Effect of defoliation on the arbuscular mycorrhizas of three perennial pasture and rangeland grasses

The effect of different frequencies of defoliation on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) colonization and external hyphae production of three perennial grass species growing in pot culture in a non-sterile soil was investigated. Roots were assessed by acid fuschin staining and succinate dehydrogenase activity to obtain measurements of total and metabolically active AMF colonization. The grass species, Digitaria eriantha, Lolium perenne and Themeda triandra are of similar bunch morphology and responded to defoliation with massive root death. In Themeda defoliation was also associated with a decline in leaf growth rate, phosphorus accumulation in new leaf tissue, AMF colonization and external hyphae densities. In Digitaria and Lolium, AMF colonization declined but external hyphal densities were unaffected by defoliation frequency. In these two species phosphorus accumulation and leaf regrowth rates were also unchanged by defoliation. Only in Lolium did defoliation result in slightly more inactive AMF colonization. The results suggest that Lolium and Digitaria which are pasture species are better able to compensate for root loss following fairly frequent defoliation by maintaining an external AMF hyphal network. Themeda, a rangeland grass, which is more intolerant of grazing, has a lower capacity for sustaining its hyphal network when defoliated. Grazing is therefore likely to affect community dynamics because of variable effects of defoliation frequency on the mycorrhizal symbiosis of different plant species.     

Growth of arbuscular mycorrhizal mycelium in calcareous dune sand and its interaction with other soil microorganisms as estimated by measurement of specific fatty acids

Fatty acid analysis was used for determining the extent of the development of the external mycelium of AM fungi (mixed inoculum from a sand dune) growing from roots of Festuca rubra and Plantago lanceolata in calcareous dune sand. The plants were raised in chambers specially designed to permit the growth of AM mycelium in root-free compartments. In two separate experiments, growth of external mycelium in the root-free compartments was detected and the amount of mycelium was estimated using the indicator of AM fungal biomass, phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) 16:15. The results showed that the PLFA 16:15 was suitable for estimating the mycelium emerging from the mixed inoculum obtained from the field roots of F. rubra and P. lanceolata.The PLFA 16:15 showed external mycelium to become established in the root-free compartments within a period of 3 weeks and the amount of mycelium to continue to increase at 6 and 9 weeks. Increases in neutral lipid fatty acid (NLFA) 16:15 (indicator of storage lipids) over time were inconsistent between the two experiments, but appeared to follow patterns of sporulation in each experiment.In both experiments, the root-free compartment was colonised by saprophytic fungi to a greater extent in the case of non-mycorrhizal than of AM treatment, as indicated by an increase in PLFA 18:26,9 (indicator of saprophytic fungi). The absence of an increase in the case of AM treatment indicates that AM fungal mycelium can negatively affect the growth of saprophytic fungi in this soil type. This result was, however, only weakly supported by measurements of ergosterol content. The analysis of bacteria specific PLFAs showed that bacterial biomass was not affected by the AM mycelium.     

New developments in understanding the etiology of Parkinson's disease and in its treatment

Important recent advances have been made in understanding the etiology and pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease, as well as in developing novel treatments. Two newly identified genes, α-synuclein and parkin, have been linked to parkinsonism. In addition, disturbances to the normal basal ganglia circuits in Parkinson's patients are being described at both anatomical and physiological levels. These developments provide a strong scientific basis for novel medical and surgical strategies to treat the profound motor disturbances in patients with Parkinson's disease.     

Piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) microstructure and poling state in active tissue engineering

Tissue engineering strategies rely on suitable membranes and scaffolds, providing the necessary physicochemical stimuli to specific cells. This review summarizes the main results on piezoelectric polymers, in particular poly(vinylidene fluoride), for muscle and bone cell culture. Further, the relevance of polymer microstructure and surface charge on cell response is demonstrated. Together with the necessary biochemical cues, the proper design of piezoelectric polymers can open the way to novel and more reliable tissue engineering strategies for cells in which electromechanical stimuli are present in their environment.     

In vivo baseline measurements of hip joint range of motion in suspensory and nonsuspensory anthropoids

Hominoids and atelines are known to use suspensory behaviors and are assumed to possess greater hip joint mobility than nonsuspensory monkeys, particularly for range of abduction. This assumption has greatly influenced how extant and fossil primate hip joint morphology has been interpreted, despite the fact that there are no data available on hip mobility in hominoids or Ateles. This study uses in vivo measurements to test the hypothesis that suspensory anthropoids have significantly greater ranges of hip joint mobility than nonsuspensory anthropoids. Passive hip joint mobility was measured on a large sample of anesthetized captive anthropoids (nonhuman hominids = 43, hylobatids = 6, cercopithecids = 43, Ateles = 6, and Cebus = 6). Angular and linear data were collected using goniometers and tape measures. Range of motion (ROM) data were analyzed for significant differences by locomotor group using ANOVA and phylogenetic regression. The data demonstrate that suspensory anthropoids are capable of significantly greater hip abduction and external rotation. Degree of flexion and internal rotation were not larger in the suspensory primates, indicating that suspension is not associated with a global increase in hip mobility. Future work should consider the role of external rotation in abduction ability, how the physical position of the distal limb segments are influenced by differences in ROM proximally, as well as focus on bony and soft tissue differences that enable or restrict abduction and external rotation at the anthropoid hip joint. Am J Phys Anthropol 153:417–434, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The experience in the water maze task can affect the circadian rhythm of locomotor activity

Wistar rats maintained in cages with running wheels and submitted to a skeleton photoperiod or to a light - dark cycle were tested in the Morris water maze. Half of the animals were exposed to the task during their active phase while the other half was exposed during their inactive phase. The effect of the experience in the water maze, a strong arousing event, on the rhythm of wheel-running activity was evaluated. In the first experiment, a group of animals submitted to a skeleton photoperiod was trained every day in the reference memory version of the task. The novel experience in the water maze had a strong phase-dependent masking effect: it produced an intense post-training bout of activity in the animals tested during their inactive phase. Another experiment was run using single working memory sessions in the water maze and with animals submitted to a light - dark cycle. The circadian rhythm of locomotor activity was evaluated on undisturbed days and compared with testing days. The experience in the water maze produced a significant increase in variability of activity onset during both circadian phases. Taken together, the data suggest that there is a modulating effect of the arousing experience in the pool on the overt circadian rhythm of locomotor activity.     

The external gills of anuran amphibians: Comparative morphology and ultrastructure

The external gills of anuran amphibians are transient structures, covered by the development of the operculum and regressing soon afterwards. Their functional role has been regarded as equivocal. However, detailed morphological analysis has been limited. Analysis of 21 species from six families using scanning and transmission electron microscopy revealed diversity at the anatomical and cellular levels in extent and length of gill filaments, numbers of surface ciliated cells, width of water‐blood barrier distance, and evidence of gill motility. The most highly developed external gills were found in species with delayed hatching, such as Phyllomedusa trinitatis, or in species in which hatchlings hang from the surface film of temporary ponds, such as Phrynohyas venulosa in which gills added 26–38% to body surface area. In one family, the bufonids, all four species examined had poorly developed gills, but in other families where we examined several species, the hylids and leptodactylids, there was considerable diversity of external gills, suggesting flexible adaptation to incubation and hatching environment. J. Morphol., 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Do grazing caddisfly larvae of Melampophylax mucoreus (Limnephilidae) use their antennae for olfactory food detection?

Abstract. The behaviour of larvae of Melampophylax mucoreus (Limnephilidae; Trichoptera) is studied to test their capacity for food detection over long distances by olfaction. In aquaria experiments with stagnant water, the larvae rapidly accumulate on a biofilm-covered stone (offered food patch) but not on control stones without biofilm-cover. Larvae in an artificial flow channel (flume), with uni-directional flow between an arrangement of stones covered with biofilm and stones without biofilm, can find food patches upstream from their location more rapidly than downstream. Stimuli transported towards the larvae by the water current might assist food location. However, no significant differences could be found in the movement of larvae with intact antennae compared with larvae without antennae. The results lead to the conclusion that the larvae of M. mucoreus find food patches mainly by random movement, which is assisted by their high mobility. Long-distance olfactory orientation towards food patches, mediated by antennae, can be precluded. Gustatory stimuli appear to play an important role in contact-chemoreception to identify biofilm patches on stone surfaces. Scanning electron microscopy studies of the larval head reveal that the antennae of M. mucoreus are small pegs (50 µm in length) with an apical plate (15 µm in diameter). The mouthparts of the larvae, especially the maxillary palps, show a variety of different sensilla types that are possibly used for contact-chemoreception. These sensilla also could be responsible for the orientation towards a food resource upstream of the larvae.     

Testes investment and spawning mode in pipefishes and seahorses (Syngnathidae)

Externally fertilizing fishes are predicted to invest heavily in testes, because large numbers of sperm should be favoured by the high risk of sperm competition from sneaker males, and/or the dilution of ejaculates when shed into open water. Using museum specimens, we measured testes mass and body mass of 83 mature males, belonging to 21 genera of the family Syngnathidae (pipefishes and seahorses). In this family all species show paternal care, ranging in degree from eggs being attached to the skin of the male, to eggs being completely enclosed and nurtured within a brood pouch. The former, 'unprotected' group, is thought to have external fertilization, whereas in the latter, 'protected' group, males fertilize the eggs internally in their brood pouch. Smaller relative testes investment was thus predicted for genera that have protected compared with unprotected brood care. However, we found this not to be the case. Instead, all genera showed the same relationship between testes and body mass, regardless of brooding type. The possible implications of this surprising result are discussed, including the possibility that the mode of fertilization might have been misjudged for the pouchless syngnathids.  © 2004 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2004, 83 , 369–376.     

Interference of 16.7-Hz electromagnetic fields on measured electrocardiogram

The extent of electromagnetic interference (EMI) from 16.7-Hz alternate current power lines in the human surface electrocardiogram (ECG) was evaluated. Results showed a direct linear correlation between mean EMI and magnetic induction of 5.8-21 microT on a railroad platform (electric field: 270 V/m). EMI inside a railroad car (10 microT, 0 V/m) was comparable to the electromagnetic field at the platform. Inside a voltage transformer substation (0 microT, 2000 V/m) EMI occurred only when the ECG device was closer to the power line than the test person. Magnetic induction caused 16.7-Hz EMI to a degree that proper diagnosis of ECG-rhythms was rendered impossible.