Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Potential of the Bifurcaria bifurcata Epiphytic Bacteria

Surface-associated marine bacteria are an interesting source of new secondary metabolites. The aim of this study was the isolation and identification of epiphytic bacteria from the marine brown alga, Bifurcaria bifurcata, and the evaluation of the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of bacteria extracts. The identification of epiphytic bacteria was determined by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Bacteria extracts were obtained with methanol and dichloromethane (1:1) extraction. The antioxidant activity of extracts was performed by quantification of total phenolic content (TPC), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). Antimicrobial activities were evaluated against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella enteritidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans. A total of 39 Bifurcaria bifurcata-associated bacteria were isolated and 33 were identified as Vibrio sp. (48.72%), Alteromonas sp. (12.82%), Shewanella sp. (12.26%), Serratia sp. (2.56%), Citricoccus sp. (2.56%), Cellulophaga sp. (2.56%), Ruegeria sp. (2.56%) and Staphylococcus sp. (2.56%). Six (15.38%) of the 39 bacteria Bifurcaria bifurcata-associated bacteria presented less than a 90% Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) match, and some of those could be new. The highest antioxidant activity and antimicrobial activity (against B. subtilis) was exhibited by strain 16 (Shewanella sp.). Several strains also presented high antimicrobial activity against S. aureus, mainly belonging to Alteromonas sp. and Vibrio sp. There were no positive results against fungi and Gram-negative bacteria. Bifurcaria bifurcata epiphytic bacteria were revealed to be excellent sources of natural antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds.     

Maritime Halophyte Species from Southern Portugal as Sources of Bioactive Molecules

Extracts of five halophytes from southern Portugal (Arthrocnemum macrostachyum, Mesembryanthemum edule, Juncus acutus, Plantago coronopus and Halimione portulacoides), were studied for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and in vitro antitumor properties. The most active extracts towards the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical were the methanol extracts of M. edule (IC₅₀ = 0.1 mg/mL) and J. acutus (IC₅₀ = 0.4 mg/mL), and the ether extracts of J. acutus (IC₅₀ = 0.2 mg/mL) and A. macrostachyum (IC₅₀ = 0.3 mg/mL). The highest radical scavenging activity (RSA) against the 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radical was obtained in the ether extract of J. acutus (IC₅₀ = 0.4 mg/mL) and H. portulacoides (IC₅₀ = 0.9 mg/mL). The maximum total phenolic content (TPC) was found in the methanol extract of M. edule (147 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g) and in the ether extract of J. acutus (94 mg GAE/g). Significant decreases in nitric oxide (NO) production were observed after incubation of macrophages with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the chloroform extract of H. portulacoides (IC₅₀ = 109 µg/mL) and the hexane extract of P. coronopus (IC₅₀ = 98.0 µg/mL). High in vitro cytotoxic activity and selectivity was obtained with the ether extract of J. acutus. Juncunol was identified as the active compound and for the first time was shown to display selective in vitro cytotoxicity towards various human cancer cells.     

配施硼、锌肥及施用方法对芝麻生长及产量的影响

以黑芝麻赣芝9号为材料,在等量复合肥作为底肥施用的条件下,研究了硼肥、锌肥作为底肥施用和作叶面肥喷施对芝麻生长及产量的影响。结果表明,锌肥作为底肥施用芝麻产量最高,其次是硼肥作为叶面肥喷施。锌肥作为叶面肥喷施,对芝麻也有显著的增产效果,而硼肥作为底肥施用远不如作为叶面肥喷施的增产效果明显。锌肥和硼肥作为叶面肥以及硼肥作为底肥均能增加芝麻的叶绿素含量。     

追肥对九丰1号金银花生长和产量的影响

通过安排田间小区试验,研究了春季追施氮、磷、钾肥对九丰1号金银花产量和生长的影响。结果表明,施肥可有效促进金银花生长和产量提升,在适当增施氮肥的基础上施入一定量的磷、钾肥可进一步增加金银花产量。在本研究中,在不涉及金银花品质的前提下,三年生九丰1号金银花春季使用氮、磷、钾总肥量700 kg/hm2,氮磷钾比例为1.00∶0.67∶0.67时,植株生长良好,产量最高。     

芽期NaCl胁迫下不同基因型芝麻的反应差异研究

通过芽期NaCl胁迫研究了不同浓度NaCl对芝麻种子成苗及幼苗生长的影响,分析了0.4%NaCl胁迫下不同基因型芝麻的反应差异。结果表明：（1） 0～0.4%的NaCl浓度对芝麻种子成苗率影响较小,在NaCl浓度为0.6%～0.8%时表现为成苗率下降;芽长和简易活力指数均随NaCl浓度的增加而不断下降;根长和苗鲜重则因品种不同表现有异,部分品种随NaCl浓度增加呈先升后降趋势,部分品种则表现为不断下降趋势,不同芝麻品种表现差异较大。（2） 所有参试品种在0.4%的NaCl浓度胁迫下在根长、芽长、苗鲜重、简易活力指数等测定指标上均表现出下降较为明显,认为0.4%的NaCl浓度胁迫可以作为芝麻种质资源耐盐性筛选鉴定的参考浓度。（3）聚类分析结果将39份种质资源明显聚为两类,即包含12份种质的耐盐类和包含27份种质的不耐盐类。（4） 参试的改良品种（系）与地方种质耐盐性差异不大,地方种质的耐盐性指标的多样性指数要大于改良品种（系）,即在NaCl胁迫下地方种质所表现的基因型差异要大于改良品种（系）。     

STABILIZATION OF DUNE SAND AT BORGO BONSIGNORE IN SICILY / STABILISASIE VAN DUINSAND BY BORGO BONSIGNORE IN SICILIE

The methods employed and the results achieved in stabilizing an area of about 225 ha dune sand is described. The techniques employed in allowing tree species to become established are mentioned and are illustrated by various plates     

Physiological and biochemical consequences of electroimobilisation in conscious sheep

An electroimmobilisation device has been developed to facilitate the automated shearing of sheep, but there is little information on its effects on the body. We have studied its effects on the cardiovascular system and on intermediary metabolism in sheep. Electroimmobilisation caused statistically significant increases in mean arterial pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, renal and hepatic and hindquarter glucose and lactate flux, organ and whole body oxygen flux, hindquarter blood flow and core temperature and decreases in arterial and posterior vena cava blood pH, renal and hepatic blood flow and PaCO2. Notably, no change occurred in PaO2. The metabolic changes demonstrated the capacity of sheep to respond to the increased muscular and cardiovascular work induced by electroimmobilisation. Pulmonary function was not compromised during electroimmobilisation as judged from blood gas changes, and the acid/base changes were rapidly reversed after electroimmobilisation. The recovery to control conditions for all perturbations generally took no longer than 30 min, consistent with a rapid and physiologically adequate reversal by the animal's homeostatic mechanisms.     

猪生长激素(PST)脂质体代谢动力学的研究

在猪体内注射脂质体 ,研究其在体内的药物动力学 ,分析其血浆中生长激素浓度随时间的变化曲线 ,确定其释药模型为单室模型 ,求出各项动力学参数 ,结果为PST脂质体的缓释效果显著 ,缓释时间长达7天以上     

生长激素（PST）脂质体对育肥猪生产性能的影响

选择18头体重20kg左右的太湖二元杂交小公猪，分成A、B、C3组，每组6头。A组为对照组；B组颈部肌肉注射生长激素（PST）4ml/头；C组颈部肌肉注射PST脂质体28mg/头；结果表明PST与PST脂质体对育猪的生产性能影响较为接近，与对照组相比，均可显著提高育肥猪的日增重，饲料报酬，改善猪的胴体品质，说明PST脂质体可代替PST用于生产实践。     

Host/parasite relationship in the in vitro infection of rat gliocytes by Neospora caninum: evaluation of cell respiration

Neospora caninum is a protozoon that causes abortion in cattle and neuromuscular lesions in dogs, with the formation of cysts mainly in the central nervous system. Since N. caninum is an intracellular parasite with tropism for the cells of nervous system, this study evaluated the respiratory metabolism of glial cells infected by this* parasite. Glial cultures obtained from the cerebral cortex of newborn rats were kept in DMEM enriched with 10% fetal bovine serum, 1 mM pyruvic acid and 2 mM of L-glutamine. They were infected at a ratio of approximately 1:1 (cell/parasite). Oxygen consumption was evaluated by polarography in the non infected and N. caninum infected groups, 24 and 72 h following infection. Glial cell respiration after 24 and 72 h was 307.2 +/- 34.7 and 308.9 +/- 64.1 microL of oxygen per mug of total protein per minute, and 566.2 +/- 54.6 and 579 +/- 117.5 microL O2/microg of total protein/minute in the control and infected groups, respectively. These results show that N. caninum does not interfere with glial respiration in vitro.