水位变化对高原湿地湖滨带优势植物水葱的生长胁迫

干旱等引起的水位变化使大面积湖泊湿地湖滨带退化消失,其对湿地植物及其群落的影响是近年来的研究热点,对生长于零地面水位环境水葱(实验组)的生长特性(相对生长速率、基茎、分枝数)和抗性相关物质(茎丙二醛、脯氨酸含量)进行研究,与正常水环境(淹水约20 cm)下生长的水葱(对照组)进行对比,以揭示地面水位变为零(干旱)对水葱生长产生的影响。结果表明:不同实验时间段,水葱的相对生长速率不同,5月,实验组和对照组分别为2.00 cm·d-1和3.18 cm·d-1;6月中上旬,分别为2.35 cm·d-1和2.44 cm·d-1;6月中下旬,分别为0.95 cm·d-1和0.99 cm·d-1;7月之后,分别为0.02 cm·d-1和0.05 cm·d-1。实验组水葱平均分枝数为2.94枝/丛,对照组为4.86枝/丛;实验组水葱基径为5.15 mm,对照组为7.33 mm;实验组水葱茎的相对含水量为73.28%,对照组为75.28%;实验组水葱平均丙二醛、脯氨酸含量分别为10.27μg·kg-1和9.44μmol·kg-1,对照组分别为6.46μg·kg-1和6.40μmol·kg-1。实验组和对照组水葱除了茎相对含水量差异不显著,其余指标均差异显著(对照组优于实验组),这表明地面水位变为零相对不利于生葱生长,会降低主要植物为水葱的湿地生态系统的生产力,最终加速该种湿地生态系统退化演替。研究结果可为揭示气候变化(干旱)对湿地挺水植物的生长以及对高原湿地生态系统的影响提供科学依据。     

Homozygosity at a class II MHC locus depresses female reproductive ability in European brown hares

The link between adaptive genetic variation, individual fitness and wildlife population dynamics is fundamental to the study of ecology and evolutionary biology. In this study, a Bayesian modelling approach was employed to examine whether individual variability at two major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II loci (DQA and DRB) and eight neutral microsatellite loci explained variation in female reproductive success for wild populations of European brown hare (Lepus europaeus). We examined two aspects of reproduction: the ability to reproduce (sterility) and the number of offspring produced (fecundity). Samples were collected from eastern Austria, experiencing a sub‐continental climatic regime, and from Belgium with a more Atlantic‐influenced climate. As expected, reproductive success (both sterility and fecundity) was significantly influenced by age regardless of sampling locality. For Belgium, there was also a significant effect of DQA heterozygosity in determining whether females were able to reproduce (95% highest posterior density interval of the regression parameter [−3.64, −0.52]), but no corresponding effect was found for Austria. In neither region was reproduction significantly associated with heterozygosity at the DRB locus. DQA heterozygotes from both regions also showed a clear tendency, but not significantly so, to produce a larger number of offspring. Predictive simulations showed that, in Belgium, sub‐populations of homozygotes will have higher rates of sterile individuals and lower average offspring numbers than heterozygotes. No similar effect is predicted for Austria. The mechanism for the spatial MHC effect is likely to be connected to mate choice for increased heterozygosity or to the linkage of certain MHC alleles with lethal recessives at other loci.     

Continuous enzymatic transesterification of sesame oil and a fully hydrogenated fat: effects of reaction conditions on product characteristics

An immobilized lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosus (TL IM) was employed to mediate the continuous transesterification of sesame oil and fully hydrogenated soybean oil (FHSBO) in a packed-bed reactor operating at 70 degrees C. Reactions between sesame oil (rich in LLL (15.97%), LOL (31.56%), and OLO (21.15%) [L = linoleic; O = oleic]) and the fully hydrogenated fat ((73.7% SSS, 26.3% SPS) [S = stearic; P = palmitic]) produced semi-solid fats. These products are complex mixtures of triacylglycerol (TAG) species whose compositions depend on reaction conditions. The dependence of the steady state product TAG profile on space time was determined for four initial weight ratios of sesame oil to hydrogenated fat (90:10, 80:20, 70:30, and 60:40). Except for the trial involving a weight ratio of sesame oil to FHSBO of 60:40, near equilibrium conditions were achieved at space times of 30 min-1 h. The chemical, physical, and functional properties of the product semi-solid fats were characterized. The predominant TAG species in the quasi-equilibrium products obtained from the mixture initially containing 90% (w/w) sesame oil and 10% FHSBO were LOL (26.22%) and OLO (21.92%). For transesterification of 80% sesame oil and 20% FHSBO, the major product species were OOP (21.27%), LOL (17.46%), and OLO (13.93%). OOP (24.38%) was the major product for reaction of 70% sesame oil with 30% FHSBO. Appropriate choices of reaction conditions and initial ratios of sesame oil to FHSBO lead to TAG with melting profiles and solid fat contents (SFC) similar to those of a variety of commercial products.     

POLG mutation in a patient with cataracts, early-onset distal muscle weakness and atrophy, ovarian dysgenesis and 3-methylglutaconic aciduria

Mutations in POLG account for one of the most frequent nuclear encoded causes of mitochondrial disorders to date. Individuals harboring POLG mutations exhibit fairly heterogeneous clinical presentations leading to increasing difficulties in classifying these patients into defined clinical phenotypes. This study aims to investigate the molecular basis of a mitochondrial cytopathy in a patient with 3-methylglutaconic aciduria and to expand the clinical phenotype associated with POLG mutations. Clinical, molecular and genetic analyses as well as neurophysiological examinations were carried out for a 23-year-old woman of mixed Caucasian and Latin American ancestry with a history of cataracts diagnosed at age 1 year, she had onset of distal muscle weakness at age 2 years progressing to atrophy and ovarian dysgenesis at puberty. The patient was found to have 3-methylglutaconic acid with normal 3 hydroxyisovaleric acid on urine organic acid analysis. POLG sequencing was done and a heterozygous variant, c.2851T>A (p.Y951N) was found which is predicted to be deleterious. There are limited reports of POLG mutations in individuals with 3-methylglutaconic aciduria. This case report of a young woman with a heterozygous mutation in POLG, presenting with muscle weakness and atrophy at a young age aims to aid clinicians in similar challenging diagnostic situations as well as enhances our understanding of POLG-related disease phenotypes.     

Reduction of the background magnetic field inhibits ability of Drosophila melanogaster to survive ionizing radiation

The effects of exposure to an environment where the background magnetic field (BMF) has been reduced were studied on wild‐type Drosophila melanogaster by measuring its ability to survive a single exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) during its larval stage. The experimental design presented shows a timeframe, IR dose, and BMF parameters that will cause a significant and reproducible reduction of survival on this insect model. These results suggest that BMFs may play a fundamental role in the recovery or harm of a biological system that is exposed to single doses of IR. Bioelectromagnetics 33:706–709, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Effects of temperature on the development and survival of an endangered butterfly,Lycaeides argyrognomon (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) with estimation of optimal and threshold temperatures using linear and nonlinear models

The effects of temperature on the development and survival of Lycaeides argyrognomon were examined in the laboratory. The eggs, larvae and pupae were reared at temperatures of 15, 17.5, 20, 25, 30 and 33°C under a long‐day photoperiod of 16‐h light and 8‐h darkness. The survival rates of the first–third instars ranged from 40.0 to 82.4%. The mortalities of the fourth instar were lower than those of the first–third instars. The development time of the overall immature stage decreased from 78.33 days at 15°C to 21.07 days at 30°C, and then increased to 24.33 days at 33°C. The common linear model and the Ikemoto–Takai model were used to estimate the thermal constant (K) and the developmental zero (T₀). The values of T₀ and K for the overall immature stages were 10.50°C and 418.83 degree‐days, and 9.71°C and 451.68 degree‐days by the common model and the Ikemoto–Takai model, respectively. The upper temperature thresholds (T_max) and the optimal temperatures (T_opt) of the egg, the first–third instars and the overall immature stages were estimated by the three nonlinear models. The ranges of T_opt estimated were from 30.33°C to 32.46°C in the overall immature stages and the estimates of T_max of the overall immature stages by the Briere‐1 and the Briere‐2 models were 37.18°C and 33.00°C, respectively. The method to predict the developmental period of L. argyrognomon using the nonlinear models was discussed based on the data of the average temperature per hour.     

松毛虫狭颊寄蝇实验种群生态学研究

松毛虫狭颊寄蝇(Carcelia matsukarehae)是松毛虫重要的寄生天敌之一,在控制松毛虫自然种群增长中起重要的作用.本文在15℃、18℃、22℃、25℃、29℃、32℃6个恒温,相对湿度为70%～85%,光照为12:12(L:D)的条件下研究了松毛虫狭颊寄蝇的生态学特性.结果表明,松毛虫狭颊寄蝇的世代发育起点温度是5.23℃,积温为523.73日·度,成虫寿命在没有补充营养的条件下为1.3～8.06d,喂以30%蜜糖水,寿命可以从9.63d延长到36.42d,成虫产卵的最适温度为23.6℃,每雌最大产量为86粒.种群增长最适温度22～25℃.以近似方法计算22℃和25℃下实验种群繁殖特征生命表参数,在22℃,R₀、T₀、r_c和λ值分别为24.89、37.33、0.086和1.089,在25℃时分别为20.01、32.38、0.09和1.10.22℃时种群最大L_xM_x出现在成虫羽化后第33～38天,25℃时的LxMx最大值出现在成虫羽化后第29～34天.     

在实验室条件下水稻螟蛾发育和存活的温度需求(英文)

对6种水稻害虫Chilo polychrysa (Meyrick)、C. suppressalis (Walker), C. partellus (Swinhoe), Scirpophaga incertulas (Walker), S. innotata (Walker)和Sesamia inferens的卵、幼虫和蛹在10到40°C的七个固定温度下(10,15,20,25 30,35和40°C)的发育和存活进行了研究。在一定的温度下6种害虫的卵、幼虫和蛹的发育周期是明显不同的(P<0.0001)。卵、幼虫和蛹的日发育的平均百分比随着温度的增加而增加。总发育周期与温度的增加成反比。临界温度下限是在10-15°C中间,而上限在35-40°C中间,此时害虫并不发育。对于上述6种害虫的卵、幼虫和蛹的平均发育起点温度分别为8.57±1.71,7.70±1.01,8.56±3.25,10.19±2.19,8.64±2.68和7.91±0.82°C。6种水稻害虫的卵、幼虫和蛹的总温度常数分别是705.56,725.32,703.30,556.59,655.34和837.95日·度。经计算,6种雌蛾的产卵所需的积温分别为99.06,90.85,99.29,75.16,92.25和80.41日·度。完成一世代所需的积温分别是804.62,816.17,802.59,631.75,648.84 and 918.36日·度。     

燃料乙醇制造的“零能耗零污染”趋势

酒精蒸馏废液有充足的非淀粉生物质可供沼气转化,沼液营养丰富可作酵母发酵工艺用水。通过酒精高浓度发酵、沼气高效转化、沼气热电联产、差压蒸馏、环形过程工艺等产能、节能、无废技术的研发和集成,将最终完成木薯原料燃料酒精制造向“零能耗、零污染”生产技术的转型。