Different B cell populations mediate early and late memory during an endogenous immune response

Memory B cells formed in response to microbial antigens provide immunity to later infections; however, the inability to detect rare endogenous antigen-specific cells limits current understanding of this process. Using an antigen-based technique to enrich these cells, we found that immunization with a model protein generated B memory cells that expressed isotype-switched immunoglobulins (swIg) or retained IgM. The more numerous IgM(+) cells were longer lived than the swIg(+) cells. However, swIg(+) memory cells dominated the secondary response because of the capacity to become activated in the presence of neutralizing serum immunoglobulin. Thus, we propose that memory relies on swIg(+) cells until they disappear and serum immunoglobulin falls to a low level, in which case memory resides with durable IgM(+) reserves.     

Lower respiratory tract infections in cats: reaching beyond empirical therapy

PRACTICAL RELEVANCE: Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in cats can be due to bacteria, parasites, fungi and viruses. This review details the practical investigation of these infections and highlights specific therapy where possible. The aim is to avoid the all-too-frequent temptation in practice to treat cats with lower respiratory tract signs empirically for feline bronchial disease (FBD)/asthma. This is potentially hazardous as immunosuppressive therapy for FBD/asthma could exacerbate disease due to a LRTI. Empirical treatment of suspected LRTI is also difficult to recommend given the wide range of potential pathogens. CLINICAL CHALLENGES: Making a clinical ante-mortem diagnosis of LRTI in a cat can be challenging. Consistent historical, clinical, haematological and radiographic abnormalities are often lacking and findings may be non-specific. Astute clinical acumen, thorough investigation and high quality laboratory analysis are usually required for a diagnosis. Bronchoalveolar lavage, if feasible, and tests for lungworm should be routine in cats with lower respiratory tract signs. Lung fine needle aspiration may be useful in cases of diffuse or nodular pulmonary disease. Histopathology is rarely employed in ante-mortem investigations. EVIDENCE BASE: The authors have reviewed a substantial body of literature to provide information on many of the reported bacterial, parasitic, fungal and viral pathogens, including some that occur in Asia. Attention has been given to specific therapy for each pathogen, with evidence-based comments when there is a deviation from routine recommendations.     

Ultraviolet spectrophotometric evaluation of corn oil oxidative stability during microwave heating and oven test

The effect of microwave heating on the oxidative stability of corn oil was determined by absorptivity in the UV spectrum and by peroxide and acid values. Oil samples with antioxidants BHA/BHT (1:1; 200 mg kg(-)(1)), with and without citric acid, were heated in a microwave oven (800 W, 2450 MHz) for 0-36 min. Absorptivity at 232 and 270 nm increased during microwave exposure. Control values of absorptivity at 232 nm increased from 3.568 to 12.874 after 36 min of heating. Peroxide value showed a significant difference in the initial stage of heating (0-6 min), but after this time, the peroxide value decreased due to the instability of hydroperoxides at high temperatures. Control 232 nm absorptivities after 6 days in the oven test were similar to those after 32-36 min of microwave heating. Effective antioxidants in the oven test did not show any protection during microwave heating. UV spectrophotometry is a suitable tool for microwave oxidation monitoring.     

Spatial heterogeneity in the relocation of added C within the structure of an upland grassland soil

A pulse of ¹³CO₂ was added to the above ground vegetation in an upland grassland to determine the effects of faunal diversity on the flux of carbon to the surface horizons of the soil. Faunal diversity was manipulated by liming and biocide treatments for three years prior to the pulse addition. The relocation of ¹³C within roots and rhizosphere soil was determined by analysis of samples of bulk soil and of specific features identified on soil thin sections on four dates after the addition of the ¹³CO₂ pulse. Analysis of bulk soils showed only a small enrichment in ¹³C and no significant effects of the treatments. Analysis by isotope ratio mass spectrometry of the products of in situ laser combustion of root material and aggregates formed from faunal excrement showed that the distribution of the newly photosynthesised ¹³C is very localised, with large spatial variability in soil and root δ¹³C at scales of less than 1 mm. δ¹³C values ranged from the natural abundance level of around −28‰ to −4.9‰ in roots and to −8.4‰ in aggregates. The small pulse and large spatial variability masked any effects of the liming and biocide treatments in these soils. However, the variability in the relocation of newly photosynthesised carbon may help to explain the large spatial variability found in bacterial numbers at the sub-mm scale within soils and emphasises the importance of the accessibility of substrates to decomposers in undisturbed structured soils.     

Diversity of laccase genes from basidiomycetes in a forest soil

Fungal oxidative exo-enzymes lacking substrate specificity play a central role in the cycling of soil organic matter. Due to their broad ecological impact and available knowledge of their gene structure, laccases appeared to be appropriate markers to monitor fungi with this kind of oxidative potential in soils. A degenerate PCR-primer pair Cu1F/Cu2R, specific for basidiomycetes, was designed to assess directly the diversity of laccase genes in soils. PCR amplification of mycelial cultures and fruit-bodies of a wide spectrum of basidiomycetes, covering all functional groups (saprophytes, symbionts, and pathogens), produced multiple DNA fragments around 200 bp. A neighbor-joining tree analysis of the PCR-amplified laccase sequences showed a clear species-specificity, but also revealed that most fungal taxa possess several laccase genes showing a large sequence divergence. This sequence diversity precluded the systematic attribution of amplified laccase of unknown origin to specific taxa. Amplification of laccase sequences from DNA, extracted from a brown (moder) forest soil, showed a specific distribution of laccase genes and of the corresponding fungal species in the various soil horizons (O_h, A_h, B_v). The most organic O_h-horizon displayed the highest gene diversity. Saprophytic fungi appeared to be less widespread through the soil horizons and displayed a higher diversity of laccase genes than the mycorrhizal ones.     

Multiresidue method for determination of eight neutral beta-lactam penicillins in milk by fluorescence-liquid chromatography

A method of determining total penicillins begins with an enzymatic hydrolysis of the beta-lactam ring to form their respective penicilloate product. Acetonitrile precipitates much of the casein and protein, which are then separated from the liquid by centrifugation. The lipids are removed from the aqueous fraction with methylene chloride. Mercuric chloride is added, which reacts with the penicilloate to liberate the side chain that has a terminal aldehyde. These penilloaldehyde products are extracted with methylene chloride and are subsequently reacted with dansyl hydrazine. The resulting fluorolabeled side chains are separated by liquid chromatography on a C18 column with acetonitrile-water as mobile phase. The fluorescence is measured by the mercury line at 254 nm excitation wavelength and a 500 nm filter on the emission side. The overall average recoveries from milk spiked at 25, 50, and 100 ppb are benzyl penicillin 79.4%; phenoxymethyl penicillin 59.7%; phenethicillin 75.9%; nafcillin 87.7%; methacillin 47.5%; oxacillin 57.6%; cloxicillin 37.3%; and dicloxicillin 26.4%.     

A Multivariate Data Analysis of the Clam Ruditapes Decussatus as Sentinel Organism of the Bizerta Lagoon (Tunisia)

Water, Air, & Soil Pollution - From May 1998 to May 1999, the clams Ruditapes decussatus were collected each month at three stations of the Bizerta lagoon. This paper represents a synthesis...     

Antioxidant properties of trans-epsilon-viniferin as compared to stilbene derivatives in aqueous and nonaqueous media

trans-Epsilon-viniferin, the dimer of resveratrol, extracted from Vitis vinifera, has been evaluated for its antioxidant capacity. Its properties have been compared to those of resveratrol and synthetic stilbenic derivatives (4-hydroxystilbene, 4,4'-dihydroxystilbene, 3,5-dihydroxystilbene, and trimethylresveratrol), in regard to their liposolubility using two media with different polarity. The bleaching of beta-carotene by lipoperoxyl (LOO.) radicals in an oil/water (O/W) emulsion and the scavenging of superoxide anions (O(-)(2) in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) using 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide as a spin trap were followed using UV-visible and electron paramagnetic resonance, respectively. Epsilon-viniferin exhibits the best antioxidant capacity in the DMSO/O(-)(2) polar system (IC(50) = 0.14 mM) while 4,4'-dihydroxystilbene presents the highest antioxidant capacity in the O/W/LOO. system (inhibition of beta-carotene bleaching, 82%). Partition coefficients and kinetics of partition between 1-octanol and water were measured to discuss the antioxidant efficiency of the compounds in relation with their chemical structure.     

Modelling the escape of Chondrostereum purpureum spores from a larch forest with biological control of Prunus serotina

Chondrostereum purpureum is being developed as a microbial herbicide to controlPrunus serotina in coniferous forests. After biological control, the fungus produces basidiospores that may reach and infect non-target plants. As part of a risk analysis, spore escape from a forest was quantified. For this purpose, a stratified model was developed for a forest of 250 m with 250 m. A turbulent diffusion equation was used to describe spore fluxes for each layer.In a simple calculation procedure, the spore fluxes for the different layers were calculated simultaneously. The downwind escape fraction was found to vary from 0.19 to 0.45, and the upward escapte fraction from 0.07 to 0.23. These escape fractions increased with increasing wind speed.Number of spores released from basidiocarps, and escape fractions could be used as inputs for a Gaussian plume model to calculate spore immission into orchards.     

Genetic parameter estimation and gene association analyses for meat quality traits in open-air free-range Iberian pigs

Meat quality of Iberian pigs is defined by the combination of their genetic characteristics and the particular production system. To carry out a genetic analysis of the main meat quality traits, we estimated their heritabilities, genetic correlations and the association effects of 32 selected SNPs of 12 candidate genes. A total of ten traits were measured in longissimus dorsi samples from 1,199 Iberian pigs fattened in the traditional free-range system: water holding capacity (thawing, cooking and centrifuge force water losses), instrumental colour (lightness L*, redness a* and yellowness b*), myoglobin content, shear force on cooked meat, and shear force and maximum compression force on dry-cured loin. Estimated heritability values were low to moderate (0.01 to 0.43) being the lowest for L* and the highest for cooking loss. Strong genetic correlations between water holding capacity traits (0.93 to 0.96) and between myoglobin content and a* (0.94) were observed. The association analyses revealed 19 SNPs significantly associated with different traits. Consistent and strong effects were observed between PRKAG3 SNPs (rs319678464G > C and rs330427832C > T), MYH3_rs81437544T > C, CASP3_rs319658214G > T and CTSL_rs332171512A > G and water losses. Also for CAPN1_rs81358667G > A and CASP3_rs319658214G > T and shear force. The SNPs mapping on PRKAG3 showed the highest effects on Minolta colour traits. Genotyping of these SNPs could be useful for the selection of Iberian young boars with similar estimated breeding values for productive traits.