Antimicrobial potential of egg yolk ovoinhibitor, a multidomain Kazal-like inhibitor of chicken egg

Chicken egg ovoinhibitor is a multidomain Kazal-type serine protease inhibitor with unknown function. Comparison of expression between different tissues indicated that ovoinhibitor is highly expressed in the magnum and liver followed by the uterus, which secrete egg white, egg yolk, and eggshell precursors, respectively. The results also revealed that ovoinhibitor expression is increased in the liver during sexual maturation followed by a subsequent decrease in mature hens. Ovoinhibitor was purified from the egg yolk plasma from nonfertilized eggs using two consecutive affinity chromatographies and gel filtration. Purified egg yolk ovoinhibitor was shown to inhibit trypsin and subtilisin. It was shown that purified egg yolk ovoinhibitor exhibited antimicrobial activities against Bacillus thuringiensis . The results suggest that this anti-protease plays a significant role in antibacterial egg defense against Bacillus spp., preventing contamination of table eggs (nonfertilized eggs) and protecting the chick embryo (fertilized eggs).     

Artificial infection of Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. and defence responses to Exobasidium species

An inoculation method for Exobasidium splendidum and Exobasidium vaccinii was developed on the dwarf shrub Vaccinium vitis-idaea. Using inoculated ramets, we investigated whether there are differences between V. vitis-idaea populations in the susceptibility to Exobasidium infections and whether the defence reaction of V. vitis-idaea is visible at a molecular level. Sixteen V. vitis-idaea clones from four populations were propagated in tissue cultures and the ramets were inoculated with E. splendidum or E. vaccinii fungi. The expression of three flavonoid biosynthetic genes (chalcone synthase, dihydroflavonol 4-reductase and anthocyanidin synthase) and the accumulation of flavonoids and hydroxycinnamic acids were determined in response to E. splendidum infection. A pathogenesis-related (PR 4) gene was isolated and its expression was studied in host ramet leaves. To our knowledge, this was the first successful artificial infection reported with E. splendidum. Disease frequencies of the inoculated ramets were between 32% and 47% for E. splendidum and 33% for E. vaccinii, but below 10% in uninoculated control ramets. There were no differences in disease frequencies between V. vitis-idaea populations. Both symptomatic leaves and healthy leaves of diseased ramets showed activation of flavonoid biosynthesis at the gene level, whereas expression of PR 4 was observed only in symptomatic leaves. The increase of flavonoid biosynthesis in healthy leaves of diseased ramets may represent a general response to stress or a role in defence against the pathogen E. splendidium. Ability of V. vitis-idaea to defend chemically against Exobasidium fungi and the heterogeneity of genotypes, age, size, and growth rates in host plant populations might be reasons for the low infection incidence of Exobasidia in nature.     

Cutting regime determines allocation of fixed nitrogen in white clover

Leguminous leys are important sources of nitrogen (N), especially in forage-based animal production and organic cropping. Models for estimating total N₂ fixation of leys—including below-ground plant-derived N (BGN)—are based on grazed or harvested leys. However, green manure leys can have different proportions of above-ground plant-derived N (AGN) and BGN when subjected to different cutting regimes. To investigate the effects of cutting on N distribution in white clover, a pot experiment was carried out using ¹⁵N techniques to determine N₂ fixation, N rhizodeposition and root C and N content of cut and uncut white clover (Trifolium repens L. cv. Ramona) plants. Percentage N derived from air (%Ndfa) was lower in uncut (63%) than in cut (72%) plants, but total Ndfa was not significantly affected by cutting. The higher reliance on N₂ fixation in cut plants was thus counterbalanced by lower biomass and total N content. With BGN taken into account, total plant-derived N increased by approximately 50% compared with AGN only. Cutting did not affect the proportion of BGN to standing shoot biomass N after regrowth, but decreased the proportion of BGN to total shoot biomass production during the entire growth period. Thus, estimates of N fixation in green manure leys should consider management practices such as cutting regime, as this can result in differences in above- and below-ground proportions of plant-derived N.     

Dietary zinc concentration and lipopolysaccharide injection affect circulating trace minerals,acute phase protein response,and behavior as evaluated by an ear-tag–based accelerometer in beef steers

To assess plasma trace mineral (TM) concentrations, the acute phase protein response, and behavior in response to a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge, 96 Angus cross steers (average initial body weight [BW]: 285 ± 14.4 kg) were sorted into two groups by BW (heavy and light; n = 48/group), fitted with an ear-tag–based accelerometer (CowManager SensOor; Agis, Harmelen, Netherlands), and stagger started 14 d apart. Consecutive day BW was recorded to start the 24-d trial (days −1 and 0). Dietary treatments began on day 0: common diet with either 30 (Zn30) or 100 (Zn100) mg supplemental Zn/kg DM (ZnSO₄). On day 17, steers received one of the following injection treatments intravenously to complete the 2 × 3 factorial: 1) SALINE (~2–3 mL of physiological saline), 2) LOWLPS: 0.25 µg LPS/kg BW, or 3) HIGHLPS: 0.375 µg LPS/kg BW. Blood, rectal temperature (RT), and BW were recorded on day 16 (−24 h relative to injection), and BW was used to assign injection treatment. Approximately 6, 24 (day 18), and 48 (day 19) h after treatment, BW, RT, and blood were collected, and final BW recorded on day 24. Data were analyzed in Proc Mixed of SAS with fixed effects of diet, injection, diet × injection; for BW, RT, dry matter intake (DMI), plasma TM, and haptoglobin-repeated measures analysis were used to evaluate effects over time. Area under the curve analysis determined by GraphPad Prism was used for analysis of accelerometer data. Body weight was unaffected by diet or injection (P ≥ 0.16), but there was an injection × time effect for DMI and RT (P < 0.05), where DMI decreased in both LPS treatments on day 16, but recovered by day 17, and RT was increased in LPS treatments 6 h post-injection. Steers receiving LPS spent less time highly active and eating than SALINE (P < 0.01). Steers in HIGHLPS spent lesser time ruminating, followed by LOWLPS and then SALINE (P < 0.001). An injection × time effect (P < 0.001) for plasma Zn showed decreased concentrations within 6 h of injection and remained decreased through 24 h before recovering by 48 h. A tendency for a diet × time effect (P = 0.06) on plasma Zn suggests plasma Zn repletion occurred at a greater rate in Zn100 compared to Zn30. These results suggest that increased supplemental Zn may alter the rate of recovery of Zn status from an acute inflammatory event. Additionally, ear-tag–based accelerometers used in this study were effective at detecting sickness behavior in feedlot steers, and rumination may be more sensitive than other variables.     

Low-Molecular-Weight Fucoidan Induces Endothelial Cell Migration via the PI3K/AKT Pathway and Modulates the Transcription of Genes Involved in Angiogenesis

Low-molecular-weight fucoidan (LMWF) is a sulfated polysaccharide extracted from brown seaweed that presents antithrombotic and pro-angiogenic properties. However, its mechanism of action is not well-characterized. Here, we studied the effects of LMWF on cell signaling and whole genome expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells and endothelial colony forming cells. We observed that LMWF and vascular endothelial growth factor had synergistic effects on cell signaling, and more interestingly that LMWF by itself, in the absence of other growth factors, was able to trigger the activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway, which plays a crucial role in angiogenesis and vasculogenesis. We also observed that the effects of LMWF on cell migration were PI3K/AKT-dependent and that LMWF modulated the expression of genes involved at different levels of the neovessel formation process, such as cell migration and cytoskeleton organization, cell mobilization and homing. This provides a better understanding of LMWF’s mechanism of action and confirms that it could be an interesting therapeutic approach for vascular repair.     

Clinically relevant physiology of the neonate.

During the 4- to 6-week neonatal period (birth to weaning), the physiology of canine and feline neonates undergoes dramatic change. Despite the neonate having the appearance of a miniature adult, their unique physiology has a significant impact on physical examination and laboratory test interpretation and may limit diagnostic capabilities and therapeutic options. In this article, the most striking physiologic differences between neonatal and adult body systems are discussed with respect to the resulting clinical implications.     

Modelling of the effect of dry periods on yielding of spring barley

The paper presents a weather-yield model developed for the purpose of estimating spring barley yield on the basis of dry spells occurring in individual periods between the phenological phases of that plant. For that purpose research material on spring barley, originating from the years 1976-1997, was used as well as diurnal sums of precipitation. Five periods were considered in the analysis: sowing-emergence, emergence-tillering, tillering-heading, heading-milk ripeness and milk ripeness-full ripeness. In the study a model of changes in the amount of water available for plant during rainless periods was used. Five measures were adopted for characterisation of the approximation error: correlation coefficient, mean relative error, relative root mean square error, model efficiency and coefficient of residual mass. The analyses performed demonstrated that yield reduction is significantly influenced by rainless periods that occur in the sowing-emergence and tillering-heading inter-phase periods. The adopted criteria for yield reduction estimation show considerable similarity for the emergence-tillering and heading-milk ripeness inter-phase periods. At the same time, their influence on yield reduction is three-fold lower than during the sowing-emergence and tillering-heading inter-phase periods. Analyses performed with the use of the developed model indicate that yield size is affected by rainless periods of duration longer than 30% of the inter-phase period.     

干旱胁迫对苗木蒸腾耗水日变化的影响

采用BP340 0精密电子天平 ,于 2 0 0 2年夏季研究了在不同水分胁迫条件下 ,4种北方主要造林树种苗木的日蒸腾耗水速率及实际耗水量变化规律 .结果表明 ,在正常水分条件下 ,各苗木的日最大耗水速率出现在 10 :0 0— 14 :0 0之间 ,阔叶树种的蒸腾耗水速率远远大于针叶树种 ,是针叶树种的 5～ 7倍 ,苗木的耗水速率排序为 :黄栌 >火炬树 >侧柏 >油松 ;1年生的黄栌和火炬树与 5年生侧柏的日耗水量相差不大 ,是油松的 1倍 .当苗木受到干旱胁迫后 ,苗木的日最大耗水速率会提前 ,蒸腾速率迅速下降 ,但下降幅度不同 ,耗水速率排序为 :火炬树 >黄栌 >油松 >侧柏 .在中等干旱胁迫下 ,油松、火炬树、侧柏、黄栌的日平均耗水速率分别下降了 5 4 0 %、6 8 6 %、87 2 %和 90 2 % ;侧柏和黄栌之间 ,油松和火炬树之间的日耗水量基本相同 ,但侧柏和黄栌只有油松和火炬树的一半 ;干旱胁迫继续加重后 ,油松、火炬树、侧柏、黄栌的日平均耗水速率只有水分正常条件下的 15 7%、12 1%、4 3%和 9 2 % ,日耗水总量下降到 5 %～10 % ,4个树种间相差不大 .