Relationships Between Population Growth and Population Density in Monocultures of Larix leptolepis

One year-old Japanese larch (Larix leptolepis) seedlings were planted in a nursery from 1984 to 1986 at four density levels with four replicates in order to investigate the relationships between plant growth and density of survivors. As the results shown, self-thinning occurred severely in populations growing at high densities. The rate of the self-thinning followed a trajectory defined by the 3/2 power law. The relationship between mean dry weight per tree and population density at a given stage of growth followed the reciprocal equation and power equation at early experimental stages, but changed gradually to follow the 3/2 power law as plants grew further. Shch a change was mainly caused by the constant basal area per ms and decreased growth of tree height along a gradient of the density. The relationship between tree height (h) and density (p) also be discussed and in the 3/2 power law system it could be described by an equation consisting of h=αp（-1/2） where α is a constant.     

Change of thermal stability of colicin E7 triggered by acidic pH suggests the existence of unfolded intermediate during the membrane-translocation phase

Purified colicin E7 was analyzed by CD spectrum and gel filtration chromatography in a mimicking membrane-translocation phase. It was found that the CD spectra of colicin E7 at pH 7 and pH 2.5 were similar. Although the melting temperature of the protein shifted from 54.5°C to 34°C at low pH, the thermal denaturation curves of colicin E7 at different pH conditions still fit a two-state model. These experimental results imply that a minor structural change, triggered by acidic pH, for instance, may reduce the energy required for protein melting. In contrast to the minor change in secondary structure at different pH conditions, we observed that, in vitro, all monomeric colicin E7s converted into multimer-like conformations after recovering from the partial unfolding process. This multimeric form of colicin can only be dissociated by formamide and guanidine hydrochloride, indicating that this protein complex is indeed formed by aggregation of the monomeric colicins. Most interestingly, the aggregated colicins still perform in vivo bacteriocidal activity. We suggest that in a partial unfolding state the colicin is prepared for binding to the specific targets for translocation through the membrane. However, in the absence of specific targets in vitro these unfold intermediates may therefore aggregate into the multimeric form of colicins. Proteins 32:17–25, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Cloning and Partial Characterization of Endopolygalacturonase Genes from Botrytis cinerea

Botrytis cinerea is a plant-pathogenic fungus infecting over 200 different plant species. We use a molecular genetic approach to study the process of pectin degradation by the fungus. Recently, we described the cloning and characterization of an endopolygalacturonase (endoPG) gene from B. cinerea (Bcpg1) which is required for full virulence. Here we describe the cloning and characterization of five additional endoPG-encoding genes from B. cinerea SAS56. The identity at the amino acid level between the six endoPGs of B. cinerea varied from 34 to 73%. Phylogenetic analysis, by using a group of 35 related fungal endoPGs and as an outgroup one plant PG, resulted in the identification of five monophyletic groups of closely related proteins. The endoPG proteins from B. cinerea SAS56 could be assigned to three different monophyletic groups. DNA blot analysis revealed the presence of the complete endoPG gene family in other strains of B. cinerea, as well as in other Botrytis species. Differential gene expression of the gene family members was found in mycelium grown in liquid culture with either glucose or polygalacturonic acid as the carbon source.     

The utility of internally transcribed spacer 2 DNA sequences of the nuclear ribosomal gene for distinguishing sibling species of Trichogramma

The usefulness of the internally transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) of the nuclear ribosomal gene complex is tested for providing taxonomic characters to identify Trichogramma species. The ITS2 sequences of a group of sibling species of the T. deion/T. pretiosum complexes were determined. A simple and precise identification key to the species of these assemblages was constructed using as taxonomic characters the size of the ITS2 and the difference in restriction length polymorphism of species with similarly sized ITS2. Individual wasps can be identified by amplification of their ITS2 with general primers, determining the size of the PCR product using standard agarose electrophoresis, followed in some species by a DNA-digestion with a restriction enzyme. Because this system works well for a number of closely related species we are hopeful that similar PCR-based identification can be extended to all species of the genus once their ITS2 sequences have been determined. The advantage of this identification system over the morphology-based system is that non-specialists are able to quickly and cheaply identify individual specimens. In addition, species specific primers were tested for the two most common species of these groups (i.e. T. pretiosum and T. deion). These primers can be used either as a direct identification tool or as a method to confirm the identification using the general key. The phylogeny of this group of wasps was also analyzed based on the ITS2 sequence.     

人体半导体激光外照射的疗效及其作用机理研究：血浆肽类神经递质 …

本工作应用半导体激光（６５０ｎｍ,１５－２０ｍＷ,ＣＷ）穴位照射人体双侧“扶突”穴后,同步观察其在血浆肽类神经递质上的变化以及其在血液黏度,免疫功能,抗氧化体系等方面的影响及其相关性。结果发现β－Ｅｐ有非常显著性的下降（Ｐ＜０．０２）,患者的ＮＫ细胞活性,在照射后即有所显著性地提高（Ｐ＜０．０５）。患者的超氧化物歧化酶（ＳＯＤ）亦有同步增加（Ｐ＜０．０５）。此外在血液流变学方面,发现血粘度指标中有     

记忆增强肽促进大鼠海马内CREB磷酸化

五肽ＺＮＣ（ＣＰＲ（ｐＢＧｌｕ－Ａｓｎ－Ｃｙｔ－Ｐｒｏ－Ａｒｇ－ＯＨ）是精氨酸加压素（ＡＶＰ）在脑内的天然酶解产物,具有促进学习记忆的中枢效应。为了进一步阐明其作用的分子机制,以整体大鼠海马及离体大鼠海马切片为对象,研究了ＺＮＣ（Ｃ）ＰＲ对ｃＡＭＰ反应元件结合蛋白（ＣＲＥＢ）磷酸化的作用。发现ＺＮＣ（Ｃ）ＰＲ及其类似物ＮＬＰＲ能诱导大鼠海马内ＣＲＥＢ磷酸２化,该作用能被其拮抗剂ＺＤＣ（Ｃ）ＰＲ、Ｇ     

宁夏旧石器考古调查报告

2002年4—5月在宁夏开展的考古调查共发现旧石器时代地点30余处。2003年4月再次调查并对上年发现地点进行复查,确定了灵武地区水洞沟、施家窑、张家窑和固原地区彭阳县岭儿村4处地点群,采集石制品300余件,动物化石20余件,大部分来自地层断面上。石制品个体多较小,类型多样。从地层和石制品特征判断,新地点多属旧石器时代晚期,与水洞沟文化时代相当;少许材料发现自早于水洞沟工业的层位。此项调查扩大了宁夏旧石器时代遗存的分布区,对探讨水洞沟文化的分布范围、渊源和旧石器时代晚期东西方人类迁徙和文化交流提供了重要线索。     

Phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of human retinoblastoma cells: correlations with metabolic indices

The ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum of cultured human Y-79 retinoblastoma cells was obtained at 121 MHz on intact cells trapped in agarose threads. The spectrum was dominated by monoester peaks, which varied in relative concentration from preparation to preparation. Resonances from phosphocreatine, phosphodiesters and diphosphodiesters also exhibited variability relative to ATP. The main monoester was identified as phosphorylcholine by ³¹P-NMR of perchloric acid extracts. It was determined that the changes in monoester concentration correlated with feeding pattern. Phosphorus spectra of cells 1,2 and 3 days post feeding showed a 40% decrese in the relative concentration of phosphorylcholine concentration over the 3 day period. Phosphocreatine, phosphodiesters and diphosphodiesters increased relative to ATP during the same period. Growth curve experiments and oxygen consumption measurements indicated that the decrease in phosphorylcholine correlated with a decrease in cellular growth and oxygen consumption. We conclude that monoester concentration may be a useful indicator of nutritional status in these cells and possibly in intact tumors.     

Studies of the T1 and T2 of intracellular water as a function of frequency in normal and transformed fetal cells.

Frequency-dependent values of the spin-lattice relaxation time (T1) and the spin-spin relaxation time (T2) have been obtained for intracellular water in normal and transformed Syrian hamster fetal fibroblasts. Values of T1 and T2 were obtained for normal and transformed cells at 24.3 (0.57 T), 100 (2.4 T), 300 (7.0 T), and 400 MHz (9.4 T). At each frequency, values of T1 were the same for both normal and transformed cells, whereas values of T2 were lower for one passage of transformed cells. As expected, T1 increased with frequency. However, T2 decreased with frequency for both normal and transformed cells. The frequency dependence of T2, was similar for all cells; thus, the ability of T2 to make a distinction between normal and transformed cells did not change with field.