Isolation and characterization of immortalized porcine aortic endothelial cell lines

Primary porcine endothelial cells have a limited life span in culture. After four to five passages, they tend to de-differentiate and eventually reach senescence. The aim of this work was to establish immortalized porcine aortic endothelial cell lines (AOCs) to facilitate in vitro studies of different pathological process involving the endothelium. Primary porcine aortic endothelial cells (PAECs) were transfected with a plasmid containing the SV40 genome and selected on the basis of morphological and phenotypical features. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated uptake of acetylated low density lipoproteins (Ac-LDL) and constitutive expression of SLA class I, CD29, CD31, CD41/61, CD80/86, CD46, SWC3, and LAMP-1 antigens by all analyzed lines and showed little differences to primary cells. The functional similarity between primary and immortalized endothelial cells was demonstrated in a cytotoxicity assay using a human natural killer cell line (NKL) as effector. The AOCs cell lines should be valuable tools for in vitro study of the human immune response against pig endothelial cells. In addition, they would be very useful to gain insight in the pathogenesis of some viral haemorrhagic diseases of pig such as African swine fever (ASF) or classical swine fever (CSF).     

Genotyping of Mycobacterium bovis by geographic location within Mexico

The spacer oligonucleotide typing (spoligotyping) method was used to differentiate 62 Mycobacterium bovis isolates obtained from tissues with macroscopic lesions typical of tuberculosis in dairy cattle from different regions of Mexico. Our purpose was to see if a strain from one region was genetically different from those of other regions (with the long-term aim of doing molecular trace back of isolates obtained in the laboratory). Results from the genetic analysis indicate that M. bovis isolates cannot be grouped by geographic location due to a wide range of genetic types involved in dairy cattle infections. Isolates even from the same herd showed different spoligotypes but some isolates from different region had similar genetic patterns. Genetic typing without epidemiologic information does not seem to be a plausible method to trace back animals to source of origin to detect and eliminate sources of infection.     

Temperature effect on muscle growth of the axial musculature of the sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.)

In order to determine the temperature effect on the axial muscle growth of sea bass, a stock of larvae was subjected to the following incubation and cultivation temperatures, respectively: 15 degrees C/ambient, 15/17 degrees C, 17 degrees C/ambient and 17/17 degrees C. In all groups the cross-sectional area of white and red muscles and the number and average area of the white and red muscle fibres were quantified. Results showed that the embryonic period, pre-larval phase and the end of metamorphosis were accelerated at higher temperatures. During the endogenous feeding period, muscle growth took place by fibrillar hypertrophy, and was not influenced by the temperature. Thereafter (external feeding) muscular hyperplasia began, and growth of all the muscular parameters was favoured by the effect of high incubation and cultivation temperatures, with the latter having higher influence. High incubation temperature had an slight effect on muscle growth and body length, which was only observed from 15 days. Metamorphosis finished at 3 +/- 0.4 cm in all the larvae, but this length was earlier reached at higher temperatures. At 120 days, the largest growth was obtained in the larvae maintained at a higher temperature.     

Antimicrobial activity of Securinega leucopyrus

Extracts of the leaves of Securinega leucopyrus exhibited a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity.     

沙棘叶子提取物对白化病白鼠由铬诱导氧化胁迫的抗氧化活性评估

本研究报道沙棘(胡颓子科)对雄性白化病白鼠由铬诱导氧化胁迫的抗氧化活性。氧化胁迫通过对小白鼠进行强制性喂养30 d,以浓度为30 m g/kg的铬相对体重比例的重铬酸钾盐实现。铬促使体重下降,而却明显增加了器官与体重比例。铬处理明显减少了谷胱甘肽的降低,增加了丙二醛和肌氨酸磷酸激酶的水平;而且它还加强了血清中谷氨酸草酰乙酸转移酶和谷氨酸丙酮酸转移酶的浓度。用不同剂量的沙棘叶子提取物(乙醇提取)对保护铬元素诱导的氧化胁迫进行了评估,结果表明叶子提取物在浓度为100到250 m g/kg铬与体重比的情况下可以明显保护动物避免由铬所诱导的氧化伤害。     

Time series diagnosis of tree hydraulic characteristics

An in vivo method for diagnosing hydraulic characteristics of branches and whole trees is described. The method imposes short-lived perturbations of transpiration and traces the propagation of the hydraulic response through trees. The water uptake response contains the integrated signature of hydraulic resistance and capacitance within trees. The method produces large signal to noise ratios for analysis, but does not cause damage or destruction to tree stems or branches. Based on results with two conifer tree species, we show that the method allows for the simple parameterization of bulk hydraulic resistance and capacitance of trees. Bulk tree parameterization of resistance and capacitance predicted the overall diel shape of water uptake, but did not predict the overshoot water uptake response in trees to shorter-term variations in transpiration, created by step changes in transpiration rate. Stomatal dynamics likely complicated the use of simple resistance-capacitance models of tree water transport on these short time scales. The results provide insight into dominant hydraulic and physiological factors controlling tree water flux on varying time scales, and allow for the practical assessment of necessary tree hydraulic model complexity in relation to the time step of soil- vegetation-atmosphere transport models.     

Seasonal dynamics of mineral N pools and N-mineralization in soils under homegarden trees in South Andaman,India

Agroforestry trees are now well known to play a central role in the build up of nutrients pools and their transformations similar to that of forest ecosystem, however, information on the potential of homegarden trees accumulating and releasing nitrogen (mineralization) is lacking. The present study reports seasonal variations in pool sizes of mineral N (NH₄⁺-N and NO₃⁻-N), and net N-mineralization rate in relation to rainfall and temperature under coconut (Cocos nucifera L.), clove (Eugenia caryophyllata Thunb) and nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt. Nees) trees in a coconut-spice trees plantation for two annual cycles in the equatorial humid climate of South Andaman Island of India. Concentration of NH₄⁺-N was the highest during wet season (May–October) and the lowest during post-wet season (November–January) under all the tree species. On the contrary, concentration of NO₃⁻-N was the lowest in the wet season and the highest during the post-wet season. However, concentrations of the mineral N were the highest under the nutmeg and the lowest under the coconut trees. Like the pool sizes, mean annual mineralization was the highest under the nutmeg (561 mg kg⁻¹ yr⁻¹) and the lowest under the coconut trees (393 mg kg⁻¹ yr⁻¹). Rate of mineralization was the highest during the post-wet season and the lowest during the dry season (February–April) under all the tree species. High rainfall during the wet season, however, reduced the rate of nitrification under all the tree species. The mean annual mineralization was logarithmically related with rainfall amount and mean monthly temperature.     

Predicting stand damage and tree survival in burned forests in Catalonia (North-East Spain)

The study developed models for predicting the post-fire tree survival in Catalonia. The models are appropriate for forest planning purposes. Two types of models were developed: a stand-level model to predict the degree of damage caused by a forest fire, and tree-level models to predict the probability of a tree to survive a forest fire. The models were based on forest inventory and fire data. The inventory data on forest stands were obtained from the second (1989–1990) and third (2000–2001) Spanish national forest inventories, and the fire data consisted of the perimeters of forest fires larger than 20 ha that occurred in Catalonia between the 2nd and 3rd measurement of the inventory plots. The models were based on easily measurable forest characteristics, and they permit the forest manager to predict the effect of stand structure and species composition on the expected damage. According to the stand level fire damage model, the relative damage decreases when the stand basal area or mean tree diameter increases. Conversely, the relative stand damage increases when there is a large variation in tree size, when the stand is located on a steep slope, and when it is dominated by pine. According to the tree level survival models, trees in stands with a high basal area, a large mean tree size and a small variability in tree diameters have a high survival probability. Large trees in dominant positions have the highest probability of surviving a fire. Another result of the study is the exceptionally good post-fire survival ability of Pinus pinea and Quercus suber.     

Effect of collection date on capsule moisture content and germination of Populus ciliata Wall. ex Royle from central Himalaya

Seed maturity indices of Populus ciliata were investigated in collections from Sukhatal and Bhowali. Across both seed sources, mean capsule size varied from 68.0±1.5 mm² to 72.0±0.9 mm², while mean number of capsules/100 grams varied from 268±8 to 295±12. Mean weight of 100 capsules varied from 25.0±1.4 g to 27.0±1.4 g. Weight of 100 capsules among sources and individual trees differed significantly (P < 0.05), while number of capsules/100 grams and weight of 100 capsules was negatively correlated (r² = 0.69). As capsules matured moisture content decreased from 83.2±1.1% to 54.3±0.3% at Sukhatal and from 77.7±0.4% to 46.4±0.3% at Bhowali. The optimum germination was at 58–60% moisture content. Maturation was related to capsule colour changes as well as moisture content. These parameters were judged to be good indicators of when to collect P. ciliata seeds.     

Analyses of assumptions and errors in the calculation of stomatal conductance from sap flux measurements

We analyzed assumptions and measurement errors in estimating canopy transpiration (E(L)) from sap flux (J(S)) measured with Granier-type sensors, and in calculating canopy stomatal conductance (G(S)) from E(L) and vapor pressure deficit (D). The study was performed in 12-year-old Pinus taeda L. stands with a wide range in leaf area index (L) and growth rate. No systematic differences in J(S) were found between the north and south sides of trees. However, J(S) in xylem between 20 and 40 mm from the cambium was 50 and 39% of J(S) in the outer 20-mm band of xylem in slow- and fast-growing trees, respectively. Sap flux measured in stems did not lag J(S) measured in branches, and time and frequency domain analyses of time series indicated that variability in J(S) in stems and branches is mostly explained by variation in D. Therefore, J(S) was used to estimate transpiration, after accounting for radial patterns. There was no difference between D and leaf-to-air vapor pressure gradient, and D did not have a vertical profile in stands of either low or high L suggesting a strong canopy-atmosphere coupling. Therefore, D estimated at one point in the canopy can be used to calculate G(S) in such stands. Given the uncertainties in J(S), relative humidity, and temperature measurements, to keep errors in G(S) estimates to less than 10%, estimates of G(S) should be limited to conditions in which D >/= 0.6 kPa.