Litter Additions Reduce the Side Effects of Biocides on Soil Nematode Communities in Illicium Verum Forest.

The application of biocides may create unintended consequences on soil biota and ecosystem stability. The inputs of organic matter can increase biocides adsorption and reduction of non-target organisms influence. A field experiment was conducted to study the changes of soil abiotic and nematode communities resulting from biocides application in non-litter-added and litter-added soils in Illicium verum forest. Our results showed that litter addition could change the responses of soil nematodes to biocides. The influence of fungicide was evident mainly in litter-added plots in which it increased nematode abundance. Insecticide and its interaction with fungicide significantly decreased the diversity index and the abundance of omnivores-predators and herbivores in non-litter-added plots. While, insecticide had little effect on nematode diversity and abundance in litter-added plots. Litter addition may help to maintain the structure and stability of soil food web and result in bacteria dominant decomposition pathway. Our results suggest that litter addition may be a critical factor for maintaining soil ecosystem stability when biocides are applied in Illicium verum forest.

In vitro in vivo relations for the parenteral liposomal formulation of Amphotericin B: A biorelevant and clinically relevant approach.

There is limited information on how to perform in vitro release tests for intravenously administered parenteral formulations and how to relate the in vitro release with an in vivo pharmacokinetic parameter after the administration of the formulation. In this study, the effect of hydrodynamics (using sample and separate and continuous flow conditions) and medium components (synthetic surfactants, albumin and buffers) on the release of Amphotericin B from the liposomal Ambisome® formulation were investigated. Pharmacokinetic modeling of plasma concentration profiles from healthy subjects administered Ambisome® was used to estimate the in vivo release rate constant of drug from the formulation in order to compare it with the in vitro release profiles. With the estimated in vivo and in vitro release rate constants, release profiles were generated. Two approaches were followed: comparison of in vivo and in vitro release rate constants and comparison of the area under the percent release-time curve from observed in vitro release data and simulated in vivo release data. Albumin was found to be most critical factor for the release of the drug by having a negative effect on the amount of Amphotericin B released. The release profiles obtained with the sample and separate method in both Krebs Ringer buffer- and Phosphate Saline buffer - albumin 4.0% w/v were predictive of the in vivo release profiles in healthy subjects. Determining the factors affecting drug release from parenteral formulations and relating the release profiles to a pharmacokinetic parameter in vivo supports the development of in vitro in vivo relations for parenteral products.

Short-term Effects of Cadmium and Mercury on Soil Nematode Communities in a Pot Experiment.

Analysis of soil nematode feeding groups and functional guilds were used as a valuable tool to detect heavy metal pollution. Effects of cadmium (Cd) at 5 mg/kg, mercury (Hg) at 20mg/kg, combined Cd and Hg at 5+20mg/kg on the nematode communities were studied after three months application. Nematodes were collected from soil in rhizosphere of Morning glories (Pharhiris nil) which were applied as heavy metal accumulators and were grown in the experimental pots. Both single and combined heavy metals had marked effects on the nematode abundance, life-history strategies and feeding type composition. Bacteriovores and c-p 2 group were found to be the most abundant trophic group and functional guild, respectively. Acrobeloides and Pratylenchus were the most two abundant genera, decreasing number of them was responsible for the significant difference between control and polluted treatments. Cd-5 and Cd-Hg 5+20 presented lower values of nematode diversity index (H') and evenness index (J') than Hg-20. The combination of Cd and Hg showed lower nematode trophic diversity (TD), in comparison with single Cd or Hg. Conversely, heavy metals addition exhibited no pronounced effect on Maturity index (MI), structural index (SI) and enrichment index (EI). Our results demonstrate that genera composition is a better indicator to short-term heavy metal effects than some common indicator indices and emphasize that deeper assemblage analyses are needed for a correct interpretation of short-term disturbance on soil nematodes.

[Effects of anti-idiotypic antibody NP30 on modulation of egg granuloma formation and hepatic fibrosis of schistosomiasis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of the monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibody NP30 active immunization on egg granuloma formation and hepatic fibrosis in Schistosoma japonicum infection. METHODS: ICR mice were actively immunized with NP30 100 micrograms x 3 i.p. every 10 days while the mice in control group were injected with SP2/0 ascites i.p. simultaneously. After cercariae challenging, the mice were killed at the 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, 20th and 24th week, respectively. Mouse livers were removed and stained histochemically with VG and subjected to immunohistochemical assay of collagen type I, III and fibronectin(FN). The volume of egg granulomas and the content of collagen type I, III and FN were determined quantitatively by NYD-1000 Image Analysis System. RESULTS: The volume of egg granulomas in NP30 immunized group was much smaller than that of control group from the 12th week after cercariae challenge. The cellular components of egg granulomas in NP30 immunized group were significantly different from those of the control group, exhibiting two types of atypical egg granulomas were found. VG stain revealed that the average optical density of collagen in hepatic granulomas of experimental group was lower than that of control group. Immunohistochemical assay revealed that the contents of collagen type I, III and fibronectin in egg granulomas of experimental group were lower than those of control group. CONCLUSION: NP30 vaccination may induce both cellular and humoral protective immunity to modulate egg granulomas and suppress liver fibrosis of schistosomiasis japonica.