How Nature Modulates Inherent Fluctuations for Biological Self-Organization – The Case of Membrane Fusion

Biological systems in nano-scale, due to the weak electrostatic interactions and structural connectivity therein, are flexible so that they undergo conformational transition subject to thermal fluctuations and external noises. In the presence of barriers, nature utilizes the fluctuations to give rise to self-organization, typically accompanied by conformational transitions. In two opposing membranes with like-charges, the cooperative coupling between the undulation and charge fluctuations give rise to a dynamic instability to spontaneous growth of the in-phase membrane undulation, and thus a great reduction of the energy barrier to fusion. The multivalent counter-ions, the Ca²⁺ for example, enhance the necessary charge density fluctuation leading to surface charge inversion and overcondensation.     

基于TM的渤海海岸带1988～2000年生态环境变化

海岸带作为海陆之间的过渡地带,是全球生态环境最为复杂和特殊之处。研究海岸带土地利用变化对于了解该区域生态环境演变具有重要意义。利用1988和2000年的Landsat-TM数据,在GIS技术支持下,通过一系列空间分析,得到渤海海岸带土地利用/土地覆盖变化,结合社会经济统计资料分析该区域生态环境的动态变化情况及其驱动因素。结果表明,1988~2000年,由于渤海海岸带社会经济的快速发展,海岸带土地利用格局发生了巨大的变化。耕地大面积减少,城乡工矿用地、养殖池塘、盐田急剧扩张;林地、湿地等具有重要生态价值的土地类型面积显著下降。表明强烈的人类活动已经使自然生态系统受到破坏,渤海海岸带生态环境质量总体上呈现下降趋势。     

黑河中上游典型地区草地植被变化及其生态功能损失分析--以山丹县为例

以黑河流域山丹县1986年和2000年TM影像资料为主要数据源,运用遥感信息解译与地理信息系统技术,分析了研究区10多年来草地植被覆盖的时空变化。并参照Costanza等的生态系统服务功能的单位价值和谢高地等人的中国自然草地生态系统服务价值,初步估算退化型草地植被覆盖变化的生态损失价值,对草地植被覆盖变化给研究区生态系统宏观经济所造成的影响进行了分析研究。结果表明:在1986～2000年间,该区域草地植被覆盖总的变化趋势是草地、林地向其它类型转化,即草地植被覆盖总量在逐年减少。高、中、低覆盖度各类草地,分别减少达35％、9．9％和13．8％。草地植被覆盖类型也呈减少趋势,其中高覆盖度草地减幅最大,其次是低覆盖度草地和中覆盖度草地。草地植被利用过度或退化较为严重,生态环境将趋于恶化。由此导致草地生态系统宏观经济价值损失约9 466．8×104CNY／(km2·a)。     

松山自然保护区各功能区植被动态及变化格局

作为全球生态保育的基石,保护区管理和设计成为研究热点。本研究旨在描述不同功能区在相应保护措施下植被的差异性变化。运用遥感和GIS技术以及景观分析手段,利用两期Landsat5TM影像提取出北京松山国家级自然保护区1987、2001年的归一化差值植被指数(NormalizedDifferenceVegetationIndex,NDVI)信息,对植被动态进行分析,并按变化率分为减少、无变化和增加3种类型,利用景观指数刻画出变化格局,就植被动态及其变化格局在不同功能区的空间分异性进行比较。得到以下主要结论:(1)保护区建立后植被大体稳定并有所改善,形成核心区>缓冲区>实验区的植被覆盖梯度。(2)在绝对保护措施下,核心区植被稳定性高并得到进一步改善。植被稳定类型集中于区域中心,增加类型聚集在区域边缘,减少类型与自然植被动态特征相符呈随机分布状态。(3)受经营、开发措施影响,实验区稳定性低,变化面积大、变幅大、增加与衰退共存,植被覆盖居全保护区最低且有退化趋势。(4)缓冲区植被动态呈现出一定的随机分布格局。     

Effects of grazing intensity on soil carbon stocks following deforestation of a Hawaiian dry tropical forest

The effects of forest-to-pasture conversion on soil carbon (C) stocks depend on a combination of climatic and management factors, but factors that relate to grazing intensity are perhaps the least understood. To understand the long-term impact of grazing in converted pastures, methods are needed that accurately measure the impact of grazing on recent plant inputs to soil C in a variety of pasture management and climate settings. Here, we present an analysis from Hawai'i of changes in vegetation structure and soil organic carbon (SOC) along gradients of grazing intensity and elevation in pastures converted from dry tropical forest 100 years ago. We used hyperspectral remote sensing of photosynthetic vegetation, nonphotosynthetic vegetation (NPV) and exposed substrate to understand the effects of grazing on plant litter cover, thus, estimating recent plant inputs to soils (the NPV component). Forest-to-pasture conversion caused a shift from C3 to C4 plant physiology, thus the δ ¹³C method was used in soil cores to measure the fraction of SOC accumulated from pasture vegetation sources following land conversion. SOC decreased in pasture by 5–9 kg C m⁻², depending upon grazing intensity. SOC derived from C3 (forest) sources was constant across the grazing gradient, indicating that the observed variation in SOC was attributable to changes in C inputs following deforestation. Soil C stocks were also reduced in pastures relative to forest soils. We found that long-term grazing lowers SOC following Hawaiian forest-to-pasture conversion, and that these changes are larger in magnitude that those occurring with elevation (climate). Further we demonstrate a relationship between remotely sensed measurements of surface litter and field SOC measurements, allowing for regional analysis of pasture condition and C storage where limited field data are available.     

细菌群体感应淬灭酶的研究进展

细菌的群体感应系统（Quorum sensing,QS）参与许多生物学功能的调控,其中包括动植物病原细菌致病因子的生成以及人类某些病原细菌生物膜的形成。酰基高丝氨酸内酯（N—acylhomoserine laetone,AHL）是调控群体感应系统的关键信号分子。近年的研究表明,不同生物体包括细菌和真核生物中都存在类别不同的能够降解AHL的群体感应淬灭酶（Quorum—quenching enzyme）。在AHL依赖型致病菌和转基因植物中表达AHL降解酶能有效地抑制QS信号分子的积累,从而阻断了病原细菌的发病机制,提高了植物的抗病性。这些新颖的群体感应淬灭酶的发现,不仅为防治细菌侵染提供了可行的途径,也对研究它们在宿主中的功能和对生态系统的潜在影响提出挑战。     

Designing a conservation plan for protecting the habitat for giant pandas in the Qionglai mountain range, China

Population viability of the giant panda ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca ) is threatened by small population sizes in scattered isolated habitat areas. Designing a conservation plan for protecting and connecting the fragmented habitat will improve the chances for survival of this endangered species. For such a plan, this study assessed the overall habitat suitability for the species in the Qionglai mountain range (Sichuan, China) using Landsat TM imagery acquired in 2001, geographical data, field surveys, and information acquired in previous researches. Results show that the habitat is separated by roads and rivers, as well as by human settlements and cropland areas, into four main habitat blocks. Overlapping these four habitat blocks with the current nature reserve network reveals that only 36% of the total habitat is protected within nature reserves. Thus, the current nature reserve network is failing to preserve essential habitat for dispersal and genetic exchange. In this study, five key areas and four linkage areas were identified and suggested as nature reserves and/or corridors. These areas, together with the six currently established nature reserves in the mountain range, will form a conservation unit for facilitating the exchange of giant panda individuals among previously isolated habitat blocks. Policies recently implemented by the Chinese government, including the Natural Forest Conservation Program (NFCP) and the Grain-to-Green Program (GTGP), could aid in the formation of such a conservation unit.     

环境因素对PlnA诱导类植物乳杆菌产生细菌素效果的影响

【目的】研究人工合成的PlnA (Plantaricin A)诱导类植物乳杆菌L-XM1细菌素合成的功能及环境条件对其诱导效果的影响。【方法】制备类植物乳杆菌L-XM1 Bac?培养物, 用人工合成的PlnA对其进行诱导, 确定PlnA在类植物乳杆菌L-XM1细菌素合成中的作用, 并通过比较不同温度、pH以及NaCl浓度、乙醇浓度条件下PlnA的诱导活性, 研究环境条件对PlnA诱导效果的影响。【结果】在不同温度及pH条件下, 自诱导肽PlnA的诱导活性有很大的差异, 较高的培养温度及pH有利于其诱导活性的发挥。不同浓度的NaCl对PlnA的诱导活性影响不大。乙醇可以减弱PlnA的诱导活性, 高浓度的乙醇完全抑制PlnA的诱导活性。6%乙醇对细菌素合成的抑制可以被700 μg/L的PlnA消除, 含有8%乙醇的培养基中, 恢复细菌素的合成需要浓度高达1 000 μg/L的PlnA。【结论】环境条件可以影响诱导肽PlnA的诱导活性, 乙醇对细菌素合成的抑制可以通过增大PlnA的浓度消除。     

3q26.31–q29 duplication and 9q34.3 microdeletion associated with omphalocele,ventricular septal defect,abnormal first-trimester maternal serum screening and increased nuchal translucency: Prenatal diagnosis and aCGH characterization

We present prenatal diagnosis and array comparative genomic hybridization characterization of 3q26.31–q29 duplication and 9q34.3 microdeletion in a fetus with omphalocele, ventricular septal defect, increased nuchal translucency, abnormal first-trimester maternal screening and facial dysmorphism with distinct features of the 3q duplication syndrome and Kleefstra syndrome. The 26.61-Mb duplication of 3q26.31–q29 encompasses EPHB3, CLDN1 and CLDN16, and the 972-kb deletion of 9q34.3 encompasses EHMT1. We review the literature of partial trisomy 3q associated with omphalocele and discuss the genotype–phenotype correlation in this case.     

Non-identifiability of the Rayleigh damping material model in Magnetic Resonance Elastography

Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE) is an emerging imaging modality for quantifying soft tissue elasticity deduced from displacement measurements within the tissue obtained by phase sensitive Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques. MRE has potential to detect a range of pathologies, diseases and cancer formations, especially tumors. The mechanical model commonly used in MRE is linear viscoelasticity (VE). An alternative Rayleigh damping (RD) model for soft tissue attenuation is used with a subspace-based nonlinear inversion (SNLI) algorithm to reconstruct viscoelastic properties, energy attenuation mechanisms and concomitant damping behavior of the tissue-simulating phantoms. This research performs a thorough evaluation of the RD model in MRE focusing on unique identification of RD parameters, _μI${\mu }_I$ and _ρI${\rho }_I$.