New aspects of grassland recovery in old‐fields revealed by trait‐based analyses of perennial‐crop‐mediated succession

Classical old‐field succession studies focused on vegetation changes after the abandonment of annual croplands or on succession after the elimination of cultivated crops. Perennial‐crop‐mediated succession, where fields are initially covered by perennial crops, reveals alternative aspects of old‐field succession theories. We tested the validity of classical theories of old‐field succession for perennial‐crop‐mediated succession. We formulated the following hypotheses: (1) functional diversity increases with increasing field age; (2) resource acquisition versus conservation trade‐off shifts toward conservation at community level during the succession; (3) the importance of spatial and temporal seed dispersal decreases during the succession; and (4) competitiveness and stress‐tolerance increases and ruderality decreases at community level during the succession. We studied functional diversity, trait distributions and plant strategies in differently aged old‐fields using chronosequence method. We found increasing functional richness and functional divergence, but also unchanged or decreasing functional evenness. We detected a shift from resource acquisition to resource conservation strategy of communities during the succession. The role of spatial and temporal seed dispersal was found to be important not only at the initial but also at latter successional stages. We found an increasing stress‐tolerance and a decreasing ruderality during succession, while the competitiveness remained unchanged at the community level. Despite the markedly different starting conditions, we found that classical and perennial‐crop‐mediated old‐field successions have some similarities regarding the changes of functional diversity, resource acquisition versus conservation trade‐off, and seed dispersal strategies. However, we revealed also the subsequent differences. The competitive character of communities remained stable during the succession; hence, the initial stages of perennial‐crop‐mediated succession can be similar to the middle stages of classical old‐field succession. Moreover, the occupied functional niche space and differentiation were larger in the older stages, but resources were not effectively utilized within this space, suggesting that the stabilization of the vegetation requires more time.     

Effect of positive charge in VIP 16gamma-glutamyl diamino derivatives on hVPAC1 and hVPAC2 receptor function.

Increase of VPAC receptor s binding to the (16)gamma-glutamyl diaminopropane vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP-DAP) agonist, a vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) structural analogue containing a positive charge at position 16, has confirmed the importance of a positive charge at this site. By investigating the effect of distance from the peptide backbone Calpha of a positive charge in position 16, data are reported here concerning: (i) a novel chemical method used for the synthesis of a new family of (16)gamma-glutamyl diamine VIP derivatives differing among them for single carbon atoms and including diaminoethane (VIP-DAE2), diaminopropane (VIP-DAP3), diaminobutane (VIP-DAB4), diaminopentane (VIP-DAP5), and diaminohexane (VIP-DAH6); (ii) functional characterization of these compounds on human VPAC1 and VPAC2 receptors. In more detail, the EC50 and IC50 values, when measured as a function of the alkylic chain length, show in more detail, that the use of VIP-DAB4 derivative changes the IC50 but not the EC50, thus indicating on hVPAC2 receptor an unexpected relationship between binding and activity that differs from that obtained on hVPAC1.     

Gluten-free vegan diet induces decreased LDL and oxidized LDL levels and raised atheroprotective natural antibodies against phosphorylcholine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized study

Introduction

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of vegan diet in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on blood lipids oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) and natural atheroprotective antibodies against phosphorylcholine (anti-PCs).

Methods

Sixty-six patients with active RA were randomly assigned to either a vegan diet free of gluten (38 patients) or a well-balanced non-vegan diet (28 patients) for 1 year. Thirty patients in the vegan group completed more than 3 months on the diet regimen. Blood lipids were analyzed by routine methods, and oxLDL and anti-PCs were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Data and serum samples were obtained at baseline and after 3 and 12 months.

Results

Mean ages were 50.0 years for the vegan group and 50.8 years for controls. Gluten-free vegan diet induced lower body mass index (BMI) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and higher anti-PC IgM than control diet (p < 0.005). In the vegan group, BMI, LDL, and cholesterol decreased after both 3 and 12 months (p < 0.01) and oxLDL after 3 months (p = 0.021) and trendwise after 12 months (p = 0.090). Triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein did not change. IgA anti-PC levels increased after 3 months (p = 0.027) and IgM anti-PC levels increased trendwise after 12 months (p = 0.057). There was no difference in IgG anti-PC levels. In the control diet group, IgM anti-PC levels decreased both after 3 and 12 months (p < 0.01). When separating vegan patients into clinical responders and non-responders at 12 months, the effects on oxLDL and anti-PC IgA were seen only in responders (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

A gluten-free vegan diet in RA induces changes that are potentially atheroprotective and anti-inflammatory, including decreased LDL and oxLDL levels and raised anti-PC IgM and IgA levels.     

Transketolase and 2',3'-cyclic-nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase type I isoforms are specifically recognized by IgG autoantibodies in multiple sclerosis patients

The presence of autoantibodies in multiple sclerosis (MuS) is well known, but their target antigens have not been clearly identified. In the present study, IgG autoreactivity to neural antigens of normal human white matter separated by bidimensional electrophoresis was assessed in serum and cerebrospinal fluid of 18 MuS and 20 control patients. Broad IgG autoreactivity was detected by two-dimensional immunoblotting in all cases to neural antigens, most of which were identified by mass spectrometry. The comparative analysis of MuS and non-MuS reactive spots showed that a restricted number of neural protein isoforms were specifically recognized by MuS IgG. Almost all MuS patients had cerebrospinal fluid IgG directed to isoforms of one of the oligodendroglial molecules, transketolase, 2',3'-cyclic-nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase type I, collapsin response mediator protein 2, and tubulin beta 4. Interestingly 50% of MuS IgG recognized transketolase, which was mostly localized on oligodendrocytes in human white matter from normal and MuS samples. IgG autoreactivity to cytoskeletal proteins (radixin, sirtuin 2, and actin-interacting protein 1) was prevalent in secondary progressive MuS patients. Among the proteins recognized by serum IgG, almost all MuS patients specifically recognized a restricted number of neuronal/cytoskeletal proteins, whereas 2',3'-cyclic-nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase type I was the oligodendroglial antigen most frequently recognized (44%) by MuS seric IgG. Our immunomics approach shed new light on the autoimmune repertoire present in MuS patients revealing novel oligodendroglial and/or neuronal putative autoantigens with potential important pathogenic and diagnostic implications.     

Estrogens, phytoestrogens and colorectal neoproliferative lesions

Epidemiological and experimental studies suggest a protective role of estrogens against colorectal cancer. This effect seems to be mediated by their binding to estrogen receptor beta (ER-beta), one of the two estrogen receptors with high affinity for these hormones. Very recently, the demonstration of an involvement of ER-beta in the development of adenomatous polyps of the colon has also been documented, suggesting the use of selective ER-beta agonists in primary colorectal cancer prevention. Phytoestrogens are plant-derived compounds that structurally and functionally act as estrogen-agonists in mammals. They are characterized by a higher binding affinity to ER-beta as compared to estrogen receptor alpha (ER-alpha), the other estrogen receptor subtype. These biological characteristics explain why the administration of phytoestrogens does not produce the classical side effects associated to estrogen administration (cerebro- and cardio-vascular accidents, higher incidence of endometrial and breast cancer) and makes these substances ideal candidates for the prevention of colorectal cancer.     

Methotrexate and aminopterin lack in vivo antimalarial activity against murine malaria species

The antifolate anticancer drug methotrexate (MTX) has potent activity against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro. Experience of its use in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis indicates that it could be safe and efficacious for treating malaria. We sought to establish a murine malaria model to study the mechanism of action and resistance of MTX and its analogue aminopterin (AMP). We used Plasmodium berghei, Plasmodium yoelii yoelii, Plasmodium chabaudi and Plasmodium vinckei. None of these species were susceptible to either drug. We have also tested the efficacy of pyrimethamine in combination with folic acid in P. berghei, and data indicate that folic acid does not influence pyrimethamine efficacy, which suggests that P. berghei may not transport folate. Since MTX and AMP utilise folate receptor/transport to gain access to cells, their lack of efficacy against the four tested murine malaria species may be the result of inefficiency of drug transport.     

Complex patterns of geographic variation in heat tolerance and Hsp70 expression levels in the common frog Rana temporaria

1.

We tested for geographical variation in heat tolerance and Hsp70 expression levels of Rana temporaria tadpoles along a 1500 km long latitudinal gradient in Sweden.