Vegetation of trampled soil dominated by C4 plants in Europe

Abstract. Plant communities of trampled soil dominated by plants characterized by the C4-assimilation syndrome were investigated in Europe. These species, belonging to genera such as Chamaesyce, Amaranthus, Eleusine, Eragrostis and Setaria, are thermophilous, late-germinating, prostrate herbs or grasses. The centre of their distribution is in the (Sub)Tropics. A syntaxonomic revision of the phytosociological material from Europe (incl. the Macaronesian Archipelago) revealed three alliances: the Euphorbion prostratae from Spain, the Polycarpo-Eleusinion indicae from Italy, and Slovenian and Croatian Istria, and the Eragrostio-Polygonion arenastri from temperate regions of Europe. The latter two syntaxa are described as new. All three alliances belong to the order Eragrostietalia (class Stellarietea mediae). Vicarious (ecologically analogous) communities occur also in southern Africa, eastern Asia and North America. The communities studied in the present paper are considered to be an impoverished form of highly diversified trampled plant communities typical of (sub)tropical areas.     

Estimation of Differently Bound Water Molecules for the Gel Phase of Dimyristoylphosphatidylethanolamine-Water System as Studied by DSC and 2H-NMR Spectroscopy

A measurement of ²H spin-lattice relaxation time, T ₁, forD₂O was performed with a high resolution liquid NMR apparatus fortwo samples of dimyristoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DMPE)-D₂Osystem in a full hydration at varying temperatures of –20, –10, and 5 ^°C, and both components and compositions of differently boundfreezable water molecules were estimated from a best-fitted curve toexperimental inversion recovery data. A choice of the best-fitted curve wasbased on a distribution of weighted residuals for the experimental data. Asingle component was found for a temperature of –20 ^°C. At 5 ^°C, where all the freezable water exists in the liquid state, threecomponents were observed to be characterized by T ₁ values ofapproximately 20, 100, and 200 ms, respectively. By comparingcompositions of these individual components with those obtained in ourprevious DSC study, it was revealed that the first and secondarycomponents are members of freezable interlamellar water and the last oneis comparable to bulk water.     

Effect of cytochrome c on the phase behavior of charged multicomponent lipid membranes

We studied the effect of submicromolar concentrations of cytochrome c (cyt c) on the phase behavior of ternary lipid membranes composed of charged dioleoylphosphatidylglycerol, egg sphingomyelin and cholesterol. The protein was found to induce micron-sized domains in membranes belonging to the single-fluid-phase region of the protein-free ternary mixture and, as a result, to expand the region of coexistence of liquid ordered (L_o) and liquid disordered (L_d) phases. Direct observations on individual vesicles revealed that protein adsorption increases the area of L_d domains. Measurements using a fluorescent analog of cyt c showed that the protein preferentially adsorbs onto domains belonging to the L_d phase. The adsorption was quantitatively characterized in terms of partitioning ratios between the L_d and the L_o phases. The protein was also found to induce vesicle leakage even at relatively low concentrations. In eukaryotic cells under normal physiological conditions, cyt c is localized within the intermembrane space of mitochondria. During cell apoptotis, cyt c is released into the cytosol and its adsorption to intracellular membranes may strongly perturb the lipid distribution within these membranes as suggested by our results.     

Interrelationships between two-dimensional phase diagrams and mean molecular area-mole fraction curves in mixed monolayers

Both two-dimensional phase diagrams and mean molecular area (A)—mole fraction(x₂^π) curves have been investigated for various types of mixed monolayer systems. Two-dimensional phase diagram analysis and the behavior of A−x₂^π curves were found to be in good agreement with each other. From this result it was concluded that we should consider both phase diagrams and A−x₂^π curves of a mixed monolayer system in order to understand the behavior of the A−x₂^π curves.     

基于Voronoi图的林分空间模型及分布格局研究

以南洞庭湖龙虎山次生林为研究对象,建立林分Voronoi图模型,通过该模型表示林分空间结构特征,提取林木空间量化信息。在此基础上,引入变异系数量化Voronoi多边形面积的变化率,将林木空间格局分析转化为计算Voronoi图变异系数,并将计算结果与角尺度作相关性比较。结果表明:林分Voronoi图模型能准确表达林木邻接关系、相邻木距离及角度、空间密度等重要空间信息;大尺度取样时(76m以上),变异系数趋于稳定,林分整体空间格局呈接近随机分布的轻度聚集;Voronoi图变异系数和角尺度存在显著的正相关关系,进一步说明本研究格局分析方法的可行性和有效性;受多种因素影响,乔木层主要树种在不同发育阶段的空间格局表现出强烈的时间和空间动态特性,且小径木多为聚集分布,大径木呈轻度聚集或随机分布。基于Voronoi图的林分空间模型及格局分析方法,从空间上表征林木的生长繁育特性、种内种间关系、资源及环境分布特征,为计算几何方法应用于林分空间经营提供了新的思路。     

Conformational lability of two molecular chaperones Hsc70 and gp96: effects of pH and temperature

Hsc70 and gp96 are two heat shock proteins with molecular chaperone and immune-related activities. The dynamic conformational properties of heat shock proteins appear to play a critical role in their biological activities. In this study, we investigated the effects of pH and temperature on the conformational states of Hsc70 and gp96. The quaternary, tertiary, and secondary structures of both proteins are evaluated by a variety of spectroscopic techniques, including far-UV circular dichroism, Trp fluorescence, ANS fluorescence, and derivative UV absorption spectroscopy. The results are summarized and compared employing an empirical phase diagram approach. Very similar behaviors are seen for both proteins despite their differences in sequence and tertiary structure. Both proteins show substantial conformational lability in responses to the pH and temperature changes of their environment. This study suggests a natural selection for related functional properties through common conformational dynamics rather than immediate structural homology.     

Investigation of the phase diagrams of chiral praziquantel

In the present work, thermal properties of praziquantel, including melting point phase diagram and solubility, were determined for the purpose of exploration on an integrated enantioseparation process of chromatography and crystallization. The solubility of racemic praziquantel in methanol and 2-propanol was measured in the temperature range between 0 and 40 degrees C. In agreement with previous conclusions, the resulting phase diagram reveals the racemic compound behavior of praziquantel arising from the existence of eutectics. A ternary phase diagram of praziquantel enantiomers and the methanol system was also determined. Based on the information provided by the ternary solubility phase diagram, an optimized integrated enantioseparation process was suggested. Pure praziquantel crystals were recovered, and the crystal structure was solved by X-ray crystallography.     

Melting point equations for the ternary system water/sodium chloride/ethylene glycol revisited

Partial phase diagrams are of considerable utility in the development of optimized cryobiological procedures. Recent theoretical predictions of the melting points of ternary solutions of interest to cryobiology have caused us to re-examine measurements that our group made for the ethylene-glycol–sodium chloride–water phase diagram. Here we revisit our previous experiments by measuring melting points at five ethylene-glycol to sodium chloride ratios (R values; R = 5, 10, 15, 30, and 45) and five levels of concentration for each ratio. Melting points were averaged from three measurements and plotted as a function of total solute concentration for each R value studied. The new measurements differed from our original experimental values and agreed with predicted values from both theoretical models. Additionally, the data were fit to the polynomial described in our previous report and the resulting equation was obtained:T_m=(38.3-2.145×10^-1R)w+(81.19-2.909×10^-1R)w²,where w is the total solute mass fraction. This new equation provided good fits to the experimental data as well as published values and relates the determined polynomial constants to the R value of the corresponding isopleths of the three dimensional phase diagram, allowing the liquidus curve for any R value to be obtained.     

Analysis of Ca2+/Mg2+ selectivity in α‐lactalbumin and Ca2+‐binding lysozyme reveals a distinct Mg2+‐specific site in lysozyme

The triggering of Ca²⁺ signaling pathways relies on Ca²⁺/Mg²⁺ specificity of proteins mediating these pathways. Two homologous milk Ca²⁺‐binding proteins, bovine α‐lactalbumin (bLA) and equine lysozyme (EQL), were analyzed using the simplest “four‐state” scheme of metal‐ and temperature‐induced structural changes in a protein. The association of Ca²⁺/Mg²⁺ by native proteins is entropy‐driven. Both proteins exhibit strong temperature dependences of apparent affinities to Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺, due to low thermal stabilities of their apo‐forms and relatively high unfavorable enthalpies of Mg²⁺ association. The ratios of their apparent affinities to Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺, being unusually high at low temperatures (5.3–6.5 orders of magnitude), reach the values inherent to classical EF‐hand motifs at physiological temperatures. The comparison of phase diagrams predicted within the model of competitive Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ binding with experimental data strongly suggests that the association of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ ions with bLA is a competitive process, whereas the primary Mg²⁺ site of EQL is different from its Ca²⁺‐binding site. The later conclusion is corroborated by qualitatively different molar ellipticity changes in near‐UV region accompanying Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ association. The Ca²⁺/Mg²⁺ selectivity of Mg²⁺‐site of EQL is below an order of magnitude. EQL exhibits a distinct Mg²⁺‐specific site, probably arising as an adaptation to the extracellular environment. Proteins 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.