Carbon flux and growth in mature deciduous forest trees exposed to elevated CO2

Whether rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations will cause forests to grow faster and store more carbon is an open question. Using free air CO2 release in combination with a canopy crane, we found an immediate and sustained enhancement of carbon flux through 35-meter-tall temperate forest trees when exposed to elevated CO2. However, there was no overall stimulation in stem growth and leaf litter production after 4 years. Photosynthetic capacity was not reduced, leaf chemistry changes were minor, and tree species differed in their responses. Although growing vigorously, these trees did not accrete more biomass carbon in stems in response to elevated CO2, thus challenging projections of growth responses derived from tests with smaller trees.     

Effects of Temperature,Sonication Time,and Power Settings on Size Distribution and Extractability of Total Wheat Flour Proteins as Determined by Size‐Exclusion High‐Performance Liquid Chromatography

The size‐exclusion (SE) HPLC profile of total protein extract obtained by sonication of flour samples at ambient temperature showed marked instability on reinjection. Instability was related to the presence of flour proteases that were inactivated by thermal treatment of flour samples at 60°C. Extraction of flour protein by sonication was a function of ultrasonic energy (sonication time × power product) delivered to flour sample. As protein solubility increased, the proportions of the earliest eluted SE‐HPLC fractions (F1 and F2) increased. Oversonication of proteins evidenced by a decrease in F1 amount at the benefit of F2 occurred below the sonication energy level needed for total protein extraction. Ultrasonic energy level was adjusted to allow total protein extraction while limiting oversonication. The sonication procedure was applied on 27 flour samples of contrasting dough strength to extract total proteins. Absolute amount of protein extractable by sonication, determined from SE‐HPLC area, was strongly correlated with flour protein content. Very significant and equivalent relationships were found between alveographic W index and absolute amount of either unextractable protein extract or F1 of SE‐HPLC profile from total protein extract.     

The incorporation of pathogen spores into rain-splash droplets: a modelling approach

Simple, theoretical, physical principles and existing experimental data were used to derive an analytical model to describe the incorporation of plant pathogen spores into splash droplets. Data were obtained from experiments on splash dispersal of spores of Pseudocercosporella herpotrichoides (cereal eyespot), Pyrenopeziza brassicae (oilseed rape light leaf spot) and Septoria nodorum (wheat glume blotch). In these experiments, incident drops of diameter 4–5 mm were allowed to fall onto spore suspensions 0.5 mm deep with 1.2 × 10⁵ to 6.5 × 10⁵ spores/mL. The analytical model was constructed as the product of three functions of droplet diameter which described, respectively, the frequency distribution of droplet diameters, the proportion of droplets carrying spores and the mean number of spores in spore-carrying droplets in each diameter category. The frequency distribution of droplet sizes was described by a log-normal distribution, the proportion of droplets carrying spores was described by an exponential function and the adimensional spore concentration in spore-carrying droplets was described by a power law. The cumulative proportions of spores in droplets in diameter categories of increasing diameter were calculated to compare observed and fitted data.     

Ferroelectricity in ultrathin perovskite films

Understanding the suppression of ferroelectricity in perovskite thin films is a fundamental issue that has remained unresolved for decades. We report a synchrotron x-ray study of lead titanate as a function of temperature and film thickness for films as thin as a single unit cell. At room temperature, the ferroelectric phase is stable for thicknesses down to 3 unit cells (1.2 nanometers). Our results imply that no thickness limit is imposed on practical devices by an intrinsic ferroelectric size effect.     

Plasmid-encoded antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus hyicus

A total of 33 Staphylococcus hyicus-cultures from piglets with exudative epidermatitis were analyzed for the presence of antibiotic resistance plasmids. Four small plasmids encoding resistances to chloramphenicol, macrolide-lincosamide-antibiotics, streptomycin or tetracyclines could be identified in plasmid-curing and plasmid-transformation experiments. For further characterization these plasmids were digested with restriction endonucleases. This led to the construction of a specific restriction map for each of the 4 plasmids. On the basis of their restriction maps, these 4 antibiotic resistance plasmids from "porcine" S. hyicus-cultures were compared with the respective resistance plasmids of other staphylococcal species from infections of humans and animals.     

Influence of yohimbine and tolazoline on the cardiovascular, respiratory, and sedative effects of xylazine in the horse

To determine the effects of yohimbine and tolazoline on the cardiovascular, respiratory and sedative effects of xylazine, four horses were sedated with xylazine and treated with either yohimbine, tolazoline or saline. Xylazine was administered as an intravenous (i.v.) bolus (1.0 nig/kg) followed by a continuous infusion at the rate of 12 μg/kg/min. Heart rate, respiratory rate, mean arterial pressure, arterial blood gases, and the chin-to-floor distance were recorded throughout the experiment. After 60 min, either yohimbine or tolazoline was administered i.v. in incremental doses until reversal of sedation (defined as the return of the chin-to-floor distance to baseline values) was achieved. A control group in which a saline bolus was administered instead of an antagonist drug was included for comparison.
The average dose of yohimbine administered was 0.12 ± 0.02 (SEM) mg/kg. While the average dose of tolazoline was 7.5 ± 1.1 mg/kg. Both tolazoline and yohimbine antagonized the ventricular bradycardia and A-V conduction disturbances observed with xylazine administration. No change in mean arterial pressure was observed with xylazine or yohimbine administration, but tolazoline caused persistent mild systemic hypertension. There were no clinically significant changes in respiratory rate or arterial blood gas values with administration of either xylazine, yohimbine or tolazoline. The chin-to-floor distance decreased significantly with xylazine administration and increased significantly with administration of either yohimbine or tolazoline. In conclusion, both yohimbine and tolazoline successfully antagonized the cardiovascular and CNS depression associated with xylazine administration.     

A physiologically based pharmacokinetic model for quinoxaline‐2‐carboxylic acid in rats,extrapolation to pigs

A multi‐compartment physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model to describe the disposition of cyadox (CYX) and its metabolite quinoxaline‐2‐carboxylic acid (QCA) after a single oral administration was developed in rats (200 mg/kg b.w. of CYX). Considering interspecies differences in physiology and physiochemistry, the model efficiency was validated by pharmacokinetic data set in swine. The model included six compartments that were blood, muscle, liver, kidney, adipose, and a combined compartment for the rest of tissues. The model was parameterized using rat plasma and tissue concentration data that were generated from this study. Model simulations were achieved using a commercially available software program (ACSLX_Libero version 3.0.2.1). Results supported the validity of the model with simulated tissue concentrations within the range of the observations. The correlation coefficients of the predicted and experimentally determined values for plasma, liver, kidney, adipose, and muscles in rats were 0.98, 0.98, 0.98, 0.99, and 0.95, respectively. The rat model parameters were then extrapolated to pigs to estimate QCA disposition in tissues and validated by tissue concentration of QCA in swine. The correlation coefficients between the predicted and observed values were over 0.90. This model could provide a foundation for developing more reliable pig models once more data are available.     

Effect of substitution of dietary fish meal by soybean meal on different sizes of gibel carp (Carassius auratus gibelio): digestive enzyme gene expressions and activities,and intestinal and hepatic histology

A 7‐week growth trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary soybean meal (SBM) on digestive enzyme activity of intestinal mucosa, mRNA levels of digestive enzymes in hepatopancreas, and the mid‐intestinal and hepatopancreas histology of gibel carp CAS III (Carassius auratus gibelio). Four different growth phases of gibel carp (initial body weight: fry, 0.8 g; juvenile, 5.0 g; 1‐year‐old, 62.7 g; and broodstock, 135.6 g) were tested. Seven isonitrogenous and iso‐energetic diets were formulated to contain different SBM replacement levels (0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% of dietary fish meal protein), and another diet (SBMAA) contained all SBM protein and supplied crystalline amino acids. The results showed that the activities of mid‐intestine trypsin, α‐amylase and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase reduced with increased dietary SBM, while the chymotrypsin activity increased first and then decreased. The ultrastructures of intestinal epithelial cells and hepatopancreas cells in fry and broodstock fish were distinctly affected by 200 g kg^‐1 dietary SBM. Supplementation of dietary amino acid to the highest replacement groups was not sufficient to improve digestive and absorptive capacities and growth performance. Gibel carp may be adapted to dietary SBM through increase in gene expression of hepatopancreas digestive enzymes and has potential to utilize proceeded SBM as feedstuffs.