Predicting the chemical composition of fibre and core fraction of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.)

Summary Fibre formation in hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a dynamic process. In order to follow this process, the chemical composition of the hemp stem was studied during plant development using the acid and neutral detergent fibre and lignin methods. Additionally, near infra-red spectroscopy was carried out. To predict the chemical composition of the stem samples partial least square (PLS) analysis was carried out. The developed PLS models can predict the level of %ADF and %NDF in the hemp bast and core samples. For %ADL, the models are only suited for either core or bast tissues and can not be used for both tissues simultaneously.     

Detection of PSTVd and TCDVd in seeds of tomato using real‐time RT‐PCR

Worldwide outbreaks of pospiviroids in potato and tomato have increased the need for a reliable test for the detection of pospiviroids in seeds. This study describes the development and validation of a sensitive and fast test for the detection of Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) and Tomato chlorotic dwarf viroid (TCDVd) in tomato seeds. The test is based on RNA isolation using a commercial kit and is suitable for routine application. The test is able to detect one PSTVd or TCDVd contaminated seed in sub samples of 1000 seeds and results were both repeatable and reproducible.     

Generalist dinoflagellate endosymbionts and host genotype diversity detected from mesophotic (67-100 m depths) coral Leptoseris

Background  

Mesophotic corals (light-dependent corals in the deepest half of the photic zone at depths of 30 - 150 m) provide a unique opportunity to study the limits of the interactions between corals and endosymbiotic dinoflagellates in the genus Symbiodinium. We sampled Leptoseris spp. in Hawaii via manned submersibles across a depth range of 67 - 100 m. Both the host and Symbiodinium communities were genotyped, using a non-coding region of the mitochondrial ND5 intron (NAD5) and the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region 2 (ITS2), respectively.     

Evaluating anthropogenic threats to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

• 1. Every manager must assess and prioritize anthropogenic impacts on their management area from a long list of threats, but data which allow comparison of the relative ecological impacts of threats for decision‐making is often unavailable.
• 2. This study employed a systematic and standardized method to collect and quantitatively synthesize expert opinion on the ecological effects of anthropogenic threats to the world's largest marine protected area: the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (MNM) in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI).
• 3. In contrast to most threat ranking exercises, the method provides detail on the reasons behind a particular ranking of threats to an area and why the ranking may vary across the ecological landscape.
• 4. Survey results from 25 experts allowed the comparison of the vulnerability of eight NWHI ecozones to 24 anthropogenic threats in a quantitative manner.
• 5. Ecozones tended to have distinct top threats: sea‐level rise was identified as the top threat to rocky intertidal, beach and terrestrial ecozones; sea temperature rise was the top threat to the coral reef ecozones; bottom fishing was the top threat to the deep reef/bank ecozone; and pelagic fishing in the wider Pacific was the top threat to the pelagic ecozone owing to impacts on bird, turtle and fish fauna that forage outside the Papahānaumokuākea MNM boundaries.
• 6. Many of these top threats are difficult for local managers to control because they arise from activities outside the Papahānaumokuākea MNM boundaries, indicating that additional work is needed to preserve the NWHI despite its highly protected status. The analysis indicates where inter‐agency cooperation in removing and mitigating threats should be focused.

Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synaptic assembly of the brain in the absence of neurotransmitter secretion

Brain function requires precisely orchestrated connectivity between neurons. Establishment of these connections is believed to require signals secreted from outgrowing axons, followed by synapse formation between selected neurons. Deletion of a single protein, Munc18-1, in mice leads to a complete loss of neurotransmitter secretion from synaptic vesicles throughout development. However, this does not prevent normal brain assembly, including formation of layered structures, fiber pathways, and morphologically defined synapses. After assembly is completed, neurons undergo apoptosis, leading to widespread neurodegeneration. Thus, synaptic connectivity does not depend on neurotransmitter secretion, but its maintenance does. Neurotransmitter secretion probably functions to validate already established synaptic connections.     

Social harvest control rules for sustainable fisheries

Fisheries are supposed to be for the benefit of society, producing food, providing livelihoods and enabling cultural continuity. Biological productivity goals for fish stocks operationalised through Harvest Control Rules (HCRs) are central to contemporary fisheries management. While fisheries policies often state socio-economic objectives, such as enhancing the livelihoods of coastal communities, those are rarely, if ever, incorporated into operationalised management procedures. The lack of articulation of social objectives and lack of monitoring of social outcomes around HCRs amounts to poor public policy. In this article, we explore the potential for social HCRs (sHCRs) with reference points and agreed predefined actions to make the social dimensions of fisheries explicit. sHCRs cannot cover all social dimensions, so should be considered as one tool within a broader framework of fisheries governance. Moreover, successful sHCRs would require sound deliberative and participatory processes to generate legitimate social objectives, and monitoring and evaluation of fisheries management performance against those objectives. We introduce two potential types of sHCRs, one based on allocation of catch within biological limit reference points, and one for when fishing exceeds biological limit reference points. The application of sHCRs, we argue, can foster accountability and help avoid non-transparent negotiations on size and distribution of the catch. Our proposal is a call to action for policy makers and fisheries managers to properly integrate social criteria into fisheries governance, and for both biophysical fisheries scientists and social scientists to do better in practical collaboration for methods and knowledge development to support this integration.     

Acute Phase Response to Surgery of Varying Intensity in Horses: A Preliminary Study

Objective— To evaluate the postoperative inflammatory response of horses to elective surgery of varying intensity.
Study Design— Prospective longitudinal study.
Animals— Horses referred to 2 hospitals for either arthroscopic removal of a unilateral osteochondritic lesion in the tibiotarsal joint (minimal surgical trauma, n=11), correction of recurrent laryngeal neuropathy by laryngoplasty and ventriculectomy (intermediate surgical trauma, n=10) or removal of an ovarian tumor by laparotomy (major surgical trauma, n=5).
Methods— Horses had a thorough clinical examination every day. White blood cell (WBC) counts and concentrations of serum amyloid A (SAA), fibrinogen, and iron were assessed in blood samples obtained before, and 1–3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 days after surgery. Differences in levels of the inflammatory markers between the 3 surgical groups were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA.
Results— Postoperative concentrations of SAA and fibrinogen were significantly higher in horses that had laparotomy and ovariectomy than in horses that had laryngoplasty and ventriculectomy, or arthroscopy. Iron concentrations decreased to lower levels after intermediate and major surgical trauma than after small surgical trauma. WBC count did not differ between the 3 groups.
Conclusions— Levels of SAA, fibrinogen, and iron reflected the intensity of the surgical trauma, whereas WBC count did not.
Clinical Relevance— Postoperative measurements of SAA, fibrinogen, and iron may be useful for comparing surgical trauma associated with new and established surgical techniques. Moreover, knowledge of the normal postoperative acute phase response is essential, if acute phase reactants are to be used for monitoring occurrence of postoperative infections.