Videodermoscopic examination of the skin and its products in purebred Arabian horses in the summer season

Videodermoscopy is a method that enables the examination of many parameters of the skin and its structures. The aim of this study was to assess specific dermoscopic parameters in purebred Arabian horses during the summer. The study involved 21 clinically healthy purebred Arabian horses (18 mares and three stallions) that had not been used for breeding and were 1 to 25 years old. The videoderoscopic evaluation was performed on seven selected areas of the body: forehead, mane, neck, chest, flank, rump, and tail. The tests were carried out with Vidix and Olympus cellSens specialised software. Videodermoscopy revealed that the skin was pigmented in all of the bay horses, in one of the seal brown horses, and in the 10 grey horses. Only one grey horse and one chestnut horse had unpigmented skin. Hair thickness ranged from 44.82 µm (neck) to 75 µm (mane). Regarding the amount of hair in the field of view, the highest and lowest numbers of hairs were found on the neck (3,004) and mane (990), respectively. A valuable insight obtained from our research is that it is possible to use digital image analysis for precise quantitative and qualitative evaluations of the skin and its structures.     

The use of Verticillium dahliae and Diplodia scrobiculata to induce resistance in Pinus halepensis against Diplodia pinea infection

The pathogenic fungi Verticillium alboatrum and Diplodia scrobiculata were assayed for biological control of Diplodia pinea on Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) in Catalonia (north-eastern Spain). Young shoots were pre-treated with inoculations of either V. dahliae or D. scrobiculata, by placing colonized agar plugs on wounds made by removing a single needle fascicle. An inoculation with D. pinea was performed 15 days later. Two months after the shoot inoculations, the canker length on the stems was measured and the percentage of shoot dieback calculated. Verticillium dahliae and D. scrobiculata were found to significantly reduce the canker length of D. pinea (P < 0.05) when compared with positive controls. Diplodia pinea was slightly more sensitive to V. dahliae than to D. scrobiculata, but no significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed in the mean canker length between the two treatments. Trees pre-inoculated with V. dahliae resulted in 31.12% shoot dieback, while those pre-inoculated with D. scrobiculata resulted in 32.18% shoot dieback, compared with positive controls (42.85%).     

Analysis of duplication in the Spanish durum wheat collection maintained in the CRF-INIA on the basis of agro-morphological traits and gliadin proteins

A total of 106 potential duplicate cases involved 277 accessions were detected on the basis of passport data in the durum wheat collection maintained in the CRF-INIA. Similarity between accessions was measured by agro-morphological traits. The 90% of the agro-morphological duplication were verified with gliadin proteins, allowing identification of similar material with greater refinement than agro-morphological data. However, the results indicated not to decide for rationalisation only on the basis of molecular data.     

Broccoli processing wastes as a source of peroxidase

A peroxidase isozyme (BP) was purified to homogeneity from broccoli stems ( Brassica oleraceae var. maraton) discarded from industrial processing wastes. BP specific activity was 1216 ABTS [2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)] units/mg, representing 466-fold that of crude extract. BP is a monomeric glycoprotein containing 16% carbohydrates, with a molecular mass of 49 kDa and an isoelectric point close to 4.2. From kinetic data it showed a two-substrate ping-pong mechanism, and the catalytic efficiency measured as the rate-limiting step of free BP regeneration was 3.4 x 10(6) M(-1) s(-1). The ABTS K m value was 0.2 mM, which was about 20 times lower than that reported for acidic commercial horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Assessment of BP secondary structure showed 30% helical character, similar to HRP and cytochrome c peroxidase. BP lost only 25% activity after 10 min of heating at 55 degrees C and pH 6; it was stable in the pH range from 4 to 9 and showed an optimum pH of 4.6 using ABTS as substrate. BP was active on substrates normally involved in lignin biosynthesis, such as caffeic and ferulic acids, and also displayed good catechol oxidation activity in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. Reverse micellar extraction was successfully used as potential large-scale prepurification of broccoli peroxidase, achieving a purification factor of 7, with 60% activity yield. Stems from the broccoli processing industry have a high potential as an alternative for peroxidase purification.     

Organophosphorus pesticide residues in Mexican commercial pasteurized milk

A study was conducted to measure residues of 13 organophosphorus (OP) pesticides, widely used as dairy cattle ectoparasiticides or in crops used for animal feed, in homogenized and pasteurized Mexican milk samples. Four different milk brands with high distribution were collected biweekly during a 12 month period (n = 96) in supermarkets. OP pesticide residues were measured by gas chromatography with a flame photometric detector. Approximately 39.6% of the samples contained detectable levels of OP pesticide residues. Eight samples contained residues exceeding established maximum residue limits (MRL), and the OP pesticides present in these samples were dichlorvos (five samples), phorate, chlorpyrifos, and chlorfenvinphos (one sample, respectively). Average residues of 13 OP pesticides measured were below established MRLs ranging between 0.0051 and 0.0203 ppm.     

Hydroxytyrosol 4-beta-D-glucoside,an important phenolic compound in olive fruits and derived products

There is increasing interest in olive polyphenols because of their biological properties as well as their contribution to the color, taste, and shelf life of olive products. However, some of these compounds remain unidentified. It has been shown that hydroxytyrosol 4-beta-D-glucoside (4-beta-D-glucosyl-3-hydroxyphenylethanol) coeluted with hydroxytyrosol [(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethanol] under reversed phase conditions in the phenolic chromatograms of olive pulp, vegetation water, and pomace of olive oil processing. A method to separate this compound from hydroxytyrosol by HPLC has been developed. The concentration of this glucoside increased in olive pulp with maturation and could be the main phenolic compound in mature olives. In contrast, the presence of this compound was not detected in olive oil by using HPLC-MS. The compound must be considered both in table olives and olive oil processing because of its glucose and hydroxytyrosol contribution to these products.     

Assessment of diffuse pollution associated with metals in urban sediments using the geoaccumulation index (Igeo)

Purpose

This study investigated the behavior of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn) in urban sediments collected in commercial, residential, and industrial areas of the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil, and evaluated different degrees of pollution in this urban subdrainage basin through the use of the geoaccumulation index (I_geo).

Materials and methods

Concentrations of Cd, Ni, Pb, and Zn were analyzed using acid digestion (EPA method 3050) in fractions <63 μm in 20 composite samples of urban sediment collected using a portable vacuum in 20 different sampling points on roads from three areas with diverse use: commercial, industrial, and residential.

Results and discussion

The values of I_geo were commercial area (3.35, Zn; 3.76, Cd; 3.60, Ni; 2.63, Pb) > residential area (3.34, Zn; 3.36, Cd; 2.94, Ni; 1.46, Pb) > industrial area (2.74, Zn; 1.78, Cd; 3.01, Ni; 1.45, Pb), indicating that the sediment was “highly contaminated” in the case of Zn and Ni, while for Cd, it was “moderately to highly contaminated,” and for Pb, it was “moderately contaminated.” The pollution is associated with traffic flow in all areas.

Conclusions

Research should be increased to make urban systems more sustainable, reducing their pollution potential and minimizing the delivery of potentially polluting particles into freshwater bodies. The I_geo allows for the determination of a simple index of diffuse pollution state associated with urban sediments.     

Genetic and morphological characterization of the endangered Austral papaya Vasconcellea chilensis (Planch. ex A. DC.) Solms

The Austral papaya (Vasconcellea chilensis) is an endangered species that has valuable characteristics for introgression into other papaya species. These characteristics include disease resistance, cold tolerance and latex with low proteolytic activity. It is a species that grows under extreme environmental conditions of drought, salinity and temperature; it is found growing naturally in Chile but today only as three remnant populations. The results presented here, using inter simple sequence repeat molecular markers, along with morphological trait analyses, suggest that these relict populations are the result of a relatively recent fragmentation. This implies that the fragmentation has not yet had its full effect on the genetic variation and so emphasises the need for clear and urgent conservation measures to preserve the remaining genetic variation, particularly for the most northern of the three populations which is presently unprotected.     

RESPONSE OF FRIJOLILLO RHYNCHOSIA MINIMA (L) DC. TO SUPPLEMENTARY PHOSPHORUS WITH THREE SOIL MOISTURE CONDITIONS: II. SOLUTE ACCUMULATION

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of induced drought conditions and phosphorous (P) application on osmotic adjustment as reflected in the accumulation of organic solutes in the leaves of frijolillo. The experiment took place under greenhouse conditions without climate control. Plastic containers were used measuring 20 cm high × 15 cm in diameter. In each container, five plants were evaluated from emergence to vegetative growth phase. Three soil moisture regimes were evaluated (25%, 50%, and 100% of field capacity) combined with four concentrations of phosphorous (0, 50,100 and 150 mg kg^?1 of soil). A completely randomized block design with a factorial arrangement of 3×4 with four replications was used. The cellular osmotic adjustment as a response to drought stress in frijolillo was associated with the accumulation of sugars, amino acids and proline in that higher concentrations than the control were measured with moisture at 25%. Concentrations of chlorophyll and carotene increased as soil moisture levels decreased.     

Unravelling pest infestation and biological control in low-input orchards: the case of apple blossom weevil

Low-input farming is an alternative production system that provides a great opportunity to disentangle the natural mechanisms regulating crop pests, since neither pests nor their natural enemies are disrupted by pesticides. Here, we use a key apple pest in Europe, the apple blossom weevil (Anthonomus pomorum), as a model case to unravel the factors driving pest infestation and its biological control in a low-input context, namely the cider apple orchards of NW Spain. We applied a holistic approach based on the complete life cycle of the pest and combined large-scale observation (23 orchards) with small-scale experimental assessment. Weevil attack (0.4–37.4% of flowers) increased with the proportion on apple trees in the immediate orchard neighbourhood and with semi-natural woody habitat in the surrounding landscape and decreased with tree distance to orchard edge and apple bloom level. Thus, the prevalence of the pest depended on the availability of the various resources required for foraging, egg-lying and overwintering. Three types of natural enemies supplied complementary pest control by preying on weevils at different stages in their life cycle: seven parasitoid species attacked immature weevils (6.4–81.5%), while the additive effects of birds and crawling arthropods were evident in terms of the removal of adult weevils (31–44%). We conclude that the effective biological control of A. pomorum can be achieved in low-input systems to maintain the pest at non-harmful levels, through combined management of the pest, its habitat and its natural enemies.