Risk factors for occupational brucellosis among veterinary personnel in Turkey

Veterinarians and veterinary technicians are at risk for occupational brucellosis. We described the risk factors of occupational brucellosis among veterinary personnel in Turkey. A multicenter retrospective survey was performed among veterinary personnel who were actively working in the field. Of 712 veterinary personnel, 84 (11.8%) had occupational brucellosis. The median number of years since graduation was 7 (interquartile ranges [IQR], 4–11) years in the occupational brucellosis group, whereas this number was 9 (IQR, 4–16) years in the non-brucellosis group (p < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, working in the private sector (odds ratio [OR], 2.8; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.55–5.28, p = 0.001), being male (OR, 4.5; 95% CI, 1.05–18.84, p = 0.041), number of performed deliveries (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.002–1.02, p = 0.014), and injury during Brucella vaccine administration (OR, 5.4; 95% CI, 3.16–9.3, p < 0.001) were found to be risk factors for occupational brucellosis. We suggest that all veterinary personnel should be trained on brucellosis and the importance of using personal protective equipment in order to avoid this infection.     

A case of aspergillosis in a broiler breeder flock

A case of aspergillosis in a broiler breeder flock having respiratory and nervous system problems caused by Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus niger is documented. Dyspnea, hyperpnea, blindness, torticollis, lack of equilibrium, and stunting were observed clinically. On postmortem examination of the affected birds, white to yellow caseous nodules were observed on lungs, thoracic air sacs, eyes, and cerebellum. Histopathologic examination of lungs and cerebellum revealed classic granulomatous inflammation and cerebellar lesions, necrotic meningoencephalitis, respectively. No lesions were noted in the cerebrum histopathologically. Aspergillus hyphae were observed in stained sections prepared from lesioned organs. Fungal spores and branched septate hyphae were observed in direct microscopy. Aspergillus fumigatus and A. niger were isolated from the inoculations prepared from the suspensions of organs showing lesions.     

Induction of oxidants in tomato leaves treated with <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">DL</Emphasis>-β-Amino butyric acid (BABA) and infected with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Clavibacter michiganensis</Emphasis> ssp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">michiganensis</Emphasis>

Bacterial canker is an economically important disease of tomato. Resistance induced by DL-β-Amino butyric acid against bacterial canker caused by Clavibacter michiganensis ssp. michiganensis in tomato plants was investigated. Different doses of DL-β-Amino butyric acid (250–1000 μg ml⁻¹ doses) were tested on 3-week old plants inoculated with a 10⁸ CFU ml⁻¹ bacterial suspension, and disease development was evaluated after inoculation and treatment. Although in vitro growth of the bacteria was not affected by DL-β-Amino butyric acid treatment, foliage sprays of 500 μg ml⁻¹ DL-β-Amino butyric acid significantly suppressed disease development up to 54% by day 14 after inoculation at the four different doses tested. Bacterial populations were reduced by 84% in BABA-treated plants compared to water-treated plants by day 4 after inoculation. Inoculated BABA-treated plants showed significantly higher phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity, peroxidase activity, and H₂O₂ concentration than inoculated water-treated plants during day 1 after treatment. These findings suggest that the DL-β-Amino butyric acid treatment resulted in an increase of these enzymes and in H₂O₂ concentration in planta, and was associated with induction of resistance to bacterial canker.     

Changes in physicochemical characteristics and volatile constituents of yellow- and white-fleshed nectarines during maturation and artificial ripening

Changes in the volatile composition during maturation and artificial ripening of yellow-fleshed nectarines were investigated by means of GC-FID and GC-MS over three years (1999-2001). Unripe and commercially ripe fruits were placed in ripening chambers until complete ripening and compared to tree-ripe nectarines. Firmness, weight, soluble solids (SS), titratable acidity (TA), SS/TA ratio, organic acids, and sugars were also determined. Furthermore, the tree-ripe and artificially ripened yellow-fleshed nectarines were subjected to sensory analysis by a taste panel. In 2001, a similar experiment on white-fleshed nectarines (cv. Vermeil) was performed to compare with the results obtained on yellow-fleshed nectarines. Levels of volatiles compounds, in particular, lactones and C(13) norisoprenoids, were found to be the same or higher in the artificially ripened nectarines compared with the tree-ripe nectarines. In addition, no significant difference was observed for sweetness, sourness, and the intensities of "peach odors" or "peach aroma" in the sensory analysis between the tree-ripe samples and the artificially ripened nectarines. However, in the latter the levels of SS and the SS/TA ratio were very close to those observed in the initial unripe samples and significantly lower than those observed in tree-ripe nectarines.     

Effect of pre-slaughter environment on some physiological parameters and meat quality in New Zealand rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of pre-slaughter environment on physiology and meat quality in New Zealand rabbits. Pre-slaughter environment consisted of combined effects of social and non-social factors. For the experiment, 18 male New Zealand rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), 3 months of age, were used. Some biochemical and meat quality parameters of the animals were measured, and the results were compared with the control group. The pre-slaughter environment significantly influenced some biochemical and meat quality parameters (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). It is concluded that pre-slaughter environment negatively affected the welfare status and decreased the meat quality in New Zealand rabbits.     

Beta-glucosidase from the grape native yeast Debaryomyces vanrijiae: purification,characterization, and its effect on monoterpene content of a Muscat grape juice

Six hundred ten yeast colonies isolated from various vineyards in Chile were screened for the presence of a beta-glucosidase activity as well as the resistance to glucose and ethanol inhibition. Among them, Debaryomyces vanrijiae was found to produce high levels of an extracelular beta-glucosidase which was tolerant to glucose (K(i) = 439 mM) and ethanol inhibitions. The enzyme (designated DV-BG) was purified to apparent homogeneity, respectively, by gel filtration, ion-exchange, and chromatofocusing techniques. Its molecular weight was 100 000, and its pI 3.0, optimum pH, and temperature activities were 5.0 and 40 degrees C, respectively, and had a V(max) of 47.6 micromol min(-)(1) mg(-)(1) and a K(m) of 1.07 mM. The enzyme was active against different beta-d-glucosides including glucosidic flavor precursors. The disaccharidic flavor precursors were not substrates for the enzyme. When added to a Muscat grape juice, the concentration of several monoterpenes increased as the consequence of its hydrolytic activity.     

Effect of timing and duration of salt treatment during growth of a fragrant rice variety on yield and 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, proline, and GABA Levels

In greenhouse experiments, Aychade, a fragrant rice variety, was grown under one level of salt solution (EC of 3800 ± 400 μS·cm(-1)) sufficient to induce salt stress in rice. Timing and duration of salt solution application varied according to the growth stages. 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline (2AP), a characteristic flavor compound of fragrant rice as well as biogenetically related compounds, proline, and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were quantified. Salt treatments induced 2AP synthesis in the leaves, but the increase was often higher in the vegetative phase. This increase was correlated with proline level but not with that of GABA. Interestingly the grains from all the salt treated plants contained significantly higher levels of 2AP (733-998 μg·kg(-1)) than those from the control (592 μg·kg(-1)). The highest 2AP synthesis occurred when the plants were subjected to salt treatment during whole vegetative or reproductive phases. However in the latter case crop yield decreased significantly.     

Grapefruit juices impair the bioaccessibility of β-carotene from orange-fleshed sweet potato but not its intestinal uptake by Caco-2 cells

Among various factors influencing β-carotene (Bc) bioavailability, information on interactions between carotenoids or other micronutrients such as flavonoids during a meal that contains different plant-derived foods is quite limited. Because orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) is an important Bc-rich staple food, a source of vitamin A in developing countries, this study focused on the effect of citrus fruit juice carotenoids and flavonoids on Bc bioaccessibility from OFSP. In vitro digestion coupled with the Caco-2 cell culture model was used to evaluate the bioaccessibility and cellular uptake of Bc from OFSP in the presence of pink grapefruit (pGF) or white grapefruit (wGF) juices. The addition of grapefruit juices significantly decreased the bioaccessibility, by up to 30%, but not the cellular uptake of Bc from boiled OFSP. Lycopene, but more probably naringin, present in grapefruit juices was suspected to be responsible for the inhibitory effect of the citrus juices on Bc bioaccessibility. This inhibition was apparently due in part to competition for incorporation between Bc and naringin into mixed micelles during in vitro digestion. In contrast, Bc uptake from dietary micelles was not impaired by naringin.     

Odor-active compounds in cooked rice cultivars from Camargue (France) analyzed by GC-O and GC-MS

Volatile compounds of cooked rice from scented (Aychade, Fidji) and nonscented (Ruille) cultivars grown in the Camargue area in France were compared to that of a marketed Asian scented one (Thai) by gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). GC-O analyses of the organic extracts resulted in the perception of 40 odorous compounds. Only two compounds, oct-1-en-3-one and 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, were almost always perceived. Hierarchical cluster analysis showed that most of the difference between rice odors was linked to quantitative differences with only 11 compounds being specific to some of the rice. Sixty compounds were identified and quantified by GC-MS, including a few new odor-active components. Principal component analysis enabled us to differentiate scented cultivars from a nonscented one, and scented rice cultivars from Camargue from a Thai sample. Calculated odor-active values evidenced that the Thai sample odor differed from that of scented Camargue cultivars because of the degradation of lipids and of cinnamic acid compounds.