196,360 research outputs found
Field Simulation of Global Change: Transplanting Northern Bog Mesocosms Southward
Get PDFA large proportion of northern peatlands consists of Sphagnum-dominated ombrotrophic bogs. In these bogs, peat mosses (Sphagnum) and vascular plants occur in an apparent stable equilibrium, thereby sustaining the carbon sink function of the bog ecosystem. How global warming and increased nitrogen (N) deposition will affect the species composition in bog vegetation is still unclear. We performed a transplantation experiment in which mesocosms with intact vegetation were transplanted southward from north Sweden to north-east Germany along a transect of four bog sites, in which both temperature and N deposition increased. In addition, we monitored undisturbed vegetation in control plots at the four sites of the latitudinal gradient. Four growing seasons after transplantation, ericaceous dwarf shrubs had become much more abundant when transplanted to the warmest site which also had highest N deposition. As a result ericoid aboveground biomass in the transplanted mesocosms increased most at the southernmost site, this site also had highest ericoid biomass in the undisturbed vegetation. The two dominant Sphagnum species showed opposing responses when transplanted southward; Sphagnum balticum height increment decreased, whereas S. fuscum height increment increased when transplanted southward. Sphagnum production did not differ significantly among the transplanted mesocosms, but was lowest in the southernmost control plots. The dwarf shrub expansion and increased N concentrations in plant tissues we observed, point in the direction of a positive feedback toward vascular plant-dominance suppressing peat-forming Sphagnum in the long term. However, our data also indicate that precipitation and phosphorus availability influence the competitive balance between Sphagnum, dwarf shrubs and graminoids
Van beeld naar Beslissing
Get PDFDoor vergrijzing van de bevolking neemt de vraag naar medische zorg aanzienlijk toe. Daarnaast beschikken artsen over steeds meer informatie om de juiste zorg te bepalen. Om voor de toekomst goede en betaalbare zorg te waarborgen, zal deze effectiever en efficiënter moeten worden. Medische beeldanalyse kan hieraan een belangrijke bijdrage leveren. Met behulp van beeldanalyse kunnen artsen beter en sneller de in de medische beelden aanwezige informatie vertalen naar inzicht in het patiëntspecifieke ziektebeeld, om zo beter en sneller beslissingen te nemen over de toe te passen therapie. In deze rede beschrijft Breeuwer de huidige status van cardiovasculaire beeldanalyse algoritmiek en gaat
hij in op de onderzoeksvragen voor de toekomst. Hij concentreert zich daarbij op de toepassing van cardiovasculaire beeldanalyse algoritmiek op magnetische resonantie beelden
Origins of asexuality in <it>Bryobia </it>mites (Acari: Tetranychidae)
Get PDFAbstract Background Obligate asexual reproduction is rare in the animal kingdom. Generally, asexuals are considered evolutionary dead ends that are unable to radiate. The phytophagous mite genus Bryobia contains a large number of asexual species. In this study, we investigate the origin and evolution of asexuality using samples from 111 populations in Europe, South Africa and the United States, belonging to eleven Bryobia species. We also examine intraspecific clonal diversity for one species, B. kissophila, by genotyping individuals from 61 different populations. Knowledge on the origin of asexuality and on clonal diversity can contribute to our understanding of the paradox of sex. Results The majority (94%) of 111 sampled populations reproduces asexually. Analysis of part of nuclear 28S rDNA shows that these asexuals do not form a monophyletic clade. Analysis of the mitochondrial COI region shows that intraspecific variation is extensive (up to 8.8%). Within B. kissophila, distinct clades are found, which are absent at the nuclear 28S rDNA level. Moreover, paraphyletic patterns are found at the mitochondrial DNA. Conclusion Asexuality is widespread in the genus Bryobia, signifying that some animal taxa do contain a high number of asexuals. We argue that asexuality originated multiple times within Bryobia. Wolbachia bacteria cause asexuality in at least two Bryobia species and may have infected different species independently. The high intraspecific clonal diversity and the patterns of paraphyly at the mitochondrial DNA in B. kissophila might be explained by a high mutation fixation rate and past hybridization events. Reproductive parasites like Wolbachia and Cardinium might influence these processes. We discuss the role these bacteria could play in the evolutionary success of asexual species.</p
Van beeld naar Beslissing
No full textDoor vergrijzing van de bevolking neemt de vraag naar medische zorg aanzienlijk toe. Daarnaast beschikken artsen over steeds meer informatie om de juiste zorg te bepalen. Om voor de toekomst goede en betaalbare zorg te waarborgen, zal deze effectiever en efficiënter moeten worden. Medische beeldanalyse kan hieraan een belangrijke bijdrage leveren. Met behulp van beeldanalyse kunnen artsen beter en sneller de in de medische beelden aanwezige informatie vertalen naar inzicht in het patiëntspecifieke ziektebeeld, om zo beter en sneller beslissingen te nemen over de toe te passen therapie. In deze rede beschrijft Breeuwer de huidige status van cardiovasculaire beeldanalyse algoritmiek en gaat hij in op de onderzoeksvragen voor de toekomst. Hij concentreert zich daarbij op de toepassing van cardiovasculaire beeldanalyse algoritmiek op magnetische resonantie beelden
Response of Sphagnum species mixtures to increased temperature and nitrogen availability
No full textTo predict the role of ombrotrophic bogs as carbon sinks in the future, it is crucial to understand how Sphagnum vegetation in bogs will respond to global change. We performed a greenhouse experiment to study the effects of two temperature treatments (17.5 and 21.7°C) and two N addition treatments (0 and 4 g N m-2 year-1) on the growth of four Sphagnum species from three geographically interspersed regions: S. fuscum, S. balticum (northern and central Sweden), S. magellanicum and S. cuspidatum (southern Sweden). We studied the growth and cover change in four combinations of these Sphagnum species during two growing seasons. Sphagnum height increment and production were affected negatively by high temperature and high N addition. However, the northern species were more affected by temperature, while the southern species were more affected by N addition. High temperature depressed the cover of the 'wet' species, S. balticum and S. cuspidatum. Nitrogen concentrations increased with high N addition. N:P and N:K ratios indicated P-limited growth in all treatments and co-limitation of P and K in the high N treatments. In the second year of the experiment, several containers suffered from a severe fungal infection, particularly affecting the 'wet' species and the high N treatment. Our findings suggest that global change can have negative consequences for the production of Sphagnum species in bogs, with important implications for the carbon sequestration in these ecosystems.</p
Diversity and recombination in Wolbachia and Cardinium from Bryobia spider mites
Get PDFBackground Wolbachia and Cardinium are endosymbiotic bacteria infecting many arthropods and manipulating host reproduction. Although these bacteria are maternally transmitted, incongruencies between phylogenies of host and parasite suggest an additional role for occasional horizontal transmission. Consistent with this view is the strong evidence for recombination in Wolbachia, although it is less clear to what extent recombination drives diversification within single host species and genera. Furthermore, little is known concerning the population structures of other insect endosymbionts which co-infect with Wolbachia, such as Cardinium. Here, we explore Wolbachia and Cardinium strain diversity within nine spider mite species (Tetranychidae) from 38 populations, and quantify the contribution of recombination compared to point mutation in generating Wolbachia diversity. Results We found a high level of genetic diversity for Wolbachia, with 36 unique strains detected (64 investigated mite individuals). Sequence data from four Wolbachia genes suggest that new alleles are 7.5 to 11 times more likely to be generated by recombination than point mutation. Consistent with previous reports on more diverse host samples, our data did not reveal evidence for co-evolution of Wolbachia with its host. Cardinium was less frequently found in the mites, but also showed a high level of diversity, with eight unique strains detected in 15 individuals on the basis of only two genes. A lack of congruence among host and Cardinium phylogenies was observed. Conclusions We found a high rate of recombination for Wolbachia strains obtained from host species of the spider mite family Tetranychidae, comparable to rates found for horizontally transmitted bacteria. This suggests frequent horizontal transmission of Wolbachia and/or frequent horizontal transfer of single genes. Our findings strengthens earlier reports of recombination for Wolbachia, and shows that high recombination rates are also present on strains from a restrictive host range. Cardinium was found co-infecting several spider mite species, and phylogenetic comparisons suggest also horizontal transmission of Cardinium among host
Flow cytometry, fluorescent probes, and flashing bacteria
No full text Key words: fluorescent probes, flow cytometry, CSLM, viability, survival, microbial physiology, lactic acid bacteria, Lactococcus lactis , Lactobacillus plantarum , cheese, milk, probiotic In food industry there is a perceived need for rapid methods for detection and viability assessment of microbes. Fluorescent staining and flow cytometry provide excellent tools for microbial analysis. This thesis describes fluorescent techniques for assessment of the physiological state of lactic acid bacteria.Lysis of lactic acid bacteria plays a crucial role in cheese manufacturing. It is generally considered that lysis results in leakage of intracellular enzymes in the cheese curd and, thus, plays an important role in ripening and flavor formation. Bac Light (Molecular Probes) was applied for monitoring the lysis process of Lactococcus lactis MG1363 in a buffered suspension with high osmolarity to mimic cheese conditions. The Bac Light kit combines the nucleic acid dyes propidium iodide (PI) and SYTO 9. PI is commonly used to determine membrane integrity based on dye exclusion. When used in combination with the permeant SYTO 9, membrane-damaged cells are stained by PI (red) while the intact cells are stained by SYTO 9 (green). Lysis was induced with mutanolysin and followed in time using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Also, enzyme assays and plate counts were performed. The results demonstrated a transient permeable cell status that has a significant role in the lysis process. Furthermore, permeable cells were demonstrated in ripening cheese with confocal scanning laser microcopy and Bac Light.Viability assessment by conventional plate counting requires long incubation times and provides limited information. Flow cytometric assessment of the viability of lactic acid bacteria was investigated and compared with plate counts. The esterase substrate carboxyfluorescein diacetate (cFDA) and the impermeant nucleic acid dyes PI and TOTO-1 were tested using exponential phase at 70°C heat-killed cultures of a Lactococcus , a Streptococcus , three Lactobacillus , two Leuconostoc , an Enterococcus , and a Pediococcus species. The combination of cFDA and TOTO-1 gave the best results. The intact and membrane-damaged subpopulations were distinguished well. Sorting and plating showed that cFDA stained the culturable and TOTO-1 the nonculturable cells. The assay was applied to cultures exposed to deconjugated bile salts or to hydrochloric acid and results corresponded well with plate counts.Subsequently, flow cytometry with cFDA and TOTO-1 staining was applied to Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS 1 suspended in milk. To facilitate flow cytometry clearing of the milk was required. A procedure based on a milk clearing solution was optimized to increase the signal-to-noise-ratio and flow cytometry enumerations were accurate to a lower limit of 10 5cells/ml.Finally, the novel assay was applied to starter cultures for cheese and yogurt and to the probiotic products Yakult, Mona Vifit, and Orthiflorplus. Flow cytometry in combination with plate counts revealed three populations: culturable cells, cells that are intact and metabolically active but not culturable, and permeabilized cells. The proportions of the populations differed between the tested products.In conclusion, the development of flow cytometry for bacteria is an important asset for microbiological research. The rapid novel methods described in this thesis provide possibilities for examination of fermentation processes and food products
Effects of water level and temperature on performance of four Sphagnum mosses
No full textTo evaluate the effects of changes in water level and temperatures on performance of four Sphagnum mosses, S. magellanicum, S. rubellum, S. imbricatum and S. fuscum were grown at two water levels, ¿5 cm and ¿15 cm, and at two temperatures, 15°C and 20°C. These species differ in their position along the microtopographical gradient and in their geographical distribution. Height increment, subcapitulum bulk density, biomass production, capitulum water content and cumulative evaporation were measured. Height increment and biomass production of S. magellanicum was lower at low water table than at high water table, whereas height increment and biomass production of S. rubellum, S. imbricatum and S. fuscum were unaffected. Height increment of S. magellanicum, S. rubellum and S. imbricatum was higher at high temperature than at low temperature. Biomass production of only S. magellanicum and S. rubellum was higher at high temperature than at low temperature, corresponding with their more southern distribution. Cumulative evaporation of S. magellanicum and S. rubellum was lower at low water table and could be explained by hampered water transport towards the capitula. We conclude that changes in water table and temperature may alter the Sphagnum composition on raised bogs, which may result in changes to important ecosystem processes. Therefore, it is important that species composition and changes therein are taken into account when evaluating global change effects on raised bog ecosystem
Interspecific competition between Sphagnum mosses at different water tables
No full text1. Effects of climate change may affect the Sphagnum species composition in bogs, and ultimately the functioning of the whole ecosystem. We investigated the effect of different water tables on the competition between six Sphagnum species in the glasshouse. The amount of precipitation (234 mm year(-1)) and precipitation frequency (every 2 weeks) were kept low to encourage water-table effects. Relevant species combinations and monocultures were grown at different water tables for a 16-month period. We studied changes in cover, height increment and capitulum water content (WCcap) in order to understand competitive responses. 2. Species naturally occurring further above the water table generally showed higher competitive strength than species naturally occurring closer to the water table. Surprisingly, this effect was irrespective of the water table, indicating a minor role for capillary water transport. Cover change seemed to be related to differences in length growth, but not to water table or WCcap. 3. The WCcap of species within a mixture did not differ, but was lower than the WCcap of the individual species growing in monoculture, indicating differences in ability to supply water to the capitula between mono- and mixed cultures. Subcapitulum bulk densities between mono- and mixed cultures did not differ, or were even lower in monocultures, but did differ between species within mixed cultures. 4. Our results indicate that structural heterogeneity of the peat in mixed cultures has a negative effect on WCcap of both species. Furthermore, we show that sustained periods of drought cause species that naturally occur further above the water table to oust species that naturally occur closer to the water table, even if the water table remains high. Ultimately, the Sphagnum vegetation in raised bogs may shift from hollow to hummock species, evening out the natural microtopography of raised bogs
Dr. Duane M. Jackson, Morehouse College, July 2011
No full textThis video is a conversation with Dr. Duane M. Jackson. Dr. Jackson talks about his paper, "Recall and the Serial Position Effect: The Role of Primacy and Recency on Accounting Students' Performance." Jackie Daniel, AUC Woodruff Library, is the interviewer
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