Amount Of 14C Research Articles

Organic acid metabolism and root excretion of malate in wheat cultivars under aluminium stress

The effects of aluminium (Al) on the metabolism of organic acids synthesised via nonphotosynthetic carbon fixation in the roots and on malate exudation were investigated in Al-tolerant Shirosanjyaku (SH) and Al-sensitive Chikushikomugi (CK) wheat cultivars labelled with bicarbonate-(14)C. Aluminum triggered the excretion of (14)C into the solution, especially in the SH that excreted 2.5 times more (14)C than the CK. The loss of radioactivity (about 10%) into the solution represented a small drain in the (14)C reserve found in the roots. In the organic acid fraction within the roots, malate contained the greatest amount of (14)C, and this amount decreased rapidly with time in both cultivars. The disappearance of radioactivity in the malate resulted from metabolism and translocation rather than to root efflux. Aluminium decreased the malate concentrations in roots of both cultivars. The Al-sensitive cultivar had higher concentrations of malate regardless of the presence of Al. It was therefore assumed that the decrease of malate concentration in roots under Al stress did not result from the decline in malate synthesis but due to an increase in malate decomposition. This response was interpreted as the result of the Al-induced stress and not as the cause of a differential Al-tolerance between the wheat cultivars. An important component of the differential Al tolerance between SH and CK is the greater ability of the Al-tolerant cultivar to excrete malate from the roots, which is independent of its internal concentration in the roots.

Bioactive lipids and fatty acids profile of Cistanche phelypaea

Oil extracted from the wild plant of Cistanche phelypaea was analyzed for its fatty acid, sterol, hydrocarbon and tocopherol contents. Total lipids (TL) content was 10 g/kg (on dry weight basis). The majority of fatty acids were of the unsaturated type (50.4 % of total fatty acids), while the saturated (mainly palmitic acid) were about 43.2 % of the total fatty acids. Oleic acid was the dominating fatty acid followed by palmitic and linoleic acids. High amounts of sterols were found in the oil with the main component β-sitosterol. Other phytosterols (e.g. stigmasterol, ∆7-avenasterol and ∆5-avenasterol) were present at approximately equal amounts (6–9 % of total sterols). The main identified hydrocarbon compounds were C21, C26 and C32 constituting about 61.2 % of total hydrocarbons. Small amounts of C12, C18 and C22, however, were also detected. Tocopherol levels were high in the oil (3.36 g/kg oil), wherein β-tocopherol was the main component followed by α-isomer. Both tocopherol components comprised more than 87 % of total vitamin E content in the oil. Furthermore, γ- and δ-tocopherols were detected in small amounts in the oil accounting for 14–16 % of the total vitamin E content. Information provided by the present work will be of importance for food applications and chemotaxonomy of Cistanche phelypaea.

Relationship between early watercore development and leaf photosynthesis or partitioning of photosynthates in apple

Seasonal changes in leaf photosynthetic rate and partitioning of 13C taken up by leaves were compared in relation to the development of early watercore using susceptible ‘Orin’ and resistant ‘Fuji’ apples ( Malus domestica Borkh.). There was no difference between the cultivars in leaf photosynthetic rate from mid-July to mid-October. The extent of watercore in ‘Orin’ increased from mid-July and peaked in late-August, followed by a decrease through mid-October, while no watercore was detected during the experimental period in ‘Fuji’. Fruit fresh weight and soluble solids content (SSC) were higher in ‘Orin’ than ‘Fuji’ during the earlier stages. Leaf dry weight of ‘Orin’ was higher than that of ‘Fuji’ throughout the experimental period. Accumulation of dry matter in the fruit increased in both cultivars and ‘Orin’ kept significantly higher level than ‘Fuji’ from mid-July to mid-October. The amount of 13C distributed to ‘Orin’ fruit at 5 days after labeling was significantly higher than ‘Fuji’ in mid-July just before watercore started to occur. 13C taken up by ‘Orin’ fruit with prevalent watercore was also higher than ‘Fuji’ in late-August but the difference was not significant. In mid-October when early watercore was gradually reducing, 13C recovered by ‘Orin’ fruit decreased and was significantly lower than ‘Fuji’. The difference of partitioning pattern of 13C between the cultivars was associated with the susceptibility to early watercore as well as the changes in fruit growth and SSC. The seasonal changes in the amount of 13C distributed to ‘Orin’ fruit were also related to the fluctuations in watercore severity. The results suggest that active phloem transport might be the cause of early watercore in our previous work, which might be induced by the increased partitioning of assimilates to the fruit during summer in susceptible ‘Orin’ compared to resistant ‘Fuji’ and not by the higher potential of leaf photosynthesis.

The contribution of coumarin 6 in light harvesting and photocurrent of P3HT:PCBM bulk heterojunction solar cell

Coumarin 6 dye (C6) has been included into an active layer of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT):[6,6]-phenyl-C 61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) bulk heterojunction solar cell. The amount of C6 in the active layer blends was varied, and the optical absorption and photocurrent of the devices were recorded. The optical absorption spectroscopy of the active layer blend films showed that the increase in C6 concentration in a blend increased the absorption peak value, and the thermal treatment upon a blend film broadened the absorption wavelength range. The latter occurred as a result of a large red shift of P3HT absorption peak and, at the same time, a small red shift of C6 absorption peak in the blend films. As a result of pronounced contribution of the dye in the light harvesting of the blend films after thermal annealing, the C6 dye showed eminent contribution in the photocurrent spectra, better than that of P3HT. In addition to the contribution of C6 in the light harvesting and photocurrent of the investigated solar cells, this study enabled us to get a better understanding of the performance of the most common binary P3HT:PCBM when a third material is included inside it.

Migration and deposition of 13C in the full-tungsten ASDEX Upgrade tokamak

The migration of carbon in low-density, low-confinement plasmas of ASDEX Upgrade was studied by injecting 13C into the main chamber of the torus at the end of the 2007 experimental campaign. A selection of standard tungsten-coated lower-divertor and main-chamber tiles as well as a complete set of lower-divertor tiles with an uncoated poloidal marker stripe were removed from one poloidal cross section and analysed using secondary ion mass spectrometry. The poloidal deposition profiles of 13C on both the tungsten-coated tiles and on the uncoated graphite areas of the marker tiles were measured and compared. For the W-coated lower-divertor tiles, 13C was deposited mainly on the high-field side tiles, while barely detectable amounts of 13C were observed on low-field side samples. In contrast, on the uncoated marker stripes the deposition was equally pronounced in the high-field and low-field side divertor. The marker-tile results are in agreement with those obtained from graphite tiles after the 2003 and 2005 13C experiments in ASDEX Upgrade. In the case of W-coated tiles, the 13C measurements were complemented by determining the total amount of deposited carbon (12C) on the tiles, which also shows strong deposition at the inner parts of the lower divertor. The estimated deposition of 13C on W at the divertor areas was less than 1.5% of the injected amount of 13C atoms. The 13C analyses of the main-chamber tiles and small silicon samples mounted in remote areas revealed significant deposition in the upper divertor, in upper parts of the heat shield, in the limiter region close to the injection valve, and below the roof baffle. Approximately 8% of the injected 13C is estimated to have accumulated in these regions. Possible reasons for the different deposition patterns on W and on graphite in different regions of the torus are discussed.

Kinetic Analysis of C4 Alkane and Alkene Pyrolysis: Implications for SOFC Operation

Pyrolysis experiments of isobutane, isobutylene, and 1-butene were performed over a temperature range of 550–750°C and a pressure of ∼0.8 atm. The residence time was ∼5 s. The fuel conversion and product selectivity were analyzed at these temperatures. The pyrolysis experiments were performed to simulate the gas-phase chemistry that occurs in the anode channel of a solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC). The experimental results confirm that molecular structure has a substantial impact on pyrolysis kinetics. The experimental data show considerable amounts of C5 and higher species (∼2.8 mole % with isobutane at 750°C, ∼7.5 mole % with isobutylene at 737.5°C, and ∼7.4 mole % with 1-butene at 700°C). The C5+ species are likely deposit precursors. The results confirm that hydrocarbon gas-phase kinetics have substantial impact on a SOFC operation.

PTH-040 The effect of salivary nitrite on gastric emptying

Introduction Human saliva has a high nitrite concentration from the entero-salivary recirculation of dietary nitrate. Swallowed nitrite reacts with acidic gastric juice forming nitric oxide (NO). Increasing NO bioactivity, by inhibiting phosphodiesterase, enhances gastric accommodation and delays gastric emptying. Aims To determine (1) whether nitrite in saliva affects gastric emptying and (2) whether nitrite in saliva alters postprandial intragastric pressure (IGP). Methods 20 healthy subjects (11 males) were studied. On four separate days high-resolution manometry was performed during 15 min fasting and for 90 min following a standardised meal. Post-prandially, solutions of 0, 0.286, 2 and 14 mmol/l potassium nitrite were infused into the oral cavity. Solutions were randomised and double-blinded. Saliva was collected at baseline, 30, 60 and 90 min after the meal. Salivary nitrite concentrations were quantified by Griess reaction. Gastric emptying was assessed by means of a specially designed breath test. 14C labelled sodium acetate was incorporated, during baking, into a rolled oats flapjack which constituted part of our standardised meal. Following consumption of the flapjack, breath samples were taken at regular intervals. The quantity of 14C appearing in breath per unit time (μmol/minute) was calculated. A generalised linear regression method was used to estimate gastric half-emptying times (T½). Mean IGP was defined relative to atmospheric pressure as the lowest mean pressure recorded in the six most distal manometry sensors. Results are medians and ranges. Results Salivary nitrite concentrations at 60 min were 24.35 μmol/l (3.86–65.46), 80.42 μmol/l (20.88–158.79), 358.4 μmol/l (118.2–726.6) and 2694 μmol/l (600–8087) for the solutions containing 0, 0.286, 2 and 14 mmol/l nitrite, respectively. There was no significant difference in the rate of gastric emptying (T½) between the control solution (103.5 min, 56.2–239.1) and those containing 0.286 mmol/l (113.4 mins, 68.7–254.8, p=0.56), 2 mmol/l (121.7 min, 39.8–270.0, p=0.93) and 14 mmol/l (114.4 mins, 79.1–390.1, p=0.75). There was no difference in the increase in IGP recorded between the control solution (4.06 mm Hg, −2.64–7.31) and those containing 0.286 mmol/l (4.42 mm Hg, −4.55–8.45, p=0.61), 2 mmol/l (4.66 mm Hg, −0.94-9.16, p=0.27) and 14 mmol/l (4.24 mm Hg, −2.12–8.17, p=0.81) potassium nitrite. Conclusion Despite an excellent range of salivary nitrite concentrations, extending over and beyond the normal physiological range, no difference in the rate of gastric emptying or postprandial rise in IGP was seen. This suggests salivary nitrite does not affect gastric emptying.

On mixing at the core-envelope interface during classical nova outbursts

Classical novae are powered by thermonuclear runaways that occur on the white dwarf component of close binary systems. During these violent stellar events, whose energy release is only exceeded by gamma-ray bursts and supernova explosions, about 10-4 10-5 Msun of material is ejected into the interstellar medium. Because of the high peak temperatures attained during the explosion, Tpeak ~ (1-4)x10+8 K, the ejecta are enriched in nuclear-processed material relative to solar abundances, containing significant amounts of 13C, 15N, and 17O and traces of other isotopes. The origin of these metal enhancements observed in the ejecta is not wellknown and has puzzled theoreticians for about 40 years. In this paper, we present new 2-D simulations of mixing at the core-envelope interface. We show that Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities can naturally lead to self-enrichment of the solar-like accreted envelopes with material from the outermost layers of the underlying white dwarf core, at levels that agree with observations.

Correcting for the effects of natural abundance in stable isotope resolved metabolomics experiments involving ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry

BackgroundStable isotope tracing with ultra-high resolution Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance-mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) can provide simultaneous determination of hundreds to thousands of metabolite isotopologue species without the need for chromatographic separation. Therefore, this experimental metabolomics methodology may allow the tracing of metabolic pathways starting from stable-isotope-enriched precursors, which can improve our mechanistic understanding of cellular metabolism. However, contributions to the observed intensities arising from the stable isotope's natural abundance must be subtracted (deisotoped) from the raw isotopologue peaks before interpretation. Previously posed deisotoping problems are sidestepped due to the isotopic resolution and identification of individual isotopologue peaks. This peak resolution and identification come from the very high mass resolution and accuracy of FT-ICR-MS and present an analytically solvable deisotoping problem, even in the context of stable-isotope enrichment.ResultsWe present both a computationally feasible analytical solution and an algorithm to this newly posed deisotoping problem, which both work with any amount of 13C or 15N stable-isotope enrichment. We demonstrate this algorithm and correct for the effects of 13C natural abundance on a set of raw isotopologue intensities for a specific phosphatidylcholine lipid metabolite derived from a 13C-tracing experiment.ConclusionsCorrection for the effects of 13C natural abundance on a set of raw isotopologue intensities is computationally feasible when the raw isotopologues are isotopically resolved and identified. Such correction makes qualitative interpretation of stable isotope tracing easier and is required before attempting a more rigorous quantitative interpretation of the isotopologue data. The presented implementation is very robust with increasing metabolite size. Error analysis of the algorithm will be straightforward due to low relative error from the implementation itself. Furthermore, the algorithm may serve as an independent quality control measure for a set of observed isotopologue intensities.

Storage lipids as a source of carbon skeletons for asparagine synthesis in germinating seeds of yellow lupine ( Lupinus luteus L.)

The 14C-acetate metabolism and regulatory functions of sucrose and sodium fluoride (NaF) were examined in embryo axes and cotyledons isolated from yellow lupine seeds and grown in vitro. After 15 min of incubating organs in solutions of labeled acetate, more radioactivity was found in amino acids (particularly in glutamate, asparagine and glutamine) than in sugars. After 120 min of incubation, 14C was still localized mainly in amino acids (particularly in asparagine and glutamate). The 14C atoms from position C-1 of acetate were mostly localized in the liberated 14CO 2, whereas those from position C-2 were incorporated chiefly into amino acids, sugars and the insoluble fraction of the studied organs. The addition of NaF caused a decrease in the amount of 14C incorporated into amino acids and in the insoluble fraction. The influence of NaF on incorporation of 14C into sugars differed between organs. In embryo axes, NaF inhibited this process, but in cotyledons it stimulated 14C incorporation into glucose. The release of 14CO 2 with the C-1 and C-2 carbon atoms from acetate was more intensive in embryo axes and cotyledons grown on a medium without sucrose. This process was markedly limited by NaF, which inhibits glycolysis and gluconeogenesis. Alternative pathways of carbon flow from fatty acids to asparagine are discussed.

S-Process in low-metallicity stars - I. Theoretical predictions

A large sample of carbon enhanced metal-poor stars enriched in s-process elements (CEMP-s) have been observed in the Galactic halo. These stars of low mass (M ~ 0.9 Msun) are located on the main-sequence or the red giant phase, and do not undergo third dredge-up (TDU) episodes. The s-process enhancement is most plausibly due to accretion in a binary system from a more massive companion when on the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) phase (now a white dwarf). In order to interpret the spectroscopic observations, updated AGB models are needed to follow in detail the s-process nucleosynthesis. We present nucleosynthesis calculations based on AGB stellar models obtained with FRANEC (Frascati Raphson-Newton Evolutionary Code) for low initial stellar masses and low metallicities. For a given metallicity, a wide spread in the abundances of the s-process elements is obtained by varying the amount of 13C and its profile in the pocket, where the 13C(a, n)16O reaction is the major neutron source, releasing neutrons in radiative conditions during the interpulse phase. We account also for the second neutron source 22Ne(a, n)25Mg, partially activated during convective thermal pulses. We discuss the surface abundance of elements from carbon to bismuth, for AGB models of initial masses M = 1.3 -- 2 Msun, low metallicities ([Fe/H] from -1 down to -3.6) and for different 13C-pockets efficiencies. In particular we analyse the relative behaviour of the three s-process peaks: light-s (ls at magic neutron number N = 50), heavy-s (hs at N = 82) and lead (N = 126). Two s-process indicators, [hs/ls] and [Pb/hs], are needed in order to characterise the s-process distribution. In the online material, we provide a set of data tables with surface predictions. ...

Impact of Temperature on Ladderane Lipid Distribution in Anammox Bacteria

Anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing (anammox) bacteria have the unique ability to synthesize fatty acids containing linearly concatenated cyclobutane rings, termed "ladderane lipids." In this study we investigated the effect of temperature on the ladderane lipid composition and distribution in anammox enrichment cultures, marine particulate organic matter, and surface sediments. Under controlled laboratory conditions we observed an increase in the amount of C(20) [5]-ladderane fatty acids compared with the amount of C(18) [5]-ladderane fatty acids with increasing temperature and also an increase in the amount of C(18) [5]-ladderane fatty acids compared with the amount of C(20) [5]-ladderane fatty acids with decreasing temperature. Combining these data with results from the natural environment showed a significant (R(2) = 0.85, P = <0.0001, n = 121) positive sigmoidal relationship between the amounts of C(18) and C(20) [5]-ladderane fatty acids and the in situ temperature; i.e., there is an increase in the relative abundance of C(18) [5]-ladderane fatty acids at lower temperatures and vice versa, particularly at temperatures between 12 degrees C and 20 degrees C. Novel shorter (C(16)) and longer (C(22) to C(24)) ladderane fatty acids were also identified, but their relative amounts were small and did not change with temperature. The adaptation of ladderane fatty acid chain length to temperature changes is similar to the regulation of common fatty acid composition in other bacteria and may be the result of maintaining constant membrane fluidity under different temperature regimens (homeoviscous adaptation). Our results can potentially be used to discriminate between the origins of ladderane lipids in marine sediments, i.e., to determine if ladderanes are produced in situ in relatively cold surface sediments or if they are fossil remnants originating from the warmer upper water column.

Oral Administration of Carbon-14 Labeled Cyanocobalamin (14C-Cbl) Reveals Variable Degradation of Vitamin B12 in the Gastrointestinal Tract That Impacts Vitamin B12 Absorption and Status.

Abstract 3018Poster Board II-994Recent evidence from our laboratory and others suggests that a variable portion of ingested cobalamin (Cbl), either crystalline or from food, is degraded in the gastrointestinal tract. We have developed a biosynthetic method to incorporate 14C into the lower axial ligand of cobalamin that has made it possible to study the fate of this vitamin during its passage through the gastrointestinal tract and to assess the presence of Cbl or its breakdown products in biological samples. Following oral administration of an aqueous physiological tracer dose of 14C-Cbl (1.3 μg, 50 nCi), blood, urine, and feces are analyzed for 14C by accelerator mass spectrometry. In 9 subjects, the plasma response was consistent with the expected behavior of peroral Cbl: 14C-Cbl first appeared in the plasma 3h post-dose reaching a peak level within 6-8h. Confirmation that this dose appears bound to the physiological transport protein transcobalamin (TC) was obtained in a subset of subjects by an immunoaffinity method using anti-human TC antibody-coated magnetic beads which selectively bound 95-98% of plasma 14C. Urinary excretion of 14C was maximal in the first 24h, with 14C first appearing in urine as early as 1.5h after dosing. Fecal excretion occurred variably over several days. The amount of 14C found in the urine (10-50% of the dose) was 100-fold greater than in previous reports using 57Co-labeled cyanocobalamin (0.1-0.5%), and fecal excretion was lower than expected (10-20% vs 30-70%). Urinary excretion of 14C was inversely correlated with the peak plasma level of 14C attained (r2=0.610; p<0.001). The bulk of urinary 14C was not associated with intact Cbl and first appeared in the urine before peak 14C levels were attained in the plasma. The peak plasma level of 14C attained also showed a strong positive correlation with plasma holotranscobalamin concentration measured before administration of the 14C-Cbl (r2=0.571; p<0.001). No such correlation was found with total plasma Cbl. In additional experiments on normal volunteers using eggs endogenously labeled with 14C Cbl following intramuscular injection of hens with 14C Cbl, comparably high urinary excretion of 14C was also observed. We conclude that a variable fraction of ingested Cbl is degraded in the gastrointestinal tract of normal individuals. This may be an important determinant of the amount of Cbl absorbed from food or supplement sources. Additionally, our findings suggest that the concentration of holoTC in the plasma reflects absorptive capacity and may therefore be a good surrogate for Cbl absorptive status. Our findings also have implications regarding the bioavailability of Cbl and may inform pending considerations to fortify food supplies with Cbl in order to mitigate the incidence of Cbl deficiency, particularly among the elderly. Intestinal degradation, either microbial or through the action of digestive enzymes, may also be a source of Cbl analogues that have previously been detected in the plasma and tissues. Cbl analogues may interfere with the physiological function of cobalamin, resulting in some of the manifestations of cobalamin deficiency. Disclosures:Green:Vitalea Science: Research Funding. Miller:Vitalea Science: Research Funding. Lee:Vitalea Science: Research Funding. Sutter:Vitalea Science: Research Funding. Allen:Vitalea Science: Research Funding. Dueker:Vitalea Science: Employment.

Plant species influence microbial diversity and carbon allocation in the rhizosphere

Plant species effects on microbial communities are attributed to changes in microbial community composition and biomass, and may depend on plant species specific differences in the quality of resources (carbon) inputs. We examined the idea that plant–soil feedbacks can be explained by a chance effect, which is the probability of a highly productive or keystone plant species is present in the community and will influence the functions more than the number of species per se. A 13C pulse labelling technique was applied to three plant species and a species mixture in a greenhouse experiment to examine the carbon flow from plants to soil microbial communities. The 13C label was given as CO 2 to shoots of a legume ( Lotus corniculatus), a forb ( Plantago lanceolata), a grass ( Holcus lanatus) and a mixture of the three species. Microbial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) was analysed in order to determine the biomass and composition of the soil microbial community. The incorporation of the stable isotope into soil microorganisms was determined through GC–IRMS analyses of the microbial PLFAs. Plant species identity did not influence the microbial biomass when determined as total carbon of microbial phospholipid fatty acids. However, the labelled carbon showed that the grass monoculture ( H. lanatus) and the plant mixture allocated more 13C into bacteria and actinomycete biomass than the other plant species. H. lanatus monocultures had also the highest amounts of 13C allocated to AM-fungi and saprophytic fungi. The carbon allocation from plants to soil microorganisms in a plant species mixture can thus be explained by the presence of a highly productive species that influence soil functions.

Possible freshwater resource consumption by the earliest directly dated European modern humans: Implications for direct radiometric dating

Richards and Trinkaus (1) infer from bone collagen carbon and nitrogen stable isotopic composition a significant contribution of freshwater resources in the diet of early European modern humans, especially for the oldest directly dated specimen from Pestera cu Oase, Romania. Although the confirmation of such diet still requires direct comparison of contemporaneous fauna from the same region (2), such a claim raises the question of a possible increase of radiocarbon ages due to freshwater reservoir effect. It has been documented that freshwater resources and their consumers exhibit lower 14C amounts in their organic matter than terrestrial resources at a given time, which makes them look significantly older, up to 1,200 years (e.g., ref. 3). Such an increase of apparent age has also been documented in some archaeological sites, such as the Iron Gates Gorge along the Danube River at the Serbian–Romanian border (3, 4). Therefore, a precise and quantitative dietary reconstruction is necessary to estimate this possible age increase due to freshwater consumption, especially as this Romanian directly dated modern human specimen overlaps in age with the latest Neandertals outside the Iberian peninsula (5). Therefore the possible incorporation of freshwater resources in the diet of the earliest European modern humans is not only an issue in the scenario of competition between Neandertals and modern humans but also an issue in the actual chronology of modern human migration in Europe and overlap duration between the two hominid forms.

Tree species affect atmospheric CH 4 oxidation without altering community composition of soil methanotrophs

Plant species exert strong effects on ecosystem functions and one of the emerging, and difficult to test hypotheses, is that plants alter soil functions through changing the community structure of soil microorganisms. We tested the hypothesis for atmospheric CH 4 oxidation by using soil samples from a Siberian afforestation experiment and exposing them to 13C–CH 4. We determined the activity of the soil methanotrophs under different tree species at three levels of initial CH 4 concentration (30, 200 and 1000 ppm) thus distinguishing the activities of low- and high-affinity methanotrophs. Half of the samples were incubated with 13C-enriched CH 4 (99.9%) and half with 12C–CH 4. This allowed an estimation of the amount of 13C incorporated into individual PLFAs and determination of PLFAs of methanotrophs involved in CH 4 oxidation at the different CH 4 concentrations. Tree species strongly altered the activity of atmospheric CH 4 oxidation without appearing to change the composition of high-affinity methanotrophs as evidenced by PLFA 13C labeling. The low diversity of atmospheric CH 4 oxidizers, presumably belonging to the UCSα group, may explain the lack of tree species effects on the composition of soil methanotrophs. We submit that the observed tree species effects on atmospheric CH 4 oxidation indicate an effect on biomass or cell-specific activities rather than by a community change and this may be related to the impact of the tree species on soil N cycling.

Effect of adenosine triphosphate on changes of fatty acids in harvested litchi fruit infected by Peronophythora litchii

Recent investigations have shown that disease development of harvested horticultural crops may be attributed to a limited availability of energy or low energy production. In this study, litchi fruit were treated with 1.0 mM adenosine triphosphate (ATP) or 0.5 mM 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) and then half of the ATP-treated fruit were inoculated with Peronophythora litchii. The composition and contents of fatty acids (FAs) and esterase activity in litchi fruit during storage were investigated. Free fatty acids (FFAs) in all fruit increased over storage, especially in the P. litchii-inoculated fruit. In particular, the content of saturated FAs increased faster than unsaturated FAs. In polar lipids (PL), a decrease in the amount of C18:3 and an increase in the amount of C16:0 or C18:0 was found during storage, while the proportions of C16:0, C18:0 and C18:1 in neutral lipid (NL) gradually increased but the proportions of C18:3 decreased during storage. The proportion of C18:2 increased within the first four days and then decreased. Exogenous ATP treatment suppressed the release of FFAs and increased the contents of each FA in PL, indicating a slower hydrolysis of lipids. ATP treatment also delayed the increase in the proportion of C18:0 in NL. Further analysis showed that the double bond index (DBI) of litchi fruit decreased in all fractions of FAs and ATP treatment can slow the decrease in DBI. In addition, lower esterase enzyme activity was detected in all ATP-treated fruit. Treatment with DNP (a respiration uncoupler) increased esterase activity. P. litchii-inoculated fruit after ATP treatment also exhibited similar trends in delaying the release of FFAs. Enhanced disease resistance of litchi fruit by ATP could involve the levels of FAs and esterase activity.

Effects of repeated glyphosate applications on soil microbial community composition and the mineralization of glyphosate

Repeated applications may have a greater impact on the soil microbial community than a single application of glyphosate. Experiments were conducted to study the effect of one, two, three, four or five applications of glyphosate on soil microbial community composition and glyphosate mineralization and distribution of (14)C residues in soil. Fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) common to gram-negative bacteria were present in higher concentrations following five applications relative to one, two, three or four applications both 7 and 14 days after application (DAA). Additionally, sequencing of 16S rRNA bacterial genes indicated that the abundance of the gram-negative Burkholderia spp. was increased following the application of glyphosate. The cumulative percentage (14)C mineralized 14 DAA was reduced when glyphosate was applied 4 or 5 times relative to the amount of (14)C mineralized following one, two or three applications. Incorporation of (14)C residues into soil microbial biomass was greater following five glyphosate applications than following the first application 3 and 7 DAA. These studies suggest that the changes in the dissipation or distribution of glyphosate following repeated applications of glyphosate may be related to shifts in the soil microbial community composition.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid in Rumen Liquor: Their Relation with Other Carbon 18 Fatty Acids and Rumen pH

This study was focused on the quantitative analysis of Conjugated Linoleic Acids (CLAs) in rumen liquor and assessment of the relationship between CLAs and other carbon 18 fatty acids and rumen pH of cattle slaughtered for meat consumption. The fatty acids were extracted using modified Folch method and determined by gas chromatography. The mean (n = 22) level of CLAs in the rumen liquor was 14.97 ±7.46 mg/100 mL. Cis-9, trans-11(c9, t11) was the dominant isomer of CLA followed by trans-10,cis-12 (t10, c12). The level of CLAs was positively correlated with the concentration of octadecatrienoic (18:3), cis-9, cis-12 octadecadienoic (18:2), trans-11octadecenoic (18:1) and octadecenoic (18:0) acids. Ruminal pH was positively correlated with the amount of c9, t11 and total CLA and negatively correlated with t10, c12 CLA isomer. All these correlations and relationships indicated that CLAs production in the rumen is dependent on availability of carbon 18 fatty acids and pH of the rumen liquor.

The Influence of Diet on Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry Values

Athletes have increasingly used testosterone (T) and other endogenous anabolic steroids that cannot be detected by conventional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. This led to gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry(GC/C/IRMS), which measures the relative amount of 13C in urinary steroids. Because exogenous testosterone is relatively low in 13C content, this study will determine if consuming a diet low in 13C plants, such as soy, can be confused with a GC/C/IRMS-positive test for exogenous testosterone. Cross-sectional study in which 22 vegetarians known to consume a diet depleted of 13C isotope were compared with a geographic control group of 14 subjects consuming a normal diet. Two distinct subject populations with respect to diet. Subjects were recruited from a soy-based cooperative and control volunteers. Twenty-two of 24 research subjects completed the protocol compared with 14 of 22 control subjects. Independent variables were delta13C IRMS values,urinary steroid profile, and isoflavone analysis. Comparisons were made with respect to dietary analysis, isoflavones, and urinary steroid measurements using GC-C-IRMS. The delta13C values for 2 major metabolites of T (androsterone and etiocholanolone) were lower for the vegetarians than the controls (P = 0.005). The vegetarians excreted a median of 23 micromol/d of total isoflavones compared with 2.7 micromol/d for the control group (P =0.0002). The carbon isotope ratios of urinary testosterone metabolites of vegetarians consuming a diet that is markedly depleted of 13C content were lower than that of control subjects, but not low enough to result in World Anti-Doping Agency criteria for a positive IRMS analysis.