76 research outputs found
Effect of increasing fruit and vegetable intake by dietary intervention on nutritional biomarkers and attitudes to dietary change : a randomised trial
This work was funded by The Scottish Government Rural and Environmental Science and Analytical Sciences Division (RESAS) and supported by the Rank Prize Funds.Peer reviewedPublisher PD
Multiple driving factors explain spatial and temporal variability in coral calcification rates on the Bermuda platform
Major Cellular and Physiological Impacts of Ocean Acidification on a Reef Building Coral
As atmospheric levels of CO2 increase, reef-building corals are under greater stress from both increased sea surface temperatures and declining sea water pH. To date, most studies have focused on either coral bleaching due to warming oceans or declining calcification due to decreasing oceanic carbonate ion concentrations. Here, through the use of physiology measurements and cDNA microarrays, we show that changes in pH and ocean chemistry consistent with two scenarios put forward by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) drive major changes in gene expression, respiration, photosynthesis and symbiosis of the coral, Acropora millepora, before affects on biomineralisation are apparent at the phenotype level. Under high CO2 conditions corals at the phenotype level lost over half their Symbiodinium populations, and had a decrease in both photosynthesis and respiration. Changes in gene expression were consistent with metabolic suppression, an increase in oxidative stress, apoptosis and symbiont loss. Other expression patterns demonstrate upregulation of membrane transporters, as well as the regulation of genes involved in membrane cytoskeletal interactions and cytoskeletal remodeling. These widespread changes in gene expression emphasize the need to expand future studies of ocean acidification to include a wider spectrum of cellular processes, many of which may occur before impacts on calcification
From Parent to Gamete: Vertical Transmission of Symbiodinium (Dinophyceae) ITS2 Sequence Assemblages in the Reef Building Coral Montipora capitata
Parental effects are ubiquitous in nature and in many organisms play a particularly critical role in the transfer of symbionts across generations; however, their influence and relative importance in the marine environment has rarely been considered. Coral reefs are biologically diverse and productive marine ecosystems, whose success is framed by symbiosis between reef-building corals and unicellular dinoflagellates in the genus Symbiodinium. Many corals produce aposymbiotic larvae that are infected by Symbiodinium from the environment (horizontal transmission), which allows for the acquisition of new endosymbionts (different from their parents) each generation. In the remaining species, Symbiodinium are transmitted directly from parent to offspring via eggs (vertical transmission), a mechanism that perpetuates the relationship between some or all of the Symbiodinium diversity found in the parent through multiple generations. Here we examine vertical transmission in the Hawaiian coral Montipora capitata by comparing the Symbiodinium ITS2 sequence assemblages in parent colonies and the eggs they produce. Parental effects on sequence assemblages in eggs are explored in the context of the coral genotype, colony morphology, and the environment of parent colonies. Our results indicate that ITS2 sequence assemblages in eggs are generally similar to their parents, and patterns in parental assemblages are different, and reflect environmental conditions, but not colony morphology or coral genotype. We conclude that eggs released by parent colonies during mass spawning events are seeded with different ITS2 sequence assemblages, which encompass phylogenetic variability that may have profound implications for the development, settlement and survival of coral offspring
Contrasting Light Spectra Constrain the Macro and Microstructures of Scleractinian Corals
The morphological plasticity of scleractinian corals can be influenced by numerous factors in their natural environment. However, it is difficult to identify in situ the relative influence of a single biotic or abiotic factor, due to potential interactions between them. Light is considered as a major factor affecting coral skeleton morphology, due to their symbiotic relation with photosynthetic zooxanthellae. Nonetheless, most studies addressing the importance of light on coral morphological plasticity have focused on photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) intensity, with the effect of light spectra remaining largely unknown. The present study evaluated how different light spectra affect the skeleton macro- and microstructures in two coral species (Acropora formosa sensu Veron (2000) and Stylophora pistillata) maintained under controlled laboratory conditions. We tested the effect of three light treatments with the same PAR but with a distinct spectral emission: 1) T5 fluorescent lamps with blue emission; 2) Light Emitting Diodes (LED) with predominantly blue emission; and 3) Light Emitting Plasma (LEP) with full spectra emission. To exclude potential bias generated by genetic variability, the experiment was performed with clonal fragments for both species. After 6 months of experiment, it was possible to detect in coral fragments of both species exposed to different light spectra significant differences in morphometry (e.g., distance among corallites, corallite diameter, and theca thickness), as well as in the organization of their skeleton microstructure. The variability found in the skeleton macro- and microstructures of clonal organisms points to the potential pitfalls associated with the exclusive use of morphometry on coral taxonomy. Moreover, the identification of a single factor influencing the morphology of coral skeletons is relevant for coral aquaculture and can allow the optimization of reef restoration efforts
The concept of the scientific standpoint of the rolling-screw screen. Partial automation of the screening process
The study presents suggestions of partial automation of the screening process with the use of the rolling-screw screen. The principles of screening using such a screen was also briefly described in the study
Implication and Inhibition Boolean Logic Gates Mimicked with Enzyme Reactions
The enzyme system mimicking Implication (IMPLY) and Inhibition (INHIB) Boolean logic gates has been designed. The same enzyme system was used to operate as the IMPLY or INHIB gate simply by reformulating the input signals. The optical analysis of the logic operation confirmed the output generation as expected for the studied logic gates. The conceptual approach to the IMPLY and INHIB logic gates allows their construction with many other enzymes operating in a similar way
Badania przesiewacza zataczającego-śrubowego
This paper concerns rolling screens. These machines are made up from circular sieve panels which, arranged one above the other, form the machine's riddle. Sieves in rolling screens perform a precessional movement of a "drunken barrel". It is a complex, spatial movement and therefore these machines are specifically designed for screening fine and fine-grained materials. The authors of this paper deal with screens driven by two symmetrical, synchronized rotating motovibrators. This drive is relatively simple and allows to achieve good process properties of the screening machine. Studies of this screen are conducted with the use of limestone aggregates. The aim of the paper is presenting the constructional study of rolling screens as well as results of process studies of these machines.Niniejsza praca dotyczy przesiewaczy zataczających. Są to maszyny złożone z okrągłych kasetonów sitowych, które ułożone jeden nad drugim, stanowiące rzeszoto maszyny. Sita w przesiewaczach zataczających wykonują precesyjny ruch "pijanej beczki". Jest to ruch złożony, przestrzenny i dlatego maszyny te są szczególnie przeznaczone do przesiewania materiałów drobno i bardzo drobno uziarnionych. Autorzy niniejszego opracowania zajmują się przesiewaczami napędzanymi dwoma symetrycznymi, zsynchronizowanymi motowibratorami rotacyjnymi. Napęd ten jest stosunkowo prosty i pozwala na osiągnięcie dobrych właściwości procesowych maszyny przesiewającej. Badania tego przesiewacza są wykonywane z użyciem kruszywa wapiennego. Celem pracy było zaprezentowanie studium konstrukcyjnego przesiewaczy zataczających jak i wyników badań procesowych tych maszyn
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