A plasma global metabolic profiling approach applied to an exercise study monitoring the effects of glucose, galactose and fructose drinks during post-exercise recovery

A global metabolic profiling methodology based on gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOFMS) for human plasma was applied to a human exercise study focused on the effects of beverages containing glucose, galactose, or fructose taken after exercise and throughout a recovery period of 6 h and 45 min. One group of 10 well trained male cyclists performed 3 experimental sessions on separate days (randomized, single center). After performing a standardized depletion protocol on a bicycle, subjects consumed one of three different beverages: maltodextrin (MD)+glucose (2:1 ratio), MD+galactose (2:1), and MD+fructose (2:1), consumed at an average of ～1.25 g of carbohydrate (CHO) ingested per minute. Blood was taken straight after exercise and every 45 min within the recovery phase. With the resulting blood plasma, insulin, free fatty acid (FFA) profile, glucose, and GC-TOFMS global metabolic profiling measurements were performed. The resulting profiling data was able to match the results obtained from the other clinical measurements with the addition of being able to follow many different metabolites throughout the recovery period. The data quality was assessed, with all the labelled internal standards yielding values of <15% CV for all samples (n=335), apart from the labelled sucrose which gave a value of 15.19%. Differences between recovery treatments including the appearance of galactonic acid from the galactose based beverage were also highlighted.     

Interaction of Allium sativum leaf agglutinin with midgut brush border membrane vesicles proteins and its stability in Helicoverpa armigera

Allium sativum leaf agglutinin (ASAL) binds to several proteins in the midgut of Helicoverpa armigera and causes toxicity. Most of these were glycosylated. Six ASAL-binding proteins were selected for identification. PMF and MS/MS data showed their similarity with midgut aminopeptidase APN2, polycalins and alkaline phosphatase of H. armigera, cadherin-N protein (partial AGAP009726-PA) of Acyrthosiphon pisum, cytochrome P450 (CYP315A1) of Manduca sexta and alkaline phosphatase of Heliothis virescens. Some of the ASAL-binding midgut proteins were similar to the larval receptors responsible for the binding of δ-endotoxin proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis. Galanthus nivalis agglutinin also interacted with most of the ASAL-binding proteins. The ASAL showed resistance to midgut proteases and was detected in the larval hemolymph and excreta. Immunohistochemical staining revealed the presence of ASAL in the body tissue also.     

Spatio‐temporal scaling of biodiversity and the species–time relationship in a stream fish assemblage

1. The increase of species richness with the area of the habitat sampled, that is the species–area relationship, and its temporal analogue, the species–time relationship (STR), are among the few general laws in ecology with strong conservation implications. However, these two scale‐dependent phenomena have rarely been considered together in biodiversity assessment, especially in freshwater systems. 2. We examined how the spatial scale of sampling influences STRs for a Central‐European stream fish assemblage (second‐order Bernecei stream, Hungary) using field survey data in two simulation‐based experiments. 3. In experiment one, we examined how increasing the number of channel units, such as riffles and pools (13 altogether), and the number of field surveys involved in the analyses (12 sampling occasions during 3 years), influence species richness. Complete nested curves were constructed to quantify how many species one observes in the community on average for a given number of sampling occasions at a given spatial scale. 4. In experiment two, we examined STRs for the Bernecei fish assemblage from a landscape perspective. Here, we evaluated a 10‐year reach level data set (2000–09) for the Bernecei stream and its recipient watercourse (third‐order Kemence stream) to complement results on experiment one and to explore the mechanisms behind the observed patterns in more detail. 5. Experiment one indicated the strong influence of the spatial scale of sampling on the accumulation of species richness, although time clearly had an additional effect. The simulation methodology advocated here helped to estimate the number of species in a diverse combination of spatial and temporal scale and, therefore, to determine how different scale combinations influence sampling sufficiency. 6. Experiment two revealed differences in STRs between the upstream (Bernecei) and downstream (Kemence) sites, with steeper curves for the downstream site. Equations of STR curves were within the range observed in other studies, predominantly from terrestrial systems. Assemblage composition data suggested that extinction–colonisation dynamics of rare, non‐resident (i.e. satellite) species influenced patterns in STRs. 7. Our results highlight that the determination of species richness can benefit from the joint consideration of spatial and temporal scales in biodiversity inventory surveys. Additionally, we reveal how our randomisation‐based methodology may help to quantify the scale dependency of diversity components (α, β, γ) in both space and time, which have critical importance in the applied context.     

A comparative analysis of vibrissa count and infraorbital foramen area in primates and other mammals

Vibrissae are specialized sensory “hairs” that respond to mechanical stimuli. Sensory information from vibrissae is transmitted to the brain via the infraorbital nerve, which passes through the infraorbital foramen (IOF). Several analyses have documented that primates have smaller IOFs than non-primate mammals, and that haplorhines have smaller IOFs than strepsirrhines. These grade shifts in IOF area were attributed to differences in “vibrissa development.” Following earlier analyses, IOF area has been used to derive a general estimate of “whiskeredness” in extinct primates, and consequently, IOF area has been used in phylogenetic and paleoecological interpretations. Yet, the relationship between IOF area and vibrissa count has not been tested, and little is known about how IOF area and vibrissa counts vary among mammals. This study explores how relative IOF area and vibrissa count differ among 25 mammalian orders, and tests for a correlation between IOF area and vibrissa count. Results indicate that primates and dermopterans (Primatomorpha) have smaller IOFs than most non-primate mammals, but they do not have fewer vibrissae. In addition, strepsirrhines and haplorhines do not differ from one another in relative IOF area or vibrissa counts. Despite different patterns documented for IOF area and vibrissa count variation across mammals, results from this study do confirm that vibrissa count and IOF area are significantly and positively correlated (p < 0.0001). However, there is considerable scatter in the data, suggesting that vibrissa counts cannot be predicted from IOF area. There are three implications of these finding. First, IOF area reflects all mechanoreceptors in the maxillary region, not just vibrissae. Second, IOF area may be an informative feature in interpretations of the fossil record. Third, paleoecological interpretations based on vibrissae are not recommended.     

Turning over a new ‘leaf’: multiple functional significances of leaves versus phyllodes in Hawaiian Acacia koa

Hawaiian endemic tree Acacia koa is a model for heteroblasty with bipinnately compound leaves and phyllodes. Previous studies suggested three hypotheses for their functional differentiation: an advantage of leaves for early growth or shade tolerance, and an advantage of phyllodes for drought tolerance. We tested the ability of these hypotheses to explain differences between leaf types for potted plants in 104 physiological and morphological traits, including gas exchange, structure and composition, hydraulic conductance, and responses to varying light, intercellular CO₂, vapour pressure deficit (VPD) and drought. Leaf types were similar in numerous traits including stomatal pore area per leaf area, leaf area‐based gas exchange rates and cuticular conductance. Each hypothesis was directly supported by key differences in function. Leaves had higher mass‐based gas exchange rates, while the water storage tissue in phyllodes contributed to greater capacitance per area; phyllodes also showed stronger stomatal closure at high VPD, and higher maximum hydraulic conductance per area, with stronger decline during desiccation and recovery with rehydration. While no single hypothesis completely explained the differences between leaf types, together the three hypotheses explained 91% of differences. These findings indicate that the heteroblasty confers multiple benefits, realized across different developmental stages and environmental contexts.     

Ozone‐induced reductions in below‐ground biomass: an anatomical approach in potato

Potato plants were grown in open‐top chambers under three ozone concentrations during two complete cropping seasons (93 and 77 d in 2004 and 2005, respectively). The effects of chronic exposure to ozone on leaf anatomy, cell ultrastructure and crop yield were studied. Severe cell damage was found, even at ambient ozone levels, mainly affecting the spongy parenchyma and areas near the stomata. Damage to the cell wall caused loss of cell contact, and loss of turgor pressure due to tonoplast disintegration, contributed to cell collapse. Phloem sieve plates were obstructed by callose accumulation, and damaged mesophyll cells increased their starch stores. Tuber yield fell sharply (24–44%), due to the biggest tubers becoming smaller, which affected commercial yield. These anatomical findings show the mechanisms of ozone effect on assimilate partitioning, and thus crop yield decrease, in potato. Further implications of ozone causing reductions in below‐ground biomass are also discussed.     

Shoot anatomy and secretory structures in Hypericum species (Hypericaceae)

The anatomy and ultrastructure of internodes, leaves and petals were compared in Hypericum elegans, H. inodorum, H. olympicum, H. forrestii and two genotypes of H. perforatum. Internode anatomy was variable between species with respect to the structure of the cortical and pith parenchyma, including the presence of secretory reservoirs. Also, the secondary growth was more extensive in shrubs, i.e. H. inodorum and H. forrestii. In leaves, phloem secretory reservoirs were formed in all species, mesophyll secretory reservoirs were absent only in H. elegans and internal nodules were present only in H. elegans and H. perforatum. The petals differed between species in the mesophyll structure and the occurrence and location of secretory structures. The phloem secretory reservoirs lacked sheaths, whereas these were distinct in the mesophyll reservoirs. Other ultrastructural traits of the reservoirs were similar in all the species studied, with the exception of the leucoplast ultrastructure. In internal nodules, the inner cells vs. sheath cells differed in the number of vesicles and other membranous structures and plastid ultrastructure. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 163 , 70–86.     

Influence of castration-induced testosterone and estradiol deficiency on obesity and glucose metabolism in male Göttingen minipigs

Low testosterone and estradiol concentrations are predictive for the development of the metabolic syndrome in men and women, respectively. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of sex hormone deficiency on food intake, body weight, body composition and glucose metabolism in male Göttingen minipigs.Five adult male Göttingen minipigs were studied before castration (pre-cast), 10-18 days (post-cast 1) and 10-11 weeks (post-cast 2) after castration. Parameters of interest were food intake, body weight, body fat percentage and sex hormone concentrations. Furthermore glucose tolerance, glucagon suppression, insulin resistance, beta cell function and disposition index were evaluated by oral and intravenous glucose tolerance tests.Castration led to almost complete disappearance of circulating testosterone and estradiol and secondarily to increased food intake, body weight and body fat percentage. Ten-eighteen days sex hormone deficiency (post-cast 1) did not significantly change any of the investigated metabolic parameters compared to pre-cast levels. Ten weeks after castration (post-cast 2) significant insulin resistance, glucose intolerance and hyperglucagonemia was found, and the beta cell function and the disposition index both were decreased.In conclusion, castration-induced sex hormone deficiency in male Göttingen minipigs results in hyperphagia, obesity and disturbed glucose metabolism, which are some of the features typical for the human metabolic syndrome.