C_4 Plants as Biofuel Feedstocks: Optimising Biomass Production and Feedstock Quality from a Lignocellulosic Perspective

The main feedstocks for bioethanol are sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) and maize (Zea mays),both of which are C4 grasses,highly efficient at converting solar energy into chemical energy,and both are food crops.As the systems for lignocellulosic bioethanol production become more efficient and cost effective,plant biomass from any source may be used as a feedstock for bioethanol production.Thus,a move away from using food plants to make fuel is possible,and sources of biomass such as wood from forestry and ...     

新疆石炭系杜内-韦宪阶界线层的牙形类POLYGNATHUS COM MUNIS GANCAOHUENSIS(新亚种)和POLYGNA-THUS COMMUNIS BRANSON ET MEHL 1934的种系发生(英文)

本文提出和描述了产自我国西北新疆南部喀拉塔克剖面的一个牙形类新亚种 Polygnathus communis gan-caohuensis,并根据以前出版的信息 ,命名了另一个新亚种 Polygnathus communis carmanae。种系发生研究揭示了Polygnathus communis Branson et Mehl的亚种对于法门阶最上部至韦宪阶地层的划分是至关重要的。此种的 cari-na→ gancaohuensis谱系 ,连同发现于喀拉塔克剖面的菊石、有孔虫和腕足动物 ,被认为是划分杜内 -韦宪阶界线的潜在的标志化石。因此 ,喀拉塔克剖面有可能成为全球杜内 -韦宪阶界线的一个候选层型剖面。     

Polymorphisms in the receptor tyrosine kinase MERTK gene are associated with multiple sclerosis susceptibility

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating, chronic demyelinating disease of the central nervous system affecting over 2 million people worldwide. The TAM family of receptor tyrosine kinases (TYRO3, AXL and MERTK) have been implicated as important players during demyelination in both animal models of MS and in the human disease. We therefore conducted an association study to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within genes encoding the TAM receptors and their ligands associated with MS. Analysis of genotype data from a genome-wide association study which consisted of 1618 MS cases and 3413 healthy controls conducted by the Australia and New Zealand Multiple Sclerosis Genetics Consortium (ANZgene) revealed several SNPs within the MERTK gene (Chromosome 2q14.1, Accession Number NG_011607.1) that showed suggestive association with MS. We therefore interrogated 28 SNPs in MERTK in an independent replication cohort of 1140 MS cases and 1140 healthy controls. We found 12 SNPs that replicated, with 7 SNPs showing p-values of less than 10(-5) when the discovery and replication cohorts were combined. All 12 replicated SNPs were in strong linkage disequilibrium with each other. In combination, these data suggest the MERTK gene is a novel risk gene for MS susceptibility.     

InterStoreDB:A Generic Integration Resource for Genetic and Genomic Data

Associating phenotypic traits and quantitative trait loci (QTL) to causative regions of the underlying genome is a key goal in agricultural research.InterStoreDB is a suite of integrated databases designed to assist in this process.The individual databases are species independent and generic in design,providing access to curated datasets relating to plant populations,phenotypic traits,genetic maps,marker loci and QTL,with links to functional gene annotation and genomic sequence data.Each component database provides access to associated metadata,including data provenance and parameters used in analyses,thus providing users with information to evaluate the relative worth of any associations identified.The databases include CropStoreDB,for management of population,genetic map,QTL and trait measurement data,SeqStoreDB for sequence-related data and AlignStoreDB,which stores sequence alignment information,and allows navigation between genetic and genomic datasets.Genetic maps are visualized and compared using the CMAP tool,and functional annotation from sequenced genomes is provided via an EnsEMBL-based genome browser.This framework facilitates navigation of the multiple biological domains involved in genetics and genomics research in a transparent manner within a single portal.We demonstrate the value of InterStoreDB as a tool for Brassica research.InterStoreDB is available from:http://www.interstoredb.org     

甲型肝炎病毒对理化因子的稳定性

用放射免疫成斑法研究了甲型肝炎病毒FM-175株的理化稳定性和灭活条件,证明甲型肝炎病毒理化稳定性与其它肠道病毒相似,具有广范围的pH(2～10)稳定性;Mg~(++)和Ca可增强其热稳定性,不能抵抗冷冻干燥,但对热的抵抗力明显高于普通肠道病毒,可被紫外线迅速杀灭,也可被多种消毒剂如3～8％的甲醛液,50～90％的乙醇,2％的石炭酸及400ppm的有效氯等杀灭,但可抵抗0.1％甲醛液,2～5％的来苏儿及200ppm的有效氯1小时以上,本研究工作为甲型肝炎病毒的理化性状、保存及消毒条件等提供了实验数据。     

Molecular Analysis of Legume Nodule Development and Autoregulation

Legumes are highly important food, feed and biofuel crops. With few exceptions, they can enter into an intricate symbiotic relationship with specific soil bacteria called rhizobia. This interaction results in the formation of a new root organ called the nodule in which the rhizobia convert atmospheric nitrogen gas into forms of nitrogen that are useable by the plant. The plant tightly controls the number of nodules it forms, via a complex root-to-shoot-to-root signaling loop called autoregulation of nodulat...     

监测害虫迁飞的全自动雷达

在过去30年里,专用昆虫雷达大大深化了我们对昆虫迁飞,尤其是在高达1km高度夜间迁飞的认识。早期的昆虫雷达无法开展长期监测,这种缺陷现已被一种新型的全自动雷达所克服。这种“昆虫监测雷达”（IMR）造价低廉,可自动采集并通过电话网远程传输观测数据。其ZLC制式使其能够获得高质量的迁飞个体的飞行参数从而提高目标鉴别能力。目前,在澳大利亚东部的半干旱内陆地区,即迁飞性鳞翅目害虫和澳大利亚疫hortoicetes terminifera)的虫源区,装置了两部IMR并连续监测其迁飞活动,本报告了这两部雷达的部分监测结果。IMR能提供构成昆虫迁飞系统所需的若干参数,即估测迁飞事件在特定季节,特定方向响应于特定环境条件和信号而发生的概率,为害虫治理机构和测报人员提供对主要迁入事件及其目标害虫可能在迁入区的预警,而且,IMR还可用于更广泛的生态监测,特别是空中生物流量年际变化的定量监测。     

Flavonoids:New Roles for Old Molecules

Flavonoids are ubiquitous in the plant kingdom and have many diverse functions including defense, UV protection, auxin transport inhibition, allelopathy, and flower coloring. Interestingly, these compounds also have considerable biological activity in plant, animal and bacterial systems-such broad activity is accomplished by few compounds. Yet, for all the research over the last three decades, many of the cellular targets of these secondary metabolites are unknown. The many mutants available in model plant ...