Undermatching in humans to amount of reinforcement

Human subjects were exposed to a concurrent-chain procedure in which amount of reinforcement in the terminal links was varied. The experimental procedure was designed to resemble as closely as possible animal operant procedures: verbal instructions were eliminated, the key-press operant response was shaped, and a “consummatory” response was required to receive reward. In addition to varying amount of reward, three different pairs of initial-link values in the concurrent chain were studied. The human subjects showed undermatching to amount of reinforcement (as do animal subjects). Moreover, the degree of undermatching tended to increase as the values of the initial links increased, consistent with Fantino's delay reduction hypothesis (1977) that choice for a larger reward decreases as the length of the initial link increases.     

水稻基因组DNA微量提取

随着植物学向分子水平的深入发展,研究中经常需要获得高质量的植物DNA样品,因此,建立植物DNA提取与纯化的常规实验方法对教学和科研都显得非常必要。介绍一种快速提取微量DNA的方法,该方法简单易行,无需任何特殊设备,所需样品量少,提取的DNA纯度高,可满足以PCR扩增为基础的实验需要。     

Assessing the amount of heterogeneity in random-effects meta-analysis

In a random-effects meta-analysis, a new confidence interval for the heterogeneity parameter is proposed. With this interval, the amount of heterogeneity in a meta-analysis can be assessed so that it can be judged whether the pooling of the estimates is meaningful. Through suitable corrections of the lower bound, based on the treatment effect measure of interest, the resulting interval yields satisfactory results with respect to the predefined confidence coefficient. Lower and upper bound of the interval can be used for one-sided hypothesis testing on the amount of the underlying between-trial variability.     

褐边绿刺蛾的取食行为和取食量

观察褐边绿刺蛾Parasa consocia Walker2个世代幼虫取食杨树叶片的习性。结果表明,第1代幼虫7龄,幼虫期平均取食量167.7cm2/头,取食持续时间26d;第2代幼虫8龄,幼虫期平均取食量170.5cm2/头,取食持续时间27d。2个世代末龄幼虫取食量最大,占整个取食量的80%左右,4~5龄幼虫是防治的关键龄期。     

Manipulation of the amount of RNA in post-mitotic nuclei

Because all (or almost all) nuclear RNAs are liberated to the cytoplasm during mitosis and then return to the post-mitotic nuclei, we expected that if cytoplasm were amputated from mitotic cells the post-division nuclei would possess less than normal amounts of RNA. Experiments performed with amebae (A. proteus) show that this is in fact what happens. Furthermore, since the enucleate fragment cut from a mitotic cell possesses an “excess” of returnable nuclear RNAs, a normal interphase nucleus implanted into such mitotic cytoplasm might be expected to acquire above-normal amounts of RNA. Experiments reported here show that this expectation also is realized. Thus, the regulation of the normal nuclear concentration of these RNAs involves mechanisms other than a limited number of intranuclear “binding” sites and most likely is restricted by the rate of synthesis of these RNAs.The demonstration that nuclei can be depleted or enriched for RNAs, many of which are unique to nuclei, makes it possible to determine the consequences for cell metabolism of altered amounts of nuclear RNA. Hopefully, such studies will reveal the function(s) of these RNAs.     

饮茶摄氟量的探讨

饮茶摄氟量取决于三个要素：饮茶方式、茶氟富集量与氟浸出率,其中茶氟富集量是首要因素。茶水含氟量以一泡茶水最高,二泡茶水次之,三泡及其以后的茶水含氟量急剧下降。茶叶中富集的氟,基本上是水溶性化合物。饮茶过程中约有４２％～８６％的氟溶于茶汤被人体摄入。饮茶摄氟量关系到饮茶与人体健康,摄氟量过高,会造成氟中毒。     

Karyotype revised of Pisum sativum using chromosomal DNA amount

Pisum sativum was one of the first plants for which the mitotic karyotype was recognized and the karyogram assembled. These achievements were required owing to the physical mapping of P. sativum, providing data for evolutionary approaches and breeding programs. In spite of significant advances, precise morphometric characterization of chromosomes and karyogram assembly of P. sativum have become a topical problem. The present study proposes an unambiguous classification for the chromosomes of P. sativum, based on classical cytogenetic rules and chromosomal DNA amount. Cytogenetic procedure yielded mitotic cells showing morphologically preserved and stoichiometrically stained chromosomes. Twelve mitotic cells were selected, and the mean values for total, short- and long-arm lengths and DNA amount were measured for each chromosome. Chromosomal DNA amount fully correlated with total chromosome length, whose value proportionally decreases with the amount of DNA. Considering these data, all seven chromosomes could be unambiguously identified, yielding a new cytogenetic classification for P. sativum chromosomes. Moreover, the chromosome pairs were ordered according to the classical cytogenetic rule for assembly of karyograms. Since P. sativum is considered a model plant, it was possible to correlate the newly outlined karyotype with other cytogenetic data and linkage groups.     

The amount of mobilizable stem cells in perturbed hemopoiesis

The level of mobilizable 9-day colony-forming units (CFU-s), which represents a constant fraction of the normal mouse bone marrow CFU-s pool, was assayed in BDF1 mice with perturbed hemopoiesis (i.e., during increased turnover of CFU-s or increased CFU-s traffic after irradiation). After low-level irradiation, regeneration of the mobilizable CFU-s fraction was significantly slower than that of bone marrow CFU-s. Depletion of the mobilizable CFU-s pool was observed if a permanently increased outflow of CFU-s from the bone marrow was induced by endotoxin injection. After 40% withdrawal of the blood volume, the mobilizable CFU-s pool expanded marginally. Assuming that the level of mobilizable CFU-s is a consequence of production and outflow from the bone marrow compartment, changes in the pool size of mobilizable CFU-s may be a sensitive indicator of balanced or unbalanced hemopoiesis.     

稻-鸭复合生态系统产甲烷细菌数量

采用厌氧培养箱技术 ,用最大或然数计数法 (MPN法 )和滚管法同时测定稻 -鸭复合系统和常规稻作系统早稻不同生育期土壤中的产甲烷细菌数量。结果表明 :(1)两系统产甲烷菌数量具有明显的季节变化规律。水稻返青期前 ,两系统的产甲烷菌数量相差不大 ,随着水稻生育期的推进 ,两处理的产甲烷菌数量逐渐增加 ,均在分蘖盛期明显增高 ,孕穗期达到最高 ,乳熟期又显著减少 ,生长后期又有所回升。(2 )稻田围栏养鸭能减少稻田中的产甲烷菌数量 ,特别是减少了稻田甲烷排放高峰期的产甲烷菌数量。在水稻分蘖盛期和孕穗期 ,MPN计数法中 ,稻 -鸭复合生态系统低于常规稻作系统 2 0 .0 %～ 96 .9% ;滚管法计数中 ,前者比后者降低 33.3%～ 98.1% ,两系统的产甲烷菌数量之间的差异均达极显著水平。 (3)产甲烷细菌对甲醇、异丙醇、CO2 / H2 、乙酸钠有嗜好表现 ,对甲胺、甲酸、甲胺 甲醇 甲酸 异丙醇 乙酸钠 (混合基质 1)、甲酸 甲醇 异丙醇 乙酸钠 (混合基质2 )、甲醇 异丙醇 乙酸钠 (混合基质 3)有不适应的表现     

Variation in amount of enzyme protein in natural populations

Among strains of Drosophila melanogaster each derived from a single fertilized female taken from natural populations, there is variation in both alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity and the amount of ADH protein. The correlation between ADH activity and number of molecules over all strains examined is 0.87 or 0.96 in late third instar larvae depending on whether the substrate is 2-propanol or ethanol. With respect to the two common electrophoretic allozymic forms, F and S, segregating in these populations, the FF strains on the whole have higher ADH activities and numbers of ADH molecules than the SS strains. Over all strains examined, enzyme extracts from FF strains have a mean catalytic efficiency per enzyme molecule higher than that of enzyme extracts from SS strains when ethanol is the substrate, and much higher when 2-propanol is the substrate. One FF strain had an ADH activity/ADH protein ratio characteristic of SS strains.     

Interaction between myosin and a trace amount of caldesmon

Caldesmon (CaD) is known as an actin binding protein. In this study, we proposed that a trace amount of caldesmon (TACD) could highly, efficiently, interact with myosin by producing a 'domino-like cascade' and characterized that TACD (lowest caldesmon/myosin molar ratio: 1/10,000) significantly increased precipitations and intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence intensity of myosin in both phosphorylated and unphosphorylated states compared to the base controls (P < 0.01). Actin-blocked TACD-myosin interaction, suggesting that it functioned as a negative regulator. Since CaD is not an enzyme, the in vivo significance of the highly efficient TACD-myosin interaction needs further investigation.     

Measurement of amount of nitrogen fixed by a legume crop

Summary The amount of nitrogen fixed by a legume crop can be calculated from the relationship % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafiart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGceaqabeaacaqGbb% GaaeyBaiaab+gacaqG1bGaaeOBaiaabshacaqGGaGaae4BaiaabAga% caqGGaGaaeOzaiaabMgacaqG4bGaaeyzaiaabsgacaqGGaGaaeOtai% aabccacaqG9aaabaGaaeypaiaabccadaqadaqaaiaaigdacqGHsisl% daWcaaqaaiGacggacaGG0bGaai4Baiaac2gacaGGGaGaaiyjaiaacc% cacaGGobGaaiylaiaacgdacaGG1aGaaiiiaiaacwgacaGG4bGaai4y% aiaacwgacaGGZbGaai4CaiaacccacaGGPbGaaiOBaiaacccacaGGSb% GaaiyzaiaacEgacaGG1bGaaiyBaiaacwgacaGGGaGaai4yaiaackha% caGGVbGaaiiCaaqaaiGacggacaGG0bGaai4Baiaac2gacaGGGaGaai% yjaiaacccacaGGobGaaiylaiaacgdacaGG1aGaaiiiaiaacwgacaGG% 4bGaai4yaiaacwgacaGGZbGaai4CaiaacccacaGGPbGaaiOBaiaacc% cacaqGYbGaaeyzaiaabAgacaqGLbGaaeOCaiaabwgacaqGUbGaae4y% aiaabwgacaGGGaGaai4yaiaackhacaGGVbGaaiiCaaaaaiaawIcaca% GLPaaacaqI4bGaaKiiaiaabshacaqGVbGaaeiDaiaabggacaqGSbGa% aeiiaiaab6eacaqGGaGaaeyAaiaab6gacaqGGaGaaeiBaiaabwgaca% qGNbGaaeyDaiaab2gacaqGLbGaaeiiaiaabogacaqGYbGaae4Baiaa% bchaaaaa!9A78!\[\begin{gathered} {\text{Amount of fixed N = }} \hfill \\ {\text{ = }}\left( {1 - \frac{{\operatorname{atom} \% N - 15 excess in legume crop}}{{\operatorname{atom} \% N - 15 excess in {\text{reference}} crop}}} \right)\user1{x }{\text{total N in legume crop}} \hfill \\ \end{gathered} \]when a suitable reference crop is chosen. The implications and interpretation of this method of measurement are described.     

Control of plastid division by means of nuclear DNA amount

Summary For a given cell type and genotype a close positive correlation exists between the number of plastids in a cell and the amount of DNA in the nucleus. Comprehensive evidence is presented. The duplication of the DNA amount entails an increase of the plastid number in differentiating cells by about 70%. Exceptions reported in the literature are critically examined. The odds are in favour of the assumption that exceptions to the rule which are not due to special circumstances do not exist. In meristematic cells even a duplication of the plastid number will occur, for cells without plastids are not to be found. The plastids are always ready to divide, the interpretation goes, but the size of their populations is limited by the amount of nuclear DNA. Thus meristematic cells manage to control their plastid populations by releasing once in a cell cycle the brakes imposed upon plastid division, whereupon the plastids make use of their newly won freedom, dividing until the old ratio between plastid number and nuclear DNA amount is established again. As a shorter time is needed for plastid division than for mitosis, there is no danger of cells arising without plastids; no distributing mechanism is required if at least three to four plastids are present in a cell. The findings are consistent with and would appear to be best explained by the theory of the symbiotic origin of the plastids.     

Determination of plasmid copy number reveals the total plasmid DNA amount is greater than the chromosomal DNA amount in Bacillus thuringiensis YBT-1520

Bacillus thuringiensis is the most widely used bacterial bio-insecticide, and most insecticidal crystal protein-coding genes are located on plasmids. Most strains of B. thuringiensis harbor numerous diverse plasmids, although the plasmid copy numbers (PCNs) of all native plasmids in this host and the corresponding total plasmid DNA amount remains unknown. In this study, we determined the PCNs of 11 plasmids (ranging from 2 kb to 416 kb) in a sequenced B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki strain YBT-1520 using real-time qPCR. PCNs were found to range from 1.38 to 172, and were negatively correlated to plasmid size. The amount of total plasmid DNA (∼8.7 Mbp) was 1.62-fold greater than the amount of chromosomal DNA (∼5.4 Mbp) at the mid-exponential growth stage (OD₆₀₀ = 2.0) of the organism. Furthermore, we selected three plasmids with different sizes and replication mechanisms to determine the PCNs over the entire life cycle. We found that the PCNs dynamically shifted at different stages, reaching their maximum during the mid-exponential growth or stationary phases and remaining stable and close to their minimum after the prespore formation stage. The PCN of pBMB2062, which is the smallest plasmid (2062 bp) and has the highest PCN of those tested, varied in strain YBT-1520, HD-1, and HD-136 (172, 115, and 94, respectively). These findings provide insight into both the total plasmid DNA amount of B. thuringiensis and the strong ability of the species to harbor plasmids.