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The relationship between inorganic nitrogen (N) cycling and plant productivity is well established. However, recent research has demonstrated the ability of plants to take up low molecular weight organic N compounds (i.e., amino acids) at rates that often rival those of inorganic N forms. In this study, we hypothesize that temperate forest tree species characteristic of low-fertility habitats will prefer amino acids over species characteristic of high-fertility habitats. We measured the uptake of (15)N-labeled amino acids (glycine, glutamine, arginine, serine), ammonium (NH(4)(+)), and nitrate (NO(3)(-)) by four tree species that commonly occur in eastern North America, where their abundances have been correlated with inorganic N availability. Specific uptake rates of amino acids were largely similar for all tree species; however, high-fertility species took up NH(4)(+) at rates more than double those of low-fertility species, rendering amino acid N relatively more important to the N nutrition of low-fertility species. Low-fertility species acquired over four times more total N from arginine compared to NH(4)(+) and NO(3)(-); high-fertility species acquired the most N from NH(4)(+). Arginine had the highest uptake rates of any amino acid by all species; there were no significant differences in uptake rates of the remaining amino acids. Our results support the idea that the dominant species in a particular habitat are those best able to utilize the most available N resources.

Intraspecific variation in habitat-forming species can have important ecological consequences at the population, community, and ecosystem level. However, the contribution of genetic variation among individuals to these effects is seldom documented. We quantified morphological and physiological variation among genotypes of a marine foundation species, the seagrass Zostera marina. We grew replicate shoots of eight genetically distinct Zostera individuals collected from Bodega Bay, California, in a common garden environment and then quantified shoot production and morphology, nutrient uptake, and key photosynthetic parameters. We found that genotypes differed in shoot production, biomass, and both root and shoot nutrient uptake rates, even when corrected for genotype-specific biomass differences. In addition, the rank order of uptake ability differed for ammonium and nitrate, indicating that genotypes may exhibit resource partitioning of different forms of nutrients. Our results suggest that both niche complementarity among genotypes and the sampling/selection effect could contribute to previously observed positive effects of seagrass clonal diversity on resource utilization and biomass production. Further, they highlight that genotypic variation in key traits of habitat-forming species could have measurable effects on community structure and function.

The purpose of this research was to develop and evaluate different preparations of sustained delivery systems, using Carbopols as carriers, in the form of matrices and three-layer tablets with isosorbite mononitrate. Matrix tablets were prepared by direct compression whereas three-layer tablets were prepared by compressing polymer barrier layers on both sides of the core containing the drug. The findings of the study indicated that all systems demonstrated sustained release. The properties of the polymer used and the structure of each formulation appear to considerably affect drug release and its release rate. The three-layer formulations exhibit lower drug release compared to the matrices. This was due to the fact that the barrier-layers hindered the penetration of liquid into the core and modified drug dissolution and release. The geometrical characteristics/structure of the tablets as well as the weight/thickness of the barriers-layers considerably influence the rate of drug release and the release mechanisms. Kinetic analysis of the data indicated that drug release from matrices was mainly attributed to Fickian diffusion while three-layer tablets exhibited either anomalous diffusion or erosion/relaxation mechanisms. The advantage of Carbopol formulations is that a range of release profiles can easily be obtained through variations in tablet structure and thus Carbopols are appropriate carriers of oral sustained drug delivery systems for soluble drugs such as the isosorbite mononitrate.

A 48 h exposure of Scenedesmus sp. to sublethal concentrations of Cu (2.5 and 10 microM) and Zn (5 and 25 microM) caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of growth, photosynthesis, respiration, NO(3)(-) uptake, and nitrate reductase (EC 1.6.6.1) activity, and a reduction in protein, carbohydrate, and photosynthetic-pigment levels with a concomitant increase in intracellular levels of the test metals. After exposure, algal cells were transferred to the basal medium without the excess level of test metals, to study the recovery of various processes. The growth of the test algae had not recovered up to 12 h after transfer to the basal medium, but some physiological parameters such as photosynthesis and respiration recovered within 6 h. The quicker recovery of photosynthesis and respiration might be used as acclimatory responses as they prepare a background for the recovery of other parameters, including growth, of the test alga by generating energy, forming photosynthate, and establishing the usual catabolism to attain normal conditions. Most of the processes recovered completely or almost completely after being stressed with 2.5 microM Cu or 5 microM Zn. However, the maintenance of a relatively high level of Cu and Zn in the cells previously exposed to 10 microM Cu and 25 microM Zn slowed down the recovery of different processes, which did not fully recover even at the end of the experiment after 96 h. The present study demonstrates that a chain of metabolic events, beginning with respiration and photosynthesis and continuing with assimilation and uptake of nutrients and subsequent restoration of other metabolic processes, is involved in the recovery of the algae from Cu and Zn stress. Each studied parameter seems to play an important role in balancing the cellular homeostasis during recovery from metal stress.

Hydroxide, bicarbonate and buffer anion permeabilities in semitendinosus muscle fibers of Rana pipiens were measured. In all experiments, the fibers were initially equilibrated in isotonic, high K2SO4 solutions at pHo = 7.2 buffered with phosphate. Two different methods were used to estimate permeabilities: (i) membrane potential changes were recorded in response to changes in external ion concentrations, and (ii) intracellular pH changes were recorded in response to changes in external concentrations of ions that alter intracellular pH. Constant field equations were used to calculate relative or absolute permeabilities. In the first method, to increase the size of the membrane potential change produced by a sudden change in anion entry, external K+ was replaced by Cs+ prior to changes of the anion under study. At constant external Cs+ activity, a hyperpolarization results from increasing external pH from 7.2 to 10.0 or higher, using either CAPS (3-[cyclohexylamino]-1-propanesulfonic acid) or CHES (2-[N-cyclohexylamino]-ethanesulfonic acid) as buffer. For each buffer, the protonated form is a zwitterion of zero net charge and the nonprotonated form is an anion. Using reported values of H+ permeability, calculations show that the reduction in [H+]o cannot account for the hyperpolarizations produced by alkaline solutions. Membrane hyperpolarization increases with increasing total external buffer concentration at constant external pH, and with increasing external pH at constant external buffer anion concentration. Taken together, these observations indicate that both OH- and buffer anions permeate the surface membrane. The following relative permeabilities were obtained at pHo = 10.0 +/- 0.3: (POH/PK) = 890 +/- 150, (PCAPS/PK) = 12 +/- 2, (PCHES/PK) = 5.3 +/- 0.9, and (PNO3/PK) = 4.7 +/- 0.5. PNO3/PK was independent of pHo up to 10.75. At pHo = 9.6, (PHCO3/PK) = 0.49 +/- 0.03; at pHo = 8.9, (PCl/PK) = 18 +/- 2 and at pHo = 7.1, (PHEPES/PK) = 20 +/- 2. In the second method, on increasing external pH from 7.2 to 10.0, using 2.5 mM CAPS (total buffer concentration), the internal pH increases linearly with time over the next 10 min. This alkalinization is due to the entry of OH- and the absorption of internal H+ by entering CAPS- anion. The rate of CAPS- entry was determined in experiments in which the external CAPS concentration was increased at constant external pH. Such increases invariably produced an increase in the rate of internal alkalinization, which was reversed when the CAPS concentration was reduced to its initial value.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Previous studies have shown that the whole-cell current-voltage (I-V) relation of unstimulated sheep parotid cells is dominated by two K+ conductances, one outwardly and the other inwardly rectifying. We now show that once these K+ conductances are blocked by replacement of pipette K+ with Na+ and by the addition of 5 mmol/liter CsCl to the bath, there remains an outwardly rectifying conductance with a reversal potential of 0 mV. Replacement of 120 mmol/liter NaCl in the pipette solution with an equimolar amount of Na-glutamate shifted the reversal potential of this residual current to -55 mV, indicating that the conductance was Cl- selective. The Cl- current was activated by increasing the free Ca2+ in the pipette solution from 10 to 100 nmol/liter. When the Ca2+ concentration in the pipette solution was 10 nmol/liter, the relaxations observed in response to membrane depolarization could be fitted with a single exponential, whose time constant increased from 81 to 183 ms as the pipette potential was increased from -30 to +60 mV. Relaxation analysis showed that the current was activated by membrane depolarization. Reversal potential measurements in experiments in which external Cl- was replaced with various anions, gave the following relative permeabilities: SCN- (1.80) > I- (1.09) > Cl- (1) > NO3- (0.92) > Br- (0.75). The relative conductances were: SCN- (2.18) > I- (1.07) > Cl- (1.00) > Br- (0.91) > NO3- (0.50). The Cl- current was blocked by NPPB (ID50 approximately 10 microM), DIDS (10 or 30 mumol/liter) and furosemide (100 mumol/liter).

Plants grown on porous media at elevated CO2 levels generally have low concentrations of tissue N and often appear to require increased levels of external N to maximize growth response. This study determines if soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. Ransom'] grown hydroponically at elevated CO2 requires increases in external NO3- concentrations beyond levels that are optimal at ambient CO2 to maintain tissue N concentrations and maximize the growth response. This study also investigates temporal influences of elevated CO2 on growth responses by soybean. Plants were grown vegetatively for 34 d in hydroponic culture at atmospheric CO2 concentrations of 400, 650, and 900 microliters L-1 and during the final 18 d at NO3- concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, 5.0 and 10.0 mM in the culture solution. At 650 and 900 microliters L-1 CO2, plants had maximum increases of 31 and 45% in dry weight during the experimental period. Plant growth at 900 microliters L-1 CO2 was stimulated earlier than at 650 microliters L-1. During the final 18 d of the experiment, the relative growth rates (RGR) of plants grown at elevated CO2 declined. Elevated CO2 caused increases in total N and total NO3(-)-N content and leaf area but not leaf number. Enhancing CO2 levels also caused a decrease in root:shoot ratios. Stomatal resistance increased by 2.1- and 2.8-fold for plants at the 650 and 900 microliters L-1 CO2, respectively. Nitrate level in the culture solutions had no effect on growth or on C:N ratios of tissues, nor did increases in CO2 levels cause a decrease in N concentration of plant tissues. Hence, increases in NO3- concentration of the hydroponic solution were not necessary to maintain the N status of the plants or to maximize the growth response to elevated CO2.

Current concepts and future aspects of pharmacological interventions in the treatment of coronary heart disease have been compiled. Especially new insights in the pathophysiology of coronary heart disease e.g. the dynamic pathology of coronary atherosclerosis, possible role of endothelin in vasospasm, as well as new pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic aspects of organic nitrates are discussed. Also the role of sympathetic nervous system as a pivotal question in pathophysiology and clinical pharmacology in the treatment of angina pectoris has been considered.

Various heterotrophic nitrifiers have been tested and found to also be aerobic denitrifiers. The simultaneous use of two electron acceptors (oxygen and nitrate) permits these organisms to grow more rapidly than on either single electron acceptor, but generally results in a lower yield than is obtained on oxygen, alone. One strain, formerly known as "Pseudomonas denitrificans", was grown in the chemostat and shown to achieve nitrification rates of up to 44 nmol NH3 min-1 mg protein-1 and denitrification rates up to 69 nmol NO3(-1) min-1 mg protein-1. Unlike Thiosphaera pantotropha, this strain needed to induce its nitrate reductase. However, the remainder of the denitrifying pathway was constitutive and, like T. pantotropha, "Ps. denitrificans" probably possesses the copper nitrite reductase.