PCP degradation is mediated by closely related strains of the genus Sphingomonas

There have been numerous reports in the literature of diverse bacteria capable of degrading pentachlorophenol (PCP). In order to gain further insight into the phylogenetic relationships of PCP-degrading bacteria, we examined four strains: Arthrobacter sp. strain ATCC 33790, Flavobacterium sp. strain ATCC 39723, Pseudomonas sp. strain SR3, and Sphingomonas sp. strain RA2. These organisms were isolated from different geographical locations and all of them degrade high concentrations (100–200 mg/L) of PCP. Southern blot analyses determined that these bacteria all harbour DNA that encodes similar, if not identical, genes involved in PCP degradation. Comparison of the 16S rRNA nucleotide sequences revealed that these organisms were very closely related and, in fact, represent a monophyletic group. The 16S rRNA analyses together with fatty acid and sphingolipid analyses strongly suggest that the four strains are members of the genus Sphingomonas . The close relationship of the four organisms is supported by nucleotide sequence analysis data of the pcpB locus encoding PCP-4-monooxygenase, the first enzyme in the PCP degradative pathway.     

杂交水稻直链淀粉含量遗传分析

杂交水稻稻谷是从Ｆ１代杂合体收获的Ｆ２代种子,由于Ｆ２代属分离群体,直链淀粉含量等稻米品质会发生分离现象．本研究选择直链淀粉含量低、中、高的５个亲本配组的５个杂交组合,按单粒分析法分析双亲亲本、Ｆ１和Ｆ２代的种子的直链淀粉含量．结果表明,Ｆ２代呈现１（低）：３（中＋高）孟德尔分离规律．在５个组合的单粒分析中发现分离的Ｆ２代群体呈双峰的连续分布,该现象表明高直链淀粉含量对低直链淀粉含量为不完全显性,除单一基因控制外,还受微效多基因修饰．因此杂交水稻育种工作中,尤其是优质杂交稻新组合选育时,必须注意选择双亲的直链淀粉含量基本一致,以防分离现象影响米质．     

Risk-Cost Trade Off Considerations for Contaminated Sediment Disposal

Delays in dredging and inability to dredge the nation's harbors, due to the presence of contaminated sediments and the lack of environmentally acceptable disposal sites are interfering with shipping activities and hampering trade growth. The United States Government is committed to provide continuing support to the port industry's goals for enhancing economic growth while protecting, conserving and restoring natural resources within coastal aquatic lands. The government's commitment has resulted in the articulation of a national dredging policy in the Action Plan for Improvement of the Dredging Process in the United States. This national challenge calls for a systematic and consistent decision making approach to dredging and disposal including contaminated sediment management. In building an effective decision mak ing framework for costs, risk reduction and potential beneficial uses of the disposal material must be considered in identifying and evaluating environmentally acceptable and cost-effective disposal alternatives. A conceptual framework for applying a risk-cost trade off approach in making decisions regarding contaminated sediment disposal is presented and applied to a hypothetical disposal scenario involving three alternatives: deepwater confined disposal, nearshore fill or capping and, upland disposal. The approach entails the performance of sequential evaluations consisting of risk analysis, estimation of costs, integration of the results into a computational framework for trade-off analysis, and the application of decision analytical tools to build consensus among stakeholders and the general public in selecting a preferred alternative.     

Effect of external stresses on protein conformation: a computer modelling study

The increasing use of digital technologies such as mobile phones has led to major health concerns about the effects of non-ionizing pulsed radiation exposure. We believe that the health implications of exposure to radiation cannot be fully understood without establishing the molecular mechanisms of biological effects of pulsed microwaves. We aim to establish methods for studying the molecular mechanisms of protein structural and energetic changes occurring due to external stresses related to non-ionizing radiation by using a combination of experimental and theoretical approaches. In this paper, we present the results from our fully atomistic simulation study of chemical and thermal stress response of a prototype protein, insulin. We performed a series of molecular dynamics simulations of insulin in solution under equilibrium conditions, under chemical stress (imitated by reducing the disulfide bonds in the protein molecule), and under short-lived thermal stress (imitated by increasing simulation temperature for up to 2 ns). The resultant protein conformational behaviour was analysed for various properties with the aim of establishing analysis routines for classification of protein unfolding pathways and associated molecular mechanisms.Submitted as a record of the 2002 Australian Biophysical Society meeting     

青海祁连山地区兽类分布格局及动物地理学分析

根据2001～2002 年对青海祁连山及周边地区的考察, 结合历史资料对青海祁连山及临近地区的兽类分布格局及动物地理分布等问题进行了探讨。通过兽类分布信息对该地区进行聚类, 用物种分布的相似性聚类结果分析该地区兽类区系特点。结果表明: 湟水河谷兽类区系特殊; 祁连山中部与青海湖北岸山地的区系成分近似;祁连山西部与其它区域区系差异明显; 柴达木盆地东部与祁连山中部相近, 而与柴达木盆地中、西部相区别。本地区的兽类分布格局与植被关系密切, 充分体现出青藏高原和黄土高原过渡的特点。本区特有种类比较缺乏,在不同生境交错带具有各种成分混杂和相互渗透的现象, 既包含了东部黄土高原和东南湿润地区的区系成分,又不乏典型的青藏高原种类, 同时还与蒙新区有一定的联系。从而体现出祁连山地区在兽类物种多样性及其动物地理方面的边缘效应作用。     

Using Input-Output Analysis to Measure the Environmental Pressure of Consumption at Different Spatial Levels

Input-output modeling is a useful tool for tracing environmental impacts of consumption. Because it includes impacts originating from production layers of infinite order (capturing the entire economy), input-output modeling is highly relevant for studies operating in a life-cycle context. In this article we show how the input-output approach can be used to enumerate the problem of sustainable consumption. Based on a literature survey including research done by the authors we present measures of the emissions of carbon dioxide at different spatial levels: nation, city, and household. Further, we take more environmental effects into account and introduce the concept of environmental efficiency by combining input-output modeling and data envelopment analysis. Finally, we discuss the policy relevance of the different measures. The article demonstrates that input-output modeling has a wide range of life-cycle oriented applications when combined with other data sources such as detailed trade statistics, foreign input-output and environmental statistics, and household expenditure data.     

核型分析在细胞分类学中的应用

细胞学的核型分析资料作为分类学的证据,结合形态学、解剖学、胚胎学和遗传学等方面的证据,在解决分类上的疑难问题,起过不少的作用,而且是建立生物学种和建立新的自然分类系统所必不可少的资料。     

水稻条纹病毒RNA4基因间隔区的分子变异

应用反转录－聚合酶链式反应（RT－PCR）和单链构象多态性（single-strand conformation polymorphism,SSCP)技术快速检测我国水稻条纹病毒（RSV）RNA4基因间隔区（intergenic region,IR)的分子变异,结果表明,我国RSV RNA4 IR存在分子变异。供试的7个分离物共有4种泳动带型,其中YL、BS、JD、LY分离物完全一致,而YL、BS、YL及JD4个分离物序列完全一致;JN、PJ、SQ3个分离各不一样,序列之间的同源性均在92％－94％之间.IR序列内部具有两个重要的结构特征：（1）有两处反向重复序列,可形成两个明显的发夹结构,其中一个序列比较保守,形成的发夹结构稳定;但中一个发夹结构由于碱基变异导致其稳定性在各个分离物中差异较大;（2）具有插入序列,相对于日本M分离物,我国7个分离物都有一段长19bp的插入序列,这段插入序列比较保守,各分离物之间仅有1－2个碱基的差异。     

影响链球菌属肺炎球菌基因组密码子使用的因素分析

链球菌属肺炎球菌（Steptococcus pneumoniae)的完整基因组序列已经测定完毕并于近期发表,对肺炎球菌基因组序列进行了详细分析,研究了基因组密码子的使用模式和影响密码子使用的因素,高水平高达基因的密码子第三位碱基使用胞嘧啶（C）的频率比表达水平低的基因使用C有显著的提高,表达水平较低的基因在密码子的第三位碱基更趋向使用嘌呤）,基因的表达水平与对应分析的第一条向量轴呈显著相关（R＝0．86）,比较表达水平高,低的两组基因的密码子使用模式发现,基因的表达水平对于密码子使用有显著的影响,基因碱基G＋C的组成与基因的表达水平（R＝0．44）,对应分析的第一条向量轴（R＝0．5）有显著的相关,对基因的表达水平,密码子的使用有显著的影响,通过GC－skew,蛋白质的疏水性,基因的长度分析,发现不同长度的基因表达水平,GC含量,GC3s有差异,结果表明,在表达水平上的自然选择以及基因的碱基组成是影响肺炎球菌基因密码子使用的主要因素,基因的长度对密码子的使用有一定影响。     

以微小RNA作为新型标志物检测循环肿瘤细胞及其临床意义

循环肿瘤细胞（circulating tumor cell,CTC）是随血液循环一起转运的实体肿瘤细胞,与实体肿瘤的发展、转移、复发和预后等关系密切。然而,CTC数量的稀少使有效检测CTC具有较大的挑战性。微小RNA（microRNA,miRNA）作为一类新发现的基因表达调控分子,在肿瘤的发生、发展、转归等过程中起着重要的作用。CTC关联性miRNA的研究为CTC的检测和肿瘤的诊治开创了新思路。该文介绍了CTC的临床意义和主要分析方法,在CTC关联性miRNA与肿瘤诊断、治疗和预后等方面总结了这类新型肿瘤细胞标志物的研究进展。