Concentration and flux of solutes from snow and forest floor during snowmelt in the West-Central Adirondack region of New York

Decreases in pH and increases in the concentration of Al and NO ₃ ^– have been observed in surface waters draining acid-sensitive regions in the northeastern U.S. during spring snowmelt. To assess the source of this acidity, we evaluated solute concentrations in snowpack, and in meltwater collected from snow and forest floor lysimeters in the west-central Adirondack Mountains of New York during the spring snowmelt period, 29 March through 15 April 1984.During the initial phase of snowmelt, ions were preferentially leached from the snowpack resulting in elevated concentrations in snowmelt water (e.g. H⁺ = 140 eq.l^–1; NO ₄ ^2– = 123 eq.l^–1; SO ₃ ^– = 160 eq.l^–1). Solute concentrations decreased dramatically within a few days of the initial melt (< 50 eq.l^–1). The concentrations of SO ₄ ^2– and NO ₃ ^– in snowpack and snowmelt water were similar, whereas NO^– ₃ in the forest floor leachate was at least two times the concentration of SO ₄ ^2– .Study results suggest that the forest floor was a sink for snowmelt inputs of alkalinity, and a net source of H⁺, NO ₃ ^– , dissolved organic carbon, K⁺ and Al inputs to the mineral soil. The forest floor was relatively conservative with respect to snowmelt inputs of Ca²⁺, SO ₄ ^2– and Cl^–. These results indicate that mineralization of N, followed by nitrification in the forest floor may be an important process contributing to elevated concentrations of H⁺ and NO ₃ ^– in streams during the snowmelt period.     

The Ordovician-Silurian boundary stratotype: consequences of its approval by the IUGS

Lespérance, Pierre J., Barnes, Christopher R., Berry, William B. N., Boucot, Arthur J. & Mu En-zhi 1987 07 15: The Ordovician-Silurian boundary stratotype: consequences of its approval by the IUGS.
The Ordovician-Silurian stratotype at Dob's Linn, Scotland is the second systemic boundary approved by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS). A review of the internationally accepted criteria required of a stratotype shows that few of these are possessed by the Dob's Linn section. The strongest attribute of the section is the presence of zonal graptolites, although the boundary is recognized primarily on a single biological event (base of acuminatus Zone) for which the evolutionary relationships of the taxa are not established. In approving this boundary proposal in 1985, which received only simple majority support within the Ordovician-Silurian Boundary Working Group (OSBWG) and which fails to meet most of the accepted prerequisites for a stratotype, the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) and the IUGS have established an unfortunate precedent. It follows that future systemic boundaries need not meet the accepted standards. It raises serious questions on the assessment and voting procedures of the International Commission on Stratigraphy and on the credence accorded the recommendations developed by the International Subcommission on Stratigraphic Classification of IUGS.     

Frequent duplication and deletion events in the 5S RNA genes and the associated spacer regions of theTriticeae

The 5 S DNA units from 15 grasses in theTriticeae were analysed at the DNA sequence level. Four units carried duplications near the 3-end of the 5 S RNA gene with 3 of the duplications centred on the same base pairs as a duplication previously reported byGerlach & Dyer. The fourth duplication was located 3 downstream from the gene, in the spacer region. Apparent deletions were very frequent when units of the different grasses were compared and it was clear that these deletions did not extend into a 75 bp spacer region upstream from the 5 S RNA gene. This 75 bp region also tended to be more conserved between the grasses as compared to the high level of sequence change in the rest of the spacer region. — Phenetic relationships were established between the grasses using the sequence data. The relationships were generally consistent with the data from other parameters and, in addition, showed that two Australian grasses were closely related to the other Northern hemisphere genera examined. The data concerning the Australian grasses is discussed in relation to the isolated nature of Australia.     

Differential expression of Alpha,Mu, and Pi classes of glutathione S-transferases in chemosensory mucosae of rats during development

The expression of three classes of glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), Alpha, Mu, and Pi was investigated in the nasal mucosae of rats during development using immunohistochemical methods. GST Alpha and Mu were first detected in the supranuclear region of sustentacular cells on embryonic days 16. The Bowman's glands expressed differential patterns of immunoreactivity during development, beginning at postnatal day (P) 2 and P6 for Alpha and Mu classes, respectively and being greatest at P11 for both. The acinar cells of vomeronasal glands in the vomeronasal organ expressed Alpha and Mu classes of GSTs from P11 onwards. In the septal organ of Masera, the supranuclear region of sustentacular cells expressed GSTs from P11 with little or no variation during development. In the respiratory mucosa, Alpha and Mu classes of GSTs were detected at the brush borders of ciliated cells and in the acinar cells of posterior septal glands, but not in anterior septal or respiratory glands located on the turbinates. Compared to olfactory mucosa, the changes in immunoreactivity for GSTs were less pronounced in the respiratory mucosa during development. Specific GST Pi immunoreactivity was not detected in the nasal mucosae at any stage of development studied. The occurrence of GSTs in the nasal mucosa, including olfactory, vomeronasal, septal, and respiratory epithelia, suggests that the GSTs are actively involved in the biotransformation of xenobiotics including odorants and pheromones, and may also participate in perireceptor processes such as odorant clearance. In addition, we have developed a working model describing the cellular localization of certain phase I (e.g., cytochrome P-450s) and phase II (e.g., GSTs, -glutamyl transpeptidase) biotransformation enzymes in the olfactory mucosa and their proposed roles in xenobiotic metabolism.     

Understorey vegetation moderates climate in open forests: The role of the skirt-forming grass tree Xanthorrhoea semiplana F.Muell

Microsites are created by abiotic and biotic features of the landscape and may provide essential habitats for the persistence of biota. Forest canopies and understorey plants may moderate wind and solar radiation to create microclimatic conditions that differ considerably from regional climates. Skirt-forming plants, where senescent leaves create hut-like cavities around the stem, create microsites that are sheltered from ambient conditions and extreme weather events, constituting potential refuges for wildlife. We investigate day and night temperatures and humidity for four locations (grass tree cavities, soil, 20 cm above-ground, 1 m above-ground) in a South Australian forest with relatively open canopy of stringybark eucalypts (Eucalyptus baxteri, E. obliqua) and an understorey of skirt-forming grass trees (Xanthorrhoea semiplana) at 5, 10, 20, and 40 m from the forest edge. We also measured the percentage of canopy and understorey covers. Generally, temperature and humidity differed significantly between more sheltered (grass tree cavities, soil) and open-air microsites, with the former being cooler during the day and warmer and more humid during the night. Furthermore, our results suggest that canopy cover tends to decrease, and understorey cover tends to increase, the temperature of microsites. Distance to the edge was not significantly related to temperature for any microsite, suggesting that the edge effect did not extend beyond 10 m from the edge. Overall, grass trees influenced microclimatic conditions by forming a dense understorey and providing cavities that are relatively insulated. The capacity of grass tree cavities to buffer external conditions increased linearly with ambient temperatures, by 0.46°C per degree increase in maximum and 0.25°C per degree decrease in minimum temperatures, potentially offsetting climate warming and enabling persistence of fauna within their thermal limits. These climate moderation properties will make grass trees increasingly important refuges as extreme weather events become more common under anthropogenic climate change.     

血清GDF-15、hs-cTnT对冠状动脉旁路移植术后新发房颤及近期主要心血管事件的预测效能研究

摘要 目的：分析血清生长分化因子15（GDF-15）、高敏心肌肌钙蛋白T（hs-cTnT）对冠状动脉旁路移植术后新发心房颤动（房颤）及近期主要心血管事件的预测效能。方法：选择自2020年1月至2022年1月在我院行冠状动脉旁路移植术的140例冠心病患者作为研究对象,根据术后是否新发房颤,分为房颤组（46例）和非房颤组（94例）。检测两组术前血清GDF-15、hs-cTnT水平,使用多因素Logistic回归分析血清GDF-15、hs-cTnT与术后新发房颤的关系;随访6个月,观察主要心血管事件发生情况,通过受试者工作特征曲线下面积（AUC）评价血清GDF-15、hs-cTnT对术后新发房颤及近期主要心血管事件的预测效能。结果：两组患者年龄、性别、体重指数等一般资料比较无差异（P＞0.05）;房颤组SYNTAX积分高于非房颤组,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05);房颤组血清GDF-15、hs-cTnT水平均高于非房颤组（P＜0.05）;经多因素Logistic回归分析,SYNTAX积分、血清GDF-15、hs-cTnT均是冠状动脉旁路移植术后新发房颤的独立预测因素（P＜0.05）;经ROC曲线分析,血清GDF-15联合hs-cTnT预测冠状动脉旁路移植术后新发房颤的AUC为0.933,大于SYNTAX积分的0.790,预测近期主要心血管事件的AUC为0.925,大于SYNTAX积分的0.750（P＜0.05）。结论：血清GDF-15联合hs-cTnT对冠状动脉旁路移植术后新发房颤及近期主要心血管事件均具有良好的预测效能,值得临床予以重视。     

Rapid reorganization of microtubular cytoskeleton accompanies early changes in nuclear ploidy and chromatin structure in postmitotic cells of barley leaves infected with powdery mildew

Summary Post-mitotic epidermal cells of barley leaves were found to contain, in addition to cortical microtubules (CMTs), distinct arrays of endoplasmic microtubules (EMTs). These encircle nuclei and continuously merge into the CMT arrays that underly the plasmalemma. Detailed three-dimensional reconstruction of both types of MTs during fungal infection showed that profound and very rapid MT rearrangements occurred especially in the case of incompatible (resistant) barley-powdery mildew genotype combination. The most early MT responses, followed by their subsequent complete disintegration, were recorded around nuclei. These events might be relevant for the induction of such nuclear processes as onset of DNA synthesis and nuclear chromatin condensation. Observed pattern of early infection events, as well as less prominent responses in the case of compatible (susceptible) barley-powdery mildew genotype combination, both findings suggest that rapid reorganization of the MT cytoskeleton could be involved in recognition of the fungus by host cells and in the initiation of resistance responses in barley leaves. We hypothesize that the integrity and dynamics of the MT cytoskeleton, especially of its perinuclear part, might participate in control mechanisms involved in activation of resistance genes.Abbreviations CMTs cortical microtubules - EMTs endoplasmic microtubules - MT microtubules - PI propidium iodide - SC sensitive combination - RC resistant combination     

Zooplankton impacts on chlorophyll and transparency in Onondaga Lake,New York,USA

The transparency of polluted, hypereutrophic Onondaga Lake, New York, USA has improved substantially in the late 1980's as a result of reductions in phytoplankton biomass, in the absence of significant reductions in external phosphorus loading. Much of this improvement has been due to the occurrence of clearing events, e.g. sudden and dramatic increases in transparency. Field measurements, laboratory experiments, and modelling analyses were utilized to identify processes regulating phytoplankton standing crop during the spring to fall interval of 1987. Changes in the zooplankton community documented over the past decade support the conclusion that increased zooplankton grazing has contributed to improvements in transparency. Herbivores now represent a greater fraction of the zooplankton population and more efficient cladocerans are present in greater numbers. Biomanipulation practices, e.g. reestablishment of piscivorous species, designed to reduce the abundance of planktivorous fish species in Onondaga Lake, may serve to reduce pressure on the grazing community and thus result in further improvements in transparency.