Dietary supplementation with Acanthopanax senticosus extract enhances gut health in weanling piglets

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of Acanthopanax senticosus extract (ASE) as a dietary additive on gut health in weanling piglets by examining diarrhea frequency, intestinal microbiota and morphology. A total of 96 Duroc× (Landrace × Yorkshire) piglets weaned at 21 days of age with an average initial body weight (BW) of 5.6 ± 0.4 kg were randomly assigned to 3 treatment groups with 4 duplicates of 8 piglets each. The piglets were fed basal diet to which had been added 0 or 1 g/kg of ASE, or 0.7 g/kg antibiotics, respectively. Fecal consistence was monitored twice daily and the frequency of diarrhea was calculated. On day 21 after the initiation of supplementation, 8 piglets were randomly selected from each treatment group (2 piglets per pen) and slaughtered. The jejunum, ileum, colon and cecum were then excised and fixed in 10% neutral formalin solution to determine villus height and crypt depth, after their contents were collected to determine microbiota. The results showed that dietary supplementation with ASE increased (P < 0.05) the density of bacterial populations that co-migrated with Lactobacillus amylovorus, Lactobacillus salivarius, Bacillus subtilis, and Clostridium lituseburens, but decreased (P < 0.05) those co-migrating with Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, Ruminococcus forques, and E. coli O157:H7 in the PCR-DGGE profiling analysis when compared with the control group. The villus height of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum increased (P < 0.05) by 14.8, 13.7 and 10.0%, while the crypt depth decreased (P < 0.05) by 17.9, 9.1 and 12.1%, respectively, in response to dietary ASE supplementation. Additionally dietary supplementation with ASE or an antibiotic decreased (P < 0.05) the frequency of diarrhea by 55.6 and 52.2%, respectively, compared with the control group. In conclusion, these findings suggest that dietary supplementation with ASE could regulate the microbiota composition and maintain a normal morphology of gut mucosa in weanling piglets, thereby decreasing diarrhea that resulted from weaning stress.     

The potential of intercropping as an alternative land use system in temperate North America

The success of many intercropping systems in North America is attributable to the generation of a short term return from an agricultural crop during the early, unprofitable years of a longer term crop that is fruit, nuts or wood. This highly-efficient use of land and related profitability are important not only in the development of intercropping systems per se, but also in other applications which have tremendous potential independent of profitability. For example, intercropping can be effectively used during the establishment phases of hardwood plantations where it is essential to have a high level of weed control, the costs of which are often recovered with the agricultural production. Intercropping can also be used to grow trees rapidly and with a form that can be easily integrated into recreational or park situations, or urban fringe areas. In an urban context, intercropping can be used to grow trees in agricultural areas that are likely to be developed where traditional forestry options are not appropriate and the value of younger, thrifty trees may enhance property values far in excess of the cash value of the wood.     

Peanut allergen Ara h 1 interacts with proanthocyanidins into higher molecular weight complexes

Mildly extracted peanut allergen Ara h 1 was previously reported to occur as an oligomeric complex. In this paper we describe how the protein in this oligomeric complex interacts noncovalently with phenolic compounds of the proanthocyanidin type. These interactions are being disrupted during anion exchange chromatography, resulting in the dissociation of the oligomeric Ara h 1 complex into protein trimers. By use of the known three-dimensional structure of beta-conglycinin, a soy protein homologous to Ara h 1, proline-rich regions were observed in silico on both faces of its trimeric structure, which are conserved in Ara h 1. These proline-rich regions could explain the binding of proanthocyanidins to Ara h 1 and the formation of multiple Ara h 1 trimer complexes. This was supported by the observation that the addition of peanut proanthocyanidins to trimeric Ara h 1 and to beta-conglycinin resulted in the formation of soluble oligomeric protein complexes. The structurally related legumin proteins do not contain such proline-rich regions on both sides of the protein, and proanthocyanidins were shown to have a lower affinity for legumin proteins from peanuts and soybeans (peanut allergen Ara h 3 and soy glycinin, respectively). Ara h 1 present as the oligomeric complex is assumed to be the representative form of the allergen in which it is consumed by humans.     

Sorption of cadmium on suspended matter under estuarine conditions; competition and complexation with major sea-water ions

Sorption of Cd at low concentrations onto river Rhine suspended matter was examined in terms of sorption rate, reversibility and factors such as competition and complexation with major inorganic sea-water ions. More than 90% of the final amount of Cd is sorbed within the first few hours. Desorption experiments show that the process is virtually reversible. In experiments with diluted sea water the sorption of Cd strongly decreases even at low salinity. Sorption isotherms show that the sorption of Cd in NaNO₃ solutions is regulated by the free Cd²⁺ activity. In a Ca(NO₃)₂ environment the Cd sorption decreases with increasing Ca²⁺ concentrations, which implies competition between Ca²⁺ and Cd²⁺ for the different sorption sites. In different electrolyte solutions of similar ionic strength the sorption of Cd decreases in the solution order NaNO₃ > NaCl > NaCl+MgCl₂+CaCl₂ > diluted sea water. Although inorganic speciation calculations show that even at low salinities dissolved Cd is dominated by Cd-chloro complexes, chloride accounts for only about one third of the increased mobility of Cd. As a result of addition of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ the sorption capacity of suspended matter for Cd is further reduced by a factor three.     

Production and characterization of a monoclonal antibody specific to the M serotype of plum pox potyvirus

A monoclonal antibody to an Albanian isolate of plum pox potyvirus (PPV) was obtained (MAbAL), that specifically recognized strain M of this virus. The specificity of MAbAL, assessed by comparative ELISA on 130 PPV isolates of different geographical origin, 22 of which were also tested by comparative IC-PCR, gave consistent and highly reproducible results. MAbAL seems to be elicited by a stable surface determinant that makes it particularly suitable for successful use under a wide range of conditions. MAbAL is an useful addition to the panel of PPV-specific MAbs available to date.     

A Conjugative Plasmid Carrying the efe Gene for the Ethylene-Forming Enzyme Isolated from Pseudomonas syringae pv. glycinea

ABSTRACT Previous work suggested that the efe gene encoding the ethylene-forming enzyme was present in the plasmids of three pathovars of Pseudomonas syringae including glycinea, phaseolicola (kudzu strains), and cannabina. However, no direct evidence to support this assumption had been presented. In the current study, we isolated the conjugative plasmid harboring the efe gene (ethylene plasmid) designated pETH2 from P. syringae pv. glycinea MAFF301683. pETH2 was detected by Southern blot hybridization using the efe probe, marked with the transposon mini-Tn5-Km1, and transferred into P. syringae Ni27(n), which does not produce ethylene. The transconjugant Ni27(n) (pETH2) produced ethylene at a level similar to pv. glycinea MAFF301683. In addition, the plasmid designated pCOR2, which encodes coronatine biosynthesis genes, was detected in the same strain. Although the molecular size of the plasmid pCOR2 was not easily distinguishable from pETH2, pCOR2 transferred independently into Ni27(n) and the transconjugants produced coronatine. These findings suggested that the efe gene has been horizontally dispersed among pathovars of P. syringae by plasmid-mediated conjugation in nature.     

Influence of lipid extraction process on the rheological characteristics, swelling power, and granule size of rice starches in excess water

The influence of the lipid extraction process on both macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of nonwaxy rice starch gelatinization in excess water was examined. Surface lipids extraction did not change the thermodynamics of starch gelatinization but lead to a significant reduction (33%) in the enthalpy of starch-lipid complex melting at high temperature, resulting in less viscous dispersions. Internal lipid extraction using hot aqueous alcoholic solutions resulted in an irreversible increase in starch granule diameter (50% increase in D[4,3]) and a dramatic change in cooking characteristics of the starch. Instead of the bimodal swelling observed for native nonwaxy rice starch, only one broad transition in swelling, solubility, granule size, and viscosity was observed in the case of the totally defatted starch. While the total removal of lipids resulted in a slight increase in starch swelling at intermediate temperatures, the harshness of the process caused irreparable changes leading to notably lower swelling at high temperatures.     

Insecticide resistance and,efficacy of space spraying and larviciding in the control of dengue vectors Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in Sri Lanka

Unprecedented incidence of dengue has been recorded in Sri Lanka in recent times. Source reduction and use of insecticides in space spraying/fogging and larviciding, are the primary means of controlling the vector mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus in the island nation. A study was carried out to understand insecticide cross-resistance spectra and mechanisms of insecticide resistance of both these vectors from six administrative districts, i.e. Kandy, Kurunegala, Puttalam, Gampaha, Ratnapura and Jaffna, of Sri Lanka. Efficacy of the recommended dosages of frequently used insecticides in space spraying and larviciding in dengue vector control programmes was also tested.     

Management of inflammatory polyps in 37 cats

The case records of 37 cats treated for nasopharyngeal or aural inflammatory polyps were reviewed. Thirty of them were managed conservatively with the polyp being removed by traction alone. Long-term follow-up information was available for 22 cats, of which 13 (59 per cent) had no recurrence of clinical signs. The remaining nine cats required recurrent polyps to be removed surgically. Cats with only nasopharyngeal polyps were nearly four times more likely to be cured by traction alone than cats with aural polyps, and none of the cats that was treated with prednisolone after traction suffered a recurrence. Cats with more severe aural signs were more likely to require surgery.     

Destructive cholangiolitis in seven dogs

Summary

In seven dogs presented with clinical signs and laboratory data suggestive of extrahepatic cholestasis, destructive cholangiolitis was diagnosed. The diagnosis was based on the absence of extrahepatic cholestasis at laparoscopy, laparotomy and/or post‐mortem examination, and the presence of specific liver lesions i.e. loss of bile ducts in the smaller portal areas. The disease is compared with drug‐induced (chlorpromazine) cholestasis in man. In two dogs clinical signs were preceded by longstanding respectively repeated sulphonamide medication.