Pulmonary Vaccination as a Novel Treatment for Lung Fibrosis

Pulmonary fibrosis is an untreatable, uniformly fatal disease of unclear etiology that is the result of unremitting chronic inflammation. Recent studies have implicated bone marrow derived fibrocytes and M2 macrophages as playing key roles in propagating fibrosis. While the disease process is characterized by the accumulation of lymphocytes in the lung parenchyma and alveolar space, their role remains unclear. In this report we definitively demonstrate the ability of T cells to regulate lung inflammation leading to fibrosis. Specifically we demonstrate the ability of intranasal vaccinia vaccination to inhibit M2 macrophage generation and fibrocyte recruitment and hence the accumulation of collagen and death due to pulmonary failure. Mechanistically, we demonstrate the ability of lung Th1 cells to prevent fibrosis as vaccinia failed to prevent disease in Rag−/− mice or in mice in which the T cells lacked IFN-γ. Furthermore, vaccination 3 months prior to the initiation of fibrosis was able to mitigate the disease. Our findings clearly demonstrate the role of T cells in regulating pulmonary fibrosis as well as suggest that vaccinia-induced immunotherapy in the lung may prove to be a novel treatment approach to this otherwise fatal disease

Sweetvetch Seed Germination

Sweetvetch (Hedysarum boreale Nutt. var. boreale) is a potentially important revegetation species for drastically disturbed lands and range improvements in western North America. The germination of sweetvetch was studied under various temperature, light, and moisture conditions. It was found that sweetvetch can germinate under a wide range of temperature and light conditions following physical scarification of the seed coat. Under constant temperatures optimum germination occurred at 15 degrees C and 20 degrees C, while under alternating temperature optimum germination occurred at 15-25 degrees C and 20-15 degrees C (for 8 hours and 16 hours, respectively, in each case). Dark treatments resulted in greater germination than light treatments. When temperature and light conditions were held constant and moisture conditions varied, the germination of sweetvetch declined rapidly at osmotic potentials below -7.5 bars.This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries.The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform August 202

Nitrogen and phosphorus effects on blue grama and buffalograss interactions

Soil water availability and soil texture appear to influence the relative distribution of blue grama [Bouteloua gracilis (H.B.K.) Lag.] and buffalograss [Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelman]. However, nutrient gradients may affect competitive interactions where the species occur together and may influence revegetation efforts in abandoned croplands. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to test whether competition between species was prevalent under relatively nutrient-rich vs. nutrient-poor conditions. Blue grama and buffalograss plants were grown in intra- and interspecific pairs under 4 nutrient regimes representing combinations of low and high availabilities of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Interspecific competition was evident only with high N and P availability. Blue grama exhibited greater aboveground biomass, increased tiller production and higher N and P contents when grown in mixture, compared to monocultures. This was accompanied with a reduction in tiller production and belowground P content in buffalograss grown in mixture. Stolon production in buffalograss was prevalent only with high P. Blue grama had greater biomass than buffalograss regardless of nutrient treatment. Blue grama appears to be more competitive than buffalograss with high nutrient availability and more stress tolerant with low fertility.The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform August 202

Plant Uptake and Cycling of Trace Elements on Retorted Oil Shale Disposal Piles

This study considers some of the environmental hazards posed by high trace element concentrations in plants growing on retorted oil shale disposal piles and the potential for surface accumulation of trace elements via biocycling. Arsenic, B, Cu, F, Mo, and Se concentrations in plants growing on six disposal piles were determined 7 yr following site construction. Disposal treatments consisted of leaving Paraho retorted shale exposed at the surface, leaching exposed retorted shale with 760 mm of water, covering retorted shale with 30, 60, or 90 cm of soil, or a 30‐cm rock capillary barrier and 60 cm of soil. These treatments plus a disturbed soil reference plot (no retorted shale) were seeded in 1977 with three mixtures of native and introduced plant species. In 1983, Mo was present in plants at high enough levels to cause molybdenosis in ruminants. Molybdenum, F, As, and Se concentrations in plants decreased as depth of replaced topsoil increased. Leaching only slightly reduced concentrations in plants. Capillary barrier and 90‐cm treatments were the most effective at reducing plant trace elements concentrations; however, shrubs and legumes from these treatments still occasionally had higher trace element contents than plants growing on disturbed soil reference plots. Legumes had higher concentrations of most trace elements than grasses or shrubs. For this reason species composition had a major effect on total trace element content of stands of vegetation. Rates of movement to the surface via biocycling appear to be relatively slow, although they may continue to increase in the future

Copper Fertilization to Prevent Molybdenosis on Retorted Oil Shale Disposal Piles

Plants growing on retorted oil shale disposal piles often have Mo concentrations high enough (\u3e8 mg kg−1) and Cu/Mo ratios low enough (\u3c2.0) to cause molybdenosis in grazing ruminants. High Mo concentrations are present in some plant species in spite of 90 cm of topsoil cover. Copper sulfate was broadcast at rates of 0, 8, 16, and 32 kg Cu ha−1 on plots with 30 and 90 cm of topsoil over Paraho retorted oil shale to determine if Cu fertilization can increase Cu/Mo ratios in plants so that molybdenosis is no longer a hazard. Of the plant species studied winterfat [Eurotia lanata (Pursh) Moquin], northern sweetvetch (Hedysarum boreale Nutt.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), native grasses [Agropyron smithii Rydb., A. inerme (Scribn. and Smith) Rydb., A. dasystachium, (Hook.) Scribn. and Poa ampla Merr.], and introduced grasses [A. desertorum (Fisch.) Schult., A. intermedlum (Host Beauv.), and Bromus biebersteinii Roem. & Schult.], all except alfalfa showed increased tissue Cu concentrations during the first growing season. Because of high Mo concentrations, however, only winterfat under high fertilization rates developed Cu/Mo ratios sufficient to prevent molybdenosis (i.e., \u3e2.0). By the end of the second growing season, increases in Cu concentrations due to fertilization had declined approximately 30%. These results indicate that although Cu fertilization can be used for short‐term improvements in Cu/Mo ratios, it should not be relied upon as the sole technique for preventing molybdenosis on retorted shale disposal piles. Instead, maximum feasible topsoil thicknesses should be used and plant species known to concentrate Mo should be eliminated from seeding mixtures

Soil-Plant Diversity Relationships on a Disturbed Site in Northwestern Colorado

A 5‐yr‐old revegetation plot in the Piceance Basin of northwestern Colorado was used to study the relationship between several soil properties and plant species diversity. Soil properties, including coarse fragment content, topography, depth to bedrock, rooting depth, soil volume, fertility, and salt content, were quantified for 108 subplots. Using simple and multiple regression techniques, plant diversity on the subplots was correlated with the various soil properties. A seed mixture composed of introduced grasses and forbs was used most extensively to study diversity‐soil physical property relationships. For these plots, percent large coarse fragments (\u3e 4.76 mm) within the rooting depth had a high positive correlation with the Shannon‐Weiner diversity index. Depth to bedrock, rooting depth, total soil volume, soil volume within the rooting depth, and a topographic index all exhibited negative correlations with the Shannon‐Weiner index. On plots seeded with a native grass‐forb seed mixture, where variation in salt content was greatest, SAR, ESP, and EC had positive correlations with species richness. When all seed mixtures were considered, rate of fertilizer application had a negative correlation with the Shannon‐Weiner index. In every case where a regression was significant, soil properties normally associated with high production resulted in low diversity and soil properties normally associated with low production resulted in high diversity. Mechanisms are proposed to explain the relationships between soil factors and diversity. Management techniques are also suggested which could be incorporated into the reclamation process to increase plant diversity

Long-term plant community development as influenced by revegetation techniques

A revegetation techniques study was initiated during the fall of 1976 in northwestern Colorado in a disturbed sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt.) community. The study included 2 irrigation treatments, three seed mixtures, 2 seeding techniques, and 2 fertilization treatments. Short-term results were published and conclusions were made regarding the initial success of each treatment. The objective of the current study was to determine the effects of each treatment on plant community production, species composition, and species diversity after 20 years of plant community development. Among irrigated plots, the native seed mixture produced greater aboveground biomass compared to an introduced mixture and a mixture of both native and introduced species (combination seed mixture). The native seed mixture also resulted in greater total species richness than the introduced mixture when averaging over all other treatments. Altered seeding rate ratios among life forms as well as altered seeding methods (drill versus broadcast seeding) did not significantly alter plant community development after 20 years. However, a single application of nitrogen and phosphorus significantly increased grass production on plots seeded to the combination seed mixture. All revegetation plots have remained grass-dominated. However, shrub biomass was greater in the native and combination mixtures than in the introduced mixture under initial irrigated conditions in part due to successful establishment and growth of four-wing saltbush (Atriplex canescens Pursh Nutt.). Thus, the seed mixtures evaluated in this study have resulted in distinctly different plant communities and demonstrate that such initial treatments can influence long-term plant community development on severely disturbed rangelands. Broadcast seeding a native seed mixture that has been irrigated for 2 growing seasons without fertilization appears to be an effective long-term combination of cultural revegetation practices.The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform August 202

Trace Element and Salt Movement in Retorted Oil Shale Disposal Piles

The direction and amount of salt and trace element movement within retorted shale disposal piles is a major environmental concern. This study examines the redistribution of soluble salts and trace elements (As, B, Cd, Cu, F, Fe, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn) in retorted shale test plots with different topsoil treatments 6 yr after construction. Topsoil treatments included no topsoil, no topsoil and leached with 76-cm water, 30-cm topsoil, 60-cm topsoil, 90-cm topsoil, 60-cm topsoil and capillary barrier, and a disturbed soil control (no retorted shale). Soluble salts (especially Na salts) and F showed considerable movement both upwards and downwards in the profiles. Molybdenum showed some movement in both directions. The remaining elements showed little or no movement out of the shale layer. Increasing topsoil depths resulted in less salt or trace element movement in either direction. Use of a capillary barrier between the topsoil and retorted shale prevented upward migration of salts and trace elements. After 6 yr the exposed shale treatments (both leached and unleached) continued to have considerably higher salt and trace element contents than any other treatment. Because of limited rooting depths, deeper percolation of moisture is occurring on plots containing retorted shale than on the control plot

Secondary succession patterns in a disturbed sagebrush community in northwest Colorado

Includes bibliographical references.The relationship between secondary succession, soil disturbance, and soil biological activity were studied on a sagebrush community in the Piceance Basin of northwest Colorado. Four levels of soil disturbance were imposed following vegetation removal: (1) topsoil left in place; (2) topsoil ripped to a depth of 30 cm; (3) topsoil and subsoil were removed to a depth of 1 m, mixed and rep 1aced; and (4) topsoil and subsoil were removed to a depth of 2 m and replaced in a reverse order. Plant species composition, dehydrogenase and phosphatase enzymatic activity, mycorrhizal inoculum potential (MIP), and percent organic matter were the variables measured. Treatment 4 drastically altered the pattern of vegetation succession. Treatments 2, 3, and 4 started with Russian thistle (Salsola iberica) as the dominant species but six years later, Treatments 3, and to lesser extent 2, were similar to the species composition of Treatment 1, dominated by perennia1 grasses and perennia1 forbs. Treatment 4 developed a shrub-dominated community. Both dehydrogenase enzymatic activity and MIP increased with the change from Russian thistle to a vegetation dominated by either perennial grasses and forbs or shrubs. The intensity of disturbance 228 in Treatments 2s 3s and 4 resulted in drastic reductions of dehydrogenase activity and MIPs but in six years they recovered to levels comparable to Treatment 1. Phosphatase enzyme activity and organ i c matter were unre1ated to species composition but related to treatment and time elapsed. In both cases a significant decrease was observed throughout the six-year period