河套灌区九排域农田排水沟植物物种多样性

2010年8-9月对河套灌区九排域农田排水沟植物进行了综合调查.分别在干沟、支沟、斗沟/农沟的上、中、下游布设断面,断面上设置0.5m×0.5m和5m×5m样方对草本和灌木的植物种类和数量进行调查.结果表明:河套灌区九排域农田排水沟植物由17个科、38个属、39个种组成,禾本科(n=10)、菊科(n=7)和藜科(n=4)植物种类最多,芦苇、羊草和盐地碱蓬是分布面积最广的物种.干沟、支沟和斗/农沟的多样性指数、丰富度指数、均匀度指数和优势度指数值分别为0.57、1.93、0.37和0.81,0.77、3.46、0.65和0.50,0.90、3.88、0.64和0.53.物种多样性表现为边坡的高于沟底,但排沟等级间的变化趋势不明显.水的存留时间及农业管理(清沟)是影响植物物种多样性最主要的因素.     

基于RAPD技术探讨黄精属部分药用植物系统位置

目的：从分子水平探讨黄精属部分药用植物间的系统位置。方法：采用RAPD分子标记方法,以同科万寿竹属植物宝铎草（Disporum sessile D．Don）为外类群,对百合科黄精属19批（6种）药用植物进行基因组DNA的多态性分析,通过聚类分析探讨黄精种属间亲缘关系。结果：筛选出7条随机引物,聚类结果表明,黄精属植物在属级分类上特征明显,但属内分类有交叉。结论：RAPD技术可以为黄精属的分类和种的鉴别提供一定的理论依据。     

‘长林4号’油茶树冠不同部位的果实性状差异

以5年生‘长林4号’油茶为试材,对树体冠层不同部位的油茶果实性状进行研究。结果表明,与树冠内层果实相比,树冠外层中上部的果实较大(29.5 g),籽粒数较多(4.8粒/果),鲜出籽率和果形指数相对较小(分别为46.8%和0.81);树冠外层果实的种仁含油率(41.2%)显著高于内层果实(α=0.05),而树冠外层不同部位的种仁含油率无显著差异;此外,树冠不同部位的果实茶油的脂肪酸组成无明显差异,果实着生部位对茶油品质的影响不大。     

单胎头位初产妇产程图分析

目的：探讨存在难产因素初产妇产程图的临床意义。方法：对2009年6月至2010年6月在济南军区总医院住院分娩的326例单胎头位初产妇的产程图进行回顾性分析。结果：产程图异常组中难产因素的构成比和剖宫产率均高于产程图正常组;存在难产因素的组别（胎方位异常组、宫缩乏力组、巨大儿组）产程中各阶段时限均较正常产妇组长,宫颈扩张速度均较正常组慢,胎头位置均高于正常组,以上差异均有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。结论：在产程中对产程图中各阶段时限、宫颈扩张速度及胎头位置等指标进行监测,来预测和及时发现头位难产因素的存在,及时给予处理,改善母儿预后。     

单胎头位初产妇产程图分析

目的:探讨存在难产因素初产妇产程图的临床意义。方法:对2009年6月至2010年6月在济南军区总医院住院分娩的326例单胎头位初产妇的产程图进行回顾性分析。结果:产程图异常组中难产因素的构成比和剖宫产率均高于产程图正常组;存在难产因素的组别(胎方位异常组、宫缩乏力组、巨大儿组)产程中各阶段时限均较正常产妇组长,宫颈扩张速度均较正常组慢,胎头位置均高于正常组,以上差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:在产程中对产程图中各阶段时限、宫颈扩张速度及胎头位置等指标进行监测,来预测和及时发现头位难产因素的存在,及时给予处理,改善母儿预后。     

Photosynthetic and morphological characters of Caragana microphylla in different slope aspects and positions

In order to find out how small scale topographical factors affect growth and physiological characters of Caragana microphylla, which is a widely distributed shrub species and has an important role in restoring degraded grassland in natural ecosystem, a natural population of C. microphylla was chosen in a typical steppe community in June, 2009. The population was 34 km to the southeast of Xilinhot City, China, and a total of 54 shrubs were selected from different slope aspects and positions. We investigated the photosynthetic and morphological characters of these shrubs and analyzed the relationship between plant traits of C. microphylla and soil nitrogen and phosphorus availability. Moreover, the relationship between plant traits of C. microphylla and herbaceous aboveground biomass was studied. (1) The maximum net photosynthetic rate (Pn_max) was significantly lower on shady slopes than that on sunny slopes and higher on upper slopes than that on lower slopes. Stomatal conductance (Gs), net photosynthetic rate/intercellular CO₂ concentration (Pn/Ci) and intercellular CO₂ concentration (Ci) under saturated irradiance showed similar trends with slope aspect and position. Likewise, the maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm), PSII potential activity (Fv/Fo) and the first-year shoot morphological characters of C. microphylla were also correlated with slope aspect and position. (2) Soil nitrogen availability showed no significant effect on photosynthetic or morphological traits of C. microphylla, however, there were several significant relationships between soil phosphorus availability and plant traits. Dry weight, shoot length, compound leaf size, and leaflet length of first-year shoots of C. microphylla were significantly negatively correlated with soil C:P ratio. Though not significant, photosynthetic parameters under saturated light and other morphological characters of first-year shoots were negatively correlated with soil C:P ratio, i.e., these traits increased with increasing soil phosphorus availability. These suggested that the difference of soil phosphorus availability played an important role in making C. microphylla having different photosynthetic and morphological characters on different slope aspects and positions. The individuals grown in relatively P-rich site had longer shoots and larger leaves and grew better. Low phosphorus content was thought to limit photosynthetic activity through several different mechanisms, including both stomatal and non-stomatal limitations, the latter being more likely in the present study. (3) Photosynthetic and morphological characters of C. microphylla were all negatively correlated with herbaceous aboveground biomass, though only Pn/Ci and length of first-year shoot were significantly correlated with it. This indicated that the difference in plant community was a factor making C. microphylla have different growth and physiological characters on different aspects and positions of slope. A number of studies showed that grazing of the herbaceous layer promoted the establishment and proliferation of woody species, and then led to grassland deterioration; but in arid and semi-arid ecosystems, some widely distributed shrub species like C. microphylla created resource islands and provide favorable microhabitat for grass species. In the present study, we found negative correlations between traits of C. microphylla and herbaceous aboveground biomass. We suggested that the removal of livestock grazing result in the decrease of the distribution C. microphylla and increase of grass coverage, and lead to the restoration of the typical steppe.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Gypsy embryo</Emphasis> specifies ovule curvature by regulating ovule/integument development in rice

The embryo position in a seed is stable in most plant species, indicating the existence of a strict regulatory mechanism that specifies the embryo position in the seed. To elucidate this mechanism, we analyzed the gypsy embryo (gym) mutant of rice, in which the position of the mature embryo in the seed is altered at a low frequency. Analyses of early embryogenesis and ovule development showed that the ectopic embryo was derived from an ill-positioned egg cell, which resulted from the incomplete curvature of the ovule. Although the development of both the inner and outer integuments was impaired, the ovule curvature was associated closely with the extent of inner integument growth. Therefore, inner integument development controls ovule curvature in rice. The expression patterns of OSH1 and OsMADS13 indicated that, in gym, a small number of indeterminate cells are maintained on the style side of the ovule and then in the integument primordium at a low frequency. The prolonged survival of these indeterminate cells disturbs normal integument development. The gym fon2 double mutant suggests that GYM and FON2 are involved redundantly in floral meristem determinacy. Possible functions of the GYM gene and the ovule developmental mechanism are discussed.     

Response of wetland plant species to hydrologic conditions

Understanding hydrologic requirements of native and introduced species is critical to sustaining native plant communities in wetlands of disturbed landscapes. We examined plant assemblages, and 31 of the most common species comprising them, from emergent wetlands in an urbanizing area of the Pacific Northwest, USA, in relation to in situ, fine-scale hydrology. Percent cover by plant species was estimated in 2208 1-m² plots across 43 sites, with water depth at time of vegetation sampling measured in 432 plots. Three years of bi-weekly hydrologic data from each of the 43 sites were used to estimate mean surface water level and mean absolute difference (MAD) in surface water level for every plot. Nine assemblages of plant species that co-occur in the field were identified using TWINSPAN. The assemblage richest in native species occurred under intermediate hydrologic conditions and was bracketed by pasture grass dominated assemblages at drier conditions with low water level variability, and Phalaris arundinacea L. assemblages with higher mean water levels and variability. Results suggest minor changes in average water levels (10 cm) or in variability (±2 cm in MAD) could promote a shift from assemblages dominated by natives to those dominated by invasive or alien taxa. Canonical correspondence analysis segregated the species into four groups related to hydrologic gradients. Each species response group was typified by taxa with similar optima for a given environmental variable, with each group related to a characteristic suite of hydrologic conditions. The most common species (P. arundinacea, Juncus effusus L., and Typha latifolia L.), each representing a different response group, exhibited unique responses in occurrence/abundance in relation to water level variability, but were abundant over a wide range of water depth. The realized niches of other species in each response group were more restricted, with peaks in cover confined to narrower ranges of water depth and variability.     

Distinguishing modes of eukaryotic gradient sensing

We develop a mathematical model of phosphoinositide-mediated gradient sensing that can be applied to chemotactic behavior in highly motile eukaryotic cells such as Dictyostelium and neutrophils. We generate four variants of our model by adjusting parameters that control the strengths of coupled positive feedbacks and the importance of molecules that translocate from the cytosol to the membrane. Each variant exhibits a qualitatively different mode of gradient sensing. Simulations of characteristic behaviors suggest that differences between the variants are most evident at transitions between efficient gradient detection and failure. Based on these results, we propose criteria to distinguish between possible modes of gradient sensing in real cells, where many biochemical parameters may be unknown. We also identify constraints on parameters required for efficient gradient detection. Finally, our analysis suggests how a cell might transition between responsiveness and nonresponsiveness, and between different modes of gradient sensing, by adjusting its biochemical parameters.     

A problem in multivariate analysis of codon usage data and a possible solution

Multivariate analyses are often used to identify major trends of variation in synonymous codon usage among genes. These analyses need to be performed on properly normalized codon usage data to avoid biases masking this synonymous variation, i.e., gene length, amino acid usage, and codon degeneracy; however, previous studies have failed to do so. In this paper, we demonstrate that the use of alternative normalized data (called 'relative adaptiveness' in the literature) can avoid all these biases and furthermore, can identify more trends of variation among genes, including GC-ending codon usage, GT-ending codon usage, and gene expression level.