Anti‐microbial Susceptibility of Streptococcus spp. Isolated from Bovine Mastitis in Argentina

The in vitro susceptibility to penicillin G, erythromycin and clindamycin was determined by the disc diffusion test and by E‐test for a total of 47 streptococcal strains (three Streptococcus uberis, 36 Streptococcus agalactiae, eight Streptococcus dysgalactiae spp. dysgalactiae) isolated from bovine intramammary infections in Argentina. Moreover, resistance phenotypes of erythromycin‐resistant streptococcal isolates was characterized. MIC₉₀ of penicillin G, erythromycin and clindamycin for S. agalactiae were 0.75, 8.0 and 12.0 μg/ml respectively. Resistance to erythromycin and clindamycin was detected in 13 (27.6%) and 12 (25.5%) isolates respectively. No isolate was resistant to penicillin G. Resistance against macrolides, lincosamides and streptogramin B (MLS_B) represented by the constitutive MLS_B phenotype was present in 11 (23.4%) erythromycin‐resistant isolates and two isolates (4.3%) expressed the M phenotype. The inducible MLS_B phenotype was not identified. Results suggest that beta‐lactams are the first‐line antibiotics when treating streptococcal udder infections; however, the continuous monitoring of the antibiotic resistance is essential, as the emergence of resistant strains has become a growing concern on the therapy of bovine mastitis.     

Economic optimisation in seabream (Sparus aurata) aquaculture production using a particle swarm optimisation algorithm

The purpose of this study is the economic optimisation of seabream farming through the determination of the production strategies that maximise the present operating profits of the cultivation process. The methodology applied is a particle swarm optimisation algorithm based on a bioeconomic model that simulates the process of seabream fattening. The biological submodel consists of three interrelated processes, stocking, growth, and mortality, and the economic submodel considers costs and revenues related to the production process. Application of the algorithm to seabream farming in Spain reveals that the activity is profitable and shows competitive differences associated with location. Additionally, the applications of the particle swarm optimisation algorithm could be of interest for the management of other important species, such as salmon (Salmo salar), catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), or tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).     

Control of brown spot of pear by reducing the overwintering inoculum through sanitation

Stemphylium vesicarium, the causal agent of brown spot of pear, overwinters in the leaf residues of pear and herbaceous plants of the orchard floor. Pseudothecia of the teleomorph, Pleospora allii, are formed on these residues where they produce ascospores. New methods were tested aimed at reducing this overwintering inoculum and increasing the efficacy of control of brown spot of pear. Sanitation methods were evaluated in nine trials in Girona (Spain) and Ferrara (Italy) over a 4-year period. The sanitation methods were leaf litter removal in December to February, and application of biological control agents (commercial formulates of Trichoderma spp.) to the orchard ground cover from February to May. Fungicides were also applied to the trees during the pear-growing season, scheduled according to the BSPcast model. The different methods were tested as stand-alone applications or in combination. All methods consistently reduced the disease incidence at harvest on fruit with an efficacy between 30 to 60% for leaf litter removal and more than 60% for the combination of leaf litter removal and biological control. Efficacy of sanitation alone (leaf litter removal and biological control) in reducing the brown spot level on fruit was similar in most of the trials to the efficacy obtained when fungicides were applied alone. However, integration of sanitation methods and fungicides did not improve the efficacy of disease control over the level provided by fungicides alone.     

Pre- and postinvasion defenses both contribute to nonhost resistance in Arabidopsis

Nonhost resistance describes the immunity of an entire plant species against nonadapted pathogen species. We report that Arabidopsis PEN2 restricts pathogen entry of two ascomycete powdery mildew fungi that in nature colonize grass and pea species. The PEN2 glycosyl hydrolase localizes to peroxisomes and acts as a component of an inducible preinvasion resistance mechanism. Postinvasion fungal growth is blocked by a separate resistance layer requiring the EDS1-PAD4-SAG101 signaling complex, which is known to function in basal and resistance (R) gene-triggered immunity. Concurrent impairment of pre- and postinvasion resistance renders Arabidopsis a host for both nonadapted fungi.     

Purification and characterization of a milk-clotting aspartic proteinase from globe artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.)

The study of proteinase expression in crude extracts from different organs of the globe artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) disclosed that enzymes with proteolytic and milk-clotting activity are mainly located in mature flowers. Maximum proteolytic activity was recorded at pH 5.0, and inhibition studies showed that only pepstatin, specific for aspartic proteinases, presented a significant inhibitory effect. Such properties, in addition to easy enzyme inactivation by moderate heating, make this crude protease extract potentially useful for cheese production. Adsorption with activated carbon, together with anion exchange and affinity chromatography, led to the isolation of a heterodimeric milk-clotting proteinase consisting of 30- and 15-kDa subunits. MALDI-TOF MS of the 15-kDa chain determined a 15.358-Da mass, and the terminal amino sequence presented 96% homology with the smaller cardosin A subunit. The amino terminal sequence of the 30-kDa chain proved to be identical to the larger cardosin A subunit. Electrophoresis evidenced proteinase self-processing that was confirmed by immunoblots presenting 62-, 30-, and 15-kDa bands.     

Anionic relationships in leaf petiole sap of tomato and capsicum plants growing in a glasshouse

The nitrate, chloride and sulphate content and their interaction effects in capsicum and tomato plants growing in glasshouse under fertigation systems was studied. Using leaf petiolesap concentrations as an index of the uptake rhythm, it was found that nitrate‐chloride and nitrate‐chloride plus sulphate relationships are regulated by potential or logarithmical laws. Nitrate‐sulphate interactions only appear clear in capsicum plants, but not for tomato.

The utilization of these interaction curves may permit the use of waters with a relatively high saline level for the irrigation of the both capsicum and tomato plants, by suitable planning of the nitrate supply in the fertigation program.     

Assessment of protein entrapment in hydroxyapatite scaffolds by size exclusion chromatography

Although it is well known that the textural properties of scaffolds play an important role in the process of tissue regeneration, the investigation of such effects remain difficult especially at the micro/nano level. Texture confers the material the additional ability to entrap/concentrate molecules circulating in the body fluid regardless of their binding affinity to the material. The goal of the present work is to isolate protein entrapment from protein adsorption phenomena in two macroporous hydroxyapatite scaffolds with identical chemical structure, similar macroporosity but different micro/nanoporosity using proteins of different sizes. This was achieved implementing size exclusion chromatography and using the scaffolds as chromatographic columns. The results showed that the larger the crystal size and the lower the packing density of the crystals composing the scaffold increased protein retention but decreased the protein dwelling time in the column. Differences in the amount of protein retained depended on the protein type.     

Influence of fish food and faecal pellets on short‐term oxygen uptake,ammonium flux and acid volatile sulphide accumulation in sediments impacted by fish farming and non‐impacted sediments

Sediment cores were taken from impacted and non‐impacted areas and subjected to different incubations: (i) uninoculated, (ii) inoculated with fish feed and (iii) inoculated with gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) faeces. After inoculation (or not), the cores were incubated for 8 h and the following biogeochemical fluxes were determined: sediment oxygen uptake (SOU), total ammonia nitrogen flux (TAN_f) and the production of acid volatile sulphides (AVS‐S_p). The results showed that the impacted sediments had a more pronounced benthic metabolism than non‐impacted sediments. Correlations between the variables and factorial analysis showed that oxygen consumption caused by the organic enrichment appeared as the trigger for subsequent biogeochemical alterations. The addition of faeces led to proportionally higher benthic rates of SOU, TAN_f and AVS‐S_p than those obtained in the feed incubations. Although the feed is relatively sterile and does not create an oxygen demand until colonized by bacteria, the faeces are already richly colonized with fish gut bacteria and could start to consume oxygen without the lag phase experienced in the incubations with feed. The TAN_f values measured after the addition of feed or faeces seem to be more related to the leaching velocity of TAN than with the benthic flux, given the short incubation time.