Development and evaluation of a fish‐based index to assess biological integrity of Mediterranean streams

相似文献   

Use of ELISPOT and ELISA to evaluate IFN-gamma, IL-10 and IL-4 responses in conventional pigs

ELISPOT and ELISA were standardised for pig interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) with the aim to study the evolution of the immune response in conventional pigs from birth to 6 months of age and also to compare results of both techniques. Five pigs were bled at 1, 6, 9, 12 and 22 weeks of age and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were stimulated with phytohemagglutinin. The frequencies of cytokine secreting cells (CSC) and the levels of secreted cytokines were compared. For IFN-gamma the mean of CSC increased with age (p<0.05) from an average of 486/10(6) PBMC at first week of age to 1256/10(6) PBMC at 22 weeks of age. No correlation was found between the number of IFN-gamma CSC and the cytokine levels obtained by ELISA. For IL-10, frequencies of CSC did not increase with age of pigs, having a low of 315/10(6) PBMC at first week of age and a high of 1485/10(6) PBMC at six weeks. Comparison of ELISA and ELISPOT results for IL-10 showed a certain degree of correlation (r=0.74; p<0.05). Spontaneous secretion was observed in unstimulated cultures. For IL-4, frequencies of CSC were low (50-70/10(6) PBMC). In this case, comparison of ELISA and ELISPOT could not be done because cytokine levels in culture supernatants were often below the detection limit of the IL-4 ELISA. All these values can serve as a reference for future studies and also, our observations suggest that ELISPOT and ELISA should be carefully interpreted and do not necessarily correlate.     

Schwermetall‐ und schadstoffbelastung im unteren odertal und konsequenzen für die grünlandnutzung

Anthropogen verursachte Stofffrachten haben seit Beginn der Industrialisierung zur Sedimentation und Anreicherung von Schwermetallen und Schadstoffen in der weitgehend naturbelassenen Flussaue der unteren Oder geführt. Für die Grünlandnutzung in diesem Bereich des heutigen Deutsch‐Polnischen Nationalpark ergeben sich folgerichtig Einschränkungen in Form des Verbots der Milchproduktion. Boden‐, Sediment‐ und Pflanzengehalte sind seit 1990 raumbezogen analysiert worden. Hohe Gehalte im Boden haben nicht zwangsläufig hohe Pflanzengehalte bewirkt, wohl aber war sichtbar, dass die Gehalte in Senkenarealen meist höher als auf den übrigen Flächen lagen. Überhöhte Gehalte in den Pflanzen im Sinne der deutschen Futtermittelverordnung traten vor allem bei Cadmium und Mangan auf. Extensive Weidehaltung mit Mutterkühen, Mast‐ und Jungrindern ist unter Ausgrenzung von Problembereichen möglich.     

Relationships Between Heavy Metals Contamination in Shallow Marine Sediments with Industrial and Urban Development in Catalonia (Northwestern Mediterranean Sea)

A total of 179 surface sediment samples from shallow waters have been collected in Catalonia (Northwestern Mediterranean) from 2002 to 2010 to analyze heavy metals (Al, Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, V, and Zn) concentrations, organic matter content, and sediment size in order (i) to find baseline values, (ii) to investigate metal contamination trends, and (iii) to identify its spatial and temporal distribution. Highest metals concentrations were registered in the Barcelona metropolitan area and in the mouth of Besòs and Llobregat Rivers for Zn, Cu, Pb, and Cd. Mercury was also abundant in these areas but the highest record was found close to Tarragona. The concentrations agree with those reported in other studies performed in big river’s mouths and industrialized areas. The absence of large industrial activity and urbanization outside Barcelona and Tarragona explains the low metal contents found at the other sampling sites. Based on enrichment factor (EF), Pb was the most enriched metal. Results will provide a useful aid for sustainable marine management in Catalonia.     

Langjähriger witterungseinfluss auf das grünland in zwei verschiedenen landschaftsgebieten

Langjährige Beobachtungen der Witterungsfaktoren Temperatur und Niederschlag auf Ertrag und Pflanzenbestand von zwei Dauergrünlandstandorten verschiedener Klimagebiete wurden ausgewertet. Anlaß war das Phänomen, daß im Erzgebirge der Ertrag trotz hoher Stickstoffdungung nach dem 3. Versuchsjahr sukzessive abfiel und nach dem 12. Jahr wieder anstieg. Als Vergleich bot sich nahezu gleich bewirtschaftetes Grünland im Havelländischen Luch an.

Die Ursache fur die Ertragsdepression wurde zunächst in einer Umschichtung der Pflanzenbestände vermutet. Schließlich wurde ein Zusammenhang zwischen Witterung und Ertrag am Beispiel der Abweichungen von den Mittelwerten gefunden.     

Impacts of biodiversity loss on ocean ecosystem services

Human-dominated marine ecosystems are experiencing accelerating loss of populations and species, with largely unknown consequences. We analyzed local experiments, long-term regional time series, and global fisheries data to test how biodiversity loss affects marine ecosystem services across temporal and spatial scales. Overall, rates of resource collapse increased and recovery potential, stability, and water quality decreased exponentially with declining diversity. Restoration of biodiversity, in contrast, increased productivity fourfold and decreased variability by 21%, on average. We conclude that marine biodiversity loss is increasingly impairing the ocean's capacity to provide food, maintain water quality, and recover from perturbations. Yet available data suggest that at this point, these trends are still reversible.     

Immune-endocrine interactions in treated and untreated cats naturally infected with FIV

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a lentivirus that causes a progressive disruption of immune function in cats. The neuroendocrine and immune systems communicate bidirectionally, mediated by cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF), several interleukins (IL-1, IL-6, IL-10), and through signals induced by the ratio of IL-10 to IL-12. FIV can affect both pituitary adrenal and thyroid axis function. Twenty FIV-infected cats in similar stages of the disease were evaluated for six months. A cross-sectional study in which the twenty cats were divided into two groups was performed. Ten were treated with Zidovudine (ZDV: 5mg/kg/d, PO, q12h, for six months) and 10 were untreated. Plasma concentrations of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, T4, FT4, T3, IL-10, IL-12 and viral load (VL) were evaluated after six months. ACTH was found in significantly lower concentrations (p<0.0001) in the treated group whereas cortisol did not show significant differences between the two groups. Both T4 and FT4 had high values in untreated individuals (p<0.001) compared with Zidovudine treated cats. T3 did not show significant differences between the two groups. Both IL-10 and IL-12 were found in significantly higher concentrations in ZDV treated cats (p<0.001). By contrast, the IL10/IL-12 ratio values were significantly lower in untreated cats. Viral load was significantly lower in the treated cats after six months of therapy, compared with values detected pre-treatment (p<0.002). Untreated cats showed a significant increase of VL (p<0.04) compared with the values at the beginning of the study. In treated cats, VL showed lower numbers of viral copies than in untreated cats (p<0.01). In summary, Zidovudine treatment appeared to contribute to the normalization of both the adrenal and thyroid axes. This effect could be attributed to the decrease observed in VL, resulting in a change in cytokine patterns.     

Cucumis metuliferus is resistant to root‐knot nematode Mi1.2 gene (a)virulent isolates and a promising melon rootstock

Pot experiments were carried out to characterize the response of two Cucumis metuliferus accessions (BGV11135 and BGV10762) against Mi1.2 gene (a)virulent Meloidogyne arenaria, M. incognita and M. javanica isolates and to determine the compatibility and the effect on physicochemical properties of fruit melons. In addition, histopathological studies were conducted. One week after transplanting, plants were inoculated with one J2 cm^?3 of sterilized sand (200 cm³ pots) and maintained in a growth chamber at 25 °C for 40 days. The susceptible cucumber cv. Dasher II or melon cv. Paloma were included for comparison. The number of egg masses and number of eggs per plant were assessed, and the reproduction index (RI) was calculated as the percentage of eggs produced on the C. metuliferus accessions compared to those produced on the susceptible cultivars. The compatibility and fruit quality were assessed by grafting three scions, two of Charentais type and one of type piel de sapo, under commercial greenhouse conditions. The resistance level of both C. metuliferus accessions ranged from highly resistant (RI < 1%) to resistant (1% ≤ RI ≤ 10%) irrespective of Meloidogyne isolates. Melon plants grafted onto C. metuliferus accession BGV11135 grew as self‐grafted plants without negatively impacting fruit quality traits. Giant cells induced by Meloidogyne spp. on C. metuliferus were in general poorly developed compared to those on cucumber. Furthermore, necrotic areas surrounding the nematode were observed. Cucumis metuliferus accession BGV11135 could be a promising melon rootstock to manage Meloidogyne spp., irrespective of their Mi1.2 (a)virulence, without melon fruit quality reduction.