An effect of parasites on host behaviour was tested on the toxoplasma-human model. Three hundred and thirty-eight (338) people were assessed with Cattell’s personality questionnaire and then tested for Toxoplasma gondii infection with a delayed type hypersensitivity test for Toxoplasma. A highly significant correlation between chronic toxoplasmosis and two personality factors (G- Low Superego Strength and L- Protension) was found (p = 0.0032 and 0.0020, respectively). A correlation of the intensity of the personality factor-shifts with the duration of the infection (estimated from antibody titer) suggests that toxoplasmosis induces the shift in human personality, rather than the personality factors G and I. influence an acquisition rate of Toxoplasma gondii infection.
Seedlings of two species of Rhizophora {R. apiculaía and R. mucronala) were grown for 45 d under sun, shade, or dark in natural environment. The shade-grown plants showed optimum growth performance, efficient N03‘ utilization and photosynthetic characteristics (chlorophyli and carotenoid contents and their presence in pigment- protein complexes).
Diurnal and seasonal fluctuation in ambient CO2 concentration (C^) of more than 100 cm^ m‘3 in urban areas is an important abiotic factor influencing photosynthetic activity. This was shown in a young poplar tree under controlled environmental conditions. Here, the short-term rise in from 320 to 360 cm^ m‘3 during a day resulted in a 10 % higher CO2 gain. This variation in also influenced the interpretation of CO2 exchange data. Calculation of the intemal CO2 concentration in a leaf, Q, on the basis of an assumed mean value of atmospheric CO2 of 340 cm^ m'^ led to a possible 8 % divergence ffom the actual Cj in our experiments and thus also to a falše interpretation of the results, as it concealed the photosynthetic response to a rise or decline of Cg. Additionally, the changing CO2 concentration directly influenced the measurement by the infrared gas analyzer, because of its nonlinear response. Lack of compensation for this can lead to an additional inaccuracy of 3 to 8 % in the calculation of net photosynthetic rate and Q.
The influence of a cytokinin, 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), on chloroplast structure was studied using biochemical methods and electron microscopy. The average degree of thylakoid stacking was determined by digitonin fractionation and differential centrifugation of chloroplasts from tobacco plantlets after treatment with different concentrations of BAP in agar medium during cultivation in viíro. An elevated concentration of BAP in the medium induced an increase in grana stacking. This was in accordance with the lowering of the chlorophyll a/b ratio in these chloroplasts. The relative amoímt of proteins and carotenoids increased in both stromal and (to a lesser extent) granal chloroplast thylakoid fractions with the BAP concentration. The electron microscopic studies revealed nearly the same volume density of thylakoid membranes within chloroplasts of BAP treated plantlets and control ones. In the BAP treated plantlets the chloroplasts were smaller and had a profound accumulation of starch inclusions and a more flattened shape than the chloroplasts of control plantlets. The volume density of plastoglobuli in chloroplasts did not decrease under the influence of BAP,
Java citronella suffers from chlorosis of the younger leaves, particularly in tropical climatic conditions. An Fe-efFicient genotype of this species was grown in Solutions containing 0 to 44.80 g(Fe) m'^ in controlled glasshouse conditions. In comparison with normál Fe nutrition (5.60 g m"^), low (0 - 1.40 g m'^) or high (22.40 - 44,80 g m*^) iron nutrition influenced fresh and dry matter yield, plant height, total essential oil and citronellol contents, chlorophyll (Chl) content, net photosynthetic and transpiration rates, and Fe uptake. Largest differences were found in saccharide and Chl a and h contents and Chl a/h ratio, and stomatal resistance. Significarít positive correlations were observed between fresh matter, citronellol content, dry and fresh matter yields and total essential oil content.
The responses to root oxygen deficiency conceming the photosynthesis, saccharide contents and minerál uptake háve been investigated in Carex species, which were different in their anoxia-tolerance. The net rate of photosynthesis (Fn) anoxia- sensitive C. extensa was not affected by root anaerobiosis. Despite short-term effects of root anaerobiosis on values in the anoxia-tolerant species C. remota and C. pseudocyperus, root oxygen supply did not influence P^, when the plants were allowed to acclimate. The saccharide contents of the anoxia-tolerant species were almost not affected by prolonged anaerobiosis. 40 days of root oxygen deficiency led to significant changes in the shoot saccharide composition of C. extensa: contents of glucose and fructose were increased 4-fold and sucrose content was significantly decreased. In the roots no sucrose could be detected, but the starch content was increased, and the glucose and fructose contents did not change when compared with aerobic conditions. Under anaerobic conditions, minerál uptake of the anoxia- sensitive species decreased by 50 %, while the minerál uptake of the anoxia-tolerant species was significantly increased or did not change at all, in comparison with the aerobic conditions. The growth reduction of C. extensa under anaerobic conditions was therefore primarily due to inability to také up an adequate amount of nutrients.