Radiological evaluation of bone status in the jaw and in the vertebral column in a group of women

Vertebral bone mineral content was determined in a group of 56 women, ages 30–62. These measurements were compared with the status of supporting bone in the jaws (alveolar, molar and bicuspid) and with gingival health. There was a significant decline in vertebral bone mineral content from the pre- to post-menopausal group. Molar and bicuspid measurements were highly correlated. There was some association between lumbar bone mineral content and molar bone status for postmenopausal women. For postmenopausal women, the cases of greatest percent bone loss in alveolar crest were associated with lower lumbar bone mineral content. Gingival health did not confound the bone status measurements. The 56 subjects did not exhibit the degree of reduction in bone density that is observed in the general population. Further investigation using these radiographic techniques may reveal a link between substantial bone loss in the jaw and moderate to severe bone loss in the lumbar vertebrae.     

Pollination success in a population of dioecious rain forest trees

Pollination success in female trees was determined for a population of Neolitsea dealbata (R. Br.) Merr., a locally abundant dioecious tree pollinated by small, unspecialized insects in northern Queensland rain forest, Australia. The population consisted of a clustered group of trees with a mean male-to-female distance of 4.5 m and more isolated individuals, including females more than 90 m away from the nearest pollen source. A map of all reproductive trees was produced to determine accurate male-to-female distances. The size of the pollen source available to females was defined as a function of the distance to the nearest ten male trees and their sizes (male neighbourhood index). The rate of pollen movement to females was measured by counting pollen tubes (and the number of tubes per style) in female trees 6 days after the commencement of population flowering. The pollination rate decreased steeply to less than half when the nearest male was only 6.5 m away. Although pollen reached a female 330 m away from the nearest pollen source, only 10% of receptive flowers had been pollinated. The short flowering period (2–3 weeks) combined with the the slow rate of pollen movement means that a large proportion of flowers in isolated trees are unpollinated, confirming an earlier finding that isolated females set fewer fruits than gregarious females. The reliability of pollen transfer to females was determined by quantifying insects and their pollen loads trapped at female trees with a range of male neighbourhood indices. Quantities of insects and pollen were significantly correlated with the size of the male neighbourhood index, indicating a strong density-dependent response by vectors to flowering. Pollen was also collected from insect visitors to non-flowering trees. Females with large male neighbourhood indices received more pollen than non-flowering trees with equivalent male neighbourhood indices. However, when the male neighbourhood indices were small for both female and non-flowering trees, the changces of pollinators encountering female and non-flowering trees were similar, suggesting random movements of pollinators in sparse-flowering sub-populations. The dioecious breeding system, brief, synchronous flowering period, clustered population structure and random, opportunistic foraging behaviour of vectors interacted in a way that reduced reproduction in relatively isolated trees. These results demonstrate a mechanism for differential breeding success between trees in natural populations and emphasize the possible impact of logging regimes on pollen flow between trees. Large interconspecific distances in species-rich environments may have been a factor in the selection for synchronous flowering between trees in outcrossing tree species with generalist insect pollinators.     

Longitudinal patterns of dissolved organic carbon concentration and suspended bacterial density along a blackwater river

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is the dominant form of carbon in transport in blackwater rivers, and bacteria are the major biological agents of its utilization. This study describes longitudinal patterns in DOC concentration and relates them to suspended bacterial populations in the channel. Concentrations of total DOC, three molecular weight fractions, and bacterial numbers were determined at 12 sites along the Ogeechee River in 1985–1986 and 1989 during periods of low and high discharge. Suspended bacterial populations were compared with DOC concentrations to determine if differences in bacterial abundance were related to longitudinal patterns of DOC concentration. Three distinct longitudinal patterns were observed: (1) The longitudinal pattern followed by both total and intermediate molecular weight DOC concentrations was a linear function of the geographic distance along the river. (2) During low flow conditions, there was a high degree of correspondence between patterns of bacterial numbers and low MW DOC (< 1000 apparent MW). (3) During periods of high discharge, the proportion of high (> 10,000) and intermediate (1000–10,000) MW fractions increased, and there was no longer a clear relationship between bacterial cells and low MW DOC.     

Mechanisms of TonB-catalyzed iron transport through the enteric bacterial cell envelope

The recent solution of enteric bacterial porin structure, and new insights into the mechanism by which outer membrane receptor proteins recognize and internalize specific ligands, advocates the re-evaluation of TonB-dependent transport physiology. In this minireview we discuss the potential structural features of siderophore receptors and TonB, and use this analysis to evaluate both existing and new models of energy and signal transduction from the inner membrane to the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria.     

TheEscherichia coli mannitol permease as a model for transport via the bacterial phosphotransferase system

The bacterial phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent carbohydrate phosphotransferase system (PTS) consists of several proteins whose primary functions are to transport and phosphorylate their substrates. The complexity of the PTS undoubtedly reflects its additional roles in chemotaxis to PTS substrates and in regulation of other metabolic processes in the cell. The PTS permeases (Enzymes II) are the membrane-associated proteins of the PTS that sequentially recognize, transport, and phosphorylate their specific substrates in separate steps, and theEscherichia coli mannitol permease is one of the best studied of these proteins. It consists of two cytoplasmic domains (EIIA and EIIB) involved in mannitol phosphorylation and an integral membrane domain (EIIC) which is sufficient to bind mannitol, but which transports mannitol at a rate that is dependent on phosphorylation of the EIIA and EIIB domains. Recent results show that several residues in a hydrophilic, 85-residue segment of the EIIC domain are important for the binding, transport, and phosphorylation of mannitol. This segment may be at least partially exposed to the cytoplasm of the cell. A model is proposed in which this region of the EIIC domain is crucial in coupling phosphorylation of the EIIB domain to transport through the EIIC domain of the mannitol permease.     

Lattice population dynamics for plants with dispersing seeds and Vegetative propagation

The population dynamics of plants in a lattice structured habitat are studied theoretically. Plants are assumed to propagate both by producing seeds that scatter over the population and by vegetative reproduction by extending runners, rhizomes, or roots, to neighboring vacant sites. In addtion, the seed production rate may be dependent on the local density in the neighborhood, indicating beneficial or harmful crowding effects. Two sets of population dynamical equation(s) are derived: one based onmean-field approximation and the other based onpair approximation (tracing both global and local densities simultaneously). We examine the accuracy of these approximate dynamics by comparing them with direct computer simulation of the stochastic lattice model. Pair approximation is much more accurate than mean-field approximation. Mean-field approximation overestimates the parameter range for persistence if crowding effects on seed production are harmful or weakly beneficial, but underestimates it if crowding effects are highly beneficial. Dynamics may show bistability (both population persistence and extinction) if the effect of crowding is strongly beneficial. If there is a linear trade-off between seed production and vegetative reproduction, the equilibrium abundance of the population may be maximised by a mixture of seed production and vegetative reproduction, rather than by pure seed production or by pure vegetative reproduction. This result is correctly predicted by pair approximation but not by mean-field approximation.     

寄生蜂种群繁殖分布时间特征的研究

运用１０种寄生蜂的２３张生殖力表资料,分析比较了这些种群繁殖分布的特征．结果表明,寄生蜂种群繁殖具有相似的分布特征,种群繁殖集中分布在生殖头ｄ天内,在生殖头ｄ／２天内繁殖分布更为集中．在生殖头ｄ天内种群繁殖对种群增长的贡献几乎均达到１００％,其中大部分贡献是在生殖头ｄ／２天内实现的．这种繁殖分布特征对于寄生蜂种群内禀增长率的测定和掌握种群数量动态的时间特性十分重要．本文结合Ｉｗａｏ零频率法和Ｇｅｒｒａｒｄ阈限密度法,提出一种改进的种群密度估计方法──“综合阈限密度估计法”,并由此探讨了苹果树上山楂叶螨成螨的密度估计及其抽样技术．采用零样频率来估计成螨的平均密度,并得到用概率保证的理论抽样数模型．比较结果表明,零频率法所需的理论抽样数少于直接计数法．综合阈限密度估计法的拟合效果更为显著．     

山楂叶螨种群空间格局及其应用的研究Ⅱ．成螨种群密度综合估计及其抽样技术

本文结合Ｉｗａｏ零频率法和Ｇｅｒｒａｒｄ阈限密度法,提出一种改进的种群密度估计方法──“综合阈限密度估计法”,并由此探讨了苹果树上山楂叶螨成螨的密度估计及其抽样技术．采用零样频率来估计成螨的平均密度,并得到用概率保证的理论抽样数模型．比较结果表明,零频率法所需的理论抽样数少于直接计数法．综合阈限密度估计法的拟合效果更为显著．     

杭州西湖水质预测方法和结果分析

本文利用二维对流扩散模型对西湖水质总磷浓度进行预测,给出方程的理论基础,编制FORTRAN77程序,在386微机上实现预测,并对预测结果作了较为详细的分析．本模型对水质环境防治决策具有实际意义．     

杨树苗期合理密度与合理密度线研究

 本文以加杨(Populus Canadensis),I—214(Populus euramericana(Dode)Guinier CV—214),中保14等杨树密度试验(1988—1991)为依据,分析了初植密度、竞争对生长的抑制作用,阐述了合理密度、合理密度范围、缓冲作用、上限合理密度线的形成过程。指出在双对数图上,上限合理密度线遵从Logistic分布(1nw=K/1+e(0.732·lnN-2.429),呈左侧伸展的S型曲线。该曲线可划分为近似于lnw一lnN直线的上中下三部分,其中间部分直线式的斜率为-1.5左右,称作合理密度直线式。对密度与生长的动态作了分析、概述与讨论。