Photomorphogenesis and photoassimilation in soybean and sorghum grown under broad spectrum or blue-deficient light sources

The role of blue light in plant growth and development was investigated in soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr. cv Williams) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench. cv Rio) grown under equal photosynthetic photon fluxes (approximately 500 micromoles per square meter per second) from broad spectrum daylight fluorescent or blue-deficient, narrow-band (589 nanometers) low pressure sodium (LPS) lamps. Between 14 and 18 days after sowing, it was possible to relate adaptations in photosynthesis and leaf growth to dry matter accumulation. Soybean development under LPS light was similar in several respects to that of shaded plants, consistent with an important role for blue light photoreceptors in regulation of growth response to irradiance. Thus, soybeans from LPS conditions partitioned relatively more growth to leaves and maintained higher average leaf area ratios (mean LAR) that compensated lower net assimilation rates (mean NAR). Relative growth rates were therefore comparable to plants from daylight fluorescent lamps. Reductions in mean NAR were matched by lower rates of net photosynthesis (A) on an area basis in the major photosynthetic source (first trifoliolate) leaf. Lower A in soybean resulted from reduced leaf dry matter per unit leaf area, but lower A under LPS conditions in sorghum correlated with leaf chlorosis and reduced total nitrogen (not observed in soybean). In spite of a lower A, mean NAR was larger in sorghum from LPS conditions, resulting in significantly greater relative growth rates (mean LAR was approximately equal for both light conditions). Leaf starch accumulation rate was higher for both species and starch content at the end of the dark period was elevated two- and three-fold for sorghum and soybean, respectively, under LPS conditions. Possible relations between starch accumulation, leaf export, and plant growth in response to spectral quality were considered.     

Short-term changes in hsCRP and NT-proBNP levels in hypertensive emergencies.

Hypertension is associated with high cardiovascular risk. Both hsCRP and NT-proBNP also have been associated with elevated cardiovascular risk, at least in the long term. Much less is known about the short-term changes in these markers, for example, in hypertensive emergencies. In 59 consecutive patients with hypertensive emergencies, hsCRP and NT-proBNP were measured at baseline and at days 3-4 and 7-10 after admission. All patients with hsCRP levels above 10 mg/l during the study were excluded due to possible infections. We found elevated levels of hsCRP at baseline with a significant decline on days 3-4 (day 0: median 2.53 mg/l, days 3-4: median 1.65 mg/l [p<0.01 vs. baseline], days 7-10 median: 2.00 mg/l). Women had higher hsCRP levels than men, and patients with hypertensive cardiomyopathy by echocardiographic criteria had significantly higher hsCRP levels compared with patients without hypertensive cardiomyopathy throughout the study. NT-proBNP levels were clearly elevated at admission (median 158 ng/l) and declined highly significantly thereafter (day 3-4: 61 ng/l, p<0.0001 vs. baseline; day 7-10: 76 ng/l, p<0.0001 vs. baseline). Patients with hypertensive cardiomyopathy had higher NT-proBNP levels compared with those patients without. In hypertensive emergencies, NT-proBNP levels correspond to levels described in acute coronary syndrome and decline significantly under antihypertensive therapy. In addition, we found an acute decline in hsCRP in the short term after hypertensive emergencies. These data may have importance in the clinical setting of hypertensive emergencies and in the interpretation of epidemiological data.     

Leis' conundrum: homology of the clavus of the ocean sunfishes. 1. Ontogeny of the median fins and axial skeleton of Monotrete leiurus (Teleostei, Tetraodontiformes, Tetraodontidae)

We describe the ontogeny of the axial skeleton and median fins of the Southeast Asian freshwater puffer Monotrete leiurus, based on a reared developmental series. Most elements of the axial skeleton in M. leiurus arise in membrane bone. Only the base of the anterior three neural arches, the base of the hemal arches of the third preural centrum, the neural and hemal arches and spines of the second preural centrum, the parhypural, the two hypural plates, and the single epural are preformed in cartilage. In contrast to most teleosts, the proximal-middle radials of the dorsal and anal fins are upright and symmetrical and their distal tips coalesce during development to form a deep band of cartilage, from which the spherical distal radials are spatially separated.     

Occipito-vertebral fusion in ocean sunfishes (Teleostei: Tetraodontiformes: Molidae) and its phylogenetic implications

We describe the ontogeny of the occipital skull and anterior vertebrae of the molids Ranzania laevis and Masturus lanceolatus and compare it with that of the ostraciid Lactophrys sp. The first vertebra fuses to the basioccipital in early ontogeny in the two molids and previous authors thus confused that vertebra with the back of the basioccipital, so that all previous counts of their vertebral numbers are incorrect by one vertebra. As evidenced by Lactophrys sp., ostraciids are the only other tetraodontiforms with similar occipito-vertebral fusion. In contrast to the molids, additional anterior vertebrae fuse with this complex in ostraciids. We conclude that the shared occipito-vertebral fusion in molids and ostraciids and its otherwise extremely rare occurrence among teleosts provide support for a sister-group relationship of the two families.     

The myth of dorsal ribs in gnathostome vertebrates

Traditionally, two types of rib are distinguished in gnathostomes: dorsal (upper) and ventral (lower, pleural) ribs. They are defined according to their position in the connective tissue system of the body: dorsal ribs develop at the intersection of the serially arranged myosepta with the horizontal septum that separates epaxial from hypaxial musculature, whereas ventral ribs develop at the intersection of myosepta with the peritoneum and usually encircle the body cavity. Distribution of rib types among gnathostomes has traditionally been reported as follows: elasmobranchs have dorsal ribs; all Actinopterygii have only ventral ribs with the exception of polypterids, and two subgroups of teleosts, which supposedly also have dorsal ribs; within Sarcopterygii tetrapods have dorsal ribs, whereas dipnoans have ventral ribs. Here, we report the development of ribs in polypterids, a taxon playing a crucial role in discussions on rib homology. We demonstrate that putative dorsal ribs of polypterids have a unique ontogeny and represent an autapomorphy of this taxon. We discuss previous hypotheses of rib homology and offer a more plausible (i.e. more parsimonious) alternative to the conventional interpretation. We conclude that dorsal ribs do not exist and that ribs of gnathostomes are ventral ribs.     

Treatment of winery effluent with upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) – granular sludges enriched with Enterobacter sakazakii

Three upflow anaerobic sludge blankets (UASBs) were evaluated for the treatment of winery wastewater: the first was seeded with granular sludge enriched with Enterobacter sakazakii and reached a 90% COD removal within 17 d at hydraulic retention time of 24 h; the second was seeded with brewery granules and achieved 85% COD removal within 50 d, the third was seeded with just sludge and showed the typical problems encountered with conventional sludge seeding and had continuously to be re-seeded. A PCR-based technique was developed for the rapid detection of E. sakazakii in the granular sludge.     

Evolutionary and biogeographic patterns of the Badidae (Teleostei: Perciformes) inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequence data

We reconstructed phylogenetic relationships of the family Badidae using both mitochondrial and nuclear nucleotide sequence data to address badid systematics and to evaluate the role of vicariant speciation on their evolution and current distribution. Phy-logenetic hypotheses were derived from complete cytochrome b (1,140 base pairs) sequences of 33 individuals representing 13 badid species, and using three species of Nandidae as outgroups. Additionally, we sequenced the nuclear RAG1 (1,473 base pairs) and Tmo-4C4 (511 base pairs) genes from each of the badid species and one representative of the outgroup. Our molecular data provide the first phylogenetic hypothesis of badid intrarelationships. Analysis of the mitochondrial and nuclear nucleotide sequence data sets resulted in well-supported trees, indicating a basal split between the genera Dario and Badis, and further supporting the division of the genus Badis into five species groups as suggested by a previous taxonomic revision of the Badidae. Within the genus Badis, mitochondrial and nuclear phylogenies differed in the relative position of B. kyar. We also used our molecular phylogeny to test a vicariant speciation hypothesis derived from geological evidence of large-scale changes in drainage patterns in the Miocene affecting the Irrawaddy- and Tsangpo-Brahmaputra drainages, in the southeastern Himalaya. Within both genera, Badis and Dario, we observed a divergence into Irrawaddy- and Tsangpo-Brahmaputra clades. Using a cytb substitution rate of 8.2 x 10(-9) (substitutions x base pair(-1) x year(-1), we tentatively date this vicariant event at the Oligocene-Miocene boundary (19-24Myr). It is concordant with a hypothesized paleo connection of the Tsangpo river with the Irrawaddy drainage that was most likely interrupted during Miocene orogenic events through tectonic uplifts in eastern Tibet. Our data, therefore, indicate a substantial role of vicariant-based speciation shaping the current distribution patterns of badids.     

Degradation and mineralization of high-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by defined fungal-bacterial cocultures

This study investigated the biodegradation of high-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in liquid media and soil by bacteria (Stenotrophomonas maltophilia VUN 10,010 and bacterial consortium VUN 10,009) and a fungus (Penicillium janthinellum VUO 10, 201) that were isolated from separate creosote- and manufactured-gas plant-contaminated soils. The bacteria could use pyrene as their sole carbon and energy source in a basal salts medium (BSM) and mineralized significant amounts of benzo[a]pyrene cometabolically when pyrene was also present in BSM. P. janthinellum VUO 10,201 could not utilize any high-molecular-weight PAH as sole carbon and energy source but could partially degrade these if cultured in a nutrient broth. Although small amounts of chrysene, benz[a]anthracene, benzo[a]pyrene, and dibenz[a,h]anthracene were degraded by axenic cultures of these isolates in BSM containing a single PAH, such conditions did not support significant microbial growth or PAH mineralization. However, significant degradation of, and microbial growth on, pyrene, chrysene, benz[a]anthracene, benzo[a]pyrene, and dibenz[a,h]anthracene, each as a single PAH in BSM, occurred when P. janthinellum VUO 10,201 and either bacterial consortium VUN 10,009 or S. maltophilia VUN 10,010 were combined in the one culture, i.e., fungal-bacterial cocultures: 25% of the benzo[a]pyrene was mineralized to CO(2) by these cocultures over 49 days, accompanied by transient accumulation and disappearance of intermediates detected by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Inoculation of fungal-bacterial cocultures into PAH-contaminated soil resulted in significantly improved degradation of high-molecular-weight PAHs, benzo[a]pyrene mineralization (53% of added [(14)C]benzo[a]pyrene was recovered as (14)CO(2) in 100 days), and reduction in the mutagenicity of organic soil extracts, compared with the indigenous microbes and soil amended with only axenic inocula.