Anthraquinone profile,antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory effect of root extracts of eight Asphodeline taxa from Turkey: can Asphodeline roots be considered as a new source of natural compounds?

Plant-based foods have become attractive for scientists and food producers. Beneficial effects related to their consumption as dietary supplements are due to the presence of natural occurring secondary metabolites. In this context, studies on these products are important for natural and safely food ingredients evaluation. The aim of this study was to evaluate root extract of eight Asphodeline species as antioxidants, enzyme inhibitors and phytochemical content. Spectrophotometric antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory assays were performed. Total phenolic and flavonoids contents as well as the chemical free-anthraquinones profiles were determined using routinely procedure (HPLC-PDA). Data show that Asphodeline roots can be considered as a new source of natural compounds and can be used as a valuable dietary supplement. Some differences related to biological activities can be inferred to other phytochemicals that can be considered in the future for their synergic or competitive activities.     

Growth,aluminium uptake and mucous cell morphometrics of early life stages of brown trout,Salmo trutta,in low pH water

Synopsis Young (7–10 days after hatching) brown trout (Salmo trutta) exposed for 5 days to pH 5 in high calcium water and at 2 temperatures (12°, 4°C) in the laboratory displayed no alterations in growth or in mucous cell concentration and volume, compared to the control group kept at pH 7.2. Contamination of acid-stressed young with 230 μg All^-1 resulted in significant growth depression and Al accumulation, but in no changes of mucous cell morphometrics. Field tests in low calcium water produced high mortality at low pH (5.1), but showed consistent effects on mucous cells as in laboratory experiments. Three-month-old juveniles of brown trout, subjected to decreased pH values at 12° and in high calcium water for 8 days exhibited mucous cell hyperplasia (without hypertrophy) within 3 h of the acid addition. After 120 h sloughing of the integument occurred with full recovery not possible within a 4-day-recovery period. Although the results presently apply only to hard water conditions, the differences between juveniles and recently hatched young in tolerance to pH- and Al-mediated stress may also be of importance for soft waters affected by acid rain.     

猪IGF2基因外显子3的遗传多态性及遗传效应分析

采用PCR-SSCP方法检测猪胰岛素样生长因子2 (insulin-like growth factor 2,IGF2)基因外显子3多态性,分析其对初生重、断奶重、6月龄重和背膘厚的遗传效应.根据猪IGF2基因的DNA序列（AY044828）设计引物,结果在其扩增片段上检测到多态性,对纯合子进行测序,发现IGF2-ex3-A36T和IGF2-ex3-G109A两个多态性位点,并且这2个多态性位点完全连锁,检测到3种基因型（A36A/G109G,A36T/G109A 和 T36T/A109A）.统计结果表明,基因型在各品种中分布不一致,长白猪和大白猪与莱芜猪、大薄莲猪、沂蒙黑猪和里岔黑猪比较基因型分布差异极显著（Ｐ<0.01）;其它猪种间基因型分布差异均不显著（Ｐ>0.05）.固定效应模型分析结果表明,初生重和背膘厚基因型间差异显著（Ｐ<0.05）,而断奶重和6月龄重基因型间差异不显著（Ｐ>0.05）.最小二乘分析结果表明,A36A/G109G基因型个体同A36T/G109A和 T36T/A109A基因型个体比较初生重和背膘厚的差异显著（Ｐ<0.05）,3种基因型初生重的大小排列顺序为A36A/G109G < A36T/G109A < T36T/A109A,背膘厚的大小排列顺序为A36A/G109G > A36T/G109A >T36T/A109A.因此,推测IGF2基因对个体的初生重和胴体瘦肉率存在一定的影响,将IGF2基因应用于猪育种过程中的标记辅助选择,将可以改善猪肉品质,加快猪的育种进程.     

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin increases Bovine Herpesvirus type-1 (BHV-1) replication in Madin-Darby Bovine Kidney (MDBK) cells in vitro

Dioxin-2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a common environmental toxin of current interest. In the last years, higher levels of TCDD than those permitted in UE [European Commission. 2002. European Commission Recommendation 2002/201/CE. Official Gazette, L 67/69] were detected in milk samples from cow, water buffalo, goat, and sheep raised on some areas of Campania Region (South Italy). Dioxin often causes immunosuppression and might render the animal liable to viral infections. In addition, viral infections are able to alter the pattern of dioxin distribution in different organs of the exposed animals. Bovine Herpesvirus type-1 (BHV-1) is a widespread pathogen, which causes infectious rhinotracheitis and infectious pustular vulvovaginitis in cattle. Herein, we have studied the effects of TCDD and BHV-1 infection, in Madin-Darby Bovine Kidney (MDBK) cells, alone as well as in association, so as cellular proliferation, apoptosis, and virus replication. We have observed an increase in cell viability of confluent monolayers at low TCDD concentrations. TCDD treated cells demonstrated increased viability compared to controls as evaluated by MTT test. TCDD exposure increased cell proliferation but induced no changes on apoptosis. Cells exposed to TCDD along with BHV-1 showed a dose-dependent increase in cytopathy, represented by ample syncytia formation with the elimination of the cellular sheets and increased viral titer. These results suggest that TCDD increases viral replication in MDBK cells while BHV-1 further decreases viability of TCDD exposed cells. Since very low concentrations (0.01 pg/ml) are sufficient to augment BHV-1 titer, TCDD may contribute to reactivate BHV-1 from latency, leading to recurrent disease and increase virus transmission.     

Toxicology of vanadium compounds in diabetic rats: The action of chelating agents on vanadium accumulation

The possible use of vanadium compounds in the treatment of diabetic patients is now being evaluated. However, previously to establish the optimal maximum dose for diabetes therapy, it should be taken into account that vanadium is a highly toxic element to man and animals. The toxic effects of vanadium are here reviewed. The tissue vanadium accumulation, which would mean an additional risk of toxicity following prolonged vanadium administration is also discussed. Recently, it has been shown that coadministration of vanadate and TIRON, an effective chelator in the treatment of vanadium intoxication, reduced the tissue accumulation of this element, decreasing the possibility of toxic side effects derived from chronic vanadium administration without diminishing the hypoglycemic effect of vanadium. However, previously to assess the effectiveness of this treatment in diabetic patients, a critical reevaluation of the antidiabetic action of vanadium and its potential toxicity is clearly needed.     

Triterpenoids from <i>Uncaria rhynchophylla</i> and Their PTP1B Inhibitory Activity

Uncaria rhynchophylla (Gouteng) is a famous traditional Chinese medicine used for psychiatric and hypotensive purposes in China. In this study, the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) part of U. rhynchophylla was revealed with protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibitory activity. Subsequent investigation on the EtOAc part yielded one new triterpenoid, 3β-formyloxy-6β,19α-dihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid (1) and four known ones, 3β,6β,19α-trihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid (2), 2-oxopomolic acid (3), 3β,19α-dihydroxy-6-oxo-olean-12-en-28-oic acid (4) and sumaresinolic acid (5). The structure of compound 1 was determined by extensive HRESIMS, IR, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analyses. Two ursane-type triterpenoids (2 and 3) showed selective inhibition on PTP1B with IC₅₀ values of 48.2 and 178.7 μM. The enzyme kinetic study suggested that compounds 2 and 3 were mix-type inhibitors on PTP1B with K_i values of 15.6 and 132.5 μM. This investigation manifests the antidiabetic potency of U. rhynchophylla with triterpenoids as the active constituents.     

Effects of welfare reform on household food insecurity across generations

This study estimates the effects of welfare reform in the 1990s, which permanently restructured and contracted the cash assistance system in the U.S., on food insecurity—a fundamental form of material hardship—of the next generation of households. An implicit goal underlying welfare reform was the disruption of an assumed intergenerational transmission of disadvantage; however, little is known about the effects of welfare reform on the well-being of the next generation of adults. Using intergenerational data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and a variation on a difference-in-differences framework, this study exploits 3 sources of variation in childhood exposure to welfare reform: (1) risk of exposure across birth cohorts; (2) variation of exposure within cohorts because different states implemented welfare reform in different years; and (3) variation between individuals with the same exposure who were more likely and less likely to rely on welfare. We found that exposure to welfare reform led to decreases in food insecurity of the next generation of households, by about 10% for a 5-year increase in exposure, with stronger effects for individuals exposed for longer durations during childhood, individuals exposed in early childhood (0–5 years), and women. We also found smaller favorable effects for individuals whose mothers had less than a high school education, indicating that in terms of food insecurity, welfare reform led to relative disadvantages among the most disadvantaged and thus could be exacerbating socioeconomic and health inequalities.     

Nasal Discs and the Vital Rates of Lesser Scaup

Nasal discs have been used to identify ducks in studies of survival and reproduction. To date, there has not been a comprehensive assessment of nasal-disc effects on the vital rates of wild ducks. We applied nasal discs to 603 juvenile and 784 adult lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) females from a population breeding in southwest Montana, USA, and released 1,399 juvenile and 71 adult females wearing only metal leg bands between June 2005 and September 2016. Using resighting, recapture, and hunter-recovery data collected from those individuals, we estimated survival and recovery probability with multistate capture-recapture models in Program MARK. We also assessed if recovery distance from our study site and pre-breeding and brood-rearing body condition were diminished for females wearing nasal discs. Model-averaged survival probabilities were 0.231 ± 0.035 (SE) for juveniles and 0.482 ± 0.019 for adults released with nasal discs. Survival was 1.8–3.4 times higher for females released with metal leg bands when compared to those released with nasal discs; survival of these juveniles was 0.433 ± 0.049 and 0.693 ± 0.039 for adults. We did not find evidence for recovery probability or recovery distance varying between females that wore nasal discs and those that did not. During the pre-breeding and brood-rearing seasons, we did not find females wearing nasal discs to be in lower body condition when compared to unmarked females. Our comprehensive assessment of nasal discs on wild lesser scaup suggests that survival probabilities estimated from nasal-marked study populations should be cautiously interpreted as minimum estimates. © 2021 The Wildlife Society.     

民勤荒漠区主要植物群落的稳定性及生态效应

以民勤荒漠区5种主要植物群落10个样方12年的定位观测资料为基础,运用植被盖度和投影盖度2个指标对荒漠区植物群落的稳定性及其生态效应进行分析,以期阐释随着全球变暖荒漠植物群落的稳定性和生态效应的变化规律。观测结果表明,沙蒿(Artemisia arenaria)的植被盖度和麻黄(Ephedra przewalskii)的植被盖度以及沙蒿的投影盖度和梭梭(Haloxylon ammodendron)人工林的投影盖度显著下降,白刺(Nitraria tangutorum)的植被盖度亦下降。分析结果表明:(1)植被盖度相对较低的群落的稳定性较强,而植被盖度相对较高的群落的稳定性相对较差。(2)当年降水量是决定植被盖度及其投影盖度的关键因子。(3)单位面积的白刺的生态功能最大,其次是麻黄,再次是白刺+梭梭,单位面积的沙蒿的生态功能最低。荒漠区植被稀疏,植株枝条分布极不规则,以冠幅计算所得的植被盖度不能反映植被实际覆盖地表的状况。     

Indirect nontarget effects of host-specific biological control agents: Implications for biological control

Classical biological control of weeds currently operates under the assumption that biological control agents are safe (i.e., low risk) if they do not directly attack nontarget species. However, recent studies indicate that even highly host-specific biological control agents can impact nontarget species through indirect effects. This finding has profound implications for biological control. To better understand the causes of these interactions and their implications, we evaluate recent case studies of indirect nontarget effects of biological control agents in the context of theoretical work in community ecology. We find that although particular indirect nontarget effects are extremely difficult to predict, all indirect nontarget effects of host specific biological control agents derive from the nature and strength of the interaction between the biological control agent and the pest. Additionally, recent theoretical work suggests that the degree of impact of a biological control agent on nontarget species is proportional to the agent’s abundance, which will be highest for moderately successful control agents. Therefore, the key to safeguarding against indirect nontarget effects of host-specific biological control agents is to ensure the biological control agents are not only host specific, but also efficacious. Biological control agents that greatly reduce their target species while remaining host-specific will reduce their own populations through density-dependent feedbacks that minimize risks to nontarget species.