Macroinvertebrate community structure,secondary production and trophic‐level dynamics in urban streams affected by non‐point‐source pollution

1. Despite non‐point‐source (NPS) pollution being perhaps the most ubiquitous stressor affecting urban streams, there is a lack of research assessing how urban NPS pollution affects stream ecosystems. We used a natural experimental design approach to assess how stream macroinvertebrate community structure, secondary production and trophic structure are influenced by urban NPS pollution in six streams. 2. Differences in macroinvertebrate community structure and secondary production among sites were highly correlated with stream‐water specific conductivity and dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) concentrations. Macroinvertebrate richness, the Shannon diversity index and the Shannon evenness index were all negatively correlated with specific conductivity. These patterns were driven by differences in the richness and production of EPT and other intolerant taxa. Production of the five most productive taxa, tolerant taxa, non‐insect taxa and primary consumers were all positively correlated with stream‐water DIP. 3. Despite the positive correlation between primary consumer production and DIP, there was no correlation between macroinvertebrate predator production and either total or primary consumer macroinvertebrate production. This was observed because DIP was positively correlated with the production of non‐insect macroinvertebrate taxa assumed to be relatively unavailable for macroinvertebrate predator consumption. After removing production of these taxa, we observed a strong positive correlation between macroinvertebrate predator production and production of available prey. 4. Our results suggest that urban NPS pollution not only affects macroinvertebrate community structure, but also alters secondary production and trophic‐level dynamics. Differences in taxon production in our study indicate the potential for altered energy flow through stream food webs and potential effects on subsidies of aquatic insect prey to riparian food webs.     

中国小头蛇属(蛇亚目,游蛇科)的分类修订

基于40号标本的形态研究,对中国小头蛇属Oligodon进行分类修订。四线小头蛇Oligodon taeniatus(Güther,1861)在中国没有分布,当初发表该纪录所依据的3号标本为紫棕小头蛇指名亚种Oligodon cinereus cinereus(Güther,1864);中国记录的管状小头蛇Oligodon cyclurus(Cantor,1839)应订正为束纹小头蛇Oligodon fascioatus(Güther,1864)。根据色斑、鳞被和半阴茎等综合特征,提出中国记录的喜山小头蛇Oligodon albocinctus包括2个物种,其中云南省陇川县标本为喜山小头蛇Oligodon albcinctus(Cantor,1839),而西藏墨脱县标本是尚未明确的小头蛇属未定种Oligodonsp.,其分类地位有待进一步研究。最后,提供中国分布的小头蛇属物种检索表。     

α2b-IFN诱导CD25表达和对PBMC内HCV RNA的阴转作用

目的探讨α2b-IFN对PBMC内CD25的诱导及对HCV-RNA、抗-HCV转阴效果。方法用BSA法检测慢性丙肝患者治疗前后CD25表达水平。以α2b-IFN(3 MU/d)治疗3个月为一疗程,共2个疗程,于治疗前后分别检测患者PBMC内HCV-RNA和血清HCV-RNA、抗-HCV。结果慢性丙肝患者α2b-IFN治疗后静息期、诱导期CD25表达水平分别为(3.44±0.77)%、(33.62±3.95)%,PBMC、血清内HCV-RNA和抗-HCV转阴率分别为42.31%(11/26)、57.69%(15/26)和65.38%(17/26),与对照相比差异有显著性(P<0.01~P<0.05)。结论α2b-IFN可诱导CD25表达,对PBMC内HCV-RNA具有肯定的治疗作用,其疗效优于常规治疗。     

Multiple determinants influence root colonization and induction of induced systemic resistance by Pseudomonas chlororaphis O6

Colonization of the roots of tobacco by Pseudomonas chlororaphis O6 induces systemic resistance to the soft-rot pathogen, Erwinia carotovora ssp. carotovara SCC1. A screen of the transposon mutants of P. chlororaphis O6 showed mutants with about a fivefold reduction in ability to induce systemic resistance to the soft-rot disease. These mutations disrupted genes involved in diverse functions: a methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein, biosynthesis of purines, phospholipase C, transport of branched-chain amino acids and an ABC transporter. Additional mutations were detected in the intergenic spacer regions between genes encoding a GGDEF protein and fumarate dehydratase, and in genes of unknown function. The mutants in the ABC transporters did not display reduced root colonization. However, the other mutants had up to 100-fold reduced colonization levels. Generally the production of metabolites important for interactions in the rhizosphere, phenazines and siderophores, was not altered by the mutations. A reduced induction of systemic resistance by a purine biosynthesis mutant with a disrupted purM gene correlated with poor growth rate, lesser production of phenazines and siderophore and low levels of root colonization. These studies showed that multiple determinants are involved in the induction of systemic resistance, with there being a requirement for strong root colonization.     

温度和卵大小对尖吻蝮幼蛇孵化及存活率影响的研究

目的研究尖吻蝮（Dienagkistrodon acutus）幼蛇成活率低的原因,观察不同温度条件和不同卵大小对尖吻蝮幼蛇的孵化、幼体特征、转化率、幼蛇存活率的影响。方法将不同窝尖吻蝮蛇卵按产卵日期相差不超过1天分为同一组,每组随机选择不同的温度进行孵化,采用隔水式恒温培养箱进行控温,以常温孵化作为对照试验,幼蛇出壳后采集相关试验数据并进行分析。在环境条件、养殖模式和养殖方法相同情况下对幼蛇饲养3个月,然后统计各组成活率。结果尖吻蝮幼体的孵化和幼体特征及存活率与孵化温度条件有明显相关性,孵化温度越高,孵化期越短,畸形率越高,蛇卵重量转化为幼体体重的转化率越低,3月龄幼蛇存活率越低。较大的尖吻蝮蛇卵孵出的幼蛇个体较大,生存力较强,存活率较高。结论尖吻蝮幼蛇的存活率与孵化温度条件及蛇卵重量大小有明显相关性,较适宜的孵化温度为24-26℃,蛇卵越大幼蛇存活率越高。     

Ceramide Inhibits Cell Proliferation through Akt/PKB Inactivation and Decreases Melanin Synthesis in Mel‐Ab Cells

Ceramide is a bioactive sphingolipid that mediates a variety of cell functions. However, the effects of ceramide on cell growth and the melanogenesis of melanocytes are not known. In the present study, we investigated the actions of cell‐permeable ceramide and its possible role in the signaling pathway of a spontaneously immortalized mouse melanocyte cell line, Mel‐Ab. Our results show that C₂‐ceramide inhibits DNA synthesis in Mel‐Ab cells and G361 human melanoma cells in a dose‐dependent manner. Cell cycle analysis confirmed the inhibition of DNA synthesis by a reduction in the S phase. To investigate the ceramide signaling pathway, we studied whether C₂‐ceramide is able to influence extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) and/or Akt/protein kinase B (PKB) activation. We demonstrated that phosphorylated Akt/PKB is decreased by C₂‐ceramide, whereas phosphorylated ERK was only slightly affected. Therefore, the C₂‐ceramide‐induced inactivation of Akt/PKB may be closely related to the reduced cell proliferation of Mel‐Ab cells. Furthermore, we assessed the effects of C₂‐ceramide on the pigmentation of Mel‐Ab cells. The results obtained showed that the melanin content of cells was significantly reduced by C₂‐ceramide at concentrations in the range of 1–10 μM, and that the pigmentation‐inhibiting effect of C₂‐ceramide is much greater than that of kojic acid at 1–100 μM. In addition, we found that the activity of tyrosinase is reduced by C₂‐ceramide treatment. Our results demonstrate that C₂‐ceramide reduces the pigmentation of Mel‐Ab cells by inhibiting tyrosinase activity.