Cerebrospinal fluid glutamine,tryptophan, and tryptophan metabolite concentrations in dogs with portosystemic shunts

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether glutamine (GLN), tryptophan (TRP), and tryptophan metabolite concentrations are higher in cerebralspinal fluid (CSF) dogs with naturally occurring portosystemic shunts (PSS), compared with control dogs. ANIMALS: 11 dogs with confirmed PSS and 12 control dogs fed low- and high-protein diets. PROCEDURE: Cerebrospinal fluid and blood samples were collected from all dogs. Serum and CSF concentrations of GLN, alanine, serine, TRP, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), and quinolinic acid (QUIN) were measured. RESULTS: Cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of GLN, TRP, and 5-HIAA were significantly higher in PSS dogs, compared with control dogs fed high- or low-protein diets. Cerebrospinal fluid QUIN concentration was significantly higher in PSS dogs, compared with control dogs fed the low-protein diet. Serum QUIN concentration was significantly lower in PSS dogs, compared with control dogs fed either high- or low-protein diets. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: An increase in CNS GLN concentration is associated with high CSF concentrations of TRP and TRP metabolites in dogs with PSS. High CSF 5-HIAA concentrations indicate an increased flux of TRP through the CNS serotonin metabolic pathway, whereas high CSF QUIN concentrations indicate an increased metabolism of TRP through the indolamine-2,3-dioxygenase pathway. The high CSF QUIN concentrations in the face of low serum QUIN concentrations in dogs with PSS indicates that QUIN production from TRP is occurring in the CNS. High concentrations of QUIN and other TRP metabolites in the CNS may contribute to neurologic abnormalities found in dogs with PSS and hepatic encephalopathy.     

Volatile organic sulfur-containing constituents in Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf. (Rutaceae)

During our screening of plant materials to find new natural fragrance and flavor ingredients, we discovered two series of 3-sulfanylalkyl alkanoates in a peel extract of fruits of wild-growing Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf. (Rutaceae), a species closely related to Citrus. The two series belong to alkanoates of 3-methyl-3-sulfanylbutan-1-ol and 3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol, respectively, and thus are members of a family of natural molecules having in common a 1,3-positioned O,S moiety. The alkanoate residues comprise all even-numbered saturated fatty acids from C2 (acetate) to C18 (octadecanoate). Among the 20 sulfur-containing compounds identified, 14 are described for the first time as naturally occurring in a botanical species. Several cysteine-S-conjugates were synthesized as hypothetical precursors of the new volatile sulfur-containing constituents, where after S-(3-hydroxy-1,1-dimethylpropyl)-L-cysteine, S-[3-(acetyloxy)-1,1-dimethylpropyl]-L-cysteine, and S-[1-(2-hydroxyethyl)butyl]-L-cysteine were identified in the fruit peel. No cysteine-S-conjugates were detected in the fruit juice.     

Chemical composition and in vitro antifungal activity of Sambucus ebulus and Actinidia deliciosa on the fish pathogenic fungus,Saprolegnia parasitica

The aim of the present study was to determine the chemical composition of Sambucus ebulus and Actinidia deliciosa ethanolic extracts as well as their in vitro antifungal activity on the mycelial growth of the water mold, Saprolegnia parasitica. The preliminary minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) and minimum lethal concentration (MLC) were determined by the HeMP method and finally, concentrations of each extract ranging from 1 to 10% were prepared by an agar dilution method to assess the in vitro antifungal activity, quantitatively. Both herbal extracts inhibited growth of Saprolegnia hyphae in vitro. Complete in vitro growth inhibition was found at a concentration of ≥5% for S. ebulus, whereas it was not observed even at 10% concentration of A. deliciosa. Based on gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis, the main constituents of S. ebulus include monophthalate (66.17%), fatty acids (26.47%), phytol (4.25%), and acetic acid (2.11%). Using colorimetric assays, A. deliciosa contained phenolic contents at 162 mg gallic acid (GAE)/g DW and flavonoid contents at 2.31 mg quercetin (QE)/g DW. In conclusion, the results of this study indicated that S. ebulus and A. deliciosa showed some antifungal activities against S. parasitica with formerly exhibiting stronger activity (p < 0.05).

     

Assessment of vitamin C different levels in aquaponic system on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and saffron (Crocus sativus): growth performances,hematology, serum biochemistry,and digestive enzyme activity

The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of improving the growth and physiological indices of plant and fish by adding different levels of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) to water in the aquaponic system using Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and saffron plant (Crocus sativus). 240# fish (12.5?±?0.21 gr) and 120# saffron corms (2.8?±?0.12 gr) were randomly assigned to 15 experimental units and underwent treatments of adding 0 (control), 2, 4, 6, and 8 mg L^?1 ascorbic acid to water, every 6 days, for 8 weeks. The fish final weight and subsequently other growth performance indices increased in the treatment of 4 mg L^?1 vitamin C compared to other treatments (P?≤?0.05). Some growth performances of saffron plants such as saffron production, in treatment of 6 mg L^?1, were significantly higher than the control group and reached from 17.34?±?0.27 mg flower^?1 in the control group to 25.4?±?1.61 mg flower^?1 in treatment of 6 mg L^?1. Measuring the serum biochemical parameters of the fish showed that, in the treatment of 8 mg/L ascorbic acid, the cortisol content in the blood reached its maximum (21.49?±?2.42 µg dL^?1). The trypsin activity in proximal intestine and mid-intestine significantly increased in treatments of 2, 4, and 6 mg L^?1, respectively. The current experiment showed that, by adding 4–6 mg/L ascorbic acid to the aquaponic system water (every 6 days), the optimal levels of Nile tilapia and saffron plant growth performances would occur.

     

Salt‐Induced Regulation of Some Key Antioxidant Enzymes and Physio‐Biochemical Phenomena in Five Diverse Cultivars of Turnip (Brassica rapa L.)

A greenhouse experiment was carried out to examine the differential morpho‐physiological responses of five cultivars of turnip (Brassica rapa L.) to salt stress. Five diverse cultivars of turnip (shaljum desi surakh, shaljum purple top, shaljum golden bal, neela shaljum, and peela shaljum) were subjected for 6 weeks to varying levels of NaCl, i.e. 0, 80 and 160 mm in Hoagland’s nutrient solution in sand culture. Imposition of varying levels of salt substantially decreased shoot and root fresh and dry weights, chlorophyll contents, leaf osmotic potential, relative water contents, different gas exchange attributes, total phenolics, malondialdehyde, activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase catalase, and leaf and root K⁺ levels while enhanced the proline contents, membrane permeability, level of H₂O₂, leaf and root Na⁺ and Cl^? and leaf Ca²⁺ in all turnip cultivars under study. Of all cultivars, peela shaljum and neela shaljum were consistently higher in their growth than the other turnip cultivars at all salt concentrations of the growth medium. Photosynthetic capacity (A) and stomatal conductance (g_s) were higher in high biomass‐producing cultivars, i.e. peela shaljum and neela shaljum, which provide to be potential selection criteria of salt tolerance in turnip. However, the regulation of antioxidant system was cultivar‐specific under saline conditions.     

Ultrahigh-density nanowire lattices and circuits

We describe a general method for producing ultrahigh-density arrays of aligned metal and semiconductor nanowires and nanowire circuits. The technique is based on translating thin film growth thickness control into planar wire arrays. Nanowires were fabricated with diameters and pitches (center-to-center distances) as small as 8 nanometers and 16 nanometers, respectively. The nanowires have high aspect ratios (up to 10(6)), and the process can be carried out multiple times to produce simple circuits of crossed nanowires with a nanowire junction density in excess of 10(11) per square centimeter. The nanowires can also be used in nanomechanical devices; a high-frequency nanomechanical resonator is demonstrated.     

Efficiency and Flow Regime of a Highway Stormwater Detention Pond in Washington, USA

Wet detention ponds are a preferable alternative in treating stormwater runoff. Literature suggests that a detention pond’s efficiency in removing principal pollutants of concern, TSS and metals, is highly variable and is affected by a complex array of factors including its geographic location. The objective of this paper was to investigate the TSS and metal removal efficiency of a highway stormwater detention pond in Spokane, Washington along with its flow regime. Pond influent and effluent data for TSS and metal were collected for approximately two years. TSS removal by the pond was found to be 68.1–99.4% with an average of 83.9%. Average metal removal efficiency was 54.7–64.6% which is 72.5–86.9% of the TSS removal. The pond’s flow regime was found to vary with its changing surface topography, a result of sedimentation of suspended solids.