啮齿动物的贮藏行为与植物种子的扩散

绝大多数啮齿动物一方面取食大量的植物种子和果实,另一方面通过其贮食行为将植物种子和果实搬运到远离母树的地点,即扩散,并将它们分散埋藏在落叶下或浅表的土层中,从而影响种子和果实的时空分布,最后导致幼苗在有利的条件下发生和建成,实现植物更新。啮齿动物与植物种子和果实之间已广泛形成了互惠或协同进化的关系。啮齿动物的贮食行为主要通过以下几个过程对植物种子和果实的扩散产生影响：选择、搬运和埋藏以及随后对种子和幼苗存活和死亡的影响等。本综述了啮齿动物对植物种子和果实贮藏的研究结果,以期为进一步开展啮齿动物的贮食行为在植物种子和果实的扩散中的作用的研究提供参考。     

植物转基因位置依赖性沉默与位置效应

植物基因组能够识别外源基因的出现及所整合的特异位置并产生相应反应,通过分析嘧啶甲基化的信号及模式,比较不同表达水平转基因的整合位点及基因组环境差异,植物转基因位置依赖性沉默和位置效应的机理得到进一步揭示;讨论了位置效应的研究方法和克服策略。     

寿高九旬驾鹤西去 德范后人紫气东来——沉痛悼念焦瑞身先生

<正>焦瑞身(Jui-shen Chiao)1918-09-13,2009年12月22日卒于上海。1936年考取清华大学化学系,1941年毕业于西南联合大学并留校任化学系助教。1946年在北京大学农学院农化系任助教。     

SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity and COVID-19 among 5 years-old Amazonian children and their association with poverty and food insecurity

BackgroundThe epidemiology of childhood SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19-related illness remains little studied in high-transmission tropical settings, partly due to the less severe clinical manifestations typically developed by children and the limited availability of diagnostic tests. To address this knowledge gap, we investigate the prevalence and predictors of SARS-CoV-2 infection (either symptomatic or not) and disease in 5 years-old Amazonian children.Methodology/Principal findingsWe retrospectively estimated SARS-CoV-2 attack rates and the proportion of infections leading to COVID-19-related illness among 660 participants in a population-based birth cohort study in the Juruá Valley, Amazonian Brazil. Children were physically examined, tested for SARS-CoV-2 IgG and IgM antibodies, and had a comprehensive health questionnaire administered during a follow-up visit at the age of 5 years carried out in January or June-July 2021. We found serological evidence of past SARS-CoV-2 infection in 297 (45.0%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 41.2–48.9%) of 660 cohort participants, but only 15 (5.1%; 95% CI, 2.9–8.2%) seropositive children had a prior medical diagnosis of COVID-19 reported by their mothers or guardians. The period prevalence of clinically apparent COVID-19, defined as the presence of specific antibodies plus one or more clinical symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 (cough, shortness of breath, and loss of taste or smell) reported by their mothers or guardians since the pandemic onset, was estimated at 7.3% (95% CI, 5.4–9.5%). Importantly, children from the poorest households and those with less educated mothers were significantly more likely to be seropositive, after controlling for potential confounders by mixed-effects multiple Poisson regression analysis. Likewise, the period prevalence of COVID-19 was 1.8-fold (95%, CI 1.2–2.6-fold) higher among cohort participants exposed to food insecurity and 3.0-fold (95% CI, 2.8–3.5-fold) higher among those born to non-White mothers. Finally, children exposed to household and family contacts who had COVID-19 were at an increased risk of being SARS-CoV-2 seropositive and–even more markedly–of having had clinically apparent COVID-19 by the age of 5 years.Conclusions/SignificanceChildhood SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19-associated illness are substantially underdiagnosed and underreported in the Amazon. Children in the most socioeconomically vulnerable households are disproportionately affected by SARS-CoV-2 infection and disease.     

Labendbeobachtungen an Myxococcus rubescens

Zusammenfassung Es wird über die Bildung von Kriechspuren von Myxococcus rubescens auf Agarhängetropfen berichtet. Die Spuren werden als Rinnen gedeutet, die beim Kriechen der Zellen auf älteren Hängetropfenpräparaten entstehen und sich nicht mit der Vorstellung einer Fortbewegung der Zellen durch Schleimabsonderung vereinbaren lassen. Es wird in Erwägung gezogen, daß Kontraktionsbewegungen der aktiv biegsamen Zelle zur Erklärung der Bewegungsart dienen könnten; damit steht auch das elastikotaktische Verhalten in Einklang.Die Zellteilung wird an lebendem Material im Agarhängetropfen beobachtet. Die von den meisten Untersuchern behauptete teigige Einschnürung und Ausziehung war unter diesen Bedingungen nicht festzustellen.     

Quantitative Untersuchungen an chlorophylldefekten und normalen diploiden und tetraploiden Pflanzen

Ohne ZusammenfassungMit i TextabbildungHerrn Prof.H. Kappert zum 65. Geburtstag gewidmet     

Differences in the Direction of Change of Cerebral Function Parameters Are Evident over Three Years in HIV-Infected Individuals Electively Commencing Initial cART

BackgroundChanges in cerebral metabolite ratios (CMR) measured on ¹H-MRS and changes in cognitive function (CF) are described in subjects commencing combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), although the dynamics of such changes are poorly understood.MethodsNeuroasymptomatic, HIV-infected subjects electively commencing cART were eligible. CMR were assessed in three anatomical voxels and CF assessed at baseline, week 48 and week 144. Overall differences in absolute change in CMRs and CF parameters between 0–48 and 48–144 weeks were assessed.ResultsTwenty-two subjects completed study procedures. Plasma HIV-RNA was <50 copies/mL in all at week 48 and in all, but two subjects at week 144. In general, between weeks 0–48 a rise in N-acetyl-aspartate(NAA)/Creatine(Cr) ratio and a decline in myo-Inositol(mI)/Cr ratio were observed. Between weeks 48–144, small rises in NAA/Cr ratio were observed in two anatomical voxels, whereas a rise in mI/Cr ratio was observed in all anatomical locations (0.31 (0.66) and -0.27 (1.35) between weeks 0–48 and 0.13 (0.91) and 1.13 (1.71) between weeks 48–144 for absolute changes in NAA/Cr and mI/Cr (SD) in frontal-grey voxel, respectively). Global CF score improved between weeks 0–48 and then declined between weeks 48–144 (0.63 (1.16) and -0.63 (0.1.41) for mean absolute change (SD) between weeks 0–48 and weeks 48–144, respectively).ConclusionsThe direction of change of cerebral function parameters differs over time in HIV-infected subjects commencing cART, highlighting the need for long-term follow-up in such studies. The changes we have observed between weeks 48–144 may represent the initial development of cerebral toxicities from cART.