高羊茅中一个DREB类转录因子基因的分离及鉴定分析

为了鉴定草坪草高羊茅(Festucaarundinacea Schreb.)中与低温、高盐和干旱胁迫相关的基因,我们构建了冷诱导(4℃)的高羊茅cDNA文库,并从这个文库中分离得到一个DREB类转录因子基因,FaDREB1A.序列分析表明,FaDREB1A具有一个717bp的开放阅读框和143bp的3’非编码区,推测的氨基酸序列中含有一个高度保守的EREBP/AP2结构域.酵母单杂交结果表明,FaDREB1A蛋白能在体外特异结合DRE元件,并具有转录激活功能.Southern杂交结果显示,FaDREB1A在高羊茅基因组中可能是单拷贝或低拷贝基因.Northern杂交结果发现,FaDREB1A基因受低温、高盐和干旱的诱导表达,对ABA没有反应,说明FaDREB1A基因在高羊茅植株对低温、高盐和干旱的应答反应中起重要作用.图5参30     

不同强度冷应激对大鼠肌肉、脾脏和肝脏中HSP70表达的影响

通过两个低温温度段对健康Wistar大鼠进行冷应激试验,利用免疫印迹技术检验肌肉、脾脏和肝脏中HSP70表达的相对变化情况,探讨不同时间和强度冷应激条件下,3种组织中HSP70表达的情况以及通过HSP70表达量的变化看是否可以将其作为评估冷应激的指标.正常饲养的大鼠环境温度为(20±1)℃,而实验组大鼠分别在(0±1)℃和(10±1)℃环境下进行低温冷应激,然后在冷应激后不同时间宰杀取组织,利用Western-blotting检测HSP70的表达量.结果表明:(1)在(0±1)℃急性冷应激条件下,随着冷应激时间的延长,肌肉和脾脏中HSP70的表达持续增加,与对照组(CK)相比,差异显著(P<0.05);(2)在(10±1)℃慢性冷应激条件下,仅1wk肌肉组中HSP70的表达增加(P<0.05),其它情况下各组织中HSP70的表达与CK相比无显著差异(P>0.05).上述结果说明,相应强度的冷应激可以诱导机体的HSP70表达,并且随时间延长,HSP70的表达增加,可以考虑将HSP70作为监测大鼠应激的指标.图1表2参14     

Non-invasive measurement of the physiological stress response of wild rabbits to the odour of a predator

Summary. Stress has been widely studied in different mammals, but the physiological stress reaction that the odour of a predator could induce in preys has not received much attention. Besides, not all the animals would respond to the same extent to a known stressor. We developed an experimental procedure with eleven na?ve European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in order to determine the individual physiological response to the olfactory detection of a potential predator. The rabbits were housed singly in small enclosures with a concrete burrow system and food and water were available ad libitum. The animals followed a control trial, without odour, and an experimental trial where we confronted the rabbits with fox (Vulpes vulpes) odour. Furthermore, another sample of eleven rabbits followed a control procedure subjected to the same housing and handling procedures but without facing the predator odour. In order to assess the physiological response we analysed the concentration of glucocorticoid metabolites in the faeces of the rabbits. Therefore, everyday faecal samples were collected and analysed with an enzyme immunoassay in order to measure the corticosterone metabolites (CM), particularly, those metabolites with a 5α-3β, 11β-diol structure. After validating the assay for wild rabbits, we found that the simulated presence of a predator (fox odour) in the enclosure resulted in an increase in faecal CM concentrations. However, the stressor did not affect all the animals in the same way. We found a general increase in the individual differences. In particular, males experienced a higher increase than females, though the overall response was similar for both sexes. To our knowledge this is one of the first attempts to analyse the assessment of the risk of predation by means of non-invasive methods.     

Sensitivity and Vulnerability in Marine Environments: an Approach to Identifying Vulnerable Marine Areas

Abstract:  Marine environments have suffered from a lack of quantitative methods for delineating areas that are sensitive or vulnerable to particular stresses, natural and anthropogenic. We define sensitivity as the degree to which marine features respond to stresses, which are deviations of environmental conditions beyond the expected range. Vulnerability can then be defined as the probability that a feature will be exposed to a stress to which it is sensitive. Using these definitions, we provide a quantitative methodology for identifying vulnerable marine areas based on valued ecological features, defined as biological or physical features, processes, or structures deemed by humans to have environmental, social, cultural, or economic significance. The vulnerability of the valued ecological features is a function of their sensitivity to particular stresses and their vulnerability to those stresses. We used the methodology to demonstrate how vulnerable marine areas for two groups of endangered whale species (inshore and offshore) could be identified with a predictive habitat model and acoustic stress surfaces. Acoustic stress surfaces were produced for ferry traffic, commercial shipping traffic, potential offshore oil production, and small-boat traffic. The vulnerabilities of the two whale groups to the four stressors considered in this example were relatively similar; however, inshore species were more sensitive to on-shelf, coastal activities such as offshore hydrocarbon production, ferry traffic, and small-boat traffic. Our approach demonstrates how valued features can be associated with stresses and the likelihood of encountering these stresses (vulnerability) in order to identify geographic areas for management and conservation purposes. The method can be applied to any combination of valued ecological features and stressors.     

POTENTIAL OF EPISODIC FLOWS IN SOME FOUR REPRESENTATIVE NON-PERENNIAL RIVER FLOW CATCHMENTS IN SEMI ARID LAIKIPIA DISTRICT, KENYA

The purpose of this study was to establish the water resources of thenon-perennial streams in providing supplementary water needs inLaikipia district. This district has undergone remarkable land usechanges resulting in water use stress of perennial river abstractions andgroundwater exploitation in the semi arid environment.Over a three year period extending from January 1989 to December1991, hydrological variables were monitored in four non-perennial flowcatchments within the district. These catchments have been shown tohave potential of about 8000 m³/km²/year except forlong dry spells during the observation period and high sediment lossesand evaporation rates calling for proper conservation measures in orderto exploit productively the water resources potential of such catchments.     

downscaling procedures as a tool for integration of multiple air issues

In assessing the risks associated with climate change,downscaling has proven useful in linking surfacechanges, at scales relevant to decision making, tolarge-scale atmospheric circulation derived from GCMoutput. Stochastic downscaling is related to synopticclimatology, weather-typing approaches (classifyingcirculation patterns) such as the Lamb Weather Typesdeveloped for the United Kingdom (UK), the EuropeanGrosswetterlagen (Bardossy and Plate, 1992) and thePerfect Prognosis (Perfect Prog) method from numericalweather prediction. The large-scale atmosphericcirculation is linked with site-specific observationsof atmospheric variables, such as precipitation, windspeed or temperature, within a specified region. Classifying each day by circulation patterns isachieved by clustering algorithms, fuzzy rule bases,neural nets or decision trees. The linkages areextended to GCM output to account for climate change. Stochastic models are developed from the probabilitydistributions for extreme events. Objective analysiscan be used to interpolate values of these models toother locations. The concepts and some applicationsare reviewed to provide a basis for extending thedownscaling approach to assessing the integrated riskof the six air issues: climate change, UV-B radiation,acid rain, transport of hazardous air pollutants, smogand suspended particulates.     

Effects of cadmium and zinc on oxygen consumption, ammonium excretion, and osmoregulation of white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

White shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, a globally important cultured prawn species, is an ideal animal for studying the impairment caused by the effects of heavy metals that are often detected in coastal areas. The main purpose of the present study was to detect the acute toxicity of Cd and Zn to L. vannamei, and to investigate their effects on gill functions, which have not been carried out in this species before, hoping to obtain some important significance. First of all, we examined the acute toxicity of cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) to L. vannamei and obtained 24-, 48-, 72-, and 96-h medium lethal concentration (LC₅₀) values of 2.58, 1.30, 1.14, and 1.07 mg Cd l⁻¹ and 3.98, 2.14, 1.75, and 1.35 mg Zn l⁻¹, respectively. Furthermore, we also found that exposure of shrimp to Cd or Zn caused an inhibition in oxygen consumption of 91.3% and 75.9% lower than that of the control. However, after separate exposure to Cd or Zn, elevations in ammonium excretion were obtained, which were 153.7% and 144.1%, respectively, higher than the control. It is most likely that elevations in ammonium excretion were related to decreased osmotic pressure of shrimp blood. Finally, the distribution of Cd and Zn within gills was also determined.     

化感作用及其在环境保护中的应用

生物体产生生物活性物质即化感物质在生物体之间传递信息并导致生物体相互作用 ,这称为化感作用。化感作用是一个崭新的研究领域。本文介绍了化感作用的概念、分类、不同生物体之间化感作用的作用机理 ,并着重论述了化感作用在环境保护中的应用途径、实例及建议。     

五大连池火山活动区构造应力场

本文利用五大连池火山活动区地震台网观测的地震资料,研究火山区及附近地区地震活动的时空演变、震源机制特征及其与构造活动的关系。讨论了五大连池火山区构造应力环境下地震活动水平与火山活动的一些相关因素。     

基于故障物理的集成控制器电路板可靠性预计

目的实现商用电动汽车集成控制器的可靠性预计与提升,采用应力仿真与故障物理相结合的方法对其关键电路板进行可靠性预计。方法针对集成控制器的数字样机,开展热、振动仿真应力分析,采用故障模式机理及影响分析(FMMEA)方法,分析电路板可能存在的故障模式和故障机理,确定潜在故障模式的故障物理模型。将应力分析结果作为故障物理模型的输入,进行基于故障物理的可靠性预计,寻找设计薄弱环节,并提出改进措施。结果找到了电路板的8个高温器件和热集中区域,振动仿真分析表明,电路板顶端与中心振动强度较大,可能引起疲劳失效,需要给予关注。通过FMMEA分析,得到电路板的主要故障模式为焊点开裂,主要受温度循环影响,造成热疲劳失效。最后采用Coffin-Mason模型,计算得到电路板的平均故障间隔时间为15869 h,找出了电路板的可靠性设计的薄弱环节。结论该方法基于故障物理,相对传统基于手册的可靠性预计方法精度更高,同时能够在产品研制阶段与性能设计并行,通过分析和改进产品设计,达到正向可靠性设计的目的,为新能源汽车领域电子产品的可靠性预计提供新的思路。