Demographic characteristics and population dynamical patterns of solitary birds

In birds and many other animals, there are large interspecific differences in the magnitude of annual variation in population size. Using time-series data on populations of solitary bird species, we found that fluctuations in population size of solitary birds were affected by the deterministic characteristics of the population dynamics as well as the stochastic factors. In species with highly variable populations, annual variation in recruitment was positively related to the return rate of adults between successive breeding seasons. In stable populations, more recruits were found in years with low return rates of breeding adults. This identifies a gradient, associated with the position of the species along a "slow-fast" continuum of life history variation, from highly variable populations with a recruitment-driven demography to stable, strongly density-regulated populations with a survival-restricted demography. These results suggest that patterns in avian population fluctuations can be predicted from a knowledge of life-history characteristics and/or temporal variation in certain demographic traits.     

A simple model for complex dynamical transitions in epidemics

Dramatic changes in patterns of epidemics have been observed throughout this century. For childhood infectious diseases such as measles, the major transitions are between regular cycles and irregular, possibly chaotic epidemics, and from regionally synchronized oscillations to complex, spatially incoherent epidemics. A simple model can explain both kinds of transitions as the consequences of changes in birth and vaccination rates. Measles is a natural ecological system that exhibits different dynamical transitions at different times and places, yet all of these transitions can be predicted as bifurcations of a single nonlinear model.     

Predictive self-assembly of polyhedra into complex structures

Predicting structure from the attributes of a material's building blocks remains a challenge and central goal for materials science. Isolating the role of building block shape for self-assembly provides insight into the ordering of molecules and the crystallization of colloids, nanoparticles, proteins, and viruses. We investigated 145 convex polyhedra whose assembly arises solely from their anisotropic shape. Our results demonstrate a remarkably high propensity for thermodynamic self-assembly and structural diversity. We show that from simple measures of particle shape and local order in the fluid, the assembly of a given shape into a liquid crystal, plastic crystal, or crystal can be predicted.     

Crystal structures of human MD-2 and its complex with antiendotoxic lipid IVa

Endotoxic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with potent immunostimulatory activity is recognized by the receptor complex of MD-2 and Toll-like receptor 4. Crystal structures of human MD-2 and its complex with the antiendotoxic tetra-acylated lipid A core of LPS have been determined at 2.0 and 2.2 angstrom resolutions, respectively. MD-2 shows a deep hydrophobic cavity sandwiched by two beta sheets, in which four acyl chains of the ligand are fully confined. The phosphorylated glucosamine moieties are located at the entrance to the cavity. These structures suggest that MD-2 plays a principal role in endotoxin recognition and provide a basis for antiseptic drug development.     

Titration patterns of a murine sarcoma-leukemia virus complex: evidence for existence of competent sarcoma virions

Stocks of inurine sarcoma virus show titration patterns ranging from one-to two-hit kinetics. The comparison of various titrations of this virus, both with and without added helper virus, to theoretical model systems composed of defined constituents, suggests the existence of a sarcoma virus that does not need coinfectinig murine leukemia virus to be manifested as a focus-forming unit. The behavior of such nondefective particles is compatible with a postulated leukemia-sarcoma virus hybrid.     

Emergence of drug-resistant influenza virus: population dynamical considerations

Given the considerable challenges to the rapid development of an effective vaccine against influenza, antiviral agents will play an important role as a first-line defense if a new pandemic occurs. The large-scale use of drugs for chemoprophylaxis and treatment will impose strong selection for the evolution of drug-resistant strains. The ensuing transmission of those strains could substantially limit the effectiveness of the drugs as a first-line defense. Summarizing recent data on the rate at which the treatment of influenza infection generates resistance de novo and on the transmission fitness of resistant virus, we discuss possible implications for the epidemiological spread of drug resistance in the context of an established population dynamic model.     

Crystal structures of an antibody to a peptide and its complex with peptide antigen at 2.8 A

The three-dimensional structures of an antibody to a peptide and its complex with the peptide antigen have been determined at 2.8 A resolution. The antigen is a synthetic 19-amino acid peptide homolog of the C helix of myohemerythrin (Mhr). The unliganded Fab' crystals are orthorhombic with two molecules per asymmetric unit, whereas the complex crystals are hexagonal with one molecule per asymmetric unit. The Fab' and the Fab'-peptide complex structures have been solved independently by molecular replacement methods and have crystallographic R factors of 0.197 and 0.215, respectively, with no water molecules included. The amino-terminal portion of the peptide sequence (NH2-Glu-Val-Val-Pro-His-Lys-Lys) is clearly interpretable in the electron density map of the Fab'-peptide complex and adopts a well-defined type II beta-turn in the concave antigen binding pocket. This same peptide amino acid sequence in native Mhr is alpha-helical. The peptide conformation when bound to the Fab' is inconsistent with binding of the Fab' to native Mhr, and suggests that binding of the Fab' to conformationally altered forms of the native Mhr or to apo-Mhr. Immunological mapping previously identified this sequence as the peptide epitope, and its fine specificity correlates well with the structural analysis. The binding pocket includes a large percentage of hydrophobic residues. The buried surfaces of the peptide and the antibody are complementary in shape and cover 460 A2 and 540 A2, respectively. These two structures now enable a comparison of a specific monoclonal Fab' both in its free and antigen complexed state. While no major changes in the antibody were observed when peptide was bound, there were some small but significant side chain and main chain rearrangements.     

我国耕地土壤重金属污染的阻控技术研究进展

目的探讨农田中重金属锌(Zn)和镉(Cd)污染对杂草种子萌发指标的影响。方法以4种农田杂草种子为试材,比较不同质量浓度锌Zn²⁺、Cd²⁺单一胁迫对麦家公(Buglossoides arvense)、麦瓶草(Silence conoidea )、刺儿菜(Cirisum setosum)和播娘蒿(Descurainia sophia)种子一系列萌发指标间的影响。采用隶属函数法综合评价4种农田杂草对重金属Zn、Cd的耐性。结果随着Zn²⁺和Cd²⁺质量浓度的升高,除麦瓶草的发芽率、发芽势和发芽指数在Zn²⁺质量浓度为50~400 mg/L 和Cd²⁺质量浓度为25~200 mg/L之间时出现一定的波动,表现出低抑制、高刺激的现象外,4种农田杂草种子的各项萌发指标均有不同程度的降低。隶属函数评价表明：4种农田杂草的耐Zn胁迫能力为麦瓶草>刺儿菜>播娘蒿>麦家公;4种农田杂草的耐Cd胁迫能力为刺儿菜>麦瓶草>播娘蒿>麦家公。结论麦瓶草对重金属Zn的耐受能力最强,刺儿菜对重金属Cd的耐受能力最强,而麦家公对Zn、Cd的耐受能力均最弱。     

Serpentine minerals: intergrowths and new combination structures

The serpentine minerals chrysotile, lizardite, and antigorite have been found intimately intergrown with each other and with talc, chlorite, and amphibole in incompletely reacted chain silicates. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy has revealed new variations in serpentine planar and roll structures, as well as regions of mixed-layer silicate consisting of serpentine and talc layers.     

2种生态条件下冬小麦非顺序衰老过程中同化物积累及转运特性

【目的】研究正常天气和遮阴2种生态条件下,小麦正置茎和倒置茎地上器官同化物的积累及转运特性,为进一步研究小麦叶片非顺序衰老的生理生化机制提供理论依据。【方法】在正常天气和遮阴处理条件下,以3种小麦品种温麦19、豫麦19和兰考矮早8顺序衰老(正置)和非顺序衰老(倒置)茎为材料,在小麦叶片非顺序衰老发生开始时和发生后第5天,采用系数法和称质量法测定小麦正置茎和倒置茎顶三叶的绿叶面积和地上器官的干物质积累量。【结果】无论是正常天气条件还是遮阴条件下,温麦19、豫麦19和兰考矮早8正置茎顶三叶绿叶面积大小次序为旗叶倒二叶倒三叶,而倒置茎表现为倒二叶旗叶倒三叶,遮阴条件下小麦顶三叶的绿叶面积较正常天气条件下大。小麦正置茎旗叶和倒二叶干物质积累量无明显差异,而倒置茎倒二叶干物质积累量显著高于旗叶。正置茎和倒置茎旗叶、倒二叶、倒三叶叶鞘干物质积累大小次序一致,均为旗叶鞘倒二叶鞘倒三叶鞘。倒置茎茎秆和剩余叶(除旗叶、倒二叶和倒三叶外)、颖稃片和穗轴以及籽粒的干物质质量均明显高于正置茎。正置茎花前地上器官同化物转运量、转运率及对籽粒的贡献率均明显大于倒置茎,而花后则相反。在成熟期,倒置茎千粒质量和穗粒数均大于正置茎。遮阴条件引起小麦地上营养器官干物质积累量减少和籽粒千粒质量降低,但对穗粒数影响不大。【结论】无论在正常天气条件还是遮阴条件下,小麦灌浆结实后期叶片的非顺序衰老有利于小麦籽粒的充实。     

采伐机工作臂油缸的设计及其运动分析

以采伐机工作臂油缸为研究对象,分别对其布置形式、受力情况及其强度校核等方面进行设计计算.借助机械系统动力学分析软件ADAMS,以各油缸为分析对象,选取6种不同位姿下的工作臂,分别进行模拟仿真,分析油缸在不同工况下的运动情况,得出采伐机工作臂的主要作业尺寸及油缸的受力状况.结果表明,当起重量一定且仅主臂油缸进行伸缩运动时,主臂及副臂的姿态影响着采伐机工作臂的工作幅度.因此在工作过程中可以通过调整工作臂的初始工作状态,缩短采伐机工作臂末端需要延长的距离,同时能有效减轻工作臂的负荷,从而提高机械效能.