Development of fertilized embryos transferred to oviducts of immature mice

The in-vitro culture of fertilized 1-cell mouse embryos to the blastocyst stage is associated with subsequent decreased viability. In this study, 1-cell embryos were cultured for 3 days in the reproductive tract of immature female mice as an alternative to in-vitro culture. Embryos that spent 3 days in immature females were developmentally more advanced, had higher cell numbers and better viability, as measured by development to mid-gestation, after transfer to pseudopregnant recipient females than did embryos maintained for the same period in culture. Embryos that developed in immature females had lower cell numbers but comparable rates of development and subsequent viability when compared with embryos transferred to synchronous pseudopregnant females for the same preimplantation period. The immature mouse oviduct is therefore a suitable alternative environment to in-vitro culture or a pseudopregnant host for complete preimplantation development and has the additional advantage that synchrony between embryo and temporary host is not necessary. This method will allow for evaluation of manipulation procedures while maintaining viability before the embryos are finally committed to a foster mother for development to term.     

汉江中下游生态系统健康评价指标体系构建及其应用

水利工程建设影响了河流生态系统健康。为探究梯级水库、跨流域调水等水利工程建设对长江流域河流生态系统健康的影响,以汉江中下游为例,采用频次分析法和相关性分析法对评价指标进行筛选,用最小二乘法和熵系数法相结合的综合权重模型确定各评价指标权重,从整体性、稳定性及可持续性3个方面构建了河流生态系统健康评价指标体系,并利用赋分法进行河流健康评价。结果表明,汉江中下游河流健康评价指标体系包含流量过程变异程度、输沙量变化、河流连通性、富营养化状况、鱼类物种数等11个指标。评价结果显示汉江中下游河流生态健康状况表现出较强的空间异质性,且健康状况逐年降低。靠近丹江口水库的区域较好,越往下游越差。     

鄂西南木林子常绿落叶阔叶混交林恢复过程中优势树种生态位动态

运用Shannow-wiener生态位宽度指数和Pianka生态位重叠指数,分析了鄂西南木林子常绿落叶阔叶混交林恢复过程中优势树种生态位动态。结果表明:大穗鹅耳枥(Carpinus fargesii)、四照花(Cornus kousa var.Chinensis)、青冈(Cycloblanopsis glauca)生态位总宽度较大,且在5个不同恢复时期均有分布。恢复期14a、35a、60a、85a和110a生态位宽度最大的树种分别为白马桑(Weigela japonica var.sinica)、大穗鹅耳枥、四照花、光皮桦(Betula luminifera)和尾叶冬青(Ilex wilsonii)。随着群落的恢复,优势落叶树种生态位宽度表现出下降趋势,优势常绿树种则呈上升趋势。当恢复到顶极群落阶段,乔木层常绿和落叶树种生态位接近,灌木层常绿灌木占据较大生态位。随着群落的恢复,优势落叶树种与其它树种的生态位重叠值呈波动性下降趋势,优势常绿树种表现为波动性上升趋势,群落全部树种间生态位重叠程度呈小幅度波动性下降趋势。相同或相似生活型的演替早期种间的高生态位重叠,意味着种间对资源利用的相似性和竞争关系,演替后期种与其它树种间的生态位重叠的增加,意味着不同生活型树种在水平空间重叠而在垂直空间分化,这是不同树种对有限环境资源充分利用的一种机制。     

快速城市化地区景观生态安全时空演化过程分析——以东莞市为例

依托“压力-状态-响应”概念框架模型,建立景观生态安全评价指标体系,以东莞市为例,研究区域景观生态安全时空发展变化过程,揭示快速城市化地区生态安全发展变化的规律.结果表明:1988、1997和2005年东莞市的平均生态安全综合指数分别为0.497、0.436和0.395,区域总体生态安全从中高安全状态逐步降低到中低安全状态;生态中低安全的区域空间上从“市中心-镇中心”沿“市中心-镇中心-道路”不断扩张.采用以像元为中心的公里网格滑动模板的指标作为像元的评价指标,可以有效解决景观结构指数等指标的计算,在生态安全等级划分时边界过度很平滑,景观尺度的生态安全评价可以为生态可持续发展政策的制定提供科学依据.     

乙肝病毒前C区变异与其真核表达的研究进展

乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)变异与乙型肝炎病情的发展、对该疾病病情的监测等关系密切。其中,HBV前C区基因变异可使HBeAg产生异常的表达,并对HBV基因组的复制也有一定的影响。现就对HBV前C区基因常见变异及其生物学意义,及其真核表达模型构建相关因素等方面进行综述。     

湖北木林子保护区山矾属植物空间分布格局及其关联性

物种共存机制是生态学研究的重要问题。以同属物种山矾、光叶山矾为研究对象,分析其空间分布格局和种内、种间关联性特征。将山矾、光叶山矾分为4个径级,分别归属幼树、小树、中树和成年树4个生长阶段。采用单变量成对相关函数分析空间分布格局特征;双变量成对相关函数分析种内、种间关联性。结果显示：山矾和光叶山矾径级结构基本一致,均属增长型种群。在完全空间随机模型下,山矾和光叶山矾主要呈聚集分布,逐渐过渡为均匀分布;在异质泊松模型下,只在小尺度上聚集,较大尺度范围呈随机分布。种内关联上,山矾各生长阶段主要呈正关联,逐渐向无关联过渡,光叶山矾除小树与成年树外,其余均呈正关联;排除生境异质性影响后,小尺度呈正关联,其余尺度无关联。种间关联上,在幼树、小树物种对中主要呈负关联,中树、成年树物种对中多为无关联。研究表明,同属物种山矾和光叶山矾呈种内聚集、种间分离的空间构型,在竞争排除作用下实现同属共存,有利于亚热带常绿落叶阔叶混交林群落结构稳定和物种多样性维持。     

Description of an embryonic lethal gene, l(5)-1, linked to Wsh

A recessive lethal mutant linked to Wsh causes the death of homozygous embryos between 4.5 and 5.5 days postcoitum (pc). Histological examination of implantation sites from intercross and backcross matings indicates that homozygotes are not all evident at 4.5 days pc, when embryos have begun to form trophectoderm giant cells and primitive endoderm, but are degenerating by 5.5 days pc, with only a few primary giant cells remaining after this time. The mutants thus form blastocysts that initiate the implantation process but the inner cell mass and polar trophectoderm fail to develop further. In vitro examination and culture of blastocysts indicated that the mutant homozygotes hatch from the zona pellucida and outgrow, although they do so somewhat more slowly than normal embryos. After 3 days of culture, the inner cell masses of mutant outgrowths may be smaller than normal. Since the gene has no known heterozygous effect and the primary gene function remains unknown, the mutant has been given the provisional symbol l(5)-1 for the first lethal on chromosome 5.