High COX‐2 expression is associated with increased angiogenesis,proliferation and tumoural inflammatory infiltrate in canine malignant mammary tumours: a multivariate survival study

COX‐2 expression affects mammary tumourigenesis by promoting angiogenesis and cell proliferation, encouraging metastatic spread and tumour‐associated inflammation. Samples of canine mammary tumours (n = 109) were submitted to immunohistochemistry to detect COX‐2, CD31, VEGF, Ki‐67, CD3 and MAC387 expression. Concurrent high expression of COX‐2/CD31, COX‐2/VEGF, COX‐2/Ki‐67, COX‐2/CD3 and COX‐2/MAC was associated with elevated grade of malignancy, presence of intravascular emboli and presence of lymph node metastasis. Tumours with high COX‐2 (P < 0.001) and tumours with concurrent expression of high COX‐2 and high CD31 (P = 0.008); high VEGF (P < 0.001); high Ki‐67 (P < 0.001); high CD3+ T‐lymphocytes (P = 0.002) and elevated MAC387 macrophages (P = 0.024) were associated with shorter overall survival (OS) time. Interestingly the groups with high COX‐2/CD31 and high COX‐2/VEGF retained their significance after multivariate analysis arising as independent predictors of OS. Present data highlight the importance of COX‐2 in canine mammary tumourigenesis.     

Mechanical and Dynamic Mechanical Studies on Epoxy-Cobaltous Sulfate Polymer Hybrids

Cobaltous sulfate heptahydrate (CoSO₄·7H₂O) was incorporated as filler into diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) based epoxy resin system, to prepare organic-inorganic polymer hybrid materials. Mechanical tensile studies and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) were carried out in order to study the static and dynamic mechanical properties of the prepared hybrid films. Mechanical tensile studies were carried out at room temperature, at a test speed of 30 mm/min. Highest tensile strength of 24.74±2.42 MPa was achieved for 4.44 wt% filler level (FL), along with an increase in the value of Young’s modulus. Storage modulus (E′), loss modulus (E″), damping factor (tan δ) were obtained by DMA studies. Glass transition temperature (T_g) was obtained for pure epoxy and filled epoxy, for various FLs varying from 0.28 wt% to 5.00 wt%. Pure epoxy showed highest T_g value compared to filled epoxy hybrids. Highest storage modulus of 9.5 GPa was obtained for 2.22 wt% FL, which also showed highest loss modulus peak. Parameters like effectiveness coefficient (C) and crosslink density were calculated from the storage modulus data. Loss modulus and tan δ curves were analyzed to study the energy dissipation properties of prepared hybrid films. Activation energy (E_a) value for glass transition was obtained from damping factor (tan δ), which showed highest E_a value of 630.5 kJmol^-1, for 4.44 wt% FL. DMA studies for various FLs were carried out at different test frequencies in order to study the changes in dynamic mechanical properties of the prepared hybrid materials with respect to frequency     

Regulation of transpirational water loss in Quercus suber trees in a Mediterranean-type ecosystem

Sap flux density in branches, leaf transpiration, stomatal conductance and leaf water potentials were measured in 16-year-old Quercus suber L. trees growing in a plantation in southern Portugal to understand how evergreen Mediterranean trees regulate water loss during summer drought. Leaf specific hydraulic conductance and leaf gas exchange were monitored during the progressive summer drought to establish how changes along the hydraulic pathway influence shoot responses. As soil water became limiting, leaf water potential, stomatal conductance and leaf transpiration declined significantly. Predawn leaf water potential reflected soil water potential measured at 1-m depth in the rhizospheres of most trees. The lowest predawn leaf water potential recorded during this period was -1.8 MPa. Mean maximum stomatal conductance declined from 300 to 50 mmol m(-2) s(-1), reducing transpiration from 6 to 2 mmol m(-2) s(-1). Changes in leaf gas exchange were attributed to reduced soil water availability, increased resistances along the hydraulic pathway and, hence, reduced leaf water supply. There was a strong coupling between changes in soil water content and stomatal conductance as well as between stomatal conductance and leaf specific hydraulic conductance. Despite significant seasonal differences among trees in predawn leaf water potential, stomatal conductance, leaf transpiration and leaf specific hydraulic conductance, there were no differences in midday leaf water potentials. The strong regulation of changes in leaf water potential in Q. suber both diurnally and seasonally is achieved through stomatal closure, which is sensitive to changes in both liquid and vapor phase conductance. This sensitivity allows for optimization of carbon and water resource use without compromising the root-shoot hydraulic link.     

Ripe Banana Flour as a Source of Antioxidants in Layer and Sponge Cakes

About one-fifth of all bananas harvested become culls that are normally disposed of improperly. However, ripe banana pulp contains significant amounts of fibre and polyphenol compounds as well as a high content of simple sugars (61.06 g/100 g), making it suitable for sucrose replacement in bakery products. This work studied the feasibility of incorporating ripe banana flour (20 and 40% of replacement) in cake formulation. Physical, nutritional and sensory attributes of sponge and layer cakes were evaluated. The inclusion of ripe banana flour generally led to an increased batter consistency that hindered cake expansion, resulting in a slightly lower specific volume and higher hardness. This effect was minimised in layer cakes where differences in volume were only evident with the higher level of replacement. The lower volume and higher hardness contributed to the decline of the acceptability observed in the sensory test. Unlike physical attributes, the banana flour inclusion significantly improved the nutritional properties of the cakes, bringing about an enhancement in dietary fibre, polyphenols and antioxidant capacity (up to a three-fold improvement in antioxidant capacity performance). Therefore, results showed that sugar replacement by ripe banana flour enhanced the nutritional properties of cakes, but attention should be paid to its inclusion level.     

Shewanella putrefaciens Pdp11 probiotic supplementation as enhancer of Artemia n‐3 HUFA contents and growth performance in Senegalese sole larviculture

Adequate enrichment of live prey like Artemia, naturally deficient of essential highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA), such as docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n‐3, DHA), is critical for the rapidly developing tissues, survival, normal development and production of good‐quality fingerlings. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of a pulse (10–30 dah) of Shewanella putrefaciens Pdp11 (2.5*10⁷ cfu/ml) using Artemia metanauplii as live vector, on its proper lipid profiles and resultant Solea senegalensis body composition and performance. Probiotic administration significantly increased total lipids and specifically n‐3 HUFA levels in Pdp11‐enriched Artemia. The live prey lipid modulation was also reflected in the total lipid contents and fatty acid profiles of Pdp11 sole specimens, which achieved a higher growth performance. A fatty acid multivariate principal component analysis confirmed a neat separation of two groups corresponding to Control and probiotic fish for each age sampled (23, 56, 87 and 119 dah). In addition, a further SIMPER analysis highlighted that the Pdp11 Artemia effect on sole lipid profile was different for each fatty acid and was gradually diluted with age. Results suggest an ability of Pdp11 strain to produce n‐3 HUFA as an effective tool for fish marine larviculture optimization.     

Marine and coastal protected and conserved areas strategy in Brazil: Context,lessons, challenges,finance, participation,new management models,and first results

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Use of Banana (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Musa acuminata</Emphasis> Colla AAA) Peel Extract as an Antioxidant Source in Orange Juices

Using banana peel extract as an antioxidant in freshly squeezed orange juices and juices from concentrate was evaluated. Free radical scavenging capacity increased by adding banana peel extracts to both types of orange juice. In addition, remarkable increases in antioxidant capacity using 2,2′-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical were observed when equal or greater than 5 mg of banana peel extract per ml of freshly squeezed juice was added. No clear effects were observed in the capacity to inhibit lipid peroxidation. Adding 5 mg banana peel extract per ml of orange juice did not substantially modify the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of either type of juice. However, undesirable changes in the sensory characteristics (in-mouth sensations and colour) were detected when equal or greater than 10 mg banana peel extract per ml of orange juice was added. These results confirm that banana peel is a promising natural additive that increases the capacity to scavenge free radicals of orange juice with acceptable sensory and physicochemical characteristics for the consumer.     

A national forest resources assessment for Costa Rica based on low intensity sampling

A goal of a National Forest Inventory (NFI) is the provision of information which is relevant and required for national level decision making and monitoring in forestry, but also for related sectors.

This paper presents and discusses a pilot study from Costa Rica where in 2000/2001 a low intensity sampling approach was used to generate national level forestry information. On a 15 km × 15 km grid air photo plots were interpreted for forest and land cover type. Readily available 1997 aerial photographs were used that were, however, only available for about 70% of the country: of the 228 grid points for the whole country only 159 could be aerial photo interpreted. Out of the 15 km × 15 km base grid of sample points, a 2 × 3 subset was selected for field assessment, resulting in a sample of 40 cluster plots, each comprising of four elongated rectangular sub-plots of 150 m × 20 m located on the perimeter of a square of 500 m side length.

Two novel components were integrated into the inventory: (1) the field plots were established on all lands, so that the tree resource was not only tallied inside forests but also on all other tree-bearing lands outside forests. (2) In addition to the biophysical information gathered on the traditional field plots, interviews were carried out with forest owners on the site of the field plots, in order to obtain data on the use of the forest resource.

Field work was carried out by 6 field crews and took altogether about 3 months. Results were generated from the field samples for the entire country. Aerial photo based area estimates were compared to the corresponding estimations from field sampling for the same area. According to the field sampling the forest cover for Costa Rica in 2001 is estimated to be 48.4% (simple standard error percent 9.3%). An estimated 8.2% of the total volume (dbh > 30 cm, all species) is outside forest.

This inventory took place with support from Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in the framework of FAO–Forest Resources Assessment's (FRA) Program Support to National Forest Assessments; it was carried out jointly by Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación (SINAC), the Costa Rican authority responsible for forestry issues, and Centro Agronómico de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE), an international agricultural research center. Experiences of the study were subsequently used to implement similar inventories in three more countries (Guatemala, Cameroon, The Philippines).     

Fibrin–alginate hydrogel supports steroidogenesis,in vitro maturation of oocytes and parthenotes production from caprine preantral follicles cultured in group

This study aimed to establish a culture system that improves the in vitro development of caprine preantral follicles. In a first experiment, follicles were encapsulated as a single unit per bead and cultured singly or in groups or with five follicles in the same alginate (ALG) bead for 18 days. In a subsequent experiment, the “five follicles per bead” design was chosen to culture in ALG, fibrin–alginate (FA) or hyaluronate (HA) for 18 days. In a third experiment, we chose the five follicles per bead in FA to culture for 30 days. The culture set‐up of five follicles per ALG bead increased antrum formation and follicle diameter compared to the other culture designs (p < .05). Moreover, under this condition, 44.44% of the oocytes from in vitro cultured preantral follicles reached meiotic resumption. A significant increase of follicle diameter occurred in attachment system and FA (p < .05), but the ALG condition reached the highest among all groups on day 18 (p < .05). Follicles encapsulated in matrix produced more estradiol and progesterone than attachment system (p < .05). The expression of MMP‐9 mRNA was higher in FA than in other groups (p < .05) and similar to antral follicles from in vivo control (p > .05). Only FA group resulted in oocytes matured. After 30 days, oocytes from preantral follicles in vitro grown in FA developed to eight‐cell parthenotes. In conclusion, a culture system using FA supported the development of caprine preantral follicles cultured in group and included in the same bead of hydrogel, improving the oocyte maturation and producing parthenotes.