Bacterial communities associated with natural and commercially grown rooibos (Aspalathus linearis)

Aspalathus linearis is a commercially important plant species endemic to the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa and is used to produce a herbal tea known as rooibos tea. Symbiotic interactions between A. linearis and soil bacteria play an important role in the survival of Aspalathus plants in the highly nutrient-poor, acidic fynbos soil. The aim of this study was to characterize and compare rhizosphere and bulk soil bacterial communities associated with natural and commercially grown A. linearis, as well as the effect of seasonal changes on these communities. Bacterial communities were characterized using high throughput amplicon sequencing, and their correlations with soil chemical properties were investigated. The N-fixing bacterial community was characterized using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Acidobacteria were the most dominant bacterial phyla detected in this study. Highly similar bacterial communities were associated with natural and commercially grown plants. Significant differences in the bacterial community were observed between rhizosphere and bulk soils collected in the dry season, while no significant differences were detected in the wet season. This study provides insights into bacterial community structure and potential factors shaping bacterial community structure with commercially important A. linearis.     

CEREBRAL VENTRICULAR SIZE IN DEVELOPING NORMAL KITTENS MEASURED BY ULTRASONOGRAPHY

To evaluate the age of fontanelle closure of normal kittens and the size of their lateral ventricles, 50 ultrasonographic examinations using the bregmatic fontanelle as an acoustic window were made. Seven kittens, laboratory animals, were included in the study. To verify the location of the lateral ventricle, two of the kittens were sacrificed as neonates. In one of them ink was injected prior to autopsy into one lateral ventricle under sonographic guidance. In a longitudinal study of five of the kittens, the skull depth and the depth of the central part of the lateral ventricle reproduced in a longitudinal view could be measured up to the age of about 5 months. During that period, the skull depth increased from a median value of 1.95 cm (1.92-1.98) in a seven-day-old cat to 2.58 cm (2.52-2.59) in a 154-day-old cat, while the afore-mentioned ventricle values increased from 0.3 mm to 1.1 mm.     

Gastric dilatation-volvulus associated with diaphragmatic hernia in three cats: clinical presentation, surgical treatment and presumptive aetiology

Three cats were examined because of acute dyspnoea and sudden abdominal enlargement. In all cats, radiographs revealed gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) and diaphragmatic hernia. Cardiovascular shock and dyspnoea were treated by intravenous fluid-therapy, oxygen administration and relief of diaphragmatic pressure by means of stomach decompression and in one case placing the patient in an inclined position. Gastric decompression was performed by needle gastrocentesis, placement of a rhino-gastric tube, or a combination of these. Diaphragmatic herniorrhaphy was performed in either case; one cat also underwent gastropexy. The immediate postoperative period resolved uneventfully and the cats were doing well at follow-up. Feline GDV is a rare event in which diaphragmatic hernia may be a predisposing factor.     

Developing and testing prognostic bio‐scoring systems for canine mammary gland carcinomas

Canine mammary carcinomas (CMC) represent a range of histolopathological subtypes with diverse biological behaviours. Several individual factors, including stage, grade, subtypes and presence of invasion, predict outcome. Less is known how these factors interact and impact prognosis. The purpose of this work was to develop and test comprehensive bio‐scoring systems in CMCs. Clinical and histopathological data from 127 dogs with MCs treated through two prospective studies were obtained. All dogs underwent standardized pre‐surgical staging, treatments and regular follow‐up visits. All tumours were evaluated, classified and graded according to published guidelines. Time to primary metastasis was the main endpoint in this study. Two bio‐scoring systems were developed: The multivariate scoring (MVS) was based on traditional statistical analysis where only factors significant in the multivariate analysis (tumour size and grade) were kept for the final model. The refined flexible scoring (RFS) system was based on results from subgroup analysis, which guided the development of a flexible system. Progressive worsening prognosis was observed with increasing bio‐scores in both systems. MVS: Median primary metastasis‐free survival (TTM1 days) was not reached in dogs with bio‐scores 0 to 5, 10, 15 and 648, 149, 317, in MVS groups 25, 30, 40, respectively. Similarly, TTM1 was not reached in dogs with RFS 0, 1, 2 and 374, 407 and 149, in dogs with bio‐scores 3, 4, 5, respectively. However, a more distinct separation between dogs with high risk vs low risk for metastasis was observed with RFS, suggesting superior overall prognostication regarding the risk for metastasis.     

Frost hardening of Pinus radiata seedlings: effects of temperature on relative growth rate,carbon balance and carbohydrate concentration

Pinus radiata (D. Don) seedlings were grown for 100 days at day/night temperatures of 10/1, 15/1, 20/1 and 25/1 degrees C, to determine whether temperatures above a threshold of 5 degrees C influence frost hardiness development. Relationships between hardening and relative growth rate, carbohydrate concentration and net carbon balance were also investigated. Seedlings hardened at a nearly constant rate in each treatment, although the rate of hardening was strongly temperature dependent. It increased as the temperature declined, but in a curvilinear fashion. Temperatures below 9.5 degrees C were effective in hardening the seedlings. During the daily temperature cycle, dehardening occurred at temperatures above the threshold, whereas hardening occurred at temperatures below the threshold. The net difference between the two processes determined the development of frost hardiness. The development of frost hardiness was negatively correlated with relative growth rate and positively correlated with the accumulation of starch and sugars. We conclude that frost hardening is a complex process that is causally linked to carbohydrate concentrations.     

Long-term dynamics of large woody debris in a managed boreal forest stream

Little is known about how past forest management in Sweden influenced the quantity and quality of large woody debris (LWD) in streams. The present study provides information of the long-term dynamics of LWD in a reach of a boreal stream intersecting a managed forest. Dendrochronological methods were used to reconstruct mortality years of the pieces of LWD and the general history of fire and cuttings of the surrounding riparian forest. Today, spruce dominates among the living trees, whereas the LWD is dominated by birch in the forest and by pine in the stream. Fire frequency prior to active fire suppression was similar to values reported from boreal forests. Pine trees were more abundant in the riparian forest before selective logging operations and active fire suppression began in the 1800s. Many of the pieces of LWD found in the stream today died more than 200 years ago and derived from a cohort of pines that generated in the early 1600s. Pine LWD in stream channels is highly resistant to decomposition and can reside for more than 300 years. A substantial amount of the LWD found today in managed forest streams in boreal Sweden most likely derives from the time before extensive human influence and is likely to decrease further in the future. Management of riparian forests to ascertain future supply of long-lived LWD in streams should target to increase the proportion of pine trees.     

Inhibition of hemoglobin-mediated oxidation of regular and lipid-fortified washed cod mince by a white grape dietary fiber

The effectiveness of a white grape dietary fiber concentrate (WGDF) against hemoglobin-mediated oxidation of washed cod mince, with and without 10% added herring oil, was evaluated during ice storage. WGDF was added at two different levels: 2 and 4% based on final weight. An ethanol extract with the ethanol extractable polyphenols (EPP) and the ethanol-extracted grape dietary fiber residue were also tested as antioxidants in the washed cod mince. The addition of WGDF to the model system completely and significantly (p 相似文献   

Detection of key factors in the extraction and quantification of lycopene from tomato and tomato products

The analytical process of lycopene extraction and photometrical determination was critically examined for raw tomato and processed tomato products by means of a 2 IV (15-10) Plackett-Burman experimental design in order to identify the key factors (KFs) involved. Fifteen apparent key factors (AKFs) reported in the literature were selected: sample weight (X1); volume of extraction solution (X2); antioxidant concentration (BHT, X3); neutralizing agent concentration (MgCO 3, X4); light presence during lycopene extraction (X5), homogenization velocity (X6) and time (X7), agitation time (X8), and temperature (X9) during the extraction process; water volume for separation of polar/nonpolar phases (X11); presence of inert atmosphere throughout the process (X12); time (X13), temperature (X14), and light presence (X10) during separation of phases and time delay for reading (X15). In general, higher lycopene concentrations in samples led to a higher number of key factors (KF). Thus, for raw tomato (lycopene range 1.22-2.29 mg/100 g) no KF were found, whereas for tomato sauce (lycopene range from 5.80 to 8.60 mg/100 g) one KF (X4) and for tomato paste (lycopene range from 35.80 to 51.27 mg/100 g) five KFs (X1, X2, X4, X11, and X12) were detected. For lycopene paste, X1 and X2 were identified as the KFs with the greatest impact on results, although in fact the X1/X2 ratio was the real cause. The results suggest that, with increased processing, the physical and chemical structure of lycopene becomes less important since the identified KFs explain almost 90% of variability in tomato paste but only 32% in raw tomato.