Physiological changes of premotor nonspiking interneurons in the central compensation of eyestalk posture following unilateral sensory ablation in crayfish

We investigated how the physiological characteristics and synaptic activities of nonspiking giant interneurons (NGIs), which integrate sensory inputs in the brain and send synaptic outputs to oculomotor neurons innervating eyestalk muscles, changed after unilateral ablation of the statocyst in order to clarify neuronal mechanisms underlying the central compensation process in crayfish. The input resistance and membrane time constant in recovered animals that restored the original symmetrical eyestalk posture 2 weeks after operation were significantly greater than those immediately after operation on the operated side whereas in non-recovered animals only the membrane time constant showed a significant increase. On the intact side, both recovered and non-recovered animals showed no difference. The frequency of synaptic activity showed a complex pattern of change on both sides depending on the polarity of the synaptic potential. The synaptic activity returned to the bilaterally symmetrical level in recovered animals while bilateral asymmetry remained in non-recovered ones. These results suggest that the central compensation of eyestalk posture following unilateral impairment of the statocyst is subserved by not only changes in the physiological characteristics of the NGI membrane but also the activity of neuronal circuits presynaptic to NGIs.     

扁玉螺中枢神经系统解剖及显微结构观察

对扁玉螺(Neverita didyma)中枢神经系统的大体解剖和显微结构进行了初步研究。结果表明,扁玉螺中枢神经系统包括一对口球神经节、一对脑神经节、一对侧神经节、一对足神经节及一个脏神经节。各神经节均由神经节被膜、胞体区及中央纤维网三部分组成。左右脑神经节之间和左右足神经节之间的联合以及脑-侧、脑-足和侧-足神经节之间的连索均较短。足神经节有明显的分区现象。     

浑太流域洪涝灾害及其治理方略

抚顺、鞍山、辽阳等在内的中部城市群提供年用水量７．０×１０９ｍ３的７０％［５］,对辽宁经济发展与生态环境建设具有至关重要的作用．本文试图剖析浑河、太子河洪涝灾害问题,找出其成因与特点,从生态与工程结合角度提出治理方略,为防洪减灾,振兴经济服务．２　洪涝灾害成因分析２．１　洪涝灾害的一般分析　　洪涝灾害是天降暴雨和下垫面综合作用的结果．它通常依赖气象、水文地理和生态环境三方面因素．气象因素主要指暴雨,包括雨量、雨强和降雨落区．暴雨主要受大气环境制约,目前人类难以左右．然而,通过人工控制增减局地降雨…     

基于GIS支持下的土地资源空间格局生态优化

以防治水土流失和维护景观整体生态优化为目标,选择我国滇西南地区亚热带山地为典型案例,利用遥感数据和GIS的空间信息处理技术,采用适宜性评价与土地资源利用格局整体优化相结合的方法,用最小累积阻力模型(MCR)确定土地利用的功能分区和生态格局组分,探讨山地土地资源空间格局生态优化途径.结果表明:(1)基于GIS空间分析技术和"成本距离加权"制图分析工具,采用最小累积阻力模型(MCR)的土地资源空间格局生态优化方法是可行的;(2)将水平生态过程作为一种对景观的控制过程来对待,以常绿阔叶林和思茅松林为保护源,基于最小累积阻力面(MCR)模型,构建了对土地资源整体生态功能起维护作用,对源内物种的迁移或扩散过程具有关键作用的廊道、辐射道和战略点等生态格局组分;(3)基于MCR阻力值建立的频率序列及拐点图,拐点两侧的土地利用类型异质性较大,可以作为划分土地功能分区的临界点,以此划分出有利于生态安全的核心源保护区、生态缓冲区、生态过渡区、生态边缘区、农业耕作区和居民生活区等6类土地功能区,并提出各功能区的管理措施.     

Genetic diversity of the black mangrove (Avicennia germinans L.) in Colombia

This study analyzed the genetic diversity and patterns of genetic structure in Colombian populations of Avicennia germinans L. using microsatellite loci. A lower genetic diversity was found on both the Caribbean (Ho = 0.439) and the Pacific coasts (Ho = 0.277) than reported for the same species in other locations of Central American Pacific, suggesting the deterioration of genetic diversity. All the populations showed high inbreeding coefficients (0.131–0.462) indicating heterozygotes deficience. The genetic structure between the Colombian coasts separated by Central American Isthmus was high (F_RT = 0.39) and the analyses of the genetic patterns of A. germinans revealed a clear differentiation of populations and no-recent gene flow evidence between coasts. Genetic structure was found within each coast (F_ST = 0.10 for the Caribbean coast and F_ST = 0.22 for the Pacific coast). The genetic patterns along the two coasts appear to reflect a forcing by local geomorphology and marine currents. Both coasts constitute a different Evolutionary Significant Unit, so we suggest for future transplantations plans that propagules or saplings of the populations of the Caribbean coast should not be mixed with those of the Pacific Colombian coast. Besides, we suggest that reforestation efforts should carefully distinguish propagules sources within each coast.     

Wood species utilization for timber constructions in the Czech lands over the period 1400–1900

Longstanding demographic growth accompanied by rising settlement activities and development of industry led to an increasing demand on utilization of wood. Tree species were selected for their specific properties. As a consequence of regional differences of forest species composition, wood has become an extremely important trade commodity. Therefore, the utilization of individual species could substantially change in space and time. In this study, we use 8´135 precisely dated timber constructions from a dendrochronological database to investigate spatio-temporal changes in wood utilization across the Czech lands from the 15th to the 19th century. Our results suggest that the utilization of individual species in historical timber constructions was primarily limited by their availability. Species selection was also based on wood properties and stem geometry. Most of historical constructions (99.7%), represented mainly by roofs and ceilings, are made of fir, spruce, pine, and oak. While fir constructions prevail in eastern Moravia and Silesia, spruce constructions are largely spread across the western and central part of the Czech Republic. Pine and oak constructions reflect natural occurrence of such forests in lower elevated central Bohemia and southern Moravia. Although fir prevailed in timber construction in the late-Medieval and post-Medieval times, planting of spruce monocultures resulted in its significantly increased utilization by the end of the 19th century. This study demonstrates the value of dendrochronological databases as an indicator of historical wood utilization.     

The influence of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ(1) during differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells to neural cells

Peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ, belongs to PPARs, which exerts various metabolic functions including differentiation process. To testify the importance of PPARγ in neural differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs), its expression level was assessed. Data revealed an elevation in expression level of PPARγ when neural precursors (NPs) are formed upon retinoic acid treatment. Thus, involvement of PPARγ in two stages of neural differentiation of mESCs, during and post-NPs formation was examined by application of its agonist and antagonist. Our results indicated that PPARγ inactivation via treatment with GW9662 during NPs formation, reduced expression of neural precursor and neural (neuronal and astrocytes) markers. However, PPARγ inactivation by antagonist treatment post-NPs formation stage only decreased the expression of mature astrocyte marker (Gfap) suggesting that inactivation of PPARγ by antagonist decreased astrocyte differentiation. Here, we have demonstrated the stage dependent role of PPARγ modulation on neural differentiation of mESCs by retinoic acid treatment for the first time.     

Energy Transducing Roles of Antiporter-like Subunits in Escherichia coli NDH-1 with Main Focus on Subunit NuoN (ND2)

The proton-translocating NADH-quinone oxidoreductase (complex I/NDH-1) contains a peripheral and a membrane domain. Three antiporter-like subunits in the membrane domain, NuoL, NuoM, and NuoN (ND5, ND4 and ND2, respectively), are structurally similar. We analyzed the role of NuoN in Escherichia coli NDH-1. The lysine residue at position 395 in NuoN (_NLys³⁹⁵) is conserved in NuoL (_LLys³⁹⁹) but is replaced by glutamic acid (_MGlu⁴⁰⁷) in NuoM. Our mutation study on _NLys³⁹⁵ suggests that this residue participates in the proton translocation. Furthermore, we found that _MGlu⁴⁰⁷ is also essential and most likely interacts with conserved _LArg¹⁷⁵. Glutamic acids, _NGlu¹³³, _MGlu¹⁴⁴, and _LGlu¹⁴⁴, are corresponding residues. Unlike mutants of _MGlu¹⁴⁴ and _LGlu¹⁴⁴, mutation of _NGlu¹³³ scarcely affected the energy-transducing activities. However, a double mutant of _NGlu¹³³ and nearby _KGlu⁷² showed significant inhibition of these activities. This suggests that _NGlu¹³³ bears a functional role similar to _LGlu¹⁴⁴ and _MGlu¹⁴⁴ but its mutation can be partially compensated by the nearby carboxyl residue. Conserved prolines located at loops of discontinuous transmembrane helices of NuoL, NuoM, and NuoN were shown to play a similar role in the energy-transducing activity. It seems likely that NuoL, NuoM, and NuoN pump protons by a similar mechanism. Our data also revealed that _NLys¹⁵⁸ is one of the key interaction points with helix HL in NuoL. A truncation study indicated that the C-terminal amphipathic segments of _NTM14 interacts with the _Mβ sheet located on the opposite side of helix HL. Taken together, the mechanism of H⁺ translocation in NDH-1 is discussed.     

Tracking reveals behavioural coordination driven by environmental constraints in the Black-vented Shearwater Puffinus opisthomelas

During the breeding season, seabird foraging trips are constrained by nest attendance schedule and are necessarily colony centred. Oceanographic cues play a major role in the choice of foraging areas to minimize the time spent away from the nest. Here, we analysed the foraging tracks of Black-vented Shearwaters Puffinus opisthomelas during the incubation and chick-rearing periods of 2016 and 2017 at Isla Natividad (Mexico). We applied expectation-maximization binary clustering to track data to clusterize different behaviour patterns during foraging flights. We then applied binary generalized linear mixed models to characterize of foraging areas based on of environmental variables. We finally used kernel estimation techniques to describe main foraging areas. In 2016, breeding shearwaters used two core areas for foraging and resting on the water; the core area delineated by males was located northward from the colony in the Vizcaino Bay and the core area for females was located southward from the colony at the entrance of San Ignacio Lagoon. In 2017, males and females used the same areas with no evident segregation. Our study provided the first information on Black-vented Shearwater foraging areas during the breeding season and indicated that sexual segregation within coastal waters off the central Baja California Peninsula might be a foraging strategy during years of warmer ocean, likely less productive regimes. Factors including ocean-climate-mediated sexual segregation at sea, leading to interannual variation in foraging areas, should be considered when evaluating management actions intended to protect critical foraging habitats for Black-vented Shearwaters.