Yeheb (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cordeauxia</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">edulis</Emphasis>) extract deters feeding and oviposition of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Plutella xylostella</Emphasis> and attracts its natural enemy

The effects of yeheb (Cordeauxia edulis Hemsl.) leaf extract on feeding and oviposition by diamondback moth (DBM) (Plutella xylostella L.) and the behavior of DBM parasitoid, Cotesia vestalis (Haliday), were studied. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the headspace of intact and DBM-damaged broccoli plants sprayed with yeheb extracts (YE) were also analyzed. Larval feeding and growth, and oviposition by adult DBM were strongly inhibited by the extract. Cotesia vestalis were attracted to volatile blends from intact or DBM-damaged broccoli plants sprayed with YE over intact plants sprayed with water or methanol. Analyses of VOCs in the headspace of broccoli plants revealed that both intact and DBM-damaged plants sprayed with YE showed remarkable differences in sesquiterpene compounds compared to intact control treatments. These combined negative effects of YE on DBM fitness together with positive effects on the parasitoid show that yeheb is a potential source of compounds for use in integrated pest management to control damage caused by DBM.     

Structural analysis of the oligosaccharide alditols released from the jelly coat of Rana dalmatina eggs by reductive beta-elimination

A combination of ion-exchange chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been used to separate the reduced oligosaccharides produced by alkaline borohydride degradation of oviducal mucins obtained from the jelly coat of Rana dalmatina. The primary structures of 26 O-glycans were determined by one-dimensional and two-dimensional 1H and 1H13C NMR spectroscopy. As observed for 20 other amphibian species, these carbohydrate chains are highly species-specific. The main typical feature of the species R. dalmatina consists in the presence of the backbone Gal(beta1-3)[Gal(beta1-4)]Gal(beta1-3)GalNAc-ol, previously observed among Ranidae, such as R. temporaria and R. ridibunda. Nevertheless, the nature of carbohydrates present at the periphery of the glycans perfectly differentiates the three species.     

Retraction Note: Acaricidal and pathogenic effects of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana on engorged females of the fowl tick,Argas persicus (Argasidae)

Experimental and Applied Acarology -     

Theoretical investigations on the mechanistic pathway of the thermal rearrangement of substituted N-acyl-2,2-dimethylaziridines

The mechanism of the thermal rearrangement of substituted N-acyl-2,2-dimethylaziridines 1 has been studied using quantum chemistry methods. Geometries of reactants, transition states and products have been optimized at the B3LYP/6-311++G(2d,2p) level. Relative energies for various stationary points have been determined and reaction identified by IRC calculations. The results show that thermal rearrangements occur in three ways. Firstly, the transition state TS ₁ in which a hydrogen atom of methyl groups migrates from primary carbon to oxygen of amid group to give the N-methallylamide 2. The second is via the transition state TS ₂ in which the attack of oxygen to the tertiary carbon yields the oxazoline 3. The third is via the transition state TS ₃ in which a hydrogen migrate from the secondary carbon to oxygen to give the vinylamide 4. In order to get insights into the factors determining the exact nature of its interactions with electrophiles, the application of reactivity parameters derived from density functional theory in a local sense, in particular the softness and Fukui function, to interpret and predict the mechanisms of the thermal decomposition of the N-acyl-2,2-dimethylaziridines 1, has been discussed.     

Evaluation of in vitro antibacterial activity of some disinfectants on Escherichia coli serotypes

Three disinfectants commonly used in poultry farms (formalin, TH4+, and Virkon-S) were chosen for the present study. The effect of disinfectant concentration and the duration of exposure to these disinfectants on the survival of Escherichia coli serotypes (O114:K-, O86, O55:K39, and O86:K60) were investigated. Formalin (0.6%), TH4+ (0.06%), and Virkon (0.5%) all killed the four serotypes within 5 min of exposure. As the disinfectant concentration decreases, the length of exposure time to kill serotype increases. At 0.03%, 0.007%, and 0.03% of formalin, TH4+ and Virkon-S concentrations failed to kill the four E. coli serotypes within 360 min, respectively. An improvement of the inhibitory effect of these disinfectants occurred when added together with the inoculum instead of an established population. The influence of formalin, TH4+, and Virkon-S on the cell morphology of E. coli O55:K39 was investigated by using transmission electron microscopy. Formalin-treated cells exhibited normal cell morphology, with the exception that the treated cell was less fimbriated, and more destruction of pili increased when formalin concentrations were doubled. Cells treated with TH4+ (0.03%) showed destruction of the cell wall and cell surface membrane after 5 min. Cell filamentation occurred at 0.015% and increased with the increase of exposure time to this drug. Spheroplasts were observed only when cells were treated with 0.125% Virkon-S for 60 min, and cell lysis started to occur when 0.25% Virkon-S was applied for 15 min. Scanning electron microscope study revealed that Virkon-S at 0.03% and TH4+ at 0.007% completely prevented the adherence of E. coli O55:K39 serotype to chicken tracheal organ, whereas formalin (0.03%) disinfection minimized the adherence of E. coli cells to tracheal explants after 360 min of incubation.     

Acylated flavonoid glycosides from Bassia muricata.

From the arial parts of Bassia muricata, two acylated flavonoid glycosides quercetin-3-O-(6"-caffeoyl)-sophoroside and quercetin-3-O-(6"-feruloyl)-sophoroside have been isolated together with two known flavonoid glycosides quercetin-3-O-sophoroside and quercetin-3,7-O-beta-diglucopyranoside, as well as four known triterpenoidal saponins, oleanolic acid-3-O-beta-glucopyranoside, chikusetsusaponin IVa, chikusetsusaponin IVa methyl ester and oleanolic acid-3,28-beta-diglucopyranoside. The structures of the isolated compounds were verified by means of MS and NMR spectral analyses.     

Atresia ani with diphallus and separate scrota in a calf: a case report

Atresia ani, a common genetic defect in animals, is often accompanied by urogenital defects in calves. This paper reports a case of atresia ani with diphallus and separate scrota in a calf. The calf was born with atresia ani; surgery (to open the anus) was performed 3 days after birth. No urogenital abnormalities were noticed until 4 months after birth. At that time, two separate scrota (each containing a testis) and a sac-like structure in the middle of two scrota, were visible. The gait was abnormal, with abduction of the hind limbs while walking. Additionally, the hind legs appeared wider than usual at the hip joints. Two weeks later, two peni (diphallia) was observed, each in a separate preputial sheath. The calf had a normal karyotype on cytogenetic examination. Plasma concentrations of testosterone at 5.5, 6, and 7 months of age were 3.5, 1.9, and 1.7 ng/ml, respectively. At necropsy (7 months of age), the prepuce was thick and the glans of the right penis was adhered to the prepuce. The left penis did not have a urethra or retractor penis muscles. The sac-like structure in the middle of the two scrota contained the urinary bladder and a loop of small intestine. The pubic bone had failed to fuse at the pelvic symphysis. In conclusion, this is the first reported case of atresia ani with diphallus, separate scrota, and pubic bone separation in a calf.     

A miniaturized column chromatography method for measuring receptor-mediated inositol phosphate accumulation

Inositol phosphates (IPs), such as 1,4,5-inositol-trisphosphate (IP(3)), comprise a ubiquitous intracellular signaling cascade initiated in response to G protein-coupled receptor-mediated activation of phospholipase C. Classical methods for measuring intracellular accumulation of these molecules include time-consuming high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) separation or large-volume, gravity-fed anion-exchange column chromatography. More recent approaches, such as radio-receptor and AlphaScreen assays, offer higher throughput. However, these techniques rely on measurement of IP(3) itself, rather than its accumulation with other downstream IPs, and often suffer from poor signal-to-noise ratios due to the transient nature of IP(3). The authors have developed a miniaturized, anion-exchange chromatography method for measuring inositol phosphate accumulation in cells that takes advantage of signal amplification achieved through measuring IP(3) and downstream IPs. This assay uses centrifugation of 96-well-formatted anion-exchange mini-columns for the isolation of radiolabeled inositol phosphates from cell extracts, followed by low-background dry-scintillation counting. This improved assay method measures receptor-mediated IP accumulation with signal-to-noise and pharmacological values comparable to the classical large-volume, column-based methods. Assay validation data for recombinant muscarinic receptor 1, galanin receptor 2, and rat astrocyte metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 are presented. This miniaturized protocol reduces reagent usage and assay time as compared to large-column methods and is compatible with standard 96-well scintillation counters.     

New trend in sample preparation: on-line microextraction in packed syringe for liquid and gas chromatography applications. I. Determination of local anaesthetics in human plasma samples using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A new technique for sample preparation on-line with LC and GC-MS assays was developed. Microextraction in a packed syringe (MEPS) is a new miniaturised, solid-phase extraction technique that can be connected on-line to GC or LC without any modifications. In MEPS approximately 1mg of the solid packing material is inserted into a syringe (100-250 microl) as a plug. Sample preparation takes place on the packed bed. The bed can be coated to provide selective and suitable sampling conditions. The new method is very promising. It is very easy to use, fully automated, of low cost and rapid in comparison with previously used methods. This paper presents the development and validation of a method for microextraction in packed syringe MEPS on-line with GC-MS. Local anaesthetics in plasma samples were used as model substances. The method was validated and the standard curves were evaluated by the means of quadratic regression and weighted by inverse of the concentration: 1/x for the calibration range 5-2000 nM. The applied polymer could be used more than 100 times before the syringe was discarded. The extraction recovery was between 60 and 90%. The results showed close correlation coefficients (R>0.99) for all analytes in the calibration range studied. The accuracy of MEPS-GC-MS was between 99 and 115% and the inter-day precision (n=3 days), expressed as the relative standard deviation (R.S.D.%), was 3-10%.