Epidermal leaf characteristics and seasonal changes of net photosynthesis of five Populus

Net photosynthesis (PN) and leaf epidermal characteristics of five poplars; 72-31 (Populus alba x Populus glandulosa), Eco28 (Populus euramericana), Suwon (Populus koreana x Populus nigra var. italica), Dorskamp (Populus deltoides x P. nigra), and 62-2 (P. nigra x Populus maximowiczii) were investigated to come up with parameters for comparison. The poplars, 72-31, Suwon and Dorskamp had a significant PN decreasing from May through September. A wide significant variation in the stomata size and density of the genotypes were observed. Especially, Dorskamp and 62-2 had significantly lower number of stomata than Eco-28, 72-31 and Suwon had, but significantly larger stomata length than Suwon and 72-31 had. In addition, 72-31 had trichomes in the abaxial surface, which may be one of the phytoremediation characteristics of this clone compared to other clones

Forest decline of the world: A linkage with air pollution and global warming

Various forest declines and forest health conditions have been described for forest ecosystems throughout the world. The connection to global warming and air pollution is clear in some area, but not in others. In this study, some evidences that support or contradict air pollution and global warmingbeing causal factors in reported cases of decline in Eastern North America, Central Europe and Republic of Korea. Many studies suggested that forest decline phenomenon seems to be strongly associated to air pollution and global warming

A significant number of reported Absidia corymbifera (Lichtheimia corymbifera) infections are caused by Lictheimia ramosa (syn. Lichtheimia hongkongensis): an emerging cause of mucormycosis

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Neuroprotective effects of lutein in a rat model of retinal detachment

Background: Retinal detachment (RD) is a leading cause of blindness, and although final surgical re-attachment rate has greatly improved, visual outcome in many macula-off detachments is disappointing, mainly because of photoreceptor cell death. We previously showed that lutein is anti-apoptotic in rodent models of ischemia/reperfusion injury. The objective of this study is to investigate lutein as a possible pharmacological adjunct to surgery. Methods: Subretinal injections of 1.4 % sodium hyaluronate were used to induce RD in Sprague-Dawley rats until their retinae were approximately 70 % detached. Daily injections of corn oil (control group) or 0.5 mg/kg lutein in corn oil (treatment group) were given intraperitoneally starting 4 h after RD induction. Animals were euthanized 3 days and 30 days after RD and their retinae were analyzed for photoreceptor apoptosis and cell survival at the outer nuclear layer (ONL) using TUNEL staining and cell counting on retinal sections. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and rhodopsin (RHO) expression were evaluated with immunohistochemistry. Western blotting was done with antibodies against cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-8 and cleaved caspase-9 to delineate lutein's mechanism of action in the apoptotic cascade. To seek a possible therapeutic time window, the same set of experiments was repeated with treatment commencing 36 h after RD. Results: When lutein was given 4 h after RD, there were significantly fewer TUNEL-positive cells in ONL 3 days after RD when compared with the vehicle group. Cell counting showed that there were significantly more nuclei in ONL in lutein-treated retinae by day 30. Treatment groups also showed significantly reduced GFAP immunoreactivity and preserved RHO expression. At day 3 after RD, Western blotting showed reduced expression of cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-8 in the treatment group. No difference was found for cleaved caspase-9. When lutein was given 36 h after RD similar results were observed. Conclusions: Our results suggest that lutein is a potent neuroprotective agent that can salvage photoreceptors in rats with RD, with a therapeutic window of at least 36 h. The use of lutein in patients with RD may serve as an adjunct to surgery to improve visual outcomes. © 2012 The Author(s).published_or_final_versio

Can net photosynthesis and water relations provide a clue on the forest decline of Quercus suber in North Tunisia?

Net photosynthesis, sap flow density (SFD) and water use efficiency (WUE) were measured in a Quercus suber forest in north Tunisia in an attempt to explain the forest decline. In general, sap flow was positively related to light intensity and water loss, indicating that high light intensities can increase the SFD up to the saturation point in the cork oak. CO2 assimilation of cork oak in this region was light intensity-dependent. Cork oak showed a general increase in photosynthetic rates with increasing light intensity up to the light saturation point. Increased radiation probably increased the photosynthesis and growth above ground in this area, whereas the below-ground soil had insufficient moisture for uptake through the roots because the high light intensity and temperature induced high evapotranspiration.Key words: Decline, evaportranspiration, light intensity, Quercus suber, sap flow density, water use efficiency

Burkholderia pseudomallei in soil samples from an oceanarium in Hong Kong detected using a sensitive PCR assay

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Diabetes incidence and prevalence in Hong Kong, China during 2006-2014

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Socioeconomic Patterns of COVID-19 Clusters in Low-Incidence City, Hong Kong

Although coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreaks have been relatively well controlled in Hong Kong, containment remains challenging among socioeconomically disadvantaged persons. They are at higher risk for widespread COVID-19 transmission through sizable clustering, probably because of exposure to social settings in which existing mitigation policies had differential socioeconomic effects

A 10-year study reveals clinical and laboratory evidence for the 'semi-invasive' properties of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis

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