Effects of five vegetable oils on the sweetpotato whiteflyBemisia tabaci

The effects of five economically important vegetable (seed) oils, peanut, cottonseed, castor, soybean and sunflower, on adult and immature stages of the sweetpotato whitefly(Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) [Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae]) were studied in the laboratory. Irrespective of origin, oil residues had similar effects on immature stages and adult mortality, and on settling and oviposition deterrence. Trends for 5-h settling, 24-h oviposition and 24-h survival of adults on treated plants were similar for oils applied at the same concentration range. Settling deterrence was strong enough to cause adult death due to starvation or dehydration under no-choice conditions, and caused greater mortality than direct physical toxicity; similar results were obtained when adult survival on oil residues was compared to survival of starved adults. Adults recovered when transferred from oil-treated to untreated plants. All oils produced similar effects when sprayed on immatures; the egg and fourth instar (pupa) were the most tolerant stages. The oil concentration required for significant effects on whitefly mortality and behavior was relatively high (>0.3%) compared with published efficacy data for synthetic pesticides, and varied to some extent with oil origin. All tested oils were active as direct and residual larvicides. Peanut oil was the most effective for all tested effects, followed by cottonseed oil, which was significantly less effective than peanut and castor oils when applied-directly to eggs. Only by this latter parameter was castor oil more effective than cottonseed oil and similar to peanut oil. As direct sprays to larvae, soybean and sunflower oils resembled castor oils, but their residues were less effective against all stages.     

Laboratory measures of hemostasis and fibrinolysis after intravenous administration of epsilon-aminocaproic acid in clinically normal horses and ponies

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether epsilon-aminocaproic acid (EACA) administered IV affects hemostasis and fibrinolysis in clinically normal horses and ponies. ANIMALS: 20 clinically normal adult horses and ponies. PROCEDURES: Blood samples were collected 24 hours before (baseline) and 1 and 5 hours after i.v. administration of a low dose (30 mg/kg) or high dose (100 mg/kg) of EACA. Platelet count, fibrinogen concentration, prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time (PTT), D-dimer concentration, alpha2-antiplasmin activity, and thrombin-antithrombin complex concentration were measured. Values at 1 and 5 hours were compared with baseline values. RESULTS: hour after administration of a low dose of EACA, mean fibrinogen concentration was significantly lower than baseline concentration. Mean PTT was significantly shorter than the baseline value 5 hours after administration of a low dose of EACA. One hour after administration of 100 mg of EACA/kg, mean alpha2-antiplasmin activity was significantly higher than baseline activity. Mean fibrinogen concentration was significantly lower than baseline concentration 1 and 5 hours after administration of a high dose of EACA. Mean PTT was significantly shorter than the baseline value 5 hours after administration of a high dose of EACA. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: i.v. administration of 30 and 100mg of EACA/kg to clinically normal horses significantly modified some laboratory measures of hemostasis, consistent with its known antifibrinolytic effects. Although enhanced clot maintenance and diminished bleeding were not directly assessed, the clinical use of EACA may benefit some patients.     

Heat-induced redistribution of disulfide bonds in milk proteins. 1. Bovine beta-lactoglobulin

Changes in the structure and chemistry of beta-lactoglobulin (beta-LG) play an important role in the processing and functionality of milk products. In model beta-LG systems, there is evidence that the aggregates of heated beta-LG are held together by a mixture of intermolecular non-covalent association and heat-induced non-native disulfide bonds. Although a number of non-native disulfide bonds have been identified, little is known about the initial inter- and intramolecular disulfide bond rearrangements that occur as a result of heating. These interchange reactions were explored by examining the products of heat treatment to determine the novel disulfide bonds that form in the heated beta-LG aggregates. The native protein and heat-induced aggregates were hydrolyzed by trypsin, and the resulting peptides, before and after reduction with dithiothreitol, were separated by high-performance liquid chromatography and their identities confirmed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Comparisons of these peptide patterns showed that some of the Cys160 was in the reduced form in heated beta-LG aggregates, indicating that the Cys160-Cys66 disulfide bond had been broken during heating. This finding suggests that disulfide bond interchange reactions between beta-LG non-native monomers, or polymers, and other proteins could occur largely via Cys160.