Riboflavin storage in earthworm chloragocytes and chloragocyte-derived eleocytes and its putative role as chemoattractant for immunocompetent cells

We have shown previously that riboflavin is stored in chloragosomes of chloragocyte-derived earthworm eleocytes what may have an adaptive value for worms vulnerable to soil-derived pathogen invasion. Thus, it is important to determine whether riboflavin stores are also present in earthworm species with low eleocyte counts, especially in the chloragocytes of their chloragogen tissue that surrounds the coelomic site of the intestine, and find out its putative roles in earthworm immunity. Experiments were performed on adult worms from 6 species. Freely floating coelomocytes (consisting of amoebocytes plus species-specific numbers of eleocytes) were extruded by mild electric shock and then chloragocytes from the same anaesthetized worm were mechanically detached into buffer. Both cell suspensions were analyzed by spectrofluorometry for riboflavin content. It turned out that riboflavin is stored in species-specific quantities in all investigated species. Riboflavin storage predominates in free coelomocytes of eleocyte-rich species (Eisenia andrei, Dendrobaena veneta, Allolobophora chlorotica) while in chloragocytes of species with few eleocytes (Lumbricus terrestris, L. rubellus, and Aporrectodea caliginosa). Upon a massive microbial impact, the coelomocytes (both amoebocytes and eleocytes) are involved in the formation of multicellular bodies encapsulating soil-derived pathogens, what is connected with enhanced coelomocyte mobility. Thus the second aim of the present investigation was to check if riboflavin can participate in coelomocyte accumulations. Tests performed in a 48-well chemotaxis chamber revealed that riboflavin behave as chemoattractant for coelomocytes of all investigated earthworm species, which may be one of mechanisms underpinning its immunomodulatory functions.     

Use of a self-expanding metallic stent for the treatment of a urethral stricture in a young cat

A 4-month-old intact male domestic shorthair cat was evaluated for urinary outflow obstruction after several weeks of medical management for traumatic urethral rupture. Positive-contrast retrograde urethrography and anterograde cystoscopy performed 4 weeks after the initial urethral injury confirmed a stricture approximately 1cm distal to the bladder trigone at the site of the initial urethral tear. A self-expanding metallic urethral stent (SEMS) was placed under fluoroscopic guidance to relieve the urethral stricture and re-establish luminal patency. After stent placement, the cat was able to void urine normally with minimal urinary incontinence noted. This resolved several months post-stent placement. No known clinical complications persisted other than mild intermittent hematuria.     

Chlorophyll as an indicator of the upper critical tissue concentration of cadmium in plants

The upper critical concentration for Cd in wheat plants (Triticum aestivum) grown in Hoagland's solution, was found by the method of Beckett and Davis (1977) to be 44 μg g^?1 dry weight, using shoot chlorophyll levels as an indicator of plant health. Chlorophyll compared favorably with other indices of growth and may, in conditions where metal toxicity is manifest as chlorosis, be more accurate and sensitive than shoot dry weights or longest root lengths. It was not possible with the limited number of experiments conducted here to determine, with any degree of confidence, differences in the levels at which chlorophylls a and b were affected.     

Periphyton Assemblages as Bioindicators of Mine-Drainage in Unglaciated Western Allegheny Plateau Lotic Systems

In order to determine the influence of geologic patterns and coal mining on benthic algal assemblages, 56 stream sites throughout the unglaciated Western Allegany Plateau were investigated. These sites were categorized based upon catchment mining/reclamation history. At each site, select environmental parameters such as pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, metallic salts concentration, turbidity, maximum wetted width, and average thalweg depth were measured. Periphyton from riffle areas and macroscopic algal taxa from a 20 m segment were collected. Relative importance values were developed and calculated for both the periphyton and macroalgal communities. Canonical correspondence analyses of the periphyton and macroalgal data set each showed five major groups of stream reaches that were defined by specific algal taxa and environmental characteristics. Two of the groups were dominated by variables associated with acid mine drainage (AMD) and had taxa known from very acidic waters. One group was entirely composed of sites receiving treated waters from active coal mines. Another group was dominated by sites classified as alkaline mine drainage (AkMD) and the last group was primarily reference sites with a few reclaimed reaches. The AMD impacted groups had a significantly lower species richness and diversity than the other three groups. Species-based models for inferring the level of critical environmental parameters related to mining showed the periphyton-based inference model for pH was highly predictable and may be quite useful for evaluation of coal mine remediation. Other promising periphyton- and macroalgal-based models, yielded poor r ² and root mean square error (RMSE) after cross-validation. Comparison of the relative importance values with more traditional assessments of community structure showed similar results with the diatoms and chlorophytes dominating the periphyton and macroalgae, respectively.     

A simple approach to soil loss prediction: a revised Morgan–Morgan–Finney model

A revised version of the Morgan–Morgan–Finney model for prediction of annual soil loss by water is presented. Changes have been made to the way soil particle detachment by raindrop impact is simulated, which now takes account of plant canopy height and leaf drainage, and a component has been added for soil particle detachment by flow. When tested against the same data set used to validate the original version at the erosion plot scale, predictions made with the revised model gave slopes of a reduced major-axis regression line closer to 1.0 when compared with measured values. The coefficient of efficiency, for sites with measured runoff and soil loss, increased from 0.54 to 0.65. When applied to a new data set for erosion plots in Denmark, Spain, Greece and Nepal, very high coefficients of efficiency of 0.94 for runoff and 0.84 for soil loss were obtained. The revised version was applied to two small catchments by dividing them into land elements and routing annual runoff and sediment production over the land surface from one element to another. The results indicate that, when used in this way, the model provides useful information on the source areas of sediment, sediment delivery to streams and annual sediment yield.     

Influence of lipid extraction process on the rheological characteristics, swelling power, and granule size of rice starches in excess water

The influence of the lipid extraction process on both macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of nonwaxy rice starch gelatinization in excess water was examined. Surface lipids extraction did not change the thermodynamics of starch gelatinization but lead to a significant reduction (33%) in the enthalpy of starch-lipid complex melting at high temperature, resulting in less viscous dispersions. Internal lipid extraction using hot aqueous alcoholic solutions resulted in an irreversible increase in starch granule diameter (50% increase in D[4,3]) and a dramatic change in cooking characteristics of the starch. Instead of the bimodal swelling observed for native nonwaxy rice starch, only one broad transition in swelling, solubility, granule size, and viscosity was observed in the case of the totally defatted starch. While the total removal of lipids resulted in a slight increase in starch swelling at intermediate temperatures, the harshness of the process caused irreparable changes leading to notably lower swelling at high temperatures.     

Properties of polyclonal, monoclonal, and recombinant antibodies recognizing the organophosphorus pesticide chlorpyrifos-ethyl

A rabbit polyclonal antiserum and two murine monoclonal antibodies recognizing the organophosphorus pesticide chlorpyrifos-ethyl were produced. The two hybridoma cell lines were then used as sources of immunoglobulin genes for the generation of recombinant scFv antibodies in Escherichia coli. The two scFvs showed either similar or improved limits of detection in an ELISA when compared with the monoclonal antibodies. Cross-reactivity studies showed that all of the antibodies were specific toward the chlorinated aromatic ring. Furthermore, scFv gene sequences were linked directly to sequences coding for either a c-Myc tag, a His-tag, or alkaline phosphatase. The fusion products generated were functional, and their properties were determined. The problems associated with producing scFvs and scFv derivatives for detection of pesticide residues from hybridoma are addressed and discussed.