The intersectional hybrid between Weigela hortensis and W. maximowiczii (Caprifoliaceae)

Morphologically intermediate plants between Weigela hortensis (Siebold & Zucc.) K.Koch and W. maximowiczii (S.Moore) Rehder have been found in Miyagi and Yamagata Pref., northern Japan. Quantitative character analyses of flowers, pollen stainability and molecular analyses indicated that the intermediate plants were hybrids of those two species. This is the first record of an intersectional hybrid with W. maximowiczii (sect. Weigelastrum ) as one of the parent species. The morphological differences among hybrid individuals imply the possibility of backcrosses or formation of second or later generations of hybrids, although those may be quite rare because of a low frequency of viable pollen grains. Causes of hybridization between two distantly-related species in Weigela are discussed. © 2002 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2002, 138 , 369–380.     

Impaired renal organic anion transport 1 (SLC22A6) and its regulation following acute myocardial infarction and reperfusion injury in rats

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a high frequent and common complication following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This study examined and identified the effect of AMI-induced AKI on organic anion transporter 1 (Oat1) and Oat3 transport using clinical setting of pre-renal AKI in vivo. Cardiac ischaemia (CI) and cardiac ischaemia and reperfusion (CIR) were induced in rats by 30-min left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion and 30-min occlusion followed by 120-min reperfusion, respectively. Renal hemodynamic parameters, mitochondrial function and Oat1/Oat3 expression and function were determined along with biochemical markers. Results showed that CI markedly reduced renal blood flow and pressure by approximately 40%, while these parameters were recovered during reperfusion. CI and CIR progressively attenuated renal function and induced oxidative stress by increasing plasma BUN, creatinine and malondialdehyde levels. Correspondingly, SOD, GPx, CAT mRNAs were decreased, while TNFα, IL1β, COX2, iNOS, NOX2, NOX4, and xanthine oxidase were increased. Mitochondrial dysfunction as indicated by increasing ROS, membrane depolarisation, swelling and caspase3 activation were shown. Early significant detection of AKI; KIM1, IL18, was found. All of which deteriorated para-aminohippurate transport by down-regulating Oat1 during sudden ischaemia. This consequent blunted the trafficking rate of Oat1/Oat3 transport via down-regulating PKCζ/Akt and up-regulating PKCα/NFκB during CI and CIR. Thus, this promising study indicates that CI and CIR abruptly impaired renal Oat1 and regulatory proteins of Oat1/Oat3, which supports dysregulation of remote sensing and signalling and inter-organ/organismal communication. Oat1, therefore, could potentially worsen AKI and might be a potential therapeutic target for early reversal of such injury.     

Plant biodiversity and its conservation strategy in the in-undation and resettlement districts of the Yangtze Three Gorges, China

The investigation on and conservation project of plant biodiversity in the inundation and resettlement districts of the Three Gorges region were carried out with the ongoing construction of the Three Gorges Dam. Based on the first-hand specimens collected for many years and the historical records, we found that there were about 1784 higher plant species, belonging to 762 genera of 170 families, which accounted for 59.19%, 75.30% and 85.85% of the total amount of species, genera and families in the Three Gorges region, including 27 species specific in these two districts. The shrub and grass communities were mostly distributed along the low-altitude river bank zone of the Yangtze River and were largely influenced by the dynamic water level of the Three Gorges reservoir area. The measurement of Shannon-Wiener and Pielou evenness indexes on 21 Pinus massoniana (Masson pine) communities distributed in the Three Gorges reservoir area was carried out, and results showed that the biodiversity of shrub layers was the highest, followed by grass layers, the middle, and tree layers, the lowest. Among the 11 typical shrub communities in this region, the abundance of shrub layers of Form. Rhus chinensis, Form. Cotinus coggygria var. cinerea, Form. Vitex negundo var. cannabifoliaand and Form. Coriaria sinica was relatively higher, which were 16, 26, 29 and 15, respectively. These four shrubs also showed high biodiversity index (H′), which were 1.791, 3.427, 2.949 and 1.718, respectively. Among the 9 grasslands mainly distributed along the river bank zone, 4 grassland communities with higher altitude (Form. Dicranopteris dichotoma, Form. Miscanthus floridutus, Form. Imperata cylindrica var. major and Form. Arthraxon hispidus) showed higher abundance and biodiversity, which were 1.697, 1.354, 1.144 and 1.018, respectively. Considering the inundation and resettlement districts, there were 22 vegetation types threatened by submersion, including 4 woody plant communities, 9 shrub communities and 9 grassland communities. The 6 shrub communities of Form. Securinega wuxiensis, Form. Bauhinia brachycarpa, Form. Geum aleppicum, Form. Distylium chinense, Form. Buxus henryi and Form. Myrsine africana would be fully submerged and part of Adianthum reniforme var. sinensis and Buxus ichangensis would be also submerged. At present, plant species conservation and monitoring stations in the Three Gorges region have been constructed, and more than 200 plant species have already been transplanted and conserved, including 37 threatened species listed in the China Plant Red Data Book and 11 local constructive species.     

北京市房山区野生植物资源及濒危植物保护策略

北京市房山区植被丰富,以暖温带落叶阔叶林为主,并混生温带针叶林,表现出明显的垂直地带性分布。通过对北京市房山区进行野生植物资源调查,统计出共有野生植物80科,259属,409种,同时分析了房山区野生植物资源在园林中的潜在应用价值;另外,通过对比相关濒危植物资料,总结出房山区的濒危植物21种,并就重点保护植物保护策略进行探讨。     

新乡太行山区木本彩叶植物资源

概括总结了新乡太行山区的木本彩叶植物资源总量、资源种类、观赏价值和开发潜力,描述了其中几种重要的木本彩叶植物,给新乡木本彩叶植物资源的开发利用提供参考.     

陕西铜川中三叠世原直脉蝎蛉属（昆虫纲，长翅目）新化石

本原直脉蝎蛉化石标本采自陕西铜种中三叠世铜川组下段上部（T21^2)灰绿色泥页岩,中描述2个新种,并附上产于世界各地的10个种主要特征的检索表,新种的模式标本保存在北京自然博物馆。     

西藏林芝地区药用蕨类植物资源

本文对西藏林芝地区药用蕨类植物 39种 ,从产地、生境、海拔范围、性味、功效等作了初步分析     

Physicochemical and elemental contamination assessment in groundwater samples of Khairpur Mir's,Pakistan

Drinking water contaminated with arsenic poses serious threat to the human health. The present study was aimed for quality assessment of the groundwater of Khairpur Mir's in respect with arsenic and other elemental contamination like Fe, Cu, Co, and Ni. The presence of the trace elements in groundwater from different sources in the study area was measured by using atomic absorption spectroscopy. For arsenic analysis hydride generation technique (MHS-15) was used with detection limit of 0.02 µg l^?1. Elevated level of arsenic was observed in most of the samples as compared to recommended value of World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines (10 µg l^?1). However, levels of Fe, Cu, Co, and Ni in hand pump (HP) water samples was found in the range of 4–1610 µg l^?1, 0–556 µg l^?1, 0–230 µg l^?1, and 0–700 µg l^?1, respectively. Whereas in tube well (TW) water samples the observed values are 5–1620 µg l^?1, 0–50 µg l^?1, 4–110 µg l^?1, and 0–360 µg l^?1 for Fe, Cu, Co, and Ni, respectively. Significant difference was observed between TW and HP water samples. It was concluded that the level of arsenic found was very high up to 13 fold more than the WHO recommended limit in study area. While the levels of other elements was noted within the safe limit.     

高密高异质性城市街区景观对心理健康影响评价及循证优化设计

高密高异质性城市环境不仅影响空间审美感受,也影响着城市居民的心理健康。实证研究表明通过引入绿色自然、优化空间设计可缓解这种负面影响。本文结合已有的神经认知学和医学研究,将风景园林学科核心价值之一环境愉悦体验提升到公共健康高度。我们利用神经生物测量等一系列先进技术量化环境体验,并在医学和神经认知学已有实证证据的基础上进一步进行健康影响评价,提出基于健康影响评价的循证设计方法。具体包括测量高密高异质性街道中不同环境空间要素组合对人的健康影响,分析识别具体案例中最容易诱发压力和认知负荷的空间要素,针对性地提出设计干预策略并依托增强现实/虚拟现实技术进行绩效预估。研究整合了技术量化环境体验和环境神经健康评价这2个密切联系的学术前沿,其成果可以直接指导具体案例的循证设计优化。