Vole abundance and reindeer carcasses determine breeding activity of Arctic foxes in low Arctic Yamal,Russia

Background

High latitude ecosystems are at present changing rapidly under the influence of climate warming, and specialized Arctic species at the southern margin of the Arctic may be particularly affected. The Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus), a small mammalian predator endemic to northern tundra areas, is able to exploit different resources in the context of varying tundra ecosystems. Although generally widespread, it is critically endangered in subarctic Fennoscandia, where a fading out of the characteristic lemming cycles and competition with abundant red foxes have been identified as main threats. We studied an Arctic fox population at the Erkuta Tundra Monitoring site in low Arctic Yamal (Russia) during 10 years in order to determine which resources support the breeding activity in this population. In the study area, lemmings have been rare during the last 15 years and red foxes are nearly absent, creating an interesting contrast to the situation in Fennoscandia.

Results

Arctic fox was breeding in nine of the 10 years of the study. The number of active dens was on average 2.6 (range 0–6) per 100 km² and increased with small rodent abundance. It was also higher after winters with many reindeer carcasses, which occurred when mortality was unusually high due to icy pastures following rain-on-snow events. Average litter size was 5.2 (SD = 2.1). Scat dissection suggested that small rodents (mostly Microtus spp.) were the most important prey category. Prey remains observed at dens show that birds, notably waterfowl, were also an important resource in summer.

Conclusions

The Arctic fox in southern Yamal, which is part of a species-rich low Arctic food web, seems at present able to cope with a state shift of the small rodent community from high amplitude cyclicity with lemming dominated peaks, to a vole community with low amplitude fluctuations. The estimated breeding parameters characterized the population as intermediate between the lemming fox and the coastal fox ecotype. Only continued ecosystem-based monitoring will reveal their fate in a changing tundra ecosystem.

     

Intra- and interobserver assessments of intestinal wall thickness and segmentations from transverse sections of feline abdominal ultrasound images

Measurements of intestinal wall thicknesses from ultrasound imaging (US) are routinely used to support diagnoses of intestinal disorders in cats, however published studies describing observer agreement are currently lacking. The aim of this retrospective, observer agreement study was to quantify inter- and intraobserver repeatability and agreement in the measurement of intestinal wall layer thicknesses and the segmentation of transverse sections of small intestines in US images of 20 cats. Intestinal wall layer thickness measurements of the mucosa, submucosa, muscularis, serosa layer, and total thickness of these layers were performed on five cats with small cell epitheliotropic lymphoma, five with inflammatory bowel disease, and 10 with other conditions. Thickness measurements and the segmentation encompassing the serosa layer were obtained from five observers four times non-sequentially. The average standard deviation in thickness measurements (95% confidence interval) in the mucosa, submucosa, muscularis, serosa, and total thickness were 0.35 (0.07–0.95), 0.24 (0.07-0.52), 0.22 (0.06-0.49), 0.20 (0.05-0.49), and 0.57 (0.11-1.60) mm, respectively. The average intraclass correlation coefficients, which estimates the degree of consistency in thickness measurements and segmentation areas for each observer, ranged from 0.355 to 0.870 and 0.850 to 0.993, respectively. The interclass correlation coefficient, which estimates the degree of consistency when measuring a thickness or segmentation area over all observers ranged from 0.115 to 0.753, and 0.811 to 0.902, respectively. The overall average Dice Coefficient, which estimates the extent of overlap of the segmentations for all observers was 0.957 (0.933 to 0.972). Our results suggest segmentations of small intestines have a higher interobserver agreement than measurements of intestinal wall thicknesses.     

Fucoidan Extracted from Fucus Evanescens Prevents Endotoxin-Induced Damage in a Mouse Model of Endotoxemia

An important problem of treating patients with endotoxemia is to find drugs to reduce the negative effects of endotoxin on the organism. We tested fucoidan (sulfated polysaccharide) from the brown alga Fucus evanescens as a potential drug in a mouse model of endotoxemia inducted by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The survival time of mice injected with LPS increased under fucoidan treatment compared with the group of mice injected with LPS only. The preventive administration of fucoidan to mice with endotoxemia resulted in inhibition of increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines (TNFα and IL-6), as well as decreasing of the processes of hypercoagulability. The parenteral or per os administration of fucoidan resulted in decreasing the degree of microcirculatory disorders and secondary dystrophic-destructive changes in parenchymal organs of mice with endotoxemia. Taken together, these results demonstrate that fucoidan prevents endotoxin-induced damage in a mouse model of endotoxemia and increases the mice’s resistance to LPS.     

Effect of nanoparticles on crops and soil microbial communities

Purpose

Nanoparticles (NPs) have received increased attention in recent past due to their unique distinct properties. Metal-based NPs are widely used in chemical and allied sector. Most of the research is directed to study the efficiency of NPs in medicine and agriculture. The aim of this review is to explore the possible threats posed by toxicity of various NPs on plants and microbial diversity.

Materials and methods

First, major sources of NPs to the environment were analyzed. The effects of metal-based NPs on the microbiota and plants are presented in this review. The results obtained by the authors during last 12 years of research are used.

Results and discussion

The exposure of soil to nanoparticles causes a decrease in soil microbial biomass and enzymatic activity, which impacts microbial community composition including yeasts, bacteria, fungi, and biological diversity. The effects of NPs on plants result in various types of abnormalities. Nanoparticles can also pose risks to human health.

Conclusions

Increased applications of NPs pose a threat to beneficial microbial communities as well as crops and soils. Thus, it is important to explore whether NPs could compromise crop yield, soil properties, soil organisms, and functional activities of soil.

     

Impact of aridization on soil cover transformation of the Aral Sea and the modern Syr-Darya Delta

The effects of human activities on the soil cover transformation in the eastern part of Kazakhstan were investigated during the period of 1956-2008.The results of the research for different soil types in Priaralye indicated that there was 643.3×103 hm2 solonchaks,accounting for 38.5 % of the total area(1670.5×103 hm2) in 2008.Vast areas are occupied with dried lakeshore soil(311.1× 103 hm2),sandy soils(147.6×103 hm2) and grey-brown desert soils and solonetzes(146.7×103 hm2).In 2001 the area of solonchak was 755×103 hm2 and decreased to 643.3×103 hm2 in 2008,which due to the shrinkage of the Aral Sea,the areas of marsh and lakeshore solonchaks decreased with the increase of dried bottom of the Aral Sea.The level of soil cover transformation in the modern delta of the Syr-Darya River can be seen from the comparison of the results obtained from the different years in the study area.The area of solonchaks increased by 10×103 hm2 and the area of alluvial-meadow salinizied soils increased by 17.9×103 hm2 during the period of 1956-1969.It means that many non-salinizied soils were transformed into salinizied ones.Striking changes occurred in the structure of soil cover as a result of aridization.So,the researches in1969 significantly determined the areas of hydromorphic soils subjected to desertification(it was not fixed on the map before 1956).Later,these soils were transformed into takyr-like soils.The area of takyr-like soils increased almost by 3 times for 34 years(from 1956 to 1990).The long-term soil researches on soil cover transformation in Priaralye have shown that the tendencies of negative processes(salinization and deflation) are being kept and lead to further soil and eco-environment degradation in the region.     

New Deoxyisoaustamide Derivatives from the Coral-Derived Fungus Penicillium dimorphosporum KMM 4689

Seven new deoxyisoaustamide derivatives (1–7) together with known compounds (8–10) were isolated from the coral-derived fungus Penicillium dimorphosporum KMM 4689. Their structures were established using spectroscopic methods, X-ray diffraction analysis and by comparison with related known compounds. The absolute configurations of some alkaloids were determined based on CD and NOESY data as well as biogenetic considerations. The cytotoxic and neuroprotective activities of some of the isolated compounds were examined and structure-activity relationships were pointed out. New deoxyisoaustamides 4–6 at concentration of 1 µM revealed a statistical increase of PQ(paraquat)-treated Neuro-2a cell viability by 30–39%.     

Transgenic poplar with enhanced growth by introduction of the ugt and acb genes

The transgenic poplar (Populus tremula L.) was obtained by transfer of the ugt and acb genes via triparental mating, which was employed to deliver large fragments of TDNA as a cluster. Freshly harvested seeds of local poplar were placed on MS agar medium and plantlets were obtained. After 1 year of subcultivation, plantlets were infected with a transconjugant of triparental mating with target ugt and acb genes into axillary buds. The transformed sprouts so obtained were cut and subcultivated on agar medium with an addition of 0.6 mg/l indole-3-butyric acid as an auxin source. The transformed sprouts showed GUS activity and resistance to gentamycin and kanamycin. The integrity of the target ugt and acb genes into poplar genome was demonstrated via PCR and Southern blot hybridisation. The transgenic poplar plants revealed a higher growth energy, corresponding to a higher content of IAA as opposed to control plants. Both transgenic and non-transformed plants were potted into soil for outdoor acclimatisation and subsequently transferred to earth in beds. Growing outside during 3 years, the transgenic poplar demonstrated a higher growth rate with fast bud and branch development.     

Wheat cellular thermotolerance is related to yield under heat stress

Cellular thermotolerance in terms of cellular membrane thermostability is often implied as an indication of crop heat tolerance and it is therefore considered as a possible selection criterion for heat tolerance. While there is ample genetic variability for cellular thermotolerance in wheat and other crop plants its relations to yield under heat stress is not sufficiently established. This study was performed to assess the genetic relations in wheat between cellular thermotolerance and yield under heat stress. In one study the co-segregation among cellular membrane thermostability (CMS), yield under chronic heat stress and yield under non-stress conditions was evaluated in a random inbred line (RIL) population of a cross between heat resistant (Danbata) and heat susceptible (Nacozari) cultivars. In a second study the same association was evaluated for yield under heat stress in 49 F₇ breeding lines randomly selected from a breeding program. CMS was assayed in growth chamber grown and heat-hardened seedlings. Yield was evaluated under Mediterranean summer irrigated conditions where chronic heat stress caused a reduction in mean yield of the RIL population by 47% as compared with the normal winter growing conditions (non-stress). The RILs varied significantly (p<0.05) for CMS, biomass and yield under stress and non-stress conditions. The two parent cultivars did not differ in biomass or yield under non-stress (winter) conditions but they widely differed for both traits under heat stress. Yield of RILs under heat stress was well distributed between the extreme values of the parent cultivars. There was a significant RIL by season interaction for biomass (F = 9.74; p<0.0001) and yield (F = 10.08; p<0.0001), indicating specific adaptation to heat stress of certain lines in terms of their productivity. Broad-sense heritability for yield was high and nearly the same in the winter (h ²=0.71)and the summer (h ²=0.67). Broad-sense heritability for CMS was high (h ²=0.74). CMS was positively and significantly (p<0.01) correlated across 98 RILs with biomass (r = 0.60* *) and yield (r = 0.53^**) under stress but rot with biomass or yield under non-stress conditions. The 49 breeding lines varied significantly (p<0.01) for CMS and yield under chronic heat stress in the summer season. CMS and yield were significantly correlated (r = 0.56^**) across lines. Overall the associations between CMS and yield under heat stress were reasonably strong and significant but not perfect. Other factors besides cellular thermostability may support yield under heat stress. CMS alone cannot be used as the exclusive selection criterion for heat tolerance in wheat breeding. lt may be valuable as a supplemental criterion in the final breeding stages or as a rough selection tool to reduce a large population into the most likely heat tolerant core at the early stages of the breeding program.     

Pigment Cell Differentiation in Sea Urchin Blastula-Derived Primary Cell Cultures

The quinone pigments of sea urchins, specifically echinochrome and spinochromes, are known for their effective antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and antitumor activities. We developed in vitro technology for inducing pigment differentiation in cell culture. The intensification of the pigment differentiation was accompanied by a simultaneous decrease in cell proliferation. The number of pigment cells was two-fold higher in the cells cultivated in the coelomic fluids of injured sea urchins than in those intact. The possible roles of the specific components of the coelomic fluids in the pigment differentiation process and the quantitative measurement of the production of naphthoquinone pigments during cultivation were examined by MALDI and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Echinochrome A and spinochrome E were produced by the cultivated cells of the sand dollar Scaphechinus mirabilis in all tested media, while only spinochromes were found in the cultivated cells of another sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus intermedius. The expression of genes associated with the induction of pigment differentiation was increased in cells cultivated in the presence of shikimic acid, a precursor of naphthoquinone pigments. Our results should contribute to the development of new techniques in marine biotechnology, including the generation of cell cultures producing complex bioactive compounds with therapeutic potential.