Sexual dimorphism in growth in the relative length of the forearm and relative knee height during adolescence

There are numerous studies concerning sexual dimorphism in body proportions, but only a few have investigated growth in the relative length of particular segments of the upper and lower limbs during adolescence. The aim of the study is an assessment of sex differences of longitudinal growth in the relative length of the forearm and knee height among adolescents. Sample involved 121 boys and 111 girls, participants of the Wroclaw Growth Study, examined annually between 8 and 18 years of age. Sexual dimorphism in six ratios: forearm length and knee height relatively to: trunk, height, and limb length were analyzed using a two‐way analysis of variance with repeated measurements. The sex and age relative to an estimate of maturity timing (3 years before, and after age class at peak height velocity [PHV]) were independent variables. All of the ratios showed significant sex differences in interaction with age relative to age at PHV. The relative length of the forearm, in boys, did not change significantly with the years relative to age at PHV, whereas in girls, was the lowest in the two first age classes and afterward significantly increased just 1 year before and during the adolescent growth spurt, remaining unchanged in further age classes. For relative knee height no clear pattern for sex differences was noticed. It is proposed that relatively longer forearms, particularly in relation to the trunk in girls, could have evolved as an adaptation to more efficient infant carrying and protection during breastfeeding.     

Susceptibility to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium </Emphasis>head blight is associated with the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rht-D1b</Emphasis> semi-dwarfing allele in wheat

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is an important disease of wheat worldwide. The cultivar Spark is more resistant than most other UK winter wheat varieties but the genetic basis for this is not known. A mapping population from a cross between Spark and the FHB susceptible variety Rialto was used to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with resistance. QTL analysis across environments revealed nine QTL for FHB resistance and four QTL for plant height (PH). One FHB QTL was coincident with the Rht-1D locus and accounted for up to 51% of the phenotypic variance. The enhanced FHB susceptibility associated with Rht-D1b is not an effect of PH per se as other QTL for height segregating in this population have no influence on susceptibility. Experiments with near-isogenic lines supported the association between susceptibility and the Rht-D1b allele conferring the semi-dwarf habit. Our results demonstrate that lines carrying the Rht-1Db semi-dwarfing allele are compromised in resistance to initial infection (type I resistance) while being unaffected in resistance to spread within the spike (type II resistance).     

Changes in photosynthetic capacity and antioxidant enzymatic systems in micropropagated <Emphasis Type="Italic">Zingiber officinale</Emphasis> plantlets during their acclimation

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) plantlets were propagated in vitro and acclimated under different photosynthetic photon flux densities (60 and 250 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ = LI and HI, respectively). Increases in chlorophyll (Chl) content and Chl a/b ratio were found under both irradiances. In vitro plantlets (day 0) exhibited a low photosynthesis, but chloroplasts from in vitro leaves contained well developed grana and osmiophillic globules. Photoinhibition in leaves formed in vitro was characterized by decrease of photochemical efficiency and quantum efficiency of photosystem 2 photochemistry in HI treatment during acclimation. The new leaves formed during acclimation in both treatments showed a higher photosynthetic capacity than the leaves formed in vitro. Also activities of antioxidant enzymes of micropropagated ginger plantlets changed during acclimation.     

Waist-to-height ratio is an accurate and easier index for evaluating obesity in children and adolescents

Objectives: The present study aims to evaluate the accuracy of the index of waist‐to‐height ratio (WHTR), and proposed the optimal thresholds of WHTR in the definition of childhood overweight and obesity in a bi‐ethnic Chinese school‐aged population. Research Methods and Procedures: Overweight and obese were identified by BMI for age and gender in a random sample including 2055 Han and 2132 Uygur ethnic school‐aged children (8 to 18 years old). WHTR was calculated by waist circumference divided by height on the basis of standard anthropometric measurements. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the accuracy of WHTR as a diagnostic test for childhood overweight and obesity, compared with waist circumference. The optimal thresholds of WHTR for defining overweight and obesity were recommended respectively by gender. The correlation between WHTR and age was analyzed and compared with BMI. Results: A‐values (area under curve) of WHTR for diagnosing overweight and obesity were both over 0.90 in both genders and better than those of waist circumference. A threshold of 0.445 was identified for overweight in both genders, with the sensitivity and specificity >0.80. The thresholds for defining obesity was 0.485 in boys and 0.475 in girls, both having the sensitivity and specificity >0.90. WHTR showed less association with age than BMI. Conclusions: WHTR is a simple, easy, accurate, and non‐age‐dependent index with high applicability to screening overweight and obesity in children and adolescents. The use of WHTR in the general childhood population has been justified by this study.     

The validity of obesity based on self-reported weight and height: Implications for population studies

Objective: To validate self‐reported information on weight and height in an adult population and to find a useful algorithm to assess the prevalence of obesity based on self‐reported information. Research Methods and Procedures: This was a cross‐sectional survey consisting of 1703 participants (860 men and 843 women, 30 to 75 years old) conducted in the community of Vara, Sweden, from 2001 to 2003. Self‐reported weight, height, and corresponding BMI were compared with measured data. Obesity was defined as measured BMI ≥ 30 kg/m². Information on education, self‐rated health, smoking habits, and physical activity during leisure time was collected by a self‐administered questionnaire. Results: Mean differences between measured and self‐reported weight were 1.6 kg (95% confidence interval, 1.4; 1.8) in men and 1.8 kg (1.6; 2.0) in women (measured higher), whereas corresponding differences in height were ?0.3 cm (?0.5; ?0.2) in men and ?0.4 cm (?0.5; ?0.2) in women (measured lower). Age and body size were important factors for misreporting height, weight, and BMI in both men and women. Obesity (measured) was found in 156 men (19%) and 184 women (25%) and with self‐reported data in 114 men (14%) and 153 women (20%). For self‐reported data, the sensitivity of obesity was 70% in men and 82% in women, and when adjusted for corrected self‐reported data and age, it increased to 81% and 90%, whereas the specificity decreased from 99% in both sexes to 97% in men and 98% in women. Discussion: The prevalence of obesity based on self‐reported BMI can be estimated more accurately when using an algorithm adjusted for variables that are predictive for misreporting.     

普洱季风常绿阔叶林次生演替中木本植物幼苗更新特征

以时空替代的方法,将针阔混交林、季风常绿阔叶林的次生林与成熟林等3个处于同一空间下的群落作为次生演替进程中的3个阶段,研究云南普洱地区次生演替过程中的木本植物幼苗更新特征,分析了次生演替过程中木本植物幼苗的物种组成、密度、高度级及与环境因子的相关性。结果表明:在8个共144 m2的幼苗样地中调查木本植物幼苗101种2014株,其中乔木幼苗是主要组成。随着次生演替的进行,木本植物幼苗、乔木与藤本幼苗密度逐渐增加,灌木幼苗密度无显著变化;藤本植物幼苗的物种丰富度随着次生演替进行而增加,乔木与灌木幼苗则无显著变化,成熟季风常绿阔叶林中木本植物幼苗Shannon-Wiener指数要显著小于针阔混交林与次生季风常绿阔叶林。次生与成熟季风常绿阔叶林木本植物幼苗多度随高度级增加而减少,针阔混交林则呈现偏峰曲线,幼苗密度均集中分布在高度20 cm以内,3个群落演替阶段木本植物幼苗物种丰富度随高度级增加呈现偏锋曲线。相似性系数反映出乔木和藤本幼苗的更新来源与群落的物种组成存在着紧密的联系。乔木幼苗密度分布与样地坡度之间存在着显著的负相关,灌木幼苗密度与土壤pH值之间存在着显著正相关。     

广西西端海岸四种红树植物天然种群生境高程

在广西防城港市东湾渔洲坪、石角、交东3个样地平行海面方向共设置18条剖面对4种红树植物白骨壤(Avicenniamarina)、桐花树(Aegiceras corniculatum)、秋茄(Kandelia obovata)、木榄(Bruguiera gymnorhiza)在沿海滩涂生长带高程测量和群落调查。调查结果表明:由于人类活动造成东湾渔洲坪和交东两个样地的坡度变化较大,分别从-0.37变化为-0.05和-0.72变化为-0.10,而地处北仑河口保护区内的石角样地受到保护,没有人为因素的影响,坡度从-0.23变化为-0.10变化不大。石角和交东两个样地中的桐花树集中出现在高程15至40 cm和33至36 cm范围内;秋茄集中出现在高程43至60 cm和37至51cm范围内;木榄集中出现在高程94至106 cm和111至119 cm范围内。所有样地中的白骨壤在高程60至80 cm范围内,树高最高达到220 cm,且分布密集;桐花树在高程20至40 cm范围内,树高最高达到200 cm,且分布密集;秋茄在高程40至80 cm范围内,树高最高达到200 cm,且分布密集;木榄在高程60至100 cm范围内,且分布密集,树高最高达280 cm。通过对各样地剖面上红树植物种类出现频度的分析和林木高度的测量,4种红树植物天然林临界滩涂高程分别为:桐花树为-7 cm;秋茄为+33 cm;白骨壤为+23和+26 cm;木榄为+44 cm。对应的浸淹时间分别为8.5、7.0、7.0、6.0h。在石角和交东分别有30.0%和56.7%的桐花树分布于平均海平面以下,秋茄也能分布在此高程下,平均株高也达1.75 m。根据现场实际调查结果,桐花树、秋茄可以大量生存在平均海平面以下的滩涂上。     

气候条件对典型草原牧草生长发育影响浅析

采用兴安盟扎赉特旗2004年～2011年气候生态环境监测站监测的典型草原牧草生长发育及地上生物量等基本资料。典型草原主要牧草种类有贝加尔针茅、野古草、羊草等禾草,伴生中旱生杂草、灌木及半灌木组成,草丛一般高30～50 cm。本文详细分析了当地气候条件对典型草原牧草生长发育及产量的影响。结果表明,典型草原牧草的高度、盖度及地上生物量受温度和降水量影响最明显,其中降水量的影响超过温度的影响。降水量多的年份地上生物量明显增加,而干旱年份地上生物量减少,其最大值一般出现在7月份,并滞后于降水量最大值。