世界森林立地研究的现状与发展趋势

从植被因子、自然地理因子、综合多因子和数量因子4种途径对世界森林立地研究的现状进行了综述.对比分析了各代表学派(方法)产生的历史背景、基本原理、具体方法、适用条件,并指出未来世界森林立地研究的发展趋势.     

Serpins and other covalent protease inhibitors

Serpins are irreversible covalent 'suicide' protease inhibitors. In the past two years, important advances in the structural biology of serpins have been forthcoming with the crystal structures of a covalent complex between trypsin and alpha1-antitrypsin, and of a Michaelis encounter complex between trypsin S195A and serpin 1B from Manduca sexta. These structures have helped elucidate many aspects of the mechanism of action of serpins. Also, the crystal structure of the cysteine protease caspase-8 in complex with the inhibitor p35 has revealed a new family of suicide protease inhibitors.     

野生朱鹮的种群数量和分布现状

2012年9-10月,我们对野生朱鹮（Nipponia nippon）的分布区和潜在分布区进行了调查,共发现其游荡期夜宿地23个,其中20个有朱鹮夜宿,分布在洋县（16个）、宁陕县（3个）和城固县（1个）。对这些夜宿地进行了的同步调查,共统计到野生朱鹮1 090只,其中97.2%分布在洋县境内。最大的夜宿集群数量为184只,集群数量超过40只的夜宿地共11个,累计停歇的朱鹮占总数的91.7%,表明野生朱鹮在游荡期有趋于集结较大群体夜宿的习性。朱鹮野生种群中当年出生的幼鸟占19.0%,据此估算,截至秋季朱鹮幼鸟的存活率约为67.2%。加强对保护区以外,尤其是野生朱鹮新扩散地区的的保护管理,将促进野生朱鹮种群的扩散,进一步增加这一濒危物种抵御风险的能力。     

Roosting ecology of endangered plant‐roosting bats on Okinawa Island: Implications for bat‐friendly forestry practices

Roosting information is crucial to guiding bat conservation and bat‐friendly forestry practices. The Ryukyu tube‐nosed bat Murina ryukyuana (Endangered) and Yanbaru whiskered bat Myotis yanbarensis (Critically Endangered) are forest‐dwelling bats endemic to the central Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan. Despite their threatened status, little is known about the roosting ecology of these species and the characteristics of natural maternity roosts are unknown. To inform sustainable forestry practices and conservation management, we radio‐tracked day roosts of both species in the subtropical forests of Okinawa''s Kunigami Village District. We compared roost and roost site characteristics statistically between M. ryukyuana nonmaternity roosts (males or nonreproductive females), maternity roosts, and all M. yanbarensis roosts. Generalized linear models were used to investigate roost site selection by M. ryukyuana irrespective of sex and age class. Lastly, we compiled data on phenology from this and prior studies. Nonreproductive M. ryukyuana roosted alone and primarily in understory foliage. Murina ryukyuana maternity roosts were limited to stands >50 years old, and ~60% were in foliage. Myotis yanbarensis roosted almost entirely in cavities along gulch bottoms and only in stands >70 years old (~1/3 of Kunigami''s total forest area). Murina ryukyuana maternity roosts were higher (4.3 ± 0.6 m) than conspecific nonmaternity roosts (2.3 ± 0.5 m; p < .001) and M. yanbarensis roosts (2.7 ± 0.5 m; not significant). Model results were inconclusive. Both species appear to be obligate plant roosters throughout their life cycle, but the less flexible roosting preferences of M. yanbarensis may explain its striking rarity. To conserve these threatened bats, we recommend the following forestry practices: (a) reduce clearing of understory vegetation, (b) refrain from removing trees along streams, (c) promote greater tree cavity densities by protecting old‐growth forests and retaining snags, and (d) refrain from removing trees or understory between April and July, while bats are pupping.     

Fractal nature of protein surface roughness: a note on quantification of change of surface roughness in active sites,before and after binding

Year 2010 marked the 25th year since we came to know that roughness of a protein surface has fractal symmetry. Ever since the publication of Lewis and Rees' paper, hundreds of works from a spectrum of perspectives have established that fractal dimension (FD) can be considered as a reliable marker that describes roughness of protein surface objectively. In this article, we introduce readers to the fundamentals of fractals and present categorical biophysical and geometrical reasons as to why FD‐based constructs can describe protein surface roughness more accurately. We then review the commonality (and the lack of it) between numerous approaches that have attempted to investigate protein surface with fractal measures, before exploring the patterns in the results that they have produced. Apart from presenting the genealogy of approaches and results, we present an analysis that quantifies the difference in surface roughness in stretches of protein surface containing the active site, before and after binding to ligands, to underline the utility of FD‐based measures further. It has been found that surface stretches containing the active site, in general, undergo a significant increment in its roughness after binding. After presenting the entire repertoire of FD‐based surface roughness studies, we talk about two yet‐unexplored problems where application of FD‐based techniques can help in deciphering underlying patterns of surface interactions. Finally, we list the limitations of FD‐based constructs and put down several precautions that one must take while working with them. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

SURF4-induced tubular ERGIC selectively expedites ER-to-Golgi transport

1. Download : Download high-res image (161KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image