Synthesis and antifungal activity of novel bisdithiocarbamate derivatives of carbohydrates against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lini

Novel carbamic esters possessing a carbohydrate moiety derived from glycerol or D-glucose with two N,N-diethyldithiocarbamoyl groups and a series of bisdithiocarbamic esters having a ketone or an alkyl ester have been synthesized. The in vitro activity of these new compounds was evaluated against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lini. Some of the compounds [bis[1,3-S-(N,N-diethyldithiocarbamoyl)]-1, 3-dideoxyglycerol) and diethyl N,N'-(1,3-dideoxyglycer-1, 3-diyl)bis(dithiocarbamate)] were more active for inhibiting vegetative mycelium growth than, respectively, the commercial N, N-diethyldithiocarbamic acid sodium salt and Maneb. The structure activity of these new compounds is discussed.     

Pesticide Use and Mycotoxin Production in Fusarium and Aspergillus Phytopathogens

The major mycotoxigenic species of Fusarium and Aspergillus phytopathogens have been identified in this review. Since fungicides are widely used to control crop diseases caused by these fungi, it is pertinent to assess efficacy with respect to mycotoxin production. In both laboratory studies with pure cultures of phytopathogens and field trials with crop plants, the overall evidence concerning the effectiveness of fungicides is contradictory and in certain cases somewhat unexpected. In particular, at sub-lethal doses of a number of fungicides including carbendazim, tridemorph, difenoconazole and tebuconazole with triadimenol, mycotoxin production from Fusarium phytopathogens may increase. Furthermore, the efficacy of propiconazole and thiabendazole in the control of deoxynivalenol production from F. graminearum is not consistent. Evidence has been presented to suggest, for the first time, that fungicide-resistance in F. culmorum may be accompanied by a more persistent pattern of mycotoxin production. The limited evidence on the effects of fungicides on mycotoxin production in Aspergillus species is also conflicting. Under laboratory conditions, miconazole and fenpropimorph have been shown to increase aflatoxin production from A. parasiticus. Moreover, fenpropimorph increased production of the more toxic aflatoxin B1. Since fungal infection of plant products is often preceded by insect damage, there is interest in the effectiveness of insecticides to reduce infestation, infection and mycotoxin contamination. Additionally, insecticides may be effective in their own right, causing a direct effect on mycotoxin synthesis. The bulk of the evidence relates to effects on aflatoxin (AF) components B1, B2, G1 and G2. Under laboratory conditions, AFB1 production was most resistant to inhibition by insecticides, followed by AFG1, AFG2 and AFB2. This pattern of inhibition was particularly consistent for the organophosphorus insecticides. In one field study, Bux and carbaryl were considerably more effective than naled in reducing AFB1 contamination of maize kernels. It is concluded that if pesticide control is to be more effective in the future, additional criteria may be required in developing evaluation protocols for candidate compounds. In particular, the issue of fungicide-resistance in relation to mycotoxin production needs to be addressed in a concerted programme of research. Additionally, the potential of breeding and selecting cultivars resistant to disease caused by toxigenic fungi needs to be exploited in a parallel search for an environmentally acceptable solution to the question of mycotoxin contamination of plant products.     

一项浮土德的交易

[译者的话] 干旱、半干旱半湿润地区,灌区的土壤盐碱化是一个世界性的问题.灌溉渠系和田间灌水的渗漏引起地下水位的上升.地下水通过蒸发从土壤表层散失,地下水和土壤中的盐分将留在土壤中.在地下水位上升和盐分积累到一定程度后,将导致土壤的沼泽化和盐碱化.虽然通过修建完善的排水系统可以降低地下水位,避免土壤根层和灌溉土地表面上积盐,但需要有较大的投资.尽管如此,大部分灌区由于排水所带走的盐分小于自灌渠引进的盐分,灌区控制范围仍将处于积盐状态.灌溉水所带来的盐分,一部分将随灌溉水的渗漏进入深层,导致土壤和地下水含水层矿化度的增加,另一部分将被地下水输送至灌区内的洼地、非耕地和荒地,使盐分在这些地区聚积,在以河流湖泊等水体为容泄区的情况下,高矿化度和含有一定有毒物质的排水将导致水环境的恶化,给野生动物、甚至人类的健康造成不利的影响,也威胁着灌区的持续发展. 目前我国正在进行大规模的以节水为中心的大型灌区改造工作,解决盐碱问题是灌区续建配套和改造的一项重要内容.因此特选译Sandra Postel所著"沙柱-灌溉奇迹能够持久吗?"一书中有关解决盐碱问题的第5章,供有关部门进行灌区改造规划设计时参考.     

Complement factor H variant increases the risk of age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of visual impairment and blindness in the elderly whose etiology remains largely unknown. Previous studies identified chromosome 1q32 as harboring a susceptibility locus for AMD. We used single-nucleotide polymorphisms to interrogate this region and identified a strongly associated haplotype in two independent data sets. DNA resequencing of the complement factor H gene within this haplotype revealed a common coding variant, Y402H, that significantly increases the risk for AMD with odds ratios between 2.45 and 5.57. This common variant likely explains approximately 43% of AMD in older adults.     

Classical swine fever virus isolates from Cuba form a new subgenotype 1.4

Identification and classification of classical swine fever virus (CSFV) on the basis of nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis have become an important tool to study the epidemiology and to control CSF disease. According to phylogenetic analyses of short sequences from the 5′nontranslated region (150 nt) and the E2 (190 nt), most CSFV isolates from South and Central America have been assorted to the subgenotypes 1.1 and 1.3, while CSFV isolates from Cuba have been allocated to subgenotype 1.2. Here we demonstrate that determination and comparison of full-length E2 sequences as well as of the sequences encoding for N^pro, C, E^rns, E1 and E2 (3361 nt) do not support segregation of Cuban CSFV isolates to subgenotype 1.2. In fact, our analysis revealed that the Cuban isolates are more divergent from other so far known CSFV subgenotype 1 isolates and form a novel separate subgenotype that is proposed to be designated subgenotype 1.4.     

Improved strategy for phylogenetic analysis of classical swine fever virus based on full-length E2 encoding sequences

ABSTRACT: Molecular epidemiology has proven to be an essential tool in the control of classical swine fever (CSF) and its use has significantly increased during the past two decades. Phylogenetic analysis is a prerequisite for virus tracing and thus allows implementing more effective control measures. So far, fragments of the 5′NTR (150 nucleotides, nt) and the E2 gene (190 nt) have frequently been used for phylogenetic analyses. The short sequence lengths represent a limiting factor for differentiation of closely related isolates and also for confidence levels of proposed CSFV groups and subgroups. In this study, we used a set of 33 CSFV isolates in order to determine the nucleotide sequences of a 3508-3510 nt region within the 5′ terminal third of the viral genome. Including 22 additional sequences from GenBank database different regions of the genome, comprising the formerly used short 5′NTR and E2 fragments as well as the genomic regions encoding the individual viral proteins Npro, C, Erns, E1, and E2, were compared with respect to variability and suitability for phylogenetic analysis. Full-length E2 encoding sequences (1119 nt) proved to be most suitable for reliable and statistically significant phylogeny and analyses revealed results as good as obtained with the much longer entire 5′NTR-E2 sequences. This strategy is therefore recommended by the EU and OIE Reference Laboratory for CSF as it provides a solid and improved basis for CSFV molecular epidemiology. Finally, the power of this method is illustrated by the phylogenetic analysis of closely related CSFV isolates from a recent outbreak in Lithuania.     

Action de la fumure et du climat sur la teneur en amino-acides indispensables

Résumé L'influence considérable des facteurs écologiques sur la qualité protéique de nos plantes alimentaires est décrite sur quelques exemples caractéristiques, qui se rapportent principalement à la fumure azotée et au climat.Chez les pommes de terre, une fumure N.P.K. ajoutée au fumier de ferme détermine, à côté d'une augmentation de rendement considérable, une remarquable amélioration de la qualité protidique. Des doses croissantes de N déterminent, tant que l'on augmente le rendement, une augmentation de la qualité protidique. Toutefois, dès que les doses croissantes de N, dépassant l'optimum d'une fumure harmonique, déterminent une diminution de rendement, on observe encore une augmentation importante du taux protidique brut, mais une diminution de la valeur biologique de ces protides. Les variétés de légumes que nous avons étudiées montrent un comportement analogue sous l'action des diverses fumures azotées.Chez l'orge d'été, il existe des corrélations étroites entre le taux de protides totaux, lié à des conditions écologiques (climat) et la composition des protides totaux en aminoacides indispensables: à une augmentation du taux de protides bruts correspond toujours une diminution de la qualité des protides.On signale enfin que, à côté de la fumure et du climat, les nouveaux produits phytopharmaceutiques exercent aussi une action sur la valeur biologique de nos plantes alimentaires.

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Summary The considerable influence of ecological features and protein quality of our food plants has been demonstrated on some examples with a special regard to N-fertilization and to climate.As far as potatoes are concerned, an addition of N P K to stable manure increases protein quality, as well as yield in tubers. Increased amounts of N in potatoes give also a rise of protein quality, as far as the yield is being increased. However, as soon as the added amount of N surpasses the optimum of a normal ratio of N P K, obviously seen by decrease of yield, a notable increase of the crude protein contents is found, but a decrease of the Biological Value of protein at the same time. The varieties of other vegetables tested are showing a similar effect with N-fertilization.In brewery barley there are close correlations between the rate of crude protein — due to ecological conditions (climate) — and the protein composition of essential amino acids: An increase of the crude protein is associated with a corresponding decrease of protein quality.Finally, it is pointed out that besides fertilization and climatic conditions pesticides actually used have a certain influence on the Biological Value of protein in food plants.

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Zusammenfassung Der starke Einfluss der ökologischen Faktoren auf die Eiweißqualität unserer Nahrungspflanzen wird an einigen charakteristischen Beispielen, die sich vor allem auf die N-Düngung und das Klima beziehen, gezeigt.Bei Kartoffeln bringt eine zusätzliche NPK-Gabe zur Stallmistdüngung neben einer starken Ertragssteigerung eine bemerkenswerte Verbesserung der Eiweißqualität. Steigende N-Gaben zu Kartoffeln bedingen, solange der Ertrag gesteigert wird, eine Zunahme der Eiweißqualität. Sobald jedoch der vermehrten N-Gabe über das Optimum einer harmonischer Düngung hinaus eine Ertragsdepression gegenübersteht, ist zwar eine starke Erhöhung der Rohproteingehalte, aber eine Minderung der biologischen Eiweißwertigkeit zu verzeichnen. Die untersuchten Gemüsearten zeigen eine ähnliche Wirkung bei N-Düngung.Bei der Sommergerste konnten enge korrelative Beziehungen zwischen der ökologisch- (klima-) bedingten Höhe der Rohproteingehalte und der Zusammensetzung des Rohproteins an exogenen Aminosäuren festgestellt werden: Einer Zunahme des Rohproteingehalts steht eine Abnahme der Eiweißqualität gegenüber.Es wird schliesslich darauf hingewiesen, dass neben Düngung und Klima offenbar auch die neuzeitlichen Pflanzenschutzmittel einen Einfluss auf den Biologischen Wert unserer Nahrungspflanzen ausüben.

     

Über den Einfluss Steigender Stickstoffgaben auf den Gehalt an Freien und Gebundenen Aminosäuren im Fruchtfleisch von Sauerkirschen der Sorte ‘Schattenmorelle’

The influence of increasing dosages of nitrogen containing fertilizers (0; 7.5; 15.0; 22.5; 30.0 g N per vessel) on the different N-fractions in the fruit flesh of the variety ‘Schattenmorelle’ was studied with the following results:

1. With increasing N-dosages the share of the different N-fractions in the fruits shows an increasing tendency.
2. Increasing N-dosages have an influence on the sum of protein amino acids, but hardly any on the percentual distribution and consequently none on the pattern of amino acids of the proteins.
3. The free amino acids are differently influenced by increasing N-dosages: While asparagin acid, glutamin acid, threonin, serin, prolin, alanin, tyrosin and histedin are showing an essential increase, valin, isoleucin, phenylalanin, arginin are little changed. The missing methionin and cystein are to be considered as the limiting amino acids.
4. Regardless of the N-dosages the sulfur containing amino acids methionin and cystein are increased with increasing dosages of sulfur fertilizers.
5. With increasing N-dosages asparagin and glutamin became especially increased. Compared to ‘without N’ the increase in ‘4N’ of the chlorid row is more than tenfold.
6. High N-dosages in combination with sulfates and chlorides can differently influence the quantity and the quality of the N-fractions in the fruits.