Relationships of growth,stable carbon isotope composition and anatomical properties of leaf and xylem in seven mulberry cultivars: a hint towards drought tolerance

• The fast growth of mulberry depends on high water consumption, but considerable variations in drought tolerance exist across different cultivars. Physiological and anatomical mechanisms are important to plant survival under drought. However, few research efforts have been made to reveal the relationships of these two aspects in relation to drought tolerance.
• In this study, growth rates, leaf functional physiology and anatomical characteristics of leaf and xylem of 1‐year‐old saplings of seven mulberry cultivars at a common garden were compared. Their relationships were also explored.
• Growth, leaf physiology and anatomy were significantly different among the tested cultivars. Foliar stable carbon isotope composition (δ¹³C) was negatively correlated with growth rates, and closely related to several leaf and xylem anatomical traits. Particularly, leaf thickness, predicted hydraulic conductivity and vessel element length jointly contributed 77% of the variability in δ¹³C. Cultivar Wupu had small stomata, intermediate leaf thickness, the smallest hydraulically weighted vessel diameter and highest vessel number, and higher δ¹³C; Yunguo1 had high abaxial stomatal density, low specific leaf area, moderate hydraulic conductivity and δ¹³C; these are beneficial features to reduce leaf water loss and drought‐induced xylem embolism in arid areas. Cultivar Liaolu11 had contrasting physiological and anatomical traits compared with the previous two cultivars, suggesting that it might be sensitive to drought.
• Our findings indicate that growth and δ¹³C are closely associated with both leaf and xylem anatomical characteristics in mulberry, which provides fundamental information to assist evaluation of drought tolerance in mulberry cultivars and in other woody trees.

     

Interactions of a Bacterial RND Transporter with a Transmembrane Small Protein in a Lipid Environment

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Age,growth and reproduction of Marcusenius pongolensis,Oreochromis mossambicus and Schilbe intermedius in an oligotrophic impoundment in Swaziland

The age, growth and reproductive biology of Marcusenius pongolensis, Oreochromis mossambicus and Schilbe intermedius were investigated in the Mnjoli Dam, Swaziland. Otolith annulus formation occurred in winter for M. pongolensis, and in spring/summer for O. mossambicus and S. intermedius. Maximum ages of 8, 6 and 8 years were recorded for M. pongolensis, O. mossambicus and S. intermedius, respectively. Growth was described by the von Bertalanffy growth model as L_t = 238.73(1 − exp^{−0.27(t+2.27}) mm fork length (FL) for M. pongolensis, L_t = 226.83(1 − exp^{−0.45(t+2.02)}) mm total length (TL) for O. mossambicus, and L_t = 214.59(1 − exp^{−0.60(t+1.20)}) mm FL for S. intermedius. Sexual maturity was estimated for male and female M. pongolensis at 134 mm FL and 119 mm FL, respectively. Marcusenius pongolensis matured within their first year. Female O. mossambicus and S. intermedius matured at 239 mm TL and 205 mm FL, corresponding to 2 and 4 years of age, respectively. Extended spawning periods, with two spawning peaks was observed for M. pongolensis, one in spring (September) and the second in autumn (March) and one peak over late‐summer for S. intermedius.     

Alternative biofacies model for dysaerobic communities

An abundant calcareous fauna has been discovered in the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ; < 0.5 ml/l O₂) off central California at oxygen concentrations considerably less than those predicted by previous ecological models. Analysis of box core samples and bottom photographs has revealed a distinct depth zonation of echinoderms. Asteroids and ophiuroids are most abundant along the upper and lower edges of the OMZ, respectively, whereas echinoids are found near the core of this zone where oxygen levels are as low as 0.3 ml/l O₂. As these heart urchins are very abundant (14/m²), they represent a potentially significant component of the fossil record of OMZ's. Locally these urchins are capable of disturbing over 90% of near surface sediment. The core of the OMZ is inhabited by hermit crabs that actively transport and recycle gastropod shells. This 'biotransport' results in an accumulation of potentially preservable, non-endemic. hard-bodied organisms which may lead to misinterpretation of paleo-oxygenation conditions. We propose an alternative to the Rhoads & Morse (1971, Lethaia 4 ) biofacies model for open-ocean, dysaerobic environments which consists of: (1) a zone devoid of maeroinvertebrates. characterized by laminated sediments (<0.1 ml/l O₂); (2) a zone dominated by small (1–2 mm) soft-bodied infauca which exhibits moderate disturbance of laminae due to bioturbation (0.1–0.3 ml/l O₂); and (3) a zone inhabited by an abundant calcareous fauna characterized by highly bioturbated sediments (>0.3 ml/l O₂).     

Application of a photosystem II model for analysis of fluorescence induction curves in the 100 ns to 10 s time domain after excitation with a saturating light pulse

A mathematical model of photosystem II (PSII) events was used to analyze chlorophyll fluorescence transients in the time domain from 100 ns to 10 s after excitation with a saturating 10-ns flash, applied as a part of specialized illumination protocol, using preparations of a thermophilic strain of the unicellular green alga, Chlorella pyrenoidosa Chick (using both intact and diuron-treated cells). Analysis of simulation results has proven that particular attention should be given to flash-induced recombination processes, including nonradiative recombination in PSII, while subsequent charge transfer along the electron transport chain of thylakoid membrane can be adequately described by a single reaction of quinone reoxidation. The PSII model was extended by taking inhibition by diuron of the electron transport in the acceptor side of PSII into account, which allowed simulation of fluorescence induction curves observed in the presence of this inhibitor. The model parameters were determined (stromal pH, rate constants of nonradiative recombination, and the initial reduction state of the quinone pool) which provided adequate simulation of experimentally observed ratios of the maximal and initial fluorescence levels (F _m/F ₀).     

A novel spreadsheet method for calculating the free serum concentrations of testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, estradiol, estrone and cortisol: With illustrative examples from male and female populations

In humans, testosterone (T), dihydrotestosterone (DHT), estradiol (E2), estrone (E1) and cortisol (C) bind to the serum proteins sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), albumin (Alb) and corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG). Equilibrium dialysis is considered to be the “gold standard” for measuring the free concentrations of these steroids but is technically difficult and not widely available. Based on a mathematical model of the 5-ligand/3-protein binding equilibria, we developed a novel spreadsheet method for calculating the free and bioavailable (free + Alb-bound) concentrations of each steroid in terms of the total steroid and protein concentrations. The model uses 15 association constants K_SHBG-X, K_Alb-X, and K_CBG-X (X = T, DHT, E2, E1 and C) that have been estimated from a systematic review of published binding studies. The computation of the free and bioavailable concentrations uses an iterative numerical method that can be readily programmed on a spreadsheet. The method is illustrated with six examples corresponding to young men (YM), old men (OM), obese men (Ob M), young women (YM), pregnant women in the 3rd trimester (Preg T3) and oophorectomized women on oral conjugated equine estrogens (CEE). The resulting free hormone concentrations for YM and YW fall within the normal references ranges obtained by equilibrium dialysis for all five hormones. The model also accounts for the competitive binding effects of high estrogen levels on the free T levels in Preg T3. This novel spreadsheet method provides a “user-friendly” approach for estimating the free concentrations of circulating sex hormones and cortisol in men and women.     

Influence of training in the dark or light phase on physiologic and metabolic parameters of Wistar rats submitted to aerobic exercise

Light and dark phase training may influences rodents’ physiologic parameters because these animals have nocturnal habits. Thus, we verify the effects of the training in different photoperiods on metabolism and corporal composition of rats. Eighteen rats were divided into three groups – G1: non-trained; G2: trained in the light phase; G3: trained in the dark phase. Rats were allowed to swim for 60 min, five times per week during six weeks. Trained animals presented a smaller weight gain and fat percentage in carcass. Rats of G3 increased gastrocnemius relative weight. The adipocyte diameter of G3 rats was smaller than the other groups. The levels of the total cholesterol, low-density proteins, and triacylglycerols were decreased in animals of G2 while the glycemia was increased. Training in light phase provided more alterations in the blood biochemical profile while the training in the dark increased the gastrocnemius weight and decreased the diameter of the adipocyte.     

Testing the Metabolic Scaling Theory of tree growth

1.  Metabolic Scaling Theory (MST) predicts a 'universal scaling law' of tree growth. Proponents claim that MST has strong empirical support: the size-dependent growth curves of 40 out of 45 species in a Costa Rican forest have scaling exponents indistinguishable from the MST prediction.
2.  Here, we show that the Costa Rican study has been misinterpreted. Using Standardized Major Axis (SMA) line-fitting to estimate scaling exponents, we find that four out of five species represented by more than 100 stems have scaling exponents that deviate significantly from the MST prediction. On the other hand, sample sizes were too small to make strong inferences in the cases of 33 species represented by fewer than 50 stems.
3.  Recently, it has been argued that MST is useful for predicting average scaling exponents, even if individual species do not conform to the theory. We find that the mean scaling exponent of the Costa Rican trees is greater than predicted (across-species mean  =  0.44), and hypothesize that scaling exponents in natural forests will generally be greater than predicted, because the theory fails to model asymmetric competition for light.
4.   Synthesis . We highlight shortcomings in the interpretation of data used in support of a key MST prediction. We recommend that future research into biological scaling should compare the merits of alternative models rather than focusing attention on tests of a single theory.