Decomposition rate and carbon and nitrogen dynamics of Sphagnum litter: lessons from a peat bog

Decomposition rates and changes of carbon and nitrogen contents of Sphagnum litter in mire vegetation can help to explore the ecological effects of climate change and the role of environmental factors from a local to an ecosystem scale. The objective of the study was to determine the relationship between mentioned parameters in small and isolated Sphagnum dominated mires. Measurements had been conducted throughout a year by placing litterbags filled with Sphagnum biomass in three vegetation types (open peat bog, poor fen, alder carr) of a mire ecosystem in Hungary. Peat decomposition rates differed to a great extent; the slowest decomposition rate (39.1±9.52%) was in the alder carr, indicating that slower decomposition could be characteristic for this kind of vegetation type of mire. Between Sphagnum dominated microhabitats, open peat bog showed medium (65.57±4.05) while poor fen the fastest (68.61±5.5) rates in decomposition. The C/N ratio of the Sphagnum litter showed significant decrease (P <0.005) in all studied micro-environments. Slower N release was observed from litter of Alnus dominated association (31.3±6.9%) compared to Sphagnum dominated ones (56.5±8.3%). Our findings showed that the decomposition rates were more dependent on vegetation type than C/N ratio and this relationship was also revealed at a small spatial scale

In situ measurements of seasonal productivity dynamics in two sphagnum dominated mires in Hungary

Climate change sensitively concerns peatlands as ecosystems which represent significant stores of soil carbon globally. Differences in the carbon balance of peatlands seem to be long-term variations of carbon accumulation that appears in climate change but also it is particularly useful to study the short-term seasonal ecological function of small mires located in the frontier zone of Sphagnum-dominated peat bogs in the plains of Europe. The aim of the study is to provide a seasonal overview of functional physiological mechanisms of a unique and isolated peat moss dominated area in Hungary. Net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of carbon dioxide, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI values), chlorophyll fluorescence parameter (Fv/Fm) of dominant Sphagnum and vascular plant species were measured seasonally in two Hungarian Sphagnum dominated mires under in situ field conditions. NEE ranged from -1.08 to -2.89 μmol m–2 s–1 in the spring and autumn but fell to 0.68 to –2.52 μmol m–2 s–1 (a negative value indicates ecosystem uptake) under higher light flux density (PPFD of 1100 μ mol m–2 s–1) during the summer period. NDVI values showed the highest rates in summer (between 0.756-0.882) and the lowest rates were measured in spring (between 0.426-0.612) in all investigated microhabitats. The maximal photochemical activity (Fv/Fm) of the dominated species reflected the seasonal and microclimatic adaptation; showed lower values in spring and autumn (0.505-0.847) while these parameters are characterized by higher values (0.8-0.857) in all dominated species in summer. Our study shows that functional differences can also exist within relatively small mire not only seasonally but also depending on microsites or types of plant communities. These results contribute to our understanding of dynamic changes of peatlands, mire ecosystem functioning at the edge of their distribution and predict ecosystem responses to climate change, which can be potential factors both on global carbon cycle and global change

FHR-5 Serum Levels and CFHR5 Genetic Variations in Patients With Immune Complex-Mediated Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis and C3-Glomerulopathy

Factor H-related protein 5 (FHR-5) is a member of the complement Factor H protein family. Due to the homology to Factor H, the main complement regulator of the alternative pathway, it may also be implicated in the pathomechanism of kidney diseases where Factor H and alternative pathway dysregulation play a role. Here, we report the first observational study on CFHR5 variations along with serum FHR-5 levels in immune complex-mediated membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (IC-MPGN) and C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) patients together with the clinical, genetic, complement, and follow-up data.A total of 120 patients with a histologically proven diagnosis of IC-MPGN/C3G were enrolled in the study. FHR-5 serum levels were measured in ELISA, the CFHR5 gene was analyzed by Sanger sequencing, and selected variants were studied as recombinant proteins in ELISA and surface plasmon resonance (SPR).Eight exonic CFHR5 variations in 14 patients (12.6%) were observed. Serum FHR-5 levels were lower in patients compared to controls. Low serum FHR-5 concentration at presentation associated with better renal survival during the follow-up period; furthermore, it showed clear association with signs of complement overactivation and clinically meaningful clusters.Our observations raise the possibility that the FHR-5 protein plays a fine-tuning role in the pathogenesis of IC-MPGN/C3G

Suppression of innate and adaptive B cell activation pathways by antibody coengagement of FcgammaRIIb and CD19.

The Fc receptor (FcgammaRIIb) inhibits B cell responses when coengaged with B cell receptor (BCR), and has become a target for new autoimmune disease therapeutics. For example, BCR and FcgammaRIIb coengagement via the Fc-engineered anti-CD19 XmAb5871 suppresses humoral immune responses. We now assess effects of XmAb5871 on other activation pathways, including the pathogen-associated molecular pattern receptor, TLR9. Since TLR9 signaling is implicated in autoimmune diseases, we asked if XmAb5871 could inhibit TLR9 costimulation. We show that XmAb5871 decreases ERK and AKT activation, cell proliferation, cytokine, and IgG production induced by BCR and/or TLR9 signals. XmAb5871 also inhibited differentiation of citrullinated peptide-specific plasma cells from rheumatoid arthritis patients. XmAb5871 may therefore have potential to suppress pathogenic B cells in autoimmune diseases

Further data on poisonous garden and indoor plants - Literature review

SUMMARY The recent study gives a supplement to the previously published papers dealing with herbal poisonings. Species not mentioned in the papers before are described. The discussed species are the following: golden pothos, peace lily, arrowhead plant, caladium, iron cross, myrtle spurge, caper spurge, crown of thorns, African milk tree, rubber fig, weeping fig, big sage, Siberian squill, star of Bethlehem, mother of thousands, boxwood, spotted laurel, dracena species, natal lily, periwinkle