Effects of drought and waterlogging on ultrastructure of Scots pine and Norway spruce needles

Effects of water stress on needle ultrastructure of 2-year-old Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and 5-year-old Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] seedlings were studied in greenhouse experiments. Drought stress was induced by leaving seedlings without watering, and waterlogging stress was produced by submerging the seedling containers in water. Needle samples for ultrastructural analyses were collected several times during the experiments, and samples for nutrient analyses at the end of the experiments. In drought stress, plasmolysis of mesophyll and transfusion parenchyma tissues, aggregation of chloroplast stroma and its separation from thylakoids and decreased size and abundance of starch grains in needles of both species were observed. The concentration of lipid bodies around the chloroplasts were detected in pine needles. Calcium and water concentrations in spruce needles were lower by the end of the experiments compared to controls. In waterlogging treatment, swelling of phloem cells in pine needles and large starch grains, slight swelling of thylakoids and increased translucency of plastoglobuli in chloroplasts of both species studied were observed. The phosphorus concentration in pine needles was higher while phosphorus, calcium and magnesium concentrations in spruce needles were lower in the waterlogging treatments compared to controls. Typical symptoms induced by drought stress, e. g. aggregation of chloroplast stroma and its separation from thylakoids, were detected, but, in waterlogging stress, ultrastructural symptoms appeared to be related to the developing nutrient imbalance of needles.     

Synthesis of a water-soluble prodrug of entacapone

Entacapone was reacted with phosphorous oxychloride in dry pyridine to yield a phosphate ester. The phosphate promoiety increased aqueous solubility of the parent drug by more than 1700- and 20-fold at pH 1.2 and 7.4, respectively. The phosphate ester provides adequate stability (t(1/2) = 2227 h; pH 7.4) towards chemical hydrolysis, and allowed for release of the parent drug via enzymatic hydrolysis in liver homogenate.     

Human serum contains a novel beta 1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase activity that is involved in midchain branching of oligo (N-acetyllactosaminoglycans).

Incubation of UDP-GlcNAc and radiolabeled GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc (1) with human serum resulted in the formation of the branched hexasaccharide GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3(GlcNAc beta 1-6)Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc (2) in yields of up to 22.2%. The novel reaction represents midchain branching of the linear acceptor; the previously known branching reactions of oligo-(N-acetyllactosaminoglycans) involve the nonreducing end of the growing saccharide chains. The structure of 2 was established by use of appropriate isotopic isomers of it for degradative experiments. The hexasaccharide 2 was cleaved by an exhaustive treatment with jack bean beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase, liberating two GlcNAc units and the tetrasaccharide Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc (3). Endo-beta-galactosidase from Bacteroides fragilis cleaved 2 at one site only, yielding the disaccharide GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal (4) and the branched tetrasaccharide GlcNAc beta 1-3(GlcNAc beta 1-6)Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc (5). The structure of 5 was established by partial acid hydrolysis and subsequent identification of the disaccharide GlcNAc beta 1-6Gal (6), together with the trisaccharides GlcNAc beta 1-6Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc (7) and GlcNAc beta 1-3(GlcNAc beta 1-6)Gal (8) among the cleavage products. Galactosylation of 2 with bovine milk beta 1,4-galactosyltransferase and UDP-[6-3H]Gal gave the octasaccharide [6-3H]Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3 Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3([6-3H]-Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-6)[U-14C] Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc (17), which could be cleaved with endo-beta-galactosidase into the trisaccharide [6-3H]Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal (18) and the branched pentasaccharide GlcNAc beta 1-3-([6-3H]Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-6) [U-14C]Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc (19). Partial hydrolysis of 2 with jack-bean beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase gave the linear pentasaccharide 1 and the branched pentasaccharide Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3(GlcNAc beta 1-6)Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc (20). The serum beta 1,6-GlcNAc transferase catalyzed also the formation of GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3(GlcNAc beta 1-6)Gal beta 1-4Glc (11) from UDP-GlcNAc and GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4Glc (10). The pentasaccharide Gal alpha 1-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc (16), too, served as an acceptor for the enzyme.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Estimation of export production in the coastal Baltic Sea: effect of resuspension and microbial decomposition on sedimentation measurements

Hydrography, nutrient concentrations, primary production and sedimentation of particulate matter were studied during spring, late summer and autumn in the coastal area of the northern Baltic Sea, SW Finland. Vernal phytoplankton productivity peak and biomass maximum in early May were followed by high sedimentation rates of organic matter at the end of May. In summer, sedimentation rates of organic material were generally low. The decay rates of organic carbon in the sediment traps, estimated by measuring oxygen uptake of settled organic matter, varied between 0.005 to 0.08 d^–1 and were on average 0.02 d^–1. Decomposition of organic matter inside the sediment traps was mainly controlled by temperature, while also organic contents of settled material were significant. Microbial decomposition decreased sedimentation rates of organic carbon and nitrogen on average by 11% and 15%, respectively, during the whole study period of ca. 6 months. Resuspension of organic matter from sediment surface was estimated to contribute ca. 17 and 24% of the total sedimentation of organic carbon during spring and summer, respectively. Export production (i.e. primary sedimentation of organic carbon corrected by decomposition) was estimated to be 32% of the net primary production during the whole productive season and 42% in spring when the flux of primary settling material was greatest. Sedimentation of the spring bloom was the major annual supply of organic matter to the benthos (>80% of the total primary sedimentation).     

Stream diatom assemblages as predictors of climate

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Single mid-chain GlcNAcβ1-6Galβ1-4R sequences of linear oligosaccharides are resistant to endo-β-galactosidase ofBacteroides fragilis

Endo--galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.103) ofBacteroides fragilis, at 250 mU ml^–1, did not cleave the internal galactosidic linkage of the linear radiolabelled trisaccharide GlcNAc1-6Gal1-4GlcNAc, or those of the tetrasaccharides Gal1-4GlcNAc1-6Gal1-4GlcNAc and Gal1-4GlcNAc1-6Gal1-4Glc. The isomeric glycans which contained the GlcNAc1-3Gal1-4GlcNAc/Glc sequence were readily cleaved.Abbreviations GlcNAc 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-d-glucose - Lact lactose - MT maltotriose - MTet maltotetraose - R _MTet chromatographic migration rate in relation to that of maltotetraose     

Passive heat exposure leads to delayed increase in plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide in humans.

The effects of passive heat exposure on atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) were studied in six healthy men staying in a Finnish sauna at +92 degrees C for 20 min. Their rectal temperature increased by 0.4 degrees C, and evaporative water loss was 0.92 +/- 0.14 (SD) kg. Heart rate and systolic blood pressure increased significantly during the 20-min exposure. Serum osmolality and plasma arginine vasopressin levels increased during the exposure, then declined, and increased significantly again at 90-120 min. Plasma renin activity and aldosterone increased by two- to fourfold in 20 min. Plasma ANP levels rose from 13 +/- 7 to 39 +/- 15 ng/l at 60 min and to 41 +/- 13 ng/l at 120 min (P less than 0.01 for both). We conclude that transient increases in heart rate and systolic blood pressure or changes in blood volume as inferred from the weight loss do not contribute to the increased plasma ANP levels observed after the heat exposure. Instead, increased secretions of pressor hormones could explain the elevated plasma ANP levels observed after the thermal stress.