Molecular phylogeny of brachiopods and phoronids based on nuclear-encoded small subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequences

Brachiopod and phoronid phylogeny is inferred from SSU rDNA sequences of 28 articulate and nine inarticulate brachiopods, three phoronids, two ectoprocts and various outgroups, using gene trees reconstructed by weighted parsimony, distance and maximum likelihood methods. Of these sequences, 33 from brachiopods, two from phoronids and one each from an ectoproct and a priapulan are newly determined. The brachiopod sequences belong to 31 different genera and thus survey about 10% of extant genus-level diversity. Sequences determined in different laboratories and those from closely related taxa agree well, but evidence is presented suggesting that one published phoronid sequence (GenBank accession UO12648) is a brachiopod-phoronid chimaera, and this sequence is excluded from the analyses. The chiton, Acanthopleura, is identified as the phenetically proximal outgroup; other selected outgroups were chosen to allow comparison with recent, non-molecular analyses of brachiopod phylogeny. The different outgroups and methods of phylogenetic reconstruction lead to similar results, with differences mainly in the resolution of weakly supported ancient and recent nodes, including the divergence of inarticulate brachiopod sub-phyla, the position of the rhynchonellids in relation to long- and short-looped articulate brachiopod clades and the relationships of some articulate brachiopod genera and species. Attention is drawn to the problem presented by nodes that are strongly supported by non-molecular evidence but receive only low bootstrap resampling support. Overall, the gene trees agree with morphology-based brachiopod taxonomy, but novel relationships are tentatively suggested for thecideidine and megathyrid brachiopods. Articulate brachiopods are found to be monophyletic in all reconstructions, but monophyly of inarticulate brachiopods and the possible inclusion of phoronids in the inarticulate brachiopod clade are less strongly established. Phoronids are clearly excluded from a sister-group relationship with articulate brachiopods, this proposed relationship being due to the rejected, chimaeric sequence (GenBank UO12648). Lineage relative rate tests show no heterogeneity of evolutionary rate among articulate brachiopod sequences, but indicate that inarticulate brachiopod plus phoronid sequences evolve somewhat more slowly. Both brachiopods and phoronids evolve slowly by comparison with other invertebrates. A number of palaeontologically dated times of earliest appearance are used to make upper and lower estimates of the global rate of brachiopod SSU rDNA evolution, and these estimates are used to infer the likely divergence times of other nodes in the gene tree. There is reasonable agreement between most inferred molecular and palaeontological ages. The estimated rates of SSU rDNA sequence evolution suggest that the last common ancestor of brachiopods, chitons and other protostome invertebrates (Lophotrochozoa and Ecdysozoa) lived deep in Precambrian time. Results of this first DNA-based, taxonomically representative analysis of brachiopod phylogeny are in broad agreement with current morphology-based classification and systematics and are largely consistent with the hypothesis that brachiopod shell ontogeny and morphology are a good guide to phylogeny

The conduction pathway of potassium channels is water free under physiological conditions.

Ion conduction through potassium channels is a fundamental process of life. On the basis of crystallographic data, it was originally proposed that potassium ions and water molecules are transported through the selectivity filter in an alternating arrangement, suggesting a "water-mediated" knock-on mechanism. Later on, this view was challenged by results from molecular dynamics simulations that revealed a "direct" knock-on mechanism where ions are in direct contact. Using solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance techniques tailored to characterize the interaction between water molecules and the ion channel, we show here that the selectivity filter of a potassium channel is free of water under physiological conditions. Our results are fully consistent with the direct knock-on mechanism of ion conduction but contradict the previously proposed water-mediated knock-on mechanism

An attempt to define the sodium requirements of lactating dairy cows in a tropical environment

BACKGROUND: Lactating dairy cattle in the tropics may require more sodium (Na) owing to the hot and humid climatic conditions. It is unknown whether the current recommendations on Na for lactating cows can be quantitatively used in tropical countries. This study attempted to define the Na requirement of lactating dairy cows under tropical conditions by measuring Na levels in saliva, milk and faeces. RESULTS: The concentrations of Na and potassium (K) in milk, faeces and serum were not affected by dietary treatments. The amount of Na absorbed by cows fed the basal (low-Na) diet containing 0.4 g Na kg-1 dry matter (DM) was equal to the amount of Na lost in the milk, showing that these animals were fed an Na-deficient ration. This observation was corroborated by salivary Na and K levels, with the cows on the low-Na diet having salivary Na concentrations below 120 mmol L-1 in combination with salivary K concentrations above 20 mmol L-1 (P <0.05). CONCLUSION: Consumption of a daily ration formulated to contain the current Na requirement set by the NRC appears to provide too much Na for lactating cows under tropical conditions. A tentative value of 1.2 g kg-1 DM is proposed as the Na requirement for dairy cows under tropical conditions. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industr

English Language Proficiency Achievement in 180 Hours Among 2006 Batch at Universitas Advent Indonesia

Nowadays, English is an official language around the world. Many people have problem forcommunicating because they do not know English. To exceed the problem, it is important tostudy English more and take Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) because it canhelp them to develop their English ability.The objective of this study is to contribute to this discussion by examining: If there is anysignificant difference in achievement of English language proficiency of the participantsafter taking English for 180 hours during six semesters.The participants were 63 young adult, they were 2006 batch enrolled in Universitas AdventIndonesia. The participants of this study have taken English Entrance Exam (E3in) in the firstsemester and English Exit Exam (E3exit) in the 6th semester.This research obtained the data as follows: X (E3in) as pre-test=63, Y (E3exit) as post-test=63.The means of pre-test was 353.65 with mean standard deviation was 24.488 and with meanstandard error was 3.085. And after the treatments, the mean of post-test was 443.83 with meanstandard deviation was 32.001 and with mean standard error was 4.032. The mean gain scorebetween the two tests was 90.17. This result was supported by t-counted result was 2.636 andt-table result was 1.671. It means that t-counted &gt; t-table. Thus, Ha is accepted, that there is asignificant difference of achievement in English language proficiency after taking English for180 hours during six semesters

Permeability characteristics of human endothelial monolayers seeded on different extracellular matrix proteins.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether endothelial monolayer permeability changes induced by inflammatory mediators are affected by the extracellular matrix protein used for cell seeding. METHODS: Human umbilical venular endothelial cells (HUVEC) were grown to confluent monolayers on membranes coated with either collagen, fibronectin or gelatin. The permeability to albumin and dextran was then assessed, both under normal conditions and after treatment with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). RESULTS: With any of the three protein coatings, tight junctions were formed all over the monolayers. The permeability of the coated membranes to albumin and dextran was reduced strongly by confluent monolayers; the relative reduction was similar for the three matrix proteins used. Pre-incubation of the monolayers with either TNF-alpha or LPS increased permeability dose dependently. However, the relative increase due to either treatment was independent of the protein used for membrane coating. CONCLUSION: The extracellular matrix protein used for initial seeding of endothelial cultures plays a minor role in determining the permeability changes induced in HUVEC monolayers by inflammatory mediators