几何形态测量学在古生物学研究中的应用概况北大核心CSCD

几何形态测量学(Geometric morphometrics)是一种研究生物形状变异的测量学研究方法。形态测量学中较早出现了传统形态测量学,而后革命性演变出只针对形状差异的几何形态测量学。几何形态测量学因定量化和描述客观准确,在生物学上得到广泛应用,后被引入到了古生物学研究中,同样发挥了极其重要的作用并被不断发展。本文从几何形态测量学方法以及传统测量学方法在古生物中应用历史和应用方向两个角度对其在古生物学研究中的应用概况进行介绍,并对应用前景做展望。     

几何形态测量学在古生物学研究中的应用概况

几何形态测量学(Geometric morphometrics)是一种研究生物形状变异的测量学研究方法。形态测量学中较早出现了传统形态测量学,而后革命性演变出只针对形状差异的几何形态测量学。几何形态测量学因定量化和描述客观准确,在生物学上得到广泛应用,后被引入到了古生物学研究中,同样发挥了极其重要的作用并被不断发展。本文从几何形态测量学方法以及传统测量学方法在古生物中应用历史和应用方向两个角度对其在古生物学研究中的应用概况进行介绍,并对应用前景做展望。     

蚁属（膜翅目：蚁科）4种的形态测量学分析

运用形态测量学分析方法,对蚁属Formica中的光亮黑蚁F.candida、亮腹黑褐蚁F.gagatoides、北京凹头蚁F.beijingensis和满洲蚁F.manchu 4种共296头蚂蚁标本进行研究。选取头长(HL)、头宽(HW)、复眼最大直径(ED)、触角柄节长(SL)、并腹胸长(AL)、前胸背板宽(PW)、并胸腹节宽(DPW)和体长(TL)8个度量数据为变量进行相关性、配对T检验、均值±SD与主成分散点分布图分析,探讨形态测量学方法在蚁科昆虫分类中的应用。结果表明:形态测量学方法能够将4种蚂蚁进行有效识别区分,可作为形态分类学研究的一种有效、快速的辅助方法。     

形态测量学(Morphometrics)常用方法及其在微体古生物学中的应用

形态测量学用定量化的方法和手段描述、研究对象形态特征。几何形态测量学是形态测量学的分支,用界标点或轮廓线等标识研究对象的形态,并运用多变量运算进行量化分析和判别。形态测量学方法在生物学与古生物学领域的应用日益广泛,在生物的个体发育、系统演化、类群判别等方面均可发挥重要作用。本文重点介绍了目前在形态测量学中常用的数据类型、分析方法与步骤,即线性距离、界标点、轮廓线等数据类型的获取,普鲁克迭加、傅里叶转换、特征形状分析与增强特征形状分析等数据转换方法,以及主变量分析、典型变量分析等常用多变量线性回归方法的原理与分析过程。选择以类有孔虫个体发育与类群鉴定中几何形态测量学的应用为例,解释最常用的多变量线性回归方法——主成分分析与典型变量分析的应用与结果剖析。     

关于核糖体DNA序列分析在昆虫系统学中的作用浅析

在昆虫系统学中,传统分类学作为昆虫分类的主要方法,在昆虫形态分类中发挥着重要的作用,但是对于近缘种分类上却没有明确的界限。生物学技术的发展,在昆虫系统学中应用核糖体DNA序列分析的方法,有效的解决了传统分类学的局限性,在昆虫种、属和种群水平的研究中发挥了重要作用。本文对核糖体DNA序列分析的方法进行分析,探讨其在昆虫系统学中的应用。     

绿藻门小球藻科的分类学研究进展

小球藻科物种生境范围广,分布于全球各种淡水、海水及陆生环境中,是多种生态系统的重要组成部分,且以其重要的科学和应用价值成为研究热点。由于个体微小及较强的形态可塑性,小球藻科物种能供分辨的形态特征有限,其经典分类学研究和物种鉴定存在诸多困难。随着基于DNA序列的研究方法在分类学研究中的应用,小球藻科历经多次修订,物种组成发生了很大变化,目前,小球藻科包含约48个属258个种。该科分类仍存在许多悬而未决的问题,如有些属、种的分类地位存疑、分类单元的多系起源问题、一些新支系有待进行物种归类。本文系统总结了小球藻科分类学研究历史和现状,并对其中存在的问题及存疑类群进行阐述,探讨了基因组学数据测序情况及其在分类学上的应用前景,以期为小球藻科的系统分类研究和开发利用提供基础参考资料。     

基于分形方法探讨槭属（Acer Linn.）植物叶片的形态多样性及其系统学意义

采用数量性状测量法分析了槭属(Acer Linn.)8种1变种1变型的叶片形态性状差异,并采用分形方法对供试种类局部叶脉和叶片轮廓进行分维值计算;在此基础上,对供试槭属植物叶片的形态多样性进行比较,并讨论了分形理论在叶片形态特征的定量分析及植物系统学研究中的意义。叶片数量性状的测量结果表明：供试种类叶片的矩形度和叶形系数呈显著正相关,纵横轴比与一级脉角呈显著负相关,这些叶片形态参数的变异程度与叶片的形态多样性有关,虽然能在一定程度上反映槭属植物的叶形及叶脉结构变化,但难以充分反映叶片的变异细节及本质特征。分维值的计算结果表明：供试种类的叶片轮廓和局部叶脉的分维值呈显著负相关;叶片轮廓分维值在种间及种内均有显著差异(P<0.05),但部分种类间局部叶脉分维值差异不显著(P>0.05);鸡爪槭(A. palmatum Thunb.)的叶片轮廓和局部叶脉的分维值变异系数显著高于其他供试种类,表明其种内叶片变异的多样性相对较高。根据叶片轮廓和局部叶脉的分维值,可将供试种类分为4类：鸡爪槭、红枫〔A. palmatum f. atropurpureum ( Van Houtte) Schwerim〕和羽裂槭〔A. palmatum var. dissectum ( Thunb.) Miq.〕归为一类,锐角槭( A. acutum W. P. Fang)、色木槭( A. mono Maxim.)、茶条槭( A. ginnala Maxim.)、三角槭( A. buergerianum Miq.)和中华槭( A. sinense Pax)归为一类,建始槭( A. henryi Pax)和樟叶槭( A. cinnamomifolium Hayata)各自归为一类。研究结果揭示：通过叶缘和叶脉的分形分析可以定量反映植物叶片的形态多样性,建议将叶片轮廓分维值和局部叶脉分维值分别作为种水平和属水平的分类依据;此外,分形方法也为定量化研究和评价不同叶片类型的演化程度提供了可行的途径。     

Ilyocypris bradyi的轮廓分析

本文试图通过对若尔盖盆地晚新生代非海相介形类化石Ilyocypris bradyi(Sars)的轮廓分析来介绍几何形态测量法在介形类化石的形态分析中的应用。分析对比后发现,虽然Ilyocypris bradyi(Sars)居群内的个体在形态上存在或多或少的差异,但这些差异之间存在连续过渡的关系,并未出现明显的分异,说明此种的种内变异是连续的。     

细胞水平的分类学——细胞分类学

各学科互相渗透形成众多的边缘学科,这是当代科学发展的重要特点。细胞学和细胞遗传学同分类学之间的渗透,出现了细胞水平的分类学——细胞分类学。形态-地理学标准是传统分类学的主要方法。本世纪以来,由于实验生物学的蓬勃发展,分类学曾一度遭到冷落。然而,实验对象必须正确鉴定,实验所得信息需要记录和储存在确切的信息库内;自然界又发现不少兄弟种(sibling species)它们在形态上不能或难以区别,但却有被保护的独立的基因库。因此形态-地理学的物种概念被生物学物种概念所替代。与此同时,实验生物学,特别是     

试论植物形态分类学与化学分类学的辩证关系

本文运用辩证唯物主义观点,从纵横两个方面比较了植物形态分类学与化学分类学的发展,论述了二者的辩证关系;认为这两个学科的产生和发展有着共同的哲学渊源;形态分类学是化学分类学的重要基础,今后仍将起着主导的、重要的作用,化学分类学是现代植物分类学研究中不可缺少的一个重要手段,但它不能取代形态分类学,而是作为后者的一个重要补充,与其他生物学科一起,共同促进现代植物分类学的进一步发展。     

Role for dopamine in malonate-induced damage in vivo in striatum and in vitro in mesencephalic cultures

Defects in mitochondrial energy metabolism have been implicated in the pathology of several neurodegenerative disorders. In addition, the reactive metabolites generated from the metabolism and oxidation of the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) are thought to contribute to the damage to neurons of the basal ganglia. We have previously demonstrated that infusions of the metabolic inhibitor malonate into the striata of mice or rats produce degeneration of DA nerve terminals. In the present studies, we demonstrate that an intrastriatal infusion of malonate induces a substantial increase in DA efflux in awake, behaving mice as measured by in vivo microdialysis. Furthermore, pretreatment of mice with tetrabenazine (TBZ) or the TBZ analogue Ro 4-1284 (Ro-4), compounds that reversibly inhibit the vesicular storage of DA, attenuates the malonate-induced DA efflux as well as the damage to DA nerve terminals. Consistent with these findings, the damage to both DA and GABA neurons in mesencephalic cultures by malonate exposure was attenuated by pretreatment with TBZ or Ro-4. Treatment with these compounds did not affect the formation of free radicals or the inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation resulting from malonate exposure alone. Our data suggest that DA plays an important role in the neurotoxicity produced by malonate. These findings provide direct evidence that inhibition of succinate dehydrogenase causes an increase in extracellular DA levels and indicate that bioenergetic defects may contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic neurodegenerative diseases through a mechanism involving DA.     

Scurvy in capybaras bred in captivity in Argentine

In order to determine if the absence of vitamin C in the diet of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) causes scurvy, a group of seven young individuals were fed food pellets without ascorbic acid, while another group of eight individuals received the same food with 1 g of ascorbic acid per animal per day. Animals in the first group developed signs of scurvy-like gingivitis, breaking of the incisors and death of one animal. Clinical signs appeared between 25 and 104 days from the beginning of the trial in all individuals. Growth rates of individuals deprived of vitamin C was considerably less than those observed in the control group. Deficiency of ascorbic acid had a severe effect on reproduction of another population of captive capybaras. We found that the decrease in ascorbic acid content in the diet affected pregnancy, especially during the first stages. The results obtained suggest that it is necessary to supply a suitable quantity of vitamin C in the diet of this species in captivity.     

Changes in lactate dehydrogenase activity in chicken tissues in hyperthyreosis in ontogenesis

The lactate dehydrogenase activity in reactions of lactate oxidation and synthesis was studied in subfractions of the chicken brain, heart and liver at the embryonal, early postembryonal and adult stages of development after thyroxine administration. It has been shown that during embryogenesis thyroxine predominantly enhanced the rate of lactate oxidation in the mitochondrial tissues. A marked increase in the lactate synthesis was found in cytoplasm of the adult chicken tissues. Specificity of enzyme activity alterations was detected in the chicken brain during ontogenesis after thyroxine administration.     

SSTR5 ablation in islet results in alterations in glucose homeostasis in mice

Somatostatin (SST) peptide is a potent inhibitor of insulin secretion and its effect is mediated via somatostatin receptor 5 (SSTR5) in the endocrine pancreas. To investigate the consequences of gene ablation of SSTR5 in the mouse pancreas, we have generated a mouse model in which the SSTR5 gene was specifically knocked down in the pancreatic beta cells (betaSSTR5Kd) using the Cre-lox system. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that SSTR5 gene expression was absent in beta cells at three months of age. At the time of gene ablation, betaSSTR5Kd mice demonstrated glucose intolerance with lack of insulin response and significantly reduced serum insulin levels. Insulin tolerance test demonstrated a significant increase of insulin clearance in vivo at the same age. In vitro studies demonstrated an absence of response to SST-28 stimulation in the betaSSTR5Kd mouse islet, which was associated with a significantly reduced SST expression level in betaSSTR5Kd mice pancreata. In addition, betaSSTR5Kd mice had significantly reduced serum glucose levels and increased serum insulin levels at 12 months of age. Glucose tolerance test at an older age also indicated a persistently higher insulin level in betaSSTR5Kd mice. Further studies of betaSSTR5Kd mice had revealed elevated serum C-peptide levels at both 3 and 12 months of age, suggesting that these mice are capable of producing and releasing insulin to the periphery. These results support the hypothesis that SSTR5 plays a pivotal role in the regulation of insulin secretion in the mouse pancreas.