A neural protection racket: AMPK and the GABA(B) receptor

The cellular energy-sensing kinase AMPK is known to be activated in neurons in response to metabolic insults, but the downstream consequences have been unclear. A study by Kuramoto and colleagues in this issue of Neuron favors the idea that AMPK activation is neuroprotective, and suggests a potential mechanism for this effect involving phosphorylation of the GABA(B) receptor.     

Injuries in racket sports among Slovenian players

On the sample of 83 top Slovenian athletes we have studied the frequency of injuries among table tennis, tennis and badminton players, types of injuries and severity of injuries--the latter based on data of players absences from training and/or competition processes. The most liable parts to injuries are shoulder girdle (17.27%), spine (16.55%) and ankle (15.83%), while foot (10.07%) and wrist (12.23%) are slightly less liable to injuries. The most frequent injuries in racket sports pertain to muscle tissues. According to this data, the majority of injuries occur halfway through a training session or a competition event, mostly during a competition season. The injuries primarily pertain to muscle tissues; these are followed by joint and tendon injuries. There are no differences between male and female players. Compared to other racket sports players, table tennis players suffer from fewer injuries.     

Analysis of the tennis racket vibrations during forehand drives: Selection of the mother wavelet

The time–frequency analysis of the tennis racket and hand vibrations is of great interest for discomfort and pathology prevention. This study aimed to (i) to assess the stationarity of the vibratory signal of the racket and hand and (ii) to identify the best mother wavelet to perform future time–frequency analysis, (iii) to determine if the stroke spin, racket characteristics and impact zone can influence the selection of the best mother wavelet. A total of 2364 topspin and flat forehand drives were performed by fourteen male competitive tennis players with six different rackets. One tri-axial and one mono-axial accelerometer were taped on the racket throat and dominant hand respectively. The signal stationarity was tested through the wavelet spectrum test. Eighty-nine mother wavelet were tested to select the best mother wavelet based on continuous and discrete transforms. On average only 25 ± 17%, 2 ± 5%, 5 ± 7% and 27 ± 27% of the signal tested respected the hypothesis of stationarity for the three axes of the racket and the hand respectively. Regarding the two methods for the detection of the best mother wavelet, the Daubechy 45 wavelet presented the highest average ranking. No effect of the stroke spin, racket characteristics and impact zone was observed for the selection of the best mother wavelet. It was concluded that alternative approach to Fast Fourier Transform should be used to interpret tennis vibration signals. In the case where wavelet transform is chosen, the Daubechy 45 mother wavelet appeared to be the most suitable.     

绵刺的生物学特性及其保护

绵刺是蒙古高原特有的单种属植物,已列为国家二级重点保护植物。系统综述了绵刺的生态生物学特性,并探讨了其适应性,研究结果表明,绵刺具有典型旱生植物的结构和特征。耐旱、耐盆瘠、耐盐碱和抗风蚀能力较强,对恶劣的环境条件具有良好的适应性。另外还分析了绵刺濒危的可能原因并提出了保护措施。     

蝙蝠在维护生态系统中的作用

蝙蝠是世界上分布最广、种群数量最多、进化最成功的哺乳动物类群之一,它们在维护生态系统中具有重要的作用：蝙蝠在生态系统中占据了独特的生存空间;蝙蝠是许多农、林及卫生害虫的天敌;蝙蝠是种子的传播者和花粉的传授者;在一定生态系统中蝙蝠可能起到关键种的作用;食虫蝙蝠粪便和酮体均是我国传统中药中的主要药材之一。研究和保护蝙蝠在维护生态环境中具有十分重要的意义。     

河道生态护坡关键技术及其生态功能

在上海4个生态河道示范区,开展了以生态修复和河岸侵蚀控制为目标的河道生态护坡技术研究。在不同河段分别采用了土壤生物工程护坡、全系列生态护坡以及复合式生物稳定等三类生态护坡技术。护坡工程完成后,以浦东新区机场镇生态河道示范区为重点,对主要护坡工程进行持续3a（2004~2006年）的生态监测,从坡岸的结构稳定性和生态稳定性两方面对护坡工程进行生态功能研究。3a来,护坡植物生长良好,新生枝叶和根系的护坡作用明显,土壤抗剪强度明显增加,河岸土壤侵蚀得到有效控制,坡岸的结构稳定性增强;同时河岸生境得到改善,本地植物快速恢复,生物多样性增加,河岸植物群落结构由单一结构向复杂结构转变,生态稳定性逐渐增强。     

The protection of mice against x-radiation using sodium succinate

Dynamics of mouse resistance to X-radiation was studied after single and double injection of sodium succinate in doses of 2.5 and 10 mmol/kg. The criteria by which the radioprotective effect of the agent was estimated were: survival rate, spleen mass, and DNA content in the bone marrow.     

The bacterial surface layer provides protection against antimicrobial peptides

This report describes a previously unrecognized role for bacterial surface layers as barriers that confer protection against antimicrobial peptides. As antimicrobial peptides exist in natural environments, S-layers may provide a bacterial survival mechanism that has been selected for through evolution.     

The evolution of host protection by vertically transmitted parasites

Hosts are often infected by a variety of different parasites, leading to competition for hosts and coevolution between parasite species. There is increasing evidence that some vertically transmitted parasitic symbionts may protect their hosts from further infection and that this protection may be an important reason for their persistence in nature. Here, we examine theoretically when protection is likely to evolve and its selective effects on other parasites. Our key result is that protection is most likely to evolve in response to horizontally transmitted parasites that cause a significant reduction in host fecundity. The preponderance of sterilizing horizontally transmitted parasites found in arthropods may therefore explain the evolution of protection seen by their symbionts. We also find that protection is more likely to evolve in response to highly transmissible parasites that cause intermediate, rather than high, virulence (increased death rate when infected). Furthermore, intermediate levels of protection select for faster, more virulent horizontally transmitted parasites, suggesting that protective symbionts may lead to the evolution of more virulent parasites in nature. When we allow for coevolution between the symbiont and the parasite, more protection is likely to evolve in the vertically transmitted symbionts of longer lived hosts. Therefore, if protection is found to be common in nature, it has the potential to be a major selective force on host–parasite interactions.     

南海生物多样性的保护

海洋对我们有很大的魅力,仅就生物多样性而言,我国是联合国《生物多样性公约》的最早缔约和制定保护生物多样性行动计划的国家之一,保护生物多样性是我国人民必须履行的共同义务,也是关系子孙后代生存的大事.1地理位置南海位于我国东南,面积约350 km2,平均深度为1,212 m,最大深度为5,377 m.它是一个长轴东北-西南向的边缘海,由西沙、中沙、东沙和南沙群岛构成,四大岛礁群散布其中,西南还有北部湾和泰国湾两大海湾.南海东临菲律宾群岛,北靠华南大陆,南接加里曼丹和苏门答腊,西接马来半岛和中南半岛.南海周边共有9个海峡,与东海、太平洋、苏禄海、爪哇海和印度洋相连通,地理位置非常重要,是欧、亚、非通道,在安全航运、经贸往来、环境保护、资源开发和军事战略等方面都具有非常重要的地位.     

生物多样性的进化原理及其保护对策

本文论述了传统进化论学说对生物多样性解释的不足,探讨用生物适化学说解释生物多样性的形成,提出生物多样性产生的表达式： B_d=∫^T_Ｏ［(G_c-m+M)·E_c-(N_t+A_p+H_f)］dt, 并以此说明制订保育它们的原则对策。