Control of cocklebur seed germination by nitrogenous compounds : Nitrite, nitrate, hydroxylamine, thiourea, azide and cyanide

Germination of non-dormant upper cocklebur (Xanthium pinsylvanicum Wallr.) seeds was stimulated by not only CS(NH2)2 but also NH2OH, KCN and NaN3. This stimulation was not via the enhancement of aerobic C2H4 production. NH2OH, KCN and NaN3 in certain concentrations promoted the initial growth of axial and/or cotyledonary parts, but the degree of growth promotion by NH2OH, NaN3 and KCN was slight compared with that by CS(NH2)2. As in the case of CS(NH2)2, however, the germinationstimulating effect of NH2OH disappeared rapidly as the preceding imbibition period was prolonged. In contrast, KCN and NaN3 were still effective in stimulating the germination of aged seeds maintained on a water substratum, as previously seen with anaerobiosis. Anaerobic induction was enhanced not only by NaN3 and KCN but also by NH2OH, KNO3, KNO2 CO(NH2)2 and CS(NH2)2 applied during the anaerobic treatment, but without causing an increase in anaerobic production of C2H4. Furthermore, KCN and NaN3, given prior to the anaerobic treatment acted additively with anaerobic induction. The germination-stimulating actions of nitrogenous compounds are discussed in comparison with those of C2H4 and anaerobiosis.

Enrichment and hydrogen production by marine anaerobic hydrogen-producing microflora

Acid, alkali, heat-shock, KNO3 and control pretreatment methods applied to anaerobic sludge were evaluated for their ability to selectively enrich the marine hydrogen-producing mixed microflora. Seawater culture medium was used as the substrate. The hydrogen yield of pretreated microflora was higher than that of the un-pretreated control (P < 0.05). Among the pretreatment methods studied, heat-shock pretreatment yielded the greatest hydrogen production, which was 14.6 times that of the control. When the effect of initial pH on hydrogen production of heat-shock pretreated samples was studied, hydrogen was produced over the entire pH range (pH 4-10). The hydrogen yield peaked at initial pH 8 (79 mL/g sucrose) and then steadily decreased as the initial pH increased. Sucrose consumption was high at neutral initial pH. During the process of hydrogen production, pH decreased gradually, which indicated that the acquired microflora consisted of acidogenic bacteria.

Proposal of Sinomonas flava gen. nov., sp nov., and description of Sinomonas atrocyanea comb. nov to accommodate Arthrobacter atrocyaneus

A novel actinomycete strain, designated CW 108(T), was isolated from a forest soil in Anhui Province, China. The cells were strictly aerobic, non-motile, bent rods. The strain grew optimally at 30-37 degrees C and pH 6.0-8.0. Chemotaxonomically, the pepti

Chronic Morphine Treatment Impaired Hippocampal Long-Term Potentiation and Spatial Memory via Accumulation of Extracellular Adenosine Acting on Adenosine A(1) Receptors

Chronic exposure to opiates impairs hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) and spatial memory, but the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Given the well known effects of adenosine, an important neuromodulator, on hippocampal neuronal excitability and synaptic plasticity, we investigated the potential effect of changes in adenosine concentrations on chronic morphine treatment-induced impairment of hippocampal CA1 LTP and spatial memory. We found that chronic treatment in mice with either increasing doses (20-100 mg/kg) of morphine for 7 d or equal daily dose (20 mg/kg) of morphine for 12 d led to a significant increase of hippocampal extracellular adenosine concentrations. Importantly, we found that accumulated adenosine contributed to the inhibition of the hippocampal CA1 LTP and impairment of spatial memory retrieval measured in the Morris water maze. Adenosine A(1) receptor antagonist 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine significantly reversed chronic morphine-induced impairment of hippocampal CA1 LTP and spatial memory. Likewise, adenosine deaminase, which converts adenosine into the inactive metabolite inosine, restored impaired hippocampal CA1 LTP. We further found that adenosine accumulation was attributable to the alteration of adenosine uptake but not adenosine metabolisms. Bidirectional nucleoside transporters (ENT2) appeared to play a key role in the reduction of adenosine uptake. Changes in PKC-alpha/beta activity were correlated with the attenuation of the ENT2 function in the short-term (2 h) but not in the long-term (7 d) period after the termination of morphine treatment. This study reveals a potential mechanism by which chronic exposure to morphine leads to impairment of both hippocampal LTP and spatial memory.

Characteristics of the microbial communities in the integrated vertical-flow constructed wetlands

Microorganisms play an important role in removing pollutants from constructed wetlands. We investigated the microbial characteristics in a novel integrated vertical-flow constructed wetland (IVCW), which has been in operation in Wuhan, China since 1998. We used phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) and amoA gene to analyze the structure and diversity of the microbial community within the IVCW. PLFA results suggested that the amount of bacterial PLFA was significantly higher than that of fungal PLFA, but the total microbial biomass represented by PLFA index was low in the system. Microbial spatial distribution showed significantly higher bacterial (both G(+) and G(-)) and fungal biomass in the surface than in the subsurface layers. The ratios of monounsaturated to branched PLFA demonstrated that an anaerobic layer sandwiched by two aerobic layers existed in the IVCW, consistent with the redox potential results. Analysis of the amoA revealed the presence of Nitrosomonas-like sequences in the surface substrate of the downflow chamber and apparent diversities of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in the system. These results suggest that microorganisms, despite their relatively low biomass, have inhabited the IVCW, and the results will offer some valuable information on microbe to system designers and managers.

CHARACTERISTICS OF FATTY ACID METHYL ESTERS (FAMEs) AND ENZYMATIC ACTIVITIES IN SEDIMENTS OF TWO EUTROPHIC LAKES

Enzymatic activities and fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) in the sediments of two eutrophic lakes in Wuhan city were investigated. The results showed phosphatase and dehydrogenase activities in the lotus zone and plant floating bed zone were significantly lower than those in other sites, and urease activity was the highest where microorganism agents were put in. Fatty acid group compositions indicated the predominance of aerobic bacteria in the surface sediments in shallow lakes. The ratios of FAMEs specific for bacteria and Gram-positive bacteria exibited significant differences between the two lakes. The results of trans to cis indicated that the microorganisms in Lake Yuehu could adapt themselves to environmental stress better. The enzymatic activities and FAMEs showed differences in different sites, indicating that ecological restoration measures and environmental conditions could affect lake sediment to some extent. But the monitoring, work would be done in series to exactly evaluate the effect of the remediation measures.