Tropical wetlands: seasonal hydrologic pulsing,carbon sequestration,and methane emissions

This paper summarizes the importance of climate on tropical wetlands. Regional hydrology and carbon dynamics in many of these wetlands could shift with dramatic changes in these major carbon storages if the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) were to change in its annual patterns. The importance of seasonal pulsing hydrology on many tropical wetlands, which can be caused by watershed activities, orographic features, or monsoonal pulses from the ITCZ, is illustrated by both annual and 30-year patterns of hydrology in the Okavango Delta in southern Africa. Current studies on carbon biogeochemistry in Central America are attempting to determine the rates of carbon sequestration in tropical wetlands compared to temperate wetlands and the effects of hydrologic conditions on methane generation in these wetlands. Using the same field and lab techniques, we estimated that a humid tropical wetland in Costa Rica accumulated 255 g C m⁻² year⁻¹ in the past 42 years, 80% more than a similar temperate wetland in Ohio that accumulated 142 g C m⁻² year⁻¹ over the same period. Methane emissions averaged 1,080 mg-C m⁻² day⁻¹ in a seasonally pulsed wetland in western Costa Rica, a rate higher than methane emission rates measured over the same period from humid tropic wetlands in eastern Costa Rica (120–278 mg-C m⁻² day⁻¹). Tropical wetlands are often tuned to seasonal pulses of water caused by the seasonal movement of the ITCZ and are the most likely to be have higher fire frequency and changed methane emissions and carbon oxidation if the ITCZ were to change even slightly.     

Heterogeneous mechanomyographic absolute activation of paraspinal muscles assessed by a two-dimensional array during short and sustained contractions

Spatial dependency of paraspinal muscle activity was assessed using a new two-dimensional MMG recording system. MMG signals were detected over the left and right paraspinal muscles of 10 volunteers using a grid of 12 accelerometers. During two separate trials subjects maintained a 20 degrees flexed position and held loads that ranged from 0 to 15 kg (in 2.5 kg increments) for 20s; and 7.5 kg for 6 min. Maps of absolute and normalised (with respect to initial values) average rectified value, mean power frequency, variance and skewness of the power spectral density were obtained from the two-dimensional MMG recordings. For both the short duration and sustained contractions, the MMG absolute average rectified value, mean power frequency, variance and skewness depended on accelerometer location (P<0.05), while, with the exception of the skewness (P<0.05), normalised values did not. These results demonstrate both inhomogeneous MMG absolute activity and homogeneous MMG normalised activity in paraspinal muscles for short duration and sustained contractions. Moreover, the effect of accelerometer location on spectral variables confirmed the limited validity of general relationships between MMG spectral changes and motor unit recruitment strategies. This study underlines the importance of using multiple recording sites when assessing back muscle activity.     

Collagenous Alzheimer amyloid plaque component assembles amyloid fibrils into protease resistant aggregates

Recently, a novel plaque-associated protein, collagenous Alzheimer amyloid plaque component (CLAC), was identified in brains from patients with Alzheimer's disease. CLAC is derived from a type II transmembrane collagen precursor protein, termed CLAC-P (collagen XXV). The biological function and the contribution of CLAC to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and plaque formation are unknown. In vitro studies indicate that CLAC binds to fibrillar, but not to monomeric, amyloid beta-peptide (Abeta). Here, we examined the effects of CLAC on Abeta fibrils using assays based on turbidity, thioflavin T binding, sedimentation analysis, and electron microscopy. The incubation of CLAC with preformed Abeta fibrils led to increased turbidity, indicating that larger aggregates were formed. In support of this contention, more Abeta was sedimented in the presence of CLAC, as determined by gel electrophoresis. Moreover, electron microscopy revealed an increased amount of Abeta fibril bundles in samples incubated with CLAC. Importantly, the frequently used thioflavin T-binding assay failed to reveal these effects of CLAC. Digestion with proteinase K or trypsin showed that Abeta fibrils, incubated together with CLAC, were more resistant to proteolytic degradation. Therefore, CLAC assembles Abeta fibrils into fibril bundles that have an increased resistance to proteases. We suggest that CLAC may act in a similar way in vivo.     

The relative importance of reproduction and survival for the conservation of two dolphin populations

It has been proposed that in slow‐growing vertebrate populations survival generally has a greater influence on population growth than reproduction. Despite many studies cautioning against such generalizations for conservation, wildlife management for slow‐growing populations still often focuses on perturbing survival without careful evaluation as to whether those changes are likely or feasible. Here, we evaluate the relative importance of reproduction and survival for the conservation of two bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops cf aduncus) populations: a large, apparently stable population and a smaller one that is forecast to decline. We also assessed the feasibility and effectiveness of wildlife management objectives aimed at boosting either reproduction or survival. Consistent with other analytically based elasticity studies, survival had the greatest effect on population trajectories when altering vital rates by equal proportions. However, the findings of our alternative analytical approaches are in stark contrast to commonly used proportional sensitivity analyses and suggest that reproduction is considerably more important. We show that

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FReD: the floral reflectance database--a web portal for analyses of flower colour

Background

Flower colour is of great importance in various fields relating to floral biology and pollinator behaviour. However, subjective human judgements of flower colour may be inaccurate and are irrelevant to the ecology and vision of the flower''s pollinators. For precise, detailed information about the colours of flowers, a full reflectance spectrum for the flower of interest should be used rather than relying on such human assessments.

Methodology/Principal Findings

The Floral Reflectance Database (FReD) has been developed to make an extensive collection of such data available to researchers. It is freely available at http://www.reflectance.co.uk. The database allows users to download spectral reflectance data for flower species collected from all over the world. These could, for example, be used in modelling interactions between pollinator vision and plant signals, or analyses of flower colours in various habitats. The database contains functions for calculating flower colour loci according to widely-used models of bee colour space, reflectance graphs of the spectra and an option to search for flowers with similar colours in bee colour space.

Conclusions/Significance

The Floral Reflectance Database is a valuable new tool for researchers interested in the colours of flowers and their association with pollinator colour vision, containing raw spectral reflectance data for a large number of flower species.     

Correlation of protein expression, Gleason score and DNA ploidy in prostate cancer

The prognosis of prostate cancer correlates with tumor differentiation. Gleason score and DNA ploidy are two prognostic factors that correlate with prognosis. We analyzed differences in protein expression in prostate cancer of high and low aggressiveness according to these measures. From 35 prostatectomy specimens, 29 cancer samples and 10 benign samples were harvested by scraping cells from cut surfaces. DNA ploidy was assessed by image cytometry. Protein preparations from cell suspensions were examined by 2-DE. Protein spots that differed quantitatively between sample groups were identified by MS fingerprinting of tryptic fragments and MS/MS sequence analysis. We found 39 protein spots with expression levels that were raised or lowered in correlation with Gleason score and/or DNA ploidy pattern (31 overexpressed in high-malignant cancer, 8 underexpressed). Of these, 30 were identified by MS. Among overexpressed proteins were heat-shock, structural and membrane proteins and enzymes involved in gene silencing, protein synthesis/degradation, mitochondrial protein import (metaxin 2), detoxification (GST-pi) and energy metabolism. Stroma-associated proteins were generally underexpressed. The protein expression of prostate cancer correlates with tumor differentiation. Potential prognostic markers may be found among proteins that are differentially expressed and the clinical value of these should be validated.     

Control of hypocotyl elongation in Arabidopsis thaliana by photoreceptor interaction

In order to test the interaction of different phytochromes and blue-light receptors, etiolated seedlings of wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh., a phytochrome (phy) B-overexpressor line (ABO), and the photoreceptor mutants phyA-201, phyB-5, hy4-2.23n, fha-1, phyA-201/phyB-5, and phyA-201/hy4-2.23n were exposed to red and far-red light pulses after various preirradiations. The responsiveness to the inductive red pulses is primarily mediated by phyB which is rather stable in its far-red-absorbing form as demonstrated by a very slow loss of reversibility. Without preirradiation the red pulses had an impact on hypocotyl elongation only in PHYA mutants but not in the wild type. This indicates a suppression of phyB function by the presence of phyA. Preirradiation with either far-red or blue light resulted in an inhibition of hypocotyl elongation by red pulses in the wild type. Responsiveness amplification by far-red light is mediated by phyA and disappears slowly in the dark. The extent of responsiveness amplification by blue light was identical in the wild type and in the absence of phyA, or the cryptochromes cryl (hy4-2.23n) or cry2 (fha-1). Therefore, we conclude that stimulation of phyB by blue light preirradiation is either mediated by an additional still-unidentified blue-light-absorbing pigment or that phyA, cry1 and cry2 substitute for each other completely. Both blue and red preirradiation established responsiveness to red pulses in phyA-201/phyB-5 double mutants. These results demonstrate that inhibition of hypocotyl elongation by red pulses is not only mediated by phyB but also by a phytochrome(s) other than phyA and phyB. Received: 21 July 1998 / Accepted: 7 December 1998     

Oligomerization of paramagnetic substrates result in signal amplification and can be used for MR imaging of molecular targets

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has evolved into a sophisticated, noninvasive imaging modality capable of high-resolution anatomical and functional characterization of transgenic animals. To expand the capabilities MRI, we have developed a novel MR signal amplification (MRamp) strategy based on enzyme-mediated polymerization of paramagnetic substrates into oligomers of higher magnetic relaxtivity. The substrates consist of chelated gadolinium covalently bound to phenols, which then serve as electron donors during enzymatic hydrogen peroxide reduction by peroxidase. The converted monomers undergo rapid condensation into paramagnetic oligomers leading to a threefold increase in atomic relaxtivity (R1/Gd). The observed relaxtivity changes are largely due to an increase in the rotational correlation time tau r of the lanthanide. Three applications of the developed system are demonstrated: (1) imaging of nanomolar amounts of an oxidoreductase (peroxidase); (2) detection of a model ligand using an enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay format; and (3) imaging of E-selectin on the surface of endothelial cells probed for with an anti-E-selectin-peroxidase conjugate. The development of "enzyme sensing" probes is expected to have utility for a number of applications including in vivo detection of specific molecular targets. One particular advantage of the MRamp technique is that the same paramagnetic substrate can be potentially used to identify different molecular targets by attaching enzymes to various antibodies or other target-seeking molecules.     

Age-related changes in microarchitecture and mineralization of cancellous bone in the porcine mandibular condyle

The mandibular condyle is considered a good model for developing cancellous bone because of its rapid growth and high rate of remodeling. The aim of the present study was to analyze the simultaneous changes in microarchitecture and mineralization of cancellous bone during development in a three-dimensional fashion. Eight mandibular condyles of pigs aged 8 weeks prepartum to 108 weeks postpartum were scanned using microCT with an isotropic spatial resolution of 10 microm. The number of trabeculae decreased during development, whereas both the trabecular thickness and the distance between the trabeculae increased. The bone surface to volume ratio decreased during development, possibly limiting the amount of (re)modeling. Both the mean degree of mineralization and intratrabecular differences in mineralization between the surfaces and cores of trabecular elements increased during development. The trabecular surfaces were more highly mineralized in the older condyles compared to the younger ones. Together with the observed decrease in the relative size of trabecular surface, this finding suggests a decrease in (re)modeling activity during development. In accordance with the general growth and development of the pig, it was concluded that most developmental changes in cancellous bone occur until the age of 40 weeks postpartum.