Six new species of ferns (Polypodiopsida) from Ecuador

Moran, R.C. & Øllgaard, B. 1995. Six new species of ferns (Polypodiopsida) from Ecuador. - Nord. J. Bot. 15: 177–185. Copenhagen. ISSN 0107–055X.
The following species of ferns from Ecuador are described as new: Blechnum mono-morphum. Bolbitis riparia, Hecistopteris pinnatifida, Hymenophyllum hemidimorphum, Polypodium latissimum , and Saccoloma laxum .     

Growth hormone releasing factor: comparison of two analogues and demonstration of hypothalamic defect in growth hormone release after radiotherapy.

Human pancreatic growth hormone releasing factor (hpGHRF(1-40] stimulates the release of growth hormone in normal subjects and some patients with growth hormone deficiency. A study comparing the shorter chain amidated analogue hpGHRF(1-29) with an equivalent dose of hpGHRF(1-40) in seven normal subjects showed no significant difference in growth hormone response between the two preparations. Six patients with prolactinomas were also tested; these patients had received megavoltage radiotherapy previously but had developed growth hormone deficiency as shown by insulin induced hypoglycaemia. In all six patients 200 micrograms hpGHRF(1-40) or hpGHRF(1-29)NH2 produced an increase in the serum growth hormone concentration. These data suggest that hpGHRF(1-29)NH2 may be useful for testing the readily releasable pool of growth hormone in the pituitary and that cases of hypothalamo-pituitary irradiation resulting in growth hormone deficiency may be due to failure of synthesis or delivery of endogenous GHRF from the hypothalamus to pituitary cells.     

The effect of the armored scale,Rhizaspidiotus donacis (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), on shoot growth of the invasive plant Arundo donax (Poaceae: Arundinoideae)

The effect of feeding by the armored scale, Rhizaspidiotus donacis (Leonardi, 1920) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) on the growth of the plant Arundo donax L. (Poaceae) was evaluated under field conditions in its native range. The study was designed to evaluate the impact of R. donacis, a candidate agent for biological control of A. donax which is invasive in arid riparian ecosystems of the Southwestern USA and Mexico. The study was carried out at five A. donax sites in the Province of Alicante, Spain, differing in altitude and climate. At each site, 30 infested lateral shoots were selected and 15 were randomly treated monthly with imidacloprid insecticide. Shoot lengths were measured monthly over a 1-year period in a comparative growth analysis. Shoots infested with R. donacis had an over 2-fold reduced growth rate as compared to treated shoots. Growth of shoots varied by site, and the effect of R. donacis on growth was most pronounced in the late spring, when mature females produced first instar scale crawlers. The impact of R. donacis on A. donax growth under field conditions in the native range, combined with its narrow host specificity, indicate that R. donacis is a promising candidate for biological control of A. donax in North America and other areas invaded by this weed.     

ELECTROKINETIC PHENOMENA : IV. A COMPARISON OF ELECTROPHORETIC AND STREAMING POTENTIALS

1. The conditions are described which are necessary for the comparison of certain types of electrokinetic potentials. An experimental comparison is made of (a) electrophoresis of quartz particles covered with egg albumin; and (b) similar experiments by Briggs on streaming potentials. A slight, consistent, difference is found between the electrophoretic potential and the streaming potential. This difference is probably due to the difference in the protein preparations used rather than to real difference in the electrophoretic and streaming potentials. 2. Data are given which facilitate the measurements and enhance the precision of the estimation of electrical mobilities of microscopic particles.     

Fermentation of wheat: effects of backslopping different proportions of pre-fermented wheat on the microbial and chemical composition

The objective of the study was to examine effect of backslop on the chemical and microbiological characteristics of fermented wheat (FW). Coarsely ground wheat was mixed with water (1:3 wt/wt) and inoculated with 6 log cfu ml(-1) each of an overnight culture of Lactobacillus plantarum and Pediococcus pentosaceus. Four fermentation treatments were conducted in 45 1, closed, PVC containers over 48 hours. Three treatments investigated the benefits of the addition of previously fermented wheat (backslopping, BSL) at different proportions (0.20, 0.33 or 0.42 kg) to freshly prepared wheat. The control treatment contained no addition of BSL. Elimination of coliforms from the FW within 48 h was only achieved through backslopping; where coliform bacteria counts decreased from approximately 6.5 log10 cfu ml(-1) to less than 3 log10 cfu ml(-1). There was no apparent advantage in increasing the backslop proportion above 0.20. However, the exclusion of coliform bacteria required the pH to remain below 4.0 for at a minimum of 24 h. The results of these studies indicate that fermentation of wheat has the potential to reduce the risk of feed-borne colibacillosis and provides a practical alternative to producers that cannot ferment multiple diets or have limited fermentation capacity.