Fungal endophyte communities in above- and belowground olive tree organs and the effect of season and geographic location on their structures

Studies comparing fungal endophytes between above- and belowground woody crop organs and the factors that may structure their communities are lacking. Due to its great impact on the Mediterranean Basin, the olive tree was chosen for the isolation of endophytic fungi from roots, leaves and twigs in two seasons in north-eastern Portugal. Nine hundred seventy-six isolates belonging to 38 fungal species were obtained. Phomopsis columnaris, Fusarium oxysporum and Trichoderma gamsii were the most frequently isolated, collectively representing 69% of the isolates. Fungal diversity in the roots was higher than in the aboveground organs and higher in spring than autumn. Endophyte community similarity between the above- and belowground organs and between seasons was low. Species composition also varied spatially, with the fungal composition of the roots varying more among locations than that of the aboveground organs. Our results suggest olive tree endophyte community structure is affected by plant organ, location and season.     

Comparative Insect Faunas between Ganghwado and Six others Islands of West Coastal in Incheon,Korea

This paper is intended as an investigation of the biogeographic characteristics of insect faunas of the seven islands in West Coastal of Incheon, Korea, using quantitative analysis. The faunal similarity is examined using the Bray & Curtis similarity. The obtained similarity value matrix was examined by a cluster analysis using UPGMA method. The number and the distribution records of each species in the areas are 1,001 species of insects belonging to 12 orders from the seven investigated islands. Among above seven islands, Seokmodo has the highest number of species, 497 species, while Yeonpyeongdo has the lowest, 136 species. The species composition of insects reported in Ganghwado was 309 species under seven orders. The similarity values between seven localities investigated range from 24.907(Gyodongdo to Yeonpyeongdo) to 49.899(Baengnyeongdo to Ganghwado). That is, the species composition of Baengnyeongdo(47.90%) was similar to that of Ganghwado, while that of Yeonpyeongdo(25.28%) was different from that. The cluster analysis using a similarity index shows that all the islands of these areas can be divided into 3 groups at the level of 30.97%.     

Seedling regeneration,environment and management in a semi‐deciduous African tropical rain forest

Questions: How is seedling regeneration of woody species of semi‐deciduous rain forests affected by (a) historical management for combinations of logging, arboricide treatment or no treatment, (b) forest community type and (c) environmental gradients of topography, light and soil nutrients? Location: Budongo Forest Reserve, Uganda. Methods: Seedling regeneration patterns of trees and shrubs in relation to environmental factors and historical management types were studied using 32 0.5‐ha plots laid out in transects along a topographic gradient. We compared seedling species diversity, composition and distribution patterns along topographic gradients and within types of historical management regimes and forest communities to test whether environmental factors contributed to differences in species composition of seedlings. Results: A total of 85 624 woody seedlings representing 237 species and 46 families were recorded in this rain forest. Cynometra alexandri C.H. Wright and Lasiodiscus mildbraedii Engl. had high seedling densities and were widely distributed throughout the plots. The most species‐rich families were Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Rubiaceae, Meliaceae, Moraceae and Rutaceae. Only total seedling density was significantly different between sites with different historical management, with densities highest in logged, intermediate in logged/arboricided and lowest in the nature reserve. Forest communities differed significantly in terms of seedling diversity and density. Seedling composition differed significantly between transects and forest communities, but not between topographic positions or historical management types. Both Chao‐Jaccard and Chao‐Sørensen abundance‐based similarity estimators were relatively high in the plot, forest community and in terms of historical management levels, corroborating the lack of significant differences in species richness within these groups. The measured environmental variables explained 59.4% of variance in seedling species distributions, with the three most important being soil organic matter, total soil titanium and leaf area index (LAI). Total seedling density was positively correlated with LAI. Differences in diversity of >2.0 cm dbh plants (juveniles and adults) also explained variations in seedling species diversity. Conclusions: The seedling bank is the major route for regeneration in this semi‐deciduous tropical rain forest, with the wide distribution of many species suggesting that these species regenerate continuously. Seedling diversity, density and distribution are largely a function of adult diversity, historical management type and environmental gradients in factors such as soil nutrient content and LAI. The species richness of seedlings was higher in soils both rich in titanium and with low exchangeable cations, as well as in logged areas that were more open and had a low LAI.     

Structure-based drug design identifies novel LPA3 antagonists

Compound 5 ([5-(3-nitrophenoxy)-1,3-dioxo-1,3-dihydro-2-isoindol-2-yl]acetic acid) was identified as a weak selective LPA₃ antagonist (IC₅₀ = 4504 nM) in a virtual screening effort to optimize a dual LPA_{2 and 3} antagonist. Structure-based drug design techniques were used to prioritize similarity search matches of compound 5. This strategy rapidly identified 10 novel antagonists. The two most efficacious compounds identified inhibit activation of the LPA₃ receptor by 200 nM LPA with IC₅₀ values of 752 nM and 2992 nM. These compounds additionally define changes to our previously reported pharmacophore that will improve its ability to identify more potent and selective LPA₃ receptor antagonists. The results of the combined computational and experimental screening are reported.     

黄酮化合物色谱保留时间与其三维结构的关系研究

利用比较分子相似性指数分析（CoMSIA）方法,结合黄酮类化合物含有较多羟基、易形成较强分子内氢键的特点,建立了黄酮类化合物色谱保留时间与其三维结构的关系模型,以探讨黄酮类化合物色谱保留时间预测的新方法。模型交叉验证相关系数q2值为0．705,非交叉验证相关系数r2为0．981,表明模型具有较好的预测能力。该研究结果对进一步开展黄酮类化合物液相色谱保留参数与三维结构关系的研究提供了思路和方法。     

Taxa, individuals, clusters and a few other things

The recognition of species proceeds by two fairly distinct phases: (1) the sorting of individuals into groups or basic taxa (‘discovery’) (2) the checking of those taxa as candidates for species-hood (‘justification’). The target here is a rational reconstruction of phase 1, beginning with a discussion of key terms. The transmission of ‘meaning’ is regarded as bimodal: definition states the intension of the term, and diagnosis provides a disjunction of criteria for recognition of its extension. The two are connected by a spectrum, with purely theoretical definition at one pole and purely ‘operational’ diagnosis at the other, with the more operational elements explained by the more theoretical. The current plethora of species concepts provides a good example. Accepting the Ghiselin–Hull thesis, that a species is an individual, a basic taxon is therefore also an individual with organisms as its parts. In a generalised synchronic individual its parts are conceptually integrated by an integrating principle (IP), which consists of a relation applying within a plan or rule. Fully developed, such an IP ensures the maximisation of the information content of the individual. A diachronic individual is then the set of its component synchronic parts, and its IP is provided by near-identity in an appropriate space-time (not necessarily physical). The integration of parts of an individual is illuminated by Gasking's concept of a proper group (in this case a chain-group), whose members are related by the relation serially fitting together with, the IP completed by an appropriate plan or rule. Gasking also applied the term cluster to a proper group persisting over a substantial period of time, individuated by any member acting as focus. A basic taxon is therefore a cluster of individuals, integrated by the relation significantly taxonomically similar and the rule in character-space-time. The nature of those concepts is discussed and defended. A species will inherit certain of the attributes of the preceding basic taxon (taxa). In at least the synchronic version its parts (individuals) will resemble each other significantly, providing the intuitive applicability of ‘members of’ and ‘instances of’ a species. Also, the notion that a species’ name is given by pure ostension, via a name-bearer (holotype) is empirically incoherent: the name cannot be applied in practice without an appropriate set of diagnostic traits.     

Development of a pharmacophore model for the catecholamine release-inhibitory peptide catestatin: Virtual screening and functional testing identify novel small molecule therapeutics of hypertension

The endogenous catecholamine release-inhibitory peptide catestatin (CST) regulates events leading to hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Earlier we studied the structure of CST by NMR, molecular modeling, and amino acid scanning mutagenesis. That structure has now been exploited for elucidation of interface pharmacophores that mediate binding of CST to its target, with consequent secretory inhibition. Designed pharmacophore models allowed screening of 3D structural domains. Selected compounds were tested on both cultured catecholaminergic cells and an in vivo model of hypertension; in each case, the candidates showed substantial mimicry of native CST actions, with preserved or enhanced potency and specificity. The approach and compounds have thus enabled rational design of novel drug candidates for treatment of hypertension or autonomic dysfunction.     

基于3-D图形表示的DNA序列的相似性分析

基于DNA序列的3D图形表示,通过L／L矩阵的规范化最大特征值组成的3维向量来刻画了DNA序列,并基于这种方法,用β-globin基因的第一个外显子分析了11个物种的相似性问题。     

邢台西部山地种子植物区系地理研究

邢台西部山地位于河北太行山脉南段,共有野生种子植物93科、393属、823种。该区系地理成分复杂,具有明显的温带性质,也有一定的热带亲缘,中国特有种丰富。运用相似性系数,对该区与其它8个山地植物区系成分进行了比较分析。结果表明:邢台西部山地植物区系与太岳山和中条山区系相似性较高,与东灵山、小五台山、雾灵山和伏牛山的关系次之,与长白山和神农架的相似性较低。