Genotype-phenotype correlations in XX males and their bearing on current theories of sex determination

Summary All available evidence indicates that the human mutation rate increases with paternal age. In developed countries, a reduction in the proportion of older parents is a common feature of the marked changes in parental age distribution that occur as a result of family planning. We have related the current paternal age distribution in the European countries for which data is readily available, to a derived curve for paternal agespecific relative mutation rate. The results indicate that, to the extent that it is dependent on paternal age, the mutation rate has decreased considerably in developed countries during the past 50 years. The human mutation rate is a dynamic entity, continuously changing in response to social conditions.     

寨卡病毒检测研究进展

寨卡病毒病是近年来在非洲、亚洲、南美洲等地流行的一种隐性传染病.该病由寨卡病毒(Zika virus,ZIKV)感染导致,虽然患者或携带者的病情并不明显,或在短期内很难察觉.但由于近些年来的突然流行,患者数目的 急剧增加,而且各国间贸易往来愈加繁荣,亦加快了该疾病流行的步伐.疾病的防治离不开确切的诊断,如何快速、准确检测出寨卡病毒不容小觑,是急需解决的世界性难题之一.     

新疆塔里木柯坪地区上奥陶统凯迪阶串管海绵类化石及其滤食选择性探讨北大核心

奥陶纪是串管海绵早期演化的一个关键阶段,记录了该类群的首次大规模辐射演化事件(属级分类单元达15个)。然而,现有大部分奥陶系串管海绵的报道来自澳大利亚东部和北美等地,在中国至今仅发现了两个属,与前述地区相比研究程度偏低。早期研究主要基于形态学特征对串管海绵进行系统分类描述,对其滤食策略知之甚少,因此制约了对此类海绵在奥陶纪底栖生态系统作用的相关探讨。本文系新疆塔里木柯坪地区奥陶纪串管海绵的首次系统古生物学报道,详细描述凯迪阶(上奥陶统)印干组中保存完好的阔室丛花海绵(Corymbospongia amplia)化石的形态学特征,并通过研究标本外壁微孔孔径的大小分布,探讨其滤食选择性。海绵外壁微孔孔径的分析表明:小型和微型浮游生物可能是其食物的主要来源,而多细胞浮游动物因个体尺寸大于海绵外壁微孔,不能被阔室丛花海绵捕获。本研究为奥陶纪串管海绵古生态学及其地球生物学意义的探讨提供了进一步的依据。