Phenotypic diversity in populations of the common blue butterfly <Emphasis Type="Italic">Polyommatus icarus</Emphasis> Rott. As a trend in the ecocenotic strategy of the species

Phenotypic diversity in populations of Polyommatus icarus Rott. (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae) is regarded as a component of the ecocenotic strategy of the species, trends in which may serve as markers characterizing the state of natural populations.     

Simple and Rapid Detection of Human Norovirus from Produce Using SYBR Green I-based Real-time RT-PCR

Several foodborne norovirus gastroenteritis outbreaks have been linked to fresh produce. Rapid and sensitive detection can help prevent the release of contaminated produce items in the market. The objectives of this study were to apply a relatively inexpensive SYBR Green I-based real-time RT-PCR assay for the rapid detection of human norovirus (NoV) GI and GII on the surfaces of lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and green onions. Each washed produce commodity (25 g) was spiked with serial dilutions of NoV GI and GII stool samples. RNA was eluted from the produce surface and extracted using the TRIzol^? method. This was followed by detection using SYBR Green I real-time RT-PCR with primers specific for NoV GI (COG1F-COG1R) and GII (COG2F-COG2R) along with an internal RNA amplification control. End-point detection limits from lettuce and tomatoes were found to be 10 RT-PCR units/25 g for GI and GII and 1 RT-PCR unit/25 g for GI and 10 RT-PCR units/25 g for GII from green onions. These results were confirmed by Tm analysis (showing peaks at 81.5 and 84°C for GI and GII, respectively; and 83°C for the IAC) as well as agarose gel electrophoresis that confirmed products of ~95 bp for GI and GII and ~155 bp for the RNA IAC. Results could be obtained within one working day, showing potential for routine use in diagnostics and monitoring of NoV contamination by the produce industry.     

城市污水水质水量变化及生活污染源污染特征研究

在收集西安市污水处理厂近年来水质水量监测数据的基础上,统计分析污水处理厂水量水质的变化规律,并通过对不同生活污水污染源的现场监测,研究各类生活污水污染源的污染强度和污染特征,识别重点生活污染源。研究结果表明,西安市主要污水处理厂近年来进水量逐年增大,且进水水质逐年恶化,其中COD、SS和NH3-N浓度逐年增加,TP浓度年际变化较小;城市污水的水质水量随季节波动变化,西安市城市污水水量以及COD、SS和NH3-N等水质指标在7-9月份及春节期间出现高峰,这与季节及年节导致的用水量变化有关,但年内TP浓度均在10 mg/L以下,波动较小;生活类污染源中污染物浓度因行业不同而异,餐饮业、学校、住宿业及生活小区是生活类污染源中的＂高污染＂行业,加强对上述行业的监管力度,从源头消减污染物对于节能减排具有重要的现实意义。     

Transformation of rural communities: lessons from a local self-initiative for building resilience in the Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands is vulnerable to negative impacts from climate change, where people’s livelihoods and their well-being are threatened, especially the viability of isolated communities. Realising the increasing risks from climate change on communities, government, in partnership with aid-donor partners, has invested millions of dollars in climate change projects, through mitigation and adaptation strategies. As a form of adaptation, the government invests in programmes aimed at increasing the adaptive capacity of the vulnerable communities through landscape and seascape projects across the rural communities. Focusing on the “transformation concept” as a long-term adaptation strategy and enlargement of climate engineering and ecological resilience concepts, the paper discusses why building resilience from transformation of rural communities, as well as from landscape and seascape projects, would benefit communities and relevant authorities. This paper describes the findings of a study on two rural villages, Keigold and Mondo, from Ranogha Islands, Western Province, in Solomon Islands, where 80% of households decided to relocate from their old village “Mondo” to their new home “Keigold” after an earthquake in 2007, as part of a self-initiative. The reallocation process can be seen as a case of pro-active community transformation that provides valuable lessons to other rural communities that may be forced to move due to impacts from natural catastrophes, including those explained by climate change risks. Lessons from this experience suggest that policy-makers and non-government organisations should consider and empower local transformation initiatives as a way to building long-term adaptation to climate change.     

Sex ratio of juvenile loggerhead turtles in the Mediterranean Sea: is it really 1:1?

Sex ratios are a crucial parameter for evaluating population viability. In species with complex life history patterns and temperature sex determination mechanisms, such as the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), sex ratios may vary within a population and among populations. In the Mediterranean, juvenile sex ratios appear to not differ significantly from 1:1, although estimates for hatchling sex ratios are highly female biased. The immigration of males from the Atlantic has been suggested as a possible cause of such variation. Here, we present results of a multi-year investigation (2000–2011) on the sex ratios of loggerhead turtles foraging along the south Tyrrhenian coast, Western Mediterranean, with the aim of providing a better understanding of the potentially underlying forces that drive regional and age-dependent differences in sex ratios. Sex was determined through visual examination of the gonads in 271 dead turtles (curved carapace length range 29.5–89 cm). A fragment of the mitochondrial DNA control region was sequenced from 61 specimens to characterise the demographic composition of this foraging assemblage by applying a many-to-many mixed stock analysis approach. No significant association was found between sex ratios and years or size classes, although the largest size was male biased. Juvenile sex ratio was 1.56:1, which was different from an even sex ratio but still less female biased than hatchling sex ratios from Mediterranean beaches. Results of the mixed stock analysis indicate that juvenile sex ratios in the Mediterranean are largely unaffected by immigration of Atlantic individuals into the basin, as previously suggested. Continued long-term monitoring of juvenile sex ratios is necessary to detect biologically significant sex ratio shifts in the Mediterranean loggerhead turtle population.     

水泥厂废旧除尘布袋焚烧灰作水泥混合材试验

为探索水泥厂化纤布袋焚烧灰和玻纤布袋焚烧灰用作水泥混合材的可行性,将两种废旧布袋焚烧灰分别按10%、20%、30%、40%与熟料、石膏进行配比制成水泥.通过对各试样进行物理检验,研究了两种布袋焚烧灰的掺量对水泥性能的影响.试验结果表明,两种布袋焚烧灰作水泥混合材活性试验的R28分别为91.0%和80.6%,高于活性混合材R28为65%的判定指标,由此可认为此两种布袋焚烧灰具有较高的活性,可单独用作水泥混合材;两种布袋焚烧灰在掺量低于20%时,水泥强度达到甚至超过同龄期S号参照水泥;两种布袋焚烧灰在掺量小于40%的范围内,除掺加30%玻纤布袋灰的样品外,其余试样的水泥安定性、凝结时间和水泥强度等性能指标均满足42.5R强度等级水泥要求.     

不同生态工程组合系统对南方水源地污水的净化效果

于2010年6月(丰水期)和11月(枯水期),对我国南方水源地农村生活污水处理系统(系统Ⅰ)以及农田排水处理系统(系统Ⅱ)的常规污染物和藻类进行调查,分析比较两个系统对常规污染物以及藻类的去除效果.结果表明,系统Ⅰ出水中的生化需氧量、化学耗氧量、总磷、总氮和悬浮物等指标均符合《国家城镇污水处理厂污染物排放标准》(GB18918-2002)回用水要求,该系统中共监测出浮游植物6门53属74种,系统Ⅰ丰水期对藻类细胞总密度和叶绿素a的去除率分别为87.71%和58.87%,枯水期为95.73%和58.57%;系统Ⅱ出水中的生化需氧量、化学耗氧量、总磷、总氮和氨氮等指标优于《地表水环境质量标准》(GB3838-2002)Ⅳ类水标准,该系统监测出浮游植物6门48属66种,系统Ⅱ丰水期对藻类细胞总密度和叶绿素a的去除率分别为62.43%和72.25%,系统Ⅱ丰水期的藻类处理效果优于枯水期.对两个系统的水质净化效果进行比较,系统Ⅰ对总氮、藻类细胞密度、叶绿素a的去除效果优于系统Ⅱ,系统Ⅱ对氨氮的去除效果优于系统Ⅰ.两种生态工程组合系统的水质净化效果明显,能为南方类似水源地污水处理和水生生态态系统恢复提供技术支持.图3表2参33     

油菜菌核病菌(Sclerotinia sclerotiorum)与细菌间的基因水平转移

油菜菌核病（Sclerotinia sclerotiorum）是油菜生产上最重要的病害之一,其致病性可能来源于基因水平转移（Horizontal gene transfer,HGT）.为认识其致病原理和寻找新的真菌抑制剂的靶点,首先通过BLASTp发现其基因XM₀01585458.1编码蛋白XP₀01585508.1与细菌比对结果中出现低E值3.23e-109和高SCORE值436,暗示存在HGT现象;进一步通过系统进化树的建立,发现该蛋白在进化分枝上更接近于细菌中由Streptomyces sp.C的NZ_CM000832.1基因编码的蛋白ZP₀7291173;同时核苷酸组成分析也发现该基因与油菜菌核病菌基因组的碱基组成有较大差别,GC含量提高了14.95%.这些结果证明了XM₀01585458.1的确存在基因水平转移事件.结构分析和COG蛋白功能分类显示该HGT序列编码蛋白XP₀01585508.1具有FA58C₃（Coagulation factors 5/8 type C domain）、Kelch repeat type 1、Galactose-binding domain-like、Galactose oxidase/kelch,beta-propeller等保守结构域,应为一个膜蛋白并参与多糖代谢,推测该水平转移基因与S.sclerotiorum在侵染植物时进行细胞壁水解和致病性有关.     

不同强度冷刺激对大鼠心脏、大脑、睾丸和肺脏中CIRP表达的影响

采用Western blot和实时荧光定量RT-PCR方法,研究不同强度不同时间冷刺激后大鼠心脏、大脑、睾丸和肺脏中冷诱导RNA结合蛋白(CIRP)的表达情况.结果表明:常温(20℃±1℃)下大鼠4种组织中均存在一定的CIRP的表达;急性冷刺激组(-10℃±1℃、-4℃±1℃、0℃±1℃、4℃±1℃)心脏、大脑和睾丸中CIRP mRNA表达在冷刺激0～6 h呈上升趋势,6 h时达到最高值,随后呈下降趋势,肺脏中CIRP mRNA表达在0～6 h呈下降趋势,在6 h时达到最低值,随后呈上升趋势;慢性冷应激组(10℃±1℃)大鼠心脏、大脑和睾丸3种组织中CIRP mRNA在不同时间点(1周、2周、3 W周)的表达均高于正常对照组(P>0.05),肺脏CIRP mRNA表达均低于对照组(P>0.05),并且同一组织不同时间点之间差异不显著(P>0.05).可见冷刺激后CIRP的表达存在一定规律并且表现出组织特异性,可能与组织保护特异性有关.