Phylogenetic variation in the shoot mineral concentration of angiosperms

The calcium (Ca) concentration of plant shoot tissues varies systematically between angiosperm orders. The phylogenetic variation in the shoot concentration of other mineral nutrients has not yet been described at an ordinal level. The aims of this study were (1) to quantify the shoot mineral concentration of different angiosperm orders, (2) to partition the phylogenetic variation in shoot mineral concentration between and within orders, (3) to determine if the shoot concentration of different minerals are correlated across angiosperm species, and (4) to compare experimental data with published ecological survey data on 81 species sampled from their natural habitats. Species, selected pro rata from different angiosperm orders, were grown in a hydroponic system under a constant external nutrient regime. Shoots of 117 species were sampled during vegetative growth. Significant variation in shoot carbon (C), calcium (Ca), potassium (K), and magnesium (Mg) concentration occurred between angiosperm orders. There was no evidence for systematic differences in shoot phosphorus (P) or organic-nitrogen (N) concentration between orders. At a species level, there were strong positive correlations between shoot Ca and Mg concentration, between shoot P and organic-N concentration, and between shoot K concentration and shoot fresh weight:dry weight ratio. Shoot C and cation concentration correlated negatively at a species level. Species within the Poales and the Caryophyllales had distinct shoot mineralogies in both the designed experiment and in the ecological survey.

X‑ray crystal structure of rac-[Ru(phen)2dppz]2+ with d(ATGCAT)2 shows enantiomer orientations and water ordering

We report an atomic resolution X-ray crystal structure containing both enantiomers of rac-[Ru(phen)2dppz]2+ with the d-(ATGCAT)2 DNA duplex (phen = phenanthroline; dppz = dipyridophenazine). The first example of any enantiomeric pair crystallized with a DNA duplex shows different orientations of the Λ and Δ binding sites, separated by a clearly defined structured water monolayer. Job plots show that the same species is present in solution. Each enantiomer is bound at a TG/CA step and shows intercalation from the minor groove. One water molecule is directly located on one phenazine N atom in the Δ-enantiomer only.

Ecto- and arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis can induce tolerance to toxic pulses of phosphorus in jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) seedlings

In common with many plants native to low P soils, jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) develops toxicity symptoms upon exposure to elevated phosphorus (P). Jarrah plants can establish arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and ectomycorrhizal (ECM) associations, along with a non-colonizing symbiosis described recently. AM colonization is known to influence the pattern of expression of genes required for P uptake of host plants and our aim was to investigate this phenomenon in relation to P sensitivity. Therefore, we examined the effect on hosts of the presence of AM and ECM fungi in combination with toxic pulses of P and assessed possible correlations between the induced tolerance and the shoot P concentration. The P transport dynamics of AM (Rhizophagus irregularis and Scutellospora calospora), ECM (Scleroderma sp.), non-colonizing symbiosis (Austroboletus occidentalis), dual mycorrhizal (R. irregularis and Scleroderma sp.), and non-mycorrhizal (NM) seedlings were monitored following two pulses of P. The ECM and A. occidentalis associations significantly enhanced the shoot P content of jarrah plants growing under P-deficient conditions. In addition, S. calospora, A. occidentalis, and Scleroderma sp. all stimulated plant growth significantly. All inoculated plants had significantly lower phytotoxicity symptoms compared to NM controls 7 days after addition of an elevated P dose (30 mg P kg−1 soil). Following exposure to toxicity-inducing levels of P, the shoot P concentration was significantly lower in R. irregularis-inoculated and dually inoculated plants compared to NM controls. Although all inoculated plants had reduced toxicity symptoms and there was a positive linear relationship between rank and shoot P concentration, the protective effect was not necessarily explained by the type of fungal association or the extent of mycorrhizal colonization.

Soil phosphorus supply affects nodulation and N:P ratio in 11 perennial legume seedlings

Developing new perennial pasture legumes for low-P soils is a priority for Australian Mediterranean agro-ecosystems, where soil P availability is naturally low. As legumes tend to require higher P inputs than non-legumes, the ability of these plants to fix N2 under varying soil P levels must be determined. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the influence of soil P supply on plant N status and nodule formation in 11 perennial legumes, including some novel pasture species. We investigated the effect of applying soil P, ranging from 0 to 384 μg P/g dry soil, on plant N status and nodulation in a glasshouse. Without exogenous P supply, shoot N concentration and N : P ratio were higher than at 6 μg P/g soil. Shoot N concentration and N : P ratio then changed little with further increase in P supply. There was a close positive correlation between the number of nodules and shoot P concentration in 7 of the 11 species. Total nodule dry weight and the percentage of plant dry weight that consisted of nodules increased when P supply increased from 6 to 48 μg P/g. Without exogenous P addition, N : P ratios partitioned into a two-group distribution, with species having a N : P ratio of either >70 or <50 g/g. We suggest that plants with a high N : P ratio may take up N from the soil constitutively, while those with a low N : P ratio may regulate their N uptake in relation to internal P concentration. The flexibility of the novel pasture legumes in this study to adjust their leaf N concentrations under different levels of soil P supplements other published evidence of good growth and high P uptake and P-use efficiency under low soil P supply and suggests their potential as pasture plants in low-P soils in Australian Mediterranean agro-ecosystems warrants further attention.

Differential uptake, partitioning and transfer of Cd and Zn in the soil-pea plant-aphid system

The biomagnification of trace metals during transfer from contaminated soil to higher trophic levels may potentially result in the exposure of predatory arthropods to toxic concentrations of these elements. This study examined the transfer of Cd and Zn in a soil−plant−arthropod system grown in series of field plots that had received two annual applications of municipal biosolids with elevated levels of Cd and Zn. Results showed that biosolids amendment significantly increased the concentration of Cd in the soil and the shoots of pea plants and the concentration of Zn in the soil, pea roots, shoots, and pods. In addition, the ratio of Cd to Zn concentration showed that Zn was preferentially transferred compared to Cd through all parts of the system. As a consequence, Zn was biomagnified by the system whereas Cd was biominimized. Cd and Zn are considered to exhibit similar behaviors in biological systems. However, the Cd/Zn ratios demonstrated that in this system, Cd is much less labile in the root−shoot−pod and shoot−aphid pathways than Zn.

Provenance: The Bridge Between Experiments and Data

Current scientific applications are often structured as workflows and rely on workflow systems to compile abstract experiment designs into enactable workflows that utilise the best available resources. The automation of this step and of the workflow enactment, hides the details of how results have been produced. Knowing how compilation and enactment occurred allows results to be reconnected with the experiment design. We investigate how provenance helps scientists to connect their results with the actual execution that took place, their original experiment and its inputs and parameters.

Substrate and Temperature Effects on the Germination of Dypsis leptocheilos (Hodel) Beentje & J. Dransf. (Arecaceae) Seeds

Dypsis leptocheilos is highly valued as an ornamental palm. Its propagation is done by seeds; however, there is little information about this process. The objective of this work was to study the substrate and temperature effects on the germination of D. leptocheilos seeds. The experiments were carried out at FCAV/UNESP, Campus of Jaboticabal, São Paulo State, Brazil. In order to study the substrate effects, four treatments were arranged (coconut fiber, sand, vermiculite and Plantmax (R)) at 30 degrees C. For the temperature effects, six treatments were performed (temperature at laboratory conditions (21.5 degrees C and 72% RU), 25 degrees C, 30 degrees C, 35 degrees C, 20-30 degrees C and 25-35 degrees C), having the coconut fiber as the substrate. The experimental design was completely randomized, with four replicates of 25 disseminules per plot (seeds with attached endocarp). Water replacement was managed to maintain 100% of the retention capacity of the substrates. The germination tests were observed every two days, and conducted over 148 days for the substrate effects, and over 152 days for the temperature effects, when no more seed germination was noted. In order to determine the germination percentage (% G) and the Germination Speed Index (GSI), the seed was considered germinated when the germinative button appeared. At the end of the experiments, leaf area (cm(2)), root and shoot length (cm), root and shoot dry mass (g) were also obtained. Statistical analysis was performed and means were compared by the Tukey test. Germination rate and speed in coconut fiber was higher at 25 and 30 degrees C. However, when other substrates were tested at 30 degrees C, the highest germination percentage was observed in vermiculite, which also sustained better results for the seed germination and for the characteristics related to shoots and roots.

Genetic and environmental heterogeneity of residual variance of weight traits in Nellore beef cattle

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Nutrition, dry matter accumulation and partitioning and phosphorus use efficiency of potato grown at different phosphorus levels in nutrient solution

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Effects of aluminum on plant growth and nutrient uptake in young physic nut plants

Aluminum (Al3+) toxicity is a major limiting factor to crop productivity in acid soils. The effects of aluminum on root and shoot growth of physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.) young plants and, the uptake and distribution of phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and aluminum in the roots and shoots were investigated in the present study. Plants were grown in 2.5L pots in a greenhouse. After fourteen days of adaptation to nutrient solution, plants were exposed to Al concentrations of 0, 370, 740, 1,100 and 1,480 mu mol L-1, corresponding to an active Al3+ solution of 13.3, 35.3, 90.0, 153.3 and 220.7 mu mol L-1, respectively. The dry matter partitioning between roots, stems and leaves, and the concentrations of P, Ca, Mg and Al in plant tissue, were measured after 75 days exposure to Al. The increasing level of Al3+ activity in solution progressively decreased the growth of the shoot and root of physic nut plants, and at the two highest active Al3+ levels, plants showed morphological abnormalities typical of the toxicity caused by this metal. Higher Al3+ activity reduced P concentrations in leaves and Ca and Mg in leaves and roots of physic nut, demonstrating the effect of Al on the uptake, transport and use of these nutrients by plants. The Al accumulated preferentially in the roots of physic nut, whereas only a small amount was transported to shoots.

Effect of adhesive system type and tooth region on the bond strength to dentin

Purpose: This study evaluated the bond strength of two etch-and-rinse adhesive systems (two- and three-step) and a self-etching system to Coronal and root canal dentin.Materials and Methods: The root canals of 30 human incisors and canines were instrumented and prepared with burs. The posts used for luting were duplicated with dual resin cement (Duo-link) inside Aestheti Plus #2 molds. Thus, three groups were formed (n = 10) according to the adhesive system employed: All-Bond 2 (TE3) + resin cement post (rcp) + Duo-link (DI); One-Step Plus (TE2) + rcp + DI; Tyrian/One-Step Plus (SE) + rcp + DI. Afterwards, 8 transverse sections (1.5 mm) were cut from 4 mm above the CEJ up to 4 mm short of the root canal apex, comprising coronal and root canal dentin. The sections were submitted to push-out testing in a universal testing machine EMIC (1 mm/min). Bond strength data were analyzed with two-way repeated measures ANOVA and Tukey's test (p < 0.05).Results: The relationship between the adhesives was not the same in the different regions (p < 0.05). Comparison of the means achieved with the adhesives in each region (Tukey; p < 0.05) revealed that TE3 (mean standard deviation: 5.22 +/- 1.70) was higher than TE2 (2.60 +/- 1.74) and SE (1.68 +/- 1.85).Conclusion: Under the experimental conditions, better bonding to dentin was achieved using the three-step etch-and-rinse system, especially in the coronal region. Therefore, the traditional etch-and-rinse three-step adhesive system seems to be the best choice for teeth needing adhesive endodontic restorations.

Spectrophotometric Determination of Paracetamol in Pharmaceuticals Using Microwave-Assisted Hydrolysis and a Micellar Medium

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Structural effects of Li and K additives on the columbite precursor and 0.9PMN-0.1PT powders

Single-phase perovskite 0.9Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O-3-0.1PbTiO(3) (PMN-PT) powders were prepared by using a Ti-modified columbite precursor (MNT) obtained by the polymeric precursor method. The innovation consists in the preparation of Ti-modified columbite in order to react directly with a stoichiometric amount of PbO to obtain pyrochlore-free PMN-PT powders. It has been shown that titanium oxide forms a solid solution with columbite (MN) and does not affect the obtaining of a single-phase columbite precursor. Thus, a high amount of perovskite phase can be obtained by reaction with PbO at 800 degreesC for 2 h. Effects of K and Li additives on the structure of MNT and PMN-PT were studied. X-ray diffraction studies were carried out to verify the phase formation at each processing step and these data were used for structural refinement by the Rietveld method. Both K and Li additives increase the crystallinity of MNT powders, being this effect more intense for the Li-doped samples. For PMN-PT samples the additives cause an insignificant decrease in the amount of perovskite phase. The morphology of the PMN-PT powder depends on the type of the additive. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.

Thermal studies of solid 4-chlorobenzylidenepyruvates of heavy lanthanides(III) and yttrium(III)

Solid-state compounds of general formula LnL(3).2H(2)O, where Ln is heavier trivalent lanthanides and yttrium, L is 4-chlorobenzylidenepyruvate have been synthetised.On heating these compounds decompose in steps. They lose the hydration water in the first step and the thermal decomposition of the anhydrous compounds occurs with the formation of oxochloride (Eu, Gd); mixture of oxide and oxochloride that decrease with increasing of atomic number of metal (Tb-Tm); or oxide (Yb, Lu, Y) as final residue, up to 900degreesC. The dehydration enthalpies found for terbium, holmium, ytterbium and yttrium compounds were: 34.93, 42.40, 57.39 and 62.24 kJ mol(-1), respectively.

Thermal analysis and electrochemical study of Hg reactions on Pt-30% Ir alloy electrode

Thermogravimetry (TG), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and other analytical techniques were used to study the reactions of mercury with Pt-30% Ir alloy. The results allowed to suggest that an electrodeposited mercury film interacts with the substrate and when subjected to heat or electrochemical removal at least four mass loss steps or five peaks appeared during the mercury desorption process. The first two steps were attributed to Hg(0) removal probably from the bulk and from the adsorbed monolayer which wets the electrode surface. These two processes are responsible for peaks D and F in the cyclic voltammograms. The last two peaks (G, H) in CV were ascribed to the intermetallic compound decomposition. In TG curves, the last two steps were attributed to the PtHg4 (third step), and PtHg2 decomposition followed by Hg removal from the subsurface. The PtHg2 was formed by an eutectoide reaction: PtHg -> PtHg2+Hg(Pt-Ir). The Hg diffused to the subsurface was not detectable by cyclic voltammetry.