Polyribosomes and protein synthesis in after-ripening pear seeds

Polyribosomes have been isolated from pear seeds which show a capacity for in vitro protein synthesis. Translational capacity increased during stratification with a peak after 13 days of stratification. This increase was greatly diminished in seeds which were incubated at 25°C (“warm stratification”). The peak in protein synthetic activity coincides with the period of stratification required for normal development of excised embryos.     

Agro-ecology of onion couch (Arrhenathemm elatius var. bulbosum).

The agro-ecology of onion couch (Arrhenatherum elatius var. bulbosum), a well known weed of arable land is studied. Contribution of seeds from onion couch and a more widespread variety of Arrhenatherum elatius: tall oat-grass, towards future ingress of onion couch in arable fields has indicated that the tall oat-grass variety is not a potential weed of arable land. It appears that vegetative propagules rather than the seeds are the effective means of propagation of the onion couch variety in arable fields. An experiment performed to test any modifying effect of the soil texture indicated that onion couch is restricted to loamy soils and there is a complete absence from heavy clays and sandy soils. This could be due to the moist and protective micro-environment provided by the texture of the soils to partially buried vegetative propagules of onion couch, which are susceptible to drought.     

Primary coronary intervention for ST-elevation myocardial infarction in Indonesia and the Netherlands: a comparison

Background. Although the beneficial effects of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) have been demonstrated in a number of trials, most studies were conducted in Western countries. Experience, logistics and patient characteristics may differ in other parts of the world. Methods. Consecutive patients treated with primary PCI in Cinere Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia, between January 2008 and October 2008 were compared with those treated in the Isala Clinics, Zwolle, the Netherlands. Results. During the study period, a total of 596 patients were treated by primary PCI, 568 in Zwolle and 28 in Jakarta. Patients in Indonesia were younger (54 vs 63 years), more often had diabetes (36 vs. 12%) and high lipids and were more often smokers (68 vs. 31%). Time delay between symptom onset and admission was longer in Indonesia. Patients from Indonesia more often had signs of heart failure at admission. The time between admission and balloon inflation was longer in Indonesia. At angiography, patients from Indonesia more often had multivessel disease. There was no difference in the percentage of restoration of TIMI 3 flow by primary PCI between the two hospitals. Conclusion. Patients with STEMI in Indonesia have a higher risk profile compared with those in the Netherlands, according to prevalence of coronary risk factors, signs of heart failure, multivessel disease and patient delay. Time delay between admission and balloon inflation was much longer in Indonesia, because of both logistic and financial reasons. (Neth Heart J 2009;17:418–21.)     

Efficient hydrogen production from the lignocellulosic energy crop Miscanthus by the extreme thermophilic bacteria Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus and Thermotoga neapolitana

Background  

The production of hydrogen from biomass by fermentation is one of the routes that can contribute to a future sustainable hydrogen economy. Lignocellulosic biomass is an attractive feedstock because of its abundance, low production costs and high polysaccharide content.     

A morphological and genetic analysis of the European bitterling species complex

Bitterling fishes lay their eggs on the gills of living freshwater mussels and are valuable models in behavioural and evolutionary ecology. We used morphological and genetic data to resolve the taxonomic relationships of bitterling in Europe. Previous studies have suggested the European bitterling is either a single species with a wide but discontinuous geographic distribution, or a complex of species. Morphometric and meristic data identified differences between three putative species; with a clear distinction between the eastern Asian Rhodeus sericeus, western European bitterling Rhodeus amarus, and colchian bitterling, Rhodeus colchicus. Polymorphism in the mitochondrial DNA control region was predominantly due to insertion/deletion events, making phylogenetic inference difficult, but the single haplotype found in R. sericeus populations was detected at low frequency (one of 24 individuals) in R. amarus and R. colchicus populations. Eight control region haplotypes were found in R. amarus populations, which were distinct from the two haplotypes in a R. colchicus population. Cytochrome b data produced a phylogeny with strongly‐supported differentiation between a clade of two R. sericeus haplotypes and a clade of six R. amarus/colchicus haplotypes. The star‐like topology of the R. amarus/colchicus haplotypes in a minimum spanning network suggested a rapid radiation in this clade. Our results are consistent with an hypothesis of relatively ancient divergence of R. sericeus from R. amarus/colchicus and more recent and rapid differentiation between R. amarus and R. colchicus. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 95 , 337–347.     

Interactions of Meloidogyne javanica, Fusarium udum and Rhizobium on pigeon pea in the presence of nickel and cobalt as pollutants

The interactions between Meloidogyne javanica, Fusarium udum and Rhizobium on pigeon pea, in the presence of nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co) as soil pollutants, were studied. In single inoculations, M. javanica caused a reduction in plant growth, particularly at higher inoculum levels (1000 and 10 000 JJ₂). Fusarium udum induced wilting symptoms and the higher concentrations of Ni and Co suppressed plant growth. Meloidogyne javanica and F. udum interacted to show more severe wilting symptoms than F. udum alone. Wilting was completely inhibited by Ni but reductions in plant growth and nodulation occurred. In the presence of Ni, M. javanica did not cause galling but nodulation was suppressed. Cobalt also suppressed wilting and nodulation but interacted with M. javanica to increase root galling and to reduce plant growth by a greater amount than the total of reductions caused by the individual treatments.     

土地利用驱动的土壤性状变化影响微生物群落结构和功能

微生物在调节陆地生态系统地球化学循环过程中具有重要作用。土地利用方式改变显著影响土壤微生物群落结构和功能,但对土地利用驱动的土壤性状变化与微生物群落结构和功能关系的研究相对匮乏。依托长期定位监测试验（始于1984年）,通过16S rRNA基因片段和ITS高通量测序,研究了土地利用方式（裸地、农田、草地）驱动的土壤碳氮变化对微生物群落结构和功能的影响。结果表明：对于细菌群落而言,裸地中α-多样性最高、其次是草地、农田中最低,农田和草地中细菌优势菌群变形菌（Proteobacteria）和放线菌门（Actinobacteria）相对丰度较裸地低4.5%、3.9%和5.5%、3.8%;对于真菌群落而言,裸地子囊菌门（Ascomycota）相对丰度最高、农田次之、草地最低;化能异养型、好氧化能异养型细菌相对丰度裸地显著高于农田和草地（P<0.05）,而硝化型和好氧氨氧化型细菌裸地显著低于农田和草地（P<0.05）;腐生型真菌相对丰度大小排序为：裸地>农田>草地。细菌群落变化主要与土壤容重、全氮、矿质氮、C ： N比和微生物量碳有关,而真菌群落与土壤矿质氮有关。细菌和真菌功能菌群主要受土壤容重、土壤有机碳、土壤全氮、C ： N比和微生物量碳影响。因此,土壤容重、土壤全氮、土壤有机碳、C ： N比、微生物量碳、矿质氮差异可能是影响不同土地利用方式中微生物群落和功能变化的主要因素。     

Aspects of insect chemical ecology: exploitation of reception and detection as tools for deception of pests and beneficial insects

Empirical exploitation of insect reception and detection at the peripheral neurosensory level has been extremely valuable for identifying pheromones and other semiochemicals, mainly by electroantennogram or single cell preparations coupled with capillary gas chromatography. Differential sensitivity to semiochemicals at the single‐cell level has allowed the identification of some of the most active semiochemicals relating to host location and, more importantly, to the avoidance of nonhosts. However, in terms of molecular recognition, there is still a considerable gap in understanding the detection of particular molecules and their discrimination from closely‐related chemical structures. New approaches will be needed to understand the processes of molecular recognition more precisely. Nevertheless, from electrophysiological studies to the most advanced molecular techniques, it has been possible to identify semiochemicals for the deception of pests in their quest to find plant and animal hosts, as well as mates. Even the deception of insects antagonistic to pests, particularly parasitoids, can now be exploited for managing pests in more sustainable systems. Successes in exploiting insect semiochemicals in the interests of better agriculture and animal husbandry are exemplified, and potential new ways of learning more about reception and detection for deception are discussed. This takes the subject beyond the management of pest and beneficial insects to wider commercial and social opportunities.