Water use indicators at farm scale - An agro-hydrological software solution.

The challenge to sustainably intensify agricultural production in farming systems in face of the increasing variability in regional water resources requires concerted action from many stakeholders, locally, regionally and globally. Models, such as the AgroHyd Farmmodel presented here, can provide information on how farm management decisions affect local water resources at various scales for use in multiple assessment frameworks. It is a stand-alone web-based software that connects agricultural and water-related systems, including all water flows related to farming systems. Results from a case study of the production of 12 crops with rainfed and supplemental irrigation on a farm in northeastern Germany are described here. Indicators that relate the water use to plant production on the farm such as water intensity or water productivity are compared in detail for three consecutive years with greatly varying annual rainfall amounts (from 373 to 790 mm) to highlight the effect of local variability on water flows and indicator values. The discussion illustrates how information on the effect of management decisions, such as crop type, seeding date, crop rotation, cultivation and irrigation on water use can be processed into indicators to help farmers make more effective decisions.

Glaucarubulone glucoside from Castela macrophylla suppresses MCF-7 breast cancer cell growth and attenuates benzo[a]pyrene-mediated CYP1A gene induction.

Quassinoids often exhibit antioxidant and antiproliferative activity. Emerging evidence suggests that these natural metabolites also display chemopreventive actions. In this study, we investigated the potential for the quassinoid glaucarubulone glucoside (Gg), isolated from the endemic Jamaican plant Castela macrophylla (Simaroubaceae), to display potent cytotoxicity and inhibit human cytochrome P450s (CYPs), particularly CYP1A enzymes, known to convert polyaromatic hydrocarbons into carcinogenic metabolites. Gg reduced the viability of MCF-7 breast adenocarcinoma cells (IC50 = 121 nm) to a greater extent than standard of care anticancer agents 5-fluorouracil, tamoxifen (IC50 >10 µm) and the tamoxifen metabolite 4-hydroxytamoxifen (IC50 = 2.6 µm), yet was not cytotoxic to non-tumorigenic MCF-10A breast epithelial cells. Additionally, Gg induced MCF-7 breast cancer cell death. Gg blocked increases in reactive oxygen species in MCF-10A cells mediated by the polyaromatic hydrocarbon benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) metabolite B[a]P 1,6-quinone, yet downregulated the expression of genes that promote antioxidant activity in MCF-7 cells. This implies that Gg exhibits antioxidant and cytoprotective actions in non-tumorigenic breast epithelial cells and pro-oxidant, cytotoxic actions in breast cancer cells. Furthermore, Gg inhibited the activities of human CYP1A according to non-competitive kinetics and attenuated the ability of B[a]P to induce CYP1A gene expression in MCF-7 cells. These data indicate that Gg selectively suppresses MCF-7 breast cancer cell growth without impacting non-tumorigenic breast epithelial cells and blocks B[a]P-mediated CYP1A induction. Taken together, our data provide a rationale for further investigations of Gg and similar plant isolates as potential agents to treat and prevent breast cancer. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Progressive dyslexia: evidence from Hungarian and English.

We report a patient with non-fluent Primary Progressive Aphasia who was premorbidly literate in two alphabetic scripts, Hungarian (L1) and English (L2). Testing was performed over a two-year period to assess the impact of progressive illness on oral reading and repetition of single words. Results showed significant decline in oral reading in both languages, and an effect of language status in favour of oral reading in L1. Phonological complexity was a significant predictor of oral reading decline in both languages. Of interest, we observed an effect of language status on task performance whereby repetition was better in L2 than L1 but oral reading was better in L1 than L2. We conclude that language status has an effect on repetition and oral reading abilities for bilingual speakers with non-fluent Primary Progressive Aphasia.

Tetranortriterpenoids from Spathelia sorbifolia (Rutaceae).

Two new tetranortriterpenoids were obtained by chromatography of the acetone extract of the wood of Spathelia sorbifolia L.; these compounds were characterized as their p-bromobenzoyl derivatives (2, 3). This extract also yielded a known tetranortriterpenoid and the chromones allopteroxylin, spatheliabischromene and anhydrosorbifolin.

The development of fungal networks in complex environments.

Fungi are of fundamental importance in terrestrial ecosystems playing important roles in decomposition, nutrient cycling, plant symbiosis and pathogenesis, and have significant potential in several areas of environmental biotechnology such as biocontrol and bioremediation. In all of these contexts, the fungi are growing in environments exhibiting spatio-temporal nutritional and structural heterogeneities. In this work, a discrete mathematical model is derived that allows detailed understanding of how events at the hyphal level are influenced by the nature of various environmental heterogeneities. Mycelial growth and function is simulated in a range of environments including homogeneous conditions, nutritionally-heterogeneous conditions and structurally-heterogeneous environments, the latter emulating porous media such as soils. Our results provide further understanding of the crucial processes involved in fungal growth, nutrient translocation and concomitant functional consequences, e.g. acidification, and have implications for the biotechnological application of fungi.

Kaurene diterpenes from Laetia thamnia inhibit the growth of human cancer cells in vitro.

Four ent-kaurene diterpenes were isolated from the leaves of Laetia thamnia L.: ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid (1a), ent-3beta-hydroxykaur-16-ene (2), ent-kaur-16-en-3alpha,19-diol (3a), and ent-17-hydroxykaur-15-en-19-oic acid (4). The methyl ester (1b) of compound 1a and the acetate diester (3b) of compound 3a were prepared, and all compounds were evaluated for cytotoxicity against human prostate (22Rv1, LNCaP), colon (HT29, HCT116, SW480, SW620), and breast (MCF-7) tumor cells at concentrations ranging from 6 to 50microg/mL. The kaurenes showed activity in all cell lines tested, with the prostate cells demonstrating the most sensitivity as follows: 22 Rv1 cells towards 1a (IC(50) 5.03microg/mL) and 1b (IC(50) 6.81microg/mL), and LNCaP towards 2 (IC(50) 12.83microg/mL) and 4 (IC(50) 17.63microg/mL).

Hypoglycemic effects of steroidal sapogenins isolated from Jamaican bitter yam, Dioscorea polygonoides.

In this study, three steroidal sapogenins (Delta3 diosgenin, diosgenin, and pennogenin) and the phytosterols, stigmasterol and beta-sitosterol were isolated from Jamaican bitter yam, Dioscorea polygonoides. Their effects on fasting blood glucose and intestinal amylase and ATPases in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were studied. The diabetic rats (fed supplemented and unsupplemented diets) lost weight significantly compared to the normal group. There was a significant increase in the activity of alpha-amylase in the proximal region of the small intestinal mucosa of diabetic rats fed sapogenin extract or commercial diosgenin. However, this did not result in increased fasting blood glucose. Instead, supplementation of the diet with bitter yam sapogenin extract significantly decreased fasting blood glucose compared to the diabetic group. Supplementation of the diet with bitter yam sapogenin extract or commercial diosgenin significantly reduced Na+-K+-ATPase activity in all three regions compared to the diabetic control group. Commercial diosgenin supplementation resulted in a significant increase in Ca2+ ATPase activity in proximal region compared to the diabetic control and bitter yam sapogenin extract groups. The effect of bitter yam sapogenin extract or commercial diosgenin on intestinal Na+-K+-ATPase activity could account for their hypoglycemic properties. However, there was adverse effect on the body weight.

Translocation of carbon by Rhizoctonia solani in nutritionally-heterogeneous microcosms.

Responses of Rhizoctonia solani to spatial heterogeneity in sources of carbon, and associated translocation of carbon (C), were studied in a simple microcosm system comprising two discrete domains of agar gels separated on a glass slide and overlain with a porous membrane. Two arrangements of the gel pairs were used, one containing two equally large resources (representing 'homogeneous' conditions) and one containing a large and a negligible resource (representing 'heterogeneous' conditions). The nutrient sources were a standard mineral salt medium with or without glucose as sole C source. The fungus was inoculated onto one domain and growth responses determined by direct measurement of biomass. Translocation of C was quantified by use of 13C-enriched glucose. This substrate was either added to the agar at the outset, when studying newly developing colonies, or as a pulse into already established colonies. When growing in heterogeneous conditions, the fungus actively translocated C from a glucose-containing domain to sustain growth in the adjacent region lacking such a resource. In homogeneous conditions there was evidence of passive translocation (diffusion), but the fungus preferentially used local resource to maintain growth. Active translocation was only observed in newly growing colonies, whereas passive translocation occurred in both growing and established colonies. When the fungus was pulsed with a 13C-enriched glucose solution after 10 d growth, 2.5 times more 13C was taken up by the fungus grown in heterogeneous than homogeneous conditions, suggesting uptake exceeded local demands. In heterogeneous conditions, the total amount of 13C enriched glucose taken up by the fungus was independent of the location of the enriched glucose in the underlying medium. When the nylon membrane was replaced by Cellophane (an additional C source), degradation of the membrane and an increase in biomass occurred only in the heterogeneous system. The possible implications for these results in soil systems are discussed.

Antibody isotype profiles in serum and circulating antibody-secreting cells following mucosal and peripheral immunisations of sheep.

The isotype-specific antibody responses of sheep immunised with keyhole limpet hemocyanin by a peripheral route (intramuscular (i.m.) injection) were compared to those induced by immunisation via different mucosal routes: (1) intra-nasal spray; (2) rectal deposition with cholera toxin; (3) injection into the mucosa of the small intestine or rectum. Antigen-specific IgG1 antibodies were induced in the i.m., intra-intestinal and intra-rectal injection groups and in a proportion of the cholera toxin immunised sheep, but not in the intra-nasal immunisation group. IgA was the only antibody isotype detected in serum collected from the intra-nasal immunisation group. No significant differences in serum IgA levels were detected in any of the mucosal immunisation groups as compared to the i.m. injection group. In contrast, analysis of the in vitro antibody profiles secreted by circulating antibody-secreting cells (ASC) revealed significantly higher IgA responses in the supernatants from all mucosal immunisation groups. This suggests that the measurement of antibodies secreted by circulating ASCs may be a better correlate of local mucosal responses in ruminants, as has been previously demonstrated in human studies. In addition to IgG1 and IgA responses, immunisation by direct injection of antigen formulations into the intestinal and rectal mucosa were the only groups to induce consistently high IgG2 antibodies in serum and ASC cultures.

Growth and function of fungal mycelia in heterogeneous environments.

As decomposer organisms, pathogens, plant symbionts and nutrient cyclers, fungi are of fundamental importance in the terrestrial environment. Moreover, in addition to their well-known applications in industry, many species also have great potential in environmental biotechnology. The study of this important class of organisms is difficult through experimental means alone due to the heterogeneity of their natural growth habitat and the microscopic scale of growth. In this work we present a mathematical model for colony expansion that is derived through consideration of the growth characteristics on the microscale. The model equations are of mixed hyperbolic-parabolic type and are treated with a numerical scheme that preserves positivity and conserves mass. The numerical solutions are compared against experimental results in a variety of environments. Thus the effect of different translocation mechanisms on fungal growth and function are identified. The derivation and analysis of an approximation to the full model yields further results concerning basic properties of mycelial growth. Finally, the acidification of the growth habitat is considered and the model thus provides important predictions on the functional consequences of the redistribution of internally-located material.

Interactions between nematophagous fungi and consequences for their potential as biological agents for the control of potato cyst nematodes.

The efficacies of three nematophagous fungi, Paecilomyces lilacinus, Plectosphaerella cucumerina and Pochonia chlamydosporia, for controlling potato cyst nematodes (PCN) as part of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) regime were studied. The compatibility of the nematophagous fungi with commonly used chemical pesticides and their ability to compete with the soil fungi Rhizoctonia solani, Chaetomium globosum, Fusarium oxysporum, Penicillium bilaii and Trichoderma harzianum were tested in vitro. Paecilomyces lilacinus was the most successful competitor when the ability to grow and inhibit growth of an opposing colony at both 10 and 20 degrees C was considered. P. lilacinus also showed potential for control of the soil-borne fungal pathogen R. solani, releasing a diffusable substance in vitro which inhibited its growth and caused morphological abnormalities in its hyphae. Pochonia chlamydosporia was least susceptible to growth inhibition by other fungi at 20 degrees in vitro, but the isolate tested did not grow at 10 degrees. Plectosphaerella cucumerina was a poor saprophytic competitor. Radial growth of Paecilomyces lilacinus and Plectosphaerella cucumerina was slowed, but not prevented, when grown on potato dextrose agar incorporating the fungicides fenpiclonil and tolclofos-methyl, and was not inhibited by the addition of pencycuron or the nematicide oxamyl. Radial growth of Pochonia chlamydosporia was partially inhibited by all the chemical pesticides tested. The efficacy of Paecilomyces lilacinus as a control agent for R. solani was further investigated in situ. Treatment with P. lilacinus significantly reduced the symptoms of Rhizoctonia disease on potato stems in a pot trial. The effectiveness of P. lilacinus and P. cucumerina against PCN was also tested in situ. Three application methods were compared; incorporating the fungi into alginate pellets, Terra-Green inoculated with the fungi and applying conidia directly to the tubers. Both formulations containing P. lilacinus and formulation mixtures alone, particularly alginate pellets, significantly reduced multiplication of PCN in soil. We conclude that P. lilacinus showed the greatest potential for use in combination with selected fungicides and nematicides as part of an IPM programme for the control of PCN, but further work is required to confirm whether it is effective against PCN in soil.

Functional consequences of nutrient translocation in mycelial fungi.

Fungi are of fundamental importance for plant and microbial nutrition with primary roles in decomposition and nutrient recycling. They also have great potential for use in areas of biotechnology such as bioremediation of organic and inorganic pollutants and biocontrol of plant pathogens. In all these contexts, environmental heterogeneity has a strong influence on growth and function. A large class of fungi overcome the difficulties encountered in such environments by the mechanism of translocation which results in the internal redistribution of nutrients within the fungal mycelium. In this paper, we use a combination of experimental techniques and mathematical modelling to examine fungal growth in general, and in particular, translocation in the common soil saprophytic fungus Rhizoctonia solani. A detailed mathematical model is presented where translocation is considered to have both diffusive and metabolically-driven components. A calibration experiment provided the necessary parameter values. Growth experiments were compared with model solutions and thus we provide strong evidence that diffusion is the dominant mechanism for translocation in homogeneous environments. In heterogeneous environments, we conclude that diffusion is still vital for exploration, i.e. the expansion of the fungal network into the surrounding area. However, we also conclude that localized resources may be utilized faster if energy is invested, i.e. when exploitation of the fungal microenvironment is enhanced by metabolically driven translocation.

Solubilization of calcium phosphate as a consequence of carbon translocation by Rhizoctonia solani.

A model system based on arrays of three concentric rings of discrete agar droplets is described which allowed study of fungal growth in vitro in nutritionally-heterogeneous conditions. Droplets containing different combinations of glucose and calcium phosphate were used to study the consequences of spatially separating these components in relation to metal phosphate solubilization by Rhizoctonia solani. A pH indicator, bromocresol purple, was added to the agar to visualise the localised production of acidity by the fungus. In the presence of the fungus, solubilization of calcium phosphate on homogeneous agar plates only occurred when glucose was present in the underlying medium. However, solubilization occurred in droplets containing calcium phosphate, but no glucose, when glucose was present in other droplets within the tessellation and where fungal hyphae spanned the droplets. This demonstrates that substrate was transported via mycelia from glucose-containing domains, with the functional consequence of metal phosphate solubilization. In another design, where the inner ring of droplets contained glucose and the outer ring contained only calcium phosphate, acidification of all droplets in the outer ring was observed when the inner droplets contained glucose. However, solubilization of calcium phosphate only occurred when the concentration of glucose in the inner droplets was greater than 2% (w/v). This indicated that a threshold concentration of carbon source may be required before such mechanisms of solubilization are invoked. There was also evidence for reverse translocation of substrate from newly colonised glucose-containing droplets in the outer ring to the central droplets, where fungal growth had originated.