Cycling efficiency and pedalling frequency in road cyclists

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of pedalling rate on cycling efficiency in road cyclists. Seven competitive road cyclists participated in the study. Four separate experimental sessions were used to determine oxygen uptake (VO(2)) and carbon dioxide output (VCO(2)) at six exercise intensities that elicited a VO(2) equivalent to 54, 63, 73, 80, 87 and 93% of maximum VO(2) (VO(2max)). Exercise intensities were administered in random order, separated by rest periods of 3-5 min; four pedalling frequencies (60, 80, 100 and 120 rpm) were randomly tested per intensity. The oxygen cost of cycling was always lower when the exercise was performed at 60 rpm. At each exercise intensity, VO(2) showed a parabolic dependence on pedalling rate (r = 0.99-1, all P < 0.01) with a curvature that flattened as intensity increased. Likewise, the relationship between power output and gross efficiency (GE) was also best fitted to a parabola (r = 0.94-1, all P < 0.05). Regardless of pedalling rate, GE improved with increasing exercise intensity (P < 0.001). Conversely, GE worsened with pedalling rate (P < 0.001). Interestingly, the effect of pedalling cadence on GE decreased as a linear function of power output (r = 0.98, n = 6, P < 0.001). Similar delta efficiency (DE) values were obtained regardless of pedalling rate [21.5 (0.8), 22.3 (1.2), 22.6 (0.6) and 23.9 (1.0)%, for the 60, 80, 100 and 120 rpm, mean (SEM) respectively]. However, in contrast to GE, DE increased as a linear function of pedalling rate (r = 0.98, P < 0.05). The rate at which pulmonary ventilation increased was accentuated for the highest pedalling rate (P < 0.05), even after accounting for differences in exercise intensity and VO(2) (P < 0.05). Pedalling rate per se did not have any influence on heart rate which, in turn, increased linearly with VO(2). These results may help us to understand why competitive cyclists often pedal at cadences of 90-105 rpm to sustain a high power output during prolonged exercise.     

黄河三角洲区域生态经济系统动态耦合过程及趋势

黄河三角洲地区正处于快速开发建设时期,资源丰富,但生态环境脆弱,区域生态经济耦合状况影响着区域可持续发展的态势。借鉴一般系统论的思想,构建了区域生态经济系统耦合过程模型,定量分析了黄河三角洲区域生态经济系统的耦合过程与演进趋势。结果表明:1990年以来黄河三角洲区域生态系统综合指数与经济系统综合指数均呈上升趋势,区域资源供给和生态环境调节能力逐渐提高,经济生产能力和社会消费水平不断提升;黄河三角洲区域生态系统与经济系统总体上处于互动协调发展状态,1990—2007年区域生态经济系统耦合度指数先增加后减少,耦合过程经历了由相悖发展到良性耦合的过程;按照区域生态经济系统耦合趋势外推,2019年将接近最佳耦合点45°;区域生态经济系统仍处于较低水平的良性耦合,区域生态经济发展的速度和质量有待进一步提升。应协同推进区域经济生态化和生态经济化建设,建立高效生态经济体系,努力实现区域生态资源资产化、价值化,提升区域生态经济系统耦合的状态水平。     

水稻驯化与长江文明

水稻(即亚洲栽培稻Oryza sativa)是世界上最重要的粮食作物之一, 全球有超过半数以上人口以稻米为食。关于水稻是何时、何地、在什么环境下开始驯化等问题一直是学术界关注的热点。得益于分析技术的进步, 近年来考古学和遗传学研究在水稻驯化起源问题上取得了重要进展。本文简要综述了有关长江流域的水稻驯化起源的遗传学和考古学的研究进展, 并讨论了水稻驯化与稻作文化及长江文明的关系。遗传学研究结果认为水稻(粳稻)最早起源于中国长江流域及以南地区(珠江流域), 考古学证据则表明水稻最先于10,000-8,000 BP在中国长江流域被驯化, 水稻驯化和稻作农业的发展催生了长江文明。这些进展促进了我们对水稻驯化、稻作文化和长江文明的认识, 对长江流域重要植物资源的保护也有启示意义。     

Benzylideneoxymorphone: A new lead for development of bifunctional mu/delta opioid receptor ligands

Opioid analgesic tolerance remains a considerable drawback to chronic pain management. The finding that concomitant administration of delta opioid receptor (DOR) antagonists attenuates the development of tolerance to mu opioid receptor (MOR) agonists has led to interest in producing bifunctional MOR agonist/DOR antagonist ligands. Herein, we present 7-benzylideneoxymorphone (6, UMB 246) displaying MOR partial agonist/DOR antagonist activity, representing a new lead for designing bifunctional MOR/DOR ligands.     

Molecular Characterization of the Total Bacteria and Dissimilatory Arsenate-Reducing Bacteria in Core Sediments of the Jianghan Plain,Central China

Arsenic contamination in groundwater has been reported in the Jianghan Plain of China since 2005, yet little is known about the microbial communities involved in As mobilization in this area, especially the dissimilatory arsenate-reducing bacteria (DARB) communities. Here, we conducted a cultivation-independent investigation on core sediments collected from a region with arsenic-contaminated groundwater in the Jianghan Plain to reveal the total bacteria and DARB community structures. Highly diverse As-resistant bacteria communities were found from sediment samples via high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes. Notably, we identified 27 unique arrA gene (encoding the alpha subunit of dissimilatory arsenate reductase) phylotypes, none of which was related to any previously described arrA gene sequence. This suggests a novel and unique DARB community in the sediments of the Jianghan Plain and expands our knowledge about the distribution and diversity of this group of bacteria in natural environments. Moreover, RDA and CCA demonstrated that total bacterial communities and specific functional groups are controlled by different environmental factors. Specifically, sediment pH, NH₄⁺, total nitrogen, total Fe, total organic carbon and total phosphorus were the key factors driving total bacterial community compositions, while As significantly shaped DARB community structures. This report is the first to describe DARB communities and their correlation with environmental factors in Jianghan Plain sediments, which could give us clues about the origin of the arsenic contamination of groundwater in this region.     

模拟增温对黄河三角洲滨海湿地非生长季土壤呼吸的影响

冬季土壤呼吸能释放生长季所固存的碳, 因而在陆地碳循环中占有重要地位。随着全球气候变暖, 平均地表温度将升高0.3-4.8 ℃, 且冬季增温更加明显, 而温度的升高会促进更多CO₂的释放。另外, 滨海湿地地下水位浅, 淡咸水交互作用明显, 增温能引起土壤表层盐分升高, 从而影响土壤呼吸。该研究以黄河三角洲滨海湿地为研究对象, 采用红外辐射加热器模拟增温, 研究了该地区非生长季土壤呼吸的日动态及季节动态, 同时探讨了土壤呼吸对环境因子的响应机制。结果显示: 日动态中, 增温与对照的土壤呼吸速率变化趋势一致, 为单峰曲线; 在平均日变化中, 整个非生长季不同处理的土壤呼吸速率无显著差异, 而土壤温度和土壤盐分均为增温大于对照, 并且土壤呼吸峰值时间均比土壤温度提前。季节动态中, 整个研究期分为非盐分限制阶段(2014年11月-2015年2月中旬)和盐分限制阶段(2015年2月中旬-2015年4月)。在整个非生长季, 土壤呼吸速率无显著差异; 在非盐分限制阶段, 当10 cm土壤温度升高4.0 ℃时, 土壤呼吸速率显著提高22.9%, 而土壤呼吸温度敏感性系数(Q₁₀)与对照相比有所降低; 在盐分限制阶段, 尽管土壤温度升高3.3 ℃, 土壤呼吸速率却降低了20.7%, 这可能是由于增温引起了土壤盐分的升高, 同时由增温引起的土壤含水量的升高在一定程度上也限制了土壤呼吸, 而此阶段增温对Q₁₀无显著影响。因此, 在滨海湿地中, 增温除了直接影响土壤温度, 还可通过影响土壤水盐状况来影响土壤呼吸, 进而影响滨海湿地土壤碳库。     

不同地下水矿化度对柽柳光合特征及树干液流的影响

为揭示柽柳(Tamarix chinensis)光合能力及耗水特征对地下水矿化度的响应规律, 以黄河三角洲建群种——柽柳3年生植株为研究对象, 在1.2 m的潜水水位下, 模拟设置淡水、微咸水、咸水和盐水4种不同的地下水矿化度, 测定柽柳叶片光合-光响应、蒸腾速率和树干液流的日变化。结果表明: 地下水矿化度通过影响土壤盐分可显著影响柽柳光合特性及耗水性能。随地下水矿化度升高, 柽柳叶片净光合速率(P_n)、最大P_n、蒸腾速率、气孔导度、表观量子效率和暗呼吸速率均先升高后降低, 而水分利用效率(WUE)持续降低。淡水、微咸水和盐水处理下, 柽柳P_n光响应平均值分别比咸水处理降低44.1%、15.1%和62.6%; 微咸水、咸水和盐水处理下, 柽柳WUE光响应平均值分别比淡水处理降低25.0%、29.2%和41.7%。随地下水矿化度升高, 柽柳叶片光饱和点先升高后降低, 而光补偿点持续升高, 光照生态幅变窄, 光能利用率变低。淡水和盐水处理下, 柽柳P_n下降分别是非气孔限制和气孔限制引起的。柽柳树干液流速率随地下水矿化度升高而先升高后降低, 咸水处理下树干液流速率日变幅最大, 日液流量最高。淡水、微咸水和盐水处理下日液流速率平均值分别比咸水处理降低61.8%、13.1%和41.9%。咸水矿化度下柽柳有较高的光合特性, 在蒸腾耗水较严重的情况下可实现高效生理用水, 适宜柽柳较好地生长。     

关于提高物种划分合理性的意见

正这是我在The Flora of Pan-Himalaya(泛喜马拉雅植物志)第二次全体国内作者会议上关于物种划分问题的发言的结尾部分。我认为物种划分是分类学(狭义)的核心内容,所以我以辐冠参属(Pseudocodon)的鸡蛋参复合群(Pseudocodon convolvulaceus complex)和芍药属(Paeonia)的滇牡丹复合群(Paeonia delavayi complex)为例,重点陈述了我处理物种划分的思路和做法。发言后,不少听众很关注我的十点看法,更有些同事希望我发表出来。我感谢同事们的好意。物种是生物多样性的基本单元,所以我把发言稍加修改后在《生物多样性》发表,表达我对物种划分的观点。我是把这十点意见作为讨论和点评的靶子发表的,希望能引起同行的关注、讨论和点评。     

长江下游发现香鱼的稚鱼

长江靖江江段位于长江最下游,接近河口段。在对这一江段沿岸的鱼类进行调查的过程中,发现在2004年5月11日的渔获物中,有1尾体长70.8mm、体重3．34g的香鱼（Plecoglossus altivelis）稚鱼。这是香鱼在长江流域的首次分布报道。