Microsatellite length polymorphisms associated with dispersal-related agonistic onset in male wild house mice (Mus musculus domesticus)

Dispersal propensity, reflecting one of the most decisive mammalian life history traits, has been suggested to vary heritably and to locally adapt to prevailing dispersal conditions in wild house mouse populations. Because individual dispersal propensity highly significantly covaries with the developmental timing of the onset of agonistic interactions between littermate brothers, we used agonistic onset as an endophenotype to explore the potential genetic basis of dispersal-related behavioral variation in male house mice. We found significant covariation of microsatellite marker compositions with the probability of fraternal pairs to exhibit agonistic relationships before the age of 2 months. In particular, the presence of two alleles associated with a serotonin transporter protein gene (Slc6a4) and a testosterone dehydrogenase gene (Cyp3a11), respectively, strongly covaried with the probability of early agonistic onset. These results are congruent with recent findings of microsatellite length polymorphisms marking regulatory variation of gene expression that is relevant for social behavior, including dispersal propensity development, in other mammals. Genetic variability for ontogenetic timing of agonistic onset would be in agreement with genotypic differentiation of the dispersive behavioral syndrome in natural populations that could lead to local adaptation.     

The meta-hydroxylation step in the phenylpropanoid pathway: a new level of complexity in the pathway and its regulation

Together in silico and genetic mining approaches have recently designated the CYP98 family of plant cytochromes P450 as the family of enzymes that catalyzes the meta-hydroxylation step in the phenylpropanoid pathway. This meta-hydroxylation is not catalyzed on the free p-coumaric acid as anticipated, but on its conjugates with shikimic, quinic, or phenyllactic acids. While all CYP98s have in common phenol meta-hydroxylase activity, p-coumaroylshikimate remains their preferred substrate. High expression of CYP98s is detected in lignifying tissues in stems, roots, and siliques. The CYP98A3 gene disruption in Arabidopsis thaliana leads to a drastic inhibition of lignin synthesis, cell growth, and plant development. The meta-hydroxylation of phenolic precursors is thus essential for higher plant development. Isolation of coding sequences belonging to the CYP98 family from basil, wheat, and extensive functional analysis of the recombinant enzymes, together with CYP98s from other plant taxa, helps shedding some light on mechanisms of P450s evolution. Most importantly, the occurrence of the meta-hydroxylation on esters of shikimic or quinic acids introduces a new biochemical regulation mechanism in the phenylpropanoid pathway.     

大气环境质量的人工神经网络决策模型

为了对环境质量进行综合评价，运用误差反向传播算法的人工神经网络方法建立了环境质量评价的Ｂ－Ｐ决策模型。用此模型研究实例的大气环境质量，结果表明Ｂ－Ｐ网络用于环境质量评价具有客观性和实用性。     

Effect of chronic exposure to cadmium on hepatic drug metabolism

Abstract

In an attempt to examine the chronic effect of low levels of cadmium on hepatic drug‐metabolizing enzyme system, an experiment was carried out in which growing male rats were given 0, 5, 10, and 2 0 ppm of cadmium in drinking water for a period of 8 weeks. An ip administration of a hypnotic dose of pentobarbital to the cadmium‐treated and the control rats 2 4 hr following the termination of the experiment exhibited that there was no significant difference in the drug metabolism in control and any of the treated groups. Next, liver microsomes were isolated from animals in all groups to study their ability to metabolize drugs in vitro. The results indicated that the activity of benzphetamine N‐demethylase and aniline hydroxylase, and the concentration of microsomal cytochrome P‐450 were almost identical in the control and treated groups. On the other hand, a single ip dose of cadmium (2 mg/kg) caused significant decrease in the in vivo and in vitro microsomal drug metabolism. These results suggest that although a single ip dose of cadmium (2 mg/kg) causes significant inhibition of drug metabolism, chronic exposure to cadmium up to 2 0 ppm in drinking water over a period of 8 weeks is unlikely to affect hepatic drug metabolism.     

三峡水域氮磷污染对水华暴发/消涨行为的协同影响

藻类生长/消退与藻类对氮、磷的吸收比率ω₁和ω₂相关,ω_i正/负增长分别对应藻类生长时从水体中吸收氮磷的加速阶段和藻类分解时向水体释放氮磷的消退阶段,在特定磷氮比(P/N)范围出现ω₁和ω₂同时突变有可能从理论上解释水华的暴发/消退.根据三峡流域实测数据和藻类吸收氮磷的关联函数,在三维空间表征了随氮磷浓度协同作用导致的ω₁和ω₂在特定P/N区域同时突变所揭示出的水华暴发/消退现象,从而直观、合理地解释了:①适当的P/N范围才可能暴发水华;②如果P/N区间同时满足ω₁和ω₂正向急剧增长的要求,藻类疯长,而ω₁和ω₂同时朝负值方向急剧降低,水华消退;③水华暴发/消退的速率为同一数量级,且水华暴发/消退在氮、磷浓度达到某一敏感范围时将表现出明显的周期性振荡.这些性态可能更真实地反映出水华暴发/消退时藻类对营养盐的吸收/释放机理.     

Positive remediation on sedimentary P by combination of capping with calcium hydroxide and oxidation with perhydrol

The capping is called passive remediation because the sedimentary P was released and then immobilized by the capping materials. However, the release depends on the environmental conditions. Therefore, a hypothesis was proposed that the oxidant was used to accelerate sedimentary P release and the capping material was used to capture those released P. It is positive remediation to reduce sedimentary P amount. The results show that soluble reactive phosphorus（SRP） concentration in the overlying wat...     

人尿中痕量铜的分光光度测定

本文采用自己合成的水溶性卟啉Ｔ（４－ＴＡＰ）Ｐ作试剂，在ｐＨ４５，盐酸羟胺存在下，建立了一种测定人尿中痕量铜的分光光度法，操作简便，结果准确，令人满意。     

玉米自交系吸收利用磷素的差异及其相关性

大田选取11份玉米自交系，在两个供磷水平下研究了玉米自交系籽粒产量基因型差异及吸收效率、利用效率与磷效率的相关关系。试验结果表明：在磷胁迫的条件下，不同玉米自交系不仅产量存在较大的差异，而且对磷的响应度也不相同，产量最高的基因型中宗2号为最低的忻9005的5．15倍，将这些品种在二磷水平下以产量进行磷效率双向划分可以分为4种类型：双高效型(太411、KH12、58、中宗2号)；高磷高效型(187)；低磷高效型(冀257)；双低效型(478、冀35、XL12、忻9005、H21)，成熟期吸收、利用效率与磷效率的关系表明，在同一供磷条件下，11份自交系吸收、利用效率均有显著的差异，在两个供磷水平下，吸收效率与磷效率存在显著的正相关关系，而利用效率仅在高磷条件下与磷效率存在正相关性，表明在低磷水平下，成熟期磷效率主要由吸收效率决定，在高磷水平下，磷效率是吸收效率和利用效率共同作用的结果。图2表1参7。     

低碳条件下土壤微生物量磷对加入无机磷的响应

土壤微生物量磷是土壤有效磷的“源”和“库”,其变化幅度很大,受多种因素影响。采用室内培养的方法,向土壤中加入不同量KH2PO4,分析在土壤有机碳供应不充足条件下土壤微生物量磷对外加无机磷的响应,探讨影响土壤微生物量磷的因素,为提高土壤磷素有效性提供理论依据。结果表明,在土壤有机碳供应不充足的条件下,加入的无机磷对土壤微生物量碳无明显影响,但可显著增加土壤微生物量磷和微生物含磷量,随着无机磷加入量的增加,土壤微生物量磷和微生物含磷量增加幅度增加。土壤微生物量磷及微生物含磷量与土壤有效磷之间成显著直线相关,土壤有效磷每提高1个单位,土壤微生物量磷增加0.22个单位,土壤微生物含磷量增加0.73个单位。