Non-optimal Temperatures Research Articles

Pneumonia Hospitalization Risk in the Elderly Attributable to Cold and Hot Temperatures in Hong Kong, China.

The growth of pathogens potentially relevant to respiratory tract infection may be triggered by changes in ambient temperature. Few studies have examined the association between ambient temperature and pneumonia incidence, and no studies have focused on the susceptible elderly population. We aimed to examine the short-term association between ambient temperature and geriatric pneumonia and to assess the disease burden attributable to cold and hot temperatures in Hong Kong, China. Daily time-series data on emergency hospital admissions for geriatric pneumonia, mean temperature, relative humidity, and air pollution concentrations between January 2005 and December 2012 were collected. Distributed-lag nonlinear modeling integrated in quasi-Poisson regression was used to examine the exposure-lag-response relationship between temperature and pneumonia hospitalization. Measures of the risk attributable to nonoptimal temperature were calculated to summarize the disease burden. Subgroup analyses were conducted to examine the sex difference. We observed significant nonlinear and delayed associations of both cold and hot temperatures with pneumonia in the elderly, with cold temperatures having stronger effect estimates. Among the 10.7% of temperature-related pneumonia hospitalizations, 8.7% and 2.0% were attributed to cold and hot temperatures, respectively. Most of the temperature-related burden for pneumonia hospitalizations in Hong Kong was attributable to cold temperatures, and elderly men had greater susceptibility.

National and regional death burden attributable to ambient temperatures: epidemiological evidence from 89 Chinese communities

BackgroundAmbient temperature is an important risk factor for human health. However, little evidence is available on the attributable burden, such as absolute or relative excess of mortality, due to temperature. We investigated the burden ofdeath attributable toambient temperature in China. MethodsWe used the national database comprising daily death data for 89 Chinese communities for 2007–2013, covering 106·1 million permanent residents, according to China's 2010 population census. A distributed lag non-linear model was used to estimate the community-specific mortality effects of daily mean temperature. Pooled estimates of national and regional effects (southern, northern, western and eastern; rural and urban), were then calculated through multivariate meta-analysis. Attributable deaths were calculated for cold and heat, defined as ambient temperatures below and above the minimum-mortality temperature. This study was approved by the ethics committee of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (201214). FindingsOur analysis included 1 727 143 non-accidental deaths during the study period, with a total of 228 213 (95% empirical CI 192 835–244 597) deaths attributed to non-optimum ambient temperatures. The national attributable fraction was 13·21% (95% empirical CI 11·34–14·16), most of which was linked to low temperatures (11·96%, 10·04–12·94). There was significant between-region heterogeneity in the attributable fractions for non-optimal temperature (I2=56·1%, p<0·0001, ranging from 12·18% (8·49–14·33) in northern regions to 18·16% (8·73–22·92) in western regions. Death burdens attributed to ambient temperatures were similar between urban (13·37%, 10·68–15·09) and rural regions (13·46%, 10·46–15·08). InterpretationAmbient temperature was responsible for 13·21% of deaths in China, and the burden attributable to this factor varied significantly across different regions. Most of this burden was caused by low temperature. This study has implications for policymakers developing protective strategies to mitigate the health effects of adverse ambient temperatures. FundingNational Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (Grant No 2012CB955504). No funding bodies had any role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Impact of increased mutagenesis on adaptation to high temperature in bacteriophage Qβ

RNA viruses replicate with very high error rates, which makes them more sensitive to additional increases in this parameter. This fact has inspired an antiviral strategy named lethal mutagenesis, which is based on the artificial increase of the error rate above a threshold incompatible with virus infectivity. A relevant issue concerning lethal mutagenesis is whether incomplete treatments might enhance the adaptive possibilities of viruses. We have addressed this question by subjecting an RNA virus, the bacteriophage Qβ, to different transmission regimes in the presence or the absence of sublethal concentrations of the mutagenic nucleoside analogue 5-azacytidine (AZC). Populations obtained were subsequently exposed to a non-optimal temperature and analyzed to determine their consensus sequences. Our results show that previously mutagenized populations rapidly fixed a specific set of mutations upon propagation at the new temperature, suggesting that the expansion of the mutant spectrum caused by AZC has an influence on later evolutionary behavior.

Do northern populations of Reticulitermes speratus (Kolbe) possess an additional physiological capacity to cold-acclimate that enhances cold tolerance during the winter?

We measured and compared different carbohydrates, the total lipids, and the body water content between summer- and winter-acclimatized Reticulitermes speratus (Kolbe) in three latitudinal regions to determine whether northern populations possess an additional physiological capacity to acclimate to cold temperatures.The results of supercooling points and the lower lethal temperatures of summer- and winter-acclimatized R. speratus workers revealed that these termites are adapted to cold climates by altering their carbohydrate metabolites (e.g., glucose and trehalose), and balanced their body water content and total lipids to improve their survivability by adapting the physiological strategies to tolerate inclement environment conditions. We observed a mean SCP of −5.1°C for summer-acclimatized R. speratus, which is below the observed mean lower lethal temperature; their SCP slight increase to −6.9°C with winter-acclimatized R. speratus. Within three contrasting locations, R. speratus populations in Kyoto had higher levels of carbohydrate metabolites alteration, lower supercooling points, and lower lethal temperatures. The results of this study support the null hypothesis that termite adapted the physiological strategies to tolerate cold environment. However, the geographical range of R. speratus is not necessarily dependent on only its physiological strategies. Instead, we conclude that it appears to rely on a combination of behavioral, physiological, and other competitive adaptations that ensure the survival of the whole colony under low, non-optimal temperatures. Additionally, the northern populations of R. speratus do not possess an additional physiological capacity to cold-acclimate that enhances cold tolerance during the winter.

The burden of stroke mortality attributable to cold and hot ambient temperatures: Epidemiological evidence from China

BackgroundFew data are available on the attributable burden, such as absolute excess or relative excess, of stroke death due to temperature. MethodsWe collected data on daily temperature and stroke mortality from 16 large Chinese cities during 2007–2013. First, we applied a distributed lag non-linear model to estimate the city-/age-/gender-specific temperature-mortality association over lag 0–14days. Then, pooled estimates were calculated using a multivariate meta-analysis. Attributable deaths were calculated for cold and heat, defined as temperatures below and above the minimum-mortality temperature (MMT). Moderate and extreme temperatures were defined using cut-offs at the 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles of temperature. ResultsThe city-specific MMT increased from the north to the south, with a median of 24.9oC. Overall, 14.5% (95% empirical confidence interval: 11.5–17.0%) of stroke mortality (114, 662 deaths) was attributed to non-optimum temperatures, with the majority being attributable to cold (13.1%, 9.7–15.7%). The proportion of temperature-related death had a decreasing trend by latitude, ranging from 22.7% in Guangzhou to 6.3% in Shenyang. Moderate temperatures accounted for 12.6% (9.1–15.3%) of stroke mortality, whereas extreme temperatures accounted for only 2.0% (1.6–2.2%) of stroke mortality. Estimates of death burden due to both cold and heat were higher among males and the elderly, compared with females and the youth. ConclusionsThe burden of temperature-related stroke mortality increased from the north to the south. Most of this burden was caused by cold temperatures. The stroke burden was higher among males and the elderly. This information has important implications for preventing stroke due to adverse temperatures in vulnerable subpopulations in China.

Temperature effects on health - current findings and future implications

Temperature effects on health - current findings and future implications

Role of thiol redox systems in Escherichia coli response to thermal and antibiotic stresses

Isogenic knockout mutants of Escherichia coli deficient in components of the glutathione and thioredoxin redox systems and growing at various temperatures (20-46°C) exhibited considerable differences in growth rate and survival, as well as in expression of the antioxidant genes. In the parent strain E. coli BW25113 (wt) treated with ciprofloxacin, ampicillin, or streptomycin, dependence of survival from growth temperature was a V-shaped curve with the maximum sensitivity within the range corresponding to high growth rates (40-44°C). Significant inverse correlation was observed between log CFU at different temperatures and specific growth rate prior to antibiotic addition. This applied to most of the mutants, which exhibited higher resistance to the three antibiotics tested at nonoptimal temperatures (20 and 46°C) than at 37 and 40°C. No correlation was found between resistance to stress and antibiotics and expression of the antioxidant genes. The role of global regulators ppGpp and σ(s) in E. coli resistance to antibiotics and nonoptimal temperatures was shown.

All-Cause and Cause-Specific Risk of Emergency Transport Attributable to Temperature: A Nationwide Study.

Although several studies have estimated the associations between mortality or morbidity and extreme temperatures in terms of relative risk, few studies have investigated the risk of emergency transport attributable to the whole temperature range nationwide.We acquired data on daily emergency ambulance dispatches in all 47 prefectures of Japan from 2007 to 2010. We examined the relationship between emergency transport and temperature for each prefecture using a Poisson regression model in a distributed lag nonlinear model with adjustment for time trends. A random-effect multivariate meta-analysis was then applied to pool the estimates at the national level. Attributable morbidity was calculated for high and low temperatures, which were defined as those above or below the optimum temperature (ie, the minimum morbidity temperature) and for moderate and also extreme temperatures, which were defined using cutoffs at the 2.5th and 97.5th temperature percentiles.A total of 15,868,086 cases of emergency transport met the inclusion criteria. The emergency transport was attributable to nonoptimal temperature. The median minimum morbidity percentile was in the 79th percentile for all causes, the 96th percentile for cardiovascular disease, and the 92th percentile for respiratory disease. The fraction attributable to low temperature was 6.94% (95% eCI: 5.93-7.70) for all causes, 17.93% (95% eCI: 16.10-19.25) for cardiovascular disease, and 12.19% (95% eCI: 9.90-13.66) for respiratory disease, whereas the fraction attributable to high temperature was small (all causes = 1.01%, 95% eCI: 0.90-1.11; cardiovascular disease = 0.10%, 95% eCI: 0.04-0.14; respiratory disease = 0.29%, 95% eCI: 0.07-0.50). The all-cause morbidity risk that was attributable to temperature was related to moderate cold, with an overall estimate of 6.41% (95% eCI: 5.47-7.20). Extreme temperatures were responsible for a small fraction, which corresponded to 0.57% (95% eCI: 0.50-0.62) for extreme low temperature and 0.29% (95% eCI: 0.26-0.32) for extreme high temperature. The same trends were observed for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.The majority of temperature-related emergency transport burden was attributable to lower temperature. The effect of extremely high or low temperatures was markedly lower than that attributable to moderately nonoptimal temperatures.

A Systems Approach to Elucidate Heterosis of Protein Abundances in Yeast

Heterosis is a universal phenomenon that has major implications in evolution and is of tremendous agro-economic value. To study the molecular manifestations of heterosis and to find factors that maximize its strength, we implemented a large-scale proteomic experiment in yeast. We analyzed the inheritance of 1,396 proteins in 55 inter- and intraspecific hybrids obtained from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and S. uvarum that were grown in grape juice at two temperatures. We showed that the proportion of heterotic proteins was highly variable depending on the parental strain and on the temperature considered. For intraspecific hybrids, this proportion was higher at nonoptimal temperature. Unexpectedly, heterosis for protein abundance was strongly biased toward positive values in interspecific hybrids but not in intraspecific hybrids. Computer modeling showed that this observation could be accounted for by assuming concave relationships between protein abundances and their controlling factors, in line with the metabolic model of heterosis. These results point to nonlinear processes that could play a central role in heterosis.

Proteome of tolerance fine-tuning in the human pathogen black yeast Exophiala dermatitidis

The black yeast Exophiala dermatitidis is a worldwide distributed agent of primary and secondary diseases in both immunocompromised and healthy humans, with a high prevalence in human-made environments. Since thermo-tolerance has a crucial role in the fungus persistence in man-dominated habitat and in its pathogenicity, three incubation temperatures (37, 45, 1°C) and two time spans (1h, 1week) were selected to simulate different environmental conditions and to investigate the effect of temperature on the proteome of E. dermatitidis CBS 525.76. Using a novel protocol for protein extraction from black yeasts, 2-D DIGE could be applied for characterization of changes in total protein spot abundance among the experimental conditions. A total of 32 variable proteins were identified by mass spectrometry. Data about protein functions, localization and pathways were also obtained. A typical stress response under non-optimal temperature could not be observed at the proteome level, whereas a reduction of the metabolic activity, mostly concerning processes as the general carbon metabolism, was detected after exposure to cold. These results suggest that a fine protein modulation takes place following temperature treatment and a repertoire of stable protein might be at the base of E. dermatitidis adaptation to altered growth conditions. SignificanceE. dermatitidis is a pathogenic black yeast causing neurotropic infections, systemic and subcutaneous disease in a wide range of hosts, including humans. The discovery of the fungus high prevalence in man-made habitats, including sauna facilities, drinking water and dishwashers, generated concern and raised questions about the infection route. In the present work — which is the first contribution on E. dermatitidis proteome — the effect of different temperature conditions on the fungus protein pattern have been analyzed by using a gel-based approach and the temperature responsive proteins have been identified.The absence of a typical stress response following the exposure to non-optimal temperature was detected at the proteome level, along with a general reduction of the metabolic activity after exposure to cold. These results suggest that a very fine regulation of the protein expression as well as adaptations involving a basic set of stable proteins may be at the base of E. dermatitidis enormous ecological plasticity, which plays a role in the fungus distribution, also enabling the transition from natural to human habitat and to the human host.

Mortality risk attributable to high and low ambient temperature: a multicountry observational study

SummaryBackgroundAlthough studies have provided estimates of premature deaths attributable to either heat or cold in selected countries, none has so far offered a systematic assessment across the whole temperature range in populations exposed to different climates. We aimed to quantify the total mortality burden attributable to non-optimum ambient temperature, and the relative contributions from heat and cold and from moderate and extreme temperatures.MethodsWe collected data for 384 locations in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, UK, and USA. We fitted a standard time-series Poisson model for each location, controlling for trends and day of the week. We estimated temperature–mortality associations with a distributed lag non-linear model with 21 days of lag, and then pooled them in a multivariate metaregression that included country indicators and temperature average and range. We calculated attributable deaths for heat and cold, defined as temperatures above and below the optimum temperature, which corresponded to the point of minimum mortality, and for moderate and extreme temperatures, defined using cutoffs at the 2·5th and 97·5th temperature percentiles.FindingsWe analysed 74 225 200 deaths in various periods between 1985 and 2012. In total, 7·71% (95% empirical CI 7·43–7·91) of mortality was attributable to non-optimum temperature in the selected countries within the study period, with substantial differences between countries, ranging from 3·37% (3·06 to 3·63) in Thailand to 11·00% (9·29 to 12·47) in China. The temperature percentile of minimum mortality varied from roughly the 60th percentile in tropical areas to about the 80–90th percentile in temperate regions. More temperature-attributable deaths were caused by cold (7·29%, 7·02–7·49) than by heat (0·42%, 0·39–0·44). Extreme cold and hot temperatures were responsible for 0·86% (0·84–0·87) of total mortality.InterpretationMost of the temperature-related mortality burden was attributable to the contribution of cold. The effect of days of extreme temperature was substantially less than that attributable to milder but non-optimum weather. This evidence has important implications for the planning of public-health interventions to minimise the health consequences of adverse temperatures, and for predictions of future effect in climate-change scenarios.FundingUK Medical Research Council.

Green bioprinting: Viability and growth analysis of microalgae immobilized in 3D‐plotted hydrogels versus suspension cultures

In this study, microalgae were cultivated in the form of suspension cultures and a new structurally organized immobilization technique called “Green Bioprinting.” This technique allows the cocultivation of microorganisms in close vicinity to, but without direct contact with microalgae, to improve the oxygen supply of different cell types by photosynthetic oxygen evolution. However, more research on the optimum culture conditions for immobilized microalgae is necessary. Therefore, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii 11.32b and Chlorella sorokiniana UTEX1230 were suspended in culture medium or embedded in hydrogels by the 3D‐bioprinting process followed by cultivation under different temperatures (26°C, 30°C, or 37°C) and modes of illumination (continuous illumination or a 14/10 h light/dark cycle). The viability was monitored by either flow cytometry (suspension cultures) analysis of DiBAC4(3)‐stained cells or fluorescence image analysis (hydrogel‐embedded cultures). Suspended microalgae subjected to continuous illumination exhibited an increased number of membrane‐depolarized cells compared to those cultivated at a 14/10 h light/dark cycle. Hydrogel immobilization resulted in a facilitated viability and stable growth rates between 0.4 and 0.7 d−1 for both microalgae strains. Concluding, the 3D‐bioprinting immobilization represents a technique to cultivate microalgae at a high viability and growth rate even under nonoptimal temperature conditions.

Bioethanol production from Miscanthus using thermotolerant Saccharomyces cerevisiae mbc 2 isolated from the respiration-deficient mutants

One major obstacle of simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) is that enzymatic hydrolysis in SSF is conducted at non-optimal temperature. To break through this bottleneck, thermotolerant Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains mbc 1-4 were screened by spot-assay from respiration-deficient mutants induced by ethidium bromide. When four strains placed in liquid medium, the strains exhibited significant increased growth and fermentability at 42 °C in comparison to the host. Consequently, S. cerevisiae mbc 2 was selected to be the most suitable for bioethanol production at 42 °C. Miscanthus was pretreated with 1.5 M NaOH at 150 °C for 30 min in 1 L-vessel. As a result, 42.6% of solids containing 77.9% cellulose were recovered. Next, SSF was conducted with pretreated Miscanthus containing 3% glucan to estimate the fermentability of S. cerevisiae mbc 2 at 42 °C. In results, Ethanol concentration and theoretical ethanol yield by S. cerevisiae mbc 2 in 48 h were 15.3 g/L and 90.1%, respectively, whereas those by the control were 8.3 g/L and 49.3%, respectively. In addition, SSF with increased substrate concentration upto 9% glucan resulted in 86.3% and 82.2% of theoretical ethanol yield, respectively. Thus, our approach for SSF with high solid loading using thermotolerant S. cerevisiae mbc 2 contributes to process and microbial strain development for bioethanol production.

Variation in temperature and light but not salinity invokes antioxidant enzyme activities in germinating seeds of Salsola drummondii

Seeds with efficient antioxidant defence system show higher germination under stress conditions; however, such information is limited for the halophyte seeds. We therefore studied lipid peroxidation and antioxidant responses of a leaf-succulent halophyte Salsola drummondii during seed germination under different salinity levels (0, 200 and 800 mM NaCl), temperature (10/20, 20/30 and 25/35°C) and light regimes. Seeds absorbed water and germinated in less than 1 h in non-saline control while increases in salinity decreased the rate of water uptake as well as seed germination. Non-optimal temperatures (10/20 and 25/35°C) and complete dark condition reduced seed germination in comparison to those seeds germinated under optimal temperature (20/30°C) and 12-h photoperiod, respectively. Generally, higher lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme activities were observed in seeds at non-optimal temperature and in those seeds germinated in dark. Decrease in reduced ascorbic acid content was found in highest salinity and temperature treatments, while reduced glutathione content did not change significantly with changes in salinity, temperature and light regimes. These results indicate variation in temperature and light but not salinity enhances antioxidant enzyme activities in germinating seeds of Salsola drummondii.

Drotaverine hydrochloride degradation using cyst-like dormant cells of Rhodococcus ruber.

This work has a focus on adaptive capabilities of the actinobacterium Rhodococcus ruber IEGM 326 to cope with drotaverine hydrochloride (DH), a known pharmaceutical pollutant. Cultivation of R. ruber in a nitrogen-limited medium with incubation at the ambient temperature resulted in the formation of cyst-like dormant cells (CLDCs). They maintained viability for 2-7 months, possessed the undetectable respiratory activity and elevated resistance to heating, and had a specific morphology. CLDCs are regarded to ensure long-term survival in various habitats and may be used as storage formulations. R. ruber IEGM 326 was tolerant to DH (MIC, 200 mg/l) and displayed different abilities to degrade this compound, depending on inoculum, temperature, and the presence of glucose as co-oxidized substrate. Thus, the loss of DH (20 mg/l) over 48 h at the optimal temperature (27 ± 2 °C) was 5-8 % in the absence of glucose after inoculating with vegetative cells. The addition of glucose (5 g/l) increased DH degradation up to 46 %. Noteworthy, CLDCs as inoculum were advantageous over vegetative cells to degrade DH at the non-optimal temperature (35 ± 2 °C) at reduced bulk respiratory activity. The obtained results are promising to improve the biodegrading capabilities of other Rhodococcus strains.

Tolerance of Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus paracasei and Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains to stress factors encountered in food processing and in the gastro-intestinal tract

This study was aimed at selecting novel strains of Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus rhamnosus for their capability to withstand different stress factors encountered in food processing and in the gastrointestinal tract. In spite of the extensive use of Lactobacillus strains in food applications and as commercial probiotics, there is little information on the diversity in the stress tolerance within these species. In this work 108 L. paracasei, 68 L. rhamnosus and 8 L. casei strains, isolated from different sources (dairy and meat products, sourdoughs, wine, beverages, vegetables and human body) and geographical regions were screened for tolerance to acid, bile salts, high osmolarity and capability to grow at different non-optimal temperatures and survival after exposure to refrigeration or freezing.The study highlighted a noticeable heterogeneity in the ability of the strains to withstand harsh growth conditions suggesting that different stress factors should be applied to identify the most promising candidates for technological uses. In this investigation thirteen strains, isolated from wine, human faeces and sourdough niches, that showed better tolerance to high acidity, bile salts and NaCl, thus more interesting for being industrially exploited, were selected.

Chilling requirements of contrasting black currant (Ribes nigrum L.) cultivars and the induction of secondary bud dormancy

Chilling requirements for bud dormancy release and subsequent flower development in contrasting black currant (Ribes nigrum L.) cultivars were assayed at temperatures ranging from +10 to −10°C using single node cuttings, entire detached shoots, and intact plants. While single node cuttings underestimated the chilling requirements of intact plants, severed shoots and intact plants produced similar results. Chilling at −5°C for 14 weeks or more were optimal for breaking of bud dormancy and promotion of flower development in most cultivars, flower development usually having greater chilling needs than bud break itself. Within certain limits, extension of the chilling period compensated for non-optimal chilling temperature. However, while exposure to −10°C for 8 weeks caused bud dormancy release, continued chilling for another 8 weeks inhibited bud break completely. We propose that excessive chilling induces secondary bud dormancy, a principle that is well established in seeds, but has to our knowledge, not been recognized for bud dormancy before. Marked genotypic differences were found and discussed. The observed severe chilling requirements of black currants concur with the reported vulnerability of this crop to declining winter chill in the wake of the ongoing global warming. Furthermore, elevated autumn temperature was found to induce a particularly deep dormancy state that further increases the chilling need.

3D hollow carbon nanotetrapods synthesized by three-step vapor phase transport

In this work, novel 3D hollow carbon nanotetrapod structures are synthesized by all-vapor-phase process and its electrical properties are studied for electron field emission applications. The fabrication involves three main stages conducted sequentially in a single tube furnace, including insitu ZnO nanotetrapod synthesis, carbon chemical vapor deposition with acetylene/hydrogen (C2H2/H2) mixture and vapor-phase ZnO etching. The effects of C2H2/H2 gas flow composition, synthesis time and temperature on structural morphology of 3D carbon nanostructures and growth mechanisms are systematically investigated. The optimal condition that yields unique 3D hollow carbon nanotetrapod structures includes synthesis time of 3min, temperature of 700°C, C2H2 flow rate of 3sccm, H2 flow rate of 24sccm for 40-mm-tube-inner diameter. Insufficient synthesis time or C2H2 flow rate, excessive H2 flow rate and non-optimal temperature leads to very thin and distorted carbon nanotetrapod structures while excessive time or C2H2 flow rate entails 3D solid carbon nanotetrapod structures. For electrical properties, the nanostructures exhibit decreasing electrical conductivity and improved emission performances with decreasing synthesis time or C2H2 flow rates and increasing H2 flow rate. The optimal 3D hollow carbon nanostructure offers excellent field-emission performances with low turn-on electric field of 1.2V/μm and high field-enhancement factor of ∼7620.

Accumulation of fatty acids in Chlorella vulgaris under heterotrophic conditions in relation to activity of acetyl-CoAcarboxylase, temperature, and co-immobilization with Azospirillum brasilense [corrected

The relation between fatty acid accumulation, activity of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), and consequently lipid accumulation was studied in the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris co-immobilized with the plant growth-promoting bacterium Azospirillum brasilense under dark heterotrophic conditions with Na acetate as a carbon source. In C. vulgaris immobilized alone, cultivation experiments for 6days showed that ACC activity is directly related to fatty acid accumulation, especially in the last 3days. In co-immobilization experiments, A. brasilense exerted a significant positive effect over ACC activity, increased the quantity in all nine main fatty acids, increased total lipid accumulation in C. vulgaris, and mitigated negative effects of nonoptimal temperature for growth. No correlation between ACC activity and lipid accumulation in the cells was established for three different temperatures. This study demonstrated that the interaction between A. brasilense and C. vulgaris has a significant effect on fatty acid and lipid accumulation in the microalgae.

Doors are closing on early development in corals facing climate change.

Marine invertebrates are particularly vulnerable to climatic anomalies in early life history stages because of the time spent in the water column. Studies have focused on the effect of seawater temperature on fertilization, development, and larval stages in corals; however, none of them show comparative results along an environmental gradient. In this study, we show that temperatures in the range of 15–33°C have strong effects on fertilization rates and embryonic stages of two coral species, Acropora muricata in the subtropical environment and Acropora hyacinthus in subtropical and temperate environments. Deformations after the first cleavage stages were observed at low (15°C) and high (33°C) temperatures. Development was delayed by 6–7 h in the slightly non-optimal temperature of 20°C. We found significant differences in fertilization rates and responses of embryos from different latitudes, with temperate corals being more sensitive to extremely hot temperatures and vice versa. We hypothesize that the coral development is restricted to a narrow temperature range and deviation outside this window could inhibit a species' continuance and ecological success. Thus, it would have significant negative effects on adult populations and communities, playing a role in future of coral reef survival.