Anti-hyperglycemic Effect of Bilberry, Blackberry and Mulberry Ultrasonic Extracts on Diabetic Rats

Small fruits like bilberry, blackberry and mulberry are rich sources of anthocyanins and other phenols, compounds with a certified antioxidant activity and spectacular effects in some chronic diseases. Romanian bilberry, blackberry and mulberry extracts were tested as anti-hyperglycemic agents on diabetic rats. Anthocyanins extraction was carried out with 80 % acidified ethanol in ultrasonically conditions at 23?±?2 °C and 40 kHz. Monomeric anthocyanins content was determined by pH differential method and varied between 1200 and 2800 mg/L. The analyses of anthocyanins were achieved using high performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Phenolics content was determined by Folin-Ciocalteu procedure and values varied between 2320 and 4250 mg/L gallic acid. Antioxidant activities of extracts were estimated by DPPH scavenging method and the values varied between 8 and 16 miliequivalents Trolox. In order to evaluate the toxicology of the extracts, the heavy metals concentration and pesticides content were analyzed. The extracts were administrated to diabetic rats in drinking water for five weeks. The administration of bilberry extract offered no satisfactory results. Treatment with blackberry extract determined a significant decrease of glucose level from 360 to about 270 mg/dL (p?<?0.05). The mulberry extract administration determined a significant decrease of glucose level from 252 mg/dL at the start day to 155 mg/dL at the final of experiment (p?<?0.05).     

Neuritogenic and Neuroprotective Effects of Polar Steroids from the Far East Starfishes Patiria pectinifera and Distolasterias nipon

The neuritogenic and neuroprotective activities of six starfish polar steroids, asterosaponin Р₁, (25S)-5α-cholestane-3β,4β,6α,7α,8,15α,16β,26-octaol, and (25S)-5α-cholestane-3β,6α,7α,8,15α,16β,26-heptaol (1–3) from the starfish Patiria pectinifera and distolasterosides D₁–D₃ (4–6) from the starfish Distolasterias nipon were analyzed using the mouse neuroblastoma (NB) C-1300 cell line and an organotypic rat hippocampal slice culture (OHSC). All of these compounds enhanced neurite outgrowth in NB cells. Dose-dependent responses to compounds 1–3 were observed within the concentration range of 10–100 nM, and dose-dependent responses to glycosides 4–6 were observed at concentrations of 1–50 nM. All the tested substances exhibited notable synergistic effects with trace amounts of nerve growth factor (NGF, 1 ng/mL) or brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF, 0.1 ng/mL). Using NB cells and OHSCs, it was shown for the first time that starfish steroids 1–6 act as neuroprotectors against oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) by increasing the number of surviving cells. Altogether, these results suggest that neurotrophin-like neuritogenic and neuroprotective activities are most likely common properties of starfish polyhydroxysteroids and the related glycosides, although the magnitude of the effect depended on the particular compound structure.     

Nikolay I. Makkaveev and the development of Fluvial Geomorphology in Russia and the former Soviet Union

2008 marks the centenary of the birth of Professor Nikolay Ivanovich Makkaveev (1908–1983), a former Professor in the Faculty of Geography at Moscow State University and the founder of the Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Fluvial Processes in the Faculty of Geography.     

Detection of pine needle diseases caused by Dothistroma septosporum,Dothistroma pini and Lecanosticta acicola using different methodologies

Dothistroma and Lecanosticta needle blight are among the most damaging foliage diseases in plantations and natural pine stands worldwide, and are therefore listed as quarantine organisms in numerous countries. The aim of this study was to validate different methodologies used for the detection of both diseases. Based on multiplex quantitative PCR (qPCR), simultaneous detection and discrimination of the three pathogens Dothistroma septosporum, Dothistroma pini and Lecanosticta acicola were possible in symptomatic needles. Additionally, the same set of needles was analysed for the presence of all three pathogens using novel end‐point PCR assays followed by enzymatic digestion of PCR products. Results were compared with the qPCR data, and for validation, collected needles were screened morphologically for the presence of typical fruiting bodies and spores. Differences in detection sensitivity were found between the detection tools. The qPCR‐based detection allowed for specific and efficient identification and quantification of all three pathogens simultaneously. At the same time, conventional PCR assays, which target the multicopy ITS region, showed increased detection sensitivity and can be conducted without the use of expensive infrastructure and reagents.     

New Kunitz-Type HCRG Polypeptides from the Sea Anemone Heteractis crispa

Sea anemones are a rich source of Kunitz-type polypeptides that possess not only protease inhibitor activity, but also Kv channels toxicity, analgesic, antihistamine, and anti-inflammatory activities. Two Kunitz-type inhibitors belonging to a new Heteractis crispa RG (HCRG) polypeptide subfamily have been isolated from the sea anemone Heteractis crispa. The amino acid sequences of HCRG1 and HCRG2 identified using the Edman degradation method share up to 95% of their identity with the representatives of the HCGS polypeptide multigene subfamily derived from H. crispa cDNA. Polypeptides are characterized by positively charged Arg at the N-terminus as well as P1 Lys residue at their canonical binding loop, identical to those of bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI). These polypeptides are shown by our current evidence to be more potent inhibitors of trypsin than the known representatives of the HCGS subfamily with P1Thr. The kinetic and thermodynamic characteristics of the intermolecular interactions between inhibitors and serine proteases were determined by the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) method. Residues functionally important for polypeptide binding to trypsin were revealed using molecular modeling methods. Furthermore, HCRG1 and HCRG2 possess anti-inflammatory activity, reducing tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) secretions, as well as proIL-1β expression in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophages. However, there was no effect on nitric oxide (NO) generation.     

Dynamic modelling for linear erosion initiation and development under climate and land-use changes in northern Laos

Linear erosion (LE) induced either by piping or overland flow is one of the most active factors in the evolution of soils. During single storm events LE may remove enormous amounts of soil material from the uplands to the bottomlands and has thus become a broad challenge for food supply, food security, and human health. Recent and rapid changes in land-use and climate patterns in the sloping lands of tropical areas may dramatically increase LE. Our main objective was to investigate to what extent one could use direct flow velocity estimations from dynamic models for predicting LE initiation and development at the event level. The second objective was to estimate the impact of expected land-use and climate changes on LE. The study was conducted in the 0.62 km² watershed of northern Laos presented inChaplot et al. (2005). Field observations of the formation and the development of LE features throughout 2001 were compared to flow velocity estimations from an existing surface water routing algorithm developed at Utrecht University ([De Roo, A.P.J., Wesseling, C.G. and Ritsema, C.J. 1996. LISEM: a single event physically based hydrologic and soil erosion model for drainage basins. I: theory, input and output. hydrological processes 10 (8): 1107–1117.]). In 2001, two main rainfall events were responsible for the formation or development of 14 linear features with a total length of 972 m and an erosion rate of 3.5 Mg ha^{− 1}. The water routing algorithm was calibrated using the water and the sediment hydrographs observed at the watershed outlet during the first rainfall event. Assuming realistic estimations of flow velocity in hillslopes, a threshold of 0.062 m s^{− 1} for linear erosion estimated over 10-m cells was defined. This threshold, validated using the remaining rainfall event, accurately predicted the length (mean error of estimate of less than 15%) and location of LE features. Using this simulation tool, an increase of the percentage of land under cultivation from 9% to 100% resulted in 600% increase in linear erosion. The tested scenarios of climate changes had less impact on linear erosion.     

Spatial and temporal assessment of linear erosion in catchments under sloping lands of northern Laos

Linear erosion (LE), including rilling and gullying, has been identified as the major problem for sustainable agriculture in steepland areas. It causes severe environmental, economic, and social impacts. This issue is even more crucial in those areas undergoing rapid changes in land use, as for example northern Laos, and may dramatically affect soil conservation. Despite an increasing interest in the sloping lands of tropical areas, field evaluations of LE are still infrequent. Furthermore, the controlling environmental factors of topography, land use, climate and soils at the catchment level are seldom analysed. Our main objective was to quantify the spatial and temporal variations of LE at the catchment level and at a yearly basis. The study was conducted in a 0.62 km² watershed of Laos (Luang Prabang province) representative of the slash and burn systems of sloping lands. Linear erosion was monitored from 2001 to 2003 within 9 sub-catchments of differing surface areas, topographic characteristics and land use. The length, depth and width of the linear erosion features were recorded every 5-m from their headcuts to their outlets in order to estimate the total catchment LE. 52 linear features, mainly rills, were formed or developed within the study area with a mean erosion rate of 1.3 Mg ha^{− 1} y^{− 1}. LE rates ranged between 0.1 Mg ha^{− 1} y^{− 1} in 2003 to 2.4 Mg ha^{− 1} y^{− 1} in 2001. LE features mostly occurred within croplands where erosion rates reached 18 Mg ha^{− 1} y^{− 1}. In 2001 and 2002 there was a significant correlation between LE and the proportion of the catchment area under crops (r = 0.88 and r = 0.69, respectively). However this was not the case in 2003 when few rills developed. In 2002 only, LE correlated well with the catchment surface area, the mean slope gradient and the sub-catchment perimeter confirming the non-constancy of LE landscape relation under varying rainstorm conditions. A linear regression model for LE prediction at the catchment level, generated from 2001 data, was able to explain 78% of LE variance for the 9 sub-catchments. However, this model was unable to predict accurately LE for 2002 and 2003 (ME > 5 Mg ha^{− 1} y^{− 1}). This method for quantifying the linear erosion at the catchment level and some of its controlling factors can also be used for prediction over larger areas since topography and land use data, closely correlated with LE, are easily accessible.     

How successful are plant species reintroductions?

Reintroduction of native species has become increasingly important in conservation worldwide for recovery of rare species and restoration purposes. However, few studies have reported the outcome of reintroduction efforts in plant species. Using data from the literature combined with a questionnaire survey, this paper analyses 249 plant species reintroductions worldwide by assessing the methods used and the results obtained from these reintroduction experiments. The objectives were: (1) to examine how successful plant species reintroductions have been so far in establishing or significantly augmenting viable, self-sustaining populations in nature; (2) to determine the conditions under which we might expect plant species reintroductions to be most successful; (3) to make the results of this survey available for future plant reintroduction trials. Results indicate that survival, flowering and fruiting rates of reintroduced plants are generally quite low (on average 52%, 19% and 16%, respectively). Furthermore, our results show a success rate decline in individual experiments with time. Survival rates reported in the literature are also much higher (78% on average) than those mentioned by survey participants (33% on average). We identified various parameters that positively influence plant reintroduction outcomes, e.g., working in protected sites, using seedlings, increasing the number of reintroduced individuals, mixing material from diverse populations, using transplants from stable source populations, site preparation or management effort and knowledge of the genetic variation of the target species. This study also revealed shortcomings of common experimental designs that greatly limit the interpretation of plant reintroduction studies: (1) insufficient monitoring following reintroduction (usually ceasing after 4 years); (2) inadequate documentation, which is especially acute for reintroductions that are regarded as failures; (3) lack of understanding of the underlying reasons for decline in existing plant populations; (4) overly optimistic evaluation of success based on short-term results; and (5) poorly defined success criteria for reintroduction projects. We therefore conclude that the value of plant reintroductions as a conservation tool could be improved by: (1) an increased focus on species biology; (2) using a higher number of transplants (preferring seedlings rather than seeds); (3) taking better account of seed production and recruitment when assessing the success of reintroductions; (4) a consistent long-term monitoring after reintroduction.     

Effect of dietary electrolyte balance on production, immune response and mineral concentrations of the femur in broilers

The aim of this study was to assess the age-related effects of dietary electrolyte balance (DEB) on the performance, immune response (from day 0 to 42) and macromineral content of femur ash of broilers. The DEB values of the purchased commercial broiler diets were modified with the addition of NH4Cl or NaHCO3 to formulate the diets (DEB 325, 250, 175, 100, 25 and -50 mmol/kg) for this investigation. A total of 396 chickens were divided into 6 treatment groups and fed with the experimental diets for 6 weeks. During the first two weeks of life, DEB did not influence feed intake and body weight gain; however, by the 21st day of age DEB 175 and between 22 and 42 days of age DEB 250 mmol/kg gave significantly better results than the control. DEB did not affect the macromineral concentrations of bone ash. The immune response of broilers on low DEB (< 175 mmol/kg) was faster and more intensive than that of chickens on diets with medium or high DEB (> 175 mmol/kg). It can be concluded that the optimal DEB value required for the best body weight gain is significantly influenced by the age of broilers. Our results call attention to the discrepancy between the decreasing DEB level of commercial broiler diets and the age-related increase of 'electrolyte requirements' of broilers. It is also interesting that DEB may influence not only the performance but also the immune response of broilers.     

Involvement of tannins and flavonoids in the in vitro effects of Newbouldia laevis and Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloïdes extracts on the exsheathment of third-stage infective larvae of gastrointestinal nematodes

The present study aimed at examining the possible role of tannins and flavonoids on the in vitro anthelmintic properties of the extracts of two plants from the southern area of Western Africa, i.e. Newbouldia laevis and Zanthoxylum zanthoxylo?des. Extracts of the two plants were prepared by use of acetone/water (70/30) and their anthelmintic activity was measured by use of the larval exsheathment inhibition assay (LEIA) applied on the abomasal species, Haemonchus contortus and the intestinal species Trichostrongylus colubriformis. Three concentrations of extracts were evaluated to examine the possible dose effect. In addition, the possible involvement of tannins and flavonoids was examined by comparing the levels of inhibition of larval exsheathment obtained with the same extracts, after of not addition of PVPP which forms complexes with these compounds. The results indicate significant effects with both plants and both nematode species. In the range of concentrations examined, the results were dose-dependent for N. laevis extracts but not for Z. zanthoxylo?des because the three doses applied provoked a similar highly significant inhibition whatever the tested dose. The use of PVPP indicated for both plant and nematode species, that tannins and flavonoids are involved partly in the effect but that some other biochemical compounds were also involved in both plants.