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PubMed2006

Early domesticated fig in the Jordan Valley.

It is generally accepted that the fig tree was domesticated in the Near East some 6500 years ago. Here we report the discovery of nine carbonized fig fruits and hundreds of drupelets stored in Gilgal I, an early Neolithic village, located in the Lower Jordan Valley, which dates to 11,400 to 11,200 years ago. We suggest that these edible fruits were gathered from parthenocarpic trees grown from intentionally planted branches. Hence, fig trees could have been the first domesticated plant of the Neolithic Revolution, which preceded cereal domestication by about a thousand years.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2006

Comment on "Early domesticated fig in the Jordan Valley".

Kislev et al. (Reports, 2 June 2006, p. 1372) described Neolithic parthenocarpic fig fruits and proposed that they derive from trees propagated only by cuttings and thus represent the first domesticated plant of the Neolithic Revolution. Because parthenocarpic fig trees naturally produce both seeded and seedless fruits and are capable of spontaneous reproduction, we argue that the finds do not necessarily indicate cultivation, nor horticulture predating grain crops.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2002

Ochratoxin production by the Aspergillus ochraceus group and Aspergillus alliaceus.

Ochratoxin A is a toxic and carcinogenic fungal secondary metabolite; its presence in foods is increasingly regulated. Various fungi are known to produce ochratoxins, but it is not known which species produce ochratoxins consistently and which species cause ochratoxin contamination of various crops. We isolated fungi in the Aspergillus ochraceus group (section Circumdati) and Aspergillus alliaceus from tree nut orchards, nuts, and figs in California. A total of 72 isolates were grown in potato dextrose broth and yeast extract-sucrose broth for 10 days at 30 degrees C and tested for production of ochratoxin A in vitro by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Among isolates from California figs, tree nuts, and orchards, A. ochraceus and Aspergillus melleus were the most common species. No field isolates of A. ochraceus or A. melleus produced ochratoxin A above the level of detection (0.01 microg/ml). All A. alliaceus isolates produced ochratoxin A, up to 30 microg/ml. We examined 50,000 figs for fungal infections and measured ochratoxin content in figs with visible fungal colonies. Pooled figs infected with A. alliaceus contained ochratoxin A, figs infected with the A. ochraceus group had little or none, and figs infected with Penicillium had none. These results suggest that the little-known species A. alliaceus is an important ochratoxin-producing fungus in California and that it may be responsible for the ochratoxin contamination occasionally observed in figs.

Aspergillus ochraceus↗
PubMed2003

Simple and rapid methods for SEM observation and TEM immunolabeling of rubber particles.

We developed a method involving air-drying of a rubber suspension after fixation in glutaraldehyde-tannic acid and postfixation in osmium tetroxide for SEM observation. For TEM immunolabeling the suspension was air-dried after osmium-only fixation. Whereas conventional methods failed to satisfactorily stabilize rubber particles, the methods described here proved successful in preserving their integrity.

Ficus↗
PubMed2003

Figs--the earliest known ancient drug for cutaneous anthrax.

BACKGROUND: Anthrax is an often fatal bacterial infection, occurring in cutaneous, inhalational, gastrointestinal, and meningeal forms. Evaluation of anthrax treatment from ancient history may help healthcare providers to handle this serious disease more efficiently. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the biblical descriptions of anthrax, focusing on its therapy in ancient times. STUDY SELECTION: All biblical texts associated with anthrax were examined and passages relating to this disease were studied closely. DATA SYNTHESIS: Biblical passages such as: "Take a cluster of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil [anthrax], and he recovered," and "Let them take a cluster of figs, and lay it upon the boil [anthrax], and he shall recover," convincingly indicate that figs have healing properties in cutaneous anthrax lesions. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of this study, the National Institutes of Health together with the pharmaceutical industry may consider to work on isolation of compounds from fig plants to develop products against cutaneous and possibly other forms of anthrax once screening tests are completed.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Survey for co-occurrence of ochratoxin A and aflatoxin B1 in dried figs in Turkey by using a single laboratory-validated alkaline extraction method for ochratoxin A.

A survey was carried out to determine the co-occurrence of ochratoxin A and aflatoxin B1 in dried figs from Turkey. Samples from two seasons of crops (2003 and 2004) intended for export to the European Union and the 2004 crop obtained from the domestic Turkish market were analyzed. Affinity column cleanup methods were employed for determining separately ochratoxin A and aflatoxin B1, but for ochratoxin A an alkaline extraction procedure was employed (in contrast to the conventionally employed acidic extraction), which gave consistently higher toxin recovery. In-house validation of the ochratoxin A method gave a limit of detection of 0.15 ng/g and a limit of quantification of 0.5 ng/g with a repeatability of 5.8% in the range 5 to 10 ng/g (with a mean recovery of 94% for spiked samples). Positive results for ochratoxin A were confirmed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. For the 2003 export figs (58 samples), 7 samples contained only aflatoxin B1, 2 samples contained only ochratoxin A, and 2 samples contained both toxins (with maximum concentrations of 35.1 ng/g for aflatoxin B1 and 13.0 ng/g for ochratoxin A). Similarly for the 2004 export figs (41 samples), 16 samples contained only aflatoxin B1, 4 samples contained only ochratoxin A, and 2 samples contained both toxins (with maximum concentrations of 20.6 ng/g for aflatoxin B1 and 26.3 ng/g for ochratoxin A). Of 20 retail samples of dried figs from Turkey, only one sample contained ochratoxin A (2.0 ng/g) and none were contaminated with aflatoxin B1. This survey revealed a 14 to 15% incidence of occurrence of ochratoxin A for 2 years, which is higher than previously reported.

Aflatoxin B1↗
PubMed2000

[A comparative study on chlorophyll content, chlorophyll fluorescence and diurnal course of leaf gas exchange of two ecotypes of banyan].

The morphological differences, chlorophyll contents, fluorescence and diurnal course of leaf gas exchange between terrestrial banyan and amphibious banyan were compared with pot culture. The amphibious banyan possesses well developed aerial and hydro-adventitious roots, and wider leaf with inclination of evolution toward mesophytic traits. The chlorophyll content of terrestrial banyan was higher than that of amphibious banyan. The diurnal course of leaf gas exchange indicated that net photosynthetic rate of terrestrial banyan was slightly higher than that of amphibious banyan grown in water, but much higher than that grown in soil. The amphibious banyan grown in water had the highest transpiration rate, the terrestrial banyan had a lower one, and the amphibious banyan grown in soil had the lowest. Linear regression analysis showed a positive correlation between net photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance, implying that the stomatal conductance was dominant factor controlling the gas exchange. In this study, the term of intrinsic water use efficiency (net photosynthetic rate/stomatal conductance ratio, Intrinsic WUE) was applied to describe the photosynthesis and water properties, and the result showed that it was a more suitable measure compared to the usual WUE(net photosynthetic rate/transpiration rate). Among the three banyan plants examined, the amphibious banyan had the highest intrinsic WUE.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Traditional medicine in the treatment of enteroparasitosis].

This study evaluating Chenopodium ambrosioides (paico) as an antiparasitic agent was conducted in two villages near Tarapoto, San Martin. Extracts from leaves of "paico" were given to 72 patients (children and adults) with intestinal parasitic infections. Their stools were analized before and 8 days after the intake. We observed antiparasitary efficacy in 56% of the cases. With respect to the parasites tested for, the efficacy was 100% for Ancilostoma and Trichuris and 50% for Ascaris. We didn't observe any significant difference relative to age or sex.A review of other popular methods used in this region is done.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Experiences and perspectives for the use of a Paenibacillus strain as a plant protectant.

A study on the microbial ecology in an active slow sand filter, used for disinfecting the circulating plant nutrient solutions, showed that spore-forming plant-associated bacteria belonging to the Bacillus-Paenibacillus complex are well adapted for transmission in the solutions and passage through the filter. Therefore, strains from this bacterial group were suitable candidates for biological control in irrigated and closed plant growth systems. The spore-forming Paenibacillus polymyxa strain PpDGB was selected in in vitro tests as a potent pathogen-antagonist and was tested as a prophylactic protection agent in the plant rhizosphere, especially for cultures stages that are highly susceptible to stress and disease. Plant cuttings, in vitro plants and seeds of different plant types were bacterized and planted in their typical disease-conducive environment where nutrient solutions or water irrigation was applied and further plant development was monitored. Observed plant parameters were plant survival, weight, chlorophyll concentration in the leaf mesophyl, root health and root hair formation. The PpDGB treatment initially induced stress in the plants, which was observed as a transient stop in plant transpiration. This effect caused some necrosis in the most stress-sensitive in vitro plant species. In the other plants this stress period was followed by a significant enhancement in plant growth. In case of seed treatment, more seeds germinated and seedling growth was faster. In the tested formulation, PpDGB enhanced growth but not disease resistance, probably due to simultaneous activation of the residual plant pathogens. Therefore variant formulations have to be tested. The influence of PpDGB on the composition of the bacterial communities in the rhizosphere was assessed by DGGE profiling. In soilless plant cultures, PpDGB-driven profile changes could be observed from the 5th day after the initial treatment. P. polymyxa bacteria were shown to be widely present in association with plants and specific PpDGB detection in plant and rhizosphere was only possible with newly developed strain-specific PCR primers based on Nif H gene sequences. Quantitative PCR based on SYBR Green fluorescence enabled detection of low PpDGB concentrations in the plant rhizosphere.

Araceae↗