INFOCARB: A regional scale forest carbon inventory (Provincia Autonoma di Trento,Southern Italian Alps)

The aim of this inventory (acronym: INFOCARB) was to measure the organic carbon stored in the forest ecosystems of the Trento region (Provincia Autonoma di Trento, Northern Italy) in both above- and belowground pools, according to the Kyoto protocol and IPCC requirements. A total of 150 forest sampling points were selected on the entire regional area (6206 km²) with a statistical sampling approach, based on the timber volume as a proxy variable for a stratified sampling. Each sampling point was located with a GPS receiver and a 600 m² circular plot was delimited around each point. Inside the plots, the biomass of trees, shrubs and herbaceous vegetation was measured, while litter was collected in systematically placed subplots. Topsoil (down to 30 cm depth) was sampled with the excavation method on three systematically located pits, to determine the organic carbon content, the bulk density and the volume occupied by stones and roots.     

Changes in wildfire severity from maritime pine woodland to contiguous forest types in the mountains of northwestern Portugal

Large and severe wildfires are now widespread in the Mediterranean Basin. Fire severity is important to ecosystem properties and processes and to forest management but it has been neglected by wildland fire research in Europe. In this study, we compare fire severity between maritime pine (PS) woodland and other forest (OF) types, identify other variables influent on fire severity, and describe its variation. We sampled contiguous, paired stands of PS and OF cover types – including deciduous and evergreen broadleaves and short-needled mountain conifers – that burned under very high to extreme fire danger in northwestern Portugal. Data on stand characteristics and fire severity metrics were collected in plots along transects perpendicular to the PS–OF boundary. Fire severity was rated in separate for the tree canopy, understorey vegetation and forest floor layers, and then an average (composite) fire severity rating was calculated. Fire intensity inferred from stem char height (adjusted for the effects of other factors) was highest in PS, followed by deciduous broadleaved woodland and short-needled conifer forest. With a few exceptions, all fire severity ratings were significantly different between PS and OF at all sites. Most fire severity metrics and ratings were correlated. The distance for fire severity minimization did not differ between OF types (median = 21 m). Variation in composite fire severity was accounted for by a classification tree (R² = 0.44) based on cover type (contributing with 51% to the overall explanation), stand variables, aspect, distance to the PS–OF edge and fire spread pattern. Except for a more immediate decline in deciduous broadleaves, fire severity rating was not affected by OF type and tended to decrease in more mature stands and moister aspects. The fire severity moderation from PS to OF was compounded by a dominant pattern of down slope fire propagation into moister topographical positions, exacerbating the fuel effect implicit in the cover type change. The results are consistent with fire hazard and fire incidence studies and support conventional knowledge that advocates the expansion of broadleaved deciduous or evergreen forest as a means to achieve more fire-resilient ecosystems and landscapes.     

RESEARCH PAPER: Comparison between two methods for cardiac output measurement in propofol‐anesthetized dogs: thermodilution and Doppler

ObjectiveTo compare cardiac output (CO) measured by Doppler echocardiography and thermodilution techniques in spontaneously breathing dogs during continuous infusion of propofol. To do so, CO was obtained using the thermodilution method (CO_TD) and Doppler evaluation of pulmonary flow (CO_DP) and aortic flow (CO_DA).Study designProspective cohort study.AnimalsEight adult dogs weighing 8.3 ± 2.0 kg.MethodsPropofol was used for induction (7.5 ± 1.9 mg kg^?1 IV) followed by a continuous rate infusion at 0.7 mg kg^?1 minute^?1. The animals were positioned in left lateral recumbency on an echocardiography table that allowed for positioning of the transducer at the 3rd and 5th intercostal spaces of the left hemithorax for Doppler evaluation of pulmonary and aortic valves, respectively. CO_DP and CO_DA were calculated from pulmonary and aortic velocity spectra, respectively. A pulmonary artery catheter was inserted via the jugular vein and positioned inside the lumen of the pulmonary artery in order to evaluate CO_TD. The first measurement of CO_TD, CO_DP and CO_DA was performed 30 minutes after beginning continuous infusion (T0) and then at 15‐minute intervals (T15, T30, T45 and T60). Numeric data were submitted to two‐way anova for repeated measurements, Pearson’s correlation coefficient and Bland &; Altman analysis. Data are presented as mean ± SD.ResultsAt T0, CO_TD was lower than CO_DA. CO_DA was higher than CO_TD and CO_DP at T30, T45 and T60. The difference between the CO_TD and CO_DP, when all data were included, was ?0.04 ± 0.22 L minute^?1 and Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) was 0.86. The difference between the CO_TD and CO_DA was ?0.87 ± 0.54 L minute^?1 and r = 0.69. For CO_TD and CO_DP, the difference was ?0.82 ± 0.59 L minute^?1 and r = 0.61.ConclusionDoppler evaluation of pulmonary flow was a clinically acceptable method for assessing the CO in propofol‐anesthetized dogs.     

Phytochemical analysis of wastewater (nejayote) obtained after lime-cooking of different types of maize kernels processed into masa for tortillas

In order to generate value-added products from the wastewater (nejayote) of lime-cooked maize for tortilla production, we analyzed the phytochemical composition of six different types of kernels that were optimally cooked. Kernels, masas and nejayote solids were analyzed in terms of free and bound phenolics, ferulic acid and antioxidant (AOX) capacity. The germplasm analyzed included white (NWH), yellow (NYE), white quality protein (QPM), red (RED), high-carotenoid (HCA) and blue (BLU). Approximately 87, 82 and 91% of the phenolics associated to raw kernels, masa and nejayote were bound. Total phenolics of nejayote were about twice as much compared to kernels and masa. Lime-cooking reduced around 1/3 of bound ferulic in masa but enhanced at least 10 times the liberation of free moieties. The nejayote solids contained approximately 125 and 10 times as much free ferulic and 15 and 53 times more bound ferulic compared to kernels and masa. The nejayote solids contained approximately 40 and 8 times higher free and 191 and 61 times higher bound AOX capacities compared to those exerted by raw kernels and masa, respectively. Therefore, the nejayote solids are promising as a source of antioxidants which are known to promote health benefits and combat oxidative stress.     

Foliar Diagnosis Indexes for Corn by the Methods Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System (DRIS) and Nutritional Composition (CND)

Foliar analysis has been an important method for diagnosing the nutritional status of plants. Therefore, this work aimed to determine benchmarks (norms) for interpretation of results of foliar analysis by the methods of Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System (DRIS) and Nutritional Composition (CND) and to determine the order of nutritional limitation and the potential response to fertilization (PRA) of corn cultivations. Leaves were sampled and the productivity was determined in 64 different sites in the crop season 2011/2012, and 66 sites were sampled in the crop season 2012/2013. The yields were divided in two sub-populations: high productivity (equal or above 11.795 kg ha^?1) and low productivity (less than 11.795 kg ha^?1). The normal ranges obtained by DRIS and CND methods were similar. The amplitudes of ideal ranges were smaller when compared to the sufficiency ranges found in the Brazilian literature. The development of benchmarks (norms) at regional levels increases reliability in diagnoses.     

Evaluation of the Ecotoxicological Effects of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Microcystis aeruginosa</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii</Emphasis> on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ceriodaphnia dubia</Emphasis> Before and After Treatment with Ultrasound

Bodies of water contaminated by cyanobacteria and their neuro- and hepatotoxins have caused environmental and public health issues all over the world. Therefore, determining safe concentrations in water for multiple uses to protect aquatic biota and identify forms of remediation are of broad interest. In this study, we isolated strains of the cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa and Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii, which produce microcystin (MC) and saxitoxin (STX), respectively. Ecotoxicological tests using suspensions of lysed lyophilizated cells with concentrations of toxins equivalent to those permitted by legislation for potability (1 μg L^?1 for MC and 3 μg L^?1 for STX) did not result in significant mortality of the model organism, Ceriodaphnia dubia, where as concentrations five times greater resulted in decreased survival for both toxins. However, reproduction was significantly reduced even in the lower concentrations, indicating that the currently permitted standards are not safe for environmental protection. When cyanotoxins were treated with ultrasound, mortalities were no longer significant, independent of concentrations. Although reproduction was still lower in relation to the control, it was significantly higher when compared to the results obtained before ultrasound. Ultrasound has been previously applied to cyanobacteria cell lysis, but this is the first study to investigate the ecotoxicological effects of ultrasound on cyanotoxins. Using new test organisms and different times and potency of sonication will permit the development of more efficient techniques for the remediation of these toxins and the development of more adequate parameters for the protection of aquatic life.     

Citric acid influence on soil phosphorus availability

Citric acid is a low-molecular-weight organic acid exuded by the plant roots. Organic anions derived from this acid compete for phosphorus (P) adsorption sites in clay minerals. The objective was to evaluate the P availability by application of P and citric acid tothe soil. For this purpose, an experiment in green house was conducted at the rates of 0, 45, 90, and 180 mg dm^?3 P in Entisol and 0, 100, 200, and 400 mg dm^?3 P in Oxisol, combined with 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg dm^?3 citric acid in pot. In the Entisol, 115 mg dm^?3 of P and 0.7 mg dm^?3 of citric acid resulted in maximum corn growth. However, in the Oxisol, the estimated rates were 299 mg dm^?3 of P and 1.3 mg dm^?3 of acid citric. Citric acid use in Entisol and Oxisol increased P availability of corn plants.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ungulate copiparvovirus 2</Emphasis> in healthy and postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome-affected pigs

A SYBR Green-based real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was designed to detect Ungulate copiparvovirus 2, also known as porcine parvovirus 4 (PPV4). The test was applied to search for PPV4 DNAemia in sera from 1- to 4-month-old pigs displaying signs of postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS), as well as in sera from healthy swine at equivalent age and in sera from older healthy animals (>6 months old). High levels of PPV4 DNA were detected in PMWS-affected pigs. The mean viral DNA load in PMWS-affected pigs was 5.2 × 10⁷ copies/mL, whereas in young healthy pigs it was 1.4 × 10⁵ copies/mL (P ≤ 0.001). Although the copy numbers were lower in younger PMWS-affected individuals, this result sheds some light on the possible association between PPV4 viral load detection in this group and the immune impairment caused by PMWS.     

Benzylglucosinolate, benzylisothiocyanate, and myrosinase activity in papaya fruit during development and ripening

Papaya is a climacteric fruit that has high amounts of benzylglucosinolates (BG) and benzylisothiocyanates (BITC), but information regarding levels of BG or BITC during fruit development and ripening is limited. Because BG and BITC are compounds of importance from both a nutritional and a crop yield standpoint, the aim of this work was to access data on the distribution and changes of BG and BITC levels during fruit development and ripening. BG and BITC levels were quantified in peel, pulp, and seeds of papaya fruit. Volatile BITC was also verified in the internal cavity of the fruit during ripening. The influence of the ethylene in BG and BITC levels and mirosinase activity was tested by exposing mature green fruits to ethylene and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP). The highest BG levels were detected in seeds, followed by the peel and pulp being decreased in all tissues during fruit development. Similarly, the levels of BITC were much higher in the seeds than the peel and pulp. The levels of BG for control and ethylene-treated fruit were very similar, increasing in the pulp and peel during late ripening but not changing significantly in seeds. On the other hand, fruit exposed to 1-MCP showed a decrease in BG amount in the pulp and accumulation in seed. The treatments did not result in clear differences regarding the amount of BITC in the pulp and peel of the fruit. According to the results, ethylene does not have a clear effect on BITC accumulation in ripening papaya fruit. The fact that BG levels in the pulp did not decrease during ripening, regardless of the treatment employed, and that papaya is consumed mainly as fresh fruit, speaks in favor of this fruit as a good dietary source for glucosinolate and isothiocyanates.