Charles Darwin’s bird collection and ornithological knowledge during the voyage of H.M.S. “Beagle”, 1831–1836

This paper analyses Charles Darwins bird collection and the ornithological knowledge he derived from it during the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle. Darwin collected 468 bird skins, 10 detached parts of the lesser rhea, and the nests and eggs of 16 different taxa as well as 14 whole birds and 4 parts of birds which he preserved in spirit. He labelled these specimens with a number tag only, cross-referring the number to a notebook entry. Partly because of his limited ornithological knowledge and partly because he was confronted at times with entirely unknown birds, Darwin was often unable to apply the correct generic designations and gave his South American specimens English and Spanish names from literature and the local tongues, as well as the scientific generic names of European birds. Back home, it was John Gould, the prominent ornithologist of the Zoological Society of London, who made sense of Darwins collection, among his many other scientific achievements correctly identifying the Galápagos finches as a group of closely related birds. Darwins bird collection did not receive much attention in the latter part of the 19th century. Most of the specimens had their original labels removed and replaced by ones of the custodian institution. Today, original Darwin specimens stemming from the Beagle voyage are to be found in at least eight different institutions, but almost half of the bird specimens Darwin collected on the Beagle voyage are not accounted for. The appendix to this paper lists for the first time all the birds which Darwin collected during the voyage. Darwins famous book On the origin of species hardly draws upon any ornithological examples from his voyage on the Beagle. Nevertheless, Darwin contributed much to ornithology. His collection contained 39 new species and subspecies of birds, mainly described by Gould, and some birds from populations now extinct, and he also made a few very good field observations, published in the sections of The Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle dedicated to birds.

Miscibility of acyl-chain defined phosphatidylcholines with N-palmitoyl sphingomyelin in bilayer membranes

In this study we have used differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to study the miscibility of different saturated phosphatidylcholines (PCs) with d-erythro-N-palmitoyl-sphingomyelin (16:0-SM). Information about the miscibility was obtained by observing the thermotropic phase behavior of binary mixtures of saturated PCs and 16:0-SM. The results obtained showed that PC miscibility in 16:0-SM was markedly affected by the PC acyl-chain composition. According to phase diagrams prepared from DSC data and the mid-transition temperatures of the main phase transition, the PC which formed the most ideal mixture with 16:0-SM was di-14:0-PC. However, the cooperativity of the main transition in PC/16:0-SM bilayers increased until the average acyl-chain length in the PC reached 15 carbons. Based on the criteria of the most ideal miscibility or the highest cooperativity of the main transition, we conclude that di-14:0-PC, 15:0/15:0-PC, and 14:0/16:0-PC interacted most favorably with 16:0-SM in bilayer membranes. Di-16:0-PC, to which 16:0-SM is often compared in biophysical studies, showed much less ideal miscibility.     

Isolation and characterization of 15 polymorphic microsatellite markers for the devastating dry rot fungus,Serpula lacrymans

Fifteen polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed from microsatellite‐enriched DNA libraries of the devastating dry rot fungus, Serpula lacrymans. The loci exhibited two to four alleles per locus and the expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.13 to 0.47. The codominant markers, described here for this fungus, will permit further studies in population genetics and phylogeography of this economically highly important species.     

Eating in the Absence of Hunger: A Genetic Marker for Childhood Obesity in Prepubertal Boys?

Objective: Eating in the absence of hunger (EAH) may be a behavioral trait through which obesity‐promoting genes promote positive energy balance. The primary aim of this study was to compare children born at high vs. low risk for obesity with respect to EAH at 5 years of age. Research Methods and Procedures: This was an observational investigation of families enrolled in the University of Pennsylvania and The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's Infant Growth Study. Five‐year‐old children born at high (N = 28) or low (N = 25) risk for obesity on the basis of maternal prepregnancy body weight were evaluated at a hospital‐based laboratory. Children consumed 11 snack foods ad libitum after consuming an ad libitum dinner and reporting fullness. Parents reported on snack foods at home and their own eating styles. Nutritive sucking at 3 months of age was evaluated by computerized apparatus. Results: EAH in high‐risk boys (mean ± standard error = 326 ± 66 kJ] was more than twice that of low‐risk boys (mean ± standard error = 151 ± 39 kJ), p = 0.03. Among girls, there was a trend for EAH to be associated with increased parental limitations on daughter snack food consumption at home (p = 0.06). EAH was unrelated to 3‐month sucking behavior. Discussion: Genes that promote childhood obesity may partially exert their influence through EAH, an effect that was limited to boys born at risk for obesity. The unique influences of genes and home environment on this trait should be disaggregated in subsequent studies.     

Estimation of Cellobiohydrolase Ⅰ Activity by Numerical Differentiation of Dynamic Ultraviolet Spectroscopy

1,4-β-D-glucan cellobiohydrolase Ⅰ （CBH Ⅰ）, p-nitrophenyl β-D-cellobioside, p-nitrophenol and cellobiose show distinct ultraviolet spectra, allowing the design of an assay to track the dynamic process of p-nitrophenyl β-D-cellobioside hydrolysis by CBH Ⅰ. Based on the linear relationship between p-nitrophenol formation in the hydrolysate and its first derivative absorption curve of AUC340-400 m （area under the curve）, a new sensitive assay for the determination of CBH Ⅰ activity was developed. The dynamic parameters of catalysis reaction, such as Vm and kcat, can all be derived from this result. The influence of β-glucosidase and endoglucanase in crude enzyme sample on the assay was discussed in detail. This approach is useful for accurate determination of the activity of CBHs.     

56例卵巢上皮性交界性肿瘤的临床和病理分析

目的：探讨卵巢交界性上皮肿瘤（OBT）的临床及病理特征,以供临床和病理借鉴.方法：收集病理快速冰冻切片和石蜡切片确诊的交界性上皮性卵巢肿瘤患者56例,术前均行超声检查及CA125测定.结果：56例OBT中以粘液性肿瘤最多,为33例,占58.9%,浆液性肿瘤23例占41.1%.其中以Ⅰ期多见,手术包括保守性手术治疗交界性肿瘤,预后良好.冰冻切片诊断卵巢交界性上皮肿瘤的总体准确率为64.2%.结论：诊断OBT需根据临床症状、肿瘤标记物及影像学综合判断,术中冰冻切片检查有一定帮助,但最后诊断还是应主要依据病理切片.为提高快速冰冻切片诊断的准确率,应做连续切片.     

Estimation of Cellobiohydrolase I Activity by Numerical Differentiation of Dynamic Ultraviolet Spectroscopy

1,4-β-D-glucan cellobiohydrolase I (CBH I),p-nitrophenyl β-D-cellobioside,p-nitrophenol andcellobiose show distinct ultraviolet spectra,allowing the design of an assay to track the dynamic process ofp-nitrophenyl β-D-cellobioside hydrolysis by CBH I.Based on the linear relationship between p-nitrophenolformation in the hydrolysate and its first derivative absorption Curve of AUC340_400_(nm)(area under the curve),a new sensitive assay for the determination of CBH I activity was developed.The dynamic parameters ofcatalysis reaction,such as Vm and k_(cat),can all be derived from this result.The influence of β-glucosidase andendoglucanase in crude enzyme sample on the assay was discussed in detail.This approach is useful foraccurate determination of the activity of CBHs.     

Species composition and correlation of understory woody plants in Chinese fir plantation in the lower subtropical area

There are 71 species in the shrub layer of the Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation after natural succession. The species richness and diversity have increased with slight anthropogenic disturbance. The status and function of understory woody species were judged by the analysis of the important value (IV). x ² statistics and r test were used for testing the significance of interspecific association and correlation among 25 main understory woody plants selected from the woody population. The results clearly showed their interspecific relationships and their differences in resource utilization. Species-pairs of positive association were in the majority. Most species were accommodated in the shady habitat. There was a positive correlation between the IV of the species and the interspecific association. The higher the IV of the species, the closer and more significant was the interspecific association. Based on analytical results of interspecific association and correlation, 25 woody plants in the shrub layer could be divided into four ecological species groups: I. Ficus hispida + Antidesma bunius + Mallotus barbatus + Ficus cunia + Saurauia tristyla + Mallotus philippinensis + Maesa japonica + Ficus hirta + Alchornea rugosa + Ficus fulva + Mallotus apelta; II. Cudrania tricuspidata + Schefflera octophylla; III. Cunninghamia lanceolata + Clerodendron cytophyllum + Millettia semicastrata + Randia spinosa + Litsea cubeba + Litsea pungens; IV. Ardisia japonica + Psychotria rubra + Vitex quinata + Cephalanthus occidentalis + Pithecellobium lucidum + Mycetia sinensis. If species group III or II is the advantaged species in the shrub layer, the community would change from a coniferous forest to a sparse evergreen broad-leaved forest. For group IV, the community would be relatively stable. For group I, the coniferous forest would be mixed with coniferous-broad leaved forest. The classification of ecological species groups would provide a theoretical basis on judging its ecological function, adjusting the stand structure of the plantation and directing the suitable natural vegetation type through the close-natural restoration process. __________ Translated from Acta Ecologica Sinica, 2005, 25(9): 2173–2179 [译自: 生态学报, 2005, 25(9): 2173–2179]     

脑电磁场及脑内源定位的研究进展

本文从物理学的电磁场理论阐述脑电磁场的产生原理;从源的等效偶极子定位和皮层成像方法两个方面回顾了脑内源定位的研究进展;作为脑电的基础性研究,它对临床医学的发展具有积极的推动作用。     

粘弹剂在不同眼球破裂伤手术中的应用

目的：分析粘弹剂在不同眼球破裂伤手术中的有效作用。方法：回顾并分析27例不同程度眼球破裂伤患者的治疗,其中包括复杂角膜裂口并虹膜脱出修复术、摘出前房异物、瞳孔区非磁性异物、虹膜根部断离,晶体损伤或脱位等。术中应用粘弹剂固定异物、充填前房及玻璃体腔。观察术后6个月的眼球形态、视力等指标。结果：术后观察最少6个月。27例眼球全部保留,24例有视力。3例因继发视网膜脱离复住2次手术失败而失明,后眼球萎缩,植入义眼。11例白内障现代囊外摘除或PHACO术后植入人工晶体,3例晶体脱位者摘除晶体后缝线植入人工晶体。11眼视力在0．5以上。无眼内炎及交感性眼炎发生。单纯前节手术10人中均有术后轻度眼压增高,但很快恢复正常。3例因伴有视网膜脱离患者术后眼压低,术后失明。结论：不同重度眼外伤后眼内容大量丢失。眼球形态政变。应用粘弹刑可为手术提供方便,也能为保全眼球并恢复视能提供机会。在前房异物取出时能有效固定异物,为异物的取出创造是好的基础。