Aquaporins, major intrinsic proteins (MIPs) present in the plasma and intracellular membranes, facilitate the transport of small neutral molecules across cell membranes in higher plants. Recently, progress has been made in understanding the mechanisms of aquaporin subcellular localization, transport selectivity, and gating properties. Although the role of aquaporins in maintaining the plant wat...

The major cardiovascular diseases affecting the developed world have at their core atherosclerosis and hypertension, both of which are profoundly affected by diet and can be approached, at least in part, from a nutritional point of view, as can the increasing "epidemic" of obesity. Diet is a multi-component mixture of many nutrients, which may interact with one another. The definitive study of ...

As obesity and being overweight continue to increase in the United States, public concern is growing about the quality of American diets. We compare the changes in nutrients contributed by major food groups in the periods 1953-1980 and 1981-2008 and find that there is reduced cholesterol intake and increased calcium intake, but the levels of food energy and total fats increase substantially. To...

The intrauterine existence of fetus solely depends on one organ “The Placenta”. Placenta is a vital organ playing central role in pregnancy. It maintains pregnancy and promotes normal fetal development and serves as a major organ for transfer of essential elements between mother and fetus. 1 It has a significant role in health of the fetus because it is the sole source of nutrients for the fetu...

Nutrient pollution is one of the major sources of water quality impairments in the U.S. Agriculture is a major source of nutrients. Two alternative strategies for reducing nutrient loads from cropland are to reduce fertilizer application rates and to filter nutrients coming off cropland with restored wetlands. These two approaches are evaluated in the Mississippi Basin, where nutrient loadings ...

Slime mould Physarum polycephalum builds up sophisticated networks to transport nutrients between distant part of its extended body. The slime mould’s protoplasmic network is optimised for maximum coverage of nutrients yet minimum energy spent on transportation of the intra-cellular material. In laboratory experiments with P. polycephalum we represent Canadian major urban areas with rolled oats...

Knowledge of fetal nutrient supply has greatly increased in the last decade due to the availability of fetal blood samples obtained under relatively steady-state conditions. These studies, together with studies utilizing stable isotope methodologies, have clarified some aspects of the supply of the major nutrients for the fetus such as glucose, amino acids and fatty acids. At the same time, the...

• Here, we studied patterns of covariation of 10 leaf nutrients in expanding and mature leaves of the evergreen shrub Daphne laureola (Thymelaeaceae) in southern Spain. Changes in mean values and covariances of nutrients during leaf development may be relevant for plant fitness through herbivory if variation in leaf nutrients influences plant defoliation. • We analysed the between-population an...