Biological Trace Element Research - The aim of the present study was to determine changes occurring in the erythrocyte concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in highly trained... 相似文献
Although the knowledge about biological systems has advanced exponentially in recent decades, it is surprising to realize that the very definition of Life keeps presenting theoretical challenges. Even if several lines of reasoning seek to identify the essence of life phenomenon, most of these thoughts contain fundamental problem in their basic conceptual structure. Most concepts fail to identify either necessary or sufficient features to define life. Here, we analyzed the main conceptual frameworks regarding theoretical aspects that have been supporting the most accepted concepts of life, such as (i) the physical, (ii) the cellular and (iii) the molecular approaches. Based on an ontological analysis, we propose that Life should not be positioned under the ontological category of Matter. Yet, life should be better understood under the top-level ontology of “Process”. Exercising an epistemological approach, we propose that the essential characteristic that pervades each and every living being is the presence of organic codes. Therefore, we explore theories in biosemiotics and code biology in order to propose a clear concept of life as a macrocode composed by multiple inter-related coding layers. This way, as life is a sort of metaphysical process of encoding, the living beings became the molecular materialization of that process. From the proposed concept, we show that the evolutionary process is a fundamental characteristic for life’s maintenance but it is not necessary to define life, as many organisms are clearly alive but they do not participate in the evolutionary process (such as infertile hybrids). The current proposition opens a fertile field of debate in astrobiology, epistemology, biosemiotics, code biology and robotics.
Proton-gated TASK-3 K+ channel belongs to the K2P family of proteins that underlie the K+ leak setting the membrane potential in all cells. TASK-3 is under cooperative gating control by extracellular [H+]. Use of recently solved K2P structures allows us to explore the molecular mechanism of TASK-3 cooperative pH gating. Tunnel-like side portals define an extracellular ion pathway to the selectivity filter. We use a combination of molecular modeling and functional assays to show that pH-sensing histidine residues and K+ ions mutually interact electrostatically in the confines of the extracellular ion pathway. K+ ions modulate the pKa of sensing histidine side chains whose charge states in turn determine the open/closed transition of the channel pore. Cooperativity, and therefore steep dependence of TASK-3 K+ channel activity on extracellular pH, is dependent on an effect of the permeant ion on the channel pHo sensors. 相似文献
Adolescence is marked by intensive growth and development. When pregnancy occurs during this period of the mother’s growth,
there is an increase in her nutritional needs. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of calcium, iron, copper,
and zinc in maternal plasma, the placenta, and in the cord plasma of pregnant teenagers and adults. A total of 80 sets of
maternal plasma, placentas, and cord plasma (40 from teenagers and 40 from adults) were analyzed using synchrotron radiation
total reflection X-ray fluorescence. The levels of calcium, copper, and zinc in the maternal and cord plasma from teenagers
were not significantly different than those from adults. Iron levels in the teenagers maternal and cord plasma were higher
than in the adults. All of the minerals analyzed were present at higher levels in the placentas from adults than those from
teenagers. However, the low quantities of placental calcium, iron, copper, and zinc in the teenagers do not compromise the
levels of these minerals in the cord plasma. Future research regarding the placental transport of these minerals is recommended
to investigate the efficiency of mechanisms of transfer of these minerals in pregnant teenagers. 相似文献
The hypothesis that nitrate versus phosphate regulates the coastal primary production has been assessed at different time scales in the northwest Alboran Sea. Time series of temperature, salinity, nutrients and chlorophyll a obtained at three stations located off Málaga city (the greatest coastal urban core along the Alboran Sea shoreline) from 1992 to 2006 have been analysed. At the decadal scale, temperature increased linearly while salinity decreased. These changes were related to a shift in the wind regime suggesting that coastal upwelling became steadily weaker. In contrast to phosphate, nitrate was positively correlated with salinity at the seasonal scale and decreased linearly from 1992 to 2006. Seasonal and decadal changes in chlorophyll a were correlated with nitrate (and uncorrelated with phosphate). However, non-regular variability in chlorophyll a was correlated with phosphate. Consequently, the results demonstrate that nitrate controls the phytoplankton biomass at the inter-annual scale while both nitrate and phosphate do so at a shorter time scale. The Bay of Málaga receives elevated entries of domestic waste waters that release high loads of phosphate compared to nitrate. Our analysis indicates that the expected impact of this pollution on chlorophyll a at the inter-annual scale is reduced in comparison with the effects of atmospheric forcing. 相似文献
Aim Our aim was to investigate the historical biogeography of the three genera of the Leucocroton alliance (i.e. Garciadelia Jestrow & Jiménez Rodr., Lasiocroton Griseb., and Leucocroton Griseb., Euphorbiaceae). Location The alliance is restricted to the Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola and Jamaica. Methods Members of the Leucocroton alliance, along with representatives from tribe Adelieae (Adelia L. and Philyra Klotzsch.), were included in a molecular phylogenetic analysis based upon nucleotide sequences of the internal transcribed spacer region of the nuclear ribosomal DNA and the non‐coding chloroplast regions psbM–trnD and ycf6–pcbM. The program s‐diva was used to calculate ancestral areas based on the phylogenetic trees and present species distributions. Results Phylogenetic analyses support the monophyly of the three genera. The ancestral area of the Leucocroton alliance is eastern Cuba and Hispaniola. Ancestral forms of Leucocroton arose on eastern Cuba and underwent two migrations across the island. The ancestor of Lasiocroton also originated on eastern Cuba followed by later dispersal to and speciation events on the other islands. Our study also suggests that ancestral forms of the Leucocroton alliance probably occurred on limestone soils. Main conclusions Our study concurs with previous hypotheses suggesting that the flora of serpentinite regions of the Caribbean derives from other types of soils. The serpentine endemics of the Leucocroton alliance have a single origin and represent one of the most extraordinary examples of speciation in this unique environment of the New World. The high colonization success achieved by the members of Leucocroton on serpentine soils was not attained by the other genera of the alliance, which occur on limestone areas. 相似文献