Diffusion coefficient of CO(2) molecules as determined by (13)C NMR in various carbonated beverages

In this paper, the NMR technique was used, for the first time, to accurately determine the diffusion coefficient D of CO(2)-dissolved molecules in various carbonated beverages, including champagne and sparkling wines. This parameter plays an important role concerning the bubble growth during its rise through the liquid (see ref 3). The diffusion coefficient of CO(2)-dissolved molecules D was compared with that deduced from the well-known Stokes-Einstein equation and found to significantly deviate from the general trend expected from Stokes-Einstein theory, i.e, D(SE) proportional, variant 1/eta, where D(SE) is the Stokes-Einstein diffusion coefficient and eta the viscosity of the liquid medium.     

Profile of bordered pit aspiration in Cryptomeria japonica using confocal laser scanning microscopy: pit aspiration and heartwood color

Nine trees of Cryptomeria japonica from six elite tree clones with a broad range of heartwood colors were selected. The profiles of pit aspiration percentage (ASP) of earlywood and latewood from pith to bark for green and air-dry conditions were determined to study the relationship between heartwood color and pit aspiration. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) observations showed that the ASP of earlywood was low in sapwood and high in heartwood in the green condition. Pit aspiration increased in intermediate wood when compared with sapwood. On the other hand, latewood pits did not aspirate during heartwood formation. Comparing the air-dry condition with the green condition, sapwood pits aspirated during drying in both earlywood and latewood; however, there was no significant difference in pit aspiration of heartwood. There was no significant difference between samples with red and black heartwoods for ASP. The difference in ASP between individual trees was larger than that by heartwood color. The general advantage of CLSM over light microscopy is that serial optical sections along the Z axis can be obtained for any moisture condition, without the need for thin sectioning or embedding.     

Hurricane Katrina's carbon footprint on U.S. Gulf Coast forests

Hurricane Katrina's impact on U.S. Gulf Coast forests was quantified by linking ecological field studies, Landsat and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image analyses, and empirically based models. Within areas affected by relatively constant wind speed, tree mortality and damage exhibited strong species-controlled gradients. Spatially explicit forest disturbance maps coupled with extrapolation models predicted mortality and severe structural damage to approximately 320 million large trees totaling 105 teragrams of carbon, representing 50 to 140% of the net annual U.S. forest tree carbon sink. Changes in disturbance regimes from increased storm activity expected under a warming climate will reduce forest biomass stocks, increase ecosystem respiration, and may represent an important positive feedback mechanism to elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide.     

Split luciferase complementation assay to detect regulated protein-protein interactions in rice protoplasts in a large-scale format

Background

The rice interactome, in which a network of protein-protein interactions has been elucidated in rice, is a useful resource to identify functional modules of rice signal transduction pathways. Protein-protein interactions occur in cells in two ways, constitutive and regulative. While a yeast-based high-throughput method has been widely used to identify the constitutive interactions, a method to detect the regulated interactions is rarely developed for a large-scale analysis.

Results

A split luciferase complementation assay was applied to detect the regulated interactions in rice. A transformation method of rice protoplasts in a 96-well plate was first established for a large-scale analysis. In addition, an antibody that specifically recognizes a carboxyl-terminal fragment of Renilla luciferase was newly developed. A pair of antibodies that recognize amino- and carboxyl- terminal fragments of Renilla luciferase, respectively, was then used to monitor quality and quantity of interacting recombinant-proteins accumulated in the cells. For a proof-of-concept, the method was applied to detect the gibberellin-dependent interaction between GIBBERELLIN INSENSITIVE DWARF1 and SLENDER RICE 1.

Conclusions

A method to detect regulated protein-protein interactions was developed towards establishment of the rice interactome.     

Influence of Tithonia diversifolia and triple superphosphate on dissolution and effectiveness of phosphate rock in acidic soil

An incubation and a pot experiment were conducted to evaluate the dissolution and agronomic effectiveness of a less reactive phosphate rock, Busumbu soft ore (BPR), in an Oxisol in Kenya. Resin (anion and anion + cation)‐extractable P and sequentially extracted P with 0.5 M NaHCO₃, 0.1 M NaOH, and 1 M HCl were analyzed. Dissolution was determined from the increase in anion resin (AER)–, NaHCO₃‐, and NaOH‐extractable P in soil amended with PR compared with the control soil. Where P was applied, resin P significantly increased above the no‐P treatment. Busumbu‐PR solubility was low and did not increase significantly in 16 weeks. Anion + cation (ACER)‐extractable P was generally greater than AER‐P. The difference was greater for PR than for triple superphosphate (TSP). The ACER extraction may be a better estimate of plant P availability, particularly when poorly soluble P sources are used. Addition of P fertilizers alone or in combination with Tithonia diversifolia (TSP, BPR, TSP + Tithonia, and BPR + Tithonia) increased the concentration of labile inorganic P pools (NaHCO₃‐ and NaOH‐P_i). Cumulative evolved CO₂ was significantly correlated with cumulative N mineralized from Tithonia (r, 0.51, p < 0.05). Decrease in pH caused NH ‐N accumulation while NO ‐N remained low where Tithonia was incorporated at all sampling times. However, when pH was increased, NH ‐N declined with a corresponding rise in NO ‐N. Tithonia significantly depressed soil exchangeable acidity relative to control with time. A significant increase (p < 0.05) was observed for P uptake but not dry‐mass production in maize where BPR was applied. The variations in yield and P uptake due to source and rates of application were statistically significant. At any given P rate, highest yields were obtained with Tithonia alone. Combination of Busumbu PR with TSP or Tithonia did not enhance the effectiveness of the PR. The poor dissolution and plant P uptake of BPR may be related to the high Fe content in the PR material.     

In vitro safety assessments and antimicrobial activities of Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains isolated from a fermented mare's milk

Safety and probiotic characteristics such as antimicrobial activities of three Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains, FSMM15, FSMM22 and FSMM26, previously isolated as potential probiotics from fermented mare's milk were investigated. The three FSMM strains were susceptible to ampicillin, gentamycin, kanamycin, streptomycin, tetracycline and chloramphenicol, whereas they were resistant to erythromycin (minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) = 4?8 µg/mL) and clindamycin (MIC = 4 µg/mL); bioconversion of bile salts, hemolytic activity and mucin degradation activity were negative; enzymatic activities of α‐chymotrypsin and β‐glucosidase were detected, but those of α‐galactosidase, β‐glucuronidase and N‐acetyl‐β‐glucosaminidase, were undetectable. Among the strains, strain FSMM15 was chosen as a safer probiotic candidate due mainly to the lack of plasminogen binding ability. Despite lower acid production of strain FSMM15 than others, its cell‐free culture supernatant inhibited growths of Salmonella Typhimurium LT‐2, Shigella sonnei , Listeria monocytogenes , and Escherichia coli O157 with comparable levels of ampicillin, suggesting a favorable aspect of strain FSMM15 as a probiotic strain.     

Aboveground and Belowground Carbon Pools After Fire in Mountain Big Sagebrush Steppe

Postfire succession in mountain big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. subsp. vaseyana [Rydb.] Beetle) ecosystems results in a gradual shift from herbaceous dominance to dominance by shrubs. Determining the quality, quantity, and distribution of carbon (C) in rangelands at all stages of succession provides critical baseline data for improving predictions about how C cycling will change at all stages of succession under altered climate conditions. This study quantified the mass and distribution of above- and belowground (to 1.8-m depth) biomass at four successional stages (2, 6, 20, and 39 yr since fire) in Wyoming to estimate rates of C pool accumulation and to quantify changes in ecosystem carbon to nitrogen (C∶N) ratios of the pools during recovery after fire. We hypothesized that biomass C pools would increase over time after fire and that C∶N ratios would vary more between pools than during succession. Aboveground and live coarse roots (CR) biomass increased to 310 and 17 g C · m^?2, but live fine roots (FR) mass was static at about 225 g C · m^?2. Fine litter (≤ 1-cm diameter) accounted for about 70% of ecosystem C accumulation rate, suggesting that sagebrush leaves decompose slowly and contribute to a substantial soil organic carbon (SOC) pool that did not change during the 40 yr studied. Total ecosystem C (not including SOC) increased 16 g · m^?2 · yr^?1 over 39 yr to a maximum of 1 100 g · m^?2; the fastest accumulation occurred during the first 20 yr. C∶N ratios ranged from 11 for forb leaves to 110 for large sagebrush wood and from 85 for live CR to 12 for bulk soil and were constant across growth stages. These systems may be resilient to grazing after fire because of vigorous regrowth of persistent bunchgrasses and stable pools of live FR and SOC.     

Methane Emissions from Aerated Zones in a Full-Scale Nitrifying Activated Sludge Treatment Plant

This study was performed to evaluate the ability of white-rot fungi to decolorize dye effluents. A total of 222 isolates of white-rot fungi were initially investigated to assess their ability to decolorize chemically different synthetic dyes in solid medium, resulting in selection of 25 isolates including four isolates of Berkandera adusta, five isolates of Ceriporia lacerata, three isolates of Irpex lacteus, one isolate of Perenniporia fraxinea, ten isolates of Phanerochaete spp., one isolate of Phlebia radiata, and one isolate of Porostereum spadiceum. Of the 25 isolates, B. adusta KUC9065, C. lacerata KUC8090, P. calotricha KUC8003, and P. spadiceum KUC8602 were finally selected on the basis of their ability to decolorize synthetic dyes in liquid medium, and were used to decolorize industrial effluents. B. adusta KUC9065 increased the transmittance of visible light by 71–92 %. Decolorization of wastewater by B. adusta KUC9065 was probably caused by the lignin-modifying enzymes produced by the fungus. In addition, the acute toxicity to Daphnia magna decreased from 2.5 to 2.1 and from 3.5 to 2.6 toxic units over 24 and 48 h, respectively.