FISH ASSEMBLAGE RESPONSES TO DIFFERENT SECONDARY CHANNEL DESIGNS IN THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER,U.S.A.:A TEMPLATE FOR RIVER RESTORATION

The lower Mississippi River(LMR) has been heavily modified for multiple human purposes such as navigation, flood control, and bank stabilization. However, the LMR simultaneously supports a diverse fish fauna that includes recreational and commercial fisheries. Due to river training and diversion structures constructed during the past 80 years, the historic characteristics of the LMR have been drastically altered and have likely influenced fishes and fisheries in the system. One common restoration measure used throughout the LMR has been to "notch" wing-dike structures that close secondary(side) river channels. Dike notching allows year-round flows through secondary channels, which enhances habitat diversity and promotes biological productivity at the ecosystem scale. Although notching is presumed good for LMR fishes and other biota, few studies have examined its effects on fish assemblages. In this study, fish assemblages were sampled at seven LMR secondary channels spanning from river kilometer(rkm) 628(Louisiana-Mississippi, U.S.A.) upstream to rkm 1504(Missouri-Kentucky, U.S.A.). Four secondary channels were termed "permanent"(i.e.,with notched dikes) while three secondary channels were termed "temporary"(i.e., without notched dikes).Fishes were sampled by boat-mounted electrofishing conducted during falling and low stages from1995—1997. Fish assemblages differed between permanent and temporary secondary channels, and varied somewhat between falling and low stages. Gizzard shad(Dorosoma cepedianum), threadfin shad(D. petenense), and white bass(Morone chrysops) demonstrated consistent preferences for low-current conditions associated with temporary secondary channels. Conversely, blue catfish(Ictalurus furcatus), flathead catfish(Pylodictis olivaris), and freshwater drum(Aplodinotus grunniens) were more associated with permanent secondary channels. Future restoration strategies in the LMR should consider dike notching and resultant maintenance of permanent secondary channels in selected river reaches. However, temporary secondary channels also contain unique fish species, and also appear to be important sites of riverine primary production. Restoration strategies should consider a balance of both secondary channel types, which should support the greatest biodiversity for the LMR ecosystem.     

Applications of stem cells and bioprinting for potential treatment of diabetes

Currently, there does not exist a strategy that can reduce diabetes and scientists are working towards a cure and innovative approaches by employing stem cellbased therapies. On the other hand, bioprinting technology is a novel therapeutic approach that aims to replace the diseased or lost β-cells, insulin-secreting cells in the pancreas, which can potentially regenerate damaged organs such as the pancreas. Stem cells have the ability to differentiate into various cell lines including insulinproducing cells. However, there are still barriers that hamper the successful differentiation of stem cells into β-cells. In this review, we focus on the potential applications of stem cell research and bioprinting that may be targeted towards replacing the β-cells in the pancreas and may offer approaches towards treatment of diabetes. This review emphasizes on the applicability of employing both stem cells and other cells in 3 D bioprinting to generate substitutes for diseased β-cells and recover lost pancreatic functions. The article then proceeds to discuss the overall research done in the field of stem cell-based bioprinting and provides future directions for improving the same for potential applications in diabetic research.     

Behavioral and neural auditory thresholds in a frog

Vocalizations play a critical role in mate recognition and mate choice in a number of taxa, especially, but not limited to, orthopterans, frogs, and birds. But receivers can only recognize and prefer sounds that they can hear. Thus a fundamental question linking neurobiology and sexual selection asks-what is the threshold for detecting acoustic sexual displays? In this study, we use 3 methods to assess such thresholds in tdngara frogs: behavioral responses, auditory brainstem responsesz and multi unit electrophysiological recordi ngs from the midbrain.We show that thresholds are lowest for multiunit recordings (ca. 45 dB SPL), and then for behavioral responses (ca. 61 dB SPL), with auditory brainstem responses exhibiting the highest thresholds (ca. 71 dB SPL). We discuss why these estimates differ and why, as with other studies, it is unlikely that they should be the same. Although all of these studies estimate thresholds they are not measuring the same thresholds;behavioral thresholds are based on signal salienee whereas the 2 neural assays estimate physiological thresholds. All 3 estimates, however, make it clear that to have an appreciation for detection and salienee of acoustic signals we must listen to those signals through the ears of the receivers.     

中国省级行政区生态环境可持续性评价

从自然条件、人类胁迫、生态环境效应和社会响应4个主题出发,构建了包含28个指标的中国省级行政区生态环境可持续性评价指标体系,并通过专家调查和层次分析法为各主题层中的指标赋权.分别用各主题层中的指标和对应的权重,采用加权平均法构建自然条件(NSI)、人类胁迫(HPI)、生态环境效应(EEI)和社会响应(SRI)4个分指数,然后用这4个分指数通过灰色关联法构建综合生态环境可持续性指数(CEI),对我国各省级行政区生态环境可持续性进行评价.同时论文通过主成分分析法和相关分析法分析造成各指数地域差异的主导因素和评价中指标赋权的合理性.最后以4个分指数作为变量,采用快速样本聚类法对我国31个省级行政区进行聚类分析.评价结果表明,2003年我国各生态环境指数存在显著的地域差异.自然条件从东南到西北呈明显的由优到劣的过渡趋势,降雨量、年均气温、森林覆盖率和水网密度4个指标是导致地域差异的主导因素;人类胁迫东部发达地区明显高于西部和中部地区,同一个地区经济发展水平存在显著的正相关;生态环境效应西北地区最为显著,同各地区自然条件存在显著的负相关,在人类活动干扰下,自然条件差的地区更容易发生生态损害与退化;社会响应无明显的地域分析规律,各地区经济发展水平对其有一定影响,但并非决定性因素.区域综合生态环境可持续性由区域NSI、HPI、EEI和SRI共同决定,综合评价得到2003年我国各省级行政区生态环境可持续性排序情况,其中生态环境可持续性最强的几个地区为海南、云南、广西、江西等地,最弱的几个地区为内蒙古、宁夏、上海、西藏、新疆等地.最后,聚类分析把我国31个省级行政区聚为生态环境特点各异的六大类,可以促进我国生态环境的分类管理.     

A lubricant boundary condition for a biological body lined by a thin heterogeneous biofilm

We study the asymptotic behavior of an incompressible viscous fluid flow in a biological body lined by a thin biological film with a cellular microstructure,varying thickness,and a heterogeneous viscosity regulated by a time random process.Let ting the thickness of the film tend to zero,we derive an effective biological slip boundary condition on the boundary of the body.This law relates the tangential fluxes to the tangential velocities via a proportional coefficient corresponding to the energy of some local problem.This law describes the ability of the biological film to function as a lubricant reducing friction at the wall of the body.The tangential velocities are functions of the random trajectories of a finely concentrated biological particle.     

我国近代发酵工业的先驱——金培松

金培松(又名金柏卿,英文名Pei-sung King)1906年10月30日生于浙江省东阳后岑山村.童年时他是在农村渡过,牛角挂书,放牛识字.1919年进入东阳县长山小学,1923年高小毕业,入东阳县城初级中学,3年后毕业,考入浙江省立第一中学高中部,1年后因家庭经济困难辍学,1927年9月以高中肄业学历被上海劳动大学农学院农艺化学系录取,1931年毕业.     

猛犸雪原

正我对东北的了解和向往,最早来自上世纪70年代初期读过的描写北大荒知青生活的小说《征途》。我最感兴趣的是书中描述的东北的自然风光和动物植物:"遮天蔽日的红松林,尽管被大雪覆盖,但远远望去,依然是郁郁苍苍。朔风吹过,发出万马奔腾的松涛声。那一望无际的桦树林,好像千百株银枝玉树,俊秀挺拔地屹立在冰天雪地中";"咱这疙瘩呀,是‘棒打獐子瓢舀鱼,雉鸡飞到饭锅里’。汽车在公路上撞死几个挡道的狍子,跟你们南方碾死一条蛇一样不稀     

Monitoring of brown stink bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) population dynamics in corn to predict its abundance using weather data

The brown stink bug (BSB), Euschistus servus (Say)(Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), is a serious economic pest of corn production in the southeastern United States. The BSB population dynamics was mon itored for 17 weeks from tasseling to preharvest of corn plants (i.e., late May to mid-September) using pheromone traps in three corn fields from 2005 to 2009. The trap data showed two peaks in early June and mid-August, respectively. The relationship between trap catch and pregrowing season weather data was examined using correlation and stepwise multiple factor regression analyses. Weather indices used for the analyses were accumulated growing degree day (AGDD), number of days with minimum temperature below 0℃(Subz), accumulated daily maximum (AMaxT) and minimum temperatures (AMinT) and rainfall (ARain). The weather indices were calculated with lower (10℃) and upper (35℃) as biological thresholds. The parameters used in regression analysis were seasonal abundance (or overall mean of BSB adult catch)(BSBm), number of BSB adults caught at a peak (PeakBSB), and peak week (Peakwk). The BSBm was negatively related to high temperature (AmaxT or AGDD) consistently, whereas IstPeakBSB was positively correlated to both ARain and Subz, irrespective of weather data durations (the first 4, 4.5, and 5 months). In contrast, the 7-month weather data (AGDD7) were negatively correlated to the BSBm only, but not correlated to the second PeakBSB. The 5-year monitoring study demonstrated that weather data can be used to predict the BSB abundance at its first peak in tasseling corn fields in the southeastern U.S. states.     

2008年春鄱阳湖区斑背大尾莺状况

2008年1月下旬至2月上旬在中国南方广大地区发生冻雨雪灾害,给在鄱阳湖区越冬的斑背大尾莺(Locustella pryeri)带来不利影响,据3月上旬的调查,原本在江西鄱阳湖南矶湿地国家级自然保护区内广泛分布的斑背大尾莺已变得十分稀少.     

Investigation of the mechanism of temperature sensitivity of the electroreceptors of ampullae of lorenzini

In experiments on Black Sea skates (Raja clavata), the potential of the receptor epithelium of the ampullae of Lorenzini and spike activity of single nerve fibers connected to them were investigated during electrical and temperature stimulation. Usually the potential within the canal was between 0 and –2 mV, and the input resistance of the ampulla 250–400 k. Heating of the region of the receptor epithelium was accompanied by a negative wave of potential, an increase in input resistance, and inhibition of spike activity. With worsening of the animal's condition the transepithelial potential became positive (up to +10 mV) but the input resistance of the ampulla during stimulation with a positive current was nonlinear in some cases: a regenerative spike of positive polarity appeared in the channel. During heating, the spike response was sometimes reversed in sign. It is suggested that fluctuations of the transepithelial potential and spike responses to temperature stimulation reflect changes in the potential difference on the basal membrane of the receptor cells, which is described by a relationship of the Nernst's or Goldman's equation type.I. P. Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. I. M. Sechenov, Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. Pacific Institute of Oceanology, Far Eastern Scientific Center, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Vladivostok. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 67–74, January–February, 1980.     

Determination of stoichiometry of radioiodination of proteins

A sensitive method for the detection of small quantities of hydrophobic antioxidant free radical scavengers such as butylatedhydroxytoluene (BHT) and butylatedhydroxyanisole (BHA) in aqueous samples is described. The procedure involves extraction of the hydrophobic free radical scavenger into an organic solvent phase, followed by the subsequent reaction of an aliquot of this extract with the stable cation radical tris(p-bromophenyl)amminium hexachloroantimonate (TBACA). In experiments with BHT and BHA, the loss of TBACA absorbance at 730 nm was found to be linearly proportional to the amount of antioxidant added, with quantities of BHT as small as 200 pmol being easily detectable. In aqueous suspensions of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles, assays of the aqueous BHT concentration showed that BHT partitioned strongly into the membrane phase, achieving very high BHT/phospholipid ratios. For a given concentration of BHT, partitioning into the membrane phase was greater in large, multilamellar liposomes than in either small, single-walled vesicles or in purified rat brain synaptic vesicle membranes. Direct assay of BHT and BHA in phospholipid membranes, however, was complicated by a nonspecific interaction between TBACA and the phospholipid.