Assessing the generality of global leaf trait relationships

Global-scale quantification of relationships between plant traits gives insight into the evolution of the world's vegetation, and is crucial for parameterizing vegetation-climate models. A database was compiled, comprising data for hundreds to thousands of species for the core 'leaf economics' traits leaf lifespan, leaf mass per area, photosynthetic capacity, dark respiration, and leaf nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, as well as leaf potassium, photosynthetic N-use efficiency (PNUE), and leaf N : P ratio. While mean trait values differed between plant functional types, the range found within groups was often larger than differences among them. Future vegetation-climate models could incorporate this knowledge. The core leaf traits were intercorrelated, both globally and within plant functional types, forming a 'leaf economics spectrum'. While these relationships are very general, they are not universal, as significant heterogeneity exists between relationships fitted to individual sites. Much, but not all, heterogeneity can be explained by variation in sample size alone. PNUE can also be considered as part of this trait spectrum, whereas leaf K and N : P ratios are only loosely related.     

Fibroblast-like synoviocytes from rheumatoid arthritis patients express functional IL-15 receptor complex: endogenous IL-15 in autocrine fashion enhances cell proliferation and expression of Bcl-x(L) and Bcl-2

The hallmarks of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are leukocytic infiltration of the synovium and expansiveness of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). The abnormal proliferation of FLS and their resistance to apoptosis is mediated, at least in part, by present in RA joints proinflammatory cytokines and growth factors. Because IL-15 exerts properties of antiapoptotic and growth factors, and is produced by RA FLS, we hypothesized that IL-15 participates in RA FLS activation. To test this hypothesis, we first examined whether RA FLS express chains required for high affinity functional IL-15R. Indeed, RA FLS express IL-15Ralpha at mRNA and protein levels. Moreover, we confirmed the presence of IL-2Rbeta and common gamma-chains. Interestingly, TNF-alpha or IL-1beta triggered significant elevation of IL-15Ralpha chain at mRNA and protein levels. Next, we investigated the effects of exogenous or endogenous IL-15 on Bcl-2 and Bcl-x(L) expression, FLS proliferation, and apoptosis. Exogenous IL-15 enhanced RA FLS proliferation and increased the level of mRNA-encoding Bcl-x(L). To test the role of endogenous IL-15 in the activation of RA FLS, an IL-15 mutant/Fcgamma2a protein exerting properties of specific antagonist to the IL-15Ralpha chain was used. We found that blocking IL-15 biological activities using this protein substantially reduced endogenous expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-x(L), and RA FLS proliferation that was reflected by increased apoptosis. Thus, we have demonstrated that a distinctive phenotype of RA FLS, i.e., persistent activation, proliferation, and resistance to apoptosis, is related to the autocrine activation of IL-15Rs by FLS-derived IL-15.     

Ectomycorrhizal fungal communities of native and non-native Pinus and Quercus species in a common garden of 35-year-old trees

Non-native tree species have been widely planted or have become naturalized in most forested landscapes. It is not clear if native trees species collectively differ in ectomycorrhizal fungal (EMF) diversity and communities from that of non-native tree species. Alternatively, EMF species community similarity may be more determined by host plant phylogeny than by whether the plant is native or non-native. We examined these unknowns by comparing two genera, native and non-native Quercus robur and Quercus rubra and native and non-native Pinus sylvestris and Pinus nigra in a 35-year-old common garden in Poland. Using molecular and morphological approaches, we identified EMF species from ectomycorrhizal root tips and sporocarps collected in the monoculture tree plots. A total of 69 EMF species were found, with 38 species collected only as sporocarps, 18 only as ectomycorrhizas, and 13 both as ectomycorrhizas and sporocarps. The EMF species observed were all native and commonly associated with a Holarctic range in distribution. We found that native Q. robur had ca. 120% higher total EMF species richness than the non-native Q. rubra, while native P. sylvestris had ca. 25% lower total EMF species richness than non-native P. nigra. Thus, across genera, there was no evidence that native species have higher EMF species diversity than exotic species. In addition, we found a higher similarity in EMF communities between the two Pinus species than between the two Quercus species. These results support the naturalization of non-native trees by means of mutualistic associations with cosmopolitan and novel fungi.     

Damped sinusoidal function to model acute irradiation in radiotherapy patients

In the paper, we suggest a damped sinusoidal function be used to model a regenerative response of mucosa in time after the radiotherapy treatment. The medical history of 389 RT patients irradiated within the years 1994–2000 at the Radiotherapy Department, Cancer Center, Maria Sk?odowska-Curie Memorial Institute of Oncology, Gliwice, Poland, was taken into account. In the analyzed group of patients, the number of observations of a single patient ranged from 2 to 25 (mean = 8.3, median = 8) with severity determined by use of Dische's scores from 0 to 24 (mean = 7.4, median = 7). Statistical modeling of radiation-induced mucositis was performed for five groups of patients irradiated within the following radiotherapy schedules: CAIR, CB, Manchester, CHA–CHA, and Conventional. All of the regression parameters of the assumed model, i.e. amplitude, damping coefficient, angular frequency, phase of component, and offset, estimated in the analysis were statistically significant (p-value < 0.05) for the radiotherapy schedules. The model was validated using a non-oscillatory function. Following goodness-of-fit statistics, the damped sinusoidal function fits the data better than the non-oscillatory damped function. Model curves for harmonic characteristics with confidence intervals were plotted separately for each of the RT schedules and together in a combined design. The suggested model might be helpful in the numeric evaluation of the RT toxicity in the groups of patients under analysis as it allows for practical comparisons and treatment optimization. A statistical approach is also briefly described in the paper.     

The Influences of A Nitrogen Atom Position in Dinucleoside 2-,3-,4-Pyridylphosphonates on Fragmentation Patterns in Electrospray Ionization Multistage Tandem Mass Spectra

2-,3-,4-Pyridylphosphonates and their phosphonothioate congeners were analyzed by electrospray ionization multistage tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MSⁿ). It was found that the fragmentation pathways of these compounds were not influenced to any detectable extent by the stereochemistry at the phosphorus centers but were sensitive to the position of a nitrogen atom in the pyridine ring of these compounds. Possible mechanisms for fragmentations of the investigated compounds are discussed in detail.

     

Divergent requirements for fibroblast growth factor signaling in zebrafish maxillary barbel and caudal fin regeneration

The zebrafish maxillary barbel is an integumentary organ containing skin, glands, pigment cells, taste buds, nerves, and endothelial vessels. The maxillary barbel can regenerate (LeClair & Topczewski 2010); however, little is known about its molecular regulation. We have studied fibroblast growth factor (FGF) pathway molecules during barbel regeneration, comparing this system to a well‐known regenerating appendage, the zebrafish caudal fin. Multiple FGF ligands (fgf20a, fgf24), receptors (fgfr1‐4) and downstream targets (pea3, il17d) are expressed in normal and regenerating barbel tissue, confirming FGF activation. To test if specific FGF pathways were required for barbel regeneration, we performed simultaneous barbel and caudal fin amputations in two temperature‐dependent zebrafish lines. Zebrafish homozygous for a point mutation in fgf20a, a factor essential for caudal fin blastema formation, regrew maxillary barbels normally, indicating that the requirement for this ligand is appendage‐specific. Global overexpression of a dominant negative FGF receptor, Tg(hsp70l:dn‐fgfr1:EGFP)^pd1 completely blocked fin outgrowth but only partially inhibited barbel outgrowth, suggesting reduced requirements for FGFs in barbel tissue. Maxillary barbels expressing dn‐fgfr1 regenerated peripheral nerves, dermal connective tissue, endothelial tubes, and a glandular epithelium; in contrast to a recent report in which dn‐fgfr1 overexpression blocks pharyngeal taste bud formation in zebrafish larvae (Kapsimali et al. 2011), we observed robust formation of calretinin‐positive tastebuds. These are the first experiments to explore the molecular mechanisms of maxillary barbel regeneration. Our results suggest heterogeneous requirements for FGF signaling in the regeneration of different zebrafish appendages (caudal fin versus maxillary barbel) and taste buds of different embryonic origin (pharyngeal endoderm versus barbel ectoderm).