Meiofaunal responses to nutrient additions in a Mediterranean stream

1. The effects of a moderate addition of nutrients (twofold N and threefold P) were examined during a 2‐year period to determine the response to nutrient addition in a meiofaunal community inhabiting sandy patches in a Mediterranean stream. 2. The pattern of meiofaunal assemblages exhibits a high degree of intra‐ and interannual variability. This pattern alternates between periods of hydrological stability and disturbances, such as floods and droughts, which is a characteristic of Mediterranean systems. 3. A before–after–control–impact (BACI) design was used to determine the outcome of the addition by comparing an upstream non‐enriched reach with an enriched downstream reach. Analysis of the study data by means of a nonparametric permutational procedure (permanova ) showed that fertilisation had a significant effect. Density and biomass values increased in the most abundant meiofaunal groups, including microcrustaceans, oligochaetes and chironomids. Microcrustaceans were the dominant group in the permanent meiofauna. 4. We also examined differences in microcrustacean secondary production in both reaches. Ostracods and cyclopoid copepods increased their secondary production in the impacted reach as a result of the nutrient addition. 5. Our study demonstrated that moderate nutrient enrichment can affect the biomass and production of stream meiofauna, but it is still unclear whether this effect was because of autotrophic or heterotrophic pathways.     

The Ordovician-Silurian boundary stratotype: consequences of its approval by the IUGS

Lespérance, Pierre J., Barnes, Christopher R., Berry, William B. N., Boucot, Arthur J. & Mu En-zhi 1987 07 15: The Ordovician-Silurian boundary stratotype: consequences of its approval by the IUGS.
The Ordovician-Silurian stratotype at Dob's Linn, Scotland is the second systemic boundary approved by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS). A review of the internationally accepted criteria required of a stratotype shows that few of these are possessed by the Dob's Linn section. The strongest attribute of the section is the presence of zonal graptolites, although the boundary is recognized primarily on a single biological event (base of acuminatus Zone) for which the evolutionary relationships of the taxa are not established. In approving this boundary proposal in 1985, which received only simple majority support within the Ordovician-Silurian Boundary Working Group (OSBWG) and which fails to meet most of the accepted prerequisites for a stratotype, the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) and the IUGS have established an unfortunate precedent. It follows that future systemic boundaries need not meet the accepted standards. It raises serious questions on the assessment and voting procedures of the International Commission on Stratigraphy and on the credence accorded the recommendations developed by the International Subcommission on Stratigraphic Classification of IUGS.     

Relationship between sensitivity to 4'-(9-acridinylamino)methanesulfon-m-anisidide and DNA topoisomerase II in a cold-sensitive cell-cycle mutant of a murine mastocytoma cell line

The cold-sensitive (proliferating at 39.5 degrees C, reversibly arrested in GI-phase at 33 degrees C) cell-cycle mutant 21-Fb of the murine mastocytoma cell line P815 was used to study the effect of amsacrine on non-cycling cells. The sensitivity of arrested 21-Fb cells decreased less than 2-fold in cell survival experiments when compared to proliferating cells. In contrast, DNA breakage and stimulation of protein-DNA complex formation in intact or lysed cells was reduced approx. 10-fold in arrested cells and DNA topoisomerase II activity in arrested cells was only 5% of the activity in proliferating cells. Thus, there was no correlation between cell survival and DNA damage or DNA topoisomerase II activity in drug-treated cells.     

Development of aortic and mitral valve continuity in the human embryonic heart

The anatomic relationship of the aortic and mitral valves is a useful landmark in assessing congenital heart malformations. The atrioventricular and semilunar valve regions originate in widely separated parts of the early embryonic heart tube, and the process by which the normal fibrous continuity between the aortic and mitral valves is acquired has not been clearly defined. The development of the aortic and mitral valve relationship was studied in normal human embryos in the Carnegie Embryological Collection, and specimens of Carnegie stages 13, 15, 17, 19, and 23, prepared as serial histologic sections cut in the sagittal plane, were selected for reconstruction. In stage 13, the atrioventricular valve area is separated from the semilunar valve area by the large bend between the atrioventricular and outflow-tract components of the single lumen heart tube created by the left interventricular sulcus. In stages 15 and 17, the aortic valve rotates into a position near the atrioventricular valves with development of four chambers and a double circulation. In stage 19, there is fusion of aortic and mitral endocardial cushion material along the endocardial surface of the interventricular flange, and this relationship is maintained in subsequent stages. Determination of three-dimensional Cartesian coordinates of the midpoints of valve positions shows that, while there is growth of intervalvular distances up to stage 17, the aortic to mitral distance is essentially unchanged thereafter. During the period studied, the left ventricle increases in length over threefold. The relative lack of growth in the saddle-shaped fold between the atrioventricular and outflow tract components of the heart, contrasting with the rapid growth of the outwardly convex components of most of the atrial and ventricular walls, may be attributed to the different mechanical properties of the two configurations. It is postulated that the pathogenesis of congenital heart malformations, which characteristically have failure of development of aortic and mitral valve continuity, may involve abnormalities of rotation of the aortic region or malpositioning of the fold in the heart tube.     

Cell wall receptor for yeast killer toxin: involvement of (1 leads to 6)-beta-D-glucan

The linear (1 --> 6)-beta-d-glucans pustulan and luteose were effective competitive inhibitors of killer toxin action. Affinity chromatography of killer toxin on a pustulan-Sepharose column showed that toxin bound directly to a (1 --> 6)-beta-linked polysaccharide. Other polysaccharides found in yeast cell walls, including (1 --> 3)-beta-d-glucan, mannan, chitin, and glycogen, were not effective as inhibitors of toxin. Fractionation of yeast cell walls was attempted to identify the toxin receptor in sensitive Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The receptor activity was retained among the insoluble glucans in alkali-washed cells; yeast mannan and alkali-soluble glucan had little receptor activity. A minor fraction of receptor activity was removed from alkali-washed cells by hot acetic acid extraction, a procedure which solubilized some (1 --> 6)-beta-d-glucan and glycogen. The major fraction (>70%) of receptor activity remained with the acid-insoluble (1 --> 6)-beta-and (1 --> 3)-beta-glucans. Zymolyase, an endo-(1 --> 3)-beta-d-glucanase, solubilized a substantial fraction of the receptor activity in the acid-insoluble glucans. The receptor activity in yeast cell walls was periodate and (1 --> 6)-beta-d-glucanase sensitive, but was resistant to (1 --> 3)-beta-d-glucanase and alpha-amylase. The acid-soluble glucan fractions of a sensitive strain and a krel-l receptor-defective toxin-resistant mutant were examined. The krel-l strain had a reduced amount (ca. 50%) of (1 --> 6)-beta-d-glucan compared with the sensitive parent strain. A sensitive revertant of the krel-l strain regained the parental level of glucan. These results implicate (1 --> 6)-beta-d-glucan as a component of the yeast cell wall receptor for killer toxin.     

高含量、低用量颗粒剂防治玉米螟的研究

1973—1977年,作者研究了防治玉米螟颗粒剂的“高含量、低用量”问题,即在单位面积上有效成分用量相等下,探讨逐步提高颗粒剂中有效成分含量而又按比例减少单位面积上颗粒剂用量的防治效果的相关性。结果证明,在相当大的范围内,高含量、低用量可以代替低含量、高用量。每亩用辛硫磷4克时,1.6%颗炷剂每亩用0.5斤与0.1%颗粒剂每亩用8斤均可获80%左右相似的防治效果;每亩用对硫磷40克时,8%颗粒剂每亩用1斤与1%颗粒剂每亩用8斤均可获90%以上防治效果。对地亚农和二氯苯醚菊酯试验亦获类似结果。 颗粒剂应用这一改革,有利于成品化和机械施药,并可显著降低防治成本。 同时,还做了室内毒力测定及在玉米上残效作用测定,以验证田间防治效果。 近二十年来,国内、外一直把颗粒剂做为防治玉米心叶期玉米螟(`Ostrinia nubilalis`` Hübner)的有效手段。我国自五十年代末已开始研究和应用滴滴涕、六六六等颗粒剂防治玉米螟,获得了高于六六六药液灌心的防治效果(邱式邦等,1961;邱式邦等,1963;慕立义,1963)。但由于颗粒剂用量大、费用高而未能成批生产。土法生产、群制群用的颗粒剂亦存在着缺点:(1)加工时不但造粒、选粒用工多,而且粒度、有效成分的含量及在载体上的分布均难以规格化,药效不够稳定;(2)加工所用的毒剂均为农药制剂。如用乳油、除乳化剂及有机溶剂被浪费外,往往还引起玉米的药害;如用粉剂,则不能渗入载体内部,不耐雨水冲洗而降低残效;(3)由于颗粒剂不规格化和单位面积用量大而不利于机械施药。因此,多年来生产上迫切需要高效、低毒、低残毒、价廉和利于机械施药的成品颗粒剂以代替土法生产的颗粒剂。     

Commitment to vegetalized development in sea urchin embryos

Summary Strongylocentrotus purpuratus embryos were reared in 0.025 M LiCl, which causes commitment to vegetalized development within 5 h after treatment begun at fertilization. Treated and control embryos were labelled with³⁵S-methionine for 3 h intervals from 2–14 h, solubilized, and subjected to 2-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Comparison of autoradiographs of the gels, in which over 400 proteins can be detected, indicate that while LiCl treatment causes a short delay in the initiation or cessation of synthesis of a few proteins, no qualitative or major quantitative differences can be detected between control and treated embryos. Normal gastrulae and vegetalized exogastrulae labelled 38 h after fertilization have several differences in patterns of protein synthesis. We conclude that the early determinative events involved in vegetalization are not reflected in detectable differences in the pattern of protein synthesis.     

表面活性剂对嗜盐嗜碱硫碱弧菌D301生成及利用硫颗粒的影响

【背景】微生物脱硫是脱除气体中硫化氢的一种有效方法,其中,硫颗粒的生成与代谢是控制生物脱硫效率的关键,但目前相应的控制方法很少。【目的】研究不同种类表面活性剂对硫碱弧菌D301生成及利用硫颗粒的影响。【方法】通过摇床培养,利用X射线衍射、冷场发射扫描电镜、能谱分析及傅里叶红外光谱对硫颗粒进行表征。【结果】单质硫主要以S8形式存在,吐温-80和十二烷基磺酸钠(Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate,SDS)的添加对硫颗粒的形态及生成量影响明显。对照组中生成的硫颗粒呈规则球形,光滑完整,其表面附着蛋白质等生物大分子;加入0.01 g/L吐温-80后,硫颗粒呈长杆状、颗粒增大、利用速率减慢;加入0.3g/L的SDS后,硫颗粒呈短棒状、生成量减少、利用速率加快,同时延缓了硫碱弧菌D301的衰亡。【结论】添加表面活性剂可以改变硫颗粒形态并且影响其利用,是一种调控硫颗粒生成和代谢的有效手段。     

长白山亚高山针叶林沼泽湿地碳源/汇沿水分环境梯度变化规律

高纬度和高海拔区为气候变化敏感区,该区域湿地碳循环与气候反馈关系倍受关注。为探究在全球变暖背景下高海拔区沼泽湿地碳源/汇功能是否发生了转化,以长白山高海拔区沿水分环境梯度分布的5种沼泽类型(草丛沼泽-C、灌丛沼泽-G、落叶松泥炭藓沼泽-LN、落叶松藓类沼泽-LX、落叶松苔草沼泽-LT)为对象,采用静态箱-气相色谱法和相对生长方程法,同步测定各沼泽类型全年尺度上的土壤异养呼吸碳排放量(CO₂和CH₄)、植被年净固碳量及相关环境因子(温度、水位和土壤有机碳等),并依据生态系统净碳收支平衡,量化各沼泽类型的碳源/汇作用,揭示其沿水分环境梯度变化规律及形成机制。结果表明：(1)5种沼泽类型土壤CO₂年均通量((97.68±8.64)—(291.01±18.31)mg m^-2 h^-1)沿水分环境梯度呈阶梯式递增规律性(环境梯度上部生境地段的落叶松苔草沼泽和落叶松藓类沼泽最高,中部生境地段的落叶松泥炭藓沼泽和灌丛沼泽居中,草丛沼泽最低);(2)CH₄年均通量((-0....