Cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors and the intestine

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have long been used for the treatment of pain and inflammation because of their inhibitory effects on cyclooxygenase (COX). For almost as long as NSAIDs have been in use, multiple adverse effects have been noted. Assessment of many of these adverse effects have been complicated because of the discovery of multiple splice variants of the cox gene, and a greater array of COX inhibitors, especially the COX-2 selective inhibitors have become available. Some of these adverse effects cannot be readily explained by the effect of these drugs on COX. This has sparked a new field of investigation into the COX-independent effects of the COX inhibitors. The major noncyclooxygenase targets of the COX inhibitors of particular relevance to inflammation and the gastrointestinal tract are phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase Akt signaling, uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation, PPARgamma, nuclear factor KB, mitogen activated protein kinases, and heat shock proteins.     

Adenocarcinoma metastasis of the intertransversarius cervicis muscle eliciting a right forelimb lameness in a dog

This article describes identification of a metastatic adenocarcinoma to the intertransversarius cervicis muscle using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a dog that presented with chronic lameness of the right forelimb. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a right sided, ovoid signal abnormality within the intertransversarius cervicis muscle lateral to the sixth cervical (C6) vertebra. The lesion was uniform, hyperintense on T2- and isointense on T1-weighted images to muscle and exhibited uniform contrast enhancement on T1-weighted images. The MRI findings were consistent with a neoplasia. Surgical excision was performed. Histopathological diagnosis was metastatic fibrous adenocarcinoma. The dog recovered rapidly but 6 months post-operatively he was killed because of lung metastases. Necropsy was declined and the primary tumour could not be identified.     

Outbreak of shoot blight and dieback of Eucalyptus spp., caused by Pseudoplagiostoma eucalypti in Brazil

An outbreak of a new and severe disease was observed in Eucalyptus plantations of Bahia state, Brazil. An Ascomycota fungus has been frequently associated with the main symptoms of the disease namely leaf spot, branch cankers, shoot blight, defoliation, and dieback. Based on morphological characteristics, phylogenetic analysis (ITS and TEF-1α genes), and pathogenicity test on Eucalyptus plants, Pseudoplagiostoma eucalypti was identified as the causal agent of the disease. Although P. eucalytpi has been known from in Brazil since 1998, this is the first report of it causing severe disease and die-back on Eucalyptus spp. and we also record new symptoms associated with the pathogen.     

Combining agent-based and stock-flow modelling approaches in a participative analysis of the integrated land system in Reichraming, Austria

The integrated modelling of coupled socio-ecological systems in land-change science requires innovative model concepts capable of grasping the interrelations between socioeconomic and natural components. Here, we discuss the integrated socio-ecological model SERD (Simulation of Ecological Compatibility of Regional Development) that was developed for the municipality of Reichraming in Upper Austria in a participative 2-year process involving local stakeholders. SERD includes three main components: (1) an agent-based actors module that simulates decisions of farmsteads, the municipal administration and other important actors; (2) a spatially explicit (GIS based) land-use module that simulates land-use change at the level of individual parcels of land and (3) an integrated socio-ecological stock-flow module that simulates carbon and nitrogen flows through both socioeconomic and ecological system compartments. We report on outcomes of a scenario analysis that outlines possible future trajectories depending on both external (e.g. agricultural subsidies and prices) and internal (e.g. innovation, willingness to co-operate) factors. We find that both external and internal factors can affect the behaviour of the integrated system considerably. Local and regional policies are found to be able to counteract adverse global socioeconomic conditions to some extent, but not to reverse the trend altogether. We also find strong interdependencies between socioeconomic and ecological components of the system. Fully evaluating these interdependencies is, however, not possible at the local scale alone and will require explicit consideration of higher-level effects in future research.     

Estimation of actual evapotranspiration for a drip-irrigated Merlot vineyard using a three-source model

A study was performed in order to evaluate the three-source model (Clumped model) for direct estimation of actual evapotranspiration (ET_a) and latent heat flux (LE) over a drip-irrigated Merlot vineyard trained on a vertical shoot positioned system (VSP) under semi-arid conditions. The vineyard, with an average fractional cover of 30%, is located in the Talca Valley, Region del Maule, Chile. The performance of the Clumped model was evaluated using an eddy covariance system during the 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 growing seasons. Results indicate that the Clumped model was able to predict ET_a with a root mean square error (RMSE), mean bias error (MBE), and model efficiency (EF) of 0.33, −0.15 mm day⁻¹ and 74%, respectively. Also, the Clumped model simulated the daytime variation of LE with a RMSE of 36 W m⁻², MBE of −8 W m⁻², and EF of 83%. Major disagreement (underestimated values) between observed and estimated values of ET_a was found for clear days after rainfall or foggy days, but underestimated values were less than 10% of the data analysis. The results obtained in this study indicate that the Clumped model could be used to directly estimate vine water requirements for a drip-irrigated vineyard trained on a VSP. However, application of the Clumped model requires a good characterization of the drip-irrigated vineyard architecture.     

Bioaccumulation of cadmium and its biochemical effect on selected tissues of the catfish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Clarias gariepinus</Emphasis>)

The present study examines the pattern of accumulation of cadmium (Cd) and its biochemical effects on selected tissues of a variety of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus), after exposure to various doses of Cd. The results obtained indicate that at the end of 21 days of exposure, the total tissue organ cadmium concentration followed the pattern kidney > gill > liver > muscle for each of the exposure concentrations. The levels of Cd in these organs were higher than those in ambient water. Moreover, while the rate of uptake of Cd increased with time in the kidney, liver and muscle, it decreased in the gill. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) was significantly elevated only in the kidney of catfish treated with 0.2 and 0.4 ppm of Cd for 7 days compared with the control. Conversely, gill SOD was significantly decreased in the same concentrations of Cd-treated catfish relative to the control. Statistically similar levels of SOD were observed in the liver, brain and muscle with all the treatments after the same duration of treatment. In the fish exposed for 21 days, SOD activity was significantly decreased in the kidney with a corresponding increase in lipid peroxidation (LPO), but it manifested only with the 0.2- and 0.4-ppm Cd treatment relative to the control. In the liver, however, Cd exposure significantly increased SOD in the 0.2- and 0.4-ppm treatments of the same duration. In conclusion, the present study indicates that the accumulation of Cd and its effect on SOD and LPO in C. gariepinus is dependent on concentration, tissue and time     

Wheat grain quality under increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations in a semi-arid cropping system

We investigated wheat (Triticum aestivum) grain quality under Free Air CO₂ Enrichment (FACE) of 550 ± 10% CO₂ μmol mol⁻¹. In each of two full growing seasons (2008 and 2009), two times of sowing were compared, with late sowing designed to mimic high temperature during grain filling. Grain samples were subjected to a range of physical, nutritional and rheological quality assessments. Elevated CO₂ increased thousand grain weight (8%) and grain diameter (5%). Flour protein concentration was reduced by 11% at e[CO₂], with the highest reduction being observed at the late time of sowing in 2009, (15%). Most of the grain mineral concentrations decreased under e[CO₂] - Ca (11%), Mg (7%), P (11%) and S (7%), Fe (10%), Zn (17%), Na (19%), while total uptake of these nutrients per unit ground area increased. Rheological properties of the flour were altered by e[CO₂] and bread volume reduced by 7%. Phytate concentration in grains tended to decrease (17%) at e[CO₂] while grain fructan concentration remained unchanged. The data suggest that rising atmospheric [CO₂] will reduce the nutritional and rheological quality of wheat grain, but at high temperature, e[CO₂] effects may be moderated. Reduced phytate concentrations at e[CO₂] may improve bioavailability of Fe and Zn in wheat grain.     

Stable carbon isotope ratios of water-extractable organic carbon affected by application of rice straw and rice straw compost during a long-term rice experiment in Yamagata,Japan

ABSTRACT

Hot-water- and water-extractable organic matter were obtained from soil samples collected from a rice paddy 31 years after the start of a long-term rice experiment in Yamagata, Japan. Specifically, hot-water-extractable organic carbon and nitrogen (HWEOC and HWEON) were obtained by extraction at 80°C for 16 h, and water-extractable organic carbon and nitrogen (WEOC and WEON) were obtained by extraction at room temperature. The soil samples were collected from surface (0–15 cm) and subsurface (15–25 cm) layers of five plots that had been treated with inorganic fertilizers alone or with inorganic fertilizers plus organic matter, as follows: PK, NPK, NPK plus rice straw (RS), NPK plus rice straw compost (CM1), and NPK plus a high dose of rice straw compost (CM3). The soil/water ratio was 1:10 for both extraction temperatures. We found that the organic carbon and total nitrogen contents of the bulk soils were highly correlated with the extractable organic carbon and nitrogen contents regardless of extraction temperature, and the extractable organic carbon and nitrogen contents were higher in the plots that were treated with inorganic fertilizers plus organic matter than in the PK and NPK plots. The HWEOC and WEOC δ¹³C values ranged from ?28.2% to ?26.4% and were similar to the values for the applied rice straw and rice straw compost. There were no correlations between the HWEOC or WEOC δ¹³C values and the amounts of HWEOC or WEOC. The δ¹³C values of the bulk soils ranged from ?25.7% to ?23.2% and were lower for the RS and CM plots than for the PK and NPK plots. These results indicate that HWEOC and WEOC originated mainly from rice plants and the applied organic matter rather than from the indigenous soil organic matter. The significant positive correlations between the amounts of HWEOC and HWEON and the amount of available nitrogen (P < 0.001) imply that extractable organic matter can be used as an index for soil fertility in this long-term experiment. We concluded that the applied organic matter decomposed more rapidly than the indigenous soil organic matter and affected WEOC δ¹³C values and amounts.     

Comparative Study of the Adsorption Selectivity of Cr(VI) onto Cationic Hydrogels with Different Functional Groups

Two types of hydrogels with different functional groups, trimethylamine on quaternary ammonium and dimethylethoxyamine on quaternary ammonium, were synthesized. Type 1 and type 2 hydrogels were characterized with Fourier transform infrared, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and zeta potential analysis. The anion selectivity of these two hydrogels was investigated. The surface charges of the type 2 hydrogel were lower than those of type 1, probably because of the presence of the hydroxyl group in the ethoxy group. The Cr(VI) removal capacity of type 2 hydrogel was, therefore, less than that of type 1 hydrogel, although their adsorption rates were similar. The anion selectivity of the hydrogels was found to have a similar order: Cr(VI) > sulphate > bromide > As(V). Under the co-presence of Cr(VI) and sulphate conditions, type 2 hydrogel shows a higher selectivity towards Cr(VI). The higher hydrophobicity was caused by the presence of the ethoxy group on the quaternary ammonium in type 2 hydrogel and thus increased in selectivity towards monovalent ions (i.e. HCrO₄⁻). In addition, the hydrogels have a high reusability. Compared with type 1 hydrogel, type 2 hydrogel has an advantage for applications in Cr(VI) removal and recovery processes.