Old-growth mixed dipterocarp forests show variable losses and gains in aboveground biomass and standing carbon over forty years

Background:No studies have documented long-term trends in aboveground biomass(AGB)for mixed-dipterocarp forests(MDF),the dominant rain forest type in tropical wet equatorial Asia.In our study,we sought to document such trends over forty years across three sites representing lowland to lower montane elevations.Methods:To do this,we established fifty 100 m×25 m plots in 1978 across three sites sampled along an elevation gradient,identified as mature old-growth forest.We measured trees for diameter at breast height that we identified to species and tagged.We took wood samples to calculate species wood-specific gravity.We re-measured plots in 1998 and again in 2018.Results:We show standing AGB for all sites combined to be 517.52 Mg·ha^(-1)in 1978,but this declined by 17%over 40 years to 430.11 Mg·ha^(-1).No differences exist among sites in AGB primarily because of considerable within site variation;but interactions of time with site show declines across sites were not uniform,one remained about the same.Relatively few species represented a high proportion of the AGB with the top five species comprising between 34%and 65%,depending upon site and year sampled.One species,Mesua nagassarium,represented a disproportionately large amount of AGB and decline over time,particularly at the low elevation site.Conclusions:Our results are directly relevant to estimating AGB and standing carbon sequestered in MDF.Our study is the first to demonstrate varying but overall,declining trends in amounts of AGB among forests making predictions of biomass and standing carbon in MDF difficult over wide regions.

Alleviatory effect of isoquercetin on benign prostatic hyperplasia via IGF-1/PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway

We evaluated the effect of isoquercetin(quercetin-O-3-glucoside-quercetin,IQ)as a functional component of Abeliophyllum disistichum Nakai ethanol extract(ADLE)on prostate cell proliferation and apoptosis and its effects on the IGF-1/PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH).Metabolites in ADLE were analyzed using UHPLC-qTOF-MS and HPLC.IQ was orally administered(1 or 10 mg/kg)to a testosterone propionate-induced BPH rat model,and its effects on the prostate weight were evaluated.The effect of IQ on androgen receptor(AR)signaling was analyzed in LNCaP cells.Whether IGF-1 and IQ affect the IGF-1/PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in BPH-1 cells was also examined.The metabolites in ADLE were identified and quantified,which confirmed that ADLE contained abundant IQ(20.88 mg/g).IQ significantly reduced the prostate size in a concentration-dependent manner in a BPH rat model,and significantly decreased the expression of AR signaling factors in the rat prostate tissue and LNCaP cells in a concentration-dependent manner.IQ also inhibited the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway activated by IGF-1 treatment in BPH-1 cells.In BPH-1 cells,IQ led to G0/G1 arrest and suppressed the expression of proliferation factors while inducing apoptosis.Thus,IQ shows potential for use as a pharmaceutical and nutraceutical for BPH.

Genetic analyses of ancient tea trees provide insights into the breeding history and dissemination of Chinese Assam tea(Camellia sinensis var.assamica)

Chinese Assam tea(Camellia sinensis var.assamica)is an important tea crop with a long history of cultivation in Yunnan,China.Despite its potential value as a genetic resource,its genetic diversity and domestication/breeding history remain unclear.To address this issue,we genotyped 469 ancient tea plant trees representing 26 C.sinensis var.assamica populations,plus two of its wild relatives(six and three populations of C.taliensis and C.crassicolumna,respectively)using 16 nuclear microsatellite loci.Results showed that Chinese Assam tea has a relatively high,but comparatively lower gene diversity(H_(S)=0.638)than the wild relative C.crassicolumna(H_S=0.658).Clustering in STRUCTURE indicated that Chinese Assam tea and its two wild relatives formed distinct genetic groups,with considerable interspecific introgression.The Chinese Assam tea accessions clustered into three gene pools,corresponding well with their geographic distribution.However,New Hybrids analysis indicated that 68.48%of ancient Chinese Assam tea plants from Xishuangbanna were genetic intermediates between the Puer and Lincang gene pools.In addition,10%of the ancient Chinese Assam tea individuals were found to be hybrids between Chinese Assam tea and C.taliensis.Our results suggest that Chinese Assam tea was domesticated separately in three gene pools(Puer,Lincang and Xishuangbanna)in the Mekong River valley and that the hybrids were subsequently selected during the domestication process.Although the domestication history of Chinese Assam tea in southwestern Yunnan remains complex,our results will help to identify valuable genetic resources that may be useful in future tea breeding programs.

Mapping and Characterization of the Landscape Units of the Coastal Hydrographic Basin of Rio Pacoti, Ceará, Brazil

Attention must be in identifying and managing watershed landscapes because of the importance of preserving natural resources. Therefore, this manuscript identifies and maps the coastal area of the Pacoti River Watershed. The methods were the analysis of landscape maps from Ceará research agencies and fieldwork to verify the information. The conclusion is that using technology has become a decisive and effective factor when identifying and analyzing physical characteristics in geomorphologic compartments in the Pacoti River Watershed.

Macrophage-derived small extracellular vesicles promote biomimetic mineralized collagen-mediated endogenous bone regeneration

Macrophages play an important role in material-related immune responses and bone formation,but the functionality of macrophage-derived extracellular vesicles(EVs)in material-mediated bone regeneration is still unclear.Here,we evaluated intracellular communication through small extracellular vesicles(sEVs)and its effects on endogenous bone regeneration mediated by biomimetic intrafibrillarly mineralized collagen(IMC).After implantation in the bone defect area,IMC generated more neobone and recruited more mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs)than did extrafibrillarly mineralized collagen(EMC).More CD63+CD90+and CD63+CD163+cells were detected in the defect area in the IMC group than in the EMC group.To determine the functional roles of sEVs,extracellular vesicles from macrophages cultured on different mineralized collagen were isolated,and they showed no morphological differences.However,macrophage-derived sEVs in the IMC group showed an enhanced Young’s modulus and exerted beneficial effects on the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow MSCs by increasing the expression of the osteoblastic differentiation markers BMP2,BGLAP,COL1,and OSX and calcium nodule formation.Mechanistically,sEVs from IMC-treated macrophages facilitated MSC osteogenesis through the BMP2/Smad5 pathway,and blocking sEV secretion with GW4869 significantly impaired MSC proliferative,immunomodulative and osteogenic potential.Taken together,these findings show that macrophage-derived sEVs may serve as an emerging functional tool in biomaterial-mediated endogenous bone regeneration.

Use of the SPAD-502 in Estimating Nitrogen Content in Leaves and Grape Yield in Grapevines in Soils with Different Texture

The SPAD reading may be used in estimating total nitrogen content (N) in leaves and even in estimating grape yield in grapevines. The objective of this study was to estimate total N content in leaves and grape yield using the SPAD-502 in grapevines submitted to nitrogen fertilization in soils with clayey and sandy texture. In 2008, two experiments were installed in the Southern region of Brazil. In experiment 1, Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines were planted in a soil with clayey texture and with application of 10, 20, 40 and 80 kg·N·ha-1·year-1. In experiment 2, Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines were planted in a soil with sandy texture and with the application of 0, 10, 15, 20, 40, 80 and 120 kg·N·ha-1·year-1. In the grapevines of the two experiments and during the period from 2008 to 2010, SPAD readings were made on leaves throughout the flowering period and at change in color of the berries using the portable chlorophyll meter Minolta-SPAD-502. The leaves were collected, dried, ground and submitted to analysis of the total N content. In addition, grape yield per hectare was evaluated. The SPAD-502 readings estimated the total N content in flowering and at change in color of the berries in the Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines grown on soils with clayey texture and sandy texture, especially in the first year of evaluation. However, the precision of the SPAD-502 readings is low, with there being no relationship between the SPAD-502 readings and grape yield.

Changes in Water Soluble Carbohydrates Content of Timothy (<i>Phleum pretense</i>L.) in Pastures of TMR Centers over 4 Years

Timothy (Phleum pretense L.) pastures of 3 Total mixed ration (TMR) centers in Hokkaido were selected, the first cutting grasses were continuously collected from the same pastures on different harvest days over 4 years (2011-2014), and changes in the water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) content were analyzed to investigate the relationship with weather conditions. The harvest days in the 4-year period were June 17-22, June 24-26, June 27-30, and July 2-5, and grasses on these dates were designated as the harvest date groups. The weather data during the cutting period in each year were utilized. The WSC content tended to change yearly and it was significantly lower in the 4 groups (67.3 - 82.1 g/kg DM) in 2011 than in the groups (101.5 - 130.3 g/kg DM) in 2013 excluding the June 24-26 group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The WSC content tended to increase as the harvest date progressed in 2011-2013 and it significantly increased even though the harvest date was delayed only in 2013 (P < 0.01). It was suggested that differences in the WSC content among the years were related to the weather condition and dry matter yield of the grass.

Anti-Radical and Neuroprotective Potential of <i>Ficus infectoria</i>in Scopolamine Induced Memory Impairment in Mice

Ficus infectoria has a wide distribution in Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Southwest China and Indochina and is an enrich source of phytochemicals thereby possess antibacterial, antifungal and hyperglycaemic activities. In this study, we attempted to examine the cognitive ability of methanolic and ethanolic extract of F. infectoria fruit extract in scopolamine induced memory impairment in mice by using preliminary phytochemical and antioxidant tests, and the cognitive ability of the methanolic and ethanolic fruit extract of F. infectoria. Fruit extract was analyzed in scopolamine amnesia mice using passive avoidance approach. Piracetam was used as a reference drug (200 mg/Kg). Further confirmation was provided by means of mice brain homogenate biochemical tests. Maximum phytochemical, antioxidant activity and nootropic ability were observed in the ethanolic fruit extract of F. infectoria. Plant extract was used at three doses i.e. 75 mg/Kg, 150 mg/Kg and 300 mg/Kg and exhibited nootropic abilities in all tests used. Enhanced SDL value i.e. (291.2 ± 0.33+++###) was observed by the administration of plant extract at all dose range in comparison to reference drug i.e. piracetam (252.8 ± 1.60###) used in the study. The plant extract utilization has showed increase in total protein (25.08 ± 0.26+++### mg/g of tissue) and reduced glutathione content (33.0 ± 0.46+++### nmoles/mg of protein) and vice versa while low malondialehyde (MDA) (9.18 ± 0.17+++### nmoles/mg of protein) and AChE activity (0.067 ± 0.009+++### M/min/g protein). However, opposite situation was observed in the scopolamine amnesia mice. Hence it was concluded the plant extract possessed neuroprotective activity in the scopolamine induced cognitive decline in mice thereby used as cost effective natural medicines in near future.

Epidemiology and Control of Congo Fever in Sacrificial Animals of Pakistan

The cases and deaths due to Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever(CCHF)virus commonly known as Congo virus(fatality rate 15%)have been reported throughout Pakistan from the last few years especially during religious occasion,Eid-ul-Azha.The annual increase in death rates due to CCHF demonstrate the importance of awareness of Congo fever at academia as well as public level.The symptoms of Congo fever which appear one to nine days after tick bite,include sudden high fever,muscle aches,abdominal pain,headache,dizziness,sore eyes,jaundice,mood swings,confusion,aggression,and sensitivity to light.The other signs include sore throat,joint pain,vomiting,diarrhea,hemorrhages,and bleeding from skin and large intestine.The Infection has been reported in many species of wild as well as domestic animals including hares,cattle,sheep,goats,dogs,mice and hedgehogs.At least 31 species of Hyalomma,Boophilus,Rhipicephalus,Dermacentor(Ixodidae:hard ticks)act as vector of CCHF in which transovarial,transstadial and venereal transmission occurs.The virus attacks the immune system of the host and influences the immune cells.The Congo fever virus can be isolated from blood,plasma and many body tissues(kidneys,liver,spleen,lungs,brain and bone marrow).Mice inoculation,enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)can be used for detection of the infection.Furthermore,IgM and IgG antibodies against CCHFV can also be detected and quantified.Education of general public,tick control with acaricides,use of anti-CCHFV immunoglobulin,usage of approved repellents to prevent tick bites,wearing neutral-coloured garments,application of a permethrin spray to the clothing,avoiding tall grasses and shrubs,applying sunscreen,avoiding direct contact with the blood or tissues of animals are the factors for successful prevention of the infection.

Comparison between Differently Synthesized Hydroxyapatite Composites for Orthopedic Applications

Study carried to find out chemical and structural suitability of newly synthesized Eppawala hydroxyapatite composite varieties as bone cement, by comparing and contrasting them with human bone as well as commercially available bone cement, which is currently used in orthopedic surgeries. Commercially available methyl methacrylate (MMA) monomer used to reinforce solid state sintered and sol gel synthesized hydroxyapatite ceramic to prepare its composites as bone cements and their physical and chemical properties including composition, crystallinity, presence of functional groups, thermal stability, surface morphology, and microstructural features were examined compared to human bone. Results show there is a close similarity between synthesized products and human bone while credenting high thermal stability, good crystalline, and porous properties than the commercial product. Finally, study concluded newly synthesized composites can be applied directly as a substitution for commercial bone cement while having different properties from each other.

Suitability of the South Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica for Reintroduction of the Great Green Macaw <i>Ara ambiguus</i>

The Great Green Macaw Ara ambiguus is an endangered species whose most important food resource and nesting site in Costa Rica is the mountain almond tree Dipteryx panamensis, threatened mainly by deforestation. In this study, we analyse the suitability of reintroducing A. ambiguus in the South Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica by examining whether the ecological and socio-cultural conditions required for the reintroduction are met in the area. The methods developed in this work include biological sampling, cartographical analysis and semi-structured interviews, among others. We set La Ceiba Nature Reserve as study unit and starting point of the analysis due both to its conservation status, favouring the potential release of individuals, and its ecosystem representativeness. Our results suggest that the habitat is suitable for reintroduction, with frequent presence of D. panamensis in the region, as well as other feeding options and potential nesting sites in the study area. The cartographic study reveals that the species could rely on a forested surface of up to 7000 hectares, which would be sufficient for sustaining a viable population. As for the socio-cultural analysis, illegal logging and low protective frameworks were identified as the main potential threats for the species. Nevertheless, we perceived positive conservation attitudes among local people and a pro-active commitment of political stakeholders. We conclude that a viable South Caribbean reintroduction of A. ambiguus is possible in conjunction with a threat mitigation programme.

An Insight into Different Strategies for Control and Prophylaxis of Fasciolosis:A Review

Fasciolosis is one of the important diseases of livestock and has zoonotic importance.Fasciolosis can cause huge economic losses due to decrease in milk and meat production,decreased feed conversion ratio,and cost of treatment.Treatment and prophylaxis strategies for Fasciola infection are formed based on epidemiological data.The control of Fasciola infection can be attained by treating the animals with active anthelmintics.The use of different combinations of anthelmintics with a possible rotation is more effective against immature as well as adult flukes.Control of the intermediate host(snail)is vital for the reduction of fasciolosis.Due to the rapid growth of snails,the eradication is quite difficult in waterlogged and marshy areas.The use of different grazing methods and treatment of grazing areas can also help to control fasciolosis.A variety of antigens generated by Fasciola spp.have been shown to protect against liver fluke infection.The crude antigens,excretory/secretory,and refined antigens and their combination can be used as prophylactic treatment for the control of fasciolosis.The use of any of the single or combination of these methods can be very effective for the control of fasciolosis.

Opportunistic Infections in Late Kidney Transplantation with Death Outcome: Case Report

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Pneumocystis jirovecii fungus are the main opportunistic microorganisms that affect transplanted individuals. Immunosuppressive drugs administered to prevent organ rejection leave the immune system vulnerable to these infections. The present report is about a kidney transplanted patient using immunosuppressants who was diagnosed with cytomegalovirus and pneumocystosis requiring admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). Female patient, 57 years old, a kidney transplanted three years ago, with comorbidities, such as systemic arterial hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia and type 2 diabetes mellitus. She was admitted to the hospital in January 2020 with a history of diarrhea, cough, malaise and weight loss of seven kg in a month. She made continuous use of the immunosuppressants tacrolimus® and mycophenolate sodium (MFS). After five days of hospitalization, she was transferred to the ICU due to refractory diarrhea, worsening renal function and respiratory pattern, requiring mechanical ventilation. Chest tomography showed changes that led to the diagnostic hypothesis of CMV pneumonia or Pneumocystis jirovecii. Treatment with Ganciclovir® and Bactrim® was started. The bronchial lavage polymerase chain reaction test confirmed the infectious condition for CMV and Pneumocystis jirovecii. Despite the drug therapy instituted, there was no improvement in the infectious condition. The patient started to present a general and progressive worsening of the clinical picture with loss of renal graft function, respiratory failure, metabolic acidosis, hemodynamic instability and severe distributive shock, evolving to death. In the present report, it was observed that after late kidney transplantation the fragility of the immune system caused by the use of immunosuppressants contributed to the development of a severe infection with CMV and Pneumocystis jirovecii. Adjusting the doses of immunosuppressants to individual needs can be an important measure for maintaining the proper immune system and consequently avoiding late opportunistic infections and death outcomes.

Neurorestorative Effects of Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy after Stroke: An Integrative Review

Stroke has been considered as one of the main causes of death and of motor and cognitive sequels. Especially, many patients with upper limb hemiparesis improved their motor action and showed meaningful cortical changes after treatment with constraint-induced movement therapy. Therefore, this review aims to verify the literature about neuroimaging and behavioral evidences in the cortical reorganization through the use of the constraint-induced movement therapy. So, we conducted the literature research in indexed journals from many databases like Pubmed, Medline, Cochrane Database, Lilacs and Scielo. We concluded that the behavioral and neuroimaging studies using traditional and modified constraint-induced movement therapy promote cortical reorganization.

Minimal active domain of human salivary histatin 1 is efficacious in promoting acute skin wound healing

Dear Editor,The skin barrier can be impaired by acute skin wounds,which may lead to a series of complications.It is essential to accelerate wound healing and rapidly restore the structural integrity and functionality of skin.One of the promising bioactive agents is human salivary histatin 1(Hst1),a 38-amino acid histidine-rich peptide that functions to maintain the homeostasis of oral mucosa with a cellular mechanism of promoting the adhesion,spreading,migration of epithelial cells and thus re-epithelialization[1].In recent years,Hst1 has been shown to be effective against various skin-related cell types,such as fibroblasts,myo-fibroblasts,keratinocytes and endothelial cells.In our latest in-vivo study,Hst1 not only promotes angiogenesis,re-epithelialization and collagen production,but also suppresses inflammation,thereby significantly accelerating acute skin wound healing in mice[2].All these studies show that Hst1 is a potent bioactive agent for accelerating acute skin wound healing.

Multiomics approaches to uncover endometrial receptivity in embryo implantation:a mini-review

Successful implantation requires concerted interactions during the apposition,adhesion,and invasion of the embryo into a receptive endometrium.However,the embryo implantation rate for assisted reproduction remains low despite the transfer of good quality embryos.Changes in endometrial transcriptomics,proteomics,lipidomics,and even microbiota all play important roles in embryo implantation.Specifically,the expression of steroid hormone-regulated adhesive and anti-adhesive molecules during the embryo implantation window is becoming an area of increasingly intense research.This review(a)summarizes the different molecules expressed in the receptive endometrium and(b)proposes the use of surface protein markers to predict pregnancy outcomes from assisted reproduction.

Environmental Sound Classification Using Deep Learning

Perhaps hearing impairment individuals cannot identify the environmental sounds due to noise around them.However,very little research has been conducted in this domain.Hence,the aim of this study is to categorize sounds generated in the environment so that the impairment individuals can distinguish the sound categories.To that end first we define nine sound classes--air conditioner,car horn,children playing,dog bark,drilling,engine idling,jackhammer,siren,and street music--typically exist in the environment.Then we record 100 sound samples from each category and extract features of each sound category using Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients(MFCC).The training dataset is developed using this set of features together with the class variable;sound category.Sound classification is a complex task and hence,we use two Deep Learning techniques;Multi Layer Perceptron(MLP)and Convolution Neural Network(CNN)to train classification models.The models are tested using a separate test set and the performances of the models are evaluated using precision,recall and F1-score.The results show that the CNN model outperforms the MLP.However,the MLP also provided a decent accuracy in classifying unknown environmental sounds.

Transcriptome analyses of the Dof-like gene family in grapevine reveal its involvement in berry, flower and seed development

The Dof(DNA-binding with one finger)protein family spans a group of plant transcription factors involved in the regulation of several functions,such as plant responses to stress,hormones and light,phytochrome signaling and seed germination.Here we describe the Dof-like gene family in grapevine(Vitis vinifera L.),which consists of 25 genes coding for Dof.An extensive in silico characterization of the VviDofL gene family was performed.Additionally,the expression of the entire gene family was assessed in 54 grapevine tissues and organs using an integrated approach with microarray(cv Corvina)and real-time PCR(cv Pinot Noir)analyses.The phylogenetic analysis comparing grapevine sequences with those of Arabidopsis,tomato,poplar and already described Dof genes in other species allowed us to identify several duplicated genes.The diversification of grapevine DofL genes during evolution likely resulted in a broader range of biological roles.Furthermore,distinct expression patterns were identified between samples analyzed,corroborating such hypothesis.Our expression results indicate that several VviDofL genes perform their functional roles mainly during flower,berry and seed development,highlighting their importance for grapevine growth and production.The identification of similar expression profiles between both approaches strongly suggests that these genes have important regulatory roles that are evolutionally conserved between grapevine cvs Corvina and Pinot Noir.

Reproductive phenology of Calophyllum inophyllum in Yeppoon, Australia and Meegoda Western Province, Sri Lanka

Reproductive phenology of multiple use native plant Calo- phyllum inophyllum L. was studied in Yeppoon （23°7＇60＂ S, 150°43＇60＂ E）, northern Australia （southern hemisphere） and in Meegoda （6°18＇51＂N, 80°31＇3＂E）, Sri Lanka （northern hemisphere）. C. inophyllum trees in Yeppoon, Australia had relatively shorter flowering periods, shorter floral life spans, longer fruit life spans, smaller flowers and larger fi＇uits compared to those in Meegoda, Sri Lanka. Although the number of flower buds/ inflorescence was comparatively higher in Meegoda, C. inophyllum trees in both locations had similar mean number of mature fruits/cluster due to the higher floral abscission in C. inophyllum trees at Meegoda. Despite having a comparatively lower fruit yield （664 000 fruts·ha^-1·a^-1）, C. inophyllum trees in Yeppoon hdd lligher kernel weights （2988.0±853.2 kg·ha^-1·a^-1） and oil yields （1 33226±380.5 kg·ha^-1·a^-1） compared to those in Meegoda.