Diversity in soil fungi from undisturbed and disturbed Celtis tala and Scutia buxifolia forests in the eastern Buenos Aires province (Argentina).
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The rhizospheric soil microfungi from a native forest (undisturbed and disturbed) were studied using soil dilution plate and soil washing methods. Fungi were isolated using slightly acid and alkaline culture media. 54 taxa were isolated: 49 from undisturbed forest soil and 37 from disturbed forest soil. Acremonium sp., Aspergillus ustus, Coemansia pectinata, Doratomyces stemonitis, Fusarium solani, F. oxysporum, Gliocladium roseum, Humicola fusco-atra, Mortierella sp., Penicillium lilacinum, Trichoderma harzianum, and T koningii, showed the highest frequency, in both, undisturbed and disturbed forests. In undisturbed soil forest the biodiversity index was 3.97 whereas in disturbed ones was 3.89. (+info)
Mechanical properties of nacre and highly mineralized bone.
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We compared the mechanical properties of 'ordinary' bovine bone, the highly mineralized bone of the rostrum of the whale Mesoplodon densirostris, and mother of pearl (nacre) of the pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera. The rostrum and the nacre are similar in having very little organic material. However, the rostral bone is much weaker and more brittle than nacre, which in these properties is close to ordinary bone. The ability of nacre to outperform rostral bone is the result of its extremely well-ordered microstructure, with organic material forming a nearly continuous jacket round all the tiny aragonite plates, a design well adapted to produce toughness. In contrast, in the rostrum the organic material, mainly collagen, is poorly organized and discontinuous, allowing the mineral to join up to form, in effect, a brittle stony material. (+info)
Foraminiferal calcification response to glacial-interglacial changes in atmospheric CO2.
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A record of foraminiferal shell weight across glacial-interglacial Termination I shows a response related to seawater carbonate ion concentration and allows reconstruction of a record of carbon dioxide in surface seawater that matches the atmospheric record. The results support suggestions that higher atmospheric carbon dioxide directly affects marine calcification, an effect that may be of global importance to past and future changes in atmospheric CO2. The process provides negative feedback to the influence of marine calcification on atmospheric carbon dioxide and is of practical importance to the application of paleoceanographic proxies. (+info)
Mass-independent fractionation of oxygen isotopes during thermal decomposition of carbonates.
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Nearly all chemical processes fractionate 17O and 18O in a mass-dependent way relative to 16O, a major exception being the formation of ozone from diatomic oxygen in the presence of UV radiation or electrical discharge. Investigation of oxygen three-isotope behavior during thermal decomposition of naturally occurring carbonates of calcium and magnesium in vacuo has revealed that, surprisingly, anomalous isotopic compositions are also generated during this process. High-precision measurements of the attendant three-isotope fractionation line, and consequently the magnitude of the isotopic anomaly (delta17O), demonstrate that the slope of the line is independent of the nature of the carbonate but is controlled by empirical factors relating to the decomposition procedure. For a slope identical to that describing terrestrial silicates and waters (0.5247 +/- 0.0007 at the 95% confidence level), solid oxides formed during carbonate pyrolysis fit a parallel line offset by -0.241 +/- 0.042 per thousand. The corresponding CO2 is characterized by a positive offset of half this magnitude, confirming the mass-independent nature of the fractionation. Slow, protracted thermolysis produces a fractionation line of shallower slope (0.5198 +/- 0.0007). These findings of a 17O anomaly being generated from a solid, and solely by thermal means, provide a further challenge to current understanding of the nature of mass-independent isotopic fractionation. (+info)
The effects of sevelamer hydrochloride and calcium carbonate on kidney calcification in uremic rats.
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The control of serum phosphorus (P) and calcium-phosphate (Ca x P) product is critical to the prevention of ectopic calcification in chronic renal failure (CRF). Whereas calcium (Ca) salts, the most commonly used phosphate binders, markedly increase serum Ca and positive Ca balance, the new calcium- and aluminum-free phosphate binder, sevelamer hydrochloride (RenaGel), reduces serum P without altering serum Ca in hemodialysis patients. Using an experimental model of CRF, these studies compare sevelamer and calcium carbonate (CaCO(3)) in the control of serum P, secondary hyperparathyroidism (SH), and ectopic calcifications. 5/6 nephrectomized rats underwent one of the following treatments for 3 mo: uremic + high-P diet (U-HP); UHP + 3% CaCO(3) (U-HP+C); UHP + 3% sevelamer (U-HP+S). Sevelamer treatment controlled serum P independent of increases in serum Ca, thus reducing serum Ca x P product and further deterioration of renal function, as indicated by the highest creatinine clearances. Sevelamer was as effective as CaCO(3) in the control of high-P-induced SH, as shown by similar serum PTH levels, parathyroid (PT) gland weight, and markers of PT hyperplasia. Also, both P binders elicited similar efficacy in reducing the myocardial and hepatic calcifications induced by uremia. However, sevelamer caused a dramatic reduction of renal Ca deposition (29.8 +/- 8.6 micro g/g wet tissue) compared with both U-HP (175.5 +/- 45.7 micro g/g wet tissue, P < 0.01) and the U-HP+C (58.9 +/- 13.7 micro g/g wet tissue, P < 0.04). Histochemical analyses using Von Kossa and Alizarin red S staining of kidney sections confirmed these findings. The high number of foci of calcification in the kidney of uremic controls (108 +/- 25) was reduced to 33.0 +/- 11.3 by CaCO(3) and decreased even further with sevelamer (16.4 +/- 8.9, P < 0.02 versus CaCO(3)). Importantly, the degree of tubulointerstitial fibrosis was also markedly lower in U-HP+S (5%) compared with either U-HP+C (30%) or U-HP (50%). It is concluded that in experimental CRF in rats, despite a similar control of serum P and SH, sevelamer is more effective than CaCO(3) in preventing renal Ca deposition and tubulointerstitial fibrosis, including better preservation of renal function. These findings cannot be extrapolated to human disease, and further studies in patients are necessary to determine the benefits of either P binder. (+info)
Lack of pharmacokinetic interaction between the oral anti-influenza neuraminidase inhibitor prodrug oseltamivir and antacids.
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AIMS: Oseltamivir is an oral ester prodrug of its active metabolite Ro 64-0802, a potent and selective neuraminidase inhibitor of the influenza virus. The object of this study was to evaluate whether the oral absorption of oseltamivir was reduced in the presence of two main classes of antacid, Maalox(R) suspension (containing magnesium hydroxide and aluminium hydroxide) and Titralac(R) tablets (containing calcium carbonate). METHODS: Twelve healthy volunteers completed a randomized, single dose, three-period crossover study. Each volunteer received in a fasted state, 150 mg oseltamivir alone (Treatment A), 150 mg oseltamivir with a 20 ml Maalox suspension (Treatment B), and 150 mg oseltamivir with four Titralac tablets (Treatment C), with 7-10 days washout in between treatments. Plasma and urine concentrations of oseltamivir and Ro 64-0802 were measured using a validated h.p.l.c./MS/MS assay. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated for oseltamivir and Ro 64-0802. Since antacids are locally acting drugs and generally not expected to be absorbed substantially into the systemic system, no plasma or urine concentrations of antacids were measured. RESULTS: Bioequivalence was achieved for the primary pharmacokinetic parameters Cmax and AUC(0, infinity ) of Ro 64-0802 following administration of oseltamivir with either Maalox suspension or Titralac(R) tablets vs administration of oseltamivir alone. The bioavailability (90% confidence intervals) of Ro 64-0802 following administration of oseltamivir together with Maalox suspension vs administration of oseltamivir alone, was 90% (83.6, 96.9%) for C(max) and 94.1% (91.4, 96.9%) for AUC(0, infinity); similarly, for Titralac tablets, the equivalent values were 95.1% (88.3, 102%) for C(max) and 94.7% (91.9, 97.5%) for AUC(0, infinity). CONCLUSIONS: The coadministration of either Maalox suspension or Titralac tablets with oseltamivir has no effect on the pharmacokinetics of either oseltamivir or Ro 64-0802, and conversely, there is no evidence that coadministration with oseltamivir has an effect on the safety and tolerability of either Maalox suspension or Titralac tablets. There was no pharmacokinetic interaction between oseltamivir with either antacid, demonstrating that the oral absorption of oseltamivir was not impaired in the presence of antacids containing magnesium, aluminium or calcium. (+info)
Low-magnesium calcite produced by coralline algae in seawater of Late Cretaceous composition.
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Shifts in the MgCa ratio of seawater driven by changes in midocean ridge spreading rates have produced oscillations in the mineralogy of nonskeletal carbonate precipitates from seawater on time scales of 10(8) years. Since Cambrian time, skeletal mineralogies of anatomically simple organisms functioning as major reef builders or producers of shallow marine limestones have generally corresponded in mineral composition to nonskeletal precipitates. Here we report on experiments showing that the ambient MgCa ratio actually governs the skeletal mineralogy of some simple organisms. In modern seas, coralline algae produce skeletons of high-Mg calcite (>4 mol % MgCO(3)). We grew three species of these algae in artificial seawaters having three different MgCa ratios. All of the species incorporated amounts of Mg into their skeletons in proportion to the ambient MgCa ratio, mimicking the pattern for nonskeletal precipitation. Thus, the algae calcified as if they were simply inducing precipitation from seawater through their consumption of CO(2) for photosynthesis; presumably organic templates specify the calcite crystal structure of their skeletons. In artificial seawater with the low MgCa ratio of Late Cretaceous seas, the algae in our experiments produced low-Mg calcite (<4 mol % MgCO(3)), the carbonate mineral formed by nonskeletal precipitation in those ancient seas. Our results suggest that many taxa that produce high-Mg calcite today produced low-Mg calcite in Late Cretaceous seas. (+info)
Intestinal bicarbonate secretion by marine teleost fish--why and how?
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Intestinal fluids of most marine teleosts are alkaline (pH 8.4-9.0) and contain high levels of HCO(3)(-) equivalents (40-130 mM) which are excreted at a significant rate (>100 microEq kg(-1) h(-1)). Recent research reveals the following about this substantial HCO(3)(-) secretion: (1) It is not involved in acid-base regulation or neutralisation of stomach acid, but increases in parallel with drinking rate at elevated ambient salinities suggesting a role in osmoregulation; (2) In species examined so far, all sections of the intestine can secrete bicarbonate; (3) The secretion is dependent on mucosal Cl(-), sensitive to mucosal DIDS, and immuno-histochemistry indicates involvement of an apical Cl(-)/HCO(3)(-) exchanger. In addition, hydration of CO(2) via carbonic anhydrase in combination with proton extrusion appears to be essential for bicarbonate secretion. The mode of proton extrusion is currently unknown but potential mechanisms are discussed. One consequence of the luminal alkalinity and high bicarbonate concentrations is precipitation of calcium and magnesium as carbonate complexes. This precipitation is hypothesised to reduce the osmolality of intestinal fluids and thus play a potential role in water absorption and osmoregulation. The present studies on European flounder reveal that elevated luminal calcium (but not magnesium) concentrations stimulate intestinal bicarbonate secretion both acutely and chronically, in vitro and in vivo. At the whole animal level, the result of this elevated bicarbonate secretion was increased calcium precipitation with an associated reduction in the osmolality of rectal fluids and plasma. These observations suggest direct functional links between intestinal bicarbonate secretion, divalent cation precipitation and osmoregulation in marine teleost fish. (+info)