Co-evaluation of plant extracts as petrochemical substitutes and for biologically active compounds

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

McChesney, J.D.; Adams, R.P.

Recent efforts to discover phytochemicals that could substitute for petroleum-derived fuels and industrial feedstocks have not given much attention to the potential of these same phytochemicals to provide sources of biologically active compounds. The suitability of extraction products made to assess specific plants as potential botanochemical sources has been evaluated for use in screening procedures for evidence of biologically active compounds. Screening procedures for antibacterial, antifungal and toxic properties are discussed. Screening results are presented for extracts of nearly 80 species of plants from the southeastern United States and southern Great Plains that had previously been evaluated as sources ofmore » botanochemicals.« less

Personal networks: a tool for gaining insight into the transmission of knowledge about food and medicinal plants among Tyrolean (Austrian) migrants in Australia, Brazil and Peru

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Investigations into knowledge about food and medicinal plants in a certain geographic area or within a specific group are an important element of ethnobotanical research. This knowledge is context specific and dynamic due to changing ecological, social and economic circumstances. Migration processes affect food habits and the knowledge and use of medicinal plants as a result of adaptations that have to be made to new surroundings and changing environments. This study analyses and compares the different dynamics in the transmission of knowledge about food and medicinal plants among Tyrolean migrants in Australia, Brazil and Peru. Methods A social network approach was used to collect data on personal networks of knowledge about food and medicinal plants among Tyroleans who have migrated to Australia, Brazil and Peru and their descendants. A statistical analysis of the personal network maps and a qualitative analysis of the narratives were combined to provide insight into the process of transmitting knowledge about food and medicinal plants. Results 56 personal networks were identified in all (food: 30; medicinal plants: 26) across all the field sites studied here. In both sets of networks, the main source of knowledge is individual people (food: 71%; medicinal plants: 68%). The other sources mentioned are print and audiovisual media, organisations and institutions. Personal networks of food knowledge are larger than personal networks of medicinal plant knowledge in all areas of investigation. Relatives play a major role as transmitters of knowledge in both domains. Conclusions Human sources, especially relatives, play an important role in knowledge transmission in both domains. Reference was made to other sources as well, such as books, television, the internet, schools and restaurants. By taking a personal network approach, this study reveals the mode of transmission of knowledge about food and medicinal plants within a migrational context. PMID:24398225

Personal networks: a tool for gaining insight into the transmission of knowledge about food and medicinal plants among Tyrolean (Austrian) migrants in Australia, Brazil and Peru.

PubMed

Haselmair, Ruth; Pirker, Heidemarie; Kuhn, Elisabeth; Vogl, Christian R

2014-01-07

Investigations into knowledge about food and medicinal plants in a certain geographic area or within a specific group are an important element of ethnobotanical research. This knowledge is context specific and dynamic due to changing ecological, social and economic circumstances. Migration processes affect food habits and the knowledge and use of medicinal plants as a result of adaptations that have to be made to new surroundings and changing environments. This study analyses and compares the different dynamics in the transmission of knowledge about food and medicinal plants among Tyrolean migrants in Australia, Brazil and Peru. A social network approach was used to collect data on personal networks of knowledge about food and medicinal plants among Tyroleans who have migrated to Australia, Brazil and Peru and their descendants. A statistical analysis of the personal network maps and a qualitative analysis of the narratives were combined to provide insight into the process of transmitting knowledge about food and medicinal plants. 56 personal networks were identified in all (food: 30; medicinal plants: 26) across all the field sites studied here. In both sets of networks, the main source of knowledge is individual people (food: 71%; medicinal plants: 68%). The other sources mentioned are print and audiovisual media, organisations and institutions. Personal networks of food knowledge are larger than personal networks of medicinal plant knowledge in all areas of investigation. Relatives play a major role as transmitters of knowledge in both domains. Human sources, especially relatives, play an important role in knowledge transmission in both domains. Reference was made to other sources as well, such as books, television, the internet, schools and restaurants. By taking a personal network approach, this study reveals the mode of transmission of knowledge about food and medicinal plants within a migrational context.

CoNekT: an open-source framework for comparative genomic and transcriptomic network analyses.

PubMed

Proost, Sebastian; Mutwil, Marek

2018-05-01

The recent accumulation of gene expression data in the form of RNA sequencing creates unprecedented opportunities to study gene regulation and function. Furthermore, comparative analysis of the expression data from multiple species can elucidate which functional gene modules are conserved across species, allowing the study of the evolution of these modules. However, performing such comparative analyses on raw data is not feasible for many biologists. Here, we present CoNekT (Co-expression Network Toolkit), an open source web server, that contains user-friendly tools and interactive visualizations for comparative analyses of gene expression data and co-expression networks. These tools allow analysis and cross-species comparison of (i) gene expression profiles; (ii) co-expression networks; (iii) co-expressed clusters involved in specific biological processes; (iv) tissue-specific gene expression; and (v) expression profiles of gene families. To demonstrate these features, we constructed CoNekT-Plants for green alga, seed plants and flowering plants (Picea abies, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Vitis vinifera, Arabidopsis thaliana, Oryza sativa, Zea mays and Solanum lycopersicum) and thus provide a web-tool with the broadest available collection of plant phyla. CoNekT-Plants is freely available from http://conekt.plant.tools, while the CoNekT source code and documentation can be found at https://github.molgen.mpg.de/proost/CoNekT/.

A Novel High-Affinity Sucrose Transporter Is Required for Virulence of the Plant Pathogen Ustilago maydis

PubMed Central

Goos, Sarah; Kämper, Jörg; Sauer, Norbert

2010-01-01

Plant pathogenic fungi cause massive yield losses and affect both quality and safety of food and feed produced from infected plants. The main objective of plant pathogenic fungi is to get access to the organic carbon sources of their carbon-autotrophic hosts. However, the chemical nature of the carbon source(s) and the mode of uptake are largely unknown. Here, we present a novel, plasma membrane-localized sucrose transporter (Srt1) from the corn smut fungus Ustilago maydis and its characterization as a fungal virulence factor. Srt1 has an unusually high substrate affinity, is absolutely sucrose specific, and allows the direct utilization of sucrose at the plant/fungal interface without extracellular hydrolysis and, thus, without the production of extracellular monosaccharides known to elicit plant immune responses. srt1 is expressed exclusively during infection, and its deletion strongly reduces fungal virulence. This emphasizes the central role of this protein both for efficient carbon supply and for avoidance of apoplastic signals potentially recognized by the host. PMID:20161717

Emissions & Generation Resource Integrated Database (eGRID) Questions and Answers

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

eGRID is a comprehensive source of data on the environmental characteristics of almost all electric power generated in the United States. eGRID is based on available plant-specific data for all U.S. electricity generating plants that report data.

Effects of root-zone acidity on utilization of nitrate and ammonium in tobacco plants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henry, L. T.; Raper, C. D. Jr; Raper CD, J. r. (Principal Investigator)

1989-01-01

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L., cv. 'Coker 319') plants were grown for 28 days in flowing nutrient culture containing either 1.0 mM NO3- or 1.0 mM NH4+ as the nitrogen source in a complete nutrient solution. Acidities of the solutions were controlled at pH 6.0 or 4.0 for each nitrogen source. Plants were sampled at intervals of 6 to 8 days for determination of dry matter and nitrogen accumulation. Specific rates of NO3- or NH4+ uptake (rate of uptake per unit root mass) were calculated from these data. Net photosynthetic rates per unit leaf area were measured on attached leaves by infrared gas analysis. When NO3- [correction of NO-] was the sole nitrogen source, root growth and nitrogen uptake rate were unaffected by pH of the solution, and photosynthetic activity of leaves and accumulation of dry matter and nitrogen in the whole plant were similar. When NH4+ was the nitrogen source, photosynthetic rate of leaves and accumulation of dry matter and nitrogen in the whole plant were not statistically different from NO3(-) -fed plants when acidity of the solution was controlled at pH 6.0. When acidity for NH4(+) -fed plants was increased to pH 4.0, however, specific rate of NH4+ uptake decreased by about 50% within the first 6 days of treatment. The effect of acidity on root function was associated with a decreased rate of accumulation of nitrogen in shoots that was accompanied by a rapid cessation of leaf development between days 6 and 13. The decline in leaf growth rate of NH4(+) -fed plants at pH 4.0 was followed by reductions in photosynthetic rate per unit leaf area. These responses of NH4(+) -fed plants to increased root-zone acidity are characteristic of the sequence of responses that occur during onset of nitrogen stress.

Plant as a plenteous reserve of lectin

PubMed Central

Hivrale, AU; Ingale, AG

2013-01-01

Lectins are clusters of glycoproteins of nonimmune foundation that combine specifically and reversibly to carbohydrates, mainly the sugar moiety of glycoconjugates, resulting in cell agglutination and precipitation of glycoconjugates. They are universally distributed in nature, being established in plants, fungi, viruses, bacteria, crustacea, insects, and animals, but leguminacae plants are rich source of lectins. The present review reveals the structure, biological properties, and application of plant lectins. PMID:24084524

Transformation of soil and vegetable conditions at oil production territories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gatina, Evgeniia

2017-04-01

On the territory of modern oil production soil, vegetation, ecosystem conditions of the environment are significantly transformed. Researches have been conducted on the oil production territories located in a boreal coniferous forest natural zone from 2005 to 2015. Standard geobotanical and soil methods are used. Mechanical destruction of a plant cover, change of the water conditions, intake of oil products and salty waters in ecosystems, pollution of the atmosphere are considered as the major technology-related factors defining transformation of land ecosystems at operation of the oil field. Under the mechanical destruction of a plant cover the pioneer plant communities are formed. These communities are characterized by most reduced specific wealth with prevalence of types of meadow groups of plants and presence of types of wetland groups of plants. The biodiversity of biocenosis which are affected linear infrastructure facilities of oil production territories and change of the water conditions, decreases. It is observed decrease in species wealth, simplification of structure of communities. Under the salting of soils in ecosystems there is a decrease species diversity of communities to prevalence nitrophilous and meadow plant species. At the increased content of organic substances in the soils that is a consequence of intake of oil products, is characteristic increase in specific richness of communities, introduction of types of wetland and oligotrophic groups of plants in forest communities. Influence depends on distance to an influence source. In process of removal from a source of atmospheric pollution in forest communities there is a decrease in species diversity and complication of structure of community. It is caused by introduction of types of meadow groups of plants in ecotone sites of the forest communities located near a source of influence and restoration of structural features of forest communities in process of removal from an influence source. Operation of oil fields leads to introduction of the synanthropes relating to meadow and wetland groups of plants. Transformation depends on loading time. At the initial stage of operation of the oil field the synantropization of a plant cover leads to increase in species diversity. At long technogenic loading decrease in values of indexes of a biodiversity due to oppression of native species of plants is observed. Technology-related influence of oil fields is a regional factor of change of specific structure of plant communities. Modern oil production has to be followed by purposeful formation of the operated natural and technology-related ecosystems with adjustable parameters and higher stability in relation to a complex of technogenic oil-field influence.

Monitoring of full-scale hydrodynamic cavitation pretreatment in agricultural biogas plant.

PubMed

Garuti, Mirco; Langone, Michela; Fabbri, Claudio; Piccinini, Sergio

2018-01-01

The implementation of hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) pretreatment for enhancing the methane potential from agricultural biomasses was evaluated in a full scale agricultural biogas plant, with molasses and corn meal as a supplementary energy source. HC batch tests were run to investigate the influence on methane production, particle size and viscosity of specific energy input. 470kJ/kgTS was chosen for the full-scale implementation. Nearly 6-months of operational data showed that the HC pretreatment maximized the specific methane production of about 10%, allowing the biogas plant to get out of the fluctuating markets of supplementary energy sources and to reduce the methane emissions. HC influenced viscosity and particle size of digestate, contributing to reduce the energy demand for mixing, heating and pumping. In the light of the obtained results the HC process appears to be an attractive and energetically promising alternative to other pretreatments for the degradation of biomasses in biogas plant. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Light emitting diodes as a plant lighting source

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bula, R. J.; Tennessen, D. J.; Morrow, R. C.; Tibbitts, T. W.

1994-01-01

Electroluminescence in solid materials is defined as the generation of light by the passage of an electric current through a body of solid material under an applied electric field. A specific type of electroluminescence, first noted in 1923, involves the generation of photons when electrons are passed through a p-n junction of certain solid materials (junction of a n-type semiconductor, an electron donor, and a p-type semiconductor, an electron acceptor). The development of this light emitting semiconductor technology dates back less than 30 years. During this period of time, the LED has evolved from a rare and expensive light generating device to one of the most widely used electronic components. A number of LED characteristics are of considerable importance in selecting a light source for plant lighting in a controlled environment facility. Of particular importance is the characteristic that light is generated by an LED at a rate far greater than the corresponding thermal radiation predicted by the bulk temperature of the device as defined by Plank's radiation law. This is in sharp contrast to other light sources, such as an incandescent or high intensity discharge lamp. A plant lighting system for controlled environments must provide plants with an adequate flux of photosynthetically active radiation, plus providing photons in the spectral regions that are involved in the photomorphogenic and phototropic responses that result in normal plant growth and development. Use of light sources that emit photons over a broad spectral range generally meet these two lighting requirements. Since the LED's emit over specific spectral regions, they must be carefully selected so that the levels of photsynthetically active and photomorphogenic and phototropic radiation meet these plant requirements.

Atmospheric carbonyl sulfide sources from anthropogenic activity: Implications for carbon cycle constraints

DOE PAGES

Campbell, J. E.; Whelan, Mary; Seibt, U.; ...

2015-04-16

Carbonyl sulfide (COS) has recently emerged as an atmospheric tracer of gross primary production. All modeling studies of COS air-monitoring data rely on a climatological anthropogenic inventory that does not reflect present conditions or support interpretation of ice core and firn trends. Here we develop a global anthropogenic inventory for the years 1850 to 2013 based on new emission measurements and material-specific data. By applying methods from a recent regional inventory to global data, we find that the anthropogenic source is similar in magnitude to the plant sink, confounding carbon cycle applications. However, a material-specific approach results in a currentmore » anthropogenic source that is only one third of plant uptake and is concentrated in Asia, supporting carbon cycle applications of global air-monitoring data. As a result, changes in the anthropogenic source alone cannot explain the century-scale mixing ratio growth, which suggests that ice and firn data may provide the first global history of gross primary production.« less

Evaluation of pharmaceuticals and personal care products with emphasis on anthelmintics in human sanitary waste, sewage, hospital wastewater, livestock wastewater and receiving water.

PubMed

Sim, Won-Jin; Kim, Hee-Young; Choi, Sung-Deuk; Kwon, Jung-Hwan; Oh, Jeong-Eun

2013-03-15

We investigated 33 pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) with emphasis on anthelmintics and their metabolites in human sanitary waste treatment plants (HTPs), sewage treatment plants (STPs), hospital wastewater treatment plants (HWTPs), livestock wastewater treatment plants (LWTPs), river water and seawater. PPCPs showed the characteristic specific occurrence patterns according to wastewater sources. The LWTPs and HTPs showed higher levels (maximum 3000 times in influents) of anthelmintics than other wastewater treatment plants, indicating that livestock wastewater and human sanitary waste are one of principal sources of anthelmintics. Among anthelmintics, fenbendazole and its metabolites are relatively high in the LWTPs, while human anthelmintics such as albendazole and flubendazole are most dominant in the HTPs, STPs and HWTPs. The occurrence pattern of fenbendazole's metabolites in water was different from pharmacokinetics studies, showing the possibility of transformation mechanism other than the metabolism in animal bodies by some processes unknown to us. The river water and seawater are generally affected by the point sources, but the distribution patterns in some receiving water are slightly different from the effluent, indicating the influence of non-point sources. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Plant-Polysaccharide-Degrading Enzymes from Basidiomycetes

PubMed Central

Rytioja, Johanna; Hildén, Kristiina; Yuzon, Jennifer; Hatakka, Annele; de Vries, Ronald P.

2014-01-01

SUMMARY Basidiomycete fungi subsist on various types of plant material in diverse environments, from living and dead trees and forest litter to crops and grasses and to decaying plant matter in soils. Due to the variation in their natural carbon sources, basidiomycetes have highly varied plant-polysaccharide-degrading capabilities. This topic is not as well studied for basidiomycetes as for ascomycete fungi, which are the main sources of knowledge on fungal plant polysaccharide degradation. Research on plant-biomass-decaying fungi has focused on isolating enzymes for current and future applications, such as for the production of fuels, the food industry, and waste treatment. More recently, genomic studies of basidiomycete fungi have provided a profound view of the plant-biomass-degrading potential of wood-rotting, litter-decomposing, plant-pathogenic, and ectomycorrhizal (ECM) basidiomycetes. This review summarizes the current knowledge on plant polysaccharide depolymerization by basidiomycete species from diverse habitats. In addition, these data are compared to those for the most broadly studied ascomycete genus, Aspergillus, to provide insight into specific features of basidiomycetes with respect to plant polysaccharide degradation. PMID:25428937

Evaluation of H3A for determination of plant available P vs. FeAIO strips

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for plant growth but in excess is a source of environmental pollution. Fertilizer additions of P are recommended based on soil tests; however, the commonly applied P extractants are often applied outside of their design criteria (specifically soil pH). As a resu...

The importance of reproductive barriers and the effect of allopolyploidization on crop breeding

PubMed Central

Tonosaki, Kaoru; Osabe, Kenji; Kawanabe, Takahiro; Fujimoto, Ryo

2016-01-01

Inter-specific hybrids are a useful source for increasing genetic diversity. Some reproductive barriers before and/or after fertilization prevent production of hybrid plants by inter-specific crossing. Therefore, techniques to overcome the reproductive barrier have been developed, and have contributed to hybridization breeding. In recent studies, identification of molecules involved in plant reproduction has been studied to understand the mechanisms of reproductive barriers. Revealing the molecular mechanisms of reproductive barriers may allow us to overcome reproductive barriers in inter-specific crossing, and to efficiently produce inter-specific hybrids in cross-combinations that cannot be produced through artificial techniques. Inter-specific hybrid plants can potentially serve as an elite material for plant breeding, produced through the merging of genomes of parental species by allopolyploidization. Allopolyploidization provides some benefits, such as heterosis, increased genetic diversity and phenotypic variability, which are caused by dynamic changes of the genome and epigenome. Understanding of allopolyploidization mechanisms is important for practical utilization of inter-specific hybrids as a breeding material. This review discusses the importance of reproductive barriers and the effect of allopolyploidization in crop breeding programs. PMID:27436943

Regulatory mechanisms for specification and patterning of plant vascular tissues.

PubMed

Caño-Delgado, Ana; Lee, Ji-Young; Demura, Taku

2010-01-01

Plant vascular tissues, the conduits of water, nutrients, and small molecules, play important roles in plant growth and development. Vascular tissues have allowed plants to successfully adapt to various environmental conditions since they evolved 450 Mya. The majority of plant biomass, an important source of renewable energy, comes from the xylem of the vascular tissues. Efforts have been made to identify the underlying mechanisms of cell specification and patterning of plant vascular tissues and their proliferation. The formation of the plant vascular system is a complex process that integrates signaling and gene regulation at transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels. Recently, a wealth of molecular genetic studies and the advent of cell biology and genomic tools have enabled important progress toward understanding its underlying mechanisms. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the cell and developmental processes of plant vascular tissue and resources recently available for studying them that will enable the discovery of new ways to develop sustainable energy using plant biomass.

Dietary sources of animal and plant protein intake among Flemish preschool children and the association with socio-economic and lifestyle-related factors

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The aims of this study were to assess the intake of animal, plant and food group-specific protein, and to investigate their associations with socio-economic and lifestyle-related factors in Flemish preschoolers. Methods Three-day estimated dietary records were collected from 661 preschoolers aged 2.5-6.5 y (338 boys and 323 girls). Multiple linear regression analysis was used to investigate the association between animal, plant, and food group-specific protein intake and socio-economic and lifestyle factors. Results Animal proteins (mean 38 g/d) were the main source of total protein (mean 56 g/d), while mean plant protein intake amounted to 18 g/d. The group of meat, poultry, fish and eggs was the main contributor (51%) to animal protein intake, followed by milk and milk products (35%). Bread and cereals (41%) contributed most to the plant protein intake, followed by low-nutritious, energy-dense foods (21%). With higher educated fathers and mothers as reference, respectively, preschoolers with lower secondary and secondary paternal education had lower animal, dairy-, and meat-derived protein intakes, and those with lower secondary and secondary maternal education consumed less plant, and bread and cereal-derived proteins. Compared to children with high physical activity levels, preschoolers with low and moderate physical activity had lower animal and plant protein intakes. Significantly higher potatoes and grains-, and fish- derived proteins were reported for children of smoking mothers and fathers, respectively, compared to those of non-smoking mothers and fathers. Conclusions The total protein intake of Flemish preschoolers was sufficient according to the recommendations of the Belgian Superior Health Council. Parental level of education and smoking status might play a role in the sources of children's dietary proteins. PMID:21943312

Quantitative sediment source attribution with compound-specific isotope analysis in a C3 plant-dominated catchment (central Switzerland)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alewell, Christine; Birkholz, Axel; Meusburger, Katrin; Schindler Wildhaber, Yael; Mabit, Lionel

2016-03-01

As sediment loads impact freshwater systems and infrastructure, their origin in complex landscape systems is of crucial importance for sustainable management of agricultural catchments. We differentiated the sediment source contribution to a lowland river in central Switzerland by using compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA). We found a clear distinction of sediment sources originating from forest and agricultural land use. Our results demonstrate that it is possible to reduce the uncertainty of sediment source attribution in: (i) using compound content (in our case, long-chain fatty acids; FAs) rather than soil organic matter content to transfer δ13C signal of FAs to soil contribution and (ii) restricting the investigation to the long-chain FAs (> C22 : 0) not to introduce errors due to aquatic contributions from algae and microorganisms. Results showed unambiguously that during base flow, agricultural land contributed up to 65 % of the suspended sediments, while forest was the dominant sediment source during high flow. This indicates that connectivity of sediment source areas within the river changes between base and high flow conditions. Uncertainty, which might occur in complex, large-scale studies due to undetected source attribution and/or CSSI signature degradation, is low because of limited data complexity in our study (i.e., two-three sources and two tracers). Our findings are the first published results highlighting (i) significant differences in compound-specific stable isotope (CSSI) signature of sediment sources from land uses dominated by C3 plant cultivation and (ii) the use of these differences to quantify sediment contribution to a small river.

Comparison of PM10 concentrations and metal content in three different sites of the Venice Lagoon: an analysis of possible aerosol sources.

PubMed

Contini, Daniele; Belosi, Franco; Gambaro, Andrea; Cesari, Daniela; Stortini, Angela Maria; Bove, Maria Chiara

2012-01-01

The Venice Lagoon is exposed to atmospheric pollutants from industrial activities, thermoelectric power plants, petrochemical plants, incinerator, domestic heating, ship traffic, glass factories and vehicular emissions on the mainland. In 2005, construction began on the mobile dams (MOSE), one dam for each channel connecting the lagoon to the Adriatic Sea as a barrier against high tide. These construction works could represent an additional source of pollutants. PM10 samples were taken on random days between 2007 and 2010 at three different sites: Punta Sabbioni, Chioggia and Malamocco, located near the respective dam construction worksites. Chemical analyses of V, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Mo, Cd, Sb, Tl and Pb in PM10 samples were performed by Inductively coupled plasma-quadrupole mass spectrometry (ICP-QMS) and results were used to identify the main aerosol sources. The correlation of measured data with meteorology, and source apportionment, failed to highlight a contribution specifically associated to the emissions of the MOSE construction works. The comparison of the measurements at the three sites showed a substantial homogeneity of metal concentrations in the area. Source apportionment with principal component analysis (PCA) and positive matrix factorization (PMF) showed that a four principal factors model could describe the sources of metals in PM10. Three of them were assigned to specific sources in the area and one was characterised as a source of mixed origin (anthropogenic and crustal). A specific anthropogenic source of PM10 rich in Ni and Cr, active at the Chioggia site, was also identified.

Light use efficiency for vegetables production in protected and indoor environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cocetta, Giacomo; Casciani, Daria; Bulgari, Roberta; Musante, Fulvio; Kołton, Anna; Rossi, Maurizio; Ferrante, Antonio

2017-01-01

In recent years, there is a growing interest for vegetables production in indoor or disadvantaged climatic zones by using greenhouses. The main problem of crop growing indoor or in environment with limited light availability is the correct choice of light source and the quality of lighting spectrum. In greenhouse and indoor cultivations, plant density is higher than in the open field and plants have to compete for light and nutrients. Nowadays, advanced systems for indoor horticulture use light emitting diodes (LED) for improving crop growth, enhancing the plant productivity and favouring the best nutritional quality formation. In closed environments, as indoor growing modules, the lighting system represents the only source of light and its features are fundamental for obtaining the best lighting performances for plant and the most efficient solution. LED lighting engines are more efficient compared to the lighting sources used traditionally in horticulture and allow light spectrum and intensity modulations to enhance the light use efficiency for plants. The lighting distribution and the digital controls are fundamental for tailoring the spectral distribution on each plant in specific moments of its growth and play an important role for optimizing growth and produce high-quality vegetables. LED lights can increase plant growth and yield, but also nutraceutical quality, since some light intensities increase pigments biosynthesis and enhance the antioxidants content of leaves or fruits: in this regards the selection of LED primary light sources in relation to the peaks of the absorbance curve of the plants is important.

[Analysis of varieties and standards of Leguminosae plants used in Tibetan medicine].

PubMed

Cao, Lan; Du, Xiao-lang; Zhong, Wei-hong; Zhong, Wei-jin; He, Jun-wei; Mu, Ze-jing; Zhong, Guo-yue

2015-12-01

In this paper, the domestic varieties and quality standard of Leguminosae medicinal plants used in Tibetan medicine were analyzed. The results showed that there were 36 genera and 142 species (including varieties), as well as 64 medicinal materials varieties of Leguminosae plants were recorded in relevant literatures. In relevant Tibetan standards and literatures, there are great differences in varieties, sources, used parts, and efficacy of medicinal plants. Among them, about 38.0% (including 54 species) of the endemic plants, about 25.4% (including 36 species) of the original plants have medicinal standard legal records, except 9 kinds of traditional Chinese medicine general quality standard more fairly completed, the most varieties have only description about characters, identification, etc. Therefore it is necessary to reinforce study for the herbal textual, resources and the use present situation, chemical components and biological activity, quality standard, medicinal terms specification, to promote establishment of quality standard system for variety-terminologies-sources of Tibetan medicinal plants.

Assessing Model Characterization of Single Source Secondary Pollutant Impacts Using 2013 SENEX Field Study Measurements

EPA Science Inventory

Aircraft measurements made downwind from specific coal fired power plants during the 2013 Southeast Nexus field campaign provide a unique opportunity to evaluate single source photochemical model predictions of both O3 and secondary PM2.5 species. The model did well at predicting...

Nurse plants transfer more nitrogen to distantly related species.

PubMed

Montesinos-Navarro, Alicia; Verdú, Miguel; Querejeta, José Ignacio; Valiente-Banuet, Alfonso

2017-05-01

Plant facilitative interactions enhance co-occurrence between distant relatives, partly due to limited overlap in resource requirements. We propose a different mechanism for the coexistence of distant relatives based on positive interactions of nutrient sharing. Nutrients move between plants following source-sink gradients driven by plant traits that allow these gradients to establish. Specifically, nitrogen (N) concentration gradients can arise from variation in leaf N content across plants species. As many ecologically relevant traits, we hypothesize that leaf N content is phylogenetically conserved and can result in N gradients promoting N transfer among distant relatives. In a Mexican desert community governed by facilitation, we labelled nurse plants (Mimosa luisana) with 15 N and measured its transfer to 14 other species in the community, spanning the range of phylogenetic distances to the nurse plant. Nurses established steeper N source-sink gradients with distant relatives, increasing 15 N transfer toward these species. Nutrient sharing may provide long-term benefits to facilitated plants and may be an overlooked mechanism maintaining coexistence and increasing the phylogenetic diversity of plant communities. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of America.

Role of Broiler Carcasses and Processing Plant Air in Contamination of Modified-Atmosphere-Packaged Broiler Products with Psychrotrophic Lactic Acid Bacteria▿

PubMed Central

Vihavainen, Elina; Lundström, Hanna-Saara; Susiluoto, Tuija; Koort, Joanna; Paulin, Lars; Auvinen, Petri; Björkroth, K. Johanna

2007-01-01

Some psychrotrophic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are specific meat spoilage organisms in modified-atmosphere-packaged (MAP), cold-stored meat products. To determine if incoming broilers or the production plant environment is a source of spoilage LAB, a total of 86, 122, and 447 LAB isolates from broiler carcasses, production plant air, and MAP broiler products, respectively, were characterized using a library of HindIII restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) patterns of the 16 and 23S rRNA genes as operational taxonomic units in numerical analyses. Six hundred thirteen LAB isolates from the total of 655 clustered in 29 groups considered to be species specific. Sixty-four percent of product isolates clustered either with Carnobacterium divergens or with Carnobacterium maltaromaticum type strains. The third major product-associated cluster (17% of isolates) was formed by unknown LAB. Representative strains from these three clusters were analyzed for the phylogeny of their 16S rRNA genes. This analysis verified that the two largest RFLP clusters consisted of carnobacteria and showed that the unknown LAB group consisted of Lactococcus spp. No product-associated LAB were detected in broiler carcasses sampled at the beginning of slaughter, whereas carnobacteria and lactococci, along with some other specific meat spoilage LAB, were recovered from processing plant air at many sites. This study reveals that incoming broiler chickens are not major sources of psychrotrophic spoilage LAB, whereas the detection of these organisms from the air of the processing environment highlights the role of processing facilities as sources of LAB contamination. PMID:17142357

Structural features of N-glycans linked to glycoproteins expressed in three kinds of water plants: Predominant occurrence of the plant complex type N-glycans bearing Lewis a epitope.

PubMed

Maeda, Megumi; Tani, Misato; Yoshiie, Takeo; Vavricka, Christopher J; Kimura, Yoshinobu

2016-11-29

The Japanese cedar pollen allergen (Cry j1) and the mountain cedar pollen allergen (Jun a1) are glycosylated with plant complex type N-glycans bearing Lewis a epitope(s) (Galβ1-3[Fucα1-4]GlcNAc-). The biological significance of Lewis a type plant N-glycans and their effects on the human immune system remain to be elucidated. Since a substantial amount of such plant specific N-glycans are required to evaluate immunological activity, we have searched for good plant-glycan sources to characterize Lewis a epitope-containing plant N-glycans. In this study, we have found that three water plants, Elodea nuttallii, Egeria densa, and Ceratophyllum demersum, produce glycoproteins bearing Lewis a units. Structural analysis of the N-glycans revealed that almost all glycoproteins expressed in these three water plants predominantly carry plant complex type N-glycans including the Lewis a type, suggesting that these water plants are good sources for preparation of Lewis a type plant N-glycans in substantial amounts. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Plant Research Unit: Long-Term Plant Growth Support for Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heathcote, D. G.; Brown, C. S.; Goins, G. D.; Kliss, M.; Levine, H.; Lomax, P. A.; Porter, R. L.; Wheeler, R.

1996-01-01

The specifications of the plant research unit (PRU) plant habitat, designed for space station operations, are presented. A prototype brassboard model of the PRU is described, and the results of the subsystems tests are outlined. The effects of the long term red light emitting diode (LED) illumination as the sole source for plant development were compared with red LEDs supplemented with blue wavelengths, and white fluorescent sources. It was found that wheat and Arabidopsis were able to complete a life cycle under red LEDs alone, but with differences in physiology and morphology. The differences noted were greatest for the Arabidopsis, where the time to flowering was increased under red illumination. The addition of 10 percent of blue light was effective in eliminating the observed differences. The results of the comparative testing of three nutrient delivery systems for the PRU are discussed.

Optimization approach to LED crop illumination inside a controlled ecological life support system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avercheva, Olga; Berkovich, Yuliy A.; Bassarskaya, Elizaveta; Zhigalova, Tatiana; Smolyanina, Svetlana O.; Kochetova, Galina; Konovalova, Irina

Artificial lighting sources for growing plants can be efficiently used to control gas exchange and preserve the necessary closure of internal matter turnover in the atmosphere of a controlled ecological life support system (CELSS). However, the lighting sources contribute strongly to the equivalent mass of a CELSS. Thus, the choice of an optimal plant lighting regime largely determines the efficiency of the artificial ecosystem. Lighting systems based on light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are now considered the most promising for space applications (Massa et al., 2006). Many types of LEDs have been developed in recent years. Because of this, the problem of optimizing a lighting source for space vegetation chambers has become more difficult: we need to optimize more parameters (such as emission spectrum, light intensity, frequency of light pulses and the shape of the lighting field inside a vegetation chamber), and in a wider range of values. In this presentation we discuss approaches to optimizing the emission spectrum of a lighting source for the use in space applications, including CELSS. One of the benefits of LEDs is their narrow-band emission spectrum, which allows us to construct a lighting source with an optimal spectrum for plant growth and production. A number of experiments have shown that the reaction of plants to a narrow-band emission spectrum of LEDs is highly species-specific and affects many processes in plants. Adding a small amount of far red light to red and blue quanta increased biomass in radish and lettuce (Tamulaitis et al., 2005). Adding blue and near UV light of different wavelengths to red light decreased total sugar content in lettuce (Urbonavičiūtė et al., 2007) and Chinese cabbage (Avercheva et al., 2009). Supplemental green light improved the nutrition quality of some lettuce varieties: decreased nitrate content and increased ascorbic acid content (Samuoliene et al., 2012). It has also been shown that changes in lighting spectrum can lead to changes in hormone content in plant tissues, and to changes in the ratio of active and inactive forms of hormones (Golovatskaya, 2005; Tamulaitis et al., 2005; Minich et al., 2006). This, in turn, may lead to changes in plant growth and biomass composition. Thus, we should vary the emission spectrum of a lighting source to improve both the productivity (i.e. gas exchange) and nutrition quality of plants growing inside a CELSS. However, it is hard to find a universal spectrum for all plants and all applications. Fundamental studies of the finer effects of narrow-band light on plant growth and metabolism may be beneficial to explain these effects. On the basis of these studies, we may be able to formulate recommendations to optimize lighting sources for different plant species. One optimization approach to LED crop illumination inside CELSS could be use of white LEDs with proper addition of red LEDs. A more difficult approach is to construct lighting sources with a multiband spectrum to adjust it for specific applications experimentally.

Compound-specific stable carbon isotope composition as a fingerprint for sediment transport: Reproducibility, homogeneity and application in a catchment of the Swiss plateau.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Birkholz, Axel; Niemann, Helge; Alewell, Christine

2014-05-01

A new field for the applications of compound-specific isotope analyses (CSIA) has opened in the recent years. The isotopic signature in fatty acids (FA) can be used to track sediment transport pathways from erosional areas to river systems. In this approach distinct FA d13C values of even numbered saturated and/or unsaturated FAs from soils are traced in suspended river sediments, ie. the place of deposition. CSIA has been shown to be particularly useful in catchment areas with C4 plant crops because, compared to the regularly occurring C3-plants, they are (naturally) depleted in 13C. However, in theory, all plant species even among C3 plants should inherit significant differences in their d13C of FAs. Thus, we tried to differentiate between source areas for suspended sediments from three different land use types: forest (C3 plants), grassland (C3 plants) and arable land (mixture of C3 and C4 plants). Statistical geo software (eg. Isosource) can be used to additionally model the spatial and temporal variability of erosion. We present d13C values of FAs from 8 erosion areas from the Enziwigger catchment of the Swiss plateau (Canton of Lucerne). Each area was assessed through randomised triplicate sampling to test the spatial homogeneity of each one. The homogeneity of a single sample, as well as the reproducibility of our measurements was tested by extracting and analysing the same sample bag in triplicates. We compare compound-specific stable isotope (CSSI) fingerprints of source areas to d13C-values of FAs from suspended sediments of two high-flow events and one base flow period at 3 different sites of the Enziwiger river (upstream, midstream, downstream).

Plant Wax n-Alkane and n-Alkanoic Acid Signatures Overprinted by Microbial Contributions and Old Carbon in Meromictic Lake Sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makou, Matthew; Eglinton, Timothy; McIntyre, Cameron; Montluçon, Daniel; Antheaume, Ingrid; Grossi, Vincent

2018-01-01

Specific n-alkanes and n-alkanoic acids are commonly used as biomarkers in paleoenvironmental reconstruction, yet any individual homologue may originate from multiple biological sources. Here we improve source and age controls for these compounds in meromictic systems by measuring the radiocarbon (14C) ages of specific homologues preserved in twentieth century Lake Pavin (France) sediments. In contrast to many studies, 14C ages generally decreased with increasing carbon chain length, from 7.3 to 2.6 ka for the C14-C30 n-alkanoic acids and from 9.2 to 0.3 ka for the C21-C33 n-alkanes. Given a known hard water effect, these values suggest that aquatic microbial sources predominate and contributed to most of the homologues measured. Only the longest chain n-alkanes exclusively represent inputs of higher plant waxes, which were previously sequestered in soils over centennial to millennial timescales prior to transport and deposition. These findings suggest that biomarker source and age should be carefully established for lacustrine settings.

Understanding the holobiont: the interdependence of plants and their microbiome.

PubMed

Sánchez-Cañizares, Carmen; Jorrín, Beatriz; Poole, Philip S; Tkacz, Andrzej

2017-08-01

The holobiont is composed by the plant and its microbiome. In a similar way to ecological systems of higher organisms, the holobiont shows interdependent and complex dynamics [1,2]. While plants originate from seeds, the microbiome has a multitude of sources. The assemblage of these communities depends on the interaction between the emerging seedling and its surrounding environment, with soil being the main source. These microbial communities are controlled by the plant through different strategies, such as the specific profile of root exudates and its immune system. Despite this control, the microbiome is still able to adapt and thrive. The molecular knowledge behind these interactions and microbial '-omic' technologies are developing to the point of enabling holobiont engineering. For a long time microorganisms were in the background of plant biology but new multidisciplinary approaches have led to an appreciation of the importance of the holobiont, where plants and microbes are interdependent. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Increment of specific heat capacity of solar salt with SiO2 nanoparticles.

PubMed

Andreu-Cabedo, Patricia; Mondragon, Rosa; Hernandez, Leonor; Martinez-Cuenca, Raul; Cabedo, Luis; Julia, J Enrique

2014-01-01

Thermal energy storage (TES) is extremely important in concentrated solar power (CSP) plants since it represents the main difference and advantage of CSP plants with respect to other renewable energy sources such as wind, photovoltaic, etc. CSP represents a low-carbon emission renewable source of energy, and TES allows CSP plants to have energy availability and dispatchability using available industrial technologies. Molten salts are used in CSP plants as a TES material because of their high operational temperature and stability of up to 500°C. Their main drawbacks are their relative poor thermal properties and energy storage density. A simple cost-effective way to improve thermal properties of fluids is to dope them with nanoparticles, thus obtaining the so-called salt-based nanofluids. In this work, solar salt used in CSP plants (60% NaNO3 + 40% KNO3) was doped with silica nanoparticles at different solid mass concentrations (from 0.5% to 2%). Specific heat was measured by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). A maximum increase of 25.03% was found at an optimal concentration of 1 wt.% of nanoparticles. The size distribution of nanoparticle clusters present in the salt at each concentration was evaluated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and image processing, as well as by means of dynamic light scattering (DLS). The cluster size and the specific surface available depended on the solid content, and a relationship between the specific heat increment and the available particle surface area was obtained. It was proved that the mechanism involved in the specific heat increment is based on a surface phenomenon. Stability of samples was tested for several thermal cycles and thermogravimetric analysis at high temperature was carried out, the samples being stable. 65.: Thermal properties of condensed matter; 65.20.-w: Thermal properties of liquids; 65.20.Jk: Studies of thermodynamic properties of specific liquids.

Increment of specific heat capacity of solar salt with SiO2 nanoparticles

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Thermal energy storage (TES) is extremely important in concentrated solar power (CSP) plants since it represents the main difference and advantage of CSP plants with respect to other renewable energy sources such as wind, photovoltaic, etc. CSP represents a low-carbon emission renewable source of energy, and TES allows CSP plants to have energy availability and dispatchability using available industrial technologies. Molten salts are used in CSP plants as a TES material because of their high operational temperature and stability of up to 500°C. Their main drawbacks are their relative poor thermal properties and energy storage density. A simple cost-effective way to improve thermal properties of fluids is to dope them with nanoparticles, thus obtaining the so-called salt-based nanofluids. In this work, solar salt used in CSP plants (60% NaNO3 + 40% KNO3) was doped with silica nanoparticles at different solid mass concentrations (from 0.5% to 2%). Specific heat was measured by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). A maximum increase of 25.03% was found at an optimal concentration of 1 wt.% of nanoparticles. The size distribution of nanoparticle clusters present in the salt at each concentration was evaluated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and image processing, as well as by means of dynamic light scattering (DLS). The cluster size and the specific surface available depended on the solid content, and a relationship between the specific heat increment and the available particle surface area was obtained. It was proved that the mechanism involved in the specific heat increment is based on a surface phenomenon. Stability of samples was tested for several thermal cycles and thermogravimetric analysis at high temperature was carried out, the samples being stable. PACS 65.: Thermal properties of condensed matter; 65.20.-w: Thermal properties of liquids; 65.20.Jk: Studies of thermodynamic properties of specific liquids PMID:25346648

Exploratory Project: Rigid nanostructured organic polymer monolith for in situ collection and analysis of plant metabolites from soil matrices

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

Tharayil, Nishanth

Plant metabolites released from litter leachates and root exudates enable plants to adapt and survive in a wide range of habitats by facilitating resource foraging and plant-organismal interactions, and could influence soil carbon storage. The biological functions of these plant inputs and the organismal interactions they facilitate in soil are strictly governed by their composition and molecular identity. Our current understanding about the molecular identity of exudates is based on physiological studies that are done in soil-less axenic cultures. On the other hand, ecological studies that rely on isotope labeling to track the fluxes of carbon from plants to soilmore » have found the complexities of soil-microbe matrices as an insurmountable barrier to undertake any meaningful molecular level characterization of plant inputs. Although it is constantly advocated to undertake a molecular level identification of the dynamicity of plant metabolites in soils, the complexity of soil system has thus far prevented any such endeavors. We developed polymeric probes through in-situ polymerization of poly(styrene-co-vinylbenzyl chloride-co-divinylbenzene) to elucidate the chemical environment of the soil to which the plant roots are exposed. Hypercrosslinking of the polymeric probes through an in-situ Friedel-Crafts alkylation significantly increased the surface area and the sorption capacity of the probes. Surface functionalization of the probes using a hybrid approach was also attempted. The efficacy of these probes was tested using batch equilibration. Scanning electron microscopy revealed extensive modification of the surface of the probes through hypercrosslinking. The probes exhibited a lower site specific sorption (slope of Freundlich adsorption isotherm close to unity) and percent recovery of the sorbed compounds from the probes were >70, indicating a predominance of reversible sorption. Further we imparted specificity to this copolymer matrix by using molecular-template imprinting approach for the selective capture of less abundant plant metabolites from a crowded soil/litter leachate. Our results suggests that i) the root exudate pattern of plants is highly dependent on the nutrient status of the plant, with greater specificity of root exudation occurring in growing medium with low available form of nutrients, ii) the chemical composition of root exudation is a function of the distance of sampling from the source-roots, with the composition of root exudation being more enriched in polar metabolites farther from the source-roots, iii) Further we demonstrated that the compounds present in real root exudates diffuse farther from the source roots than those in artificial root exudates that are traditionally used. Thus, our project highlights how the soil matrix is instrumental in modifying the chemical composition of root exudates, and highlights that, apart from the plant physiology, the specificity and function of root exudates is also modified by environmental factors.« less

7 CFR 58.519 - Dairy products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Quality Specifications for Raw Material § 58.519 Dairy products. (a) Raw skim milk. All raw skim milk obtained from a secondary source... used, shall be prepared from raw milk or skim milk that meets the same quality requirements outlined...

The nucleobase cation symporter 1 of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and that of the evolutionarily distant Arabidopsis thaliana display parallel function and establish a plant-specific solute transport profile.

PubMed

Schein, Jessica R; Hunt, Kevin A; Minton, Janet A; Schultes, Neil P; Mourad, George S

2013-09-01

The single cell alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is capable of importing purines as nitrogen sources. An analysis of the annotated C. reinhardtii genome reveals at least three distinct gene families encoding for known nucleobase transporters. In this study the solute transport and binding properties for the lone C. reinhardtii nucleobase cation symporter 1 (CrNCS1) are determined through heterologous expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. CrNCS1 acts as a transporter of adenine, guanine, uracil and allantoin, sharing similar - but not identical - solute recognition specificity with the evolutionary distant NCS1 from Arabidopsis thaliana. The results suggest that the solute specificity for plant NCS1 occurred early in plant evolution and are distinct from solute transport specificities of single cell fungal NCS1 proteins. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Plant Protease Inhibitors in Therapeutics-Focus on Cancer Therapy.

PubMed

Srikanth, Sandhya; Chen, Zhong

2016-01-01

Plants are known to have many secondary metabolites and phytochemical compounds which are highly explored at biochemical and molecular genetics level and exploited enormously in the human health care sector. However, there are other less explored small molecular weight proteins, which inhibit proteases/proteinases. Plants are good sources of protease inhibitors (PIs) which protect them against diseases, insects, pests, and herbivores. In the past, proteinaceous PIs were considered primarily as protein-degrading enzymes. Nevertheless, this view has significantly changed and PIs are now treated as very important signaling molecules in many biological activities such as inflammation, apoptosis, blood clotting and hormone processing. In recent years, PIs have been examined extensively as therapeutic agents, primarily to deal with various human cancers. Interestingly, many plant-based PIs are also found to be effective against cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, inflammatory diseases and neurological disorders. Several plant PIs are under further evaluation in in vitro clinical trials. Among all types of PIs, Bowman-Birk inhibitors (BBI) have been studied extensively in the treatment of many diseases, especially in the field of cancer prevention. So far, crops such as beans, potatoes, barley, squash, millet, wheat, buckwheat, groundnut, chickpea, pigeonpea, corn, and pineapple have been identified as good sources of PIs. The PI content of such foods has a significant influence on human health disorders, particularly in the regions where people mostly depend on these kind of foods. These natural PIs vary in concentration, protease specificity, heat stability, and sometimes several PIs may be present in the same species or tissue. However, it is important to carry out individual studies to identify the potential effects of each PI on human health. PIs in plants make them incredible sources to determine novel PIs with specific pharmacological and therapeutic effects due to their peculiarity and superabundance.

Plant Protease Inhibitors in Therapeutics-Focus on Cancer Therapy

PubMed Central

Srikanth, Sandhya; Chen, Zhong

2016-01-01

Plants are known to have many secondary metabolites and phytochemical compounds which are highly explored at biochemical and molecular genetics level and exploited enormously in the human health care sector. However, there are other less explored small molecular weight proteins, which inhibit proteases/proteinases. Plants are good sources of protease inhibitors (PIs) which protect them against diseases, insects, pests, and herbivores. In the past, proteinaceous PIs were considered primarily as protein-degrading enzymes. Nevertheless, this view has significantly changed and PIs are now treated as very important signaling molecules in many biological activities such as inflammation, apoptosis, blood clotting and hormone processing. In recent years, PIs have been examined extensively as therapeutic agents, primarily to deal with various human cancers. Interestingly, many plant-based PIs are also found to be effective against cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, inflammatory diseases and neurological disorders. Several plant PIs are under further evaluation in in vitro clinical trials. Among all types of PIs, Bowman-Birk inhibitors (BBI) have been studied extensively in the treatment of many diseases, especially in the field of cancer prevention. So far, crops such as beans, potatoes, barley, squash, millet, wheat, buckwheat, groundnut, chickpea, pigeonpea, corn, and pineapple have been identified as good sources of PIs. The PI content of such foods has a significant influence on human health disorders, particularly in the regions where people mostly depend on these kind of foods. These natural PIs vary in concentration, protease specificity, heat stability, and sometimes several PIs may be present in the same species or tissue. However, it is important to carry out individual studies to identify the potential effects of each PI on human health. PIs in plants make them incredible sources to determine novel PIs with specific pharmacological and therapeutic effects due to their peculiarity and superabundance. PMID:28008315

nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andreu-Cabedo, Patricia; Mondragon, Rosa; Hernandez, Leonor; Martinez-Cuenca, Raul; Cabedo, Luis; Julia, J. Enrique

2014-10-01

Thermal energy storage (TES) is extremely important in concentrated solar power (CSP) plants since it represents the main difference and advantage of CSP plants with respect to other renewable energy sources such as wind, photovoltaic, etc. CSP represents a low-carbon emission renewable source of energy, and TES allows CSP plants to have energy availability and dispatchability using available industrial technologies. Molten salts are used in CSP plants as a TES material because of their high operational temperature and stability of up to 500°C. Their main drawbacks are their relative poor thermal properties and energy storage density. A simple cost-effective way to improve thermal properties of fluids is to dope them with nanoparticles, thus obtaining the so-called salt-based nanofluids. In this work, solar salt used in CSP plants (60% NaNO3 + 40% KNO3) was doped with silica nanoparticles at different solid mass concentrations (from 0.5% to 2%). Specific heat was measured by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). A maximum increase of 25.03% was found at an optimal concentration of 1 wt.% of nanoparticles. The size distribution of nanoparticle clusters present in the salt at each concentration was evaluated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and image processing, as well as by means of dynamic light scattering (DLS). The cluster size and the specific surface available depended on the solid content, and a relationship between the specific heat increment and the available particle surface area was obtained. It was proved that the mechanism involved in the specific heat increment is based on a surface phenomenon. Stability of samples was tested for several thermal cycles and thermogravimetric analysis at high temperature was carried out, the samples being stable.

TOXICOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF REALISTIC EMISSIONS OF SOURCE AEROSOLS (TERESA): APPLICATION TO POWER PLANT-DERIVED PM2.5

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

Annette C. Rohr; Petros Koutrakis; John Godleski

Determining the health impacts of different sources and components of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is an important scientific goal, because PM is a complex mixture of both inorganic and organic constituents that likely differ in their potential to cause adverse health outcomes. The TERESA (Toxicological Evaluation of Realistic Emissions of Source Aerosols) study focused on two PM sources - coal-fired power plants and mobile sources - and sought to investigate the toxicological effects of exposure to realistic emissions from these sources. The DOE-EPRI Cooperative Agreement covered the performance and analysis of field experiments at three power plants. The mobile sourcemore » component consisted of experiments conducted at a traffic tunnel in Boston; these activities were funded through the Harvard-EPA Particulate Matter Research Center and will be reported separately in the peer-reviewed literature. TERESA attempted to delineate health effects of primary particles, secondary (aged) particles, and mixtures of these with common atmospheric constituents. The study involved withdrawal of emissions directly from power plant stacks, followed by aging and atmospheric transformation of emissions in a mobile laboratory in a manner that simulated downwind power plant plume processing. Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) derived from the biogenic volatile organic compound {alpha}-pinene was added in some experiments, and in others ammonia was added to neutralize strong acidity. Specifically, four scenarios were studied at each plant: primary particles (P); secondary (oxidized) particles (PO); oxidized particles + secondary organic aerosol (SOA) (POS); and oxidized and neutralized particles + SOA (PONS). Extensive exposure characterization was carried out, including gas-phase and particulate species. Male Sprague Dawley rats were exposed for 6 hours to filtered air or different atmospheric mixtures. Toxicological endpoints included (1) breathing pattern; (2) bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid cytology and biochemistry; (3) blood cytology; (4) in vivo oxidative stress in heart and lung tissue; and (5) heart and lung histopathology. In addition, at one plant, cardiac arrhythmias and heart rate variability (HRV) were evaluated in a rat model of myocardial infarction. Statistical analyses included analyses of variance (ANOVA) to determine differences between exposed and control animals in response to different scenario/plant combinations; univariate analyses to link individual scenario components to responses; and multivariate analyses (Random Forest analyses) to evaluate component effects in a multipollutant setting. Results from the power plant studies indicated some biological responses to some plant/scenario combinations. A number of significant breathing pattern changes were observed; however, significant clinical changes such as specific irritant effects were not readily apparent, and effects tended to be isolated changes in certain respiratory parameters. Some individual exposure scenario components appeared to be more strongly and consistently related to respiratory parameter changes; however, the specific scenario investigated remained a better predictor of response than individual components of that scenario. Bronchoalveolar lavage indicated some changes in cellularity of BAL fluid in response to the POS and PONS scenarios; these responses were considered toxicologically mild in magnitude. No changes in blood cytology were observed at any plant or scenario. Lung oxidative stress was increased with the POS scenario at one plant, and cardiac oxidative stress was increased with the PONS scenario also at one plant, suggesting limited oxidative stress in response to power plant emissions with added atmospheric constituents. There were some mild histological findings in lung tissue in response to the P and PONS scenarios. Finally, the MI model experiments indicated that premature ventricular beat frequency was increased at the plant studied, while no changes in heart rate, HRV, or electrocardiographic intervals were observed. Overall, the TERESA results should be interpreted as indicating toxicologically mild adverse responses to some scenarios. The varied responses among the three plants indicate heterogeneity in emissions. Ongoing studies using the TERESA approach to evaluate the toxicity of traffic-related pollution will yield valuable data for comparative toxicity assessment and will give us a better understanding of the contribution of different sources to the morbidity and mortality associated with exposure to air pollution.« less

Modeling of water treatment plant using timed continuous Petri nets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurul Fuady Adhalia, H.; Subiono, Adzkiya, Dieky

2017-08-01

Petri nets represent graphically certain conditions and rules. In this paper, we construct a model of the Water Treatment Plant (WTP) using timed continuous Petri nets. Specifically, we consider that (1) the water pump always active and (2) the water source is always available. After obtaining the model, the flow through the transitions and token conservation laws are calculated.

An Archeological Overview and Management Plan for the Mississippi Army Ammunition Plant, Hancock County, Mississippi

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-06-18

high rainfall of the area are specifically noted by Smith et al. (1981:59) as causing severe leaching of nutrients from the soils of the area. The...Pleistocene megafauna such as mastodon, which were virtually gone by this time. The increased importance of plant re- sources at this time is suggested in many

[Analysis of varieties and standards of Scrophulariaceae plants used in Tibetan medicine].

PubMed

Cao, Lan; Mu, Ze-jing; Zhong, Wei-hong; Zhong, Wei-jin; He, Jun-wei; Du, Xiao-lang; Zhong, Guo-yue

2015-12-01

In this paper, the popular domestic varieties and quality standard of Scrophulariaceae plants used in Tibetan medicine were analyzed. The results showed that there were 11 genera and 99 species (including varieties), as well as 28 medicinal materials varieties of Scrophulariaceae plants were recorded in the relevant literatures. In relevant Tibetan standards arid literatures, there are great differences in varieties, sources, parts, and efficacies of medicinal plant. Among them, about 41.4% (including 41 species) of endemic plants, about 15.2% (including 15 species) of the original plants have medicinal standard legal records, except the medicinal materials of Scrophalaria ningpoensis, Lagotis brevituba, Picrorhiza scrophulariiflora, Veronica eriogyne general, most varieties have not completed quality standard. Consequently it is necessary to reinforce the herbal textual, resources and the use present situation investigation, the effects of the species resources material foundation and biological activity, quality standard, specification the medical terms of the plants, and promote Tibetan medicinal vareties-terminologies-sources such as the criterion and quality standard system for enriching the varieties of Tibetan medicinal materials and Chinese medicinal resources.

Diets higher in animal and plant protein are associated with lower adiposity and do not impair kidney function in US adults.

PubMed

Berryman, Claire E; Agarwal, Sanjiv; Lieberman, Harris R; Fulgoni, Victor L; Pasiakos, Stefan M

2016-09-01

Higher-protein diets are associated with decreased adiposity and greater HDL cholesterol than lower protein diets. Whether these benefits can be attributed to a specific protein source (i.e., nondairy animal, dairy, or plant) is unknown, and concerns remain regarding the impact of higher-protein diets on kidney function. The objective of this study was to evaluate trends of protein source on markers of cardiometabolic disease risk and kidney function in US adults. Total, nondairy animal, dairy, and plant protein intake were estimated with the use of 24-h recall data from NHANES 2007-2010 (n = 11,111; ≥19 y). Associations between source-specific protein intake and health outcomes were determined with the use of models that adjusted for sex, race and ethnicity, age, physical activity, poverty-to-income ratio, individual intake (grams per kilogram) for each of the other 2 protein sources, body mass index (BMI) (except for weight-related variables), and macronutrient (carbohydrate, fiber, and total and saturated fat) intake. Mean ± SE total protein intake was 82.3 ± 0.8 g/d (animal: 37.4 ± 0.5 g/d; plant: 24.7 ± 0.3 g/d; and dairy: 13.4 ± 0.3 g/d). Both BMI and waist circumference were inversely associated [regression coefficient (95% CI)] with animal [-0.199 (-0.265, -0.134), P < 0.0001; -0.505 (-0.641, -0.370), P < 0.0001] and plant [-0.346 (-0.455, -0.237), P < 0.0001; -0.826 (-1.114, -0.538), P < 0.0001] protein intake. Blood urea nitrogen concentrations increased across deciles for animal [0.313 (0.248, 0.379), P < 0.0001; decile 1-10: 11.6 ± 0.2 to 14.9 ± 0.3 mg/dL] and dairy [0.195 (0.139, 0.251), P < 0.0001; decile 1-10: 12.7 ± 0.2 to 13.9 ± 0.2 mg/dL] but not plant protein intake. Glomerular filtration rate and blood creatinine were not associated with intake of any protein source. Diets higher in plant and animal protein, independent of other dietary factors, are associated with cardiometabolic benefits, particularly improved central adiposity, with no apparent impairment of kidney function. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

Towards an Understanding of Atmospheric Methanol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Millet, D. B.; Jacob, D. J.; de Gouw, J.; Warneke, C.; Holloway, J. S.; Blake, D. R.; Karl, T.; Campos, T.; Singh, H. B.; Diskin, G. S.

2007-12-01

Methanol, the most abundant non-methane organic gas in the atmosphere, is an important global source of tropospheric CO and formaldehyde, and plays a significant role in the tropical HOx and ozone budgets. The atmospheric methanol budget is highly uncertain, with estimates of the global source ranging from 75 to 490 Tg/yr. New measurements from recent field experiments (INTEX-B, MILAGRO, TEXAQS-II, INTEX-A, and ICARTT) provide quantitative constraints on methanol sources and sinks. Here we use a 3D model of atmospheric chemistry (GEOS-Chem) to interpret these datasets and their implications for the global methanol budget. We find that emissions from terrestrial plants (thought to be the main source) are overestimated by 40-50%; the discrepancy appears specific to certain plant functional types (broadleaf trees and crops). Recent measurements in the surface ocean imply a large in situ biotic source, so that methanol emissions from the ocean biosphere are comparable in magnitude to those from terrestrial ecosystems. The oceans are also a large gross sink for atmospheric methanol (similar to oxidation by OH). Even with the plant growth source decreased by 40-50% according to these new constraints, we find that methanol emissions from the terrestrial biosphere still dominate over those from urban and industrial sources, in contrast to other recent studies.

Three-Dimensional Reconstruction of the Virtual Plant Branching Structure Based on Terrestrial LIDAR Technologies and L-System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, Y.; Yang, Y.; Yang, X.

2018-04-01

For the purpose of extracting productions of some specific branching plants effectively and realizing its 3D reconstruction, Terrestrial LiDAR data was used as extraction source of production, and a 3D reconstruction method based on Terrestrial LiDAR technologies combined with the L-system was proposed in this article. The topology structure of the plant architectures was extracted using the point cloud data of the target plant with space level segmentation mechanism. Subsequently, L-system productions were obtained and the structural parameters and production rules of branches, which fit the given plant, was generated. A three-dimensional simulation model of target plant was established combined with computer visualization algorithm finally. The results suggest that the method can effectively extract a given branching plant topology and describes its production, realizing the extraction of topology structure by the computer algorithm for given branching plant and also simplifying the extraction of branching plant productions which would be complex and time-consuming by L-system. It improves the degree of automation in the L-system extraction of productions of specific branching plants, providing a new way for the extraction of branching plant production rules.

Agricultural use of municipal wastewater treatment plant ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Agricultural use of municipal wastewater treatment plant sewage sludge as a source of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contamination in the environment The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize the movement of pollutants from the source to contact with humans. Our multidisciplinary research program produces Methods, Measurements, and Models to identify relationships between and characterize processes that link source emissions, environmental concentrations, human exposures, and target-tissue dose. The impact of these tools is improved regulatory programs and policies for EPA.

Drought stress obliterates the preference for ammonium as an N source in the C4 plant Spartina alterniflora.

PubMed

Hessini, Kamel; Kronzucker, Herbert J; Abdelly, Chedly; Cruz, Cristina

2017-06-01

The C 4 grass Spartina alterniflora is known for its unique salt tolerance and strong preference for ammonium (NH 4 + ) as a nitrogen (N) source. We here examined whether Spartina's unique preference for NH 4 + results in improved performance under drought stress. Manipulative greenhouse experiments were carried out to measure the effects of variable water availability and inorganic N sources on plant performance (growth, photosynthesis, antioxidant, and N metabolism). Drought strongly reduced leaf number and area, plant fresh and dry weight, and photosynthetic activity on all N sources, but the reduction was most pronounced on NH 4 + . Indeed, the growth advantage seen on NH 4 + in the absence of drought, producing nearly double the biomass compared to growth on NO 3 - , was entirely obliterated under both intermediate and severe drought conditions (50 and 25% field capacity, respectively). Both fresh and dry weight became indistinguishable among N sources under drought. Major markers of the antioxidant capacity of the plant, the activities of the enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and glutathione reductase, showed higher constitutive levels on NH 4 + . Catalase and glutathione reductase were specifically upregulated in NH 4 + -fed plants with increasing drought stress. This upregulation, however, failed to protect the plants from drought stress. Nitrogen metabolism was characterized by lower constitutive levels of glutamine synthetase in NH 4 + -fed plants, and a rise in glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activity under drought, accompanied by elevated proline levels in leaves. Our results support postulates on the important role of GDH induction, and its involvement in the synthesis of compatible solutes, under abiotic stress. We show that, despite this metabolic shift, S. alterniflora's sensitivity to drought does not benefit from growth on NH 4 + and that the imposition of drought stress equalizes all N-source-related growth differences observed under non-drought conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Structural Studies of Complex Carbohydrates of Plant Cell Walls

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

Darvill, Alan; Hahn, Michael G.; O'Neill, Malcolm A.

Most of the solar energy captured by land plants is converted into the polysaccharides (cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin) that are the predominant components of the cell wall. These walls, which account for the bulk of plant biomass, have numerous roles in the growth and development of plants. Moreover, these walls have a major impact on human life as they are a renewable source of biomass, a source of diverse commercially useful polymers, a major component of wood, and a source of nutrition for humans and livestock. Thus, understanding the molecular mechanisms that lead to wall assembly and how cell wallsmore » and their component polysaccharides contribute to plant growth and development is essential to improve and extend the productivity and value of plant materials. The proposed research will develop and apply advanced analytical and immunological techniques to study specific changes in the structures and interactions of the hemicellulosic and pectic polysaccharides that occur during differentiation and in response to genetic modification and chemical treatments that affect wall biosynthesis. These new techniques will make it possible to accurately characterize minute amounts of cell wall polysaccharides so that subtle changes in structure that occur in individual cell types can be identified and correlated to the physiological or developmental state of the plant. Successful implementation of this research will reveal fundamental relationships between polysaccharide structure, cell wall architecture, and cell wall functions.« less

Raw material procurement for termite fishing tools by wild chimpanzees in the Issa valley, Western Tanzania.

PubMed

Almeida-Warren, Katarina; Sommer, Volker; Piel, Alex K; Pascual-Garrido, Alejandra

2017-10-01

Chimpanzee termite fishing has been studied for decades, yet the selective processes preceding the manufacture of fishing tools remain largely unexplored. We investigate raw material selection and potential evidence of forward planning in the chimpanzees of Issa valley, western Tanzania. Using traditional archaeological methods, we surveyed the location of plants from where chimpanzees sourced raw material to manufacture termite fishing tools, relative to targeted mounds. We measured raw material abundance to test for availability and selection. Statistics included Chi-Squared, two-tailed Wilcoxon, and Kruskall-Wallace tests. Issa chimpanzees manufactured extraction tools only from bark, despite availability of other suitable materials (e.g., twigs), and selected particular plant species as raw material sources, which they often also exploit for food. Most plants were sourced 1-16 m away from the mound, with a maximum of 33 m. The line of sight from the targeted mound was obscured for a quarter of these plants. The exclusive use of bark tools despite availability of other suitable materials indicates a possible cultural preference. The fact that Issa chimpanzees select specific plant species and travel some distance to source them suggests some degree of selectivity and, potentially, forward planning. Our results have implications for the reconstruction of early hominin behaviors, particularly with regard to the use of perishable tools, which remain archaeologically invisible. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Controls on compound specific 2H/1H of leaf waxes along a North American monsoonal transect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berke, M. A.; Tipple, B. J.; Hambach, B.; Ehleringer, J. R.

2013-12-01

The use of hydrogen isotope ratios of sedimentary n-alkanes from leaf waxes has become an important method for the reconstruction of paleohydrologic conditions. Ideally, the relationship between lipid 2H/1H values and source water is one-to-one. But the extent to which the 2H/1H values are altered between initial source water and lipid 2H/1H values varies by plant type and environment. Additionally, these variables may be confounded by use of varied source waters by plants in the same ecosystem. Here, we use a transect study across the arid southwestern landscape of the United States, which is heavily influenced by the North American Monsoon, to study the variability in 2H/1H values of leaf waxes in co-occurring plants from Tucson, Arizona to Salt Lake City, Utah. Perennials, including rabbit brush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus), sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata), and gambel oak (Quercus gambelii) and an annual plant, sunflower (Helianthus annuus), were chosen for their wide geographic distribution along the entire transect. Our results indicate that n-alkane distribution for each plant was similar and generally showed no relationship to environmental variables (elevation, mean annual precipitation, latitude, and temperature). However, we find evidence of n-alkane 2H/1H value relating to transect latitude, a relationship that is weaker for all samples combined than the strong individual correlation for each plant species. Further, these 2H/1H values suggest that not all plants in the monsoon region utilize monsoon-delivered precipitation. These results imply an adaptation to discontinuous spatial coverage and amount of monsoonal precipitation and suggest care must be taken when assuming consistent source water for different plants, particularly in regions with highly seasonal precipitation delivery.

Variability in the carbon isotope composition of individual amino acids in plant proteins from different sources: 1 Leaves.

PubMed

Lynch, Anthony H; Kruger, Nicholas J; Hedges, Robert E M; McCullagh, James S O

2016-05-01

The natural carbon isotope composition of individual amino acids from plant leaf proteins has been measured to establish potential sources of variability. The plant leaves studied, taken from a range of plant groups (forbs, trees, grasses, and freshwater aquatic plants), showed no significant influence of either season or environment (water and light availability) on their Δδ(13)C values. Plant groups did, however, differ in carbon isotope composition, although no consistent differences were identified at the species level. A discriminant analysis model was constructed which allowed leaves from (1) nettles, (2) Pooideae, (3) other Poales, (4) trees and (5) freshwater higher plants to be distinguished from each other on the basis of their natural abundance (13)C/(12)C ratios of individual amino acids. Differences in carbon isotope composition are known to be retained, to some extent, in the tissues of their consumers, and hence an understanding of compound-specific variation in (13)C/(12)C fractional abundance in plants has the potential to provide dietary insights of value in archaeological and ecological studies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Phenolic-enriched foods: sources and processing for enhanced health benefits.

PubMed

McDougall, Gordon J

2017-05-01

Polyphenols are ubiquitous secondary products present in many plant foods. Their intake has been associated with health benefits ranging from reduced incidence of CVD, diabetes and cancers to improved neurodegenerative outcomes. Major dietary sources include beverages such as coffee, teas and foods such as chocolate. Fruits are also major sources and berries in particular are a palatable source of a diverse range of polyphenol components. There are a number of ways that polyphenol uptake could be increased and healthier polyphenol-rich foods could be produced with specific compositions to target-specific health effects. Firstly, we could exploit the genetic diversity of plants (with a focus on berries) to select varieties that have enhanced levels of specific polyphenols implicated in disease mitigation (e.g. anthocyanins, tannins or flavonols). Working with variation induced by environmental and agronomic factors, modern molecular breeding techniques could exploit natural variation and beneficially alter polyphenol content and composition, although this could be relatively long term. Alternatively, we could employ a synthetic biology approach and design new plants that overexpress certain genes or re-deploy more metabolic effort into specific polyphenols. However, such 'polyphenol-plus' fruit could prove unpalatable as polyphenols contribute to sensorial properties (e.g. astringency of tannins). However, if the aim was to produce a polyphenol as a pharmaceutical then 'lifting' biosynthetic pathways from plants and expressing them in microbial vectors may be a feasible option. Secondly, we could design processing methods to enhance the polyphenolic composition or content of foods. Fermentation of teas, cocoa beans and grapes, or roasting of cocoa and coffee beans has long been used and can massively influence polyphenol composition and potential bioactivity. Simple methods such as milling, heat treatment, pasteurisation or juicing (v. pureeing) can have notable effects on polyphenol profiles and novel extraction methods bring new opportunities. Encapsulation methods can protect specific polyphenols during digestion and increase their delivery in the gastrointestinal tract to target-specific health effects. Lastly we could examine reformulation of products to alter polyphenol content or composition. Enhancing staple apple or citrus juices with berry juices could double polyphenol levels and provide specific polyphenol components. Reformulation of foods with polyphenol-rich factions recovered from 'wastes' could increase polyphenol intake, alter product acceptability, improve shelf life and prevent food spoilage. Finally, co-formulation of foods can influence bioavailability and potential bioactivity of certain polyphenols. Within the constraints that certain polyphenols can interfere with drug effectiveness through altered metabolism, this provides another avenue to enhance polyphenol intake and potential effectiveness. In conclusion, these approaches could be developed separately or in combination to produce foods with enhanced levels of phenolic components that are effective against specific disease conditions.

Concentrations and characteristics of organic carbon in surface water in Arizona: Influence of urbanization

USGS Publications Warehouse

Westerhoff, P.; Anning, D.

2000-01-01

Dissolved (DOC) and total (TOC) organic carbon concentrations and compositions were studied for several river systems in Arizona, USA. DOC composition was characterized by ultraviolet and visible absorption and fluorescence emission (excitation wavelength of 370 nm) spectra characteristics. Ephemeral sites had the highest DOC concentrations, and unregulated perennial sites had lower concentrations than unregulated intermittent sites, regulated sites, and sites downstream from wastewater-treatment plants (p < 0.05). Reservoir outflows and wastewater-treatment plant effluent were higher in DOC concentration (p < 0.05) and exhibited less variability in concentration than inflows to the reservoirs. Specific ultraviolet absorbance values at 254 nm were typically less than 2 m-1(milligram DOC per liter)-1 and lower than values found in most temperate-region rivers, but specific ultraviolet absorbance values increased during runoff events. Fluorescence measurements indicated that DOC in desert streams typically exhibit characteristics of autochthonous sources; however, DOC in unregulated upland rivers and desert streams experienced sudden shifts from autochthonous to allochthonous sources during runoff events. The urban water system (reservoir systems and wastewater-treatment plants) was found to affect temporal variability in DOC concentration and composition. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V.Dissolved (DOC) and total (TOC) organic carbon concentrations and compositions were studied for several river systems in Arizona, USA. DOC composition was characterized by ultraviolet and visible absorption and fluorescence emission (excitation wavelength of 370 nm) spectra characteristics. Ephemeral sites had the highest DOC concentrations, and unregulated perennial sites had lower concentrations than unregulated intermittent sites, regulated sites, and sites downstream from wastewater-treatment plants (p<0.05). Reservoir outflows and wastewater-treatment plant effluent were higher in DOC concentration (p<0.05) and exhibited less variability in concentration than inflows to the reservoirs. Specific ultraviolet absorbance values at 254 nm were typically less than 2 m-1(milligram DOC per liter)-1 and lower than values found in most temperate-region rivers, but specific ultraviolet absorbance values increased during runoff events. Fluorescence measurements indicated that DOC in desert streams typically exhibit characteristics of autochthonous sources; however, DOC in unregulated upland rivers and desert streams experienced sudden shifts from autochthonous to allochthonous sources during runoff events. The urban water system (reservoir systems and wastewater-treatment plants) was found to affect temporal variability in DOC concentration and composition.The influence of urbanization, becoming increasingly common in arid regions, on dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations in surface water resources was studied. DOC concentration and composition, seasonal watershed runoff events, streamflow variations, water management practices, and urban infrastructure in several Arizona watersheds were monitored. Ephemeral sites had the highest DOC levels, and unregulated perennial sites and lower concentrations than unregulated intermittent sites, regulated sites, and sites downstream from wastewater treatment plants. Reservoir outflows and wastewater treatment plant effluent had higher and less variable DOC concentrations than inflows to reservoirs. UV absorbance values, fluorescence measurements, and other indicators suggest that urban water systems (reservoirs and wastewater treatment plants) affect temporal variability in DOC concentration and composition.

Pharmacognostical study of Tamalaki (Phyllanthus fraternus Webster), a herb used in Tamaka-svasa

PubMed Central

Sen, Binay; Dubey, S. D.; Tripathi, K.

2011-01-01

Tamalaki is a herbacious medicinal plant, described in Ayurvedic texts in many occurrences with different properties, actions, uses and synonyms, supposed to indicate more than one species commonly used in practice. Modern scholars mostly suggest Phyllanthus fraternus Webster (syn. P. niruri Linn.), P. amarus Schum. and Thonn. and P. urinaria Linn. as the source plants of Tamalaki. In this study, an attempt has been made to designate P. fraternus as the source plant of Tamalaki used in the treatment of Tamaka-svasa (Bronchial asthma) and other respiratory disorders by analyzing therapeutic uses, actions, properties, taste, synonyms as well as pharmacognostical characters. Smooth capsule, six tepals, less and short fibrous root, pentagonal outline with wing-shaped young stem are some of the specific characters observed in this species. PMID:22529659

Preliminary use of compound-specific stable isotope (CSSI) technique to identify and apportion sediment origin in a small Austrian catchment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mabit, Lionel; Gibbs, Max; Chen, Xu; Meusburger, Katrin; Toloza, Arsenio; Resch, Christian; Klik, Andreas; Eder, Alexander; Strauss, Peter; Alewell, Christine

2015-04-01

The overall impacts of climate change on agriculture are expected to be negative, threatening global food security. In the agricultural areas of the European Union, water erosion risk is expected to increase by about 80% by the year 2050. Reducing soil erosion and sedimentation-related environmental problems represent a key requirement for mitigating the impact of climate change. A new forensic stable isotope technique, using the compound specific stable isotope (CSSI) signatures of inherent soil organic biomarkers, can discriminate and apportion the source soil contribution from different land uses. Plant communities label the soil where they grow by exuding organic biomarkers. Although all plants produce the same biomarkers, the stable isotopic signature of those biomarkers is different for each plant species. For agri-environmental investigation, the CSSI technique is based on the measurement of carbon-13 (13-C) natural abundance signatures of specific organic compounds such as natural fatty acids (FAs) in the soil. By linking fingerprints of land use to the sediment in deposition zones, this approach has been shown to be a useful technique for determining the source of eroded soil and thereby identifying areas prone to soil degradation. The authors have tested this innovative stable isotopic approach in a small Austrian agricultural catchment located 60 km north of Vienna. A previous fallout radionuclide (i.e. 137-Cs) based investigation established a sedimentation rate of 4 mm/yr in the lowest part of the study site. To gain knowledge about the origin of these sediments, the CSSI technique was then tested using representative samples from the different land-uses of the catchment as source material. Values of 13-C signatures of specific FAs (i.e. C22:0 = Behenic Acid ; C24:0 = Lignoceric Acid) and the bulk 13-C of the sediment mixture and potential landscape sources were analyzed with the mixing models IsoSource and CSSIAR v1.00. Using both mixing models, preliminary results highlighted that about 50-55% of the sediment located in the deposition area originated from the main grassed waterway of the catchment.

Inhibition of nitrogen-fixing activity of the cyanobiont affects the localization of glutamine synthetase in hair cells of Azolla.

PubMed

Uheda, Eiji; Maejima, Kazuhiro

2009-10-15

In the Azolla-Anabaena association, the host plant Azolla efficiently incorporates and assimilates ammonium ions that are released from the nitrogen-fixing cyanobiont, probably via glutamine synthetase (GS; EC 6.3.1.2) in hair cells, which are specialized cells protruding into the leaf cavity. In order to clarify the regulatory mechanism underlying ammonium assimilation in the Azolla-Anabaena association, Azolla plants were grown under an argon environment (Ar), in which the nitrogen-fixing activity of the cyanobiont was inhibited specifically and completely. The localization of GS in hair cells was determined by immunoelectron microscopy and quantitative analysis of immunogold labeling. Azolla plants grew healthily under Ar when nitrogen sources, such as NO(3)(-) and NH(4)(+), were provided in the growth medium. Both the number of cyanobacterial cells per leaf and the heterocyst frequency of the plants under Ar were similar to those of plants in a nitrogen environment (N(2)). In hair cells of plants grown under Ar, regardless of the type of nitrogen source provided, only weak labeling of GS was observed in the cytoplasm and in chloroplasts. In contrast, in hair cells of plants grown under N(2), abundant labeling of GS was observed in both sites. These findings indicate that specific inhibition of the nitrogen-fixing activity of the cyanobiont affects the localization of GS isoenzymes. Ammonium fixed and released by the cyanobiont could stimulate GS synthesis in hair cells. Simultaneously, the abundant GS, probably GS1, in these cells, could assimilate ammonium rapidly.

Proteomics and metabolomics analyses reveal the cucurbit sieve tube system as a complex metabolic space.

PubMed

Hu, Chaoyang; Ham, Byung-Kook; El-Shabrawi, Hattem M; Alexander, Danny; Zhang, Dabing; Ryals, John; Lucas, William J

2016-09-01

The plant vascular system, and specifically the phloem, plays a pivotal role in allocation of fixed carbon to developing sink organs. Although the processes involved in loading and unloading of sugars and amino acids are well characterized, little information is available regarding the nature of other metabolites in the sieve tube system (STS) at specific sites along the pathway. Here, we elucidate spatial features of metabolite composition mapped with phloem enzymes along the cucurbit STS. Phloem sap (PS) was collected from the loading (source), unloading (apical sink region) and shoot-root junction regions of cucumber, watermelon and pumpkin. Our PS analyses revealed significant differences in the metabolic and proteomic profiles both along the source-sink pathway and between the STSs of these three cucurbits. In addition, metabolite profiles established for PS and vascular tissue indicated the presence of distinct compositions, consistent with the operation of the STS as a unique symplasmic domain. In this regard, at various locations along the STS we could map metabolites and their related enzymes to specific metabolic pathways. These findings are discussed with regard to the function of the STS as a unique and highly complex metabolic space within the plant vascular system. © 2016 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Phytochemical screening and in vitro bioactivities of the extracts of aerial part of Boerhavia diffusa Linn.

PubMed

Apu, Apurba Sarker; Liza, Mahmuda Sultana; Jamaluddin, A T M; Howlader, Md Amran; Saha, Repon Kumer; Rizwan, Farhana; Nasrin, Nishat

2012-09-01

To investigate the bioactivities of crude n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of aerial part of Boerhavia diffusa Linn. (B. diffusa) and its phytochemical analysis. The identification of phytoconstituents and assay of antioxidant, thrombolytic, cytotoxic, antimicrobial activities were conducted using specific standard in vitro procedures. The results showed that the plant extracts were a rich source of phytoconstituents. Methanol extract showed higher antioxidant, thrombolytic activity and less cytotoxic activity than those of n-hexane and ethyl acetate extracts of B. diffusa. Among the bioactivities, antioxidant activity was the most notable compared to the positive control and thus could be a potential rich source of natural antioxidant. In case of antimicrobial screening, crude extracts of the plant showed remarkable antibacterial activity against tested microorganisms. All the extracts showed significant inhibitory activity against Candida albicuns, at a concentration of 1000 µg/disc. The present findings suggest that, the plant widely available in Bangladesh, could be a prominent source of medicinally important natural compounds.

Influence of changing plant food sources on the gut microbiota of saltmarsh detritivores.

PubMed

Dittmer, Jessica; Lesobre, Jérôme; Raimond, Roland; Zimmer, Martin; Bouchon, Didier

2012-10-01

Changes in agricultural land-use of saltmarshes along the German North Sea coast have favoured the succession of the marsh grass Elytrigia atherica over the long-established Spartina anglica. Consequently, E. atherica represents a potential food source of increasing importance for plant-feeding soil detritivores. Considering the importance of this ecological guild for decomposition processes and nutrient cycling, we focussed on two sympatric saltmarsh soil macrodetritivores and their associated gut microbiota to investigate how the digestive processes of these species may be affected by changing plant food sources. Using genetic fingerprints of partial 16S rRNA gene sequences, we analysed composition and diversity of the bacterial gut community in a diplopod and an amphipod crustacean in relation to different feeding regimes representing the natural vegetation changes. Effects of syntopy on the host-specific gut microbiota were also taken into account by feeding the two detritivore species either independently or on the same plant sample. Bacterial community composition was influenced by both the host species and the available plant food sources, but the latter had a stronger effect on microbial community structure. Furthermore, bacterial diversity was highest after feeding on a mixture of both plant species, regardless of the host species. The gut microbiota of these two detritivores can thus be expected to change along with the on-going succession at the plant community level in this environment. Cloning and sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA gene fragments further indicated a host-related effect since the two detritivores differed in terms of predominant bacterial taxa: diplopods harboured mainly representatives of the phyla Bacteroidetes and Gammaproteobacteria. In contrast, the genus Vibrio was found for the amphipod host across all feeding conditions.

Amazonian plants from Peru used by Quechua and Mestizo to treat malaria with evaluation of their activity.

PubMed

Roumy, V; Garcia-Pizango, G; Gutierrez-Choquevilca, A-L; Ruiz, L; Jullian, V; Winterton, P; Fabre, N; Moulis, C; Valentin, A

2007-07-25

Indigenous Quechua and Mestizo populations from distinct areas in Loreto, Peru, were interviewed about traditional medication for the treatment of malaria. An ethnographic survey concerning the native theory of illness aetiology in the specific case of malaria permitted the elaboration of an efficient ethnopharmacological enquiry. The survey took place on three main zones corresponding to villages on the Napo and the Pastaza rivers (for the Quechua), and in the surroundings of Iquitos (for the Mestizos) and led to the collection of 14 plants. Serial extractions in hexane, dichloromethane, and methanol were performed on the different parts of the plants collected. The extracts were then tested for antiplasmodial activity in vitro. Seven plants displayed antiplasmodial activity (IC(50) from 2 to 25 microg/mL) and usually low cytotoxicity, indicating their antiplasmodial specificity. The results give scientific validation to the traditional medical knowledge of Quechua and Mestizo populations from Loreto and confirm a source of potentially active plants.

Glycosyltransferases in secondary plant metabolism: tranquilizers and stimulant controllers.

PubMed

Jones, P; Vogt, T

2001-06-01

Plants are exposed to a wide range of toxic and bioactive low-molecular-weight molecules from both exogenous and endogenous sources. Glycosylation is one of the primary sedative mechanisms that plants utilise in order to maintain metabolic homeostasis. Recently, a range of glycosyltransferases has been characterized in detail with regard to substrate specificity. The next step in increasing our understanding of the biology of glycosylation will require information regarding the exact role of individual glycosyltransferases in planta, as well as an insight into their potential involvement in metabolon-complexes. Hopefully, this will answer how a large number of glycosyltransferases with broad, rather than narrow, substrate specificity can be constrained in order to avoid interfering with other pathways of primary and secondary metabolism. These and other topics are discussed.

Activation product transport in fusion reactors. [RAPTOR

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

Klein, A.C.

1983-01-01

Activated corrosion and neutron sputtering products will enter the coolant and/or tritium breeding material of fusion reactor power plants and experiments and cause personnel access problems. Radiation levels around plant components due to these products will cause difficulties with maintenance and repair operations throughout the plant. Similar problems are experienced around fission reactor systems. The determination of the transport of radioactive corrosion and neutron sputtering products through the system is achieved using the computer code RAPTOR. This code calculates the mass transfer of a number of activation products based on the corrosion and sputtering rates through the system, the depositionmore » and release characteristics of various plant components, the neturon flux spectrum, as well as other plant parameters. RAPTOR assembles a system of first order linear differential equations into a matrix equation based upon the reactor system parameters. Included in the transfer matrix are the deposition and erosion coefficients, and the decay and activation data for the various plant nodes and radioactive isotopes. A source vector supplies the corrosion and neutron sputtering source rates. This matrix equation is then solved using a matrix operator technique to give the specific activity distribution of each radioactive species throughout the plant. Once the amount of mass transfer is determined, the photon transport due to the radioactive corrosion and sputtering product sources can be evaluated, and dose rates around the plant components of interest as a function of time can be determined. This method has been used to estimate the radiation hazards around a number of fusion reactor system designs.« less

Belowground Plant Dynamics Across an Arctic Landscape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salmon, V. G.; Iversen, C. M.; Breen, A. L.; Thornton, P. E.; Wullschleger, S.

2017-12-01

High-latitude ecosystems are made up of a mosaic of different plant communities, all of which are exposed to warming at a rate double that observed in ecosystems at lower latitudes. Arctic regions are an important component of global Earth system models due to the large amounts of soil carbon (C) currently stored in permafrost as well their potential for increased plant C sequestration under warmer conditions. Losses of C from thawing and decomposing permafrost may be offset by increased plant productivity, but plant allocation to belowground structures and acquisition of limiting nutrients remain key sources of uncertainty in these ecosystems. The relationship between belowground plant traits and environmental conditions is not well understood, nor are tradeoffs between above- and belowground plant traits. To address these knowledge gaps, we sampled above- and belowground plant tissues along the Kougarok Hillslope on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska. The vegetation communities sampled included Alder shrubland, willow birch tundra, tussock tundra, dwarf shrub lichen tundra, and non-acidic mountain complex. Within each plant community, aboveground biomass was quantified and specific leaf area, leaf chemistry (%C, %N, %P and δ15N), and wood density were measured. Belowground fine-root biomass and rooting depth distribution were also determined at the community level. Fine roots from shrubs and graminoids were separated so that specific root area, diameter, and chemistry (%C, %N, %P and δ15N) could be assessed for these contrasting plant functional types. Initial findings indicate fine root biomass pools across the widely varying plant communities are constrained by soil depth, regardless of whether the rooting zone is restricted by permafrost or rock. The presence of Alnus viridis subspp. fruticosa, a deciduous shrub that facilitates nitrogen (N) fixation within its root nodules by Frankia bacteria, in Alder shrubland and willow birch tundra communities was associated with increased soil N availability and altered chemistry in neighboring plants. This research aims to identify sources of variation in belowground plant traits and provide insight into how incorporating belowground plant dynamics into Earth system models may improve our ability to predict the fate of these rapidly warming ecosystems.

Increasing seed size and quality by manipulating BIG SEEDS1 in legume species

PubMed Central

Ge, Liangfa; Yu, Jianbin; Wang, Hongliang; Luth, Diane; Bai, Guihua; Wang, Kan

2016-01-01

Plant organs, such as seeds, are primary sources of food for both humans and animals. Seed size is one of the major agronomic traits that have been selected in crop plants during their domestication. Legume seeds are a major source of dietary proteins and oils. Here, we report a conserved role for the BIG SEEDS1 (BS1) gene in the control of seed size and weight in the model legume Medicago truncatula and the grain legume soybean (Glycine max). BS1 encodes a plant-specific transcription regulator and plays a key role in the control of the size of plant organs, including seeds, seed pods, and leaves, through a regulatory module that targets primary cell proliferation. Importantly, down-regulation of BS1 orthologs in soybean by an artificial microRNA significantly increased soybean seed size, weight, and amino acid content. Our results provide a strategy for the increase in yield and seed quality in legumes. PMID:27791139

Food sources of dominant macrozoobenthos between native and non-native mangrove forests: A comparative study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Luzhen; Yan, Ting; Xiong, Yiyi; Zhang, Yihui; Lin, Guanghui

2017-03-01

The macrozoobenthos is an important link of the food web in coastal wetlands. Diet-habitat relationships may significantly depend on qualitative differences and seasonal availability of food sources. Increasing interest has been shown in food web structure altered by non-native plants. In particular, however, a non-native mangrove species from Bangladesh, Sonneratia apetala, has been widely planted in China, but little is known about its possible impact on food sources of macrozoobenthos living in these non-native mangrove forests. Therefore, in this study, we used fatty acid analysis to compare the food sources of one littorinid snail and two grapsid crab species between two native mangrove forests and one non-native S. apetala plantation in the Zhanjiang Mangrove National Nature Reserve of China. We found that the sediment of all three forests had high diatom and bacteria signals, but low mangrove leaf signals, while the opposite patterns were detected in the three macrozoobenthos. Specifically, the gastropod Littoraria melanostoma relied mainly on mangrove leaves and brown algae as food sources, with significant differences among the three mangrove forests, and showed significant seasonal variation in its diet. The grapsidae species (Perisesarma bidens and Parasesarma plicatum) mainly grazed on mangrove litter, brown and green algae, and occasionally consumed diatoms and bacteria, also showing significant seasonal variation in their diet. Overall, Principle Components Analysis (PCA) of the fatty acid profiles showed a significant overlapping in food sources among the macrozoobenthos living in the non-native and native mangrove forests, but significant seasonal variations in their food sources. This suggests that the planting of non-native S. apetala near original mangrove forests has had little effect on the feeding behavior of macrozoobenthos some 10 years after planting.

Effect of bacterial root symbiosis and urea as source of nitrogen on performance of soybean plants grown hydroponically for Bioregenerative Life Support Systems (BLSSs)

PubMed Central

Paradiso, Roberta; Buonomo, Roberta; Dixon, Mike A.; Barbieri, Giancarlo; De Pascale, Stefania

2015-01-01

Soybean is traditionally grown in soil, where root symbiosis with Bradyrhizobium japonicum can supply nitrogen (N), by means of bacterial fixation of atmospheric N2. Nitrogen fertilizers inhibit N-fixing bacteria. However, urea is profitably used in soybean cultivation in soil, where urease enzymes of telluric microbes catalyze the hydrolysis to ammonium, which has a lighter inhibitory effect compared to nitrate. Previous researches demonstrated that soybean can be grown hydroponically with recirculating complete nitrate-based nutrient solutions. In Space, urea derived from crew urine could be used as N source, with positive effects in resource procurement and waste recycling. However, whether the plants are able to use urea as the sole source of N and its effect on root symbiosis with B. japonicum is still unclear in hydroponics. We compared the effect of two N sources, nitrate and urea, on plant growth and physiology, and seed yield and quality of soybean grown in closed-loop Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) in growth chamber, with or without inoculation with B. japonicum. Urea limited plant growth and seed yield compared to nitrate by determining nutrient deficiency, due to its low utilization efficiency in the early developmental stages, and reduced nutrients uptake (K, Ca, and Mg) throughout the whole growing cycle. Root inoculation with B. japonicum did not improve plant performance, regardless of the N source. Specifically, nodulation increased under fertigation with urea compared to nitrate, but this effect did not result in higher leaf N content and better biomass and seed production. Urea was not suitable as sole N source for soybean in closed-loop NFT. However, the ability to use urea increased from young to adult plants, suggesting the possibility to apply it during reproductive phase or in combination with nitrate in earlier developmental stages. Root symbiosis did not contribute significantly to N nutrition and did not enhance the plant ability to use urea, possibly because of ineffective infection process and nodule functioning in hydroponics. PMID:26579144

Application of laser-wakefield-based x-ray source to global food security issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kieffer, J. C.; Fourmaux, S.; Hallin, E.; Arnison, P.; Brereton, N.; Pitre, F.; Dixon, M.; Tran, N.

2017-05-01

We present the development of a high throughput phase contrast screening system based on LWFA Xray sources for plant imaging. We upgraded the INRS laser-betatron beam line and we illustrate its imaging potential through the innovative development of new tools for addressing issues relevant to global food security. This initiative, led by the Global Institute of Food Security (GIFS) at the U of Saskatchewan, aims to elucidate that part of the function that maps environmental inputs onto specific plant phenotypes. The prospect of correlating phenotypic expression with adaptation to environmental stresses will provide researchers with a new tool to assess breeding programs for crops meant to thrive under the climate extremes.

Biochemical Hydrogen Isotope Fractionation during Lipid Biosynthesis in Higher Plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kahmen, A.; Gamarra, B.; Cormier, M. A.

2014-12-01

Although hydrogen isotopes (δ2H) of leaf wax lipids are increasingly being applied as (paleo-) hydrological proxies, we still do not understand some of the basic processes that shape the δ2H values of these compounds. In general, it is believed that three variables shape the δ2H values of leaf wax lipids: source water δ2H values, evaporative deuterium (2H) enrichment of leaf water and the biosynthetic fractionation (ɛbio) during the synthesis of organic compounds. While the influences of source water δ2H values and leaf water evaporative 2H enrichment have been well documented, very little is known how ɛbio shapes the δ2H values of plant-derived lipids. I will present the results from recent experiments, where we show that the magnitude of ɛbio, and thus the δ2H value of plant-derived lipids, strongly depends on the carbon (C) metabolism of a plant. Specifically, I will show that plants that rely for their tissue formation on recently assimilated C have δ2H values in their n-alkanes that are up to 60‰ more negative than plants that depend for their tissue formation on stored carbohydrates. Our findings can be explained by the fact that NADPH is the primary source of hydrogen in plant lipids and that the δ2H value of NADPH differs whether NADPH was generated directly in the light reaction of photosynthesis or whether it was generated by processing stored carbohydrates. As such, the δ2H values of plant-derived lipids will directly depend on whether the tissue containing these lipids was synthesized using recent assimilates, e.g. in a C autonomous state or, if it was synthesized from stored or otherwise aquired C sources, e.g. in a not C autonomous state. Given the magnidude of this effect, our results have important implications for interpretation of plant-derived lipid δ2H values when used as (paleo-) hydrological proxies. In addition, our results suggest, that δ2H values of plant-derived lipids could be employed as a new tools to assess the C metabolism in plants.

δ 13C and δD identification of sources of lipid biomarkers in sediments of Lake Haruna (Japan)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chikaraishi, Yoshito; Naraoka, Hiroshi

2005-07-01

Organic materials in lacustrine sediments are from multiple terrestrial and aquatic sources. In this study, carbon (δ 13C) and hydrogen isotopic compositions (δD) of phytol, various sterols, and major n-fatty acids in sediments at Lake Haruna, Japan, were determined in their solvent-extractable (free) and saponification-released forms (bound). The δ 13C-δD distributions of these lipid molecules in sediments are compared with those of terrestrial C3 and C4 plants, aquatic C3 plants, and plankton to evaluate their relative contributions. δ 13C-δD of free phytol in sediments is very close to that of phytol in plankton samples, whereas δ 13C-δD of bound phytol in sediments is on a mixing line between terrestrial C3 plant and plankton material. Unlike phytol, no significant δ 13C-δD difference between free and bound forms was found in sterols and n-fatty acids. δ 13C-δD values of algal sterols such as 24-methylcholesta-5,22-dien-3β-ol in sediments are close to those of plankton, whereas δ 13C-δD of multiple-source sterols such as 24-ethylcholest-5-en-3β-ol and of major n-fatty acids such as n-hexadecanoic acid in sediments are between those of terrestrial C3 plants and plankton samples. Thus, δ 13C-δD distributions clearly indicate the specific source contributions of biomarkers preserved in a lacustrine environment. Free phytol and algal sterols can be attributed to phytoplankton, and bound phytol, multiple source sterols, and major n-fatty acids are contributed by both terrestrial C3 plants and phytoplankton.

The biosynthesis of cutin and suberin as an alternative source of enzymes for the production of bio-based chemicals and materials.

PubMed

Li, Yonghua; Beisson, Fred

2009-06-01

Oxygenated fatty acids such as ricinoleic acid and vernolic acid can serve in the industry as synthons for the synthesis of a wide range of chemicals and polymers traditionally produced by chemical conversion of petroleum derivatives. Oxygenated fatty acids can also be useful to synthesize specialty chemicals such as cosmetics and aromas. There is thus a strong interest in producing these fatty acids in seed oils (triacylglycerols) of crop species. In the last 15 years or so, much effort has been devoted to isolate key genes encoding proteins involved in the synthesis of oxygenated fatty acids and to express them in the seeds of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana or crop species. An often overlooked but rich source of enzymes catalyzing the synthesis of oxygenated fatty acids and their esterification to glycerol is the biosynthetic pathways of the plant lipid polyesters cutin and suberin. These protective polymers found in specific tissues of all higher plants are composed of a wide variety of oxygenated fatty acids, many of which have not been reported in seed oils (e.g. saturated omega-hydroxy fatty acids and alpha,omega-diacids). The purpose of this mini-review is to give an overview of the recent advances in the biosynthesis of cutin and suberin and discuss their potential utility in producing specific oxygenated fatty acids for specialty chemicals. Special emphasis is given to the role played by specific acyltransferases and P450 fatty acid oxidases. The use of plant surfaces as possible sinks for the accumulation of high value-added lipids is also highlighted.

Plant-Based Beverages as Good Sources of Free and Glycosidic Plant Sterols

PubMed Central

Decloedt, Anneleen I; Van Landschoot, Anita; Watson, Hellen; Vanderputten, Dana; Vanhaecke, Lynn

2017-01-01

To address the ever-growing group of health-conscious consumers, more and more nutritional and health claims are being used on food products. Nevertheless, only very few food constituents, including plant sterols, have been appointed an approved health claim (European Commission and Food and Drugs Administration). Plant sterols are part of those limited lists of approved compounds for their cholesterol-lowering properties but have been praised for their anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties as well. Despite this indisputable reputation, direct quantitative data is still lacking for naturally present (conjugated) plant sterols in beverages. This study aimed to fill this gap by applying a validated extraction and UPLC-MS/MS detection method to a diverse range of everyday plant-based beverages. β-sitosterol-β-d-glucoside (BSSG) showed to be by far the most abundant sterol in all beverages studied, with concentrations up to 60–90 mg per 100 mL in plant-based milk alternatives and fresh fruit juices. Ergosterol (provitamin D2) could be found in beers (0.8–6.1 µg per 100 mL, from the yeast) and occasionally in juices (17–29 µg per 100 mL). Overall, the results demonstrated that the concentrations of water-soluble sterol conjugates have been underestimated significantly and that specific plant-based beverages can be good, low-fat sources of these plant sterols. PMID:29286348

Food-derived immunomodulatory peptides.

PubMed

Santiago-López, Lourdes; Hernández-Mendoza, Adrián; Vallejo-Cordoba, Belinda; Mata-Haro, Verónica; González-Córdova, Aarón F

2016-08-01

Food proteins contain specific amino acid sequences within their structures that may positively impact bodily functions and have multiple immunomodulatory effects. The functional properties of these specific sequences, also referred to as bioactive peptides, are revealed only after the degradation of native proteins during digestion processes. Currently, milk proteins have been the most explored source of bioactive peptides, which presents an interesting opportunity for the dairy industry. However, plant- and animal-derived proteins have also been shown to be important sources of bioactive peptides. This review summarizes the in vitro and in vivo evidence of the role of various food proteins as sources of immunomodulatory peptides and discusses the possible pathways involving these properties. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Portable direct methanol fuel cell systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Narayanan, S. R.; Valdez, T. I.

2002-01-01

This article includes discussion of the specific power and power density requirements for various portable system applications, the status of stack technology, progress in the implementation of balance-of-plant designs, and a summary of the characteristics of various DMFC portable power source demonstrations.

Books for the Amateur Naturalist: Sources of Experiments and Activities for Outdoor Biology Classes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clewis, Beth

1992-01-01

Presents a series of books that serve as guides regarding outdoor activities for biology classes. Guides are categorized for the general study of nature and for the specific topics of birds, insects, and plants. (25 references) (MDH)

Screening of Caatinga plants as sources of lectins and trypsin inhibitors.

PubMed

Arcoverde, José Hélton Vasconcelos; Carvalho, Aline de Souza; Neves, Fernanda Pacífico de Almeida; Dionízio, Bianca Paiva; Pontual, Emmanuel Viana; Paiva, Patrícia Maria Guedes; Napoleão, Thiago Henrique; Correia, Maria Tereza dos Santos; da Silva, Márcia Vanusa; Carneiro-da-Cunha, Maria das Graças

2014-01-01

Although it is one of the most threatened areas in the Earth, there are few studies on the biotechnological potential of the Caatinga. This work evaluated 36 extracts from 27 Caatinga plants for lectin and trypsin inhibitor activities. The presence of lectin was detected in 77.7% of samples by haemagglutinating assay. The highest values of specific haemagglutinating activity were found in extracts of leaves from Mimosa lewesii, Bauhinia acuruana and Manilkara rufula and in branches from Myracrodruon urundeuva. Trypsin inhibitor activity was detected in 63.9% of the tested extracts, strong inhibitory effect (>70%) being found in 11 samples. This work demonstrates that Caatinga is a potential source of bioactive plant proteins that can be isolated and studied for several applications. The biochemical prospecting of Caatinga is essential for collection of bioactive principles so as to add conservation value to the region.

Specular, diffuse and polarized imagery of an oat canopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vanderbilt, Vern C.; De Venecia, Kurt J.

1988-01-01

Light, polarized by specular reflection, has been found to be an important part of the light scattered by several measured plant canopies. The authors investigate for one canopy the relative importance of specularly reflected sunlight, specularly reflected light from other sources including skylight, and diffusely upwelling light. Polarization images are used to gain increased understanding of the radiation transfer process in a plant canopy. Analysis of the results suggests that properly analyzed polarized remotely sensed data, acquired under specific atmospheric conditions by a specially designed sensor, potentially provide measures of physiological and morphological states of plants in a canopy.

Plant Perception and Short-Term Responses to Phytophagous Insects and Mites.

PubMed

Santamaria, M Estrella; Arnaiz, Ana; Gonzalez-Melendi, Pablo; Martinez, Manuel; Diaz, Isabel

2018-05-03

Plant⁻pest relationships involve complex processes encompassing a network of molecules, signals, and regulators for overcoming defenses they develop against each other. Phytophagous arthropods identify plants mainly as a source of food. In turn, plants develop a variety of strategies to avoid damage and survive. The success of plant defenses depends on rapid and specific recognition of the phytophagous threat. Subsequently, plants trigger a cascade of short-term responses that eventually result in the production of a wide range of compounds with defense properties. This review deals with the main features involved in the interaction between plants and phytophagous insects and acari, focusing on early responses from the plant side. A general landscape of the diverse strategies employed by plants within the first hours after pest perception to block the capability of phytophagous insects to develop mechanisms of resistance is presented, with the potential of providing alternatives for pest control.

Wastewater treatment plant effluent introduces recoverable shifts in microbial community composition in urban streams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ledford, S. H.; Price, J. R.; Ryan, M. O.; Toran, L.; Sales, C. M.

2017-12-01

New technologies are allowing for intense scrutiny of the impact of land use on microbial communities in stream networks. We used a combination of analytical chemistry, real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and targeted amplicon sequencing for a preliminary study on the impact of wastewater treatment plant effluent discharge on urban streams. Samples were collected on two dates above and below treatment plants on the Wissahickon Creek, and its tributary, Sandy Run, in Montgomery County, PA, USA. As expected, effluent was observed to be a significant source of nutrients and human and non-specific fecal associated taxa. There was an observed increase in the alpha diversity at locations immediately below effluent outflows, which contributed many taxa involved in wastewater treatment processes and nutrient cycling to the stream's microbial community. Unexpectedly, modeling of microbial community shifts along the stream was not controlled by concentrations of measured nutrients. Furthermore, partial recovery, in the form of decreasing abundances of bacteria and nutrients associated with wastewater treatment plant processes, nutrient cycling bacteria, and taxa associated with fecal and sewage sources, was observed between effluent sources. Antecedent moisture conditions impacted overall microbial community diversity, with higher diversity occurring after rainfall. These findings hint at resilience in stream microbial communities to recover from wastewater treatment plant effluent and are vital to understanding the impacts of urbanization on microbial stream communities.

Phytochemical screening and in vitro bioactivities of the extracts of aerial part of Boerhavia diffusa Linn.

PubMed Central

Apu, Apurba Sarker; Liza, Mahmuda Sultana; Jamaluddin, A.T.M.; Howlader, Md. Amran; Saha, Repon Kumer; Rizwan, Farhana; Nasrin, Nishat

2012-01-01

Objective To investigate the bioactivities of crude n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of aerial part of Boerhavia diffusa Linn. (B. diffusa) and its phytochemical analysis. Methods The identification of phytoconstituents and assay of antioxidant, thrombolytic, cytotoxic, antimicrobial activities were conducted using specific standard in vitro procedures. Results The results showed that the plant extracts were a rich source of phytoconstituents. Methanol extract showed higher antioxidant, thrombolytic activity and less cytotoxic activity than those of n-hexane and ethyl acetate extracts of B. diffusa. Among the bioactivities, antioxidant activity was the most notable compared to the positive control and thus could be a potential rich source of natural antioxidant. In case of antimicrobial screening, crude extracts of the plant showed remarkable antibacterial activity against tested microorganisms. All the extracts showed significant inhibitory activity against Candida albicuns, at a concentration of 1000 µg/disc. Conclusions The present findings suggest that, the plant widely available in Bangladesh, could be a prominent source of medicinally important natural compounds. PMID:23569993

Midgut glycosidases activities in monophagous larvae of Apollo butterfly, Parnassius apollo ssp. frankenbergeri.

PubMed

Nakonieczny, Mirosław; Michalczyk, Katarzyna; Kedziorski, Andrzej

2006-10-01

Parnassius apollo (Lepidoptera, Papilionidae) declines on numerous localities all over Europe. Its local subspecies frankenbergeri, inhabiting the Pieniny Mts (southern Poland) and successfully recovered from extinction, is monophagous in larval stage. In natural conditions, it completes development on the orpine Sedum telephium ssp. maximum. Since proper quality and quantity of necessary nutritional compounds of the food plant ensure developmental success, the digestive processes in the insect midgut should reflect adaptation to a specific food source. The paper presents, for the first time, the activity of detected glycolytic enzymes in midgut tissue and liquid gut contents of the L4 and L5 instars of P. apollo larvae. alpha-Amylase plays the main role in utilization of carbohydrates, contrary to cellulase activity. Saccharase seems to be the main disaccharidase, and high activity of beta-glycosidase enables hydrolysis of the plant glycosides. Trehalase activity was unexpectedly low and comparable to those of cellobiase and lactase. alpha-Amylolytic and other glycolytic activities indicate that larvae utilize starch and other carbohydrate compounds as energy sources. Possible use of some plant allelochemicals as energy sources by Apollo larvae is discussed.

Analysis of SO II point source emissions using NASA atmospheric infrared sounder data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Sylvia S.; Miller, David P.; Lewis, Paul E.

2007-04-01

Determining the extent to which large power plant emission sources interacting with atmospheric constituents affect the environment could play a significant role in future U.S. energy production policy. The effects on the environment caused by the interaction between power plant emissions and atmospheric constituents has not been investigated in depth due to the lack of calibrated spectral data on a suitable temporal and spatial scale. The availability of NASA's space-based Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) data makes it possible to explore, and begin the first steps toward establishing, a correlation between known emission sources and environmental indicators. An exploratory study was conducted in which a time series of 26 cloud-free AIRS data containing two coal-fired power plants in northern New Mexico were selected, acquired, and analyzed for SO II emissions. A generic forward modeling process was also developed to derive an estimate of the expected AIRS pixel radiance containing the SO II emissions from the two power plants based on published combustion analysis data for coal and available power plant documentation. Analysis of the AIRS NEΔR calculated in this study and subsequent comparison with the radiance values for SO II calculated from the forward model provided essential information regarding the suitability and risk in the use of a modified AIRS configuration for monitoring anthropogenic point source emissions. The results of this study along with its conclusions and recommendations in conjunction with additional research collaboration in several specific topics will provide guidance for the development of the next generation infrared spectrometer system that NASA is considering building for environmental monitoring.

California GAMA Special Study: An isotopic and dissolved gas investigation of nitrate source and transport to a public supply well in California's Central Valley

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

Singleton, M J; Moran, J E; Esser, B K

2010-04-14

This study investigates nitrate contamination of a deep municipal drinking water production well in Ripon, CA to demonstrate the utility of natural groundwater tracers in constraining the sources and transport of nitrate to deep aquifers in the Central Valley. The goal of the study was to investigate the origin (source) of elevated nitrate and the potential for the deep aquifer to attenuate anthropogenic nitrate. The site is ideal for such an investigation. The production well is screened from 165-325 feet below ground surface and a number of nearby shallow and deep monitoring wells were available for sampling. Furthermore, potential sourcesmore » of nitrate contamination to the well had been identified, including a fertilizer supply plant located approximately 1000 feet to the east and local almond groves. A variety of natural isotopic and dissolved gas tracers including {sup 3}H-{sup 3}He groundwater age and the isotopic composition of nitrate are applied to identify nitrate sources and to characterize nitrate transport. An advanced method for sampling production wells is employed to help identify contaminant contributions from specific screen intervals. Nitrate transport: Groundwater nitrate at this field site is not being actively denitrified. Groundwater parameters indicate oxic conditions, the dissolved gas data shows no evidence for excess nitrogen as the result of denitrification, and nitrate-N and -O isotope compositions do not display patterns typical of denitrification. Contaminant nitrate source: The ambient nitrate concentration in shallow groundwater at the Ripon site ({approx}12 mg/L as nitrate) is typical of shallow groundwaters affected by recharge from agricultural and urban areas. Nitrate concentrations in Ripon City Well 12 (50-58 mg/L as nitrate) are significantly higher than these ambient concentrations, indicating an additional source of anthropogenic nitrate is affecting groundwater in the capture zone of this municipal drinking water well. This study provides two new pieces of evidence that the Ripon Farm Services Plant is the source of elevated nitrate in Ripon City Well 12. (1) Chemical mass balance calculations using nitrate concentration, nitrate isotopic composition, and initial tritium activity all indicate that that the source water for elevated nitrate to Ripon City Well 12 is a very small component of the water produced by City Well 12 and thus must have extremely high nitrate concentration. The high source water nitrate concentration ({approx}1500 mg/L as nitrate) required by these mass balance calculations precludes common sources of nitrate such as irrigated agriculture, dairy wastewater, and septic discharge. Shallow groundwater under the Ripon Farm Services RFS plant does contain extremely high concentrations of nitrate (>1700 mg/L as nitrate). (2) Nitrogen and oxygen isotope compositions of nitrate indicate that the additional anthropogenic nitrate source to Ripon City Well 12 is significantly enriched in {delta}{sup 18}O-NO{sub 3}, an isotopic signature consistent with synthetic nitrate fertilizer, and not with human or animal wastewater discharge (i.e. dairy operations, septic system discharge, or municipal wastewater discharge), or with organic fertilizer. Monitoring wells on and near the RFS plant also have high {delta}{sup 18}O-NO{sub 3}, and the plant has handled and stored synthetic nitrate fertilizer that will have this isotopic signature. The results described here highlight the complexity of attributing nitrate found in long screened, high capacity wells to specific sources. In this case, the presence of a very high concentration source near the well site combined with sampling using multiple isotopic tracer techniques and specialized depth-specific techniques allowed fingerprinting of the source in the mixed-age samples drawn from the production well.« less

Characterization of sources and loadings of fecal pollutants using microbial source tracking assays in urban and rural areas of the Grand River Watershed, Southwestern Ontario.

PubMed

Lee, Dae-Young; Lee, Hung; Trevors, Jack T; Weir, Susan C; Thomas, Janis L; Habash, Marc

2014-04-15

Sources of fecal water pollution were assessed in the Grand River and two of its tributaries (Ontario, Canada) using total and host-specific (human and bovine) Bacteroidales genetic markers in conjunction with reference information, such as land use and weather. In-stream levels of the markers and culturable Escherichia coli were also monitored during multiple rain events to gain information on fecal loadings to catchment from diffuse sources. Elevated human-specific marker levels were accurately identified in river water impacted by a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent and at a downstream site in the Grand River. In contrast, the bovine-specific marker showed high levels of cattle fecal pollution in two tributaries, both of which are characterized as intensely farmed areas. The bovine-specific Bacteroidales marker increased with rainfall in the agricultural tributaries, indicating enhanced loading of cattle-derived fecal pollutants to river from non-point sources following rain events. However, rain-triggered fecal loading was not substantiated in urban settings, indicating continuous inputs of human-originated fecal pollutants from point sources, such as WWTP effluent. This study demonstrated that the Bacteroidales source tracking assays, in combination with land use information and hydrological data, may provide additional insight into the spatial and temporal distribution of source-specific fecal contamination in streams impacted by varying land uses. Using the approach described in this study may help to characterize impacted water sources and to design targeted land use management plans in other watersheds in the future. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Greenhouse Gas Source Detection and Attribution in the San Francisco Bay Area of California Using a Mobile Measurement Platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martien, P. T.; Guha, A.; Newman, S.; Young, A.; Bower, J.; Perkins, I.; Randall, S.; Stevenson, E.; Hilken, H.

2017-12-01

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the San Francisco Bay Area's air quality regulatory agency, has set a goal to reduce the region's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2050, consistent with the State of California's climate goals. Recently, the Air District's governing board adopted a 2017 Clean Air Plan advancing the agency's vision and including actions to put the region on a path to achieving the 2050 goal while also reducing air pollution and related health impacts. The Plan includes GHG rule-making efforts, policy initiatives, local government partnerships, outreach, grants and incentives, encompassing over 250 specific implementation actions across all economic sectors to effect ambitious emission reductions in the region. To support the 2017 Plan, the Air District has built a mobile measurement platform (GHG research van) to perform targeted CH4 emissions hotspot detection and source attribution. Instruments in the van measure CH4, CO2 and N2O in ambient plumes. Coincident measurements of source tracers like isotopic methane (13C - CH4), CO and ethane (C2H6) provide the capability to distinguish between biogenic, combustion-based and fossil-based fugitive methane sources. We report observations of CH4 plumes from source-specific measurements in and around facilities including a wastewater treatment plant, a composting operation, a waste-to-energy anaerobic digestion plant and a few refineries. We performed leak surveys inside several electric utility-operated facilities including a power plant and an underground natural gas storage facility. We sampled exhaust from a roadway tunnel and computed fleet-averaged automobile-related CH4 and N2O emission factors. We used tracer-to-tracer emission ratios to create chemical signatures of emissions from each sampled source category. We compare measurement-based ratios with those used to derive the regional GHG inventory. Data from these and other sources will lead to an improved understanding of GHG emissions from well- and lesser-known CH4 sources in the region, key to resolving the differences between top-down estimates (Fairley and Fischer, 2015; Jeong et al., 2016) and the regional bottom-up inventory.

Improvement of Arbuscular Mycorrhiza Development by Inoculation of Soil with Phosphate-Solubilizing Rhizobacteria To Improve Rock Phosphate Bioavailability ((sup32)P) and Nutrient Cycling

PubMed Central

Toro, M.; Azcon, R.; Barea, J.

1997-01-01

The interactive effect of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi on plant use of soil P sources of low bioavailability (endogenous or added as rock phosphate [RP] material) was evaluated by using soil microcosms which integrated (sup32)P isotopic dilution techniques. The microbial inocula consisted of the AM fungus Glomus intraradices and two phosphate-solubilizing rhizobacterial isolates: Enterobacter sp. and Bacillus subtilis. These rhizobacteria behaved as "mycorrhiza helper bacteria" promoting establishment of both the indigenous and the introduced AM endophytes despite a gradual decrease in bacterial population size, which dropped from 10(sup7) at planting to 10(sup3) CFU g(sup-1) of dry rhizosphere soil at harvest. Dual inoculation with G. intraradices and B. subtilis significantly increased biomass and N and P accumulation in plant tissues. Regardless of the rhizobacterium strain and of the addition of RP, AM plants displayed lower specific activity ((sup32)P/(sup31)P) than their comparable controls, suggesting that the plants used P sources not available in their absence. The inoculated rhizobacteria may have released phosphate ions ((sup31)P), either from the added RP or from the less-available indigenous P sources, which were effectively taken up by the external AM mycelium. Soluble Ca deficiency in the test soil may have benefited P solubilization. At least 75% of the P in dually inoculated plants derived from the added RP. It appears that these mycorrhizosphere interactions between bacterial and fungal plant associates contributed to the biogeochemical P cycling, thus promoting a sustainable nutrient supply to plants. PMID:16535730

Occurrence of viruses and protozoa in drinking water sources of Japan and their relationship to indicator microorganisms.

PubMed

Haramoto, Eiji; Kitajima, Masaaki; Kishida, Naohiro; Katayama, Hiroyuki; Asami, Mari; Akiba, Michihiro

2012-09-01

A nationwide survey of viruses, protozoa, and indicator microorganisms in drinking water sources of Japan was conducted. Among 64 surface water samples collected from 16 drinking water treatment plants, 51 (80 %) samples were positive for at least one of the 11 pathogen types tested, including noroviruses of genogroups I (positive rate, 13 %) and II (2 %), human sapoviruses (5 %), human adenoviruses of serotypes 40 and 41 (39 %), Cryptosporidium oocysts (41 %), and Giardia cysts (36 %). Total coliforms, Escherichia coli, and F-specific coliphages were detected in 63 (98 %), 33 (52 %), and 17 (27 %) samples, respectively, and E. coli was judged to be the most suitable indicator of pathogen contamination of drinking water sources. Genogroup-specific real-time PCR for F-specific coliphages revealed the presence of F-specific RNA coliphages of animal genogroup I and human genogroups II and III in 13 (41 %), 12 (39 %), and 1 (3 %), respectively, of 31 plaques isolated.

Dentin biomodification potential depends on polyphenol source.

PubMed

Aguiar, T R; Vidal, C M P; Phansalkar, R S; Todorova, I; Napolitano, J G; McAlpine, J B; Chen, S N; Pauli, G F; Bedran-Russo, A K

2014-04-01

Although proanthocyanidins (PACs) modify dentin, the effectiveness of different PAC sources and the correlation with their specific chemical composition are still unknown. This study describes the chemical profiling of natural PAC-rich extracts from 7 plants using ultra high pressure/performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) to determine the overall composition of these extracts and, in parallel, comprehensively evaluate their effect on dentin properties. The total polyphenol content of the extracts was determined (as gallic acid equivalents) using Folin-Ciocalteau assays. Dentin biomodification was assessed by the modulus of elasticity, mass change, and resistance to enzymatic biodegradation. Extracts with a high polyphenol and PAC content from Vitis vinifera, Theobroma cacao, Camellia sinensis, and Pinus massoniana induced a significant increase in modulus of elasticity and mass. The UHPLC analysis showed the presence of multiple types of polyphenols, ranging from simple phenolic acids to oligomeric PACs and highly condensed tannins. Protective effect against enzymatic degradation was observed for all experimental groups; however, statistically significant differences were observed between plant extracts. The findings provide clear evidence that the dentin bioactivities of PACs are source dependent, resulting from a combination of concentration and specific chemical constitution of the complex PAC mixtures.

Obtaining lutein-rich extract from microalgal biomass at preparative scale.

PubMed

Fernández-Sevilla, José M; Fernández, F Gabriel Acién; Grima, Emilio Molina

2012-01-01

Lutein extracts are in increasing demand due to their alleged role in the prevention of degenerative disorders such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Lutein extracts are currently obtained from plant sources, but microalgae have been demonstrated to be a competitive source likely to become an alternative. The extraction of lutein from microalgae posesses specific problems that arise from the different structure and composition of the source biomass. Here is presented a method for the recovery of lutein-rich carotenoid extracts from microalgal biomass in the kilogram scale.

Malate as a key carbon source of leaf dark-respired CO2 across different environmental conditions in potato plants

PubMed Central

Lehmann, Marco M.; Rinne, Katja T.; Blessing, Carola; Siegwolf, Rolf T. W.; Buchmann, Nina; Werner, Roland A.

2015-01-01

Dissimilation of carbon sources during plant respiration in support of metabolic processes results in the continuous release of CO2. The carbon isotopic composition of leaf dark-respired CO2 (i.e. δ 13 C R) shows daily enrichments up to 14.8‰ under different environmental conditions. However, the reasons for this 13C enrichment in leaf dark-respired CO2 are not fully understood, since daily changes in δ13C of putative leaf respiratory carbon sources (δ 13 C RS) are not yet clear. Thus, we exposed potato plants (Solanum tuberosum) to different temperature and soil moisture treatments. We determined δ 13 C R with an in-tube incubation technique and δ 13 C RS with compound-specific isotope analysis during a daily cycle. The highest δ 13 C RS values were found in the organic acid malate under different environmental conditions, showing less negative values compared to δ 13 C R (up to 5.2‰) and compared to δ 13 C RS of soluble carbohydrates, citrate and starch (up to 8.8‰). Moreover, linear relationships between δ 13 C R and δ 13 C RS among different putative carbon sources were strongest for malate during daytime (r2=0.69, P≤0.001) and nighttime (r2=0.36, P≤0.001) under all environmental conditions. A multiple linear regression analysis revealed δ 13 C RS of malate as the most important carbon source influencing δ 13 C R. Thus, our results strongly indicate malate as a key carbon source of 13C enriched dark-respired CO2 in potato plants, probably driven by an anapleurotic flux replenishing intermediates of the Krebs cycle. PMID:26139821

Dietary Protein Intake in Dutch Elderly People: A Focus on Protein Sources.

PubMed

Tieland, Michael; Borgonjen-Van den Berg, Karin J; Van Loon, Luc J C; de Groot, Lisette C P G M

2015-11-25

Sufficient high quality dietary protein intake is required to prevent or treat sarcopenia in elderly people. Therefore, the intake of specific protein sources as well as their timing of intake are important to improve dietary protein intake in elderly people. to assess the consumption of protein sources as well as the distribution of protein sources over the day in community-dwelling, frail and institutionalized elderly people. Habitual dietary intake was evaluated using 2- and 3-day food records collected from various studies involving 739 community-dwelling, 321 frail and 219 institutionalized elderly people. Daily protein intake averaged 71 ± 18 g/day in community-dwelling, 71 ± 20 g/day in frail and 58 ± 16 g/day in institutionalized elderly people and accounted for 16% ± 3%, 16% ± 3% and 17% ± 3% of their energy intake, respectively. Dietary protein intake ranged from 10 to 12 g at breakfast, 15 to 23 g at lunch and 24 to 31 g at dinner contributing together over 80% of daily protein intake. The majority of dietary protein consumed originated from animal sources (≥60%) with meat and dairy as dominant sources. Thus, 40% of the protein intake in community-dwelling, 37% in frail and 29% in institutionalized elderly originated from plant based protein sources with bread as the principle source. Plant based proteins contributed for >50% of protein intake at breakfast and between 34% and 37% at lunch, with bread as the main source. During dinner, >70% of the protein intake originated from animal protein, with meat as the dominant source. Daily protein intake in these older populations is mainly (>80%) provided by the three main meals, with most protein consumed during dinner. More than 60% of daily protein intake consumed is of animal origin, with plant based protein sources representing nearly 40% of total protein consumed. During dinner, >70% of the protein intake originated from animal protein, while during breakfast and lunch a large proportion of protein is derived from plant based protein sources.

Developmental effects on ureide levels are mediated by tissue-specific regulation of allantoinase in Phaseolus vulgaris L.

PubMed

Díaz-Leal, Juan Luis; Gálvez-Valdivieso, Gregorio; Fernández, Javier; Pineda, Manuel; Alamillo, Josefa M

2012-06-01

The ureides allantoin and allantoate are key molecules in the transport and storage of nitrogen in ureide legumes. In shoots and leaves from Phaseolus vulgaris plants using symbiotically fixed nitrogen as the sole nitrogen source, ureide levels were roughly equivalent to those of nitrate-supported plants during the whole vegetative stage, but they exhibited a sudden increase at the onset of flowering. This rise in the level of ureides, mainly in the form of allantoate, was accompanied by increases in allantoinase gene expression and enzyme activity, consistent with developmental regulation of ureide levels mainly through the tissue-specific induction of allantoate synthesis catalysed by allantoinase. Moreover, surprisingly high levels of ureides were also found in non-nodulated plants fertilized with nitrate, at both early and late developmental stages. The results suggest that remobilized N from lower leaves is probably involved in the sharp rise in ureides in shoots and leaves during early pod filling in N(2)-fixing plants and in the significant amounts of ureides observed in non-nodulated plants.

Huperzine alkaloids from Australasian and southeast Asian Huperzia.

PubMed

Lim, Wei-Han; Goodger, Jason Q D; Field, Ashley R; Holtum, Joseph A M; Woodrow, Ian E

2010-09-01

The pharmaceutical alkaloid huperzine A (HupA), currently used in herbal supplements and medicines worldwide, is predominantly sourced from the Chinese lycopod Huperzia serrata (Thunb. ex Murray) Trev. (Lycopodiaceae), which on average contains only 0.08 mg HupA g(-1) dry weight, and is experiencing a rapid decline in China due to over-harvesting. To find a high-yielding, natural source of HupA and/or the related huperzine B (HupB) that could potentially be used as the starting material in a commercial propagation program. We surveyed 17 Huperzia species (15 indigenous to Australia and southeast Asia) for their foliar HupA and HupB concentrations. We also studied intra-specific variation for the huperzines in four species that were available in sufficient numbers, and determined tissue-specific accumulation in larger specimens. HupA was detected in 11 Australasian and southeast Asian species, with eight also containing HupB, albeit at much lower concentrations. A H. elmeri (Herter) Holub plant from the Philippines had one of the highest HupA concentrations recorded (1.01 mg g(-1) dry wt) and it also had the highest HupB content of all plants surveyed (0.34 mg g(-1) dry wt). Intra-specific HupA and HupB concentrations were extremely variable, and at the intra-plant level, reproductive strobili were found to accumulate the highest HupA concentrations. Select Huperzia species from Australia and southeast Asia have potential as the starting material for establishing commercial HupA plantations, but the high intra-specific variability observed suggests that detailed screening is needed to isolate high huperzine-yielding individuals.

Intraspecific variation in stomatal traits, leaf traits and physiology reflects adaptation along aridity gradients in a South African shrub

PubMed Central

Carlson, Jane E.; Adams, Christopher A.; Holsinger, Kent E.

2016-01-01

Background and Aims Trait–environment relationships are commonly interpreted as evidence for local adaptation in plants. However, even when selection analyses support this interpretation, the mechanisms underlying differential benefits are often unknown. This study addresses this gap in knowledge using the broadly distributed South African shrub Protea repens. Specifically, the study examines whether broad-scale patterns of trait variation are consistent with spatial differences in selection and ecophysiology in the wild. Methods In a common garden study of plants sourced from 19 populations, associations were measured between five morphological traits and three axes describing source climates. Trait–trait and trait–environment associations were analysed in a multi-response model. Within two focal populations in the wild, selection and path analyses were used to test associations between traits, fecundity and physiological performance. Key Results Across 19 populations in a common garden, stomatal density increased with the source population’s mean annual temperature and decreased with its average amount of rainfall in midsummer. Concordantly, selection analysis in two natural populations revealed positive selection on stomatal density at the hotter, drier site, while failing to detect selection at the cooler, moister site. Dry-site plants with high stomatal density also had higher stomatal conductances, cooler leaf temperatures and higher light-saturated photosynthetic rates than those with low stomatal density, but no such relationships were present among wet-site plants. Leaf area, stomatal pore index and specific leaf area in the garden also co-varied with climate, but within-population differences were not associated with fitness in either wild population. Conclusions The parallel patterns of broad-scale variation, differences in selection and differences in trait–ecophysiology relationships suggest a mechanism for adaptive differentiation in stomatal density. Densely packed stomata may improve performance by increasing transpiration and cooling, but predominately in drier, hotter climates. This study uniquely shows context-dependent benefits of stomatal density – a trait rarely linked to local adaptation in plants. PMID:26424782

Symbiotic N2 fixation activity in relation to C economy of Pisum sativum L. as a function of plant phenology.

PubMed

Voisin, A S; Salon, C; Jeudy, C; Warembourg, F R

2003-12-01

The relationships between symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF) activity and C fluxes were investigated in pea plants (Pisum sativum L. cv. Baccara) using simultaneous 13C and 15N labelling. Analysis of the dynamics of labelled CO2 efflux from the nodulated roots allowed the different components associated with SNF activity to be calculated, together with root and nodule synthetic and maintenance processes. The carbon costs for the synthesis of roots and nodules were similar and decreased with time. Carbon lost by turnover, associated with maintenance processes, decreased with time for nodules while it increased in the roots. Nodule turnover remained higher than root turnover until flowering. The effect of the N source on SNF was investigated using plants supplied with nitrate or plants only fixing N2. SNF per unit nodule biomass (nodule specific activity) was linearly related to the amount of carbon allocated to the nodulated roots regardless of the N source, with regression slopes decreasing across the growth cycle. These regression slopes permitted potential values of SNF specific activity to be defined. SNF activity decreased as the plants aged, presumably because of the combined effects of both increasing C costs of SNF (from 4.0 to 6.7 g C g-1 N) and the limitation of C supply to the nodules. SNF activity competed for C against synthesis and maintenance processes within the nodulated roots. Synthesis was the main limiting factor of SNF, but its importance decreased as the plant aged. At seed-filling, SNF was probably more limited by nodule age than by C supply to the nodulated roots.

Biota: sediment partitioning of aluminium smelter related PAHs and pulp mill related diterpenes by intertidal clams at Kitimat, British Columbia.

PubMed

Yunker, Mark B; Lachmuth, Cara L; Cretney, Walter J; Fowler, Brian R; Dangerfield, Neil; White, Linda; Ross, Peter S

2011-09-01

The question of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) bioavailability and its relationship to specific PAH sources with different PAH binding characteristics is an important one, because bioavailability drives PAH accumulation in biota and ultimately the biochemical responses to the PAH contaminants. The industrial harbour at Kitimat (British Columbia, Canada) provides an ideal location to study the bioavailability and bioaccumulation of sediment hydrocarbons to low trophic level biota. Samples of soft shell clams (Mya arenaria) and intertidal sediment collected from multiple sites over six years at various distances from an aluminium smelter and a pulp and paper mill were analysed for 106 PAHs, plant diterpenes and other aromatic fraction hydrocarbons. Interpretation using PAH source ratios and multivariate data analysis reveals six principal hydrocarbon sources: PAHs in coke, pitch and emissions from anode combustion from the aluminium smelter, vascular plant terpenes and aromatised terpenes from the pulp and paper mill, petroleum PAHs from shipping and other anthropogenic activities and PAHs from natural plant detritus. Harbour sediments predominantly contain either pitch or pyrogenic PAHs from the smelter, while clams predominantly contain plant derived PAHs and diterpenes from the adjacent pulp mill. PAHs from the smelter have low bioavailability to clams (Biota-Sediment Accumulation Factors; BSAFs <1 for pitch and coke; <10 for anode combustion, decreasing to ∼0.1 for the mass 300 and 302 PAHs), possibly due to binding to pitch or soot carbon matrices. Decreases in PAH isomer ratios between sediments and clams likely reflect a combination of variation in uptake kinetics of petroleum PAHs and compound specific metabolism, with the importance of petroleum PAHs decreasing with increasing molecular weight. Plant derived compounds exhibit little natural bioaccumulation at reference sites, but unsaturated and aromatised diterpenes released from resins by industrial pulping processes are readily accumulated by the clams (BSAFs >500). Thus while most of the smelter associated PAHs in sediments may not be bioavailable to benthic organisms, the plant terpenes (including retene, totarol, ferruginol, manool, dehydroabietane and other plant terpenes that form the chemical defence mechanism of conifers) released by pulp mills are bioavailable and possess demonstrated toxic properties. The large scale release of plant terpenes by some of the many pulp mills located in British Columbia and elsewhere represents a largely undocumented risk to aquatic biota. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inferring nutrient loading of estuarine systems by remote sensing of aquatic vegetation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, R. R.

1978-01-01

THe use of remote sensing to record algal and vascular aquatic plant growths in estuarine waters is discussed. A technique is proposed that uses a combination of data to hierarchically classify watersheds with regard to severity of potential pollution. Specific nonpoint sources of nutrients in tributaries of the watershed are identified with lower altitude photography of vegetation and selected ground sampling. It is concluded that excessive growths of some aquatic plants may be related to nutrient pollution.

Application of 3D printing to prototype and develop novel plant tissue culture systems.

PubMed

Shukla, Mukund R; Singh, Amritpal S; Piunno, Kevin; Saxena, Praveen K; Jones, A Maxwell P

2017-01-01

Due to the complex process of designing and manufacturing new plant tissue culture vessels through conventional means there have been limited efforts to innovate improved designs. Further, development and availability of low cost, energy efficient LEDs of various spectra has made it a promising light source for plant growth in controlled environments. However, direct replacement of conventional lighting sources with LEDs does not address problems with uniformity, spectral control, or the challenges in conducting statistically valid experiments to assess the effects of light. Prototyping using 3D printing and LED based light sources could help overcome these limitations and lead to improved culture systems. A modular culture vessel design in which the fluence rate and spectrum of light are independently controlled was designed, prototyped using 3D printing, and evaluated for plant growth. This design is compatible with semi-solid and liquid based culture systems. Observations on morphology, chlorophyll content, and chlorophyll fluorescence based stress parameters from in vitro plants cultured under different light spectra with similar overall fluence rate indicated different responses in Nicotiana tabacum and Artemisia annua plantlets. This experiment validates the utility of 3D printing to design and test functional vessels and demonstrated that optimal light spectra for in vitro plant growth is species-specific. 3D printing was successfully used to prototype novel culture vessels with independently controlled variable fluence rate/spectra LED lighting. This system addresses several limitations associated with current lighting systems, providing more uniform lighting and allowing proper replication/randomization for experimental plant biology while increasing energy efficiency. A complete procedure including the design and prototyping of a culture vessel using 3D printing, commercial scale injection molding of the prototype, and conducting a properly replicated experiment are discussed. This open source design has the scope for further improvement and adaptation and demonstrates the power of 3D printing to improve the design of culture systems.

Nitrate is an important nitrogen source for Arctic tundra plants.

PubMed

Liu, Xue-Yan; Koba, Keisuke; Koyama, Lina A; Hobbie, Sarah E; Weiss, Marissa S; Inagaki, Yoshiyuki; Shaver, Gaius R; Giblin, Anne E; Hobara, Satoru; Nadelhoffer, Knute J; Sommerkorn, Martin; Rastetter, Edward B; Kling, George W; Laundre, James A; Yano, Yuriko; Makabe, Akiko; Yano, Midori; Liu, Cong-Qiang

2018-03-27

Plant nitrogen (N) use is a key component of the N cycle in terrestrial ecosystems. The supply of N to plants affects community species composition and ecosystem processes such as photosynthesis and carbon (C) accumulation. However, the availabilities and relative importance of different N forms to plants are not well understood. While nitrate (NO 3 - ) is a major N form used by plants worldwide, it is discounted as a N source for Arctic tundra plants because of extremely low NO 3 - concentrations in Arctic tundra soils, undetectable soil nitrification, and plant-tissue NO 3 - that is typically below detection limits. Here we reexamine NO 3 - use by tundra plants using a sensitive denitrifier method to analyze plant-tissue NO 3 - Soil-derived NO 3 - was detected in tundra plant tissues, and tundra plants took up soil NO 3 - at comparable rates to plants from relatively NO 3 - -rich ecosystems in other biomes. Nitrate assimilation determined by 15 N enrichments of leaf NO 3 - relative to soil NO 3 - accounted for 4 to 52% (as estimated by a Bayesian isotope-mixing model) of species-specific total leaf N of Alaskan tundra plants. Our finding that in situ soil NO 3 - availability for tundra plants is high has important implications for Arctic ecosystems, not only in determining species compositions, but also in determining the loss of N from soils via leaching and denitrification. Plant N uptake and soil N losses can strongly influence C uptake and accumulation in tundra soils. Accordingly, this evidence of NO 3 - availability in tundra soils is crucial for predicting C storage in tundra. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

Nitrate is an important nitrogen source for Arctic tundra plants

PubMed Central

Liu, Xue-Yan; Koyama, Lina A.; Weiss, Marissa S.; Inagaki, Yoshiyuki; Shaver, Gaius R.; Giblin, Anne E.; Hobara, Satoru; Nadelhoffer, Knute J.; Sommerkorn, Martin; Rastetter, Edward B.; Kling, George W.; Laundre, James A.; Yano, Yuriko; Makabe, Akiko; Yano, Midori; Liu, Cong-Qiang

2018-01-01

Plant nitrogen (N) use is a key component of the N cycle in terrestrial ecosystems. The supply of N to plants affects community species composition and ecosystem processes such as photosynthesis and carbon (C) accumulation. However, the availabilities and relative importance of different N forms to plants are not well understood. While nitrate (NO3−) is a major N form used by plants worldwide, it is discounted as a N source for Arctic tundra plants because of extremely low NO3− concentrations in Arctic tundra soils, undetectable soil nitrification, and plant-tissue NO3− that is typically below detection limits. Here we reexamine NO3− use by tundra plants using a sensitive denitrifier method to analyze plant-tissue NO3−. Soil-derived NO3− was detected in tundra plant tissues, and tundra plants took up soil NO3− at comparable rates to plants from relatively NO3−-rich ecosystems in other biomes. Nitrate assimilation determined by 15N enrichments of leaf NO3− relative to soil NO3− accounted for 4 to 52% (as estimated by a Bayesian isotope-mixing model) of species-specific total leaf N of Alaskan tundra plants. Our finding that in situ soil NO3− availability for tundra plants is high has important implications for Arctic ecosystems, not only in determining species compositions, but also in determining the loss of N from soils via leaching and denitrification. Plant N uptake and soil N losses can strongly influence C uptake and accumulation in tundra soils. Accordingly, this evidence of NO3− availability in tundra soils is crucial for predicting C storage in tundra. PMID:29540568

Effects of glucose on the uptake and metabolism of glycine in pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.) exposed to various nitrogen sources.

PubMed

Ma, Qingxu; Cao, Xiaochuang; Xie, Yinan; Xiao, Han; Tan, Xiaoli; Wu, Lianghuan

2017-03-02

Plants can absorb amino acids as a nitrogen (N) source, and glucose is an important part of root rhizodeposition and the soil sugar pool, which participates in the regulation of plant growth and uptake. In pakchoi, the effect of glucose concentration on the glycine N uptake from a nutrient mixture composed of glycine, ammonium, and nitrate, or from a single N solution of glycine alone was studied using specific substrate 15 N-labeling and 15 N-gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The optimal glucose concentration for plant growth was 4.5 μM or 25 μM when supplied with glycine alone or the N mixture, respectively, and resulted in a >25% increase in seedling biomass. The addition of glucose affected the relative contribution from organic or inorganic sources to overall N uptake. When glucose was added at optimal concentrations, glycine was preferentially used as an N source, while the relative contribution from nitrate was reduced. The limiting step for glycine N contribution was active uptake in the roots in high glucose and single-N-source conditions; however, root metabolism of glycine to serine was limiting in high-glucose and mixed-N-source conditions. The addition of low concentrations of glucose increased the relative uptake of organic nitrogen and reduced the uptake of nitrate, suggesting a feasible way to decrease nitrate content and increase the edible quality of vegetables.

Comparison of taxon-specific versus general locus sets for targeted sequence capture in plant phylogenomics.

PubMed

Chau, John H; Rahfeldt, Wolfgang A; Olmstead, Richard G

2018-03-01

Targeted sequence capture can be used to efficiently gather sequence data for large numbers of loci, such as single-copy nuclear loci. Most published studies in plants have used taxon-specific locus sets developed individually for a clade using multiple genomic and transcriptomic resources. General locus sets can also be developed from loci that have been identified as single-copy and have orthologs in large clades of plants. We identify and compare a taxon-specific locus set and three general locus sets (conserved ortholog set [COSII], shared single-copy nuclear [APVO SSC] genes, and pentatricopeptide repeat [PPR] genes) for targeted sequence capture in Buddleja (Scrophulariaceae) and outgroups. We evaluate their performance in terms of assembly success, sequence variability, and resolution and support of inferred phylogenetic trees. The taxon-specific locus set had the most target loci. Assembly success was high for all locus sets in Buddleja samples. For outgroups, general locus sets had greater assembly success. Taxon-specific and PPR loci had the highest average variability. The taxon-specific data set produced the best-supported tree, but all data sets showed improved resolution over previous non-sequence capture data sets. General locus sets can be a useful source of sequence capture targets, especially if multiple genomic resources are not available for a taxon.

Oilseed crops as renewable sources of industrial chemicals

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

McKeon, T.A.; Lin, Jiann-Tsyh; Goodrich-Tanrikulu, M.

1995-12-01

The presence of specific functional groups on a fatty acid confers value for industrial uses. The plant kingdom contains numerous examples of plants that produce seed oils containing fatty acids with epoxy groups, hydroxyl groups, triple bonds or with unusual double bond positions. These fatty acids can be used directly or are readily modified for use in specialty lubricants, plastics and coatings. Many of these plants are not cultivated in the U.S. due to unsuitable climate or growth habit. Such plants provide a source of genes coding for enzymes that will carry out the desired fatty acid modification. Genetic technologymore » allows the transfer of these genes into domestically grown crops such as rapeseed or soybean, with consequent production of the desired fatty acid in the seed oil. One biotechnology company has commercialized a transgenic oilseed crop with an altered fatty acid composition. This talk will review current and projected plans for developing oilseed crops to serve as renewable resources that meet current industrial needs or provide chemical feedstocks for new uses.« less

Adaptation of Rhizobium leguminosarum to pea, alfalfa and sugar beet rhizospheres investigated by comparative transcriptomics

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The rhizosphere is the microbe-rich zone around plant roots and is a key determinant of the biosphere's productivity. Comparative transcriptomics was used to investigate general and plant-specific adaptations during rhizosphere colonization. Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar viciae was grown in the rhizospheres of pea (its legume nodulation host), alfalfa (a non-host legume) and sugar beet (non-legume). Gene expression data were compared to metabolic and transportome maps to understand adaptation to the rhizosphere. Results Carbon metabolism was dominated by organic acids, with a strong bias towards aromatic amino acids, C1 and C2 compounds. This was confirmed by induction of the glyoxylate cycle required for C2 metabolism and gluconeogenesis in all rhizospheres. Gluconeogenesis is repressed in R. leguminosarum by sugars, suggesting that although numerous sugar and putative complex carbohydrate transport systems are induced in the rhizosphere, they are less important carbon sources than organic acids. A common core of rhizosphere-induced genes was identified, of which 66% are of unknown function. Many genes were induced in the rhizosphere of the legumes, but not sugar beet, and several were plant specific. The plasmid pRL8 can be considered pea rhizosphere specific, enabling adaptation of R. leguminosarum to its host. Mutation of many of the up-regulated genes reduced competitiveness for pea rhizosphere colonization, while two genes specifically up-regulated in the pea rhizosphere reduced colonization of the pea but not alfalfa rhizosphere. Conclusions Comparative transcriptome analysis has enabled differentiation between factors conserved across plants for rhizosphere colonization as well as identification of exquisite specific adaptation to host plants. PMID:22018401

Nitrate-Regulated Glutaredoxins Control Arabidopsis Primary Root Growth1[OPEN

PubMed Central

Walters, Laura A.; Cooper, Andrew M.; Olvera, Jocelyn G.; Rosas, Miguel A.; Rasmusson, Allan G.

2016-01-01

Nitrogen is an essential soil nutrient for plants, and lack of nitrogen commonly limits plant growth. Soil nitrogen is typically available to plants in two inorganic forms: nitrate and ammonium. To better understand how nitrate and ammonium differentially affect plant metabolism and development, we performed transcriptional profiling of the shoots of ammonium-supplied and nitrate-supplied Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) plants. Seven genes encoding class III glutaredoxins were found to be strongly and specifically induced by nitrate. RNA silencing of four of these glutaredoxin genes (AtGRXS3/4/5/8) resulted in plants with increased primary root length (approximately 25% longer than the wild type) and decreased sensitivity to nitrate-mediated inhibition of primary root growth. Increased primary root growth is also a well-characterized phenotype of many cytokinin-deficient plant lines. We determined that nitrate induction of glutaredoxin gene expression was dependent upon cytokinin signaling and that cytokinins could activate glutaredoxin gene expression independent of plant nitrate status. In addition, crosses between “long-root” cytokinin-deficient plants and “long-root” glutaredoxin-silenced plants generated hybrids that displayed no further increase in primary root length (i.e. epistasis). Collectively, these findings suggest that AtGRXS3/4/5/8 operate downstream of cytokinins in a signal transduction pathway that negatively regulates plant primary root growth in response to nitrate. This pathway could allow Arabidopsis to actively discriminate between different nitrogen sources in the soil, with the preferred nitrogen source, nitrate, acting to suppress primary root growth (vertical dimension) in concert with its well-characterized stimulatory effect on lateral root growth (horizontal dimension). PMID:26662603

Dibenzylbutyrolactone Lignans - A Review of Their Structural Diversity, Biosynthesis, Occurrence, Identification and Importance.

PubMed

Solyomváry, Anna; Beni, Szabolcs; Boldizsar, Imre

2017-01-01

Dibenzylbutyrolactone lignans represent a unique group of plant secondary metabolites with increasing significance in medicine. This review summarizes their structural characteristics and classification, as well as the biosynthesis starting in the chloroplast, and their supposed biological activity associated with plant defense mechanisms are also discussed. Over 85 natural dibenzylbutyrolactone lignans known to date and their corresponding plant sources are summarized herein for the first time, highlighting a taxon- and organ-specific accumulation of these compounds. The isolation strategies, applied analytical methods and pharmacological activities of dibenzylbutyrolactone lignans are also thoroughly reviewed. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Pathogenic and Nonpathogenic Lifestyles in Colletotrichum acutatum from Strawberry and Other Plants.

PubMed

Freeman, S; Horowitz, S; Sharon, A

2001-10-01

ABSTRACT Anthracnose is one of the major fungal diseases of strawberry occurring worldwide. In Israel, the disease is caused primarily by the species Colletotrichum acutatum. The pathogen causes black spot on fruit, root necrosis, and crown rot resulting in mortality of transplants in the field. The host range and specificity of C. acutatum from strawberry was examined on pepper, eggplant, tomato, bean, and strawberry under greenhouse conditions. The fungus was recovered from all plant species over a 3-month period but caused disease symptoms only on strawberry. Epiphytic and endophytic (colonization) fungal growth in the different plant species was confirmed by reisolation from leaf tissues and by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-specific primer amplification. C. acutatum was also isolated from healthy looking, asymptomatic plants of the weed genera Vicia and Conyza. Isolates that were recovered from the weeds caused disease symptoms on strawberry and were positively identified as C. acutatum by PCR. The habitation of a large number of plant species, including weeds, by C. acutatum suggests that, although it causes disease only on strawberry and anemone in Israel, this fungus can persist on many other plant species. Therefore, plants that are not considered hosts of C. acutatum may serve as a potential inoculum source for strawberry infection and permit survival of the pathogen between seasons.

Generic waste management requirements for a controlled ecological life support system /CELSS/

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoshizaki, T.; Hansen, B. D., III

1981-01-01

Regenerative life support systems for future space missions will require closure of the waste-food loop. Each mission application will generate specific requirements for the waste management system. However, there are generic input and output requirements that can be identified when a probable scenario is chosen. This paper discusses the generic requirements when higher plants are chosen as the primary food source. Attention is focused on the quality and quantity of nutrients necessary for culturing higher plants. The types of wastes to be processed are also discussed. In addition, requirements generated by growing plants on three different substrates are presented. This work suggests that the mineral composition of waste materials may require minimal adjustment to satisfy the plant requirements.

What's the Deal with Methane at LUST Spill Sites? Part 2: Vapor Intrusion

EPA Science Inventory

This article is specifically intended to discuss methane produced from releases of ethanol and gasoline-ethanol mixtures. There may be other sources of methane at a site, including leaks of natural gas or methane produced from the natural decay of buried plant tissues or from the...

What's the Deal with Methane at LUST Spill Sites? Part 1

EPA Science Inventory

This article is specifically intended to discuss methane produced from releases of ethanol and gasoline-ethanol mixtures. There may be other sources of methane at a site, including leaks of natural gas or methane produced from the natural decay of buried plant tissues or from th...

Prevalence, characterization and sources of Listeria monocytogenes in blue crab (Callinectus sapidus) meat and blue crab processing plants.

PubMed

Pagadala, Sivaranjani; Parveen, Salina; Rippen, Thomas; Luchansky, John B; Call, Jeffrey E; Tamplin, Mark L; Porto-Fett, Anna C S

2012-09-01

Seven blue crab processing plants were sampled to determine the prevalence and sources of Listeria spp. and Listeria monocytogenes for two years (2006-2007). A total of 488 raw crabs, 624 cooked crab meat (crab meat) and 624 environmental samples were tested by standard methods. Presumptive Listeria spp. were isolated from 19.5% of raw crabs, 10.8% of crab meat, and 69.5% of environmental samples. L. monocytogenes was isolated from 4.5% of raw crabs, 0.2% of crab meat, and 2.1% of environmental samples. Ninety-seven percent of the isolates were resistant to at least one of the ten antibiotics tested. Eight different serotypes were found among 76 L. monocytogenes isolates tested with the most common being 4b, 1/2b and 1/2a. Automated EcoRI ribotyping differentiated 11 ribotypes among the 106 L. monocytogenes isolates. Based on ribotyping analysis, the distribution of the ribotypes in each processing plant had a unique contamination pattern. A total of 92 ApaI and 88 AscI pulsotypes among the 106 L. monocytogenes isolates were found and distinct pulsotypes were observed in raw crab, crab meat and environmental samples. Ribotypes and serotypes recovered from crab processing plants included subtypes that have been associated with listeriosis cases in other food outbreaks. Our findings suggest that molecular methods may provide critical information about sources of L. monocytogenes in crab processing plants and will augment efforts to improve food safety control strategies such as targeting specific sources of contamination and use of aggressive detergents prior to sanitizing. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Combined use of a new SNP-based assay and multilocus SSR markers to assess genetic diversity of Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca infecting citrus and coffee plants.

PubMed

Montes-Borrego, Miguel; Lopes, Joao R S; Jiménez-Díaz, Rafael M; Landa, Blanca B

2015-03-01

Two haplotypes of Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca (Xfp) that correlated with their host of origin were identified in a collection of 90 isolates infecting citrus and coffee plants in Brazil, based on a single-nucleotide polymorphism in the gyrB sequence. A new single-nucleotide primer extension (SNuPE) protocol was designed for rapid identification of Xfp according to the host source. The protocol proved to be robust for the prediction of the Xfp host source in blind tests using DNA from cultures of the bacterium, infected plants, and insect vectors allowed to feed on Xfp-infected citrus plants. AMOVA and STRUCTURE analyses of microsatellite data separated most Xfp populations on the basis of their host source, indicating that they were genetically distinct. The combined use of the SNaPshot protocol and three previously developed multilocus SSR markers showed that two haplotypes and distinct isolates of Xfp infect citrus and coffee in Brazil and that multiple, genetically different isolates can be present in a single orchard or infect a single tree. This combined approach will be very useful in studies of the epidemiology of Xfp-induced diseases, host specificity of bacterial genotypes, the occurrence of Xfp host jumping, vector feeding habits, etc., in economically important cultivated plants or weed host reservoirs of Xfp in Brazil and elsewhere. Copyright© by the Spanish Society for Microbiology and Institute for Catalan Studies.

Lactococcus lactis Metabolism and Gene Expression during Growth on Plant Tissues

PubMed Central

Golomb, Benjamin L.

2014-01-01

Lactic acid bacteria have been isolated from living, harvested, and fermented plant materials; however, the adaptations these bacteria possess for growth on plant tissues are largely unknown. In this study, we investigated plant habitat-specific traits of Lactococcus lactis during growth in an Arabidopsis thaliana leaf tissue lysate (ATL). L. lactis KF147, a strain originally isolated from plants, exhibited a higher growth rate and reached 7.9-fold-greater cell densities during growth in ATL than the dairy-associated strain L. lactis IL1403. Transcriptome profiling (RNA-seq) of KF147 identified 853 induced and 264 repressed genes during growth in ATL compared to that in GM17 laboratory culture medium. Genes induced in ATL included those involved in the arginine deiminase pathway and a total of 140 carbohydrate transport and metabolism genes, many of which are involved in xylose, arabinose, cellobiose, and hemicellulose metabolism. The induction of those genes corresponded with L. lactis KF147 nutrient consumption and production of metabolic end products in ATL as measured by gas chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF/MS) untargeted metabolomic profiling. To assess the importance of specific plant-inducible genes for L. lactis growth in ATL, xylose metabolism was targeted for gene knockout mutagenesis. Wild-type L. lactis strain KF147 but not an xylA deletion mutant was able to grow using xylose as the sole carbon source. However, both strains grew to similarly high levels in ATL, indicating redundancy in L. lactis carbohydrate metabolism on plant tissues. These findings show that certain strains of L. lactis are well adapted for growth on plants and possess specific traits relevant for plant-based food, fuel, and feed fermentations. PMID:25384484

Implication of using different carbon sources for denitrification in wastewater treatments.

PubMed

Cherchi, Carla; Onnis-Hayden, Annalisa; El-Shawabkeh, Ibrahim; Gu, April Z

2009-08-01

Application of external carbon sources for denitrification becomes necessary for wastewater treatment plants that have to meet very stringent effluent nitrogen limits (e.g., 3 to 5 mgTN/L). In this study, we evaluated and compared three carbon sources--MicroC (Environmental Operating Solutions, Bourne, Massachusetts), methanol, and acetate-in terms of their denitrification rates and kinetics, effect on overall nitrogen removal performance, and microbial community structure of carbon-specific denitrifying enrichments. Denitrification rates and kinetics were determined with both acclimated and non-acclimated biomass, obtained from laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactor systems or full-scale plants. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the use of MicroC for denitrification processes, with maximum denitrification rates (k(dmax)) of 6.4 mgN/gVSSh and an observed yield of 0.36 mgVSS/mgCOD. Comparable maximum nitrate uptake rates were found with methanol, while acetate showed a maximum denitrification rate nearly twice as high as the others. The maximum growth rates measured at 20 degrees C for MicroC and methanol were 3.7 and 1.2 day(-1), respectively. The implications resulting from the differences in the denitrification rates and kinetics of different carbon sources on the full-scale nitrogen removal performance, under various configurations and operational conditions, were assessed using Biowin (EnviroSim Associates, Ltd., Flamborough, Ontario, Canada) simulations for both pre- and post-denitrification systems. Examination of microbial population structures using Automated Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Analysis (ARISA) throughout the study period showed dynamic temporal changes and distinct microbial community structures of different carbon-specific denitrifying cultures. The ability of a specific carbon-acclimated denitrifying population to instantly use other carbon source also was investigated, and the chemical-structure-associated behavior patterns observed suggested that the complex biochemical pathways/enzymes involved in the denitrification process depended on the carbon sources used.

Alternative splicing in plant immunity.

PubMed

Yang, Shengming; Tang, Fang; Zhu, Hongyan

2014-06-10

Alternative splicing (AS) occurs widely in plants and can provide the main source of transcriptome and proteome diversity in an organism. AS functions in a range of physiological processes, including plant disease resistance, but its biological roles and functional mechanisms remain poorly understood. Many plant disease resistance (R) genes undergo AS, and several R genes require alternatively spliced transcripts to produce R proteins that can specifically recognize pathogen invasion. In the finely-tuned process of R protein activation, the truncated isoforms generated by AS may participate in plant disease resistance either by suppressing the negative regulation of initiation of immunity, or by directly engaging in effector-triggered signaling. Although emerging research has shown the functional significance of AS in plant biotic stress responses, many aspects of this topic remain to be understood. Several interesting issues surrounding the AS of R genes, especially regarding its functional roles and regulation, will require innovative techniques and additional research to unravel.

Integrating plant and animal biology for the search of novel DNA damage biomarkers.

PubMed

Nikitaki, Zacharenia; Holá, Marcela; Donà, Mattia; Pavlopoulou, Athanasia; Michalopoulos, Ioannis; Angelis, Karel J; Georgakilas, Alexandros G; Macovei, Anca; Balestrazzi, Alma

Eukaryotic genome surveillance is dependent on the multiple, highly coordinated network functions of the DNA damage response (DDR). Highlighted conserved features of DDR in plants and animals represent a challenging opportunity to develop novel interdisciplinary investigations aimed at expanding the sets of DNA damage biomarkers currently available for radiation exposure monitoring (REM) in environmental and biomedical applications. In this review, common and divergent features of the most relevant DDR players in animals and plants are described, including the intriguing example of the plant and animal kingdom-specific master regulators SOG1 (suppressor of gamma response) and p53. The potential of chromatin remodelers as novel predictive biomarkers of DNA damage is considered since these highly evolutionarily conserved proteins provide a docking platform for the DNA repair machinery. The constraints of conventional REM biomarkers can be overcome using biomarkers identified with the help of the pool provided by high-throughput techniques. The complexity of radiation-responsive animal and plant transcriptomes and their usefulness as sources of novel REM biomarkers are discussed, focusing on ionizing (IR) and UV-radiation. The possible advantages resulting from the exploitation of plants as sources of novel DNA damage biomarkers for monitoring the response to radiation-mediated genotoxic stress are listed. Plants could represent an ideal system for the functional characterization of knockout mutations in DDR genes which compromise cell survival in animals. However, the pronounced differences between plant and animal cells need to be carefully considered in order to avoid any misleading interpretations. Radioresistant plant-based systems might be useful to explore the molecular bases of LD (low dose)/LDR (low dose rate) responses since nowadays it is extremely difficult to perform an accurate assessment of LD/LDR risk to human health. To overcome these constraints, researchers have started exploring radiotolerant non-human species as potential sources of information on the mechanisms involved in LD/LDR and general radiation responses. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ethanol used as an environmentally sustainable energy resource for thermal power plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markov, V. A.; Biryukov, V. V.; Kas'kov, S. I.

2016-09-01

Justification of using renewable energy sources and a brief analysis of their application prospects is given. The most common renewable energy sources for mobile thermal power plants are presented. The possibilities and ways of using ethanol as an energy source for such plants with diesel engines are analyzed. It is shown that it is feasible to add small amounts of ethanol to oil diesel fuel (DF) for obtaining an environmentally sustainable energy source for diesel engines. Therewith, a stable mixture of components can be obtained by adding anhydrous (absolute) ethanol to the oil fuel. The authors studied a mixture containing 4% (by volume) of absolute ethanol and 96% of oil DF. The physicochemical properties of the mixture and each of its components are presented. Diesel engine of the type D-245.12S has been experimentally studied using the mixture of DF and ethanol. The possibility of reducing the toxicity level of the exhaust emissions when using this mixture as an energy source for diesel engines of mobile power plants is shown. Transition of the studied diesel engine from oil DF to its mixture with ethanol made it possible to reduce the smoke capacity of the exhaust gases by 15-25% and to decrease the specific mass emissions of nitrogen oxides by 17.4%. In this case, we observed a slight increase in the exhaust gas emissions of carbon monoxide and light unburned hydrocarbons, which, however, can easily be eliminated by providing the exhaust system of a diesel engine with a catalytic converter. It is noted that the studied mixture composition should be optimized. The conclusion is made that absolute ethanol is a promising ecofriendly additive to oil diesel fuel and should be used in domestic diesel engines.

Heterologous Expression of Secreted Bacterial BPP and HAP Phytases in Plants Stimulates Arabidopsis thaliana Growth on Phytate.

PubMed

Valeeva, Lia R; Nyamsuren, Chuluuntsetseg; Sharipova, Margarita R; Shakirov, Eugene V

2018-01-01

Phytases are specialized phosphatases capable of releasing inorganic phosphate from myo -inositol hexakisphosphate (phytate), which is highly abundant in many soils. As inorganic phosphorus reserves decrease over time in many agricultural soils, genetic manipulation of plants to enable secretion of potent phytases into the rhizosphere has been proposed as a promising approach to improve plant phosphorus nutrition. Several families of biotechnologically important phytases have been discovered and characterized, but little data are available on which phytase families can offer the most benefits toward improving plant phosphorus intake. We have developed transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants expressing bacterial phytases PaPhyC (HAP family of phytases) and 168phyA (BPP family) under the control of root-specific inducible promoter Pht1;2 . The effects of each phytase expression on growth, morphology and inorganic phosphorus accumulation in plants grown on phytate hydroponically or in perlite as the only source of phosphorus were investigated. The most enzymatic activity for both phytases was detected in cell wall-bound fractions of roots, indicating that these enzymes were efficiently secreted. Expression of both bacterial phytases in roots improved plant growth on phytate and resulted in larger rosette leaf area and diameter, higher phosphorus content and increased shoot dry weight, implying that these plants were indeed capable of utilizing phytate as the source of phosphorus for growth and development. When grown on phytate the HAP-type phytase outperformed its BPP-type counterpart for plant biomass production, though this effect was only observed in hydroponic conditions and not in perlite. Furthermore, we found no evidence of adverse side effects of microbial phytase expression in A. thaliana on plant physiology and seed germination. Our data highlight important functional differences between these members of bacterial phytase families and indicate that future crop biotechnologies involving such enzymes will require a very careful evaluation of phytase source and activity. Overall, our data suggest feasibility of using bacterial phytases to improve plant growth in conditions of phosphorus deficiency and demonstrate that inducible expression of recombinant enzymes should be investigated further as a viable approach to plant biotechnology.

Heterologous Expression of Secreted Bacterial BPP and HAP Phytases in Plants Stimulates Arabidopsis thaliana Growth on Phytate

PubMed Central

Valeeva, Lia R.; Nyamsuren, Chuluuntsetseg; Sharipova, Margarita R.; Shakirov, Eugene V.

2018-01-01

Phytases are specialized phosphatases capable of releasing inorganic phosphate from myo-inositol hexakisphosphate (phytate), which is highly abundant in many soils. As inorganic phosphorus reserves decrease over time in many agricultural soils, genetic manipulation of plants to enable secretion of potent phytases into the rhizosphere has been proposed as a promising approach to improve plant phosphorus nutrition. Several families of biotechnologically important phytases have been discovered and characterized, but little data are available on which phytase families can offer the most benefits toward improving plant phosphorus intake. We have developed transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants expressing bacterial phytases PaPhyC (HAP family of phytases) and 168phyA (BPP family) under the control of root-specific inducible promoter Pht1;2. The effects of each phytase expression on growth, morphology and inorganic phosphorus accumulation in plants grown on phytate hydroponically or in perlite as the only source of phosphorus were investigated. The most enzymatic activity for both phytases was detected in cell wall-bound fractions of roots, indicating that these enzymes were efficiently secreted. Expression of both bacterial phytases in roots improved plant growth on phytate and resulted in larger rosette leaf area and diameter, higher phosphorus content and increased shoot dry weight, implying that these plants were indeed capable of utilizing phytate as the source of phosphorus for growth and development. When grown on phytate the HAP-type phytase outperformed its BPP-type counterpart for plant biomass production, though this effect was only observed in hydroponic conditions and not in perlite. Furthermore, we found no evidence of adverse side effects of microbial phytase expression in A. thaliana on plant physiology and seed germination. Our data highlight important functional differences between these members of bacterial phytase families and indicate that future crop biotechnologies involving such enzymes will require a very careful evaluation of phytase source and activity. Overall, our data suggest feasibility of using bacterial phytases to improve plant growth in conditions of phosphorus deficiency and demonstrate that inducible expression of recombinant enzymes should be investigated further as a viable approach to plant biotechnology. PMID:29515604

Probabilistic seismic hazard analysis for a nuclear power plant site in southeast Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Almeida, Andréia Abreu Diniz; Assumpção, Marcelo; Bommer, Julian J.; Drouet, Stéphane; Riccomini, Claudio; Prates, Carlos L. M.

2018-05-01

A site-specific probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) has been performed for the only nuclear power plant site in Brazil, located 130 km southwest of Rio de Janeiro at Angra dos Reis. Logic trees were developed for both the seismic source characterisation and ground-motion characterisation models, in both cases seeking to capture the appreciable ranges of epistemic uncertainty with relatively few branches. This logic-tree structure allowed the hazard calculations to be performed efficiently while obtaining results that reflect the inevitable uncertainty in long-term seismic hazard assessment in this tectonically stable region. An innovative feature of the study is an additional seismic source zone added to capture the potential contributions of characteristics earthquake associated with geological faults in the region surrounding the coastal site.

Anaerobic biodegradability of Category 2 animal by-products: methane potential and inoculum source.

PubMed

Pozdniakova, Tatiana A; Costa, José C; Santos, Ricardo J; Alves, M M; Boaventura, Rui A R

2012-11-01

Category 2 animal by-products that need to be sterilized with steam pressure according Regulation (EC) 1774/2002 are studied. In this work, 2 sets of experiments were performed in mesophilic conditions: (i) biomethane potential determination testing 0.5%, 2.0% and 5.0% total solids (TS), using sludge from the anaerobic digester of a wastewater treatment plant as inoculum; (ii) biodegradability tests at a constant TS concentration of 2.0% and different inoculum sources (digested sludge from a wastewater treatment plant; granular sludge from an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor; leachate from a municipal solid waste landfill; and sludge from the slaughterhouse wastewater treatment anaerobic lagoon) to select the more adapted inoculum to the substrate in study. The higher specific methane production was of 317 mL CH(4)g(-1) VS(substrate) for 2.0% TS. The digested sludge from the wastewater treatment plant led to the lowest lag-phase period and higher methane potential rate. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prevalent organisms on ostrich carcasses found in a commercial abattoir.

PubMed

Hoffman, L C; Britz, T J; Schnetler, D C

2010-09-01

The prevalent microbial growth on carcasses before and after overnight cooling in an ostrich abattoir and de-boning plant was investigated. The effect of warm or cold trimming of the carcasses was examined together with possible causes of contamination along the processing line. An attempt was made to link the prevalent microorganisms that were identified from carcasses to those from specific external contamination sources. Samples of carcasses and possible contaminants were collected in the plant, plated out and selected organisms were typed using a commercial rapid identification system. It was indicated that the cold trim (mainly of bruises) of carcasses was advantageous in terms of microbiological meat quality. Results indicated pooled water in the abattoir as the most hazardous vector for carcass contamination and that contaminants from this source are mostly Gram-negative pathogens. Pseudomonas and Shigella were frequently isolated from surface and air samples and indicated that the control of total plant hygiene is a requirement for producing ostrich meat that is safe to consume and has an acceptable shelf-life.

Site-specific standard request for underground storage tanks 1219-U, 1222-U, 2082-U, and 2068-U at the rust garage facility buildings 9754-1 and 9720-15: Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Facility ID No. 0-010117

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

NONE

1994-12-01

This document represents a Site-specific Standard Request for underground storage tanks (USTs) 1219-U,1222-U and 2082-U previously located at former Building 9754-1, and tank 2086-U previously located at Building 9720-15, Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The tanks previously contained petroleum products. For the purposes of this report, the two building sites will be regarded as a single UST site and will be referred to as the Rust Garage Facility. The current land use associated with the Y-12 Plant is light industrial and the operational period of the plant is projected to be at least 30 years. Thus, potential futuremore » residential exposures are not expected to occur for at least 30 years. Based on the degradation coefficient for benzene (the only carcinogenic petroleum constituent detected in soils or groundwater at the Rust Garage Facility), it is expected that the benzene and other contaminants at the site will likely be reduced prior to expiration of the 30-year plant operational period. As the original sources of petroleum contamination have been removed, and the area of petroleum contamination is limited, a site-specific standard is therefore being requested for the Rust Garage Facility.« less

Geospatial modeling of plant stable isotope ratios - the development of isoscapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

West, J. B.; Ehleringer, J. R.; Hurley, J. M.; Cerling, T. E.

2007-12-01

Large-scale spatial variation in stable isotope ratios can yield critical insights into the spatio-temporal dynamics of biogeochemical cycles, animal movements, and shifts in climate, as well as anthropogenic activities such as commerce, resource utilization, and forensic investigation. Interpreting these signals requires that we understand and model the variation. We report progress in our development of plant stable isotope ratio landscapes (isoscapes). Our approach utilizes a GIS, gridded datasets, a range of modeling approaches, and spatially distributed observations. We synthesize findings from four studies to illustrate the general utility of the approach, its ability to represent observed spatio-temporal variability in plant stable isotope ratios, and also outline some specific areas of uncertainty. We also address two basic, but critical questions central to our ability to model plant stable isotope ratios using this approach: 1. Do the continuous precipitation isotope ratio grids represent reasonable proxies for plant source water?, and 2. Do continuous climate grids (as is or modified) represent a reasonable proxy for the climate experienced by plants? Plant components modeled include leaf water, grape water (extracted from wine), bulk leaf material ( Cannabis sativa; marijuana), and seed oil ( Ricinus communis; castor bean). Our approaches to modeling the isotope ratios of these components varied from highly sophisticated process models to simple one-step fractionation models to regression approaches. The leaf water isosocapes were produced using steady-state models of enrichment and continuous grids of annual average precipitation isotope ratios and climate. These were compared to other modeling efforts, as well as a relatively sparse, but geographically distributed dataset from the literature. The latitudinal distributions and global averages compared favorably to other modeling efforts and the observational data compared well to model predictions. These results yield confidence in the precipitation isoscapes used to represent plant source water, the modified climate grids used to represent leaf climate, and the efficacy of this approach to modeling. Further work confirmed these observations. The seed oil isoscape was produced using a simple model of lipid fractionation driven with the precipitation grid, and compared well to widely distributed observations of castor bean oil, again suggesting that the precipitation grids were reasonable proxies for plant source water. The marijuana leaf δ2H observations distributed across the continental United States were regressed against the precipitation δ2H grids and yielded a strong relationship between them, again suggesting that plant source water was reasonably well represented by the precipitation grid. Finally, the wine water δ18O isoscape was developed from regressions that related precipitation isotope ratios and climate to observations from a single vintage. Favorable comparisons between year-specific wine water isoscapes and inter-annual variations in previous vintages yielded confidence in the climate grids. Clearly significant residual variability remains to be explained in all of these cases and uncertainties vary depending on the component modeled, but we conclude from this synthesis that isoscapes are capable of representing real spatial and temporal variability in plant stable isotope ratios.

Rarely reported fungal spores and structures: An overlooked source of probative trace evidence in criminal investigations.

PubMed

Hawksworth, David L; Wiltshire, Patricia E J; Webb, Judith A

2016-07-01

The value of pollen and plant spores as trace evidence has long been established, but it is only in the last eight years that fungal spores have been analysed routinely from the same palynological samples. They have greatly enhanced the specificity of links between people, objects, and places. Most fungal species occupy restricted ecological niches and their distributions can be limited both spatially and geographically. Spores may be dispersed over very short distances from the fungal sporophore,(1) and their presence in any palynological assemblage may indicate a restricted area of ground, or the presence of particular plants (even specific dead plant material). Fungal spores can represent primary, secondary, or even tertiary proxy evidence of a location, and can indicate the presence of a plant even though the plant is not obvious at a crime scene. In some cases, spores from fungi which have rarely been reported, and are considered to be rare, have been of particular value in providing intelligence or evidence of contact. Ten examples are given from case work in which rarely reported or unusual fungi have proved to be important in criminal investigations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

RNA Interference: A Novel Source of Resistance to Combat Plant Parasitic Nematodes.

PubMed

Banerjee, Sagar; Banerjee, Anamika; Gill, Sarvajeet S; Gupta, Om P; Dahuja, Anil; Jain, Pradeep K; Sirohi, Anil

2017-01-01

Plant parasitic nematodes cause severe damage and yield loss in major crops all over the world. Available control strategies include use of insecticides/nematicides but these have proved detrimental to the environment, while other strategies like crop rotation and resistant cultivars have serious limitations. This scenario provides an opportunity for the utilization of technological advances like RNA interference (RNAi) to engineer resistance against these devastating parasites. First demonstrated in the model free living nematode, Caenorhabtidis elegans ; the phenomenon of RNAi has been successfully used to suppress essential genes of plant parasitic nematodes involved in parasitism, nematode development and mRNA metabolism. Synthetic neurotransmitants mixed with dsRNA solutions are used for in vitro RNAi in plant parasitic nematodes with significant success. However, host delivered in planta RNAi has proved to be a pioneering phenomenon to deliver dsRNAs to feeding nematodes and silence the target genes to achieve resistance. Highly enriched genomic databases are exploited to limit off target effects and ensure sequence specific silencing. Technological advances like gene stacking and use of nematode inducible and tissue specific promoters can further enhance the utility of RNAi based transgenics against plant parasitic nematodes.

Tobacco mosaic virus and the virescence of biotechnology.

PubMed Central

Turpen, T H

1999-01-01

There is a growing realization that a modern combination of molecular biology and agriculture will provide a photosynthetic basis for the biosynthesis of an increasing variety of complex and valuable molecules. This 'greening' of biotechnology may impact on the global environment in many beneficial ways, but will perhaps have its most significant impact on human health. In the past decade, the capacity to use plants as an expanded source of therapeutics has grown through the accelerated development of effective viral transfection vectors for gene transfer to cultivated crops. Recombinant vectors based on tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and other members of the Tobamovirus genus are now used to transfect commercially meaningful quantities of plant biomass cultivated in enclosed greenhouses and multiacre fields. Viral RNA promoters are effectively manipulated for the synthesis of recombinant messenger RNAs in whole plants. Chimeric plant virus and virus-like particles are designed for peptide production and display from recombinant structural protein-gene fusions. Gene functions are assessed and modified by either virus-mediated expression or cytosolic inhibition of expression at the RNA level. Recombinant virus populations, propagated by inoculating plants with infectious RNA transcripts or recombinant virions, have proved to be genetically stable over product-manufacturing cycles. Large volumes of highly purified protein products isolated from transfected foliage conform reproducibly to the specifications required for well-characterized biologics. In some cases, they exceed the specific activities of molecules purified from alternative recombinant and native sources. The resulting products are then formulated according to the developing national regulatory guidelines appropriate for agriculture-based manufacturing. Each of these innovations was first realized by researchers using clones of tobamovirus genes and recombinant genomes. This progress is founded on the heritage of a century of fundamental TMV research. PMID:10212947

Chloroplast redox homeostasis is essential for lateral root formation in Arabidopsis.

PubMed

Ferrández, Julia; González, Maricruz; Cejudo, Francisco Javier

2012-09-01

Redox regulation based on dithiol-disulphide interchange is an essential component of the control of chloroplast metabolism. In contrast to heterotrophic organisms, and non-photosynthetic plant tissues, chloroplast redox regulation relies on ferredoxin (Fd) reduced by the photosynthetic electron transport chain, thus being highly dependent on light. The finding of the NADPH-dependent thioredoxin reductase C (NTRC), a chloroplast-localized NTR with a joint thioredoxin domain, showed that NADPH is also used as source of reducing power for chloroplast redox homeostasis. Recently we have found that NTRC is also in plastids of non-photosynthetic tissues. Because these non-green plastids lack photochemical reactions, their redox homeostasis depends exclusively on NADPH produced from sugars and, thus, NTRC may play an essential role maintaining the redox homeostasis in these plastids. The fact that redox regulation occurs in any type of plastids raises the possibility that the functions of chloroplasts and non-green plastids, such as amyloplasts, are integrated to harmonize the growth of the different organs of the plant. To address this question, we generated Arabidopsis plants the redox homeostasis of which is recovered exclusively in chloroplasts, by leaf-specific expression of NTRC in the ntrc mutant, or exclusively in amyloplasts, by root-specific expression of NTRC. The analysis of these plants suggests that chloroplasts exert a pivotal role on plant growth, as expected because chloroplasts constitute the major source of nutrients and energy, derived from photosynthesis, for growth of heterotrophic tissues. However, NTRC deficiency causes impairment of auxin synthesis and lateral root formation. Interestingly, recovery of redox homeostasis of chloroplasts, but not of amyloplasts, was sufficient to restore wild type levels of lateral roots, showing the important signaling function of chloroplasts for the development of heterotrophic organs.

Spatially resolved in vivo plant metabolomics by laser ablation-based mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) techniques: LDI-MSI and LAESI

PubMed Central

Bartels, Benjamin; Svatoš, Aleš

2015-01-01

This short review aims to summarize the current developments and applications of mass spectrometry-based methods for in situ profiling and imaging of plants with minimal or no sample pre-treatment or manipulation. Infrared-laser ablation electrospray ionization and UV-laser desorption/ionization methods are reviewed. The underlying mechanisms of the ionization techniques–namely, laser ablation of biological samples and electrospray ionization–as well as variations of the LAESI ion source for specific targets of interest are described. PMID:26217345

Proposed seed collection zones for the central states

Treesearch

Gustaf A. Limstrom

1963-01-01

Seed collection zones have been established in several regions and countries to insure that the sources of seed used in tree planting are properly selected. Use of such zones has undoubtedly improved the survival and growth of trees in plantations and has also facilitated the establishment of specifications for seed procurement and seed certification.

Optimum Water Chemistry in radiation field buildup control

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

Lin, Chien, C.

1995-03-01

Nuclear utilities continue to face the challenGE of reducing exposure of plant maintenance personnel. GE Nuclear Energy has developed the concept of Optimum Water Chemistry (OWC) to reduce the radiation field buildup and minimize the radioactive waste production. It is believed that reduction of radioactive sources and improvement of the water chemistry quality should significantly reduce both the radiation exposure and radwaste production. The most important source of radioactivity is cobalt and replacement of cobalt containing alloy in the core region as well as in the entire primary system is considered the first priority to achieve the goal of lowmore » exposure and minimized waste production. A plant specific computerized cobalt transport model has been developed to evaluate various options in a BWR system under specific conditions. Reduction of iron input and maintaining low ionic impurities in the coolant have been identified as two major tasks for operators. Addition of depleted zinc is a proven technique to reduce Co-60 in reactor water and on out-of-core piping surfaces. The effect of HWC on Co-60 transport in the primary system will also be discussed.« less

Plant Translation Factors and Virus Resistance

PubMed Central

Sanfaçon, Hélène

2015-01-01

Plant viruses recruit cellular translation factors not only to translate their viral RNAs but also to regulate their replication and potentiate their local and systemic movement. Because of the virus dependence on cellular translation factors, it is perhaps not surprising that many natural plant recessive resistance genes have been mapped to mutations of translation initiation factors eIF4E and eIF4G or their isoforms, eIFiso4E and eIFiso4G. The partial functional redundancy of these isoforms allows specific mutation or knock-down of one isoform to provide virus resistance without hindering the general health of the plant. New possible targets for antiviral strategies have also been identified following the characterization of other plant translation factors (eIF4A-like helicases, eIF3, eEF1A and eEF1B) that specifically interact with viral RNAs and proteins and regulate various aspects of the infection cycle. Emerging evidence that translation repression operates as an alternative antiviral RNA silencing mechanism is also discussed. Understanding the mechanisms that control the development of natural viral resistance and the emergence of virulent isolates in response to these plant defense responses will provide the basis for the selection of new sources of resistance and for the intelligent design of engineered resistance that is broad-spectrum and durable. PMID:26114476

Chemical signatures of fossilized resins and recent plant exudates.

PubMed

Lambert, Joseph B; Santiago-Blay, Jorge A; Anderson, Ken B

2008-01-01

Amber is one of the few gemstones based on an organic structure. Found over most of the world, it is the fossil form of sticky plant exudates called resins. Investigation of amber by modern analytical techniques provides structural information and insight into the identity of the ancient plants that produced the source resin. Mass spectrometric analysis of materials separated by gas chromatography has identified specific compounds that are the basis of a reliable classification of the different types of amber. NMR spectroscopy of bulk, solid amber provides a complementary classification. NMR spectroscopy also can be used to characterize modern resins as well as other types of plant exudates such as gums, gum resins, and kinos, which strongly resemble resins in appearance but have very different molecular constitutions.

Fast Evolution and Lineage-Specific Gene Family Expansions of Aphid Salivary Effectors Driven by Interactions with Host-Plants.

PubMed

Boulain, Hélène; Legeai, Fabrice; Guy, Endrick; Morlière, Stéphanie; Douglas, Nadine E; Oh, Jonghee; Murugan, Marimuthu; Smith, Michael; Jaquiéry, Julie; Peccoud, Jean; White, Frank F; Carolan, James C; Simon, Jean-Christophe; Sugio, Akiko

2018-05-18

Effector proteins play crucial roles in plant-parasite interactions by suppressing plant defenses and hijacking plant physiological responses to facilitate parasite invasion and propagation. Although effector proteins have been characterized in many microbial plant pathogens, their nature and role in adaptation to host plants are largely unknown in insect herbivores. Aphids rely on salivary effector proteins injected into the host plants to promote phloem sap uptake. Therefore, gaining insight into the repertoire and evolution of aphid effectors is key to unveiling the mechanisms responsible for aphid virulence and host plant specialization. With this aim in mind, we assembled catalogues of putative effectors in the legume specialist aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, using transcriptomics and proteomics approaches. We identified 3603 candidate effector genes predicted to be expressed in A. pisum salivary glands (SGs), and 740 of which displayed up-regulated expression in SGs in comparison to the alimentary tract. A search for orthologs in 17 arthropod genomes revealed that SG-up-regulated effector candidates of A. pisum are enriched in aphid-specific genes and tend to evolve faster compared to the whole gene set. We also found that a large fraction of proteins detected in the A. pisum saliva belonged to three gene families, of which certain members show evidence consistent with positive selection. Overall, this comprehensive analysis suggests that the large repertoire of effector candidates in A. pisum constitutes a source of novelties promoting plant adaptation to legumes.

Medicinal Plants of the Family Lamiaceae in Pain Therapy: A Review

PubMed Central

Uritu, Cristina M.; Mihai, Cosmin T.; Stanciu, Gabriela-Dumitrita; Leon-Constantin, Maria-Magdalena; Stefanescu, Raluca; Bild, Veronica

2018-01-01

Recently, numerous side effects of synthetic drugs have lead to using medicinal plants as a reliable source of new therapy. Pain is a global public health problem with a high impact on life quality and a huge economic implication, becoming one of the most important enemies in modern medicine. The medicinal use of plants as analgesic or antinociceptive drugs in traditional therapy is estimated to be about 80% of the world population. The Lamiaceae family, one of the most important herbal families, incorporates a wide variety of plants with biological and medical applications. In this study, the analgesic activity, possible active compounds of Lamiaceae genus, and also the possible mechanism of actions of these plants are presented. The data highlighted in this review paper provide valuable scientific information for the specific implications of Lamiaceae plants in pain modulation that might be used for isolation of potentially active compounds from some of these medicinal plants in future and formulation of commercial therapeutic agents. PMID:29854039

Language of plants: Where is the word?

PubMed

Šimpraga, Maja; Takabayashi, Junji; Holopainen, Jarmo K

2016-04-01

Plants emit biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) causing transcriptomic, metabolomic and behavioral responses in receiver organisms. Volatiles involved in such responses are often called "plant language". Arthropods having sensitive chemoreceptors can recognize language released by plants. Insect herbivores, pollinators and natural enemies respond to composition of volatiles from plants with specialized receptors responding to different types of compounds. In contrast, the mechanism of how plants "hear" volatiles has remained obscured. In a plant-plant communication, several individually emitted compounds are known to prime defense response in receiver plants with a specific manner according to the chemical structure of each volatile compound. Further, composition and ratio of volatile compounds in the plant-released plume is important in plant-insect and plant-plant interactions mediated by plant volatiles. Studies on volatile-mediated plant-plant signaling indicate that the signaling distances are rather short, usually not longer than one meter. Volatile communication from plants to insects such as pollinators could be across distances of hundreds of meters. As many of the herbivore induced VOCs have rather short atmospheric life times, we suggest that in long-distant communications with plant volatiles, reaction products in the original emitted compounds may have additional information value of the distance to emission source together with the original plant-emitted compounds. © 2015 Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Assessing contribution of DOC from sediments to a drinking-water reservoir using optical profiling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Downing, Bryan D.; Bergamaschi, Brian A.; Evans, David G.; Boss, Emmanuel

2008-01-01

Understanding the sources of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in drinking-water reservoirs is an important management issue because DOC may form disinfection by-products, interfere with disinfection, or increase treatment costs. DOC may be derived from a host of sources-algal production of DOC in the reservoir, marginal production of DOC from mucks and vascular plants at the margins, and sediments in the reservoir. The purpose of this study was to assess if release of DOC from reservoir sediments containing ferric chloride coagulant was a significant source of DOC to the reservoir. We examined the source-specific contributions of DOC using a profiling system to measure the in situ distribution of optical properties of absorption and fluorescence at various locations in the reservoir. Vertical optical profiles were coupled with discrete water samples measured in the laboratory for DOC concentration and optical properties: absorption spectra and excitation emission matrix spectra (EEMs). Modeling the in situ optical data permitted estimation of the bulk DOC profile in the reservoir as well as separation into source-specific contributions. Analysis of the source-specific profiles and their associated optical characteristics indicated that the sedimentary source of DOC to the reservoir is significant and that this DOC is labile in the reservoir. We conclude that optical profiling is a useful technique for understanding complex biogeochemical processes in a reservoir.

Source apportionment of airborne particulate matter using organic compounds as tracers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schauer, James J.; Rogge, Wolfgang F.; Hildemann, Lynn M.; Mazurek, Monica A.; Cass, Glen R.; Simoneit, Bernd R. T.

A chemical mass balance receptor model based on organic compounds has been developed that relates source contributions to airborne fine particle mass concentrations. Source contributions to the concentrations of specific organic compounds are revealed as well. The model is applied to four air quality monitoring sites in southern California using atmospheric organic compound concentration data and source test data collected specifically for the purpose of testing this model. The contributions of up to nine primary particle source types can be separately identified in ambient samples based on this method, and approximately 85% of the organic fine aerosol is assigned to primary sources on an annual average basis. The model provides information on source contributions to fine mass concentrations, fine organic aerosol concentrations and individual organic compound concentrations. The largest primary source contributors to fine particle mass concentrations in Los Angeles are found to include diesel engine exhaust, paved road dust, gasoline-powered vehicle exhaust, plus emissions from food cooking and wood smoke, with smaller contribution from tire dust, plant fragments, natural gas combustion aerosol, and cigarette smoke. Once these primary aerosol source contributions are added to the secondary sulfates, nitrates and organics present, virtually all of the annual average fine particle mass at Los Angeles area monitoring sites can be assigned to its source.

Tracking plant-derived biomarkers from source to sink in the Miners River, Upper Peninsula of Michigan (USA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giri, S. J.; Diefendorf, A. F.; Lowell, T. V.

2012-12-01

Biogeochemical cycling of terrestrial organic matter and it subsequent burial plays a vital role in the global carbon cycle. Rivers provide a pathway for terrestrial organic carbon dispersal and integration into sediments. Terrestrial plant biomarkers are useful tools for studying carbon cycling because they can provide an indication of the source of organic carbon in both modern and ancient sediments. Biomarkers can also be used as paleovegetation proxies in geologic sediments where fossils are absent. However, limited information is available about the dispersal and deposition of plant biomarkers in modern river systems, especially for compounds that provide taxonomic specificity such as di- and triterpenoids (diagnostic for conifers and angiosperms, respectively). To better resolve the modes of biomarker transport within fluvial and riparian systems, we characterized plant biomarker transport in the Miners River, a small river basin within a mixed angiosperm-conifer forest at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (MI, USA). To assess the transport of biomarkers in river systems, we collected plants, soils, river sediments, and filtered particulate and dissolved organic carbon from seven sites from the headwaters to Lake Superior along the Miners River (~20 km pathway). All samples contained long-chain n-alkyl lipids, sterols, diterpenoids (abietane and pimarane classes), and triterpenoids (oleanane, ursane, and lupane classes). With the exception of a soil sample taken at a depth of 30 cm, triterpenoids are found in higher concentrations than diterpenoids in riparian soils and river sediments. Biomarker compositions in riparian soils, point bar, and overbank deposits are similar to the surrounding vegetation, albeit much lower in concentration. The composition of di- and triterpenoids in the river-suspended particulate organic carbon is similar in composition to the surrounding vegetation and soils. We developed a method to isolate biomarkers in the dissolved organic carbon fraction in river waters using solid-phase extraction and the preliminary data suggests that di- and triterpenoids are transported as dissolved organic carbon, however concentrations are lower than in the particulate organic carbon fraction. Results from the Miners River will help to better define terrestrial organic matter cycling in small river catchments. Characterizing how plant biomarkers are transported in river systems will enhance our interpretations of plant biomarkers in the geologic record. This will provide new insights into biomarker transport and potential source/sink biases in fluvial systems and thus identify potential complications for using plant-derived biomarkers as quantitative paleovegetation indicators and will enhance the use of biomarker-specific isotope analyses.

Malate as a key carbon source of leaf dark-respired CO2 across different environmental conditions in potato plants.

PubMed

Lehmann, Marco M; Rinne, Katja T; Blessing, Carola; Siegwolf, Rolf T W; Buchmann, Nina; Werner, Roland A

2015-09-01

Dissimilation of carbon sources during plant respiration in support of metabolic processes results in the continuous release of CO2. The carbon isotopic composition of leaf dark-respired CO2 (i.e. δ (13) C R ) shows daily enrichments up to 14.8‰ under different environmental conditions. However, the reasons for this (13)C enrichment in leaf dark-respired CO2 are not fully understood, since daily changes in δ(13)C of putative leaf respiratory carbon sources (δ (13) C RS ) are not yet clear. Thus, we exposed potato plants (Solanum tuberosum) to different temperature and soil moisture treatments. We determined δ (13) C R with an in-tube incubation technique and δ (13) C RS with compound-specific isotope analysis during a daily cycle. The highest δ (13) C RS values were found in the organic acid malate under different environmental conditions, showing less negative values compared to δ (13) C R (up to 5.2‰) and compared to δ (13) C RS of soluble carbohydrates, citrate and starch (up to 8.8‰). Moreover, linear relationships between δ (13) C R and δ (13) C RS among different putative carbon sources were strongest for malate during daytime (r(2)=0.69, P≤0.001) and nighttime (r(2)=0.36, P≤0.001) under all environmental conditions. A multiple linear regression analysis revealed δ (13) C RS of malate as the most important carbon source influencing δ (13) C R . Thus, our results strongly indicate malate as a key carbon source of (13)C enriched dark-respired CO2 in potato plants, probably driven by an anapleurotic flux replenishing intermediates of the Krebs cycle. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

Health for sale: the medicinal plant markets in Trujillo and Chiclayo, Northern Peru

PubMed Central

Bussmann, Rainer W; Sharon, Douglas; Vandebroek, Ina; Jones, Ana; Revene, Zachary

2007-01-01

Traditional methods of healing have been beneficial in many countries with or without access to conventional allopathic medicine. In the United States, these traditional practices are increasingly being sought after for illnesses that cannot be easily treated by allopathic medicine. More and more people are becoming interested in the knowledge maintained by traditional healers and in the diversity of medicinal plants that flourish in areas like Northern Peru. While scientific studies of medicinal plants are underway, concern has arisen over the preservation of both the large diversity of medicinal plants and the traditional knowledge of healing methods that accompanies them. To promote further conservation work, this study attempted to document the sources of the most popular and rarest medicinal plants sold in the markets of Trujillo (Mayorista and Hermelinda) and Chiclayo (Modelo and Moshoqueque), as well as to create an inventory of the plants sold in these markets, which will serve as a basis for comparison with future inventories. Individual markets and market stalls were subjected to cluster analysis based on the diversity of the medicinal plants they carry. The results show that markets were grouped based on the presence of: (1) common exotic medicinal plants; (2) plants used by laypeople for self-medication related to common ailments ("everyday remedies"); (3) specialized medicinal plants used by curanderos or traditional healers; and (4) highly "specialized" plants used for magical purposes. The plant trade in the study areas seems to correspond well with the specific health care demands from clientele in those areas. The specific market patterns of plant diversity observed in the present study represent a foundation for comparative market research in Peru and elsewhere. PMID:18070350

Health for sale: the medicinal plant markets in Trujillo and Chiclayo, Northern Peru.

PubMed

Bussmann, Rainer W; Sharon, Douglas; Vandebroek, Ina; Jones, Ana; Revene, Zachary

2007-12-10

Traditional methods of healing have been beneficial in many countries with or without access to conventional allopathic medicine. In the United States, these traditional practices are increasingly being sought after for illnesses that cannot be easily treated by allopathic medicine. More and more people are becoming interested in the knowledge maintained by traditional healers and in the diversity of medicinal plants that flourish in areas like Northern Peru. While scientific studies of medicinal plants are underway, concern has arisen over the preservation of both the large diversity of medicinal plants and the traditional knowledge of healing methods that accompanies them. To promote further conservation work, this study attempted to document the sources of the most popular and rarest medicinal plants sold in the markets of Trujillo (Mayorista and Hermelinda) and Chiclayo (Modelo and Moshoqueque), as well as to create an inventory of the plants sold in these markets, which will serve as a basis for comparison with future inventories. Individual markets and market stalls were subjected to cluster analysis based on the diversity of the medicinal plants they carry. The results show that markets were grouped based on the presence of: (1) common exotic medicinal plants; (2) plants used by laypeople for self-medication related to common ailments ("everyday remedies"); (3) specialized medicinal plants used by curanderos or traditional healers; and (4) highly "specialized" plants used for magical purposes. The plant trade in the study areas seems to correspond well with the specific health care demands from clientele in those areas. The specific market patterns of plant diversity observed in the present study represent a foundation for comparative market research in Peru and elsewhere.

Water impacts of CO2 emission performance standards for fossil fuel-fired power plants.

PubMed

Talati, Shuchi; Zhai, Haibo; Morgan, M Granger

2014-10-21

We employ an integrated systems modeling tool to assess the water impacts of the new source performance standards recently proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for limiting CO2 emissions from coal- and gas-fired power plants. The implementation of amine-based carbon capture and storage (CCS) for 40% CO2 capture to meet the current proposal will increase plant water use by roughly 30% in supercritical pulverized coal-fired power plants. The specific amount of added water use varies with power plant and CCS designs. More stringent emission standards than the current proposal would require CO2 emission reductions for natural gas combined-cycle (NGCC) plants via CCS, which would also increase plant water use. When examined over a range of possible future emission standards from 1100 to 300 lb CO2/MWh gross, new baseload NGCC plants consume roughly 60-70% less water than coal-fired plants. A series of adaptation approaches to secure low-carbon energy production and improve the electric power industry's water management in the face of future policy constraints are discussed both quantitatively and qualitatively.

Exploring ammonium tolerance in a large panel of Arabidopsis thaliana natural accessions

PubMed Central

Sarasketa, Asier; González-Moro, María Begoña; González-Murua, Carmen; Marino, Daniel

2014-01-01

Plants are dependent on exogenous nitrogen (N) supply. Ammonium (NH4 +), together with nitrate (NO3 –), is one of the main nitrogenous compounds available in the soil. Paradoxically, although NH4 + assimilation requires less energy than that of NO3 –, many plants display toxicity symptoms when grown with NH4 + as the sole N source. However, in addition to species-specific ammonium toxicity, intraspecific variability has also been shown. Thus, the aim of this work was to study the intraspecific ammonium tolerance in a large panel of Arabidopsis thaliana natural accessions. Plants were grown with either 1mM NO3 – or NH4 + as the N source, and several parameters related to ammonium tolerance and assimilation were determined. Overall, high variability was observed in A. thaliana shoot growth under both forms of N nutrition. From the parameters determined, tissue ammonium content was the one with the highest impact on shoot biomass, and interestingly this was also the case when N was supplied as NO3 –. Enzymes of nitrogen assimilation did not have an impact on A. thaliana biomass variation, but the N source affected their activity. Glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) aminating activity was, in general, higher in NH4 +-fed plants. In contrast, GDH deaminating activity was higher in NO3 –-fed plants, suggesting a differential role for this enzyme as a function of the N form supplied. Overall, NH4 + accumulation seems to be an important player in Arabidopsis natural variability in ammonium tolerance rather than the cell NH4 + assimilation capacity. PMID:25205573

Ceropegia sandersonii Mimics Attacked Honeybees to Attract Kleptoparasitic Flies for Pollination.

PubMed

Heiduk, Annemarie; Brake, Irina; von Tschirnhaus, Michael; Göhl, Matthias; Jürgens, Andreas; Johnson, Steven D; Meve, Ulrich; Dötterl, Stefan

2016-10-24

Four to six percent of plants, distributed over different angiosperm families, entice pollinators by deception [1]. In these systems, chemical mimicry is often used as an efficient way to exploit the olfactory preferences of animals for the purpose of attracting them as pollinators [2,3]. Here, we report a very specific type of chemical mimicry of a food source. Ceropegia sandersonii (Apocynaceae), a deceptive South African plant with pitfall flowers, mimics attacked honeybees. We identified kleptoparasitic Desmometopa flies (Milichiidae) as the main pollinators of C. sandersonii. These flies are well known to feed on honeybees that are eaten by spiders, which we thus predicted as the model chemically mimicked by the plant. Indeed, we found that the floral scent of C. sandersonii is comparable to volatiles released from honeybees when under simulated attack. Moreover, many of these shared compounds elicited physiological responses in antennae of pollinating Desmometopa flies. A mixture of four compounds-geraniol, 2-heptanone, 2-nonanol, and (E)-2-octen-1-yl acetate-was highly attractive to the flies. We conclude that C. sandersonii is specialized on kleptoparasitic fly pollinators by deploying volatiles linked to the flies' food source, i.e., attacked and/or freshly killed honeybees. The blend of compounds emitted by C. sandersonii is unusual among flowering plants and lures kleptoparasitic flies into the trap flowers. This study describes a new example of how a plant can achieve pollination through chemical mimicry of the food sources of adult carnivorous animals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sex-related and stage-dependent source-to-sink transition in Populus cathayana grown at elevated CO(2) and elevated temperature.

PubMed

Zhao, Hongxia; Li, Yongping; Zhang, Xiaolu; Korpelainen, Helena; Li, Chunyang

2012-11-01

Dioecious plants, which comprise more than 14,620 species, account for an important component of terrestrial ecosystems. Hence, understanding the sexually dimorphic responses in balancing carbon (C) supply and demand under elevated CO(2) is important for understanding leaf sink-to-source transitions. Here we investigate sex-related responses of the dioecious Populus cathayana Rehd. to elevated CO(2) and elevated temperature. The plants were grown in environmentally controlled growth chambers at two CO(2) enrichment regimes (350 ± 20 and 700 ± 20 μmol mol(-1)) with two temperature levels, elevated by 0 and 2 ± 0.2 °C (compared with the out-of-chamber environment). Plant growth characteristics, carbohydrate accumulation, C and nitrogen (N) allocation, photosynthetic capacity, N use efficiency and the morphology of mesophyll cells were investigated in the developing leaves (DLs) and expanded leaves (ELs) of both males and females. Elevated CO(2) enhanced plant growth and photosynthetic capacity in DLs of both males and females, and induced the male ELs to have a greater leaf mass production, net photosynthesis rate (P(n)), chlorophyll a/b ratio (Chl a/b), soluble protein level (SP), photosynthetic N use efficiency and soluble sugar level compared with females at the same leaf stage. Elevated temperature enhanced source activities and N uptake status during CO(2) enrichment, and the combined treatment induced males to be more responsive than females in sink capacities, especially in ELs, probably due to greater N acquisition from other plant parts. Our findings showed that elevated CO(2) increases the sink capacities of P. cathayana seedlings, and elevated temperature enhances the stimulation effect of elevated CO(2) on plant growth. Male ELs were found to play an important role in N acquisition from roots and stems under decreasing N in total leaves under elevated CO(2). Knowledge of the sex-specific leaf adaptability to warming climate can help us to understand sex-related source-to-sink transitions in dioecious plant species.

Selection and characterization of glyphosate tolerance in birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)

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

Boerboom, C.M.

1989-01-01

If birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) was tolerant to glyphosate (N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine), Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.) and other dicot weeds could be selectively controlled in certified seed production fields. Glyphosate tolerance in birdsfoot trefoil was identified in plants from the cultivar Leo, plants regenerated from tolerant callus, and selfed progeny of plants regenerated from callus. Plants from the three sources were evaluated in field studies for tolerance to glyphosate at rates up to 1.6 kg ae/ha. Plants of Leo selected for tolerance exhibited a twofold range in the rate required to reduce shoot weight 50% (I{sub 50}s from 0.6more » to 1.2 kg/ha glyphosate). Plants regenerated from tolerant callus had tolerance up to 66% greater than plants regenerated from unselected callus. Transgressive segregation for glyphosate tolerance was observed in the selfed progeny of two regenerated plants that both had I{sub 50}s of 0.7 kg/ha glyphosate. The selfed progeny ranged from highly tolerant (I{sub 50} of 1.5 kg/ha) to susceptible (I{sub 50} of 0.5 kg/ha). Spray retention, {sup 14}C-glyphosate absorption and translocation did not account for the differential tolerance of nine plants that were evaluated from the three sources. The specific activity of 5-enolpyruvylshikimate 3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase ranged from 1.3 to 3.5 nmol/min{sm bullet}mg among the nine plants and was positively correlated with glyphosate tolerance. Leo birdsfoot trefoil was found to have significant variation in glyphosate tolerance which made it possible to initiate a recurrent selection program to select for glyphosate tolerance in birdsfoot trefoil. Two cycles of selection for glyphosate tolerance were practiced in three birdsfoot trefoil populations, Leo, Norcen, and MU-81.« less

Evaluation of parasitic consumption for a CSP plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramorakane, Relebohile John; Dinter, Frank

2016-05-01

With the continuous development and desire to build alternative effective and efficient power plants, Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants (and more specifically the Parabolic Trough CSP Plants) have proven to be one of the alternative energy resources for the future. On this regard more emphasis and research is being employed to better this power plant technology, where one of the main challenges to these plants is to improve their efficiency by optimizing the parasitic load, wherein one of the major causes of the power plants' reduced overall efficiency arises from their parasitic load consumption. This project is therefore aimed at evaluating the parasitic load on Andasol 3 Power Plant, which is a 50 MW Parabolic Trough Power Plant with a 7.5 hours of full load storage system. It was hence determined that the total power plant's parasitic load consumption is about 12% in summer season and between 16% and 24% in winter season. In an effort to improve the power plant's efficiency, a couple of measures to reduce the parasitic load consumption were recommended, and also an alternative and cheaper source of parasitic load feeding plant, during the day (when the parasitic load consumption is highest) was proposed/recommended.

Intraspecific variation in stomatal traits, leaf traits and physiology reflects adaptation along aridity gradients in a South African shrub.

PubMed

Carlson, Jane E; Adams, Christopher A; Holsinger, Kent E

2016-01-01

Trait-environment relationships are commonly interpreted as evidence for local adaptation in plants. However, even when selection analyses support this interpretation, the mechanisms underlying differential benefits are often unknown. This study addresses this gap in knowledge using the broadly distributed South African shrub Protea repens. Specifically, the study examines whether broad-scale patterns of trait variation are consistent with spatial differences in selection and ecophysiology in the wild. In a common garden study of plants sourced from 19 populations, associations were measured between five morphological traits and three axes describing source climates. Trait-trait and trait-environment associations were analysed in a multi-response model. Within two focal populations in the wild, selection and path analyses were used to test associations between traits, fecundity and physiological performance. Across 19 populations in a common garden, stomatal density increased with the source population's mean annual temperature and decreased with its average amount of rainfall in midsummer. Concordantly, selection analysis in two natural populations revealed positive selection on stomatal density at the hotter, drier site, while failing to detect selection at the cooler, moister site. Dry-site plants with high stomatal density also had higher stomatal conductances, cooler leaf temperatures and higher light-saturated photosynthetic rates than those with low stomatal density, but no such relationships were present among wet-site plants. Leaf area, stomatal pore index and specific leaf area in the garden also co-varied with climate, but within-population differences were not associated with fitness in either wild population. The parallel patterns of broad-scale variation, differences in selection and differences in trait-ecophysiology relationships suggest a mechanism for adaptive differentiation in stomatal density. Densely packed stomata may improve performance by increasing transpiration and cooling, but predominately in drier, hotter climates. This study uniquely shows context-dependent benefits of stomatal density--a trait rarely linked to local adaptation in plants. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Urban land use choices and biogeochemical consequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutyra, L.; Reinmann, A.; Decina, S.; Templer, P. H.

2016-12-01

Urban areas are the clear, dominant source of global fossil fuel CO2 emissions. However, urban areas are also a heterogeneous mix of biological CO2 sources and sinks. The magnitude and timing of sources and sinks varies diurnally and seasonally with phenology, climate, and nitrogen inputs. Both the anthropogenic and biological CO2 fluxes are highly sensitive to management choices. We present results quantifying the role of management preferences and land use decisions in influencing biological CO2 fluxes across a gradient of urban development. Specifically, we explore the fluxes from soil respiration, plant growth, and the role of nitrogen deposition and amendments across urban gradients.

Expression-based clustering of CAZyme-encoding genes of Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Gruben, Birgit S; Mäkelä, Miia R; Kowalczyk, Joanna E; Zhou, Miaomiao; Benoit-Gelber, Isabelle; De Vries, Ronald P

2017-11-23

The Aspergillus niger genome contains a large repertoire of genes encoding carbohydrate active enzymes (CAZymes) that are targeted to plant polysaccharide degradation enabling A. niger to grow on a wide range of plant biomass substrates. Which genes need to be activated in certain environmental conditions depends on the composition of the available substrate. Previous studies have demonstrated the involvement of a number of transcriptional regulators in plant biomass degradation and have identified sets of target genes for each regulator. In this study, a broad transcriptional analysis was performed of the A. niger genes encoding (putative) plant polysaccharide degrading enzymes. Microarray data focusing on the initial response of A. niger to the presence of plant biomass related carbon sources were analyzed of a wild-type strain N402 that was grown on a large range of carbon sources and of the regulatory mutant strains ΔxlnR, ΔaraR, ΔamyR, ΔrhaR and ΔgalX that were grown on their specific inducing compounds. The cluster analysis of the expression data revealed several groups of co-regulated genes, which goes beyond the traditionally described co-regulated gene sets. Additional putative target genes of the selected regulators were identified, based on their expression profile. Notably, in several cases the expression profile puts questions on the function assignment of uncharacterized genes that was based on homology searches, highlighting the need for more extensive biochemical studies into the substrate specificity of enzymes encoded by these non-characterized genes. The data also revealed sets of genes that were upregulated in the regulatory mutants, suggesting interaction between the regulatory systems and a therefore even more complex overall regulatory network than has been reported so far. Expression profiling on a large number of substrates provides better insight in the complex regulatory systems that drive the conversion of plant biomass by fungi. In addition, the data provides additional evidence in favor of and against the similarity-based functions assigned to uncharacterized genes.

Biomarkers in Transit Reveal the Nature of Fluvial Integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ponton, C.; West, A.; Feakins, S. J.; Galy, V.

2013-12-01

The carbon and hydrogen isotopic composition of vascular plant leaf waxes are common proxies for hydrologic and vegetation change. Sedimentary archives off major river systems are prime targets for continental paleoclimate studies under the assumption that rivers integrate changes in terrestrial organic carbon (OC) composition over their drainage basin. However, the proportional contribution of sources within the basin (e.g. head waters vs. floodplain) and the transit times of OC through the fluvial system remain largely unknown. This lack of quantifiable information about the proportions and timescales of integration within large catchments poses a challenge for paleoclimate reconstructions. To examine the sources of terrestrial OC eroded and supplied to a river system and the spatial distribution of these sources, we use compound specific isotope analysis (i.e. δ13C, Δ14C, and δD) on plant-derived leaf waxes, filtered from large volumes of river water (20-200L) along a major river system. We selected the Kosñipata River that drains the western flank of the Andes in Peru, joins the Madre de Dios River across the Amazonian floodplain, and ultimately contributes to the Amazon River. Our study encompassed an elevation gradient of >4 km, in an almost entirely forested catchment. Precipitation δD values vary by >50‰ due to the isotopic effect of elevation, a feature we exploit to identify the sources of plant wax n-alkanoic acids transported by the river. We used the δD plant wax values from tributary rivers as source constrains and the main stem values as the integrated signal. In addition, compound specific radiocarbon on individual chain length n-alkanoic acids provide unprecedented detail on the integrated age of these compounds. Preliminary results have established that 1) most of the OC transport occurs in the wet season; 2) total carbon transport in the Madre de Dios is dominated by lowland sources because of the large floodplain area, but initial data suggest that OC from high elevations may be proportionally overrepresented relative to areal extent, with possibly important implications for biomarker isotope composition; 3) timescales of different biomarkers vary considerably; 4) the composition of OC varies downstream and with depth stratification within large rivers. We filtered >1000L of river water in this remote location during the wet season, and are presently replicating that study during the dry season, providing a seasonal comparison of OC transport in this major river system.

IEC fusion: The future power and propulsion system for space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammond, Walter E.; Coventry, Matt; Hanson, John; Hrbud, Ivana; Miley, George H.; Nadler, Jon

2000-01-01

Rapid access to any point in the solar system requires advanced propulsion concepts that will provide extremely high specific impulse, low specific power, and a high thrust-to-power ratio. Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) fusion is one of many exciting concepts emerging through propulsion and power research in laboratories across the nation which will determine the future direction of space exploration. This is part of a series of papers that discuss different applications of the Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) fusion concept for both in-space and terrestrial use. IEC will enable tremendous advances in faster travel times within the solar system. The technology is currently under investigation for proof of concept and transitioning into the first prototype units for commercial applications. In addition to use in propulsion for space applications, terrestrial applications include desalinization plants, high energy neutron sources for radioisotope generation, high flux sources for medical applications, proton sources for specialized medical applications, and tritium production. .

Lignocellulose-degrading enzymes from termites and their symbiotic microbiota.

PubMed

Ni, Jinfeng; Tokuda, Gaku

2013-11-01

Lignocellulose-the dry matter of plants, or "plant biomass"-digestion is of increasing interest in organismal metabolism research, specifically the conversion of biomass into biofuels. Termites efficiently decompose lignocelluloses, and studies on lignocellulolytic systems may elucidate mechanisms of efficient lignocellulose degradation in termites as well as offer novel enzyme sources, findings which have significant potential industrial applications. Recent progress in metagenomic and metatranscriptomic research has illuminated the diversity of lignocellulolytic enzymes within the termite gut. Here, we review state-of-the-art research on lignocellulose-degrading systems in termites, specifically cellulases, xylanases, and lignin modification enzymes produced by termites and their symbiotic microbiota. We also discuss recent investigations into heterologous overexpression of lignocellulolytic enzymes from termites and their symbionts. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Source apportionment of airborne particulate matter using organic compounds as tracers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schauer, James J.; Rogge, Wolfgang F.; Hildemann, Lynn M.; Mazurek, Monica A.; Cass, Glen R.; Simoneit, Bernd R. T.

A chemical mass balance receptor model based on organic compounds has been developed that relates sours; contributions to airborne fine particle mass concentrations. Source contributions to the concentrations of specific organic compounds are revealed as well. The model is applied to four air quality monitoring sites in southern California using atmospheric organic compound concentration data and source test data collected specifically for the purpose of testing this model. The contributions of up to nine primary particle source types can be separately identified in ambient samples based on this method, and approximately 85% of the organic fine aerosol is assigned to primary sources on an annual average basis. The model provides information on source contributions to fine mass concentrations, fine organic aerosol concentrations and individual organic compound concentrations. The largest primary source contributors to fine particle mass concentrations in Los Angeles are found to include diesel engine exhaust, paved road dust, gasoline-powered vehicle exhaust, plus emissions from food cooking and wood smoke, with smaller contribution:; from tire dust, plant fragments, natural gas combustion aerosol, and cigarette smoke. Once these primary aerosol source contributions are added to the secondary sulfates, nitrates and organics present, virtually all of the annual average fine particle mass at Los Angeles area monitoring sites can be assigned to its source.

New strategy for drug discovery by large-scale association analysis of molecular networks of different species.

PubMed

Zhang, Bo; Fu, Yingxue; Huang, Chao; Zheng, Chunli; Wu, Ziyin; Zhang, Wenjuan; Yang, Xiaoyan; Gong, Fukai; Li, Yuerong; Chen, Xiaoyu; Gao, Shuo; Chen, Xuetong; Li, Yan; Lu, Aiping; Wang, Yonghua

2016-02-25

The development of modern omics technology has not significantly improved the efficiency of drug development. Rather precise and targeted drug discovery remains unsolved. Here a large-scale cross-species molecular network association (CSMNA) approach for targeted drug screening from natural sources is presented. The algorithm integrates molecular network omics data from humans and 267 plants and microbes, establishing the biological relationships between them and extracting evolutionarily convergent chemicals. This technique allows the researcher to assess targeted drugs for specific human diseases based on specific plant or microbe pathways. In a perspective validation, connections between the plant Halliwell-Asada (HA) cycle and the human Nrf2-ARE pathway were verified and the manner by which the HA cycle molecules act on the human Nrf2-ARE pathway as antioxidants was determined. This shows the potential applicability of this approach in drug discovery. The current method integrates disparate evolutionary species into chemico-biologically coherent circuits, suggesting a new cross-species omics analysis strategy for rational drug development.

Race-Specific Adult-Plant Resistance in Winter Wheat to Stripe Rust and Characterization of Pathogen Virulence Patterns.

PubMed

Milus, Eugene A; Moon, David E; Lee, Kevin D; Mason, R Esten

2015-08-01

Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, is an important disease of wheat in the Great Plains and southeastern United States. Growing resistant cultivars is the preferred means for managing stripe rust, but new virulence in the pathogen population overcomes some of the resistance. The objectives of this study were to characterize the stripe rust resistance in contemporary soft and hard red winter wheat cultivars, to characterize the virulence of P. striiformis f. sp. tritici isolates based on the resistances found in the cultivars, and to determine wheat breeders' perceptions on the importance and methods for achieving stripe rust resistance. Seedlings of cultivars were susceptible to recent isolates, indicating they lacked effective all-stage resistance. However, adult-plants were resistant or susceptible depending on the isolate, indicating they had race-specific adult-plant resistance. Using isolates collected from 1990 to 2013, six major virulence patterns were identified on adult plants of twelve cultivars that were selected as adult-plant differentials. Race-specific adult-plant resistance appears to be the only effective type of resistance protecting wheat from stripe rust in eastern United States. Among wheat breeders, the importance of incorporating stripe rust resistance into cultivars ranged from high to low depending on the frequency of epidemics in their region, and most sources of stripe rust resistance were either unknown or already overcome by virulence in the pathogen population. Breeders with a high priority for stripe rust resistance made most of their selections based on adult-plant reactions in the field, whereas breeders with a low priority for resistance based selections on molecular markers for major all-stage resistance genes.

Transcriptome analysis of Aspergillus flavus reveals isolate specific gene profiles in the response to oxidative stresses and carbon sources in vitro

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Aflatoxin contamination of peanut and maize is exacerbated by drought stress. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced in host plants during drought/heat stress, and are hypothesized to stimulate aflatoxin production. In order to better understand why Aspergillus flavus produces aflatoxin and the ...

Enhanced Sucrose Loading Improves Rice Yield by Increasing Grain Size.

PubMed

Wang, Liang; Lu, Qingtao; Wen, Xiaogang; Lu, Congming

2015-12-01

Yield in cereals is a function of grain number and size. Sucrose (Suc), the main carbohydrate product of photosynthesis in higher plants, is transported long distances from source leaves to sink organs such as seeds and roots. Here, we report that transgenic rice plants (Oryza sativa) expressing the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) phloem-specific Suc transporter (AtSUC2), which loads Suc into the phloem under control of the phloem protein2 promoter (pPP2), showed an increase in grain yield of up to 16% relative to wild-type plants in field trials. Compared with wild-type plants, pPP2::AtSUC2 plants had larger spikelet hulls and larger and heavier grains. Grain filling was accelerated in the transgenic plants, and more photoassimilate was transported from the leaves to the grain. In addition, microarray analyses revealed that carbohydrate, amino acid, and lipid metabolism was enhanced in the leaves and grain of pPP2::AtSUC2 plants. Thus, enhancing Suc loading represents a promising strategy to improve rice yield to feed the global population. © 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

Rafting rocks reveal marine biological dispersal: A case study using clasts from beach-cast macroalgal holdfasts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garden, Christopher J.; Craw, Dave; Waters, Jonathan M.; Smith, Abigail

2011-12-01

Tracking and quantifying biological dispersal presents a major challenge in marine systems. Most existing methods for measuring dispersal are limited by poor resolution and/or high cost. Here we use geological data to quantify the frequency of long-distance dispersal in detached bull-kelp (Phaeophyceae: Durvillaea) in southern New Zealand. Geological resolution in this region is enhanced by the presence of a number of distinct and readily-identifiable geological terranes. We sampled 13,815 beach-cast bull-kelp plants across 130 km of coastline. Rocks were found attached to 2639 of the rafted plants, and were assigned to specific geological terranes (source regions) to quantify dispersal frequencies and distances. Although the majority of kelp-associated rock specimens were found to be locally-derived, a substantial number (4%) showed clear geological evidence of long-distance dispersal, several having travelled over 200 km from their original source regions. The proportion of local versus foreign clasts varied considerably between regions. While short-range dispersal clearly predominates, long-distance travel of detached bull-kelp plants is shown to be a common and ongoing process that has potential to connect isolated coastal populations. Geological analyses represent a cost-effective and powerful method for assigning large numbers of drifted macroalgae to their original source regions.

Improved earthquake monitoring in the central and eastern United States in support of seismic assessments for critical facilities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leith, William S.; Benz, Harley M.; Herrmann, Robert B.

2011-01-01

Evaluation of seismic monitoring capabilities in the central and eastern United States for critical facilities - including nuclear powerplants - focused on specific improvements to understand better the seismic hazards in the region. The report is not an assessment of seismic safety at nuclear plants. To accomplish the evaluation and to provide suggestions for improvements using funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the U.S. Geological Survey examined addition of new strong-motion seismic stations in areas of seismic activity and addition of new seismic stations near nuclear power-plant locations, along with integration of data from the Transportable Array of some 400 mobile seismic stations. Some 38 and 68 stations, respectively, were suggested for addition in active seismic zones and near-power-plant locations. Expansion of databases for strong-motion and other earthquake source-characterization data also was evaluated. Recognizing pragmatic limitations of station deployment, augmentation of existing deployments provides improvements in source characterization by quantification of near-source attenuation in regions where larger earthquakes are expected. That augmentation also supports systematic data collection from existing networks. The report further utilizes the application of modeling procedures and processing algorithms, with the additional stations and the improved seismic databases, to leverage the capabilities of existing and expanded seismic arrays.

A nitrogen response pathway regulates virulence functions in Fusarium oxysporum via the protein kinase TOR and the bZIP protein MeaB.

PubMed

López-Berges, Manuel S; Rispail, Nicolas; Prados-Rosales, Rafael C; Di Pietro, Antonio

2010-07-01

During infection, fungal pathogens activate virulence mechanisms, such as host adhesion, penetration and invasive growth. In the vascular wilt fungus Fusarium oxysporum, the mitogen-activated protein kinase Fmk1 is required for plant infection and controls processes such as cellophane penetration, vegetative hyphal fusion, or root adhesion. Here, we show that these virulence-related functions are repressed by the preferred nitrogen source ammonium and restored by treatment with l-methionine sulfoximine or rapamycin, two specific inhibitors of Gln synthetase and the protein kinase TOR, respectively. Deletion of the bZIP protein MeaB also resulted in nitrogen source-independent activation of virulence mechanisms. Activation of these functions did not require the global nitrogen regulator AreA, suggesting that MeaB-mediated repression of virulence functions does not act through inhibition of AreA. Tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum) supplied with ammonium rather than nitrate showed a significant reduction in vascular wilt symptoms when infected with the wild type but not with the DeltameaB strain. Nitrogen source also affected invasive growth in the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae and the wheat head blight pathogen Fusarium graminearum. We propose that a conserved nitrogen-responsive pathway might operate via TOR and MeaB to control virulence in plant pathogenic fungi.

Local biotic adaptation of trees and shrubs to plant neighbors

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grady, Kevin C.; Wood, Troy E.; Kolb, Thomas E.; Hersch-Green, Erika; Shuster, Stephen M.; Gehring, Catherine A.; Hart, Stephen C.; Allan, Gerard J.; Whitham, Thomas G.

2017-01-01

Natural selection as a result of plant–plant interactions can lead to local biotic adaptation. This may occur where species frequently interact and compete intensely for resources limiting growth, survival, and reproduction. Selection is demonstrated by comparing a genotype interacting with con- or hetero-specific sympatric neighbor genotypes with a shared site-level history (derived from the same source location), to the same genotype interacting with foreign neighbor genotypes (from different sources). Better genotype performance in sympatric than allopatric neighborhoods provides evidence of local biotic adaptation. This pattern might be explained by selection to avoid competition by shifting resource niches (differentiation) or by interactions benefitting one or more members (facilitation). We tested for local biotic adaptation among two riparian trees, Populus fremontii and Salix gooddingii, and the shrub Salix exigua by transplanting replicated genotypes from multiple source locations to a 17 000 tree common garden with sympatric and allopatric treatments along the Colorado River in California. Three major patterns were observed: 1) across species, 62 of 88 genotypes grew faster with sympatric neighbors than allopatric neighbors; 2) these growth rates, on an individual tree basis, were 44, 15 and 33% higher in sympatric than allopatric treatments for P. fremontii, S. exigua and S. gooddingii, respectively, and; 3) survivorship was higher in sympatric treatments for P. fremontiiand S. exigua. These results support the view that fitness of foundation species supporting diverse communities and dominating ecosystem processes is determined by adaptive interactions among multiple plant species with the outcome that performance depends on the genetic identity of plant neighbors. The occurrence of evolution in a plant-community context for trees and shrubs builds on ecological evolutionary research that has demonstrated co-evolution among herbaceous taxa, and evolution of native species during exotic plants invasion, and taken together, refutes the concept that plant communities are always random associations.

A 3,000 year plant leaf wax D/H record of paleohydrology from Southern California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheetham, M. I.; Feakins, S. J.

2011-12-01

We report a high resolution record of hydrological variability based on plant leaf wax D/H measurements in a sediment core from Zaca Lake, Southern California spanning 3,000 years. Compound specific analysis of the n-alkanoic acid fraction yields a powerful suite of relative abundance and isotope data. Comparison to modern vegetation and sediments offers insights into the source of sedimentary waxes and their D/H signatures. We identify three potential sources of waxes at Zaca: 1) mid to long chains from emergent aquatic plants (C28 max), 2) mid chains from Pinus coulteri (C20-C24 only) and 3) mid to long chains from Quercus agrifolia (C28 and C30 max). We establish that long chains are dominated by Quercus and other terrestrial vegetation, whereas mid chains could have mixed sources. At Zaca, 80% shared variance between mid chain and long chain records suggests both derive from terrestrial plants influenced by a common driver, presumably the isotopic composition of precipitation or relative humidity influences on leaf water enrichment. Dendrogram analysis of molecular abundance variations allows us to flag where vegetation change cannot be ruled out. We therefore infer that regional atmospheric circulation changes drove the sustained negative isotope excursion of > 20% from about 2,700 to 2,000 years BP and superimposed higher frequency 20% variability throughout the record, including a number of large, rapid excursion (>20%, <20 years). The results of ongoing analyses will be presented at the meeting.

High Relative Abundance of Biofuel Sourced Ethanol in Precipitation in the US and Brazil Determined Using Compound Specific Stable Carbon Isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimizu, M. S.; Felix, J. D. D.; Casas, M.; Avery, G. B., Jr.; Kieber, R. J.; Mead, R. N.; Willey, J. D.; Lane, C.

2017-12-01

Ethanol biofuel production and consumption have increased exponentially over the last two decades to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, 85% of global ethanol production and consumption occurs in the US and Brazil. Increasing biofuel ethanol usage in these two countries enhances emissions of uncombusted ethanol to the atmosphere contributing to poor air quality. Although measurements of ethanol in the air and the precipitation reveal elevated ethanol concentrations in densely populated cities, other sources such as natural vegetation can contribute to emission to the atmosphere. Previous modeling studies indicated up to 12% of atmospheric ethanol is from anthropogenic emissions. Only one gas phase study in southern Florida attempted to constrain the two sources through direct isotopic measurements. The current study used a stable carbon isotope method to constrain sources of ethanol in rainwater from the US and Brazil. A method was developed using solid phase microextraction (SPME) with subsequent analysis by gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS). Stable carbon isotope signatures (δ13C) of vehicle ethanol emission sources for both the US (-9.8‰) and Brazil (-12.7‰) represented C4 plants as feedstock (corn and sugarcane) for biofuel production. An isotope mixing model using biofuel from vehicles (C4 plants) and biogenic (C3 plants) end-members was implemented to estimate ethanol source apportionment in the rain. We found that stable carbon isotope ratio of ethanol in the rain ranged between -22.6‰ and -12.7‰. Our results suggest that the contribution of biofuel to atmospheric ethanol can be higher than previously estimated. As biofuel usage increasing globally, it is essential to determine the relative abundance of anthropogenic ethanol in other areas of the world.

Analysis of cutin and suberin biomarker patterns in alluvial sedi-ments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herschbach, Jennifer; Sesterheim, Anna; König, Frauke; Fuchs, Elmar

2015-04-01

Cutin and suberin are the primary source of hydrolysable aliphatic lipid polyesters in soil organic matter (SOM). They are known as geochemical biomarkers to estimate the contribution of different plant species and tissues to SOM. Despite their potential as biomarkers, cutin and suberin have received less attention as flood plain sediment biomarkers. The objectives of this study were to investigate the efficiency of cutin and suberin as biomarkers in floodplains. Therefore similarities between the lipid pattern in alluvial sediments and in the actual vegetation were considered. Lipids of plant tissues (roots, twigs, leaves) from different species (reed (e.g. Phalaris arun-diacea), Salix alba, Ulmus laevis and grassland (e.g. Carex spec.)) and of the un-derlying soils and sediments were obtained and investigated at four sites in the nature reserve Knoblauchsaue (Hessen, Germany). The four sampling sites differ not only with respect to their vegetation, but also within their distance to the river Rhine. Cutin and suberin monomers of plants and soils were analysed by alkaline hydrolysis, methylation and acetylation and subsequent gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Resulting lipid patterns were specific for the appropriate plant species and tissues. However, the traceability of single selected lipids was decreasing alongside the soil profile, with the exception of monomers in softwood floodplain soils. Selected tissue specific lipid ratios showed a higher traceability due to strong attributions of lipid ratios in soils and roots of U. laevis and Carex spec. and in leaves of U. laevis and S. alba. In contrast, there was no accordance between the suberin specific lipid ratios in soils and roots of S. alba and P. arundiacea. The most robust interpretations were afforded when a set of multiple biomarkers (i.e. a combination of free lipid ratios and ratios of hydrolysable lipids) was used to collectively reconstruct the source vegetation of different sediment layers.

Plant uptake of elements in soil and pore water: field observations versus model assumptions.

PubMed

Raguž, Veronika; Jarsjö, Jerker; Grolander, Sara; Lindborg, Regina; Avila, Rodolfo

2013-09-15

Contaminant concentrations in various edible plant parts transfer hazardous substances from polluted areas to animals and humans. Thus, the accurate prediction of plant uptake of elements is of significant importance. The processes involved contain many interacting factors and are, as such, complex. In contrast, the most common way to currently quantify element transfer from soils into plants is relatively simple, using an empirical soil-to-plant transfer factor (TF). This practice is based on theoretical assumptions that have been previously shown to not generally be valid. Using field data on concentrations of 61 basic elements in spring barley, soil and pore water at four agricultural sites in mid-eastern Sweden, we quantify element-specific TFs. Our aim is to investigate to which extent observed element-specific uptake is consistent with TF model assumptions and to which extent TF's can be used to predict observed differences in concentrations between different plant parts (root, stem and ear). Results show that for most elements, plant-ear concentrations are not linearly related to bulk soil concentrations, which is congruent with previous studies. This behaviour violates a basic TF model assumption of linearity. However, substantially better linear correlations are found when weighted average element concentrations in whole plants are used for TF estimation. The highest number of linearly-behaving elements was found when relating average plant concentrations to soil pore-water concentrations. In contrast to other elements, essential elements (micronutrients and macronutrients) exhibited relatively small differences in concentration between different plant parts. Generally, the TF model was shown to work reasonably well for micronutrients, whereas it did not for macronutrients. The results also suggest that plant uptake of elements from sources other than the soil compartment (e.g. from air) may be non-negligible. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Total phenolics and total flavonoids in selected Indian medicinal plants.

PubMed

Sulaiman, C T; Balachandran, Indira

2012-05-01

Plant phenolics and flavonoids have a powerful biological activity, which outlines the necessity of their determination. The phenolics and flavonoids content of 20 medicinal plants were determined in the present investigation. The phenolic content was determined by using Folin-Ciocalteu assay. The total flavonoids were measured spectrophotometrically by using the aluminium chloride colorimetric assay. The results showed that the family Mimosaceae is the richest source of phenolics, (Acacia nilotica: 80.63 mg gallic acid equivalents, Acacia catechu 78.12 mg gallic acid equivalents, Albizia lebbeck 66.23 mg gallic acid equivalents). The highest total flavonoid content was revealed in Senna tora which belongs to the family Caesalpiniaceae. The present study also shows the ratio of flavonoids to the phenolics in each sample for their specificity.

The determination of elements in herbal teas and medicinal plant formulations and their tisanes.

PubMed

Pohl, Pawel; Dzimitrowicz, Anna; Jedryczko, Dominika; Szymczycha-Madeja, Anna; Welna, Maja; Jamroz, Piotr

2016-10-25

Elemental analysis of herbal teas and their tisanes is aimed at assessing their quality and safety in reference to specific food safety regulations and evaluating their nutritional value. This survey is dedicated to atomic spectroscopy and mass spectrometry element detection methods and sample preparation procedures used in elemental analysis of herbal teas and medicinal plant formulations. Referring to original works from the last 15 years, particular attention has been paid to tisane preparation, sample matrix decomposition, calibration and quality assurance of results in elemental analysis of herbal teas by different atomic and mass spectrometry methods. In addition, possible sources of elements in herbal teas and medicinal plant formulations have been discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Strategies for steam handling and H2S abatement at geothermal power plants in the geysers area of Northern California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morris, W. F.; Stephens, F. B.

1981-08-01

Strict limitations on the emission of H2S from new geothermal power plants in The Geysers area of northern California were imposed by Lake and Northern Sonoma County Air Pollution Control Districts. Lake County, under new source review rules, stipulated that specific technologies should be utilized to limit H2S emissions to 5 lb/h as a condition for determination of compliance. The status of these technologies as well as other ongoing technology development efforts to conserve steam and abate H2S are evaluated.

Micro-PIXE studies of Lupinus angustifolius L. after treatment of seeds with molybdenum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Przybylowicz, W. J.; Mesjasz-Przybylowicz, J.; Wouters, K.; Vlassak, K.; Combrink, N. J. J.

1997-02-01

An example of nuclear microprobe application in agriculture is presented. The NAC nuclear microprobe was used to determine quantitative elemental distribution of major, minor and trace elements in Lupinus angustifolius L. (Leguminosae) after treatment of seeds with molybdenum. Experiments were performed in order to establish safe concentration levels and sources of Mo in seed treatments. Elemental distributions in Mo-treated plants and in the non-treated control plants were studied in order to explain how Mo causes toxicity. Some specific regions of Mo and other main and trace elements enrichment were identified.

Using plant growth modeling to analyze C source–sink relations under drought: inter- and intraspecific comparison

PubMed Central

Pallas, Benoît; Clément-Vidal, Anne; Rebolledo, Maria-Camila; Soulié, Jean-Christophe; Luquet, Delphine

2013-01-01

The ability to assimilate C and allocate non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) to the most appropriate organs is crucial to maximize plant ecological or agronomic performance. Such C source and sink activities are differentially affected by environmental constraints. Under drought, plant growth is generally more sink than source limited as organ expansion or appearance rate is earlier and stronger affected than C assimilation. This favors plant survival and recovery but not always agronomic performance as NSC are stored rather than used for growth due to a modified metabolism in source and sink leaves. Such interactions between plant C and water balance are complex and plant modeling can help analyzing their impact on plant phenotype. This paper addresses the impact of trade-offs between C sink and source activities and plant production under drought, combining experimental and modeling approaches. Two contrasted monocotyledonous species (rice, oil palm) were studied. Experimentally, the sink limitation of plant growth under moderate drought was confirmed as well as the modifications in NSC metabolism in source and sink organs. Under severe stress, when C source became limiting, plant NSC concentration decreased. Two plant models dedicated to oil palm and rice morphogenesis were used to perform a sensitivity analysis and further explore how to optimize C sink and source drought sensitivity to maximize plant growth. Modeling results highlighted that optimal drought sensitivity depends both on drought type and species and that modeling is a great opportunity to analyze such complex processes. Further modeling needs and more generally the challenge of using models to support complex trait breeding are discussed. PMID:24204372

Pseudomonas fluorescens transportome is linked to strain-specific plant growth promotion in Aspen seedlings under nutrient stress

DOE PAGES

Shinde, Shalaka; Cumming, Jonathan R.; Collart, Frank R.; ...

2017-03-21

Diverse communities of bacteria colonize plant roots and the rhizosphere. Many of these rhizobacteria are symbionts and provide plant growth promotion (PGP) services, protecting the plant from biotic and abiotic stresses and increasing plant productivity by providing access to nutrients that would otherwise be unavailable to roots. In return, these symbiotic bacteria receive photosynthetically-derived carbon (C), in the form of sugars and organic acids, from plant root exudates. PGP activities have been characterized for a variety of forest tree species and are important in C cycling and sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems. The molecular mechanisms of these PGP activities, however, aremore » less well-known. In a previous analysis of Pseudomonas genomes, we found that the bacterial transportome, the aggregate activity of a bacteria's transmembrane transporters, was most predictive for the ecological niche of Pseudomonads in the rhizosphere. Here, we used Populus tremuloides Michx. (trembling aspen) seedlings inoculated with one of three Pseudomonas fluorescens strains (Pf0-1, SBW25, and WH6) and one Pseudomonas protegens (Pf-5) as a laboratory model to further investigate the relationships between the predicted transportomic capacity of a bacterial strain and its observed PGP effects in laboratory cultures. Conditions of low nitrogen (N) or low phosphorus (P) availability and the corresponding replete media conditions were investigated. We measured phenotypic and biochemical parameters of P. tremuloides seedlings and correlated P fluorescens strain-specific transportomic capacities with P. tremuloides seedling phenotype to predict the strain and nutrient environment-specific transporter functions that lead to experimentally observed, strain, and media-specific PGP activities and the capacity to protect plants against nutrient stress. These predicted transportomic functions fall in three groups: (i) transport of compounds that modulate aspen seedling root architecture, (ii) transport of compounds that help to mobilize nutrients for aspen roots, and (iii) transporters that enable bacterial acquisition of C sources from seedling root exudates. Lastly, these predictions point to specific molecular mechanisms of PGP activities that can be directly tested through future, hypothesis-driven biological experiments.« less

Pseudomonas fluorescens transportome is linked to strain-specific plant growth promotion in Aspen seedlings under nutrient stress

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

Shinde, Shalaka; Cumming, Jonathan R.; Collart, Frank R.

Diverse communities of bacteria colonize plant roots and the rhizosphere. Many of these rhizobacteria are symbionts and provide plant growth promotion (PGP) services, protecting the plant from biotic and abiotic stresses and increasing plant productivity by providing access to nutrients that would otherwise be unavailable to roots. In return, these symbiotic bacteria receive photosynthetically-derived carbon (C), in the form of sugars and organic acids, from plant root exudates. PGP activities have been characterized for a variety of forest tree species and are important in C cycling and sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems. The molecular mechanisms of these PGP activities, however, aremore » less well-known. In a previous analysis of Pseudomonas genomes, we found that the bacterial transportome, the aggregate activity of a bacteria's transmembrane transporters, was most predictive for the ecological niche of Pseudomonads in the rhizosphere. Here, we used Populus tremuloides Michx. (trembling aspen) seedlings inoculated with one of three Pseudomonas fluorescens strains (Pf0-1, SBW25, and WH6) and one Pseudomonas protegens (Pf-5) as a laboratory model to further investigate the relationships between the predicted transportomic capacity of a bacterial strain and its observed PGP effects in laboratory cultures. Conditions of low nitrogen (N) or low phosphorus (P) availability and the corresponding replete media conditions were investigated. We measured phenotypic and biochemical parameters of P. tremuloides seedlings and correlated P fluorescens strain-specific transportomic capacities with P. tremuloides seedling phenotype to predict the strain and nutrient environment-specific transporter functions that lead to experimentally observed, strain, and media-specific PGP activities and the capacity to protect plants against nutrient stress. These predicted transportomic functions fall in three groups: (i) transport of compounds that modulate aspen seedling root architecture, (ii) transport of compounds that help to mobilize nutrients for aspen roots, and (iii) transporters that enable bacterial acquisition of C sources from seedling root exudates. Lastly, these predictions point to specific molecular mechanisms of PGP activities that can be directly tested through future, hypothesis-driven biological experiments.« less

40 CFR 62.9110 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Sulfuric Acid Mist from Existing Sulfuric Acid Plants § 62.9110 Identification of sources. (a) Identification of sources. The plan includes the following sulfuric acid production plants. (1) National Zinc Co...] Fluoride Emissions From Phosphate Fertilizer Plants ...

40 CFR 62.9110 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Sulfuric Acid Mist from Existing Sulfuric Acid Plants § 62.9110 Identification of sources. (a) Identification of sources. The plan includes the following sulfuric acid production plants. (1) National Zinc Co...] Fluoride Emissions From Phosphate Fertilizer Plants ...

Microbial community structure of leaf-cutter ant fungus gardens and refuse dumps.

PubMed

Scott, Jarrod J; Budsberg, Kevin J; Suen, Garret; Wixon, Devin L; Balser, Teri C; Currie, Cameron R

2010-03-29

Leaf-cutter ants use fresh plant material to grow a mutualistic fungus that serves as the ants' primary food source. Within fungus gardens, various plant compounds are metabolized and transformed into nutrients suitable for ant consumption. This symbiotic association produces a large amount of refuse consisting primarily of partly degraded plant material. A leaf-cutter ant colony is thus divided into two spatially and chemically distinct environments that together represent a plant biomass degradation gradient. Little is known about the microbial community structure in gardens and dumps or variation between lab and field colonies. Using microbial membrane lipid analysis and a variety of community metrics, we assessed and compared the microbiota of fungus gardens and refuse dumps from both laboratory-maintained and field-collected colonies. We found that gardens contained a diverse and consistent community of microbes, dominated by Gram-negative bacteria, particularly gamma-Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. These findings were consistent across lab and field gardens, as well as host ant taxa. In contrast, dumps were enriched for Gram-positive and anaerobic bacteria. Broad-scale clustering analyses revealed that community relatedness between samples reflected system component (gardens/dumps) rather than colony source (lab/field). At finer scales samples clustered according to colony source. Here we report the first comparative analysis of the microbiota from leaf-cutter ant colonies. Our work reveals the presence of two distinct communities: one in the fungus garden and the other in the refuse dump. Though we find some effect of colony source on community structure, our data indicate the presence of consistently associated microbes within gardens and dumps. Substrate composition and system component appear to be the most important factor in structuring the microbial communities. These results thus suggest that resident communities are shaped by the plant degradation gradient created by ant behavior, specifically their fungiculture and waste management.

Interactions between the jasmonic and salicylic acid pathway modulate the plant metabolome and affect herbivores of different feeding types.

PubMed

Schweiger, R; Heise, A-M; Persicke, M; Müller, C

2014-07-01

The phytohormones jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) mediate induced plant defences and the corresponding pathways interact in a complex manner as has been shown on the transcript and proteine level. Downstream, metabolic changes are important for plant-herbivore interactions. This study investigated metabolic changes in leaf tissue and phloem exudates of Plantago lanceolata after single and combined JA and SA applications as well as consequences on chewing-biting (Heliothis virescens) and piercing-sucking (Myzus persicae) herbivores. Targeted metabolite profiling and untargeted metabolic fingerprinting uncovered different categories of plant metabolites, which were influenced in a specific manner, indicating points of divergence, convergence, positive crosstalk and pronounced mutual antagonism between the signaling pathways. Phytohormone-specific decreases of primary metabolite pool sizes in the phloem exudates may indicate shifts in sink-source relations, resource allocation, nutrient uptake or photosynthesis. Survival of both herbivore species was significantly reduced by JA and SA treatments. However, the combined application of JA and SA attenuated the negative effects at least against H. virescens suggesting that mutual antagonism between the JA and SA pathway may be responsible. Pathway interactions provide a great regulatory potential for the plant that allows triggering of appropriate defences when attacked by different antagonist species. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The substances of plant origin that inhibit protein biosynthesis.

PubMed

Gałasiński, W; Chlabicz, J; Paszkiewicz-Gadek, A; Marcinkiewicz, C; Gindzieński, A

1996-01-01

Some plants were used for a long time in folk medicine as sources of anti-tumour remedies. Their effects on protein biosynthesis in vitro have been examined and described. The separate features of the peptide elongation system, isolated from tumoural cells, have been demonstrated. Some elongation factors or ribosomes have been shown to be a target site for the inhibition of protein biosynthesis caused by the substances isolated from various sources. The glycoside and caffeic acid, isolated from Melissa officinalis leaves, inhibited protein biosynthesis by direct influence the elongation factor eEF-2. The activity of this factor was also inhibited by aloin and aloeemodin. Saponin glycoside and its aglycon, isolated from Verbascum thapsiforme flowers, as well as digoxin, emetine and cepheline directly inactivated ribosomes. "Chagi" fraction, isolated from Inonotus obliquus, is responsible for the inhibitory effect caused by the aqueous tannin--less extract from this fungus. The target site for quercetin has been found to be the subunit form EF-1 alpha. It may be supposed that, the plant inhibitors of protein biosynthesis could be utilized for searching specific antitumoural preparations.

Water Wells Monitoring Using SCADA System for Water Supply Network, Case Study: Water Treatment Plant Urseni, Timis County, Romania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adrian-Lucian, Cococeanu; Ioana-Alina, Cretan; Ivona, Cojocinescu Mihaela; Teodor Eugen, Man; Narcis, Pelea George

2017-10-01

The water supply system in Timisoara Municipality is insured with about 25-30 % of the water demand from wells. The underground water headed to the water treatment plant in order to ensure equal distribution and pressure to consumers. The treatment plants used are Urseni and Ronaţ, near Timisoara, in Timis County. In Timisoara groundwater represents an alternative source for water supply and complementary to the surface water source. The present paper presents a case study with proposal and solutions for rehabilitation /equipment /modernization/ automation of water drilling in order to ensure that the entire system can be monitored and controlled remotely through SCADA (Supervisory control and data acquisition) system. The data collected from the field are designed for online efficiency monitoring regarding the energy consumption and water flow intake, performance indicators such as specific energy consumption KW/m3 and also in order to create a hydraulically system of the operating area to track the behavior of aquifers in time regarding the quality and quantity aspects.

Antioxidant/anti-inflammatory activities and total phenolic content of extracts obtained from plants grown in Vietnam.

PubMed

Sone, Yasuko; Moon, Joon-Kwan; Mai, Truong Tuyet; Thu, Nghiem Nguyet; Asano, Eri; Yamaguchi, Keiko; Otsuka, Yuzuru; Shibamoto, Takayuki

2011-09-01

Medicinal plants have been used to treat various diseases since ancient times. Their specific activities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer, have been studied intensively. In particular, plants grown in Vietnam have attracted considerable attention among food chemists as ideal sources of natural medicinal chemicals. The methanol extracts from three edible Vietnamese-grown plants, Tram, Voi and Gac, tested with the DPPH assay showed antioxidant activities of 91.7 ± 0.4, 63.4 ± 0.7 and 3.7 ± 0.1% respectively. The malonaldehyde/gas chromatography assay also revealed strong antioxidant activity in Tram and Voi at a level of 25 µg mL(-1) (95.5 ± 0.3 and 78.5 ± 1.4% respectively). These results were confirmed by the thiobarbituric acid assay. The antioxidant activities correlated positively with the level of total phenolics in all plants. Tram exhibited dose response-related lipoxygenase-inhibitory activity, with values of 74.2 ± 3.1% at 5 µg mL(-1) , 62.0 ± 0% at 0.5 µg mL(-1) and 3.0 ± 1.5% at 0.05 µg mL(-1) . Conversely, Voi and Gac showed negative anti-lipoxygenase activity. The antioxidant/anti-inflammatory activities and total phenolic contents of the three edible plants grown in Vietnam revealed that they are good sources of supplements for human health. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

40 CFR 62.6110 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Sulfuric Acid Mist from Existing Sulfuric Acid Plants § 62.6110 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing plants at the following locations: Sulfur burning plant and oleum plant of Mississippi Chemical Corporation in Pascagoula. Fluoride Emissions From Phosphate Fertilizer Plants ...

40 CFR 62.6110 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Sulfuric Acid Mist from Existing Sulfuric Acid Plants § 62.6110 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing plants at the following locations: Sulfur burning plant and oleum plant of Mississippi Chemical Corporation in Pascagoula. Fluoride Emissions From Phosphate Fertilizer Plants ...

40 CFR 62.6110 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Sulfuric Acid Mist from Existing Sulfuric Acid Plants § 62.6110 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing plants at the following locations: Sulfur burning plant and oleum plant of Mississippi Chemical Corporation in Pascagoula. Fluoride Emissions From Phosphate Fertilizer Plants ...

40 CFR 62.6110 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Sulfuric Acid Mist from Existing Sulfuric Acid Plants § 62.6110 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing plants at the following locations: Sulfur burning plant and oleum plant of Mississippi Chemical Corporation in Pascagoula. Fluoride Emissions From Phosphate Fertilizer Plants ...

40 CFR 62.6110 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Sulfuric Acid Mist from Existing Sulfuric Acid Plants § 62.6110 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing plants at the following locations: Sulfur burning plant and oleum plant of Mississippi Chemical Corporation in Pascagoula. Fluoride Emissions From Phosphate Fertilizer Plants ...

Use of natural radionuclides to determine the time range of the accidental melting of an orphan radioactive source in a steel recycling plant.

PubMed

Cantaluppi, Chiara; Ceccotto, Federica; Cianchi, Aldo

2012-02-01

In the rare event that an orphan radioactive source is melted in an Electric Arc Furnace steel recycling plant, the radionuclides present are partitioned in the different products, by-products and waste. As a consequence of an unforeseen melting of a radiocesium source, cesium radioisotopes can be found in the dust, together with many natural radionuclides from the decay of radon and thoron, which are present in the atmosphere, picked up from the off-gas evacuation system and associated with the dust of the air filtration system ("baghouse"). In this work we verified that the activity concentration of ²¹²Pb in this dust is essentially constant in a specific factory so that it is possible to use it to date back to the time of the accidental melting of the orphan radioactive source. The main features of this method are described below, together with the application to a particular case in which this method was used for dating the moment in which the dust was contaminated with ¹³⁷Cs. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using Microbial Source Tracking to Enhance Environmental Stewardship of Agriculture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Sherry; Rose, Joan; Flood, Matthew; Aw, Tiong; Hyndman, David

2016-04-01

Large scale agriculture relies on the application of chemical fertilizers and animal manure. It is well known that nutrients in excess of a plant's uptake and soil retention capacity can travel to nearby waterways via surface run-off and groundwater pathways, indirectly fertilizing these aquatic ecosystems. It has not yet been possible to distinguish water quality impacts of fertilizer from those derived from human and animal waste sources. However, new microbial source tracking (MST) tools allow specific identification of fecal pollution. Our objective was to examine pollution risks at the regional scale using MST, mapping and classification and regression tree analysis. We present results Bovine M2 genetic marker data from three flow regimes (baseflow, snow melt, and post-planting rain). Key landscape characteristics were related to the presence of the bovine markers and appear to be related to fate and transport. Impacts at this regional watershed scale will be discussed. Our research aims to identify the impacts of agricultural management practices on water quality by linking nutrient concentrations with fecal pollution sources. We hope that our research will provide guidance that will help improve water quality through agricultural best management practices to reduce pathogen contamination.

Black cherry provenances for planting in northwestern Pennsylvania

Treesearch

Russell S. Walters; Russell S. Walters

1985-01-01

After 14 years, survival of 8 of 25 planted black cherry sources is greater than 70 percent, and there are no significant differences in height. These sources offer the greater potential for planting in northwestern Pennsylvania; they include four Pennsylvania sources plus one each from Tennessee, West Virginia, Ohio, and Virginia. Planted trees did not grow better...

Soil and plant factors influencing the accumulation of heavy metals by plants.

PubMed Central

Cataldo, D A; Wildung, R E

1978-01-01

The use of plants to monitor heavy metal pollution in the terrestrial environment must be based on a cognizance of the complicated, integrated effects of pollutant source and soil-plant variables. To be detectable in plants, pollutant sources must significantly increase the plant available metal concentration in soil. The major factor governing metal availability to plants in soils is the solubility of the metal associated with the solid phase, since in order for root uptake to occur, a soluble species must exist adjacent to the root membrane for some finite period. The rate of release and form of this soluble species will have a strong influence on the rate and extent of uptake and, perhaps, mobility and toxicity in the plant and consuming animals. The factors influencing solubility and form of available metal species in soil vary widely geographically and include the concentration and chemical form of the element entering soil, soil properties (endogenous metal concentration, mineralogy, particle size distribution), and soil processes (e.g., mineral weathering, microbial activity), as these influence the kinetics of sorption reactions, metal concentration in solution and the form of soluble and insoluble chemical species. The plant root represents the first barrier to the selective accumulation of ions present in soil solution. Uptake and kinetic data for nutrient ions and chemically related nonnutrient analogs suggest that metabolic processes associated with root absorption of nutrients regulate both the affinity and rate of absorption of specific nonnutrient ions. Detailed kinetic studies of Ni, Cd, and Tl uptake by intact plants demonstrate multiphasic root absorption processes over a broad concentration range, and the use of transport mechanisms in place for the nutrient ions Cu, Zn, and K. Advantages and limitations of higher plants as indicators of increased levels of metal pollution are discussed in terms of these soil and plant phenomena. PMID:367766

Cholera toxin B protein in transgenic tomato fruit induces systemic immune response in mice.

PubMed

Jiang, Xiao-Ling; He, Zhu-Mei; Peng, Zhi-Qiang; Qi, Yu; Chen, Qing; Yu, Shou-Yi

2007-04-01

Cholera toxin B (CTB) subunit is a well-characterized antigen against cholera. Transgenic plants can offer an inexpensive and safe source of edible CTB vaccine and may be one of the best candidates for the production of plant vaccines. The present study aimed to develop transgenic tomato expressing CTB protein, especially in the ripening tomato fruit under the control of the tomato fruit-specific E8 promoter by using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Transgenic plants were selected using PCR and Southern blot analysis. Exogenous protein extracted from leaf, stem, and fruit tissues of transgenic plants was detected by ELISA and Western blot analysis, showing specific expression in the ripening fruit, with the highest amount of CTB protein being 0.081% of total soluble protein. Gavage of mice with ripe transgenic tomato fruits induced both serum and mucosal CTB specific antibodies. These results demonstrate the immunogenicity of the CTB protein in transgenic tomato and provide a considerable basis for exploring the utilization of CTB in the development of tomato-based edible vaccine against cholera. The rCTB antigen resulted in much lower antibody titers than an equal amount of exogenous CTB in transgenic fruits, suggesting the protective effect of the fibrous tissue of the fruit to the exogenous CTB protein against the degradation of protease in the digestive tracts of mice.

Methylobacterium Species Promoting Rice and Barley Growth and Interaction Specificity Revealed with Whole-Cell Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption / Ionization-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS) Analysis

PubMed Central

Tani, Akio; Sahin, Nurettin; Fujitani, Yoshiko; Kato, Akiko; Sato, Kazuhiro; Kimbara, Kazuhide

2015-01-01

Methylobacterium species frequently inhabit plant surfaces and are able to utilize the methanol emitted from plants as carbon and energy sources. As some of the Methylobacterium species are known to promote plant growth, significant attention has been paid to the mechanism of growth promotion and the specificity of plant–microbe interactions. By screening our Methylobacterium isolate collection for the high growth promotion effect in vitro, we selected some candidates for field and pot growth tests for rice and barley, respectively. We found that inoculation resulted in better ripening of rice seeds, and increased the size of barley grains but not the total yield. In addition, using whole-cell matrix-assister laser desorption/ionization- time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS) analysis, we identified and classified Methylobacterium isolates from Methylobacterium-inoculated rice plants. The inoculated species could not be recovered from the rice plants, and in some cases, the Methylobacterium community structure was affected by the inoculation, but not with predomination of the inoculated species. The isolates from non-inoculated barley of various cultivars grown in the same field fell into just two species. These results suggest that there is a strong selection pressure at the species level of Methylobacterium residing on a given plant species, and that selection of appropriate species that can persist on the plant is important to achieve growth promotion. PMID:26053875

Whole-plant versus leaf-level regulation of photosynthetic responses after partial defoliation in Eucalyptus globulus saplings.

PubMed

Eyles, Alieta; Pinkard, Elizabeth A; Davies, Noel W; Corkrey, Ross; Churchill, Keith; O'Grady, Anthony P; Sands, Peter; Mohammed, Caroline

2013-04-01

Increases in photosynthetic capacity (A1500) after defoliation have been attributed to changes in leaf-level biochemistry, water, and/or nutrient status. The hypothesis that transient photosynthetic responses to partial defoliation are regulated by whole-plant (e.g. source-sink relationships or changes in hydraulic conductance) rather than leaf-level mechanisms is tested here. Temporal variation in leaf-level gas exchange, chemistry, whole-plant soil-to-leaf hydraulic conductance (KP), and aboveground biomass partitioning were determined to evaluate mechanisms responsible for increases in A1500 of Eucalyptus globulus L. potted saplings. A1500 increased in response to debudding (B), partial defoliation (D), and combined B&D treatments by up to 36% at 5 weeks after treatment. Changes in leaf-level factors partly explained increases in A1500 of B and B&D treatments but not for D treatment. By week 5, saplings in B, B&D, and D treatments had similar leaf-specific KP to control trees by maintaining lower midday water potentials and higher transpiration rate per leaf area. Whole-plant source:sink ratios correlated strongly with A1500. Further, unlike KP, temporal changes in source:sink ratios tracked well with those observed for A1500. The results indicate that increases in A1500 after partial defoliation treatments were largely driven by an increased demand for assimilate by developing sinks rather than improvements in whole-plant water relations and changes in leaf-level factors. Three carbohydrates, galactional, stachyose, and, to a lesser extent, raffinose, correlated strongly with photosynthetic capacity, indicating that these sugars may function as signalling molecules in the regulation of longer term defoliation-induced gas exchange responses.

Identification and production of local carotene-rich foods to combat vitamin A malnutrition.

PubMed

Solomons, N W; Bulux, J

1997-11-01

To address, with respect to improvement of human vitamin A status by dietary approaches, the three theoretical postulates that: 1) the most practical and economical manner to increase the amount of dietary vitamin A available to low-income persons in low-income nations is through plant sources of provitamin A carotenoids; 2) there will be constraints and limitation to the efficiency of a given intervention approach related to behavioural, cultural, biological and botanical considerations; and 3) the nature of these constraints and limitations must be understood, and then overcome where possible, to maximize the impact of such interventions on the vitamin A status of developing country populations. We review how local plant sources of provitamin A that would be acceptable for the at-risk populations and outline six settings and scenarios for the processing of carotene-rich foods: 1) cooking for hygiene; 2) long-term preservation; 3) compacting to reduce volume; 4) formulation for specific consumers; 5) improving bioavailability and bioconversion; and 6) to increase 'value added' in commerce. We describe our experiences in Guatemala (with sweet potato flakes), and those of others in the Caribbean, the African Sahel, and East Africa (with solar-drying for preservation of a variety of plants), and in Sri Lanka (with leaf concentrates) in promoting increased carotene-rich food intake, and the lessons learned from their evaluations. This overall approach to combatting endemic hypovitaminosis A in developing countries is evaluated within the constraints of: 1) the volumes of plant-based foods required to satisfy vitamin A requirements; and 2) the controversy over the true bioconversion efficiency of provitamin A from plant sources into the biologically-available active vitamin.

The Generation Challenge Programme Platform: Semantic Standards and Workbench for Crop Science

PubMed Central

Bruskiewich, Richard; Senger, Martin; Davenport, Guy; Ruiz, Manuel; Rouard, Mathieu; Hazekamp, Tom; Takeya, Masaru; Doi, Koji; Satoh, Kouji; Costa, Marcos; Simon, Reinhard; Balaji, Jayashree; Akintunde, Akinnola; Mauleon, Ramil; Wanchana, Samart; Shah, Trushar; Anacleto, Mylah; Portugal, Arllet; Ulat, Victor Jun; Thongjuea, Supat; Braak, Kyle; Ritter, Sebastian; Dereeper, Alexis; Skofic, Milko; Rojas, Edwin; Martins, Natalia; Pappas, Georgios; Alamban, Ryan; Almodiel, Roque; Barboza, Lord Hendrix; Detras, Jeffrey; Manansala, Kevin; Mendoza, Michael Jonathan; Morales, Jeffrey; Peralta, Barry; Valerio, Rowena; Zhang, Yi; Gregorio, Sergio; Hermocilla, Joseph; Echavez, Michael; Yap, Jan Michael; Farmer, Andrew; Schiltz, Gary; Lee, Jennifer; Casstevens, Terry; Jaiswal, Pankaj; Meintjes, Ayton; Wilkinson, Mark; Good, Benjamin; Wagner, James; Morris, Jane; Marshall, David; Collins, Anthony; Kikuchi, Shoshi; Metz, Thomas; McLaren, Graham; van Hintum, Theo

2008-01-01

The Generation Challenge programme (GCP) is a global crop research consortium directed toward crop improvement through the application of comparative biology and genetic resources characterization to plant breeding. A key consortium research activity is the development of a GCP crop bioinformatics platform to support GCP research. This platform includes the following: (i) shared, public platform-independent domain models, ontology, and data formats to enable interoperability of data and analysis flows within the platform; (ii) web service and registry technologies to identify, share, and integrate information across diverse, globally dispersed data sources, as well as to access high-performance computational (HPC) facilities for computationally intensive, high-throughput analyses of project data; (iii) platform-specific middleware reference implementations of the domain model integrating a suite of public (largely open-access/-source) databases and software tools into a workbench to facilitate biodiversity analysis, comparative analysis of crop genomic data, and plant breeding decision making. PMID:18483570

Natural Products as a Source for Treating Neglected Parasitic Diseases

PubMed Central

Ndjonka, Dieudonné; Rapado, Ludmila Nakamura; Silber, Ariel M.; Liebau, Eva; Wrenger, Carsten

2013-01-01

Infectious diseases caused by parasites are a major threat for the entire mankind, especially in the tropics. More than 1 billion people world-wide are directly exposed to tropical parasites such as the causative agents of trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis, lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis, which represent a major health problem, particularly in impecunious areas. Unlike most antibiotics, there is no “general” antiparasitic drug available. Here, the selection of antiparasitic drugs varies between different organisms. Some of the currently available drugs are chemically de novo synthesized, however, the majority of drugs are derived from natural sources such as plants which have subsequently been chemically modified to warrant higher potency against these human pathogens. In this review article we will provide an overview of the current status of plant derived pharmaceuticals and their chemical modifications to target parasite-specific peculiarities in order to interfere with their proliferation in the human host. PMID:23389040

Anchoring historical sequences using a new source of astro-chronological tie-points

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dee, Michael W.; Pope, Benjamin J. S.

2016-08-01

The discovery of past spikes in atmospheric radiocarbon activity, caused by major solar energetic particle events, has opened up new possibilities for high-precision chronometry. The two spikes, or Miyake Events, have now been widely identified in tree-rings that grew in the years 775 and 994 CE. Furthermore, all other plant material that grew in these years would also have incorporated the anomalously high concentrations of radiocarbon. Crucially, some plant-based artefacts, such as papyrus documents, timber beams and linen garments, can also be allocated to specific positions within long, currently unfixed, historical sequences. Thus, Miyake Events represent a new source of tie-points that could provide the means for anchoring early chronologies to the absolute timescale. Here, we explore this possibility, outlining the most expeditious approaches, the current challenges and obstacles, and how they might best be overcome.

Enhanced Sucrose Loading Improves Rice Yield by Increasing Grain Size1[OPEN

PubMed Central

Wang, Liang; Lu, Qingtao

2015-01-01

Yield in cereals is a function of grain number and size. Sucrose (Suc), the main carbohydrate product of photosynthesis in higher plants, is transported long distances from source leaves to sink organs such as seeds and roots. Here, we report that transgenic rice plants (Oryza sativa) expressing the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) phloem-specific Suc transporter (AtSUC2), which loads Suc into the phloem under control of the phloem protein2 promoter (pPP2), showed an increase in grain yield of up to 16% relative to wild-type plants in field trials. Compared with wild-type plants, pPP2::AtSUC2 plants had larger spikelet hulls and larger and heavier grains. Grain filling was accelerated in the transgenic plants, and more photoassimilate was transported from the leaves to the grain. In addition, microarray analyses revealed that carbohydrate, amino acid, and lipid metabolism was enhanced in the leaves and grain of pPP2::AtSUC2 plants. Thus, enhancing Suc loading represents a promising strategy to improve rice yield to feed the global population. PMID:26504138

Improving geothermal power plants with a binary cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomarov, G. V.; Shipkov, A. A.; Sorokina, E. V.

2015-12-01

The recent development of binary geothermal technology is analyzed. General trends in the introduction of low-temperature geothermal sources are summarized. The use of single-phase low-temperature geothermal fluids in binary power plants proves possible and expedient. The benefits of power plants with a binary cycle in comparison with traditional systems are shown. The selection of the working fluid is considered, and the influence of the fluid's physicochemical properties on the design of the binary power plant is discussed. The design of binary power plants is based on the chemical composition and energy potential of the geothermal fluids and on the landscape and climatic conditions at the intended location. Experience in developing a prototype 2.5 MW Russian binary power unit at Pauzhetka geothermal power plant (Kamchatka) is outlined. Most binary systems are designed individually for a specific location. Means of improving the technology and equipment at binary geothermal power plants are identified. One option is the development of modular systems based on several binary systems that employ the heat from the working fluid at different temperatures.

Robust crop and weed segmentation under uncontrolled outdoor illumination.

PubMed

Jeon, Hong Y; Tian, Lei F; Zhu, Heping

2011-01-01

An image processing algorithm for detecting individual weeds was developed and evaluated. Weed detection processes included were normalized excessive green conversion, statistical threshold value estimation, adaptive image segmentation, median filter, morphological feature calculation and Artificial Neural Network (ANN). The developed algorithm was validated for its ability to identify and detect weeds and crop plants under uncontrolled outdoor illuminations. A machine vision implementing field robot captured field images under outdoor illuminations and the image processing algorithm automatically processed them without manual adjustment. The errors of the algorithm, when processing 666 field images, ranged from 2.1 to 2.9%. The ANN correctly detected 72.6% of crop plants from the identified plants, and considered the rest as weeds. However, the ANN identification rates for crop plants were improved up to 95.1% by addressing the error sources in the algorithm. The developed weed detection and image processing algorithm provides a novel method to identify plants against soil background under the uncontrolled outdoor illuminations, and to differentiate weeds from crop plants. Thus, the proposed new machine vision and processing algorithm may be useful for outdoor applications including plant specific direct applications (PSDA).

40 CFR 63.1340 - Applicability and designation of affected sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... CATEGORIES National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants From the Portland Cement Manufacturing... portland cement plant which is a major source or an area source as defined in § 63.2. (b) The affected... portland cement plant which is a major source; (3) Each raw mill at any portland cement plant which is a...

Plant Sources of Chinese Herbal Remedies: Effects on Pratylenchus vulnus and Meloidogyne javanica

PubMed Central

Ferris, H.; Zheng, L.

1999-01-01

More than 500 plant species, used alone or in combination, are documented in Chinese traditional medicine to have activity against helminth and micro-invertebrate pests of humans. We subjected 153 candidate medicines or their plant sources to multilevel screening for effectiveness against plant-parasitic nematodes. For extracts effective in preliminary screens, we determined time-course and concentration-response relationships. Seventy-three of the aqueous extracts of medicines or their plant sources killed either Meloidogyne javanica juveniles or Pratylenchus vulnus (mixed stages), or both, within a 24-hour exposure period. Of 64 remedies reported as antihelminthics, 36 were effective; of 21 classi- fied as purgatives, 13 killed the nematodes; of 29 indicated as generally effective against pests, 13 killed the nematodes. Sources of extracts effective against one or both species of plant-parasitic nematodes are either the whole plant or vegetative, storage or reproductive components of the plants. Effective plants include both annuals and perennials, range from grasses and herbs to woody trees, and represent 46 plant families. PMID:19270895

Photoassimilation, Assimilate Translocation and Plasmodesmal Biogenesis in the Source Leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana Grown Under an Increased Atmospheric CO2 Concentration

PubMed Central

Duan, Zhongrui; Homma, Ayumi; Kobayashi, Megumi; Nagata, Noriko; Kaneko, Yasuko; Fujiki, Yuki; Nishida, Ikuo

2014-01-01

Using 18-day-old Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings grown under increased (780 p.p.m., experimental plants) or ambient (390 p.p.m., control plants) CO2 conditions, we evaluated 14CO2 photoassimilation in and translocation from representative source leaves. The total 14CO2 photoassimilation amounts increased in the third leaves of the experimental plants in comparison with that found for the third leaves of the control plants, but the rates were comparable for the first leaves of the two groups. In contrast, translocation of labeled assimilates doubled in the first leaves of the experimental group, whereas translocation was, at best, passively enhanced even though photoassimilation increased in their third leaves. The transcript levels of the companion cell-specific sucrose:H+ symporter gene SUC2 were not significantly affected in the two groups of plants, whereas those of the sucrose effluxer gene SWEET12 and the sieve element-targeted sucrose:H+ symporter gene SUT4 were up-regulated in the experimental plants, suggesting up-regulation of SUT4-dependent apoplastic phloem loading. Compared with SUC2, SUT4 is a minor component that is expressed in companion cells but functions in sieve elements after transfer through plasmodesmata. The number of aniline blue-stained spots for plasmodesma-associated callose in the midrib wall increased in the first leaf of the experimental plants but was comparable in the third leaf between the experimental and control plants. These results suggest that A. thaliana responds to greater than normal concentrations of CO2 differentially in the first and third leaves in regards to photoassimilation, assimilate translocation and plasmodesmal biogenesis. PMID:24406629

Three Mississippi ecotypes of wetland plants

Treesearch

Janet M. Grabowski

2000-01-01

In 1996, the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Jamie L. Whitten Plant Materials Center (PMC) released three locally collected, source-identified wetland plants. Indian Bayou source powdery thalia (Thalia dealbata Fraser ex Roscoe) and Leflore source creeping burhead [Echinodorus cordifolius (L.) Griseb.] were...

The Role of Different Agricultural Plant Species in Air Pollution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiala, P.; Miller, D.; Shivers, S.; Pusede, S.; Roberts, D. A.

2017-12-01

The goal of this research project is to use remote sensing data to study the relationship between different plant species and the pollutants in the air. It is known that chemical reactions within plants serve as both sources and sinks for different types of Volatile Organic Compounds. However, the species-specific relationships have not been well studied. Through the better characterization of this relationship, certain aspects of air pollution may be more effectively managed. For this project, I used Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data and trace gas measurements from instruments on board the NASA DC-8 to assess the relationship between different plant species and the pollutants in the air. I used measurements primarily from the agricultural land surrounding Bakersfield, CA. I created a map of the crop species in this area using Multiple Endmember Spectral Mixture Analysis (MESMA) on the AVIRIS imagery, and matched this to trace gas measurements taken on the DC-8. I used a Hysplit matrix trajectory to account for the air transport over the vegetation and up to contact with the plane. Finally, I identified correlations between the plant types and the concentration of the pollutants. The results showed that there were significant relationships between specific species and pollutants, with lemons and grapes contributing to enhanced pollution, and tree nuts reducing pollution. Specifically, almonds produced significantly lower levels of O3 , NO, and NO2. Lemons and grapes had high O3 levels, and lemons had high levels of isoprene. In total, these data show that it may be possible to mitigate airborne pollution via selective planting; however, the overall environmental effects are much more complicated and must be analyzed further.

Response-based selection of barley cultivars and legume species for complementarity: Root morphology and exudation in relation to nutrient source.

PubMed

Giles, Courtney D; Brown, Lawrie K; Adu, Michael O; Mezeli, Malika M; Sandral, Graeme A; Simpson, Richard J; Wendler, Renate; Shand, Charles A; Menezes-Blackburn, Daniel; Darch, Tegan; Stutter, Marc I; Lumsdon, David G; Zhang, Hao; Blackwell, Martin S A; Wearing, Catherine; Cooper, Patricia; Haygarth, Philip M; George, Timothy S

2017-02-01

Phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) use efficiency may be improved through increased biodiversity in agroecosystems. Phenotypic variation in plants' response to nutrient deficiency may influence positive complementarity in intercropping systems. A multicomponent screening approach was used to assess the influence of P supply and N source on the phenotypic plasticity of nutrient foraging traits in barley (H. vulgare L.) and legume species. Root morphology and exudation were determined in six plant nutrient treatments. A clear divergence in the response of barley and legumes to the nutrient treatments was observed. Root morphology varied most among legumes, whereas exudate citrate and phytase activity were most variable in barley. Changes in root morphology were minimized in plants provided with ammonium in comparison to nitrate but increased under P deficiency. Exudate phytase activity and pH varied with legume species, whereas citrate efflux, specific root length, and root diameter lengths were more variable among barley cultivars. Three legume species and four barley cultivars were identified as the most responsive to P deficiency and the most contrasting of the cultivars and species tested. Phenotypic response to nutrient availability may be a promising approach for the selection of plant combinations for minimal input cropping systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Challenges in testing genetically modified crops for potential increases in endogenous allergen expression for safety.

PubMed

Panda, R; Ariyarathna, H; Amnuaycheewa, P; Tetteh, A; Pramod, S N; Taylor, S L; Ballmer-Weber, B K; Goodman, R E

2013-02-01

Premarket, genetically modified (GM) plants are assessed for potential risks of food allergy. The major risk would be transfer of a gene encoding an allergen or protein nearly identical to an allergen into a different food source, which can be assessed by specific serum testing. The potential that a newly expressed protein might become an allergen is evaluated based on resistance to digestion in pepsin and abundance in food fractions. If the modified plant is a common allergenic source (e.g. soybean), regulatory guidelines suggest testing for increases in the expression of endogenous allergens. Some regulators request evaluating endogenous allergens for rarely allergenic plants (e.g. maize and rice). Since allergic individuals must avoid foods containing their allergen (e.g. peanut, soybean, maize, or rice), the relevance of the tests is unclear. Furthermore, no acceptance criteria are established and little is known about the natural variation in allergen concentrations in these crops. Our results demonstrate a 15-fold difference in the major maize allergen, lipid transfer protein between nine varieties, and complex variation in IgE binding to various soybean varieties. We question the value of evaluating endogenous allergens in GM plants unless the intent of the modification was production of a hypoallergenic crop. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Does enemy damage vary across the range of exotic plant species? Evidence from two coastal dune plant species in eastern Australia.

PubMed

Tabassum, Samiya; Leishman, Michelle R

2018-02-01

Release from natural enemies is often cited as a key factor for understanding the success of invasive plant species in novel environments. However, with time invasive species will accumulate native enemies in their invaded range, with factors such as spread distance from the site of introduction, climate and leaf-level traits potentially affecting enemy acquisition rates. However, the influence of such factors is difficult to assess without examining enemy attack across the entire species' range. We tested the significance of factors associated with range expansion (distance from source population and maximum population density), climatic variables (annual temperature and rainfall) and leaf-level traits [specific leaf area (SLA) and foliar nitrogen concentration] in explaining variation in enemy damage across multiple populations of two coastal invasive plants (Gladiolus gueinzii Kunze and Hydrocotyle bonariensis Lam.) along their entire introduced distribution in eastern Australia. We found that for H. bonariensis, amount of foliar damage increased with distance from source population. In contrast, for G. gueinzii, probability and amount of foliar damage decreased with decreasing temperature and increasing rainfall, respectively. Our results show that patterns of enemy attack across species' ranges are complex and cannot be generalised between species or even range edges.

Parameter Stability of the Functional–Structural Plant Model GREENLAB as Affected by Variation within Populations, among Seasons and among Growth Stages

PubMed Central

Ma, Yuntao; Li, Baoguo; Zhan, Zhigang; Guo, Yan; Luquet, Delphine; de Reffye, Philippe; Dingkuhn, Michael

2007-01-01

Background and Aims It is increasingly accepted that crop models, if they are to simulate genotype-specific behaviour accurately, should simulate the morphogenetic process generating plant architecture. A functional–structural plant model, GREENLAB, was previously presented and validated for maize. The model is based on a recursive mathematical process, with parameters whose values cannot be measured directly and need to be optimized statistically. This study aims at evaluating the stability of GREENLAB parameters in response to three types of phenotype variability: (1) among individuals from a common population; (2) among populations subjected to different environments (seasons); and (3) among different development stages of the same plants. Methods Five field experiments were conducted in the course of 4 years on irrigated fields near Beijing, China. Detailed observations were conducted throughout the seasons on the dimensions and fresh biomass of all above-ground plant organs for each metamer. Growth stage-specific target files were assembled from the data for GREENLAB parameter optimization. Optimization was conducted for specific developmental stages or the entire growth cycle, for individual plants (replicates), and for different seasons. Parameter stability was evaluated by comparing their CV with that of phenotype observation for the different sources of variability. A reduced data set was developed for easier model parameterization using one season, and validated for the four other seasons. Key Results and Conclusions The analysis of parameter stability among plants sharing the same environment and among populations grown in different environments indicated that the model explains some of the inter-seasonal variability of phenotype (parameters varied less than the phenotype itself), but not inter-plant variability (parameter and phenotype variability were similar). Parameter variability among developmental stages was small, indicating that parameter values were largely development-stage independent. The authors suggest that the high level of parameter stability observed in GREENLAB can be used to conduct comparisons among genotypes and, ultimately, genetic analyses. PMID:17158141

Management of atmospheric pollutants from waste incineration processes: the case of Bozen.

PubMed

Ragazzi, Marco; Tirler, Werner; Angelucci, Giulio; Zardi, Dino; Rada, Elena Cristina

2013-03-01

This article presents the case study of a waste incinerator located in a region rich in natural and environmental resources, and close to the city of Bozen, where there are about 100,000 inhabitants. Local authorities paid special attention to the effect of the plant on human health and the surrounding environment. Indeed, among the measures adopted to control the emissions, in 2003 an automatic sampling system was installed specifically to monitor polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDD/F) emissions during the complete operation time of the plant. The continuous sampling system was coupled directly to aerosol spectrometers for the determination of fine and ultra-fine particles in the emissions of the plant. The measurement results suggest that the waste incineration plant of Bozen is not a significant source of PCDD/F, or fine and ultra-fine particles. Immission measurements from other monitoring systems confirmed these results.

Forensic botany: using plant evidence to aid in forensic death investigation.

PubMed

Miller Coyle, Heather; Lee, Cheng-Lung; Lin, Wen-Yu; Lee, Henry C; Palmbach, Timothy M

2005-08-01

Forensic botany is still an under-utilized resource in forensic casework, although it has been used on occasion. It is an area of specialty science that could include traditional botanical classification of species, DNA, or materials evidence (trace and transfer evidence), crime mapping or geo-sourcing, all dependent on the specific case application under consideration. Critical to the evaluation of plant evidence is careful collection, documentation, and preservation for later scientific analysis. This article reviews proper procedures and recent cases where botanical evidence played a role in establishing either manner or time of death. Plant evidence can be useful for determining if a death was due to an accident, suicide, or homicide, or what time of year burial may have taken place. In addition, plant evidence can be used to determine if a crime scene is a primary or secondary scene and to locate missing bodies.

[Water sources of Nitraria sibirica and response to precipitation in two desert habitats].

PubMed

Zhou, Hai; Zhao, Wen Zhi; He, Zhi Bin

2017-07-18

Nitraria sibirica usually exists in a form of nebkhas, and has strong ecological adaptability. The plant species has distinctive function for wind prevention and sand fixation, and resistance drought and salt. However, the water condition is still a limiting factor for the plant survival and development. In order to understand the water use strategy of the plant in different desert habitats, we selected the N. sibirica growing in sandy desert habitat and gravel desert habitat to study the seaso-nal variation of plant water sources and response to precipitation at the edge of the oasis of Linze in the Hexi Corridor. We measured the oxygen stable isotope of the plant stem water and the different potential water sources (precipitation, soil water and ground water), and used the IsoSource model to calculate the proportion of water sources from the potential water. The results showed that there were significant seasonal variation characteristics of δ 18 O value and water source of stem water for the plant in the two habitats. In the sandy habitat, the plant used more ground water in the less precipitation seasons including spring and fall, and more than 50% of the water sources absorbed from ground water. However, under the condition of gravel habitat, the plant could not achieve the ground water level depth of 11.5 m, and its water source was controlled by precipitation, which had large seasonal variability. The water sources of N. sibirica had significant responses to the change of precipitation in the two desert habitats. Following the rapid decrease of soil water content after the precipitation events, the plant in the sandy habitat turned to use the abundant ground water as the main sources of water, while the plant in the gravel habitat only used the less water from precipita-tion infiltration to the deep soil. Therefore, different water use strategies of the plant in the two habitats were the main reason for the difference in growth characteristics, and it had a strong ability of self-adjustment and adaptation.

Mineral nitrogen sources differently affect root glutamine synthetase isoforms and amino acid balance among organs in maize.

PubMed

Prinsi, Bhakti; Espen, Luca

2015-04-03

Glutamine synthetase (GS) catalyzes the first step of nitrogen assimilation in plant cell. The main GS are classified as cytosolic GS1 and plastidial GS2, of which the functionality is variable according to the nitrogen sources, organs and developmental stages. In maize (Zea mays L.) one gene for GS2 and five genes for GS1 subunits are known, but their roles in root metabolism are not yet well defined. In this work, proteomic and biochemical approaches have been used to study root GS enzymes and nitrogen assimilation in maize plants re-supplied with nitrate, ammonium or both. The plant metabolic status highlighted the relevance of root system in maize nitrogen assimilation during both nitrate and ammonium nutrition. The analysis of root proteomes allowed a study to be made of the accumulation and phosphorylation of six GS proteins. Three forms of GS2 were identified, among which only the phosphorylated one showed an accumulation trend consistent with plastidial GS activity. Nitrogen availabilities enabled increments in root total GS synthetase activity, associated with different GS1 isoforms according to the nitrogen sources. Nitrate nutrition induced the specific accumulation of GS1-5 while ammonium led to up-accumulation of both GS1-1 and GS1-5, highlighting co-participation. Moreover, the changes in thermal sensitivity of root GS transferase activity suggested differential rearrangements of the native enzyme. The amino acid accumulation and composition in roots, xylem sap and leaves deeply changed in response to mineral sources. Glutamine showed the prevalent changes in all nitrogen nutritions. Besides, the ammonium nutrition was associated with an accumulation of asparagine and reducing sugars and a drop in glutamic acid level, significantly alleviated by the co-provision with nitrate. This work provides new information about the multifaceted regulation of the GS enzyme in maize roots, indicating the involvement of specific isoenzymes/isoforms, post-translational events and biochemical factors. For the first time, the proteomic approach allowed to discriminate the individual contribution of the GS1 isoforms, highlighting the participation of GS1-5 in nitrate metabolism. Moreover, the results give new insights about the influence of amino acid metabolism in plant C/N balance.

The European wool-carder bee (Anthidium manicatum) eavesdrops on plant volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during trichome collection.

PubMed

Graham, Kelsey K; Brown, Steve; Clarke, Stephanie; Röse, Ursula S R; Starks, Philip T

2017-11-01

The plant-pollinator relationship is generally considered mutualistic. This relationship is less clear, however, when pollinators also cause tissue damage. Some Megachilidae bees collect plant material for nests from the plants they pollinate. In this study, we examined the relationship between Anthidium manicatum, the European wool-carder bee, and the source of its preferred nesting material - Stachys byzantina, lamb's ear. Female A. manicatum use their mandibles to trim trichomes from plants for nesting material (a behaviour dubbed "carding"). Using volatile organic compound (VOC) headspace analysis and behavioural observations, we explored (a) how carding effects S. byzantina and (b) how A. manicatum may choose specific S. byzantina plants. We found that removal of trichomes leads to a dissimilar VOC bouquet compared to intact leaves, with a significant increase in VOC detection following damage. A. manicatum also visit S. byzantina plants with trichomes removed at a greater frequency compared to plants with trichomes intact. Our data suggest that A. manicatum eavesdrop on VOCs produced by damaged plants, leading to more carding damage for individual plants due to increased detectability by A. manicatum. Accordingly, visitation by A. manicatum to S. byzantina may incur both a benefit (pollination) and cost (tissue damage) to the plant. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Can hydraulically redistributed water assist surrounding seedlings during summer drought?

PubMed

Muler, A L; van Etten, E J B; Stock, W D; Howard, K; Froend, R H

2018-05-12

Plant interaction studies provide a good understanding of the roles of key species, which can assist restoration of natural ecosystems. Among the interactions, facilitation and competition are known to affect ecosystem structure and function. We investigated whether a deep-rooted species could positively affect surrounding seedlings through hydraulic redistribution during dry months. We conducted two experiments in which seedlings from two species were growing together or isolated from source plants (field experiment) and where plants were isolated from source plants that were connected to or separated from a water table (glasshouse experiment). Survival, growth, water relations and soil water content were measured. We also applied δ 2 H enriched water adjacent to, or into, the roots of source plants to track water movement between plants. Soil water content was higher in shallow layers where source plants could interact with seedlings (field) and when accessing water tables (glasshouse). Seedlings from all treatments had an increase in leaf δ 2 H. Seedlings of Banksia attenuata that were isolated from source plants had the highest survival, growth and stomatal conductance rates. Seedlings of Gompholobium tomentosum presented higher stomatal conductance rates when growing with source plants than when isolated from them during the first months, but this relationship reversed towards the end of summer. These results suggest that source plants and seedlings competed, but the influence of facilitation and competition might change during the year, at least for the shallow-rooted species. Therefore, competition for water and/or other limiting factors must be considered when planning ecological restoration in such areas.

Strategies for microbial synthesis of high-value phytochemicals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Sijin; Li, Yanran; Smolke, Christina D.

2018-03-01

Phytochemicals are of great pharmaceutical and agricultural importance, but often exhibit low abundance in nature. Recent demonstrations of industrial-scale production of phytochemicals in yeast have shown that microbial production of these high-value chemicals is a promising alternative to sourcing these molecules from native plant hosts. However, a number of challenges remain in the broader application of this approach, including the limited knowledge of plant secondary metabolism and the inefficient reconstitution of plant metabolic pathways in microbial hosts. In this Review, we discuss recent strategies to achieve microbial biosynthesis of complex phytochemicals, including strategies to: (1) reconstruct plant biosynthetic pathways that have not been fully elucidated by mining enzymes from native and non-native hosts or by enzyme engineering; (2) enhance plant enzyme activity, specifically cytochrome P450 activity, by improving efficiency, selectivity, expression or electron transfer; and (3) enhance overall reaction efficiency of multi-enzyme pathways by dynamic control, compartmentalization or optimization with the host's metabolism. We also highlight remaining challenges to — and future opportunities of — this approach.

Ethno-pharmaceutical Formulations in Kurdish Ethno-medicine.

PubMed

Tahvilian, Reza; Shahriari, Soheyla; Faramarzi, Akbar; Komasi, Ayoob

2014-01-01

Kermanshah is a city in west of Iran with a specific customs and cultures between the people who are living here. According to historical documents these cultures are very ancient and belong to more than one thousand years. The climate condition in this place forces people to find the solution of their problems using the plants and natural facilities. Therefore traditional healers were so active in Kermanshah. From 8000 of plant species in Iran more than 1200 species has grown in Kermanshah. The ancient customs, cultures, traditional medicine and formulations generally used by rural populations was transfer from ancient to modern people. Documentation of these traditional methods was studied in this research in order to compare and certified the traditional medicine with modern methods and find new dosage forms of drug with botanical source. It was established that about 50 plant species and 8 types of diseases were distinguished and cured by these people. It is also concluding that utilization of these plants approximately the same as application of plants in recent publications.

Ethno-pharmaceutical Formulations in Kurdish Ethno-medicine

PubMed Central

Tahvilian, Reza; Shahriari, Soheyla; Faramarzi, Akbar; Komasi, Ayoob

2014-01-01

Kermanshah is a city in west of Iran with a specific customs and cultures between the people who are living here. According to historical documents these cultures are very ancient and belong to more than one thousand years. The climate condition in this place forces people to find the solution of their problems using the plants and natural facilities. Therefore traditional healers were so active in Kermanshah. From 8000 of plant species in Iran more than 1200 species has grown in Kermanshah. The ancient customs, cultures, traditional medicine and formulations generally used by rural populations was transfer from ancient to modern people. Documentation of these traditional methods was studied in this research in order to compare and certified the traditional medicine with modern methods and find new dosage forms of drug with botanical source. It was established that about 50 plant species and 8 types of diseases were distinguished and cured by these people. It is also concluding that utilization of these plants approximately the same as application of plants in recent publications. PMID:25276205

Organ and Tissue-specific Sucrose Transporters. Important Hubs in Gene and Metabolite Networks Regulating Carbon Use in Wood-forming Tissues of Populus

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

Harding, Scott A.; Tsai, Chung-Jui

The overall project objective was to probe the relationship between sucrose transporters and plant productivity in the biomass for biofuels woody perennial, Populus. At the time the proposal was written, sucrose transporters had already been investigated in many plant model systems, primarily with respect to the export of photosynthate sucrose from source leaves, and the uptake of sucrose in storage organs and seeds. Preliminary findings by the PI found that in Populus, sucrose transporter genes (SUTs) were well expressed in wood-forming tissues that comprise the feedstock for biofuels production. Because sucrose comprises by far the predominant form in which photosynthatemore » is delivered from source organs to sink organs like roots and wood-forming tissues, SUTs control a gate that nominally at least could impact the allocation or partitioning of sucrose for potentially competing end uses like growth (stem biomass) and storage. In addition, water use might be conditioned by the way in which sucrose is distributed throughout the plant, and/or by the way in which sucrose is partitioned intracellularly. Several dozen transgenic lines were produced in year 1 of the project to perturb the expression ratio of multiple plasma membrane (PM) SUTs (intercellular trafficking), versus the single tonoplast membrane (TM) sucrose transporter that effectively regulates intracellular trafficking of sucrose. It was possible to obtain transgenic lines with dual SUT gene knockdown using the 35S promoter, but not the wood-specific TUA1 promoter. By the end of project year 2, a decision was made to work with the 35S plants while archiving the TUA1 plants. The PhD candidate charged with producing the transgenic lines abandoned the project during its second year, substantially contributing to the decision to operate with just the 35S lines. That student’s interests ranged more toward evolutionary topics, and a report on SUT gene evolution was published (Peng et al 2014).« less

An in vitro evaluation of the Native American ethnomedicinal plant Eryngium yuccifolium as a treatment for snakebite envenomation

PubMed Central

Price, Joseph A.

2016-01-01

Aim: At least seven North American tribes specifically mention the use of Eryngium (typically roots) as an anti-snake venom therapy. As snake envenomation is an endemic, life-threatening medical risk, is there a scientific basis for the Native American ethnomedicine? Could this be demonstrated in an assay amenable to mechanistic evaluation and high throughput screening for later isolation and possible evaluation as a source for a lead drug? Materials and Methods: Proteases, mainly metalloproteases, are thought to be the main pathological agents in most American snake venoms. Water extracts of four plant parts of Eryngium yuccifolium were tested for enzyme inhibition in three highly sensitive in vitro protease assays, with multiple venoms. Results: Interestingly, activity was found in all plant parts, not just the roots, in the general protease assay, also in the most specific assay for collagenases, but less so for elastases where enzymatic activity was low, and against five species of American snake venoms. Inhibition spared the activity of a mammalian elastase, suggesting it has some specificity. In dose response assays, inhibitory activity in extracts of Eryngium was noticeably more effective than randomly chosen plants and comparable to some others. Conclusions: All data shown here are consistent with pharmacological inhibition of proteases in at least selected venoms of common venomous snakes by Eryngium extracts. Moreover, as the genus is widely distributed in America, the ethnological practice of using this plant as an anti-snake venom treatment is supportable, may have been common, and suggests further bioactivity and phytochemical studies are warranted. PMID:27366346

Total Phenolics and Total Flavonoids in Selected Indian Medicinal Plants

PubMed Central

Sulaiman, C. T.; Balachandran, Indira

2012-01-01

Plant phenolics and flavonoids have a powerful biological activity, which outlines the necessity of their determination. The phenolics and flavonoids content of 20 medicinal plants were determined in the present investigation. The phenolic content was determined by using Folin-Ciocalteu assay. The total flavonoids were measured spectrophotometrically by using the aluminium chloride colorimetric assay. The results showed that the family Mimosaceae is the richest source of phenolics, (Acacia nilotica: 80.63 mg gallic acid equivalents, Acacia catechu 78.12 mg gallic acid equivalents, Albizia lebbeck 66.23 mg gallic acid equivalents). The highest total flavonoid content was revealed in Senna tora which belongs to the family Caesalpiniaceae. The present study also shows the ratio of flavonoids to the phenolics in each sample for their specificity. PMID:23439764

[Molecular aspects of allergy to plant products. Part III. Panallergens and breeding of hypoallergenic cultivars].

PubMed

Bokszczanin, Kamila Ł; Przybyła, Andrzej A

2012-04-01

In addition to major allergens, also minor allergens, i.e. panallergens have been shown to be responsible for many IgE cross-reactions even between unrelated pollen and plant food allergen sources. It can be explained also by cross-allergenicity underlying the T cell response to conserved regions of panallergens. In this article, we focus on known panallergens which presently comprise a few protein families, including non-specific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTP) (PR-14), thaumatin like proteins (TLP) (PR-5), profilins, and polcalcins. Food allergy has an impact on the quality of life of an allergic patient. The way of developing novel plant cultivars with decreased allergenicity and possibility of down-regulating the expression of an allergen by genetic modification are discussed.

Stable hydrogen isotopic composition of n-alkanes in atmospheric aerosols as a tracer for the source region of terrestrial plant waxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, S.; Kawamura, K.

2009-12-01

Studies on molecular composition and compound-specific carbon isotopic ratio (δ13C) of leaf wax n-alkanes in atmospheric aerosols have revealed a long-range atmospheric transport of terrestrial higher plant materials over the south Atlantic and western Pacific oceans. However, molecular and δ13C compositions of terrestrial plant waxes in the eastern part of the Asian continent are relatively constant reflecting C3-dominated vegetation, which makes it difficult to specify the source regions of plant materials in the atmospheric aerosols over the East Asia and northwest Pacific regions. Recent observation displays a large (>100‰) spatial variation in hydrogen isotopic composition (δD) of rainwater in East Asia. Because δD values of terrestrial higher plants sensitively reflect those of precipitation waters, δD of leaf waxes are expected to provide information on their source region. In this study, we measured the δD of n-alkanes in atmospheric aerosols from Tokyo to better understand the origin of leaf wax n-alkanes in atmospheric aerosols. The δD values of fossil fuel n-alkanes (C21 to C24) in Tokyo aerosols range from -65 to -94‰, which are in a range of those reported in marine crude oils. In contrast, the δD of higher molecular weight (C29 and C31) n-alkanes (δDHMW) show much larger values by ~70‰ than those of fossil fuel n-alkanes. Their values were found to exhibit concomitant variations with carbon preference index (CPI), suggesting that the δDHMW reflect the δD of leaf wax n-alkanes with a variable contribution from fossil fuel n-alkanes. Nevertheless, good positive correlation (r = 0.89, p < 0.01) between the δDHMW and CPI values enable us to remove the contribution of fossil fuels using a mass balance approach by assuming that CPI of fossil fuel is 1 and CPI of plant waxes is 5-15. Calculated n-alkane δD values averaged from -170 to -185‰ for C29 and from -155 to -168‰ for C31. These values are consistent with those reported from growing leaves in Tokyo, which confirms the usefulness of the δD of long chain n-alkanes as a tracer for the source region of terrestrial plant waxes in atmospheric aerosols.

Early transcriptomic response to Fe supply in Fe-deficient tomato plants is strongly influenced by the nature of the chelating agent.

PubMed

Zamboni, Anita; Zanin, Laura; Tomasi, Nicola; Avesani, Linda; Pinton, Roberto; Varanini, Zeno; Cesco, Stefano

2016-01-07

It is well known that in the rhizosphere soluble Fe sources available for plants are mainly represented by a mixture of complexes between the micronutrient and organic ligands such as carboxylates and phytosiderophores (PS) released by roots, as well as fractions of humified organic matter. The use by roots of these three natural Fe sources (Fe-citrate, Fe-PS and Fe complexed to water-extractable humic substances, Fe-WEHS) have been already studied at physiological level but the knowledge about the transcriptomic aspects is still lacking. The (59)Fe concentration recorded after 24 h in tissues of tomato Fe-deficient plants supplied with (59)Fe complexed to WEHS reached values about 2 times higher than those measured in response to the supply with Fe-citrate and Fe-PS. However, after 1 h no differences among the three Fe-chelates were observed considering the (59)Fe concentration and the root Fe(III) reduction activity. A large-scale transcriptional analysis of root tissue after 1 h of Fe supply showed that Fe-WEHS modulated only two transcripts leaving the transcriptome substantially identical to Fe-deficient plants. On the other hand, Fe-citrate and Fe-PS affected 728 and 408 transcripts, respectively, having 289 a similar transcriptional behaviour in response to both Fe sources. The root transcriptional response to the Fe supply depends on the nature of chelating agents (WEHS, citrate and PS). The supply of Fe-citrate and Fe-PS showed not only a fast back regulation of molecular mechanisms modulated by Fe deficiency but also specific responses due to the uptake of the chelating molecule. Plants fed with Fe-WEHS did not show relevant changes in the root transcriptome with respect to the Fe-deficient plants, indicating that roots did not sense the restored cellular Fe accumulation.

The flora phenotype ontology (FLOPO): tool for integrating morphological traits and phenotypes of vascular plants.

PubMed

Hoehndorf, Robert; Alshahrani, Mona; Gkoutos, Georgios V; Gosline, George; Groom, Quentin; Hamann, Thomas; Kattge, Jens; de Oliveira, Sylvia Mota; Schmidt, Marco; Sierra, Soraya; Smets, Erik; Vos, Rutger A; Weiland, Claus

2016-11-14

The systematic analysis of a large number of comparable plant trait data can support investigations into phylogenetics and ecological adaptation, with broad applications in evolutionary biology, agriculture, conservation, and the functioning of ecosystems. Floras, i.e., books collecting the information on all known plant species found within a region, are a potentially rich source of such plant trait data. Floras describe plant traits with a focus on morphology and other traits relevant for species identification in addition to other characteristics of plant species, such as ecological affinities, distribution, economic value, health applications, traditional uses, and so on. However, a key limitation in systematically analyzing information in Floras is the lack of a standardized vocabulary for the described traits as well as the difficulties in extracting structured information from free text. We have developed the Flora Phenotype Ontology (FLOPO), an ontology for describing traits of plant species found in Floras. We used the Plant Ontology (PO) and the Phenotype And Trait Ontology (PATO) to extract entity-quality relationships from digitized taxon descriptions in Floras, and used a formal ontological approach based on phenotype description patterns and automated reasoning to generate the FLOPO. The resulting ontology consists of 25,407 classes and is based on the PO and PATO. The classified ontology closely follows the structure of Plant Ontology in that the primary axis of classification is the observed plant anatomical structure, and more specific traits are then classified based on parthood and subclass relations between anatomical structures as well as subclass relations between phenotypic qualities. The FLOPO is primarily intended as a framework based on which plant traits can be integrated computationally across all species and higher taxa of flowering plants. Importantly, it is not intended to replace established vocabularies or ontologies, but rather serve as an overarching framework based on which different application- and domain-specific ontologies, thesauri and vocabularies of phenotypes observed in flowering plants can be integrated.

Utilization of organic nitrogen by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi-is there a specific role for protists and ammonia oxidizers?

PubMed

Bukovská, Petra; Bonkowski, Michael; Konvalinková, Tereza; Beskid, Olena; Hujslová, Martina; Püschel, David; Řezáčová, Veronika; Gutiérrez-Núñez, María Semiramis; Gryndler, Milan; Jansa, Jan

2018-04-01

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi can significantly contribute to plant nitrogen (N) uptake from complex organic sources, most likely in concert with activity of soil saprotrophs and other microbes releasing and transforming the N bound in organic forms. Here, we tested whether AM fungus (Rhizophagus irregularis) extraradical hyphal networks showed any preferences towards certain forms of organic N (chitin of fungal or crustacean origin, DNA, clover biomass, or albumin) administered in spatially discrete patches, and how the presence of AM fungal hyphae affected other microbes. By direct 15 N labeling, we also quantified the flux of N to the plants (Andropogon gerardii) through the AM fungal hyphae from fungal chitin and from clover biomass. The AM fungal hyphae colonized patches supplemented with organic N sources significantly more than those receiving only mineral nutrients, organic carbon in form of cellulose, or nothing. Mycorrhizal plants grew 6.4-fold larger and accumulated, on average, 20.3-fold more 15 N originating from the labeled organic sources than their nonmycorrhizal counterparts. Whereas the abundance of microbes (bacteria, fungi, or Acanthamoeba sp.) in the different patches was primarily driven by patch quality, we noted a consistent suppression of the microbial abundances by the presence of AM fungal hyphae. This suppression was particularly strong for ammonia oxidizing bacteria. Our results indicate that AM fungi successfully competed with the other microbes for free ammonium ions and suggest an important role for the notoriously understudied soil protists to play in recycling organic N from soil to plants via AM fungal hyphae.

The speciation and subtyping of campylobacter isolates from sewage plants and waste water from a connected poultry abattoir using molecular techniques.

PubMed Central

Koenraad, P. M.; Ayling, R.; Hazeleger, W. C.; Rombouts, F. M.; Newell, D. G.

1995-01-01

In this study the distribution of phenotypes of campylobacter strains in sewage and surface waters was investigated by subtyping and by speciation of isolates from various aquatic environments. These environments included two municipal sewage plants (SPA and SPB) and waste water from a poultry abattoir (WWA). Both the sewage plants SPA and SPB collected domestic and industrial waste, and SPA received drain water from WWA. SPB received no waste water from any meat-processing plant. The isolates were speciated by PCR and subtyped by PCR/RFLP based on the flagellin PCR products. From all three reservoirs, no Campylobacter lari was isolated, and approximately 80% of the isolates could be identified as C. jejuni and the rest belonged to the C. coli species. The PCR/RFLP typing technique has a high discrimination level and was reproducible between two separate laboratories. The 182 isolates tested yielded 22 distinct Dde I profiles. The results indicate that strains with profiles found in poultry are also detectable in waste water presumed to be solely from domestic and human sources. In addition some strains were unique to the known poultry-related sources, suggesting that avian-specific strains, non-pathogenic to man, may exist in the environment. In contrast some strains were unique to human waste indicating the potential importance of non-poultry sources of infection. No seasonality was observed in the profile distribution. So, at least in the Netherlands, it is unlikely that infections caused by contaminated surface waters contribute to the seasonality of human campylobacteriosis. Images Fig. 1 PMID:8557080

Antimicrobial Activity of Medicinal Plants Correlates with the Proportion of Antagonistic Endophytes

PubMed Central

Egamberdieva, Dilfuza; Wirth, Stephan; Behrendt, Undine; Ahmad, Parvaiz; Berg, Gabriele

2017-01-01

Medicinal plants are known to harbor potential endophytic microbes, due to their bioactive compounds. In a first study of ongoing research, endophytic bacteria were isolated from two medicinal plants, Hypericum perforatum and Ziziphora capitata with contrasting antimicrobial activities from the Chatkal Biosphere Reserve of Uzbekistan, and their plant-specific traits involved in biocontrol and plant growth promotion were evaluated. Plant extracts of H. perforatum exhibited a remarkable activity against bacterial and fungal pathogens, whereas extracts of Z. capitata did not exhibit any potential antimicrobial activity. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) was used to identify plant associated culturable endophytic bacteria. The isolated culturable endophytes associated with H. perforatum belong to eight genera (Arthrobacter, Achromobacter, Bacillus, Enterobacter, Erwinia, Pseudomonas, Pantoea, Serratia, and Stenotrophomonas). The endophytic isolates from Z. capitata also contain those genera except Arthrobacter, Serratia, and Stenotrophomonas. H. perforatum with antibacterial activity supported more bacteria with antagonistic activity, as compared to Z. capitata. The antagonistic isolates were able to control tomato root rot caused by Fusarium oxysporum and stimulated plant growth under greenhouse conditions and could thus be a cost-effective source for agro-based biological control agents. PMID:28232827

Using faecal DNA to determine consumption by kangaroos of plants considered palatable to sheep.

PubMed

Ho, K W; Krebs, G L; McCafferty, P; van Wyngaarden, S P; Addison, J

2010-02-01

Disagreement exists within the scientific community with regards to the level of competition for feed between sheep and kangaroos in the Australian rangelands. The greatest challenge to solving this debate is finding effective means of determining the composition of the diets of these potential grazing competitors. An option is to adopt a non-invasive approach that combines faecal collection and molecular techniques that focus on faecal DNA as the primary source of dietary information. As proof-of-concept, we show that a DNA reference data bank on plant species can be established. This DNA reference data bank was then used as a library to identify plant species in kangaroo faeces collected in the southern rangelands of Western Australia. To enhance the method development and to begin the investigation of competitive grazing between sheep and kangaroos, 16 plant species known to be palatable to sheep were initially targeted for collection. To ensure that only plant sequences were studied, PCR amplification was performed using a universal primer pair previously shown to be specific to the chloroplast transfer RNA leucine (trnL) UAA gene intron. Overall, genus-specific, single and differently sized amplicons were reliably and reproducibly generated; enabling the differentiation of reference plants by PCR product length heterogeneity. However, there were a few plants that could not be clearly differentiated on the basis of size alone. This prompted the adoption of a post-PCR step that enabled further differentiation according to base sequence variation. Restriction endonucleases make sequence-specific cleavages on DNA to produce discrete and reproducible fragments having unique sizes and base compositions. Their availability, affordability and simplicity-of-use put restriction enzyme sequence (RES) profiling as a logical post-PCR step for confirming plant species identity. We demonstrate that PCR-RES profiling of plant and faecal matter is useful for the identification of plants included in the diet of kangaroos. The limitations, potential and the opportunities created for researchers interested in investigating the diet of competing herbivores in the rangelands are discussed.

Plant immunity: unravelling the complexity of plant responses to biotic stresses.

PubMed

Miller, Robert Neil Gerard; Costa Alves, Gabriel Sergio; Van Sluys, Marie-Anne

2017-03-01

Plants are constantly exposed to evolving pathogens and pests, with crop losses representing a considerable threat to global food security. As pathogen evolution can overcome disease resistance that is conferred by individual plant resistance genes, an enhanced understanding of the plant immune system is necessary for the long-term development of effective disease management strategies. Current research is rapidly advancing our understanding of the plant innate immune system, with this multidisciplinary subject area reflected in the content of the 18 papers in this Special Issue. Advances in specific areas of plant innate immunity are highlighted in this issue, with focus on molecular interactions occurring between plant hosts and viruses, bacteria, phytoplasmas, oomycetes, fungi, nematodes and insect pests. We provide a focus on research across multiple areas related to pathogen sensing and plant immune response. Topics covered are categorized as follows: binding proteins in plant immunity; cytokinin phytohormones in plant growth and immunity; plant-virus interactions; plant-phytoplasma interactions; plant-fungus interactions; plant-nematode interactions; plant immunity in Citrus; plant peptides and volatiles; and assimilate dynamics in source/sink metabolism. Although knowledge of the plant immune system remains incomplete, the considerable ongoing scientific progress into pathogen sensing and plant immune response mechanisms suggests far reaching implications for the development of durable disease resistance against pathogens and pests. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Multi-Scale Science Framework for Attributing and Tracking Greenhouse Gas Fluxes at LANL's Four Corners New Mexico Test Bed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costigan, K. R.; Dubey, M. K.; Chylek, P.; Love, S. P.; Henderson, B. G.; Flowers, B. A.; Reisner, J. M.; Rahn, T.; Quick, C. R.

2010-12-01

Agreements to limit greenhouse gas emissions require scientifically valid methods for monitoring and validating anthropogenic emissions. However, the task of monitoring CO2 emissions is difficult because relatively small increases need to be detected against CO2’s variable and large background concentrations. To ensure fair compliance, remotely sensed measurements and an understanding of the atmospheric transport of CO2 from the sources are required. We hypothesize that CO2 from various natural and anthropogenic sources can be distinguished and tracked by monitoring co-emitted gases (e.g. NO2, SO2, and CO) and isotopomers (e.g.13CO2). The ratio of a co-emitted species to CO2 depends on fuel composition and combustion process and thus varies by energy sector. These ratios provide an independent method to quantify CO2 emissions. Their low backgrounds, their large perturbations from energy activities, and our ability to measure them precisely make them sensitive probes to attribute sources, especially when emission ratios of multiple species are used concurrently. This strategy of observing emission ratios of co-emitted species to derive regional and source-specific baselines and CO2 fluxes is being tested in the Four Corners region of northwestern New Mexico. The semi-arid ecology in the region has a weak natural carbon cycle, facilitating our goal of dissection of anthropogenic sector-specific sources. The net Four Corners and San Juan power plant emissions are the largest point source of CO2 and NOx in North America. The Four Corners plant produces much more NOx than the San Juan power plant, while their energy and CO2 outputs, and coal used, are similar. This difference offers us a unique opportunity to test discrimination methods. While their CO2 signals remain elusive for current satellites, their NO2 plumes have recently been resolved from space. The region also experiences dispersed CO2 urban emissions as well as emissions and leaks from thousands of oil/gas wells. All of this makes the site an ideal test-bed. Our approach is to execute a systematic and coordinated observational, satellite validation and modeling program. We are instrumenting the Four Corners ground site with an array of state-of-the art, in situ and remote sensors, including LANL’s solar FTS and in situ sensors for continuous long term monitoring. Satellite measurements are also analyzed and have revealed that recent environmental upgrades have reduced NOx emissions, verifying bottom up inventories. A coordinated field campaign is planned, which will interrogate the power plant plume and regional dynamics and chemistry. Modeling using the plants’ reported emissions will be compared with observations to test the veracity of our approach. Early modeling, satellite analyses and measurements will be presented.

Uptake of Silicon by Sugarcane from Applied Sources May Not Reflect Plant-Available Soil Silicon and Total Silicon Content of Sources.

PubMed

Keeping, Malcolm G

2017-01-01

Soils of the tropics and sub-tropics are typically acid and depleted of soluble sources of silicon (Si) due to weathering and leaching associated with high rainfall and temperatures. Together with intensive cropping, this leads to marginal or deficient plant Si levels in Si-accumulating crops such as rice and sugarcane. Although such deficiencies can be corrected with exogenous application of Si sources, there is controversy over the effectiveness of sources in relation to their total Si content, and their capacity to raise soil and plant Si concentrations. This study tested the hypothesis that the total Si content and provision of plant-available Si from six sources directly affects subsequent plant Si uptake as reflected in leaf Si concentration. Two trials with potted cane plants were established with the following Si sources as treatments: calcium silicate slag, fused magnesium (thermo) phosphate, volcanic rock dust, magnesium silicate, and granular potassium silicate. Silicon sources were applied at rates intended to achieve equivalent elemental soil Si concentrations; controls were untreated or lime-treated. Analyses were conducted to determine soil and leaf elemental concentrations. Among the sources, calcium silicate produced the highest leaf Si concentrations, yet lower plant-available soil Si concentrations than the thermophosphate. The latter, with slightly higher total Si than the slag, produced substantially greater increases in soil Si than all other products, yet did not significantly raise leaf Si above the controls. All other sources did not significantly increase soil or leaf Si concentrations, despite their high Si content. Hence, the total Si content of sources does not necessarily concur with a product's provision of soluble soil Si and subsequent plant uptake. Furthermore, even where soil pH was raised, plant uptake from thermophosphate was well below expectation, possibly due to its limited liming capacity. The ability of the calcium silicate to provide Si while simultaneously and significantly increasing soil pH, and thereby reducing reaction of Si with exchangeable Al 3+ , is proposed as a potential explanation for the greater Si uptake into the shoot from this source.

Uptake of Silicon by Sugarcane from Applied Sources May Not Reflect Plant-Available Soil Silicon and Total Silicon Content of Sources

PubMed Central

Keeping, Malcolm G.

2017-01-01

Soils of the tropics and sub-tropics are typically acid and depleted of soluble sources of silicon (Si) due to weathering and leaching associated with high rainfall and temperatures. Together with intensive cropping, this leads to marginal or deficient plant Si levels in Si-accumulating crops such as rice and sugarcane. Although such deficiencies can be corrected with exogenous application of Si sources, there is controversy over the effectiveness of sources in relation to their total Si content, and their capacity to raise soil and plant Si concentrations. This study tested the hypothesis that the total Si content and provision of plant-available Si from six sources directly affects subsequent plant Si uptake as reflected in leaf Si concentration. Two trials with potted cane plants were established with the following Si sources as treatments: calcium silicate slag, fused magnesium (thermo) phosphate, volcanic rock dust, magnesium silicate, and granular potassium silicate. Silicon sources were applied at rates intended to achieve equivalent elemental soil Si concentrations; controls were untreated or lime-treated. Analyses were conducted to determine soil and leaf elemental concentrations. Among the sources, calcium silicate produced the highest leaf Si concentrations, yet lower plant-available soil Si concentrations than the thermophosphate. The latter, with slightly higher total Si than the slag, produced substantially greater increases in soil Si than all other products, yet did not significantly raise leaf Si above the controls. All other sources did not significantly increase soil or leaf Si concentrations, despite their high Si content. Hence, the total Si content of sources does not necessarily concur with a product's provision of soluble soil Si and subsequent plant uptake. Furthermore, even where soil pH was raised, plant uptake from thermophosphate was well below expectation, possibly due to its limited liming capacity. The ability of the calcium silicate to provide Si while simultaneously and significantly increasing soil pH, and thereby reducing reaction of Si with exchangeable Al3+, is proposed as a potential explanation for the greater Si uptake into the shoot from this source. PMID:28555144

Capital cost estimate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

The capital cost estimate for the nuclear process heat source (NPHS) plant was made by: (1) using costs from the current commercial HTGR for electricity production as a base for items that are essentially the same and (2) development of new estimates for modified or new equipment that is specifically for the process heat application. Results are given in tabular form and cover the total investment required for each process temperature studied.

Longitudial variation in wood specific gravity of planted loblolly pine in the southern United States

Treesearch

Finto Antony; Laurence R. Schimleck; Richard F. Daniels; Alexander Clark

2012-01-01

Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) is the most important plantation species grown in the southern United States, having more than half of the standing pine volume. Wood from loblolly pine is a principal source of raw material for the pulp and paper industry and is desirable for the production of lumber and composite wood products. The quality of wood...

Plant extracts as potential mosquito larvicides

PubMed Central

Ghosh, Anupam; Chowdhury, Nandita; Chandra, Goutam

2012-01-01

Mosquitoes act as a vector for most of the life threatening diseases like malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever, chikungunya ferver, filariasis, encephalitis, West Nile Virus infection, etc. Under the Integrated Mosquito Management (IMM), emphasis was given on the application of alternative strategies in mosquito control. The continuous application of synthetic insecticides causes development of resistance in vector species, biological magnification of toxic substances through the food chain and adverse effects on environmental quality and non target organisms including human health. Application of active toxic agents from plant extracts as an alternative mosquito control strategy was available from ancient times. These are non-toxic, easily available at affordable prices, biodegradable and show broad-spectrum target-specific activities against different species of vector mosquitoes. In this article, the current state of knowledge on phytochemical sources and mosquitocidal activity, their mechanism of action on target population, variation of their larvicidal activity according to mosquito species, instar specificity, polarity of solvents used during extraction, nature of active ingredient and promising advances made in biological control of mosquitoes by plant derived secondary metabolites have been reviewed. PMID:22771587

Plant extracts as potential mosquito larvicides.

PubMed

Ghosh, Anupam; Chowdhury, Nandita; Chandra, Goutam

2012-05-01

Mosquitoes act as a vector for most of the life threatening diseases like malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever, chikungunya ferver, filariasis, encephalitis, West Nile Virus infection, etc. Under the Integrated Mosquito Management (IMM), emphasis was given on the application of alternative strategies in mosquito control. The continuous application of synthetic insecticides causes development of resistance in vector species, biological magnification of toxic substances through the food chain and adverse effects on environmental quality and non target organisms including human health. Application of active toxic agents from plant extracts as an alternative mosquito control strategy was available from ancient times. These are non-toxic, easily available at affordable prices, biodegradable and show broad-spectrum target-specific activities against different species of vector mosquitoes. In this article, the current state of knowledge on phytochemical sources and mosquitocidal activity, their mechanism of action on target population, variation of their larvicidal activity according to mosquito species, instar specificity, polarity of solvents used during extraction, nature of active ingredient and promising advances made in biological control of mosquitoes by plant derived secondary metabolites have been reviewed.

Transfer and targeted overexpression of γ-tocopherol methyltransferase (γ-TMT) gene using seed-specific promoter improves tocopherol composition in Indian soybean cultivars.

PubMed

Arun, Muthukrishnan; Subramanyam, Kondeti; Theboral, Jeevaraj; Sivanandhan, Ganeshan; Rajesh, Manoharan; Kapil Dev, Gnanajothi; Jaganath, Balusamy; Manickavasagam, Markandan; Girija, Shanmugam; Ganapathi, Andy

2014-02-01

Soybean oil contains high levels of tocopherols which are an important source of vitamin E in human diet. The conversion of γ- to α-tocopherol catalyzed by γ-tocopherol methyltransferase (γ-TMT) is found to be the rate limiting factor in soybean which influences the tocopherol composition. Using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, we overexpressed the γ-TMT gene of Perilla frutescens under the control of the seed-specific promoter vicillin in cultivar Pusa 16. Transgene integration and expression was confirmed in five independently transformed GUS positive soybean plants by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Southern hybridization, and reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed that overexpression of Pf-γ-TMT resulted in efficient conversion of γ-tocopherol to α-tocopherol and concomitant increase in seed α-tocopherol content in RT-PCR positive plants. The protocol was successfully applied to three more cultivars PK 416, Gujarat soybean 1, and VL soya 1 in which seeds of transformed plants showed elevated level of α-tocopherol than wild-type seeds.

DNA barcode for the identification of the sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis plant feeding preferences in a tropical urban environment.

PubMed

Lima, Leonardo H G de M; Mesquita, Marcelo R; Skrip, Laura; de Souza Freitas, Moisés T; Silva, Vladimir C; Kirstein, Oscar D; Abassi, Ibrahim; Warburg, Alon; Balbino, Valdir de Q; Costa, Carlos H N

2016-07-20

Little is known about the feeding behavior of hematophagous insects that require plant sugar to complete their life cycles. We studied plant feeding of Lutzomyia longipalpis sand flies, known vectors of Leishmania infantum/chagasi parasites, in a Brazilian city endemic with visceral leishmaniasis. The DNA barcode technique was applied to identify plant food source of wild-caught L. longipalpis using specific primers for a locus from the chloroplast genome, ribulose diphosphate carboxylase. DNA from all trees or shrubs within a 100-meter radius from the trap were collected to build a barcode reference library. While plants from the Anacardiaceae and Meliaceae families were the most abundant at the sampling site (25.4% and 12.7% of the local plant population, respectively), DNA from these plant families was found in few flies; in contrast, despite its low abundance (2.9%), DNA from the Fabaceae family was detected in 94.7% of the sand flies. The proportion of sand flies testing positive for DNA from a given plant family was not significantly associated with abundance, distance from the trap, or average crown expansion of plants from that family. The data suggest that there may indeed be a feeding preference of L. longipalpis for plants in the Fabaceae family.

Biochemical and Molecular Mechanisms of Plant-Microbe-Metal Interactions: Relevance for Phytoremediation

PubMed Central

Ma, Ying; Oliveira, Rui S.; Freitas, Helena; Zhang, Chang

2016-01-01

Plants and microbes coexist or compete for survival and their cohesive interactions play a vital role in adapting to metalliferous environments, and can thus be explored to improve microbe-assisted phytoremediation. Plant root exudates are useful nutrient and energy sources for soil microorganisms, with whom they establish intricate communication systems. Some beneficial bacteria and fungi, acting as plant growth promoting microorganisms (PGPMs), may alleviate metal phytotoxicity and stimulate plant growth indirectly via the induction of defense mechanisms against phytopathogens, and/or directly through the solubilization of mineral nutrients (nitrogen, phosphate, potassium, iron, etc.), production of plant growth promoting substances (e.g., phytohormones), and secretion of specific enzymes (e.g., 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase). PGPM can also change metal bioavailability in soil through various mechanisms such as acidification, precipitation, chelation, complexation, and redox reactions. This review presents the recent advances and applications made hitherto in understanding the biochemical and molecular mechanisms of plant–microbe interactions and their role in the major processes involved in phytoremediation, such as heavy metal detoxification, mobilization, immobilization, transformation, transport, and distribution. PMID:27446148

Soybeans as bioreactors for biopharmaceuticals and industrial proteins.

PubMed

Vianna, G R; Cunha, N B; Murad, A M; Rech, E L

2011-01-01

Plants present various advantages for the production of biomolecules, including low risk of contamination with prions, viruses and other pathogens, scalability, low production costs, and available agronomical systems. Plants are also versatile vehicles for the production of recombinant molecules because they allow protein expression in various organs, such as tubers and seeds, which naturally accumulate large amounts of protein. Among crop plants, soybean is an excellent protein producer. Soybean plants are also a good source of abundant and cheap biomass and can be cultivated under controlled greenhouse conditions. Under containment, the plant cycle can be manipulated and the final seed yield can be maximized for large-scale protein production within a small and controlled area. Exploitation of specific regulatory sequences capable of directing and accumulating recombinant proteins in protein storage vacuoles in soybean seeds, associated with recently developed biological research tools and purification systems, has great potential to accelerate preliminary characterization of plant-derived biopharmaceuticals and industrial macromolecules. This is an important step in the development of genetically engineered products that are inexpensive and safe for medicinal, food and other uses.

Development of Simultaneous Beta-and-Coincidence-Gamma Imager for Plant Imaging Research

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

Tai, Yuan-Chuan

2016-09-30

The goal of this project is to develop a novel imaging system that can simultaneously acquire beta and coincidence gamma images of positron sources in thin objects such as leaves of plants. This hybrid imager can be used to measure carbon assimilation in plants quantitatively and in real-time after C-11 labeled carbon-dioxide is administered. A better understanding of carbon assimilation, particularly under the increasingly elevated atmospheric CO 2 level, is extremely critical for plant scientists who study food crop and biofuel production. Phase 1 of this project is focused on the technology development with 3 specific aims: (1) develop amore » hybrid detector that can detect beta and gamma rays simultaneously; (2) develop an imaging system that can differentiate these two types of radiation and acquire beta and coincidence gamma images in real-time; (3) develop techniques to quantify radiotracer distribution using beta and gamma images. Phase 2 of this project is to apply technologies developed in phase 1 to study plants using positron-emitting radionuclide such as 11C to study carbon assimilation in biofuel plants.« less

A Comparison of Prediction Methods for Design of Pump as Turbine for Small Hydro Plant: Implemented Plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naeimi, Hossein; Nayebi Shahabi, Mina; Mohammadi, Sohrab

2017-08-01

In developing countries, small and micro hydropower plants are very effective source for electricity generation with energy pay-back time (EPBT) less than other conventional electricity generation systems. Using pump as turbine (PAT) is an attractive, significant and cost-effective alternative. Pump manufacturers do not normally provide the characteristic curves of their pumps working as turbines. Therefore, choosing an appropriate Pump to work as a turbine is essential in implementing the small-hydro plants. In this paper, in order to find the best fitting method to choose a PAT, the results of a small-hydro plant implemented on the by-pass of a Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) in Urmia city in Iran are presented. Some of the prediction methods of Best Efficiency Point of PATs are derived. Then, the results of implemented project have been compared to the prediction methods results and the deviation of from measured data were considered and discussed and the best method that predicts the specifications of PAT more accurately determined. Finally, the energy pay-back time for the plant is calculated.

Dereplication of plant phenolics using a mass-spectrometry database independent method.

PubMed

Borges, Ricardo M; Taujale, Rahil; de Souza, Juliana Santana; de Andrade Bezerra, Thaís; Silva, Eder Lana E; Herzog, Ronny; Ponce, Francesca V; Wolfender, Jean-Luc; Edison, Arthur S

2018-05-29

Dereplication, an approach to sidestep the efforts involved in the isolation of known compounds, is generally accepted as being the first stage of novel discoveries in natural product research. It is based on metabolite profiling analysis of complex natural extracts. To present the application of LipidXplorer for automatic targeted dereplication of phenolics in plant crude extracts based on direct infusion high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry data. LipidXplorer uses a user-defined molecular fragmentation query language (MFQL) to search for specific characteristic fragmentation patterns in large data sets and highlight the corresponding metabolites. To this end, MFQL files were written to dereplicate common phenolics occurring in plant extracts. Complementary MFQL files were used for validation purposes. New MFQL files with molecular formula restrictions for common classes of phenolic natural products were generated for the metabolite profiling of different representative crude plant extracts. This method was evaluated against an open-source software for mass-spectrometry data processing (MZMine®) and against manual annotation based on published data. The targeted LipidXplorer method implemented using common phenolic fragmentation patterns, was found to be able to annotate more phenolics than MZMine® that is based on automated queries on the available databases. Additionally, screening for ascarosides, natural products with unrelated structures to plant phenolics collected from the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, demonstrated the specificity of this method by cross-testing both groups of chemicals in both plants and nematodes. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

[Selective enrichment of Pseudomonas spp. in the rhizoplane of different plant species].

PubMed

Marrero, Mariana A; Agaras, Betina; Wall, Luis G; Valverde, Claudio

2015-01-01

In contrast to rhizobia-legume symbiosis, the specificity for root colonization by pseudomonads seems to be less strict. However, several studies about bacterial diversity in the rhizosphere highlight the influence of plant species on the selective enrichment of certain microorganisms from the bulk soil community. In order to evaluate the effect that different crops have on the structure of pseudomonad community on the root surface, we performed plant trap experiments, using surface-disinfected maize, wheat or soybean seeds that were sown in pots containing the same pristine soil as substrate. Rhizoplane suspensions were plated on a selective medium for Pseudomonas, and pooled colonies served as DNA source to carry out PCR-RFLP community structure analysis of the pseudomonads-specific marker genes oprF and gacA. PCR-RFLP profiles were grouped by plant species, and were distinguished from those of bulk soil samples. Partial sequencing of 16S rDNA genes of some representative colonies of Pseudomonas confirmed the selective enrichment of distinctive genotypes in the rhizoplane of each plant species. These results support the idea that the root systems of agricultural crops such as soybean, maize and wheat, select differential sets of pseudomonads from the native microbial repertoire inhabiting the bulk soil. Copyright © 2014 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Lignin engineering in field-grown poplar trees affects the endosphere bacterial microbiome.

PubMed

Beckers, Bram; Op De Beeck, Michiel; Weyens, Nele; Van Acker, Rebecca; Van Montagu, Marc; Boerjan, Wout; Vangronsveld, Jaco

2016-02-23

Cinnamoyl-CoA reductase (CCR), an enzyme central to the lignin biosynthetic pathway, represents a promising biotechnological target to reduce lignin levels and to improve the commercial viability of lignocellulosic biomass. However, silencing of the CCR gene results in considerable flux changes of the general and monolignol-specific lignin pathways, ultimately leading to the accumulation of various extractable phenolic compounds in the xylem. Here, we evaluated host genotype-dependent effects of field-grown, CCR-down-regulated poplar trees (Populus tremula × Populus alba) on the bacterial rhizosphere microbiome and the endosphere microbiome, namely the microbiota present in roots, stems, and leaves. Plant-associated bacteria were isolated from all plant compartments by selective isolation and enrichment techniques with specific phenolic carbon sources (such as ferulic acid) that are up-regulated in CCR-deficient poplar trees. The bacterial microbiomes present in the endosphere were highly responsive to the CCR-deficient poplar genotype with remarkably different metabolic capacities and associated community structures compared with the WT trees. In contrast, the rhizosphere microbiome of CCR-deficient and WT poplar trees featured highly overlapping bacterial community structures and metabolic capacities. We demonstrate the host genotype modulation of the plant microbiome by minute genetic variations in the plant genome. Hence, these interactions need to be taken into consideration to understand the full consequences of plant metabolic pathway engineering and its relation with the environment and the intended genetic improvement.

Development & Characterization of a Whole Plant Chamber for the Investigation of Environmental Perturbations on Biogenic VOC Emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holder, J.; Riches, M.; Abeleira, A.; Farmer, D.

2017-12-01

Accurate prediction of both climate and air quality under a changing earth system requires a full understanding of the sources, feedbacks, and ultimate fate of all atmospherically relevant chemical species, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Biogenic VOCs (BVOC) from plant emissions are the main source of VOCs to the atmosphere. However, the impact of global change on BVOC emissions is poorly understood. For example, while short-term increases in temperature are typically associated with increased BVOC emissions, the impact of long-term temperature increases are less clear. Our study aims to investigate the effects of long-term, singular and combined environmental perturbations on plant BVOC emissions through the use of whole plant chambers in order to better understand the effects of global change on BVOC-climate-air quality feedbacks. To fill this knowledge gap and provide a fundamental understanding of how BVOC emissions respond to environmental perturbations, specifically elevated temperature, CO2, and drought, whole citrus trees were placed in home-built chambers and monitored for monoterpene and other BVOC emissions utilizing thermal desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS). Designing and building a robust whole plant chamber to study atmospherically relevant chemical species while accommodating the needs of live plants over timescales of days to weeks is not a trivial task. The environmental conditions within the chamber must be carefully controlled and monitored. The inter-plant and chamber variability must be characterized. Finally, target BVOCs need to be sampled and detected from the chamber. Thus, the chamber design, control and characterization considerations along with preliminary BVOC results will be presented and discussed.

Metabolomics Reveals the Origins of Antimicrobial Plant Resins Collected by Honey Bees

PubMed Central

Wilson, Michael B.; Spivak, Marla; Hegeman, Adrian D.; Rendahl, Aaron; Cohen, Jerry D.

2013-01-01

The deposition of antimicrobial plant resins in honey bee, Apis mellifera, nests has important physiological benefits. Resin foraging is difficult to approach experimentally because resin composition is highly variable among and between plant families, the environmental and plant-genotypic effects on resins are unknown, and resin foragers are relatively rare and often forage in unobservable tree canopies. Subsequently, little is known about the botanical origins of resins in many regions or the benefits of specific resins to bees. We used metabolomic methods as a type of environmental forensics to track individual resin forager behavior through comparisons of global resin metabolite patterns. The resin from the corbiculae of a single bee was sufficient to identify that resin's botanical source without prior knowledge of resin composition. Bees from our apiary discriminately foraged for resin from eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides), and balsam poplar (P. balsamifera) among many available, even closely related, resinous plants. Cottonwood and balsam poplar resin composition did not show significant seasonal or regional changes in composition. Metabolomic analysis of resin from 6 North American Populus spp. and 5 hybrids revealed peaks characteristic to taxonomic nodes within Populus, while antimicrobial analysis revealed that resin from different species varied in inhibition of the bee bacterial pathogen, Paenibacillus larvae. We conclude that honey bees make discrete choices among many resinous plant species, even among closely related species. Bees also maintained fidelity to a single source during a foraging trip. Furthermore, the differential inhibition of P. larvae by Populus spp., thought to be preferential for resin collection in temperate regions, suggests that resins from closely related plant species many have different benefits to bees. PMID:24204850

Evaluation of engineered foods for Closed Ecological Life Support System (CELSS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Karel, M.

1981-01-01

A system of conversion of locally regenerated raw materials and of resupplied freeze-dried foods and ingredients into acceptable, safe and nutritious engineered foods is proposed. The first phase of the proposed research has the following objectives: (1) evaluation of feasibility of developing acceptable and reliable engineered foods from a limited selection of plants, supplemented by microbially produced nutrients and a minimum of dehydrated nutrient sources (especially those of animal origin); (2) evaluation of research tasks and specifications of research projects to adapt present technology and food science to expected space conditions (in particular, problems arising from unusual gravity conditions, problems of limited size and the isolation of the food production system, and the opportunities of space conditions are considered); (3) development of scenarios of agricultural production of plant and microbial systems, including the specifications of processing wastes to be recycled.

An introduction to plant cell culture: the future ahead.

PubMed

Loyola-Vargas, Víctor M; Ochoa-Alejo, Neftalí

2012-01-01

Plant cell, tissue, and organ culture (PTC) techniques were developed and established as an experimental necessity for solving important fundamental questions in plant biology, but they currently represent very useful biotechnological tools for a series of important applications such as commercial micropropagation of different plant species, generation of disease-free plant materials, production of haploid and doublehaploid plants, induction of epigenetic or genetic variation for the isolation of variant plants, obtention of novel hybrid plants through the rescue of hybrid embryos or somatic cell fusion from intra- or intergeneric sources, conservation of valuable plant germplasm, and is the keystone for genetic engineering of plants to produce disease and pest resistant varieties, to engineer metabolic pathways with the aim of producing specific secondary metabolites or as an alternative for biopharming. Some other miscellaneous applications involve the utilization of in vitro cultures to test toxic compounds and the possibilities of removing them (bioremediation), interaction of root cultures with nematodes or mycorrhiza, or the use of shoot cultures to maintain plant viruses. With the increased worldwide demand for biofuels, it seems that PTC will certainly be fundamental for engineering different plants species in order to increase the diversity of biofuel options, lower the price marketing, and enhance the production efficiency. Several aspects and applications of PTC such as those mentioned above are the focus of this edition.

The iPlant Collaborative: Cyberinfrastructure for Plant Biology.

PubMed

Goff, Stephen A; Vaughn, Matthew; McKay, Sheldon; Lyons, Eric; Stapleton, Ann E; Gessler, Damian; Matasci, Naim; Wang, Liya; Hanlon, Matthew; Lenards, Andrew; Muir, Andy; Merchant, Nirav; Lowry, Sonya; Mock, Stephen; Helmke, Matthew; Kubach, Adam; Narro, Martha; Hopkins, Nicole; Micklos, David; Hilgert, Uwe; Gonzales, Michael; Jordan, Chris; Skidmore, Edwin; Dooley, Rion; Cazes, John; McLay, Robert; Lu, Zhenyuan; Pasternak, Shiran; Koesterke, Lars; Piel, William H; Grene, Ruth; Noutsos, Christos; Gendler, Karla; Feng, Xin; Tang, Chunlao; Lent, Monica; Kim, Seung-Jin; Kvilekval, Kristian; Manjunath, B S; Tannen, Val; Stamatakis, Alexandros; Sanderson, Michael; Welch, Stephen M; Cranston, Karen A; Soltis, Pamela; Soltis, Doug; O'Meara, Brian; Ane, Cecile; Brutnell, Tom; Kleibenstein, Daniel J; White, Jeffery W; Leebens-Mack, James; Donoghue, Michael J; Spalding, Edgar P; Vision, Todd J; Myers, Christopher R; Lowenthal, David; Enquist, Brian J; Boyle, Brad; Akoglu, Ali; Andrews, Greg; Ram, Sudha; Ware, Doreen; Stein, Lincoln; Stanzione, Dan

2011-01-01

The iPlant Collaborative (iPlant) is a United States National Science Foundation (NSF) funded project that aims to create an innovative, comprehensive, and foundational cyberinfrastructure in support of plant biology research (PSCIC, 2006). iPlant is developing cyberinfrastructure that uniquely enables scientists throughout the diverse fields that comprise plant biology to address Grand Challenges in new ways, to stimulate and facilitate cross-disciplinary research, to promote biology and computer science research interactions, and to train the next generation of scientists on the use of cyberinfrastructure in research and education. Meeting humanity's projected demands for agricultural and forest products and the expectation that natural ecosystems be managed sustainably will require synergies from the application of information technologies. The iPlant cyberinfrastructure design is based on an unprecedented period of research community input, and leverages developments in high-performance computing, data storage, and cyberinfrastructure for the physical sciences. iPlant is an open-source project with application programming interfaces that allow the community to extend the infrastructure to meet its needs. iPlant is sponsoring community-driven workshops addressing specific scientific questions via analysis tool integration and hypothesis testing. These workshops teach researchers how to add bioinformatics tools and/or datasets into the iPlant cyberinfrastructure enabling plant scientists to perform complex analyses on large datasets without the need to master the command-line or high-performance computational services.

The iPlant Collaborative: Cyberinfrastructure for Plant Biology

PubMed Central

Goff, Stephen A.; Vaughn, Matthew; McKay, Sheldon; Lyons, Eric; Stapleton, Ann E.; Gessler, Damian; Matasci, Naim; Wang, Liya; Hanlon, Matthew; Lenards, Andrew; Muir, Andy; Merchant, Nirav; Lowry, Sonya; Mock, Stephen; Helmke, Matthew; Kubach, Adam; Narro, Martha; Hopkins, Nicole; Micklos, David; Hilgert, Uwe; Gonzales, Michael; Jordan, Chris; Skidmore, Edwin; Dooley, Rion; Cazes, John; McLay, Robert; Lu, Zhenyuan; Pasternak, Shiran; Koesterke, Lars; Piel, William H.; Grene, Ruth; Noutsos, Christos; Gendler, Karla; Feng, Xin; Tang, Chunlao; Lent, Monica; Kim, Seung-Jin; Kvilekval, Kristian; Manjunath, B. S.; Tannen, Val; Stamatakis, Alexandros; Sanderson, Michael; Welch, Stephen M.; Cranston, Karen A.; Soltis, Pamela; Soltis, Doug; O'Meara, Brian; Ane, Cecile; Brutnell, Tom; Kleibenstein, Daniel J.; White, Jeffery W.; Leebens-Mack, James; Donoghue, Michael J.; Spalding, Edgar P.; Vision, Todd J.; Myers, Christopher R.; Lowenthal, David; Enquist, Brian J.; Boyle, Brad; Akoglu, Ali; Andrews, Greg; Ram, Sudha; Ware, Doreen; Stein, Lincoln; Stanzione, Dan

2011-01-01

The iPlant Collaborative (iPlant) is a United States National Science Foundation (NSF) funded project that aims to create an innovative, comprehensive, and foundational cyberinfrastructure in support of plant biology research (PSCIC, 2006). iPlant is developing cyberinfrastructure that uniquely enables scientists throughout the diverse fields that comprise plant biology to address Grand Challenges in new ways, to stimulate and facilitate cross-disciplinary research, to promote biology and computer science research interactions, and to train the next generation of scientists on the use of cyberinfrastructure in research and education. Meeting humanity's projected demands for agricultural and forest products and the expectation that natural ecosystems be managed sustainably will require synergies from the application of information technologies. The iPlant cyberinfrastructure design is based on an unprecedented period of research community input, and leverages developments in high-performance computing, data storage, and cyberinfrastructure for the physical sciences. iPlant is an open-source project with application programming interfaces that allow the community to extend the infrastructure to meet its needs. iPlant is sponsoring community-driven workshops addressing specific scientific questions via analysis tool integration and hypothesis testing. These workshops teach researchers how to add bioinformatics tools and/or datasets into the iPlant cyberinfrastructure enabling plant scientists to perform complex analyses on large datasets without the need to master the command-line or high-performance computational services. PMID:22645531

Combining Ordinary Kriging with wind directions to identify sources of industrial odors in Portland, Oregon.

PubMed

Eckmann, Ted C; Wright, Samantha G; Simpson, Logan K; Walker, Joe L; Kolmes, Steven A; Houck, James E; Velasquez, Sandra C

2018-01-01

This study combines Ordinary Kriging, odor monitoring, and wind direction data to demonstrate how these elements can be applied to identify the source of an industrial odor. The specific case study used as an example of how to address this issue was the University Park neighborhood of Portland, Oregon (USA) where residents frequently complain about industrial odors, and suspect the main source to be a nearby Daimler Trucks North America LLC manufacturing plant. We collected 19,665 odor observations plus 105,120 wind measurements, using an automated weather station to measure winds in the area at five-minute intervals, logging continuously from December 2014 through November 2015, while we also measured odors at 19 locations, three times per day, using methods from the American Society of the International Association for Testing and Materials. Our results quantify how winds vary with season and time of day when industrial odors were observed versus when they were not observed, while also mapping spatiotemporal patterns in these odors using Ordinary Kriging. Our analyses show that industrial odors were detected most frequently to the northwest of the Daimler plant, mostly when winds blew from the southeast, suggesting Daimler's facility is a likely source for much of this odor.

Effects of Varying Nitrogen Sources on Amino Acid Synthesis Costs in Arabidopsis thaliana under Different Light and Carbon-Source Conditions

PubMed Central

Nikoloski, Zoran

2015-01-01

Plants as sessile organisms cannot escape their environment and have to adapt to any changes in the availability of sunlight and nutrients. The quantification of synthesis costs of metabolites, in terms of consumed energy, is a prerequisite to understand trade-offs arising from energetic limitations. Here, we examine the energy consumption of amino acid synthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana. To quantify these costs in terms of the energy equivalent ATP, we introduce an improved cost measure based on flux balance analysis and apply it to three state-of-the-art metabolic reconstructions to ensure robust results. We present the first systematic in silico analysis of the effect of nitrogen supply (nitrate/ammonium) on individual amino acid synthesis costs as well as of the effect of photoautotrophic and heterotrophic growth conditions, integrating day/night-specific regulation. Our results identify nitrogen supply as a key determinant of amino acid costs, in agreement with experimental evidence. In addition, the association of the determined costs with experimentally observed growth patterns suggests that metabolite synthesis costs are involved in shaping regulation of plant growth. Finally, we find that simultaneous uptake of both nitrogen sources can lead to efficient utilization of energy source, which may be the result of evolutionary optimization. PMID:25706533

Effects of varying nitrogen sources on amino acid synthesis costs in Arabidopsis thaliana under different light and carbon-source conditions.

PubMed

Arnold, Anne; Sajitz-Hermstein, Max; Nikoloski, Zoran

2015-01-01

Plants as sessile organisms cannot escape their environment and have to adapt to any changes in the availability of sunlight and nutrients. The quantification of synthesis costs of metabolites, in terms of consumed energy, is a prerequisite to understand trade-offs arising from energetic limitations. Here, we examine the energy consumption of amino acid synthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana. To quantify these costs in terms of the energy equivalent ATP, we introduce an improved cost measure based on flux balance analysis and apply it to three state-of-the-art metabolic reconstructions to ensure robust results. We present the first systematic in silico analysis of the effect of nitrogen supply (nitrate/ammonium) on individual amino acid synthesis costs as well as of the effect of photoautotrophic and heterotrophic growth conditions, integrating day/night-specific regulation. Our results identify nitrogen supply as a key determinant of amino acid costs, in agreement with experimental evidence. In addition, the association of the determined costs with experimentally observed growth patterns suggests that metabolite synthesis costs are involved in shaping regulation of plant growth. Finally, we find that simultaneous uptake of both nitrogen sources can lead to efficient utilization of energy source, which may be the result of evolutionary optimization.

Combining Ordinary Kriging with wind directions to identify sources of industrial odors in Portland, Oregon

PubMed Central

Kolmes, Steven A.; Houck, James E.; Velasquez, Sandra C.

2018-01-01

This study combines Ordinary Kriging, odor monitoring, and wind direction data to demonstrate how these elements can be applied to identify the source of an industrial odor. The specific case study used as an example of how to address this issue was the University Park neighborhood of Portland, Oregon (USA) where residents frequently complain about industrial odors, and suspect the main source to be a nearby Daimler Trucks North America LLC manufacturing plant. We collected 19,665 odor observations plus 105,120 wind measurements, using an automated weather station to measure winds in the area at five-minute intervals, logging continuously from December 2014 through November 2015, while we also measured odors at 19 locations, three times per day, using methods from the American Society of the International Association for Testing and Materials. Our results quantify how winds vary with season and time of day when industrial odors were observed versus when they were not observed, while also mapping spatiotemporal patterns in these odors using Ordinary Kriging. Our analyses show that industrial odors were detected most frequently to the northwest of the Daimler plant, mostly when winds blew from the southeast, suggesting Daimler’s facility is a likely source for much of this odor. PMID:29385136

Intraspecific variation in the use of water sources by the circum-Mediterranean conifer Pinus halepensis.

PubMed

Voltas, Jordi; Lucabaugh, Devon; Chambel, Maria Regina; Ferrio, Juan Pedro

2015-12-01

The relevance of interspecific variation in the use of plant water sources has been recognized in drought-prone environments. By contrast, the characterization of intraspecific differences in water uptake patterns remains elusive, although preferential access to particular soil layers may be an important adaptive response for species along aridity gradients. Stable water isotopes were analysed in soil and xylem samples of 56 populations of the drought-avoidant conifer Pinus halepensis grown in a common garden test. We found that most populations reverted to deep soil layers as the main plant water source during seasonal summer droughts. More specifically, we detected a clear geographical differentiation among populations in water uptake patterns even under relatively mild drought conditions (early autumn), with populations originating from more arid regions taking up more water from deep soil layers. However, the preferential access to deep soil water was largely independent of aboveground growth. Our findings highlight the high plasticity and adaptive relevance of the differential access to soil water pools among Aleppo pine populations. The observed ecotypic patterns point to the adaptive relevance of resource investment in deep roots as a strategy towards securing a source of water in dry environments for P. halepensis. © 2015 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2015 New Phytologist Trust.

Pilot plant experience on anaerobic codigestion of source selected OFMSW and sewage sludge.

PubMed

Cabbai, Valentina; De Bortoli, Nicola; Goi, Daniele

2016-03-01

Anaerobic codigestion of source selected organic fraction of municipal solid waste (SS-OFMSW) and sewage sludge may be one of the most viable solutions to optimize oversized digesters efficiency in wastewater treatment plants. Based on results of BMP tests obtained for sewage sludge and SS-OFMSW, pilot plant tests were carried out by 3.4 m(3) CSTR reactor at mesophilic temperature. A mix of fruit and vegetable waste from wholesale market and canteen waste was used as SS-OFMSW substrate. Tests were conducted applying an OLR (organic loading rate) ramp with 6 different phases until a value of 3.2 kgVS/m(3) d. Feedstock and digestate characteristics, efficiency and process parameters were monitored. The anaerobic codigestion development was stable in each phase: early indicators like VFA (volatile fatty acids) and FOS/TAC ratio were always below instability threshold values. The maximum OLR tested determined a GPR (gas production rate) of 0.95 N m(3)/m(3) d and SGP (specific gas production) of 0.49 N m(3)/kgVS with a VS abatement of 67.3%. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A novel in vitro whole plant system for analysis of polyphenolics and their antioxidant potential in cultivars of Ocimum basilicum.

PubMed

Srivastava, Shivani; Cahill, David M; Conlan, Xavier A; Adholeya, Alok

2014-10-15

Plants are an important source for medicinal compounds. Chemical screening and selection is critical for identification of compounds of interest. Ocimum basilicum (Basil) is a rich source of polyphenolics and exhibits high diversity, therefore bioprospecting of a suitable cultivar is a necessity. This study reports on the development of a true to type novel "in vitro system" and its comparison with a conventional system for screening and selection of cultivars for high total phenolics, individual polyphenolics, and antioxidant content. We have shown for the first time using online acidic potassium permanganate chemiluminescence that extracts from Ocimum basilicum showed antioxidant potential. The current study identified the cultivar specific composition of polyphenolics and their antioxidant properties. Further, a distinct relationship between plant morphotype and polyphenolic content was also found. Of the 15 cultivars examined, "Holy Green", "Red Rubin", and "Basil Genovese" were identified as high polyphenolic producing cultivars while "Subja" was determined to be a low producer. The "in vitro system" enabled differentiation of the cultivars in their morphology, polyphenolic content, and antioxidant activity and is a cheap and efficient method for bioprospecting studies.

Plant Growth Absorption Spectrum Mimicking Light Sources

PubMed Central

Jou, Jwo-Huei; Lin, Ching-Chiao; Li, Tsung-Han; Li, Chieh-Ju; Peng, Shiang-Hau; Yang, Fu-Chin; Justin Thomas, K. R.; Kumar, Dhirendra; Chi, Yun; Hsu, Ban-Dar

2015-01-01

Plant factories have attracted increasing attention because they can produce fresh fruits and vegetables free from pesticides in all weather. However, the emission spectra from current light sources significantly mismatch the spectra absorbed by plants. We demonstrate a concept of using multiple broad-band as well as narrow-band solid-state lighting technologies to design plant-growth light sources. Take an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), for example; the resulting light source shows an 84% resemblance with the photosynthetic action spectrum as a twin-peak blue dye and a diffused mono-peak red dye are employed. This OLED can also show a greater than 90% resemblance as an additional deeper red emitter is added. For a typical LED, the resemblance can be improved to 91% if two additional blue and red LEDs are incorporated. The approach may facilitate either an ideal use of the energy applied for plant growth and/or the design of better light sources for growing different plants. PMID:28793503

40 CFR 63.1157 - Emission standards for existing sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Facilities and Hydrochloric Acid Regeneration Plants § 63.1157 Emission standards for existing sources. (a... percent. (b) Hydrochloric acid regeneration plants. (1) No owner or operator of an existing affected plant...

40 CFR 63.1157 - Emission standards for existing sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Facilities and Hydrochloric Acid Regeneration Plants § 63.1157 Emission standards for existing sources. (a... percent. (b) Hydrochloric acid regeneration plants. (1) No owner or operator of an existing affected plant...

40 CFR 63.1157 - Emission standards for existing sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Facilities and Hydrochloric Acid Regeneration Plants § 63.1157 Emission standards for existing sources. (a... percent. (b) Hydrochloric acid regeneration plants. (1) No owner or operator of an existing affected plant...

40 CFR 63.1157 - Emission standards for existing sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Facilities and Hydrochloric Acid Regeneration Plants § 63.1157 Emission standards for existing sources. (a... percent. (b) Hydrochloric acid regeneration plants. (1) No owner or operator of an existing affected plant...

Source apportionment of PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅ in a desert region in northern Chile.

PubMed

Jorquera, Héctor; Barraza, Francisco

2013-02-01

Estimating contributions of anthropogenic sources to ambient particulate matter (PM) in desert regions is a challenging issue because wind erosion contributions are ubiquitous, significant and difficult to quantify by using source-oriented, dispersion models. A receptor modeling analysis has been applied to ambient PM(10) and PM(2.5) measured in an industrial zone ~20 km SE of Antofagasta (23.63°S, 70.39°W), a midsize coastal city in northern Chile; the monitoring site is within a desert region that extends from northern Chile to southern Perú. Integrated 24-hour ambient samples of PM(10) and PM(2.5) were taken with Harvard Impactors; samples were analyzed by X Ray Fluorescence, ionic chromatography (NO(3)(-) and SO(4)(=)), atomic absorption (Na(+), K(+)) and thermal optical transmission for elemental and organic carbon determination. Receptor modeling was carried out using Positive Matrix Factorization (US EPA Version 3.0); sources were identified by looking at specific tracers, tracer ratios, local winds and wind trajectories computed from NOAA's HYSPLIT model. For the PM(2.5) fraction, six contributions were found - cement plant, 33.7 ± 1.3%; soil dust, 22.4 ± 1.6%; sulfates, 17.8 ± 1.7%; mineral stockpiles and brine plant, 12.4 ± 1.2%; Antofagasta, 8.5 ± 1.3% and copper smelter, 5.3 ± 0.8%. For the PM(10) fraction five sources were identified - cement plant, 38.2 ± 1.5%; soil dust, 31.2 ± 2.3%; mineral stockpiles and brine plant, 12.7 ± 1.7%; copper smelter, 11.5 ± 1.6% and marine aerosol, 6.5 ± 2.4%. Therefore local sources contribute to ambient PM concentrations more than distant sources (Antofagasta, marine aerosol) do. Soil dust is enriched with deposition of marine aerosol and calcium, sulfates and heavy metals from surrounding industrial activities. The mean contribution of suspended soil dust to PM(10) is 50 μg/m(3) and the peak daily value is 104 μg/m(3). For the PM(2.5) fraction, suspended soil dust contributes with an average of 9.3 μg/m(3) and a peak daily value of 31.5 μg/m(3). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Generation of protective immune response against anthrax by oral immunization with protective antigen plant-based vaccine.

PubMed

Gorantala, Jyotsna; Grover, Sonam; Rahi, Amit; Chaudhary, Prerna; Rajwanshi, Ravi; Sarin, Neera Bhalla; Bhatnagar, Rakesh

2014-04-20

In concern with frequent recurrence of anthrax in endemic areas and inadvertent use of its spores as biological weapon, the development of an effective anthrax vaccine suitable for both human and veterinary needs is highly desirable. A simple oral delivery through expression in plant system could offer promising alternative to the current methods that rely on injectable vaccines extracted from bacterial sources. In the present study, we have expressed protective antigen (PA) gene in Indian mustard by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and in tobacco by plastid transformation. Putative transgenic lines were verified for the presence of transgene and its expression by molecular analysis. PA expressed in transgenic lines was biologically active as evidenced by macrophage lysis assay. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) and oral immunization with plant PA in murine model indicated high serum PA specific IgG and IgA antibody titers. PA specific mucosal immune response was noted in orally immunized groups. Further, antibodies indicated lethal toxin neutralizing potential in-vitro and conferred protection against in-vivo toxin challenge. Oral immunization experiments demonstrated generation of immunoprotective response in mice. Thus, our study examines the feasibility of oral PA vaccine expressed in an edible plant system against anthrax. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

PM-1 NUCLEAR POWER PROGRAM. VOLUME II. PLANT PERFORMANCE STUDIES. Final Periodic Report, September 1, 1962 to December 31, 1962

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

None

1963-04-01

Data obtained during the performance testing of the PM-1 plant were compiled and evaluated. The plant powers an Air Defense Command radar station located at Sundance, Wyoming, and is required to supply extremely high-quality electrical power (minimum of frequency and voltage fluctuations) even during severe load transients. The data obtained were compiled into the following format: (1) operating requirements; (2) startup requirements; (3) plant as an energy source; (4) plant radiation levels and health physics; (5) plant instrumentation and control; (6) reactor characteristics; (7) primary system characteristics; (8) secondary system characteristics; and (9) malfunction reports. It was concluded from themore » data that the plant performance in general meets or exceeds specification. Transient and steady-state electrical fluctuations are well within specified limitations. Heat balance data for both the primary and secondary system agree reasonably well with design predictions. Radiation levels are below those anticipated. Coolant activity in the primary system is approximately at anticipated levels; secondary system coolant activity is negligible. The core life was re-estimated based on asbuilt core characteristics. A lifetime of 16.6 Mw-yr is predicted. (auth)« less

Robust Crop and Weed Segmentation under Uncontrolled Outdoor Illumination

PubMed Central

Jeon, Hong Y.; Tian, Lei F.; Zhu, Heping

2011-01-01

An image processing algorithm for detecting individual weeds was developed and evaluated. Weed detection processes included were normalized excessive green conversion, statistical threshold value estimation, adaptive image segmentation, median filter, morphological feature calculation and Artificial Neural Network (ANN). The developed algorithm was validated for its ability to identify and detect weeds and crop plants under uncontrolled outdoor illuminations. A machine vision implementing field robot captured field images under outdoor illuminations and the image processing algorithm automatically processed them without manual adjustment. The errors of the algorithm, when processing 666 field images, ranged from 2.1 to 2.9%. The ANN correctly detected 72.6% of crop plants from the identified plants, and considered the rest as weeds. However, the ANN identification rates for crop plants were improved up to 95.1% by addressing the error sources in the algorithm. The developed weed detection and image processing algorithm provides a novel method to identify plants against soil background under the uncontrolled outdoor illuminations, and to differentiate weeds from crop plants. Thus, the proposed new machine vision and processing algorithm may be useful for outdoor applications including plant specific direct applications (PSDA). PMID:22163954

Technical variables in high-throughput miRNA expression profiling: much work remains to be done.

PubMed

Nelson, Peter T; Wang, Wang-Xia; Wilfred, Bernard R; Tang, Guiliang

2008-11-01

MicroRNA (miRNA) gene expression profiling has provided important insights into plant and animal biology. However, there has not been ample published work about pitfalls associated with technical parameters in miRNA gene expression profiling. One source of pertinent information about technical variables in gene expression profiling is the separate and more well-established literature regarding mRNA expression profiling. However, many aspects of miRNA biochemistry are unique. For example, the cellular processing and compartmentation of miRNAs, the differential stability of specific miRNAs, and aspects of global miRNA expression regulation require specific consideration. Additional possible sources of systematic bias in miRNA expression studies include the differential impact of pre-analytical variables, substrate specificity of nucleic acid processing enzymes used in labeling and amplification, and issues regarding new miRNA discovery and annotation. We conclude that greater focus on technical parameters is required to bolster the validity, reliability, and cultural credibility of miRNA gene expression profiling studies.

Mobilization of interactions between functional diversity of plant and soil organisms on nitrogen availability and use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drut, Baptiste; Cassagne, Nathalie; Cannavacciuolo, Mario; Brauman, Alain; Le Floch, Gaëtan; Cobo, Jose; Fustec, Joëlle

2017-04-01

Keywords: legumes, earthworms, microorganisms, nitrogen, interactions Both aboveground and belowground biodiversity and their interactions can play an important role in crop productivity. Plant functional diversity, such as legume based intercrops have been shown to improve yields through plant complementarity for nitrogen use (Corre-Hellou et al., 2006). Moreover, plant species or plant genotype may influence the structure of soil microorganism communities through the composition of rhizodeposits in the rhizosphere (Dennis et al., 2010). Belowground diversity can also positively influence plant performance especially related to functional dissimilarity between soil organisms (Eisenhauer, 2012). Earthworms through their burrowing activity influence soil microbial decomposers and nutrient availability and have thus been reported to increase plant growth (Brown, 1995; Brown et al., 2004). We hypothesize that i) plant functional (genetic and/or specific) diversity associated to functional earthworms diversity are key drivers of interactions balance to improve crop performances and ii) the improvement of plant performances can be related to change in the structure of soil microorganism communities due to the diversity of rhizodeposits and the burrowing activity of earthworms. In a first mesocosm experiment, we investigated the effect of a gradient of plant diversity - one cultivar of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), 3 different wheat cultivars, and 3 different cultivars intercropped with clover (Trifolium hybridum L.) - and the presence of one (endogeic) or two (endogeic and anecic) categories of earthworms on biomass and nitrogen accumulation of wheat. In a second mesocosm experiment, we investigated the influence of three species with different rhizodeposition - wheat, rapeseed (Brassica napus L. ) and faba bean (Vicia faba L.) in pure stand or intercropped - and the presence of endogeic earthworms on microbial activity and nitrogen availability. In the first experiment, biomass and nitrogen accumulation of wheat were improved in the presence of earthworms and clover. No effect of a plant genetic diversity was shown on crop performances. Furthermore, the influence of earthworms on bacterial diversity depended on plant diversity. In the second experiment, the specific composition of plant and earthworm presence modified the physiological profiles of rhizospheric microorganism communities (Microresp®) and nitrification potential. In the presence of faba-bean, microorganism activity was consistently increased and earthworms tended to decrease C:N ratio in the rhizospheric soil. These results confirm the interest of legume based intercrops for the complementarity in nitrogen use thanks to biological fixation. This study showed the influence of earthworms on plant nitrogen acquisition by stimulating microorganism activity and nutrient availability around the roots. We also highlighted a synergistic effect between the presence of legume and endogeic earthworms for higher plant performances. We finally hypothesized that the combined effect of rhizodeposit diversity related to plant specific composition and soil chemical properties modified by earthworm activity drives the structure and activity of microorganism communities. Brown, G.G., 1995. How do earthworms affect microfloral and faunal community diversity? Plant and Soil 170, 209-231. Brown, G.G., Edwards, C.A., Brussaard, L., 2004. How earthworms affect plant growth: burrowing into the mechanisms. Earthworm ecology 2, 13-49. Corre-Hellou, G., Fustec, J., Crozat, Y., 2006. Interspecific competition for soil N and its interaction with N2 fixation, leaf expansion and crop growth in pea-barley intercrops. Plant and Soil 282, 195-208. Dennis, P.G., Miller, A.J., Hirsch, P.R., 2010. Are root exudates more important than other sources of rhizodeposits in structuring rhizosphere bacterial communities? FEMS Microbiology Ecology 72, 313-327. Eisenhauer, N., 2012. Aboveground-belowground interactions as a source of complementarity effects in biodiversity experiments. Plant and Soil 351, 1-22.

40 CFR 62.8351 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... (5) Northeast Chemical Company in New Hanover County. (b) There are no oleum plants. (c) There are no... Sulfuric Acid Mist from Existing Sulfuric Acid Plants § 62.8351 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing facilities at the following sulfuric acid plants: (a) Sulfur-burning plants operated by...

40 CFR 62.8351 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... (5) Northeast Chemical Company in New Hanover County. (b) There are no oleum plants. (c) There are no... Sulfuric Acid Mist from Existing Sulfuric Acid Plants § 62.8351 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing facilities at the following sulfuric acid plants: (a) Sulfur-burning plants operated by...

40 CFR 62.8351 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... (5) Northeast Chemical Company in New Hanover County. (b) There are no oleum plants. (c) There are no... Sulfuric Acid Mist from Existing Sulfuric Acid Plants § 62.8351 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing facilities at the following sulfuric acid plants: (a) Sulfur-burning plants operated by...

40 CFR 62.8351 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... (5) Northeast Chemical Company in New Hanover County. (b) There are no oleum plants. (c) There are no... Sulfuric Acid Mist from Existing Sulfuric Acid Plants § 62.8351 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing facilities at the following sulfuric acid plants: (a) Sulfur-burning plants operated by...

40 CFR 62.8351 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... (5) Northeast Chemical Company in New Hanover County. (b) There are no oleum plants. (c) There are no... Sulfuric Acid Mist from Existing Sulfuric Acid Plants § 62.8351 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing facilities at the following sulfuric acid plants: (a) Sulfur-burning plants operated by...

Identification of specific sources of airborne particles emitted from within a complex industrial (steelworks) site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beddows, D. C. S.; Harrison, Roy M.

2018-06-01

A case study is provided of the development and application of methods to identify and quantify specific sources of emissions from within a large complex industrial site. Methods include directional analysis of concentrations, chemical source tracers and correlations with gaseous emissions. Extensive measurements of PM10, PM2.5, trace gases, particulate elements and single particle mass spectra were made at sites around the Port Talbot steelworks in 2012. By using wind direction data in conjunction with real-time or hourly-average pollutant concentration measurements, it has been possible to locate areas within the steelworks associated with enhanced pollutant emissions. Directional analysis highlights the Slag Handling area of the works as the most substantial source of elevated PM10 concentrations during the measurement period. Chemical analyses of air sampled from relevant wind directions is consistent with the anticipated composition of slags, as are single particle mass spectra. Elevated concentrations of PM10 are related to inverse distance from the Slag Handling area, and concentrations increase with increased wind speed, consistent with a wind-driven resuspension source. There also appears to be a lesser source associated with Sinter Plant emissions affecting PM10 concentrations at the Fire Station monitoring site. The results are compared with a ME2 study using some of the same data, and shown to give a clearer view of the location and characteristics of emission sources, including fugitive dusts.

Association of Animal and Plant Protein Intake With All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality.

PubMed

Song, Mingyang; Fung, Teresa T; Hu, Frank B; Willett, Walter C; Longo, Valter D; Chan, Andrew T; Giovannucci, Edward L

2016-10-01

Defining what represents a macronutritionally balanced diet remains an open question and a high priority in nutrition research. Although the amount of protein may have specific effects, from a broader dietary perspective, the choice of protein sources will inevitably influence other components of diet and may be a critical determinant for the health outcome. To examine the associations of animal and plant protein intake with the risk for mortality. This prospective cohort study of US health care professionals included 131 342 participants from the Nurses' Health Study (1980 to end of follow-up on June 1, 2012) and Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986 to end of follow-up on January 31, 2012). Animal and plant protein intake was assessed by regularly updated validated food frequency questionnaires. Data were analyzed from June 20, 2014, to January 18, 2016. Hazard ratios (HRs) for all-cause and cause-specific mortality. Of the 131 342 participants, 85 013 were women (64.7%) and 46 329 were men (35.3%) (mean [SD] age, 49 [9] years). The median protein intake, as assessed by percentage of energy, was 14% for animal protein (5th-95th percentile, 9%-22%) and 4% for plant protein (5th-95th percentile, 2%-6%). After adjusting for major lifestyle and dietary risk factors, animal protein intake was not associated with all-cause mortality (HR, 1.02 per 10% energy increment; 95% CI, 0.98-1.05; P for trend = .33) but was associated with higher cardiovascular mortality (HR, 1.08 per 10% energy increment; 95% CI, 1.01-1.16; P for trend = .04). Plant protein was associated with lower all-cause mortality (HR, 0.90 per 3% energy increment; 95% CI, 0.86-0.95; P for trend < .001) and cardiovascular mortality (HR, 0.88 per 3% energy increment; 95% CI, 0.80-0.97; P for trend = .007). These associations were confined to participants with at least 1 unhealthy lifestyle factor based on smoking, heavy alcohol intake, overweight or obesity, and physical inactivity, but not evident among those without any of these risk factors. Replacing animal protein of various origins with plant protein was associated with lower mortality. In particular, the HRs for all-cause mortality were 0.66 (95% CI, 0.59-0.75) when 3% of energy from plant protein was substituted for an equivalent amount of protein from processed red meat, 0.88 (95% CI, 0.84-0.92) from unprocessed red meat, and 0.81 (95% CI, 0.75-0.88) from egg. High animal protein intake was positively associated with cardiovascular mortality and high plant protein intake was inversely associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, especially among individuals with at least 1 lifestyle risk factor. Substitution of plant protein for animal protein, especially that from processed red meat, was associated with lower mortality, suggesting the importance of protein source.

Animal and plant protein intake and all-cause and cause-specific mortality: results from two prospective US cohort studies

PubMed Central

Song, Mingyang; Fung, Teresa T.; Hu, Frank B.; Willett, Walter C.; Longo, Valter; Chan, Andrew T.; Giovannucci, Edward L.

2016-01-01

Importance Defining what represents a macronutritionally balanced diet remains an open question and a high priority in nutrition research. Although the amount of protein may have specific effects, from a broader dietary perspective, the choice of protein sources will inevitably influence other components of diet and may be a critical determinant for the health outcome. Objective To examine the associations of animal and plant protein intake with risk of mortality Design Prospective cohort study Setting Health professionals in the United States Participants 85,013 women and 46,329 men from the Nurses’ Health Study (1980–2012) and Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986–2012) Exposure Animal and plant protein intake as assessed by regularly updated validated food questionnaires Main outcomes and measures Hazard ratio (HR) of mortality Results The median intake, as assessed by percentage of energy, was 14% for animal protein (5th–95th percentile: 9–22%) and 4% for plant protein (2–6%). After adjusting for major lifestyle and dietary risk factors, animal protein intake was weakly associated with higher mortality, particularly cardiovascular mortality (HR=1.08 per 10%-energy increment, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01–1.16, Ptrend=0.04), whereas plant protein was associated with lower mortality (HR=0.90 per 3%-energy increment, 95% CI, 0.86–0.95, Ptrend<0.001). These associations were confined to participants with at least one of the unhealthy lifestyle factors based on smoking, heavy alcohol drinking, overweight or obesity, and physical inactivity, but not evident among those without any of these risk factors (Pinteraction<0.001). Replacing animal protein of various origins with plant protein was associated with lower mortality. In particular, the HRs (95% CI) of all-cause mortality were 0.66 (0.59–0.75) when 3% of energy from plant protein was substituted for an equivalent amount of protein from processed red meat, 0.88 (0.84–0.92) from unprocessed red meat, and 0.81 (0.75–0.88) from eggs. Conclusions and relevance Higher animal protein intake was positively, whereas plant protein was inversely, associated with mortality, especially among individuals with at least one lifestyle risk factors. Substitution of plant protein for animal protein, especially from processed red meat, was associated with lower mortality, suggesting the importance of protein source. PMID:27479196

Development and application of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for specific detection of mangiferin content in various cultivars of Mangifera indica leaves using anti-mangiferin polyclonal antibody.

PubMed

Yusakul, Gorawit; Kitirattrakarn, Wongsathorn; Tanwanichkul, Narunat; Tanaka, Hiroyuki; Putalun, Waraporn

2012-04-01

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for determining mangiferin content in plant samples using a polyclonal antibody (PAb) against mangiferin. The developed ELISA showed a full measurement range from 0.12 to 31.25 μg/mL mangiferin with a relative standard deviation (RSD) less than 6% for both intra- and interassay precision levels. The accuracy was determined by a percent recovery experiment at three concentration levels and it showed 97.8%-103.7% recovery in Mangifera indica leaf samples. The developed ELISA exhibited a high correlation value (R² = 0.992) with the standard high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method in various mangiferin-containing plant samples. Our results suggest that the validated ELISA methodology using a PAb against mangiferin can be applied to determine mangiferin content with high specificity, rapidity and simplicity in various mangiferin-containing plant samples. The mangiferin content in the mature leaves of fifty M. indica cultivars were determined using the developed ELISA. The mangiferin contents ranged from 1.94 ± 0.13% to 13.79 ± 0.84% dry wt. The Thawai cultivar leaves contained the highest level of mangiferin (13.79 ± 0.84% dry wt), but it is a rare cultivar. The Namdokmai, which is more commonly cultivated in Thailand, contain 12.41 ± 0.60% dry wt mangiferin; therefore, this cultivar leaf was recommended as the source of raw material for the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmetic product industries. Currently, natural heath products are accepted worldwide for healthcare. Mangiferin-containing plants and products exhibit health benefits against oxidative stress-related diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, dyslipidemia and diabetes. We have developed an ELISA with high specificity, rapidity and simplicity for the quality control of mangiferin-derived product production. Moreover, we found that the Namdokmai leaf, a Thai M. indica cultivar, was recommended as the source of raw material for the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmetic product industry because of its high mangiferin content and natural prevalence. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

Plant methyl salicylate induces defense responses in the rhizobacterium Bacillus subtilis.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Kazuo

2015-04-01

Bacillus subtilis is a rhizobacterium that promotes plant growth and health. Cultivation of B. subtilis with an uprooted weed on solid medium produced pleat-like architectures on colonies near the plant. To test whether plants emit signals that affect B. subtilis colony morphology, we examined the effect of plant-related compounds on colony morphology. Bacillus subtilis formed mucoid colonies specifically in response to methyl salicylate, which is a plant-defense signal released in response to pathogen infection. Methyl salicylate induced mucoid colony formation by stimulating poly-γ-glutamic acid biosynthesis, which formed enclosing capsules that protected the cells from exposure to antimicrobial compounds. Poly-γ-glutamic acid synthesis depended on the DegS-DegU two-component regulatory system, which activated DegSU-dependent gene transcription in response to methyl salicylate. Bacillus subtilis did not induce plant methyl salicylate production, indicating that the most probable source of methyl salicylate in the rhizosphere is pathogen-infected plants. Methyl salicylate induced B. subtilis biosynthesis of the antibiotics bacilysin and fengycin, the latter of which exhibited inhibitory activity against the plant pathogenic fungus Fusarium oxysporum. We propose that B. subtilis may sense plants under pathogen attack via methyl salicylate, and express defense responses that protect both B. subtilis and host plants in the rhizosphere. © 2014 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Growth rates of rhizosphere microorganisms depend on competitive abilities of plants for nitrogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blagodatskaya, Evgenia; Littschwager, Johanna; Lauerer, Marianna; Kuzyakov, Yakov

2010-05-01

Rhizosphere - one of the most important ‘hot spots' in soil - is characterized not only by accelerated turnover of microbial biomass and nutrients but also by strong intra- and inter-specific competition. Intra-specific competition occurs between individual plants of the same species, while inter-specific competition can occur both at population level (plant species-specific, microbial species-specific interactions) and at community level (plant - microbial interactions). Such plant - microbial interactions are mainly governed by competition for available N sources, since N is one of the main growth limiting nutrients in natural ecosystems. Functional structure and activity of microbial community in rhizosphere is not uniform and is dependent on quantity and quality of root exudates which are plant specific. It is still unclear how microbial growth and turnover in the rhizosphere are dependent on the features and competitive abilities of plants for N. Depending on C and N availability, acceleration and even retardation of microbial activity and carbon mineralization can be expected in the rhizosphere of plants with high competitive abilities for N. We hypothesized slower microbial growth rates in the rhizosphere of plants with smaller roots, as they usually produce less exudates compared to plants with small shoot-to-root ratio. As the first hypothesis is based solely on C availability, we also expected the greater effect of N availability on microbial growth in rhizosphere of plants with smaller root mass. These hypothesis were tested for two plant species of strawberry: Fragaria vesca L. (native species), and Duchesnea indica (Andrews) Focke (an invasive plant in central Europe) growing in intraspecific and interspecific competition. Microbial biomass and the kinetic parameters of microbial growth in the rhizosphere were estimated by dynamics of CO2 emission from the soil amended with glucose and nutrients. Specific growth rate (µ) of soil microorganisms was estimated by fitting the parameters of the equation: CO2(t) = A + B × exp(µ×t), to the measured CO2 production rate (CO2(t)) after glucose addition, where A is the initial respiration rate uncoupled from ATP production, B the initial rate of the growing fraction of total respiration coupled with ATP generation and cell growth, and t time. Our study revealed the linkage between growth strategies of rhizosphere microorganisms and different adaptation strategies of F. vesca and D. indica to N limitation. Plant - strong competitor for N (D. indica) did not change root mass under N limitation causing the deficit of N in the rhizosphere and altering the structure of rhizosphere microbial community. Benefiting of slow growing microorganisms with K-strategy under N limiting conditions was indicated by strong decrease in specific microbial growth rates in the rhizosphere of D. indica. Root mass of the plant with weak competitive abilities for N (F. vesca) increased under lack of N to compensate the lack of nutrients. The increase in root mass and possible increase in amount of root exudates coincided with no structural changes in microbial community in rhizosphere of F. vesca. By intraspecific competition at low N level a 2.4-fold slower microbial specific growth rates were observed under D. indica (0.09 h-1) characterized by smaller root biomass and lower N content in roots compared with F. vesca. The generation time of actively growing microbial biomass was for the 6 hours longer in rhizosphere of D. indica than under F. vesca (10.7 to 4.6 h, respectively). Thus, under N limitation the strong competition for N between plant and microorganisms decreased microbial growth rates and carbon turnover in rhizosphere. By interspecific competition of both plants at low N level, microbial growth rates were similar to those for D. indica indicating that plant with stronger competitive abilities for N controls microbial community in the rhizosphere. At high N availability the root biomass did not differ significantly between both plants. This resulted in similar microbial growth rates for intra- and interspecific plant competition. Since high N level smoothed the differences between plant species in root and microbial biomass as well as in microbial growth rates, we conclude that competitive abilities of plant species were responsible for microbial growth in rhizosphere only under N imitation. As it is common that fine root proliferation and root exudation decrease at high N level, N addition smoothed the differences in microbial growth independently on plant competitive abilities.

Short-term consumption of a plant protein diet does not improve glucose homeostasis of young C57BL/6J mice.

PubMed

Lamming, Dudley W; Baar, Emma L; Arriola Apelo, Sebastian I; Tosti, Valeria; Fontana, Luigi

2017-12-07

Recently, it has become apparent that dietary macronutrient composition has a profound impact on metabolism, health and even lifespan. Work from many laboratories now suggest that dietary protein quality - the precise amino acid composition of the diet, as well as possibly the source of dietary protein - may also be critical in regulating the impact of diet on health. Perhaps in part due to the naturally low methionine content of plants, vegan diets are associated with a decreased risk of diabetes and improved insulin sensitivity, but this association is confounded by the lower overall protein intake of vegans. Here, we test the effect of consuming isocaloric rodent diets with similar amino acid profiles derived from either plant protein or dairy protein. We find that male C57BL/6J mice consuming either diet have similar glycemic control, as assessed by glucose, insulin, and pyruvate tolerance tests, and have similar overall body composition. We conclude that short-term feeding of plant protein has no positive or negative effect on the metabolic health of young male C57BL/6J mice, and suggest that dietary interventions that alter either dietary protein levels or the levels of specific essential amino acids are more likely to improve metabolic health than alterations in dietary protein source.

Short-term consumption of a plant protein diet does not improve glucose homeostasis of young C57BL/6J mice

PubMed Central

Lamming, Dudley W.; Baar, Emma L.; Arriola Apelo, Sebastian I.; Tosti, Valeria; Fontana, Luigi

2017-01-01

Recently, it has become apparent that dietary macronutrient composition has a profound impact on metabolism, health and even lifespan. Work from many laboratories now suggest that dietary protein quality – the precise amino acid composition of the diet, as well as possibly the source of dietary protein – may also be critical in regulating the impact of diet on health. Perhaps in part due to the naturally low methionine content of plants, vegan diets are associated with a decreased risk of diabetes and improved insulin sensitivity, but this association is confounded by the lower overall protein intake of vegans. Here, we test the effect of consuming isocaloric rodent diets with similar amino acid profiles derived from either plant protein or dairy protein. We find that male C57BL/6J mice consuming either diet have similar glycemic control, as assessed by glucose, insulin, and pyruvate tolerance tests, and have similar overall body composition. We conclude that short-term feeding of plant protein has no positive or negative effect on the metabolic health of young male C57BL/6J mice, and suggest that dietary interventions that alter either dietary protein levels or the levels of specific essential amino acids are more likely to improve metabolic health than alterations in dietary protein source. PMID:29276793

Structural and functional characterization of the protein kinase Mps1 in Arabidopsis thaliana.

PubMed

de Oliveira, Eduardo Alves Gamosa; Romeiro, Nelilma Correia; Ribeiro, Elane da Silva; Santa-Catarina, Claudete; Oliveira, Antônia Elenir Amâncio; Silveira, Vanildo; de Souza Filho, Gonçalo Apolinário; Venancio, Thiago Motta; Cruz, Marco Antônio Lopes

2012-01-01

In eukaryotes, protein kinases catalyze the transfer of a gamma-phosphate from ATP (or GTP) to specific amino acids in protein targets. In plants, protein kinases have been shown to participate in signaling cascades driving responses to environmental stimuli and developmental processes. Plant meristems are undifferentiated tissues that provide the major source of cells that will form organs throughout development. However, non-dividing specialized cells can also dedifferentiate and re-initiate cell division if exposed to appropriate conditions. Mps1 (Monopolar spindle) is a dual-specificity protein kinase that plays a critical role in monitoring the accuracy of chromosome segregation in the mitotic checkpoint mechanism. Although Mps1 functions have been clearly demonstrated in animals and fungi, its role in plants is so far unclear. Here, using structural and biochemical analyses here we show that Mps1 has highly similar homologs in many plant genomes across distinct lineages (e.g. AtMps1 in Arabidopsis thaliana). Several structural features (i.e. catalytic site, DFG motif and threonine triad) are clearly conserved in plant Mps1 kinases. Structural and sequence analysis also suggest that AtMps1 interact with other cell cycle proteins, such as Mad2 and MAPK1. By using a very specific Mps1 inhibitor (SP600125) we show that compromised AtMps1 activity hampers the development of A. thaliana seedlings in a dose-dependent manner, especially in secondary roots. Moreover, concomitant administration of the auxin IAA neutralizes the AtMps1 inhibition phenotype, allowing secondary root development. These observations let us to hypothesize that AtMps1 might be a downstream regulator of IAA signaling in the formation of secondary roots. Our results indicate that Mps1 might be a universal component of the Spindle Assembly Checkpoint machinery across very distant lineages of eukaryotes.

Functional Dissection of Sugar Signals Affecting Gene Expression in Arabidopsis thaliana

PubMed Central

Kunz, Sabine; Pesquet, Edouard; Kleczkowski, Leszek A.

2014-01-01

Background Sugars modulate expression of hundreds of genes in plants. Previous studies on sugar signaling, using intact plants or plant tissues, were hampered by tissue heterogeneity, uneven sugar transport and/or inter-conversions of the applied sugars. This, in turn, could obscure the identity of a specific sugar that acts as a signal affecting expression of given gene in a given tissue or cell-type. Methodology/Principal Findings To bypass those biases, we have developed a novel biological system, based on stem-cell-like Arabidopsis suspension culture. The cells were grown in a hormone-free medium and were sustained on xylose as the only carbon source. Using functional genomics we have identified 290 sugar responsive genes, responding rapidly (within 1 h) and specifically to low concentration (1 mM) of glucose, fructose and/or sucrose. For selected genes, the true nature of the signaling sugar molecules and sites of sugar perception were further clarified using non-metabolizable sugar analogues. Using both transgenic and wild-type A. thaliana seedlings, it was shown that the expression of selected sugar-responsive genes was not restricted to a specific tissue or cell type and responded to photoperiod-related changes in sugar availability. This suggested that sugar-responsiveness of genes identified in the cell culture system was not biased toward heterotrophic background and resembled that in whole plants. Conclusions Altogether, our research strategy, using a combination of cell culture and whole plants, has provided an unequivocal evidence for the identity of sugar-responsive genes and the identity of the sugar signaling molecules, independently from their inter-conversions or use for energy metabolism. PMID:24950222

Local sources of black walnut recommended for planting in Maryland

Treesearch

Silas Little; Calvin F. Bey; Daniel McConaughy

1974-01-01

After 5 years, local black walnut seedlings were taller than those of 12 out-of-state sources in a Maryland planting. Seedlings from south-of-local sources out grew trees from northern sources. Genetic influence on height was expressed early--with little change in ranking of sources after the third year.

Photosynthesis-related quantities for education and modeling.

PubMed

Antal, Taras K; Kovalenko, Ilya B; Rubin, Andrew B; Tyystjärvi, Esa

2013-11-01

A quantitative understanding of the photosynthetic machinery depends largely on quantities, such as concentrations, sizes, absorption wavelengths, redox potentials, and rate constants. The present contribution is a collection of numbers and quantities related mainly to photosynthesis in higher plants. All numbers are taken directly from a literature or database source and the corresponding reference is provided. The numerical values, presented in this paper, provide ranges of values, obtained in specific experiments for specific organisms. However, the presented numbers can be useful for understanding the principles of structure and function of photosynthetic machinery and for guidance of future research.

A Phytoremediation Strategy for Arsenic

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

Meagher, Richard B.

A Phytoremediation Strategy for Arsenic Progress Report May, 2005 Richard B. Meagher Principal Investigator Arsenic pollution affects the health of several hundred millions of people world wide, and an estimated 10 million Americans have unsafe levels of arsenic in their drinking water. However, few environmentally sound remedies for cleaning up arsenic contaminated soil and water have been proposed. Phytoremediation, the use of plants to extract and sequester environmental pollutants, is one new technology that offers an ecologically sound solution to a devastating problem. We propose that it is less disruptive to the environment to harvest and dispose of several thousandmore » pounds per acre of contaminated aboveground plant material, than to excavate and dispose of 1 to 5 million pounds of contaminated soil per acre (assumes contamination runs 3 ft deep). Our objective is to develop a genetics-based phytoremediation strategy for arsenic removal that can be used in any plant species. This strategy requires the enhanced expression of several transgenes from diverse sources. Our working hypothesis is that organ-specific expression of several genes controlling the transport, electrochemical state, and binding of arsenic will result in the efficient extraction and hyperaccumulation of arsenic into aboveground plant tissues. This hypothesis is supported by theoretical arguments and strong preliminary data. We proposed six Specific Aims focused on testing and developing this arsenic phytoremediation strategy. During the first 18 months of the grant we made significant progress on five Specific Aims and began work on the sixth as summarized below. Specific Aim 1: Enhance plant arsenic resistance and greatly expand sinks for arsenite by expressing elevated levels of thiol-rich, arsenic-binding peptides. Hyperaccumulation of arsenic depends upon making plants that are both highly tolerant to arsenic and that have the capacity to store large amounts of arsenic aboveground. Phytochelatins bind diverse thiol-reactive elements like As(III) and are synthesized from amino acids in a three-step enzymatic pathway utilizing three enzymes: ECS = gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase; GS = GSH synthetase; and PS = phytochelatin synthase. We cloned each of the genes that encode these enzymes and used at least two different plant promoters to express them in transgenic Arabidopsis. We have shown that all three confer significant resistance to arsenic and allow rapid growth on a concentration of arsenic (300 micromolar) that kills wild-type seeds and plants.« less

Assessment of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans contribution from different media to surrounding duck farms.

PubMed

Lee, Wen-Jhy; Shih, Shun-I; Li, Hsing-Wang; Lin, Long-Full; Yu, Kuei-Min; Lu, Kueiwan; Wang, Lin-Chi; Chang-Chien, Guo-Ping; Fang, Kenneth; Lin, Mark

2009-04-30

Since the "Toxic Egg Event" broke out in central Taiwan, the possible sources of the high content of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in eggs have been a serious concern. In this study, the PCDD/F contents in different media (feed, soil and ambient air) were measured. Evaluation of the impact from electric arc furnace dust treatment plant (abbreviated as EAFDT plant), which is site-specific to the "Toxic Egg Event", on the duck total-PCDD/F daily intake was conducted by both Industrial Source Complex Short Term model (ISCST) and dry and wet deposition models. After different scenario simulations, the worst case was at farm A and at 200 g feed and 5 g soil for duck intake, and the highest PCDD/F contributions from the feed, original soil and stack flue gas were 44.92, 47.81, and 6.58%, respectively. Considering different uncertainty factors, such as the flow rate variation of stack flue gas and errors from modelling and measurement, the PCDD/F contribution fraction from the stack flue gas of EAFDT plant may increase up to twice as that for the worst case (6.58%) and become 13.2%, which was still much lower than that from the total contribution fraction (86.8%) of both feed and original soil. Fly ashes contained purposely in duck feed by the farmers was a potential major source for the duck daily intake. While the impact from EAFDT plant has been proven very minor, the PCDD/F content in the feed and soil, which was contaminated by illegal fly ash landfills, requires more attention.

Improving Energy Efficiency for the Vehicle Assembly Industry: A Discrete Event Simulation Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oumer, Abduaziz; Mekbib Atnaw, Samson; Kie Cheng, Jack; Singh, Lakveer

2016-11-01

This paper presented a Discrete Event Simulation (DES) model for investigating and improving energy efficiency in vehicle assembly line. The car manufacturing industry is one of the highest energy consuming industries. Using Rockwell Arena DES package; a detailed model was constructed for an actual vehicle assembly plant. The sources of energy considered in this research are electricity and fuel; which are the two main types of energy sources used in a typical vehicle assembly plant. The model depicts the performance measurement for process- specific energy measures of painting, welding, and assembling processes. Sound energy efficiency model within this industry has two-fold advantage: reducing CO2 emission and cost reduction associated with fuel and electricity consumption. The paper starts with an overview of challenges in energy consumption within the facilities of automotive assembly line and highlights the parameters for energy efficiency. The results of the simulation model indicated improvements for energy saving objectives and reduced costs.

Light-emitting diodes as a radiation source for plants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bula, R. J.; Morrow, R. C.; Tibbitts, T. W.; Barta, D. J.; Ignatius, R. W.; Martin, T. S.

1991-01-01

Development of a more effective radiation source for use in plant-growing facilities would be of significant benefit for both research and commercial crop production applications. An array of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that produce red radiation, supplemented with a photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) of 30 micromoles s-1 m-2 in the 400- to 500-nm spectral range from blue fluorescent lamps, was used effectively as a radiation source for growing plants. Growth of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. Grand Rapids') plants maintained under the LED irradiation system at a total PPF of 325 micromoles s-1 m-2 for 21 days was equivalent to that reported in the literature for plants grown for the same time under cool-white fluorescent and incandescent radiation sources. Characteristics of the plants, such as leaf shape, color, and texture, were not different from those found with plants grown under cool-white fluorescent lamps. Estimations of the electrical energy conversion efficiency of a LED system for plant irradiation suggest that it may be as much as twice that published for fluorescent systems.

Plant proteases for bioactive peptides release: A review.

PubMed

Mazorra-Manzano, M A; Ramírez-Suarez, J C; Yada, R Y

2017-04-10

Proteins are a potential source of health-promoting biomolecules with medical, nutraceutical, and food applications. Nowadays, bioactive peptides production, its isolation, characterization, and strategies for its delivery to target sites are a matter of intensive research. In vitro and in vivo studies regarding the bioactivity of peptides has generated strong evidence of their health benefits. Dairy proteins are considered the richest source of bioactive peptides, however proteins from animal and vegetable origin also have been shown to be important sources. Enzymatic hydrolysis has been the process most commonly used for bioactive peptide production. Most commercial enzymatic preparations frequently used are from animal (e.g., trypsin and pepsin) and microbial (e.g., Alcalase® and Neutrase®) sources. Although the use of plant proteases is still relatively limited to papain and bromelain from papaya and pineapple, respectively, the application of new plant proteases is increasing. This review presents the latest knowledge in the use and diversity of plant proteases for bioactive peptides release from food proteins including both available commercial plant proteases as well as new potential plant sources. Furthermore, the properties of peptides released by plant proteases and health benefits associated in the control of disorders such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and cancer are reviewed.

A Design of a Modular GPHS-Stirling Power System for a Lunar Habitation Module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmitz, Paul C.; Penswick, L. Barry; Shaltens, Richard K.

2005-01-01

Lunar habitation modules need electricity and potentially heat to operate. Because of the low amounts of radiation emitted by General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS) modules, power plants incorporating these as heat sources could be placed in close proximity to habitation modules. A design concept is discussed for a high efficiency power plant based on a GPHS assembly integrated with a Stirling convertor. This system could provide both electrical power and heat, if required, for a lunar habitation module. The conceptual GPHS/Stirling system is modular in nature and made up of a basic 5.5 KWe Stirling convertor/GPHS module assembly, convertor controller/PMAD electronics, waste heat radiators, and associated thermal insulation. For the specific lunar application under investigation eight modules are employed to deliver 40 KWe to the habitation module. This design looks at three levels of Stirling convertor technology and addresses the issues of integrating the Stirling convertors with the GPHS heat sources assembly using proven technology whenever possible. In addition, issues related to the high-temperature heat transport system, power management, convertor control, vibration isolation, and potential system packaging configurations to ensure safe operation during all phases of deployment will be discussed.

Vitamin B12-Containing Plant Food Sources for Vegetarians

PubMed Central

Watanabe, Fumio; Yabuta, Yukinori; Bito, Tomohiro; Teng, Fei

2014-01-01

The usual dietary sources of Vitamin B12 are animal-derived foods, although a few plant-based foods contain substantial amounts of Vitamin B12. To prevent Vitamin B12 deficiency in high-risk populations such as vegetarians, it is necessary to identify plant-derived foods that contain high levels of Vitamin B12. A survey of naturally occurring plant-derived food sources with high Vitamin B12 contents suggested that dried purple laver (nori) is the most suitable Vitamin B12 source presently available for vegetarians. Furthermore, dried purple laver also contains high levels of other nutrients that are lacking in vegetarian diets, such as iron and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Dried purple laver is a natural plant product and it is suitable for most people in various vegetarian groups. PMID:24803097

Characterising the muscle anabolic potential of dairy, meat and plant-based protein sources in older adults.

PubMed

Gorissen, Stefan H M; Witard, Oliver C

2018-02-01

The age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and function is caused, at least in part, by a reduced muscle protein synthetic response to protein ingestion. The magnitude and duration of the postprandial muscle protein synthetic response to ingested protein is dependent on the quantity and quality of the protein consumed. This review characterises the anabolic properties of animal-derived and plant-based dietary protein sources in older adults. While approximately 60 % of dietary protein consumed worldwide is derived from plant sources, plant-based proteins generally exhibit lower digestibility, lower leucine content and deficiencies in certain essential amino acids such as lysine and methionine, which compromise the availability of a complete amino acid profile required for muscle protein synthesis. Based on currently available scientific evidence, animal-derived proteins may be considered more anabolic than plant-based protein sources. However, the production and consumption of animal-derived protein sources is associated with higher greenhouse gas emissions, while plant-based protein sources may be considered more environmentally sustainable. Theoretically, the lower anabolic capacity of plant-based proteins can be compensated for by ingesting a greater dose of protein or by combining various plant-based proteins to provide a more favourable amino acid profile. In addition, leucine co-ingestion can further augment the postprandial muscle protein synthetic response. Finally, prior exercise or n-3 fatty acid supplementation have been shown to sensitise skeletal muscle to the anabolic properties of dietary protein. Applying one or more of these strategies may support the maintenance of muscle mass with ageing when diets rich in plant-based protein are consumed.

Water use patterns of co-occurring C3 and C4 shrubs in the Gurbantonggut desert in northwestern China.

PubMed

Tiemuerbieke, Bahejiayinaer; Min, Xiao-Jun; Zang, Yong-Xin; Xing, Peng; Ma, Jian-Ying; Sun, Wei

2018-09-01

In water-limited ecosystems, spatial and temporal partitioning of water sources is an important mechanism that facilitates plant survival and lessens the competition intensity of co-existing plants. Insights into species-specific root functional plasticity and differences in the water sources of co-existing plants under changing water conditions can aid in accurate prediction of the response of desert ecosystems to future climate change. We used stable isotopes of soil water, groundwater and xylem water to determine the seasonal and inter- and intraspecific differences variations in the water sources of six C 3 and C 4 shrubs in the Gurbantonggut desert. We also measured the stem water potentials to determine the water stress levels of each species under varying water conditions. The studied shrubs exhibited similar seasonal water uptake patterns, i.e., all shrubs extracted shallow soil water recharged by snowmelt water during early spring and reverted to deeper water sources during dry summer periods, indicating that all of the studied shrubs have dimorphic root systems that enable them to obtain water sources that differ in space and time. Species in the C 4 shrub community exhibited differences in seasonal water absorption and water status due to differences in topography and rooting depth, demonstrating divergent adaptations to water availability and water stress. Haloxylon ammodendron and T. ramosissima in the C 3 /C 4 mixed community were similar in terms of seasonal water extraction but differed with respect to water potential, which indicated that plant water status is controlled by both root functioning and shoot eco-physiological traits. The two Tamarix species in the C 3 shrub community were similar in terms of water uptake and water status, which suggests functional convergence of the root system and physiological performance under same soil water conditions. In different communities, Haloxylon ammodendron differed in terms of summer water extraction, which suggests that this species exhibits plasticity with respect to rooting depth under different soil water conditions. Shrubs in the Gurbantonggut desert displayed varying adaptations across species and communities through divergent root functioning and shoot eco-physiological traits. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Foliar extracts from transgenic tomato plants expressing the structural polyprotein, P1-2A, and protease, 3C, from foot-and-mouth disease virus elicit a protective response in guinea pigs.

PubMed

Pan, Li; Zhang, Yongguang; Wang, Yonglu; Wang, Baoqin; Wang, Wenxiu; Fang, Yuzhen; Jiang, Shoutian; Lv, Jianliang; Wang, Wei; Sun, Yuan; Xie, Qingge

2008-01-15

The expression of recombinant antigens in transgenic plants is increasingly used as an alternative method of producing experimental immunogens. In this report, we describe the production of transgenic tomato plants that express the structural polyprotein, P1-2A, and protease, 3C, from foot-and-mouth disease (FMDV). P1-2A3C was inserted into the plant binary vector, pBin438, and transformed into tomato plants using Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain, GV3101. The presence of P1-2A3C was confirmed by PCR, transcription was verified by RT-PCR, and recombinant protein expression was confirmed by sandwich-ELISA and Western blot analyses. Guinea pigs immunized intramuscularly with foliar extracts from P1-2A3C-transgenic tomato plants were found to develop a virus-specific antibody response against FMDV. Vaccinated guinea pigs were fully protected against a challenge infection, while guinea pigs injected with untransformed plant extracts failed to elicit an antibody response and were not protected against challenge. These results demonstrate that transgenic tomato plants expressing the FMDV structural polyprotein, P1-2A, and the protease, 3C, can be used as a source of recombinant antigen for vaccine production.

Tracking the Sources of Fecal Contaminations: an Interdisciplinary Toolbox

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeanneau, L.; Jarde, E.; Derrien, M.; Gruau, G.; Solecki, O.; Pourcher, A.; Marti, R.; Wéry, N.; Caprais, M.; Gourmelon, M.; Mieszkin, S.; Jadas-Hécart, A.; Communal, P.

2011-12-01

Fecal contaminations of inland and coastal waters induce risks to human health and economic losses. In order to improve water management, it is necessary to identify the sources of contamination, which implies the development of specific markers. In order to be considered as a valuable host-specific marker, one must (1) be source specific, (2) occur in high concentration in polluting matrices, (3) exhibit extra-intestinal persistence similar to fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) and (4) not grow out of the host. However, up to day no single marker has fulfilled all those criteria. Thus, it has been suggested to use a combination of markers in order to generate more reliable data. This has lead to the development of a Microbial Source Tracking (MST) toolbox including FIB and microbial and chemical specific markers in order to differentiate between human, bovine and porcine fecal contaminations. Those specific markers are, (1) genotypes of F-specific RNA bacteriophages, (2) bacterial markers belonging to the Bacteroidales (human-specific HF183, ruminant-specific Rum-2-Bac and pig-specific Pig-2-Bac markers), to the Bifidobacterium (Bifidobacterium adolescentis) and pig-specific Lactobacillus amylovorus, (3) fecal stanols and (4) caffeine. The development of this MST toolbox was composed of four steps, from the molecular scale to the watershed scale. At the molecular scale, the specificity and the concentration of those markers were studied in cattle and pig manures and in waste water treatment plant (WWTP) effluents and influents. At the microcosm scale, the transfer of bovine and porcine specific markers was investigated by rainfall simulations on agricultural plots amended with cattle or pig manure. Moreover, the relative persistence of FIB and human, porcine and bovine specific markers was investigated in freshwater and seawater microcosms inoculated with a WWTP influent, pig manure and cow manure. Finally, the aforementioned MST toolbox has been validated at the catchment scale by analysing three rivers impacted by fecal contaminations. The development and the application of this MST toolbox have highlighted (1) the specificity of the aforementioned markers, (2) their conservative transfer from soils to rivers and (3) their difference of persistence in seawater and in freshwater. Those results provide useful data in order to identify and manage fecal contaminations of superficial waters. In the case of single source contaminations, the markers provide coherent information: (1) the bovine or porcine markers were not detected in a river impacted by a WWTP effluent; (2) the occurrence of Rum-2-Bac and the distribution of stanols indicated a bovine contamination in a river flowing through cattle pasture. In the case of multiple source contaminations, the combination of markers is necessary to identify the main sources and the statistical treatment of the distribution of stanols could provide an approximation of their proportion.

Distribution and sources of polychlorinated biphenyls in Woods Inlet, Lake Worth, Fort Worth, Texas, 2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

Besse, Richard E.; Van Metre, Peter C.; Wilson, Jennifer T.

2005-01-01

Woods Inlet is a flooded stream channel on the southern shore of Lake Worth along the western boundary of Air Force Plant 4 in Fort Worth, Texas, where elevated polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations in sediment were detected in a previous study. In response, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force, conducted a study in 2003 to map the extent of elevated PCB concentrations in Woods Inlet and to identify possible sources (or more specifically, source areas) of PCBs in the watershed of Woods Inlet. Three gravity cores (penetration to pre-reservoir sediment at three sites) and 17 box cores (surficial bottom sediment samples) were collected in Woods Inlet. Suspended sediment in stormwater runoff and streambed sediment were sampled in tributaries to Woods Inlet following storms. Assemblages of PCB congeners in surficial inlet sediments and suspended and streambed sediments were analyzed to indicate sources of PCBs in the inlet sediments on the basis of chemical signatures of PCBs. Woods Inlet receives runoff primarily from three tributaries: (1) Gruggs Park Creek, (2) the small unnamed creek that drains a Texas National Guard maintenance facility, called TNG Creek for this report, and (3) Meandering Road Creek. Twenty-seven of 209 possible PCB congeners were analyzed. The sum of the congeners was used as a measure of total PCB. The spatial distribution of total PCB concentrations in the inlet indicates that most PCBs are originating in the Meandering Road Creek watershed. Peak total PCB concentrations in the three gravity cores occurred at depths corresponding to sediment deposition dates of about 1960 for two of the cores and about 1980 for the third core. The magnitudes of peak total PCB concentrations in the gravity cores followed a spatial distribution generally similar to that of surficial bottom sediment concentrations. Total PCB concentrations in suspended and streambed sediment varied greatly between sites and indicated a likely source of PCBs associated with a sampling site that receives runoff from Air Force Plant 4. Three approaches to the analyses of congener assemblages indicate that PCBs in surficial bottom sediment of Woods Inlet primarily enter Lake Worth from Meandering Road Creek and that runoff from Air Force Plant 4 is a source of the PCBs in Meandering Road Creek. Although current (2003) transport of PCBs from Air Force Plant 4 to the creek is occurring, large decreases in PCB concentrations with decreasing age in two cores indicate that PCB loading to the inlet has decreased greatly since the 1960s. Because runoff entering Meandering Road Creek from some parts of Air Force Plant 4 was not measured or sampled in this study, it cannot be said with certainty that the Air Force Plant 4 site sampled is the only source of PCBs to Meandering Road Creek.

Studying the atmospheric chemistry: Statististical study of epiphyte plant Spanish Moss in Florida, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, S.; Parker, W.; Odom, L.

2003-04-01

The detrimental influence which airborne contaminants has on vegetation in many parts of the world has become of increasing interest and concern in recent years. The use of suitable plants such as epiphytes (vegetation which grows on another plant) for measuring concentrations of airborne materials provides the advantages of (a) an integration of the periodic fluctuations in amounts of these materials that occur over relatively long periods of time and (b) economy in sampling. This class of plants, which are mosses and lichens, are somewhat less dependent on their substrates and may act more purely as air indicators. The epiphytes do not derive nutrients from soil, but depend on airborne moisture and particulates for elemental sources. The way with which they absorb nutrients from these external sources gives rise to an uncommon sensitivity to the harmful effects of air pollution. Also in addition, plants of this class absorb constituents of airborne particulates which may not be directly toxic to the plant but of environmental concern to humans. In particular, trace element accumulation in epiphytic Tillandsia usneoides L. (Spanish Moss) common in Atlantic and Gulf Coastal plains has been used in air pollution studies. Recent studies have also evaluated Spanish moss as an indicator of contamination of pesticides and other organic aromatic compounds. Two hundred and six samples of Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides L.) were collected from over its geographic range in Florida for this study. The samples were analyzed for a variety of major and minor elements, and the resulting data were statistically analyzed for pertinent geochemical associations. Three statistical methods have been used on the geochemical data of Spanish moss to evaluate the nature of probable sources for each of the elements. This kind of work is being done because the exact nature and location of each specimen is unknown. So, the three different statistical methods have been used to classify or determine where the elements came in from based on the following study done by HT Shacklette and JJ Connor in 1973. The first method used, R mode Cluster Analysis (CA) in this report has resulted in some specific group of elements that tend to be coming from the same kind of sources. The Rare Earth Elements (REEs) show an excellent grouping. Their probable source maybe from samples, which had lots of intake of soil dust and rock dust. The grouping of elements Co-Pb-V-Ni-W-Ba probably is because they are all from samples collected near highway where there is a lot of automotive exhaust. Again, clustering of Zn-Sn-Mo-In-Sb probably show that they are from samples, which came from some industrial sites. Samples probably collected from and around sea beaches will have the following elements clustering together: Na-Mg-Li-B. The second method, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) in this project has resulted in a specific descriptive model of chemical variation in Spanish moss. The model appears to be mathematically adequate, in that 4 components describe nearly 64% of the total observed variation and also informative in identifying some major probable sources for the different elements analyzed. Two kinds of sources have been identified: one is natural particulates from soil and rock dust and agricultural sources &the other being technological metals from automotive exhaust and industrial output. The first two components have been labeled as "natural particulates" and the remaining as "technological metals" after Connor and Shacklette. The elements with highest loadings on first and second component are lithium, boron, sodium, magnesium, aluminum, calcium, scandium, titanium, iron, selenium, strontium, yttrium, molybdenum, indium, antimony, lanthanum, uranium and bismuth and Rare earth elements (REE) which in general have mainly agricultural and natural sources. The elements with highest loadings on third and fourth component are potassium, copper, arsenic, barium, vanadium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, rubidium, cadmium, tin, cesium, tungsten, barium, mercury and lead, mostly having industrial and automotive sources. Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA) has been used as verification to the results obtained from CA and PCA. There is some factor, which has a strong effect on some of the elements, and this factor is unidentified yet in the project. Overall, most of the elements are behaving as expected based on the earlier work of Shacklette and Connor (1973) and results from CA and PCA.

OK, thanks! A new mutualism between Chlamydomonas and methylobacteria facilitates growth on amino acids and peptides.

PubMed

Calatrava, Victoria; Hom, Erik F Y; Llamas, Ángel; Fernández, Emilio; Galván, Aurora

2018-04-01

Nitrogen is a key nutrient for land plants and phytoplankton in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The model alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii can grow efficiently on several inorganic nitrogen sources (e.g. ammonium, nitrate, nitrite) as well as many amino acids. In this study, we show that Chlamydomonas is unable to use proline, hydroxyproline and peptides that contain these amino acids. However, we discovered that algal growth on these substrates is supported in association with Methylobacterium spp., and that a mutualistic carbon-nitrogen metabolic exchange between Chlamydomonas and Methylobacterium spp. is established. Specifically, the mineralization of these amino acids and peptides by Methylobacterium spp. produces ammonium that can be assimilated by Chlamydomonas, and CO2 photosynthetically fixed by Chlamydomonas yields glycerol that can be assimilated by Methylobacterium. As Chlamydomonas is an algal ancestor to land plants and Methylobacterium is a plant growth-promoting bacterium, this new model of mutualism may facilitate insights into the ecology and evolution of plant-bacterial interactions and design principles of synthetic ecology.

Chromatographic Separation of Cd from Plants via Anion-Exchange Resin for an Isotope Determination by Multiple Collector ICP-MS.

PubMed

Wei, Rongfei; Guo, Qingjun; Wen, Hanjie; Peters, Marc; Yang, Junxing; Tian, Liyan; Han, Xiaokun

2017-01-01

In this study, key factors affecting the chromatographic separation of Cd from plants, such as the resin column, digestion and purification procedures, were experimentally investigated. A technique for separating Cd from plant samples based on single ion-exchange chromatography has been developed, which is suitable for the high-precision analysis of Cd isotopes by multiple-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS). The robustness of the technique was assessed by replicate analyses of Cd standard solutions and plant samples. The Cd yields of the whole separation process were higher than 95%, and the 114/110 Cd values of three Cd second standard solutions (Münster Cd, Spex Cd, Spex-1 Cd solutions) relative to the NIST SRM 3108 were measured accurately, which enabled the comparisons of Cd isotope results obtained in other laboratories. Hence, stable Cd isotope analyses represent a powerful tool for fingerprinting specific Cd sources and/or examining biogeochemical reactions in ecological and environmental systems.

Investigations of remote sensing techniques for early detection of Dutch elm disease

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hammerschlag, R. S.; Sopstyle, W. J.

1975-01-01

Several forms of aerial photography were pursued in quest of a technique which could provide early detection of Dutch elm disease. The two most promising techniques tested were multispectral photography with object enhancement and biband ratioing coupled with scanning microdensitometry. For practical purposes the multispectral system has the advantage of providing a readily interpretable image in a relatively short time. Laboratory studies indicated that less emphasis should be placed on the use of a red filter or the near infrared beyond 750 mm for early detection of stress within a single plant species. Color infrared film would be optimal when used for a long term detection of loss of plant vigor which results in a physical change in a plant canopy, but should find minimal practicality for early detection of specific sources of plant stress such as Dutch elm disease. Considerable discretion should be used when interpreting imagery on copy film because of loss of resolution and color definition.

Methane emissions from different coastal wetlands in New England, US

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, F.; Tang, J.; Kroeger, K. D.; Gonneea, M. E.

2017-12-01

According to the IPCC, methane have 25 times warming effect than CO2, and natural wetlands contribute 20-39 % to the global emission of methane. Although most of these methane was from inland wetlands, there was still large uncertain in the methane emissions in coastal wetlands. In the past three years, we have investigated methane emissions in coastal wetlands in MA, USA. Contrary to previous assumptions, we have observed relative larger methane flux in some salt marshes than freshwater wetlands. We further detect the methane source, and found that plant activities played an important role in methane flux, for example, the growth of S. aterniflora, the dominate plants in salt marsh, could enhance methane emission, while in an fresh water wetland that was dominated by cattail, plant activity oxided methane and reduced total flux. Phragmite, an invasive plant at brackish marsh, have the highest methane flux among all coastal wetland investigated. This study indicated that coastal wetland could still emit relatively high amount of methane even under high water salinity condiations, and plant activity played an important role in methane flux, and this role was highly species-specific.

[Plants as an alternative source of therapeutic proteins].

PubMed

Łucka, Marta; Kowalczyk, Tomasz; Szemraj, Janusz; Sakowicz, Tomasz

2015-03-22

In recent years, there has been an increased interest of researchers in developing efficient plant heterologous expression systems of proteins for a wide range of applications. It represents an alternative to the traditional strategy utilizing bacterial, yeast, insect or mammalian cells. New techniques of identification and characterization and effective methods of plant genetic transformation allow the range of recombinant protein products to be expanded. Great expectations are associated with the use of plants as bioreactors for the production of specific proteins of therapeutic interest. This strategy offers a number of advantages, the most important being: the possibility of a significant reduction in production costs, the safety of the products obtained and full eukaryotic post-translational modifications of proteins. A group of proteins of special interest is pharmaceuticals, and a number of successful experiments have confirmed the possibility of obtaining heterogeneous proteins with therapeutic potential: monoclonal antibodies, vaccine antigens, and a variety of cytokines. This work is focused on selected recombinant proteins belonging to those groups expression of which was achieved in plant cells. These proteins may be used in the future for therapy or prevention of viral, bacterial or cancer diseases.

Microgravity as a research tool to improve US agriculture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bula, R. J.; Stankovic, Bratislav

2000-01-01

Crop production and utilization are undergoing significant modifications and improvements that emanate from adaptation of recently developed plant biotechnologies. Several innovative technologies will impact US agriculture in the next century. One of these is the transfer of desirable genes from organisms to economically important crop species in a way that cannot be accomplished with traditional plant breeding techniques. Such plant genetic engineering offers opportunities to improve crop species for a number of characteristics as well as use as source materials for specific medical and industrial applications. Although plant genetic engineering is having an impact on development of new crop cultivars, several major constraints limit the application of this technology to selected crop species and genotypes. Consequently, gene transfer systems that overcome these constraints would greatly enhance development of new crop materials. If results of a recent gene transfer experiment conducted in microgravity during a Space Shuttle mission are confirmed, and with the availability of the International Space Station as a permanent space facility, commercial plant transformation activity in microgravity could become a new research tool to improve US agriculture. .

Reverse osmosis desalination: water sources, technology, and today's challenges.

PubMed

Greenlee, Lauren F; Lawler, Desmond F; Freeman, Benny D; Marrot, Benoit; Moulin, Philippe

2009-05-01

Reverse osmosis membrane technology has developed over the past 40 years to a 44% share in world desalting production capacity, and an 80% share in the total number of desalination plants installed worldwide. The use of membrane desalination has increased as materials have improved and costs have decreased. Today, reverse osmosis membranes are the leading technology for new desalination installations, and they are applied to a variety of salt water resources using tailored pretreatment and membrane system design. Two distinct branches of reverse osmosis desalination have emerged: seawater reverse osmosis and brackish water reverse osmosis. Differences between the two water sources, including foulants, salinity, waste brine (concentrate) disposal options, and plant location, have created significant differences in process development, implementation, and key technical problems. Pretreatment options are similar for both types of reverse osmosis and depend on the specific components of the water source. Both brackish water and seawater reverse osmosis (RO) will continue to be used worldwide; new technology in energy recovery and renewable energy, as well as innovative plant design, will allow greater use of desalination for inland and rural communities, while providing more affordable water for large coastal cities. A wide variety of research and general information on RO desalination is available; however, a direct comparison of seawater and brackish water RO systems is necessary to highlight similarities and differences in process development. This article brings to light key parameters of an RO process and process modifications due to feed water characteristics.

Emerging Technologies for the Production of Renewable Liquid Transport Fuels from Biomass Sources Enriched in Plant Cell Walls

PubMed Central

Tan, Hwei-Ting; Corbin, Kendall R.; Fincher, Geoffrey B.

2016-01-01

Plant cell walls are composed predominantly of cellulose, a range of non-cellulosic polysaccharides and lignin. The walls account for a large proportion not only of crop residues such as wheat straw and sugarcane bagasse, but also of residues of the timber industry and specialist grasses and other plants being grown specifically for biofuel production. The polysaccharide components of plant cell walls have long been recognized as an extraordinarily large source of fermentable sugars that might be used for the production of bioethanol and other renewable liquid transport fuels. Estimates place annual plant cellulose production from captured light energy in the order of hundreds of billions of tons. Lignin is synthesized in the same order of magnitude and, as a very large polymer of phenylpropanoid residues, lignin is also an abundant, high energy macromolecule. However, one of the major functions of these cell wall constituents in plants is to provide the extreme tensile and compressive strengths that enable plants to resist the forces of gravity and a broad range of other mechanical forces. Over millions of years these wall constituents have evolved under natural selection to generate extremely tough and resilient biomaterials. The rapid degradation of these tough cell wall composites to fermentable sugars is therefore a difficult task and has significantly slowed the development of a viable lignocellulose-based biofuels industry. However, good progress has been made in overcoming this so-called recalcitrance of lignocellulosic feedstocks for the biofuels industry, through modifications to the lignocellulose itself, innovative pre-treatments of the biomass, improved enzymes and the development of superior yeasts and other microorganisms for the fermentation process. Nevertheless, it has been argued that bioethanol might not be the best or only biofuel that can be generated from lignocellulosic biomass sources and that hydrocarbons with intrinsically higher energy densities might be produced using emerging and continuous flow systems that are capable of converting a broad range of plant and other biomasses to bio-oils through so-called ‘agnostic’ technologies such as hydrothermal liquefaction. Continued attention to regulatory frameworks and ongoing government support will be required for the next phase of development of internationally viable biofuels industries. PMID:28018390

MeRy-B: a web knowledgebase for the storage, visualization, analysis and annotation of plant NMR metabolomic profiles

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Improvements in the techniques for metabolomics analyses and growing interest in metabolomic approaches are resulting in the generation of increasing numbers of metabolomic profiles. Platforms are required for profile management, as a function of experimental design, and for metabolite identification, to facilitate the mining of the corresponding data. Various databases have been created, including organism-specific knowledgebases and analytical technique-specific spectral databases. However, there is currently no platform meeting the requirements for both profile management and metabolite identification for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments. Description MeRy-B, the first platform for plant 1H-NMR metabolomic profiles, is designed (i) to provide a knowledgebase of curated plant profiles and metabolites obtained by NMR, together with the corresponding experimental and analytical metadata, (ii) for queries and visualization of the data, (iii) to discriminate between profiles with spectrum visualization tools and statistical analysis, (iv) to facilitate compound identification. It contains lists of plant metabolites and unknown compounds, with information about experimental conditions, the factors studied and metabolite concentrations for several plant species, compiled from more than one thousand annotated NMR profiles for various organs or tissues. Conclusion MeRy-B manages all the data generated by NMR-based plant metabolomics experiments, from description of the biological source to identification of the metabolites and determinations of their concentrations. It is the first database allowing the display and overlay of NMR metabolomic profiles selected through queries on data or metadata. MeRy-B is available from http://www.cbib.u-bordeaux2.fr/MERYB/index.php. PMID:21668943

Detection of and Response to Signals Involved in Host-Microbe Interactions by Plant-Associated Bacteria

PubMed Central

Brencic, Anja; Winans, Stephen C.

2005-01-01

Diverse interactions between hosts and microbes are initiated by the detection of host-released chemical signals. Detection of these signals leads to altered patterns of gene expression that culminate in specific and adaptive changes in bacterial physiology that are required for these associations. This concept was first demonstrated for the members of the family Rhizobiaceae and was later found to apply to many other plant-associated bacteria as well as to microbes that colonize human and animal hosts. The family Rhizobiaceae includes various genera of rhizobia as well as species of Agrobacterium. Rhizobia are symbionts of legumes, which fix nitrogen within root nodules, while Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a pathogen that causes crown gall tumors on a wide variety of plants. The plant-released signals that are recognized by these bacteria are low-molecular-weight, diffusible molecules and are detected by the bacteria through specific receptor proteins. Similar phenomena are observed with other plant pathogens, including Pseudomonas syringae, Ralstonia solanacearum, and Erwinia spp., although here the signals and signal receptors are not as well defined. In some cases, nutritional conditions such as iron limitation or the lack of nitrogen sources seem to provide a significant cue. While much has been learned about the process of host detection over the past 20 years, our knowledge is far from being complete. The complex nature of the plant-microbe interactions makes it extremely challenging to gain a comprehensive picture of host detection in natural environments, and thus many signals and signal recognition systems remain to be described. PMID:15755957

Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances in wastewater: Significance of unknown precursors, manufacturing shifts, and likely AFFF impacts.

PubMed

Houtz, Erika F; Sutton, Rebecca; Park, June-Soo; Sedlak, Margaret

2016-05-15

In late 2014, wastewater effluent samples were collected from eight treatment plants that discharge to San Francisco (SF) Bay in order to assess poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) currently released from municipal and industrial sources. In addition to direct measurement of twenty specific PFAS analytes, the total concentration of perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA) precursors was also indirectly measured by adapting a previously developed oxidation assay. Effluent from six municipal treatment plants contained similar amounts of total PFASs, with highest median concentrations of PFHxA (24 ng/L), followed by PFOA (23 ng/L), PFBA (19 ng/L), and PFOS (15 ng/L). Compared to SF Bay municipal wastewater samples collected in 2009, the short chain perfluorinated carboxylates PFBA and PFHxA rose significantly in concentration. Effluent samples from two treatment plants contained much higher levels of PFASs: over two samplings, wastewater from one municipal plant contained an average of 420 ng/L PFOS and wastewater from an airport industrial treatment plant contained 560 ng/L PFOS, 390 ng/L 6:2 FtS, 570 ng/L PFPeA, and 500 ng/L PFHxA. The elevated levels observed in effluent samples from these two plants are likely related to aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) sources impacting their influent; PFASs attributable to both current use and discontinued AFFF formulations were observed. Indirectly measured PFAA precursor compounds accounted for 33%-63% of the total molar concentration of PFASs across all effluent samples and the PFAA precursors indicated by the oxidation assay were predominately short-chained. PFAS levels in SF Bay effluent samples reflect the manufacturing shifts towards shorter chained PFASs while also demonstrating significant impacts from localized usage of AFFF. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope composition of aquatic and terrestrial plants of the San Francisco Bay estuarine system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cloern, J.E.; Canuel, E.A.; Harris, D.

2002-01-01

We report measurements of seasonal variability in the C-N stable isotope ratios of plants collected across the habitat mosaic of San Francisco Bay, its marshes, and its tributary river system. Analyses of 868 plant samples were binned into 10 groups (e.g., terrestrial riparian, freshwater phytoplankton, salt marsh) to determine whether C-N isotopes can be used as biomarkers for tracing the origins of organic matter in this river-marsh-estuary complex. Variability of ??13C and ??15N was high (???5-10???) within each plant group, and we identified three modes of variability: (1) between species and their microhabitats, (2) over annual cycles of plant growth and senescence, and (3) between living and decomposing biomass. These modes of within-group variability obscure any source-specific isotopic signatures, confounding the application of C-N isotopes for identifying the origins of organic matter. A second confounding factor was large dissimilarity between the ??13C-??15N of primary producers and the organic-matter pools in the seston and sediments. Both confounding factors impede the application of C-N isotopes to reveal the food supply to primary consumers in ecosystems supporting diverse autotrophs and where the isotopic composition of organic matter has been transformed and become distinct from that of its parent plant sources. Our results support the advice of others: variability of C-N stable isotopes within all organic-matter pools is high and must be considered in applications of these isotopes to trace trophic linkages from primary producers to primary consumers. Isotope-based approaches are perhaps most powerful when used to complement other tools, such as molecular biomarkers, bioassays, direct measures of production, and compilations of organic-matter budgets.

Freeing Crop Genetics through the Open Source Seed Initiative

PubMed Central

Luby, Claire H.; Goldman, Irwin L.

2016-01-01

For millennia, seeds have been freely available to use for farming and plant breeding without restriction. Within the past century, however, intellectual property rights (IPRs) have threatened this tradition. In response, a movement has emerged to counter the trend toward increasing consolidation of control and ownership of plant germplasm. One effort, the Open Source Seed Initiative (OSSI, www.osseeds.org), aims to ensure access to crop genetic resources by embracing an open source mechanism that fosters exchange and innovation among farmers, plant breeders, and seed companies. Plant breeders across many sectors have taken the OSSI Pledge to create a protected commons of plant germplasm for future generations. PMID:27093567

Freeing Crop Genetics through the Open Source Seed Initiative.

PubMed

Luby, Claire H; Goldman, Irwin L

2016-04-01

For millennia, seeds have been freely available to use for farming and plant breeding without restriction. Within the past century, however, intellectual property rights (IPRs) have threatened this tradition. In response, a movement has emerged to counter the trend toward increasing consolidation of control and ownership of plant germplasm. One effort, the Open Source Seed Initiative (OSSI, www.osseeds.org), aims to ensure access to crop genetic resources by embracing an open source mechanism that fosters exchange and innovation among farmers, plant breeders, and seed companies. Plant breeders across many sectors have taken the OSSI Pledge to create a protected commons of plant germplasm for future generations.

Constraining Biomarkers of Dissolved Organic Matter Sourcing Using Microbial Incubations of Vascular Plant Leachates of the California landscape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harfmann, J.; Hernes, P.; Chuang, C. Y.; Kaiser, K.; Spencer, R. G.; Guillemette, F.

2017-12-01

Source origin of dissolved organic matter (DOM) is crucial in determining reactivity, driving chemical and biological processing of carbon. DOM source biomarkers such as lignin (a vascular plant marker) and D-amino acids (bacterial markers) are well-established tools in tracing DOM origin and fate. The development of high-resolution mass spectrometry and optical studies has expanded our toolkit; yet despite these advances, our understanding of DOM sources and fate remains largely qualitative. Quantitative data on DOM pools and fluxes become increasingly necessary as we refine our comprehension of its composition. In this study, we aim to calibrate and quantify DOM source endmembers by performing microbial incubations of multiple vascular plant leachates, where total DOM is constrained by initial vascular plant input and microbial production. Derived endmembers may be applied to endmember mixing models to quantify DOM source contributions in aquatic systems.

Insecticidal Effects on the Spatial Progression of Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus and Movement of Its Whitefly Vector in Tomato.

PubMed

Dempsey, M; Riley, D G; Srinivasan, R

2017-06-01

Commercial management of whitefly-transmitted Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) typically relies on insecticide control of whitefly vectors as a first line of defense. We quantified this effect in crop tunnel studies, with validation in a tomato field setting. Tomato yellow leaf curl virus-infected and Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius)-infested source plants were planted at the beginning of tunneled rows to serve as inoculum source, so that movement of whiteflies and TYLCV symptoms could be tracked down the length of the tunnel over time. Tunnel study results showed that proximity to the source plant was a more important factor than insecticide treatments. Insecticide-treated tomato transplants did tend to suppress whitefly incidence and slowed TYLCV movement in comparison with the untreated check; however, tomato plants planted closer to the source plant had higher incidence of whiteflies and TYLCV infection, regardless of treatment. In a large tomato plot study with a controlled inoculum source, insecticide treatments significantly reduced the spread of TYLCV. When uninhibited by insecticide treatment, 80% of the TYLCV spread was restricted to <15 m from the source plant (<11 m in the validation study), with insecticide treatment generally reducing the distance and magnitude of this spread. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Mushroom Lectins: Specificity, Structure and Bioactivity Relevant to Human Disease

PubMed Central

Hassan, Mohamed Ali Abol; Rouf, Razina; Tiralongo, Evelin; May, Tom W.; Tiralongo, Joe

2015-01-01

Lectins are non-immunoglobulin proteins that bind diverse sugar structures with a high degree of selectivity. Lectins play crucial role in various biological processes such as cellular signaling, scavenging of glycoproteins from the circulatory system, cell–cell interactions in the immune system, differentiation and protein targeting to cellular compartments, as well as in host defence mechanisms, inflammation, and cancer. Among all the sources of lectins, plants have been most extensively studied. However, more recently fungal lectins have attracted considerable attention due to their antitumor, antiproliferative and immunomodulatory activities. Given that only 10% of mushroom species are known and have been taxonomically classified, mushrooms represent an enormous unexplored source of potentially useful and novel lectins. In this review we provide an up-to-date summary on the biochemical, molecular and structural properties of mushroom lectins, as well as their versatile applications specifically focusing on mushroom lectin bioactivity. PMID:25856678

Carbon allocation during fruiting in Rubus chamaemorus

PubMed Central

Gauci, R.; Otrysko, B.; Catford, J.-G.; Lapointe, L.

2009-01-01

Background and Aims Rubus chamaemorus (cloudberry) is a herbaceous clonal peatland plant that produces an extensive underground rhizome system with distant ramets. Most of these ramets are non-floral. The main objectives of this study were to determine: (a) if plant growth was source limited in cloudberry; (b) if the non-floral ramets translocated carbon (C) to the fruit; and (c) if there was competition between fruit, leaves and rhizomes for C during fruit development. Methods Floral and non-floral ramet activities were monitored during the period of flower and fruit development using three approaches: gas exchange measurements, 14CO2 labelling and dry mass accumulation in the different organs. Source and sink activity were manipulated by eliminating leaves or flowers or by reducing rhizome length. Key Results Photosynthetic rates were lower in floral than in deflowered ramets. Autoradiographs and 14C labelling data clearly indicated that fruit is a very strong sink for the floral ramet, whereas non-floral ramets translocated C toward the rhizome but not toward floral ramets. Nevertheless, rhizomes received some C from the floral ramet throughout the fruiting period. Ramets with shorter rhizomes produced smaller leaves and smaller fruits, and defoliated ramets produced very small fruits. Conclusions Plant growth appears to be source-limited in cloudberry since a reduction in sink strength did not induce a reduction in photosynthetic activity. Non-floral ramets did not participate directly to fruit development. Developing leaves appear to compete with the developing fruit but the intensity of this competition could vary with the specific timing of the two organs. The rhizome appears to act both as a source but also potentially as a sink during fruit development. Further studies are needed to characterize better the complex role played by the rhizome in fruit C nutrition. PMID:19520701

Weather Driven Renewable Energy Analysis, Modeling New Technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paine, J.; Clack, C.; Picciano, P.; Terry, L.

2015-12-01

Carbon emission reduction is essential to hampering anthropogenic climate change. While there are several methods to broach carbon reductions, the National Energy with Weather System (NEWS) model focuses on limiting electrical generation emissions by way of a national high-voltage direct-current transmission that takes advantage of the strengths of different regions in terms of variable sources of energy. Specifically, we focus upon modeling concentrating solar power (CSP) as another source to contribute to the electric grid. Power tower solar fields are optimized taking into account high spatial and temporal resolution, 13km and hourly, numerical weather prediction model data gathered by NOAA from the years of 2006-2008. Importantly, the optimization of these CSP power plants takes into consideration factors that decrease the optical efficiency of the heliostats reflecting solar irradiance. For example, cosine efficiency, atmospheric attenuation, and shadowing are shown here; however, it should be noted that they are not the only limiting factors. While solar photovoltaic plants can be combined for similar efficiency to the power tower and currently at a lower cost, they do not have a cost-effective capability to provide electricity when there are interruptions in solar irradiance. Power towers rely on a heat transfer fluid, which can be used for thermal storage changing the cost efficiency of this energy source. Thermal storage increases the electric stability that many other renewable energy sources lack, and thus, the ability to choose between direct electric conversion and thermal storage is discussed. The figure shown is a test model of a CSP plant made up of heliostats. The colors show the optical efficiency of each heliostat at a single time of the day.

Small area study of mortality among people living near multiple sources of air pollution

PubMed Central

Michelozzi, P.; Fusco, D.; Forastiere, F.; Ancona, C.; Dell'Orco, V.; Perucci, C. A.

1998-01-01

OBJECTIVE: In the area of Malagrotta, a suburb of Rome (Italy), a large waste disposal site, a waste incinerator plant, and an oil refinery plant became operational in the early 1960s and have represented three major sources of air pollution. To evaluate the potential health risk due to airborne contamination around these point sources, a small area analysis of mortality was conducted. Cancer of the liver, larynx, lung, kidney, lymphatic, and haematopoietic systems were evaluated. METHODS: Sex and age specific mortality (1987-93) and population denominators (1991) were available for the census tracts of the metropolitan area of Rome. Standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) were computed separately for males and females in bands of increasing distance from the plants, up to a radius of 10 km. Stone's test for the decline in risk with distance was performed with increments in radius of 1 km; SMRs were also computed after adjusting for a four level index of socioeconomic status. RESULTS: No overall excess or decline in risk with distance was found for liver, lung, and lymphohaematopoietic cancers in either sex. For laryngeal cancer, an increased but not significant risk was found at 0-3 km and at 3-8 km. A significant decline with distance in mortality from laryngeal cancer was found among men (p = 0.03); the trend remained after adjusting for the socioeconomic index (p = 0.06). CONCLUSIONS: The study showed no association between proximity to the industrial sites and mortality for most of the several conditions considered. However, mortality from laryngeal cancer declined with distance from the sources of pollution. This result is interesting, as previous findings of an increased risk of laryngeal cancer near incinerators have been controversial.   PMID:9861183

Rotylenchulus reniformis on Greenhouse-grown Foliage Plants: Host Range and Sources of Inoculum.

PubMed

Starr, J L

1991-10-01

Two sources of inoculum of reniform nematodes, Rotylenchulus reniformis, were identified for infestation of ornamental foliage plants in commercial greenhouses. These were water from a local canal system and rooted cuttings purchased from other sources. Eight ornamental plant species were identified as good hosts for the reniform nematode, with each species supporting a reniform population density equal to or greater than that supported by 'Rutgers' tomato and a reproduction factor of greater than 1.0. Nine other plant species were identified as poor hosts.

Rotylenchulus reniformis on Greenhouse-grown Foliage Plants: Host Range and Sources of Inoculum

PubMed Central

Starr, J. L.

1991-01-01

Two sources of inoculum of reniform nematodes, Rotylenchulus reniformis, were identified for infestation of ornamental foliage plants in commercial greenhouses. These were water from a local canal system and rooted cuttings purchased from other sources. Eight ornamental plant species were identified as good hosts for the reniform nematode, with each species supporting a reniform population density equal to or greater than that supported by 'Rutgers' tomato and a reproduction factor of greater than 1.0. Nine other plant species were identified as poor hosts. PMID:19283176

Growth and development of tomato plants Lycopersicon Esculentum Mill. under different saline conditions by fertirrigation with pretreated cheese whey wastewater.

PubMed

Prazeres, Ana R; Carvalho, Fátima; Rivas, Javier; Patanita, Manuel; Dôres, Jóse

2013-01-01

Pretreated cheese whey wastewater (CWW) has been used at different salinity levels: 1.75, 2.22, 3.22, 5.02 and 10.02 dS m(-1) and compared with fresh water (1.44 dS m(-1)). Two cultivars (cv.) of the tomato plant Lycopersicon Esculentum Mill. (Roma and Rio Grande) were exposed to saline conditions for 72 days. Salinity level (treatment) had no significant effects on the fresh weight and dry matter of the leaves, stems and roots. Similar results were found when specific leaf area, leaflet area, ramifications number of 1st order/plant, stem diameter and length, nodes number/stem and primary root length were considered. Conversely, the salinity level significantly influenced the Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) index and the distance between nodes in the plant stem. In the first case, an increase of 21% was obtained in the salinity levels of 5.02 and 10.02 dS m(-1) for cv. Rio Grande, compared with the control run. The results showed that the pretreated CWW can be a source of nutrients for tomato plants, with reduced effects on growth and development.

Signaling events during initiation of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis.

PubMed

Schmitz, Alexa M; Harrison, Maria J

2014-03-01

Under nutrient-limiting conditions, plants will enter into symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi for the enhancement of mineral nutrient acquisition from the surrounding soil. AM fungi live in close, intracellular association with plant roots where they transfer phosphate and nitrogen to the plant in exchange for carbon. They are obligate fungi, relying on their host as their only carbon source. Much has been discovered in the last decade concerning the signaling events during initiation of the AM symbiosis, including the identification of signaling molecules generated by both partners. This signaling occurs through symbiosis-specific gene products in the host plant, which are indispensable for normal AM development. At the same time, plants have adapted complex mechanisms for avoiding infection by pathogenic fungi, including an innate immune response to general microbial molecules, such as chitin present in fungal cell walls. How it is that AM fungal colonization is maintained without eliciting a defensive response from the host is still uncertain. In this review, we present a summary of the molecular signals and their elicited responses during initiation of the AM symbiosis, including plant immune responses and their suppression. © 2014 Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

A Proteomic View on the Role of Legume Symbiotic Interactions

PubMed Central

Larrainzar, Estíbaliz; Wienkoop, Stefanie

2017-01-01

Legume plants are key elements in sustainable agriculture and represent a significant source of plant-based protein for humans and animal feed worldwide. One specific feature of the family is the ability to establish nitrogen-fixing symbiosis with Rhizobium bacteria. Additionally, like most vascular flowering plants, legumes are able to form a mutualistic endosymbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. These beneficial associations can enhance the plant resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Understanding how symbiotic interactions influence and increase plant stress tolerance are relevant questions toward maintaining crop yield and food safety in the scope of climate change. Proteomics offers numerous tools for the identification of proteins involved in such responses, allowing the study of sub-cellular localization and turnover regulation, as well as the discovery of post-translational modifications (PTMs). The current work reviews the progress made during the last decades in the field of proteomics applied to the study of the legume-Rhizobium and -AM symbioses, and highlights their influence on the plant responses to pathogens and abiotic stresses. We further discuss future perspectives and new experimental approaches that are likely to have a significant impact on the field including peptidomics, mass spectrometric imaging, and quantitative proteomics. PMID:28769967

Pre-aged plant waxes in tropical lake sediments and their influence on the chronology of molecular paleoclimate proxy records

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Douglas, Peter M. J.; Pagani, Mark; Eglinton, Timothy I.; Brenner, Mark; Hodell, David A.; Curtis, Jason H.; Ma, Keith F.; Breckenridge, Andy

2014-09-01

Sedimentary records of plant-wax hydrogen (δDwax) and carbon (δ13Cwax) stable isotopes are increasingly applied to infer past climate change. Compound-specific radiocarbon analyses, however, indicate that long time lags can occur between the synthesis of plant waxes and their subsequent deposition in marginal marine sediments. The influence of these time lags on interpretations of plant-wax stable isotope records is presently unconstrained, and it is unclear whether such time lags also affect lacustrine sediments. We present compound-specific radiocarbon (14Cwax) data for n-alkanoic acid plant waxes (n-C26 to n-C32) from: (1) a sediment core from Lake Chichancanab, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, (2) soils in the Lake Chichancanab catchment, and (3) surface sediments from three other lakes in southeastern Mexico and northern Guatemala. 14Cwax ages in the surface sediments are consistently older than modern, and may be negatively correlated with mean annual precipitation and positively correlated with lake catchment area. 14Cwax ages in soils surrounding Lake Chichancanab increase with soil depth, consistent with deep, subsoil horizons being the primary source of lacustrine aged plant waxes, which are likely delivered to lake sediments through subsurface transport. Plant waxes in the Lake Chichancanab core are 350-1200 years older than corresponding ages of bulk sediment deposition, determined by 14C dates on terrestrial plant macrofossils in the core. A δDwax time series is in closer agreement with other regional proxy hydroclimate records when a plant-wax 14C age model is applied, as opposed to the macrofossil-based core chronology. Inverse modeling of plant-wax age distribution parameters suggests that plant waxes in the Lake Chichancanab sediment core derive predominantly from millennial-age soil carbon pools that exhibit relatively little age variance (<200 years). Our findings demonstrate that high-temporal-resolution climate records inferred from stable isotope measures on plant waxes in lacustrine sediments may suffer from possible chronologic distortions as a consequence of long residence times of plant waxes in soils. They also underscore the importance of direct radiocarbon dating of these organic molecules.

Climatic and physiological controls on the stable isotope composition of modern and ancient Cupressaceae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zinniker, D.; Tipple, B.; Pagani, M.

2007-12-01

Unique and abundant secondary metabolites found in waxes and resins of the Callitroid, Cupressoid, and Taxodioid clades of the Cupressaceae family can be identified and quantified in complex mixtures of sedimentary organic compounds. This unusual feature makes it possible to study relatively simple (taxon-specific) isotope systems back in time across the broad array of environments in which these conifers are found. Work on these systems can potentially provide both robust paleoenvironmental proxies (i.e. for source water δD and growing season relative humidity) and quantitative probes into the ecophysiology of these plants in modern and ancient environments. Our research focuses on three genera representing environmental end-members of Cupressaceae - Juniperus, Thuja, and Chamaecyparis - (1) across geographic and environmental gradients in the field, and (2) in specific Holocene and late Pleistocene environmental records. The latter research focuses on peat cores from New England and Oregon and fossil packrat middens from the southwestern United States. Modern transects highlight the sensitivity of Cupressaceae to climatic variables. These include both variables during growth (relative humidity, soil moisture, etc.) and variables affecting seasonal and diurnal growth rates (temperature, winter precipitation, insolation, microhabitat, etc.). Work on ancient records has demonstrated the sensitivity of these unique taxon-specific archives to both subtle and dramatic climate shifts during the Pleistocene and Holocene. This work will result in an improved understanding of climatic and physiological controls on the stable isotopic composition of modern and ancient Cupressaceae - and by extension, other arborescent gymnosperms and C3 plants - providing a framework for understanding more complexly sourced organic inputs to sediments, coals, and petroleum prior to the advent of C4 plants. This research also has direct implications for stratigraphic stable isotope studies of gymnosperm markers across the last millenium, the Pleistocene, and important climatic events in the Mesozoic and Tertiary.

Chemometrics and chromatographic fingerprints to classify plant food supplements according to the content of regulated plants.

PubMed

Deconinck, E; Sokeng Djiogo, C A; Courselle, P

2017-09-05

Plant food supplements are gaining popularity, resulting in a broader spectrum of available products and an increased consumption. Next to the problem of adulteration of these products with synthetic drugs the presence of regulated or toxic plants is an important issue, especially when the products are purchased from irregular sources. This paper focusses on this problem by using specific chromatographic fingerprints for five targeted plants and chemometric classification techniques in order to extract the important information from the fingerprints and determine the presence of the targeted plants in plant food supplements in an objective way. Two approaches were followed: (1) a multiclass model, (2) 2-class model for each of the targeted plants separately. For both approaches good classification models were obtained, especially when using SIMCA and PLS-DA. For each model, misclassification rates for the external test set of maximum one sample could be obtained. The models were applied to five real samples resulting in the identification of the correct plants, confirmed by mass spectrometry. Therefore chromatographic fingerprinting combined with chemometric modelling can be considered interesting to make a more objective decision on whether a regulated plant is present in a plant food supplement or not, especially when no mass spectrometry equipment is available. The results suggest also that the use of a battery of 2-class models to screen for several plants is the approach to be preferred. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Phytostabilization of Mine Tailings in Arid and Semiarid Environments—An Emerging Remediation Technology

PubMed Central

Mendez, Monica O.; Maier, Raina M.

2008-01-01

Objective Unreclaimed mine tailings sites are a worldwide problem, with thousands of unvegetated, exposed tailings piles presenting a source of contamination for nearby communities. Tailings disposal sites in arid and semiarid environments are especially subject to eolian dispersion and water erosion. Phytostabilization, the use of plants for in situ stabilization of tailings and metal contaminants, is a feasible alternative to costly remediation practices. In this review we emphasize considerations for phytostabilization of mine tailings in arid and semiarid environments, as well as issues impeding its long-term success. Data sources We reviewed literature addressing mine closures and revegetation of mine tailings, along with publications evaluating plant ecology, microbial ecology, and soil properties of mine tailings. Data extraction Data were extracted from peer-reviewed articles and books identified in Web of Science and Agricola databases, and publications available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the United Nations Environment Programme. Data synthesis Harsh climatic conditions in arid and semiarid environments along with the innate properties of mine tailings require specific considerations. Plants suitable for phytostabilization must be native, be drought-, salt-, and metal-tolerant, and should limit shoot metal accumulation. Factors for evaluating metal accumulation and toxicity issues are presented. Also reviewed are aspects of implementing phytostabilization, including plant growth stage, amendments, irrigation, and evaluation. Conclusions Phytostabilization of mine tailings is a promising remedial technology but requires further research to identify factors affecting its long-term success by expanding knowledge of suitable plant species and mine tailings chemistry in ongoing field trials. PMID:18335091

Traditional and Current Food Use of Wild Plants Listed in the Russian Pharmacopoeia.

PubMed

Shikov, Alexander N; Tsitsilin, Andrey N; Pozharitskaya, Olga N; Makarov, Valery G; Heinrich, Michael

2017-01-01

Historically Russia can be regarded as a "herbophilious" society. For centuries the multinational population of Russia has used plants in daily diet and for self-medication. The specificity of dietary uptake of medicinal plants (especially those in the unique and highly developed Russian herbal medical tradition) has remained mostly unknown in other regions. Based on 11th edition of the State Pharmacopoeia of the USSR, we selected 70 wild plant species which have been used in food by local Russian populations. Empirical searches were conducted via the Russian-wide applied online database E-library.ru, library catalogs of public libraries in St-Petersburg, the databases Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and search engine Google Scholar. The large majority of species included in Russian Pharmacopoeia are used as food by local population, however, aerial parts are more widely used for food. In this review, we summarize data on medicinal species published in Russia and other countries that are included in the Russian Pharmacopoeia and have being used in food for a long time. Consequently, the Russian Pharmacopoeia is an important source of information on plant species used traditionally at the interface of food and medicine. At the same time, there are the so-called "functional foods", which denotes foods that not only serves to provide nutrition but also can be a source for prevention and cure of various diseases. This review highlights the potential of wild species of Russia monographed in its pharmacopeia for further developing new functional foods and-through the lens of their incorporation into the pharmacopeia-showcases the species' importance in Russia.

Asymmetric impacts of two herbivore ecotypes on similar host plants

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Ecotypes may arise following allopatric separation from source populations. The simultaneous transfer of an exotic plant to a novel environment, along with its stenophagous herbivore, may complicate more traditional patterns of divergence from the plant and insect source populations. We evaluated ...

Plant senescence and proteolysis: two processes with one destiny

PubMed Central

Diaz-Mendoza, Mercedes; Velasco-Arroyo, Blanca; Santamaria, M. Estrella; González-Melendi, Pablo; Martinez, Manuel; Diaz, Isabel

2016-01-01

Abstract Senescence-associated proteolysis in plants is a complex and controlled process, essential for mobilization of nutrients from old or stressed tissues, mainly leaves, to growing or sink organs. Protein breakdown in senescing leaves involves many plastidial and nuclear proteases, regulators, different subcellular locations and dynamic protein traffic to ensure the complete transformation of proteins of high molecular weight into transportable and useful hydrolysed products. Protease activities are strictly regulated by specific inhibitors and through the activation of zymogens to develop their proteolytic activity at the right place and at the proper time. All these events associated with senescence have deep effects on the relocation of nutrients and as a consequence, on grain quality and crop yield. Thus, it can be considered that nutrient recycling is the common destiny of two processes, plant senescence and, proteolysis. This review article covers the most recent findings about leaf senescence features mediated by abiotic and biotic stresses as well as the participants and steps required in this physiological process, paying special attention to C1A cysteine proteases, their specific inhibitors, known as cystatins, and their potential targets, particularly the chloroplastic proteins as source for nitrogen recycling. PMID:27505308

Plant senescence and proteolysis: two processes with one destiny.

PubMed

Diaz-Mendoza, Mercedes; Velasco-Arroyo, Blanca; Santamaria, M Estrella; González-Melendi, Pablo; Martinez, Manuel; Diaz, Isabel

2016-01-01

Senescence-associated proteolysis in plants is a complex and controlled process, essential for mobilization of nutrients from old or stressed tissues, mainly leaves, to growing or sink organs. Protein breakdown in senescing leaves involves many plastidial and nuclear proteases, regulators, different subcellular locations and dynamic protein traffic to ensure the complete transformation of proteins of high molecular weight into transportable and useful hydrolysed products. Protease activities are strictly regulated by specific inhibitors and through the activation of zymogens to develop their proteolytic activity at the right place and at the proper time. All these events associated with senescence have deep effects on the relocation of nutrients and as a consequence, on grain quality and crop yield. Thus, it can be considered that nutrient recycling is the common destiny of two processes, plant senescence and, proteolysis. This review article covers the most recent findings about leaf senescence features mediated by abiotic and biotic stresses as well as the participants and steps required in this physiological process, paying special attention to C1A cysteine proteases, their specific inhibitors, known as cystatins, and their potential targets, particularly the chloroplastic proteins as source for nitrogen recycling.

Wastewater Reuse for Agriculture: Development of a Regional Water Reuse Decision-Support Model (RWRM) for Cost-Effective Irrigation Sources.

PubMed

Tran, Quynh K; Schwabe, Kurt A; Jassby, David

2016-09-06

Water scarcity has become a critical problem in many semiarid and arid regions. The single largest water use in such regions is for crop irrigation, which typically relies on groundwater and surface water sources. With increasing stress on these traditional water sources, it is important to consider alternative irrigation sources for areas with limited freshwater resources. One potential irrigation water resource is treated wastewater for agricultural fields located near urban centers. In addition, treated wastewater can contribute an appreciable amount of necessary nutrients for plants. The suitability of reclaimed water for specific applications depends on water quality and usage requirements. The main factors that determine the suitability of recycled water for agricultural irrigation are salinity, heavy metals, and pathogens, which cause adverse effects on human, plants, and soils. In this paper, we develop a regional water reuse decision-support model (RWRM) using the general algebraic modeling system to analyze the cost-effectiveness of alternative treatment trains to generate irrigation water from reclaimed wastewater, with the irrigation water designed to meet crop requirements as well as California's wastewater reuse regulations (Title 22). Using a cost-minimization framework, least-cost solutions consisting of treatment processes and their intensities (blending ratios) are identified to produce alternative irrigation sources for citrus and turfgrass. Our analysis illustrates the benefits of employing an optimization framework and flexible treatment design to identify cost-effective blending opportunities that may produce high-quality irrigation water for a wide range of end uses.

Bisphenol A emission factors from industrial sources and elimination rates in a sewage treatment plant.

PubMed

Fuerhacker, M

2003-01-01

Bisphenol A (BPA) is widely used for the production of epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastics and is considered an endocrine disruptor. Special in vitro test systems and animal experiments showed a weak estrogenic activity. Aquatic wildlife especially could be endangered by waste water discharges. To manage possible risks arising from BPA emissions the major fluxes need to be investigated and the sources of the contamination of municipal treatment plants need to be determined. In this study, five major industrial point sources, two different household areas and the influent and effluent of the corresponding treatment plant (WWTP) were monitored simultaneously at a plant serving 120,000 population equivalents. A paper producing plant was the major BPA contributor to the influent load of the wastewater treatment plant. All the other emissions from point sources, including the two household areas, were considerably lower. The minimum elimination rate in the WTTP could be determined at 78% with an average of 89% of the total BPA-load. For a possible pollution-forecast, or for a comparison between different point sources, emission factors based on COD-emissions were calculated for industrial and household point sources at BPA/COD-ratios between 1.4 x 10(-8) - 125 x 10(-8) and 1.3 x 10(-6) - 6.3 x 10(-6), respectively.

Form follows function: morphological diversification and alternative trapping strategies in carnivorous Nepenthes pitcher plants.

PubMed

Bauer, Ulrike; Clemente, C J; Renner, T; Federle, W

2012-01-01

Carnivorous plants of the genus Nepenthes have evolved a striking diversity of pitcher traps that rely on specialized slippery surfaces for prey capture. With a comparative study of trap morphology, we show that Nepenthes pitcher plants have evolved specific adaptations for the use of either one of two distinct trapping mechanisms: slippery wax crystals on the inner pitcher wall and 'insect aquaplaning' on the wet upper rim (peristome). Species without wax crystals had wider peristomes with a longer inward slope. Ancestral state reconstructions identified wax crystal layers and narrow, symmetrical peristomes as ancestral, indicating that wax crystals have been reduced or lost multiple times independently. Our results complement recent reports of nutrient source specializations in Nepenthes and suggest that these specializations may have driven speciation and rapid diversification in this genus. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2011 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Development of Northeast Asia Nuclear Power Plant Accident Simulator.

PubMed

Kim, Juyub; Kim, Juyoul; Po, Li-Chi Cliff

2017-06-15

A conclusion from the lessons learned after the March 2011 Fukushima Daiichi accident was that Korea needs a tool to estimate consequences from a major accident that could occur at a nuclear power plant located in a neighboring country. This paper describes a suite of computer-based codes to be used by Korea's nuclear emergency response staff for training and potentially operational support in Korea's national emergency preparedness and response program. The systems of codes, Northeast Asia Nuclear Accident Simulator (NANAS), consist of three modules: source-term estimation, atmospheric dispersion prediction and dose assessment. To quickly assess potential doses to the public in Korea, NANAS includes specific reactor data from the nuclear power plants in China, Japan and Taiwan. The completed simulator is demonstrated using data for a hypothetical release. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

An Extreme Meteorological Events Analysis For Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) Siting Project at Bangka Island, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Septiadi, Deni; S, Yarianto Sugeng B.; Sriyana; Anzhar, Kurnia; Suntoko, Hadi

2018-03-01

The potential sources of meteorological phenomena in Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) area of interest are identified and the extreme values of the possible resulting hazards associated which such phenomena are evaluated to derive the appropriate design bases for the NPP. The appropriate design bases shall be determined according to the Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (Bapeten) applicable regulations, which presently do not indicate quantitative criteria for purposes of determining the design bases for meteorological hazards. These meteorological investigations are also carried out to evaluate the regional and site specific meteorological parameters which affect the transport and dispersion of radioactive effluents on the environment of the region around the NPP site. The meteorological hazards are to be monitored and assessed periodically over the lifetime of the plant to ensure that consistency with the design assumptions is maintained throughout the full lifetime of the facility.

Light intensity and temperature affect systemic spread of silencing signal in transient agroinfiltration studies.

PubMed

Patil, Basavaprabhu L; Fauquet, Claude M

2015-06-01

RNA silencing is a sequence-specific post-transcriptional gene inactivation mechanism that operates in diverse organisms and that can extend beyond its site of initiation, owing to the movement of the silencing signal, called non-autonomous gene silencing. Previous studies have shown that several factors manifest the movement of the silencing signal, such as the size (21 or 24 nucleotides) of the secondary small interfering RNA (siRNA) produced, the steady-state concentration of siRNAs and their cognate messenger RNA (mRNA) or a change in the sink-source status of plant parts affecting phloem translocation. Our study shows that both light intensity and temperature have a significant impact on the systemic movement of the silencing signal in transient agroinfiltration studies in Nicotiana benthamiana. At higher light intensities (≥ 450 μE/m(2)/s) and higher temperatures (≥ 30 °C), gene silencing was localized to leaf tissue that was infiltrated, without any systemic spread. Interestingly, in these light and temperature conditions (≥ 450 μE/m(2) /s and ≥ 30 °C), the N. benthamiana plants showed recovery from the viral symptoms. However, the reduced systemic silencing and reduced viral symptom severity at higher light intensities were caused by a change in the sink-source status of the plant, ultimately affecting the phloem translocation of small RNAs or the viral genome. In contrast, at lower light intensities (<300 μE/m(2)/s) with a constant temperature of 25 °C, there was strong systemic movement of the silencing signal in the N. benthamiana plants and reduced recovery from virus infections. The accumulation of gene-specific siRNAs was reduced at higher temperature as a result of a reduction in the accumulation of transcript on transient agroinfiltration of RNA interference (RNAi) constructs, mostly because of poor T-DNA transfer activity of Agrobacterium, possibly also accompanied by reduced phloem translocation. © 2014 BSPP AND JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD.

Nitrate dynamics in natural plants: insights based on the concentration and natural isotope abundances of tissue nitrate

PubMed Central

Liu, Xue-Yan; Koba, Keisuke; Makabe, Akiko; Liu, Cong-Qiang

2014-01-01

The dynamics of nitrate (NO−3), a major nitrogen (N) source for natural plants, has been studied mostly through experimental N addition, enzymatic assay, isotope labeling, and genetic expression. However, artificial N supply may not reasonably reflect the N strategies in natural plants because NO−3 uptake and reduction may vary with external N availability. Due to abrupt application and short operation time, field N addition, and isotopic labeling hinder the elucidation of in situ NO−3-use mechanisms. The concentration and natural isotopes of tissue NO−3 can offer insights into the plant NO−3 sources and dynamics in a natural context. Furthermore, they facilitate the exploration of plant NO−3 utilization and its interaction with N pollution and ecosystem N cycles without disturbing the N pools. The present study was conducted to review the application of the denitrifier method for concentration and isotope analyses of NO−3 in plants. Moreover, this study highlights the utility and advantages of these parameters in interpreting NO−3 sources and dynamics in natural plants. We summarize the major sources and reduction processes of NO−3 in plants, and discuss the implications of NO−3 concentration in plant tissues based on existing data. Particular emphasis was laid on the regulation of soil NO−3 and plant ecophysiological functions in interspecific and intra-plant NO−3 variations. We introduce N and O isotope systematics of NO−3 in plants and discuss the principles and feasibilities of using isotopic enrichment and fractionation factors; the correlation between concentration and isotopes (N and O isotopes: δ18O and Δ17O); and isotope mass-balance calculations to constrain sources and reduction of NO−3 in possible scenarios for natural plants are deliberated. Finally, we offer a preliminary framework of intraplant δ18O-NO−3 variation, and summarize the uncertainties in using tissue NO−3 parameters to interpret plant NO−3 utilization. PMID:25101106

Nitrate dynamics in natural plants: insights based on the concentration and natural isotope abundances of tissue nitrate.

PubMed

Liu, Xue-Yan; Koba, Keisuke; Makabe, Akiko; Liu, Cong-Qiang

2014-01-01

The dynamics of nitrate (NO(-) 3), a major nitrogen (N) source for natural plants, has been studied mostly through experimental N addition, enzymatic assay, isotope labeling, and genetic expression. However, artificial N supply may not reasonably reflect the N strategies in natural plants because NO(-) 3 uptake and reduction may vary with external N availability. Due to abrupt application and short operation time, field N addition, and isotopic labeling hinder the elucidation of in situ NO(-) 3-use mechanisms. The concentration and natural isotopes of tissue NO(-) 3 can offer insights into the plant NO(-) 3 sources and dynamics in a natural context. Furthermore, they facilitate the exploration of plant NO(-) 3 utilization and its interaction with N pollution and ecosystem N cycles without disturbing the N pools. The present study was conducted to review the application of the denitrifier method for concentration and isotope analyses of NO(-) 3 in plants. Moreover, this study highlights the utility and advantages of these parameters in interpreting NO(-) 3 sources and dynamics in natural plants. We summarize the major sources and reduction processes of NO(-) 3 in plants, and discuss the implications of NO(-) 3 concentration in plant tissues based on existing data. Particular emphasis was laid on the regulation of soil NO(-) 3 and plant ecophysiological functions in interspecific and intra-plant NO(-) 3 variations. We introduce N and O isotope systematics of NO(-) 3 in plants and discuss the principles and feasibilities of using isotopic enrichment and fractionation factors; the correlation between concentration and isotopes (N and O isotopes: δ(18)O and Δ(17)O); and isotope mass-balance calculations to constrain sources and reduction of NO(-) 3 in possible scenarios for natural plants are deliberated. Finally, we offer a preliminary framework of intraplant δ(18)O-NO(-) 3 variation, and summarize the uncertainties in using tissue NO(-) 3 parameters to interpret plant NO(-) 3 utilization.

Development of White and Norway Spruce Trees from Several Seed Sources 29 Years After Planting

Treesearch

James P. King; Paul O. Rudolf

1969-01-01

A 29-year-old test of trees grown from seven white spruce and six Norway spruce seed sources and planted in Wisconsin and Minnesota demonstrates the importance of seed-source selection and indicates that trees from some Norway spruce sources equal or surpass the native white spruce.

Opportunities of energy supply of farm holdings on the basis of small-scale renewable energy sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Efendiev, A. M.; Nikolaev, Yu. E.; Evstaf'ev, D. P.

2016-02-01

One of the major national economic problems of Russia is raising of agricultural production, which will provide strategic security and sustainable supply of the population with provisions. Creation of subsidiary small holdings, farm holdings, and peasant farm holdings will require addressing issues of energy supply. At considerable distance of small farms from centralized energy systems (by fuel, electricity and thermal energy) it is proposed to create a system of local energy networks on the basis of low-powered power plants using renewable energy sources (RES). There is economic unreasonableness of use of imported components of small power plants. Creation of new combined small power plants on renewable energy sources produced by domestic manufacturers is recommended. Schemes of arrangements of small power plants based on renewable energy sources are proposed, variants and characteristics of a basic source are provided—biogas plants developed by the authors. Calculations revealed that heat and power supply of self-contained farms distant from small power plants based on renewable energy sources is 2.5-2.6 times cheaper than from centralized networks. Production of biogas through anaerobic fermentation of organic waste of cattle complexes is considered as the basis. The analysis of biowaste output in various cattle farms is carried out, and the volume of biogas is determined to meet the requirements of these farms in electrical and thermal energy. The objective of the present article is to study the possibility of creating small combined power plants in Russia based on renewable sources of energy for independent consumers.

Effects of artificial lighting on the detection of plant stress with spectral reflectance remote sensing in bioregenerative life support systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuerger, Andrew C.; Richards, Jeffrey T.

2006-09-01

Plant-based life support systems that utilize bioregenerative technologies have been proposed for long-term human missions to both the Moon and Mars. Bioregenerative life support systems will utilize higher plants to regenerate oxygen, water, and edible biomass for crews, and are likely to significantly lower the ‘equivalent system mass’ of crewed vehicles. As part of an ongoing effort to begin the development of an automatic remote sensing system to monitor plant health in bioregenerative life support modules, we tested the efficacy of seven artificial illumination sources on the remote detection of plant stresses. A cohort of pepper plants (Capsicum annuum L.) were grown 42 days at 25 °C, 70% relative humidity, and 300 μmol m-2 s-1 of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR; from 400 to 700 nm). Plants were grown under nutritional stresses induced by irrigating subsets of the plants with 100, 50, 25, or 10% of a standard nutrient solution. Reflectance spectra of the healthy and stressed plants were collected under seven artificial lamps including two tungsten halogen lamps, plus high pressure sodium, metal halide, fluorescent, microwave, and red/blue light emitting diode (LED) sources. Results indicated that several common algorithms used to estimate biomass and leaf chlorophyll content were effective in predicting plant stress under all seven illumination sources. However, the two types of tungsten halogen lamps and the microwave illumination source yielded linear models with the highest residuals and thus the highest predictive capabilities of all lamps tested. The illumination sources with the least predictive capabilities were the red/blue LEDs and fluorescent lamps. Although the red/blue LEDs yielded the lowest residuals for linear models derived from the remote sensing data, the LED arrays used in these experiments were optimized for plant productivity and not the collection of remote sensing data. Thus, we propose that if adjusted to optimize the collectio n of remote sensing information from plants, LEDs remain the best candidates for illumination sources for monitoring plant stresses in bioregenerative life support systems.

The soil microbial community composition and soil microbial carbon uptake are more affected by soil type than by different vegetation types (C3 and C4 plants) and seasonal changes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griselle Mellado Vazquez, Perla; Lange, Markus; Gleixner, Gerd

2016-04-01

This study investigates the influence of different vegetation types (C3 and C4 plants), soil type and seasonal changes on the soil microbial biomass, soil microbial community composition and soil microbial carbon (C) uptake. We collected soil samples in winter (non-growing season) and summer (growing season) in 2012 from an experimental site cropping C3 and C4 plants for 6 years on two different soil types (sandy and clayey). The amount of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) and their compound-specific δ13C values were used to determined microbial biomass and the flow of C from plants to soil microorganisms, respectively. Higher microbial biomass was found in the growing season. The microbial community composition was mainly explained by soil type. Higher amounts of SOC were driving the predominance of G+ bacteria, actinobacteria and cyclic G- bacteria in sandy soils, whereas root biomass was significantly related to the increased proportions of G- bacteria in clayey soils. Plant-derived C in G- bacteria increased significantly in clayey soils in the growing season. This increase was positively and significantly driven by root biomass. Moreover, changes in plant-derived C among microbial groups pointed to specific capabilities of different microbial groups to decompose distinct sources of C. We concluded that soil texture and favorable growth conditions driven by rhizosphere interactions are the most important factors controlling the soil microbial community. Our results demonstrate that a change of C3 plants vs. C4 plants has only a minor effect on the soil microbial community. Thus, such experiments are well suited to investigate soil organic matter dynamics as they allow to trace the C flow from plants into the soil microbial community without changing the community abundance and composition.

Tobacco derived cancer vaccines for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: perspectives and progress.

PubMed

McCormick, Alison A

2011-03-01

Everyone appreciates the irony of using tobacco plants to cure cancer. (1) Recently featured in a populist Wall Street Journal article, (2) the use of plants to produce medicinal products was presented as novel, even though we are decades into development of numerous products for specific medical applications (reviewed extensively in (3, 4)). Though the tobacco plant and its relatives offer a qualified set of advantages for producing complex biologicals, and in many cases overcome problems that plague traditional expression systems, FDA licensed products derived from bioengineered plants have yet to appear in the marketplace. Despite a difficult beginning, recent advances in plant biotechnology have been as cutting edge as those in the fields of molecular biology and chemical engineering, which now position the field for a new level of commercial relevance. The basis for this review is a description of the first FDA qualified parenterally administered vaccine clinical trial using a plant derived product. We have confirmed in this trial that plant proteins can be qualified to the same level as biologicals from other sources, and are safe when given as injected vaccines. Most importantly though, immune responses to plant proteins were seen in 66% of cancer patients, and these responses were to the desired antigenic determinants, not to xenogenic plant antigens. Problems and solutions that arose during the development of a safe and effective human vaccine are discussed.

Sourcing of Steam and Electricity for Carbon Capture Retrofits.

PubMed

Supekar, Sarang D; Skerlos, Steven J

2017-11-07

This paper compares different steam and electricity sources for carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) retrofits of pulverized coal (PC) and natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) power plants. Analytical expressions for the thermal efficiency of these power plants are derived under 16 different CCS retrofit scenarios for the purpose of illustrating their environmental and economic characteristics. The scenarios emerge from combinations of steam and electricity sources, fuel used in each source, steam generation equipment and process details, and the extent of CO 2 capture. Comparing these scenarios reveals distinct trade-offs between thermal efficiency, net power output, levelized cost, profit, and net CO 2 reduction. Despite causing the highest loss in useful power output, bleeding steam and extracting electric power from the main power plant to meet the CCS plant's electricity and steam demand maximizes plant efficiency and profit while minimizing emissions and levelized cost when wholesale electricity prices are below 4.5 and 5.2 US¢/kWh for PC-CCS and NGCC-CCS plants, respectively. At prices higher than these higher profits for operating CCS retrofits can be obtained by meeting 100% of the CCS plant's electric power demand using an auxiliary natural gas turbine-based combined heat and power plant.

Cogeneration technology alternatives study. Volume 4: Heat Sources, balance of plant and auxiliary systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

Data and information established for heat sources balance of plant items, thermal energy storage, and heat pumps are presented. Design case descriptions are given along with projected performance values. Capital cost estimates for representative cogeneration plants are also presented.

40 CFR 62.5103 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Fluoride Emissions from Primary Aluminum Reduction Plants § 62.5103 Identification of sources. (a) The plan applies to the following existing primary aluminum reduction plants: (1) Eastalco Aluminum Plant, Frederick, Maryland. [50 FR 9628, Mar. 11, 1985] Metals, Acid Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide...

40 CFR 62.5103 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Fluoride Emissions from Primary Aluminum Reduction Plants § 62.5103 Identification of sources. (a) The plan applies to the following existing primary aluminum reduction plants: (1) Eastalco Aluminum Plant, Frederick, Maryland. [50 FR 9628, Mar. 11, 1985] Metals, Acid Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide...

40 CFR 62.5103 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Fluoride Emissions from Primary Aluminum Reduction Plants § 62.5103 Identification of sources. (a) The plan applies to the following existing primary aluminum reduction plants: (1) Eastalco Aluminum Plant, Frederick, Maryland. [50 FR 9628, Mar. 11, 1985] Metals, Acid Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide...

40 CFR 62.5103 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Fluoride Emissions from Primary Aluminum Reduction Plants § 62.5103 Identification of sources. (a) The plan applies to the following existing primary aluminum reduction plants: (1) Eastalco Aluminum Plant, Frederick, Maryland. [50 FR 9628, Mar. 11, 1985] Metals, Acid Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide...

Diversity of Cultivated Fungi Associated with Conventional and Transgenic Sugarcane and the Interaction between Endophytic Trichoderma virens and the Host Plant

PubMed Central

Romão-Dumaresq, Aline Silva; Dourado, Manuella Nóbrega; Fávaro, Léia Cecilia de Lima; Mendes, Rodrigo; Ferreira, Anderson; Araújo, Welington Luiz

2016-01-01

Plant-associated fungi are considered a vast source for biotechnological processes whose potential has been poorly explored. The interactions and diversity of sugarcane, one of the most important crops in Brazil, have been rarely studied, mainly concerning fungal communities and their interactions with transgenic plants. Taking this into consideration, the purpose of this study was, based on culture dependent strategy, to determine the structure and diversity of the fungal community (root endophytes and rhizosphere) associated with two varieties of sugarcane, a non-genetically modified (SP80-1842) variety and its genetically modified counterpart (IMI-1, expressing imazapyr herbicide resistance). For this, the sugarcane varieties were evaluated in three sampling times (3, 10 and 17 months after planting) under two crop management (weeding and herbicide treatments). In addition, a strain of Trichoderma virens, an endophyte isolated from sugarcane with great potential as a biological control, growth promotion and enzyme production agent, was selected for the fungal-plant interaction assays. The results of the isolation, characterization and evaluation of fungal community changes showed that the sugarcane fungal community is composed of at least 35 different genera, mostly in the phylum Ascomycota. Many genera are observed at very low frequencies among a few most abundant genera, some of which were isolated from specific plant sites (e.g., the roots or the rhizosphere). An assessment of the possible effects upon the fungal community showed that the plant growth stage was the only factor that significantly affected the community’s structure. Moreover, if transgenic effects are present, they may be minor compared to other natural sources of variation. The results of interaction studies using the Green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing T. virens strain T.v.223 revealed that this fungus did not promote any phenotypic changes in the host plant and was found mostly in the roots where it formed a dense mycelial cover and was able to penetrate the intercellular spaces of the root epidermis upper layers. The ability of T. virens to colonize plant roots suggests a potential for protecting plant health, inhibiting pathogens or inducing systemic resistance. PMID:27415014

The metallic contamination of the Loire River Basin (France): Spatial and temporal evolution with a multi-scale approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhivert, Elie; Grosbois, Cécile; Desmet, Marc; Curie, Florence; Moatar, Florentina; Meybeck, Michel; Bourrain, Xavier

2013-04-01

Since the early 19th century, important agricultural, mining and industrial development has been active in Western Europe. The Loire River Basin (117,800 km2, total population of 8.4 Mp) presents a long history of human pressures, reflecting temporal evolution of technological and urban activities (Grosbois et al, 2012). Hence, sediments of the Loire River and its tributaries have recorded partially and/or totally organic, nutrients and trace element contamination. Nowadays, can we determine history of metallic emissions in sediment records and what is the part of these past inputs relative to the actual contamination? Can we point out historical sources of contamination? To answer these questions, two approaches were used in this study. Firstly, in four coring sites in the Loire River Basin, a temporal re-enacting of metallic contamination trapped in sediments was carried out. Based on age-model and inter-element correlations in each core, trace element signals were deconvoluted and compared to actual and specific chemical signatures of anthropogenic inputs (300 bed sediment samples collected downstream of former and current industrial sites like mines, smelters, planting/coating plants, glassware and car industries, metal recycling plants and waste water treatment plants). The second approach was at a larger basin scale, comparing location of these former and actual contamination sources with explanatory factors such as geology, evolution of population density, of industrial activities and of land use. This was done in the main stream of the Loire River and its major tributaries and locally at a smaller scale (0-500 km²). All these approaches emphasized three temporal periods of metallic contamination: (i) the first period begins with the 20th century until 1950, it corresponds to the first increase of major contaminants like Ag, As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb, Sb, Sn and Zn; some trace elements like Hg and Sn seem to be present in the Loire sediments much earlier as they were already enriched before 1900.; (ii) the second one (1950-1980s) represents the highest level of contamination for the cited contaminants above; (iii) the last period is characterized by a large decrease of pollution from 1980s to nowadays when environmental policies and contaminant emission control started. At a spatial scale, small and medium-scale sub-basins, presenting numerous important mining sites and associated industrial plants, are specifically associated to local sources. In contrast, industrial and urban poles are related to polymetallic concentrated bed sediments.

Plant Lectins Targeting O-Glycans at the Cell Surface as Tools for Cancer Diagnosis, Prognosis and Therapy.

PubMed

Poiroux, Guillaume; Barre, Annick; van Damme, Els J M; Benoist, Hervé; Rougé, Pierre

2017-06-09

Aberrant O -glycans expressed at the surface of cancer cells consist of membrane-tethered glycoproteins (T and Tn antigens) and glycolipids (Lewis a, Lewis x and Forssman antigens). All of these O -glycans have been identified as glyco-markers of interest for the diagnosis and the prognosis of cancer diseases. These epitopes are specifically detected using T/Tn-specific lectins isolated from various plants such as jacalin from Artocarpus integrifola , and fungi such as the Agaricus bisporus lectin. These lectins accommodate T/Tn antigens at the monosaccharide-binding site; residues located in the surrounding extended binding-site of the lectins often participate in the binding of more extended epitopes. Depending on the shape and size of the extended carbohydrate-binding site, their fine sugar-binding specificity towards complex O -glycans readily differs from one lectin to another, resulting in a great diversity in their sugar-recognition capacity. T/Tn-specific lectins have been extensively used for the histochemical detection of cancer cells in biopsies and for the follow up of the cancer progression and evolution. T/Tn-specific lectins also induce a caspase-dependent apoptosis in cancer cells, often associated with a more or less severe inhibition of proliferation. Moreover, they provide another potential source of molecules adapted to the building of photosensitizer-conjugates allowing a specific targeting to cancer cells, for the photodynamic treatment of tumors.

Plant Lectins Targeting O-Glycans at the Cell Surface as Tools for Cancer Diagnosis, Prognosis and Therapy

PubMed Central

Poiroux, Guillaume; Barre, Annick; van Damme, Els J. M.; Benoist, Hervé; Rougé, Pierre

2017-01-01

Aberrant O-glycans expressed at the surface of cancer cells consist of membrane-tethered glycoproteins (T and Tn antigens) and glycolipids (Lewis a, Lewis x and Forssman antigens). All of these O-glycans have been identified as glyco-markers of interest for the diagnosis and the prognosis of cancer diseases. These epitopes are specifically detected using T/Tn-specific lectins isolated from various plants such as jacalin from Artocarpus integrifola, and fungi such as the Agaricus bisporus lectin. These lectins accommodate T/Tn antigens at the monosaccharide-binding site; residues located in the surrounding extended binding-site of the lectins often participate in the binding of more extended epitopes. Depending on the shape and size of the extended carbohydrate-binding site, their fine sugar-binding specificity towards complex O-glycans readily differs from one lectin to another, resulting in a great diversity in their sugar-recognition capacity. T/Tn-specific lectins have been extensively used for the histochemical detection of cancer cells in biopsies and for the follow up of the cancer progression and evolution. T/Tn-specific lectins also induce a caspase-dependent apoptosis in cancer cells, often associated with a more or less severe inhibition of proliferation. Moreover, they provide another potential source of molecules adapted to the building of photosensitizer-conjugates allowing a specific targeting to cancer cells, for the photodynamic treatment of tumors. PMID:28598369

Landscape distribution of food and nesting sites affect larval diet and nest size, but not abundance of Osmia bicornis.

PubMed

Coudrain, Valérie; Rittiner, Sarah; Herzog, Felix; Tinner, Willy; Entling, Martin H

2016-10-01

Habitat fragmentation is a major threat for beneficial organisms and the ecosystem services they provide. Multiple-habitat users such as wild bees depend on both nesting and foraging habitat. Thus, they may be affected by the fragmentation of at least two habitat types. We investigated the effects of landscape-scale amount of and patch isolation from both nesting habitat (woody plants) and foraging habitat (specific pollen sources) on the abundance and diet of Osmia bicornis L. Trap-nests of O. bicornis were studied in 30 agricultural landscapes of the Swiss Plateau. Nesting and foraging habitats were mapped in a radius of 500 m around the sites. Pollen composition of larval diet changed as isolation to the main pollen source, Ranunculus, increased, suggesting that O. bicornis adapted its foraging strategy in function of the nest proximity to main pollen sources. Abundance of O. bicornis was neither related to isolation or amount of nesting habitat nor to isolation or abundance of food plants. Surprisingly, nests of O. bicornis contained fewer larvae in sites at forest edge compared to isolated sites, possibly due to higher parasitism risk. This study indicates that O. bicornis can nest in a variety of situations by compensating scarcity of its main larval food by exploiting alternative food sources. © 2015 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

77 FR 27490 - Plant-Specific Adoption, Revision 4 of the Improved Standard Technical Specifications

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-10

...,'' NUREG-1432, ``Standard Technical Specifications, Combustion Engineering Plants,'' NUREG-1433, ``Standard..., ``Standard Technical Specifications, Combustion Engineering Plants'' Revision 4, ADAMS Accession No..., Westinghouse Plants''.. NUREG-1432, ``Standard Technical ML12102A165 ML12102A169 Specifications, Combustion...

Improving plant water isotope models with precise estimates of source water δ2H and δ18O values for trees from precipitation δ2H and δ18O values

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kahmen, A.; Brinkmann, N.; Seeger, S.; Buchmann, N. C.; Eugster, W.; Weiler, M.

2016-12-01

δ2H and δ18O values in plant water and plant organic compounds have established as powerful tools in ecology, biogeochemistry and paleoclimatology. In general, the δ2H and δ18O values in plants are driven by (i) the isotope composition of the plants' source water, (ii) the evaporative 2H or 18O enrichment of foliar water, and (iii) fractionations during the biosynthesis of organic compounds. While we have a robust understanding of what determines the evaporative 2H or 18O enrichment in plant water and biosynthetic fractionation factors have also been reasonably well constrained, our understanding how a plant's source water δ2H and δ18O values are linked to seasonal variation in precipitation δ2H and δ18O values is surprisingly poor. Precise estimates of a plant's source water δ2H and δ18O values, e.g. from the GNIP database are thus not possible and limit the application of plant water isotope models for the interpretation of δ2H and δ18O in plants. Here we present a four-year dataset of precipitation, soil water (0 - 80 cm) and plant source water δ2H and δ18O values from a mixed temperate forest. We employed this dataset to (i) estimate the link between precipitation and soil water δ2H and δ18O values at different soil depths, (ii) apply a hydrological model to estimate the mean residence time of precipitation water in different soil depths and (iii) estimate the integration time of seasonal precipitation for the source water δ2H and δ18O values of four tree species. Our data show a seasonal amplitude in δ2H and δ18O of precipitation of xx and xx, respectively. This seasonal variability in precipitation is transferred into the soil, where it declines with soil depth. Mean residence time of precipitation is xx days in the upper soil layers (5 cm) and increases to xx days in the lower soil layers (80 cm). The trees' source water originated from soil depths between 20 and 70 cm. The δ2H and δ18O values of the trees source water resemble mean precipitation δ2H and δ18O values of the preceding 3 - 4 months but not mean annual precipitation as is often assumed. Knowing the integration times of precipitation in a plant's source water will substantially improve the application of plant water isotope models in the interpretation of δ2H and δ18O values in plant water, tree ring cellulose of leaf wax lipids.

Explaining intraspecific diversity in plant secondary metabolites in an ecological context.

PubMed

Moore, Ben D; Andrew, Rose L; Külheim, Carsten; Foley, William J

2014-02-01

Plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) are ubiquitous in plants and play many ecological roles. Each compound can vary in presence and/or quantity, and the composition of the mixture of chemicals can vary, such that chemodiversity can be partitioned within and among individuals. Plant ontogeny and environmental and genetic variation are recognized as sources of chemical variation, but recent advances in understanding the molecular basis of variation may allow the future deployment of isogenic mutants to test the specific adaptive function of variation in PSMs. An important consequence of high intraspecific variation is the capacity to evolve rapidly. It is becoming increasingly clear that trait variance linked to both macro- and micro-environmental variation can also evolve and may respond more strongly to selection than mean trait values. This research, which is in its infancy in plants, highlights what could be a missing piece of the picture of PSM evolution. PSM polymorphisms are probably maintained by multiple selective forces acting across many spatial and temporal scales, but convincing examples that recognize the diversity of plant population structures are rare. We describe how diversity can be inherently beneficial for plants and suggest fruitful avenues for future research to untangle the causes and consequences of intraspecific variation. © 2013 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2013 New Phytologist Trust.

Manufacturing Economics of Plant-Made Biologics: Case Studies in Therapeutic and Industrial Enzymes

PubMed Central

Tusé, Daniel; McDonald, Karen A.

2014-01-01

Production of recombinant biologics in plants has received considerable attention as an alternative platform to traditional microbial and animal cell culture. Industrially relevant features of plant systems include proper eukaryotic protein processing, inherent safety due to lack of adventitious agents, more facile scalability, faster production (transient systems), and potentially lower costs. Lower manufacturing cost has been widely claimed as an intuitive feature of the platform by the plant-made biologics community, even though cost information resides within a few private companies and studies accurately documenting such an advantage have been lacking. We present two technoeconomic case studies representing plant-made enzymes for diverse applications: human butyrylcholinesterase produced indoors for use as a medical countermeasure and cellulases produced in the field for the conversion of cellulosic biomass into ethanol as a fuel extender. Production economics were modeled based on results reported with the latest-generation expression technologies on Nicotiana host plants. We evaluated process unit operations and calculated bulk active and per-dose or per-unit costs using SuperPro Designer modeling software. Our analyses indicate that substantial cost advantages over alternative platforms can be achieved with plant systems, but these advantages are molecule/product-specific and depend on the relative cost-efficiencies of alternative sources of the same product. PMID:24977145

Manufacturing economics of plant-made biologics: case studies in therapeutic and industrial enzymes.

PubMed

Tusé, Daniel; Tu, Tiffany; McDonald, Karen A

2014-01-01

Production of recombinant biologics in plants has received considerable attention as an alternative platform to traditional microbial and animal cell culture. Industrially relevant features of plant systems include proper eukaryotic protein processing, inherent safety due to lack of adventitious agents, more facile scalability, faster production (transient systems), and potentially lower costs. Lower manufacturing cost has been widely claimed as an intuitive feature of the platform by the plant-made biologics community, even though cost information resides within a few private companies and studies accurately documenting such an advantage have been lacking. We present two technoeconomic case studies representing plant-made enzymes for diverse applications: human butyrylcholinesterase produced indoors for use as a medical countermeasure and cellulases produced in the field for the conversion of cellulosic biomass into ethanol as a fuel extender. Production economics were modeled based on results reported with the latest-generation expression technologies on Nicotiana host plants. We evaluated process unit operations and calculated bulk active and per-dose or per-unit costs using SuperPro Designer modeling software. Our analyses indicate that substantial cost advantages over alternative platforms can be achieved with plant systems, but these advantages are molecule/product-specific and depend on the relative cost-efficiencies of alternative sources of the same product.

Selenium Cycling Across Soil-Plant-Atmosphere Interfaces: A Critical Review

PubMed Central

Winkel, Lenny H.E.; Vriens, Bas; Jones, Gerrad D.; Schneider, Leila S.; Pilon-Smits, Elizabeth; Bañuelos, Gary S.

2015-01-01

Selenium (Se) is an essential element for humans and animals, which occurs ubiquitously in the environment. It is present in trace amounts in both organic and inorganic forms in marine and freshwater systems, soils, biomass and in the atmosphere. Low Se levels in certain terrestrial environments have resulted in Se deficiency in humans, while elevated Se levels in waters and soils can be toxic and result in the death of aquatic wildlife and other animals. Human dietary Se intake is largely governed by Se concentrations in plants, which are controlled by root uptake of Se as a function of soil Se concentrations, speciation and bioavailability. In addition, plants and microorganisms can biomethylate Se, which can result in a loss of Se to the atmosphere. The mobilization of Se across soil-plant-atmosphere interfaces is thus of crucial importance for human Se status. This review gives an overview of current knowledge on Se cycling with a specific focus on soil-plant-atmosphere interfaces. Sources, speciation and mobility of Se in soils and plants will be discussed as well as Se hyperaccumulation by plants, biofortification and biomethylation. Future research on Se cycling in the environment is essential to minimize the adverse health effects associated with unsafe environmental Se levels. PMID:26035246

Selenium cycling across soil-plant-atmosphere interfaces: a critical review.

PubMed

Winkel, Lenny H E; Vriens, Bas; Jones, Gerrad D; Schneider, Leila S; Pilon-Smits, Elizabeth; Bañuelos, Gary S

2015-05-29

Selenium (Se) is an essential element for humans and animals, which occurs ubiquitously in the environment. It is present in trace amounts in both organic and inorganic forms in marine and freshwater systems, soils, biomass and in the atmosphere. Low Se levels in certain terrestrial environments have resulted in Se deficiency in humans, while elevated Se levels in waters and soils can be toxic and result in the death of aquatic wildlife and other animals. Human dietary Se intake is largely governed by Se concentrations in plants, which are controlled by root uptake of Se as a function of soil Se concentrations, speciation and bioavailability. In addition, plants and microorganisms can biomethylate Se, which can result in a loss of Se to the atmosphere. The mobilization of Se across soil-plant-atmosphere interfaces is thus of crucial importance for human Se status. This review gives an overview of current knowledge on Se cycling with a specific focus on soil-plant-atmosphere interfaces. Sources, speciation and mobility of Se in soils and plants will be discussed as well as Se hyperaccumulation by plants, biofortification and biomethylation. Future research on Se cycling in the environment is essential to minimize the adverse health effects associated with unsafe environmental Se levels.

Constitutive arginine-dependent nitric oxide synthase activity in different organs of pea seedlings during plant development.

PubMed

Corpas, Francisco J; Barroso, Juan B; Carreras, Alfonso; Valderrama, Raquel; Palma, José M; León, Ana M; Sandalio, Luisa M; del Río, Luis A

2006-07-01

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important signalling molecule in different animal and plant physiological processes. Little is known about its biological function in plants and on the enzymatic source or site of NO production during plant development. The endogenous NO production from L-arginine (NO synthase activity) was analyzed in leaves, stems and roots during plant development, using pea seedlings as a model. NOS activity was analyzed using a novel chemiluminescence-based assay which is more sensitive and specific than previous methods used in plant tissues. In parallel, NO accumulation was analyzed by confocal laser scanning microscopy using as fluorescent probes either DAF-2 DA or DAF-FM DA. A strong increase in NOS activity was detected in stems after 11 days growth, coinciding with the maximum stem elongation. The arginine-dependent NOS activity was constitutive and sensitive to aminoguanidine, a well-known irreversible inhibitor of animal NOS, and this NOS activity was differentially modulated depending on the plant organ and seedling developmental stage. In all tissues studied, NO was localized mainly in the vascular tissue (xylem) and epidermal cells and in root hairs. These loci of NO generation and accumulation suggest novel functions for NO in these cell types.

Use of naturally growing aquatic plants for wastewater purification.

PubMed

Zimmels, Y; Kirzhner, F; Roitman, S

2004-01-01

This paper examines potential uses of naturally growing aquatic plants for wastewater purification. These plants enhance the removal of pollutants by consuming part of them in the form of plant nutrients. This applies to urban and agricultural wastewater, in particular, where treatment units of different sizes can be applied at the pollution source. The effectiveness of wastewater purification by different plants was tested on laboratory and pilot scales. The growth rate of the plants was related to the wastewater content in the water. Batch and semicontinuous experiments verified that the plants are capable of decreasing all tested indicators for water quality to levels that permit the use of the purified water for irrigation. This applies to biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids. pH, and turbidity. In specific cases, the turbidity reached the level of drinking water. Comparison of BOD concentrations with typical levels in water treatment facilities across the country indicates the effectiveness of water purification with plants. A major effect of treatment with plants was elimination of the disturbing smell from the wastewater. It is shown that mixtures of wastewater and polluted water from the Kishon River are amenable in varying degrees to treatment by the plants. The higher the wastewater content in the mixture, the more effective the treatment by the plants. In this context, a scheme for rehabilitation and restoration of the Kishon River is presented and technical and economical aspects of the purification technology are considered.

Latitudinal distribution of terrestrial lipid biomarkers and n-alkane compound-specific stable carbon isotope ratios in the atmosphere over the western Pacific and Southern Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bendle, James; Kawamura, Kimitaka; Yamazaki, Koji; Niwai, Takeji

2007-12-01

We investigated the latitudinal changes in atmospheric transport of organic matter to the western Pacific and Southern Ocean (27.58°N-64.70°S). Molecular distributions of lipid compound classes (homologous series of C 15 to C 35n-alkanes, C 8 to C 34n-alkanoic acids, C 12 to C 30n-alkanols) and compound-specific stable isotopes (δ 13C of C 29 and C 31n-alkanes) were measured in marine aerosol filter samples collected during a cruise by the R/V Hakuho Maru. The geographical source areas for each sample were estimated from air-mass back-trajectory computations. Concentrations of TC and lipid compound classes were several orders of magnitude lower than observations from urban sites in Asia. A stronger signature of terrestrial higher plant inputs was apparent in three samples collected under conditions of strong terrestrial winds. Unresolved complex mixtures (UCM) showed increasing values in the North Pacific, highlighting the influence of the plume of polluted air exported from East Asia. n-Alkane average chain length (ACL) distribution had two clusters, with samples showing a relation to latitude between 28°N and 47°S (highest ACL values in the tropics), whilst a subset of southern samples had anomalously high ACL values. Compound-specific carbon isotopic analysis of the C 29 (-25.6‰ to -34.5‰) and C 31n-alkanes (-28.3‰ to -37‰) revealed heavier δ 13C values in the northern latitudes with a transition to lighter values in the Southern Ocean. By comparing the isotopic measurements with back-trajectory analysis it was generally possible to discriminate between different source areas. The terrestrial vegetation source for a subset of the southernmost Southern Ocean is enigmatic; the back-trajectories indicate eastern Antarctica as the only intercepted terrestrial source area. These samples may represent a southern hemisphere background of well mixed and very long range transported higher plant organic material.

Molecular Biology of Prune Dwarf Virus—A Lesser Known Member of the Bromoviridae but a Vital Component in the Dynamic Virus–Host Cell Interaction Network

PubMed Central

Bujarski, Józef J.

2017-01-01

Prune dwarf virus (PDV) is one of the members of Bromoviridae family, genus Ilarvirus. Host components that participate in the regulation of viral replication or cell-to-cell movement via plasmodesmata are still unknown. In contrast, viral infections caused by some other Bromoviridae members are well characterized. Bromoviridae can be distinguished based on localization of their replication process in infected cells, cell-to-cell movement mechanisms, and plant-specific response reactions. Depending upon the genus, “genome activation” and viral replication are linked to various membranous structures ranging from endoplasmic reticulum, to tonoplast. In the case of PDV, there is still no evidence of natural resistance sources in the host plants susceptible to virus infection. Apparently, PDV has a great ability to overcome the natural defense responses in a wide spectrum of plant hosts. The first manifestations of PDV infection are specific cell membrane alterations, and the formation of replicase complexes that support PDV RNA replication inside the spherules. During each stage of its life cycle, the virus uses cell components to replicate and to spread in whole plants, within the largely suppressed cellular immunity environment. This work presents the above stages of the PDV life cycle in the context of current knowledge about other Bromoviridae members. PMID:29258199

Test of a new stable isotopic fingerprinting technique (i.e. Compound Specific Stable Isotope) in an Austrian sub-catchment to establish agricultural soil source contribution to deposited sediment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mbaye, Modou; Mabit, Lionel; Gibbs, Max; Meusburger, Katrin; Toloza, Arsenio; Resch, Christian; Klik, Andreas; Swales, Andrew; Alewell, Christine

2017-04-01

In order to test and refine the use of compound-specific stable isotope (CSSI) as a fingerprinting technique, an innovative study was conducted in a sub-catchment dominated by C3 plants located 60 km north of Vienna. This experimental site consists of 4 different contributing sources (i.e. 3 agricultural fields and one grassed waterway) and one sediment mixture in which the δ13C values of the bulk soil carbon and of various fatty acids (FAs) were analysed after a cost effective sampling strategy. Bi-scatterplots of all possible combinations of δ13C FAs including the bulk soil carbon δ13C showed that bulk soil carbon δ13C is a strong discriminant among the other FAs. Moreover, bulk soil carbon δ13C values highlighted the highest difference between the four sources and the δ13C values of C24 indicated significant differences for all sources while δ13C of C22 did not exhibit a significant difference between the two first sources. An additional correlation analysis revealed that the highest significant linear dependencies are between δ13C16 & δ13C18 > δ13C18 & δ13C24 > δ13C16 & δ13C24. Among the variables, the bulk soil carbon δ13C was found to be the least correlated parameter, confirming that it is the most reliable discriminator to determine the sediment origins in the mixture. To summarize, only the long chain FAs (i.e. C22 and C24) as well as the bulk soil carbon δ13C succeeded in fulfilling our multivariate statistical tests. These findings were confirmed by the mixing polygon tests and Principal Component Analysis. Using three different mixing models (i.e. Iso-source, CSSIAR v1.0 and MIXSIAR), the contribution of the different sources to the mixture were evaluated. All models highlighted that the third source (field having C3 and C4 plants in rotation) and the grassed waterway were the main contributing agricultural area representing 25-31% and 50-57% of the deposited sediment constituting the mixture, respectively.

Ecogeography and utility to plant breeding of the crop wild relatives of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

PubMed Central

Kantar, Michael B.; Sosa, Chrystian C.; Khoury, Colin K.; Castañeda-Álvarez, Nora P.; Achicanoy, Harold A.; Bernau, Vivian; Kane, Nolan C.; Marek, Laura; Seiler, Gerald; Rieseberg, Loren H.

2015-01-01

Crop wild relatives (CWR) are a rich source of genetic diversity for crop improvement. Combining ecogeographic and phylogenetic techniques can inform both conservation and breeding. Geographic occurrence, bioclimatic, and biophysical data were used to predict species distributions, range overlap and niche occupancy in 36 taxa closely related to sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). Taxa lacking comprehensive ex situ conservation were identified. The predicted distributions for 36 Helianthus taxa identified substantial range overlap, range asymmetry and niche conservatism. Specific taxa (e.g., Helianthus deblis Nutt., Helianthus anomalus Blake, and Helianthus divaricatus L.) were identified as targets for traits of interest, particularly for abiotic stress tolerance, and adaptation to extreme soil properties. The combination of techniques demonstrates the potential for publicly available ecogeographic and phylogenetic data to facilitate the identification of possible sources of abiotic stress traits for plant breeding programs. Much of the primary genepool (wild H. annuus) occurs in extreme environments indicating that introgression of targeted traits may be relatively straightforward. Sister taxa in Helianthus have greater range overlap than more distantly related taxa within the genus. This adds to a growing body of literature suggesting that in plants (unlike some animal groups), geographic isolation may not be necessary for speciation. PMID:26500675

Ecogeography and utility to plant breeding of the crop wild relatives of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.).

PubMed

Kantar, Michael B; Sosa, Chrystian C; Khoury, Colin K; Castañeda-Álvarez, Nora P; Achicanoy, Harold A; Bernau, Vivian; Kane, Nolan C; Marek, Laura; Seiler, Gerald; Rieseberg, Loren H

2015-01-01

Crop wild relatives (CWR) are a rich source of genetic diversity for crop improvement. Combining ecogeographic and phylogenetic techniques can inform both conservation and breeding. Geographic occurrence, bioclimatic, and biophysical data were used to predict species distributions, range overlap and niche occupancy in 36 taxa closely related to sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). Taxa lacking comprehensive ex situ conservation were identified. The predicted distributions for 36 Helianthus taxa identified substantial range overlap, range asymmetry and niche conservatism. Specific taxa (e.g., Helianthus deblis Nutt., Helianthus anomalus Blake, and Helianthus divaricatus L.) were identified as targets for traits of interest, particularly for abiotic stress tolerance, and adaptation to extreme soil properties. The combination of techniques demonstrates the potential for publicly available ecogeographic and phylogenetic data to facilitate the identification of possible sources of abiotic stress traits for plant breeding programs. Much of the primary genepool (wild H. annuus) occurs in extreme environments indicating that introgression of targeted traits may be relatively straightforward. Sister taxa in Helianthus have greater range overlap than more distantly related taxa within the genus. This adds to a growing body of literature suggesting that in plants (unlike some animal groups), geographic isolation may not be necessary for speciation.

Panallergens and their impact on the allergic patient

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

The panallergen concept encompasses families of related proteins, which are involved in general vital processes and thus, widely distributed throughout nature. Plant panallergens share highly conserved sequence regions, structure, and function. They are responsible for many IgE cross-reactions even between unrelated pollen and plant food allergen sources. Although usually considered as minor allergens, sensitization to panallergens might be problematic as it bears the risk of developing multiple sensitizations. Clinical manifestations seem to be tightly connected with geographical and exposure factors. Future population- and disease-based screenings should provide new insights on panallergens and their contribution to disease manifestations. Such information requires molecule-based diagnostics and will be valuable for developing patient-tailored prophylactic and therapeutic approaches. In this article, we focus on profilins, non-specific lipid transfer proteins, polcalcins, and Bet v 1-related proteins and discuss possible consequences of panallergen sensitization for the allergic patient. Based on their pattern of IgE cross-reactivity, which is reflected by their distribution in the plant kingdom, we propose a novel classification of panallergens into ubiquitously spread "real panallergens" (e.g. profilins) and widespread "eurallergens" (e.g. polcalcins). "Stenallergens" display more limited distribution and cross-reactivity patterns, and "monallergens" are restricted to a single allergen source. PMID:20298513

Emission Inventory for PFOS in China: Review of Past Methodologies and Suggestions

PubMed Central

Lim, Theodore Chao; Wang, Bin; Huang, Jun; Deng, Shubo; Yu, Gang

2011-01-01

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemical that has the potential for long-range transport in the environment. Its use in a wide variety of consumer products and industrial processes makes a detailed characterization of its emissions sources very challenging. These varied emissions sources all contribute to PFOS' existence within nearly all environmental media. Currently, China is the only country documented to still be producing PFOS, though there is no China PFOS emission inventory available. This study reviews the inventory methodologies for PFOS in other countries to suggest a China-specific methodology framework for a PFOS emission inventory. The suggested framework combines unknowns for PFOS-containing product penetration into the Chinese market with product lifecycle assumptions, centralizing these diverse sources into municipal sewage treatment plants. Releases from industrial sources can be quantified separately using another set of emission factors. Industrial sources likely to be relevant to the Chinese environment are identified. PMID:22125449

Nevada Test Site Wetlands Assessment

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

D. J. Hansen

1997-05-01

This report identifies 16 Nevada Test Site (NTS) natural water sources that may be classified by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) as jurisdictional wetlands and identifies eight water sources that may be classified as waters of the United States. These water sources are rare, localized habitats on the NTS that are important to regional wildlife and to isolated populations of water tolerant plants and aquatic organisms. No field investigations on the NTS have been conducted in the past to identify those natural water sources which would be protected as rare habitats and which may fall under regulatory authoritymore » of the Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1997. This report identifies and summarizes previous studies of NTS natural water sources, and identifies the current DOE management practices related to the protection of NTS wetlands. This report also presents management goals specific for NTS wetlands that incorporate the intent of existing wetlands legislation, the principles of ecosystem management, and the interests of regional land managers and other stakeholders.« less

40 CFR 62.10860 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Acid Mist from Existing Sulfuric Acid Plants § 62.10860 Identification of sources. (a) Identification of sources. The plan includes the following sulfuric acid production plants: (1) Diamond-Shamrock... Inc. in Deer Park, Texas. (6) Stauffer Chemical Company in Baytown, Texas. (7) Stauffer Chemical...

40 CFR 62.10860 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Acid Mist from Existing Sulfuric Acid Plants § 62.10860 Identification of sources. (a) Identification of sources. The plan includes the following sulfuric acid production plants: (1) Diamond-Shamrock... Inc. in Deer Park, Texas. (6) Stauffer Chemical Company in Baytown, Texas. (7) Stauffer Chemical...

40 CFR 62.10860 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Acid Mist from Existing Sulfuric Acid Plants § 62.10860 Identification of sources. (a) Identification of sources. The plan includes the following sulfuric acid production plants: (1) Diamond-Shamrock... Inc. in Deer Park, Texas. (6) Stauffer Chemical Company in Baytown, Texas. (7) Stauffer Chemical...

40 CFR 62.10860 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Acid Mist from Existing Sulfuric Acid Plants § 62.10860 Identification of sources. (a) Identification of sources. The plan includes the following sulfuric acid production plants: (1) Diamond-Shamrock... Inc. in Deer Park, Texas. (6) Stauffer Chemical Company in Baytown, Texas. (7) Stauffer Chemical...

40 CFR 62.10860 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Acid Mist from Existing Sulfuric Acid Plants § 62.10860 Identification of sources. (a) Identification of sources. The plan includes the following sulfuric acid production plants: (1) Diamond-Shamrock... Inc. in Deer Park, Texas. (6) Stauffer Chemical Company in Baytown, Texas. (7) Stauffer Chemical...

New Source Performance Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenkins, Richard E.; McCutchen, Gary D.

1972-01-01

This feature article outlines the concept and procedures followed in establishing performance standards for new emission sources and summarizes the standards that have been established to date. Five source catagories are enumerated: fossil fuel-fired steam generators, municipal incinerators, Portland cement plants, nitric acid plants, and sulfuric…

40 CFR 62.10110 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 9 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Identification of sources. 62.10110 Section 62.10110 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS... existing plants at the following locations: (1) Sulfur-burning plants of W. R. Grace and Company's plant in...

40 CFR 62.10110 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Identification of sources. 62.10110 Section 62.10110 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS... existing plants at the following locations: (1) Sulfur-burning plants of W. R. Grace and Company's plant in...

40 CFR 62.10110 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Identification of sources. 62.10110 Section 62.10110 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS... existing plants at the following locations: (1) Sulfur-burning plants of W. R. Grace and Company's plant in...

40 CFR 62.10110 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 9 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Identification of sources. 62.10110 Section 62.10110 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS... existing plants at the following locations: (1) Sulfur-burning plants of W. R. Grace and Company's plant in...

40 CFR 62.10110 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 9 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Identification of sources. 62.10110 Section 62.10110 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS... existing plants at the following locations: (1) Sulfur-burning plants of W. R. Grace and Company's plant in...

40 CFR 62.6120 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Fluoride Emissions from Phosphate Fertilizer Plants § 62.6120 Identification of sources. The plan applies... Corporation in Pascagoula. Fluoride Emissions From Primary Aluminum Reduction Plants ...

40 CFR 62.6120 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Fluoride Emissions from Phosphate Fertilizer Plants § 62.6120 Identification of sources. The plan applies... Corporation in Pascagoula. Fluoride Emissions From Primary Aluminum Reduction Plants ...

Phytochemical and Biological Activities of Four Wild Medicinal Plants

PubMed Central

Ahmad, Shabir; AbdEl-Salam, Naser M.; Fouad, H.; Rehman, Najeeb Ur; Hussain, Hidayat; Saeed, Wajid

2014-01-01

The fruits of four wild plants, namely, Capparis decidua, Ficus carica, Syzygium cumini, and Ziziphus jujuba, are separately used as traditional dietary and remedial agents in remote areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The results of our study on these four plants revealed that the examined fruits were a valuable source of nutraceuticals and exhibited good level of antimicrobial activity. The fruits of these four investigated plants are promising source of polyphenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, and saponins. These four plants' fruits are good sources of iron, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, and chromium. It was also observed that these fruits are potential source of antioxidant agent and the possible reason could be that these samples had good amount of phytochemicals. Hence, the proper propagation, conservation, and chemical investigation are recommended so that these fruits should be incorporated for the eradication of food and health related problems. PMID:25374941

Use of a Recombinant Fluorescent Substrate with Cleavage Sites for All Botulinum Neurotoxins in High-Throughput Screening of Natural Product Extracts for Inhibitors of Serotypes A, B, and E7

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-12-14

contained dried residues from a collection of terrestrial plants , marine inver- tebrates, and various fungi. NCI plate numbers, sources of extracts, and... plants ), while Fig. 3B displays results from row G of the same plate. In these examples, wells B3, B5, B9, G9, and G12 were selected for further...sources of extracts Plate no. Source Extraction solvent 96110120 Terrestrial plants Water 96110125 Terrestrial plants CH3OH-CH2Cl2 12000707 Marine

[Evaluation of efficiency of traps baited with frequency trembler grid lamps and trap plants for control Heortia vitessoides infectwed in Aquilaria sinensis].

PubMed

Qiao, Hai-Li; Xu, Chang-Qing; Xu, Rong; Guo, Kun; Wei, Jian-He; Li, Xiang-Ming; Chen, Jun

2016-06-01

Heortia vitessoides has been a serious defoliating pest of Aquilaria sinensis forests in recent years.The adults displayed strong tropism to the frequency trembler grid lamps and the nectar source plants.The favorite nectar source plants of H.vitessoides adults as the trap plants and the frequency trembler grid lamps in the integrated management of H.vitessoides were studied in the adult eclosion period through both the laboratory and field.The results showed that Kuhnia rosmarnifolia and Santalum album plants showed strong attraction to the H.vitessoides adults, with significant differences among the different nectar source plants.K.rosmarnifolia and S.album as trap plants with board type of planting area to total planting area of 5%-10%, and the frequency trembler grid lamps trapped significantly more adults of H.vitessoides. These results suggested that the frequency trembler grid lamps and trap plants could play an important role in the integrated management of the pest H.vitessoides of A.sinensis. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Management of Ultimate Risk of Nuclear Power Plants by Source Terms - Lessons Learned from the Chernobyl Accident

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

Genn Saji

2006-07-01

The term 'ultimate risk' is used here to describe the probabilities and radiological consequences that should be incorporated in siting, containment design and accident management of nuclear power plants for hypothetical accidents. It is closely related with the source terms specified in siting criteria which assures an adequate separation of radioactive inventories of the plants from the public, in the event of a hypothetical and severe accident situation. The author would like to point out that current source terms which are based on the information from the Windscale accident (1957) through TID-14844 are very outdated and do not incorporate lessonsmore » learned from either the Three Miles Island (TMI, 1979) nor Chernobyl accident (1986), two of the most severe accidents ever experienced. As a result of the observations of benign radionuclides released at TMI, the technical community in the US felt that a more realistic evaluation of severe reactor accident source terms was necessary. In this background, the 'source term research project' was organized in 1984 to respond to these challenges. Unfortunately, soon after the time of the final report from this project was released, the Chernobyl accident occurred. Due to the enormous consequences induced by then accident, the one time optimistic perspectives in establishing a more realistic source term were completely shattered. The Chernobyl accident, with its human death toll and dispersion of a large part of the fission fragments inventories into the environment, created a significant degradation in the public's acceptance of nuclear energy throughout the world. In spite of this, nuclear communities have been prudent in responding to the public's anxiety towards the ultimate safety of nuclear plants, since there still remained many unknown points revolving around the mechanism of the Chernobyl accident. In order to resolve some of these mysteries, the author has performed a scoping study of the dispersion and deposition mechanisms of fuel particles and fission fragments during the initial phase of the Chernobyl accident. Through this study, it is now possible to generally reconstruct the radiological consequences by using a dispersion calculation technique, combined with the meteorological data at the time of the accident and land contamination densities of {sup 137}Cs measured and reported around the Chernobyl area. Although it is challenging to incorporate lessons learned from the Chernobyl accident into the source term issues, the author has already developed an example of safety goals by incorporating the radiological consequences of the accident. The example provides safety goals by specifying source term releases in a graded approach in combination with probabilities, i.e. risks. The author believes that the future source term specification should be directly linked with safety goals. (author)« less

40 CFR 421.94 - Standards of performance for new sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Plants Subcategory § 421.94 Standards of performance for new sources. Any new source subject to this subpart shall achieve the following new source performance standards: Subpart I—Metallurgical Acid Plant....269 1.558 Lead 0.715 0.332 Zinc 2.605 1.073 Fluoride 1 89.390 50.820 Molybdenum 1 [Reserved] [Reserved...

40 CFR 421.94 - Standards of performance for new sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Plants Subcategory § 421.94 Standards of performance for new sources. Any new source subject to this subpart shall achieve the following new source performance standards: Subpart I—Metallurgical Acid Plant....269 1.558 Lead 0.715 0.332 Zinc 2.605 1.073 Fluoride 1 89.390 50.820 Molybdenum 1 [Reserved] [Reserved...

Identification and differentiation of dragon's blood in works of art using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Baumer, Ursula; Dietemann, Patrick

2010-06-01

Dragon's blood is a common but non-specific name for red-coloured resins that are produced by various plants, particularly exudations from plant species belonging to the genera Dracaena and Daemonorops. Although dragon's blood is mentioned in historic sources as a colourant, it has hardly ever been identified in real artworks. This paper reports the identification and discrimination of dragon's blood produced by Dracaena cinnabari, Dracaena draco as well as Daemonorops draco and Daemonorops micracantha by means of gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) within the context of a routine analysis of binding media used in works of art. The detection of specific flavonoid marker compounds in both underivatised and methylated methanol extracts provided the first evidence for the use of dragon's blood from all four species in various works of art from the fifteenth to nineteenth centuries. Dragon's blood was mainly used as a red colourant in gold lacquers as well as translucent glazes and paints, e.g. in reverse-glass paintings (Hinterglasmalerei).

Loci under selection during multiple range expansions of an invasive plant are mostly population specific, but patterns are associated with climate.

PubMed

Zenni, Rafael D; Hoban, Sean M

2015-07-01

Identifying the genes underlying rapid evolutionary changes, describing their function and ascertaining the environmental pressures that determine fitness are the central elements needed for understanding of evolutionary processes and phenotypic changes that improve the fitness of populations. It has been hypothesized that rapid adaptive changes in new environments may contribute to the rapid spread and success of invasive plants and animals. As yet, studies of adaptation during invasion are scarce, as is knowledge of the genes underlying adaptation, especially in multiple replicated invasions. Here, we quantified how genotype frequencies change during invasions, resulting in rapid evolution of naturalized populations. We used six fully replicated common garden experiments in Brazil where Pinus taeda (loblolly pine) was introduced at the same time, in the same numbers, from the same seed sources, and has formed naturalized populations expanding outward from the plantations. We used a combination of nonparametric, population genetics and multivariate statistics to detect changes in genotype frequencies along each of the six naturalization gradients and their association with climate as well as shifts in allele frequencies compared to the source populations. Results show 25 genes with significant shifts in genotype frequencies. Six genes had shifts in more than one population. Climate explained 25% of the variation in the groups of genes under selection across all locations, but specific genes under strong selection during invasions did not show climate-related convergence. In conclusion, we detected rapid evolutionary changes during invasive range expansions, but the particular gene-level patterns of evolution may be population specific. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Development of SRS.php, a Simple Object Access Protocol-based library for data acquisition from integrated biological databases.

PubMed

Barbosa-Silva, A; Pafilis, E; Ortega, J M; Schneider, R

2007-12-11

Data integration has become an important task for biological database providers. The current model for data exchange among different sources simplifies the manner that distinct information is accessed by users. The evolution of data representation from HTML to XML enabled programs, instead of humans, to interact with biological databases. We present here SRS.php, a PHP library that can interact with the data integration Sequence Retrieval System (SRS). The library has been written using SOAP definitions, and permits the programmatic communication through webservices with the SRS. The interactions are possible by invoking the methods described in WSDL by exchanging XML messages. The current functions available in the library have been built to access specific data stored in any of the 90 different databases (such as UNIPROT, KEGG and GO) using the same query syntax format. The inclusion of the described functions in the source of scripts written in PHP enables them as webservice clients to the SRS server. The functions permit one to query the whole content of any SRS database, to list specific records in these databases, to get specific fields from the records, and to link any record among any pair of linked databases. The case study presented exemplifies the library usage to retrieve information regarding registries of a Plant Defense Mechanisms database. The Plant Defense Mechanisms database is currently being developed, and the proposal of SRS.php library usage is to enable the data acquisition for the further warehousing tasks related to its setup and maintenance.

Positive matrix factorization as source apportionment of soil lead and cadmium around a battery plant (Changxing County, China).

PubMed

Xue, Jian-long; Zhi, Yu-you; Yang, Li-ping; Shi, Jia-chun; Zeng, Ling-zao; Wu, Lao-sheng

2014-06-01

Chemical compositions of soil samples are multivariate in nature and provide datasets suitable for the application of multivariate factor analytical techniques. One of the analytical techniques, the positive matrix factorization (PMF), uses a weighted least square by fitting the data matrix to determine the weights of the sources based on the error estimates of each data point. In this research, PMF was employed to apportion the sources of heavy metals in 104 soil samples taken within a 1-km radius of a lead battery plant contaminated site in Changxing County, Zhejiang Province, China. The site is heavily contaminated with high concentrations of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd). PMF successfully partitioned the variances into sources related to soil background, agronomic practices, and the lead battery plants combined with a geostatistical approach. It was estimated that the lead battery plants and the agronomic practices contributed 55.37 and 29.28%, respectively, for soil Pb of the total source. Soil Cd mainly came from the lead battery plants (65.92%), followed by the agronomic practices (21.65%), and soil parent materials (12.43%). This research indicates that PMF combined with geostatistics is a useful tool for source identification and apportionment.

Chemical composition and source apportionment of size fractionated particulate matter in Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

PubMed

Kim, Yong Ho; Krantz, Q Todd; McGee, John; Kovalcik, Kasey D; Duvall, Rachelle M; Willis, Robert D; Kamal, Ali S; Landis, Matthew S; Norris, Gary A; Gilmour, M Ian

2016-11-01

The Cleveland airshed comprises a complex mixture of industrial source emissions that contribute to periods of non-attainment for fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) and are associated with increased adverse health outcomes in the exposed population. Specific PM sources responsible for health effects however are not fully understood. Size-fractionated PM (coarse, fine, and ultrafine) samples were collected using a ChemVol sampler at an urban site (G.T. Craig (GTC)) and rural site (Chippewa Lake (CLM)) from July 2009 to June 2010, and then chemically analyzed. The resulting speciated PM data were apportioned by EPA positive matrix factorization to identify emission sources for each size fraction and location. For comparisons with the ChemVol results, PM samples were also collected with sequential dichotomous and passive samplers, and evaluated for source contributions to each sampling site. The ChemVol results showed that annual average concentrations of PM, elemental carbon, and inorganic elements in the coarse fraction at GTC were ∼2, ∼7, and ∼3 times higher than those at CLM, respectively, while the smaller size fractions at both sites showed similar annual average concentrations. Seasonal variations of secondary aerosols (e.g., high NO 3 - level in winter and high SO 4 2- level in summer) were observed at both sites. Source apportionment results demonstrated that the PM samples at GTC and CLM were enriched with local industrial sources (e.g., steel plant and coal-fired power plant) but their contributions were influenced by meteorological conditions and the emission source's operation conditions. Taken together the year-long PM collection and data analysis provides valuable insights into the characteristics and sources of PM impacting the Cleveland airshed in both the urban center and the rural upwind background locations. These data will be used to classify the PM samples for toxicology studies to determine which PM sources, species, and size fractions are of greatest health concern. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Metabolome analysis of food-chain between plants and insects

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Evolution has shown the co-dependency of host plants-predators (insects), especially inevitable dependency of predators on plant biomass for securing their energy sources. In this respect, it had been believed that NAD+ source used for major energy producing pathway in insects is a glycerol-3-phosph...

40 CFR 62.2353 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Reduced Sulfur Emissions from Kraft Pulp Mills and Tall Oil Plants § 62.2353 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing facilities at the following existing kraft pulp plants and tall oil... in Panama City (i) Arizona Chemical Company (Tall Oil Plant) in Panama City (j) Sylvachem Corporation...

Identification of novel sources of host plant resistance to the soybean aphid biotypes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

While soybean cultivars with resistance to the soybean aphid (Aphis glycines Matsumura) have been commercially released, the presence of virulent biotypes capable of overcoming plant resistance threatens the durability of host-plant resistance as a stable management tactic. Novel sources of host pla...

40 CFR 62.2353 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... in Panama City (i) Arizona Chemical Company (Tall Oil Plant) in Panama City (j) Sylvachem Corporation... Reduced Sulfur Emissions from Kraft Pulp Mills and Tall Oil Plants § 62.2353 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing facilities at the following existing kraft pulp plants and tall oil...

40 CFR 62.2353 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... in Panama City (i) Arizona Chemical Company (Tall Oil Plant) in Panama City (j) Sylvachem Corporation... Reduced Sulfur Emissions from Kraft Pulp Mills and Tall Oil Plants § 62.2353 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing facilities at the following existing kraft pulp plants and tall oil...

40 CFR 62.2353 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... in Panama City (i) Arizona Chemical Company (Tall Oil Plant) in Panama City (j) Sylvachem Corporation... Reduced Sulfur Emissions from Kraft Pulp Mills and Tall Oil Plants § 62.2353 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing facilities at the following existing kraft pulp plants and tall oil...

Simulation of fruit-set and trophic competition and optimization of yield advantages in six Capsicum cultivars using functional-structural plant modelling.

PubMed

Ma, Y T; Wubs, A M; Mathieu, A; Heuvelink, E; Zhu, J Y; Hu, B G; Cournède, P H; de Reffye, P

2011-04-01

Many indeterminate plants can have wide fluctuations in the pattern of fruit-set and harvest. Fruit-set in these types of plants depends largely on the balance between source (assimilate supply) and sink strength (assimilate demand) within the plant. This study aims to evaluate the ability of functional-structural plant models to simulate different fruit-set patterns among Capsicum cultivars through source-sink relationships. A greenhouse experiment of six Capsicum cultivars characterized with different fruit weight and fruit-set was conducted. Fruit-set patterns and potential fruit sink strength were determined through measurement. Source and sink strength of other organs were determined via the GREENLAB model, with a description of plant organ weight and dimensions according to plant topological structure established from the measured data as inputs. Parameter optimization was determined using a generalized least squares method for the entire growth cycle. Fruit sink strength differed among cultivars. Vegetative sink strength was generally lower for large-fruited cultivars than for small-fruited ones. The larger the size of the fruit, the larger variation there was in fruit-set and fruit yield. Large-fruited cultivars need a higher source-sink ratio for fruit-set, which means higher demand for assimilates. Temporal heterogeneity of fruit-set affected both number and yield of fruit. The simulation study showed that reducing heterogeneity of fruit-set was obtained by different approaches: for example, increasing source strength; decreasing vegetative sink strength, source-sink ratio for fruit-set and flower appearance rate; and harvesting individual fruits earlier before full ripeness. Simulation results showed that, when we increased source strength or decreased vegetative sink strength, fruit-set and fruit weight increased. However, no significant differences were found between large-fruited and small-fruited groups of cultivars regarding the effects of source and vegetative sink strength on fruit-set and fruit weight. When the source-sink ratio at fruit-set decreased, the number of fruit retained on the plant increased competition for assimilates with vegetative organs. Therefore, total plant and vegetative dry weights decreased, especially for large-fruited cultivars. Optimization study showed that temporal heterogeneity of fruit-set and ripening was predicted to be reduced when fruits were harvested earlier. Furthermore, there was a 20 % increase in the number of extra fruit set.

Recently Investigated Natural Gums and Mucilages as Pharmaceutical Excipients: An Overview

PubMed Central

Choudhary, Pritam Dinesh; Pawar, Harshal Ashok

2014-01-01

Due to advances in drug delivery technology, currently, excipients are included in novel dosage forms to fulfil specific functions and in some cases they directly or indirectly influence the extent and/or rate of drug release and drug absorption. Recent trends towards use of plant based and natural products demand the replacement of synthetic additives with natural ones. Today, the whole world is increasingly interested in natural drugs and excipients. These natural materials have many advantages over synthetic ones as they are chemically inert, nontoxic, less expensive, biodegradable, and widely available. This review discusses majority of the plant-derived polymeric compounds (gums and mucilage's), their sources, chemical constituents, uses, and some recent investigations as excipients in novel drug delivery systems. PMID:26556189

Benefits and Limitations of Protein Hydrolysates as Components of Serum-Free Media for Animal Cell Culture Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lobo-Alfonso, Juliet; Price, Paul; Jayme, David

Increased understanding of influential factors for the cultivation of animal cells, combined with heightened regulatory concern over potential transmission of adventitious contaminants associated with serum and other animal-derived components, has elevated interest in using protein hydrolysates as serum replacements or nutrient supplements. This paper reviews the chemistry and biology of various hydrolysates derived from animal, plant and microbial sources. It provides specific examples of a beneficial selection of plant and yeast hydrolysates as ingredients of serum-free nutrient formulations for bioproduction applications of cultured mammalian and insect cells. Strategies for customizing and optimizing nutrients for specialized applications and general benefits and limitations of protein hydrolysates for biopharmaceutical production are also discussed.

A study of poultry processing plant noise control techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wyvill, J. C.; Morrison, W. G., Jr.

1981-01-01

A number of techniques can be used to reduce noise in poultry processing plants. In general, covering the ceiling with a noise-absorbing medium is a practical first step. Once the reflected noise levels are abated, treatment of specific identifiable noise courses can take place. The development, flammability, and mechanical properties of acoustic panels to be vertically suspended from the ceiling are discussed as well as the covers need to comply with USDA cleanability requirements. The isolation of drive motors and pumps from large expansive areas, the muffling of pneumatic devices, and the insulation of ice chutes are methods of source quieting. Proper maintenance of machinery and vibration monitoring are also needed to reduce hearing damage risk and to improve worker productivity and employee/supervisor relations.

40 CFR 62.6120 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Fluoride Emissions from Phosphate Fertilizer Plants § 62.6120 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing facilities at the following phosphate fertilizer plants. (1) Mississippi Chemical...

40 CFR 62.6120 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Fluoride Emissions from Phosphate Fertilizer Plants § 62.6120 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing facilities at the following phosphate fertilizer plants. (1) Mississippi Chemical...

40 CFR 62.6120 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Fluoride Emissions from Phosphate Fertilizer Plants § 62.6120 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing facilities at the following phosphate fertilizer plants. (1) Mississippi Chemical...

TOXICOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF REALISTIC EMISSIONS OF SOURCE AEROSOLS (TERESA): APPLICATION TO POWER PLANT-DERIVED PM2.5

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

Annette Rohr

2004-12-02

This report documents progress made on the subject project during the period of March 1, 2004 through August 31, 2004. The TERESA Study is designed to investigate the role played by specific emissions sources and components in the induction of adverse health effects by examining the relative toxicity of coal combustion and mobile source (gasoline and/or diesel engine) emissions and their oxidative products. The study involves on-site sampling, dilution, and aging of coal combustion emissions at three coal-fired power plants, as well as mobile source emissions, followed by animal exposures incorporating a number of toxicological endpoints. The DOE-EPRI Cooperative Agreementmore » (henceforth referred to as ''the Agreement'') for which this technical progress report has been prepared covers the analysis and interpretation of the field data collected at the first power plant (henceforth referred to as Plant 0, and located in the Upper Midwest), followed by the performance and analysis of similar field experiments at two additional coal-fired power plants (Plants 1 and 2) utilizing different coal types and with different plant configurations. Significant progress was made on the Project during this reporting period, with field work being initiated at Plant 0. Initial testing of the stack sampling system and reaction apparatus revealed that primary particle concentrations were lower than expected in the emissions entering the mobile chemical laboratory. Initial animal exposures to primary emissions were carried out (Scenario 1) to ensure successful implementation of all study methodologies and toxicological assessments. Results indicated no significant toxicological effects in response to primary emissions exposures. Exposures were then carried out to diluted, oxidized, neutralized emissions with the addition of secondary organic aerosol (Scenario 5), both during the day and also at night when primary particle concentrations in the sampled stack emissions tended to be slightly higher. Exposure concentrations were about 249 {micro}g/m{sup 3} PM, of which 87 {micro}g/m{sup 3} was sulfate and approximately 110 {micro}g/m{sup 3} was secondary organic material ({approx}44%). Results indicated subtle differences in breathing pattern between exposed and control (sham) animals, but no differences in other endpoints (in vivo chemiluminescence, blood cytology, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid analysis). It was suspected that primary particle losses may have been occurring in the venturi aspirator/orifice sampler; therefore, the stack sampling system was redesigned. The modified system resulted in no substantial increase in particle concentration in the emissions, leading us to conclude that the electrostatic precipitator at the power plant has high efficiency, and that the sampled emissions are representative of those exiting the stack into the atmosphere. This is important, since the objective of the Project is to carry out exposures to realistic coal combustion-derived secondary PM arising from power plants. During the next reporting period, we will document and describe the remainder of the fieldwork at Plant 0, which we expect to be complete by mid-November 2004. This report will include detailed Phase I toxicological findings for all scenarios run, and Phase II toxicological findings for one selected scenario. Depending upon the outcome of the ongoing fieldwork at Plant 0 (i.e. the biological effects observed), not all the proposed scenarios may be evaluated. The next report is also expected to include preliminary field data for Plant 1, located in the Southeast.« less

The sugar transporter inventory of tomato: genome-wide identification and expression analysis.

PubMed

Reuscher, Stefan; Akiyama, Masahito; Yasuda, Tomohide; Makino, Haruko; Aoki, Koh; Shibata, Daisuke; Shiratake, Katsuhiro

2014-06-01

The mobility of sugars between source and sink tissues in plants depends on sugar transport proteins. Studying the corresponding genes allows the manipulation of the sink strength of developing fruits, thereby improving fruit quality for human consumption. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is both a major horticultural crop and a model for the development of fleshy fruits. In this article we provide a comprehensive inventory of tomato sugar transporters, including the SUCROSE TRANSPORTER family, the SUGAR TRANSPORTER PROTEIN family, the SUGAR FACILITATOR PROTEIN family, the POLYOL/MONOSACCHARIDE TRANSPORTER family, the INOSITOL TRANSPORTER family, the PLASTIDIC GLUCOSE TRANSLOCATOR family, the TONOPLAST MONOSACCHARIDE TRANSPORTER family and the VACUOLAR GLUCOSE TRANSPORTER family. Expressed sequence tag (EST) sequencing and phylogenetic analyses established a nomenclature for all analyzed tomato sugar transporters. In total we identified 52 genes in tomato putatively encoding sugar transporters. The expression of 29 sugar transporter genes in vegetative tissues and during fruit development was analyzed. Several sugar transporter genes were expressed in a tissue- or developmental stage-specific manner. This information will be helpful to better understand source to sink movement of photoassimilates in tomato. Identification of fruit-specific sugar transporters might be a first step to find novel genes contributing to tomato fruit sugar accumulation. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Soil Minerals: AN Overlooked Mediator of Plant-Microbe Competition for Organic Nitrogen in the Rhizosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grandy, S.; Jilling, A.; Keiluweit, M.

2016-12-01

Recent research on the rate limiting steps in soil nitrogen (N) availability have shifted in focus from mineralization to soil organic matter (SOM) depolymerization. To that end, Schimel and Bennett (2004) argued that together with enzymatic breakdown of polymers to monomers, microsite processes and plant-microbial competition collectively drive N cycling. Here we present new conceptual models arguing that while depolymerization is a critical first step, mineral-organic associations may ultimately regulate the provisioning of bioavailable organic N, especially in the rhizosphere. Mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) is a rich reservoir for N in soils and often holds 5-7x more N than particulate or labile fractions. However, MAOM is considered largely unavailable to plants as a source of N due to the physicochemical forces on mineral surfaces that stabilize organic matter. We argue that in rhizosphere hotspots, MAOM is in fact a potentially mineralizable and important source of nitrogen for plants. Several biochemical strategies enable plants and microbes to compete with mineral-organic interactions and effectively access MAOM. In particular, root-deposited low molecular weight compounds in the form of root exudates facilitate the biotic and abiotic destabilization and subsequent bioavailability of MAOM. We believe that the competitive balance between the potential fates of assimilable organic N — bound to mineral surfaces or dissolved and available for assimilation — depends on the specific interaction between and properties of the clay, soil solution, mineral-bound organic matter, and microbial community. For this reason, the plant-soil-MAOM interplay is enhanced in rhizosphere hotspots relative to non-rhizosphere environments, and likely strongly regulates plant-microbe competition for N. If these hypotheses are true, we need to reconsider potential soil N cycle responses to changes in climate and land use intensity, focusing on the processes by which management and other anthropogenic stressors can alter MAOM's N-supplying capacity.

Biomarkers and isotopic fingerprinting to track sediment origin and connectivity at Baldegg Lake (Switzerland)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lavrieux, Marlène; Meusburger, Katrin; Birkholz, Axel; Alewell, Christine

2017-04-01

Slope destabilization and associated sediment transfer are among the major causes of aquatic ecosystems and surface water quality impairment. Through land uses and agricultural practices, human activities modify the soil erosive risk and the catchment connectivity, becoming a key factor of sediment dynamics. Hence, restoration and management plans of water bodies can only be efficient if the sediment sources and the proportion attributable to different land uses and agricultural practices are identified. Several sediment fingerprinting methods, based on the geochemical (elemental composition), color, magnetic or isotopic (137Cs) sediment properties, are currently in use. However, these tools are not suitable for a land-use based fingerprinting. New organic geochemical approaches are now developed to discriminate source-soil contributions under different land-uses: The compound-specific stable isotopes (CSSI) technique, based on the biomarkers isotopic signature (here, fatty acids δ13C) variability within the plant species, The analysis of highly specific (i.e. source-family- or even source-species-specific) biomarkers assemblages, which use is until now mainly restricted to palaeoenvironmental reconstructions, and which offer also promising prospects for tracing current sediment origin. The approach was applied to reconstruct the spatio-temporal variability of the main sediment sources of Baldegg Lake (Lucern Canton, Switzerland), which suffers from a substantial eutrophication, despite several restoration attempts during the last 40 years. The sediment supplying areas and the exported volumes were identified using CSSI technique and highly specific biomarkers, coupled to a sediment connectivity model. The sediment origin variability was defined through the analysis of suspended river sediments sampled at high flow conditions (short term), and by the analysis of a lake sediment core covering the last 130 years (long term). The results show the utility of biomarkers and CSSI to track organic sources in contrasted land-use settings. Associated to other fingerprinting methods, this approach could in the future become a decision support tool for catchments management.

A Compound-Specific Hydrogen Isotope Record at the Onset of Ocean Anoxic Event 2, Kaiparowits Plateau, Southern Utah

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Todes, J.; Jones, M. M.; Sageman, B. B.; Osburn, M. R.

2017-12-01

Rhythmic lithologic variations (limestone-shale couplets) interpreted to reflect Milankovitch cycles occur at the onset of Ocean Anoxic Event 2 (OAE2) in deposits of the Western Interior Seaway. These couplets have been interpreted to reflect climate cycles: however, the physical mechanism(s) through which climate cycles were translated to the sedimentary record during peak greenhouse conditions remain unsettled. Although glacioeustasy has been considered, variance in surface ocean temperature, ocean circulation, or local hydrology may be more plausible options. Compound-specific hydrogen isotope ratios (δ2H) of n-alkanes and other biomarkers may provide a means to evaluate such mechanisms. Since sedimentary alkanes are direct products of plants and membrane lipid diagenesis and are resistant to secondary hydrogen exchange during thermal maturation at low (<100 oC) temperatures, they have the potential to reflect the isotopic composition of primary waters. The Tropic Shale of the Kaiparowits Plateau (Southern Utah) provides an exceptional opportunity to explore δ2H variability in this interval. Outcrop samples of three couplets have been extracted, separated, and analyzed to ascertain facies-specific δ2H variability. Strong odd-over-even n-alkane chain length distributions suggest low thermal maturity and the possible preservation of primary δ2H values. Short and long chain ­n-alkanes are potentially sourced from planktonic biomass and terrestrial plants, respectively, enabling a comparison of climatic processes between marine and terrestrial settings. Biomarkers, including both steranes and hopanes, are also preserved and reflect putative source organisms and local paleoenvironmental conditions. Facies-specific δ2H analysis will allow for evaluation of changes in the dominant source of atmospheric moisture in the Western Interior during orbitally-forced climate cycles. Organic matter deposited during periods of northerly Boreal influence would have a depleted 2H-isotope composition relative to those deposited during periods of more southerly Tethys influence. In this model, these variations are reflected by lithology - limestone deposition would occur during warm, evaporative Tethys-dominated times, while cooler, wetter Boreal periods would promote shale deposition.

40 CFR 62.1101 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Fluoride Emissions from Existing Phosphate Fertilizer Plants § 62.1101 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing facilities at the following phosphate fertilizer plants: (a) Occidental Chemical...

40 CFR 62.6351 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Fluoride Emissions from Existing Phosphate Fertilizer Plants § 62.6351 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing facilities at the following phosphate fertilizer plant: Farmers Chemical Company...

40 CFR 62.6351 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Fluoride Emissions from Existing Phosphate Fertilizer Plants § 62.6351 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing facilities at the following phosphate fertilizer plant: Farmers Chemical Company...

40 CFR 62.6351 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Fluoride Emissions from Existing Phosphate Fertilizer Plants § 62.6351 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing facilities at the following phosphate fertilizer plant: Farmers Chemical Company...

40 CFR 62.6351 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Fluoride Emissions from Existing Phosphate Fertilizer Plants § 62.6351 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing facilities at the following phosphate fertilizer plant: Farmers Chemical Company...

40 CFR 62.6351 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Fluoride Emissions from Existing Phosphate Fertilizer Plants § 62.6351 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing facilities at the following phosphate fertilizer plant: Farmers Chemical Company...

40 CFR 62.1101 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Fluoride Emissions from Existing Phosphate Fertilizer Plants § 62.1101 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing facilities at the following phosphate fertilizer plants: (a) Occidental Chemical...

40 CFR 62.1101 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Fluoride Emissions from Existing Phosphate Fertilizer Plants § 62.1101 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing facilities at the following phosphate fertilizer plants: (a) Occidental Chemical...

40 CFR 62.1101 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Fluoride Emissions from Existing Phosphate Fertilizer Plants § 62.1101 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing facilities at the following phosphate fertilizer plants: (a) Occidental Chemical...

40 CFR 62.1101 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Fluoride Emissions from Existing Phosphate Fertilizer Plants § 62.1101 Identification of sources. The plan applies to existing facilities at the following phosphate fertilizer plants: (a) Occidental Chemical...

Health risks resulting from contaminants transfers in soil-plants systems: case study of Atrazine in Lactuca sativa.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathieu, Camoin

2015-04-01

Food safety is presently at the center of great part of scientific and political debates. This represents a field of study in its own right of health risks, including ingestion by humans of hazardous biological, physical, chemical or radiological substances, from contaminated foods during different stages of production. Plant cultivation step is often one of the main sources of contamination, whether of voluntary (pesticide application) or accidental (nuclear, industrial waste, etc.) origin. As a result, the plants growth in an contaminated environment may increase the risk of transfer within the plant, and finally the exposure of humans. Furthermore, pesticides are among the main contaminants investigated in the frame of human health risks resulting from food intakes. However, most of these scientific works focus mainly on their occurrence and persistence in water bodies, and few of them are interested in soil/plants transfer. In this context, the understanding of the processes governing transfers of pesticides in plants is become a necessity, in particular to prevent human risks linked the ingestion of food produced in contaminated environments. This objective can be reached by studying the pollutants behavior in soils/plants transfers, and using various substances/plants couples. In our study, we selected a salad/pesticide couple as our experimental model. Atrazine was chosen as model contaminant because of its problematic presence in a large amount of environmental compartments, its physico-chemical properties and because of its long-term toxicity. Lactuca sativa has been selected as model plant because of its importance in French agriculture, and specifically in Languedoc-Roussillon. Salad has been cultivated in peats and irrigated with an atrazine spiked water solution (concentrations from 10 to 100 μg/L). Plant growth in such conditions has been compared to a growth in clean condition (irrigation with non spiked water). Measurements of atrazine contents in different parts of the plant were performed by HPLC-MS after a specific extraction pretreatment. At the same time, atrazine evolution in soil has been also determined by chemical analyses after soil sampling all along the salad's development, and extraction by soxhlet.

Phytotherapeutics: an evaluation of the potential of 1000 plants.

PubMed

Cravotto, G; Boffa, L; Genzini, L; Garella, D

2010-02-01

The aim of this review is to evaluate and summarize the available scientific information on the commonest plant extracts marketed in Western countries. In view of the intense, ongoing search for new plant extracts with powerful anti-inflammatory activity, we paid particular attention to this topic. The aim is to provide broad coverage of as many potentially useful plants as possible and then to focus on those with the greatest therapeutic potential. Our bibliographic sources were the SciFinder databases: CAPLUS, MEDLINE, REGISTRY, CASREACT, CHEMLIST, CHEMCATS (update to October 2007). In order to assess the value of clinical trials, we focused a specific search on clinical investigations concerning nine plants with the most trial data, viz., Althaea officinalis, Calendula officinalis, Centella asiatica, Echinacea purpurea, Passiflora incarnata, Punica granatum, Vaccinium macrocarpon, Vaccinium myrtillus, Valeriana officinalis. This was carried out in several databases (update to June 2008): ISI Web of Knowledge(SM) (ISI WoK), SciFinder (CAPLUS, MEDLINE, REGISTRY, CASREACT, CHEMLIST, CHEMCATS) and PubMed (indexed for MEDLINE). Our survey covers roughly a 1000 plants, although clinical trials have been published only for 156 plants supporting specific pharmacological activities and therapeutic applications. However, for about half of the plants, in vitro and in vivo studies provide some support for therapeutic use. For one-fifth of the plants included in our search, only phytochemical studies were found. Their properties and indications were often attributed to the presence of certain compounds, but no evidence concerning the activities of the whole extracts was presented. We found that for about 12% of the plants, currently available on the Western market, no substantial studies on their properties had been published, while there was strong evidence that 1 in 200 were toxic or allergenic, so that their use ought to be discouraged or forbidden. Nine plants had considerable evidence of therapeutic effect, viz., A. officinalis, Calendula officinalis, Centella asiatica, E. purpurea, Passiflora incarnata, Punica granatum, Vaccinium macrocarpon, Vaccinium myrtillus, Valeriana officinalis. The present review provides a baseline on the level of evidence available on many herbal preparations and should be of help to those intending to research further on these topics.

Environmentally Clean Mitigation of Undesirable Plant Life Using Lasers

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

Rubenchik, A M; McGrann, T J; Yamamoto, R M

This concept comprises a method for environmentally clean destruction of undesirable plant life using visible or infrared radiation. We believe that during the blossom stage, plant life is very sensitive to electromagnetic radiation, with an enhanced sensitivity to specific spectral ranges. Small doses of irradiation can arrest further plant growth, cause flower destruction or promote plant death. Surrounding plants, which are not in the blossoming stage, should not be affected. Our proposed mechanism to initiate this effect is radiation produced by a laser. Tender parts of the blossom possess enhanced absorptivity in some spectral ranges. This absorption can increase themore » local tissue temperature by several degrees, which is sufficient to induce bio-tissue damage. In some instances, the radiation may actually stimulate plant growth, as an alternative for use in increased crop production. This would be dependent on factors such as plant type, the wavelength of the laser radiation being used and the amount of the radiation dose. Practical, economically viable realization of this concept is possible today with the advent of high efficiency, compact and powerful laser diodes. The laser diodes provide an efficient, environmentally clean source of radiation at a variety of power levels and radiation wavelengths. Figure 1 shows the overall concept, with the laser diodes mounted on a movable platform, traversing and directing the laser radiation over a field of opium poppies.« less

Improvement of hairy root cultures and plants by changing biosynthetic pathways leading to pharmaceutical metabolites: strategies and applications.

PubMed

Ludwig-Müller, Jutta; Jahn, Linda; Lippert, Annemarie; Püschel, Joachim; Walter, Antje

2014-11-01

A plethora of bioactive plant metabolites has been explored for pharmaceutical, food chemistry and agricultural applications. The chemical synthesis of these structures is often difficult, so plants are favorably used as producers. While whole plants can serve as a source for secondary metabolites and can be also improved by metabolic engineering, more often cell or organ cultures of relevant plant species are of interest. It should be noted that only in few cases the production for commercial application in such cultures has been achieved. Their genetic manipulation is sometimes faster and the production of a specific metabolite is more reliable, because of less environmental influences. In addition, upscaling in bioreactors is nowadays possible for many of these cultures, so some are already used in industry. There are approaches to alter the profile of metabolites not only by using plant genes, but also by using bacterial genes encoding modifying enzymes. Also, strategies to cope with unwanted or even toxic compounds are available. The need for metabolic engineering of plant secondary metabolite pathways is increasing with the rising demand for (novel) compounds with new bioactive properties. Here, we give some examples of recent developments for the metabolic engineering of plants and organ cultures, which can be used in the production of metabolites with interesting properties. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

46 CFR 112.20-3 - Normal source for emergency loads.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

....20-3 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING EMERGENCY LIGHTING AND POWER SYSTEMS Emergency Systems Having a Temporary and a Final Emergency Power Source...'s service generating plant. (b) The power from the ship's service generating plant for the emergency...

46 CFR 112.20-3 - Normal source for emergency loads.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

....20-3 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING EMERGENCY LIGHTING AND POWER SYSTEMS Emergency Systems Having a Temporary and a Final Emergency Power Source...'s service generating plant. (b) The power from the ship's service generating plant for the emergency...

46 CFR 112.20-3 - Normal source for emergency loads.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

....20-3 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING EMERGENCY LIGHTING AND POWER SYSTEMS Emergency Systems Having a Temporary and a Final Emergency Power Source...'s service generating plant. (b) The power from the ship's service generating plant for the emergency...

46 CFR 112.20-3 - Normal source for emergency loads.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

....20-3 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING EMERGENCY LIGHTING AND POWER SYSTEMS Emergency Systems Having a Temporary and a Final Emergency Power Source...'s service generating plant. (b) The power from the ship's service generating plant for the emergency...

46 CFR 112.20-3 - Normal source for emergency loads.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

....20-3 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING EMERGENCY LIGHTING AND POWER SYSTEMS Emergency Systems Having a Temporary and a Final Emergency Power Source...'s service generating plant. (b) The power from the ship's service generating plant for the emergency...

40 CFR 62.9110 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Sulfuric Acid Mist from Existing Sulfuric Acid Plants § 62.9110 Identification of sources. (a) Identification of sources. The plan includes the following sulfuric acid production plants. (1) National Zinc Co. in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. (2) Tulsa Chemical Co. in Tulsa, Oklahoma. [52 FR 3230, Feb. 3, 1987...

40 CFR 62.9110 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Sulfuric Acid Mist from Existing Sulfuric Acid Plants § 62.9110 Identification of sources. (a) Identification of sources. The plan includes the following sulfuric acid production plants. (1) National Zinc Co. in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. (2) Tulsa Chemical Co. in Tulsa, Oklahoma. [52 FR 3230, Feb. 3, 1987...

40 CFR 62.9110 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Sulfuric Acid Mist from Existing Sulfuric Acid Plants § 62.9110 Identification of sources. (a) Identification of sources. The plan includes the following sulfuric acid production plants. (1) National Zinc Co. in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. (2) Tulsa Chemical Co. in Tulsa, Oklahoma. [52 FR 3230, Feb. 3, 1987...

Glass import and production in Hispania during the early medieval period: The glass from Ciudad de Vascos (Toledo)

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

One hundred and forty-one glass fragments from medieval Ciudad de Vascos (Toledo, Spain) were analysed by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). The glasses fall into three types according to the fluxing agents used: mineral natron, soda-rich plant ash, and a combination of soda ash and lead. The natron glasses can be assigned to various established primary production groups of eastern Mediterranean provenance. Different types of plant ash glasses indicate differences in the silica source as well as the plant ash component, reflecting changing supply mechanisms. While the earlier plant ash groups can be related to Islamic glasses from the Near East, both in terms of typology and composition, the chemical signature of the later samples appear to be specific to glass from the Iberian Peninsula. This has important implications for our understanding of the emerging glass industry in Spain and the distribution patterns of glass groups and raw materials. The plant ash that was used for the Vascos glasses is rich in soda with low levels of potash, similar to ash produced in the eastern Mediterranean. It could therefore be possible that Levantine plant ash was imported and used in Islamic period glass workshops in Spain. Unlike central and northern Europe where an independent glass industry based on potassium-rich wood ash developed during the Carolingian period, the prevalence of soda ash and soda ash lead glass on the Iberian Peninsula indicates its commercial and technological interconnection with the Islamic east. Our study thus traces several stages leading to the development of a specifically Spanish primary glassmaking industry. PMID:28746419

Is there evidence of adaptation to tidal flooding in saplings of baldcypress subjected to different salinity regimes?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Krauss, K.W.; Doyle, T.W.; Howard, R.J.

2009-01-01

Plant populations may adapt to environmental conditions over time by developing genetically based morphological or physiological characteristics. For tidal freshwater forested wetlands, we hypothesized that the conditions under which trees developed led to ecotypic difference in response of progeny to hydroperiod. Specifically, we looked for evidence of ecotypic adaptation for tidal flooding at different salinity regimes using growth and ecophysiological characteristics of two tidal and two non-tidal source collections of baldcypress (Taxodium distichum (L.) L.C. Rich) from the southeastern United States. Saplings were subjected to treatments of hydrology (permanent versus tidal flooding) and salinity (0 versus ???2 g l-1) for two and a half growing seasons in a greenhouse environment. Saplings from tidal sources maintained 21-41% lower overall growth and biomass accumulation than saplings from non-tidal sources, while saplings from non-tidal sources maintained 14-19% lower overall rates of net photosynthetic assimilation, leaf transpiration, and stomatal conductance than saplings from tidal sources. However, we found no evidence for growth or physiological enhancement of saplings from tidal sources to tide, or of saplings from non-tidal sources to no tide. All saplings growing under permanent flooding exhibited reduced growth and leaf gas exchange regardless of source, with little evidence for consistent salinity effects across hydroperiods. While we reject our original hypothesis, we suggest that adaptations of coastal baldcypress to broad (rather than narrow) environmental conditions may promote ecophysiological and growth enhancements under a range of global-change-induced stressors, perhaps reflecting a natural resilience to environmental change while precluding adaptations for specific flood regimes.

Root growth and hydraulic conductivity of southern pine seedlings in response to soil temperature and water availability after planting

Treesearch

Mary Anne Sword Sayer; John C. Brissette; James P. Barnett

2005-01-01

Comparison of the root system growth and water transport of southern pine species after planting in different root-zone environments is needed to guide decisions regarding when, and what species to plant. Evaluation of how seed source affects root system responses to soil conditions will allow seed sources to be matched to planting conditions. The root growth and...

Development and Evaluation of a Reactive-Dispersive Plume Model: TexAQS II 2006 Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Yong Hoon; Kim, Hyun Soo; Song, Chul Han

2015-04-01

We describe the development and evaluation of a reactive-dispersive plume model (RDPM) that combines a photo-chemistry model with a plume dilution driven by turbulent dispersion of a power-plant plume. The plume transport and turbulent dispersion are derived from a Gaussian plume model and the plume chemistry model uses 71 HxOy-NxOy-CH4 chemistry-related reactions and 184 NMHC-related reactions. Emissions from large-scale point sources have continuously increased due to the rapid industrial growth. To extensively understand and assess atmospheric impacts of the power-plant emissions, a general RDPM was applied to simultaneously simulate the dynamics and photo-chemistry of the Texas power-plant plumes. During the second Texas Air Quality Study 2006 (TexAQS II 2006) on 16 September 2006, pollutant concentrations were measured by NOAA WP-3D aircraft with successive transects across power-plant plumes in Texas, USA. The simulation performances of the RDPM were evaluated by a comparison study, using the observation data obtained from the measurements of a NOAA WP-3D flight during TexAQS II 2006 airborne field campaign. On 16 September, the WP-3D aircraft observed mainly meteorological parameters and particulate species concentrations, traversing the Monticello and Welsh power-plant plumes four times from transects A to D. In addition, some meteorological variables in an initial condition for model simulation were obtained from the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model output for the specific objects. These power-plant plume cases were selected in this study, because a large number of nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide concentrations inside the power-plant plumes were measured without any interruption of other emission sources. For the Monticello and Welsh power-plant plumes, the model-predicted concentrations showed good agreements with the observed concentrations of ambient species (e.g., nitrogen oxides, ozone, sulfur dioxide, etc.) at the four transects. Based on these RDPM results, the power-plant plume chemistry and its possible impacts on atmospheric environments were also analyzed.

Vision in Plants via Plant-Specific Ocelli?

PubMed

Baluška, Frantisek; Mancuso, Stefano

2016-09-01

Although plants are sessile organisms, almost all of their organs move in space and thus require plant-specific senses to find their proper place with respect to their neighbours. Here we discuss recent studies suggesting that plants are able to sense shapes and colours via plant-specific ocelli. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Edible wild plants growing in contaminated floodplains: implications for the issuance of tribal consumption advisories within the Grand Lake watershed of northeastern Oklahoma, USA.

PubMed

Garvin, Ean M; Bridge, Cas F; Garvin, Meredith S

2018-06-01

Metal releases from the Tri-State Mining District (TSMD) that is located in southwestern Missouri, southeastern Kansas, and northeastern Oklahoma, have contaminated floodplain soils within the Neosho and Spring river watersheds of the Grand Lake watershed. Since the Oklahoma portion of the watershed lies within ten tribal jurisdictions, the potential accumulation of metals within plant species that are gathered and consumed by tribal members, as well as the resulting metal exposure risks to tribal human health, was a warranted concern for further investigation. Within this study, a total of 36 plant species that are commonly consumed by tribes were collected from floodplain areas that were previously demonstrated to have elevated soil metal concentrations relative to reference sites. A significant, positive correlation was shown for metal concentrations in plant tissues versus soil (n = 258; Cd: R = 0.72, p = 0.00; Pb: R = 0.52, p = 0.00; and Zn: R = 0.70, p = 0.00). Additionally, a significant difference in metal concentration distributions existed between reference and impacted plant samples (n = 210, p = 0.00 for all metals). These results proved that floodplain soils are a major contamination pathway for metal accumulation within plants, and the source of metal contamination is the result of mining releases from the TSMD. Metal accumulation within plants was found to vary according to specific metal and plant species. The lowest dietary exposure out of all plant organs sampled were associated with fruit, whereas the highest was associated with roots, stem/leaves, and low-lying leafy greens. Metals in plants were compared to weekly dietary intake limits established by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives. Based on specific serving sizes established within this study for tribal children and adults, many plant species had sufficient concentrations to warrant tribal consumption restrictions within the floodplains of Elm Creek, Grand Lake, Lost Creek, Spring River, and Tar Creek. Importantly, these results highlighted the necessity for the issuance of plant consumption advisories for tribal communities in the watershed. A consumption restriction guide on the number of allowable servings of each species per week at specific streams was developed within this study for tribal children and adults. Results also demonstrated that soil metal concentrations do not need to be exceptionally elevated relative to reference sites in order for plants to accumulate sufficient metal concentrations to exceed dietary limits for one serving. Therefore, the exposure risk associated with the consumption of plants cannot be accurately predicted solely from metal concentrations within soils, but must be based on metal concentrations within specific plant tissues on a site-by-site basis. A weekly consumption scenario was created within this study in order to better understand the potential metal dietary exposures to child and adult tribal members who consume multiple servings of multiple plant species per day, as well as benthic invertebrates and fish from the watershed. These findings demonstrated that plants pose a greater consumption exposure risk for tribal members than benthic invertebrates or fish. Therefore, without the consideration of exposure risks associated with the consumption of plants within future human health risk assessments, tribal health risks will be severely underestimated.

Leveraging biodiversity knowledge for potential phyto-therapeutic applications

PubMed Central

Sharma, Vivekanand; Sarkar, Indra Neil

2013-01-01

Objective To identify and highlight the feasibility, challenges, and advantages of providing a cross-domain pipeline that can link relevant biodiversity information for phyto-therapeutic assessment. Materials and methods A public repository of clinical trials information (ClinicalTrials.gov) was explored to determine the state of plant-based interventions under investigation. Results The results showed that ∼15% of drug interventions in ClinicalTrials.gov were potentially plant related, with about 60% of them clustered within 10 taxonomic families. Further analysis of these plant-based interventions identified ∼3.7% of associated plant species as endangered as determined from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List. Discussion The diversity of the plant kingdom has provided human civilization with life-sustaining food and medicine for centuries. There has been renewed interest in the investigation of botanicals as sources of new drugs, building on traditional knowledge about plant-based medicines. However, data about the plant-based biodiversity potential for therapeutics (eg, based on genetic or chemical information) are generally scattered across a range of sources and isolated from contemporary pharmacological resources. This study explored the potential to bridge biodiversity and biomedical knowledge sources. Conclusions The findings from this feasibility study suggest that there is an opportunity for developing plant-based drugs and further highlight taxonomic relationships between plants that may be rich sources for bioprospecting. PMID:23518859

Role of traditional Islamic and Arabic plants in cancer therapy.

PubMed

Ahmad, Rizwan; Ahmad, Niyaz; Naqvi, Atta Abbas; Shehzad, Adeeb; Al-Ghamdi, Mastour Safer

2017-04-01

This review article underlines individual Traditional Islamic and Arabic plant (TAI) and their role in treating cancer. The aim of the study is to specifically evaluate the progress of herbs, Arabic and Islamic traditional herbs in particular, applied in cancer treatment, so far. Islamic and Arabic plants were selected and identified through different literature survey using "Google scholar", "Web of science", "Scopus" and "PubMed". Each plant, from identified Arabic and Islamic plants list, was search individually for the most cited articles in the aforementioned databases using the keywords, "Anticancer", "Uses in cancer treatment", "Ethno pharmacological importance in cancer" etc. The current review about Islamic and Arabic plants illuminates the importance of Islamic and Arabic plants and their impact in treating cancer. There is a long list of Islamic and Arabic plants used in cancer as mentioned in review with enormous amount of literature. Each plant has been investigated for its anticancer potential. The literature survey as mentioned in table shows; these plants are widely utilized in cancer as a whole, a part thereof or in the form of isolated chemical constituent. This review strongly supports the fact; Arabic and Islamic traditional plants have emerged as a good source of complementary and alternative medicine in treating cancer. Traditional Arab-Islamic herbal-based medicines might be promising for new cancer therapeutics with low toxicity and minimal side effects. The plants used are mostly in crude form and still needs advance research for the isolation of phytochemicals and establishing its cellular and molecular role in treating cancer.

Use of abundance ratios of somatic coliphages and bacteriophages of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron GA17 for microbial source identification.

PubMed

Muniesa, Maite; Lucena, Francisco; Blanch, Anicet R; Payán, Andrey; Jofre, Juan

2012-12-01

Water contaminated with human faeces is a risk to human health and management of water bodies can be improved by determining the sources of faecal pollution. Field studies show that existing methods are insufficient and that different markers are required. This study proposes the combined use of two microbial indicators, the concentrations of which are presented as ratios. This provides a more reliable approach to identifying faecal sources as it avoids variation due to treatment or ageing of the contamination. Among other indicators, bacteriophages have been proposed as rapid and cheap indicators of faecal pollution. Samples analysed in this study were derived from wastewater treatment plants (raw sewage, secondary and tertiary effluents and raw sewage sludge) river water, seawater and animal related wastewater. The abundance ratios of faecal coliforms and Bacteroides phages, either strain RYC2056 (non-specific for faecal origin) or strain GA17 (specific for human pollution), and among somatic coliphages and phages infecting both Bacteroides strains, were evaluated. The results indicate that the ratio of somatic coliphages and phages infecting Bacteroides strain GA17, which is specific to human faecal sources, provides a robust method for discriminating samples, even those presenting different levels and ages of pollution, and allows samples polluted with human faeces to be distinguished from those containing animal faecal pollution. This method allows the generation of numerical data that can be further applied to numerical methods for faecal pollution discrimination. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multi-molecular tracers of terrestrial carbon transfer across the pan-Arctic - Part 1: Comparison of hydrolysable components with plant wax lipids and lignin phenols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, X.; Gustafsson, Ö.; Holmes, R. M.; Vonk, J. E.; van Dongen, B. E.; Semiletov, I. P.; Dudarev, O. V.; Yunker, M. B.; Macdonald, R. W.; Montluçon, D. B.; Eglinton, T. I.

2015-03-01

Hydrolysable organic carbon (OC) comprises a significant component of sedimentary particulate matter transferred from land into oceans via rivers. Its abundance and nature are however not well studied in the arctic river systems, and yet may represent an important pool of carbon whose fate remains unclear in the context of mobilization and related processes associated with changing climate. Here, we examine the molecular composition and source of hydrolysable compounds isolated from surface sediments derived from nine rivers across the pan-Arctic. Bound fatty acids (b-FAs), hydroxy FAs, n-alkane-α, ω-dioic acids (DAs) and phenols were the major components released upon hydrolysis of these sediments. Among them, b-FAs received considerable inputs from bacterial and/or algal sources, whereas ω-hydroxy FAs, mid-chain substituted acids, DAs, and hydrolysable phenols were mainly derived from cutin and suberin of higher plants. We further compared the distribution and fate of suberin- and cutin-derived compounds with those of other terrestrial biomarkers (plant wax lipids and lignin phenols) from the same arctic river sediments and conducted a benchmark assessment of several biomarker-based indicators of OC source and extent of degradation. While suberin-specific biomarkers were positively correlated with plant-derived high-molecular-weight (HMW) FAs, lignin phenols were correlated with cutin-derived compounds. These correlations suggest that, similar to leaf-derived cutin, lignin was mainly derived from litter and surface soil horizons, whereas suberin and HMW FAs incorporated significant inputs from belowground sources (roots and deeper soil). This conclusion is supported by the negative correlation between lignin phenols and the ratio of suberin-to-cutin biomarkers. Furthermore, the molecular composition of investigated biomarkers differed between Eurasian and North American arctic rivers: while lignin dominated in the terrestrial OC of Eurasian river sediments, hydrolysable OC represented a much larger fraction in the sedimentary particles from Colville River. Hence, studies exclusively focusing on either plant wax lipids or lignin phenols will not be able to fully unravel the mobilization and fate of bound OC in the arctic rivers. More comprehensive, multi-molecular investigations are needed to better constrain the land-ocean transfer of carbon in the changing Arctic, including further research on the degradation and transfer of both free and bound components in the arctic river sediments.

Multi-molecular tracers of terrestrial carbon transfer across the pan-Arctic: comparison of hydrolyzable components with plant wax lipids and lignin phenols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, X.; Gustafsson, Ö.; Holmes, R. M.; Vonk, J. E.; van Dongen, B. E.; Semiletov, I. P.; Dudarev, O. V.; Yunker, M. B.; Macdonald, R. W.; Montluçon, D. B.; Eglinton, T. I.

2015-08-01

Hydrolyzable organic carbon (OC) comprises a significant component of sedimentary particulate matter transferred from land into oceans via rivers. Its abundance and nature are however not well studied in Arctic river systems, and yet may represent an important pool of carbon whose fate remains unclear in the context of mobilization and related processes associated with a changing climate. Here, we examine the molecular composition and source of hydrolyzable compounds isolated from sedimentary particles derived from nine rivers across the pan-Arctic. Bound fatty acids (b-FAs), hydroxy FAs, n-alkane-α,ω-dioic acids (DAs) and phenols were the major components released upon hydrolysis of these sediments. Among them, b-FAs received considerable inputs from bacterial and/or algal sources, whereas ω-hydroxy FAs, mid-chain substituted acids, DAs, and hydrolyzable phenols were mainly derived from cutin and suberin of higher plants. We further compared the distribution and fate of suberin- and cutin-derived compounds with those of other terrestrial biomarkers (plant wax lipids and lignin phenols) from the same Arctic river sedimentary particles and conducted a benchmark assessment of several biomarker-based indicators of OC source and extent of degradation. While suberin-specific biomarkers were positively correlated with plant-derived high-molecular-weight (HMW) FAs, lignin phenols were correlated with cutin-derived compounds. These correlations suggest that, similar to leaf-derived cutin, lignin was mainly derived from litter and surface soil horizons, whereas suberin and HMW FAs incorporated significant inputs from belowground sources (roots and deeper soil). This conclusion is supported by the negative correlation between lignin phenols and the ratio of suberin-to-cutin biomarkers. Furthermore, the molecular composition of investigated biomarkers differed between Eurasian and North American Arctic rivers: while lignin dominated in the terrestrial OC of Eurasian river sediments, hydrolyzable OC represented a much larger fraction in the sedimentary particles from Colville River. Hence, studies exclusively focusing on either plant wax lipids or lignin phenols will not be able to fully unravel the mobilization and fate of bound OC in Arctic rivers. More comprehensive, multi-molecular investigations are needed to better constrain the land-ocean transfer of carbon in the changing Arctic, including further research on the degradation and transfer of both free and bound components in Arctic river sediments.

Growing with dinosaurs: natural products from the Cretaceous relict Metasequoia glyptostroboides Hu & Cheng-a molecular reservoir from the ancient world with potential in modern medicine.

PubMed

Juvik, Ole Johan; Nguyen, Xuan Hong Thy; Andersen, Heidi Lie; Fossen, Torgils

2016-01-01

After the sensational rediscovery of living exemplars of the Cretaceous relict Metasequoia glyptostroboides -a tree previously known exclusively from fossils from various locations in the northern hemisphere, there has been an increasing interest in discovery of novel natural products from this unique plant source. This article includes the first complete compilation of natural products reported from M. glyptostroboides during the entire period in which the tree has been investigated (1954-2014) with main focus on the compounds specific to this plant source. Studies on the biological activity of pure compounds and extracts derived from M. glyptostroboides are reviewed for the first time. The unique potential of M. glyptostroboides as a source of bioactive constituents is founded on the fact that the tree seems to have survived unchanged since the Cretaceous era. Since then, its molecular defense system has resisted the attacks of millions of generations of pathogens. In line with this, some recent landmarks in Metasequoia paleobotany are covered. Initial spectral analysis of recently discovered intact 53 million year old wood and amber of Metasequoia strongly indicate that the tree has remained unchanged for millions of years at the molecular level.

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Delaware Transportation Data for Alternative

Science.gov Websites

local stakeholders. Gasoline Diesel Natural Gas Transportation Fuel Consumption Source: State Energy Plants 1 Renewable Power Plant Capacity (nameplate, MW) 2 Source: BioFuels Atlas from the National /gallon $2.66/GGE Source: Average prices per gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE) for the Central Atlantic

40 CFR 421.95 - Pretreatment standards for existing sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Plants Subcategory § 421.95 Pretreatment standards for existing sources. Except as provided in 40 CFR 403... standards for existing sources. The mass of wastewater pollutants in metallurgical acid plant blowdown introduced into a POTW shall not exceed the following values: Subpart I—Metallurgical Acid Plant—PSES...

40 CFR 421.95 - Pretreatment standards for existing sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Plants Subcategory § 421.95 Pretreatment standards for existing sources. Except as provided in 40 CFR 403... standards for existing sources. The mass of wastewater pollutants in metallurgical acid plant blowdown introduced into a POTW shall not exceed the following values: Subpart I—Metallurgical Acid Plant—PSES...

Upland Oak Regeneration and Management

Treesearch

David L. Loftis

2004-01-01

In oak-dominated plant communities and in other communities where oaks are important, the keys to natural regeneration of upland oak components are (1) to ensure presence of competitive regeneration sources, and (2) to provide timely, sufficient release of these sources. Regeneration sources vary significantly among different types of plant communities and disturbance...

Plant Trait Variation along an Altitudinal Gradient in Mediterranean High Mountain Grasslands: Controlling the Species Turnover Effect

PubMed Central

Pescador, David S.; de Bello, Francesco; Valladares, Fernando; Escudero, Adrián

2015-01-01

Assessing changes in plant functional traits along gradients is useful for understanding the assembly of communities and their response to global and local environmental drivers. However, these changes may reflect the effects of species composition (i.e. composition turnover), species abundance (i.e. species interaction), and intra-specific trait variability (i.e. species plasticity). In order to determine the relevance of the latter, trait variation can be assessed under minimal effects of composition turnover. Nine sampling sites were established along an altitudinal gradient in a Mediterranean high mountain grassland community with low composition turnover (Madrid, Spain; 1940 m–2419 m). Nine functional traits were also measured for ten individuals of around ten plant species at each site, for a total of eleven species across all sites. The relative importance of different sources of variability (within/between site and intra-/inter-specific functional diversity) and trait variation at species and community level along the considered gradients were explored. We found a weak individual species response to altitude and other environmental variables although in some cases, individuals were smaller and leaves were thicker at higher elevations. This lack of species response was most likely due to greater within- than between-site species variation. At the community level, inter-specific functional diversity was generally greater than the intra-specific component except for traits linked to leaf element content (leaf carbon content, leaf nitrogen content, δ13C and δ15N). Inter-specific functional diversity decreased with lower altitude for four leaf traits (specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, δ13C and δ15N), suggesting trait convergence between species at lower elevations, where water shortage may have a stronger environmental filtering effect than colder temperatures at higher altitudes. Our results suggest that, within a vegetation type encompassing various environmental gradients, both, changes in species abundance and intra-specific trait variability adjust for the community functional response to environmental changes. PMID:25774532

Plant trait variation along an altitudinal gradient in mediterranean high mountain grasslands: controlling the species turnover effect.

PubMed

Pescador, David S; de Bello, Francesco; Valladares, Fernando; Escudero, Adrián

2015-01-01

Assessing changes in plant functional traits along gradients is useful for understanding the assembly of communities and their response to global and local environmental drivers. However, these changes may reflect the effects of species composition (i.e. composition turnover), species abundance (i.e. species interaction), and intra-specific trait variability (i.e. species plasticity). In order to determine the relevance of the latter, trait variation can be assessed under minimal effects of composition turnover. Nine sampling sites were established along an altitudinal gradient in a Mediterranean high mountain grassland community with low composition turnover (Madrid, Spain; 1940 m-2419 m). Nine functional traits were also measured for ten individuals of around ten plant species at each site, for a total of eleven species across all sites. The relative importance of different sources of variability (within/between site and intra-/inter-specific functional diversity) and trait variation at species and community level along the considered gradients were explored. We found a weak individual species response to altitude and other environmental variables although in some cases, individuals were smaller and leaves were thicker at higher elevations. This lack of species response was most likely due to greater within- than between-site species variation. At the community level, inter-specific functional diversity was generally greater than the intra-specific component except for traits linked to leaf element content (leaf carbon content, leaf nitrogen content, δ13C and δ15N). Inter-specific functional diversity decreased with lower altitude for four leaf traits (specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, δ13C and δ15N), suggesting trait convergence between species at lower elevations, where water shortage may have a stronger environmental filtering effect than colder temperatures at higher altitudes. Our results suggest that, within a vegetation type encompassing various environmental gradients, both, changes in species abundance and intra-specific trait variability adjust for the community functional response to environmental changes.

Performance of pond-wetland complexes as a preliminary processor of drinking water sources.

PubMed

Wang, Weidong; Zheng, Jun; Wang, Zhongqiong; Zhang, Rongbin; Chen, Qinghua; Yu, Xinfeng; Yin, Chengqing

2016-01-01

Shijiuyang Constructed Wetland (110 hm(2)) is a drinking water source treatment wetland with primary structural units of ponds and plant-bed/ditch systems. The wetland can process about 250,000 tonnes of source water in the Xincheng River every day and supplies raw water for Shijiuyang Drinking Water Plant. Daily data for 28 months indicated that the major water quality indexes of source water had been improved by one grade. The percentage increase for dissolved oxygen and the removal rates of ammonia nitrogen, iron and manganese were 73.63%, 38.86%, 35.64%, and 22.14% respectively. The treatment performance weight of ponds and plant-bed/ditch systems was roughly equal but they treated different pollutants preferentially. Most water quality indexes had better treatment efficacy with increasing temperature and inlet concentrations. These results revealed that the pond-wetland complexes exhibited strong buffering capacity for source water quality improvement. The treatment cost of Shijiuyang Drinking Water Plant was reduced by about 30.3%. Regional rainfall significantly determined the external river water levels and adversely deteriorated the inlet water quality, thus suggesting that the "hidden" diffuse pollution in the multitudinous stream branches as well as their catchments should be the controlling emphases for river source water protection in the future. The combination of pond and plant-bed/ditch systems provides a successful paradigm for drinking water source pretreatment. Three other drinking water source treatment wetlands with ponds and plant-bed/ditch systems are in operation or construction in the stream networks of the Yangtze River Delta and more people will be benefited. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Microbial degradation of plant leachate alters lignin phenols and trihalomethane precursors

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pellerin, Brian A.; Hernes, Peter J.; Saraceno, John Franco; Spencer, Robert G.M.; Bergamaschi, Brian A.

2010-01-01

Although the importance of vascular plant-derived dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in freshwater systems has been studied, the role of leached DOC as precursors of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) during drinking water treatment is not well known. Here we measured the propensity of leachates from four crops and four aquatic macrophytes to form trihalomethanes (THMs)—a regulated class of DBPs—before and after 21 d of microbial degradation. We also measured lignin phenol content and specific UV absorbance (SUVA254) to test the assumption that aromatic compounds from vascular plants are resistant to microbial degradation and readily form DBPs. Leaching solubilized 9 to 26% of total plant carbon, which formed 1.93 to 6.72 mmol THM mol C-1 However, leachate DOC concentrations decreased by 85 to 92% over the 21-d incubation, with a concomitant decrease of 67 to 92% in total THM formation potential. Carbon-normalized THM yields in the residual DOC pool increased by 2.5 times on average, consistent with the preferential uptake of nonprecursor material. Lignin phenol concentrations decreased by 64 to 96% over 21 d, but a lack of correlation between lignin content and THM yields or SUVA254 suggested that lignin-derived compounds are not the source of increased THM precursor yields in the residual DOC pool. Our results indicate that microbial carbon utilization alters THM precursors in ecosystems with direct plant leaching, but more work is needed to identify the specific dissolved organic matter components with a greater propensity to form DBPs and affect watershed management, drinking water quality, and human health.

Organic marker compounds in surface soils of crop fields from the San Joaquin Valley fugitive dust characterization study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogge, Wolfgang F.; Medeiros, Patricia M.; Simoneit, Bernd R. T.

Fugitive dust from the erosion of arid and fallow land, after harvest and during agricultural activities, can at times be the dominant source of airborne particulate matter. In order to assess the source contributions to a given site, chemical mass balance (CMB) modeling is typically used together with source-specific profiles for organic and inorganic constituents. Yet, the mass balance closure can be achieved only if emission profiles for all major sources are considered. While a higher degree of mass balance closure has been achieved by adding individual organic marker compounds to elements, ions, EC, and organic carbon (OC), major source profiles for fugitive dust are not available. Consequently, neither the exposure of the population living near fugitive dust sources from farm land, nor its chemical composition is known. Surface soils from crop fields are enriched in plant detritus from both above and below ground plant parts; therefore, surface soil dust contains natural organic compounds from the crops and soil microbiota. Here, surface soils derived from fields growing cotton, safflower, tomato, almonds, and grapes have been analyzed for more than 180 organic compounds, including natural lipids, saccharides, pesticides, herbicides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). The major result of this study is that selective biogenically derived organic compounds are suitable markers of fugitive dust from major agricultural crop fields in the San Joaquin Valley. Aliphatic homologs exhibit the typical biogenic signatures of epicuticular plant waxes and are therefore indicative of fugitive dust emissions and mechanical abrasion of wax protrusions from leaf surfaces. Saccharides, among which α- and β-glucose, sucrose, and mycose show the highest concentrations in surface soils, have been proposed to be generic markers for fugitive dust from cultivated land. Similarly, steroids are strongly indicative of fugitive dust. Yet, triterpenoids reveal the most pronounced distribution differences for all types of cultivated soils examined here and are by themselves powerful markers for fugitive dust that allow differentiation between the types of crops cultivated. PAHs are also found in some surface soils, as well as persistent pesticides, e.g., DDE, Fosfall, and others.

Transgenic Plant-Produced Hydrolytic Enzymes and the Potential of Insect Gut-Derived Hydrolases for Biofuels

PubMed Central

Willis, Jonathan D.; Mazarei, Mitra; Stewart, C. Neal

2016-01-01

Various perennial C4 grass species have tremendous potential for use as lignocellulosic biofuel feedstocks. Currently available grasses require costly pre-treatment and exogenous hydrolytic enzyme application to break down complex cell wall polymers into sugars that can then be fermented into ethanol. It has long been hypothesized that engineered feedstock production of cell wall degrading (CWD) enzymes would be an efficient production platform for of exogenous hydrolytic enzymes. Most research has focused on plant overexpression of CWD enzyme-coding genes from free-living bacteria and fungi that naturally break down plant cell walls. Recently, it has been found that insect digestive tracts harbor novel sources of lignocellulolytic biocatalysts that might be exploited for biofuel production. These CWD enzyme genes can be located in the insect genomes or in symbiotic microbes. When CWD genes are transformed into plants, negative pleiotropic effects are possible such as unintended cell wall digestion. The use of codon optimization along with organelle and tissue specific targeting improves CWD enzyme yields. The literature teaches several important lessons on strategic deployment of CWD genes in transgenic plants, which is the focus of this review. PMID:27303411

Ferulic acid: an antioxidant found naturally in plant cell walls and feruloyl esterases involved in its release and their applications.

PubMed

Mathew, Sindhu; Abraham, T Emilia

2004-01-01

Ferulic acid is the most abundant hydroxycinnamic acid in the plant world and maize bran with 3.1% (w/w) ferulic acid is one of the most promising sources of this antioxidant. The dehydrodimers of ferulic acid are important structural components in the plant cell wall and serve to enhance its rigidity and strength. Feruloyl esterases are a subclass of the carboxylic acid esterases that hydrolyze the ester bond between hydroxycinnamic acids and sugars present in plant cell walls and they have been isolated from a wide range of microorganisms, when grown on complex substrates such as cereal brans, sugar beet pulp, pectin and xylan. These enzymes perform a function similar to alkali in the deesterification of plant cell wall and differ in their specificities towards the methyl esters of cinnamic acids and ferulolylated oligosaccharides. They act synergistically with xylanases and pectinases and facilitate the access of hydrolases to the backbone of cell wall polymers. The applications of ferulic acid and feruloyl esterase enzymes are many and varied. Ferulic acid obtained from agricultural byproducts is a potential precursor for the production of natural vanillin, due to the lower production cost.

Antioxidant Capacity Determination in Plants and Plant-Derived Products: A Review

PubMed Central

Pop, Aneta; Cimpeanu, Carmen; Predoi, Gabriel

2016-01-01

The present paper aims at reviewing and commenting on the analytical methods applied to antioxidant and antioxidant capacity assessment in plant-derived products. Aspects related to oxidative stress, reactive oxidative species' influence on key biomolecules, and antioxidant benefits and modalities of action are discussed. Also, the oxidant-antioxidant balance is critically discussed. The conventional and nonconventional extraction procedures applied prior to analysis are also presented, as the extraction step is of pivotal importance for isolation and concentration of the compound(s) of interest before analysis. Then, the chromatographic, spectrometric, and electrochemical methods for antioxidant and antioxidant capacity determination in plant-derived products are detailed with respect to their principles, characteristics, and specific applications. Peculiarities related to the matrix characteristics and other factors influencing the method's performances are discussed. Health benefits of plants and derived products are described, as indicated in the original source. Finally, critical and conclusive aspects are given when it comes to the choice of a particular extraction procedure and detection method, which should consider the nature of the sample, prevalent antioxidant/antioxidant class, and the mechanism underlying each technique. Advantages and disadvantages are discussed for each method. PMID:28044094

The maize (Zea mays ssp. mays var. B73) genome encodes 33 members of the purple acid phosphatase family

PubMed Central

González-Muñoz, Eliécer; Avendaño-Vázquez, Aida-Odette; Montes, Ricardo A. Chávez; de Folter, Stefan; Andrés-Hernández, Liliana; Abreu-Goodger, Cei; Sawers, Ruairidh J. H.

2015-01-01

Purple acid phosphatases (PAPs) play an important role in plant phosphorus nutrition, both by liberating phosphorus from organic sources in the soil and by modulating distribution within the plant throughout growth and development. Furthermore, members of the PAP protein family have been implicated in a broader role in plant mineral homeostasis, stress responses and development. We have identified 33 candidate PAP encoding gene models in the maize (Zea mays ssp. mays var. B73) reference genome. The maize Pap family includes a clear single-copy ortholog of the Arabidopsis gene AtPAP26, shown previously to encode both major intracellular and secreted acid phosphatase activities. Certain groups of PAPs present in Arabidopsis, however, are absent in maize, while the maize family contains a number of expansions, including a distinct radiation not present in Arabidopsis. Analysis of RNA-sequencing based transcriptome data revealed accumulation of maize Pap transcripts in multiple plant tissues at multiple stages of development, and increased accumulation of specific transcripts under low phosphorus availability. These data suggest the maize PAP family as a whole to have broad significance throughout the plant life cycle, while highlighting potential functional specialization of individual family members. PMID:26042133

Plant water stress effects on the net dispersal rate of the insect vector Homalodisca vitripennis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) and movement of its egg parasitoid, Gonatocerus ashmeadi (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae).

PubMed

Krugner, Rodrigo; Hagler, James R; Groves, Russell L; Sisterson, Mark S; Morse, Joseph G; Johnson, Marshall W

2012-12-01

Homalodisca vitripennis (Germar), a vector of Xylella fastidiosa, is associated with citrus plantings in California. Infested citrus orchards act as a source of vectors to adjacent vineyards where X. fastidiosa causes Pierce's disease. An analysis of the pattern and rate of movement of H. vitripennis and its egg parasitoid, Gonatocerus ashmeadi Girault, was conducted in a citrus orchard by using a protein mark-capture technique to quantify movement and net dispersal rates in the experimental areas. Treatments included irrigation at 100% of the crop evapotranspiration rate (ET(c)), 80, and 60% ET(c). Sex-specific net dispersal rates showed that H. vitripennis males and females moved consistently and contributed equally to the level of population change within treated areas. Trees irrigated at 60% ET(c) were the least preferred by H. vitripennis. Among all protein-marked individuals captured in the 60% ET(c) treatment, ≈ 75 and 88% in 2005 and 2006, respectively, were inflow individuals. Movement toward less preferable plants indicates that in agricultural landscapes dominated by perennial monocultures, there is a random component to H. vitripennis movement, which may result from the inability of H. vitripennis to use plant visual cues, olfactory cues, or both to make well-informed long-range decisions. The 80% ET(c) areas were a significant source of adult H. vitripennis and G. ashmeadi compared with the other treatments. Colonization rates by parasitoids were synchronized with the spatiotemporal distribution of H. vitripennis eggs. Results suggest that H. vitripennis movement from citrus into adjacent vineyards could be a result of random dispersal rather than oriented movement in response to host-plant characteristics.

Whole-plant versus leaf-level regulation of photosynthetic responses after partial defoliation in Eucalyptus globulus saplings

PubMed Central

Eyles, Alieta

2013-01-01

Increases in photosynthetic capacity (A1500) after defoliation have been attributed to changes in leaf-level biochemistry, water, and/or nutrient status. The hypothesis that transient photosynthetic responses to partial defoliation are regulated by whole-plant (e.g. source–sink relationships or changes in hydraulic conductance) rather than leaf-level mechanisms is tested here. Temporal variation in leaf-level gas exchange, chemistry, whole-plant soil-to-leaf hydraulic conductance (KP), and aboveground biomass partitioning were determined to evaluate mechanisms responsible for increases in A1500 of Eucalyptus globulus L. potted saplings. A1500 increased in response to debudding (B), partial defoliation (D), and combined B&D treatments by up to 36% at 5 weeks after treatment. Changes in leaf-level factors partly explained increases in A1500 of B and B&D treatments but not for D treatment. By week 5, saplings in B, B&D, and D treatments had similar leaf-specific KP to control trees by maintaining lower midday water potentials and higher transpiration rate per leaf area. Whole-plant source:sink ratios correlated strongly with A1500. Further, unlike KP, temporal changes in source:sink ratios tracked well with those observed for A1500. The results indicate that increases in A1500 after partial defoliation treatments were largely driven by an increased demand for assimilate by developing sinks rather than improvements in whole-plant water relations and changes in leaf-level factors. Three carbohydrates, galactional, stachyose, and, to a lesser extent, raffinose, correlated strongly with photosynthetic capacity, indicating that these sugars may function as signalling molecules in the regulation of longer term defoliation-induced gas exchange responses. PMID:23382548

Traditional and Current Food Use of Wild Plants Listed in the Russian Pharmacopoeia

PubMed Central

Shikov, Alexander N.; Tsitsilin, Andrey N.; Pozharitskaya, Olga N.; Makarov, Valery G.; Heinrich, Michael

2017-01-01

Historically Russia can be regarded as a “herbophilious” society. For centuries the multinational population of Russia has used plants in daily diet and for self-medication. The specificity of dietary uptake of medicinal plants (especially those in the unique and highly developed Russian herbal medical tradition) has remained mostly unknown in other regions. Based on 11th edition of the State Pharmacopoeia of the USSR, we selected 70 wild plant species which have been used in food by local Russian populations. Empirical searches were conducted via the Russian-wide applied online database E-library.ru, library catalogs of public libraries in St-Petersburg, the databases Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and search engine Google Scholar. The large majority of species included in Russian Pharmacopoeia are used as food by local population, however, aerial parts are more widely used for food. In this review, we summarize data on medicinal species published in Russia and other countries that are included in the Russian Pharmacopoeia and have being used in food for a long time. Consequently, the Russian Pharmacopoeia is an important source of information on plant species used traditionally at the interface of food and medicine. At the same time, there are the so-called “functional foods”, which denotes foods that not only serves to provide nutrition but also can be a source for prevention and cure of various diseases. This review highlights the potential of wild species of Russia monographed in its pharmacopeia for further developing new functional foods and—through the lens of their incorporation into the pharmacopeia—showcases the species' importance in Russia. PMID:29209213

Host plant volatiles serve to increase the response of male European grape berry moths, Eupoecilia ambiguella, to their sex pheromone.

PubMed

Schmidt-Büsser, Daniela; von Arx, Martin; Guerin, Patrick M

2009-09-01

The European grape berry moth is an important pest in vineyards. Males respond to the female-produced sex pheromone released from a piezo nebulizer in a dose-dependent manner in a wind tunnel: <50% arrive at the source at 5-50 pg/min (underdosed), 80% arrive at 100 pg/min to 10 ng/min (optimal) and <20% arrive at 100 ng/min (overdosed). Males responding to overdosed pheromone show in flight arrestment at 80 cm from the source. Host plant chemostimuli for Eupoecilia ambiguella increase the responses of males to underdosed and overdosed pheromone. (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol, (+)-terpinen-4-ol, (E)-beta-caryophyllene and methyl salicylate released with the underdosed pheromone cause a significant increase in male E. ambiguella flying to the source. Time-event analysis indicates a positive correlation between faster activation and probability of source contact by the responding males. The four host plant compounds added to the overdosed pheromone permitted males to take off faster and with a higher probability of flying to the source. This suggests that perception of host plant products with the sex pheromone facilitates male E. ambiguella to locate females on host plants, lending credence to the hypothesis that plant products can signal rendezvous sites suitable for mating.

Arcobacter butzleri in sheep ricotta cheese at retail and related sources of contamination in an industrial dairy plant.

PubMed

Scarano, Christian; Giacometti, Federica; Manfreda, Gerardo; Lucchi, Alex; Pes, Emanuela; Spanu, Carlo; De Santis, Enrico Pietro Luigi; Serraino, Andrea

2014-11-01

This study aimed to evaluate Arcobacter species contamination of industrial sheep ricotta cheese purchased at retail and to establish if the dairy plant environment may represent a source of contamination. A total of 32 sheep ricotta cheeses (1.5 kg/pack) packed in a modified atmosphere were purchased at retail, and 30 samples were collected in two sampling sessions performed in the cheese factory from surfaces in contact with food and from surfaces not in contact with food. Seven out of 32 samples (21.9%) of ricotta cheese collected at retail tested positive for Arcobacter butzleri at cultural examination; all positive samples were collected during the same sampling and belonged to the same batch. Ten surface samples (33.3%) collected in the dairy plant were positive for A. butzleri. Cluster analysis identified 32 pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns. The same PFGE pattern was isolated from more than one ricotta cheese sample, indicating a common source of contamination, while more PFGE patterns could be isolated in single samples, indicating different sources of contamination. The results of the environmental sampling showed that A. butzleri may be commonly isolated from the dairy processing plant investigated and may survive over time, as confirmed by the isolation of the same PFGE pattern in different industrial plant surface samples. Floor contamination may represent a source of A. butzleri spread to different areas of the dairy plant, as demonstrated by isolation of the same PFGE pattern in different production areas. Isolation of the same PFGE pattern from surface samples in the dairy plant and from ricotta cheese purchased at retail showed that plant surfaces may represent a source of A. butzleri postprocessing contamination in cheeses produced in industrial dairy plants. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

A highly specific l-galactose-1-phosphate phosphatase on the path to ascorbate biosynthesis

PubMed Central

Laing, William A.; Bulley, Sean; Wright, Michele; Cooney, Janine; Jensen, Dwayne; Barraclough, Di; MacRae, Elspeth

2004-01-01

Ascorbate is a critical compound in plants and animals. Humans are unable to synthesize ascorbate, and their main source of this essential vitamin are plants. However, the pathway of synthesis in plants is yet to be established, and several unknown enzymes are only postulated to exist. We describe a specific l-galactose-1-phosphate (l-gal-1-P) phosphatase that we partially purified from young kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) berries. The enzyme had a native molecular mass of ≈65 kDa, was completely dependent on Mg2+ for activity and was very specific in its ability to hydrolyze l-gal-1-P. The activity had a pH optimum of 7.0, a KM(l-gal-1-P) of 20–40 μM and a Ka(Mg2+) of 0.2 mM. The activity was inhibited by Mg2+ at concentrations >2 mM. The enzyme from Arabidopsis thaliana shoots showed similar properties to the kiwifruit enzyme. The Arabidopsis thaliana enzyme preparation was digested with trypsin, and proteins present were identified by using liquid chromatography–MS. One of 24 proteins present in our preparation was an Arabidopsis thaliana protein, At3g02870, annotated myo-inositol-1-phosphate phosphatase in GenBank, that matched the characteristics of the purified l-gal-1-phosphate phosphatase. We then expressed a kiwifruit homologue of this gene in Escherichia coli and found that it showed 14-fold higher maximum velocity for l-gal-1-P than myo-inositol-1-P. The expressed enzyme showed very similar properties to the enzyme purified from kiwifruit and Arabidopsis, except that its KM(l-gal-1-P) and Ka(Mg2+) were higher in the expressed enzyme. The data are discussed in terms of the pathway to ascorbate biosynthesis in plants PMID:15550539

The Involvement of Thaumatin-Like Proteins in Plant Food Cross-Reactivity: A Multicenter Study Using a Specific Protein Microarray

PubMed Central

Palacín, Arantxa; Rivas, Luis A.; Gómez-Casado, Cristina; Aguirre, Jacobo; Tordesillas, Leticia; Bartra, Joan; Blanco, Carlos; Carrillo, Teresa; Cuesta-Herranz, Javier; Bonny, José A. Cumplido; Flores, Enrique; García-Alvarez-Eire, Mar G.; García-Nuñez, Ignacio; Fernández, Francisco J.; Gamboa, Pedro; Muñoz, Rosa; Sánchez-Monge, Rosa; Torres, Maria; Losada, Susana Varela; Villalba, Mayte; Vega, Francisco; Parro, Victor; Blanca, Miguel; Salcedo, Gabriel; Díaz-Perales, Araceli

2012-01-01

Cross-reactivity of plant foods is an important phenomenon in allergy, with geographical variations with respect to the number and prevalence of the allergens involved in this process, whose complexity requires detailed studies. We have addressed the role of thaumatin-like proteins (TLPs) in cross-reactivity between fruit and pollen allergies. A representative panel of 16 purified TLPs was printed onto an allergen microarray. The proteins selected belonged to the sources most frequently associated with peach allergy in representative regions of Spain. Sera from two groups of well characterized patients, one with allergy to Rosaceae fruit (FAG) and another against pollens but tolerant to food-plant allergens (PAG), were obtained from seven geographical areas with different environmental pollen profiles. Cross-reactivity between members of this family was demonstrated by inhibition assays. Only 6 out of 16 purified TLPs showed noticeable allergenic activity in the studied populations. Pru p 2.0201, the peach TLP (41%), chestnut TLP (24%) and plane pollen TLP (22%) proved to be allergens of probable relevance to fruit allergy, being mainly associated with pollen sensitization, and strongly linked to specific geographical areas such as Barcelona, Bilbao, the Canary Islands and Madrid. The patients exhibited >50% positive response to Pru p 2.0201 and to chestnut TLP in these specific areas. Therefore, their recognition patterns were associated with the geographical area, suggesting a role for pollen in the sensitization of these allergens. Finally, the co-sensitizations of patients considering pairs of TLP allergens were analyzed by using the co-sensitization graph associated with an allergen microarray immunoassay. Our data indicate that TLPs are significant allergens in plant food allergy and should be considered when diagnosing and treating pollen-food allergy. PMID:22970164

[Characteristics of Chemical Components in PM₂.₅ from the Coal Dust of Power Plants].

PubMed

Wang, Yu-xiu; Peng, Lin; Wang, Yan; Zhang, Teng; Liu, Hai-li; Mu, Ling

2016-01-15

The ashes under dust catcher of typical power plants in Yangquan was collected and the contents of elements, irons, EC (elemental carbon) and OC (organic carbon) were measured in PM₂. The characteristics of its chemical composition was studied and the degree of similarity of coal dust's source profiles of PM₂.₅ between Yangquan and other cities were compared using the coefficient of divergence method. The result indicated that the main chemical components of PM₂.₅ from the coal dust were SO₄²⁻,Ca, NO₃⁻, OC, EC, Al, Si, Na, Fe, Mg and Cl⁻, accounting for 57.22% of the total mass. The enrichment factor of Pb in PM₂.₅ of coal dust was the largest with a significant enrichment condition, reaching 10.66-15.91. The coefficient of divergence of source profiles of PM₂.₅ between blind coal and fault coal was 0.072, so it was believed that they must be similar. Compared with other cities, the chemical composition of coal dust in Yangquan had specificity, in particular, the content of Ca was obviously higher than those in other domestic cities.

Veterinary antibiotics used in animal agriculture as NDMA precursors.

PubMed

Leavey-Roback, Shannon L; Krasner, Stuart W; Suffet, Irwin Mel H

2016-12-01

The formation of carcinogenic N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) during chloramination at drinking water treatment plants has raised concerns as more plants have switched from chlorine to chloramine disinfection. In this study, a source of NDMA precursors that has yet to be investigated was examined. Veterinary antibiotics are used in large quantities at animal agricultural operations. They may contaminate drinking water sources and may not be removed during wastewater and drinking water treatment. Ten antibiotics used in animal agriculture were shown to produce NDMA or N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) during chloramination. Molar conversions ranged from 0.04 to 4.9 percent, with antibiotics containing more than one dimethylamine (DMA) functional group forming significantly more NDMA. The highest formation for most of the compounds was seen near pH 8.4, in a range of pH 6 to 11 that was investigated. The effect of chlorine-to-ammonia ratio (Cl 2 /NH 3 ), temperature, and hold time varied for each chemical, suggesting that the effects of these parameters were compound-specific. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Isotopic Analysis of Sporocarp Protein and Structural Material Improves Resolution of Fungal Carbon Sources

PubMed Central

Chen, Janet; Hofmockel, Kirsten S.; Hobbie, Erik A.

2016-01-01

Fungal acquisition of resources is difficult to assess in the field. To determine whether fungi received carbon from recent plant photosynthate, litter or soil-derived organic (C:N bonded) nitrogen, we examined differences in δ13C among bulk tissue, structural carbon, and protein extracts of sporocarps of three fungal types: saprotrophic fungi, fungi with hydrophobic ectomycorrhizae, or fungi with hydrophilic ectomycorrhizae. Sporocarps were collected from experimental plots of the Duke Free-air CO2 enrichment experiment during and after CO2 enrichment. The differential 13C labeling of ecosystem pools in CO2 enrichment experiments was tracked into fungi and provided novel insights into organic nitrogen use. Specifically, sporocarp δ13C as well as δ15N of protein and structural material indicated that fungi with hydrophobic ectomycorrhizae used soil-derived organic nitrogen sources for protein carbon, fungi with hydrophilic ectomycorrhizae used recent plant photosynthates for protein carbon and both fungal groups used photosynthates for structural carbon. Saprotrophic fungi depended on litter produced during fumigation for both protein and structural material. PMID:28082951

Estimating the Seasonal Importance of Precipitation to Plant Source Water over Time and Space with Water Isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, D. B.; Kahmen, A.

2017-12-01

The stable isotopic composition of hydrogen and oxygen are physical properties of water molecules that can carry information on their sources or transport histories. This provides a useful tool for assessing the importance of rainfall at different times of the year for plant growth, provided that rainwater values vary over time and that waters do not partially evaporate after deposition. We tested the viability of this approach using data from samples collected at nineteen sites throughout Europe at monthly intervals over two consecutive growing seasons in 2014 and 2015. We compared isotope measurements of plant xylem water with soil water from multiple depths, and measured and modeled precipitation isotope values. Paired analyses of oxygen and hydrogen isotope values were used to screen out a limited number of water samples that were influenced by evaporation, with the majority of all water samples indicating meteoric sources. The isotopic composition of soil and xylem waters varied over the course of an individual growing season, with many trending towards more enriched values, suggesting integration of the plant-relevant water pool at a timescale shorter than the annual mean. We then quantified how soil water residence times varied at each site by calculating the interval between measured xylem water and the most recently preceding match in modeled precipitation isotope values. Results suggest a generally increasing interval between rainfall and plant uptake throughout each year, with source water corresponding to dates in the spring, likely reflecting a combination of spring rain, and mixing with winter and summer precipitation. The seasonally evolving spatial distribution of source water-precipitation lag values was then modeled as a function of location and climatology to develop continental-scale predictions. This spatial portrait of the average date for filling the plant source water pool provides insights on the seasonal importance of rainfall for plant growth. It also permits continental scale predictions of monthly plant source water isotope values, with applications to improving isotopic paleoclimate proxies from plants such as tree rings or sedimentary leaf waxes, and for using oxygen and hydrogen isotopes to track the origins of agricultural products.

Hydropower potential mapping in mountain basins by high-resolution hydrological and GIS analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Claps, P.; Gallo, E.; Ganora, D.; Laio, F.; Masoero, A.

2013-12-01

Even in regions with mature hydropower development, needs for stable renewable power sources suggest to revise plans of exploitation of water resources, in compliance to the framework of international and national environmental regulations. This goal requires high-resolution hydrological analysis, that allows to : i) comply with the effects of existing hydropower plants or of other types of water withdrawals; ii) to assist the planner to figure out potential of new plants with still high marginal efficiency; iii) to assist the regulator in the process of comparing projects based on different solutions and different underlying hydrologic estimation methods. Flow duration curves (FDC) are the tool usually adopted to represent water availability and variability for hydropower purposes. They are usually determined in ungauged basins by means of regional statistical analysis. For this study, a 'spatially smooth' regional estimation method (SSEM) has been developed for FDC estimation, with some evolutions from a previous version: i) the method keeps the estimates of mean annual runoff congruent in the confluences by considering only raster-summable explanatory variables; ii) the presence of existing reservoirs and hydropower plants is taken into account by restoring the ';natural' statistics of the curve. The SSEM reconstructs the the FDC in ungauged basins using its L-moments from regressions on geomorphoclimatic descriptors. Relations are obtained on more than 100 gauged basins located in Northwestern Italy. To support the assessment of residual hydropower potential on two specific mountain watersheds the model has been applied extensively (Hi-Res) by mapping the estimated mean flow for each pixel of a DEM-derived river network raster model. 25000 sections were then identified over the network extracted from a 50m-resolution DTM. Spatial algorithms and data management were developed using Free&OpenSource Software (FOSS) (GRASS GIS and PostgreSQL/PostGIS), with the spatial database required to store perimeters and other descriptors needed for the hydrological estimation. Specific efforts have been devoted to spatial representation of the available potential using different flow-(elevation drop) relations for each pixel (along-river path, straight within floating window, in-valley constrained, etc.). This representation expands the information content and the domain of application of the classical hydrodynamic curve ( elevation-drop/ contributing area). Specific and abrupt changes due to existing plants are then clearly represented to provide a complete picture of the available potential for planning and regulation purposes.

Source origin of trace elements in PM from regional background, urban and industrial sites of Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Querol, X.; Viana, M.; Alastuey, A.; Amato, F.; Moreno, T.; Castillo, S.; Pey, J.; de la Rosa, J.; Sánchez de la Campa, A.; Artíñano, B.; Salvador, P.; García Dos Santos, S.; Fernández-Patier, R.; Moreno-Grau, S.; Negral, L.; Minguillón, M. C.; Monfort, E.; Gil, J. I.; Inza, A.; Ortega, L. A.; Santamaría, J. M.; Zabalza, J.

Despite their significant role in source apportionment analysis, studies dedicated to the identification of tracer elements of emission sources of atmospheric particulate matter based on air quality data are relatively scarce. The studies describing tracer elements of specific sources currently available in the literature mostly focus on emissions from traffic or large-scale combustion processes (e.g. power plants), but not on specific industrial processes. Furthermore, marker elements are not usually determined at receptor sites, but during emission. In our study, trace element concentrations in PM 10 and PM 2.5 were determined at 33 monitoring stations in Spain throughout the period 1995-2006. Industrial emissions from different forms of metallurgy (steel, stainless steel, copper, zinc), ceramic and petrochemical industries were evaluated. Results obtained at sites with no significant industrial development allowed us to define usual concentration ranges for a number of trace elements in rural and urban background environments. At industrial and traffic hotspots, average trace metal concentrations were highest, exceeding rural background levels by even one order of magnitude in the cases of Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, As, Sn, W, V, Ni, Cs and Pb. Steel production emissions were linked to high levels of Cr, Mn, Ni, Zn, Mo, Cd, Se and Sn (and probably Pb). Copper metallurgy areas showed high levels of As, Bi, Ga and Cu. Zinc metallurgy was characterised by high levels of Zn and Cd. Glazed ceramic production areas were linked to high levels of Zn, As, Se, Zr, Cs, Tl, Li, Co and Pb. High levels of Ni and V (in association) were tracers of petrochemical plants and/or fuel-oil combustion. At one site under the influence of heavy vessel traffic these elements could be considered tracers (although not exclusively) of shipping emissions. Levels of Zn-Ba and Cu-Sb were relatively high in urban areas when compared with industrialised regions due to tyre and brake abrasion, respectively.

Waste-water treatment plants are implicated as an important source of flame retardants in insectivorous tree swallows (Tachicyneta bicolor).

PubMed

Fernie, Kimberly J; Letcher, Robert J

2018-03-01

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are an important source of anthropogenic chemicals, including organic flame retardants (FRs). Limited studies indicate birds can be exposed to FRs by feeding from waters receiving WWTP effluent or in fields receiving biosolids. Expanding on our earlier study, 47 legacy and 18 new FR contaminants were characterized in the eggs of insectivorous tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) feeding in water bodies receiving effluent from two WWTPs and compared to those from a reference site 19 km downstream of the nearest WWTP. Of the FRs measured, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) dominated the FR profile, specifically BDE-47, -99, -100, -153, -154, with considerably lower concentrations of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), BDE-183 and BDE-209; each detected in 96-100% of the eggs overall except HBCDD (83%). FR concentrations were usually significantly greater in eggs from the secondary WWTP versus the tertiary WWTP and/or reference site. Despite low detection rates, concentrations of new FRs, specifically pentabromobenzyl acrylate (PBBA), 1,2,-bis-(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE), bis(2-ethylhexyl)-tetrabromophthalate (BEHTBP), tetrabromo-o-chlorotoluene (TBCT), hexabromobenzene (HBB), α- and β-1,2-dibromo-4-(1,2-dibromoethyl)-cyclohexane (DBE-DBCH), were greater than HBCDD or BDE-209. Additional evidence that WWTPs are an important source of exposure to new FR contaminants for birds utilizing associated water bodies is that only the WTTP eggs, not the reference eggs, had measureable concentrations of PBBA, TBCT, BEHTBP, HBB, α-DBE-DBCH, 2,2',4,5,5'-pentabromobiphenyl (BB-101), pentabromoethyl benzene (PBEB), 2,4,6-tribromophenyl allyl ether (TBPAE), and tetrabromo-p-xylene (pTBX). Our study suggests that WWTPs are an important source of legacy and new FR contaminants for birds consuming prey that are associated with WWTP out-flows. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Accidental introductions are an important source of invasive plants in the continental United States.

PubMed

Lehan, Nora E; Murphy, Julia R; Thorburn, Lukas P; Bradley, Bethany A

2013-07-01

Preventing new plant invasions is critical for reducing large-scale ecological change. Most studies have focused on the deliberate introduction of nonnatives via the ornamental plant trade. However, accidental introduction may be an important source of nonnative, invasive plants. Using Web and literature searches, we compiled pathways of introduction to the United States for 1112 nonnative plants identified as invasive in the continental United States. We assessed how the proportion of accidentally and deliberately introduced invasive plants varies over time and space and by growth habit across the lower 48 states. Deliberate introductions of ornamentals are the primary source of invasive plants in the United States, but accidental introductions through seed contaminants are an important secondary source. Invasive forbs and grasses are the most likely to have arrived accidentally through seed contaminants, while almost all nonnative, invasive trees were introduced deliberately. Nonnative plants invading eastern states primarily arrived deliberately as ornamentals, while a high proportion of invasive plants in western states arrived accidentally as seed contaminants. Accidental introductions may be increasing in importance through time. Before 1850, 10 of 89 (11%) of invasive plants arrived accidentally. After 1900, 20 of 65 (31%) arrived accidentally. Recently enacted screening protocols and weed risk assessments aim to reduce the number of potentially invasive species arriving to the United States via deliberate introduction pathways. Increasing proportions of accidentally introduced invasive plants, particularly associated with contaminated seed imports across the western states, suggest that accidental introduction pathways also need to be considered in future regulatory decisions.

Plant-Mediated Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles: Their Characteristic Properties and Therapeutic Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chung, Ill-Min; Park, Inmyoung; Seung-Hyun, Kim; Thiruvengadam, Muthu; Rajakumar, Govindasamy

2016-01-01

Interest in "green nanotechnology" in nanoparticle biosynthesis is growing among researchers. Nanotechnologies, due to their physicochemical and biological properties, have applications in diverse fields, including drug delivery, sensors, optoelectronics, and magnetic devices. This review focuses on the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using plant sources. Green synthesis of nanoparticles is an eco-friendly approach, which should be further explored for the potential of different plants to synthesize nanoparticles. The sizes of AgNPs are in the range of 1 to 100 nm. Characterization of synthesized nanoparticles is accomplished through UV spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. AgNPs have great potential to act as antimicrobial agents. The green synthesis of AgNPs can be efficiently applied for future engineering and medical concerns. Different types of cancers can be treated and/or controlled by phytonanotechnology. The present review provides a comprehensive survey of plant-mediated synthesis of AgNPs with specific focus on their applications, e.g., antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer activities.

Emission Control Technologies for Thermal Power Plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nihalani, S. A.; Mishra, Y.; Juremalani, J.

2018-03-01

Coal thermal power plants are one of the primary sources of artificial air emissions, particularly in a country like India. Ministry of Environment and Forests has proposed draft regulation for emission standards in coal-fired power plants. This includes significant reduction in sulphur-dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and mercury emissions. The first step is to evaluate the technologies which represent the best selection for each power plant based on its configuration, fuel properties, performance requirements, and other site-specific factors. This paper will describe various technology options including: Flue Gas Desulfurization System, Spray Dryer Absorber (SDA), Circulating Dry Scrubber (CDS), Limestone-based Wet FGD, Low NOX burners, Selective Non Catalytic Reduction, Electrostatic Precipitator, Bag House Dust Collector, all of which have been evaluated and installed extensively to reduce SO2, NOx, PM and other emissions. Each control technology has its advantages and disadvantages. For each of the technologies considered, major features, potential operating and maintenance cost impacts, as well as key factors that contribute to the selection of one technology over another are discussed here.