26 CFR 1.263A-11 - Accumulated production expenditures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 3 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Accumulated production expenditures. 1.263A-11... TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Items Not Deductible § 1.263A-11 Accumulated production expenditures. (a) General rule. Accumulated production expenditures generally means the cumulative amount of...

26 CFR 1.263A-11 - Accumulated production expenditures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 3 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Accumulated production expenditures. 1.263A-11... TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Items Not Deductible § 1.263A-11 Accumulated production expenditures. (a) General rule. Accumulated production expenditures generally means the cumulative amount of...

26 CFR 1.263A-11 - Accumulated production expenditures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 3 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Accumulated production expenditures. 1.263A-11... TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Items Not Deductible § 1.263A-11 Accumulated production expenditures. (a) General rule. Accumulated production expenditures generally means the cumulative amount of...

The mechanism of metal nanoparticle formation in plants: limits on accumulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haverkamp, R. G.; Marshall, A. T.

2009-08-01

Metal nanoparticles have many potential technological applications. Biological routes to the synthesis of these particles have been proposed including production by vascular plants, known as phytoextraction. While many studies have looked at metal uptake by plants, particularly with regard to phytoremediation and hyperaccumulation, few have distinguished between metal deposition and metal salt accumulation. This work describes the uptake of AgNO3, Na3Ag(S2O3)2, and Ag(NH3)2NO3 solutions by hydroponically grown Brassica juncea and the quantitative measurement of the conversion of these salts to silver metal nanoparticles. Using X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) to determine the metal speciation within the plants, combined with atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) for total Ag, the quantity of reduction of AgI to Ag0 is reported. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed Ag particles of 2-35 nm. The factors controlling the amount of silver accumulated are revealed. It is found that there is a limit on the amount of metal nanoparticles that may be deposited, of about 0.35 wt.% Ag on a dry plant basis, and that higher levels of silver are obtained only by the concentration of metal salts within the plant, not by deposition of metal. The limit on metal nanoparticle accumulation, across a range of metals, is proposed to be controlled by the total reducing capacity of the plant for the reduction potential of the metal species and limited to reactions occurring at an electrochemical potential greater than 0 V (verses the standard hydrogen electrode).

Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate Accumulation and beta-Adrenergic Binding in Unweighted and Denervated Rat Soleus Muscle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirby, Christopher R.; Woodman, Christopher R.; Woolridge, Dale; Tischler, Marc E.

1992-01-01

Unweighting, but not denervation, of muscle reportedly "spares" insulin receptors, increasing insulin sensitivity. Unweighting also increases beta-adrenergic responses of carbohydrate metabolism. These differential characteristics were studied further by comparing cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) accumulation and beta-adrenergic binding in normal and 3-day unweighted or denervated soleus muscle. Submaximal amounts of isoproterenol, a p-agonist, increased cAMP accumulation in vitro and in vivo (by intramuscular (IM) injection) to a greater degree (P less than .05) in unweighted muscles. Forskolin or maximal isoproterenol had similar in vitro effects in all muscles, suggesting increased beta-adrenergic sensitivity following unweighting. Increased sensitivity was confirmed by a greater receptor density (B(sub max)) for iodo-125(-)-pindolol in particulate preparations of unweighted (420 x 10(exp -18) mol/mg muscle) than of control or denervated muscles (285 x 10(exp-18) mol/mg muscle). The three dissociation constant (Kd) values were similar (20.3 to 25.8 pmol/L). Total binding capacity (11.4 fmol/muscle) did not change during 3 days of unweighting, but diminished by 30% with denervation. This result illustrates the "sparing" and loss of receptors, respectively, in these two atrophy models. In diabetic animals, IM injection of insulin diminished CAMP accumulation in the presence of theophylline in unweighted muscle (-66% +/- 2%) more than in controls (-42% +'- 6%, P less than .001). These results show that insulin affects CAMP formation in muscle, and support a greater in vivo insulin response following unweighting atrophy. These various data support a role for lysosomal proteolysis in denervation, but not in unweighting, atrophy.

Snow as an accumulator of air pollutants

Treesearch

Robert T. Brown

1976-01-01

Using simple analytical techniques, the amounts of air pollutants accumulated in winter snow were determined and the results correlated with lichen survival on trees. Pollutants measured were particulate matter, sulfate, and chloride. An inverse relationship was found between amounts of each of these pollutants and the abundance of various lichens.

The amount effect and marginal value.

PubMed

Rachlin, Howard; Arfer, Kodi B; Safin, Vasiliy; Yen, Ming

2015-07-01

The amount effect of delay discounting (by which the value of larger reward amounts is discounted by delay at a lower rate than that of smaller amounts) strictly implies that value functions (value as a function of amount) are steeper at greater delays than they are at lesser delays. That is, the amount effect and the difference in value functions at different delays are actually a single empirical finding. Amount effects of delay discounting are typically found with choice experiments. Value functions for immediate rewards have been empirically obtained by direct judgment. (Value functions for delayed rewards have not been previously obtained.) The present experiment obtained value functions for both immediate and delayed rewards by direct judgment and found them to be steeper when the rewards were delayed--hence, finding an amount effect with delay discounting. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Small herbivores suppress algal accumulation on Agatti atoll, Indian Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cernohorsky, Nicole H.; McClanahan, Timothy R.; Babu, Idrees; Horsák, Michal

2015-12-01

Despite large herbivorous fish being generally accepted as the main group responsible for preventing algal accumulation on coral reefs, few studies have experimentally examined the relative importance of herbivore size on algal communities. This study used exclusion cages with two different mesh sizes (1 × 1 cm and 6 × 6 cm) to investigate the impact of different-sized herbivores on algal accumulation rates on the shallow (<2 m) back-reef of Agatti atoll, Lakshadweep. The fine-mesh cages excluded all visible herbivores, which had rapid and lasting effects on the benthic communities, and, after 127 d of deployment, there was a visible and significant increase in algae (mainly macroalgae) with algal volume being 13 times greater than in adjacent open areas. The coarse-mesh cages excluded larger fishes (>8 cm body depth) while allowing smaller fishes to access the plots. In contrast to the conclusions of most previous studies, the exclusion of large herbivores had no significant effect on the accumulation of benthic algae and the amount of algae present within the coarse-mesh cages was relatively consistent throughout the experimental period (around 50 % coverage and 1-2 mm height). The difference in algal accumulation between the fine-mesh and coarse-mesh cages appears to be related to the actions of small individuals from 12 herbivorous fish species (0.17 ind. m-2 and 7.7 g m-2) that were able to enter through the coarse mesh. Although restricted to a single habitat, these results suggest that when present in sufficient densities and diversity, small herbivorous fishes can prevent the accumulation of algal biomass on coral reefs.

Ascorbate biosynthesis during early fruit development is the main reason for its accumulation in kiwi.

PubMed

Li, Mingjun; Ma, Fengwang; Liang, Dong; Li, Juan; Wang, Yanlei

2010-12-09

Ascorbic acid (AsA) is a unique antioxidant as well as an enzyme cofactor. Although it has multiple roles in plants, it is unclear how its accumulation is controlled at the expression level, especially in sink tissues. Kiwifruit (Actinidia) is well-known for its high ascorbate content. Our objective was to determine whether AsA accumulates in the fruits primarily through biosynthesis or because it is imported from the foliage. We systematically investigated AsA levels, biosynthetic capacity, and mRNA expression of genes involved in AsA biosynthesis in kiwi (A. deliciosa cv. Qinmei). Recycling and AsA localization were also monitored during fruit development and among different tissue types. Over time, the amount of AsA, with its capacity for higher biosynthesis and lower recycling, peaked at 30 days after anthesis (DAA), and then decreased markedly up to 60 DAA before declining more slowly. Expression of key genes showed similar patterns of change, except for L-galactono-1,4-lactone dehydrogenase and L-galactose-1-phosphate phosphatase (GPP). However, GPP had good correlation with the rate of AsA accumulation. The expression of these genes could be detected in phloem of stem as well as petiole of leaf and fruit. Additionally, fruit petioles had greater ascorbate amounts, although that was the site of lowest expression by most genes. Fruit microtubule tissues also had higher AsA. However, exogenous applications of AsA to those petioles did not lead to its transport into fruits, and distribution of ascorbate was cell-specific in the fruits, with more accumulation occurring in larger cells. These results suggest that AsA biosynthesis in kiwi during early fruit development is the main reason for its accumulation in the fruits. We also postulate here that GPP is a good candidate for regulating AsA biosynthesis whereas GDP-L-galactose-1-phosphate phosphorylase is not.

Screening for new accumulator plants in Andes Range mines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bech, Jaume; Roca, Núria

2016-04-01

Toxic metal pollution of waters and soils is a major environmental problem, and most conventional remediation approaches do not provide acceptable solutions. The use of plants or plant products to restore or stabilize contaminated sites, collectively known as phytoremediation, takes advantage of the natural abilities of plants to take up, accumulate, store, or degrade organic and inorganic substances. Although not a new concept, phytoremediation is currently being re-examined as an environmentally friendly, cost-effective means of reducing metal contaminated soil. Plants growing on naturally metal-enriched soils are of particular interest in this regard, since they are genetically tolerant to high metal concentrations and have an excellent adaptation to this multi-stress environment. Processes include using plants that tolerate and accumulate metals at high levels (phytoextraction) and using plants that can grow under conditions that are toxic to other plants while preventing, for example, soil erosion (phytostabilization). Soil and plant samples were taken at polymetallic mines in Peru, Ecuador and Chile. It is suggested that Plantago orbignyana Steinheil is a Pb hyperaccumulator. Moreover, unusually elevated concentrations of Pb (over 1000 mg kg-1) and Translocation Factor (TF) greater than one were also detected in shoots of 6 different plants species (Ageratina sp., Achirodine alata, Cortaderia apalothica, Epilobium denticulatum, Taraxacum officinalis and Trifolium repens) of a Caroline mine in Perú. Among the grass species (Poaceae), the highest shoot As concentration were found in Paspalum sp. (>1000 μg g-1) and Eriochola ramose (460 μg g-1) from the Cu mine in Peru and in Holcus lanatus and Pennisetum clandestinum (>200 μg g-1) from the silver mine in Ecuador. The shoot accumulation of Zn was highest in Baccharis amdatensis (>1900 μg g-1) and in Rumex crispus (1300 μg g-1) from the Ag mine in Ecuador (Bech et al., 2002). Paspalum racemosum also

Cadmium accumulation in sunflower plants influenced by arbuscular mycorrhiza.

PubMed

de Andrade, Sara Adrián López; da Silveira, Adriana Parada Dias; Jorge, Renato Atílio; de Abreu, Mônica Ferreira

2008-01-01

In order to investigate the cadmium (Cd) accumulation patterns and possible alleviation of Cd stress by mycorrhization, sunflower plants (Helianthus annuus L.) were grown in the presence or absence of Cd (20 micromol L(-1)) and inoculated or not inoculated with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) Glomus intraradices. No visual symptoms of Cd phytotoxicity were observed; nevertheless, in non-mycorrhizal plants the presence of Cd decreased plant growth. The addition of Cd had no significant effect on either mycorrhizal colonization or the amount of extra-radical mycelia that was produced by the AMF. Cd accumulated mainly in roots; only 22% of the total Cd absorbed was translocated to the shoots, where it accumulated to an average of 228 mg Cd kg(-1). Although the shoot-to-root ratio of Cd was similar in both the AMF inoculated and non-inoculated plants, the total absorbed Cd was 23% higher in mycorrhizal plants. Cd concentration in AMF extra-radical mycelium was 728 microg g(-1) dry weight. Despite the greater absorption of Cd, mycorrhizal plants showed higher photosynthetic pigment concentrations and shoot P contents. Cd also influenced mineral nutrition, leading to decreased Ca and Cu shoot concentrations; N, Fe and Cu shoot contents; and increased S and K shoot concentrations. Cd induced guaiacol peroxidase activity in roots in both mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal plants, but this increase was much more accentuated in non-mycorrhizal roots. In conclusion, sunflower plants associated with G. intraradices were less sensitive to Cd stress than non-mycorrhizal plants. Mycorrhizal sunflowers showed enhanced Cd accumulation and some tolerance to excessive Cd concentrations in plant tissues.

Effects of water deficit on radicle apex elongation and solute accumulation in Zea mays L.

PubMed

Velázquez-Márquez, S; Conde-Martínez, V; Trejo, C; Delgado-Alvarado, A; Carballo, A; Suárez, R; Mascorro, J O; Trujillo, A R

2015-11-01

In this study, we examined the effects of water deficit on the elongation of radicles of maize seedlings and on the accumulation of solutes in the radicle apices of two maize varieties: VS-22 (tolerant) and AMCCG-2 (susceptible). Sections of radicle corresponding to the first 2 mm of the primary roots were marked with black ink, and the seedlings were allowed to grow for 24, 48, and 72 h in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubes filled with vermiculite at three different water potentials (Ψ(w), -0.03, -1.0, and -1.5 MPa). The radicle elongation, sugar accumulation, and proline accumulation were determined after each of the growth periods specified above. The Ψ(w) of the substrate affected the dynamics of primary root elongation in both varieties. In particular, the lowest Ψ(w) (-1.5 MPa) inhibited root development by 72% and 90% for the VS-22 and AMCCG-2 varieties, respectively. The osmotic potential (Ψ(o)) was reduced substantially in both varieties to maintain root turgor; however, VS-22 had a higher root turgor (0.67 MPa) than AMCCG-2 (0.2 MPa). These results suggest that both varieties possess a capacity for osmotic adjustment. Sugar began to accumulate within the first 24 h of radicle apex growth. The sugar concentration was higher in VS-22 root apices compared to AMCCG-2, and the amount of sugar accumulation increased with a decrease in Ψ(w). Significant amounts of trehalose accumulated in VS-22 and AMCCG-2 (29.8 μmol/g fresh weight [FW] and 5.24 μmol/g FW, respectively). Starch accumulation in the root apices of these two maize varieties also differed significantly, with a lower level in VS-22. In both varieties, the proline concentration also increased as a consequence of the water deficit. At 72 h, the proline concentration in VS-22 (16.2 μmol/g FW) was almost 3 times greater than that in AMCCG-2 (5.19 μmol/g FW). Trehalose also showed a 3-fold increase in the tolerant variety. Accumulation of these solutes in the root growth zone may indicate an osmotic

Accumulation of catechins in tea in relation to accumulation of mRNA from genes involved in catechin biosynthesis.

PubMed

Eungwanichayapant, P D; Popluechai, S

2009-02-01

Catechins are a group of polyphenols found in tea (Camellia sinensis var. sinensis) at high levels. They are beneficial for health. From the study on accumulation of catechins in shoots and mature leaves of a tea cultivar, Oolong No. 17, using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), it was found that the amounts of most catechins in the shoots were higher than those in the mature leaves, with an exception of catechins gallate (CG) that was found in trace amounts in both the shoots and mature leaves. mRNA accumulation of genes involved in catechin synthesis was studied using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The results showed that the mRNA accumulation of the genes were higher in the shoots than in the mature leaves. These genes included genes of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase 1 (PAL1; EC 4.3.1.5), chalcone synthase (CHS; EC 2.3.1.74), dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR; EC 1.1.1.219), leucoanthocyanidin reductase (LCR; EC 1.17.1.3), and flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H; EC 1.14.11.9).

Accumulate-Repeat-Accumulate-Accumulate-Codes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Divsalar, Dariush; Dolinar, Sam; Thorpe, Jeremy

2004-01-01

Inspired by recently proposed Accumulate-Repeat-Accumulate (ARA) codes [15], in this paper we propose a channel coding scheme called Accumulate-Repeat-Accumulate-Accumulate (ARAA) codes. These codes can be seen as serial turbo-like codes or as a subclass of Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) codes, and they have a projected graph or protograph representation; this allows for a high-speed iterative decoder implementation using belief propagation. An ARAA code can be viewed as a precoded Repeat-and-Accumulate (RA) code with puncturing in concatenation with another accumulator, where simply an accumulator is chosen as the precoder; thus ARAA codes have a very fast encoder structure. Using density evolution on their associated protographs, we find examples of rate-lJ2 ARAA codes with maximum variable node degree 4 for which a minimum bit-SNR as low as 0.21 dB from the channel capacity limit can be achieved as the block size goes to infinity. Such a low threshold cannot be achieved by RA or Irregular RA (IRA) or unstructured irregular LDPC codes with the same constraint on the maximum variable node degree. Furthermore by puncturing the accumulators we can construct families of higher rate ARAA codes with thresholds that stay close to their respective channel capacity thresholds uniformly. Iterative decoding simulation results show comparable performance with the best-known LDPC codes but with very low error floor even at moderate block sizes.

Accumulate-Repeat-Accumulate-Accumulate Codes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Divsalar, Dariush; Dolinar, Samuel; Thorpe, Jeremy

2007-01-01

Accumulate-repeat-accumulate-accumulate (ARAA) codes have been proposed, inspired by the recently proposed accumulate-repeat-accumulate (ARA) codes. These are error-correcting codes suitable for use in a variety of wireless data-communication systems that include noisy channels. ARAA codes can be regarded as serial turbolike codes or as a subclass of low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes, and, like ARA codes they have projected graph or protograph representations; these characteristics make it possible to design high-speed iterative decoders that utilize belief-propagation algorithms. The objective in proposing ARAA codes as a subclass of ARA codes was to enhance the error-floor performance of ARA codes while maintaining simple encoding structures and low maximum variable node degree.

Carbon Monoxide Accumulation in the Extravehicular Mobility Unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Conkin, J.; Norcrosss, J. R.; Alexander, D. J.; Sanders, R. W.; Makowski, M. S.

2016-01-01

Introduction: Life support technology in large closed systems like submarines and space stations catalyzes carbon monoxide (CO) to carbon dioxide, which is easily removed. However, in a small system like the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU), spacesuit, CO from exogenous (contaminated oxygen (O (sub 2) supply) and endogenous (human metabolism) sources will accumulate in the free suit volume. The free volume becomes a sink for CO that is rebreathed by the astronaut. The accumulation through time depends on many variables: the amount absorbed by the astronaut, the amount produced by the astronaut (between 0.28 and 0.34 ?moles per hour per kilogram)[1], the amount that enters the suit from contaminated O (sub 2), the amount removed through suit leak, the free volume of the suit, and the O (sub 2) partial pressure[2], just to list a few. Contamination of the EMU O (sub 2) supply with no greater than 1 part per million CO was the motivation for empirical measurements from CO pulse oximetry (SpCO) as well as mathematical modeling of the EMU as a rebreather for CO. Methods: We developed a first-order differential mixing equation as well as an iterative method to compute CO accumulation in the EMU. Pre-post measurements of SpCO (Rad-57, Masimo Corporation) from EMU ground training and on-orbit extravehicular activities (EVAs) were collected. Results: Initial modeling without consideration of the astronaut as a sink but only the source of CO showed that after 8 hours breathing 100 percent O (sub 2) with a 10 milliliter per minute (760 millimeters Hg at 21 degrees Centigrade standard) suit leak, an endogenous production rate of 0.23 moles per hour per kilogram for a 70 kilogram person with 42 liters (1.5 cubic feet) free suit volume resulted in a peak CO partial pressure (pCO) of 0.047 millimeters Hg at 4.3 pounds per square inch absolute (222 millimeters Hg). Preliminary results based on a 2008 model[3] with consideration of the astronaut as a sink and source of CO

Trace-metal accumulation, distribution, and fluxes in forests of the northeastern United States

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Friedland, A.J.

1985-01-01

Forest floor was sampled at 78 sites in nine northeastern states in the USA and analyzed for Cu, Zn, Ni, and Cd. Higher levels of trace metals occurred in the southern half of the study region. Earlier work identified that Pb accumulated in the forest floor of the high-elevation regions of New England. The distribution of Pb, Cu, Zn, Ni, and Cd within the forest floor was studied at three different forested states in New England. The greatest concentration of Pb, Cu, Zn, Ni, and Cd occurred in the Oe horizon of the forest floor in all three forests. Thismore » is the zone of greatest biological activity in the forest floor. Because it receives relatively high rates of atmospheric deposition, Camels Hump in northern Vermont was studied in greater detail. Lead concentration and amount in the forest floor increased between 550 and 1160 m elevation. Comparisons with 1966 and 1977 samples from the same stands showed that Pb, Cu, and Zn concentrations increased by as much as 148% in the intervening 14 years. Estimated deposition rates of Pb, Cu, and Zn based on accumulation rates agreed with regional deposition rates reported in the literature. Lead concentrations were an order of magnitude lower in mineral soil and vegetation than in forest floor. Thus the most likely source of forest floor Pb is the atmosphere. Lead was strongly retained by the forest floor and approximately 3% of the current Pb content of the forest floor is added each year by atmospheric deposition. At the current accumulation rates, the amount of Pb in the forest floor will double in three to four decades.« less

Temperature-dependence of biomass accumulation rates during secondary succession.

PubMed

Anderson, Kristina J; Allen, Andrew P; Gillooly, James F; Brown, James H

2006-06-01

Rates of ecosystem recovery following disturbance affect many ecological processes, including carbon cycling in the biosphere. Here, we present a model that predicts the temperature dependence of the biomass accumulation rate following disturbances in forests. Model predictions are derived based on allometric and biochemical principles that govern plant energetics and are tested using a global database of 91 studies of secondary succession compiled from the literature. The rate of biomass accumulation during secondary succession increases with average growing season temperature as predicted based on the biochemical kinetics of photosynthesis in chloroplasts. In addition, the rate of biomass accumulation is greater in angiosperm-dominated communities than in gymnosperm-dominated ones and greater in plantations than in naturally regenerating stands. By linking the temperature-dependence of photosynthesis to the rate of whole-ecosystem biomass accumulation during secondary succession, our model and results provide one example of how emergent, ecosystem-level rate processes can be predicted based on the kinetics of individual metabolic rate.

Wetlands with greater degree of urbanization improve PM2.5 removal efficiency.

PubMed

Liu, Jiakai; Yan, Guoxin; Wu, Yanan; Wang, Yu; Zhang, Zhenming; Zhang, Mingxiang

2018-09-01

In recent decades, China has experienced both rapid urbanization and heavy air pollution and the rapid urbanization trend would be continue in the next decade. Wetlands have been shown to be efficient in particle removal, primarily through dry deposition and leaf accumulation. Thus, a more comprehensive understanding of PM2.5 removal by wetlands during urbanization processes could inform urban planning. In the current study, three wetland plots, Cuihu Lake Park (CL), Summer Palace (SP), and Olympic Park (OP), were selected as low, medium, and highly degrees of urbanization site respectively based on the proportions of building and traffic district areas to compare the removal efficiencies. Results show the average dry deposition velocity in OP was significantly higher than CL and SP. Dry deposition is mainly influenced by meteorological conditions. Buildings and other infrastructure make the meteorological conditions conducive to deposition, resulting in higher wind velocity, higher temperature, and more intense turbulence between buildings. Variation in leaf accumulation was not statistically significant between the three plots, and plant species was the major factor affecting the amount of accumulation. The dry deposition contribution to particle removal increases with degree of urbanization. The average dry deposition accounted for 39.74%, 52.55%, and 62.75% at low, middle and high level respectively. Therefore, Wetlands with greater degree of urbanization improve PM2.5 removal efficiency primarily by accelerating the dry deposition process. The result emphasizes the importance of wetlands in particle removal in highly urbanized areas and thus more wetlands should be preserved and/or created during urban expansion. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Skeletal accumulation of fluorescently tagged zoledronate is higher in animals with early stage chronic kidney disease.

PubMed

Swallow, E A; Aref, M W; Chen, N; Byiringiro, I; Hammond, M A; McCarthy, B P; Territo, P R; Kamocka, M M; Winfree, S; Dunn, K W; Moe, S M; Allen, M R

2018-06-11

This work examines the skeletal accumulation of fluorescently tagged zoledronate in an animal model of chronic kidney disease. The results show higher accumulation in 24-h post-dose animals with lower kidney function due to greater amounts of binding at individual surfaces. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients suffer from increased rates of skeletal-related mortality from changes driven by biochemical abnormalities. Bisphosphonates are commonly used in reducing fracture risk in a variety of diseases, yet their use is not recommended in advanced stages of CKD. This study aimed to characterize the accumulation of a single dose of fluorescently tagged zoledronate (FAM-ZOL) in the setting of reduced kidney function. At 25 weeks of age, FAM-ZOL was administered to normal and CKD rats. Twenty-four hours later, multiple bones were collected and assessed using bulk fluorescence imaging, two-photon imaging, and dynamic histomorphometry. CKD animals had significantly higher levels of FAM-ZOL accumulation in the proximal tibia, radius, and ulna, but not in lumbar vertebral body or mandible, based on multiple measurement modalities. Although a majority of trabecular bone surfaces were covered with FAM-ZOL in both normal and CKD animals, the latter had significantly higher levels of fluorescence per unit bone surface in the proximal tibia. These results provide new data regarding how reduced kidney function affects drug accumulation in rat bone.

Greater soil carbon accumulation in deeper soils in native- than in exotic-dominated grassland plantings in the southern Plains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilsey, B. J.; Xu, X.; Polley, H. W.; Hofmockel, K. S.

2017-12-01

Global change includes invasion by non-native plant species, and invasion may affect carbon cycling and storage. We tested predictions in central Texas in an experiment that compares mixtures of all exotic or all native species under two summer irrigation treatments (128 or 0 mm) that varies the amount of summer drought stress. At the end of the eighth growing season after establishment, soils were sampled in 10 cm increments to 100 cm depth to determine if soil C differed among treatments, and if treatments differentially affected soil C in deeper soils. Soil C content was significantly (5%) higher under native plantings than under exotic species plantings (P < 0.001). The difference between native and exotic plantings increased with depth, and native plantings had higher soil C in deeper soil layers than in surface layers (native-exotic x depth, P < 0.001). Exotic plantings had decreasing soil C with depth. Soil C:N ratio and δ13C/12C were also significantly affected by native-exotic status, with soils in exotic plots having a significantly greater C4 contribution than native soils. Soil C was unaffected by summer irrigation treatments. Our results suggest that a significant amount of carbon could be sequestered by replacing exotic plant species with native species in the southern Plains, and that more work should be conducted at deeper soil depths. If we had restricted our analyses to surface soil layers (e.g. top 30 cm), we would have failed to detect depth differences between natives and exotics.

Total carbon accumulation in a tropical forest landscape.

PubMed

Sierra, Carlos A; Del Valle, Jorge I; Restrepo, Hector I

2012-12-19

Regrowing tropical forests worldwide sequester important amounts of carbon and restore part of the C emissions emitted by deforestation. However, there are large uncertainties concerning the rates of carbon accumulation after the abandonment of agricultural and pasture land. We report here accumulation of total carbon stocks (TCS) in a chronosequence of secondary forests at a mid-elevation landscape (900-1200 m asl) in the Andean mountains of Colombia. We found positive accumulation rates for all ecosystem pools except soil carbon, which showed no significant trend of recovery after 36 years of secondary succession. We used these data to develop a simple model to predict accumulation of TCS over time. This model performed remarkably well predicting TCS at other chronosequences in the Americas (Root Mean Square Error < 40 Mg C ha-1), which provided an opportunity to explore different assumptions in the calculation of large-scale carbon budgets. Simulations of TCS with our empirical model were used to test three assumptions often made in carbon budgets: 1) the use of carbon accumulation in tree aboveground biomass as a surrogate for accumulation of TCS, 2) the implicit consideration of carbon legacies from previous land-use, and 3) the omission of landscape age in calculating accumulation rates of TCS. Our simulations showed that in many situations carbon can be released from regrowing secondary forests depending on the amount of carbon legacies and the average age of the landscape. In most cases, the rates used to predict carbon accumulation in the Americas were above the rates predicted in our simulations. These biome level rates seemed to be realistic only in landscapes not affected by carbon legacies from previous land-use and mean ages of around 10 years.

Total carbon accumulation in a tropical forest landscape

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Regrowing tropical forests worldwide sequester important amounts of carbon and restore part of the C emissions emitted by deforestation. However, there are large uncertainties concerning the rates of carbon accumulation after the abandonment of agricultural and pasture land. We report here accumulation of total carbon stocks (TCS) in a chronosequence of secondary forests at a mid-elevation landscape (900-1200 m asl) in the Andean mountains of Colombia. Results We found positive accumulation rates for all ecosystem pools except soil carbon, which showed no significant trend of recovery after 36 years of secondary succession. We used these data to develop a simple model to predict accumulation of TCS over time. This model performed remarkably well predicting TCS at other chronosequences in the Americas (Root Mean Square Error < 40 Mg C ha-1), which provided an opportunity to explore different assumptions in the calculation of large-scale carbon budgets. Simulations of TCS with our empirical model were used to test three assumptions often made in carbon budgets: 1) the use of carbon accumulation in tree aboveground biomass as a surrogate for accumulation of TCS, 2) the implicit consideration of carbon legacies from previous land-use, and 3) the omission of landscape age in calculating accumulation rates of TCS. Conclusions Our simulations showed that in many situations carbon can be released from regrowing secondary forests depending on the amount of carbon legacies and the average age of the landscape. In most cases, the rates used to predict carbon accumulation in the Americas were above the rates predicted in our simulations. These biome level rates seemed to be realistic only in landscapes not affected by carbon legacies from previous land-use and mean ages of around 10 years. PMID:23249727

Accumulation of dieldrin in an alga (Scenedesmus obliquus), Daphnia magna, and the guppy (Poecilia reticulata)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reinert, Robert E.

1972-01-01

Scenedesmus obliquus, Daphnia magna, and Poecilia reticulata accumulated dieldrin directly from water; average concentration factors (concentration in organism, dry weight, divided by concentration in water) were 1282 for the alga, 13,954 for D. magna, and 49,307 (estimated) for the guppy. The amount accumulated by each species at equilibrium (after about 1.5, 3-4, and 18 days, respectively) was directly proportional to the concentration of dieldrin in the water. Daphnia magna and guppies accumulated more dieldrin from water than from food that had been exposed to similar concentrations in water. When guppies were fed equal daily rations of D. magna containing different concentrations of insecticide, the amounts of dieldrin accumulated by the fish were directly proportional to the concentration in D. magna; when two lots of guppies were fed different quantities of D. magna (10 and 20 organisms per day) containing identical concentrations of dieldrin, however, the amounts accumulated did not differ substantially.

Electric Charge Accumulation in Polar and Non-Polar Polymers under Electron Beam Irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagasawa, Kenichiro; Honjoh, Masato; Takada, Tatsuo; Miyake, Hiroaki; Tanaka, Yasuhiro

The electric charge accumulation under an electron beam irradiation (40 keV and 60 keV) was measured by using the pressure wave propagation (PWP) method in the dielectric insulation materials, such as polar polymeric films (polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene-naphthalate (PEN), polyimide (PI), and polyethylene-terephthalate (PET)) and non-polar polymeric films (polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)). The PE and PTFE (non-polar polymers) showed the properties of large amount of electric charge accumulation over 50 C/m3 and long saturation time over 80 minutes. The PP and PS (non-polar polymer) showed the properties of middle amount of charge accumulation about 20 C/m3 and middle saturation time about 1 to 20 minutes. The PC, PEN, PI and PET (polar polymers) showed the properties of small amount of charge accumulation about 5 to 20 C/m3 and within short saturation time about 1.0 minutes. This paper summarizes the relationship between the properties of charge accumulation and chemical structural formula, and compares between the electro static potential distribution with negative charged polymer and its chemical structural formula.

The Influence of Dietary Fat on Liver Fat Accumulation

PubMed Central

Green, Charlotte J.; Hodson, Leanne

2014-01-01

Obesity is a known risk factor for the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); however, it has been suggested that dietary fat, both amount and composition, may play a pivotal role in its development, independent of body fatness. Studies that have investigated the role of dietary fat on liver fat accumulation are reasonably sparse. We review here the available work that has investigated the impact of dietary fat: amount, composition and frequency, on liver fat accumulation in human observational and intervention studies. Overall, it would seem that total calorie consumption, rather than dietary fat composition, is an important factor in the development of fatty liver disease in humans. PMID:25389901

Effects of weather, time, and pollution level on the amount of particulate matter deposited on leaves of Ligustrum lucidum.

PubMed

Wang, Huixia; Shi, Hui; Wang, Yanhui

2015-01-01

This paper investigated the spatial and temporal variations in the amounts of PM accumulated on leaves of Ligustrum lucidum, a common evergreen tree species in North China. The effects of rainfall and wind on the amounts of PM deposited on foliage were also determined. The amounts of PM (g · m(-2)) retained by leaves of L. lucidum differed significantly among the sites (from 0.96 to 5.56) and over time (from 2.51 to 4.48). The largest amounts of PM on foliage of L. lucidum were observed on plants growing at the most polluted site. During the year, the highest and lowest accumulation of PM occurred in November and August, respectively. A considerable proportion of the accumulated PM on leaves was removed by rainfall events (28-48% of PM) and strong winds (27-36% of PM), and more precipitation or higher maximum wind speed could remove more PM from leaves. Rainfall removed mainly large and coarse particles, while fine particles adhered more strongly to the foliage. These results suggested that the effects of local weather conditions (e.g., rainfall, strong wind), different seasons, and pollution levels should be considered in evaluating total PM accumulation on leaves.

Greater Soil Carbon Sequestration under Nitrogen-fixing Trees Compared with Eucalyptus Species.

Treesearch

Sigrid C. Resh; Dan Binkley

2002-01-01

Forests with nitrogen-fixing trees (N–fixers) typically accumulate more carbon (C) in soils than similar forests without N–fixing trees. This difference may develop from fundamentally different processes, with either greater accumulation of recently fixed C or reduced decomposition of older soil C. We compared the soil C pools under N–fixers with Eucalyptus (non–N–...

Energy expended and knee joint load accumulated when walking, running, or standing for the same amount of time.

PubMed

Miller, Ross H; Edwards, W Brent; Deluzio, Kevin J

2015-01-01

Evidence suggests prolonged bouts of sitting are unhealthy, and some public health messages have recently recommended replacing sitting with more standing. However, the relative benefits of replacing sitting with standing compared to locomotion are not known. Specifically, the biomechanical consequences of standing compared to other sitting-alternatives like walking and running are not well known and are usually not considered in studies on sitting. We compared the total knee joint load accumulated (TKJLA) and the total energy expended (TEE) when performing either walking, running, or standing for a common exercise bout duration (30 min). Walking and running both (unsurprisingly) had much more TEE than standing (+300% and +1100%, respectively). TKJLA was similar between walking and standing and 74% greater in running. The results suggest that standing is a poor replacement for walking and running if one wishes to increases energy expenditure, and may be particularly questionable for use in individuals at-risk for knee osteoarthritis due to its surprisingly high TKJLA (just as high as walking, 56% of the load in running) and the type of loading (continuous compression) it places on cartilage. However, standing has health benefits as an "inactivity interrupter" that extend beyond its direct energy expenditure. We suggest that future studies on standing as an inactivity intervention consider the potential biomechanical consequences of standing more often throughout the day, particularly in the case of prolonged bouts of standing. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Accumulate repeat accumulate codes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbasfar, A.; Divsalar, D.; Yao, K.

2004-01-01

In this paper we propose an innovative channel coding scheme called Accumulate Repeat Accumulate codes. This class of codes can be viewed as trubo-like codes, namely a double serial concatenation of a rate-1 accumulator as an outer code, a regular or irregular repetition as a middle code, and a punctured accumulator as an inner code.

Tea Catechin Auto-oxidation Dimers are Accumulated and Retained by Caco-2 Human Intestinal Cells

PubMed Central

Neilson, Andrew P.; Song, Brian J.; Sapper, Teryn N.; Bomser, Joshua A.; Ferruzzi, Mario G.

2010-01-01

Despite the presence of bioactive catechin B-ring auto-oxidation dimers in tea, little is known regarding their absorption in humans. Our hypothesis for this research is that catechin auto-oxidation dimers are present in teas and are absorbable by human intestinal epithelial cells. Dimers [theasinensins (THSNs) and P-2 analogs) were quantified in commercial teas by HPLC-MS. (−)-Epigallocatechin (EGC) and (−)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) homodimers were present at 10–43 and 0–62 µmol/g leaf, respectively. EGC-EGCG heterodimers were present at 0–79 µmol/g. The potential intestinal absorption of these dimers was assessed using Caco-2 intestinal cells. Catechin monomers and dimers were detected in cells exposed to media containing monomers and preformed dimers. Accumulation of dimers was significantly greater than monomers from test media. Three h accumulation of EGC and EGCG was 0.19– 0.55% and 1.24–1.35% respectively. Comparatively, 3h accumulation of the EGC P-2 analog, and THSNs C/E was 0.89 ± 0.28% and 1.53 ± 0.36%. Accumulation of P-2, and THSNs A/D was 6.93 ± 2.1%, and 10.1 ± 3.6%. EGCG-EGC heterodimer P-2 analog, and THSN B 3h accumulation was 4.87 ± 2.2%, and 4.65 ± 2.8% respectively. One h retention of P-2, and THSNs A/D was 171 ± 22%, and 29.6 ± 9.3% of accumulated amount suggesting intracellular oxidative conversion of THSNs to P-2. These data suggest that catechin dimers present in the gut lumen may be readily absorbed by intestinal epithelium. PMID:20579525

Mercury source sector asssessment for the Greater Milwaukee Area

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Obenauf, P.; Skavroneck, S.

1997-09-01

The Mercury Reduction Project for the Greater Milwaukee Area is a joint effort of the Pollution Prevention Partnership, Milwaukee Metropolitan Seweage District (MMSD) and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Estimates of the amounts of mercury present, used and/or annually released to air, land and water within the MMSD service area are provided for 25 source sectors. This 420 square mile area (including Milwaukee County and parts of Waukesha, Racine, Ozaukee and Washington Counties) is home to just over 1 million people. The tables and figures summarize the relative amounts of mercury: annually released from purposeful uses; annually released due tomore » trace impurities; and present or in use from the various source sectors in the Greater Milwaukee Area.« less

[Accumulation and degradation of organochorine pesticides in shellfish culture environment in Xiamen sea area].

PubMed

Zhong, Shuo-liang; Dong, Li-ming

2011-09-01

By using GC-ECD, the concentrations of organochlorine pesticides hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) in the shellfish culture environment (sea water, sediments, and culture-shellfishes) in Xiamen sea area were analyzed, and the accumulation and degradation patterns of the HCH and DDT were preliminarily approached. In the sea area, there existed remarkable differences in the accumulation and degradation of HCH and DDT among different shellfish culture environments, being mostly associated with the habitation environment and physiological life habits of shellfish. The accumulated HCH isomers (Rx > 1) were mainly beta-HCH, delta-HCH, and gamma-HCH, whereas the degraded HCH isomers (Rx < 1) were mainly alpha-HCH. The ratio of alpha-HCH to gamma-HCH was less than or equal to 1.0, suggesting that the HCH was come from industrial HCH and lindane, most of the HCH had remained in the culture environment for a longer time, and a small amount of lindane was imported. The DDT in the sea water was aerobically degraded, its main degradation product was DDE, and the ratios of (DDD+DDE) to DDTs (p,p-DDE+p,p-DDD+o,p-DDT+p,p-DDT) was less than 0.5, whereas the DDT in sediments and shellfishes was anaerobically degraded, its main degradation product was DDD, and the ratios of (DDD+DDE) to DDTs was greater than 0.5, suggesting that there was a small amount of DDT newly imported in the sea water, and most DDT in sediments and shellfishes were already degraded and transformed into DDD and DDE. There were definite differences in the degradation rates of HCH isomers in the culture environment, suggesting the conformational change of HCH in its transformation processes in the shellfish culture ecosystem.

Effects of Weather, Time, and Pollution Level on the Amount of Particulate Matter Deposited on Leaves of Ligustrum lucidum

PubMed Central

Wang, Huixia; Shi, Hui; Wang, Yanhui

2015-01-01

This paper investigated the spatial and temporal variations in the amounts of PM accumulated on leaves of Ligustrum lucidum, a common evergreen tree species in North China. The effects of rainfall and wind on the amounts of PM deposited on foliage were also determined. The amounts of PM (g·m−2) retained by leaves of L. lucidum differed significantly among the sites (from 0.96 to 5.56) and over time (from 2.51 to 4.48). The largest amounts of PM on foliage of L. lucidum were observed on plants growing at the most polluted site. During the year, the highest and lowest accumulation of PM occurred in November and August, respectively. A considerable proportion of the accumulated PM on leaves was removed by rainfall events (28–48% of PM) and strong winds (27–36% of PM), and more precipitation or higher maximum wind speed could remove more PM from leaves. Rainfall removed mainly large and coarse particles, while fine particles adhered more strongly to the foliage. These results suggested that the effects of local weather conditions (e.g., rainfall, strong wind), different seasons, and pollution levels should be considered in evaluating total PM accumulation on leaves. PMID:25685849

Effect of collagen turnover on the accumulation of advanced glycation end products.

PubMed

Verzijl, N; DeGroot, J; Thorpe, S R; Bank, R A; Shaw, J N; Lyons, T J; Bijlsma, J W; Lafeber, F P; Baynes, J W; TeKoppele, J M

2000-12-15

Collagen molecules in articular cartilage have an exceptionally long lifetime, which makes them susceptible to the accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). In fact, in comparison to other collagen-rich tissues, articular cartilage contains relatively high amounts of the AGE pentosidine. To test the hypothesis that this higher AGE accumulation is primarily the result of the slow turnover of cartilage collagen, AGE levels in cartilage and skin collagen were compared with the degree of racemization of aspartic acid (% d-Asp, a measure of the residence time of a protein). AGE (N(epsilon)-(carboxymethyl)lysine, N(epsilon)-(carboxyethyl)lysine, and pentosidine) and % d-Asp concentrations increased linearly with age in both cartilage and skin collagen (p < 0.0001). The rate of increase in AGEs was greater in cartilage collagen than in skin collagen (p < 0.0001). % d-Asp was also higher in cartilage collagen than in skin collagen (p < 0.0001), indicating that cartilage collagen has a longer residence time in the tissue, and thus a slower turnover, than skin collagen. In both types of collagen, AGE concentrations increased linearly with % d-Asp (p < 0.0005). Interestingly, the slopes of the curves of AGEs versus % d-Asp, i.e. the rates of accumulation of AGEs corrected for turnover, were identical for cartilage and skin collagen. The present study thus provides the first experimental evidence that protein turnover is a major determinant in AGE accumulation in different collagen types. From the age-related increases in % d-Asp the half-life of cartilage collagen was calculated to be 117 years and that of skin collagen 15 years, thereby providing the first reasonable estimates of the half-lives of these collagens.

Silver accumulation in Pseudomonas stutzeri AG259.

PubMed

Gadd, G M; Laurence, O S; Briscoe, P A; Trevors, J T

1989-01-01

Silver toxicity to Pseudomonas stutzeri AG259 was strongly dependent on the NaCl concentration in the medium, which reduced the availability of Ag+ by precipitation as AgCl. Accumulation of Ag by growing cultures was low being less than or equal to 7.5 nmol (mg dry mass)-1 over all treatments examined. The presence of NaCl in the growth medium did not markedly affect the amounts of Ag accumulated by the cells but influenced toxicity as manifest by a lag period which was greatest at low NaCl concentrations (less than or equal to 0.1% mass/vol.). In NaCl-free medium, P. stutzeri did not grow in the presence of 0.5 mM AgNO3 in contrast to Ag-free controls. The majority of Ag accumulation by resting cells of P. stutzeri occurred within 1 min of incubation and there was little difference in uptake capacities between cells previously grown in the absence or presence of AgNO3. Lowest amounts of Ag uptake by resting cells occurred when suspended in 1 mM Mes pH 6.5, containing 1% (mass/vol.) NaCl. Prior exposure of P. stutzeri to Cu(NO3)2 resulted in a marked reduction in Ag uptake when suspended in 1 mM Mes pH 6.5, containing 0.5 mM AgNO3.

18 CFR 367.2283 - Account 228.3, Accumulated provision for pensions and benefits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

..., Accumulated provision for pensions and benefits. 367.2283 Section 367.2283 Conservation of Power and Water....2283 Account 228.3, Accumulated provision for pensions and benefits. (a) This account must include provisions made by the service company and amounts contributed by employees for pensions, accident and death...

Effect of Various Conditions on Accumulation of Oxytetracycline in Escherichia coli

PubMed Central

Izaki, Kazuo; Arima, Kei

1965-01-01

Izaki, Kazuo (University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan), and Kei Arima. Effect of various conditions on accumulation of oxytetracycline in Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 89:1335–1339. 1965.—Accumulation of large amounts of oxytetracycline occurred in Escherichia coli when the cells were incubated with high concentrations of oxytetracycline (100 to 400 μg/ml) in nutrient broth or in a medium containing glucose, K2HPO4, and MgSO4. In the absence of glucose or MgSO4, the accumulation was very small. The optimal pH for accumulation was about 6.5. Manganous ion could replace Mg++ in promoting the accumulation, though with decreased effectiveness. Malate and succinate were effective promoters of accumulation as well as glucose. Accumulation was inhibited at low temperatures or in the presence of metabolic inhibitors such as 2,4-dinitrophenol or sodium azide. Images PMID:14293007

Traffic Jam at the Blood Brain Barrier Promotes Greater Accumulation of Alzheimer’s Disease Amyloid-β Proteins in the Cerebral Vasculature

PubMed Central

Agyare, Edward K.; Leonard, Sarah R.; Curran, Geoffry L.; Yu, Caroline C.; Lowe, Val J.; Paravastu, Anant K.; Poduslo, Joseph F.; Kandimalla, Karunya K.

2013-01-01

Amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition in the brain vasculature results in cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), which occurs in about 80% of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients. While Aβ42 predominates parenchymal amyloid plaques in AD brain, Aβ40 is prevalent in the cerebrovascular amyloid. Dutch mutation of Aβ40 (E22Q) promotes aggressive cerebrovascular accumulation and leads to severe CAA in the mutation carriers; knowledge of how DutchAβ40 drives this process more efficiently than Aβ40 could reveal various pathophysiological events that promote CAA. In this study we have demonstrated that DutchAβ40 show preferential accumulation in the blood-brain-barrier (BBB) endothelial cells due to its inefficient blood-to-brain transcytosis. Consequently, DutchAβ40 establishes a permeation barrier in the BBB endothelium, prevents its own clearance from the brain and promotes the formation of amyloid deposits in the cerebral microvessels. The BBB endothelial accumulation of native Aβ40 is not robust enough to exercise such a significant impact on its brain clearance. Hence, the cerebrovascular accumulation of Aβ40 is slow and may require other co-pathologies to precipitate into CAA. In conclusion, the magnitude of Aβ accumulation in the BBB endothelial cells is a critical factor that promotes CAA; hence, clearing vascular endothelium of Aβ proteins may halt or even reverse CAA. PMID:23249146

Impact of selenium supply on Se-methylselenocysteine and glucosinolate accumulation in selenium-biofortified Brassica sprouts.

PubMed

Avila, Fabricio William; Yang, Yong; Faquin, Valdemar; Ramos, Silvio Junio; Guilherme, Luiz Roberto G; Thannhauser, Theodore W; Li, Li

2014-12-15

Brassica sprouts are widely marketed as functional foods. Here we examined the effects of Se treatment on the accumulation of anticancer compound Se-methylselenocysteine (SeMSCys) and glucosinolates in Brassica sprouts. Cultivars from the six most extensively consumed Brassica vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, green cabbage, Chinese cabbage, kale, and Brussels sprouts) were used. We found that Se-biofortified Brassica sprouts all were able to synthesize significant amounts of SeMSCys. Analysis of glucosinolate profiles revealed that each Brassica crop accumulated different types and amounts of glucosinolates. Cauliflower sprouts had high total glucosinolate content. Broccoli sprouts contained high levels of glucoraphanin, a precursor for potent anticancer compound. Although studies have reported an inverse relationship between accumulation of Se and glucosinolates in mature Brassica plants, Se supply generally did not affect glucosinolate accumulation in Brassica sprouts. Thus, Brassica vegetable sprouts can be biofortified with Se for the accumulation of SeMSCys without negative effects on chemopreventive glucosinolate contents. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Accumulation of evidence during sequential decision making: the importance of top-down factors.

PubMed

de Lange, Floris P; Jensen, Ole; Dehaene, Stanislas

2010-01-13

In the last decade, great progress has been made in characterizing the accumulation of neural information during simple unitary perceptual decisions. However, much less is known about how sequentially presented evidence is integrated over time for successful decision making. The aim of this study was to study the mechanisms of sequential decision making in humans. In a magnetoencephalography (MEG) study, we presented healthy volunteers with sequences of centrally presented arrows. Sequence length varied between one and five arrows, and the accumulated directions of the arrows informed the subject about which hand to use for a button press at the end of the sequence (e.g., LRLRR should result in a right-hand press). Mathematical modeling suggested that nonlinear accumulation was the rational strategy for performing this task in the presence of no or little noise, whereas quasilinear accumulation was optimal in the presence of substantial noise. MEG recordings showed a correlate of evidence integration over parietal and central cortex that was inversely related to the amount of accumulated evidence (i.e., when more evidence was accumulated, neural activity for new stimuli was attenuated). This modulation of activity likely reflects a top-down influence on sensory processing, effectively constraining the influence of sensory information on the decision variable over time. The results indicate that, when making decisions on the basis of sequential information, the human nervous system integrates evidence in a nonlinear manner, using the amount of previously accumulated information to constrain the accumulation of additional evidence.

Gas hydrate accumulation at the Hakon Mosby Mud Volcano

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ginsburg, G.D.; Milkov, A.V.; Soloviev, V.A.; Egorov, A.V.; Cherkashev, G.A.; Vogt, P.R.; Crane, K.; Lorenson, T.D.; Khutorskoy, M.D.

1999-01-01

Gas hydrate (GH) accumulation is characterized and modeled for the Hakon Mosby mud volcano, ca. 1.5 km across, located on the Norway-Barents-Svalbard margin. Pore water chemical and isotopic results based on shallow sediment cores as well as geothermal and geomorphological data suggest that the GH accumulation is of a concentric pattern controlled by and formed essentially from the ascending mud volcano fluid. The gas hydrate content of sediment peaks at 25% by volume, averaging about 1.2% throughout the accumulation. The amount of hydrate methane is estimated at ca. 108 m3 STP, which could account for about 1-10% of the gas that has escaped from the volcano since its origin.

Cadmium uptake, accumulation, and remobilization in iron plaque and rice tissues at different growth stages.

PubMed

Zhou, Hang; Zhu, Wei; Yang, Wen-Tao; Gu, Jiao-Feng; Gao, Zi-Xiang; Chen, Li-Wei; Du, Wen-Qi; Zhang, Ping; Peng, Pei-Qin; Liao, Bo-Han

2018-05-15

Rice consumption is considered the main source of human dietary Cd intake in Southeast Asia. This study aimed to investigate Cd uptake, accumulation, and remobilization in iron plaque and rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. 'Xiangwanxian 12') tissues at different growth stages. A pot experiment was performed in two Cd-contaminated paddy soils. Cd concentrations in iron plaque and rice tissues at five different growth stages (tillering, booting, milky, dough, and maturing) were measured. Cd concentrations in iron plaque and rice tissues (roots, stems, leaves, spikelet, husks, and brown rice) varied with growth stage. Cd accumulation in rice plants increased with extending growth in both soils, reaching 15.3 and 35.4μg/pot, respectively, at the maturing stage. The amounts of Cd in brown rice increased from the milky to maturing stages, with the greatest percentage uptake during the maturing stage. Cd amount in iron plaque significantly affected the uptake and accumulation of Cd in roots and aerial parts of rice plants. Accumulated Cd in leaves was remobilized and transported during the booting to maturing stages, and the contributions of Cd transportation from leaves to brown rice were 30.0% and 22.5% in the two soils, respectively. A large amount of Cd accumulated in brown rice during the maturing stage. The transportation of remobilized Cd from leaves was also important for the accumulation of Cd in brown rice. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of season and storage period on accumulation of individual carotenoids in pumpkin flesh (Cucurbita moschata).

PubMed

Jaswir, Irwandi; Shahidan, Norshazila; Othman, Rashidi; Has-Yun Hashim, Yumi Zuhanis; Octavianti, Fitri; bin Salleh, Mohammad Noor

2014-01-01

Carotenoids are antioxidants with pharmaceutical potential. The major carotenoids important to humans are α-carotene, β-carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and β-cryptoxanthin. Some of the biological functions and actions of these individual carotenoids are quite similar to each other, whereas others are specific. Besides genotype and location, other environmental effects such as temperature, light, mineral uptake, and pH have been found affect carotenoid development in plant tissues and organs. Therefore, this research investigated the effects of the season and storage periods during postharvest handling on the accumulation of carotenoid in pumpkin. This study shows that long-term storage of pumpkins resulted in the accumulation of lutein and β-carotene with a slight decrease in zeaxanthin. The amounts of β-carotene ranged from 174.583±2.105 mg/100g to 692.871±22.019 mg/100g, lutein from 19.841±9.693 mg/100g to 59.481±1.645 mg/100g, and zeaxanthin from not detected to 2.709±0.118 mg/100g. The pumpkins were collected three times in a year; they differed in that zeaxanthin was present only in the first season, while the amounts of β-carotene and lutein were the highest in the second and third seasons, respectively. By identifying the key factors among the postharvest handling conditions that control specific carotenoid accumulations, a greater understanding of how to enhance the nutritional values of pumpkin and other crops will be gained. Postharvest storage conditions can markedly enhance and influence the levels of zeaxanthin, lutein, and β-carotene in pumpkin. This study describes how the magnitudes of these effects depend on the storage period and season.

Rice bran oil and oryzanol reduce plasma lipid and lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations and aortic cholesterol ester accumulation to a greater extent than ferulic acid in hypercholesterolemic hamsters.

PubMed

Wilson, Thomas A; Nicolosi, Robert J; Woolfrey, Benjamin; Kritchevsky, David

2007-02-01

plasma triglyceride concentrations compared to the control (-53% and -65%, respectively) and ferulic acid (-47% and -60%, respectively) diets. Hamsters fed the control and ferulic acid diets had significantly higher plasma vitamin E concentrations compared to the RBO (201% and 161%, respectively) and oryzanol (548% and 462%, respectively) diets; the ferulic acid and oryzanol diets had significantly lower plasma lipid hydroperoxide levels than the control (-57% and -46%, respectively) diet. The oryzanol-fed hamsters excreted significantly more coprostenol and cholesterol in their feces than the ferulic acid (127% and 120%, respectively) diet. The control diet had significantly greater aortic TC and FC accumulation compared to the RBO (115% and 89%, respectively), ferulic acid (48% and 58%, respectively) and the oryzanol (74% and 70%, respectively) diets. However, only the RBO and oryzanol diets had significantly lower aortic cholesterol ester accumulation compared to the control (-73% and -46%, respectively) diet. The present study suggests that at equal dietary levels, oryzanol has a greater effect on lowering plasma non-HDL-C levels and raising plasma HDL-C than ferulic acid, possibly through a greater extent to increase fecal excretion of cholesterol and its metabolites. However, ferulic acid may have a greater antioxidant capacity via its ability to maintain serum vitamin E levels compared to RBO and oryzanol. Thus, both oryzanol and ferulic acid may exert similar antiatherogenic properties, but through different mechanisms.

Memory Accumulation Mechanisms in Human Cortex Are Independent of Motor Intentions

PubMed Central

Tosoni, Annalisa; Mignogna, Valeria; McAvoy, Mark P.; Shulman, Gordon L.; Corbetta, Maurizio; Romani, Gian Luca

2014-01-01

Previous studies on perceptual decision-making have often emphasized a tight link between decisions and motor intentions. Human decisions, however, also depend on memories or experiences that are not closely tied to specific motor responses. Recent neuroimaging findings have suggested that, during episodic retrieval, parietal activity reflects the accumulation of evidence for memory decisions. It is currently unknown, however, whether these evidence accumulation signals are functionally linked to signals for motor intentions coded in frontoparietal regions and whether activity in the putative memory accumulator tracks the amount of evidence for only previous experience, as reflected in “old” reports, or for both old and new decisions, as reflected in the accuracy of memory judgments. Here, human participants used saccadic-eye and hand-pointing movements to report recognition judgments on pictures defined by different degrees of evidence for old or new decisions. A set of cortical regions, including the middle intraparietal sulcus, showed a monotonic variation of the fMRI BOLD signal that scaled with perceived memory strength (older > newer), compatible with an asymmetrical memory accumulator. Another set, including the hippocampus and the angular gyrus, showed a nonmonotonic response profile tracking memory accuracy (higher > lower evidence), compatible with a symmetrical accumulator. In contrast, eye and hand effector-specific regions in frontoparietal cortex tracked motor intentions but were not modulated by the amount of evidence for the effector outcome. We conclude that item recognition decisions are supported by a combination of symmetrical and asymmetrical accumulation signals largely segregated from motor intentions. PMID:24828652

Organic carbon accumulation in Brazilian mangal sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanders, Christian J.; Smoak, Joseph M.; Sanders, Luciana M.; Sathy Naidu, A.; Patchineelam, Sambasiva R.

2010-12-01

This study reviews the organic carbon (OC) accumulation rates in mangrove forests, margins and intertidal mudflats in geographically distinct areas along the Brazilian coastline (Northeastern to Southern). Our initial results indicate that the mangrove forests in the Northeastern region of Brazil are accumulating more OC (353 g/m 2/y) than in the Southeastern areas (192 g/m 2/y) being that the sediment accumulation rates, 2.8 and 2.5 mm/y, and OC content ˜7.1% and ˜5.8% (dry sediment weight) were contributing factors to the discrepancies between the forests. The intertidal mudflats on the other hand showed substantially greater OC accumulation rates, sedimentation rates and content 1129 g/m 2/y and 234 g/m 2/y; 7.3 and 3.4 mm/y; 10.3% and ˜2.7% (OC of dry sediment weight content), respectively, in the Northeastern compared to the Southeastern region. Mangrove forests in the South-Southeastern regions of Brazil may be more susceptible to the rising sea level, as they are geographically constricted by the vast mountain ranges along the coastline.

Accumulation of intra-cellular polyphosphate in Chlorella vulgaris cells is related to indole-3-acetic acid produced by Azospirillum brasilense.

PubMed

Meza, Beatriz; de-Bashan, Luz E; Hernandez, Juan-Pablo; Bashan, Yoav

2015-06-01

Accumulation of intra-cellular phosphate, as polyphosphate, was measured when the microalga Chlorella vulgaris was immobilized in alginate with either of two wild-type strains of the microalgae growth-promoting bacterium Azospirillum brasilense or their corresponding IAA-attenuated mutants. Wild type strains of A. brasilense induced higher amounts of intra-cellular phosphate in Chlorella than their respective mutants. Calculations comparing intra-cellular phosphate accumulation by culture or net accumulation by the cell and the amount of IAA that was produced by each of these strains revealed that higher IAA was linked to higher accumulations of intra-cellular phosphate. Application of four levels of exogenous IAA reported for A. brasilense and their IAA-attenuated mutants to cultures of C. vulgaris enhanced accumulation of intra-cellular phosphate; the higher the content of IAA per culture or per single cell, the higher was the amount of accumulated phosphate. When an IAA-attenuated mutant was complemented with exogenous IAA, accumulation of intra-cellular phosphate at the culture level was even higher than phosphate accumulation with the respective wild type strains. When calculating the net accumulation of intra-cellular phosphate in the complementation experiment, net intra-cellular phosphate induced by the IAA-attenuated mutant was completely restored and was similar to the wild strains. We propose that IAA produced by A. brasilense is linked to polyphosphate accumulation in C. vulgaris. Copyright © 2015 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Clot accumulation characteristics of plasminogen-bearing liposomes in a flow-system. Groningen Utrecht Institute for Drug Exploration.

PubMed

Heeremans, J L; Prevost, R; Feitsma, H; Kluft, C; Crommelin, D J

1998-01-01

In this study, the clot accumulation properties of liposome-coupled plasminogen were compared to those of free (non-liposomal) plasminogen in an in vitro, closed-loop, flow-system. After introduction of a clot into the closed system, double-radiolabelled plasminogen-liposomes were administered and the accumulation of radiolabel on the entire clot was measured. Liposomal plasminogen showed improved accumulation over free plasminogen, on both a fibrin clot and a whole blood clot. Moreover, once liposomal plasminogen was fibrin associated, it could not be washed away with buffer, in contrast to free plasminogen. Liposomal plasminogen was able to compete successfully with an excess of free plasminogen. The plateau levels for the accumulated amount of plasminogen depended on the incubated amount of plasminogen and were influenced by partial degradation of the clot. Furthermore, it was shown that a threshold liposomal plasminogen surface-density was needed for optimum clot accumulation.

Oleaginous yeasts from Antarctica: Screening and preliminary approach on lipid accumulation.

PubMed

Viñarta, Silvana C; Angelicola, M Virginia; Barros, J Maximiliano; Fernández, Pablo M; Mac Cormak, Walter; Aybar, Manuel J; de Figueroa, Lucía I C

2016-12-01

The capability of 17 Rhodotorula spp. isolated from Antarctica to accumulate intracellular lipids in nitrogen-limited medium was investigated. As results, 10 isolates were selected by Nile red staining, while 12 isolates were selected as oleaginous by analysis of total lipid content (20.4-73%, w/w of dry biomass). The higher lipid production and accumulation was exhibited for six strains belonging to three species of Rhodotorula (Rhodotorula glutinis, Rhodotorula glacialis, and Rhodotorula laryngis). This is the first report where R. laryngis have been identified within oleaginous specie. Lipid accumulation was evaluated comparatively in two nitrogen-limited glucose-based media (MI and MII). MI (low C/N ratio) was more suitable for biomass and lipid production while in MII (high C/N ratio) total lipid content was improved. R. glutinis R4, R. glacialis R15, and R. glutinis R48 showed high lipid concentrations (4.65-6.93 g L -1 ) and they were able to accumulate large amounts of lipids per gram of biomass (47-77%, w/w). A similar profile in fatty acids composition and content of neutral lipids to vegetable oils was observed, indicating that lipids produced by oleaginous Antarctic yeasts can be considered an alternative feedstock for biodiesel production. Antarctica represents an important source of oleaginous yeasts with adaptive capabilities to accumulate considerable amounts of lipids with biotechnological interest at 15 °C and 25 °C. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Loss-free method of charging accumulator rings

DOEpatents

Maschke, Alfred W.

1979-01-01

A method for the production of high current pulses of heavy ions having an atomic weight greater than 100. Also a linear accelerator based apparatus for carrying out said method. Pulses formed by the method of the subject invention are suitable for storage in a storage ring. The accumulated pulses may be used in inertial fusion apparatus.

Accumulate repeat accumulate codes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbasfar, Aliazam; Divsalar, Dariush; Yao, Kung

2004-01-01

In this paper we propose an innovative channel coding scheme called 'Accumulate Repeat Accumulate codes' (ARA). This class of codes can be viewed as serial turbo-like codes, or as a subclass of Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) codes, thus belief propagation can be used for iterative decoding of ARA codes on a graph. The structure of encoder for this class can be viewed as precoded Repeat Accumulate (RA) code or as precoded Irregular Repeat Accumulate (IRA) code, where simply an accumulator is chosen as a precoder. Thus ARA codes have simple, and very fast encoder structure when they representing LDPC codes. Based on density evolution for LDPC codes through some examples for ARA codes, we show that for maximum variable node degree 5 a minimum bit SNR as low as 0.08 dB from channel capacity for rate 1/2 can be achieved as the block size goes to infinity. Thus based on fixed low maximum variable node degree, its threshold outperforms not only the RA and IRA codes but also the best known LDPC codes with the dame maximum node degree. Furthermore by puncturing the accumulators any desired high rate codes close to code rate 1 can be obtained with thresholds that stay close to the channel capacity thresholds uniformly. Iterative decoding simulation results are provided. The ARA codes also have projected graph or protograph representation that allows for high speed decoder implementation.

26 CFR 1.535-3 - Accumulated earnings credit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... section 243(b)(3) and § 1.243-5 (relating to effect of 100-percent dividends received deduction under... way create an inference that an accumulation in excess of $150,000 ($100,000 in the case of taxable...,000 and that a deduction has been allowed under section 535(b)(6) in the amount of $5,000. Since the...

Accumulation of cadmium, zinc, and copper by Helianthus annuus L.: impact on plant growth and uptake of nutritional elements.

PubMed

Rivelli, Anna Rita; De Maria, Susanna; Puschenreiter, Markus; Gherbin, Piergiorgio

2012-04-01

We investigated the effects on physiological response, trace elements and nutrients accumulation of sunflower plants grown in soil contaminated with: 5 mg kg(-1) of Cd; 5 and 300 mg kg(-1) of Cd and Zn, respectively; 5, 300, and 400 mg kg(-1) of Cd, Zn, and Cu, respectively. Contaminants applied did not produce large effects on growth, except in Cd-Zn-Cu treatment in which leaf area and total dry matter were reduced, by 15%. The contamination with Cd alone did not affect neither growth nor physiological parameters, despite considerable amounts of Cd accumulated in roots and older leaves, with a high bioconcentration factor from soil to plant. By adding Zn and then Cu to Cd in soil, significant were the toxic effects on chlorophyll content and water relations due to greater accumulation of trace elements in tissues, with imbalances in nutrients uptake. Highly significant was the interaction between shoot elements concentration (Cd, Zn, Cu, Fe, Mg, K, Ca) and treatments. Heavy metals concentrations in roots always exceeded those in stem and leaves, with a lower translocation from roots to shoots, suggesting a strategy of sunflower to compartmentalise the potentially toxic elements in physiologically less active parts in order to preserve younger tissues.

Soil geochemical factors regulate Cd accumulation by metal hyperaccumulating Noccaea caerulescens (J. Presl & C. Presl) F.K. Mey in field-contaminated soils.

PubMed

Rosenfeld, Carla E; Chaney, Rufus L; Martínez, Carmen E

2018-03-01

Cadmium contamination in soil is a substantial global problem, and of significant concern due to high food-chain transfer. Cadmium hyperaccumulators are of particular interest because of their ability to tolerate and take up significant amounts of heavy metal pollution from soils. One particular plant, Noccaea caerulescens (formerly, Thlaspi caerulescens), has been extensively studied in terms of its capacity to accumulate heavy metals (specifically Zn and Cd), though these studies have primarily utilized hydroponic and metal-spiked model soil systems. We studied Cd and nutrient uptake by two N. caerulescens ecotypes, Prayon (Zn-only hyperaccumulator) and Ganges (Zn- and Cd-hyperaccumulator) in four long-term field-contaminated soils. Our data suggest that individual soil properties such as total soil Cd, Zn:Cd molar ratio, or soil pH do not accurately predict Cd uptake by hyperaccumulating plants. Additionally, total Cd uptake by the hyperaccumulating Ganges ecotype was substantially less than its physiological capacity, which is likely due to Cd-containing solid phases (primarily iron oxides) and pH that play an important role in regulating and limiting Cd solubility. Increased P accumulation in the Ganges leaves, and greater plant Fe accumulation from Cd-containing soils suggests that rhizosphere alterations via proton, and potentially organic acid, secretion may also play a role in nutrient and Cd acquisition by the plant roots. The current study highlights the role that soil geochemical factors play in influencing Cd uptake by hyperaccumulating plants. While these plants may have high physiological potential to accumulate metals from contaminated soils, individual soil geochemical factors and the plant-soil interactions in that soil will dictate the actual amount of phytoextractable metal. This underlines the need for site-specific understanding of metal-containing solid phases and geochemical properties of soils before undertaking phytoextraction efforts

Accumulation of silymarin in milk thistle seeds under drought stress.

PubMed

Keshavarz Afshar, Reza; Chaichi, Mohammad Reza; Ansari Jovini, Mahya; Jahanzad, Emad; Hashemi, Masoud

2015-09-01

According to the results obtained in this study, drought stress can enhance the accumulation of silymarin in milk thistle seeds. Moreover, under drought stress, the share of silybin increased which possess the greatest degree of biological activity among the silymarin components. Silymarin, an isomeric mixture of flavonolignans found in milk thistle (Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn) seeds, has been used for its hepatoprotective effects for more than 2,000 years. Biosynthesis and accumulation of active substances like silymarin in plant tissues highly interacts with the environmental conditions. Effects of moderate and severe drought stress (based on soil moisture depletion) on silymarin content and composition in milk thistle seeds were evaluated in a field study. Averaged across treatments, milk thistle seeds contained 19.3 g kg(-1) silymarin. Drought stress enhanced silymarin accumulation in milk thistle seeds. Plants grown under moderate and severe drought stress treatments contained 4 and 17 % greater silymarin than those grown in well-watered condition, respectively. Greater content of sylimarin in stressed plants was attributed to more contents of silybin, isosilybin and silychristin, while silydianin content was lower under drought condition. According to the results obtained in this study, drought stress enhanced accumulation of silymarin in milk thistle seeds and improved its quality by increasing the share of silybin, which possess the greatest degree of biological activity among the silymarin components.

The lipid accumulation product as a useful index for identifying abnormal glucose regulation in young Korean women.

PubMed

Oh, J-Y; Sung, Y-A; Lee, H J

2013-04-01

The lipid accumulation product, a combination of waist circumference and triglycerides concentration, has been suggested as a better marker for abnormal glucose regulation than BMI. We aimed to compare the lipid accumulation product and BMI as useful markers for abnormal glucose regulation in young Korean women. The lipid accumulation product was calculated using the formula [waist circumference (cm) - 58] × triglycerides (mmol/l). Glucose tolerance status was determined using a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test in 2810 Korean women aged 18-39 years from the general population. The prevalence of abnormal glucose regulation was 6.8% (isolated impaired fasting glucose 1.8%, isolated impaired glucose tolerance 4.0%; impaired fasting glucose + impaired glucose tolerance 0.4% and diabetes mellitus 0.6%). According to the quintile distributions of the lipid accumulation product and BMI, women with a lipid accumulation product quintile greater than their BMI quintile exhibited significantly greater areas under the curve and higher levels of 2-h post-load glucose, insulin, homeostasis model analysis of insulin resistance and lipid profiles than did women with a BMI quintile greater than their lipid accumulation product quintile. Multiple logistic regression revealed that the lipid accumulation product exhibited a higher odds ratio for abnormal glucose regulation than did BMI after adjusting for age, systolic blood pressure, HDL cholesterol, previous history of gestational diabetes and family history of diabetes (odds ratios 3.5 and 2.6 of the highest vs. the lowest quintiles of lipid accumulation product and BMI, respectively). The lipid accumulation product could be useful for identifying the young Korean women with abnormal glucose regulation. © 2012 The Authors. Diabetic Medicine © 2012 Diabetes UK.

Heat exchanger-accumulator

DOEpatents

Ecker, Amir L.

1980-01-01

What is disclosed is a heat exchanger-accumulator for vaporizing a refrigerant or the like, characterized by an upright pressure vessel having a top, bottom and side walls; an inlet conduit eccentrically and sealingly penetrating through the top; a tubular overflow chamber disposed within the vessel and sealingly connected with the bottom so as to define an annular outer volumetric chamber for receiving refrigerant; a heat transfer coil disposed in the outer volumetric chamber for vaporizing the liquid refrigerant that accumulates there; the heat transfer coil defining a passageway for circulating an externally supplied heat exchange fluid; transferring heat efficiently from the fluid; and freely allowing vaporized refrigerant to escape upwardly from the liquid refrigerant; and a refrigerant discharge conduit penetrating sealingly through the top and traversing substantially the length of the pressurized vessel downwardly and upwardly such that its inlet is near the top of the pressurized vessel so as to provide a means for transporting refrigerant vapor from the vessel. The refrigerant discharge conduit has metering orifices, or passageways, penetrating laterally through its walls near the bottom, communicating respectively interiorly and exteriorly of the overflow chamber for controllably carrying small amounts of liquid refrigerant and oil to the effluent stream of refrigerant gas.

Determinants of reinforcer accumulation during an operant task.

PubMed

McFarland, J M; Lattal, K A

2001-11-01

Responses by rats on an earn lever made available food pellets that were delivered to a food cup by responses on a second, collect, lever. The rats could either collect and immediately consume or accumulate (defined as the percentage of multiple earn responses and as the number of pellets earned before a collect response) earned pellets. In Experiment 1, accumulation varied as a function of variations in the earn or collect response requirements and whether the earn and collect levers were proximal (31 cm) or distal (248 cm) to one another. Some accumulation occurred under all but one of the conditions, but generally was higher when the earn and collect levers were distal to one another, particularly when the earn response requirement was fixed-ratio (FR) 1. In Experiment 2, the contributions of responses and time to accumulation were assessed by comparing an FR 20 earn response requirement to a condition in which only a single earn response was required at the end of a time interval nominally yoked to the FR interval. When 248 cm separated the earn and collect levers, accumulation was always greater in the FR condition, and it was not systematically related to reinforcement rate. In Experiment 3, increasing the earn response requirement with a progressive-ratio schedule that reset only with a collect response increased the likelihood of accumulation when the collect and earn levers were 248 cm apart, even though such accumulation increased the next earn response requirement. Reinforcer accumulation is an understudied dimension of operant behavior that relates to the analysis of such phenomena as hoarding and self-control, in that they too involve accumulating versus immediately collecting or consuming reinforcers.

Fertilizer Response and Biomass Accumulation of a 5-year-old Sweetgum Plantation

Treesearch

Timothy T. Ku; John K. Francis; Charles R. Blinn

1981-01-01

A sweetgum plantation was established in 1975 to evaluate the effects of N, P fertilizers on growth and biomass accumulation. Positive response to the N and, to a lesser degree, the N + P treatment were noted the first year after fertilization. At age 5, total biomass averaged 2.5 T/ha: 25% leaves, 25% branches and 49% stems. Biomass accumulation was 50% greater on N...

The toxic effects of diethyl phthalate on the activity of glutamine synthetase in greater duckweed (Spirodela polyrhiza L.).

PubMed

Cheng, Tai-Sheng

2012-11-15

The toxic effects of diethyl phthalate (DEP), a potent allelochemical, on the enzyme activity and polypeptide accumulation of glutamine synthetase (GS) in greater duckweed were investigated. In our previous studies, DEP induced oxidative responses at concentrations from 0.5 to 2 mM in greater duckweed and the antioxidant enzymes played important roles in the defense strategy against DEP stress. In this study, DAB-H(2)O(2) and NBT stain for superoxide radicals (O(2)(·-)), lipid peroxidation, HSP70, and ammonia accumulation in DEP-treated duckweed tissues revealed adverse effect of DEP in plant growth. Biochemical analysis and physiological methods were combined to investigate GS activity and polypeptide accumulation under DEP-induced stress. The results showed that GS activity was reduced with the increasing concentration of DEP, indicative of enhanced toxic effect. Immunoblot analysis with chloroplast soluble fractions indicated that the chloroplastic GS (GS2) polypeptide from greater duckweed was degraded under DEP stress conditions. The response of GS2 to the DEP stress may be modulated by means of redox change in plant tissues, chloroplasts, and chloroplast lysates. The results suggest that DEP is toxic to the greater duckweed by inhibition of the GS isoenzymes in nitrogen assimilation and the GS2 plays important roles in the adaptation strategy against DEP toxicity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Self-Control Assessments of Capuchin Monkeys With the Rotating Tray Task and the Accumulation Task

PubMed Central

Beran, Michael J.; Perdue, Bonnie M.; Rossettie, Mattea S.; James, Brielle T.; Whitham, Will; Walker, Bradlyn; Futch, Sara E.; Parrish, Audrey E.

2016-01-01

Recent studies of delay of gratification in capuchin monkeys using a rotating tray (RT) task have shown improved self-control performance in these animals in comparison to the accumulation (AC) task. In this study, we investigated whether this improvement resulted from the difference in methods between the rotating tray task and previous tests, or whether it was the result of greater overall experience with delay of gratification tasks. Experiment 1 produced similar performance levels by capuchins monkeys in the RT and AC tasks when identical reward and temporal parameters were used. Experiment 2 demonstrated a similar result using reward amounts that were more similar to previous AC experiments with these monkeys. In Experiment 3, monkeys performed multiple versions of the AC task with varied reward and temporal parameters. Their self-control behavior was found to be dependent on the overall delay to reward consumption, rather than the overall reward amount ultimately consumed. These findings indicate that these capuchin monkeys’ self-control capacities were more likely to have improved across studies because of the greater experience they had with delay of gratification tasks. Experiment 4 and Experiment 5 tested new, task-naïve monkeys on both tasks, finding more limited evidence of self-control, and no evidence that one task was more beneficial than the other in promoting self-control. The results of this study suggest that future testing of this kind should focus on temporal parameters and reward magnitude parameters to establish accurate measures of delay of gratification capacity and development in this species and perhaps others. PMID:27298233

Distinct spatiotemporal accumulation of N-truncated and full-length amyloid-β42 in Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Shinohara, Mitsuru; Koga, Shunsuke; Konno, Takuya; Nix, Jeremy; Shinohara, Motoko; Aoki, Naoya; Das, Pritam; Parisi, Joseph E; Petersen, Ronald C; Rosenberry, Terrone L; Dickson, Dennis W; Bu, Guojun

2017-12-01

Accumulation of amyloid-β peptides is a dominant feature in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease; however, it is not clear how individual amyloid-β species accumulate and affect other neuropathological and clinical features in the disease. Thus, we compared the accumulation of N-terminally truncated amyloid-β and full-length amyloid-β, depending on disease stage as well as brain area, and determined how these amyloid-β species respectively correlate with clinicopathological features of Alzheimer's disease. To this end, the amounts of amyloid-β species and other proteins related to amyloid-β metabolism or Alzheimer's disease were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) or theoretically calculated in 12 brain regions, including neocortical, limbic and subcortical areas from Alzheimer's disease cases (n = 19), neurologically normal elderly without amyloid-β accumulation (normal ageing, n = 13), and neurologically normal elderly with cortical amyloid-β accumulation (pathological ageing, n = 15). We observed that N-terminally truncated amyloid-β42 and full-length amyloid-β42 accumulations distributed differently across disease stages and brain areas, while N-terminally truncated amyloid-β40 and full-length amyloid-β40 accumulation showed an almost identical distribution pattern. Cortical N-terminally truncated amyloid-β42 accumulation was increased in Alzheimer's disease compared to pathological ageing, whereas cortical full-length amyloid-β42 accumulation was comparable between Alzheimer's disease and pathological ageing. Moreover, N-terminally truncated amyloid-β42 were more likely to accumulate more in specific brain areas, especially some limbic areas, while full-length amyloid-β42 tended to accumulate more in several neocortical areas, including frontal cortices. Immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry analysis showed that several N-terminally truncated amyloid-β42 species, represented by pyroglutamylated amyloid-β11

Isolation of baker's yeast mutants with proline accumulation that showed enhanced tolerance to baking-associated stresses.

PubMed

Tsolmonbaatar, Ariunzaya; Hashida, Keisuke; Sugimoto, Yukiko; Watanabe, Daisuke; Furukawa, Shuhei; Takagi, Hiroshi

2016-12-05

During bread-making processes, yeast cells are exposed to baking-associated stresses such as freeze-thaw, air-drying, and high-sucrose concentrations. Previously, we reported that self-cloning diploid baker's yeast strains that accumulate proline retained higher-level fermentation abilities in both frozen and sweet doughs than the wild-type strain. Although self-cloning yeasts do not have to be treated as genetically modified yeasts, the conventional methods for breeding baker's yeasts are more acceptable to consumers than the use of self-cloning yeasts. In this study, we isolated mutants resistant to the proline analogue azetidine-2-carboxylate (AZC) derived from diploid baker's yeast of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Some of the mutants accumulated a greater amount of intracellular proline, and among them, 5 mutants showed higher cell viability than that observed in the parent wild-type strain under freezing or high-sucrose stress conditions. Two of them carried novel mutations in the PRO1 gene encoding the Pro247Ser or Glu415Lys variant of γ-glutamyl kinase (GK), which is a key enzyme in proline biosynthesis in S. cerevisiae. Interestingly, we found that these mutations resulted in AZC resistance of yeast cells and desensitization to proline feedback inhibition of GK, leading to intracellular proline accumulation. Moreover, baker's yeast cells expressing the PRO1 P247S and PRO1 E415K gene were more tolerant to freezing stress than cells expressing the wild-type PRO1 gene. The approach described here could be a practical method for the breeding of proline-accumulating baker's yeasts with higher tolerance to baking-associated stresses. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Accumulation of Mn(II) in Deinococcus radiodurans Facilitates Gamma-Radiation Resistance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Daly, Michael J.; Gaidamakova, E; Matrosova, V

2004-11-05

Deinococcus radiodurans is extremely resistant to ionizing radiation. How this bacterium can grow under chronic gamma-radiation (50 Gy/hour) or recover from acute doses greater than 10 kGy is unknown. We show that D. radiodurans accumulates very high intracellular manganese and low iron levels compared to radiation sensitive bacteria, and resistance exhibits a concentration-dependent response to Mn(II). Among the most radiation-resistant bacterial groups reported, Deinococcus, Enterococcus, Lactobacillus and cyanobacteria spp. accumulate Mn(II). In contrast, Shewanella oneidensis and Pseudomonas putida have high Fe but low intracellular Mn concentrations and are very sensitive. We propose that Mn(II) accumulation facilitates recovery from radiation injury.

Determinants of reinforcer accumulation during an operant task.

PubMed Central

McFarland, J M; Lattal, K A

2001-01-01

Responses by rats on an earn lever made available food pellets that were delivered to a food cup by responses on a second, collect, lever. The rats could either collect and immediately consume or accumulate (defined as the percentage of multiple earn responses and as the number of pellets earned before a collect response) earned pellets. In Experiment 1, accumulation varied as a function of variations in the earn or collect response requirements and whether the earn and collect levers were proximal (31 cm) or distal (248 cm) to one another. Some accumulation occurred under all but one of the conditions, but generally was higher when the earn and collect levers were distal to one another, particularly when the earn response requirement was fixed-ratio (FR) 1. In Experiment 2, the contributions of responses and time to accumulation were assessed by comparing an FR 20 earn response requirement to a condition in which only a single earn response was required at the end of a time interval nominally yoked to the FR interval. When 248 cm separated the earn and collect levers, accumulation was always greater in the FR condition, and it was not systematically related to reinforcement rate. In Experiment 3, increasing the earn response requirement with a progressive-ratio schedule that reset only with a collect response increased the likelihood of accumulation when the collect and earn levers were 248 cm apart, even though such accumulation increased the next earn response requirement. Reinforcer accumulation is an understudied dimension of operant behavior that relates to the analysis of such phenomena as hoarding and self-control, in that they too involve accumulating versus immediately collecting or consuming reinforcers. PMID:11768714

Sleep and Delinquency: Does the Amount of Sleep Matter?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clinkinbeard, Samantha S.; Simi, Pete; Evans, Mary K.; Anderson, Amy L.

2011-01-01

Sleep, a key indicator of health, has been linked to a variety of indicators of well-being such that people who get an adequate amount generally experience greater well-being. Further, a lack of sleep has been linked to a wide range of negative developmental outcomes, yet sleep has been largely overlooked among researchers interested in adolescent…

Seasonal arsenic accumulation in stream sediments at a groundwater discharge zone.

PubMed

MacKay, Allison A; Gan, Ping; Yu, Ran; Smets, Barth F

2014-01-21

Seasonal changes in arsenic and iron accumulation rates were examined in the sediments of a brook that receives groundwater discharges of arsenic and reduced iron. Clean glass bead columns were deployed in sediments for known periods over the annual hydrologic cycle to monitor changes in arsenic and iron concentrations in bead coatings. The highest accumulation rates occurred during the dry summer period (July-October) when groundwater discharges were likely greatest at the sample locations. The intermediate flow period (October-March), with higher surface water levels, was associated with losses of arsenic and iron from bead column coatings at depths below 2-6 cm. Batch incubations indicated iron releases from solids to be induced by biological reduction of iron (oxy)hydroxide solids. Congruent arsenic releases during incubation were limited by the high arsenic sorption capacity (0.536 mg(As)/mg(Fe)) of unreacted iron oxide solids. The flooded spring (March-June) with high surface water flows showed the lowest arsenic and iron accumulation rates in the sediments. Comparisons of accumulation rates across a shoreline transect were consistent with greater rates at regions exposed above surface water levels for longer times and greater losses at locations submerged below surface water. Iron (oxy)hydroxide solids in the shallowest sediments likely serve as a passive barrier to sorb arsenic released to pore water at depth by biological iron reduction.

Accumulation, organ distribution, and excretion kinetics of ²⁴¹Am in Mayak Production Association workers.

PubMed

Suslova, Klara G; Sokolova, Alexandra B; Efimov, Alexander V; Miller, Scott C

2013-03-01

Americium-241 (²⁴¹Am) is the second most significant radiation hazard after ²³⁹Pu at some of the Mayak Production Association facilities. This study summarizes current data on the accumulation, distribution, and excretion of americium compared with plutonium in different organs from former Mayak PA workers. Americium and plutonium were measured in autopsy and bioassay samples and correlated with the presence or absence of chronic disease and with biological transportability of the aerosols encountered at different workplaces. The relative accumulation of ²⁴¹Am was found to be increasing in the workers over time. This is likely from ²⁴¹Pu that increases with time in reprocessed fuel and from the increased concentrations of ²⁴¹Am and ²⁴¹Pu in inhaled alpha-active aerosols. While differences were observed in lung retention with exposures to different industrial compounds with different transportabilities (i.e., dioxide and nitrates), there were no significant differences in lung retention between americium and plutonium within each transportability group. In the non-pulmonary organs, the highest ratios of ²⁴¹Am/²⁴¹Am + SPu were observed in the skeleton. The relative ratios of americium in the skeleton versus liver were significantly greater than for plutonium. The relative amounts of americium and plutonium found in the skeleton compared with the liver were even greater in workers with documented chronic liver diseases. Excretion rates of ²⁴¹Am in ‘‘healthy’’ workers were estimated using bioassay and autopsy data. The data suggest that impaired liver function leads to reduced hepatic ²⁴¹Am retention, leading to increased ²⁴¹Am excretion.

Plant Response to TSWV and Seed Accumulation of Resveratrol in Peanut

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Biotic and abiotic stress may induce peanut plants to produce a high amount of resveratrol. The relationship of plant response to tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) and seed accumulation of resveratrol was investigated. Twenty peanut accessions and six wild relatives were selected from the US peanut g...

Improving greater trochanteric reattachment with a novel cable plate system.

PubMed

Baril, Yannick; Bourgeois, Yan; Brailovski, Vladimir; Duke, Kajsa; Laflamme, G Yves; Petit, Yvan

2013-03-01

Cable-grip systems are commonly used for greater trochanteric reattachment because they have provided the best fixation performance to date, even though they have a rather high complication rate. A novel reattachment system is proposed with the aim of improving fixation stability. It consists of a Y-shaped fixation plate combined with locking screws and superelastic cables to reduce cable loosening and limit greater trochanter movement. The novel system is compared with a commercially available reattachment system in terms of greater trochanter movement and cable tensions under different greater trochanteric abductor application angles. A factorial design of experiments was used including four independent variables: plate system, cable type, abductor application angle, and femur model. The test procedure included 50 cycles of simultaneous application of an abductor force on the greater trochanter and a hip force on the femoral head. The novel plate reduces the movements of a greater trochanter fragment within a single loading cycle up to 26%. Permanent degradation of the fixation (accumulated movement based on 50-cycle testing) is reduced up to 46%. The use of superelastic cables reduces tension loosening up to 24%. However this last improvement did not result in a significant reduction of the grater trochanter movement. The novel plate and cables present advantages over the commercially available greater trochanter reattachment system. The plate reduces movements generated by the hip abductor. The superelastic cables reduce cable loosening during cycling. Both of these positive effects could decrease the risks related to grater trochanter non-union. Copyright © 2012 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hyperforin accumulates in the translucent glands of Hypericum perforatum.

PubMed

Soelberg, Jens; Jørgensen, Lise Bolt; Jäger, Anna K

2007-06-01

Hypericum perforatum contains the therapeutically important compounds hypericin and hyperforin. Hypericin is known to accumulate in the dark glands. This investigation aimed to determine the accumulation site of hyperforin. Dark and translucent glands as well as non-secretory tissue in leaves were manually isolated under the microscope. Hyperforin content was quantified by UV HPLC. Secretory structures were surveyed anatomically. The hyperforin content of intact leaves was found to be about 3 mg g(-1) fresh tissue, whereas a content of about 7 mg g(-1) fresh material was found in isolated translucent glands. Hyperforin was found only to occur in minute amounts in dark glands (approx. 0.4 mg g(-1) fresh tissue). In non-secretory tissue no hyperforin was detected. The accumulation of hyperforin detected in the translucent glands supports the proposed hypothesis that hyperforin is synthesized by the same biosynthetic machinery as monoterpenes in the chloroplasts of cells delimiting the gland.

Hyperforin Accumulates in the Translucent Glands of Hypericum perforatum

PubMed Central

Soelberg, Jens; Jørgensen, Lise Bolt; Jäger, Anna K.

2007-01-01

Background and Aims Hypericum perforatum contains the therapeutically important compounds hypericin and hyperforin. Hypericin is known to accumulate in the dark glands. This investigation aimed to determine the accumulation site of hyperforin. Methods Dark and translucent glands as well as non-secretory tissue in leaves were manually isolated under the microscope. Hyperforin content was quantified by UV HPLC. Secretory structures were surveyed anatomically. Key Results The hyperforin content of intact leaves was found to be about 3 mg g−1 fresh tissue, whereas a content of about 7 mg g−1 fresh material was found in isolated translucent glands. Hyperforin was found only to occur in minute amounts in dark glands (approx. 0·4 mg g−1 fresh tissue). In non-secretory tissue no hyperforin was detected. Conclusions The accumulation of hyperforin detected in the translucent glands supports the proposed hypothesis that hyperforin is synthesized by the same biosynthetic machinery as monoterpenes in the chloroplasts of cells delimiting the gland. PMID:17468113

Differential accumulation of heavy metals by web spiders and ground spiders in an old-field

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Larsen, K.J.; Brewer, S.R.; Taylor, D.H.

1994-03-01

Accumulation of the heavy metals Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn by web spiders (orb weavers: Araneidae) and ground spiders was examined in an old-field that had been subjected to 11 years of nutrient enrichment. The study area consistent of six 0.1-ha plots treated from 1978 to 1988 with municipal sewage sludge containing heavy-metal contaminants, urea-phosphate fertilizer, or left as untreated controls. In 1991 and 1992, heavy-metal concentrations in the soil, ground spiders, and web spiders were measured with a flame AA spectrophotometer. Spiders accumulated Cd, Cu, and Zn to concentrations greater than those present in the soil but did notmore » accumulate Pb. Ground spiders contained significantly higher levels of Cd and Cu than web spiders, whereas web spiders contained slightly greater levels of Pb than ground spiders. No trend between spider guilds was apparent for Zn accumulation. To understand the impact of the application of metal-contaminated municipal sludge on ecosystem, the toxicological effects on the biology and behavior of major biotic components in terrestrial food webs must be known.« less

Carbon accumulation in peatlands of West Siberia over the last 2000 years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beilman, David W.; MacDonald, Glen M.; Smith, Laurence C.; Reimer, Paula J.

2009-03-01

We use a network of cores from 77 peatland sites to determine controls on peat C content and peat C accumulation over the last 2000 years (since 2 ka) across Russia's West Siberian Lowland (WSL), the world's largest wetland region. Our results show a significant influence of fossil plant composition on peat C content, with peats dominated by Sphagnum having a lower C content. Radiocarbon-derived C accumulation since 2 ka at 23 sites is highly variable from site to site, but displays a significant N-S trend of decreasing accumulation at higher latitudes. Northern WSL peatlands show relatively small C accumulation of 7 to 35 kg C m-2 since 2 ka. In contrast, peatlands south of 60°N show larger accumulation of 42 to 88 kg C m-2. Carbon accumulation since 2 ka varies significantly with modern mean annual air temperature, with maximum C accumulation found between -1 and 0°C. Rates of apparent C accumulation since 2 ka show no significant relationship to long-term Holocene averages based on total C accumulation. A GIS-based extrapolation of our site data suggests that a substantial amount (˜40%) of total WSL peat C has accumulated since 2 ka, with much of this accumulation south of 60°N. The large peatlands in the southern WSL may be an important component of the Eurasian terrestrial C sink, and future warming could result in a shift northward in long-term WSL C sequestration.

Greater India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, Jason R.; Aitchison, Jonathan C.

2005-10-01

"Greater India" is an 80-yr-old concept that has been used by geoscientists in plate tectonic models of the India-Asia collision system. Numerous authors working on the orogen and/or plate models of the broader region have added various sized chunks of continental lithosphere to the now northern edge of their reconstructed Indian plate. Prior to plate tectonic theory, Emile Argand (1924) [Argand, E., 1924. La tectonique de l' Asie. Proc. 13th Int. Geol. Cong. 7 (1924), 171-372.] and Arthur Holmes (1965) [Holmes, A., 1965. Principles of Physical Geology, Second Edition. The Ronald Press Company, New York, 1128.] thought that the Himalayan Mountains and Tibetan Plateau had been raised due to the northern edge of the Indian craton under-thrusting the entire region. Since the advent of plate tectonic theory, Greater India proposals have been based principally on three lines of logic. One group of workers has added various amounts of continental lithosphere to India as part of their Mesozoic Gondwana models. A second form of reconstruction is based on Himalayan crustal-shortening estimates. A third body of researchers has used India continent extensions as means of allowing initial contact between the block and the Eurasian backstop plate in southern Tibet to take place at various times between the Late Cretaceous and late Eocene in what we call "fill-the-gap" solutions. The Indian craton and the southern edge of Eurasia were almost invariably some distance from one another when the collision was supposed to have started; extensions to the sub-continent were used to circumvent the problem. Occasionally, Greater India extensions have been based on a combination of fill-the-gap and shortening estimate arguments. In this paper, we exhume and re-examine the key Greater India proposals. From our analysis, it is clear that many proponents have ignored key information regarding the sub-continent's pre break-up position within Gondwana and the bathymetry of the Indian Ocean

Self-control assessments of capuchin monkeys with the rotating tray task and the accumulation task.

PubMed

Beran, Michael J; Perdue, Bonnie M; Rossettie, Mattea S; James, Brielle T; Whitham, Will; Walker, Bradlyn; Futch, Sara E; Parrish, Audrey E

2016-08-01

Recent studies of delay of gratification in capuchin monkeys using a rotating tray (RT) task have shown improved self-control performance in these animals in comparison to the accumulation (AC) task. In this study, we investigated whether this improvement resulted from the difference in methods between the rotating tray task and previous tests, or whether it was the result of greater overall experience with delay of gratification tasks. Experiment 1 produced similar performance levels by capuchins monkeys in the RT and AC tasks when identical reward and temporal parameters were used. Experiment 2 demonstrated a similar result using reward amounts that were more similar to previous AC experiments with these monkeys. In Experiment 3, monkeys performed multiple versions of the AC task with varied reward and temporal parameters. Their self-control behavior was found to be dependent on the overall delay to reward consumption, rather than the overall reward amount ultimately consumed. These findings indicate that these capuchin monkeys' self-control capacities were more likely to have improved across studies because of the greater experience they had with delay of gratification tasks. Experiment 4 and Experiment 5 tested new, task-naïve monkeys on both tasks, finding more limited evidence of self-control, and no evidence that one task was more beneficial than the other in promoting self-control. The results of this study suggest that future testing of this kind should focus on temporal parameters and reward magnitude parameters to establish accurate measures of delay of gratification capacity and development in this species and perhaps others. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

ACCUMULATION OF RADIOCESIUM BY MUSHROOMS IN THE ENVIRONMENT: A LITERATURE REVIEW

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Duff, M

2007-05-28

During the last 50 years, a large amount of information on radionuclide accumulators or ''sentinel-type'' organisms in the environment has been published. Much of this work focused on the risks of food-chain transfer of radionuclides to higher organisms such as reindeer and man. However, until the 1980's and 1990's, there has been little published data on the radiocesium ({sup 134}Cs and {sup 137}Cs) accumulation by mushrooms. This presentation will consist of a review of the published data for {sup 134,137}Cs accumulation by mushrooms in nature. This review will discuss the aspects that promote {sup 134,137}Cs uptake by mushrooms and focusmore » on mushrooms that demonstrate a large propensity for use in the environmental biomonitoring of radiocesium contamination. It will also provide descriptions of habitats for many of these mushrooms and discuss on how growth media and other conditions relate to Cs accumulation.« less

Positron accumulation effect in particles embedded in a low-density matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dryzek, Jerzy; Siemek, Krzysztof

2015-02-01

Systematic studies of the so-called positron accumulation effect for samples with particles embedded in a matrix are reported. This effect is related to energetic positrons which penetrate inhomogeneous medium. Due to differences in the linear absorption coefficient, different amounts of positrons are accumulated and annihilate in the identical volume of both materials. Positron lifetime spectroscopy and Doppler broadening of the annihilation line using Na-22 positrons were applied to the studies of the epoxy resin samples with embedded micro-sized particles of transition metals, i.e., Ni, Sn, Mo, W, and nonmetal particles, i.e., Si and NaF. The significant difference between the determined fraction of positrons annihilating in the particles and the particle volume fraction indicates the positron accumulation effect. The simple phenomenological model and Monte Carlo simulations are able to describe the main features of the obtained dependencies. The aluminum alloy with embedded Sn nanoparticles is also considered for demonstration differences between the accumulation and another related effect, i.e., the positron affinity.

Arsenic accumulation by the aquatic fern Azolla: comparison of arsenate uptake, speciation and efflux by A. caroliniana and A. filiculoides.

PubMed

Zhang, Xin; Lin, Ai-Jun; Zhao, Fang-Jie; Xu, Guo-Zhong; Duan, Gui-Lan; Zhu, Yong-Guan

2008-12-01

This study investigates As accumulation and tolerance of the aquatic fern Azolla. Fifty strains of Azolla showed a large variation in As accumulation. The highest- and lowest-accumulating ferns among the 50 strains were chosen for further investigations. Azolla caroliniana accumulated two times more As than Azolla filiculoides owing to a higher influx velocity for arsenate. A. filiculoides was more resistant to external arsenate due to a lower uptake. Both strains showed a similar degree of tolerance to internal As. Arsenate and arsenite were the dominant As species in both Azolla strains, with methylated As species accounting for <5% of the total As. A. filiculoides had a higher proportion of arsenite than A. caroliniana. Both strains effluxed more arsenate than arsenite, and the amount of As efflux was proportional to the amount of As accumulation. The potential of growing Azolla in paddy fields to reduce As transfer from soil and water to rice should be further evaluated.

Rapid intraplate strain accumulation in the New Madrid seismic zone

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, L.; Zoback, M.D.; Segall, P.

1992-09-01

Remeasurement of a triangulation network in the southern part of the New Madrid seismic zone with the Global Positioning System has revealed rapid crustal strain accumulation since the 1950s. This area experienced three large (moment magnitudes greater than 8) earthquakes in 1811 to 1812. The orientation and sense of shear is consistent with right-lateral strike slip motion along a northeast-trending fault zone (as indicated by current seismicity). Detection of crustal strain accumulation may be a useful discriminant for identifying areas where potentially damaging intraplate earthquakes may occur despite the absence of large earthquakes during historic time. 34 refs.

26 CFR 1.662(a)-1 - Inclusion of amounts in gross income of beneficiaries of estates and complex trusts; general.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Inclusion of amounts in gross income of beneficiaries of estates and complex trusts; general. 1.662(a)-1 Section 1.662(a)-1 Internal Revenue INTERNAL... Trusts Which May Accumulate Income Or Which Distribute Corpus § 1.662(a)-1 Inclusion of amounts in gross...

Zinc and dexamethasone induce metallothionein accumulation by endothelial cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Briske-Anderson, M.; Bobilya, D.J.; Reeves, P.G.

1991-03-11

Several tissues increase their metallothionein (MT) concentration when exposed to elevated amounts of plasma Zn. Endothelial cells form the blood vessels that supply all tissues and constitute a barrier between cells of tissues and the blood. This study examined the ability of endothelial cells to synthesize MT and accumulate Zn in response to high amounts of Zn and dexamethasone. Bovine pulmonary endothelial cells were grown to confluence in Minimum Essential Medium with Earle's salts and 10% fetal calf serum. The monolayer was maintained for 2 d prior to use in medium containing EDTA-dialyzed serum. This low Zn medium was replacedmore » with one containing 1, 6, 25, 50, 100, 150, or 200 {mu}M Zn and incubated for 24 hr before harvesting the cells. MT was quantified by the cadmium binding assay. Cellular Zn concentrations were analyzed by atomic absorption after a nitric acid digestion. The MT concentration was elevated in response to Zn concentrations of 100 {mu}M or more. Cellular Zn concentration was elevated when media Zn was 25 {mu}M or more. MT and cellular Zn concentrations were positively correlated. In another study, inclusion of 0.1 {mu}M dexamethasone in the media increased concentration at all Zn concentrations studied. However, the inclusion of 0.3 {mu}M cis-platinum had no effect. In conclusion, endothelial cells in culture respond to elevated amounts of Zn and dexamethasone in the media by accumulating Zn and MT.« less

Accumulation of Reserve Carbohydrate by Rumen Protozoa and Bacteria in Competition for Glucose

PubMed Central

Denton, Bethany L.; Diese, Leanne E.; Firkins, Jeffrey L.

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine if rumen protozoa could form large amounts of reserve carbohydrate compared to the amounts formed by bacteria when competing for glucose in batch cultures. We separated large protozoa and small bacteria from rumen fluid by filtration and centrifugation, recombined equal protein masses of each group into one mixture, and subsequently harvested (reseparated) these groups at intervals after glucose dosing. This method allowed us to monitor reserve carbohydrate accumulation of protozoa and bacteria individually. When mixtures were dosed with a moderate concentration of glucose (4.62 or 5 mM) (n = 2 each), protozoa accumulated large amounts of reserve carbohydrate; 58.7% (standard error of the mean [SEM], 2.2%) glucose carbon was recovered from protozoal reserve carbohydrate at time of peak reserve carbohydrate concentrations. Only 1.7% (SEM, 2.2%) was recovered in bacterial reserve carbohydrate, which was less than that for protozoa (P < 0.001). When provided a high concentration of glucose (20 mM) (n = 4 each), 24.1% (SEM, 2.2%) of glucose carbon was recovered from protozoal reserve carbohydrate, which was still higher (P = 0.001) than the 5.0% (SEM, 2.2%) glucose carbon recovered from bacterial reserve carbohydrate. Our novel competition experiments directly demonstrate that mixed protozoa can sequester sugar away from bacteria by accumulating reserve carbohydrate, giving protozoa a competitive advantage and stabilizing fermentation in the rumen. Similar experiments could be used to investigate the importance of starch sequestration. PMID:25548053

Active convergence between the Lesser and Greater Caucasus in Georgia: Constraints on the tectonic evolution of the Lesser-Greater Caucasus continental collision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sokhadze, G.; Floyd, M.; Godoladze, T.; King, R.; Cowgill, E. S.; Javakhishvili, Z.; Hahubia, G.; Reilinger, R.

2018-01-01

We present and interpret newly determined site motions derived from GPS observations made from 2008 through 2016 in the Republic of Georgia, which constrain the rate and locus of active shortening in the Lesser-Greater Caucasus continental collision zone. Observation sites are located along two ∼160 km-long profiles crossing the Lesser-Greater Caucasus boundary zone: one crossing the Rioni Basin in western Georgia and the other crossing further east near the longitude of Tbilisi. Convergence across the Rioni Basin Profile occurs along the southern margin of the Greater Caucasus, near the surface trace of the north-dipping Main Caucasus Thrust Fault (MCTF) system, and is consistent with strain accumulation on the fault that generated the 1991 MW6.9 Racha earthquake. In contrast, convergence along the Tbilisi Profile occurs near Tbilisi and the northern boundary of the Lesser Caucasus (near the south-dipping Lesser Caucasus Thrust Fault), approximately 50-70 km south of the MCTF, which is inactive within the resolution of geodetic observations (< ± 0.5 mm/yr) at the location of the Tbilisi Profile. We suggest that the southward offset of convergence along strike of the range is related to the incipient collision of the Lesser-Greater Caucasus, and closing of the intervening Kura Basin, which is most advanced along this segment of the collision zone. The identification of active shortening near Tbilisi requires a reevaluation of seismic hazards in this area.

29 CFR 4219.13 - Amount of liability for de minimis amounts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 29 Labor 9 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Amount of liability for de minimis amounts. 4219.13 Section... Redetermination of Withdrawal Liability Upon Mass Withdrawal § 4219.13 Amount of liability for de minimis amounts. An employer that is liable for de minimis amounts shall be liable to the plan for the amount by which...

29 CFR 4219.13 - Amount of liability for de minimis amounts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 9 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Amount of liability for de minimis amounts. 4219.13 Section... Redetermination of Withdrawal Liability Upon Mass Withdrawal § 4219.13 Amount of liability for de minimis amounts. An employer that is liable for de minimis amounts shall be liable to the plan for the amount by which...

Carbon stocks and accumulation rates in Pacific Northwest forests: role of stand age, plant community, and productivity

Treesearch

Andrew N. Gray; Thomas R. Whittier; Mark E. Harmon

2016-01-01

Forest ecosystems are removing significant amounts of carbon from the atmosphere. Both abiotic resource availability and biotic interactions during forest succession affect C accumulation rates and maximum C stocks. However, the timing and controls on the peak and decline in C accumulation rates as stands age, trees increase in size, and canopy gaps become prevalent...

Effect of minerals on accumulation of Cs by fungus Saccaromyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Ohnuki, Toshihiko; Sakamoto, Fuminori; Yamasaki, Shinya; Kozai, Naofumi; Shiotsu, Hiroyuki; Utsunomiya, Satoshi; Watanabe, Naoko; Kozaki, Tamotsu

2015-06-01

The accumulation of Cs by unicellular fungus of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the presence of minerals has been studied to elucidate the role of microorganisms in the migration of radioactive Cs in the environment. Two different types of experiments were employed: experiments using stable Cs to examine the effect of a carbon source on the accumulation of Cs, and accumulation experiments of radioactive Cs from agar medium containing (137)Cs and zeolite, vermiculite, phlogopite, smectite, mica, or illite as mineral supplements. In the former type of experiments, the Cs-accumulated cells were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDS). In the latter type, the radioactivity in the yeast cells was measured by an autoradiography technique. When a carbon source was present, higher amounts of Cs accumulated in the cells than in the resting condition without a carbon source. Analyses with SEM-EDS showed that no mineral formed on the cell surface. These results indicate that the yeast cells accumulate Cs by adsorption on the cell surface and intracellular accumulation. In the presence of minerals in the agar medium, the radioactivity in the yeast cells was in the order of mica > smectite, illite > vermiculite, phlogopite, zeolite. This order is inversely correlated to the ratio of the concentration of radioactive Cs between the minerals and the medium solution. These results strongly suggest that the yeast accumulates radioactive Cs competitively with minerals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Epidemiologic survey of bladder cancer in greater New Orleans.

PubMed

Sullivan, J W

1982-08-01

Primary ancestry of the patients and controls in this study was not statistically different but the Jewish population had a significantly increased incidence of bladder cancer. Over-all, a significantly greater number of patients smoked filtered cigarettes, began drinking artificially sweetened beverages at an earlier age, drank artificially sweetened beverages for a greater number of years, consumed a greater number of glasses of artificially sweetened beverages weekly and related a history of urinary tract infections. A significantly increased incidence of bladder cancer was noted in individuals employed by certain types of companies, by certain job titles and by certain job material handled. Analysis of the data failed to show any significant difference in years of consumption of coffee, amount of various types of coffee or tea consumed, consumption of various nonalcoholic and alcoholic beverages, including source of drinking water, use of hair dye, incidence of diabetes mellitus, family history of urinary cancer and a history of pelvic irradiation or bladder stones.

A Lactobacillus mutant capable of accumulating long-chain polyphosphates that enhance intestinal barrier function.

PubMed

Saiki, Asako; Ishida, Yasuaki; Segawa, Shuichi; Hirota, Ryuichi; Nakamura, Takeshi; Kuroda, Akio

2016-05-01

Inorganic polyphosphate (polyP) was previously identified as a probiotic-derived substance that enhances intestinal barrier function. PolyP-accumulating bacteria are expected to have beneficial effects on the human gastrointestinal tract. In this study, we selected Lactobacillus paracasei JCM 1163 as a strain with the potential to accumulate polyP, because among the probiotic bacteria stored in our laboratory, it had the largest amount of polyP. The chain length of polyP accumulated in L. paracasei JCM 1163 was approximately 700 phosphate (Pi) residues. L. paracasei JCM 1163 accumulated polyP when Pi was added to Pi-starved cells. We further improved the ability of L. paracasei JCM 1163 to accumulate polyP by nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis. The mutant accumulated polyP at a level of 1500 nmol/mg protein-approximately 190 times that of the wild-type strain. PolyP extracted from the L. paracasei JCM 1163 significantly suppressed the oxidant-induced intestinal permeability in mouse small intestine. In conclusion, we have succeeded in breeding the polyP-accumulating Lactobacillus mutant that is expected to enhance intestinal barrier function.

Tonoplast Sugar Transporters (SbTSTs) putatively control sucrose accumulation in sweet sorghum stems.

PubMed

Bihmidine, Saadia; Julius, Benjamin T; Dweikat, Ismail; Braun, David M

2016-01-01

Carbohydrates are differentially partitioned in sweet versus grain sorghums. While the latter preferentially accumulate starch in the grain, the former primarily store large amounts of sucrose in the stem. Previous work determined that neither sucrose metabolizing enzymes nor changes in Sucrose transporter (SUT) gene expression accounted for the carbohydrate partitioning differences. Recently, 2 additional classes of sucrose transport proteins, Tonoplast Sugar Transporters (TSTs) and SWEETs, were identified; thus, we examined whether their expression tracked sucrose accumulation in sweet sorghum stems. We determined 2 TSTs were differentially expressed in sweet vs. grain sorghum stems, likely underlying the massive difference in sucrose accumulation. A model illustrating potential roles for different classes of sugar transport proteins in sorghum sugar partitioning is discussed.

Accumulation and distribution of selenium in mussel and shrimp tissues

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fowler, S.W.; Benayoun, G.

1976-09-01

The tissue distribution of selenium in mussels and shrimp was examined and the bioaccumulation kinetics in the various tissues was elucidated with the aid of radio selenium. Mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and shrimp (Lysmata seticaudata) collected near the Monaco port, were apportioned into several groups. One group of mussels and shrimp was maintained in sea water containing 0.8 ..mu..Ci/liter high specific activity Se-75. Three to four individuals were dissected and their tissues monitored for Se-75 content periodically. Another group of shrimp, maintained in flowing sea water, were fed ad libitum mussels that had previously accumulated Se-75 from sea water for severalmore » days. Shrimp were periodically dissected to follow tissue accumulation of ingested selenium. The highest concentrations of selenium were found in the exoskeleton, presumably due, in part, to the relatively large amount of isotope sorbed to its outer surface. Molts, cast by shrimp at various times throughout uptake, contained from 60 to 90% of the total Se-75 body burden. Direct uptake of water led to initially small fractions in internal tissues such as muscle and viscera compared to the relatively large fraction associated with the exoskeleton. With time percentages in internal tissues gradually increased relative to that in the exoskeleton. When Se-75 was accumulated through the food chain an opposite trend was noted with the Se-75 fraction in exoskeleton slowly increasing and that in viscera decreasing during the course of the experiment. All tissues examined readily accumulated the isotope and, in general, did not appear to have reached a steady state concentration after 63 days. The highest Se-75 concentrations were found in the visceral mass with lesser amounts in gills, muscle and mantle, in that order.« less

Accumulation of metal ions by pectinates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deiana, S.; Deiana, L.; Palma, A.; Premoli, A.; Senette, C.

2009-04-01

The knowledge of the mechanisms which regulate the interactions of metal ions with partially methyl esterified linear polymers of α-1,4 linked D-galacturonic acid units (pectinates), well represented in the root inner and outer apoplasm, is of great relevance to understand the processes which control their accumulation at the soil-root interface as well as their mobilization by plant metabolites. Accumulation of a metal by pectinates can be affected by the presence of other metals so that competition or distribution could be expected depending on the similar or different affinity of the metal ions towards the binding sites, mainly represented by the carboxylate groups. In order to better understand the mechanism of accumulation in the apoplasm of several metal ions, the sorption of Cd(II), Zn(II), Cu(II), Pb(II) and Cr(III) by a Ca-polygalacturonate gel, used as model of the soil-root interface, with a degree of esterification of 18% (PGAE1) and 65% (PGAE2) was studied at pH 3.0, 4.0, 5.0 and 6.0 in the presence of CaCl2 2.5 mM.. The results show that sorption increases with increasing both the initial metal concentration and pH. A similar sorption trend was evidenced for Cu(II) and Pb(II) and for Zn(II) and Cd(II), indicating that the mechanism of sorption for these two ionic couples is quite different. As an example, at pH 6.0 and an initial metal concentration equal to 2.0 mM, the amount of Cu(II) and Pb(II) sorbed was about 1.98 mg-1 of PGAE1 while that of Cd(II) and Zn(II) was about 1.2 mg-1. Cr(III) showed a rather different sorption trend and a much higher amount (2.8 mg-1of PGAE1 at pH 6.0) was recorded. The higher affinity of Cr(III) for the polysaccharidic matrix is attributable to the formation of Cr(III) polynuclear species in solution, as shown by the distribution diagrams obtained through the MEDUSA software. On the basis of these findings, the following affinity towards the PGAE1 can be assessed: Cr(III) > Cu(II) ? Pb(II) > Zn (II) ? Cd

Calcium Oxalate Accumulation in Malpighian Tubules of Silkworm (Bombyx mori)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wyman, Aaron J.; Webb, Mary Alice

2007-04-01

Silkworm provides an ideal model system for study of calcium oxalate crystallization in kidney-like organs, called Malpighian tubules. During their growth and development, silkworm larvae accumulate massive amounts of calcium oxalate crystals in their Malpighian tubules with no apparent harm to the organism. This manuscript reports studies of crystal structure in the tubules along with analyses identifying molecular constituents of tubule exudate.

Improvements of low-detection-limit filter-free fluorescence sensor developed by charge accumulation operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, Kiyotsugu; Choi, Yong Joon; Moriwaki, Yu; Hizawa, Takeshi; Iwata, Tatsuya; Dasai, Fumihiro; Kimura, Yasuyuki; Takahashi, Kazuhiro; Sawada, Kazuaki

2017-04-01

We developed a low-detection-limit filter-free fluorescence sensor by a charge accumulation technique. For charge accumulation, a floating diffusion amplifier (FDA), which included a floating diffusion capacitor, a transfer gate, and a source follower circuit, was used. To integrate CMOS circuits with the filter-free fluorescence sensor, we adopted a triple-well process to isolate transistors from the sensor on a single chip. We detected 0.1 nW fluorescence under the illumination of excitation light by 1.5 ms accumulation, which was one order of magnitude greater than that of a previous current detection sensor.

Enantioselective accumulation of chiral polychlorinated biphenyls in lotus plant (Nelumbonucifera spp.).

PubMed

Dai, Shouhui; Wong, Charles S; Qiu, Jing; Wang, Min; Chai, Tingting; Fan, Li; Yang, Shuming

2014-09-15

Enantioselective accumulation of chiral polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) 91, 95, 136, 149, 176 and 183 was investigated in lotus plants (Nelumbonucifera spp.) exposed to these chemicals via spiked sediment, to determine uptake and possible biotransformation for aquatic phytoremediation purposes. The concentrations of most PCBs were greatest in roots at 60 d (19.6 ± 1.51-70.6 ± 6.14 μg kg(-1)), but were greatest in stems and leaves at 120 d (25.3 ± 6.14-95.5 ± 19.4 μg kg(-1) and 17.4 ± 4.41-70.4 ± 10.4 μg kg(-1), respectively). Total amounts were greatest at 120 d and significantly higher in roots than those in stems and in leaves (1,457 ± 220-5,852 ± 735 ng, 237 ± 47.1-902 ± 184 ng and 202 ± 60.3-802 ± 90.2 ng, respectively), but represented less than 0.51% of the total mass of PCBs added to sediments, indicating that lotus plants were unlikely to remove appreciable amounts of PCBs from contaminated sediments. Racemic PCB residues in sediment indicate no enantioselective biodegradation by sedimentary microbial consortia over the entire experiment. Preferential accumulation of the (-)-enantiomers of PCBs 91, 95 and 136 were observed in roots, stems and leaves, but non-enantioselective accumulation was observed for PCBs 149, 176 and 183. These results indicate that aquatic plants can accumulate PCBs enantioselectively via root uptake, possibly by biotransformation within plant tissues as observed for terrestrial plants. This is also the first report to identify optical rotation of the atropisomers of PCBs 91 and 95. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effects of moderately high temperature on zeaxanthin accumulation and decay.

PubMed

Zhang, Ru; Kramer, David M; Cruz, Jeffrey A; Struck, Kimberly R; Sharkey, Thomas D

2011-09-01

Moderately high temperature reduces photosynthetic capacities of leaves with large effects on thylakoid reactions of photosynthesis, including xanthophyll conversion in the lipid phase of the thylakoid membrane. In previous studies, we have found that leaf temperature of 40°C increased zeaxanthin accumulation in dark-adapted, intact tobacco leaves following a brief illumination, but did not change the amount of zeaxanthin in light-adatped leaves. To investigate heat effects on zeaxanthin accumulation and decay, zeaxanthin level was monitored optically in dark-adapted, intact tobacco and Arabidopsis thaliana leaves at either 23 or 40°C under 45-min illumination. Heated leaves had more zeaxanthin following 3-min light but had less or comparable amounts of zeaxanthin by the end of 45 min of illumination. Zeaxanthin accumulated faster at light initiation and decayed faster upon darkening in leaves at 40°C than leaves at 23°C, indicating that heat increased the activities of both violaxanthin de-epoxidase (VDE) and zeaxanthin epoxidase (ZE). In addition, our optical measurement demonstrated in vivo that weak light enhances zeaxanthin decay relative to darkness in intact leaves of tobacco and Arabidopsis, confirming previous observations in isolated spinach chloroplasts. However, the maximum rate of decay is similar for weak light and darkness, and we used the maximum rate of decay following darkness as a measure of the rate of ZE during steady-state light. A simulation indicated that high temperature should cause a large shift in the pH dependence of the amount of zeaxanthin in leaves because of differential effects on VDE and ZE. This allows for the reduction in ΔpH caused by heat to be offset by increased VDE activity relative to ZE.

Accumulation of Apoplastic Iron in Plant Roots 1

PubMed Central

Longnecker, Nancy; Welch, Ross M.

1990-01-01

We hypothesized that the resistance of Hawkeye (HA) soybean (Glycine max L.) to iron-deficiency induced chlorosis (IDC) is correlated to an ability to accumulate a large pool of extracellular-root iron which can be mobilized to shoots as the plants become iron deficient. Iron in the root apoplast was assayed after efflux from the roots of intact plants in nutrient solution treated with sodium dithionite added under anaerobic conditions. Young seedlings of HA soybean accumulated a significantly larger amount of extracellular iron in their roots than did either IDC-susceptible PI-54619 (PI) soybean or IDC-resistant IS-8001 (IS) sunflower (Helianthus annus L.). Concurrently, HA soybean had much higher concentrations of iron in their shoots than either PI soybean or IS sunflower. The concentration of iron in the root apoplast and in shoots of HA soybean decreased sharply within days after the first measurements of extracellular root iron were made, in both +Fe and −Fe treatments. The accumulation of short-term iron reserves in the root apoplast and translocation of iron in large quantities to the shoot may be important characteristics of IDC resistance in soybeans. PMID:16667242

Increased accumulation of magnetic nanoparticles by magnetizable implant materials for the treatment of implant-associated complications.

PubMed

Angrisani, Nina; Foth, Franziska; Kietzmann, Manfred; Schumacher, Stephan; Angrisani, Gian Luigi; Christel, Anne; Behrens, Peter; Reifenrath, Janin

2013-10-10

In orthopaedic surgery, accumulation of agents such as anti-infectives in the bone as target tissue is difficult. The use of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) as carriers principally enables their accumulation via an externally applied magnetic field. Magnetizable implants are principally able to increase the strength of an externally applied magnetic field to reach also deep-seated parts in the body. Therefore, the integration of bone-addressed therapeutics in MNPs and their accumulation at a magnetic orthopaedic implant could improve the treatment of implant related infections. In this study a martensitic steel platelet as implant placeholder was used to examine its accumulation and retention capacity of MNPs in an in vitro experimental set up considering different experimental frame conditions as magnet quantity and distance to each other, implant thickness and flow velocity. The magnetic field strength increased to approximately 112% when a martensitic stainless steel platelet was located between the magnet poles. Therewith a significantly higher amount of magnetic nanoparticles could be accumulated in the area of the platelet compared to the sole magnetic field. During flushing of the tube system mimicking the in vivo blood flow, the magnetized platelet was able to retain a higher amount of MNPs without an external magnetic field compared to the set up with no mounted platelet during flushing of the system. Generally, a higher flow velocity led to lower amounts of accumulated MNPs. A higher quantity of magnets and a lower distance between magnets led to a higher magnetic field strength. Albeit not significantly the magnetic field strength tended to increase with thicker platelets. A martensitic steel platelet significantly improved the attachment of magnetic nanoparticles in an in vitro flow system and therewith indicates the potential of magnetic implant materials in orthopaedic surgery. The use of a remanent magnetic implant material could improve the efficiency

Accumulation of heavy metals in edible parts of vegetables irrigated with waste water and their daily intake to adults and children, District Mardan, Pakistan.

PubMed

Amin, Noor-ul; Hussain, Anwar; Alamzeb, Sidra; Begum, Shumaila

2013-02-15

Green vegetable crops irrigated with wastewater are highly contaminated with heavy metals and are the main source of human exposure to the contaminants. In this study accumulation of eight heavy metals (Cu, Ni, Zn, Cr, Fe, Mn, Co and Pb) in green vegetables like Allium cepa, Allium sativum, Solanum lycopersicum and Solanum melongena, irrigated with wastewater in Mardan are studied using Atomic Absorption spectrophotometer. The studied metals in vegetable grown on wastewater irrigated soil were significantly higher than those of tube well water irrigated soil and WHO/FAO permissible limits (P<0.05). The most heavily contaminated vegetable was wastewater irrigated A. cepa, where the accumulation of Mn (28.05 mg kg(-1)) in the edible parts was 50-fold greater than A. cepa irrigated with tube well water irrigated soil. It may be concluded that both adults and children consuming these vegetables grown in wastewater irrigated soil ingest significant amount of these metals and thus can cause serious health problems. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Infected Atopic Dermatitis Lesions Contain Pharmacologic Amounts of Lipoteichoic Acid

PubMed Central

Travers, Jeffrey B.; Kozman, Amal; Mousdicas, Nico; Saha, Chandan; Landis, Megan; Al-Hassani, Mohammed; Yao, Weiguo; Yao, Yongxue; Hyatt, Ann-Marie; Sheehan, Michael P.; Haggstrom, Anita N.; Kaplan, Mark H.

2009-01-01

Background Bacterial infection with Staphylococcus aureus is a known trigger for worsening of atopic dermatitis (AD); the exact mechanisms by which bacterial infection worsens dermatitis are unknown. Objective We sought to characterize the amounts of the biologically active bacterial lipoprotein lipoteichoic acid (LTA) in infected AD lesions. Methods Eighty-nine children with clinically impetiginized lesions of AD were enrolled in this study. A lesion was graded clinically using the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI), and then wash fluid obtained from the lesion for quantitative bacterial culture, and measurement of LTA and cytokines. The staphylococcal isolate was tested for antibiotic susceptibilities. The patients were treated with a regimen that included topical corticosteroids and systemic antibiotics and the lesion was re-analyzed after two weeks. Results S. aureus was identified in 79 of 89 children enrolled in the study. The bacterial CFU correlated with the EASI lesional score (p = 0.04). LTA levels up to 9.8 μg/ml were measured in the wash fluid samples and the amounts correlated with the lesional EASI scores (p = 0.01) and S. aureus CFU (p < 0.001). Approximately 30% of clinically impetiginized AD lesions contained greater than 1 μg/ml LTA, amounts that exert effects on various cell types in vitro. Moreover, injection of skin tissue ex vivo with amounts of LTA found in AD lesions resulted in epidermal cytokine gene expression. Conclusions Pharmacologic levels of LTA are found in many infected atopic dermatitis lesions. Clinical Implications These findings suggest that staphylococcal LTA could be an important mediator of the increased skin inflammation associated with infected AD. Capsule Summary These studies demonstrate high levels of staphylococcal LTA are found on impetiginized AD lesions. Moreover, subjects harboring MRSA exhibited greater total body involvement of AD. PMID:19962742

Aluminum-Resistant Arabidopsis Mutants That Exhibit Altered Patterns of Aluminum Accumulation and Organic Acid Release from Roots1

PubMed Central

Larsen, Paul B.; Degenhardt, Jörg; Tai, Chin-Yin; Stenzler, Laura M.; Howell, Stephen H.; Kochian, Leon V.

1998-01-01

Al-resistant (alr) mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana were isolated and characterized to gain a better understanding of the genetic and physiological mechanisms of Al resistance. alr mutants were identified on the basis of enhanced root growth in the presence of levels of Al that strongly inhibited root growth in wild-type seedlings. Genetic analysis of the alr mutants showed that Al resistance was semidominant, and chromosome mapping of the mutants with microsatellite and random amplified polymorphic DNA markers indicated that the mutants mapped to two sites in the Arabidopsis genome: one locus on chromosome 1 (alr-108, alr-128, alr-131, and alr-139) and another on chromosome 4 (alr-104). Al accumulation in roots of mutant seedlings was studied by staining with the fluorescent Al-indicator dye morin and quantified via inductively coupled argon plasma mass spectrometry. It was found that the alr mutants accumulated lower levels of Al in the root tips compared with wild type. The possibility that the mutants released Al-chelating organic acids was examined. The mutants that mapped together on chromosome 1 released greater amounts of citrate or malate (as well as pyruvate) compared with wild type, suggesting that Al exclusion from roots of these alr mutants results from enhanced organic acid exudation. Roots of alr-104, on the other hand, did not exhibit increased release of malate or citrate, but did alkalinize the rhizosphere to a greater extent than wild-type roots. A detailed examination of Al resistance in this mutant is described in an accompanying paper (J. Degenhardt, P.B. Larsen, S.H. Howell, L.V. Kochian [1998] Plant Physiol 117: 19–27). PMID:9576769

Preservation efficiencies and accumulation rates for biogenic silica and organic C, N, and P in high-latitude sediments: The Ross Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demaster, David J.; Ragueneau, Olivier; Nittrouer, Charles A.

1996-08-01

Rates of biogenic sediment accumulation (biogenic silica and organic C, N, and P) and pore water flux have been established for a variety of depositional environments in the Ross Sea. On the basis of 14C measurements in kasten cores, sediment accumulation rates ranged from 250 cm kyr-1 in the coastal basin of Granite Harbor to 1-2 cm kyr-1 in the shelf and slope environments of the northern and eastern Ross Sea. Burial of biogenic material was most rapid in the southwestern Ross Sea, where biogenic silica accumulation rates ranged from 2 to 31 g cm-2 kyr-1 and organic carbon accumulation rates ranged from 0.05 to 1.4 g cm-2 kyr-1. In the northern and eastern Ross Sea, biogenic silica and organic carbon accumulation rates typically equaled 0.02-0.03 g SiO2 cm-2 kyr-1 and 0.002-0.004 g C cm-2 kyr-1. Flux core measurements were used to estimate seabed regeneration rates for biogenic silica, organic carbon, and phosphorus. Pore water fluxes, in general, showed much less variability across the Ross Sea than did the biogenic accumulation rates. Pore water silicate fluxes in the study area ranged from 0.6 to 5.3 g SiO2 cm-2 kyr-1, whereas carbon fluxes ranged from 0.1 to 1.2 g C cm-2 kyr-1 and phosphate fluxes varied from -0.006 to 0.012 g P cm-2 kyr-1. Seabed preservation efficiencies were calculated for biogenic silica, organic carbon, and phosphorus by combining the solid-phase and pore water data. The seabed preservation efficiencies for biogenic silica (1-86%) were greater than for organic carbon (1-71%) at all nine stations examined. The preferential preservation of biogenic silica relative to organic carbon also was apparent in Ross Sea sediments because the biogenic silica/organic carbon ratio in the material buried in the seabed generally was 2 times greater than the ratio in sediment particles arriving at the sediment-water interface. Sediment accumulation rate correlated strongly with both the biogenic silica and the organic carbon preservation efficiency data

Shifts in Summertime Precipitation Accumulation Distributions over the US

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez-Villalobos, C.; Neelin, J. D.

2016-12-01

Precipitation accumulations, i.e., the amount of precipitation integrated over the course of an event, is a variable with both important physical and societal implications. Previous observational studies show that accumulation distributions have a characteristic shape, with an approximately power law decrease at first, followed by a sharp decrease at a characteristic large event cutoff scale. This cutoff scale is important as it limits the biggest accumulation events. Stochastic prototypes show that the resulting distributions, and importantly the large event cutoff scale, can be understood as a result of the interplay between moisture loss by precipitation and changes in moisture sinks/sources due to fluctuations in moisture divergence over the course of a precipitation event. The strength of this fluctuating moisture sink/source term is expected to increase under global warming, with both theory and climate model simulations predicting a concomitant increase in the large event cutoff scale. This cutoff scale increase has important consequences as it implies an approximately exponential increase for the largest accumulation events. Given its importance, in this study we characterize and track changes in the distribution of precipitation events accumulations over the contiguous US. Accumulation distributions are calculated using hourly precipitation data from 1700 stations, covering the 1974-2013 period over May-October. The resulting distributions largely follow the aforementioned shape, with individual cutoff scales depending on the local climate. An increase in the large event cutoff scale over this period is observed over several regions over the US, most notably over the eastern third of the US. In agreement with the increase in the cutoff, almost exponential increases in the highest accumulation percentiles occur over these regions, with increases in the 99.9 percentile in the Northeast of 70% for example. The relationship to changes in daily precipitation

Shifts in Summertime Precipitation Accumulation Distributions over the US

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez-Villalobos, C.; Neelin, J. D.

2017-12-01

Precipitation accumulations, i.e., the amount of precipitation integrated over the course of an event, is a variable with both important physical and societal implications. Previous observational studies show that accumulation distributions have a characteristic shape, with an approximately power law decrease at first, followed by a sharp decrease at a characteristic large event cutoff scale. This cutoff scale is important as it limits the biggest accumulation events. Stochastic prototypes show that the resulting distributions, and importantly the large event cutoff scale, can be understood as a result of the interplay between moisture loss by precipitation and changes in moisture sinks/sources due to fluctuations in moisture divergence over the course of a precipitation event. The strength of this fluctuating moisture sink/source term is expected to increase under global warming, with both theory and climate model simulations predicting a concomitant increase in the large event cutoff scale. This cutoff scale increase has important consequences as it implies an approximately exponential increase for the largest accumulation events. Given its importance, in this study we characterize and track changes in the distribution of precipitation events accumulations over the contiguous US. Accumulation distributions are calculated using hourly precipitation data from 1700 stations, covering the 1974-2013 period over May-October. The resulting distributions largely follow the aforementioned shape, with individual cutoff scales depending on the local climate. An increase in the large event cutoff scale over this period is observed over several regions over the US, most notably over the eastern third of the US. In agreement with the increase in the cutoff, almost exponential increases in the highest accumulation percentiles occur over these regions, with increases in the 99.9 percentile in the Northeast of 70% for example. The relationship to changes in daily precipitation

Accumulation of reserve carbohydrate by rumen protozoa and bacteria in competition for glucose.

PubMed

Denton, Bethany L; Diese, Leanne E; Firkins, Jeffrey L; Hackmann, Timothy J

2015-03-01

The aim of this study was to determine if rumen protozoa could form large amounts of reserve carbohydrate compared to the amounts formed by bacteria when competing for glucose in batch cultures. We separated large protozoa and small bacteria from rumen fluid by filtration and centrifugation, recombined equal protein masses of each group into one mixture, and subsequently harvested (reseparated) these groups at intervals after glucose dosing. This method allowed us to monitor reserve carbohydrate accumulation of protozoa and bacteria individually. When mixtures were dosed with a moderate concentration of glucose (4.62 or 5 mM) (n = 2 each), protozoa accumulated large amounts of reserve carbohydrate; 58.7% (standard error of the mean [SEM], 2.2%) glucose carbon was recovered from protozoal reserve carbohydrate at time of peak reserve carbohydrate concentrations. Only 1.7% (SEM, 2.2%) was recovered in bacterial reserve carbohydrate, which was less than that for protozoa (P < 0.001). When provided a high concentration of glucose (20 mM) (n = 4 each), 24.1% (SEM, 2.2%) of glucose carbon was recovered from protozoal reserve carbohydrate, which was still higher (P = 0.001) than the 5.0% (SEM, 2.2%) glucose carbon recovered from bacterial reserve carbohydrate. Our novel competition experiments directly demonstrate that mixed protozoa can sequester sugar away from bacteria by accumulating reserve carbohydrate, giving protozoa a competitive advantage and stabilizing fermentation in the rumen. Similar experiments could be used to investigate the importance of starch sequestration. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

24 CFR 84.80 - Conditions for use of Lump Sum (fixed price or fixed amount) grants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... conditions are present: (1) The HUD funding amount is definitely less than the total actual cost of the....S.C. 403 (11), whichever is greater. (3) The project scope is very specific and adequate cost, historical, or unit pricing data is available to establish a fixed amount award with assurance that the...

Metal accumulation potential of wild plants in tannery effluent contaminated soil of Kasur, Pakistan: field trials for toxic metal cleanup using Suaeda fruticosa.

PubMed

Firdaus-e Bareen; Tahira, Syeda Anjum

2011-02-15

The tannery effluent contaminated lands, adjacent to Depalpur Road, Kasur, Pakistan, have been rendered infertile due to long term effluent logging from the leather industry. The area has been colonized by twelve plant species among which Suaeda fruticosa, Salvadora oleoides and Calatropis procera have been found to be the most common and high biomass producing plants. S. fruticosa was subjected to further experimentation because of its high biomass and phytoextraction capabilities for metals. The pot and field experiments were carried out simultaneously. Pot experiments were conducted using the same field soil in column pots with stoppard bottoms to obtain the leachate. EDTA treatment caused a greater solubility of Cr in the soil pore water. In higher doses more amount of the heavy metal was leached. The increase in the amount of EDTA significantly caused a decrease in the biomass of plants without toxicity symptoms. A higher biomass of plants was observed in the field as compared to the pot experiment. The greatest amount of Na was accumulated by leaves of S. fruticosa followed by stem and roots. Similarly, the greatest amount of Cr was bioaccumulated by leaves of S. fruticosa, but followed by roots and then stem. S. fruticosa can be employed in rehabilitation of tannery effluent contaminated soil using small doses of EDTA. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mutation of the OsSAC1 Gene, which Encodes an Endoplasmic Reticulum Protein with an Unknown Function, Causes Sugar Accumulation in Rice Leaves.

PubMed

Zhu, Xiaoyan; Shen, Wenqiang; Huang, Junyang; Zhang, Tianquan; Zhang, Xiaobo; Cui, Yuanjiang; Sang, Xianchun; Ling, Yinghua; Li, Yunfeng; Wang, Nan; Zhao, Fangmin; Zhang, Changwei; Yang, Zhenglin; He, Guanghua

2018-03-01

Sugars are the most abundant organic compounds produced by plants, and can be used to build carbon skeletons and generate energy. The sugar accumulation 1 (OsSAC1) gene encodes a protein with an unknown function that exhibits four N-terminal transmembrane regions and two conserved domains of unknown function, DUF4220 and DUF594. OsSAC1 was found to be poorly and specifically expressed at the bottoms of young leaves and in the developing leaf sheaths. Subcellular location results showed that OsSAC1 was co-localized with ER:mCherry and targeted the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). OsSAC1 has been found to affect sugar partitioning in rice (Oryza sativa). I2/KI starch staining, ultrastructure observations and starch content measurements indicated that more and larger starch granules accumulated in ossac1 source leaves than in wild-type (WT) source leaves. Additionally, higher sucrose and glucose concentrations accumulated in the ossac1 source leaves than in WT source leaves, whereas lower sucrose and glucose concentrations were observed in the ossac1 young leaves and developing leaf sheaths than in those of the WT. Much greater expression of OsAGPL1 and OsAGPS1 (responsible for starch synthesis) and significantly less expression of OscFBP1, OscFBP2, OsSPS1 and OsSPS11 (responsible for sucrose synthesis) and OsSWEET11, OsSWEET14 and OsSUT1 (responsible for sucrose loading) occurred in ossac1 source leaves than in WT source leaves. A greater amount of the rice plasmodesmatal negative regulator OsGSD1 was detected in ossac1 young leaves and developing leaf sheaths than in those of the WT. These results suggest that ER-targeted OsSAC1 may indirectly regulate sugar partitioning in carbon-demanding young leaves and developing leaf sheaths.

Accumulation of uranium by immobilized persimmon tannin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sakaguchi, Takashi; Nakajima, Akira

1994-01-01

We have discovered that the extracted juice of unripe astringent persimmon fruit, designated as kakishibu or shibuol, has an extremely high affinity for uranium. To develop efficient adsorbents for uranium, we tried to immobilize kakishibu (persimmon tannin) with various aldehydes and mineral acids. Persimmon tannin immobilized with glutaraldehyde can accumulate 1.71 g (14 mEq U) of uranium per gram of the adsorbent. The uranium accumulating capacity of this adsorbent is several times greater than that of commercially available chelating resins (2-3 mEq/g). Immobilized persimmon tannin has the most favorable features for uranium recovery; high selective adsorption ability, rapid adsorption rate,more » and applicability in both column and batch systems. The uranium retained on immobilized persimmon tannin can be quantitatively and easily eluted with a very dilute acid, and the adsorbent can thus be easily recycled in the adsorption-desorption process. Immobilized persimmon tannin also has a high affinity for thorium. 23 refs., 13 figs., 7 tabs.« less

Carbohydrate and elicitor enhanced withanolide (withaferin A and withanolide A) accumulation in hairy root cultures of Withania somnifera (L.).

PubMed

Doma, Madhavi; Abhayankar, Gauri; Reddy, V D; Kavi Kishor, P B

2012-07-01

Leaves of Withania somnifera contained more withaferin A and withanolide A than roots indicating that these compounds mainly accumulate in leaves. With an increase in age of the plant, withaferin A was enhanced with a corresponding decrease in withanolide A. Hairy root cultures were induced from leaf explants using Agrobacterium rhizogenes and the transgenic nature of hairy roots was confirmed by partial isolation and sequencing of rolB gene, which could not be amplified in untransformed plant parts. In hairy roots, withaferin A accumulated at 2, 3 and 4% but not at 6% sucrose, the highest amount being 1733 microg/g dry weight at 4% level. High and equal amounts of withaferin A and withanolide A accumulated (890 and 886 microg/g dry tissue respectively) only at 3% sucrose. Increasing concentrations of glucose enhanced withaferin A and it peaked at 5% level (3866 microg/g dry tissue). This amount is 2842 and 34% higher compared to untransformed roots and leaves (collected from 210-day-old plants) respectively. Withanolide A was detected at 5% glucose but not at other concentrations. While chitosan and nitric oxide increased withaferin A, jasmonic acid decreased it. Acetyl salicylic acid stimulated accumulation of both withaferin A and withanolide A at higher concentrations. Triadimefon, a fungicide, enhanced withaferin A by 1626 and 3061% (not detected earlier) compared to hairy and intact roots respectively.

Air bubbles induce a critical continuous stress to prevent marine biofouling accumulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belden, Jesse; Menesses, Mark; Dickenson, Natasha; Bird, James

2017-11-01

Significant shear stresses are needed to remove established hard fouling organisms from a ship hull. Given that there is a link between the amount of time that fouling accumulates and the stress required to remove it, it is not surprising that more frequent grooming requires less shear stress. One approach to mitigate marine biofouling is to continuously introduce a curtain of air bubbles under a submerged surface; it is believed that this aeration exploits the small stresses induced by rising bubbles to continuously prevent accumulation. Although curtains of rising bubbles have successfully prevented biofouling accumulation, it is unclear if a single stream of bubbles could maintain a clean surface. In this talk, we show that single bubble stream aeration can prevent biofouling accumulation in regions for which the average wall stress exceeds approximately 0.01 Pa. This value is arrived at by comparing observations of biofouling growth and prevention from field studies with laboratory measurements that probe the associated flow fields. We also relate the spatial and temporal characteristics of the flow to the size and frequency of the rising bubbles, which informs the basic operating conditions required for aeration to continuously prevent biofouling accumulation.

Gas, Oil, and Water Production from Jonah, Pinedale, Greater Wamsutter, and Stagecoach Draw Fields in the Greater Green River Basin, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nelson, Philip H.; Ewald, Shauna M.; Santus, Stephen L.; Trainor, Patrick K.

2010-01-01

in water production are rare in the upper part of the Almond, and a higher percentage of wells in the upper part of the Almond show water decreasing at the same rate as gas than in the main or combined parts of the Almond. In Stagecoach Draw field, the gas production rate after five years is about one-fourth that of the first sample, whereas in Pinedale, Jonah, and Greater Wamsutter fields, the production rate after five years is about one-half that of the first sample. The more rapid gas decline rate seems to be the outstanding feature distinguishing Stagecoach Draw field, which is characterized as a conventional field, from Pinedale, Jonah, and Greater Wamsutter fields, which are generally characterized as tight-gas accumulations. Oil-gas ratios are fairly consistent within Jonah, Pinedale, and Stagecoach Draw fields, suggesting similar chemical composition and pressure-temperature conditions within each field, and are less than the 20 bbl/mmcf upper limit for wet gas. However, oil-gas ratios vary considerably from one area to another in the Greater Wamsutter field, demonstrating a lack of commonality in either chemistry or pressure-temperature conditions among the six areas. In all wells in all four fields examined here, water production commences with gas production-there are no examples of wells with water-free production and no examples where water production commences after first-sample gas production. The fraction of records with water production higher in the second sample than in the first sample varies from field to field, with Pinedale field showing the lowest percentage of such cases and Jonah field showing the most. Most wells have water-gas ratios exceeding the amount that could exist dissolved in gas at reservoir pressure and temperature.

Constant strain accumulation rate between major earthquakes on the North Anatolian Fault.

PubMed

Hussain, Ekbal; Wright, Tim J; Walters, Richard J; Bekaert, David P S; Lloyd, Ryan; Hooper, Andrew

2018-04-11

Earthquakes are caused by the release of tectonic strain accumulated between events. Recent advances in satellite geodesy mean we can now measure this interseismic strain accumulation with a high degree of accuracy. But it remains unclear how to interpret short-term geodetic observations, measured over decades, when estimating the seismic hazard of faults accumulating strain over centuries. Here, we show that strain accumulation rates calculated from geodetic measurements around a major transform fault are constant for its entire 250-year interseismic period, except in the ~10 years following an earthquake. The shear strain rate history requires a weak fault zone embedded within a strong lower crust with viscosity greater than ~10 20  Pa s. The results support the notion that short-term geodetic observations can directly contribute to long-term seismic hazard assessment and suggest that lower-crustal viscosities derived from postseismic studies are not representative of the lower crust at all spatial and temporal scales.

Accumulate Repeat Accumulate Coded Modulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbasfar, Aliazam; Divsalar, Dariush; Yao, Kung

2004-01-01

In this paper we propose an innovative coded modulation scheme called 'Accumulate Repeat Accumulate Coded Modulation' (ARA coded modulation). This class of codes can be viewed as serial turbo-like codes, or as a subclass of Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) codes that are combined with high level modulation. Thus at the decoder belief propagation can be used for iterative decoding of ARA coded modulation on a graph, provided a demapper transforms the received in-phase and quadrature samples to reliability of the bits.

Accumulation of Polyhydroxyalkanoic Acid Containing Large Amounts of Unsaturated Monomers in Pseudomonas fluorescens BM07 Utilizing Saccharides and Its Inhibition by 2-Bromooctanoic Acid

PubMed Central

Lee, Ho-Joo; Choi, Mun Hwan; Kim, Tae-Un; Yoon, Sung Chul

2001-01-01

A psychrotrophic bacterium, Pseudomonas fluorescens BM07, which is able to accumulate polyhydroxyalkanoic acid (PHA) containing large amounts of 3-hydroxy-cis-5-dodecenoate unit up to 35 mol% in the cell from unrelated substrates such as fructose, succinate, etc., was isolated from an activated sludge in a municipal wastewater treatment plant. When it was grown on heptanoic acid (C7) to hexadecanoic acid (C16) as the sole carbon source, the monomer compositional characteristics of the synthesized PHA were similar to those observed in other fluorescent pseudomonads belonging to rRNA homology group I. However, growth on stearic acid (C18) led to no PHA accumulation, but instead free stearic acid was stored in the cell. The existence of the linkage between fatty acid de novo synthesis and PHA synthesis was confirmed by using inhibitors such as acrylic acid and two other compounds, 2-bromooctanoic acid and 4-pentenoic acid, which are known to inhibit β-oxidation enzymes in animal cells. Acrylic acid completely inhibited PHA synthesis at a concentration of 4 mM in 40 mM octanoate-grown cells, but no inhibition of PHA synthesis occurred in 70 mM fructose-grown cells in the presence of 1 to 5 mM acrylic acid. 2-Bromooctanoic acid and 4-pentenoic acid were found to much inhibit PHA synthesis much more strongly in fructose-grown cells than in octanoate-grown cells over concentrations ranging from 1 to 5 mM. However, 2-bromooctanoic acid and 4-pentenoic acid did not inhibit cell growth at all in the fructose media. Especially, with the cells grown on fructose, 2-bromooctanoic acid exhibited a steep rise in the percent PHA synthesis inhibition over a small range of concentrations below 100 μM, a finding indicative of a very specific inhibition, whereas 4-pentenoic acid showed a broad, featureless concentration dependence, suggesting a rather nonspecific inhibition. The apparent inhibition constant Ki (the concentration for 50% inhibition of PHA synthesis) for 2

Carbon allocation and accumulation in conifers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gower, S.T.; Isebrands, J.G.; Sheriff, D.W.

1995-07-01

Forests cover approximately 33% of the land surface of the earth, yet they are responsible for 65% of the annual carbon (C) accumulated by all terrestrial biomes. In general, total C content and net primary production rates are greater for forests than for other biomes, but C budgets differ greatly among forests. Despite several decades of research on forest C budgets, there is still an incomplete understanding of the factors controlling C allocation. Yet, if we are to understand how changing global events such as land use, climate change, atmospheric N deposition, ozone, and elevated atmospheric CO{sub 2} affect themore » global C budget, a mechanistic understanding of C assimilation, partitioning, and allocation is necessary. The objective of this chapter is to review the major factors that influence C allocation and accumulation in conifer trees and forests. In keeping with the theme of this book, we will focus primarily on evergreen conifers. However, even among evergreen conifers, leaf, canopy, and stand-level C and nutrient allocation patterns differ, often as a function of leaf development and longevity. The terminology related to C allocation literature is often inconsistent, confusing and inadequate for understanding and integrating past and current research. For example, terms often used synonymously to describe C flow or movement include translocation, transport, distribution, allocation, partitioning, apportionment, and biomass allocation. A common terminology is needed because different terms have different meanings to readers. In this paper we use C allocation, partitioning, and accumulation according to the definitions of Dickson and Isebrands (1993). Partitioning is the process of C flow into and among different chemical, storage, and transport pools. Allocation is the distribution of C to different plant parts within the plant (i.e., source to sink). Accumulation is the end product of the process of C allocation.« less

Revealing accumulation zones of plastic pellets in sandy beaches.

PubMed

Moreira, Fabiana T; Balthazar-Silva, Danilo; Barbosa, Lucas; Turra, Alexander

2016-11-01

Microplastics such as pellets are reported worldwide on sandy beaches, and have possible direct and indirect impacts on the biota and physical characteristics of the habitats where they accumulate. Evaluations of their standing stock at different spatial scales generate data on levels of contamination. This information is needed to identify accumulation zones and the specific beach habitats and communities that are likely to be most affected. Standing stocks of plastic pellets were evaluated in 13 sandy beaches in São Paulo state, Brazil. The sampling strategy incorporated across-shore transects from coastal dunes and backshores, and vertical profiles of the accumulated pellets down to 1 m depth below the sediment surface. Accumulation zones were identified at regional (among beaches) and local (between compartments) scales. At the regional scale pellet density tended to increase at beaches on the central and southwestern coast, near ports and factories that produce and transport the largest amounts of pellets in the country. At the local scale coastal dunes showed larger accumulations of pellets than backshores. For both compartments pellets tended to occur deeper in areas where standing stocks were larger. Most of the pellets were concentrated from the surface down to 0.4 m depth, suggesting that organisms inhabiting this part of the sediment column are more exposed to the risks associated with the presence of pellets. Our findings shed light on the local and regional scales of spatial variability of microplastics and their consequences for assessment and monitoring schemes in coastal compartments. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

STUDIES ON THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT EMITTED BY MIXTURES OF CYPRIDINA LUCIFERIN AND LUCIFERASE

PubMed Central

Stevens, Kenneth P.

1927-01-01

1. A photometric method was devised for measuring the intensities of light emitted per cc. of hiciferin solution and calculating the amount of light emitted per gm. of dried Cypridina powder. A total of 128 runs was made and the data are incorporated in this report. 2. The maximum amount of light emitted from 1 gm. of powder under the experimental conditions was 0.655 lumens. Different samples of powder vary greatly in amount of light production. 3. When the concentration of substrate is doubled, nearly twice as much light is emitted, or an average ratio 2C/C of 1.86. Calculations of total light emissions per gm. of powder at different concentrations indicate that slightly more light is produced from the smaller concentrations. The maximum amount of light was produced by the solutions made with neutral sea water and averaged 0.445 lumens. The least light was obtained from solutions in distilled water saturated with hydrogen. The technique allows too rapid spontaneous oxidation prior to the saturation with hydrogen. The maximum amount of light from such experiments was only 0.077 lumens. Acid sea water solutions subsequently neutralized gave an average maximum of 0.386 lumens per gm. of powder per second. 4. When the concentration of enzyme is doubled, approximately the same amount of light is produced by both concentrations, although the stronger concentrations are slightly less effective than weaker ones. This undoubtedly is due to the colloidal nature of the enzyme and is a function of surface rather than of mass. In dilute solutions greater dispersion probably allows for greater adsorption to the surface of the enzyme. The average maximum amount of light produced in the series of enzyme experiments is of the magnitude 0.56 lumens per gm. of powder. PMID:19872366

A real-time monitoring and assessment method for calculation of total amounts of indoor air pollutants emitted in subway stations.

PubMed

Oh, TaeSeok; Kim, MinJeong; Lim, JungJin; Kang, OnYu; Shetty, K Vidya; SankaraRao, B; Yoo, ChangKyoo; Park, Jae Hyung; Kim, Jeong Tai

2012-05-01

this study confirm that the proposed method can be applied to monitor total amounts of indoor air pollutants emitted, inside apartments and hospitals as well. Nowadays, subway systems are considered as main public transportation facility in developed countries. Time spent by people in indoors, such as underground spaces, subway stations, and indoor buildings, has gradually increased in the recent past. Especially, operators or old persons who stay in the indoor environments more than 15 hr per day usually influenced a greater extent by indoor air pollutants. Hence, regulations on indoor air pollutants are needed to ensure good health of people. Therefore, this paper presents a new methodology for monitoring and assessing total amounts of indoor air pollutants emitted inside underground spaces and subway stations. A new methodology for the calculation of cumulative amounts of indoor air pollutants based on integration concept is proposed. The results suggest that the cumulative assessment approach of IAQ is useful for monitoring the values of total amounts of indoor air pollutants, if indoor air pollutants accumulated for a long time, especially NO2 pollutants. The results obtained here confirm that the proposed method can be applied to monitor total amounts of indoor air pollutants emitted, inside apartments and hospitals as well.

Characters related to higher starch accumulation in cassava storage roots

PubMed Central

Li, You-Zhi; Zhao, Jian-Yu; Wu, San-Min; Fan, Xian-Wei; Luo, Xing-Lu; Chen, Bao-Shan

2016-01-01

Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is valued mainly for high content starch in its roots. Our understanding of mechanisms promoting high starch accumulation in the roots is, however, still very limited. Two field-grown cassava cultivars, Huanan 124(H124) with low root starch and Fuxuan 01(F01) with high root starch, were characterised comparatively at four main growth stages. Changes in key sugars in the leaves, stems and roots seemed not to be strongly associated with the final amount of starch accumulated in the roots. However, when compared with H124, F01 exhibited a more compact arrangement of xylem vascular bundles in the leaf axils, much less callose around the phloem sieve plates in the stems, higher starch synthesis-related enzymatic activity but lower amylase activity in the roots, more significantly up-regulated expression of related genes, and a much higher stem flow rate (SFR). In conclusion, higher starch accumulation in the roots results from the concurrent effects of powerful stem transport capacity highlighted by higher SFR, high starch synthesis but low starch degradation in the roots, and high expression of sugar transporter genes in the stems. A model of high starch accumulation in cassava roots was therefore proposed and discussed. PMID:26892156

Characters related to higher starch accumulation in cassava storage roots.

PubMed

Li, You-Zhi; Zhao, Jian-Yu; Wu, San-Min; Fan, Xian-Wei; Luo, Xing-Lu; Chen, Bao-Shan

2016-02-19

Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is valued mainly for high content starch in its roots. Our understanding of mechanisms promoting high starch accumulation in the roots is, however, still very limited. Two field-grown cassava cultivars, Huanan 124(H124) with low root starch and Fuxuan 01(F01) with high root starch, were characterised comparatively at four main growth stages. Changes in key sugars in the leaves, stems and roots seemed not to be strongly associated with the final amount of starch accumulated in the roots. However, when compared with H124, F01 exhibited a more compact arrangement of xylem vascular bundles in the leaf axils, much less callose around the phloem sieve plates in the stems, higher starch synthesis-related enzymatic activity but lower amylase activity in the roots, more significantly up-regulated expression of related genes, and a much higher stem flow rate (SFR). In conclusion, higher starch accumulation in the roots results from the concurrent effects of powerful stem transport capacity highlighted by higher SFR, high starch synthesis but low starch degradation in the roots, and high expression of sugar transporter genes in the stems. A model of high starch accumulation in cassava roots was therefore proposed and discussed.

Accumulation of metals by microorganisms — processes and importance for soil systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ledin, Maria

2000-08-01

Metal accumulation by solid substances can counteract metal mobilization in the environment if the solid substance is immobile. Microorganisms have a high surface area-to-volume ratio because of their small size and therefore provide a large contact area that can interact with metals in the surrounding environment. Microbial metal accumulation has received much attention in the last years due to the potential use of microorganisms for cleaning metal-polluted water. However, considerably less attention has been paid to the role of microorganisms for metal mobility in soil even though the same processes may occur there. Therefore, this paper highlights this area. The different accumulation processes that microorganisms perform are analyzed and their potential significance in soil systems is discussed. Different kinds of mechanisms can be involved in the accumulation of metals by microorganisms, e.g. adsorption, precipitation, complexation and active transport into the cell. Physicochemical parameters like pH and ionic composition, as well as biological factors are of importance for the magnitude of accumulation. Often large amounts of metals can be accumulated with varying specificity, and microorganisms may provide nucleation sites for mineral formation. Several studies of microbial metal accumulation have been made with different methods and aims. Most of these studies concern single-component systems with one organism at a time. Data from accumulation experiments with pure cultures of microorganisms have been used to model the overall metal retention in soil. A further development is experimental model systems using various solid soil components in salt medium. Microbial metal accumulation is difficult to study in situ, but some experimental methods have been applied as tools for studying real soil systems, e.g. litter bags buried in soil containing microorganisms, a method where discs with microorganisms have been put onto agar plates with soil extracts, and

Advancing Research on Productive Aging Activities in Greater Chinese Societies.

PubMed

Lum, Terry Yat-Sang

2013-06-01

The public discourse on productive aging as a research and policy initiative has just begun in greater China. Two conferences in Mainland China in 2009 and 2011 and subsequent conferences in Taiwan and Hong Kong in 2012 have set it in motion. Because applied social science research has just started in greater China, researchers in Chinese societies will benefit from the experience and rich literature accumulated over the last three decades in the West. In this paper, I review and reflect on the research methods used in productive aging research in both Chinese societies and in the West. I believe that to advance productive aging research in greater China, we need to (1) discuss and agree upon a definition of productive aging, (2) identify and differentiate outputs and outcomes of productive aging activities in greater China, (3) develop precise measures for productive aging involvement, (4) focus on institutional (program and public policy) factors that promote productive aging involvement, (5) use a strong research design (such as a quasi-experimental design) to establish the internal validity of productive aging programs, and (6) be theory-driven. Lastly, productive aging should be seen as a choice, not an obligation for older people; otherwise, the productive aging agenda will be seen as exploiting older people. It is important that Chinese researchers and policy-makers have this in mind when they are advocating productive engagement of older people in China.

Accumulation of carboxymethyl-lysine (CML) in human cortical bone.

PubMed

Thomas, Corinne J; Cleland, Timothy P; Sroga, Grazyna E; Vashishth, Deepak

2018-05-01

Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are a category of post translational modification associated with the degradation of the structural properties of multiple different types of tissues. Typically, AGEs are the result of a series of post-translational modification reactions between sugars and proteins through a process known as non-enzymatic glycation (NEG). Increases in the rate of NEG of bone tissue are associated with type 2 diabetes and skeletal fragility. Current methods of assessing NEG and its impact on bone fracture risk involve measurement of pentosidine or total fluorescent AGEs (fAGEs). However, pentosidine represents only a small fraction of possible fAGEs present in bone, and neither pentosidine nor total fAGE measurement accounts for non-fluorescent AGEs, which are known to form in significant amounts in skin and other collagenous tissues. Carboxymethyl-lysine (CML) is a non-fluorescent AGE that is often measured and has been shown to accumulate in tissues such as skin, heart, arteries, and intervertebral disks, but is currently not assessed in bone. Here we show the localization of CML to collagen I using mass spectrometry for the first time in human bone. We then present a new method using demineralization followed by heating and trypsin digestion to measure CML content in human bone and demonstrate that CML in bone is 40-100 times greater than pentosidine (the current most commonly used marker of AGEs in bone). We then establish the viability of CML as a measurable AGE in bone by showing that levels of CML, obtained from bone using this technique, increase with age (p<0.05) and are correlated with previously reported measures of bone toughness. Thus, CML is a viable non-fluorescent AGE target to assess AGE accumulation and fragility in bone. The method developed here to extract and measure CML from human bone could facilitate the development of a new diagnostic assay to evaluate fracture risk and potentially lead to new therapeutic approaches to

Constraining precipitation amount and distribution over cold regions using GRACE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behrangi, A.; Reager, J. T., II; Gardner, A. S.; Fisher, J.

2017-12-01

Current quantitative knowledge on the amount and distribution of precipitation in high-elevation and high latitude regions is limited due to instrumental and retrieval shortcomings. Here we demonstrate how that satellite gravimetry (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment, GRACE) can be used to provide an independent estimate of monthly accumulated precipitation using mass balance. Results showed that the GRACE-based precipitation estimate has the highest agreement with most of the commonly used precipitation products in summer, but it deviates from them in cold months, when the other products are expected to have larger error. We also observed that as near surface temperature decreases products tend to underestimate accumulated precipitation retrieved from GRACE. The analysis performed using various products such as GPCP, GPCC, TRMM, and gridded station data over vast regions in high latitudes and two large endorheic basins in High Mountain Asia. Based on the analysis over High Mountain Asia it was found that most of the products capture about or less than 50% of the total precipitation estimated using GRACE in winter. Overall, GPCP showed better agreement with GRACE estimate than other products. Yet on average GRACE showed 30% more annual precipitation than GPCP in the study basin.

Effects of neck bands on the behavior of wintering greater white-fronted geese

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ely, Craig R.

1990-01-01

Activity budgets of adult Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons frontalis) with and without neck bands during the non-breeding season revealed that geese with neck bands spent more time preening than geese without neck bands while at foraging sites, but not while at roosting sites. Neck-banded and control geese spent equal time in other important activities (alert, feeding, sleeping, locomotor activities, flying, or social interactions) while at both foraging and roosting sites. Neck-banded geese apparently compensated for the increase in preening activity by reducing the amount of time spent in alert postures relative to control geese (23.9 vs. 28.6%), although the decrease was not significant (P = 0.106). There was a significant negative relationship (P = 0.038) between the length of time a goose had worn a neck band and the amount of time spent preening while at roost sites. After a short acclimation period, neck bands probably have minimal effect on the activity of wintering Greater White-fronted Geese.

Increased accumulation of magnetic nanoparticles by magnetizable implant materials for the treatment of implant-associated complications

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In orthopaedic surgery, accumulation of agents such as anti-infectives in the bone as target tissue is difficult. The use of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) as carriers principally enables their accumulation via an externally applied magnetic field. Magnetizable implants are principally able to increase the strength of an externally applied magnetic field to reach also deep-seated parts in the body. Therefore, the integration of bone-addressed therapeutics in MNPs and their accumulation at a magnetic orthopaedic implant could improve the treatment of implant related infections. In this study a martensitic steel platelet as implant placeholder was used to examine its accumulation and retention capacity of MNPs in an in vitro experimental set up considering different experimental frame conditions as magnet quantity and distance to each other, implant thickness and flow velocity. Results The magnetic field strength increased to approximately 112% when a martensitic stainless steel platelet was located between the magnet poles. Therewith a significantly higher amount of magnetic nanoparticles could be accumulated in the area of the platelet compared to the sole magnetic field. During flushing of the tube system mimicking the in vivo blood flow, the magnetized platelet was able to retain a higher amount of MNPs without an external magnetic field compared to the set up with no mounted platelet during flushing of the system. Generally, a higher flow velocity led to lower amounts of accumulated MNPs. A higher quantity of magnets and a lower distance between magnets led to a higher magnetic field strength. Albeit not significantly the magnetic field strength tended to increase with thicker platelets. Conclusion A martensitic steel platelet significantly improved the attachment of magnetic nanoparticles in an in vitro flow system and therewith indicates the potential of magnetic implant materials in orthopaedic surgery. The use of a remanent magnetic implant

Cadmium accumulation in zebrafish (Danio rerio) eggs is modulated by dissolved organic matter (DOM).

PubMed

Burnison, B Kent; Meinelt, Thomas; Playle, Richard; Pietrock, Michael; Wienke, Andreas; Steinberg, Christian E W

2006-08-23

Experiments were conducted to investigate factors influencing the accumulation of cadmium (Cd(2+)) into zebrafish (Danio rerio) eggs. The accumulation of (109)Cd was affected by: (1) concentration, (2) time, (3) presence of dissolved organic material (DOM), (4) different origin of DOM and (5) different parts of fish eggs. Over a 5-h exposure, zebrafish eggs showed a steady increase in Cd-accumulation. DOM-concentrations over 15ppm carbon (C) decreased Cd-uptake significantly. Both samples of DOM, brown water marsh (LM) and a eutrophic pond (SP), at 16.9ppmC, reduced the Cd-accumulation in the chorion, perivitelline liquid and the embryo. Cd was mainly accumulated in the egg's outer shell chorion (61%) and only small amounts passed through the chorion into the perivitelline liquid (38%) and embryo (1%). In the presence of LM-DOM, the accumulation of Cd into the egg components was decreased by 43% (chorion), 52% (perivitelline liquid) and 52% (embryo), respectively, compared with the control group. Similarly, the presence of SP-DOM reduced the Cd-accumulation by 29% (chorion), 61% (perivitelline liquid) and 60% (embryo), respectively, compared with the controls. DOM-concentration should be taken into consideration when determining ecotoxicological effects of Cd on fish populations.

Increased torulene accumulation in red yeast Sporidiobolus pararoseus NGR as stress response to high salt conditions.

PubMed

Li, Chunji; Zhang, Ning; Li, Bingxue; Xu, Qiong; Song, Jia; Wei, Na; Wang, Wenjing; Zou, Hongtao

2017-12-15

Carotenoids represent a class of molecules valuable for food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. As a microbial carotenoid, torulene possesses potential health-promoting effects in human. However, few studies have been conducted to investigate optimal condition for its large-scale commercial production to date. Sporidiobolus pararoseus NGR, a pigmented yeast, was shown previously to accumulate considerable amounts of torulene, β-carotene, and torularhodin. In this study, the effect of salt stress on the production of carotenoids in S. pararoseus NGR was investigated. After 5days of cultivation, the total amount of carotenoids was significantly higher in 0.75M (3.952mg/L) and 1M (2.89mg/L) NaCl treatments than control (1.636mg/L), respectively. Among them, the increase in torulene accumulation is the main contributor to the improvement in total amount of carotenoids under 0.75 and 1M NaCl treatments. Together, our results should advance the development of metabolic engineering for the commercial production of torulene. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spontaneous, generalized lipidosis in captive greater horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum).

PubMed

Gozalo, Alfonso S; Schwiebert, Rebecca S; Metzner, Walter; Lawson, Gregory W

2005-11-01

During a routine 6-month quarantine period, 3 of 34 greater horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) captured in mainland China and transported to the United States for use in echolocation studies were found dead with no prior history of illness. All animals were in good body condition at the time of death. At necropsy, a large amount of white fat was found within the subcutis, especially in the sacrolumbar region. The liver, kidneys, and heart were diffusely tan in color. Microscopic examination revealed that hepatocytes throughout the liver were filled with lipid, and in some areas, lipid granulomas were present. renal lesions included moderate amounts of lipid in the cortical tubular epithelium and large amounts of protein and lipid within Bowman's capsules in the glomeruli. In addition, one bat had large lipid vacuoles diffusely distributed throughout the myocardium. The exact pathologic mechanism inducing the hepatic, renal, and cardiac lipidosis is unknown. The horseshoe bats were captured during hibernation and immediately transported to the United States. It is possible that the large amount of fat stored coupled with changes in photoperiod, lack of exercise, and/or the stress of captivity might have contributed to altering the normal metabolic processes, leading to anorexia and consequently lipidosis in these animals.

Abnormal Septation and Inhibition of Sporulation by Accumulation of l-α-Glycerophosphate in Bacillus subtilis Mutants

PubMed Central

Oh, Yong K.; Freese, Elisabeth B.; Freese, Ernst

1973-01-01

Accumulation of l-α-glycerophosphate, in cells of Bacillus subtilis mutants lacking the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-independent glycerophosphate dehydrogenase activity, suppresses both growth and sporulation. After growth has stopped, the cells slowly develop one and later more asymmetric septa that are thicker than normal prespore septa and apparently contain too much cell wall material to allow further membrane development into forespores or spores. l-Malate prevents accumulation of glycerophosphate and restores sporulation of the mutant. Glucose or gluconate cannot resotre sporulation, because they still effect glycerophosphate accumulation via de novo synthesis. If that accumulation is blocked in a double mutant, which is unable to make glycerophosphate from or to metabolize it into Embden-Meyerhof compounds, then nonsuppressing amounts of glucose or gluconate can restore sporulation. Images PMID:4632310

Site of Fluoride Accumulation in Navel Orange Leaves 1

PubMed Central

Chang, Chong W.; Thompson, C. Ray

1966-01-01

Fluoride-polluted navel orange leaves, Citrus sinensis (Linn.) Osbeck, were fractionated into the subcellular components in hexane/carbon tetrachloride mixtures having various densities. Fluoride was determined at each fraction. Analyses were also made for the subcellular distribution of chlorophyll, nitrogen, and DNA to assess the extent of cross-contamination of each component. The fraction containing cell wall, nuclei, and partly broken cells apparently contained a major amount of fluoride. However, if allowance was made for the cross-contamination of chloroplasts and chloroplast fragments, the fraction of chloroplasts was found to be the site of the highest fluoride accumulation. When each particulate component was washed with water after drying, the combined washings contained more than 50% of the total fluoride of the isolated fractions. The usual method of subcellular fractionation with aqueous solvent shifted the major site of fluoride accumulation from the fraction of chloroplasts to that of the supernatant. PMID:5908632

Where is the magnetic energy for the expansion phase of auroral substorms accumulated? 2. The main body, not the magnetotail

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akasofu, Syun-Ichi

2017-08-01

It is suggested that the magnetosphere tries to stabilize itself by quickly unloading the magnetic energy accumulated within its main body, when the accumulated magnetic energy exceeds a limited amount, which can be identified as the energy for the expansion phase. It is this process which manifests as the impulsive expansion phase, during which auroral arcs advance well beyond the presubstorm latitude in the midnight sector. It was shown in the previous paper that the magnetotail does not have enough magnetic energy for a medium substorm (energy 5 × 1015 J; AE = 1000 nT). In this paper, it is shown that (1) the reason of the short lifetime (1-1.5 h) of the expansion phase is due to the fact that a limited amount of magnetic energy accumulated during the growth phase is dissipated in a period similar to the duration of the growth phase (1-1.5 h); the accumulation rate is similar to the dissipation rate during the expansion phase: (2) when the main body of the magnetosphere accumulates the magnetic energy, it is inflated; β (= (nkT/B2/8π)) even at XGSM = -6 RE becomes close to 1.0 for magnetic energy (2.9 × 1014 J) which is less than the amount consumed by a medium intensity substorm. (3) As a result, the plasma sheet current and thus the magnetosphere are expected to become unstable, unloading the accumulated excess magnetic energy and resulting in current reduction and deflation. (4) The resulting deflation can cause an earthward electric field of 5-50 mV/m, which can generate Bostrom's current system, which is mainly responsible in producing various phenomena of the expansion phase. (5) The large range of substorm intensity (AE = 100-2000 nT) is likely to be due to the location where the energy is accumulated; the closer is the distance to the Earth (XGSM between -10 RE and -4 RE), the more intense the substorm intensity is.

Long-term tillage and crop rotation effects on residual nitrate in the crop root zone and nitrate accumulation in the intermediate vadose zone

USGS Publications Warehouse

Katupitiya, A.; Eisenhauer, D.E.; Ferguson, R.B.; Spalding, R.F.; Roeth, F.W.; Bobier, M.W.

1997-01-01

Tillage influences the physical and biological environment of soil. Rotation of crops with a legume affects the soil N status. A furrow irrigated site was investigated for long-term tillage and crop rotation effects on leaching of nitrate from the root zone and accumulation in the intermediate vadose zone (IVZ). The investigated tillage systems were disk-plant (DP), ridge-till (RT) and slot-plant (SP). These tillage treatments have been maintained on the Hastings silt loam (Udic Argiustoll) and Crete silt loam (Pachic Argiustoll) soils since 1976. Continuous corn (CC) and corn soybean (CS) rotations were the subtreatments. Since 1984, soybeans have been grown in CS plots in even calendar years. All tillage treatments received the same N rate. The N rate varied annually depending on the root zone residual N. Soybeans were not fertilized with N-fertilizer. Samples for residual nitrate in the root zone were taken in 8 of the 15 year study while the IVZ was only sampled at the end of the study. In seven of eight years, root zone residual soil nitrate-N levels were greater with DP than RT and SP. Residual nitrate-N amounts were similar in RT and SP in all years. Despite high residual nitrate-N with DP and the same N application rate, crop yields were higher in RT and SP except when DP had an extremely high root zone nitrate level. By applying the same N rates on all tillage treatments, DP may have been fertilized in excess of crop need. Higher residual nitrate-N in DP was most likely due to a combination of increased mineralization with tillage and lower yield compared to RT and SP. Because of higher nitrate availability with DP, the potential for nitrate leaching from the root zone was greater with DP as compared to the RT and SP tillage systems. Spring residual nitrate-N contents of DP were larger than RT and SP in both crop rotations. Ridge till and SP systems had greater nitrate-N with CS than CC rotations. Nitrate accumulation in IVZ at the upstream end of the

Accumulation and fragmentation of plastic debris in global environments

PubMed Central

Barnes, David K. A.; Galgani, Francois; Thompson, Richard C.; Barlaz, Morton

2009-01-01

One of the most ubiquitous and long-lasting recent changes to the surface of our planet is the accumulation and fragmentation of plastics. Within just a few decades since mass production of plastic products commenced in the 1950s, plastic debris has accumulated in terrestrial environments, in the open ocean, on shorelines of even the most remote islands and in the deep sea. Annual clean-up operations, costing millions of pounds sterling, are now organized in many countries and on every continent. Here we document global plastics production and the accumulation of plastic waste. While plastics typically constitute approximately 10 per cent of discarded waste, they represent a much greater proportion of the debris accumulating on shorelines. Mega- and macro-plastics have accumulated in the highest densities in the Northern Hemisphere, adjacent to urban centres, in enclosed seas and at water convergences (fronts). We report lower densities on remote island shores, on the continental shelf seabed and the lowest densities (but still a documented presence) in the deep sea and Southern Ocean. The longevity of plastic is estimated to be hundreds to thousands of years, but is likely to be far longer in deep sea and non-surface polar environments. Plastic debris poses considerable threat by choking and starving wildlife, distributing non-native and potentially harmful organisms, absorbing toxic chemicals and degrading to micro-plastics that may subsequently be ingested. Well-established annual surveys on coasts and at sea have shown that trends in mega- and macro-plastic accumulation rates are no longer uniformly increasing: rather stable, increasing and decreasing trends have all been reported. The average size of plastic particles in the environment seems to be decreasing, and the abundance and global distribution of micro-plastic fragments have increased over the last few decades. However, the environmental consequences of such microscopic debris are still poorly

Accumulation and fragmentation of plastic debris in global environments.

PubMed

Barnes, David K A; Galgani, Francois; Thompson, Richard C; Barlaz, Morton

2009-07-27

One of the most ubiquitous and long-lasting recent changes to the surface of our planet is the accumulation and fragmentation of plastics. Within just a few decades since mass production of plastic products commenced in the 1950s, plastic debris has accumulated in terrestrial environments, in the open ocean, on shorelines of even the most remote islands and in the deep sea. Annual clean-up operations, costing millions of pounds sterling, are now organized in many countries and on every continent. Here we document global plastics production and the accumulation of plastic waste. While plastics typically constitute approximately 10 per cent of discarded waste, they represent a much greater proportion of the debris accumulating on shorelines. Mega- and macro-plastics have accumulated in the highest densities in the Northern Hemisphere, adjacent to urban centres, in enclosed seas and at water convergences (fronts). We report lower densities on remote island shores, on the continental shelf seabed and the lowest densities (but still a documented presence) in the deep sea and Southern Ocean. The longevity of plastic is estimated to be hundreds to thousands of years, but is likely to be far longer in deep sea and non-surface polar environments. Plastic debris poses considerable threat by choking and starving wildlife, distributing non-native and potentially harmful organisms, absorbing toxic chemicals and degrading to micro-plastics that may subsequently be ingested. Well-established annual surveys on coasts and at sea have shown that trends in mega- and macro-plastic accumulation rates are no longer uniformly increasing: rather stable, increasing and decreasing trends have all been reported. The average size of plastic particles in the environment seems to be decreasing, and the abundance and global distribution of micro-plastic fragments have increased over the last few decades. However, the environmental consequences of such microscopic debris are still poorly

Uptake and Accumulation of Four PPCP/EDCs in Two Leafy Vegetables

PubMed Central

Dodgen, LK; Li, J; Parker, D; Gan, JJ

2013-01-01

Many pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are present in reclaimed water, leading to concerns of human health risks from the consumption of food crops irrigated with reclaimed water. This study evaluated the potential for plant uptake and accumulation of four commonly occurring PPCP/EDCs, i.e., bisphenol A (BPA), diclofenac sodium (DCL), naproxen (NPX), and 4-nonylphenol (NP), by lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and collards (Brassica oleracea) in hydroponic culture, using 14C-labeled compounds. In both plant species, plant accumulation followed the order of BPA > NP > DCL > NPX and accumulation in roots was much greater than in leaves and stems. Concentrations of 14C-PPCP/EDCs in plant tissues ranged from 0.22±0.03 to 927± 213 ng/g, but nearly all 14C-residue was non-extractable. PPCP/EDCs, particularly BPA and NP, were also extensively transformed in the nutrient solution. Dietary uptake of these PPCP/EDCs by humans was predicted to be negligible. PMID:23911624

[Migration in soil and accumulation in plants of peaceful nuclear explosion products in Perm region].

PubMed

Raskosha, N G; Shuktova, I I

2015-01-01

The data on the migration capacity in soil and accumulation of 238Pu, 239, 240Pu, 137Cs and 90Sr by plants in the area of a peaceful nuclear explosion located in the taiga zone are presented. The influence of the soil parameters on the distribution and transformation forms of the radionuclides in the podzolic soil profile was studied. The major amounts of man-made radionuclides were found in the matter of the ground lip. The accumulation parameters of pollutants by plants were the highest for the leaves, young branches and conifer of trees.

Maturation of Rb+ and PAH accumulation by rabbit anterior uvea and choroid plexus

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Krupin, T.; Fritz, C.; Becker, B.

In vitro accumulation of radioactive para-aminohippuric acid (/sup 3/H-PAH) and rubidium (/sup 86/Rb+) by the anterior uvea, ciliary processes, and the choroid plexus was evaluated in tissues from newborn and various aged rabbits. Accumulation of PAH was present in the anterior uvea at 1 day of age (tissue to media ratio, T/M, of 2.1 +/- 0.2) and remained at this level for the first 14 days of life. Accumulation did not rise to adult levels until 21 days of age (T/M 5.5 +/- 0.6). Rubidium accumulation in the anterior uvea, a measure of Na+, K+-pump activity, was higher than adultmore » values 6 hr after birth (T/M25.2 +/- 0.9). Activity remained elevated through day 28 and did not fall to adult levels until day 60 (T/M 13.4 +/- 0.6). Accumulation studies on isolated ciliary processes were similar to those obtained from anterior uveal tissue. Daily subcutaneous injections of penicillin (300,000 units/kg/day) for 1 week had no effect on anterior uvea PAH accumulation (penicillin T/M was 1.7 +/- 0.1 and saline control T/M was 2.0 +/- 0.2). Accumulation of either /sup 3/H-PAH or /sup 86/Rb+ by the choroid plexus was present 1 day after birth in amounts that were similar to adult values and did not change during the 90 days of testing.« less

Differential effects of citric acid on cadmium uptake and accumulation between tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass.

PubMed

Wang, ShuTing; Dong, Qin; Wang, ZhaoLong

2017-11-01

Organic acids play an important role in cadmium availability, uptake, translocation, and detoxification. A sand culture experiment was designed to investigate the effects of citric acid on Cd uptake, translocation, and accumulation in tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass. The results showed that two grass species presented different Cd chemical forms, organic acid components and amount in roots. The dormant Cd accumulated in roots of tall fescue was the pectate- and protein- integrated form, which contributed by 84.85%. However, in Kentucky bluegrass, the pectate- and protein- integrated Cd was only contributed by 35.78%, and the higher proportion of Cd form was the water soluble Cd-organic acid complexes. In tall fescue, citric acid dramatically enhanced 2.8 fold of Cd uptake, 3 fold of root Cd accumulation, and 2.3 fold of shoot Cd accumulation. In Kentucky bluegrass, citric acid promoted Cd accumulation in roots, but significantly decreased Cd accumulation in shoots. These results suggested that the enhancements of citric acid on Cd uptake, translocation, and accumulation in tall fescue was associated with its promotion of organic acids and the water soluble Cd-organic acid complexes in roots. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical composition and seasonal variations in the amount of secondary compounds in Gentiana lutea leaves and flowers.

PubMed

Menković, N; Savikin-Fodulović, K; Savin, K

2000-03-01

The chemical investigation of MeOH extracts of Gentiana lutea leaves and flowers showed that xanthones were one of the dominant class of compounds. Secoiridoids and flavonoids were also recorded. The amount of secondary metabolites varied depending on development stage. In the phase of flowering, leaves are rich with compounds possessing C-glycoside structures while O-glycoside structures accumulate mainly before flowering.

Greater Sage-Grouse National Research Strategy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hanser, Steven E.; Manier, Daniel J.

2013-01-01

The condition of the sagebrush ecosystem has been declining in the Western United States, and greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), a sagebrush-obligate species, has experienced concurrent decreases in distribution and population numbers. This has prompted substantial research and management over the past two decades to improve the understanding of sage-grouse and its habitats and to address the observed decreases in distribution and population numbers. The amount of research and management has increased as the year 2015 approaches, which is when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is expected to make a final decision about whether or not to protect the species under the Endangered Species Act. In 2012, the Sage-Grouse Executive Oversight Committee (EOC) of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) requested that the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) lead the development of a Greater Sage-Grouse National Research Strategy (hereafter Research Strategy). This request was motivated by a practical need to systematically connect existing research and conservation plans with persisting or emerging information needs. Managers and researchers also wanted to reduce redundancy and help focus limited funds on the highest priority research and management issues. The USGS undertook the development of this Research Strategy, which addresses information and science relating to the greater sage-grouse and its habitat across portions of 11 Western States. This Research Strategy provides an outline of important research topics to ensure that science information gaps are identified and documented in a comprehensive manner. Further, by identifying priority topics and critical information needed for planning, research, and resource management, it provides a structure to help coordinate members of an expansive research and management community in their efforts to conduct priority research.

Geomorphic influences on the contribution of vegetation to soil C accumulation and accretion in Spartina alterniflora marshes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elsey-Quirk, Tracy; Unger, Viktoria

2018-01-01

Salt marshes are important hotspots of long-term belowground carbon (C) storage, where plant biomass and allochthonous C can be preserved in the soil for thousands of years. However, C accumulation rates, as well as the sources of C, may differ depending on environmental conditions influencing plant productivity, allochthonous C deposition, and C preservation. For this study, we examined the relationship between belowground root growth, turnover, decay, above- and belowground biomass, and previously reported longer-term rates of total, labile, and refractory organic C accumulation and accretion in Spartina alterniflora-dominated marshes across two mid-Atlantic, US estuaries. Tidal range, long-term rates of mineral sedimentation, C accumulation, and accretion were higher and salinities were lower in marshes of the coastal plain estuary (Delaware Bay) than in the coastal lagoon (Barnegat Bay). We expected that the conditions promoting high rates of C accumulation would also promote high plant productivity and greater biomass. We further tested the influence of environmental conditions on belowground growth (roots + rhizomes), decomposition, and biomass of S. alterniflora. The relationship between plant biomass and C accumulation rate differed between estuaries. In the sediment-limited coastal lagoon, rates of total, labile, and refractory organic C accumulation were directly and positively related to above- and belowground biomass. Here, less flooding and a higher mineral sedimentation rate promoted greater above- and belowground biomass and, in turn, higher soil C accumulation and accretion rates. In the coastal plain estuary, the C accumulation rate was related only to aboveground biomass, which was positively related to the rate of labile C accumulation. Soil profiles indicated that live root and rhizome biomass was positively associated with labile C density for most marshes, yet high labile C densities below the live root zone and in marshes with high mineral

Atomistic simulation of damage accumulation and amorphization in Ge

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gomez-Selles, Jose L., E-mail: joseluis.gomezselles@imdea.org; Martin-Bragado, Ignacio; Claverie, Alain

2015-02-07

Damage accumulation and amorphization mechanisms by means of ion implantation in Ge are studied using Kinetic Monte Carlo and Binary Collision Approximation techniques. Such mechanisms are investigated through different stages of damage accumulation taking place in the implantation process: from point defect generation and cluster formation up to full amorphization of Ge layers. We propose a damage concentration amorphization threshold for Ge of ∼1.3 × 10{sup 22} cm{sup −3} which is independent on the implantation conditions. Recombination energy barriers depending on amorphous pocket sizes are provided. This leads to an explanation of the reported distinct behavior of the damage generated by different ions.more » We have also observed that the dissolution of clusters plays an important role for relatively high temperatures and fluences. The model is able to explain and predict different damage generation regimes, amount of generated damage, and extension of amorphous layers in Ge for different ions and implantation conditions.« less

Measuring a critical stress for continuous prevention of marine biofouling accumulation with aeration.

PubMed

Menesses, Mark; Belden, Jesse; Dickenson, Natasha; Bird, James

2017-10-01

When cleaning the hull of a ship, significant shear stresses are needed to remove established biofouling organisms. Given that there exists a link between the amount of time that fouling accumulates and the stress required to remove it, it is not surprising that more frequent grooming requires less shear stress. Yet, it is unclear if there is a minimum stress needed to prevent the growth of macrofouling in the limit of continuous grooming. This manuscript shows that single bubble stream aeration provides continuous grooming and prevents biofouling accumulation in regions where the average wall stress exceeds ~0.01 Pa. This value was found by comparing observations of biofouling growth from field studies with complementary laboratory measurements that probe the associated flow fields. These results suggest that aeration and other continuous grooming systems must exceed a wall stress of 0.01 Pa to prevent macrofouling accumulation.

Laws of distribution of the snow cover on the greater Caucasus (Soviet Union)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gurtovaya, Y. Y.; Sulakvelidze, G. K.; Yashina, A. V.

1985-01-01

The laws of the distribution of the snow cover on the mountains of the greater Caucasus are discussed. It is shown that an extremely unequal distribution of the snow cover is caused by the complex orography of this territory, the diversity of climatic conditions and by the difference in altitude. Regions of constant, variable and unstable snow cover are distinguished because of the clearly marked division into altitude layers, each of which is characterized by climatic differences in the nature of the snow accumulation.

Hamming and Accumulator Codes Concatenated with MPSK or QAM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Divsalar, Dariush; Dolinar, Samuel

2009-01-01

In a proposed coding-and-modulation scheme, a high-rate binary data stream would be processed as follows: 1. The input bit stream would be demultiplexed into multiple bit streams. 2. The multiple bit streams would be processed simultaneously into a high-rate outer Hamming code that would comprise multiple short constituent Hamming codes a distinct constituent Hamming code for each stream. 3. The streams would be interleaved. The interleaver would have a block structure that would facilitate parallelization for high-speed decoding. 4. The interleaved streams would be further processed simultaneously into an inner two-state, rate-1 accumulator code that would comprise multiple constituent accumulator codes - a distinct accumulator code for each stream. 5. The resulting bit streams would be mapped into symbols to be transmitted by use of a higher-order modulation - for example, M-ary phase-shift keying (MPSK) or quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM). The novelty of the scheme lies in the concatenation of the multiple-constituent Hamming and accumulator codes and the corresponding parallel architectures of the encoder and decoder circuitry (see figure) needed to process the multiple bit streams simultaneously. As in the cases of other parallel-processing schemes, one advantage of this scheme is that the overall data rate could be much greater than the data rate of each encoder and decoder stream and, hence, the encoder and decoder could handle data at an overall rate beyond the capability of the individual encoder and decoder circuits.

Accumulation of intimal platelets in cerebral arteries following experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage in cats

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haining, J.L.; Clower, B.R.; Honma, Y.

From 2 hours to 23 days following experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage, the accumulation of indium-111-labeled platelets on the intimal surface of the middle cerebral artery was studied in 23 cats. Subarachnoid hemorrhage was produced by transorbital rupture of the right middle cerebral artery. Of the 23 cats, 17 exhibited right middle cerebral artery/left middle cerebral artery radioactivity ratios of greater than 1.25. When these results were compared with those of 12 control cats, 0.001 less than p less than 0.005 (chi2 test). Thus, the results from the control and experimental groups are significantly different and indicate early (after 2 hours) preferentialmore » accumulation of intimal platelets in the ruptured right middle cerebral artery compared with the unruptured left middle cerebral artery and new platelet deposition continuing for up to 23 days. However, the experimental group did not reveal a clear pattern for platelet accumulation following subarachnoid hemorrhage. There was no simple correlation between the magnitude of the radioactivity ratios and the time after hemorrhage when the cats were killed although the ratios for 2 hours to 7 days seemed greater than those for 8 to 23 days. Assuming the pivotal role of platelets in the angiopathy of subarachnoid hemorrhage, the administration of antiplatelet agents as soon as possible following its occurrence may be of value.« less

Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) Transfer Tokens Repeatedly with a Partner to Accumulate Rewards in a Self-Control Task

PubMed Central

Parrish, Audrey E.; Perdue, Bonnie M.; Evans, Theodore A.; Beran, Michael J.

2013-01-01

There has been extensive research investigating self-control in humans and nonhuman animals, yet we know surprisingly little about how one’s social environment influences self-control. The present study examined the self-control of chimpanzees in a task that required active engagement with conspecifics. The task consisted of transferring a token back and forth with a partner animal in order to accumulate food rewards, one item per token transfer. Self-control was required because at any point in the trial, either chimpanzee could obtain their accumulated rewards, but doing so discontinued the food accumulation and ended the trial for both individuals. Chimpanzees readily engaged the task and accumulated the majority of available rewards before ending each trial, and they did so across a number of conditions that varied the identity of the partner, the presence/absence of the experimenter, and the means by which they could obtain rewards. A second experiment examined chimpanzees’ self-control when given the choice between immediately available food items and a potentially larger amount of rewards that could be obtained by engaging the token transfer task with a partner. Chimpanzees were flexible in their decision-making in this test, typically choosing the option representing the largest amount of food, even if it involved delayed accumulation of the rewards via the token transfer task. These results demonstrate that chimpanzees can exhibit self-control in situations involving social interactions, and they encourage further research into this important aspect of the self-control scenario. PMID:23381691

Accumulation and distribution of iron, cadmium, lead and nickel in cucumber plants grown in hydroponics containing two different chelated iron supplies.

PubMed

Csog, Árpád; Mihucz, Victor G; Tatár, Eniko; Fodor, Ferenc; Virág, István; Majdik, Cornelia; Záray, Gyula

2011-07-01

Cucumber plants grown in hydroponics containing 10 μM Cd(II), Ni(II) and Pb(II), and iron supplied as Fe(III) EDTA or Fe(III) citrate in identical concentrations, were investigated by total-reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry with special emphasis on the determination of iron accumulation and distribution within the different plant compartments (root, stem, cotyledon and leaves). The extent of Cd, Ni and Pb accumulation and distribution were also determined. Generally, iron and heavy-metal contaminant accumulation was higher when Fe(III) citrate was used. The accumulation of nickel and lead was higher by about 20% and 100%, respectively, if the iron supply was Fe(III) citrate. The accumulation of Cd was similar. In the case of Fe(III) citrate, the total amounts of Fe taken up were similar in the control and heavy-metal-treated plants (27-31 μmol/plant). Further, the amounts of iron transported from the root towards the shoot of the control, lead- and nickel-contaminated plants were independent of the iron(III) form. Although Fe mobility could be characterized as being low, its distribution within the shoot was not significantly affected by the heavy metals investigated. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Isolation, characterization and immunolocalization of a seed dominant CaM from finger millet (Eleusine coracana L. Gartn.) for studying its functional role in differential accumulation of calcium in developing grains.

PubMed

Kumar, Anil; Mirza, Neelofar; Charan, Tara; Sharma, Netrapal; Gaur, Vikram Singh

2014-03-01

To understand the exceptional high grain calcium accumulation in finger millet grains, a calmodulin (CaM) gene that is strongly expressed during developing spikes of high grain calcium genotype was further characterized. Using 5'-3' RACE, the full-length CaM open reading frame (ORF) was isolated and the deduced protein sequence showed the presence of four characteristic EF motifs. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the finger millet CaM (Eleusine coracana calmodulin [EcCaM]) was identical to the rice CaM 1-1. Southern hybridization showed the presence of at least four copies of CaM gene that might be located on different regions of the finger millet "AABB" genome. Immunodetection using monospecific polyclonal anti-EcCaM antibodies revealed that EcCaM is localized in the embryo and aleurone layer and accumulates in higher amounts in high grain calcium genotype compared to the low grain calcium genotype. Furthermore, in silico analysis showed that EcCaM interacts with aquaporin which indicates that calcium is probably delivered to developing spike via mass flow of water. These results indicate that higher expression of CaM might cause greater stimulation of the downstream calcium transport machinery operative in the aleurone layer leading to the higher calcium accumulation in the grains of high grain calcium genotype.

Influence of ontogeny and environmental exposure on mercury accumulation in muscle and liver of male Round Stingrays.

PubMed

Lyons, Kady; Carlisle, Aaron B; Lowe, Christopher G

2017-09-01

Mercury tissue distribution and its dynamics are poorly understood in elasmobranchs. Total mercury was measured in liver and muscle of male Round Stingrays (Urobatis halleri) from Seal Beach, California, an anthropogenically impacted site, and from the offshore island of Santa Catalina, a less impacted site. Stable isotope analysis was also performed on the muscle and red blood cells (RBCs) of a subset of rays over a range of age classes to investigate mercury accumulation with respect to trophic ecology. Mercury in both tissues was found to be significantly greater in adults than juveniles in mainland rays; however, liver mercury accumulation drastically increased after maturity and was significantly greater in mainland adult rays than Catalina rays. There were no patterns in δ 15 N or δ 13 C with size in muscle; however, there were indications of seasonal changes in RBC δ 15 N, suggesting short term shifts in diet or behavior is likely linked to reproductive status as is mercury accumulation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Contemporary deposition and long-term accumulation of sediment and nutrients by tidal freshwater forested wetlands impacted by sea level rise

USGS Publications Warehouse

Noe, Gregory; Hupp, Cliff R.; Bernhardt, Christopher E.; Krauss, Ken W.

2016-01-01

Contemporary deposition (artificial marker horizon, 3.5 years) and long-term accumulation rates (210Pb profiles, ~150 years) of sediment and associated carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) were measured in wetlands along the tidal Savannah and Waccamaw rivers in the southeastern USA. Four sites along each river spanned an upstream-to-downstream salinification gradient, from upriver tidal freshwater forested wetland (TFFW), through moderately and highly salt-impacted forested wetlands, to oligohaline marsh downriver. Contemporary deposition rates (sediment, C, N, and P) were greatest in oligohaline marsh and lowest in TFFW along both rivers. Greater rates of deposition in oligohaline and salt-stressed forested wetlands were associated with a shift to greater clay and metal content that is likely associated with a change from low availability of watershed-derived sediment to TFFW and to greater availability of a coastal sediment source to oligohaline wetlands. Long-term accumulation rates along the Waccamaw River had the opposite spatial pattern compared to contemporary deposition, with greater rates in TFFW that declined to oligohaline marsh. Long-term sediment and elemental mass accumulation rates also were 3–9× lower than contemporary deposition rates. In comparison to other studies, sediment and associated nutrient accumulation in TFFW are lower than downriver/estuarine freshwater, oligohaline, and salt marshes, suggesting a reduced capacity for surface sedimentation (short-term) as well as shallow soil processes (long-term sedimentation) to offset sea level rise in TFFW. Nonetheless, their potentially large spatial extent suggests that TFFW have a large impact on the transport and fate of sediment and nutrients in tidal rivers and estuaries.

Accumulation of heavy metals by vegetables grown in mine wastes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cobb, G.P.; Sands, K.; Waters, M.

2000-03-01

Lead, cadmium, arsenic, and zinc were quantified in mine wastes and in soils mixed with mine wastes. Metal concentrations were found to be heterogeneous in the wastes. Iceberg lettuce, Cherry Belle radishes, Roma bush beans, and Better Boy tomatoes were cultivated in mine wastes and in waste-amended soils. Lettuce and radishes had 100% survival in the 100% mine waste treatments compared to 0% and 25% survival for tomatoes and beans, respectively. Metal concentrations were determined in plant tissues to determine uptake and distribution of metals in the edible plant parts. Individual soil samples were collected beneath each plant to assessmore » metal content in the immediate plant environment. This analysis verified heterogeneous metal content of the mine wastes. The four plant species effectively accumulated and translocated lead, cadmium, arsenic, and zinc. Tomato and bean plants contained the four metals mainly in the roots and little was translocated to the fruits. Radish roots accumulated less metals compared to the leaves, whereas lettuce roots and leaves accumulated similar concentrations of the four metals. Lettuce leaves and radish roots accumulated significantly more metals than bean and tomato fruits. This accumulation pattern suggests that consumption of lettuce leaves or radish roots from plants grown in mine wastes would pose greater risks to humans and wildlife than would consumption of beans or tomatoes grown in the same area. The potential risk may be mitigated somewhat in humans, as vegetables grown in mine wastes exhibited stunted growth and chlorosis.« less

Salinity-dependent nickel accumulation and oxidative stress responses in the euryhaline killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus).

PubMed

Blewett, Tamzin A; Wood, Chris M

2015-02-01

The mechanisms of nickel (Ni) toxicity in marine fish remain unclear, although evidence from freshwater (FW) fish suggests that Ni can act as a pro-oxidant. This study investigated the oxidative stress effects of Ni on the euryhaline killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) as a function of salinity. Killifish were exposed to sublethal levels (5, 10, and 20 mg L(-1)) of waterborne Ni for 96 h in FW (0 ppt) and 100 % saltwater (SW) (35 ppt). In general, SW was protective against both Ni accumulation and indicators of oxidative stress [protein carbonyl formation and catalase (CAT) activity]. This effect was most pronounced at the highest Ni exposure level. For example, FW intestine showed increased Ni accumulation relative to SW intestine at 20 mg Ni L(-1), and this was accompanied by significantly greater protein carbonylation and CAT activity in this tissue. There were exceptions, however, in that although liver of FW killifish at the highest exposure concentration showed greater Ni accumulation relative to SW liver, levels of CAT activity were greatly decreased. This may relate to tissue- and salinity-specific differences in oxidative stress responses. The results of the present study suggest (1) that there was Ni-induced oxidative stress in killifish, (2) that the effects of salinity depend on differences in the physiology of the fish in FW versus SW, and (3) that increased levels of cations (sodium, calcium, potassium, and magnesium) and anions (SO4 and Cl) in SW are likely protective against Ni accumulation in tissues exposed to the aquatic environment.

Nitrogen form and mycorrhizal inoculation amount and timing affect flavonol biosynthesis in onion (Allium cepa L.).

PubMed

Mollavali, Mohanna; Perner, Henrike; Rohn, Sascha; Riehle, Peer; Hanschen, Franziska S; Schwarz, Dietmar

2018-01-01

Mycorrhizal symbiosis is known to be the most prevalent form of fungal symbiosis with plants. Although some studies focus on the importance of mycorrhizal symbiosis for enhanced flavonoids in the host plants, a comprehensive understanding of the relationship still is lacking. Therefore, we studied the effects of mycorrhizal inoculation of onions (Allium cepa L.) regarding flavonol concentration and the genes involved in flavonol biosynthesis when different forms of nitrogen were supplied. We hypothesized that mycorrhizal inoculation can act as a biotic stress and might lead to an increase in flavonols and expression of related genes. The three main quercetin compounds [quercetin-3,4'-di-O-β-D-glucoside (QDG), quercetin-4'-O-β-D-glucoside (QMG), and isorhamnetin-4'-O-β-D-glucoside (IMG)] of onion bulbs were identified and analyzed after inoculating with increasing amounts of mycorrhizal inocula at two time points and supplying either predominantly NO 3 - or NH 4 + nitrogen. We also quantified plant dry mass, nutrient element uptake, chalcone synthase (CHS), flavonol synthase (FLS), and phenyl alanine lyase (PAL) gene expression as key enzymes for flavonol biosynthesis. Inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (highest amount) and colonization at late development stages (bulb growth) increased QDG and QMG concentrations if plants were additionally supplied with predominantly NH 4 + . No differences were observed in the IMG content. RNA accumulation of CHS, FLS, and PAL was affected by the stage of the mycorrhizal symbiosis and the nitrogen form. Accumulation of flavonols was not correlated, however, with either the percentage of myorrhization or the abundance of transcripts of flavonoid biosynthesis genes. We found that in plants at late developmental stages, RNA accumulation as a reflection of a current physiological situation does not necessarily correspond with the content of metabolites that accumulate over a long period. Our findings suggest that

Hyperspectral Stimulated Raman Scattering Microscopy Unravels Aberrant Accumulation of Saturated Fat in Human Liver Cancer.

PubMed

Yan, Shuai; Cui, Sishan; Ke, Kun; Zhao, Bixing; Liu, Xiaolong; Yue, Shuhua; Wang, Ping

2018-06-05

Lipid metabolism is dysregulated in human cancers. The analytical tools that could identify and quantitatively map metabolites in unprocessed human tissues with submicrometer resolution are highly desired. Here, we implemented analytical hyperspectral stimulated Raman scattering microscopy to map the lipid metabolites in situ in normal and cancerous liver tissues from 24 patients. In contrast to the conventional wisdom that unsaturated lipid accumulation enhances tumor cell survival and proliferation, we unexpectedly visualized substantial amount of saturated fat accumulated in cancerous liver tissues, which was not seen in majority of their adjacent normal tissues. Further analysis by mass spectrometry confirmed significant high levels of glyceryl tripalmitate specifically in cancerous liver. These findings suggest that the aberrantly accumulated saturated fat may have great potential to be a metabolic biomarker for liver cancer.

Waste activated sludge hydrolysis and short-chain fatty acids accumulation under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions: effect of pH.

PubMed

Zhang, Peng; Chen, Yinguang; Zhou, Qi

2009-08-01

The effect of pH (4.0-11.0) on waste activated sludge (WAS) hydrolysis and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) accumulation under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions were investigated. The WAS hydrolysis increased markedly in thermophilic fermentation compared to mesophilic fermentation at any pH investigated. The hydrolysis at alkaline pHs (8.0-11.0) was greater than that at acidic pHs, but both of the acidic and alkaline hydrolysis was higher than that pH uncontrolled under either mesophilic or thermophilic conditions. No matter in mesophilic or thermophilic fermentation, the accumulation of SCFAs at alkaline pHs was greater than at acidic or uncontrolled pHs. The optimum SCFAs accumulation was 0.298g COD/g volatile suspended solids (VSS) with mesophilic fermentation, and 0.368 with thermophilic fermentation, which was observed respectively at pH 9.0 and fermentation time 5 d and pH 8.0 and time 9 d. The maximum SCFAs productions reported in this study were much greater than that in the literature. The analysis of the SCFAs composition showed that acetic acid was the prevalent acid in the accumulated SCFAs at any pH investigated under both temperatures, followed by propionic acid and n-valeric acid. Nevertheless, during the entire mesophilic and thermophilic fermentation the activity of methanogens was inhibited severely at acid or alkaline pHs, and the highest methane concentration was obtained at pH 7.0 in most cases. The studies of carbon mass balance showed that during WAS fermentation the reduction of VSS decreased with the increase of pH, and the thermophilic VSS reduction was greater than the mesophilic one. Further investigation indicated that most of the reduced VSS was converted to soluble protein and carbohydrate and SCFAs in two fermentations systems, while little formed methane and carbon dioxide.

Maximum likelihood decoding analysis of Accumulate-Repeat-Accumulate Codes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbasfar, Aliazam; Divsalar, Dariush; Yao, Kung

2004-01-01

Repeat-Accumulate (RA) codes are the simplest turbo-like codes that achieve good performance. However, they cannot compete with Turbo codes or low-density parity check codes (LDPC) as far as performance is concerned. The Accumulate Repeat Accumulate (ARA) codes, as a subclass of LDPC codes, are obtained by adding a pre-coder in front of RA codes with puncturing where an accumulator is chosen as a precoder. These codes not only are very simple, but also achieve excellent performance with iterative decoding. In this paper, the performance of these codes with (ML) decoding are analyzed and compared to random codes by very tight bounds. The weight distribution of some simple ARA codes is obtained, and through existing tightest bounds we have shown the ML SNR threshold of ARA codes approaches very closely to the performance of random codes. We have shown that the use of precoder improves the SNR threshold but interleaving gain remains unchanged with respect to RA code with puncturing.

Influence of Transcutol CG on the skin accumulation and transdermal permeation of ultraviolet absorbers.

PubMed

Godwin, Donald A; Kim, Nae-Hwa; Felton, Linda A

2002-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine the influence of Transcutol CG concentration on the transdermal permeation and skin accumulation of two ultraviolet (UV) absorbers, 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone (oxybenzone) and 2-octyl-4-methoxycinnamate (cinnamate). The concentration of the UV absorber was held constant at 6% (w/w) for all vehicle systems while the concentration of Transcutol CG was varied from 0 to 50% (w/w). Data showed that both UV absorbers exhibited increases in skin accumulation with increasing concentrations of Transcutol CG. Skin accumulation of oxybenzone was significantly (P<0.05) greater than that of cinnamate for all formulations investigated. Oxybenzone skin accumulation ranged from 22.9+/-2.8 microg/mg (0% Transcutol CG) to 80.8+/-27.2 microg/mg (50% Transcutol CG). Cinnamate skin accumulation ranged from 9.0+/-0.9 microg/mg to 39.8+/-12.2 microg/mg at 0 and 50% Transcutol CG, respectively. No significant differences were found in the transdermal permeation of oxybenzone or cinnamate for any of the formulations tested. The results of this study demonstrate that the inclusion of Transcutol CG in sunscreen formulations increases the skin accumulation of the UV absorbers oxybenzone and cinnamate without a concomitant increase in transdermal permeation.

Uptake and accumulation of four PPCP/EDCs in two leafy vegetables.

PubMed

Dodgen, L K; Li, J; Parker, D; Gan, J J

2013-11-01

Many pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are present in reclaimed water, leading to concerns of human health risks from the consumption of food crops irrigated with reclaimed water. This study evaluated the potential for plant uptake and accumulation of four commonly occurring PPCP/EDCs, i.e., bisphenol A (BPA), diclofenac sodium (DCL), naproxen (NPX), and 4-nonylphenol (NP), by lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and collards (Brassica oleracea) in hydroponic culture, using (14)C-labeled compounds. In both plant species, plant accumulation followed the order of BPA > NP > DCL > NPX and accumulation in roots was much greater than in leaves and stems. Concentrations of (14)C-PPCP/EDCs in plant tissues ranged from 0.22 ± 0.03 to 927 ± 213 ng/g, but nearly all (14)C-residue was non-extractable. PPCP/EDCs, particularly BPA and NP, were also extensively transformed in the nutrient solution. Dietary uptake of these PPCP/EDCs by humans was predicted to be negligible. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intracellular versus extracellular accumulation of Hexavalent chromium reduction products by Geobacter sulfurreducens PCA.

PubMed

Gong, Yufeng; Werth, Charles J; He, Yaxue; Su, Yiming; Zhang, Yalei; Zhou, Xuefei

2018-05-10

Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) reduction by Geobacter sulfurreducens PCA was evaluated in batch experiments, and the form and amounts of intracellular and extra-cellular Cr(VI) reduction products were determined over time. The first-order Cr(VI) reduction rate per unit mass of cells was consistent for different initial cell concentrations, and approximately equal to (2.065 ± 0.389) x 10 -9  mL CFU -1 h -1 . A portion of the reduced Cr(VI) products precipitated on Geobacter cell walls as Cr(III) and was bound via carboxylate functional groups, a portion accumulated inside Geobacter cells, and another portion existed as soluble Cr(III) or organo-Cr(III) released to solution. A mass balance analysis of total chromium in aqueous media, on cell walls, and inside cells was determined as a function of time, and with different initial cell concentrations. Mass balances were between 92% and 98%, and indicated Cr(VI) reduction products accumulate more on cell walls and inside cells with time and with increasing initial cell concentration, as opposed to particulates in aqueous solution. Reduced Cr(VI) products both in solution and on cell surfaces appear to form organo-Cr(III) complexes, and our results suggest that such complexes are more stable to reoxidation than aqueous Cr(III) or Cr(OH) 3 . Chromium inside cells is also likely more stable to reoxidation, both because it can form organic complexes, and it is separated by the cell membrane from solution conditions. Hence, Cr(VI) reduction products in groundwater during bioremediation may become more stable against re-oxidation, and may pose a lower risk to human health, over time and with greater initial biomass densities. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Selective accumulation of harmful compounds by the DNA-inorganic hybrid-immobilized glass bead.

PubMed

Yamada, Masanori; Hamai, Akari

2009-08-11

Previously, we reported the DNA-inorganic hybrid material including double-stranded DNA by mixing the aqueous DNA solution and silane coupling reagents. Here, we immobilized the DNA-inorganic hybrid material onto the glass bead and prepared the DNA-immobilized glass bead column. The DNA-immobilized glass beads were stable in water and the amount of eluted DNA from the DNA-glass beads did not change for more than 1 week. Additionally, this DNA-immobilized column selectively accumulated the harmful compounds with the planar structure, such as dioxin- and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-derivatives, and these accumulation percentages were 50-70%. Furthermore, the DNA-immobilized glass bead was recycled nine times by the application of ethanol solution and the accumulative ratio was maintained at more than 60% and did not appear to be decreasing. Therefore, these DNA-columns might have a potential for the selective removal and separation of DNA-intercalating molecules and harmful compounds with the planar structure from experimental or industrial drainages.

Regulation of Polyhydroxybutyrate Accumulation in Sinorhizobium meliloti by the Trans-Encoded Small RNA MmgR

PubMed Central

Lagares, Antonio; Borella, Germán Ceizel; Linne, Uwe; Becker, Anke

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Riboregulation has a major role in the fine-tuning of multiple bacterial processes. Among the RNA players, trans-encoded untranslated small RNAs (sRNAs) regulate complex metabolic networks by tuning expression from multiple target genes in response to numerous signals. In Sinorhizobium meliloti, over 400 sRNAs are expressed under different stimuli. The sRNA MmgR (standing for Makes more granules Regulator) has been of particular interest to us since its sequence and structure are highly conserved among the alphaproteobacteria and its expression is regulated by the amount and quality of the bacterium's available nitrogen source. In this work, we explored the biological role of MmgR in S. meliloti 2011 by characterizing the effect of a deletion of the internal conserved core of mmgR (mmgRΔ33–51). This mutation resulted in larger amounts of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) distributed into more intracellular granules than are found in the wild-type strain. This phenotype was expressed upon cessation of balanced growth owing to nitrogen depletion in the presence of surplus carbon (i.e., at a carbon/nitrogen molar ratio greater than 10). The normal PHB accumulation was complemented with a wild-type mmgR copy but not with unrelated sRNA genes. Furthermore, the expression of mmgR limited PHB accumulation in the wild type, regardless of the magnitude of the C surplus. Quantitative proteomic profiling and quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) revealed that the absence of MmgR results in a posttranscriptional overexpression of both PHB phasin proteins (PhaP1 and PhaP2). Together, our results indicate that the widely conserved alphaproteobacterial MmgR sRNA fine-tunes the regulation of PHB storage in S. meliloti. IMPORTANCE High-throughput RNA sequencing has recently uncovered an overwhelming number of trans-encoded small RNAs (sRNAs) in diverse prokaryotes. In the nitrogen-fixing alphaproteobacterial symbiont of alfalfa root nodules Sinorhizobium meliloti

Regulation of Polyhydroxybutyrate Accumulation in Sinorhizobium meliloti by the Trans-Encoded Small RNA MmgR.

PubMed

Lagares, Antonio; Ceizel Borella, Germán; Linne, Uwe; Becker, Anke; Valverde, Claudio

2017-04-15

Riboregulation has a major role in the fine-tuning of multiple bacterial processes. Among the RNA players, trans -encoded untranslated small RNAs (sRNAs) regulate complex metabolic networks by tuning expression from multiple target genes in response to numerous signals. In Sinorhizobium meliloti , over 400 sRNAs are expressed under different stimuli. The sRNA MmgR (standing for M akes m ore g ranules R egulator) has been of particular interest to us since its sequence and structure are highly conserved among the alphaproteobacteria and its expression is regulated by the amount and quality of the bacterium's available nitrogen source. In this work, we explored the biological role of MmgR in S. meliloti 2011 by characterizing the effect of a deletion of the internal conserved core of mmgR ( mmgR Δ33-51 ). This mutation resulted in larger amounts of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) distributed into more intracellular granules than are found in the wild-type strain. This phenotype was expressed upon cessation of balanced growth owing to nitrogen depletion in the presence of surplus carbon (i.e., at a carbon/nitrogen molar ratio greater than 10). The normal PHB accumulation was complemented with a wild-type mmgR copy but not with unrelated sRNA genes. Furthermore, the expression of mmgR limited PHB accumulation in the wild type, regardless of the magnitude of the C surplus. Quantitative proteomic profiling and quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) revealed that the absence of MmgR results in a posttranscriptional overexpression of both PHB phasin proteins (PhaP1 and PhaP2). Together, our results indicate that the widely conserved alphaproteobacterial MmgR sRNA fine-tunes the regulation of PHB storage in S. meliloti IMPORTANCE High-throughput RNA sequencing has recently uncovered an overwhelming number of trans -encoded small RNAs (sRNAs) in diverse prokaryotes. In the nitrogen-fixing alphaproteobacterial symbiont of alfalfa root nodules Sinorhizobium meliloti

Enrichments of methanotrophic-heterotrophic cultures with high poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) accumulation capacities.

PubMed

Zhang, Tingting; Wang, Xiaowei; Zhou, Jiti; Zhang, Yu

2018-03-01

Methanotrophic-heterotrophic communities were selectively enriched from sewage sludge to obtain a mixed culture with high levels of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) accumulation capacity from methane. Methane was used as the carbon source, N 2 as sole nitrogen source, and oxygen and Cu content were varied. Copper proved essential for PHB synthesis. All cultures enriched with Cu could accumulate high content of PHB (43.2%-45.9%), while only small amounts of PHB were accumulated by cultures enriched without Cu (11.9%-17.5%). Batch assays revealed that communities grown with Cu and a higher O 2 content synthesized more PHB, which had a wider optimal CH 4 :O 2 range and produced a high PHB content (48.7%) even though in the presence of N 2 . In all methanotrophic-heterotrophic communities, both methanotrophic and heterotrophic populations showed the ability to accumulate PHB. Although methane was added as the sole carbon source, heterotrophs dominated with abundances between 77.2% and 85.6%. All methanotrophs detected belonged to type II genera, which formed stable communities with heterotrophs of different PHB production capacities. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A new strain of Claviceps purpurea accumulating tetracyclic clavine alkaloids.

PubMed

Schumann, B; Erge, D; Maier, W; Gröger, D

1982-05-01

A new strain of Claviceps was isolated from a blokked mutant of Claviceps purpurea. This strain accumulates substantial amounts of clavine alkaloids (2 g/l). The alkaloid fraction is composed of chanoclavine-I ( approximately 10%) and a mixture of agroclavine/elymoclavine (90%). Most suitable for alkaloid production in submerged culture is an ammoncitrate/sucrose medium. The genealogy of the new strain, designated Pepty 695/ch-I is the following one: Pepty 695/S (ergotoxine producer) --> Pepty 695/ch (secoergoline producer) --> Pepty 695/ch-I (tetracyclic clavine producer).

Calcium-mediated responses and glutamine synthetase expression in greater duckweed (Spirodela polyrhiza L.) under diethyl phthalate-induced stress.

PubMed

Cheng, Lee-Ju; Hung, Meng-Ju; Cheng, Yen-I; Cheng, Tai-Sheng

2013-11-15

This study was carried out to assess the influence of diethyl phthalate (DEP) alone or associated with calcium chloride (CaCl2) on greater duckweed plants, emphasizing the implications of calcium in amelioration of DEP-induced stress on plant growth. Greater duckweed were treated with DEP in variable concentrations, as 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0mM for 7 days, or treated with the same concentration either 2mM DEP or 2mM DEP plus 10mM CaCl2·2H2O in different duration 0-7 days. Treatment with 2mM DEP resulted in increasing proline content, protease activity, and ammonia accumulation in duckweed tissues. NADH-glutamate dehydrogenase (NADH-GDH; EC 1.4.1.2) and Δ(1)-pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase (P5CR; EC 1.5.1.2), two key enzymes in the glutamate pathway of proline synthesis, showed increase in activity with DEP treatment and positively correlated with proline accumulation. No further increase in proline accumulation was observed with addition of calcium chloride to the DEP-treated cultures. However, supplementation of Ca(2+) can mitigate the adverse effect of DEP, at least in part to decrease the DEP-induced superoxide accumulation and increase in GDH activity for ammonia assimilation in duckweed fronds. In addition, effects of calcium on mitigation of DEP injury were also observed in glutamine synthetase (GS; EC 6.3.1.2) expression. Both GS1 and GS2 polypeptide accumulation and the level of total GS activity were nearly equivalent to the control. Exogenous proline protects GS2 from DEP-modulated redox damage in the chloroplast lysates but there is no remarkable protection effects on D1 (the 32kDa protein in photosystem II reaction center) degradation. In conclusion, the glutamate pathway of proline synthesis might be involved in mitigation of DEP-induced injury, and calcium plays an important role in increasing GDH, P5CR, and GS expression. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The determination of nanogram amounts of Chromium in urine by x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beyermann, K.; Rose, H.J.; Christian, R.P.

1969-01-01

Nanogram amounts of chromium can be extracted as oxinate into chloform. By treatment of the chloroform layer 3 M hydrochloric acid, oxinates of other elements and excess of reagent are removed, leaving a chloroform solution of the chromium chelate only. This solution is concentrated and transferred to the top of a small brass rod acting as sample holder. The intensity of the X-ray fluorescence of the Cr K?? line is measured with curved crystal optics. Chromium amounts greater than 5 ng can be detected. The application of the procedure to the analysis of the chromium content of urine is demonstrated. ?? 1969.

Gender, mature appearance, alcohol use, and dating as correlates of sexual partner accumulation from ages 16-26 years.

PubMed

Zimmer-Gembeck, Melanie J; Collins, W Andrew

2008-06-01

To determine growth in sexual partnering from age 16-26 years, and to test whether biological and social factors launched these growth patterns. A prospective design was used. Participants were 176 young people (47% female) followed from birth to age 26 years. Sexual partnering was measured as the accumulated number of different sexual intercourse partners at ages 16, 19, 23, and 26 years. Physical appearance of maturity, alcohol use, and dating were measured at ages 13-16 via observations, interviews, and questionnaires. Mature appearance at age 13 years, use of alcohol more than monthly at age 16, and a history of a steady romantic partner before age 16 were each associated with a greater number of sexual intercourse partners by age 16. However a more mature appearance, more frequent alcohol use, and greater dating involvement did not foreshadow a steeper accumulation of sexual partners between ages 16 and 26. Only gender had such a "growth" influence, with males accruing sexual partners more rapidly from the ages of 16-26 years when compared with females. Adolescents had accumulated a higher number of sexual partners by age 16 years when they looked older, drank alcohol more frequently, and were more involved with dating in early to middle adolescence. Also male gender was associated with accumulation of sexual partners more rapidly between ages 16 and 26 years, and there was little indication that the accumulation of different sexual partners had begun to slow by age 26 for the average participant.

Regional Greenland accumulation variability from Operation IceBridge airborne accumulation radar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, Gabriel; Osterberg, Erich; Hawley, Robert; Whitmore, Brian; Marshall, Hans Peter; Box, Jason

2017-03-01

The mass balance of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) in a warming climate is of critical interest to scientists and the general public in the context of future sea-level rise. An improved understanding of temporal and spatial variability of snow accumulation will reduce uncertainties in GrIS mass balance models and improve projections of Greenland's contribution to sea-level rise, currently estimated at 0.089 ± 0.03 m by 2100. Here we analyze 25 NASA Operation IceBridge accumulation radar flights totaling > 17 700 km from 2013 to 2014 to determine snow accumulation in the GrIS dry snow and percolation zones over the past 100-300 years. IceBridge accumulation rates are calculated and used to validate accumulation rates from three regional climate models. Averaged over all 25 flights, the RMS difference between the models and IceBridge accumulation is between 0.023 ± 0.019 and 0.043 ± 0.029 m w.e. a-1, although each model shows significantly larger differences from IceBridge accumulation on a regional basis. In the southeast region, for example, the Modèle Atmosphérique Régional (MARv3.5.2) overestimates by an average of 20.89 ± 6.75 % across the drainage basin. Our results indicate that these regional differences between model and IceBridge accumulation are large enough to significantly alter GrIS surface mass balance estimates. Empirical orthogonal function analysis suggests that the first two principal components account for 33 and 19 % of the variance, and correlate with the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) and wintertime North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), respectively. Regions that disagree strongest with climate models are those in which we have the fewest IceBridge data points, requiring additional in situ measurements to verify model uncertainties.

Added versus accumulated sugars on color development and acrylamide formation in french-fried potato strips.

PubMed

Higley, Jeremy; Kim, Jong-Yea; Huber, Kerry C; Smith, Gordon

2012-09-05

Added (glucose addition) versus accumulated (in situ sugar development via cold-temperature storage) sugar treatments were investigated in relation to acrylamide formation within fried potato strips at standardized levels of finish-fried color (Agtron color scores ranged from 36 to 84). The added sugar treatment exhibited a relatively reduced rate of acrylamide formation and generally possessed a lower and less variable acrylamide content (61-1290 ng/g) than the accumulated sugar scheme (61-2191 ng/g). In a subsequent experiment, added fructose applied to strip surfaces via dipping prior to frying favored acrylamide formation over color development relative to added glucose, for which the reverse trend was observed. Thus, where acrylamide differences were noted between added and accumulated sugar treatments (given equivalent Agtron color scores), this result was likely aided by the relative higher fructose content in strips of the accumulated sugar scheme rather than simply a greater relative concentration of total reducing sugars.

Carbon accumulation and sequestration of lakes in China during the Holocene.

PubMed

Wang, Mei; Chen, Huai; Yu, Zicheng; Wu, Jianghua; Zhu, Qiu'an; Peng, Changhui; Wang, Yanfen; Qin, Boqiang

2015-12-01

Understanding the responses of lake systems to past climate change and human activity is critical for assessing and predicting the fate of lake carbon (C) in the future. In this study, we synthesized records of the sediment accumulation from 82 lakes and of C sequestration from 58 lakes with direct organic C measurements throughout China. We also identified the controlling factors of the long-term sediment and C accumulation dynamics in these lakes during the past 12 ka (1 ka = 1000 cal yr BP). Our results indicated an overall increasing trend of sediment and C accumulation since 12 ka, with an accumulation peak in the last couple of millennia for lakes in China, corresponding to terrestrial organic matter input due to land-use change. The Holocene lake sediment accumulation rate (SAR) and C accumulation rate (CAR) averaged (mean ± SE) 0.47 ± 0.05 mm yr(-1) and 7.7 ± 1.4 g C m(-2)  yr(-1) in China, respectively, comparable to the previous estimates for boreal and temperate regions. The SAR for lakes in the East Plain of subtropical China (1.05 ± 0.28 mm yr(-1) ) was higher than those in other regions (P < 0.05). However, CAR did not vary significantly among regions. Overall, the variability and history of climate and anthropogenic interference regulated the temporal and spatial dynamics of sediment and C sequestration for lakes in China. We estimated the total amount of C burial in lakes of China as 8.0 ± 1.0 Pg C. This first estimation of total C storage and dynamics in lakes of China confirms the importance of lakes in land C budget in monsoon-influenced regions. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Accumulation of Radioactive Cesium Released from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Terrestrial Cyanobacteria Nostoc commune

PubMed Central

Sasaki, Hideaki; Shirato, Susumu; Tahara, Tomoya; Sato, Kenji; Takenaka, Hiroyuki

2013-01-01

The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident released large amounts of radioactive substances into the environment and contaminated the soil of Tohoku and Kanto districts in Japan. Removal of radioactive material from the environment is an urgent problem, and soil purification using plants is being considered. In this study, we investigated the ability of 12 seed plant species and a cyanobacterium to accumulate radioactive material. The plants did not accumulate radioactive material at high levels, but high accumulation was observed in the terrestrial cyanobacterium Nostoc commune. In Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture, N. commune accumulated 415,000 Bq/kg dry weight 134Cs and 607,000 Bq kg−1 dry weight 137Cs. The concentration of cesium in N. commune tended to be high in areas where soil radioactivity was high. A cultivation experiment confirmed that N. commune absorbed radioactive cesium from polluted soil. These data demonstrated that radiological absorption using N. commune might be suitable for decontaminating polluted soil. PMID:24256969

In situ accumulation of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) in bone matrix and its correlation with osteoclastic bone resorption.

PubMed

Dong, X Neil; Qin, An; Xu, Jiake; Wang, Xiaodu

2011-08-01

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have been observed to accumulate in bone with increasing age and may impose effects on bone resorption activities. However, the underlying mechanism of AGEs accumulation in bone is still poorly understood. In this study, human cortical bone specimens from young (31±6years old), middle-aged (51±3years old) and elderly (76±4years old) groups were examined to determine the spatial-temporal distribution of AGEs in bone matrix and its effect on bone resorption activities by directly culturing osteoclastic cells on bone slices. The results of this study indicated that the fluorescence intensity (excitation wave length 360nm and emission wave length 470±40nm) could be used to estimate the relative distribution of AGEs in bone (pentosidine as its marker) under an epifluorescence microscope. Using the fluorescence intensity as the relative measure of AGEs concentration, it was found that the concentration of AGEs varied with biological tissue ages, showing the greatest amount in the interstitial tissue, followed by the old osteons, and the least amount in newly formed osteons. In addition, AGEs accumulation was found to be dependent on donor ages, suggesting that the younger the donor the less AGEs were accumulated in the tissue. Most interestingly, AGEs accumulation appeared to initiate from the region of cement lines, and spread diffusively to the other parts as the tissue aged. Finally, it was observed that the bone resorption activities of osteoclasts were positively correlated with the in situ concentration of AGEs and such an effect was enhanced with increasing donor age. These findings may help elucidate the mechanism of AGEs accumulation in bone and its association with bone remodeling process. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

IN SITU ACCUMULATION OF ADVANCED GLYCATION ENDPRODUCTS (AGES) IN BONE MATRIX AND ITS CORRELATION WITH OSTEOCLASTIC BONE RESORPTION

PubMed Central

Dong, X. Neil; Qin, An; Xu, Jiake; Wang, Xiaodu

2011-01-01

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have been observed to accumulate in bone with increasing age and may impose effects on bone resorption activities. However, the underlying mechanism of AGEs accumulation in bone is still poorly understood. In this study, human cortical bone specimens from young (31±6 years old), middle-aged (51±3 years old) and elderly (76±4 years old) groups were examined to determine the spatial-temporal distribution of AGEs in bone matrix and its effect on bone resorption activities by directly culturing osteoclastic cells on bone slices. The results of this study indicated that the fluorescence intensity (excitation wave length 360 nm and emission wave length 470±40 nm) could be used to estimate the relative distribution of AGEs in bone (pentosidine as its marker) under an epifluorescence microscope. Using the fluorescence intensity as the relative measure of AGEs concentration, it was found that the concentration of AGEs varied with biological tissue ages, showing the greatest amount in the interstitial tissue, followed by the old osteons, and the least amount in newly formed osteons. In addition, AGEs accumulation was found to be dependent on donor ages, suggesting that the younger the donor the less AGEs were accumulated in the tissue. Most interestingly, AGEs accumulation appeared to initiate from the region of cement lines, and spread diffusively to the other parts as the tissue aged. Finally, it was observed that the bone resorption activities of osteoclasts were positively correlated with the in situ concentration of AGEs and such an effect was enhanced with increasing donor age. These findings may help elucidate the mechanism of AGEs accumulation in bone and its association with bone remodeling process. PMID:21530698

The discrimination of discrete and continuous amounts in African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus).

PubMed

Aïn, Syrina Al; Giret, Nicolas; Grand, Marion; Kreutzer, Michel; Bovet, Dalila

2009-01-01

A wealth of research in infants and animals demonstrates discrimination of quantities, in some cases nonverbal numerical perception, and even elementary calculation capacities. We investigated the ability of three African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) to select the largest amount of food between two sets, either discrete food items (experiment 1) or as volume of a food substance (experiment 2). The two amounts were presented simultaneously and were visible at the time of choice. Parrots were tested several times for all possible combinations between 1 and 5 seeds or 0.2 and 1 ml of food substance. In both conditions, subjects performed above chance for almost all combinations. Accuracy was negatively correlated with the ratio, that is performance improved with greater differences between amounts. Therefore, these results with both individual items and volume discrimination suggest that parrots use an analogue of magnitude, rather than object-file mechanisms to quantify items and substances.

Amount of stroma is associated with mammographic density and stromal expression of oestrogen receptor in normal breast tissues.

PubMed

Gabrielson, Marike; Chiesa, Flaminia; Paulsson, Janna; Strell, Carina; Behmer, Catharina; Rönnow, Katarina; Czene, Kamila; Östman, Arne; Hall, Per

2016-07-01

Following female sex and age, mammographic density is considered one of the strongest risk factors for breast cancer. Despite the association between mammographic density and breast cancer risk, little is known about the underlying histology and biological basis of breast density. To better understand the mechanisms behind mammographic density we assessed morphology, proliferation and hormone receptor status in relation to mammographic density in breast tissues from healthy women. Tissues were obtained from 2012-2013 by ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy from 160 women as part of the Karma (Karolinska mammography project for risk prediction for breast cancer) project. Mammograms were collected through routine mammography screening and mammographic density was calculated using STRATUS. The histological composition, epithelial and stromal proliferation status and hormone receptor status were assessed through immunohistochemical staining. Higher mammographic density was significantly associated with a greater proportion of stromal and epithelial tissue and a lower proportion of adipose tissue. Epithelial expression levels of Ki-67, oestrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) were not associated with mammographic density. Epithelial Ki-67 was associated with a greater proportion of epithelial tissue, and epithelial PR was associated with a greater proportion of stromal and a lower proportion of adipose tissue. Epithelial ER was not associated with any tissues. In contrast, expression of ER in the stroma was significantly associated with a greater proportion of stroma, and negatively associated with the amount of adipose tissue. High mammographic density is associated with higher amount of stroma and epithelium and less amount of fat, but is not associated with a change in epithelial proliferation or receptor status. Increased expressions of both epithelial PR and stromal ER are associated with a greater proportion of stroma, suggesting hormonal involvement

Lack of Glycogenin Causes Glycogen Accumulation and Muscle Function Impairment.

PubMed

Testoni, Giorgia; Duran, Jordi; García-Rocha, Mar; Vilaplana, Francisco; Serrano, Antonio L; Sebastián, David; López-Soldado, Iliana; Sullivan, Mitchell A; Slebe, Felipe; Vilaseca, Marta; Muñoz-Cánoves, Pura; Guinovart, Joan J

2017-07-05

Glycogenin is considered essential for glycogen synthesis, as it acts as a primer for the initiation of the polysaccharide chain. Against expectations, glycogenin-deficient mice (Gyg KO) accumulate high amounts of glycogen in striated muscle. Furthermore, this glycogen contains no covalently bound protein, thereby demonstrating that a protein primer is not strictly necessary for the synthesis of the polysaccharide in vivo. Strikingly, in spite of the higher glycogen content, Gyg KO mice showed lower resting energy expenditure and less resistance than control animals when subjected to endurance exercise. These observations can be attributed to a switch of oxidative myofibers toward glycolytic metabolism. Mice overexpressing glycogen synthase in the muscle showed similar alterations, thus indicating that this switch is caused by the excess of glycogen. These results may explain the muscular defects of GSD XV patients, who lack glycogenin-1 and show high glycogen accumulation in muscle. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Proline accumulation and its implication in cold tolerance of regenerable maize callus

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Duncan, D.R.; Widholm, J.M.

1987-03-01

Embryogenic callus of maize (Zea mays L.) inbreds B37wx, H99, H99/sup 3/H95, Mo17, and Pa91 accumulated proline to levels 2.1 to 2.5 times that of control callus when subjected to mannitol-induced water stress, cool temperatures (19/sup 0/C) and abscisic acid (ABA). A combination of 0.53 molar mannitol plus 0.1 millimolar ABA induced a proline accumulation to about 4.5 times that of control callus, equivalent to approximately 0.18 millimoles proline per gram fresh weight of callus. Proline accumulation was directly related to the level of mannitol in the medium. Levels of ABA greater than 1.0 micromolar were required in the mediummore » to induce proline accumulation comparable to that induced by mannitol. Mannitol and ABA levels that induced maximum accumulation of proline also inhibited callus growth and increased tolerance to cold. Proline (12 millimolar) added to culture media also increased the tolerance of callus to 4/sup 0/C. The increased cold tolerance induced by the combination of mannitol and ABA has permitted the storage of the maize inbreds A632, A634Ht, B37wx, C103DTrf, Fr27rhm, H99, Pa91, Va35, and W117Ht at 4/sup 0/C for 90 days which is more than double the typical survival time of callus. These studies show that proline accumulation increase the cold tolerance of regenerable maize callus.« less

Arsenic accumulation in three species of sea turtles.

PubMed

Saeki, K; Sakakibara, H; Sakai, H; Kunito, T; Tanabe, S

2000-09-01

Arsenic in the liver, kidney and muscle of three species of sea turtles, e.g., green turtles (Chelonia mydas), loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) and hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), were determined using HG-AAS, followed by arsenic speciation analysis using HPLC-ICP-MS. The order of arsenic concentration in tissues was muscle > kidney > liver. Unexpectedly, the arsenic concentrations in the hawksbill turtles feeding mainly on sponges were higher than the two other turtles primarily eating algae and mollusk which accumulate a large amount of arsenic. Especially, the muscles of the hawksbill turtles contained remarkably high arsenic concentrations averaging 153 mg kg(-1) dry weight with the range of 23.1-205 mg kg(-1) (n = 4), even in comparison with the data from other organisms. The arsenic concentrations in the tissues of the green turtles were significantly decreased with standard carapace length as an indicator of growth. In arsenic compounds, arsenobetaine was mostly detected in the tissues of all the turtles. Besides arsenobetaine, a small amount of dimethylarsinic acid was also observed in the hawksbill turtles.

Limits to preference and the sensitivity of choice to rate and amount of food.

PubMed

Aparicio, Carlos F; Baum, William M; Hughes, Christine E; Pitts, Raymond C

2016-03-01

Studies of choice holding food-amount ratio constant while varying food-rate ratio within sessions showed that local changes in preference depend on relative amount of food. The present study investigated whether sensitivity of choice to food-rate ratio and sensitivity to food-amount ratio are independent of one another when food-rate ratios are varied across sessions and food-amount ratios are varied within sessions. Food deliveries for rats' presses on the left and right levers were scheduled according to three different food-rate ratios of 1:1, 9:1, and 1:9; each food-rate ratio lasted for 106 sessions and was arranged independently of seven food-amount ratios (7:1, 6:2, 5:3, 4:4, 3:5, 2:6, and 1:7 food pellets) occurring within sessions in random sequence. Each amount ratio lasted for 10 food deliveries and was separated from another by a 60-s blackout. Sensitivity to rate ratio was high (1.0) across food deliveries. Sensitivity to amount ratio was low when food rates were equal across alternatives, but was high when rate ratio and amount ratio opposed one another. When rate ratio and amount ratio went in the same direction, choice ratio reached an elevenfold limit which reduced sensitivity to approximately zero. We conclude that three factors affect sensitivity to amount: (1) the limit to preference, (2) the equal effect on preference of amounts greater than four pellets, and (3) the absence of differential effects of switches in amount in the equal-rates (1:1) condition. Taken together, these findings indicate that rate and amount only sometimes combine independently as additive variables to determine preference when amount ratios vary frequently within sessions. © 2016 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

26 CFR 1.662(a)-1 - Inclusion of amounts in gross income of beneficiaries of estates and complex trusts; general.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Inclusion of amounts in gross income of beneficiaries of estates and complex trusts; general. 1.662(a)-1 Section 1.662(a)-1 Internal Revenue INTERNAL...) Estates and Trusts Which May Accumulate Income Or Which Distribute Corpus § 1.662(a)-1 Inclusion of...

26 CFR 1.662(a)-1 - Inclusion of amounts in gross income of beneficiaries of estates and complex trusts; general.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Inclusion of amounts in gross income of beneficiaries of estates and complex trusts; general. 1.662(a)-1 Section 1.662(a)-1 Internal Revenue INTERNAL...) Estates and Trusts Which May Accumulate Income Or Which Distribute Corpus § 1.662(a)-1 Inclusion of...

26 CFR 1.662(a)-1 - Inclusion of amounts in gross income of beneficiaries of estates and complex trusts; general.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Inclusion of amounts in gross income of beneficiaries of estates and complex trusts; general. 1.662(a)-1 Section 1.662(a)-1 Internal Revenue INTERNAL...) Estates and Trusts Which May Accumulate Income Or Which Distribute Corpus § 1.662(a)-1 Inclusion of...

26 CFR 1.662(a)-1 - Inclusion of amounts in gross income of beneficiaries of estates and complex trusts; general.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Inclusion of amounts in gross income of beneficiaries of estates and complex trusts; general. 1.662(a)-1 Section 1.662(a)-1 Internal Revenue INTERNAL...) Estates and Trusts Which May Accumulate Income Or Which Distribute Corpus § 1.662(a)-1 Inclusion of...

Balancing bulk gas accumulation and gas output before and during lava fountaining episodes at Mt. Etna

PubMed Central

Carbone, Daniele; Zuccarello, Luciano; Messina, Alfio; Scollo, Simona; Rymer, Hazel

2015-01-01

We focus on a sequence of 9 lava fountains from Etna that occurred in 2011, separated by intervals of 5 to 10 days. Continuous measurements allowed to discover the occurrence of gravity decreases before the onset of most fountaining episodes. We propose that the gravity changes are due to the pre-fountaining accumulation of a foam layer at shallow levels in the plumbing system of the volcano. Relying on the relationship between amount of gas trapped in the foam and amount of gas emitted during each episode, we develop a conceptual model of the mechanism controlling the passage from Strombolian to lava fountaining activity. Gas leakage from the foam layer during the late stages of its accumulation increases the gas volume fraction at upper levels, thus inducing a decrease of the magma-static pressure in the trapping zone and a further growth of the foam. This feedback mechanism eventually leads to the collapse of the foam layer and to the onset of lava fountaining. The possibility to detect the development of a foam layer at depth and to set quantitative constraints on the amount of trapped gas is important because of the implications for forecasting explosive eruptions and predicting their intensity. PMID:26656099

Accumulation of planets into the proto-planetary cloud as a process of occurring an amount of characteristic scales into the nonlinear self organized dynamical systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Professor Khachay, Yurie

2015-04-01

Two characteristic times are significant for evolution the interior of the homogeneous proto-planetary cloud: the time of bodies free fall towards the clouds mass center and the time of sound distribution through the cloud. With the beginning of proto-planetary disk fragmentation and accumulation of the proto-planets from the bodies and particles there are formed matter content heterogeneities of the finite dimension, heterogeneities of temperature, density and values of kinetic coefficients. The system became more and more complicated with interior interconnections. By the growing of the bodies the difference between the values of the characteristic times and dimensions become larger. The dynamical evolution of the system we could observe with use the numerical modeling of the Earth and Moon formation into the 3-D model [1,2]. The fact, that the linear dimensions of the objects during the accumulation process change from the centimeter and meter dimensions to some thousands of kilometers significantly prevent the mathematical description of these processes. The corresponding values of the no dimensional similarity criterions, which are included into the systems of differential equations, which describe the proto-planetary growing, the conditions for entropy and mass on the growing surface, the equations of the impulse balance, energy and mass into the interior parts of the planet change on an orders of values. Therefore we used very detailed space and time grids for solution the problem using the method of finite differences. The additional complications occur according to necessity to take into account the nonlinear dependence of matter viscosity from the temperature, pressure and chemical matter content. At last we took into account the principal random distribution of heterogeneities, stipulated by bodies and particles falling. Only progression towards that direction and constructing corresponding systems of observation and interpretation allow to hope

Root-to-shoot Cd translocation via the xylem is the major process determining shoot and grain cadmium accumulation in rice

PubMed Central

Uraguchi, Shimpei; Mori, Shinsuke; Kuramata, Masato; Kawasaki, Akira; Arao, Tomohito; Ishikawa, Satoru

2009-01-01

Physiological properties involved in divergent cadmium (Cd) accumulation among rice genotypes were characterized using the indica cultivar ‘Habataki’ (high Cd in grains) and the japonica cultivar ‘Sasanishiki’ (low Cd in grains). Time-dependence and concentration-dependence of symplastic Cd absorption in roots were revealed not to be responsible for the different Cd accumulation between the two cultivars because root Cd uptake was not greater in the Cd-accumulating cultivar ‘Habataki’ compared with ‘Sasanishiki’. On the other hand, rapid and greater root-to-shoot Cd translocation was observed in ‘Habataki’, which could be mediated by higher abilities in xylem loading of Cd and transpiration rate as a driving force. To verify whether different abilities in xylem-mediated shoot-to-root translocation generally account for the genotypic variation in shoot Cd accumulation in rice, the world rice core collection, consisting of 69 accessions which covers the genetic diversity of almost 32 000 accessions of cultivated rice, was used. The results showed strong correlation between Cd levels in xylem sap and shoots and grains among the 69 rice accessions. Overall, the results presented in this study revealed that the root-to-shoot Cd translocation via the xylem is the major and common physiological process determining the Cd accumulation level in shoots and grains of rice plants. PMID:19401409

Aerobic dynamic feeding as a strategy for in situ accumulation of polyhydroxyalkanoate in aerobic granules.

PubMed

Gobi, K; Vadivelu, V M

2014-06-01

Aerobic dynamic feeding (ADF) strategy was applied in sequencing batch reactor (SBR) to accumulate polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) in aerobic granules. The aerobic granules were able to remove 90% of the COD from palm oil mill effluent (POME). The volatile fatty acids (VFAs) in the POME are the sole source of the PHA accumulation. In this work, 100% removal of propionic and butyric acids in the POME were observed. The highest amount of PHA produced in aerobic granules was 0.6833mgPHA/mgbiomass. The PHA formed was identified as a P (hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) P (HB-co-HV). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mercury accumulation plant Cyrtomium macrophyllum and its potential for phytoremediation of mercury polluted sites.

PubMed

Xun, Yu; Feng, Liu; Li, Youdan; Dong, Haochen

2017-12-01

Cyrtomium macrophyllum naturally grown in 225.73 mg kg -1 of soil mercury in mining area was found to be a potential mercury accumulator plant with the translocation factor of 2.62 and the high mercury concentration of 36.44 mg kg -1 accumulated in its aerial parts. Pot experiments indicated that Cyrtomium macrophyllum could even grow in 500 mg kg -1 of soil mercury with observed inhibition on growth but no obvious toxic effects, and showed excellent mercury accumulation and translocation abilities with both translocation and bioconcentration factors greater than 1 when exposed to 200 mg kg -1 and lower soil mercury, indicating that it could be considered as a great mercury accumulating species. Furthermore, the leaf tissue of Cyrtomium macrophyllum showed high resistance to mercury stress because of both the increased superoxide dismutase activity and the accumulation of glutathione and proline induced by mercury stress, which favorited mercury translocation from the roots to the aerial parts, revealing the possible reason for Cyrtomium macrophyllum to tolerate high concentration of soil mercury. In sum, due to its excellent mercury accumulation and translocation abilities as well as its high resistance to mercury stress, the use of Cyrtomium macrophyllum should be a promising approach to remediating mercury polluted soils. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of nonylphenol and bisphenol A accumulation by fish and implications for ecological and human health.

PubMed

Lee, Ching-Chang; Jiang, Ling-Ying; Kuo, Yi-Ling; Chen, Chung-Yu; Hsieh, Chia-Yi; Hung, Chung-Feng; Tien, Chien-Jung

2015-01-01

Fish populations constitute an important part of aquatic ecosystems. Thus, their accumulation of nonylphenol (NP) and bisphenol A (BPA) may pose risks to ecosystems and human health. This study analyzed the concentrations of NP and BPA in four types of fishes (i.e., wild/farmed freshwater fishes and wild/farmed marine fishes). Wild freshwater fishes contained higher concentrations of NP and BPA than the other three types of fishes. The concentrations of NP in the wild freshwater fishes ranged from 1.01 to 277 μg/kg ww, with bioconcentration factors (BCFs) and biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) ranging from 74.0 to 2.60 × 10(4)L/kg and from 0.003 to 18.3, respectively. The wild freshwater fishes contained relatively low amounts of BPA, varying from ND to 25.2 μg/kg ww, with the BCFs and BSAFs ranging from 1.00 to 274L/kg and from 0.003 to 3.40, respectively. Five fish species particularly showed high BCFs and BSAFs, indicating that they could be an important source of NP for higher trophic levels, most likely resulting in ecological risks. The demersal fishes showed a greater ability to accumulate NP than the pelagic ones. The fact that the 95th percentile values of the risk quotient (RQ) for NP and BPA were higher than the acceptable threshold indicated that these two compounds would have adverse effects on aquatic organisms in Taiwanese rivers. The consumption of wild marine fishes had the highest 95th percentile values of hazard quotient (HQ) for NP and BPA among the four types of fishes, particularly for the population aged 0-3 years. However, the 95th percentile values of HQ for NP and BPA were all less than 1, suggesting that exposure to NP and BPA through fish consumption posed no remarkable risk to human health in Taiwan. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Growth, nitrogen accumulation and nitrogen transfer by legume species established on mine spoils

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jefferies, R.A.; Bradshaw, A.D.; Putwain, P.D.

1981-12-01

Nitrogen deficiency is an important factor limiting plant growth on many types of mine and mineral spoils. One method of overcoming this problem is to use legume species which are able to accumulate nitrogen in such spoils. The growth, nitrogen accumulation and nitrogen transfer to a companion species was compared in contrasting legume species established on colliery spoil and on sand waste from the extraction of china clay. Legumes can be effective means of accumulating nitrogen in such spoils with rates as high as 295 kg N ha/sup -1/ yr/sup -1/ being measured for Lupinus perennis sown on sand waste.more » Nitrogen transfer from legumes to a companion grass was also apparent. Trifolium repens sown on colliery spoil increased the nitrogen content of the companion grass by 76 kg ha/sup -1/ within 2 yr of sowing. It is concluded that a wider range of legume species than conventionally used is available, offering greater tolerance of the extreme conditions of mine spoils combined with high rates of nitrogen accumulation. It is necessary to develop reclamation strategies which incorporate such species.« less

Formation and Accumulation of Acetaldehyde and Strecker Aldehydes during Red Wine Oxidation.

PubMed

Bueno, Mónica; Marrufo-Curtido, Almudena; Carrascón, Vanesa; Fernández-Zurbano, Purificación; Escudero, Ana; Ferreira, Vicente

2018-01-01

The main aim of the present work is to study the accumulation of acetaldehyde and Strecker aldehydes (isobutyraldehyde, 2-methylbutanal, isovaleraldehyde, methional, phenylacetaldehyde) during the oxidation of red wines, and to relate the patterns of accumulation to the wine chemical composition. For that, eight different wines, extensively chemically characterized, were subjected at 25°C to three different controlled O 2 exposure conditions: low (10 mg L -1 ) and medium or high (the stoichiometrically required amount to oxidize all wine total SO 2 plus 18 or 32 mg L -1 , respectively). Levels of volatile aldehydes and carbonyls were then determined and processed by different statistical techniques. Results showed that young wines (<2 years-old bottled wines) hardly accumulate any acetaldehyde regardless of the O 2 consumed. In contrast, aged wines (>3 years-old bottled wines) accumulated acetaldehyde while their content in SO 2 was not null, and the aged wine containing lowest polyphenols accumulated it throughout the whole process. Models suggest that the ability of a wine to accumulate acetaldehyde is positively related to its content in combined SO 2 , in epigallocatechin and to the mean degree of polymerization, and negatively to its content in Aldehyde Reactive Polyphenols (ARPs) which, attending to our models, are anthocyanins and small tannins. The accumulation of Strecker aldehydes is directly proportional to the wine content in the amino acid precursor, being the proportionality factor much higher for aged wines, except for phenylacetaldehyde, for which the opposite pattern was observed. Models suggest that non-aromatic Strecker aldehydes share with acetaldehyde a strong affinity toward ARPs and that the specific pattern of phenylacetaldehyde is likely due to a much reduced reactivity toward ARPs, to the possibility that diacetyl induces Strecker degradation of phenyl alanine and to the potential higher reactivity of this amino acid to some quinones

Formation and Accumulation of Acetaldehyde and Strecker Aldehydes during Red Wine Oxidation

PubMed Central

Bueno, Mónica; Marrufo-Curtido, Almudena; Carrascón, Vanesa; Fernández-Zurbano, Purificación; Escudero, Ana; Ferreira, Vicente

2018-01-01

The main aim of the present work is to study the accumulation of acetaldehyde and Strecker aldehydes (isobutyraldehyde, 2-methylbutanal, isovaleraldehyde, methional, phenylacetaldehyde) during the oxidation of red wines, and to relate the patterns of accumulation to the wine chemical composition. For that, eight different wines, extensively chemically characterized, were subjected at 25°C to three different controlled O2 exposure conditions: low (10 mg L−1) and medium or high (the stoichiometrically required amount to oxidize all wine total SO2 plus 18 or 32 mg L−1, respectively). Levels of volatile aldehydes and carbonyls were then determined and processed by different statistical techniques. Results showed that young wines (<2 years-old bottled wines) hardly accumulate any acetaldehyde regardless of the O2 consumed. In contrast, aged wines (>3 years-old bottled wines) accumulated acetaldehyde while their content in SO2 was not null, and the aged wine containing lowest polyphenols accumulated it throughout the whole process. Models suggest that the ability of a wine to accumulate acetaldehyde is positively related to its content in combined SO2, in epigallocatechin and to the mean degree of polymerization, and negatively to its content in Aldehyde Reactive Polyphenols (ARPs) which, attending to our models, are anthocyanins and small tannins. The accumulation of Strecker aldehydes is directly proportional to the wine content in the amino acid precursor, being the proportionality factor much higher for aged wines, except for phenylacetaldehyde, for which the opposite pattern was observed. Models suggest that non-aromatic Strecker aldehydes share with acetaldehyde a strong affinity toward ARPs and that the specific pattern of phenylacetaldehyde is likely due to a much reduced reactivity toward ARPs, to the possibility that diacetyl induces Strecker degradation of phenyl alanine and to the potential higher reactivity of this amino acid to some quinones derived

Formation and accumulation of acetaldehyde and Strecker aldehydes during red wine oxidation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bueno, Mónica; Marrufo-Curtido, Almudena; Carrascón, Vanesa; Fernández-Zurbano, Purificación; Escudero, Ana; Ferreira, Vicente

2018-02-01

The main aim of the present work is to study the accumulation of acetaldehyde and Strecker aldehydes (isobutyraldehyde, 2-methylbutanal, isovaleraldehyde, methional, phenylacetaldehyde) during the oxidation of red wines, and to relate the patterns of accumulation to the wine chemical composition. For that, eight different wines, extensively chemically characterized, were subjected at 25°C to three different controlled O2 exposure conditions: low (10 mg L-1) and medium or high (the stoichiometrically required amount to oxidize all wine total SO2 plus 18 or 32 mg L-1, respectively). Levels of volatile aldehydes and carbonyls were then determined and processed by different statistical techniques. Results showed that young wines (<2 years-old bottled wines) hardly accumulate any acetaldehyde regardless of the O2 consumed. In contrast, aged wines (>3 years-old bottled wines) accumulated acetaldehyde while their content in SO2 was not null, and the aged wine containing lowest polyphenols accumulated it throughout the whole process. Models suggest that the ability of a wine to accumulate acetaldehyde is positively related to its content in combined SO2, in epigallocatechin and to the mean degree of polymerization, and negatively to its content in Aldehyde Reactive Polyphenols (ARPs) which, attending to our models, are anthocyanins and small tannins. The accumulation of Strecker aldehydes is directly proportional to the wine content in the amino acid precursor, being the proportionality factor much higher for aged wines, except for phenylacetaldehyde, for which the opposite pattern was observed. Models suggest that non-aromatic Strecker aldehydes share with acetaldehyde a strong affinity towards ARPs and that the specific pattern of phenylacetaldehyde is likely due to a much reduced reactivity towards ARPs, to the possibility that diacetyl induces Strecker degradation of phenyl alanine and to the potential higher reactivity of this amino acid to some quinones derived from

A downstream box fusion allows stable accumulation of a bacterial cellulase in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii chloroplasts.

PubMed

Richter, Lubna V; Yang, Huijun; Yazdani, Mohammad; Hanson, Maureen R; Ahner, Beth A

2018-01-01

We investigated strategies to improve foreign protein accumulation in the chloroplasts of the model algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and tested the outcome in both standard culture conditions as well as one pertinent to algal biofuel production. The downstream box (DB) of the TetC or NPTII genes, the first 15 codons following the start codon, was N -terminally fused to the coding region of cel6A , an endoglucanase from Thermobifida fusca . We also employed a chimeric regulatory element, consisting of the 16S rRNA promoter and the atpA 5'UTR, previously reported to enhance protein expression, to regulate the expression of the TetC- cel6A gene. We further investigated the accumulation of TetC-Cel6A under N -deplete growth conditions. Both of the DB fusions improved intracellular accumulation of Cel6A in transplastomic C. reinhardtii strains though the TetC DB was much more effective than the NPTII DB. Furthermore, using the chimeric regulatory element, the TetC-Cel6A protein accumulation displayed a significant increase to 0.3% total soluble protein (TSP), whereas NPTII-Cel6A remained too low to quantify. Comparable levels of TetC- and NPTII- cel6A transcripts were observed, which suggests that factors other than transcript abundance mediate the greater TetC-Cel6A accumulation. The TetC-Cel6A accumulation was stable regardless of the growth stage, and the transplastomic strain growth rate was not altered. When transplastomic cells were suspended in N -deplete medium, cellular levels of TetC-Cel6A increased over time along with TSP, and were greater than those in cells suspended in N -replete medium. The DB fusion holds great value as a tool to enhance foreign protein accumulation in C. reinhardtii chloroplasts and its influence is related to translation or other post-transcriptional processes. Our results also suggest that transplastomic protein production can be compatible with algal biofuel production strategies. Cells displayed a consistent accumulation of

A lee-side eddy and its influence on snow accumulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerber, Franziska; Mott, Rebecca; Hoch, Sebastian W.; Lehning, Michael

2016-04-01

Knowledge of changes in seasonal mountain snow water resources is essential for e.g. hydropower companies. To successfully predict these changes a fundamental understanding of precipitation patterns and their changes in mountainous terrain is needed. Both, snow accumulation and ablation need to be investigated to make precise predictions of the amount of water stored in seasonal snow cover. Only if the processes governing snow accumulation and ablation are understood with sufficient quantitative accuracy, the evolution of snow water resources under a changing climate can be addressed. Additionally, knowledge of detailed snow accumulation patterns is essential to assess avalanche danger. In alpine terrain, snow accumulation is strongly dependent on the local wind field. Based on the concept of preferential deposition, reduced snow accumulation is expected on the upper windward slope of a mountain due to updrafts, while enhanced snow accumulation should occur through blocking at the windward foot or due to flow separation on the leeward side. However, the understanding of these processes is mainly based on numerical simulations, as they are hard to measure. A LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) campaign was conducted in October 2015 in the Dischma valley (Davos, CH) to investigate the local flow field in the lee of the Sattelhorn during a one-day snowfall event. The flow field was monitored using a plane position indicator (PPI) scan at 25/28° and a range height indicator (RHI) scan across the Sattelhorn. Additionally, snow height change measurements on the leeward side of the Sattelhorn were performed by terrestrial laser scanning (TLS). Analyses of the flow field in the framework of preferential deposition are in agreement with the concept of flow separation and preferred snow deposition on leeward slopes. A very persistent eddy that formed over the leeward slope of the Sattelhorn detached from the main flow became evident from the retrievals of the RHI scans. An

How do eggs get fat? Insights into ovarian fatty acid accumulation in the shortfinned eel, Anguilla australis.

PubMed

Damsteegt, Erin L; Mizuta, Hiroko; Hiramatsu, Naoshi; Lokman, P Mark

2015-09-15

Previous research using eels has shown that 11-ketotestosterone can induce ovarian triacylglyceride accumulation both in vivo and in vitro. Further, accumulation is dramatically enhanced in the presence of very-low density lipoprotein. This study examined the involvement of the low density lipoprotein receptor and vitellogenin receptor in oocyte lipid accumulation. Specific antisera were used in an attempt to block the vitellogenin receptor and/or the low density lipoprotein receptor. Accordingly, incubation with the low density lipoprotein receptor antiserum clearly reduced the oocyte diameter and the amount of oil present within the oocyte. In contrast, blocking the vitellogenin receptor had little effect on either oocyte surface area or the abundance of oil droplets in the cytosol. In keeping with birds, we conclude that the low density lipoprotein receptor is a major player involved in mediating ovarian fatty acid accumulation in the eel. However, lipoprotein lipase-mediated fatty acid accumulation also remains conceivable, for example through interactions between this enzyme and the low density lipoprotein receptor. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stover composition in maize and sorghum reveals remarkable genetic variation and plasticity for carbohydrate accumulation

DOE PAGES

Sekhon, Rajandeep S.; Breitzman, Matthew W.; Silva, Renato R.; ...

2016-06-08

Carbohydrates stored in vegetative organs, particularly stems, of grasses are a very important source of energy. We examined carbohydrate accumulation in adult sorghum and maize hybrids with distinct phenology and different end uses (grain, silage, sucrose or sweetness in stalk juice, and biomass). Remarkable variation was observed for nonstructural carbohydrates and structural polysaccharides during three key developmental stages both between and within hybrids developed for distinct end use in both species. At the onset of the reproductive phase (average 65 days after planting, DAP), a wide range for accumulation of non-structural carbohydrates (free glucose and sucrose combined), was observed inmore » internodes of maize (11-24%) and sorghum (7-36%) indicating substantial variation for transient storage of excess photosynthate during periods of low grain or vegetative sink strength. Remobilization of these reserves for supporting grain fill or vegetative growth was evident from lower amounts in maize (8-19%) and sorghum (9-27%) near the end of the reproductive period (average 95 DAP). At physiological maturity of grain hybrids (average 120 DAP), amounts of these carbohydrates were generally unchanged in maize (9-21%) and sorghum (16-27%) suggesting a loss of photosynthetic assimilation due to weakening sink demand. Nonetheless, high amounts of non-structural carbohydrates at maturity even in grain maize and sorghum (15-18%) highlight the potential for developing dual-purpose (grain/stover) crops. For both species, the amounts of structural polysaccharides in the cell wall, measured as monomeric components (glucose and pentose), decreased during grain fill but remained unchanged thereafter with maize biomass possessing slightly higher amounts than sorghum. In conclusion, availability of carbohydrates in maize and sorghum highlights the potential for developing energy-rich dedicated biofuel or dual-purpose (grain/stover) crops.« less

Stover composition in maize and sorghum reveals remarkable genetic variation and plasticity for carbohydrate accumulation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sekhon, Rajandeep S.; Breitzman, Matthew W.; Silva, Renato R.

Carbohydrates stored in vegetative organs, particularly stems, of grasses are a very important source of energy. We examined carbohydrate accumulation in adult sorghum and maize hybrids with distinct phenology and different end uses (grain, silage, sucrose or sweetness in stalk juice, and biomass). Remarkable variation was observed for nonstructural carbohydrates and structural polysaccharides during three key developmental stages both between and within hybrids developed for distinct end use in both species. At the onset of the reproductive phase (average 65 days after planting, DAP), a wide range for accumulation of non-structural carbohydrates (free glucose and sucrose combined), was observed inmore » internodes of maize (11-24%) and sorghum (7-36%) indicating substantial variation for transient storage of excess photosynthate during periods of low grain or vegetative sink strength. Remobilization of these reserves for supporting grain fill or vegetative growth was evident from lower amounts in maize (8-19%) and sorghum (9-27%) near the end of the reproductive period (average 95 DAP). At physiological maturity of grain hybrids (average 120 DAP), amounts of these carbohydrates were generally unchanged in maize (9-21%) and sorghum (16-27%) suggesting a loss of photosynthetic assimilation due to weakening sink demand. Nonetheless, high amounts of non-structural carbohydrates at maturity even in grain maize and sorghum (15-18%) highlight the potential for developing dual-purpose (grain/stover) crops. For both species, the amounts of structural polysaccharides in the cell wall, measured as monomeric components (glucose and pentose), decreased during grain fill but remained unchanged thereafter with maize biomass possessing slightly higher amounts than sorghum. In conclusion, availability of carbohydrates in maize and sorghum highlights the potential for developing energy-rich dedicated biofuel or dual-purpose (grain/stover) crops.« less

Sediment particle size and initial radiocesium accumulation in ponds following the Fukushima DNPP accident.

PubMed

Yoshimura, Kazuya; Onda, Yuichi; Fukushima, Takehiko

2014-03-31

This study used particle size analysis to investigate the initial accumulation and trap efficiency of radiocesium ((137)Cs) in four irrigation ponds, ~4-5 months after the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant (DNPP) accident. Trap efficiency, represented by the inventory of (137)Cs in pond sediment to the inventory of radiocesium in soil surrounding the pond (i.e., total (137)Cs inventory), was less than 100% for all but one pond. Trap efficiency decreased as sediment particle size increased, indicating that sediments with a smaller particle size accumulate more (137)Cs. In ponds showing low trap efficiency, fine sediment containing high concentrations of (137)Cs appeared to be removed from the system by hydraulic flushing, leaving behind mostly coarse sediment. The results of this study suggest that sediment particle size can be used to estimate the initial accumulation and trap efficiency of (137)Cs in pond sediment, as well as the amount lost through hydraulic flushing.

Sediment particle size and initial radiocesium accumulation in ponds following the Fukushima DNPP accident

PubMed Central

Yoshimura, Kazuya; Onda, Yuichi; Fukushima, Takehiko

2014-01-01

This study used particle size analysis to investigate the initial accumulation and trap efficiency of radiocesium (137Cs) in four irrigation ponds, ~4–5 months after the Fukushima Dai–ichi nuclear power plant (DNPP) accident. Trap efficiency, represented by the inventory of 137Cs in pond sediment to the inventory of radiocesium in soil surrounding the pond (i.e., total 137Cs inventory), was less than 100% for all but one pond. Trap efficiency decreased as sediment particle size increased, indicating that sediments with a smaller particle size accumulate more 137Cs. In ponds showing low trap efficiency, fine sediment containing high concentrations of 137Cs appeared to be removed from the system by hydraulic flushing, leaving behind mostly coarse sediment. The results of this study suggest that sediment particle size can be used to estimate the initial accumulation and trap efficiency of 137Cs in pond sediment, as well as the amount lost through hydraulic flushing. PMID:24682011

Dinuclear polypyridylruthenium(II) complexes: flow cytometry studies of their accumulation in bacteria and the effect on the bacterial membrane.

PubMed

Li, Fangfei; Feterl, Marshall; Warner, Jeffrey M; Keene, F Richard; Collins, J Grant

2013-12-01

To determine the energy dependency of and the contribution of the membrane potential to the cellular accumulation of the dinuclear complexes [{Ru(phen)2}2{μ-bbn}](4+) (Rubbn) and the mononuclear complexes [Ru(Me4phen)3](2+) and [Ru(phen)2(bb7)](2+) in Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, and to examine their effect on the bacterial membrane. The accumulation of the ruthenium complexes in bacteria was determined using flow cytometry at a range of temperatures. The cellular accumulation of the ruthenium complexes was also determined in cells that had been incubated with the metal complexes in the presence or absence of metabolic stimulators or inhibitors and/or commercial dyes to determine the membrane potential or membrane permeability. The accumulation of ruthenium complexes in the two bacterial strains was shown to increase with increasing incubation temperature, with the relative increase in accumulation greater with E. coli, particularly for Rubb12 and Rubb16. No decrease in accumulation was observed for Rubb12 in ATP-inhibited cells. While carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone (CCCP) did depolarize the cell membrane, no reduction in the accumulation of Rubb12 was observed; however, all ruthenium complexes, when incubated with S. aureus at concentrations twice their MIC, depolarized the membrane to a similar extent to CCCP. Except for the mononuclear complex [Ru(Me4phen)3](2+), incubation of any of the other ruthenium complexes allowed a greater quantity of the membrane-impermeable dye TO-PRO-3 to be taken up by S. aureus. The results indicate that the potential new antimicrobial Rubbn complexes enter the cell in an energy-independent manner, depolarize the cell membrane and significantly permeabilize the cellular membrane.

Attitude importance and the accumulation of attitude-relevant knowledge in memory.

PubMed

Holbrook, Allyson L; Berent, Matthew K; Krosnick, Jon A; Visser, Penny S; Boninger, David S

2005-05-01

People who attach personal importance to an attitude are especially knowledgeable about the attitude object. This article tests an explanation for this relation: that importance causes the accumulation of knowledge by inspiring selective exposure to and selective elaboration of relevant information. Nine studies showed that (a) after watching televised debates between presidential candidates, viewers were better able to remember the statements made on policy issues on which they had more personally important attitudes; (b) importance motivated selective exposure and selective elaboration: Greater personal importance was associated with better memory for relevant information encountered under controlled laboratory conditions, and manipulations eliminating opportunities for selective exposure and selective elaboration eliminated the importance-memory accuracy relation; and (c) people do not use perceptions of their knowledge volume to infer how important an attitude is to them, but importance does cause knowledge accumulation.

Nuclear accumulation and activation of p53 in embryonic stem cells after DNA damage.

PubMed

Solozobova, Valeriya; Rolletschek, Alexandra; Blattner, Christine

2009-06-17

P53 is a key tumor suppressor protein. In response to DNA damage, p53 accumulates to high levels in differentiated cells and activates target genes that initiate cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Since stem cells provide the proliferative cell pool within organisms, an efficient DNA damage response is crucial. In proliferating embryonic stem cells, p53 is localized predominantly in the cytoplasm. DNA damage-induced nuclear accumulation of p53 in embryonic stem cells activates transcription of the target genes mdm2, p21, puma and noxa. We observed bi-phasic kinetics for nuclear accumulation of p53 after ionizing radiation. During the first wave of nuclear accumulation, p53 levels were increased and the p53 target genes mdm2, p21 and puma were transcribed. Transcription of noxa correlated with the second wave of nuclear accumulation. Transcriptional activation of p53 target genes resulted in an increased amount of proteins with the exception of p21. While p21 transcripts were efficiently translated in 3T3 cells, we failed to see an increase in p21 protein levels after IR in embryonal stem cells. In embryonic stem cells where (anti-proliferative) p53 activity is not necessary, or even unfavorable, p53 is retained in the cytoplasm and prevented from activating its target genes. However, if its activity is beneficial or required, p53 is allowed to accumulate in the nucleus and activates its target genes, even in embryonic stem cells.

From the clouds to the ground - snow precipitation patterns vs. snow accumulation patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerber, Franziska; Besic, Nikola; Mott, Rebecca; Gabella, Marco; Germann, Urs; Bühler, Yves; Marty, Mauro; Berne, Alexis; Lehning, Michael

2017-04-01

Knowledge about snow distribution and snow accumulation patterns is important and valuable for different applications such as the prediction of seasonal water resources or avalanche forecasting. Furthermore, accumulated snow on the ground is an important ground truth for validating meteorological and climatological model predictions of precipitation in high mountains and polar regions. Snow accumulation patterns are determined by many different processes from ice crystal nucleation in clouds to snow redistribution by wind and avalanches. In between, snow precipitation undergoes different dynamical and microphysical processes, such as ice crystal growth, aggregation and riming, which determine the growth of individual particles and thereby influence the intensity and structure of the snowfall event. In alpine terrain the interaction of different processes and the topography (e.g. lifting condensation and low level cloud formation, which may result in a seeder-feeder effect) may lead to orographic enhancement of precipitation. Furthermore, the redistribution of snow particles in the air by wind results in preferential deposition of precipitation. Even though orographic enhancement is addressed in numerous studies, the relative importance of micro-physical and dynamically induced mechanisms on local snowfall amounts and especially snow accumulation patterns is hardly known. To better understand the relative importance of different processes on snow precipitation and accumulation we analyze snowfall and snow accumulation between January and March 2016 in Davos (Switzerland). We compare MeteoSwiss operational weather radar measurements on Weissfluhgipfel to a spatially continuous snow accumulation map derived from airborne digital sensing (ADS) snow height for the area of Dischma valley in the vicinity of the weather radar. Additionally, we include snow height measurements from automatic snow stations close to the weather radar. Large-scale radar snow accumulation

Pedogenic silica accumulation in chronosequence soils, southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kendrick, K.J.; Graham, R.C.

2004-01-01

Chronosequential analysis of soil properties has proven to be a valuable approach for estimating ages of geomorphic surfaces where no independent age control exists. In this study we examined pedogenic silica as an indicator of relative ages of soils and geomorphic surfaces, and assessed potential sources of the silica. Pedogenic opaline silica was quantified by tiron (4,5-dihydroxy-1,3-benzene-disulfonic acid [disodium salt], C6H 4Na2O8S2) extraction for pedons in two different chromosequences in southern California, one in the San Timoteo Badlands and one in Cajon Pass. The soils of hoth of these chronosequences are developed in arkosic sediments and span 11.5 to 500 ka. The amount of pedogenic silica increases with increasing duration of pedogenesis, and the depth of the maximum silica accumulation generally coincides with the maximum expression of the argillic horizon. Pedogenic silica has accumulated in all of the soils, ranging from 1.2% tiron-extractable Si (Sitn) in the youngest soil to 4.6% in the oldest. Primary Si decreases with increasing duration of weathering, particularly in the upper horizons, where weathering conditions are most intense. The loss of Si coincides with the loss of Na and K, implicating the weathering of feld-spars as the likely source of Si loss. The quantity of Si lost in the upper horizons is adequate to account for the pedogenic silica accumulation in the subsoil. Pedogenic silica was equally effective as pedogenic Fe oxides as an indicator of relative soil age in these soils.

Internal development of vegetative buds of Norway spruce trees in relation to accumulated chilling and forcing temperatures.

PubMed

Viherä-Aarnio, Anneli; Sutinen, Sirkka; Partanen, Jouni; Häkkinen, Risto

2014-05-01

The timing of budburst of temperate trees is known to be controlled by complicated interactions of temperature and photoperiod. To improve the phenological models of budburst, better knowledge of the internal bud development preceding budburst in relation to environmental cues is needed. We studied the effect of accumulated chilling and forcing temperatures on the internal development of vegetative buds preceding budburst in Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.]. Branches from 17-year-old trees of southern Finnish origin were transferred eight times at 1- to 2-week intervals from October to December 2007 from the field at Punkaharju (61°48'N, 29°20'E) to the greenhouse with forcing conditions (day length 12 h, +20 °C). After seven different durations of forcing, the developmental phase and primordial shoot growth of the buds were analysed at the stereomicroscopic level. Air temperature was recorded hourly throughout the study period. The accumulated chilling unit sum had a significant effect on the temperature sum that was required to attain a certain developmental phase; a higher amount of chilling required a lower amount of forcing. The variation in the rate of development of different buds within each sample branch in relation to the chilling unit and forcing temperature sum was low. Regarding primordial shoot growth, there was also an inverse relation between accumulated chilling and forcing, i.e., a higher accumulated chilling unit sum before forcing required a lower temperature sum to initiate primordial shoot growth and resulted in a stronger effect of accumulated forcing. A second-order regression model with an interaction of chilling and forcing explained the variation of primordial shoot growth with high precision (R(2) = 0.88). However, further studies are required to determine the final parameter values to be used in phenological modelling. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

Phenylpropanoid Scent Compounds in Petunia x hybrida Are Glycosylated and Accumulate in Vacuoles

PubMed Central

Cna'ani, Alon; Shavit, Reut; Ravid, Jasmin; Aravena-Calvo, Javiera; Skaliter, Oded; Masci, Tania; Vainstein, Alexander

2017-01-01

Floral scent has been studied extensively in the model plant Petunia. However, little is known about the intracellular fate of scent compounds. Here, we characterize the glycosylation of phenylpropanoid scent compounds in Petunia x hybrida. This modification reduces scent compounds' volatility, reactivity, and autotoxicity while increasing their water-solubility. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analyses revealed that flowers of petunia cultivars accumulate substantial amounts of glycosylated scent compounds and that their increasing level parallels flower development. In contrast to the pool of accumulated aglycones, which drops considerably at the beginning of the light period, the collective pool of glycosides starts to increase at that time and does not decrease thereafter. The glycoside pool is dynamic and is generated or catabolized during peak scent emission, as inferred from phenylalanine isotope-feeding experiments. Using several approaches, we show that phenylpropanoid scent compounds are stored as glycosides in the vacuoles of petal cells: ectopic expression of Aspergillus niger β-glucosidase-1 targeted to the vacuole resulted in decreased glycoside accumulation; GC–MS analysis of intact vacuoles isolated from petal protoplasts revealed the presence of glycosylated scent compounds. Accumulation of glycosides in the vacuoles seems to be a common mechanism for phenylpropanoid metabolites. PMID:29163617

Lipid accumulation in human breast cancer cells injured by iron depletors.

PubMed

De Bortoli, Maida; Taverna, Elena; Maffioli, Elisa; Casalini, Patrizia; Crisafi, Francesco; Kumar, Vikas; Caccia, Claudio; Polli, Dario; Tedeschi, Gabriella; Bongarzone, Italia

2018-04-03

Current insights into the effects of iron deficiency in tumour cells are not commensurate with the importance of iron in cell metabolism. Studies have predominantly focused on the effects of oxygen or glucose scarcity in tumour cells, while attributing insufficient emphasis to the inadequate supply of iron in hypoxic regions. Cellular responses to iron deficiency and hypoxia are interlinked and may strongly affect tumour metabolism. We examined the morphological, proteomic, and metabolic effects induced by two iron chelators-deferoxamine (DFO) and di-2-pyridylketone 4,4-dimethyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (Dp44mT)-on MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-157 breast cancer cells. These chelators induced a cytoplasmic massive vacuolation and accumulation of lipid droplets (LDs), eventually followed by implosive, non-autophagic, and non-apoptotic death similar to methuosis. Vacuoles and LDs are generated by expansion of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) based on extracellular fluid import, which includes unsaturated fatty acids that accumulate in LDs. Typical physiological phenomena associated with hypoxia are observed, such as inhibition of translation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and metabolic remodelling. These survival-oriented changes are associated with a greater expression of epithelial/mesenchymal transcription markers. Iron starvation induces a hypoxia-like program able to scavenge nutrients from the extracellular environment, and cells assume a hypertrophic phenotype. Such survival strategy is accompanied by the ER-dependent massive cytoplasmic vacuolization, mitochondrial dysfunctions, and LD accumulation and then evolves into cell death. LDs containing a greater proportion of unsaturated lipids are released as a consequence of cell death. The consequence of the disruption of iron metabolism in tumour tissue and the effects of LDs on intercellular communication, cancer-inflammation axis, and immunity remain to be explored. Considering the potential benefits, these are crucial

Hydrogen cyanamide breaks grapevine bud dormancy in the summer through transient activation of gene expression and accumulation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species.

PubMed

Sudawan, Boonyawat; Chang, Chih-Sheng; Chao, Hsiu-Fung; Ku, Maurice S B; Yen, Yung-Fu

2016-09-15

Hydrogen cyanamide (HC) and pruning (P) have frequently been used to break dormancy in grapevine floral buds. However, the exact underlying mechanism remains elusive. This study aimed to address the early mode of action of these treatments on accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and expression of related genes in the dormancy breaking buds of grapevine in the summer. The budbreak rates induced by pruning (P), hydrogen cyanamide (HC), pruning plus hydrogen cyanamide (PHC) and water (control) after 8 days were 33, 53, 95, and 0 %, respectively. Clearly, HC was more effective in stimulating grapevine budbreak and P further enhanced its potency. In situ staining of longitudinal bud sections after 12 h of treatments detected high levels of ROS and nitric oxide (NO) accumulated in the buds treated with PHC, compared with HC or P alone. The amounts of ROS and NO accumulated were highly correlated with the rates of budbreak among these treatments, highlighting the importance of a rapid, transient accumulation of sublethal levels of ROS and RNS in dormancy breaking. Microarray analysis revealed specific alterations in gene expression in dormancy breaking buds induced by P, HC and PHC after 24 h of treatment. Relative to control, PHC altered the expression of the largest number of genes, while P affected the expression of the least number of genes. PHC also exerted a greater intensity in transcriptional activation of these genes. Gene ontology (GO) analysis suggests that alteration in expression of ROS related genes is the major factor responsible for budbreak. qRT-PCR analysis revealed the transient expression dynamics of 12 specific genes related to ROS generation and scavenge during the 48 h treatment with PHC. Our results suggest that rapid accumulation of ROS and NO at early stage is important for dormancy release in grapevine in the summer, and the identification of the commonly expressed specific genes among the

Natural variation in expression of genes associated with carotenoid biosynthesis and accumulation in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) storage root.

PubMed

Carvalho, Luiz Jcb; Agustini, Marco Av; Anderson, James V; Vieira, Eduardo A; de Souza, Claudia Rb; Chen, Songbi; Schaal, Barbara A; Silva, Joseane P

2016-06-10

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) storage root provides a staple food source for millions of people worldwide. Increasing the carotenoid content in storage root of cassava could provide improved nutritional and health benefits. Because carotenoid accumulation has been associated with storage root color, this study characterized carotenoid profiles, and abundance of key transcripts associated with carotenoid biosynthesis, from 23 landraces of cassava storage root ranging in color from white-to-yellow-to-pink. This study provides important information to plant breeding programs aimed at improving cassava storage root nutritional quality. Among the 23 landraces, five carotenoid types were detected in storage root with white color, while carotenoid types ranged from 1 to 21 in storage root with pink and yellow color. The majority of storage root in these landraces ranged in color from pale-to-intense yellow. In this color group, total β-carotene, containing all-E-, 9-Z-, and 13-Z-β-carotene isomers, was the major carotenoid type detected, varying from 26.13 to 76.72 %. Although no α-carotene was observed, variable amounts of a α-ring derived xanthophyll, lutein, was detected; with greater accumulation of α-ring xanthophylls than of β-ring xanthophyll. Lycopene was detected in a landrace (Cas51) with pink color storage root, but it was not detected in storage root with yellow color. Based on microarray and qRT-PCR analyses, abundance of transcripts coding for enzymes involved in carotenoid biosynthesis were consistent with carotenoid composition determined by contrasting HPLC-Diode Array profiles from storage root of landraces IAC12, Cas64, and Cas51. Abundance of transcripts encoding for proteins regulating plastid division were also consistent with the observed differences in total β-carotene accumulation. Among the 23 cassava landraces with varying storage root color and diverse carotenoid types and profiles, landrace Cas51 (pink color storage root) had low

Assessing accumulated hard-tissue debris using micro-computed tomography and free software for image processing and analysis.

PubMed

De-Deus, Gustavo; Marins, Juliana; Neves, Aline de Almeida; Reis, Claudia; Fidel, Sandra; Versiani, Marco A; Alves, Haimon; Lopes, Ricardo Tadeu; Paciornik, Sidnei

2014-02-01

The accumulation of debris occurs after root canal preparation procedures specifically in fins, isthmus, irregularities, and ramifications. The aim of this study was to present a step-by-step description of a new method used to longitudinally identify, measure, and 3-dimensionally map the accumulation of hard-tissue debris inside the root canal after biomechanical preparation using free software for image processing and analysis. Three mandibular molars presenting the mesial root with a large isthmus width and a type II Vertucci's canal configuration were selected and scanned. The specimens were assigned to 1 of 3 experimental approaches: (1) 5.25% sodium hypochlorite + 17% EDTA, (2) bidistilled water, and (3) no irrigation. After root canal preparation, high-resolution scans of the teeth were accomplished, and free software packages were used to register and quantify the amount of accumulated hard-tissue debris in either canal space or isthmus areas. Canal preparation without irrigation resulted in 34.6% of its volume filled with hard-tissue debris, whereas the use of bidistilled water or NaOCl followed by EDTA showed a reduction in the percentage volume of debris to 16% and 11.3%, respectively. The closer the distance to the isthmus area was the larger the amount of accumulated debris regardless of the irrigating protocol used. Through the present method, it was possible to calculate the volume of hard-tissue debris in the isthmuses and in the root canal space. Free-software packages used for image reconstruction, registering, and analysis have shown to be promising for end-user application. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Increased ethanol accumulation from glucose via reduction of ATP level in a recombinant strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae overexpressing alkaline phosphatase.

PubMed

Semkiv, Marta V; Dmytruk, Kostyantyn V; Abbas, Charles A; Sibirny, Andriy A

2014-05-15

The production of ethyl alcohol by fermentation represents the largest scale application of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in industrial biotechnology. Increased worldwide demand for fuel bioethanol is anticipated over the next decade and will exceed 200 billion liters from further expansions. Our working hypothesis was that the drop in ATP level in S. cerevisiae cells during alcoholic fermentation should lead to an increase in ethanol production (yield and productivity) with a greater amount of the utilized glucose converted to ethanol. Our approach to achieve this goal is to decrease the intracellular ATP level via increasing the unspecific alkaline phosphatase activity. Intact and truncated versions of the S. cerevisiae PHO8 gene coding for vacuolar or cytosolic forms of alkaline phosphatase were fused with the alcohol dehydrogenase gene (ADH1) promoter. The constructed expression cassettes used for transformation vectors also contained the dominant selective marker kanMX4 and S. cerevisiae δ-sequence to facilitate multicopy integration to the genome. Laboratory and industrial ethanol producing strains BY4742 and AS400 overexpressing vacuolar form of alkaline phosphatase were characterized by a slightly lowered intracellular ATP level and biomass accumulation and by an increase in ethanol productivity (13% and 7%) when compared to the parental strains. The strains expressing truncated cytosolic form of alkaline phosphatase showed a prolonged lag-phase, reduced biomass accumulation and a strong defect in ethanol production. Overexpression of vacuolar alkaline phosphatase leads to an increased ethanol yield in S. cerevisiae.

Time allocation by Greater White-fronted Geese: Influence of diet, energy reserves and predation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ely, Craig R.

1992-01-01

I determined the amount of time Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons frontalis) allocated to various activities from September to May, 1980-1982 at their primary wintering areas in the Pacific Flyway of North America. The length of time spent on roosts during the day was positively correlated to day length. Geese at roost sites spent the majority of their time sleeping (24-46%), alert (17-40%), walking or swimming (6-24%), and in comfort behaviors (3-25%). The amount of time geese fed each day varied little from early autumn to late spring (4.5-4.9 hr), except during mid-winter when minimum temperatures were below freezing (3.9 hr), and immediately before migration in spring (6.3 hr). The proportion of time devoted to feeding and alert behavior, the two most dominant activities at field sites, varied significantly among seasons and locations. The amount of time geese were actively engaged in foraging each season was more dependent on feeding intensity than the amount of time spent at foraging sites (fields), and varied almost three-fold, from 1.8 hr during late winter to 5.1 hr during late spring. Geese fed in closer proximity to conspecifics, were more frequently disturbed, and spent less time feeding during the hunting season. Exploitation of high energy foods and catabolism of substantial energy reserves probably enabled geese to minimize foraging time during periods of harsh weather and high predation pressure. Seasonal variation in the proportion of time spent feeding corresponded closely to changes in body mass. Greater White-fronted Geese wintering in the Pacific Flyway spent substantially less time feeding than they do in Europe, as geese in California fed primarily on high energy cereal grains, while in Europe they subsist on green vegetation which has relatively less digestible energy than cereal grains.

Soil and biomass carbon re-accumulation after landslide disturbances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schomakers, Jasmin; Jien, Shih-Hao; Lee, Tsung-Yu; Huang-Chuan, Jr.; Hseu, Zeng-Yei; Lin, Zan Liang; Lee, Li-Chin; Hein, Thomas; Mentler, Axel; Zehetner, Franz

2017-07-01

In high-standing islands of the Western Pacific, typhoon-triggered landslides occasionally strip parts of the landscape of its vegetative cover and soil layer and export large amounts of biomass and soil organic carbon (OC) from land to the ocean. After such disturbances, new vegetation colonizes the landslide scars and OC starts to re-accumulate. In the subtropical mountains of Taiwan and in other parts of the world, bamboo (Bambusoideae) species may invade at a certain point in the succession of recovering landslide scars. Bamboo has a high potential for carbon sequestration because of its fast growth and dense rooting system. However, it is still largely unknown how these properties translate into soil OC re-accumulation rates after landslide disturbance. In this study, a chronosequence was established on four former landslide scars in the Central Mountain Range of Taiwan, ranging in age from 6 to 41 years post disturbance as determined by landslide mapping from remote sensing. The younger landslide scars were colonized by Miscanthus floridulus, while after approx. 15 to 20 years of succession, bamboo species (Phyllostachys) were dominating. Biomass and soil OC stocks were measured on the recovering landslide scars and compared to an undisturbed Cryptomeria japonica forest stand in the area. After initially slow re-vegetation, biomass carbon accumulated in Miscanthus stands with mean annual accretion rates of 2 ± 0.5 Mg C ha- 1 yr- 1. Biomass carbon continued to increase after bamboo invasion and reached 40% of that in the reference forest site after 41 years of landslide recovery. Soil OC accumulation rates were 2.0 Mg C ha- 1 yr- 1, 6 to 41 years post disturbance reaching 64% of the level in the reference forest. Our results from this in-situ study suggest that recovering landslide scars are strong carbon sinks once an initial lag period of vegetation re-establishment is overcome.

Heat input and accumulation for ultrashort pulse processing with high average power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finger, Johannes; Bornschlegel, Benedikt; Reininghaus, Martin; Dohrn, Andreas; Nießen, Markus; Gillner, Arnold; Poprawe, Reinhart

2018-05-01

Materials processing using ultrashort pulsed laser radiation with pulse durations <10 ps is known to enable very precise processing with negligible thermal load. However, even for the application of picosecond and femtosecond laser radiation, not the full amount of the absorbed energy is converted into ablation products and a distinct fraction of the absorbed energy remains as residual heat in the processed workpiece. For low average power and power densities, this heat is usually not relevant for the processing results and dissipates into the workpiece. In contrast, when higher average powers and repetition rates are applied to increase the throughput and upscale ultrashort pulse processing, this heat input becomes relevant and significantly affects the achieved processing results. In this paper, we outline the relevance of heat input for ultrashort pulse processing, starting with the heat input of a single ultrashort laser pulse. Heat accumulation during ultrashort pulse processing with high repetition rate is discussed as well as heat accumulation for materials processing using pulse bursts. In addition, the relevance of heat accumulation with multiple scanning passes and processing with multiple laser spots is shown.

Comparison of carotenoid accumulation and biosynthetic gene expression between Valencia and Rohde Red Valencia sweet oranges.

PubMed

Wei, Xu; Chen, Chunxian; Yu, Qibin; Gady, Antoine; Yu, Yuan; Liang, Guolu; Gmitter, Frederick G

2014-10-01

Carotenoid accumulation and biosynthetic gene expression levels during fruit maturation were compared between ordinary Valencia (VAL) and its more deeply colored mutant Rohde Red Valencia orange (RRV). The two cultivars exhibited different carotenoid profiles and regulatory mechanisms in flavedo and juice sacs, respectively. In flavedo, there was uncoordinated carotenoid accumulation and gene expression in RRV during green stages, which might be related to the expression of certain gene(s) in the MEP (methylerythritol phosphate) pathway. The carotenoid biosynthesis pathway shifting from α,β-xanthophylls to β,β-xanthophylls synthesis occurred in RRV earlier than VAL during orange stages. In juice sacs, the low carotenoid content in both cultivars coincided with low expression of LCYE-Contig03 and LCYE-Contig24 during green stages, suggesting LCYE might be a limiting step for carotenoid accumulation. VAL mainly accumulated violaxanthin, but RRV accumulated β-cryptoxanthin and violaxanthin during orange stages, which corresponded to differences in juice color. Several upstream genes (PDS-Contig17, LCYB-Contig19, and ZDS members) and a downstream gene (ZEP) were expressed at higher levels in RRV than VAL, which might be responsible for greater accumulation of β-cryptoxanthin and violaxanthin in RRV, respectively. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus accumulation in floodplains of Atlantic Coastal Plain rivers, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Noe, G.B.; Hupp, C.R.

2005-01-01

Net nutrient accumulation rates were measured in riverine floodplains of the Atlantic Coastal Plain in Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware, USA. The floodplains were located in watersheds with different land use and included two sites on the Chickahominy River (urban), one site on the Mattaponi River (forested), and five sites on the Pocomoke River (agricultural). The Pocomoke River floodplains lie along reaches with natural hydrogeomorphology and on reaches with restricted flooding due to channelization and levees. A network of feldspar clay marker horizons was placed on the sediment surface of each floodplain site 3-6 years prior to sampling. Sediment cores were collected from the material deposited over the feldspar clay pads. This overlying sediment was separated from the clay layer and then dried, weighed, and analyzed for its total carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) content. Mean C accumulation rates ranged from 61 to 212 g??m-2??yr-1, N accumulation rates ranged from 3.5 to 13.4 g??m -2??yr-1, and P accumulation rates ranged from 0.2 to 4.1 g??m-2??yr-1 among the eight floodplains. Patterns of intersite variation in mineral sediment and P accumulation rates were similar to each other, as was variation in organic sediment and C and N accumulation rates. The greatest sediment and C, N, and P accumulation rates were observed on Chickahominy River floodplains downstream from the growing metropolitan area of Richmond, Virginia. Nutrient accumulation rates were lowest on Pocomoke River floodplains that have been hydraulically disconnected from the main channel by channelization and levees. Sediment P concentrations and P accumulation rates were much greater on the hydraulically connected floodplain immediately downstream of the limit of channelization and dense chicken agriculture of the upper Pocomoke River watershed. These findings indicate that (1) watershed land use has a large effect on sediment and nutrient retention in floodplains, and (2) limiting

Innovative Approach to the Accumulation of Rubrosterone by Fermentation of Asparagus filicinus with Fusarium oxysporum.

PubMed

Li, Ying; Cai, Le; Dong, Jian-Wei; Xing, Yun; Duan, Wei-He; Zhou, Hao; Ding, Zhong-Tao

2015-07-29

Rubrosterone, possessing various remarkable bioactivities, is an insect-molting C19-steroid. However, only very small amounts are available for biological tests due to its limited content from plant sources. Fungi of genus Fusarium have been reported to have the ability to convert C27-steroids into C19-steroids. In this study, Asparagus filicinus, containing a high content of 20-hydroxyecdysone, was utilized to accumulate rubrosterone through solid fermentation by Fusarium oxysporum. The results showed that F. oxysporum had the ability to facilitate the complete biotransformation of 20-hydroxyecdysone to rubrosterone by solid-state fermentation. The present method could be an innovative and efficient approach to accumulate rubrosterone with an outstanding conversion ratio.

Phytochelatins play a key role in arsenic accumulation and tolerance in the aquatic macrophyte Wolffia globosa.

PubMed

Zhang, Xin; Uroic, M Kalle; Xie, Wan-Ying; Zhu, Yong-Guan; Chen, Bao-Dong; McGrath, Steve P; Feldmann, Jörg; Zhao, Fang-Jie

2012-06-01

The rootless duckweed Wolffia globosa can accumulate and tolerate relatively large amounts of arsenic (As); however, the underlying mechanisms were unknown. W. globosa was exposed to different concentrations of arsenate with or without l-buthionine sulphoximine (BSO), a specific inhibitor of γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase. Free thiol compounds and As(III)-thiol complexes were identified and quantified using HPLC - high resolution ICP-MS - accurate mass ESI-MS. Without BSO, 74% of the As accumulated in the duckweed was complexed with phytochelatins (PCs), with As(III)-PC(4) and As(III)-PC(3) being the main species. BSO was taken up by the duckweed and partly deaminated. The BSO treatment completely suppressed the synthesis of PCs and the formation of As(III)-PC complexes, and also inhibited the reduction of arsenate to arsenite. BSO markedly decreased both As accumulation and As tolerance in W. globosa. The results demonstrate an important role of PCs in detoxifying As and enabling As accumulation in W. globosa. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Daily accumulation rates of marine debris on sub-Antarctic island beaches.

PubMed

Eriksson, Cecilia; Burton, Harry; Fitch, Stuart; Schulz, Martin; van den Hoff, John

2013-01-15

The worlds' oceans contain a large but unknown amount of plastic debris. We made daily collections of marine debris stranded at two sub-Antarctic islands to establish (a) physical causes of strandings, and (b) a sampling protocol to better estimate the oceans' plastic loading. Accumulation rates at some beaches were dependent on tide and onshore winds. Most of the 6389 items collected were plastic (Macquarie 95%, Heard 94%) and discarded or lost fishing gear comprised 22% of those plastic items. Stalked barnacles (Lepas spp.) were a regular attachment on Macquarie debris but not at Heard Island. The daily accumulation rate of plastic debris on Macquarie Island was an order of magnitude higher than that estimated from monthly surveys during the same 4 months in the previous 5 years. This finding suggests that estimates of the oceans' plastic loading are an order of magnitude too low. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Volcanic ashfall accumulation and loading on gutters and pitched roofs from laboratory empirical experiments: Implications for risk assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hampton, S. J.; Cole, J. W.; Wilson, G.; Wilson, T. M.; Broom, S.

2015-10-01

Volcanic ash load is dependent on the migration and accumulation of ash on roofing surfaces and guttering, of which limited research has been conducted. This study investigates this knowledge gap through the empirical experimental testing of volcanic ash on variably pitched metal sheet roofs with modern PVC gutter systems, highlighting the relative importance of accumulation, migration, remobilization, saturation, and subsequent load. A testing rig delivered ash onto variably pitched roofs (pitches 15°, 25°, 30°, 35°, and 45°) with two 45° tests involving a wet surface with subsequent ashfall, and the second of ashfall with periods of wetting, followed by wetting until failure. In testing, dry ash on a dry roof accumulates at pitches up to 35°, above this pitch the percentage of ash accumulating reduces with greater percentages infilling guttering and or lost to the ground. With the introduction of a wet roof surface at 45° pitch, adherence of dry ash greatly increases, increasing accumulated ash thickness as compared to dry tests from 8% to 38%. For testing involving periods of wetting at 45° roof pitch, accumulation percentages further increased to 50%. Ash migrating from the roof surface filled guttering more rapidly at greater pitches, which once full resulted in further migrating ash to spill over the front or back gutter lips. Collapse of guttering did not occur during testing, but deformation and bracket detachment did occur at loads > 1 kPa. This study provides data on load calculations on roofing and PVC guttering through the quantification and utilization of relationships between ash fate, pitch, and the influence of water, in the development of two scenarios for both roof and gutter. These two scenarios then enable the estimation of ash accumulation and thus the load and collapse thresholds for roof and gutter at different roof pitch, which could be adopted for volcanic risk modeling or risk management.

Role of Cations in Accumulation and Release of Phosphate by Acinetobacter Strain 210A

PubMed Central

van Groenestijn, Johan W.; Vlekke, Gerard J. F. M.; Anink, Désirée M. E.; Deinema, Maria H.; Zehnder, Alexander J. B.

1988-01-01

Cells of the strictly aerobic Acinetobacter strain 210A, containing aerobically large amounts of polyphosphate (100 mg of phosphorus per g [dry weight] of biomass), released in the absence of oxygen 1.49 mmol of Pi, 0.77 meq of Mg2+, 0.48 meq of K+, 0.02 meq of Ca2+, and 0.14 meq of NH4+ per g (dry weight) of biomass. The drop in pH during this anaerobic phase was caused by the release of 1.8 protons per PO43− molecule. Cells of Acinetobacter strain 132, which do not accumulate polyphosphate aerobically, released only 0.33 mmol of Pi and 0.13 meq of Mg2+ per g (dry weight) of biomass but released K+ in amounts comparable to those released by strain 210A. Stationary-phase cultures of Acinetobacter strain 210A, in which polyphosphate could not be detected by Neisser staining, aerobically took up phosphate simultaneously with Mg2+, the most important counterion in polyphosphate. In the absence of dissolved phosphate in the medium, no Mg2+ was taken up. Cells containing polyphosphate granules were able to grow in a Mg-free medium, whereas cells without these granules were not. Mg2+ was not essential as a counterion because it could be replaced by Ca2+. The presence of small amounts of K+ was essential for polyphosphate formation in cells of strain 210A. During continuous cultivation under K+ limitation, cells of Acinetobacter strain 210A contained only 14 mg of phosphorus per g (dry weight) of biomass, whereas this element was accumulated in amounts of 59 mg/g under substrate limitation and 41 mg/g under Mg2+ limitation. For phosphate uptake in activated sludge, the presence of K+ seemed to be crucial. PMID:16347788

MiR-103 Controls Milk Fat Accumulation in Goat (Capra hircus) Mammary Gland during Lactation

PubMed Central

Lin, Xianzi; Luo, Jun; Zhang, Liping; Wang, Wei; Gou, Deming

2013-01-01

Milk is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals including humans. The nutritional value of milk is mainly attributable to fats and proteins fractions. In comparison to cow milk, goat milk contains greater amounts of total fat, including much higher levels of the beneficial unsaturated fatty acids. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a well-defined group of small RNAs containing about 22 nucleotides (nt), participate in various metabolic processes across species. However, little is known regarding the role of miRNAs in regulating goat milk composition. In the present study, we performed high-throughput sequencing to identify mammary gland-enriched miRNAs in lactating goats. We identified 30 highly expressed miRNAs in the mammary gland, including miR-103. Further studies revealed that miR-103 expression correlates with the lactation. Further functional analysis showed that over-expression of miR-103 in mammary gland epithelial cells increases transcription of genes associated with milk fat synthesis, resulting in an up-regulation of fat droplet formation, triglyceride accumulation, and the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids. This study provides new insight into the functions of miR-103, as well as the molecular mechanisms that regulate milk fat synthesis. PMID:24244462

Vocal Dose Measures: Quantifying Accumulated Vibration Exposure in Vocal Fold Tissues

PubMed Central

Titze, Ingo R.; Švec, Jan G.; Popolo, Peter S.

2011-01-01

To measure the exposure to self-induced tissue vibration in speech, three vocal doses were defined and described: distance dose, which accumulates the distance that tissue particles of the vocal folds travel in an oscillatory trajectory; energy dissipation dose, which accumulates the total amount of heat dissipated over a unit volume of vocal fold tissues; and time dose, which accumulates the total phonation time. These doses were compared to a previously used vocal dose measure, the vocal loading index, which accumulates the number of vibration cycles of the vocal folds. Empirical rules for viscosity and vocal fold deformation were used to calculate all the doses from the fundamental frequency (F0) and sound pressure level (SPL) values of speech. Six participants were asked to read in normal, monotone, and exaggerated speech and the doses associated with these vocalizations were calculated. The results showed that large F0 and SPL variations in speech affected the dose measures, suggesting that accumulation of phonation time alone is insufficient. The vibration exposure of the vocal folds in normal speech was related to the industrial limits for hand-transmitted vibration, in which the safe distance dose was derived to be about 500 m. This limit was found rather low for vocalization; it was related to a comparable time dose of about 17 min of continuous vocalization, or about 35 min of continuous reading with normal breathing and unvoiced segments. The voicing pauses in normal speech and dialogue effectively prolong the safe time dose. The derived safety limits for vocalization will likely require refinement based on a more detailed knowledge of the differences in hand and vocal fold tissue morphology and their response to vibrational stress, and on the effect of recovery of the vocal fold tissue during voicing pauses. PMID:12959470

Cadmium accumulation by muskmelon under salt stress in contaminated organic soil.

PubMed

Ondrasek, Gabrijel; Gabrijel, Ondrasek; Romic, Davor; Davor, Romic; Rengel, Zed; Zed, Rengel; Romic, Marija; Marija, Romic; Zovko, Monika; Monika, Zovko

2009-03-15

Human-induced salinization and trace element contamination are widespread and increasing rapidly, but their interactions and environmental consequences are poorly understood. Phytoaccumulation, as the crucial entry pathway for biotoxic Cd into the human foodstuffs, correlates positively with rhizosphere salinity. Hypothesising that organic matter decreases the bioavailable Cd(2+) pool and therefore restricts its phytoextraction, we assessed the effects of four salinity levels (0, 20, 40 and 60 mM NaCl) and three Cd levels (0.3, 5.5 and 10.4 mg kg(-1)) in peat soil on mineral accumulation/distribution as well as vegetative growth and fruit yield parameters of muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) in a greenhouse. Salt stress reduced shoot biomass and fruit production, accompanied by increased Na and Cl and decreased K concentration in above-ground tissues. A 25- and 50-day exposure to salinity increased Cd accumulation in leaves up to 87% and 46%, respectively. Accumulation of Cd in the fruits was up to 43 times lower than in leaves and remained unaltered by salinity. Soil contamination by Cd enhanced its accumulation in muskmelon tissues by an order of magnitude compared with non-contaminated control. In the drainage solution, concentrations of Na and Cl slightly exceeded those in the irrigation solution, whereas Cd concentration in drainage solution was lower by 2-3 orders of magnitude than the total amount added. Chemical speciation and distribution modelling (NICA-Donnan) using Visual MINTEQ showed predominance of dissolved organic ligands in Cd chemisorption and complexation in all treatments; however, an increase in salt addition caused a decrease in organic Cd complexes from 99 to 71%, with free Cd(2+) increasing up to 6% and Cd-chlorocomplexes up to 23%. This work highlights the importance of soil organic reactive surfaces in reducing trace element bioavailability and phytoaccumulation. Chloride salinity increased Cd accumulation in leaves but not in fruit peel and

Vocal dose measures: quantifying accumulated vibration exposure in vocal fold tissues.

PubMed

Titze, Ingo R; Svec, Jan G; Popolo, Peter S

2003-08-01

To measure the exposure to self-induced tissue vibration in speech, three vocal doses were defined and described: distance dose, which accumulates the distance that tissue particles of the vocal folds travel in an oscillatory trajectory; energy dissipation dose, which accumulates the total amount of heat dissipated over a unit volume of vocal fold tissues; and time dose, which accumulates the total phonation time. These doses were compared to a previously used vocal dose measure, the vocal loading index, which accumulates the number of vibration cycles of the vocal folds. Empirical rules for viscosity and vocal fold deformation were used to calculate all the doses from the fundamental frequency (F0) and sound pressure level (SPL) values of speech. Six participants were asked to read in normal, monotone, and exaggerated speech and the doses associated with these vocalizations were calculated. The results showed that large F0 and SPL variations in speech affected the dose measures, suggesting that accumulation of phonation time alone is insufficient. The vibration exposure of the vocal folds in normal speech was related to the industrial limits for hand-transmitted vibration, in which the safe distance dose was derived to be about 500 m. This limit was found rather low for vocalization; it was related to a comparable time dose of about 17 min of continuous vocalization, or about 35 min of continuous reading with normal breathing and unvoiced segments. The voicing pauses in normal speech and dialogue effectively prolong the safe time dose. The derived safety limits for vocalization will likely require refinement based on a more detailed knowledge of the differences in hand and vocal fold tissue morphology and their response to vibrational stress, and on the effect of recovery of the vocal fold tissue during voicing pauses.

[Biochemical protective mechanisms in the accumulation of heavy metals in organisms].

PubMed

Petukhov, A S; Petukhova, G A

At present due to the environmental contamination by heavy metals there is a great interest to investigate the processes of their both accumulation in plants and toxic effect on biochemical indices. Therefore the objective of this research was the analysis of the alteration of the system of antioxidant protection ofplants in conditions of soil contamination by copper and zinc. Research object were germinants of oat in amount of300 plants in each variant of the experiment. For the performance of the experiment, the sand was equally contaminated by sulfates of Cu and Zn in concentration of 2 MPC on its gross content in soil. The experiment lastedfor 2 weeks. For the implementation of the objective of research there was analyzed the contentof both Cu and Zn in plants exposed to soil contamination. Additionally there was performed an analysis of as the content of lipids peroxidation products, phenols and flavonoids; as well the activity ofperoxidase, catalase and photosynthetic system. Under the soil contamination by copper and zinc corresponding to 2 MPC the accumulation of heavy metals was established to be happening in plants. If compared copper accumulation was higher than zinc accumulation that can be explained by the high migration capability of zinc. Under combined impact of two metals there was revealed their antagonistic interaction. There was established an elevated content of lipids peroxidation products in cells as a sequence of the accumulation of heavy metals in plants. As a result of the elevation of the content of lipids peroxidation products there was revealed a raised activity ofphotosynthetic apparatus and antioxidant system (carotenoids, catalase and peroxidase) in the cell. The decrease of the content ofphenols and flavonoids is related with the usage of this system of antioxidant protection for the neutralization of lipids peroxidation processes.

Spatial and temporal variability in the amount and source of dissolved organic carbon: Implications for ultraviolet exposure in amphibian habitats

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brooks, P.D.; O'Reilly, C. M.; Diamond, S.A.; Campbell, D.H.; Knapp, R.; Bradford, D.; Corn, P.S.; Hossack, B.; Tonnessen, K.

2005-01-01

The amount, chemical composition, and source of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), together with in situ ultraviolet (UV-B) attenuation, were measured at 1–2 week intervals throughout the summers of 1999, 2000, and 2001 at four sites in Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado). Eight additional sites, four in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park/John Muir Wilderness (California) and four in Glacier National Park (Montana), were sampled during the summer of 2000. Attenuation of UV-B was significantly related to DOC concentrations over the three years in Rocky Mountain (R2 = 0.39, F = 25.71, P < 0.0001) and across all parks in 2000 (R2 = 0.44, F = 38.25, P < 0.0001). The relatively low R2 values, however, reflect significant temporal and spatial variability in the specific attenuation per unit DOC. Fluorescence analysis of the fulvic acid DOC fraction (roughly 600–2,000 Daltons) indicated that the source of DOC significantly affected the attenuation of UV-B. Sites in Sequoia–Kings Canyon were characterized by DOC derived primarily from algal sources and showed much deeper UV-B penetration, whereas sites in Glacier and Rocky Mountain contained a mix of algal and terrestrial DOC-dominated sites, with more terrestrially dominated sites characterized by greater UV-B attenuation per unit DOC. In general, site characteristics that promoted the accumulation of terrestrially derived DOC showed greater attenuation of UV-B per unit DOC; however, catchment vegetation and soil characteristics, precipitation, and local hydrology interacted to make it difficult to predict potential exposure from DOC concentrations.

Microfluidic system for facilitated quantification of nanoparticle accumulation to cells under laminar flow

PubMed Central

Kusunose, Jiro; Zhang, Hua; Gagnon, M. Karen J.; Pan, Tingrui; Simon, Scott I.; Ferrara, Katherine W.

2012-01-01

The identification of novel, synthetic targeting ligands to endothelial receptors has led to the rapid development of targeted nanoparticles for drug, gene and imaging probe delivery. Central to development and optimization are effective models for assessing particle binding in vitro. Here, we developed a simple and cost effective method to quantitatively assess nanoparticle accumulation under physiologically-relevant laminar flow. We designed reversibly vacuum–sealed PDMS microfluidic chambers compatible with 35 mm petri dishes, which deliver uniform or gradient shear stress. These chambers have sufficient surface area for facile cell collection for particle accumulation quantitation through FACS. We tested this model by synthesizing and flowing liposomes coated with APN (KD ~ 300 µM) and VCAM-1-targeting (KD ~ 30 µM) peptides over HUVEC. Particle binding significantly increased with ligand concentration (up to 6 mol%) and decreased with excess PEG. While the accumulation of particles with the lower affinity ligand decreased with shear, accumulation of those with the higher affinity ligand was highest in a low shear environment (2.4 dyne/cm2), as compared with greater shear or the absence of shear. We describe here a robust flow chamber model that is applied to optimize the properties of 100 nm liposomes targeted to inflamed endothelium. PMID:22855121

Starch and lipid accumulation in eight strains of six Chlorella species under comparatively high light intensity and aeration culture conditions.

PubMed

Takeshita, Tsuyoshi; Ota, Shuhei; Yamazaki, Tomokazu; Hirata, Aiko; Zachleder, Vilém; Kawano, Shigeyuki

2014-04-01

The microalgae family Chlorella species are known to accumulate starch and lipids. Although nitrogen or phosphorous deficiencies promote starch and lipids formation in many microalgae, these deficiencies also limit their growth and productivity. Therefore, the Chlorellaceae strains were attempted to increase starch and lipids productivity under high-light-intensity conditions (600-μmol photons m(-2)s(-1)). The 12:12-h light-dark (LD) cycle conditions elicited more stable growth than the continuous light (LL) conditions, whereas the starch and lipids yields increased in LL conditions. The amount of starch and lipids per cell increased in Chlorella viscosa and Chlorella vulgaris in sulfur-deficient medium, and long-chain fatty acids with 20 or more carbon atoms accumulated in cells grown in sulfur-deficient medium. Accumulation of starch and lipids was investigated in eight strains. The accumulation was strain-dependent, and varied according to the medium and light conditions. Five of the eight Chlorella strains exhibited similar accumulation patterns. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study of artemisinin and sugar accumulation in Artemisia vulgaris and Artemisia dracunculus "hairy" root cultures.

PubMed

Drobot, Kateryna O; Matvieieva, Nadiia A; Ostapchuk, Andriy M; Kharkhota, Maxim A; Duplij, Volodymyr P

2017-09-14

We studied the effect of genetic transformation on biologically active compound (artemisinin and its co-products (ART) as well as sugars) accumulation in Artemisia vulgaris and Artemisia dracunculus "hairy" root cultures. Glucose, fructose, sucrose, and mannitol were accumulated in A. vulgaris and A. dracunculus "hairy" root lines. Genetic transformation has led in some cases to the sugar content increasing or appearing of nonrelevant for the control plant carbohydrates. Sucrose content was 1.6 times higher in A. vulgaris "hairy" root lines. Fructose content was found to be 3.4 times higher in A. dracunculus "hairy" root cultures than in the control roots. The accumulation of mannitol was a special feature of the leaves of A. vulgaris and A. dracunculus control roots. A. vulgaris "hairy" root lines differed also in ART accumulation level. The increase of ART content up to 1.02 mg/g DW in comparison with the nontransformed roots (up to 0.687 mg/g DW) was observed. Thus, Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated genetic transformation can be used for obtaining of A. vulgaris and A. dracunculus "hairy" root culture produced ART and sugars in a higher amount than mother plants.

A chemical extraction method for mimicking bioavailability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to wheat grown in soils containing various amounts of organic matter

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shu Tao; Fuliu Xu; Wenxin Liu

Severe contamination of agricultural soils by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) occurs in many places in China mainly as a result of coal and biomass combustion. Because ingestion is the main source of human exposure to PAHs and vegetables are basic ingredients for the Chinese diet, it is important to know how and to what extent PAHs are accumulated in vegetables produced in contaminated soils. This study, evaluated the extent to which organic matter contents in soils influence the accumulation of PAHs by the roots of wheat plants and have developed a rapid chemical method for determining the bioavailability of PAH.more » Four PAHs, naphthalene, acenaphthylene, fluorene, and phenanthrene, were added to natural soil samples with different amounts of organic matter for pot experiments to evaluate apparent bioavailability of PAHs to wheat roots (Triticum aestivum L.). The extractabilities of PAHs in the soil were tested by a sequential extraction scheme using accelerated solvent extraction with water, n-hexane, and a mixture of dichloromethane and acetone as solvents. The water or n-hexane-extractable PAHs were positively correlated to dissolved organic matter (DOM) and negatively correlated to total organic matter (TOM), indicating mobilization and immobilization effects of DOM and TOM on soil PAHs, respectively. The apparent accumulation of PAHs by wheat roots was also positively and negatively correlated to DOM and TOM, respectively. As a result, there are positive correlations between the amounts of PAHs extracted by water or n-hexane and the quantities accumulated in plant roots, suggesting the feasibility of using water- or n-hexanes-extractable fractions as indicators of PAH availability to plants. 19 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab.« less

Tectonics, recent geodynamics and seismicity of Azerbaijan part of the Greater Caucasus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aliyev, Fuad; Kangarli, Talat; Rahimov, Fuad; Murtuzov, Zaur; Aliyev, Ziya

2016-04-01

Transition area of the Eastern Caucasus - Caspian Megadepression corresponds to a periclinal submergence zone of the mountain folded structure of the Greater Caucasus under Pliocene-Holocenic sedimentary complex of Caspian megabasin. Being a part of Alpine-Himalayan folded belt, Greater Caucasus has formed during alpine stage of tectogenesis under geodynamic conditions of convergent interactions between Northern and Southern Caucasus continental microplates. This process has been accompanied by pseudosubduction of the first plate under the second with formation of allochtonous accretion prism above underthrust zone. Modern folding and napping structure of the orogeny has formed as a result of the horizontal movements of different phases and subphases of alpine tectogenesis, that are presented represented by Late Cimmerian - Wallachian tectonic phases within Azerbaijan territory. Limited by meridional fault-slip zones, Caspian megadepression present itself as a young structure that layered on sublatitudinal convergent zone and developed during Late Miocene (10 million years ago) as a flexure zone between two indenters which actively move northward provoking their separation from the African continent and Arabian plate in the west and secession from Central Iranian plate of the Lut block in the east. The acting movement of Arabian plate to the north results in accumulation of the horizontal stress at the current stage of tectogenesis. Current process reveals itself both in the fragmentation of Southern and Northern Caucasus continental microplates into various-size blocks along the general and anti-Caucasus trended faults, and in consideration horizontal and vertical movements within the convergence zone. All these factors define the complexity of geodynamic condition revealed here, in which seismic activity of a transition zone become apparent. There exist the seismic zones here that are confined both to a convergence line and to the fault zones that confine Caspian

Metal accumulation by an epigean and a hypogean freshwater amphipod: Considerations for water quality assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pienet, S.

1999-12-01

To evaluate their potential as biomonitors of surface and underground water quality, the accumulation of essential metals, zinc and copper, by two species of amphipod crustaceans, Gammarus fossarum (an epigean amphipod) and Niphargus rhenorhodanensis (a similar but blind and hypogean form) was investigated. These two species were exposed, under controlled laboratory conditions, to different metal concentrations for 12 days. Several concentrations of each of the two metals separately and one concentration of a mixture of both were tested. Percent mortality revealed that the hypogean species was more resistant than the epigean. During the 12 days of experiment, accumulation patterns differedmore » between species and between metals. G. fossarum, but not N. rhenorhodanensis, accumulated zinc at exposures of up to 12 days and concentrations as great as 1,000 {micro}g/L. Zinc levels in tissue of G. fossarum were greater than in those of N. rhenorhodanensis. Epigean and hypogean amphipods did not clearly accumulate copper in exposures as great at 65 {micro}g/L. Possible reasons for the differences in zinc and copper accumulation between the two species are discussed. Finally, the suitability of the two species as biomonitors for surface and underground water is discussed.« less

Characterization of a S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM)-accumulating strain of Scheffersomyces stipitis.

PubMed

Križanović, Stela; Butorac, Ana; Mrvčić, Jasna; Krpan, Maja; Cindrić, Mario; Bačun-Družina, Višnja; Stanzer, Damir

2015-06-01

S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) is an important molecule in the cellular metabolism of mammals. In this study, we examined several of the physiological characteristics of a SAM-accumulating strain of the yeast Scheffersomyces stipitis (M12), including SAM production, ergosterol content, and ethanol tolerance. S. stipitis M12 accumulated up to 52.48 mg SAM/g dry cell weight. Proteome analyses showed that the disruption of C-24 methylation in ergosterol biosynthesis, a step mediated by C-24 sterol methyltransferase (Erg6p), results in greater SAM accumulation by S. stipitis M12 compared to the wild-type strain. A comparative proteome-wide analysis identified 25 proteins that were differentially expressed by S. stipitis M12. These proteins are involved in ribosome biogenesis, translation, the stress response, ubiquitin-dependent catabolic processes, the cell cycle, ethanol tolerance, posttranslational modification, peroxisomal membrane stability, epigenetic regulation, the actin cytoskeleton and cell morphology, iron and copper homeostasis, cell signaling, and energy metabolism. Copyright© by the Spanish Society for Microbiology and Institute for Catalan Studies.

Immunocytology on microwave-fixed cells reveals rapid and agonist-specific changes in subcellular accumulation patterns for cAMP or cGMP.

PubMed Central

Barsony, J; Marx, S J

1990-01-01

We developed a method for cAMP and cGMP immunocytology based upon fixation by microwave irradiation. Fixation by microwave irradiation prevented three problems found with other fixation methods: nucleotide loss from cells, nucleotide diffusion within cells, and chemical modification of immunologic epitopes. Six agonists (four that stimulate adenylate cyclase and two that stimulate guanylate cyclase) produced cAMP or cGMP accumulation patterns that were agonist-specific, dose-dependent, detectable at physiologic concentrations of hormone, and time-dependent within 15 sec to 30 min. cAMP accumulation after 1 mM forskolin was greatest in the nucleus. Isoproterenol, prostaglandin E2, or calcitonin caused initial accumulation of cAMP along the plasma membrane, but later accumulation was greater in the cytoplasm. With calcitonin the later accumulation of cAMP was selectively perinuclear and along the nuclear membrane. Sodium nitroprusside stimulated cGMP accumulation diffusely throughout the cytoplasm. Atrial natriuretic peptide initiated cGMP accumulation near the plasma membrane, and cGMP accumulation moved from there into the cytoplasm. In conclusion, microwave irradiation preserved cell structure and allowed visualization of expected as well as unsuspected changes in intracellular accumulation patterns of cAMP and cGMP. Images PMID:2153973

Neutral lipid accumulation at elevated temperature in conditional mutants of two microalgae species.

PubMed

Yao, Shuo; Brandt, Anders; Egsgaard, Helge; Gjermansen, Claes

2012-12-01

Triacylglycerols, an energy storage compound in microalgae, are known to be accumulated after nitrogen starvation of microalgae cells. Microalgae could be of importance for future biodiesel production due to their fast growth rate and high oil content. In collections of temperature sensitive mutants of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Chlorella vulgaris, nine out of fourty-one mutants in C. reinhardtii and eleven out of fifty-three mutants in C. vulgaris contained increased amounts of neutral lipids, predominantly as triacylglycerols. Upon temperature induced cell-cycle arrest, these mutants showed enlarged cellular volume compared with the wild type. The C. reinhardtii mutants were analyzed further and one type of mutants displayed a shift in lipid composition from polar membrane lipids to neutral lipids after a temperature up-shift, while the second type of mutants accumulated more total lipid per cell, predominantly as neutral lipids as compared with the wild type. Three C. reinhardtii mutants were analyzed further and found to be arrested after DNA synthesis but prior to cell division in the cell cycle. These mutants will be useful in order to further understand neutral lipid accumulation in microalgae and suggest possibilities for biodiesel production by specific induction of lipid accumulation in miroalgal cultures by cell-cycle inhibition. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The accumulation rate of meteorite falls at the earth's surface - The view from Roosevelt County, New Mexico

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zolensky, Michael E.; Wells, Gordon L.; Rendell, Helen M.

1990-01-01

The discovery of 154 meteorite fragments within an 11-sq km area of wind-excavated basins in Roosevelt County, New Mexico, permits a new calculation of the accumulation rate of meteorite falls at the earth's surface. Thermoluminescence dating of the coversand unit comprising the prime recovery surface suggests the maximum terrestrial age of the meteorites to be about 16.0 ka. The 68 meteorite fragments subjected to petrological analyses represent a minimum of 49 individual falls. Collection bias has largely excluded carbonaceous chondrites and achondrites, requiring the accumulation rate derived from the recovered samples to be increased by a factor of 1.25. Terrestrial weathering destroying ordinary chondrites can be modeled as a first-order decay process with an estimated half-life of 3.5 + or - 1.9 ka on the semiarid American High Plains. Having accounted for the age of the recovery surface, area of field searches, pairing of finds, collection bias and weathering half-life, an accumulation rate of 940 falls/a per 10 to the 6th sq km is calculated for falls greater than 10 g total mass. This figure exceeds the best-constrained previous estimate by more than an order of magnitude. One possible reason for this disparity may be the extraordinary length of the fall record preserved in the surficial geology of Roosevelt County. The high accumulation rate determined for the past 16 ka may point to the existence of periods when the meteorite fall rate was significantly greater than at present.

ACCUMULATION OF RADIOCESIUM BY MUSHROOMS IN THE ENVIRONMENT: A LITERATURE REVIEW AND IMAGE GALLERY

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Duff, M; Mary Ramsey, M

2006-11-05

During the last 50 years, a large amount of information on radionuclide accumulators or 'sentinel-type' organisms in the environment has been published. Much of this work focused on the risks of food-chain transfer of radionuclides to higher organisms such as reindeer and man. However, until the 1980's and 1990's, there has been little published data on the radiocesium ({sup 134}Cs and {sup 137}Cs) accumulation by mushrooms. This presentation will consist of a review of the published data for {sup 134,137}Cs accumulation by mushrooms in nature. The review will consider the time of sampling, sample location characteristics, the radiocesium source termmore » and other aspects that promote {sup 134,137}Cs uptake by mushrooms. This review will focus on published data for mushrooms that demonstrate a large propensity for use in the environmental biomonitoring of radiocesium contamination. It will also provide photographs and descriptions of habitats for many of these mushrooms to facilitate their collection for biomonitoring.« less

Vulnerability of landscape carbon fluxes to future climate and fire in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

Treesearch

Erica A. H. Smithwick; Anthony L. Westerling; Monica G. Turner; William H. Romme; Michael G. Ryan

2011-01-01

More frequent fires under climate warming are likely to alter terrestrial carbon (C) stocks by reducing the amount of C stored in biomass and soil. However, the thresholds of fire frequency that could shift landscapes from C sinks to C sources under future climates are not known. We used the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) as a case study to explore the conditions...

The long-term nutrient accumulation with respect to anthropogenic impacts in the sediments from two freshwater marshes (Xianghai Wetlands, Northeast China).

PubMed

Wang, Guo-Ping; Liu, Jing-Shuang; Tang, Jie

2004-12-01

Sediment cores, representing a range of watershed characteristics and anthropogenic impacts, were collected from two freshwater marshes at the Xianghai wetlands (Ramsar site no. 548) in order to trace the historical variation of nutrient accumulation. Cores were (210)Pb- and (137)Cs-dated, and these data were used to calculate sedimentation rates and sediment accumulation rates. Ranges of dry mass accumulation rates and sedimentation rates were 0.27-0.96 g m(-2)yr(-1) and 0.27-0.90 cm yr(-1), respectively. The effect of human activities on increased sediment accumulation rates was observed. Nutrients (TOC, N, P, and S) in sediment were analyzed and nutrient concentration and accumulation were compared in two marshes with different hydrologic regime: an "open" marsh (E-0) and a partly "closed" marsh (F-0). Differences in physical and chemical characteristics between sediments of "open" and partly "closed" marsh were also observed. The "open" marsh sequestered much higher amounts of TOC (1.82%), N (981.1 mg kg(-1)), P (212.17 mg kg(-1)), and S (759.32 mg kg(-1)) than partly "closed" marsh (TOC: 0.32%, N: 415.35 mg kg(-1), P: 139.64 mg kg(-1), and S: 624.45 mg kg(-1)), and the "open" marsh indicated a rather large historical variability of TOC, N, P, and S inputs from alluvial deposits. Nutrient inputs (2.16-251.80 g TOC m(-2) yr(-1), 0.43-20.12 g N m(-2) yr(-1), 0.39-3.03 g P m(-2) yr(-1), 1.60-15.13 g S m(-2) yr(-1)) into the Xianghai wetlands of China are in the high range compared with reported nutrient accumulation rates for freshwater marshes in USA. The vertical variation, particularly for N, P, and S indicated the input history of the nutrients of the Xianghai wetlands developed in three periods--before 1950s, 1950-1980s, and after 1980s. The ratios between anthropogenic and natural inputs showed that the relative anthropogenic inputs of TOC, N, P, and S have been severalfold (TOC: 1.68-11.21, N: 0.47-3.67, P: 0.24-1.36, and S: 1.46-2.96) greater than values

Whole Genome Re-Sequencing Identifies a Quantitative Trait Locus Repressing Carbon Reserve Accumulation during Optimal Growth in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

PubMed Central

Goold, Hugh Douglas; Nguyen, Hoa Mai; Kong, Fantao; Beyly-Adriano, Audrey; Légeret, Bertrand; Billon, Emmanuelle; Cuiné, Stéphan; Beisson, Fred; Peltier, Gilles; Li-Beisson, Yonghua

2016-01-01

Microalgae have emerged as a promising source for biofuel production. Massive oil and starch accumulation in microalgae is possible, but occurs mostly when biomass growth is impaired. The molecular networks underlying the negative correlation between growth and reserve formation are not known. Thus isolation of strains capable of accumulating carbon reserves during optimal growth would be highly desirable. To this end, we screened an insertional mutant library of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii for alterations in oil content. A mutant accumulating five times more oil and twice more starch than wild-type during optimal growth was isolated and named constitutive oil accumulator 1 (coa1). Growth in photobioreactors under highly controlled conditions revealed that the increase in oil and starch content in coa1 was dependent on light intensity. Genetic analysis and DNA hybridization pointed to a single insertional event responsible for the phenotype. Whole genome re-sequencing identified in coa1 a >200 kb deletion on chromosome 14 containing 41 genes. This study demonstrates that, 1), the generation of algal strains accumulating higher reserve amount without compromising biomass accumulation is feasible; 2), light is an important parameter in phenotypic analysis; and 3), a chromosomal region (Quantitative Trait Locus) acts as suppressor of carbon reserve accumulation during optimal growth. PMID:27141848

Modelling past, present and future peatland carbon accumulation across the pan-Arctic region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaudhary, Nitin; Miller, Paul A.; Smith, Benjamin

2017-09-01

Most northern peatlands developed during the Holocene, sequestering large amounts of carbon in terrestrial ecosystems. However, recent syntheses have highlighted the gaps in our understanding of peatland carbon accumulation. Assessments of the long-term carbon accumulation rate and possible warming-driven changes in these accumulation rates can therefore benefit from process-based modelling studies. We employed an individual-based dynamic global ecosystem model with dynamic peatland and permafrost functionalities and patch-based vegetation dynamics to quantify long-term carbon accumulation rates and to assess the effects of historical and projected climate change on peatland carbon balances across the pan-Arctic region. Our results are broadly consistent with published regional and global carbon accumulation estimates. A majority of modelled peatland sites in Scandinavia, Europe, Russia and central and eastern Canada change from carbon sinks through the Holocene to potential carbon sources in the coming century. In contrast, the carbon sink capacity of modelled sites in Siberia, far eastern Russia, Alaska and western and northern Canada was predicted to increase in the coming century. The greatest changes were evident in eastern Siberia, north-western Canada and in Alaska, where peat production hampered by permafrost and low productivity due the cold climate in these regions in the past was simulated to increase greatly due to warming, a wetter climate and higher CO2 levels by the year 2100. In contrast, our model predicts that sites that are expected to experience reduced precipitation rates and are currently permafrost free will lose more carbon in the future.

Atmospheric Pb and Ti accumulation rates from Sphagnum moss: dependence upon plant productivity.

PubMed

Kempter, H; Krachler, M; Shotyk, W

2010-07-15

The accumulation rates of atmospheric Pb and Ti were obtained using the production rates of Sphagnum mosses collected in four ombrotrophic bogs from two regions of southern Germany: Upper Bavaria (Oberbayern, OB) and the Northern Black Forest (Nordschwarzwald, NBF). Surfaces of Sphagnum carpets were marked with plastic mesh and one year later the production of plant matter was harvested. Metal concentrations were determined in acid digests using sector field ICP-MS employing well established analytical procedures. Up to 12 samples (40 x 40 cm) were collected per site, and 6-10 sites were investigated per bog. Variations within a given sampling site were in the range 2.3-4x for Pb concentrations, 1.8-2.5x for Ti concentrations, 3-8.3x for Pb/Ti, 5.6-7.8x for Pb accumulation rates, and 2.3-6.4x for Ti accumulation rates. However, the median values of these parameters for the sites (6-10 per bog) were quite consistent. The mosses from the bogs in NBF exhibited significantly greater productivity (187-202 g m(-2) a(-1)) compared to the OB peat bogs (71-91 g m(-2) a(-1)), and these differences had a pronounced effect on the Pb and Ti accumulation rates. Highly productive mosses showed no indication of a "dilution effect" of Pb or Ti concentrations, suggesting that more productive plants were simply able to accumulate more particles from the air. The median rates of net Pb accumulation by the mosses are in excellent agreement with the fluxes obtained by direct atmospheric measurements at nearby monitoring stations in both regions (EMEP and MAPESI data).

Assessment of storage lipid accumulation patterns in eucalanoid copepods from the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cass, Christine J.; Daly, Kendra L.; Wakeham, Stuart G.

2014-11-01

Members of the copepod family Eucalanidae are widely distributed throughout the world's oceans and have been noted for their accumulation of storage lipids in high- and low-latitude environments. However, little is known about the lipid composition of eucalanoid copepods in low-latitude environments. The purpose of this study was to examine fatty acid and alcohol profiles in the storage lipids (wax esters and triacylglycerols) of Eucalanus inermis, Rhincalanus rostrifrons, R. nasutus, Pareucalanus attenuatus, and Subeucalanus subtenuis, collected primarily in the eastern tropical north Pacific near the Tehuantepec Bowl and Costa Rica Dome regions, noted for its oxygen minimum zone, during fall 2007 and winter 2008/2009. Adult copepods and particulate material were collected in the upper 50 m and from 200 to 300 m in the upper oxycline. Lipid profiles of particulate matter were generated to help ascertain information on ecological strategies of these species and on differential accumulation of dietary and modified fatty acids in the wax ester and triacylglycerol storage lipid components of these copepods in relation to their vertical distributions around the oxygen minimum zone. Additional data on phospholipid fatty acid and sterol/fatty alcohol fractions were also generated to obtain a comprehensive lipid data set for each sample. Rhincalanus spp. accumulated relatively large amounts of storage lipids (31-80% of dry mass (DM)), while E. inermis had moderate amounts (2-9% DM), and P. attenuatus and S. subtenuis had low quantities of storage lipid (0-1% DM). E. inermis and S. subtenuis primarily accumulated triacylglycerols (>90% of storage lipids), while P. attenuatus and Rhincalanus spp. primarily accumulated wax esters (>84% of storage lipids). Based on previously generated molecular phylogenies of the Eucalanidae family, these results appear to support genetic predisposition as a major factor explaining why a given species accumulates primarily triacylglycerols

Low Level Chlorpyrifos Exposure Increases Anandamide Accumulation in Juvenile Rat Brain in the Absence of Brain Cholinesterase Inhibition

PubMed Central

Carr, Russell L.; Graves, Casey A.; Mangum, Lee C.; Nail, Carole A.; Ross, Matthew K.

2014-01-01

The prevailing dogma is that chlorpyrifos (CPF) mediates its toxicity through inhibition of cholinesterase (ChE). However, in recent years, the toxicological effects of developmental CPF exposure have been attributed to an unknown non-cholinergic mechanism of action. We hypothesize that the endocannabinoid system may be an important target because of its vital role in nervous system development. We have previously reported that repeated exposure to CPF results in greater inhibition of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), the enzyme that metabolizes the endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA), than inhibition of either forebrain ChE or monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), the enzyme that metabolizes the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonylglycerol (2-AG). This exposure resulted in the accumulation of 2-AG and AEA in the forebrain of juvenile rats; however, even at the lowest dosage level used (1.0 mg/kg), forebrain ChE inhibition was still present. Thus, it is not clear if FAAH activity would be inhibited at dosage levels that do not inhibit ChE. To determine this, 10 day old rat pups were exposed daily for 7 days to either corn oil or 0.5 mg/kg CPF by oral gavage. At 4 and 12 h post-exposure on the last day of administration, the activities of serum ChE and carboxylesterase (CES) and forebrain ChE, MAGL, and FAAH were determined as well as the forebrain AEA and 2-AG levels. Significant inhibition of serum ChE and CES was present at both 4 and 12 h. There was no significant inhibition of the activities of forebrain ChE or MAGL and no significant change in the amount of 2-AG at either time point. On the other hand, while no statistically significant effects were observed at 4 h, FAAH activity was significantly inhibited at 12 h resulting in a significant accumulation of AEA. Although it is not clear if this level of accumulation impacts brain maturation, this study demonstrates that developmental CPF exposure at a level that does not inhibit brain ChE can alter components of

Effect of feeding greater amounts of dietary energy for a short-term with or without eCG injection on reproductive performance, serum metabolites and hormones in ewes.

PubMed

Habibizad, Javad; Riasi, Ahmad; Kohram, Hamid; Rahmani, Hamid Reza

2015-09-01

This study was conducted to compare the effect of transient high-energy diet in a short-term period with or without eCG injection on ovarian follicle development, twining rate, serum metabolites and hormones in ewes. A total of 45 estrous cyclic Naeini ewes were randomly assigned to three experimental groups: 1-Control (control), 2-High energy short-term feeding (HE), and 3-high energy short-term feeding + eCG injection (HEe). Ewes were housed in individual pens with free access to feed and water. The stage of the estrous cycle of all ewes was synchronized by insertion of intravaginal progesterone sponges. Focus feeding started from 4 days before until 1 day after sponge removal. Follicle development was monitored from 4 days before until 1 day after sponge removal and blood samples were taken during this time. Results showed that ewes fed high energy diets (HE and HEe) had greater (P < 0.05) large follicle numbers compared with the control group. Feeding high energy diets increased (P < 0.05) serum glucose, cholesterol and insulin, but had lesser (P < 0.05) serum urea nitrogen concentrations near the time of ovulation. After the start of experiment, ewes fed high energy diets had less (P < 0.05) serum estradiol. However, 1 day after sponge removal, serum estradiol in HE and HEe groups increased (P < 0.05). It was concluded that short-term (6-day) changes in amount of dietary energy with or without eCG injection increased twin births and had beneficial effects on the blood metabolites and hormone concentrations in Naeini ewes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ecological strategies of Al-accumulating and non-accumulating functional groups from the cerrado sensu stricto.

PubMed

Souza, Marcelo C de; Bueno, Paula C P; Morellato, Leonor P C; Habermann, Gustavo

2015-01-01

The cerrado's flora comprises aluminum-(Al) accumulating and non-accumulating plants, which coexist on acidic and Al-rich soils with low fertility. Despite their existence, the ecological importance or biological strategies of these functional groups have been little explored. We evaluated the leaf flushing patterns of both groups throughout a year; leaf concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Al, total flavonoids and polyphenols; as well as the specific leaf area (SLA) on young and mature leaves within and between the groups. In Al-accumulating plants, leaf flushed throughout the year, mainly in May and September; for non-accumulating plants, leaf flushing peaked at the dry-wet seasons transition. However, these behaviors could not be associated with strategies for building up concentrations of defense compounds in leaves of any functional groups. Al-accumulating plants showed low leaf nutrient concentrations, while non-accumulating plants accumulated more macronutrients and produced leaves with high SLA since the juvenile leaf phase. This demonstrates that the increase in SLA is slower in Al-accumulating plants that are likely to achieve SLA values comparable to the rest of the plant community only in the wet season, when sunlight capture is important for the growth of new branches.

Accumulation of the Antibiotic Phenazine-1-Carboxylic Acid in the Rhizosphere of Dryland Cereals

PubMed Central

Mavrodi, Dmitri V.; Mavrodi, Olga V.; Parejko, James A.; Bonsall, Robert F.; Kwak, Youn-Sig; Paulitz, Timothy C.; Weller, David M.

2012-01-01

Natural antibiotics are thought to function in the defense, fitness, competitiveness, biocontrol activity, communication, and gene regulation of microorganisms. However, the scale and quantitative aspects of antibiotic production in natural settings are poorly understood. We addressed these fundamental questions by assessing the geographic distribution of indigenous phenazine-producing (Phz+) Pseudomonas spp. and the accumulation of the broad-spectrum antibiotic phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA) in the rhizosphere of wheat grown in the low-precipitation zone (<350 mm) of the Columbia Plateau and in adjacent, higher-precipitation areas. Plants were collected from 61 commercial wheat fields located within an area of about 22,000 km2. Phz+ Pseudomonas spp. were detected in all sampled fields, with mean population sizes ranging from log 3.2 to log 7.1 g−1 (fresh weight) of roots. Linear regression analysis demonstrated a significant inverse relationship between annual precipitation and the proportion of plants colonized by Phz+ Pseudomonas spp. (r2 = 0.36, P = 0.0001). PCA was detected at up to nanomolar concentrations in the rhizosphere of plants from 26 of 29 fields that were selected for antibiotic quantitation. There was a direct relationship between the amount of PCA extracted from the rhizosphere and the population density of Phz+ pseudomonads (r2 = 0.46, P = 0.0006). This is the first demonstration of accumulation of significant quantities of a natural antibiotic across a terrestrial ecosystem. Our results strongly suggest that natural antibiotics can transiently accumulate in the plant rhizosphere in amounts sufficient not only for inter- and intraspecies signaling but also for the direct inhibition of sensitive organisms. PMID:22138981

Intraneuronal accumulation of misfolded tau protein induces overexpression of Hsp27 in activated astrocytes.

PubMed

Filipcik, Peter; Cente, Martin; Zilka, Norbert; Smolek, Tomas; Hanes, Jozef; Kucerak, Juraj; Opattova, Alena; Kovacech, Branislav; Novak, Michal

2015-07-01

Accumulation of misfolded forms of microtubule associated, neuronal protein tau causes neurofibrillary degeneration typical of Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. This process is accompanied by elevated cellular stress and concomitant deregulation of heat-shock proteins. We used a transgenic rat model of tauopathy to study involvement of heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27) in the process of neurofibrillary degeneration, its cell type specific expression and correlation with the amount of insoluble tau protein aggregates. The expression of Hsp27-mRNA is more than doubled and levels of Hsp27 protein tripled in aged transgenic animals with tau pathology. The data revealed a strong positive and highly significant correlation between Hsp27-mRNA and amount of sarkosyl insoluble tau. Interestingly, intracellular accumulation of insoluble misfolded tau protein in neurons was associated with overexpression of Hsp27 almost exclusively in reactive astrocytes, not in neurons. The topological dissociation of neuronally expressed pathological tau and the induction of astrocytic Hsp27, GFAP, and Vimentin along with up-regulation of microglia specific markers such as CD18, CD68 and C3 point to cooperation of astrocytes, microglia and neurons in response to intra-neuronal accumulation of insoluble tau. Our data suggest that over expression of Hsp27 represents a part of microglia-mediated astrocytic response mechanism in the process of neurofibrillary degeneration, which is not necessarily associated with neuroprotection and which in contrary may accelerate neurodegeneration in late stage of the disease. This phenomenon should be considered during development of disease modifying strategies for treatment of tauopathies and AD via regulation of activity of Hsp27. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hippocampal activation is associated with longitudinal amyloid accumulation and cognitive decline

DOE PAGES

Leal, Stephanie L.; Landau, Susan M.; Bell, Rachel K.; ...

2017-02-08

The amyloid hypothesis suggests that beta-amyloid (Aβ) deposition leads to alterations in neural function and ultimately to cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease. However, factors that underlie Aβ deposition are incompletely understood. One proposed model suggests that synaptic activity leads to increased Aβ deposition. More specifically, hyperactivity in the hippocampus may be detrimental and could be one factor that drives Aβ deposition. To test this model, we examined the relationship between hippocampal activity during a memory task using fMRI and subsequent longitudinal change in Aβ using PIB-PET imaging in cognitively normal older adults. We found that greater hippocampal activation at baselinemore » was associated with increased Aβ accumulation. Furthermore, increasing Aβ accumulation mediated the influence of hippocampal activation on declining memory performance, demonstrating a crucial role of Aβ in linking hippocampal activation and memory. These findings support a model linking increased hippocampal activation to subsequent Aβ deposition and cognitive decline.« less

Hippocampal activation is associated with longitudinal amyloid accumulation and cognitive decline

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Leal, Stephanie L.; Landau, Susan M.; Bell, Rachel K.

The amyloid hypothesis suggests that beta-amyloid (Aβ) deposition leads to alterations in neural function and ultimately to cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease. However, factors that underlie Aβ deposition are incompletely understood. One proposed model suggests that synaptic activity leads to increased Aβ deposition. More specifically, hyperactivity in the hippocampus may be detrimental and could be one factor that drives Aβ deposition. To test this model, we examined the relationship between hippocampal activity during a memory task using fMRI and subsequent longitudinal change in Aβ using PIB-PET imaging in cognitively normal older adults. We found that greater hippocampal activation at baselinemore » was associated with increased Aβ accumulation. Furthermore, increasing Aβ accumulation mediated the influence of hippocampal activation on declining memory performance, demonstrating a crucial role of Aβ in linking hippocampal activation and memory. These findings support a model linking increased hippocampal activation to subsequent Aβ deposition and cognitive decline.« less

Radiation-induced effects on the mechanical properties of natural ZrSiO4: double cascade-overlap damage accumulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beirau, Tobias; Nix, William D.; Pöllmann, Herbert; Ewing, Rodney C.

2018-05-01

Several different models are known to describe the structure-dependent radiation-induced damage accumulation process in materials (e.g. Gibbons Proc IEEE 60:1062-1096, 1972; Weber Nuc Instr Met Phys Res B 166-167:98-106, 2000). In the literature, two different models of damage accumulation due to α-decay events in natural ZrSiO4 (zircon) have been described. The direct impact damage accumulation model is based on amorphization occurring directly within the collision cascade. However, the double cascade-overlap damage accumulation model predicts that amorphization will only occur due to the overlap of disordered domains within the cascade. By analyzing the dose-dependent evolution of mechanical properties (i.e., Poisson's ratios, compliance constants, elastic modulus, and hardness) as a measure of the increasing amorphization, we provide support for the double cascade-overlap damage accumulation model. We found no evidence to support the direct impact damage accumulation model. Additionally, the amount of radiation damage could be related to an anisotropic-to-isotropic transition of the Poisson's ratio for stress along and perpendicular to the four-fold c-axis and of the related compliance constants of natural U- and Th-bearing zircon. The isotropification occurs in the dose range between 3.1 × and 6.3 × 1018 α-decays/g.

Radiation-induced effects on the mechanical properties of natural ZrSiO4: double cascade-overlap damage accumulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beirau, Tobias; Nix, William D.; Pöllmann, Herbert; Ewing, Rodney C.

2017-11-01

Several different models are known to describe the structure-dependent radiation-induced damage accumulation process in materials (e.g. Gibbons Proc IEEE 60:1062-1096, 1972; Weber Nuc Instr Met Phys Res B 166-167:98-106, 2000). In the literature, two different models of damage accumulation due to α-decay events in natural ZrSiO4 (zircon) have been described. The direct impact damage accumulation model is based on amorphization occurring directly within the collision cascade. However, the double cascade-overlap damage accumulation model predicts that amorphization will only occur due to the overlap of disordered domains within the cascade. By analyzing the dose-dependent evolution of mechanical properties (i.e., Poisson's ratios, compliance constants, elastic modulus, and hardness) as a measure of the increasing amorphization, we provide support for the double cascade-overlap damage accumulation model. We found no evidence to support the direct impact damage accumulation model. Additionally, the amount of radiation damage could be related to an anisotropic-to-isotropic transition of the Poisson's ratio for stress along and perpendicular to the four-fold c-axis and of the related compliance constants of natural U- and Th-bearing zircon. The isotropification occurs in the dose range between 3.1 × and 6.3 × 1018 α-decays/g.

Under-canopy snow accumulation and ablation measured with airborne scanning LiDAR altimetry and in-situ instrumental measurements, southern Sierra Nevada, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirchner, P. B.; Bales, R. C.; Musselman, K. N.; Molotch, N. P.

2012-12-01

and ablation of snow in open locations, where almost all precipitation and meteorlogic measurements concerning snow are made. Snow accumulation is intercepted by vegetation until it accumulates to a depth equal to or greater than the height of the vegetation, is reduced by the amount of sublimation or evaporation occurring while on the canopy and is redistributed beneath the canopy at a different density or as liquid water. Ablation processes are dictated by the energy environment surrounding vegetation where sensible heat is mediated by shading of short wave radiation.

Species-specific accumulation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and other emerging flame retardants in several species of birds from Korea.

PubMed

Jin, Xiangzi; Lee, Sunggyu; Jeong, Yunsun; Yu, Jae-Pyoung; Baek, Woon Kee; Shin, Kyung-Hoon; Kannan, Kurunthachalam; Moon, Hyo-Bang

2016-12-01

Few studies have been conducted on the alternatives to legacy flame retardants in avian species worldwide. In this study, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and alternative flame retardants such as novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) and dechlorane plus (DP) were determined in livers of 10 species of birds from Korea to elucidate species-specific accumulation, biological factors that affect accumulation, and bioaccumulation potentials of these contaminants. Among the emerging alternative flame retardants, the highest occurrence was found for bis(2-ethylhexyl)-3,4,5,6-tetrabromo-phthalate (BEHTBP), syn-DP, anti-DP, and decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE). PBDE concentrations (median: 17.1 ng/g lipid wt) measured in our study were within the ranges reported in previous studies, while the concentrations of BEHTBP, BTBPE and DP were greater than those reported earlier. Residential predatory birds showed significantly greater concentrations of PBDEs and NBFRs than migratory predators and passerine birds. The concentrations of PBDEs, BEHTBP, and DP in residential predatory birds were significantly correlated with increasing stable nitrogen isotope ratio (δ 15 N), which indicated biomagnification potentials of these contaminants. Our results suggest that the concentrations and accumulation patterns of PBDEs, NBFRs, and DP depend on the feeding habits and migration patterns of avian species. This is the first report on the accumulation of emerging alternatives to PBDEs in birds from Korea. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification of Genes Associated with Chlorophyll Accumulation in Flower Petals

PubMed Central

Ohmiya, Akemi; Hirashima, Masumi; Yagi, Masafumi; Tanase, Koji; Yamamizo, Chihiro

2014-01-01

Plants have an ability to prevent chlorophyll accumulation, which would mask the bright flower color, in their petals. In contrast, leaves contain substantial amounts of chlorophyll, as it is essential for photosynthesis. The mechanisms of organ-specific chlorophyll accumulation are unknown. To identify factors that determine the chlorophyll content in petals, we compared the expression of genes related to chlorophyll metabolism in different stages of non-green (red and white) petals (very low chlorophyll content), pale-green petals (low chlorophyll content), and leaves (high chlorophyll content) of carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.). The expression of many genes encoding chlorophyll biosynthesis enzymes, in particular Mg-chelatase, was lower in non-green petals than in leaves. Non-green petals also showed higher expression of genes involved in chlorophyll degradation, including STAY-GREEN gene and pheophytinase. These data suggest that the absence of chlorophylls in carnation petals may be caused by the low rate of chlorophyll biosynthesis and high rate of degradation. Similar results were obtained by the analysis of Arabidopsis microarray data. In carnation, most genes related to chlorophyll biosynthesis were expressed at similar levels in pale-green petals and leaves, whereas the expression of chlorophyll catabolic genes was higher in pale-green petals than in leaves. Therefore, we hypothesize that the difference in chlorophyll content between non-green and pale-green petals is due to different levels of chlorophyll biosynthesis. Our study provides a basis for future molecular and genetic studies on organ-specific chlorophyll accumulation. PMID:25470367

Lipid accumulation in smooth muscle cells under LDL loading is independent of LDL receptor pathway and enhanced by hypoxic conditions.

PubMed

Wada, Youichiro; Sugiyama, Akira; Yamamoto, Takashi; Naito, Makoto; Noguchi, Noriko; Yokoyama, Shinji; Tsujita, Maki; Kawabe, Yoshiki; Kobayashi, Mika; Izumi, Akashi; Kohro, Takahide; Tanaka, Toshiya; Taniguchi, Hirokazu; Koyama, Hidenori; Hirano, Ken-ichi; Yamashita, Shizuya; Matsuzawa, Yuji; Niki, Etsuo; Hamakubo, Takao; Kodama, Tatsuhiko

2002-10-01

The effect of a variety of hypoxic conditions on lipid accumulation in smooth muscle cells (SMCs) was studied in an arterial wall coculture and monocultivation model. Low density lipoprotein (LDL) was loaded under various levels of oxygen tension. Oil red O staining of rabbit and human SMCs revealed that lipid accumulation was greater under lower oxygen tension. Cholesterol esters were shown to accumulate in an oxygen tension-dependent manner by high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis. Autoradiograms using radiolabeled LDL indicated that LDL uptake was more pronounced under hypoxia. This result holds in the case of LDL receptor-deficient rabbit SMCs. However, cholesterol biosynthesis and cellular cholesterol release were unaffected by oxygen tension. Hypoxia significantly increases LDL uptake and enhances lipid accumulation in arterial SMCs, exclusive of LDL receptor activity. Although the molecular mechanism is not clear, the model is useful for studying lipid accumulation in arterial wall cells and the difficult-to-elucidate events in the initial stage of atherogenesis.

Tissue accumulation of microplastics in mice and biomarker responses suggest widespread health risks of exposure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Yongfeng; Zhang, Yan; Lemos, Bernardo; Ren, Hongqiang

2017-04-01

Microplastics (MPs) are a significant environmental health issue and increasingly greater source of concern. MPs have been detected in oceans, rivers, sediments, sewages, soil and even table salts. MPs exposure on marine organisms and humans has been documented, but information about the toxicity of MPs in mammal is limited. Here we used fluorescent and pristine polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) particles with two diameters (5 μm and 20 μm) to investigate the tissue distribution, accumulation, and tissue-specific health risk of MPs in mice. Results indicated that MPs accumulated in liver, kidney and gut, with a tissue-accumulation kinetics and distribution pattern that was strongly depended on the MPs particle size. In addition, analyses of multiple biochemical biomarkers and metabolomic profiles suggested that MPs exposure induced disturbance of energy and lipid metabolism as well as oxidative stress. Interestingly, blood biomarkers of neurotoxicity were also altered. Our results uncovered the distribution and accumulation of MPs across mice tissues and revealed significant alteration in several biomarkers that indicate potential toxicity from MPs exposure. Collectively, our data provided new evidence for the adverse consequences of MPs.

Tissue accumulation of microplastics in mice and biomarker responses suggest widespread health risks of exposure

PubMed Central

Deng, Yongfeng; Zhang, Yan; Lemos, Bernardo; Ren, Hongqiang

2017-01-01

Microplastics (MPs) are a significant environmental health issue and increasingly greater source of concern. MPs have been detected in oceans, rivers, sediments, sewages, soil and even table salts. MPs exposure on marine organisms and humans has been documented, but information about the toxicity of MPs in mammal is limited. Here we used fluorescent and pristine polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) particles with two diameters (5 μm and 20 μm) to investigate the tissue distribution, accumulation, and tissue-specific health risk of MPs in mice. Results indicated that MPs accumulated in liver, kidney and gut, with a tissue-accumulation kinetics and distribution pattern that was strongly depended on the MPs particle size. In addition, analyses of multiple biochemical biomarkers and metabolomic profiles suggested that MPs exposure induced disturbance of energy and lipid metabolism as well as oxidative stress. Interestingly, blood biomarkers of neurotoxicity were also altered. Our results uncovered the distribution and accumulation of MPs across mice tissues and revealed significant alteration in several biomarkers that indicate potential toxicity from MPs exposure. Collectively, our data provided new evidence for the adverse consequences of MPs. PMID:28436478

Forest fire increases mercury accumulation by fishes via food web restructuring and increased mercury inputs.

PubMed

Kelly, Erin N; Schindler, David W; St Louis, Vincent L; Donald, David B; Vladicka, Katherine E

2006-12-19

Recent findings indicate that fishes from lakes in partially burned catchments contain greater mercury (Hg) concentrations than fishes from reference catchments. Increased methyl Hg (MeHg) concentrations in fishes can result in serious health problems for consumers. Here we show that a forest fire caused a 5-fold increase in whole-body Hg accumulation by rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and smaller Hg increases in muscle of several fish species in a mountain lake. The enhanced Hg accumulation was caused primarily by increased nutrient concentrations in the lake, which enhanced productivity and restructured the food web through increased piscivory and consumption of Mysis. This restructuring resulted in increases to the trophic positions and Hg concentrations of fishes. Forest fire also caused a large short-term release of total Hg (THg) and MeHg to streams and the lake. This release initiated a small pulse of MeHg in invertebrates that contributed to enhanced Hg accumulation by fishes. Climate change and prescribed burning to compensate for past fire suppression are predicted to increase future forest fire occurrence in North America, and increased Hg accumulation by fishes may be an unexpected consequence.

Forest fire increases mercury accumulation by fishes via food web restructuring and increased mercury inputs

PubMed Central

Kelly, Erin N.; Schindler, David W.; St. Louis, Vincent L.; Donald, David B.; Vladicka, Katherine E.

2006-01-01

Recent findings indicate that fishes from lakes in partially burned catchments contain greater mercury (Hg) concentrations than fishes from reference catchments. Increased methyl Hg (MeHg) concentrations in fishes can result in serious health problems for consumers. Here we show that a forest fire caused a 5-fold increase in whole-body Hg accumulation by rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and smaller Hg increases in muscle of several fish species in a mountain lake. The enhanced Hg accumulation was caused primarily by increased nutrient concentrations in the lake, which enhanced productivity and restructured the food web through increased piscivory and consumption of Mysis. This restructuring resulted in increases to the trophic positions and Hg concentrations of fishes. Forest fire also caused a large short-term release of total Hg (THg) and MeHg to streams and the lake. This release initiated a small pulse of MeHg in invertebrates that contributed to enhanced Hg accumulation by fishes. Climate change and prescribed burning to compensate for past fire suppression are predicted to increase future forest fire occurrence in North America, and increased Hg accumulation by fishes may be an unexpected consequence. PMID:17158215

Analyzing the importance of wind-blown snow accumulations on Mount

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nestler, Alexander; Huss, Matthias; Ambartsumian, Rouben; Hambarian, Artak; Mohr, Sandra; Santi, Flavio

2013-04-01

Armenia's climate has a predominantly continental character with high amounts of precipitation and low temperatures during wintertime and a lack of precipitation together with high temperatures during summer. On the volcano Mount Aragatz, snow is relocated by strong winds into massive accumulations between 2500 and 4100 m a.s.l. during the winter season. These snow accumulations appear every winter in regular patterns as cornices on the lee side of sharp edges, such as those of ridges and canyons, which are arranged in a radial manner around the central crater. The biggest cornices almost outlast the hot period and provide considerable amounts of melt water until they disappear completely by the end of August. Snow melt water is known to have a high economic importance for agriculture on the slopes of Mount Aragatz and in the surroundings of Armenia's captial Yerewan. The aim of this study is to estimate the quantity of water naturally stored as snow on Mount Aragatz, and to what degree the use of geotextiles can prolong the lives of these snow accumulations. The characteristics and the spatial distribution of snow cornices on Mount Aragatz were determined using classical glaciological methods in June/July 2011 and 2012, involving snow depth soundings, water equivalent measurements and snow melt monitoring using ablation stakes, together with GPS mappings and classifications obtained from satellite images of the snow cornices. The combination of these data with ASTER DEMs and local weather data allows the modelling of the formation of wind-driven snow accumulations. Statistical relationships between the measured extent and volume of the snow cornices and surface parameters such as slope, aspect and curvature are established. In order to analyze the meltdown of the snow accumulations and the consequent impacts on runoff generation and the hydrological regime, a glacio-hydrological model integrating topographic parameters and meteorological data is applied. The

Empirical relationships between tree fall and landscape-level amounts of logging and fire

PubMed Central

Blanchard, Wade; Blair, David; McBurney, Lachlan; Stein, John; Banks, Sam C.

2018-01-01

Large old trees are critically important keystone structures in forest ecosystems globally. Populations of these trees are also in rapid decline in many forest ecosystems, making it important to quantify the factors that influence their dynamics at different spatial scales. Large old trees often occur in forest landscapes also subject to fire and logging. However, the effects on the risk of collapse of large old trees of the amount of logging and fire in the surrounding landscape are not well understood. Using an 18-year study in the Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans) forests of the Central Highlands of Victoria, we quantify relationships between the probability of collapse of large old hollow-bearing trees at a site and the amount of logging and the amount of fire in the surrounding landscape. We found the probability of collapse increased with an increasing amount of logged forest in the surrounding landscape. It also increased with a greater amount of burned area in the surrounding landscape, particularly for trees in highly advanced stages of decay. The most likely explanation for elevated tree fall with an increasing amount of logged or burned areas in the surrounding landscape is change in wind movement patterns associated with cutblocks or burned areas. Previous studies show that large old hollow-bearing trees are already at high risk of collapse in our study area. New analyses presented here indicate that additional logging operations in the surrounding landscape will further elevate that risk. Current logging prescriptions require the protection of large old hollow-bearing trees on cutblocks. We suggest that efforts to reduce the probability of collapse of large old hollow-bearing trees on unlogged sites will demand careful landscape planning to limit the amount of timber harvesting in the surrounding landscape. PMID:29474487

Empirical relationships between tree fall and landscape-level amounts of logging and fire.

PubMed

Lindenmayer, David B; Blanchard, Wade; Blair, David; McBurney, Lachlan; Stein, John; Banks, Sam C

2018-01-01

Large old trees are critically important keystone structures in forest ecosystems globally. Populations of these trees are also in rapid decline in many forest ecosystems, making it important to quantify the factors that influence their dynamics at different spatial scales. Large old trees often occur in forest landscapes also subject to fire and logging. However, the effects on the risk of collapse of large old trees of the amount of logging and fire in the surrounding landscape are not well understood. Using an 18-year study in the Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans) forests of the Central Highlands of Victoria, we quantify relationships between the probability of collapse of large old hollow-bearing trees at a site and the amount of logging and the amount of fire in the surrounding landscape. We found the probability of collapse increased with an increasing amount of logged forest in the surrounding landscape. It also increased with a greater amount of burned area in the surrounding landscape, particularly for trees in highly advanced stages of decay. The most likely explanation for elevated tree fall with an increasing amount of logged or burned areas in the surrounding landscape is change in wind movement patterns associated with cutblocks or burned areas. Previous studies show that large old hollow-bearing trees are already at high risk of collapse in our study area. New analyses presented here indicate that additional logging operations in the surrounding landscape will further elevate that risk. Current logging prescriptions require the protection of large old hollow-bearing trees on cutblocks. We suggest that efforts to reduce the probability of collapse of large old hollow-bearing trees on unlogged sites will demand careful landscape planning to limit the amount of timber harvesting in the surrounding landscape.

Using proteomic analysis to investigate uniconazole-induced phytohormone variation and starch accumulation in duckweed (Landoltia punctata).

PubMed

Huang, Mengjun; Fang, Yang; Liu, Yang; Jin, Yanling; Sun, Jiaolong; Tao, Xiang; Ma, Xinrong; He, Kaize; Zhao, Hai

2015-09-15

Duckweed (Landoltia punctata) has the potential to remediate wastewater and accumulate enormous amounts of starch for bioethanol production. Using systematical screening, we determined that the highest biomass and starch percentage of duckweed was obtained after uniconazole application. Uniconazole contributes to starch accumulation of duckweed, but the molecular mechanism is still unclear. To elucidate the mechanisms of high starch accumulation, in the study, the responses of L. punctata to uniconazole were investigated using a quantitative proteomic approach combined with physiological and biochemical analysis. A total of 3327 proteins were identified. Among these identified proteins, a large number of enzymes involved in endogenous hormone synthetic and starch metabolic pathways were affected. Notably, most of the enzymes involved in abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis showed up-regulated expression, which was consistent with the content variation. The increased endogenous ABA may up-regulate expression of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase to promote starch biosynthesis. Importantly, the expression levels of several key enzymes in the starch biosynthetic pathway were up-regulated, which supported the enzymatic assay results and may explain why there is increased starch accumulation. These generated data linked uniconazole with changes in expression of enzymes involved in hormone biosynthesis and starch metabolic pathways and elucidated the effect of hormones on starch accumulation. Thus, this study not only provided insights into the molecular mechanisms of uniconazole-induced hormone variation and starch accumulation but also highlighted the potential for duckweed to be feedstock for biofuel as well as for sewage treatment.

Modelling accumulation of marine plastics in the coastal zone; what are the dominant physical processes?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Critchell, Kay; Lambrechts, Jonathan

2016-03-01

Anthropogenic marine debris, mainly of plastic origin, is accumulating in estuarine and coastal environments around the world causing damage to fauna, flora and habitats. Plastics also have the potential to accumulate in the food web, as well as causing economic losses to tourism and sea-going industries. If we are to manage this increasing threat, we must first understand where debris is accumulating and why these locations are different to others that do not accumulate large amounts of marine debris. This paper demonstrates an advection-diffusion model that includes beaching, settling, resuspension/re-floating, degradation and topographic effects on the wind in nearshore waters to quantify the relative importance of these physical processes governing plastic debris accumulation. The aim of this paper is to prioritise research that will improve modelling outputs in the future. We have found that the physical characteristic of the source location has by far the largest effect on the fate of the debris. The diffusivity, used to parameterise the sub-grid scale movements, and the relationship between debris resuspension/re-floating from beaches and the wind shadow created by high islands also has a dramatic impact on the modelling results. The rate of degradation of macroplastics into microplastics also have a large influence in the result of the modelling. The other processes presented (settling, wind drift velocity) also help determine the fate of debris, but to a lesser degree. These findings may help prioritise research on physical processes that affect plastic accumulation, leading to more accurate modelling, and subsequently management in the future.

An Improved Brome mosaic virus Silencing Vector: Greater Insert Stability and More Extensive VIGS.

PubMed

Ding, Xin Shun; Mannas, Stephen W; Bishop, Bethany A; Rao, Xiaolan; Lecoultre, Mitchell; Kwon, Soonil; Nelson, Richard S

2018-01-01

Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is used extensively for gene function studies in plants. VIGS is inexpensive and rapid compared with silencing conducted through stable transformation, but many virus-silencing vectors, especially in grasses, induce only transient silencing phenotypes. A major reason for transient phenotypes is the instability of the foreign gene fragment (insert) in the vector during VIGS. Here, we report the development of a Brome mosaic virus (BMV)-based vector that better maintains inserts through modification of the original BMV vector RNA sequence. Modification of the BMV RNA3 sequence yielded a vector, BMVCP5, that better maintained phytoene desaturase and heat shock protein70-1 ( HSP70-1 ) inserts in Nicotiana benthamiana and maize ( Zea mays ). Longer maintenance of inserts was correlated with greater target gene silencing and more extensive visible silencing phenotypes displaying greater tissue penetration and involving more leaves. The modified vector accumulated similarly to the original vector in N. benthamiana after agroinfiltration, thus maintaining a high titer of virus in this intermediate host used to produce virus inoculum for grass hosts. For HSP70 , silencing one family member led to a large increase in the expression of another family member, an increase likely related to the target gene knockdown and not a general effect of virus infection. The cause of the increased insert stability in the modified vector is discussed in relationship to its recombination and accumulation potential. The modified vector will improve functional genomic studies in grasses, and the conceptual methods used to improve the vector may be applied to other VIGS vectors. © 2018 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

Optimum Tolerance Design Using Component-Amount and Mixture-Amount Experiments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Piepel, Gregory F.; Ozler, Cenk; Sehirlioglu, Ali Kemal

2013-08-01

One type of tolerance design problem involves optimizing component and assembly tolerances to minimize the total cost (sum of manufacturing cost and quality loss). Previous literature recommended using traditional response surface (RS) designs and models to solve this type of tolerance design problem. In this article, component-amount (CA) and mixture-amount (MA) approaches are proposed as more appropriate for solving this type of tolerance design problem. The advantages of the CA and MA approaches over the RS approach are discussed. Reasons for choosing between the CA and MA approaches are also discussed. The CA and MA approaches (experimental design, response modeling,more » and optimization) are illustrated using real examples.« less

Bromine accumulation in acidic black colluvial soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martínez Cortizas, Antonio; Ferro Vázquez, Cruz; Kaal, Joeri; Biester, Harald; Costa Casais, Manuela; Taboada Rodríguez, Teresa; Rodríguez Lado, Luis

2016-02-01

Recent investigations showed that bromine is incorporated to soil organic matter (SOM), its content increasing with humification. But few research was done on its long-term accumulation and the role played by pedogenetic processes, as those involved in organic matter stabilization. We investigated bromine content and distribution in four deep, acidic, organic-rich, Holocene soils from an oceanic area of Western Europe. Bromine concentrations (93-778 μg g-1) in the silt + clay (<50 μm) fraction were on average 3-times higher than those (17-250 μg g-1) in the fine earth (<2 mm), the former containing almost all bromine (90 ± 5%). Inventories were between 148 and 314 g m-2, indicating a rather large variability in a small area, and total estimated retention was low (6-16%). The degree of SOM bromination, expressed as the Br/C molar ratio, varied between 0.03 and 1.20 mmol Br/mol C. The ratio was highly correlated (n = 23, r2 0.88, p < 0.01) with the age of the SOM for the last ∼12 ka. Partial least squares modeling indicates that bromine concentration depends on the amount of organic matter stabilized as aluminium-OM associations, and to a lesser extent on soil acidity (pH) and iron-OM associations. Thus, at scales of thousands of years, bromine accumulation in acidic soils is linked to the pool of metal-clay-stabilized organic matter.

Subjective Numeracy and the Influence of Order and Amount of Audible Information on Perceived Medication Value

PubMed Central

Fraenkel, Liana; Stolar, Marilyn; Swift, Sarah; Street, Richard L.; Chowdhary, Harjinder; Peters, Ellen

2016-01-01

Background Order and amount of information influence patients’ risk perceptions, but most studies have evaluated patients’ reactions to written materials. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of four communication strategies, varying in their order and/or amount of information, on judgments related to an audible description of a new medication and among patients who varied in subjective numeracy. Methods We created five versions of a hypothetical scenario describing a new medication. The versions were composed to elucidate whether order and/or amount of the information describing benefits and adverse events influenced how subjects valued a new medication. After listening to a randomly assigned version, perceived medication value was measured by asking subjects to choose one of the following statements: the risks outweigh the benefits, the risks and benefits are equally balanced, or the benefits outweigh the risks. Results Of the 432 patients contacted, 389 participated in the study. Listening to a brief description of benefits followed by an extended description of adverse events resulted in a greater likelihood of perceiving that the medication’s benefits outweighed the risks compared to: 1) presenting the extended adverse events description before the benefits, 2) giving a greater amount of information related to benefits, and 3) sandwiching the adverse events between benefits. These associations were only observed among subjects with average or higher subjective numeracy. Conclusion If confirmed in future studies, our results suggest that, for patients with average or better subjective numeracy, perceived medication value is highest when a brief presentation of benefits is followed by an extended description of adverse events. PMID:27216580

Sediment accumulation in prairie wetlands under a changing climate: The relative roles of landscape and precipitation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Skagen, Susan K.; Burris, Lucy E.; Granfors, Diane A.

2016-01-01

Sediment accumulation threatens the viability and hydrologic functioning of many naturally formed depressional wetlands across the interior regions of North America. These wetlands provide many ecosystem services and vital habitats for diverse plant and animal communities. Climate change may further impact sediment accumulation rates in the context of current land use patterns. We estimated sediment accretion in wetlands within a region renowned for its large populations of breeding waterfowl and migrant shorebirds and examined the relative roles of precipitation and land use context in the sedimentation process. We modeled rates of sediment accumulation from 1971 through 2100 using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) with a sediment delivery ratio and the Unit Stream Power Erosion Deposition model (USPED). These models predicted that by 2100, 21–33 % of wetlands filled completely with sediment and 27–46 % filled by half with sediments; estimates are consistent with measured sediment accumulation rates in the region reported by empirical studies. Sediment accumulation rates were strongly influenced by size of the catchment, greater coverage of tilled landscape within the catchment, and steeper slopes. Conservation efforts that incorporate the relative risk of infilling of wetlands with sediments, thus emphasizing areas of high topographic relief and large watersheds, may benefit wetland-dependent biota.

Mechanisms of Action of Compounds That Enhance Storage Lipid Accumulation in Daphnia magna

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Accumulation of storage lipids in the crustacean Daphnia magna can be altered by a number of exogenous and endogenous compounds, like 20-hydroxyecdysone (natural ligand of the ecdysone receptor, EcR), methyl farnesoate, pyrirproxyfen (agonists of the methyl farnesoate receptor, MfR), and tributyltin (agonist of the retinoid X acid receptor, RXR). This effect, analogous to the obesogenic disruption in mammals, alters Daphnia’s growth and reproductive investment. Here we propose that storage lipid accumulation in droplets is regulated in Daphnia by the interaction between the nuclear receptor heterodimer EcR:RXR and MfR. The model was tested by determining changes in storage lipid accumulation and on gene transcription in animals exposed to different effectors of RXR, EcR, and MfR signaling pathways, either individually or in combination. RXR, EcR, and MfR agonists increased storage lipid accumulation, whereas fenarimol and testosterone (reported inhibitors of ecdysteroid synthesis and an EcR antagonist, respectively) decreased it. Joint effects of mixtures with fenarimol, testosterone, and ecdysone were antagonistic, mixtures of juvenoids showed additive effects following a concentration addition model, and combinations of tributyltin with juvenoids resulted in greater than additive effects. Co-exposures of ecdysone with juvenoids resulted in deregulation of ecdysone- and farnesoid-regulated genes, accordingly with the observed changes in lipid accumulation These results indicate the requirement of ecdysone binding to the EcR:RXR:MfR complex to regulate lipid storage and that an excess of ecdysone disrupts the whole process, probably by triggering negative feedback mechanisms. PMID:27993043

Interacting effects of photoperiod and photosynthetic photon flux on net carbon assimilation and starch accumulation in potato leaves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stutte, G. W.; Yorio, N. C.; Wheeler, R. M.

1996-01-01

The effect of photoperiod (PP) on net carbon assimilation rate (Anet) and starch accumulation in newly mature canopy leaves of 'Norland' potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) was determined under high (412 varies as mol m-2s-1) and low (263 varies as mol m-2s-1) photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) conditions. The Anet decreased from 13.9 to 11.6 and 9.3 micromoles m-2s-1, and leaf starch increased from 70 to 129 and 118 mg g-1 drymass (DM) as photoperiod (PP) was increased from 12/12 to 18/6, and 24/0, respectively. Longer PP had a greater effect with high PPF conditions than with low PPF treatments, with high PPF showing greater decline in Anet. Photoperiod did not affect either the CO2 compensation point (50 micromoles mol-1) or CO2 saturation point (1100-1200 micromoles mol-1) for Anet. These results show an apparent limit to the amount of starch that can be stored (approximately 15% DM) in potato leaves. An apparent feedback mechanism exists for regulating Anet under high PPF, high CO2, and long PP, but there was no correlation between Anet and starch concentration in individual leaves. This suggests that maximum Anet cannot be sustained with elevated CO2 conditions under long PP (> or = 12 hours) and high PPF conditions. If a physiological limit exists for the fixation and transport of carbon,then increasing photoperiod and light intensity under high CO2 conditions is not the most appropriate means to maximize the yield of potatoes.

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) peel extract fractions from different cultivars differentially affect lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocyte cells.

PubMed

Taing, Meng-Wong; Pierson, Jean-Thomas; Shaw, Paul N; Dietzgen, Ralf G; Roberts-Thomson, Sarah J; Gidley, Michael J; Monteith, Gregory R

2013-02-26

Plant phytochemicals are increasingly recognised as sources of bioactive molecules which may have potential benefit in many health conditions. In mangoes, peel extracts from different cultivars exhibit varying effects on adipogenesis in the 3T3-L1 adipocyte cell line. In this study, the effects of preparative HPLC fractions of methanol peel extracts from Irwin, Nam Doc Mai and Kensington Pride mangoes were evaluated. Fraction 1 contained the most hydrophilic components while subsequent fractions contained increasingly more hydrophobic components. High content imaging was used to assess mango peel fraction effects on lipid accumulation, nuclei count and nuclear area in differentiating 3T3-L1 cells. For all three mango cultivars, the more hydrophilic peel fractions 1-3 inhibited lipid accumulation with greater potency than the more hydrophobic peel fractions 4. For all three cultivars, the more lipophilic fraction 4 had concentrations that enhanced lipid accumulation greater than fractions 1-3 as assessed by lipid droplet integrated intensity. The potency of this fraction 4 varied significantly between cultivars. Using mass spectrometry, five long chain free fatty acids were detected in fraction 4; these were not present in any other peel extract fractions. Total levels varied between cultivars, with Irwin fraction 4 containing the highest levels of these free fatty acids. Lipophilic components appear to be responsible for the lipid accumulation promoting effects of some mango extracts and are the likely cause of the diverse effects of peel extracts from different mango cultivars on lipid accumulation.

Effect of degree of esterification of pectin and calcium amount on drug release from pectin-based matrix tablets.

PubMed

Sungthongjeen, Srisagul; Sriamornsak, Pornsak; Pitaksuteepong, Tasana; Somsiri, Atawit; Puttipipatkhachorn, Satit

2004-02-12

The aim of this work was to assess the effect of 2 formulation variables, the pectin type (with different degrees of esterification [DEs]) and the amount of calcium, on drug release from pectin-based matrix tablets. Pectin matrix tablets were prepared by blending indomethacin (a model drug), pectin powder, and various amounts of calcium acetate and then tableting by automatic hydraulic press machine. Differential scanning calorimetry, powder x-ray diffraction, and Fourier transformed-infrared spectroscopy studies of the compressed tablets revealed no drug-polymer interaction and the existence of drug with low crystallinity. The in-vitro release studies in phosphate buffer (United States Pharmacopeia) and tris buffer indicated that the lower the DE, the greater the time for 50% of drug release (T50). This finding is probably because of the increased binding capacity of pectin to calcium. However, when the calcium was excluded, the pectins with different DEs showed similar release pattern with insignificant difference of T50. When the amount of calcium acetate was increased from 0 to 12 mg/tablet, the drug release was significantly slower. However, a large amount of added calcium (ie, 24 mg/tablet) produced greater drug release because of the partial disintegration of tablets. The results were more pronounced in phosphate buffer, where the phosphate ions induced the precipitation of calcium phosphate. In conclusion, both pectin type and added calcium affect the drug release from the pectin-based matrix tablets.

77 FR 59618 - Medicare Program; Medicare Appeals; Adjustment to the Amount in Controversy Threshold Amounts for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-28

...This notice announces the annual adjustment in the amount in controversy (AIC) threshold amounts for Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) hearings and judicial review under the Medicare appeals process. The adjustment to the AIC threshold amounts will be effective for requests for ALJ hearings and judicial review filed on or after January 1, 2013. The calendar year 2013 AIC threshold amounts are $140 for ALJ hearings and $1,400 for judicial review.

78 FR 59702 - Medicare Program; Medicare Appeals: Adjustment to the Amount in Controversy Threshold Amounts for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-27

...This notice announces the annual adjustment in the amount in controversy (AIC) threshold amounts for Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) hearings and judicial review under the Medicare appeals process. The adjustment to the AIC threshold amounts will be effective for requests for ALJ hearings and judicial review filed on or after January 1, 2014. The calendar year 2014 AIC threshold amounts are $140 for ALJ hearings and $1,430 for judicial review.

76 FR 59138 - Medicare Program; Medicare Appeals; Adjustment to the Amount in Controversy Threshold Amounts for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-23

...This notice announces the annual adjustment in the amount in controversy (AIC) threshold amounts for Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) hearings and judicial review under the Medicare appeals process. The adjustment to the AIC threshold amounts will be effective for requests for ALJ hearings and judicial review filed on or after January 1, 2012. The calendar year 2012 AIC threshold amounts are $130 for ALJ hearings and $1,350 for judicial review.

75 FR 58407 - Medicare Program; Medicare Appeals; Adjustment to the Amount in Controversy Threshold Amounts for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-24

...This notice announces the annual adjustment in the amount in controversy (AIC) threshold amounts for Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) hearings and judicial review under the Medicare appeals process. The adjustment to the AIC threshold amounts will be effective for requests for ALJ hearings and judicial review filed on or after January 1, 2011. The 2011 AIC threshold amounts are $130 for ALJ hearings and $1,300 for judicial review.

Consumer understanding of calorie amounts and serving size: implications for nutritional labelling.

PubMed

Vanderlee, Lana; Goodman, Samantha; Sae Yang, Wiworn; Hammond, David

2012-07-18

Increased consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages has contributed to rising obesity levels. Under Canadian law, calories for pre-packaged foods and beverages are presented by serving size; however, serving sizes differ across products and even for the same product in different containers. This study examined consumer understanding of calorie amounts for government nutrition labels and industry labelling schemes. A national sample of 687 Canadian adults completed an online survey. Participants were randomized to view images of Coke® bottles that displayed different serving sizes and calorie amounts. Participants viewed either the regulated nutrition information on the "back" of containers, or the voluntary calorie symbols displayed on the "front" of Coke® products. Participants were asked to determine how many calories the bottle contained. Across all conditions, 54.2% of participants correctly identified the number of calories in the beverage. Participants who viewed government-mandated nutrition information were more likely to answer correctly (59.0%) than those who saw industry labelling (49.1%) (OR=5.3, 95% CI: 2.6-10.6). Only 11.8% who viewed the Coke® bottle with calorie amounts per serving correctly identified the calorie amount, compared to 91.8% who saw calorie amounts per container, regardless of whether information was presented in the Nutrition Facts Table or the front-of-pack symbol (OR=242.9, 95% CI: 112.1-526.2). Few individuals can use nutrition labels to correctly identify calorie content when presented per serving or using industry labelling schemes. The findings highlight the importance of revising labelling standards and indicate that industry labelling initiatives warrant greater scrutiny.

[CaCO3 stimulates alpha-ketoglutarate accumulation during pyruvate fermentation by Torulopsis glabrata].

PubMed

Liu, Li-Ming; Li, Yin; Du, Guo-Cheng; Chen, Jian

2003-11-01

A large amount of alpha-ketoglutarate (alpha-KG) (6.8 g/L) was accumulated in flask culture when CaCO3 was used as a buffering agent in the production of pyruvate by multi-vitamin auxotrophic yeast Torulopsis glabrata CCTCC M202019. In a 5 L jar-fermentor, less alpha-KG (1.3 g/L) was produced when NaOH was used to adjust the pH, while more alpha-KG (11.5 g/L) detected when CaCO3 was used as the buffer. In the latter case, the molar carbon ratio of pyruvate to alpha-KG (C(PYR)/ CalphaKG) was similar to that obtained in flask culture, suggesting the accumulation of alpha-ketoglutarate was related to the addition of CaCO3. Furthermore, it was found that: (1) delaying the addition time of CaCO3 decreased the a-ketoglutarate formation but increased C(PYR)/ C(alphaKG); and (2) under vitamin limitation conditions increasing the concentration of CaCO3 led to an increased a-KG accumulation at the expenses of pyruvate. To study which ions in CaCO3 was responsible for the accumulation of alpha-KG, the effects of different pH buffers on the a-KG accumulation were studied. The level of alpha-KG was found to correlate with the levels of both Ca2+ and CO3(2-), with Ca2+ played a dominant role and CO3(2-) played a minor role. To find out which pathway was responsible for the accumulation of alpha-KG, the effects of biotin and thiamine on alpha-KG accumulation was investigated. The increase in biotin concentration led to an increase in alpha-KG accumulation and a decrease in C(PYR)/ C(alpha-KG), while the levels of alpha-KG and C(PYR)/C(alphaKG) were not affected by thiamine concentration. The activity of pyruvate carboxylase was increased as much as 40% when the medium was supplemented with Ca2+ . On the other hand, the activity of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex was unaffected by the presence of Ca2+. To conclude, the higher level of a-KG was caused by higher activity of pyruvate carboxylase stimulated by Ca2+, with CO3(2-) served as the substrate of the reaction.

Diversity of glycosphingolipid GM2 and cholesterol accumulation in NPC1 patient-specific iPSC-derived neurons.

PubMed

Trilck, Michaela; Peter, Franziska; Zheng, Chaonan; Frank, Marcus; Dobrenis, Kostantin; Mascher, Hermann; Rolfs, Arndt; Frech, Moritz J

2017-02-15

Niemann-Pick disease Type C1 (NPC1) is a rare progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by mutations in the NPC1 gene. On the cellular level NPC1 mutations lead to an accumulation of cholesterol and gangliosides. As a thorough analysis of the severely affected neuronal cells is unfeasible in NPC1 patients, we recently described the cellular phenotype of neuronal cells derived from NPC1 patient iPSCs carrying the compound heterozygous mutation c.1836A>C/c.1628delC. Here we expanded the analysis to cell lines carrying the prevalent mutation c.3182T>C and the novel mutation c.1180T>C, as well as to the determination of GM2 and GM3 gangliosides in NPC1 patient-specific iPSC-derived neurons and glia cells. Immunocytochemical detection of GM2 revealed punctated staining pattern predominantly localized in neurons. Detection of cholesterol by filipin staining showed a comparable staining pattern, colocalized with GM2, indicating a deposit of GM2 and cholesterol in the same cellular compartments. Accumulations were not only restricted to cell bodies, but were also found in the neuronal extensions. A quantification of the GM2 amount by HPLC-MS/MS confirmed significantly higher amounts in neurons carrying a mutation. Additionally, these cells displayed a lowered activity of the catabolic enzyme Hex A, but not B4GALNT1. Molecular docking simulations indicated binding of cholesterol to Hex A, suggesting cholesterol influences the GM2 degradation pathway and, subsequently, leading to the accumulation of GM2. Taken together, this is the first study showing an accumulation of GM2 in neuronal derivatives of patient-specific iPSCs and thus proving further disease-specific hallmarks in this human in vitro model of NPC1. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Establishment of an Arabidopsis callus system to study the interrelations of biosynthesis, degradation and accumulation of carotenoids

PubMed Central

Schaub, Patrick; Rodriguez-Franco, Marta; Cazzonelli, Christopher Ian; Álvarez, Daniel; Wüst, Florian

2018-01-01

The net amounts of carotenoids accumulating in plant tissues are determined by the rates of biosynthesis and degradation. While biosynthesis is rate-limited by the activity of PHYTOENE SYNTHASE (PSY), carotenoid losses are caused by catabolic enzymatic and non-enzymatic degradation. We established a system based on non-green Arabidopsis callus which allowed investigating major determinants for high steady-state levels of β-carotene. Wild-type callus development was characterized by strong carotenoid degradation which was only marginally caused by the activity of carotenoid cleavage oxygenases. In contrast, carotenoid degradation occurred mostly non-enzymatically and selectively affected carotenoids in a molecule-dependent manner. Using carotenogenic pathway mutants, we found that linear carotenes such as phytoene, phytofluene and pro-lycopene resisted degradation and accumulated while β-carotene was highly susceptible towards degradation. Moderately increased pathway activity through PSY overexpression was compensated by degradation revealing no net increase in β-carotene. However, higher pathway activities outcompeted carotenoid degradation and efficiently increased steady-state β-carotene amounts to up to 500 μg g-1 dry mass. Furthermore, we identified oxidative β-carotene degradation products which correlated with pathway activities, yielding β-apocarotenals of different chain length and various apocarotene-dialdehydes. The latter included methylglyoxal and glyoxal as putative oxidative end products suggesting a potential recovery of carotenoid-derived carbon for primary metabolic pathways. Moreover, we investigated the site of β-carotene sequestration by co-localization experiments which revealed that β-carotene accumulated as intra-plastid crystals which was confirmed by electron microscopy with carotenoid-accumulating roots. The results are discussed in the context of using the non-green calli carotenoid assay system for approaches targeting high

Plant Resistance to TSWV and Seed Accumulation of Resveratrol within Peanut Germplasm and Its Wild Relatives in the US Collection

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Biotic and abiotic stress may induce peanut plants to produce a high amount of resveratrol. The relationship of plant response to tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) and seed accumulation of resveratrol was investigated. Twenty peanut accessions and six wild relatives were selected from the US peanut g...

Characterizing Adversity of Lysosomal Accumulation in Nonclinical Toxicity Studies: Results from the 5th ESTP International Expert Workshop.

PubMed

Lenz, B; Braendli-Baiocco, A; Engelhardt, J; Fant, P; Fischer, H; Francke, S; Fukuda, R; Gröters, S; Harada, T; Harleman, H; Kaufmann, W; Kustermann, S; Nolte, T; Palazzi, X; Pohlmeyer-Esch, G; Popp, A; Romeike, A; Schulte, A; Lima, B Silva; Tomlinson, L; Willard, J; Wood, C E; Yoshida, M

2018-02-01

Lysosomes have a central role in cellular catabolism, trafficking, and processing of foreign particles. Accumulation of endogenous and exogenous materials in lysosomes represents a common finding in nonclinical toxicity studies. Histologically, these accumulations often lack distinctive features indicative of lysosomal or cellular dysfunction, making it difficult to consistently interpret and assign adverse dose levels. To help address this issue, the European Society of Toxicologic Pathology organized a workshop where representative types of lysosomal accumulation induced by pharmaceuticals and environmental chemicals were presented and discussed. The expert working group agreed that the diversity of lysosomal accumulations requires a case-by-case weight-of-evidence approach and outlined several factors to consider in the adversity assessment, including location and type of cell affected, lysosomal contents, severity of the accumulation, and related pathological effects as evidence of cellular or organ dysfunction. Lysosomal accumulations associated with cytotoxicity, inflammation, or fibrosis were generally considered to be adverse, while those found in isolation (without morphologic or functional consequences) were not. Workshop examples highlighted the importance of thoroughly characterizing the biological context of lysosomal effects, including mechanistic data and functional in vitro readouts if available. The information provided here should facilitate greater consistency and transparency in the interpretation of lysosomal effects.

Dislocation pileup as a representation of strain accumulation on a strike-slip fault

USGS Publications Warehouse

Savage, J.C.

2006-01-01

The conventional model of strain accumulation on a vertical transform fault is a discrete screw dislocation in an elastic half-space with the Burgers vector of the dislocation increasing at the rate of relative plate motion. It would be more realistic to replace that discrete dislocation by a dislocation distribution, presumably a pileup in which the individual dislocations are in equilibrium. The length of the pileup depends upon the applied stress and the amount of slip that has occurred at depth. I argue here that the dislocation pileup (the transition on the fault from no slip to slip at the full plate rate) occupies a substantial portion of the lithosphere thickness. A discrete dislocation at an adjustable depth can reproduce the surface deformation profile predicted by a pileup so closely that it will be difficult to distinguish between the two models. The locking depth (dislocation depth) of that discrete dislocation approximation is substantially (???30%) larger than that (depth to top of the pileup) in the pileup model. Thus, in inverting surface deformation data using the discrete dislocation model, the locking depth in the model should not be interpreted as the true locking depth. Although dislocation pileup models should provide a good explanation of the surface deformation near the fault trace, that explanation may not be adequate at greater distances from the fault trace because approximating the expected horizontally distributed deformation at subcrustal depths by uniform slip concentrated on the fault is not justified.

Fish like it Hot? The response of ichthyolith accumulation to changing climates of the Paleogene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sibert, E. C.; Zill, M. E.; Bryant, R. M.; Graves, L. G.; Norris, R. D.

2014-12-01

It has been hypothesized that the production of fish in the water column is related to the amount of primary production in the surface waters. Most future Earth scenarios suggest that as the climate warms, increased surface ocean stratification will decrease nutrient availability and therefore net primary productivity and fish production. Here we calculate accumulation rates of ichthyoliths (microfossil fish teeth and shark dermal scales) throughout the Paleogene and find that ichthyolith accumulation is inversely related to hypothesized changes in primary productivity, but is positively related to ocean temperature. At DSDP Site 596 in the South Pacific, and ODP Site 1258 from the equatorial Atlantic, accumulation of fish fossils increase 6-10 fold from the relatively cool Paleocene into the warm Early Eocene Climate Optimum. In contrast, cooling and increased biosilica deposition at the Eocene/Oligocene (E/O) Boundary suggests that the marine ecosystem switched to a highly productive diatom-dominated ocean, which should favor short, efficient food chains and increased fish production. However, we find that at both Pacific DSDP Site 596 and Atlantic DSDP Site 522, fish accumulation drops by about 50% across the E/O. Indeed, this relation between ichthyolith accumulation and δ18O-estimated paleotemperature is also seen in the Oligocene, at North Pacific ODP Site 886, where warming in the middle Oligocene is mirrored by an increase in ichthyolith accumulation. It appears that ichthyolith accumulation rate may not be purely an effect of total primary production in the water column but rather, may reflect a fundamental response in fish physiology or ecosystem efficiency to warmer water. It has been documented that respiration is faster and more efficient in warm waters, and this may help generate more efficient food web links that compensate for any decrease in primary productivity caused by global warming. Indeed, it appears that fish seem to thrive as the

Influence of auxins combinations on accumulation of reserpine in the callus of Rauvolfia tetraphylla L.

PubMed

Anitha, S; Kumari, B D Ranjitha

2007-11-01

Reserpine is a monoterpene indole alkaloid used to treat hypertension because of its hypotensive property and psychiatric disorders because of its tranquilizing effect. Protocol has been standardized to enhance the synthesis of reserpine in leaf derived calli of Rauvolfia tetraphylla L. by adjusting the auxins combinations in the medium consisting of MS nutrient salts and B5 vitamins. Auxins such as naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) were used in 1-5 microM concentration along with 9 microM concentration of 2,4 dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D), which was found suitable for callus induction. The combination of (2,4-D) with NAA had been proved to accumulate maximum amount of reserpine followed by 2,4-D with IBA. The IAA with 2,4-D combination yielded very less amount of reserpine than the other combinations and 9 microM 2,4-D alone. The results suggest that there may be synergetic effect of NAA with 2,4-D and IBA with 2,4-D for increase in the biomass and reserpine accumulation and antagonistic effect of IAA with 2,4-D for the above said factors in the callus.

Particle size effects on bioaccessible amounts of ingestible soil-borne toxic elements.

PubMed

Qin, Junhao; Nworie, Obinna Elijah; Lin, Chuxia

2016-09-01

The unified BARGE method was used to examine the effects of soil particle size on the bioaccessible amounts of potentially toxic elements in multi-contaminated soils from a closed landfill site. The results show that bioaccessible As, Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn increased with decreasing soil particle size and the <0.002 mm soil fraction contained much greater amounts of the bioaccessible elements, as compared to other soil fractions (0.002-0.063 mm, 0.063-0.125 mm, and 0.125-0.250 mm). As, Al and Cr had much lower bioaccessibility, as compared to the six cationic heavy metals. In contrast with other elements, As bioaccessibility tended to be higher in the gastrointestinal phase than in the gastric phase. There was a significant soil particle size effect on bioaccessibility of As and Al in the gastrointestinal phase: As bioaccessibility decreased with decreasing particle size, and the finer soil fractions tended to have a higher Al bioaccessibility, as compared to the coarser soil fractions. The research findings prompt the need for further division of soil particle size fractions in order to more accurately assess the bioaccessible amounts of soil-borne potentially toxic elements in contaminated lands. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ins(1,4,5)P{sub 3} facilitates ATP accumulation via phosphocreatine/creatine kinase in the endoplasmic reticulum extracted from MDCK cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sun, Jing; Department of Dental Implantology, School of Stomatology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200072; Ogata, Shigenori

2010-07-02

So far, the content and accumulation of ATP in isolated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) are little understood. First, we confirmed using electron microscopic and Western blotting techniques that the samples extracted from MDCK cells are endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The amounts of ATP in the extracted ER were measured from the filtrate after a spinning down of ultrafiltration spin column packed with ER. When the ER sample (5 {mu}g) after 3 days freezing was suspended in intracellular medium (ICM), 0.1% Triton X and ultrapure water (UPW), ATP amounts from the ER with UPW were the highest and over 10 times compared withmore » that from the control with ICM, indicating that UPW is the most effective tool in destroying the ER membrane. After a 10-min-incubation with ICM containing phosphocreatine (PCr)/creatine kinase (CK) of the fresh ER. ATP amounts in the filtrate obtained by spinning down were not changed from that in the control (no PCr/CK). However, ATP amounts in the filtrate from the second spinning down of the ER (treated with PCr/CK) suspended in UPW became over 10-fold compared with the control. When 1 {mu}M inositol(1,4,5)trisphosphate (Ins(1,4,5)P{sub 3}) was added in the incubation medium (ICM with PCr/CK), ATP amounts from the filtrate after the second spinning down were further enhanced around three times. This enhancement was almost canceled by Ca{sup 2+}-removal from ICM and by adding thapsigargin, a Ca{sup 2+}-ATPase inhibitor, but not by 2-APB and heparin, Ins(1,4,5)P{sub 3} receptor antagonists. Administration of 500 {mu}M adenosine to the incubation medium (with PCr/CK) failed to enhance the accumulation of ATP in the ER. These findings suggest that the ER originally contains ATP and ATP accumulation in the ER is promoted by PCr/CK and Ins(1,4,5)P{sub 3}.« less

Sexual difference in polychlorinated biphenyl accumulation rates of walleye (Stizostedion vitreum)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Madenjian, Charles P.; Noguchi, George E.; Haas, Robert C.; Schrouder, Kathrin S.

1998-01-01

Adult male walleye (Stizostedion vitreum) exhibited significantly higher polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations than similarly aged female walleye from Saginaw Bay (Lake Huron). To explain this difference, we tested the following three hypotheses: (i) females showed a considerably greater reduction in PCB concentration immediately following spawning than males, (ii) females grew at a faster rate and therefore exhibited lower PCB concentrations than males, and (iii) males spent more time in the Saginaw River system than females, and therefore received a greater exposure to PCBs. The first hypothesis was tested by comparing PCB concentration in gonadal tissue with whole-body concentration, the second hypothesis was tested via bioenergetics modeling, and we used mark-recapture data from the Saginaw Bay walleye fishery to address the third hypothesis. The only plausible explanation for the observed difference in PCB accumulation rate was that males spent substantially more time in the highly contaminated Saginaw River system than females, and therefore were exposed to greater environmental concentrations of PCBs. Based on the results of our study, we strongly recommend a stratified random sampling design for monitoring PCB concentration in Saginaw Bay walleye, with fixed numbers of females and males sampled each year.

Abscisic acid-regulated protein degradation causes osmotic stress-induced accumulation of branched-chain amino acids in Arabidopsis thaliana.

PubMed

Huang, Tengfang; Jander, Georg

2017-10-01

Whereas proline accumulates through de novo biosynthesis in plants subjected to osmotic stress, leucine, isoleucine, and valine accumulation in drought-stressed Arabidopsis thaliana is caused by abscisic acid-regulated protein degradation. In response to several kinds of abiotic stress, plants greatly increase their accumulation of free amino acids. Although stress-induced proline increases have been studied the most extensively, the fold-increase of other amino acids, in particular branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs; leucine, isoleucine, and valine), is often higher than that of proline. In Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis), BCAAs accumulate in response to drought, salt, mannitol, polyethylene glycol, herbicide treatment, and nitrogen starvation. Plants that are deficient in abscisic acid signaling accumulate lower amounts of BCAAs, but not proline and most other amino acids. Previous bioinformatic studies had suggested that amino acid synthesis, rather than protein degradation, is responsible for the observed BCAA increase in osmotically stressed Arabidopsis. However, whereas treatment with the protease inhibitor MG132 decreased drought-induced BCAA accumulation, inhibition of BCAA biosynthesis with the acetolactate synthase inhibitors chlorsulfuron and imazapyr did not. Additionally, overexpression of BRANCHED-CHAIN AMINO ACID TRANSFERASE2 (BCAT2), which is upregulated in response to osmotic stress and functions in BCAA degradation, decreased drought-induced BCAA accumulation. Together, these results demonstrate that BCAA accumulation in osmotically stressed Arabidopsis is primarily the result of protein degradation. After relief of the osmotic stress, BCAA homeostasis is restored over time by amino acid degradation involving BCAT2. Thus, drought-induced BCAA accumulation is different from that of proline, which is accumulated due to de novo synthesis in an abscisic acid-independent manner and remains elevated for a more prolonged period of time after removal of

Influence of oxidative and nitrosative stress on accumulation of diphosphate intermediates of the non-mevalonate pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis in corynebacteria and mycobacteria.

PubMed

Artsatbanov, V Yu; Vostroknutova, G N; Shleeva, M O; Goncharenko, A V; Zinin, A I; Ostrovsky, D N; Kapreliants, A S

2012-04-01

Artificial generation of oxygen superoxide radicals in actively growing cultures of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Myc. smegmatis, and Corynebacterium ammoniagenes is followed by accumulation in the bacterial cells of substantial amounts of 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol-2,4-cyclodiphosphate (MEcDP) - an intermediate of the non-mevalonate pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis (MEP) - most possibly due to the interaction of the oxygen radicals with the 4Fe-4S group in the active center and inhibition of the enzyme (E)-4-oxy-3-methylbut-2-enyl diphosphate synthase (IspG). Cadmium ions known to inhibit IspG enzyme in chloroplasts (Rivasseau, C., Seemann, M., Boisson, A. M., Streb, P., Gout, E., Douce, R., Rohmer, M., and Bligny, R. (2009) Plant Cell Environ., 32, 82-92), when added to culture of Myc. smegmatis, substantially increase accumulation of MEcDP induced by oxidative stress with no accumulation of other organic phosphate intermediates in the cell. Corynebacterium ammoniagenes'', well-known for its ability to synthesize large amounts of MEcDP, was also shown to accumulate this unique cyclodiphosphate in actively growing culture when NO at low concentration is artificially generated in the medium. A possible role of the MEP-pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis and a role of its central intermediate MEcDP in bacterial response to nitrosative and oxidative stress is discussed.

Body size-dependent Cd accumulation in the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha from different routes.

PubMed

Tang, Wen-Li; Evans, Douglas; Kraemer, Lisa; Zhong, Huan

2017-02-01

Understanding body size-dependent metal accumulation in aquatic organisms (i.e., metal allometry) is critical in interpreting biomonitoring data. While growth has received the most attention, little is known about controls of metal exposure routes on metal allometry. Here, size-dependent Cd accumulation in zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) from different routes were investigated by exposing mussels to A.( 111 Cd spiked algae+ 113 Cd spiked river water) or B.( 111 Cd spiked sediments+ 113 Cd spiked river water). After exposure, 111 Cd or 113 Cd levels in mussel tissue were found to be negatively correlated with tissue weight, while Cd allometry coefficients (b values) were dependent on Cd exposure routes: -0.664 for algae, -0.241 for sediments and -0.379 for river water, compared to -0.582 in un-exposed mussels. By comparing different Cd exposure routes, we found that size-dependent Cd bioaccumulation from algae or river water could be more responsible for the overall size-dependent Cd accumulation in mussels, and the relative importance of the two sources was dependent on mussel size ranges: Cadmium obtained from algae (algae-Cd) was more important in size-dependent Cd accumulation in smaller mussels (tissue dry weight < 5 mg), while river water-Cd became more important in larger individuals (tissue dry weight > 5 mg). In contrast, sediment-Cd contributed only a small amount to Cd accumulation in zebra mussels and may have little effect on size-dependent Cd bioaccumulation. Our results suggest that size-dependent Cd accumulation in mussels could be largely affected by exposure routes, which should be considered when trying to interpret Cd biomonitoring data of zebra mussels. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Icaritin Inhibits Collagen Degradation-Related Factors and Facilitates Collagen Accumulation in Atherosclerotic Lesions: A Potential Action for Plaque Stabilization

PubMed Central

Zhang, Zong-Kang; Li, Jie; Yan, De-Xin; Leung, Wing-Nang; Zhang, Bao-Ting

2016-01-01

Most acute coronary syndromes result from rupture of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques. The collagen content of plaques may critically affect plaque stability. This study tested whether Icaritin (ICT), an intestinal metabolite of Epimedium-derived flavonoids, could alter the collagen synthesis/degradation balance in atherosclerotic lesions. Rabbits were fed with an atherogenic diet for four months. Oral administration of ICT (10 mg·kg−1·day−1) was started after two months of an atherogenic diet and lasted for two months. The collagen degradation-related parameters, including macrophages accumulation, content and activity of interstitial collagenase-1 (MMP-1), and the collagen synthesis-related parameters, including amount and distribution of smooth muscle cells (SMC) and collagen mRNA/protein levels, were evaluated in the aorta. ICT reduced plasma lipid levels, inhibited macrophage accumulation, lowered MMP-1 mRNA and protein expression, and suppressed proteolytic activity of pro-MMP-1 and MMP-1 in the aorta. ICT changed the distribution of the SMCs towards the fibrous cap of lesions without increasing the amount of SMCs. Higher collagen protein content in lesions and aorta homogenates was observed with ICT treatment compared with the atherogenic diet only, without altered collagen mRNA level. These results suggest that ICT could inhibit the collagen degradation-related factors and facilitate collagen accumulation in atherosclerotic lesions, indicating a new potential of ICT in atherosclerotic plaques. PMID:26828485

Methane fluxes above the Hainich forest by True Eddy Accumulation and Eddy Covariance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siebicke, Lukas; Gentsch, Lydia; Knohl, Alexander

2016-04-01

Understanding the role of forests for the global methane cycle requires quantifying vegetation-atmosphere exchange of methane, however observations of turbulent methane fluxes remain scarce. Here we measured turbulent fluxes of methane (CH4) above a beech-dominated old-growth forest in the Hainich National Park, Germany, and validated three different measurement approaches: True Eddy Accumulation (TEA, closed-path laser spectroscopy), and eddy covariance (EC, open-path and closed-path laser spectroscopy, respectively). The Hainich flux tower is a long-term Fluxnet and ICOS site with turbulent fluxes and ecosystem observations spanning more than 15 years. The current study is likely the first application of True Eddy Accumulation (TEA) for the measurement of turbulent exchange of methane and one of the very few studies comparing open-path and closed-path eddy covariance (EC) setups side-by-side. We observed uptake of methane by the forest during the day (a methane sink with a maximum rate of 0.03 μmol m-2 s-1 at noon) and no or small fluxes of methane from the forest to the atmosphere at night (a methane source of typically less than 0.01 μmol m-2 s-1) based on continuous True Eddy Accumulation measurements in September 2015. First results comparing TEA to EC CO2 fluxes suggest that True Eddy Accumulation is a valid option for turbulent flux quantifications using slow response gas analysers (here CRDS laser spectroscopy, other potential techniques include mass spectroscopy). The TEA system was one order of magnitude more energy efficient compared to closed-path eddy covariance. The open-path eddy covariance setup required the least amount of user interaction but is often constrained by low signal-to-noise ratios obtained when measuring methane fluxes over forests. Closed-path eddy covariance showed good signal-to-noise ratios in the lab, however in the field it required significant amounts of user intervention in addition to a high power consumption. We conclude

Paclitaxel loading in PLGA nanospheres affected the in vitro drug cell accumulation and antiproliferative activity

PubMed Central

Vicari, Luisa; Musumeci, Teresa; Giannone, Ignazio; Adamo, Luana; Conticello, Concetta; De Maria, Ruggero; Pignatello, Rosario; Puglisi, Giovanni; Gulisano, Massimo

2008-01-01

Background PTX is one of the most widely used drug in oncology due to its high efficacy against solid tumors and several hematological cancers. PTX is administered in a formulation containing 1:1 Cremophor® EL (polyethoxylated castor oil) and ethanol, often responsible for toxic effects. Its encapsulation in colloidal delivery systems would gain an improved targeting to cancer cells, reducing the dose and frequency of administration. Methods In this paper PTX was loaded in PLGA NS. The activity of PTX-NS was assessed in vitro against thyroid, breast and bladder cancer cell lines in cultures. Cell growth was evaluated by MTS assay, intracellular NS uptake was performed using coumarin-6 labelled NS and the amount of intracellular PTX was measured by HPLC. Results NS loaded with 3% PTX (w/w) had a mean size < 250 nm and a polydispersity index of 0.4 after freeze-drying with 0.5% HP-Cyd as cryoprotector. PTX encapsulation efficiency was 30% and NS showed a prolonged drug release in vitro. An increase of the cytotoxic effect of PTX-NS was observed with respect to free PTX in all cell lines tested. Conclusion These findings suggest that the greater biological effect of PTX-NS could be due to higher uptake of the drug inside the cells as shown by intracellular NS uptake and cell accumulation studies. PMID:18657273

Comprehensive metabolomic, lipidomic and microscopic profiling of Yarrowia lipolytica during lipid accumulation identifies targets for increased lipogenesis

DOE PAGES

Pomraning, Kyle R.; Wei, Siwei; Karagiosis, Sue A.; ...

2015-04-23

Yarrowia lipolytica is an oleaginous ascomycete yeast that accumulates large amounts of lipids and has potential as a biofuel producing organism. Despite a growing scientific literature focused on lipid production by Y. lipolytica, there remain significant knowledge gaps regarding the key biological processes involved. We applied a combination of metabolomic and lipidomic profiling approaches as well as microscopic techniques to identify and characterize the key pathways involved in de novo lipid accumulation from glucose in batch cultured, wild-type Y. lipolytica. We found that lipids accumulated rapidly and peaked at 48 hours during the five day experiment, concurrent with a shiftmore » in amino acid metabolism. We also report that Y. lipolytica secretes disaccharides early in batch culture and reabsorbs them when extracellular glucose is depleted. Exhaustion of extracellular sugars coincided with thickening of the cell wall, suggesting that genes involved in cell wall biogenesis may be a useful target for improving the efficiency of lipid producing yeast strains.« less

Interspecific competition effects on phosphorus accumulation by Hydrilla verticillata and Vallisneria natans.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiufeng; Liu, Zhengwen

2011-01-01

The competition between submersed plants has been recognized as an important factor influencing the structure of plant communities in shallow lakes. The ability of different species to take up and store nutrients from the surrounding ambience varies, and hence plant community structure might be expected to affect the cycling of nutrients in lake ecosystems. In this study, the uptake of phosphorus by Hydrilla verticillata and Vallisneria natans was studied and compared in monoculture and competitive mixed-culture plantings. Results showed that for both studied species the phosphorus concentrations of different tissues and of whole plants was unaffected by competition. However, the quantity of phosphorus accumulated by whole plants of H. verticillata was significantly higher in mixture culture than in monoculture, while that of V. natans was lower in the mixed culture. The results indicated that H. verticillata has a competitive advantage over V. natans, when the two species are grown in competition, and is able to accumulate a greater quantity of phosphorus.

Abscisic Acid accumulation in spinach leaf slices in the presence of penetrating and nonpenetrating solutes.

PubMed

Creelman, R A; Zeevaart, J A

1985-01-01

Abscisic acid (ABA) accumulated in detached, wilted leaves of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L. cv Savoy Hybrid 612) and reached a maximum level within 3 to 4 hours. The increase in ABA over that found in detached turgid leaves was approximately 10-fold. The effects of water stress could be mimicked by the use of thin slices of spinach leaves incubated in the presence of 0.6 molar mannitol, a compound which causes plasmolysis (loss of turgor). About equal amounts of ABA were found both in the leaf slices and in detached leaves, whereas 2 to 4 times more ABA accumulated in the medium than in the slices. When spinach leaf slices were incubated with ethylene glycol, a compound which rapidly penetrates the cell membrane causing a decrease in the osmotic potential of the tissue and only transient loss of turgor, no ABA accumulated. Ethylene glycol was not inhibitory with respect to ABA accumulation. Spinach leaf slices incubated in both ethylene glycol and mannitol had ABA levels similar to those found when slices were incubated with mannitol alone. Increases similar to those found with mannitol also occurred when Aquacide III, a highly purified form of polyethylene glycol, was used. Aquacide III causes cytorrhysis, a situation similar to that found in wilted leaves. Thus, it appears that loss of turgor is essential for ABA accumulation.When spinach leaf slices were incubated with solutes which are supposed to disturb membrane integrity (KHSO(3), 2-propanol, or KCl) no increase in ABA was observed. These data indicate that, with respect to the accumulation of ABA, mannitol caused a physical stress (loss of turgor) rather than a chemical stress (membrane damage).

Methylmercury production and accumulation in urban stormwater ponds and habitat wetlands.

PubMed

Strickman, R J; Mitchell, C P J

2017-02-01

Stormwater management ponds and created habitat wetlands effectively manage erosion, flooding, and pollutant loadings while providing biodiversity and aesthetic benefits, but these structures are also potential sources of methylmercury (MeHg), a bioaccumulative neurotoxin. While MeHg accumulation has been confirmed in habitat wetlands, the extent of MeHg production and accumulation in stormwater ponds is unknown. Additionally, the fine-scale spatial variation in MeHg in these wetlands has never been explored despite the possibility that cycles of wetting and drying, and the presence of aquatic plants may stimulate methylation at their margins. To address these knowledge gaps, we compared MeHg and inorganic mercury concentrations, the percent of total mercury present as MeHg (%MeHg), and potential mercury methylation rate constants (K meth ) in the sediments of terrestrial-aquatic transects through several stormwater and habitat wetlands. We present novel evidence confirming the in situ production of MeHg in both stormwater ponds and habitat wetlands, but observe no systematic differences across the terrestrial-aquatic gradient, suggesting that routine variations in water level do not alter MeHg production and accumulation. Stormwater ponds effectively trap mercury while converting relatively little to MeHg, as evidenced by lower MeHg concentrations, %-MeHg, and K meth values than habitat wetlands, but often greater inorganic Hg concentrations. The relationship of aquatic vegetation to MeHg accumulation is weak and ambiguous, suggesting plants are not strong drivers of MeHg biogeochemistry in these systems. Although the MeHg hazard associated with individual artificial wetlands is low, they may be important sources of MeHg at the landscape level. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Joint enhancement of lead accumulation in Brassica plants by EDTA and ammonium sulfate in sand culture.

PubMed

Xiong, Zhi-ting; Lu, Ping

2002-04-01

When EDTA was added alone in the Pb-contaminated sand, the plant biomass and the total Pb amount in Plant decreased in both species, Brassica pekinensis and B. juncea var. multiceps, though the shoot Pb amount increased. In contrast, when (NH4)2SO4 was added alone in the Pb-contaminated sand, little effect was observed on the shoot Pb amount, though the root Pb amount was significantly increased in B. juncea var. multiceps. When amending EDTA and (NH4)2SO4 in combination, however, the shoot Pb amount in both species substantially increased, being, on an average, 2 times and 9 times higher than that in EDTA alone or (NH4)2SO4 alone amended treatment, respectively. The two amendments showed antagonism for plant growth, but synergism for Pb bioaccumulation. B. pekinensis showed its highest level of shoot and total Pb amount in the treatment amended with EDTA and (NH4)2SO4 only a half as much as in the other treatments. It is inferred that the mechanisms responsible for the joint-enhanced Pb accumulation might be concerned with the acidification of the growth medium, cation exchange reaction and relieving EDTA induced toxicity as results by amending ammonium sulfate.

An experimental test of the habitat-amount hypothesis for saproxylic beetles in a forested region.

PubMed

Seibold, Sebastian; Bässler, Claus; Brandl, Roland; Fahrig, Lenore; Förster, Bernhard; Heurich, Marco; Hothorn, Torsten; Scheipl, Fabian; Thorn, Simon; Müller, Jörg

2017-06-01

The habitat-amount hypothesis challenges traditional concepts that explain species richness within habitats, such as the habitat-patch hypothesis, where species number is a function of patch size and patch isolation. It posits that effects of patch size and patch isolation are driven by effects of sample area, and thus that the number of species at a site is basically a function of the total habitat amount surrounding this site. We tested the habitat-amount hypothesis for saproxylic beetles and their habitat of dead wood by using an experiment comprising 190 plots with manipulated patch sizes situated in a forested region with a high variation in habitat amount (i.e., density of dead trees in the surrounding landscape). Although dead wood is a spatio-temporally dynamic habitat, saproxylic insects have life cycles shorter than the time needed for habitat turnover and they closely track their resource. Patch size was manipulated by adding various amounts of downed dead wood to the plots (~800 m³ in total); dead trees in the surrounding landscape (~240 km 2 ) were identified using airborne laser scanning (light detection and ranging). Over 3 yr, 477 saproxylic species (101,416 individuals) were recorded. Considering 20-1,000 m radii around the patches, local landscapes were identified as having a radius of 40-120 m. Both patch size and habitat amount in the local landscapes independently affected species numbers without a significant interaction effect, hence refuting the island effect. Species accumulation curves relative to cumulative patch size were not consistent with either the habitat-patch hypothesis or the habitat-amount hypothesis: several small dead-wood patches held more species than a single large patch with an amount of dead wood equal to the sum of that of the small patches. Our results indicate that conservation of saproxylic beetles in forested regions should primarily focus on increasing the overall amount of dead wood without considering its

Accumulation and sub-cellular partitioning of metals and As in the clam Venerupis corrugata: Different strategies towards different elements.

PubMed

Velez, Cátia; Figueira, Etelvina; Soares, Amadeu M V M; Freitas, Rosa

2016-08-01

The main goal of the present study was to assess accumulation, tolerance and sub-cellular partitioning of As, Hg, Cd and Pb in Venerupis corrugata. Results showed an increase of elements accumulation in V. corrugata with the increase of exposure. However, organisms presented higher capacity to accumulate Hg, Cd and Pb (BCF ≥ 12.8) than As (BCF ≤ 2.1) and higher accumulation rate for Cd and Pb than for Hg and As. With the increase of Hg exposure concentrations clams tended to increase the amount of metal bound to metal-sensitive fractions, which may explain the mortality recorded at the highest exposure concentration. Cd sub-cellular partitioning showed that with the increase of exposure concentrations V. corrugata increased the amount of metal in the cellular debris fraction, probably bound to the cellular membranes which explain the mortality recorded at the highest concentration. Results on As partitioning demonstrated that most of the metalloid was associated with fractions in the biologically detoxified metal compartment (BDM). Since high mortality was observed in clams exposed to As our results may indicate that this strategy was not enough to prevent clams from toxic effects and mortality occurred. When exposed to Pb most of the metal was in the BDM compartment, but in this case the metal was mostly in the metal-rich granules fraction which seemed to be efficient in preventing clams from toxicity, and no mortality was recorded. Our study further revealed that As and Hg were the most available elements to be biomagnified through the food chain. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Contribution of extracellular ATP on the cell-surface F1F0-ATP synthase-mediated intracellular triacylglycerol accumulation.

PubMed

Kita, Toshiyuki; Arakaki, Naokatu

2015-01-01

Cell-surface F1F0-ATP synthase was involved in the cell signaling mediating various biological functions. Recently, we found that cell-surface F1F0-ATP synthase plays a role on intracellular triacylglycerol accumulation in adipocytes, and yet, the underlying mechanisms remained largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of extracellular ATP on the intracellular triacylglycerol accumulation. We demonstrated that significant amounts of ATP were produced extracellularly by cultured 3T3-L1 adipocytes and that the antibodies against α and β subunits of F1F0-ATP synthase inhibited the extracellular ATP production. Piceatannol, a F1F0-ATP synthase inhibitor, and apyrase, an enzyme which degrades extracellular ATP, suppressed triacylglycerol accumulation. The selective P2Y1 receptor antagonist MRS2500 significantly inhibited triacylglycerol accumulation, whereas the selective P2X receptor antagonist NF279 has less effect. The present results indicate that cell-surface F1F0-ATP synthase on adipocytes is functional in extracellular ATP production and that the extracellular ATP produced contributes, at least in part, to the cell-surface F1F0-ATP synthase-mediated intracellular triacylglycerol accumulation in adipocytes through P2Y1 receptor.

How to get fat: nutritional mechanisms of seasonal fat accumulation in migratory songbirds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bairlein, Franz

2002-01-01

Many migratory birds accumulate large amounts of lipids as the prime energy source for their long-distance flights. This fat accumulation is mostly under endogenous control, reflecting genetically programmed temporal shifts of the body mass set point. It is accompanied by an increase in daily food intake and food utilisation efficiency and by a seasonal shift in food selection. In particular, seasonal frugivory appears to play a key role in many migrants. Fruits have a high content of fatty acids indispensable for building up the specific depot lipids. In addition, plant secondary compounds seem to play some kind of supportive role, but the mechanisms are not yet known. The effect of being fat on the metabolic situation in migrant birds appears to be similar to the metabolic syndrome in obese humans. The fat migratory bird provides a model through which to study nutritional factors as well as the biochemical and endocrine regulation of food intake, body mass and obesity.

Practical device-independent quantum cryptography via entropy accumulation.

PubMed

Arnon-Friedman, Rotem; Dupuis, Frédéric; Fawzi, Omar; Renner, Renato; Vidick, Thomas

2018-01-31

Device-independent cryptography goes beyond conventional quantum cryptography by providing security that holds independently of the quality of the underlying physical devices. Device-independent protocols are based on the quantum phenomena of non-locality and the violation of Bell inequalities. This high level of security could so far only be established under conditions which are not achievable experimentally. Here we present a property of entropy, termed "entropy accumulation", which asserts that the total amount of entropy of a large system is the sum of its parts. We use this property to prove the security of cryptographic protocols, including device-independent quantum key distribution, while achieving essentially optimal parameters. Recent experimental progress, which enabled loophole-free Bell tests, suggests that the achieved parameters are technologically accessible. Our work hence provides the theoretical groundwork for experimental demonstrations of device-independent cryptography.

Neurodegeneration with Brain Iron Accumulation

MedlinePlus

... are here Home » Disorders » All Disorders Neurodegeneration with Brain Iron Accumulation Information Page Neurodegeneration with Brain Iron Accumulation Information Page What research is being ...

Constant-Differential-Pressure Two-Fluid Accumulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Piecuch, Benjamin; Dalton, Luke T.

2010-01-01

A two-fluid accumulator has been designed, built, and demonstrated to provide an acceptably close approximation to constant differential static pressure between two fluids over the full ranges of (1) accumulator stroke, (2) rates of flow of the fluids, and (3) common static pressure applied to the fluids. Prior differential- pressure two-fluid accumulators are generally not capable of maintaining acceptably close approximations to constant differential pressures. The inadequacies of a typical prior differential-pressure two-fluid accumulator can be summarized as follows: The static differential pressure is governed by the intrinsic spring rate (essentially, the stiffness) of an accumulator tank. The spring rate can be tailored through selection of the tank-wall thickness, selection of the number and/or shape of accumulator convolutions, and/or selection of accumulator material(s). Reliance on the intrinsic spring rate of the tank results in three severe limitations: (1) The spring rate and the expulsion efficiency tend to be inversely proportional to each other: that is to say, as the stiffness (and thus the differential pressure) is increased, the range of motion of the accumulator is reduced. (2) As the applied common static pressure increases, the differential pressure tends to decrease. An additional disadvantage, which may or may not be considered limiting, depending on the specific application, is that an increase in stiffness entails an increase in weight. (3) The additional weight required by a low expulsion efficiency accumulator eliminates the advantage given to such gas storage systems. The high expulsion efficiency provided by this two-fluid accumulator allows for a lightweight, tightly packaged system, which can be used in conjunction with a fuel cell-based system.

An Improved Brome mosaic virus Silencing Vector: Greater Insert Stability and More Extensive VIGS1[OPEN

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is used extensively for gene function studies in plants. VIGS is inexpensive and rapid compared with silencing conducted through stable transformation, but many virus-silencing vectors, especially in grasses, induce only transient silencing phenotypes. A major reason for transient phenotypes is the instability of the foreign gene fragment (insert) in the vector during VIGS. Here, we report the development of a Brome mosaic virus (BMV)-based vector that better maintains inserts through modification of the original BMV vector RNA sequence. Modification of the BMV RNA3 sequence yielded a vector, BMVCP5, that better maintained phytoene desaturase and heat shock protein70-1 (HSP70-1) inserts in Nicotiana benthamiana and maize (Zea mays). Longer maintenance of inserts was correlated with greater target gene silencing and more extensive visible silencing phenotypes displaying greater tissue penetration and involving more leaves. The modified vector accumulated similarly to the original vector in N. benthamiana after agroinfiltration, thus maintaining a high titer of virus in this intermediate host used to produce virus inoculum for grass hosts. For HSP70, silencing one family member led to a large increase in the expression of another family member, an increase likely related to the target gene knockdown and not a general effect of virus infection. The cause of the increased insert stability in the modified vector is discussed in relationship to its recombination and accumulation potential. The modified vector will improve functional genomic studies in grasses, and the conceptual methods used to improve the vector may be applied to other VIGS vectors. PMID:29127260

Effects of various glutamine concentrations on gene expression and steviol glycosides accumulation in Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni.

PubMed

Esmaeili, Fatemeh; Ghaheri, Matin; Kahrizi, Danial; Mansouri, Mohsen; Safavi, Seyed Mehdi; Ghorbani, Tayebeh; Muhammadi, Sarre; Rahmanian, Elham; Vaziri, Siavash

2018-02-10

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni is one of the most important biologically sourced and low-calorie sweeteners that contains a lots of Steviol glycosides. Tissue culture is the best method for propagation of stevia and micro nutrients can affect both morphological traits and steviol glycosides production. In the present study, we investigated the effect of different concentrations of glutamine (10, 20, 30 and 40 g/l) on expression of UGT74G1 and UGT76G1 genes and stevioside and rebaudioside A accumulation in the leaves of stevia under in vitro conditions. The highest level of expression for UGT74G1 (1.000 Total lab unit) was seen at plants grown in MS media without glutamine and the highest gene expression level for UGT76G1 (1.321 Total lab unit) was observed at plants grown in 2% glutamine. Based on HPLC results, the highest amount of stevioside (22.74) was accumulated in plants which were under 3% glutamine treatment and the lowest production level of stevioside (16.19) was resulted under MS (0 glutamine) medium. The highest rebaudioside A (12.19) accumulation was observed under 2% glutamine treatment and the lowest accumulation of rebaudioside A (8.41) was seen at plants grown in MS medium.

From rifting to orogeny; using sediments to unlock the secrets of the Greater Caucasus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vincent, Stephen; Guo, Li; Lavrishchev, Vladimir; Maynard, James; Harland, Melise

2017-04-01

The western Greater Caucasus formed by the tectonic inversion of the western strand of the Greater Caucasus Basin, a Mesozoic rift that opened at the southern margin of Laurasia. Facies analysis has identified fault-bounded regions of basinal, turbiditic and hemipelagic sediments. These are flanked by areas of marginal, shallow marine sediments to the north and south. Subsidence analysis derived from lithology, thickness and palaeowater depth data indicates that the main phase of rifting occurred during the Aalenian to Bajocian synchronous with that in the eastern Alborz and, possibly, the South Caspian Basin. Secondary episodes of subsidence during the late Tithonian to Berriasian and Hauterivian to early Aptian are tentatively linked to initial rifting within the western, and possibly eastern, Black Sea, and during the late Campanian to Danian to the opening of the eastern Black Sea. Initial uplift, subaerial exposure and sediment derivation from the western Greater Caucasus occurred at the Eocene-Oligocene transition. Oligocene and younger sediments on the southern margin of the former basin were derived from the inverting basin and uplifted parts of its northern margin, indicating that the western Greater Caucasus Basin had closed by this time. The previous rift flanks were converted to flexural basins that accumulated thick, typically hemipelagic and turbiditic sediments in the early, underfilled, stage of their development. A predominance of pollen representing a montane forest environment (dominated by Pinacean pollen) within these sediments suggests that the uplifting Caucasian hinterland had a paleoaltitude of around 2 km from Early Oligocene time. The closure of the western Greater Caucasus Basin and significant uplift of the range at c. 34 Ma is earlier than stated in many studies and needs to be incorporated into geodynamic models for the Arabia-Eurasia region.

Enhanced accumulation of starch and total carbohydrates in alginate-immobilized Chlorella spp. induced by Azospirillum brasilense: I. Autotrophic conditions.

PubMed

Choix, Francisco J; de-Bashan, Luz E; Bashan, Yoav

2012-10-10

The effect of the microalgae-growth promoting bacterium Azospirillum brasilense on accumulation of total carbohydrates and starch in two species of Chlorella (Chlorella vulgaris and Chlorella sorokiniana), when the bacterium and each microalga were jointly immobilized in alginate beads was studied under autotrophic conditions for 144 h in synthetic medium. The interaction of the bacterium with the microalgae enhanced accumulation of total carbohydrate and starch. Cells of Chlorella accumulated the highest amounts of carbohydrate after incubation for 24h. Yet, this did not coincide with the highest affinity and volumetric productivity measured in these cultures. However, after incubation for 72 h, mainly in jointly immobilized treatments of both microalgae species, the cultures reached their highest total carbohydrate content (mainly as starch) and also the highest affinity and volumetric productivity. These results demonstrate the potential of A. brasilense to affect carbohydrates and starch accumulation in Chlorella spp. when both microorganisms are co-cultured, which can be an important tool for applications of microalgae. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Starch accumulation in hulless barley during grain filling.

PubMed

Zheng, Xu-Guang; Qi, Jun-Cang; Hui, Hong-Shan; Lin, Li-Hao; Wang, Feng

2017-12-01

Starch consists of two types of molecules: amylose and amylopectin. The objective of this study was increase understanding about mechanisms related to starch accumulation in hulless barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grain by measuring temporal changes in (i) grain amylose and amylopectin content, (ii) starch synthase activity, and (iii) the relative expressions of key starch-related genes. The amylopectin/amylose ratio gradually declined in both Beiqing 6 and Kunlun 12. In both cultivars, the activities of adenosine diphosphate glucose pyrophosphorylase, soluble starch synthase (SSS), granule bound starch synthase (GBSS), and starch branching enzyme (SBE) increased steadily during grain filling, reaching their maximums 20-25 days after anthesis. The activities of SSS and SBE were greater in Ganken 5 than in either Beiqing 6 or Kunlun 12. The expression of GBSS I was greater in Beiqing 6 and Kunlun 12 than in Ganken 5. In contrast, the expression of SSS I, SSS II and SBE I was greater in Ganken 5 than in Beiqing 6 and Kunlun 12. The peak in GBSS I expression was later than that of SSS I, SSS II, SBE IIa and SBE IIb. The GBSS I transcript in Kunlun 12 was expressed on average 90 times more than the GBSS II transcript. The results suggest that SBE and SSS may control starch synthesis at the transcriptional level, whereas GBSS I may control starch synthesis at the post transcriptional level. GBSS I is mainly responsible for amylose synthesis whereas SSS I and SBE II are mainly responsible for amylopectin synthesis in amyloplasts.

Bubble accumulation and its role in the evolution of magma reservoirs in the upper crust.

PubMed

Parmigiani, A; Faroughi, S; Huber, C; Bachmann, O; Su, Y

2016-04-28

Volcanic eruptions transfer huge amounts of gas to the atmosphere. In particular, the sulfur released during large silicic explosive eruptions can induce global cooling. A fundamental goal in volcanology, therefore, is to assess the potential for eruption of the large volumes of crystal-poor, silicic magma that are stored at shallow depths in the crust, and to obtain theoretical bounds for the amount of volatiles that can be released during these eruptions. It is puzzling that highly evolved, crystal-poor silicic magmas are more likely to generate volcanic rocks than plutonic rocks. This observation suggests that such magmas are more prone to erupting than are their crystal-rich counterparts. Moreover, well studied examples of largely crystal-poor eruptions (for example, Katmai, Taupo and Minoan) often exhibit a release of sulfur that is 10 to 20 times higher than the amount of sulfur estimated to be stored in the melt. Here we argue that these two observations rest on how the magmatic volatile phase (MVP) behaves as it rises buoyantly in zoned magma reservoirs. By investigating the fluid dynamics that controls the transport of the MVP in crystal-rich and crystal-poor magmas, we show how the interplay between capillary stresses and the viscosity contrast between the MVP and the host melt results in a counterintuitive dynamics, whereby the MVP tends to migrate efficiently in crystal-rich parts of a magma reservoir and accumulate in crystal-poor regions. The accumulation of low-density bubbles of MVP in crystal-poor magmas has implications for the eruptive potential of such magmas, and is the likely source of the excess sulfur released during explosive eruptions.

Effects of exercise amount and intensity on abdominal obesity and glucose tolerance in obese adults: a randomized trial.

PubMed

Ross, Robert; Hudson, Robert; Stotz, Paula J; Lam, Miu

2015-03-03

Exercise reduces obesity and related glucose tolerance, but whether increasing exercise intensity offers additional benefit at fixed exercise amounts is unknown. To determine the separate effects of exercise amount and intensity on abdominal obesity and glucose tolerance. 24-week, single-center, parallel-group trial from 2009 to 2013. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00955071). Kingston, Ontario, Canada. 300 abdominally obese adults. Control (no exercise) (n = 75) or 5 weekly sessions of low-amount, low-intensity exercise (LALI) (180 and 300 kcal/session for women and men, respectively, at 50% of maximum oxygen consumption [V̇o2peak]) (n = 73); high-amount, low-intensity exercise (HALI) (360 and 600 kcal/session, respectively, at 50% of V̇o2peak) (n = 76); or high-amount, high-intensity exercise (HAHI) (360 and 600 kcal/session, respectively, at 75% of V̇o2peak) (n = 76). Daily unsupervised physical activity and sedentary time were measured by accelerometer. Waist circumference and 2-hour glucose level (primary outcomes) and cardiorespiratory fitness and measures of insulin action (secondary measurements). 217 participants (72.3%) completed the intervention. Mean exercise time in minutes per session was 31 (SD, 4.4) for LALI, 58 (SD, 7.6) for HALI, and 40 (SD, 6.2) for HAHI. Daily unsupervised physical activity and sedentary time did not change in any exercise group versus control (P > 0.33). After adjustment for age and sex in a linear mixed model, reductions in waist circumference were greater in the LALI (-3.9 cm [95% CI, -5.6 to -2.3 cm]; P < 0.001), HALI (-4.6 cm [CI, -6.2 to -3.0 cm]; P < 0.001), and HAHI (-4.6 cm [CI, -6.3 to -2.9 cm]; P < 0.001) groups than the control group but did not differ among the exercise groups (P > 0.43). After adjustment for covariates, reductions in 2-hour glucose level were greater in the HAHI group (-0.7 mmol/L [-12.5 mg/dL] [CI, -1.3 to -0.1 mmol/L {-23.5 to -1.5 mg/dL}]; P = 0.027) than the control group but did not differ for the

Supply of fatty acid is one limiting factor in the accumulation of triacylglycerol in developing embryos

PubMed

Bao; Ohlrogge

1999-08-01

The metabolic factors that determine oil yield in seeds are still not well understood. To begin to examine the limits on triacylglycerol (TAG) production, developing Cuphea lanceolata, Ulmus carpinifolia, and Ulmus parvifolia embryos were incubated with factors whose availability might limit oil accumulation. The addition of glycerol or sucrose did not significantly influence the rate of TAG synthesis. However, the rate of (14)C-TAG synthesis upon addition of 2.1 mM (14)C-decanoic acid (10:0) was approximately four times higher than the in vivo rate of TAG accumulation in C. lanceolata and two times higher than the in vivo rate in U. carpinifolia and U. parvifolia. In C. lanceolata embryos, the highest rate of (14)C-TAG synthesis (14.3 nmol h(-1) embryo(-1)) was achieved with the addition of 3.6 mM decanoic acid. (14)C-Decanoic acid was incorporated equally well in all three acyl positions of TAG. The results suggest that C. lanceolata, U. carpinifolia, and U. parvifolia embryos have sufficient acyltransferase activities and glycerol-3-phosphate levels to support rates of TAG synthesis in excess of those found in vivo. Consequently, the amount of TAG synthesized in these oilseeds may be in part determined by the amount of fatty acid produced in plastids.

Interaction between sulfur and lead in toxicity, iron plaque formation and lead accumulation in rice plant.

PubMed

Yang, Junxing; Liu, Zhiyan; Wan, Xiaoming; Zheng, Guodi; Yang, Jun; Zhang, Hanzhi; Guo, Lin; Wang, Xuedong; Zhou, Xiaoyong; Guo, Qingjun; Xu, Ruixiang; Zhou, Guangdong; Peters, Marc; Zhu, Guangxu; Wei, Rongfei; Tian, Liyan; Han, Xiaokun

2016-06-01

Human activities have resulted in lead and sulfur accumulation in paddy soils in parts of southern China. A combined soil-sand pot experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of S supply on iron plaque formation and Pb accumulation in rice (Oryza sativa L.) under two Pb levels (0 and 600 mg kg(-1)), combined with four S concentrations (0, 30, 60, and 120 mg kg(-1)). Results showed that S supply significantly decreased Pb accumulation in straw and grains of rice. This result may be attributed to the enhancement of Fe plaque formation, decrease of Pb availability in soil, and increase of reduced glutathione (GSH) in rice leaves. Moderate S supply (30 mg kg(-1)) significantly increased Fe plaque formation on the root surface and in the rhizosphere, whereas excessive S supply (60 and 120 mg kg(-1)) significantly decreased the amounts of iron plaque on the root surface. Sulfur supply significantly enhanced the GSH contents in leaves of rice plants under Pb treatment. With excessive S application, the rice root acted as a more effective barrier to Pb accumulation compared with iron plaque. Excessive S supply may result in a higher monosulfide toxicity and decreased iron plaque formation on the root surface during flooded conditions. However, excessive S supply could effectively decrease Pb availability in soils and reduce Pb accumulation in rice plants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nitrate-dependent shoot sodium accumulation and osmotic functions of sodium in Arabidopsis under saline conditions.

PubMed

Álvarez-Aragón, Rocío; Rodríguez-Navarro, Alonso

2017-07-01

Improving crop plants to be productive in saline soils or under irrigation with saline water would be an important technological advance in overcoming the food and freshwater crises that threaten the world population. However, even if the transformation of a glycophyte into a plant that thrives under seawater irrigation was biologically feasible, current knowledge about Na + effects would be insufficient to support this technical advance. Intriguingly, crucial details about Na + uptake and its function in the plant have not yet been well established. We here propose that under saline conditions two nitrate-dependent transport systems in series that take up and load Na + into the xylem constitute the major pathway for the accumulation of Na + in Arabidopsis shoots; this pathway can also function with chloride at high concentrations. In nrt1.1 nitrate transport mutants, plant Na + accumulation was partially defective, which suggests that NRT1.1 either partially mediates or modulates the nitrate-dependent Na + transport. Arabidopsis plants exposed to an osmotic potential of -1.0 MPa (400 mOsm) for 24 h showed high water loss and wilting in sorbitol or Na/MES, where Na + could not be accumulated. In contrast, in NaCl the plants that accumulated Na + lost a low amount of water, and only suffered transitory wilting. We discuss that in Arabidopsis plants exposed to high NaCl concentrations, root Na + uptake and tissue accumulation fulfil the primary function of osmotic adjustment, even if these processes lead to long-term toxicity. © 2017 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Further studies on the use of enzyme profiles to monitor residue accumulation in wildlife: Plasma enzymes in starlings fed graded concentrations of morsodren, DDE, Aroclor 1254, and malathion

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dieter, M.P.

1975-01-01

Wild-trapped starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) were fed concentrations of Morsodren (2, 4, and 8 ppm), DDE or Aroclor 1254 (5, 25, and 100 ppm), or malathion (8, 35, and 160 ppm) that were found to be sublethal in pen-reared Coturnix quail fed these amounts for 12 weeks. Plasma enzymes had to be measured earlier than planned in starlings fed Morsodren (at three weeks) or the organochlorine compounds (at seven weeks) because of unexpected, subsequent mortality. Variations in enzyme response were greater in wild than in pen-reared birds, but not enough to mask the toxicant-induced changes in enzyme activity. Cholinesterase activities decreased in birds fed Morsodren or malathion, and increased in those fed the organochlorine compounds. Lactate dehydrogenase activities increased two-fold in starlings fed Morsodren and two- to four-fold in those fed the organochlorine compounds, but only 50% in those fed malathion. Further examination of enzyme profiles showed that creatine kinase and aspartate aminotransferase activities increased two-to four-fold in birds fed Morsodren or the organochlorine compounds but not at all in those fed malathion. Thus the classes of environmental contaminants fed to starlings could be easily distinguished by these enzymatic parameters. Evaluation of enzymatic profiles appears to be a potentially valuable technique to monitor the presence of toxicants in wild populations, especially if used to complement standard chemical residue analyses. Here the residue analyses showed, after three weeks feeding, that mercury in the carcasses reflected the concentrations fed daily, whereas accumulation in the livers was two- to four-fold greater. After seven weeks feeding, liver residues of either organochlorine compound were about three-fold higher than the concentrations fed daily. However, four times as much DDE as Aroclor 1254 had accumulated in the carcasses.

Factors Affecting the Accumulation of Curcumin in Microrhizomes of Curcuma aromatica Salisb

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xiaoxia; Sun, Shulan; Wang, Xiaojing

2015-01-01

Curcuminoids, and mainly curcumin, are potential therapeutic agents for the prevention of various diseases; however, little is known about the factors that influence their accumulation in Curcuma species. In this study, the effects of factors such as sucrose concentration, different ratios of 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BA) and α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), and light quality on the accumulation of curcumin and other curcuminoids in Curcuma aromatica were investigated. Microrhizomes grown on media containing 3% sucrose produced more curcumin and other curcuminoids than those grown on higher concentrations. Moreover, when compared to other ratios of 6-BA and NAA, microrhizomes induced on 3% sucrose media supplemented with 3.0 mg/L 6-BA and 0.5 mg/L NAA produced more curcumin and other curcuminoids; however, the amount was less than in microrhizomes grown on 3% sucrose alone. We determined that a 5% sucrose medium supplemented with 3.0 mg/L of 6-BA and 0.5 mg/L of NAA enhanced the levels of curcumin and curcuminoids and that exposure to red light further increased production. PMID:25722985

Factors affecting the accumulation of curcumin in microrhizomes of Curcuma aromatica Salisb.

PubMed

Wu, Ke; Zhang, Xiaoxia; Sun, Shulan; Wang, Xiaojing

2015-01-01

Curcuminoids, and mainly curcumin, are potential therapeutic agents for the prevention of various diseases; however, little is known about the factors that influence their accumulation in Curcuma species. In this study, the effects of factors such as sucrose concentration, different ratios of 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BA) and α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), and light quality on the accumulation of curcumin and other curcuminoids in Curcuma aromatica were investigated. Microrhizomes grown on media containing 3% sucrose produced more curcumin and other curcuminoids than those grown on higher concentrations. Moreover, when compared to other ratios of 6-BA and NAA, microrhizomes induced on 3% sucrose media supplemented with 3.0 mg/L 6-BA and 0.5 mg/L NAA produced more curcumin and other curcuminoids; however, the amount was less than in microrhizomes grown on 3% sucrose alone. We determined that a 5% sucrose medium supplemented with 3.0 mg/L of 6-BA and 0.5 mg/L of NAA enhanced the levels of curcumin and curcuminoids and that exposure to red light further increased production.

Quantitative exploration of the contribution of settlement, growth, dispersal and grazing to the accumulation of natural marine biofilms on antifouling and fouling-release coatings

PubMed Central

Van Mooy, Benjamin A. S.; Hmelo, Laura R.; Fredricks, Helen F.; Ossolinski, Justin E.; Pedler, Byron E.; Bogorff, Daniel J.; Smith, Peter J.S.

2014-01-01

The accumulation of microbial biofilms on ships' hulls negatively affects ships' performance and efficiency while also moderating the establishment of even more detrimental hard-fouling communities. However, there is little quantitative information on how the accumulation rate of microbial biofilms is impacted by the balance of the rates of cell settlement, in situ production (ie growth), dispersal to surrounding waters and mortality induced by grazers. These rates were quantified on test panels coated with copper-based antifouling or polymer-based fouling-release coatings by using phospholipids as molecular proxies for microbial biomass. The results confirmed the accepted modes of efficacy of these two types of coatings. In a more extensive set of experiments with only the fouling-release coatings, it was found that seasonally averaged cellular production rates were 1.5 ± 0.5 times greater than settlement and the dispersal rates were 2.7 ± 0.8 greater than grazing. The results of this study quantitatively describe the dynamic balance of processes leading to microbial biofilm accumulation on coatings designed for ships' hulls. PMID:24417212

31 CFR 235.5 - Reclamation amounts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Reclamation amounts. 235.5 Section 235.5 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued) FISCAL SERVICE... ON DESIGNATED DEPOSITARIES § 235.5 Reclamation amounts. Amounts received by way of reclamation on...

Analytical evidence of heterogeneous lead accumulation in the hypothalamic defence area and nucleus tractus solitarius.

PubMed

Guimarães, D; Santos, J P; Carvalho, M L; Diniz, M S; House, B; Miller, V M

2014-09-01

Lead is a potent toxicant associated with adverse cardiovascular effects and hypertension in children. Yet, few studies have determined if autonomic dysfunction associated with lead exposure involves brain regions which regulate autonomic responses. Central autonomic nuclei such as the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) and hypothalamic defence area (HDA) may be particularly sensitive to lead infiltration because they are adjacent to ventricles and areas with semi-permeable blood-brain-barriers. To understand if autonomic nuclei are sensitive to lead accumulation Wistar rats were exposed to lead from the gestational period and lead levels were quantified in brain regions that regulate arterial pressure: the NTS and the HDA. Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) was used to quantify total brain lead levels and revealed no differences between exposed and control tissues; measured values were close to the detection limit (2μg/g). Electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) was also used, which has a greater sensitivity, to quantify lead. There was ∼2.1μg/g lead in the NTS and ∼3.1μg/g lead in the HDA of exposed rats, and no lead in the control rats. There were greater lead levels in the HDA (∼50%) as compared with the NTS. Pathology studies revealed more prominent lead granules in the HDA as compared with the NTS. Increased microglia and astrocyte activation was also noted in the NTS of lead exposed rats as compared with the HDA. Regional differences in neuro-inflammatory responses likely contribute to heterogeneous lead accumulation, with enhanced clearance of lead in the NTS. Future studies will resolve the mechanisms underpinning tissue-specific lead accumulation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Altered Expression of OsNLA1 Modulates Pi Accumulation in Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Plants

PubMed Central

Zhong, Sihui; Mahmood, Kashif; Bi, Yong-Mei; Rothstein, Steven J.; Ranathunge, Kosala

2017-01-01

Current agricultural practices rely on heavy use of fertilizers for increased crop productivity. However, the problems associated with heavy fertilizer use, such as high cost and environmental pollution, require the development of crop species with increased nutrient use efficiency. In this study, by using transgenic approaches, we have revealed the critical role of OsNLA1 in phosphate (Pi) accumulation of rice plants. When grown under sufficient Pi and nitrate levels, OsNLA1 knockdown (Osnla1-1, Osnla1-2, and Osnla1-3) lines accumulated higher Pi content in their shoot tissues compared to wild-type, whereas, over-expression lines (OsNLA1-OE1, OsNLA1-OE2, and OsNLA1-OE3) accumulated the least levels of Pi. However, under high Pi levels, knockdown lines accumulated much higher Pi content compared to wild-type and exhibited Pi toxicity symptoms in the leaves. In contrast, the over-expression lines had 50–60% of the Pi content of wild-type and did not show such symptoms. When grown under limiting nitrate levels, OsNLA1 transgenic lines also displayed a similar pattern in Pi accumulation and Pi toxicity symptoms compared to wild-type suggesting an existence of cross-talk between nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P), which is regulated by OsNLA1. The greater Pi accumulation in knockdown lines was a result of enhanced Pi uptake/permeability of roots compared to the wild-type. The cross-talk between N and P was found to be nitrate specific since the knockdown lines failed to over-accumulate Pi under low (sub-optimal) ammonium level. Moreover, OsNLA1 was also found to interact with OsPHO2, a known regulator of Pi homeostasis, in a Yeast Two-Hybrid (Y2H) assay. Taken together, these results show that OsNLA1 is involved in Pi homeostasis regulating Pi uptake and accumulation in rice plants and may provide an opportunity to enhance P use efficiency by manipulating nitrate supply in the soil. PMID:28626465

Isolation and characterization of awamori yeast mutants with L-leucine accumulation that overproduce isoamyl alcohol.

PubMed

Takagi, Hiroshi; Hashida, Keisuke; Watanabe, Daisuke; Nasuno, Ryo; Ohashi, Masataka; Iha, Tomoya; Nezuo, Maiko; Tsukahara, Masatoshi

2015-02-01

Awamori shochu is a traditional distilled alcoholic beverage made from steamed rice in Okinawa, Japan. Although it has a unique aroma that is distinguishable from that of other types of shochu, no studies have been reported on the breeding of awamori yeasts. In yeast, isoamyl alcohol (i-AmOH), known as the key flavor of bread, is mainly produced from α-ketoisocaproate in the pathway of L-leucine biosynthesis, which is regulated by end-product inhibition of α-isopropylmalate synthase (IPMS). Here, we isolated mutants resistant to the L-leucine analog 5,5,5-trifluoro-DL-leucine (TFL) derived from diploid awamori yeast of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Some of the mutants accumulated a greater amount of intracellular L-leucine, and among them, one mutant overproduced i-AmOH in awamori brewing. This mutant carried an allele of the LEU4 gene encoding the Ser542Phe/Ala551Val variant IPMS, which is less sensitive to feedback inhibition by L-leucine. Interestingly, we found that either of the constituent mutations (LEU4(S542F) and LEU4(A551V)) resulted in the TFL tolerance of yeast cells and desensitization to L-leucine feedback inhibition of IPMS, leading to intracellular L-leucine accumulation. Homology modeling also suggested that L-leucine binding was drastically inhibited in the Ser542Phe, Ala551Val, and Ser542Phe/Ala551Val variants due to steric hindrance in the cavity of IPMS. As we expected, awamori yeast cells expressing LEU4(S542F), LEU4(A551V), and LEU4(S542F/A551V) showed a prominent increase in extracellular i-AmOH production, compared with that of cells carrying the vector only. The approach described here could be a practical method for the breeding of novel awamori yeasts to expand the diversity of awamori taste and flavor. Copyright © 2014 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tracking inorganic foulants irreversibly accumulated on low-pressure membranes for treating surface water.

PubMed

Yamamura, Hiroshi; Kimura, Katsuki; Higuchi, Kumiko; Watanabe, Yoshimasa; Ding, Qing; Hafuka, Akira

2015-12-15

While low-pressure membrane filtration processes (i.e., microfiltration and ultrafiltration) can offer precise filtration than sand filtration, they pose the problem of reduced efficiency due to membrane fouling. Although many studies have examined membrane fouling by organic substances, there is still not enough data available concerning membrane fouling by inorganic substances. The present research investigated changes in the amounts of inorganic components deposited on the surface of membrane filters over time using membrane specimens sampled thirteen times at arbitrary time intervals during pilot testing in order to determine the mechanism by which irreversible fouling by inorganic substances progresses. The experiments showed that the inorganic components that primarily contribute to irreversible fouling vary as filtration continues. It was discovered that, in the initial stage of operation, the main membrane-fouling substance was iron, whereas the primary membrane-fouling substances when operation finished were manganese, calcium, and silica. The amount of iron accumulated on the membrane increased up to the thirtieth day of operation, after which it reached a steady state. After the accumulation of iron became static, subsequent accumulation of manganese was observed. The fact that the removal rates of these inorganic components also increased gradually shows that the size of the exclusion pores of the membrane filter narrows as operation continues. Studying particle size distributions of inorganic components contained in source water revealed that while many iron particles are approximately the same size as membrane pores, the fraction of manganese particles slightly smaller than the pores in diameter was large. From these results, it is surmised that iron particles approximately the same size as the pores block them soon after the start of operation, and as the membrane pores narrow with the development of fouling, they become further blocked by manganese

Effects of perchlorate on growth of four wetland plants and its accumulation in plant tissues.

PubMed

He, Hongzhi; Gao, Haishuo; Chen, Guikui; Li, Huashou; Lin, Hai; Shu, Zhenzhen

2013-10-01

Perchlorate contamination in water is of concern because of uncertainties about toxicity and health effects, impact on ecosystems, and possible indirect exposure pathways to humans. Therefore, it is very important to investigate the ecotoxicology of perchlorate and to screen plant species for phytoremediation. Effects of perchlorate (20, 200, and 500 mg/L) on the growth of four wetland plants (Eichhornia crassipes, Acorus calamus L., Thalia dealbata, and Canna indica) as well as its accumulation in different plant tissues were investigated through water culture experiments. Twenty milligrams per liter of perchlorate had no significant effects on height, root length, aboveground part weight, root weight, and oxidizing power of roots of four plants, except A. calamus, and increasing concentrations of perchlorate showed that out of the four wetland plants, only A. calamus had a significant (p<0.05) dose-dependent decrease in these parameters. When treated with 500 mg/L perchlorate, these parameters and chlorophyll content in the leaf of plants showed significant decline contrasted to control groups, except the root length of E. crassipes and C. indica. The order of inhibition rates of perchlorate on root length, aboveground part weight and root weight, and oxidizing power of roots was: A. calamus > C. indica > T. dealbata > E. crassipes and on chlorophyll content in the leaf it was: A. calamus > T. dealbata > C. indica > E. crassipes. The higher the concentration of perchlorate used, the higher the amount of perchlorate accumulation in plants. Perchlorate accumulation in aboveground tissues was much higher than that in underground tissues and leaf was the main tissue for perchlorate accumulation. The order of perchlorate accumulation content and the bioconcentration factor in leaf of four plants was: E. crassipes > C. indica > T. dealbata > A. calamus. Therefore, E. crassipes might be an ideal plant with high tolerance ability and accumulation ability for constructing

D-PSA-K: A Model for Estimating the Accumulated Potential Damage on Kiwifruit Canes Caused by Bacterial Canker during the Growing and Overwintering Seasons.

PubMed

Do, Ki Seok; Chung, Bong Nam; Joa, Jae Ho

2016-12-01

We developed a model, termed D-PSA-K, to estimate the accumulated potential damage on kiwifruit canes caused by bacterial canker during the growing and overwintering seasons. The model consisted of three parts including estimation of the amount of necrotic lesion in a non-frozen environment, the rate of necrosis increase in a freezing environment during the overwintering season, and the amount of necrotic lesion on kiwifruit canes caused by bacterial canker during the overwintering and growing seasons. We evaluated the model's accuracy by comparing the observed maximum disease incidence on kiwifruit canes against the damage estimated using weather and disease data collected at Wando during 1994-1997 and at Seogwipo during 2014-2015. For the Hayward cultivar, D-PSA-K estimated the accumulated damage as approximately nine times the observed maximum disease incidence. For the Hort16A cultivar, the accumulated damage estimated by D-PSA-K was high when the observed disease incidence was high. D-PSA-K could assist kiwifruit growers in selecting optimal sites for kiwifruit cultivation and establishing improved production plans by predicting the loss in kiwifruit production due to bacterial canker, using past weather or future climate change data.

Variability in bleach kinetics and amount of photopigment between individual foveal cones.

PubMed

Bedggood, Phillip; Metha, Andrew

2012-06-20

To study the bleaching dynamics of individual foveal cone photoreceptors using an adaptive optics ophthalmoscope. After dark adaptation, cones were progressively bleached and imaged by a series of flashes of 545-nm to 570-nm light at 12 Hz. Intensity measurements were made within the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) to avoid confounding signals from the inner retinal blood supply. Over 1300 cones in this region were identified and tracked through the imaging sequences. A single subject was used who demonstrated the necessary steady fixation, wide FAZ, and resolvability of cones close to the foveal center. The mean intensity of all cones was well-described by first-order kinetics. Individual cones showed marked differences from the mean, both in rate of bleach and amount of photopigment; there was an inverse correlation between these two parameters. A subset of the cones showed large oscillations in intensity consistent with interference from light scattered within the cone outer segment. These cones also bleached more quickly, implying that rapid bleaching induces greater amounts of scatter. Neighboring cones in the fovea display high variability in their optical properties.

13 CFR 500.202 - Loan amount.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Loan amount. 500.202 Section 500.202 Business Credit and Assistance EMERGENCY OIL AND GAS GUARANTEED LOAN BOARD EMERGENCY OIL AND GAS GUARANTEED LOAN PROGRAM Oil and Gas Guaranteed Loans § 500.202 Loan amount. The aggregate amount of loan...

14 CFR 1261.102 - Maximum amount.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Maximum amount. 1261.102 Section 1261.102...) Employees' Personal Property Claims § 1261.102 Maximum amount. From October 1, 1982, to October 30, 1988, the maximum amount that may be paid under the Military Personnel and Civilian Employees' Claim Act of...

Abscisic Acid Accumulation in Spinach Leaf Slices in the Presence of Penetrating and Nonpenetrating Solutes 1

PubMed Central

Creelman, Robert A.; Zeevaart, Jan A. D.

1985-01-01

Abscisic acid (ABA) accumulated in detached, wilted leaves of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L. cv Savoy Hybrid 612) and reached a maximum level within 3 to 4 hours. The increase in ABA over that found in detached turgid leaves was approximately 10-fold. The effects of water stress could be mimicked by the use of thin slices of spinach leaves incubated in the presence of 0.6 molar mannitol, a compound which causes plasmolysis (loss of turgor). About equal amounts of ABA were found both in the leaf slices and in detached leaves, whereas 2 to 4 times more ABA accumulated in the medium than in the slices. When spinach leaf slices were incubated with ethylene glycol, a compound which rapidly penetrates the cell membrane causing a decrease in the osmotic potential of the tissue and only transient loss of turgor, no ABA accumulated. Ethylene glycol was not inhibitory with respect to ABA accumulation. Spinach leaf slices incubated in both ethylene glycol and mannitol had ABA levels similar to those found when slices were incubated with mannitol alone. Increases similar to those found with mannitol also occurred when Aquacide III, a highly purified form of polyethylene glycol, was used. Aquacide III causes cytorrhysis, a situation similar to that found in wilted leaves. Thus, it appears that loss of turgor is essential for ABA accumulation. When spinach leaf slices were incubated with solutes which are supposed to disturb membrane integrity (KHSO3, 2-propanol, or KCl) no increase in ABA was observed. These data indicate that, with respect to the accumulation of ABA, mannitol caused a physical stress (loss of turgor) rather than a chemical stress (membrane damage). PMID:16664022

Climate change impact on growing degree day accumulation values

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bekere, Liga; Sile, Tija; Bethers, Uldis; Sennikovs, Juris

2015-04-01

A well-known and often used method to assess and forecast plant growth cycle is the growing degree day (GDD) method with different formulas used for accumulation calculations. With this method the only factor that affects plant development is temperature. So with climate change and therefore also change in temperature the typical times of plant blooming or harvest can be expected to change. The goal of this study is to assess this change in the Northern Europe region. As an example strawberry bloom and harvest times are used. As the first part of this study it was required to define the current GDD amounts required for strawberry bloom and harvest. It was done using temperature data from the Danish Meteorological Institute's (DMI) NWP model HIRLAM for the years 2010-2012 and general strawberry growth observations in Latvia. This way we acquired an example amount of GDD required for strawberry blooming and harvest. To assess change in the plant growth cycle we used regional climate models (RCM) - Euro-CORDEX. RCM temperature data for both past and future periods was analyzed and bias correction was carried out. Then the GDD calculation methodology was applied on corrected temperature data and results showing change in strawberry growth cycle - bloom and harvest times - in Northern Europe were visualized.

Effect of alkalinity on nitrite accumulation in treatment of coal chemical industry wastewater using moving bed biofilm reactor.

PubMed

Hou, Baolin; Han, Hongjun; Jia, Shengyong; Zhuang, Haifeng; Zhao, Qian; Xu, Peng

2014-05-01

Nitrogen removal via nitrite (the nitrite pathway) is more suitable for carbon-limited industrial wastewater. Partial nitrification to nitrite is the primary step to achieve nitrogen removal via nitrite. The effect of alkalinity on nitrite accumulation in a continuous process was investigated by progressively increasing the alkalinity dosage ratio (amount of alkalinity to ammonia ratio, mol/mol). There is a close relationship among alkalinity, pH and the state of matter present in aqueous solution. When alkalinity was insufficient (compared to the theoretical alkalinity amount), ammonia removal efficiency increased first and then decreased at each alkalinity dosage ratio, with an abrupt removal efficiency peak. Generally, ammonia removal efficiency rose with increasing alkalinity dosage ratio. Ammonia removal efficiency reached to 88% from 23% when alkalinity addition was sufficient. Nitrite accumulation could be achieved by inhibiting nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) by free ammonia (FA) in the early period and free nitrous acid in the later period of nitrification when alkalinity was not adequate. Only FA worked to inhibit the activity of NOB when alkalinity addition was sufficient. Copyright © 2014 The Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

ACCUMULATION OF PHOTOSYSTEM ONE1, a Member of a Novel Gene Family, Is Required for Accumulation of [4Fe-4S] Cluster–Containing Chloroplast Complexes and Antenna Proteins

PubMed Central

Amann, Katrin; Lezhneva, Lina; Wanner, Gerd; Herrmann, Reinhold G.; Meurer, Jörg

2004-01-01

To investigate the nuclear-controlled mechanisms of [4Fe-4S] cluster assembly in chloroplasts, we selected Arabidopsis thaliana mutants with a decreased content of photosystem I (PSI) containing three [4Fe-4S] clusters. One identified gene, ACCUMULATION OF PHOTOSYSTEM ONE1 (APO1), belongs to a previously unknown gene family with four defined groups (APO1 to APO4) only found in nuclear genomes of vascular plants. All homologs contain two related motifs of ∼100 amino acid residues that could potentially provide ligands for [4Fe-4S] clusters. APO1 is essentially required for photoautotrophic growth, and levels of PSI core subunits are below the limit of detection in the apo1 mutant. Unlike other Arabidopsis PSI mutants, apo1 fails to accumulate significant amounts of the outer antenna subunits of PSI and PSII and to form grana stacks. In particular, APO1 is essentially required for stable accumulation of other plastid-encoded and nuclear-encoded [4Fe-4S] cluster complexes within the chloroplast, whereas [2Fe-2S] cluster–containing complexes appear to be unaffected. In vivo labeling experiments and analyses of polysome association suggest that translational elongation of the PSI transcripts psaA and psaB is specifically arrested in the mutant. Taken together, our findings suggest that APO1 is involved in the stable assembly of several [4Fe-4S] cluster–containing complexes of chloroplasts and interferes with translational events probably in association with plastid nucleoids. PMID:15494558

Occurrence and accumulation of pesticides and organic contaminants in river sediment, water and clam tissues from the San Joaquin River and tributaries, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pereira, W.E.; Domagalski, Joseph L.; Hostettler, F.D.; Brown, L.R.; Rapp, J.B.

1996-01-01

A study was conducted in 1992 to assess the effects of anthropogenic activities and land use on the water quality of the San Joaquin River and its major tributaries. This study focused on pesticides and organic contaminants, looking at distributions of contaminants in water, bed and suspended sediment, and the bivalve Corbicula fluminea. Results indicated that this river system is affected by agricultural practices and urban runoff. Sediments from Dry Creek contained elevated concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), possibly derived from urban runoff from the city of Modesto; suspended sediments contained elevated amounts of chlordane. Trace levels of triazine herbicides atrazine and simazine were present in water at most sites. Sediments, water, and bivalves from Orestimba Creek, a westside tributary draining agricultural areas, contained the greatest levels of DDT (1,1,1-trichloro-2-2-bis[p-chlorophenyl]ethane), and its degradates DDD (1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis[p-chlorophenyl]ethane), and DDE (1,1-dichloro-2,2- bis[p-chlorophenyl]ethylene). Sediment adsorption co efficients (K(oc)), and bioconcentration factors (BCF) in Corbicula of DDT, DDD, and DDE at Orestimba Creek were greater than predicted values. Streams of the western San Joaquin Valley can potentially transport significant amounts of chlorinated pesticides to the San Joaquin River, the delta, and San Francisco Bay. Organochlorine compounds accumulate in bivalves and sediment and may pose a problem to other biotic species in this watershed.

48 CFR 970.5215-1 - Total available fee: Base fee amount and performance fee amount.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., Profit, and Other Incentives—Facility Management Contracts” if contained in the contract. (d) Performance... fee amount and performance fee amount. 970.5215-1 Section 970.5215-1 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AGENCY SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS DOE MANAGEMENT AND OPERATING CONTRACTS...

Nitrate deficiency reduces cadmium and nickel accumulation in chamomile plants.

PubMed

Kovácik, Jozef; Klejdus, Borivoj; Stork, Frantisek; Hedbavny, Josef

2011-05-11

The effect of nitrogen (nitrate) deficiency (-N) on the accumulation of cadmium (Cd) and nickel (Ni) in chamomile ( Matricaria chamomilla ) plants was studied. Elimination of N from the culture medium led to decreases in N-based compounds (free amino acids and soluble proteins) and increases in C-based compounds (reducing sugars, soluble phenols, coumarins, phenolic acids, and partially flavonoids and lignin), being considerably affected by the metal presence. Proline, a known stress-protective amino acid, decreased in all -N variants. The activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase was stimulated only in -N control plants, whereas the activities of polyphenol oxidase and guaiacol peroxidase were never reduced in -N variants in comparison with respective +N counterparts. Among detected phenolic acids, chlorogenic acid strongly accumulated in all N-deficient variants in the free fraction and caffeic acid in the cell wall-bound fraction. Mineral nutrients were rather affected by a given metal than by N deficiency. Shoot and total root Cd and Ni amounts decreased in -N variants. On the contrary, ammonium-fed plants exposed to N deficiency did not show similar changes in Cd and Ni contents. The present findings are discussed with respect to the role of phenols and mineral nutrition in metal uptake.

[Nitrate accumulation in vegetables and its residual in vegetable fields].

PubMed

Wang, Zhaohui; Zong, Zhiqiang; Li, Shengxiu; Chen, Baoming

2002-05-01

Determinations of 11 kinds, 48 varieties of vegetables were carried out at different seasons. The results showed that nitrate-N concentrations in 20 vegetables reached Pollution Level 4 (NO3(-)-N > 325 mg.kg-1), which accounted for 41.7% of the total number of the sampled vegetables and included all of the leafy, and most of the melon, root, onion and garlic vegetables. Among them, 5 leafy vegetables even exceeded Level 4 (NO3(-)-N > 700 mg.kg-1). Although leafy vegetables were usually apt to heavily accumulate nitrate, most of them were with nitrate-N concentrations lower than Level 3 (NO3(-)-N < 325 mg.kg-1) in leave blades. Further investigation showed that vegetable soils accumulated more nitrates in each layer from 0 cm to 200 cm than did cereal crop soil. The total amount of residual nitrate-N was 1358.8 kg.hm-2 in the 200 cm soil profile of usual vegetable fields, and 1411.8 kg.hm-2 and 1520.9 kg.hm-2 in the 2-yaers and the 5-years long plastic greenhouse fields respectively, however that in the cereal crop fields was only 245.4 kg.hm-2. Nitrate residual in vegetable soils formed serious threats to underground water in vegetable growing areas.

Biota-Sediment Accumulation Factor Data

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Biota-Sediment Accumulation Factor contains approximately 20,000 biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) from 20 locations (mostly Superfund sites) for nonionic organic chemicals and pesticides. Fresh, tidal, and marine ecosystems are included in the data.

Ice duration drives winter nitrate accumulation in north temperate lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Powers, Steven M; Labou, Stephanie G.; Baulch, Helen M.; Hunt, Randall J.; Lottig, Noah R.; Hampton, Stephanie E.; Stanley, Emily H.

2017-01-01

The duration of winter ice cover on lakes varies substantially with climate variability, and has decreased over the last several decades in many temperate lakes. However, little is known of how changes in seasonal ice cover may affect biogeochemical processes under ice. We examined winter nitrogen (N) dynamics under ice using a 30+ yr dataset from five oligotrophic/mesotrophic north temperate lakes to determine how changes in inorganic N species varied with ice duration. Nitrate accumulated during winter and was strongly related to the number of days since ice-on. Exogenous inputs accounted for less than 3% of nitrate accumulation in four of the five lakes, suggesting a paramount role of nitrification in regulating N transformation and the timing of chemical conditions under ice. Winter nitrate accumulation rates ranged from 0.15 μg N L−1 d−1 to 2.7 μg N L−1 d−1 (0.011–0.19 μM d−1), and the mean for intermediate depths was 0.94 μg N L−1 d−1(0.067 μM d−1). Given that winters with shorter ice duration (< 120 d) have become more frequent in these lakes since the late 1990s, peak winter nitrate concentrations and cumulative nitrate production under ice may be declining. As ice extent and duration change, the physical and chemical conditions supporting life will shift. This research suggests we may expect changes in the form and amount of inorganic N, and altered dissolved nitrogen : phosphorus ratios, in lakes during winters with shorter ice duration.

27 CFR 70.243 - Exempt amount.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... as wages, salary, or other income for each payroll period described in § 70.244 of this part are exempt from levy as follows: (a) If the payroll period is weekly, an amount equal to: (1) The sum of: (i...) If the payroll period is not weekly, the amount exempt from levy shall be an amount which as nearly...

45 CFR 32.8 - Amounts withheld.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...) of this section, or (ii) An amount equal to 25% of the debtor's disposable pay less the amount(s... first pay day after the employer receives the order. However, if the first pay day is within 10 days after receipt of the order, the employer may begin deductions on the second pay day. (k) An employer may...

Further Studies on Oxalic Acid Biosynthesis in Oxalate-accumulating Plants 1

PubMed Central

Nuss, Richard F.; Loewus, Frank A.

1978-01-01

l-Ascorbic acid functions as a precursor of oxalic acid in several oxalate-accumulating plants. The present study extends this observation to include Rumex crispus L. (curly dock), Amaranthus retroflexus L. (red root pigweed), Chenopodium album L. (lamb's-quarters), Beta vulgaris L. (sugar beet), Halogeton glomeratus M. Bieb. (halogeton), and Rheum rhabarbarum L. (rhubarb). Several species with low oxalate content are also examined. When l-[1-14C]ascorbic acid is supplied to young seedlings of R. crispus or H. glomeratus, a major portion of the 14C is released over a 24-hour period as 14CO2 and only a small portion is recovered as [14C]oxalate, unlike cuttings from 2- or 4-month-old plants which retain a large part of the 14C as [14C]oxalic acid and release very little 14CO2. Support for an intermediate role of oxalate in the release of 14CO2 from l-[1-14C]ascorbic acid is seen in the rapid release of 14CO2 by R. crispus and H. glomeratus seedlings labeled with [14C]oxalic acid. The common origin of oxalic acid carbon in the C1 and C2 fragment from l-ascorbic acid is demonstrated by comparison of 14C content of oxalic acid in several oxalate-accumulators after cuttings or seedlings are supplied equal amounts of l-[1-14C]- or l-[UL-14C]ascorbic acid. Theoretically, l-[1-14C]ascorbic acid will produce labeled oxalic acid containing three times as much 14C as l-[UL-14C]ascorbic acid when equal amounts of label are provided. Experimentally, a ratio of 2.7 ± 0.5 is obtained in duplicate experiments with six different species. PMID:16660342

Spatial accumulation pattern of citrulline and other nutrients in immature and mature watermelon fruits.

PubMed

Akashi, Kinya; Mifune, Yuki; Morita, Kaori; Ishitsuka, Souichi; Tsujimoto, Hisashi; Ishihara, Toshiyuki

2017-01-01

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.) originates from arid regions of southern Africa, and its fruit contains a large amount of the amino acid citrulline, an efficient hydroxyl radical scavenger. Citrulline is implicated in the production of nitric oxide in human endothelium, and potential health benefits including vasodilatation and antioxidant functions have been suggested. However, citrulline metabolism in watermelon fruits is poorly understood. This study examined the accumulation pattern of citrulline and other nutrients in immature and mature watermelon fruits. In mature fruits, highest citrulline concentration was observed in the outer peel, followed by the central portion of the flesh and inner rinds, whereas the level was lower in the peripheral portion of the flesh. Citrulline content was generally low in immature fruits. Spatial and developmental patterns of citrulline accumulation were largely different from those of the antioxidant lycopene, total proteins, and soluble sugars such as glucose, fructose, and sucrose. Principal component analysis suggested a clear distinction of the central flesh and outer peels in mature fruits from other tissues in terms of the levels of major nutrients. These observations suggested that citrulline accumulation may be regulated in a distinct manner from other nutrients during watermelon fruit maturation. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Selective accumulation of cytosol CDP-choline as an isolated erythrocyte defect in chronic hemolysis.

PubMed Central

Paglia, D E; Valentine, W N; Nakatani, M; Rauth, B J

1983-01-01

Erythrocytes from a young woman with chronic hemolytic anemia were found to contain 0.31-0.45 mM CDP-choline, concentrations that are 15-25 times those in normal erythrocytes and equivalent to 20-30% of the total adenine nucleotide content. Accumulation of CDP-choline has been reported only in erythrocytes from subjects with severe (homozygous) pyrimidine nucleotidase deficiency. In the latter syndrome, however, pyrimidine nucleotidase activity is very low and a spectrum of uridine- and cytidine-containing nucleotides is present along with epiphenomena involving glutathione and ribosephosphate pyrophosphokinase. By contrast, selective accumulation of CDP-choline was the only abnormality demonstrable in proband erythrocytes. Membrane phospholipids were quantitatively and qualitatively normal, compatible with the observation that mature erythrocytes maintain membrane phospholipids largely by passive exchange with plasma components or by acylation of lysophospholipids. Although the presence of small amounts of other CDP-containing cofactors, such as CDP-ethanolamine, could not be entirely excluded, the cytidine/choline ratio closely approximated 1:1 in all studies. These data are compatible with the view that choline phosphotransferase and ethanolamine phosphotransferase are separate enzymes in erythroid cells. Selective accumulation of CDP-choline in proband erythrocytes is also compatible with an inherited deficiency of choline phosphotransferase in erythroid precursors, though this hypothesis remains unproved. PMID:6574471

Accumulation of MRI contrast agents in malignant fibrous histiocytoma for gadolinium neutron capture therapy.

PubMed

Fujimoto, T; Ichikawa, H; Akisue, T; Fujita, I; Kishimoto, K; Hara, H; Imabori, M; Kawamitsu, H; Sharma, P; Brown, S C; Moudgil, B M; Fujii, M; Yamamoto, T; Kurosaka, M; Fukumori, Y

2009-07-01

Neutron-capture therapy with gadolinium (Gd-NCT) has therapeutic potential, especially that gadolinium is generally used as a contrast medium in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The accumulation of gadolinium in a human sarcoma cell line, malignant fibrosis histiocytoma (MFH) Nara-H, was visualized by the MRI system. The commercially available MRI contrast medium Gd-DTPA (Magnevist, dimeglumine gadopentetate aqueous solution) and the biodegradable and highly gadopentetic acid (Gd-DTPA)-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (Gd-nanoCPs) were prepared as MRI contrast agents. The MFH cells were cultured and collected into three falcon tubes that were set into the 3-tesra MRI system to acquire signal intensities from each pellet by the spin echo method, and the longitudinal relaxation time (T1) was calculated. The amount of Gd in the sample was measured by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrography (ICP-AES). The accumulation of gadolinium in cells treated with Gd-nanoCPs was larger than that in cells treated with Gd-DTPA. In contrast, and compared with the control, Gd-DTPA was more effective than Gd-nanoCPs in reducing T1, suggesting that the larger accumulation exerted the adverse effect of lowering the enhancement of MRI. Further studies are warranted to gain insight into the therapeutic potential of Gd-NCT.

Spatiotemporal distribution and variation of GPP in the Greater Khingan Mountains from 1982 to 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, L.; Fan, W.; Liu, S.; Ren, H.; Xu, X.

2017-12-01

GPP (Gross Primary Productivity) is an important index to reflect the productivity of plants because it refers to the organic accumulated by green plants on land through assimilating the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by photosynthesis and a serial of physiological processes in plants. Therefore, GPP plays a significant role in studying the carbon sink of terrestrial ecosystem and plants' reaction to global climate change. Remote sensing provides an efficient way to estimate GPP at regional and global scales and its products can be used to monitor the spatiotemporal variation of terrestrial ecosystem.As the Greater Khingan Mountains is the only bright coniferous forest of cool temperate zone in China and accounts for about 30% of the forest in China. This region is sensitive to climate change, but its forest coverage presented a significant variation due to fire disasters, excessive deforestation and so on. Here, we aimed at studying the variation pattern of GPP in the Greater Khingan Mountains and further found impact factors for the change in order to improve the understanding of what have and will happen on plants and carbon cycle under climate change.Based on GPP product from the GLASS program, we first studied spatial distribution of plants in the Greater Khingan Mountains from 1982 to 2015. With a linear regression model, seasonal and inter-annual GPP variability were explored on pixel and regional scale. We analyzed some climatic factors (e.g. temperature and precipitation) and terrain in order to find the driven factors for the GPP variations. The Growing Season Length (GSL) was also regarded as a factor and was retrieved from GIMMS 3g NDVI datasets using dynamic threshold method. We found that GPP in study area linearly decreased with the increasing elevation. Both annual accumulated GPP (AAG) and maximum daily GPP (during mid-June to mid-July) gained obvious improvement over the past 34 years under climate warming and drying (Fig.1 and Fig.2). Further

Silicon Promotes Exodermal Casparian Band Formation in Si-Accumulating and Si-Excluding Species by Forming Phenol Complexes

PubMed Central

Hinrichs, Martin; Specht, André; Waßmann, Friedrich; Schreiber, Lukas; Schenk, Manfred K.

2015-01-01

We studied the effect of Silicon (Si) on Casparian band (CB) development, chemical composition of the exodermal CB and Si deposition across the root in the Si accumulators rice and maize and the Si non-accumulator onion. Plants were cultivated in nutrient solution with and without Si supply. The CB development was determined in stained root cross-sections. The outer part of the roots containing the exodermis was isolated after enzymatic treatment. The exodermal suberin was transesterified with MeOH/BF3 and the chemical composition was measured using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) and flame ionization detector (GC-FID). Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (LA-ICP-MS) was used to determine the Si deposition across root cross sections. Si promoted CB formation in the roots of Si-accumulator and Si non-accumulator species. The exodermal suberin was decreased in rice and maize due to decreased amounts of aromatic suberin fractions. Si did not affect the concentration of lignin and lignin-like polymers in the outer part of rice, maize and onion roots. The highest Si depositions were found in the tissues containing CB. These data along with literature were used to suggest a mechanism how Si promotes the CB development by forming complexes with phenols. PMID:26383862

Salinity Stress Is Beneficial to the Accumulation of Chlorogenic Acids in Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica Thunb.)

PubMed Central

Yan, Kun; Cui, Mingxing; Zhao, Shijie; Chen, Xiaobing; Tang, Xiaoli

2016-01-01

Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica Thunb.) is a traditional medicinal plant in China that is particularly rich in chlorogenic acids, which are phenolic compounds with various medicinal properties. This study aimed to examine the effects of salinity stress on accumulation of chlorogenic acids in honeysuckle, through hydroponic experiments and field trials, and to examine the mechanisms underlying the effects. NaCl stress stimulated the transcription of genes encoding key enzymes in the synthesis of chlorogenic acids in leaves; accordingly, the concentrations of chlorogenic acids in leaves were significantly increased under NaCl stress, as was antioxidant activity. Specifically, the total concentration of leaf chlorogenic acids was increased by 145.74 and 50.34% after 30 days of 150 and 300 mM NaCl stress, respectively. Similarly, the concentrations of chlorogenic acids were higher in the leaves of plants in saline, compared with non-saline, plots, with increases in total concentrations of chlorogenic acids of 56.05 and 105.29% in October 2014 and 2015, respectively. Despite leaf biomass reduction, absolute amounts of chlorogenic acids per plant and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity were significantly increased by soil salinity, confirming that the accumulation of chlorogenic acids in leaves was a result of stimulation of their synthesis under salinity stress. Soil salinity also led to elevated chlorogenic acid concentrations in honeysuckle flower buds, with significant increases in total chlorogenic acids concentration of 22.42 and 25.14% in May 2014 and 2015, respectively. Consistent with biomass reduction, the absolute amounts of chlorogenic acid per plant declined in flower buds of plants exposed to elevated soil salinity, with no significant change in PAL activity. Thus, salinity-induced chlorogenic acid accumulation in flower buds depended on an amplification effect of growth reduction. In conclusion, salinity stress improved the medicinal quality of

Salinity Stress Is Beneficial to the Accumulation of Chlorogenic Acids in Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica Thunb.).

PubMed

Yan, Kun; Cui, Mingxing; Zhao, Shijie; Chen, Xiaobing; Tang, Xiaoli

2016-01-01

Honeysuckle ( Lonicera japonica Thunb.) is a traditional medicinal plant in China that is particularly rich in chlorogenic acids, which are phenolic compounds with various medicinal properties. This study aimed to examine the effects of salinity stress on accumulation of chlorogenic acids in honeysuckle, through hydroponic experiments and field trials, and to examine the mechanisms underlying the effects. NaCl stress stimulated the transcription of genes encoding key enzymes in the synthesis of chlorogenic acids in leaves; accordingly, the concentrations of chlorogenic acids in leaves were significantly increased under NaCl stress, as was antioxidant activity. Specifically, the total concentration of leaf chlorogenic acids was increased by 145.74 and 50.34% after 30 days of 150 and 300 mM NaCl stress, respectively. Similarly, the concentrations of chlorogenic acids were higher in the leaves of plants in saline, compared with non-saline, plots, with increases in total concentrations of chlorogenic acids of 56.05 and 105.29% in October 2014 and 2015, respectively. Despite leaf biomass reduction, absolute amounts of chlorogenic acids per plant and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity were significantly increased by soil salinity, confirming that the accumulation of chlorogenic acids in leaves was a result of stimulation of their synthesis under salinity stress. Soil salinity also led to elevated chlorogenic acid concentrations in honeysuckle flower buds, with significant increases in total chlorogenic acids concentration of 22.42 and 25.14% in May 2014 and 2015, respectively. Consistent with biomass reduction, the absolute amounts of chlorogenic acid per plant declined in flower buds of plants exposed to elevated soil salinity, with no significant change in PAL activity. Thus, salinity-induced chlorogenic acid accumulation in flower buds depended on an amplification effect of growth reduction. In conclusion, salinity stress improved the medicinal quality of

Choice Rules and Accumulator Networks

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

This article presents a preference accumulation model that can be used to implement a number of different multi-attribute heuristic choice rules, including the lexicographic rule, the majority of confirming dimensions (tallying) rule and the equal weights rule. The proposed model differs from existing accumulators in terms of attribute representation: Leakage and competition, typically applied only to preference accumulation, are also assumed to be involved in processing attribute values. This allows the model to perform a range of sophisticated attribute-wise comparisons, including comparisons that compute relative rank. The ability of a preference accumulation model composed of leaky competitive networks to mimic symbolic models of heuristic choice suggests that these 2 approaches are not incompatible, and that a unitary cognitive model of preferential choice, based on insights from both these approaches, may be feasible. PMID:28670592

Improving biomass and starch accumulation of bioenergy crop duckweed (Landoltia punctata) by abscisic acid application.

PubMed

Liu, Yang; Chen, Xiaoyi; Wang, Xinhui; Fang, Yang; Huang, Mengjun; Guo, Ling; Zhang, Yin; Zhao, Hai

2018-06-22

Duckweed is a valuable feedstock for bioethanol production due to its high biomass and starch accumulation. In our preliminary experiment, we found that abscisic acid (ABA) could simultaneously increase starch and biomass accumulation of duckweed, but the mechanisms are still unclear. The results showed that the biomass production of duckweed reached up to 59.70 and 63.93 g m -2 in 6 days, respectively, with an increase of 7% (P < 0.05) compared to the control. The starch percentage increased from 2.29% up to 46.18% after 14 days of treatment, with a total of starch level 2.6-fold higher than that of the control. Moreover, the level of endogenous ABA, zeatin-riboside (ZR) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) increased, while gibberellins (GAs) decreased. Notably, ABA content in treated samples reached 336.5 mg/kg (fresh weight), which was 7.5-fold greater than that of the control. Importantly, the enzyme activities involved in starch biosynthesis increased while those catalyzing starch degradation decreased after ABA application. Taken together, these results indicated that ABA can promote biomass and starch accumulation by regulating endogenous hormone levels and the activity of starch metabolism related key enzymes. These results will provide an operable method for high starch accumulation in duckweed for biofuels production.

Abscisic Acid Accumulation by Roots of Xanthium strumarium L. and Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. in Relation to Water Stress.

PubMed

Cornish, K; Zeevaart, J A

1985-11-01

Plants of Xanthium strumarium L. and Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv ;Rheinlands Ruhm' were grown in solution culture, and control and steam-girdled intact plants were stressed. Detached roots of both species were stressed to different extents in two ways: (a) either in warm air or, (b) in the osmoticum Aquacide III. The roots of both species produced and accumulated progressively more abscisic acid (ABA), the greater the stress inflicted by either method. ABA-glucose ester levels in Xanthium roots were not affected by water stress and were too low to be the source of the stress-induced ABA. The fact that ABA accumulated in detached roots and in roots of girdled plants proves that ABA was synthesized in the roots and not merely transported from the shoots.Maximum ABA accumulation in detached roots occurred after 60 to 70% loss of fresh weight. In Xanthium roots, ABA levels continued to increase for at least 11 hours, and no catabolism was apparent when stressed roots were immersed in water, although the roots did stop accumulating ABA. When osmotically stressed, Xanthium roots reached a maximum ABA level after 2 hours, but ABA continued to rise in the medium.Under optimal stress conditions, endogenous ABA levels increased 100 times over their prestress values in detached roots of Xanthium, and 15 times in Lycopersicon under nonoptimal stress, when endogenous ABA was expressed as concentrations based on tissue water content. These are much greater relative increases than observed in the leaves (15 times in Xanthium, 3 times in Lycopersicon), although the roots contain substantially less ABA than the leaves in all circumstances. The results suggest that the endogenous level of ABA in roots could rise appreciably prior to leaf wilt, and could modify the plant's water economy before the leaves become stressed.

Comparison of the metabolism of inorganic and organic selenium species between two selenium accumulator plants, garlic and Indian mustard.

PubMed

Ogra, Yasumitsu; Ogihara, Yurie; Anan, Yasumi

2017-01-25

The metabolism of selenomethionine (SeMet) in two major selenium (Se) accumulator plants, garlic and Indian mustard, was compared to that of stable isotope labeled selenate. Indian mustard more efficiently transported Se from roots to leaves than garlic. In addition, Indian mustard accumulated larger amounts of Se than garlic. γ-Glutamyl-Se-methylselenocysteine (γ-GluMeSeCys) and Se-methylselenocysteine (MeSeCys) were the common metabolites of selenate and SeMet in garlic and Indian mustard. Indian mustard had a specific metabolic pathway to selenohomolanthionine (SeHLan) from both inorganic and organic Se species. SeMet was a more effective fertilizer for cultivating Se-enriched plants than selenate in terms of the production of selenoamino acids.

Statistical analysis of hydrological response in urbanising catchments based on adaptive sampling using inter-amount times

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

ten Veldhuis, Marie-Claire; Schleiss, Marc

2017-04-01

In this study, we introduced an alternative approach for analysis of hydrological flow time series, using an adaptive sampling framework based on inter-amount times (IATs). The main difference with conventional flow time series is the rate at which low and high flows are sampled: the unit of analysis for IATs is a fixed flow amount, instead of a fixed time window. We analysed statistical distributions of flows and IATs across a wide range of sampling scales to investigate sensitivity of statistical properties such as quantiles, variance, skewness, scaling parameters and flashiness indicators to the sampling scale. We did this based on streamflow time series for 17 (semi)urbanised basins in North Carolina, US, ranging from 13 km2 to 238 km2 in size. Results showed that adaptive sampling of flow time series based on inter-amounts leads to a more balanced representation of low flow and peak flow values in the statistical distribution. While conventional sampling gives a lot of weight to low flows, as these are most ubiquitous in flow time series, IAT sampling gives relatively more weight to high flow values, when given flow amounts are accumulated in shorter time. As a consequence, IAT sampling gives more information about the tail of the distribution associated with high flows, while conventional sampling gives relatively more information about low flow periods. We will present results of statistical analyses across a range of subdaily to seasonal scales and will highlight some interesting insights that can be derived from IAT statistics with respect to basin flashiness and impact urbanisation on hydrological response.

Exceptional and rapid accumulation of anthropogenic debris on one of the world's most remote and pristine islands.

PubMed

Lavers, Jennifer L; Bond, Alexander L

2017-06-06

In just over half a century plastic products have revolutionized human society and have infiltrated terrestrial and marine environments in every corner of the globe. The hazard plastic debris poses to biodiversity is well established, but mitigation and planning are often hampered by a lack of quantitative data on accumulation patterns. Here we document the amount of debris and rate of accumulation on Henderson Island, a remote, uninhabited island in the South Pacific. The density of debris was the highest reported anywhere in the world, up to 671.6 items/m 2 (mean ± SD: 239.4 ± 347.3 items/m 2 ) on the surface of the beaches. Approximately 68% of debris (up to 4,496.9 pieces/m 2 ) on the beach was buried <10 cm in the sediment. An estimated 37.7 million debris items weighing a total of 17.6 tons are currently present on Henderson, with up to 26.8 new items/m accumulating daily. Rarely visited by humans, Henderson Island and other remote islands may be sinks for some of the world's increasing volume of waste.

Mercury accumulation and attenuation at a rapidly forming delta with a point source of mining waste

PubMed Central

Johnson, Bryce E.; Esser, Bradley K.; Whyte, Dyan C.; Ganguli, Priya M.; Austin, Carrie M.; Hunt, James R.

2009-01-01

The Walker Creek intertidal delta of Tomales Bay, California is impacted by a former mercury mine within the watershed. Eleven short sediment cores (10 cm length) collected from the delta found monomethylmercury (MMHg) concentrations ranging from 0.3 to 11.4 ng/g (dry wt.), with lower concentrations occurring at the vegetated marsh and upstream channel locations. Algal mats common to the delta’s sediment surface had MMHg concentrations ranging from 7.5 to 31.5 ng/g, and the top 1 cm of sediment directly under the mats had two times greater MMHg concentrations compared to adjacent locations without algal covering. Spatial trends in resident biota reflect enhanced MMHg uptake at the delta compared to other bay locations. Eighteen sediment cores, 1 to 2 meters deep, collected from the 1.2 km2 delta provide an estimate of a total mercury (Hg) inventory of 2500 ± 500 kg. Sediment Hg concentrations ranged from pre-mining background conditions of approximately 0.1 μg/g to a post-mining maximum of 5 μg/g. Sediment accumulation rates were determined from three sediment cores using measured differences of 137Cs activity. We estimate a pre-mining Hg accumulation of less than 20 kg/yr, and a period of maximum Hg accumulation in the 1970s and 1980s with loading rates greater than 50 kg/yr, corresponding to the failure of a tailings dam at the mine site. At the time of sampling (2003) over 40 kg/yr of Hg was still accumulating at the delta, indicating limited recovery. We attribute observed spatial evolution of elevated Hg levels to ongoing inputs and sediment re-working, and estimate the inventory of the anthropogenic fraction of total Hg to be at least 1500 ± 300 kg. We suggest ongoing sediment inputs and methylation at the deltaic surface support enhanced mercury levels for resident biota and transfer to higher trophic levels throughout the Bay. PMID:19539980

Coastal landforms and accumulation of mangrove peat increase carbon sequestration and storage

PubMed Central

Garcillán, Pedro P.

2016-01-01

Given their relatively small area, mangroves and their organic sediments are of disproportionate importance to global carbon sequestration and carbon storage. Peat deposition and preservation allows some mangroves to accrete vertically and keep pace with sea-level rise by growing on their own root remains. In this study we show that mangroves in desert inlets in the coasts of the Baja California have been accumulating root peat for nearly 2,000 y and harbor a belowground carbon content of 900–34,00 Mg C/ha, with an average value of 1,130 (± 128) Mg C/ha, and a belowground carbon accumulation similar to that found under some of the tallest tropical mangroves in the Mexican Pacific coast. The depth–age curve for the mangrove sediments of Baja California indicates that sea level in the peninsula has been rising at a mean rate of 0.70 mm/y (± 0.07) during the last 17 centuries, a value similar to the rates of sea-level rise estimated for the Caribbean during a comparable period. By accreting on their own accumulated peat, these desert mangroves store large amounts of carbon in their sediments. We estimate that mangroves and halophyte scrubs in Mexico’s arid northwest, with less than 1% of the terrestrial area, store in their belowground sediments around 28% of the total belowground carbon pool of the whole region. PMID:27035950

Hyperthermia increases accumulation of technetium-99m-labeled liposomes in feline sarcomas.

PubMed

Matteucci, M L; Anyarambhatla, G; Rosner, G; Azuma, C; Fisher, P E; Dewhirst, M W; Needham, D; Thrall, D E

2000-09-01

The effect of hyperthermia on the accumulation of technetium-99m-labeled liposomes was studied in feline sarcomas. Each cat received two separate injections of liposomes. The first was used to quantify the amount of technetium-99m-labeled liposomes within the tumor under normothermic conditions. The second injection was made at the beginning of a 60-min hyperthermia procedure. Planar scintigraphy was used to measure the activity of technetium-99m-labeled liposomes within the tumor at predetermined times up to 18 h after injection. Regions of interest were drawn for the tumor, lungs, liver, kidney, and aorta. Counts in the regions of interest were decay corrected. Counts/pixel in the tumor under normothermic and hyperthermic conditions were normalized to aorta counts/pixel. A total of 16 cats were eligible for the study. In two of the 16 cats, incomplete count data precluded analysis. In the remaining 14 cats, hyperthermia resulted in a significant increase in liposome accumulation in the tumor (P = 0.001). Tumor volume ranged from 1.2 to 236.2 cm3, and thermal dose ranged from 2.0 to 243.3 CEM43CT90 (equivalent time that the 10th percentile temperature was equal to 43 degrees C). There was not a relationship between either tumor volume or hyperthermia dose on the magnitude of increased liposome accumulation, suggesting that this method has application across a range of tumor volumes and degrees of heatibility.

Nanosized silver (II) pyridoxine complex to cause greater inflammatory response and less cytotoxicity to RAW264.7 macrophage cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paul, Avijit; Ju, Hee; Rangasamy, Sabarinathan; Shim, Yumi; Song, Joon Myong

2015-03-01

With advancements in nanotechnology, silver has been engineered into a nanometre size and has attracted great research interest for use in the treatment of wounds. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have emerged as a potential alternative to conventional antibiotics because of their potential antimicrobial property. However, AgNPs also induce cytotoxicity, generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), and cause mitochondrial damage to human cells. Pyridoxine possesses antioxidant and cell proliferation activity. Therefore, in the present investigation, a nanosilver-pyridoxine complex (AgPyNP) was synthesized, and its cytotoxicity and immune response was compared with AgNPs in macrophage RAW264.7 cells. Results revealed that AgPyNPs showed less cytotoxicity compared with AgNPs by producing a smaller amount of ROS in RAW264.7 cells. Surprisingly, however, AgPyNPs caused macrophage RAW264.7 cells to secrete a larger amount of interleukin-8 (IL-8) and generate a more active inflammatory response compared to AgNPs. It activated TNF-α, NF-κB p65, and NF-κB p50 to generate a more vigorous immune protection that produces a greater amount of IL-8 compared to AgNPs. Overall findings indicate that AgPyNPs exhibited less cytotoxicity and evoked a greater immune response in macrophage RAW264.7 cells. Thus, it can be used as a better wound-healing agent than AgNPs.

The Effect of the Thickness of the Sensitive Layer on the Performance of the Accumulating NOx Sensor

PubMed Central

Groß, Andrea; Richter, Miriam; Kubinski, David J.; Visser, Jacobus H.; Moos, Ralf

2012-01-01

A novel and promising method to measure low levels of NOx utilizes the accumulating sensor principle. During an integration cycle, incoming NOx molecules are stored in a sensitive layer based on an automotive lean NOx trap (LNT) material that changes its electrical resistivity proportional to the amount of stored NOx, making the sensor suitable for long-term detection of low levels of NOx. In this study, the influence of the thickness of the sensitive layer, prepared by multiple screen-printing, is investigated. All samples show good accumulating sensing properties for both NO and NO2. In accordance to a simplified model, the base resistance of the sensitive layer and the sensitivity to NOx decrease with increasing thickness. Contrarily, the sensor response time increases. The linear measurement range of all samples ends at a sensor response of about 30% resulting in an increase of the linearly detectable amount with the thickness. Hence, the variation of the thickness of the sensitive layer is a powerful tool to adapt the linear measurement range (proportional to the thickness) as well as the sensitivity (proportional to the inverse thickness) to the application requirements. Calculations combining the sensor model with the measurement results indicate that for operation in the linear range, about 3% of the LNT material is converted to nitrate.

Supply of Fatty Acid Is One Limiting Factor in the Accumulation of Triacylglycerol in Developing Embryos1

PubMed Central

Bao, Xiaoming; Ohlrogge, John

1999-01-01

The metabolic factors that determine oil yield in seeds are still not well understood. To begin to examine the limits on triacylglycerol (TAG) production, developing Cuphea lanceolata, Ulmus carpinifolia, and Ulmus parvifolia embryos were incubated with factors whose availability might limit oil accumulation. The addition of glycerol or sucrose did not significantly influence the rate of TAG synthesis. However, the rate of 14C-TAG synthesis upon addition of 2.1 mm 14C-decanoic acid (10:0) was approximately four times higher than the in vivo rate of TAG accumulation in C. lanceolata and two times higher than the in vivo rate in U. carpinifolia and U. parvifolia. In C. lanceolata embryos, the highest rate of 14C-TAG synthesis (14.3 nmol h−1 embryo−1) was achieved with the addition of 3.6 mm decanoic acid. 14C-Decanoic acid was incorporated equally well in all three acyl positions of TAG. The results suggest that C. lanceolata, U. carpinifolia, and U. parvifolia embryos have sufficient acyltransferase activities and glycerol-3-phosphate levels to support rates of TAG synthesis in excess of those found in vivo. Consequently, the amount of TAG synthesized in these oilseeds may be in part determined by the amount of fatty acid produced in plastids. PMID:10444089

Organic carbon accumulation and reactivity in central Swedish lakes during the Holocene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chmiel, H.; Kokic, J.; Niggemann, J.; Dittmar, T.; Sobek, S.

2012-04-01

Sedimentation and burial of particulate organic carbon (POC), received from terrestrial sources and from lake internal primary production, are responsible for the progressive accumulation and long-term storage of organic matter in lake basins. For lakes in the boreal zone of central Sweden it can be presumed, that the onset of POC accumulation occurred during the early Holocene (˜8000 BP.) after the retreat of the Scandinavian ice sheet. In this study we investigated carbon mass accumulation rates (CMARs), as well as sources and reactivity of deposited organic material, for seven lakes in central Sweden (60°N, 15°E), in order to obtain a detailed temporal resolution of carbon burial and preservation in boreal lakes. Sediment long-cores were sampled in March 2011 from the ice, and CMARs were calculated from water contents, dry bulk densities, carbon contents and radiocarbon (14C) ages of the depth profiles. To indicate the sources of the organic material and characterize its diagenetic state, we determined carbon-nitrogen ratios (C/N) as well as amounts and compositions of lignin phenols. The transitions from organic rich sediment layers to glacial till deposits were found to be in sediment depths of ˜3 m in each lake. POC contents were on average highest (25-34 wt. % C), in small lakes (≤ 0.07 km2) and lowest (10-18 wt. % C) in the larger lakes (≥ 165 km2). The CMARs over the Holocene showed significant variations and were on average lower in the early Holocene, compared to recent accumulation rates. C/N values and the composition of lignin phenols further provided indications of important changes in organic matter source and reactivity over the Holocene. In summary, our data suggest that boreal lake sediments were a significantly stronger sink for organic carbon during the last ~150 years than during earlier periods of the Holocene.

Socioeconomic status moderates genetic and environmental effects on the amount of alcohol use.

PubMed

Hamdi, Nayla R; Krueger, Robert F; South, Susan C

2015-04-01

Much is unknown about the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and alcohol use, including the means by which SES may influence risk for alcohol use. Using a sample of 672 twin pairs (aged 25 to 74) derived from the MacArthur Foundation Survey of Midlife Development in the United States, this study examined whether SES, measured by household income and educational attainment, moderates genetic and environmental influences on 3 indices of alcohol use: amount used, frequency of use, and problem use. We found significant moderation for amount of alcohol used. Specifically, genetic effects were greater in low-SES conditions, shared environmental effects (i.e., environmental effects that enhance the similarity of twins from the same families) tended to increase in high-SES conditions, and nonshared environmental effects (i.e., environmental effects that distinguish twins) tended to decrease with SES. This pattern of results was found for both income and education, and it largely replicated at a second wave of assessment spaced 9 years after the first. There was virtually no evidence of moderation for either frequency of alcohol use or alcohol problems. Our findings indicate that genetic and environmental influences on drinking amount vary as a function of the broader SES context, whereas the etiologies of other drinking phenomena are less affected by this context. Efforts to find the causes underlying the amount of alcohol used are likely to be more successful if such contextual information is taken into account. Copyright © 2015 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Socioeconomic Status Moderates Genetic and Environmental Effects on the Amount of Alcohol Use

PubMed Central

Hamdi, Nayla R; Krueger, Robert F.; South, Susan C.

2015-01-01

Background Much is unknown about the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and alcohol use, including the means by which SES may influence risk for alcohol use. Methods Using a sample of 672 twin pairs (aged 25–74) derived from the MacArthur Foundation Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS), the present study examined whether SES, measured by household income and educational attainment, moderates genetic and environmental influences on three indices of alcohol use: amount used, frequency of use, and problem use. Results We found significant moderation for amount of alcohol used. Specifically, genetic effects were greater in low-SES conditions, shared environmental effects (i.e., environmental effects that enhance the similarity of twins from the same families) tended to increase in high-SES conditions, and non-shared environmental effects (i.e., environmental effects that distinguish twins) tended to decrease with SES. This pattern of results was found for both income and education, and it largely replicated at a second wave of assessment spaced nine years after the first. There was virtually no evidence of moderation for either frequency of alcohol use or alcohol problems. Conclusions Our findings indicate that genetic and environmental influences on drinking amount vary as a function of the broader SES context, whereas the etiologies of other drinking phenomena are less affected by this context. Efforts to find the causes underlying the amount of alcohol used are likely to be more successful if such contextual information is taken into account. PMID:25778493

The relative contribution of near-bed vs. intragravel horizontal transport to fine sediment accumulation processes in river gravel beds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casas-Mulet, Roser; Lakhanpal, Garima; Stewardson, Michael J.

2018-02-01

Understanding flow-sediment interactions is important for comprehending river functioning. Fine sediment accumulation processes, in particular, have key implications for ecosystem health. However, the amount of fines generated by intragravel flows and later accumulated in gravel streambeds may have been underestimated, as the hydraulic-related driving transport mechanisms in play are not clearly identified. Specifically, the relative contribution of fines from upper vs. lower sediment layers in gravel beds is not well understood. By recreating flooded and dewatered conditions in an experimental flume filled with natural sediment, we estimated such contributions by observing and collecting intragravel transported fines that were later accumulated into a void in the middle of the sediment matrix. Near-bed transport in the upper sediment layers (named Brinkman load) during flooded conditions accounted for most (90%) of the accumulated fines. Intragravel transport in the lower sediment layers (named Interstitial load) was the sole source of transport and accumulation during dewatered conditions with steeper hydraulic gradients. Interstitial load accounted for 10% of the total transport during flooded conditions. Although small, such estimations demonstrate that hydraulic-gradient transport in the lower sediment layers occurs in spite of the contradicting analytical assessments. We provide a case study to challenge the traditional approaches of assessing intragravel transport, and a useful framework to understand the origin and relative contribution of fine sediment accumulation in gravel beds. Such knowledge will be highly useful for the design of monitoring programs aiding river management, particularly in regulated rivers.

Maize Iranian mosaic virus shows a descending transcript accumulation order in plant and insect hosts.

PubMed

Hortamani, Mozhgan; Massah, Amir; Izadpanah, Keramat

2018-04-01

Maize Iranian mosaic virus (MIMV) is a distinct member of the genus Nucleorhabdovirus. In this study, expression of all MIMV genes in maize for four weeks after inoculation and in inoculative planthoppers was examined using a quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) assay. Accumulation of MIMV P, gene 3, M, G and L transcripts relative to N transcripts was measured and normalized to 18S rRNA in maize plants and to the ribosomal protein S13 gene (RPS13) in planthoppers using the comparative C T method. In plants, higher levels of MIMV N transcripts were found relative to other transcripts, while MIMV L transcripts were at the lowest levels. The highest accumulation of MIMV transcripts was found at 14 days postinoculation (dpi). At 21 dpi, we found the lowest transcript levels for all genes, which increased again at 28 dpi, although in lower amounts than at 14 dpi. In Laodelphax striatellus, MIMV M, G and L transcripts accumulated at lower levels than other transcripts. The gene 3 transcript level was high in both plants and planthoppers. Our results showed that transcript accumulation for the MIMV genes was similar in both hosts and followed the pattern of sequential transcriptional attenuation from the 3' to the 5' end of the genome, similar to vertebrate rhabdoviruses. These results indicate that the regulation of virus gene transcription for this plant-infecting rhabdovirus is similar to that of some vertebrate-infecting rhabdoviruses.

Sulphur interferes with selenium accumulation in Tartary buckwheat plants.

PubMed

Golob, Aleksandra; Gadžo, Drena; Stibilj, Vekoslava; Djikić, Mirha; Gavrić, Teofil; Kreft, Ivan; Germ, Mateja

2016-11-01

Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.) and common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench.) plants grown in the field were treated foliarly with 126 μM solutions of selenate and/or sulphate in order to study the effect of sulphur (S) on selenium (Se) concentration in plants. In both species, the concentration of Se in all plant parts was similar in control and S treated plants. In Tartary buckwheat the concentration of Se was higher in S and Se treated plants than in plants treated with Se alone. S was shown to enhance Se accumulation in Tartary buckwheat. It was also shown that it is possible to produce grain and herb of Tartary and common buckwheat containing appropriate amounts of Se for food without affecting the yield of the plants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Absence of ppGpp Leads to Increased Mobilization of Intermediately Accumulated Poly(3-Hydroxybutyrate) in Ralstonia eutropha H16

PubMed Central

Juengert, Janina R.; Borisova, Marina; Wolz, Christiane; Brigham, Christopher J.; Sinskey, Anthony J.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT In this study, we constructed a set of Ralstonia eutropha H16 strains with single, double, or triple deletions of the (p)ppGpp synthase/hydrolase (spoT1), (p)ppGpp synthase (spoT2), and/or polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) depolymerase (phaZa1 or phaZa3) gene, and we determined the impact on the levels of (p)ppGpp and on accumulated PHB. Mutants with deletions of both the spoT1 and spoT2 genes were unable to synthesize detectable amounts of (p)ppGpp and accumulated only minor amounts of PHB, due to PhaZa1-mediated depolymerization of PHB. In contrast, unusually high levels of PHB were found in strains in which the (p)ppGpp concentration was increased by the overexpression of (p)ppGpp synthase (SpoT2) and the absence of (p)ppGpp hydrolase. Determination of (p)ppGpp levels in wild-type R. eutropha under different growth conditions and induction of the stringent response by amino acid analogs showed that the concentrations of (p)ppGpp during the growth phase determine the amount of PHB remaining in later growth phases by influencing the efficiency of the PHB mobilization system in stationary growth. The data reported for a previously constructed ΔspoT2 strain (C. J. Brigham, D. R. Speth, C. Rha, and A. J. Sinskey, Appl Environ Microbiol 78:8033–8044, 2012, https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.01693-12) were identified as due to an experimental error in strain construction, and our results are in contrast to the previous indication that the spoT2 gene product is essential for PHB accumulation in R. eutropha. IMPORTANCE Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is an important intracellular carbon and energy storage compound in many prokaryotes and helps cells survive periods of starvation and other stress conditions. Research activities in several laboratories over the past 3 decades have shown that both PHB synthase and PHB depolymerase are constitutively expressed in most PHB-accumulating bacteria, such as Ralstonia eutropha. This implies that PHB synthase and depolymerase activities

Expression of an Arabidopsis Ca2+/H+ antiporter CAX1 variant in petunia enhances cadmium tolerance and accumulation.

PubMed

Wu, Qingyu; Shigaki, Toshiro; Williams, Kimberly A; Han, Jeung-Sul; Kim, Chang Kil; Hirschi, Kendal D; Park, Sunghun

2011-01-15

Phytoremediation is a cost-effective and minimally invasive technology to cleanse soils contaminated with heavy metals. However, few plant species are suitable for phytoremediation of metals such as cadmium (Cd). Genetic engineering offers a powerful tool to generate plants that can hyperaccumulate Cd. An Arabidopsis CAX1 mutant (CAXcd), which confers enhanced Cd transport in yeast, was ectopically expressed in petunia to evaluate whether the CAXcd expression would enhance Cd tolerance and accumulation in planta. The CAXcd-expressing petunia plants showed significantly greater Cd tolerance and accumulation than the controls. After being treated with either 50 or 100μM CdCl(2) for 6 weeks, the CAXcd-expressing plants showed more vigorous growth compared with controls, and the transgenic plants accumulated significantly more Cd (up to 2.5-fold) than controls. Moreover, the accumulation of Cd did not affect the development and morphology of the CAXcd-expressing petunia plants until the flowering and ultimately the maturing of seeds. Therefore, petunia has the potential to serve as a model species for developing herbaceous, ornamental plants for phytoremediation. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Does power indicate capacity? 30-s Wingate anaerobic test vs. maximal accumulated O2 deficit.

PubMed

Minahan, C; Chia, M; Inbar, O

2007-10-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between anaerobic power and capacity. Seven men and seven women performed a 30-s Wingate Anaerobic Test on a cycle ergometer to determine peak power, mean power, and the fatigue index. Subjects also cycled at a work rate predicted to elicit 120 % of peak oxygen uptake to exhaustion to determine the maximal accumulated O (2) deficit. Peak power and the maximal accumulated O (2) deficit were significantly correlated (r = 0.782, p = 0.001). However, when the absolute difference in exercise values between groups (men and women) was held constant using a partial correlation, the relationship diminished (r = 0.531, p = 0.062). In contrast, we observed a significant correlation between fatigue index and the maximal accumulated O (2) deficit when controlling for gender (r = - 0.597, p = 0.024) and the relationship remained significant when values were expressed relative to active muscle mass. A higher anaerobic power does not indicate a greater anaerobic capacity. Furthermore, we suggest that the ability to maintain power output during a 30-s cycle sprint is related to anaerobic capacity.

Sodium accumulation in Atriplex. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Norton, J.A.; Caldwell, M.M.; Richardson, S.G.

1984-09-01

This study was undertaken to determine the ecological significance and the significance to arid land reclamation of sodium accumulation and nonaccumulation in Atriplex. There was a continuum in the genetic tendency of Atriplex canescens to accumulate sodium, from populations which accumulated almost no sodium to populations which accumulated up to 7% in the leaves. There were also substantial differences in sodium uptake between populations of A. tridentata, A. falcata and A. gardneri, with some populations having less than 0.1% leaf sodium and other populations having up to 5 or 6%. In three experiments (a field study, a greenhouse pot studymore » and a hydroponics study) there were no significant differences in salinity tolerance between sodium accumulating and nonaccumulating A. canescens: both genotypes were highly salt tolerant. There was a significant buildup of sodium in the soil beneath sodium accumulating Atriplex plants, both in natural populations and on revegetated oil shale study plots. The sodium buildup was not sufficient to be detrimental to the growth or establishment of most herbaceous species, but with older Atriplex plants or with more saline soil, the buildup could potentially be detrimental. 14 references, 42 figures, 3 tables.« less

Gold in the hills: patterns of placer gold accumulation under dynamic tectonic and climatic conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, Sam; Upton, Phaedra; Craw, Dave

2018-01-01

Formation of placer accumulations in fluvial environments requires 103-106 or even greater times concentration of heavy minerals. For this to occur, regular sediment supply from erosion of adjacent topography is required, the river should remain within a single course for an extended period of time and the material must be reworked such that a high proportion of the sediment is removed while a high proportion of the heavy minerals remains. We use numerical modeling, constrained by observations of circum-Pacific placer gold deposits, to explore processes occurring in evolving river systems in dynamic tectonic environments. A fluvial erosion/transport model is used to determine the mobility of placer gold under variable uplift rate, storm intensity, and rock mass strength conditions. Gold concentration is calculated from hydraulic and bedload grain size conditions. Model results suggest that optimal gold concentration occurs in river channels that frequently approach a threshold between detachment-limited and transport-limited hydraulic conditions. Such a condition enables the accumulation of gold particles within the framework of a residual gravel lag. An increase in transport capacity, which can be triggered by faster uplift rates, more resistant bedrock, or higher intensity storm events, will strip all bedload from the channel. Conversely, a reduction in transport capacity, triggered by a reduction in uplift rate, bedrock resistance, or storm intensity, will lead to a greater accumulation of a majority of sediments and a net decrease in gold concentration. For our model parameter range, the optimal conditions for placer gold concentration are met by 103 times difference in strength between bedrock and fault, uplift rates between 1 and 5 mm a-1, and moderate storm intensities. Fault damage networks are shown to be a critical factor for high Au concentrations and should be a target for exploration.

Open Field Study of Some Zea mays Hybrids, Lipid Compounds and Fumonisins Accumulation

PubMed Central

Giorni, Paola; Dall’Asta, Chiara; Reverberi, Massimo; Scala, Valeria; Ludovici, Matteo; Cirlini, Martina; Galaverna, Gianni; Fanelli, Corrado; Battilani, Paola

2015-01-01

Lipid molecules are increasingly recognized as signals exchanged by organisms interacting in pathogenic and/or symbiotic ways. Some classes of lipids actively determine the fate of the interactions. Host cuticle/cell wall/membrane components such as sphingolipids and oxylipins may contribute to determining the fate of host–pathogen interactions. In the present field study, we considered the relationship between specific sphingolipids and oxylipins of different hybrids of Zea mays and fumonisin by F. verticillioides, sampling ears at different growth stages from early dough to fully ripe. The amount of total and free fumonisin differed significantly between hybrids and increased significantly with maize ripening. Oxylipins and phytoceramides changed significantly within the hybrids and decreased with kernel maturation, starting from physiological maturity. Although the correlation between fumonisin accumulation and plant lipid profile is certain, the data collected so far cannot define a cause-effect relationship but open up new perspectives. Therefore, the question—“Does fumonisin alter plant lipidome or does plant lipidome modulate fumonisin accumulation?”—is still open. PMID:26378580

Species richness and selenium accumulation of plants in soils with elevated concentration of selenium and salinity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, Z.Z.; Wu, L.

1991-12-01

Field studies were conducted in soils with elevated concentrations of Se and salinity at Kesterson, California. Biomass distribution, species richness, and selenium accumulation of plants were examined for two sites where 15 cm of surface soil was removed and replaced with fill dirt in the fall of 1989, and two sites were native soil cover. The Se concentrations in the top 15 cm of fill dirt ranged from undetectable to 36 ng g-1. For the native soil sites, Se levels ranged from 75 to 550 ng g-1. Soil Se concentrations below 15 cm ranged from 300 to 700 ng g-1more » and were comparable between the fill dirt and the native soil sites. At least 20 different plant species were brought into the two fill dirt sites with the top soil. Avena fatua L., Bassia hyssopifolia Kuntze Rev. Gen. Pl., Centaurea solstitialis L., Erysimum officianale L., Franseria acanthicarpa Cav. Icon., and Melilotus indica (L.) All. contributed over 60% of the total biomass. Only 5 species were found in the native soil sites, and salt grass (Distichlis spicata L.) was the predominant species and accounted for over 80% of the total biomass. Between 1989 and 1990, two years after the surface soil replacement, the two fill dirt sites had a 70% reduction in species richness. Plant tissue selenium concentrations were found to be quite variable between plant species and between sites of sampling. At the fill dirt sites, the plant species with deep root systems accumulated greater amounts of selenium than the shallow-rooted species. The soil selenium concentration of the field soil had no negative effect on pollen fertility, seed set, and seed germination for the plant species examined. However, seedling growth was impaired by the soil selenium concentrations. This suggests that a selection pressure of soil Se concentration may have been imposed on plant species such as M. indica in an early stage of its life cycle.« less

Quantitation of cell-associated carbon nanotubes: selective binding and accumulation of carboxylated carbon nanotubes by macrophages.

PubMed

Wang, Ruhung; Lee, Michael; Kinghorn, Karina; Hughes, Tyler; Chuckaree, Ishwar; Lohray, Rishabh; Chow, Erik; Pantano, Paul; Draper, Rockford

2018-05-26

To understand the influence of carboxylation on the interaction of carbon nanotubes with cells, the amount of pristine multi-walled carbon nanotubes (P-MWNTs) or carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (C-MWNTs) coated with Pluronic ® F-108 that were accumulated by macrophages was measured by quantifying CNTs extracted from cells. Mouse RAW 264.7 macrophages and differentiated human THP-1 (dTHP-1) macrophages accumulated 80-100 times more C-MWNTs than P-MWNTs during a 24-h exposure at 37 °C. The accumulation of C-MWNTs by RAW 264.7 cells was not lethal; however, phagocytosis was impaired as subsequent uptake of polystyrene beads was reduced after a 20-h exposure to C-MWNTs. The selective accumulation of C-MWNTs suggested that there might be receptors on macrophages that bind C-MWNTs. The binding of C-MWNTs to macrophages was measured as a function of concentration at 4 °C in the absence of serum to minimize the potential interference by serum proteins or temperature-dependent uptake processes. The result was that the cells bound 8.7 times more C-MWNTs than P-MWNTs, consistent with the selective accumulation of C-MWNTs at 37 °C. In addition, serum strongly antagonized the binding of C-MWTS to macrophages, suggesting that serum contained inhibitors of binding. Moreover, inhibitors of class A scavenger receptor (SR-As) reduced the binding of C-MWNTs by about 50%, suggesting that SR-As contribute to the binding and endocytosis of C-MWNTs in macrophages but that other receptors may also be involved. Altogether, the evidence supports the hypothesis that macrophages contain binding sites selective for C-MWNTs that facilitate the high accumulation of C-MWNTs compared to P-MWNTs.

Maximum likelihood decoding analysis of accumulate-repeat-accumulate codes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbasfar, A.; Divsalar, D.; Yao, K.

2004-01-01

In this paper, the performance of the repeat-accumulate codes with (ML) decoding are analyzed and compared to random codes by very tight bounds. Some simple codes are shown that perform very close to Shannon limit with maximum likelihood decoding.

Higher accumulation of F1-V fusion recombinant protein in plants after induction of protein body formation.

PubMed

Alvarez, M Lucrecia; Topal, Emel; Martin, Federico; Cardineau, Guy A

2010-01-01

Improving foreign protein accumulation is crucial for enhancing the commercial success of plant-based production systems since product yields have a major influence on process economics. Cereal grain evolved to store large amounts of proteins in tightly organized aggregates. In maize, gamma-Zein is the major storage protein synthesized by the rough endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and stored in specialized organelles called protein bodies (PB). Zera (gamma-Zein ER-accumulating domain) is the N-terminal proline-rich domain of gamma-zein that is sufficient to induce the assembly of PB formation. Fusion of the Zera domain to proteins of interest results in assembly of dense PB-like, ER-derived organelles, containing high concentration of recombinant protein. Our main goal was to increase recombinant protein accumulation in plants in order to enhance the efficiency of orally-delivered plant-made vaccines. It is well known that oral vaccination requires substantially higher doses than parental formulations. As a part of a project to develop a plant-made plague vaccine, we expressed our model antigen, the Yersinia pestis F1-V antigen fusion protein, with and without a fused Zera domain. We demonstrated that Zera-F1-V protein accumulation was at least 3x higher than F1-V alone when expressed in three different host plant systems: Ncotiana benthamiana, Medicago sativa (alfalfa) and Nicotiana tabacum NT1 cells. We confirmed the feasibility of using Zera technology to induce protein body formation in non-seed tissues. Zera expression and accumulation did not affect plant development and growth. These results confirmed the potential exploitation of Zera technology to substantially increase the accumulation of value-added proteins in plants.

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) accumulation potential and PHA-accumulating microbial communities in various activated sludge processes of municipal wastewater treatment plants.

PubMed

Sakai, K; Miyake, S; Iwama, K; Inoue, D; Soda, S; Ike, M

2015-01-01

To clarify the polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) accumulation potential and the PHA-accumulating microbial community structure in activated sludge in municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and to identify their influential factors. Nine activated sludge samples were collected from municipal WWTPs employing various biological treatment processes. In acetate-fed 24-h batch experiments under aerobic and nitrogen- and phosphorus-limited conditions, polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) content of activated sludge increased from 0-1·3 wt% to 7·9-24 wt%, with PHB yields of 0·22-0·50 C-mol 3-hydroxybutyrate (C-mol acetate)(-1). Microbial community analyses found that activated sludge samples that accumulated >20 wt% of PHB after 24-h PHA accumulation experiments had >5·0 × 10(8) copies g(-1)-mixed liquor-suspended solid of phaC genes. Results indicated that (i) activated sludge in municipal WWTPs can accumulate up to approx. 20 wt% of PHA without enrichment processes, (ii) PHA accumulation potential of activated sludge varied depending on the operational conditions (treatment processes) of WWTPs, and (iii) phaC gene number can provide a simple indication of PHA accumulation potential. This is the first study to compare the PHA accumulation potential and PHA-accumulating microbial communities in activated sludge of various treatment processes. Our findings may be useful for enhancing the resource recovery potential of wastewater treatment systems. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Supply of fatty acid is one limiting factor in the accumulation of triacylglycerol in developing embryos

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bao, X.; Ohlrogge, J.

1999-08-01

The metabolic factors that determine oil yield in seeds are still not well understood. To begin to examine the limits on triacylglycerol (TAG) production, developing Cuphea lanceolata, Ulmus carpinifolia, and Ulmus parvifolia embryos were incubated with factors whose availability might limit oil accumulation. The addition of glycerol or sucrose did not significantly influence the rate of TAG synthesis. However, the rate of {sup 14}C-TAG synthesis upon addition of 2.1 mM {sup 14}C-decanoic acid (10:0) was approximately four times higher than the in vivo rate of TAG accumulation in C. lanceolata and two times higher than the in vivo rate inmore » U. carpinifolia and U. parvifolia. In C. lanceolata embryos, the highest rate of {sup 14}C-TAG synthesis (14.3 nmol h{sup {minus}1} embryo {sup {minus}1}) was achieved with the addition of 3.6 mM decanoic acid. {sup 14}C-Decanoic acid was incorporated equally well in all three acyl positions of TAG. The results suggest that C. lancelata, U. Carpinifolia, and U. parvifolia embryos have sufficient acyltransferase activities and glycerol-3-phosphate levels to support rates of TAG synthesis in excess of those found in vivo. Consequently, the amount of TAG synthesized in these oilseeds may be in part determined by the amount of fatty acid produced in plastids.« less

Effects of nutrient and lime additions in mine site rehabilitation strategies on the accumulation of antimony and arsenic by native Australian plants.

PubMed

Wilson, Susan C; Leech, Calvin D; Butler, Leo; Lisle, Leanne; Ashley, Paul M; Lockwood, Peter V

2013-10-15

The effects of nutrient and lime additions on antimony (Sb) and arsenic (As) accumulation by native Australian and naturalised plants growing in two contaminated mine site soils (2,735 mg kg(-1) and 4,517 mg kg(-1) Sb; 826 mg kg(-1) and 1606 As mgkg(-1)) was investigated using a glasshouse pot experiment. The results indicated an increase in soil solution concentrations with nutrient addition in both soils and also with nutrient+lime addition for Sb in one soil. Metalloid concentrations in plant roots were significantly greater than concentrations in above ground plant parts. The metalloid transfer to above ground plant parts from the roots and from the soil was, however, low (ratio of leaf concentration/soil concentration≪1) for all species studied. Eucalyptus michaeliana was the most successful at colonisation with lowest metalloid transfer to above ground plant parts. Addition of nutrients and nutrients+lime to soils, in general, increased plant metalloid accumulation. Relative As accumulation was greater than that of Sb. All the plant species studied were suitable for consideration in the mine soil phytostabilisation strategies but lime additions should be limited and longer term trials also recommended. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pantothenic acid refeeding diminishes the liver, perinephrical fats, and plasma fats accumulated by pantothenic acid deficiency and/or ethanol consumption.

PubMed

Shibata, Katsumi; Fukuwatari, Tsutomu; Higashiyama, Saori; Sugita, Chisa; Azumano, Isao; Onda, Masaaki

2013-05-01

Pantothenic acid (PaA) is a vitamin that is an integral part of coenzyme A (CoA). CoA is an essential coenzyme in fat metabolism. The aim of this study was to determine whether PaA deficiency causes the accumulation of tissue fats and, if so, can refeeding of PaA decrease such accumulated fat. Weaning rats were fed the PaA-free diet for 30 d. Rats were then divided into two groups. One group was continuously fed the PaA-free diet, and the other was fed the PaA-containing diet for an additional 13 d. At the end of the experiment, liver fat and perinephric fat were weighed, and plasma triglyceride levels measured. An additional similar experiment was conducted in which rats consumed 15% ethanol instead of water. Fat that accumulated by consuming the PaA-free diet for 30 d was decreased by consuming the PaA-containing diet for an additional 13 d. Ethanol feeding elicited much greater accumulation of liver, perinephric, and plasma fats if rats were fed the PaA-free diet. In such cases, administration of PaA could decrease the accumulated fat. PaA deficiency causes fat accumulation, and readministration of PaA decreases the tissue fat in rats fed the pantothenic acid-free diet. Ethanol accelerated the accumulation of fat in rats fed the PaA-free diet. PaA could be beneficial for decreasing accumulated tissue fat. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Threshold amounts of organic carbon needed to initiate reductive dechlorination in groundwater systems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chapelle, Francis H.; Thomas, Lashun K.; Bradley, Paul M.; Rectanus, Heather V.; Widdowson, Mark A.

2012-01-01

Aquifer sediment and groundwater chemistry data from 15 Department of Defense facilities located throughout the United States were collected and analyzed with the goal of estimating the amount of natural organic carbon needed to initiate reductive dechlorination in groundwater systems. Aquifer sediments were analyzed for hydroxylamine and NaOH-extractable organic carbon, yielding a probable underestimate of potentially bioavailable organic carbon (PBOC). Aquifer sediments were also analyzed for total organic carbon (TOC) using an elemental combustion analyzer, yielding a probable overestimate of bioavailable carbon. Concentrations of PBOC correlated linearly with TOC with a slope near one. However, concentrations of PBOC were consistently five to ten times lower than TOC. When mean concentrations of dissolved oxygen observed at each site were plotted versus PBOC, it showed that anoxic conditions were initiated at approximately 200 mg/kg of PBOC. Similarly, the accumulation of reductive dechlorination daughter products relative to parent compounds increased at a PBOC concentration of approximately 200 mg/kg. Concentrations of total hydrolysable amino acids (THAA) in sediments also increased at approximately 200 mg/kg, and bioassays showed that sediment CO2 production correlated positively with THAA. The results of this study provide an estimate for threshold amounts of bioavailable carbon present in aquifer sediments (approximately 200 mg/kg of PBOC; approximately 1,000 to 2,000 mg/kg of TOC) needed to support reductive dechlorination in groundwater systems.

Soy isoflavones in nutritionally relevant amounts have varied nutrigenomic effects on adipose tissue.

PubMed

Giordano, Elena; Dávalos, Alberto; Crespo, Maria Carmen; Tomé-Carneiro, Joao; Gómez-Coronado, Diego; Visioli, Francesco

2015-01-30

Soy consumption has been suggested to afford protection from cardiovascular disease (CVD). Indeed, accumulated albeit controversial evidence suggests that daily consumption of ≥25 g of soy protein with its associated phytochemicals intact can improve lipid profiles in hypercholesterolemic humans. However, the belief that soy foods and supplements positively impact human health has become increasingly controversial among the general public because of the reported estrogenic activities of soy isoflavones. In this study, we investigated the nutrigenomic actions of soy isoflavones (in nutritionally-relevant amounts) with a specific focus on the adipose tissue, due to its pivotal role in cardiometabolism. Young C57BL/6 mice were maintained for eight weeks under two different diet regimes: (1) purified control diet; or (2) purified control diet supplemented with 0.45 g% soybean dry purified extract (a genistein/daidzein mix). Soy isoflavones increased plasma total cholesterol concentrations and decreased triglyceride ones. Circulating leptin levels was also increased by soy consumption. Differentially expressed genes in adipose tissue were classified according to their role(s) in cellular or metabolic pathways. Our data show that soy isoflavones, administered in nutritionally-relevant amounts, have diverse nutrigenomic effects on adipose tissue. Taking into account the moderate average exposure to such molecules, their impact on cardiovascular health needs to be further investigated to resolve the issue of whether soy consumption does indeed increase or decrease cardiovascular risk.

Genetic, chemical, and field management strategies for reducing accumulation of arsenic in rice grains

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

There is public concern over amounts of arsenic contained in rice grains and foods. The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a CODEX limit of 0.2 ppm inorganic arsenic (iAs) in milled white rice, and a lower limit of 0.1 ppm for baby food products. Arsenic is of greater concern in rice than oth...

Sagebrush, greater sage-grouse, and the occurrence and importance of forbs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pennington, Victoria E.; Schlaepfer, Daniel R.; Beck, Jeffrey L.; Bradford, John B.; Palmquist, Kyle A.; Lauenroth, William K.

2016-01-01

Big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt.) ecosystems provide habitat for sagebrush-obligate wildlife species such as the Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). The understory of big sagebrush plant communities is composed of grasses and forbs that are important sources of cover and food for wildlife. The grass component is well described in the literature, but the composition, abundance, and habitat role of forbs in these communities is largely unknown. Our objective was to synthesize information about forbs and their importance to Greater Sage-Grouse diets and habitats, how rangeland management practices affect forbs, and how forbs respond to changes in temperature and precipitation. We also sought to identify research gaps and needs concerning forbs in big sagebrush plant communities. We searched for relevant literature including journal articles and state and federal agency reports. Our results indicated that in the spring and summer, Greater Sage-Grouse diets consist of forbs (particularly species in the Asteraceae family), arthropods, and lesser amounts of sagebrush. The diets transition to sagebrush in fall and winter. Forbs provide cover for Greater Sage-Grouse individuals at their lekking, nesting, and brood-rearing sites, and the species has a positive relationship with arthropod presence. The effect of grazing on native forbs may be compounded by invasion of nonnative species and differs depending on grazing intensity. The effect of fire on forbs varies greatly and may depend on time elapsed since burning. In addition, chemical and mechanical treatments affect annual and perennial forbs differently. Temperature and precipitation influence forb phenology, biomass, and abundance differently among species. Our review identified several uncertainties and research needs about forbs in big sagebrush ecosystems. First, in many cases the literature about forbs is reported only at the genus or functional type level. Second, information about forb

Heavy metal tolerance and accumulation of Triarrhena sacchariflora, a large amphibious ornamental grass.

PubMed

Tian, R N; Yu, S; Wang, S G; Zhang, Y; Tang, J Y; Liu, Y L; Nie, Y H

2013-01-01

In this study, we report the tolerance and accumulation of Triarrhena sacchariflora to copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd). The results show that T. sacchariflora had strong tolerance to Cu and Cd stress. The tolerance indexes (TI) were greater than 0.5 for all treatments. The bioconcentration factors (BCFs) to Cu and Cd were both above 1.0. The accumulation ability of roots was stronger than that of shoots, and ranges of BCF to Cu and Cd in roots were 37.89-79.08 and 83.96-300.57, respectively. However, the translocation ability to Cu and Cd was weak, with more than 86% of Cu or Cd accumulated in roots, suggesting an exclusion strategy for heavy metal tolerance. The uptake efficiency (UE) and translocation efficiency (TE) to Cu and Cd increased linearly as the Cu and Cd concentration in the substrate increased. UE was higher than TE, with a maximum of 2,118.90 μg g(-1) root dry weight (DW) (50 mg L(-1) Cu) and 1,847.51 μg g(-1) root DW (20 mg L(-1)Cd), respectively. The results indicate that T. sacchariflora is a Cu- and Cd-tolerant non-hyperaccumulator plant, suggesting that T. sacchariflora could play an important role in phytoremediation in areas contaminated with Cu and Cd.

Abscisic Acid Accumulation by Roots of Xanthium strumarium L. and Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. in Relation to Water Stress 1

PubMed Central

Cornish, Katrina; Zeevaart, Jan A. D.

1985-01-01

Plants of Xanthium strumarium L. and Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv `Rheinlands Ruhm' were grown in solution culture, and control and steam-girdled intact plants were stressed. Detached roots of both species were stressed to different extents in two ways: (a) either in warm air or, (b) in the osmoticum Aquacide III. The roots of both species produced and accumulated progressively more abscisic acid (ABA), the greater the stress inflicted by either method. ABA-glucose ester levels in Xanthium roots were not affected by water stress and were too low to be the source of the stress-induced ABA. The fact that ABA accumulated in detached roots and in roots of girdled plants proves that ABA was synthesized in the roots and not merely transported from the shoots. Maximum ABA accumulation in detached roots occurred after 60 to 70% loss of fresh weight. In Xanthium roots, ABA levels continued to increase for at least 11 hours, and no catabolism was apparent when stressed roots were immersed in water, although the roots did stop accumulating ABA. When osmotically stressed, Xanthium roots reached a maximum ABA level after 2 hours, but ABA continued to rise in the medium. Under optimal stress conditions, endogenous ABA levels increased 100 times over their prestress values in detached roots of Xanthium, and 15 times in Lycopersicon under nonoptimal stress, when endogenous ABA was expressed as concentrations based on tissue water content. These are much greater relative increases than observed in the leaves (15 times in Xanthium, 3 times in Lycopersicon), although the roots contain substantially less ABA than the leaves in all circumstances. The results suggest that the endogenous level of ABA in roots could rise appreciably prior to leaf wilt, and could modify the plant's water economy before the leaves become stressed. PMID:16664467

Gypsum accumulation on carbonate stone

USGS Publications Warehouse

McGee, E.S.; Mossotti, V.G.

1992-01-01

The accumulation of gypsum on carbonate stone has been investigated through exposure of fresh samples of limestone and marble at monitored sites, through examination of alteration crusts from old buildings and through laboratory experiments. Several factors contribute to gypsum accumulation on carbonate stone. Marble or limestone that is sheltered from direct washing by rain in an urban environment with elevated pollution levels is likely to accumulate a gypsum crust. Crust development may be enhanced if the stone is porous or has an irregular surface area. Gypsum crusts are a surficial alteration feature; gypsum crystals form at the pore opening-air interface, where evaporation is greatest.

Relationship between Pb and Cd accumulations in house crow, their habitat, and food content from Klang area, Peninsular Malaysia.

PubMed

Janaydeh, Mohammed; Ismail, Ahmad; Omar, Hishamuddin; Zulkifli, Syaizwan Zahmir; Bejo, Mohd Hair; Aziz, Nor Azwady Abd

2017-12-27

Heavy metal pollution has become a global concern due to accumulation in tissue and transferable effects to humans via the food chain. This study focused on monitoring the accumulation of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in surface soil and body content: bone, heart, brain, liver, lung, muscle, kidney, feathers, feces, and gizzard contents of house crow Corvus splendens in the Klang region, Malaysia. The results revealed the occurrence of Pb and Cd in all biological samples from house crows, food contents, and surface soil samples. Heart and kidney accrued high amounts of Cd, while high amounts of Pb were found to accumulate in bones and feathers. Major discrepancies were also discovered in the concentrations of metals between juvenile and adults, as well as female and male bird samples. Concentrations of Pb and Cd in house crow internal tissues correlated significantly with that of bird feathers, but none could be established with that of surface soil. In addition, a significant correlation was observed between Pb concentration in the internal tissues to that of the feces, but the same was not the case when compared with the surface soil concentration. Metal accrual in the house crows feathers and feces may be through a long-term transmission via the food chain, which are eliminated from feathers via molting. This may suggest the utility of molted breast feathers of house crow in the bio-monitoring of Cd and Pb contamination, whereas feces of house crow appear only to be suitable for the bio-monitoring of Pb contamination.

Effect of Beta-Hydroxy Beta-Methylbutyrate on the Onset of Blood Lactate Accumulation and VO2peak in Endurance-Trained Cyclists.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vukovich, Matthew D.; Dreifort, Geri D.

2001-01-01

Examined the effect of beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation on maximal oxygen consumption (VO2peak) and onset of blood lactate accumulation (OBLA) in endurance-trained cyclists. Acute exercise did not affect plasma HMB concentrations. OBLA increased with HMB and leucine, with blood glucose significantly greater during the HMB…

Varying butyric acid amounts induce different stress- and cell death-related signals in nerve growth factor-treated PC12 cells: implications in neuropathic pain absence during periodontal disease progression.

PubMed

Seki, Keisuke; Cueno, Marni E; Kamio, Noriaki; Saito, Yuko; Kamimoto, Atsushi; Kurita-Ochiai, Tomoko; Ochiai, Kuniyasu

2016-06-01

Neuropathic pain is absent from the early stages of periodontal disease possibly due to neurite retraction. Butyric acid (BA) is a periodontopathic metabolite that activates several stress-related signals and, likewise, induce neurite retraction. Neuronal cell death is associated to neurite retraction which would suggest that BA-induced neurite retraction is ascribable to neuronal cell death. However, the underlying mechanism of BA-related cell death signaling remains unknown. In this study, we exposed NGF-treated PC12 cells to varying BA concentrations [0 (control), 0.5, 1.0, 5.0 mM] and determined selected stress-related (H2O2, glutathione reductase, calcium (Ca(2+)), plasma membrane Ca(2+) ATPase (PMCA), and GADD153/CHOPS) and cell death-associated (extrinsic: FasL, TNF-α, TWEAK, and TRAIL; intrinsic: cytochrome C (CytC), NF-kB, CASP8, CASP9, CASP10, and CASP3) signals. Similarly, we confirmed cell death execution by chromatin condensation. Our results showed that low (0.5 mM) and high (1.0 and 5.0 mM) BA levels differ in stress and cell death signaling. Moreover, at periodontal disease-level BA concentration (5 mM), we observed that only FasL amounts were affected and occurred concurrently with chromatin condensation insinuating that cells have fully committed to neurodegeneration. Thus, we believe that both stress and cell death signaling in NGF-treated PC12 cells are affected differently depending on BA concentration. In a periodontal disease scenario, we hypothesize that during the early stages, low BA amounts accumulate resulting to both stress- and cell death-related signals that favor neurite non-proliferation, whereas, during the later stages, high BA amounts accumulate resulting to both stress- and cell death-related signals that favor neurodegeneration. More importantly, we propose that neuropathic pain absence at any stage of periodontal disease progression is ascribable to BA accumulation regardless of amount.

Accumulation and residue of napropamide in alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and soil involved in toxic response.

PubMed

Cui, Li E; Yang, Hong

2011-06-15

Napropamide belongs to the amide herbicide family and widely used to control weeds in farmland. Intensive use of the herbicide has resulted in widespread contamination to ecosystems. The present study demonstrated an analysis on accumulation of the toxic pesticide napropamide in six genotypes of alfalfa (Medicago sativa), along with biological parameters and its residues in soils. Soil was treated with napropamide at 3 mg kg(-1) dry soil and alfalfa plants were cultured for 10 or 30 d, respectively. The maximum value for napropamide accumulation is 0.426 mg kg(-1) in shoots and 2.444 mg kg(-1) in roots. The napropamide-contaminated soil with alfalfa cultivation had much lower napropamide concentrations than the control (soil without alfalfa cultivation). Also, the content of napropamide residue in the rhizosphere was significantly lower than that in the non-rhizosphere soil. M. sativa exposed to 3 mg kg(-1) napropamide showed inhibited growth. Further analysis revealed that plants treated with napropamide accumulated more reactive oxygen species (O(2)(-) and H(2)O(2)) and less amounts of chlorophyll. However, not all cultivars showed oxidative injury, suggesting that the alfalfa cultivars display different tolerance to napropamide. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

N-terminal lipid modification is required for the stable accumulation of CyanoQ in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

DOE PAGES

Juneau, Andrea D.; Frankel, Laurie K.; Bricker, Terry M.; ...

2016-09-22

Here, the CyanoQ protein has been demonstrated to be a component of cyanobacterial Photosystem II (PS II), but there exist a number of outstanding questions concerning its physical association with the complex. CyanoQ is a lipoprotein; upon cleavage of its transit peptide by Signal Peptidase II, which targets delivery of the mature protein to the thylakoid lumenal space, the N-terminal cysteinyl residue is lipid-modified. This modification appears to tether this otherwise soluble component to the thylakoid membrane. To probe the functional significance of the lipid anchor, mutants of the CyanoQ protein have been generated in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 tomore » eliminate the N-terminal cysteinyl residue, preventing lipid modification. Substitution of the N-terminal cysteinyl residue with serine (Q-C22S) resulted in a decrease in the amount of detectable CyanoQ protein to 17% that of the wild-type protein. Moreover, the physical properties of the accumulated Q-C22S protein were consistent with altered processing of the CyanoQ precursor. The Q-C22S protein was shifted to a higher apparent molecular mass and partitioned in the hydrophobic phase in TX-114 phase-partitioning experiments. These results suggest that the hydrophobic N-terminal 22 amino acids were not properly cleaved by a signal peptidase. Substitution of the entire CyanoQ transit peptide with the transit peptide of the soluble lumenal protein PsbO yielded the Q-SS mutant and resulted in no detectable accumulation of the modified CyanoQ protein. Finally, the CyanoQ protein was present at normal amounts in the PS II mutant strains ΔpsbB and ΔpsbO, indicating that an association with PS II was not a prerequisite for stable CyanoQ accumulation. Together these results indicate that CyanoQ accumulation in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 depends on the presence of the N-terminal lipid anchor, but not on the association of CyanoQ with the PS II complex.« less

N-terminal lipid modification is required for the stable accumulation of CyanoQ in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Juneau, Andrea D.; Frankel, Laurie K.; Bricker, Terry M.

Here, the CyanoQ protein has been demonstrated to be a component of cyanobacterial Photosystem II (PS II), but there exist a number of outstanding questions concerning its physical association with the complex. CyanoQ is a lipoprotein; upon cleavage of its transit peptide by Signal Peptidase II, which targets delivery of the mature protein to the thylakoid lumenal space, the N-terminal cysteinyl residue is lipid-modified. This modification appears to tether this otherwise soluble component to the thylakoid membrane. To probe the functional significance of the lipid anchor, mutants of the CyanoQ protein have been generated in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 tomore » eliminate the N-terminal cysteinyl residue, preventing lipid modification. Substitution of the N-terminal cysteinyl residue with serine (Q-C22S) resulted in a decrease in the amount of detectable CyanoQ protein to 17% that of the wild-type protein. Moreover, the physical properties of the accumulated Q-C22S protein were consistent with altered processing of the CyanoQ precursor. The Q-C22S protein was shifted to a higher apparent molecular mass and partitioned in the hydrophobic phase in TX-114 phase-partitioning experiments. These results suggest that the hydrophobic N-terminal 22 amino acids were not properly cleaved by a signal peptidase. Substitution of the entire CyanoQ transit peptide with the transit peptide of the soluble lumenal protein PsbO yielded the Q-SS mutant and resulted in no detectable accumulation of the modified CyanoQ protein. Finally, the CyanoQ protein was present at normal amounts in the PS II mutant strains ΔpsbB and ΔpsbO, indicating that an association with PS II was not a prerequisite for stable CyanoQ accumulation. Together these results indicate that CyanoQ accumulation in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 depends on the presence of the N-terminal lipid anchor, but not on the association of CyanoQ with the PS II complex.« less

The role of FFM accumulation and skeletal muscle architecture in powerlifting performance.

PubMed

Brechue, William F; Abe, Takashi

2002-02-01

be limited by the ability to accumulate FFM. Additionally, muscle architecture appears to play an important role in powerlifting performance in that greater fascicle lengths are associated with greater FFM accumulation and powerlifting performance.

RELATING ACCUMULATOR MODEL PARAMETERS AND NEURAL DYNAMICS

PubMed Central

Purcell, Braden A.; Palmeri, Thomas J.

2016-01-01

Accumulator models explain decision-making as an accumulation of evidence to a response threshold. Specific model parameters are associated with specific model mechanisms, such as the time when accumulation begins, the average rate of evidence accumulation, and the threshold. These mechanisms determine both the within-trial dynamics of evidence accumulation and the predicted behavior. Cognitive modelers usually infer what mechanisms vary during decision-making by seeing what parameters vary when a model is fitted to observed behavior. The recent identification of neural activity with evidence accumulation suggests that it may be possible to directly infer what mechanisms vary from an analysis of how neural dynamics vary. However, evidence accumulation is often noisy, and noise complicates the relationship between accumulator dynamics and the underlying mechanisms leading to those dynamics. To understand what kinds of inferences can be made about decision-making mechanisms based on measures of neural dynamics, we measured simulated accumulator model dynamics while systematically varying model parameters. In some cases, decision- making mechanisms can be directly inferred from dynamics, allowing us to distinguish between models that make identical behavioral predictions. In other cases, however, different parameterized mechanisms produce surprisingly similar dynamics, limiting the inferences that can be made based on measuring dynamics alone. Analyzing neural dynamics can provide a powerful tool to resolve model mimicry at the behavioral level, but we caution against drawing inferences based solely on neural analyses. Instead, simultaneous modeling of behavior and neural dynamics provides the most powerful approach to understand decision-making and likely other aspects of cognition and perception. PMID:28392584

Phytotoxicity, accumulation and transport of silver nanoparticles by Arabidopsis thaliana.

PubMed

Geisler-Lee, Jane; Wang, Qiang; Yao, Ying; Zhang, Wen; Geisler, Matt; Li, Kungang; Huang, Ying; Chen, Yongsheng; Kolmakov, Andrei; Ma, Xingmao

2013-05-01

The widespread availability of nano-enabled products in the global market may lead to the release of a substantial amount of engineered nanoparticles in the environment, which frequently display drastically different physiochemical properties than their bulk counterparts. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact of citrate-stabilised silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on the plant Arabidopsis thaliana at three levels, physiological phytotoxicity, cellular accumulation and subcellular transport of AgNPs. The monodisperse AgNPs of three different sizes (20, 40 and 80 nm) aggregated into much larger sizes after mixing with quarter-strength Hoagland solution and became polydisperse. Immersion in AgNP suspension inhibited seedling root elongation and demonstrated a linear dose-response relationship within the tested concentration range. The phytotoxic effect of AgNPs could not be fully explained by the released silver ions. Plants exposed to AgNP suspensions bioaccumulated higher silver content than plants exposed to AgNO3 solutions (Ag(+) representative), indicating AgNP uptake by plants. AgNP toxicity was size and concentration dependent. AgNPs accumulated progressively in this sequence: border cells, root cap, columella and columella initials. AgNPs were apoplastically transported in the cell wall and found aggregated at plasmodesmata. In all the three levels studied, AgNP impacts differed from equivalent dosages of AgNO3.

Vanadium accumulation in carbonaceous rocks: A review of geochemical controls during deposition and diagenesis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Breit, G.N.; Wanty, R.B.

1991-01-01

Published data relevant to the geochemistry of vanadium were used to evaluate processes and conditions that control vanadium accumulation in carbonaceous rocks. Reduction, adsorption, and complexation of dissolved vanadium favor addition of vanadium to sediments rich in organic carbon. Dissolved vanadate (V(V)) species predominate in oxic seawater and are reduced to vanadyl ion (V(IV)) by organic compounds or H2S. Vanadyl ion readily adsorbs to particle surfaces and is added to the sediment as the particles settle. The large vanadium concentrations of rocks deposited in marine as compared to lacustrine environments are the result of the relatively large amount of vanadium provided by circulating ocean water compared to terrestrial runoff. Vanadium-rich carbonaceous rocks typically have high contents of organically bound sulfur and are stratigraphically associated with phosphate-rich units. A correspondence between vanadium content and organically bound sulfur is consistent with high activities of H2S during sediment deposition. Excess H2S exited the sediment into bottom waters and favored reduction of dissolved V(V) to V(IV) or possibly V(III). The stratigraphic association of vanadiferous and phosphatic rocks reflects temporal and spatial shifts in bottom water chemistry from suboxic (phosphate concentrated) to more reducing (euxinic?) conditions that favor vanadium accumulation. During diagenesis some vanadium-organic complexes migrate with petroleum out of carbonaceous rocks, but significant amounts of vanadium are retained in refractory organic matter or clay minerals. As carbon in the rock evolves toward graphite during metamorphism, vanadium is incorporated into silicate minerals. ?? 1991.

Cadmium accumulation is enhanced by ammonium compared to nitrate in two hyperaccumulators, without affecting speciation

PubMed Central

Cheng, Miaomiao; Wang, Peng; Kopittke, Peter M.; Wang, Anan; Sale, Peter W.G.

2016-01-01

Nitrogen fertilization could improve the efficiency of Cd phytoextraction in contaminated soil and thus shorten the remediation time. However, limited information is available on the effect of N form on Cd phytoextraction and associated mechanisms in plants. This study examined the effect of N form on Cd accumulation, translocation, and speciation in Carpobrotus rossii and Solanum nigrum. Plants were grown in nutrient solution with 5–15 μM Cd in the presence of 1000 µM NH4 + or NO3 −. Plant growth and Cd uptake were measured, and Cd speciation was analyzed using synchrotron-based X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Shoot Cd accumulation was 30% greater with NH4 + than NO3 − supply. Carpobrotus rossii accumulated three times more Cd than S. nigrum. However, Cd speciation in the plants was not influenced by N form, but it did vary with species and tissues. In C. rossii, up to 91% of Cd was bound to S-containing ligands in all tissues except the xylem sap where 87–95% were Cd-OH complexes. Furthermore, the proportion of Cd-S in shoots was substantially lower in S. nigrum (44–69%) than in C. rossii (60–91%). It is concluded that the application of NH4 + (instead of NO3 −) increased shoot Cd accumulation by increasing uptake and translocation, rather than changing Cd speciation, and is potentially an effective approach for increasing Cd phytoextraction. PMID:27385767

Effect of diurnal temperature difference on lipid accumulation and development in Calanus sinicus (Copepoda: Calanoida)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Konglin; Sun, Song

2017-07-01

Calanus sinicus, the dominant copepod in the Yellow Sea, develops a large oil sac in late spring to prepare for over-summering in the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass (YSCWM). The lipid accumulation mechanism for the initiation of over-summering is unknown. Here, we cultured C3 copepodites at four constant temperatures (10, 13, 16, and 19°C) and at three temperature regimes that mimicked the temperature variations experienced during diurnal vertical migration (10-13°C, 10-16°C, and 10-19°C) for 18 days to explore the effects of temperature differences on copepod development and lipid accumulation. C. sinicus stored more lipid at low than at high temperatures. A diurnal temperature difference (10-16°C and 10-19°C) promoted greater lipid accumulation (1.9-2.1 times) than a constant temperature of either 16°C or 19°C, by reducing the energy cost at colder temperatures and lengthening copepodite development. Thereafter, the lipid reserve supported gonad development after final molting. Only one male developed in these experiments. This highly female-skewed sex ratio may have been the result of the monotonous microalgae diet fed to the copepodites. This study provides the first evidence that diurnal temperature differences may promote lipid accumulation in C. sinicus, and provides a foundation for future investigations into the mechanisms involved in over-summering in the YSCWM.

Lipid droplets accumulation and other biochemical changes induced in the fungal pathogen Ustilago maydis under nitrogen-starvation.

PubMed

Aguilar, Lucero Romero; Pardo, Juan Pablo; Lomelí, Mónica Montero; Bocardo, Oscar Ivan Luqueño; Juárez Oropeza, Marco A; Guerra Sánchez, Guadalupe

2017-10-01

In many organisms, the growth under nitrogen-deprivation or a poor nitrogen source impacts on the carbon flow distribution and causes accumulation of neutral lipids, which are stored as lipid droplets (LDs). Efforts are in progress to find the mechanism of LDs synthesis and degradation, and new organisms capable of accumulating large amounts of lipids for biotechnological applications. In this context, when Ustilago maydis was cultured in the absence of a nitrogen source, there was a large accumulation of lipid bodies containing mainly triacylglycerols. The most abundant fatty acids in lipid bodies at the stationary phase were palmitic, linoleic, and oleic acids, and they were synthesized de novo by the fatty-acid synthase. In regard to the production of NADPH for the synthesis of fatty acids, the cytosolic NADP + -dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase and the glucose-6-phosphate and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenases couple showed the highest specific activities, with a lower activity of the malic enzyme. The ATP-citrate lyase activity was not detected in any of the culture conditions, which points to a different mechanism for the transfer of acetyl-CoA into the cytosol. Protein and RNA contents decreased when U. maydis was grown without a nitrogen source. Due to the significant accumulation of triacylglycerols and the particular composition of fatty acids, U. maydis can be considered an alternative model for biotechnological applications.

Evaluation of urban environment pollution based on the accumulation of macro- and trace elements in epiphytic lichens.

PubMed

Parzych, Agnieszka; Astel, Aleksander; Zduńczyk, Anna; Surowiec, Tomasz

2016-01-01

Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, zinc, nickel, copper, manganese, iron and lead accumulation properties of three epiphytic lichen species (Hypogymnia physodes (L.) Nyl., Parmelia sulcata Taylor and Xanthoria parietina (L.) Th. Fr.) were compared. An assessment of pollution of the municipal environment in Słupsk (Poland) according to macro- and trace elements was also done. Lichen samples were taken in Autumn 2013 from Betula pendula, Fraxinus excelsior, Acer platanoides, A. pseudoplatanus and Populus sp. trees. Sampling stations comprised of house development areas, green urban parks, vicinity of streets with heavy traffic and industrial enterprises. It was found that lichens represent diverse accumulation properties to pollutants according to the species. X. parietina indicated the highest bioaccumulation in relation to N, K, Mg, Zn and Fe, the thalli of H. physodes accumulated the largest amounts of Ni and Pb, while P. sulcata P and Cu. Manganese was accumulated in similar quantities by all species. Evidences acquired by the use of factor analysis proved that pollution in Słupsk municipal environment is a serious issue with three major sources domination: street dust, marine factor and residual oil combustion. The high-risk areas were detected and visualized using surface maps based on Kriging algorithm. It was seen that the highest pollution occurs in the town centre, while the smallest happened on its outskirts and in urban parks.

Anion channels and the stimulation of anthocyanin accumulation by blue light in Arabidopsis seedlings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noh, B.; Spalding, E. P.; Evans, M. H. (Principal Investigator)

1998-01-01

Activation of anion channels by blue light begins within seconds of irradiation in seedlings and is related to the ensuing growth inhibition. 5-Nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)-benzoic acid (NPPB) is a potent, selective, and reversible blocker of these anion channels in Arabidopsis thaliana. Here we show that 20 microM NPPB blocked 72% of the blue-light-induced accumulation of anthocyanin pigments in seedlings. Feeding biosynthetic intermediates to wild-type and tt5 seedlings provided evidence that NPPB prevented blue light from up-regulating one or more steps between and including phenylalanine ammonia lyase and chalcone isomerase. NPPB was found to have no significant effect on the blue-light-induced increase in transcript levels of PAL1, CHS, CHI, or DFR, which are genes that encode anthocyanin-biosynthetic enzymes. Immunoblots revealed that NPPB also did not inhibit the accumulation of the chalcone synthase, chalcone isomerase, or flavanone-3-hydroxylase proteins. This is in contrast to the reduced anthocyanin accumulation displayed by a mutant lacking the HY4 blue-light receptor, as hy4 displayed reduced expression of the above enzymes. Taken together, the data indicate that blue light acting through HY4 leads to an increase in the amount of biosynthetic enzymes but blue light must also act through a separate, anion-channel-dependent system to create a fully functional biosynthetic pathway.

Accumulation, Release, and Solubility of Arsenic, Molybdenum, and Vanadium in Wetland Sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fox, P.M.; Doner, H.E.

2003-01-01

This study was undertaken to determine the fate of As, Mo, and V (trace elements, TEs) in the sediments of a constructed wetland in use for the remediation of potentially toxic trace element-contaminated agricultural drainwater. After three years of wetland operation, sediment cores were collected to determine changes in TE concentrations as a function of depth and the effects of varying water column depth. All TE concentrations were highest in the top 2 to 4 cm and decreased with depth. Molybdenum accumulated in the wetland sediments, up to levels of 32.5 ?? 4.6, 30.2 ?? 8.9, and 59.3 ?? 26.1 mg kg-1 in the top 1 cm of sediment at water depths of 15, 30, and 60 cm, respectively. In the top 2 cm of sediment, As accumulated (28.2 ?? 3.0 mg kg-1) only at the 60-cm water depth. Below 2 cm, as much as 10 mg kg-1 of As was lost from the sediment at all water depths. In most cases, V concentrations decreased in the sediment. In this wetland system, the lowest redox potentials were found near the sediment surface and increased with depth. Thus, in general As, Mo, and V concentrations in the sediment were highest under more reducing conditions and lowest under more oxidizing conditions. Most of the accumulated Mo (73%) became water soluble on drying of samples. This has important implications for systems undergoing changes in redox status; for instance, if these wetland sediments are dried, potentially large amounts of Mo may be solubilized.

22 CFR 1104.15 - Civil penalty amounts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Civil penalty amounts. 1104.15 Section 1104.15 Foreign Relations INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMMISSION, UNITED STATES AND MEXICO, UNITED STATES SECTION PROTECTION OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES § 1104.15 Civil penalty amounts. (a) Maximum amount of...

Amyloid Precursor Protein Haploinsufficiency Preferentially Mediates Brain Iron Accumulation in Mice Transgenic for The Huntington's Disease Mutation.

PubMed

Berggren, Kiersten; Agrawal, Sonal; Fox, Julia A; Hildenbrand, Justin; Nelson, Ryan; Bush, Ashley I; Fox, Jonathan H

2017-01-01

Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by a CAG expansion in the huntingtin gene that results in expression of mutant huntingtin protein. Iron accumulates in HD brain neurons. Amyloid precursor protein (APP) promotes neuronal iron export. However, the role of APP in brain iron accumulation in HD is unclear. To determine the effects of APP insufficiency on HD in YAC128 mice. We crossed APP hemizygous mice (APP+/-) with YAC128 mice that are transgenic (Tg) for human mutant huntingtin (hmHTT) to generate APP+/+ hmHTT-/-, APP+/- hmHTT-/-, APP+/+ hmHTT+/- and APP+/- hmHTT+/- progeny. Mice were evaluated for behavioral, biochemical and neuropathology HD outcomes at 2-12 months of age. APP heterozygosity decreased cortical APP 25% and 60% in non-Tg and Tg mice, respectively. Cerebral and striatal iron levels were increased by APP knockdown in Tg mice only. Nest-building behavior was decreased in Tg mice; APP knockdown decreased nest building in non-Tg but not Tg mice. Rota-rod endurance was decreased in Tg mice. APP+/- hHTT+/- mice demonstrated additional decreases in rota-rod endurance from 4-10 months of age. Tg mice had smaller striatal volumes and fewer striatal neurons but were not affected by APP knockdown. APP heterozygosity results in greater decreases of cortical APP in Tg versus non-Tg mice. Mutant huntingtin transgenic mice develop brain iron accumulation as a result of greater suppression of APP levels. Elevated brain iron in Tg mice was associated with a decline in motor endurance consistent with a disease promoting effect of iron in the YAC128 model of human HD.

Effects of the May 5-6, 1973, storm in the Greater Denver area, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hansen, Wallace R.

1973-01-01

Rain began falling on the Greater Denver area the evening of Saturday, May 5, 1973, and continued through most of Sunday, May 6. Below about 7,000 feet altitude, the precipitation was mostly rain; above that altitude, it was mostly snow. Although the rate of fall was moderate, at least 4 inches of rain or as much as 4 feet of snow accumulated in some places. Sustained precipitation falling at a moderate rate thoroughly saturated the ground and by midday Sunday sent most of the smaller streams into flood stage. The South Platte River and its major tributaries began to flood by late Sunday evening and early Monday morning. Geologic and hydrologic processes activated by the May 5-6 storm caused extensive damage to lands and to manmade structures in the Greater Denver area. Damage was generally most intense in areas where man had modified the landscape--by channel constrictions, paving, stripping of vegetation and topsoil, and oversteepening of hillslopes. Roads, bridges, culverts, dams, canals, and the like were damaged or destroyed by erosion and sedimentation. Streambanks and structures along them were scoured. Thousands of acres of croplands, pasture, and developed urban lands were coated with mud and sand. Flooding was intensified by inadequate storm sewers, blocked drains, and obstructed drainage courses. Saturation of hillslopes along the Front Range caused rockfalls, landslides, and mudflows as far west as Berthoud Pass. Greater attention to geologic conditions in land-use planning, design, and construction would minimize storm damage in the future.

29 CFR 4219.14 - Amount of liability for 20-year-limitation amounts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... amount equal to the present value of all initial withdrawal liability payments for which the employer was not liable pursuant to section 4219(c)(1)(B) of ERISA. The present value of such payments shall be...

Noise Reduction by Signal Accumulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kraftmakher, Yaakov

2006-01-01

The aim of this paper is to show how the noise reduction by signal accumulation can be accomplished with a data acquisition system. This topic can be used for student projects. In many cases, the noise reduction is an unavoidable part of experimentation. Several techniques are known for this purpose, and among them the signal accumulation is the…

A greenhouse and field-based study to determine the accumulation of arsenic in common homegrown vegetables grown in mining-affected soils

PubMed Central

Ramirez-Andreotta, Monica D.; Brusseau, Mark L.; Artiola, Janick F.; Maier, Raina M.

2012-01-01

The uptake of arsenic by plants from contaminated soils presents a health hazard that may affect home gardeners neighboring contaminated environments. A controlled greenhouse study was conducted in parallel with a co-created citizen science program (home garden experiment) to characterize the uptake of arsenic by common homegrown vegetables near the Iron King Mine and Humboldt Smelter Superfund site in southern Arizona. The greenhouse and home garden arsenic soil concentrations varied considerably, ranging from 2.35 to 533 mg kg−1. In the greenhouse experiment four vegetables were grown in three different soil treatments and in the home garden experiment a total of 63 home garden produce samples were obtained from 19 properties neighboring the site. All vegetables accumulated arsenic in both the greenhouse and home garden experiments, ranging from 0.01 to 23.0 mg kg−1 dry weight. Bioconcentration factors were determined and show that arsenic uptake decreased in the order: Asteraceae > Brassicaceae > Amaranthaceae > Cucurbitaceae > Liliaceae > Solanaceae > Fabaceae. Certain members of the Asteraceae and Brassicaceae plant families have been previously identified as hyperaccumulator plants, and it can be inferred that members of these families have genetic and physiological capacity to accumulate, translocate, and resist high amounts of metals. Additionally, a significant linear correlation was observed between the amount of arsenic that accumulated in the edible portion of the plant and the arsenic soil concentration for the Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Amaranthaceae, and Fabaceae families. The results suggest that home gardeners neighboring mining operations or mine tailings with elevated arsenic levels should be made aware that arsenic can accumulate considerably in certain vegetables, and in particular, it is recommended that gardeners limit consumption of vegetables from the Asteraceae and Brassicaceae plant families. PMID:23201696

Influence of orbital precession on the polar methane accumulation on Titan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, J.; Schneider, T.

2014-12-01

Data collected by Cassini Spacecraft indicate that lakes on Titan are primarily found in the polar regions, preferentially in the north. It has been suggested that the hemispherical asymmetry in lake distribution is related to Saturn's orbital precession, which changes the seasonal distribution of solar radiation on Titan, but not the annual mean (Aharonson et al., 2009; Schneider et al., 2012). Saturn's current longitude of perihelion is near northern winter solstice. Hence, the northern summer on Titan is longer and less intense than the southern summer. The longer northern summer leads to greater net precipitation in the annual mean and the methane accumulation over the northern polar region (Schneider et al. 2012). Saturn's perihelion precesses over an approximately 45-kyr period, so the solar radiation at the top of Titan's atmosphere varies on this time scale. Here we investigate how the orbital precession influences the polar methane accumulation with a three-dimensional atmospheric model coupled to a dynamic surface reservoir of methane (Schneider et al. 2012). We find that methane accumulation is closely tied to Saturn's orbital precession. At the time when Saturn's longitude of perihelion is 180 degree away from the present day value, methane is mainly accumulated in the southern polar region due to the stronger annual-mean precipitation there induced by the longer southern summer. The annual-mean evaporation is largely unchanged with orbital precession, since it scales with the annual-mean insolation, which does not change under orbital precession. When Saturn's longitude of perihelion is close to equinox, methane is approximately evenly distributed in the northern and southern polar regions, and the lake dichotomy disappears. The timescale of methane redistribution from one pole to the other is short compared with the timescale of orbital precession, so the surface methane distribution can be viewed as being approximately in equilibrium with the solar

42 CFR 409.102 - Amounts of payment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... HOSPITAL INSURANCE BENEFITS Payment of Hospital Insurance Benefits § 409.102 Amounts of payment. (a) The amounts Medicare pays for hospital insurance benefits are generally determined in accordance with part 412... 42 Public Health 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Amounts of payment. 409.102 Section 409.102 Public...

42 CFR 130.3 - Amount of payments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Amount of payments. 130.3 Section 130.3 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMPASSIONATE PAYMENTS RICKY RAY HEMOPHILIA RELIEF FUND PROGRAM General Provisions § 130.3 Amount of payments. If there are sufficient amounts...

49 CFR 1503.401 - Maximum penalty amounts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 9 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Maximum penalty amounts. 1503.401 Section 1503.401... Assessment of Civil Penalties by TSA § 1503.401 Maximum penalty amounts. (a) General. TSA may assess civil.... TSA may adjust the maximum civil penalty amounts in conformity with the Federal Civil Penalties...

36 CFR 296.16 - Civil penalty amounts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Civil penalty amounts. 296.16... ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES: UNIFORM REGULATIONS § 296.16 Civil penalty amounts. (a) Maximum amount of penalty. (1) Where the person being assessed a civil penalty has not committed any previous violation of any...

32 CFR 229.16 - Civil penalty amounts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 32 National Defense 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Civil penalty amounts. 229.16 Section 229.16...) MISCELLANEOUS PROTECTION OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES: UNIFORM REGULATIONS § 229.16 Civil penalty amounts. (a) Maximum amount of penalty. (1) Where the person being assessed a civil penalty has not committed any...

22 CFR 1104.15 - Civil penalty amounts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 true Civil penalty amounts. 1104.15 Section 1104.15... SECTION PROTECTION OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES § 1104.15 Civil penalty amounts. (a) Maximum amount of penalty. (1) Where the person being assessed a civil penalty has not committed any previous violation of...

Relationships between performance on the Cogstate Brief Battery, neurodegeneration, and Aβ accumulation in cognitively normal older adults and adults with MCI.

PubMed

Lim, Yen Ying; Pietrzak, Robert H; Bourgeat, Pierrick; Ames, David; Ellis, Kathryn A; Rembach, Alan; Harrington, Karra; Salvado, Olivier; Martins, Ralph N; Snyder, Peter J; Masters, Colin L; Rowe, Christopher C; Villemagne, Victor L; Maruff, Paul

2015-02-01

We investigated the extent to which decline in memory and working memory in beta-amyloid (Aβ) positive non-demented individuals was related to hippocampal atrophy and Aβ accumulation over 36 months. Cognitively normal older adults (CN) (n = 178) and adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (n = 49) underwent positron emission tomography neuroimaging, magnetic resonance imaging, and cognitive assessments at baseline, 18- and 36-months. Relative to Aβ- CNs, Aβ+ CNs and Aβ+ MCIs showed greater rates of cognitive decline, Aβ accumulation, and hippocampal atrophy. Analysis of interrelationships between these Alzheimer's disease markers in Aβ+ CNs and MCIs indicated that rate of Aβ accumulation was associated with rate of hippocampal atrophy (β = -0.05, p = .037), which was in turn associated independently with rate of decline in memory (β = -0.03, p = .032). This suggests that Aβ accumulation precedes any neurodegeneration or clinical symptoms, and that the relationship between Aβ and cognitive decline is mediated by hippocampal atrophy. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Impacts of Pine Tree Die-Off on Snow Accumulation and Distribution at Plot to Catchment Scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biederman, J. A.; Harpold, A. A.; Gutmann, E. D.; Reed, D. E.; Gochis, D. J.; Brooks, P. D.

2011-12-01

Seasonal snow cover is a primary water source throughout much of Western North America, where insect-induced tree die-off is changing the montane landscape. Widespread mortality from insects or drought differs from well-studied cases of fire and logging in that tree mortality is not accompanied by other immediate biophysical changes. Much of the impacted landscape is a mosaic of stands of varying species, structure, management history and health overlain on complex terrain. To address the challenge of predicting the effects of forest die-off on snow water input, we quantified snow accumulation and ablation at scales ranging from individual trees, through forest stands, to nested small catchments. Our study sites in Northern Colorado and Southern Wyoming are dominated by lodgepole pine, but they include forest stands that are naturally developed, managed and clear-cut with varying mortality from Mountain Pine Beetle (MPB). Our record for winters 2010 and 2011 includes continuous meteorological data and snow depth in plots with varying MPB impact as well as stand- to catchment-scale snow surveys mid-winter and near maximal accumulation. At the plot scale, snow depth sensors in healthy stands recorded greater inputs during storms (21-42% of depth) and greater seasonal accumulation (15-40%) in canopy gaps than under trees, whereas no spatial effects of canopy geometry were observed in stands with heavy mortality. Similar patterns were observed in snow surveys near peak accumulation. At both impacted and thinned sites, spatial variability in snow depth was more closely associated with larger scale topography and changes in stand structure than with canopy cover. The role of aspect in ablation was observed to increase in impacted stands as both shading and wind attenuation decreased. Evidence of wind-controlled snow distribution was found 80-100 meters from exposed stand edges in impacted forest as compared to 10-15 meters in healthy forest. Integrating from the scale of

46 CFR Sec. 2 - Amount of bond.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Amount of bond. The amount of the bond must be governed by the amount of monies advanced or value of slop chest property entrusted, and shall, at all times, not be less than the value of slop chest property entrusted plus advances of monies for which a satisfactory accounting has not been made. ...

Nitric Oxide Accumulation: The Evolutionary Trigger for Phytopathogenesis

PubMed Central

Santana, Margarida M.; Gonzalez, Juan M.; Cruz, Cristina

2017-01-01

Many publications highlight the importance of nitric oxide (NO) in plant–bacteria interactions, either in the promotion of health and plant growth or in pathogenesis. However, the role of NO in the signaling between bacteria and plants and in the fate of their interaction, as well as the reconstruction of their interactive evolution, remains largely unknown. Despite the complexity of the evolution of life on Earth, we explore the hypothesis that denitrification and aerobic respiration were responsible for local NO accumulation, which triggered primordial antagonistic biotic interactions, namely the first phytopathogenic interactions. N-oxides, including NO, could globally accumulate via lightning synthesis in the early anoxic ocean and constitute pools for the evolution of denitrification, considered an early step of the biological nitrogen cycle. Interestingly, a common evolution may be proposed for components of denitrification and aerobic respiration pathways, namely for NO and oxygen reductases, a theory compatible with the presence of low amounts of oxygen before the great oxygenation event (GOE), which was generated by Cyanobacteria. During GOE, the increase in oxygen caused the decrease of Earth’s temperature and the consequent increase of oxygen dissolution and availability, making aerobic respiration an increasingly dominant trait of the expanding mesophilic lifestyle. Horizontal gene transfer was certainly important in the joint expansion of mesophily and aerobic respiration. First denitrification steps lead to NO formation through nitrite reductase activity, and NO may further accumulate when oxygen binds NO reductase, resulting in denitrification blockage. The consequent transient NO surplus in an oxic niche could have been a key factor for a successful outcome of an early denitrifying prokaryote able to scavenge oxygen by NO/oxygen reductase or by an independent heterotrophic aerobic respiration pathway. In fact, NO surplus could result in toxicity

Accumulation of contaminants in fish from wastewater treatment wetlands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barber, L.B.; Keefe, S.H.; Antweiler, Ronald C.; Taylor, Howard E.; Wass, R.D.

2006-01-01

Increasing demands on water resources in arid environments make reclamation and reuse of municipal wastewater an important component of the water budget. Treatment wetlands can be an integral part of the water-reuse cycle providing both water-quality enhancement and habitat functions. When used for habitat, the bioaccumulation potential of contaminants in the wastewater is a critical consideration. Water and fish samples collected from the Tres Rios Demonstration Constructed Wetlands near Phoenix, Arizona, which uses secondary-treated wastewater to maintain an aquatic ecosystem in a desert environment, were analyzed for hydrophobic organic compounds (HOC) and trace elements. Semipermeable membrane devices (SPMD) were deployed to investigate uptake of HOC. The wetlands effectively removed HOC, and concentrations of herbicides, pesticides, and organic wastewater contaminants decreased 40-99% between inlet and outlet. Analysis of Tilapia mossambica and Gambusia affinis indicated accumulation of HOC, including p,p???-DDE and trans-nonachlor. The SPMD accumulated the HOC detected in the fish tissue as well as additional compounds. Trace-element concentrations in whole-fish tissue were highly variable, but were similar between the two species. Concentrations of HOC and trace elements varied in different fish tissue compartments, and concentrations in Tilapia liver tissue were greater than those in the whole organism or filet tissue. Bioconcentration factors for the trace elements ranged from 5 to 58 000 and for the HOC ranged from 530 to 150 000. ?? 2006 American Chemical Society.

Cadmium accumulation characteristics of the winter farmland weeds Cardamine hirsuta Linn. and Gnaphalium affine D. Don.

PubMed

Lin, Lijin; Shi, Jun; Liu, Qihua; Liao, Ming'an; Mei, Luoyin

2014-07-01

In a preliminary study, we found that the cadmium (Cd) concentrations in shoots of the winter farmland weeds Cardamine hirsuta Linn. and Gnaphalium affine D. Don exceeded the critical value of a Cd-hyperaccumulator (100 mg kg(-1)), indicating that these two farmland weeds might be Cd-hyperaccumulators. In this study, we grew these species in soil containing various concentrations of Cd to further evaluate their Cd accumulation characteristics. The biomasses of C. hirsuta and G. affine decreased with increasing Cd concentrations in the soil, while the root/shoot ratio and the Cd concentrations in shoot tissues increased. The Cd concentrations in shoots of C. hirsuta and G. affine reached 121.96 and 143.91 mg kg(-1), respectively, at the soil Cd concentration of 50 mg kg(-1). Both of these concentrations exceeded the critical value of a Cd-hyperaccumulator (100 mg kg(-1)). The shoot bioconcentration factors of C. hirsuta and G. affine were greater than 1. The translocation factor of C. hirsuta was less than 1 and that of G. affine was greater than 1. These findings indicated that C. hirsuta is a Cd-accumulator and G. affine is Cd-hyperaccumulator. Both plants are distributed widely in the field, and they could be used to remediate Cd-contaminated farmland soil in winter.

42 CFR 56.106 - Amount of grant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Amount of grant. 56.106 Section 56.106 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GRANTS GRANTS FOR MIGRANT HEALTH SERVICES General Provisions § 56.106 Amount of grant. (a) The amount of any award under this part will be...

26 CFR 1.809-4 - Gross amount.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... categories of items taken into account are: (1) Premiums. (i) The gross amount of all premiums and other... premiums and premiums and other consideration arising out of reinsurance ceded. The term gross amount of... 26 Internal Revenue 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Gross amount. 1.809-4 Section 1.809-4 Internal...

14 CFR 1300.13 - Guarantee amount.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Aeronautics and Space AIR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM STABILIZATION OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET AVIATION DISASTER RELIEF-AIR CARRIER GUARANTEE LOAN PROGRAM Minimum Requirements and Application Procedures § 1300... loan amount guaranteed to a single air carrier may not exceed that amount that, in the Board's sole...

Reduction of B-integral accumulation in lasers

DOEpatents

Meyerhofer, David D.; Konoplev, Oleg A.

2000-01-01

A pulsed laser is provided wherein the B-integral accumulated in the laser pulse is reduced using a semiconductor wafer. A laser pulse is generated by a laser pulse source. The laser pulse passes through a semiconductor wafer that has a negative nonlinear index of refraction. Thus, the laser pulse accumulates a negative B-integral. The laser pulse is then fed into a laser amplification medium, which has a positive nonlinear index of refraction. The laser pulse may make a plurality of passes through the laser amplification medium and accumulate a positive B-integral during a positive non-linear phase change. The semiconductor and laser pulse wavelength are chosen such that the negative B-integral accumulated in the semiconductor wafer substantially cancels the positive B-integral accumulated in the laser amplification medium. There may be additional accumulation of positive B-integral if the laser pulse passes through additional optical mediums such as a lens or glass plates. Thus, the effects of self-phase modulation in the laser pulse are substantially reduced.

Continuous Estimates of Surface Density and Annual Snow Accumulation with Multi-Channel Snow/Firn Penetrating Radar in the Percolation Zone, Western Greenland Ice Sheet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meehan, T.; Marshall, H. P.; Bradford, J.; Hawley, R. L.; Osterberg, E. C.; McCarthy, F.; Lewis, G.; Graeter, K.

2017-12-01

A priority of ice sheet surface mass balance (SMB) prediction is ascertaining the surface density and annual snow accumulation. These forcing data can be supplied into firn compaction models and used to tune Regional Climate Models (RCM). RCMs do not accurately capture subtle changes in the snow accumulation gradient. Additionally, leading RCMs disagree among each other and with accumulation studies in regions of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) over large distances and temporal scales. RCMs tend to yield inconsistencies over GrIS because of sparse and outdated validation data in the reanalysis pool. Greenland Traverse for Accumulation and Climate Studies (GreenTrACS) implemented multi-channel 500 MHz Radar in multi-offset configuration throughout two traverse campaigns totaling greater than 3500 km along the western percolation zone of GrIS. The multi-channel radar has the capability of continuously estimating snow depth, average density, and annual snow accumulation, expressed at 95% confidence (+-) 0.15 m, (+-) 17 kgm-3, (+-) 0.04 m w.e. respectively, by examination of the primary reflection return from the previous year's summer surface.

Improving the satellite communication efficiency of the accumulative acknowledgement strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duarte, Otto Carlos M. B.; de Lima, Heliomar Medeiros

The performances of two finite buffer error recovery strategies are analyzed. In both strategies the retransmission request decision between selective repeat and continuous retransmission is based on an imminent buffer overflow condition. These are accumulative acknowledgment schemes, but in the second strategy the selective-repeat control frame is uniquely an individual negative acknowledgment. The two strategies take advantage of the availability of a greater buffer capacity, making the most of the selective repeat, postponing the sending of a continuous retransmission request. Numerical results show a better performance very close to the ideal, but it does not integrally conform to the high-level data link control (HDLC) procedures. It is shown that these strategies are well suited for high-speed data transfer in the high-error-rate satellite environment.

Mobility balance in the light-emitting layer governs the polaron accumulation and operational stability of organic light-emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jae-Min; Lee, Chang-Heon; Kim, Jang-Joo

2017-11-01

Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays are lighter and more flexible, have a wider color gamut, and consume less power than conventional displays. Stable materials and the structural design of the device are important for OLED longevity. Control of charge transport and accumulation in the device is particularly important because the interaction of excitons and polarons results in material degradation. This research investigated the charge dynamics of OLEDs experimentally and by drift-diffusion modeling. Parallel capacitance-voltage measurements of devices provided knowledge of charge behavior at different driving voltages. A comparison of exciplex-forming co-host and single host structures established that the mobility balance in the emitting layers determined the amount of accumulated polarons in those layers. Consequently, an exciplex-forming co-host provides a superior structure in terms of device lifetime and efficiency because of its well-balanced mobility. Minimizing polaron accumulation is key to achieving long OLED device lifetimes. This is a crucial aspect of device physics that must be considered in the device design structure.