BIOMASS AND DYNAMICS OF GROWTH OF ULVA SPECIES IN PALMONES RIVER ESTUARY1

During the last decade, the Palmones River estuary has undergone severe eutrophication followed by a green tide episode; two species of Ulva, rotundata Blid. and Ulva curvata (Kütz.) De Toni, were the main macroalgae responsible for this bloom. From November 1993 to December 1994, we followed the biomass, the growth dynamics, and tissue elemental composition (C:N:P)of Ulva species, as well as some physicochemical variables in the estuary. Maximum biomass (up to 375 g dry wt·m^?2 in some spots, corresponding to a thallus area index of nearly 17 m²Ulva·m^?2 sediment) were observed in June and December. However, the biomass varied among the sampling stations. Water nitrate, ammonia, and phosphate showed high concentrations throughout the year, with extremely high transient pulses, sustaining the high growth rates observed. Growth rates were estimated directly in the field. The rates were generally higher in Ulva discs maintained in net cages than those estimated by changes in biomass standing stock between two consecutive samplings. The difference between both estimates was used to quantify the importance of the processes causing loss of biomass, which were attributable to grazing, exported biomass, and thallus decomposition under anaerobic conditions resulting from extreme self-shading. Maximum chlorophyll content was found in winter, whereas the minimum was in spring. Atomic N:P ratios were generally higher in the algae than in the water. However, the absolute concentrations of tissue N and P were always higher than the critical levels for maximum growth, which suggests that growth was not limited by inorganic N or P availability. The results suggested that the increase in nutrient loading in the river may have triggered the massive development of green algae and that light limitation and temperature stress in summer seem to be the main factors controlling the abundance of Ulva in the estuary. In addition to light availability and thermal stress, the different loss processes may have a decisive role in the dynamics of Ulva biomass.     

神经生长因子家族及其受体研究进展

过去几年在神经营养因子、受体和神经元细胞程序性死亡的研究领域中取得了几项引人注目的进展：（１）神经生长因子（ＮＧＦ）基因家族的其他一些成员包括脑源性神经营养因子（ＢＤＮＦ）、神经营养素－３（ＮＴ－３）、神经营养素－４（ＮＴ－４）、神经营养素－５（ＮＴ－５）的发现;（２）神经生长因子三维结构及功能和进化之关系的阐明;（３）定性了两种神经生长因子受体Ｐ７５＾ＮＧＦＲ和原癌基因ｐ１４０＾ｔｒｋＡ以及相关     

Production of an insulin-like growth factor by osteosarcoma

To test the possibility that osteosarcoma cells produce their own growth factors, we measured levels of insulin and somatomedin C (SMC), an insulin-like growth factor, in culture media of two cell lines derived from patients with that disease. SMC but not insulin levels increased three- to ten-fold over a period of 7 days paralleling the increases in cell number. Production of SMC was inhibited by cycloheximide.     

The nutritional ecology of larvae of Alsophila pometaria and Anisota senatoria feeding on early- and late-season oak foliage

The larvae of Alsophila pometaria (Harr.), feeding on the young foliage of oak, has a higher relative growth rate (RGR) and relative nitrogen accumulation rate (RNAR) than the larvae of Anisota senatoria (J. E. Smith), feeding on the mature foliage of oak. Although the young oak foliage is more efficiently digested by A. pometaria (higher AD's), it is not more efficiently assimilated and used for growth (no difference in ECI's). Thus, the higher growth rate of A. pometaria is due entirely to a higher consumption rate (RCR and RNCR). Young foliage is significantly higher in nitrogen and water than mature foliage, but phenol and tannin levels are comparable in young and old foliage. A. pometaria consumes the foliage of different oak species at the same rate, independent of nitrogen content, while A. senatoria increases its consumption rate in response to decreased nitrogen levels. As a result, the growth rate of A. pometaria is directly related to leaf nitrogen content, while the growth rate of A. senatoria is independent of leaf nitrogen. The two species of insects have digestive systems that are very similar biochemically, and that are well-designed for effective protein digestion. Tannins and phenols do not influence the nutrional indices of either species. We suggest that the major benefit of spring feeding is the availability of succulent, high-nitrogen foliage, and not the avoidance of high-tannin foliage. The spring feeder appears to have a feeding strategy that favors rapid growth at the expense of efficiency, while the late summer feeder has a strategy that favors efficiency over rate.

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Résumé Alimentées sur feuillage jeune de chêne, les chenilles d'Alsophila pometaria avaient un taux relatif de croissance (RGR) et un taux relatif d'accumulation d'azote (RNAR) plus élevés que les chenilles d'Anisota senatoria alimentées sur feuillage mûr de chêne. Bien que le jeune feuillage soit plus efficacement digéré par A. pometaria (AD plus élevé), il n'est pas assimilé et utilisé pour la croissance avec de meilleurs rendements (les ECI ne sont pas différents). Ainsi le taux de croissance plus élevé d'A. pometaria est dû entièrement à un taux de consommation plus important (RCR et RNCR). Le feuillage jeune est significativement plus riche en azote et en eau que le feuillage mûr, mais les niveaux de phénol et de tanins sont les mêmes. A pometaria consomme les feuilles de différentes espèces de chênes au même taux, indépendamment de la teneur en azote, tandis que A. senatoria accroît sa consommation en réponse à une diminution de la teneur en azote. Il en résulte que le taux de croissance d'A. pometaria dépend directement de la teneur en azote des feuilles, tandis que celui d'A. senatoria en est indépendant. Les systèmes digestifs des deux insectes sont biochimiquement semblables et sont efficaces pour la digestion des protéines. Les tanins et les phénols n'influent pas sur les indices nutritionnels de ces deux espèces. Nous estimons que le principal intérêt de l'alimentation printanière est la disponibilité en feuillage succulent, riche en azote, et non l'absence de feuilles à haute teneur en tanin. L'alimentation printanière semble correspondre à une strategie alimentaire qui favorise la croissance aux dépens de l'efficacité tandis que l'alimentation en fin d'été est une stratégie qui favorise l'efficacité sur la rapidité.

     

Taenia taeniaeformis: characterization of larval metabolic products and growth of host gastric cells in vitro

Development of larvae of the cestode parasite Taenia taeniaeformis in the liver of rats induces gross hyperplasia of the gastric mucosa and excessive mucus production in the stomach without any direct contact with the stomach. Because the taeniid larvae are known to elaborate excretory-secretory (E-S) product in vivo and in vitro, the product was analyzed further, and its effects on cultured rat and dog stomach cells were investigated. In vitro E-S product contained less negatively charged glycosaminoglycan than either heparin or chondroitin sulfate, and proteins of various molecular weights. It stimulated the growth of both rat and dog stomach cells at concentrations of 3-9 micrograms protein/ml culture medium. At a concentration of 30 micrograms protein/ml culture medium, it stimulated hexosamine production in the cells up to 20 times, and multiple intracytoplasmic granules were found in both rat and dog cultured cells by light and electron microscopy. These results suggest that larval E-S product may be involved in the induction of gastric hyperplasia and hypermucus secretion.     

Ontogeny of the response to growth hormone-releasing factor

Primary cell cultures were prepared from fetal, neonatal and adult rat pituitaries and evaluated for their ability to secrete growth hormone (GH) in response to growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF). Pituitary cells prepared from fetuses at days 19 and 21 of gestation, neonatal animals at the day of birth (day 0) or the following day (day 1) and peripubertal male rats showed full dose response curves to GRF with maximal GH release when stimulated with 1 X 10(-10) M rat GRF. At this concentration of GRF, the amount of GH released was not different from that elicited by activation of adenylate cyclase with 1 X 10(-5) M forskolin. In contradistinction, a preparation of cells from fetuses at day 18 of gestation did not show the same release of GH when challenged with 1 X 10(-10) M GRF and forskolin (0.057 +/- 0.001, compared to 0.076 +/- 0.003 micrograms/10(5) cells per 4.5 h), although the cells clearly responded to both secretagogues (basal levels of GH, 0.029 +/- 0.002 micrograms/10(5) cells per 4.5 h). While cells prepared from fetuses at day 21 of gestation or from animals after birth released 5-10% of their total cellular GH content, those prepared from 18- and 19-day fetuses released as much as 40% of their total GH suggesting there is a maturation of intracellular GH processing that occurs late in gestation. The results show that, in late pregnancy, the rat fetal pituitary is highly responsive to growth hormone-releasing factor and suggest that this peptide participates in regulating GH levels during the perinatal period.     

Growth,graviresponsiveness and abscisic-acid content of Zea mays seedlings treated with Fluridone

Ten-d-old seedlings of Zea mays L. cv. Tx 5855 treated with 1-methyl-3-phenyl-5-(3-[trifluoromethyl]phenyl)-4-(1H)-pyridinone (Fluridone) were analyzed for abscisic acid (ABA) content using high-performance liquid chromatography with an analysis sensitivity of 2.5 ng ABA g^-1 fresh weight (FW). Seedlings were divided into three portions: leaves, detipped roots, and root tips (terminal 1.5 mm). Control plants (water treatment only; no Fluridone) were characterized by the following amounts of ABA: leaves, 0.114±0.024 (standard deviation) g ABA g^-1 FW; detipped roots, 0.260±0.039±g ABA g^-1 FW; root tips, no ABA detected. We did not detect any ABA in tissues of Fluridone-treated plants. Primary roots of treated and untreated seedlings were strongly graviresponsive, with no significant differences between the curvatures or the growth rates of primary roots of Fluridone-treated and control seedlings. These results indicate that 1) Fluridone completely inhibits ABA synthesis, and 2) ABA is not necessary for positive gravitropism by primary roots of Zea mays.Abbreviations ABA abscisic acid - Fluridone 1-methyl-3-phenyl-5-(3-[trifluoromethyl]phenyl)-4-(1H)-pyridinone - FW fresh weight - SD standard deviation     

Growth of host dependent Bdellovibrio in host cell free system

A particulate, subcellular fraction of Escherichia coli was shown to promote the growth of host dependent (H-D) Bdellovibrio in the absence of host cells. The growth promoting activity was enhanced by both cations and trypsin, and destroyed by pronase. During the axenic growth unipolar spheres appear in the elongating Bdellovibrio forms. Thymidine monophosphate was more readily incorporated than thymidine into the Bdellovibrio DNA during growth in the host free system.     

The bothridial hooks of Acanthobothrium quadripartitum Williams, 1968 (Cestoda: Tetraphyllidea): Their growth and use in taxonomy

McVicar A. H. 1977. The bothridial hooks of Acanthobothrium quadripartitum Williams, 1968 (Cestoda: Tetraphyllidea): their growth and use in taxonomy. International Journal for Parasitology7: 439–442. Bothridial hooks are absent from juvenile Acanthobothrium quadripartitum in Raja naevus but develop to full size before there is much growth of the bothridia and strobila. There is a linear relationship between the lengths of the different components of the hooks during their development and it is suggested that the ratios of these lengths to the total hook length may be useful parameters in dstinguishing between species of Acanthobothrium. Principal component analysis of published hook dimensions gave good separation of most species of Acanthobothrium.     

Roles of auxin and gibberellic acid in growth and maturation of epicotyls of Vigna angularis: Cell wall changes

The effects of auxin and gibberellic acid on cell wall composition in various regions of epicotyls of azuki bean ( Vigna angularis Ohwi and Ohashi cv. Takara) were investigated with the following results. (1) Young segments excised from apical regions of the epicotyl elongated in response to added 10⁻⁴ M indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). When the segments were supplied with 50 m M sucrose, the IAA-induced segment growth was accompanied by enhanced overall synthesis of cell wall polysaccharides, such as xyloglucans, polyuronides and cellulose. This IAA effect on the cell wall synthesis is a consequence of extension growth induced by IAA. Gibberellic acid (GA) at 10⁻⁴ M synergistically enhanced the IAA-induced cell wall synthesis as well as IAA-induced extension growth, although GA by itself neither stimulated the cell wall synthesis nor extension growth. In the absence of sucrose, cell wall synthesis was not induced by IAA or GA. (2) In mature segments excised from basal regions of the epicotyl, no extension growth was induced by IAA or GA. GA enhanced the synthesis of xylans and cellulose when the segments were supplied with 50 m M sucrose. IAA had no effect on the cell wall synthesis. These findings indicate that synthesis of polyuronides, xyloglucans and cellulose, which occurs during extension growth of the apical region of the epicotyl, is regulated chiefly by auxin whereas synthesis of xylans and cellulose during cell maturation in the basal region of the epicotyl is regulated by GA.