链霉菌M-1菌株所产抑菌活性物质特性的初步研究

用链霉菌M-1菌株所产的抑菌物质进行稳定性试验和极性试验,稳定性试验表明该菌株连续传代10次后遗传性稳定,且发酵液在100℃处理60 min,紫外线照射3 min和在碱性条件下处理后其对病原指示菌的抑菌活性基本不减。极性试验表明该物质属于弱碱性水溶性抗生素。本研究为进一步对该抑菌活性物质分离提取工艺和其在实践上的应用,提供了有益的试验数据。     

关于提高血气分析仪测量精度的探讨

血气分析已广泛用于昏迷、休克、严重外伤的危急病人的血液酸碱度、氧分压、二氧化碳分压的测量。测量数据的准确性至关重要。本文对与测量精度有关的几个环节如计量检定、质控与定标、样本采集与测量、日常维护与故障处理进行探讨,提出提高血气分析精度的解决方案。     

Proteomic approach to substrates related to MAPK pathway in 293T cells

Abundant evidence indicates that potential scaffold proteins and adaptor or linker molecules organize and specify various MAP kinase cascades. In the present study, proteomic methodologies were applied to screen these potential molecules in combination with cell morphology and cell cycle analysis. MEK1E, MKK3b, MKK5D and MKK7D were selected as representative MKKs of four main MAPK pathways. Our results showed that similar morphological transformation and G(2)/M cell cycle arrest were promoted by the over-expressed four kinases. Furthermore, global change in response to the over-expressed four kinases was characterized by differential proteomics. Eleven distinctly changed proteins were detected, in which four proteins (serine/threonine kinase 4, glutathione S-transferase p1-1, glycoprotein IX and soluble inorganic pyrophosphatase) were reported to be relative to MAPK pathways, while the other seven proteins may be new elements of substrates of the kinases. In our experiment, the expression of platelet glycoprotein IX precursor, glutathione S-transferase p1-1, peroxiredoxin 6, Ras-related protein Rab-34 and arginase II, mitochondrial precursor was up-regulated, while the expression of serine/threonine kinase 4 (MST1) was down-regulated by the four kinases. These results suggest that these six proteins may be common targets of all the MAPK pathways in 293T cell line. Interestingly, the expression of splicing factor 3B subunit 4 and soluble inorganic pyrophosphatase (Ppase) was specifically up-regulated by MEK1E and MKK5D, and by MEK1E, MKK3b and MKK5D, respectively. The expression of methylglyoxalase was down-regulated by MEK1E and MKK7D. Furthermore, the expression of ADP-ribosylation factor-like protein 1 was up-regulated by MKK5D but down-regulated by MKK3b and MKK7D. These findings revealed the characteristic molecular responses to four MKKs. In conclusion, our study not only confirms that MST1, glutathione S-transferase p1-1, glycoprotein IX and soluble PPase belong to MAPK pathways, but also provides seven novel molecules for the further study of the pathways.     

A novel device to monitor small changes in underwater distances

Abstract. This study describes a technique to record small (1 cm) distance changes or movements occurring in seawater using a simple electronic circuit and miniature ball electrodes. This low-cost technique was designed to directly measure such changes in a broad range of experiments involving small marine invertebrates while minimizing the mechanical loading of the structures of interest. The circuit detects and amplifies small changes in the resistance of seawater between two electrodes as the distance between them varies; these are then converted to voltage changes. After calibrating the output of the device with known distance measurements, it was evaluated using a test organism by monitoring and recording the body flushing behavior of the sea squirt, Styela plicata . Electrodes were sewn to the tunic at the base of the atrial siphon and changes in its diameter were recorded >24-h periods. Using ∼3-cm-tall sea squirts, the distance between the electrodes expanded and contracted with a range of 5.5 mm during rhythmic flushings. Flushes occurred on average every 4.1 min and showed a rapid initial contraction, followed by a slower expansion while refilling. Attaching electrodes to the tunic had little mechanical or behavioral effect; the untouched control specimen had similar flushing rates. The movement monitor circuit is stable, sensitive, and performed well in full-strength seawater experiments where good spatial and high temporal resolution, low inertial loading, and low noise were required. The technique, as shown here, can be used to record a wide range of animal movements and further suggested modifications of the circuit may suit a broad range of other experimental situations.     

Phenotypic plasticity and contemporary evolution in introduced populations: evidence from translocated populations of white sands pupfish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cyrpinodon tularosa</Emphasis>)

Contemporary evolution has been shown in a few studies to be an important component of colonization ability, but seldom have researchers considered whether phenotypic plasticity facilitates directional evolution from the invasion event. In the current study, we evaluated body shape divergence of the New Mexico State-threatened White Sands pupfish (Cyprinodon tularosa) that were introduced to brackish, lacustrine habitats at two different time in the recent past (approximately 30 years and 1 year previously) from the same source population (saline river environment). Pupfish body shape is correlated with environmental salinity: fish from saline habitats are characterized by slender body shapes, whereas fish from fresher, yet brackish springs are deep-bodied. In this study, lacustrine populations consisted of an approximately 30-year old population and several 1-year old populations, all introduced from the same source. The body shape divergence of the 30-year old population was significant and greater than any of the divergences of the 1-year old populations (which were for the most part not significant). Nonetheless, all body shape changes exhibited body deepening in less saline environments. We conclude that phenotypic plasticity potentially facilitates directional evolution of body deepening for introduced pupfish populations.     

Old and new challenges in using species diversity for assessing biodiversity

Although the maintenance of diversity of living systems is critical for ecosystem functioning, the accelerating pace of global change is threatening its preservation. Standardized methods for biodiversity assessment and monitoring are needed. Species diversity is one of the most widely adopted metrics for assessing patterns and processes of biodiversity, at both ecological and biogeographic scales. However, those perspectives differ because of the types of data that can be feasibly collected, resulting in differences in the questions that can be addressed. Despite a theoretical consensus on diversity metrics, standardized methods for its measurement are lacking, especially at the scales needed to monitor biodiversity for conservation and management purposes. We review the conceptual framework for species diversity, examine common metrics, and explore their use for biodiversity conservation and management. Key differences in diversity measures at ecological and biogeographic scales are the completeness of species lists and the ability to include information on species abundances. We analyse the major pitfalls and problems with quantitative measurement of species diversity, look at the use of weighting measures by phylogenetic distance, discuss potential solutions and propose a research agenda to solve the major existing problems.     

Tree dynamics and co‐existence in the montane–sub‐alpine ecotone: the role of different light‐induced strategies

Questions: Is light availability the main factor driving forest dynamics in Pyrenean sub‐alpine forests? Do pines and firs differ in growth, mortality and morphological response to low light availability? Can differences in shade tolerance affect predictions of future biome changes in Pyrenean sub‐alpine forests in the absence of thermal limitation? Location: Montane–sub‐alpine ecotones of the Eastern Pyrenees (NE Spain). Methods: We evaluated morphological plasticity, survival and growth response of saplings of Scots pine, mountain pine and silver fir to light availability in a mixed forest ecotone. For each species, we selected 100 living and 50 dead saplings and measured size, crown morphology and light availability. A wood disk at root collar was then removed for every sapling, and models relating growth and mortality to light were obtained. Results: Fir had the lowest mortality rate (<0.1) for any given light condition. Pines had comparable responses to light availability, although in deep shade Scots pine risked higher mortality (0.35) than mountain pine (0.19). Pines and fir developed opposing strategies to light deprivation: fir employed a conservative strategy based on sacrificing height growth, whereas pines enhanced height growth to escape from shade, but at the expense of higher mortality risk. Scots pine showed higher plasticity than mountain pine for all architectural and morphological traits analysed, having higher adaptive capacity to a changing environment. Conclusions: Our results support the prediction of future biome changes in Pyrenean sub‐alpine forests as silver fir and Scots pine may find appropriate conditions for colonizing mountain pine‐dominated stands due to land‐use change‐related forest densification and climate warming‐related temperature increases, respectively.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ophiocordyceps pulvinata</Emphasis> sp. nov., a pathogen of ants with a reduced stroma

Ophiocordyceps pulvinata, a pathogen of ants, is formally described as a new species. Genus level designation of this species is difficult due to several apparently conflicting morphological and ecological characters. Affinity with Ophiocordyceps is suggested by the dark color stroma and ascospore morphology. However, the species was included in a book of entomopathogenic fungi of Japan as Torrubiella sp. due to the production of perithecia on an astipitate stroma. Phylogenetic analyses of molecular data support a close relationship with O. unilateralis, a finding consistent with morphological characteristics of the color, asci and ascospores and ecological traits of host affiliation. Thus, O. pulvinata represents another example of the loss of stipe for the hypocrealean arthropod pathogenic fungi and highlights the utility of asci and ascospore morphology as taxonomically informative characters of closely related taxa.