Notes: Abstract. Nitrogen (N) loss by leaching poses great challenges for N availability to crops as well as nitrate pollution of groundwater. Few studies address this issue with respect to the role of the subsoil in the deep and highly weathered savanna soils of the tropics, which exhibit different adsorption and drainage patterns to soils in temperate environments. In an Anionic Acrustox of the Brazilian savanna, the Cerrado, dynamics and budgets of applied N were studied in organic and inorganic soil pools of two maize (Zea mays L.) – soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) rotations using 15N tracing. Labelled ammonium sulphate was applied at 10 kg N ha−1 (with 10 atom%15N excess) to both maize and soybean at the beginning of the cropping season. Amounts and isotopic composition of N were determined in above-ground biomass, soil, adsorbed mineral N, and in soil solution at 0.15, 0.3, 0.8, 1.2 and 2 m depths using suction lysimeters throughout one cropping season. The applied ammonium was rapidly nitrified or immobilized in soil organic matter, and recovery of applied ammonium in soil 2 weeks after application was negligible. Large amounts of nitrate were adsorbed in the subsoil (150–300 kg NO3−-N ha−1 per 2 m) matching total N uptake by the crops (130–400 kg N ha−1). Throughout one cropping season, more applied N (49–77%; determined by 15N tracers) was immobilized in soil organic matter than was present as adsorbed nitrate (2–3%). Most of the applied N (71–96% of 15N recovery) was found in the subsoil at 0.15–2 m depth. This coincided with an increase with depth of dissolved organic N as a proportion of total dissolved N (39–63%). Hydrophilic organic N was the dominant fraction of dissolved organic N and was, together with nitrate, the most important carrier for applied N. Most of this N (〉80%) was leached from the topsoil (0–0.15 m) during the first 30 days after application. Subsoil N retention as both adsorbed inorganic N, and especially soil organic N, was found to be of great importance in determining N losses, soil N depletion and the potential of nitrate contamination of groundwater.

Notes: The influence of N in slurry or in mineral fertilizers on herbage yield and nitrogen fixation by white clover grown in mixed swards was investigated. Two levels of N in cattle slurry were compared with a range of mineral N fertilization. The percentage of N derived from symbiosis (% Nsym) was measured by the 15N-isotope dilution method. The measurements were made in spring 1987 in two 4-year-old field trials, and included two out of five harvests.The % Nsym was approximately 90% without N fertilization. It decreased in response to both mineral N and N in slurry but did not fall below 63%. The sum of two harvests revealed that 51·2 kg N ha−1 were fixed in the absence of N fertilization. With 75 kg mineral N ha−1 or 50 m3 cattle slurry ha−1, the yield of fixed N decreased to 17·2 and 24·9 kg ha−1, respectively. When compared on the basis of the fertilizer effect on dry matter yield and N concentration of perennial ryegrass, the decrease in yield of N fixed due to treatment with cattle slurry was less than that due to mineral N fertilizer. This was owing to the smaller extent of the depression in the proportion of white clover in the sward when the same amount of N was applied in cattle slurry, as compared with mineral fertilizer, although % Nsym responded similarly to both types of N fertilization.

Notes: Time-resolved multiphoton photoelectron spectroscopy is employed to study collective excitations and their decay dynamics in silver nanoparticles on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite. Resonant excitation of the surface plasmon in the silver nanoparticles with 400 nm femtosecond radiation allows to distinguish between photoemission from the nanoparticles and the substrate. This extends the method of time-resolved two-photon photoemission spectroscopy to inhomogeneous surfaces and permits to probe the dynamics of a confined electron gas. The multiphoton photoelectron spectra, the polarization dependence of the photoelectron yield and the time-resolved measurements reveal the double excitation of the surface plasmon and allow the identification of two different decay channels of the collective excitation. The multiply excited plasmon transfers its total excitation energy to a single photoelectron or decays into at least two single-particle excitations which share the total energy. © 2000 American Institute of Physics.

Notes: In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), fibroblasts have been shown to be crucial for disease progression as well as joint destruction. In the model of human/murine SCID arthritis, synovial explants as well as fibroblasts from human rheumatoid synovial membrane induce destructive arthritis in immunodeficient mice. Hereby, the underlying cartilage destruction is accomplished by murine fibroblasts. Therefore, murine destructive fibroblasts represent a promising tool to investigate destruction of articular cartilage and bone. In this context, a novel destructive murine fibroblast line (LS48) was examined for morphological, ultrastructural, immunological and functional cellular parameters. These cells were injected into knees of SCID mice. Subsequently, the animals were monitored for joint swelling and serological parameters of arthritis by radiological methods. Finally, cartilage destruction was assessed morphologically. Cultured LS48 cells exhibit characteristic features that resemble those of activated synovial fibroblasts in human RA. Expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase, interleukin-6, tumour necrosis factor-α and matrix metalloproteinases were comparable to those detected in invasive human fibroblasts. The instillation of 5 × 105 LS48 cells into the knee joints of SCID mice initiated a rapid progressive process, that caused cartilage destruction within 10 days, and morphological examinations revealed that articular cartilage was infiltrated by the fibroblasts injected previously. In summary, the intra-articular application of LS48 cells represents a rapid and highly reproducible model to investigate the initiation and progression of cartilage destruction in connection with RA therapy and represents an easy-to-handle animal model.

Notes: In barley leaves, there is a dramatic alteration of gene expression upon treatment with jasmonates leading to the accumulation of newly formed proteins, designated as jasmonate-inducible proteins (JIPs). In the present study, a new jasmonate-inducible cDNA, designated pHvJS37, has been isolated by differential screening of a γgt10 cDNA library constructed from mRNA of jasmonate-treated barley leaf segments. The open reading frame (ORF) encodes a 39-9 kDa polypeptide which cross-reacts with antibodies raised against the in vivo JIP-37. The hydropathic plot suggests that the protein is mainly hydrophilic, containing two hydrophilic domains near the C-terminus. Database searches did not show any sequence homology of pHv.JS37 to known sequences. Southern analysis revealed at least two genes coding for JIP-37 which map to the distal portion of the long arm of chromosome 3 and are closely related to genes coding for JIP-23. The expression pattern of the JIP-37 genes over time shows differential responses to jasmonate, abscisic acid (ABA), osmotic stress (such as sorbitol treatment) and desiccation stress. No expression was found under salt stress. From experiments using an inhibitor and intermediates of jasmonate synthesis such as α-linolenic acid and 12-oxophytodienoic acid, we hypothesize that there is a stress-induced lipid-based signalling pathway in which an endogenous rise of jasmonate switches on JIP-37 gene expression. Using immunocytochemical techniques, JIP-37 was found to be simultaneously located in the nucleus, the cytoplasm and the vacuoles.

Notes: The broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius L.) is widely distributed, and is perceived as a major weed problem in intensively managed permanent grassland. The effects of nitrogen fertilization (120; 240 or 480 kg N ha−1), cutting frequency (every 4 or 6 weeks) and competing grasses on development, dry matter production and stem growth of Rumex were studied under field conditions. Young plants of Rumex were planted into established pure swards of Lolium multiflorum Lam., Lolium perenne L., Alopecurus pratensis L. and Poa pratensis L. In all treatments, only Lolium multiflorum hindered the growth of R. obtusifolius substantially. Cutting intervals of 6 weeks were more favourable to Rumex than were 4-week intervals. Its proportion of herbage yield increased from 2% at 120 kg N ha−1, taken as an average of the three grass swards (Lolium multiflorum not included), to 18% at 480 kg N ha−1. The reproductive capacity of Rumex was greatly influenced by the competing grass species: in the P. pratensis sward, Rumex developed up to 12.3 stems with inflorescences per plant per year, but only 0–9 stems developed in the L. multiflorum plots.The regrowth potential of R. obtusifolius after intense shoot competition and low interception of radiation was unexpectedly high. It is concluded that established dock plants cannot be controlled to any extent by strong competition of grasses, by variation in cutting frequency or by nitrogen fertilization. Effet de la fertilisation azotée et de la fréquence de coupe sur la compétitivité et la capacité de repousse de Rumex obtusifolius L. dans plusieurs pelouses de graminées Rumex obtusifolius L. est largement répandu, et il est considéré comme un problème majeur dans les prairies spermanentes intensives. Les effets de la fertilisation azotée (120, 240 ou 480 kg N ha−1), de la fréquence de coupe (Chaque 4 ou 6 semaines) et des graminées en compétition sur le développement, la production de matière sèche et la croissance de la tige de Rumex ont étéétudiées en plein champ. Des jeunes plantes de Rumex ont été plantées dans des gazons purs de Lolium multiflorum Lam., Lolium perenne L., Alopecurus pratensis L., et Poa pratensis L. De tous les traitements, seul Lolium multiflorum entrave subtantiellement la croissance de R. obtusifolius. Les intervalles de coupe de 6 semaines sont plus favorables au Rumex que ceux de 4 semaines. Sa proportion du rendement en herbe passe de 2%à 120 kg N ha−1 (moyenne des 3 gazons sans Lolium multiflorum), à 18%à 480 kg N ha−1. La capacité de reproduction de Rumex est fortement influencée par l'espèce de graminée en compétition: pour le P. pratensis, le Rumex a développé jusqu'à 12,3 tiges avec inflorescence par plante et par an, et seulement 0,9 pour les parcelles L. multiflorum.Le potentiel de reprise de R. obtusifolius après une forte compétitivé aérienne et une faible interception des radiations a étéétonnamment élevé. On conclut que l'extension d'un Rumex installé ne peut être combattue par une forte compétition des graminées, la variation dans la fréquence de coupe ou la fertilisation azotée. Einfluss der Stickstoffdüngung und der Schnitthäufigkeit auf die Konkurrenz von Rumex obtusifolius L. in verschiedenen GrasbeständenDer Stumpfblättrige Ampfer (Rumex obtusifolius L.) stellt auf intensiv bewirtschafteten Dauerwiesen ein wichtiges Unkraut dar. Der Einfluss der Stickstoffdüngung (120, 240 oder 480 kg N ha−1), der Schnitthäufigkeit (alle 4 oder 6 Wochen) und konkurrierender Gräser wurde im Freiland auf die Entwicklung, die Trockensubstanzproduktion und das Sprosswachstum von Ampfer untersucht. Junge Ampferpflanzen wurden in etablierte Reinbestände von Lolium multiflorum Lam., Lolium perenne L., Alopecurus pratensis L. und Poapratensis L. gepflanzt. Nur Lolium multiflorum vermochte das Wachstum von Ampfer wesentlich einzuschränken. Schnittintervalle von 6 Wochen förderten Rumex viel stärker als jene von 4 Wochen. Im Mittel der 3 Grasbestände (ohne L. multiflorum) stieg der Ertragsanteil von Rumex von 2% bei 120 kg N ha−1 auf 18% bei 480 kg N ha−1. Das Reproduktionsvermögen von Rumex wurde durch die konkurrierende Grasart stark beeinflusst, im Poa-pratensis-Bestand bildete Rumex 12,3 blütentragende Stengel pro Pflanze aus, im L. multiflorum-Bestand dagegen nur 0,9.Das Wiederaustrieb-svermögen von R. obtusifolius war nach intensiver Sprosskonkurrenz und niedriger Strahlungsabsorption unerwartet hoch. Aus den Ergebnissen ergibt sich, dass etablierte Ampfer-Pflanzen kaum durch konkurrenzstarke Gräser und durch die Änderung der Schnitthäufigkeit oder Stickstoffdüngung verdrängt werden können.

Notes: Agriculture has claimed a large share of terrestrial environments in the tropics and subtropics through cultivation of native grasslands or forests. The impact of this anthropogenic change on speciation, dynamics, and ecological significance of sulphur (S) compounds is still poorly understood. We combined degradative wet-chemical reduction and S K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy techniques to evaluate the impact of long-term agricultural management of native grassland soils in South African Highveld on the amount, form and dynamics of S species. Sulphur XANES in the humic substances extracted by 0.1 m NaOH/0.4 m NaF solution showed the presence of strongly reduced (polysulphides, disulphides, thiols, monosulphides and thiophenes), intermediate (sulphoxides and sulphonates) and strongly oxidized (ester sulphates) organic-S. It showed that strongly oxidized-S is the predominant form (39–54%) of the total organic-S in the humic substances, and organic-S in the intermediate oxidation state represented 30–37% (78–93% of which was attributed to sulphonates). The strongly reduced organic-S comprised only 17–24% of the total organic-S. We did not find a close correlation between the results of a degradative wet-chemical procedure and XANES spectroscopy conducted in both the bulk soils (ester SO4-S from XANES versus HI-fractionation, r = 0.27; P 〈 0.05) and the humic substance extracts (ester SO4-S from XANES versus HI-fractionation, r= 0.39; P 〈 0.05). The ratio of reduced-S to strongly oxidized-S (R-S/O-S) in the humic substances decreased from 0.61 to 0.21, while the ratio of intermediate-S to strongly oxidized-S (I-S/O-S) declined from 0.93 to 0.61 after 90 years of arable cropping of the native grassland soils. Hence, there was a shift in oxidation state towards strongly oxidized-S (+6) and, thereby, a change in the relative proportion of the organic-S moieties associated with each oxidation state following cultivation of the native grassland soils. Therefore, we conclude that changes in land-use practice brought about not only quantitative change but also altered the composition of organic-S functional groups in these native subtropical grassland soils.