Facile catalyst separation without water: fluorous biphase hydroformylation of olefins

A novel concept for performing stoichiometric and catalytic chemical transformations has been developed that is based on the limited miscibility of partially or fully fluorinated compounds with nonfluorinated compounds. A fluorous biphase system (FBS) consists of a fluorous phase containing a dissolved reagent or catalyst and another phase, which could be any common organic or nonorganic solvent with limited or no solubility in the fluorous phase. The fluorous phase is defined as the fluorocarbon (mostly perfluorinated alkanes, ethers, and tertiary amines)-rich phase of a biphase system. An FBS compatible reagent or catalyst contains enough fluorous moieties that it will be soluble only or preferentially in the fluorous phase. The most effective fluorous moieties are linear or branched perfluoroalkyl chains with high carbon number; they may also contain heteroatoms. The chemical transformation may occur either in the fluorous phase or at the interface of the two phases. The application of FBS has been demonstrated for the extraction of rhodium from toluene and for the hydroformylation of olefins. The ability to separate a catalyst or a reagent from the products completely at mild conditions could lead to industrial application of homogeneous catalysts or reagents and to the development of more environmentally benign processes.     

Efficiency of inorganic fungicides against the formation of Erysiphe necator chasmothecia in vineyards

BACKGROUND

A reduction in chasmothecia, an important inoculum of grape powdery mildew (Erysiphe necator Schwein.), is essential for disease control in vineyards; the use of fungicides during the formation of chasmothecia on vine leaves, late in the growing season, may accomplish this. Inorganic fungicides, such as sulphur, copper, and potassium bicarbonate, are very useful for this purpose because of their multisite mode of action. The aim of this study was to evaluate chasmothecia reduction using different fungicide applications late in the growing season in commercially managed vineyards and in an exact application trial.

RESULTS

Chasmothecia on vine leaves were reduced in commercial vineyards by four copper (P = 0.01) and five potassium bicarbonate (P = 0.026) applications. The positive effect of potassium bicarbonate was also confirmed in the application trial, where two applications showed lower chasmothecia numbers than the control (P = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

The application of inorganic fungicides reduced the amount of chasmothecia as the primary inoculum source. Potassium bicarbonate and copper are of further interest for disease control as these fungicides can be used by organic and conventional wine growers. The application of these fungicides should be carried out as late as possible before harvest to reduce chasmothecia formation and, consequently, the potential for powdery mildew infestation in the subsequent season. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Nutrient limitations to bacterial and fungal growth during cellulose decomposition in tropical forest soils

Nutrients constrain the soil carbon cycle in tropical forests, but we lack knowledge on how these constraints vary within the soil microbial community. Here, we used in situ fertilization in a montane tropical forest and in two lowland tropical forests on contrasting soil types to test the principal hypothesis that there are different nutrient constraints to different groups of microorganisms during the decomposition of cellulose. We also tested the hypotheses that decomposers shift from nitrogen to phosphorus constraints from montane to lowland forests, respectively, and are further constrained by potassium and sodium deficiency in the western Amazon. Cellulose and nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and combined) were added to soils in situ, and microbial growth on cellulose (phospholipid fatty acids and ergosterol) and respiration were measured. Microbial growth on cellulose after single nutrient additions was highest following nitrogen addition for fungi, suggesting nitrogen as the primary limiting nutrient for cellulose decomposition. This was observed at all sites, with no clear shift in nutrient constraints to decomposition between lowland and montane sites. We also observed positive respiration and fungal growth responses to sodium and potassium addition at one of the lowland sites. However, when phosphorus was added, and especially when added in combination with other nutrients, bacterial growth was highest, suggesting that bacteria out-compete fungi for nitrogen where phosphorus is abundant. In summary, nitrogen constrains fungal growth and cellulose decomposition in both lowland and montane tropical forest soils, but additional nutrients may also be of critical importance in determining the balance between fungal and bacterial decomposition of cellulose.     

Microbial community structure in forest soils treated with a fire retardant

The influence of a fire retardant (Firesorb, an acrylic–acrylamide copolymer) on the microbial community structure determined by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis was examined under laboratory conditions using two different textured soils under pine forest. Firesorb was added to unheated and heated soil samples (350°C for 10 min followed by reinoculation, to mimic a forest fire) at three levels of application (none, usual and three times the usual levels), and measurements were made after 12 weeks of incubation. The relative importance of the three factors considered on the PLFA profiles was as follows: soil heating ≫ soil texture ≈ Firesorb treatment. In the unheated soils, Firesorb had a larger effect than soil texture, while the opposite was found in the heated soils. Soil heating reduced the total PLFAs, while Firesorb tended to increase them in both the unheated and heated soils. Soil heating decreased the PLFAs indicative of gram-positive (G⁺) bacteria and tended to increase the fatty acids associated with gram-negative (G⁻) bacteria and, to a lesser extent, the PLFA 18:2ω6, considered to be predominantly of fungal origin. Firesorb treatment decreased the G⁻/G⁺ bacteria ratio in the heated soils but tended to increase it in the unheated soils, the effect being dose dependent.     

Changing of fat content and fatty acid profile of reared pike (Esox lucius) fed two different diets

Fat content and fatty acid profile of two pike yearling groups grown on two different diets were compared. The groups originated from culture on artificial feed. One group (cultured pike fed first pellet then prey‐fish (PF)) was fed with natural food, live prey‐fish, while the other one (cultured pike fed exclusively pellet (PP)) by trout feed through a 3‐month experimental period. Growth of pike was lower with PP than with PF. The trout feed resulted in an increase of the fat content of fillet and the formation of abdominal fat depots. Feeding of natural food decreased the fat content. The proportion of the saturated fatty acids in fillet was higher in the (PF) group. The n‐6 fatty acids (arachidonic C20:4n‐6 and docosatetraenic C22:4n‐6 acids) were lowest in PP‐fed pike. Regarding total n‐3 fatty acids ratio there was no significant difference between the groups, but the level of α‐linolenic (C:18:3n‐3) acid showed significant difference among groups.     

Biochemical characterization of Siberian sturgeon Acipenser baeri and sterlet Acipenser ruthenus milt plasma and spermatozoa

This paper provides data concerning biochemical composition of milt of two sturgeon species, Siberian sturgeon bred in aquaculture facility of Inland Fisheries Institute in North Poland and sterlet (from two different populations from Danube and Odra). Milt plasma of Siberian sturgeon and sterlet, when compared to teleost fish, is characterized by much lower osmolality (up 70 to 96 mOsm kg⁻¹) and protein concentration (0.24–0.58 g l⁻¹). In spite of the presence of an acrosome and acrosin the antiproteinase activity of seminal plasma was low (12.79–25.40 U l⁻¹). Activities of arylsulfatase and β-N-acetylglucosaminidase were found in spermatozoa. This agrees with the presence of an acrosome in sturgeons sperm. Similarly to mammals, these enzymes are also present in milt plasma. We determined a range of enzymatic activities from the minimal (seminal plasma) to the maximal damage (supernatants obtained after freezing-thawing without cryoprotectant). Activities of arylsulfatase, β-N-acetylglucosaminidase, lactic dehydrogenase and acid phosphatase were released from spermatozoa after freezing-thawing. For this reason they are good potential candidates as a markers of cryoinjury to sperm acrosome and midpiece. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

丁雌核发育鱼的异源精子诱导及其与亲本的RAPD比较分析

鱼类人工雌核发育的研究始于20世纪50年代,在随后的50年里发展迅速。雌核发育可以为纯系建立、性别控制、基因定位等研究提供一种有效途径,乃鱼类遗传育种研究工作活跃领域之一[1-3]。丁(Tincatinca)隶属于鲤科、雅罗鱼亚科、丁属,是一种广温性鱼类(0～37℃)。主要分布于欧洲,在我国仅分布于新疆额尔齐斯河流域[4]。由于丁雌鱼生长比雄鱼快,Linhart等[5]对其人工诱导雌核发育和雌核发育子代性逆转进行了研究。但到目前为止,与其他大多数鱼类雌核发育研究工作一样,尚未获得功能性雄鱼。本研究旨在对丁人工雌核发育条件进行探索,…     

Questionnaire assessment of the welfare of pigs

A questionnaire study was performed involving 76 farms with a total of 380,207 pigs to assess the welfare of pigs kept in Hungary based on the animal welfare legislation of the European Union. Most significant deficiencies were found in the fulfillment of the provisions relating to space requirements, the stall microclimate and the behavioural needs of the animals.     

The surgical technique and the age of the horse both influence the outcome of mosaicplasty in a cadaver equine stifle model

Six pieces of grafts, 6.5 mm in diameter, 20 mm in length, were taken from each of 170 cadaver hindlimbs, using the cranial surface of the medial femoral trochlea for harvesting. The age of the horses varied between 4 months and 23 years. 30 limbs under the age of 12 years were selected for transplantation. Three of six grafts were transplanted into the medial femoral condyle using different combinations of tunnel depth and dilation. With ageing, a significant decline in transplantability was detected. In general, mosaicplasty cannot be recommended in horses above 11 years. Based on a previous clinical case (Bodó et al., 2000), a good surface alignment was indeed achieved with a combination of graft length drilling and dilation in most cases. However, the occasional entrapment of cartilage debris under the graft prevented perfect alignment in the present cadaver study in 27% of the grafts transplanted in this manner. Since the protrusion of grafts never exceeded 1.5 mm, we conclude that drilling 3-5 mm deeper than graft length with graft length deep dilation can avoid disadvantageous protrusion of the transplanted hyaline cartilage caps, achieving bone decompression at the same time.     

Ultrasonography and surgery of canine biliary diseases

Findings of hepatic and gallbladder ultrasonography were analyzed in 12 dogs with gallbladder and/or extrahepatic biliary tract obstruction and compared with the results of exploratory laparotomy. Hepatic ultrasonography demonstrated normal liver in 2 dogs and hepatic abnormalities in 10 animals. The following ultrasonographic diagnoses were established compared to surgical findings: gallbladder obstruction caused by bile sludge (correct/incorrect: 1/2, surgical diagnosis: choleliths in one case), gallbladder obstruction caused by neoplasm (0/1, surgical diagnosis: mucocele), gallbladder and extrahepatic biliary tract obstruction due to choleliths (3/3), extrahepatic biliary tract obstruction caused by pancreatic mass (1/1) and small intestinal volvulus (1/1). Bile peritonitis caused by gallbladder rupture (4/4) was correctly diagnosed by ultrasound, aided with ultrasonographically-guided abdominocentesis and peritoneal fluid analysis. Rupture of the gallbladder should be suspected in the presence of a small, echogenic gallbladder or in the absence of the organ together with free abdominal fluid during ultrasonography. Laparotomy was correctly indicated by ultrasonography in all cases. However, the direct cause of obstruction could not be determined in 2 of the 12 dogs by ultrasonography alone.