Gross primary productivity (GPP) often is estimated at regional and global scales by multiplying the amount of photosynthetically
active radiation (PAR) absorbed by the plant canopy (PARa) by light-use efficiency (εg; GPP/PARa). Mass flux techniques are being used to calculate εg. Flux-based estimates of εg depend partly on how PAR absorption by plants is modeled as a function of leaf area index (LAI). We used CO2 flux measurements from three native grasslands in the Great Plains of USA to determine how varying the value of the radiation
extinction coefficient (k) that is used to calculate PARa from LAI affected variability in estimates of εg for each week. The slope of linear GPP–PARa regression, an index of εg, differed significantly among the 18 site-years of data, indicating that inter-annual differences in εg contributed to the overall variability in εg values. GPP–PARa slopes differed among years and sites regardless of whether k was assigned a fixed value or varied as an exponential function of LAI. Permitting k to change with LAI reduced overall variability in εg, reduced the slope of a negative linear regression between seasonal means of εg and potential evapotranspiration (PET), and clarified the contribution of inter-annual differences in precipitation to variation
in εg. Our results imply that greater attention be given to defining dynamics of the k coefficient for ecosystems with low LAI and that PET and precipitation be used to constrain the εg values employed in light-use efficiency algorithms to calculate GPP for Great Plains grasslands. 相似文献
Infection imposes a serious burden on patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The increased infection rate in SLE
patients has been attributed in part to defects of immune defence. Recently, the lectin pathway of complement activation has
also been suggested to play a role in the occurrence of infections in SLE. In previous studies, SLE patients homozygous for
mannose-binding lectin (MBL) variant alleles were at an increased risk of acquiring serious infections in comparison with
patients who were heterozygous or homozygous for the normal allele. This association suggests a correlation between functional
MBL level and occurrence of infections in SLE patients. We therefore investigated the biological activity of MBL and its relationship
with the occurrence of infections in patients with SLE. Demographic and clinical data were collected in 103 patients with
SLE. Functional MBL serum levels and MBL-induced C4 deposition were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using mannan
as coat and an MBL- or C4b-specific monoclonal antibody. The complete MBL-dependent pathway activity was determined by using
an assay that measures the complete MBL pathway activity in serum, starting with binding of MBL to mannan, and was detected
with a specific monoclonal antibody against C5b-9. Charts were systematically reviewed to obtain information on documented
infections since diagnosis of SLE. Major infections were defined as infections requiring hospital admission and intravenous
administration of antibiotics. In total, 115 infections since diagnosis of lupus, including 42 major infections, were documented
in the 103 SLE patients (mean age 41 ± 13 years, mean disease duration 7 ± 4 years). The percentage of SLE patients with severe
MBL deficiency was similar to that in 100 healthy controls: 13% versus 14%, respectively. Although deposition of C4 to mannan
and MBL pathway activity were reduced in 21% and 43% of 103 SLE patients, respectively, neither functional MBL serum levels
nor MBL pathway activity was associated with infections or major infections in regression analyses. In conclusion, SLE patients
frequently suffer from infections, but deficiency of functional MBL does not confer additional risk. 相似文献
Many exotic species have been introduced or have escaped into grasslands where they form ‘novel ecosystems’ of species with no evolutionary history of interaction. Novel ecosystems are good model systems for understanding how diversity maintenance mechanisms might differ between species with a history of interaction (natives) and species without a history (exotics) in cases where exotics originated from several continents. We tested for lower species diversity and richness in exotic grasslands and found a negative correlation between species diversity measures and proportion of exotic species across 15 grasslands in an observational study in Texas. We then planted 9-species mixtures of all native or all exotics under ambient or elevated summer precipitation to compare dynamics of diversity and to test if exotic species respond more strongly to altered resource availability. Species diversity was lower in communities of exotic than native species by the second year. Reduced diversity in exotic communities resulted from lower complementarity and higher temporal niche overlap among species and occurred in both ambient and irrigated plots. In general, summer irrigation had additive positive effects and did not interact with native–exotic status. Exotic species and communities had much earlier green-up during spring than natives, and altered inter-correlations among phenology variables. There were no differences in flowering dates. Taken together, our results suggest that rapid and synchronous growth may increase niche overlap among exotic species and reduce local diversity in exotic-dominated grassland communities. Earlier green-up by exotics may complicate attempts to ascertain relationships between phenology and climate. An increase in exotic species may cause earlier green-up regardless of any climate change effects and our results suggest that phenology networks should take a species-based rather than an ecosystem approach to evaluate green-up if the abundance of exotics increases within the time-frame in question. These differences between native and exotic species and communities should be considered in future management and restoration projects. 相似文献
The aims of the work were (1) to develop statistical tests to identify
whether substitution takes place under a covariotide model in sequences
used for phylogenetic inference and (2) to determine the influence of
covariotide substitution on phylogenetic trees inferred for photosynthetic
and other organisms. (Covariotide and covarion models are ones in which
sites that are variable in some parts of the underlying tree are invariable
in others and vice versa.) Two tests were developed. The first was a
contingency test, and the second was an inequality test comparing the
expected number of variable sites in two groups with the observed number.
Application of these tests to 16S rDNA and tufA sequences from a range of
nonphotosynthetic prokaryotes and oxygenic photosynthetic prokaryotes and
eukaryotes suggests the occurrence of a covariotide mechanism. The degree
of support for partitioning of taxa in reconstructed trees involving these
organisms was determined in the presence or absence of sites showing
particular substitution patterns. This analysis showed that the support for
splits between (1) photosynthetic eukaryotes and prokaryotes and (2)
photosynthetic and nonphotosynthetic organisms could be accounted for by
patterns arising from covariotide substitution. We show that the additional
problem of compositional bias in sequence data needs to be considered in
the context of patterns of covariotide/covarion substitution. We argue that
while covariotide or covarion substitution may give rise to
phylogenetically informative patterns in sequence data, this may not always
be so.
相似文献
This study was designed to develop, optimize and validate protocols for blood processing prior to proteomic analysis of plasma, platelets and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and to determine analytical variation of a single sample of depleted plasma, platelet and PBMC proteins within and between four laboratories each using their own standard operating protocols for 2D gel electrophoresis. Plasma depleted either using the Beckman Coulter IgY-12 proteome partitioning kit or the Amersham albumin and IgG depletion columns gave good quality gels, but reproducibility appeared better with the single-use immuno-affinity column. The use of the Millipore Filter Device for protein concentration gave a 16% ( p < 0.005) higher recovery of protein in flow-through sample compared with acetone precipitation. The use of OptiPrep gave the lowest level of platelet contamination (1:0.8) during the isolation of PBMC from blood. Several proteins (among which are alpha-tropomyosin, fibrinogen and coagulation factor XIII A) were identified that may be used as biomarkers of platelet contamination in future studies. When identifying preselected spots, at least three out of the four centers found similar identities for 10 out of the 10 plasma proteins, 8 out of the 10 platelet proteins and 8 out of the 10 PBMC proteins. The discrepancy in spot identifications has been described before and may be explained by the mis-selection of spots due to laboratory-to-laboratory variation in gel formats, low scores on the peptide analysis leading to no or only tentative identifications, or incomplete resolution of different proteins in what appears as a single abundant spot. The average within-laboratory coefficient of variation (CV) for each of the matched spots after automatic matching using either PDQuest or ProteomWeaver software ranged between 18 and 69% for depleted plasma proteins, between 21 and 55% for platelet proteins, and between 22 and 38% for PBMC proteins. Subsequent manual matching improved the CV with on average between 1 and 16%. The average between laboratory CV for each of the matched spots after automatic matching ranged between 4 and 54% for depleted plasma proteins, between 5 and 60% for platelet proteins, and between 18 and 70% for PBMC proteins. This variation must be considered when designing sufficiently powered studies that use proteomics tools for biomarker discovery. The use of tricine in the running buffer for the second dimension appears to enhance the resolution of proteins especially in the high molecular weight range. 相似文献
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are oligoribonucleotides with an important role in regulation of gene expression at the level of translation.
Despite imperfect target complementarity, they can also significantly reduce mRNA levels. The validity of miRNA target gene
predictions is difficult to assess at the protein level. We sought, therefore, to determine whether a general lowering of
predicted target gene mRNA expression by endogenous miRNAs was detectable within microarray gene expression profiles. 相似文献
The developmental pathways of long-lived memory CD8 T cells and the lineage relationship between memory T cell subsets remain controversial. Although some studies indicate the two major memory T cell subsets, central memory T (T(CM)) and effector memory T (T(EM)), are related lineages, others suggest that these subsets arise and are maintained independently of one another. In this study, we have investigated this issue and examined the differentiation of memory CD8 T cell subsets by tracking the lineage relationships of both endogenous and TCR transgenic CD8 T cell responses after acute infection. Our data indicate that TCR transgenic as well as nontransgenic T(EM) differentiate into T(CM) in the absence of Ag. Moreover, the rate of memory CD8 T cell differentiation from T(EM) into the self-renewing and long-lived pool of T(CM) is influenced by signals received during priming, including Ag levels, clonal competition, and/or the duration of infection. Although some T(EM) appear to not progress to T(CM), the vast majority of T(CM) are derived from T(EM). Thus, long-lasting, Ag-independent CD8 T cell memory results from progressive differentiation of memory CD8 T cells, and the rate of memory T cell differentiation is governed by events occurring early during T cell priming. 相似文献
An epidemiological study was performed to determine the role of dogs and ticks infesting dogs in the transmission of Q fever in humans and animals from April 2019 to March 2020 in the northeastern hill states of India. In total, 245 pet and stray dogs irrespective of age or sex were sampled, without specific inclusion or exclusion criteria. In total, 478 ticks belonging to three species were detected, namely Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus and Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum. The DNA extracted from blood and tick samples was assayed for molecular characterization of Coxiella burnetii targeting the 16S rRNA and superoxide dismutase (SOD) genes. Amplified PCR products were purified, cloned and custom sequenced. PCR assay showed 3.3% (8/245) of the dogs were positive for Coxiella-like bacteria. Coxiella-like bacterial DNA was detected in adult fully engorged females of R. sanguineus (7.7%, 13/168), R. (B.) microplus (3.3%, 4/123) and H. anatolicum (1.9%, 1/54). Coxiella-like bacterial DNA lacked in adult male or nymphal stage. The infection rate did not vary significantly between seasons, nor according to sex or age of the host. Six nucleotide sequences of 16S rRNA and SOD genes are discussed.
Integrin conformational dynamics are critical to their receptor and signaling functions in many cellular processes, including spreading, adhesion, and migration. However, assessing integrin conformations is both experimentally and computationally challenging because of limitations in resolution and dynamic sampling. Thus, structural changes that underlie transitions between conformations are largely unknown. Here, focusing on integrin αvβ3, we developed a modified form of the coarse-grained heterogeneous elastic network model (hENM), which allows sampling conformations at the onset of activation by formally separating local fluctuations from global motions. Both local fluctuations and global motions are extracted from all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of the full-length αvβ3 bent integrin conformer, but whereas the former are incorporated in the hENM as effective harmonic interactions between groups of residues, the latter emerge by systematically identifying and treating weak interactions between long-distance domains with flexible and anharmonic connections. The new hENM model allows integrins and single-point mutant integrins to explore various conformational states, including the initiation of separation between α- and β-subunit cytoplasmic regions, headpiece extension, and legs opening. 相似文献
This study assessed the influence of estrogen (E2) on muscle damage biomarkers [skeletal muscle - creatine kinase (CK); cardiac muscle - CK-MB] responses to prolonged aerobic exercise. Eumenorrheic women (n=10) who were physically active completed two 60-minute treadmill running sessions at ∼60-65% maximal intensity during low E2 (midfollicular menstrual phase) and high E2 (midluteal menstrual phase) hormonal conditions. Blood samples were collected prior to exercise (following supine rest), immediately post-, 30 min post-, and 24 hours post-exercise to determine changes in muscle biomarkers. Resting blood samples confirmed appropriate E2 hormonal levels Total CK concentrations increased following exercise and at 24 hours post-exercise were higher in the midfollicular low E2 phase (p<0.001). However, CK-MB concentrations were unaffected by E2 level or exercise (p=0.442) resulting in the ratio of CK-MB to total CK being consistently low in subject responses (i.e., indicative of skeletal muscle damage). Elevated E2 levels reduce the CK responses of skeletal muscle, but had no effect on CK-MB responses following prolonged aerobic exercise. These findings support earlier work showing elevated E2 is protective of skeletal muscle from exercise-induced damage associated with prolonged aerobic exercise. 相似文献