中国梧桐科上的尾孢类丝孢菌

报道生在中国梧桐科Sterculiaceae上的5种尾孢类丝孢菌（cercosporoid hyphomycetes）,其中在梧桐 Firmiana simplex 上新发现的2个新种,梧桐假尾孢 Pseudocercospora firmianae,梧桐生假尾孢 P. firmianicola和一个中国新记录种,野路葵假尾孢 P. corchorifoliae。提供了拉丁文特征简介、形态描述、绘图及讨论。研究的标本保存在中国科学院菌物标本馆（HMAS）。     

基于RAD-seq技术的异型花SSR信息分析

用RAD-seq（restriction-site associated DNA sequencing）对异型花（Sinoswertia tetraptera（Maxiowicz） T.N.Ho,S.W.Liu & J.Q.Liu）进行简化基因组测序,并借此分析异型花的SSR（simple sequence repeats）信息。利用SR search软件甄别所得序列中的SSR,得到了双端各有至少100 bp的SSR位点5 844个,其中5 339个（91.38%）成功设计引物,而三核苷酸SSR位点最多（3 323个）;在能成功设计引物的SSR位点中,重复序列长度包括17种（12~36 bp）;重复序列的基序共277种,其中五核苷酸基序种类最多（106种）;随机挑选10对SSR引物,用4个异型花居群的32个个体检测检测其可用性和多态性,经PCR和聚丙烯酰氨凝胶电泳检测,有4对（ST2、ST3、ST6和ST10）成功扩增并表现出多态性;经GENEPOP 4.4对4个位点分析,显示其等位基因数量均值为6,多态性较高且不连锁（P<0.01）;4个位点在多数居群中偏离哈迪温伯格平衡（P<0.01）且存在较高的纯合子数量（观测杂合度均值0.023）,该结果归因于异型花主要进行自花授粉,在自然界中很难形成进行自由交配的居群;此外,ST2和ST6可在椭圆叶花锚（Halenia elliptica D.Don）中成功扩增,具有潜在通用性。本研究将为日后基于异型花SSR标记的相关研究提供数据库支持。     

Zoom in on neurodegeneration

Despite the existence of several scientific journals that publish research papers and reviews related to neurodegenerative diseases, a journal specifically devoted to the molecular and cellular aspects of disease mechanisms is lacking. Molecular Neurodegeneration is an open-access, peer-reviewed, online journal created to publish original research articles that address i) the mechanisms of neurodegeneration at the cellular, subcellular and molecular levels and ii) potential therapeutic interventions for neurodegenerative diseases. Through publication of reviews, editorial commentaries, and meeting reports, Molecular Neurodegeneration will also provide a forum to enhance the exchange of ideas and promote debate that is essential for scientific progress. Molecular Neurodegeneration will enable scientists to rapidly communicate their important research discoveries to their colleagues around the world.     

端粒酶研究的若干进展

端粒酶是一种ＲＮＡ依赖的ＤＮＡ聚合酶。它的生物学功能在于以自身的ＲＮＡ为模板,合成端粒序列,解决了线性染色体的末端复制问题,维持了染色体的稳定性。本文介绍一些新进展：如端粒酶蛋白的ｃＤＮＡ已被克隆;端粒酶活性检测中出现误差的可能原因;端粒酶活性的调控因子ＴＲＦ１及新发现的ＴＲＦ２;端粒酶活性同肿瘤诊断及预后间的关系;端粒酶的激活同肿瘤发生间的关系;反义核酸抑制端粒酶活性的可能性及其可能发生的问题等。     

Studies on the in vivo-action of leupeptin on the nitrogen retention in rats

A daily s.c. injection of 0.5 mg leupeptin for 7 days does not influence the digestibility of food-N but seems to improve the N-retention. A daily injection of 1.0 mg leupeptin for 14 days is without influence on the digestibility of N, too, but the N-retention was decreased. At this leupeptin level the half-lives of intestinal proteins were prolonged. The data indicate the possibility to influence the N-retention using leupeptin.     

鱼类ghrelin研究进展

1999年日本学者Kojima,et al．^[1]在大鼠胃组织中首次发现了一种多肽,当这种多肽与生长激素促分泌素受体（Growth hormone secretagogue receptor,GHS—R）结合后,能刺激生长激素（Growth hormone,GH）的分泌,因此将其命名为ghrelin（ghre即grow之意）。此后,人们相继发现ghrelin在摄食、能量平衡、体重、心血管等方面显示出多种调节作用。目前有关人类和哺乳动物ghrelin的研究主要集中在药学研究和畜牧饲料开发两大方面,并取得了一定成效。国内外有关鱼类ghrelin的研究资料较少,相关报道仅见于少数的几种鱼类。本文从鱼类ghrelin的结构、组织分布及生理功能三个方面综述了鱼类ghrelin研究的进展情况;     

Zooming in on Downward Causation

An attempt is made to identify a concept of ‘downward causation’ that will fit the claims of some recent writers and apply to interesting cases in biology and cognitive theory, but not to trivial cases. After noting some difficulties in achieving this task, it is proposed that in interesting cases commonly used to illustrate ‘downward causation’, (a) regularities hold between multiply realizable properties and (b) the explanation of the parallel regularity at the level of the realizing properties is non-trivial. It is argued that the relation between a realizable property and the property that realizes its effect in a particular case is not usefully regarded as a species of causation and that use of the concept of downward causation deflects our attention from our central explanatory tasks.     

植物蜕皮激素的研究进展

蜕皮激素最早是从昆虫体内分离得到的,现今已有几十种该物质的类似物从植物中发现。综述了植物蜕皮激素类化合物的结构特点、资源分布、药理活性和应用方面近年来的研究情况。     

北京市春季天气状况对针叶树叶面颗粒物附着密度的影响

对北京市侧柏、圆柏、油松和云杉冲洗与未冲洗植株春季1个月内叶面颗粒物附着密度进行了观测,并对照逐日气象数据和测试树种叶表面微形态,分析了天气状况对叶面颗粒物附着密度的影响。结果表明,春季降雨、大风、沙尘等天气状况交替出现导致叶面颗粒物附着密度随之变化,大多数时间低于冬季。测试树种叶面部分颗粒物附着牢固,不能被中等强度15 mm降雨冲掉。5~6级大风不会使叶面颗粒物附着密度减少。与本地扬尘相比,外来入侵沙尘可使叶面颗粒物附着密度较大增加。侧柏和圆柏叶表面密集脊状突起间的沟槽可深藏许多颗粒物,且颗粒物固着牢固,不易被降雨和大风去除。油松叶表面光滑、粘性大,易于小颗粒物的附着,但颗粒物容量较低,附着不牢固。云杉气孔周围较宽凹槽利于牢固滞留较大颗粒物,能有效捕获粒径较大的外来沙尘。