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At least 721 records · Page 40Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

A reciprocal relationship between the genetic diversity at two metabolically-linked isozyme loci in several conifer species.

In the context of a general survey on genetic variation of isozyme-gene systems which function in the carbohydrate degradation and conversion, we detected a reciprocal relationship between genetic diversity at the hexokinase (HEK-A) and phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI-B) loci in Scots pine populations. Further studies on Norway spruce, Douglas-fir and Siberian stone pine revealed that this relationship appears to be a more general phenomenon in conifers such that increasing diversity at one locus is correlated with a decrease in diversity at the other locus. Since the two gene loci are not structurally linked but are encoding enzymes of two sucessive metabolic steps in the glucose conversion towards glycolysis, it is assumed that some sort of selection, especially during germination and early embryo development, may be the causal explanation. A metabolically-based model incorporating selective advantage and disadvantage of alternate two-locus genotypes at HEK-A/PGI-B was presented in order to elucidate the possible adaptive nature of this reciprocal relationship.

Genetic Linkage↗
PubMed1997

Analysis of transgene integration sites in transgenic pigs by fluorescence in situ hybridization.

The production of pigs transgenic for human decay accelerating factor (hDAF) as potential donors for clinical organ xenotransplantation was reported several years ago. For this purpose it is required that high levels of hDAF are expressed at relevant sites in transplantable organs. Currently, homozygous lines have been produced as well as lines from crosses between heterozygous animals from different founder lines, termed 'jigsaw' pigs. The purpose of the 'jigsaw' crosses is to combine the desirable hDAF protein expression patterns found in different founder lines. Initial selection of the 'jigsaw' pigs is based on the inheritance of the hDAF integration sites from both lines. Litters with potential homozygous transgenics and 'jigsaw' transgenics were analysed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and slot blot analysis. Results show that both slot blot analysis and FISH are suitable to distinguish between pigs that are heterozygous and homozygous fir hDAF. However, FISH has the advantage of producing results more rapidly. For the identification of 'jigsaw' pigs FISH analysis was required since slot blot analysis lacked the required accuracy. On basis of these results, FISH analysis was made part of the routine screening programme for hDAF transgenic pigs.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Detecting differences in crown transparency assessments between countries using the image analysis system CROCO.

Estimates of crown transparency calculated using the semi-automatic image analysis system CROCO were compared with the visual estimates of survey teams from 12 European countries. For each of five European species (Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.), silver fir (Abies alba Mill.), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), oak (Quercus robur L.)) 15 trees were assessed. In 64% of the comparisons, CROCO estimates and the survey teams' scores differed significantly, while differences between countries were significant in 58% of all comparisons. We calculated Spearman's rank correlation and the standard deviation of the differences between CROCO and each country and between pairs of countries. We then computed the medians for CROCO and each country. CROCO and only a few countries had for all species a higher median correlation and lower median standard deviation than the median for the comparison between countries. In addition no country had a consistently higher correlation or lower standard deviation than CROCO. We conclude that CROCO can provide more consistent and less variable estimates of crown transparency than visual assessments and that it can serve as a reference to detect differences in visual transparency assessments between countries over time.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2002

Breakage of Pseudotsuga menziesii seed dormancy by cold treatment as related to changes in seed ABA sensitivity and ABA levels.

The main aims of the present work were to investigate whether a chilling treatment which breaks dormancy of Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) seeds induces changes in the sensitivity of seeds to exogenous ABA or in ABA levels in the embryo and the megagametophyte, and whether these changes are related to the breaking of dormancy. Dormant seeds germinated very slowly within a narrow range of temperatures (20-30 degrees C), the thermal optimum being approximately 25 degrees C. The seeds were also very sensitive to oxygen deprivation. Treatment of dormant seeds at 5 degrees C improved further germination, and resulted in a widening of the temperature range within which germination occurred and in better germination in low oxygen concentrations. In dry dormant seeds the embryo contained about one-third of the ABA in the megagametophyte. ABA content of both organs increased during the first 4 weeks of chilling. It then decreased sharply in the megagametophyte to the level in the embryo after 7-15 weeks of chilling. At 15 degrees C, a temperature at which dormancy was expressed, the ABA level increased in the embryo and the megagametophyte of dormant unchilled seeds whereas it decreased in the organs of chilled seeds. The longer the chilling treatment, the faster the decrease in ABA after the transfer of seeds from 5 degrees C to higher temperatures, and the decrease was faster at 25 than at 15 degrees C. These results suggest that the breaking of dormancy by cold was associated with a lower capacity of ABA biosynthesis and/or a higher ABA catabolism in the seeds subsequently placed at 15 or 25 degrees C. Moreover, the chilling treatment resulted in a progressive decrease in the sensitivity of seeds to exogenous ABA. However, seeds remained more sensitive to ABA at 15 than at 25 degrees C. The possible involvement of ABA synthesis and of responsiveness of seeds to ABA in the breaking of dormancy by cold treatment is discussed.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

Chemical synthesis of beta-O-4 type artificial lignin.

An artificial lignin polymer containing only the beta-O-4 substructure was synthesized. The procedure consists of two key steps: 1) polycondensation of a brominated monomer by aromatic Williamson reaction; and 2) subsequent reduction of the carbonyl polymer. 13C-NMR and HMQC spectra of the polymer were consistent with beta-O-4 substructures in milled wood lignin isolated from Japanese fir wood. The weight average degree of polymerization (DP(w)) ranged from 19.5 to 30.6, which is comparable to enzymatically synthesized artificial lignin from p-hydroxycinnamyl alcohols (dehydrogenation polymer, DHP) and some isolated lignins. Using this new lignin model polymer, it will now be possible to reinvestigate the properties and reactivity of the main lignin structure in terms of its polymeric character.

Acetylation↗
PubMed1995

Evaluation of a wide range of amplitude-frequency responses for the hearing impaired.

The long-term average frequency spectrum of speech was modified to 25 target frequency spectra in order to determine the effect of each of these spectra on speech intelligibility in noise and on sound quality. Speech intelligibility was evaluated using the test as developed by Plomp and Mimpen (1979), whereas sound quality was examined through judgments of loudness, sharpness, clearness, and pleasantness of speech fragments. Subjects had different degrees of sensorineural hearing loss and sloping audiograms, but not all of them were hearing aid users. The 25 frequency spectra were defined such that the entire dynamic range of each listener, from 5 dB above threshold to 5 dB below UCL, was covered. Frequency shaping of the speech was carried out on-line by means of Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filters. The tests on speech reception in noise indicated that the Speech-Reception Thresholds (SRTs) did not differ significantly for the majority of spectra. Spectra with high levels, especially at low frequencies (probably causing significant upward spread of masking), and also those with steep negative slopes resulted in significantly higher SRTs. Sound quality judgments led to conclusions virtually identical to those from the SRT data: frequency spectra with an unacceptably low sound quality were in most of the cases significantly worse on the SRT test as well. Because the SRT did not vary significantly among the majority of frequency spectra, it was concluded that a wide range of spectra between the threshold and UCL levels of listeners with hearing losses is suitable for the presentation of speech energy. This is very useful in everyday listening, where the frequency spectrum of speech may vary considerably.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Size-specific fecundity and the influence of lifetime size variation upon effective population size in Abies balsamea.

The hierarchy of plant size often present in dense populations of plants and the close correlation found between size and fecundity can result in an unequal distribution of fecundity, which reduces the ratio of effective population size/census number (Ne/N). Such an effect has been found previously in annuals, but no study has hitherto tested for the effect in the lifetime fecundity variation of a perennial population. We use the demographically stable size distribution to be found in natural, wave-regenerating populations of balsam fir, Abies balsamea, in order to estimate Ne/N. In both wave-regenerating and normal forests our estimated values of Ne/N were about twice those previously reported for annuals. We suggest that fecundity variance is expected to be smaller in trees and other long-lived perennials than in annuals because density-dependent mortality operates more strongly in the prereproductive phase of long-lived plants.

Fertility↗
PubMed1999

High level of variation at Abies alba chloroplast microsatellite loci in Europe.

Based on two polymorphic chloroplast microsatellites that had been previously identified and sequence characterized in the genus Abies, genetic variation was studied in a total of 714 individuals from 17 European silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) populations distributed all over the natural range. We found eight and 18 different length variants at each locus, respectively, which combined into 90 different haplotypes. Genetic distances between most populations were high and significant. There is also evidence for spatial organization of the distribution of haplotypes, as shown by permutation tests, which demonstrate that genetic distances increase with spatial distances. A large heterogeneity in levels of diversity across populations was observed. Furthermore, there is good congruence in the levels of allelic richness of the two loci across populations. The present organization of levels of allelic richness across the range of the species is likely to have been shaped by the distribution of refugia during the last glaciation and the subsequent recolonization processes.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Genetic evidence for host specificity in the hemi-parasitic Viscum album L. (Viscaceae).

Nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) ITS sequences and partial sequences of three non-coding chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) introns and spacers were used to assess genetic variation within and among three presumed host races of the hemi-parasite Viscum album L. Currently, identification of host races occurs via the host trees, and morphological differences are minute at best. cpDNA and nrDNA ITS sequences revealed little sequence variation, but the variation found consistently supported the distinction of three host races. cpDNA and ITS sequences were not incongruent, as assessed by the incongruence length difference test. A combined analysis supported the sister group relationship between mistletoes from deciduous trees and fir.

Cycadopsida↗
PubMed2003

Characterization of Pacific golden chanterelle (Cantharellus formosus) genet size using co-dominant microsatellite markers.

We characterized five co-dominant microsatellite markers and used them to study Pacific golden chanterelle (Cantharellus formosus) genet size and its relation to forest age and disturbance. Fruit-bodies were mapped in and collected from nine replicate study plots in old-growth, recently thinned, and unthinned 40-60-year-old second-growth stands dominated by Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). Information from microsatellite loci, combined with random fragment length polymorphism analysis of the nuclear DNA internal transcribed spacer indicates that putative 'C. formosus' fruit-body collections may include a cryptic chanterelle species. Small genets were characterized for both genetic types with mean maximum widths of 3.2 +/- 3.6 m for C. formosus and 1.5 +/- 1.7 m for the alternative genetic group. Variance in genet size was high and some multilocus genotypes were observed on multiple plots separated by 0.3 km or more, indicating that genets were not fully resolved by the loci described here. There was no evidence that genet size differed across the three disturbance treatments.

Alleles↗
PubMed2003

Postglacial population growth of Cunninghamia konishii (Cupressaceae) inferred from phylogeographical and mismatch analysis of chloroplast DNA variation.

Phylogeographical and mismatch analysis of chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) variation were used to infer the temporal dynamics of distributional and demographic history of Taiwan fir (Cunninghamia konishii). We examined 64 and 52 trees from 17 populations of C. konishii and 14 provenances of C. lanceolata, respectively, by sequencing three intergenic spacers and one intron using cpDNA universal primers. Of the aligned 1888 base pairs (bp) sequence, 30 varied among 28 haplotypes, which consisted of three transitions, 14 transversions and 13 indels. One ancestral haplotype was found in 86 individuals across the surveyed range of both species, C. konishii and C. lanceolata, which was distributed in all populations and provenances. The 28 haplotypes also included 15 C. konishii specific and 12 C. lanceolata-specific haplotypes. Ancestral haplotype was found fixed in five populations of C. konishii and five provenances of C. lanceolata. Other haplotypes occurred mainly as singletons. The levels of population differentiation studied are relatively low in both Cunninghamia species. The nucleotide diversity (theta) of chloroplast DNA sequences within C. konishii was slightly higher than that of C. lanceolata. Excess in singletons as well as star-like phylogeny of haplotypes suggested no clearcut migration patterns of C. konishii after glacial maximum. One probable demographic history of C. konishii is the postglacial population growth of C. konishii after a glacial bottleneck event. This inference is supported by the combined results of fossil pollen record, low nucleotide diversity, significant Tajima's d-value, phylogeographical analysis and unimodal mismatch distribution. Similarities and discrepancies between our results and those of Lu et al. (2001) are discussed.

Climate↗
PubMed1994

[Role of Culex quinquefasciatus in the transmission of bancroftian filariasis in the Federal Islamic Republic of Comoros (Indian Ocean)].

In October 1988-January 1989, as a part of a malaria and filariasis control programme in Federal Islamic Republic of Comoros an entomological survey was carried out in 19 rural and urban localities of Grande Comore. Anjouan and Moheli Islands. The potential breeding places were examined and pyrethrum spray catches were made to evaluate the indoor resting densities of mosquitos. A total of 14.578 adult mosquitos potential vectors of filariasis was collected: 94.5% Culex quinquefasciatus, 3.5% Anopheles gambiae s. str. 1.9% A. funestus and 0.1% other anopheline species. A. funestus, uniformly spread in Moheli, was present only in the south-west coast of Anjouan and absent in Grande Comore. A. gambiae and Cx quinquefasciatus were present in Grande Comore. A. gambiae and Cx quinquefasciatus were present in the three islands with different densities in the villages. Only Cx quinquefasciatus specimens la maximum of 150 for each locality) were dissected to search filaria larvae being the Anopheles specimens used to evaluate the malaria transmission. The global infection rate (9.4%) and the infectivity rate (0.9%) observed in Cx quinquefasciatus are higher than indices reported in previous surveys. All the larvae in the third development instar (L3) were identified as Wuchereria bancrofti. The results suggest that in FIR of Comoros W. bancrofti is well adopted to local Cx quinquefasciatus population. Because of the presence of high mosquito density this species plays a prominent role in the transmission of lymphatic filariasis in that area. The high transmission levels calls for the implementation of a specific control program.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Comparison of the inhibitory effects of monomeric, dimeric, and trimeric procyanidins on the biochemical markers of skin tumor promotion in mouse epidermis in vivo.

Several procyanidin dimers and an epicatechin trimer purified from Douglas fir bark tannins were compared with their monomer components (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin for their abilities to inhibit the biochemical effects of the potent tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) in mouse epidermis in vivo. Topical applications of the procyanidins, 15 min before the tumor promoter, inhibit TPA-induced ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and this inhibition increases with the degree of polymerization (trimer > dimer > monomer). At a dose of 10 mumol, all procyanidin dimers inhibit the ODC response to TPA to a greater degree than 20 mumol of epicatechin and 10 mumol of epicatechin and/or catechin. Under similar conditions, catechin and epicatechin fail to inhibit the hydroperoxide (HPx) response to TPA whereas the procyanidin dimers inhibit this response by almost 40%. At a dose of 10 mumol, the epicatechin trimer also inhibits TPA-induced ODC activity and HPx production to a greater degree than 10-30 mumol of epicatechin. However, these various treatments with monomeric, dimeric, and trimeric procyanidins do not differ significantly in their abilities to inhibit TPA-stimulated DNA synthesis. These results suggest that some of the antitumor-promoting effects of procyanidins might increase at the biflavanoid and triflavanoid levels.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Strontium isotopes reveal distant sources of architectural timber in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico.

Between A.D. 900 and 1150, more than 200,000 conifer trees were used to build the prehistoric great houses of Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, in what is now a treeless landscape. More than one-fifth of these timbers were spruce (Picea) or fir (Abies) that were hand-carried from isolated mountaintops 75-100 km away. Because strontium from local dust, water, and underlying bedrock is incorporated by trees, specific logging sites can be identified by comparing (87)Sr/(86)Sr ratios in construction beams from different ruins and building periods to ratios in living trees from the surrounding mountains. (87)Sr/(86)Sr ratios show that the beams came from both the Chuska and San Mateo (Mount Taylor) mountains, but not from the San Pedro Mountains, which are equally close. Incorporation of logs from two sources in the same room, great house, and year suggest stockpiling and intercommunity collaboration at Chaco Canyon. The use of trees from both the Chuska and San Mateo mountains, but not from the San Pedro Mountains, as early as A.D. 974 suggests that selection of timber sources was driven more by regional socioeconomic ties than by a simple model of resource depletion with distance and time.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2003

Modeling current and future potential wintering distributions of eastern North American monarch butterflies.

Monarch butterflies overwinter in restricted areas in montane oyamel fir forests in central Mexico with specific microclimates that allow the butterflies to survive for up to 5 months. We use ecological niche modeling (ENM) to identify areas adequate for overwintering monarch colonies under both current and future climate scenarios. The ENM approach permits testing and validation of model predictivity, and yields quantitative, testable predictions regarding likely future climate change effects. Our models predicted monarch presence with a high degree of accuracy, and indicated that precipitation and diurnal temperature range were key environmental factors in making locations suitable for monarchs. When we projected monarch distribution onto future climate scenarios (Hadley Centre climate models), we found that conditions were likely to be inadequate across the entire current winter range, particularly owing to increased cool-weather precipitation that could cause increased mortality. This study applies ENM to understanding the seasonal dynamics of a migratory species under climate change, and uses ENM to identify key limiting environmental parameters in species' responses to climate change.

Abies↗
PubMed1970

Determination of arterial blood flow by percutaneously introduced flow sensors in an external magnetic field. I. The method.

A method for determining the rate of blood flow in arteries without surgical intervention is described. It is shown that a probe capable of securing such information about flow in a blood vessel can be introduced into the vascular tree by means of a needle puncture in the skin made by a no. 18-guage hypodermic needle. A snugly-fitting guide wire is passed through the needle, which is then withdrawn. A Teflon catheter is then passed over the wire and pushed through the skin and subcutaneous tissues into the superficial branch artery from which the wire guides it deep into the aorta to a desired location. The guide wire is then withdrawn and a suitable sensing device of wire-like structure can be passed through the catheter into the major arterial trunk and, if desired, into some of its branches. Two types of sensors are used, loop-shaped ones which are used as volume-flow meters, and L-shaped probes used as volume-flow meters when they fir the artery precisely and as velometers when they do not. The sensors are used in conjunction with an apparatus consisting of a flat coil mounted over the animal and a standard electromagnetic sinusoidal flow meter channel.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Bird niches in a subalpine forest: An indirect ordination.

Multivariate techniques that are tolerant of the curvilinearity in population responses can be used to ordinate bird species in a niche hyperspace and to quantify niche relationships. Multidimensional scaling, secondary reciprocal averaging, and reciprocal averaging followed by principal components analysis give similar results in an ordination of 20 bird species in a spruce-fir forest. The ordination represents the organization of the bird community in relation to niche axes and suggests grouping of the bird species into guilds. A group of foliage-gleaning insectivores that finely divide their resource base is central to the bird community; other groups of species (ground feeders, aerial feeders, conifer specialists, and bark probers and peckers) have broader niches.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1990

Identification of an Agrobacterium tumefaciens virulence gene inducer from the pinaceous gymnosperm Pseudotsuga menziesii.

Inducible T-strand mobilization from the Ti plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens to the genome of a plant host is mediated by the activation of a cascade of bacterial virulence genes. It is initiated when the bacterium senses the presence of a low molecular weight inducer secreted by the plant. Although many hydroxyphenylpropanoid and phenolic compounds can activate the virulence cascade, the only native inducers that have been identified to date are acetosyringone and hydroxyacetosyringone. A new inducer, the phenylpropanoid glucoside coniferin, has now been isolated from Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir). Agrobacterium strains that were more tumorigenic on gymnosperms were more effectively induced by coniferin.

Cinnamates↗