A GENETIC PERSPECTIVE OF MAMMALIAN VARIATION AND EVOLUTION IN THE INDONESIAN ARCHIPELAGO: BIOGEOGRAPHIC CORRELATES IN THE FRUIT BAT GENUS CYNOPTERUS

This study investigated allozyme and morphometric variability within the genus Cynopterus, with particular emphasis on C. nusatenggara, which is endemic to Wallacea, the area encompassing the Oriental-Australian biogeographic interface. The genetic distances between Cynopterus species are small by mammalian standards and suggest that this genus has undergone a recent series of speciation events. The genetic distance between populations of C. nusatenggara is strongly correlated with both the contemporary sea-crossing distance between islands and the estimated sea crossing at the time of the last Pleistocene glacial maximum, 18,000 b .p . This observation, together with low levels of population substructure within islands as shown by F-statistics, indicates that the sea is a primary and formidable barrier to gene exchange. The genetic distance and the great-circle geographical distance between the populations of C. nusatenggara are not correlated, although a principal-coordinates analysis of genetic distance reveals relationships between the populations that are similar to their geographical arrangement. A strong negative correlation exists between the level of heterozygosity within island populations of C. nusatenggara and the minimum sea-crossing distance to the nearest large source population. This is interpreted as reflecting an isolation effect of the sea, leading to reduced heterozygosity in populations that have larger sea barriers between them and the large source islands. Independently of this, heterozygosity is negatively associated with longitude, which in turn is associated with systematic changes in the environment such as a gradual decline in rainfall from west to east. The association between heterozygosity and longitude is interpreted as reflecting an association between genetic and environmental variance and supports the niche-width theory of genetic variance. Morphometric variability did not show any of the main effects demonstrated in the genetic data. Furthermore, there was no evidence that, at the level of individuals, genetic and morphometric variability were associated.     

Small population instability and island settlement patterns

A model of extinction probability, based on the general theory of island biogeography [MacArthur and Wilson, 1967], is proposed for humans on oceanic islands; extinction probability is determined by island carrying capacity, frequency and amplitude of fluctuations in resources determining carrying capacity, and the net costs of contact and exchange between population units. The model predicts that extinction probability will determine island settlement patterns within an island group resulting in nonsettlement of islands with low carrying capacities and settlement of all islands with high carrying capacities. Data examined from the Marshall Islands tend to support the model. The model is extended to initial atoll colonization patterns. Possible requirements for initial settlement are suggested.Deceased.     

我国禽流感研究进展及成就

禽流感不仅严重危害养禽业,而且给公共卫生造成巨大威胁。为了科学认识和积极防控禽流感,我国科学家进行了大量且富有成效的研究,取得了举世瞩目的成果。通过长期的监测,基本掌握了禽流感在我国的流行情况和进化规律;利用反向遗传操作技术和蛋白质组学技术,发现了影响流感病毒致病力、传播力和受体结合能力的部分关键位点,阐释了其作用机制;通过对传统技术的改进和先进方法的应用,不断成功建立禽流感诊断、检测技术;新型禽流感疫苗不断涌现并逐步被推广和应用,取得了良好的免疫效果。上述成果为我国禽流感的防控奠定了良好的基础,也为后续研究提供了依据。但是禽流感的防控形势依然严峻,2013年新型H7N9病毒的出现,使禽流感的防控面临新的挑战。     

城市化进程中城市热岛景观格局演变的时空特征——以厦门市为例

热岛效应作为城市化过程中产生的特有环境问题,对其形成和演变规律的研究有助于人们提出有效的应对措施。以厦门市为研究对象,利用1987—2007年等时间间隔、同时相的5景Landsat TM/ETM+遥感影像数据进行地表温度反演,在此基础上使用景观格局指数分析厦门城市热岛景观格局随城市化进程演变的趋势。结果表明:随着厦门城市化进程加深,整个热岛景观在逐渐变得更加破碎化,高等级热岛景观斑块个数、类型面积和个体面积都增大;新的高等级热岛景观斑块都出现在原有高等级斑块附近,致使高等级类型的邻近度增加而各类型之间相互接触的程度也增加;景观总体的聚合度逐渐下降,而高等级热岛景观类型的聚合度则呈上升趋势;景观水平的蔓延度总体呈下降趋势,优势度高的低等级热岛景观所占的比重下降,优势度逐渐降低;多样性指数、均匀度指数总体呈上升趋势,各热岛景观面积在各类型间的分配逐渐趋于均匀;热岛景观斑块的转化方面,在20 a间低等级斑块类型(1、2、3级)向高等级斑块类型(4、5、6级)转化的面积总体上呈增加趋势,而高等级斑块类型向低等级斑块类型转化的面积总体上呈减小趋势,且等级升高的面积明显大于同期等级降低的面积;就高等级热岛景观斑块而言,他们与3级热岛景观斑块间的相互转化最容易发生,远比高等级斑块内部各类型之间的相互转化来得容易,尤其6类和5类的转化是最为困难的热岛景观变化之一;从空间上看,各高等级热岛景观斑块都经历了数量增加、面积扩大、等级升高三个方面的变化,形成了海沧、新阳、杏林、厦门岛西北港口区和机场5个高温组团。利用景观指数分析城市热环境,可探明热岛景观随城市化演变的趋势,并为有效的热岛效应减缓措施提供直接的理论依据。     

Subjecting the theory of the small‐island effect to Ockham’s razor

Species–area curves from islands and other isolates often differ in shape from sample‐area curves generated from mainlands or sections of isolates (or islands), especially at finer scales. We examine two explanations for this difference: (1) the small‐island effect (SIE), which assumes the species–area curve is composed of two distinctly different curve patterns; and (2) a sigmoid or depressed isolate species–area curve with no break‐points (in arithmetic space). We argue that the application of Ockham’s razor – the principle that the simplest, most economical explanation for a hypothesis should be accepted over less parsimonious alternatives – leads to the conclusion that the latter explanation is preferable. We hold that there is no reason to assume the ecological factors or patterns that affect the shapes of isolate (or island) curves cause two distinctly different patterns. This assumption is not required for the alternative, namely that these factors cause a single (though depressed) isolate species–area curve with no break‐points. We conclude that the theory of the small‐island effect, despite its present standing as an accepted general pattern in nature, should be abandoned.     

海南岛土著药用木本植物区系及其应用现状调查

对海南岛野生土著药用木本植物区系的研究表明,该区系由70科206属332种组成,呈现出热带北缘特征,物种主要集中在岛南部、中南部和东南部地区。本文还对海南岛药用植物资源的应用现状及发展思路作了探讨。     

城市绿地对热岛效应缓解作用研究——以保定市中心城区为例

随着中国城镇化建设的进行,城市热岛效应逐渐成为城市发展的显著问题之一,而城市绿地能有效地缓解城市热岛效应,在城市规划中,可以通过对城市绿地进行合理布局,从而减缓城市热岛效应的影响。本文采用遥感数据反演的方法,综合应用地理信息系统（GIS）和遥感（RS）技术,得到不同时期保定市中心城区地表温度和植被覆盖度的时空演变图,分析近10年的时空演变规律,并用网格法对植被覆盖度与地表温度之间的耦合关系进行研究,得出研究区内的植被覆盖度每增加10%,其地表的平均温度可减少0.9℃~1.3℃。选取研究区域内的8个城市绿地,利用缓冲区分析的方法,定量研究城市绿地面积与其降温范围之间的关系,结合保定市热岛效应集中区域及周边土地利用现状,提出增加城市绿地的可能位置,为城市绿地布局提供科学依据。     

Ail protein binds ninth type III fibronectin repeat (9FNIII) within central 120-kDa region of fibronectin to facilitate cell binding by Yersinia pestis

The Yersinia pestis adhesin molecule Ail interacts with the extracellular matrix protein fibronectin (Fn) on host cells to facilitate efficient delivery of cytotoxic Yop proteins, a process essential for plague virulence. A number of bacterial pathogens are known to bind to the N-terminal region of Fn, comprising type I Fn (FNI) repeats. Using proteolytically generated Fn fragments and purified recombinant Fn fragments, we demonstrated that Ail binds the centrally located 120-kDa fragment containing type III Fn (FNIII) repeats. A panel of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that recognize specific epitopes within the 120-kDa fragment demonstrated that mAb binding to (9)FNIII blocks Ail-mediated bacterial binding to Fn. Epitopes of three mAbs that blocked Ail binding to Fn were mapped to a similar face of (9)FNIII. Antibodies directed against (9)FNIII also inhibited Ail-dependent cell binding activity, thus demonstrating the biological relevance of this Ail binding region on Fn. Bacteria expressing Ail on their surface could also bind a minimal fragment of Fn containing repeats (9-10)FNIII, and this binding was blocked by a mAb specific for (9)FNIII. These data demonstrate that Ail binds to (9)FNIII of Fn and presents Fn to host cells to facilitate cell binding and delivery of Yops (cytotoxins of Y. pestis), a novel interaction, distinct from other bacterial Fn-binding proteins.     

中期因子在相关疾病发病机制和治疗中的研究进展

中期因子(Midkine,MK),是一种分泌型肝素结合性生长因子,具有促进细胞有丝分裂、诱导细胞恶化、促进微血管生成、抑制细胞凋亡、促进炎症介质趋化、促纤溶等功能特点;经研究发现,当机体处于健康状态时中期因子除了肾脏及小肠上皮少量表达,其他部位极少表达,但机体出现疾病时,中期因子在体内的表达明显增多,如在多种恶性肿瘤、动脉粥样硬化、各类炎症、糖尿病肾病、高血压及COPD等疾病中均监测到中期因子的高表达,进一步研究发现上述疾病的发生发展与中期因子的功能特点密切相关;近年有学者利用MK在疾病发生发展中的功能特点对疾病进行治疗,特别是MK在肿瘤领域的治疗已成为研究热点,本文结合国内外的最新研究现状就MK与相关疾病的发病机制及治疗作一简要概述,并提出进一步研究的设想。