Changes in composition and structure of Vitex shrubland in northern China in relation to human disturbance

Vegetation and biomass in six plots, each with five quadrats, in Vitex shrubland in northern China were related to type and degree of human disturbance. Canonical correspondence analysis of the vegetation and environmental data showed two lines of variation, the first one highly correlated with the degree of disturbance, but the second one appearing within the disturbed plots cannot yet be fully explained. Changes in life-form spectrum were small, but the geographical spectrum changed under heavy disturbance towards a higher proportion of tropical, subtropical and cosmopolitan species. The number of shrub species also decreased noticeably. The above-ground biomass of both Vitex and the accompanying species and the total above-ground biomass of the shrubland was negatively correlated with the intensity of disturbance. The root/stem biomass ratio in Vitex reaches values of over 5 in disturbed plots, but only between 1 and 2 in the protected plots.     

Thermostability enhancement of polyethylene terephthalate degrading PETase using self- and nonself-ligating protein scaffolding approaches

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) hydrolase enzymes show promise for enzymatic PET degradation and green recycling of single-use PET vessels representing a major source of global pollution. Their full potential can be unlocked with enzyme engineering to render activities on recalcitrant PET substrates commensurate with cost-effective recycling at scale. Thermostability is a highly desirable property in industrial enzymes, often imparting increased robustness and significantly reducing quantities required. To date, most engineered PET hydrolases show improved thermostability over their parental enzymes. Here, we report engineered thermostable variants of Ideonella sakaiensis PET hydrolase enzyme (IsPETase) developed using two scaffolding strategies. The first employed SpyCatcher-SpyTag technology to covalently cyclize IsPETase, resulting in increased thermostability that was concomitant with reduced turnover of PET substrates compared to native IsPETase. The second approach using a GFP-nanobody fusion protein (vGFP) as a scaffold yielded a construct with a melting temperature of 80°C. This was further increased to 85°C when a thermostable PETase variant (FAST PETase) was scaffolded into vGFP, the highest reported so far for an engineered PET hydrolase derived from IsPETase. Thermostability enhancement using the vGFP scaffold did not compromise activity on PET compared to IsPETase. These contrasting results highlight potential topological and dynamic constraints imposed by scaffold choice as determinants of enzyme activity.     

Cavity-nesting birds are limited by nesting habitat in Neotropical agricultural landscapes

Most studies comparing biodiversity between natural and human-modified landscapes focus on patterns in species occurrence or abundance, but do not consider how different habitat types meet species' breeding requirements. Organisms that use or nest in tree cavities may be especially threatened by habitat conversion due to the loss of their nesting sites. Although cavity-nesting bird diversity is highest in the tropics, little is known about how tropical birds use cavities, how agriculture affects their reproductive biology, and how effective nest boxes could be as a conservation strategy in tropical agriculture. Here, we explored how habitat conversion from tropical forests to pasture affects the abundance, nesting habitat availability, and nest success of cavity-nesting birds in Northwest Ecuador. We conducted bird surveys and measured natural cavity availability and use in forest and agriculture. We also added artificial nest boxes to forest and agriculture to see whether cavity limitation in agriculture would elicit higher use of artificial nest boxes. We found evidence of cavity limitation in agriculture—there were many more natural cavities in forest than in agriculture, as well as more avian use of nest boxes placed in agriculture as compared to forest. Our results suggest that it is important to retain remnant trees in tropical agriculture to provide critical nesting habitat for birds. In addition, adding nest boxes to tropical agricultural systems could be a good conservation strategy for certain species, including insectivores that could provide pest-control services to farmers. Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.     

用胆固醇代谢的房室模型速率系数来分析动脉粥样硬化程度

理论上认为胆固醇逆向转运的速率与动脉粥样硬化程序呈负相关。但目前尚无完善的测试血浆脂蛋白－胆固醇体内代谢的方法。我们运用同位素＾３Ｈ－胆固醇示踪方法,建立房室模型,选取健康兔与ＡＳ兔对照,研究血浆脂蛋白转运胆固醇能力的差异,并结合ＡＳ兔主动脉斑块程度对比,结果验证了上述理论,此法如改用短半衰期同位素或稳定性同位素标记的胆固醇,就可用于人体,这可为临床判断ＡＳ程度提供一种无创性的新方法。     

平截独活的香豆素成分

从四川省汶川县产平截独活Heracleum vicinum根的乙醇提取物中分离鉴定了6个成分,分别为虎耳草素(pimpinellin)(1),异佛手柑内酯(2),6-甲氧基当归素(sphondin)(3)。佛手柑内酯(bergapten)(4),异虎耳草素(isopimpincllin)(5),falcarindi01)(6).     

罗非鱼对微型生态系统营养物水平的影响

本文总结了罗非鱼不同放养密度的微型生态系统中N、P浓度及P分布动态观测结果。在罗非鱼的影响下,微型生态系统中氨氮、颗粒磷和总磷浓度不同程度地高于对照组,而正磷酸盐浓度和沉积物磷的量显著地低于对照组。不同密度组某些指标的观测值虽有显著差异,但未见任何指标依罗非鱼放养密度而有规律地变动。微型生态系统中正磷酸盐浓度同浮游动、植物密度和初级生产力显著相关,氨氮浓度与浮游植物密度之间亦有显著的相关关系。然而,浮游植物密度与总磷浓度之间不存在营养级联假说所预见的下行影响,相反有前者决定于后者的上行影响的趋向。微型生态系统中P分布的变化可揭示罗非鱼促进系统中营养物循环,从而加速其富营养化的主要机制。     

Environmentally-Friendly Pesticidal Activities of Callicarpa and Karomia Essential Oils from Vietnam and Their Microemulsions

There is an ongoing interest to identify alternative pesticidal agents to avoid the chronic problems associated with synthetic pesticides. Essential oils have shown promise as botanical pest control agents. In the present study, the essential oils of four members of the Lamiaceae (Callicarpa candicans, C. erioclona, C. macrophylla, and Karomia fragrans; Vietnamese names: Nàng nàng, Tu châu lông mem, Tu châu lá to and Cà diện, respectively), obtained from wild populations in Vietnam, have been obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The essential oils were formulated into microemulsions and the essential oils and their microemulsions were screened for mosquito larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, Culex quinquefasciatus, and for molluscicidal activity against Pomacea canaliculata. Atractylone and (E)-caryophyllene dominated the volatiles of C. candicans (CCEO) and C. erioclona (CEEO), while the major component in C. macrophylla (CMEO) and K. fragrans (KFEO) was (E)-caryophyllene. The essential oils and microemulsions of both C. candicans and C. erioclona exhibited excellent larvicidal activity against all three mosquito species (Ae. aegypti, Ae. albopictus, and Cx. quinquefasciatus) with LC₅₀ values <10 μg/mL. Additionally, the larvicidal activity of the microemulsions were significantly improved compared with their free essential oils, especially for C. candicans and C. erioclona. All four essential oils and their microemulsions showed excellent molluscicidal activity with LC₅₀ <10 μg/mL. In most cases, the essential oils and microemulsions showed greater pesticidal activity against target organisms than the non-target freshwater fish, Oreochromis niloticus. The in silico studies on physicochemical and ADMET properties of the major components in the studied essential oils were also investigated and most of the compounds possessed a favorable ADMET profile. Computational modeling studies of the studied compounds demonstrated a favorable binding interaction with the mosquito odorant-binding protein target and support atractylone, β-selinene, and caryophyllene oxide as potential inhibitors. Based on the observed pesticidal activities of the essential oils and their microemulsions, the Callicarpa species and K. fragrans should be considered for potential cultivation and further exploration as botanical pesticidal agents.     

中国菌物分类学和多样性研究的历史与现状概况

我国菌物分类学研究始于20世纪初,经过百余年的不断探索和发展,取得了丰硕的成果,并逐渐走进世界前列。本研究通过对世界菌物名称信息库Fungal Names进行数据统计,对发现自中国的菌物新物种和中国学者发表菌物新分类单元等数据开展分析,从中揭示中国菌物分类学的历史和发展趋势。过去,一共有2 214位中国学者参与发表了15 626个菌物新分类单元,包括 3个新纲、27个新目及亚目、117个新科及亚科、769个新属及亚属、11 100个新种、322个新种下单元和3 288个新组合。在全球已知的菌物物种中,自中国发现的新物种有10 233种,隶属于 3界13门44纲174目572科2 379属,占全球已知物种多样性的6.84%,居世界第二位。地理分布上,我国西南地区(云南、四川、贵州、西藏)和低纬度的热带、亚热带地区(中国台湾、广东)发现的新物种最多。根据每年发现的新分类单元数量趋势和命名作者的构成,可将中国菌物分类学的发展历史分为五个阶段：外人在华采菌及研究(1750s-1929)、中国菌物分类学起步(1930-1949)、新中国菌物分类学早期发展(1950-1977)、全国性菌物标本采集与研究(1978-2010)、走进世界前列(2011至今)。本研究对每个发展时期的分类学概况和重要历史事件进行了总结和回顾,通过上述综述性研究,有助于系统地了解中国菌物分类学不同阶段的发展趋势和研究概况,为学科当下和未来的发展提供参考。     

应用FIA型微生物传感器测定谷氨酸含量的研究

目前应用酶或微生物细胞作为分子识别元件构建生物传感器测定谷氨酸含量的研究引起了广泛的兴趣,并陆续有实例报道。在这些报道中人们依据不同的酶催反应选择相应的离子选择性电极,如CO₂电极、NH₄⁺电极等,而测量对象有直接的测定谷氨酸,也有测定谷氨酸单钠的间接测定法。本文选用了可固定大量细胞的固定化细胞柱与流动注入法相结合的测量方法,并根据细胞柱的动力学模型分析动态响应曲线,计算测量结果,提高了测量精度,扩大了测量范围。