Essential role of BDNF in the mesolimbic dopamine pathway in social defeat stress

Mice experiencing repeated aggression develop a long-lasting aversion to social contact, which can be normalized by chronic, but not acute, administration of antidepressant. Using viral-mediated, mesolimbic dopamine pathway-specific knockdown of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), we showed that BDNF is required for the development of this experience-dependent social aversion. Gene profiling in the nucleus accumbens indicates that local knockdown of BDNF obliterates most of the effects of repeated aggression on gene expression within this circuit, with similar effects being produced by chronic treatment with antidepressant. These results establish an essential role for BDNF in mediating long-term neural and behavioral plasticity in response to aversive social experiences.     

The use of sodium carbonate to improve curing treatments against green and blue moulds on citrus fruits

The effectiveness of curing oranges and lemons at 33 degrees C for 65h followed by storage under ambient and cold-storage conditions was investigated. This treatment effectively reduced the incidence of Penicillium digitatum (Pers) Sacc and P italicum Wehmer decay on inoculated and naturally infected oranges and lemons stored at 20 degrees C for 7 days. However, it failed to control green and blue mould infections on fruits placed in long-term cold storage, except green mould on oranges, which was effectively controlled. Dipping fruits in a sodium carbonate solution (20 g litre(-1)) for 2.5 min following a curing treatment at 33 degrees C for 65 h satisfactorily reduced green and blue mould incidence during subsequent long-term storage at 4 degrees C on oranges and at 10 degrees C on lemons. The efficacy was greater on injured fruits inoculated after the combination of treatments was applied, achieving a 60-80% reduction in decay in comparison with the curing treatment alone in all cases. A significant reduction of blue mould was also observed on fruits inoculated both before the treatments and on those re-inoculated after the treatments, demonstrating both protectant and eradicant activity. Thus, combining curing at 33 degrees C for 65 h with sodium carbonate treatment effectively controlled these post-harvest diseases on artificially inoculated citrus fruits and protected against re-infection. With naturally inoculated lemons, curing followed by sodium carbonate significantly reduced both green and blue mould incidence, but was not superior to curing alone. With naturally infected oranges, curing significantly reduced blue mould, but decay was not reduced further when followed by sodium carbonate treatment.     

Morpho-Physiological Changes in Roots of Rice Seedling upon Submergence

Submergence is a serious environmental condition that causes large loss in rice production in rain fed lowland and flood affected area. This study evaluated morphological and physiological responses of rice roots to submergence using two tolerant rice genotypes FR13A and Swarna-Sub 1 and two sensitive ones Swarna and IR42. The tolerant genotypes had higher survival rate and less shoot elongation but greater root elongation during submergence than the sensitive ones. After submergence,the tolerant genotypes also had higher root dry weight and more active roots than the sensitive ones.Tolerant genotypes exhibited less root injury, with less malondialdehyde production and slower electrolyte leakage after submergence. Tolerant genotypes also maintained higher concentrations of soluble sugar and starch in roots and shoots and higher chlorophyll retention after submergence than the sensitive ones.Our data showed that root traits such as root activity and root growth are associated with survival rate after submergence. This is probably accomplished through higher energy supply, and membrane integrity is necessary to preserve root function and reduce injury during submergence. These root traits are important for submergence tolerance in rice.     

Bioremediation of soil contaminated by hydrocarbons with the combination of three technologies: bioaugmentation,phytoremediation, and vermiremediation

Journal of Soils and Sediments - The aim of this study was to evaluate the removal of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), alkanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). Using phytoremediation...     

Phytochemical Compounds and Antioxidant Activity Modified by Germination and Hydrolysis in Mexican Amaranth

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) grains have become essential for human health and nutrition; due to the presence of bioactive compounds that have shown some biological...     

Tocopherol Accumulation and Temporal Expression Analysis of VTE1 and VTE5 Gene Family in Fruit of Two Contrasting Avocado Genotypes

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - α-tocopherol is found in high concentrations in avocado fruit mesocarp, however, its accumulation and genetic control during maturation and ripening has not...     

Longitudinal study of hepatitis E virus infection in Spanish farrow-to-finish swine herds

Hepatitis E is a zoonotic disease and is highly prevalent in European swine livestock. There is a need to compare the infection dynamics of hepatitis E virus (HEV) between herds with the same production system and determine the percentage of animals that could arrive infected at slaughter age. Therefore, a longitudinal study was performed in six Spanish farrow-to-finish affected farms. Twenty piglets per farm were monitored from nursery to slaughter. RT-PCR and serology techniques were applied to analyze longitudinally collected sera and/or faecal samples. Liver and bile samples were also taken at the abattoir. Anti-HEV IgM were firstly detected at 7 weeks of age in 5 farms whereas at 13 weeks of age in 1 farm (farm 2). At slaughter age 50–100% of pigs had seroconverted to anti-HEV IgG in the former 5 farms whereas in the other herd only 5% of pigs were IgG seropositive (farm 2). Six out of 96 livers and 5 out of 80 biles analyzed were HEV positive at the abattoir (total percentage of infected animals: 11.5%). All these positive animals had already seroconverted except 2 pigs of farm 2. Hence, pigs can be seronegative at slaughter age being infected during the latest fattening period. Manipulation of HEV-infected livers or other organs from pigs could be considered a possible route of transmission in Spanish abattoirs. This study represents the first longitudinal survey on swine HEV infection dynamics conducted in different herds.     

Sensory characteristics and nutritional value of red drum Sciaenops ocellatus reared in freshwater and seawater conditions

This study compares sensory attributes, chemical composition, fatty acid profiles, and the taste of raw and cooked red drum Sciaenops ocellatus fillets, reared in seawater (SW) and in freshwater (FW) aquaculture systems. Significant nutritional differences were found in the raw fillets. The total lipid was higher (5.31%) in FW fish than the SW (2.60%). The ratio n‐3/n‐6 and EPA/DHA was higher in SW than FW fillets. The eicosenoic acid was only present in FW fillets. DHA was dominant in SW specimens, contrary to the arachidonic acid level, which was dominant in FW fillets. The assessors perceived a significant difference in the firmness and colour of raw fillets, but its odour intensity was not affected. Fillets from SW fish have higher acceptability (33.3%) than FW fillets (26.4%). Sensory differences in raw fillet were not correlated with consumer perceptions, as cooked fish was considered to have similar flavour, independent of its origin.     

Demographic Parameters of Nezara viridula (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) Reared on Two Diets Developed for Lygus spp.

Two artificial diets developed for rearing Lygus spp., a fresh yolk chicken egg based-diet (FYD) and a dry yolk chicken egg based-diet (DYD), were evaluated as an alternative food source for rearing the southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula (L.) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). Survival to adult was 97.3 and 74.67%, respectively, on the fresh and dry yolk diets. Insects fed FYD had 100% survival of nymphs from first through fourth instars. Adult development was significantly shorter on FYD (30.37 ± SE 0.30 d) as compared with DYD (32.77 ± SE 0.16 d). Increased male and female longevity, higher fecundity, and larger egg mass sizes were also observed with N. viridula-fed FYD. However, fertility and hatchability was higher on DYD. A complete cohort life table was constructed to describe the development of N. viridula on both diets.     

Exploring genetic variation,oil and α-tocopherol content in avocado (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Persea americana</Emphasis>) from northwestern Mexico

The Hass cultivar of avocado is the most widely grown commercial cultivar in Mexico. Unfortunately, this cultivar is poorly adapted to the Mexican low-lands with hot dry climates characteristic of northwestern Mexico. Other well-adapted avocado accessions are available for these regions, but their nutritional traits and genetic diversity have yet to be explored. In this study, we analyze oil content, (α-tocopherol) and genetic variation among five local varieties from northwest Mexico that grow in high temperatures regimes in unfertilized soils and without any agronomic management. We report significant phenotypic variability in oil and α-tocopherol components in different accessions of avocado as determined by HPLC. Interestingly, we find higher α-tocopherol content (45.02–50.66 μg/g of fresh pulp) in some local avocados compared to Hass (32.28 μg/g of fresh pulp). The analyzed accessions represent a moderately polymorphic set of genotypes as measured by microsatellite (10 alleles by locus) and SNP (1 SNP every 164.4 bp) analysis of the VTE3 and VTE4 genes, implied in the biosynthesis of tocopherols. SNP data allowed also identifying differences between the local varieties and controls (Hass and the Mexican race accession). The variation observed at the genetic, morphologic and nutritional levels provide significant new information that may be valuable in selecting and developing avocado genotypes adapted to high-temperature environments.