中红侧沟茧蜂对烟草挥发物的触角电生理及行为反应

中红侧沟茧峰 Microplitis mediator是棉铃虫 H elicoverpa armigera的主要内寄生蜂 ,是优良的蜂种 ,在生物防治上具有广阔的应用前景。但迄今 ,有关中红侧沟茧蜂的化学生态的研究甚少。利用触角电位技术 ,测定了中红侧沟茧蜂对烟草叶片粗提物和烟草中 10种挥发物的触角电生理反应 ,并测定了中红侧沟茧蜂的触角电位反应随日龄的变化。以嗅觉仪测定了中红侧沟茧蜂对烟草粗提物、烟草中 4种挥发物的行为反应。结果表明中红侧沟茧蜂利用烟草释放的气味向烟草定向 ,进而找到其寄主——棉铃虫 ,也佐证了烟草同样是棉铃虫的重要寄主植物的论点。雌蜂对脂肪族化合物反应最强 ,对芳香族化合物和糠醛 (杂环化合物 )的反应居中 ,对萜类化合物反应较弱或者不反应。表明烟草挥发性物质在中红侧沟茧蜂寻找寄主的过程中起着重要的作用 ,但挥发物各组分的作用存在着差异。雌性中红侧沟茧蜂对顺 - 3-己烯醇的触角电位反应随日龄的增加而变化。 1日龄的雌蜂的反应较弱 ,2日龄、3日龄的雌蜂反应较强 ,4日龄、5日龄的雌蜂的反应又减弱。这与该蜂产卵习性相符 :羽化当天的雌蜂产卵较少 ,羽化 2～ 3d之后的雌蜂产卵量较大     

Demographic dynamics of Platygaster demades in response to host density

Platygaster demades Walker (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) is the only hymenopteran parasitoid of apple leaf-curling midge, Dasineura mali Kieffer (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), in New Zealand. Prior to the present study the mechanisms behind the parasitoid–host density interactions were poorly understood. In this study we carried out both laboratory and field experiments to determine the response of P. demades to D. mali density. In the laboratory, when only a single parasitoid was allowed to forage D. mali eggs of a given density, P. demades displayed a Type II functional response leading to an inverse density-dependent parasitism. However, P. demades showed a Type III functional response in the field where females were able to freely search and disperse between apple shoots infested with D. mali eggs of different densities. As a result, the Type III response reflects a more realistic nature of P. demades in response to D. mali density. Our results also indicate that the numeric response and mutual interference in P. demades significantly contributed to the stability of the parasitoid–host system. The density-dependent parasitism in a host range of 50–300 D. mali eggs per apple shoot suggests that P. demades is highly efficient in controlling D. mali populations of the first, third and fourth generations and when necessary, argumentation measures may be taken before the onset of the second generation.     

QTL×环境互作对标记辅助选择响应的影响

基因型×环境互作是植物数量性状的普通属性和遗传育种改良的关注重点.采用Monte Carlo模拟方法研究了基因型×环境互作对标记辅助选择(Marker-assisted selection,简称MAS)响应的影响,揭示了育种上利用QTL(Quantitafivetrait locus,简称QTL)应当同时考虑其环境互作效应.存在基因型×环境互作下,MAS比普通表型选择更有效.特别以选育广适应性的品种为目标,MAS的优越性更明显.基于单个环境QTLs的MAS,QTL×环境互作效应通常降低了一般选择响应,一般选择响应累积量的降低程度与改良性状的QTL×环境互作效应大小相关.基于多个环境QTLs的MAS,不但产生较高的一般选择响应,而且获得的一般选择响应不受其QTL×环境互作效应大小的影响.但在某一特定环境下获得的总体选择响应仅与改良性状的总遗传率大小有关,普通遗传率和基因型与环境互作遗传率的相对变化对其影响很小.还比较研究了单地和穿梭选择对MAS遗传响应的影响.植物育种者应谨慎将某一环境的QTL信息用于实施另一环境的育种研究.     

Autonomic nervous system responses as performance indicators among volleyball players

Complex motor skills require planning and programming before execution. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is thought to transcribe these central operations at the peripheral level: a motor act is thought to be simultaneously programmed by central and autonomic nervous structures. The aim of this study was to verify that autonomic responses reflect the quality of central motor programming leading to successful or failed performance when subjects are required to perform a complex motor skill. The specificity of the ANS response has already been demonstrated through direct recording from sympathetic fibres. It has also been demonstrated through several mental tasks and closed motor skills such as shooting: ANS responses have been shown to be capable of distinguishing success from failure. The aim of this experiment was to test whether ANS responses are capable of distinguishing two levels of achievement during the performance of a skill involving uncertainty (open skill). The subjects had to intercept a ball on a volleyball court, using the forearm receive and pass technique, in order to pass it on to a moving human target. The results were displayed in terms of accuracy: accurate passes were successful and inaccurate passes missed the target. Six autonomic variables were recorded simultaneously during the task: skin resistance and potential, skin blood flow and temperature, instantaneous heart rate and respiratory frequency. Results showed that autonomic variables were capable of distinguishing success from failure in 22 subjects out of 24. This made it possible to build up autonomic patterns characterising subjects' performances, and to confirm that autonomic functioning may reveal information processing in the central nervous system. Thus, the study of autonomic responses may constitute an inferential model of central nervous system functioning. Such a method could be used as an index for the control of mental preparation.     

The plant hypersensitive response: concepts,control and consequences

The hypersensitive defence response is found in all higher plants and is characterized by a rapid cell death at the point of pathogen ingress. It is usually associated with pathogen resistance, though, in specific situations, it may have other consequences such as pathogen susceptibility, growth retardation and, over evolutionary timescales, speciation. Due to the potentially severe costs of inappropriate activation, plants employ multiple mechanisms to suppress inappropriate activation of HR and to constrain it after activation. The ubiquity of this response among higher plants despite its costs suggests that it is an extremely effective component of the plant immune system.     

The embryonic development of attached and isolated eggs of Carcinus maenas

Eggs of the shore crab, Carcinus maenas, were reared in the laboratory both attached to and in isolation from the female. With continuous agitation the isolated eggs showed better survival and faster embryonic development than attached eggs under comparable conditions. Embryonic development was successful at temperatures from 11 to 25°C. and for attached eggs the development time decreased with temperature according to the equation: D = 20326 (T + 3.3)^?2.09. At all temperatures development was slower than for a comparable study at Plymouth by Wear [8]. Isolated eggs were reared under a wide range of salinities, and appreciable survival beyond the prezoea occurred from 26‰ to 39‰.     

Proboscis behavioral response of four honey bee Apis species towards different concentrations of sucrose,glucose, and fructose

Honey bees forage for pollen and nectar. Sugar is an important stimulus for foraging and a major source of energy for honey bees. Any differential response of bees to different concentrations of sugary nectar can affect their foraging. The sugar responsiveness of Apis species (Apis dorsata, Apis florea, and Apis cerana) was determined in comparison to that of Apis mellifera by evaluating the proboscis extension response (PER) with eight serial concentrations (0.00001, 0.0001, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 M) of sucrose, glucose and fructose. Nectar foragers of bee species (A. dorsata, A. florea, A. cerana, and A. mellifera) exhibited an equal response for sucrose, glucose, and fructose, with no significant differences in their PER at all tested concentrations of these sugars within the same species. The inter-species comparison between Apis species revealed the differential responsiveness to the different concentrations of sugars, and the lowest concentration at which a response occurs was considered as the response threshold of these bee species for sugar solutions. A. mellifera presented significantly higher responsiveness than A. dorsata to low concentrations (0.00001, 0.0001, 0.001, 0.01, and 0.1 M) of sucrose, glucose and fructose. A. mellifera displayed a significantly higher response to water than A. dorsata. A. florea and A. mellifera presented no significant difference in their responsiveness to sucrose, glucose, and fructose at all tested concentrations, and their water responsiveness was also significantly at par but relatively higher in A. mellifera than in A. florea. Likewise, the responsiveness of A. cerana and A. mellifera to different concentrations of sucrose, glucose and fructose was significantly at par with no difference in their water responsiveness. This study represents preliminary research comparing the response of different honey bee species to three sugar types at different concentrations. The results imply that the native species are all better adapted than A. mellifera under local climate conditions.     

不同强度盐胁迫下AM真菌对羊草生长的影响

不同浓度NaCl盐处理下,AM真菌对羊草(Leymus chinensis)的侵染能力和对植物生长的影响,从植物形态和离子含量角度探讨了AM真菌提高羊草耐盐性的作用机理。结果表明,在高盐胁迫下,AM真菌显著降低了盐胁迫效应,提高了羊草生物量,菌根效应明显。菌根化羊草的根茎比显著增加,并且N、P浓度较高,Na~+和Cl~-离子浓度较低,表明AM真菌即促进羊草对营养元素的吸收,又减少了离子毒害。菌根化羊草的Ca~(2+)和K~+离子浓度,以及P/Na~+和K~+/Na~+比高于非菌根化羊草,表明AM真菌可通过调节渗透势以避免或减缓盐胁迫造成的生理缺水。随着盐胁迫的增加,菌根化羊草对磷的依赖性逐渐转换为对钾的依赖性。研究结果有助于揭示AM真菌提高植物耐盐能力的作用机理,并对应用菌根技术修复盐化草地具有理论指导意义。     

Functional Ecology of Two Contrasting Freshwater Ciliated Protists in Relation to Temperature

We conducted microcosm experiments with two contrasting freshwater ciliates on functional traits (FTs) related to their growth rate (numerical response, NR) and ingestion rate (functional response, FR) over a range of ecologically relevant temperatures. Histiobalantium bodamicum and Vorticella natans are common planktonic ciliates but their abundance, swimming behavior, and temperature tolerance are different. In contrast to most sessile peritrich species, the motile V. natans is not strictly bacterivorous but also voraciously feeds upon small algae. We observed three main alterations in the shape of NR of both species with temperature, that is, change in the maximum growth rate, in the initial slope and in the threshold food level needed to sustain the population. Similarly, maximum ingestion rate, gross growth efficiency (GGE), and cell size varied with temperature and species. These findings caution against generalizing ciliate performance in relation to the ongoing global warming. Our results suggest that V. natans is the superior competitor to H. bodamicum in terms of temperature tolerance and bottom-up control. However, the abundance of V. natans is usually low compared to H. bodamicum and other common freshwater ciliates, suggesting that V. natans is more strongly top-down controlled via predation than H. bodamicum. The taxonomic position of V. natans has been debated. Therefore, to confirm species and genus affiliation of our study objects, we sequenced their small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rDNA) gene.     

Effect of SOS-induced levels of imuABC on spontaneous and damage-induced mutagenesis in Caulobacter crescentus

imuABC (imuAB dnaE2) genes are responsible for SOS-mutagenesis in Caulobacter crescentus and other bacterial species devoid of umuDC. In this work, we have constructed operator-constitutive mutants of the imuABC operon. We used this genetic tool to investigate the effect of SOS-induced levels of these genes upon both spontaneous and damage-induced mutagenesis. We showed that constitutive expression of imuABC does not increase spontaneous or damage-induced mutagenesis, nor increases cellular resistance to DNA-damaging agents. Nevertheless, the presence of the operator-constitutive mutation rescues mutagenesis in a recA background, indicating that imuABC are the only genes required at SOS-induced levels for translesion synthesis (TLS) in C. crescentus. Furthermore, these data also show that TLS mediated by ImuABC does not require RecA, unlike umuDC-dependent mutagenesis in E. coli.     

Redox regulatory mechanisms in cellular stress responses

BACKGROUND: Reactive oxygen species are produced in a highly localized and specific pattern in biological stress responses. The present review examines the redox regulatory aspects of a number of molecular stress response mechanisms in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. SCOPE: The present review provides examples representing both the cytoplasmic stress response, often studied as the heat shock response, as well as the stress response of the endoplasmic reticulum, known as the unfolded protein response. The examples have been selected to illustrate the variety of ways that redox signals mediate and affect stress responses. CONCLUSIONS: Redox regulatory mechanisms are intricately embedded in both the cytoplasmic and endoplasmic reticulum stress responses at multiple levels. Many different stimuli, both internal and external, activate endogenous production of reactive oxygen species as a necessary part of the intracellular communication system that activates stress responses.     

强噪声暴露后听觉脑干电反应及皮层电反应的变化

为了观察噪声作用豚鼠后,在暂时性或移和永久性阈移期间,听觉末梢和听觉各级中枢电反庆的变化规律,我们进行了６２ｄ的测定。听神经电反应振幅减小２９％（Ｐ＜０．０５）,耳蜗核电反应振幅减小２８％（Ｐ＜０．０５）,上橄榄核电反应反而增加２１％（Ｐ＜０．０５）,中脑下丘的电反应振幅进而增大３７％（Ｐ＜０．０５）,听觉皮层电反应振幅却意外地增加１３１％（Ｐ＜０．００１）。这说明强噪声（１２５ｄＢ １５０ｍｉｎ     

Persistence and in vivo effects of Yersinia enterocolitica 0:3 endotoxin in rats

In vivo effects of Yersinia enterocolitica 0:3 lipopolysaccharide (prepared from bacteria grown at 25 degrees C and 37 degrees C) were investigated after intraperitoneal (i.p.) and intraarticular (i.a.) injection in rats during 30 days of examination. The persistence of endotoxin in the peritoneal and the synovial cavities was demonstrated by the immunofluorescence technique. Peritoneal and synovial exudative cell infiltration, as well as changes in some parameters (glycolytic and acid phosphatase activity, and killing ability of peritoneal cells; lactate dehydrogenase concentration in synovial fluid) were studied. The results indicated that endotoxin could persist longer in the synovial than in the peritoneal cavity.     

Systems vaccinology: a promise for the young and the poor

As a child, the risk of suffering and dying from infection is higher the younger you are; and higher, the less developed a region you are born in. Childhood vaccination programmes have greatly reduced mortality around the world, but least so for the very young among the very poor of the world. This appears partly owing to suboptimal vaccine effectiveness. Unfortunately, although most vaccines are administered to the newborn and very young infant (less than or equal to two months), we know the least about their host response to vaccination. We thus currently lack the knowledge to guide efforts aimed at improving vaccine effectiveness in this vulnerable population. Systems vaccinology, the study of molecular networks activated by immunization, has begun to provide unprecedented insights into mechanisms leading to vaccine-induced protection from infection or disease. However, all published reports of systems vaccinology have focused on either adults or at most children and older infants, not those most in need, i.e. newborns and very young infants. Given that the tools of systems vaccinology work perfectly well with very small sample volumes, it is time we deliver the promise that systems vaccinology holds for those most in need of vaccine-mediated protection from infection.     

The temperature dependence of shoot hydraulic resistance: implications for stomatal behaviour and hydraulic limitation

Recent soil pressurization experiments have shown that stomatal closure in response to high leaf–air humidity gradients can be explained by direct feedback from leaf water potential. The more complex temperature‐by‐humidity interactive effects on stomatal conductance have not yet been explained fully. Measurements of the change in shoot conductance with temperature were made on Phaseolus vulgaris (common bean) to test whether temperature‐induced changes in the liquid‐phase transport capacity could explain these temperature‐ by‐humidity effects. In addition, shoot hydraulic resistances were partitioned within the stem and leaves to determine whether or not leaves exhibit a greater resistance. Changes in hydraulic conductance were calculated based on an Ohm’s law analogy. Whole‐plant gas exchange was used to determine steady‐ state transpiration rates. A combination of in situ psychrometer measurements, Scholander pressure chamber measurements and psychrometric measurements of leaf punches was used to determine water potential differences within the shoot. Hydraulic conductance for each portion of the pathway was estimated as the total flow divided by the water potential difference. Temperature‐induced changes in stomatal conductance were correlated linearly with temperature‐induced changes in hydraulic conductance. The magnitude of the temperature‐induced changes in whole‐plant hydraulic conductance was sufficient to account for the interactive effects of temperature and humidity on stomatal conductance.     

Helicobacter pylori exhibits a fur-dependent acid tolerance response

Background: Helicobacter pylori colonizes the acid environment of the gastric mucosa. Like other enteric bacterial pathogens, including Salmonella enterica, which must survive a brief exposure to that environment, H. pylori displays a rapid response to subtle changes in pH, which confers an increased ability to survive at more extreme acidic pH. This two‐step acid tolerance response (ATR) requires de novo protein synthesis and is dependent on the function of the global regulatory protein Fur. Objective: We have explored the physiological bases of the ATR in H. pylori. Materials and Methods: Proteomic analysis of phenotypes of H. pylori and fur mutant strains show that subtle pH changes elicit significant changes in the pattern of proteins synthesized. Results: A loss‐of‐function mutation in the fur gene, obtained by insertion of an antibiotic resistance cassette, indicated that Fur regulates the expression of a fraction of H. pylori proteins. Conclusion: A subset of proteins is involved in the ATR and confer a negative ATR phenotype.     

Two arms are better than one: parasite variation leads to combined inducible and constitutive innate immune responses

Parasites represent a major threat to all organisms which has led to the evolution of an array of complex and effective defence mechanisms. Common to both vertebrates and invertebrates are innate immune mechanisms that can be either constitutively expressed or induced on exposure to infection. In nature, we find that a combination of both induced and constitutive responses are employed by vertebrates, invertebrates and, to an extent, plants when they are exposed to a parasite. Here we use a simple within-host model motivated by the insect immune system, consisting of both constitutive and induced responses, to address the question of why both types of response are maintained so ubiquitously. Generally, induced responses are thought to be advantageous because they are only used when required but are too costly to maintain constantly, while constitutive responses are advantageous because they are always ready to act. However, using a simple cost function but with no a priori assumptions about relative costs, we show that variability in parasite growth rates selects for a strategy that combines both constitutive and induced defences. Differential costs are therefore not necessary to explain the adoption of both forms of defence. Clearly, hosts are likely to be challenged by variable parasites in nature and this is sufficient to explain why it is optimal to deploy both arms of the innate immune system.