Production of Lysine by Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Mutants of Brevibacterium flavum

Mutants with low pyruvate dehydrogenase (PD) activities were derived from a pyruvate kinase-deficient lysine-producing mutant of Brevibacterium flavum, No. 22. They were selected as prototrophic revertants of the acetate auxotrophs of strain No. 22. Among them strain KD-11 produced 55g/liter of lysine as its HCI salt when cultured for 72 hr in a medium containing lOOg/liter of glucose, soybean-meal hydrolysate and methionine. The lysine yield of strain KD-11 was the highest ever reported (55%). The mutant required a higher concentration of methionine for maximum production and gave a smaller amount of cell mass in cultivation than its parent. PD activity of strain No. 22 was stimulated by cysteine, stabilized by glycerol, and gave apparent Kms of 89, 22, 380, 83 μM for pyruvate, coenzyme A, 3-acetylpyridine adenine dinucleotide, and NAD, respectively, under standard conditions. The apparent Km for NAD of PD from strain KD-11 was 10-times higher than that from No. 22. When the concentration of NAD was low, the cell extracts of strain KD-11 showed low PD activity. The specific activity of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase of strain KD-11 was slightly higher than that of strain No. 22, while the inhibition by aspartate of the former enzyme was weaker than that of the latter.     

Statistical method for prediction of gait kinematics with Gaussian process regression

We propose a novel methodology for predicting human gait pattern kinematics based on a statistical and stochastic approach using a method called Gaussian process regression (GPR). We selected 14 body parameters that significantly affect the gait pattern and 14 joint motions that represent gait kinematics. The body parameter and gait kinematics data were recorded from 113 subjects by anthropometric measurements and a motion capture system. We generated a regression model with GPR for gait pattern prediction and built a stochastic function mapping from body parameters to gait kinematics based on the database and GPR, and validated the model with a cross validation method. The function can not only produce trajectories for the joint motions associated with gait kinematics, but can also estimate the associated uncertainties. Our approach results in a novel, low-cost and subject-specific method for predicting gait kinematics with only the subject's body parameters as the necessary input, and also enables a comprehensive understanding of the correlation and uncertainty between body parameters and gait kinematics.     

生态学中的点格局研究概况及其在国内的应用

点格局分析是研究生态学格局的工具之一,近年来在生态学中的应用越来越多。为深入了解点格局分析方法在国内的研究与应用情况,以所总结的研究进展、一般步骤和基本要点为背景,分析评述了1996—2015年期间以点格局为主题的国内中文核心期刊文献。结果表明,在国内生态学格局研究中,应用研究占据主导地位,研究对象广泛,包括以树木为主的乔、灌、草等不同生活型的植物,甚至包括景观;基础研究,包括概括性统计量、零模型与点过程模型等方面,以及专用软件工具包的开发等研究薄弱。在应用中存在一定问题,主要表现为:概括性统计量使用单一,且以Ripley的K-函数及其变形为主;零模型(或点过程模型)是科学问题的统计表达,但是有一半以上的研究未明确给出零模型。建议在未来应用研究中重视多种统计量的组合使用和原假设的建立,在探讨热带、亚热带森林等具有复杂空间结构系统的多样性格局时,考虑对象的不同世代和系统的不同垂直层次,并加强多变量或三维概括性统计量的开发、点格局分析方法与动态过程模型的结合研究等工作。     

C-banding polymorphism and the analysis of nucleolar activity in Dasypyrum villosum (L.) Candargy,its added chromosomes to hexaploid wheat and the amphiploid Triticum dicoccum — D. villosum

Summary C-banding patterns and nucleolar activity were analyzed in Dasypyrum villosum, its added chromosomes to hexaploid wheat and the hexaploid amphiploid Triticum dicoccum-D. villosum. Two different populations of the allogamous species D. villosum (2n= 14, VV) from Greece and Italy were analyzed showing a similar polymorphism for C-banding pattern. Six of the seven addition lines were identified by their characteristic C-banding pattern. No polymorphism between both members of each added alien chromosome was found. Furthermore, nucleolar activity and competition were studied by using silver staining procedure. In D. villosum only one chromosome pair, A, was found to be responsible for organizing nucleoli. The results obtained in the amphiploid and in the addition lines demonstrate that nucleolar activity is restricted to SAT-chromosomes 1B and 6B of wheat, while those of D. villosum remain inactive.     

Gait and posture discrimination in sheep using a tri-axial accelerometer

Temporo-spatial observation of the leg could provide important information about the general condition of an animal, especially for those such as sheep and other free-ranging farm animals that can be difficult to access. Tri-axial accelerometers are capable of collecting vast amounts of data for locomotion and posture observations; however, interpretation and optimization of these data records remain a challenge. The aim of the present study was to introduce an optimized method for gait (walking, trotting and galloping) and posture (standing and lying) discrimination, using the acceleration values recorded by a tri-axial accelerometer mounted on the hind leg of sheep. The acceleration values recorded on the vertical and horizontal axes, as well as the total acceleration values were categorized. The relative frequencies of the acceleration categories (RFACs) were calculated in 3-s epochs. Reliable RFACs for gait and posture discrimination were identified with discriminant function and canonical analyses. Post hoc predictions for the two axes and total acceleration were conducted, using classification functions and classification scores for each epoch. Mahalanobis distances were used to determine the level of accuracy of the method. The highest discriminatory power for gait discrimination yielded four RFACs on the vertical axis, and five RFACs each on the horizontal axis and total acceleration vector. Classification functions showed the highest accuracy for walking and galloping. The highest total accuracy on the vertical and horizontal axes were 90% and 91%, respectively. Regarding posture discrimination, the vertical axis exhibited the highest discriminatory power, with values of RFAC (0, 1]=99.95% for standing; and RFAC (−1, 0]=99.50% for lying. The horizontal axis showed strong discrimination for the lying side of the animal, as values were in the acceleration category of (0, 1] for lying on the left side and (−1, 0] on the right side. The algorithm developed by the method employed in the present study facilitates differentiation of the various types of gait and posture in animals from fewer data records, and produces the most reliable acceleration values from only one axis within a short time frame. The present study introduces an optimized method by which the tri-axial accelerometer can be used in gait and posture discrimination in sheep as an animal model.     

伊犁地区野生毛牛蒡和牛蒡的种群分布、生态和群落特性的研究

在充分踏察的基础上,选择具有代表性的样地,接线路调查法和样地调查法得出野生毛牛蒡和牛蒡种群的分布格局在伊犁地区总体上呈随机分布,占86．7％的调查样地;小范围内也有群聚分布的,占13．3％的调查样地;分布于喜光、低海拔、对土壤适应性高、生活力强等是牛蒡和毛牛蒡的生态习性;常与各类草本为伍,与菊科、禾本科、唇形科、藜科、蓼科、蒺藜科等常见科的植物均能共生于同一环境,是牛蒡和毛牛蒡的群落学特性;植被类型和人为因素是影响它们分布的环境因素。     

科尔沁沙地不同地形小叶锦鸡儿灌丛土壤水分动态

根据科尔沁沙地广泛分布的小叶锦鸡儿灌丛的植被调查和土壤水分监测数据,分析了沙地人工固沙灌丛的土壤水分时空动态和土壤储水量变化,并应用水量平衡法测定了灌丛蒸散发.结果表明:丘间地的土壤水分条件最好,丘中次之,丘上最低;灌丛区的土壤水分含量随深度增加而增加,在生长季内不会发生水分胁迫.灌丛区土壤水分与降雨过程高度相关,深层(50～180 cm)土壤水分同降雨的相关性高于表层(0～50 cm)土壤,并且深层土壤水分的变异也大于表层.整个生长期内,小叶锦鸡儿灌丛土壤储水量增加,土壤水分处于积累中,估算蒸散量占同期降雨量的64%以上.     

Molecular mechanisms of homeostatic plasticity in central pattern generator networks

Central pattern generator (CPG) networks rely on a balance of intrinsic and network properties to produce reliable, repeatable activity patterns. This balance is maintained by homeostatic plasticity where alterations in neuronal properties dynamically maintain appropriate neural output in the face of changing environmental conditions and perturbations. However, it remains unclear just how these neurons and networks can both monitor their ongoing activity and use this information to elicit homeostatic physiological responses to ensure robustness of output over time. Evidence exists that CPG networks use a mixed strategy of activity‐dependent, activity‐independent, modulator‐dependent, and synaptically regulated homeostatic plasticity to achieve this critical stability. In this review, we focus on some of the current understanding of the molecular pathways and mechanisms responsible for this homeostatic plasticity in the context of central pattern generator function, with a special emphasis on some of the smaller invertebrate networks that have allowed for extensive cellular‐level analyses that have brought recent insights to these questions.     

松嫩平原破碎化羊草草甸退化演替系列植物多样性的空间格局

物种多样性格局是国际生物多样性科学前沿领域热点问题.本文以松嫩平原破碎化羊草草甸退化演替系列(6种植物群落、144个斑块)为研究对象,系统地探讨了其α、β和γ多样性空间格局及其机理.结果表明:在羊草草甸退化演替系列中共发现87种植物,但没有一种能分布于所有斑块;羊草+鸡儿肠群落或羊草群落的α、β和γ多样性较高,多稀有种和特有种;碱地肤群落最低,少稀有种,无特有种;γ多样性与α多样性显著正相关,但与β多样性无相关性.各植物群落的α多样性与单个斑块面积呈显著幂函数关系,β多样性(相似性指数Sjk)仅羊草+鸡儿肠群落呈显著幂函数关系;斑块平均面积和总面积与α、γ多样性呈显著正相关,与β多样性无相关性.群落的物种丰富度越高,稀有种和特有种就越多,物种在局域斑块上灭绝的可能性越大;β多样性在物种多样性格局中的重要性与生境破碎化程度有关.