Incidence and Distinguishing Characteristics of Meloidogyne chitwoodi and M. hapla in Potato from the Northwestern United States

From September 1980 to June 1981, a survey was conducted in the major potato growing regions of northern California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon. and Washington to determine the distribution of Meloidogyne chitwoodi and other Meloidogyne spp. Meloidogyne chitwoodi and M. hapla were the only root-knot nematode species detected parasitizing potato in all the states surveyed. Meloidogyne chitwoodi occurred alone in 83% of the samples and M. hapla in 11%, with 6% of all samples containing both species. The greater incidence of M. chitwoodi, as compared to M. hapla, may be due to the cool growing season encountered in 1980 (which favored M. chitwoodi but not M. hapla) and to the increased acreage of small grains (which are good hosts for M. chitwoodi but not M. hapla) planted in rotation with potato. Differentiation between these two species can be determined by a differential host test, perineal patterns of mature females, and shape of the tail tip amt of the tail hypodermal terminus of L₂ juveniles.     

Description and SEM Observations of Meloidogyne chitwoodi n. sp. (Meloidogynidae), a Root-knot Nematode on Potato in the Pacific Northwest

Meloidogyne chitwoodi n. sp. is described and illustrated from potato (Solanum tuberosum) originally collected from Quincy, Washington, USA. This new species resembles M. hapla, but its perineal pattern is basically round to oval with distinctive and broken, curled, or twisted striae around and above the anal area. The vulva is in a sunken area devoid of striae. Vesicles or vesicle-like structures are present in the median bulb of females. The larva tail, being short and blunt with a hyaline tail terminal having little or no taper to its rounded terminus, is distinctively different from M. hapla. SEM observations revealed the nature of the perineal pattern and details of the head of larvae and males, and showed the spicules to have dentate tips ventrally. Hosts for M. chitwoodi n. sp. include potato, tomato, corn, and wheat but not strawberry, pepper, or peanut. The latter three crops are excellent hosts for M. hapla. The known distribntion of this new root-knot species presently involves certain areas of Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. The common name "Columbia root-knot nematode" is proposed for M. chitwoodi n. sp.     

Chemical Characterization and Phytotoxic Effects of the Aerial Parts of Ruzigrass (Urochloa ruziziensis)

Studies of the phytotoxic effects between plants can be a crucial tool in the discovery of innovative compounds with herbicide potential. In this sense, we can highlight ruzigrass (Urochloa ruziziensis), which is traditionally used in the crop rotation system in order to reduce weed emergence. The aim of this work was to characterize the secondary metabolites of ruzigrass and to evaluate its phytotoxic effects. In total, eight compounds were isolated: friedelin, oleanolic acid, α‐amyrin, 1‐dehydrodiosgenone, sitosterol and stigmasterol glycosides, tricin and p‐coumaric acid. Phytotoxic effects of the crude methanolic extract and fractions of ruzigrass were assessed using germination rate, initial seedling growth, and biomass of Bidens pilosa, Euphorbia heterophylla and Ipomoea grandifolia. Chemometric analysis discriminated the weed species into three groups, and B. pilosa was the most affected by fractions of ruzigrass. The phytotoxic activities of 1‐dehydrodiosgenone, tricin, and p‐coumaric acid are also reported, and p‐coumaric acid and 1‐dehydrodiosgenone were active against B. pilosa.     

Rosuvastatin protects isolated hearts against ischemia-reperfusion injury: role of Akt-GSK-3β, metabolic environment,and mitochondrial permeability transition pore

Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry - The cardioprotective activity of rosuvastatin (R) is yet to be known. The objective of this study was to research whether R perfusion before global ischemia...     

Cannot see the diversity for all the species: Evaluating inclusion criteria for local species lists when using abundant citizen science data

Abundant citizen science data on species occurrences are becoming increasingly available and enable identifying composition of communities occurring at multiple sites with high temporal resolution. However, for species displaying temporary patterns of local occurrences that are transient to some sites, biodiversity measures are clearly dependent on the criteria used to include species into local species lists. Using abundant opportunistic citizen science data from frequently visited wetlands, we investigated the sensitivity of α‐ and β‐diversity estimates to the use raw versus detection‐corrected data and to the use of inclusion criteria for species presence reflecting alternative site use. We tested seven inclusion criteria (with varying number of days required to be present) on time series of daily occurrence status during a breeding season of 90 days for 77 wetland bird species. We show that even when opportunistic presence‐only observation data are abundant, raw data may not produce reliable local species richness estimates and rank sites very differently in terms of species richness. Furthermore, occupancy model based α‐ and β‐diversity estimates were sensitive to the inclusion criteria used. Total species lists (all species observed at least once during a season) may therefore mask diversity differences among sites in local communities of species, by including vagrant species on potentially breeding communities and change the relative rank order of sites in terms of species richness. Very high sampling effort does not necessarily free opportunistic data from its inherent bias and can produce a pattern in which many species are observed at least once almost everywhere, thus leading to a possible paradox: The large amount of biological information may hinder its usefulness. Therefore, when prioritizing among sites to manage or preserve species diversity estimates need to be carefully related to relevant inclusion criteria depending on the diversity estimate in focus.     

Oxidative stress,nitric oxide,endothelial dysfunction and tinnitus

To assess whether pathogenic endothelial dysfunction is involved in acute idiopathic tinnitus we enrolled 44 patients and 25 healthy volunteers. In blood from the internal jugular vein and brachial vein we determined malonaldehyde, 4-hydroxynonenal, mieloperoxidase, glutathione peroxidase, nitric oxide, l-arginine and l-ornitine, thrombomodulin (TM) and von Willebrand factor (vWF) activity during tinnitus and asymptomatic period.

Higher plasma concentrations of oxidative markers and l-arginine, and lower nitric oxide and l-ornitine levels were observed in jugular blood of patients with tinnitus, there being a significant difference between brachial and jugular veins. TM and vWF activity were significantly higher in patients' jugular blood than in brachial blood.

Our results suggest oxidant, TM, vWF activity production are increased and nitric oxide production reduced in brain circulation reflux blood of patients with acute tinnitus. These conditions are able to cause a general cerebro-vascular endothelial dysfunction, which in turn induce a dysfunction of microcirculation in the inner ear.     

Photosynthesis and photoprotective strategies in Laurus nobilis L. and Quercus ilex L. under summer drought and winter cold

Abstract

Photosynthesis and photoprotective mechanisms were investigated in the field on Laurus nobilis L. and Quercus ilex L. leaves exposed to summer drought (July) and winter cold (February) conditions compared with no-stress conditions (May). In July, net photosynthetic rate (A) and stomatal conductance (g _s) decreased significantly compared with May in both species; conversely the highest ETR/A ratio and no difference in non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) was observed. In February A, g _s and ETR/A declined compared with May but the highest NPQ were found in both species. Our data suggest that during summer, an increase of photochemical alternative pathways to carbon reduction, were able to effectively protect the photosynthetic apparatus under drought. In winter, the thermal dissipation of excess absorbed light constitutes the main safety valve for the photosynthetic apparatus.