鼎湖山南亚热带常绿阔叶林植物功能性状变异与不同垂直层次个体生长的关联

建立植物功能性状与群落动态之间的关联是功能生态学的核心问题之一。本文基于鼎湖山1.44 ha塔吊样地的两次调查数据, 通过采集样地内所有4,142株个体的6种植物功能性状, 对比分析了个体水平植物功能性状和物种水平功能性状均值对不同垂直层次(灌木层、亚冠层和林冠层)个体生长的影响差异。首先, 分析了不同垂直层次下各植物功能性状的变化趋势; 其次, 计算了不同垂直层次下各植物功能性状的种内和种间变异水平; 最后, 运用结构方程模型探讨了植物功能性状、光竞争以及地下竞争对不同垂直层次树木生长的影响。结果表明: (1)不同垂直层次下的植物功能性状表现出明显的分异, 由灌木层至林冠层, 叶面积、比叶面积和能量供求关系指数显著降低, 而叶片厚度和叶片干物质含量显著升高; (2)不同垂直层次下植物功能性状的种间变异均大于种内变异, 且林冠层的种内功能性状变异均大于灌木层和亚冠层; (3)基于个体水平植物功能性状的结构方程模型较物种水平功能性状均值对生长具有更高的解释程度, 且个体水平植物功能性状的引入更有利于提高对灌木层个体生长的预测能力; (4)光竞争和地下竞争主要通过影响功能性状间接影响植物生长。由灌木层至林冠层, 同种间的相互作用逐渐减弱, 异种间的相互作用逐渐增强。综上, 将个体水平植物功能性状纳入分析有助于更好地理解群落的结构和动态。     

树冠结构对典型阔叶红松林生产力的影响

阔叶红松(Pinus koraiensis)林是东北东部山区的地带性森林植被, 阐明其生产力的影响因素, 对于理解温带森林生产力维持机制具有重要意义。该研究依托小兴安岭典型阔叶红松林9 hm²动态监测样地, 基于2005和2015年的30 m × 30 m样方内所有胸径>6.5 cm的木本植物的调查数据, 计算各样方的树冠结构复杂性、物种多样性和林分胸高断面积, 结合各样方的地形和土壤理化性质数据, 拟合结构方程模型, 定量分析影响典型阔叶红松林生产力的直接和间接因素。研究结果显示: 树冠结构复杂性和物种多样性与生产力显著正相关, 且树冠结构复杂性对生产力的影响显著高于物种多样性; 树冠结构复杂性对生产力的作用分为树冠垂直分层和树冠可塑性, 其中树冠垂直分层是树冠结构复杂性影响阔叶红松林生产力的主要因素, 而树冠可塑性无显著影响; 林分胸高断面积与生产力显著正相关, 其解释权重仅次于树冠结构复杂性, 树冠结构复杂性与物种多样性均通过影响林分胸高断面积对阔叶红松林生产力产生间接影响; 考虑不同树冠结构复杂性时, 坡度和土壤全磷含量代表的环境因素在调节生产力上发挥的作用存在差异, 移除树冠垂直分层的作用后两者与生产力呈显著的负相关关系。综上可知, 在典型阔叶红松林中, 树冠结构复杂性比物种多样性更有效地解释了生产力的变化, 同时不可忽视其他生物和非生物因素对生产力的作用。     

Evaluation of the standards compliance of the queen bees reared in the Mediterranean region in Turkey

The influence of different commercial queen producers on the quality of Apis mellifera queens was assessed. It was aimed to determine the quality characteristics of queens reared by commercial queen producers located in the province of Antalya, which is an important region in queens production due to its climatic characteristics. For this purpose, the quality characteristics of a total of 105 queen bees obtained from 21 enterprises were determined. Differences between the enterprises in terms of the number of spermatozoa (P < 0.01) were determined. In terms of the diameter of spermatheca, spermatheca volume and live weight, statistical differences between the enterprises were also observed (P < 0.05). When the relationships between the measured characteristics were examined, significant values were obtained statistically between live weight and diameter of spermathecae (0.268) and spermatheca volume (0.258). It was also determined that there is a significant correlation between spermatheca diameter and spermatheca volume (0.995). The spermatheca diameter of a good quality queen bee should not be <1.2 mm, spermatheca volume 0.90 mm³ and live weight not <200 mg. Only live weight was found to be within the normal quality standard values when the average results of the quality criteria are taken into consideration. Other characters such as spermathecae diameter, spermathecae volume and number of spermatozoa in spermathecae seem to be below quality standard values.     

Pattern classification of kinematic and kinetic running data to distinguish gender,shod/barefoot and injury groups with feature ranking

The identification of differences between groups is often important in biomechanics. This paper presents group classification tasks using kinetic and kinematic data from a prospective running injury study. Groups composed of gender, of shod/barefoot running and of runners who developed patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) during the study, and asymptotic runners were classified.

The features computed from the biomechanical data were deliberately chosen to be generic. Therefore, they were suited for different biomechanical measurements and classification tasks without adaptation to the input signals. Feature ranking was applied to reveal the relevance of each feature to the classification task.

Data from 80 runners were analysed for gender and shod/barefoot classification, while 12 runners were investigated in the injury classification task. Gender groups could be differentiated with 84.7%, shod/barefoot running with 98.3%, and PFPS with 100% classification rate. For the latter group, one single variable could be identified that alone allowed discrimination.     

Individual dispersal,landscape connectivity and ecological networks

Connectivity is classically considered an emergent property of landscapes encapsulating individuals' flows across space. However, its operational use requires a precise understanding of why and how organisms disperse. Such movements, and hence landscape connectivity, will obviously vary according to both organism properties and landscape features. We review whether landscape connectivity estimates could gain in both precision and generality by incorporating three fundamental outcomes of dispersal theory. Firstly, dispersal is a multi‐causal process; its restriction to an ‘escape reaction’ to environmental unsuitability is an oversimplification, as dispersing individuals can leave excellent quality habitat patches or stay in poor‐quality habitats according to the relative costs and benefits of dispersal and philopatry. Secondly, species, populations and individuals do not always react similarly to those cues that trigger dispersal, which sometimes results in contrasting dispersal strategies. Finally, dispersal is a major component of fitness and is thus under strong selective pressures, which could generate rapid adaptations of dispersal strategies. Such evolutionary responses will entail spatiotemporal variation in landscape connectivity. We thus strongly recommend the use of genetic tools to: (i) assess gene flow intensity and direction among populations in a given landscape; and (ii) accurately estimate landscape features impacting gene flow, and hence landscape connectivity. Such approaches will provide the basic data for planning corridors or stepping stones aiming at (re)connecting local populations of a given species in a given landscape. This strategy is clearly species‐ and landscape‐specific. But we suggest that the ecological network in a given landscape could be designed by stacking up such linkages designed for several species living in different ecosystems. This procedure relies on the use of umbrella species that are representative of other species living in the same ecosystem.     

Controlling Hierarchy in Solution‐processed Polymer Solar Cells Based on Crosslinked P3HT

Understanding and controlling the morphology of donor/acceptor blends is critical for the development of solution processable organic solar cells. By crosslinking a poly(3‐n‐hexylthiophene‐2,5‐diyl) (P3HT) film we have been able to spin‐coat [6,6]‐phenyl‐C₆₁‐butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) onto the film to form a structure that is close to a bilayer, thus creating an ideal platform for investigating interdiffusion in this model system. Neutron reflectometry (NR) demonstrates that without any thermal treatment a smaller amount of PCBM percolates throughout the crosslinked P3HT when compared to a non‐crosslinked P3HT film. Using time‐resolved NR we also show thermal annealing increases the rate of diffusion, resulting in a near‐uniform distribution of PCBM throughout the polymer film. XPS measurements confirm the presence of both P3HT and PCBM at the annealed film's surface indicating that the two components are intermixed. Photovoltaic devices fabricated using this bilayer approach and suitable annealing conditions yielded comparable power conversion efficiencies to bulk heterojunction devices made from the same materials. The crosslinking procedure has also enabled the formation of patterned P3HT films by photolithography. Pillars with feature sizes down to 2 μm were produced and after subsequent deposition of PCBM and thermal annealing devices with efficiencies of up to 1.4% were produced.     

Proteomic analysis for Type I interferon antagonism of Japanese encephalitis virus NS5 protein

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) nonstructural protein 5 (NS5) exhibits a Type I interferon (IFN) antagonistic function. This study characterizes Type I IFN antagonism mechanism of NS5 protein, using proteomic approach. In human neuroblastoma cells, NS5 expression would suppress IFNβ‐induced responses, for example, expression of IFN‐stimulated genes PKR and OAS as well as STAT1 nuclear translocation and phosphorylation. Proteomic analysis showed JEV NS5 downregulating calreticulin, while upregulating cyclophilin A, HSP 60 and stress‐induced‐phosphoprotein 1. Gene silence of calreticulin raised intracellular Ca²⁺ levels while inhibiting nuclear translocalization of STAT1 and NFAT‐1 in response to IFNβ, thus, indicating calreticulin downregulation linked with Type I IFN antagonism of JEV NS5 via activation of Ca²⁺/calicineurin. Calcineurin inhibitor cyclosporin A attenuated NS5‐mediated inhibition of IFNβ‐induced responses, for example, IFN‐sensitive response element driven luciferase, STAT1‐dependent PKR mRNA expression, as well as phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of STAT1. Transfection with calcineurin (vs. control) siRNA enhanced nuclear translocalization of STAT1 and upregulated PKR expression in NS5‐expressing cells in response to IFNβ. Results prove Ca²⁺, calreticulin, and calcineurin involvement in STAT1‐mediated signaling as well as a key role of JEV NS5 in Type I IFN antagonism. This study offers insights into the molecular mechanism of Type I interferon antagonism by JEV NS5.     

胆管结石合并胆管癌的临床特征与诊治分析

目的：探讨胆管结石合并胆管癌的临床特征及诊治方法。方法：回顾性分析2000年1月-2009年12月我院收治的胆管结石合并胆管癌16例患者的临床病理资料。结果：胆管癌的发生率占同期胆管结石患者的3.1%,其临床表现以右上腹疼痛及反复的胆管炎发作为主,但缺乏特异性。术前胆管癌组患者AKP、γ-GT均有不同程度升高,ALT升高12例,总胆红素升高9例,与非胆管癌组相比,AKP、γ-GT、ALT、TBIL均显著升高（P〈0.01）,且胆管癌组术前血清CA19-9及CEA显著高于非胆管癌组（P〈0.01）,而两组间CA125及AFP水平比较无显著差异（P〉0.05）。16例患者中可进行手术治疗10例;其中根治性手术8例,姑息性手术2例。8例根治性手术患者的1、3年生存率分别为78.6%和36.4%;2例姑息性手术患者1、3年生存率分别为50.0%和0%,两组比较具有显著性差异（P〈0.05）。结论：胆管结石合并胆管癌的临床表现缺乏特异性,患者的疗效较差,对血清CA19-9和CEA显著升高者应行病理活检确诊,治疗手段应该力争实行根治性切除,有助于提高患者的生存期。     

Protein adaptation to high hydrostatic pressure: Computational analysis of the structural proteome

Hydrostatic pressure has a vital role in the biological adaptation of the piezophiles, organisms that live under high hydrostatic pressure. However, the mechanisms by which piezophiles are able to adapt their proteins to high hydrostatic pressure is not well understood. One proposed hypothesis is that the volume changes of unfolding (ΔV_Tot) for proteins from piezophiles is distinct from those of nonpiezophilic organisms. Since ΔV_Tot defines pressure dependence of stability, we performed a comprehensive computational analysis of this property for proteins from piezophilic and nonpiezophilic organisms. In addition, we experimentally measured the ΔV_Tot of acylphosphatases and thioredoxins belonging to piezophilic and nonpiezophilic organisms. Based on this analysis we concluded that there is no difference in ΔV_Tot for proteins from piezophilic and nonpiezophilic organisms. Finally, we put forward the hypothesis that increased concentrations of osmolytes can provide a systemic increase in pressure stability of proteins from piezophilic organisms and provide experimental thermodynamic evidence in support of this hypothesis.     

Factors,mechanisms and implications of chromatin condensation and chromosomal structural maintenance through the cell cycle

A series of well-orchestrated events help in the chromatin condensation and the formation of chromosomes. Apart from the formation of chromosomes, maintenance of their structure is important, especially for the cell division. The structural maintenance of chromosome (SMC) proteins, the non-SMC proteins and the SMC complexes are critical for the maintenance of chromosome structure. While condensins have roles for the DNA compaction, organization, and segregation, the cohesin functions in a cyclic manner through the cell cycle, as a “cohesin cycle.” Specific mechanisms maintain the architecture of the centromere, the kinetochore and the telomeres which are in tandem with the cell cycle checkpoints. The presence of chromosomal territories and compactness differences through the length of the chromosomes might have implications on selective susceptibility of specific chromosomes for induced genotoxicity.