六盘山主要植被类型冠层截留特征

通过野外观测和模型模拟,研究了六盘山主要森林类型的冠层截留量、冠层截留容量和冠层截留模拟参数的变化.结果表明：六盘山主要森林类型的冠层截留率在8.59%～17.94%,穿透降雨率超过80%,树干茎流率在0.23%～3.10%;冠层截留容量在0.78～1.84 mm,其中叶截留容量在0.62～1.63 mm,枝干截留容量在0.13～0.29 mm,且针叶林的冠层截留容量高于阔叶林.考虑冠层叶面积指数的冠层截留改进模型较原有模型具有更好的模拟精度, 其中,研究区红桦林、华山松林、李灌丛和辽东栎-少脉椴混交林的模拟效果较好,辽东栎林、油松林和华西四蕊槭 石枣子灌丛模拟效果相对较差,这可能与冠层结构、叶面积指数以及降水特性等差异有关.     

Sampling strategy optimization to increase statistical power in landscape genomics: A simulation‐based approach

An increasing number of studies are using landscape genomics to investigate local adaptation in wild and domestic populations. Implementation of this approach requires the sampling phase to consider the complexity of environmental settings and the burden of logistical constraints. These important aspects are often underestimated in the literature dedicated to sampling strategies. In this study, we computed simulated genomic data sets to run against actual environmental data in order to trial landscape genomics experiments under distinct sampling strategies. These strategies differed by design approach (to enhance environmental and/or geographical representativeness at study sites), number of sampling locations and sample sizes. We then evaluated how these elements affected statistical performances (power and false discoveries) under two antithetical demographic scenarios. Our results highlight the importance of selecting an appropriate sample size, which should be modified based on the demographic characteristics of the studied population. For species with limited dispersal, sample sizes above 200 units are generally sufficient to detect most adaptive signals, while in random mating populations this threshold should be increased to 400 units. Furthermore, we describe a design approach that maximizes both environmental and geographical representativeness of sampling sites and show how it systematically outperforms random or regular sampling schemes. Finally, we show that although having more sampling locations (between 40 and 50 sites) increase statistical power and reduce false discovery rate, similar results can be achieved with a moderate number of sites (20 sites). Overall, this study provides valuable guidelines for optimizing sampling strategies for landscape genomics experiments.     

基于脂质组学技术研究急性缺血性脑卒中临床诊断标志物

目的:急性缺血性脑卒中(Acute ischemic stroke, AIS)是由于血流减少导致的脑功能突然丧失。由于AIS发病机制是异质性和多因素的,我们建立全面的脂质组学方法来阐明AIS进程相关的脂质变化和复杂的脂质代谢网络。方法:选取26例AIS患者血液标本和27例健康志愿者血清作为研究对象,进行总脂抽提,通过基于LC-MS策略的非靶向脂质组学方法进行规模性、整体性的脂质组学分析。结果:对AIS患者和健康志愿者血浆进行大规模脂质定性定量分析,通过Progenesis~? QI软件分析Xevo~? G2-XS QTOF质谱系统MSE采集的子离子数据,精确定量到1054个脂质特征差异,准确定性得到368个脂质分子,多变量统计分析中差异脂质组成能将AIS患者和健康志愿者区分开来,通路富集分析图显示差异脂质主要参与甘油磷脂代谢的紊乱。结论:AIS患者血浆脂质组成与健康志愿者存在显著差异,差异表达的脂质可能与AIS发生有关。这些发现有助于开发新的诊断标志物和AIS治疗靶点。     

Phylogeographic and demographic effects of Pleistocene climatic fluctuations in a montane salamander, Plethodon fourchensis

Climatic changes associated with Pleistocene glacial cycles profoundly affected species distributions, patterns of interpopulation gene flow, and demography. In species restricted to montane habitats, ranges may expand and contract along an elevational gradients in response to environmental fluctuations and create high levels of genetic variation among populations on different mountains. The salamander Plethodon fourchensis is restricted to high-elevation, mesic forest on five montane isolates in the Ouachita Mountains. We used DNA sequence data along with ecological niche modelling and coalescent simulations to test several hypotheses related to the effects of Pleistocene climatic fluctuations on species in montane habitats. Our results revealed that P. fourchensis is composed of four well-supported, geographically structured lineages. Geographic breaks between lineages occurred in the vicinity of major valleys and a narrow high-elevation pass. Ecological niche modelling predicted that environmental conditions in valleys separating most mountains are suitable; however, interglacial periods like the present are predicted to be times of range expansion in P. fourchensis . Divergence dating and coalescent simulations indicated that lineage diversification occurred during the Middle Pleistocene via the fragmentation of a wide-ranging ancestor. Bayesian skyline plots showed gradual decreases in population size in three of four lineages over the most recent glacial period and a slight to moderate amount of population growth during the Holocene. Our results not only demonstrate that climatic changes during the Pleistocene had profound effects on species restricted to montane habitats, but comparison of our results for P. fourchensis with its parapatric, sister taxon, P. ouachitae , also emphasizes how responses can vary substantially even among closely related, similarly distributed taxa.     

Investigating the relationship between raw milk bacterial composition, as described by intergenic transcribed spacer–PCR fingerprinting, and pasture altitude

Aims:  To assess the bacterial biodiversity level in bovine raw milk used to produce Fontina, a Protected Designation of Origin cheese manufactured at high-altitude pastures and in valleys of Valle d'Aosta region (North-western Italian Alps) without any starters. To study the relation between microbial composition and pasture altitude, in order to distinguish high-altitude milk against valley and lowland milk.
Methods and Results:  The microflora from milks sampled at different alpine pasture, valley and lowland farms were fingerprinted by PCR of the 16S–23S intergenic transcribed spacers (ITS-PCR). The resulting band patterns were analysed by generalized multivariate statistical techniques to handle discrete (band presence–absence) and continuous (altitude) information. The fingerprints featured numerous bands and marked variability indicating complex, differentiated bacterial communities. Alpine pasture milks were distinguished from lowland ones by cluster analysis, while this technique less clearly discriminated alpine pasture and valley samples. Generalized principal component analysis and clustering-after-ordination enabled a more effective distinction of alpine pasture, valley and lowland samples.
Conclusions:  Alpine raw milks for Fontina production contain highly diverse bacterial communities, the composition of which is related to the altitude of the pasture where milk was produced.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  This research may provide analytical support to the important issue represented by the authentication of the geographical origin of alpine milk productions.     

Permanent tooth mineralization in bonobos (Pan paniscus) and chimpanzees (P. troglodytes)

The timing of tooth mineralization in bonobos (Pan paniscus) is virtually uncharacterized. Analysis of these developmental features in bonobos and the possible differences with its sister species, the chimpanzee (P. troglodytes), is important to properly quantify the normal ranges of dental growth variation in closely related primate species. Understanding this variation among bonobo, chimpanzee and modern human dental development is necessary to better contextualize the life histories of extinct hominins. This study tests whether bonobos and chimpanzees are distinguished from each other by covariance among the relative timing and sequences of tooth crown initiation, mineralization, root extension, and completion. Using multivariate statistical analyses, we compared the relative timing of permanent tooth crypt formation, crown mineralization, and root extension between 34 P. paniscus and 80 P. troglodytes mandibles radiographed in lateral and occlusal views. Covariance among our 12 assigned dental scores failed to statistically distinguish between bonobos and chimpanzees. Rather than clustering by species, individuals clustered by age group (infant, younger or older juvenile, and adult). Dental scores covaried similarly between the incisors, as well as between both premolars. Conversely, covariance among dental scores distinguished the canine and each of the three molars not only from each other, but also from the rest of the anterior teeth. Our study showed no significant differences in the relative timing of permanent tooth crown and root formation between bonobos and chimpanzees. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

中高纬度地区TRMM卫星降雨数据的精度评价

卫星降雨产品在降雨空间格局分析中扮演着重要角色,其中TRMM 3B42（3B42）是重要的产品之一,具有适宜的空间和时间尺度,已成为生态、气候、水文模型的重要驱动因子.当前对3B42 V7新版本数据的精度和误差认识仍然有限,尤其缺少中高纬度地区的数据精度评价研究,制约其在生态、气候和水文等领域的应用.本文基于内蒙古自治区1998—2012年3B42 V7产品和53个气象站点数据,评估其在中高纬度地区的精度,揭示了各精度评价指标的空间分布特征及其影响因子.总体精度评价结果表明： 3B42在年、月、日尺度上均高估降雨量,且误差随时间尺度增大而增加,日降雨量的平均误差和平均绝对误差分别为-0.06和0.88 mm;降雨事件侦测能力表现良好,公正预兆评分达到0.23,但对降雨事件总频率存在微弱高估.数据精度受海拔和多年平均降雨量影响,随海拔升高,降雨绝对误差减小,降雨事件探测能力减弱,多年平均降雨量对数据精度的影响则相反.     

Disease modifying treatment of spinal cord injury with directly reprogrammed neural precursor cells in non-human primates

BACKGROUNDThe development of regenerative therapy for human spinal cord injury (SCI) is dramatically restricted by two main challenges: the need for a safe source of functionally active and reproducible neural stem cells and the need of adequate animal models for preclinical testing. Direct reprogramming of somatic cells into neuronal and glial precursors might be a promising solution to the first challenge. The use of non-human primates for preclinical studies exploring new treatment paradigms in SCI results in data with more translational relevance to human SCI.AIMTo investigate the safety and efficacy of intraspinal transplantation of directly reprogrammed neural precursor cells (drNPCs).METHODSSeven non-human primates with verified complete thoracic SCI were divided into two groups: drNPC group (n = 4) was subjected to intraspinal transplantation of 5 million drNPCs rostral and caudal to the lesion site 2 wk post injury, and lesion control (n = 3) was injected identically with the equivalent volume of vehicle.RESULTSFollow-up for 12 wk revealed that animals in the drNPC group demonstrated a significant recovery of the paralyzed hindlimb as well as recovery of somatosensory evoked potential and motor evoked potential of injured pathways. Magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging data confirmed the intraspinal transplantation of drNPCs did not adversely affect the morphology of the central nervous system or cerebrospinal fluid circulation. Subsequent immunohistochemical analysis showed that drNPCs maintained SOX2 expression characteristic of multipotency in the transplanted spinal cord for at least 12 wk, migrating to areas of axon growth cones.CONCLUSIONOur data demonstrated that drNPC transplantation was safe and contributed to improvement of spinal cord function after acute SCI, based on neurological status assessment and neurophysiological recovery within 12 wk after transplantation. The functional improvement described was not associated with neuronal differentiation of the allogeneic drNPCs. Instead, directed drNPCs migration to the areas of active growth cone formation may provide exosome and paracrine trophic support, thereby further supporting the regeneration processes.     

合肥秋冬季茶园天敌对假眼小绿叶蝉和茶蚜的空间跟随关系

为了合理保护和利用天敌及科学地选取抽样方法,开展了合肥地区秋冬季4个品种茶园假眼小绿叶蝉Empoasca vitisGothe和茶蚜Toxoptera aurantii Boyer与其天敌之间空间关系研究,运用地学统计学方法求得天敌和害虫各自的变程,用灰色关联度分析方法分析害虫与天敌变程的关联度,关联度值越大的天敌在空间上对害虫的跟随关系越密切。分析了2010年9月28日至11月25日期间假眼小绿叶蝉和茶蚜数量最少的舒茶早茶园和二种害虫数量最多的平阳特早茶园天敌对害虫空间上的跟随关系,结果表明,二种茶园的假眼小绿叶蝉和茶蚜及其4种主要天敌均为聚集分布,舒茶早茶园与假眼小绿叶蝉空间上跟随关系密切的前二位天敌是斜纹猫蛛Oxyopes sertatus L.Koch(0.8594)和草间小黑蛛Erigonidium graminicolum Sundevall(0.8397),与茶蚜空间上跟随关系密切的前二位天敌是草间小黑蛛(0.7448)和斜纹猫蛛(0.7433);平阳特早茶园与假眼小绿叶蝉空间上跟随关系密切的前二位天敌是八斑球腹蛛Theridion ocomaculatum Bose.et Str(0.8207)和斜纹猫蛛(0.8104),与茶蚜空间上跟随关系密切的前二位天敌是八斑球腹蛛(0.8324)和斜纹猫蛛(0.7730)。其中,11月25日4种茶园假眼小绿叶蝉和茶蚜数量均较多。分析了该日另外二个茶树品种福云六号和龙井长叶茶园假眼小绿叶蝉和茶蚜与其天敌的空间关系,结果表明,二种茶园假眼小绿叶蝉和茶蚜及其天敌均为聚集分布,福云六号茶园与假眼小绿叶蝉变程值(3.8182)最接近的天敌是斜纹猫蛛(4.7222),与茶蚜变程值(6.5854)最接近的天敌是斜纹猫蛛(4.7222);龙井长叶茶园与假眼小绿叶蝉变程值(1.0000)最接近的天敌是八斑球腹蛛(1.0000),与茶蚜变程值(4.5000)最接近的天敌是斜纹猫蛛(7.6316)。总之,秋冬季4个品种茶园斜纹猫蛛在空间上是假眼小绿叶蝉和茶蚜跟随关系最密切的天敌,其次是八斑球腹蛛和草间小黑蛛。