Inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase expression by an acetonic extract from Feijoa sellowiana Berg. fruits

Feijoa sellowiana Berg. fruits and especially the acetonic extract have been shown to possess biological activities, although the responsible compounds have never been identified. The present study was designed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of an acetonic extract from F. sellowiana Berg. fruits on the nitric oxide (NO) pathway, which plays an important role in inflammation. To this aim the J774 cell line, which expresses inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) following stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), has been utilized, and the effects of this extract and its fractions on NO production, iNOS protein expression, and signal pathways involved in its regulation have been evaluated. This study demonstrates that at least some part of the anti-inflammatory activity of the acetonic extract is due to the suppression of NO production by flavone and stearic acid. The mechanism of this inhibition seems to be related to an action on the expression of the enzyme iNOS through the attenuation of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) and/or mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation.     

Two-dimensional nanosheets produced by liquid exfoliation of layered materials

If they could be easily exfoliated, layered materials would become a diverse source of two-dimensional crystals whose properties would be useful in applications ranging from electronics to energy storage. We show that layered compounds such as MoS(2), WS(2), MoSe(2), MoTe(2), TaSe(2), NbSe(2), NiTe(2), BN, and Bi(2)Te(3) can be efficiently dispersed in common solvents and can be deposited as individual flakes or formed into films. Electron microscopy strongly suggests that the material is exfoliated into individual layers. By blending this material with suspensions of other nanomaterials or polymer solutions, we can prepare hybrid dispersions or composites, which can be cast into films. We show that WS(2) and MoS(2) effectively reinforce polymers, whereas WS(2)/carbon nanotube hybrid films have high conductivity, leading to promising thermoelectric properties.     

Geometric morphometric methods as complementary tools to investigate variability in common dolphins (Delphinus sp.) using museum specimens

1. The common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) has a worldwide distribution, from tropical to temperate seas and oceans. Because of the high degree of geographic variation, the taxonomy of the species is still uncertain.
2. Skulls from 195 museum specimens from nine marine areas were examined using two- and three-dimensional geometric morphometrics. Size and shape variations were analysed using univariate and multivariate statistics among and within areas.
3. Sexual dimorphism and ontogenetic allometry were explored in the largest sample from the south-eastern Pacific Ocean, and significant differences in size between males and females, and effects on shape from sex and marine area interactions were detected, showing that the extreme traits of larger males were a consequence of continuous growth along a common allometric trajectory.
4. A first multivariate ordination of three-dimensional data allowed the detection of highly derived long-beaked morphotypes that were identified as D. delphis tropicalis.
5. An analysis of large-scale shape variation on two-dimensional data in the remaining 142 short-beaked specimens highlighted significant differences between southern and northern stocks, mainly in terms of the relative proportion of the rostrum and the braincase, suggesting an adaptive convergence irrespective of ocean of origin. The results also revealed a clear distinction in the skull shape of the north-eastern Pacific Ocean stock and a large shape variation in the Mediterranean stock.
6. Geometric morphometrics of the skull provided a highly accurate method to investigate the geographic variability in common dolphins, confirming previous genetic findings and highlighting new patterns of likely adaptive variations deserving further study, at both large and small geographic scales.

     

Accumulation and erosion of Mars' south polar layered deposits

Mars' polar regions are covered with ice-rich layered deposits that potentially contain a record of climate variations. The sounding radar SHARAD on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter mapped detailed subsurface stratigraphy in the Promethei Lingula region of the south polar plateau, Planum Australe. Radar reflections interpreted as layers are correlated across adjacent orbits and are continuous for up to 150 kilometers along spacecraft orbital tracks. The reflectors are often separated into discrete reflector sequences, and strong echoes are seen as deep as 1 kilometer. In some cases, the sequences are dipping with respect to each other, suggesting an interdepositional period of erosion. In Australe Sulci, layers are exhumed, indicating recent erosion.     

Rates of Chlorimuron Applied in Glyphosate-Tolerant and Sulfonylurea-Tolerant Soybean

Susceptibility to chlorimuron varies according to soybean genotype. STS® (sulfonylurea-tolerant soybean) presents a high tolerance to some sulfonylureas; this feature is determined by semi-dominants alleles, Als1 and Als2. Experiments were conducted in the field for four seasons with two cultivars for season to evaluate the selectivity of chlorimuron rates in post-emergency (V4) of glyphosate-tolerant and sulfonylurea-tolerant soybean. Data analysis made it possible to infer that there was no significant effect on the productivity of the cultivars when they received application in post-emergency, of chlorimuron at the doses used (0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90 g ai ha^-1). The maximum recommended rate for non-STS cultivars of chlorimuron is 20 g ai ha^-1, or 4.5 times less than the maximum rate employed in this study. The soybean cultivars CD 250 RR/STS, CD 236 RR/STS, CD 2630 RR/STS, and BMX Turbo RR/STS were tolerant to the application, in post-emergency (V4) of the herbicide chlorimuron, until the rate of 90 g ai ha^-1.     

Correcting soil water balance calculations for dew, fog, and light rainfall

In Mediterranean climates, adoption and use of the ET-based scheduling method is limited to regions characterized by considerable contributions to evapotranspiration from fog interception, dew, and light rainfall. While the crop evapotranspiration is often accurately estimated, the water balance is frequently in error because a considerable portion of the energy expended is used to vaporize water from the plant surfaces rather from inside the leaves (i.e., transpiration). Growers in regions with considerable fog, dew, and light rainfall are hesitant to use ET-based scheduling because the cumulative crop evapotranspiration between irrigations is often considerably higher than the soil water depletion. A correction for these surface contributions is clearly needed to improve the water balance calculations and to enhance adoption of the ET-based scheduling method. In this paper, we present a simple, practical method to estimate the contribution of fog interception, dew, and light rainfall to daily crop evapotranspiration, and we show how to use the method to improve water balance calculations.