A Long‐Term Comparison of Hydrology and Plant Community Composition in Constructed Versus Naturally Occurring Vernal Pools

Successful restoration of ephemeral wetlands worldwide is particularly challenging, given the often‐precise relationship between hydrological features and plant community dynamics. Using a long‐term experiment in vernal pool restoration, we compare hydrological and vegetative characteristics of constructed pools with those of adjacent, naturally occurring reference pools. Although constructed and reference pools were similar in maximum water depth and duration of inundation at the beginning of our experiment in 2000, constructed pools were shallower and inundated for shorter periods by 2009. Native vernal pool species were able to establish populations in many constructed pools, and seeding sped their establishment. Comparing seeded plots in constructed pools with unseeded plots in reference pools, we found no significant difference in the cover of seeded species, native species, or exotic species in most years. In recent years, however, native species have declined in both constructed and reference pools. Finally, the cover of native vernal pool species was positively and non‐linearly associated with both water depth and seeding treatment. We conclude that the establishment of appropriate hydrological conditions was necessary, but not sufficient to promote successful performance of vernal pool species in constructed pools. Constructed pools with hydrologic conditions similar to those of reference pools were more likely to support populations of native vernal pool plant species, but only seeded pools were similar to reference pools in abundance of native cover. Most importantly, hydrological conditions in experimental pools have worsened since their construction, which may hamper persistence of native species in this restoration effort.     

Action of calcium ions on acetylcholine-sensitive channels in Aplysia neurones

1. This work deals with the effects of external divalent ions on the values of the mean open time, tau, and of the elementary current, iel, of channels activated by acetylcholine in Aplysia neurones. The action of Ca is mainly considered. 2. Ca ions were found to prolong tau and decrease iel under various experimental conditions. In isotonic Ca solution, tau is 12 times larger than in isotonic Na solution (divalent free sea water). On the other hand, iel is about 8 times smaller in the first solution than in the second. 3. A quantitative analysis of these effects is presented.     

9-amino-2-methoxy-6-chloroacridine monocation fluorescence analysis by phase-modulation fluorometry

The fluorescence of the 9-amino-2-methoxy-6-chloroacridinic monocation (ACMA) in various alcohol-water solutions was studied by phasemodulation fluorometry. Apparent phase and modulation lifetimes were determined at different observation wavelengths for three modulation frequencies. The results are explained by an orientational relaxation of the solvent cage subsequent to ACMA photoexcitation.     

Influence de quelques paramètres du milieu d'incubation sur la survie d'alevins de saumon atlantique,Salmo salar L., en ruisseau expérimental. Influence of some Environmental Parameters upon Survival during Embryonic Development of Atlantic salmon,Salmo solar L., in an Experimental Stream Channel

The effect of some environmental parameters of the redd (substrate composition, interstitial dissolved oxygen concentration) upon survival of Atlantic salmon embryos was studied in a large artificial stream channel. Batches of 3000 eyed eggs were buried 0.25 m deep in the gravel substrate of 8 different channel sections, where natural or artificial sediment deposition took place. Upon emergence, fry were captured in drift nets or by electrofishing. Survival varied from 32 to 94 % in the different sections. It was strongly affected by volume of sediment less than 10 mm in particle size and more particularly by the fraction less than 0.2 mm, the main component of natural sediment deposition. Survival was less strongly determined by oxygen concentration variations except for values less than 2 mg/l obtained in the section with highest sediment deposition. Available volume of interstitial void space appeared to be crucial for good survival during larval development.     

Action of glucosamine on acetylcholine-sensitive channels

Summary The action of glucosamine was studied on voltage clamped neurones ofAplysia, presenting an excitatory response to acetylcholine. Noise and relaxation experiments show that glucosamine increases the mean channel open time and reduces the amplitude of the elementary current associated with the acetylcholine response. Both effects are enhanced by hyperpolarization of the cell membrane. The results are interpreted by a model assuming glucosamine binding to open channels. This binding impedes the flow of permeant ions and decreases the closing rate of the channels.     

A protein of Mr 80,000 is associated with the nucleolus organizer of human cell lines

A rabbit serum which had previously been reported to have an immunological affinity for centrosomes of human cell lines was shown also to be specific for the nucleus. Optical and ultrastructural immunolocalization in HeLa cells showed that this specificity is restricted to the fibrillar centre of nucleoli either in untreated or actinomycin D treated interphase cells. In mitotic cells discrete labelling was observed on chromosomes and shown to correspond, on spread metaphase plates, to the short arms of acrocentric chromosomes, i.e. to the nucleolar organizer regions (NORs). Using independent cell fractionation procedures in the human T-lymphoblastic KE 37 cell line and purification of immunoglobulins by affinity to antigens detected by electrophoresis and blotting, a strict correlation between immunoreactive proteins and cytological staining was established. The nucleolar specificity was shown to correspond to a protein with an M_r of 80,000 while the centrosomal specificity corresponded principally to a protein doublet of 60,000–65,000. These antigens share common epitopes as shown by the staining of both NOR and centrosome by immunoglobulins purified by affinity to either type of protein.     

Security Implications of Typical Grid Computing Usage Scenarios

Grid Computing consists of a collection of heterogeneous computers and resources spread across multiple administrative domains with the intent of providing users uniform access to these resources. There are many ways to access the resources of a Grid, each with unique security requirements and implications for both the resource user and the resource provider. A comprehensive set of Grid usage scenarios is presented and analyzed with regard to security requirements such as authentication, authorization, integrity, and confidentiality. The main value of these scenarios and the associated security discussions is to provide a library of situations against which an application designer can match, thereby facilitating security-aware application use and development from the initial stages of the application design and invocation. A broader goal of these scenarios is to increase the awareness of security issues in Grid Computing.     

Phosphorus deficiencies invoke optimal allocation of exoenzymes by ectomycorrhizas

Ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi can acquire phosphorus (P) through the production of extracellular hydrolytic enzymes (exoenzymes), but it is unclear as to the manner and extent native EM fungal communities respond to declining soil P availability. We examined the activity of six exoenzymes (xylosidase, N-acetyl glucosaminidase, β-glucosidase, acid phosphomonoesterase, acid phosphodiesterase [APD], laccase) from EM roots of Pseudotsuga menzesii across a soil podzolization gradient of coastal British Columbia. We found that APD activity increased fourfold in a curvilinear association with declining inorganic P. Exoenzyme activity was not related to organic P content, but at a finer resolution using ³¹P-NMR, there was a strong positive relationship between APD activity and the ratio of phosphodiesters to orthophosphate of surface organic horizons (forest floors). Substantial increases (two- to fivefold) in most exoenzymes were aligned with declining foliar P concentrations of P. menzesii, but responses were statistically better in relation to foliar nitrogen (N):P ratios. EM fungal species with consistently high production of key exoenzymes were exclusive to Podzol plots. Phosphorus deficiencies in relation to N limitations may provide the best predictor of exoenzyme investment, reflecting an optimal allocation strategy for EM fungi. Resource constraints contribute to species turnover and the assembly of distinct, well-adapted EM fungal communities.Subject terms: Ecology, Microbial ecology     

Sequence of a gene encoding a (poly ManA) alginate lyase active on Pseudomonas aeruginosa alginate

Abstract To overcome problems associated with Western blotting of denatured proteins, we have used quantitative immunoelectrophoretic techniques to perform functional analysis of the Neisseria gonorrhoeae common antigen. Using these techniques, we show (a) that Neisseria gonorrhoeae expresses an antigen that is cross-reactive with the common antigen of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Legionella micdadei and with the GroEl-like protein of Chlamydia , and (b) that this N. gonorrhoeae common antigen has lectin-like activity and can be precipitated with three different sugars immobilized on agarose beads: α- d -glucosamine, maltose and fucose.