The onset of planet formation in brown dwarf disks

The onset of planet formation in protoplanetary disks is marked by the growth and crystallization of sub-micrometer-sized dust grains accompanied by dust settling toward the disk mid-plane. Here, we present infrared spectra of disks around brown dwarfs and brown dwarf candidates. We show that all three processes occur in such cool disks in a way similar or identical to that in disks around low- and intermediate-mass stars. These results indicate that the onset of planet formation extends to disks around brown dwarfs, suggesting that planet formation is a robust process occurring in most young circumstellar disks.     

Mixed Function Oxidase Activity and Organochlorine Levels in Farmed Sharpsnout Seabream (Diplodus puntazzo) from Two Intensive Aquaculture Facilities

Mixed function oxidase (MFO) activities and organochlorine levels were investigated in liver of farmed sharpsnout seabream bred in two intensive facilities, a sea farm and a land-based farm. The aim of this study is to investigate how different facility locations and breeding conditions might affect fish metabolic capabilities and accumulation of toxic chemicals in farmed sharpsnout seabream. The differences between breeding two or more fish species in the same cage or tank known as polyculture, and monoculture (1 species) were also investigated. The results showed that both facility location (sea and land) as well as breeding systems (polyculture and monoculture) might be responsible for the differences observed in both MFO enzyme activity and organochlorine levels. Significantly higher activities of two metabolizing enzymes such as 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) and benzo(a)pyrene monooxygenase (B(a)PMO) were in fact recorded in land-based farmed fish than in sea farmed ones, and much higher in those from polyculture than in monoculture (p < 0.05). By contrast, the highest levels of dichlorodiphenyldichloroethilene (pp′DDE) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs as Aroclor 1260) were measured in sea-farmed fish, except for hexachlorobenzene (HCB), which gave higher levels in land-based farmed fishes. No significant differences were observed between monoculture and polyculture in p,p′DDE and PCBs levels except for p,p′DDE which was significantly higher in monoculture than in polyculture (p < 0.05) in fish reared in tanks. Finally significantly higher HCB levels were measured in fish reared in monoculture in tanks (p < 0.05) and in polyculture in cages (p < 0.05). The low TEQ values obtained for PCB congeners at liver level indicated no concern for fish health.     

Antibodies to soluble liver antigen and α-enolase in patients with autoimmune hepatitis

BACKGROUND: Antibodies to a cytosolic soluble liver antigen (SLA) are specifically detected in patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). The target of anti-SLA has been identified as a ~50 kDa UGA serine tRNA-associated protein complex (tRNP(Ser)Sec), through the screening of cDNA libraries. A recent report questioned the identity of tRNP(Ser)Sec as the real SLA antigen. The latter study identified alpha-enolase as a major anti-SLA target, through proteomic analysis. METHODS: In an attempt to explain the observed discrepancy we have investigated reactivity of SLA positive sera against alpha-enolase and tRNP(Ser)Sec using rat and primate liver homogenate and the recombinant antigens. Thirty-three serum samples, 11 from SLA-positive patients and 22 from SLA negative controls were investigated. SLA antibodies were detected by an inhibition ELISA and confirmed by immunoblot using human liver homogenate. Autoantibody reactivity was further evaluated using preparations of primate and rat liver homogenates. Anti-alpha-enolase antibody reactivity has been tested by immunoblot using recombinant alpha-enolase. An affinity purified goat polyclonal anti-alpha-enolase IgG antibody was used as reference serum sample. Anti-tRNP(Ser)Sec antibody reactivity was detected by ELISA or dot blot using recombinant tRNP(Ser)Sec antigen. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The affinity purified IgG antibody directed to human alpha-enolase gave a band of approximately 48 kDa in both human and rat liver homogenates. A high titre anti-tRNP(Ser)Sec antibody serum gave a single band of ~50 kDa in both liver preparations. All but one anti-SLA antibody positive sera reacted with a ~50 kDa but none immunofixed a 48 kDa band. All anti-SLA antibody positive sera reacted strongly with the recombinant full length tRNP(Ser)Sec protein. None of the anti-SLA negative sera reacted with tRNP(Ser)Sec. Anti-SLA positive, and anti-SLA negative sera reacted equally against recombinant alpha-enolase by immunoblot. Pre-incubation of anti-SLA positive sera with tRNP(Ser)Sec completely abolished the 50 kDa band. The findings of the present study indicate that alpha-enolase and tRNP(Ser)Sec are both expressed in primate and rat liver and have a respective MW of 48 and 50 kDa. They also show that anti-tRNP(Ser)Sec - but not anti-alpha-enolase - correlates with anti-SLA antibody reactivity. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that tRNP(Ser)Sec is the most likely target of anti-SLA.     

Evaluation of an open portable chamber system for measuring cover crop water use in a vineyard and comparison with a mini-lysimeter approach

Cover crops are largely used in viticultural areas because of the many positive agronomic and environmental benefits they provide. However, there is insufficient data describing the amount of water they use. A portable chamber used as an open measurement system and its suitability to measure the cover crop evapotranspiration (E) in a vineyard are described in this study. The performance of the chamber was tested by a calibration experiment (R² = 0.97). The lowest air flow rate used (9.2 l s⁻¹) was found to be suitable to limit the chamber from overheating beyond 3.1 K above the outside temperature. Furthermore, an experiment was designed to compare the daily cover crop (Festuca arundinacea var. barfelix) water use measured by the chamber system with measurements using a mini-lysimeter (ML) method and with estimates using the FAO-56 PM equation (Eo). The experiment was carried out in one inter row of a vineyard over the course of 4 days following an irrigation event. Although the field experiment was limited to 4 days, the results obtained together with the calibration trials support the possibility of the chamber being a useful tool for measuring the cover crop E. The ability of the MLs to represent the water use of the cover crop in the rest of the vineyard was limited to the first two days of the experiment, after which time the soil water content inside the containers was significantly (p = 0.007, p = 0.03) lower than in the surrounding field.     

Concentration of Bioactive Compounds from Elderberry (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sambucus nigra</Emphasis> L.) Juice by Nanofiltration Membranes

For the first time the chemical profile, physico-chemical parameters, inhibition of carbohydrate hydrolysing enzymes associated with type 2 diabetes, and radical scavenging properties of Sambucus nigra L. (elderberry) juice treated by nanofiltration (NF) were investigated. Three commercial NF membranes with different molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) (400 and 1000 Da) and polymeric material (composite fluoro-polymer and polyethersulphone) were tested. According to HPLC analyses, most part of bioactive compounds were retained by the NF membranes producing a retentate fraction of interest for the production of functional foods. The NP030 membrane, a polyethersulphone membrane with a MWCO of 400 Da, exhibited the highest rejection towards phenolic compounds when compared with the other selected membranes. Accordingly, the produced retentate fractions exhibited the highest radical scavenging activity.     

Comparison of clinical effects of epidural levobupivacaine morphine versus bupivacaine morphine in dogs undergoing elective pelvic limb surgery

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy, in terms of the amount of rescue analgesia required, and the clinical usefulness of epidural injection of morphine with bupivacaine or levobupivacaine for elective pelvic limb surgery in dogs during a 24-hour perioperative period.

Calcium chloride washing of calcareous sediment from a freshwater canal: effect on the removal of potentially toxic elements and water aggregate stability

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Canal dredging and shaping produce considerable amounts of sediments whose reuse on- and off-site depends on their pollution level. This study explores the...     

Identification of Microsatellite Markers for Plasmopara viticola and Establishment of High throughput Method for SSR Analysis

The Oomycete Plasmopara viticola is the causal organism of downy mildew on grapevine (Vitis spp.). In order to set up the techniques for investigating downy mildew disease dynamics and genetic structure, co-dominant, neutral, highly reproducible and polymorphic microsatellite markers for P. viticola were developed. Five markers, two with a (TC)_n repeat (loci BER and ISA), two with a (TC)_n(AC)_n repeat (loci CES and REX) and one with a (CT)_n(CTAT)_n repeat (locus GOB), were selected. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers revealed different degrees of polymorphism within 190 oil spots (disease symptoms) collected from an infected Italian vineyard. The most polymorphic SSR marker GOB showed 43 alleles (Nei's expected gene diversity H_e = 0.89) while CES, ISA, BER and REX showed 14 (H_e = 0.71), 4 (H_e = 0.57), 3 (H_e = 0.24) and 1 allele (H_e = 0), respectively. A high throughput DNA extraction method, that allowed molecular analysis of this obligate pathogen directly in the host without any isolation procedure, was developed. The quality and quantity of oil spots did not influence the SSR analysis. Amplified SSR loci were separated by electrophoresis on a Beckman–Coulter 2000XL sequencer and automatically analysed. The objective of this study was to develop molecular biological tools and methods that allow high throughput analysis of the downy mildew populations.     

A tool for identifying potential Eucalyptus nitens seed orchard sites based on climate and topography

Shy seed production in orchards of Eucalyptus nitens is a major barrier to the deployment of genetic gain in South African plantations. A machine learning method was used to identify optimal sites for the establishment of E. nitens seed orchards within the plantation forestry landscape of the summer rainfall region of South Africa. The ensemble classifier random forests (RF) was used to identify the environmental factors conducive to E. nitens floral bud production, and, based on these, build a predictive model deployable to the plantation forestry landscape for identifying suitable areas for E. nitens seed orchards. The RF model predicted site suitability likelihood for floral bud production with a high level of accuracy (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.83). Within the climatically optimal range for growing E. nitens, flower bud production was more abundant and consistent on cold slopes, i.e. sites experiencing lower minimum air temperatures during spring and autumn. The model was applied to the commercial plantation forestry landscape for the purpose of indicating sites climatically optimal for floral bud production in E. nitens and the establishment of breeding and seed production orchards of the same species.