Aqueous and methanolic extracts of Caulerpa mexicana suppress cell migration and ear edema induced by inflammatory agents

The regulation of the inflammatory response is essential to maintaining homeostasis. Several studies have investigated new drugs that may contribute to avoiding or minimizing excessive inflammatory process. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of extracts of green algae Caulerpa mexicana on models inflammation. In mice, the inflammatory peritonitis model is induced by zymosan. Previous treatment of mice with aqueous and methanolic extracts of C. mexicana was able to suppress the cell migration to the peritoneal cavity, in a time-dependent but not in a dose-dependent manner. The treatment of mice with C. mexicana extracts also decreased the xylene-induced ear edema, exerting strong inhibitory leukocyte migration elicited by zymosan into the air pouch. We concluded that administration of the extracts resulted in a reduction of cell migration to different sites as well as a decrease in edema formation induced by chemical irritants. This study demonstrates for the first time the anti-inflammatory effect of aqueous and methanolic extracts from the green marine algae Caulerpa mexicana.     

Cadmium Impact on Root Exudates of Sorghum and Maize Plants: A Speciation Study

ABSTRACT

The effect of cadmium (Cd) on root exudates of sorghum and maize was investigated in order to get further insight into the mechanisms of plant tolerance to Cd. Plants were grown hydroponically and supplemented with: 0, 0.5, and 5.0 mg Cd L^{? 1}. Hydroponic solutions containing exudates were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results showed different exudation patterns by sorghum and maize with cadmium supply. While sorghum enhanced malate exudation over the entire range of applied Cd in the uptake solutions, maize increased mainly citrate. Moreover, malate concentration exuded in sorghum rhizosphere presented higher values than citrate (from maize). With the aid of the HYPERQUAD speciation program, a significant decrease in the bioavailable Cd (free Cd plus Cd chloro-complexes) was found due to the increase of Cd organic complexation in the hydroponic solution. Furthermore, similar metal organic complex concentrations were obtained for both plants, which turned the maize and sorghum overall detoxification process equivalent. Exudation of malate and citrate should contribute to tolerance mechanisms of these plants, reducing deleterious effects of free Cd on root growth. These findings support the idea that the metal-binding capabilities of root exudates may be an important mechanism for stabilizing metals in soil.     

Target Spot Control and Modulation of the Physiology in Cucumber Using Phosphites and Chitosan

Phosphites and chitosan were evaluated in target spot control, nutrition and gas exchange in cucumbers. Three weekly sprayings of commercial products were conducted, and Corynespora cassiicola (causal agent of target spot) was inoculated in the second and third true leaves four days after the last spraying. Zn, Mn, K and Cu phosphites reduced the disease severity, but the treatments had no effect on the development of the plants and the accumulation of macronutrients in the above ground part, with the exception of sulfur. The accumulation of Cu, Mn and Zn micronutrients were higher in plants treated with Cu, Mn and Zn phosphites, respectively. The green color index was influenced by the treatments after pathogen inoculation, with the highest values for Zn and Cu phosphites. Before inoculation, the products influenced net CO₂ assimilation rate (A), stomatal conductance (g_s) and internal CO₂ concentration (C_i). The parameters g_s and C_i increased, which indicates that the treatments can physiologically benefit the plants in the absence of a stress condition. After fungal inoculation, the Cu, Mn and Zn phosphites caused positive physiological effects, leading to the highest A values and adequate carboxylation efficiency (CE), which increases the capacity of plants to assimilate CO₂. These phosphites also maintained adequate water use efficiency and g_s and C_i values. Such indexes corresponded to lower disease severity, indicating that Mn, Zn and Cu phosphites reduced the stress caused by the disease, preserving the functionality of the photosynthetic apparatus.

     

Assessing the statistical training in animal science graduate programs in the United States: survey on statistical training

Statistical analysis of data and understanding of experimental design are critical skills needed by animal science graduate students (ASGS). These skills are even more valuable with the increased development of high-throughput technologies. The objective of this study was to evaluate the perceived statistical training of U.S. ASGS. A survey with 38 questions was shared across U.S. universities, and 416 eligible ASGS from 43 universities participated in this study. The survey included questions on the demographics and overall training, graduate education on statistics, and self-assessment on statistics and career path of ASGS. Several analyses were performed: relationship between perceived received education (PRE; i.e., how ASGS evaluated their graduate education in statistics) and perceived knowledge (PK; i.e., how ASGS evaluated their knowledge in statistics from their education); ranking of statistical topics based on PRE, PK, and confidence in performing statistical analyses (CPSA); cluster analysis of statistical topics for PRE, PK, and CPSA; and factors (demographic, overall training, interest in statistics, and field of study) associated with the overall scores (OS) for PRE, PK, and CPSA. Students had greater (P < 0.05) PRE than PK for most of the statistical topics included in this study. The moderate to high repeatability of answers within statistical topics indicates substantial correlations in ASGS answers between PRE and PK. The cluster analysis resulted in distinct groups of “Traditional” and “Nontraditional” statistical topics. ASGS showed lower (P < 0.05) scores of PRE, PK, and CPSA in “Nontraditional” compared with “Traditional” statistical methods. Several factors were associated (P < 0.05) with the OS of PRE, PK, and CSPA. In general, factors related to greater training and interest in statistics of ASGS were associated with greater OS, such as taking more credits in statistics courses, having additional training in statistics outside the classroom, knowing more than one statistics software, and more. This study provided comprehensive information on the perceived level of education, knowledge, and confidence in statistics in ASGS in the United States. Although objective measurements of their training in statistics are needed, the current study suggests that ASGS have limited statistical training on topics of major importance for the current and future trends of data-driven research in animal sciences.     

Effects of the Gpc‐B1 locus on high grain protein content introgressed into Argentinean wheat germplasm

Wheat grain protein content (GPC) is important for human nutrition and has a strong influence on the quality of pasta and bread. The objective of this study was to analyse the introduction of the Gpc‐B1 allele into two Argentinean bread wheat cultivars. Near‐isogenic lines were developed in ‘ProINTA Oasis’ and ‘ProINTA Granar’ using marker‐assisted selection. Gpc‐B1 lines showed a significant (P = 0.01) increase in GPC and a significant (P = 0.001) decrease in grain weight in comparison with control lines without Gpc‐B1. Differences in yield were not significant (P = 0.49) between lines. Gpc‐B1 lines significantly reduced (P = 0.02) straw nitrogen concentration at maturity and significantly increased (P = 0.02) the nitrogen harvest index. When data were analysed by genotype and environment, differences in some analysed parameters were found, indicating that Gpc‐B1 expression may be affected by different genetic backgrounds and environmental conditions. These results suggest that the introgression of the Gpc‐B1 allele into Argentinean wheat germplasm could be a valuable resource for improving GPC with no detrimental effect on grain yield.     

Adaptation of ostriches to transport‐induced stress: Physiometabolic response

This study assessed the effects of five different transport periods on physiometabolic responses and gas exchange in ostriches. It included 138 ostriches that were assigned to five experimental groups. G₁ included 78 birds that were set aside as a reference group (RG). Each one of the four remaining experimental groups included 20 ostriches, which were transported in the following manner: G₁ on one occasion for a period of 1 h; G₂ on one occasion for 2 h; and G₃ on one occasion for 3 h; G_4a was made up of the ostriches from G₁ but they were shipped on a second occasion, for 2 h (making a total of 3 h); finally, G_4b was that same group, but after a third transport period, on this occasion during 3 h (for a total of 6 h). Groups G₂ and G₃ presented the most marked blood alterations (P < 0.05), including an increase in pH, hypocapnia (27.8 ± 0.80 mmHg), hypernatremia (171.75 ± 1.84 mmol/L), hypocalcemia (0.95 ± 0.03 mmol/L), and hyperglycemia (224.05 ± 3.94 mg/dL). Also, group G₃ presented the lowest hematocrit values (26.5 ± 0.47 HTC%). Therefore, transporting ostriches with no prior experience for 3 h caused the most pronounced physiometabolic changes.     

Green bonds in the emerging multilateral development banks: A (sufficient) alternative to catalysing private capital?

The article aims at discussing the rise of the green bonds in the context of the multilateral development banks, by problematizing their threats and potentialities to be an alternative to the existing financing system within the sustainable development agenda. It scrutinises the development rhetoric behind the emergence of multilateral development banks in the Global South, specifically in the Asian context, and attempts to foster alternatives to the Bretton Woods institutions. The two largest initiatives in that sense – the New Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank – started in Asia and also target countries in the region, giving the growing influence of China and the enhancement of interregional cooperation through the BRICS countries, currently led by China, India and Russia. The paper argues that there is limited scope for the promised innovations in both project assessment and the role of private capital, given the prioritisation of infrastructure as the premise to achieving the right to development among emerging and least‐developed economies. The research departed from the quantitative and qualitative analysis of the projects funded by the New Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, from their inception until 2018, considering the approach that such institutions have taken to the social and environmental standards from their normative framework.     

Biocompatibility of the Biopolymer Cyanoflan for Applications in Skin Wound Healing

There is a great demand for the development of novel wound dressings to overcome the time and costs of wound care performed by a vast number of clinicians, especially in the current overburdened healthcare systems. In this study, Cyanoflan, a biopolymer secreted by a marine unicellular cyanobacterium, was evaluated as a potential biomaterial for wound healing. Cyanoflan effects on cell viability, apoptosis, and migration were assessed in vitro, while the effect on tissue regeneration and biosafety was evaluated in healthy Wistar rats. The cell viability and apoptosis of fibroblasts and endothelial cells was not influenced by the treatment with different concentrations of Cyanoflan, as observed by flow cytometry. Moreover, the presence of Cyanoflan did not affect cell motility and migratory capacity, nor did it induce reactive oxygen species production, even revealing an antioxidant behavior regarding the endothelial cells. Furthermore, the skin wound healing in vivo assay demonstrated that Cyanoflan perfectly adapted to the wound bed without inducing systemic or local oxidative or inflammatory reaction. Altogether, these results suggest that Cyanoflan is a promising biopolymer for the development of innovative applications to overcome the many challenges that still exist in skin wound healing.     

Plant communities and soil phytolith assemblages relationship in native grasslands from southeastern Buenos Aires province,Argentina

This study has compared the phytolith production and soil phytolith assemblages of two native grass communities typical in Argentina, namely the monospecific Paspalum quadrifarium community or “pajonal”, and the Stipa-Piptochaetium community or “flechillar”. Five sites – three of which had been unmanaged while other two had been submitted to fire and fire-grazing management activities – were selected for study. The results show that in these sites a) phytolith production of the plant communities differed due to their diverse floristic composition, b) it was possible to define the type of management or the type of community based on soil phytolith assemblages, c) there were differences between plant communities and soil phytolith assemblages. These results suggest that modern phytolith assemblages are composed not only of local and present vegetation but also of extralocal/regional and probably past vegetation. Hypotheses about the probable processes involved in phytolith incorporation to soil have emerged during the investigation.