ABCG2 expression and uric acid metabolism of the intestine in hyperuricemia model rat

Abstract

To elucidate roles of the intestine in uric acid (UA) metabolism, we examined ABCG2 expression, tissue UA content and xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) activity in different intestinal segments. Male SD rats were assigned to control group or oxonic acid-induced hyperuricemia (HUA) group. In control rats, ABCG2 was present both in villi and crypts in each segment. Tissue UA content and XOR activity were relatively high in duodenum and jejunum. However, in HUA rats, tissue UA content was significantly elevated in the ileum, whereas it remained unaltered in other segments. Moreover, ABCG2 expression in the HUA group was upregulated both in the villi and crypts of the ileum. These data indicate that the ileum may play an important role in the extra-renal UA excretion.     

Passive restoration in Araucaria Forest: useful ecological indicators in monitoring successional advancement in exotic tree plantation landscapes

Monitoring successional advancement is a complex field involving a constant search for applied ecological indicators which facilitate monitoring of secondary forests for both active and passive restoration. In this study, the authors investigate the successional advancement of floristics and tree structure within Araucaria Forest (AF) fragments under passive restoration in a context where exotic tree plantations (mainly Pinus L. genus) dominate the landscape. The ecological indicators used were floristic dissimilarity (β‐diversity inferences), indicator species, ecological groups of species, basal area, and species abundance distribution (SAD) models (α‐diversity inferences). A total of 182 tree species belonging to 91 genera and 43 botanical families were identified. A high β diversity was verified for which each site has indicator species (for the locations CD—Dicksonia sellowiana; CO—Cryptocarya aschersoniana; and PG—Pinus taeda), where pioneer species contributed to much of the abundance. Different SAD models are useful for describing passive restoration sites in exotic tree plantation landscapes, namely Lognormal, Mandelbrot, and Zipf. SAD models together with basal area, taxonomic group (e.g. Myrtaceae assemblage), and tree abundance in ecological groups are strategic ecological indicators for monitoring successional advancement in AF.     

Life cycle of an endangered riffle beetle,Leptelmis gracilis Sharp (Coleoptera: Elmidae), in the Hiikawa River system,Shimane prefecture,Japan

We studied the life cycle of the riffle beetle Leptelmis gracilis Sharp, 1888 from a population located in a river stream with lotic environments. Samples were collected monthly, between September 2018 and August 2019, from a tributary of the Hiikawa River in Izumo city, Shimane Prefecture, Honshu, Japan. Larvae were separated into five distinct groups based on size. The first and last instar larval sizes were identified through rearing methods. From these results, we determined that the larval stage of this species consists of five instars. From the monthly evaluations, the number of individuals corresponding to each instar period suggested that last-instar larvae were dominant in May and that new adults emerged from July to August. Landing and pupation were estimated to occur from May to June. Monthly observations revealed that mature eggs were present in the female abdomen from April to June, as well as from August to September. It is, therefore, predicted that overwintering adults mainly oviposit from spring to early summer, while new adults oviposit from late summer to early autumn.     

Flood mitigation function of rain gardens for management of urban storm runoff in Japan

Urban waterlogging stems from coverage with impervious surfaces and increasing rainfall intensity from climate change and variability, meaning that storm water cannot readily infiltrate the ground and excessive surface runoff leads to urban flooding. To reduce related environmental and safety risks, rainfall and groundwater level research was carried out in Kyoto Prefecture with two rain gardens (RG1 and RG2) to investigate flood mitigation functions using a tank model. During the 134 days of monitoring from July 14, 2017, to November 25, 2017, RG1 had seven overflow events with an average runoff control ratio of 63.94%, and RG2 had one event with a ratio of 95.97%. The RG1 tank model (two stages) showed that initial storage for the first and second depths was 6.912?×?10^?11 and 0 mm, respectively. The heights of the discharge holes were 20.857 and 0.784 mm for the first stage and 0.659 mm for the second stage, and the discharge hole coefficients were 0.529 and 0.002 for the first stage and 0.004 for the second stage. The results showed that RG1 had penetration hole coefficients of 0.138 (first stage) and 0.254 (second stage), with a water balance error of 0.017 (<?0.02) and a Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient of 0.922, indicating better reliability and quality than RG2 with the one-stage tank model. Peak flow simulation for mitigation showed that RG1 had a high overflow control ratio (mitigation time 2 h for instant rainfall of 100 mm/h), and can therefore be considered appropriate for other urban areas of Japan.

     

Correction to: Rainwater storage/infiltration function of rain gardens for management of urban storm runoff in Japan

Landscape and Ecological Engineering - In the original publication of the article, Figure&nbsp;1 was published incorrectly. The correct figure is given below.     

Length-weight relationship of fish species captured around an artificial offshore reef (northern Rio de Janeiro,Brazil)

The present work provides length-weight relationships (LWRs) for fish species captured around artificial offshore reef deployed 5 km from Guaxindiba Port, northern Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The fish were captured during two sampling periods each year between 1996 and 2017 using bottom gill nets (25 m_length × 3 m_depth; 30 mm mesh). The fish were kept on ice and the biometric data, including total length (cm) and total wet weight (g) were determined in the laboratory. A total of 16 species belonging to 10 families were analyzed with Sciaenidae being the species richest family (5 spp) in the samples. The new value of LWRs for Sphyraena guachancho and new maximum sizes recorded for seven species highlight the scarcity of information on biological aspects of South America coastal fishes. These LWRs should assist fisheries scientist and managers to complement their further studies of population parameters to improve management decisions.     

Factors determining vegetation recovery after abandonment of coal-mining villages

Landscape and Ecological Engineering - There have been many earlier studies of the biodiversity and ecosystem services of abandoned farmlands, but studies of abandoned villages are limited,...     

Factors influencing lifespan dependency on agricultural crops by brown bears

Landscape and Ecological Engineering - Investigating factors underlying human-wildlife conflicts in agricultural landscapes is important for both preventing crop damage and wildlife conservation....