Pushed to the edge: Spatial sorting can slow down invasions

Our ability to understand population spread dynamics is complicated by rapid evolution, which renders simple ecological models insufficient. If dispersal ability evolves, more highly dispersive individuals may arrive at the population edge than less dispersive individuals (spatial sorting), accelerating spread. If individuals at the low-density population edge benefit (escape competition), high dispersers have a selective advantage (spatial selection). These two processes are often described as forming a positive feedback loop; they reinforce each other, leading to faster spread. Although spatial sorting is close to universal, this form of spatial selection is not: low densities can be detrimental for organisms with Allee effects. Here, we present two conceptual models to explore the feedback loops that form between spatial sorting and spatial selection. We show that the presence of an Allee effect can reverse the positive feedback loop between spatial sorting and spatial selection, creating a negative feedback loop that slows population spread.     

班氏跳小蜂对扶桑绵粉蚧的寄生功能反应

为评估班氏跳小蜂Aenasius bambawalei Hayat对其寄主扶桑绵粉蚧Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley的控制作用, 在实验室条件下（温度25±1℃, 相对湿度70%±5%, 光周期14L∶10D）, 研究了班氏跳小蜂对扶桑绵粉蚧3龄若虫、 雌成虫的寄生功能反应及其自身密度效应。结果表明: 寄生功能反应均符合Holling Ⅱ型方程, 且受寄主密度和寄生物密度的影响。当扶桑绵粉蚧 3龄若虫和雌成虫的密度分别大于15头/容器和10头/容器时, 班氏跳小蜂的寄生量增加幅度开始减小; 以瞬间攻击率/处理时间（α/Th)为评价指标, 班氏跳小蜂雌蜂寄生扶桑绵粉蚧3龄若虫时, α/Th为21.1307, 且大于雌蜂寄生雌成虫的情况（α/Th为6.2506）; 班氏跳小蜂寄生功能反应有较强的种内干扰作用, 随着自身密度的增加, 寄生效能逐渐降低; 通过方程E=QP^-m能很好地模拟班氏跳小蜂的寻找效应（E）与其自身密度（P）之间的关系, 对于3龄若虫和雌成虫的模拟结果分别为E=0.2931P^-0.6240和E=0.0944P^-0.4840。本研究为利用班氏跳小蜂开展扶桑绵粉蚧生物防治提供了基础数据和方法。     

Cytoplasmic and genomic effects on meiotic pairing in brassica hybrids and allotetraploids from pair crosses of three cultivated diploids

Interspecific hybridization and allopolyploidization contribute to the origin of many important crops. Synthetic Brassica is a widely used model for the study of genetic recombination and "fixed heterosis" in allopolyploids. To investigate the effects of the cytoplasm and genome combinations on meiotic recombination, we produced digenomic diploid and triploid hybrids and trigenomic triploid hybrids from the reciprocal crosses of three Brassica diploids (B. rapa, AA; B. nigra, BB; B. oleracea, CC). The chromosomes in the resultant hybrids were doubled to obtain three allotetraploids (B. juncea, AA.BB; B. napus, AA.CC; B. carinata, BB.CC). Intra- and intergenomic chromosome pairings in these hybrids were quantified using genomic in situ hybridization and BAC-FISH. The level of intra- and intergenomic pairings varied significantly, depending on the genome combinations and the cytoplasmic background and/or their interaction. The extent of intragenomic pairing was less than that of intergenomic pairing within each genome. The extent of pairing variations within the B genome was less than that within the A and C genomes, each of which had a similar extent of pairing. Synthetic allotetraploids exhibited nondiploidized meiotic behavior, and their chromosomal instabilities were correlated with the relationship of the genomes and cytoplasmic background. Our results highlight the specific roles of the cytoplasm and genome to the chromosomal behaviors of hybrids and allopolyploids.     

A carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance investigation of the metabolic fluxes associated withy glucose metabolism in human erythrocytes

We have used [2-¹³C]d-glucose and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to investigate metabolic fluxes through the major pathways of glucose metabolism in intact human erythrocytes and to determine the interactions among these pathways under conditions that perturb metabolism. Using the method described, we have been able to measure fluxes through the pentose phosphate pathway, phosphofructokinase, the 2,3-diphosphoglycerate bypass, and phosphoglycerate kinase, as well as glucose uptake, concurrently and in a single experiment. We have measured these fluxes in normal human erythrocytes under the following conditions: (1) fully oxygenated; (2) treated with methylene blue; and (3) deoxygenated. This method makes it possible to monitor various metabolic effects of stresses in normal and pathological states. Not only has ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy proved to be a useful method for measuring in vivo flux through the pentose phosphate pathway, but it has also provided additional information about the cycling of metabolites through the non-oxidative portion of the pentose phosphate pathway. Our evidence from experiments with [1-¹³C]-, [2-¹³C]-, and [3-¹³C]d-glucoses indicates that there is an observable reverse flux of fructose 6-phosphate through the reactions catalyzed by transketolase and transaldolase, even in the presence of a net flux through the pentose phosphate pathway.     

Changes induced by hydrazine in optical spectra of cytochrome oxidase

Casein kinase-TS (Ck-TS), a type-2 casein kinase purified from rat liver cytosol which phosphorylates seryl and threonyl residues N-terminal to acidic clusters, is specifically inhibited by polyglutamyl peptides which are ineffective both on type-1 casein kinase and on cAMP-dependent protein kinase. The inhibition is competitive toward the protein substrate and non-competitive toward ATP. Among the polyglutamates tested (Glu)70 is the most effective (Ki 0.11 microM). (Glu)10 and (Glu)5 are also inhibitors, though less powerful than (Glu)70, while (Glu)3, (Glu)2 and free glutamic acid up to 5 mM are ineffective. These results disclose the possibility that naturally occurring polypeptides containing long stretches of acidic residues may act as physiological inhibitors of type-2 casein kinases.     

苹果渣乙醇提取物抗菌活性及防腐作用研究

为提高苹果渣资源利用率,探究苹果渣乙醇提取物的抗菌活性和防腐性能,该文采用微波辅助提取法制取苹果渣乙醇提取物,用抑菌圈实验测定其抗菌活性,并研究了其防腐作用.结果表明:(1)苹果渣乙醇提取物对酵母菌抑制作用不明显(抑菌圈直径<1 mm),对金黄色葡萄球菌和大肠杆菌的抑菌作用较明显(抑菌圈直径为6～9 mm),最佳抑菌浓...     

科尔沁沙地不同地形小叶锦鸡儿灌丛土壤水分动态

根据科尔沁沙地广泛分布的小叶锦鸡儿灌丛的植被调查和土壤水分监测数据,分析了沙地人工固沙灌丛的土壤水分时空动态和土壤储水量变化,并应用水量平衡法测定了灌丛蒸散发.结果表明:丘间地的土壤水分条件最好,丘中次之,丘上最低;灌丛区的土壤水分含量随深度增加而增加,在生长季内不会发生水分胁迫.灌丛区土壤水分与降雨过程高度相关,深层(50～180 cm)土壤水分同降雨的相关性高于表层(0～50 cm)土壤,并且深层土壤水分的变异也大于表层.整个生长期内,小叶锦鸡儿灌丛土壤储水量增加,土壤水分处于积累中,估算蒸散量占同期降雨量的64%以上.     

Affinity Laminated Chromatography Membrane Built‐in Electrodes for Suppressing Polysulfide Shuttling in Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries are promising candidates for energy storage, but suffer from capacity and cycling challenges caused by the serious shuttling effect of polysulfide (PS) ions. To address these issues, a sodium alginate (SA)‐derived affinity laminated chromatography membrane built‐in electrode is designed. This is the first attempt to utilize this type of membrane, which is widely used for the selective adsorption of proteins, in the battery field. An ordered multilayer structure throughout the electrode can easily be obtained, and the number of membrane layers can be also conveniently controlled by varying the cross‐linking time of SA. The PS shuttling effect is efficiently suppressed and the permeability of PSs is reduced by enveloping the carbon/sulfur powder in ultrathin laminated chromatography membranes. As a result, these designed electrodes deliver a superhigh initial capacity of 1492 mA h g^?1, with a capacity retention almost 20% higher than the contrast. This low‐cost and easily mass‐producible strategy inspired by affinity chromatography is expected to effectively solve the PS shuttling problem toward high‐loading and long‐lifetime Li–S batteries in practice.