Injected mitotic extracts induce condensation of interphase chromatin

Although extracts from mitotic cells have been shown to induce chromosome condensation when injected into amphibian oocytes, they have not as yet been shown to induce this response in somatic interphase cells. In the experiments reported here, when mitotic extracts were injected into syncytial frog embryos, whose somatic nuclei were arrested in interphase, chromosome condensation was observed. The inability of interphase extracts, injected at similar concentrations, to induce this event demonstrates the cell cycle-specific accumulation of the factors responsible.     

Shrub Cover Influence on Seedling Growth and Survival Following Logging of a Tropical Forest

Logging in tropical forests may create large canopy openings. These gaps provide suitable conditions for some opportunistic shrubs and herbs to take advantage of the surge in resources and rapidly colonize disturbed sites. This dense plant cover may limit forest regeneration by interfering with tree seedling establishment, growth, and survival by altering the light and nutrients available to seedlings, modifying herbivore behavior, or a number of other factors. In Kibale National Park (Uganda), old logging sites are mainly covered by dense stands of Acanthus pubescens Engl., which appear to inhibit tree regeneration. We wanted to identify the ecological processes underlying this regeneration collapse. To do so, we designed a factorial experiment to evaluate the influences of herbivory and vegetation cover on the growth and survival of tree seedlings. We compared the survival and growth of transplanted tree seedlings in A. pubescens stands and logged forests, in the presence or absence of the understory vegetation layer (logged forest) or vegetation cover (A. pubescens), and with or without herbivory. We found no evidence to support the hypothesis that herbivory is significantly higher under dense A. pubescens cover. Seedling survival was not influenced by the environment. Seedling growth, however, was positively influenced by the removal of A. pubescens, suggesting that changes in resource availability associated with the presence of A. pubescens, may be important for regeneration. Our results suggest that sustained cutting of A. pubescens cover could foster the growth of established seedlings and could lead to tree regeneration and habitat restoration.     

Solid cultures of thrips-pathogenic fungi Isaria javanica strains for enhanced conidial productivity and thermotolerance

Entomopathogenic fungi have great potential to control agricultural and horticultural insect pests, however optimizing conidial production systems to demonstrate high productivity and stability still needs additional efforts for successful field application and industrialization. Although many virulent entomopathogenic fungal isolates have been viewed as potential candidates in a laboratory environment, very few of the isolates are being used in practice for application in agricultural fields as commercial products. I. javanicus is an entomopathogenic fungus that is parasitic to various diverse coleopteran and lepidopteran insects and thought good candidate as biopesticdes. In this work, the basic characteristics of two entomopathogenic fungi, I. javanica FG340 and Pf04, were investigated in morphological examinations, genetic identification, and virulence against Thrips palmi, and then the feasibility of various grains substrates for conidial production was assessed, particularly focusing on conidial productivity and thermotolerance. Isaria javanica FG340 and Pf04 conidia were solid-cultured on 12 grains for 14?days in a Petri dish. Of the tested Italian millet, perilla seed, millet and barley-based cultures showed high conidial production. The four-grain media yielded >1?×?10⁹ conidia/g of I. javanica FG340 and Pf04. Pf04 strain had enhanced thermotolerance up to 45?°C when cultured on Italian millet. In application, it was easy to make a conidial suspension using the cultured grains, and several surfactants were tested to release the conidia. This work suggests several possible inexpensive grain substrates by which to promote conidial production combined with enhanced stability against exposure to high temperature.     

Is CD36 gene polymorphism in region encoding lipid-binding domain associated with early onset CAD?

CD36 is a fatty acid translocase in striated muscle cells and cardiomyocytes. Some study suggested that alterations in CD36 gene may be associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) risk. The aim of the current study was to compare the frequency of CD36 variants in region encoding lipid-binding domain in Caucasian patients with early-onset CAD, no-CAD adult controls and neonates. The study group comprised 100 patients with early onset CAD. The genetic control groups were 306 infants and 40 no-CAD adults aged over 70 years. Exons 4, 5 and 6 including fragments of flanking introns were studied using the denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography technique and direct sequencing. Changes detected in analyzed fragment of CD36: IVS3-6 T/C (rs3173798), IVS4-10 G/A (rs3211892), C311T (Thr104Ile, not described so far) in exon 5, G550A (Asp184Asn, rs138897347), C572T (Pro191Leu, rs143150225), G573A (Pro191Pro, rs5956) and A591T (Thr197Thr, rs141680676) in exon 6. No significant differences in the CD36 genotype, allele and haplotype frequencies were found between the three groups. Only borderline differences (p = 0.066) were found between early onset CAD patients and newborns in the frequencies of 591T allele (2.00% vs 0.50%) and CGCGCGT haplotype (2.00% vs 0.50%) with both IVS3-6C and 591T variant alleles. In conclusion, CD36 variants: rs3173798, rs3211892, rs138897347, rs5956, rs143150225 rs141680676 and C311T do not seem to be involved in the risk of early-onset CAD in Caucasian population.     

茂兰喀斯特区68种典型植物叶片化学计量特征

研究茂兰喀斯特区不同功能(类)群植物叶片的养分含量及化学计量特征,揭示其在时间和空间尺度上的变化规律,阐明碳(C)、氮(N)、磷(P)、钾(K)等养分含量与C∶N∶P间的相互关系,探讨N∶P对该区域植物生长的指示作用,以期能够更深入的了解其养分利用状况及适生性,为喀斯特森林的稳定性及维持机制提供理论依据。以茂兰喀斯特区68种典型植物为研究对象,分别测定不同生长阶段植物叶片的C、N、P和K含量,并计算其化学计量比。结果表明:研究区68种植物分属40科62属;其叶片C、N、P和K含量的几何平均值分别为445.87 g/kg、17.32 g/kg、1.35 g/kg和9.86 g/kg,C∶N的算术平均值为26.93,C∶P、C∶K、N∶P、N∶K和P∶K的几何平均值分别为330.93、45.22、12.85、1.76和0.137;C与N呈极显著负相关,N与P、K以及P与K均呈极显著正相关,N与C∶P和C∶K、P与C∶N、C∶K和N∶K以及K与C∶N、C∶P和N∶P均呈极显著负相关,且它们之间均具有二次函数、指数函数或幂函数的非线性耦合关系;从变异程度来看,C含量为弱变异,N、P、K含量及各元素的化学计量比则均属中等变异或强变异。从植物不同生活型来比较,各生长阶段的C含量均表现为灌木乔木草本,N、P和K含量均为草本灌木乔木,各元素的化学计量比则均为乔木灌木草本。从植物不同系统发育来分析,各生长阶段蕨类植物的N、P、K含量均要高于种子植物,而各元素的化学计量比则正好相反。从不同生长阶段来看,各功能(类)群植物生长期(或生长盛期)的养分含量均要高于落叶期(或生长末期);乔木、灌木和草本等不同生活型植物落叶期的C∶P、C∶K、N∶P和N∶K均要高于生长期;蕨类植物各元素的化学计量比不同生长阶段间差异都不显著;而种子植物的C∶P、C∶K、N∶P和N∶K则均表现为落叶期生长期。对比我国其他地区及全国和全球尺度上的研究结果,该区域植物的生长发育易受N和P素的双重限制,但又因功能(类)群及生长阶段的不同其受限的养分元素也存在一定差异,体现了对高度异质的喀斯特生境不同的适应策略;而植物体内较高的K含量则可能是提高其自身抗性、适应恶劣环境的重要因素。减少人为干扰、加之适当的保护,在植物生长期配以适量的N素添加,有利于其更好的生长发育,有助于提高喀斯特森林生态系统的稳定性和抗干扰性。研究结果揭示了喀斯特森林植物的适生机制,对喀斯特森林的保护具有重要的指导意义。     

Glycated albumin and diabetes mellitus

Background

Diabetes is a growing worldwide problem that is strongly associated with atherosclerosis. Screening and intervention for diabetes in the earliest stages are advocated for the prevention of diabetic complications and cardiovascular disease.

Scope of review

This review gives a background of and discusses the potential clinical utility of glycated albumin (GA) in diabetes.

Major conclusions

GA is a ketoamine formed via a non-enzymatic glycation reaction of serum albumin and it reflects mean glycemia over two to three weeks. GA can be used for patients with anemia or hemoglobinopathies for whom the clinically measured hemoglobin A1c level may be inaccurate. Because both serum and plasma samples can be used, GA can be analyzed from the same samples as common biological markers. GA is a useful marker for the screening of diabetes in a medical evaluation. It can be also used to determine the effectiveness of treatment before initiating or changing medications for diabetic patients. GA is potentially an atherogenic protein in the development of diabetic atherosclerosis.

General significance

GA measurement is useful as part of a routine examination to screen for both diabetes and atherosclerosis. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Serum Albumin.     

利用红外相机网络调查古田山自然保护区的兽类及雉类多样性

2014年5月至2015年4月,采用红外相机技术系统地调查了浙江省古田山国家级自然保护区内大中型地栖兽类和鸟的多样性组成。调查共获得244个有效位点的数据,其中兽类和雉类的照片视频共67 086份,有效探测数16 129次,包括分属6目15科的野生兽类21种、野生雉类5种、家畜及家禽4种。记录到雉类以外的其它鸟类52种,分属6目15科。在野生兽类和雉类中,国家一级重点保护野生动物2种,分别为黑麂（Muntiacus crinifrons）、白颈长尾雉（Syrmaticus ellioti）,国家二级重点保护野生动物7种,合计占物种总数的35%。IUCN物种红色名录评估为“易危VU”的物种2种,“近危NT”的物种5种,合计占物种总数的27%。中国生物多样性红色名录评估为“濒危”的动物1种,“易危”7种,“近危”5种,合计占物种总数的50%。独立探测数最高的兽类为小麂（Muntiacus reevesi）,雉类为白鹇。调查显示古田山保护区内受威胁的野生兽类和雉类的比例较高。本次调查将红外相机均匀布设于整个保护区,持续时长一年,全面监测保护区内兽类和雉类的物种组成与相对多度,为古田山保护区后续的科研项目和科学管理提供了重要依据。     

广西木论自然保护区铁榄群落主要乔木种群格局的分形特征

为了揭示种群空间分布特征随尺度的变化规律,探讨不同种群对空间资源的占据能力和生态适应能力及分形差异,采用计盒维数、信息维数和关联维数对木论自然保护区铁榄群落主要乔木种群格局特征进行了研究。结果表明,优势种铁榄（Sinosideroxylon pedunculatum）、东女贞（Ligustrum japonicum）、小栾树（Boniodendron minius）、稀有濒危种掌叶木（Handeliodendron bodinieri）、青檀（Pteroceltis tatarinowii）5个种群在相应的尺度具有明显的分形特征;计盒维数和信息维数大小顺序一致,均为：铁榄〉东女贞〉小栾树〉掌叶木〉青檀;在5个种群中,铁榄计盒维数为1．7763最大,接近2,对空间环境的占据能力最强,信息维数（1．7206）也最大,个体聚集强度强,在群落中处于绝对优势地位,青檀计盒维数（0．8316）和信息维数（0．8990）最小,对环境的占据利用能力弱,个体聚集程度整体较弱,在群落中处于伴生地位;在0．5～50m的尺度上,关联维数大小顺序为：铁榄（1．7314）〉东女贞（1．6688）〉小栾树（1．6050）〉青檀（0．7868）,而掌叶木只有在大的尺度上才出现关联,且关联较强。3个分形维数大小的不同组合,能够全面揭示不同种群格局特征和种群在群落中所处地位的差异。     

川西卧龙国家级自然保护区树木生长对气候响应的时间稳定性评估

根据川西卧龙地区岷江冷杉(Abies faxoniana)的年轮宽度资料, 分析了该地区树木生长特征及对气候响应在最近53年(1956-2008年)的异质性特征。结果表明, 在1956-1976年时段, 树木生长速率较快, 晚冬至早春(1月到4月)温度对树木生长有着明显的促进作用, 而春末5月份的高温对于树木生长有限制性影响, 而与日照时数关系不大; 在1977-2008年时段, 树轮生长主要受冬季(11月到1月)低温的限制, 另外, 日照时数对于树木生长的限制性影响明显增强。秋季到早冬(9-12月)降水在两个时段上对树木生长均有一定的限制性影响。树轮指数在1956-1976年时段与温度序列吻合较好, 而在1977-2008年时段树轮指数明显偏低, 与温度序列出现了明显的分离。1977-2008年时段内云层覆盖量增加导致太阳辐射量显著下降, 进而树木可利用的光合有效辐射也相应地降低, 这可能是树木生长速率在此时期明显较慢的主要原因。     

三江源国家公园兽类物种多样性及区系分析

为了解三江源国家公园野生兽类的分布现状,2015-2017年对园区进行了实地调查。根据调查结果并参考相关文献资料,三江源国家公园内野生兽类共62种,分别隶属8目19科44属。园区内兽类呈现出物种多样性高,珍稀濒危物种多,特有种多的特点：三江源国家公园内的兽类物种多样性G-F指数为0.77,表明该区域物种多样性处于很高水平。根据中国物种红色名录,20个物种受威胁（极危、濒危和易危）,比例为32.26%,远高于国家整体水平;中国或青藏高原特有种29种,占46.77%。三江源国家公园在动物地理区划上属于古北界青藏区,在地理分布型上,以古北界成分为主,东洋界成分为辅,以古北界高山型成分最多,有25种,且资源量大,表明三江源国家公园的兽类以适应高寒气候的特殊种类为主。3个园区的平均动物区系相似性比较结果表明,长江源园区与澜沧江源园区为共同关系,黄河源园区与长江源园区和澜沧江源园区为密切关系。近些年,三江源地区的兽类保护工作取得了很好的效果,并得到国内外认可,本研究结合园区生物多样性和区系特点,根据保护现状,提出了今后的监测保护建议。