雄性等级对布氏田鼠雌性选择的影响

利用监控录像以及特定行为记录的方法,研究了雄性等级对布氏田鼠气味选择和个体选择的影响。结果表明不论是气味选择还是个体选择,雌鼠动情状态不影响对雄鼠的选择频次,但是动情雌鼠在自我修饰行为频次上高于非动情雌鼠。此外,在气味和个体选择的优先权方面,动情雌鼠更多的优先选择优势雄鼠的气味和个体并与之交配,而非动情雌鼠更多的先选择从属雄鼠的气味和个体。总之,不论是气味选择还是个体选择,布氏田鼠不仅受到被选择雄鼠的地位影响,还与雌鼠的生理状态有关。     

苏云金芽胞杆菌LM1212菌株和突变株的全基因组序列比较分析

【背景】LM1212菌株是昆虫病原菌苏云金芽胞杆菌(Bacillus thuringiensis,Bt)中的一员,其芽胞和晶体分别产生于芽胞形成细胞和晶体产生细胞中,具有独特的细胞分化表型。与野生株LM1212相比,突变株LM1212-DB芽胞细胞比例明显降低并产生更高比例的晶体产生细胞,这使得LM1212-DB菌株成为研究晶体产生细胞形成机制和提高菌株杀虫活性的绝佳实验材料。【目的】比较LM1212菌株和LM1212-DB菌株的基因组差异,以便于揭示导致这两个菌株表型差异的原因。【方法】利用单分子测序技术(single molecular real-time,SMRT)和Pacbio RS II测序平台对两个菌株进行全基因组测序,对染色体和质粒、双组分信号系统和插入序列等进行差异分析,并构建表型特性相关基因的系统发育树。【结果】基因组分析发现,LM1212和LM1212-DB菌株均含有丰富的插入序列和双组分信号系统,暗示两个菌株极易发生基因重排且具有较强的环境适应性。与LM1212菌株相比,突变株LM1212-DB中发生了染色体和质粒片段缺失、质粒重排、质粒拷贝数变异。进一步分析缺失基因的功能发现,一些环境胁迫响应基因(如sigB)和芽胞形成相关基因(如abrB)等缺失;通过分析质粒拷贝数变异发现,具有增加晶体细胞比例功能的转录因子CpcR所在质粒的拷贝数增加1个,同时对CpcR的进化分析发现,与其亲缘关系最近的基因的从属菌株也产生与LM1212菌株相似的细胞分化表型。这些重要功能基因的缺失和拷贝数变异可能是导致两个菌株表型差异的原因。此外,突变株LM1212-DB缺失I型限制-修饰系统,这使得突变株LM1212-DB与野生菌株LM1212相比具有更好的外源DNA兼容性。【结论】突变株LM1212-DB染色体和质粒的结构变异可能是导致与野生株LM1212表型差异的潜在原因,这将为研究LM1212菌株的晶体细胞分化机制提供指导方向。     

中国航空碳排放及其效率时空演化特征分析

航空碳排放不仅影响空气质量且可造成温室效应。中国正处于从民航大国向民航强国迈进的关键时期,提高航空碳排放效率是行之有效的航空碳减排手段。运用可拓展随机性环境影响评估模型(STIRPAT)对中国2004—2019年航空碳排放总量的时空演变特征进行分析,以探明不同尺度区域航空碳排放的空间差异与空间关联表现;运用基于非期望产出的超效率松弛变量模型(SBM)和标准差椭圆分析法(SDE)对中国航空碳排放效率的时空分布与格局演化过程进行判定,以分析各省域航空碳排放效率的差异,并给出有效的航空碳减排方略。研究发现：2004—2019年,中国航空碳排放总量持续增长,航空碳排放增长率和航空碳排放强度均呈波动下降趋势;四大经济区航空碳排放总量分布总体表现为“东部>西部>中部>东北”的格局,东部仍是中国航空碳排放的主要区域;高碳排放区较分散,还未形成省域之间连片的碳排放高值区。2004—2019年,中国航空碳排放效率总体呈现“M”型波动上升趋势,各省域航空碳排放效率均不同程度的提高,但主要以低效率区、中效率区为主;各省域之间的航空碳排放效率差异性经历了逐渐减小到逐步增大的过程,但总体航空碳...     

国家重点生态功能区城市与毗邻非生态功能区城市绿色发展水平测度与时空差异

以黑龙江省为主体的中国北方森林湿地生态功能区及毗邻地区作为实证研究区域,从绿色生产、绿色生活、绿色生态三个维度构建绿色发展水平测度指标体系,运用熵权-TOPSIS评价法、障碍度模型、趋势移动平均模型等方法,对2009—2018年期间长白山森林生态功能区、三江平原湿地生态功能区、大小兴安岭森林生态功能区及毗邻的非生态功能对照区绿色发展水平进行了动态测度和时空差异比较、评估了绿色转型发展速度、识别并分析了障碍因素作用,预测了绿色发展趋势水平。主要结论如下：(1)区域自然生态本底优质,但各功能区绿色发展水平相对较低,绿色指数均低于0.6;十年间各功能区绿色发展水平呈小幅上升趋势。城市间绿色发展整体水平的最大差距徘徊在0.16—0.17之间,呈微弱缩小态势。(2)从3个时间节点各功能区整体绿色发展空间格局上看,长白山森林生态功能区处于较高水平,三江平原湿地生态功能区水平偏低。大小兴安岭森林生态功能区绿色发展水平上升幅度较大,毗邻对照区则较小。高水平类型城市数量有所增加,由1个增加至3个,低水平地区数量下降,由4个下降至2个,并呈向高水平转变的趋势。(3)区域绿色转型效果总体不显著,转型速度缓慢...     

Species dependence of A3 adenosine receptor pharmacology and function

Efforts to fully understand pharmacological differences between G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) species homologues are generally not pursued in detail during the drug development process. To date, many GPCRs that have been successfully targeted are relatively well-conserved across species in amino acid sequence and display minimal variability of biological effects. However, the A₃ adenosine receptor (AR), an exciting drug target for a multitude of diseases associated with tissue injury, ischemia, and inflammation, displays as little as 70% sequence identity among mammalian species (e.g., rodent vs. primate) commonly used in drug development. Consequently, the pharmacological properties of synthetic A₃AR ligands vary widely, not only in binding affinity, selectivity, and signaling efficacy, but to the extent that some function as agonists in some species and antagonists in others. Numerous heterocyclic antagonists that have nM affinity at the human A₃AR are inactive or weakly active at the rat and mouse A₃ARs. Positive allosteric modulators, including the imidazo [4,5-c]quinolin-4-amine derivative LUF6000, are only active at human and some larger animal species that have been evaluated (rabbit and dog), but not rodents. A₃AR agonists evoke systemic degranulation of rodent, but not human mast cells. The rat A₃AR undergoes desensitization faster than the human A₃AR, but the human homologue can be completely re-sensitized and recycled back to the cell surface. Thus, comprehensive pharmacological evaluation and awareness of potential A₃AR species differences are critical in studies to further understand the basic biological functions of this unique AR subtype. Recombinant A₃ARs from eight different species have been pharmacologically characterized thus far. In this review, we describe in detail current knowledge of species differences in genetic identity, G protein-coupling, receptor regulation, and both orthosteric and allosteric A₃AR pharmacology.     

2000-2015年中国PM2.5浓度时空分布特征及其城乡差异

近40年来,中国快速经济发展引发较为严重的大气污染,PM_2.5是一种重要的空气污染物,掌握其时空分布规律是对其进行防治的重要前提。基于遥感反演出的PM_2.5浓度数据集,研究了中国2000-2015年PM_2.5浓度的时空分布特征,并基于界定的1376个城镇城区及对应乡村的边界分析了每年PM_2.5浓度值的城乡差异,用线性趋势分析法计算城镇PM_2.5浓度的年际变化速率及显著性。结果表明,研究期内,PM_2.5浓度高于35 μg/m³的面积比例由18.58%增加至32.03%,低于15 μg/m³的面积从43.92%减少到25.12%。PM_2.5污染最严重的地区分布在塔里木盆地、河北南部、河南北部和山东西部。从2000年到2015年,中国绝大多数城镇PM_2.5浓度显著增加,尤其是在东北平原、太行山以东的河北省西南部、燕山以南的北京天津及河北唐山、鲁中南山地丘陵及周围平原地区、华北平原江苏省北部。PM_2.5城乡差异在河北省、山西省两条东北-西南向S形条带区域、浙江省-福建省条带及天山北部绿洲区域较大。研究对PM_2.5高浓度区域、PM_2.5浓度增长较快区域以及城区PM_2.5浓度对乡村影响较大区域进行图示,为中国进一步控制雾霾污染提供一定科学依据。     

两个种源木荷幼苗对干旱-复水的生理生态响应

为探讨不同种源树木对干旱-复水的生理生态响应,该研究以广东与福建种源木荷为对象,通过盆栽控水方式模拟干旱及复水条件,研究两个种源木荷的水力及碳生理特征、脯氨酸(Pro)及超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)对干旱-复水的响应。结果表明:(1)对照情况下,广东种源木荷的茎木质部水势(Ψ_xylem)、叶片相对含水量(RWC)、光合速率(A_sat)与气孔导度(G_s)均低于福建种源木荷的。(2)两个种源木荷的水力特征、Pro与SOD对干旱-复水的响应呈一致趋势,其中Ψ_xylem、RWC与Pro均能较快恢复至对照水平,而茎木质部栓塞程度与SOD未恢复至对照水平。(3)福建种源木荷叶片的A_sat对干旱的敏感性较广东种源的高且复水后恢复至对照水平需要更长时间。(4)复水后福建种源木荷非结构性碳水化合物(NSC)的恢复速率高于广东种源木荷。综上认为,福建与广东两个种源木荷均不能通过短期复水(30 d)来修复被栓塞的木质部。尽管广东种源木荷的光合速率能够更快地恢复至对照水平,但其光合速率低于福建种源木荷,并且其NSC的恢复能力较福建种源荷的低。因此,在未来干旱加剧背景下,广东种源木荷的生长及存活可能受到更大威胁。该研究结果有助于了解种源地气候条件对树木抗旱性的影响,为未来森林的经营与管理提供了理论参考。     

Regional differences in mitotic activity due to injury in mouse skin

Summary Mitotic activity adjacent to a wound inflicted at different sites in the mouse skin was measured 24 h after injury. A regional difference in the epidermal mitotic activity due to injury was noted. Mitotic activity was high in the anterior parts of the body including the head, lower in the middle to posterior regions of the body and lowest in the posterior-most parts of the body. Regional differences in epidermal mitotic activity due to injury were demonstrated in both female and male mice. The existence of a cranio-caudal gradient in epidermal response to injury is suggested.     

COMPUTER ANALYSIS OF BIRD SOUNDS: A GUIDE TO CURRENT METHODS

ABSTRACT

Bioacoustics researchers can use a computer as a powerful tool to measure, classify, compare and synthetise sounds. Vocalisations on tape are commonly converted to a digital format suitable for a computer by using an analogue to digital converter and then a Fourier transformation. Alternatively, sonagrams can be measured, for example by using a digitising pad or an image analysis system. Correlations and indices of similarity have been used to compare sounds, but variations in both the time and frequency dimensions of a noise are a problem. A solution may be the use of pattern recognition methods such as elastic matching and time warping. These methods are briefly described and assessed.     

Using the tools of genetic epidemiology to understand sex differences in neuropsychiatric disorders

Many neuropsychiatric disorders exhibit differences in prevalence, age of onset, symptoms or course of illness between males and females. For the most part, the origins of these differences are not well understood. In this article, we provide an overview of sex differences in psychiatric disorders including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, depression, alcohol and substance abuse, schizophrenia, eating disorders and risk of suicide. We discuss both genetic and nongenetic mechanisms that have been hypothesized to underlie these differences, including ascertainment bias, environmental stressors, X‐ or Y‐linked risk loci, and differential liability thresholds in males and females. We then review the use of twin, family and genome‐wide association approaches to study potential genetic mechanisms of sex differences and the extent to which these designs have been employed in studies of psychiatric disorders. We describe the utility of genetic epidemiologic study designs, including classical twin and family studies, large‐scale studies of population registries, derived recurrence risks, and molecular genetic analyses of genome‐wide variation that may enhance our understanding sex differences in neuropsychiatric disorders.