群体成员大小差异对不同生境鲤科鱼类集群行为的影响

为研究群体成员大小差异对不同喜好生境鱼类集群行为特征的影响, 实验分别以鳊(Parabramis pekinensis)和中华倒刺鲃(Spinibarbus sinensis)幼鱼为实验对象, 比较分析4尾等大小(E)和不等大小(2大2小, NE)实验鱼群体的自发游泳速度、空间分布以及对恐吓刺激反应等集群行为参数的差异。结果显示: (1)和鳊相比, 中华倒刺鲃有更高的自发游泳速度、速度同步性和排列方向的极性, 但二者对恐吓刺激的反应率及反应的协调一致性相似; (2)当群体成员大小出现差异时, 两种鱼群体排列方向的极性不受影响, 且大小个体成员间的速度及其同步性均没有差异, 但整体的速度同步性与等大小群体相比有所下降; (3)个体间距离数据显示, 个体大小差异不会影响两种鱼群体的凝聚力; (4)群体成员在两种鱼群中偏好位置不同, 当群体成员大小不同时, 大个体成员更偏好占据领头鱼位置; (5)群体成员大小的差异导致两种鱼对刺激的反应率下降。研究表明: 中华倒刺鲃具有更高的活跃性、更好的群体运动的协调性, 可能与其流水生境相关; 当群体成员大小出现差异时, 成员不分大小在整体上协调运动的速度和方向, 并保持群体有较高的凝聚力, 但两种鱼类自发游泳速度调整策略截然不同(鳊大小个体速度妥协趋同, 而中华倒刺鲃低速个体速度提高); 群体成员大小差异导致鱼群对恐吓刺激的反应率有所下降, 可能原因包括体形差异导致的社会因素造成敏锐性下降、信息交流效率受阻和(或)集群收益代价出现分化影响一致决策的形成等。     

Assessing delay and lag in sagittal trunk control using a tracking task

Slower trunk muscle responses are linked to back pain and injury. Unfortunately, clinical assessments of spine function do not objectively evaluate this important attribute, which reflects speed of trunk control. Speed of trunk control can be parsed into two components: (1) delay, the time it takes to initiate a movement, and (2) lag, the time it takes to execute a movement once initiated. The goal of this study is to demonstrate a new approach to assess delay and lag in trunk control using a simple tracking task. Ten healthy subjects performed four blocks of six trials of trunk tracking in the sagittal plane. Delay and lag were estimated by modeling trunk control for predictable and unpredictable (control mode) trunk movements in flexion and extension (control direction) at movement amplitudes of 2°, 4°, and 6° (control amplitude). The main effect of control mode, direction, and amplitude of movement were compared between trial blocks to assess secondary influencers (e.g., fatigue). Only control mode was consistent across trial blocks with predictable movements being faster than unpredictable for both delay and lag. Control direction and amplitude effects on delay and lag were consistent across the first two trial blocks and less consistent in later blocks. Given the heterogeneity in the presentation of back pain, clinical assessment of trunk control should include different control modes, directions, and amplitudes. To reduce testing time and the influence of fatigue, we recommend six trials to assess trunk control.     

Intra‐trophic isotopic discrimination of 15N/14N for amino acids in autotrophs: Implications for nitrogen dynamics in ecological studies

The differential discrimination of nitrogen isotopes (¹⁵N/¹⁴N) within amino acids in consumers and their diets has been routinely used to estimate organismal tropic position (TP). Analogous isotopic discrimination can occur within plants, particularly in organs lacking chloroplasts. Such discrimination likely arises from the catabolic deamination of amino acids, resulting in a numerical elevation of estimated TP, within newly synthesized biomass. To investigate this phenomenon, we examined the ¹⁵N/¹⁴N of amino acids (δ¹⁵N_AA) in spring leaves and flowers from eight deciduous and two annual plants. These plants were classified on the basis of their time of bloom, plants that bloomed when their leaves were absent (Type I) versus plants that bloomed while leaves were already present (Type II). Based on the δ¹⁵N_AA values from leaves, both plant types occupied comparable and ecologically realistic mean TPs (=1.0 ± 0.1, mean ± 1σ). However, the estimated TPs of flowers varied significantly (Type I: 2.2 ± 0.2; Type II: 1.0 ± 0.1). We hypothesize that these results can be interpreted by the following sequence of events: (1) Type I floral biomass is synthesized in absence of active photosynthesis; (2) the catabolic deamination of amino acids in particular, leaves behind ¹⁵N in the residual pool of amino acids; and (3) the incorporation of these ¹⁵N‐enriched amino acids within the biomass of Type I flowers results in the numerical elevation of the TPs. In contrast, the actively photosynthesizing Type II leaves energetically sustain the synthesis of Type II flower biomass, precluding any reliance on catabolic deamination of amino acids. Amino acids within Type II flowers are therefore isotopically comparable to the Type II leaves. These findings demonstrate the idiosyncratic nature of the δ¹⁵N_AA values within autotrophic organs and have implications for interpreting trophic hierarchies using primary producers and their consumers.     

Intra- and interspecific variation in trophic ecology of ‘predatory’ ants in the subfamily Ponerinae

1. The characterisation of energy flow through communities is a primary goal of ecology. Furthermore, predator–prey interactions can influence both species abundance and community composition. The ant subfamily Ponerinae includes many predatory species that range from generalist insectivores to highly specialised hunters that target a single prey type. Given their high diversity and ubiquity in tropical ecosystems, measuring intra- and interspecific variation in their trophic ecology is essential for understanding the role of ants as predators of insect communities. 2. The stable isotopic composition of nitrogen of 22 species from the ant subfamily Ponerinae was measured, relative to plants and other predatory and herbivorous insects at two Atlantic Forest sites in Argentina. The study tested the general assumption that ponerine ants are all predatory, and examined intra- and interspecific variation in trophic ecology relative to habitat, body size and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 sequences (DNA barcoding). 3. Stable isotope analysis revealed that most ponerines occupy high trophic levels (primary and secondary predators), but some species overlapped with known insect herbivores. Species residing at low trophic levels were primarily arboreal and may rely heavily on nectar or other plant-based resources in their diet. In addition, larger species tend to occupy lower trophic positions than smaller species. 4. Although some of the species were divided into two or more genetic clusters by DNA barcoding analysis, these clusters did not correspond to intraspecific variation in trophic position; therefore, colony dietary flexibility most probably explains species that inhabit more than one trophic level.     

Immunogenicity Studies with Haptenated Melittin Peptides: Implication for Membrane Involvement during the Recognition Step

Melittin peptides carrying 2,4-dinitro-6-carboxyphenyl (Dncp) haptenic groups regularly evoked anti-hapten IgG responses in mice or guinea pigs when the hapten was C-terminally attached. Single haptens on the N-terminal helix in several positions gave poor or no responses in the early stages but adequate titres after prolonged immunization. Peptides with Dncp at the C-terminus as an invariant feature and a second Dncp in various positions along the peptide chain did not fail to produce adequate responses. The hampering effect is not due to a defect at the T-cell level but involves the recognition step on the B-cell. It is implied that the haptenic interaction with the paratope of the recognizing immunoglob ulin on the B-cell involves the cell membrane in an important way. It is also suggested that late antibody responses should not be overlooked during the development of proteinaceous immunogens for vaccination.     

理论预测果蝇polⅡ启动子

基于果蝇polⅡ启动予的序列特征，利用结合了离散增量和位置权重矩阵的贝叶斯判别函数对果蝇启动予进行了预测。对预测算法进行10交叉检验。通过比较不同大小训练集对结果的影响，说明了参数选取的合理性和算法的预测能力。同时比较了不同参数的选取对预测结果的影响，从而获得最佳启动子预测结果。预测结果显示成功率达到93％，相互关联系数达到83％。     

Body size clines in the European badger and the abundant centre hypothesis

Aim To test the abundant centre hypothesis by analysing the physical and climatic factors that influence body size variation in the European badger (Meles meles). Location Data were compiled from 35 locations across Europe. Methods We used body mass, body length and condylo‐basal length (CBL) as surrogates of size. We also compiled data on latitude, several climatic variables, habitat type and site position relative to the range edge. We collapsed all continuous climatic variables into independent vectors using principal components analysis (PCA), and used a general linear model to explain the morphometric variation in badger populations across the species’ range. Results Body mass and body length were nonlinearly and significantly related to latitude. In contrast, CBL was linearly related to latitude. Body mass changed nonlinearly along the temperature (PC1) gradient, with the highest values observed at mid‐range. Furthermore, body mass, body length and CBL differed significantly among habitats, with badgers showing larger size in temperate habitats and core areas relative to peripheral zones. Main conclusions Our analysis supports the nonlinear pattern predicted by the abundant centre hypothesis only for body mass and body length. These results imply that individuals are largest and heaviest at the centre of the climatic range of badger distribution. Variation of CBL with latitude follows a linear trend, consistent with Bergmann’s rule. Our results provide mixed support for the abundant centre hypothesis, and suggest food availability/quality to be the main mechanism underlying body size clines in this species.     

岩蕨科、球盖蕨科的系统位置：叶绿体DNAtrnL-F区序列证据

岩蕨科(Woodsiaceae)和球盖蕨科(Peranemaceae)历来被多数学者认为是亲缘关系密切的两个科，它们的系统位置一直存在争议，两科曾被放入三叉蕨科(Aspidiaceae)、碗蕨科(Dennstaedtiaceae)、鳞毛蕨亚科(Dryopteridoidaae)及鳞毛蕨科(Dryopteriaceae)蹄盖蕨亚科(Athyrioideae)中。根据岩蕨科1种、球盖蕨科3种、蹄盖蕨科8种、鳞毛蕨科2种及1种外类群假大羽铁角蕨(Asplenium pseudolaserpitiifolium)的cpDNA基因trnL-F区序列建立的系统树，结果显示，岩蕨科和球盖蕨科的亲缘关系较远，岩蕨科与蹄盖蕨科有密切的亲缘关系，球盖蕨科与鳞毛蕨科亲缘关系较近，岩蕨科和球盖蕨科是处于不同进化线上的植物。秦仁昌（1978）和Pichi-Sermolii（1977）的系统将二者分别作为独立的科是合适的。