O-methylation of dopamine-0-sulfates with cathechol-0-methyltransferase

[²H₂]-dopamine-3-0-sulfate(DM-3-0-S) and [²H₂]-dopamine-4-0-sulfate (DM-4-0-S) were synthesized to investigate the possibility of their being substrates for catechol-0-methyltransferase (COMT). [²H₅]-3-0-methyldopamine (3-0-Me-DM) and [²H₅]-4-0-methyldopamine (4-0-Me-DM) were also synthesized as internal standards for the determination of enzymatic products by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). [²H₂]-DM-3-0-S or [²H₂]-DM-4-0-S was incubated at 37° for 60 min in the presence of S-adenosyl-L-methionine with a crude enzyme preparation obtained from rat liver homogenate. The incubation mixture was treated with 0.5N HCl at 100°C for 1h to hydrolyze the remaining sulfate moiety. The reaction products were extracted with an Amberlite XAD-4, derivatized with pentafluoropropionic anhydride and determined by GC-MS. When [²H₂]-DM-3-0-S was used as a substrate, [²H₂]-3-0-Me-DM was found to be a major product accompanied by [²H₂]-4-0-Me-DM as a minor product. The ratio of [²H₂]-3-0-Me-DM to [²H₂]-4-0-Me-DM was found to be 26:1, while the ratio was 5.4:1 when [²H₂]-dopamine was used as a substrate. When [²H₂]-DM-4-0-S served as a substrate, [²H₂]-3-0-Me-DM was preferentially produced without detectable formation of [²H₂]-4-0-Me-DM.     

Patterning of impoundment impact on chironomid assemblages and their environment with use of the self-organizing map (SOM)

The paper assesses the impact of the Jeziorsko dam reservoir on chironomid assemblages and selected environmental factors in the Warta River, Poland, by means of patterns recognized with the self-organizing map (SOM, Kohonen unsupervised artificial neural network). Over 1988–1996, in four annual cycles, a total of 233 monthly samples were collected in a seven order section of the river at two sites: WAA (backwater) located about 2 km upstream from the Jeziorsko Reservoir, and WAB (tailwater) located about 1.5 km downstream from the reservoir's dam. At each site three habitats were selected: H₁, H₂ and H₃ at WAA, and H₁₁, H₁₂ and H₁₃ at WAB. H₁ and H₁₁ were located in the depositional area close to the banks, H₂ and H₁₂ about 6–7 m towards the mid-river and H₃ and H₁₃ in the mid-river. SOM effectively vertically separated H₁ and H₁₁ (bank habitats) from H₃ and H₁₃ (the mid-river zone of both sites) and H₂ (the transition zone of the upstream site). The H₁₂ samples were scattered all over SOM but still exhibited a slight temporal gradient. At the end of the study the water discharge, especially in summers, stabilized at WAB at a level lower than natural and as a result submerged macrophytes appeared at H₁₂ making the abundance of macroinvertebrates increase very quickly. Moreover, a weaker horizontal grouping of samples by season and by site of collection (upstream or downstream from the reservoir) was observed over SOM: 1) bank upstream habitat H₁, with hydrological regime resembling natural, was separated from the downstream H₁₁, which enlarged and contracted in response to dam operation, 2) deeper habitats were less dependent on water level and this is why they underwent seasonal fluctuations. To sum up, the deepest habitats were most resistant to water level fluctuations, while the formerly most productive habitat at the tailwater WAB site, H₁₁, became the most negatively impacted. Nevertheless, the reservoir has not negatively influenced chironomid density, because the latter increased closer the mid-river, at H₁₂, where large patches of macrophytes developed.     

Ant diversity and its relationship with vegetation and soil factors in an alluvial fan of the Tehuacán Valley, Mexico

In this study, we analyze the ant community found along an alluvial fan located in the Tehuacán Valley, central Mexico. Considering that this fan is composed of four terraces with different soils and vegetation structures, our main goal was to determine whether there are significant differences in ant diversity among terraces. To accomplish this goal, we determine species richness and abundance in order to calculate diversity and evenness indices. In addition, we classify species in different feeding guilds to evaluate whether differences among terraces exist. We expected higher ant diversity and variety of food guilds in terraces with sandy soils and complex vegetation structures than in terraces with argillic and calcic horizons. Correlations between several diversity parameters, and soil percent-sand and vegetation structure were also conducted. A total of 26 ant species were recorded along the fan. Species richness was not different among terraces whereas abundance was higher in sandy soils and on terraces with complex vegetation structure. Particularly, the abundance of the harvester ant Pogonomyrmex barbatus was higher in these terraces decreasing total ant diversity and evenness. Species richness within feeding guilds was similar among terraces with the generalized foragers as the most common. Our work suggests that percentage of sand in the soil and complexity of vegetation structure of the alluvial fan studied might be influencing ant distribution and favoring the abundance of numerically dominant species which could be affecting the diversity patterns of the whole community.     

Is the interspecific variation of body size of land snails correlated with rainfall in Israel and Palestine?

The hypothesis that body size of land snail species increases with aridity in Israel and Palestine because large snails lose relatively less water due to their lower surface to volume ratio has been investigated. Data on rainfall amplitudes of 84 land snail species in Israel and Palestine and on their body sizes were used to test for interspecific correlations between body size and rainfall. Four methods, means of body sizes in rainfall categories, the midpoint method, the across-species method, and a phylogenetically controlled analysis (CAIC) showed that there is no significant correlation between body size of land snail species and their rainfall amplitude in Israel and Palestine. The lack of an interspecific correlation between body size and rainfall amplitude may be the result of conflicting selective forces on body size.     

Functional complementation of yeast ribosomal P0 protein with Plasmodium falciparum P0

A complex of three phosphoproteins (P0, P1 and P2) constitutes the stalk region at the GTPase center of the eukaryotic large ribosomal subunit, amongst which the protein P0 plays the most crucial role. Earlier studies have shown the functional complementation of the conditional P0-null mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (W303dGP0) with orthologous P0 genes from fungal and mammalian organisms, but not the protozoan parasite Leishmania infantum. In this paper we show that the PfP0 gene from the protozoan malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum can functionally complement the conditional P0-null W303dGP0 mutant of S. cerevisiae. Unlike the above orthologous genes, PfP0 gene could also rescue the D67dGP0 strain, which in addition to being a conditional null for ScP0 gene, is a null-mutant for both ScP1alpha and beta genes. However, under stress conditions such as high temperature, salt and osmolarity, PfP0 gene could not rescue D67dGP0 strain. Ribosomes purified from W303dGP0 carrying PfP0 gene did not contain ScP1 protein, indicating a lack of binding of ScP1 to PfP0 protein. Yeast 2-hybrid analysis further confirmed the lack of binding of ScP1 to PfP0 protein. The polymerizing activities of ribosomes with ScP0 or PfP0 protein, in the absence of ScP1 protein, were found to be about 40-45% that of ribosomes with all the yeast P-proteins. In its sensitivity to the inhibitor sordarin, PfP0 was similar to the P0 protein from the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. These results indicate a closer functional relationship of P. falciparum P0 gene to fungal P0 genes.     

Peculiarities of the GSTM1 0/0 genotype in French heavy smokers with various types of chronic bronchitis

A homozygous gene deletion of the glutathione S-transferase M1 (GSTM1) locus of genomic DNA from blood spots was studied by the polymerase chain reaction in a group of French heavy smokers (n = 361), which included patients with severe chronic bronchitis (SCB; n = 87), moderate chronic bronchitis (MCB; n = 102) and hard smokers (HS) with no permanent clinical symptoms of chronic bronchitis (n = 172). The GSTM1 0/0 genotype was found in 71.3% and 65.7% of cases in SCB and MCB, respectively, compared with only 47.1% in the control HS group (P = 0.0002). This latter figure (47.1%) is consistent with the average GSTM1 deletion frequency in French Caucasians. Moreover, the results showed a significant difference in the distribution of the GSTM1 0/0 genotype for both the SCB and MCB groups against the control HS group, according to gender (SCB: P = 0.001; MCB: P = 0.005), age (SCB: P = 0.0001; MCB: P = 0.005) and smoking history (SCB: P = 0.0001; MCB: P = 0.005). Thus, individuals homozygous for the GSTM1 gene deletion, especially in the under-41 age group (SCB: P = 0.001; MSB: P = 0.04) with an average smoking history of 16–30 pack-years (SCB: P = 0.002; MSB: P = 0.01) are more prone to chronic lung diseases, such as SCB and MCB, than are GSTM1 +/+ or 0/+ subjects. Population screening of young people for the identification of GSTM1 0/0 subjects, with special emphasis on smoking habits, might be useful (1) for the early detection of individuals at high risk of lung complications caused by environmental toxins and pollutants and (2) in clinical practice, in order to prevent the development of chronic bronchitis, which is a common disease. Received: 4 November 1996     

Shrubs as a source of spatial heterogeneity—the case of Retama sphaerocarpa in Mediterranean pastures of central Spain

The processes underlying the positive effect exerted by woody species on other plant species can be grouped into a physical effect due to the canopy itself (mainly amelioration of temperature and light extremes), and an edaphic effect (nutrient enrichment). Both groups of effects are present in the savanna-like systems originated by Retama sphaerocarpa in the Iberian Peninsula. The consequences of these shrubs for the spatial heterogeneity induced in the herbaceous community are not well known. The herbaceous community was sampled by means of radial transects around 20 adult shrubs, from the canopy centre to the open areas among the shrubs, both northwards and southwards. Floristic composition, diversity and pasture mean height change both along the inside–outside gradient, and from north to south. As a nutrient enriched environment, the centre of the understorey showed the lowest species richness and evenness, and the highest standing crop. In contrast, the environmentally stressful open areas showed the highest number of species and evenness, and the lowest standing crop. This general effect is only partially due to nutrient availability, and is not homogeneous around the shrub, as open area conditions penetrate into the understorey driving the herbaceous community towards that of open areas. An individual shrub effect is also suggested by our results. Different conditions are thus provided by R. sphaerocarpa understoreys, favouring different subsets of species from the general pool, and therefore defining shrub canopies as sources of spatial heterogeneity in the whole savanna-like system.     

甘肃省啮齿动物区系及地理区划的研究

甘肃啮齿动物有87种(含7亚种),隶2目9科41属。可将甘肃划分6个省：1．陇东高原省,有28种(含l亚种),2．中部黄土高原省,有30种;3．河西走廊省,有36种,三趾心颅跳鼠和短耳沙鼠为本省特有种;4．祁连山地省,有29种,高原高山鼠和银白高山鼠为本省特有种;5．甘南高原草原省,有34种,棕背鼾和普通田鼠为本省特有种,6．陇南山地省,有34种,豪猪和巢鼠为本省特有种。     

Characterization of tricarbonyl-chromium(0), -molybdenum(0) and -tungsten(0) complexes with 2,2-para-cyclophane

Complexes of the type M(CO)₃(22cy), where M = Cr, Mo, W and 22cy = 2,2-para-cyclophane were prepared and characterised. The i.r., p.m.r., mass spectrography spectra are discussed. The Mo derivative decomposes in solution giving 22cy, Mo(CO)₆ and Mo, according to a first order mechanism.     

Association of the + 45T > G adiponectin gene polymorphism with insulin resistance in non-diabetic Saudi women

Background

The human adiponectin gene variations are associated with obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes. However, these associations have not been fully examined in a non-diabetic population in Saudi Arabia. We aimed to investigate the association of 45T > G single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the adiponectin gene with total adiponectin levels, insulin resistance (IR), fasting blood glucose (FBG) and other markers of obesity in non-diabetic Saudi females.

Methods

One hundred non diabetic Saudi females were enrolled in this study. They were further divided according to their body mass index (BMI) into two groups. Group I, 46 non diabetic subjects with normal body weight and group II, 54 overweight and obese females. Adiponectin 45T/G polymorphism was detected by polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR–RFLP). Serum adiponectin was measured by ELISA.

Results

Obese women exhibited a higher distribution of TG/GG genotype compared with non-obese women. SNP + 45T > G genotypes were associated with higher FBG, insulin levels and HOMA–IR with lower total adiponectin levels in obese Saudi women. Otherwise the all estimated variables revealed non-significant differences among the non-obese genotypes. The observed differences in insulin resistance markers were very significant among women with a higher body weight but not among normal body weight women, thus suggesting that SNP + 45T > G effects on insulin sensitivity may depend upon body weight and body fat status.

Conclusion

SNP + 45T > G of adiponectin gene has a significant role in the development of insulin resistance in Saudi women possibly through an interaction with increase body weight and hypoadiponectinemia.     

四川短尾鼩（Anourosorex squamipes)种群动态研究

四川短尾鼩(Anourosorex squmipes)的怀孕期在每年的4、7 、9月,种群数量高峰为6月和10～11月。其种群数量的消长可分为种群潜伏期(3-4月)、盛发期(6、8、9月)、始衰期(10-11月)、凋落期(12、1、2月)以及数量间歇期(7月)和繁殖间歇期(5月)。该兽在田间是以个体群为基础的聚集型分布格局,并有高密度时低聚集和低密度时高聚集的分布特征。     

Aquaporin 0-calmodulin interaction and the effect of aquaporin 0 phosphorylation

Aquaporin 0 (AQP0), also known as major intrinsic protein of lens, is the most abundant membrane protein in the lens and it undergoes a host of C-terminally directed posttranslational modifications. The C-terminal region containing the major phosphorylation sites is a putative calmodulin-binding site, and calmodulin has been shown to regulate AQP0 water permeability. The purpose of the present study was to elucidate the role of AQP0 phosphorylation on calmodulin binding. AQP0 C-terminal peptides were synthesized with and without serine phosphorylation on S231 and S235, and the ability of these peptides to bind dansyl-labeled calmodulin and the calcium dependence of the interaction was assessed using a fluorescence binding assay. The AQP0 C-terminal phosphorylated peptides were found to have 20-50-fold lower affinities for calmodulin than the unphosphorylated peptide. Chemical cross-linking studies revealed specific sites of AQP0-calmodulin interaction that are significantly reduced by AQP0 phosphorylation. These data suggest that AQP0 C-terminal phosphorylation affects calmodulin binding in vivo and has a role in regulation of AQP0 function.     

人工饲养条件下高原鼠兔生长和发育的初步研究

本文研究了人工饲养条件下高原鼠兔的生长发育情况,并和其他种鼠兔的生长作了比较。室内高原鼠兔比野外的生长快,人工饲养的阿富汗鼠兔和北美鼠兔生长期短,成熟早。     

A MENI0RIAL T0 THE FAM0US CHINESE GE0B0TANIST PROF. ZHU YAN-CHEN

The Yunnan University, Kunming Institute of Botany, Academia Sinica, on December 5, 1980, 1ost its staff member through 30 years and more,the Senior Professor of Plant Ecology and Geo- botany,Head of Geobotanical Laboratory, (Yun- nan University),President the Yunnan Botanical Society, Editor of Acta Botanica Yunnanica, etc     

Engineered Si(1 0 0) surfaces for the gas-phase anchoring of metal β-diketonate complexes

A synthetic strategy for the covalent anchoring of nickel β-diketonate complexes on Si(1 0 0) has been examined. Engineered Si(1 0 0) surfaces were prepared by the Si-grafting of 10-undecylenic acid methyl ester followed by hydrolysis of the ester to free the carboxylic functions suited for the anchoring of the Ni complex. Bis(pentane-2,4-dionate)Ni(II) was bonded to the functionalized surface from the gas phase by the exchange of the acetylacetonate ligand with the grafted acid. The surface density of the anchored Ni complex was controlled by tuning the surface concentration of carboxylic groups adopting a mixed monolayer of undecylenic acid and 1-decene used as a spectator spacer. The nickel decorated silicon surfaces were characterized by attenuate total reflectance infrared absorption spectroscopy (ATR-IRAS) and angle resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (AR-XPS).