Tick salivary gland extract-activated transmission of Borrelia afzelii spirochaetes

Saliva-activated transmission of Borrelia afzelii Canica, Nato, du Merle, Mazie, Baranton et Postic, 1993 was demonstrated using salivary gland extract (SGE) from Ixodes ricinus (L., 1758) ticks and C3H mice. Injection of Borrelia spirochaetes together with SGE increased the level of bacteraemia and accelerated the appearance of bacteria in the urinary bladder, compared with the injection of spirochaetes alone. More I. ricinus nymphs became infected when feeding on mice inoculated with B. afzelii plus SGE. Analysis of cytokines produced by cells of draining lymph nodes from SGE-treated mice showed a suppression of proinflammatory cytokines IFN-gamma, IL-6 and GM-CSF following a transient upregulation in comparison with the control mice infected without SGE.     

The toxicity of selected acaricides against five stored product mites under laboratory assay

In laboratory tests, the toxicity of acaricides targeted against house dust mites was tested on five species of stored product mites (Acarus siro, Aleuroglyphus ovatus, Carpoglyphus lactis, Lepidoglyphus destructor, and Tyroborus lini). The formulations of benzyl-benzoate, benzyl-benzoate/permethrin/pyriproxyfen, and neem were diluted in water and applied to filter paper in an unventilated chamber. The mortality of mites was observed after 24 h of exposure to acaricide-impregnated filter paper. All of the tested acaricides were toxic to all of the mite species. There were significant differences in mortality among the species and the acaricides. Benzyl-benzoate/permethrin/pyriproxyfen was the most effective, followed by benzyl-benzoate and neem. L. destructor (LD₅₀ 0.01–0.11 μg) was the most sensitive mite species, followed by A. siro (LD₅₀ 0.04–0.12 μg), T. lini (LD₅₀ 2–21 μg), A. ovatus (LD₅₀ 3–18 μg), and C. lactis (LD₅₀ 4–64 μg). Based on the highly toxic effects of the tested acaricides against the stored product mites, the acaricides should be considered as a potential tool in the control of stored product mites, although next screening is necessary.     

HPLC analysis of rosmarinic acid in feed enriched with aerial parts of Prunella vulgaris and its metabolites in pig plasma using dual-channel coulometric detection

This paper describes a sensitive isocratic HPLC/ECD method developed for the determination of rosmarinic acid (RA) in plant material, animal feed, and pig plasma. The plasma sample preparation only includes protein precipitation and adjustment of the pH. The applicability of the method was tested on plasma samples of pigs that were exposed to a 91-day oral intake of RA via feed enriched by aerial parts of Prunella vulgaris. The plasma was directly analyzed using the method described as well as after enzymatic hydrolysis. When no hydrolysis step was included, RA and caffeic acid (CA) were quantified in the plasma. In hydrolyzed plasma samples, several other metabolites were determined, including dihydrocaffeic, ferulic, and dihydroferulic acid. The dual-channel coulometric detection employed, as an alternative to mass spectrometry, offers good selectivity and sensitivity owing to the electrochemical properties of the phenolic constituents.     

Ethnobotanical knowledge and agrobiodiversity in subsistence farming: case study of home gardens in Phong My commune, central Vietnam

Ethnobotanical survey was conducted in 101 randomly selected home gardens of Phong My commune, central Vietnam, situated in the buffer-zone of Natural Reserve. Data were collected through semi-structured questionnaires and direct observation. Sixty-seven species belonging to 35 families were identified to be used for various purposes. For each species the botanical and vernacular names, plant parts used and main purposes of use are given. The major use categories reported for plant species were food (86%), medicine (32%) and firewood (32%), however, seventy-seven percent of all inventoried plants have multiple uses. The species Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam., Citrus grandis Osbeck, Citrus reticulata Blanco, Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam. and Musa spp. were identified as the main sources of plant foods consumed within the households. Statistical analyses indicated by Shannon-Wiener and Margalef indices have shown that local species diversity and richness is affected by home garden size. On the contrary, no relationship between diversity and home garden age was found. On the basis of a cluster analysis of plant species diversity, five home garden types were differentiated. In comparison to previously reported studies on tropical home gardens, the diversity in Phong My is lower, probably due to market-oriented strategy. Nevertheless, based on the results achieved, we can conclude that useful plants cultivated in local home gardens provide valuable foods complementing daily diet and subsequently contributing to socioeconomic status of the households.     

Sperm quality in male <Emphasis Type="Italic">Barbus barbus</Emphasis> L. fed different diets during the spawning season

Sperm quality of Barbus barbus L. was compared among the three following dietary regimes: Group A, fed 100% commercial diet (Karpico™ containing 33% crude protein and 6% fat), Group B, fed 78% commercial diet and 22% frozen chironomid (Chironomus plumosus) larvae, and Group C, fed 56% commercial diet and 44% frozen chironomid larvae. Concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in Group A, B, and C were 39.1, 42.0, and 44.6, respectively, as a percentage of total fatty acids. Sperm morphology, volume, concentration and motility, total number of spermatozoa, and osmolality of the seminal plasma were compared during the spawning season. Dietary regime did not influence sperm volume, concentration, or total number of spermatozoa, osmolality of seminal plasma, or the percentage of motile sperm, but significantly affected sperm morphology (except for anterior and posterior parts of the midpiece) and sperm velocity (P < 0.05). Groups B and C showed similar sperm characteristics during the spawning season compared to Group A. Almost all parameters changed either among or within groups during the spawning season, suggesting differences in terms of the optimal time for sperm collection. The best time for sperm collection was March for Group A, but April for Groups B and C, when the osmolality of the seminal plasma measured 289 mOsmol kg⁻¹ and sperm motility was maximal. Spermatogenesis, hydration, and cell decomposition were confirmed as the three major parameters controlling sperm characteristics during the spawning season. The possible correlation between sperm morphology and motility requires further study.     

Size‐related oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion of Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) reared in a recirculating system

Oxygen consumption (OC) and ammonia excretion rates (AE) of perch were measured under commercial‐like conditions (temperature 23.3 °C) in both fed (F) and feed‐deprived groups (D). Measurements were taken in triplicate in six sized batches of perch ranging from 44.8 to 336.2 g. The mean daily OC was 288.3–180.6 mg O₂ kg^?1 h^?1 for group F fish ranging in size from 44.8 to 279.4 g body weight. The mean daily AE expressed as total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) was 13.8–5.2 mg TAN kg^?1 h^?1 in the same groups. Daily peaks of OC in group F perch were observed 6 h after the onset of feeding for each size group with relatively stable values up to the end of feeding. Peaks of daily AE in group F perch were observed 10 h after the onset of feeding in each size group, with a rapid decrease up to 16 h after onset. In group D, OC was 181.1–110.5 mg O₂ kg^?1 h^?1 in the weight range 57.9–336.2 g. The daily mean AE was 1.7–0.5 TAN kg^?1 h^?1 in this group. No dramatic peaks of OC and AE were observed in group D perch.     

Induction of glucokinase mRNA by dietary phenolic compounds in rat liver cells in vitro

Diabetes and its complications, including oxidative stress, are major reasons for medical intervention and one of the most frequent causes of death in developed countries. Several lines of data suggest that the use of certain dietary polyphenolic compounds may alter glucose metabolism, thus decreasing the risk for type 2 diabetes. In this paper, we present the effect of phenolic acids (caffeic, chlorogenic, rosmarinic, and ferulic) and extracts from Smallanthus sonchifolius and Prunella vulgaris on glucose production in rat hepatocytes and on glucokinase, glucose-6-phosphatase, and phosphoenol-pyruvate carboxykinase mRNA expression in rat hepatoma Fao cells. The phenolics at 500 microM and after 1 h incubation lowered glucose production via both gluconeogenesis (10 mM alanine or dihydroxyacetone as precursors) and glycogenolysis compared with metformin. Most of the phenolics increased the level of glucokinase mRNA after 24 h in the same way as insulin (10(-7) M).