The ecoresponsive genome of Daphnia pulex

We describe the draft genome of the microcrustacean Daphnia pulex, which is only 200 megabases and contains at least 30,907 genes. The high gene count is a consequence of an elevated rate of gene duplication resulting in tandem gene clusters. More than a third of Daphnia's genes have no detectable homologs in any other available proteome, and the most amplified gene families are specific to the Daphnia lineage. The coexpansion of gene families interacting within metabolic pathways suggests that the maintenance of duplicated genes is not random, and the analysis of gene expression under different environmental conditions reveals that numerous paralogs acquire divergent expression patterns soon after duplication. Daphnia-specific genes, including many additional loci within sequenced regions that are otherwise devoid of annotations, are the most responsive genes to ecological challenges.     

Mass selection for small‐sized cysts in Artemia franciscana produced in Vinh Chau salt ponds,Vietnam

Unidirectional mass truncation selection for small‐sized cysts was carried out on brine shrimp (Artemia franciscana Kellogg 1906), Vinh Chau strain, Vietnam, through cyst sieving and then culturing the selected individuals (<5% of the population) under field and laboratory conditions over two successive generations (F₁ and F₂). The results showed that at both culture scales, the cyst size of the selected line was smaller (P < 0.05) compared with the control (non‐selected) line, illustrating that there was a response to selection. The cyst size decreased about 3% per generation and the accumulated gain on the target trait was in the range 5.82–6.07% at the end of the selection process compared with the base population. The realized heritability estimation (h²) for cyst size was 0.23 ± 0.06 and 0.74 ± 0.19 in the field trials and 0.34 and 0.51 in the laboratory test for the F₁ and F₂ generation respectively. The variations found between the respective trials may be explained as the result of environmental interaction with the selection process, but the results show that a selection program for small‐sized cysts in Artemia by mass selection is possible.     

玉米蛋白粉替代鱼粉对异育银鲫生长、蛋白酶活性及表观消化率的影响

分别用4%、8%、12%和16%玉米蛋白粉替代异育银鲫饲料中25%、50%、75%和100%鱼粉配制4种等氮、等能的试验饲料,以不替代鱼粉的饲料为对照,试验饲料与对照饲料等氮、等能,在室内循环水养殖系统饲养异育银鲫(初始体重1.32±0.16 g)71 d,旨在研究玉米蛋白粉替代鱼粉对异育银鲫生长、蛋白酶活性以及表观消化率的影响.结果表明,玉米蛋白替代鱼粉对异育银鲫的存活率、肥满度无显著性影响(P>0.05).4%、8%及12%玉米蛋白粉组的相对增重率、相对增长率、饲料系数、蛋白质效率、肠道和肝胰脏蛋白酶活性、干物质和蛋白质表现消化率与对照组无显著差异(P>0.05),玉米蛋白粉完全替代鱼粉组的生长性能、饲料利用、蛋白酶活性和表观消化率均显著低于对照组(P<0.05).因此,本实验条件下,玉米蛋白粉可以替代75%鱼粉.     

抗抑郁治疗对不稳定型心绞痛伴抑郁患者近期预后的影响

目的 :观察抗抑郁治疗对不稳定型心绞痛伴抑郁患者近期预后的影响。方法 :将 68例不稳定型心绞痛伴抑郁的患者随机分为抗抑郁治疗组和对照组各 34例 ,治疗组在常规药物治疗基础上予心理治疗及加服抗抑郁药氟西汀 (百忧解 ) 2 0 mg/d,顿服 ,疗程为 1 2周。结果 :治疗组与对照组比较 ,心肌缺血明显改善 (P<0 .0 1 ) ,心绞痛复发率及发生急性心肌梗死比例低 (P<0 .0 5)。结论 :抗抑郁治疗能明显改善不稳定型心绞痛伴抑郁患者的近期预后。     

Extracellular proteins limit the dispersal of biogenic nanoparticles

High-spatial-resolution secondary ion microprobe spectrometry, synchrotron radiation-based Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and polyacrylamide gel analysis demonstrated the intimate association of proteins with spheroidal aggregates of biogenic zinc sulfide nanocrystals, an example of extracellular biomineralization. Experiments involving synthetic zinc sulfide nanoparticles and representative amino acids indicated a driving role for cysteine in rapid nanoparticle aggregation. These findings suggest that microbially derived extracellular proteins can limit the dispersal of nanoparticulate metal-bearing phases, such as the mineral products of bioremediation, that may otherwise be transported away from their source by subsurface fluid flow.     

Esterase 6 and reproduction in Drosophila melanogaster

A nonspecific carboxylesterase (esterase 6) of Drosophila melanogaster shows greater activity in adult males than in females and is highly concentrated in the anterior ejaculatory duct of the reproductive tract of the male. Esterase 6 is depleted in males by copulation and is transferred to females early during copulation as a component of the seminal fluid. That esterase 6 may be involved in a system controlling the timing of remating is suggested by differences in the activity of this enzyme in a strain of Drosophila selected for a decrease in time to remating and by differences in the timing of remating in females initially inseminated by males lacking or having active esterase 6.     

Butterfly-Plant Coevolution: Has Passiflora adenopoda Won the Selectional Race with Heliconiine Butterflies?

Hooklike trichomes of Passiflora adenopoda provide a specific, effectively absolute defense against heliconiine butterfly larvae, a major class of Passiflora herbivores. It is suggested that since mechanical defenses are usually more selective in their action against herbivores, they usually are evolved by a plant only after it has accumulated a series of chemical defenses.     

海南鹦哥岭的种子植物资源

通过对保存了我国华南面积最大、最原始的热带雨林的海南鹦哥岭4个多月的野外调查,统计该地区有野生种子植物173科825属1706种.根据资源植物的主要用途和生态习性等特点将其归为12类:材用植物、药用植物、油脂植物、芳香植物、蜜源植物、纤维植物、食用植物、观赏植物、饲料植物、绿肥植物、淀粉植物和杀虫植物,介绍了资源现状,并提出保护建议.