Selective light transmittance of translucent bracts in the Himalayan giant glasshouse plant Rheum nobile Hook. f. & Thomson (Polygonaceae)

Translucent bract transmittance of ultraviolet (UV) to infrared (IR) radiation (between 320 and 800 nm) and leaf anatomy were examined in a glasshouse plant, Rheum nobile Hook. f. & Thomson (Polygonaceae) to assess the function of avoiding injury by UV radiation while keeping the inflorescence warm by photosynthetically active (PA) and IR radiation. Although the translucent bracts and rosulate leaves transmitted little UV radiation, the former always transmit more PA and IR radiation. Additionally, the bracts transmit much more scattered solar radiation than direct radiation. The bracts are also anatomically different from the rosulate leaves. They have two or three layers of mesophyll cells with neither palisade nor spongy parenchymatous cells; in addition, the uppermost layer of mesophyll and the epidermis stain easily, and both are thought to play a role in attenuating UV radiation. The leaf epidermis of many land plants has UV absorbing pigments such as flavonoids, which absorb almost all UV radiation. Thus the role of the bracts of R. nobile is to protect the reproductive organs by absorbing UV radiation and to keep them warm by transmitting PA and IR radiation. The bracts are believed to have adapted function and form to the environment, in particular, to the weather conditions of the eastern Himalaya.     

The Effect of Vitamin a Pretreatment on Radiation Induced Alteration in Neutrophil Functions

The aim of this investigation was to determine whether pre-administration of vitamin A will be effective in preventing the radiation-induced decline in MPO-H₂O₂ system and the end product of reactive nitrogen species (NOx) in guinea pig. Animals were subjected to 612 cG of radiation and polimorfonuclear leukocytes were isolated and then NOx and myeloperoxidase activity were measured. In irradiated animals, a marked decrease in NOx level and myeloperoxidase activity have been found compared to control (p = 0.001 and p < 0.000 respectively). The application of vitamin A significantly improved the radiation-induced decrease (for both p < 0.00). In conclusion pre-treatment of vitamin A is efficient to protect against radiation induced alteration in polimorfonuclear leukocyte.     

Relationship between excision repair and the cytotoxic and mutagenic effect of the ‘anti’ 7,8-diol-9,10-epoxide of benzo[a]pyrene in human cells

The cytotoxic and mutagenic effect of (±)-7β,8α-dihydroxy-9α,10α-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene (anti BPDE) in normally excision diploid human cells treated just prior to onset of S was compared with that of cells allowed ～ 16 h for excision repair before onset of S and with that observed in excision-deficient serodema pigmentosum (SP12BE) cells. The cells were synchronized by release from density inhibition of cell replication. DNA synthesis began ～ 22 h after the cells were plated at lower density (i.e., 1.4 × 10⁴ cells/cm²). The frequency of thioguanine-resistant mutants induced in normal cells treated just prior to onset of S was ～ 12- to 16-fold higher than that observed in cells treated in early G₁ or treated in G₀ (confluence) and then plated at lower density. The frequency approximated that expected for XP12BE cells from extrapolation of data obtained at lower doses. The frequency of mutants measured in normal cells treated in exponential growth was also much higher than that in the cells treated in early G₁ or in G₀, No such difference could be seen in XP12BE cells treated in exponential growth or in G₀. In contrast to the mutagenicity data in the normal cells, there was no significant difference in the slope of the survival curve of normal cells treated at various times prior to S phase at low densities. However, normal cells treated even at the onset of S exhibited survival equal to XP12BE cells give a 4- to 5-fold lower dose. The data support the hypothesis that DNA synthesis is the cellular event which converts unexcised DNA lesions into mutations. However, they indicate that S is not the event primarily responsible for translating DNA damage into cell death. Accompanying studies on the rate of excision of anti BPDE adducts from the normal cells during the period priot to S support the conclusions.     

Curcumin inhibits ultraviolet light induced human immunodeficiency virus gene expression

Recently, we reported that the herbal drug St. John's Wort is a potent inhibitor of UV-induced HIV-LTR activation in stably transfected HIVcat/HeLa cells [35]. Our previous studies have demonstrated that the activation of p38 MAP kinase (stress-activated protein kinase-2) and NF-B are both required for a full UV-induced HIV gene expression response. In this study we have investigated the mechanism by which curcumin inhibits UV-activated HIV-LTR gene expression. We found that treatment of HIVcat/HeLa cells with micromolar concentrations of curcumin completely abolished UV activation of HIV gene expression. Curcumin treatment at similar doses as those used to inhibit HIV gene expression also effectively blocked UV activation of NF-B, as demonstrated by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. In contrast, curcumin did not inhibit UV-induced phosphorylation of p38 MAP kinase. This observation was also supported by findings that curcumin did not inhibit UV-induced phosphorylation of CREB/ATF-1 and ATF-2. Although curcumin was ineffective in preventing UV-induced p44/42 MAP kinase phosphorylation, the JNK (1 and 2) and AP-1 activation were efficiently blocked by curcumin in HeLa cells. We conclude that the mechanism by which curcumin modulates UV activation of HIV-LTR gene expression mainly involves the inhibition of NF-B activation.     

DO IMAGE-FORMING EYES PROMOTE EVOLUTIONARY DIVERSIFICATION?

It has been suggested that image-forming eyes promote the evolutionary diversification (measured by species richness) of the groups that possess them. Several different processes could give rise to this effect, including diversifying selection in a new adaptive zone (or zones) and a reduced rate of extinction due to enhanced competitive abilities. I tested the generality of the hypothesis that imaging eyes increase net speciation by comparing extant species numbers of 12 groups that have such eyes (as categorized by Land and Fernald 1992) with those of their cladistic sister groups that lack such organs. Even assuming the published hypotheses of phylogenetic relationships that most favor increased net speciation of visual groups, these comparisons show no significant association between imaging eyes and species richness. Increased activity, as indicated by published accounts of locomotory speed, is significantly associated with the evolution of image-forming eyes. This suggests that a large “visual adaptive zone” might be characterized by relatively high activity. However, when diversity comparisons are limited to eight cases in which the evolution of imaging eyes is associated with increased activity, there is still no significant association between such eyes and species richness. The fossil record indicates that the only visual groups that have undergone major evolutionary radiations evolved imaging eyes early in the history of metazoans (before the Silurian). The radiations of these early groups may have largely filled up niches for visual animals and thus prevented the subsequent proliferation of other groups with image-forming eyes. Alternatively, it may be that image-forming eyes have no exceptional effect on diversification or that their effects are obscured by other factors in the long run.     

中国亚洲玉米螟发育历期的地理变异

广布种昆虫可调节其生活史以适应栖息地的条件变化,如可以通过调节自身的生长发育和繁殖期,使其发生与栖息地的物候(如食料、气温和降雨等)同步,这对昆虫在栖息地的繁衍具有十分重要的意义。亚洲玉米螟Ostrinia furnacalis为玉米主要害虫,在中国从南到北都有分布,栖息地气候也不同,不同地理种群生活史发生了分化,如化性、临界光周期、滞育后羽化时间、体重和体型、繁殖力和抗寒力等均不同。然而该虫发育历期的地理变异尚未见系统报道。为此,详细比较了来自5个亚洲玉米螟不同地理种群即广西阳朔(YS)、江西南昌(NC)、山东泰安(TA)、河北廊坊(LF)和黑龙江哈尔滨(HEB)在20—31℃下卵、幼虫、蛹发育历期及其与栖息地纬度的关系。结果表明:不同温度下的不同地理种群的卵期不存在显著差异,在20、22和25℃下,卵期从南到北稍有延长,卵期与其栖息地纬度呈正相关;但在28℃下,不同地理种群的卵期基本相等,与纬度相关性不显著。在31℃下,不同地理种群的幼虫期不存在显著差异,而在其他温度下,不同地理种群的幼虫期存在显著差异;在22、25和28℃下,幼虫期与其栖息地纬度呈正相关,而在20和31℃下,幼虫期与其栖息地纬度呈负相关,在20、22和25℃下,最北的哈尔滨种群的幼虫期变幅不大,而其他4个种群的幼虫期随着温度的升高明显缩短。各地理种群20℃下的雌蛹、28℃下的雄蛹和31℃下的雌雄蛹期差异均不显著,其他雌或雄蛹期差异显著;各温度下的雌雄蛹期与其栖息地纬度存在正相关关系。这些研究结果揭示了广布种昆虫可以调节其自身发育历期以适应栖息地环境条件。     

不同坡度下植物散流-过滤带对地表股流氮磷的消除效果

在植物过滤带前设置0.8~1.2 m宽的散流带,能提高过滤带对地表股流中氮、磷营养物质的去除,发生明显增效作用。之前研究均基于平缓的坡度(4%~6%),对较倾斜坡度,设置散流带是否具有增效作用尚不清楚。研究通过在黄荆(Vitex negundo)过滤带前设置五节芒(Miscanthus floridulus)散流带,观测五节芒-黄荆和纯黄荆过滤带在5%、10%、15%坡度下对氮、磷的消除,探讨散流带在不同坡度下对过滤带的增效作用。结果表明:五节芒-黄荆和黄荆过滤带对总氮、铵氮、硝氮、总磷的去除均随坡度的增加而减小,在15%坡度下的去除效率最低;3种坡度下,五节芒-黄荆对总氮、铵氮、硝氮、总磷的消除均极显著(P0.01)或显著性(P0.05)高于黄荆过滤带,表明在较大坡度下(10%、15%),五节芒散流带对黄荆缓冲带的增效作用仍然存在。研究结果能深化植物散流-过滤带水质保护功能的认识,为农业非点源污染管理提供启示。     

基于支持向量回归的棉铃虫蛹发育历期估测

温度与发育速率关系模拟是昆虫学研究的一个重要内容, 传统基于经验风险最小的非线性参数模型(Logan模型、Lactin模型和王氏模型)存在诸多弊端。本文基于结构风险最小的改进支持向量回归（SVR）研究温度与棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera蛹发育历期关系。结果表明: 与传统非线性模型相比, SVR模型性能优异; 基于全部92个样本, SVR模型拟合和留一法预测的决定系数R²分别为0.998和0.996, 估测的蛹期三基点温度更可信。从全部样本中依温度均匀选取部分样本实施独立预测, 当训练集为20个样本时, SVR模型独立预测的R²为0.981, 优于传统非线性模型中独立预测最佳的Lactin模型（R²=0.958）; 当训练集进一步减少到12个样本时, SVR模型的R²仅降低到0.964, 而传统非线性模型均已不适用。结果提示SVR模型在小样本情况下较传统非线性模型优势明显, 在昆虫发育历期估测建模中有应用前景。     

Formation of organic products in self-radiolyzed calcium carbonate

Summary Calcium carbonate labeled with carbon-14 was self-irradiated by means of the -decay of its carbon-14. A number of products containing one or two carbon atoms were identified by high performance liquid chromatography. Formic and oxalic acids were produced in relatively high yields, while glyoxylic, glycolic, and acetic acids, as well as formaldehyde and methanol, were formed in lower yields. These results support the suggestion that carbonates subjected to ionizing radiation could have been a source of carbon for organic synthesis on the primitive earth.