Nitrogen mineralization in upland Precambrian Shield catchments: Contrasting the role of lichen-covered bedrock and forested areas

The upland boreal forest at the Experimental Lakes Area (northwestern Ontario, Canada) is characterized by treed soil islands interspersed within lichen and moss-covered bedrock outcrops. N mineralization was 2.5-fold and net nitrification was 13-fold higher on an areal basis over bedrock surfaces because of high mineralization rates under lichen and moss patches. The higher average soil temperature in lichen and moss patches could not account for the difference in mineralization rates. Lichens did not provide a significant additional source of N because they did not fix atmospheric N. A refractory conifer litter with a high C:N probably favours the immobilization of N in forest islands. Buried bag and in situ core incubations yielded similar net N mineralization rates but core incubations underestimated net nitrification rates. Both methods did not adequately measure dissolved organic N (DON) production rates because soil disturbance caused high initial DON concentrations. The higher export of mineral N from bedrock surfaces is probably a combination of the lower retention of N in precipitation and leaching of mineralized N from lichen and moss patches.     

不同施肥处理对‘赤霞珠’葡萄根际土壤养分和真菌群落的影响

【背景】宁夏贺兰山东麓葡萄产区忽视有机肥的施用,果树枝条焚烧污染环境,造成土壤养分缺失,土壤质量下降。【目的】为解决长期施用化肥对土壤造成的一系列问题,通过大田试验研究施肥及喷施不同浓度菌剂对土壤理化性质、真菌群落组成及多样性的影响,为酿酒葡萄可持续健康发展提供科学依据。【方法】以‘赤霞珠’葡萄根际土壤为试验对象,采用Illumina MiSeq高通量测序技术,测定并分析根际土壤理化性质、真菌群落组成和多样性在7个处理[常规施肥(CK)、蚯蚓粪+腐熟枝条+100倍菌剂(T1)、蚯蚓粪+腐熟枝条+200倍菌剂(T2)、蚯蚓粪+腐熟枝条+300倍菌剂(T3)、蚯蚓粪+未腐熟枝条+100倍菌剂(A1)、蚯蚓粪+未腐熟枝条+200倍菌剂(A2)和蚯蚓粪+未腐熟枝条+300倍菌剂(A3)]的变化。【结果】相较于CK,葡萄根际土壤理化性质差异明显,施肥处理增加了土壤有机质含量,土壤pH含量无明显变化,改良了土壤结构,活化了土壤有效养分。相较于CK,各处理真菌分类操作单元(operational taxonomic unit, OTU)数均降低,A2处理根际土壤丰富度及多样性均显著增加。真菌群落组成...     

Microtubules and cyclic amp in human leukocytes: on the order of things

We have shown previously that the β-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol (2μM) and the phosphodiesterase inhibitor isobutylmethylxanthine (1 mM) produce a much greater increase in cyclic AMP in human leukocytes that have been pretreated with colchicine (or with other agents that affect microtubule assembly) than in control leukocytes. The effects of colchicines were both time- and dose-dependant. These and other data suggested that the generation of cyclic AMP is normally restricted by an intact system of cytoplasmic microtubules. If so, then the same time and dose dependencies might apply to other colchicines-induced changes in leukocyte function. We have now assayed the distribution of concanavalin A (Con A)-receptor complexes on the leukocyte membrane, taking into account that leukocytes competent to assemble microtubules show a uniform distribution of surface- bound Con A whereas microtubule-deficient cells accumulate Con A in surface caps. We have found that the effect of colchicine on capping is also both time- and dose dependent, and that the dose-response relationships conform to those required to increase cyclic AMP levels. These findings provide further evidence that both colchicine-induced Con-A capping and colchicine- induced cyclic AMP generation depend upon the relaxation of constraints normally imposed by cytoplasmic microtubules upon the plasma membrane, which limit, respectively, lateral mobility of the lectin-receptor complexes, and expression of hormone-sensitive adenylate cyclase. Moreover, colchicine-induced Con-A cap formation is not affected even by very large changes in leukocyte cyclic AMP levels. Thus, elevated cyclic AMP levels do not appear to promote the dissolution of microtubules; rather, the dissolution of microtubules permits the generation of increased amounts of cyclic AMP.     

Absence of prejunctional sympathetic effect of amiodarone in hearts of open-chest anesthetized dogs

The effect of amiodarone (30 mg/kg p.o. each day for 3 weeks) on noradrenaline (NA) overflow into coronary sinus (CS) blood during left stellate stimulation (15 V, 2-ms square waves, 30 s duration at 1, 2, 4, and 8 Hz in random order) was investigated in an open-chest dog preparation. CS blood samples were taken before and during the stimulation period for plasma NA and hematocrit determinations. CS blood flow was monitored (extracorporal circulation with an electromagnetic flow meter) and used for NA output computation. The right atrium was paced throughout the experimental period. However, because AV block occurred at a high pacing rate in some amiodarone-treated dogs, pacing rate was lower in that group than in control dogs (132 +/- 13 vs. 161 +/- 10 min-1, ns). Mean arterial pressure was also lower in the treated group (95 +/- 9 vs. 110 +/- 13 mmHg, but increased in every dog upon stimulation (p less than 0.05). Basal left ventricular dP/dtmax was comparable in the two groups of dogs and increased in a similar fashion upon stimulation (p less than 0.05). The increase in plasma NA concentration upon stimulation was comparable between the control and the amiodarone-treated group (0.38 +/- 0.08 vs 0.40 +/- 0.12 ng/mL at 1 Hz and 12.7 +/- 3.1 vs 11.3 +/- 2.3 ng/mL at 8 Hz, ns). The increase in NA output was also comparable (7.0 +/- 1.6 vs. 10.7 +/- 5.4 ng/min at 1 Hz and 356 +/- 124 vs. 334 +/- 102 ng/min at 8 Hz, ns). Amiodarone did not alter the myocardial NA content. We conclude that amiodarone, administered orally for 3 weeks, does not interfere with neural NA release, or with the positive inotropic response, following sympathetic nerve stimulation in dogs.     

A modular treatment of molecular traffic through the active site of cholinesterase

We present a model for the molecular traffic of ligands, substrates, and products through the active site of cholinesterases (ChEs). First, we describe a common treatment of the diffusion to a buried active site of cationic and neutral species. We then explain the specificity of ChEs for cationic ligands and substrates by introducing two additional components to this common treatment. The first module is a surface trap for cationic species at the entrance to the active-site gorge that operates through local, short-range electrostatic interactions and is independent of ionic strength. The second module is an ionic-strength-dependent steering mechanism generated by long-range electrostatic interactions arising from the overall distribution of charges in ChEs. Our calculations show that diffusion of charged ligands relative to neutral isosteric analogs is enhanced approximately 10-fold by the surface trap, while electrostatic steering contributes only a 1.5- to 2-fold rate enhancement at physiological salt concentration. We model clearance of cationic products from the active-site gorge as analogous to the escape of a particle from a one-dimensional well in the presence of a linear electrostatic potential. We evaluate the potential inside the gorge and provide evidence that while contributing to the steering of cationic species toward the active site, it does not appreciably retard their clearance. This optimal fine-tuning of global and local electrostatic interactions endows ChEs with maximum catalytic efficiency and specificity for a positively charged substrate, while at the same time not hindering clearance of the positively charged products.     

New class of biphenylene dibenzazocinones as potent ligands for the human EP1 prostanoid receptor.

A new class of potent and selective ligands for the human EP1 prostanoid receptor is described. SAR studies reported herein allowed the identification of several potent dibenzazocinones bearing an acylsulfonamide side chain. The binding affinity of these compounds on all eight human prostanoid receptors is reported.     

Cell cycle-dependent nuclear localization of yeast RNase III is required for efficient cell division

Members of the double-stranded RNA-specific ribonuclease III (RNase III) family were shown to affect cell division and chromosome segregation, presumably through an RNA interference-dependent mechanism. Here, we show that in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, where the RNA interference machinery is not conserved, an orthologue of RNase III (Rnt1p) is required for progression of the cell cycle and nuclear division. The deletion of Rnt1p delayed cells in both G1 and G2/M phases of the cell cycle. Nuclear division and positioning at the bud neck were also impaired in Deltarnt1 cells. The cell cycle defects were restored by the expression of catalytically inactive Rnt1p, indicating that RNA cleavage is not essential for cell cycle progression. Rnt1p was found to exit from the nucleolus to the nucleoplasm in the G2/M phase, and perturbation of its localization pattern delayed the progression of cell division. A single mutation in the Rnt1p N-terminal domain prevented its accumulation in the nucleoplasm and slowed exit from mitosis without any detectable effects on RNA processing. Together, the data reveal a new role for a class II RNase III in the cell cycle and suggest that at least some members of the RNase III family possess catalysis-independent functions.     

Benzimidazoles as new potent and selective DP antagonists for the treatment of allergic rhinitis

A series of 2-substituted N-benzyl benzimidazole containing molecules has been synthesized and its structure-activity relationship for the human DP receptor has been evaluated. Selective DP antagonists with nanomolar potency for the DP receptor were identified in this novel series of benzimidazoles.