The role of mineral compounds and chemical conditions in the binding of phosphate in the Ems estuary

In the Ems estuary the gradients in dissolved phosphorus and iron are non-conservative and opposite. The relations between different mineral compounds, environmental conditions and phosphate concentrations were studied, in an attempt to explain this. Laboratory experiments on water samples from the reaches with high concentrations of phosphate and of suspended matter revealed a low concentration of calcite-bound phosphorus in the middle reaches of the estuary (only 0.07%). Therefore, it is concluded that calcite possibly plays only a modest role in phosphate distribution in the Ems estuary. Further experiments revealed that nearly 70% of the particulate inorganic phosphorus is iron-bound. It is demonstrated that organic coatings on minerals inhibit phosphate release at a low redox potential. Moreover, the organic matter itself contained c. 20% of particulate phosphorus. Approximately 10% of the particulate phosphorus may be associated with clay minerals. It is concluded that in addition to biological processes, the phosphorus associated with ironoxyhydroxides may be crucial for the seasonal variation of the phosphate concentrations in the water.     

Alien or endangered? Historical development of Chara connivens in the Baltic coastal waters and its implication for the species management

The occurrence of Chara connivens (Charophyta, Characeae) and its status in the Baltic Sea may raise controversies regarding its origin and historical dispersal pathways in the area. This study critically revises the protection status of C. connivens in the countries around the Baltic Sea, as well as its status on the red lists of endangered plant species (including the HELCOM Red List). The first reports on the presence of C. connivens in the Baltic Sea area were published in the aftermath of Carl Baenitz’s talks given in the early 1870s. Already then, the scientific community was well aware of the fact that C. connivens had been introduced as a ballast plant to the known Baltic areas of occurrence – the first known record of the species is from 1829. Since Poland is the only country where C. connivens is protected, the historical and contemporary distribution of this charophyte in the Polish coastal waters is presented against the background of the available historical and recent records of the species in the Baltic Sea. Recent reports from the second half of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century have confirmed a fairly common occurrence of C. connivens in Estonia, Sweden and Poland. This species still occurs on the German coast and has also been reported from Finland (the Åland archipelago). In recent decades, however, the species was considered rare in the Baltic Sea area. In Poland, C. connivens was even classified as extinct, despite earlier data on its occurrence in the Vistula Lagoon in the 1970s, where it was rediscovered in 2011. It was also found in the Szczecin Lagoon a year later. Both localities well suit Luther’s pattern of C. connivens occurrence in areas with intensive shipping and ballast discharge operations in historical times. Based on this in-depth revision of historical and current distribution, it is postulated that C. connivens, as non-indigenous, should not be red-listed in the Baltic Sea area, following the example of Finland. Moreover, its legal status in Poland of a strictly protected species should be reconsidered.     

qSOFA评分、血乳酸及红细胞分布宽度与急性上消化道出血病情严重程度的关系及其预测患者预后的效能分析

摘要 目的：探讨快速序贯器官功能衰竭评估（qSOFA）评分、血乳酸（Lac）及红细胞分布宽度（RDW）与急性上消化道出血（AUGIB）病情严重程度的关系及其预测患者预后的效能。方法：选取2017年6月～2022年6月我院收治的230例AUGIB患者为研究对象,根据病情严重程度分为低危组44例、中危组140例、高危组36例、极高危组10例,且根据其入院28 d内生存情况分为死亡组（n=31）和存活组（n=199）。收集AUGIB患者临床资料,检测血Lac、RDW水平并计算qSOFA评分。采用多因素Logistic回归分析AUGIB患者预后不良的影响因素,受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线分析qSOFA评分和血Lac、RDW对AUGIB患者预后不良的预测价值。结果：低危组、中危组、高危组、极高危组qSOFA评分和血Lac、RDW水平依次升高（P＜0.05）。230例AUGIB患者入院28 d内死亡率为13.48％（31/230）。多因素Logistic回归分析显示,年龄增加、GBS评分≥6分及休克指数、qSOFA评分、血尿素氮、血Lac、RDW水平升高为AUGIB患者预后不良的独立危险因素（P＜0.05）。ROC曲线分析显示,qSOFA评分、血Lac及RDW联合预测AUGIB患者预后不良的曲线下面积大于qSOFA评分、血Lac及RDW单独预测。结论：AUGIB患者qSOFA评分、血Lac及RDW水平升高与病情加重和预后不良密切相关,qSOFA评分、血Lac及RDW联合预测AUGIB患者预后不良的效能较高。     

红原鸡与家鸡的亲缘关系研究

对中国红原鸡滇地亚种和海南亚种与我国茶花鸡,泰和鸡和寿光鸡等地方鸡种以及芦花鸡,洛岛红等外国鸡种进行了血型（３个位点,１３个等位基因）,蛋白质（酶）多态（５个位点,１１个等位基因）和ＤＮＡ指纹分析,结果表明,红原鸡与茶花鸡（原始型品种）的亲缘关系较近;与泰和鸡,寿光鸡,芦花鸡,洛岛红（进化型品种）的亲缘关系较远,呈红原鸡－茶花鸡－泰和鸡,寿光鸡或芦花鸡,洛岛红这样一个进化阶梯,以上结果与国外资料（     

Ca2+-activated K+ channels of human and rabbit erythrocytes display distinctive patterns of inhibition by venom peptide toxins

Despite recent progress in the molecular characterization of high-conductance Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ (maxi-K) channels, the molecular identities of intermediate conductance Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channels, including that of mature erythrocytes, remains unknown. We have used various peptide toxins to characterize the intermediate conductance Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channels (Gardos pathway) of human and rabbit red cells. With studies on K⁺ transport and on binding of ¹²⁵I-charybdotoxin (ChTX) and ¹²⁵I-kaliotoxin (KTX) binding in red cells, we provide evidence for the distinct nature of the red cell Gardos channel among described Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channels based on (i) the characteristic inhibition and binding patterns produced by ChTX analogues, iberiotoxin (IbTX) and IbTX-like ChTX mutants, and KTX (1–37 and 1–38 variants); (ii) the presence of some properties heretofore attributed only to voltage-gated channels, including inhibition of K transport by margatoxin (MgTX) and by stichodactyla toxin (StK); (iii) and the ability of scyllatoxin (ScyTX) and apamin to displace bound ¹²⁵I-charybdotoxin, a novel property for K⁺ channels. These unusual pharmacological characteristics suggest a unique structure for the red cell Gardos channel.We thank Dr. Chris Miller of Brandeis University for generously providing recombinant ChTX mutants, Dr. Maria Garcia of Merck Research Laboratories for MgTX and Dr. Regine Romi of Laboratoire d'Ingenierie des Proteines (Marseille, France) for synthetic KTX,1–37 and KTX,1–38. This research was supported by grant HL-15157 from the National Institutes of Health.     

Food habits of the giant humphead wrasse,Cheilinus undulatus (Labridae)

Synopsis The giant humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus), an inhabitant of coral reefs, is widely distributed in the tropical Indo-Pacific region. Stomach and intestinal contents of 72 specimens from the Pacific and the Red Sea revealed that this fish feeds primarily on mollusks, fishes, echinoids, and crustaceans.This article is one of several presented at the Second European Ichthyological Congress, Paris, 8-15 September 1976, to be published by Environmental Biology of Fishes.     

Vanadate inhibition of the Ca-ATPase from human red cell membranes

1. (1) VO₃⁻ combines with high affinity to the Ca²⁺-ATPase and fully inhibits Ca²⁺-ATPase and Ca²⁺-phosphatase activities. Inhibition is associated with a parallel decrease in the steady-state level of the Ca²⁺-dependent phosphoenzyme.

2. (2) VO₃⁻ blocks hydrolysis of ATP at the catalytic site. The sites for VO₃⁻ also exhibit negative interactions in affinity with the regulatory sites for ATP of the Ca²⁺-ATPase.

3. (3) The sites for VO₃⁻ show positive interactions in affinity with sites for Mg²⁺ and K⁺. This accounts for the dependence on Mg²⁺ and K⁺ of the inhibition by VO₃⁻. Although, with less effectiveness, Na⁺ substitutes for K⁺ whereas Li⁺ does not. The apparent affinities for Mg²⁺ and K⁺ for inhibition by VO₃⁻ seem to be less than those for activation of the Ca²⁺-ATPase.

4. (4) Inhibition by VO₃⁻ is independent of Ca²⁺ at concentrations up to 50 μM. Higher concentrations of Ca²⁺ lead to a progressive release of the inhibitory effect of VO₃⁻.

Genetic studies among Kanet and Koli of Kinnar district in Himachal Pradesh,India

Data are presented on serological and electrophoretic variants of 18 systems of red cells in 228 individuals belonging to a scheduled tribe (Kanet) and a scheduled caste (Koli) of Kinnar district in Himachal Pradesh, India. Differences in gene frequencies clearly indicate biological distinction in the local population. The possible cause of this genetic heterogeneity is discussed.