Effect of dipeptide on intestinal peptide transporter 1 gene expression: An evaluation using primary cultured chicken intestinal epithelial cells

Peptide transporter 1 (PepT1) is a transporter responsible for absorbing dipeptide and tripeptide in enterocytes and is upregulated by dipeptide in mammals. It has not been certain whether intestinal PepT1 expression is responsive to dipeptides in chickens because of the lack of in vitro study using the cultured enterocytes. This study established a primary culture model of chicken intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) in two-dimensional monolayer culture using collagen gel by which the response of chicken PepT1 gene expression to dipeptide stimuli was evaluated. The cultured chicken IECs showed the epithelial-like morphology attached in a patch-manner and exhibited positive expression of cytokeratin and epithelial cadherin, specific marker proteins of epithelial cells. Moreover, the chicken IECs exhibited the gene expression of intestinal cell type-specific marker, villin1, mucin 2, and chromogranin A, suggesting that the cultured IECs were composed of enterocytes as well as goblet and enteroendocrine cells. PepT1 gene expression was significantly upregulated by synthetic dipeptide, glycyl-l-glutamine, in the cultured IECs. From the results, we herein suggested that dipeptide is a factor upregulating PepT1 gene expression in chicken IECs.     

Chronic tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis in a domestic donkey in Central Europe

Bovine tuberculosis is a contagious and zoonotic disease of animals and humans. In Europe, the number of reported cases of tuberculosis has decreased. Equidae are relatively rarely infected even in endemic areas. The presented report describes a case of chronic Mycobacterium bovis tuberculosis in a 30-year-old female donkey. The donkey initially presented with persistent lymphadenopathy; however, as the disease progressed, weight loss became apparent. To the authors' knowledge, this is the second confirmed case of tuberculosis in a donkey in Europe.     

The ecosystem services concept: a new Esperanto to facilitate participatory planning processes?

Landscape Ecology - Several case studies investigated the role of ecosystem services in participatory planning processes. However, no systematic study exists that cuts across a large number of...     

Aluminosilicates at different levels in rye litter and feed affect the growth and meat quality of broiler chickens

Veterinary Research Communications - Litter sanitation treatments and feed supplements that stimulate bird growth. The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of zeolite (z) and halloysite (h)...     

Loss in macronutrient pools in bilberry and lingonberry in mesic Scots pine forests after Northern red oak introduction

Forest transformation from coniferous monocultures to mixed stands is being promoted worldwide, including the introduction of fast-growing broadleaved tree species within native stands. Here, we studied how enrichment of temperate European Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) forest by North-American northern red oak Quercus rubra impacted macronutrient concentrations in two long-lived and dominant components of the forest understory: bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus and lingonberry V. vitis-idaea. Study sites were located in forest complexes (central Poland) which occupy continuously reforested lands (hereafter ancient forests) as well as post-agricultural lands (recent forests), all suitable for mesic pine forests. Samples of bilberry and lingonberry leaves, stems, and fruits were collected in pine stands and in adjacent Scots pine-red oak stands, in both ancient and recent forests. Concentrations of macronutrients (C, N, P, K, Ca, S, and Mg) in aboveground biomass components were analysed using standardized chemical procedures. The study revealed intra- and interspecific (bilberry vs. lingonberry) differences in concentrations of all nutrients in leaves, stems, and fruits, except for invariable C concentrations. Macronutrient accumulations in plants were decreased by land-use discontinuity and favoured by enrichment of tree stands by Q. rubra. The estimated macronutrient pools were much higher for V. myrtillus than V. vitis-idaea in all forest types studied. They were lower in forests enriched with Q. rubra, both ancient (up to 25.5% for bilberry and 99.9% for lingonberry) and recent (46.9% and 99.9%, respectively), as well as in recent pine forest (46.6% and 81.1%, respectively) than in ancient pine forest. Higher K and S pools (39.3% and 6.5%, respectively) noted for bilberry in an ancient forest with Q. rubra were exceptions. Despite more effective accumulations of elements at the species level, macronutrient pools of Vaccinium myrtillus and V. vitis-idaea decreased significantly in the presence of introduced Q. rubra due to negative impacts of this broadleaved tree on bilberry and lingonberry cover and biomass. Therefore, the limitation of alien Q. rubra planting in sites of mesic pine forest with the abundant occurrence of V. myrtillus and/or V. vitis-idaea is recommended.

Graphic abstract

     

Soil quality index as a tool for Scots pine （Pinus sylvestris） monoculture conversion planning on afforested,reclaimed mine land

In Central Europe,a large portion of post-mining sites were afforested with Scots pine,which is characterized by good adaptability and a tolerance for poor habitat at the beginning of forest ecosystem development.Conversion of monoculture on mine sites into more biodiverse mixed hardwood forests,especially on more fertile deposits,can be an emerging need in this part of Europe in next decades.The ability to classify the forests at these post-mining sites will facilitate proper species selection as well as the management and formation of the developed ecosystem’s stability.This work describes the guidelines that can be followed to assess reclaimed mine soil(RMS)quality,using the mine soil quality index(MSQI)and a classification of developed forest sites as a basis of tree-stand species selection and conversion of pine monocultures.The research was conducted on four post-mining facilities(lignite,hard coal,sulphur,and sand pit mining areas)on different RMS substrates dominant in Central Europe.Soil quality assessment takes into account the following features of the soil:texture soil nutrients(Ca,Mg,K,Na,P);acidity(pH KCl);and Corg-to-Nt ratio in the initial organic horizon.An analysis was conducted of classification systems using the MSQI validation correlation(at p=0.05)with vegetation features affected by succession:aboveground biomass of forest floor and ecological indicators of vascular plants(calculated on the basis of Ellenberg’s(2009)system).Eventually,in the analysed data set,the MSQI ranged from0.270 for soils on quaternary sands to 0.720 for a mix of quaternary loamy sands with neogene clays.Potential forest habitat types and the role of the pine in the next generation of tree stands on different RMS parent rock substrate were proposed.     

Studies on Low Crossabilities Encountered with the Hordeum bulbosum Method for Haploid Production of Barley, Hordeum vulgare L.

Crosses were made between four spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars and five F₁, hybrids with one genotype of Hordeum bulbosum L. in two locations to investigate further previous low crossabilities which had been found in the barley cultivar ‘Apex’ with H. bulbosum. Data at all the main steps of the H. bulbosum technique were recorded and statistically analyzed. Significant differences between barley genotypes were demonstrated for all characters. It was confirmed that ‘Apex’ has poor crossability with H. bulbosum. Out of the three F₁ hybrids having ‘Apex’ as one parent, two exhibited low crossability similarly to ‘Apex’ but one showed significantly higher seed setting than ‘Apex’. The effect of the location was only significant on seed setting, while genotype X location interactions were significant on seed setting, seed quality and rate of haploid plants in relation 10 florets pollinated. Another problem which has influenced the success rate of the H. bulbosum method was found in the cultivar ‘Havilla’. Although seed setting and seed quality were high for this cultivar, embryo differentiation was low. However, this latter problem was found to influence less the overall success rate than poor crossability. Mahalanobis's distances were calculated and the dendrite of the shortest distances between barley genotypes was plotted.     

Near-infrared spectroscopy for analysis of chemical and microbiological properties of forest soil organic horizons in a heavy-metal-polluted area

In industrial areas, heavy metals may accumulate in forest soil organic horizons, affecting soil microorganisms and causing changes in the chemical composition of the accumulated organic matter. The objectives of this study were to test the ability of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to detect heavy metal effects on the chemical composition of forest soil O horizons and to test whether NIRS may be used to quantitatively determine total and exchangeable concentrations of Zn and Pb (Zn_t, Pb_t, Zn_ex, Pb_ex) and other chemical and microbial properties in forest soil O horizons polluted with heavy metals. The samples of O horizons (n = 79) were analyzed for organic C (C_org), total N and S (N_t, S_t), Zn_t, Pb_t, Zn_ex, Pb_ex, basal respiration (BR), microbial biomass (C_mic) and C_mic-to-C_org ratio. Spectra of the samples were recorded in the Vis-NIR range (400–2,500 nm). To detect heavy-metal-induced changes in the chemical composition of O horizons principal components (PC1–PC7) based on the spectral data were regressed against Zn_t + Pb_t values. A modified partial least squares method was used to develop calibration models for prediction of various chemical and microbial properties of the samples from their spectra. Regression analysis revealed a significant relationship between PC3 and PC5 (r = −0.27 and −0.34, respectively) and Zn_t + Pb_t values, indicating an effect of heavy metal pollution on the spectral properties of the O horizons and thus on their chemical composition. For quantitative estimations, the best calibration model was obtained for C_org-to-N_t ratio (r = 0.98). The models for C_org, N_t, and microbial properties were satisfactory but less accurate. NIRS failed to accurately predict S_t, C_org-to-S_t, Zn_t, Pb_t, Zn_ex, and Pb_ex.     

The examination of biophysical parameters of skin (transepidermal water loss, skin hydration and pH value) in different body regions of normal cats of both sexes

The purpose of this study was to evaluate transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin hydration and skin pH in normal cats. Twenty shorthaired European cats of both sexes were examined in the study. Measurements were taken from five different sites: the lumbar region, the axillary fossa, the inguinal region, the ventral abdominal region and the left thoracic region. In each of the regions, TEWL, skin hydration and skin pH were measured. The highest TEWL value was observed in the axillary fossa (18.22g/h/m(2)) and the lowest in the lumbar region (10.53g/h/m(2)). The highest skin hydration was found in the inguinal region (18.29CU) and the lowest in the lumbar region (4.62CU). The highest skin pH was observed in the inguinal region (6.64) and the lowest in the lumbar region (6.39). Statistically significant differences in TEWL were observed between the lumbar region and the left side of the thorax region (P=0.016), the axillary fossa (P=0.0004), the ventral region (P=0.005), and the inguinal region (P=0.009). There were significant differences in skin hydration between the lumbar region and the left thorax (P=0.000003), the axillary fossa (P=0.002), the ventral abdomen (P=0.03), and the inguinal region (P=0.0003) as well as between the thorax and the ventral abdomen (P=0.005). TEWL was higher in females (15g/h/m(2)) than in males (4.57g/h/m(2)). Skin hydration was higher in females (13.89CU) than in males (12.28CU). Significant differences were not found between males and females for TEWL and skin hydration. Skin pH was higher in males (6.94) than in females (6.54), which was significant (P=0.004).