鄂西南天然林主要乔木树种物种组成及林分空间结构动态变化研究

该研究以鄂西南木林子国家级自然保护区内天然林为研究对象,以森林内胸径≥5 cm的乔木个体为具体分析对象,通过乔木树种重要值及其角尺度、大小比、混交度等林分空间结构参数的一元分布,阐述林分空间分布格局、大小分化程度、林木混交程度及变化,并通过分析林分空间结构参数的二元分布,探究各参数之间的联系,揭示5年间其林分空间结构特征及动态变化,为该林分类型的森林可持续经营提供准确的数据,以促进林分结构理想化,维持该区域物种多样性。结果显示:(1)2014年与2019年林分中主要建群种均为青冈(Cyclobalanopsis glauca),该种在群落中处于优势地位,鹅耳枥(Carpinus turczaninowii)重要值提高0.63%,其在林分中的相对重要性超过杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolata)位居第二,说明在该群落中鹅耳枥具有稳定的种群结构。(2)林分整体依然处于轻微团状分布状态,且各树种强度混交,平均混交度增长0.02,大小比均值降低0.01,林分生长依然处于中庸状态,5年来林分整体空间结构变化较小,但处于由当前林分结构向理想结构的过渡阶段。(3)结构参数两两组合的各组林分空间结构二元分布中,各参数不同取值等级的变化趋势基本不变,但大小比和混交度的二元分布结果显示林分中处于绝对劣势、劣势且零度混交、弱度混交的林木个体减少,林分稳定性得到提高。研究表明,研究区内天然林分空间结构动态变化虽不明显,但处于向更好、更稳定的结构发展中。     

A Cross-Sectional Epidemiological Study of Prevalence and Severity of Bit-Induced Oral Trauma in Polo Ponies and Race Horses

Bit and bridle accessories improperly fitted in ridden horses can cause oral trauma such as bone spurs, commissure ulceration, and tongue lacerations. This study was used to identify, grade, and compare the types of oral traumas commonly found within polo ponies and race horses. Injuries were assessed visually and by palpation on the tongue, lips’ commissures, and interdental space. A total of 50 polo ponies and 50 race horses were sampled in the South of England. A Poisson model was successfully fitted to the data (p < .001), and the variables of discipline (p < .001), injury type (p < .001), and age (p < .001) were significant. Race horses with snaffle bits were predisposed to significantly higher severities and prevalence of oral trauma than were polo ponies in gag bits. Only polo ponies were observed with tongue trauma. Race horses had higher severities of injuries in the commissures and bone spurs. Positive correlations were found between age and/or time in sport and induced biting injuries. Polo ponies had been playing longer before the occurrence of injuries.     

Algal Bioremediation of Waste Waters from Land-Based Aquaculture Using Ulva: Selecting Target Species and Strains

The optimised reduction of dissolved nutrient loads in aquaculture effluents through bioremediation requires selection of appropriate algal species and strains. The objective of the current study was to identify target species and strains from the macroalgal genus Ulva for bioremediation of land-based aquaculture facilities in Eastern Australia. We surveyed land-based aquaculture facilities and natural coastal environments across three geographic locations in Eastern Australia to determine which species of Ulva occur naturally in this region and conducted growth trials at three temperature treatments on a subset of samples from each location to determine whether local strains had superior performance under local environmental conditions. DNA barcoding using the markers ITS and tufA identified six species of Ulva, with U. ohnoi being the most common blade species and U. sp. 3 the most common filamentous species. Both species occurred at multiple land-based aquaculture facilities in Townsville and Brisbane and multiple strains of each species grew well in culture. Specific growth rates of U. ohnoi and U. sp. 3 were high (over 9% and 15% day⁻¹ respectively) across temperature treatments. Within species, strains of U. ohnoi had higher growth in temperatures corresponding to local conditions, suggesting that strains may be locally adapted. However, across all temperature treatments Townsville strains had the highest growth rates (11.2–20.4% day⁻¹) and Sydney strains had the lowest growth rates (2.5–8.3% day⁻¹). We also found significant differences in growth between strains of U. ohnoi collected from the same geographic location, highlighting the potential to isolate and cultivate fast growing strains. In contrast, there was no clearly identifiable competitive strain of filamentous Ulva, with multiple species and strains having variable performance. The fast growth rates and broad geographical distribution of U. ohnoi make this an ideal species to target for bioremediation activities at land-based aquaculture facilities in Eastern Australia.     

Calmodulin Inhibitors from Aspergillus stromatoides

An organic extract was prepared from the culture medium and mycelia of the marine fungus Aspergillus stromatoides Raper & Fennell . The extract was fractionated via column chromatography, and the resulting fractions were tested for their abilities to quench the fluorescence of the calmodulin (CaM) biosensor hCaM M124C‐mBBr. From the active fraction, emodin ( 1 ) and ω‐hydroxyemodin ( 2 ) were isolated as CaM inhibitors. Anthraquinones 1 and 2 quenched the fluorescence of the hCaM M124C‐mBBr biosensor in a concentration‐dependent manner with K_d values of 0.33 and 0.76 μM , respectively. The results were compared with those of chlorpromazine (CPZ), a classical inhibitor of CaM, with a K_d value of 1.25 μM . Docking analysis revealed that 1 and 2 bind to the same pocket of CPZ. The CaM inhibitor properties of 1 and 2 were correlated with some of their reported biological properties. Citrinin ( 3 ), methyl 8‐hydroxy‐6‐methyl‐9‐oxo‐9H‐xanthene‐1‐carboxylate ( 4 ), and coniochaetone A ( 5 ) were also isolated in the present study. The X‐ray structure of 5 is reported for the first time.     

马铃薯实生群体遗传多样性的SSR分析

以云南马铃薯品种‘剑川红’植株1个浆果中的天然实生种子产生的70个单株以及B20[CIP010(♀)×CIP004(♂)]杂交组合后代100个实生苗单株为材料,采用12对SSR引物对自交种和杂交实生群体的遗传差异性进行分析,旨在从后代群体中找到与母本(亲本)在分子水平上表现一致的植株,为种质资源的长期保存提供依据。结果表明:(1)‘剑川红’自交群体的多态性比率为81.6%,比杂交组合B20实生群体的多态性比率72.8%略高,说明2个群体的多态性比率均较高。(2)聚类分析结果显示,自交后代和杂交后代群体的遗传相似系数均较高,变化范围均在0.74~0.96之间,说明2个群体均发生了不同程度的遗传分离,但分离的程度较小,绝大多数条带表现一致。(3)在所有供试材料中,同一浆果中均未发现与‘剑川红’母株在分子水平上表现完全一致的单株。研究认为,在分子水平上寻找完全不分离的实生群体难度非常大,需进一步评价与母株(亲本)在分子水平上相似株系的田间表现,从而确定是否可以通过相近或极相近株系来恢复种源。     

温度对中型指环虫产卵和孵化的影响

指环虫病是严重影响鱼类养殖的寄生虫病.为了有效控制指环虫病,实验研究了寄生在金鱼(Carassius auratus)鳃部的中型指环虫(Dactylogyrus intermedius)卵、纤毛幼虫的形态,以及在离体条件下温度对其产卵和孵化的影响.成熟的中型指环虫虫卵大部分为梨形,长30 μm左右,后端有一个卵柄.纤毛幼虫呈圆筒状,两端稍尖,眼点两对;后吸盘具有若干对小锚钩;在前部、中部和尾部分别具有一圈纤毛.实验研究了4℃、10℃、22℃、30℃和35℃条件下中型指环虫的产卵和孵化情况,在4℃条件下,中型指环虫基本不产卵也不孵化;在其他4个温度条件下,产卵量随着温度的升高而增加,其平均产卵量分别为3.30、4.10、4.13和4.24枚/虫.统计结果显示:在35℃条件下的产卵量明显高于10℃(P＜0.05),其他温度条件下的平均产卵量没有显著性差异.中型指环虫的产卵速率随着温度的升高而加快,产卵维持的时间分别为4d、23h、15h和llh.孵化率在22℃时最高,为72.7％,在30℃和35℃的孵化率为50％左右,卡方检验显示:4种温度下的孵化率之间没有显著性差异p＞0.05);随着温度的升高,孵化速率逐渐加快,而孵化时间和纤毛幼虫的存活时间则缩短,平均孵化时间分别为24d、3d、42h和26h,纤毛幼虫的最长存活时间分别为4d、3d、56h和34h.结果显示,当水温为22℃时,中型指环虫的产卵数量和纤毛幼虫的存活时间都比较高,且孵化率最高,表明该温度条件较适合中型指环虫的种群增长.     

Importance of the interaction protein–protein of the CaM–PDE1A and CaM–MLCK complexes in the development of new anti‐CaM drugs

Protein–protein interactions play central roles in physiological and pathological processes. The bases of the mechanisms of drug action are relevant to the discovery of new therapeutic targets. This work focuses on understanding the interactions in protein–protein–ligands complexes, using proteins calmodulin (CaM), human calcium/calmodulin‐dependent 3′,5′‐cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase 1A active human (PDE1A), and myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) and ligands αII–spectrin peptide (αII–spec), and two inhibitors of CaM (chlorpromazine (CPZ) and malbrancheamide (MBC)). The interaction was monitored with a fluorescent biosensor of CaM (hCaM M124C–mBBr). The results showed changes in the affinity of CPZ and MBC depending on the CaM–protein complex under analysis. For the Ca²⁺–CaM, Ca²⁺–CaM–PDE1A, and Ca²⁺–CaM–MLCK complexes, CPZ apparent dissociation constants (K_ds) were 1.11, 0.28, and 0.55 μM, respectively; and for MBC K_ds were 1.43, 1.10, and 0.61 μM, respectively. In competition experiments the addition of calmodulin binding peptide 1 (αII–spec) to Ca²⁺–hCaM M124C–mBBr quenched the fluorescence (K_d = 2.55 ± 1.75 pM) and the later addition of MBC (up to 16 μM) did not affect the fluorescent signal. Instead, the additions of αII–spec to a preformed Ca²⁺–hCaM M124C–mBBr–MBC complex modified the fluorescent signal. However, MBC was able to displace the PDE1A and MLCK from its complex with Ca²⁺–CaM. In addition, docking studies were performed for all complexes with both ligands showing an excellent correlation with experimental data. These experiments may help to explain why in vivo many CaM drugs target prefer only a subset of the Ca²⁺–CaM regulated proteins and adds to the understanding of molecular interactions between protein complexes and small ligands. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Apoptotic microtubules delimit an active caspase free area in the cellular cortex during the execution phase of apoptosis

Apoptotic microtubule network (AMN) is organized during apoptosis, forming a cortical structure beneath plasma membrane, which has an important role in preserving cell morphology and plasma membrane permeability. The aim of this study was to examine the role of AMN in maintaining plasma membrane integrity during the execution phase of apoptosis. We demonstrated in camptothecin-induced apoptosis in H460 cells that AMN delimits an active caspase free area beneath plasma membrane that permits the preservation of cellular cortex and transmembrane proteins. AMN depolymerization in apoptotic cells by a short exposure to colchicine allowed active caspases to reach the cellular cortex and cleave many key proteins involved in plasma membrane structural support, cell adhesion and ionic homeostasis. Cleavage of cellular cortex and plasma membrane proteins, such as α-spectrin, paxilin, focal adhesion kinase (FAK), E-cadherin and integrin subunit β4 was associated with cell collapse and cell detachment. Otherwise, cleavage-mediated inactivation of calcium ATPase pump (PMCA-4) and Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchanger (NCX) involved in cell calcium extrusion resulted in calcium overload. Furthermore, cleavage of Na⁺/K⁺ pump subunit β was associated with altered sodium homeostasis. Cleavage of cell cortex and plasma membrane proteins in apoptotic cells after AMN depolymerization increased plasma permeability, ionic imbalance and bioenergetic collapse, leading apoptotic cells to secondary necrosis. The essential role of caspase-mediated cleavage in this process was demonstrated because the concomitant addition of colchicine that induces AMN depolymerization and the pan-caspase inhibitor z-VAD avoided the cleavage of cortical and plasma membrane proteins and prevented apoptotic cells to undergo secondary necrosis. Furthermore, the presence of AMN was also critical for proper phosphatidylserine externalization and apoptotic cell clearance by macrophages. These results indicate that AMN is essential to preserve an active caspase free area in the cellular cortex of apoptotic cells that allows plasma membrane integrity during the execution phase of apoptosis.