Potential risk of biologic pollution associated to the introduction of <i>Pinus radiata</i> in grassland areas

Afforestation is a recommended practice to mitigate global warming. However, their implementation may generate undesirable impacts, mostly if exotic species are used. Plantations of Pinus radiata D Don in Ventania (Bs. As., Argentina) soils showed notorious increments of extractable P (Pe), which could affect the dynamic of this element as well as the degree of phosphorus saturation (GSP_Bray). The objectives of this study were: i) to quantify the GSP_Bray in Mollisols afforested with P. radiata comparing the results with those coming from adjacent, natural grassland areas (base line); ii) to evaluate the potential environmental risk induced by afforestation through the identification of a change point (PC) in the GSP_Bray indicative of a phosphate leaching increment. Treatments included mature stands of P. radiata (TB) and adjacent areas with natural grassland vegetation (TP). Samples were taken at 0-15; 15-30 and 30-45 cm soil depth, and texture, pH, total organic carbon (COT), Pe, soluble reactive phosphorus (PSR), phosphorus sorption index (ISP) and GSP_Bray were determined. The results showed a significant acidification in TB and an increase in the COT stock, indicating an additional atmospheric CO₂ sequestration by the trees. The Pe and PSR values were notoriously higher in TB, and they were reflected in a significant increment in the GSP_Bray with respect to TP. The detection of a significant PC in the GSP_Bray-PSR regression indicates higher chances of phosphate leaching in the forest stands, which could reach water courses, lakes and artificial reservoirs promoting their eutrophication. Because of the potential environmental pollution risk of biologic origin derived from the afforestation with P. radiata in Mollisols areas, their inclusion in clean development practices must be reconsidered.     

Water cytotoxicity and dioxins bioaccumulation in an Egyptian delta wetland ecosystem

Manzala Lake, as one of the main Egyptian wetland ecosystems, is facing risks of pollution. An in vitro cytotoxicity test using a mammalian cell line was employed to determine the toxicity of multiple pollutants in the water and Tilapia zillii fish sampled from the lake. The concentrations of seven polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and ten polychlorinated dibenzofurans were investigated in water and muscle of the fish in 2014. Cytotoxicity testing showed that the percentage inhibition of cell viability in the studied sites ranged between 56.16% and 83.22%. Dioxin analysis indicated that the average concentrations of 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9-octachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorodibenzofuran, 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-heptachlorodibenzofuran and 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9-octachlorodibenzofuran were higher than the toxic equivalence quotients (TEQs) set by the World Health Organization (WHO) in all water and fish muscle samples; however, the average concentration of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran was higher only in fish muscle samples. The bioaccumulation factor (BAF) ranged dramatically between 2 and 58.5 for the detected dioxins. Adverse human health effects through the consumption of fish are not expected, because dioxin levels in fish muscle are deemed safe for human consumption. Implementation of a strategic multidisciplinary action plan is strongly recommended to sustain this delta wetland ecosystem.     

Evidence for polyadenylated mRNA in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

In this paper, we report the synthesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa cDNA in the presence of oligo(dT) primers. Hybridization of oligonucleotide DNA microarrays indicates that under the experimental conditions used, at least 43.7% of the expressed genes from P. aeruginosa PAO1, representing many different functional classes, can be detected by using oligo(dT)-primed cDNAs.     

Chitotriosidase - a putative biomarker for sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Background

Potential biomarkers to aid diagnosis and therapy need to be identified for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, a progressive motor neuronal degenerative disorder. The present study was designed to identify the factor(s) which are differentially expressed in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (SALS; ALS-CSF), and could be associated with the pathogenesis of this disease.

Results

Quantitative mass spectrometry of ALS-CSF and control-CSF (from orthopaedic surgical patients undergoing spinal anaesthesia) samples showed upregulation of 31 proteins in the ALS-CSF, amongst which a ten-fold increase in the levels of chitotriosidase-1 (CHIT-1) was seen compared to the controls. A seventeen-fold increase in the CHIT-1 levels was detected by ELISA, while a ten-fold elevated enzyme activity was also observed. Both these results confirmed the finding of LC-MS/MS. CHIT-1 was found to be expressed by the Iba-1 immunopositive microglia.

Conclusion

Elevated CHIT-1 levels in the ALS-CSF suggest a definitive role for the enzyme in the disease pathogenesis. Its synthesis and release from microglia into the CSF may be an aligned event of neurodegeneration. Thus, high levels of CHIT-1 signify enhanced microglial activity which may exacerbate the process of neurodegeneration. In view of the multifold increase observed in ALS-CSF, it can serve as a potential CSF biomarker for the diagnosis of SALS.     

Meta-analysis of the literature on diagnostic accuracy of SPECT in parkinsonian syndromes

Background  

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder. One of the most widely used techniques to diagnose PD is a Single Photon Emission Computer Tomography (SPECT) scan to visualise the integrity of the dopaminergic pathways in the brain. Despite this there remains some discussion on the value of SPECT in the differential diagnosis of PD. We did a meta-analysis of all the existing literature on the diagnostic accuracy of both pre- and post-synaptic SPECT imaging in the differential diagnosis of PD.     

Pseudomonas cepacia lipase-catalysed resolution of racemic alcohols in ionic liquid using succinic anhydride: role of triethylamine in enhancement of catalytic activity

Racemic secondary alcohols were resolved via enantioselective acylation using succinic anhydride as acyl donor catalysed by lipase from Pseudomonas cepacia supported on celite (PS-C) in ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate [bmim]PF₆. Organic base, namely triethylamine as an additive in ionic liquid has been found to enhance the rate of the reaction.     

Influence of s-Triazines on Some Enzymes of Carbohydrates and Nitrogen Metabolism in Leaves of Pea (Pisum sativum L.) and Sweet Corn (Zea mays L.)

Foliar applications of 2 milligrams per liter of 2-chloro-4,6-bis (ethylamino)-s-triazine, 2-methylmercapto-4-ethylamino-6-isobutylamino-s-triazine, and 2-methoxy-4-isopropylamino-6-butylamino-s-triazine caused increases in the activities of starch phosphorylase, pyruvate kinase, cytochrome oxidase, and glutamate dehydrogenase 5, 10, and 15 days after treatment in the leaves of 3-week-old seedlings of pea (Pisum sativum L.) and sweet corn (Zea mays L.). The results indicate that sublethal concentrations of s-triazine compounds affect the physiological and biochemical events in plants which favor more utilization of carbohydrates for nitrate reduction and synthesis of amino acids and proteins.     

Enhanced fluorescent properties of an OmpT site deleted mutant of Green Fluorescent Protein

Background  

The green fluorescent protein has revolutionized many areas of cell biology and biotechnology since it is widely used in determining gene expression and for localization of protein expression. Expression of recombinant GFP in E. coli K12 host from pBAD24M-GFP construct upon arabinose induction was significantly lower than that seen in E. coli B cells with higher expression at 30°C as compared to 37°C in E. coli K12 hosts. Since OmpT levels are higher at 37°C than at 30°C, it prompted us to modify the OmpT proteolytic sites of GFP and examine such an effect on GFP expression and fluorescence. Upon modification of one of the two putative OmpT cleavage sites of GFP, we observed several folds enhanced fluorescence of GFP as compared to unmodified GFPuv (Wild Type-WT). The western blot studies of the WT and the SDM II GFP mutant using anti-GFP antibody showed prominent degradation of GFP with negligible degradation in case of SDM II GFP mutant while no such degradation of GFP was seen for both the clones when expressed in BL21 cells. The SDM II GFP mutant also showed enhanced GFP fluorescence in other E. coli K12 OmpT hosts like E. coli JM109 and LE 392 in comparison to WT GFPuv. Inclusion of an OmpT inhibitor, like zinc with WT GFP lysate expressed from an E. coli K12 host was found to reduce degradation of GFP fluorescence by two fold.