RECOVERY OF COPPER(II) AND CHROMIUM(III) FROM NITRATE ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Guerdouh A and Barkat D

2016-05-01

May 1, 2016 ... The ionic strength of the aqueous medium was ... phases were separated completely, concentrations of the copper(II) and chromium(III) ..... [18] Huff M M, Otu E O. Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange, 2004, 22(4), 695-712.

COPPER(II) COMPLEXES OF o -VANILLIN ACETYLHYDRAZONE ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A hydrazonic ligand, o-vanillin acetylhydrazone (H2L) has been prepared and used as chelating agent towards copper(II) ion. The ligand acts like a tridentate ligand in the monodeprotonated (HL-) and dideprotonated (L2-) states. Monoanionic complexes [{Cu(HL)(H2O)}2]•2BF4 and [{Cu(HL)(Hpz)(H2O)}]•NO3 have been ...

Synthesis, Characterization and DNA Cleavage of Copper(II ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To study deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) shearing capability of copper(II) complex of dithiothreitol (DTT) and to fevaluate its potential application in cancer therapy. Methods: A parrot green complex was synthesized by grinding copper acetate monohydrate and DTT in 1:2 molar ratio in a mortar until no fumes of acetic ...

Standard molar enthalpies of formation of copper(II) β-diketonates and monothio-β-diketonates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ribeiro da Silva, Manuel A.V.; Santos, Luis M.N.B.F.

2006-01-01

The standard (p o =0.1MPa) molar enthalpies of formation of the crystalline complexes of dibenzoylmethane (Hdbm), thenoyltrifluoroacetone (Httfa), monothiodibenzoylmethane (HdbmS), and monothiothenoyltrifluoroacetone (HttfaS) of copper(II) were determined, at T=298.15K, by high precision solution-reaction calorimetry. The standard molar enthalpies of sublimation of the copper(II) β-diketonate complexes were measured by high-temperature Calvet microcalorimetry. From the standard molar enthalpies of formation of the complexes in the gaseous state, the mean molar dissociation enthalpies copper(II)-ligand, m >(Cu-L), were derived. Δ f H m o (cr)Δ cr g H m o kJ.mol -1 kJ.mol -1 Bis(dibenzoylmethanate)copper(II), Cu(dbm) 2 -364.0+/-3.9230.7+/-8.2Bis(thenoyltrifluoroacetonate)copper(II), Cu(ttfa) 2 -1824.3+/-8.3167.9+/-7.4Bis(monothiodibenzoylmethanate)copper(II), Cu(dbmS) 2 35.6+/-7.7[241+/-15]Bis(monothiothenoyltrifluoroacetonate) copper(II), Cu(ttfaS) 2 -1405.7+/-8.3[177+/-15

Template Synthesis, Crystal Structure, and Magnetic Properties of a Dinuclear Copper(II) Complex with Cooperative Hydrogen Bonding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Shin Geol; Nam, Kwang Hee; Min, Kil Sik; Lee, Uk

2011-01-01

The dinuclear complex with cooperative hydrogen bonds can be prepared by the metal-directed reaction of Eq. This work shows that the coordinated hydroxyl group trans to the secondary amino group is deprotonated more readily than that trans to the tertiary amino group and acts as the hydrogen-bond accepter. The lattice water molecules in act as bridges between the two mononuclear units through hydrogen bonds. The complex is quite stable as the dimeric form even in various polar solvents. The complex exhibits a weak antiferromagnetic interaction between the metal ions in spite of relatively long Cu···Cu distance. This strongly supports the suggestion that the antiferromagnetic behavior is closely related to the cooperative hydrogen bonds. The design and synthesis of polynuclear transition metal complexes have received much attention because of their potential applications in various fields, such as catalysis, supramolecular chemistry, and materials chemistry. Until now, various types of dinuclear copper(II) complexes have been prepared and investigated. Some dinuclear copper(II) complexes resulting from cooperative hydrogen bonding, such as containing two N_2O_2 donor sets, are also reported

CFD simulation of copper(II) extraction with TFA in non-dispersive hollow fiber membrane contactors.

Science.gov (United States)

Muhammad, Amir; Younas, Mohammad; Rezakazemi, Mashallah

2018-04-01

This study presents computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of dispersion-free liquid-liquid extraction of copper(II) with trifluoroacetylacetone (TFA) in hollow fiber membrane contactor (HFMC). Mass and momentum balance Navier-Stokes equations were coupled to address the transport of copper(II) solute across membrane contactor. Model equations were simulated using COMSOL Multiphysics™. The simulation was run to study the detailed concentration distribution of copper(II) and to investigate the effects of various parameters like membrane characteristics, partition coefficient, and flow configuration on extraction efficiency. Once-through extraction was found to be increased from 10 to 100% when partition coefficient was raised from 1 to 10. Similarly, the extraction efficiency was almost doubled when porosity to tortuosity ratio of membrane was increased from 0.05 to 0.81. Furthermore, the study revealed that CFD can be used as an effective optimization tool for the development of economical membrane-based dispersion-free extraction processes.

Standard molar enthalpies of formation of copper(II) {beta}-diketonates and monothio-{beta}-diketonates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ribeiro da Silva, Manuel A.V. [Centro de Investigacao em Quimica, Departamento de Quimica, Faculdade de Ciencias, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 687, P-4169-007 Porto (Portugal)]. E-mail: risilva@fc.up.pt; Santos, Luis M.N.B.F. [Centro de Investigacao em Quimica, Departamento de Quimica, Faculdade de Ciencias, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 687, P-4169-007 Porto (Portugal)

2006-07-15

The standard (p{sup o}=0.1MPa) molar enthalpies of formation of the crystalline complexes of dibenzoylmethane (Hdbm), thenoyltrifluoroacetone (Httfa), monothiodibenzoylmethane (HdbmS), and monothiothenoyltrifluoroacetone (HttfaS) of copper(II) were determined, at T=298.15K, by high precision solution-reaction calorimetry. The standard molar enthalpies of sublimation of the copper(II) {beta}-diketonate complexes were measured by high-temperature Calvet microcalorimetry. From the standard molar enthalpies of formation of the complexes in the gaseous state, the mean molar dissociation enthalpies copper(II)-ligand, (Cu-L), were derived. {delta}{sub f}H{sub m}{sup o} (cr){delta}{sub cr}{sup g}H{sub m}{sup o} kJ.mol{sup -1}kJ.mol{sup -1}Bis(dibenzoylmethanate)copper(II), Cu(dbm){sub 2}-364.0+/-3.9230.7+/-8.2Bis(thenoyltrifluoroacetonate)copper(II), Cu(ttfa){sub 2}-1824.3+/-8.3167.9+/-7.4Bis(monothiodibenzoylmethanate)copper(II), Cu(dbmS){sub 2}35.6+/-7.7[241+/-15]Bis(monothiothenoyltrifluoroacetonate) copper(II), Cu(ttfaS){sub 2}-1405.7+/-8.3[177+/-15].

Antioxidant, DNA interaction, VEGFR2 kinase, topoisomerase I and in vitro cytotoxic activities of heteroleptic copper(II) complexes of tetrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines and diimines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haleel, A.; Mahendiran, D. [Post-Graduate and Research Department of Chemistry, The New College (Autonomous), Chennai 600 014 (India); Veena, V.; Sakthivel, N. [Department of Biotechnology, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry 605 014 (India); Rahiman, A. Kalilur, E-mail: akrahmanjkr@gmail.com [Post-Graduate and Research Department of Chemistry, The New College (Autonomous), Chennai 600 014 (India)

2016-11-01

A series of heteroleptic mononuclear copper(II) complexes of the type [Cu(L{sup 1–3})(diimine)]ClO{sub 4} (1–6) containing three tetrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine core ligands, ethyl 5-methyl-7-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-4,7-dihydrotetrazolo[1,5-a] pyrimidine-6-carboxylate (HL{sup 1}), ethyl 5-methyl-7-(4-diethylamino-2-hydroxyphenyl)-4,7-dihydrotetrazolo[1,5-a] pyrimidine-6-carboxylate (HL{sup 2}) or ethyl 5-methyl-7-(2-hydroxy-4-nitrophenyl)-4,7-dihydrotetrazolo[1,5-a] pyrimidine-6-carboxylate (HL{sup 3}), and two diimine coligands, 2,2′-bipyridyl (bpy) or 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) have been synthesized and characterized by spectral methods. The geometry of complexes have been determined with the help of electronic absorption and EPR splitting patterns, which suggest four coordinated square planar geometry around copper(II) ion. The lowering of HOMO–LUMO band gap value of complex 4 implies its higher biological activity compared to other complexes. Antioxidant studies revealed that the complexes possess considerable radical scavenging potency against DPPH. The binding studies of the complexes with calf thymus DNA (CT–DNA) revealed groove mode of binding, which was further supported by docking simulation. The complexes 3 and 4 strongly inhibit the topoisomerase I, and also strongly interact with VEGFR2 kinase receptor via π–π, σ–π and hydrogen bonding interaction. Gel electrophoresis experiments demonstrated the ability of the complexes to cleave plasmid DNA in the absence of activators. In vitro cytotoxic activities of the complexes were examined on three cancerous cell lines such as human lung (A549), cervical (HeLa) and colon (HCT-15), and two normal cells such as human embryonic kidney (HEK) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The live cell and fluorescent imaging of cancer cells were observed with acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining assay. All encouraging chemical and biological findings indicate that the complex 4 is a suitable candidate

Non-covalent interactions in 2-methylimidazolium copper(II) complex (MeImH)2[Cu(pfbz)4]: Synthesis, characterization, single crystal X-ray structure and packing analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Raj Pal; Saini, Anju; Kumar, Santosh; Kumar, Jitendra; Sathishkumar, Ranganathan; Venugopalan, Paloth

2017-01-01

A new anionic copper(II) complex, (MeImH)2 [Cu(pfbz)4] (1) where, MeImH = 2-methylimidazolium and pfbz = pentafluorobenzoate has been isolated by reacting copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate, pentafluorobenzoic acid and 2-methylimidazole in ethanol: water mixture in 1:2:2 molar ratio. This complex 1 has been characterized by elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, spectroscopic techniques (UV-Vis, FT-IR) and conductance measurements. The complex salt crystallizes in monoclinic crystal system with space group C2/c. Single crystal X-ray structure determination revealed the presence of discrete ions: [Cu(pfbz)4]2- anion and two 2-methylimidazolium cation (C4H7N2)+. The crystal lattice is stabilized by strong hydrogen bonding and F⋯F interactions between cationic-anionic and the anionic-anionic moieties respectively, besides π-π interactions.

Copper(II) Thiosemicarbazone Complexes and Their Proligands upon UVA Irradiation: An EPR and Spectrophotometric Steady-State Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hricovíni, Michal; Mazúr, Milan; Sîrbu, Angela; Palamarciuc, Oleg; Arion, Vladimir B; Brezová, Vlasta

2018-03-21

X- and Q-band electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy was used to characterize polycrystalline Cu(II) complexes that contained sodium 5-sulfonate salicylaldehyde thiosemicarbazones possessing a hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, or phenyl substituent at the terminal nitrogen. The ability of thiosemicarbazone proligands to generate superoxide radical anions and hydroxyl radicals upon their exposure to UVA irradiation in aerated aqueous solutions was evidenced by the EPR spin trapping technique. The UVA irradiation of proligands in neutral or alkaline solutions and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) caused a significant decrease in the absorption bands of aldimine and phenolic chromophores. Mixing of proligand solutions with the equimolar amount of copper(II) ions resulted in the formation of 1:1 Cu(II)-to-ligand complex, with the EPR and UV-Vis spectra fully compatible with those obtained for the dissolved Cu(II) thiosemicarbazone complexes. The formation of the complexes fully inhibited the photoinduced generation of reactive oxygen species, and only subtle changes were found in the electronic absorption spectra of the complexes in aqueous and DMSO solutions upon UVA steady-state irradiation. The dark redox activity of copper(II) complexes and proligand/Cu(II) aqueous solutions towards hydrogen peroxide which resulted in the generation of hydroxyl radicals, was confirmed by spin trapping experiments.

Performance Evaluation of Monolith Based Immobilized Acetylcholinesterase Flow-Through Reactor for Copper(II Determination with Spectrophotometric Detection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Parawee Rattanakit

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A monolith based immobilized acetylcholinesterase (AChE flow-through reactor has been developed for the determination of copper(II using flow injection spectrophotometric system. The bioreactor was prepared inside a microcapillary column by in situ polymerization of butyl methacrylate, ethylene dimethacrylate, and 2,2-dimethoxy-1,2-diphynyletane-1-one in the presence of 1-decanol, followed by vinyl azlactone functionalization and AChE immobilization. The behavior of AChE before and after being immobilized on the monolith was evaluated by kinetic parameters from Lineweaver and Burk equation. The detection was based on measuring inhibition effect on the enzymatic activity of AChE by copper(II using Ellman’s reaction with spectrophotometric detection at 410 nm. The linear range of the calibration graph was obtained over the range of 0.02–3.00 mg L−1. The detection limit, defined as 10% inhibition (I10, was found to be 0.04 mg L−1. The repeatability was 3.35 % (n=5 for 1.00 mg L−1 of copper(II. The proposed method was applied to the determination of copper(II in natural water samples with sampling rate of 4 h−1.

Structural and magnetic characterization of a tetranuclear copper(II) cubane stabilized by intramolecular metal cation-π interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Papadakis, Raffaello; Rivière, Eric; Giorgi, Michel; Jamet, Hélène; Rousselot-Pailley, Pierre; Réglier, Marius; Simaan, A Jalila; Tron, Thierry

2013-05-20

A novel tetranuclear copper(II) complex (1) was synthesized from the self-assembly of copper(II) perchlorate and the ligand N-benzyl-1-(2-pyridyl)methaneimine (L(1)). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies revealed that complex 1 consists of a Cu4(OH)4 cubane core, where the four copper(II) centers are linked by μ3-hydroxo bridges. Each copper(II) ion is in a distorted square-pyramidal geometry. X-ray analysis also evidenced an unusual metal cation-π interaction between the copper ions and phenyl substituents of the ligand. Calculations based on the density functional theory method were used to quantify the strength of this metal-π interaction, which appears as an important stabilizing parameter of the cubane core, possibly acting as a driving parameter in the self-aggregation process. In contrast, using the ligand N-phenethyl-1-(2-pyridyl)methaneimine (L(2)), which only differs from L(1) by one methylene group, the same synthetic procedure led to a binuclear bis(μ-hydroxo)copper(II) complex (2) displaying intermolecular π-π interactions or, by a slight variation of the experimental conditions, to a mononuclear complex (3). These complexes were studied by X-ray diffraction techniques. The magnetic properties of complexes 1 and 2 are reported and discussed.

Immobilized copper(II) macrocyclic complex on MWCNTs with antibacterial activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tarlani, Aliakbar, E-mail: Tarlani@ccerci.ac.ir [Inorganic Nanostructures and Catalysts Research Lab., Chemistry & Chemical Engineering Research Center of Iran, Pajoohesh Blvd., km 17, Karaj Hwy, Tehran 14968-13151 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Narimani, Khashayar [Inorganic Nanostructures and Catalysts Research Lab., Chemistry & Chemical Engineering Research Center of Iran, Pajoohesh Blvd., km 17, Karaj Hwy, Tehran 14968-13151 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Mohammadipanah, Fatemeh; Hamedi, Javad [Department of Microbial Biotechnology, School of Biology and Center of Excellence in Phylogeny of Living Organisms, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran 14155-6455 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); University of Tehran Biocompound Collection (UTBC), Microbial Technology and Products Research Center, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Tahermansouri, Hasan [Department of Chemistry, Ayatollah Amoli Branch, Islamic Azad University, Amol (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Amini, Mostafa M. [Department of Chemistry, Shahid Behshti University, 1983963113, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2015-06-30

Graphical abstract: In an antibacterial test, grafted copper(II) macrocyclic complex on the surface of MWCNT showed higher antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis compared to the individual MWCNT-COOH and the complex. - Highlights: • Copper(II) tetraaza macrocyclic complex covalently bonded to modified MWCNT. • Grafting of the complex carried out via an interaction between −C(=O)Cl group and NH of the ligand. • The samples were subjected in an antibacterial assessment to compare their activity. • Immobilized complex showed higher antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 compared to separately MWCNT-C(C=O)-OH and CuTAM. - Abstract: In a new approach, a copper(II) tetraaza macrocyclic complex (CuTAM) was covalently bonded on modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). To achieve this purpose, MWCNTs were converted to MWCNT-COCl and then reacted to NH groups of TAM ligand. The prepared material was characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and FESEM (field emission scanning electron microscopy). FT-IR and TGA demonstrated the presence of the organic moieties, and XRD proved that the structure of MWCNTs remained intact during the three modification steps. An increase in the I{sub D}/I{sub G} ratio in Raman spectra confirmed the surface modifications. Finally, the samples were subjected to an antibacterial assessment to compare their biological activity. The antibacterial test showed that the grafted complex on the surface of the nanotube (MWCNT-CO-CuTAM) has higher antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 than the MWCNT-COOH and CuTAM with 1000 and 2000 μg/mL.

Efficient electron-induced removal of oxalate ions and formation of copper nanoparticles from copper(II oxalate precursor layers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kai Rückriem

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Copper(II oxalate grown on carboxy-terminated self-assembled monolayers (SAM using a step-by-step approach was used as precursor for the electron-induced synthesis of surface-supported copper nanoparticles. The precursor material was deposited by dipping the surfaces alternately in ethanolic solutions of copper(II acetate and oxalic acid with intermediate thorough rinsing steps. The deposition of copper(II oxalate and the efficient electron-induced removal of the oxalate ions was monitored by reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS. Helium ion microscopy (HIM reveals the formation of spherical nanoparticles with well-defined size and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS confirms their metallic nature. Continued irradiation after depletion of oxalate does not lead to further particle growth giving evidence that nanoparticle formation is primarily controlled by the available amount of precursor.

Mixed-ligand copper(II) complexes of dipicolylamine and 1,10 ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

DNA repair mechanism.13,14 Copper(II) complexes containing heterocyclic bases have received consid- erable current interest in nucleic acid chemistry due to their diverse applications following the discovery of the “chemical nuclease” activity of the [Cu. (phen)2]+ (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) complex in the presence of ...

The thermal decomposition of copper(II) oxalate revisited

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lamprecht, Emmanuel; Watkins, Gareth M.; Brown, Michael E.

2006-01-01

DSC, TG and TG-FT-IR, and XRPD have been used to examine the effects of supposedly inert atmospheres of argon and nitrogen on the mechanism of the thermal decomposition of copper(II) oxalate. The DSC curves in pure argon at 10 deg. C min -1 show a broad endotherm with onset at about 280 deg. C and maximum at about 295 deg. C. In mixtures of argon and nitrogen, as the proportion of argon gas is decreased, the endothermic character of the decomposition decreases until, when nitrogen is the main component, the decomposition exhibits a complex broad exothermic character. XRPD studies showed that, regardless of the proportions of nitrogen and argon, the DSC residues consisted of mainly copper metal with small amounts of copper(I) oxide (cuprite) and, under some conditions, traces of copper(II) oxide (tenorite). Various explanations for this behaviour are discussed and a possible answer lies in the disproportionation of CO 2 (g) to form small quantities of O 2 (g) or monatomic oxygen. The possibility exists that the exothermicity in nitrogen could be explained by reaction of the nitrogen with atomic oxygen to form N 2 O(g), but this product could not be detected using TG-FT-IR

The thermal decomposition of copper(II) oxalate revisited

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lamprecht, Emmanuel [Chemistry Department, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140 (South Africa); Watkins, Gareth M. [Chemistry Department, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140 (South Africa); Brown, Michael E. [Chemistry Department, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140 (South Africa)]. E-mail: m.brown@ru.ac.za

2006-07-01

DSC, TG and TG-FT-IR, and XRPD have been used to examine the effects of supposedly inert atmospheres of argon and nitrogen on the mechanism of the thermal decomposition of copper(II) oxalate. The DSC curves in pure argon at 10 deg. C min{sup -1} show a broad endotherm with onset at about 280 deg. C and maximum at about 295 deg. C. In mixtures of argon and nitrogen, as the proportion of argon gas is decreased, the endothermic character of the decomposition decreases until, when nitrogen is the main component, the decomposition exhibits a complex broad exothermic character. XRPD studies showed that, regardless of the proportions of nitrogen and argon, the DSC residues consisted of mainly copper metal with small amounts of copper(I) oxide (cuprite) and, under some conditions, traces of copper(II) oxide (tenorite). Various explanations for this behaviour are discussed and a possible answer lies in the disproportionation of CO{sub 2}(g) to form small quantities of O{sub 2}(g) or monatomic oxygen. The possibility exists that the exothermicity in nitrogen could be explained by reaction of the nitrogen with atomic oxygen to form N{sub 2}O(g), but this product could not be detected using TG-FT-IR.

Copper(II) complexes of methimazole, an anti Grave's disease drug. Synthesis, characterization and its potential biological behavior as alkaline phosphatase inhibitor.

Science.gov (United States)

Urquiza, Nora M; Manca, Silvia G; Moyano, María A; Dellmans, Raquel Arrieta; Lezama, Luis; Rojo, Teófilo; Naso, Luciana G; Williams, Patricia A M; Ferrer, Evelina G

2010-04-01

Methimazole (MeimzH) is an anti-thyroid drug and the first choice for patients with Grave's disease. Two new copper(II) complexes of this drug: [Cu(MeimzH)(2)(NO(3))(2)]*0.5H(2)O and [Cu(MeimzH)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](NO(3))(2)*H(2)O were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, dissolution behavior, thermogravimetric analysis and UV-vis, diffuse reflectance, FTIR and EPR spectroscopies. As it is known that copper(II) cation can act as an inhibitor of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), the inhibitory effect of methimazole and its copper(II) complexes on ALP activity has also been investigated.

Recovery of copper(II) and chromium(III) from nitrate medium with ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The solvent extraction of copper(II) and chromium(III) from nitrate medium with salicylideneaniline (HL) is studied as a function of various parameters: pH, concentration of salicylideneaniline, contact time and the nature of anoin (nitrate and sulfate) in aqueous phase. Chromium(III) is not extracted by salicylideneaniline ...

Copper(II) Complexes of Phenanthroline and Histidine Containing Ligands: Synthesis, Characterization and Evaluation of their DNA Cleavage and Cytotoxic Activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Leite, Sílvia M G; Lima, Luís M P; Gama, Sofia; Mendes, Filipa; Orio, Maylis; Bento, Isabel; Paulo, António; Delgado, Rita; Iranzo, Olga

2016-11-21

Copper(II) complexes have been intensely investigated in a variety of diseases and pathological conditions due to their therapeutic potential. The development of these complexes requires a good knowledge of metal coordination chemistry and ligand design to control species distribution in solution and tailor the copper(II) centers in the right environment for the desired biological activity. Herein we present the synthesis and characterization of two ligands HL1 and H 2 L2 containing a phenanthroline unit (phen) attached to the amino group of histidine (His). Their copper(II) coordination properties were studied using potentiometry, spectroscopy techniques (UV-vis and EPR), mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and DFT calculations. The data showed the formation of single copper complexes, [CuL1] + and [CuL2], with high stability within a large pH range (from 3.0 to 9.0 for [CuL1] + and from 4.5 to 10.0 for [CuL2]). In both complexes the Cu 2+ ion is bound to the phen unit, the imidazole ring and the deprotonated amide group, and displays a distorted square pyramidal geometry as confirmed by single crystal X-ray crystallography. Interestingly, despite having similar structures, these copper complexes show different redox potentials, DNA cleavage properties and cytotoxic activity against different cancer cell lines (human ovarian (A2780), its cisplatin-resistant variant (A2780cisR) and human breast (MCF7) cancer cell lines). The [CuL2] complex has lower reduction potential (E pc = -0.722 V vs -0.452 V for [CuL1] + ) but higher biological activity. These results highlight the effect of different pendant functional groups (carboxylate vs amide), placed out of the coordination sphere, in the properties of these copper complexes.

Interesting properties of some iron(II), copper(I) and copper(II ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Administrator

Tridendate ligands with nitrogen centers, generally well-known as the tripod ligands, have been of considerable interest to inorganic chemists dealing with the preparation of model compounds for hemocyanin, tyrosinase etc. We have found that such ligands when complexed with iron(II) and copper(II) and copper(I) ions ...

Evaluation of the measurement of Cu(II) bioavailability in complex aqueous media using a hollow-fiber supported liquid membrane device (HFSLM) and two microalgae species (Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata and Scenedesmus acutus)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodríguez-Morales, Erik A.; Rodríguez de San Miguel, Eduardo; Gyves, Josefina de

2015-01-01

The environmental bioavailability of copper was determined using a hollow-fiber supported liquid membrane (HFSLM) device as a chemical surrogate and two microalgae species (Scenedesmus acutus and Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata). Several experimental conditions were studied: pH, the presence of organic matter, inorganic anions, and concomitant cations. The results indicated a strong relationship between the response given by the HFSLM and the microalgae species with free copper concentrations measured by an ion selective electrode (ISE), in accordance with the free-ion activity model (FIAM). A significant positive correlation was evident when comparing the bioavailability results measured by the HFSLM and the S. acutus microalga species, showing that the synthetic device may emulate biological uptake and, consequently, be used as a chemical test for bioavailability measurements using this alga as a biological reference. - Highlights: • The environmental bioavailability of copper(II) was determined using an HFSLM. • Two microalgae species were used as references for bioavailability evaluation. • Bioavailability is affected by the chemical conditions of the medium. • HFSLM and microalgae bioavailabilities depend on free copper(II) concentrations. • HFSLM emulates better the biological uptake of the Scenedesmus acutus microalga. - An HFSLM device may emulate the biological uptake of copper (II) of the Scenedesmus acutus microalga and, consequently, be used as a chemical test for bioavailability measurements.

Effect of Phosphorylation and Copper(II or Iron(II Ions Enrichment on Some Physicochemical Properties of Spelt Starch

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacek Rożnowski

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: This paper provides an assessment of the effect of saturation of spelt starch and monostarch phosphate with copper or iron ions on selected physicochemical properties of the resulting modified starches. Native and modified spelt starch samples were analyzed for selected mineral element content using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS. Thermodynamic properties were measured using DSC, and pasting properties by RVA. Flow curves of 5% pastes were plotted and described using the Herschel-Bulkley model. The structure recovery ratio was measured. AAS analysis established the presence of iron(II and copper(II ions in the samples of modified starches and that potassium and magnesium ions had leached from them. In comparison to unfortified samples, enriching native starch with copper(II ions decreases value of all temperatures of phase transformation about 1.3-2.7 °C, but in case of monostarch phosphates bigger changes (2.8-3.7 °C were observed. Fortified native spelt starch with copper(II ions caused increasing the final viscosity of paste from 362 to 429 mPa·s. However, presence iron(II ions in samples caused reduced its final viscosity by 170 (spelt starch and 103 mPa·s (monostarch phosphate. Furthermore, enriching monostarch phosphate contributed to reduce degree of structure recovery of pastes from 70.9% to 66.6% in case of copper(II ions and to 59.9% in case of iron(II ions.

Synthesis and properties of a trinuclear copper(II) complex with trithiocyanurate bridge

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kopel, P.; Čermáková, Š.; Doležal, Karel; Kalińska, B.; Bieńko, A.; Mroziński, J.

2007-01-01

Roč. 81, č. 3 (2007), s. 327-335 ISSN 0137- 5083 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50380511 Keywords : copper(II) * trithiocyanuric acid complexes * magnetic properties Subject RIV: CA - Inorganic Chemistry Impact factor: 0.483, year: 2007 http://ichf.edu.pl/pjch/pj-2007/pj-2007-03a.pdf

Determination of formal redox potentials in aqueous solution of copper(II) complexes with ligands having nitrogen and oxygen donor atoms and comparison with their EPR and UV-Vis spectral features.

Science.gov (United States)

Tabbì, Giovanni; Giuffrida, Alessandro; Bonomo, Raffaele P

2013-11-01

Formal redox potentials in aqueous solution were determined for copper(II) complexes with ligands having oxygen and nitrogen as donor atoms. All the chosen copper(II) complexes have well-known stereochemistries (pseudo-octahedral, square planar, square-based pyramidal, trigonal bipyramidal or tetrahedral) as witnessed by their reported spectroscopic, EPR and UV-visible (UV-Vis) features, so that a rough correlation between the measured redox potential and the typical geometrical arrangement of the copper(II) complex could be established. Negative values have been obtained for copper(II) complexes in tetragonally elongated pseudo-octahedral geometries, when measured against Ag/AgCl reference electrode. Copper(II) complexes in tetrahedral environments (or flattened tetrahedral geometries) show positive redox potential values. There is a region, always in the field of negative redox potentials which groups the copper(II) complexes exhibiting square-based pyramidal arrangements. Therefore, it is suggested that a measurement of the formal redox potential could be of great help, when some ambiguities might appear in the interpretation of spectroscopic (EPR and UV-Vis) data. Unfortunately, when the comparison is made between copper(II) complexes in square-based pyramidal geometries and those in square planar environments (or a pseudo-octahedral) a little perturbed by an equatorial tetrahedral distortion, their redox potentials could fall in the same intermediate region. In this case spectroscopic data have to be handled with great care in order to have an answer about a copper complex geometrical characteristics. © 2013.

Preconcentration and extraction of copper(II) on activated carbon using ethyl-2-quinolyl-β (p-carboxyphenyl hydrazone)dioxo propionate

OpenAIRE

Mehrorang Ghaedi; Farshid Ahmadi; M.R. Baezat; J. Safari

2008-01-01

Activated carbon modified method was used for the preconcentration and determination of copper content in real samples such as tap water, wastewater and a synthetic water sample by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The copper(II) was adsorbed quantitatively on activated carbon due to its complexation with ethyl-2-quinolyl-β(p-carboxyphenyl hydrazone)dioxo propionate (EQCPDP). The adsorbed copper(II) ion on solid phase was eluted quantitatively by using nitric acid. The important parameter...

Copper(II) oxide solubility behavior in aqueous sodium phosphate solutions at elevated temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ziemniak, S.E.; Jones, M.E.; Combs, K.E.S.

1990-02-01

A platinum-lined, flowing autoclave facility is used to investigate the solubility behavior of copper(II) oxide (CuO) in aqueous sodium phosphate solutions at temperatures between 292 and 535 K. Copper solubilities are observed to increase continuously with temperature and phosphate concentration. The measured solubility is examined via a Cu(II) ion hydrolysis/complexing model and thermodynamic functions for the hydrolysis/complexing reactions are obtained from a least- squares analysis of the data. Altogether, thermochemical properties are established for five anionic complexes: Cu(OH) 3 - , Cu(OH) 4 = , Cu(OH) 2 (HPO 4 ) = , Cu(OH) 3 (H 2 PO 4 ) = , and Cu(OH) 2 (PO 4 ) ≡ . Precise thermochemical parameters are also derived for the Cu(OH) + hydroxocomplex based on CuO solubility behavior previously observed in pure water (*) at elevated temperatures. The relative ease of Cu(II) ion hydrolysis is such that Cu(OH) 3 - species become the preferred hydroxocomplex for pH ≥ 9.4. 20 refs., 8 figs., 6 tabs

Copper(II tetrafluoroborate as mild and versatile catalyst for the

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jihillu. S. Yadav

2008-12-01

Full Text Available A variety of -acetamido ketones and ketoesters are readily prepared in high yields under extremelymild conditions via a three component coupling of aromatic aldehydes, enolizable ketones or -ketoesters andnitriles in the presence of 10 mol% of copper(II tetrafluoroborate and a stoichiometric amount of acetylchloride. A solution of 10 mol% of Cu(BF42 in acetonitrile provides a convenient reaction medium to carry out athree component reaction under mild conditions

EPR studies on binuclear copper(II) complexes with N,N',N'',N'''-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)-1,4,8,11-tetraaza-cyclotetradecane in solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jezierska, J.; Ozarowski, A.; Vuckovic, G.

1997-01-01

Binuclear copper(II) complexes of macrocyclic ligand TMPC (tetraazamacrocycle with four pendant 2-pirydylmethyl groups attached to the ring nitrogen atoms) with various anions forming bridge between copper ions, or coordinating to copper(II) ions at the apex, were prepared and their frozen solutions in DMF and NMF were investigated by EPR. The spectroscopic results have been interpreted in terms of molecular structure of investigated complexes

Synthesis and characterization of mononuclear copper(II complex of tetradentate N2S2 donor set and the study of DNA and bovine serum albumin binding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandipan Sarkar

2014-12-01

Full Text Available One mononuclear copper(II complex, containing neutral tetradentate NSSN-type ligands, of formulation [Cu II(L 1Cl]ClO 4 (1, was synthesized and isolated in pure form [where L 1˭ 1,3-bis(3-pyridylmethylthiopropane]. Green-colored copper(II complex was characterized by physicochemical, spectroscopic methods and conductivity measurement. These experimental data matched well with the proposed structure of the complex. Biological activity of the complex (1 toward calf thymus DNA and bovine serum albumin has been examined systematically and groove-binding behavior of the Copper(II complex 1 with calf thymus DNA has been observed from the spectral study.

Preconcentration and extraction of copper(II on activated carbon using ethyl-2-quinolyl-β (p-carboxyphenyl hydrazonedioxo propionate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehrorang Ghaedi

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Activated carbon modified method was used for the preconcentration and determination of copper content in real samples such as tap water, wastewater and a synthetic water sample by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The copper(II was adsorbed quantitatively on activated carbon due to its complexation with ethyl-2-quinolyl-β(p-carboxyphenyl hydrazonedioxo propionate (EQCPDP. The adsorbed copper(II ion on solid phase was eluted quantitatively by using nitric acid. The important parameters such as pH, amount of carrier, flow rate, amount of activated carbon and type and concentration of eluting agent for obtaining maximum recovery were optimized. The method at optimum conditions gives linear concentration range of 0.05-1.0 μg mL-1 of copper(II with correlation coefficient of 0.9994 and the detection limit of 0.99 ng mL-1. The preconcentration leads to enrichment factor of 175 and break through volume of 1750 mL. The method has good tolerance limit of interfering ions and selectivity and it has been successfully applied for determination of copper content in real sample such as blood, wastewater and river sample.

An efficient, cost effective, sensing behaviour liquid-liquid extraction and spectrophotometric determination of copper(II) incorporated with 4-(4'-chlorobenzylideneimino)-3-methyl-5-mercapto-1, 2, 4-triazole: Analysis of food samples, leafy vegetables, fertilizers and environmental samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Barache, Umesh B; Shaikh, Abdul B; Lokhande, Tukaram N; Kamble, Ganesh S; Anuse, Mansing A; Gaikwad, Shashikant H

2018-01-15

The aim of the present work is to develop an efficient, simple and selective moreover cost-effective method for the extractive spectrophotometric determination of copper(II) by using the Schiff base 4-(4'-chlorobenzylideneimino)-3-methyl-5-mercapto-1, 2, 4-triazole [CBIMMT]. This chromogenic reagent forms a yellow coloured complex with copper(II) in acetate buffer at pH4.2. The copper(II) complex with ligand is instantly extracted into chloroform and shows a maximum absorbance at 414nm which remains stable for >48h. The composition of extracted complex is found to be 1:2 [copper(II): reagent] which was ascertained using Job's method of continuous variation, mole ratio method and slope ratio method. Under optimal conditions, the copper(II) complex in chloroform adheres to Beer's law up to 17.5μgmL -1 of copper(II). The optimum concentration range obtained from Ringbom's plot is from 5μgmL -1 to 17.5μgmL -1 . The molar absorptivity, Sandell's sensitivity and enrichment factor of the extracted copper(II) chelate are 0.33813×10 4 Lmol -1 cm -1 , 0.01996μgcm -2 and 2.49 respectively. In the extraction of copper(II), several affecting factors including the solution pH, ligand concentration, equilibrium time, effect of foreign ions are optimized. The interfering effects of various cations and anions were also studied and use of masking agents enhances the selectivity of the method. The chromogenic sulphur containing reagent, 4-(4'-chlorobenzylideneimino)-3-methyl-5-mercapto-1, 2, 4-triazole has been synthesized in a single step with high purity and yield. The synthesized reagent has been successfully applied first time for determination of copper(II). The reagent forms stable chelate with copper(II) in buffer medium instantly and quantitatively extracted in chloroform within a minute. The method is successfully applied for the determination of copper(II) in various synthetic mixtures, complexes, fertilizers, environmental samples such as food samples, leafy

An efficient, cost effective, sensing behaviour liquid-liquid extraction and spectrophotometric determination of copper(II) incorporated with 4-(4‧-chlorobenzylideneimino)-3-methyl-5-mercapto-1, 2, 4-triazole: Analysis of food samples, leafy vegetables, fertilizers and environmental samples

Science.gov (United States)

Barache, Umesh B.; Shaikh, Abdul B.; Lokhande, Tukaram N.; Kamble, Ganesh S.; Anuse, Mansing A.; Gaikwad, Shashikant H.

2018-01-01

The aim of the present work is to develop an efficient, simple and selective moreover cost-effective method for the extractive spectrophotometric determination of copper(II) by using the Schiff base 4-(4‧-chlorobenzylideneimino)-3-methyl-5-mercapto-1, 2, 4-triazole [CBIMMT]. This chromogenic reagent forms a yellow coloured complex with copper(II) in acetate buffer at pH 4.2. The copper(II) complex with ligand is instantly extracted into chloroform and shows a maximum absorbance at 414 nm which remains stable for > 48 h. The composition of extracted complex is found to be 1:2 [copper(II): reagent] which was ascertained using Job's method of continuous variation, mole ratio method and slope ratio method. Under optimal conditions, the copper(II) complex in chloroform adheres to Beer's law up to 17.5 μg mL- 1 of copper(II). The optimum concentration range obtained from Ringbom's plot is from 5 μg mL- 1 to 17.5 μg mL- 1. The molar absorptivity, Sandell's sensitivity and enrichment factor of the extracted copper(II) chelate are 0.33813 × 104 L mol- 1 cm- 1, 0.01996 μg cm- 2 and 2.49 respectively. In the extraction of copper(II), several affecting factors including the solution pH, ligand concentration, equilibrium time, effect of foreign ions are optimized. The interfering effects of various cations and anions were also studied and use of masking agents enhances the selectivity of the method. The chromogenic sulphur containing reagent, 4-(4‧-chlorobenzylideneimino)-3-methyl-5-mercapto-1, 2, 4-triazole has been synthesized in a single step with high purity and yield. The synthesized reagent has been successfully applied first time for determination of copper(II). The reagent forms stable chelate with copper(II) in buffer medium instantly and quantitatively extracted in chloroform within a minute. The method is successfully applied for the determination of copper(II) in various synthetic mixtures, complexes, fertilizers, environmental samples such as food samples

Ion species stratification within strong shocks in two-ion plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Keenan, Brett D.; Simakov, Andrei N.; Taitano, William T.; Chacón, Luis

2018-03-01

Strong collisional shocks in multi-ion plasmas are featured in many environments, with Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) experiments being one prominent example. Recent work [Keenan et al., Phys. Rev. E 96, 053203 (2017)] answered in detail a number of outstanding questions concerning the kinetic structure of steady-state, planar plasma shocks, e.g., the shock width scaling by the Mach number, M. However, it did not discuss shock-driven ion-species stratification (e.g., relative concentration modification and temperature separation). These are important effects since many recent ICF experiments have evaded explanation by standard, single-fluid, radiation-hydrodynamic (rad-hydro) numerical simulations, and shock-driven fuel stratification likely contributes to this discrepancy. Employing the state-of-the-art Vlasov-Fokker-Planck code, iFP, along with multi-ion hydro simulations and semi-analytics, we quantify the ion stratification by planar shocks with the arbitrary Mach number and the relative species concentration for two-ion plasmas in terms of ion mass and charge ratios. In particular, for strong shocks, we find that the structure of the ion temperature separation has a nearly universal character across ion mass and charge ratios. Additionally, we find that the shock fronts are enriched with the lighter ion species and the enrichment scales as M4 for M ≫ 1.

Unusual saccharin-N,O (carbonyl) coordination in mixed-ligand copper(II) complexes: Synthesis, X-ray crystallography and biological activity

Science.gov (United States)

Mokhtaruddin, Nur Shuhada Mohd; Yusof, Enis Nadia Md; Ravoof, Thahira B. S. A.; Tiekink, Edward R. T.; Veerakumarasivam, Abhi; Tahir, Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed

2017-07-01

Three tridentate Schiff bases containing N and S donor atoms were synthesized via the condensation reaction between S-2-methylbenzyldithiocarbazate with 2-acetyl-4-methylpyridine (S2APH); 4-methyl-3-thiosemicarbazide with 2-acetylpyridine (MT2APH) and 4-ethyl-3-thiosemicarbazide with 2-acetylpyridine (ET2APH). Three new, binuclear and mixed-ligand copper(II) complexes with the general formula, [Cu(sac)(L)]2 (sac = saccharinate anion; L = anion of the Schiff base) were then synthesized, and subsequently characterized by IR and UV/Vis spectroscopy as well as by molar conductivity and magnetic susceptibility measurements. The Schiff bases were also spectroscopically characterized using NMR and MS to further confirm their structures. The spectroscopic data indicated that the Schiff bases behaved as a tridentate NNS donor ligands coordinating via the pyridyl-nitrogen, azomethine-nitrogen and thiolate-sulphur atoms. Magnetic data indicated a square pyramidal environment for the complexes and the conductivity values showed that the complexes were essentially non-electrolytes in DMSO. The X-ray crystallographic analysis of one complex, [Cu(sac)(S2AP)]2 showed that the Cu(II) atom was coordinated to the thiolate-S, azomethine-N and pyridyl-N donors of the S2AP Schiff base and to the saccharinate-N from one anion, as well as to the carbonyl-O atom from a symmetry related saccharinate anion yielding a centrosymmetric binuclear complex with a penta-coordinate, square pyramidal geometry. All the copper(II) saccharinate complexes were found to display strong cytotoxic activity against the MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines.

Synthesis, X-ray crystal structures, and phosphate ester cleavage properties of bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine copper(II) complexes with guanidinium pendant groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Belousoff, Matthew J; Tjioe, Linda; Graham, Bim; Spiccia, Leone

2008-10-06

Three new derivatives of bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (DPA) featuring ethylguanidinium (L (1)), propylguanidinium (L (2)), or butylguanidinium (L (3)) pendant groups have been prepared by the reaction of N, N- bis(2-pyridylmethyl)alkane-alpha,omega-diamines with 1 H-pyrazole-1-carboxamidine hydrochloride. The corresponding mononuclear copper(II) complexes were prepared by reacting the ligands with copper(II) nitrate and were isolated as [Cu(LH (+))(OH 2)](ClO 4) 3. xNaClO 4. yH 2O ( C1: L = L (1), x = 2, y = 3; C2: L = L (2), x = 2, y = 4; C3: L = L (3), x = 1, y = 0) following cation exchange purification. Recrystallization yielded crystals of composition [Cu(LH (+))(X)](ClO 4) 3.X ( C1': L = L (1), X = MeOH; C2': L = L (2), X = H 2O; C3': L = L (3), X = H 2O), which were suitable for X-ray crystallography. The crystal structures of C1', C2', and C3' indicate that the DPA moieties of the ligands coordinate to the copper(II) centers in a meridional fashion, with a water or methanol molecule occupying the fourth basal position. Weakly bound perchlorate anions located in the axial positions complete the distorted octahedral coordination spheres. The noncoordinating, monoprotonated guanidinium groups project away from the Cu(II)-DPA units and are involved in extensive charge-assisted hydrogen-bonding interactions with cocrystallized water/methanol molecules and perchlorate anions within the crystal lattices. The copper(II) complexes were tested for their ability to promote the cleavage of two model phosphodiesters, bis( p-nitrophenyl)phosphate (BNPP) and uridine-3'- p-nitrophenylphosphate (UpNP), as well as supercoiled plasmid DNA (pBR 322). While the presence of the guanidine pendants was found to be detrimental to BNPP cleavage efficiency, the functionalized complexes were found to cleave plasmid DNA and, in some cases, the model ribose phosphate diester, UpNP, at a faster rate than the parent copper(II) complex of DPA.

Changes in magnetic properties from solid state to solution in a trinuclear linear copper(II) complex

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koval, I.A.; Akhideno, H.; Tanase, S.; Belle, C.; Duboc, C.; Saint-Aman, E.; Gamez, P.; Tooke, D.M.; Spek, A.L.; Pierre, J.-L.; Reedijk, J.

2007-01-01

A linear trinuclear copper(II) complex containing phenoxido- and alkoxido-bridges between the metal centers has been isolated and structurally characterized. The complex cation consists of a linear array of three copper ions, assembled by means of two doubly deprotonated ligands. The octahedral

Preparation of CuO nanoparticles by thermal decomposition of double-helical dinuclear copper(II Schiff-base complexes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aliakbar Dehno Khalaji

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper, two double helical dinuclear copper(II complexes of bis-N,O-bidentate Schiff base ligands bis(3-methoxy-N-salicylidene-4,4'-diaminodiphenylsulfone (L1 and bis(5-bromo-N-salicylidene-4,4'-diaminodiphenylsulfone (L2 were prepared and characterized by elemental analyses (CHN, as well as thermal analysis. Elemental analyses (CHN suggested that the reaction between ligands and copper salt has been occurred in 1:1 molar ratio. In these complexes the Schiff base ligands behaves as an anionic and bis-bidentate chelate and is coordinated to the copper(II ion via two phenolic oxygen and two iminic nitrogen atoms. In these double helical dinuclear complexes, each copper(II center has a pseudo-tetrahedral coordination sphere two-wrapped ligands. Thermal analysis of ligands and their complexes were studied in the range of room temperature to 750 °C with a heating rate of 10 °C min-1. TG plots show that the ligands and their complexes are thermally decomposed via 2 and 3 thermal steps, respectively. In addition, the complexes thermally decomposed in air at 520 °C for 3 h. The obtained solids characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD and transmission electron microscopy (TEM. The X-ray pattern result shows that the CuO nanoparticles are pure and single phase. The TEM result shows the as prepared CuO nanoparticles were very small and similar shape with particle size about

A novel aggregation induced emission active cyclometalated Ir(III) complex as a luminescent probe for detection of copper(II) ion in aqueous solution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shen, Wei; Yan, Liqiang; Tian, Wenwen; Cui, Xia; Qi, Zhengjian, E-mail: qizhengjian@seu.edu.cn; Sun, Yueming, E-mail: sun@seu.edu.cn

2016-09-15

We report the synthesis and characterization of a novel aggregation induced emission (AIE) active cyclometalated Ir(III) complex, namely [Ir(dfppy){sub 2}(phen-DPA)]PF{sub 6}, where dfppy and phen-DPA represent 2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)pyridine and 2-(bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)amino)-N-(1,10-phenanthrolin-5-yl)acetamide, respectively. The complex showed remarkable selectivity for copper(II) in aqueous solution over other competitive ions. Furthermore, this sensor showed a rapid and reversible response to copper(II) in aqueous solution with a detection limit of 65 nM.

Copper(II) catalysis in cyanide conversion into ethyl carbamate in spirits and relevant reactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Aresta, M; Boscolo, M; Franco, D W

2001-06-01

The role of copper(II) species in the oxidation of inorganic cyanide to cyanate and in the conversion of cyanate or urea into ethyl carbamate was investigated. The oxidation process has been shown to be independent from the dissolved oxygen. Elemental analysis and infrared spectroscopy have shown the formation of a mixed copper carbonate/hydroxide in the process of oxidation of cyanide to cyanate in water/ethanol. The complexation to Cu(II) of cyanate formed upon cyanide oxidation makes the former more susceptible to nucleophilic attack from ethanol, with conversion into ethyl carbamate. Comparatively, urea has a minor role with respect to cyanide in the formation of ethyl carbamate. Therefore, the urea present in some samples of Brazilian sugar cane spirit (cachaça) has been shown to have almost no influence on the ethyl carbamate content of cachaças, which comes essentially from cyanide. Fe(II,III) affords results similar to those found with Cu(II). Some suggestions are presented to avoid ethyl carbamate formation in spirits during distillation.

High stability and biological activity of the copper(II) complexes of alloferon 1 analogues containing tryptophan.

Science.gov (United States)

Kadej, Agnieszka; Kuczer, Mariola; Czarniewska, Elżbieta; Urbański, Arkadiusz; Rosiński, Grzegorz; Kowalik-Jankowska, Teresa

2016-10-01

Copper(II) complex formation processes between the alloferon 1 (Allo1) (HGVSGHGQHGVHG) analogues where the tryptophan residue is introducing in the place His residue H1W, H6W, H9W and H12W have been studied by potentiometric, UV-visible, CD and EPR spectroscopic, and MS methods. For all analogues of alloferon 1 complex speciation have been obtained for a 1:1 metal-to-ligand molar ratio and 2:1 of H1W because of precipitation at higher (2:1, 3:1 and 4:1) ratios. At physiological pH7.4 and a 1:1 metal-to-ligand molar ratio the tryptophan analogues of alloferon 1 form the CuH -1 L and/or CuH -2 L complexes with the 4N binding mode. The introduction of tryptophan in place of histidine residues changes the distribution diagram of the complexes formed with the change of pH and their stability constants compared to the respective substituted alanine analogues of alloferon 1. The CuH -1 L, CuH -2 L and CuH -3 L complexes of the tryptophan analogues are more stable from 1 to 5 log units in comparison to those of the alanine analogues. This stabilization of the complexes may result from cation(Cu(II))-π and indole/imidazole ring interactions. The induction of apoptosis in vivo, in Tenebrio molitor cells by the ligands and their copper(II) complexes at pH7.4 was studied. The biological results show that copper(II) ions in vivo did not cause any apparent apoptotic features. The most active were the H12W peptide and Cu(II)-H12W complex formed at pH7.4. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Improving the Response of Copper(II) Selective PVC Membrane Electrode by Modification of N2S2 Donor Ligand.

Science.gov (United States)

Brinić, Slobodan; Buzuk, Marijo; Generalić, Eni; Bralić, Marija

2010-06-01

S,S'-bis(2-aminophenyl)ethanebis(thioate), (APhET), is reported as N2S2 ligand which form chelate with copper of high stability as compared to the other metals. Two modification of APhET, simpler 1,2-di-(o-aminophenylthio)ethane (DAPhTE), and the complex one 1,2-di-(o-salicylaldiminophenylthio)ethane (SAPhTE), were examined as the active material for copper(II) ion selective PVC membrane electrodes, and observed results are correlated. The obtained results with DAPhTE based electrodes show that only coordination abilities of ligand are insufficient for preparing the efficient membrane material. On the other hand, the results that are achieved with electrodes based on SAPhTE actuate interaction of ligand with polymer membrane matrix and necessity of ionophore immobilization in membrane. Optimized SAPhTE based membrane electrode has a linear range down to 10-6 mol L-1, with slope of 27.0 mV per decade, very rapid response time (under 5 seconds) and detection limit of 5.1 × 10-7 mol L-1. Such electrode is suitable for determination of copper(II) in analytical measurements by direct potentiometry and in potentiometric titrations, within pH between 2 and 7. The electrode is selective for copper(II) ions over a large number of metal ions, with the exception on Hg2+ ion when is present in concentrations above 2 × 10-5 mol L-1.

Synthesis, characterization and catalytic oxidation properties of multi-wall carbon nanotubes with a covalently attached copper(II) salen complex

Science.gov (United States)

Salavati-Niasari, Masoud; Bazarganipour, Mehdi

2009-06-01

Hydroxyl functionalized copper(II) Schiff-base, N,N'-bis(4-hydroxysalicylidene)-ethylene-1,2-diaminecopper(II), [Cu((OH) 2-salen)], has been covalently anchored on modified MWCNTs. The new modified MWCNTs ([Cu((OH) 2-salen)]-MWCNTs) have been characterized by TEM, thermal analysis, XRD, XPS, UV-vis, DRS, FT-IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The modified copper(II) MWCNTs solid was used to affect the catalytic oxidation of ethylbenzene with tert-butylhydroperoxide as the oxidant at 333 K. The system is truly heterogeneous (no leaching observed) and reusable (no decrease in activity) in three consecutive runs. Acetophenone was the major product though small amounts of o- and p-hydroxyacetophenones were also formed revealing that C-H bond activation takes place both at benzylic and aromatic ring carbon atoms. Ring hydroxylation was more over the "neat" complexes than over the encapsulated complexes.

Flotation of traces of silver and copper(II) ions with a methyl cellosolve solution of dithizone.

Science.gov (United States)

Hiraide, M; Mizuike, A

1975-06-01

Microgram quantities of silver and copper(II) ions in aqueous solutions are collected on dithizone precipitates, which are then floated with the aid of small nitrogen bubbles. This separation technique has been successfully applied to the atomic-absorption spectrophotometric determination of down to a tenth ppm of silver and copper in high-purity lead and zinc metals.

Synthesis and spectral characterization of mono- and binuclear copper(II) complexes derived from 2-benzoylpyridine-N4-methyl-3-thiosemicarbazone: Crystal structure of a novel sulfur bridged copper(II) box-dimer

Science.gov (United States)

Jayakumar, K.; Sithambaresan, M.; Aiswarya, N.; Kurup, M. R. Prathapachandra

2015-03-01

Mononuclear and binuclear copper(II) complexes of 2-benzoylpyridine-N4-methyl thiosemicarbazone (HL) were prepared and characterized by a variety of spectroscopic techniques. Structural evidence for the novel sulfur bridged copper(II) iodo binuclear complex is obtained by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The complex [Cu2L2I2], a non-centrosymmetric box dimer, crystallizes in monoclinic C2/c space group and it was found to have distorted square pyramidal geometry (Addison parameter, τ = 0.238) with the square basal plane occupied by the thiosemicarbazone moiety and iodine atom whereas the sulfur atom from the other coordinated thiosemicarbazone moiety occupies the apical position. This is the first crystallographically studied system having non-centrosymmetrical entities bridged via thiolate S atoms with Cu(II)sbnd I bond. The tridentate thiosemicarbazone coordinates in mono deprotonated thionic tautomeric form in all complexes except in sulfato complex, [Cu(HL)(SO4)]·H2O (1) where it binds to the metal centre in neutral form. The magnetic moment values and the EPR spectral studies reflect the binuclearity of some of the complexes. The spin Hamiltonian and bonding parameters are calculated based on EPR studies. In all the complexes g|| > g⊥ > 2.0023 and the g values in frozen DMF are consistent with the dx2-y2 ground state. The thermal stabilities of some of the complexes were also determined.

Synthesis, characterization, and antimicrobial activity of silver(I) and copper(II) complexes of phosphate derivatives of pyridine and benzimidazole.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalinowska-Lis, Urszula; Szewczyk, Eligia M; Chęcińska, Lilianna; Wojciechowski, Jakub M; Wolf, Wojciech M; Ochocki, Justyn

2014-01-01

Two silver(I) complexes--[Ag(4-pmOpe)]NO₃}(n) and [Ag(2-bimOpe)₂]NO₃--and three copper(II) complexes--[Cu₄Cl₆O(2-bimOpe)₄], [CuCl₂(4-pmOpe)₂], and [CuCl₂(2-bis(pm)Ope]--were synthesized by reaction of silver(I) nitrate or copper(II) chloride with phosphate derivatives of pyridine and benzimidazole, namely diethyl (pyridin-4-ylmethyl)phosphate (4-pmOpe), 1H-benzimidazol-2-ylmethyl diethyl phosphate (2-bimOpe), and ethyl bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)phosphate (2-bis(pm)Ope). These compounds were characterized by ¹H, ¹³C, and ³¹P NMR as well as IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and ESIMS spectrometry. Additionally, molecular and crystal structures of {[Ag(4-pmOpe)]NO₃}n and [Cu₄Cl₆O(2-bimOpe)₄] were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The antimicrobial profiles of synthesized complexes and free ligands against test organisms from the ATCC and clinical sources were determined. Silver(I) complexes showed good antimicrobial activities against Candida albicans strains (MIC values of ∼19 μM). [Ag(2-bimOpe)₂]NO₃ was particularly active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis, with MIC values of ∼5 and ∼10 μM, respectively. Neither copper(II) complexes nor the free ligands inhibited the growth of test organisms at concentrations below 500 μg mL⁻¹. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Characterisation of spin-waves in copper(II) deuteroformate tetradeuterate: A square ¤S¤=1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnet

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clarke, S.J.; Harrison, A.; Mason, T.E.

1999-01-01

Copper(II) formate tetrahydrate (CFTH) is a model square S = 1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnet with T-N = 16.54 +/- 0.05 K. The dispersion of spin-waves in the magnetic layers of a fully deuterated sample of this material has been mapped at 4.3 K by inelastic neutron scattering from the zone centre ...

Cu(II) bis(thiosemicarbazone) radiopharmaceutical binding to serum albumin: further definition of species dependence and associated substituent effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Basken, Nathan E.; Green, Mark A.

2009-01-01

Introduction: The pyruvaldehyde bis(N 4 -methylthiosemicarbazonato)copper(II) (Cu-PTSM) and diacetyl bis(N 4 -methylthiosemicarbazonato)copper(II) (Cu-ATSM) radiopharmaceuticals exhibit strong, species-dependent binding to the IIA site of human serum albumin (HSA), while the related ethylglyoxal bis(thiosemicarbazonato)copper(II) (Cu-ETS) radiopharmaceutical appears to exhibit only nonspecific binding to HSA and animal serum albumins. Methods: To further probe the structural basis for the species dependence of this albumin binding interaction, we examined protein binding of these three radiopharmaceuticals in solutions of albumin and/or serum from a broader array of mammalian species (rat, sheep, donkey, rabbit, cow, pig, dog, baboon, mouse, cat and elephant). We also evaluated the albumin binding of several copper(II) bis(thiosemicarbazone) chelates offering more diverse substitution of the ligand backbone. Results: Cu-PTSM and Cu-ATSM exhibit a strong interaction with HSA that is not apparent with the albumins of other species, while the binding of Cu-ETS to albumin is much less species dependent. The strong interaction of Cu-PTSM with HSA does not appear to simply correlate with variation, relative to the animal albumins, of a single amino acid lining HSA's IIA site. Those agents that selectively interact with HSA share the common feature of only methyl or hydrogen substitution at the carbon atoms of the diimine fragment of the ligand backbone. Conclusions: The interspecies variations in albumin binding of Cu-PTSM and Cu-ATSM are not simply explained by unique amino acid substitutions in the IIA binding pocket of the serum albumins. However, the specific affinity for this region of HSA is disrupted when substituents bulkier than a methyl group appear on the imine carbons of the copper bis(thiosemicarbazone) chelate.

Cu(II) bis(thiosemicarbazone) radiopharmaceutical binding to serum albumin: further definition of species dependence and associated substituent effects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Basken, Nathan E. [Division of Nuclear Pharmacy, Department of Industrial and Physical Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 (United States); Green, Mark A. [Division of Nuclear Pharmacy, Department of Industrial and Physical Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 (United States)], E-mail: magreen@purdue.edu

2009-07-15

Introduction: The pyruvaldehyde bis(N{sup 4}-methylthiosemicarbazonato)copper(II) (Cu-PTSM) and diacetyl bis(N{sup 4}-methylthiosemicarbazonato)copper(II) (Cu-ATSM) radiopharmaceuticals exhibit strong, species-dependent binding to the IIA site of human serum albumin (HSA), while the related ethylglyoxal bis(thiosemicarbazonato)copper(II) (Cu-ETS) radiopharmaceutical appears to exhibit only nonspecific binding to HSA and animal serum albumins. Methods: To further probe the structural basis for the species dependence of this albumin binding interaction, we examined protein binding of these three radiopharmaceuticals in solutions of albumin and/or serum from a broader array of mammalian species (rat, sheep, donkey, rabbit, cow, pig, dog, baboon, mouse, cat and elephant). We also evaluated the albumin binding of several copper(II) bis(thiosemicarbazone) chelates offering more diverse substitution of the ligand backbone. Results: Cu-PTSM and Cu-ATSM exhibit a strong interaction with HSA that is not apparent with the albumins of other species, while the binding of Cu-ETS to albumin is much less species dependent. The strong interaction of Cu-PTSM with HSA does not appear to simply correlate with variation, relative to the animal albumins, of a single amino acid lining HSA's IIA site. Those agents that selectively interact with HSA share the common feature of only methyl or hydrogen substitution at the carbon atoms of the diimine fragment of the ligand backbone. Conclusions: The interspecies variations in albumin binding of Cu-PTSM and Cu-ATSM are not simply explained by unique amino acid substitutions in the IIA binding pocket of the serum albumins. However, the specific affinity for this region of HSA is disrupted when substituents bulkier than a methyl group appear on the imine carbons of the copper bis(thiosemicarbazone) chelate.

Synthesis and characterization of iron(III), manganese(II), cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II) and zinc(II) complexes of salicylidene-N-anilinoacetohydrazone (H2L1) and 2-hydroxy-1-naphthylidene-N-anilinoacetohydrazone (H2L2).

Science.gov (United States)

AbouEl-Enein, S A; El-Saied, F A; Kasher, T I; El-Wardany, A H

2007-07-01

Salicylidene-N-anilinoacetohydrazone (H(2)L(1)) and 2-hydroxy-1-naphthylidene-N-anilinoacetohydrazone (H(2)L(2)) and their iron(III), manganese(II), cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II) and zinc(II) complexes have been synthesized and characterized by IR, electronic spectra, molar conductivities, magnetic susceptibilities and ESR. Mononuclear complexes are formed with molar ratios of 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3 (M:L). The IR studies reveal various modes of chelation. The electronic absorption spectra and magnetic susceptibility measurements show that the iron(III), nickel(II) and cobalt(II) complexes of H(2)L(1) have octahedral geometry. While the cobalt(II) complexes of H(2)L(2) were separated as tetrahedral structure. The copper(II) complexes have square planar stereochemistry. The ESR parameters of the copper(II) complexes at room temperature were calculated. The g values for copper(II) complexes proved that the Cu-O and Cu-N bonds are of high covalency.

Template synthesis of poly aza macrocyclic copper(II) and nickel(II) complexes: Spectral characterization and antimicrobial studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gurumoorthy, P.; Ravichandran, J.; Kaliur Rahiman, A. [The New College, Chennai (India); Karthikeyan, N.; Palani, P. [Univ. of Madras, Chennai (India)

2012-07-15

The template synthesis of copper(II) and nickel(II) complexes derived from 2,6-diformyl-4-methylphenol with diethylenetriamine or 1,2-bis(3-amino propylamino)ethane produce the 12-membered N{sub 3}O and 17-membered N{sub 4}O macrocyclic complexes, respectively. The geometry of the complexes has been determined with the help of electronic and EPR spectroscopic values and found to be five coordinated square pyramidal and, six coordinated distorted tetragonal for 12-membered and 17-membered macrocyclic complexes, respectively. Electrochemical studies of the mononuclear N{sub 3}O and N{sub 4}O copper(II) complexes show one irreversible one electron reduction wave at E{sup pc} = .1.35 and .1.15 V respectively, and the corresponding nickel(II) complexes show irreversible one-electron reduction wave at E{sup pc} = .1.25 and .1.22 V, respectively. The nickel(II) complexes show irreversible one-electron oxidation wave at Epa = +0.84 and +0.82 V, respectively. All the complexes were evaluated for in vitro antimicrobial activity against the human pathogenic bacteria and fungi.

Synthesis and spectral characterization of mono- and binuclear copper(II) complexes derived from 2-benzoylpyridine-N⁴-methyl-3-thiosemicarbazone: crystal structure of a novel sulfur bridged copper(II) box-dimer.

Science.gov (United States)

Jayakumar, K; Sithambaresan, M; Aiswarya, N; Kurup, M R Prathapachandra

2015-03-15

Mononuclear and binuclear copper(II) complexes of 2-benzoylpyridine-N(4)-methyl thiosemicarbazone (HL) were prepared and characterized by a variety of spectroscopic techniques. Structural evidence for the novel sulfur bridged copper(II) iodo binuclear complex is obtained by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The complex [Cu2L2I2], a non-centrosymmetric box dimer, crystallizes in monoclinic C2/c space group and it was found to have distorted square pyramidal geometry (Addison parameter, τ=0.238) with the square basal plane occupied by the thiosemicarbazone moiety and iodine atom whereas the sulfur atom from the other coordinated thiosemicarbazone moiety occupies the apical position. This is the first crystallographically studied system having non-centrosymmetrical entities bridged via thiolate S atoms with Cu(II)I bond. The tridentate thiosemicarbazone coordinates in mono deprotonated thionic tautomeric form in all complexes except in sulfato complex, [Cu(HL)(SO4)]·H2O (1) where it binds to the metal centre in neutral form. The magnetic moment values and the EPR spectral studies reflect the binuclearity of some of the complexes. The spin Hamiltonian and bonding parameters are calculated based on EPR studies. In all the complexes g||>g⊥>2.0023 and the g values in frozen DMF are consistent with the d(x2-y2) ground state. The thermal stabilities of some of the complexes were also determined. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Green and selective synthesis of N-substituted amides using water soluble porphyrazinato copper(II) catalyst

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghodsinia, Sara S.E.; Akhlaghinia, Batool; Eshghi, Hossein; Safaei, Elham

2013-01-01

N, N',N , N ' -Tetramethyl tetra-2,3-pyridinoporphyrazinato copper(II) methyl sulfate ([Cu(2,3-tmtppa)](MeSO 4 ) 4 ) efficiently catalyzed the direct conversion of nitriles to N-substituted amides. The one pot selective synthesis of the N-substituted amides from nitriles and primary amines was performed in refluxing H 2 O. The catalyst was recovered and reused at least four times, maintaining its efficiency. (author)

trans-Bis(perchlorato-κOtetrakis(1H-pyrazole-κN2copper(II

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viktor Zapol'skii

2008-10-01

Full Text Available The title compound, [Cu(ClO42(C3H4N24], was obtained unexpectedly by the reaction of copper(II perchlorate hexahydrate with equimolar amounts of 1-chloro-1-nitro-2,2,2-tripyrazolylethane in methanol solution. The crystal structure comprises octahedrally coordinated Cu2+ ions, located on an inversion centre, with four pyrazole ligands in the equatorial plane. The average Cu—N distance is 2.000 (1 Å. Two perchlorate ions are coordinated to copper in trans positions [Cu—O = 2.4163 (11 Å].

Green and selective synthesis of N-substituted amides using water soluble porphyrazinato copper(II) catalyst

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ghodsinia, Sara S.E.; Akhlaghinia, Batool; Eshghi, Hossein, E-mail: akhlaghinia@um.ac.ir [Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (Iran, Islamic Republic of). Faculty of Sciences. Department of Chemistry; Safaei, Elham [Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS), Zanjan (Iran, Islamic Republic of). Department of Chemistry

2013-06-15

N, N',N{sup ,} N{sup '}-Tetramethyl tetra-2,3-pyridinoporphyrazinato copper(II) methyl sulfate ([Cu(2,3-tmtppa)](MeSO{sub 4}){sub 4}) efficiently catalyzed the direct conversion of nitriles to N-substituted amides. The one pot selective synthesis of the N-substituted amides from nitriles and primary amines was performed in refluxing H{sub 2}O. The catalyst was recovered and reused at least four times, maintaining its efficiency. (author)

Removal of copper(II) from some environmental samples by sorptive-flotation using powdered marble wastes as sorbents and oleic acid as surfactant.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghazy, S E; Samra, S E; Mahdy, A F M; El-Morsy, S M

2004-11-01

A simple and economic experimental sorptive -flotation procedure is presented for the removal of copper(II) species from aqueous solutions. It is based on using powdered marble wastes (PMW), which are widespread and inexpensive and may represent an environmental problem, as the effective inorganic sorbent and oleic (HOL) as the surfactant. The main parameters (i.e. initial solution pH, sorbent, surfactant and copper concentrations, stirring times, ionic strength, temperature and the presence of foreign ions) influencing the flotation of PMW and /or Cu(II) were examined. Nearly, 100% of PMW and Cu(II) were removed from aqueous solutions at pH7 after stirring for 10 min and at room temperature, (approximately 25 degrees C). The procedure was successfully applied to recover Cu(II) spiked to some natural water samples. A mechanism for sorption and flotation is suggested.

Thermoelectrical and thermal analyses of copper(II) acetate monohydrate ZnO-matrix composite powder obtained by freeze-drying

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bellini, Jusmar Valentin; Pineda, Edgardo Alfonso Gomez; Rocha, Raquel de Almeida; Ponzoni, Andre Luis de Lima; Paesano, Andrea

2006-01-01

The thermal history of freeze-dried mixtures of composite powders containing ZnO-matrix and (CH 3 COO) 2 Cu.H 2 O (copper(II) acetate monohydrate) was undertaken by thermal analysis (TA) coupled to thermoelectrical analysis (TEA). Experiments were carried out on compacted samples, under non-isothermal conditions, in air, up to 350 deg. C, by measuring the electrical resistance during heating, called thermoelectrical resistometry (TER), and by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Activation energy (E a ) for exothermal events related to the decomposition of (CH 3 COO) 2 Cu (copper(II) acetate, CuAc 2 ), observed within the range 225-325 deg. C, was estimated according to ASTM E 698 method. Values of E a equal to 154 and 155 kJ/mol were obtained by TER and DSC, respectively. TER showed that the thermal decomposition of CuAc 2 involves the liberation of electrons. Results also indicated that TER may be used as an alternative or complementary method for the study of the thermal decomposition mechanisms of transition metal(II) acetates

Synthesis and structure elucidation of a copper(II) Schiff-base complex: in vitro DNA binding, pBR322 plasmid cleavage and HSA binding studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Tabassum, Sartaj; Ahmad, Musheer; Afzal, Mohd; Zaki, Mehvash; Bharadwaj, Parimal K

2014-11-01

New copper(II) complex with Schiff base ligand 4-[(2-Hydroxy-3-methoxy-benzylidene)-amino]-benzoic acid (H₂L) was synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic and analytical and single crystal X-ray diffraction studies which revealed that the complex 1 exist in a distorted octahedral environment. In vitro CT-DNA binding studies were performed by employing different biophysical technique which indicated that the 1 strongly binds to DNA in comparison to ligand via electrostatic binding mode. Complex 1 cleaves pBR322 DNA via hydrolytic pathway and recognizes minor groove of DNA double helix. The HSA binding results showed that ligand and complex 1 has ability to quench the fluorescence emission intensity of Trp 214 residue available in the subdomain IIA of HSA. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Iodometric determination of peroxydiphosphate in the presence of copper(II) or iron(II) as catalyst.

Science.gov (United States)

Kapoor, S; Sharma, P D; Gupta, Y K

1975-09-01

Peroxydiphosphate can be determined iodometrically in the presence of a large excess of potassium iodide with copper(II) or iron(II) as catalyst through the operation of the Cu(II)/Cu(I) or Fe(II)/Fe(III) cycle. The method is applicable in HClO(4), H(2)SO(4), HCl and CH(3)COOH acid media in the range 0.1-1.0M studied. Nickel, manganese(II), cobalt(II), silver, chloride and phosphate are without effect.

Preparation and testing of a tetra-amine copper(II) chitosan bead system for enhanced phosphate remediation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Ilango Aswin; Viswanathan, Natrayasamy

2018-03-01

A tetra-amine copper(II) chitosan bead system (TAC@CS composite beads) was developed by grafting tetra-amine copper(II) (TAC) with chitosan (CS) and utilized for phosphate removal. The prepared TAC@CS composite beads possess enhanced phosphate sorption capacity (SC) of 41.42 ± 0.071 mg/g than copper grafted chitosan (Cu@CS) composite, TAC and chitosan which were found to be 37.01 ± 0.803, 33.20 ± 0.650 and 7.24 ± 0.059 mg/g respectively. In batch mode, various adsorption influencing parameters like contact time, initial phosphate concentration, solution pH, co-anions and temperature were optimized for maximum phosphate sorption. The prepared adsorbents were characterized by FTIR, XRD, UV-Visible, SEM and EDAX analysis. The adsorption isotherms and thermodynamic parameters of the adsorbent were studied. The feasible phosphate uptake mechanism of TAC@CS biocomposite beads was reported. The reusability studies of TAC@CS composite beads were carried out using NaOH as elutant. The suitability of TAC@CS composite beads at field conditions was tested with phosphate contaminated field water samples collected from nearby areas of Dindigul district. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis, spectroscopy, magnetic and redox behaviors of copper(II) complexes with tert-butylated salen type ligands bearing bis(4-aminophenyl)ethane and bis(4-aminophenyl)amide backbones.

Science.gov (United States)

Kasumov, Veli T; Yerli, Yusuf; Kutluay, Aysegul; Aslanoglu, Mehmet

2013-03-01

New salen type ligands, N,N'-bis(X-3-tert-butylsalicylidene)-4,4'-ethylenedianiline [(X=H (1), 5-tert-butyl (2)] and N,N'-bis(X-3-tert-butylsalicylidene)-4,4'-amidedianiline [X=H (3), 5-tert (4)] and their copper(II) complexes 5-8, have been synthesized. Their spectroscopic (IR, (1)H NMR, UV/vis, ESR) properties, as well as magnetic and redox-reactivity behavior are reported. IR spectra of 7 and 8 indicate the coordination of amide oxygen atoms of 3 and 4 ligands to Cu(II). The solid state ESR spectra of 5-8 exhibits less informative exchange narrowed isotropic or anisotropic signals with weak unresolved low field patterns. The magnetic moments of 5 (2.92 μ(B) per Cu(II)) and 6 (2.79 μ(B) per Cu(II)) are unusual for copper(II) complexes and considerably higher than those for complexes 7 and 8. Cryogenic measurements (300-10 K) show weak antiferromagnetic exchange interactions between the copper(II) centers in complexes 6 and 8. The results of electrochemical and chemical redox-reactivity studies are discussed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Oligo-m-phenyleneoxalamide copper(II) mesocates as electro-switchable ferromagnetic metal-organic wires.

Science.gov (United States)

Pardo, Emilio; Ferrando-Soria, Jesús; Dul, Marie-Claire; Lescouëzec, Rodrigue; Journaux, Yves; Ruiz-García, Rafael; Cano, Joan; Julve, Miguel; Lloret, Francesc; Cañadillas-Delgado, Laura; Pasán, Jorge; Ruiz-Pérez, Catalina

2010-11-15

Double-stranded copper(II) string complexes of varying nuclearity, from di- to tetranuclear species, have been prepared by the Cu(II)-mediated self-assembly of a novel family of linear homo- and heteropolytopic ligands that contain two outer oxamato and either zero (1 b), one (2 b), or two (3 b) inner oxamidato donor groups separated by rigid 2-methyl-1,3-phenylene spacers. The X-ray crystal structures of these Cu(II) (n) complexes (n=2 (1 d), 3 (2 d), and 4 (3 d)) show a linear array of metal atoms with an overall twisted coordination geometry for both the outer CuN(2)O(2) and inner CuN(4) chromophores. Two such nonplanar all-syn bridging ligands 1 b-3 b in an anti arrangement clamp around the metal centers with alternating M and P helical chiralities to afford an overall double meso-helicate-type architecture for 1 d-3 d. Variable-temperature (2.0-300 K) magnetic susceptibility and variable-field (0-5.0 T) magnetization measurements for 1 d-3 d show the occurrence of S=nS(Cu) (n=2-4) high-spin ground states that arise from the moderate ferromagnetic coupling between the unpaired electrons of the linearly disposed Cu(II) ions (S(Cu)=1/2) through the two anti m-phenylenediamidate-type bridges (J values in the range of +15.0 to 16.8 cm(-1)). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations for 1 d-3 d evidence a sign alternation of the spin density in the meta-substituted phenylene spacers in agreement with a spin polarization exchange mechanism along the linear metal array with overall intermetallic distances between terminal metal centers in the range of 0.7-2.2 nm. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and rotating-disk electrode (RDE) electrochemical measurements for 1 d-3 d show several reversible or quasireversible one- or two-electron steps that involve the consecutive metal-centered oxidation of the inner and outer Cu(II) ions (S(Cu)=1/2) to diamagnetic Cu(III) ones (S(Cu)=0) at relatively low formal potentials (E values in the range of

Fluorescence-based detection of nitric oxide in aqueous and methanol media using a copper(II) complex.

Science.gov (United States)

Mondal, Biplab; Kumar, Pankaj; Ghosh, Pokhraj; Kalita, Apurba

2011-03-14

The quenched fluorescent intensity of a copper(II) complex, 1, of a fluorescent ligand, in degassed methanol or aqueous (buffered at pH 7.2) solution, was found to reappear on exposure to nitric oxide. Thus, it can function as a fluorescence based nitric oxide sensor. It has been found that the present complex can be used to sense nanomolar quantities of nitric oxide in both methanol and pH 7.2 buffered-water medium.

Epidermal Expression and Regulation of Interleukin-33 during Homeostasis and Inflammation: Strong Species Differences.

Science.gov (United States)

Sundnes, Olav; Pietka, Wojciech; Loos, Tamara; Sponheim, Jon; Rankin, Andrew L; Pflanz, Stefan; Bertelsen, Vibeke; Sitek, Jan C; Hol, Johanna; Haraldsen, Guttorm; Khnykin, Denis

2015-07-01

IL-33 is a novel IL-1 family member with a putative role in inflammatory skin disorders and a complex biology. Therefore, recent conflicting data regarding its function in experimental models justify a close assessment of its tissue expression and regulation. Indeed, we report here that there are strong species differences in the expression and regulation of epidermal IL-33. In murine epidermis, IL-33 behaved similar to an alarmin, being constitutively expressed in keratinocyte nuclei and rapidly lost during acute inflammation. By contrast, human and porcine IL-33 were weakly expressed or absent in keratinocytes of noninflamed skin but induced during acute inflammation. To this end, we observed that expression of IL-33 in human keratinocytes but not murine keratinocytes was strongly induced by IFN-γ, and this upregulation completely depended on the presence of EGFR ligands. Accordingly, IFN-γ increased the expression of IL-33 in the basal layers of the epidermis in human ex vivo skin cultures only, despite good evidence of IFN-γ activity in cultures from both species. Together these findings demonstrate that a full understanding of IL-33 function in clinical settings must take species-specific differences into account.

Scalable room-temperature conversion of copper(II) hydroxide into HKUST-1 (Cu3 (btc)2).

Science.gov (United States)

Majano, Gerardo; Pérez-Ramírez, Javier

2013-02-20

Copper(II) hydroxide is converted directly to HKUST-1 (Cu(3) (btc)(2) ) after only 5 min at room-temperature in aqueous ethanolic solution without the need of additional solvents. Scale up to the kilogram scale does not influence porous properties yielding pure-phase product with a remarkable total surface area exceeding 1700 m(2) g(-1) featuring aggregates of nanometer-sized crystals (<600 nm) and extremely high space-time yields. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Electrical conductivity of solutions of copper(II) nitrate crystalohydrate in dimethyl sulfoxide

Science.gov (United States)

Mamyrbekova, Aigul K.; Mamitova, A. D.; Mamyrbekova, Aizhan K.

2016-06-01

Conductometry is used to investigate the electric conductivity of Cu(NO3)2 ṡ 3H2O solutions in dimethyl sulfoxide in the 0.01-2.82 M range of concentrations and at temperatures of 288-318 K. The limiting molar conductivity of the electrolyte and the mobility of Cu2+ and NO 3 - ions, the effective coefficients of diffusion of copper(II) ions and nitrate ions, and the degree and constant of electrolytic dissociation are calculated for different temperatures from the experimental results. It is established that solutions containing 0.1-0.6 M copper nitrate trihydrate in DMSO having low viscosity and high electrical conductivity can be used in electrochemical deposition.

Rapid upslope shifts in New Guinean birds illustrate strong distributional responses of tropical montane species to global warming

Science.gov (United States)

Freeman, Benjamin G.; Class Freeman, Alexandra M.

2014-01-01

Temperate-zone species have responded to warming temperatures by shifting their distributions poleward and upslope. Thermal tolerance data suggests that tropical species may respond to warming temperatures even more strongly than temperate-zone species, but this prediction has yet to be tested. We addressed this data gap by conducting resurveys to measure distributional responses to temperature increases in the elevational limits of the avifaunas of two geographically and faunally independent New Guinean mountains, Mt. Karimui and Karkar Island, 47 and 44 y after they were originally surveyed. Although species richness is roughly five times greater on mainland Mt. Karimui than oceanic Karkar Island, distributional shifts at both sites were similar: upslope shifts averaged 113 m (Mt. Karimui) and 152 m (Karkar Island) for upper limits and 95 m (Mt. Karimui) and 123 m (Karkar Island) for lower limits. We incorporated these results into a metaanalysis to compare distributional responses of tropical species with those of temperate-zone species, finding that average upslope shifts in tropical montane species match local temperature increases significantly more closely than in temperate-zone montane species. That tropical species appear to be strong responders has global conservation implications and provides empirical support to hitherto untested models that predict widespread extinctions in upper-elevation tropical endemics with small ranges. PMID:24550460

DNA binding, cytotoxicity and apoptosis induction activity of a mixed-ligand copper(II) complex with taurine Schiff base and imidazole

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Mei; kong, Lin Lin; Gou, Yi; Yang, Feng; Liang, Hong

2014-07-01

A novel binuclear copper(II) complex (complex 1) with taurine Schiff base and imidazole has been synthesized and structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, ESI-MS spectrometry, UV-vis and IR spectroscopy. Single-crystal analysis revealed that 1 displays the sulfonate-bridged dinuclear copper(II) centers. Both copper atoms are five-coordinated and exhibit slightly distorted square pyramidal geometries. Each of copper atom is surrounded by three oxygen atoms and one nitrogen atom from different taurine Schiff base ligands, and one nitrogen atom from one imidazole ligand. The interaction between 1 and calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) was investigated by UV-vis, fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD) spectra and agarose gel electrophoresis. The experimental results indicated that 1 could bind to CT-DNA via an intercalative mode and show efficient cleavage activity. In addition, 1 showed an antitumor effect on cell cycle and apoptosis. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that MGC-803 cells were arrested in the S phase after treatment with 1. Fluorescence microscopic observation indicated that 1 could induce apoptosis of MGC-803 cells.

Coumarin-Based Fluorescent Probes for Dual Recognition of Copper(II and Iron(III Ions and Their Application in Bio-Imaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olimpo García-Beltrán

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Two new coumarin-based “turn-off” fluorescent probes, (E-3-((3,4-dihydroxybenzylideneamino-7-hydroxy-2H-chromen-2-one (BS1 and (E-3-((2,4-dihydroxybenzylideneamino-7-hydroxy-2H-chromen-2-one (BS2, were synthesized and their detection of copper(II and iron(III ions was studied. Results show that both compounds are highly selective for Cu2+ and Fe3+ ions over other metal ions. However, BS2 is detected directly, while detection of BS1 involves a hydrolysis reaction to regenerate 3-amino-7-hydroxycoumarin (3 and 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde, of which 3 is able to react with copper(II or iron(III ions. The interaction between the tested compounds and copper or iron ions is associated with a large fluorescence decrease, showing detection limits of ca. 10−5 M. Preliminary studies employing epifluorescence microscopy demonstrate that Cu2+ and Fe3+ ions can be imaged in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells treated with the tested probes.

Strong influence of regional species pools on continent-wide structuring of local communities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lessard, Jean-Philippe; Borregaard, Michael Krabbe; Fordyce, James A.

2012-01-01

pool, to examine the interplay between broad-scale evolutionary and fine-scale ecological processes. Finally, a renewed interest in the influence of species source pools on communities has shown that the definition of the source pool influences interpretations of patterns of community structure. We use...... of communities along climatic gradients. We find that the average phylogenetic relatedness of species in ant communities decreases from tropical to temperate regions, but the strength of this relationship depends on the level of ecological realism in the definition of source pools. We conclude that the evolution...... of climatic niches influences the phylogenetic structure of regional source pools and that the influence of regional source pools on local community structure is strong....

Strong influence of regional species pools on continent-wide structuring of local communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Lessard, Jean-Philippe; Borregaard, Michael K; Fordyce, James A; Rahbek, Carsten; Weiser, Michael D; Dunn, Robert R; Sanders, Nathan J

2012-01-22

There is a long tradition in ecology of evaluating the relative contribution of the regional species pool and local interactions on the structure of local communities. Similarly, a growing number of studies assess the phylogenetic structure of communities, relative to that in the regional species pool, to examine the interplay between broad-scale evolutionary and fine-scale ecological processes. Finally, a renewed interest in the influence of species source pools on communities has shown that the definition of the source pool influences interpretations of patterns of community structure. We use a continent-wide dataset of local ant communities and implement ecologically explicit source pool definitions to examine the relative importance of regional species pools and local interactions for shaping community structure. Then we assess which factors underlie systematic variation in the structure of communities along climatic gradients. We find that the average phylogenetic relatedness of species in ant communities decreases from tropical to temperate regions, but the strength of this relationship depends on the level of ecological realism in the definition of source pools. We conclude that the evolution of climatic niches influences the phylogenetic structure of regional source pools and that the influence of regional source pools on local community structure is strong.

Copper(II) and molybdenum(VI) complexes of a tridentate ONN donor isothiosemicarbazone: synthesis, characterization, X-ray, TGA and DFT

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Fasihizad, A.; Akbari, A.; Ahmadi, M.; Dušek, Michal; Henriques, Margarida Isabel Sousa; Pojarová, Michaela

2016-01-01

Roč. 115, Sep (2016), s. 297-305 ISSN 0277-5387 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-03276S; GA MŠk LO1603 EU Projects: European Commission(XE) CZ.2.16/3.1.00/24510 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : isothiosemicarbazone * Copper(II) complex * molybdenum(VI) complex * crystal structure * DFT Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 1.926, year: 2016

Isolation of a new two-dimensional honeycomb carbonato-bridged copper(II) complex exhibiting long-range ferromagnetic ordering.

Science.gov (United States)

Majumder, Arpi; Choudhury, Chirantan Roy; Mitra, Samiran; Rosair, Georgina M; El Fallah, M Salah; Ribas, Joan

2005-04-28

Atmospheric CO2 fixation by an aqueous solution containing Cu(ClO4)2.6H2O and 4-aminopyridine (4-apy) yields a novel example of a two-dimensional mu3-CO3 bridged copper(II) complex {[Cu(4-apy)2]3(mu3-CO3)2(ClO4)2.(1/2)CH3OH}n that has been characterized by IR, UV and X-ray crystallography; preliminary magnetic measurements show that complex exhibits long-range ordered ferromagnetic coupling.

Coordination of different ligands to copper(II) and cobalt(III) metal centers enhances Zika virus and dengue virus loads in both arthropod cells and human keratinocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Dutta, Shovan; Celestine, Michael J; Khanal, Supreet; Huddleston, Alexis; Simms, Colin; Arca, Jessa Faye; Mitra, Amlan; Heller, Loree; Kraj, Piotr J; Ledizet, Michel; Anderson, John F; Neelakanta, Girish; Holder, Alvin A; Sultana, Hameeda

2018-01-01

Trace elements such as copper and cobalt have been associated with virus-host interactions. However, studies to show the effect of conjugation of copper(II) or cobalt(III) metal centers to thiosemicarbazone ligand(s) derived from either food additives or mosquito repellent such as 2-acetylethiazole or citral, respectively, on Zika virus (ZIKV) or dengue virus (serotype 2; DENV2) infections have not been explored. In this study, we show that four compounds comprising of thiosemicarbazone ligand derived from 2-acetylethiazole viz., (E)-N-ethyl-2-[1-(thiazol-2-yl)ethylidene]hydrazinecarbothioamide (acetylethTSC) (compound 1), a copper(II) complex with acetylethTSC as a ligand (compound 2), a thiosemicarbazone ligand-derived from citral (compound 3) and a cobalt(III) complex with a citral-thiosemicarbazone ligand (compound 4) increased DENV2 and ZIKV replication in both mosquito C6/36 cells and human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells). Treatment of both cell lines with compounds 2 or 4 showed increased dengue viral titers at all three tested doses. Enhanced dengue viral plaque formation was also noted at the tested dose of 100μM, suggesting higher production of infectious viral particles. Treatment with the compounds 2 or 4 enhanced ZIKV and DENV2 RNA levels in HeLa cell line and primary cultures of mouse bone marrow derived dendritic cells. Also, pre- or post treatments with conjugated compounds 2 or 4 showed higher loads of ZIKV or DENV2 envelope (E) protein in HaCaT cells. No changes in loads of E-protein were found in ZIKV-infected C6/36 cells, when compounds were treated after infection. In addition, we tested bis(1,10-phenanthroline)copper(II) chloride ([Cu(phen) 2 ]Cl 2 , (compound 5) and tris(1,10-phenanthroline)cobalt(III) chloride ([Co(phen) 3 ]Cl 3 , (compound 6) that also showed enhanced DENV2 loads. Also, we found that copper(II) chloride dehydrate (CuCl 2 ·2H 2 O) or cobalt(II) chloride hexahydrate (CoCl 2 ·6H 2 O) alone had no effects as "free" cations

Crystal Structure and Magnetic Behavior of Two New Dinuclear Carbonato-Bridged Copper(II) Compounds. Superexchange Pathway for the Different Coordination Modes of the Carbonato Bridge in Polynuclear Copper(II) Compounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Escuer, Albert; Mautner, Franz A.; Peñalba, Evaristo; Vicente, Ramon

1998-08-24

Four new &mgr;-CO(3)(2-) copper(II) complexes with different coordination modes for the carbonato bridge have been obtained by fixation of atmospheric CO(2): {(&mgr;(3)-CO(3))[Cu(3)(ClO(4))(3)(Et(3)dien)(3)]}(ClO(4)) (1), Et(3)dien = N,N',N"-triethylbis(2-aminoethane)amine; {(&mgr;-CO(3))[Cu(2)(H(2)O)(Et(4)dien)(2)]}(ClO(4))(2).H(2)O (2), Et(4)dien = N,N,N",N"-tetraethyl-bis(2-aminoethane)amine; {(&mgr;-CO(3))[Cu(2)(H(2)O)(2)(EtMe(4)dien)(2)]} (ClO(4))(2).2H(2)O (3), EtMe(4)dien = N'-ethyl-N,N,N",N"-tetramethylbis(2-aminoethane)amine; and {(&mgr;-CO(3))[Cu(2)(H(2)O)(Me(5)dien)(2)]}(ClO(4))(2).H(2)O (4), Me(5)dien = N,N,N',N",N"-pentamethylbis(2-aminoethane)amine. The crystal structures have been solved for 2, monoclinic system, space group P2(1)/n, formula [C(25)H(62)Cl(2)Cu(2)N(6)O(13)] with a = 12.763(6) Å, b = 25.125(8) Å, c = 13.261(4) Å, beta = 111.85(3) degrees, Z = 4, and for 3, triclinic system, space group P&onemacr;, formula [C(21)H(58)Cl(2)Cu(2)N(6)O(15)] with a = 8.412(3) Å, b = 14.667(4) Å, c = 16.555(5) Å, alpha = 99.66(2) degrees, beta = 102.14(2) degrees, gamma = 104.72(2) degrees, Z = 2. Susceptibility measurements show ferromagnetic behavior (J = +6.7(6) cm(-)(1)) for the trinuclear compound 1 whereas 2-4 are antiferromagnetically coupled with J = -17.8(8), -125.5(9), and -21.2(3) cm(-)(1) respectively. Certain synthetic aspects that may be related to the nuclearity of the copper(II) &mgr;-CO(3)(2-) compounds and the superexchange pathway for the different coordination modes of the carbonato bridge are discussed.

Fundamental aspects of plating technology. 5. The effect of strongly adsorbed species on the morphology of metal deposits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Popov, K I; Rodaljevic, Z P; Krstajic, N V; Novakovic, S D

1985-07-01

It is shown that the improvement in the quality of electrodeposits obtained from CdSO/sub 4/ solution in the presence of strongly adsorbed species compared with that of deposits obtained in the absence of such species is due to a decrease in the exchange current density and an increase in the Tafel slope for the deposition process in the former case.

Kinetics of the oxidative hydroxylation of tetraphosphorus in the presence of copper(II) chloride modified by humic (fulvo-) acid

OpenAIRE

Zhaksyntay Kairbekov; Dina Akbayeva; Zh. Eshova

2012-01-01

It was established that in mild conditions (50-70 oC, РО2= 1 atm) white phosphorus effectively is oxidized by oxygen in water-toluene solutions of copper(II) chloride modified by humic (fulvo-) acid to give mainly phosphoric acid. Humic (fulvo-) acid was extracted from brown coal of domestic deposit Kiyakty. For determination of optimum parameters of fulvo-acid extraction the laboratory experiments were carried out using the method of experiment planning. The kinetics, intermediate and final ...

Cyclam Derivatives with a Bis(phosphinate) or a Phosphinato-Phosphonate Pendant Arm: Ligands for Fast and Efficient Copper(II) Complexation for Nuclear Medical Applications

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

David, T.; Kubíček, V.; Gutten, Ondrej; Lubal, P.; Kotek, J.; Pietzsch, H.-J.; Rulíšek, Lubomír; Hermann, P.

2015-01-01

Roč. 54, č. 24 (2015), s. 11751-11766 ISSN 0020-1669 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-31419S Grant - others:COST(XE) TD1004 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : cyclam derivatives * radiolabelling * quantum chemical calculations * copper(II) chelation Subject RIV: CA - Inorganic Chemistry Impact factor: 4.820, year: 2015

Surface characteristics, copper release, and toxicity of nano- and micrometer-sized copper and copper(II) oxide particles: a cross-disciplinary study.

OpenAIRE

Midander, Klara; Cronholm, Pontus; Karlsson, Hanna L.; Elihn, Karine; Moller, Lennart; Leygraf, Christofer; Wallinder, Inger Odnevall

2009-01-01

An interdisciplinary and multianalytical research effort is undertaken to assess the toxic aspects of thoroughly characterized nano- and micrometer-sized particles of oxidized metallic copper and copper(II) oxide in contact with cultivated lung cells, as well as copper release in relevant media. All particles, except micrometer-sized Cu, release more copper in serum-containing cell medium (supplemented Dulbecco's minimal essential medium) compared to identical exposures in phosphate-buffered ...

Determination of HCl and VOC Emission from Thermal Degradation of PVC in the Absence and Presence of Copper, Copper(II Oxide and Copper(II Chloride

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahamad J. Jafari

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Polyvinyl chloride (PVC has played a key role in the development of the plastic industry over the past 40 years. Thermal degradation of PVC leads to formation of many toxic pollutants such as HCl, aromatic and volatile organic carbon vapors. Thermal degradation of PVC and PVC in the present of copper, cupric oxide and copper(II chloride were investigated in this study using a laboratory scale electrical furnace. HCl and Cl- ion were analyzed by a Dionex ion chromatograph and VOCs compounds were analyzed using GC or GC-MS. The results showed that HCl plus Cl- ion and benzene formed about 99% and 80% respectively in the first step of thermal degradation under air atmosphere. The presence of cupric oxide increases the percentage of short chain hydrocarbons more than 184% and decreases the amount of the major aromatic hydrocarbon and HCl plus Cl- ion to 90% and 65% respectively. The total aromatic hydrocarbon emitted less than when atmosphere was air and difference was statistically significant (Pvalue<0.000

Copper(ii) oxide nanoparticles penetrate into HepG2 cells, exert cytotoxicity via oxidative stress and induce pro-inflammatory response

Science.gov (United States)

Piret, Jean-Pascal; Jacques, Diane; Audinot, Jean-Nicolas; Mejia, Jorge; Boilan, Emmanuelle; Noël, Florence; Fransolet, Maude; Demazy, Catherine; Lucas, Stéphane; Saout, Christelle; Toussaint, Olivier

2012-10-01

The potential toxic effects of two types of copper(ii) oxide (CuO) nanoparticles (NPs) with different specific surface areas, different shapes (rod or spheric), different sizes as raw materials and similar hydrodynamic diameter in suspension were studied on human hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cells. Both CuO NPs were shown to be able to enter into HepG2 cells and induce cellular toxicity by generating reactive oxygen species. CuO NPs increased the abundance of several transcripts coding for pro-inflammatory interleukins and chemokines. Transcriptomic data, siRNA knockdown and DNA binding activities suggested that Nrf2, NF-κB and AP-1 were implicated in the response of HepG2 cells to CuO NPs. CuO NP incubation also induced activation of MAPK pathways, ERKs and JNK/SAPK, playing a major role in the activation of AP-1. In addition, cytotoxicity, inflammatory and antioxidative responses and activation of intracellular transduction pathways induced by rod-shaped CuO NPs were more important than spherical CuO NPs. Measurement of Cu2+ released in cell culture medium suggested that Cu2+ cations released from CuO NPs were involved only to a small extent in the toxicity induced by these NPs on HepG2 cells.The potential toxic effects of two types of copper(ii) oxide (CuO) nanoparticles (NPs) with different specific surface areas, different shapes (rod or spheric), different sizes as raw materials and similar hydrodynamic diameter in suspension were studied on human hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cells. Both CuO NPs were shown to be able to enter into HepG2 cells and induce cellular toxicity by generating reactive oxygen species. CuO NPs increased the abundance of several transcripts coding for pro-inflammatory interleukins and chemokines. Transcriptomic data, siRNA knockdown and DNA binding activities suggested that Nrf2, NF-κB and AP-1 were implicated in the response of HepG2 cells to CuO NPs. CuO NP incubation also induced activation of MAPK pathways, ERKs and JNK/SAPK, playing a major

Adsorption of lead(II) and copper(II) on activated carbon by complexation with surface functional groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pesavento, Maria; Profumo, Antonella; Alberti, Giancarla; Conti, Fabio

2003-01-01

The adsorption of lead(II) and copper(II) on an activated carbon (Filtrasorb 300, Chemviron) was characterized assuming that it takes place by formation of complexes with functional groups, present in the activated carbon. Their concentration and conditional adsorption coefficients were determined for each metal by titration of the carbon in suspension in aqueous phase, at constant acidity, with the metal itself. For each titration point, the concentration of the metal in the solution phase after equilibration was determined, and the data were processed by the Ruzic linearization method, to obtain the concentration of the active sites involved in the sorption, and the conditional constant. The effect of the pH was also examined, in the range 4-6, obtaining that the adsorption increases at increasing pH. The protonation and adsorption constants were determined from the conditional adsorption coefficients obtained at the different acidities. The concentration of the active sites is 0.023 and 0.042 mmol g -1 , and the protonation constants are 1.0x10 6 and 4.6x10 4 M -1 for Pb(II) and Cu(II). The corresponding adsorption constants are respectively 1.4x10 5 and 6.3x10 3 M -1 . All the parameters are affected by a large uncertainty, probably due to the heterogeneity of the active groups in the activated carbon. Even if so, these parameters make it possible a good prediction of the adsorption in a wide range of conditions. Other sorption mechanism can be set up at different conditions, in particular at different pH, as it has been demonstrated in the case of copper(II)

Adsorption of lead(II) and copper(II) on activated carbon by complexation with surface functional groups

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pesavento, Maria; Profumo, Antonella; Alberti, Giancarla; Conti, Fabio

2003-03-17

The adsorption of lead(II) and copper(II) on an activated carbon (Filtrasorb 300, Chemviron) was characterized assuming that it takes place by formation of complexes with functional groups, present in the activated carbon. Their concentration and conditional adsorption coefficients were determined for each metal by titration of the carbon in suspension in aqueous phase, at constant acidity, with the metal itself. For each titration point, the concentration of the metal in the solution phase after equilibration was determined, and the data were processed by the Ruzic linearization method, to obtain the concentration of the active sites involved in the sorption, and the conditional constant. The effect of the pH was also examined, in the range 4-6, obtaining that the adsorption increases at increasing pH. The protonation and adsorption constants were determined from the conditional adsorption coefficients obtained at the different acidities. The concentration of the active sites is 0.023 and 0.042 mmol g{sup -1}, and the protonation constants are 1.0x10{sup 6} and 4.6x10{sup 4} M{sup -1} for Pb(II) and Cu(II). The corresponding adsorption constants are respectively 1.4x10{sup 5} and 6.3x10{sup 3} M{sup -1}. All the parameters are affected by a large uncertainty, probably due to the heterogeneity of the active groups in the activated carbon. Even if so, these parameters make it possible a good prediction of the adsorption in a wide range of conditions. Other sorption mechanism can be set up at different conditions, in particular at different pH, as it has been demonstrated in the case of copper(II)

Treatment of model and galvanic waste solutions of copper(II) ions using a lignin/inorganic oxide hybrid as an effective sorbent.

Science.gov (United States)

Ciesielczyk, Filip; Bartczak, Przemysław; Klapiszewski, Łukasz; Jesionowski, Teofil

2017-04-15

A study was made concerning the removal of copper(II) ions from model and galvanic waste solutions using a new sorption material consisting of lignin in combination with an inorganic oxide system. Specific physicochemical properties of the material resulted from combining the activity of the functional groups present in the structure of lignin with the high surface area of the synthesized oxide system (585m 2 /g). Analysis of the porous structure parameters, particle size and morphology, elemental composition and characteristic functional groups confirmed the effective synthesis of the new type of sorbent. A key element of the study was a series of tests of adsorption of copper(II) ions from model solutions. It was determined how the efficiency of the adsorption process was affected by the process time, mass of sorbent, concentration of adsorbate, pH and temperature. Potential regeneration of adsorbent, which provides the possibility of its reusing and recovering the adsorbed copper, was also analyzed. The sorption capacity of the material was measured (83.98mg/g), and the entire process was described using appropriate kinetic models. The results were applied to the design of a further series of adsorption tests, carried out on solutions of real sewage from a galvanizing plant. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Steric Effects on the Binding of Phosphate and Polyphosphate Anions by Zinc(II) and Copper(II) Dinuclear Complexes of m-Xylyl-bis-cyclen.

Science.gov (United States)

Esteves, Catarina V; Esteban-Gómez, David; Platas-Iglesias, Carlos; Tripier, Raphaël; Delgado, Rita

2018-05-11

The triethylbenzene-bis-cyclen (cyclen = 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane) compound (tbmce) was designed with an imposed structural rigidity at the m-xylyl spacer to be compared to a less restrained and known parent compound (bmce). The framework of both compounds differs only in the substituents of the m-xylyl spacer. The study was centered in the differences observed in the acid-base reactions of both compounds, their copper(II) and zinc(II) complexation behaviors, as well as in the uptake of phosphate and polyphosphate anions (HPPi 3- , ATP 4- , ADP 3- , AMP 2- , PhPO 4 2- , and HPO 4 2- ). On the one hand, the acid-base reactions showed lower values for the third and fourth protonation constants of tbmce than for bmce, suggesting that the ethyl groups of the spacer in tbmce force the two cyclen units to more conformational restricted positions. On the other hand, the stability constant values for copper(II) and zinc(II) complexes revealed that bmce is a better chelator than tbmce pointing out to additional conformational restraints imposed by the triethylbenzene spacer. The binding studies of phosphates by the dinuclear copper(II) and zinc(II) complexes showed much smaller effective association constants for the dicopper complexes. Single-crystal X-ray and computational (density functional theory) studies suggest that anion binding promotes the formation of tetranuclear entities in which anions are bridging the metal centers. Our studies also revealed the dinuclear zinc(II) complex of bmce as a promising receptor for phosphate anions, with the largest effective association constant of 5.94 log units being observed for the formation of [Zn 2 bmce(HPPi)] + . Accordingly, a colorimetric study via an indicator displacement assay to detect phosphates in aqueous solution found that the [Zn 2 bmce] 4+ complex acts as the best receptor for pyrophosphate displaying a detection limit of 2.5 nM by changes visible to naked eye.

Copper(II) complexes of alloferon 1 with point mutations (H1A) and (H9A) stability structure and biological activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Matusiak, Agnieszka; Kuczer, Mariola; Czarniewska, Elżbieta; Rosiński, Grzegorz; Kowalik-Jankowska, Teresa

2014-09-01

Mono- and polynuclear copper(II) complexes of the alloferon 1 with point mutations (H1A) A(1)GVSGH(6)GQH(9)GVH(12)G (Allo1A) and (H9A) H(1)GVSGH(6)GQA(9)GVH(12)G (Allo9A) have been studied by potentiometric, UV-visible, CD, EPR spectroscopic and mass spectrometry (MS) methods. To obtain a complete complex speciation different metal-to-ligand molar ratios ranging from 1:1 to 4:1 for Allo1A and to 3:1 for Allo9A were studied. The presence of the His residue in first position of the peptide chain changes the coordination abilities of the Allo9A peptide in comparison to that of the Allo1A. Imidazole-N3 atom of N-terminal His residue of the Allo9A peptide forms stable 6-membered chelate with the terminal amino group. Furthermore, the presence of two additional histidine residues in the Allo9A peptide (H(6),H(12)) leads to the formation of the CuL complex with 4N {NH2,NIm-H(1),NIm-H(6),NIm-H(12)} binding site in wide pH range (5-8). For the Cu(II)-Allo1A system, the results demonstrated that at physiological pH7.4 the predominant complex the CuH-1L consists of the 3N {NH2,N(-),CO,NIm} coordination mode. The inductions of phenoloxidase activity and apoptosis in vivo in Tenebrio molitor cells by the ligands and their copper(II) complexes at pH7.4 were studied. The Allo1A, Allo1K peptides and their copper(II) complexes displayed the lowest hemocytotoxic activity while the most active was the Cu(II)-Allo9A complex formed at pH7.4. The results may suggest that the N-terminal-His(1) and His(6) residues may be more important for their proapoptotic properties in insects than those at positions 9 and 12 in the peptide chain. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multitarget trehalose-carnosine conjugates inhibit Aβ aggregation, tune copper(II) activity and decrease acrolein toxicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Grasso, Giuseppa Ida; Bellia, Francesco; Arena, Giuseppe; Satriano, Cristina; Vecchio, Graziella; Rizzarelli, Enrico

2017-07-28

Increasing evidence is accumulating, showing that neurodegenerative disorders are somehow associated with the toxicity of amyloid aggregates, metal ion dyshomeostasis as well as with products generated by oxidative stress. Within the biological oxidation products, acrolein does have a prominent role. A promising strategy to deal with the above neurogenerative disorders is to use multi-functions bio-molecules. Herein, we show how a class of bio-conjugates takes advantage of the antiaggregating, antioxidant and antiglycating properties of trehalose and carnosine. Their ability to sequester acrolein and to inhibit both self- and metal-induced aggregation is here reported. The copper(II) coordination properties of a new trehalose-carnosine conjugate and the relative antioxidant effects have also been investigated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Complexes cobalt(II, zinc(II and copper(II with some newly synthesized benzimidazole derivatives and their antibacterial activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. O. PODUNAVAC-KUZMANOVIC

1999-05-01

Full Text Available The preparation and properties of some complexes of cobalt(II, zinc(II and copper(II with several newly synthesized benzimidazole derivatives (L are reported. The complexes, of the general formula [MCl2L2] (M=Co(II, Zn(II and [CuCl2L(H2O], have a tetrahedral structure. The complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductivity, magnetic susceptibility measurements, IR and absorption electronic spectra. The antibacterial activitiy of the benzimidazoles and their complexes was evaluated against Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora and Erwinia amylovora. The complexes were found to be more toxic than the ligands.

A Nanostructured Lipid System as a Strategy to Improve the in Vitro Antibacterial Activity of Copper(II Complexes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patricia B. da Silva

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to construct a nanostructured lipid system as a strategy to improve the in vitro antibacterial activity of copper(II complexes. New compounds with the general formulae [CuX2(INH2]·nH2O (X = Cl− and n = 1 (1; X = NCS− and n = 5 (2; X = NCO− and n = 4 (3; INH = isoniazid, a drug widely used to treat tuberculosis derived from the reaction between the copper(II chloride and isoniazid in the presence or absence of pseudohalide ions (NCS− or NCO− were synthesized and characterized by infrared spectrometry, electronic absorption spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, melting points and complexometry with 2,2′,2′′,2′′′-(Ethane-1,2-diyldinitrilotetraacetic acid (EDTA. The characterization techniques allowed us to confirm the formation of the copper(II complexes. The Cu(II complexes were loaded into microemulsion (MEs composed of 10% phase oil (cholesterol, 10% surfactant [soy oleate and Brij® 58 (1:2] and 80% aqueous phase (phosphate buffer pH = 7.4 prepared by sonication. The Cu(II complex-loaded MEs displayed sizes ranging from 158.0 ± 1.060 to 212.6 ± 1.539 nm, whereas the polydispersity index (PDI ranged from 0.218 ± 0.007 to 0.284 ± 0.034. The antibacterial activity of the free compounds and those that were loaded into the MEs against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC® 25923 and Escherichia coli ATCC® 25922, as evaluated by a microdilution technique, and the cytotoxicity index (IC50 against the Vero cell line (ATCC® CCL-81TM were used to calculate the selectivity index (SI. Among the free compounds, only compound 2 (MIC 500 μg/mL showed activity for S. aureus. After loading the compounds into the MEs, the antibacterial activity of compounds 1, 2 and 3 was significantly increased against E. coli (MIC’s 125, 125 and 500 μg/mL, respectively and S. aureus (MICs 250, 500 and 125 μg/mL, respectively. The loaded compounds were less toxic against the Vero

Copper(II) and palladium(II) complexes with tridentate NSO donor Schiff base ligand: Synthesis, characterization and structures

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Sujit Baran; Solanki, Ankita; Kundu, Suman

2017-09-01

Mononuclear copper(II) complex [CuL2] and palladium(II) complexes [Pd(X)L] where X = benzoate(bz) or salicylate(sal) and HL = 2-(methylthio)phenylimino)methyl)phenol, a Schiff base ligand with NSO coordination sites have been synthesized and characterized by microanalyses, IR, UV-Visible spectra, conductivity measurement and magnetic studies. Crystal structures of all the complexes have been solved by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies and showed that there are two molecules in a unit cell in the [CuL2] complex - one molecule has square planar geometry whereas second molecule has distorted square pyramidal geometry and palladium(II) complexes have distorted square planar geometry.

Strong spatial genetic structure in five tropical Piper species: should the Baker–Fedorov hypothesis be revived for tropical shrubs?

Science.gov (United States)

Lasso, E; Dalling, J W; Bermingham, E

2011-01-01

Fifty years ago, Baker and Fedorov proposed that the high species diversity of tropical forests could arise from the combined effects of inbreeding and genetic drift leading to population differentiation and eventually to sympatric speciation. Decades of research, however have failed to support the Baker–Fedorov hypothesis (BFH), and it has now been discarded in favor of a paradigm where most trees are self-incompatible or strongly outcrossing, and where long-distance pollen dispersal prevents population drift. Here, we propose that several hyper-diverse genera of tropical herbs and shrubs, including Piper (>1,000 species), may provide an exception. Species in this genus often have aggregated, high-density populations with self-compatible breeding systems; characteristics which the BFH would predict lead to high local genetic differentiation. We test this prediction for five Piper species on Barro Colorado Island, Panama, using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) markers. All species showed strong genetic structure at both fine- and large-spatial scales. Over short distances (200–750 m) populations showed significant genetic differentiation (Fst 0.11–0.46, P < 0.05), with values of spatial genetic structure that exceed those reported for other tropical tree species (Sp = 0.03–0.136). This genetic structure probably results from the combined effects of limited seed and pollen dispersal, clonal spread, and selfing. These processes are likely to have facilitated the diversification of populations in response to local natural selection or genetic drift and may explain the remarkable diversity of this rich genus. PMID:22393518

Copper(II) cyanido-bridged bimetallic nitroprusside-based complexes: Syntheses, X-ray structures, magnetic properties, 57Fe Moessbauer spectroscopy and thermal studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Travnicek, Zdenek; Herchel, Radovan; Mikulik, Jiri; Zboril, Radek

2010-01-01

Three heterobimetallic cyanido-bridged copper(II) nitroprusside-based complexes of the compositions [Cu(tet)Fe(CN) 5 NO].H 2 O (1), where tet=N,N'-bis(3-aminopropyl)ethylenediamine, [Cu(hto)Fe(CN) 5 NO].2H 2 O (2), where hto=1,3,6,9,11,14-hexaazatricyclo[12.2.1.1 6,9 ]octadecane and [Cu(nme) 2 Fe(CN) 5 NO].H 2 O (3), where nme=N-methylethylenediamine, were synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, 57 Fe Moessbauer and FTIR spectroscopies, thermal analysis, magnetic measurements and single-crystal X-ray analysis. The products of thermal degradation processes of 2 and 3 were studied by XRD, 57 Fe Moessbauer spectroscopy, SEM and EDS, and they were identified as mixtures of CuFe 2 O 4 and CuO. - Three heterobimetallic cyano-bridged copper(II) nitroprusside-based complexes of the general compositions of [Cu(L)Fe(CN) 5 NO].xH 2 O, where L=N,N'-bis(3-aminopropyl)ethylenediamine (complex 1), 1,3,6,9,11,14-hexaazatricyclo[12.2.1.1 6,9 ]-octadecane (complex 2) and N-methylethylenediamine (complex 3), were synthesized, and fully structurally and magnetically characterized. SEM, EDS, XRD and 57 Fe Moessbauer experiments were used for characterization of thermal decomposition products of complexes 2 and 3.

Formation of a dinuclear copper(II) complex through the cleavage of CN bond of 1-benzoyl-3-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-pyrazole

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shardin, Rosidah; Pui, Law Kung; Yamin, Bohari M. [School of Chemical Sciences and Food Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM 43600 Bangi, Selangor (Malaysia); Kassim, Mohammad B. [School of Chemical Sciences and Food Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia and Fuel Cell Institute, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM 43600 Bangi, Selangor (Malaysia)

2014-09-03

A simple mononuclear octahedral copper(II) complex was attempted from the reaction of three moles of 1-benzoyl-3-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-pyrazole and one mole of copper(II) perchlorate hexahydrate in methanol. However, the product of the reaction was confirmed to be a dinuclear copper(II) complex with μ-(3-(pyridin-2-yl)-pyrazolato) and 3-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-pyrazole ligands attached to each of the Cu(II) centre atom. The copper(II) ion assisted the cleavage of the C{sub benzoyl}N bond afforded a 3-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-pyrazole molecule. Deprotonation of the 3-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-pyrazole gave a 3-(pyridin-2-yl)-pyrazolato, which subsequently reacted with the Cu(II) ion to give the (3-(pyridin-2-yl)-pyrazolato)(3-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-pyrazole)Cu(II) product moiety. The structure of the dinuclear complex was confirmed by x-ray crystallography. The complex crystallized in a monoclinic crystal system with P2(1)/n space group and cell dimensions of a = 12.2029(8) Å, b = 11.4010(7) Å, c = 14.4052(9) Å and β = 102.414(2)°. The compound was further characterized by mass spectrometry, CHN elemental analysis, infrared and UV-visible spectroscopy and the results concurred with the x-ray structure. The presence of d-d transition at 671 nm (ε = 116 dm{sup 3} mol{sup −1} cm{sup −1}) supports the presence of Cu(II) centres.

Ferromagnetic interaction in an asymmetric end-to-end azido double-bridged copper(II) dinuclear complex: a combined structure, magnetic, polarized neutron diffraction and theoretical study.

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Aronica, Christophe; Jeanneau, Erwann; El Moll, Hani; Luneau, Dominique; Gillon, Béatrice; Goujon, Antoine; Cousson, Alain; Carvajal, Maria Angels; Robert, Vincent

2007-01-01

A new end-to-end azido double-bridged copper(II) complex [Cu(2)L(2)(N(3))2] (1) was synthesized and characterized (L=1,1,1-trifluoro-7-(dimethylamino)-4-methyl-5-aza-3-hepten-2-onato). Despite the rather long Cu-Cu distance (5.105(1) A), the magnetic interaction is ferromagnetic with J= +16 cm(-1) (H=-JS(1)S(2)), a value that has been confirmed by DFT and high-level correlated ab initio calculations. The spin distribution was studied by using the results from polarized neutron diffraction. This is the first such study on an end-to-end system. The experimental spin density was found to be localized mainly on the copper(II) ions, with a small degree of delocalization on the ligand (L) and terminal azido nitrogens. There was zero delocalization on the central nitrogen, in agreement with DFT calculations. Such a picture corresponds to an important contribution of the d(x2-y2) orbital and a small population of the d(z2) orbital, in agreement with our calculations. Based on a correlated wavefunction analysis, the ferromagnetic behavior results from a dominant double spin polarization contribution and vanishingly small ionic forms.

Synthesis of mononuclear copper(II) complexes of N3O2 and N4O2 donors containing Schiff base ligands: Theoretical and biological observations

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Mancha Madha, K.; Gurumoorthy, P.; Arul Antony, S.; Ramalakshmi, N.

2017-09-01

A new series of six mononuclear copper(II) complexes were synthesized from N3O2 and N4O2 donors containing Schiff base ligands, and characterized by various spectral methods. The geometry of the complexes was determined using UV-Vis, EPR and DFT calculations. The complexes of N3O2 donors (1-3) adopted square pyramidal geometry and the remaining complexes of N4O2 donors (4-6) show distorted octahedral geometry around copper(II) nuclei. Redox properties of the complexes show a one-electron irreversible reduction process in the cathodic potential (Epc) region from -0.74 to -0.98 V. The complexes show potent antioxidant activity against DPPH radicals. Molecular docking studies of complexes showed σ-π interaction, hydrogen bonding, electrostatic and van der Waals interactions with VEGFR2 kinase receptor. In vitro cytotoxicity of the complexes was tested against human breast cancer (MDA-MB-231) cell lines and one normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDF) cell line through MTT assay. The morphological assessment data obtained by Hoechst 33258 and AO/EB staining revealed that the complexes induce apoptosis pathway of cell death.

A new approach for crystallization of copper(ii) oxide hollow nanostructures with superior catalytic and magnetic response

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Singh, Inderjeet; Landfester, Katharina; Chandra, Amreesh; Muñoz-Espí, Rafael

2015-11-01

We report the synthesis of copper(ii) oxide hollow nanostructures at ambient pressure and close to room temperature by applying the soft templating effect provided by the confinement of droplets in miniemulsion systems. Particle growth can be explained by considering a mechanism that involves both diffusion and reaction control. The catalytic reduction of p-nitrophenol in aqueous media is used as a model reaction to prove the catalytic activity of the materials: the synthesized hollow structures show nearly 100 times higher rate constants than solid CuO microspheres. The kinetic behavior and the order of the reduction reaction change due to the increase of the surface area of the hollow structures. The synthesis also leads to modification of physical properties such as magnetism.We report the synthesis of copper(ii) oxide hollow nanostructures at ambient pressure and close to room temperature by applying the soft templating effect provided by the confinement of droplets in miniemulsion systems. Particle growth can be explained by considering a mechanism that involves both diffusion and reaction control. The catalytic reduction of p-nitrophenol in aqueous media is used as a model reaction to prove the catalytic activity of the materials: the synthesized hollow structures show nearly 100 times higher rate constants than solid CuO microspheres. The kinetic behavior and the order of the reduction reaction change due to the increase of the surface area of the hollow structures. The synthesis also leads to modification of physical properties such as magnetism. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Associated structural and morphological analysis, XPS characterization, BET surface area, catalytic measurements, recycle tests of the catalyst, and magnetic characterizations. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr05579b

COMPOSITIONS BASED ON PALLADIUM(II AND COPPER(II COMPOUNDS, HALIDE IONS, AND BENTONITE FOR OZONE DECOMPOSITION

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T. L. Rakitskaya

2017-05-01

bromide ion. For Cu(II-KBr/N-Bent composition, kinetic and calculation data show that, in the presence of bromide ions, copper(II inhibits the ozone decomposition. For Pd(II-KBr/NBent composition, it has been found that the maximum activity is attained at СPd(II = 1.02·10-5 mol/g. For bimetallic Pd(II- Cu(II-KBr/N-Bent composition, changes in τ0, τ1/2, k1/2, and Q1/2 parameters depending on a Pd(II content are similar to those for monometallic Pd(II-KBr/NBent composition; however, values of the parameters are higher for the monometallic system. Thus, the inhibiting effect of Cu(II is observed even in the presence of palladium(II.

Study on the interaction of a copper(II) complex containing the artificial sweetener aspartame with human serum albumin.

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Shahabadi, Nahid; Khodaei, Mohammad Mehdi; Kashanian, Soheila; Kheirdoosh, Fahimeh; Filli, Soraya Moradi

2014-05-01

A copper(II) complex containing aspartame (APM) as ligand, Cu(APM)2Cl2·2H2O, was synthesized and characterized. In vitro binding interaction of this complex with human serum albumin (HSA) was studied at physiological pH. Binding studies of this complex with HSA are useful for understanding the Cu(APM)2Cl2·2H2O-HSA interaction mechanism and providing guidance for the application and design of new and more efficient artificial sweeteners drive. The interaction was investigated by spectrophotometric, spectrofluorometric, competition experiment and circular dichroism. Hyperchromicity observed in UV absorption band of Cu(APM)2Cl2·2H2O. A strong fluorescence quenching reaction of HSA to Cu(APM)2Cl2·2H2O was observed and the binding constant (Kf) and corresponding numbers of binding sites (n) were calculated at different temperatures. Thermodynamic parameters, enthalpy change (∆H) and entropy change (∆S) were calculated to be -458.67 kJ mol(-1) and -1,339 J mol(-1 )K(-1) respectively. According to the van't Hoff equation, the reaction is predominantly enthalpically driven. In conformity with experimental results, we suggest that Cu(APM)2Cl2·2H2O interacts with HSA. In comparison with previous study, it is found that the Cu(II) complex binds stronger than aspartame.

Antimalarial, antimicrobial, cytotoxic, DNA interaction and SOD like activities of tetrahedral copper(II) complexes

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Mehta, Jugal V.; Gajera, Sanjay B.; Patel, Mohan N.

2015-02-01

The mononuclear copper(II) complexes with P, O-donor ligand and different fluoroquinolones have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, electronic spectra, TGA, EPR, FT-IR and LC-MS spectroscopy. An antimicrobial efficiency of the complexes has been tested against five different microorganisms in terms of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and displays very good antimicrobial activity. The binding strength and binding mode of the complexes with Herring Sperm DNA (HS DNA) have been investigated by absorption titration and viscosity measurement studies. The studies suggest the classical intercalative mode of DNA binding. Gel electrophoresis assay determines the ability of the complexes to cleave the supercoiled form of pUC19 DNA. Synthesized complexes have been tested for their SOD mimic activity using nonenzymatic NBT/NADH/PMS system and found to have good antioxidant activity. All the complexes show good cytotoxic and in vitro antimalarial activities.

Apparent competition and native consumers exacerbate the strong competitive effect of an exotic plant species.

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Orrock, John L; Dutra, Humberto P; Marquis, Robert J; Barber, Nicholas

2015-04-01

Direct and indirect effects can play a key role in invasions, but experiments evaluating both are rare. We examined the roles of direct competition and apparent competition by exotic Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) by manipulating (1) L. maackii vegetation, (2) presence of L. maackii fruits, and (3) access to plants by small mammals and deer. Direct competition with L. maackii reduced the abundance and richness of native and exotic species, and native consumers significantly reduced the abundance and richness of native species. Although effects of direct competition and consumption were more pervasive, richness of native plants was also reduced through apparent competition, as small-mammal consumers reduced richness only when L. maackii fruits were present. Our experiment reveals the multiple, interactive pathways that affect the success and impact of an invasive exotic plant: exotic plants may directly benefit from reduced attack by native consumers, may directly exert strong competitive effects on native plants, and may also benefit from apparent competition.

Synthesis, CMC Determination, Antimicrobial Activity and Nucleic Acid Binding of A Surfactant Copper(II) Complex Containing Phenanthroline and Alanine Schiff-Base.

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Nagaraj, Karuppiah; Sakthinathan, Subramanian; Arunachalam, Sankaralingam

2014-03-01

A new water-soluble surfactant copper(II) complex [Cu(sal-ala)(phen)(DA)] (sal-ala = salicylalanine, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, DA = dodecylamine), has been synthesized and characterized by physico-chemical and spectroscopic methods. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) values of this surfactant-copper(II) complex in aqueous solution were obtained from conductance measurements. Specific conductivity data (at 303, 308, 313. 318 and 323 K) served for the evaluation of the temperature-dependent CMC and the thermodynamics of micellization (ΔG(0)m, ΔH(0)m and ΔS(0)m). The interaction of this complex with nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) has been explored by using electronic absorption spectral titration, competitive binding experiment, cyclic voltammetry, circular dichroism (CD) spectra, and viscosity measurements. Electronic absorption studies have revealed that the complex can bind to nucleic acids by the intercalative binding mode which has been verified by viscosity measurements. The DNA binding constants have also been calculated (Kb = 1.2 × 10(5) M(-1) for DNA and Kb = 1.6 × 10(5) M(-1) for RNA). Competitive binding study with ethidium bromide (EB) showed that the complex exhibits the ability to displace the DNA-bound-EB indicating that the complex binds to DNA in strong competition with EB for the intercalative binding site. The presence of hydrophobic ligands, alanine Schiff-base, phenanthroline and long aliphatic chain amine in the complex were responsible for this strong intercalative binding. The surfactant-copper (II) complex was screened for its antibacterial and antifungal activities against various microorganisms. The results were compared with the standard drugs, amikacin(antibacterial) and ketokonazole(antifungal).

Facile synthesis of gold coated copper(II) hydroxide pine-needle-like micro/nanostructures for surface-enhanced Raman scattering

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Long, Kailin; Du, Deyang; Luo, Xiaoguang; Zhao, Weiwei; Wu, Zhangting; Si, Lifang; Qiu, Teng

2014-08-01

This work reports a facile method to fabricate gold coated copper(II) hydroxide pine-needle-like micro/nanostructures for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) application. The effects of reaction parameters on the shape, size and surface morphology of the products are systematically investigated. The as-prepared 3D hierarchical structures have the advantage of a large surface area available for the formation of hot spots and the adsorption of target analytes, thus dramatically improving the Raman signals. The finite difference time domain calculations indicate that the pine-needle-like model pattern may demonstrate a high quality SERS property owing to the high density and abundant hot spot characteristic in closely spaced needle-like arms.

Nonlinear optical and G-Quadruplex DNA stabilization properties of novel mixed ligand copper(II) complexes and coordination polymers: Synthesis, structural characterization and computational studies

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Rajasekhar, Bathula; Bodavarapu, Navya; Sridevi, M.; Thamizhselvi, G.; RizhaNazar, K.; Padmanaban, R.; Swu, Toka

2018-03-01

The present study reports the synthesis and evaluation of nonlinear optical property and G-Quadruplex DNA Stabilization of five novel copper(II) mixed ligand complexes. They were synthesized from copper(II) salt, 2,5- and 2,3- pyridinedicarboxylic acid, diethylenetriamine and amide based ligand (AL). The crystal structure of these complexes were determined through X-ray diffraction and supported by ESI-MAS, NMR, UV-Vis and FT-IR spectroscopic methods. Their nonlinear optical property was studied using Gaussian09 computer program. For structural optimization and nonlinear optical property, density functional theory (DFT) based B3LYP method was used with LANL2DZ basis set for metal ion and 6-31G∗ for C,H,N,O and Cl atoms. The present work reveals that pre-polarized Complex-2 showed higher β value (29.59 × 10-30e.s.u) as compared to that of neutral complex-1 (β = 0.276 × 10-30e.s.u.) which may be due to greater advantage of polarizability. Complex-2 is expected to be a potential material for optoelectronic and photonic technologies. Docking studies using AutodockVina revealed that complex-2 has higher binding energy for both G-Quadruplex DNA (-8.7 kcal/mol) and duplex DNA (-10.1 kcal/mol). It was also observed that structure plays an important role in binding efficiency.

Species dependence of [64Cu]Cu-Bis(thiosemicarbazone) radiopharmaceutical binding to serum albumins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Basken, Nathan E.; Mathias, Carla J.; Lipka, Alexander E.; Green, Mark A.

2008-01-01

Introduction: Interactions of three copper(II) bis(thiosemicarbazone) positron emission tomography radiopharmaceuticals with human serum albumin, and the serum albumins of four additional mammalian species, were evaluated. Methods: 64 Cu-labeled diacetyl bis(N 4 -methylthiosemicarbazonato)copper(II) (Cu-ATSM), pyruvaldehyde bis(N 4 -methylthiosemicarbazonato)copper(II) (Cu-PTSM) and ethylglyoxal bis(thiosemicarbazonato)copper(II) (Cu-ETS) were synthesized and their binding to human, canine, rat, baboon and porcine serum albumins quantified by ultrafiltration. Protein binding was also measured for each tracer in human, porcine, rat and mouse serum. Results: The interaction of these neutral, lipophilic copper chelates with serum albumin is highly compound- and species-dependent. Cu-PTSM and Cu-ATSM exhibit particularly high affinity for human serum albumin (HSA), while the albumin binding of Cu-ETS is relatively insensitive to species. At HSA concentrations of 40 mg/ml, '% free' (non-albumin-bound) levels of radiopharmaceutical were 4.0±0.1%, 5.3±0.2% and 38.6±0.8% for Cu-PTSM, Cu-ATSM and Cu-ETS, respectively. Conclusions: Species-dependent variations in radiopharmaceutical binding to serum albumin may need to be considered when using animal models to predict the distribution and kinetics of these compounds in humans

Tetranuclear copper(II) complexes bridged by alpha-D-glucose-1-phosphate and incorporation of sugar acids through the Cu4 core structural changes.

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Kato, Merii; Sah, Ajay Kumar; Tanase, Tomoaki; Mikuriya, Masahiro

2006-08-21

Tetranuclear copper(II) complexes containing alpha-D-glucose-1-phosphate (alpha-D-Glc-1P), [Cu4(mu-OH){mu-(alpha-D-Glc-1P)}2(bpy)4(H2O)2]X3 [X = NO3 (1a), Cl (1b), Br (1c)], and [Cu4(mu-OH){mu-(alpha-D-Glc-1P)}2(phen)4(H2O)2](NO3)3 (2) were prepared by reacting the copper(II) salt with Na2[alpha-D-Glc-1P] in the presence of diimine ancillary ligands, and the structure of 2 was characterized by X-ray crystallography to comprise four {Cu(phen)}2+ fragments connected by the two sugar phosphate dianions in 1,3-O,O' and 1,1-O mu4-bridging fashion as well as a mu-hydroxo anion. The crystal structure of 2 involves two chemically independent complex cations in which the C2 enantiomeric structure for the trapezoidal tetracopper(II) framework is switched according to the orientation of the alpha-D-glucopyranosyl moieties. Temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility data of 1a indicated that antiferromagnetic spin coupling is operative between the two metal ions joined by the hydroxo bridge (J = -52 cm(-1)) while antiferromagnetic interaction through the Cu-O-Cu sugar phosphate bridges is weak (J = -13 cm(-1)). Complex 1a readily reacted with carboxylic acids to afford the tetranuclear copper(II) complexes, [Cu4{mu-(alpha-D-Glc-1P)}2(mu-CA)2(bpy)4](NO3)2 [CA = CH3COO (3), o-C6H4(COO)(COOH) (4)]. Reactions with m-phenylenediacetic acid [m-C6H4(CH2COOH)2] also gave the discrete tetracopper(II) cationic complex [Cu4{mu-(alpha-D-Glc-1P)}2(mu-m-C6H4(CH2COO)(CH2COOH))2(bpy)4](NO3)2 (5a) as well as the cluster polymer formulated as {[Cu4{mu-(alpha-D-Glc-1P)}2(mu-m-C6H4(CH2COO)2)(bpy)4](NO3)2}n (5b). The tetracopper structure of 1a is converted into a symmetrical rectangular core in complexes 3, 4, and 5b, where the hydroxo bridge is dissociated and, instead, two carboxylate anions bridge another pair of Cu(II) ions in a 1,1-O monodentate fashion. The similar reactions were applied to incorporate sugar acids onto the tetranuclear copper(II) centers. Reactions of 1a with delta

Synthesis, physico-chemical characterization and biological activity of copper(ii and nickel(ii complexes with l-benzoyl-2-methylbenzimidazole derivatives

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Podunavac-Kuzmanović Sanja O.

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Chlorides of copper(II and nickel(ll react with 1-benzoyl-2-methylbenzimidazole or 1-(4-chlorobenzoyl-2-methylbenzimidazole to give complexes of the type [M(LnCln(H20∙Cln (M = Cu or Ni; L = (1-benzoyl-2-methylbenzimidazole or 1-(4-chlorobenzoyl-2-methylbenzimidazole; n=O, 1 or 2. The complexes were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductivity magnetic susceptibility measurements and IR spectra. These studies suggest that all the complexes possess an octahedral stereochemistry. The antibacterial activity of (1-benzoyl-2-methylbenzimidazole or 1-(4-chlorobenzoyl-2-methylbenzimidazole and their complexes was evaluated against Escherichia coli and Bacillus sp.

Kinetics of the oxidative hydroxylation of tetraphosphorus in the presence of copper(II chloride modified by humic (fulvo- acid

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Zhaksyntay Kairbekov

2012-12-01

Full Text Available It was established that in mild conditions (50-70 oC, РО2= 1 atm white phosphorus effectively is oxidized by oxygen in water-toluene solutions of copper(II chloride modified by humic (fulvo- acid to give mainly phosphoric acid. Humic (fulvo- acid was extracted from brown coal of domestic deposit Kiyakty. For determination of optimum parameters of fulvo-acid extraction the laboratory experiments were carried out using the method of experiment planning. The kinetics, intermediate and final products, optimum conditions of new catalytic reaction of P4 oxidation by oxygen in water medium were defined by kinetics, volumometry, redox-potentiometry, 31Р{1Н} NMR spectroscopy and  titration. 

Synthesis, characterization, spectroscopic and theoretical studies of new zinc(II), copper(II) and nickel(II) complexes based on imine ligand containing 2-aminothiophenol moiety

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Shafaatian, Bita; Mousavi, S. Sedighe; Afshari, Sadegh

2016-11-01

New dimer complexes of zinc(II), copper(II) and nickel(II) were synthesized using the Schiff base ligand which was formed by the condensation of 2-aminothiophenol and 2-hydroxy-5-methyl benzaldehyde. This tridentate Schiff base ligand was coordinated to the metal ions through the NSO donor atoms. In order to prevent the oxidation of the thiole group during the formation of Schiff base and its complexes, all of the reactions were carried out under an inert atmosphere of argon. The X-ray structure of the Schiff base ligand showed that in the crystalline form the SH groups were oxidized to produce a disulfide Schiff base as a new double Schiff base ligand. The molar conductivity values of the complexes in dichloromethane implied the presence of non-electrolyte species. The fluorescence properties of the Schiff base ligand and its complexes were also studied in dichloromethane. The products were characterized by FT-IR, 1H NMR, UV/Vis spectroscopies, elemental analysis, and conductometry. The crystal structure of the double Schiff base was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Furthermore, the density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level of theory for the determination of the optimized structures of Schiff base complexes.

Species dependence of [{sup 64}Cu]Cu-Bis(thiosemicarbazone) radiopharmaceutical binding to serum albumins

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Basken, Nathan E. [Division of Nuclear Pharmacy, Department of Industrial and Physical Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 (United States)], E-mail: nbasken@purdue.edu; Mathias, Carla J. [Division of Nuclear Pharmacy, Department of Industrial and Physical Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 (United States); Lipka, Alexander E. [Department of Statistics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 (United States); Green, Mark A. [Division of Nuclear Pharmacy, Department of Industrial and Physical Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 (United States)], E-mail: magreen@purdue.edu

2008-04-15

Introduction: Interactions of three copper(II) bis(thiosemicarbazone) positron emission tomography radiopharmaceuticals with human serum albumin, and the serum albumins of four additional mammalian species, were evaluated. Methods: {sup 64}Cu-labeled diacetyl bis(N{sup 4}-methylthiosemicarbazonato)copper(II) (Cu-ATSM), pyruvaldehyde bis(N{sup 4}-methylthiosemicarbazonato)copper(II) (Cu-PTSM) and ethylglyoxal bis(thiosemicarbazonato)copper(II) (Cu-ETS) were synthesized and their binding to human, canine, rat, baboon and porcine serum albumins quantified by ultrafiltration. Protein binding was also measured for each tracer in human, porcine, rat and mouse serum. Results: The interaction of these neutral, lipophilic copper chelates with serum albumin is highly compound- and species-dependent. Cu-PTSM and Cu-ATSM exhibit particularly high affinity for human serum albumin (HSA), while the albumin binding of Cu-ETS is relatively insensitive to species. At HSA concentrations of 40 mg/ml, '% free' (non-albumin-bound) levels of radiopharmaceutical were 4.0{+-}0.1%, 5.3{+-}0.2% and 38.6{+-}0.8% for Cu-PTSM, Cu-ATSM and Cu-ETS, respectively. Conclusions: Species-dependent variations in radiopharmaceutical binding to serum albumin may need to be considered when using animal models to predict the distribution and kinetics of these compounds in humans.

Synthesis, thermogravimetric, spectroscopic and theoretical characterization of copper(II) complex with 4-chloro-2-nitrobenzenosulfonamide

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Camí, G.; Chacón Villalba, E.; Di Santi, Y.; Colinas, P.; Estiu, G.; Soria, D. B.

2011-05-01

4-Chloro-2-nitrobenzenesulfonamide (ClNbsa) was purified and characterized. A new copper(II) complex, [Cu(ClNbsa) 2(NH 3) 2], has been prepared using the sulfonamide as ligand. The thermal behavior of both, the ligand and the Cu(II) complex, was investigated by thermogravimetric analyses (TG) and differential thermal analysis (DT), and the electronic characteristics analyzed by UV-VIS, FTIR, Raman and 1H NMR spectroscopies. The experimental IR, Raman and UV-VIS spectra have been assigned on the basis of DFT calculations at the B3LYP level of theory using the standard (6-31 + G ∗∗) basis set. The geometries have been fully optimized in vacuum and in modeled dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) solvent, using for the latter a continuum solvation model that reproduced the experimental conditions of the UV-VIS spectroscopy. The theoretical results converged to stable conformations for the free sulfonamide and for the complex, suggesting for the latter a distorted square planar geometry in both environments.

Research on killing Escherichia Coli by reactive oxygen species based on strong ionization discharging plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Y J; Tian, Y P; Zhang, Z T; Li, R H; Cai, L J; Gao, J Y

2013-01-01

Reactive oxygen species solution produced by strong ionization discharging plasma was used to kill Escherichia coli by spraying. Several effect factors such as pH value, solution temperature, spraying time and exposure time were observed in this study, and their effects on killing rate of Escherichia coli were discussed and analysed. Results show that the treating efficiency of ROS solution for Escherichia coli is higher in alkaline solution than that in acid solution. The killing rate of Escherichia coli increases while the spraying time and exposure time are longer and the temperature is lower. The effects of different factors on killing rate of Escherichia coli are as follows: spraying time > pH value > exposure time > solution temperature.

Synthesis, molecular docking and DNA binding studies of phthalimide-based copper(II) complex: In vitro antibacterial, hemolytic and antioxidant assessment

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Arif, Rizwan; Nayab, Pattan Sirajuddin; Ansari, Istikhar A.; Shahid, M.; Irfan, Mohammad; Alam, Shadab; Abid, Mohammad; Rahisuddin

2018-05-01

In the present research work, we prepared N-substituted phthalimide, 2-(-(2-(2-(2-(1,3-dioxoisoindoline-2-yl-ethylamino)ethylamino)ethyl)isoindoline-1,3-dione (DEEI) and its copper(II) complex. The ligand (DEEI) and its Cu(II) complex were structurally identified using absorption, FTIR, NMR, electron spin resonance, X-ray diffraction spectral studies, thermogravimetric and elemental analyses. The electronic spectrum and magnetic moment value proposed that Cu(II) complex has square planar geometry. The DNA interaction ability of the ligand (DEEI) and Cu(II) complex was studied by means of absorption and fluorescence spectrophotometer, viscosity measurements, cyclic voltammetery, and circular dichroism methods. The extent of DNA binding (Kb) with Calf thymus (Ct-DNA) follows the order of Cu(II) complex (1.11 × 106 M-1) > DEEI (1.0 × 105 M-1), indicating that Cu(II) complex interact with Ct-DNA through groove binding mode and more sturdily than ligand (DEEI). Interestingly, in silico predictions were corroborated with in vitro DNA binding studies. The antibacterial evaluation of these compounds was screened against a panel of bacterial strains Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MTCC 2453), Salmonella enterica (MTCC 3224), Streptococcus pneumoniae (MTCC 655), Enterococcus faecalis (MTCC 439), Klebsiella pneumonia and Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922). The results showed that the copper(II) complex has significant antibacterial potential (IC50 = 0.0019 μg/mL) against Salmonella enteric comparable with ligand (DEEI) and standard drug ciprofloxacin. Growth curve study of Cu(II) complex against only three bacterial strains S. enterica, E. faecalis and S. pneumoniae showed its bactericidal nature. Cu(II) complex showed less than 2% hemolysis on human RBCs indicating its non toxic nature. The results of antioxidant assay demonstrated that scavenging activity of Cu(II) complex is higher as compared to ligand and ascorbic acid as standard.

Halogen-bonded network of trinuclear copper(II 4-iodopyrazolate complexes formed by mutual breakdown of chloroform and nanojars

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Stuart A. Surmann

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Crystals of bis(tetrabutylammonium di-μ3-chlorido-tris(μ2-4-iodopyrazolato-κ2N:N′tris[chloridocuprate(II] 1,4-dioxane hemisolvate, (C16H36N2[Cu3(C3H2IN23Cl5]·0.5C4H8O or (Bu4N2[CuII3(μ3-Cl2(μ-4-I-pz3Cl3]·0.5C4H8O, were obtained by evaporating a solution of (Bu4N2[{CuII(μ-OH(μ-4-I-pz}nCO3] (n = 27–31 nanojars in chloroform/1,4-dioxane. The decomposition of chloroform in the presence of oxygen and moisture provides HCl, which leads to the breakdown of nanojars to the title trinuclear copper(II pyrazolate complex, and possibly CuII ions and free 4-iodopyrazole. CuII ions, in turn, act as catalyst for the accelerated decomposition of chloroform, ultimately leading to the complete breakdown of nanojars. The crystal structure presented here provides the first structural description of a trinuclear copper(II pyrazolate complex with iodine-substituted pyrazoles. In contrast to related trinuclear complexes based on differently substituted 4-R-pyrazoles (R = H, Cl, Br, Me, the [Cu3(μ-4-I-pz3Cl3] core in the title complex is nearly planar. This difference is likely a result of the presence of the iodine substituent, which provides a unique, novel feature in copper pyrazolate chemistry. Thus, the iodine atoms form halogen bonds with the terminal chlorido ligands of the surrounding complexes [mean length of I...Cl contacts = 3.48 (1 Å], leading to an extended two-dimensional, halogen-bonded network along (-110. The cavities within this framework are filled by centrosymmetric 1,4-dioxane solvent molecules, which create further bridges via C—H...Cl hydrogen bonds with terminal chlorido ligands of the trinuclear complex not involved in halogen bonding.

Interaction between metals and nucleic acids. Part 3. Synthesis and structural studies of copper(II) complexes with Schiff base ligands derived from barbituric acid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sasaki, I.; Gaudemer, A.; Chiaroni, A.; Riche, C.

1986-02-17

Schiff bases have been prepared from 5-formylbarbituric acid and 5-formyl-1,3-dimethyl-barbituric acid and various di- or tri-amines. The structure of the corresponding copper(II) complexes have been established by elemental analysis and spectroscopic methods. The molecular structure of one of the complexes, Cu(DiMeBardpt), was determined by X-ray diffraction. Electrochemical study shows that these complexes are reduced at slightly more negative potentials than the corresponding complexes obtained from uracil, which suggests that these new ligands are better electron-donors.

Synthesis and properties of complexes of copper(II), nickel(II), cobalt(II) and uranyl ions with 3-(p-tolylsulphonamido)rhodamine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Bindary, A.A.; El-Sonbati, A.Z.

2000-01-01

Metal complexes of copper(II), nickel(II), cobalt(II) and uranyl ions with 3-(p-tolylsulphonamido)rhodamine (HL) have been prepared and characterized by chemical and thermal analyses, molar conductivity , magnetic susceptibility measurements, and infrared, electronic and EPR spectra. The visible and EPR spectra indicated that the Cu(II) complex has a tetragonal geometry. From EPR spectrum of the Cu(II) complex,various parameters were calculated. The crystal field parameters of Ni(II) complex were calculated and were found to agree fairly well with the values reported for known square pyramidal complexes. The infrared spectral studies showed a monobasic bidentate behaviour with the oxygen and nitrogen donor system. Thermal stabilities of the complexes are also reported. (author)

Stability constants of glutarate complexes of copper(II), zinc(II), cobalt(II) and uranyl(II) by paper electrophoresis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, R.K.P.; Yadava, J.R.; Yadava, K.L.

1981-01-01

Stability constants of Copper(II), Zinc(II), Cobalt(II) and Uranyl(II) glutarates have been determined by paper electrophoresis. Glutaric acid (0.005 mol dmsup(-3)) was added to the background electrolyte : 0.1 mol dmsup(-3) HClO 4 . The proportions of (CH 2 ) 3 COOH COO - and (CH 2 ) 3 C 2 O 4 2- were varied by changing the pH of the electrolyte. These anions yielded the complexes Cu(CH 2 ) 3 C 2 O 4 , [Zn(CH 2 ) 3 COOH COO] + [Co(CH 2 ) 3 COOH COO] + and UO 2 (CH 2 ) 3 C 2 O 4 whose stability constants are found to be 10sup(3.9), 10sup(2.9), 10sup(2.7) and 10sup(13.5) respectively. (author)

XAFS Study of the Ferro- and Antiferromagnetic Binuclear Copper(II) Complexes of Azomethine Based Tridentate Ligands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vlasenko, Valery G.; Vasilchenko, Igor S.; Shestakova, Tatiana E.; Uraev, Ali I.; Burlov, Anatolii S.; Garnovskii, Alexander D.; Pirog, Irina V.

2007-01-01

Binuclear copper complexes are known to be models for metalloenzymes containing copper active sites, and some of them are of considerable interest due to their magnetic and charge transfer properties. The reactions of the complex formation of bibasic tridentate heterocyclic imines with copper acetate leads to two types of chelates with mono deprotonated ligands and with totally deprotonated ligands. Cu K-edge EXAFS has been applied to determine the local structure around the metal center in copper(II) azomethine complexes with five tridentate ligands: 1-(salycilideneimino)- or 1-(2-tosylaminobenzilideneimino)-2-amino(oxo, thio)benzimidazoles. It has been found that some of the chelates studied are bridged binuclear copper complexes, and others are mononuclear complexes. The copper-copper interatomic distances in the bridged binuclear copper complexes were found to be 2.85-3.01 A. Variable temperature magnetic susceptibility data indicate the presence of both ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions within the dimer, the former is dominating at low temperatures and the latter at high temperatures

Stability of strong species interactions resist the synergistic effects of local and global pollution in kelp forests.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura J Falkenberg

Full Text Available Foundation species, such as kelp, exert disproportionately strong community effects and persist, in part, by dominating taxa that inhibit their regeneration. Human activities which benefit their competitors, however, may reduce stability of communities, increasing the probability of phase-shifts. We tested whether a foundation species (kelp would continue to inhibit a key competitor (turf-forming algae under moderately increased local (nutrient and near-future forecasted global pollution (CO(2. Our results reveal that in the absence of kelp, local and global pollutants combined to cause the greatest cover and mass of turfs, a synergistic response whereby turfs increased more than would be predicted by adding the independent effects of treatments (kelp absence, elevated nutrients, forecasted CO(2. The positive effects of nutrient and CO(2 enrichment on turfs were, however, inhibited by the presence of kelp, indicating the competitive effect of kelp was stronger than synergistic effects of moderate enrichment of local and global pollutants. Quantification of physicochemical parameters within experimental mesocosms suggests turf inhibition was likely due to an effect of kelp on physical (i.e. shading rather than chemical conditions. Such results indicate that while forecasted climates may increase the probability of phase-shifts, maintenance of intact populations of foundation species could enable the continued strength of interactions and persistence of communities.

Diversity of cuticular wax among Salix species and Populus species hybrids.

Science.gov (United States)

Cameron, Kimberly D; Teece, Mark A; Bevilacqua, Eddie; Smart, Lawrence B

2002-08-01

The leaf cuticular waxes of three Salix species and two Populus species hybrids, selected for their ability to produce high amounts of biomass, were characterized. Samples were extracted in CH(2)Cl(2) three times over the growing season. Low kV SEM was utilized to observe differences in the ultrastructure of leaf surfaces from each clone. Homologous series of wax components were classified into organic groups, and the variation in wax components due to clone, sample time, and their interaction was identified. All Salix species and Populus species hybrids showed differences in total wax load at each sampling period, whereas the pattern of wax deposition over time differed only between the Salix species. A strong positive relationship was identified between the entire homologous series of alcohols and total wax load in all clones. Similarly strong relationships were observed between fatty acids and total wax load as well as fatty acids and alcohols in two Salix species and one Populus species hybrid. One Salix species, S. dasyclados, also displayed a strong positive relationship between alcohols and alkanes. These data indicate that species grown under the same environmental conditions produce measurably different cuticular waxes and that regulation of wax production appears to be different in each species. The important roles cuticular waxes play in drought tolerance, pest, and pathogen resistance, as well as the ease of wax extraction and analysis, strongly suggest that the characteristics of the cuticular wax may prove to be useful selectable traits in a breeding program.

Antibacterial activity of nicotine and its copper complex

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaidi, M.I.; Gul, A.

2005-01-01

Nicotine and its metal complex; Cu(II)-nicotine was isolated from leaves of Nicotiana tabacum using metal ions following the method of Munir et al., 1994. Their antibacterial activity against ten different species of gram positive and gram negative bacteria were studied. For comparative study, pure sample of nicotine and metal salts used for complexation; Copper(II) chloride were also subjected to antibacterial tests with the same species of bacteria under similar conditions. Results indicated that nicotine had no effect on all the bacteria tested except Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeroginosa and Enterococcus faecalis, which showed 14 mm zone of inhibition at 200 mu g l00 mul/sup -1/ Copper(II) chloride was found to be effective against seven species and ineffective against three species of selected bacteria. On the other hand, Cu(II)-nicotine complex was ineffective against five species of bacteria at lower level while at higher level, only one species of bacteria showed resistance against this complex. The complex was compared with three standard antibiotics. Thus, this complex can be used against a variety of microorganisms at higher level. (author)

Synthesis and characterization of nickel(II), cobalt(II), copper(II), manganese(II), zinc(II), zirconium(IV), dioxouranium(VI) and dioxomolybdenum(VI) complexes of a new Schiff base derived from salicylaldehyde and 5-methylpyrazole-3-carbohydrazide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Syamal, A.; Maurya, M.R.

1986-01-01

Synthesis of a new Schiff base derived from salicylaldehyde and 5-methylpyrazole-3-carbohydrazide, and its coordination compounds with nickel(II), cobalt(II), copper(II), manganese(II), zinc(II), zirconium(IV), dioxouranium(VI) and dioxomolybdenum(VI) are described. The ligand and the complexes have been characterized on the basis of analytical, conductance, molecular weight, i.r., electronic and n.m.r. spectra and magnetic susceptibility measurements. The stoichiometries of the complexes are represented as NiL . 3H 2 O, CoL . 2H 2 O, CuL, MnL . 2H 2 O, ZnL . H 2 O, Zr(OH) 2 (LH) 2 , Zr(OH) 2 L . 2MeOH, UO 2 L . MeOH and MoO 2 L . MeOH (where LH 2 =Schiff base). The copper(II) complex shows a subnormal magnetic moment due to antiferromagnetic exchange interaction while the nickel(II), cobalt(II) and manganese(II) complexes show normal magnetic moments at room temperature. The i.r. and n.m.r. spectral studies show that the Schiff base behaves as a dibasic and tridentate ligand coordinating through the deprotonated phenolic oxygen, enolic oxygen and azomethine nitrogen. (orig.)

Mammal predator and prey species richness are strongly linked at macroscales

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sandom, Christopher James; Dalby, Lars; Fløjgaard, Camilla

2013-01-01

Predator–prey interactions play an important role for species composition and community dynamics at local scales, but their importance in shaping large-scale gradients of species richness remains unexplored. Here, we use global range maps, structural equation models (SEM), and comprehensive...... databases of dietary preferences and body masses of all terrestrial, non-volant mammals worldwide, to test whether (1) prey-bottom-up or predator- top-down relationships are important drivers of broad-scale species richness gradients once the environment and human influence has been accounted for, (2...... between them (e.g., large prey to small predators), suggesting that mass-related energetic and physiological constraints influence broad-scale richness links, especially for large-bodied mammals. Overall, our results support the idea that trophic interactions can be important drivers of large...

Synthesis, Characterization and Antimicrobial Studies of a New Mannich Base N-[Morpholino(phenylmethyl]acetamide and Its Cobalt(II, Nickel(II and Copper(II Metal Complexes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Muruganandam

2012-01-01

Full Text Available A new Mannich base N-[morpholino(phenylmethyl]acetamide (MBA, was synthesized and characterized by spectral studies. Chelates of MBA with cobalt(II, nickel(II and copper(II ions were prepared and characterized by elemental analyses, IR and UV spectral studies. MBA was found to act as a bidentate ligand, bonding through the carbonyl oxygen of acetamide group and CNC nitrogen of morpholine moiety in all the complexes. Based on the magnetic moment values and UV-Visible spectral data, tetracoordinate geometry for nitrato complexes and hexacoordinate geometry for sulphato complexes were assigned. The antimicrobial studies show that the Co(II nitrato complex is more active than the other complexes.

Males of a strongly polygynous species consume more poisonous food than females.

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Carolina Bravo

Full Text Available We present evidence of a possible case of self-medication in a lekking bird, the great bustard Otis tarda. Great bustards consumed blister beetles (Meloidae, in spite of the fact that they contain cantharidin, a highly toxic compound that is lethal in moderate doses. In addition to anthelminthic properties, cantharidin was effective against gastrointestinal bacteria that cause sexually-transmitted diseases. Although both sexes consumed blister beetles during the mating season, only males selected them among all available insects, and ingested more and larger beetles than females. The male-biased consumption suggests that males could use cantharidin to reduce their parasite load and increase their sexual attractiveness. This plausibly explains the intense cloaca display males perform to approaching females, and the meticulous inspection females conduct of the male's cloaca, a behaviour only observed in this and another similar species of the bustard family. A white, clean cloaca with no infection symptoms (e.g., diarrhoea is an honest signal of both, resistance to cantharidin and absence of parasites, and represents a reliable indicator of the male quality to the extremely choosy females. Our results do not definitely prove, but certainly strongly suggest that cantharidin, obtained by consumption of blister beetles, acts in great bustards as an oral anti-microbial and pathogen-limiting compound, and that males ingest these poisonous insects to increase their mating success, pointing out that self-medication might have been overlooked as a sexually-selected mechanism enhancing male fitness.

Fractional energy states of strongly-interacting bosons in one dimension

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zinner, Nikolaj Thomas; G. Volosniev, A.; V. Fedorov, D.

2014-01-01

We study two-component bosonic systems with strong inter-species and vanishing intra-species interactions. A new class of exact eigenstates is found with energies that are {\\it not} sums of the single-particle energies with wave functions that have the characteristic feature that they vanish over...... than three particles. The states can be probed using the same techniques that have recently been used for fermionic few-body systems in quasi-1D.......We study two-component bosonic systems with strong inter-species and vanishing intra-species interactions. A new class of exact eigenstates is found with energies that are {\\it not} sums of the single-particle energies with wave functions that have the characteristic feature that they vanish over...... extended regions of coordinate space. This is demonstrated in an analytically solvable model for three equal mass particles, two of which are identical bosons, which is exact in the strongly-interacting limit. We numerically verify our results by presenting the first application of the stochastic...

Ternary copper(II) complex: NCI60 screening, toxicity studies, and evaluation of efficacy in xenograft models of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Tai-Lin; Abdul Aziz, Norazlin; Mohd Kornain, Noor-Kaslina; Samiulla, D. S.; Lo, Kwok-Wai; Ng, Chew-Hee

2018-01-01

Copper(II) ternary complex, [Cu(phen)(C-dmg)(H2O)]NO3 was evaluated against a panel of cell lines, tested for in vivo efficacy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma xenograft models as well as for toxicity in NOD scid gamma mice. The Cu(II) complex displayed broad spectrum cytotoxicity against multiple cancer types, including lung, colon, central nervous system, melanoma, ovarian, and prostate cancer cell lines in the NCI-60 panel. The Cu(II) complex did not cause significant induction of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A and 1A enzymes but moderately inhibited CYP isoforms 1A2, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, 2B6, 2C8 and 3A4. The complex significantly inhibited tumor growth in nasopharyngeal carcinoma xenograft bearing mice models at doses which were well tolerated without causing significant or permanent toxic side effects. However, higher doses which resulted in better inhibition of tumor growth also resulted in toxicity. PMID:29329342

Development of pyridine-containing macrocyclic copper(II) complexes: potential role in the redox modulation of oxaliplatin toxicity in human breast cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandes, Ana S; Costa, Judite; Gaspar, Jorge; Rueff, José; Cabral, M Fátima; Cipriano, Madalena; Castro, Matilde; Oliveira, Nuno G

2012-09-01

The unique redox and catalytic chemistry of Cu has justified the development of novel Cu complexes for different therapeutic uses including cancer therapy. In this work, four pyridine-containing aza-macrocyclic copper(II) complexes were prepared (CuL1-CuL4) varying in ring size and/or substituents and their superoxide scavenging activity evaluated. CuL3, the most active superoxide scavenger, was further studied as a modulator of the cytotoxicity of oxaliplatin in epithelial breast MCF10A cells and in MCF7 breast cancer cells. Our results show that CuL3 enhances the therapeutic window of oxaliplatin, by both protecting non-tumour cells and increasing its cytotoxic effect in breast carcinoma cells. CuL3 is thus a promising complex to be further studied and to be used as a lead compound for the optimization of novel chemotherapy sensitizers.

Co-Culture with Listeria monocytogenes within a Dual-Species Biofilm Community Strongly Increases Resistance of Pseudomonas putida to Benzalkonium Chloride

Science.gov (United States)

Giaouris, Efstathios; Chorianopoulos, Nikos; Doulgeraki, Agapi; Nychas, George-John

2013-01-01

Biofilm formation is a phenomenon occurring almost wherever microorganisms and surfaces exist in close proximity. This study aimed to evaluate the possible influence of bacterial interactions on the ability of Listeria monocytogenes and Pseudomonas putida to develop a dual-species biofilm community on stainless steel (SS), as well as on the subsequent resistance of their sessile cells to benzalkonium chloride (BC) used in inadequate (sub-lethal) concentration (50 ppm). The possible progressive adaptability of mixed-culture biofilms to BC was also investigated. To accomplish these, 3 strains per species were left to develop mixed-culture biofilms on SS coupons, incubated in daily renewable growth medium for a total period of 10 days, under either mono- or dual-species conditions. Each day, biofilm cells were exposed to disinfection treatment. Results revealed that the simultaneous presence of L. monocytogenes strongly increased the resistance of P. putida biofilm cells to BC, while culture conditions (mono-/dual-species) did not seem to significantly influence the resistance of L. monocytogenes biofilm cells. BC mainly killed L. monocytogenes cells when this was applied against the dual-species sessile community during the whole incubation period, despite the fact that from the 2nd day this community was mainly composed (>90%) of P. putida cells. No obvious adaptation to BC was observed in either L. monocytogenes or P. putida biofilm cells. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis showed that the different strains behaved differently with regard to biofilm formation and antimicrobial resistance. Such knowledge on the physiological behavior of mixed-culture biofilms could provide the information necessary to control their formation. PMID:24130873

Co-culture with Listeria monocytogenes within a dual-species biofilm community strongly increases resistance of Pseudomonas putida to benzalkonium chloride.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Efstathios Giaouris

Full Text Available Biofilm formation is a phenomenon occurring almost wherever microorganisms and surfaces exist in close proximity. This study aimed to evaluate the possible influence of bacterial interactions on the ability of Listeria monocytogenes and Pseudomonas putida to develop a dual-species biofilm community on stainless steel (SS, as well as on the subsequent resistance of their sessile cells to benzalkonium chloride (BC used in inadequate (sub-lethal concentration (50 ppm. The possible progressive adaptability of mixed-culture biofilms to BC was also investigated. To accomplish these, 3 strains per species were left to develop mixed-culture biofilms on SS coupons, incubated in daily renewable growth medium for a total period of 10 days, under either mono- or dual-species conditions. Each day, biofilm cells were exposed to disinfection treatment. Results revealed that the simultaneous presence of L. monocytogenes strongly increased the resistance of P. putida biofilm cells to BC, while culture conditions (mono-/dual-species did not seem to significantly influence the resistance of L. monocytogenes biofilm cells. BC mainly killed L. monocytogenes cells when this was applied against the dual-species sessile community during the whole incubation period, despite the fact that from the 2nd day this community was mainly composed (>90% of P. putida cells. No obvious adaptation to BC was observed in either L. monocytogenes or P. putida biofilm cells. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE analysis showed that the different strains behaved differently with regard to biofilm formation and antimicrobial resistance. Such knowledge on the physiological behavior of mixed-culture biofilms could provide the information necessary to control their formation.

Strong influence of regional species pools on continent-wide structuring of local communities

OpenAIRE

Lessard, Jean-Philippe; Borregaard, Michael K.; Fordyce, James A.; Rahbek, Carsten; Weiser, Michael D.; Dunn, Robert R.; Sanders, Nathan J.

2011-01-01

There is a long tradition in ecology of evaluating the relative contribution of the regional species pool and local interactions on the structure of local communities. Similarly, a growing number of studies assess the phylogenetic structure of communities, relative to that in the regional species pool, to examine the interplay between broad-scale evolutionary and fine-scale ecological processes. Finally, a renewed interest in the influence of species source pools on communities has shown that...

Syntheses and properties of binuclear copper(II) mixed-ligand complexes involving thiodiglycolic acid. The crystal structures of [(phen)2Cu(m-tdga)Cu(phen)](NO3)2x5H2O and [(H2O)(pmdien)Cu(micro-tdga)Cu(pmdien)(H2O)](ClO4)

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kopel, P.; Trávníček, Zdeněk; Marek, J.; Korabik, M.; Mrozinski, J.

2003-01-01

Roč. 22, - (2003), s. 411-418 ISSN 0277-5387 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA203/99/0067 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5038910 Keywords : Copper(II) * Thiodiglycolic acid complexes * Crystal structures Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 1.584, year: 2003

Hybridization in the Ensatina Ring Species, Strong selection against hybrids at a hybrid zone in the ensatina ring species complex and its evolutionary implications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alexandrino, Joao; Baird, Stuart J.E.; Lawson, Lucinda; Macey, J. Robert; Moritz, Craig; Wake, David B.

2005-04-22

The analysis of interactions between lineages at varying levels of genetic divergence can provide insights into the process of speciation through the accumulation of incompatible mutations. Ring species, and especially the Ensatina eschscholtzii system exemplify this approach. The plethodontid salamanders Ensatina eschscholtzii xanthoptica and Ensatina eschscholtzii platensis hybridize in the Central Sierran foothills of California. We compared the genetic structure across two transects (southern and northern Calaveras Co.), one of which was re-sampled over 20 years, and examined diagnostic molecular markers (eight allozyme loci and mitochondrial DNA) and a diagnostic quantitative trait (color pattern). Key results across all studies were: (i) cline centers for all markers were coincident and the zones were narrow, with width estimates of 730m to 2000m; (ii) cline centers at the northern Calaveras transect were coincident between 1981 and 2001, demonstrating repeatability over 5 generations; (iii) there are very few if any putative F1's, but a relatively high number of backcrossed individuals (57-86 percent) in the central portion of transects; (iv) we found substantial linkage disequilibrium in all three studies and strong heterozygote deficit both in northern Calaveras, in 2001, and southern Calaveras. Both linkage disequilibrium and heterozygote deficit show maximum values near the center of the zones (R and Fis, approx. equal to 0.5). Using estimates of cline width and dispersal, we infer strong selection against hybrids (s* approx. equal to 46-75 percent). This is sufficient to promote accumulation of differences at loci that are neutral or under divergent selection, but would still allow for introgression of adaptive alleles. The evidence for strong, but incomplete isolation across this centrally located contact is consistent with theory suggesting a gradual increase in postzygotic incompatibility between allopatric populations subject to divergent

Selective adsorption of silver(I) ions over copper(II) ions on a sulfoethyl derivative of chitosan.

Science.gov (United States)

Petrova, Yulia S; Pestov, Alexandr V; Usoltseva, Maria K; Neudachina, Ludmila K

2015-12-15

This study presents a simple and effective method of preparation of N-(2-sulfoethyl) chitosan (NSE-chitosan) that allows obtaining a product with a degree of modification up to 1.0. The chemical structure of the obtained polymers was confirmed by FT-IR and 1H NMR spectroscopies. Cross-linking of N-(2-sulfoethyl) chitosans by glutaraldehyde allows preparation of sorbents for removal and concentration of metal ions. Capacity of sorbents towards hydroxide ions was determined depending on the degree of sulfoethylation under static and dynamic conditions. Dissociation constants of functional amino groups of the analyzed sorbents were determined by potentiometric titration. It was shown that basicity of the amino groups decreased (wherein pKa decreased from 6.53 to 5.67) with increase in degree of sulfoethylation. It explains the significant influence of sulfo groups on selectivity of sorption of metal ions on N-(2-sulfoethyl) chitosan-based sorbents. The investigated substances selectively remove copper(II) and silver(I) ions from solutions of complex composition. Wherein the selectivity coefficient KAg/Cu increased to 20 (pH 6.5, ammonium acetate buffer solution) with increase in degree of sulfoethylation of the sorbent up to 1.0. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A novel trinuclear copper(II) complex containing a symmetric tetradentate N.sub.2./sub.O.sub.2./sub. Schiff base ligand: synthesis, characterization, crystal structure and its usage as a new precursor for the preparation of CuO particles

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Khalaji, A.D.; Ghorbani, M.; Feizi, N.; Akbari, A.; Eigner, Václav; Dušek, Michal

2017-01-01

Roč. 121, Jan (2017), s. 9-12 ISSN 0277-5387 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA15-12653S; GA MŠk LO1603 EU Projects: European Commission(XE) CZ.2.16/3.1.00/24510 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : trinuclear complex * copper(II) complex * Schiff base * crystal structure * thermal decomposition Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry OBOR OECD: Organic chemistry Impact factor: 1.926, year: 2016

Selective flotation-spectrophotometric determination of trace copper(II) in natural waters, human blood and drug samples using phenanthraquinone monophenylthiosemicarbazone.

Science.gov (United States)

Khalifa, M E; Akl, M A; Ghazy, S E

2001-06-01

Copper(II) forms 1:1 and 1:2 intense red complexes with phenanthraquinone monophenylthiosemicarbazone (PPT) at pH 3-3.5 and > or =6.5, respectively. These complexes exhibit maximal absorbance at 545 and 517 nm, the molar absorptivity being 2.3 x 10(4) and 4.8 x 10(4) l mol(-1) cm(-1), respectively. However, the 1:1 complex was quantitatively floated with oleic acid (HOL) surfactant in the pH range 4.5-5.5, providing a highly selective and sensitive procedure for the spectrophotometric determination of CuII. The molar absorptivity of the floated Cu-PPT complex was 1.5 x 10(5) l mol)(-1) cm(-1). Beer's law was obeyed over the range 3-400 ppb at 545 nm. The analytical parameters affecting the flotation process and hence the determination of copper traces were reported. Also, the structure of the isolated solid complex and the mechanism of flotation were suggested. Moreover, the procedure was successfully applied to the analysis of CuII in natural waters, serum blood and some drug samples.

Transition metal complexes with thiosemicarbazide-based ligands. Part 60. Reactions of copper(II bromide with pyridoxal S-methylisothiosemicarbazone (PLITSC. Crystal structure of [Cu(PLITSC−HH2O]Br•H2O

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leovac Vukadin M.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The synthesis and structural characterization of a square-planar copper(II complex with pyridoxal S-methylisothiosemicarbazone (PLITSC of the formula [Cu(PLITSC−HH2O]Br•H2O (1 as the first Cu(II complex with monoanionic form of this ligand were described. Complex 1 together with two previously synthesized complexes [Cu(PLITSCBr2] (2 and [Cu(PLITSCBr(MeOH]Br (3 were characterized by elemental analysis, IR and electronic spectra and also by the methods of thermal analysis, conductometry and magnetochemistry. [Projekat Pokrajisnkog sekretarijata za nauku i tehnoloski razvoj Vojvodine i Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 172014

The synthesis, spectroscopy and X-ray single crystal structure of catena-[(μ-anacardato)-copper(II)bipyridine][Cu2{(μ-O2CC6H3(o-OH)(o-C15H31)}4(NC5H5)2].

Science.gov (United States)

Malik, Mohammad Azad; O'Brien, Paul; Tuna, Floriana; Pritchard, Robin; Buchweishaija, Joseph; Kimambo, Elianaso; Mubofu, Egid B

2013-10-28

Hydrogenation of crude anacardic acid gave a transparent crystalline product on recrystallization. When reacted with copper nitrate in the presence of pyridine it produced green crystals of a pyridine adduct of a dimeric copper(II) anacardate with the copper acetate structure. The X-ray single crystal structures of both anacardic acid and the copper complex were determined. Magnetic studies have confirmed strong antiferromagnetic coupling between copper(II) centre in the dimer. The exchange coupling constant was determined to be J = -324 cm(-1). The EPR spectra of the polycrystalline product are consistent with spin S = 1. The zero-field splitting parameter and g tensor values are |D| = 0.36 cm(-1), g(||) = 2.36 and g(⊥) = 2.06.

Radial Distribution Functions of Strongly Coupled Two-Temperature Plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Shaffer, Nathaniel R.; Tiwari, Sanat Kumar; Baalrud, Scott D.

2017-10-01

We present tests of three theoretical models for the radial distribution functions (RDFs) in two-temperature strongly coupled plasmas. RDFs are useful in extending plasma thermodynamics and kinetic theory to strong coupling, but they are usually known only for thermal equilibrium or for approximate one-component model plasmas. Accurate two-component modeling is necessary to understand the impact of strong coupling on inter-species transport, e.g., ambipolar diffusion and electron-ion temperature relaxation. We demonstrate that the Seuferling-Vogel-Toeppfer (SVT) extension of the hypernetted chain equations not only gives accurate RDFs (as compared with classical molecular dynamics simulations), but also has a simple connection with the Yukawa OCP model. This connection gives a practical means to recover the structure of the electron background from knowledge of the ion-ion RDF alone. Using the model RDFs in Effective Potential Theory, we report the first predictions of inter-species transport coefficients of strongly coupled plasmas far from equilibrium. This work is supported by NSF Grant No. PHY-1453736, AFSOR Award No. FA9550-16-1-0221, and used XSEDE computational resources.

High-density native-range species affects the invasive plant Chromolaena odorata more strongly than species from its invasive range.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Yulong; Liao, Zhiyong

2017-11-22

Invasive plant species often form dense mono-dominant stands in areas they have invaded, while having only sparse distribution in their native ranges, and the reasons behind this phenomenon are a key point of research in invasive species biology. Differences in species composition between native and invasive ranges may contribute to the difference in distribution status. In this study, we found that the high-density condition had a more negative effect on C. odorata than the low-density condition when co-grown with neighbor plants from its native range in Mexico, while this pattern was not in evidence when it was grown with neighbors from its invasive range in China. Different competitive ability and coevolutionary history with C. odorata between native-range neighbors and invasive-range neighbors may lead to the inconsistent patterns.

The DFT Calculations of Structures and EPR Parameters for the Dinuclear Paddle-Wheel Copper(II) Complex {Cu2(μ2-O2CCH3)4}(OCNH2CH3) as Powder or Single Crystal

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Chang-Chun; Wu, Shao-Yi; Xu, Yong-Qiang; Zhang, Li-Juan; Zhang, Zhi-Hong; Zhu, Qin-Sheng; Wu, Ming-He; Teng, Bao-Hua

2017-10-01

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the structures and the Cu2+ g factors (gx, gy and gz ) and hyperfine coupling tensor A (Ax , Ay and Az ) were performed for the paddle-wheel (PW)-type binuclear copper(II) complex {Cu2(μ2-O2CCH3)4}(OCNH2CH3) powder and single crystal. Calculations were carried out with the ORCA software using the functionals BHandHlyp, B3P86 and B3LYP with five different basis sets: 6-311g, 6-311g(d,p), VTZ, def-2 and def2-TZVP. Results were tested by the MPAD analysis to find the most suitable functional and basis sets. The electronic structure and covalency between copper and oxygen were investigated by the electron localisation function and the localised orbital locator as well as the Mayer bond order for the [CuO5] group. The optical spectra were theoretically calculated by the time-dependent DFT module and plotted by the Multiwfn program for the [CuO5] group and reasonably associated with the local structure in the vicinity of the central ion copper. In addition, the interactions between the OCNH2CH3, NH3 and H2O molecules and the uncoordinated PW copper(II) complex were studied, and the corresponding adsorption energies, the frequency shifts with respect to the free molecules and the changes of the Cu-Cu distances were calculated and compared with the relevant systems.

Evolutionary dynamics of fluctuating populations with strong mutualism

Science.gov (United States)

Chotibut, Thiparat; Nelson, David

2013-03-01

Evolutionary game theory with finite interacting populations is receiving increased attention, including subtle phenomena associated with number fluctuations, i.e., ``genetic drift.'' Models of cooperation and competition often utilize a simplified Moran model, with a strictly fixed total population size. We explore a more general evolutionary model with independent fluctuations in the numbers of two distinct species, in a regime characterized by ``strong mutualism.'' The model has two absorbing states, each corresponding to fixation of one of the two species, and allows exploration of the interplay between growth, competition, and mutualism. When mutualism is favored, number fluctuations eventually drive the system away from a stable fixed point, characterized by cooperation, to one of the absorbing states. Well-mixed populations will thus be taken over by a single species in a finite time, despite the bias towards cooperation. We calculate both the fixation probability and the mean fixation time as a function of the initial conditions and carrying capacities in the strong mutualism regime, using the method of matched asymptotic expansions. Our results are compared to computer simulations.

Synthesis and Crystal Structure of a 4,4'-bipyridine Linked Dinuclear Copper(II) Complex Derived from 2-{[2-(2-hydroxyethylamino)ethylimino]methyl}-6-methylphenol.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiu-Zhen; Gu, Yitong; Li, Yuntong; Liu, Andong; Liu, Fuyao; You, Zhonglu; Zhu, Hai-Liang

2016-12-01

A novel 4,4'-bipyridine linked dinuclear copper(II) complex, [Cu2L2(bipy)](NO3)2·bipy (L = 2-[2-(2-hydroxyethylamino) ethylimino]methyl-6-methylphenol; bipy = 4,4'-bipyridine), was prepared and characterized by elemental analyses, IR spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The Cu···Cu distance is 11.129(2) Å. The CuII atom is coordinated by one phenolate O, one imine N, and one amine N atoms of a Schiff base ligand, and one N atom of the bridging 4,4'-bipyridine ligand, forming a square planar geometry. In the crystal structure of the complex, the dinuclear copper complex cations are linked by 4,4'-bipyridine molecules through intermolecular O-H···N hydrogen bonds, to form 1D chains running in the [2 0 -1] direction.

In vitro Solubility of Copper(II) Sulfate and Dicopper Chloride Trihydroxide for Pigs.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, C S; Kim, B G

2016-11-01

This study was conducted to determine the solubility of copper (Cu) in two sources of copper(II) sulfate (CuSO 4 ) including monohydrate and pentahydrate and three sources of dicopper chloride trihydroxide (dCCTH) including α-form (dCCTH-α), β-form (dCCTH-β), and a mixture of α- and β-form (dCCTH-αβ) at different pH and a 3-step in vitro digestion assay for pigs. In Exp. 1, Cu sources were incubated in water-based buffers at pH 2.0, 3.0, 4.8, and 6.8 for 4 h using a shaking incubator at 39°C. The CuSO 4 sources were completely dissolved within 15 min except at pH 6.8. The solubility of Cu in dCCTH-α was greater (pCopper in dCCTH sources were non-soluble at pH 6.8. In Exp. 2, the solubility of Cu was determined during the 3-step in vitro digestion assay for pigs. All sources of Cu were completely dissolved in step 1 which simulated digestion in the stomach. In Exp. 3, the solubility of Cu in experimental diets including a control diet and diets containing 250 mg/kg of additional Cu from five Cu sources was determined during the in vitro digestion assay. The solubility of Cu in diets containing additional Cu sources were greater (p<0.05) than the control diet in step 1. In conclusion, the solubility of Cu was influenced by pH of digesta but was not different among sources based on the in vitro digestion assay.

Solubility of Copper(II Sulfate and Dicopper Chloride Trihydroxide for Pigs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. S. Park

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted to determine the solubility of copper (Cu in two sources of copper(II sulfate (CuSO4 including monohydrate and pentahydrate and three sources of dicopper chloride trihydroxide (dCCTH including α-form (dCCTH-α, β-form (dCCTH-β, and a mixture of α- and β-form (dCCTH-αβ at different pH and a 3-step in vitro digestion assay for pigs. In Exp. 1, Cu sources were incubated in water-based buffers at pH 2.0, 3.0, 4.8, and 6.8 for 4 h using a shaking incubator at 39°C. The CuSO4 sources were completely dissolved within 15 min except at pH 6.8. The solubility of Cu in dCCTH-α was greater (p<0.05 than dCCTH-β but was not different from dCCTH-αβ during 3-h incubation at pH 2.0 and during 2-h incubation at pH 3.0. At pH 4.8, there were no significant differences in solubility of Cu in dCCTH sources. Copper in dCCTH sources were non-soluble at pH 6.8. In Exp. 2, the solubility of Cu was determined during the 3-step in vitro digestion assay for pigs. All sources of Cu were completely dissolved in step 1 which simulated digestion in the stomach. In Exp. 3, the solubility of Cu in experimental diets including a control diet and diets containing 250 mg/kg of additional Cu from five Cu sources was determined during the in vitro digestion assay. The solubility of Cu in diets containing additional Cu sources were greater (p<0.05 than the control diet in step 1. In conclusion, the solubility of Cu was influenced by pH of digesta but was not different among sources based on the in vitro digestion assay.

Characterization of genomic sequence showing strong association with polyembryony among diverse Citrus species and cultivars, and its synteny with Vitis and Populus.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakano, Michiharu; Shimada, Takehiko; Endo, Tomoko; Fujii, Hiroshi; Nesumi, Hirohisa; Kita, Masayuki; Ebina, Masumi; Shimizu, Tokurou; Omura, Mitsuo

2012-02-01

Polyembryony, in which multiple somatic nucellar cell-derived embryos develop in addition to the zygotic embryo in a seed, is common in the genus Citrus. Previous genetic studies indicated polyembryony is mainly determined by a single locus, but the underlying molecular mechanism is still unclear. As a step towards identification and characterization of the gene or genes responsible for nucellar embryogenesis in Citrus, haplotype-specific physical maps around the polyembryony locus were constructed. By sequencing three BAC clones aligned on the polyembryony haplotype, a single contiguous draft sequence consisting of 380 kb containing 70 predicted open reading frames (ORFs) was reconstructed. Single nucleotide polymorphism genotypes detected in the sequenced genomic region showed strong association with embryo type in Citrus, indicating a common polyembryony locus is shared among widely diverse Citrus cultivars and species. The arrangement of the predicted ORFs in the characterized genomic region showed high collinearity to the genomic sequence of chromosome 4 of Vitis vinifera and linkage group VI of Populus trichocarpa, suggesting that the syntenic relationship among these species is conserved even though V. vinifera and P. trichocarpa are non-apomictic species. This is the first study to characterize in detail the genomic structure of an apomixis locus determining adventitious embryony. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copper(II) complexes with aroylhydrazones

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

2JS1⋅S2⋅(S1 = S2 = 1/2) provided a value of –186(5) cm–1 for the coupling ..... Cu(pamh)Cl exists as polymeric chain species via equatorial-apical chloride bridges ..... Folgado J V, Henke W, Allman R, Stratemeier H, Beltran-Porter D, Rojo T ...

Strong Coupling Holography

CERN Document Server

Dvali, Gia

2009-01-01

We show that whenever a 4-dimensional theory with N particle species emerges as a consistent low energy description of a 3-brane embedded in an asymptotically-flat (4+d)-dimensional space, the holographic scale of high-dimensional gravity sets the strong coupling scale of the 4D theory. This connection persists in the limit in which gravity can be consistently decoupled. We demonstrate this effect for orbifold planes, as well as for the solitonic branes and string theoretic D-branes. In all cases the emergence of a 4D strong coupling scale from bulk holography is a persistent phenomenon. The effect turns out to be insensitive even to such extreme deformations of the brane action that seemingly shield 4D theory from the bulk gravity effects. A well understood example of such deformation is given by large 4D Einstein term in the 3-brane action, which is known to suppress the strength of 5D gravity at short distances and change the 5D Newton's law into the four-dimensional one. Nevertheless, we observe that the ...

Species associations in a species-rich subtropical forest were not well-explained by stochastic geometry of biodiversity.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qinggang; Bao, Dachuan; Guo, Yili; Lu, Junmeng; Lu, Zhijun; Xu, Yaozhan; Zhang, Kuihan; Liu, Haibo; Meng, Hongjie; Jiang, Mingxi; Qiao, Xiujuan; Huang, Handong

2014-01-01

The stochastic dilution hypothesis has been proposed to explain species coexistence in species-rich communities. The relative importance of the stochastic dilution effects with respect to other effects such as competition and habitat filtering required to be tested. In this study, using data from a 25-ha species-rich subtropical forest plot with a strong topographic structure at Badagongshan in central China, we analyzed overall species associations and fine-scale species interactions between 2,550 species pairs. The result showed that: (1) the proportion of segregation in overall species association analysis at 2 m neighborhood in this plot followed the prediction of the stochastic dilution hypothesis that segregations should decrease with species richness but that at 10 m neighborhood was higher than the prediction. (2) The proportion of no association type was lower than the expectation of stochastic dilution hypothesis. (3) Fine-scale species interaction analyses using Heterogeneous Poisson processes as null models revealed a high proportion (47%) of significant species effects. However, the assumption of separation of scale of this method was not fully met in this plot with a strong fine-scale topographic structure. We also found that for species within the same families, fine-scale positive species interactions occurred more frequently and negative ones occurred less frequently than expected by chance. These results suggested effects of environmental filtering other than species interaction in this forest. (4) We also found that arbor species showed a much higher proportion of significant fine-scale species interactions (66%) than shrub species (18%). We concluded that the stochastic dilution hypothesis only be partly supported and environmental filtering left discernible spatial signals in the spatial associations between species in this species-rich subtropical forest with a strong topographic structure.

Species associations in a species-rich subtropical forest were not well-explained by stochastic geometry of biodiversity.

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Qinggang Wang

Full Text Available The stochastic dilution hypothesis has been proposed to explain species coexistence in species-rich communities. The relative importance of the stochastic dilution effects with respect to other effects such as competition and habitat filtering required to be tested. In this study, using data from a 25-ha species-rich subtropical forest plot with a strong topographic structure at Badagongshan in central China, we analyzed overall species associations and fine-scale species interactions between 2,550 species pairs. The result showed that: (1 the proportion of segregation in overall species association analysis at 2 m neighborhood in this plot followed the prediction of the stochastic dilution hypothesis that segregations should decrease with species richness but that at 10 m neighborhood was higher than the prediction. (2 The proportion of no association type was lower than the expectation of stochastic dilution hypothesis. (3 Fine-scale species interaction analyses using Heterogeneous Poisson processes as null models revealed a high proportion (47% of significant species effects. However, the assumption of separation of scale of this method was not fully met in this plot with a strong fine-scale topographic structure. We also found that for species within the same families, fine-scale positive species interactions occurred more frequently and negative ones occurred less frequently than expected by chance. These results suggested effects of environmental filtering other than species interaction in this forest. (4 We also found that arbor species showed a much higher proportion of significant fine-scale species interactions (66% than shrub species (18%. We concluded that the stochastic dilution hypothesis only be partly supported and environmental filtering left discernible spatial signals in the spatial associations between species in this species-rich subtropical forest with a strong topographic structure.

Nectar sugars and amino acids in day- and night-flowering Nicotiana species are more strongly shaped by pollinators' preferences than organic acids and inorganic ions.

Science.gov (United States)

Tiedge, Kira; Lohaus, Gertrud

2017-01-01

Floral nectar contains mainly sugars but also amino acids, organic acids, inorganic ions and secondary compounds to attract pollinators. The genus Nicotiana exhibits great diversity among species in floral morphology, flowering time, nectar compositions, and predominant pollinators. We studied nectar samples of 20 Nicotiana species, composed equally of day- and night-flowering plants and attracting different groups of pollinators (e.g. hummingbirds, moths or bats) to investigate whether sugars, amino acids, organic acids and inorganic ions are influenced by pollinator preferences. Glucose, fructose and sucrose were the only sugars found in the nectar of all examined species. Sugar concentration of the nectar of day-flowering species was 20% higher and amino acid concentration was 2-3-fold higher compared to the nectar of night-flowering species. The sucrose-to-hexose ratio was significantly higher in night-flowering species and the relative share of sucrose based on the total sugar correlated with the flower tube length in the nocturnal species. Flowers of different tobacco species contained varying volumes of nectar which led to about 150-fold higher amounts of total sugar per flower in bat- or sunbird-pollinated species than in bee-pollinated or autogamous species. This difference was even higher for total amino acids per flower (up to 1000-fold). As a consequence, some Nicotiana species invest large amounts of organic nitrogen for certain pollinators. Higher concentrations of inorganic ions, predominantly anions, were found in nectar of night-flowering species. Therefore, higher anion concentrations were also associated with pollinator types active at night. Malate, the main organic acid, was present in all nectar samples but the concentration was not correlated with pollinator type. In conclusion, statistical analyses revealed that pollinator types have a stronger effect on nectar composition than phylogenetic relations. In this context, nectar sugars and amino

Nectar sugars and amino acids in day- and night-flowering Nicotiana species are more strongly shaped by pollinators’ preferences than organic acids and inorganic ions

Science.gov (United States)

Tiedge, Kira; Lohaus, Gertrud

2017-01-01

Floral nectar contains mainly sugars but also amino acids, organic acids, inorganic ions and secondary compounds to attract pollinators. The genus Nicotiana exhibits great diversity among species in floral morphology, flowering time, nectar compositions, and predominant pollinators. We studied nectar samples of 20 Nicotiana species, composed equally of day- and night-flowering plants and attracting different groups of pollinators (e.g. hummingbirds, moths or bats) to investigate whether sugars, amino acids, organic acids and inorganic ions are influenced by pollinator preferences. Glucose, fructose and sucrose were the only sugars found in the nectar of all examined species. Sugar concentration of the nectar of day-flowering species was 20% higher and amino acid concentration was 2-3-fold higher compared to the nectar of night-flowering species. The sucrose-to-hexose ratio was significantly higher in night-flowering species and the relative share of sucrose based on the total sugar correlated with the flower tube length in the nocturnal species. Flowers of different tobacco species contained varying volumes of nectar which led to about 150-fold higher amounts of total sugar per flower in bat- or sunbird-pollinated species than in bee-pollinated or autogamous species. This difference was even higher for total amino acids per flower (up to 1000-fold). As a consequence, some Nicotiana species invest large amounts of organic nitrogen for certain pollinators. Higher concentrations of inorganic ions, predominantly anions, were found in nectar of night-flowering species. Therefore, higher anion concentrations were also associated with pollinator types active at night. Malate, the main organic acid, was present in all nectar samples but the concentration was not correlated with pollinator type. In conclusion, statistical analyses revealed that pollinator types have a stronger effect on nectar composition than phylogenetic relations. In this context, nectar sugars and amino

Nectar sugars and amino acids in day- and night-flowering Nicotiana species are more strongly shaped by pollinators' preferences than organic acids and inorganic ions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kira Tiedge

Full Text Available Floral nectar contains mainly sugars but also amino acids, organic acids, inorganic ions and secondary compounds to attract pollinators. The genus Nicotiana exhibits great diversity among species in floral morphology, flowering time, nectar compositions, and predominant pollinators. We studied nectar samples of 20 Nicotiana species, composed equally of day- and night-flowering plants and attracting different groups of pollinators (e.g. hummingbirds, moths or bats to investigate whether sugars, amino acids, organic acids and inorganic ions are influenced by pollinator preferences. Glucose, fructose and sucrose were the only sugars found in the nectar of all examined species. Sugar concentration of the nectar of day-flowering species was 20% higher and amino acid concentration was 2-3-fold higher compared to the nectar of night-flowering species. The sucrose-to-hexose ratio was significantly higher in night-flowering species and the relative share of sucrose based on the total sugar correlated with the flower tube length in the nocturnal species. Flowers of different tobacco species contained varying volumes of nectar which led to about 150-fold higher amounts of total sugar per flower in bat- or sunbird-pollinated species than in bee-pollinated or autogamous species. This difference was even higher for total amino acids per flower (up to 1000-fold. As a consequence, some Nicotiana species invest large amounts of organic nitrogen for certain pollinators. Higher concentrations of inorganic ions, predominantly anions, were found in nectar of night-flowering species. Therefore, higher anion concentrations were also associated with pollinator types active at night. Malate, the main organic acid, was present in all nectar samples but the concentration was not correlated with pollinator type. In conclusion, statistical analyses revealed that pollinator types have a stronger effect on nectar composition than phylogenetic relations. In this context

Linking Keystone Species and Functional Groups: A New Operational Definition of the Keystone Species Concept

OpenAIRE

Robert D. Davic

2003-01-01

The concept of the "keystone species" is redefined to allow for the a priori prediction of these species within ecosystems. A keystone species is held to be a strongly interacting species whose top-down effect on species diversity and competition is large relative to its biomass dominance within a functional group. This operational definition links the community importance of keystone species to a specific ecosystem process, e.g., the regulation of species diversity, within functional groups ...

Crystal structures of a copper(II and the isotypic nickel(II and palladium(II complexes of the ligand (E-1-[(2,4,6-tribromophenyldiazenyl]naphthalen-2-ol

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Souheyla Chetioui

2016-08-01

Full Text Available In the copper(II complex, bis{(E-1-[(2,4,6-tribromophenyldiazenyl]naphthalen-2-olato}copper(II, [Cu(C16H8Br3N2O2], (I, the metal cation is coordinated by two N atoms and two O atoms from two bidentate (E-1-[(2,4,6-tribromophenyldiazenyl]naphthalen-2-olate ligands, forming a slightly distorted square-planar environment. In one of the ligands, the tribromobenzene ring is inclined to the naphthalene ring system by 37.4 (5°, creating a weak intramolecular Cu...Br interaction [3.134 (2 Å], while in the other ligand, the tribromobenzene ring is inclined to the naphthalene ring system by 72.1 (6°. In the isotypic nickel(II and palladium(II complexes, namely bis{(E-1-[(2,4,6-tribromophenyldiazenyl]naphthalen-2-olato}nickel(II, [Ni(C16H8Br3N2O2], (II, and bis{(E-1-[(2,4,6-tribromophenyldiazenyl]naphthalen-2-olato}palladium(II, [Pd(C16H8Br3N2O2], (III, respectively, the metal atoms are located on centres of inversion, hence the metal coordination spheres have perfect square-planar geometries. The tribromobenzene rings are inclined to the naphthalene ring systems by 80.79 (18° in (II and by 80.8 (3° in (III. In the crystal of (I, molecules are linked by C—H...Br hydrogen bonds, forming chains along [010]. The chains are linked by C—H...π interactions, forming sheets parallel to (011. In the crystals of (II and (III, molecules are linked by C—H...π interactions, forming slabs parallel to (10-1. For the copper(II complex (I, a region of disordered electron density was corrected for using the SQUEEZE routine in PLATON [Spek (2015. Acta Cryst. C71, 9–18]. The formula mass and unit-cell characteristics of the disordered solvent molecules were not taken into account during refinement.

Species-Level Para- and Polyphyly in DNA Barcode Gene Trees: Strong Operational Bias in European Lepidoptera.

Science.gov (United States)

Mutanen, Marko; Kivelä, Sami M; Vos, Rutger A; Doorenweerd, Camiel; Ratnasingham, Sujeevan; Hausmann, Axel; Huemer, Peter; Dincă, Vlad; van Nieukerken, Erik J; Lopez-Vaamonde, Carlos; Vila, Roger; Aarvik, Leif; Decaëns, Thibaud; Efetov, Konstantin A; Hebert, Paul D N; Johnsen, Arild; Karsholt, Ole; Pentinsaari, Mikko; Rougerie, Rodolphe; Segerer, Andreas; Tarmann, Gerhard; Zahiri, Reza; Godfray, H Charles J

2016-11-01

The proliferation of DNA data is revolutionizing all fields of systematic research. DNA barcode sequences, now available for millions of specimens and several hundred thousand species, are increasingly used in algorithmic species delimitations. This is complicated by occasional incongruences between species and gene genealogies, as indicated by situations where conspecific individuals do not form a monophyletic cluster in a gene tree. In two previous reviews, non-monophyly has been reported as being common in mitochondrial DNA gene trees. We developed a novel web service "Monophylizer" to detect non-monophyly in phylogenetic trees and used it to ascertain the incidence of species non-monophyly in COI (a.k.a. cox1) barcode sequence data from 4977 species and 41,583 specimens of European Lepidoptera, the largest data set of DNA barcodes analyzed from this regard. Particular attention was paid to accurate species identification to ensure data integrity. We investigated the effects of tree-building method, sampling effort, and other methodological issues, all of which can influence estimates of non-monophyly. We found a 12% incidence of non-monophyly, a value significantly lower than that observed in previous studies. Neighbor joining (NJ) and maximum likelihood (ML) methods yielded almost equal numbers of non-monophyletic species, but 24.1% of these cases of non-monophyly were only found by one of these methods. Non-monophyletic species tend to show either low genetic distances to their nearest neighbors or exceptionally high levels of intraspecific variability. Cases of polyphyly in COI trees arising as a result of deep intraspecific divergence are negligible, as the detected cases reflected misidentifications or methodological errors. Taking into consideration variation in sampling effort, we estimate that the true incidence of non-monophyly is ∼23%, but with operational factors still being included. Within the operational factors, we separately assessed the

Strong Regionality and Dominance of Anaerobic Bacterial Taxa Characterize Diazotrophic Bacterial Communities of the Arcto-Alpine Plant Species Oxyria digyna and Saxifraga oppositifolia

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Manoj Kumar

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Arctic and alpine biomes are most often strongly nitrogen-limited, and hence biological nitrogen fixation is a strong driver of these ecosystems. Both biomes are characterized by low temperatures and short growing seasons, but they differ in seasonality of solar radiation and in soil water balance due to underlying permafrost in the Arctic. Arcto-alpine plant species are well-adapted to the low temperatures that prevail in their habitats, and plant growth is mainly limited by the availability of nutrients, in particular nitrogen, due to slow mineralization. Nitrogen fixing bacteria are likely important for plant growth in these habitats, but very little is known of these bacteria or forces shaping their communities. In this study, we characterized the potential nitrogen fixing bacterial (PNFB communities associated with two arcto-alpine pioneer plant species, Oxyria digyna (mountain sorrel and Saxifraga oppositifolia (blue saxifrage, in three climate regions. Both of these plants readily colonize low nutrient mineral soils. Our goal was to investigate how climate (region and, on the other hand, host plant and plant species shape these communities. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive study describing PNFB communities associated with pioneer plants in different arcto-alpine biomes. Replicate samples were taken from two arctic regions, Kilpisjärvi and Ny-Ålesund, and one alpine region, Mayrhofen. In these, the PNFB communities in the bulk and rhizosphere soils and the plant endospheres were characterized by nifH-targeted PCR and massive parallel sequencing. The data revealed strong effects of climatic region on the dominating nitrogen fixers. Specifically, nifH sequences related to Geobacter (δ-Proteobacteria were present in high relative abundances in the nitrogen-fixing communities in the Mayrhofen and Kilpisjärvi regions, while members of the Clostridiales prevailed in the Kilpisjärvi and Ny-Ålesund regions. The bulk and

Strong Regionality and Dominance of Anaerobic Bacterial Taxa Characterize Diazotrophic Bacterial Communities of the Arcto-Alpine Plant Species Oxyria digyna and Saxifraga oppositifolia.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Manoj; van Elsas, Jan Dirk; Nissinen, Riitta

2017-01-01

Arctic and alpine biomes are most often strongly nitrogen-limited, and hence biological nitrogen fixation is a strong driver of these ecosystems. Both biomes are characterized by low temperatures and short growing seasons, but they differ in seasonality of solar radiation and in soil water balance due to underlying permafrost in the Arctic. Arcto-alpine plant species are well-adapted to the low temperatures that prevail in their habitats, and plant growth is mainly limited by the availability of nutrients, in particular nitrogen, due to slow mineralization. Nitrogen fixing bacteria are likely important for plant growth in these habitats, but very little is known of these bacteria or forces shaping their communities. In this study, we characterized the potential nitrogen fixing bacterial (PNFB) communities associated with two arcto-alpine pioneer plant species, Oxyria digyna (mountain sorrel) and Saxifraga oppositifolia (blue saxifrage), in three climate regions. Both of these plants readily colonize low nutrient mineral soils. Our goal was to investigate how climate (region) and, on the other hand, host plant and plant species shape these communities. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive study describing PNFB communities associated with pioneer plants in different arcto-alpine biomes. Replicate samples were taken from two arctic regions, Kilpisjärvi and Ny-Ålesund, and one alpine region, Mayrhofen. In these, the PNFB communities in the bulk and rhizosphere soils and the plant endospheres were characterized by nifH -targeted PCR and massive parallel sequencing. The data revealed strong effects of climatic region on the dominating nitrogen fixers. Specifically, nifH sequences related to Geobacter (δ- Proteobacteria ) were present in high relative abundances in the nitrogen-fixing communities in the Mayrhofen and Kilpisjärvi regions, while members of the Clostridiales prevailed in the Kilpisjärvi and Ny-Ålesund regions. The bulk and rhizosphere soil

Ammonia, phosphate, phenol, and copper(II) removal from aqueous solution by subsurface and surface flow constructed wetland.

Science.gov (United States)

Mojiri, Amin; Ahmad, Zakiah; Tajuddin, Ramlah Mohd; Arshad, Mohd Fadzil; Gholami, Ali

2017-07-01

Water pollution is a global problem. During current study, ammonia, phosphate, phenol, and copper(II) were removed from aqueous solution by subsurface and surface flow constructed wetland. In current investigation, distilled water was polluted with four contaminants including ammonia, phosphate, copper (Cu), and phenol. Response surface methodology and central composite design were applied to optimize pollutant removal during treatment by subsurface flow constructed wetland (SSFCW). Contact time (12 to 80 h) and initial pollutant concentration (20 to 85 mg/L) were selected as independent factors; some upper and lower ranges were also monitored for accuracy. In SSFCW, water hyacinth transplanted in two substrate layers, namely zeolite and cockle shell. SSFCW removed 87.7, 81.4, 74.7, and 54.9% of ammonia, phosphate, Cu, and phenol, respectively, at optimum contact time (64.5 h) and initial pollutant concentration (69.2 mg/L). Aqueous solution was moved to a surface flow constructed wetland (SFCW) after treating via SSFCW at optimum conditions. In SFCW, Typha was transplanted to a fixed powdered substrate layer, including bentonite, zeolite, and cockle shell. SFCW could develop performance of this combined system and could improve elimination efficacy of the four contaminants to 99.99%. So this combined CW showed a good performance in removing pollutants. Graphical abstract Wetlands arrangement for treating aqueous solution in current study.

Lichen species preference by reindeer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holleman, D F; Luick, J R

1977-08-01

The preference by reindeer for five species of lichens commonly found on Central Alaska rangelands was tested under controlled laboratory conditions. Results indicate that reindeer are strongly selective species in their lichen grazing habits. The five tested species ranged as follows in order of decreasing acceptibility: Caldonia alpestris, C. rangiferina, Stereocaulon paschale, Cetraria richardsonii, and Peltigera aphthosa.

The DFT calculations of structures and EPR parameters for the dinuclear paddle-wheel copper(II) complex {Cu_2(μ_2-O_2CCH_3)_4}(OCNH{sub 2}CH{sub 3}) as powder or single crystal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ding, Chang-Chun; Wu, Shao-Yi; Xu, Yong-Qiang; Zhang, Li-Juan; Zhang, Zhi-Hong; Zhu, Qin-Sheng; Wu, Ming-He; Teng, Bao-Hua [Univ. of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu (China). School of Physical Electronics

2017-07-01

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the structures and the Cu{sup 2+} g factors (g{sub x}, g{sub y} and g{sub z}) and hyperfine coupling tensor A (A{sub x}, A{sub y} and A{sub z}) were performed for the paddle-wheel (PW)-type binuclear copper(II) complex {Cu_2(μ_2-O_2CCH_3)_4}(OCNH{sub 2}CH{sub 3}) powder and single crystal. Calculations were carried out with the ORCA software using the functionals BHandHlyp, B3P86 and B3LYP with five different basis sets: 6-311g, 6-311g(d,p), VTZ, def-2 and def2-TZVP. Results were tested by the MPAD analysis to find the most suitable functional and basis sets. The electronic structure and covalency between copper and oxygen were investigated by the electron localisation function and the localised orbital locator as well as the Mayer bond order for the [CuO{sub 5}] group. The optical spectra were theoretically calculated by the time-dependent DFT module and plotted by the Multiwfn program for the [CuO{sub 5}] group and reasonably associated with the local structure in the vicinity of the central ion copper. In addition, the interactions between the OCNH{sub 2}CH{sub 3}, NH{sub 3} and H{sub 2}O molecules and the uncoordinated PW copper(II) complex were studied, and the corresponding adsorption energies, the frequency shifts with respect to the free molecules and the changes of the Cu-Cu distances were calculated and compared with the relevant systems.

Biosorption of copper(II), lead(II), iron(III) and cobalt(II) on Bacillus sphaericus-loaded Diaion SP-850 resin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tuzen, Mustafa; Uluozlu, Ozgur Dogan; Usta, Canan; Soylak, Mustafa

2007-01-01

The biosorption of copper(II), lead(II), iron(III) and cobalt(II) on Bacillus sphaericus-loaded Diaion SP-850 resin for preconcentration-separation of them have been investigated. The sorbed analytes on biosorbent were eluted by using 1 mol L -1 HCl and analytes were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The influences of analytical parameters including amounts of pH, B. sphaericus, sample volume etc. on the quantitative recoveries of analytes were investigated. The effects of alkaline, earth alkaline ions and some metal ions on the retentions of the analytes on the biosorbent were also examined. Separation and preconcentration of Cu, Pb, Fe and Co ions from real samples was achieved quantitatively. The detection limits by 3 sigma for analyte ions were in the range of 0.20-0.75 μg L -1 for aqueous samples and in the range of 2.5-9.4 ng g -1 for solid samples. The validation of the procedure was performed by the analysis of the certified standard reference materials (NRCC-SLRS 4 Riverine Water, SRM 2711 Montana soil and GBW 07605 Tea). The presented method was applied to the determination of analyte ions in green tea, black tea, cultivated mushroom, boiled wheat, rice and soil samples with successfully results

Linking Keystone Species and Functional Groups: A New Operational Definition of the Keystone Species Concept

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert D. Davic

2003-07-01

Full Text Available The concept of the "keystone species" is redefined to allow for the a priori prediction of these species within ecosystems. A keystone species is held to be a strongly interacting species whose top-down effect on species diversity and competition is large relative to its biomass dominance within a functional group. This operational definition links the community importance of keystone species to a specific ecosystem process, e.g., the regulation of species diversity, within functional groups at lower trophic levels that are structured by competition for a limited resource. The a priori prediction of keystone species has applied value for the conservation of natural areas.

Environmental species sorting dominates forest-bird community assembly across scales

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Özkan, Korhan; Svenning, J.-C.; Jeppesen, Erik

2013-01-01

species richness and composition within the metacommunity. Second, we analysed species' abundance–occupancy relationship across the metacommunity and used null models to assess whether occupancy is determined by species' environmental niches. Third, we used generalized linear models to test for links...... between species' metacommunity-wide occupancy and their broader WP regional populations and assessed whether these links are consistent with environmental species sorting. There was strong environmental control on local species richness and composition patterns within the metacommunity, but non......-environmental spatial factors had also an important joint role. Null model analyses on randomized communities showed that species' occupancy across the metacommunity was strongly determined by species' environmental niches, with occupancy being related to niche position marginality. Species' metacommunity...

Quantum magnetism in strongly interacting one-dimensional spinor Bose systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Salami Dehkharghani, Amin; Volosniev, A. G.; Lindgren, E. J.

2015-01-01

-range inter-species interactions much larger than their intra-species interactions and show that they have novel energetic and magnetic properties. In the strongly interacting regime, these systems have energies that are fractions of the basic harmonic oscillator trap quantum and have spatially separated......Strongly interacting one-dimensional quantum systems often behave in a manner that is distinctly different from their higher-dimensional counterparts. When a particle attempts to move in a one-dimensional environment it will unavoidably have to interact and 'push' other particles in order...... ground states with manifestly ferromagnetic wave functions. Furthermore, we predict excited states that have perfect antiferromagnetic ordering. This holds for both balanced and imbalanced systems, and we show that it is a generic feature as one crosses from few- to many-body systems....

Seasonal climate manipulations have only minor effects on litter decomposition rates and N dynamics but strong effects on litter P dynamics of sub-arctic bog species.

Science.gov (United States)

Aerts, R; Callaghan, T V; Dorrepaal, E; van Logtestijn, R S P; Cornelissen, J H C

2012-11-01

Litter decomposition and nutrient mineralization in high-latitude peatlands are constrained by low temperatures. So far, little is known about the effects of seasonal components of climate change (higher spring and summer temperatures, more snow which leads to higher winter soil temperatures) on these processes. In a 4-year field experiment, we manipulated these seasonal components in a sub-arctic bog and studied the effects on the decomposition and N and P dynamics of leaf litter of Calamagrostis lapponica, Betula nana, and Rubus chamaemorus, incubated both in a common ambient environment and in the treatment plots. Mass loss in the controls increased in the order Calamagrostis Litter chemistry showed within each incubation environment only a few and species-specific responses. Compared to the interspecific differences, they resulted in only moderate climate treatment effects on mass loss and these differed among seasons and species. Neither N nor P mineralization in the litter were affected by the incubation environment. Remarkably, for all species, no net N mineralization had occurred in any of the treatments during 4 years. Species differed in P-release patterns, and summer warming strongly stimulated P release for all species. Thus, moderate changes in summer temperatures and/or winter snow addition have limited effects on litter decomposition rates and N dynamics, but summer warming does stimulate litter P release. As a result, N-limitation of plant growth in this sub-arctic bog may be sustained or even further promoted.

Options in dealing with marine alien species

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pelt-Heerschap, van H.M.L.; Sneekes, A.C.; Foekema, E.M.

2015-01-01

Invasive species can have strong impact on the local ecosystem, not only substantial impact on the local ecosystem, but also on economy and human health. This review on marine alien species outlines aspects of prevention, eradication and control strategies. When managing invasive species, prevention

Synthesis of Two Potentially Heptadentate (N4O3 Schiff-base Ligands Derived from Condensation of Tris(3-aminopropyl-amine and Salicylaldehyde or 4-Hydroxysalicylaldehyde. Nickel(II and Copper(II Complexes of the Former Ligand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. V. Parish

2002-02-01

Full Text Available Two potentially heptadentate (N4O3 tripodal Schiff-base ligands: tris(3-(salicylideneiminopropylamine (H3L1 and tris(3-(4’-hydroxysalicylideneimino-propylamine (H3L2 have been prepared and characterized by various spectroscopic methods (IR, FAB-MS, NMR. They are derived from the condensation reactions of tris(3-aminopropylamine (tpt, with 3 equivalents of either salicylaldehyde or the ringsubstituted salicylaldehyde, 4-hydroxysalicylaldehyde. The nickel(II and copper(II complexes of H3L1 were obtained from the its reactions Ni(II and Cu(II salts in absolute methanol. These complexes were studied by IR and FAB-Mass spectrometry.

Theoretical (in B3LYP/6-3111++G** level), spectroscopic (FT-IR, FT-Raman) and thermogravimetric studies of gentisic acid and sodium, copper(II) and cadmium(II) gentisates.

Science.gov (United States)

Regulska, E; Kalinowska, M; Wojtulewski, S; Korczak, A; Sienkiewicz-Gromiuk, J; Rzączyńska, Z; Swisłocka, R; Lewandowski, W

2014-11-11

The DFT calculations (B3LYP method with 6-311++G(d,p) mixed with LanL2DZ for transition metals basis sets) for different conformers of 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (gentisic acid), sodium 2,5-dihydroxybenzoate (gentisate) and copper(II) and cadmium(II) gentisates were done. The proposed hydrated structures of transition metal complexes were based on the results of experimental findings. The theoretical geometrical parameters and atomic charge distribution were discussed. Moreover Na, Cu(II) and Cd(II) gentisates were synthesized and the composition of obtained compounds was revealed by means of elemental and thermogravimetric analyses. The FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra of gentisic acid and gentisates were registered and the effect of metals on the electronic charge distribution of ligand was discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Correlation between DNA interactions and cytotoxic activity of four new ternary compounds of copper(II) with N-donor heterocyclic ligands.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Priscila P; Guerra, Wendell; Dos Santos, Geandson Coelho; Fernandes, Nelson G; Silveira, Josiane N; da Costa Ferreira, Ana M; Bortolotto, Tiago; Terenzi, Hernán; Bortoluzzi, Adailton João; Neves, Ademir; Pereira-Maia, Elene C

2014-03-01

Four new ternary complexes of copper(II) were synthesized and characterized: [Cu(hyd)(bpy)(acn)(ClO4)](ClO4)] (1), [Cu(hyd)(phen)(acn)(ClO4)](ClO4)] (2), [Cu(Shyd)(bpy)(acn)(ClO4)](ClO4)] (3) and [Cu(Shyd)(phen)(acn)(ClO4)](ClO4)] (4), in which acn=acetonitrile; hyd=2-furoic acid hydrazide, bpy=2,2-bipyridine; phen=1,10-phenanthroline and Shyd=2-thiophenecarboxylic acid hydrazide. The cytotoxic activity of the complexes in a chronic myelogenous leukemia cell line was investigated. All complexes are able to enter cells and inhibit cellular growth in a concentration-dependent manner, with an activity higher than that of the corresponding free ligands. The substitution of Shyd for hyd increases the activity, while the substitution of bpy for phen renders the complex less active. Therefore, the most potent complex is 4 with an IC50 value of 1.5±0.2μM. The intracellular copper concentration needed to inhibit 50% of cell growth is approximately 7×10(-15)mol/cell. It is worth notifying that a correlation between cytotoxic activity, DNA binding affinity and DNA cleavage was found: 1<3<2<4. © 2013.

Synthesis, Structure and Electrochemistry of Tetranuclear Oxygen-Centered Copper(II) Clusters with Acetylacetone and Benz-pyrazole Hydrolyzed Derivatives as Ligand.

Science.gov (United States)

Vafazadeh, Rasoul; Willis, Anthony C

2016-01-01

Two copper(II) clusters Cu(4)OCl(6)(pyrazole)4, 1, and Cu(4)OBr(6)(Br-pyrazole)4, 2, have been synthesized by reacting acetylacetone and benzohydrazide (1:1 ratio) with CuX(2) (X = Cl for 1 and X= Br for 2) in methanol solutions. The structures of both clusters have been established by X-ray crystallography. The clusters contain four Cu, one O, six μ(2)-X atoms, and four pyrazole ligands. The pyrazoles was prepared in situ by the reaction of acetylacetone with benzohydrazide in methanol under reflux. In 2, the methine hydrogens of the pyrazole ligands have been replaced by bromine atoms. The four copper atoms encapsulate the central O atom in a tetrahedral arrangement. All copper atoms are five-coordinate and have similar coordination environments with slightly distorted trigonal bipyramidal geometry. The cyclic voltammogram of the clusters 1 and 2 show a one-electron quasi-reversible reduction wave in the region 0.485 to 0.731 V, and a one-electron quasi-reversible oxidation wave in the region 0.767 to 0.898 V. In 1, one irreversible oxidative response is observed on the positive of side of the voltammogram at 1.512 V and this can be assigned to Cu(II) to Cu(III) oxidation.

Structure-antiproliferative activity studies on l-proline- and homoproline-4-N-pyrrolidine-3-thiosemicarbazone hybrids and their nickel(ii), palladium(ii) and copper(ii) complexes.

Science.gov (United States)

Dobrova, Aliona; Platzer, Sonja; Bacher, Felix; Milunovic, Miljan N M; Dobrov, Anatolie; Spengler, Gabriella; Enyedy, Éva A; Novitchi, Ghenadie; Arion, Vladimir B

2016-09-14

Two water-soluble thiosemicarbazone-proline (H2L(1)) and thiosemicarbazone-homoproline hybrids (H2L(2)) were synthesised. By reaction of H2L(1) with NiCl2·6H2O, PdCl2 and CuCl2·2H2O in ethanol, the series of square-planar complexes [Ni(H2L(1))Cl]Cl·1.3H2O (1·1.3H2O), [Pd(H2L(1))Cl]Cl·H2O (2·H2O) and [Cu(H2L(1))Cl]Cl·0.7H2O (3·0.7H2O) was prepared, and starting from H2L(2) and CuCl2·2H2O in methanol, the complex [Cu(H2L(2))Cl2]·H2O (4·H2O) was obtained. The compounds have been characterised by elemental analysis, spectroscopic methods (IR, UV-vis and NMR spectroscopy), ESI mass spectrometry and single crystal X-ray crystallography (H2L(1), 1, 2 and 4). As a solid, 1 is diamagnetic, while it is paramagnetic in methanolic solution. The effective magnetic moment of 3.26 B.M. at room temperature indicates the change in coordination geometry from square-planar to octahedral upon dissolution. The in vitro anticancer potency of ligand precursors H2L(1) and H2L(2) and metal complexes 1-4 was studied in three human cancer cell lines (A549, CH1 and SW480) and in noncancerous murine embryonal fibroblasts (NIH/3T3), and the mechanism of cell death was also assayed by flow cytometry. Clear-cut structure-activity relationships have been established. The metal ions exert marked effects in a divergent manner: copper(ii) increases, whereas nickel(ii) and palladium(ii) decrease the cytotoxicity of the hybrids. The antiproliferative activity of H2L(1) and metal complexes 1-3 decreases in all three tumour cell lines in the following rank order: 3 > H2L(1) > 1 > 2. The role of square-planar geometry in the underlying mechanism of cytotoxicity of the metal complexes studied seems to be negligible, while structural modifications at the terminal amino group of thiosemicarbazide and proline moieties are significant for enhancing the antiproliferative activity of both hybrids and copper(ii) complexes.

Species-level para- and polyphyly in DNA barcode gene trees: strong operational bias in European Lepidoptera

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mutanen, M.; Kivelä, S.M.; Vos, R.A.; Doorenweerd, C.; Ratnasingham, S.; Hausmann, A.; Huemer, P.; Dinca, V.; Nieukerken, van E.J.; Lopez-Vaamonde, C.; Vila, R.; Aarvik, L.; Decaëns, T.; Efetov, K.A.; Hebert, P.D.N.; Johnsen, A.; Karsholt, O.; Pentinsaari, M.; Rougerie, R.; Segerer, A.; Tarmann, G.; Zahiri, R.; Godfray, H.C.J.

2016-01-01

The proliferation of DNA data is revolutionizing all fields of systematic research. DNA barcode sequences, now available for millions of specimens and several hundred thousand species, are increasingly used in algorithmic species delimitations. This is complicated by occasional incongruences between

Higher Order QED Contributions to the Atomic Structure at Strong Central Fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mokler, P H

2007-01-01

An accurate determination of the precise structure of highly charged, very heavy ions is crucial for understanding QED at strong fields. The experimental advances in the spectroscopy of very heavy, highly charged ions-in particular H-, He- and Li-like species-are reviewed: Presently the ground state Lamb shift for H-like U ions is measured on a 1% level of accuracy; the screening terms in two-electron QED have just been touched by experiments for He-like U; and two-loop QED terms have been determined with ultimate accuracy for Li-like heavy species. The different approaches on QED measurements in strong fields will be discussed and the results compared to theory

The Drosophila bipectinata species complex: phylogenetic ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Navya

*For Correspondence. e-mail: bashisthsingh2004@rediffmail.com, ... A species complex constitutes groups of closely related species which have diverged ..... there is a strong reproductive isolation too (See review by Singh and Banerjee 2016) .... figure both the loops touch the chromocenter and in our microphotograph ...

Equilibrium and kinetic studies of copper biosorption by dead Ceriporia lacerata biomass isolated from the litter of an invasive plant in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiaona; Li, Airong; Long, Mingzhong; Tian, Xingjun

2015-01-01

Ceriporia lacerata, a strain of white-rot fungus isolated from the litter of an invasive plant (Solidago canadensis) in China, was little known about its properties and utilization. In this work, the copper(II) biosorption characteristics of formaldehyde inactivated C. lacerata biomass were examined as a function of initial pH, initial copper(II) concentration and contact time, and the adsorptive equilibrium and kinetics were simulated, too. The optimum pH was found to be 6.0 at experimental conditions of initial copper(II) concentration 100 mg/L, biomass dose 2 g/L, contact time 12 h, shaking rate 150 r/min and temperature 25°C. Biosorption equilibrium cost about 1 hour at experimental conditions of pH 6.0, initial copper(II) concentration 100 mg/L, C. lacerata dose 2 g/L, shaking rate 150 r/min and temperature 25°C. At optimum pH 6.0, highest copper(II) biosorption amounts were 6.79 and 7.76 mg/g for initial copper(II) concentration of 100 and 200 mg/L, respectively (with other experimental parameters of C. lacerata dose 2 g/L, shaking rate 150 r/min and temperature 25°C). The pseudo second-order adsorptive model gave the best adjustment for copper(II) biosorption kinetics. The equilibrium data fitted very well to both Langmuir and Freundlich adsorptive isotherm models. Without further acid or alkali treatment for improving adsorption properties, formaldehyde inactivated C. lacerata biomass possesses good biosorption characteristics on copper(II) removal from aqueous solutions.

Strongly Deterministic Population Dynamics in Closed Microbial Communities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zak Frentz

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Biological systems are influenced by random processes at all scales, including molecular, demographic, and behavioral fluctuations, as well as by their interactions with a fluctuating environment. We previously established microbial closed ecosystems (CES as model systems for studying the role of random events and the emergent statistical laws governing population dynamics. Here, we present long-term measurements of population dynamics using replicate digital holographic microscopes that maintain CES under precisely controlled external conditions while automatically measuring abundances of three microbial species via single-cell imaging. With this system, we measure spatiotemporal population dynamics in more than 60 replicate CES over periods of months. In contrast to previous studies, we observe strongly deterministic population dynamics in replicate systems. Furthermore, we show that previously discovered statistical structure in abundance fluctuations across replicate CES is driven by variation in external conditions, such as illumination. In particular, we confirm the existence of stable ecomodes governing the correlations in population abundances of three species. The observation of strongly deterministic dynamics, together with stable structure of correlations in response to external perturbations, points towards a possibility of simple macroscopic laws governing microbial systems despite numerous stochastic events present on microscopic levels.

Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, crystallographic studies and antibacterial assays of new copper(II) complexes with sulfathiazole and nimesulide

Science.gov (United States)

Nunes, Julia Helena Bormio; de Paiva, Raphael Enoque Ferraz; Cuin, Alexandre; da Costa Ferreira, Ana Maria; Lustri, Wilton Rogério; Corbi, Pedro Paulo

2016-05-01

New ternary copper(II) complexes of sulfathiazole (SFT, C9H8N3O2S2) or nimesulide (NMS, C13H11N2O5S) and 2,2‧-bipyridine (bipy) were synthesized, and characterized by chemical and spectroscopic techniques. Elemental analyses indicated a 2:1:1 sulfonamide/copper/bipy composition for both complexes. Mass spectrometric measurements permitted identifying the molecular ions [Cu(SFT)2(bipy)+H]+ and [Cu(NMS)2(bipy)+H]+ at m/z 728 and 835, respectively, confirming the proposed compositions. Crystal structure of the [Cu(SFT)2(bipy)] complex was solved by powder X-ray diffraction analysis (PXRD), attesting that the Cu(II) ion is hexacoordinated in a distorted octahedral geometry. Each SFT molecule coordinates to the metal ion by the nitrogen atoms of the SO2-N group and of the heterocyclic ring. The coordination sphere is completed by a bipyridine. Electronic paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies were carried out for the [Cu(NMS)2(bipy)] complex, indicating a tetragonal environment around the metal ion. It was suggested that NMS coordinates to Cu(II) by the nitrogen and oxygen atoms of the SO2-N group, which was confirmed by infrared spectroscopic studies. Biological studies showed the antibacterial activity of both Cu-SFT and Cu-NMS complexes, with the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 0.10 to 0.84 mmol L-1 against Gram-negative bacteria for [Cu(SFT)2(bipy)], and from 1.50 to 3.00 mmol L-1 against Gram-positive and -negative bacteria for [Cu(NMS)2(bipy)].

Optimization and validation of a method for the determination of the refractive index of milk serum based on the reaction between milk and copper(II) sulfate to detect milk dilutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Rezende, Patrícia Sueli; Carmo, Geraldo Paulo do; Esteves, Eduardo Gonçalves

2015-06-01

We report the use of a method to determine the refractive index of copper(II) serum (RICS) in milk as a tool to detect the fraudulent addition of water. This practice is highly profitable, unlawful, and difficult to deter. The method was optimized and validated and is simple, fast and robust. The optimized method yielded statistically equivalent results compared to the reference method with an accuracy of 0.4% and quadrupled analytical throughput. Trueness, precision (repeatability and intermediate precision) and ruggedness are determined to be satisfactory at a 95.45% confidence level. The expanded uncertainty of the measurement was ±0.38°Zeiss at the 95.45% confidence level (k=3.30), corresponding to 1.03% of the minimum measurement expected in adequate samples (>37.00°Zeiss). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of the active site and mechanism for alkene isomerization in Cu(II) exchnaged Y-type zeolite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

John, C S; Leach, H F

1977-01-01

An ESR study of 1-butene isomerization at 315/sup 0/-375/sup 0/C, 3,3-dimethyl-1-butene isomerization to 2,3-dimethyl-1- and -2-butene at 293/sup 0/K, and deuterium redistribution in 3,3-dideuteriopropene at 363/sup 0/-396/sup 0/K showed the presence of two copper(II) species in different environments, which reacted with the olefins at different rates. Although activation energies for the three reactions differed and only dideuteriopropene showed an induction period, a similar mechanism is proposed in all cases, involving preliminary reduction of copper(II), with the rates of reduction and isomerization differing from olefin to olefin. Apparently, the active site for the isomerization is a Broensted acid generated by the reduction, and the isomerization follows an associative (proton addition-elimination) mechanism with a carbonium ion intermediate. Spectra, graphs, diagram, and 12 references.

Integrative taxonomy and preliminary assessment of species limits in the Liolaemus walkeri complex (Squamata, Liolaemidae with descriptions of three new species from Peru

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cesar Aguilar

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Species delimitation studies based on integrative taxonomic approaches have received considerable attention in the last few years, and have provided the strongest hypotheses of species boundaries. We used three lines of evidence (molecular, morphological, and niche envelopes to test for species boundaries in Peruvian populations of the Liolaemus walkeri complex. Our results show that different lines of evidence and analyses are congruent in different combinations, for unambiguous delimitation of three lineages that were “hidden” within known species, and now deserve species status. Our phylogenetic analysis shows that L. walkeri, L. tacnae and the three new species are strongly separated from other species assigned to the alticolor-bibronii group. Few conventional morphological characters distinguish the new species from closely related taxa and this highlights the need to integrate other sources of data to erect strong hypothesis of species limits. A taxonomic key for known Peruvian species of the subgenus Lioalemus is provided.

A new species of Stamnaria (Leotiomycetes, Helotiales from Western Siberia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Danny Haelewaters

2018-03-01

Full Text Available A new species of Stamnaria is described based on morphology and molecular data from a collection made in West Siberia. Stamnaria yugrana is differentiated by lanceolate, strongly protruding paraphyses and comparatively narrow, fusoid-clavate ascospores. The apothecia are urn-shaped due to a prominent and even collar as in S. persoonii. The species grows on fallen side branches of Equisetum sylvaticum, a rarely recorded host for Stamnaria. The authors formally describe the new species and provide colour illustrations. In addition, the literature is reviewed on previously described species of Stamnaria. Phylogenetic reconstruction of the Stamnaria lineage, based on the ITS ribosomal DNA, strongly supports the three currently recognised species: S. americana, S. persoonii and S. yugrana.

Geographic range size and determinants of avian species richness

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jetz, Walter; Rahbek, Carsten

2002-01-01

Geographic patterns in species richness are mainly based on wide-ranging species because their larger number of distribution records has a disproportionate contribution to the species richness counts. Here we demonstrate how this effect strongly influences our understanding of what determines spe...

Unprecedented hetero-geometric discrete copper(II) complexes ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Copper; X-ray structure; radical activity; catechol oxidase activity. 1. Introduction ... dylamine and thiocyanate ions but none of these groups .... Independent reflections. 7978 ... was added to it to achieve the ultimate concentration of .... as exchange couples so as to form a single species with ... cantly on central Cu(II) ion.

Indirect spectrophotometric determination of sodium ceftriaxone with n-propyl alcohol-ammonium sulfate-water system by extraction flotation of copper(II).

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Wei; Zhang, Yan; Li, Quanmin

2008-05-01

Although the determination methods of sodium ceftriaxone has been increasingly reported, these methods have their inherent limits preventing them from being broadly applied in common laboratories. In order to circumvent this problem, a rapid and simple method for the indirect spectrophotometric determination of sodium ceftriaxone is reported. Sodium ceftriaxone was degraded completely in the presence of 0.20 mol/l sodium hydroxide in boiling water bath for 20 min. The thiol group (-SH) of the degradation product (I) of sodium ceftriaxone could reduce cupric to cuprous ions, and the resulting which was precipitated with the thiol group (-SH) of the degradation product (II) at pH 4.0. By determining the residual amount of copper (II), the indirect determination of sodium ceftriaxone can be achieved. Standard curve of sodium ceftriaxone versus the flotation yield of copper(II) showed that sodium ceftriaxone could be determined in low concentrations. The linear range of sodium ceftriaxone was 0.70-32 microg/ml and the detection limit evaluated by calibration curve (3sigma/k) was found to be 0.60 microg/ml. A simple and efficient method was developed and it has been successfully applied to the determination of sodium ceftriaxone in human serum and urine samples, respectively. It is expected that this method will find broad applications in the detection of cephalosporin derivatives with similar structure.

Does mechanical disturbance affect the performance and species composition of submerged macrophyte communities?

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qian; Xu, Ying-Shou; Huang, Lin; Xue, Wei; Sun, Gong-Qi; Zhang, Ming-Xiang; Yu, Fei-Hai

2014-05-01

Submerged macrophyte communities are frequently subjected to disturbance of various frequency and strength. However, there is still little experimental evidence on how mechanical disturbance affects the performance and species composition of such plant communities. In a greenhouse experiment, we constructed wetland communities consisting of five co-occurring clonal submerged macrophyte species (Hydrilla verticillata, Elodea canadensis, Ceratophyllum demersum, Chara fragilis, and Myriophyllum spicatum) and subjected these communities to three mechanical disturbance regimes (no, moderate and strong disturbance). Strong mechanical disturbance greatly decreased overall biomass, number of shoot nodes and total shoot length, and increased species diversity (evenness) of the total community. It also substantially decreased the growth of the most abundant species (H. verticillata), but did not affect growth of the other four species. Our data reveal that strong disturbance can have different effects on different submerged macrophyte species and thus alters the performance and species composition of submerged macrophyte communities.

Diversity and aggregation patterns of plant species in a grass community

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Ran Li

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Both composition and aggregation patterns of species in a community are the outcome of community self-organizing. In this paper we conducted analysis on species diversity and aggregation patterns of plant species in a grass community, Zhuhai, China. According to the sampling survey, in total of 47 plant species, belonging to 16 families, were found. Compositae had 10 species (21.3%, seconded by Gramineae (9 species, 19.1%, Leguminosae (6 species, 12.8%, Cyperaceae (4 species, 8.5%, and Malvaceae (3 species, 6.4%. The results revealed that the means of aggregation indices Iδ, I and m*/m were 21.71, 15.71 and 19.89 respectively and thus individuals of most of plant species strongly followed aggregative distribution. Iwao analysis indicated that both individuals of all species and clumps of all individuals of all species followed aggregative distribution. Taylor's power law indicated that individuals of all species followed aggregative distribution and aggregation intensity strengthened as the increase of mean density. We held that the strong aggregation intensity of a species has been resulted from the strong adaptation ability to the environment, the strong interspecific competition ability and the earlier establishment of the species. Fitting goodness of the mean, I, Iδ, m*/m with probability distributions demonstrated that the mean (density, I, Iδ, and m*/m over all species followed Weibull distribution rather than normal distribution. Lophatherum gracile, Paederia scandens (Lour. Merr., Eleusine indica, and Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart. Griseb. were mostly aggregative, and Oxalis sp., Eleocharis plantagineiformis, Vernonia cinerea (L. Less., and Sapium sebiferum (L. Roxb, were mostly uniform in the spatial distribution. Importance values (IV showed that Cynodon dactylon was the most important species, seconded by Desmodium triflorum (L. DC., Cajanus scarabaeoides (L. Benth., Paspalum scrobiculatum L., and Rhynchelytrum repens. Oxalis

Modulating p-hydroxycinnamate behavior as a ditopic linker or photoacid in copper(ii) complexes with an auxiliary pyridine ligand.

Science.gov (United States)

Soldevila-Sanmartín, Joan; Calvet, Teresa; Font-Bardia, Merce; Domingo, Concepción; Ayllón, José A; Pons, Josefina

2018-05-08

The reaction of copper(ii) acetate monohydrate with p-hydroxycinnamic acid (HpOHcinn) and different pyridine derivatives (4-tert-butylpyridine, 4-tBupy; 4-acetylpyridine, 4-Acpy; 3-phenylpyridine, 3-Phpy; 4-phenylpyridine, 4-Phpy) was essayed in methanol solvent at room temperature. The crystal structures of the resulting compounds were elucidated. Their analysis shows that the choice of pyridine ligands determines different coordination modes of the pOHcinn ligand and the Cu(ii) coordination, nuclearity and geometry. The pOHcinn acts as a monodentate carboxylate ligand in combination with 4-tBupy or 4-Phpy, yielding monomers and dimers, associated by hydrogen bonds into supramolecular networks in which the phenol group plays a key role. Conversely, in combination with 4-Acpy or 3-Phpy, the phenol group coordinates directly to the Cu(ii), acting as a ditopic ligand and yielding 2D coordination polymers. The compound containing 3-Phpy shows interesting MeOH-H2O reversible exchange behavior. Not only has the pyridine auxiliary ligand had a tremendous effect on the coordination mode of pOHcinn, but also its reactivity is influenced. Particularly, in the case of the compound containing 4-Phpy, it undergoes a photoinduced process, in which the phenol group deprotonates and coordinates to Cu(ii) as a phenoxy ligand. This yields a coordination polymer in which two different dimers alternate, bridged by the resulting pOcinn ligand. The magneto-structural correlation of this compound is also discussed.

Synthesis, structures and Helicobacter pylori urease inhibitory activity of copper(II) complexes with tridentate aroylhydrazone ligands.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Lin; Wang, Cunfang; Yan, Kai; Zhao, Kedong; Sheng, Guihua; Zhu, Hailiang; Zhao, Xinlu; Qu, Dan; Niu, Fang; You, Zhonglu

2016-06-01

A series of new copper(II) complexes were prepared. They are [CuL(1)(NCS)] (1), [CuClL(1)]·CH3OH (2), [CuClL(2)]·CH3OH (3), [CuL(3)(NCS)]·CH3OH (4), [CuL(4)(NCS)]·0.4H2O (5), and [CuL(5)(bipy)] (6), where L(1), L(2), L(3) and L(4) are the deprotonated form of N'-(2-hydroxybenzylidene)-3-methylbenzohydrazide, 4-bromo-N'-(2-hydroxy-5-methoxybenzylidene)benzohydrazide, N'-(2-hydroxy-5-methoxybenzylidene)-3-methylbenzohydrazide and 2-chloro-N'-(2-hydroxy-5-methoxybenzylidene)benzohydrazide, respectively, L(5) is the dianionic form of N'-(2-hydroxybenzylidene)-3-methylbenzohydrazide, and bipy is 2,2'-bipyridine. The complexes were characterized by infrared and UV-Vis spectra and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The Cu atoms in complexes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are coordinated by the NOO donor set of the aroylhydrazone ligands, and one Cl or thiocyanate N atom, forming square planar coordination. The Cu atom in complex 6 is in a square pyramidal coordination, with the NOO donor set of L(1), and one N atom of bipy defining the basal plane, and with the other N atom of bipy occupying the apical position. Complexes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 show effective urease inhibitory activities, with IC50 values of 5.14, 0.20, 4.06, 5.52 and 0.26μM, respectively. Complex 6 has very weak activity against urease, with IC50 value over 100μM. Molecular docking study of the complexes with the Helicobacter pylori urease was performed. The relationship between structures and urease inhibitory activities indicated that copper complexes with square planar coordination are better models for urease inhibition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Electrochemical Water Oxidation and Stereoselective Oxygen Atom Transfer Mediated by a Copper Complex.

Science.gov (United States)

Kafentzi, Maria-Chrysanthi; Papadakis, Raffaello; Gennarini, Federica; Kochem, Amélie; Iranzo, Olga; Le Mest, Yves; Le Poul, Nicolas; Tron, Thierry; Faure, Bruno; Simaan, A Jalila; Réglier, Marius

2018-04-06

Water oxidation by copper-based complexes to form dioxygen has attracted attention in recent years, with the aim of developing efficient and cheap catalysts for chemical energy storage. In addition, high-valent metal-oxo species produced by the oxidation of metal complexes in the presence of water can be used to achieve substrate oxygenation with the use of H 2 O as an oxygen source. To date, this strategy has not been reported for copper complexes. Herein, a copper(II) complex, [(RPY2)Cu(OTf) 2 ] (RPY2=N-substituted bis[2-pyridyl(ethylamine)] ligands; R=indane; OTf=triflate), is used. This complex, which contains an oxidizable substrate moiety (indane), is used as a tool to monitor an intramolecular oxygen atom transfer reaction. Electrochemical properties were investigated and, upon electrolysis at 1.30 V versus a normal hydrogen electrode (NHE), both dioxygen production and oxygenation of the indane moiety were observed. The ligand was oxidized in a highly diastereoselective manner, which indicated that the observed reactivity was mediated by metal-centered reactive species. The pH dependence of the reactivity was monitored and correlated with speciation deduced from different techniques, ranging from potentiometric titrations to spectroscopic studies and DFT calculations. Water oxidation for dioxygen production occurs at neutral pH and is probably mediated by the oxidation of a mononuclear copper(II) precursor. It is achieved with a rather low overpotential (280 mV at pH 7), although with limited efficiency. On the other hand, oxygenation is maximum at pH 8-8.5 and is probably mediated by the electrochemical oxidation of an antiferromagnetically coupled dinuclear bis(μ-hydroxo) copper(II) precursor. This constitutes the first example of copper-centered oxidative water activation for a selective oxygenation reaction. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The transformer species of the Ukrainian Polissya

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Protopopova Vira V.

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The investigation results of the transformer species participation (Echinocystis lobata (Michx. Torr. & A. Gray, Heracleum sosnowskyi Manden., Impatiens glandulifera Royle, I. parviflora DC., Reynoutria japonica Houtt., Robinia pseudoacacia L. in different plant communities of the Ukrainian Polissya (Forest zone of Ukraine are presented. All the abovementioned species are strong edificators in the region that can significantly change important species composition parameters of communities and character of landscape.

Species-specific associations between overstory and understory tree species in a semideciduous tropical forest

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Flaviana Maluf Souza

2015-03-01

Full Text Available We investigated the occurrence of associations between overstory and understory tree species in a semideciduous tropical forest. We identified and measured all trees of nine canopy species with diameter at breast height ≥4.8 cm in a 10.24 ha plot and recorded all individuals beneath their canopies ("understory individuals" within the same diameter class. The total density of understory individuals did not significantly differ under different overstory species. One overstory species (Ceiba speciosa showed higher understory species richness compared with five other species. There was a strong positive association between three overstory species (Esenbeckia leiocarpa, Savia dictyocarpa, and C. speciosa and the density of seven understory species (Balfourodendron riedelianum, Chrysophyllum gonocarpum, E. leiocarpa, Holocalyx balansae, Machaerium stipitatum, Rhaminidium elaeocarpum, and S. dictyocarpa. These results probably reflect the outcome of a complex set of interactions including facilitation and competition, and further studies are necessary to better understand the magnitude and type of the effects of individual overstory species on understory species. The occurrence of species-specific associations shown here reinforces the importance of non-random processes in structuring plant communities and suggest that the influence of overstory species on understory species in high-diversity forests may be more significant than previously thought.

Species Trials at the Waiakea Arboretum, Hilo, Hawaii

Science.gov (United States)

George B. Richmond

1963-01-01

Survival counts were made of 84 exotic tree species planted during 1956-1960 in a cleared rain-forest area near Hilo, Hawaii. Growth measurements were recorded for 5- and 6-year-old plantings. Most species had good survival, but some failed entirely. Soil depth was found to have a strong influence on rate of growth, but not on survival. Several valuable timber species...

Cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II), zinc(II) and hafnium(IV) complexes of N'-(furan-3-ylmethylene)-2-(4-methoxyphenylamino)acetohydrazide.

Science.gov (United States)

Emam, Sanaa M; El-Saied, Fathy A; Abou El-Enein, Saeyda A; El-Shater, Heba A

2009-03-01

Cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II), zinc(II) and hafnium(IV) complexes of furan-2-carbaldehyde 4-methoxy-N-anilinoacetohydrazone were synthesized and characterized by elemental and thermal (TG and DTA) analyses, IR, UV-vis and (1)H NMR spectra as well as magnetic moment and molar conductivity. Mononuclear complexes are obtained with 1:1 molar ratio except complexes 3 and 9 which are obtained with 1:2 molar ratios. The IR spectra of ligand and metal complexes reveal various modes of chelation. The ligand behaves as a neutral bidentate one and coordination occurs via the carbonyl oxygen atom and azomethine nitrogen atom. The ligand behaves also as a monobasic tridentate one and coordination occurs through the enolic oxygen atom, azomethine nitrogen atom and the oxygen atom of furan ring. Moreover, the ligand behaves as a neutral tridentate and coordination occurs via the carbonyl oxygen, azomethine nitrogen and furan oxygen atoms as well as a monobasic bidentate and coordination occurs via the enolic oxygen atom and azomethine nitrogen atom. The electronic spectra and magnetic moment measurements reveal that all complexes possess octahedral geometry except the copper complex 10 possesses a square planar geometry. The thermal studies showed the type of water molecules involved in metal complexes as well as the thermal decomposition of some metal complexes.

YCu(TeO32(NO3(H2O3: a novel layered tellurite

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Stuart J. Mills

2016-08-01

Full Text Available A new hydrated yttrium copper tellurite nitrate, yttrium(III copper(II bis[trioxidotellurate(IV] nitrate trihydrate, has been synthesized hydrothermally in a Teflon-lined autoclave and structurally determined using synchrotron radiation. The new phase is the first example containing yttrium, copper and tellurium in one structure. Its crystal structure is unique, with relatively strongly bound layers extending parallel to (020, defined by YO8, CuO4 and TeO3 polyhedra, while the NO3− anions and one third of the water molecules lie between those layers. The structural unit consists of [Cu2(TeO34]4− loop-branched chains of {Cu...Te...Cu...Te} squares running parallel to [001], which are linked further into layers only through Y(O,H2O8 polyhedra. Weak `secondary' Te bonds and O—H...O hydrogen-bonding interactions, involving water molecules and layer O atoms, link the layers and interlayer species. IR spectroscopic data are also presented.

The nuclear question: rethinking species importance in multi-species animal groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Srinivasan, Umesh; Raza, Rashid Hasnain; Quader, Suhel

2010-09-01

1. Animals group for various benefits, and may form either simple single-species groups, or more complex multi-species associations. Multi-species groups are thought to provide anti-predator and foraging benefits to participant individuals. 2. Despite detailed studies on multi-species animal groups, the importance of species in group initiation and maintenance is still rated qualitatively as 'nuclear' (maintaining groups) or 'attendant' (species following nuclear species) based on species-specific traits. This overly simplifies and limits understanding of inherently complex associations, and is biologically unrealistic, because species roles in multi-species groups are: (i) likely to be context-specific and not simply a fixed species property, and (ii) much more variable than this dichotomy indicates. 3. We propose a new view of species importance (measured as number of inter-species associations), along a continuum from 'most nuclear' to 'least nuclear'. Using mixed-species bird flocks from a tropical rainforest in India as an example, we derive inter-species association measures from randomizations on bird species abundance data (which takes into account species 'availability') and data on 86 mixed-species flocks from two different flock types. Our results show that the number and average strength of inter-species associations covary positively, and we argue that species with many, strong associations are the most nuclear. 4. From our data, group size and foraging method are ecological and behavioural traits of species that best explain nuclearity in mixed-species bird flocks. Parallels have been observed in multi-species fish shoals, in which group size and foraging method, as well as diet, have been shown to correlate with nuclearity. Further, the context in which multi-species groups occur, in conjunction with species-specific traits, influences the role played by a species in a multi-species group, and this highlights the importance of extrinsic factors in

Understanding tourists' preference for mammal species in private protected areas: is there a case for extralimital species for ecotourism?

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Kristine Maciejewski

Full Text Available Private Protected Areas (PPAs often use wildlife-based ecotourism as their primary means of generating business. Achieving tourist satisfaction has become a strong driving goal in the management of many PPAs, often at the expense of biodiversity. Many extralimitral species, those which historically did not occur in an area, are stocked in PPAs with the intention of increasing ecotourism attractions. Even though the ecological and economic costs of stocking these species are high, the social benefits are not understood and little information exists globally on the ecotourism role of extralimital species. This study assessed the value of stocking extralimital species using questionnaire-based surveys and observing tourists in Shamwari Private Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. No difference was found between indigenous and extralimital species with regards to the tourists' weighted scoring system, average amount tourists were willing to pay, total viewing time, average viewing time or the likelihood of stopping to view species when encountered on game drives. During game drives a strong preference was found for the elephant (Loxodonta africana, lion (Panthera leo, leopard (Panthera pardus and cheetah (Acynonix jubatus. With the exception of the cheetah, these species are all members of the "big five" and are indigenous. Species availability and visibility, however, may influence the amount of time tourists spend at an animal sighting. Our analysis suggests that certain extralimital species (typically larger and charismatic species contribute to tourist satisfaction, while particularly the smaller extralimital species add little to the game viewing experience, but add to the costs and risks of the PPAs. We recommend that extralimital species introductions for ecotourism purposes should be approached with caution with regards to the risks to the sustainability of PPAs.

Understanding Tourists’ Preference for Mammal Species in Private Protected Areas: Is There a Case for Extralimital Species for Ecotourism?

Science.gov (United States)

Maciejewski, Kristine; Kerley, Graham I. H.

2014-01-01

Private Protected Areas (PPAs) often use wildlife-based ecotourism as their primary means of generating business. Achieving tourist satisfaction has become a strong driving goal in the management of many PPAs, often at the expense of biodiversity. Many extralimitral species, those which historically did not occur in an area, are stocked in PPAs with the intention of increasing ecotourism attractions. Even though the ecological and economic costs of stocking these species are high, the social benefits are not understood and little information exists globally on the ecotourism role of extralimital species. This study assessed the value of stocking extralimital species using questionnaire-based surveys and observing tourists in Shamwari Private Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. No difference was found between indigenous and extralimital species with regards to the tourists’ weighted scoring system, average amount tourists were willing to pay, total viewing time, average viewing time or the likelihood of stopping to view species when encountered on game drives. During game drives a strong preference was found for the elephant (Loxodonta africana), lion (Panthera leo), leopard (Panthera pardus) and cheetah (Acynonix jubatus). With the exception of the cheetah, these species are all members of the “big five” and are indigenous. Species availability and visibility, however, may influence the amount of time tourists spend at an animal sighting. Our analysis suggests that certain extralimital species (typically larger and charismatic species) contribute to tourist satisfaction, while particularly the smaller extralimital species add little to the game viewing experience, but add to the costs and risks of the PPAs. We recommend that extralimital species introductions for ecotourism purposes should be approached with caution with regards to the risks to the sustainability of PPAs. PMID:24505426

Understanding tourists' preference for mammal species in private protected areas: is there a case for extralimital species for ecotourism?

Science.gov (United States)

Maciejewski, Kristine; Kerley, Graham I H

2014-01-01

Private Protected Areas (PPAs) often use wildlife-based ecotourism as their primary means of generating business. Achieving tourist satisfaction has become a strong driving goal in the management of many PPAs, often at the expense of biodiversity. Many extralimitral species, those which historically did not occur in an area, are stocked in PPAs with the intention of increasing ecotourism attractions. Even though the ecological and economic costs of stocking these species are high, the social benefits are not understood and little information exists globally on the ecotourism role of extralimital species. This study assessed the value of stocking extralimital species using questionnaire-based surveys and observing tourists in Shamwari Private Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. No difference was found between indigenous and extralimital species with regards to the tourists' weighted scoring system, average amount tourists were willing to pay, total viewing time, average viewing time or the likelihood of stopping to view species when encountered on game drives. During game drives a strong preference was found for the elephant (Loxodonta africana), lion (Panthera leo), leopard (Panthera pardus) and cheetah (Acynonix jubatus). With the exception of the cheetah, these species are all members of the "big five" and are indigenous. Species availability and visibility, however, may influence the amount of time tourists spend at an animal sighting. Our analysis suggests that certain extralimital species (typically larger and charismatic species) contribute to tourist satisfaction, while particularly the smaller extralimital species add little to the game viewing experience, but add to the costs and risks of the PPAs. We recommend that extralimital species introductions for ecotourism purposes should be approached with caution with regards to the risks to the sustainability of PPAs.

A ruthenium(II) complex as turn-on Cu(II) luminescent sensor based on oxidative cyclization mechanism and its application in vivo

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yunfei; Liu, Zonglun; Yang, Kui; Zhang, Yi; Xu, Yongqian; Li, Hongjuan; Wang, Chaoxia; Lu, Aiping; Sun, Shiguo

2015-02-01

Copper ions play a vital role in a variety of fundamental physiological processes not only in human beings and plants, but also for extensive insects and microorganisms. In this paper, a novel water-soluble ruthenium(II) complex as a turn-on copper(II) ions luminescent sensor based on o-(phenylazo)aniline was designed and synthesized. The azo group would undergo a specific oxidative cyclization reaction with copper(II) ions and turn into high luminescent benzotriazole, triggering significant luminescent increasements which were linear to the concentrations of copper(II) ions. The sensor distinguished by its high sensitivity (over 80-fold luminescent switch-on response), good selectivity (the changes of the emission intensity in the presence of other metal ions or amino acids were negligible) and low detection limit (4.42 nM) in water. Moreover, the copper(II) luminescent sensor exhibited good photostability under light irradiation. Furthermore, the applicability of the proposed sensor in biological samples assay was also studied and imaged copper(II) ions in living pea aphids successfully.

New species of Auritella (Inocybaceae) from Cameroon, with a worldwide key to the known species.

Science.gov (United States)

Matheny, P Brandon; Henkel, Terry W; Séné, Olivier; Korotkin, Hailee B; Dentinger, Bryn T M; Aime, M Catherine

2017-12-01

Two new species in the genus Auritella ( Inocybaceae ) are described as new from tropical rainforest in Cameroon. Descriptions, photographs, line drawings, and a worldwide taxonomic key to the described species of Auritella are presented. Phylogenetic analysis of 28S rDNA and rpb2 nucleotide sequence data suggests at least five phylogenetic species that can be ascribed to Auritella occur in the region comprising Cameroon and Gabon and constitute a strongly supported monophyletic subgroup within the genus. Phylogenetic analysis of ITS data supports the conspecificity of numerous collections attributed to the two new species as well as the monophyly of Australian species of Auritella . This work raises the known number of described species of Auritella to thirteen worldwide, four of which occur in tropical Africa, one in tropical India, and eight in temperate and tropical regions of Australia. This is the first study to confirm an ectomycorrhizal status of Auritella using molecular data.

A Simple Catalytic Mechanism for the Direct Coupling of α-Carbonyls with Functionalized Amines: A One-Step Synthesis of Plavix

OpenAIRE

Evans, Ryan W.; Zbieg, Jason R.; Zhu, Shaolin; Li, Wei; MacMillan, David W. C.

2013-01-01

The direct α-amination of ketones, esters, and aldehydes has been accomplished via copper catalysis. In the presence of catalytic copper(II) bromide, a diverse range of carbonyl and amine substrates undergo fragment coupling to produce synthetically useful α-amino substituted motifs. The transformation is proposed to proceed via a catalytically generated α-bromo carbonyl species; nucleophilic displacement of the bromide by the amine then delivers the α-amino carbonyl adduct while the catalyst...

An evidence for the strong association of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone with some organic species in three Chinese bituminous coals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, C.M.; Zong, Z.M.; Jia, J.X.; Liu, G.F.; Wei, X.Y. [China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou (China). School for Chemical Engineering

2008-04-15

Three Chinese bituminous coals collected from Shenfu, Heidaigou and Feicheng coal fields were respectively extracted with carbon-disulfide/N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (CS{sub 2}/NMP) mixed solvent (volume ratio 1:1) at room temperature followed by distillation of CS{sub 2} under ambient pressure and subsequent removal of most of NMP by distillation at 110{sup o}C under reduced pressure to afford mixed solvent-extractable fractions (MSEFs) with small amount of NMP. Acetone-extractable fraction 1 (AEF1) was obtained by extracting each MSEF under ultrasonic irradiation at room temperature and subsequently using a Soxhlet extractor. Direct extraction of each bituminous coal affords acetone-soluble fraction 2 (AEF2). GC/MS analysis shows that mlz of base or secondary peak in mass spectra of a series of components from each AEF1 is 98, whereas such components were not detected in AEF2. Since m/z of base peak in mass spectrum of NMP itself is 99, the base or secondary peak at m/z 98 should result from loss of a-H from NMP, i.e., NMP is strongly associated with some organic species (OSs) and thereby the components detected with base or secodary peak at m/z 98 in their mass spectra should be associated NMP-OS.

Species invasion shifts the importance of predator dependence.

Science.gov (United States)

Griffen, Blaine D; Delaney, David G

2007-12-01

The strength of interference between foraging individuals can influence per capita consumption rates, with important consequences for predator and prey populations and system stability. Here we demonstrate how the replacement of a previously established invader, the predatory crab Carcinus maenas, by the recently invading predatory crab Hemigrapsus sanguineus shifts predation from a species that experiences strong predator interference (strong predator dependence) to one that experiences weak predator interference (weak predator dependence). We demonstrate using field experiments that differences in the strength of predator dependence persist for these species both when they forage on a single focal prey species only (the mussel Mytilus edulis) and when they forage more broadly across the entire prey community. This shift in predator dependence with species replacement may be altering the biomass across trophic levels, consistent with theoretical predictions, as we show that H. sanguineus populations are much larger than C. maenas populations throughout their invaded ranges. Our study highlights that predator dependence may differ among predator species and demonstrates that different predatory impacts of two conspicuous invasive predators may be explained at least in part by different strengths of predator dependence.

Species Diversity Enhances Predator Growth Rates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olson, M.H.; Jacobs, R.P.; O'Donnell, E.B.

2007-01-01

Predators can be important top-down regulators of community structure and are known to have both positive and negative effects on species diversity. However, little is known about the reciprocal effects of species diversity on predators. Across a set of 80 lakes in Connecticut, USA, we found a strong positive correlation between prey species diversity (using the Shannon-Weiner Diversity Index) and growth rates of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). This correlation was strongest for small predators and decreased with body size. Although the underlying mechanisms are not known, the correlation is not driven by total fish abundance, predator abundance, or productivity.

The interaction of taurine-salicylaldehyde Schiff base copper(II) complex with DNA and the determination of DNA using the complex as a fluorescence probe

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaoyan; Wang, Yong; Zhang, Qianru; Yang, Zhousheng

2010-09-01

The interaction of taurine-salicylaldehyde Schiff base copper(II) (Cu(TSSB) 22+) complex with DNA was explored by using UV-vis, fluorescence spectrophotometry, and voltammetry. In pH 7.4 Tris-HCl buffer solution, the binding constant of the Cu(TSSB) 22+ complex interaction with DNA was 3.49 × 10 4 L mol -1. Moreover, due to the fluorescence enhancing of Cu(TSSB) 22+ complex in the presence of DNA, a method for determination of DNA with Cu(TSSB) 22+ complex as a fluorescence probe was developed. The fluorescence spectra indicated that the maximum excitation and emission wavelength were 389 nm and 512 nm, respectively. Under optimal conditions, the calibration graphs are linear over the range of 0.03-9.03 μg mL -1 for calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA), 0.10-36 μg mL -1 for yeast DNA and 0.01-10.01 μg mL -1 for salmon DNA (SM-DNA), respectively. The corresponding detection limits are 7 ng mL -1 for CT-DNA, 3 ng mL -1 for yeast DNA and 3 ng mL -1 for SM-DNA. Using this method, DNA in synthetic samples was determined with satisfactory results.

Copper(II) complexes with 4-(1H-1, 2, 4-trizol-1-ylmethyl) benzoic acid: Syntheses, crystal structures and antifungal activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiong, Pingping; Li, Jie; Bu, Huaiyu; Wei, Qing; Zhang, Ruolin; Chen, Sanping

2014-01-01

Reaction of Cu(II) with an asymmetric semi-rigid organic ligand 4-(1H-1, 2, 4-trizol-1-ylmethyl) benzoic acid (HL), yielded five compounds, [Cu 0.5 L] n (1), [Cu(HL) 2 Cl 2 ] n (2), [Cu(HL) 2 Cl 2 (H 2 O)] (3), [Cu(L) 2 (H 2 O)] n (4) and [Cu(L)(phen)(HCO 2 )] n (5), which have been fully characterized by infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. As for compounds 1, 2 and 5, Cu(II) is bridged through HL, Cl - , and formic acid, respectively, featuring 1D chain-structure. In compound 3, Cu(II) with hexahedral coordination sphere is assembled through hydrogen-bonding into 3D supramolecular framework. In compound 4, 1D chain units –Cu–O–Cu–O– are ligand-bridged into a 3D network. All compounds were tested on fungi (Fusarium graminearum, Altemaria solani, Macrophoma kawatsukai, Alternaria alternata and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides). Compound 1 exhibits a better antifungal effect compared to other compounds. An effect of structure on the antifungal activity has also been correlated. - Graphical abstract: Copper(II) compounds with 4-(1H-1, 2, 4-trizol-1-ylmethyl) benzoic acid, were prepared, structurally characterized and investigated for antifungal activity. - Highlights: • The title compounds formed by thermodynamics and thermokinetics. • The five compounds show higher inhibition percentage than reactants. • The structure effect on the antifungal activity

The role of advection in a two-species competition model

CERN Document Server

Averill, Isabel; Lou, Yuan

2017-01-01

The effects of weak and strong advection on the dynamics of reaction-diffusion models have long been studied. In contrast, the role of intermediate advection remains poorly understood. For example, concentration phenomena can occur when advection is strong, providing a mechanism for the coexistence of multiple populations, in contrast with the situation of weak advection where coexistence may not be possible. The transition of the dynamics from weak to strong advection is generally difficult to determine. In this work the authors consider a mathematical model of two competing populations in a spatially varying but temporally constant environment, where both species have the same population dynamics but different dispersal strategies: one species adopts random dispersal, while the dispersal strategy for the other species is a combination of random dispersal and advection upward along the resource gradient. For any given diffusion rates the authors consider the bifurcation diagram of positive steady states by u...

Sensitivity analysis of uranium solubility under strongly oxidizing conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, L.; Neretnieks, I.

1999-01-01

To evaluate the effect of geochemical conditions in the repository on the solubility of uranium under strongly oxidizing conditions, a mathematical model has been developed to determine the solubility, by utilizing a set of nonlinear algebraic equations to describe the chemical equilibria in the groundwater environment. The model takes into account the predominant precipitation-dissolution reactions, hydrolysis reactions and complexation reactions that may occur under strongly oxidizing conditions. The model also includes the solubility-limiting solids induced by the presence of carbonate, phosphate, silicate, calcium, and sodium in the groundwater. The thermodynamic equilibrium constants used in the solubility calculations are essentially taken from the NEA Thermochemical Data Base of Uranium, with some modification and some uranium minerals added, such as soddyite, rutherfordite, uranophane, uranyl orthophosphate, and becquerelite. By applying this model, the sensitivities of uranium solubility to variations in the concentrations of various groundwater component species are systematically investigated. The results show that the total analytical concentrations of carbonate, phosphate, silicate, and calcium in deep groundwater play the most important role in determining the solubility of uranium under strongly oxidizing conditions

Microsites Matter: Improving the Success of Rare Species Reintroductions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter W Dunwiddie

Full Text Available Our study was undertaken to better understand how to increase the success rates of recovery plantings of a rare hemiparasite, golden paintbrush (Castilleja levisecta-Orobanchaceae. This species is endemic to western Washington and Oregon, USA, and southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Over 5000 golden paintbrush plants were outplanted as plugs in 2007 at six different native prairie sites that were considered to be suitable habitat, based on general evaluations of vegetation and soil conditions. Outplantings were installed at regular intervals along transects up to 1 km long to include a range of conditions occurring at each site. All plantings were re-examined five years later. The patchy distribution of surviving plugs and new recruits within each reintroduction site suggested success is strongly influenced by microsite characteristics. Indicator species analysis of taxa growing in microsites around outplanted golden paintbrush identified species that were positively or negatively associated with paintbrush survival. Species such as Festuca roemeri, Eriophyllum lanatum, and Viola adunca were strong indicators at some sites; non-natives such as Hypochaeris radicata and Teesdalia nudicaulis tended to be frequent negative indicators. Overall, higher richness of native perennial forbs was strongly correlated with both survival and flowering of golden paintbrush, a pattern that may reflect interactions of this hemiparasite with the immediately surrounding plant community. Topographic position also influenced outcomes, with greater survival occurring on mounds and in swales, where soils generally were deeper. Our findings suggest that assessments of site suitability based on vegetation alone, and coarser, site-level assessments that do not characterize heterogeneity at the microsite scale, may not be strong predictors of restoration success over the longer term and in sites with variability in vegetation and soils. By identifying suitable

Assessing species boundaries using multilocus species delimitation in a morphologically conserved group of neotropical freshwater fishes, the Poecilia sphenops species complex (Poeciliidae.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Justin C Bagley

Full Text Available Accurately delimiting species is fundamentally important for understanding species diversity and distributions and devising effective strategies to conserve biodiversity. However, species delimitation is problematic in many taxa, including 'non-adaptive radiations' containing morphologically cryptic lineages. Fortunately, coalescent-based species delimitation methods hold promise for objectively estimating species limits in such radiations, using multilocus genetic data. Using coalescent-based approaches, we delimit species and infer evolutionary relationships in a morphologically conserved group of Central American freshwater fishes, the Poecilia sphenops species complex. Phylogenetic analyses of multiple genetic markers (sequences of two mitochondrial DNA genes and five nuclear loci from 10/15 species and genetic lineages recognized in the group support the P. sphenops species complex as monophyletic with respect to outgroups, with eight mitochondrial 'major-lineages' diverged by ≥2% pairwise genetic distances. From general mixed Yule-coalescent models, we discovered (conservatively 10 species within our concatenated mitochondrial DNA dataset, 9 of which were strongly supported by subsequent multilocus Bayesian species delimitation and species tree analyses. Results suggested species-level diversity is underestimated or overestimated by at least ~15% in different lineages in the complex. Nonparametric statistics and coalescent simulations indicate genealogical discordance among our gene tree results has mainly derived from interspecific hybridization in the nuclear genome. However, mitochondrial DNA show little evidence for introgression, and our species delimitation results appear robust to effects of this process. Overall, our findings support the utility of combining multiple lines of genetic evidence and broad phylogeographical sampling to discover and validate species using coalescent-based methods. Our study also highlights the

Stability of mutualisms in a lattice gas system of two species

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Yuanshi Wang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This article considers mutualisms in a lattice gas system of two species. The species are mutualistic since each one can provide resources to the other. They are also competitive since they compete for empty sites on the same lattice. The mutualisms are assumed to have a saturated response, and the intraspecific competition is considered because of self-limitation. The mutualism system is characterized by differential equations, which are derived from reactions on lattice and are extension of a previous model. Global stability analysis demonstrates that (i When neither species can survive alone, they can coexist if mutualisms between them are strong and population densities are large, which exhibits the Allee effect in obligate mutualism; (ii When one species can survive alone but the other cannot, the latter one will survive if the mutualistic effect from the former is strong. Even if the effect is intermediate, the latter species can survive by strengthening its mutualistic effect on the former and enhancing its population density; (iii When either species can survive alone, a weak mutualism will lead to extinction of one species. When in coexistence, intermediate strength of mutualism is shown to be beneficial under certain parameter range, while over- or under- mutualism is not good. Furthermore, extremely strong/weak mutualism is exhibited to result in extinction of one/both species. While seven typical dynamics are displayed by numerical simulation in a previous work, they are proved in this work and the eighth one is exhibited. Numerical simul ations validate and extend our conclusions.

The definition of species richness used by species sensitivity distributions approximates observed effects of salinity on stream macroinvertebrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kefford, Ben J., E-mail: ben.kefford@uts.edu.a [School of Applied Sciences, RMIT University, Victoria (Australia); Centre for Environmental Sustainability, Department of Environmental Science, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales (Australia); Marchant, Richard [Department of Entomology, Museum of Victoria, Victoria (Australia); Schaefer, Ralf B. [School of Applied Sciences, RMIT University, Victoria (Australia); Metzeling, Leon [EPA Victoria, Macleod, Victoria (Australia); Dunlop, Jason E. [Department of Environment and Resource Management, Indooroopilly, Queensland (Australia); National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology, University of Queensland, Coopers Plains, Queensland (Australia); Choy, Satish C. [Department of Environment and Resource Management, Indooroopilly, Queensland (Australia); Goonan, Peter [South Australia Environment Protection Authority, Adelaide, South Australia (Australia)

2011-01-15

The risk of chemicals for ecological communities is often forecast with species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) which are used to predict the concentration which will protect p% of species (PC{sub p} value). However, at the PC{sub p} value, species richness in nature would not necessary be p% less than at uncontaminated sites. The definition of species richness inherent to SSDs (contaminant category richness) contrasts with species richness typically measured in most field studies (point richness). We determine, for salinity in eastern Australia, whether these definitions of stream macroinvertebrate species richness are commensurable. There were strong relationships (r{sup 2} {>=} 0.87) between mean point species, family and Ephemeroptera, Trichoptera and Plecoptera species richness and their respective contamination category richness. Despite differences in the definition of richness used by SSDs and field biomonitoring, their results in terms of relative species loss from salinity in south-east Australia are similar. We conclude that in our system both definitions are commensurable. - Definitions of species richness inherit in SSDs and biomonitoring are for salinity in south-east Australia commensurable.

The definition of species richness used by species sensitivity distributions approximates observed effects of salinity on stream macroinvertebrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kefford, Ben J.; Marchant, Richard; Schaefer, Ralf B.; Metzeling, Leon; Dunlop, Jason E.; Choy, Satish C.; Goonan, Peter

2011-01-01

The risk of chemicals for ecological communities is often forecast with species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) which are used to predict the concentration which will protect p% of species (PC p value). However, at the PC p value, species richness in nature would not necessary be p% less than at uncontaminated sites. The definition of species richness inherent to SSDs (contaminant category richness) contrasts with species richness typically measured in most field studies (point richness). We determine, for salinity in eastern Australia, whether these definitions of stream macroinvertebrate species richness are commensurable. There were strong relationships (r 2 ≥ 0.87) between mean point species, family and Ephemeroptera, Trichoptera and Plecoptera species richness and their respective contamination category richness. Despite differences in the definition of richness used by SSDs and field biomonitoring, their results in terms of relative species loss from salinity in south-east Australia are similar. We conclude that in our system both definitions are commensurable. - Definitions of species richness inherit in SSDs and biomonitoring are for salinity in south-east Australia commensurable.

Evolutionary responses of native plant species to invasive plants : a review

OpenAIRE

Oduor, Ayub M. O.

2013-01-01

Strong competition from invasive plant species often leads to declines in abundances and may,in certain cases, cause localized extinctions of native plant species. Nevertheless, studies have shown that certain populations of native plant species can co-exist with invasive plant species, suggesting the possibility of adaptive evolutionary responses of those populations to the invasive plants. Empirical inference of evolutionary responses of the native plant species to invasive plants has invol...

Strong congruence in tree and fern community turnover in response to soils and climate in central Panama

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jones, Mirkka; Ferrier, Simon; Condit, Richard

2013-01-01

1. Plant species turnover in central Panamanian forests has been principally attributed to the effects of dispersal limitation and a strong Caribbean to Pacific gradient in rainfall seasonality. Despite marked geological heterogeneity, the role of soil variation has not been rigorously examined. 2....... We modelled the compositional turnover of trees and ferns in the Panama Canal watershed as a function of soil chemistry, climate and geographical separation, using generalized dissimilarity models (GDMs). 3. Predictability in both plant groups was strong, with 74% of turnover explained in trees...... and 49% in ferns. Major trends in the two plant groups were strikingly similar. The independent effects of soils, and of climate for trees, were sizeable, but those of geographical distance were minor. In both plant groups, distance and climatic effects on species turnover covaried strongly. 4. Including...

Copper(II) complex with 6-methylpyridine-2-carboxyclic acid: Experimental and computational study on the XRD, FT-IR and UV-Vis spectra, refractive index, band gap and NLO parameters.

Science.gov (United States)

Altürk, Sümeyye; Avcı, Davut; Başoğlu, Adil; Tamer, Ömer; Atalay, Yusuf; Dege, Necmi

2018-02-05

Crystal structure of the synthesized copper(II) complex with 6-methylpyridine-2-carboxylic acid, [Cu(6-Mepic) 2 ·H 2 O]·H 2 O, was determined by XRD, FT-IR and UV-Vis spectroscopic techniques. Furthermore, the geometry optimization, harmonic vibration frequencies for the Cu(II) complex were carried out by using Density Functional Theory calculations with HSEh1PBE/6-311G(d,p)/LanL2DZ level. Electronic absorption wavelengths were obtained by using TD-DFT/HSEh1PBE/6-311G(d,p)/LanL2DZ level with CPCM model and major contributions were determined via Swizard/Chemissian program. Additionally, the refractive index, linear optical (LO) and non-nonlinear optical (NLO) parameters of the Cu(II) complex were calculated at HSEh1PBE/6-311G(d,p) level. The experimental and computed small energy gap shows the charge transfer in the Cu(II) complex. Finally, the hyperconjugative interactions and intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) were studied by performing of natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Membrane Processes Based on Complexation Reactions of Pollutants as Sustainable Wastewater Treatments

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Teresa Poerio

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Water is today considered to be a vital and limited resource due to industrial development and population growth. Developing appropriate water treatment techniques, to ensure a sustainable management, represents a key point in the worldwide strategies. By removing both organic and inorganic species using techniques based on coupling membrane processes and appropriate complexing agents to bind pollutants are very important alternatives to classical separation processes in water treatment. Supported Liquid Membrane (SLM and Complexation Ultrafiltration (CP-UF based processes meet the sustainability criteria because they require low amounts of energy compared to pressure driven membrane processes, low amounts of complexing agents and they allow recovery of water and some pollutants (e.g., metals. A more interesting process, on the application point of view, is the Stagnant Sandwich Liquid Membrane (SSwLM, introduced as SLM implementation. It has been studied in the separation of the drug gemfibrozil (GEM and of copper(II as organic and inorganic pollutants in water. Obtained results showed in both cases the higher efficiency of SSwLM with respect to the SLM system configuration. Indeed higher stability (335.5 vs. 23.5 hours for GEM; 182.7 vs. 49.2 for copper(II and higher fluxes (0.662 vs. 0.302 mmol·h-1·m-2 for GEM; 43.3 vs. 31.0 for copper(II were obtained by using the SSwLM. Concerning the CP-UF process, its feasibility was studied in the separation of metals from waters (e.g., from soil washing, giving particular attention to process sustainability such as water and polymer recycle, free metal and water recovery. The selectivity of the CP-UF process was also validated in the separate removal of copper(II and nickel(II both contained in synthetic and real aqueous effluents. Thus, complexation reactions involved in the SSwLM and the CP-UF processes play a key role to meet the sustainability criteria.

Acidity of selected industrial wood species in Serbia

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Popović Mlađan

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The acidity of wood has an important role in many areas of wood applications. Hence, this paper presents a study on the acidity of beech, fir and poplar, as the representatives of the most industrially utilized wood species in Serbia. The contents of both the soluble and insoluble acids were determined through the extraction methods with cold distilled water and sodium acetate solution, respectively, followed by the titration with sodium hydroxide solution. The acidity strongly differs among the three wood species used in this research. The amount of insoluble acids was the highest in fir, almost twice as much than in poplar, and about 68 % higher than in fir wood species. Such differences also showed a strong correlation with the gel times of UF adhesive mixes with hot water extracts. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. TP 31041: Establishment of Wood Plantations Intended for Afforestation of Serbia

Self-assembled copper(II) metallacycles derived from asymmetric Schiff base ligands: efficient hosts for ADP/ATP in phosphate buffer.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Amit; Pandey, Rampal; Kumar, Ashish; Gupta, Rakesh Kumar; Dubey, Mrigendra; Mohammed, Akbar; Mobin, Shaikh M; Pandey, Daya Shankar

2015-10-21

Novel asymmetric Schiff base ligands 2-{[3-(3-hydroxy-1-methyl-but-2-enylideneamino)-2,4,6-trimethylphenylimino]-methyl}-phenol (H2L(1)) and 1-{[3-(3-hydroxy-1-methyl-but-2-enylideneamino)-2,4,6-trimethylphenylimino]-methyl}-naphthalen-2-ol (H2L(2)) possessing dissimilar N,O-chelating sites and copper(ii) metallacycles (CuL(1))4 (1) and (CuL(2))4 (2) based on these ligands have been described. The ligands and complexes have been thoroughly characterized by satisfactory elemental analyses, and spectral (IR, (1)H, (13)C NMR, ESI-MS, UV/vis) and electrochemical studies. Structures of H2L(2) and 1 have been unambiguously determined by X-ray single crystal analyses. The crystal structure of H2L(2) revealed the presence of two distinct N,O-chelating sites on dissimilar cores (naphthalene and β-ketoaminato groups) offering a diverse coordination environment. Metallacycles 1 and 2 having a cavity created by four Cu(ii) centres coordinated in a homo- and heteroleptic fashion with respective ligands act as efficient hosts for adenosine-5'-diphosphate (ADP) and adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP) respectively, over other nucleoside polyphosphates (NPPs). The disparate sensitivity of these metallacycles toward ADP and ATP has been attributed to the size of the ligands assuming diverse dimensions and spatial orientations. These are attuned for π-π stacking and electrostatic interactions suitable for different guest molecules under analogous conditions, metallacycle 1 offers better orientation for ADP, while 2 for ATP. The mechanism of the host-guest interaction has been investigated by spectral and electrochemical studies and supported by molecular docking studies.

A comparison of fisheries biological reference points estimated from temperature-specific multi-species and single-species climate-enhanced stock assessment models

Science.gov (United States)

Holsman, Kirstin K.; Ianelli, James; Aydin, Kerim; Punt, André E.; Moffitt, Elizabeth A.

2016-12-01

Multi-species statistical catch at age models (MSCAA) can quantify interacting effects of climate and fisheries harvest on species populations, and evaluate management trade-offs for fisheries that target several species in a food web. We modified an existing MSCAA model to include temperature-specific growth and predation rates and applied the modified model to three fish species, walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus), Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) and arrowtooth flounder (Atheresthes stomias), from the eastern Bering Sea (USA). We fit the model to data from 1979 through 2012, with and without trophic interactions and temperature effects, and use projections to derive single- and multi-species biological reference points (BRP and MBRP, respectively) for fisheries management. The multi-species model achieved a higher over-all goodness of fit to the data (i.e. lower negative log-likelihood) for pollock and Pacific cod. Variability from water temperature typically resulted in 5-15% changes in spawning, survey, and total biomasses, but did not strongly impact recruitment estimates or mortality. Despite this, inclusion of temperature in projections did have a strong effect on BRPs, including recommended yield, which were higher in single-species models for Pacific cod and arrowtooth flounder that included temperature compared to the same models without temperature effects. While the temperature-driven multi-species model resulted in higher yield MBPRs for arrowtooth flounder than the same model without temperature, we did not observe the same patterns in multi-species models for pollock and Pacific cod, where variability between harvest scenarios and predation greatly exceeded temperature-driven variability in yield MBRPs. Annual predation on juvenile pollock (primarily cannibalism) in the multi-species model was 2-5 times the annual harvest of adult fish in the system, thus predation represents a strong control on population dynamics that exceeds temperature

Positive effects of plant species diversity on productivity in the absence of legumes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ruijven, van J.; Berendse, F.

2003-01-01

We investigated the effect of species richness on productivity in randomly assembled grassland communities without legumes. Aboveground biomass increased with increasing species richness and different measures of complementarity showed strong increases with plant species richness. Increasing

Global variation in woodpecker species richness shaped by tree availability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ilsoe, Sigrid Kistrup; Kissling, W. Daniel; Fjeldsa, Jon

2017-01-01

. Location: Global. Methods: We used spatial and non-spatial regressions to test for relationships between broad-scale woodpecker species richness and predictor variables describing current and deep-time availability of trees, current climate, Quaternary climate change, human impact, topographical...... a negative indirect effect on woodpecker species richness. Main conclusions: Global species richness of woodpeckers is primarily shaped by current tree cover and precipitation, reflecting a strong biotic association between woodpeckers and trees. Human influence can have a negative effect on woodpecker....... As an example, woodpeckers (Picidae) are closely associated with trees and woody habitats because of multiple morphological and ecological specializations. In this study, we test whether this strong biotic association causes woodpecker diversity to be closely linked to tree availability at a global scale...

<strong>Mini-project>

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Katajainen, Jyrki

2008-01-01

In this project the goal is to develop the safe * family of containers for the CPH STL. The containers to be developed should be safer and more reliable than any of the existing implementations. A special focus should be put on strong exception safety since none of the existing prototypes available...

Richards-like two species population dynamics model.

Science.gov (United States)

Ribeiro, Fabiano; Cabella, Brenno Caetano Troca; Martinez, Alexandre Souto

2014-12-01

The two-species population dynamics model is the simplest paradigm of inter- and intra-species interaction. Here, we present a generalized Lotka-Volterra model with intraspecific competition, which retrieves as particular cases, some well-known models. The generalization parameter is related to the species habitat dimensionality and their interaction range. Contrary to standard models, the species coupling parameters are general, not restricted to non-negative values. Therefore, they may represent different ecological regimes, which are derived from the asymptotic solution stability analysis and are represented in a phase diagram. In this diagram, we have identified a forbidden region in the mutualism regime, and a survival/extinction transition with dependence on initial conditions for the competition regime. Also, we shed light on two types of predation and competition: weak, if there are species coexistence, or strong, if at least one species is extinguished.

Precursor Ion Scan Mode-Based Strategy for Fast Screening of Polyether Ionophores by Copper-Induced Gas-Phase Radical Fragmentation Reactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Crevelin, Eduardo J; Possato, Bruna; Lopes, João L C; Lopes, Norberto P; Crotti, Antônio E M

2017-04-04

The potential of copper(II) to induce gas-phase fragmentation reactions in macrotetrolides, a class of polyether ionophores produced by Streptomyces species, was investigated by accurate-mass electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS). Copper(II)/copper(I) transition directly induced production of diagnostic acylium ions with m/z 199, 185, 181, and 167 from α-cleavages of [macrotetrolides + Cu] 2+ . A UPLC-ESI-MS/MS methodology based on the precursor ion scan of these acylium ions was developed and successfully used to identify isodinactin (1), trinactin (2), and tetranactin (3) in a crude extract of Streptomyces sp. AMC 23 in the precursor ion scan mode. In addition, copper(II) was also used to induce radical fragmentation reactions in the carboxylic acid polyether ionophore nigericin. The resulting product ions with m/z 755 and 585 helped to identify nigericin in a crude extract of Streptomyces sp. Eucal-26 by means of precursor ion scan experiments, demonstrating that copper-induced fragmentation reactions can potentially identify different classes of polyether ionophores rapidly and selectively.

Multifunctional methacrylate-based coatings for glass and metal surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Pospiech, Doris; Jehnichen, Dieter; Starke, Sandra; Müller, Felix; Bünker, Tobias; Wollenberg, Anne; Häußler, Liane; Simon, Frank; Grundke, Karina; Oertel, Ulrich; Opitz, Michael; Kruspe, Rainer

2017-03-01

In order to prevent freshwater biofouling glass and metal surfaces were coated with novel transparent methacrylate-based copolymers. The multifunctionality of the copolymers, such as adhesion to the substrate, surface polarity, mechanical long-term stability in water, and ability to form metal complexes was inserted by the choice of suitable comonomers. The monomer 2-acetoacetoxy ethyl methacrylate (AAMA) was used as complexing unit to produce copper(II) complexes in the coating's upper surface layer. The semifluorinated monomer 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyl methacrylate was employed to adjust the surface polarity and wettability. Comprehensive surface characterization techniques, such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle measurements showed that surface compositions and properties can be easily adjusted by varying the concentrations of the comonomers. The formation of copper(II) complexes along the copolymer chains and their stability against washing out with plenty of water was proven by XPS. Copolymers containing semifluorinated comonomers significantly inhibited the growth of Achnanthidium species. Copolymers with copper-loaded AAMA-sequences were able to reduce both the growth of Achnanthidium spec. and Staphylococcus aureus.

Introduction of threatened species in a fragmented and deteriorated landscape

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vergeer, P.

2005-01-01

In The Netherlands, heathlands and species-rich grassland are strongly reduced in both area and habitat quality mainly due to fragmentation, eutrophication and acidification. As a result, many plant and animal species have become (locally) extinct, or are threatened by extinction as they are forced

Two new Asiatic species of the Celeopterous genus Helota

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ritsema Cz., C.

1907-01-01

Strongly resembling Helota Lesnei Rits. from Kouy- Tcheou (China), of which the type-specimen (♂) is in the Natural History Museum at Paris 1). The new species differs however from it by the sculpture of the elytra (the rows of raised warts or tubercles are less numerous in the new species: 5 in

Personal Moral Norms and Attitudes Toward Endangered Species Policies on Private Land

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leigh Raymond

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Research across multiple disciplines has shown that personal moral norms can play an important role in shaping individuals′ attitudes and behaviour. Despite this, we know relatively little about patterns of support among landowners for either a personal moral norm favouring a strong, ′intrinsic′ right of private ownership, or a moral duty to prevent extinction. In addition, we know even less about the ability of such norms to predict attitudes toward species protection on private lands, especially for non-charismatic species with few qualities that typically generate positive attitudes for conservation. Results from a mail survey of central Indiana landowners suggest broad support for a personal moral norm favouring a strong, ′intrinsic′ right of ownership as well as a personal moral norm to prevent extinction, and that these norms are better predictors of attitudes toward endangered species policies than partisan identification, identification as an environmentalist, strong religious beliefs, or several other demographic factors. The results suggest that those seeking to influence landowner attitudes toward species protection policies should pay closer attention to the influence of these personal moral norms.

Seasonal species interactions minimize the impact of species turnover on the likelihood of community persistence.

Science.gov (United States)

Saavedra, Serguei; Rohr, Rudolf P; Fortuna, Miguel A; Selva, Nuria; Bascompte, Jordi

2016-04-01

Many of the observed species interactions embedded in ecological communities are not permanent, but are characterized by temporal changes that are observed along with abiotic and biotic variations. While work has been done describing and quantifying these changes, little is known about their consequences for species coexistence. Here, we investigate the extent to which changes of species composition impact the likelihood of persistence of the predator-prey community in the highly seasonal Białowieza Primeval Forest (northeast Poland), and the extent to which seasonal changes of species interactions (predator diet) modulate the expected impact. This likelihood is estimated extending recent developments on the study of structural stability in ecological communities. We find that the observed species turnover strongly varies the likelihood of community persistence between summer and winter. Importantly, we demonstrate that the observed seasonal interaction changes minimize the variation in the likelihood of persistence associated with species turnover across the year. We find that these community dynamics can be explained as the coupling of individual species to their environment by minimizing both the variation in persistence conditions and the interaction changes between seasons. Our results provide a homeostatic explanation for seasonal species interactions and suggest that monitoring the association of interactions changes with the level of variation in community dynamics can provide a good indicator of the response of species to environmental pressures.

Bias correction in species distribution models: pooling survey and collection data for multiple species.

Science.gov (United States)

Fithian, William; Elith, Jane; Hastie, Trevor; Keith, David A

2015-04-01

Presence-only records may provide data on the distributions of rare species, but commonly suffer from large, unknown biases due to their typically haphazard collection schemes. Presence-absence or count data collected in systematic, planned surveys are more reliable but typically less abundant.We proposed a probabilistic model to allow for joint analysis of presence-only and survey data to exploit their complementary strengths. Our method pools presence-only and presence-absence data for many species and maximizes a joint likelihood, simultaneously estimating and adjusting for the sampling bias affecting the presence-only data. By assuming that the sampling bias is the same for all species, we can borrow strength across species to efficiently estimate the bias and improve our inference from presence-only data.We evaluate our model's performance on data for 36 eucalypt species in south-eastern Australia. We find that presence-only records exhibit a strong sampling bias towards the coast and towards Sydney, the largest city. Our data-pooling technique substantially improves the out-of-sample predictive performance of our model when the amount of available presence-absence data for a given species is scarceIf we have only presence-only data and no presence-absence data for a given species, but both types of data for several other species that suffer from the same spatial sampling bias, then our method can obtain an unbiased estimate of the first species' geographic range.

The adsorption of chelating reagents on oxide minerals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bryson, M.A.W.

1984-06-01

This work constitutes a fundamental study of the interaction between chelating reagents and oxide minerals. The adsorption mechanisms have been elucidated for most of the systems generated by the oxides of copper(II) or iron(III) and chelating reagents octyl hydroxamate, N-phenylbenzohydroxamate, salicylaldoxime, 5-nitro-salicylaldoxime or 8-hydroxyquinoline. In order to better understand the adsorption process associated with copper(II) oxide, the oxide was recrystallized to produce a coarser material with a more uniform surface. This allowed the oxide surface to be viewed under the scanning electron microscope. A detailed investigation of the effect of the system variables; pH, conditioning period, concentration, temperature, surface area and dispersing reagent on the rate of precipitation of the copper chelate species of general form, Cu(chel) 2 , was made. In addition the chemical nature of the adsorbed species and the structural form of the precipitates were determined with the aid of infra-red spectroscopy and the scanning electron microscope. On the basis of these results a model has been formulated for the adsorption processes. The precipitation process was examined in more detail by the study of the adsorption of chelate on copper metal. Contact angle measurements of air bubbles on copper metal conditioned with chelate were related to the adsorption results in an attempt to isolate the optimum conditions for flotation of oxide minerals

Effects of 'target' plant species body size on neighbourhood species richness and composition in old-field vegetation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brandon S Schamp

Full Text Available Competition is generally regarded as an important force in organizing the structure of vegetation, and evidence from several experimental studies of species mixtures suggests that larger mature plant size elicits a competitive advantage. However, these findings are at odds with the fact that large and small plant species generally coexist, and relatively smaller species are more common in virtually all plant communities. Here, we use replicates of ten relatively large old-field plant species to explore the competitive impact of target individual size on their surrounding neighbourhoods compared to nearby neighbourhoods of the same size that are not centred by a large target individual. While target individuals of the largest of our test species, Centaurea jacea L., had a strong impact on neighbouring species, in general, target species size was a weak predictor of the number of other resident species growing within its immediate neighbourhood, as well as the number of resident species that were reproductive. Thus, the presence of a large competitor did not restrict the ability of neighbouring species to reproduce. Lastly, target species size did not have any impact on the species size structure of neighbouring species; i.e. they did not restrict smaller, supposedly poorer competitors, from growing and reproducing close by. Taken together, these results provide no support for a size-advantage in competition restricting local species richness or the ability of small species to coexist and successfully reproduce in the immediate neighbourhood of a large species.

Permanganate-assisted removal of PCR inhibitors during the DNA Chelex extraction from stained denim samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Pîrlea, Sorina; Puiu, Mihaela; Răducan, Adina; Oancea, Dumitru

2017-03-01

In this study, it was demonstrated that the DNA Chelex extraction combined with the permanganate assisted-oxidation is highly efficient in removing the PCR inhibitors often found in clothing materials, such as phthalocyanine. The extraction assays were conducted in saliva, blood and epithelial cells samples mixed with three oxidation-resistant dye copper(II) α-phthalocyanine, copper(II) β-phthalocyanine and tetrasulfonated copper(II) β-phthalocyanine. After DNA amplification, all samples were able to provide full DNA profiles. The permanganate/Chelex system was tested further on denim-stained samples and displayed the same ability to remove the PCR inhibitors from the commercial textile materials.

Species distribution models of tropical deep-sea snappers.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Céline Gomez

Full Text Available Deep-sea fisheries provide an important source of protein to Pacific Island countries and territories that are highly dependent on fish for food security. However, spatial management of these deep-sea habitats is hindered by insufficient data. We developed species distribution models using spatially limited presence data for the main harvested species in the Western Central Pacific Ocean. We used bathymetric and water temperature data to develop presence-only species distribution models for the commercially exploited deep-sea snappers Etelis Cuvier 1828, Pristipomoides Valenciennes 1830, and Aphareus Cuvier 1830. We evaluated the performance of four different algorithms (CTA, GLM, MARS, and MAXENT within the BIOMOD framework to obtain an ensemble of predicted distributions. We projected these predictions across the Western Central Pacific Ocean to produce maps of potential deep-sea snapper distributions in 32 countries and territories. Depth was consistently the best predictor of presence for all species groups across all models. Bathymetric slope was consistently the poorest predictor. Temperature at depth was a good predictor of presence for GLM only. Model precision was highest for MAXENT and CTA. There were strong regional patterns in predicted distribution of suitable habitat, with the largest areas of suitable habitat (> 35% of the Exclusive Economic Zone predicted in seven South Pacific countries and territories (Fiji, Matthew & Hunter, Nauru, New Caledonia, Tonga, Vanuatu and Wallis & Futuna. Predicted habitat also varied among species, with the proportion of predicted habitat highest for Aphareus and lowest for Etelis. Despite data paucity, the relationship between deep-sea snapper presence and their environments was sufficiently strong to predict their distribution across a large area of the Pacific Ocean. Our results therefore provide a strong baseline for designing monitoring programs that balance resource exploitation and

Copper(II) complexes with 4-(1H-1, 2, 4-trizol-1-ylmethyl) benzoic acid: Syntheses, crystal structures and antifungal activities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xiong, Pingping [Key Laboratory of Synthetic and Natural Functional Molecule Chemistry of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Northwest University, Xi' an 710069 (China); Li, Jie [Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China (Ministry of Education), Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology, Xi' an 710069 (China); Bu, Huaiyu, E-mail: 7213792@qq.com [Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China (Ministry of Education), Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology, Xi' an 710069 (China); Wei, Qing [Key Laboratory of Synthetic and Natural Functional Molecule Chemistry of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Northwest University, Xi' an 710069 (China); Zhang, Ruolin [Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China (Ministry of Education), Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology, Xi' an 710069 (China); Chen, Sanping, E-mail: sanpingchen@126.com [Key Laboratory of Synthetic and Natural Functional Molecule Chemistry of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Northwest University, Xi' an 710069 (China)

2014-07-01

Reaction of Cu(II) with an asymmetric semi-rigid organic ligand 4-(1H-1, 2, 4-trizol-1-ylmethyl) benzoic acid (HL), yielded five compounds, [Cu{sub 0.5}L]{sub n} (1), [Cu(HL){sub 2}Cl{sub 2}]{sub n} (2), [Cu(HL){sub 2}Cl{sub 2}(H{sub 2}O)] (3), [Cu(L){sub 2}(H{sub 2}O)]{sub n} (4) and [Cu(L)(phen)(HCO{sub 2})]{sub n} (5), which have been fully characterized by infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. As for compounds 1, 2 and 5, Cu(II) is bridged through HL, Cl{sup -}, and formic acid, respectively, featuring 1D chain-structure. In compound 3, Cu(II) with hexahedral coordination sphere is assembled through hydrogen-bonding into 3D supramolecular framework. In compound 4, 1D chain units –Cu–O–Cu–O– are ligand-bridged into a 3D network. All compounds were tested on fungi (Fusarium graminearum, Altemaria solani, Macrophoma kawatsukai, Alternaria alternata and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides). Compound 1 exhibits a better antifungal effect compared to other compounds. An effect of structure on the antifungal activity has also been correlated. - Graphical abstract: Copper(II) compounds with 4-(1H-1, 2, 4-trizol-1-ylmethyl) benzoic acid, were prepared, structurally characterized and investigated for antifungal activity. - Highlights: • The title compounds formed by thermodynamics and thermokinetics. • The five compounds show higher inhibition percentage than reactants. • The structure effect on the antifungal activity.

Diet strongly influences the gut microbiota of surgeonfishes

KAUST Repository

Miyake, Sou

2015-01-20

Intestinal tracts are among the most densely populated microbial ecosystems. Gut microbiota and their influence on the host have been well characterized in terrestrial vertebrates but much less so in fish. This is especially true for coral reef fishes, which are among the most abundant groups of vertebrates on earth. Surgeonfishes (family: Acanthuridae) are part of a large and diverse family of reef fish that display a wide range of feeding behaviours, which in turn has a strong impact on the reef ecology. Here, we studied the composition of the gut microbiota of nine surgeonfish and three nonsurgeonfish species from the Red Sea. High-throughput pyrosequencing results showed that members of the phylum Firmicutes, especially of the genus Epulopiscium, were dominant in the gut microbiota of seven surgeonfishes. Even so, there were large inter- and intraspecies differences in the diversity of surgeonfish microbiota. Replicates of the same host species shared only a small number of operational taxonomic units (OTUs), although these accounted for most of the sequences. There was a statistically significant correlation between the phylogeny of the host and their gut microbiota, but the two were not completely congruent. Notably, the gut microbiota of three nonsurgeonfish species clustered with some surgeonfish species. The microbiota of the macro- and microalgavores was distinct, while the microbiota of the others (carnivores, omnivores and detritivores) seemed to be transient and dynamic. Despite some anomalies, both host phylogeny and diet were important drivers for the intestinal microbial community structure of surgeonfishes from the Red Sea. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

High-resolution pattern of mangrove species distribution is controlled by surface elevation

Science.gov (United States)

Leong, Rick C.; Friess, Daniel A.; Crase, Beth; Lee, Wei Kit; Webb, Edward L.

2018-03-01

Mangrove vegetation species respond to multiple environmental gradients, and an enhanced understanding of how mangrove species are distributed across these gradients will facilitate conservation and management. Many environmental gradients correlate with tidal inundation; however small-scale inundation patterns resulting from microtopographical changes are difficult to capture empirically. In contrast, surface elevation is often a suitable, measurable and cost-effective proxy for inundation. This study investigated the relationships between species distribution and surface elevation in a mangrove forest in northwest Singapore. Through high-resolution land surveying, we developed a digital elevation model (DEM) and conducted a comprehensive survey of 4380 trees with a stem diameter ≥ 5 cm. A total of 15 species were encountered, and elevation envelopes were generated for 12. Species envelopes were distributed along an elevation continuum, with most species overlapping within the continuum. Spatial autocorrelation (SAC) was present for nine of the 15 species, and when taken into account, species ordering was modified across the elevation continuum. The presence of SAC strongly reinforces the need for research to control for SAC: classical spatial description of mangrove species distribution should be revised to account for ecological factors. This study suggests that (1) surface elevation applies strong controls on species distribution and (2) most mangroves at our study site have similar physiological tolerances.

The temporal variability of species densities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Redfearn, A.; Pimm, S.L.

1993-01-01

Ecologists use the term 'stability' to mean to number of different things (Pimm 1984a). One use is to equate stability with low variability in population density over time (henceforth, temporal variability). Temporal variability varies greatly from species to species, so what effects it? There are at least three sets of factors: the variability of extrinsic abiotic factors, food web structure, and the intrinsic features of the species themselves. We can measure temporal variability using at least three statistics: the coefficient of variation of density (CV); the standard deviation of the logarithms of density (SDL); and the variance in the differences between logarithms of density for pairs of consecutive years (called annual variability, hence AV, b y Wolda 1978). There are advantages and disadvantages to each measure (Williamson 1984), though in our experience, the measures are strongly correlated across sets of taxonomically related species. The increasing availability of long-term data sets allows one to calculate these statistics for many species and so to begin to understand the various causes of species differences in temporal variability

Synthesis, thermogravimetric study and crystal structure of an N-rich copper(II) compound with tren ligands and nitrate counter-anions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pérez-Toro, Inmaculada; Domínguez-Martín, Alicia [Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, 18071 Granada (Spain); Choquesillo-Lazarte, Duane [Laboratorio de Estudios Cristalográficos, IACT, CSIC-Universidad de Granada, Av. de las Palmeras 4, E-18100 Armilla, Granada (Spain); Vílchez-Rodríguez, Esther [Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, 18071 Granada (Spain); Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Castiñeiras, Alfonso [Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Niclós-Gutiérrez, Juan, E-mail: jniclos@ugr.es [Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, 18071 Granada (Spain)

2014-10-10

The N-rich salt [{Cu(tren)}{sub 3}(μ{sub 3}-tren)]{sub 2}(NO{sub 3}){sub 12}·3H{sub 2}O has been studied by XRD and by coupled TG and FT-IR spectroscopy of the evolved gases. After water loss, thermal decomposition of the nitrate ions and some tren ligands in the salt are overlapped. - Highlights: • A novel N-rich copper(II)-tren complex has been crystallized as a 3-hydrated nitrate salt. • Tren acts both as tripodal tetradentate and as μ{sub 3}-tren bridging ligand. • Copper(II) centers exhibit distorted trigonal bipyramidal coordination. • Coupled thermogravimetry and FT-IR spectra of evolved gases have been used. • Decomposition of nitrate anions and tren ligands occurs in an overlapped step. - Abstract: The compound [{Cu(tren)}{sub 3}(μ3-tren)]{sub 2}(NO{sub 3}){sub 12}·3H{sub 2}O has been synthesized, crystallized and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry (TG) coupled to FT-IR spectroscopy of the evolved gases, TG–differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and electronic (diffuse reflectance) and FT-IR spectroscopies. The sample loses the crystallization water between room temperature and 200 °C. The decomposition of the salt begins with an overlapped decomposition of nitrate anions and some tren ligands where CO{sub 2}, H{sub 2}O, CO, NH{sub 3}, N{sub 2}O, NO and NO{sub 2} are evolved (205–235 °C). Then decomposition of additional tren ligands takes place (235–725 °C). Finally a non-pure CuO residue is obtained at 725 °C.

Developing a set of strong intronic promoters for robust metabolic engineering in oleaginous Rhodotorula (Rhodosporidium) yeast species.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yanbin; Yap, Sihui Amy; Koh, Chong Mei John; Ji, Lianghui

2016-11-25

Red yeast species in the Rhodotorula/Rhodosporidium genus are outstanding producers of triacylglyceride and cell biomass. Metabolic engineering is expected to further enhance the productivity and versatility of these hosts for the production of biobased chemicals and fuels. Promoters with strong activity during oil-accumulation stage are critical tools for metabolic engineering of these oleaginous yeasts. The upstream DNA sequences of 6 genes involved in lipid biosynthesis or accumulation in Rhodotorula toruloides were studied by luciferase reporter assay. The promoter of perilipin/lipid droplet protein 1 gene (LDP1) displayed much stronger activity (4-11 folds) than that of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene (GPD1), one of the strongest promoters known in yeasts. Depending on the stage of cultivation, promoter of acetyl-CoA carboxylase gene (ACC1) and fatty acid synthase β subunit gene (FAS1) exhibited intermediate strength, displaying 50-160 and 20-90% levels of GPD1 promoter, respectively. Interestingly, introns significantly modulated promoter strength at high frequency. The incorporation of intron 1 and 2 of LDP1 (LDP1in promoter) enhanced its promoter activity by 1.6-3.0 folds. Similarly, the strength of ACC1 promoter was enhanced by 1.5-3.2 folds if containing intron 1. The intron 1 sequences of ACL1 and FAS1 also played significant regulatory roles. When driven by the intronic promoters of ACC1 and LDP1 (ACC1in and LDP1in promoter, respectively), the reporter gene expression were up-regulated by nitrogen starvation, independent of de novo oil biosynthesis and accumulation. As a proof of principle, overexpression of the endogenous acyl-CoA-dependent diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 gene (DGA1) by LDP1in promoter was significantly more efficient than GPD1 promoter in enhancing lipid accumulation. Intronic sequences play an important role in regulating gene expression in R. toruloides. Three intronic promoters, LDP1in, ACC1in and FAS1in, are

Environmental and spatial controls of palm (Arecaceae) species richness across the Americas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjorholm, Stine; Svenning, Jens-Christian; Skov, Flemming

2005-01-01

Our analysis suggests that in the Americas, palm species richness at spatial scales from 1° to 10° is most strongly controlled by water availability, although unknown broad-scale factors, perhaps soil, historical processes or geometric constraints, are also important.......Our analysis suggests that in the Americas, palm species richness at spatial scales from 1° to 10° is most strongly controlled by water availability, although unknown broad-scale factors, perhaps soil, historical processes or geometric constraints, are also important....

Species biogeography predicts drought responses in a seasonally dry tropical forest

Science.gov (United States)

Schwartz, N.; Powers, J. S.; Vargas, G.; Xu, X.; Smith, C. M.; Brodribb, T.; Werden, L. K.; Becknell, J.; Medvigy, D.

2017-12-01

The timing, distribution, and amount of rainfall in the seasonal tropics have shifted in recent years, with consequences for seasonally dry tropical forests (SDTF). SDTF are sensitive to changing rainfall regimes and drought conditions, but sensitivity to drought varies substantially across species. One potential explanation of species differences is that species that experience dry conditions more frequently throughout their range will be better able to cope with drought than species from wetter climates, because species from drier climates will be better adapted to drought. An El-Niño induced drought in 2015 presented an opportunity to assess species-level differences in mortality in SDTF, and to ask whether the ranges of rainfall conditions species experience and the average rainfall regimes in species' ranges predict differences in mortality rates in Costa Rican SDTF. We used field plot data from northwest Costa Rica to determine species' level mortality rates. Mortality rates ranged substantially across species, with some species having no dead individuals to as high as 50% mortality. To quantify rainfall conditions across species' ranges, we used species occurrence data from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, and rainfall data from the Chelsa climate dataset. We found that while the average and range of mean annual rainfall across species ranges did not predict drought-induced mortality in the field plots, across-range averages of the seasonality index, a measure of rainfall seasonality, was strongly correlated with species-level drought mortality (r = -0.62, p < 0.05), with species from more strongly seasonal climates experiencing less severe drought mortality. Furthermore, we found that the seasonality index was a stronger predictor of mortality than any individual functional trait we considered. This result shows that species' biogeography may be an important factor for how species will respond to future drought, and may be a more integrative

The removal of hydrogen sulfide from gas streams using an aqueous metal sulfate absorbent : Part II. the regeneration of copper sulfide to copper oxide - An experimental study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ter Maat, H.; Hogendoorn, J. A.; Versteeg, G. F.

2005-01-01

Aim of this study was to investigate the possibilities for a selective and efficient method to convert copper(II) sulfide (CuS) into copper(II) oxide (CuO). The oxidation of copper sulfide has been studied experimentally using a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) at temperatures ranging from 450 to

Neutrino oscillations in strong magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Likhachev, G.G.; Studenikin, A.I.

1994-07-01

Neutrino conversion processes between two neutrino species and the corresponding oscillations induced by strong magnetic fields are considered. The value of the critical strength of magnetic field B cr as a function of characteristics of neutrinos in vacuum (Δm 2 ν , mixing angle θ), effective particle density of matter n eff , neutrino (transition) magnetic moment μ-tilde and energy E is introduced. It is shown that the neutrino conversion and oscillations effects induced by magnetic fields B ≥ B cr are important and may result in the depletion of the initial type of ν's in the bunch. A possible increase of these effects in the case when neutrinos pass through a sudden decrease of density of matter (''cross-boundary effect'') and applications to neutrinos from neutron stars and supernova are discussed. (author). 25 refs

The chloroindole auxins of pea, strong plant growth hormones or endogenous herbicides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Engvild, K.C.

1994-02-01

In this work the three theses below are discussed: 1) Identification and quantitative determination of the very strong plant hormone, the auxin 4-chloroindole-3-acetic acid methyl ester, in immature seeds of Pisum, Vicia, Lathyrus, and Lens spp. by incorporation of radioactive 36 Cl, thin layer chromatography, autoradiography, colour reactions, and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. 2) The strong biological activity of 4-chloroindole-3-acetic acid and its analogues and its ability to induce strong, almost irreversible, ethylene evolution. 3) The possible role of chloroindole auxin in plants, particularly if it might be the hypothetical death hormone, secreted from developing seeds, which induces senescence and kills the mother plant at maturity; if plants generally have several auxin types, growth promoters and endogenous herbicides; and if other chlorine-containing plant hormones occur in developing seeds of other crop species. (au) (7 tabs., 8 ills., 144 refs.)

Environmental heterogeneity–species richness relationships from a global perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anke Stein

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Spatial environmental heterogeneity (EH is considered one of the most important factors promoting species richness, but no general consent about the EH–richness relationship exists so far. This is because research methods and study settings vary widely, and because non-significant and negative associations have also been reported. My thesis provides a comprehensive review of the different measurements and terminologies of EH used in the literature, and presents strong quantitative evidence of a generally positive relationship between biotic and abiotic EH and species richness of terrestrial plants and animals from landscape to global extents. In a meta-analysis and a subsequent case study comparing multiple EH measures and their association with mammal species richness worldwide, I furthermore reveal that the outcome of EH–richness studies depends strongly on study design, including both the EH measure chosen and spatial scale. My research contributes to a better understanding of the EH–richness relationship, while identifying future research needs.

Allelopathic assessment of selected invasive species of pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akhtar, S.

2014-01-01

Invader species are a great threat to local flora. Eight invader species of Pakistan were screened for their allelopathic activity through sandwich method. Toxic (inhibitory) and non-toxic (stimulatory) effects were assessed by recording their effect on germination and growth of lettuce. Radicle and plumule growth of lettuce were recorded at 5, 10 and 50 mg leaves concentrations of each species. Among all species the growth activity was found to be concentration dependent. Except Eutcalyptus glabra all species resulted in inhibitory effects at 5, 10 and 50 mg leaves concentrations. Xanthium strumarium and Cannabis sativa showed strong inhibitory effects on radicle and plumule growth of lettuce. Maximum inhibition was recorded at highest concentration; even growth of lettuce was stopped with 50 mg leaves concentration of C. sativa. (author)

Allelopathic assessment of selected invasive species of pakistan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Akhtar, S. [International Islamic Univ., Islamabad (Pakistan). Dept. of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology; Bangash, N. [Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture Univ., Peshawar (Pakistan). Dept. of Environmental Sciences; Asghar, R. [Mirpur Univ. of Science and Technology, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (Pakistan)

2014-10-15

Invader species are a great threat to local flora. Eight invader species of Pakistan were screened for their allelopathic activity through sandwich method. Toxic (inhibitory) and non-toxic (stimulatory) effects were assessed by recording their effect on germination and growth of lettuce. Radicle and plumule growth of lettuce were recorded at 5, 10 and 50 mg leaves concentrations of each species. Among all species the growth activity was found to be concentration dependent. Except Eutcalyptus glabra all species resulted in inhibitory effects at 5, 10 and 50 mg leaves concentrations. Xanthium strumarium and Cannabis sativa showed strong inhibitory effects on radicle and plumule growth of lettuce. Maximum inhibition was recorded at highest concentration; even growth of lettuce was stopped with 50 mg leaves concentration of C. sativa. (author)

Photocleavage of DNA by copper (II) complexes

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The chemistry of ternary and binary copper(II) complexes showing efficient visible lightinduced DNA cleavage activity is summarized in this article. The role of the metal in photo-induced DNA cleavage reactions is explored by designing complex molecules having a variety of ligands. Ternary copper(II) complexes with amino ...

Preparation and Analysis of Libethenite: A Project for the First-Year Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Ginion, Kelly E.; Yoder, Claude H.

2004-01-01

The preparation of libethenite, a double salt of copper(II) phosphate and copper(II) hydroxide presents the opportunity to discuss the prevalence of double salts in the environment, the relationship between solubility and stability in aqueous solution, the origin of the color of transition metal compounds and gravimetric analyses. Typical results…

A new species of Andocaeculus (Acari, Caeculidae) from the Pampa biome, southern Brazil

OpenAIRE

Ana Paula Ott; Ricardo Ott

2014-01-01

A new caeculid species Andocaeculus caioi sp. nov. is described from Pampa biome in south Brazil. The species of this family are usually large and strong sclerotized mites with robust and spinulose legs I and II. Until now records of species for South America were known only from Chile and Argentina.

Photochemical decomposition of perfluorooctanoic acid mediated by iron in strongly acidic conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ohno, Masaki, E-mail: mohno@hiroshima-u.ac.jp [Environmental Research and Management Center, Hiroshima University, 1-5-3 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8513 (Japan); Ito, Masataka; Ohkura, Ryouichi [Faculty of Applied Life Sciences, Niigata University of Pharmacy and Applied Life Sciences, 265-1, Higashijima, Akiha-ku, Niigata 956-8603 (Japan); Mino A, Esteban R. [Environmental Research and Management Center, Hiroshima University, 1-5-3 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8513 (Japan); Kose, Tomohiro [Faculty of Applied Life Sciences, Niigata University of Pharmacy and Applied Life Sciences, 265-1, Higashijima, Akiha-ku, Niigata 956-8603 (Japan); Okuda, Tetsuji [Environmental Research and Management Center, Hiroshima University, 1-5-3 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8513 (Japan); Nakai, Satoshi [Department of Chemical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Hiroshima University, 1-4-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8527 (Japan); Kawata, Kuniaki [Faculty of Applied Life Sciences, Niigata University of Pharmacy and Applied Life Sciences, 265-1, Higashijima, Akiha-ku, Niigata 956-8603 (Japan); Nishijima, Wataru [Environmental Research and Management Center, Hiroshima University, 1-5-3 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8513 (Japan)

2014-03-01

Highlights: • Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was decomposed based on ferric ion performance. • Complete decomposition of PFOA was confirmed in strongly acidic conditions. • Fe{sup 2+} changed to Fe{sup 3+} to restore chemical equilibrium in this condition. • Fe{sup 3+} was only produced from Fe{sup 2+} by hydroxyl radical in weakly acidic conditions. • The Fe{sup 3+} regeneration mechanisms resulted in the performance of Fe{sup 3+} for PFOA. - Abstract: The performance of a ferric ion mediated photochemical process for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) decomposition in strongly acidic conditions of pH 2.0 was evaluated in comparison with those in weakly acidic conditions, pH 3.7 or pH 5.0, based on iron species composition and ferric ion regeneration. Complete decomposition of PFOA under UV irradiation was confirmed at pH 2.0, whereas perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) and other intermediates were accumulated in weakly acidic conditions. Iron states at each pH were evaluated using a chemical equilibrium model, Visual MINTEQ. The main iron species at pH 2.0 is Fe{sup 3+} ion. Although Fe{sup 3+} ion is consumed and is transformed to Fe{sup 2+} ion by photochemical decomposition of PFOA and its intermediates, the produced Fe{sup 2+} ion will change to Fe{sup 3+} ion to restore chemical equilibrium. Continuous decomposition will occur at pH 2.0. However, half of the iron cannot be dissolved at pH 3.7. The main species of dissolved iron is Fe(OH){sup 2+}. At pH 3.7 or higher pH, Fe{sup 3+} ion will only be produced from the oxidation of Fe{sup 2+} ion by hydroxyl radical produced by Fe(OH){sup 2+} under UV irradiation. These different mechanisms of Fe{sup 3+} regeneration that prevail in strongly and weakly acidic conditions will engender different performances of the ferric ion.

So far away, yet so close: strong genetic structure in Homonota uruguayensis (Squamata, Phyllodactylidae, a species with restricted geographic distribution in the Brazilian and Uruguayan Pampas.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jéssica F Felappi

Full Text Available The Pampas is a biologically rich South American biome, but is poorly represented in phylogeographic studies. While the Pleistocene glacial cycles may have affected the evolutionary history of species distributed in forested biomes, little is known about their effects on the habitats that remained stable through glacial cycles. The South American Pampas have been covered by grasslands during both glacial and interglacial periods and therefore represent an interesting system to test whether the genetic structure in such environments is less pronounced. In this study, we sampled Pampean populations of Homonota uruguayensis from Southern Brazil and Uruguay to assess the tempo and mode of population divergence, using both morphological measurements and molecular markers. Our results indicate that, in spite of its narrow geographic distribution, populations of H. uruguayensis show high levels of genetic structure. We found four major well-supported mtDNA clades with strong geographic associations. Estimates of their divergence times fell between 3.16 and 1.82 million years before the present. Populations from the central portion of the species distribution, on the border between Uruguay and Brazil, have high genetic diversity and may have undergone a population expansion approximately 250,000 years before the present. The high degree of genetic structure is reflected in the analyses of morphological characters, and most individuals could be correctly assigned to their parental population based on morphology alone. Finally, we discuss the biogeographic and conservation implications of these findings.

Towards a non-perturbative study of the strongly coupled standard model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dagotto, E.; Kogut, J.

1988-01-01

The strongly coupled standard model of Abbott and Farhi can be a good alternative to the standard model if it has a phase where chiral symmetry is not broken, the SU(2) sector confines and the scalar field is in the symmetric regime. To look for such a phase we did a numerical analysis in the context of lattice gauge theory. To simplify the model we studied a U(1) gauge theory with Higgs fields and four species of dynamical fermions. In this toy model we did not find a phase with the correct properties required by the strongly coupled standard model. We also speculate about a possible solution to this problem using a new phase of the SU(2) gauge theory with a large number of flavors. (orig.)

Strong cation exchange-type chiral stationary phase for enantioseparation of chiral amines in subcritical fluid chromatography.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolrab, Denise; Kohout, Michal; Boras, Mario; Lindner, Wolfgang

2013-05-10

A new strong cation exchange type chiral stationary phase (SCX CSP) based on a syringic acid amide derivative of trans-(R, R)-2-aminocyclohexanesulfonic acid was applied to subcritical fluid chromatography (SFC) for separation of various chiral basic drugs and their analogues. Mobile phase systems consisting of aliphatic alcohols as polar modifiers and a broad range of amines with different substitution patterns and lipophilicity were employed to evaluate the impact on the SFC retention and selectivity characteristics. The observed results point to the existence of carbonic and carbamic acid salts formed as a consequence of reactions occurring between carbon dioxide, the alcoholic modifiers and the amine species present in the sub/supercritical fluid medium, respectively. Evidence is provided that these species are essential for affecting ion exchange between the strongly acidic chiral selector units and the basic analytes, following the well-established stoichiometric displacement mechanisms. Specific trends were observed when different types of amines were used as basic additives. While ammonia gave rise to the formation of the most strongly eluting carbonic and carbamic salt species, simple tertiary amines consistently provided superior levels of enantioselectivity. Furthermore, trends in the chiral SFC separation characteristics were investigated by the systematic variation of the modifier content and temperature. Different effects of additives are interpreted in terms of changes in the relative concentration of the transient ionic species contributing to analyte elution, with ammonia-derived carbamic salts being depleted at elevated temperatures by decomposition. Additionally, in an effort to optimize SFC enantiomer separation conditions for selected analytes, the impact of the type of the organic modifier, temperature, flow rate and active back pressure were also investigated. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Two new species of Haploperla (Plecoptera: Chloroperlidae) from China.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhi-Teng; DU, Yu-Zhou

2016-11-23

Two new species of the chloroperline genus Haploperla, H. tuanjiena sp. nov. from Sichuan Province, China and H. datongensis sp. nov. from Qinghai Province, China are described and illustrated. Haploperla tuanjiena is characterized by terga 10 with a medially triangular sclerotized area and the epiproct subtriangular, anterolateral margin sclerotized with apex acute. Haploperla datongensis is characterized by the epiproct tongue-shaped, anterior margin and anteroventrally strongly sclerotized. The new species are compared with similar taxa of the genus. An identification key is provided for the seven known Chinese species of Haploperla.

A NEW SPECIES OF THE GENUS MICROPEPLUS （COLEOPTERA： STAPHYLINIDAE： MICROPEPLINAE） IN CHINA

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Cai-yunZhao; Hong-zhangZhou

2004-01-01

This paper describes a new species, Micropeplus dentatus, sp. nov., of the rove beetle subfamily Micropeplinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) from Zhejiang Province, China. The new species belongs to tesserula group of the genus Micropeplus and is characterized mainly by two discal costae on elytron and no punctures on dorsal surface, strong carina on vertex, strong pseudepipleura and its special genitalia. It is similar to Micropeplus sharpi Sawada from Japan. The type specimens are deposited at the Institute of Zoology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Mushroom's spore size and time of fruiting are strongly related: is moisture important?

Science.gov (United States)

Kauserud, Håvard; Heegaard, Einar; Halvorsen, Rune; Boddy, Lynne; Høiland, Klaus; Stenseth, Nils Chr

2011-04-23

Most basidiomycete fungi produce annual short-lived sexual fruit bodies from which billions of microscopic spores are spread into the air during a short time period. However, little is known about the selective forces that have resulted in some species fruiting early and others later in the fruiting season. This study of relationships between morphological and ecological characteristics, climate factors and time of fruiting are based upon thorough statistical analyses of 66 520 mapped records from Norway, representing 271 species of autumnal fruiting mushroom species. We found a strong relationship between spore size and time of fruiting; on average, a doubling of spore size (volume) corresponded to 3 days earlier fruiting. Small-spored species dominate in the oceanic parts of Norway, whereas large-spored species are typical of more continental parts. In separate analyses, significant relationships were observed between spore size and climate factors. We hypothesize that these relationships are owing to water balance optimization, driven by water storage in spores as a critical factor for successful germination of primary mycelia in the drier micro-environments found earlier in the fruiting season and/or in continental climates.

Evaluating Hypotheses of Plant Species Invasions on Mediterranean Islands: Inverse Patterns between Alien and Endemic Species

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Alexander Bjarnason

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Invasive alien species cause major changes to ecosystem functioning and patterns of biodiversity, and the main factors involved in invasion success remain contested. Using the Mediterranean island of Crete, Greece as a case study, we suggest a framework for analyzing spatial data of alien species distributions, based on environmental predictors, aiming to gain an understanding of their spatial patterns and spread. Mediterranean islands are under strong ecological pressure from invading species due to their restricted size and increased human impact. Four hypotheses of invasibility, the “propagule pressure hypothesis” (H1, “biotic resistance hypothesis vs. acceptance hypothesis” (H2, “disturbance-mediated hypothesis” (H3, and “environmental heterogeneity hypothesis” (H4 were tested. Using data from alien, native, and endemic vascular plant species, the propagule pressure, biotic resistance vs. acceptance, disturbance-mediated, and environmental heterogeneity hypotheses were tested with Generalized Additive Modeling (GAM of 39 models. Based on model selection, the optimal model includes the positive covariates of native species richness, the negative covariates of endemic species richness, and land area. Variance partitioning between the four hypotheses indicated that the biotic resistance vs. acceptance hypothesis explained the vast majority of the total variance. These results show that areas of high species richness have greater invasibility and support the acceptance hypothesis and “rich-get-richer” distribution of alien species. The negative correlation between alien and endemic species appears to be predominantly driven by altitude, with fewer alien and more endemic species at greater altitudes, and habitat richness. The negative relationship between alien and endemic species richness provides potential for understanding patterns of endemic and alien species on islands, contributing to more effective conservation

Structure and histochemistry of medicinal species of Solanum

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Laudineia J. Matias

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Studies on native medicinal plants strengthen initiatives to preserve the environments where those species naturally occur, many of them already strongly menaced even before their potential to humankind is known. Root and stem barks, leaves, and pericarps samples of Solanum agrarium Sendtn., S. lycocarpum A. St.-Hil., S. palinacanthum Dunal, S. paniculatum L., and S. stipulaceum Roem. & Schult., species that occur in the Cerrado (Brazililan savanna were processed according to common light microscopy techniques for structural analysis, and histochemical tests were performed to locate and identify classes of chemical compounds. The distinctive features identified were low concentration of crystal sand in the root and stem, presence of terpene resin in the root, and absence of hypodermis in the leaf, in S. agrarium; bright spots (group of sclereids in the root, isobilateral mesophyll, thickened cell walls with hemicelluloses and strong aroma in the fruit, in S. lycocarpum; high concentration of crystal sand in the root and stem, oval-shaped limb, presence of isolated crystals in the exocarp, in S. palinacanthum; strong sclerification and rays with great height in the root and stem, in S. paniculatum; and accumulation of soluble protein in the root and stem, presence of conspicuous membranaceous stipules, absence of spiniform trichomes, in S. stipulaceum. This work identifies distinctive structural features, its ecological importance, and determines the distribution of secondary compounds associated with the medicinal properties reported for these species and contributes to the conservation of the natural environments where they occur.

Inferring species interactions through joint mark–recapture analysis

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Yackulic, Charles B.; Korman, Josh; Yard, Michael D.; Dzul, Maria C.

2018-01-01

Introduced species are frequently implicated in declines of native species. In many cases, however, evidence linking introduced species to native declines is weak. Failure to make strong inferences regarding the role of introduced species can hamper attempts to predict population viability and delay effective management responses. For many species, mark–recapture analysis is the more rigorous form of demographic analysis. However, to our knowledge, there are no mark–recapture models that allow for joint modeling of interacting species. Here, we introduce a two‐species mark–recapture population model in which the vital rates (and capture probabilities) of one species are allowed to vary in response to the abundance of the other species. We use a simulation study to explore bias and choose an approach to model selection. We then use the model to investigate species interactions between endangered humpback chub (Gila cypha) and introduced rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in the Colorado River between 2009 and 2016. In particular, we test hypotheses about how two environmental factors (turbidity and temperature), intraspecific density dependence, and rainbow trout abundance are related to survival, growth, and capture of juvenile humpback chub. We also project the long‐term effects of different rainbow trout abundances on adult humpback chub abundances. Our simulation study suggests this approach has minimal bias under potentially challenging circumstances (i.e., low capture probabilities) that characterized our application and that model selection using indicator variables could reliably identify the true generating model even when process error was high. When the model was applied to rainbow trout and humpback chub, we identified negative relationships between rainbow trout abundance and the survival, growth, and capture probability of juvenile humpback chub. Effects on interspecific interactions on survival and capture probability were strongly

Strong selective sweeps associated with ampliconic regions in great ape X chromosomes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nam, Kiwoong; Munch, Kasper; Hobolth, Asger

2014-01-01

The unique inheritance pattern of X chromosomes makes them preferential targets of adaptive evolution. We here investigate natural selection on the X chromosome in all species of great apes. We find that diversity is more strongly reduced around genes on the X compared with autosomes...... with ampliconic sequences we propose that intra-genomic conflict between the X and the Y chromosomes is a major driver of X chromosome evolution....

Species interactions reverse grassland responses to changing climate.

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Suttle, K B; Thomsen, Meredith A; Power, Mary E

2007-02-02

Predictions of ecological response to climate change are based largely on direct climatic effects on species. We show that, in a California grassland, species interactions strongly influence responses to changing climate, overturning direct climatic effects within 5 years. We manipulated the seasonality and intensity of rainfall over large, replicate plots in accordance with projections of leading climate models and examined responses across several trophic levels. Changes in seasonal water availability had pronounced effects on individual species, but as precipitation regimes were sustained across years, feedbacks and species interactions overrode autecological responses to water and reversed community trajectories. Conditions that sharply increased production and diversity through 2 years caused simplification of the food web and deep reductions in consumer abundance after 5 years. Changes in these natural grassland communities suggest a prominent role for species interactions in ecosystem response to climate change.

Phenological plasticity will not help all species adapt to climate change.

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Duputié, Anne; Rutschmann, Alexis; Ronce, Ophélie; Chuine, Isabelle

2015-08-01

Concerns are rising about the capacity of species to adapt quickly enough to climate change. In long-lived organisms such as trees, genetic adaptation is slow, and how much phenotypic plasticity can help them cope with climate change remains largely unknown. Here, we assess whether, where and when phenological plasticity is and will be adaptive in three major European tree species. We use a process-based species distribution model, parameterized with extensive ecological data, and manipulate plasticity to suppress phenological variations due to interannual, geographical and trend climate variability, under current and projected climatic conditions. We show that phenological plasticity is not always adaptive and mostly affects fitness at the margins of the species' distribution and climatic niche. Under current climatic conditions, phenological plasticity constrains the northern range limit of oak and beech and the southern range limit of pine. Under future climatic conditions, phenological plasticity becomes strongly adaptive towards the trailing edges of beech and oak, but severely constrains the range and niche of pine. Our results call for caution when interpreting geographical variation in trait means as adaptive, and strongly point towards species distribution models explicitly taking phenotypic plasticity into account when forecasting species distribution under climate change scenarios. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Temperature alters the relative abundance and population growth rates of species within the Dendroctonus frontalis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) community.

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L. Evans; Richard Hoffstetter; Matthew Ayres; Kier Klepzig

2011-01-01

Temperature has strong effects on metabolic processes ofindividuals and demographics of populations, but effects on ecological communities are not well known. Many economically and ecologically important pest species have obligate associations with other organisms; therefore, effects of temperature on these species might be mediated by strong interactions. The southern...

Synthesis, characterization and study of the magnetic properties of a coordination polymer containing cobalt(II) and copper(II); Sintese, caracterizacao e estudo das propriedades magneticas de um polimero de coordenacao contendo cobalto(II) e cobre(II)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cunha, Tamyris T. da; Stumpf, Humberto O.; Pereira, Cynthia L.M., E-mail: cynthialopes@ufmg.br [Departamento de Quimica, Instituto de Ciencias Exatas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil); Pires, Heber S.; Oliveira, Luiz F.C. de [Departamento de Quimica, Instituto de Ciencias Exatas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, MG (Brazil); Pedroso, Emerson F. [Departamento de Quimica, Centro Federal de Educacao Tecnologica de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil); Nunes, Wallace C. [Instituto de Fisica, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niteroi, RJ (Brazil)

2012-07-01

This work describes the synthesis and characterization of two new compounds with ligand opy (N-(2-pyridyl)oxamate): the copper(II) precursor [Me{sub 4}N]{sub 2}[Cu(opy){sub 2}].5H{sub 2}O and Co{sup II} Cu{sup II} coordination polymer {l_brace}[Co Cu(opy){sub 2}]{r_brace}{sub n}x4nH{sub 2}O. This latter compound was obtained by reaction of [Me{sub 4}N]{sub 2}[Cu(opy){sub 2}].5H{sub 2}O and CoCl{sub 2}.6H{sub 2}O in water. The heterobimetallic Co{sup II} Cu{sup II} chain was characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetry and magnetic measurements. Magnetic characterization revealed typical behavior of one-dimensional (1D) ferrimagnetic chain as shown in the curves of temperature (T) dependence of magnetic susceptibility ({chi}{sub M}), in the form of {chi}{sub M}T versus T, and dependence of magnetization (M) with applied field (H). (author)

A new Indo-Pacific Zebina species (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Rissoidae)

OpenAIRE

Sleurs, W.J.; Van Goethem, J.L.

2002-01-01

A new, widespread, but uncommon Indo-Pacific rissoinine species, Zebina ( ? Zebina) malagazzae sp. nov. is described. It is compared with its morphologically closest relative, the tropical Eastern Pacific species Zebina axeliana (STRONG & HERTLEIN, 1951 ), with the holotype of Zebina constricta LASERON, 1956 from Christmas Island and with Zebina ( ?Zebina) japonica (WEINKAUFF, 1881).

Asymmetric biotic interactions and abiotic niche differences revealed by a dynamic joint species distribution model.

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Lany, Nina K; Zarnetske, Phoebe L; Schliep, Erin M; Schaeffer, Robert N; Orians, Colin M; Orwig, David A; Preisser, Evan L

2018-05-01

A species' distribution and abundance are determined by abiotic conditions and biotic interactions with other species in the community. Most species distribution models correlate the occurrence of a single species with environmental variables only, and leave out biotic interactions. To test the importance of biotic interactions on occurrence and abundance, we compared a multivariate spatiotemporal model of the joint abundance of two invasive insects that share a host plant, hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA; Adelges tsugae) and elongate hemlock scale (EHS; Fiorina externa), to independent models that do not account for dependence among co-occurring species. The joint model revealed that HWA responded more strongly to abiotic conditions than EHS. Additionally, HWA appeared to predispose stands to subsequent increase of EHS, but HWA abundance was not strongly dependent on EHS abundance. This study demonstrates how incorporating spatial and temporal dependence into a species distribution model can reveal the dependence of a species' abundance on other species in the community. Accounting for dependence among co-occurring species with a joint distribution model can also improve estimation of the abiotic niche for species affected by interspecific interactions. © 2018 by the Ecological Society of America.

Spectral, biological screening of metal chelates of chalcone based Schiff bases of N-(3-aminopropyl) imidazole.

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Kalanithi, M; Rajarajan, M; Tharmaraj, P; Sheela, C D

2012-02-15

Tridentate chelate complexes of Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) have been synthesized from the chalcone based ligands 2-[1-(3-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)propylimino)-3-(phenylallyl)]phenol(HL(1)), 2-[1-(3-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)propylimino)-3-p-tolylallyl]phenol(HL(2)), 2-[1-(3-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)propylimino)-3-4-nitrophenylallyl]phenol(HL(3)). Microanalytical data, UV-vis spectrophotometric method, magnetic susceptibility measurements, IR, 1H NMR, Mass, and EPR techniques were used to characterize the structure of chelates. The electronic absorption spectra and magnetic susceptibility measurements suggest a distorted square planar geometry for the copper(II) ion. The other metal complexes show distorted tetrahedral geometry. The coordination of the ligands with metal(II) ions was further confirmed by solution fluorescence spectrum. The antimicrobial activity of the ligands and metal(II) complexes against the species Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Candida albigans and Aspergillus niger has been carried out and compared. The electrochemical behavior of copper(II) complex is studied by cyclic voltammetry. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Testing the Relationships between Diversification, Species Richness, and Trait Evolution.

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Kozak, Kenneth H; Wiens, John J

2016-11-01

Understanding which traits drive species diversification is essential for macroevolutionary studies and to understand patterns of species richness among clades. An important tool for testing if traits influence diversification is to estimate rates of net diversification for each clade, and then test for a relationship between traits and diversification rates among clades. However, this general approach has become very controversial. Numerous papers have now stated that it is inappropriate to analyze net diversification rates in groups in which clade richness is not positively correlated with clade age. Similarly, some have stated that variation in net diversification rates does not explain variation in species richness patterns among clades across the Tree of Life. Some authors have also suggested that strong correlations between richness and diversification rates are a statistical artifact and effectively inevitable. If this latter point is true, then correlations between richness and diversification rates would be uninformative (or even misleading) for identifying how much variation in species richness among clades is explained by variation in net diversification rates. Here, we use simulations (based on empirical data for plethodontid salamanders) to address three main questions. First, how is variation in net diversification rates among clades related to the relationship between clade age and species richness? Second, how accurate are these net diversification rate estimators, and does the age-richness relationship have any relevance to their accuracy? Third, is a relationship between species richness and diversification rates an inevitable, statistical artifact? Our simulations show that strong, positive age-richness relationships arise when diversification rates are invariant among clades, whereas realistic variation in diversification rates among clades frequently disrupts this relationship. Thus, a significant age-richness relationship should not be a

Stand, species, and individual traits impact transpiration in historically disturbed forests.

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Blakely, B.; Rocha, A. V.; McLachlan, J. S.

2017-12-01

Historic logging disturbances have changed the structure and species composition of most Northern temperate forests. These changes impact the process of transpiration - which in turn impacts canopy surface temperature - but the links among structure, composition, and transpiration remain unclear. For this reason, ecosystem models typically use simplified structure and composition to simulate the impact of disturbances on forest transpiration. However, such simplifications ignore real variability among stands, species, and individual trees that may strongly influence transpiration across spatial and temporal scales. To capture this variability, we monitored transpiration in 48 individual trees of multiple species in both undisturbed (400+ yr) and historically logged (80 - 120 yr) forests. Using modern and historic forest surveys, we upscaled our observations to stand and regional scales to identify the key changes impacting transpiration. We extended these inferences by establishing a relationship between transpiration and measured surface temperature, linking disturbance-induced changes in structure and composition to local and regional climate. Despite greater potential evapotranspiration and basal area, undisturbed forest transpired less than disturbed (logged) forest. Transpiration was a strong predictor of surface temperature, and the canopy surface was warmer in undisturbed forest. Transpiration differences among disturbed and undisturbed forests resulted from (1) lesser transpiration and dampened seasonality in evergreen species (2) greater transpiration in younger individuals within a species, and (3) strong transpiration by large individuals. When transpiration was scaled to the stand or regional level in a simplified manner (e.g. a single transpiration rate for all deciduous individuals), the resulting estimates differed markedly from the original. Stand- species- and individual-level traits are therefore essential for understanding how transpiration and

Crystal structure of di-μ-chlorido-bis[chloridobis(1,2-dimethyl-5-nitro-1H-imidazole-κN3copper(II] acetonitrile disolvate

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Patrick J. Quinlivan

2016-11-01

Full Text Available 1,2-Dimethyl-5-nitroimidazole (dimetridazole, dimet is a compound that belongs to a class of nitroimidazole drugs that are effective at inhibiting the activity of certain parasites and bacteria. However, there are few reports that describe structures of compounds that feature metals complexed by dimet. Therefore, we report here that dimet reacts with CuCl2·H2O to yield a chloride-bridged copper(II dimer, [Cu2Cl4(C5H7N3O24] or [Cu(μ-ClCl(dimet2]2. In this molecule, the CuII ions are coordinated in an approximately trigonal–bipyramidal manner, and the molecule lies across an inversion center. The dihedral angle between the imidazole rings in the asymmetric unit is 4.28 (7°. Compared to metronidazole, dimetridazole lacks the hydroxyethyl group, and thus cannot form intermolecular O...H hydrogen-bonding interactions. Instead, [Cu(μ-ClCl(dimet2]2 exhibits weak intermolecular interactions between the hydrogen atoms of C—H groups and (i oxygen in the nitro groups, and (ii the terminal and bridging chloride ligands. The unit cell contains four disordered acetonitrile molecules. These were modeled as providing a diffuse contribution to the overall scattering by SQUEEZE [Spek (2015. Acta Cryst. C71, 9–18], which identified two voids, each with a volume of 163 Å3 and a count of 46 electrons, indicative of a total of four acetonitrile molecules. These acetonitrile molecules are included in the chemical formula to give the expected calculated density and F(000.

A bioeconomic perspective on the Endangered Species Act

Science.gov (United States)

Salau, K. R.; Fenichel, E. P.

2012-12-01

Habitat destruction threatens species existence and has recently accelerated due to population growth, urban sprawl, agricultural development and other profitable land conversions on public and private lands. To exacerbate this issue, the public good nature of species existence creates strong incentives for landowners to engage in free-riding behavior and forego conservation on managed lands. To reverse these negative effects, the United States Congress passed the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1973 to create a set of rules for planning government intervention to protect dwindling fish, wildlife, and plant populations and create a platform for recovery and conservation. The ESA is quite explicit about how to make tradeoffs when listing a species as threatened or endangered - only evaluation of biological risks faced are considered. But the act is unclear about what information can or should be used when determining delisting criteria for endangered species. The ESA mandates federal participation in conservation and, in many cases, agencies must curtail socially beneficial activities (e.g. grazing, renewable energy development, mining, military training) in order to meet species recovery objectives. As funding for conservation on federal lands is limited, this creates an implicit tradeoff between recovering species - to gain post-delisting managerial flexibility - and preventing extinction - to minimize management costs. In this respect, reconciliation of biological recovery goals amidst budget constraints and alternate land-use benefits should be supplemented by economic analysis. Economic tradeoffs are inherent in species recovery under the ESA, but the act does not discuss how agencies should structure a recovery plan in light of such factors. This study outlines a bioeconomic approach to framing the recovery problem under the ESA and provides a framework for simultaneously establishing measurable delisting criteria and a least-cost path to recovery. This

Species-delimitation and phylogenetic analyses of some cosmopolitan species of Hypnea (Rhodophyta) reveal synonyms and misapplied names to H. cervicornis, including a new species from Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

de Jesus, Priscila Barreto; Nauer, Fabio; Lyra, Goia de Mattos; Cassano, Valéria; Oliveira, Mariana Cabral; Nunes, José Marcos de Castro; Schnadelbach, Alessandra Selbach

2016-10-01

Hypnea has an intricate nomenclatural history due to a wide pantropical distribution and considerable morphological variation. Recent molecular studies have provided further clarification on the systematics of the genus; however, species of uncertain affinities remain due to flawed taxonomic identification. Detailed analyses coupled with literature review indicated a strong relationship among H. aspera, H. cervicornis, H. flexicaulis, and H. tenuis, suggesting a need for further taxonomic studies. Here, we analyzed sequences from two molecular markers (COI-5P and rbcL) and performed several DNA-based delimitation methods (mBGD, ABGD, SPN, PTP and GMYC). These molecular approaches were contrasted with morphological and phylogenetic evidence from type specimens and/or topotype collections of related species under a conservative approach. Our results demonstrate that H. aspera and H. flexicaulis represent heterotypic synonyms of H. cervicornis and indicate the existence of a misidentified Hypnea species, widely distributed on the Brazilian coast, described here as a new species: H. brasiliensis. Finally, inconsistencies observed among our results based on six different species delimitation methods evidence the need for adequate sampling and marker choice for different methods. © 2016 Phycological Society of America.

Central-marginal population dynamics in species invasions

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Qinfeng eGuo

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The species’ range limits and associated central-marginal (C-M; i.e., from species range center to margin population dynamics continue to draw increasing attention because of their importance for current emerging issues such as biotic invasions and epidemic diseases under global change. Previous studies have mainly focused on species borders and C-M process in natural settings for native species. More recently, growing efforts are devoted to examine the C-M patterns and process for invasive species partly due to their relatively short history, highly dynamic populations, and management implications. Here I examine recent findings and information gaps related to (1 the C-M population dynamics linked to species invasions, and (2 the possible effects of climate change and land use on the C-M patterns and processes. Unlike most native species that are relatively stable (some even having contracting populations or ranges, many invasive species are still spreading fast and form new distribution or abundance centers. Because of the strong nonlinearity of population demographic or vital rates (i.e. birth, death, immigration and emigration across the C-M gradients and the increased complexity of species ranges due to habitat fragmentation, multiple introductions, range-wide C-M comparisons and simulation involving multiple vital rates are needed in the future.

Synthesis, Spectroscopy, Thermal Analysis, Magnetic Properties and Biological Activity Studies of Cu(II and Co(II Complexes with Schiff Base Dye Ligands

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Saeid Amani

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Three azo group-containing Schiff base ligands, namely 1-{3-[(3-hydroxy-propyliminomethyl]-4-hydroxyphenylazo}-4-nitrobenzene (<strong>2astrong>, 1-{3-[(3-hydroxypropyl-iminomethyl]-4-hydroxyphenylazo}-2-chloro-4-nitrobenzene (<strong>2bstrong> and 1-{3-[(3-hydroxy-propyliminomethyl]-4-hydroxyphenylazo}-4-chloro-3-nitrobenzene (<strong>2cstrong> were prepared. The ligands were characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy, ¹³C- and ¹H-NMR spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. Next the corresponding copper(II and cobalt(II metal complexes were synthesized and characterized by the physicochemical and spectroscopic methods of elemental analysis, FTIR spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy, magnetic moment measurements, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA and (DSC. The room temperature effective magnetic moments of complexes are 1.45, 1.56, 1.62, 2.16, 2.26 and 2.80 B.M. for complexes <strong>3astrong>, <strong>3bstrong>, <strong>3cstrong>, <strong>4astrong> <strong>4bstrong>, and <strong>4cstrong>, respectively, indicating that the complexes are paramagnetic with considerable electronic communication between the two metal centers.

A new species of Gastrosaccus (Crustacea: Mysidacea) from the South West Coast of Australia

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Panampunnayil, S.U.

A description of a new mysid Gastrosaccus robusta, is given. This species is distinguished from related species by possessing lobes on the carapace, a strong chitinous projection on the fifth abdominal segment, characters of the male pleopods...

catena-Poly[copper(II)-mu-L-tyrosyl-L-leucinato].

Science.gov (United States)

Baggio, Ricardo; Casado, Nieves M C; Calvo, Rafael; Rapp, Raul E; Garland, María Teresa

2005-05-01

In the title compound, [Cu(C15H20N2O4)]n, the copper(II) coordination is square planar. The anionic L-tyrosyl-L-leucinate ligand binds in an N,N',O-tridentate mode to one Cu(II) cation on one side and in an O-monodentate mode to a second Cu(II) cation on the other side, thus defining -Cu-O-C-O-Cu'- chains which run along the a axis. These chains are held together by a strong hydrogen bond involving the hydroxy H atom.

Limited sampling hampers "big data" estimation of species richness in a tropical biodiversity hotspot.

Science.gov (United States)

Engemann, Kristine; Enquist, Brian J; Sandel, Brody; Boyle, Brad; Jørgensen, Peter M; Morueta-Holme, Naia; Peet, Robert K; Violle, Cyrille; Svenning, Jens-Christian

2015-02-01

Macro-scale species richness studies often use museum specimens as their main source of information. However, such datasets are often strongly biased due to variation in sampling effort in space and time. These biases may strongly affect diversity estimates and may, thereby, obstruct solid inference on the underlying diversity drivers, as well as mislead conservation prioritization. In recent years, this has resulted in an increased focus on developing methods to correct for sampling bias. In this study, we use sample-size-correcting methods to examine patterns of tropical plant diversity in Ecuador, one of the most species-rich and climatically heterogeneous biodiversity hotspots. Species richness estimates were calculated based on 205,735 georeferenced specimens of 15,788 species using the Margalef diversity index, the Chao estimator, the second-order Jackknife and Bootstrapping resampling methods, and Hill numbers and rarefaction. Species richness was heavily correlated with sampling effort, and only rarefaction was able to remove this effect, and we recommend this method for estimation of species richness with "big data" collections.

Consistency of effects of tropical-forest disturbance on species composition and richness relative to use of indicator taxa.

Science.gov (United States)

Stork, N E; Srivastava, D S; Eggleton, P; Hodda, M; Lawson, G; Leakey, R R B; Watt, A D

2017-08-01

Lawton et al. (1998) found, in a highly cited study, that the species richness of 8 taxa each responds differently to anthropogenic disturbance in Cameroon forests. Recent developments in conservation science suggest that net number of species is an insensitive measure of change and that understanding which species are affected by disturbance is more important. It is also recognized that all disturbance types are not equal in their effect on species and that grouping species according to function rather than taxonomy is more informative of responses of biodiversity to change. In a reanalysis of most of the original Cameroon data set (canopy and ground ants, termites, canopy beetles, nematodes, and butterflies), we focused on changes in species and functional composition rather than richness and used a more inclusive measure of forest disturbance based on 4 component drivers of change: years since disturbance, tree cover, soil compaction, and degree of tree removal. Effects of disturbance on compositional change were largely concordant between taxa. Contrary to Lawton et al.'s findings, species richness for most groups did not decline with disturbance level, providing support for the view that trends in species richness at local scales do not reflect the resilience of ecosystems to disturbance. Disturbance affected species composition more strongly than species richness for butterflies, canopy beetles, and litter ants. For these groups, disturbance caused species replacements rather than just species loss. Only termites showed effects of disturbance on species richness but not composition, indicating species loss without replacement. Although disturbance generally caused changes in composition, the strength of this relationship depended on the disturbance driver. Butterflies, litter ants, and nematodes were correlated with amount of tree cover, canopy beetles were most strongly correlated with time since disturbance, and termites were most strongly correlated with

Global Behavior for a Strongly Coupled Predator-Prey Model with One Resource and Two Consumers

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Yujuan Jiao

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We consider a strongly coupled predator-prey model with one resource and two consumers, in which the first consumer species feeds on the resource according to the Holling II functional response, while the second consumer species feeds on the resource following the Beddington-DeAngelis functional response, and they compete for the common resource. Using the energy estimates and Gagliardo-Nirenberg-type inequalities, the existence and uniform boundedness of global solutions for the model are proved. Meanwhile, the sufficient conditions for global asymptotic stability of the positive equilibrium for this model are given by constructing a Lyapunov function.

Beneath the veil: Plant growth form influences the strength of species richness-productivity relationships in forests

Science.gov (United States)

Oberle, B.; Grace, J.B.; Chase, J.M.

2009-01-01

Aim: Species richness has been observed to increase with productivity at large spatial scales, though the strength of this relationship varies among functional groups. In forests, canopy trees shade understorey plants, and for this reason we hypothesize that species richness of canopy trees will depend on macroclimate, while species richness of shorter growth forms will additionally be affected by shading from the canopy. In this study we test for differences in species richness-productivity relationships (SRPRs) among growth forms (canopy trees, shrubs, herbaceous species) in small forest plots. Location: We analysed 231 plots ranging from 34.0?? to 48.3?? N latitude and from 75.0?? to 124.2?? W longitude in the United States. Methods: We analysed data collected by the USDA Forest Inventory and Analysis program for plant species richness partitioned into different growth forms, in small plots. We used actual evapotranspiration as a macroclimatic estimate of regional productivity and calculated the area of light-blocking tissue in the immediate area surrounding plots for an estimate of the intensity of local shading. We estimated and compared SRPRs for different partitions of the species richness dataset using generalized linear models and we incorporated the possible indirect effects of shading using a structural equation model. Results: Canopy tree species richness increased strongly with regional productivity, while local shading primarily explained the variation in herbaceous plant richness. Shrub species richness was related to both regional productivity and local shading. Main conclusions: The relationship between total forest plant species richness and productivity at large scales belies strong effects of local interactions. Counter to the pattern for overall richness, we found that understorey herbaceous plant species richness does not respond to regional productivity gradients, and instead is strongly influenced by canopy density, while shrub species

Stratification of TAD boundaries reveals preferential insulation of super-enhancers by strong boundaries.

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Yixiao; Lazaris, Charalampos; Sakellaropoulos, Theodore; Lozano, Aurelie; Kambadur, Prabhanjan; Ntziachristos, Panagiotis; Aifantis, Iannis; Tsirigos, Aristotelis

2018-02-07

The metazoan genome is compartmentalized in areas of highly interacting chromatin known as topologically associating domains (TADs). TADs are demarcated by boundaries mostly conserved across cell types and even across species. However, a genome-wide characterization of TAD boundary strength in mammals is still lacking. In this study, we first use fused two-dimensional lasso as a machine learning method to improve Hi-C contact matrix reproducibility, and, subsequently, we categorize TAD boundaries based on their insulation score. We demonstrate that higher TAD boundary insulation scores are associated with elevated CTCF levels and that they may differ across cell types. Intriguingly, we observe that super-enhancers are preferentially insulated by strong boundaries. Furthermore, we demonstrate that strong TAD boundaries and super-enhancer elements are frequently co-duplicated in cancer patients. Taken together, our findings suggest that super-enhancers insulated by strong TAD boundaries may be exploited, as a functional unit, by cancer cells to promote oncogenesis.

Molecular activation analysis for chemical species studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chai Zhifang; Mao Xueying; Wang Yuqi; Sun Jingxin; Qian Qingfang; Hou Xiaolin; Zhang Peiqun; Chen Chunying; Feng Weiyu; Ding Wenjun; Li Xiaolin; Li Chunsheng; Dai Xiongxin

2001-01-01

The Molecular Activation Analysis (MAA) mainly refers to an activation analysis method that is able to provide information about the chemical species of elements in systems of interest, though its exact definition has remained to be assigned. Its development is strongly stimulated by the urgent need to know the chemical species of elements, because the bulk contents or concentrations are often insignificant for judging biological, environmental or geochemical effects of elements. In this paper, the features, methodology and limitation of MAA were outlined. Further, the up-to-date MAA progress made in our laboratory was introduced as well. (author)

Environmental species sorting dominates forest-bird community assembly across scales.

Science.gov (United States)

Özkan, Korhan; Svenning, Jens-Christian; Jeppesen, Erik

2013-01-01

Environmental species sorting and dispersal are seen as key factors in community assembly, but their relative importance and scale dependence remain uncertain, as the extent to which communities are consistently assembled throughout their biomes. To address these issues, we analysed bird metacommunity structure in a 1200-km(2) forested landscape (Istranca Forests) in Turkish Thrace at the margin of the Western Palaearctic (WP) temperate-forest biome. First, we used spatial regressions and Mantel tests to assess the relative importance of environmental and spatial factors as drivers of local species richness and composition within the metacommunity. Second, we analysed species' abundance-occupancy relationship across the metacommunity and used null models to assess whether occupancy is determined by species' environmental niches. Third, we used generalized linear models to test for links between species' metacommunity-wide occupancy and their broader WP regional populations and assessed whether these links are consistent with environmental species sorting. There was strong environmental control on local species richness and composition patterns within the metacommunity, but non-environmental spatial factors had also an important joint role. Null model analyses on randomized communities showed that species' occupancy across the metacommunity was strongly determined by species' environmental niches, with occupancy being related to niche position marginality. Species' metacommunity-wide occupancy correlated with their local abundance as well as with their range size and total abundance for the whole WP, suggesting that the same assembly mechanisms act consistently across local to regional scales. A species specialization index that was estimated by bird species' habitat use across France, incorporating both niche position and breadth, was significantly related to species' occupancy and abundance at both metacommunity and WP regional scales. Hence, the same niche

A nonlinear equation for ionic diffusion in a strong binary electrolyte

Science.gov (United States)

Ghosal, Sandip; Chen, Zhen

2010-01-01

The problem of the one-dimensional electro-diffusion of ions in a strong binary electrolyte is considered. The mathematical description, known as the Poisson–Nernst–Planck (PNP) system, consists of a diffusion equation for each species augmented by transport owing to a self-consistent electrostatic field determined by the Poisson equation. This description is also relevant to other important problems in physics, such as electron and hole diffusion across semiconductor junctions and the diffusion of ions in plasmas. If concentrations do not vary appreciably over distances of the order of the Debye length, the Poisson equation can be replaced by the condition of local charge neutrality first introduced by Planck. It can then be shown that both species diffuse at the same rate with a common diffusivity that is intermediate between that of the slow and fast species (ambipolar diffusion). Here, we derive a more general theory by exploiting the ratio of the Debye length to a characteristic length scale as a small asymptotic parameter. It is shown that the concentration of either species may be described by a nonlinear partial differential equation that provides a better approximation than the classical linear equation for ambipolar diffusion, but reduces to it in the appropriate limit. PMID:21818176

Net Effects of Ecotourism on Threatened Species Survival.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ralf C Buckley

Full Text Available Many threatened species rely on ecotourism for conservation funding, but simultaneously suffer direct ecological impacts from ecotourism. For a range of IUCN-Redlisted terrestrial and marine bird and mammal species worldwide, we use population viability analyses to calculate the net effects of ecotourism on expected time to extinction, in the presence of other anthropogenic threats such as poaching, primary industries and habitat loss. Species for which these calculations are currently possible, for one or more subpopulations, include: orangutan, hoolock gibbon, golden lion tamarin, cheetah, African wild dog, New Zealand sealion, great green macaw, Egyptian vulture, and African penguin. For some but not all of these species, tourism can extend expected survival time, i.e., benefits outweigh impacts. Precise outcomes depend strongly on population parameters and starting sizes, predation, and ecotourism scale and mechanisms. Tourism does not currently overcome other major conservation threats associated with natural resource extractive industries. Similar calculations for other threatened species are currently limited by lack of basic population data.

Net Effects of Ecotourism on Threatened Species Survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Buckley, Ralf C; Morrison, Clare; Castley, J Guy

2016-01-01

Many threatened species rely on ecotourism for conservation funding, but simultaneously suffer direct ecological impacts from ecotourism. For a range of IUCN-Redlisted terrestrial and marine bird and mammal species worldwide, we use population viability analyses to calculate the net effects of ecotourism on expected time to extinction, in the presence of other anthropogenic threats such as poaching, primary industries and habitat loss. Species for which these calculations are currently possible, for one or more subpopulations, include: orangutan, hoolock gibbon, golden lion tamarin, cheetah, African wild dog, New Zealand sealion, great green macaw, Egyptian vulture, and African penguin. For some but not all of these species, tourism can extend expected survival time, i.e., benefits outweigh impacts. Precise outcomes depend strongly on population parameters and starting sizes, predation, and ecotourism scale and mechanisms. Tourism does not currently overcome other major conservation threats associated with natural resource extractive industries. Similar calculations for other threatened species are currently limited by lack of basic population data.

Strong-back safety latch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DeSantis, G.N.

1995-01-01

The calculation decides the integrity of the safety latch that will hold the strong-back to the pump during lifting. The safety latch will be welded to the strong-back and will latch to a 1.5-in. dia cantilever rod welded to the pump baseplate. The static and dynamic analysis shows that the safety latch will hold the strong-back to the pump if the friction clamps fail and the pump become free from the strong-back. Thus, the safety latch will meet the requirements of the Lifting and Rigging Manual for under the hook lifting for static loading; it can withstand shock loads from the strong-back falling 0.25 inch

Strong thermal acclimation of photosynthesis in tropical and temperate wet-forest tree species: the importance of altered Rubisco content.

Science.gov (United States)

Scafaro, Andrew P; Xiang, Shuang; Long, Benedict M; Bahar, Nur H A; Weerasinghe, Lasantha K; Creek, Danielle; Evans, John R; Reich, Peter B; Atkin, Owen K

2017-07-01

Understanding of the extent of acclimation of light-saturated net photosynthesis (A n ) to temperature (T), and associated underlying mechanisms, remains limited. This is a key knowledge gap given the importance of thermal acclimation for plant functioning, both under current and future higher temperatures, limiting the accuracy and realism of Earth system model (ESM) predictions. Given this, we analysed and modelled T-dependent changes in photosynthetic capacity in 10 wet-forest tree species: six from temperate forests and four from tropical forests. Temperate and tropical species were each acclimated to three daytime growth temperatures (T growth ): temperate - 15, 20 and 25 °C; tropical - 25, 30 and 35 °C. CO 2 response curves of A n were used to model maximal rates of RuBP (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate) carboxylation (V cmax ) and electron transport (J max ) at each treatment's respective T growth and at a common measurement T (25 °C). SDS-PAGE gels were used to determine abundance of the CO 2 -fixing enzyme, Rubisco. Leaf chlorophyll, nitrogen (N) and mass per unit leaf area (LMA) were also determined. For all species and T growth , A n at current atmospheric CO 2 partial pressure was Rubisco-limited. Across all species, LMA decreased with increasing T growth . Similarly, area-based rates of V cmax at a measurement T of 25 °C (V cmax 25 ) linearly declined with increasing T growth , linked to a concomitant decline in total leaf protein per unit leaf area and Rubisco as a percentage of leaf N. The decline in Rubisco constrained V cmax and A n for leaves developed at higher T growth and resulted in poor predictions of photosynthesis by currently widely used models that do not account for T growth -mediated changes in Rubisco abundance that underpin the thermal acclimation response of photosynthesis in wet-forest tree species. A new model is proposed that accounts for the effect of T growth -mediated declines in V cmax 25 on A n , complementing current

Low genetic diversity and strong population structure shaped by anthropogenic habitat fragmentation in a critically endangered primate, Trachypithecus leucocephalus.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, W; Qiao, Y; Li, S; Pan, W; Yao, M

2017-06-01

Habitat fragmentation may strongly impact population genetic structure and reduce the genetic diversity and viability of small and isolated populations. The white-headed langur (Trachypithecus leucocephalus) is a critically endangered primate species living in a highly fragmented and human-modified habitat in southern China. We examined the population genetic structure and genetic diversity of the species and investigated the environmental and anthropogenic factors that may have shaped its population structure. We used 214 unique multi-locus genotypes from 41 social groups across the main distribution area of T. leucocephalus, and found strong genetic structure and significant genetic differentiation among local populations. Our landscape genetic analyses using a causal modelling framework suggest that a large habitat gap and geographical distance represent the primary landscape elements shaping genetic structure, yet high levels of genetic differentiation also exist between patches separated by a small habitat gap or road. This is the first comprehensive study that has evaluated the population genetic structure and diversity of T. leucocephalus using nuclear markers. Our results indicate strong negative impacts of anthropogenic land modifications and habitat fragmentation on primate genetic connectivity between forest patches. Our analyses suggest that two management units of the species could be defined, and indicate that habitat continuity should be enforced and restored to reduce genetic isolation and enhance population viability.

Genetic calibration of species diversity among North America's freshwater fishes

OpenAIRE

April, Julien; Mayden, Richard L.; Hanner, Robert H.; Bernatchez, Louis

2011-01-01

Freshwater ecosystems are being heavily exploited and degraded by human activities all over the world, including in North America, where fishes and fisheries are strongly affected. Despite centuries of taxonomic inquiry, problems inherent to species identification continue to hamper the conservation of North American freshwater fishes. Indeed, nearly 10% of species diversity is thought to remain undescribed. To provide an independent calibration of taxonomic uncertainty and to establish a mor...

Leaf economics spectrum-productivity relationships in intensively grazed pastures depend on dominant species identity.

Science.gov (United States)

Mason, Norman W H; Orwin, Kate; Lambie, Suzanne; Woodward, Sharon L; McCready, Tiffany; Mudge, Paul

2016-05-01

Plant functional traits are thought to drive variation in primary productivity. However, there is a lack of work examining how dominant species identity affects trait-productivity relationships. The productivity of 12 pasture mixtures was determined in a 3-year field experiment. The mixtures were based on either the winter-active ryegrass (Lolium perenne) or winter-dormant tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). Different mixtures were obtained by adding forb, legume, and grass species that differ in key leaf economics spectrum (LES) traits to the basic two-species dominant grass-white clover (Trifolium repens) mixtures. We tested for correlations between community-weighted mean (CWM) trait values, functional diversity, and productivity across all plots and within those based on either ryegrass or tall fescue. The winter-dormant forb species (chicory and plantain) had leaf traits consistent with high relative growth rates both per unit leaf area (high leaf thickness) and per unit leaf dry weight (low leaf dry matter content). Together, the two forb species achieved reasonable abundance when grown with either base grass (means of 36% and 53% of total biomass, respectively, with ryegrass tall fescue), but they competed much more strongly with tall fescue than with ryegrass. Consequently, they had a net negative impact on productivity when grown with tall fescue, and a net positive effect when grown with ryegrass. Strongly significant relationships between productivity and CWM values for LES traits were observed across ryegrass-based mixtures, but not across tall fescue-based mixtures. Functional diversity did not have a significant positive effect on productivity for any of the traits. The results show dominant species identity can strongly modify trait-productivity relationships in intensively grazed pastures. This was due to differences in the intensity of competition between dominant species and additional species, suggesting that resource-use complementarity is a

A new copper(II) chelate complex with tridentate ligand: Synthesis, crystal and molecular electronic structure of aqua-(diethylenetriamine-N, N‧, N‧‧)-copper(II) sulfate monohydrate and its fire retardant properties

Science.gov (United States)

Lavrenyuk, H.; Mykhalichko, O.; Zarychta, B.; Olijnyk, V.; Mykhalichko, B.

2015-09-01

The crystals of a new aqua-(diethylenetriamine-N, N‧, N‧‧)-copper(II) sulfate monohydrate have been synthesized by direct interaction of solid copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate with diethylenetriamine (deta). The crystal structure of [Cu(deta)H2O]SO4ṡH2O (1) has been determined by X-ray diffraction methods at 100 K and characterized using X-ray powder diffraction pattern: space group P 1 bar, a = 7.2819(4), b = 8.4669(4), c = 8.7020(3) Å, α = 83.590(3), β = 89.620(4), γ = 84.946(4)°, Z = 2. The environment of the Cu(II) atom is a distorted, elongated square pyramid which consists of three nitrogen atoms of the deta molecule and oxygen atom of the water molecule in the basal plane of the square pyramid (the average lengths of the in-plane Cu-N and Cu-O bonds are 2.00 Å). The apical position of the coordination polyhedron is occupied by complementary oxygen atom of the sulfate anion (the length of the axial Cu-O bond is 2.421(1) Å). The crystal packing is governed by strong hydrogen bonds of O-H⋯O and N-H⋯O types. The ab initio quantum-chemical calculations have been performed by the restricted Hartree-Fock method with a basis set 6-31∗G using the structural data of [Cu(deta)H2O]SO4ṡH2O. It has been ascertained that the degenerate d-orbitals of the Cu2+ ion split under the co-action of both the square-pyramidal coordination and the chelation. It is significant that visually observed crystals color (blue-violet) of the [Cu(deta)H2O]SO4ṡH2O complex is in good agreement with the calculated value of wavelength of visible light (λ = 5735 Å) which is closely related to the energy of the absorbed photon (Δ = 2.161 eV). Furthermore, the stereo-chemical aspect of influence of the CuSO4 upon combustibility of modified epoxy-amine polymers has been scrutinized.

Enhanced photocatalytic degradation activity over TiO{sub 2} nanotubes co-sensitized by reduced graphene oxide and copper(II) meso-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wei, Meng; Wan, Junmin, E-mail: wwjm2001@126.com; Hu, Zhiwen; Peng, Zhiqin; Wang, Bing

2016-07-30

Highlights: • CuTCPP/rGO-TNT photocatalysts are synthesized. • CuTCPP and rGO are helpful to induce interfacial charge transfer at surface junction. • CuTCPP and rGO are favorable for enhancing co-photocatalytic activity. • A deeper insight into the co-photocatalytic mechanism is put forward. • The photocatalyst are proven to be effective and chemically-stable catalysts. - Abstract: In this paper, TiO{sub 2} nanotubes (TNT) co-sensitized with copper(II) meso-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (CuTCPP) and reduced graphene oxide nanosheets (rGO), which was fabricated through two-step improved hydrothermal method and heating reflux process. The effect of rGO and CuTCPP on the co-photocatalytic behavior of TNT for the degradation of Methylene Blue (MB) were measured under visible light irradiation. The photocatalysts have been characterized and analyzed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electronic diffraction (SAED), elemental mapping by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The results provide a deeper insight into the co-photocatalytic mechanism of CuTCPP/rGO-TNT nanocomposites. The degradation results showed a purification of more than 95% MB in wastewater, which is about 5 times higher than that of the pure TNT. The results also confirm the prepared CuTCPP/rGO-TNT nanocomposites possess superior co-photocatalytic activities.

Synthesis, structures, spectroscopy and antimicrobial properties of complexes of copper(II) with salicylaldehyde N-substituted thiosemicarbazones and 2,2'-bipyridine or 1,10-phenanthroline.

Science.gov (United States)

Lobana, Tarlok S; Indoria, Shikha; Jassal, Amanpreet Kaur; Kaur, Harpreet; Arora, Daljit S; Jasinski, Jerry P

2014-04-09

Among the biometals (Cu, Co, Ni-cofactors in many enzymes), copper derivatives of O, N, S-donor salicylaldehyde thiosemicarbazones have received considerable attention owing to their potential biological applications. Eight new complexes of salicylaldehyde-N-substituted thiosemicarbazones [5-MeO-2-HO-C₆H₄-C(2)(H)N(3)-N(2)H-C(1)(S)-N(1)HR; R = Me, H2L(1); Et, H₂L(1), Ph, H₂L(3), H, H₂L(4)] with copper(II), namely, [Cu(κ(3)-O,N,S-L)( κ(2)-N,N-L')] {(L)(2-) = (L(1))(2-), L' = bipy, 1, phen, 2; (L)(2-) = (L(2))(2-), L' = bipy, 3, phen, 4; (L)(2-) = (L(3))(2-), L' = bipy, 5, phen, 6; (L)(2-) = (L(4))(2-), L' = bipy, 7, phen, 8} have been isolated. Complexes have slightly distorted square pyramidal geometry around the metal center (τ parameter = 0.243-0.357) and display weak to intense fluorescence in the region, 375-475 nm. These copper complexes have shown significant growth inhibitory activity (antimicrobial activity) against Staphylococcus aureus (MTCC740), methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Klebsiella pneumoniae 1 (MTCC109), Shigella flexneri (MTCC1457), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MTCC741) and Candida albicans (MTCC227). The activity against MRSA is an interesting observation as the commercially available gentamycin is found to be inactive against this bacterial strain. Specifically complex 5 formed by 5-methoxysalicylaldehyde-N-phenylthiosemicatbazone has shown novel antimicrobial activity against various bacteria and yeast investigated. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Penicillium salamii, a new species occurring during seasoning of dry-cured meat

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Perrone, Giancarlo; Samson, Robert A.; Frisvad, Jens Christian

2015-01-01

Fungi have an important role in the production of dry-cured meat products, especially during the seasoning period. In general, both industrially and handmade salami are quickly colonized by a composite mycobiota during seasoning, often with a strong predominance of Penicillium species. These spec......Fungi have an important role in the production of dry-cured meat products, especially during the seasoning period. In general, both industrially and handmade salami are quickly colonized by a composite mycobiota during seasoning, often with a strong predominance of Penicillium species...... "Penicillium milanense" isolated in Denmark and Slovenia on cured meats. The taxonomic position of these strains in Penicillium was investigated using calmodulin, β tubulin and ITS sequences, phenotypic characters and extrolite patterns, and resulted in the discovery of a new Penicillium species, described...... here as P. salamii. A literature search showed that this species occurs on (cured) meat products worldwide. In our study, P. salamii predominated the salami and capocollo surface in levels similar to the commonly known starter culture P. nalgiovense, irrespective of the room or age of seasoning...

Unraveling the drivers of community dissimilarity and species extinction in fragmented landscapes.

Science.gov (United States)

Banks-Leite, Cristina; Ewers, Robert M; Metzger, Jean Paul

2012-12-01

Communities in fragmented landscapes are often assumed to be structured by species extinction due to habitat loss, which has led to extensive use of the species-area relationship (SAR) in fragmentation studies. However, the use of the SAR presupposes that habitat loss leads species to extinction but does not allow for extinction to be offset by colonization of disturbed-habitat specialists. Moreover, the use of SAR assumes that species richness is a good proxy of community changes in fragmented landscapes. Here, we assessed how communities dwelling in fragmented landscapes are influenced by habitat loss at multiple scales; then we estimated the ability of models ruled by SAR and by species turnover in successfully predicting changes in community composition, and asked whether species richness is indeed an informative community metric. To address these issues, we used a data set consisting of 140 bird species sampled in 65 patches, from six landscapes with different proportions of forest cover in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. We compared empirical patterns against simulations of over 8 million communities structured by different magnitudes of the power-law SAR and with species-specific rules to assign species to sites. Empirical results showed that, while bird community composition was strongly influenced by habitat loss at the patch and landscape scale, species richness remained largely unaffected. Modeling results revealed that the compositional changes observed in the Atlantic Forest bird metacommunity were only matched by models with either unrealistic magnitudes of the SAR or by models ruled by species turnover, akin to what would be observed along natural gradients. We show that, in the presence of such compositional turnover, species richness is poorly correlated with species extinction, and z values of the SAR strongly underestimate the effects of habitat loss. We suggest that the observed compositional changes are driven by each species reaching its

Reproductive interference explains persistence of aggression between species.

Science.gov (United States)

Drury, Jonathan P; Okamoto, Kenichi W; Anderson, Christopher N; Grether, Gregory F

2015-04-07

Interspecific territoriality occurs when individuals of different species fight over space, and may arise spontaneously when populations of closely related territorial species first come into contact. But defence of space is costly, and unless the benefits of excluding heterospecifics exceed the costs, natural selection should favour divergence in competitor recognition until the species no longer interact aggressively. Ordinarily males of different species do not compete for mates, but when males cannot distinguish females of sympatric species, females may effectively become a shared resource. We model how reproductive interference caused by undiscriminating males can prevent interspecific divergence, or even cause convergence, in traits used to recognize competitors. We then test the model in a genus of visually orienting insects and show that, as predicted by the model, differences between species pairs in the level of reproductive interference, which is causally related to species differences in female coloration, are strongly predictive of the current level of interspecific aggression. Interspecific reproductive interference is very common and we discuss how it may account for the persistence of interspecific aggression in many taxonomic groups. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Estimating the ecology of extinct species with paleoecological data assimilation

Science.gov (United States)

Raiho, A.; McLachlan, J. S.; Dietze, M.

2017-12-01

In order to understand long term, unobservable ecosystem processes, ecologists must use both paleoecoloigcal data and ecosystem models. Models parameterize species competitive interactions using modern data. But, modern ecological or physiological observations are not available for extinct species, making it difficult for models to conceptualize their ecology. For instance, American chestnut (Castanea dentata), who played a large role in forests of northeastern US, was decimated by disease to virtual extinction. Since chestnut's demise, defining its ecology has been controversial. Models typically assume that chestnut's ecology was very similar to oak; They parameterize chestnut like oak species. These assumptions are drawn from paleoecological data, but these data are often reported without uncertainty. Since the paleoecological data are often reported without uncertainty, paleoecological data has never been directly incorporated with ecosystem models. We developed a Bayesian statistical model to estimate fractional composition from paleoecological data with uncertainty. Then, we assimilated this data product into an ecosystem model for long term forest succession using a generalized ensemble adjustment filter to determine which species demographic parameters lead to changes in species composition over the last 2,000 years at Harvard Forest. We found that chestnut was strongly negatively correlated with white pine (Pinus strobus) and red oak (Quercus rubra) in the process covariance matrix, suggesting a strong competitive interaction that is not currently understood by models for forest succession. These findings provide support for utilizing a data assimilation framework to ecologically interpret paleoecological data or data products to learn about the ecology of extinct species.

Identification, validation and cross-species transferability of novel Lavandula EST-SSRs.

Science.gov (United States)

Adal, Ayelign M; Demissie, Zerihun A; Mahmoud, Soheil S

2015-04-01

We identified and characterized EST-SSRs with strong discrimination power against Lavandula angustifolia and Lavandula x intermedia . The markers also showed considerable cross-species transferability rate into six related Lavandula species. Lavenders (Lavandula) are important economical crops grown around the globe for essential oil production. In an attempt to develop genetic markers for these plants, we analyzed over 13,000 unigenes developed from L. angustifolia and L. x intermedia EST databases, and identified 3,459 simple sequence repeats (SSR), which were dominated by trinucleotides (41.2 %) and dinucleotides (31.45 %). Approximately, 19 % of the unigenes contained at least one SSR marker, over 60 % of which were localized in the UTRs. Only 252 EST-SSRs were 18 bp or longer from which 31 loci were validated, and 24 amplified discrete fragments with 85 % polymorphism in L. x intermedia and L. angustifolia. The average number of alleles in L. x intermedia and L. angustifolia were 3.42 and 3.71 per marker with average PIC values of 0.47 and 0.52, respectively. These values suggest a moderate to strong level of informativeness for the markers, with some loci producing unique fingerprints. The cross-species transferability rate of the markers ranges 50-100 % across eight species. The utility of these markers was assessed in eight Lavandula species and 15 L. angustifolia and L. x intermedia cultivars, and the dendrogram deduced from their similarity indexes successfully delineated the species into their respective sections and the cultivars into their respective species. These markers have potential for application in fingerprinting, diversity studies and marker-assisted breeding of Lavandula.

Candida Species Biofilms’ Antifungal Resistance

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Sónia; Rodrigues, Célia F.; Araújo, Daniela; Rodrigues, Maria Elisa; Henriques, Mariana

2017-01-01

Candida infections (candidiasis) are the most prevalent opportunistic fungal infection on humans and, as such, a major public health problem. In recent decades, candidiasis has been associated to Candida species other than Candida albicans. Moreover, biofilms have been considered the most prevalent growth form of Candida cells and a strong causative agent of the intensification of antifungal resistance. As yet, no specific resistance factor has been identified as the sole responsible for the increased recalcitrance to antifungal agents exhibited by biofilms. Instead, biofilm antifungal resistance is a complex multifactorial phenomenon, which still remains to be fully elucidated and understood. The different mechanisms, which may be responsible for the intrinsic resistance of Candida species biofilms, include the high density of cells within the biofilm, the growth and nutrient limitation, the effects of the biofilm matrix, the presence of persister cells, the antifungal resistance gene expression and the increase of sterols on the membrane of biofilm cells. Thus, this review intends to provide information on the recent advances about Candida species biofilm antifungal resistance and its implication on intensification of the candidiasis. PMID:29371527

Bat species richness and activity over an elevation gradient in mediterranean shrublands of Crete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Panagiotis Georgiakakis

2010-08-01

Full Text Available <strong>Abstract>
The effect of elevation on bat species richness and activity was investigated in shrublands of central Crete (Greece using broad-band acoustic surveys. Recordings of echolocation calls were made in 15 transects equally distributed in three distinct elevation zones (500, 1000 and 1500 m a.s.l. during spring and autumn 2007-2008. Time-expanded calls were subsequently identified with the use of quadratic discriminant functions.
Out of 13 species recorded, Hypsugo savii, Pipistrellus kuhlii and Tadarida teniotis were the most common and abundant. Many Rhinolophus hipposideros were also recorded in all elevation zones. Thirteen species were recorded in the lower elevation zone, 7 species in the mid one and 8 species in the 1500 m a.s.l. sites. Species richness, the number of bat passes of the most abundant species, as well as the total number of bat passes were not significantly affected by elevation. In spring both species richness and bat activity were higher than in autumn, although the corresponding difference in temperature was not significant.
The high variability in both bat activity and the number of species found per transect in each elevation zone probably depended on the presence of other habitat types in the close vicinity, while roost availability and location might also have played an important role.
We suggest that the ability of bats to perform regular movements along the elevational gradient has to be taken in account when assessing elevational patterns in bat diversity and activity. The geology of the study area is also of considerable importance through its effect on foraging and roosting opportunities for bats.

<strong>Riassunto>
<strong>Ricchezza specifica e attività dei chirotteri lungo un gradiente altitudinale nella macchia mediterranea di Cretastrong>
L’effetto della quota su ricchezza in specie e

Paronychia manfrediana (Caryophyllaceae), a new species from northeast Greece

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tan, Kit; Strid, Arne

2008-01-01

Paronychia manfrediana (Caryophyllaceae) is decribed as a species new to science based on material collected near the Turkish border in northeastern Greece; it is illustrated by a photograph. Although belonging to Paronychia sect. Heterosepalae it bears a strong resemblance to P.macedonica (Paron...

Looking beyond rare species as umbrella species: Northern Bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) and conservation of grassland and shrubland birds

Science.gov (United States)

Crosby, Andrew D.; Elmore, R.D.; Leslie,, David M.; Will, Rodney E.

2015-01-01

Changes in land use and land cover throughout the eastern half of North America have caused substantial declines in populations of birds that rely on grassland and shrubland vegetation types, including socially and economically important game birds such as the Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus; hereafter bobwhites). As much attention is focused on habitat management and restoration for bobwhites, they may act as an umbrella species for other bird species with similar habitat requirements. We quantified the relationship of bobwhites to the overall bird community and evaluated the potential for bobwhites to act as an umbrella species for grassland and shrubland birds. We monitored bobwhite presence and bird community composition within 31 sample units on selected private lands in the south-central United States from 2009 to 2011. Bobwhites were strongly associated with other grassland and shrubland birds and were a significant positive predictor for 9 species. Seven of these, including Bell's Vireo (Vireo bell), Dicksissel (Spiza americana), and Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), are listed as species of conservation concern. Species richness and occupancy probability of grassland and shrubland birds were higher relative to the overall bird community in sample units occupied by bobwhites. Our results show that bobwhites can act as an umbrella species for grassland and shrubland birds, although the specific species in any given situation will depend on region and management objectives. These results suggest that efficiency in conservation funding can be increased by using public interest in popular game species to leverage resources to meet multiple conservation objectives.

Man-induced hydrological changes, metazooplankton communities and invasive species in the Berre Lagoon (Mediterranean Sea, France)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delpy, Floriane; Pagano, Marc; Blanchot, Jean; Carlotti, François; Thibault-Botha, Delphine

2012-01-01

The Berre Lagoon has been under strong anthropogenic pressure since the early 1950s. The opening of the hydroelectric EDF power plant in 1966 led to large salinity drops. The zooplankton community was mainly composed of two common brackish species: Acartia tonsa and Brachionus plicatilis. Since 2006, European litigation has strongly constrained the input of freshwater, maintaining the salinity above 15. A study was performed between 2008 and 2010 to evaluate how these modifications have impacted the zooplankton community. Our results show that the community is more diverse and contains several coastal marine species (i.e., Centropages typicus, Paracalanus parvus and Acartia clausi). A. tonsa is still present but is less abundant, whereas B. plicatilis has completely disappeared. Strong predatory marine species, such as chaetognaths, the large conspicuous autochtonous jellyfish Aurelia aurita and the invasive ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi, are now very common as either seasonal or permanent features of the lagoon.

Unexpected strong polygyny in the brown-throated three-toed sloth.

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Jonathan N Pauli

Full Text Available Promiscuous mating strategies are much more common than previously appreciated. So much so, that several authors have proposed that promiscuity is the "rule" rather than the exception in vertebrate mating systems. Decreasing species mobility and increasing habitat fragmentation have both been suggested to reduce the "polygyny potential" of the environment and promote other mating strategies like promiscuity in females. We explored the social and genetic mating system for one of the most sedentary extant mammals, the brown-throated three-toed sloth (Bradypus variegatus, within a highly fragmented Neotropical habitat. Surprisingly, we found that three-toed sloths were strongly polygynous, with males excluding male competitors from their core ranges, and exhibiting strong reproductive skew. Indeed, only 25% of all resident adult males sired offspring and one individual sired half of all sampled juveniles. Paradoxically, a sedentary life-history strategy seems to facilitate polygyny in fragmented landscapes because multiple females can persist within small patches of habitat, and be monopolized by a single male. Our work demonstrates that strong polygyny can arise in systems in which the polygyny potential should be extremely low, and other strategies, including promiscuity, would be favoured. Mating systems can be influenced by a multitude of factor and are dynamic, varying among taxa, over time, and across habitats; consequently, mating systems remain difficult to predict based on general ecological principles.

ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF CHITINASE GENE FROM THE UNTRADITIONAL PLANT SPECIES

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Dominika Ďurechová

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Round-leaf sundew (Drosera rotundifolia L. from Droseraceae family belongs among a few plant species with strong antifungal potential. It was previously shown that chitinases of carnivorous plant species may play role during the insect prey digestion, when hard chitin skeleton is being decomposed. As many phytopathogenic fungi contain chitin in their cell wall our attention in this work was focused on isolation and in silico characterization of genomic DNA sequence of sundew chitinase gene. Subsequently this gene was fused to strong constitutive CaMV35S promoter and cloned into the plant binary vector pBinPlus and tested in A. tumefaciens LBA 4404 for its stability. Next, when transgenic tobacco plants are obtained, increasing of their antifungal potential will be tested.

Theoretical Proposal for the Whole Phosphate Diester Hydrolysis Mechanism Promoted by a Catalytic Promiscuous Dinuclear Copper(II) Complex.

Science.gov (United States)

Esteves, Lucas F; Rey, Nicolás A; Dos Santos, Hélio F; Costa, Luiz Antônio S

2016-03-21

The catalytic mechanism that involves the cleavage of the phosphate diester model BDNPP (bis(2,4-dinitrophenyl) phosphate) catalyzed through a dinuclear copper complex is investigated in the current study. The metal complex was originally designed to catalyze catechol oxidation, and it showed an interesting catalytic promiscuity case in biomimetic systems. The current study investigates two different reaction mechanisms through quantum mechanics calculations in the gas phase, and it also includes the solvent effect through PCM (polarizable continuum model) single-point calculations using water as solvent. Two mechanisms are presented in order to fully describe the phosphate diester hydrolysis. Mechanism 1 is of the S(N)2 type, which involves the direct attack of the μ-OH bridge between the two copper(II) ions toward the phosphorus center, whereas mechanism 2 is the process in which hydrolysis takes place through proton transfer between the oxygen atom in the bridging hydroxo ligand and the other oxygen atom in the phosphate model. Actually, the present theoretical study shows two possible reaction paths in mechanism 1. Its first reaction path (p1) involves a proton transfer that occurs immediately after the hydrolytic cleavage, so that the proton transfer is the rate-determining step, which is followed by the entry of two water molecules. Its second reaction path (p2) consists of the entry of two water molecules right after the hydrolytic cleavage, but with no proton transfer; thus, hydrolytic cleavage is the rate-limiting step. The most likely catalytic path occurs in mechanism 1, following the second reaction path (p2), since it involves the lowest free energy activation barrier (ΔG(⧧) = 23.7 kcal mol(-1), in aqueous solution). A kinetic analysis showed that the experimental k(obs) value of 1.7 × 10(-5) s(-1) agrees with the calculated value k1 = 2.6 × 10(-5) s(-1); the concerted mechanism is kinetically favorable. The KIE (kinetic isotope effect) analysis

In Vitro Activity of Copper(II Complexes, Loaded or Unloaded into a Nanostructured Lipid System, against Mycobacterium tuberculosis

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Patricia B. da Silva

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Tuberculosis (TB is an infectious disease caused mainly by the bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb, presenting 9.5 million new cases and 1.5 million deaths in 2014. The aim of this study was to evaluate a nanostructured lipid system (NLS composed of 10% phase oil (cholesterol, 10% surfactant (soy phosphatidylcholine, sodium oleate, and Eumulgin® HRE 40 ([castor oil polyoxyl-40-hydrogenated] in a proportion of 3:6:8, and an 80% aqueous phase (phosphate buffer pH = 7.4 as a tactic to enhance the in vitro anti-Mtb activity of the copper(II complexes [CuCl2(INH2]·H2O (1, [Cu(NCS2(INH2]·5H2O (2 and [Cu(NCO2(INH2]·4H2O (3. The Cu(II complex-loaded NLS displayed sizes ranging from 169.5 ± 0.7095 to 211.1 ± 0.8963 nm, polydispersity index (PDI varying from 0.135 ± 0.0130 to 0.236 ± 0.00100, and zeta potential ranging from −0.00690 ± 0.0896 to −8.43 ± 1.63 mV. Rheological analysis showed that the formulations behave as non-Newtonian fluids of the pseudoplastic and viscoelastic type. Antimycobacterial activities of the free complexes and NLS-loaded complexes against Mtb H37Rv ATCC 27294 were evaluated by the REMA methodology, and the selectivity index (SI was calculated using the cytotoxicity index (IC50 against Vero (ATCC® CCL-81, J774A.1 (ATCC® TIB-67, and MRC-5 (ATCC® CCL-171 cell lines. The data suggest that the incorporation of the complexes into NLS improved the inhibitory action against Mtb by 52-, 27-, and 4.7-fold and the SI values by 173-, 43-, and 7-fold for the compounds 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The incorporation of the complexes 1, 2 and 3 into the NLS also resulted in a significant decrease of toxicity towards an alternative model (Artemia salina L.. These findings suggest that the NLS may be considered as a platform for incorporation of metallic complexes aimed at the treatment of TB.

Rapid plant evolution in the presence of an introduced species alters community composition.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, David Solance; Lau, Matthew K; Jacobs, Ryan; Monroy, Jenna A; Shuster, Stephen M; Whitham, Thomas G

2015-10-01

Because introduced species may strongly interact with native species and thus affect their fitness, it is important to examine how these interactions can cascade to have ecological and evolutionary consequences for whole communities. Here, we examine the interactions among introduced Rocky Mountain elk, Cervus canadensis nelsoni, a common native plant, Solidago velutina, and the diverse plant-associated community of arthropods. While introduced species are recognized as one of the biggest threats to native ecosystems, relatively few studies have investigated an evolutionary mechanism by which introduced species alter native communities. Here, we use a common garden design that addresses and supports two hypotheses. First, native S. velutina has rapidly evolved in the presence of introduced elk. We found that plants originating from sites with introduced elk flowered nearly 3 weeks before plants originating from sites without elk. Second, evolution of S. velutina results in a change to the plant-associated arthropod community. We found that plants originating from sites with introduced elk supported an arthropod community that had ~35 % fewer total individuals and a different species composition. Our results show that the impacts of introduced species can have both ecological and evolutionary consequences for strongly interacting species that subsequently cascade to affect a much larger community. Such evolutionary consequences are likely to be long-term and difficult to remediate.

Strong Langmuir turbulence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldman, M.V.

1984-01-01

After a brief discussion of beam-excited Langmuir turbulence in the solar wind, we explain the criteria for wave-particle, three-wave and strong turbulence interactions. We then present the results of a numerical integration of the Zakharov equations, which describe the strong turbulence saturation of a weak (low-density) high energy, bump-on-tail beam instability. (author)

Strong Motion Earthquake Data Values of Digitized Strong-Motion Accelerograms, 1933-1994

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Strong Motion Earthquake Data Values of Digitized Strong-Motion Accelerograms is a database of over 15,000 digitized and processed accelerograph records from...

Phylogeny and species traits predict bird detectability

Science.gov (United States)

Solymos, Peter; Matsuoka, Steven M.; Stralberg, Diana; Barker, Nicole K. S.; Bayne, Erin M.

2018-01-01

Avian acoustic communication has resulted from evolutionary pressures and ecological constraints. We therefore expect that auditory detectability in birds might be predictable by species traits and phylogenetic relatedness. We evaluated the relationship between phylogeny, species traits, and field‐based estimates of the two processes that determine species detectability (singing rate and detection distance) for 141 bird species breeding in boreal North America. We used phylogenetic mixed models and cross‐validation to compare the relative merits of using trait data only, phylogeny only, or the combination of both to predict detectability. We found a strong phylogenetic signal in both singing rates and detection distances; however the strength of phylogenetic effects was less than expected under Brownian motion evolution. The evolution of behavioural traits that determine singing rates was found to be more labile, leaving more room for species to evolve independently, whereas detection distance was mostly determined by anatomy (i.e. body size) and thus the laws of physics. Our findings can help in disentangling how complex ecological and evolutionary mechanisms have shaped different aspects of detectability in boreal birds. Such information can greatly inform single‐ and multi‐species models but more work is required to better understand how to best correct possible biases in phylogenetic diversity and other community metrics.

Unimodal tree size distributions possibly result from relatively strong conservatism in intermediate size classes.

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Yue Bin

Full Text Available Tree size distributions have long been of interest to ecologists and foresters because they reflect fundamental demographic processes. Previous studies have assumed that size distributions are often associated with population trends or with the degree of shade tolerance. We tested these associations for 31 tree species in a 20 ha plot in a Dinghushan south subtropical forest in China. These species varied widely in growth form and shade-tolerance. We used 2005 and 2010 census data from that plot. We found that 23 species had reversed J shaped size distributions, and eight species had unimodal size distributions in 2005. On average, modal species had lower recruitment rates than reversed J species, while showing no significant difference in mortality rates, per capita population growth rates or shade-tolerance. We compared the observed size distributions with the equilibrium distributions projected from observed size-dependent growth and mortality. We found that observed distributions generally had the same shape as predicted equilibrium distributions in both unimodal and reversed J species, but there were statistically significant, important quantitative differences between observed and projected equilibrium size distributions in most species, suggesting that these populations are not at equilibrium and that this forest is changing over time. Almost all modal species had U-shaped size-dependent mortality and/or growth functions, with turning points of both mortality and growth at intermediate size classes close to the peak in the size distribution. These results show that modal size distributions do not necessarily indicate either population decline or shade-intolerance. Instead, the modal species in our study were characterized by a life history strategy of relatively strong conservatism in an intermediate size class, leading to very low growth and mortality in that size class, and thus to a peak in the size distribution at intermediate sizes.

Multiple factors contribute to reproductive isolation between two co-existing Habenaria species (Orchidaceae.

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Wenliu Zhang

Full Text Available Reproductive isolation is a key feature that forms barriers to gene flow between distinct plants. In orchids, prezygotic reproductive isolation has been considered to be strong, because their associations with highly specific pollinators. In this study, the reproductive ecology and reproductive isolation of two sympatric Habenaria species, H. davidii and H. fordii, was investigated by floral phenology and morphology, hand-pollination experiments and visitor observation in southwest China. The two species were dependent on insects for pollination and completely self-compatible. A number of factors have been identified to limit gene flow between the two species and achieved full reproductive isolation. Ecogeographic isolation was a weak barrier. H. fordii and H. davidii had completely overlapped flowering periods, and floral morphology plays an important role in floral isolation. The two species shared the same hawkmoth pollinator, Cechenena lineosa, but the pollinaria of the two orchids were attached on different body parts of pollinators. Prezygotic isolation was not complete, but the interspecific pollination treatments of each species resulted in no seed sets, indicating that unlike many other orchid species, in which the postzygotic reproductive isolation is very weak or complete absence, the post-zygotic isolation strongly acted in the stage of seed production between two species. The results illustrate the reproductive isolation between two species involves multiple plant life-history stages and a variety of reproductive barriers can contribute to overall isolation.

Temporal bird community dynamics are strongly affected by landscape fragmentation in a Central American tropical forest region

Science.gov (United States)

Blandón, A.C.; Perelman, S.B.; Ramírez, M.; López, A.; Javier, O.; Robbins, Chandler S.

2016-01-01

Habitat loss and fragmentation are considered the main causes of species extinctions, particularly in tropical ecosystems. The objective of this work was to evaluate the temporal dynamics of tropical bird communities in landscapes with different levels of fragmentation in eastern Guatemala. We evaluated five bird community dynamic parameters for forest specialists and generalists: (1) species extinction, (2) species turnover, (3) number of colonizing species, (4) relative species richness, and (5) a homogeneity index. For each of 24 landscapes, community dynamic parameters were estimated from bird point count data, for the 1998–1999 and 2008–2009 periods, accounting for species’ detection probability. Forest specialists had higher extinction rates and a smaller number of colonizing species in landscapes with higher fragmentation, thus having lower species richness in both time periods. Alternatively, forest generalists elicited a completely different pattern, showing a curvilinear association to forest fragmentation for most parameters. Thus, greater community dynamism for forest generalists was shown in landscapes with intermediate levels of fragmentation. Our study supports general theory regarding the expected negative effects of habitat loss and fragmentation on the temporal dynamics of biotic communities, particularly for forest specialists, providing strong evidence from understudied tropical bird communities.

Protecting America's economy, environment, health, and security against invasive species requires a strong federal program in systematic biology

Science.gov (United States)

Hilda Diaz-Soltero; Amy Y. Rossman

2011-01-01

Systematics is the science that identifies and groups organisms by understanding their origins, relationships, and distributions. It is fundamental to understanding life on earth, our crops, wildlife, and diseases, and it provides the scientific foundation to recognize and manage invasive species. Protecting America's economy, environment, health, and security...

Photocatalytic properties and selective antimicrobial activity of TiO2(Eu)/CuO nanocomposite

Science.gov (United States)

Michal, Robert; Dworniczek, Ewa; Caplovicova, Maria; Monfort, Olivier; Lianos, Panagiotis; Caplovic, Lubomir; Plesch, Gustav

2016-05-01

TiO2(Eu)/CuO nanocomposites were prepared by precipitation method. The anatase nanocrystallites with a size of 26 nm exhibited well crystallized and characteristical dipyramidal morphology and {1 0 1} and {0 0 1} faceting. Transmission electron microscopy photographs with atomic resolution showed that the Eu(III) dopants were bounded on surface of titania. In the composites, the CuO nanocrystals exhibiting a monoclinic tenorite structure with a size in the range from 2 to 5 nm were grafted to the surface of titania. The influence of copper(II) oxide led to distinct selectivity in the photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties of the investigated TiO2(Eu)/CuO nanocomposites. While the presence of CuO nanocrystals strongly increased the photocatalytic production of hydrogen by ethanol reforming, it decreased the activity in photoinduced total mineralization of phenol comparing with non-modified TiO2(Eu). In investigated TiO2(Eu)/CuO powders, the photoinduced antimicrobial activity against membranes of Enterococcus species was influenced by the selective binding of CuO to the surface of the microorganism leading to distinct selectivity in their action. The activity against Enterococcus faecalis was higher than against Enterococcus faecium.

Wing pattern morphology of three closely related Melitaea (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae species reveals highly inaccurate external morphology-based species identification

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Jure Jugovic

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Wing morphology of the three closely related species of Melitaea – M. athalia (Rottemburg, 1775, M. aurelia (Nickerl, 1850 and M. britomartis Assmann, 1847 – co-occurring in the Balkans (SE Europe was investigated in detail through visual inspection, morphometric analysis and multivariate statistical analysis. Results are compared to recent phylogenetic studies, searching for concordant patterns and discrepancies between the two approaches. The morphology of the genitalic structures is also compared with the results of the other two approaches. The main conclusions are as follows: (1 small albeit significant differences in wing morphology exist among the three species and (2 while the structure of male genitalia and phylogenetic position of the three species are concordant, they are (3 in discordance with the wing morphology. The present study represents another example where identification based on external morphology would lead to highly unreliable determinations, hence identification based on phylogenetic studies and/or genitalia is strongly recommended not only for the three studied species but also more broadly within the genus. Furthermore, we show that some of the characters generally used in the identification of these three Melitaea species should be avoided in future.

Land-use history affects understorey plant species distributions in a large temperate-forest complex, Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svenning, J.-C.; Baktoft, Karen H.; Balslev, Henrik

2009-01-01

In Europe, forests have been strongly influenced by human land-use for millennia. Here, we studied the importance of anthropogenic historical factors as determinants of understorey species distributions in a 967 ha Danish forest complex using 156 randomly placed 100-m2 plots, 15 environmental, 9...... dispersal and a strong literature record as ancient-forest species, were still concentrated in areas that were high forest in 1805. Among the younger forests, there were clear floristic differences between those on reclaimed bogs and those not. Apparently remnant populations of wet-soil plants were still...

Iterative solutions of nonlinear equations with strongly accretive or strongly pseudocontractive maps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chidume, C.E.

1994-03-01

Let E be a real q-uniformly smooth Banach space. Suppose T is a strongly pseudo-contractive map with open domain D(T) in E. Suppose further that T has a fixed point in D(T). Under various continuity assumptions on T it is proved that each of the Mann iteration process or the Ishikawa iteration method converges strongly to the unique fixed point of T. Related results deal with iterative solutions of nonlinear operator equations involving strongly accretive maps. Explicit error estimates are also provided. (author). 38 refs

The Evolution of Functionally Redundant Species; Evidence from Beetles.

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Marten Scheffer

Full Text Available While species fulfill many different roles in ecosystems, it has been suggested that numerous species might actually share the same function in a near neutral way. So-far, however, it is unclear whether such functional redundancy really exists. We scrutinize this question using extensive data on the world's 4168 species of diving beetles. We show that across the globe these animals have evolved towards a small number of regularly-spaced body sizes, and that locally co-existing species are either very similar in size or differ by at least 35%. Surprisingly, intermediate size differences (10-20% are rare. As body-size strongly reflects functional aspects such as the food that these generalist predators can eat, these beetles thus form relatively distinct groups of functional look-a-likes. The striking global regularity of these patterns support the idea that a self-organizing process drives such species-rich groups to self-organize evolutionary into clusters where functional redundancy ensures resilience through an insurance effect.

Predicting Environmental Suitability for a Rare and Threatened Species (Lao Newt, Laotriton laoensis) Using Validated Species Distribution Models

Science.gov (United States)

Chunco, Amanda J.; Phimmachak, Somphouthone; Sivongxay, Niane; Stuart, Bryan L.

2013-01-01

The Lao newt (Laotriton laoensis) is a recently described species currently known only from northern Laos. Little is known about the species, but it is threatened as a result of overharvesting. We integrated field survey results with climate and altitude data to predict the geographic distribution of this species using the niche modeling program Maxent, and we validated these predictions by using interviews with local residents to confirm model predictions of presence and absence. The results of the validated Maxent models were then used to characterize the environmental conditions of areas predicted suitable for L. laoensis. Finally, we overlaid the resulting model with a map of current national protected areas in Laos to determine whether or not any land predicted to be suitable for this species is coincident with a national protected area. We found that both area under the curve (AUC) values and interview data provided strong support for the predictive power of these models, and we suggest that interview data could be used more widely in species distribution niche modeling. Our results further indicated that this species is mostly likely geographically restricted to high altitude regions (i.e., over 1,000 m elevation) in northern Laos and that only a minute fraction of suitable habitat is currently protected. This work thus emphasizes that increased protection efforts, including listing this species as endangered and the establishment of protected areas in the region predicted to be suitable for L. laoensis, are urgently needed. PMID:23555808

Seasonality effect on the allelopathy of cerrado species

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AB Gatti

Full Text Available The Brazilian cerrado presents strong climate seasonality. During the dry season, plants may be exposed to stressful situations, such as a soil surface water deficit, that stimulate their chemical defenses. However, the seasonality effect on the production of allelopathic compounds of cerrado plant species is poorly understood. In this study, the phytotoxic activities of common native cerrado plants were evaluated during rainy and dry seasons. Crude leaves extracts (10% concentration: weight/volume, with dry leaves and distilled water from eleven species were tested on lettuce and sesame germination. The negative effects on germination percentages, rates and informational entropies of the target species were higher when submitted to plant extracts from the dry season, where the germination rate was the most sensible parameter. The higher sensibility of lettuce and the germination rate parameter showed this difference. Only two exceptions had higher effects for rainy season extracts; one species showed higher negative effects on germination informational entropy of lettuce and another species on the germination rate of sesame. Thus, increases in the allelopathic activity were seen in the majority of the studied cerrado plant species during the dry season. These distinct responses to stressful situations in a complex environment such as the Brazilian cerrado may support the establishment and survival of some species.

Mycosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using extract of endophytic fungi, Penicillium species of Glycosmis mauritiana, and its antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and tyrokinase inhibitory activity

Science.gov (United States)

Govindappa, M.; Farheen, H.; Chandrappa, C. P.; Channabasava; Rai, Ravishankar V.; Raghavendra, Vinay B.

2016-09-01

Silver nanoparticles were synthesized using endophytic fungal species, Penicillium species from Glycosmis mautitiana. Phytochemicals, namely tannins, saponins, terpenoids and flavonoids, were identified in Penicillium species extracts, and act as agents of reducing and capping in the conversion of silver nanoparticles into nanoparticles. Using SEM, UV-spectroscopy and XRD, the Penicillium species silver nanoparticles (PsAgNPs) were characterized. The PsAgNPs are shown to be strong antioxidants (DDPH and FRAP), have demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties by three different methods in vitro and strongly inhibited the activity of xanthine oxidase, lipoxygenase and tyrosine kinase. E. coli and P. aeruginosa bacterial species were strongly inhibited by PsAgNPs activity at maximum levels and SEM picture of P. aeruginosa confirms these effects and that they were shrunken due to the toxic effect of PsAgNPs.

Interaction of species traits and environmental disturbance predicts invasion success of aquatic microorganisms.

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Elvira Mächler

Full Text Available Factors such as increased mobility of humans, global trade and climate change are affecting the range of many species, and cause large-scale translocations of species beyond their native range. Many introduced species have a strong negative influence on the new local environment and lead to high economic costs. There is a strong interest to understand why some species are successful in invading new environments and others not. Most of our understanding and generalizations thereof, however, are based on studies of plants and animals, and little is known on invasion processes of microorganisms. We conducted a microcosm experiment to understand factors promoting the success of biological invasions of aquatic microorganisms. In a controlled lab experiment, protist and rotifer species originally isolated in North America invaded into a natural, field-collected community of microorganisms of European origin. To identify the importance of environmental disturbances on invasion success, we either repeatedly disturbed the local patches, or kept them as undisturbed controls. We measured both short-term establishment and long-term invasion success, and correlated it with species-specific life-history traits. We found that environmental disturbances significantly affected invasion success. Depending on the invading species' identity, disturbances were either promoting or decreasing invasion success. The interaction between habitat disturbance and species identity was especially pronounced for long-term invasion success. Growth rate was the most important trait promoting invasion success, especially when the species invaded into a disturbed local community. We conclude that neither species traits nor environmental factors alone conclusively predict invasion success, but an integration of both of them is necessary.

A unified model of avian species richness on islands and continents.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalmar, Attila; Currie, David J

2007-05-01

How many species in a given taxon should be found in a delimited area in a specified place in the world? Some recent literature suggests that the answer to this question depends strongly on the geographical, evolutionary, and ecological context. For example, current theory suggests that species accumulate as a function of area differently on continents and islands. Species richness-climate relationships have been examined separately on continents and on islands. This study tests the hypotheses that (1) the functional relationship between richness and climate is the same on continents and islands; (2) the species-area slope depends on distance-based isolation; (3) species-area relationships differ among land bridge islands, oceanic islands, and continents; (4) richness differs among biogeographic regions independently of climate and isolation. We related bird species numbers in a worldwide sample of 240 continental parcels and 346 islands to several environmental variables. We found that breeding bird richness varies similarly on islands and on continents as a function of mean annual temperature, an area x precipitation interaction, and the distance separating insular samples from the nearest continent (R2 = 0.86). Most studies to date have postulated that the slope of the species-area relationship depends upon isolation. In contrast, we found no such interaction. A richness-environment relationship derived using Old World sites accurately predicts patterns of richness in the New World and vice versa (R2 = 0.85). Our results suggest that most of the global variation in richness is not strongly context-specific; rather, it reflects a small number of general environmental constraints operating on both continents and islands.

Strong intrinsic motivation

OpenAIRE

Dessi, Roberta; Rustichini, Aldo

2015-01-01

A large literature in psychology, and more recently in economics, has argued that monetary rewards can reduce intrinsic motivation. We investigate whether the negative impact persists when intrinsic motivation is strong, and test this hypothesis experimentally focusing on the motivation to undertake interesting and challenging tasks, informative about individual ability. We find that this type of task can generate strong intrinsic motivation, that is impervious to the effect of monetary incen...

Floristic characteristics of alien invasive seed plant species in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Congyan; Liu, Jun; Xiao, Hongguang; Zhou, Jiawei; DU, Daolin

2016-01-01

This study aims to determine the floristic characteristics of alien invasive seed plant species (AISPS) in China. There are a total of five hundred and thirteen AISPS, belonging to seventy families and two hundred and eighty-three genera. Seventy families were classified into nine areal types at the family level, and "Cosmopolitan" and "Pantropic" are the two main types. Two hundred and eighty-three genera were classified into twelve areal types at the genus level, and "Pantropic", "Trop. Asia & Amer. disjuncted", and "Cosmopolitan" are the three main types. These results reveal a certain degree of diversity among AISPS in China. The floristic characteristics at the family level exhibit strong pantropic characteristics. Two possible reasons for this are as follows. Firstly, southeastern China is heavily invaded by alien invasive plant species and this region has a mild climate. Secondly, southeastern China is more disturbed by human activities than other regions in China. The floristic characteristics at the genus level display strong pantropic but with abundant temperate characteristics. This may be due to that China across five climatic zones and the ecosystems in which the most alien invasive plant species occur have the same or similar climate with their natural habitat.

Estudo voltamétrico do complexo de cobre(II com o ligante vermelho de alizarina S, adsorvido na superfície do eletrodo de grafite pirolítico Voltammetric study of complex of copper (II with alizarin red S ligand, absorbed on surface of pyrolytic graphite electrode

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victor E. Mouchrek Filho

1999-06-01

Full Text Available The alizarin red S (ARS has been used as a spectrophotometric reagent of several metals for a long time. Now this alizarin has been used as modifier agent of electrodes, for voltammetric analyses. In this work cyclic voltammetry experiments was accomplished on closed circuit, with the objective of studying the voltammetric behavior of alizarin red S adsorbed and of its copper complex, on the surface of the pyrolytic graphite electrode. These studies showed that ARS strongly adsorbs on the surface of this electrode. This adsorption was used to immobilize ions copper(II from the solution.

Origin of the Strong Interaction between Polar Molecules and Copper(II) Paddle-Wheels in Metal Organic Frameworks.

Science.gov (United States)

Ongari, Daniele; Tiana, Davide; Stoneburner, Samuel J; Gagliardi, Laura; Smit, Berend

2017-07-20

The copper paddle-wheel is the building unit of many metal organic frameworks. Because of the ability of the copper cations to attract polar molecules, copper paddle-wheels are promising for carbon dioxide adsorption and separation. They have therefore been studied extensively, both experimentally and computationally. In this work we investigate the copper-CO 2 interaction in HKUST-1 and in two different cluster models of HKUST-1: monocopper Cu(formate) 2 and dicopper Cu 2 (formate) 4 . We show that density functional theory methods severely underestimate the interaction energy between copper paddle-wheels and CO 2 , even including corrections for the dispersion forces. In contrast, a multireference wave function followed by perturbation theory to second order using the CASPT2 method correctly describes this interaction. The restricted open-shell Møller-Plesset 2 method (ROS-MP2, equivalent to (2,2) CASPT2) was also found to be adequate in describing the system and used to develop a novel force field. Our parametrization is able to predict the experimental CO 2 adsorption isotherms in HKUST-1, and it is shown to be transferable to other copper paddle-wheel systems.

How Do Marine Pelagic Species Respond to Climate Change? Theories and Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Beaugrand, Grégory; Kirby, Richard R.

2018-01-01

In this review, we show how climate affects species, communities, and ecosystems, and why many responses from the species to the biome level originate from the interaction between the species’ ecological niche and changes in the environmental regime in both space and time. We describe a theory that allows us to understand and predict how marine species react to climate-induced changes in ecological conditions, how communities form and are reconfigured, and so how biodiversity is arranged and may respond to climate change. Our study shows that the responses of species to climate change are therefore intelligible—that is, they have a strong deterministic component and can be predicted.

Phenetic distances in the Drosophila melanogaster-subgroup species and oviposition-site preference for food components

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bos, M.; Boerema, A.

1981-01-01

Oviposition-site preferences (O.S.P.) have been investigated in females of six sibling species of the Drosophila melanogaster subgroup. O.S.P. were determined for standard food components and yeast genotypes. Females of all species showed a strong preference for complete medium and avoidance of pure

A new species of Trichoderma hypoxylon harbours abundant secondary metabolites.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Jingzu; Pei, Yunfei; Li, Erwei; Li, Wei; Hyde, Kevin D; Yin, Wen-Bing; Liu, Xingzhong

2016-11-21

Some species of Trichoderma are fungicolous on fungi and have been extensively studied and commercialized as biocontrol agents. Multigene analyses coupled with morphology, resulted in the discovery of T. hypoxylon sp. nov., which was isolated from surface of the stroma of Hypoxylon anthochroum. The new taxon produces Trichoderma- to Verticillium-like conidiophores and hyaline conidia. Phylogenetic analyses based on combined ITS, TEF1-α and RPB2 sequence data indicated that T. hypoxylon is a well-distinguished species with strong bootstrap support in the polysporum group. Chemical assessment of this species reveals a richness of secondary metabolites with trichothecenes and epipolythiodiketopiperazines as the major compounds. The fungicolous life style of T. hypoxylon and the production of abundant metabolites are indicative of the important ecological roles of this species in nature.

Testing strong interaction theories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ellis, J.

1979-01-01

The author discusses possible tests of the current theories of the strong interaction, in particular, quantum chromodynamics. High energy e + e - interactions should provide an excellent means of studying the strong force. (W.D.L.)

Phase structure of strongly correlated Fermi gases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roscher, Dietrich

2015-01-01

Strongly correlated fermionic many-body systems are ubiquitous in nature. Their theoretical description poses challenging problems which are further complicated when imbalances in, e.g., the particle numbers of the involved species or their masses are introduced. In this thesis, a number of different approaches is developed and applied in order to obtain predictions for physical observables of such systems that mutually support and confirm each other. In a first step, analytically well-founded mean-field analyses are carried through. One- and three-dimensional ultracold Fermi gases with spin and mass imbalance as well as Gross-Neveu and NJL-type relativistic models at finite baryon chemical potential are investigated with respect to their analytic properties in general and the occurrence of spontaneous breaking of translational invariance in particular. Based on these studies, further methods are devised or adapted allowing for investigations also beyond the mean-field approximation. Lattice Monte Carlo simulations with imaginary imbalance parameters are employed to surmount the infamous sign problem and compute the equation of state of the respective unitary Fermi gases. Moreover, in-medium two-body analyses are used to confirm and explain the characteristics of inhomogeneously ordered phases. Finally, functional RG methods are applied to the unitary Fermi gas with spin and mass imbalance. Besides quantitatively competitive predictions for critical temperatures for the superfluid state, strong hints on the stability of inhomogeneous phases with respect to order parameter fluctuations in the regime of large mass imbalance are obtained. Combining the findings from these different theoretical studies suggests the possibility to find such phases in experiments presently in preparation.

Octocoral Species Assembly and Coexistence in Caribbean Coral Reefs.

Science.gov (United States)

Velásquez, Johanna; Sánchez, Juan A

2015-01-01

What are the determinant factors of community assemblies in the most diverse ecosystem in the ocean? Coral reefs can be divided in continental (i.e., reefs that develop on the continental shelf, including siliciclastic reefs) and oceanic (i.e., far off the continental shelf, usually on volcanic substratum); whether or not these habitat differences impose community-wide ecological divergence or species exclusion/coexistence with evolutionary consequences, is unknown. Studying Caribbean octocorals as model system, we determined the phylogenetic community structure in a coral reef community, making emphasis on species coexistence evidenced on trait evolution and environmental feedbacks. Forty-nine species represented in five families constituted the species pool from which a phylogenetic tree was reconstructed using mtDNA. We included data from 11 localities in the Western Caribbean (Colombia) including most reef types. To test diversity-environment and phenotype-environment relationships, phylogenetic community structure and trait evolution we carried out comparative analyses implementing ecological and evolutionary approaches. Phylogenetic inferences suggest clustering of oceanic reefs (e.g., atolls) contrasting with phylogenetic overdispersion of continental reefs (e.g., reefs banks). Additionally, atolls and barrier reefs had the highest species diversity (Shannon index) whereas phylogenetic diversity was higher in reef banks. The discriminant component analysis supported this differentiation between oceanic and continental reefs, where continental octocoral species tend to have greater calyx apertures, thicker branches, prominent calyces and azooxanthellate species. This analysis also indicated a clear separation between the slope and the remaining habitats, caused by the presence or absence of Symbiodinium. K statistic analysis showed that this trait is conserved as well as the branch shape. There was strong octocoral community structure with opposite diversity

Octocoral Species Assembly and Coexistence in Caribbean Coral Reefs.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johanna Velásquez

Full Text Available What are the determinant factors of community assemblies in the most diverse ecosystem in the ocean? Coral reefs can be divided in continental (i.e., reefs that develop on the continental shelf, including siliciclastic reefs and oceanic (i.e., far off the continental shelf, usually on volcanic substratum; whether or not these habitat differences impose community-wide ecological divergence or species exclusion/coexistence with evolutionary consequences, is unknown.Studying Caribbean octocorals as model system, we determined the phylogenetic community structure in a coral reef community, making emphasis on species coexistence evidenced on trait evolution and environmental feedbacks. Forty-nine species represented in five families constituted the species pool from which a phylogenetic tree was reconstructed using mtDNA. We included data from 11 localities in the Western Caribbean (Colombia including most reef types. To test diversity-environment and phenotype-environment relationships, phylogenetic community structure and trait evolution we carried out comparative analyses implementing ecological and evolutionary approaches.Phylogenetic inferences suggest clustering of oceanic reefs (e.g., atolls contrasting with phylogenetic overdispersion of continental reefs (e.g., reefs banks. Additionally, atolls and barrier reefs had the highest species diversity (Shannon index whereas phylogenetic diversity was higher in reef banks. The discriminant component analysis supported this differentiation between oceanic and continental reefs, where continental octocoral species tend to have greater calyx apertures, thicker branches, prominent calyces and azooxanthellate species. This analysis also indicated a clear separation between the slope and the remaining habitats, caused by the presence or absence of Symbiodinium. K statistic analysis showed that this trait is conserved as well as the branch shape.There was strong octocoral community structure with opposite

New species of Cyclodontina from Bahia, Brazil (Gastropoda, Pulmonata, Odontostomidae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodrigo B. Salvador

2014-12-01

Full Text Available A new species of pulmonate snail was recently collected in a small forest fragment in the city of Bom Jesus da Lapa, Bahia state, Brazil. Bahia is known for a high diversity of land snails and Bom Jesus da Lapa is an interesting locality, since it is close to the interface between two major Brazilian biomes: Cerrado and Caatinga. The new species is described as Cyclodontina tapuia sp. nov. and can be easily identified by its brown shell, conical spire, convex whorls, a sculpture comprised of strong ribs, and an aperture with four barriers: a median parietal tooth, a median palatal tooth, a median basal tooth and a strong columellar lamella. This discovery is also a reminder of how little the Brazilian continental molluscan fauna is known and of the urgency in studying and preserving the rich (though usually overlooked fauna of the Caatinga.

Strong effects of ionizing radiation from Chernobyl on mutation rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Møller, Anders Pape; Mousseau, Timothy A

2015-02-10

In this paper we use a meta-analysis to examine the relationship between radiation and mutation rates in Chernobyl across 45 published studies, covering 30 species. Overall effect size of radiation on mutation rates estimated as Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient was very large (E = 0.67; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.59 to 0.73), accounting for 44.3% of the total variance in an unstructured random-effects model. Fail-safe calculations reflecting the number of unpublished null results needed to eliminate this average effect size showed the extreme robustness of this finding (Rosenberg's method: 4135 at p = 0.05). Indirect tests did not provide any evidence of publication bias. The effect of radiation on mutations varied among taxa, with plants showing a larger effect than animals. Humans were shown to have intermediate sensitivity of mutations to radiation compared to other species. Effect size did not decrease over time, providing no evidence for an improvement in environmental conditions. The surprisingly high mean effect size suggests a strong impact of radioactive contamination on individual fitness in current and future generations, with potentially significant population-level consequences, even beyond the area contaminated with radioactive material.

Cryptic Plutella species show deep divergence despite the capacity to hybridize.

Science.gov (United States)

Perry, Kym D; Baker, Gregory J; Powis, Kevin J; Kent, Joanne K; Ward, Christopher M; Baxter, Simon W

2018-05-29

Understanding genomic and phenotypic diversity among cryptic pest taxa has important implications for the management of pests and diseases. The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella L., has been intensively studied due to its ability to evolve insecticide resistance and status as the world's most destructive pest of brassicaceous crops. The surprise discovery of a cryptic species endemic to Australia, Plutella australiana Landry & Hebert, raised questions regarding the distribution, ecological traits and pest status of the two species, the capacity for gene flow and whether specific management was required. Here, we collected Plutella from wild and cultivated brassicaceous plants from 75 locations throughout Australia and screened 1447 individuals to identify mtDNA lineages and Wolbachia infections. We genotyped genome-wide SNP markers using RADseq in coexisting populations of each species. In addition, we assessed reproductive compatibility in crossing experiments and insecticide susceptibility phenotypes using bioassays. The two Plutella species coexisted on wild brassicas and canola crops, but only 10% of Plutella individuals were P. australiana. This species was not found on commercial Brassica vegetable crops, which are routinely sprayed with insecticides. Bioassays found that P. australiana was 19-306 fold more susceptible to four commonly-used insecticides than P. xylostella. Laboratory crosses revealed that reproductive isolation was incomplete but directionally asymmetric between the species. However, genome-wide nuclear SNPs revealed striking differences in genetic diversity and strong population structure between coexisting wild populations of each species. Nuclear diversity was 1.5-fold higher in P. australiana, yet both species showed limited variation in mtDNA. Infection with a single Wolbachia subgroup B strain was fixed in P. australiana, suggesting that a selective sweep contributed to low mtDNA diversity, while a subgroup A strain infected just 1

Chrysopteron Bartelsii, novum genus et nova species, from Java

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jentink, F.A.

1910-01-01

Mr. Bartels forwarded to me some small Mammals from Java, for identification. It appears that a Bat belongs to a hitherto not recognized species. This Bat, found at the top (10,000 feet) of the Pangerango-mountain, March 22. 1908, strongly reminds by its bright colours the splendid Kerivoula Weberi

Determinants of bird species richness, endemism, and island network roles in Wallacea and the West Indies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dalsgaard, Bo; Carstensen, Daniel Wisbech; Fjeldså, Jon

2014-01-01

, and network roles indicates that historical climate had little effects on extinction-immigration dynamics. This is in contrast to the strong effect of historical climate observed on the mainland, possibly because surrounding oceans buffer against strong climate oscillations and because geography is a strong....... Here, we evaluate the potential additional effects of historical climate on breeding land bird richness and endemism in Wallacea and the West Indies. Furthermore, on the basis of species distributions, we identify island biogeographical network roles and examine their association with geography......, current and historical climate, and bird richness/endemism. We found that island geography, especially island area but also isolation and elevation, largely explained the variation in island species richness and endemism. Current and historical climate only added marginally to our understanding...

Hydraulic lift and tolerance to salinity of semiarid species: consequences for species interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Armas, Cristina; Padilla, Francisco M; Pugnaire, Francisco I; Jackson, Robert B

2010-01-01

The different abilities of plant species to use ephemeral or permanent water sources strongly affect physiological performance and species coexistence in water-limited ecosystems. In addition to withstanding drought, plants in coastal habitats often have to withstand highly saline soils, an additional ecological stress. Here we tested whether observed competitive abilities and C-water relations of two interacting shrub species from an arid coastal system were more related to differences in root architecture or salinity tolerance. We explored water sources of interacting Juniperus phoenicea Guss. and Pistacia lentiscus L. plants by conducting physiology measurements, including water relations, CO2 exchange, photochemical efficiency, sap osmolality, and water and C isotopes. We also conducted parallel soil analyses that included electrical conductivity, humidity, and water isotopes. During drought, Pistacia shrubs relied primarily on permanent salty groundwater, while isolated Juniperus plants took up the scarce and relatively fresh water stored in upper soil layers. As drought progressed further, the physiological activity of Juniperus plants nearly stopped while Pistacia plants were only slightly affected. Juniperus plants growing with Pistacia had stem-water isotopes that matched Pistacia, unlike values for isolated Juniperus plants. This result suggests that Pistacia shrubs supplied water to nearby Juniperus plants through hydraulic lift. This lifted water, however, did not appear to benefit Juniperus plants, as their physiological performance with co-occurring Pistacia plants was poor, including lower water potentials and rates of photosynthesis than isolated plants. Juniperus was more salt sensitive than Pistacia, which withstood salinity levels similar to that of groundwater. Overall, the different abilities of the two species to use salty water appear to drive the outcome of their interaction, resulting in asymmetric competition where Juniperus is negatively

Species undersampling in tropical bat surveys: effects on emerging biodiversity patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Christoph F J; Aguiar, Ludmilla M S; Aguirre, Luis F; Baumgarten, Julio; Clarke, Frank M; Cosson, Jean-François; Estrada Villegas, Sergio; Fahr, Jakob; Faria, Deborah; Furey, Neil; Henry, Mickaël; Jenkins, Richard K B; Kunz, Thomas H; Cristina MacSwiney González, M; Moya, Isabel; Pons, Jean-Marc; Racey, Paul A; Rex, Katja; Sampaio, Erica M; Stoner, Kathryn E; Voigt, Christian C; von Staden, Dietrich; Weise, Christa D; Kalko, Elisabeth K V

2015-01-01

Undersampling is commonplace in biodiversity surveys of species-rich tropical assemblages in which rare taxa abound, with possible repercussions for our ability to implement surveys and monitoring programmes in a cost-effective way. We investigated the consequences of information loss due to species undersampling (missing subsets of species from the full species pool) in tropical bat surveys for the emerging patterns of species richness (SR) and compositional variation across sites. For 27 bat assemblage data sets from across the tropics, we used correlations between original data sets and subsets with different numbers of species deleted either at random, or according to their rarity in the assemblage, to assess to what extent patterns in SR and composition in data subsets are congruent with those in the initial data set. We then examined to what degree high sample representativeness (r ≥ 0·8) was influenced by biogeographic region, sampling method, sampling effort or structural assemblage characteristics. For SR, correlations between random subsets and original data sets were strong (r ≥ 0·8) with moderate (ca. 20%) species loss. Bias associated with information loss was greater for species composition; on average ca. 90% of species in random subsets had to be retained to adequately capture among-site variation. For nonrandom subsets, removing only the rarest species (on average c. 10% of the full data set) yielded strong correlations (r > 0·95) for both SR and composition. Eliminating greater proportions of rare species resulted in weaker correlations and large variation in the magnitude of observed correlations among data sets. Species subsets that comprised ca. 85% of the original set can be considered reliable surrogates, capable of adequately revealing patterns of SR and temporal or spatial turnover in many tropical bat assemblages. Our analyses thus demonstrate the potential as well as limitations for reducing survey effort and streamlining

Autofluorescence in eleocytes of some earthworm species.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara Płytycz

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Immunocompetent cells of earthworms, coelomocytes, comprise adherent amoebocytes and granular eleocytes (chloragocytes. Both cell populations can be expelled via dorsal pores of adult earthworms by exposure to an electric current (4.5 V for 1 min. Analysis by phase contrast/fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry demonstrated that eleocyte population of several species exhibits a strong autofluorescence. A high percentage (11-35% of autofluorescent eleocytes was recorded in Allolobophora chlorotica, Dendrodrilus rubidus, Eisenia fetida, and Octolasion sp. (O. cyaneum, O. tyrtaeum tyrtaeum and O. tyrtaeum lacteum. In contrast, autofluorescent coelomocytes were exceptionally scarce (less than 1% in representative Aporrectodea sp. (A. caliginosa and A. longa and Lumbricus sp. (L. castaneus, L. festivus, L. rubellus, L. terrestris. Thus, this paper for the first time describes profound intrinsic fluorescence of eleocytes in some--but not all--earthworm species. The function (if any and inter-species differences of the autofluorescent coelomocytes still remain elusive.

Quantifying Species Diversity with a DNA Barcoding-Based Method: Tibetan Moth Species (Noctuidae) on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Qian; Han, Huilin; Hu, XiMin; Li, XinHai; Zhu, ChaoDong; Ho, Simon Y. W.; Ward, Robert D.; Zhang, Ai-bing

2013-01-01

With the ongoing loss of biodiversity, there is a great need for fast and effective ways to assess species richness and diversity: DNA barcoding provides a powerful new tool for this. We investigated this approach by focusing on the Tibetan plateau, which is one of the world's top biodiversity hotspots. There have been few studies of its invertebrates, although they constitute the vast majority of the region's diversity. Here we investigated species diversity of the lepidopteran family Noctuidae, across different environmental gradients, using measurements based on traditional morphology as well as on DNA barcoding. The COI barcode showed an average interspecific K2P distance of , which is about four times larger than the mean intraspecific distance (). Using six diversity indices, we did not detect any significant differences in estimated species diversity between measurements based on traditional morphology and on DNA barcoding. Furthermore, we found strong positive correlations between them, indicating that barcode-based measures of species diversity can serve as a good surrogate for morphology-based measures in most situations tested. Eastern communities were found to have significantly higher diversity than Western ones. Among 22 environmental factors tested, we found that three (precipitation of driest month, precipitation of driest quarter, and precipitation of coldest quarter) were significantly correlated with species diversity. Our results indicate that these factors could be the key ecological factors influencing the species diversity of the lepidopteran family Noctuidae on the Tibetan plateau. PMID:23741330

Patterns and multi-scale drivers of phytoplankton species richness in temperate peri-urban lakes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Catherine, Arnaud; Selma, Maloufi; Mouillot, David; Troussellier, Marc; Bernard, Cécile

2016-01-01

Local species richness (SR) is a key characteristic affecting ecosystem functioning. Yet, the mechanisms regulating phytoplankton diversity in freshwater ecosystems are not fully understood, especially in peri-urban environments where anthropogenic pressures strongly impact the quality of aquatic ecosystems. To address this issue, we sampled the phytoplankton communities of 50 lakes in the Paris area (France) characterized by a large gradient of physico-chemical and catchment-scale characteristics. We used large phytoplankton datasets to describe phytoplankton diversity patterns and applied a machine-learning algorithm to test the degree to which species richness patterns are potentially controlled by environmental factors. Selected environmental factors were studied at two scales: the lake-scale (e.g. nutrients concentrations, water temperature, lake depth) and the catchment-scale (e.g. catchment, landscape and climate variables). Then, we used a variance partitioning approach to evaluate the interaction between lake-scale and catchment-scale variables in explaining local species richness. Finally, we analysed the residuals of predictive models to identify potential vectors of improvement of phytoplankton species richness predictive models. Lake-scale and catchment-scale drivers provided similar predictive accuracy of local species richness (R"2 = 0.458 and 0.424, respectively). Both models suggested that seasonal temperature variations and nutrient supply strongly modulate local species richness. Integrating lake- and catchment-scale predictors in a single predictive model did not provide increased predictive accuracy; therefore suggesting that the catchment-scale model probably explains observed species richness variations through the impact of catchment-scale variables on in-lake water quality characteristics. Models based on catchment characteristics, which include simple and easy to obtain variables, provide a meaningful way of predicting phytoplankton

Patterns and multi-scale drivers of phytoplankton species richness in temperate peri-urban lakes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Catherine, Arnaud, E-mail: arnocat@mnhn.fr [UMR7245 MCAM MNHN-CNRS, Muséum National d' Histoire Naturelle, CC 39, 12 rue Buffon, F-75231 Paris, Cedex 05 (France); Selma, Maloufi, E-mail: maloufi@mnhn.fr [UMR7245 MCAM MNHN-CNRS, Muséum National d' Histoire Naturelle, CC 39, 12 rue Buffon, F-75231 Paris, Cedex 05 (France); Mouillot, David, E-mail: david.mouillot@univ-montp2.fr [UMR 9190 MARBEC UM2-CNRS-IRD-UM1-IFREMER, CC 93, Place Eugène Bataillon, Université de Montpellier 2, F-34095 Montpellier (France); Troussellier, Marc, E-mail: troussel@univ-montp2.fr [UMR 9190 MARBEC UM2-CNRS-IRD-UM1-IFREMER, CC 93, Place Eugène Bataillon, Université de Montpellier 2, F-34095 Montpellier (France); Bernard, Cécile, E-mail: cbernard@mnhn.fr [UMR7245 MCAM MNHN-CNRS, Muséum National d' Histoire Naturelle, CC 39, 12 rue Buffon, F-75231 Paris, Cedex 05 (France)

2016-07-15

Local species richness (SR) is a key characteristic affecting ecosystem functioning. Yet, the mechanisms regulating phytoplankton diversity in freshwater ecosystems are not fully understood, especially in peri-urban environments where anthropogenic pressures strongly impact the quality of aquatic ecosystems. To address this issue, we sampled the phytoplankton communities of 50 lakes in the Paris area (France) characterized by a large gradient of physico-chemical and catchment-scale characteristics. We used large phytoplankton datasets to describe phytoplankton diversity patterns and applied a machine-learning algorithm to test the degree to which species richness patterns are potentially controlled by environmental factors. Selected environmental factors were studied at two scales: the lake-scale (e.g. nutrients concentrations, water temperature, lake depth) and the catchment-scale (e.g. catchment, landscape and climate variables). Then, we used a variance partitioning approach to evaluate the interaction between lake-scale and catchment-scale variables in explaining local species richness. Finally, we analysed the residuals of predictive models to identify potential vectors of improvement of phytoplankton species richness predictive models. Lake-scale and catchment-scale drivers provided similar predictive accuracy of local species richness (R{sup 2} = 0.458 and 0.424, respectively). Both models suggested that seasonal temperature variations and nutrient supply strongly modulate local species richness. Integrating lake- and catchment-scale predictors in a single predictive model did not provide increased predictive accuracy; therefore suggesting that the catchment-scale model probably explains observed species richness variations through the impact of catchment-scale variables on in-lake water quality characteristics. Models based on catchment characteristics, which include simple and easy to obtain variables, provide a meaningful way of predicting phytoplankton

Novel chemical species of Santilli’s magnegas in hadronic chemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zodape, Sangesh P.

2015-01-01

In this paper we have reviewed the novel chemical species, the magnecules, synthesized by Santilli that comprises of individual atoms, radicals and ordinary molecules bonded through the magnetic attractive forces originating out of toroidal polarization of the orbitals of atomic electrons under strong magnetic fields. The main focus of this paper is to review the fabulous applications of Santill’s magnegas. The novel magnecular species of hydrogen and oxygen find their place in fuel industry especially in fuel cells with the increase in its power, efficiency and total output. In this account we have also considered the flame temperature report of the new magnecular species of gases. We emphasize the importance of this new field

Novel chemical species of Santilli’s magnegas in hadronic chemistry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zodape, Sangesh P. [Department of Chemistry, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur – 440 010, India E-mail: sangesh02@gmail.com (India)

2015-03-10

In this paper we have reviewed the novel chemical species, the magnecules, synthesized by Santilli that comprises of individual atoms, radicals and ordinary molecules bonded through the magnetic attractive forces originating out of toroidal polarization of the orbitals of atomic electrons under strong magnetic fields. The main focus of this paper is to review the fabulous applications of Santill’s magnegas. The novel magnecular species of hydrogen and oxygen find their place in fuel industry especially in fuel cells with the increase in its power, efficiency and total output. In this account we have also considered the flame temperature report of the new magnecular species of gases. We emphasize the importance of this new field.

Habitat associations drive species vulnerability to climate change in boreal forests

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mazziotta, Adriano; Triviño, María; Tikkanen, Olli-Pekka

2016-01-01

if species sensitivity, the species ability to tolerate climatic variations determined by traits, plays a key role in determining vulnerability. We analyse the role of species’ habitat associations, a proxy for sensitivity, in explaining vulnerability for two poorly-known but species-rich taxa in boreal...... forest, saproxylic beetles and fungi, using three IPCC emissions scenarios. Towards the end of the 21st century we projected an improvement in habitat quality associated with an increase of deadwood, an important resource for species, as a consequence of increased tree growth under high emissions...... scenarios. However, climate change will potentially reduce habitat suitability for ~9–43 % of the threatened deadwood-associated species. This loss is likely caused by future increase in timber extraction and decomposition rates causing higher deadwood turnover, which have a strong negative effect on boreal...

Phylogenetically diverse macrophyte community promotes species diversity of mobile epi-benthic invertebrates

Science.gov (United States)

Nakamoto, Kenta; Hayakawa, Jun; Kawamura, Tomohiko; Kodama, Masafumi; Yamada, Hideaki; Kitagawa, Takashi; Watanabe, Yoshiro

2018-07-01

Various aspects of plant diversity such as species diversity and phylogenetic diversity enhance the species diversity of associated animals in terrestrial systems. In marine systems, however, the effects of macrophyte diversity on the species diversity of associated animals have received little attention. Here, we sampled in a subtropical seagrass-seaweed mixed bed to elucidate the effect of the macrophyte phylogenetic diversity based on the taxonomic relatedness as well as the macrophyte species diversity on species diversity of mobile epi-benthic invertebrates. Using regression analyses for each macrophyte parameter as well as multiple regression analyses, we found that the macrophyte phylogenetic diversity (taxonomic diversity index: Delta) positively influenced the invertebrate species richness and diversity index (H‧). Although the macrophyte species richness and H‧ also positively influenced the invertebrate species richness, the best fit model for invertebrate species richness did not include them, suggesting that the macrophyte species diversity indirectly influenced invertebrate species diversity. Possible explanations of the effects of macrophyte Delta on the invertebrate species diversity were the niche complementarity effect and the selection effect. This is the first study which demonstrates that macrophyte phylogenetic diversity has a strong effect on the species diversity of mobile epi-benthic invertebrates.

Plant trait-species abundance relationships vary with environmental properties in subtropical forests in eastern china.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

En-Rong Yan

Full Text Available Understanding how plant trait-species abundance relationships change with a range of single and multivariate environmental properties is crucial for explaining species abundance and rarity. In this study, the abundance of 94 woody plant species was examined and related to 15 plant leaf and wood traits at both local and landscape scales involving 31 plots in subtropical forests in eastern China. Further, plant trait-species abundance relationships were related to a range of single and multivariate (PCA axes environmental properties such as air humidity, soil moisture content, soil temperature, soil pH, and soil organic matter, nitrogen (N and phosphorus (P contents. At the landscape scale, plant maximum height, and twig and stem wood densities were positively correlated, whereas mean leaf area (MLA, leaf N concentration (LN, and total leaf area per twig size (TLA were negatively correlated with species abundance. At the plot scale, plant maximum height, leaf and twig dry matter contents, twig and stem wood densities were positively correlated, but MLA, specific leaf area, LN, leaf P concentration and TLA were negatively correlated with species abundance. Plant trait-species abundance relationships shifted over the range of seven single environmental properties and along multivariate environmental axes in a similar way. In conclusion, strong relationships between plant traits and species abundance existed among and within communities. Significant shifts in plant trait-species abundance relationships in a range of environmental properties suggest strong environmental filtering processes that influence species abundance and rarity in the studied subtropical forests.

Strong links between metal contamination, habitat modification and estuarine larval fish distributions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McKinley, Andrew C., E-mail: andrew.mckinley@hotmail.com [Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052 (Australia); Miskiewicz, Anthony [Environment and Recreation, Wollongong City Council, 41 Burelli Street, Wollongong, New South Wales 2500 (Australia); Taylor, Matthew D.; Johnston, Emma L. [Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052 (Australia)

2011-06-15

Changes to larval fish assemblages may have far reaching ecological impacts. Correlations between habitat modification, contamination and marine larval fish communities have rarely been assessed in situ. We investigated links between the large-scale distribution of stressors and larval fish assemblages in estuarine environments. Larval fish communities were sampled using a benthic sled within the inner and outer zones of three heavily modified and three relatively unmodified estuaries. Larval abundances were significantly greater in modified estuaries, and there were trends towards greater diversity in these systems. Differences in larval community composition were strongly related to sediment metal levels and reduced seagrass cover. The differences observed were driven by two abundant species, Paedogobius kimurai and Ambassis jacksoniensis, which occurred in large numbers almost exclusively in highly contaminated and pristine locations respectively. These findings suggest that contamination and habitat alteration manifest in substantial differences in the composition of estuarine larval fish assemblages. - Highlights: > We examine contamination/habitat modification impacts on larval fish. > Larvae communities differ between modified/unmodified estuaries. > Larvae are more abundant/diverse in modified areas. > Trends are strongly related to sediment metals/seagrass cover. > Larval impacts have wider ecological importance. - We describe strong links between sediment metals contamination, habitat modification and substantial differences in the composition of the estuarine larval fish assemblage.

Apparent foraging success reflects habitat quality in an irruptive species, the Black-backed Woodpecker

Science.gov (United States)

Christopher T. Rota; Mark A. Rumble; Chad P. Lehman; Dylan C. Kesler; Joshua J. Millspaugh

2015-01-01

Dramatic fluctuations in food resources are a key feature of many habitats, and many species have evolved a movement strategy to exploit food resources that are unpredictable in space and time. The availability of food resources may be a particularly strong determinant of habitat quality for irruptive bird species. We studied the apparent foraging success of Black-...

Latitudinal shifts of introduced species: possible causes and implications

Science.gov (United States)

Qinfeng Guo; Dov F. Sax; Hong Qian; Regan Early

2012-01-01

This study aims to document shifts in the latitudinal distributions of non-native species relative to their own native distributions and to discuss possible causes and implications of these shifts. We used published and newly compiled data on intercontinentally introduced birds, mammals and plants. We found strong correlations between the latitudinal distributions...

Light dependency of VOC emissions from selected Mediterranean plant species

Science.gov (United States)

Owen, S. M.; Harley, P.; Guenther, A.; Hewitt, C. N.

The light, temperature and stomatal conductance dependencies of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from ten plant species commonly found in the Mediterranean region were studied using a fully controlled leaf cuvette in the laboratory. At standard conditions of temperature and light (30°C and 1000 μmol m -2 s -1 PAR), low emitting species ( Arbutus unedo, Pinus halepensis, Cistus incanus, Cistus salvifolius, Rosmarinus officinalis and Thymus vulgaris) emitted between 0.1 and 5.0 μg (C) (total VOCs) g -1 dw h -1, a medium emitter ( Pinus pinea) emitted between 5 and 10 μg (C) g -1 dw h -1 and high emitters ( Cistus monspeliensis, Lavendula stoechas and Quercus sp.) emitted more than 10 μg (C) g -1 dw h -1. VOC emissions from all of the plant species investigated showed some degree of light dependency, which was distinguishable from temperature dependency. Emissions of all compounds from Quercus sp. were light dependent. Ocimene was one of several monoterpene compounds emitted by P. pinea and was strongly correlated to light. Only a fraction of monoterpene emissions from C. incanus exhibited apparent weak light dependency but emissions from this plant species were strongly correlated to temperature. Data presented here are consistent with past studies, which show that emissions are independent of stomatal conductance. These results may allow more accurate predictions of monoterpene emission fluxes from the Mediterranean region to be made.

Species coexistence: macroevolutionary relationships and the contingency of historical interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Germain, Rachel M; Weir, Jason T; Gilbert, Benjamin

2016-03-30

Evolutionary biologists since Darwin have hypothesized that closely related species compete more intensely and are therefore less likely to coexist. However, recent theory posits that species diverge in two ways: either through the evolution of 'stabilizing differences' that promote coexistence by causing individuals to compete more strongly with conspecifics than individuals of other species, or through the evolution of 'fitness differences' that cause species to differ in competitive ability and lead to exclusion of the weaker competitor. We tested macroevolutionary patterns of divergence by competing pairs of annual plant species that differ in their phylogenetic relationships, and in whether they have historically occurred in the same region or different regions (sympatric versus allopatric occurrence). For sympatrically occurring species pairs, stabilizing differences rapidly increased with phylogenetic distance. However, fitness differences also increased with phylogenetic distance, resulting in coexistence outcomes that were unpredictable based on phylogenetic relationships. For allopatric species, stabilizing differences showed no trend with phylogenetic distance, whereas fitness differences increased, causing coexistence to become less likely among distant relatives. Our results illustrate the role of species' historical interactions in shaping how phylogenetic relationships structure competitive dynamics, and offer an explanation for the evolution of invasion potential of non-native species. © 2016 The Author(s).

Radial diffusion of a minority species in a tokamak due to ICRH

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vacca, L.

1993-01-01

The author studies the transport of a minority species in a scenario where minority ions in a tokamak are heated by fast Alfven waves having a resonance layer in a tokamak. He does not assume the minority distribution function to be a Maxwellian at leading order, as transport theory generally assumes, but adopts a more realistic model where the strong anisotropy of the distribution function is accounted for. This anisotropy has been observed in experiments and is predicted by numerical calculations based on Fokker-Planck equation with quasilinear diffusion. By adopting a different ordering from that used in previous work on transport due to waves and taking moments of the kinetic equation which includes the rf driving term, he calculates the fluxes of the resonant minority species accounting for collisions of minority with bulk electrons and ion species. Finally he makes comparison of fluxes of rf-heated minority with standard neoclassical predictions (no rf source present) showing the enhancement in transport introduced by the presence of both a strongly anisotropic distribution function and an rf source

Abortion: Strong's counterexamples fail

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Di Nucci, Ezio

2009-01-01

This paper shows that the counterexamples proposed by Strong in 2008 in the Journal of Medical Ethics to Marquis's argument against abortion fail. Strong's basic idea is that there are cases--for example, terminally ill patients--where killing an adult human being is prima facie seriously morally...

Genetic calibration of species diversity among North America's freshwater fishes.

Science.gov (United States)

April, Julien; Mayden, Richard L; Hanner, Robert H; Bernatchez, Louis

2011-06-28

Freshwater ecosystems are being heavily exploited and degraded by human activities all over the world, including in North America, where fishes and fisheries are strongly affected. Despite centuries of taxonomic inquiry, problems inherent to species identification continue to hamper the conservation of North American freshwater fishes. Indeed, nearly 10% of species diversity is thought to remain undescribed. To provide an independent calibration of taxonomic uncertainty and to establish a more accessible molecular identification key for its application, we generated a standard reference library of mtDNA sequences (DNA barcodes) derived from expert-identified museum specimens for 752 North American freshwater fish species. This study demonstrates that 90% of known species can be delineated using barcodes. Moreover, it reveals numerous genetic discontinuities indicative of independently evolving lineages within described species, which points to the presence of morphologically cryptic diversity. From the 752 species analyzed, our survey flagged 138 named species that represent as many as 347 candidate species, which suggests a 28% increase in species diversity. In contrast, several species of parasitic and nonparasitic lampreys lack such discontinuity and may represent alternative life history strategies within single species. Therefore, it appears that the current North American freshwater fish taxonomy at the species level significantly conceals diversity in some groups, although artificially creating diversity in others. In addition to providing an easily accessible digital identification system, this study identifies 151 fish species for which taxonomic revision is required.

Diversity of hydraulic traits in nine Cordia species growing in tropical forests with contrasting precipitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Choat, Brendan; Sack, Lawren; Holbrook, N Michele

2007-01-01

Inter- and intraspecific variation in hydraulic traits was investigated in nine Cordia (Boraginaceae) species growing in three tropical rainforests differing in mean annual precipitation (MAP). Interspecific variation was examined for the different Cordia species found at each site, and intraspecific variation was studied in populations of the widespread species Cordia alliodora across the three sites. Strong intra- and interspecific variation were observed in vulnerability to drought-induced embolism. Species growing at drier sites were more resistant to embolism than those growing at moister sites; the same pattern was observed for populations of C. alliodora. By contrast, traits related to hydraulic capacity, including stem xylem vessel diameter, sapwood specific conductivity (K(s)) and leaf specific conductivity (K(L)), varied strongly but independently of MAP. For C. alliodora, xylem anatomy, K(s), K(L) and Huber value varied little across sites, with K(s) and K(L) being consistently high relative to other Cordia species. A constitutively high hydraulic capacity coupled with plastic or genotypic adjustment in vulnerability to embolism and leaf water relations would contribute to the ability of C. alliodora to establish and compete across a wide precipitation gradient.

Synthesis, structure, and magnetic properties of two 1-D helical coordination polymeric Cu(II) complexes

Science.gov (United States)

Bian, He-Dong; Yang, Xiao-E.; Yu, Qing; Chen, Zi-Lu; Liang, Hong; Yan, Shi-Ping; Liao, Dai-Zheng

2008-01-01

Two helical coordination polymeric copper(II) complexes bearing amino acid Schiff bases HL or HL', which are condensed from 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde with 2-aminobenzoic acid or L-valine, respectively, have been prepared and characterised by X-ray crystallography. In [CuL] n ( 1) the copper(II) atoms are bridged by syn- anti carboxylate groups giving infinite 1-D right-handed helical chains which are further connected by weak C-H⋯Cu interactions to build a 2-D network. While in [CuL'] n ( 2) the carboxylate group acts as a rare monatomic bridge to connect the adjacent copper(II) atoms leading to the formation of a left-handed helical chain. Magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate that 1 exhibits weak ferromagnetic interactions whereas an antiferromagnetic coupling is established for 2. The magnetic behavior can be satisfactorily explained on the basis of the structural data.

A Simple Spectrophotometric Method for the Determination of Copper in Some Real, Environmental, Biological, Food and Soil Samples Using Salicylaldehyde Benzoyl Hydrazone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Jamaluddin Ahmed

2012-06-01

Full Text Available A very simple, ultra-sensitive, highly selective and non-extractive spectrophotometric method for the determination of trace amounts copper(II has been developed. Salicylaldehy debenzoyl hydrazone (SAL-BH has been proposed as a new analytical reagent for the direct non-extractive spectrophotometric determination of copper(II. SAL-BH reacts with copper in a slightly acidic (0.0001-0.005 M H2SO4 in 40% 1,4-dioxane media with copper(II to give a highly absorbent greenish yellow chelate with a molar ratio 1:1(CuII: SAL-BH The reaction is instantaneous and the maximum absorption was obtained at 404 nm and remains stable for 72 h. The average molar absorptivity and Sandell’s sensitivity were found to be 1.4×105 L mol-1 cm-1 and 5.0 ng cm-2 of copper(II, respectively. Linear calibration graphs were obtained for 0.01 – 18 mg L-1 of CuII. The detection limit and quantification limit of the reaction system were found to be 1 ng mL-1 and 10 µg L-1, respectively. A large excess of over 50 cations, anions and complexing agents (e.g., tartrate, oxalate, citrate, phosphate, thiocyanate etc. do not interfere in the determination. The method is highly selective for copper and was successfully used for the determination of copper in several standard reference materials (steels and alloys as well as in some environmental waters (portable and polluted, biological (human blood and urine, food and soil samples and solutions containing both copper(I and copper(II as well as some complex synthetic mixtures. The results of the proposed method for biological and food samples were comparable with AAS and were found to be in good agreement. The method has high precision and accuracy (s = ± 0.01 for 0.5 mg L-1.

Feeding environment and other traits shape species' roles in marine food webs.

Science.gov (United States)

Cirtwill, Alyssa R; Eklöf, Anna

2018-04-02

Food webs and meso-scale motifs allow us to understand the structure of ecological communities and define species' roles within them. This species-level perspective on networks permits tests for relationships between species' traits and their patterns of direct and indirect interactions. Such relationships could allow us to predict food-web structure based on more easily obtained trait information. Here, we calculated the roles of species (as vectors of motif position frequencies) in six well-resolved marine food webs and identified the motif positions associated with the greatest variation in species' roles. We then tested whether the frequencies of these positions varied with species' traits. Despite the coarse-grained traits we used, our approach identified several strong associations between traits and motifs. Feeding environment was a key trait in our models and may shape species' roles by affecting encounter probabilities. Incorporating environment into future food-web models may improve predictions of an unknown network structure. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

Photocatalytic properties and selective antimicrobial activity of TiO2(Eu)/CuO nanocomposite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Michal, Robert; Dworniczek, Ewa; Caplovicova, Maria; Monfort, Olivier; Lianos, Panagiotis; Caplovic, Lubomir; Plesch, Gustav

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Nanocomposites composed of Eu-doped anatase grafted with CuO. • Increase in photocatalytic hydrogen production due to CuO acting as electrons sink. • CuO in composites decreasing the photoinduced total mineralization of phenol. • Selective photoinduced antimicrobial activity against Enterococcus species. - Abstract: TiO 2 (Eu)/CuO nanocomposites were prepared by precipitation method. The anatase nanocrystallites with a size of 26 nm exhibited well crystallized and characteristical dipyramidal morphology and {1 0 1} and {0 0 1} faceting. Transmission electron microscopy photographs with atomic resolution showed that the Eu(III) dopants were bounded on surface of titania. In the composites, the CuO nanocrystals exhibiting a monoclinic tenorite structure with a size in the range from 2 to 5 nm were grafted to the surface of titania. The influence of copper(II) oxide led to distinct selectivity in the photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties of the investigated TiO 2 (Eu)/CuO nanocomposites. While the presence of CuO nanocrystals strongly increased the photocatalytic production of hydrogen by ethanol reforming, it decreased the activity in photoinduced total mineralization of phenol comparing with non-modified TiO 2 (Eu). In investigated TiO 2 (Eu)/CuO powders, the photoinduced antimicrobial activity against membranes of Enterococcus species was influenced by the selective binding of CuO to the surface of the microorganism leading to distinct selectivity in their action. The activity against Enterococcus faecalis was higher than against Enterococcus faecium.

Strong population bottleneck and repeated demographic expansions of Populus adenopoda (Salicaceae) in subtropical China.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Liqiang; Zheng, Honglei; Milne, Richard I; Zhang, Lei; Mao, Kangshan

2018-03-14

Glacial refugia and inter-/postglacial recolonization routes during the Quaternary of tree species in Europe and North America are well understood, but far less is known about those of tree species in subtropical eastern Asia. Thus, we have examined the phylogeographic history of Populus adenopoda (Salicaceae), one of the few poplars that naturally occur in this subtropical area. Genetic variations across the range of the species in subtropical China were surveyed using ten nuclear microsatellite loci and four chloroplast fragments (matK, trnG-psbK, psbK-psbI and ndhC-trnV). Coalescent-based analyses were used to test demographic and migration hypotheses. In addition, species distribution models (SDMs) were constructed to infer past, present and future potential distributions of the species. Thirteen chloroplast haplotypes were detected, and haplotype-rich populations were found in central and southern parts of the species' range. STRUCTURE analyses of nuclear microsatellite loci suggest obvious lineage admixture, especially in peripheral and northern populations. DIYABC analysis suggests that the species might have experienced two independent rounds of demographic expansions and a strong bottleneck in the late Quaternary. SDMs indicate that the species' range contracted during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), and contracted northward but expanded eastward during the Last Interglacial (LIG). Chloroplast data and SDMs suggest that P. adenopoda might have survived in multiple glacial refugia in central and southern parts of its range during the LGM. Populations of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau in the southern part have high chloroplast DNA diversity, but may have contributed little to the postglacial recolonization of northern and eastern parts. The three major demographic events inferred by DIYABC coincide with the initiation of the LIG, start of the LGM and end of the LGM, respectively. The species may have experienced multiple rounds of range contraction during

The Combined Use of Correlative and Mechanistic Species Distribution Models Benefits Low Conservation Status Species.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thibaud Rougier

Full Text Available Species can respond to climate change by tracking appropriate environmental conditions in space, resulting in a range shift. Species Distribution Models (SDMs can help forecast such range shift responses. For few species, both correlative and mechanistic SDMs were built, but allis shad (Alosa alosa, an endangered anadromous fish species, is one of them. The main purpose of this study was to provide a framework for joint analyses of correlative and mechanistic SDMs projections in order to strengthen conservation measures for species of conservation concern. Guidelines for joint representation and subsequent interpretation of models outputs were defined and applied. The present joint analysis was based on the novel mechanistic model GR3D (Global Repositioning Dynamics of Diadromous fish Distribution which was parameterized on allis shad and then used to predict its future distribution along the European Atlantic coast under different climate change scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5. We then used a correlative SDM for this species to forecast its distribution across the same geographic area and under the same climate change scenarios. First, projections from correlative and mechanistic models provided congruent trends in probability of habitat suitability and population dynamics. This agreement was preferentially interpreted as referring to the species vulnerability to climate change. Climate change could not be accordingly listed as a major threat for allis shad. The congruence in predicted range limits between SDMs projections was the next point of interest. The difference, when noticed, required to deepen our understanding of the niche modelled by each approach. In this respect, the relative position of the northern range limit between the two methods strongly suggested here that a key biological process related to intraspecific variability was potentially lacking in the mechanistic SDM. Based on our knowledge, we hypothesized that local

77 FR 16131 - Establishing a White House Council on Strong Cities, Strong Communities

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-20

... Order 13602 of March 15, 2012 Establishing a White House Council on Strong Cities, Strong Communities By... enable them to develop and implement economic strategies to become more competitive, sustainable, and... resources to develop and implement their economic vision and strategies. Sec. 2. White House Council on...

Transcontinental phylogeography of the Daphnia pulex species complex.

Science.gov (United States)

Crease, Teresa J; Omilian, Angela R; Costanzo, Katie S; Taylor, Derek J

2012-01-01

Daphnia pulex is quickly becoming an attractive model species in the field of ecological genomics due to the recent release of its complete genome sequence, a wide variety of new genomic resources, and a rich history of ecological data. Sequences of the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 genes were used to assess the global phylogeography of this species, and to further elucidate its phylogenetic relationship to other members of the Daphnia pulex species complex. Using both newly acquired and previously published data, we analyzed 398 individuals from collections spanning five continents. Eleven strongly supported lineages were found within the D. pulex complex, and one lineage in particular, panarctic D. pulex, has very little phylogeographical structure and a near worldwide distribution. Mismatch distribution, haplotype network, and population genetic analyses are compatible with a North American origin for this lineage and subsequent spatial expansion in the Late Pleistocene. In addition, our analyses suggest that dispersal between North and South America of this and other species in the D. pulex complex has occurred multiple times, and is predominantly from north to south. Our results provide additional support for the evolutionary relationships of the eleven main mitochondrial lineages of the D. pulex complex. We found that the well-studied panarctic D. pulex is present on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. Despite being geographically very widespread, there is a lack of strong regionalism in the mitochondrial genomes of panarctic D. pulex--a pattern that differs from that of most studied cladocerans. Moreover, our analyses suggest recent expansion of the panarctic D. pulex lineage, with some continents sharing haplotypes. The hypothesis that hybrid asexuality has contributed to the recent and unusual geographic success of the panarctic D. pulex lineage warrants further study.

Instabilities in strongly coupled plasmas

CERN Document Server

Kalman, G J

2003-01-01

The conventional Vlasov treatment of beam-plasma instabilities is inappropriate when the plasma is strongly coupled. In the strongly coupled liquid state, the strong correlations between the dust grains fundamentally affect the conditions for instability. In the crystalline state, the inherent anisotropy couples the longitudinal and transverse polarizations, and results in unstable excitations in both polarizations. We summarize analyses of resonant and non-resonant, as well as resistive instabilities. We consider both ion-dust streaming and dust beam-plasma instabilities. Strong coupling, in general, leads to an enhancement of the growth rates. In the crystalline phase, a resonant transverse instability can be excited.

Phylogenetic analyses of Begonia sect. Coelocentrum and allied limestone species of China shed light on the evolution of Sino-Vietnamese karst flora.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Kuo-Fang; Leong, Wai-Chao; Rubite, Rosario Rivera; Repin, Rimi; Kiew, Ruth; Liu, Yan; Peng, Ching-I

2014-12-01

The picturesque limestone karsts across the Sino-Vietnamese border are renowned biodiversity hotspot, distinguished for extremely high endemism of calciphilous plants restricted to caves and cave-like microhabitats that have functioned as biological refugia on the otherwise harsh habitats. To understand evolutionary mechanisms underlying the splendid limestone flora, dated phylogeny is reconstructed for Asian Begonia, a species-rich genus on limestone substrates represented by no less than 60 species in southern China, using DNA sequences of nrITS and chloroplast rpL16 intron. The sampling includes 94 Begonia species encompassing most major Asian clades with a special emphasized on Chinese species. Except for two tuberous deciduous species and a species with upright stems, a majority of Sino-Vietnamese limestone Begonia (SVLB), including sect. Coelocentrum (19 species sampled) and five species of sect. Diploclinium, Leprosae, and Petermannia, are rhizomatous and grouped in a strongly supported and yet internally poorly resolved clade (Clade SVLB), suggesting a single evolutionary origin of the adaptation to limestone substrates by rhizomatous species, subsequent species radiation, and a strong tendency to retain their ancestral niche. Divergence-time estimates indicate a late Miocene diversification of Clade SVLB, coinciding with the onset of the East Asian monsoon and the period of extensive karstification in the area. Based on our phylogenetic study, Begonia sect. Coelocentrum is recircumscribed and expanded to include other members of the Clade SVLB (sect. Diploclinium: B. cavaleriei, B. pulvinifera, and B. wangii; sect. Leprosae: B. cylindrica and B. leprosa; sect. Petermannia: B. sinofloribunda). Because species of Clade SVLB have strong niche conservatism to retain in their ancestral habitats in cave-like microhabitats and Begonia are generally poor dispersers prone to diversify allopatrically, we propose that extensive and continuous karstification of the

A new species of Actinote Hübner (Nymphalidae: Heliconiinae: Acraeini from southeast Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André Victor Lucci Freitas

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The present paper describes a new species of Actinote (Nymphalidae, Heliconiinae, Acraeini from southeastern Brazil, and describes the morphology of the adults and immature stages of this species. Actinote mantiqueira sp. nov. occurs in the Serra da Mantiqueira and Serra do Mar in the Atlantic Forest. Adults from this population are very similar to other species of the “orangish red mimicry complex”, including Actinote alalia (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1860, its sister species, restricted to the mountains of southern Brazil. Actinote mantiqueira sp. nov. and A. alalia are distinguishable by wing pattern, male genitalia and larval morphology, and have strongly allopatric distributions. A redescription of Actinote alalia is also provided. Keywords: Atlantic Forest, Araucaria Forest, Actinote alalia, Species redescription, Immature stages

On the well posedness and further regularity of a diffusive three species aquatic model

KAUST Repository

Parshad, R.D.

2012-01-01

We consider Upadhay\\'s three species aquatic food chain model, with the inclusion of spatial spread. This is a well established food chain model for the interaction of three given aquatic species. It exhibits rich dynamical behavior, including chaos. We prove the existence of a global weak solution to the diffusive system, followed by existence of local mild and strong solution.

Reactions of the melatonin metabolite N(1)-acetyl-5-methoxykynuramine with carbamoyl phosphate and related compounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuesel, Jana T; Hardeland, Rüdiger; Pfoertner, Henrike; Aeckerle, Nelia

2010-01-01

N-[2-(6-methoxyquinazolin-4-yl)-ethyl] acetamide (MQA) is a compound formed from the melatonin metabolite N(1)-acetyl-5-methoxykynuramine (AMK). We followed MQA production in reaction systems containing various putative reaction partners, in the absence and presence of hydrogen peroxide and/or copper(II). Although MQA may be formally described as a condensation product of either N(1)-acetyl-N(2)-formyl-5-methoxykynuramine (AFMK) with ammonia, or AMK with formamide, none of these combinations led to substantial quantities of MQA. However, MQA formation was observed in mixtures containing AMK, hydrogen peroxide, hydrogen carbonate and ammonia, or AMK, hydrogen peroxide, copper(II) and potentially carbamoylating agents, such as potassium cyanate or, more efficiently, carbamoyl phosphate. In the presence of hydrogen peroxide, copper(II) and carbamoyl phosphate, MQA was the major product obtained from AMK, but the omission of copper(II) mainly led to another metabolite, 3-acetamidomethyl-6-methoxycinnolinone (AMMC). This was caused by nitric oxide (NO) generated under oxidative conditions from carbamoyl phosphate, as shown by an NO spin trap. MQA formation with carbamoyl phosphate was not due to the possible decomposition product, formamide. The reaction of AMK with carbamoyl phosphate under oxidative conditions, in which inorganic phosphate and water are released and which differs from the typical process of carbamoylation via isocyanate, may be considered as a new physiological route of MQA formation.

Flash light sintered copper precursor/nanoparticle pattern with high electrical conductivity and low porosity for printed electronics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, Wan-Ho; Hwang, Hyun-Jun; Kim, Hak-Sung

2015-01-01

In this work, the hybrid copper inks with precursor and nanoparticles were fabricated and sintered via flash light irradiation to achieve highly conductive electrode pattern with low porosity. The hybrid copper ink was made of copper nanoparticles and various copper precursors (e.g., copper(II) chloride, copper(II) nitrate trihydrate, copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate and copper(II) trifluoroacetylacetonate). The printed hybrid copper inks were sintered at room temperature and under ambient conditions using an in-house flash light sintering system. The effects of copper precursor weight fraction and the flash light irradiation conditions (light energy and pulse duration) were investigated. Surfaces of the sintered hybrid copper patterns were analyzed using a scanning electron microscope. Also, spectroscopic characterization techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction were used to investigate the crystal phases of the flash light sintered copper precursors. High conductivity hybrid copper patterns (27.3 μΩ cm), which is comparable to the resistivity of bulk copper (1.68 μΩ cm) were obtained through flash light sintering at room temperature and under ambient conditions. - Highlights: • The hybrid copper inks with precursor and nanoparticles were fabricated. • The hybrid copper ink was sintered via flash light irradiation. • The resistivity of sintered hybrid copper ink was 27.3 μΩ cm. • Highly conductive copper film with low porosity could be achieved

Flash light sintered copper precursor/nanoparticle pattern with high electrical conductivity and low porosity for printed electronics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chung, Wan-Ho; Hwang, Hyun-Jun [Department of Mechanical Convergence Engineering, Hanyang University, 17 Haendang-Dong, Seongdong-Gu, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hak-Sung, E-mail: kima@hanyang.ac.kr [Department of Mechanical Convergence Engineering, Hanyang University, 17 Haendang-Dong, Seongdong-Gu, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-04-01

In this work, the hybrid copper inks with precursor and nanoparticles were fabricated and sintered via flash light irradiation to achieve highly conductive electrode pattern with low porosity. The hybrid copper ink was made of copper nanoparticles and various copper precursors (e.g., copper(II) chloride, copper(II) nitrate trihydrate, copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate and copper(II) trifluoroacetylacetonate). The printed hybrid copper inks were sintered at room temperature and under ambient conditions using an in-house flash light sintering system. The effects of copper precursor weight fraction and the flash light irradiation conditions (light energy and pulse duration) were investigated. Surfaces of the sintered hybrid copper patterns were analyzed using a scanning electron microscope. Also, spectroscopic characterization techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction were used to investigate the crystal phases of the flash light sintered copper precursors. High conductivity hybrid copper patterns (27.3 μΩ cm), which is comparable to the resistivity of bulk copper (1.68 μΩ cm) were obtained through flash light sintering at room temperature and under ambient conditions. - Highlights: • The hybrid copper inks with precursor and nanoparticles were fabricated. • The hybrid copper ink was sintered via flash light irradiation. • The resistivity of sintered hybrid copper ink was 27.3 μΩ cm. • Highly conductive copper film with low porosity could be achieved.

Theoretical studies of the tautomerism in 3-(2-R-Phenylhydrazono)-naphthalene- 1,2,4-triones: synthesis of copper(II) complexes and studies of antibacterial and antitumor activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Francisco, Acacio I.; Vargas, Maria D.; Fragoso, Thais P.; Carneiro, J. Walkimar de M.; Silva, Fernando de C. da; Ferreira, Vitor F.; Pessoa, Claudia; Costa-Lotufo, Leticia V.; Marinho Filho, Jose D.B.; Moraes, Manoel O. de; Mangrich, Antonio S.

2010-01-01

DFT calculations using the B3LYP and PBE1PBE functionals with the standard 6-31G(d) and 6-311+G(2d,p) basis sets were carried out for the 3-(2-phenylhydrazone)-naphthalene-1,2,4-trione system in solution (dmso) and in the gas phase, and showed the keto-hydrazone forms (rotamers Ia and Ib) to be more stable than the enol-azo forms (rotamers IIa and IIb, by about 14 kcal mol-1) and III (by approximately 6 kcal mol-1), independently of the nature of the substituent in the phenylene ring. These results were confirmed by spectroscopic data on the derivatives HL1-HL13, obtained from 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone and arylamines (R = 4-OMe, 4-N 2 -C 6 H 5 , 4-Cl, 4-I, 3-I, 2-I, 4-COOH, 3-COOH, 4-CN, 3-CN, 4-NO 2 , 3-NO 2 , 2-NO 2 ). The in vitro antitumor (against SF-295, HCT-8, MDAMB-435 and HL-60 cancer cell lines) and antibacterial activities (Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) of compounds HL1-HL13 and of their respective copper(II) complexes, [Cu(L1-13) 2 ], were tested. In general, these compounds exhibited low antibacterial activity, except for HL5 (R 3-I), more active than the control; however, the corresponding complex was inactive. In contrast, increased cytotoxicity was observed upon complexation. Complex [Cu(L13) 2 ] (R = 3-NO 2 ) presented moderate cytotoxicity against human leukemia (HL-60). (author)

Quantifying species diversity with a DNA barcoding-based method: Tibetan moth species (Noctuidae on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qian Jin

Full Text Available With the ongoing loss of biodiversity, there is a great need for fast and effective ways to assess species richness and diversity: DNA barcoding provides a powerful new tool for this. We investigated this approach by focusing on the Tibetan plateau, which is one of the world's top biodiversity hotspots. There have been few studies of its invertebrates, although they constitute the vast majority of the region's diversity. Here we investigated species diversity of the lepidopteran family Noctuidae, across different environmental gradients, using measurements based on traditional morphology as well as on DNA barcoding. The COI barcode showed an average interspecific K2P distance of 9.45±2.08%, which is about four times larger than the mean intraspecific distance (1.85±3.20%. Using six diversity indices, we did not detect any significant differences in estimated species diversity between measurements based on traditional morphology and on DNA barcoding. Furthermore, we found strong positive correlations between them, indicating that barcode-based measures of species diversity can serve as a good surrogate for morphology-based measures in most situations tested. Eastern communities were found to have significantly higher diversity than Western ones. Among 22 environmental factors tested, we found that three (precipitation of driest month, precipitation of driest quarter, and precipitation of coldest quarter were significantly correlated with species diversity. Our results indicate that these factors could be the key ecological factors influencing the species diversity of the lepidopteran family Noctuidae on the Tibetan plateau.

Strongly interacting Fermi gases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bakr W.

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Strongly interacting gases of ultracold fermions have become an amazingly rich test-bed for many-body theories of fermionic matter. Here we present our recent experiments on these systems. Firstly, we discuss high-precision measurements on the thermodynamics of a strongly interacting Fermi gas across the superfluid transition. The onset of superfluidity is directly observed in the compressibility, the chemical potential, the entropy, and the heat capacity. Our measurements provide benchmarks for current many-body theories on strongly interacting fermions. Secondly, we have studied the evolution of fermion pairing from three to two dimensions in these gases, relating to the physics of layered superconductors. In the presence of p-wave interactions, Fermi gases are predicted to display toplogical superfluidity carrying Majorana edge states. Two possible avenues in this direction are discussed, our creation and direct observation of spin-orbit coupling in Fermi gases and the creation of fermionic molecules of 23Na 40K that will feature strong dipolar interactions in their absolute ground state.

Temporal genetic stability in natural populations of the waterflea Daphnia magna in response to strong selection pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Orsini, Luisa; Marshall, Hollie; Cuenca Cambronero, Maria; Chaturvedi, Anurag; Thomas, Kelley W; Pfrender, Michael E; Spanier, Katina I; De Meester, Luc

2016-12-01

Studies monitoring changes in genetic diversity and composition through time allow a unique understanding of evolutionary dynamics and persistence of natural populations. However, such studies are often limited to species with short generation times that can be propagated in the laboratory or few exceptional cases in the wild. Species that produce dormant stages provide powerful models for the reconstruction of evolutionary dynamics in the natural environment. A remaining open question is to what extent dormant egg banks are an unbiased representation of populations and hence of the species' evolutionary potential, especially in the presence of strong environmental selection. We address this key question using the water flea Daphnia magna, which produces dormant stages that accumulate in biological archives over time. We assess temporal genetic stability in three biological archives, previously used in resurrection ecology studies showing adaptive evolutionary responses to rapid environmental change. We show that neutral genetic diversity does not decline with the age of the population and it is maintained in the presence of strong selection. In addition, by comparing temporal genetic stability in hatched and unhatched populations from the same biological archive, we show that dormant egg banks can be consulted to obtain a reliable measure of genetic diversity over time, at least in the multidecadal time frame studied here. The stability of neutral genetic diversity through time is likely mediated by the buffering effect of the resting egg bank. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evolutionary responses of native plant species to invasive plants: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Oduor, Ayub M O

2013-12-01

Strong competition from invasive plant species often leads to declines in abundances and may, in certain cases, cause localized extinctions of native plant species. Nevertheless, studies have shown that certain populations of native plant species can co-exist with invasive plant species,suggesting the possibility of adaptive evolutionary responses of those populations to the invasive plants. Empirical inference of evolutionary responses of the native plant species to invasive plants has involved experiments comparing two conspecific groups of native plants for differences in expression of growth/reproductive traits: populations that have experienced competition from the invasive plant species (i.e. experienced natives) versus populations with no known history of interactions with the invasive plant species (i.e. naıve natives). Here, I employ a meta-analysis to obtain a general pattern of inferred evolutionary responses of native plant species from 53 such studies. In general, the experienced natives had significantly higher growth/reproductive performances than naıve natives, when grown with or without competition from invasive plants.While the current results indicate that certain populations of native plant species could potentially adapt evolutionarily to invasive plant species, the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that probably underlie such evolutionary responses remain unexplored and should be the focus of future studies.

Quantum electrodynamics of strong fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greiner, W.

1983-01-01

Quantum Electrodynamics of Strong Fields provides a broad survey of the theoretical and experimental work accomplished, presenting papers by a group of international researchers who have made significant contributions to this developing area. Exploring the quantum theory of strong fields, the volume focuses on the phase transition to a charged vacuum in strong electric fields. The contributors also discuss such related topics as QED at short distances, precision tests of QED, nonperturbative QCD and confinement, pion condensation, and strong gravitational fields In addition, the volume features a historical paper on the roots of quantum field theory in the history of quantum physics by noted researcher Friedrich Hund

Burkholderia Species Are the Most Common and Preferred Nodulating Symbionts of the Piptadenia Group (Tribe Mimoseae)

Science.gov (United States)

Bournaud, Caroline; de Faria, Sergio Miana; dos Santos, José Miguel Ferreira; Tisseyre, Pierre; Silva, Michele; Chaintreuil, Clémence; Gross, Eduardo; James, Euan K.; Prin, Yves; Moulin, Lionel

2013-01-01

Burkholderia legume symbionts (also called α-rhizobia) are ancient in origin and are the main nitrogen-fixing symbionts of species belonging to the large genus Mimosa in Brazil. We investigated the extent of the affinity between Burkholderia and species in the tribe Mimoseae by studying symbionts of the genera Piptadenia (P.), Parapiptadenia (Pp.), Pseudopiptadenia (Ps.), Pityrocarpa (Py.), Anadenanthera (A.) and Microlobius (Mi.), all of which are native to Brazil and are phylogenetically close to Mimosa, and which together with Mimosa comprise the “Piptadenia group”. We characterized 196 strains sampled from 18 species from 17 locations in Brazil using two neutral markers and two symbiotic genes in order to assess their species affiliations and the evolution of their symbiosis genes. We found that Burkholderia are common and highly diversified symbionts of species in the Piptadenia group, comprising nine Burkholderia species, of which three are new ones and one was never reported as symbiotic (B. phenoliruptrix). However, α-rhizobia were also detected and were occasionally dominant on a few species. A strong sampling site effect on the rhizobial nature of symbionts was detected, with the symbiont pattern of the same legume species changing drastically from location to location, even switching from β to α-rhizobia. Coinoculation assays showed a strong affinity of all the Piptadenia group species towards Burkholderia genotypes, with the exception of Mi. foetidus. Phylogenetic analyses of neutral and symbiotic markers showed that symbiosis genes in Burkholderia from the Piptadenia group have evolved mainly through vertical transfer, but also by horizontal transfer in two species. PMID:23691052

Two new species of Neozoanthus (Cnidaria, Hexacorallia, Zoantharia from the Pacific

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James Reimer

2012-11-01

Full Text Available The zoanthid genus Neozoanthus was originally described in 1972 from a single species in Madagascar. This monotypic genus was placed within its own family, Neozoanthidae, given its unusual characters of only partial sand encrustation, and an endodermal sphincter muscle combined with a brachycnemic mesenterial arrangement. Recently, undescribed specimens of Neozoanthus were discovered thousands of kilometers away in both Australia and Japan. While the phylogenetic and evolutionary aspects of Neozoanthus spp. are now somewhat well understood, the new specimens remained undescribed. Here we describe the specimens as two new species, N. uchina sp. n. from the Middle Ryukyu Islands of southern Japan, and N. caleyi sp. n. from the waters around Heron Island, on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Both species can be distinguished from each other and the type species, N. tulearensis, by their distributions, oral disk colors, and average numbers of tentacles. Additionally, each species appears to have subtle differences in their cnidae. The division of Japanese and Australian specimens into two species is strongly supported by recently reported phylogenetic data. The discovery and description of these two species highlights how little is known of zoanthid species diversity in the Indo-Pacific.

A new species of Masteria (Araneae: Dipluridae: Masteriinae from southeastern Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Denis Rafael Pedroso

2015-02-01

Full Text Available A new species of Masteria L. Koch, 1873 from iron ore caves at Caeté and Santa Bárbara, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, Masteria emboaba sp. nov., is described. It was collected inside caves and in the litter of nearby dry forests. It is the first masteriine species described from southeastern Brazil and the second masteriine species for the country. The new species is the only known Masteria with only two eyes. Additionally, the male of M. emboaba sp. nov. has only two regular, thin spines at the apex of tibia I, lacking the tibial apophysis found in most other Masteria species. The only other described Masteria species that has spines in the place of tibial apophysis is M. aimeae (Alayón, 1995 from Cuba; however, the last species has a longer and sinuous embolus, contrasting the embolus of M. emboaba sp. nov., which is much smaller, less sinuous and transversally placed. The only other described Brazilian species, M. manauara Bertani, Cruz & Oliveira, 2013, has a double tibial apophysis, with both ends tipped by a strong, short spine, and a very long embolus, parallel to the bulb.

Two new species of Neozoanthus (Cnidaria, Hexacorallia, Zoantharia) from the Pacific

Science.gov (United States)

Reimer, James Davis; Irei, Yuka; Fujii, Takuma

2012-01-01

Abstract The zoanthid genus Neozoanthus was originally described in 1972 from a single species in Madagascar. This monotypic genus was placed within its own family, Neozoanthidae, given its unusual characters of only partial sand encrustation, and an endodermal sphincter muscle combined with a brachycnemic mesenterial arrangement. Recently, undescribed specimens of Neozoanthus were discovered thousands of kilometers away in both Australia and Japan. While the phylogenetic and evolutionary aspects of Neozoanthus spp. are now somewhat well understood, the new specimens remained undescribed. Here we describe the specimens as two new species, Neozoanthus uchina sp. n. from the Middle Ryukyu Islands of southern Japan, and Neozoanthus caleyi sp. n. from the waters around Heron Island, on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Both species can be distinguished from each other and the type species, Neozoanthus tulearensis, by their distributions, oral disk colors, and average numbers of tentacles. Additionally, each species appears to have subtle differences in their cnidae. The division of Japanese and Australian specimens into two species is strongly supported by recently reported phylogenetic data. The discovery and description of these two species highlights how little is known of zoanthid species diversity in the Indo-Pacific. PMID:23275752

Juvenile biological traits of Impatiens species are more strongly associated with naturalization in temperate climate than their adult traits

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Čuda, Jan; Skálová, Hana; Janovský, Zdeněk; Pyšek, Petr

2016-01-01

Roč. 20, Jun 2016 (2016), s. 1-10 ISSN 1433-8319 R&D Projects: GA ČR GB14-36079G Grant - others:AV ČR(CZ) AP1002 Program:Akademická prémie - Praemium Academiae Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : balsam * invasive species * naturalization Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 3.123, year: 2016

Comparing differential tolerance of native and non-indigenous marine species to metal pollution using novel assay techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piola, Richard F.; Johnston, Emma L.

2009-01-01

Recent research suggests anthropogenic disturbance may disproportionately advantage non-indigenous species (NIS), aiding their establishment within impacted environments. This study used novel laboratory- and field-based toxicity testing to determine whether non-indigenous and native bryozoans (common within marine epibenthic communities worldwide) displayed differential tolerance to the common marine pollutant copper (Cu). In laboratory assays on adult colonies, NIS showed remarkable tolerance to Cu, with strong post-exposure recovery and growth. In contrast, native species displayed negative growth and reduced feeding efficiency across most exposure levels. Field transplant experiments supported laboratory findings, with NIS growing faster under Cu conditions. In field-based larval assays, NIS showed strong recruitment and growth in the presence of Cu relative to the native species. We suggest that strong selective pressures exerted by the toxic antifouling paints used on transport vectors (vessels), combined with metal contamination in estuarine environments, may result in metal tolerant NIS advantaged by anthropogenically modified selection regimes. - Greater tolerance to pollutants in marine NIS may increase the risk of invasion in port and harbours worldwide by providing a competitive advantage over native taxa.

Hurricane Activity and the Large-Scale Pattern of Spread of an Invasive Plant Species

Science.gov (United States)

Bhattarai, Ganesh P.; Cronin, James T.

2014-01-01

Disturbances are a primary facilitator of the growth and spread of invasive species. However, the effects of large-scale disturbances, such as hurricanes and tropical storms, on the broad geographic patterns of invasive species growth and spread have not been investigated. We used historical aerial imagery to determine the growth rate of invasive Phragmites australis patches in wetlands along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States. These were relatively undisturbed wetlands where P. australis had room for unrestricted growth. Over the past several decades, invasive P. australis stands expanded in size by 6–35% per year. Based on tropical storm and hurricane activity over that same time period, we found that the frequency of hurricane-force winds explained 81% of the variation in P. australis growth over this broad geographic range. The expansion of P. australis stands was strongly and positively correlated with hurricane frequency. In light of the many climatic models that predict an increase in the frequency and intensity of hurricanes over the next century, these results suggest a strong link between climate change and species invasion and a challenging future ahead for the management of invasive species. PMID:24878928

copper(II)

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

bis(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptadionato)copper(II) ... Abstract. Equilibrium concentrations of various condensed and gaseous phases have been thermodyna- ... phere, over a wide range of substrate temperatures and total reactor pressures.

MESSENGER Searches for Less Abundant or Weakly Emitting Species in Mercury's Exosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Vervack, Ronald J., Jr.; McClintock, William E.; Killen, Rosemary M.; Sprague, Ann L.; Burger, Matthew H.; Merkel, Aimee W.; Sarantos, Menelaos

2011-01-01

Mercury's exosphere is composed of material that originates at the planet's surface, whether that material is native or delivered by the solar wind and micrometeoroids. Many exospheric species have been detected by remote sensing, including H and He by Mariner 10, Na, K, and Ca by ground-based observations, and H, Na, Ca, Mg, and Ca+ by the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft. Other exospheric species, including Fe, AI, Si, 0, S, Mn, CI, Ti, OH, and their ions, are expected to be present on the basis of MESSENGER surface measurements and models of Mercury's surface chemistry. Here we report on searches for these species made with the Ultraviolet and Visible Spectrometer (UVVS) channel of the Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer (MASCS). No obvious signatures of the listed species have yet been observed in Mercury's exosphere by the UVVS as of this writing. It is possible that detections are elusive because the optimum regions of the exosphere have not been sampled. The Sun-avoidance constraints on MESSENGER place tight limits on instrument boresight directions, and some regions are probed infrequently. If there are strong spatial gradients in the distribution of weakly emitting species, a high-resolution sampling of specific regions may be required to detect them. Summing spectra over time will also aid in the ability to detect weaker emission. Observations to date nonetheless permit strong upper limits to be placed on the abundances of many undetected species, in some cases as functions of time and space. As those limits are lowered with time, the absence of detections can provide insight into surface composition and the potential source mechanisms of exospheric material.

Experimental evidence that density dependence strongly influences plant invasions through fragmented landscapes.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Jennifer L; Levine, Jonathan M

2018-04-01

Populations of range expanding species encounter patches of both favorable and unfavorable habitat as they spread across landscapes. Theory shows that increasing patchiness slows the spread of populations modeled with continuously varying population density when dispersal is not influence by the environment or individual behavior. However, as is found in uniformly favorable landscapes, spread remains driven by fecundity and dispersal from low density individuals at the invasion front. In contrast, when modeled populations are composed of discrete individuals, patchiness causes populations to build up to high density before dispersing past unsuitable habitat, introducing an important influence of density dependence on spread velocity. To test the hypothesized interaction between habitat patchiness and density dependence, we simultaneously manipulated these factors in a greenhouse system of annual plants spreading through replicated experimental landscapes. We found that increasing the size of gaps and amplifying the strength of density dependence both slowed spread velocity, but contrary to predictions, the effect of amplified density dependence was similar across all landscape types. Our results demonstrate that the discrete nature of individuals in spreading populations has a strong influence on how both landscape patchiness and density dependence influence spread through demographic and dispersal stochasticity. Both finiteness and landscape structure should be critical components to theoretical predictions of future spread for range expanding native species or invasive species colonizing new habitat. © 2018 by the Ecological Society of America.

Strong-coupling theory of superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rainer, D.; Sauls, J.A.

1995-01-01

The electronic properties of correlated metals with a strong electron-phonon coupling may be understood in terms of a combination of Landau''s Fermi liquid theory and the strong-coupling theory of Migdal and Eliashberg. In these lecture notes we discuss the microscopic foundations of this phenomenological Fermi-liquid model of correlated, strong-coupling metals. We formulate the basic equations of the model, which are quasiclassical transport equations that describe both equilibrium and non-equilibrium phenomena for the normal and superconducting states of a metal. Our emphasis is on superconductors close to equilibrium, for which we derive the general linear response theory. As an application we calculate the dynamical conductivity of strong-coupling superconductors. (author)

Setting realistic recovery targets for two interacting endangered species, sea otter and northern abalone.

Science.gov (United States)

Chadès, Iadine; Curtis, Janelle M R; Martin, Tara G

2012-12-01

Failure to account for interactions between endangered species may lead to unexpected population dynamics, inefficient management strategies, waste of scarce resources, and, at worst, increased extinction risk. The importance of species interactions is undisputed, yet recovery targets generally do not account for such interactions. This shortcoming is a consequence of species-centered legislation, but also of uncertainty surrounding the dynamics of species interactions and the complexity of modeling such interactions. The northern sea otter (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) and one of its preferred prey, northern abalone (Haliotis kamtschatkana), are endangered species for which recovery strategies have been developed without consideration of their strong predator-prey interactions. Using simulation-based optimization procedures from artificial intelligence, namely reinforcement learning and stochastic dynamic programming, we combined sea otter and northern abalone population models with functional-response models and examined how different management actions affect population dynamics and the likelihood of achieving recovery targets for each species through time. Recovery targets for these interacting species were difficult to achieve simultaneously in the absence of management. Although sea otters were predicted to recover, achieving abalone recovery targets failed even when threats to abalone such as predation and poaching were reduced. A management strategy entailing a 50% reduction in the poaching of northern abalone was a minimum requirement to reach short-term recovery goals for northern abalone when sea otters were present. Removing sea otters had a marginally positive effect on the abalone population but only when we assumed a functional response with strong predation pressure. Our optimization method could be applied more generally to any interacting threatened or invasive species for which there are multiple conservation objectives. © 2012 Society for

Species associations overwhelm abiotic conditions to dictate the structure and function of wood-decay fungal communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Maynard, Daniel S; Covey, Kristofer R; Crowther, Thomas W; Sokol, Noah W; Morrison, Eric W; Frey, Serita D; van Diepen, Linda T A; Bradford, Mark A

2018-04-01

Environmental conditions exert strong controls on the activity of saprotrophic microbes, yet abiotic factors often fail to adequately predict wood decomposition rates across broad spatial scales. Given that species interactions can have significant positive and negative effects on wood-decay fungal activity, one possibility is that biotic processes serve as the primary controls on community function, with abiotic controls emerging only after species associations are accounted for. Here we explore this hypothesis in a factorial field warming- and nitrogen-addition experiment by examining relationships among wood decomposition rates, fungal activity, and fungal community structure. We show that functional outcomes and community structure are largely unrelated to abiotic conditions, with microsite and plot-level abiotic variables explaining at most 19% of the total variability in decomposition and fungal activity, and 2% of the variability in richness and evenness. In contrast, taxonomic richness, evenness, and species associations (i.e., co-occurrence patterns) exhibited strong relationships with community function, accounting for 52% of the variation in decomposition rates and 73% in fungal activity. A greater proportion of positive vs. negative species associations in a community was linked to strong declines in decomposition rates and richness. Evenness emerged as a key mediator between richness and function, with highly even communities exhibiting a positive richness-function relationship and uneven communities exhibiting a negative or null response. These results suggest that community-assembly processes and species interactions are important controls on the function of wood-decay fungal communities, ultimately overwhelming substantial differences in abiotic conditions. © 2018 by the Ecological Society of America.

Strong Bisimilarity of Simple Process Algebras

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Srba, Jirí

2003-01-01

We study bisimilarity and regularity problems of simple process algebras. In particular, we show PSPACE-hardness of the following problems: (i) strong bisimilarity of Basic Parallel Processes (BPP), (ii) strong bisimilarity of Basic Process Algebra (BPA), (iii) strong regularity of BPP, and (iv......) strong regularity of BPA. We also demonstrate NL-hardness of strong regularity problems for the normed subclasses of BPP and BPA. Bisimilarity problems of simple process algebras are introduced in a general framework of process rewrite systems, and a uniform description of the new techniques used...

Strong links between metal contamination, habitat modification and estuarine larval fish distributions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McKinley, Andrew C.; Miskiewicz, Anthony; Taylor, Matthew D.; Johnston, Emma L.

2011-01-01

Changes to larval fish assemblages may have far reaching ecological impacts. Correlations between habitat modification, contamination and marine larval fish communities have rarely been assessed in situ. We investigated links between the large-scale distribution of stressors and larval fish assemblages in estuarine environments. Larval fish communities were sampled using a benthic sled within the inner and outer zones of three heavily modified and three relatively unmodified estuaries. Larval abundances were significantly greater in modified estuaries, and there were trends towards greater diversity in these systems. Differences in larval community composition were strongly related to sediment metal levels and reduced seagrass cover. The differences observed were driven by two abundant species, Paedogobius kimurai and Ambassis jacksoniensis, which occurred in large numbers almost exclusively in highly contaminated and pristine locations respectively. These findings suggest that contamination and habitat alteration manifest in substantial differences in the composition of estuarine larval fish assemblages. - Highlights: → We examine contamination/habitat modification impacts on larval fish. → Larvae communities differ between modified/unmodified estuaries. → Larvae are more abundant/diverse in modified areas. → Trends are strongly related to sediment metals/seagrass cover. → Larval impacts have wider ecological importance. - We describe strong links between sediment metals contamination, habitat modification and substantial differences in the composition of the estuarine larval fish assemblage.

Endangered Species Day | Endangered Species Coalition

Science.gov (United States)

Annual Top 10 Report Protecting the Endangered Species Act Wildlife Voices Stand for Wolves Endangered Campaigns Wildlife Voices Protecting the Endangered Species Act Annual Top 10 Report Endangered Species Day Stand for Wolves Vanishing BOOK: A Wild Success The Endangered Species Act at 40 Endangered Species The

Differences in mycorrhizal communities between Epipactis palustris, E. helleborine and its presumed sister species E. neerlandica

OpenAIRE

Jacquemyn, Hans; Waud, Michael; Lievens, Bart; Brys, Rein

2016-01-01

Background and Aims In orchid species that have populations occurring in strongly contrasting habitats, mycorrhizal divergence and other habitat-specific adaptations may lead to the formation of reproductively isolated taxa and ultimately to species formation. However, little is known about the mycorrhizal communities associated with recently diverged sister taxa that occupy different habitats.

A new species of Metaeuchromius (Lepidoptera, Crambidae from the Tibetan glacier area of China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weichun Li

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Metaeuchromius glacialis Li, sp. n. is described from the Tibetan glacier area of China. The new species is similar to M. circe Bleszynski by the distal projection of costa exceeding the apex of valva, and the phallus with strong spine-like cornuti in the male genitalia. Images of male adult, tympanal and scent organs as well as genitalia of the new species are provided.

Integrating sustainable hunting in biodiversity protection in Central Africa: hot spots, weak spots, and strong spots.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John E Fa

Full Text Available Wild animals are a primary source of protein (bushmeat for people living in or near tropical forests. Ideally, the effect of bushmeat harvests should be monitored closely by making regular estimates of offtake rate and size of stock available for exploitation. However, in practice, this is possible in very few situations because it requires both of these aspects to be readily measurable, and even in the best case, entails very considerable time and effort. As alternative, in this study, we use high-resolution, environmental favorability models for terrestrial mammals (N = 165 in Central Africa to map areas of high species richness (hot spots and hunting susceptibility. Favorability models distinguish localities with environmental conditions that favor the species' existence from those with detrimental characteristics for its presence. We develop an index for assessing Potential Hunting Sustainability (PHS of each species based on their ecological characteristics (population density, habitat breadth, rarity and vulnerability, weighted according to restrictive and permissive assumptions of how species' characteristics are combined. Species are classified into five main hunting sustainability classes using fuzzy logic. Using the accumulated favorability values of all species, and their PHS values, we finally identify weak spots, defined as high diversity regions of especial hunting vulnerability for wildlife, as well as strong spots, defined as high diversity areas of high hunting sustainability potential. Our study uses relatively simple models that employ easily obtainable data of a species' ecological characteristics to assess the impacts of hunting in tropical regions. It provides information for management by charting the geography of where species are more or less likely to be at risk of extinction from hunting.

A new species of Eufriesea Cockerell (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Euglossina from northeastern Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luiz R. R. Faria

2011-03-01

Full Text Available A new species of Eufriesea Cockerell (Hymenoptera, Apidae from northeastern Brazil. Eufriesea pyrrhopyga sp. nov. a short-tongued Eufriesea is described as a new species. It can be easily recognized for its predominantly violet lower frons and thorax, violet tergum 1 contrasting with the strong reddish coloration on the lateral portions of terga 2 to 4 and on entire terga 5 and 6, and head pubescence with contrasting colors, white on the lower two-thirds of the face and black on upper frons and vertex. This new species, collected in Recife (Pernambuco, Brazil, apparently is restricted to the Pernambuco endemic center, and seems to be highly endangered.

Bird species turnover is related to changing predation risk along a vegetation gradient

Science.gov (United States)

LaManna, Joseph A.; Hemenway, Amy B.; Boccadori, Vanna; Martin, Thomas E.

2015-01-01

Turnover in animal species along vegetation gradients is often assumed to reflect adaptive habitat preferences that are narrower than the full gradient. Specifically, animals may decline in abundance where their reproductive success is low, and these poor-quality locations differ among species. Yet habitat use does not always appear adaptive. The crucial tests of how abundances and demographic costs of animals vary along experimentally manipulated vegetation gradients are lacking. We examined habitat use and nest predation rates for 16 bird species that exhibited turnover with shifts in deciduous and coniferous vegetation. For most bird species, decreasing abundance was associated with increasing predation rates along both natural and experimentally modified vegetation gradients. This landscape-scale approach strongly supports the idea that vegetation-mediated effects of predation are associated with animal distributions and species turnover.

Floral contrivances and specialised pollination mechanism strongly influence mixed mating in Wrightia tomentosa (Apocynaceae).

Science.gov (United States)

Barman, C; Singh, V K; Das, S; Tandon, R

2018-05-01

Reproductive success of a plant species is largely influenced by the outcome of mating pattern in a population. It is believed that a significantly larger proportion of animal-pollinated plants have evolved a mixed-mating strategy, the extent of which may vary among species. It is thus pertinent to investigate the key contributors to mating success, especially to identify the reproductive constraints in depauperate populations of threatened plant species. We examined the contribution of floral architecture, pollination mechanism and breeding system on the extent of outcrossing rate in a near-threatened tree species, Wrightia tomentosa. The breeding system was ascertained from controlled pollination experiments. In order to determine outcrossing rate, 60 open-pollinated progeny were analysed using an AFLP markers. Although the trees are self-compatible, herkogamy and compartmentalisation of pollen and nectar in different chambers of the floral tube effectively prevent spontaneous autogamy. Pollination is achieved through specialised interaction with moths. Differential foraging behaviour of settling moths and hawkmoths leads to different proportions of geitonogamous and xenogamous pollen on the stigma. However, most open-pollinated progeny were the result of xenogamy (outcrossing rate, tm = 0.68). The study shows that floral contrivances and pollination system have a strong influence on mating pattern. The differential foraging behaviour of the pollinators causes deposition of a mixture of self- and cross-pollen to produce a mixed brood. Inbreeding depression and geitonogamy appear to play a significant role in sustaining mixed mating in this species. © 2018 German Society for Plant Sciences and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Strong cosmic censorship and the strong curvature singularities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krolak, A.

1987-01-01

Conditions are given under which any asymptotically simple and empty space-time that has a partial Cauchy surface with an asymptotically simple past is globally hyperbolic. It is shown that this result suggests that the Cauchy horizons of the type occurring in Reissner--Nordstroem and Kerr space-times are unstable. This in turn gives support for the validity of the strong cosmic censorship hypothesis

Ageing research on vertebrates shows knowledge gaps and opportunities for species conservation and management

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Conde, Dalia Amor

is constant when species reach maturity. The implications of these assumptions have strong consequences not only in the development of evolutionary theories of ageing and population ecology but also in species conservation. By modeling mortality of different species of vertebrates we show that different...... models are needed to explore the diversity of mortality trajectories in animals. However, our state of demographic knowledge even for vertebrates is by far deficient to incorporate the effects on age. Exploring 13 available datasets on vertebrate life histories traits, our results show surprising figures...

Nonadiabatic theory of strong-field atomic effects under elliptical polarization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Xu; Eberly, J. H.

2012-01-01

Elliptically polarized laser fields provide a new channel for access to strong-field processes that are either suppressed or not present under linear polarization. Quantum theory is mostly unavailable for their analysis, and we report here results of a systematic study based on a classical ensemble theory with solution of the relevant ab inito time-dependent Newton equations for selected model atoms. The study's approach is necessarily nonadiabatic, as it follows individual electron trajectories leading to single, double, and triple ionizations. Of particular interest are new results bearing on open questions concerning experimental reports of unexplained species dependences as well as double-electron release times that are badly matched by a conventional adiabatic quantum tunneling theory. We also report the first analysis of electron trajectories for sequential and non-sequential triple ionization.

Remember redcedar! An overlooked species reveals its potential

Science.gov (United States)

Joan O' Callaghan; Leslie Brodie; Constance Harrington; Peter Gould; Warren Devine

2012-01-01

People have long valued mature western redcedar for its strong, lightweight wood that is rot-resistant.The species has cultural importance for Northwest tribes who use the tree’s bark and roots as well as the wood. Redcedar is very shade-tolerant and is often found in the understory and midstory of Pacific Northwest forests. It is also very adaptable and can grow on a...

Numerical Calculation of the Phase Space Density for the Strong-Strong Beam-Beam Interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sobol, A.; Ellison, J.A.

2003-01-01

We developed a parallel code to calculate the evolution of the 4D phase space density of two colliding beams, which are coupled via the collective strong-strong beam-beam interaction, in the absence of diffusion and damping, using the Perron-Frobenius (PF) operator technique

The Colletotrichum gloeosporioides species complex.

Science.gov (United States)

Weir, B S; Johnston, P R; Damm, U

2012-09-15

The limit of the Colletotrichum gloeosporioides species complex is defined genetically, based on a strongly supported clade within the Colletotrichum ITS gene tree. All taxa accepted within this clade are morphologically more or less typical of the broadly defined C. gloeosporioides, as it has been applied in the literature for the past 50 years. We accept 22 species plus one subspecies within the C. gloeosporioides complex. These include C. asianum, C. cordylinicola, C. fructicola, C. gloeosporioides, C. horii, C. kahawae subsp. kahawae, C. musae, C. nupharicola, C. psidii, C. siamense, C. theobromicola, C. tropicale, and C. xanthorrhoeae, along with the taxa described here as new, C. aenigma, C. aeschynomenes, C. alatae, C. alienum, C. aotearoa, C. clidemiae, C. kahawae subsp. ciggaro, C. salsolae, and C. ti, plus the nom. nov. C. queenslandicum (for C. gloeosporioides var. minus). All of the taxa are defined genetically on the basis of multi-gene phylogenies. Brief morphological descriptions are provided for species where no modern description is available. Many of the species are unable to be reliably distinguished using ITS, the official barcoding gene for fungi. Particularly problematic are a set of species genetically close to C. musae and another set of species genetically close to C. kahawae, referred to here as the Musae clade and the Kahawae clade, respectively. Each clade contains several species that are phylogenetically well supported in multi-gene analyses, but within the clades branch lengths are short because of the small number of phylogenetically informative characters, and in a few cases individual gene trees are incongruent. Some single genes or combinations of genes, such as glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and glutamine synthetase, can be used to reliably distinguish most taxa and will need to be developed as secondary barcodes for species level identification, which is important because many of these fungi are of biosecurity

Mimulus peregrinus (Phrymaceae: A new British allopolyploid species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mario Vallejo-Marin

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Polyploidization plays an important role in species formation as chromosome doubling results in strong reproductive isolation between derivative and parental taxa. In this note I describe a new species, Mimulus peregrinus (Phrymaceae, which represents the first recorded instance of a new British polyploid species of Mimulus (2n = 6x = 92 that has arisen since the introduction of this genus into the United Kingdom in the 1800’s. M. peregrinus presents floral and vegetative characteristics intermediate between M. guttatus and M. luteus, but can be distinguished from all naturalized British Mimulus species and hybrids based on a combination of reproductive and vegetative traits. M. peregrinus displays high pollen and seed fertility as well as traits usually associated with genome doubling such as increased pollen and stomata size. The intermediate characteristics of M. peregrinus between M. guttatus (2n = 2x = 28 and M. luteus (2n = 4x = 60-62, and its close affinity with the highly sterile, triploid (2n = 3x = 44-45 hybrid taxon M. × robertsii (M. guttatus × M. luteus, suggests that M. peregrinus may constitute an example of recent allopolyploid speciation.

Multifunctional methacrylate-based coatings for glass and metal surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pospiech, Doris, E-mail: pospiech@ipfdd.de [Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e. V., Dresden (Germany); Jehnichen, Dieter [Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e. V., Dresden (Germany); Starke, Sandra; Müller, Felix [Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e. V., Dresden (Germany); Technische Universität Dresden, Organic Chemistry of Polymers, Dresden (Germany); Bünker, Tobias [Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e. V., Dresden (Germany); Wollenberg, Anne [Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e. V., Dresden (Germany); Technische Universität Dresden, Organic Chemistry of Polymers, Dresden (Germany); Häußler, Liane; Simon, Frank; Grundke, Karina; Oertel, Ulrich [Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e. V., Dresden (Germany); Opitz, Michael; Kruspe, Rainer [IDUS Biologisch Analytisches Umweltlabor GmbH, Ottendorf-Okrilla (Germany)

2017-03-31

Highlights: • New methacrylate-based copolymers synthesized by free radical polymerization. • Comonomer AAMA was able to complex Cu (II) ions in solvent annealing procedure. • Coatings had efficient anti-biofouling efficacy. - Abstract: In order to prevent freshwater biofouling glass and metal surfaces were coated with novel transparent methacrylate-based copolymers. The multifunctionality of the copolymers, such as adhesion to the substrate, surface polarity, mechanical long-term stability in water, and ability to form metal complexes was inserted by the choice of suitable comonomers. The monomer 2-acetoacetoxy ethyl methacrylate (AAMA) was used as complexing unit to produce copper(II) complexes in the coating’s upper surface layer. The semifluorinated monomer 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyl methacrylate was employed to adjust the surface polarity and wettability. Comprehensive surface characterization techniques, such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle measurements showed that surface compositions and properties can be easily adjusted by varying the concentrations of the comonomers. The formation of copper(II) complexes along the copolymer chains and their stability against washing out with plenty of water was proven by XPS. Copolymers containing semifluorinated comonomers significantly inhibited the growth of Achnanthidium species. Copolymers with copper-loaded AAMA-sequences were able to reduce both the growth of Achnanthidium spec. and Staphylococcus aureus.

Multifunctional methacrylate-based coatings for glass and metal surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pospiech, Doris; Jehnichen, Dieter; Starke, Sandra; Müller, Felix; Bünker, Tobias; Wollenberg, Anne; Häußler, Liane; Simon, Frank; Grundke, Karina; Oertel, Ulrich; Opitz, Michael; Kruspe, Rainer

2017-01-01

Highlights: • New methacrylate-based copolymers synthesized by free radical polymerization. • Comonomer AAMA was able to complex Cu (II) ions in solvent annealing procedure. • Coatings had efficient anti-biofouling efficacy. - Abstract: In order to prevent freshwater biofouling glass and metal surfaces were coated with novel transparent methacrylate-based copolymers. The multifunctionality of the copolymers, such as adhesion to the substrate, surface polarity, mechanical long-term stability in water, and ability to form metal complexes was inserted by the choice of suitable comonomers. The monomer 2-acetoacetoxy ethyl methacrylate (AAMA) was used as complexing unit to produce copper(II) complexes in the coating’s upper surface layer. The semifluorinated monomer 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyl methacrylate was employed to adjust the surface polarity and wettability. Comprehensive surface characterization techniques, such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle measurements showed that surface compositions and properties can be easily adjusted by varying the concentrations of the comonomers. The formation of copper(II) complexes along the copolymer chains and their stability against washing out with plenty of water was proven by XPS. Copolymers containing semifluorinated comonomers significantly inhibited the growth of Achnanthidium species. Copolymers with copper-loaded AAMA-sequences were able to reduce both the growth of Achnanthidium spec. and Staphylococcus aureus.

Life history affects how species experience succession in pen shell metacommunities.

Science.gov (United States)

Munguia, Pablo

2014-04-01

In nature, very few species are common and broadly distributed. Most species are rare and occupy few sites; this pattern is ubiquitous across habitats and taxa. In spatially structured communities (metacommunities), regional distribution and local abundance may change as the relative effects of within-habitat processes (e.g., species interactions) and among-habitat processes (e.g., dispersal) may vary through succession. A field experiment with the marine benthic inhabitants of pen shells (Atrina rigida) tested how common and rare species respond to succession and metacommunity size. I followed community development through time and partitioned species into sessile and motile based on their natural history. Rare species drive diversity patterns and are influenced by metacommunity size: there are strong abundance-distribution differences between common and rare species in large metacommunities, but motile species show lower rates of change than sessile species. In small metacommunities both common and rare species have similar changes through time; the dichotomous distinction of common and rare species is not present. Edge effects in metacommunities affect species' changes in distribution and abundance. In large metacommunities diversity is higher in edge habitats relative to small metacommunities during early succession. However, edge effects benefit motile species over time in small metacommunities showing a rapid increase in diversity. Individual mobility is sensitive to regional community size and allows individuals to sort among different communities. In contrast, sessile species do not show this edge effect. Metacommunity theory is a useful framework for understanding spatially structured communities, but the natural history of coexisting species cannot be ignored.

Habitat availability does not explain the species richness patterns of European lentic and lotic freshwater animals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dehling, D.M.; Hof, C.; Brandle, M.

2010-01-01

Aim In Europe, the relationships between species richness and latitude differ for lentic (standing water) and lotic (running water) species. Freshwater animals are highly dependent on suitable habitat, and thus the distribution of available habitat should strongly influence large-scale patterns...... of species richness. We tested whether habitat availability can account for the differences in species richness patterns between European lentic and lotic freshwater animals. Location Europe. Methods We compiled occurrence data of 1959 lentic and 2445 lotic species as well as data on the amount of lentic...... for previously reported latitudinal patterns in species richness. For lotic species, richness declined with latitude, whereas there was no relationship between habitat availability and latitude. For lentic species, richness showed a hump-shaped relationship with latitude, whereas available habitat increased...

A strong conditional mutualism limits and enhances seed dispersal and germination of a tropical palm

Science.gov (United States)

Klinger, R.; Rejmanek, M.

2010-01-01

Seed predation and seed dispersal can have strong effects on early life history stages of plants. These processes have often been studied as individual effects, but the degree to which their relative importance co-varies with seed predator abundance and how this influences seed germination rates is poorly understood. Therefore, we used a combination of observations and field experiments to determine the degree to which germination rates of the palm Astrocaryum mexicanum varied with abundance of a small mammal seed predator/disperser, Heteromysdesmarestianus, in a lowland tropical forest. Patterns of abundance of the two species were strongly related; density of H. desmarestianus was low in sites with low density of A. mexicanum and vice versa. Rates of predation and dispersal of A. mexicanum seeds depended on abundance of H. desmarestianus; sites with high densities of H. desmarestianus had the highest rates of seed predation and lowest rates of seed germination, but a greater total number of seeds were dispersed and there was greater density of seedlings, saplings, and adults of A. mexicanum in these sites. When abundance of H. desmarestianus was experimentally reduced, rates of seed predation decreased, but so did dispersal of A. mexicanum seeds. Critically, rates of germination of dispersed seeds were 5 times greater than undispersed seeds. The results suggest that the relationship between A. mexicanum and H. desmarestianus is a conditional mutualism that results in a strong local effect on the abundance of each species. However, the magnitude and direction of these effects are determined by the relative strength of opposing, but related, mechanisms. A. mexicanum nuts provide H. desmarestianus with a critical food resource, and while seed predation on A. mexicanum nuts by H. desmarestianus is very intense, A. mexicanum ultimately benefits because of the relatively high germination rates of its seeds that are dispersed by H. desmarestianus. ?? The Author(s) 2010.

Rapidly shifting baselines in Yangtze fishing communities and local memory of extinct species.

Science.gov (United States)

Turvey, Samuel T; Barrett, Leigh A; Yujiang, Hao; Lei, Zhang; Xinqiao, Zhang; Xianyan, Wang; Yadong, Huang; Kaiya, Zhou; Hart, Tom; Ding, Wang

2010-06-01

Local ecological knowledge can provide a unique source of data for conservation, especially in efforts to investigate the status of rare or possibly extinct species, but it is unlikely to remain constant over time. Loss of perspective about past ecological conditions caused by lack of communication between generations may create "shifting baseline syndrome," in which younger generations are less aware of local species diversity or abundance in the recent past. This phenomenon has been widely discussed, but has rarely been examined quantitatively. We present new evidence of shifting baselines in local perception of regional species declines and on the duration of "community memory" of extinct species on the basis of extensive interviews with fishers in communities across the middle-lower Yangtze basin. Many Yangtze species have experienced major declines in recent decades, and the Yangtze River dolphin or baiji (Lipotes vexillifer) and Yangtze paddlefish (Psephurus gladius) may have become extinct during the 21(st) century. Although informants across all age classes were strongly aware of the Yangtze ecosystem's escalating resource depletion and environmental degradation, older informants were more likely to recognize declines in two commercially important fish species, Reeves' shad (Tenualosa reevesii) and Yangtze pufferfish (Takifugu fasciatus), and to have encountered baiji and paddlefish in the past. Age was also a strong predictor of whether informants had even heard of baiji or paddlefish, with younger informants being substantially less likely to recognize either species. A marked decrease in local knowledge about the Yangtze freshwater megafauna matched the time of major population declines of these species from the 1970s onwards, and paddlefish were already unknown to over 70% of all informants below the age of 40 and to those who first started fishing after 1995. This rapid rate of cultural baseline shift suggests that once even megafaunal species cease to

DNA barcode detects high genetic structure within neotropical bird species.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erika Sendra Tavares

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Towards lower latitudes the number of recognized species is not only higher, but also phylogeographic subdivision within species is more pronounced. Moreover, new genetically isolated populations are often described in recent phylogenies of Neotropical birds suggesting that the number of species in the region is underestimated. Previous COI barcoding of Argentinean bird species showed more complex patterns of regional divergence in the Neotropical than in the North American avifauna. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Here we analyzed 1,431 samples from 561 different species to extend the Neotropical bird barcode survey to lower latitudes, and detected even higher geographic structure within species than reported previously. About 93% (520 of the species were identified correctly from their DNA barcodes. The remaining 41 species were not monophyletic in their COI sequences because they shared barcode sequences with closely related species (N = 21 or contained very divergent clusters suggestive of putative new species embedded within the gene tree (N = 20. Deep intraspecific divergences overlapping with among-species differences were detected in 48 species, often with samples from large geographic areas and several including multiple subspecies. This strong population genetic structure often coincided with breaks between different ecoregions or areas of endemism. CONCLUSIONS: The taxonomic uncertainty associated with the high incidence of non-monophyletic species and discovery of putative species obscures studies of historical patterns of species diversification in the Neotropical region. We showed that COI barcodes are a valuable tool to indicate which taxa would benefit from more extensive taxonomic revisions with multilocus approaches. Moreover, our results support hypotheses that the megadiversity of birds in the region is associated with multiple geographic processes starting well before the Quaternary and extending to more recent

Strong gravity and supersymmetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chamseddine, Ali H.; Salam, A.; Strathdee, J.

1977-11-01

A supersymmetric theory is constructed for a strong f plus a weak g graviton, together with their accompanying massive gravitinos, by gaugin the gradel 0Sp(2,2,1)x 0Sp(2,2,1) structure. The mixing term between f and g fields, which makes the strong graviton massive, can be introduced through a spontaneous symmetry-breaking mechanism implemented in this note by constructing a non-linear realization of the symmetry group

PREFACE: Strongly correlated electron systems Strongly correlated electron systems

Science.gov (United States)

Saxena, Siddharth S.; Littlewood, P. B.

2012-07-01

This special section is dedicated to the Strongly Correlated Electron Systems Conference (SCES) 2011, which was held from 29 August-3 September 2011, in Cambridge, UK. SCES'2011 is dedicated to 100 years of superconductivity and covers a range of topics in the area of strongly correlated systems. The correlated electronic and magnetic materials featured include f-electron based heavy fermion intermetallics and d-electron based transition metal compounds. The selected papers derived from invited presentations seek to deepen our understanding of the rich physical phenomena that arise from correlation effects. The focus is on quantum phase transitions, non-Fermi liquid phenomena, quantum magnetism, unconventional superconductivity and metal-insulator transitions. Both experimental and theoretical work is presented. Based on fundamental advances in the understanding of electronic materials, much of 20th century materials physics was driven by miniaturisation and integration in the electronics industry to the current generation of nanometre scale devices. The achievements of this industry have brought unprecedented advances to society and well-being, and no doubt there is much further to go—note that this progress is founded on investments and studies in the fundamentals of condensed matter physics from more than 50 years ago. Nevertheless, the defining challenges for the 21st century will lie in the discovery in science, and deployment through engineering, of technologies that can deliver the scale needed to have an impact on the sustainability agenda. Thus the big developments in nanotechnology may lie not in the pursuit of yet smaller transistors, but in the design of new structures that can revolutionise the performance of solar cells, batteries, fuel cells, light-weight structural materials, refrigeration, water purification, etc. The science presented in the papers of this special section also highlights the underlying interest in energy-dense materials, which

Synergistic Interactions within a Multispecies Biofilm Enhance Individual Species Protection against Grazing by a Pelagic Protozoan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prem K. Raghupathi

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Biofilm formation has been shown to confer protection against grazing, but little information is available on the effect of grazing on biofilm formation and protection in multispecies consortia. With most biofilms in nature being composed of multiple bacterial species, the interactions and dynamics of a multispecies bacterial biofilm subject to grazing by a pelagic protozoan predator were investigated. To this end, a mono and multispecies biofilms of four bacterial soil isolates, namely Xanthomonas retroflexus, Stenotrophomonas rhizophila, Microbacterium oxydans and Paenibacillus amylolyticus, were constructed and subjected to grazing by the ciliate Tetrahymena pyriformis. In monocultures, grazing strongly reduced planktonic cell numbers in P. amylolyticus and S. rhizophila and also X. retroflexus. At the same time, cell numbers in the underlying biofilms increased in S. rhizophila and X. retroflexus, but not in P. amylolyticus. This may be due to the fact that while grazing enhanced biofilm formation in the former two species, no biofilm was formed by P. amylolyticus in monoculture, either with or without grazing. In four-species biofilms, biofilm formation was higher than in the best monoculture, a strong biodiversity effect that was even more pronounced in the presence of grazing. While cell numbers of X. retroflexus, S. rhizophila, and P. amylolyticus in the planktonic fraction were greatly reduced in the presence of grazers, cell numbers of all three species strongly increased in the biofilm. Our results show that synergistic interactions between the four-species were important to induce biofilm formation, and suggest that bacterial members that produce more biofilm when exposed to the grazer not only protect themselves but also supported other members which are sensitive to grazing, thereby providing a “shared grazing protection” within the four-species biofilm model. Hence, complex interactions shape the dynamics of the biofilm and

Stability of modularity and structural keystone species in temporal cumulative plant- flower-visitor networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dupont, Yoko; Olesen, Jens Mogens

2012-01-01

Modularity is a structural property of ecological networks, which has received much interest, but has been poorly explored. Modules are distinct subsets of species interacting strongly with each other, but sparsely with species outside the subset. Using a series of temporal cumulative networks, we...... all flowering plants and flower-visiting insect species throughout the flowering season at three dry heathland sites in Denmark. For each site, we constructed cumulative networks every 0.5 months, resulting in series of 10–12 networks per site. Numbers of interactions, and plant and insect species...... around one or two hubs. These hub species encompassed a small number of plant species, many of which acted as hubs at several study sites and throughout most of their flowering season. Thus, these plants become of key importance in maintaining the structure of their pollination network. We conclude...

Occurrence of theobromine synthase genes in purine alkaloid-free species of Camellia plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishida, Mariko; Kitao, Naoko; Mizuno, Kouichi; Tanikawa, Natsu; Kato, Misako

2009-02-01

Caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine) and theobromine (3,7-dimethylxanthine) are purine alkaloids that are present in high concentrations in plants of some species of Camellia. However, most members of the genus Camellia contain no purine alkaloids. Tracer experiments using [8-(14)C]adenine and [8-(14)C]theobromine showed that the purine alkaloid pathway is not fully functional in leaves of purine alkaloid-free species. In five species of purine alkaloid-free Camellia plants, sufficient evidence was obtained to show the occurrence of genes that are homologous to caffeine synthase. Recombinant enzymes derived from purine alkaloid-free species showed only theobromine synthase activity. Unlike the caffeine synthase gene, these genes were expressed more strongly in mature tissue than in young tissue.

Effect of Cu(II) coordination compounds on the activity of antioxidant enzymes catalase and superoxide dismutase in patients with colorectal cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Kubiak, Katarzyna; Malinowska, Katarzyna; Langer, Ewa; Dziki, Łukasz; Dziki, Adam; Majsterek, Ireneusz

2011-03-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a serious medical and economical problem of our times. It is the most common gastrointestinal cancer in the world. In Poland, the treatment and detection of CRC are poorly developed and the pathogenesis is still unclear. One hypothesis suggests a role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the pathogenesis of CRC. Experimental studies in recent years confirm the participation of ROS in the initiation and promotion of CRC. The aim of the study was to examine the effect of the following coordination compounds coordination compounds: dinitrate (V) tetra(3,4,5-trimethyl-N1-pyrazole-κN2) copper(II), dichloro di(3,4,5-trimethyl-N1-pyrazole-κN2) copper(II), dinitrate (V) di(1,4,5-trimethyl-N1-pyrazole-κN2) copper(II), dichloro di(1,3,4,5-tetramethyl-N1-pyrazole-κN2) copper(II) on the activity of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD, ZnCu-SOD) and catalase (CAT) in a group of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and in the control group consisting of patients with minor gastrointestinal complaints. The study was conducted in 20 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer at the age of 66.5±10.2 years (10 men and 10 women) versus the control group of 20 people (10 men and 10 women) aged 57.89±17.10 years without cancer lesions in the biological material - hemolysate prepared in a proportion of 1ml of water per 1 ml of blood. CAT activity was measured by the Beers method (1952), while SOD activity was measured by the Misra and Fridovich method (1972). We found that patients with CRC showed a statistically significant decrease of SOD and CAT activity (CAT - 12,75±1.97 U/g Hb, SOD - 1111.52±155.52 U/g Hb) in comparison with the control group (CAT - 19.65±2,17 U/g Hb, SOD - 2046.26±507.22 U/g Hb). Simultaneously, we observed that the investigated coordination compounds of Cu(II) significantly increased the antioxidant activity of CAT and SOD in patients with CRC (mean: CAT 25.23±4.86 U/g Hb, SOD - 3075.96±940.20 U/g Hb). Patients with

Determinants of palm species distributions across Africa: the relative roles of climate, non-climatic environmental factors, and spatial constraints

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Overgaard, Anne Blach; Svenning, J.-C.; Dransfield, John

2010-01-01

-climatic environmental predictors, the latter having no discernible effect beyond the climatic control. Hence, at the continental scale, climate constitutes the only strong environmental control of palm species distributions in Africa. With regard to the most important climatic predictors of African palm distributions......, water-related factors were most important for 25 of the 29 species analysed. The strong response of palm distributions to climate in combination with the importance of non-environmental spatial constraints suggests that African palms will be sensitive to future climate changes, but that their ability...

Transgenerational plasticity as an important mechanism affecting response of clonal species to changing climate.

Science.gov (United States)

Münzbergová, Zuzana; Hadincová, Věroslava

2017-07-01

In spite of the increasing number of studies on the importance of transgenerational plasticity for species response to novel environments, its effects on species ability to respond to climate change are still largely unexplored. We study the importance of transgenerational plasticity for response of a clonal species Festuca rubra . Individuals from four natural populations representing two levels of temperature and two levels of precipitation were cultivated in four growth chambers that simulate the temperature and precipitation of origin of the populations (maternal phase). Each population was represented in each growth chamber. After 6 months, single young ramets of these plants were reshuffled among the growth chambers and let to grow for additional 2 months (offspring phase). The results show that transgenerational effects (i.e., maternal phase conditions) significantly modify species response to novel climates, and the direction and intensity of the response depend on the climate of origin of the plants. For traits related to recourse acquisition, the conditions of maternal phase, either alone or in interaction mainly with climate of origin, had stronger effect than the conditions of cultivation. Overall, the maternal climate interacted more intensively with the climate of origin than with the offspring climate. The direction of the effect of the maternal climate was of different directions and intensities depending on plant origin and trait studied. The data demonstrated strong significant effects of conditions during maternal phase on species response to novel climates. These transgenerational affects were, however, not adaptive. Still, transgenerational plasticity may be an important driver of species response to novel conditions across clonal generations. These effects thus need to be carefully considered in future studies exploring species response to novel climates. This will also have strong effects on species performance under increasingly variable

Patterns of resource exploitation in four coexisting globeflower fly species ( Chiastocheta sp.)

Science.gov (United States)

Pompanon, François; Pettex, Emeline; Després, Laurence

2006-03-01

Life history and spatio-temporal patterns of resource utilisation were characterised in four Chiastocheta (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) species, whose larvae compete as seed predators on Trollius europaeus fruits. Interspecific co-occurrence was observed in 80% of the resource patches (= Trollius fruits) in the two communities studied. Isolated larvae from all species had a similar food intake, but differed in development time and size at emergence. Different species exhibit contrasting resource exploitation strategies with specific mining patterns and a partial temporal shift. Two species exhibited particularly singular strategies. C. rotundiventris escaped from strong interactions with other species because it was the first species to develop and the only one to exploit the central pith of Trollius fruits. The key role of this species as the main pollinator of the host-plant appears to be a by-product of constraints imposed by occupying a restricted niche. Although the resource is ephemeral due to seed dispersal, C. dentifera, the last species to oviposit, is not disadvantaged because it has a short development time and rapid food intake. The different patterns can partly explain the stability of Chiastocheta communities, but do not prevent competition to occur at high larval densities.

Temperature and rainfall strongly drive temporal growth variation in Asian tropical forest trees.

Science.gov (United States)

Vlam, Mart; Baker, Patrick J; Bunyavejchewin, Sarayudh; Zuidema, Pieter A

2014-04-01

Climate change effects on growth rates of tropical trees may lead to alterations in carbon cycling of carbon-rich tropical forests. However, climate sensitivity of broad-leaved lowland tropical trees is poorly understood. Dendrochronology (tree-ring analysis) provides a powerful tool to study the relationship between tropical tree growth and annual climate variability. We aimed to establish climate-growth relationships for five annual-ring forming tree species, using ring-width data from 459 canopy and understory trees from a seasonal tropical forest in western Thailand. Based on 183/459 trees, chronologies with total lengths between 29 and 62 years were produced for four out of five species. Bootstrapped correlation analysis revealed that climate-growth responses were similar among these four species. Growth was significantly negatively correlated with current-year maximum and minimum temperatures, and positively correlated with dry-season precipitation levels. Negative correlations between growth and temperature may be attributed to a positive relationship between temperature and autotrophic respiration rates. The positive relationship between growth and dry-season precipitation levels likely reflects the strong water demand during leaf flush. Mixed-effect models yielded results that were consistent across species: a negative effect of current wet-season maximum temperatures on growth, but also additive positive effects of, for example, prior dry-season maximum temperatures. Our analyses showed that annual growth variability in tropical trees is determined by a combination of both temperature and precipitation variability. With rising temperature, the predominantly negative relationship between temperature and growth may imply decreasing growth rates of tropical trees as a result of global warming.

Strong Ideal Convergence in Probabilistic Metric Spaces

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

In the present paper we introduce the concepts of strongly ideal convergent sequence and strong ideal Cauchy sequence in a probabilistic metric (PM) space endowed with the strong topology, and establish some basic facts. Next, we define the strong ideal limit points and the strong ideal cluster points of a sequence in this ...

Engaging Military Fathers in a Reflective Parenting Program: Lessons from Strong Families Strong Forces

Science.gov (United States)

DeVoe, Ellen R.; Paris, Ruth

2015-01-01

Through Strong Families Strong Forces, a reflective parenting program for military families with young children, we were privileged to work with contemporary military fathers who served in the post-9/11 conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Due to this work, the authors gained valuable insight into the complexity of fathering during wartime, the…

Predicting weed problems in maize cropping by species distribution modelling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bürger, Jana

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Increasing maize cultivation and changed cropping practices promote the selection of typical maize weeds that may also profit strongly from climate change. Predicting potential weed problems is of high interest for plant production. Within the project KLIFF, experiments were combined with species distribution modelling for this task in the region of Lower Saxony, Germany. For our study, we modelled ecological and damage niches of nine weed species that are significant and wide spread in maize cropping in a number of European countries. Species distribution models describe the ecological niche of a species, these are the environmental conditions under which a species can maintain a vital population. It is also possible to estimate a damage niche, i.e. the conditions under which a species causes damage in agricultural crops. For this, we combined occurrence data of European national data bases with high resolution climate, soil and land use data. Models were also projected to simulated climate conditions for the time horizon 2070 - 2100 in order to estimate climate change effects. Modelling results indicate favourable conditions for typical maize weed occurrence virtually all over the study region, but only a few species are important in maize cropping. This is in good accordance with the findings of an earlier maize weed monitoring. Reaction to changing climate conditions is species-specific, for some species neutral (E. crus-galli, other species may gain (Polygonum persicaria or loose (Viola arvensis large areas of suitable habitats. All species with damage potential under present conditions will remain important in maize cropping, some more species will gain regional importance (Calystegia sepium, Setara viridis.

Bitcoin Meets Strong Consistency

OpenAIRE

Decker, Christian; Seidel, Jochen; Wattenhofer, Roger

2014-01-01

The Bitcoin system only provides eventual consistency. For everyday life, the time to confirm a Bitcoin transaction is prohibitively slow. In this paper we propose a new system, built on the Bitcoin blockchain, which enables strong consistency. Our system, PeerCensus, acts as a certification authority, manages peer identities in a peer-to-peer network, and ultimately enhances Bitcoin and similar systems with strong consistency. Our extensive analysis shows that PeerCensus is in a secure state...

Strong Statistical Convergence in Probabilistic Metric Spaces

OpenAIRE

Şençimen, Celaleddin; Pehlivan, Serpil

2008-01-01

In this article, we introduce the concepts of strongly statistically convergent sequence and strong statistically Cauchy sequence in a probabilistic metric (PM) space endowed with the strong topology, and establish some basic facts. Next, we define the strong statistical limit points and the strong statistical cluster points of a sequence in this space and investigate the relations between these concepts.

Corporate Governance Against Recommendations: The Cases of the Strong Executive and the Strong Ownership

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Král Pavel

2012-09-01

Full Text Available There are several basic configurations of corporate governance according to the separation of ownership and control (Jensen’s theory. Effective governance is described as a situation whenan owner (or group of owners keeps the right to ratify and monitor strategic decisions while management has the right to initiate and implement those decisions. There are two particular situations how this recommendation is partially broken and both situations are linked to CEO duality. The first case happens when an owner loses or does not exercise the right to monitor management of the organization and is termed as the strong executive. The second case is calledthe strong ownership and is distinguished by an owner taking over implementations of the decisions. The focus of the study was to explore particularly configurations of the strong executive and the strong governance. A mixed method research design was chosen to explore the differences between the basic governance configurations. The sample was chosen by purposive sampling and covered a hundred for-profit organizations of all size and from all sectors of economy.The data were collected through interviews with representatives, mainly members of top management. We revealed that both of these configurations can bear good corporate performance but also bigger risks. The strong executive is typical for organizations with dispersed ownership or a publicly owned organization and the performance of the organization is fully dependent on competencies but also personalities of managers. This configuration contains a high risk of misuse of authority. The strong ownership is effective in small organizations while in a larger organization leads to an overexertion of owners and low performance because they usually faceproblems to keep focus on the strategic issues of the organization.

Theoretical studies of the tautomerism in 3-(2-R-Phenylhydrazono)-naphthalene- 1,2,4-triones: synthesis of copper(II) complexes and studies of antibacterial and antitumor activities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Francisco, Acacio I.; Vargas, Maria D.; Fragoso, Thais P.; Carneiro, J. Walkimar de M.; Silva, Fernando de C. da; Ferreira, Vitor F., E-mail: mdvargas@vm.uff.b [Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niteroi, RJ (Brazil). Inst. de Quimica; Casellato, Annelise [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), RJ (Brazil). Inst. de Quimica; Barbosa, Jussara P. [Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Pessoa, Claudia; Costa-Lotufo, Leticia V.; Marinho Filho, Jose D.B.; Moraes, Manoel O. de [Universidade Federal do Ceara (UFC), Fortaleza, CE (Brazil). Dept. de Fisiologia e Farmacologia; Mangrich, Antonio S. [Universidade Federal do Parana (UFPR), Curitiba, PR (Brazil). Dept. de Quimica

2010-07-01

DFT calculations using the B3LYP and PBE1PBE functionals with the standard 6-31G(d) and 6-311+G(2d,p) basis sets were carried out for the 3-(2-phenylhydrazone)-naphthalene-1,2,4-trione system in solution (dmso) and in the gas phase, and showed the keto-hydrazone forms (rotamers Ia and Ib) to be more stable than the enol-azo forms (rotamers IIa and IIb, by about 14 kcal mol-1) and III (by approximately 6 kcal mol-1), independently of the nature of the substituent in the phenylene ring. These results were confirmed by spectroscopic data on the derivatives HL1-HL13, obtained from 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone and arylamines (R = 4-OMe, 4-N{sub 2}-C{sub 6}H{sub 5}, 4-Cl, 4-I, 3-I, 2-I, 4-COOH, 3-COOH, 4-CN, 3-CN, 4-NO{sub 2}, 3-NO{sub 2}, 2-NO{sub 2}). The in vitro antitumor (against SF-295, HCT-8, MDAMB-435 and HL-60 cancer cell lines) and antibacterial activities (Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) of compounds HL1-HL13 and of their respective copper(II) complexes, [Cu(L1-13){sub 2}], were tested. In general, these compounds exhibited low antibacterial activity, except for HL5 (R 3-I), more active than the control; however, the corresponding complex was inactive. In contrast, increased cytotoxicity was observed upon complexation. Complex [Cu(L13){sub 2}] (R = 3-NO{sub 2}) presented moderate cytotoxicity against human leukemia (HL-60). (author)

A multifluid model extended for strong temperature nonequilibrium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chang, Chong [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2016-08-08

We present a multifluid model in which the material temperature is strongly affected by the degree of segregation of each material. In order to track temperatures of segregated form and mixed form of the same material, they are defined as different materials with their own energy. This extension makes it necessary to extend multifluid models to the case in which each form is defined as a separate material. Statistical variations associated with the morphology of the mixture have to be simplified. Simplifications introduced include combining all molecularly mixed species into a single composite material, which is treated as another segregated material. Relative motion within the composite material, diffusion, is represented by material velocity of each component in the composite material. Compression work, momentum and energy exchange, virtual mass forces, and dissipation of the unresolved kinetic energy have been generalized to the heterogeneous mixture in temperature nonequilibrium. The present model can be further simplified by combining all mixed forms of materials into a composite material. Molecular diffusion in this case is modeled by the Stefan-Maxwell equations.

Context-dependent interactions and the regulation of species richness in freshwater fish

Science.gov (United States)

MacDougall, Andrew S.; Harvey, Eric; McCune, Jenny L.; Nilsson, Karin A.; Bennett, Joseph; Firn, Jennifer; Bartley, Timothy; Grace, James B.; Kelly, Jocelyn; Tunney, Tyler D.; McMeans, Bailey; Matsuzaki, Shin-Ichiro S.; Kadoya, Taku; Esch, Ellen; Cazelles, Kevin; Lester, Nigel; McCann, Kevin S.

2018-01-01

Species richness is regulated by a complex network of scale-dependent processes. This complexity can obscure the influence of limiting species interactions, making it difficult to determine if abiotic or biotic drivers are more predominant regulators of richness. Using integrative modeling of freshwater fish richness from 721 lakes along an 11olatitudinal gradient, we find negative interactions to be a relatively minor independent predictor of species richness in lakes despite the widespread presence of predators. Instead, interaction effects, when detectable among major functional groups and 231 species pairs, were strong, often positive, but contextually dependent on environment. These results are consistent with the idea that negative interactions internally structure lake communities but do not consistently ‘scale-up’ to regulate richness independently of the environment. The importance of environment for interaction outcomes and its role in the regulation of species richness highlights the potential sensitivity of fish communities to the environmental changes affecting lakes globally.

Pervasive phosphorus limitation of tree species but not communities in tropical forests

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, Benjamin L.; Brenes-Arguedas, Tania; Condit, Richard

2018-03-01

Phosphorus availability is widely assumed to limit primary productivity in tropical forests, but support for this paradigm is equivocal. Although biogeochemical theory predicts that phosphorus limitation should be prevalent on old, strongly weathered soils, experimental manipulations have failed to detect a consistent response to phosphorus addition in species-rich lowland tropical forests. Here we show, by quantifying the growth of 541 tropical tree species across a steep natural phosphorus gradient in Panama, that phosphorus limitation is widespread at the level of individual species and strengthens markedly below a threshold of two parts per million exchangeable soil phosphate. However, this pervasive species-specific phosphorus limitation does not translate into a community-wide response, because some species grow rapidly on infertile soils despite extremely low phosphorus availability. These results redefine our understanding of nutrient limitation in diverse plant communities and have important implications for attempts to predict the response of tropical forests to environmental change.

Phylogenomics provides strong evidence for relationships of butterflies and moths.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawahara, Akito Y; Breinholt, Jesse W

2014-08-07

Butterflies and moths constitute some of the most popular and charismatic insects. Lepidoptera include approximately 160 000 described species, many of which are important model organisms. Previous studies on the evolution of Lepidoptera did not confidently place butterflies, and many relationships among superfamilies in the megadiverse clade Ditrysia remain largely uncertain. We generated a molecular dataset with 46 taxa, combining 33 new transcriptomes with 13 available genomes, transcriptomes and expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Using HaMStR with a Lepidoptera-specific core-orthologue set of single copy loci, we identified 2696 genes for inclusion into the phylogenomic analysis. Nucleotides and amino acids of the all-gene, all-taxon dataset yielded nearly identical, well-supported trees. Monophyly of butterflies (Papilionoidea) was strongly supported, and the group included skippers (Hesperiidae) and the enigmatic butterfly-moths (Hedylidae). Butterflies were placed sister to the remaining obtectomeran Lepidoptera, and the latter was grouped with greater than or equal to 87% bootstrap support. Establishing confident relationships among the four most diverse macroheteroceran superfamilies was previously challenging, but we recovered 100% bootstrap support for the following relationships: ((Geometroidea, Noctuoidea), (Bombycoidea, Lasiocampoidea)). We present the first robust, transcriptome-based tree of Lepidoptera that strongly contradicts historical placement of butterflies, and provide an evolutionary framework for genomic, developmental and ecological studies on this diverse insect order. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Population Genomics of Paramecium Species.

Science.gov (United States)

Johri, Parul; Krenek, Sascha; Marinov, Georgi K; Doak, Thomas G; Berendonk, Thomas U; Lynch, Michael

2017-05-01

Population-genomic analyses are essential to understanding factors shaping genomic variation and lineage-specific sequence constraints. The dearth of such analyses for unicellular eukaryotes prompted us to assess genomic variation in Paramecium, one of the most well-studied ciliate genera. The Paramecium aurelia complex consists of ∼15 morphologically indistinguishable species that diverged subsequent to two rounds of whole-genome duplications (WGDs, as long as 320 MYA) and possess extremely streamlined genomes. We examine patterns of both nuclear and mitochondrial polymorphism, by sequencing whole genomes of 10-13 worldwide isolates of each of three species belonging to the P. aurelia complex: P. tetraurelia, P. biaurelia, P. sexaurelia, as well as two outgroup species that do not share the WGDs: P. caudatum and P. multimicronucleatum. An apparent absence of global geographic population structure suggests continuous or recent dispersal of Paramecium over long distances. Intergenic regions are highly constrained relative to coding sequences, especially in P. caudatum and P. multimicronucleatum that have shorter intergenic distances. Sequence diversity and divergence are reduced up to ∼100-150 bp both upstream and downstream of genes, suggesting strong constraints imposed by the presence of densely packed regulatory modules. In addition, comparison of sequence variation at non-synonymous and synonymous sites suggests similar recent selective pressures on paralogs within and orthologs across the deeply diverging species. This study presents the first genome-wide population-genomic analysis in ciliates and provides a valuable resource for future studies in evolutionary and functional genetics in Paramecium. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Panamanian frog species host unique skin bacterial communities

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Lisa K. Belden

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Vertebrates, including amphibians, host diverse symbiotic microbes that contribute to host disease resistance. Globally, and especially in montane tropical systems, many amphibian species are threatened by a chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd, that causes a lethal skin disease. Bd therefore may be a strong selective agent on the diversity and function of the microbial communities inhabiting amphibian skin. In Panamá, amphibian population declines and the spread of Bd have been tracked. In 2012, we completed a field survey in Panamá to examine frog skin microbiota in the context of Bd infection. We focused on three frog species and collected two skin swabs per frog from a total of 136 frogs across four sites that varied from west to east in the time since Bd arrival. One swab was used to assess bacterial community structure using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and to determine Bd infection status, and one was used to assess metabolite diversity, as the bacterial production of anti-fungal metabolites is an important disease resistance function. The skin microbiota of the three Panamanian frog species differed in OTU (operational taxonomic unit, ~bacterial species community composition and metabolite profiles, although the pattern was less strong for the metabolites. Comparisons between frog skin bacterial communities from Panamá and the US suggest broad similarities at the phylum level, but key differences at lower taxonomic levels. In our field survey in Panamá, across all four sites, only 35 individuals (~26% were Bd infected. There was no clustering of OTUs or metabolite profiles based on Bd infection status and no clear pattern of west-east changes in OTUs or metabolite profiles across the four sites. Overall, our field survey data suggest that different bacterial communities might be producing broadly similar sets of metabolites across frog hosts and sites. Community structure and function may not be as tightly coupled in

Neoelmis guarani Shepard & Barr, a sexually dimorphic new species from Paraguay (Insecta: Coleoptera: Elmidae: Elminae).

Science.gov (United States)

Shepard, William D; Barr, Cheryl B

2016-02-22

Neoelmis guarani new species is described and illustrated from specimens collected in streams of the Cordillera de los Altos, southeast of Asunción and near the towns of Piribebuy and Chololó, Paraguay. Males and females of this species exhibit strong secondary sexual dimorphism not found in other known species of Neoelmis. Males have striking modifications of the pro- and mesothoracic legs and bear a pair of ventrally projecting processes on both the mesoventrite and the second abdominal ventrite. Females have the elytra modified with a pair of dorsal projections.

A remarkable new species of Nemoura (Plecoptera: Nemouridae) from Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Qian, Yu-Han; Xiao, Qian; Chen, Zhi-Teng; Du, Yu-Zhou

2018-01-24

A new species of the genus Nemoura, N. latilongispina sp. nov. from Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province, southwestern China is described and illustrated. The new species is characterized by ventral sclerite of epiproct extended laterally, forming upcurved plates fringed with long spines along upper margin, and by the strongly sclerotized, fork-shaped cercus.

Solid strong base K-Pt/NaY zeolite nano-catalytic system for completed elimination of formaldehyde at room temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Shaoqing; Wu, Xi; Lu, Changhai; Wen, Meicheng; Le, Zhanggao; Jiang, Shujuan

2018-06-01

Solid strong base nano-catalytic system of K-modification NaY zeolite supported 0.08% Pt (K-Pt/NaY) were constructed for eliminating HCHO at room temperature. In the catalytic process, activation energy over K-Pt/NaY nano-catalytic system was greatly decreased along with the enhanced reaction rate. Characterization and catalytic tests revealed the surface electron structure of K-Pt/NaY was improved, as reflected by the enhanced HCHO adsorption capability, high sbnd OH concentration, and low-temperature reducibility. Therefore, the optimal K-Pt/NaY showed high catalytic efficiency and strong H2O tolerance for HCHO elimination by directly promoting the reaction between active sbnd OH and formate species. These results may suggest a new way for probing the advanced solid strong base nano-catalytic system for the catalytic elimination of indoor HCHO.

Systematics of the Osteocephalus buckleyi species complex (Anura, Hylidae) from Ecuador and Peru

Science.gov (United States)

Ron, Santiago R.; Venegas, Pablo J.; Toral, Eduardo; Morley Read; Diego A. Ortiz; Manzano, Andrea L.

2012-01-01

Abstract We present a new phylogeny, based on DNA sequences of mitochondrial and nuclear genes, for frogs of the genus Osteocephalus with emphasis in the Osteocephalus buckleyi species complex. Genetic, morphologic, and advertisement call data are combined to define species boundaries and describe new species. The phylogeny shows strong support for: (1) a basal position of Osteocephalus taurinus + Osteocephalus oophagus, (2) a clade containing phytotelmata breeding species, and (3) a clade that corresponds to the Osteocephalus buckleyi species complex. Our results document a large proportion of hidden diversity within a set of populations that were previously treated as a single, widely distributed species, Osteocephalus buckleyi. Individuals assignable to Osteocephalus buckleyi formed a paraphyletic group relative to Osteocephalus verruciger and Osteocephalus cabrerai and contained four species, one of which is Osteocephalus buckleyi sensu stricto and three are new. Two of the new species are shared between Ecuador and Peru (Osteocephalus vilmae sp. n. and Osteocephalus cannatellai sp. n.) and one is distributed in the Amazon region of southern Peru (Osteocephalus germani sp. n.) We discuss the difficulties of using morphological characters to define species boundaries and propose a hypothesis to explain them. PMID:23166473

Systematics of the Osteocephalus buckleyi species complex (Anura, Hylidae from Ecuador and Peru

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Santiago Ron

2012-10-01

Full Text Available We present a new phylogeny, based on DNA sequences of mitochondrial and nuclear genes, for frogs of the genus Osteocephalus with emphasis in the Osteocephalus buckleyi species complex. Genetic, morphologic, and advertisement call data are combined to define species boundaries and describe new species. The phylogeny shows strong support for: (1 a basal position of O. taurinus + O. oophagus, (2 a clade containing phytotelmata breeding species, and (3 a clade that corresponds to the O. buckleyi species complex. Our results document a large proportion of hidden diversity within a set of populations that were previously treated as a single, widely distributed species, O. buckleyi. Individuals assignable to O. buckleyi formed a paraphyletic group relative to O. verruciger and O. cabrerai and contained four species, one of which is O. buckleyi sensu stricto and three are new. Two of the new species are shared between Ecuador and Peru (O. vilmae sp. n. and O. cannatellai sp. n. and one is distributed in the Amazon region of southern Peru (O. germani sp. n.. We discuss the difficulties of using morphological characters to define species boundaries and propose a hypothesis to explain them.

OBSERVATION OF STRONG - STRONG AND OTHER BEAM - BEAM EFFECTS IN RHIC