Effect of a change in step direction from a forward to a lateral target in response to a sensory perturbation

The aim of the current study was to investigate the response of healthy older and young adults to a change in step direction from a forward to a lateral target in response to a sensory perturbation. Nine healthy older (75.1 ± 6.7 years; age range, 65–81 years) and nine young adults (27 ± 3.6 years; age range, 23–31 years) participated in the study. The sensory perturbation was a visual cue presented at random times while subjects stepped over an obstacle from quiet stance. For both young and elderly subjects there was an abrupt change in the slope of both shear ground reaction forces (GRFs) of the stance limb following the perturbation. The slope and peak of the change in GRFs was greater for the young subjects and the onset significantly earlier (205 ms compared to 271 ms). Changes in the GRFs were accompanied by an increase in bilateral gluteus medius and stance limb soleus activity. A late visual cue resulted in a delayed response for elderly subjects. These data show that a stepping response to a sensory perturbation was both delayed and of less magnitude for older adults which has implications for fall risk.     

Paralysis due to a glomangioma in a Macaca mulatta

A glomangioma at the 6-7 thoracic intervertebral space caused compression of the spinal cord with posterior paralysis in an irradiated 20-year-old female rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta). Glomangiomas are tumors of arterial-venous shunts, are rare and have only been reported in irradiated rhesus monkeys.     

结球甘蓝抗TuMV相关基因的克隆

以结球甘蓝高抗TuMV自交不亲和系84075为材料,构建了cDNA文库。根据抗病基因保守序列（NBS－LRR）设计一对简并引物,以84075的基因组DNA和cDNA为模板,进行PCR扩增,分别扩增出一条513bp片段,扩增片段进行克隆测序。选取两个与抗病基因同源性较高的克隆片段作探针（命名Borl,Bor2）,对构建的cDNA文库进行筛选,得到一个阳性克隆（命名TuR2）,测序及序列分析表明,该基因总长为762bp,编码226个氨基酸、包含681bp的开放阅读框。与已克隆的抗病基因有不同程度的同源性。利用TuR2作探针,进行了Southern杂交、Northern杂交以及抗病性的共分离检测分析。结果表明,TuR2可能吧单拷贝形式存在,其表达是组成成型的,且无组织特异性;初步确定是一个与结球甘蓝抗TuMV相关的基因。     

短期生长环境光强骤增导致典型阴生植物三七光系统受损的机制

阴生植物突然暴露在强光下造成光损伤的情况时有发生, 但其对高光敏感的潜在机制尚不十分清楚。为阐明阴生植物无法在自然全光照环境下生存的相关机制, 该研究以典型阴生植物三七(Panax notoginseng)为材料, 将遮阴环境下(10%透光率)生长的植株转移到全日光环境下3天, 研究其相对叶绿素含量(SPAD值)、光合参数以及叶绿素荧光参数的变化。结果表明, 全光环境下三七光合日变化呈现“双峰”曲线特征, 且净光合速率在处理期间逐日降低。全日光下三七叶片SPAD值、水分利用率和光能利用率显著降低; 叶片光系统I (PSI)反应中心P700最大荧光信号、光系统II (PSII)电子传递速率、暗适应下PSII最大量子效率和光下PSII最大量子效率显著低于遮阴环境下的植株, 且至傍晚不能完全恢复。而参与调节性能量耗散的量子产量、PSI受体侧限制引起的非光化学量子产量、环式电子流则显著高于遮阴环境下的三七。此外, 生长环境光照强度骤增导致荧光诱导动力学曲线发生明显变化, 并显著升高了PSII供体侧和受体侧的荧光产量。当阴生植物三七突然暴露于全光环境下时, 强烈的光照会导致PSII供体侧的放氧复合体活性受损, 抑制受体侧的电子传递, 过度还原PSI的受体侧进而引发PSI光抑制。该研究结果揭示, 全日光导致的PSII不可逆损伤和PSI光抑制可能是典型阴生植物三七为什么不能在全日照光环境下存活的重要原因。     

Microbial adaptation to bromobenzene in a chemostat

Microorganisms capable of growth with bromobenzene as their sole source of carbon and energy were selected from a continuously growing community of microorganisms initially selected for growth at the expense of benzene as sole source of carbon and energy. The selection was by a gradient of increasing bromobenzene/decreasing benzene in the nutrient feed of the continuous culture. Generation times in the system were about 38h. These experiments selected two strains ofPseudomonas that used bromobenzene as sole carbon and energy source. These two strains appeared identical with two members of the original community which previously could not use bromobenzene. After the selection, the strains in either pure or mixed culture, were capable of growing at the expense of benzene, bromobenzene, and chlorobenzene, but not iodobenzene.     

Sediment-benthos relationships as a tool to assist in conservation practices in a coastal lagoon subjected to sediment change

This study explores the relation between sediment composition and intertidal macrobenthos populations in the Zwin nature reserve (Belgium and The Netherlands), a tidal lagoon that is included in the Ramsar list of wetlands of international importance and has been designated as Natura 2000 area, among others due to its function as wintering habitat for shorebirds that feed upon macrobenthic invertebrates. Species response models show highest biomass of these prey species in organically enriched cohesive sediments and a distinct decline in probability of occurrence for most species in coarse sediments. Further, the biomass of macrobenthos declined between 2003 and 2010 in the extensive low intertidal inlet channel concurrent with the coarsening of the sediment over time in this hydrodynamically stressed habitat. In contrast, macrobenthos biomass increased in a sheltered shallow intertidal habitat that acted as a catchment area for finer sediments, therefore facilitating the succession towards a higher elevated habitat with salt marsh vegetation establishment. Hence, spatio-temporal sediment dynamics decreased site quality for intertidal predators due to a reduction in feeding areas over time, and a change in physical sediment properties that alter the macrobenthos species occurrence and population biomass. This study thus illustrates that sediment transport dynamics may affect the functioning of coastal shallow soft-sediment habitats, like coastal lagoons. The presented macrobenthos species response models provide a tool to assist in management actions that enable the conservation of cohesive low intertidal habitats that provide a high food supply to shorebirds, fish and macrocrustaceans.