Species richness and evenness respond to diverging land‐use patterns – a cross‐border study of dry tropical woodlands in southern Africa

Cross‐border studies offer unique situations to study the impact of different land‐use regimes on ecosystems. Along the Angolan and Namibian border formed by the Okavango River, the environmental conditions and traditional land‐use practises are the same on either side of the river. However, decades of civil war in Angola led to a stagnant development while political stability in Namibia fostered a recent socio‐economic transformation. We investigated the impact of spatially diffuse land use on plant diversity of the dry tropical woodlands covering the vast, sandy hinterlands of the river. As accessibility is the major factor governing land use, we used distance to road as a proxy for land‐use intensity. Based on 58 vegetation plots sized 20 m × 50 m, we showed that species richness increased with distance to road in Angola while in Namibia it remained constant on a lower level. Evenness showed an inverse pattern to species richness and Shannon diversity index showed no response. Analysing diversity patterns according to life forms revealed that these patterns are primarily driven by woody species. The study showed that spatially diffuse land use has a measurable effect on plant diversity and illustrates that roads act as vectors of change.     

Variability in the behavioural responses of three generalist herbivores to the most abundant coumarin in Daphne laureola leaves

We evaluated the responses of three generalist herbivores (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) to the most abundant coumarin in young leaves of spurge-laurel, Daphne laureola L. (Thymelaeaceae), a perennial shrub consistently fed upon by several noctuid species. Pseudenargia ulicis Staud and Noctua janthe Borkhausen are natural herbivores of the species in southeastern Spain, whereas Spodoptera littoralis Boisduval is a model species frequently used to address the antifeedant role of secondary compounds. Discrimination between control and coumarin-coated D. laureola leaves was investigated by short-term choice experiments. We found species-specific behavioural responses to the treatment: P. ulicis preferred the control leaves, whereas S. littoralis did not discriminate between leaf treatments, although it clearly avoided coumarin when incorporated into an artificial diet, and N. janthe preferred the coumarin-coated leaves. Furthermore, N. janthe larvae reduced consumption when the proportion of treated leaves ingested increased and consumption of S. littoralis larvae was also reduced in coumarin-containing diet under no-choice conditions. Our results highlight that different herbivore species feeding simultaneously on the same host plant respond differently to a single chemical defence compound, likely constraining a directional response of the plant to selection.     

Diffuse large cell lymphoma presenting as a sacral mass and lupus anticoagulant

A 67-year-old gentleman presented to Yale-New Haven Hospital (YNHH) for assessment of a supratherapeutic INR and sacral lesion. Hematologic workup revealed elevated ESR, PT, INR, PTT, and CRP, mixing studies that failed to correct, and a positive Russell Viper Venom Test (RVVT), which confirmed the presence of lupus anticoagulant (LA), a subtype of antiphospholipid syndrome (APA). Pathology of the patient's sacral lesion revealed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. This case provides insight into the association between APA and lymphoid neoplasm. The patient's unique presentation is in marked contrast to other reports of APA and lymphoid malignancy, which are typically associated with elevated PTT, normal PT, minimal extranodal disease, and potential thrombotic complications. Further, treatment with Rituximab-CHOP chemotherapy led to excellent clinical response with tumor remission and normalization of PT and PTT.     

In silico analysis of expression pattern of a Wnt/β-catenin responsive gene ANLN in gastric cancer

Actin-binding protein anillin (ANLN) is primarily involved in the cytokinesis and known to be dysregulated in many cancers including gastric cancer (GC). However, the regulation and clinical significance of ANLN in GC are far less clear. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the clinical significance and possible regulators of ANLN in GC. We have identified the Wnt/β-catenin associated regulation of ANLN by analyzing the in vitro perturbed β-catenin mRNA expression profiles. Investigating the gastric tumors from publicly available genome-wide mRNA expression profiles, we have identified the over expression of ANLN in gastric tumors. Association between ANLN expression and clinical characteristics of GC showed elevated expression in intestinal type GC. Performing a single sample prediction method across GC mRNA expression profiles, we have identified the over expression of ANLN in proliferative type gastric tumors compared to the invasive and metabolic type gastric tumors. In silico pathway prediction analysis revealed the association between Wnt/β-catenin signaling and ANLN expression in gastric tumors. Our results highlight that expression of a Wnt/β-catenin responsive gene ANLN in GC is a molecular predictor of intestinal and proliferative type gastric tumors.     

河网地区小城镇街尘的粒径分布与多环芳烃污染

街尘是重要的环境介质,其携带的污染物在城镇化过程中对河网地区的水环境构成了一定的威胁。以杭嘉湖平原河网地区饮用水水源河流上游典型小城镇的街尘为研究对象,对街尘、河道沉积物、地表径流以及降雨前后地表水中的多环芳烃进行测定。在对不同粒径街尘中多环芳烃浓度的测定中发现,粒径为<63、125-63、250-125和900-250 μm街尘中多环芳烃的平均含量分别为7261、5835、4660和2909μg/kg。小粒径的街尘颗粒含有较高的多环芳烃浓度,较小的密度,并且较难清扫,造成了小粒径街尘易被雨水冲刷随地表径流进入河网水体。在对两场降雨的地表径流中多环芳烃检测发现,颗粒态的多环芳烃分别占总浓度的95%和94%。地表径流过程增加了受纳水体中多环芳烃浓度的43%-62%,其中超过50%的增加表现为颗粒态。在对不同河段沉积物、地表径流中颗粒物和不同粒径街尘中多环芳烃浓度的风险评价中发现,小粒径街尘和地表径流中颗粒物中多环芳烃的浓度相接近并具有较高的生态风险,城镇段河道沉积物较次之。由于河网地区的特殊的水文条件和景观空间格局特征,地表径流沉积物在进入河网水体后易原位沉积,造成了河道沉积物城镇段有较高的多环芳烃浓度。     

激光与生物组织相互作用：光子迁移与生物传热理论

激光热疗中,激光与生物组织相互作用研究主要包含两方面：光子在生物组织中的迁移规律,以及光生扫热在生物组织在的传导。对前者的描述主要为,基于传输理论的解析法和Ｍｏｎｔｅ￣Ｃａｒｌｏ模拟,生物组织中光子迁移规律的研究能定量描述组织中的光分布,并进一步获得生物组织中的热分布;考虑到了生物组织特性,所建立了生物组织中温度场分布及变化规律。光子迁移与生物传热理论是研究激光热序不可分割的传热模型,全面描述了生     

太湖典型草、藻型湖区紫外辐射的衰减及影响因素分析

2004年4月通过野外原位观测和实验室测定相结合的方法对东太湖和梅梁湾典型草、藻型湖区紫外辐射光谱衰减及影响因素进行了研究。结果表明,320nm(UV-B)、380nm(UV-A)的衰减系数在6.33~19.59m-1、3.41~13.64m-1间变化,对应的1%表面光强穿透深度分别为0.24~0.73m、0.35~1.35m,到达湖面的99%UV-B辐射在0.5m左右表层水就衰减完毕,东太湖和梅梁湾紫外辐射衰减系数存在明显的湖区差异;溶解性有机碳(DOC)的浓度在6.60~17.17mg/L间变化,其均值为(9.99±2.48)mg/L;375nm波长处CDOM吸收系数为1.78~6.25m-1,均值为(3.70±1.10)m-1;在短波部分CDOM吸收与DOC浓度存在显著性相关,相关性大致随波长降低而增加,320nm处的线性关系式:ad320=0.885DOC 2.182;紫外辐射衰减主要受制于水体中的CDOM浓度,衰减系数与DOC浓度、CDOM吸收系数存在显著性相关,340nm处的关系式分别为:Kd340=0.82 1.05DOC、Kd340=1.98 1.49ad340。在太湖紫外辐射衰减还要受悬浮物和叶绿素a浓度的影响,衰减系数与DOC、叶绿素a和悬浮物浓度多元回归的结果明显要高于单独与DOC浓度或CDOM吸收系数的回归结果。     

农业面源氮污染控制措施滞后效应形成机理与评估方法研究进展

推广实施最佳管理措施(BMPs)被认为是防治农业面源污染的有效途径,然而许多流域实施BMPs后通常难以在预测的时间内实现水质改善目标,导致人们对BMPs的有效性提出质疑。受流域内养分遗留效应影响,BMPs实施后的环境质量改善效益可能不会立刻显现(也即“滞后期”),这是由于过去人为活动输入的过量营养物质在流域水文传输和生物地球化学转化过程中的积累所致,当来自外部的污染负荷减少时,这部分营养物质的汇集和释放可能掩盖治理措施对于水质改善的影响。鉴于遗留的营养物质在延迟水质改善方面的关键作用,滞后期的量化评估对于全面分析污染成因,科学配置BMPs,有效治理流域农业面源污染,提升水质改善效率非常重要。以农业面源氮控制措施的滞后效应形成机理和评估方法为主线,概述了流域尺度氮累积和滞后效应产生的主要机理,述评了氮污染滞后效应的量化评估方法,提出目前大多数流域模型尚不能很好的表述滞后效应以及缺乏解决水文和生物地球化学遗留效应的能力,并对未来BMPs优化配置研究提出建议：(1)摸清流域水文传输过程和生物地球化学转化过程对BMPs控氮效益滞后期的影响,分析污染负荷削减的时空响应规律;(2)构建包含土壤、浅...     

Increased competition does not lead to increased phylogenetic overdispersion in a native grassland

That competition is stronger among closely related species and leads to phylogenetic overdispersion is a common assumption in community ecology. However, tests of this assumption are rare and field‐based experiments lacking. We tested the relationship between competition, the degree of relatedness, and overdispersion among plants experimentally and using a field survey in a native grassland. Relatedness did not affect competition, nor was competition associated with phylogenetic overdispersion. Further, there was only weak evidence for increased overdispersion at spatial scales where plants are likely to compete. These results challenge traditional theory, but are consistent with recent theories regarding the mechanisms of plant competition and its potential effect on phylogenetic structure. We suggest that specific conditions related to the form of competition and trait conservatism must be met for competition to cause phylogenetic overdispersion. Consequently, overdispersion as a result of competition is likely to be rare in natural communities.