Very-Heavy Precipitation in the Greater New York City Region and Widespread Drought Alleviation Tied to Western US Agriculture

Observed intensification of precipitation extremes, responsible for extensive societal impacts, are widely attributed to anthropogenic sources, which may include indirect effects of agricultural irrigation. However quantifying the effects of irrigation on far-downstream climate remains a challenge. We use three paired Community Earth System Model simulations to assess mechanisms of irrigation-induced precipitation trends and extremes in the conterminous US and the effect on the terrestrial carbon sink. Results suggest precipitation enhancement in the central US reduced drought conditions and increased regional carbon uptake, while further downstream, the heaviest precipitation events were more frequent and intense. Specifically, moisture advection from irrigation in the western U.S. and recycling of enhanced local convective precipitation produced very-heavy storm events that were 11% more intense and occurred 23% more frequently in the densely populated greater New York City region.     

Histochemical Methods for Dissociated Muscle Fibers

Skeletal or cardiac muscle fibers can be separated by brief (3-5 second) dissociation of formalin-fixed pieces with a Willems Polytron (Brinkmann Instrument Co.). Such separated fibers are useful for demonstration of abnormal accumulations of lipids, carbohydrates, proteins and minerals in metabolic diseases. Staining techniques for demonstration of various stored materials include: 1) toluidine blue at pH 2.8 for acid mucopolysaccharide in skeletal muscle fibers in Pompe's glycogenesis 2,2) one-step trichrome stain for nemaline myopathy and for abnormal mitochondria in X-linked infantile cardiomyopathy, 3) periodic acid-methenamine silver stain for glycolipid-containing lysosomes in I-cell disease (mucolipidosis 2), 4) Sudan black B stain for lipid in skeletal muscle fibers in Reye's syndrome, infantile lactic acidosis, Leigh's infantile subacute necrotizing encephalopathy and Jansky-Bielschowsky late infantile ceroid lipofuscinosis, 5) iron stain for iron in cardiac and skeletal muscle fibers in thalassemia with advanced hemosiderosis, and 6) autofluorescence for “ceroid” in skeletal muscle fibers in Jansky-Bielschowsky disease.     

Reciprocal Allogrooming in Dam-reared and Hand-reared Impala Fawns

Among adult females and males of African antelope impala are unique in their performance of reciprocal allogrooming. The occurrence of this behaviour in neonatal impala fawns was explored in a free-ranging impala herd at the San Diego Wild Animal Park where 5 dam-reared fawns were observed from birth through 10 weeks of age. One-way maternal grooming and reciprocal allogrooming with the dam and non dam partners emerged as distinct behavioural systems. Maternal grooming, directed mostly to the anogenital area, was typical of that seen in other ungulates, and sharply declined over the first two weeks. Reciprocal allogrooming, characterized by alternate exchanges of grooming bouts with a partner in the same manner as in adults, was seen as early as 3–8 d after birth. All fawns were grooming with unrelated adult females by the end of the second week. By week 2 virtually every measure of reciprocal allogrooming by fawns (grooming delivered per hour, reciprocity, and percent of encounters initiated) was as high as for adults. The appearance of this reciprocal allogrooming pattern, especially at such an early age, appears to be unique among ungulates, and possibly mammals in general. Three hand-reared impala fawns, deprived of the opportunity to interact with older herdmates, but having access to impala fawns and heterospecific fawns, were observed from 1–3 mo of age. The hand-reared impala showed no alteration in the occurrence of reciprocal allogrooming behaviour compared with the dam-reared control fawns, indicating that allogrooming experience with older animals was not required for the appearance of reciprocal allogrooming at an early age. Interestingly, hand-reared fawns persisted in grooming heterospecific fawns despite the fact that heterospecifics rarely reciprocated grooming. We postulate that the strong predisposition for impala young to groom others may be related to the threat of tick infestation in the impala's ecotone habitat.     

DNase I hypersensitivity and expression of the Shrunken-1 gene of maize

The local chromatin structure of the Shrunken-1 (Sh) gene of maize was probed by analyzing DNase I hypersensitivity. Sh encodes the gene for sucrose synthetase, a major starch biosynthetic enzyme, which is maximally expressed in the endosperm during seed maturation. In addition to general DNase I sensitivity, specific DNase I hypersensitive sites were identified in endosperm chromatin that mapped near the 5 end of the Sh gene. The pattern of hypersensitive sites and their relative sensitivity were altered in other non-dormant tissues that produce little or no enzyme. However, some changes in chromatin structure appear to be independent of Sh gene expression and may reflect general alterations associated with plant development. The chromatin structure of several sh mutations, induced by Ds controlling element insertions, was also analyzed. Although the insertions perturbed expression of the gene, there were no notable effects on local chromatin structure.     

Effects of membrane physical parameters on hematoporphyrin-derivative binding to liposomes: A spectroscopic study

Summary Physical parameters of membrane bilayers were studied for their effect on the binding of hematoporphyrin derivative (Hpd), which is used as a sensitizer in photodynamic therapy of cancerous tissues. The purpose of this study was to clarify which parameters were relevant, under physiological conditions, to the selectivity of Hpd binding to cancer cells. Fluorescence spectroscopy was used to measure the relative partitioning of the dye between the lipid and aqueous media. Increasing the microviscosity of the liposomes' membranes by various bilayer additives results in a strong reduction of Hpd binding, to an extent independent of the specific additive. The effect of temperature near the physiological value as well as the effect of cross membrane potential are small. Surface potential does not affect the binding constant, indicating that the binding species does not carry a net electric charge.     

Modification of an arginine residue essential for the activity of NAD-malic enzyme from Ascaris suum

Purified NAD-malic enzyme from Ascaris suum is rapidly inactivated by the arginine reagent, 2,3-butanedione, and this inactivation is facilitated by 30 mM borate. Determination of the inactivation rate as a function of butanedione concentration suggests a second-order process overall, which is first order in butanedione. A second-order rate constant of 0.6 M-1 s-1 at pH 9 is obtained for the butanedione reaction. The inactivation is reversed by removal of the excess reagent upon dialysis. The enzyme is protected against inactivation by saturating amounts of malate in the presence and absence of borate. The divalent metal Mg2+ affords protection in the presence of borate but has no effect in its absence. The nucleotide reactant NAD+ has no effect on the inactivation rate in either the presence or absence of borate. A dissociation constant of 24 mM is obtained for E:malate from the decrease in the inactivation rate as a function of malate concentration. An apparent Ki of 0.5 mM is obtained for oxalate (an inhibitor competitive vs malate) from E:Mg:oxalate while no significant binding is observed for oxalate using the butanedione modified enzyme. The pH dependence of the first-order rate of inactivation by butanedione gives a pKa of 9.4 +/- 0.1 for the residue(s) modified, and this pK is increased when NAD is bound. The arginine(s) modified is implicated in the binding of malate.