Plain tales from the grasslands: extraction, value and utilization of biomass in Royal BardiaNational Park, Nepal

Royal Bardia National Park in Southern Nepal contains a number of internationally endangered wildlife species, and a mix of habitats, including areas of grassland known as phantas. The conservation and current use of these areas is briefly described, including the extraction of grass from inside the National Park by local people living in adjacent villages. The products collected fulfil a range of human needs, both practical and ceremonial. The study attempts to quantify the annual offtake in both material and monetary terms, and comments on the sustainability of the practice. Alternative sources of roofing materials are apparently outside the scope of poorer households. The use of these materials has particular significance given the initiation of a Parks and People Project to implement a Buffer Zone around the National Park and effectively to link conservation and development needs.     

Variability of globulin composition in cultivars and individually tested seeds of yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus L.)

A study on globulins, major storage proteins in yellow lupin seeds, called conglutins, was conducted using SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In this paper, an extensive and not yet published list of yellow lupin conglutins is presented. The patterns of subunits of major conglutins in seeds of three yellow lupin cultivars were similar to each other, varying only in the level of some polypeptides. Investigations of seeds of cultivar Parys showed considerable quantitative differences in major subunits. Some minor subunits occurred only in some seeds and were absent in the others. Great differences were shown between single individuals in the amount of subunits of conglutin which is of the most nutritional value due to high content of methionine.     

Molecular Characterization of Acanthamoeba spp. Occurring in Water Bodies and Patients in Poland and Redefinition of Polish T16 Genotype

Acanthamoeba genus is divided into 20 genotypes (T1–T20) on the basis of the gene encoding 18S rRNA sequence. Using of at least 2 kbp gene fragments is strongly recommended to identify new genotypes and 5% difference is commonly used as a criterion of new genotypes, however, this value is questionable. In this paper, Polish Acanthamoeba strains described earlier on the basis of ~850 bp Ami fragment of 18S rRNA gene as T4, T11 and a new T16 genotype, have been analyzed using near‐complete sequence of the gene. This analysis was needed because the Ami fragment does not reveal full variability within 18S rRNA gene. Phylogenetic analysis based on Ami fragment is biased by artifacts in the construction of the tree, so the fragment should not be used for identification of new putative Acanthamoeba genotypes. The analysis confirmed that the Polish sequences represent T4 and T11 genotypes and that the strains described earlier as T16 genotype are in fact a new subgroup of the T20 genotype and that this genotype should be divided into two subgroups: T20a (two strains described by [J. Eukaryot. Microbiol. 62 (2015) 69]) and T20b (11 Polish strains described in this study). The T20b subgroup was isolated from both clinical samples and water bodies used by people as bathing places and there is a risk of infection for humans during contact with water.     

The structure and phenology of a moist deciduous forest in the Central Indian Highlands

The vegetation structure and phenology of a 74.5 ha block of moist deeiduous forest in Kanha Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, India were investigated during primatological fieldwork. Within a grid of 0.25 ha quadrats all 9935 trees (woody plants > 2 m tall), of 63 species, were enumerated and their girth measured. The forest was dominated by the dipterocarp sal (Shorea robusta). Most species were rare and showed clumped distributions within the sea of sal whilst the dispersion of five large canopy trees could not be distinguished from random.The phenology of 215 trees, of 61 species, was monitored over 14 months using an index of phytophase abundance. Leaf renewal was highly synchronous between and within species, mostly occurring between February and June. One species was evergreen, 5 were semi-evergreen and 55 were deciduous. Flowering generally occurred between leaf fall and flush whilst fruiting peaked late in the hot weather and early monsoon.     

Geometrical comparison of two protein structures using Wigner‐D functions

In this article, we develop a quantitative comparison method for two arbitrary protein structures. This method uses a root‐mean‐square deviation characterization and employs a series expansion of the protein's shape function in terms of the Wigner‐D functions to define a new criterion, which is called a “similarity value.” We further demonstrate that the expansion coefficients for the shape function obtained with the help of the Wigner‐D functions correspond to structure factors. Our method addresses the common problem of comparing two proteins with different numbers of atoms. We illustrate it with a worked example. Proteins 2014; 82:2756–2769. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

两种生态系统服务价值评估方法比较研究——以四川省金堂县三星镇土地整治工程为例

乡镇土地整治是建设中国美丽乡村的重要途径,对当地生态环境带来正面和负面影响,如何准确评价其生态效益是国家开展土地整治和美丽乡村建设需要面临的重要科学问题。以中国西南部丘陵地区典型乡镇——四川省金堂县三星镇的土地整治工程为例,对比分析了生态系统服务价值当量修正法和单项服务评价法评估土地整治生态效益的异同,以期确定适合我国西南部丘陵地区乡镇土地整治生态效益评估的合理方法。研究结果表明:单项服务评价法的评估结果(生态系统服务价值约300万元)比当量修正法(生态系统服务价值约290万元)高3.5%。当量修正法评估的各项生态系统服务价值增量由高到低依次为:调节服务价值>支持服务价值>供给服务价值>文化服务价值;单项服务评价法评估的生态系统服务价值增量大小排序为:调节服务价值>支持服务价值>文化服务价值>供给服务价值。方法依据和参数的选取不同,导致评估结果具有显著差异,主要表现在单项服务评价法测算的维持养分循环价值、美学景观价值分别是当量修正法的46.90倍和6.94倍,当量修正法测算的水文调节价值是单项服务评价法的5.93倍。单项服务评价法针对各项生态系统服务...     

Powdered edible locust enhances nitrogen excretion and presents a low-energy value in growing rats

Edible insects are increasingly recommended as novel sustainable protein sources, but the nutritional properties of edible insects have not been well studied. We investigated whether locust powder can be used as a nutritionally functional food resource with a low energy value using a rat model. Twenty-five male Wistar rats (4-week-old) were fed a basal diet (12 g daily) to which a fixed amount of locust powder (0, 0.5, 1.0, or 2.0 g) was added for 20 days (L0, L0.5, L1.0, and L2.0 groups, respectively). In the sucrose standard group, rats received 12 g of the basal diet daily and 2.0 g of sucrose daily for 20 days (S2.0 group). Body-weight gain and the nutritional composition of the carcasses and feces were determined to estimate the available energy value of locust powder. The L0.5 group had the lowest carcass fat content and energy accumulation, but these values were increased by locust powder in a dose-dependent manner. The net energy value of locust powder was estimated to be 2.78 kcal/g, which was expected to be lower than the calculated theoretical value (4.25 kcal/g) and that of sucrose (3.94 kcal/g). Fecal nitrogen excretion was increased by dietary locust powder in a dose-dependent manner (correlation coefficient, R = 0.98), and the carcass nitrogen percentage was not changed, regardless of the dietary content of the locust powder, indicating an increased excretion of proteins or other non-protein nitrogen compounds derived from the locust powder. These findings suggest that locust powder can be used as a novel food material with a low energy value for humans.     

Preferences for masculinity in male bodies change across the menstrual cycle

In human females cyclic shifts in preference have been documented for odour and physical and behavioral male traits. Women prefer the smell of dominant males, more masculine male faces and men behaving more dominantly when at peak fertility than at other times in their menstrual cycle. Here we examine variation in preferences for body sexual dimorphism. Across two studies, both between- and within-participant, we show that women prefer greater masculinity in male bodies at times when their fertility is likely highest, in the follicular phase of their cycle. Shifts were seen when rating for a short-term but not when rating for a long-term relationship. In line with studies showing similar effects for facial sexual dimorphism, we also show that women prefer greater masculinity when they think themselves attractive than when they think themselves less attractive. These results indicate that women's preferences for sexual dimorphism in male bodies follow a similar pattern as found for sexual dimorphism and dominance in other domains and such differences in preference may serve a similar function. Cyclic preferences could influence women to select partners when most likely to become pregnant that possess traits that may be most likely to maximize their offspring's quality via attraction to masculinity or serve to help acquire investment via attraction to femininity.     

不同类型农田土壤对可溶性有机氮、碳的吸附特性

研究了陕西关中地区红油土和淋溶褐土耕层土壤对分离的有机肥提取液中可溶性有机氮、碳(SON和SOC)的吸附特性.结果表明:原始物质吸附等温线方程可以反映土壤对可溶性有机氮、碳的吸附特性,土壤吸附SON、SOC的数量与它们各自加入的量呈极显著线性关系.从原始物质吸附等温线方程的分配系数m看,淋溶褐土对SON、SOC的吸附能力强于红油土.红油土对SON、SOC的平均吸附率分别为24.3%和18.8%,淋溶褐土则分别为38.3%和18.6%;两种类型土壤对SON和SOC的吸附能力较低,说明它们在土壤中具有较强的移动性;土壤对SOC的吸附能力弱于SON,说明SOC更易于从土壤中流失.