Postharvest UV-C treatment combined with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), followed by storage in continuous low-level ethylene atmosphere,improves the quality of tomatoes

Mature green tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv Neang Pich) were exposed to 13.6 kJ m^?2 UV-C or 0.5 μL L^?1 1-MCP or combination of 13.6 kJ m^?2 UV-C and 0.5 μL L^?1 1-MCP, with appropriate untreated controls. After treatment, tomatoes were stored in air containing 0.1 μL L^?1 ethylene at 20°C and 100% RH. The untreated fruit ripened significantly faster than those of all other treatments. UV-C treatment alone was able to delay fruit ripening by up to 5 days longer compared to untreated fruits whilst the additional of 1-MCP further delayed fruit ripening. UV-C and 1-MCP treatments alone or in combination had significantly slower ethylene production rates throughout the storage period. The fruit treated with the combination of 1-MCP and UV-C was significantly firmer and had higher total phenolic content compared to that of the other treatments. However, there was no difference between treatments in soluble solids content/titratable acids ratio, chlorophyll content, lycopene content and total antioxidant activity. These results show that UV-C and 1-MCP treatment delay ripening and improve the quality of tomatoes in the presence of low-level ethylene during storage. This new treatment could be used to extend the shelf-life of mature green tomatoes through the supply chain without the use of refrigeration.     

Mapping QTL controlling soybean seed sucrose and oligosaccharides in a single family of soybean nested association mapping (SoyNAM) population

The meal value of Soybean for monogastric animals is determined partly by sucrose, raffinose and stachyose. Of these, sucrose is desirable, while raffinose and stachyose are indigestible, causing flatulence and abdominal discomfort. The objective of this study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling seed sucrose, raffinose, and stachyose in a set of 140 SoyNAM (Nested Association Mapping) recombinant inbred lines (RILs), developed from the cross between lines IA3023 and LD02‐4485. A total of 3,038 SNP markers from the Illumina SoyNAM BeadChip SNP were used to map the QTLs for sucrose and the RFOs, raffinose, and stachyose. Significant genotypic differences (p < .001) among RILs were observed for sucrose, raffinose and stachyose contents across years. A 3038 Illumina SoyNAM BeadChip SNPs identified three QTLs for sucrose, one on chromosome 1, explaining 10% variance and two on chromosome 3 each explaining 22%. Raffinose QTL was detected on chromosome 6, explaining 6% variance. The mapped QTLs were novel and spanned regions harbouring candidate genes with roles in plant growth including seed development.     

Intestinal migrations of Trichostrongylus retortaeformis (Trichostrongylina,Trichostrongylidae) in the rabbit

Observations were made on histological sections of the stomach and small intestine of seven rabbits infected with Trichostrongylus retortaeformis and from one uninfected control rabbit. At 12h post-infection, larvae were found in the small intestine. At first, only a few larvae were observed entering the mucosa through capillaries of the stroma of villi; the majority of larvae remained in the intestinal lumen, within mucus of the crypts. We consider that the presence of the worms in the stroma is the result of a larval migration. From a phyletic point of view, this migration is interpreted as an ancestral memory of the pulmonary migration seen in the primitive Strongylida.     

Development of nursery culture techniques for the mud crab Scylla paramamosain (Estampador)

Cannibalism is one of the main causes of mortality in the culture of the mud crab Scylla paramamosain, particularly in the early post‐larval and juvenile stages when the densities of hatchery‐reared crabs may be very high before stocking into ponds or release into the wild for stock enhancement. In a series of experiments investigating cannibalism mitigation, the influence of stocking density, the effectiveness of sand substrate, brick and shell shelters and feed type were compared in culture of crabs from instar 1 for short nursery periods of 15–30 days. Inclusion of brick and shell shelters significantly increased survival over sand substrate alone. However, inclusion of shelters did not affect growth rates. In scaled‐up nursery production in lined‐ponds, with shelters, live Artemia biomass and fresh chopped shrimp or tilapia were found to be equally effective feeds for juvenile crabs stocked at a density of 70 m⁻² from instar 1 and grown for 30 days [52–66% survival, 21.6–24.6 mm carapace width (CW)]. In an extended nursery period for a further 30 days, crabs of 22 mm CW, stocked at 30 m⁻² in the same ponds, attained a final size of 34.5–36.2 mm CW with a survival of 64.3–67.0% using the same feeds.     

Tilapia Lake Virus was not detected in non-tilapine species within tilapia polyculture systems of Bangladesh

Sixteen countries, including Bangladesh, have reported the presence of tilapia lake virus (TiLV), an emerging tilapia pathogen. Fish polyculture is a common farming practice in Bangladesh. Some unusual mortalities reported in species co-cultivated with TiLV-infected tilapia led us to investigate whether any of the co-cultivated species would also test positive for TiLV and whether they were susceptible to TiLV infection under controlled laboratory experiments. Using 183 samples obtained from 15 farms in six districts across Bangladesh, we determined that 20% of the farms tested positive for TiLV in tilapia, while 15 co-cultivated fish species and seven other invertebrates (e.g. insects and crustaceans) considered potential carriers all tested negative. Of the six representative fish species experimentally infected with TiLV, only Nile tilapia showed the typical clinical signs of the disease, with 70% mortality within 12 days. By contrast, four carp species and one catfish species challenged with TiLV showed no signs of TiLV infection. Challenged tilapia were confirmed as TiLV-positive by RT-qPCR, while challenged carp and walking catfish all tested negative. Overall, our field and laboratory findings indicate that species used in polycultures are not susceptible to TiLV. Although current evidence suggests that TiLV is likely host-specific to tilapia, targeted surveillance for TiLV in other fish species in polyculture systems should continue, in order to prepare for a possible future scenario where TiLV mutates and/or adapts to new host(s).     

Evaluation of soybean for resistance to soybean rust in Vietnam

Soybean rust, caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi Sydow, is a severe foliar disease of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] that occurs throughout most soybean producing regions of the world. The objective of this research was to evaluate selected soybean genotypes for resistance to soybean rust in Vietnam. Five field experiments in Vietnam were completed from 2006 to 2009. The area-under-the-disease-progress-curve (AUDPC) was calculated for each soybean genotype based on four disease assessments taken during the reproductive growth stages. AUDPC units among soybean genotypes in each experiment differed (P < 0.05). Over the five experiments, the resistant check DT 2000 was most often the genotype with the lowest AUDPC units while the sources of rust resistance (Rpp1-5) did not always have low AUDPC units in each experiment, although PI 230970 (Rpp2) appeared to be more stable. A few genotypes with non-characterized genes for resistance, such as PI 398998, PI 437323, and PI 549017, had the lowest AUDPC units in at least one of the experiments. These genetic resources may be useful for host plant resistance studies and breeding soybeans for rust resistance in Vietnam and other locations like Brazil and the United States that have more recently been inundated with soybean rust. A significant (P < 0.001) experiment × genotype interaction was found when the AUDPC data of 14 soybean genotypes tested in Experiments 1, 2, and 3 were combined and analyzed. This result indicates the potential importance of changing fungal races and/or biotypes that occur in the rust population.     

Differentiation of Umbilical Cord Lining Membrane-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Endothelial-Like Cells

Background: Stem cell therapy for the treatment of vascular-related diseases through functional revascularization is one of the most important research areas in tissue engineering. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro differentiation of umbilical CL-MSC into endothelial lineage cells. Methods: In this study, isolated cells were characterized for expression of MSC-specific markers and osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation. They were induced to differentiate into endothelial-like cells and then examined for expression of the endothelial-specific markers, karyotype, and functional behavior of cells. Results: Isolated cells expressed MSC-specific markers and differentiated into adipocytes and osteoblasts. After endothelial differentiation, they expressed CD31, vWF, VE-cadherin, VEGFR1, and VEGFR2 at both mRNA and protein level, but their morphological changes were not apparent when compared with those of undifferentiated cells. There were no significant changes in karyotype of differentiated cells. Furthermore, angiogenesis assay and LDL uptake assay showed that differentiated cells were able to form the capillary-like structures and uptake LDL, respectively. Conclusion: The results indicated that umbilical CL-MSC could differentiate into functional endothelial-like cells. Also, they are suitable for basic and clinical studies to cure several vascular-related diseases. Key Words: Endothelial differentiation, Endothelial-like cells, Mesenchymal stem cells, Umbilical cord lining membrane