In vitro metabolism of EPN and EPNO in susceptible and resistant strains of house flies

EPN is twice as toxic as EPNO to house flies from both the Diazinon-resistant strain and the susceptible strain. EPN and EPNO are also eight times more toxic to the susceptible than the resistant strain. This is due to the ability of the resistant strain to metabolize these compounds to a greater extent. Metabolism by the glutathione S-transferases present in the 100,000g supernatant is more extensive than that by the NADPH-dependent microsomal mixed-function oxidases. The glutathione S-transferases are the major route of metabolism for EPN and appear to be the principal mechanism conferring resistance. EPN was metabolized by the microsomal fraction via oxidative desulfuration to the oxygen analog, EPNO, and by oxidative dearylation to p-nitrophenol. EPNO was metabolized by the same system to p-nitrophenol and desethyl EPNO as well as to an unknown metabolite. The soluble fraction metabolized EPN to p-nitrophenol, S-(p-nitrophenyl)glutathione, O-ethyl phenylphosphonothioic acid, and S-(O-ethyl phenylphosphonothionyl)glutathione. The identification of the latter conjugate demonstrates a new type of metabolite of organophosphorus compounds. EPNO was metabolized by the soluble fraction to p-nitrophenol and S-(p-nitrophenyl)glutathione.     

Diagnosis and surgical removal of brain abscesses in a juvenile alpaca

CASE DESCRIPTION: A 1-month-old female alpaca was examined because of progressive clinical signs consistent with an intracranial lesion. CLINICAL FINDINGS: Clinical signs included signs of depression, lethargy, tetraparesis, and neck weakness. Two large isointense intracranial masses could be seen on T1-weighted magnetic resonance images. On T2-weighted images, the masses contained concentric rings of hypointense and hyperintense material. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: 2 abscesses were removed via a craniotomy that incorporated removal of the sagittal crest and surrounding skull and transection of the sagittal sinus. The bony deficit was replaced with polypropylene mesh. The alpaca recovered within 2 weeks and was fully integrated into the herd within 1 month after surgery. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Findings indicated that surgical removal is a feasible means of successfully treating intracranial abscesses in juvenile alpacas.     

Seeding nets with neutral spores of the red alga Porphyra umbilicalis (L.) Kützing for use in integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA)

Nets in traditional Porphyra mariculture are seeded with conchospores derived from the conchocelis phase, and spend a nursery period in culture tanks or calm coastal waters until they reach several centimeters in length. Some species of Porphyra can regenerate the foliose phase directly through asexual reproduction, which suggests that the time, infrastructure, and costs associated with conchocelis culture might be avoided by seeding nets with asexual spores. Here, we present work from a short-term mariculture study using nets seeded with asexual spores (neutral spores) of a native Maine species of Porphyra. Porphyra umbilicalis (L.) Kützing was selected for this proof of concept research because of its reproductive biology, abundance across seasons in Maine, and evidence of its promise as a mariculture crop. We studied the maturation, release, and germination of the neutral spores to develop an appropriate seeding protocol for nets, followed by development of a nursery raceway to provide an easily manipulated environment for the seeded nets. Neutral spores were produced throughout the year on the central Maine coast; however, there was a temporal variability in the number and survival of released neutral spores, depending upon thallus position in the intertidal zone. Small thalli were strictly vegetative, but most thalli reproduced by neutral spores; sexual reproduction was absent. Neutral spores germinated quickly at 10 and 15 °C, but germination was delayed at 5 °C. Unlike some algal zygotes and spores, neutral spores of P. umbilicalis required light to germinate; however, irradiances of 25 and 100 μmol photons m^− 2 s^− 1 were equally sufficient for germination. Rafts of seeded nets were deployed in Cobscook Bay, Maine, at two distances from salmon aquaculture pens and at a control site on a nearby, fallow aquaculture site (no salmon). There was no difference in nitrogen content of harvested thalli; however, both the density and the surface area of harvested thalli were different among the sites. The possible causes of these differences are discussed in the context of potential use of P. umbilicalis in IMTA.     

Euthanasia of honey-bee colonies: Proposal of a standard method

Honey bees are most often kept for production purposes. Sanitary, regulatory, or zootechnical circumstances may lead the beekeeper or the veterinarian to dispose of a honey-bee colony. Unfortunately and at present, no standard method of euthanasia exists, leaving the door open to many more or less acceptable practices. Based on a short survey of current practices in 8 countries, we list and rank these methods. Although imperfect, the sulfur dioxide technique appears to be the most efficient. We suggest that it should become the reference method to be taught and incorporated into veterinary and regulatory guidelines.     

The molecular mechanism of thermal noise in rod photoreceptors

Spontaneous electrical signals in the retina's photoreceptors impose a limit on visual sensitivity. Their origin is attributed to a thermal, rather than photochemical, activation of the transduction cascade. Although the mechanism of such a process is under debate, the observation of a relationship between the maximum absorption wavelength (λ(max)) and the thermal activation kinetic constant (k) of different visual pigments (the Barlow correlation) indicates that the thermal and photochemical activations are related. Here we show that a quantum chemical model of the bovine rod pigment provides a molecular-level understanding of the Barlow correlation. The transition state mediating thermal activation has the same electronic structure as the photoreceptor excited state, thus creating a direct link between λ(max) and k. Such a link appears to be the manifestation of intrinsic chromophore features associated with the existence of a conical intersection between its ground and excited states.     

Productive behavior in growing kid goats and methane production with the inclusion of chokecherry leaf (Prunus salicifolia)

Tropical Animal Health and Production - Currently for the reduction of methane (CH4) emissions are using fodder rich in condensed tannins, however, not yet known exactly how they act in the rumen...     

The reproductive potential of the root-knot nematode <Emphasis Type="Italic">Meloidogyne incognita</Emphasis> is affected by selection for virulence against major resistance genes from tomato and pepper

The emergence of virulent root-knot nematode populations, able to overcome the resistance conferred by some of the resistance genes (R-genes) in Solanaceous crops, i.e., Mi(s) in tomato, Me(s) in pepper, may constitute a severe limitation to their use in the field. Research has been conducted to evaluate the durability of these R-genes, by comparing the reproduction of several laboratory-selected and wild virulent Meloidogyne incognita isolates, on both susceptible and resistant tomatoes and peppers. We first show that the Me1 R-gene in pepper behaves as a robust R-gene controlling avirulent and virulent Me3, Me7 or Mi-1 isolates. Although the reproductive potential of the virulent isolates was highly variable on susceptible and resistant plants, we also confirm that virulence is highly specific to a determined R-gene on which selection has occurred. Another significant experimental result is the observation that a reproductive fitness cost is associated with nematode virulence against Mi-1 in tomato and Me3 and Me7 in pepper. The adaptative significance of trade-offs between selected characters and fitness-related traits, suggests that, although the resistance can be broken, it may be preserved in some conditions if the virulent nematodes are counter-selected in susceptible plants. All these results have important consequences for the management of plant resistance in the field.     

Genetic mapping,marker assisted selection and allelic relationships for the Pu6 gene conferring rust resistance in sunflower

Rust resistance in the sunflower line P386 is controlled by Pu₆, a gene which was reported to segregate independently from other rust resistant genes, such as R₄. The objectives of this work were to map Pu₆, to provide and validate molecular tools for its identification, and to determine the linkage relationship of Pu₆ and R₄. Genetic mapping of Pu₆ with six markers covered 24.8 cM of genetic distance on the lower end of linkage Group 13 of the sunflower consensus map. The marker most closely linked to Pu₆ was ORS316 at 2.5 cM in the distal position. ORS316 presented five alleles when was assayed with a representative set of resistant and susceptible lines. Allelism test between Pu₆ and R₄ indicated that both genes are linked at a genetic distance of 6.25 cM. This is the first confirmation based on an allelism test that at least two members of the R_adv/R₄/R₁₁/ R_13a/R_13b/Pu₆ cluster of genes are at different loci. A fine elucidation of the architecture of this complex locus will allow designing and constructing completely new genomic regions combining genes from different resistant sources and the elimination of the linkage drag around each resistant gene.     

Intra‐household constraints on educational attainment in rural households in Papua New Guinea

This paper examines intra‐household and socio‐cultural factors leading to differential outcomes in educational attainment by gender and birth order amongst smallholder oil palm households in Papua New Guinea. Not all children share equitably in the household resources allocated to education: females have lower average education levels than males, and high birth order children have higher education attainment than lower birth order siblings, indicating preferential parental investment in sons and early born children. The findings demonstrate that despite households having regular access to relatively high incomes from oil palm and residing in close proximity to schools, primary school net enrolment rates remain significantly lower than those for East Asia and the Pacific region, and the millennium development goal of universal primary education has not been met. This finding is likely to be the result of a combination of intra‐household factors including gender power imbalances, low parental education levels, the agency of youth in educational decision‐making and the weakening attraction of education as a means of improving income‐earning potential.     

Integrated pest management of Tuta absoluta: practical implementations across different world regions

Journal of Pest Science - The South American tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), has invaded most Afro-Eurasian countries and is threatening worldwide tomato...