Below- and aboveground traits explain local abundance,and regional,continental and global occurrence frequencies of grassland plants

Plants vary widely in how common or rare they are, but whether commonness of species is associated with functional traits is still debated. This might partly be because commonness can be measured at different spatial scales, and because most studies focus solely on aboveground functional traits. We measured five root traits and seed mass on 241 central European grassland species, and extracted their specific leaf area, height, mycorrhizal status and bud-bank size from databases. Then we tested if trait values are associated with commonness at seven spatial scales, ranging from abundance in 16-m² grassland plots, via regional and European-wide occurrence frequencies, to worldwide naturalization success. At every spatial scale, commonness was associated with at least three traits. The traits explained the greatest proportions of variance for abundance in grassland plots (42%) and naturalization success (41%) and the least for occurrence frequencies in Europe and the Mediterranean (2%). Low root tissue density characterized common species at every scale, whereas other traits showed directional changes depending on the scale. We also found that many of the effects had significant non-linear effects, in most cases with the highest commonness-metric value at intermediate trait values. Across scales, belowground traits explained overall more variance in species commonness (19.4%) than aboveground traits (12.6%). The changes we found in the relationships between traits and commonness, when going from one spatial scale to another, could at least partly explain the maintenance of trait variation in nature. Most importantly, our study shows that within grasslands, belowground traits are at least as important as aboveground traits for species commonness. Therefore, belowground traits should be more frequently considered in studies on plant functional ecology.     

Heavy metals and trace elements in scalp hair samples of children with severe autism spectrum disorder: A case-control study on Jordanian children

BackgroundElemental analysis has been increasingly used for biomonitoring heavy metals and trace elements.MethodsThis study monitored the levels of two heavy metals (Al and Pb), and seven trace elements (Macroelements Mg, K, P and Ca; Microelements Zn, Cu, Fe) in scalp hair of 57 children with severe autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and 50 age-matched controls, using Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrophotometry (ICP-AES).ResultsCompared to controls, significantly higher levels of Al (p = 0.001), Pb (p = 0.001) and K (p = 0.021), with lower levels of Mg and Zn (p = 0.038) were observed for the ASD group. ASD boys had higher levels of Al (p = 0.001), Pb (p = 0.001) and K (p = 0.017) than control boys, while ASD girls had higher Pb levels (p = 0.005) than control girls. The ASD subgroup exposed to passive smokers had higher levels of Al (p = 0.033) and Pb (p = 0.001, and the ASD subgroup not exposed to passive smoke had higher levels of Al (p = 0.011), Pb (p = 0.001), K (p = 0.003); and lower levels of Mg (p = 0.011) than their controls. Other confounding factors and the correlation between these elements were also investigated.ConclusionThis data suggests that exposure to Al and Pb, increase intake of K, and decreased intake of magnesium and zinc, may contribute to ASD etiology.     

莳萝蒿精油成分分析及抑菌活性机理探究

为了确定莳萝蒿精油的化学成分,并探究其抑菌活性及抑菌机理。该研究采用水蒸气蒸馏法提取莳萝蒿精油,并通过气相色谱-质谱联用法测定其化学成分。采用抑菌圈法、二倍稀释法和生长曲线法测定精油的抑菌活性,采用电导率法和扫描电镜法探究精油的抑菌机理。结果表明:(1)莳萝蒿精油的主要化学成分包括醇类(47.12%)和萜烯类(19.90%),在所有成分中桉油精(12.39%)含量最高,其次为松油醇(8.70%)。(2)精油对金黄色葡萄球菌和大肠杆菌的抑菌圈直径分别为(22.57±1.68)mm和(15.36±0.71)mm。(3)精油对金黄色葡萄球菌和大肠杆菌的最小抑菌浓度分别为3.25和7.5μL/mL,最小杀菌浓度分别为7.5和15μL/mL。(4)当精油浓度为1.625和3.25μL/mL时,其分别能够延缓金黄色葡萄球菌和大肠杆菌的生长;当精油浓度为3.25和7.5μL/mL时,其能够完全抑制金黄色葡萄球菌的生长;当精油浓度为7.5和15μL/mL时,其能够完全抑制大肠杆菌的生长。(5)经精油处理之后的细菌,其相对电导率明显增大,且随精油浓度的增加而增大,同时其细胞膜发生了萎缩和破裂的现象。研究发现,莳萝蒿精油富含醇类和萜烯类等多种活性物质,对金黄色葡萄球菌和大肠杆菌具有良好的抑菌活性,且莳萝蒿精油能够改变细胞的膜结构,导致细菌中的内溶物发生泄漏,从而抑制细菌生长。     

Bioluminescence emissions of the firefly <Emphasis Type="Italic">Luciola praeusta</Emphasis> Kiesenwetter 1874 (Coleoptera: Lampyridae: Luciolinae)

We recorded the in vivo emission and time-resolved spectra of the firefly Luciola praeusta Kiesenwetter 1874 (Coleoptera: Lampyridae: Luciolinae). The emission spectrum shows that the full width at half maximum (FWHM) value for this particular species is 55 nm, which is significantly narrower than the in vivo half-widths reported till now. The time-resolved spectrum reveals that a flash of about 100 ms duration is, in fact, composed of a number of microsecond pulses. This suggests that the speed of the enzyme-catalysed chemiluminescence reaction in the firefly for the emission of light is much faster than was previously believed. A version of this article has already appeared in an archive Nature Precedings; see     

胶毒素与BSA的相互作用

应用荧光、圆二色和紫外—可见吸收等波谱法研究胶毒素与牛血清白蛋白(BSA)的相互作用。荧光光谱实验结果表明胶毒素主要靠疏水作用与BSA结合, 而对其内源荧光产生猝灭作用,其淬灭方式为静态猝灭, 胶毒素与BSA的结合常数为7.2×103 L/mol。圆二色光谱检测发现, 随着胶毒素浓度的增加, BSA的a-螺旋数量也增加, 当胶毒素浓度为BSA浓度的100倍时, BSA的a-螺旋增加40.1%, 表明胶毒素与BSA的结合改变了BSA的空间构象。     

Characterization of the interaction between 2′-deoxyuridine and human serum albumin

The binding of 2′-deoxyuridine to human serum albumin (HSA) was investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy in combination with molecular modeling under simulation of physiological conditions. The quenching mechanism was suggested to be static according to the fluorescence measurement. The thermodynamic parameters: enthalpy change (ΔH) and entropy change (ΔS) were calculated to be −18.87 kJ/mol and 24.00 J/(mol K) according to the Vant’Hoff equation. These data suggest that hydrophobic interactions are the predominant intermolecular forces stabilizing the complex. Experimental results are in agreement with the results obtained by molecular modeling study. In addition, the effects of common ions on the binding constants were also studied at room temperature.     

寄生隐丛赤壳菌Cryphonectria parasitica致病毒素Cp-I的分离纯化和结构分析

寄生隐丛赤壳菌Cryphonectria parasitica菌株经液体培养,石油醚萃取其发酵液获得对板栗带叶嫩枝具有致萎活性的粗提物,以氯仿:石油醚:甲醇(6:2:2)作洗脱剂,粗提物经硅胶色谱分离,共得到3组纯组份,其中第1组份(Cp-I)对板栗幼苗致萎活性较高.质谱、核磁共振和红外光谱测定表明Cp-I分子量为278,化学式为C<,16>H<,22>O<,4>.     

The effects of centrally administered fluorocitrate via inhibiting glial cells on working memory in rats

Although prefrontal and hippocampal neurons are critical for spatial working memory, the function of glial cells in spatial working memory remains uncertain. In this study we investigated the function of glial cells in rats’ working memory. The glial cells of rat brain were inhibited by intracerebroventricular (icv) injection of fluorocitrate (FC). The effects of FC on the glial cells were examined by using elec-troencephalogram (EEG) recordings and delayed spatial alternation tasks. After icv injection of 10 μL of 0.5 nmol/L or 5 nmol/L FC, the EEG power spectrum recorded from the hippocampus increased, but the power spectrum for the prefrontal cortex did not change, and working memory was unaffected. Fol-lowing an icv injection of 10 μL of 20 nmol/L FC, the EEG power spectra in both the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus increased, and working memory improved. The icv injection of 10 μL of 50 nmol/L FC, the EEG power spectra in both the prefrontal cortex and in the hippocampus decreased, and working memory was impaired. These results suggest that spatial working memory is affected by cen-trally administered FC, but only if there are changes in the EEG power spectrum in the prefrontal cortex. Presumably, the prefrontal glial cells relate to the working memory.     

能谱CT成像对甲状腺癌局部浸润深度的诊断价值及其定量参数与肿瘤组织中Ki67、VEGF、CD34、EGFR的相关性

摘要 目的：探讨能谱CT成像对甲状腺癌局部浸润深度的诊断价值及其定量参数与肿瘤组织中Ki67、VEGF、CD34、EGFR的相关性。方法：回顾性分析2018年6月-2021年6月我院经手术或穿刺活检病理证实为甲状腺肿瘤性病变的患者96例，其中29例为甲状腺癌局部浸润组（A组），34例为甲状腺癌无浸润组（B组），33例为甲状腺腺瘤组（C组）。另取56例甲状腺另一侧叶正常组织作为对照组（D组）。所有患者均完善能谱CT检查，采集图像后在能谱CT Viewer分析软件上测量病变区碘浓度，计算能谱曲线斜率。采用免疫组织化学染色分析Ki-67、VEGF、CD34、EGFR的表达情况。采用Spearman秩相关分析评价碘浓度、能谱曲线斜率与甲状腺癌肿瘤组织中Ki-67、VEGF、CD34、EGFR表达的相关性。结果：在平扫、动脉期、静脉期，A组、B组、C组和D组的碘浓度逐渐增大，两两比较差异均有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。甲状腺癌局部浸润组织能谱曲线呈"低平型"，斜率为较小负值，正常甲状腺组织能谱曲线为下降型，斜率为负值；在平扫、动脉期、静脉期，A组、B组、C组和D组的能谱曲线斜率逐渐变小，差异均有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。A组中Ki-67、VEGF、CD34和EGFR的阳性表达率均高于B组和C组，差异均有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。碘浓度在动脉期、静脉期与Ki-67、VEGF、CD34、EGFR表达呈正相关（P＜0.05），碘浓度在平扫与Ki-67表达呈正相关（P＜0.05），碘浓度在平扫与VEGF、CD34、EGFR表达无相关性（P＞0.05）。能谱曲线斜率在动脉期、静脉期与Ki-67、VEGF、CD34、EGFR表达呈正相关（P＜0.05），能谱曲线斜率在平扫与VEGF表达呈正相关（P＜0.05），能谱曲线斜率在平扫与Ki-67、CD34、EGFR表达无相关性（P＞0.05）。结论：能谱CT成像检查对甲状腺癌局部浸润深度的判断具有重要的价值，其定量参数碘浓度、能谱曲线斜率与Ki67、VEGF、CD34、EGFR具有相关性，可间接反映肿瘤微血管、肿瘤血管生成、甲状腺癌分化程度、浸润程度等情况，对评价甲状腺癌生物学行为可提供有价值的信息。     

桂西南岩溶区八种适生植物光合性状的变异与关联

为探究岩溶植物的光合生理适应机制，采用Li-6400XT便携式光合作用测量系统，对广西平果市岩溶区8种适生植物的叶片净光合速率(P_n)、气孔导度(G_s)、胞间CO₂浓度(C_i)、蒸腾速率(T_r)、水分利用效率(WUE)和气孔限制值(L_s)等光合特征参数进行了测定分析。结果表明：(1)6个光合特征参数在种内和种间均存在不同程度的变异，并且种内变异均大于种间变异。(2)G_s和T_r的变化主要来源于种间变异(46.72%～49.76%),而P_n、C_i、WUE和L_s变化主要来源于种内变异(48.66%～64.50%)。在生活型水平上，P_n、G_s和T_r的种内变异表现为常绿植物小于落叶植物，而C_i、WUE和L_s则相反。(3)各参数的种间变异均表现为落叶植...