Some Factors Affecting Undergraduate Academic Achievement

A related series of studies, most of which have been published previously, is described. These studies form a coherent whole and demonstrate the development of a theme, namely, the identification of factors in the student and the medical school which, in their interaction, influenced undergraduate academic performance at one medical school. In the population concerned no reliable positive or negative correlation could be demonstrated between cognitive ability and academic performance, when the former was measured by the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale and the Medical College Admission Test, and the latter by the current assessment methods of the medical school. Other factors, including socioeconomic and individual personality variables, are at present under investigation as to their effect on academic achievement. It is emphasized that the results of these studies cannot be regarded as valid for all medical schools, but the methods employed can be generalized.     

北京高校喜鹊巢址选择的主要生态因素

根据从2003～2005年每年一次关于北京近20所高校校园喜鹊（Pica pica sericea）巢址的分布情况的调查,对影响高校校园喜鹊巢址选择的因素进行了分析,结果表明营巢树因素（营巢树的高度、胸径、巢位高度、巢上方的植被盖度）和环境因素（嘈杂度和食物的丰富程度）都会影响喜鹊对巢址的选择。研究结果对如何进行校园绿地的规划以及鸟类保护具有一定的指导作用。     

果实香气形成及其影响因素

综述了苹果(Malus domestica Borkh.)、草莓(Fragaria ananassa Duch.)、香蕉(Musa paradisiaca)、甜瓜(Cucumis melon L.)和番茄(Lycopersicon esculentum L.)等果实香气的化学成分、主要合成途径及其影响因素.果实的香气物质主要包括酯类、醇类、酮类、醛类、萜类和挥发性酚类物质等,这些物质主要由脂肪酸、氨基酸和次生代谢产生.品种、成熟度、乙烯、环境和栽培措施(光照、砧木、套袋和灌溉等)以及采后贮藏条件均影响果实香气的形成.     

Some Factors Affecting the Anthocyanin Formation by Populus Cells in Suspension Culture

In order to elucidate the mechanism of anthocyanin formation by Populus cells in suspension culture, the favourable conditions for anthocyanin formation were investigated. The influence of some factors affecting the anthocyanin formation, i.e. light, sucrose and riboflavin etc. were also examined. Light irradiation and high sucrose concentrations brought about a marked increase of PAL activity, which increased rapidly at the lag phase preceding the anthocyanin formation. The effect of blue light on anthocyanin formation was markedly superior to other kinds of monochromatic light (green and red) or white light. Riboflavin was effective only under light exposure. It was inferred that light, sucrose, riboflavin and PAL activity etc. were closely related with the anthocyanin formation. Especially, light and sucrose cooperated in the increase of PAL activity which was a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of anthocyanin.     

Nest Building in Captive Gorilla gorilla gorilla

Although various aspects of gorilla nest building have been described in wild populations, nest-building behavior of captive gorillas has not been subject to much scientific review. We observed nest building in 17 gorillas during three periods: summer baseline, winter baseline, and winter treatment, in which the amount of available nesting material was doubled. We conducted observations exclusively in the indoor holding area in the hour following evening departure of animal care staff. During baseline, gorillas engaged in nest-building on 3.1% of scans and were on a constructed nest on 27.9% of scans. Overall, gorillas spent significantly more time on elevated nests than on floor nests. There were no statistically significant sex, age class, or rearing history differences in nest building, time spent on a nest, or nest location preference. Nest building consisted of both gathering and manipulating materials. The gorillas spent significantly more time building nests in winter than in summer. Additionally, they were more often on elevated nests during winter than summer. Doubling the amount of nesting material did not increase nest building, but it increased the number of floor nests. Our results suggest that providing adequate materials to captive gorillas for nest building may facilitate performance of species-typical nest-building, minimize competition among individuals for nesting sites and materials, and permit individual thermoregulation.     

Reproductive Decisions in Female European Ground Squirrels: Factors Affecting Reproductive Output and Maternal Investment

Physiological and behavioural parameters associated with reproductive effort and success were investigated in female European ground squirrels Spermophilus citellus . The proportion of reproductive (lactating) females in the study population was over 90% and was not related to age. Timing of oestrus and ovulation was found to be affected by the female's emergence date and condition. Females with low emergence mass showed delayed oestrus. Differences in ovulation dates were shown to affect reproductive output in terms of litter size and sex ratio. Early litters were larger and male biased. X-ray techniques were used to determine intrauterine litter size in individual females. The results indicated that litter size and sex ratio were fixed prenatally. Lactation costs were reflected in the intensity of mass loss and duration of lactation. Mass loss varied with litter size, in that females with large litters showed a more rapid loss than others. The second parental investment parameter, lactation duration, varied among individual females and was dependent on the timing of reproduction and litter size (except yearlings). Early born litters, which were, in most cases, larger than later ones, were nursed longer. Prolonged lactation periods affected female condition in that they started prehibernation fattening later and entered hibernation with a lower mass than individuals that had shorter lactation periods. Yearling females probably could not afford the energetic costs of long lactation, independent of their offspring number. These results indicated that females with higher reproductive output and higher investment were unable to compensate these costs before hibernation. Consequences for these individuals could therefore be lower over-winter survival or a delayed oestrus in the following season.     

Factors Affecting Race Prevalence of Melampsora lini1

No correlation was found between virulence of races and their prevalence, although races which attacked one or two genes for resistence only constituted more than 71% of the isolates studied. Differences in race prevalence were not associated with their incubation or latent period. Uredospore germination of races differing in virulence indicated that a race of narrow virulence and wide prevalence germinated better over a wider range of temperature than races of higher virulence and showed better germ tube elongation at extreme temperatures. These factors may be in part responsible for the wider prevalence of some races.     

Some Factors Affecting Fermentation Capacity and Net Growth of Rumen Microorganisms

The fermentation rate of rumen microorganisms obtained from a sheep fed on hay was determined at different hours after feeding. The highest rate of fermentation was obtained immediately after feeding whereas the lowest rate was always before feeding. The effect of adding glucose, sucrose, and starch alone or in combination with urea, sodium citrate, or succinic acid on the maximal fermentation rate was studied. In no case was the maximal fermentation rate greater than that obtained in the presence of concentrate and straw. An investigation on the effect of C/N ratios, dilution, and substrate concentration on the net growth of rumen microorganisms was undertaken. The highest net growth value was obtained with a C/N ratio of 16.5 to 17.5, which is the ratio found for the ration fed to the animal. It was possible to increase net growth approximately threefold by using the proper dilution and fivefold by using the proper feed concentration.     

Some characteristics of Rabbit muscle phosphofructokinase-1 inhibition by ascorbate

These studies relate to a working hypothesis that glycogen storage is facilitated in resting muscle by inhibiting glycolysis via inhibition of LDH, AK, and PFK-1 by ascorbate; when muscle is active, these isozymes combine with muscle proteins and are released and protected from inhibition by ascorbate and glycolysis proceeds. Focus in these studies is on the ability of G-actin and aldolase to prevent PFK-1 inhibition by ascorbate. We found that inhibition by ascorbate was PFK-1 concentration dependent; ascorbate does not inhibit above 200 nM PFK-1. We conclude that ascorbate inhibits PFK-1 dimers (and perhaps monomers) but not PFK-1 tetramers. Separation of PFK-1 dimers from tetramers was achieved with centrifugal filter devices and differences in their sensitivity to ascorbate inhibition were demonstrated. Some comparisons are made with attributes of AK inhibitions by ascorbate that, like PFK-1, are also enzyme concentration dependent. Discussions relate findings to cellular infrastructure and the role of ascorbate in glycogen synthesis.     

Some Environmental and Nutritional Factors Affecting Growth and Sporulation of Aspergillus sydowi

Aspergillus sydowi (Bain. & Start.) Thom & Church grew and sporulated best at 30°C. The best pH for growth and sporulation was 5.5. Light was stimulatory to sporulation but inhibitory to growth. Among the carbon sources employed, sucrose supported the best growth and sporulation. Nitrate, ammonium and asparagine were good nitrogen sources for growth and sporulation. During utilization of sucrose, the carbohydrates found in the mycelium included dulcitol, inositol, mannitol, arabinose, trehalose and galactose.     

Some Nutritional Factors Affecting Production of Biomass and Antifungal Metabolites of Coniothyrium minitans

The ability of the mycoparasite Coniothyrium minitans to utilize a range of C and N sources and vitamins for growth, pycnidial formation and antifungal metabolite production was examined using a defined liquid medium. Coniothyrium minitans was able to use all the C sources tested, with the exception of D -xylose, and all the N sources tested, although growth was generally better on organic N sources rather than NO 3 -N. Increasing C:N ratios from 9:1-202:1 with N constant (2.0 g L -l L -alanine) resulted in steadily increasing yields, whereas increasing C:N ratios with C constant (40.0 g L -l D -glucose) gradually decreased yield. Addition of thiamine to the glucose-alanine basal medium resulted in the greatest increase in growth but biomass was still less than that achieved using an undefined molasses-yeast medium. Pycnidial production was generally low or failed to occur in the basal medium + C + N sources in the absence of vitamins, but addition of thiamine consistently led to abundant pycnidial formation. Molasses-yeast static culture provided greater biomass and conidial yields than molasses-yeast shaken culture. Incorporation of C. minitans culture medium into potato dextrose broth (10% v/v) resulted in consistent reduction in growth of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum irrespective of C, N or vitamin content of the basal medium or whether molasses-yeast medium was used. This is the first report of consistent production of antifungal metabolites by C. minitans .     

茶叶香气的影响因素

香气是茶叶风味和品质的主要影响因子。影响茶叶香气的因素有很多,如茶树品种、自然环境、栽培条件、加工工艺、储藏方式等,文章综述了茶树品种、自然环境和栽培条件对茶叶香气的影响,旨在为茶树品种适制性和优质茶香的研究提供参考。