Background matters: the effects of estrogen receptor alpha gene disruption on male sexual behavior are modified by background strain

One approach to study interactions between behavior and genetics is to use inbred mice with different genetic backgrounds. To examine the effect of background on a specific gene, we conducted a series of experiments with a well-characterized knockout (KO) mouse, the estrogen receptor alpha KO (ERalphaKO). The ERalphaKO mouse has so far been examined in one inbred line, C57BL/6J. Here, we examined the behavior of ERalphaKO mice within three different backgrounds mixed with C57BL/6J; DBA/2J, BALB/c, and A/J. First, we assessed masculine sexual behavior in both intact male and testosterone-treated female offspring. More ERalphaKO males in the DBA/2J (5/12) and BALB/c (5/13) backcrosses displayed intromissions and many ejaculated as compared with males in a C57BL/6J and A/J mixed background. Many fewer ERalphaKO females than males displayed masculine sexual behavior in any of the three hybrid crosses. We assessed fertility in males from the C57BL/6J by DBA/2J cross and found that one of 12 ERalphaKO males sired a litter. Several other characteristics of sexual behavior and physiology were unaffected by genetic background in ERalphaKO mice. Our data suggest that genetic background has dramatic effects on male sexual behavior and its dependence on the ERalpha gene.     

Predicting and correcting bias caused by measurement error in line transect sampling using multiplicative error models

Line transect sampling is one of the most widely used methods for animal abundance assessment. Standard estimation methods assume certain detection on the transect, no animal movement, and no measurement errors. Failure of the assumptions can cause substantial bias. In this work, the effect of error measurement on line transect estimators is investigated. Based on considerations of the process generating the errors, a multiplicative error model is presented and a simple way of correcting estimates based on knowledge of the error distribution is proposed. Using beta models for the error distribution, the effect of errors and of the proposed correction is assessed by simulation. Adequate confidence intervals for the corrected estimates are obtained using a bootstrap variance estimate for the correction and the delta method. As noted by Chen (1998, Biometrics 54, 899-908), even unbiased estimators of the distances might lead to biased density estimators, depending on the actual error distribution. In contrast with the findings of Chen, who used an additive model, unbiased estimation of distances, given a multiplicative model, lead to overestimation of density. Some error distributions result in observed distance distributions that make efficient estimation impossible, by removing the shoulder present in the original detection function. This indicates the need to improve field methods to reduce measurement error. An application of the new methods to a real data set is presented.     

Middle Pleistocene handaxes from the Korean Peninsula

We present four biface assemblages from an archaeologically poorly known region of the Old World: Middle Pleistocene Korea. The handaxes are derived from a series of Middle Pleistocene localities in the Imjin/Hantan River Basins (IHRB) in Korea. The best known of these localities is Chongokni, although a number of equally important sites in the IHRB have been discovered and excavated over the course of the past two decades (e.g., Kumpari, Chuwoli, and Kawoli). Reanalysis of the age of the Chongokni deposits suggests a hominin occupation between 350-300 ka. Comparative study of the IHRB handaxes with the well-known bifacial implements from Olorgesailie (Kenya) and Hunsgi-Baichbal (India) indicates that the often-noted "thick" trait of the East Asian handaxes differs at a statistical level across the various regions of the Old World. The finds from the IHRB sites, and the Chinese sites of Bose and Dingcun that contain handaxes-like implement, question the validity of the Movius Line sensu stricto. However, why East Asian Middle Pleistocene hominins did not consistently produce more refined bifaces across broader regional and/or temporal facies, remains open to question. Thus, the absence of similar sites in wider areas of Early and Middle Pleistocene East Asia suggests that the Movius Line sensu lato is still supportable and warrants additional detailed cross comparative studies of the stone toolkits east and west of the line.     

Fishing top predators indirectly affects condition and reproduction in a reef-fish community

To examine the indirect effects of fishing on energy allocation in non-target prey species, condition and reproductive potential were measured for five representative species (two-spot red snapper Lutjanus bohar, arc-eye hawkfish Paracirrhites arcatus, blackbar devil Plectroglyphidodon dickii, bicolour chromis Chromis margaritifer and whitecheek surgeonfish Acanthurus nigricans) from three reef-fish communities with different levels of fishing and predator abundance in the northern Line Islands, central Pacific Ocean. Predator abundance differed by five to seven-fold among islands, and despite no clear differences in prey abundance, differences in prey condition and reproductive potential among islands were found. Body condition (mean body mass adjusted for length) was consistently lower at sites with higher predator abundance for three of the four prey species. Mean liver mass (adjusted for total body mass), an indicator of energy reserves, was also lower at sites with higher predator abundance for three of the prey species and the predator. Trends in reproductive potential were less clear. Mean gonad mass (adjusted for total body mass) was high where predator abundance was high for only one of the three species in which it was measured. Evidence of consistently low prey body condition and energy reserves in a diverse suite of species at reefs with high predator abundance suggests that fishing may indirectly affect non-target prey-fish populations through changes in predation and predation risk.     

Coupling between line tension and domain contact angle in heterogeneous membranes

The compositional differences between domains in phase-separated membranes are associated with differences in bilayer thickness and moduli. The resulting packing deformation at the phase boundary gives rise to a line tension, the one dimensional equivalent of surface tension. In this paper we calculate the line tension between a large membrane domain and a continuous phase as a function of the thickness mismatch and the contact angle between the phases. We find that the packing-induced line tension is sensitive to the contact angle, reaching a minimum at a specific value. The difference in the line tension between a flat domain (that is within the plane of the continuous phase) and a domain at the optimal contact angle may be of order 40%. This could explain why previous calculations of the thickness mismatch based line tension tend to yield values that are higher than those measured experimentally.     

不同杂种优势群玉米籽粒脱水速率分析

研究不同杂种优势群玉米自交系籽粒脱水速率的特性,筛选脱水速率快的自交系,为选育适应机械化作业的玉米杂交种提供借鉴。本试验采用烘干测定173份玉米自交系的籽粒的脱水速率及其相关性状,利用覆盖玉米全基因组的210对SSR标记对实验材料进行全基因组扫描,通过Structure V2.3.4 软件揭示其群体结构。对不同杂种优势群平均籽粒脱水速率进行方差分析,并筛选出各个群中籽粒灌浆速率快的自交系。研究结果如下：籽粒脱水速率在不同自交系间存在显著差异,与苞叶、穗轴及籽粒的含水率等性状间存在显著相关性。试验共筛选到脱水速率大于1%的自交系20个;授粉后40天时籽粒的含水率低于21%的自交系10个。参试自交系分成P、旅大红骨、瑞德、兰卡斯特和塘四平头5个杂种优势群;授粉后40天脱水速率依次是Reid群0.92%、Lancaster群0.85%、旅大红骨群0.82%、混合群0.80%、P群0.76%、塘四平头群0.56%。     

乙型肝炎导向干扰素抗乙型肝炎病毒作用的体外实验研究

为提高ＩＦＮ抗ＨＢＶ疗效,实现感染细胞水平上的抗病毒性肝炎导向治疗,我们将抗ＨＢｓＡｇ单克隆抗体（ＭｃＡｂ）的Ｆ（ａｂ＇）２片段与ＩＦＮ文联,所得交联体称为乙型肝炎导向干扰素（Ｔ－ＩＦＮ）。应用ＨＢＶＤＮＡ转染细胞系（２,２,１５细胞）作模型,对Ｔ－ＩＦＮ进行了体外抗ＨＢＶ实验：通过检测细胞上清液ＨＢｓＡｇ、ＨＢｅＡｇ和ＨＢＶＤＮＡ水平的变化,结合细胞存活率来评价其抗ＨＢＶ活性,并与游离ＩＦＮ和ＭｃＡｂ以及二者的混合法（Ｍｉｘ）进行比较。结果显示,经１２天作用,Ｔ－ＩＦＮ在细胞存活率、对ＨＢｓＡｇ和ＨＢｅＡｇ抑制率及时ＨＢＶＤＮＡ抑制作用等方面均优于游离崳桑疲巍ⅲ停悖粒夂停停椋裕椋疲魏鲜逝ǘ任保担埃啊常埃埃埃桑眨恚欤谡庖慌ǘ认拢赴婊盥省荩罚梗叮ィ龋拢螅粒缫种坡剩担罚场叮罚叮ィ龋拢澹粒缫种坡剩矗埃薄担保玻ィ危模猎冢保妫缢揭韵拢欢嘤εǘ鹊模桑疲巍ⅲ停悖粒夂停停椋模危猎冢欤穑缢揭陨希龋拢螅粒绾停龋拢澹粒缫种坡示陀冢裕桑疲巍Ｌ崾荆砸唬桑疲慰赡茉诓《荆危模粮粗啤⒉《镜鞍缀铣杀泶锏榷嘞罨方谏戏⒒右种谱饔谩＃裕桑疲慰梗龋幔中Ч庞冢桑疲巍     

Observations on graphing paleozoological data: Suggestions for better graphs

Paleozoologists have long used graphs of diverse styles to describe, analyze, and summarize their data. Some of these graphs provide excellent visual representations of complex data and are readily deciphered. Other graph styles require close study to be interpreted. Ease of visual decoding of information contained in a graph – graph perception – varies from graph style to graph style. Historical instances of graphing paleozoological data indicate some difficult to decipher graph styles have been used for at least a century. Graphs with three-dimensions, moiré effects, superimposed lines, or segmented bars, or which demand simultaneous decipherment of position and magnitude, are ill-advised. Temporal trends in data are best graphed following the principle of superposition such that data from old material is graphed at the bottom and data from younger material is graphed at the top of the diagram.     

A Cgmparative Study on Morphology and ATPase Activities of Maize Hybrid and Its Parents During Early Embryogeny

We observed tissue sections of single hybrid of maize 328 and its parents during early embryogeny, determining ATP ase activities and observing plant features. The results obtained show that maize embryogeny can be divided into three periods, that is, 1) The period of 3–7 days after pollination is known as an original embryonic period. 2) The period of 9–20 days after pollination is known as the period of undergoing rapid differentiation of all the tissue organs. 3) The period of 25–45 days is known as the period of further differentiation, perfection and elongation of organal system. The size of volume of hybrid embryo is between its parents during the second period. That of the hybrid embryo during other two periods is larger than that of its parents. Hybrid embryo always shows that the number of its cells is more, its cells are closer together, the colour of the stained cells is darker, the cells differentiate clearly, the time that embryonic organs differentiates lasts longer. The results of determinig ATP ase activities it may be seen that during 1–2 days after pollination ATP ase activities in hybrid ovaries are obviously higher than in its parents’ ovaries. On the third day after pollination ATP ase activities in hybrid ovaries once go down. After that ATP ase activities go up again. During 15–45 days ATP ase activities in hybrid embryo (unincloding endosperm) are all higher than those in its parents. Hybrid 328 has advantage over its parents in yielding capacity, plant height, spike length, number of seeds per spike, 1000 seed weight. The results show close correlation and supplement among cell differentiation ability, ATP ase activities and plant features.     

PARP-1抑制剂3-AB对肝癌细胞增殖及凋亡的影响*

目的:探讨PARP-1抑制剂3-AB对肝癌细胞系MHCC97-H和SMMC7721及正常肝细胞系L02的增殖与凋亡的影响。方法:细胞增殖试验观察不同浓度3-AB对三种不同细胞系细胞的增殖作用。Annexin V荧光探针标记,流式细胞学检查观察不同浓度3-AB对不同细胞系细胞凋亡的影响。结果:当3-AB浓度分别为5 mM、10 mM与20 mM时,与对照组(0 mM)相比,在培养第6天时开始出现增殖明显减慢,出现统计学差异(p0.05),第九天差异明显(p0.05)。随着浓度增加,其对肿瘤细胞系MHCC97-H和SMMC7721细胞增殖的抑制程度增加,细胞数均逐渐减少;而同样浓度梯度3-AB对人类肝细胞系L02生长则无明显的抑制作用。进一步实验发现,当3-AB浓度为5mM、10 mM与20 mM时,均可诱导肝癌细胞株MHCC97-H和SMMC7721凋亡,与对照组(0 mM)比较均有统计学差异(p0.05),且细胞凋亡率与3-AB的药物浓度相关:浓度越高,凋亡越明显。而同等浓度3-AB对肝脏细胞系L02无明显的促进凋亡作用。结论:3-AB可以抑制肝癌肿瘤细胞的增殖,促进肿瘤细胞的凋亡,对正常肝脏细胞无明显毒害作用,具有治疗肝癌的的潜在应用价值。