Sulfentrazone behavior in surface soil : dissipation, degradation, adsorption and mobility

A rapid method for the determination of sulfentrazone in soils is described. The method consists of extraction of soil samples with methanol, filtration, liquid chromatographic separation of methanol-soluble components by using a C18 column, and ultraviolet detection with absorbance at 220 nm. Recoveries from fortified soils were \u3e85% for sulfentrazone from the surface soils. Average percent relative standard deviations over the soils examined was 7.7%. The limit of detection for sulfentrazone was 40 ng/g soil. Sulfentrazone dissipation and degradation was examined in field and laboratory experiments. Field studies were conducted in 1995, 1996 and 1997 at Knoxville, TN on soils of the Sequatchie loam series. Sulfentrazone half-life varied with rainfall under field conditions. In 1995, the half-life of sulfentrazone was 113 d. In 1996, the half-life was 25 d. In 1997 (location one), the half-life of sulfentrazone was 24 d. In 1997 (location two), the half-life of sulfentrazone was 85 d. Injury to cotton from sulfentrazone was observed the year following application when half-lives were ≥ 85 d. Sulfentrazone degradation, under controlled conditions, in autoclaved soil and nonautoclaved soil taken from 0 to 10 cm and 30 to 40 cm depths had half-lives of 198, 93, and 102 d, respectively. In general, sulfentrazone dissipation was influenced by both microbial and chemical degradation mechanisms. Sulfentrazone adsorption and mobility was evaluated in seven soils with varying soil properties under laboratory conditions. Adsorption was evaluated using a modified slurry technique. Mobility was evaluated using packed soil columns under saturated flow conditions. The order of adsorption to soil was Drummer silt loam \u3e Sequatchie loam \u3e Dothan loamy sand \u3e Bosket sandy loam \u3e Maiden loamy sand \u3e Commerce silty clay loam \u3e Harkey clay loam. Greater adsorption of sulfentrazone occurred in soils with greater organic matter content and lower pH. The Maiden loamy sand was the only soil that did not follow this trend possibly due to high sand and low organic matter content. Sulfentrazone movement under saturated flow conditions in 27 cm soil-packed columns varied with each soil. In general, movement was greater in soils with low adsorption. Sulfentrazone movement was limited to the upper 9 cm in the Sequatchie loam and Drummer silt loam. Movement increased down the column with increasing pH. Sulfentrazone movement was greater in coarse textured soils regardless of pH

The disposition of lidocaine during a 6-hour intravenous infusion to young foals

Master of ScienceDepartment of Clinical SciencesElizabeth DavisDifferences in pharmacokinetics and drug disposition exist between young and adult animals which become especially important for drugs with a narrow therapeutic index. While the pharmacokinetics and plasma concentrations of intravenous lidocaine have been studied in adult horses, determination of the disposition in foals is necessary before appropriate clinical use can be determined. This study examined the disposition of intravenous lidocaine in healthy (phase I) and hospitalized (phase II) foals. Phase I consisted of 6 healthy 4-10 week old foals administered a 6-hour intravenous lidocaine infusion. Phase II consisted of 8 hospitalized foals (2-136 days old) administered intravenous lidocaine. A bolus (1.3 mg/kg) of lidocaine was administered intravenously to all foals followed by a 50 µg/kg/min infusion. Plasma lidocaine and monoethylglycinexylidide (MEGX) concentrations were determined. In phase I, plasma lidocaine concentrations remained below the suggested adult target range of 1-2 µg/mL with MEGX concentrations approximately half that of the parent drug. Total body clearance of lidocaine was 72.2 ± 7.8 mL/min/kg, elimination half-life (t₁/₂) was 26.3 ± 3.7 min, peak concentration (C[subscript]m[subscript]a[subscript]x) was 0.79 ± 0.07 µg/mL, and the volume of distribution (V[subscript]d) was 1.8 ± 0.4 L/kg. The C[subscript]m[subscript]a[subscript]x for MEGX was 0.36 ± 0.11 µg/mL, t₁/₂ was 60 ± 6 min and time to peak concentration (T[subscript]m[subscript]a[subscript]x) was 279.6 ± 90.3 min. In phase II, the severely compromised foals that were eventually euthanized had the largest fluctuations in plasma lidocaine and MEGX concentrations; foals that were discharged from the hospital had plasma concentrations below the target adult range similar to foals in phase I. In conclusion, despite low plasma lidocaine concentrations, the clinical benefits observed in foals may be due to the presence of metabolites. Further research in a larger population of unhealthy foals is required before comprehensive dosing recommendations can be made

Hunting doves on agricultural lands in Missouri (2016)

Many hunters and landowners establish crops and manage habitats to create ideal conditions and locations to hunt mourning doves and provide food and cover for a variety of wildlife. Mourning doves are migratory birds, so they are protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which specifically prohibits baiting a field for the purpose of hunting (Figure 1). Planting and managing fields using normal agricultural practices require careful planning and an understanding of the relevant regulations. This publication aims to help landowners understand baiting regulations and particularly the differences between baiting and what constitutes a normal agricultural operation in Missouri. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) are empowered to enforce regulations governing baiting migratory birds. You can find more specific information about these regulations in the Additional information section.New 2/16/Web only

Ecology and management of mourning doves in Missouri (2016)

Mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) are among the most popular migratory game birds in Missouri (Figure 1). Though found across the state year-round, most Missouri doves migrate to the southern United States rather than overwinter here. Mourning doves are classified as a federal migratory species, which means the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages hunting regulations at the national level. Doves' quick flight, erratic movements and edible meat make them a popular species among hunters and wildlife enthusiasts in Missouri, where the annual harvest of mourning doves is greater than that of other game bird species. Managing habitats for doves can provide hours of enjoyment for homeowners and landowners alike. Doves find food and shelter in a variety of habitat types, including pastures, croplands, open forests and forest edges, and in urban and suburban areas. Establishing and managing fields for dove populations can provide recreational hunting opportunities during fall, which can be a source of income for the landowner. Before undertaking efforts to establish or improve dove habitats on your land, you should understand their life history and biology. With that in mind, you can implement management practices to improve or add habitat components that might be in short supply and improve the overall habitat for doves and other species.Revised 2/16/Web only

Influence of Fucoidan Extracts from Different Fucus Species on Adult Stem Cells and Molecular Mediators in In Vitro Models for Bone Formation and Vascularization

Fucoidans, sulfated polysaccharides extracted from brown algae, are marine products with the potential to modulate bone formation and vascularization processes. The bioactivity and safety of fucoidans are highly associated with their chemical structure, which may vary with algae species and extraction method. Thus, in depth evaluation of fucoidan extracts in terms of endotoxin content, cytotoxicity, and their detailed molecular biological impact on the individual cell types in bone is needed. In this study, we characterized fucoidan extracts from three different Fucus species including Fucus vesiculosus (Fv), Fucus serratus (Fs), and Fucus distichus subsp. evanescens (Fe) for their chemical features, endotoxin content, cytotoxicity, and bioactive effects on human outgrowth endothelial cells (OEC) and human mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) as in vitro models for bone function and vascularization. Extracts contained mainly high molecular weight (HMW) fucoidans and were free of endotoxins that may cause inflammation or influence vascularization. OEC tolerated fucoidan concentrations up to 200 µg/mL, and no indication of cytotoxicity was observed. The inflammatory response, however, investigated by real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and endothelial barrier assessed by impedance measurement differed for the individual extracts. MSC in comparison with endothelial cells were more sensitive to fucoidans and showed partly reduced metabolic activity and proliferation at higher doses of fucoidans. Further results for MSC indicated impaired osteogenic functions in alkaline phosphatase and calcification assays. All tested extracts consistently lowered important molecular mediators involved in angiogenesis, such a VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), ANG-1 (angiopoietin 1), and ANG-2 (angiopoietin 2), as indicated by RT-PCR and ELISA. This was associated with antiangiogenic effects at the functional level using selected extracts in co-culture models to mimic bone vascularization processes during bone regeneration or osteosarcoma

Biological solutions to aortic root replacement: valve-sparing versus bioprosthetic conduit‡

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Open radial artery harvesting better preserves endothelial function compared to the endoscopic approach

OBJECTIVES: Both the open and endovascular techniques are commonly used for harvesting the radial artery (ORAH and ERAH, respectively), and yet, very little is known about the effects of these 2 techniques on endothelial integrity and function of the radial artery (RA). The aim of this study was to assess the endothelial integrity and function of RA harvested using the 2 approaches. METHODS: Two independent surgical teams working in the same institution routinely use the RA for coronary artery bypass grafting exclusively employing either ORAH or ERAH. Thirty-nine consecutive patients were enrolled in this comparative study. Endothelial function after ORAH or ERAH was assessed by using the wire myograph system. The integrity of the RA endothelium was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining for erythroblast transformation specific-related gene. RESULTS: The vasodilation in response to acetylcholine was significantly higher in RA harvested with ORAH (P ≤ 0.001 versus ERAH). Endothelial integrity was not different between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: ORAH is associated with a significantly higher endothelium-dependent vasodilation. Further investigation on the potential implications of these findings in terms of graft spasm and patency as well as clinical outcomes are needed

Forces during cellular uptake of viruses and nanoparticles at the ventral side

Many intracellular pathogens, such as mammalian reovirus, mimic extracellular matrix motifs to specifically interact with the host membrane. Whether and how cell-matrix interactions influence virus particle uptake is unknown, as it is usually studied from the dorsal side. Here we show that the forces exerted at the ventral side of adherent cells during reovirus uptake exceed the binding strength of biotin-neutravidin anchoring viruses to a biofunctionalized substrate. Analysis of virus dissociation kinetics using the Bell model revealed mean forces higher than 30 pN per virus, preferentially applied in the cell periphery where close matrix contacts form. Utilizing 100 nm-sized nanoparticles decorated with integrin adhesion motifs, we demonstrate that the uptake forces scale with the adhesion energy, while actin/myosin inhibitions strongly reduce the uptake frequency, but not uptake kinetics. We hypothesize that particle adhesion and the push by the substrate provide the main driving forces for uptake

Regulatory T cells inhibit autoantigen-specific CD4+ T cell responses in lupus-prone NZB/W F1 mice

IntroductionProgressive loss of regulatory T cell (Treg)-mediated control over autoreactive effector T cells contributes to the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Accordingly, we hypothesized that Treg may also have the capacity to suppress the activation of autoreactive CD4+ T cells that are considered to drive autoimmunity.MethodsTo investigate whether Treg are involved in the control of autoreactive CD4+ T cells, we depleted CD25+ Treg cells either in vivo or in vitro, or combined both approaches before antigen-specific stimulation with the SLE-associated autoantigen SmD1(83-119) in the NZB/W F1 mouse model either after immunization against SmD1(83-119) or during spontaneous disease development. Frequencies of autoantigen-specific CD4+ T cells were determined by flow cytometry using the activation marker CD154.ResultsBoth in vitro and in vivo depletion of CD25+ Treg, respectively, increased the frequencies of detectable autoantigen-specific CD4+ T cells by approximately 50%. Notably, the combined in vivo and in vitro depletion of CD25+ Treg led almost to a doubling in their frequencies. Frequencies of autoantigen-specific CD4+ T cells were found to be lower in immunized haploidentical non-autoimmune strains and increased frequencies were detectable in unmanipulated NZB/W F1 mice with active disease. In vitro re-addition of CD25+ Treg after Treg depletion restored suppression of autoantigen-specific CD4+ T cell activation.DiscussionThese results suggest that the activation and expansion of autoantigen-specific CD4+ T cells are partly controlled by Treg in murine lupus. Depletion of Treg therefore can be a useful approach to increase the detectability of autoantigen-specific CD4+ T cells allowing their detailed characterization including lineage determination and epitope mapping and their sufficient ex vivo isolation for cell culture