A newly established bovine intestinal epithelial cell line is effective for in vitro screening of potential antiviral immunobiotic microorganisms for cattle

We evaluated whether a bovine intestinal epithelial (BIE) cell line could serve as a useful in vitro model system for studying antiviral immune responses in bovine intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) and for the primary screening of immunobiotic microorganisms with antiviral protective capabilities. Immunofluorescent analyses revealed that toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) was expressed in BIE cells, and the results of real-time quantitative PCR showed that these cells respond to stimulation with poly(I:C) by up-regulating pro-inflammatory cytokines and type I interferons. In addition, we demonstrated that BIE cells are useful for the primary screening of immunobiotic lactic acid bacteria strains which are able to beneficially modulate antiviral immune responses triggered by TLR3 activation in bovine IECs. The characterization of BIE cells performed in the present study represents an important step towards the establishment of a valuable bovine in vitro system that could be used for the development of immunomodulatory feed for bovine hosts.     

Molecular and serological characterization of Leptospira interrogans serovar Canicola isolated from dogs, swine, and bovine in Brazil

The identification of Leptospira clinical isolates through genotyping and serotyping, besides the recognition of its reservoirs, are important tools for understanding the epidemiology of leptospirosis, and they are also keys for identifying new species and serovars. Fourteen clinical isolates from animals were characterized by means of single enzyme amplified length polymorphism, variable number of tandem repeat analysis, pulsed field gel electrophoresis, and serotyping. All isolates were identified as Leptospira interrogans, serovar Canicola. Infections by this serovar occur in urban regions, where dogs represent the main maintenance hosts, whereas bovine and swine may act as reservoirs of serovar Canicola in rural areas. Both urban and rural aspects of leptospirosis, and the role of domestic animals as maintenance hosts, cannot be neglected in developing and developed countries.     

Mistletoe effects on Scots pine decline following drought events: insights from within-tree spatial patterns, growth and carbohydrates

Forest decline has been attributed to the interaction of several stressors including biotic factors such as mistletoes and climate-induced drought stress. However, few data exist on how mistletoes are spatially arranged within trees and how this spatial pattern is related to changes in radial growth, responses to drought stress and carbon use. We used dendrochronology to quantify how mistletoe (Viscum album L.) infestation and drought stress affected long-term growth patterns in Pinus sylvestris L. at different heights. Basal area increment (BAI) trends and comparisons between trees of three different infestation degrees (without mistletoe, ID1; moderately infested trees, ID2; and severely infested trees, ID3) were performed using linear mixed-effects models. To identify the main climatic drivers of tree growth tree-ring widths were converted into indexed chronologies and related to climate data using correlation functions. We performed spatial analyses of the 3D distribution of mistletoe individuals and their ages within the crowns of three severely infested pines to describe their patterns. Lastly, we quantified carbohydrate and nitrogen concentrations in needles and sapwood of branches from severely infested trees and from trees without mistletoe. Mistletoe individuals formed strongly clustered groups of similar age within tree crowns and their age increased towards the crown apex. Mistletoe infestation negatively impacted growth but this effect was stronger near the tree apex than in the rest of sampled heights, causing an average loss of 64% in BAI (loss of BAI was ～51% at 1.3 m or near the tree base). We found that BAI of severely infested trees and moderately or non-infested trees diverged since 2001 and such divergence was magnified by drought. Infested trees had lower concentrations of soluble sugars in their needles than non-infested ones. We conclude that mistletoe infestation causes growth decline and increases the sensitivity of trees to drought stress.     

Comparison of P and cation cycling in two contrasting seasonally dry forest ecosystems

Context

Interactions of N and P cycles and those of other macro-elements in forests are scarcely known.

Aim

This study compares the P cycle in two very different forest ecosystems where soil P availability is low (tropical dry forest in Mexico and Mediterranean forest in Spain) in relation to Ca, K, and Mg cycles.

Methods

Compiled data belonging to these two forest sites are discussed, comparing the P and base cation budgets and exploring relationships among P and base cation cycles.

Results

Broad differences between input and output of base cations were observed. Analysis of the P budget indicates P retention inside both forest ecosystems. The tropical dry forest has higher nutrient contents than those found in the Mediterranean temperate forest. Chemical composition of forest leaves and litters, and base cation?CP ratios varied according to soil P availability and cation concentrations. However, P resorption is higher in the tropical dry forest than in the temperate one.

Conclusion

This study reveals the existence of P retention at the ecosystem level in both forests, but suggested P limitation at the Mediterranean forest seems to be stronger than that occurring at the tropical forest.     

Variation of wood color parameters of Tectona grandis and its relationship with physical environmental factors

? Context

Teak??s wood color is considered an important attribute in the marketing phase and it has been influenced by environmental setting, stand conditions and management, plant genetic source, and age. However, there is a lack of understanding about how the environmental factors might affect the teak??s wood color planted in short-rotation forest plantations.

? Aims

The aim of this study is to understand the relationship, gathered from generated information, between edaphic and climatic variables and their effects in the wood color variation of Tectona grandis from trees in forest plantations.

? Methods

Twenty-two plots were grouped in five cluster sites that shared similar climatic and soil conditions. Data about soil??s physical?Cchemical properties and climatic variables were collected and analyzed. Representative trees were harvested next to each plot in order to obtain a wood sample per tree at a diameter breast height. Wood color was measured using standardized CIELab??s chromaticity system.

? Results

After comparing the wood change color index (?E*) in the five studied clusters, it was found that heartwood produced from drier and fertile sites had more yellowish-brown color. The heartwood b* color index resulted with significant correlations (R?>?0.5, P?<?0.05) among nine climatic and eight edaphic variables.

? Conclusion

It was concluded that climatic variables should be considered as the first-order causal variables to explain wood color variation. Hence, darker b* wood color was associated with dry climates; also, with deeper and fertile sites.     

Musculoskeletal responses of 2-year-old Thoroughbred horses to early training. 3. In vivo ultrasonographic assessment of the cross-sectional area and echogenicity of the superficial digital flexor tendon

AIM: To determine if the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) of young Thoroughbred horses changed in size and echogenicity in association with early race training.

METHODS: Cross-sectional area (CSA) and echogenicity were determined ultrasonographically at five levels of the SDFT of the forelimbs of 2-year-old fillies (n=14), corresponding to 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 cm distal to the accessory carpal bone (DACB). Measurements were made before and after a 13-week period in which a trained group of seven horses was compared with another group of seven untrained horses.

RESULTS: Level below the accessory carpal bone had a significant effect on CSA and Level 8 was smaller than all other levels except Level 12, while Level 12 was smaller than Levels 4 and 20 but not different from Levels 8 and 16. There was a significant interaction between level and time due to effects observed at Level 8. The CSA at Level 8 measured pre-training was different from that of Levels 4 and 20 in both pre- and post-training groups (p<0.05), but when measured post-training was not different from any other measurement. There was also a significant interaction between treatment group and time. There was no difference between CSA for the untrained and trained groups at the pre-training observation (p=0.9), but post-training the CSA (pooled over all levels) in trained horses was significantly larger than that of the untrained horses both post-training (p=0.019) and pre-training (p=0.034), and was not different from the pretraining CSA recorded in the trained group (p=0.29). Treatment group had no effect on echogenicity (p=0.43), while echogenicity was less at the end of the trial in both trained and untrained horses (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: Early training for racing was associated with an increase in mean CSA of the SDFT. Other factors such as age and maturity may play a role in limiting this increase.