Two genetically distinct units of Sinomanglietia glauca (Magnoliaceae) detected by chloroplast PCR‐SSCP

Sinomanglietia glauca is a critically endangered species described from Jiangxi Province in the 1990s. Recently two populations were discovered from Yongshun County of west Hunan Province, about 450 km away from those in Jiangxi. Because of the new findings and the poor reproducibility inherent to RAPD and ISSR markers of previous studies, the population structure of this rare species was reanalyzed with chloroplast PCR‐SSCP (single‐stranded conformation polymorphism), including all of four recorded populations. The results showed that two distinct haplotypes characterized Jiangxi and Hunan populations separately, with no genetic variation occurring within regions. We postulated that this surprising pattern might result from habitat fragmentation and demographic bottlenecks during and/or after the Quaternary glaciation. On the basis of the pronounced genetic structure, two evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) were recommended for effective conservation of S. glauca.     

Terrestrial carbon‐cycle feedback to climate warming: experimental evidence on plant regulation and impacts of biofuel feedstock harvest

Feedback between global carbon (C) cycles and climate change is one of the major uncertainties in projecting future global warming. Coupled carbon–climate models all demonstrated a positive feedback between terrestrial C cycle and climate warming. The positive feedback results from decreased net primary production (NPP) in most models and increased respiratory C release by all the models under climate warming. Those modeling results present interesting hypotheses of future states of ecosystems and climate, which are yet to be tested against experimental results. In this study, we examined ecosystem C balance and its major components in a warming and clipping experiment in a North America tallgrass prairie. Infrared heaters have been used to elevate soil temperature by approximately 2 °C continuously since November 1999. Clipping once a year was to mimic hay or biofuel feedstock harvest. On average of data over 6 years from 2000 to 2005, estimated NPP under warming increased by 14% without clipping (P<0.05) and 26% with clipping (P<0.05) in comparison with that under control. Warming did not result in instantaneous increases in soil respiration in 1999 and 2000 but significantly increased it by approximately 8% without clipping (P<0.05) from 2001 to 2005. Soil respiration under warming increased by 15% with clipping (P<0.05) from 2000 to 2005. Warming‐stimulated plant biomass production, due to enhanced C₄ dominance, extended growing seasons, and increased nitrogen uptake and use efficiency, offset increased soil respiration, leading to no change in soil C storage at our site. However, biofuel feedstock harvest by biomass removal resulted in significant soil C loss in the clipping and control plots but was carbon negative in the clipping and warming plots largely because of positive interactions of warming and clipping in stimulating root growth. Our results demonstrate that plant production processes play a critical role in regulation of ecosystem carbon‐cycle feedback to climate change in both the current ambient and future warmed world.     

The Impact of the Wenchuan Earthquake on Birth Outcomes

Background

Earthquakes and other catastrophic events frequently occurring worldwide can be considered as outliers and cause a growing and urgent need to improve our understanding of the negative effects imposed by such disasters. Earthquakes can intensively impact the birth outcomes upon psychological and morphological development of the unborn children, albeit detailed characteristics remain obscure.

Methods and Findings

We utilized the birth records at Du Jiang Yan and Peng Zhou counties to investigate the birth outcomes as a consequence of a major earthquake occurred in Wenchuan, China on May 12, 2008. Totally 13,003 of neonates were recorded, with 6638 and 6365 for pre- and post- earthquake, respectively. Significant low birthweight, high ratio of low birthweight, and low Apgar scores of post-earthquake group were observed. In contrast, the sex ratio at birth, birth length and length of gestation did not show statistical differences. The overall ratio of birth-defect in the post-earthquake (1.18%) is statistically high than that of pre-earthquake (0.99%), especially for those in the first trimester on earthquake day (1.47%). The birth-defect spectrum was dramatically altered after earthquake, with the markedly increased occurrences of ear malformations. The ratio of preterm birth post-earthquake (7.41%) is significant increased than that of pre-earthquake (5.63%). For the birth outcomes of twins, significant differences of the ratio of twins, birth weight, ratio of low birthweight and birth-defect rate were observed after earthquake.

Conclusion

A hospital-based study of birth outcomes impacted by the Wenchuan earthquake shows that the earthquake was associated with significant effects on birth outcomes, indicating it is a major monitor for long-term pregnant outcomes.     

Glucose biosensor based on Au nanoparticles-conductive polyaniline nanocomposite

In this paper, we report a novel glucose biosensor based on composite of Au nanoparticles (NPs)-conductive polyaniline (PANI) nanofibers. Immobilized with glucose oxidase (GOx) and Nafion on the surface of nanocomposite, a sensitive and selective biosensor for glucose was successfully developed by electrochemical oxidation of H2O2. The glucose biosensor shows a linear calibration curve over the range from 1.0x10(-6) to 8.0x10(-4) mol/L, with a slope and detection limit (S/N=3) of 2.3 mA/M and 5.0x10(-7) M, respectively. In addition, the glucose biosensor system indicates excellent reproducibility (less than 5% R.S.D.) and good operational stability (over 2 weeks).     

Markedly enhancing lipase-catalyzed synthesis of nucleoside drugs' ester by using a mixture system containing organic solvents and ionic liquid

Eightfold higher yields and three times faster reaction rates were achieved by means of using a mixture solvent system composed of 90% acetone and 10% [BMIM]BF4 in the lipase-catalyzed regioselective synthesis of polymerizable ester of nucleoside drugs.     

磷对霍山石斛类原球茎悬浮培养细胞生长和多糖合成的影响

在确定了最适接种量和外植体细胞生理时间的基础上,研究了在不同起始磷浓度下,霍山石斛类原球茎生长、碳、氮消耗和多糖积累的动力学特性。以生长30d的类原球茎为材料,在接种量为100g/L时,类原球茎生长的最佳起始磷浓度为2.5mmol/L,培养36d时,类原球茎鲜重达496.5g/L。动力学分析表明,磷是霍山石斛类原球茎生长的限制性因素,胞内磷的积累水平与细胞生长具有相关性,2.5mmol/L的磷酸盐有利于碳、氮等营养物质的吸收;而多糖积累的最佳起始磷浓度为0.312mmol/L,培养36d时,其产量为2.22g/L。     

UreB蛋白B细胞抗原表位快速筛选与鉴定

以幽门螺旋杆菌(Helicobacterpylori,Hp)主要抗原蛋白尿素酶B(ureaseB,UreB)为靶蛋白,建立一种新的B细胞抗原表位筛选与鉴定方法.运用Fmoc固相肽合成法合成11条HpUreB蛋白的单表位抗原肽片段,在其氨基端标记FITC荧光素,应用荧光偏振方法(fluorescencepolarization,FP)快速鉴定这些肽片段的抗原性,并通过FP法在大规模样品中快速筛选相应抗体滴度高、分布人群广的优势抗原表位肽.结果表明,合成的11条UreB蛋白线性抗原肽中,10条具有较强的抗原性,其中No.2、No.5和No.11抗原肽相应的特异性抗体在感染Hp的人群中分布较广,抗体滴度较高,为UreB的优势抗原表位肽.对抗原表位进行多参数综合分析与设计,通过FP技术快速鉴定抗原肽,并筛选优势抗原表位肽,对于疾病的抗原表位谱研究具有重要的意义,同时在疾病的诊断、分型及治疗中具有重要的应用前景.     

Cucumis属3种不同倍性种间杂交后代的同工酶分析

以3种不同倍性的Cucum is属种间杂交后代[异源四倍体C.hy tivus(2n=4x=38,HHCC)、异源三倍体(2n=3x=26,HCC)和正反交种间杂种F1(2n=2x=19,HC/CH)]及其双亲为试材,比较研究了过氧化物酶(POD)和酯酶(EST)同工酶在不同器官中的酶谱表达特性.结果表明,花蕾中的POD和EST同工酶谱带都比叶片中的丰富,表现出明显的组织特异性.在相同器官的同一酶系统中,3种不同倍性种间杂交后代的酶谱基本一致,主要表现为互补双亲的酶带,同时出现了双亲所没有的酶带(POD4c和EST3b等),表明远缘杂交扩大了黄瓜的遗传基础.此外,在幼叶和花蕾的POD同工酶中,大部分酶带活性随染色体倍性增加而减弱,表明基因剂量与POD同工酶酶谱的表达呈负相关.     

胡杨、灰叶胡杨光合及叶绿素荧光特性的比较研究

比较研究了两年生胡杨和灰叶胡杨叶片的光合及叶绿素荧光特性.结果表明:胡杨和灰叶胡杨均表现出净光合速率(Pn)日变化呈单峰曲线,只是在12:00时胡杨的Pn略微降低;气孔导度日变化均呈单峰型曲线;胞间CO2浓度日变化呈近“V”字型曲线.相同的试验条件下,胡杨的净光合速率、气孔导度高于灰叶胡杨,净光合速率与气孔导度峰值出现在上午10:00时;胡杨胞间CO2浓度低于灰叶胡杨,胞间CO2浓度最低值均出现在中午14:00时.经充分暗适应后的叶片叶绿素荧光参数初始荧光、PSⅡ原初光能转换效率和PSⅡ潜在活性均为胡杨显著大于灰叶胡杨.以太阳光为光化学光,测定的叶绿素荧光参数日变化显示,胡杨PSⅡ实际的光化学反应量子效率、非循环电子传递速率、光化学猝灭系数均大于灰叶胡杨,而非光化学猝灭系数却较灰叶胡杨小.胡杨与灰叶胡杨在光合与叶绿素荧光特性上的差异,是胡杨更能适应干旱荒漠区高光、高温与低相对空气湿度环境,从而表现出高净光合速率的部分生理学原因之一.