31种木本植物开花物候与系统发育的关系

植物物候通常被认为是由环境因素,如降水、温度和日照长度所决定,然而环境因素是否是物候唯一的决定因素仍然存在很大争议。谱系结构表征了植物在进化上的顺序,该发育时序是否对物候产生影响,当前仍然未知。在调查2016年春季新疆乌鲁木齐市最常见的31种木本植物的初始开花时间、败花时间和开花持续时间的基础上,通过分析植物开花物候的分布特征、开花物候在乔灌木间的差别、以及植物谱系距离与开花物候距离间的关系,试图揭示植物的开花物候和物种谱系(进化)顺序间的关系。结果表明:(1)新疆乌鲁木齐市31种木本植物的初始开花时间为4月18日±9d、败花时间为5月5日±12d、开花持续时间为(16±8)d;(2)乔木的初始开花时间和败花时间的标准差分别均低于灌木,乔木开花物候相对灌木更稳定;(3)乔木的初始开花和败花时间均显著早于灌木(P0.05),但开花持续时间在两者间未有显著性差异(P0.05);(3)31种木本植物间的初始开花时间距离、败花时间距离和开花持续时间距离均与物种谱系距离存在显著线性回归关系(P0.05)。综上可知:乔灌木在垂直空间上的分化使得木本植物的开花物候在植物生活型间存在不同。对植物的开花物候,除已被证明的降水、温度和日照长度等环境因素的影响外,物种进化顺序也可能造成了它在植物种间、时间和空间上的变异。     

拉米夫定辅助治疗肺结核合并乙型肝炎的临床观察

目的:探讨拉米夫定辅助治疗对肺结核合并乙型肝炎患者的肝功能的影响和安全性。方法:选择2009年1月至2013年6月在我科门诊就诊或住院的肺结核合并乙型肝炎患者84例,随机均分为对照组与观察组,对照组给予常规治疗措施,观察组在上述基础上加用拉米夫定治疗,检测和比较两组患者治疗前和治疗后6个月相关临床指标及不良反应的发生情况。结果:治疗前,两组患者的总胆红素(TBIL)、丙氨酸转氨酶(ALT)、谷草转氨酶(AST)和HBV-DNA定量结果比较,差异均无统计学意义(均P0.05);治疗6个月后,观察组以上指标均显著低于对照组,差异均具有统计学意义(均P0.05)。两组患者治疗过程中均出现恶心、腹胀、乏力、肝区不适与肝功能损害,观察组以上不良反应的发生率均显著低于对照组,差异具有统计学意义(均P0.05)。结论:在肺结核合并乙型肝炎患者的抗结核药物治疗过程中加用拉米夫定不仅可显著抑制患者肝功能的损害,且安全性性更高。     

Competitive PCR reveals the complexity of postcopulatory sexual selection in Teleogryllus commodus

The outcome of mate choice depends on complex interactions between males and females both before and after copulation. Although the competition between males for access to mates and premating choice by females are relatively well understood, the nature of interactions between cryptic female choice and male sperm competition within the female reproductive tract is less clear. Understanding the complexity of postcopulatory sexual selection requires an understanding of how anatomy, physiology and behaviour mediate sperm transfer and storage within multiply mated females. Here we use a newly developed molecular technique to directly quantify mixed sperm stores in multiple mating females of the black field cricket, Teleogryllus commodus. In this species, female postcopulatory choice is easily observed and manipulated as females delay the removal of the spermatophore in favour of preferred males. Using twice‐mated females, we find that the proportion of sperm in the spermatheca attributed to the second male to mate with a female (S₂) increases linearly with the time of spermatophore attachment. Moreover, we show that the insemination success of a male increases with its attractiveness and decreases with the size of the female. The effect of male attractiveness in this context suggests a previously unknown episode of mate choice in this species that reinforces the sexual selection imposed by premating choice and conflicts with the outcome of postmating male harassment. Our results provide some of the clearest evidence yet for how sperm transfer and displacement in multiply mated females can lead directly to cryptic female choice, and that three distinct periods of sexual selection operate in black field crickets.     

COMPARISON OF THE EFFECT OF DIFFERENT SHORT CHAIN FATTY ACIDS ON THE GROWTH AND DIFFERENTIATION OF HUMAN COLONIC CARCINOMA CELL LINESIN VITRO

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of acetate, propionate, butyrate, iso-butyrate, valerate, iso-valerate and caproate on cell growth and on the activities of alkaline phosphatase (AP) and dipeptidyl aminopeptidase IV (DPP IV) by three human colonic adenocarcinoma cell lines. In addition to butyrate, propionate and valerate inhibited cell proliferation of the three cell lines. The other SCFAs did not influence cell proliferation. AP and DPP IV activities were strongly stimulated by butyrate on two of the three cell lines. On HT-29, AP was strongly stimulated, however DPPIV expression remained undetectable. Propionate and valerate exhibited a weaker stimulation, the other SCFAs being ineffective. The effect of SCFAs on cell proliferation and differentiation clearly depends on the number of carbons and on the configuration of the basic structure of the molecule.     

Characterization of eight polymorphic microsatellites in the shrew Crocidura suaveolens and its application to the study of insular populations of the French Atlantic coast

We developed eight polymorphic microsatellite loci to study the natural populations of Crocidura suaveolens, the lesser white‐toothed shrew. These loci are used in the study of insular populations of the French Atlantic coast where these shrews exhibit gigantism features that suggest an insular syndrome. These populations were threatened by the invasion of the rat Rattus norvegicus and the eradication of this alien pest in some islands was followed by a demographic expansion of the shrew populations. These first genetic results suggest that the shrew populations in the three studied islands are very differentiated.     

Tono Reservoir fishery contribution to poverty reduction among fishers in northern Ghana

Fishery characteristics and livelihood status of fishers at Tono Reservoir, Ghana, were investigated between January 2015 and June 2016. Data on fisher demography, fishing gears, fishing methods, perceptions of the state of fish stocks, management practices, income and consumption of fishers were obtained through structured interviews. Censuses of fishers and fishing gears were conducted through direct observation and counts. The population of fishers was 950 and the majority (74%) of the sampled respondents fell within the ages of 24–41 years. Gillnet, cast net, trap and hook and line were the four main gears utilised. Illegal methods of fishing observed included the use of mosquito nets (nets with mesh <1.0 cm) and the use of brewer’s waste (pito mash) as bait. Brycinus nurse, Synodontis spp., Parailia spiniserrata and Chrysichthys spp. were perceived to have disappeared from the reservoir. The fishers were unaware of the existence of any fisheries regulations, hence there was no adherence to management practices. Their daily income was derived mainly from fishing. The incidence of poverty among fishers was low (8%). The Tono Reservoir has a great potential for supporting livelihood if it is properly managed.