PCR-based detection of Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina in their natural host Boophilus microplus and cattle.

PCR and nested-PCR methods were used to assess the frequency of Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina infection in Boophilus microplus engorged females and eggs and in cattle reared in an area with endemic babesiosis. Blood and the engorged female ticks were from 27 naturally infested calves and 25 crossbred cows. The frequency of both Babesia species was similar in calves and cows (P>0.05). Babesia bovis was detected in 23 (85.2%) calves and in 25 (100%) cows and B. bigemina was detected in 25 (92.6%) calves and in 21 (84%) cows. Mixed infections with the both Babesia species were identified in 42 animals, 21 in each age category. Of female ticks engorged on calves, 34.9% were negative and single species infection with B. bigemina (56.2%) was significantly more frequent (P0.05) to the frequency of single B. bigemina infection (15.9%). Mixed Babesia infection was lower (P<O.OI) than single species infection in female ticks engorged either in cows (5.7%) or in calves (4.3%). An egg sample from each female was analysed for the presence of Babesia species. Of the egg samples from female ticks infected with B. bovis, 26 (47.3%) were infected while from those from female ticks infected with B. bigemina 141 (76.6%) were infected (P<0.01). The results showed that although the frequency of both species of Babesia was similar in calves and cows, the infectivity of B. bigemina was higher to ticks fed on calves while to those ticks fed on cows the infectivity of both Babesia species was similar

Post-bloom and preharvest treatment of Braeburn apple trees with prohexadione-calcium and GA4+7 affects vegetative growth and postharvest incidence of calcium-related physiological disorders and decay in the fruit.

Calcium (Ca) deficiency disorders in apple fruit have been associated with high gibberellins (GAs) activity in the tree. This study was carried out to assess the effects of treatments of ?Braeburn? apple trees with prohexadione-calcium (ProCa, an inhibitor of GAs biosynthesis) or gibberellins (GA4+7) on vegetative growth of the trees and postharvest incidence of Ca-related physiological disorders and decay in the fruit. ProCa (300?mg?L-1) or GA4+7 (300?mg?L-1) treatments were applied post-bloom (PB) and preharvest (PH). PB treatments started 15 days after full bloom (DAFB), with one application every week and six applications in total. PH treatments started five weeks before anticipated harvest (125 DAFB), with one application every week and four applications in total. Control trees were left untreated. When applied PB, ProCa reduced and GA4+7 promoted vegetative growth of the trees. ProCa PB delayed the impairment of xylem functionality (at the proximal region of the fruit) during fruit growth on the tree. Treatments had no effect on fruit weight, pectinmethylesterase (PME) activity or the expression of CAX3, CAX6 and V-ATPase (transporters of Ca into the vacuole) genes assessed in the external cortical tissue at the distal end of the fruit at harvest. When sprayed PB, ProCa increased the total Ca content and reduced K/Ca, Mg/Ca, N/Ca, (Mg?+?K)/Ca and (K?+?Mg?+?N)/Ca ratios in the flesh at the distal portion of the fruit, compared to the treatment with GA4+7, but without differing from the control. In general, ProCa application PB or PH reduced the expression of Ca-ATPase1, Ca-ATPase2, H+-PPase and CAX2 (Ca transporters into the vacuole) genes, increased total water?soluble Ca and reduced electrolyte leakage in the fruit at harvest. After two months of cold storage followed by five days of shelf-life, the incidence and severity of bitter pit (BP) was lower on fruit from trees treated with ProCa PH, and higher on fruit from trees treated with GA4+7 PB. GA4+7 PB also increased the incidence of skin cracking and decay in the fruit. The results showed that ProCa application represents a feasible tool to reduce the incidence of BP. However, ProCa is more effective to reduce BP if applied weekly for five week before harvest

Preparation of anti-vicinal amino alcohols: asymmetric synthesis of D-erythro-Sphinganine, (+)-spisulosine and D-ribo-phytosphingosine

Two variations of the Overman rearrangement have been developed for the highly selective synthesis of anti-vicinal amino alcohol natural products. A MOM-ether directed palladium(II)-catalyzed rearrangement of an allylic trichloroacetimidate was used as the key step for the preparation of the protein kinase C inhibitor D-erythro-sphinganine and the antitumor agent (+)-spisulosine, while the Overman rearrangement of chiral allylic trichloroacetimidates generated by asymmetric reduction of an alpha,beta-unsaturated methyl ketone allowed rapid access to both D-ribo-phytosphingosine and L-arabino-phytosphingosine

Non-destructive assessment of quality traits in apples and pears using near infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of a hand-held NIR spectrometer for non-destructive quality analysis of apples and pears produced in the Brazilian Semi-arid region. NIR spectra were acquired with a portable spectrometer in the wavelength range of 750–1065 nm and reference analyses of dry matter content (DMC) and soluble solids content (SSC) were measured weekly during 10 weeks of storage at 0.5 °C. Spectra were pre-processed with standard normal variate and used to develop DMC and SSC models using partial least squares re- gression with full cross-validation. The models were validated using data not included in the calibration. Satisfactory prediction results were obtained for SSC in apples (R² = 0.58) and pears (R² = 0.55), and for DMC in apples (R² = 0.55) and pears (R² = 0.65). All prediction models showed a relative root mean square error of prediction lower than 8%. These findings indicate that the NIR spectrometer is a promising tool to be used for a rapid and non-destructive determination of internal quality traits in apples and pears

Portable VIS-NIR spectrometer for non-destructive determination of quality traits in apples and pears.

The objective of this study was to assess the performance of a handheld VIS-NIR spectrometer for non-destructively quality analysis of apples and pears produced in the Brazilian Semi-arid region

Cryptococcus laurentii aplicado em pós-colheita reduz podridões em maçãs.

As podridões pós-colheita podem ocasionar perdas substanciais em maçãs (Ma/us domestica). O mofo azul (Penicillium expansum), a podridão amarga (G/omere//a cingu/ata) e a podridão olho-de-boi (Pezicu/a maliconicisi estão entre as mais comuns. Grande atenção tem sido dada ao uso de alternativas de controle às doenças pós-colheita. A aplicação pós-colheita de leveduras, como o Cryptococcus laurentii, é uma das opções. Neste estudo testou-se a eficiência de C. laurentii (isolado 36) para o controle de podridões em maçãs 'Fuji ' e 'Gala'. Após aplicação dos produtos, através de imersão, os frutos foram armazenados em laboratório (15-20 °e / 60-70% UR) ou em câmara fria (I °e / 90-95% UR). Os patógenos foram inoculados na concentração de 102 conídios rnl', a levedura a 107 células ml e os fungicidas a 150 mg I". Em testes de laboratório, a aplicação de C. laurentii reduziu as podridões (G. cingulata, P expansum e P ma/icorticis) da maçã tanto quanto os fungicidas testados (thiabendazol e iprodione). Nos testes efetuados em câmara fria, constatou-se que, após o armazenamento, o tratamento de maçãs com C. laurentii foi tão eficiente quanto os tratamentos com fungicidas (thiabendazol, iprodione, digluconato de clorohexidina, dicloro-s-triazinatriona sódica, dicloroisocianurato de sódio e hipoclorito de sódio) na redução da podridão causada por P expansum. Aplicação de C. laurentii não alterou a firmeza de polpa nem o teor de sólidos solúveis totais (OBrix) dos frutos. Palavras-chave adicionais: Glomerella cingulata, Malus domestica, Penicillium expansum, Pezicu/a ma/icorticis. Post harvest application of Cryptococcus laurentii reduces apple fruit rots Rots might be responsible for substantial post harvest losses in apples (Ma/us domestica). The blue mold caused by Penicillium expansum, the bitter rot caused by Glomerella cingulata, and the 'bull's-eye rot' induced by Pezicu/a malicorticis are among of the most common rots. Great attention has been given to less environmental damaging alternatives for the control of postharvest diseases. The post harvest application of east-like fungi, such as Cryptococcus laurentii, is one option for controlling fruit rot. This study was carried out to test the efficiency of C. laurentii on fruit rot control in 'Fuji' and 'Gala' apples. After application oftreatments, by immersion, the fruits were stored in the laboratory (15-20 "C / 60- 70% RH) or in cold storage (I °e / 90-95% RH). The pathogens were applied at a concentration of 102 conidia ml', the yeast at 107 cells rnl', and the fungicides at 150 mg I". The Cryptococcus laurentii was as efficient in reducing apple fruit rots (G. cingulata, P expansum, and P malicorticis) as were the fungicides thiabendazole and iprodione. In cold storage trials, C. laurentii was as efficient as the fungicides (thiabendazole, iprodione, chlorhexidine digluconate, sodium dichloro-s-triazinetrione, sodium dicloroisocyanurate, and sodium hypochloride) in reducing P expansum fruit rot. The application of C. laurentii did not affect flesh firmness and the total soluble solids content (OBrix) of the fruits

In vitro culture of parasitic stages of Haemonchus contortus.

Haemonchus contortus provoca grandes prejuízos à ovinocultura. Visando reduzir a utilização de ovinos hospedeiros e produzir estágios parasitários em larga escala, um protocolo para o cultivo in vitro por 42 dias de larvas de terceiro estádio de H. contortus foi realizado em meio Eagle, modificado por Dulbecco (DMEM). No cultivo sem células, as larvas foram mantidas a 39,6°C e incubadas em DMEM ácido (pH 6,1) por 3 ou 6 dias com 4?-ácido dafacrônico seguido por DMEM pH 7,4 suplementado ou não com reagente de Fildes. Em DMEM pH 7,4 a 37°C, a suplementação com células Caco-2 foi comparada à suplementação com Fildes. No Dia 14, as taxas de desenvolvimento até o quarto estádio larvar (L4) foram similares em meio ácido sem células suplementado (86,8?88,4%) ou não (74,4?77,8%) com Fildes e em co-cultura com células Caco-2 (92,6%), e superiores ao desenvolvimento em DMEM pH 7,4 com Fildes (0,0%). No Dia 21, o co-cultivo com células Caco-2 resultou em maior diferenciação (25,0%) e menor degeneração (13,9%) das larvas em comparação ao meio ácido (1,5?8,1% e 48,6?69,9%, respectivamente). Este é o primeiro relato de cultivo in vitro prolongado de H. contortus em meio comercial em co-cultivo com células Caco-2. Apesar da ausência de progressão até o estágio adulto, o co-cultivo com células Caco-2 resultou em diferenciação de L4 e manutenção da viabilidade das larvas de H. contortus por até 28 dias in vitro

Estimativa da área foliar de macieiras "Galaxy" e "Fuji Suprema" sob irrigação e sequeiro.

Objetivou-se com este trabalho determinar uma equação matemática adequada para estimar a área foliar de macieiras ?Galaxy? e ?Fuji Suprema? sob irrigação e sequeiro, por meio de medidas lineares de seus limbos foliares. A área foliar foi estimada por meio de modelos de regressão, utilizando diferentes equações que relacionam os valores obtidos pelo integrador de área foliar com as dimensões comprimento (C), largura (L), e o produto destas dimensões (C x L). Para ?Galaxy? e ?Fuji Suprema?, tanto em condições de irrigação quanto em sequeiro, a estimativa da área foliar para o comprimento (C) apresentou maior precisão com o uso dos modelos geométrico e exponencial. O produto das dimensões comprimento (C) e largura (L) da folha é um parâmetro adequado para utilização como variável independente, na estimação da área foliar de macieiras ?Galaxy? e ?Fuji Suprema? em condições de sequeiro e irrigada, por meio de modelos de regressão. Palavras-chave: Malus domestica; dimensões foliares; modelos de regressão

Floração e frutificação de macieiras "Maxi Gala" e "Fuji Suprema" sob sistema de cultivo protegido.

As telas antigranizo exercem influência sobre a temperatura, velocidade do vento e umidade relativa do ar no interior do pomar (AMARANTE, 2012), podendo interferir na época de florescimento das cultivares de macieiras, as quais são influenciadas pelas condições ambientais