Sex Ratios at Birth and Environmental Temperatures

 The relationship between average monthly air temperature and sex ratios at birth (SRB) was analyzed for children born in Germany during the period 1946–1995. Both the absolute temperature and – more markedly – the monthly temperature deviations from the overall mean were significantly positively correlated with the SRB (P<0.01) when temperatures were time-lagged against the SRB data by –10 or –11 months. It is concluded that the sex of the offspring is partially determined by environmental temperatures prior to conception. Received: 26 August 1998 / Accepted in revised form: 18 February 1999     

An equal sex ratio followed by differential sex mortality causes overestimation of females in gall midges: no evidence for sex ratio regulation

Monogeny, the production of unisexual broods by individual females, has been recognized for nearly 80?years. The genetic nature of gall midges' sex determination predicts an equal numbers of male-producing and female-producing females in the populations such that the overall sex ratio is expected to be nearly 1:1. However, observations of some strictly monogenous populations with biased sex ratio, mainly toward females, have raised the question of whether gall midges are able to adjust their offspring sex ratio in response to changes in environmental conditions, and some authors have even considered sex ratio regulation as a strong force in the course of the evolution of monogeny. In this paper, first, by studying the sex ratio variations of the predatory gall midge, Aphidoletes aphidimyza within a generation, we showed that adult males emerge up to 1?day earlier and have shorter life span than females (less than 4?days and up to 6?days, respectively). Although, the sex ratio of A. aphidimyza at the time of emergence was nearly 1:1 (52.41?% males), a simple population simulation indicated that the differential mortality of sexes can lead to a female-biased sex ratio estimation (57.88?% females) under random sampling in the natural environments. Our results imply that the primary sex ratio of monogenous gall midges is nearly 1:1 and that the arrhenogenic/thelygenic gall midges are not able to alter the number of their male/female progenies in response to changes in environmental conditions.     

Offspring sex in a TSD gecko correlates with an interaction between incubation temperature and yolk steroid hormones

We incubated eggs of the Japanese gecko Gekko japonicus at three temperatures, and measured yolk testosterone (T) and 17??-estradiol (E2) levels at three time points in embryonic development (oviposition, 1/3 of incubation, and 2/3 of incubation), to examine whether maternal influence on offspring sex via yolk steroid hormone deposition is significant in the species. Eggs incubated at 24?°C and 32?°C produced mostly females, and eggs incubated at 28?°C almost a 50:50 sex ratio of hatchlings. Female-producing eggs were larger than male-producing eggs. Clutches in which eggs were incubated at the same temperature produced mostly same-sex siblings. Yolk T level at laying was negatively related to eggs mass, and yolk E2/T ratio was positively related to egg mass. Results of two-way ANOVA with incubation temperature and stage as the factors show that: yolk E2 level was higher at 32?°C than at 24?°C; yolk T level was higher, whereas yolk E2/T ratio was smaller, at 28?°C than at 24?°C; yolk E2 and T levels were higher at 2/3 than at 1/3 of incubation. Our data in G. japonucus show that: (1) maternal influence on offspring sex via yolk steroid hormone deposition is significant; (2) incubation temperature affects the dynamics of developmental changes in yolk steroid hormones; (3) influences of yolk steroid hormones on offspring sex are secondary relative to incubation temperature effects; and (4) offspring sex correlates with an interaction between incubation temperature and yolk steroid hormones.     

Women infected with parasite Toxoplasma have more sons

The boy-to-girl ratio at birth (secondary sex ratio) is around 0.51 in most populations. The sex ratio varies between societies and may be influenced by many factors, such as stress and immunosuppression, age, primiparity, the sex of the preceding siblings and the socioeconomic status of the parents. As parasite infection affects many immunological and physiological parameters of the host, we analyzed the effect of latent toxoplasmosis on sex ratios in humans. Clinical records of 1,803 infants born from 1996 to 2004 contained information regarding the mother’s age, concentration of anti-Toxoplasma antibodies, previous deliveries and abortions and the sex of the newborn. The results of our retrospective cohort study suggest that the presence of one of the most common parasites (with a worldwide prevalence from 20 to 80%), Toxoplasma gondii, can influence the secondary sex ratio in humans. Depending on the antibody concentration, the probability of the birth of a boy can increase up to a value of 0.72, C.I.₉₅ = (0.636, 0.805), which means that for every 260 boys born, 100 girls are born to women with the highest concentration of anti-Toxoplasma antibodies. The toxoplasmosis associated with immunosuppression or immunomodulation might be responsible for the enhanced survival of male embryos. In light of the high prevalence of latent toxoplasmosis in most countries, the impact of toxoplasmosis on the human population might be considerable.     

Different patterns of oviposition learning in two closely related ectoparasitoid wasps with contrasting reproductive strategies

Many parasitoid wasps learn host-associated cues and use them in subsequent host-searching behavior. This associative learning, namely “oviposition learning,” has been investigated in many studies. However, few studies have compared multiple species, and no comparative study has previously been conducted on ectoparasitoid species. We compared the effects of oviposition learning on host preference and offspring sex ratio in two closely related ectoparasitoid wasps with contrasting reproductive strategies, Anisopteromalus calandrae (r-strategist) and its sibling species (K-strategist). Using two bruchine hosts, Callosobruchus chinensis and Callosobruchus maculatus larvae infesting the cowpea Vigna unguiculata, oviposition choice experiments were performed at high and low host densities. In both species, no conspicuous effect on the offspring sex ratio was detected, but effects on host preference were found to differ between the species. In A. calandrae, the effects were detected only at high host density, suggesting that oviposition learning plays a role in host discrimination from a short distance but not from a long distance. In the sibling species, those effects were not detected in any of the cases, suggesting the absence of oviposition learning. These results are compatible with those of previous comparative studies of endoparasitoid wasps in that few lifetime oviposition experiences and/or low reward per foraging decision result in low or absent oviposition learning ability. This finding may indicate that ecological traits contributing to learning ability are similar between endoparasitoid and ectoparasitoid wasps. Thus, our species comparison of ectoparasitoids provides another model system for investigating learning and memory dynamics in parasitoid wasps.     

Temporal variation in size-assortative mating and male mate choice in a spider with amphisexual care

Males should be more selective when they have a high investment in reproduction, especially in species with biparental or paternal care. In this context, male mate choice can promote size-assortative mating (SAM) when (1) large males win intrasexual disputes, (2) large females are more fecund, and (3) males prefer larger females to smaller ones. In the spider Manogea porracea, males exhibit high reproductive investment by building their webs above those of females and exhibiting extended care of offspring in the absence of females. Under these circumstances, we expect the occurrence of SAM and male preference for large females. Herein, we performed observations and experiments in the field to evaluate the hypotheses that (1) M. porracea mates assortatively by size and (2) SAM is influenced by male mate choice. Furthermore, we measured variables that could affect mating patterns, the sex ratios, and densities of both sexes. Pairing in M. porracea was positively size-assortative in 2012, but not in 2013. Large males won most disputes for mates and preferred larger females, which produced more eggs. The inconsistency in detection of SAM was due to population dynamics, namely variations in sex ratio and population density across the breeding season. Furthermore, we found that the significance of male mate choice on sexual selection of body size in M. porracea strongly depends on the competition intensity for mating opportunities. The traditional sexual selection hypothesis of SAM needs to be reviewed and must include measures of competition intensity.     

Influence of urban spatial and socioeconomic parameters on PM2.5 at subdistrict level: A land use regression study in Shenzhen, China

The intraurban distribution of PM_2.5 concentration is influenced by various spatial, socioeconomic, and meteorological parameters. This study investigated the influence of 37 parameters on monthly average PM_2.5 concentration at the subdistrict level with Pearson correlation analysis and land-use regression (LUR) using data from a subdistrict-level air pollution monitoring network in Shenzhen, China. Performance of LUR models is evaluated with leave-one-out-cross-validation (LOOCV) and holdout cross-validation (holdout CV). Pearson correlation analysis revealed that Normalized Difference Built-up Index, artificial land fraction, land surface temperature, and point-of-interest (POI) numbers of factories and industrial parks are significantly positively correlated with monthly average PM_2.5 concentrations, while Normalized Difference Vegetation Index and Green View Factor show significant negative correlations. For the sparse national stations, robust LUR modelling may rely on a priori assumptions in direction of influence during the predictor selection process. The month-by-month spatial regression shows that RF models for both national stations and all stations show significantly inflated mean values of R² compared with cross-validation results. For MLR models, inflation of both R² and R²_CV was detected when using only national stations and may indicate the restricted ability to predict spatial distribution of PM_2.5 levels. Inflated within-sample R² also exist in the spatiotemporal LUR models developed with only national stations, although not as significant as spatial LUR models. Our results suggest that a denser subdistrict level air pollutant monitoring network may improve the accuracy and robustness in intraurban spatial/spatiotemporal prediction of PM_2.5 concentrations.     

石油集输系统中硫酸盐还原菌的分布和多样性

分别用亚甲蓝比色法、MPN法和16S rRNA基因序列分析方法,研究中国长庆油田(陕北)石油集输系统中原油和水样中H2 S的分布以及硫酸盐还原菌(SRB)的分布和多样性.结果表明,从油井井口经石油计量站再到石油综合处理站的集输系统中,原油中H2S的含量依次为105.80、99.70、24.57 mg.L-1;SRB的数量依次为98、300、680 CFU.100 mL-1.水样中H2S的含量依次为1.13、2.80、3.49 mg.L-1;SRB的数量依次为9 500、40 000、76 000 CFU.100 mL-1.集输系统中水样中SRB的数量平均为原油样品的100倍以上.原油井口中高浓度的H2S抑制了SRB的生长,SRB数量较少;随着H2S浓度的降低,抑制作用削弱并消失,使集输系统中SRB的数量逐渐增加.水样中H2S初始浓度较低,SRB数量较多,系统中H2S的含量随着SRB数量的增大而逐渐增多.由16S rRNA基因的序列分析表明,能够同时在水样和原油样本中检测到与脱硫弧菌属(Desulfovibrionaceae sp.)以及脱硫球菌属(Desulfococcus sp.)相关的SRB基因序列.但是,在水样中能够检测到与脱硫念球菌属(Desulfomonile sp.)、脱硫弯杆菌属(Desulfotomaculum sp.)和脱硫八叠球菌属(Desulfosarcina sp.)相关的SRB基因序列,而在原油样本中未检测到.在石油集输过程中由于环境条件的变化,水样和原油样品中SRB的多样性都有一定的增加.     

Forest clearing and sex ratio in forest-dwelling wood ant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Formica aquilonia</Emphasis>

Sex ratios of ants have been shown to vary with food resource levels in several studies, but it is not known whether forest clear-cutting has any effect on sex ratio of aphid-tending forest-dwelling ants. We investigated whether the offspring sex ratio of the forest dwelling ant Formica aquilonia varied as a response to clear-cutting. We found that the proportion of males was smaller in clear-cuts than in adjacent forests. Our results are among the first showing that anthropogenic changes in forest structures may have a potential to modify sex ratios of social insects and other forest-dwelling animals.     

以稻草和污泥为碳源硫酸盐还原菌处理酸性矿山排水

以污泥为硫酸盐还原菌(SRB)接种菌群,分别添加等量稻草和乙醇,研究了SRB以不同碳源处理酸性矿山排水(pH=2.5)的过程及不同碳源对硫酸盐还原和重金属去除的影响.结果表明,在无外加中和剂的情况下,污泥中的碱性物质可在反应开始的1 d内迅速中和酸性矿山排水的部分酸度,使反应体系pH值从2.5升至5.4～6.3,利于SRB的生长.污泥中含少量易被微生物分解的有机物,体系中仅含污泥时,SO24-还原率最低(65.9%).添加稻草可促进SO24-还原(79.2%),因为污泥中的水解菌加速稻草分解,为SRB提供相对充足的碳源.添加乙醇为对照试验的体系中SO24-还原率最高(97.9%).含污泥的反应体系Cu2+去除率均高于99%,SRB驯化前Cu2+的去除主要归因于污泥的吸附作用.以稻草和污泥为碳源可实现低成本酸性矿山排水处理,对矿山环境的原位修复有实际意义.     

Genetic sex determination in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Astatotilapia calliptera</Emphasis>, a prototype species for the Lake Malawi cichlid radiation

East African cichlids display extensive variation in sex determination systems. The species Astatotilapia calliptera is one of the few cichlids that reside both in Lake Malawi and in surrounding waterways. A. calliptera is of interest in evolutionary studies as a putative immediate outgroup species for the Lake Malawi species flock and possibly as a prototype ancestor-like species for the radiation. Here, we use linkage mapping to test association of sex in A. calliptera with loci that have been previously associated with genetic sex determination in East African cichlid species. We identify a male heterogametic XY system segregating at linkage group (LG) 7 in an A. calliptera line that originated from Lake Malawi, at a locus previously shown to act as an XY sex determination system in multiple species of Lake Malawi cichlids. Significant association of genetic markers and sex produce a broad genetic interval of approximately 26 megabases (Mb) using the Nile tilapia genome to orient markers; however, we note that the marker with the strongest association with sex is near a gene that acts as a master sex determiner in other fish species. We demonstrate that alleles of the marker are perfectly associated with sex in Metriaclima mbenjii, a species from the rock-dwelling clade of Lake Malawi. While we do not rule out the possibility of other sex determination loci in A. calliptera, this study provides a foundation for fine mapping of the cichlid sex determination gene on LG7 and evolutionary context regarding the origin and persistence of the LG7 XY across diverse, rapidly evolving lineages.     

浙江-闽北陆架沉积物硫酸盐还原菌及与生物地球化学因子关系的分析

采用ＭＰＮ法测定浙江－闽北陆架沉积物的硫酸盐还原菌（ＳＲＢ），结果表明，在表层其出现率和平均含量各为８４．２％和４３６．８个（细胞／ｇ（湿重）），浅层则各为４２．４％和１６４个／ｇ，近岸的南区表层和浅层沉积物ＳＲＢ出现率、平均含量分别为９３．０％、５７６个／ｇ和３３．３％、２６７个／ｇ；远岸的北区则分别为７５．０％、３０２个／ｇ和５３．３％、４１个／ｇ，分析了ＳＲＢ含量与相应样品中硫化物、有机质含     

针铁矿对硫酸盐还原菌分解铅矾的影响

铅矾(PbSO_4)是工业生产中释放进入环境的重要含Pb物相,具有潜在的环境风险.采用硫酸盐还原菌(SRB)在厌氧条件下将重金属沉淀形成低溶度积的硫化物是有效固定重金属的方法之一.本研究重点考察了SRB作用下铅矾的转化过程及针铁矿对铅矾分解的影响.结果表明,反应体系中溶液p H和ORP均有所降低;SO_4~(2-)在SRB生长停滞期上升,随后保持稳定;酸可挥发性S浓度随SRB的生长逐渐升高,并最后保持稳定;实验结束后铅矾大部分转化为白铅矿(PbCO_3)和方铅矿.对结果的分析表明,在SRB作用下,铅矾分解转化的机制为:首先转化为白铅矿,其次硫酸盐被还原产生S~(2-),进一步促进铅矾的分解和白铅矿的形成,最后S~(2-)同溶液及新生白铅矿中的Pb~(2+)反应生成溶度积更低的方铅矿;针铁矿的主要作用为:固定溶液中的S~(2-),降低铅矾SRB分解的环境污染风险;通过作为SRB生长的电子受体和降低S~(2-)的生物毒害作用,提高体系中SRB的生物活性.     

硫酸盐还原菌对碱性和酸性农田土壤中重金属的钝化效果及其作用机制

通过土壤培养实验考察了硫酸盐还原菌（SRB）包括希瓦氏菌、梭状芽胞杆菌和两者混合菌对碱性和酸性农田土中有效态重金属（Cd、Pb、Cu和Zn）的钝化效果及其作用机制.结果表明,在相同接菌量下,希瓦氏菌处理组对碱性土中有效态重金属的钝化效果优于梭状芽胞杆菌和两者混合菌的处理组;而不同种类的SRB对酸性土中有效态重金属的钝化效果无显著差异.培养第20 d后土壤中有效态重金属的钝化率不再显著变化.SRB处理对碱性土中有效态重金属的钝化率可达80%以上,而对酸性土中有效态重金属的钝化率低于40%.在碱性土中,SRB能够有效还原SO₄^2-,并且提高土壤pH值,使S^2-可与重金属紧密结合,显著提高有效态重金属钝化率.尽管SRB使酸性土壤pH值升高,但土壤仍然呈酸性使SO₄^2-还原受到抑制,不利于有效态重金属的钝化.总体来看,SRB适用于碱性和酸性土壤的重金属污染治理,但与酸性土壤相比,SRB对碱性土壤中有效态重金属的钝化效果更好.     

崇明东滩潮间带硫酸盐还原菌及有机质含量的初步研究

针对崇明东滩湿地不同潮滩和不同高程的土壤采样,进行了MPN法微生物计数、沉积物有机质含量的测定,计算了SO42-和Cl-浓度的摩尔比,研究了硫酸盐还原菌的分布状况、与有机质含量的相关性、以及植物根际环境对其生长的影响.结果表明,不同高程潮滩同一深度的硫酸盐还原菌数量,按大小排序为:中潮滩高潮滩光滩.同一潮滩不同深度的硫酸盐还原菌含量,均显示为51～52 cm21～22 cm81～82 cm,说明东滩湿地51～52 cm的土壤深度是硫酸盐还原菌生长的主要层位,与存在较好的适于硫酸盐还原菌生长的条件有关.不同深度土壤中的有机质含量,呈现高潮滩中潮滩光滩的趋势.从21～51 cm处,随着深度的增加,有机质含量减少但硫酸盐还原菌的数量却大幅增加,说明硫酸盐还原菌利用土壤中的有机质进行了还原反应.所有土壤样品的SO42-/Cl-摩尔比值均0.05,表明硫酸盐还原菌十分活跃地进行着硫酸盐还原作用.芦苇根际中硫酸盐还原菌含量是最高的,说明东滩湿地芦苇的根际环境对硫酸盐还原菌的生长具有促进作用,而藨草根际的硫酸盐还原菌数量相对非根际环境较低,说明不同的根际效应对于东滩硫酸盐还原菌的生长有不同的影响.     

硫酸盐在厌氧生物过程中的行为 Ⅱ.硫酸盐还原行为及对体系抑制作用机理

采用半连续实验方法，研究了中温厌氧条件了硫酸盐的还原行为及产生抑制作用的机理。实验结果表明，ＳＯ４＾２－在厌氧体系中被硫酸盐还原菌全部或部分还原为硫化物，其还原率与ＳＯ４＾２－累积加入浓度有关，还原产物的形态与体系中ｐＨ值有关，较高的ｐＨ值（７．６－８．４）使体系中Ｈ３Ｓ含量下降。ＳＯ４＾２－对厌氧体系的抑制与ＳＯ４＾２－还原过程中ＳＲＢ与产甲烷菌的底物竞争及还原产物的毒性相关。前者受ＣＯＤ／ＳＯ     

Predictors of telomere content in dragon lizards

Telomeres shorten as a consequence of DNA replication, in particular in cells with low production of telomerase and perhaps in response to physiological stress from exposure to reactive oxygen species, such as superoxide. This process of telomere attrition is countered by innate antioxidation, such as via the production of superoxide dismutase. We studied the inheritance of telomere length in the Australian painted dragon lizard (Ctenophorus pictus) and the extent to which telomere length covaries with mass-corrected maternal reproductive investment, which reflects the level of circulating yolk precursor and antioxidant, vitellogenin. Our predictors of offspring telomere length explained 72?% of telomere variation (including interstitial telomeres if such are present). Maternal telomere length and reproductive investment were positively influencing offspring telomere length in our analyses, whereas flow cytometry-estimated superoxide level was negatively impacting offspring telomere length. We suggest that the effects of superoxide on hatchling telomere shortening may be partly balanced by transgenerational effects of vitellogenin antioxidation.     

Body size phenotypes are heritable and mediate fecundity but not fitness in the lepidopteran frugivore Cydia pomonella

The inheritance and functional roles of quantitative traits are central concerns of evolutionary ecology. We report two sets of experiments that investigated the heritability and reproductive consequences of body size phenotypes in a globally distributed lepidopteran frugivore, Cydia pomonella (L.). In our first set of experiments, we tested the hypotheses that (1) body size is heritable and (2) parental body size mediates egg production and offspring survival. Midparent–offspring regression analyses revealed that body mass is highly heritable for females and moderately heritable for males. The contribution of fathers to estimates of additive genetic variance was slightly greater than for mothers. Egg production increased with mean parental size, but offspring survival rates were equivalent. Based on this result, we tested two additional hypotheses in a second set of experiments: (3) male size moderates female egg production and egg fertility and (4) egg production, egg fertility, and offspring survival rate are influenced by female mating opportunities. Females paired with large males produced more eggs and a higher proportion of fertile eggs than females paired with small males. Females with multiple mating opportunities produced more fertile eggs than females paired with a single male. However, egg production and offspring survival rates were unaffected by the number of mating opportunities. Our experiments demonstrate that body mass is heritable in C. pomonella and that size phenotypes may mediate fecundity but not fitness. We conclude that male size can influence egg production and fertility, but female mate choice also plays a role in determining egg fertility.     

硫酸盐还原过程中乙酸型代谢方式的形成及其稳定性

通过产酸脱硫反应器处理高浓度硫酸盐废水的连续流试验,考察了不同试验阶段硫酸盐去除率和产气量稳定期,液相末端产物中挥发酸组成的变化、乙酸的分布特征、微生物种群组成和种群间关系.试验结果表明,各试验阶段液相末端产物中乙酸的分布比例高达50%～82%,微生物群体呈现特定的乙酸型代谢方式.乙酸型代谢方式本质上是产酸相反应器处理硫酸盐废水过程中,硫酸盐还原菌(SRB)与产酸菌(AB)建立起生物链式协同代谢关系,并通过非完全氧化型方式分解有机物,从而在末端产物中积累大量乙酸.乙酸型代谢方式的形成取决于利用乙酸的硫酸盐还原菌(ASRB)的竞争能力和它对乙酸的利用能力.乙酸型代谢方式可以为后续产甲烷相反应器提供适宜的底物,对提高硫酸盐废水处理系统的效率和运行稳定性具有重要意义.     

基于地理加权回归模型评估土地利用对地表水质的影响

针对传统线性回归模型大多忽视空间数据局部变化特征这一缺陷,引入地理加权回归模型(GWR)用于评估土地利用对地表水质的影响,分析了不同子流域内两者关系出现空间变化的规律并阐释了原因.同时,对比了GWR模型与普通最小二乘模型(OLS)的校正R2、Akaike信息准则(AICc)及残差的空间自相关指数(Moran's I),验证了GWR模型在预测精度和处理空间自相关过程中是否优于OLS模型.结果表明,同一土地利用类型对水质的影响随空间位置的改变而发生方向或大小的变化.以温瑞塘河流域总氮(TN)与农用地的关系为例,从GWR模型局部回归系数的方向分析,两者关系表现为农村正、城区负的现象,从大小分析,旧城区TN与农用地回归系数的绝对值高于其它区域;在溶解氧(DO)与人口密度所构建的GWR模型中,两者关系在整个研究区域内均表现为负值,与OLS结果吻合,从回归系数的大小分析,人口密度对DO的作用在郊区及农村更为显著.针对此类关系出现空间变化的原因分析表明,相邻子流域土地利用百分比的改变及水体主要污染源的不同,是导致土地利用对水质作用发生变化的根本因素.最后,对比所构建的80个GWR与OLS模型校正R2、AICc指标,验证了GWR作为一种局部统计模型,其预测精度优于OLS等传统全局模型且更能反映实际空间特征.