Geostatistical Analysis of Hydraulic Conductivity in Heterogeneous Aquifers

Observations of the spatial variability of hydraulic conductivity of the heterogeneous alluvial aquifer at Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi are analyzed using parametric geostatistical approaches. Field studies have revealed that the heterogeneity of the aquifer hydraulic conductivity field controls the movement and dispersion of groundwater solutes. Therefore, a means of quantifying spatial variability is essential for the application of flow and solute transport models to practical problems. Application of these models requires a large number of hydraulic conductivity measurements. Geostatistical analysis and kriging estimation procedures assist in providing these large numbers of values when sampling designs have provided sparse data. The purpose of this research is to demonstrate a practical methodology for characterizing hydraulic conductivity variability in heterogeneous aquifers. Using kriging estimation procedures, provide estimations of a hydraulic conductivity field for deterministic groundwater flow

FELINE ATRIAL NATRIURETIC PEPTIDE (ANP) HAS A SINGLE COPY GENE

O peptídeo natriurético atrial felino (PNA) é um hormônio sintetizado pelo miocárdio cardíaco atrial que, uma vez liberado na circulação, produz diurese, natriurese e vasodilatação periférica. Nós recentemente isolamos, sequenciamos e estabelemos a expressão cardíaca normal do PNA felino. No presente estudo, nós apresentamos o número de cópias gênicas do PNA em gatos. Foram extraídas amostras de DNA genômico do sangue periférico humano e felino, as quais foram purificadas e digeridas com as enzimas de restrição EcoRI, BamHI e HindIII, com posterior realização da técnica de Southern Blots. Primers para PCR, confeccionados para regiões de alta conservatividade entre espécies, foram utilizados para amplificação, clonagem e sequenciamento de um produto de 900 pares de bases, posteriormente utilizado como sonda de DNA. O gene do PNA felino possui uma única cópia gênica, a exemplo do PNA humano. Devido a sua similaridade, sondas de DNA felino puderam ser utilizadas para a hibridização de DNA genômico tanto do gato como do homem. Abstract Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is a hormone normally synthesized by the cardiac atrial myocardium that once released, produces diuresis, natriuresis and peripheral vasodilation. We have recently isolated, sequenced and assessed the normal cardiac expression of feline ANP. In this study, we report on the number of copies of the feline ANP gene, which could have an effect on future molecular biology studies of ANP gene expression in cat models of cardiovascular disease. Cat and human genomic DNA (gDNA) were extracted for Southern blotting from blood. The purified DNA was digested with the restriction enzymes EcoRI, BamHI and HindIII followed by agarose gel electrophoresis and blotting onto nytran membranes. A feline ANP cDNA probe of approximately 900 base pairs was used for hybridization of the membranes. The results of Southern blotting showed that both the feline and human genomes contain a single copy of the ANP gene

Evaluation Of The Antimicrobial Activity Of Pecan Nut [carya Illinoinensis (wangenh) C. Koch] Shell Aqueous Extract On Minimally Processed Lettuce Leaves

Pecan nutshell is a residue from food industry that has potential to be used as biopreservative in foods. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of pecan nutshell aqueous extract in vitro and its effectiveness to inhibit spoilage microorganisms on lettuce leaves. The results indicate that the aqueous extract presents inhibitory activity against important foodborne pathogenic bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella Enteritidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Aeromonas hydrophila and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Antimicrobial activity was not observed against Corynebacterium fimi, Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli, and the phytopathogenic fungi tested. When applied onto lettuce leaves, pecan nutshell extract reduced the counts of mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacteria in 2 and 4 log CFU/g, respectively, during storage of leafy for 5 days at refrigeration temperature (5 °C). The extract was not effective to inhibit yeast on lettuce leaves. Thus, the aqueous extract of pecan shell showed great potential to be used as a natural preservative in foods, acting mainly in the inhibition of spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. © 2016, Sociedade Brasileira de Ciencia e Tecnologia de Alimentos, SBCTA. All rights reserved.36424

First outbreak of Pepper vein yellows virus infecting sweet pepper in Italy

Sweet pepper (Capsicum annum) is an economically important crop worldwide, including Sicily where about 4,000 hectares are grown each year. In October 2015, severe symptoms not previously reported by growers in the horticultural area of the province of Trapani (Sicily, Italy) were observed on sweet pepper plants in eight different greenhouses. Symptoms included upward leaf curling, internodal shortening and interveinal yellowing. Symptoms were more evident in the upper part of the plants. These symptoms were reminiscent of those caused by poleroviruses. In the greenhouse, symptoms were evident in about 35% of the plants. Three samples per greenhouse (24 in total) were collected for analysis