Potential use of simple manganese salts as antioxidant drugs in horses.

The scavenging of superoxide radicals by endogenous and therapeutically administered superoxide dismutases may prevent superoxide-mediated oxidative stress leading to lipid peroxidation, membrane lysis, and cell death in a wide variety of normal and pathologic states. Simple inorganic manganous salts such as MnCl2 also have superoxide dismutase-like activity and are extremely inexpensive, compared with enzymatic superoxide dismutase preparations. In this study, we explored the use of Mn salts as antioxidant drugs. We used the percentage of inhibition of nitroblue tetrazolium reduction by superoxide as a measure of the amount of superoxide dismutase-like activity. We found concentration-related increases in superoxide scavenging activity in simple buffer solutions upon addition of 1.25, 2.5, and 5.0 microM MnSO4. To determine whether Mn salts can inhibit oxidative damage in tissues, we used an in vitro model of lipid peroxidation in ischemic and reoxygenated rat liver slices. Concentrations of 10, 100, and 1000 mumoles MnCl2/L of buffer significantly decreased indicators of lipid peroxidation believed to be initiated by intracellular superoxide. We then determined the effectiveness of MnCl2 as a superoxide scavenger in conscious horses by measuring the superoxide scavenging ability of equine plasma before and during intravenous infusions of 1.0 L volumes of 0.9% saline solution containing 0, 12.5, or 25 mM MnCl2. Plasma Mn concentrations, which were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, increased as a function of time and dose. Intravenously administered MnCl2 concomitantly produced dose-related increases in superoxide scavenging ability of equine plasma at 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes after the onset of infusion, compared with preinfusion control values.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

聚碳酸酯板材多点热成形数值模拟与成形精度分析

提出了用于热塑性聚合物板材的柔性成形技术——多点热成形技术。根据高温单向拉伸试验数据确定了不同温度下聚碳酸酯(PC)板材的超弹性材料模型参数。运用有限元软件Abaqus对不同温度和不同成形压力下的PC板材多点热成形过程进行了数值模拟,结果表明:当成形温度与成形压力分别为160℃和10 kPa时,成形件平均形状误差最小。参照数值模拟结果进行了PC板材的多点热成形试验,验证了数值模拟结果的准确性。测量并分析了成形件的成形精度,结果表明:成形件具有较高的成形精度,可以满足工程应用需要。     

Quambalaria eucalypti found on Eucalyptus in Indonesia

The Eucalyptus plantation industry in Indonesia has expanded rapidly during the last few decades. During routine nursery disease surveys, symptoms of a leaf and shoot blight disease were detected on Eucalyptus mother plants. Isolates were obtained from symptomatic tissues and identified using DNA sequence analyses. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the isolates were those of Quambalaria eucalypti. Pathogenicity tests were conducted with isolates of Q. eucalypti on clones of E. pellita and E. grandis × E. pellita hybrids. These resulted in symptoms similar to those observed on naturally infected plants. Eucalyptus genotypes tested showed variation in their susceptibility, highlighting the potential to select and breed for resistance and thus to manage future outbreaks of the disease. This is the first report of the pathogen in Indonesia as well as in Southeast Asia.     

Resistance to Pseudomonas solanacearum in the potato: II. Aspects of host-pathogen-environment interaction

Summary White clover genotypes were selected for high and low values of leaf size, taproot diamater, number of taproots, proportion of total root and taproot dry weight. Crosses within selected groups of genotypes resulted in 14 seed lines, which were compared with parent genotypes in field tiles. Selections for taproot diameter and proportion taproot were more successful than those for taproot number and proportion root.Narrow sense heritability of characters calculated by regression of progeny on mid-parent values were well correlated with broad sense heritabilities derived from replicated clonal comparisons (r=0.73^*), indicating that the genetic variation is controlled predominantly by additive gene effects.     

Agricultural land-use patterns and soil erosion vulnerability of watershed units in Vietnam’s northern highlands

Since the mid eighties, agricultural development and increased population growth in Vietnam’s northern highlands have modified land use patterns and thus, increased the runoff process and soil degradation induced by water erosion. In the last decade, Vietnamese literature has focused on the computation of soil losses over large areas. Most of these spatial and quantitative soil erosion studies do not consider the impact of agricultural land use diversity (spatial heterogeneity), particularly at the watershed scale, and the annual variability of seasonal landscape factors on soil erosion vulnerability and hence, landscape dynamics. We present an integrated approach combining field measurements and observations, GIS and modeling to determine the spatial and temporal dynamics of soil erosion vulnerability according to watershed units and hence, the impact of physical environment components and agricultural land use patterns on landscape evolution. Tables and graphics showing the cropping systems, the periods within a year, and the watershed units that are most vulnerable are presented. The double cultivation cycles for paddy rice fields not only imply two periods of land preparation and establishment that expose the soil surface to raindrop impacts, but also increased soil management practices that decrease the soil’s resistance to detachment. Despite the low levels of soil management practices for the shifting cultivation system, the near absence of soil conservation practices clearly increases their vulnerability. Hence, rainfed cropping systems, mainly soya and cassava, cultivated on sloping lands (hills and mountains) where soil erosion vulnerability is the highest represent the watershed units which are the most prone to soil loss.     

Climate and vegetation determine soil organic matter status in an alpine inner-tropical soil catena in the Fan Si Pan Mountain,Vietnam

High mountain ecosystems are generally considered to be particularly sensitive to global climate change. Studies of pedogenesis associated with altitudinal variation, vegetation type and soil carbon content on the same type of parent rock are very limited in inter-tropical mountain areas. Therefore the altitudinal variation of soil pedogenesis through 9 selected profiles from the altitude of 1340 m to 3143 m asl, the summit of the Fan Si Pan Mountain, in the north of Vietnam was examined. Fan Si Pan Mountain is composed of a homogenous alkaline granite rock and is the highest point of the Inter-tropical Continental Asia. The Soil Organic Matter properties (C, N, δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N contents) of the different grain-size fractions of the topsoil of 4 selected profiles corresponding to different ecosystems were also examined.     

Escherichia coli ghosts or live E. coli expressing the ferri-siderophore receptors FepA, FhuE, IroN and IutA do not protect broiler chickens against avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC)

The aim of this study was to investigate if immunization with the ferri-siderophore receptors FepA, FhuE, IroN and IutA could protect chickens against avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) infection. The antigens were administered as recombinant proteins in the outer membrane (OM) of E. coli strain BL21 Star DE3. In a first immunization experiment, live E. coli expressing all 4 recombinant ferri-siderophore receptors (BL21(L)) were given intranasally. In a second immunization experiment, a mixture of E. coli ghosts containing recombinant FepA and IutA and ghosts containing recombinant FhuE and IroN was evaluated. For both experiments non-recombinant counterparts of the tentative vaccines were administered as placebo. At the time of challenge, the IgG antibody response for BL21(L) and a mixture of E. coli ghosts containing recombinant FepA and IutA and ghosts containing recombinant FhuE and IroN was significantly higher in all immunized groups as compared to the negative control groups (LB or PBS) confirming successful immunization. Although neither of the tentative vaccines could prevent lesions and mortality upon APEC infection, immunization with bacterial ghosts resulted in a decrease in mortality from 50% (PBS) to 31% (non-recombinant ghosts) or 20% (recombinant ghosts) and these differences were not found to be significant.     

Assessment of enrichment planting of teak (Tectona grandis) in degraded dry deciduous dipterocarp forest in the Central Highlands,Vietnam

After years of unsustainable logging, dry deciduous dipterocarp forest (DDDF) has become poor in timber stocks and has been converted to industrial crops such as rubber. The objectives of this study were to assess teak (Tectona grandis L.f.) tree establishment under degraded DDDF conditions and to determine factors that influence the suitability of teak as a forest enrichment tree species. A set of 64 experimental plots of 4 900 m² each was set up and observed for 4–5 years for testing enrichment planting with teak under various combinations of two groups of factors: ecological conditions and forest status. Weighted, non-linear, multivariate regression models were used to detect key factors that influenced the suitability of teak. The results showed that at the age of 4 years the average dominant tree height (defined as 20% of the tallest trees in the experimental plot) reached 11.2, 7.8, 5.3 and 3.8 m for very good, good, average and poor suitability levels, respectively. Survival rates of planted teak from average to very good suitability levels were over 90%. Six key factors that affected the suitability of teak were waterlogging during the rainy season, altitude, stand volume of the degraded DDDF, soil type, percentage of sand and concentration of P₂O₅ in the soil. Under the extreme ecological and environmental conditions of the DDDF, enrichment planting with teak gave promising results.     

Formation of Enzyme‐Resistant Starch in Bread as Affected by High‐Amylose Wheat Flour Substitutions

High‐amylose wheat flour was used to substitute for normal wheat flour in breadmaking and formation of resistant starch (RS) in bread during storage was determined. Substitution with high‐amylose wheat flour (HAF) decreased peak and final viscosities, breakdown, and setback. Doughs with HAF substitutions were weaker and less elastic, and absorbed more water than those of the normal wheat flour. After baking, RS contents in breads with 10, 30, and 50% HAF substitutions were 1.6, 2.6, and 3.0% (db), respectively, higher than that of the control (0.9%, db). The levels of RS increased gradually during storage for one, three, and five days. With substitutions of 30 and 50% HAF, the total levels of dietary fiber (DF) and RS in bread after five days of storage were 15.5 and 16.8% (db), respectively, as compared to 13.0% (db) in bread from the normal wheat flour. The loaf volumes and appearances of bread crumbs made from HAF substitutions of 10 and 30% were not significantly different from those of the control, whereas the substitution with 50% HAF decreased loaf volume and resulted in inferior appearance of breadcrumbs. The firmness of breadcrumbs increased along with increase in the level of HAF substitutions after baking. During storage, the firmness of breadcrumb with 10% HAF substitutions was higher than that of the control, whereas breads with 30 and 50% HAF substitutions had similar firmness to the control. As a result, HAF might be used to substitute for up to 50% normal wheat flour to make bread with acceptable bread quality and significantly high amount of RS.