ALBERT

Notes: Broccoli is well recognized as a source of glucosinolates and their isothiocyanate breakdown products. Glucoraphanin is one of the most abundant glucosinolates present in broccoli and its cognate isothiocyanate is sulphoraphane, a potent inducer of mammalian detoxication (phase 2) enzyme activity and anti-cancer agent. This study was designed to measure: glucosinolate levels in broccoli florets from an array of genotypes grown in several environments; the elevation of a key phase 2 enzyme, quinone reductase, in mammalian cells exposed to floret extracts; and total broccoli head content. There were significant environmental and genotype-by-environment effects on levels of glucoraphanin and quinone reductase induction potential of broccoli heads; however, the effect of genotype was greater than that of environmental factors. The relative rankings among genotypes for glucoraphanin and quinone reductase induction potential changed, when expressed on a per head basis, rather than on a concentration basis. Correlations of trait means in one environment vs. means from a second were stronger for glucoraphanin and quinone reductase induction potential on a per head basis than on a fresh weight concentration basis. Results of this study indicate that development of a broccoli phenotype with a dense head and a high concentration of glucoraphanin to deliver maximum chemoprotective potential (high enzyme induction potential/glucoraphanin content) is a feasible goal.

Notes: Biological damage to plants is commonly found from the Devonian but occurs most commonly from the Cretaceous. Damage inflicted on plants whilst they were alive may trigger a pathological response involving the growth of abnormal tissues. Much of the damage is caused by arthropods, particularly insects. Whilst some damage is non-taxon specific, such as simple feeding traces, other damage, such as leaf mines, galls or bark boring, may reveal the co-evolution of host specific taxa and the timing of such interactions. Damaged plants, particularly from the Cretaceous and Tertiary are described and illustrated. The geological history of the evolution of insect-related plant damage is briefly reviewed. Increased variety in the pathological response of plants is seen from the Cretaceous with the evolution of the angiosperms and diversification of numerous insect groups.

Notes: The effect of aerobic mesophilic microfloral concentration on the isolation of Listeria monocytogenes LM82 was studied in 31 (18 cheeses and 7 noncheese) retail foods having standard plate counts of 101 to 108 colony forming units (CFU)/g. Foods were spiked with L. monocytogenes and enriched at 30°C for 24 h in a selective enrichment broth used in a U.S. Food and Drug Administration method. Inoculum levels for isolation on modified McBride agar ranged from 0.1 to 〉 5 × 103 with a geometric mean value of 5 inoculated CFU/g or 1.4 CFU/g. Pure Enterococcus (Streptococcus) faecalis (0 to 6 × 106 inoculated CFU/mL) in the absence of food matrix had no effect on the enrichment of L. monocytogenes. Ease of isolation of LM82 was independent of the food microflora concentration both generally and in the specific food type of 9 Brie cheeses. Competition, when it occurs, therefore, may be due to specific bacterial competitors rather than bacterial numbers.

Notes: The effect of five herbicide safeners on preventing maize (Zea mays L.) injury by acetochlor [N-(2-ethyl-6-methyl-phenyl)-N-(ethoxymethyl)-chloroacetamide], their influence on herbicide uptake and metabolism to a glutathione (GSH) conjugate as well as on GSH content and glutathione S-transferase activity (GST) in untreated and herbicide with/without safener-pre-treated 4-day-old seedlings were determined. The safeners studied were: AD-67 (N-di-chloroacetyl-1-oxa-4-azaspiro-4-5-decane), BAS-145138 [1-dichloroacetyl-hexahydro-3,3,8a-trimethyl-pyrrolo(l,2-a)pyrimidin-6(2H)-one], dichlormid (N, A,-diallyl-2,2-dichlo-roacetamide), DKA-24 (N, N2-diallyl-N2dichloroacetylglycineamide) and MG-191 (2-dichloromethyl-2-methyl-1,3-dioxolane). All safeners significantly increased [14C]acetochlor uptake and metabolism rate, maize GSH content and GST activity. Seedlings receiving BAS-145138 pre-treatment metabolized almost 70% of the absorbed [14C]acetochlor within 10 min.Safener-enhanced GST activity was always found to be higher when [14C]acetochlor was used as the substrate compared with CDNB (1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene). Although DKA-24 had a significantly lower influence on both herbicide metabolism and GST activity, it was nearly as effective a safener as BAS-145138, while the others provided no or poor protection to maize from acetochlor injury when they were not incorporated in the soil. Effets d'antidotes sur la toxicité, la pénétration et le métabolisme de I'acétochlore chez le mats etsur l'activité glutathion S-transférase Cinq antidotes d'herbicides diminuaient la toxicité de 1'acétochlore [N-(2-éthyl-6-méthyl-phényl)-N-(éthoxyméthyl)-chloroacétamide] à I'égard du maïs (Zea mays L.). Lew effet sur l'absorption de l'herbicide et sur son métabolisme en un conjugué avec le glutathion (GSH), de même que leur effet sur la teneur en GSH et 1'activité glutathion 5-transférase (GST) ont étéétudiés sur des maïs âgés de 4 jours. Les antidotes étaient: l'AD-67 (N-dichloroacétyl-1-oxa-4-azaspiro-4,5-décane), le BAS-145138 [1 -dichloroacétyl-hexahydro-3,3,8a-triméthyl-pyrrolo(l,2-a) pyrimidine-6(2H)-one], le di-chlormide (N, N-diallyl-2,2-dichloracétamide), le DKA-24 (N, N2-diallyl-N2-dichloracétylgly-cineamide] et le MG-191 (2-dichlorométhyl-2-méthyl-l,3-dioxolane). Tous les antidotes augmentaient de manière significative 1'absorption et le métabolisme de I'acétochlore 14C, ainsi que la teneur du maïs en GSH et son activité GST. Les jeunes plantes prétraitées avec le BAS-145138 métabolisaient en 10 min près de 70% de I'acétochlore 14C absorbé. L'activité GST stimulée par 1'antidote était toujours plus élevée avec I'acétochlore 14C comme substrat qu'avec le CDNB (1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzène).Le DKA-24 avait un effet significativement plus faible que le BAS-145138 sur le métabolisme de l'herbicide et sur l'activité GSH, mais son action antidote était presque aussi importante. Les autres produits n'apportaient au maïs qu'une protection faible ou nulle contre l'acétochlore quand ils n'étaient pas incorporés au sol. Wirkung von Safenern auf die Phytotoxizität, Aufnahme und Metabolismus von Acetochlor und die Glutathion-S-Transferase-Aktivität in Mais Die Wirkung von 5 Safenern (AD-67, BAS-145138, Dichlormid, DKA-24 und MG-191; chemische Bezeichnungen s.o.) auf die Phytotoxizität von Acetochlor für Mais (Zea mays L.) und ihr Einfluß auf die Aufnahme des Herbizids und Metabolismus zu einem Glutathion-(GSH-) Konjugat und auf die Glutathion-S-Transferase-(GST-)Aktivität wurde an 4 Tage alten Keimpflanzen untersucht. Durch die Vorbehandlung mit den Safenern wurden die [14C]-Acetochlor-Aufnahme- und -Metabolierungsrate, der GSH-Gehalt und die GST-Ak-tivität signifikant erhöht. Mit BAS-145138 vorbehandelte Keimpflanzen metabolisierten fast 70% des absorbierten [14C]-Acetochlor innerhalb von 10 min. Die durch die Safener erhöhte GST-Aktivität bei [14C]-Acetochlor als Substrat war im Vergleich zu Chlordinitroben-zen immer höher. Obwohl DKA-24 einen signifikant geringeren Einfluß sowohl auf den Herbizidmetabolismus als auch auf die GST-Aktivität hatte, war es fast so wirkungsvoll wie BAS-145138, während die anderen ohne Einarbeitung in den Boden für den Mais keinen oder geringen Schutz gegen Schäden durch Acetochlor boten.

Notes: The spatial structure of several exploited species within and among known populations of the Northwest Atlantic is reviewed using past and current knowledge. For each species, the coherence of existing management units with the spatial scale of population dynamics (populations, sub-populations, and spawning components) is summarized. The implications of this match or mismatch of spatial scales in the maintenance of biodiversity within and among populations are also discussed.

Notes: The ratios of stable isotopes 18O/16O and 13C/12C, in sagittal otolith carbonate from two tropical demersal teleosts, red emperor Lutjanus sebae and Rankin cod Epinephelis multinotatus, from several locations in northern Western Australia, differed between sites. On a broad scale, fish from the four locations, Shark Bay, Ningaloo, Pilbara, and Broome had stable isotope values that were sufficiently different to indicate separate stocks, and it is appropriate to manage these populations of the two species independently in these areas. On a smaller scale, there may be limited mixing of these species between the Pilbara trawl fishery and the trap and line fisheries operating out of Onslow and Broome. Values of stable oxygen isotopes were strongly related to sea surface temperature, although there were some sites in shallow water where low values of stable oxygen isotopes indicated that fish were living in warm water. The use of stable oxygen and carbon isotope values is a valuable, cost effective method of determining the degree of mixing of fish stocks.

Notes: Analysis of nine tetranucleotide microsatellite loci for Atlantic herring at five locations in the Northwest Atlantic including the Bras d'Or Lakes shows considerable genetic variation and significant population structure within the Coastal Nova Scotia management component, and among coastal populations and herring collected from Georges Bank. However, results are also consistent with gene flow across the Gulf of Maine. The magnitude of differentiation between the Bras d'Or Lakes sample and all others considered was sufficient to warrant further investigation. These data support the precautionary spawning-ground based management approach implemented in this area.

Notes: An organism diversity index for use with mixed liquor or wastewater samples was developed to assess the species richness and diversity of activated sludge. The index was used in several studies and was found to be fast and simple to perform using basic laboratory equipment. Two bench-scale and two pilot-scale studies found that the resulting ‘organism diversity index’value was a good indicator of process performance and was not influenced by the total concentration of the mixed-liquor suspended solids but by their nature alone. The technique rapidly yielded pertinent information about the health of the sludge and could be used instead of genetic investigations to obtain population information quickly enough for wastewater-treatment plant process control.