Pollen Typhae total flavone improves insulin resistance in high-fat diet and low-dose streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats

Pollen Typhae total flavone (PTF), the extract from Pollen Typhae, is reported to enhance glucose uptake in C2C12 myotubes in vitro, but the convincing evidence is lacking in vivo. In this study, PTF ameliorated insulin resistance and dyslipidemia, but failed to significantly increase body weight in type 2 diabetic rats induced by high-fat diet and low-dose streptozotocin.     

Nutrient resorption response to fire and nitrogen addition in a semi-arid grassland

Fire and nitrogen (N) addition, both widely used grassland restoration strategies, strongly influence community composition and ecosystem functioning. However, little is known about their effects on plant nutrient resorption from senescing leaves, especially in semi-arid ecosystems. We evaluated the effects of fire, N addition (5.25 g N m⁻² yr⁻¹) and their potential interactions on nutrient resorption in five plant species in a semi-arid grassland in northern China. Foliar nutrient concentrations and resorption proficiencies and efficiencies varied substantially among species and functional groups. Fire increased green leaf N concentration ([N]g) and decreased N resorption proficiency (N RP), P resorption proficiency (P RP) and P resorption efficiency (P RE). N addition led to higher [N]g and lower N resorption, whereas it did not affect P related responses. There was no interaction between fire and N addition to affect all response variables except for green leaf P concentration ([P]g). These results suggest that fire and N addition can influence ecosystem nutrient cycling directly by changing resorption patterns and litter quality. Given the substantial interspecific variations in nutrient content and resorption and the potentially changing community composition, both fire and N addition may have indirect impacts on ecosystem nutrient cycling in this semi-arid grassland.     

Evaluation of a Hybrid Approach Using UBLAST and BLASTX for Metagenomic Sequences Annotation of Specific Functional Genes

The fast development of next generation sequencing (NGS) has dramatically increased the application of metagenomics in various aspects. Functional annotation is a major step in the metagenomics studies. Fast annotation of functional genes has been a challenge because of the deluge of NGS data and expanding databases. A hybrid annotation pipeline proposed previously for taxonomic assignments was evaluated in this study for metagenomic sequences annotation of specific functional genes, such as antibiotic resistance genes, arsenic resistance genes and key genes in nitrogen metabolism. The hybrid approach using UBLAST and BLASTX is 44–177 times faster than direct BLASTX in the annotation using the small protein database for the specific functional genes, with the cost of missing a small portion (<1.8%) of target sequences compared with direct BLASTX hits. Different from direct BLASTX, the time required for specific functional genes annotation using the hybrid annotation pipeline depends on the abundance for the target genes. Thus this hybrid annotation pipeline is more suitable in specific functional genes annotation than in comprehensive functional genes annotation.     

Impact of an indigenous microbial enhanced oil recovery field trial on microbial community structure in a high pour-point oil reservoir

Based on preliminary investigation of microbial populations in a high pour-point oil reservoir, an indigenous microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) field trial was carried out. The purpose of the study is to reveal the impact of the indigenous MEOR process on microbial community structure in the oil reservoir using 16Sr DNA clone library technique. The detailed monitoring results showed significant response of microbial communities during the field trial and large discrepancies of stimulated microorganisms in the laboratory and in the natural oil reservoir. More specifically, after nutrients injection, the original dominant populations of Petrobacter and Alishewanella in the production wells almost disappeared. The expected desirable population of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, determined by enrichment experiments in laboratory, was stimulated successfully in two wells of the five monitored wells. Unexpectedly, another potential population of Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes which were not detected in the enrichment culture in laboratory was stimulated in the other three monitored production wells. In this study, monitoring of microbial community displayed a comprehensive alteration of microbial populations during the field trial to remedy the deficiency of culture-dependent monitoring methods. The results would help to develop and apply more MEOR processes.     

摄食水平对不同性别食蚊鱼仔幼鱼生长发育的影响

在实验室27℃水温下,研究了少食、中食和饱食三个摄食水平对0至25日龄雌雄食蚊鱼(Gambusia affinis)的生长发育特征和饵料利用效率的影响。26d饲养实验结束后,对试验鱼摄食和生长指标、臀鳍分化、性成熟及饵料转换效率进行分析。结果显示:到臀鳍开始分化时,饱食组雄鱼的累计摄食总能量和生长速度开始小于雌鱼,且随日龄的增加差异加大;随摄食水平的增加,0日龄仔鱼到臀鳍分化和性成熟的时间缩短。至实验结束,各摄食组的雄鱼均形成发育完善的生殖足,性腺都达到成熟状态;而雌鱼性成熟迟于雄鱼,且其性成熟更易受到摄食水平的影响,饱食组只有约50%的个体达到性成熟,少食组的卵母细胞则均处在小生长期。随着摄食水平的增加,雌雄鱼的体长、体重和干物质特定生长率均呈明显上升趋势,而干物质饵料转化效率则呈明显下降趋势;实验结束时,雌鱼的生长指标和干物质饵料转化率均大于雄鱼。以上结果表明,伴随臀鳍的分化,食蚊鱼在摄食、生长、发育、性成熟和应对食物丰度变化上表现出显著的性别差异。       

胭脂鱼幼鱼的临界游泳速度

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齐口裂腹鱼幼鱼疲劳后游泳特性恢复状况研究

以中国地质公园（神农架）野生动物繁育基地提供的齐口裂腹鱼（Schizothorax prenanti）幼鱼（体长为14.017.5 cm,体重为39.665.6 g）为研究对象,利用自制鱼类游泳特性（Swimming performance）研究装置,运用递增流速法（Stepped velocity test）,研究了鱼类疲劳后20d和40d的游泳特性恢复状况。结果表明:（1）在20d内齐口裂腹鱼临界游泳速度（Critical swimming speed,Ucrit）相比于初次测试（20d前）有所降低,20d内的恢复状况较差;而在40d后,临界游泳速度已经基本恢复到最初状况,40d内的恢复状况较好。（2）疲劳后鱼类游泳效率显著下降,并且在40d后无法恢复正常。虽然40d后速度指数低于20d后速度指数,40d后游泳效率高于20d后游泳效率,但是相对于初次测试,40d后游泳效率恢复效果并不明显。（3）齐口裂腹鱼在疲劳后40d内,恢复能力（Recovery capability）无法恢复到正常状况,但由于3次测试中疲劳后过量耗氧（Excess post-exercise oxygen cost,EPOC） 波动并不大,说明疲劳对其恢复能力影响并不大。（4）20d后和40d后无氧呼吸时间均较第一次测试时提前,说明疲劳损伤对其有氧呼吸能力产生了持续影响。（5）疲劳对鱼类生态行为（Ecological behavior）影响不明显。研究有利于为鱼道建设提供基础资料,对生物多样性保护具有深远意义。       

寄生虫及其宿主协同进化的研究进展

本文对寄生虫及其宿主协同进化的研究进行了回顾,将其发展分为三个阶段：1．寄生虫-宿主协同进化的初步认识;2．协同进化模式及其内在机制的探索;3．协同进化机制研究方法的发展。目前的研究主要集中于协同进化生物学意义的进一步深入探讨。同时,对协同进化的有关概念、方法和本学科的发展进行了简单阐述和讨论。     

黑胸散白蚁幼期不同品级的发育和分化

在黑胸散白蚁Reticulitermes chinensis发育和分化过程中,发现有假工蚁、假若蚁两种虫态。假工蚁由6龄和7龄工蚁转化发育而来,假若蚁由4龄和5龄若蚁转化发育而来。显微测量结果表明,黑胸散白蚁的胚后发育主要包括2个龄期的幼蚁期、6个以上龄期的工蚁期、4个龄期的若蚁期和有翅成虫。在此基础上分析了其他虫态的分化来源,发现兵蚁由3～7龄工蚁分化发育而来,翅鳞型和长翅芽型补充生殖蚁由6龄若蚁转化发育而来,短翅芽型补充生殖蚁由4龄和5龄若蚁转化发育而来,微翅芽型补充生殖蚁既可由4～6龄工蚁转化发育而来,又可由假工蚁和假若蚁转化发育而来,无翅型补充生殖蚁由3～7龄工蚁转化发育而来。提出了黑胸散白蚁群体中不同品级个体的可能分化途径。