Interdigital cell death in the embryonic limb is associated with depletion of Reelin in the extracellular matrix

Interdigital cell death is a physiological regression process responsible for sculpturing the digits in the embryonic vertebrate limb. Changes in the intensity of this degenerative process account for the different patterns of interdigital webbing among vertebrate species. Here, we show that Reelin is present in the extracellular matrix of the interdigital mesoderm of chick and mouse embryos during the developmental stages of digit formation. Reelin is a large extracellular glycoprotein which has important functions in the developing nervous system, including neuronal survival; however, the significance of Reelin in other systems has received very little attention. We show that reelin expression becomes intensely downregulated in both the chick and mouse interdigits preceding the establishment of the areas of interdigital cell death. Furthermore, fibroblast growth factors, which are cell survival signals for the interdigital mesoderm, intensely upregulated reelin expression, while BMPs, which are proapototic signals, downregulate its expression in the interdigit. Gene silencing experiments of reelin gene or its intracellular effector Dab-1 confirmed the implication of Reelin signaling as a survival factor for the limb undifferentiated mesoderm. We found that Reelin activates canonical survival pathways in the limb mesoderm involving protein kinase B and focal adhesion kinase. Our findings support that Reelin plays a role in interdigital cell death, and suggests that anoikis (apoptosis secondary to loss of cell adhesion) may be involved in this process.     

The core interthreshold zone during exposure to red and blue light

Background

This study tested the hypothesis that the core interthreshold zone (CIZ) changes during exposure to red or blue light via the non-visual pathway, because it is known that light intensity affects the central nervous system. We conducted a series of human experiments with 5 or 10 male subjects in each experiment.

Methods

The air temperature in the climatic chamber was maintained at 20 to 24°C. The subjects wore suits perfused with 25°C water at a rate of 600 cm³/min. They exercised on an ergometer at 50% of their maximum work rate for 10 to 15 minutes until sweating commenced, and then remained continuously seated without exercise until their oxygen uptake increased. The rectal temperature and skin temperatures at four sites were monitored using thermistors. The sweating rate was measured at the forehead with a sweat rate monitor. Oxygen uptake was monitored with a gas analyzer. The subjects were exposed to red or blue light at 500 lx and 1000 lx in both summer and winter.

Results

The mean CIZs at 500 lx were 0.23 ± 0.16°C under red light and 0.20 ± 0.10°C under blue light in the summer, and 0.19 ± 0.20°C under red light and 0.26 ± 0.24°C under blue light in the winter. The CIZs at 1000 lx were 0.18 ± 0.14°C under red light and 0.15 ± 0.20°C under blue light in the summer, and 0.52 ± 0.18°C under red light and 0.71 ± 0.28°C under blue light in the winter. A significant difference (P <0.05) was observed in the CIZs between red and blue light at 1000 lx in the winter, and significant seasonal differences under red light (P <0.05) and blue light (P <0.01) were also observed at 1000 lx.

Conclusions

The present study demonstrated that dynamic changes in the physiological effects of colors of light on autonomic functions via the non-visual pathway may be associated with the temperature regulation system.     

Distribution of trigeminothalamic and spinothalamic lamina I terminations in the cat

The distribution in the thalamus of terminal projections from lamina I neurons of the trigeminal, cervical, and lumbosacral dorsal horn was investigated with the anterograde tracer Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHA-L) in the cat. Iontophoretic injections were guided by single- and multi-unit physiological recordings. The injections in particular cases were essentially restricted to lamina I, whereas in others they spread across laminae I–III or laminae I–V. The trigemino- and spinothalamic (TSTT) terminations were identified immunohistochemically. In all cases, regardless of the level of the injections, terminal fibers were consistently distributed in three main locations: the submedial nucleus; the ventral aspect of the basal ventral medial nucleus and ventral posterior nuclei; and, the dorsomedial aspect of the ventral posterior medial nucleus. The terminal fields in the submedial nucleus and the ventral aspect of the ventral posterior group were topographically organized. Terminations along the ventral aspect of the ventral posterior group extended posterolaterally into the caudal part of the posterior nucleus and anteromedially into the ventromedial part of the ventral lateral nucleus. In several cases with trigeminal lamina I injections, a terminal labeling patch was observed within the core of the ventral posterior medial nucleus. In cases with spinal lamina I injections, terminations were also consistently found in the lateral habenula, the parafascicular nucleus, and the nucleus reuniens. Isolated terminal fibers were occasionally seen in the zona incerta, the dorsomedial hypothalamus, and other locations. These anatomical observations extend prior studies of TSTT projections and identify lamina I projection targets that are important for nociceptive, thermoreceptive, and homeostatic processing in the cat. The findings are consistent with evidence from physiological (single-unit and antidromic mapping) and behavioral studies. The novel identification of spinal lamina I input to the lateral habenula could be significant for homeostatic behaviors.     

Glacial cycles as an allopatric speciation pump in north‐eastern American freshwater fishes

Allopatric speciation may be the principal mechanism generating new species. Yet, it remains difficult to judge the generality of this process because few studies have provided evidence that geographic isolation has triggered the development of reproductive isolation over multiple species of a regional fauna. Here, we first combine results from new empirical data sets (7 taxa) and published literature (9 taxa) to show that the eastern Great Lakes drainage represents a multispecies suture zone for glacial lineages of freshwater fishes with variable levels of genetic divergence. Second, we performed amplified fragment length polymorphism analyses among four pairs of lineages. Results indicate that lineages with relatively deep levels of mtDNA 5′ COI (barcode) sequence divergence (>2%) developed strong reproductive barriers, while lineages with lower levels of divergence show weaker reproductive isolation when found in sympatry. This suggests that a threshold of 2% sequence divergence at mtDNA could be used as a first step to flag cryptic species in North American freshwater fishes. By describing different levels of divergence and reproductive isolation in different co‐occurring fishes, we offer strong evidence that allopatric speciation has contributed significantly to the diversification of north‐eastern American freshwater fishes and confirm that Pleistocene glacial cycles can be viewed as a ‘speciation pump’ that played a predominant role in generating biodiversity.     

施氮对亚热带樟树林土壤呼吸的影响

人类活动引起全球范围内大气氮沉降量的升高,增加了陆地生态系统氮输入,从而影响土壤CO2排放.为揭示生态系统氮输入升高对土壤呼吸的影响,2010年6月至2012年1月,对亚热带樟树林(Cinnamomum camphora)进行模拟氮添加试验,每月上、下旬采用红外分析法测定4种氮输入水平(CK,0 gm-2a-1;低氮LN,5gm-2a-1;中氮MN,15 g m-2 a-1;高氮HN,30gm-2a-1)下的土壤呼吸速率.结果表明:(1)樟树林土壤呼吸存在明显的季节动态,最高值出现在6月,最小值出现在1月.氮添加处理显著抑制了樟树林的土壤呼吸,LN、MN、HN处理土壤呼吸年累积量分别较对照CK下降37.66％、30.62％、38.95％,各施氮处理间无显著差异,施氮对土壤呼吸的抑制作用随时间推移而减弱;(2)氮添加不影响土壤呼吸昼夜波动特征,但显著抑制土壤呼吸速率;(3)土壤呼吸与土壤温度间存在极显著的指数关系,与土壤湿度相关性不显著,CK、LN处理Q10相近,MN处理最小:(4)氮添加处理促进了土壤中氮的淋失,且随施氮水平的升高而增大.     

基于多时相Landsat TM影像的汶川地震灾区河岸带植被覆盖动态监测——以岷江河谷映秀-汶川段为例

基于混合像元分解方法,利用Landsat TM卫星遥感数据监测了岷江上游干旱河谷区映秀\汶川段河岸带植被在汶川地震前后的植被覆盖动态变化,并结合高程、坡度及坡向数据,分析了植被受损及地震3a后植被恢复的空间分布特征。结果表明,地震造成研究区河岸带植被的受损总面积为2736.61hm²,且集中分布在海拔1100-1700m,坡度25-55°之间以及东、东南和西坡;地震3年后,受损植被与震前相比,共恢复了56.20%。     

Thermoregulation in Malayan sun bears (Helarctos malayanus) and its consequences for in situ conservation

Thermoregulation in Malayan sun bears is not fully understood. Therefore, in this study the effect of meteorological variables on both behavioural and autonomic thermoregulatory mechanisms in sun bears was examined in order to identify temperature thresholds for the activation of various thermoregulatory mechanisms. Infrared thermography was used to non‒invasively determine body surface temperature (T_S) distribution in relation to ambient temperature (T_A) and to determine the thermoneutral zone (TNZ) of sun bears. Thermographic measurements were performed on 10 adult sun bears at T_A between 5 °C and 30 °C in three European zoos. To assess behaviours that contribute to thermoregulation, nine adult sun bears were observed at T_A ranging from 5 °C to 34 °C by instantaneous scan sampling in 60 s intervals for a total of 787 h. Thermographic measurements revealed that the TNZ of sun bears lies between 24 °C and 28 °C and that heat is equally dissipated over the body surface. Behavioural data showed that behaviours related to thermoregulation occurred in advance of energetically costly autonomic mechanisms, and were highly correlated with T_A and solar radiation. While the temperature threshold for the onset of thermoregulatory behaviours below the TNZ lies around 15 °C, which is well below the lower critical temperature (T_LC) assessed by thermography, the onset for behaviours to prevent overheating occurred at 28 °C, which was closer to the estimated upper critical temperature (T_UC) of sun bears. These findings provide useful data on the thermal requirements of sun bears with respect to the species potential to cope with the effects of climate change and deforestation which are occurring in their natural range. Furthermore, these results may have important implications for the care and welfare of bears in captivity and should be taken into consideration, when designing and managing facilities.     

粤港澳大湾区海岸带生态修复工程中的景感生态学应用分析

海岸带作为沿海地区的特有资源,不仅承担着生态保障、生产发展的功能,也是居民生活、休闲、娱乐的重要空间。景感生态学强调将人的物理感知、心理认知以及社会经济可持续发展理念融入到生态环境的规划、建设与管理中,对当前粤港澳大湾区海岸带生态修复工程具有指导意义。以粤港澳大湾区海岸带的18个生态受损点及修复工程为例,通过文献调研和实地踏查,开展其对居民的视觉、听觉、嗅觉、味觉、触觉等物理感知,以及心理认知等景感内涵方面的作用,总结了海岸带景感营造的实现思路与方法。研究认为将景感生态学理论与方法应用于海岸带生态修复工程规划、设计和建设全过程,有助于细化生态修复各层级具体目标,全面提升生态系统服务和提高生态产品质量,提升周边居民的满意度和幸福感。     

基于地貌类型的中国东海大陆海岸带景观动态分析

基于东海地貌信息数据和6期景观数据,研究1990—2015年东海大陆海岸带地貌类型与景观动态变化特征,分析各地貌类型下景观格局时空分布规律。结果表明:(1)东海海岸带以丘陵地貌为主,其次是小起伏山地、平原、台地和中起伏山地。景观类型林地占主导,其次为耕地和建设用地。(2)平原、台地和丘陵地貌景观变化以耕地转为建设用地为主,小和中起伏山地则以草地转林地为主。(3)不同地貌单元下的景观变化剧烈程度依次为:平原台地丘陵小起伏山地中起伏山地,2005—2015年景观变化叠合度小于1990—2005年,景观变化剧烈程度下降。(4)地貌类型对景观分维数和稳定性指数影响差异较大,平原上水域分维数值最大,台地和丘陵耕地分维数最大,小起伏山地未利用地分维数最大,中起伏山地建设用地分维数最大,稳定性指数相反。耕地在海拔较低的地貌类型中趋于稳定,林地和草地多分布在海拔较高丘陵和山地,水域和建设用地在平原地区分维数最大,稳定性更强。     

雄安新区上游白洋淀流域水质净化提升目标下的生态恢复格局优化

白洋淀流域是雄安新区重要的淡水来源之一,流域内退耕政策在改善水质同时大幅降低了农田面积。如何通过退耕空间规则的优化权衡水质净化效率与农田面积是亟待解决的问题。通过设置基于不同退耕规则的情景,并与实际情景对比,提出了退耕规则的优化方案。结果表明：相同面积下,河岸带退耕的水质净化效率高于坡耕地退耕;相同退耕规则下,退耕还林驱动的水质净化效率高于还灌,还草;单位面积河岸带退耕的水质净化效率随缓冲区距离增加而降低;300m河岸带退耕还林情景下的水质净化率提升高于其他所有模拟情景,也比实际退耕情景（2015）高,同时农田面积降幅也低于实际情景。研究表明通过对退耕规则进行空间优化不仅能够满足区域水质净化提升的目标,还有利于保障区域农田面积,减少生态系统服务间的权衡。