The dw gene increased oviposition interval by about 2 h and reduced clutch length by two‐thirds in both strains. It also decreased the occurrence of intervals shorter than 21 h and of membranous and soft‐shelled eggs in the White Leghorn strain, but had little effect on these traits in the Australorp. About two‐thirds of the 17% difference in rate of lay between dwarf and normal pullets could be attributed to the difference in oviposition interval.

3. It is suggested that the dw gene may be useful in overcoming certain physiological barriers when selecting for shorter oviposition interval.     

Genetic parameters for Oviposition time and interval in a white leghorn population of recent commercial origin

1. Heritabilities and phenotypic and genetic correlations were estimated for oviposition time and interval as well as for conventional measures of egg production in a White Leghorn population of recent commercial origin. Oviposition times were recorded under both a normal light‐dark cycle (NL) and continuous light regime (CL).

2. The heritabilities for oviposition interval, 0.54 in NL and 0.52 in CL, were much higher than those for egg number or rate of lay and the genetic correlation between intervals in the two lighting environments was 0.82, suggesting some interaction between genotype and lighting regimen.

3. The genetic correlations between mean oviposition interval in either environment and conventional measures of egg production were all high and negative and, together with the above heritability estimates, suggested a possible advantage of oviposition interval as a selection criterion for improvement of egg production.

4. In NL, mean and standard deviation of oviposition times showed moderate to high heritabilities and high genetic correlations with oviposition interval, as expected from their close physiological relations.     

Subcutaneous granuloma caused by Mycobacterium avium complex infection in a cat

A localised subcutaneous swelling developed on the nasal bridge of a cat receiving chemotherapy for alimentary tract lymphosarcoma. Cytological and histological examination of representative samples of the lesion demonstrated pyogranulomatous inflammation and abundant acid-fast bacilli. A Mycobacterium sp was cultured from tissue excised from the lesion. Extensive testing at three reference laboratories indicated the strain was a member of the Mycobacterium avium complex. The infection was treated successfully by cytoreductive surgery and a 6 weeks course of orally administered clofazimine.     

A neutralizing monoclonal antibody to bovine rotavirus VP8 neutralizes rotavirus infection without inhibiting virus attachment to MA-104 cells.

VP8*, the N-terminal cleavage product of rotavirus VP4, contains the virus neutralizing epitopes in the hemagglutination domain. To map the neutralizing epitope, we developed monoclonal antibodies specific for VP4 of bovine rotavirus C486 (BRV). A neutralizing escape mutant was generated by one of these monoclonal antibodies (2E8) and a point mutation (Glu-->Asp) was found at aa 116 of VP8*. To investigate the effect of this mutation on the cellular binding and hemagglutination activities, the VP8* genes of the escape mutant and wild type (WT) virus were expressed in E. coli and their functional activities were compared. Both the escape mutant and WT virus VP8* showed hemagglutination and MA-104 cell binding activities. However, hemagglutination activity of the WT virus VP8* was inhibited by 2E8, but that of the escape mutant VP8* was not. These data indicate that the neutralizing epitope is located in the HA domain but is not critical for rotavirus attachment to MA-104 cells. To understand virus neutralization, radiolabelled BRV was incubated with 2E8 and the distribution of radioactivity in a CsCI density gradient was analysed as was the morphology of the virions in peak fractions. Interaction of 2E8 with rotavirus led to virus morphological changes with a concomitant shift in buoyant density. These data suggest that aa 116 influences the binding of 2E8 which in turn may alter virus integrity.     

Assessment of antibiotic resistance phenotype and integrons in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium isolated from swine

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) isolated and identified from swine were subjected for the analysis of antibiotic resistance pattern and clinically important class 1 and 2 integrons. In addition, S. Typhimurium isolates exhibiting ampicillin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline and florfenicol (ACSSuTF) resistance pattern as described in most Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium definitive type 104 (DT104) were characterized by polymerase chain reaction. All the isolates were resistant to more than four antibiotics and showed the highest resistance to streptomycin (94.1%), followed by tetracycline (90.1%), ampicillin (64.7%), chloramphenicol (56.8%) and gentamicin (54.9%). MIC value for the ten isolates ranged between 0.125-2 mug/ml for ciprofloxacin. Among the beta-lactams used, only one of the isolate exhibited resistance to ceftiofur (MIC 8 microg/ml). Sixty eight percent of these multi drug resistance (MDR) S. Typhimurium isolates carried clinically important class 1 integron with 1kb (aadA) and/or 2kb (dhfrXII-orfF-aadA2) resistance gene cassettes. This study reports the increasing trend of multi drug resistance (MDR) S. Typhimurium with clinically important class 1 integron in pigs. In addition, emergence of the ACSSuTF-type resistance in S. Typhimurium PT other than DT104 may limit the use of resistance gene markers in its detection methods by PCR.     

Advancements in Large Animal Embryo Transfer and Related Biotechnologies

Embryo transfer has been an inherent part of cattle breeding for more than 35 years and has also gained remarkable interest from the equine industry after several breeds allowed registration of more than one foal per year. In both large animal species, non‐surgical embryo recovery and transfer are well‐established techniques. However, success rates after superovulation and cryopreservation of embryos in horses are still lagging behind those of cattle, and more research is needed to address these areas. To address the problem of freezing large equine embryos, we offer a preliminary demonstration of a new cryopreservation method which involves reduction of the blastocoelic volume and microinjection of cryopreservative. Successful cryopreservation will improve the ability of practitioners to preserve and implant embryos in recipient mares. Recent advances in the use of equine FSH to induce superovulation in mares brings to the forefront the issue of how to best preserve the large number of embryos that are produced. Finally, the use of sexed semen after superovulation will provide the bovine and equine breeding industry the offspring of the desired sex.     

Use of a formulation containing imidacloprid and moxidectin in the treatment of lice infestation in guinea pigs

Guinea pigs are susceptible to lice infestations. Ten guinea pigs infested with Gliricola porcelli were free of adult lice and eggs, and of adverse reactions, 30 days after treatment, with a single application of 0.05 mL of a solution containing 10% (w/v) imidacloprid and 1% (w/v) moxidectin indicating that this procedure is an effective treatment for lice infestations in guinea pigs.