Demonstration of Urinary Eosinophils in Schistosoma haematobium: a Comparative Study among Three Different Stains

Three stains, Hansel's stain, alkaline erythrocin B (AEB) and naphthalene black (NB), were used to demonstrate eosinophils in the urine of patients infected with Schistosoma haematobium. Hansel's stain was superior to the other two stains; it stained eosinophils bright red and their nuclei faint blue, and they were easily differentiated from neutrophils, lymphocytes, macrophages and epithelial cells. The method using AEB took longer than Hansel's stain and 10% of the specimens were lost during staining with this method. Like eosinophils, the neutrophils took up NB stain and their nuclei stained poorly with the counterstain.     

Ringed seal (Pusa hispida) tooth annuli as an index of reproduction in the Beaufort Sea

Multi-decadal time-series of biological indices that reflect the state of a population are rare in ecological studies, but invaluable for assessing environmental regulation of population dynamics. We utilized canine teeth extracted from ringed seals (Pusa hispida) killed by polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in the Beaufort Sea, Canada, in 1985–2011, to obtain widths of annual growth layers in the cementum. Canine teeth for 75 individuals were measured and compared across years using a proportional width index (PWI) spanning 1965–2007. PWI was positively correlated with ringed seal ovulation rate obtained independently from other studies and was significantly lower than normal during ringed seal reproductive declines in 1974–75, 1984–87, 1991–93, and 2004–05, suggesting that PWI reflects ringed seal reproductive capacity. The PWI was also examined against climatic and sea ice factors to assess environmental regulation of ringed seal reproduction. Results suggest that ringed seals benefit from cyclonic circulation regimes in the Beaufort Sea, and an earlier breakup of sea ice in summer that may positively influence the quality and quantity of food during the open water season. Results highlight how cementum annuli in the canine teeth of ringed seals can provide an index of body state and linkages to sea ice conditions. Canine teeth from ringed seals can function as a means to monitor the effects of past Arctic marine variability on area-specific populations for which there are few independent empirical data.     

Bioherbicidal enhancement and host range expansion of a mycoherbicidal fungus via formulation approaches

Eastern black nightshade (Solanum ptycanthum; EBN) is a problematic weed partly due to its tolerance or resistance to certain herbicides. We examined the effects of an invert emulsion (IE) on the host range and weed control efficacy of the fungus Colletotrichum coccodes (NRRL strain 15547) for biocontrol of EBN. Greenhouse tests demonstrated that several other solanaceous weeds were also infected and killed, and field tests revealed >90% EBN control and dry weight reduction in plants treated with the fungus-IE formulation. These results demonstrate that this IE formulation can promote the efficacy of this bioherbicidal pathogen.     

Effect of fungicidal essential oils against Botrytis cinerea and Rhizopus stolonifer rot fungus in vitro conditions

The development of natural crop protection products as alternatives to the use of synthetic fungicides is currently popular. The aim of this study is to evaluate the antifungal effects of several essential oils against the fungal pathogens, Botrytis cinerea and Rhizopus stolonifer, under in vitro condition. Four essential oils (fennel, black caraway, peppermint and thyme) were each tested at five concentrations (0, 200, 400, 600 or 800 μl l^?1). In vitro results showed that the essential oil of black caraway and fennel had the highest fungicidal effect against B. cinerea and R. stolonifer, respectively. The growth of B. cinerea was completely inhibited by the essential oil of black caraway at 400 μl l^?1. Fennel oil perfectly inhibited growth of R. stolonifer fungus colonies at concentration higher than 600 μl L^?1 in potato dextrose agar medium. Percentage of spores germination was the lowest in medium of Fennel and black caraway essential oils, and was the highest in Thyme ones. These results show that plant essential oils can have a strong effect on reducing post-harvest decay. These plant essential oils could provide an alternative to synthetic chemicals to control post-harvest phytopathogenic fungi on fruit.     

Aqueous infusions of mediterranean herbs exhibit antioxidant activity towards iron promoted oxidation of phospholipids,linoleic acid,and deoxyribose

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been widely known to inflict biological damage upon a variety of biological sites. The ability to counteract any such activity has been the subject of this work, in an attempt to comprehend prooxidant metal ion induced oxidation and its possible physiological consequences. Five Mediterranean aqueous herb infusions have been employed in the investigation of possible pro/antioxidant activity promoted by prooxidant iron ions. In the presence of phospholipid liposomes or linoleic acid micelles or 2-deoxy-d-ribose, it was shown that all of the aqueous infusions used exhibited antioxidant activity in comparison to the iron control. The antioxidant activity, studied on 2-deoxy-d-ribose, at three concentration levels in each herb, appears to be dose dependent, albeit non-linear. The total polyphenol content of the investigated herb infusions, however, does not directly correlate with the observed antioxidant activity. The variable, yet effective, antioxidant capacity of the aqueous infusions indicates that their antioxidant components can quench ROS generating activity, brought on different substrates and likely arisen by variable mechanisms involving different ROS.     

Life cycle changes during 12 successive generations of laboratory colonisation of the leafroller Cnephasia jactatana (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) on artificial diet

Abstract

Close monitoring of the lepidopteran leafroller Cnephasia jactatana under laboratory colonisation revealed few distinct effects of successive rearing on artificial diet on the life cycle. The second laboratory generation had a prolonged development time and altered sex synchronism in pupation and eclosion patterns. Some deleterious changes were observed in later generations, including decreases in fertility, egg hatch and sperm motility, failure of mating adults to separate, and pupal and adult malformations. These changes were not adaptive, but were due to incompatibility with the general purpose diet (GPD) used; they were absent under sub-colonisation on a sheepnut-bean based diet (SBD). Success in the laboratory colonisation of C. jactatana is attributed to a random mating protocol, choice of environmental conditions representing the wild habitat, and a rapid rate of population growth.     

Hyalophysa lynni n. sp. (Ciliophora,Apostomatida), a new pathogenic ciliate and causative agent of shrimp black gill in penaeid shrimp

The parasitic ciliate causing shrimp black gill (sBG) infections in penaeid shrimp has been identified. The sBG ciliate has a unique life cycle that includes an encysted divisional stage on the host’s gills. The ciliature of the encysted trophont stage has been determined and is quite similar to that of the closely related apostomes Hyalophysa bradburyae and H. chattoni. Hyalophysa bradburyae is a commensal ciliate associated with freshwater caridean shrimp and crayfish, while H. chattoni is a common commensal found on North American marine decapods. Based on 18S rRNA gene sequence comparisons, the sBG ciliate is more closely related to the marine species H. chattoni than to the freshwater species H. bradburyae. The unique life cycle, morphology, 18S rRNA gene sequence, hosts, location, and pathology of the sBG ciliate distinguish this organism as a new species, Hyalophysa lynni n. sp.