Dry Weight Ratio Research Articles

Effect of sevoflurane preconditioning on HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway during lung ischemia-reperfusion in rats

Objective To evaluate the effect of sevoflurane preconditioning on high-mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1)/Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway during lung ischemia-reperfusion(I/R)in rats. Methods Thirty-six clean-grade healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 8-10 weeks, weighing 200-250 g, were divided into 3 groups (n=12 each) using a random number table method: sham operation group (group S), lung I/R group (group I/R) and sevoflurane preconditioning group (group SP). The right pulmonary hilum was only isolated but not ligated in group S. Lung I/R was induced by clamping the right pulmonary hilum for 60 min followed by 120 min of reperfusion in anesthetized rats in group I/R.In group SP, 2.1% sevoflurane was inhaled for 30 min to perform sevoflurane preconditioning, and the lung I/R model was established at 10 min after the end of inhalation.The rats were sacrificed at 120 min of reperfusion, and the lungs were removed for examination of the pathological changes which were scored and for determination of wet to dry weight ratio (W/D ratio), content of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in lung tissues (by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and expression of HMGB1, TLR4 and NF-κB protein in lung tissues (by Western blot). Results Compared with group S, the pathological scores, W/D ratio and content of TNF-α were significantly increased, and the expression of HMGB1, TLR4 and NF-κB was up-regulated in I/R and SP groups (P<0.05). Compared with group I/R, the pathological scores, W/D ratio and content of TNF-α were significantly decreased, and the expression of HMGB1, TLR4 and NF-κB was down-regulated (P<0.05), and the pathological changes of lung tissues were significantly attenuated in group SP. Conclusion Sevoflurane preconditioning reduces lung I/R injury probably through inhibiting HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway in rats. Key words: Anesthetics, inhalation; Lung; Reperfusion injury; High mobility group proteins; Toll-like receptors; NF-kappaB

Contributions of indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to growth of retama monosperma and acacia gummifera under water stress (case study: essaouira sand dunes forest)

ABSTRACTTwo leguminous plant species: Retama monosperma and Acacia gummifera were selected for water deficit tolerance test for future use in reforestation programs of the Atlantic sand dunes forest of Essaouira region. Mycorrhizal fungal colonization was used to help plants amend the water deficit. To assess R. monosperma and A. gummifera response to water stress and the effectiveness of mycorrhizal formation alleviating it, two categories for each plant species were made, one inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi and the other not, were submitted to a hydric deficit treatment of four levels for 6 months. This treatment impact on the plants was assessed by comparing root/shoot dry weight ratios, levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, and by measuring mycorrhizal colonization frequencies and intensities. Results showed that these parameters were significantly affected by water deficit. The presence of the mycorrhizal fungi had significantly enhanced plants phosphorus uptake by 72–124% for Acacia gummifera and 87–161% for Retama monosperma. Nitrogen uptake was increased by 134–388% for Retama monosperma and 510–901% for Acacia gummifera. The colonization frequencies changed significantly only for the treatment extreme level and stayed between 80%-90% for the other levels. The mycorrhization intensities showed significant lessening between each treatment level decreasing from 35% to 10%.

Genetic diversity in the growth of white jabon (Neolamarckia cadamba) provenance-progeny test: Comparing study in the nursery and field

Abstract. Sudrajat DJ, Yulianti, Danu, Rustam E, Suwandhi I. 2019. Genetic diversity in the growth of white jabon (Neolamarckia cadamba) provenance-progeny test: Comparing study in the nursery and field. Biodiversitas 20: 1325-1332. Results of the provenance-progeny test in seedling and field test of white jabon (Neolamarckia cadamba) at Parung Panjang, Bogor District, West Java Province, Indonesia are reported and discussed. Twelve provenances representing 105 families were tested in nursery and field using randomized complete block design. Seedling height, root collar diameter, sturdiness quotient, shoot dry weight, root dry weight and shoot-root ratio was measured at four months, while as the growth assessment was carried out on survival, height and stem diameter at the age of 2 and 4 years. The result showed that genetic variation was found to be higher among families within provenances than the variation among provenances for all parameters indicating the family effect had the highest contribution on the growth and survival. Based on family and provenance mean, most of the seedling parameters were significantly correlated with the others, but most of seedling parameters were not significantly correlated with plant growth at 2 and 4 years. The longitudinal cline was significantly correlated with shoot dry weight, root dry weight, and shoot-root ratio indicated that the white jabon seeding parameters in natural populations may have greater in humid (higher precipitation) than in drier locations. This was likely to suggest that the family or provenance selections based on seedling growth in the nursery may not be very effective because heritability of most growth variables is likely to be low.

Effect of transpulmonary pressure-guided positive end-expiratory pressure titration on lung injury in pigs with acute respiratory distress syndrome

To investigate the effect of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) guided by transpulmonary pressure or with maximum oxygenation-directed PEEP on lung injury in a porcine model of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The porcine model of ARDS was induced in 12 standard pigs by intratracheal infusion with normal saline. The pigs were then randomly divided into two groups who were ventilated with the lung-protective strategy of low tidal volume (VT) (6 ml/kg), using different methods to titrate PEEP level: transpulmonary pressure (TP group; n = 6) or maximum oxygenation (MO group; n = 6). Gas exchange, pulmonary mechanics, and hemodynamics were determined and pulmonary inflammatory response indices were measured after 4 h of ventilation. The titrated PEEP level in the TP group (6.12 ± 0.89 cmH2O) was significantly lower than that in the MO group (11.33 ± 2.07 cmH2O) (P < 0.05). The PaO2/FiO2 (P/F) after PEEP titration both improved in the TP and MO groups as compared with that at T0 (when the criteria for ARDS were obtained). The P/F in the TP group did not differ significantly from that in the MO group during the 4 h of ventilation (P > 0.05). Respiratory system compliance and lung compliance were significantly improved in the TP group compared to the MO group (P < 0.05). The VD/VT in the TP group was significantly lower than that in the MO group after 4 h of ventilation (P < 0.05). Central venous pressure increased and the cardiac index decreased significantly in the MO group as compared with the TP group (P < 0.05), whereas oxygen delivery did not differ significantly between the groups (P > 0.05). The pulmonary vascular permeability index and the extravascular lung water index in the TP group were significantly lower than those in the MO group (P < 0.05). The TP group had a lower lung wet to dry weight ratio, lung injury score, and MPO, TNF-, and IL-8 concentrations than the MO group (P < 0.05). In summary, in a pig model of ARDS, ventilation with low VT and transpulmonary pressure-guided PEEP adjustment was associated with improved compliance, reduced dead space ventilation, increased cardiac output, and relieved lung injury, as compared to maximum oxygenation-guide PEEP adjustment.

PRODUCTIVITY OF GAMAL (Gliricidia sepium) AND INDIGOFERA (Indigofera zollingeriana) FORAGE ON DIFFERENT DOSAGE OF BIOORGANIC FERTILIZER

This study aims to obtain a study of the productivity of Gliricidia sepium and Indigofera zollingeriana plants which are given various dosage of bioorganic fertilizer. This study used a completely randomized design of factorial patterns of two factors: the first factor was the type of plant (G = Gamal; I = Indigofera) and the second factor was the dosage of bioorganic fertilizer: D0 = without fertilizer; D1 = 5 tons ha-1; D2 = 10 tons ha-1; D3 = 15 tons ha-1; D4 = 20 tons ha-1; D5 = 25 tons ha-1; and D6 = 30 tons ha-1, so there are 14 treatment combinations. Each treatment was repeated three times so that it consisted of 42 experimental units. The variables observed were plant height, leaf number, stem diameter, leaf dry weight, stem dry weight, total herbage dry weight, amount of chlorophyll, ratio of dry weight of leaf / stems, and leaf area per pot. The results showed that the productivity of Indigofera zollingeriana significant higher than Gliricidia sepium. The application of bioorganic fertilizer significantly increased plant height, leaf number, dry weight leaf, stem dry weight, total forage dry weight, amount of chlorophyll, and leaf area per pot, and the highest yield at 30 tons/ha. Based on the results of the study it can be concluded that the productivity of Indigofera zollingeriana is higher than Gliricidia sepium, bioorganic fertilizer increased plant productivity with the highest yield at 30 tons ha-1, and interaction only occurs in the leaf area per pot.&#x0D; Keywords: Indigofera zollingeriana, Gliricidia sepium, dosage of fertilizer, bioorganic fertilizer

EFEK SUBSITUSI PUPUK UREA DENGAN PUPUK BIO SLURRY TERHADAP PRODUKTIVITAS RUMPUT BENGGALA (Panicum maximum cv. Trichoglume)

This experiment to determine the effect of substitution of urea fertilizer with bio slurry fertilizer on productivity of Panicum maximum cv. Trichoglume grass. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse for 3 months. The design was used completely randomized design (CRD), with seven treatments and each treatment repeated five times. The treatment was dosage of 200 urea kg/ha (A); 150 kg urea/ha + 10 tons cow bio slurry /ha (B); 100 kg urea/ha + 20 tons cow bio slurry/ha (C); 50 kg urea/ha + 30 tons cow bio slurry/ha (D); 150 kg urea/ha + 10 tons pig bio slurry/ha (E); 100 kg urea/ha + 20 tons pig bio slurry/ha (F); 50 kg urea/ha + 30 tons pig bio slurry/ha (G). Variables observed were plant height, number of tillers, number of branches, number of leaves, leaf dry weight, stem dry weight, total forage dry weight, leaf area per pot, and leaf dry weight ratio with stem dry weight. The results showed that the effectiveness of urea fertilizer substitution with pig bio slurry gave the best growth and production of grass Panicum maximum cv. Trichoglume, where treatment (G) with substitution of 50 kg urea/ha + 30 tons pig bio slurry/ha gave the highest yield. It can be concluded increasng of growth and production of grass Panicum maximum cv. Trichoglume can be substituted with 50 kg urea/ha + 30 tons pig bio slurry/ha.&#x0D; Keywords: substitution, urea, bio slurry, productivity, Panicum maximum

The effect of spent mushroom compostand various composting starter combination on the growth and yield of kangkong (Ipomoea reptans)

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of the compost of spent mushrooms that was composted with different starting materials on the growth and performance of kangkong. This study was performed using a randomized block design, consisting of two factors. The first factor was the compost starter combination that consists of three levels (effective microorganism + CaCO3 effective microorganism + fertilizer of urea and phosphate). The second factor was the application dosages of compost that consists of 4 levels (5 tons/ha, 10 tons / ha, 15 tons/ha and 20 tons/ha). The results showed that the application of spent mushroom compost with diverse materials of initial compost starter showed a significant interaction in the width of the leaf at 10 days after planting (DAP), the height of the plant at 30 DAP, dry weight, and leaf area ratio at 20 DAP. In comparison with the controls, the significant influence occurred in plat height at 30 DAP, dry weight at 10 DAP, the width of the leaf at 10 and 20 DAP, and the ratio of the leaf area at 20 DAP. The combination of effective microorganisms + urea and effective microorganisms + phosphate fertilizer gave a good result in the growth and yield of kangkong.

The Effects of Micronutirents on Growth and Yield of Lowland Rice Grown on Typic Dystrudept Soil

Fertilizers and fertilization technology have important roles in increasing crop production including lowland rice. In response to the issue, a field experiment was conducted to study the effects of micronutrients on growth and yield of lowland rice. The experiment was carried out at Cihideung Ilir Village, Dermaga Sub-district, Bogor Regency from November 2015 until March 2016. The experiment consisted of 8 treatments, namely control (without fertilization), NPK-standard, NPK-standard + ¼ dosage of Hortigro Rice fertilizer, and ¾ NPK + ¼ until 11/4 dosages of Hortigro Rice fertilizer as a source of macronutrients N, P, K and micronutrients of Mn, Cu, Zn, B, and Mo. The treatments were arranged in a Randomized Block Design with 3 replications. Parameters observed during the research were plant height, tiller number, and yield of grain and straw of INPARI-32 lowland rice as crop indicator. The results showed that among other treatments, the highest plant height was resulted from the application of ¾ NPK-standard + ¼ Hortigro Rice, i.e. around 124 cm at 60 days after planting. The highest harvesting dry weight of grain and straw were observed in NPK-standard + 1/4 of Hortigro Rice fertilizer treatment, i.e. around 9.0 Mg ha-1 and 25.9 Mg ha-1, respectively. This yield showed a significant difference with ¾ NPK-standard combined with ¾ -11/4 dosages of Hortigro Rice. The highest dry weight of milled grains was resulted in the application of ¾ NPK-standard + 1/2 Hortigro Rice, i.e. around 7.3 Mg ha-1, which is significantly different from that in ¾ NPK-standard combined with 1.0 - 11/4 dosages of Hortigro Rice treatments, while the highest dry weight of straw was provided by NPK-standard, i.e. around 14.0 Mg ha-1. The highest dry weight of 1000 milled grains and ratio of dry weight of milled grain to straw were provided by ¾ NPK-standard + 1/2 Hortigro Rice around 32.0 gram and 0.63, respectively. The results indicated that the application of micronutrient fertilizer of Hortigro Rice in combination with NPK fertilizers can potentially increase lowland rice productivity due to the micronutrients content of Mn, Cu, Zn, B, and Mo in it.

Exogenous ghrelin ameliorates acute lung injury by modulating the nuclear factor κB inhibitor kinase/nuclear factor κB inhibitor/nuclear factor κB pathway after hemorrhagic shock

Previous studies have shown that ghrelin, a peptide produced in the stomach, attenuates acute lung injury (ALI) in various animal models, and that some of these effects are associated with inhibition of the nuclear factor κB signaling pathway. This study investigated whether ghrelin exerts beneficial effects on hemorrhagic shock (HS)-induced ALI by modulating nuclear factor κB inhibitor kinase/nuclear factor κB inhibitor/nuclear factor κB (IKK/IκBα/NF-κB) pathway activity. HS was induced in male SD rats by withdrawing blood to a mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 40 mm Hg for 1 h; rats then received ghrelin (10 nmol/kg) or vehicle intravenously and were resuscitated with the shed blood and an equal volume of Ringer lactate solution followed by observation for 2 h. After resuscitation, samples were collected and analyzed for lung histopathology, wet to dry weight ratio (W/D), bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) protein, neutrophil infiltration, plasma inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6), and cytoplasmic phosphorylated IKKβ, IκBα, phosphorylated IκBα and nuclear NF-κB expression. Compared to those in the two sham groups, lung injury, W/D, BALF protein, neutrophil infiltration, plasma TNF-α and IL-6 levels, and IKK/IκBα/NF-κB pathway activation were significantly increased in HS rats. After ghrelin administration, all parameters analyzed were decreased compared to those without ghrelin in HS rats. Moreover, ghrelin alleviated the decreased MAP after resuscitation compared to that in HS rats. Exogenous ghrelin attenuates the inflammatory response and acute lung injury after HS. These beneficial effects appear to be mediated through inhibition of IKK/IκBα/NF-κB signaling.

Effect of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells on TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway during acute lung injury in rats

Objective To evaluate the effect of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells(BMSCs)on transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1)/Smad signaling pathway during acute lung injury(ALI)in rats. Methods Healthy clean-grade adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 4-5 weeks, weighing 100-120 g, were selected, and BMSCs were prepared and cultured in vitro.Eighty-four healthy clean-grade adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 4 weeks, weighing 170-190 g, were selected and divided into 4 groups(n=21 each)using a random number table method: control group(group C), group ALI, ALI plus BMSCs group(group ALI+ BMSCs), and ALI plus phosphate buffer solution(PBS)group(group ALI+ PBS). ALI was induced by intraperitoneally injecting 5 mg/kg lipopolysaccharide 0.5 ml in anesthetized rats.In group ALI+ BMSCs, 1×104 cells/ml BMSCs 0.5 ml(in PBS)was injected via the tail vein after intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide.PBS 0.5 ml was injected via the tail vein after intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide in group ALI+ PBS.Arterial blood samples were collected at 6, 24 and 48 h after injecting BMSCs for blood gas analysis and for determination of wet to dry weight ratio(W/D ratio), pathological changes(using haematoxylin and eosin staining), and expression of TGF-β1, Smad2 and Smad3 in lung tissues(by Western blot). Results Compared with group C, PaO2 was significantly decreased, PaCO2 and W/D ratio were increased, the expression of TGF-β1, Smad2 and Smad3 in lung tissues was up-regulated(P<0.05), and the pathological changes of lung tissues were accentuated in ALI, ALI+ BMSCs and ALI+ PBS groups.Compared with group ALI, PaO2 was significantly increased, PaCO2 and W/D ratio were decreased, the expression of TGF-β1, Smad2 and Smad3 in lung tissues was down-regulated(P<0.05), and the pathological changes of lung tissues were significantly reduced in group ALI+ BMSCs. Conclusion The mechanism by which BMSCs mitigates ALI may be associated with inhibiting TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway in rats. Key words: Mesenchymal stem cell transplantation; Transforming growth factor beta 1; Smad Proteins; Respiratory distress syndrome, adult

RESPONSE OF GAMAL (Gliricidia sepium) AND INDIGOFERA (Indigofera zollingeriana) FORAGE ON APPLICATION OF ANORGANIC AND ORGANIC FERTILIZER

The productivity of forage depends on the availability of nutrients in the soil where it is grown, so fertilization to replace harvested produce is absolutely necessary. This study aims to study the response of gamal and indigofera forage on application of inorganic and organic fertilizers. Research using a completely randomized design factorial pattern of two factors, the first factor is the type of plant (G = Gamal; I = Indigofera) and the second factor is the type of fertilizer (T = without Fertilizer; A = Inorganic fertilizer NPK; K = commercial organic fertilizer; O = conventional organic fertilizer; B = bioorganic fertilizer), repeated 4 times so that it consists of 40 experimental units. The variables observed were plant height, number of leaves, stem diameter, leaf dry weight, stem dry weight, total dry weight of leaves, ratio of dry weight of leaves/stems and leaf area per pot. The results showed that there was no interaction between plant species and types of fertilizer in influencing the response of gamal and indigofera plants. Plant species have a significant effect on stem diameter, while fertilizer types have a significant effect on plant height, leaf dry weight, total dry weight of leaves and leaf area per pot. Based on the results of the study it can be concluded that the response of gamal plants is similar to indigofera, all types of fertilizers can improve the response of plants and organic fertilizers produce the same crop response with inorganic fertilizers.&#x0D; Keywords: gamal, indigofera, inorganic fertilizer, organic fertilizer

Comparative studies on germination and seedling growth of on-season and off-season produced jute seeds

To overcome the problems of crop loss and prolonged period of land engaged for jute seed production in on-season, the off-season production of jute seeds is being practiced but the seed quality of both these systems has not been thoroughly compared to get better seeds for higher yield in jute. Considering the above facts, the present research was carried out to perform a comparative study among different parameters, such as, germination and seedling growth of on-season and off-season produced seeds of Corchorus capsularis (Variety CVL-1) and Corchorus olitorius (Variety O-9897). In this study, significant influence of production period of seeds on germination percentage, seedling vigour index, germination coefficient, shoot length, root length, shoot and root dry weight, ratio of root dry weight and shoot dry weight was observed. The highest seed germination percentage, seed germination co-efficient, seedling vigour index, shoot and root length, shoot and root dry weight, ratio of root dry weight and shoot dry weight were found in off-season Deshi jute seeds followed by on-season Deshi and off-season Tossa jute seeds. The lowest value of each of these properties was found in case of on-season Tossa jute seeds and seedlings. Based on the findings of this study, it may be concluded that off-season produced jute seeds showed better performance than those of on-season jute seeds in both the species in terms of seed germination and other relevant characters.

Temperature affects morphology, physiology, and biochemistry of plug seedlings of Astragalus membranaceus

Astragalus membranaceus is widely used to improve human immune system. However, the standardization of growth conditions for the commercial production of A. membranaceus is not yet available. Therefore, the effect of temperature on A. membranaceus seedlings growth was investigated in this study. Seedlings were grown for 4 weeks under different daytime/nighttime temperatures, 25 °C/15 °C, 20 °C/20 °C, or 20 °C/15 °C, in controlled growth chambers with a 16 h photoperiod and 150 µmol m−2 s−1 photosynthetic photon flux density provided by white light-emitting diodes and 70% relative humidity. Results showed that 25 °C/15 °C significantly increased root and shoot mass, stem diameter, and the ratio of total dry weight to whole plant length. Besides, photosynthetic related reactions including chlorophyll level, internal carbon dioxide, photosynthetic assimilation rate, and stomatal conductance were also enhanced in seedlings grown under 25 °C/15 °C. In addition, 25 °C/15 °C accelerated the accumulation of primary and secondary metabolites containing carbohydrates, protein, phenol, and flavonoids. A higher reactive oxygen species level and increased activities of antioxidant enzymes were observed in seedlings grown under 20 °C/20 °C and 20 °C/15 °C than 25 °C/15 °C. Therefore, the results suggested that 25 °C/15 °C promoted the growth of A. membranaceus seedlings, and higher average daily temperature and the difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures may induce compact shoots and strong roots with improved nutrient quality and medical care value.

Point-of-care ultrasound—a new option for early quantitative diagnosis of pulmonary edema

To investigate the value of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in the early assessment of the severity of pulmonary edema in rabbits. A rabbit oleic acid (OA)-induced pulmonary edema model was used. 32 New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into four groups: a control group and three pulmonary edema groups (mild, moderate, and severe). The features of transthoracic B-line artifacts (BLA-tt), blood pH, PaO2 and PaCO2, serum inflammatory factors, lung coefficient (LC), lung wet to dry weight ratio (W/D) and lung histopathology were assessed. BLA-tt features and severity of pulmonary edema were semi-quantitatively scored. The correlation between the number of BLA-tt and PaO2 and PaCO2 serum inflammatory factors, LC, and W/D were analyzed. An additional eight rabbits with severe pulmonary edema were used as the verified group, in which the lung was divided into BLA-ev-free and BLA-ev-clustered subregions by ex vivo lung ultrasound. The lung specimens were collected from each subregion for histopathological examination. The relationship between the features of BLA-ev and the lung histopathological abnormalities was analyzed. The number of BLA-tt, the levels of TNF-a, IL-1b, IL-6, and IL-8, LC, and W/D all increased, lung pathology was aggravated, and the appearance time of BLA-tt, pH, PaO2, and PaCO2 decreased dose-dependently on OA (p

Assessment of drought tolerant cotton genotypes based on seedling &amp; physiological attributes at different moisture levels

Abstract The potential of any crop variety is subjected to various environmental conditions and a large fraction of the potential yield cannot be attained. For this study, fifty cotton genotypes of different origin were collected from gene pool of Central Cotton Research Institute, Multan and screened in the glass house. These genotypes were also evaluated under the field condition to obtain parents that possess better tolerance against drought. Initial screening of these genotypes was conducted in the glass house under three moisture levels 100, 70 and 40% at field water capacity. Data were recorded for root length, fresh root weight, dry root weight, root shoot length ratio, shoot length; fresh shoot weight, dry shoot weight, fresh root shoot weight ratio and dry root shoot weight ratio in glass house. Five drought tolerant genotypes (BH-176, MPS-11, DPL-45, Tree cotton and Cyto-62) and three susceptible genotypes (GS-444, Cooker-315, MS-64) were identified. Highly significant differences found among genotypes for all seedling characters. Further evaluation was done in field on the basis of various physiological parameters i.e. relative water content, excised leaf water loss, cell injury, leaf water potential, osmotic potential, net photosynthesis rate, transpiration rate and stomatal conductance under normal and water stress conditions. Same genotypes were confirmed under field studies. Highly significant genotypic variation existed among genotypes for all the physiological traits. The predicting genotypes may be selected and exploited to improve drought tolerance for the cotton crop. Keywords: Cotton; Drought; Physiological traits; Pakistan; Seedling traits; Tolerance http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2018.700167

14 - An inhibitor of NOX2 activation prevents lung injury following LPS administration

We have identified a peptide (called PIP-2) that specifically inhibits the activation of NADPH oxidase, type 2 (NOX2). Mice (C57Bl/6) were administered intratracheal lipopolysaccharide (LPS derived from E.coli) at 5 μg/g body wt. Lungs from mice that were evaluated at 12, 16, or 24 hours after LPS showed inflammation (increased cells and protein in the lung lavage fluid), oxidative stress (increased TBARS, 8-isoprostanes, and protein carbonyls in the lung homogenate ), and lung edema (increased lung wet to dry weight ratio). These indices of acute lung injury (ALI) were stable through 24 hr with partial recovery at 48 hr after LPS. Treatment with PIP-2 at 0, 12, or 16 hr after LPS resulted in a complete resolution of the indices of lung injury when lungs were examined at 24 hr. We interpret these results as a reflection of ongoing injury and repair processes in the lung following LPS. In control LPS-treated lungs, ongoing injury and repair were essentially in balance so that the manifestations of acute lung injury remained constant between 12 and 24 hr after LPS administration. However, with administration of PIP-2 at 12 or 16 hr, inhibition of NOX2 activation allowed the lung to fully repair prior to its examination at 24 hr. Thus, inhibition of NOX2 activation can protect lungs against inflammatory lung injury associated with administration of LPS. The non-toxic PIP-2 peptide could be a useful therapeutic agent to prevent oxidative lung injury.

Development of an in vitro hydroponic culture system for wasabi nursery plant production—Effects of nutrient concentration and supporting material on plantlet growth

The growth of wasabi (Wasabia japonica Matsumura) plantlets was compared in four concentrations of standard Enshi nutrient solution (25%, 50%, 100%, and 150%) and two kinds of supporting materials (rockwool and vermiculite) using an in vitro hydroponic culture system for photoautotrophic micropropagation. After 28 days of culture, most of the growth parameters such as fresh weight and dry weight, shoot/root dry weight ratio, and leaf area ratio were highest in wasabi plantlets grown in 50% or 100% nutrient solution, and this enhancement was greater in vermiculite than in rockwool. Dissolved oxygen concentration decreased sharply in rockwool but only slightly in vermiculite during the course of the experiment, resulting in a dissolved oxygen concentration of 8 mg L−1 in the vermiculite and 6 mg L−1 in the rockwool. The highest root nitrogen concentration was observed at a nutrient concentration of 100% in vermiculite and rockwool. The highest net photosynthetic rates were observed on day 28 in vermiculite at nutrient concentrations of 50% and 100%. The growth of wasabi plantlets is depressed through a decrease in root water and nutrient uptake caused by low dissolved oxygen concentrations. These findings clearly demonstrate that a hydroponic system that incorporates a 50% or 100% nutrient solution concentration and vermiculite will allow high-quality wasabi plantlets to be propagated rapidly under photoautotrophic conditions.

Comparison of Root System Morphology of Cucurbit Rootstocks for Use in Watermelon Grafting

Grafting of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is an established production practice that provides resistance to soilborne diseases or tolerance to abiotic stresses. Watermelon may be grafted on several cucurbit species (interspecific grafting); however, little research exists to describe root systems of these diverse rootstocks. A greenhouse study was conducted to compare root system morphology of nine commercially available cucurbit rootstocks, representing four species: pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima), squash (Cucurbita pepo), bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria), and an interspecific hybrid squash (C. maxima × C. moschata). Rootstocks were grafted with a triploid watermelon scion (‘Exclamation’), and root systems were compared with nongrafted (NG) and self-grafted (SG) ‘Exclamation’. Plants were harvested destructively at 1, 2, and 3 weeks after transplant (WAT), and data were collected on scion dry weight, total root length (TRL), average root diameter, root surface area, root:shoot dry-weight ratio, root diameter class proportions, and specific root length. For all response variables, the main effect of rootstock and rootstock species was significant (P &lt; 0.05). The main effect of harvest was significant (P &lt; 0.05) for all response variables, with the exception of TRL proportion in diameter class 2. ‘Ferro’ rootstock produced the largest TRL and root surface area, with observed values 122% and 120% greater than the smallest root system (‘Exclamation’ SG), respectively. Among rootstock species, pumpkin produced the largest TRL and root surface area, with observed values 100% and 82% greater than those of watermelon, respectively. These results demonstrate that substantial differences exist during the initial 3 WAT in root system morphology of rootstocks and rootstock species available for watermelon grafting and that morphologic differences of root systems can be characterized using image analysis.

Changes in bacterial communities during two agricultural solid wastes’ co-composting processes

Microbes perform an important role in the solid-state fermentation (SSF) process, and bacterial communities are more or less abundant depending on the starting materials and the composting procedure. In this study, high-throughput sequencing was used to investigate the changes in bacterial communities in different composting piles containing spent pig litter and distiller grains in five dry weight ratios, i.e., 100% distiller grains (treatment 1), 75% distillers grains/25% spent pig litter (treatment 2), 50% distillers grains/50% spent pig litter (treatment 3), 25% distillers grains/75% spent pig litter (treatment 4), and 100% spent pig litter (treatment 5). The results showed that the fermentation time of the thermophilic stage was prolonged with an appropriate content of distiller grains. The alpha-diversity analysis showed that the variation in bacterial richness and diversity in the various treatments (except treatment 5) was greater in the high-temperature stage than in the inception stage and then was slightly lower in the stabilization stage than in the thermophilic stage. The relative abundance of the predominant bacterial communities differed during different composting stages except in treatment 5. The abundant bacterial communities were similar among the treatments with different proportions of distiller grains (treatments 2, 3, and 4) during the high-temperature stage but differed during the stabilization stage, as increasing proportions of distiller grains increased the relative abundance of the phyla Proteobacteria and Firmicutes, and decreased that of Actinobacteria. Additionally, principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) showed that the bacterial communities in treatments 1, 2, 3, and 4 during the initial stage (day 0) were different from those observed during two other stages (day 10 and day 53), while treatment 5 showed only slight variations in the bacterial community structure in response to changes in the composting process. The results indicated that spent pig litter is not suitable for single-material composting and the addition of an appropriate amount of distiller grains can improve the fermentation process. The understanding of the microbial community diversity at molecular level provided a theoretical basis for the optimization of spent pig litter and/or distiller grain fermentation.

Biosourced Binder for Wood Particleboards Based on Spent Sulfite Liquor and Wheat Flour.

Currently, the majority of binders used in wood particleboard (PB) manufacturing are formaldehyde-based synthetic resins. Because of the toxicity of formaldehyde, there is a strong demand for eco-friendly alternatives with similar performances and economic viability. In this work, thick spent sulfite liquor (TSSL), an industrial byproduct from sulfite pulp mills, is proposed as a binder for fully bio-based PBs. The results showed that PBs bound with TSSL present appropriate mechanical performance, which was further improved when TSSL was combined with wheat flour at an 84:16 dry weight ratio and preheated to 94 °C prior to application. For 13.2% binder content per dry wood weight, the PB internal bond strength was 0.46 N mm−2, which is above the standard requirements for PB type P2 (0.35 N mm−2). Optical microscopy showed that TSSL hinders the gelatinization of starch granules during preheating, allowing the binder mixture to maintain a low viscosity suitable for combination with wood particles and PB production.