Serum Protein Fraction in Mature Horses and Relationship With Metabolic and Hematological Parameters

This study was conducted to determine the effect of age on serum protein fractions and their relationship with metabolic and hematological profiles in mature horses. Twenty-five mature Italian Saddle horses (mean age 13.6 ± 4.8 years) fed the same diet (grass hay and concentrate) were stratified according to age as first maturity, M1 (≤10 years old); second maturity, M2 (>10 and <15 years old); and old, O (>15 years), to be monitored every 28 days for a continuous period of 140 days. Horses in group O had higher plasma protein and thiol concentrations and white blood cell and neutrophil counts than the other two groups. Serum α₂-globulin concentrations were positively correlated with total plasma cholesterol (r = 0.514; P < .001), alkaline phosphatase (r = 0.430; P < .001), aspartate aminotransferase (r = 0.339; P < .001), ceruloplasmin (r = 0.321; P < .001), glutamic pyruvate transaminase (r = 0.444; P < .001), reactive oxygen metabolites (r = 0.426; P < .001), and blood neutrophil counts (r = 0.344; P < .01), and negatively with plasma bilirubin (r = −0.522; P < .001) and creatinine (r = −0.400; P < .001). These results suggest differences in hematological and metabolic profile in Italian Saddle horses after 15 years of age, resulting mainly from changes in plasma proteins and inflammatory mediators. The α₂-globulins fraction seems a quick but reliable marker of an inflammatory situation that, successively, should be better investigated with specific metabolites or enzymes.     

Effects of afforestation with four unmixed plant species on the soil–water interactions in a semiarid Mediterranean region (Sicily, Italy)

Purpose

An assessment of the effect of plant cover on the properties of four afforested soils in central Sicily was performed with the aim of discriminating among them after 60?years of afforestation.

Materials and methods

Chemical and biochemical soil analyses were coupled to fast field cycling (FFC) NMR relaxation investigations in order to monitor surface interactions of water in water-saturated soils.

Results and discussion

The traditional soil analyses revealed that the most stable soil properties such as soil texture and pH are not affected by 60?years of afforestation. Soils developed under eucalyptus trees showed larger amounts of hydrophilic organic matter as compared to the soils under pines and cypresses. FFC-NMR relaxometry data revealed that water, partitioned in clay-, loam-, and sand-type pores, showed longitudinal relaxation time values affected by the interactions with the soluble carbon content.

Conclusions

The results of the present study evidenced the potential of FFC-NMR relaxometry in differentiating the effect of diverse plant cover on chemical and hydrological properties of soils developed on the same parent material. In fact, in contrast with the traditional physicochemical and biochemical soil characterizations, which were unable to reveal differences among soils afforested with different plant species, FFC-NMR was capable of monitoring differences in water dynamics as affected by the presence of the most soluble soil organic material.     

A ω-secalin contained decamer shows a celiac disease prevention activity

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune permanent enteropathy that is triggered in susceptible individuals after the ingestion of gluten, a storage protein fraction presents in wheat, rye and barley endosperm. Specific gluten peptides can bind to HLA-DQ2/8 and induce lamina propria CD4⁺ T cell responses causing damage of the small intestine mucosa. Recent studies suggested that beside immunodominant and toxic epitopes, wheat gluten also contains epitopes capable of preventing the mucosal response in vitro. Among them, a decapeptide (QQPQDAVQPF) from wheat was reported to have an antagonist effect on the agglutination of K562(S) cells and celiac T-cell activation, although the corresponding nucleotidic sequence remained unknown. This study was therefore designed to clone the sequence encoding the protein carrying the decapetide with CD protective properties. A ω-secalin gene encoding containing the decapeptide QQPQRPQQPF was isolated. Although the decapeptide was not identical to the one previously described, QQPQRPQQPF showed the same capability to prevent K562(S) cell agglutination and celiac mucosa immune activation induced by toxic gliadins. The ω-secalin gene was found in wheat carrying the wheat–rye chromosomal translocations 1BL.1RS. The identification of this immunomodulatory gliadin sequence, naturally occurring in cultivars of wheat toxic for celiac patients, might offer new therapeutic strategies for CD.     

Effect of oxidation–reduction potential on performance of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) in recirculating aquaculture systems

The direct impact of oxidation–reduction potential (ORP) on fish welfare and water quality in marine recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) is poorly documented. In this study, the effects of the fish size (S₁, S₂, S₃) and ORP level (normal, four successive levels) on the performance of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) were investigated. Three size fish were distributed into two RAS (RAS and RAS O₃). Ozone was injected into RAS O₃ to increase the ORP level. The ORP was stabilized to four successive levels: 260–300, 300–320, 320–350, and 300–320 mV in fish tanks during four periods (P_1–4). At the last day of each period, the hematological parameters, plasma protein and mortality of sea bass were analyzed. Two-way ANOVA revealed that several hematological parameters, including pH, hematocrit, concentrations of oxygen, carbon dioxide, glucose (Glu), ionized calcium, kalium, and hemoglobin, were significantly influenced by the increased ORP levels over the experimental period. The alteration in blood Glu and plasma protein concentration showed that ORP around 300–320 mV started to stress sea bass. Once the ORP exceeded 320 mV in the tanks during the P₃ period, mortality occurred even when total residual oxidants/ozone-produced oxidants was only 0.03–0.05 mg L^?1 in the fish tanks. At the same time, plasma protein decreased notably due to appetite depression. After the decrease in ORP during the P₄ period, mortality continued. In conclusion, the results strongly suggest that for European sea bass in RAS, the ORP should not exceed 320 mV in the tanks. Once ozonation damaged fish, the effect seemed to be irreversible. However, how ORP affected related hematological parameters still need the further investigations.     

Genetics and molecular mechanisms of resistance to powdery mildews in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and its wild relatives

Powdery mildews (PMs) cause disease in a wide range of plant species including important crops. Taking tomato as an example, here we review findings on the genetic basis and mechanisms of plant resistance to PMs. First, we present a summary of our research on tomato resistance to two PM species, with the focus on Oidium neolycopersici. We discuss the genetics of resistance to this pathogen in tomato. Then, we compare different forms of resistance mediated by different resistance genes based on molecular and cytological data. Also, we provide a comparison between these resistance genes in tomato with those in barley, Arabidopsis and wheat, in order to present a model for the genetic basis of resistance to PMs in plants. We try to accommodate these resistance mechanisms in the current model of plant innate immunity. At the end we discuss possibilities to translate these findings to practical approaches in breeding for resistance to PMs in crops.     

Comet 81P/Wild 2 under a microscope

The Stardust spacecraft collected thousands of particles from comet 81P/Wild 2 and returned them to Earth for laboratory study. The preliminary examination of these samples shows that the nonvolatile portion of the comet is an unequilibrated assortment of materials that have both presolar and solar system origin. The comet contains an abundance of silicate grains that are much larger than predictions of interstellar grain models, and many of these are high-temperature minerals that appear to have formed in the inner regions of the solar nebula. Their presence in a comet proves that the formation of the solar system included mixing on the grandest scales.     

Influence of combined hydro-thermal treatments on selected properties of Turkey oak (Quercus cerris L.) wood

A combined effect of steaming and heat treatment was imposed on green Turkey oak wood, both for sapwood and heartwood. Steaming was carried out in an autoclave at 100–120–130°C whereas heating was carried out in an oven for 2?h at 120–180°C. Equilibrium moisture content at dry, intermediate and moist state both in desorption and adsorption, swelling, cup, twist, color change, and spectral reflectance measures were registered. Swelling and water absorption decreased due to the hydro-thermal treatment. During adsorption, heartwood showed a higher hygroscopic inertia compared to sapwood and this difference increased with temperature. Cup increased with temperature in the steaming process. Twist seemed to be affected more by quality of original trunks than treatments. The wood color was more sensitive at a steaming temperature of 130°C combined with heat treatment at 180°C. Transitional treatments assured more reliable results on homogenization of hue between sapwood and heartwood.     

连续五年生物垃圾堆肥施用后地中海蔬菜种植系统中土壤有机碳的变化

Biowaste compost can influence soil organic matter accumulation directly or indirectly. A 5-year experiment was conducted to assess the influence of biowaste compost on the process of soil aggregation and soil organic carbon(SOC) accumulation in a Mediterranean vegetable cropping system. The study involved four treatments: biowaste compost(COM), mineral NPK fertilizers(MIN), biowaste compost with half-dose N fertilizer(COMN), and unfertilized control(CK). The SOC stocks were increased in COM, COMN, and MIN by 20.2, 14.9, and 2.4 Mg ha~(-1)over CK, respectively. The SOC concentration was significantly related to mean weight diameter of aggregates(MWD)(P 0.05, R~2= 0.798 4) when CK was excluded from regression analysis. Compared to CK, COM and COMN increased the SOC amount in macroaggregates( 250 μm) by 2.7 and 0.6 g kg~(-1)soil, respectively, while MIN showed a loss of 0.4g kg~(-1)soil. The SOC amount in free microaggregates(53–250 μm) increased by 0.9, 1.6, and 1.0 g kg~(-1)soil for COM, COMN, and MIN, respectively, while those in the free silt plus clay aggregates( 53 μm) did not vary significantly. However, when separating SOC in particle-size fractions, we found that more stable organic carbon associated with mineral fraction 53 μm(MOM-C) increased significantly by 3.4, 2.2, and 0.7 g kg~(-1)soil for COM, COMN, and MIN, respectively, over CK, while SOC amount in fine particulate organic matter(POM) fraction(53–250 μm) increased only by 0.3 g kg~(-1)soil for both COM and COMN, with no difference in coarse POM 250 μm. Therefore, we consider that biowaste compost could be effective in improving soil structure and long-term C sequestration as more stable MOM-C.