Identification of the tet(B) resistance gene in Streptococcus suis

The tetracycline resistance gene, tet(B), has been described previously in Gram negative bacteria. In this study tet(B) was detected in plasmid extracts from 17/111 (15%) Streptococcus suis isolates from diseased pigs, representing the first report of this resistance gene in Gram positive bacteria.     

Convergence of developmental mutants into a single tomato model system: 'Micro-Tom' as an effective toolkit for plant development research

Background

The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plant is both an economically important food crop and an ideal dicot model to investigate various physiological phenomena not possible in Arabidopsis thaliana. Due to the great diversity of tomato cultivars used by the research community, it is often difficult to reliably compare phenotypes. The lack of tomato developmental mutants in a single genetic background prevents the stacking of mutations to facilitate analysis of double and multiple mutants, often required for elucidating developmental pathways.

Results

We took advantage of the small size and rapid life cycle of the tomato cultivar Micro-Tom (MT) to create near-isogenic lines (NILs) by introgressing a suite of hormonal and photomorphogenetic mutations (altered sensitivity or endogenous levels of auxin, ethylene, abscisic acid, gibberellin, brassinosteroid, and light response) into this genetic background. To demonstrate the usefulness of this collection, we compared developmental traits between the produced NILs. All expected mutant phenotypes were expressed in the NILs. We also created NILs harboring the wild type alleles for dwarf, self-pruning and uniform fruit, which are mutations characteristic of MT. This amplified both the applications of the mutant collection presented here and of MT as a genetic model system.

Conclusions

The community resource presented here is a useful toolkit for plant research, particularly for future studies in plant development, which will require the simultaneous observation of the effect of various hormones, signaling pathways and crosstalk.     

黄浦江上游近自然混交林和人工纯林水源涵养功能评价

以上海黄浦江上游水源涵养林为研究对象,选择近自然混交林、香樟(Cinnamomum camphora)人工纯林和无患子(Sapindus mukorossi)人工纯林,对比了地上部分、枯落物层、土壤层三个垂直层次的持水量,综合评价了其水源涵养功能。结果表明:地上部分持水量近自然混交林与香樟纯林持平,大于无患子纯林,分别为16.36t/hm2,16.85t/hm2,12.54t/hm2;枯落物层最大持水量依次为近自然混交林(0.37t/hm2)无患子纯林(0.004t/hm2)香樟纯林(0.003t/hm2);土壤层最大持水量近自然混交林(2 657.02t/hm2)无患子纯林(2 526.81t/hm2)香樟纯林(2 474.80t/hm2)。土壤层对森林涵养水源功能的贡献最大,但同时离不开地上部分及枯落物层三者间的相互依存和影响。综合评价得到不同类型林分的总持水量为近自然混交林(2 673.73t/hm2)无患子纯林(2 539.35t/hm2)香樟纯林(2 491.65t/hm2)。由此可见,林分复杂、树种多样、林下植被丰富的近自然混交林涵养水源的能力最强,优于单一的无患子纯林,而香樟纯林最差。     

Fatty acid pattern, oxidation product development, and antioxidant loss in muscle tissue of rainbow trout and Dicentrarchus labrax during growth

The levels of hydrophilic, lipophilic, and enzymatic antioxidants, the oxidative damage to lipids and proteins, and the fatty acid patterns of triglyceride and phospholipid fractions were assayed in fresh muscle tissue of rainbow trouts (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and sea basses (Dicentrarchus labrax) during aging, to investigate the correlation between oxidative stress and aging processes in fish. The present studies suggests that lipid peroxidation and accumulation of oxidized proteins during in vivo aging are most likely to be linked with an age-dependent decline of lipophilic antioxidants (CoQH(2), CoQ, and vitamin E) and vitamin C contents in muscle tissue, whereas fish aging is not linked to a decline in antioxidant enzymes and reduced glutathione levels. Lipophilic antioxidant and vitamin C levels represent a reliable marker of oxidative stress during aging, and their determination might be useful for the assessment of fish age.     

Lessons about extinction and translocation: models for eastern barred bandicoots (Perameles gunnii) at Woodlands Historic Park, Victoria, Australia

In 1998 the protected population of Perameles gunnii (eastern barred bandicoot) at Woodlands Historic Park, Victoria, Australia became functionally extinct following removals of individuals for translocation between 1994 and 1996. Population viability analysis and data collected whilst the population was in decline are used to explore the impact that these removals had on the decline of the P. gunnii population at Woodlands. Due to some ambiguities in the life history of P. gunnii at Woodlands, two structurally different population models were used. Explicitly including the removal of animals in the analysis indicates that there may be at least a three-fold increase in the risk of quasiextinction due to removals. In some scenarios, over 17% of the trajectories decrease to a level less than or equal to 10 females within the observed time period of the collapse of the population, that is by April 1998. The modelling approach identified a number of critical factors in the decline of the population, such as variation in survival rates. By representing the life history strategy using two alternate models, quantitative statements about the impact that removals had on the population decline at Woodlands are made. While removals probably contributed to the collapse of the population, removals were not the sole cause of population decline. The real reasons for decline remain unknown; however, it is likely to be closely linked to habitat decline, difficult environmental conditions and predation. If P. gunnii are reintroduced to Woodlands again, then the models presented here may help to develop management strategies to establish a self sustaining population, as well as exploring translocations options.     

Isoflavonoids isolated from Cuban propolis

Chemical investigation of a red-type Cuban propolis sample has led to the isolation of 11 isoflavonoids (2 isoflavones, 3 isoflavans, and 6 pterocarpans), together with gallic acid, isoliquiritigenin, and (-)-liquiritigenin. Structural determination, including the absolute stereochemistry, was accomplished by spectroscopic analysis, particularly CD and 2D NMR techniques. The fragmentation behavior of pterocarpans was studied by electrospray ionization (ESI) tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) using an ion-trap analyzer, and a generalized fragmentation pathway, useful in the identification and structural characterization of pterocarpans, is proposed. Isoflavonoids are reported for the first time from propolis samples.     

溴虫腈与哒螨灵对朱砂叶螨的联合作用

为明确溴虫腈与哒螨灵的联合杀螨活性,采用玻片浸渍法测定了溴虫腈与哒螨灵不同配比混剂对朱砂叶螨雌成螨的杀螨活性,并以共毒因子法和共毒系数法评价混剂的增效作用。结果表明,溴虫腈和哒螨灵对朱砂叶螨雌成螨处理后24 h的致死中质量浓度(LC50)分别为8.80、17.69mg/L;溴虫腈与哒螨灵的质量比为49∶51、47∶53、45∶55时增效最明显,对朱砂叶螨处理后24 h的共毒系数分别为177.94、178.49、173.73,LC50分别为6.65、6.72、7.00 mg/L,其毒力分别是哒螨灵的2.66倍、2.63倍、2.53倍。因此,45%~49%溴虫腈与51%~55%哒螨灵混合具有显著的增效作用。     

家庭因素对边疆少数民族大学生心理健康影响研究

为准确把握家庭因素对边疆少数民族大学生心理健康的影响,本文运用卡特尔16PF人格因素量表、大学生人格问卷UPI和SCL-90症状自评量表,采用随机抽样的方式,对边疆9省少数民族大学生心理健康状况进行调查;并结合自己设计的《边疆地区少数民族大学生基本情况调查问卷》的调查结果进行对应分析,用SPSS13.0进行数据处理。结果表明:家庭整体氛围、家庭教育方式与家庭成员的关系状况对研究对象的心理健康状况有显著影响,而家庭规模、家庭生活水平、家庭收入水平、家庭负担大学开支情况,以及研究对象是否是独生子女、在家中的排行、在家庭中的地位对研究对象的心理健康状况没有显著影响。