A left/right comparison of sequential bone loss from the metacarpals of postmenopausal women

The rate of decrease of mean metacarpal cortical width was assessed by sequential radiographic morphometry for each hand separately in a series of 46 right-handed postmenopausal women observed for 222 patient-years. For the left hand, the mean rate was 0.0331 ± 0.0053 mm/year and for the right, 0.0310 ± 0.0060 mm/year. The difference between the hands in the rate of decrease was not significant. It is concluded that the higher work load of the dominant hand has no effect on the rate of bone loss from the metacarpals of postmenopausal women.     

Oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion of herbivorous chironomid larvae in Lake Balaton

The oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion of a herbivorous midge larva,Chironomus sp., inhabiting Lake Balaton was measured at two different temperatures. The loss of energy through respiration and that through ammonia excretion were calculated. The daily respiratory energy loss amounted to 655.5 ± 123.8 J g^–1 at 17 °C and to 1 160.0 ± 168.4 J g^–1 (dry weight) at 25 °C. Mean energy loss through ammonia excretion was about 40% less than through respiration.     

Soil beidellite and its relation to problems of potassium fertility and poor response to potassium fertilizers

Summary X-ray diffraction studies were made on soils with and without potassium fertility problems. All soils with clay fractions containing dominant beidellite or vermiculite showed potassium deficiency and lack of response to potassium fertilizer applications. All of the soils containing dominant montmorillonite or other clay minerals contained adequate potassium; on none of these, poor potassium response was reported. Special management practices are needed on the beidellitic and vermiculitic soils to increase potassium and ammonium fertilizer efficiency. Dominance of beidellite in the clay fraction should be reflected in soil classification. Establishment of a ‘beidellite’ family differentiating criterion in the Soil Taxonomy is proposed for this purpose.     

Effects of acid irrigation and liming on two clones of Norway spruce

Summary The effect of acid irrigation on the growth of rooted cuttings ofPicea abies (L.) Karst, was investigated in a pot experiment lasting 3 years. It involved two clones of Norway spruce, H 253 Bogstad I and H 254 Bogstad II. Irrigation water of pH 5.4, 4.0, 3.0 and 2.5 was used. Liming was included in the experiment.After the experimental period, the plants of all treatments were growing reasonably well. However, those plants irrigated at pH 2.5 were slightly discoloured. The plant mortality was only 3% throughout the experiment, and was not connected to acid irrigation. The limiting growth factor was N. All other nutrient elements measured in the plants were close to optimal concentration. Plants irrigated at pH 2.5, and to some extent at pH 3, contained excessively high concentrations of Al, t-S and SO₄. The total amount of Ca, Fe and Mn taken up by the plants decreased with increasing soil acidity. The increased growth of clone H 254 relative to H 253, produces a corresponding impression on soil characteristics. Soil acidity is governed by acid irrigation and CaCO₃ application, but the clonal effects are also of importance. Norway spruce appears to be tolerant to Al concentrations as high as 50 mmol/kg in the needles.     

Predominance of gonadotropin α-subunit resulting from preferential loss of hCGβ production in an established cell line

Summary The BeWo line of trophoblastic cells, maintained in continuous culture since 1966, was employed to investigate the phenomenon of gonadotropin α-subunit predominance that exists in several cell lines. The secretion of complete human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) relative to α-subunit was compared in several different BeWo sublines, all of which were derived from BeWo stock roller tube colonies. In all of the BeWo sublines, secretion of hCG originally exceeded secretion of α-subunit. With time in culture, however, there was a marked decline in production of hCG/hCGβ, but not in α-subunit. Thus it appears that the production of hCGβ by BeWo choriocarcinoma cells is more labile than the production of the α-subunit.     

Plasmodium falciparum: physiological interactions with the human sickle cell.

The malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, enhances the rate and extent of sickling of infected hemoglobin S heterozygous human erythrocytes. Upon sickling of the host cell, the parasite is killed. Parasite-free lysates of highly infected cells were analyzed to determine the mechanism by which sickling is enhanced. The intraerythrocytic pH of the infected cell was estimated to be 0.4 units below that of the uninfected cell, a difference which could result in a 20-fold increase in the extent of sickling under physiological conditions. Sickle-cell hemoglobin (HbS) heterozygous (AS) erythrocytes had decreased intracellular potassium after 24 hr of culture under conditions which cause sickling and parasite death. When infected AS cells were cultured in high-potassium medium under these conditions the parasites were protected. The medium did not prevent sickling but did maintain normal intracellular potassium levels. It is suggested that sequestration of trophozoite-infected AS cells in the venules leads to the sickling of the host cell, loss of erythrocytic potassium, and parasite death. The resulting attenuation of parasite multiplication would favor the survival of the HbS heterozygote and maintain the HbS gene at high frequencies in areas endemic for falciparum malaria.     

The major growth current through lily pollen tubes enters as K+ and leaves as H+

Growing lily (Lilium longiflorum Thunb.) pollen always drive a current into their tubes and out of their grains. The only external ions needed for growth (and the growth current) are K⁺, H⁺, and Ca²⁺. Increases in K⁺ immediately stimulate the current; while decreases in K⁺ immediately inhibit it. Comparable changes in H⁺ have the opposite effect; while those in Ca²⁺ have very little effect. We infer that most of the steady growth current is carried in by a potassium leak and out by a proton pump; but other considerations indicate that a minor, but controlling, component of the inward current consists of calcium ions.     

基于自然-经济综合视角的碳排放强度与生态盈亏多情景模拟研究——以淮海经济区为例

生态盈亏与碳排放强度是衡量生态环境质量与经济发展水平的重要指标,分析两者时空关联并预测未来演进方向对提升区域生态环境质量健康水平具有指导作用。以淮海经济区为研究对象,以2000年、2010年和2020年3期土地利用数据为基础,运用PLUS模型、双变量自相关、耦合协调度及面板计量回归模型等方法,预测并分析淮海经济区2000—2036年3种情景下碳排放强度、生态盈亏的演化特征及时空关联。结果表明：(1)常规发展情景下,淮海经济区生态性呈下降趋势,强耕地保护情景下生态性微有下降,强生态保护情景下,生态性有所上升,自然要素是主导。(2)常规发展情景下,淮海经济区碳排放量逐渐加大,强耕地保护及强生态保护情景下,则呈下降趋势;三种状态下,碳排放强度均呈下降趋势,时间轴2010—2020年降幅较大,空间序河流水系地区碳排放强度降幅较大。(3)淮海经济区碳排放强度与生态盈亏呈负相关关系,低低和低高聚类主要分布在城镇建设用地周边,高低和高高聚类分布在人类干扰较少的自然区域;高高聚类主要位于河流水系交汇区,表明水域有效降低碳排放强度的功能。(4)淮海经济区的碳排放强度与生态盈亏之间的耦合协调度呈东西高、中...     

台风“山竹”对深圳城市绿地及生物量的影响

台风是影响沿海城市绿地生态系统最主要、最频繁的自然干扰因子。2018年9月的台风"山竹"以强台风等级袭击深圳,陆地最大阵风达46.5 m/s(15级)。以深圳市区绿地(公园绿地、居民区绿地、行道树)中的乔木为研究对象,通过灾后实地调研,采用相关统计方法以及生物量评估方法,探讨了台风"山竹"对深圳市区绿地的影响。结果表明:(1)深圳市区调查树木受损比例高达21.4%,其中以轻度受损(枝干折断)为主;市区树冠生物量总量较台风之前下降了8.44%。(2)南部地区受损程度明显高于内陆,东南地区受损程度高于西北地区;福田区、龙岗区以及坪山新区受损情况最为严重,受损树木比例均超过30%。中东部树冠生物量损失程度高于西部地区。(3)公园绿地受损最为严重,居民区绿地的受损情况最轻。(4)行道树中黄金榕、腊肠树受损比例均超过50%,而棕榈科植物受损程度较轻。研究结果可为深圳市抗风树种的选择、不同类型绿地针对台风的减灾防灾策略提供科学依据。     

基于中国生态系统研究网络的典型森林生态系统土壤保持功能分析

森林生态系统土壤保持功能在控制土壤侵蚀以及维持生态安全方面具有不可替代的作用。根据不同气候带降雨特征进行降雨侵蚀力参数校正,基于中国生态系统研究网络(CERN)的森林生态系统长期定位观测样地2005—2015年监测数据利用修正的通用土壤流失方程(RUSLE)定量分析了典型森林生态系统土壤保持功能的时空变化特征,并探讨了土壤保持功能的影响因素。研究结果表明:①日雨量侵蚀力模型在降雨丰富的热带模拟效果优于降雨相对较少的亚热带和温带,参数校正后模拟效果明显提升;②研究期内10个典型森林生态系统土壤保持量变化范围为4.44—891.67 t hm^-2 a^-1,呈现北低南高的空间格局(R²=0.65^***);土壤保持率均达到97%以上;③降雨、归一化植被指数、土壤质地和植被林龄是影响森林生态系统土壤保持功能的主要影响因素;降雨量与土壤保持量显著相关(R²=0.52^*),NDVI和土壤质地与实际土壤侵蚀量显著相关(R²=0.64^**