Mineral soil carbon pool responses to forest clearing in Northeastern hardwood forests

Harvesting forests introduces substantial changes to the ecosystem, including physical and chemical alterations to the soil. In the Northeastern United States, soils account for at least 50% of total ecosystem C storage, with mineral soils comprising the majority of that storage. However, mineral soils are sometimes omitted from whole‐system C accounting models due to variability, lack of data, and sample collection challenges. This study aimed to provide a better understanding of how forest harvest affects mineral soil C pools over the century following disturbance. We hypothesized that mineral soil C pools would be lower in forests that had been harvested in the last one hundred years vs. forests that were >100 years old. We collected mineral soil cores (to 60 cm depth) from 20 forest stands across the Northeastern United States, representing seven geographic areas and a range of times since last harvest. We compared recently harvested forests to >100‐year‐old forests and used an information theoretic approach to model C pool dynamics over time after disturbance. We found no significant differences between soil C pools in >100‐year‐old and harvested forests. However, we found a significant negative relationship between time since forest harvest and the size of mineral soil C pools, which suggested a gradual decline in C pools across the region after harvesting. We found a positive trend between C : N ratio and % SOM in harvested forests, but in >100‐year‐old forests a weak negative trend was found. Our study suggests that forest harvest does cause biogeochemical changes in mineral soil, but that a small change in a C pool may be difficult to detect when comparing large, variable C pools. Our results are consistent with previous studies that found that soil C pools have a gradual and slow response to disturbance, which may last for several decades following harvest.     

High level expression of human enteropeptidase light chain in Pichia pastoris

Human enterokinase (enteropeptidase, rhEP), a serine protease expressed in the proximal part of the small intestine, converts the inactive form of trypsinogen to active trypsin by endoproteolytic cleavage. The high specificity of the target site makes enterokinase an ideal tool for cleaving fusion proteins at defined cleavage sites. The mature active enzyme is comprised of two disulfide-linked polypeptide chains. The heavy chain anchors the enzyme in the intestinal brush border membrane, whereas the light chain represents the catalytic enzyme subunit. The synthetic gene encoding human enteropeptidase light chain with His-tag added at the C-terminus to facilitate protein purification was cloned into Pichia pastoris expression plasmids under the control of an inducible AOX1 or constitutive promoters GAP and AAC. Cultivation media and conditions were optimized as well as isolation and purification of the target protein. Up to 4 mg/L of rhEP was obtained in shake-flask experiments and the expression level of about 60-70 mg/L was achieved when cultivating in lab-scale fermentors. The constitutively expressing strains proved more efficient and less labor-demanding than the inducible ones. The rhEP was immobilized on AV 100 sorbent (Iontosorb) to allow repeated use of enterokinase, showing specific activity of 4 U/mL of wet matrix.     

The immune regulation of κ-carrageenan oligosaccharide and its desulfated derivatives on LPS-activated microglial cells

Neurodegenerative disease involves an inflammatory response in the central nervous system characterized by an increase in inflammatory cytokines and activation of microglial cell. To reveal the immune regulation activity of κ-carrageenan oligosaccharides (KOS) on microglia cell activated by LPS and the relationship between the sulfate group content of KOS and its immune regulation activity, KOS was prepared by enzymatic hydrolysis. The degradation products of κ-carrageenan were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), ESI-TOF-MS and (13)C NMR spectroscopy, and the results indicated that the hydrolyzed products of the κ-carrageenase were κ-neocarrabiose-sulfate, κ-neocarrahexaose-sulfate and κ-neocarraoctaose-sulfate, respectively. Then desulfated derivatives of KOS (DSK) were obtained with DMSO-methanol-pyridine method. The effect of KOS and DSK on the viability of microglia cell activated by LPS was determined with MTT method. Griess assay and ELISA method were used to determine the contents of NO/NO(2-), TNF-α and IL-10 released by activated microglia cell, respectively. The results showed that KOS could inhibit the viability and content of NO, TNF-α and IL-10 released by LPS-activated microglia cell dose dependently. Compared with that of KOS, the inhibiting activity of DSK is weaker. So it could be concluded that KOS could protect microglial cell from being activated by LPS, and there was a positive relationship between the sulfate group content of KOS and its protection function.     

Spatial variation of soil properties and plant colonisation on cut slopes: a case study in the semi-tropical hilly areas of China

Background: Transport infrastructure has severe impacts on ecosystems and results in large numbers of cut slopes, which are difficult to revegetate. To increase successful revegetation, it is crucial to understand the relationships of soil properties and vegetation during spontaneous vegetation recovery on cut slopes.

Aims: To assess the effects of different slope positions on soil properties and vegetation on a cut slope and to determine the key factor(s) affecting vegetation distribution on a cut slope in a semi-tropical environment.

Methods: Soil samples were collected in three slope positions: upper slope (US), middle slope (MS) and foot slope (FS). Soil pH, moisture and bulk density and concentrations of soil organic carbon (C), total nitrogen (N_T), available nitrogen (N_A), total phosphorus (P_T), available phosphorus (P_A), total potassium (K_T) and available potassium (K_A) were determined. Vegetation composition and cover were recorded along the slope. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), indicator species analysis (ISA) and detrended canonical correspondence analysis (DCCA) were applied to analyse differences in soil properties among slope positions and vegetation distributions.

Results: N_T, N_A, P_T, P_A, K_A, C and pH tended to increase from the US to the FS. Two indicator species were abundant in their respective slope positions: Achyranthes bidentata in the FS and Dicranopteris dichotoma in the US. DCCA showed that pH and some soil nutrients (N_A, P_T, P_A and C) influenced the vegetation distribution on cut slope.

Conclusions: Soil pH and some soil nutrients including N_A, P_T, P_A and C had large impacts on vegetation distribution along slope positions in a semi-tropical area of China. We suggest increasing soil pH to provide a better soil environment for plant colonisation in further research concerning the restoration of such cut slopes.     

蕾期干旱胁迫对百合切花品质的影响

以东方百合品种‘Sorbonne’为材料,在滇中气候条件下研究蕾期不同程度干旱对百合叶片生理生化指标和复水后切花质量的影响.结果表明: 随着干旱时间的延长,百合叶片的相对含水量和叶绿素含量大幅下降,气孔密度、丙二醛(MDA)和脯氨酸含量均上升.轻度干旱下,MDA含量上升缓慢,中度干旱后期上升较快,重度干旱使质膜受到的损害加重,最终影响MDA的合成.脯氨酸在轻度干旱早期变化微小,至重度干旱时增幅骤然加大,说明其对水分亏缺的敏感性较MDA低.复水至开花期,蕾期干旱对植株花期性状的影响表现为: 新梢生长量、株高、花径、花瓣长、宽和花色素含量均与对照差异显著,各性状指标与植株经历的干旱胁迫时间呈反比,即蕾期干旱时间越长,切花植株越矮,花朵越小,花色越浅.7个处理间花期叶部形态(长和宽)变化不显著.蕾期干旱使花朵开放时间延后,经历中、重度干旱的植株复水后花枝质量无法恢复到正常水平.综上,早期轻度干旱对百合切花质量影响较小,尚未造成花枝等级降低,中、重度干旱使切花质量严重下降,失去商品价值.     

Statistical correlation between enterovirus genome copy numbers and infectious viral particles in wastewater samples

Aims: Classic virological tests are time consuming and labour‐intensive; real‐time RT‐PCR has proven to be a fast method to detect and quantify enterovirus genomes in clinical and environmental samples. This method is unable to discriminate between infective and noninfective enterovirus particles; few clinical studies have compared real‐time RT‐PCR and viral culture. We wondered if the enterovirus genome quantification could be correlated to the infectivity. Methods and Results: We used the statistical approach to verify our hypotheses to correlate data, obtained by the standard method (most probable number of cytopathic units—MPNCU) and molecular test (real‐time RT‐PCR), on wastewater treatment plant samples. Chi‐squared test was used, considering several cut‐off values (‘50’‐‘100’‐‘200’ genome copy numbers), to determine statistical significance in comparison of the two methods. Chi‐square value was not significant when cut‐off of 50 (P = 0·103) and 100 (P = 0·178) was assumed but was significant with cut‐off of 200 (P = 0·044). Conclusion: This limit, 200 genome copy, could be used as cut‐off value to indicate enterovirus survival in environmental monitoring. Significant and Impact of the Study: To introduce a fast procedure that is able to compensate for disadvantages of cell culture method for viral environmental analyses.     

Seed banks of temperate deciduous forests during secondary succession

Question: (i) How does former land use and land use intensity affect seed bank development during post‐agricultural succession? (ii) How does time since the last clear‐cut change seed bank composition during post‐clear‐cut succession? Methods: One data set was compiled per succession type using the following selection criteria: (i) the data set included a successional series, (ii) plots were located in mesotrophic forest plant communities and (iii) vegetation data were available. The post‐agricultural succession data set comprised 76 recent forest plots (eight studies); the post‐clear‐cut succession data set comprised 218 ancient forest plots (three studies). Each data set was analysed separately using either linear mixed models or generalized linear models, controlling for both environmental heterogeneity and variation between study locations. Results: In the post‐agricultural succession data set, land use and time significantly affected nearly all the studied seed bank characteristics. Seed banks on former arable land recovered poorly even after 150 year of restored forest cover, whereas moderate land use intensities (grasslands, heathlands) yielded more rapid seed bank recovery. Time was a significant determinant of all but two soil seed bank characteristics during post‐clear‐cut succession. Seed banks in managed ancient forest differed strongly in their characteristics compared to primary forest seed banks. Conclusions: Forest seed banks bear the marks of former land use and/or forest management and continue to do so for at least 150 years. Nevertheless, time since the last major disturbance, being either former land use or clear‐cutting, remains a significant determinant of the seed bank.     

Effect of exogenous hormones on leaf yellowing in cut flowering branches of Alstroemeria pelegrina L.

Inclusion of IAA in the vase water had little effect on leaf yellowing in cut flowering branches of Alstroemeria pelegrina L. while kinetin delayed leaf yellowing at 10^–4M (continuous treatment). Chlorophyll was effectively retained by 10^–7M gibberellic acid (GA) in the vase water or by a 20h pulse at 5°C with 10^–5/10^–4M GA. After 16h of ¹⁴C-GA₃ uptake at 20°C relatively high levels of ¹⁴C were found in leaves and low levels in stems and flowers. After this treatment about half of the ¹⁴C-GA₃ in leaves was metabolized into unknown compounds.     

不同保鲜剂对非洲菊切花的保鲜效应

探讨不同保鲜剂对非洲菊切花的瓶插寿命、观赏品质以及生理生化指标的影响。结果表明,在供试7组保鲜剂中,以处理7(T₇):20g/L Suc+200mg/L 8-HQC+150mg/L CA+75 mg/L KH₂PO₄·3H₂O+1g/L CaCl₂的保鲜效果最佳,可显著延长非洲菊切花瓶插寿命;T₇处理有利于减缓花瓣组织pH上升、花青素含量下降及花瓣细胞膜相对透性的上升,从而延长瓶插寿命。     

Sensitivity and Specificity of Anthropometrics for the Prediction of Diabetes in a Biracial Cohort

Objective: To evaluate the ability of body mass index, waist circumference, waist‐to‐hip ratio, and combinations of these variables to discriminate individuals who will develop diabetes in adulthood. Research Methods and Procedures: Data were from 45‐ to 64‐year‐old men and women who were members of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities cohort. The analysis sample consisted of 12,814 African American and white participants who were free of diabetes at baseline. Body mass index, waist circumference, waist‐to‐hip ratio, and diabetes incidence (defined as one glucose measure ≥126 mg/dL after fasting for at least 8 hours, one nonfasting glucose measure ≥200 mg/dL, and self‐report of diabetes or report of taking medication for diabetes). Results: 1515 new cases of diabetes were identified over the 9‐year follow‐up. Areas under receiver operating characteristic curves ranged from 0.66 to 0.73 for single measures. The curves were smooth, with no indication of a threshold. Waist tended to have the highest receiver operating characteristic statistic in all groups, but differences were small. Discussion: The three anthropometric indices tested were approximately equivalent in their ability to predict diabetes. Sensitivity and specificities differed among ethnic and gender groups.