Magnitude and variability of process rates in fungal diversity-litter decomposition relationships

There is compelling evidence that losses in plant diversity can alter ecosystem functioning, particularly by reducing primary production. However, impacts of biodiversity loss on decomposition, the complementary process in the carbon cycle, are highly uncertain. By manipulating fungal decomposer diversity in stream microcosm experiments we found that rates of litter decomposition and associated fungal spore production are unaffected by changes in decomposer diversity under benign and harsher environmental conditions. This result calls for caution when generalizing outcomes of biodiversity experiments across systems. In contrast to their magnitude, the variability of process rates among communities increased when species numbers were reduced. This was most likely caused by a portfolio effect (i.e. statistical averaging), with the uneven species distribution typical of natural communities tending to weaken that effect. Curbing species extinctions to maintain ecosystem functioning thus can be important even in situations where process rates are unaffected

Temperature oscillation coupled with fungal community shifts can modulate warming effects on litter decomposition

Diel temperature oscillations are a nearly ubiquitous phenomenon, with amplitudes predicted to change along with mean temperatures under global-warming scenarios. Impact assessments of global warming have largely disregarded diel temperature oscillations, even though key processes in ecosystems, such as decomposition, may be affected. We tested the effect of a 5 degrees C temperature increase with and without diel oscillations on litter decomposition by fungal communities in stream microcosms. Five temperature regimes with identical thermal sums (degree days) were applied: constant 3 degrees and 8 degrees C; diel temperature oscillations of 5 degrees C around each mean; and oscillations of 9 degrees C around 8 degrees C. Temperature oscillations around 8 degrees C (warming scenario), but not 3 degrees C (ambient scenario), accelerated decomposition by 18% (5 degrees C oscillations) and 31% (9 degrees C oscillations), respectively, compared to the constant temperature regime at 8 degrees C. Community structure was not affected by oscillating temperatures, although the rise in mean temperature from 3 degrees to 8 degrees C consistently shifted the relative abundance of species. A simple model using temperature-growth responses of the dominant fungal decomposers accurately described the experimentally observed pattern, indicating that the effect of temperature oscillations on decomposition in our warming scenario was caused by strong curvilinear responses of species to warming at low temperature, particularly of the species becoming most abundant at 8 degrees C (Tetracladium marchalianum). These findings underscore the need to consider species-specific temperature characteristics in concert with changes in communities when assessing consequences of global warming on ecosystem processes

Infection of cells with replication deficient adenovirus induces cell cycle alterations and leads to downregulation of E2F-1

AbstractGene products of recombinant replication-deficient adenovirus vectors of the first generation (Ad vector) can induce cell cycle dysregulation and apoptosis after infection in eukaryotic cells. The mechanisms underlying this complex process are largely unknown. Therefore, we investigated the regulation of the pRb/E2F-1 complex, which controls transition from G0/G1 to S phase of the cell cycle. As Ad vector infection results in a decrease in the number of cells in G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle, we observed a decline of the pRb protein level and, surprisingly, also a decrease of the E2F-1 protein and mRNA level in infected cell lines. Furthermore, in contrast to the reduction of cells in the G0/G1 phase we observed increased protein levels of p53 and p21 proteins. However, as experiments in p53 deficient cell lines indicated, the decrease of pRb and E2F-1 is independent of p53 and p21 expression. Moreover, results obtained with Rb deficient cell lines indicated that the reduced E2F-1 expression is independent of pRb. These results suggest that Ad vector-induced cell cycle dysregulation is associated with a specific downregulation of E2F-1 independent of Rb and p53 genomic status of cells

Exhaled breath condensate acidification in acute lung injury

AbstractLung injury in ventilated lungs may occur due to local or systemic disease and is usually caused by or accompanied by inflammatory processes. Recently, acidification of exhaled breath condensate pH (EBC-pH) has been suggested as marker of inflammation in airway disease. We investigated pH, ammonia, lactate, pCO2, HCO3−, IL-6 and IL-8 in EBC of 35 ventilated patients (AECC-classification: ARDS: 15, ALI: 12, no lung injury: 8).EBC-pH was decreased in ventilated patients compared to volunteers (5.85±0.32 vs. 7.46±0.48; P<0.0001). NH4+, lactate, HCO3−, pCO2, IL-6 and IL-8 were analyzed in EBC and correlated with EBC-pH. We observed correlations of EBC-pH with markers of local (EBC IL-6: r=−0.71, P<0.0001, EBC IL-8: r=−0.68, P<0.0001) but not of systemic inflammation (serum IL-6, serum IL-8) and with indices of severity of lung injury (Murray's Lung Injury Severity Score; r=−0.73, P<0.0001, paO2/FiO2; r=0.54, P<0.001). Among factors potentially contributing to pH of EBC, EBC-lactate and EBC-NH4+ were found to correlate with EBC-pH.Inflammation-induced disturbances of regulatory mechanisms, such as glutaminase systems may result in EBC acidification. EBC-pH is suggested to represent a marker of acute lung injury caused by or accompanied by pulmonary inflammation

Crustal surface-wave velocity structure of the east Albany-Fraser Orogen, Western Australia, from ambient noise recordings

Group and phase velocity maps in the period range 2-20 s for the Proterozoic east Albany-Fraser Orogen, Western Australia, are extracted from ambient seismic noise recorded with the 70-station ALFREX array. This two-year temporary installation provided detailed coverage across the orogen and the edge of the Neoarchean Yilgarn Craton, a region where no passive seismic studies of this scale have occurred to date. The surface wave velocities are rather fast overall (>3 km/s nearly everywhere), as expected for exposed Proterozoic basement rocks. No clear signature of the transition between Yilgarn Craton and Albany-Fraser Orogen is observed, but several strong anomalies corresponding to more local geological features were obtained. A prominent, NE-elongated high-velocity anomaly in the northern part of the array is coincident with a Bouguer gravity high caused by the upper crustal metamorphic rocks of the Fraser Zone. This feature disappears towards longer periods, which hints at an exclusively upper crustal origin for this anomaly. Further east, the limestones of the Cenozoic Eucla Basin are clearly imaged as a pronounced low-velocity zone at short periods, but the prevalence of low velocities to periods of ≥5 s implies that the uppermost basement in this area is likewise slow. At longer periods, slightly above-average surface wave velocities are imaged below the Eucla Basin.The Bouguer gravity anomaly map plotted in Fig. 2 is provided by Geoscience Australia (Bacchin et al. 2008; http://www.ga.gov.au/data-pubs/data -compilations/geophysics). We thank the various field crews who helped with data collection and the ANSIR instrument pool for the recorders and seismometers. C.V. Spaggiari and K. Gessner publish with the permission of the Director of the Geological Survey of Western Australia. Comments from two anonymous reviewers and the editor, Ana Ferreira, helped to considerably improve the manuscript

Pathways for cross-boundary effects of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning

The biodiversity-ecosystem functioning concept asserts that processes in ecosystems are markedly influenced by species richness and other facets of biodiversity. However, biodiversity-ecosystem functioning studies have been largely restricted to single ecosystems, ignoring the importance of functional links - such as the exchange of matter, energy, and organisms - between coupled ecosystems. Here we present a basic concept and outline three pathways of cross boundary biodiversity effects on ecosystem processes and propose an agenda to assess such effects, focusing on terrestrial-aquatic linkages to illustrate the case. This cross-boundary perspective of biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships presents a promising frontier for biodiversity and ecosystem science with repercussions for the conservation, restoration, and management of biodiversity and ecosystems from local to landscape scales.Peer reviewe

Mometasone/Indacaterol/Glycopyrronium (MF/IND/GLY) and MF/IND at Different MF Strengths versus Fluticasone Propionate/ Salmeterol Xinafoate (FLU/SAL) and FLU/SAL+ Tiotropium in Patients with Asthma

Background: Once-daily, single-inhaler mometasone furoate/indacaterol acetate/glycopyrronium bromide (MF/IND/GLY, an ICS/ LABA/LAMA) and MF/IND (an ICS/LABA) via Breezhaler® have been approved for the maintenance treatment of patients with asthma inadequately controlled with medium-or high-dose ICS or medium-or high-dose ICS/LABA treatment. Objective: Once-daily (o.d.) formulations of MF/IND/GLY and MF/IND at different MF dose strengths have been compared with twice-daily (b.i.d.) fluticasone propionate/salmeterol xinafoate (FLU/SAL), and b.i.d. FLU/SAL+ o.d. tiotropium (TIO) in the PALLADIUM, IRIDIUM and ARGON studies. Methods: The similarity in study design and consistent outcomes in these studies prompted the pooling of data in this review to better characterise these novel once-daily controller formulations. Results: Pooled data from PALLADIUM and IRIDIUM studies showed comparable or greater efficacy with o.d. MF/IND formulations versus b.i.d. FLU/SAL. The o.d. MF/IND/GLY was superior to b.i.d. FLU/SAL in the IRIDIUM study, and similar to, if not more efficacious than b.i.d. FLU/SAL + o.d. TIO in the ARGON study. Conclusion: These formulations therefore provide novel once-daily treatment options for patients across asthma severity and flexibility for clinicians to step-up or step-down the treatment using the same device and formulations.</p

(S)-1,2-Dimethyl-1,1,2-triphenyl-2-(4-piperidiniometh­yl)disilane chloride

The title compound, C26H34NSi2 +·Cl−, shows chirality at silicon. Because of its highly selective synthesis with an e.r. of >99:1 by means of a racemic resolution with mandelic acid, the free disilane is of great importance to the chemistry of highly enanti­omerically enriched lithio­silanes and their trapping products. N—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonding is present between the protonated nitro­gen atom of the piperidino group and the chloride counter-anion. The silicon–silicon distance as well as silicon–carbon and carbon–nitro­gen bond lengths are in the same ranges as in other quaternary, functionalized di- and tetra­silanes