Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants expressing a β‐1,3‐glucanase from sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) show reduced callose deposition and increased tolerance to aluminium toxicity

Seventy‐one cultivars of sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) were screened for aluminium (Al) tolerance by measuring relative root growth (RRG). Two contrasting cultivars, ROMA (Al tolerant) and POTCHETSTRM (Al sensitive), were selected to study shorter term responses to Al stress. POTCHETSTRM had higher callose synthase activity, lower β‐1,3‐glucanase activity and more callose deposition in the root apices during Al treatment compared with ROMA. We monitored the expression of 12 genes involved in callose synthesis and degradation and found that one of these, SbGlu1 (Sb03g045630.1), which encodes a β‐1,3‐glucanase enzyme, best explained the contrasting deposition of callose in ROMA and POTCHETSTRM during Al treatment. Full‐length cDNAs of SbGlu1 was prepared from ROMA and POTCHETSTRM and expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana using the constitutive cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter. Independent transgenic lines displayed significantly greater Al tolerance than wild‐type plants and vector‐only controls. This phenotype was associated with greater total β‐1,3‐glucanase activity, less Al accumulation and reduced callose deposition in the roots. These results suggest that callose production is not just an early indicator of Al stress in plants but likely to be part of the toxicity pathway that leads to the inhibition of root growth.     

History of study,updated checklist,distribution and key of scorpions (Arachnida：Scorpiones) from China

This review describes the history of taxonomic research on scorpions and provides an updated checklist and key of the scorpions currently known in China. This checklist is based on a thorough review of the extant literatures on scorpion species whose presence has been confirmed in China through field expeditions and examination of scorpion collections, excepting a few members that have no clear distribution or are currently in doubt. Totally, the scorpion fauna of China consists of 53 species and subspecies belonging to 12 genera crossing five families, with 33 species (62.3%) and one genus being recorded as endemic. Additionally, identification key and the distribution of scorpions from China are provided.     

祁连山天老池流域灌丛地上生物量空间分

采用野外样地调查法,以祁连山寺大隆林区天老池流域高山灌丛为研究对象,建立灌丛地上生物量与易测因子(冠幅周长和灌丛丛高)之间的关系,采用面向对象分类法对研究区的高分辨率影像(GeoEye-1)的土地利用类型进行分类,提取出灌丛盖度的空间分布,建立灌丛地上生物量与盖度之间的关系式,估算灌丛地上总生物量.结果表明： 研究区灌丛地上总生物量为1.8×10³ t,单位面积地上生物量为1598.45 kg·hm^-2;灌丛地上生物量主要分布在海拔3000～3700 m范围内,并且阳坡(1.15×10³ t)>阴坡(0.65×10³ t).     

Successional pattern of phytoplankton (>55 microm) in Lekki lagoon, Nigeria

Lagoons are dominant features along large stretches of the West Africa coast. These freshwater environments are very valuable areas where phytoplankton constitute the basis of aquatic food webs. In order to know the effects of environmental variables on phytoplankton, a study of the successional pattern of phytoplankton in Lekki lagoon was carried out monthly for two years (June 2003-May 2005). Phytoplankton samples were collected from 12 stations using a plankton net of 55 microm mesh, and samples preserved in 4% unbuffered formalin. Besides, surface water samples were taken for physico-chemical analysis. For each year, the seasonal distribution and succession of dominant phytoplankton followed different patterns. Phytoplankton abundance was higher during the dry season (November-April) for the two annual cycles. The diatoms (Aulacoseira granulata and A. granulata var angustissima) and blue green algaes, Microcystis aeruginosa, Merismopedia tennuissima and Trichodesmium lacustre showed this trend by being the abundant species in some of these months. For the rainy season, the green alga Mougeotia sp. dominated. The replacement of one form by another throughout seasonal cycles was probably controlled by the changes in environmental variables such as rainfall, nitrate-nitrogen and phosphate-phosphorus.     

5个油松种源光合特性的比较研究

为了揭示自然条件下不同种源油松光合特性的差异,为优良种源选择提供依据,在黄土高原种源实验地,对5个油松种源（陕西洛南LN,陕西黄陵HL,山西吕梁山LL,山西灵空山LK,辽宁千山QM）幼苗的光合生理特征及其与环境因子的关系进行了研究。结果表明：5个油松种源的净光合速率（P_n）呈双峰型,蒸腾速率（T_r）、气孔导度（G_s）亦基本呈双峰型,第1峰值均出现在上午8:00,有明显的光合午休现象。种源QM的水分利用效率（WUE）日变化呈单峰性,峰值出现在10:00,而种源LN、LL、LK和HL呈双峰型,第一峰值出现在8:00,第二峰值出现在12:00~16:00。种源LN、LL、LK和QM午间净光合速率的下降主要由气孔因素引起的,而种源HL则主要由叶肉细胞同化能力的降低引起的。种源LK的日均P_n、T_r和WUE均高于其他种源,是高光合、高蒸腾和高水分利用效率的种源,而种源HL属于低光合、低蒸腾和低水分利用效率的种源。T_a是影响各种源的P_n的首要因子,其次是VPD;RH是影响种源LN、LL和LK的T_r的首要因子;而T_a和VPD是影响种源HL和QM的T_r的主要因子。     

甲状腺功能减退患者实施快乐因子刺激干预的临床观察

目的:探讨快乐因子刺激干预对甲状腺功能减退患者进行护理的临床效应.方法:选取52例甲状腺功能减退患者,随机分为对照组和试验组,各26例.对照组给予常规治疗及护理,试验组在对照组的基础上采用快乐因子刺激进行护理干预,比较两组患者服药依从性及治疗效果,并采用汉密尔顿抑郁量表(HAMD)与汉密尔顿焦虑量表(HAMA)对两组患者进行测评.结果:试验组实施干预后,HAMD与HAMA评分明显降低,与对照组相比,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05);试验组患者对治疗的依从性明显好于对照组(P＜0.05),试验组治疗效果优于对照组(P＜0.05).结论:快乐因子刺激干预能有效提高甲减患者的正性情绪,提高服药依从性,增强治疗效果.     

苹果果实香气产生过程中氨基酸和脂肪酸含量及一些相关酶活性的变化

研究了苹果果实成熟期间香气和乙烯的产生动态,以及游离氨基酸、游离脂肪酸含量和脂氧合酶(LOX)、醇-酰基转移酶(AAT)活性的变化.结果表明,果实香气物质是随着乙烯释放的增加而产生和增加的.在此过程中,异亮氨酸大量积累.游离脂肪酸在果实香气很少时呈增加趋势;随着香气产生的增多而迅速下降;乙烯高峰过后又有增加.脂氧合酶活性随着果实成熟而提高,其活性在乙烯释放达到高峰时达到最大值,之后迅速下降.醇-酰基转移酶活性在果实开始产生香气时迅速增加,之后保持较高活性.     

不同生长发育期的虎皮鹦鹉发声行为与发声控制神经核团的研究

鸟类的鸣叫依赖于发育完善的鸣管并接受各级发声中枢组成的机能控制系统的调控,善鸣唱的鸟类前脑控制发声的神经核团发达.用石蜡切片法和生物信号采集处理系统对不同生长发育期的虎皮鹦鹉的发声控制神经核团的体积和声音进行了比较性研究.结果发现:(1)随着虎皮鹦鹉的成长,核团体积逐渐增大,核团轮廓逐渐清晰,而且雄鸟的核团明显大于雌鸟;(2)在鸟类成长的过程中,鸟的叫声越来越复杂,幅度越来越高,雄鸟的叫声比雌鸟更复杂,雌鸟的叫声比雄鸟的叫声幅度更高;(3)鸟类鸣叫的复杂程度和发声控制神经核团的体积呈相关性.     

Systematics and biogeography of the genus Actenodia (Coleoptera: Meloidae: Mylabrini)

Abstract.  The genus Actenodia Laporte de Castelnau (Meloidae: Mylabrini) is revised. It includes 18 species distributed in the Mediterranean and Saharo-Arabian regions, and in eastern and southern Africa; A. carpanetoi sp.n. from Mozambique is described. The bionomics of the genus is summarized, according to a collection of records on phenology, elevation, habitat preference and host plants. A classification of the genus is proposed after a morphological cladistic analysis: one Afrotropical lineage clearly emerged with three distinct groups of species, whereas other taxa, all Palaearctic except A. mirabilis , remained unresolved. The analysis of the nuclear internal transcribed spacer 2 rDNA sequences of some Palaearctic and Afrotropical species supports the distinction of the Afrotropical lineage. The first instar larvae of two species, A. chrysomelina from southern Africa and A. denticulata from Arabia, are described for the first time and compared with two other Palaearctic species described previously; inferences from larval morphology are discussed. The adult morphology of all species is described briefly and illustrated, and a key to the species is provided, as well as locality data. Three new synonymies are proposed: A. extera Dvořák, 1993 syn.n. = A. septempunctata Baudi di Selve, 1878; A. sexpunctata Pic, 1948 syn.n . = A. curtula Fähraeus, 1870 ; A. unimaculata lanzai Kaszab, 1973 syn.n . = A. unimaculata Pic, 1908. The biogeography of the genus is discussed within the framework of a more general analysis of the disjunct distribution models.     

南亚热带不同植被恢复模式下土壤理化性质

分析了广西大青山南亚热带11种植被恢复模式下（1种天然次生林、2种人工针叶林、5种人工常绿阔叶林、2种人工针阔混交林和1种灌丛）土壤理化性质的变化特征.结果表明:不同植被恢复模式下土壤理化性质存在明显差异.其中,次生林林地土壤的物理性质良好,2种针叶林较差.2种针阔混交林土壤容重较小,土壤总孔隙度、土壤持水量均高于其他人工纯林;而5种人工常绿阔叶林的土壤孔隙度差异不明显.次生林土壤除全K低于柚木林外,其余养分含量均明显高于人工林,C/N和pH值相对较低.与荒草灌丛相比,9种人工林的土壤养分变化明显,全N和速效P含量均呈增加趋势;2种针叶纯林的土壤养分含量较低,但与红椎混交后,土壤养分含量明显改善,C/N值降低.