Manure composition affects net transformation of nitrogen from dairy manures

The plant available nitrogen (PAN) content of dairy manure is commonly calculated using concentration and availability coefficients for organic nitrogen (N) and ammonium N (NH₄), but the carbon (C) fraction of the manure also influences the availability of N over time. We evaluated the interactive effect of manure C and N from nine dairy manures during a 176 days aerobic incubation. All of the manures had appreciable NH₄ content, and varied widely in fibrous C. The incubation was conducted using sandy loam (coarse-loamy, mixed, frigid, Typic Haplorthod) and silt loam (fine, illitic, non-acid, frigid, Aeric Epiaquepts) soils at 25°C and 60% water-filled pore space. There were clear differences in nitrate (NO₃) accumulation over time, including manures that resulted in net nitrification and net immobilization. For both soils, the rate of nitrification at 7 and 56 days after application, and the amount of NO₃ accumulated at the end of the incubation (176 days) were strongly correlated (r = –0.88) with C: NH₄ and also to the ratio of neutral detergent fiber (NDF):NH₄ (r = –0.90). The addition of manure C also resulted in significant net immobilization, compared to addition of mineral N fertilizer alone. These studies demonstrate that increased understanding of manure C and N interactions may lead to improved prediction of manure PAN.     

Multiple potential clinical benefits for 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 analogs in kidney transplant recipients

Therapeutic trials of 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) and related synthetic analogs are merited in diverse clinical fields, including treatment or prevention of bone disease, cancer, immune-mediated diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and prostatic hypertrophy. Potential difficulties of carrying out such trials successfully, include experimental data suggesting relatively modest therapeutic effects of 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) analogs as stand-alone intervention and the likely requirement for large study group size and lengthy follow-up periods, if individual prophylactic effects are to be proven. Thus, it may be wise to identify patient groups with multiple potential benefits, accelerated disease risks, and the possibility for exploring synergistic pharmacological effects, in whom to carry out clinical trials of 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) analogs. With this consideration in mind, the suitability of kidney transplant recipients for such studies is discussed. Although, highly effective in reversing end-stage renal disease, kidney transplantation continues to be limited by heightened risk of osteoporosis, persistent hyperparathyroidism, acute and chronic immunological injury, new cancer diagnosis, and cardiovascular events. In addition, kidney transplant recipients generally receive multiple immunosuppressants with a high prevalence of medication-related toxicities. Finally, it is pointed out that clinical trials carried out in organ transplant recipients provide a unique opportunity for longitudinal comparison of target tissue structural and gene expression profiles among treated and control patient groups. It is proposed that addition of a 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) analog to conventional post-kidney transplant medication regimens is likely to be associated with measurable effects to prevent or retard multiple important complications and that this patient group is especially suitable for carrying out clinical trials of these compounds.     

Microbial communities associated with skeletal tumors on Porites compressa

Coral tumors are atypical skeletal forms found on coral reefs worldwide. Here we present an analysis of the microbial communities associated with skeletal tumors on the coral Porites compressa. Microbial growth rates on both healthy and tumorous P. compressa were decoupled from the surrounding water column. Microbial communities associated with tumorous colonies had a significantly faster growth rate than those associated with healthy P. compressa. The microbial community associated with the tumors contained more culturable Vibrio spp. and could utilize more carbon sources than the microbes associated with healthy colonies. Presence of tumors affected the composition and dynamics of the microbial population associated with the entire colony.     

A catalogue of human saliva proteins identified by free flow electrophoresis-based peptide separation and tandem mass spectrometry

Human saliva has great potential for clinical disease diagnostics. Constructing a comprehensive catalogue of saliva proteins using proteomic approaches is a necessary first step to identifying potential protein biomarkers of disease. However, because of the challenge presented in cataloguing saliva proteins with widely varying abundance, new proteomic approaches are needed. To this end, we used a newly developed approach coupling peptide separation using free flow electrophoresis with linear ion trap tandem mass spectrometry to identify proteins in whole human saliva. We identified 437 proteins with high confidence (false positive rate below 1%), producing the largest catalogue of proteins from a single saliva sample to date and providing new information on the composition and potential diagnostic utility of this fluid. The statistically validated, transparently presented, and annotated dataset provides a model for presenting large scale proteomic data of this type, which should facilitate better dissemination and easier comparisons of proteomic datasets from future studies in saliva.     

RAPGEF5 Regulates Nuclear Translocation of β-Catenin

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Natural enemy composition rather than richness determines pest suppression

Natural enemy (NE) biodiversity is thought to play an important role in agricultural pest suppression. However, the relative importance of the number of NE species (species richness), versus the particular combinations of species (species composition), in determining aphid suppression and ultimately crop yields, remains poorly understood. We tested the effects of NE richness and composition on pea aphids Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) and broad bean plants Vicia faba (Linn.). We used the larvae of two predator species, the ladybird Adalia bipunctata (Linn.) and the green lacewing Chrysopa carnea (Stephens), and the parasitic wasp Aphidius ervi (Haliday) as enemies. NEs generally reduced aphid density but did not increase final plant biomass, despite a significant negative correlation between aphid density and plant biomass. Among NE treatments, species richness had an inconsistent effect on aphid density. The composition of NEs within richness levels also affected final aphid density: the ladybird was a key species among the treatments in controlling aphid density and was especially effective in combination with the parasitoid. This ladybird/parasitoid combination also appeared to drive the higher level of suppression observed at the two, relative to three, species richness levels. Although these three species of aphid NEs are commonly used in aphid control, this is the first study, to our knowledge, that simultaneously examined these three species and highlighted the composition effect between the A. bipunctata and A. ervi. In conclusion, increasing NE species richness had an inconsistent effect on aphid density. Meanwhile, the presence of a key species (the ladybird) and its combination with a parasitoid was an important determinant of aphid biological control.     

Cytochrome Oxidase Activity in Blastocladiella emersonii

Studies of cytochrome oxidase in isolated mitochondria of Blastocladiella emersonii Cant. and Hyatt show that the enzyme was present in zoospores and throughout the development of ordinary colorless sporangia and of resistant sporangia. The enzyme activity was present in KCl, NaCl, NH₄Cl, and KHCO₃ induced resistant sporangia, and was shown to be as active or more active than the enzyme found in ordinary colorless sporangia and zoospores. Interfering substances causing difficulties in the measurement of cytochrome oxidase activity were found in whole cell homogenates of KHCO₃ grown resistant sporangia, but not in KCl, NaCl, or NH₄Cl grown thalli. These substances could be removed by dialysis or by sedimentation of the mitochondria.     

Design,synthesis, and evaluation of simple phenol amides as ERRγ agonists

Herein we report the design and synthesis of a series of simple phenol amide ERRγ agonists based on a hydrazone lead molecule. Our structure activity relationship studies in this series revealed the phenol portion of the molecule to be required for activity. Attempts to replace the hydrazone with more suitable chemotypes led to a simple amide as a viable alternative. Differential hydrogen-deuterium exchange experiments were used to help understand the structural basis for binding to ERRγ and aid in the development of more potent ligands.