S‐locus diversity and cross‐compatibility of wild Prunus avium for timber breeding

Prunus avium is primarily cultivated for its fruit, sweet cherries. However, it is also used to produce high‐quality timber. In a P. avium seed orchard, gametophytic self‐incompatibility is a restriction for free pollen flow and should be considered when establishing basic forest materials. In this study, S‐locus diversity and cross‐incompatibility of wild cherry individuals in clonal banks established for breeding for timber production were investigated. Wild cherry trees (140) with outstanding forest growth habit, collected in northern Spain, grafted and planted in two clonal banks, were genotyped at the S‐locus. The self‐incompatibility S‐locus genes, S‐RNase and SFB, were analysed by PCR. Twenty‐two S‐haplotypes, resulting in 72 different S‐genotypes, were identified. The genotypes were grouped into 33 incompatibility groups and 39 unique genotypes. This initial S‐locus analysis revealed large genetic diversity of wild cherry trees from the Spanish northern deciduous forest, and provides useful information for seed orchard design. Wild P. avium displays significantly more genetic diversity than what is detected in local cultivars, revealing a narrowing of genetic diversity during local domestication.     

Membrane proteins of the endoplasmic reticulum induce high-curvature tubules

The tubular structure of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) appears to be generated by integral membrane proteins, the reticulons and a protein family consisting of DP1 in mammals and Yop1p in yeast. Here, individual members of these families were found to be sufficient to generate membrane tubules. When we purified yeast Yop1p and incorporated it into proteoliposomes, narrow tubules (approximately 15 to 17 nanometers in diameter) were generated. Tubule formation occurred with different lipids; required essentially only the central portion of the protein, including its two long hydrophobic segments; and was prevented by mutations that affected tubule formation in vivo. Tubules were also formed by reconstituted purified yeast Rtn1p. Tubules made in vitro were narrower than normal ER tubules, due to a higher concentration of tubule-inducing proteins. The shape and oligomerization of the "morphogenic" proteins could explain the formation of the tubular ER.     

基于ANUSPLIN的时间序列气象要素空间插值

【目的】介绍ANUSPLIN在黄土高原多沙粗沙区时间序列气象要素的空间插值过程,为相关人员在ANUSPLIN的参数设置、误差分析和协变量要素选择等方面提供参考。【方法】以薄盘样条函数为插值理论,以专用气象数据插值软件ANUSPLIN为实现工具,并引入一个或多个协变量线性子模型,来实现多个气象要素的空间插值。【结果】完成了黄土高原多沙粗沙区时间序列(1980~2000年)多个气象要素月平均数据的栅格化,计算了气象要素随其影响因子变化的关系。【结论】ANUSPLIN以薄盘光滑样条函数为理论基础,引入协变量线性子模型,能较好地提高气象要素空间插值精度,且能反映气象要素随其影响因子变化的比率关系。在大多数情况下,该区模型选择以样条次数为3次的局部薄盘光滑样条函数模型为最佳。温度的空间插值相对比较容易,且误差较小,1995-07平均相对误差为1%;风速、水汽压的误差中等;日照时数和降雨量的误差较大,个别情况相对误差可超过50%。     

Phytomedicines for Candida-associated denture stomatitis

Phytomedicines are becoming more popular all over the world. Denture stomatitis (DS) presents as an inflammatory reaction in denture-bearing patients, under maxillary prosthesis with Candida albicans being the principal etiological agent. Many different methods of treatment for DS have been observed. The effects of the main medicinal plants claimed to be useful as antifungal agents in the treatment of DS are reviewed. Herbal remedies that have shown potential promise are mentioned, although much research is still required.     

Morphological variability of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar and brown trout Salmo trutta in different river environments

Abstract – The morphologies of sympatric juvenile Atlantic salmon Salmo salar parr and brown trout Salmo trutta parr were compared between Irish rivers with contrasting hydraulic environments – a high‐gradient and a low‐gradient tributary from the River Barrow catchment, south‐east Ireland and a high‐gradient river from the Burrishoole catchment, west of Ireland. The two catchments differ markedly in mean annual precipitation (849.0 mm year^?1 and 1370.3 mm year^?1 for the Barrow and Burrishoole catchments, respectively). Parr of both species demonstrated morphological variation between and within catchments. Changes in metrics such as pectoral fin length, body depth and body length between and within catchments suggest that hydraulic forces were a major determinant of morphological variation. Both species from the Burrishoole catchment had relatively larger pectoral fins, longer heads, larger eyes and shallower bodies than conspecifics from the Barrow catchment. In rivers subject to frequent rainfall‐driven high discharges, such as those in the Burrishoole catchment, a more fusiform body and head shape coupled with larger pectoral fins may reduce the energetic cost of maintaining position in the water column, as well as increase stability and manoeuvrability. The larger eyes in both parr species in the Burrishoole catchment could further be a response to the lower visibility of the more turbid and peat‐stained waters or to the reduced prey availability. The results of this study demonstrate that local adaptation to flow conditions can yield morphologically distinct populations and that multiple species can exhibit parallel phenotypic responses to changing environmental conditions.     

Progeny Production of the Copepods Pseudodiaptomus euryhalinus and Tisbe monozota in Monospecific and Mixed Cultures

The objective of this research was to culture the calanoid copepod Pseudodiaptomus euryhalinus, Johnson 1939, and the harpacticoid Tisbe monozota, Bowman, 1962, in monospecific and combined cultures (P. euryhalinus : T. monozota at 1:1, 2:1, and 1:2 starting ratios), and to compare the nauplii, copepodite, and adult production. Mean total production ranged from 740.3 ± 137.5 organisms/L (P. euryhalinus) to 884.3 ± 489.7 organisms/L (T. monozota) for monospecific cultures. The 1:1 ratio mixed cultures gave 780.4 ± 155.8 organisms/L, those with the 2:1 and 1:2 P. euryhalinus and T. monozota starting ratios produced 710.1 ± 195.2 and 799.7 ± 232.5 organisms/L, respectively, and there were no significant difference among treatments. All mixed cultures gave significantly lower copepodite productions than the monocultures of each species. In addition, the tendency to a decreased progeny production of the initial females of T. monozota indicates that the outcome of long‐term mixed cultures would production either a high dominance of P. euryhalinus, or monocultures of this species .     

Parsimoniously modelling perennial vegetation suitability and identifying priority areas to support China's re-vegetation program in the Loess Plateau: Matching model complexity to data availability

The Chinese Central government's policy to re-vegetate large areas of the Loess Plateau is currently being rapidly implemented at the provincial, prefecture, county, township, and village levels of government. Managers at these five levels of government need access to information to assist them to plan the land use change prior to performing on-ground activities. To this end, the suitability of 38 predominately native species in the 113,000 km² Coarse Sandy Hilly Catchments (CSHC) has been mapped at a 100 m resolution. In this data-sparse region, this was achieved by using a five-variable spatial overlay approach as we were able to readily access the required environmental variables and rule-set defining the species’ requirements (or tolerances). As the rules did not consider optimal growth they were possibly ‘too inclusive’, so the spatial extent of areas suggested for re-planting was refined by defining ‘target areas’ for trees, shrubs and grasses based on precipitation, aspect, landform, and slope. In the land-use planning criteria developed here we suggest that hill-slopes and gullies with slopes greater than or equal to 15° (defined from a 100 m resolution DEM) be left for natural succession. Due to lateral flow of water, sediment and nutrients from these steep slope and gullies, further prioritising re-vegetation target areas to the zone adjacent to and down slope from these steep portions of the landscape reduces sediment entering the river network with a minimal decrease of regional stream flow. These two functions (mapping species suitability and locating where priority and target re-vegetation activities should be undertaken) are available at a 100 m resolution for the entire CSHC by accessing a bilingual decision support tool called ReVegIH (Re-Vegetation Impacts on Hydrology). Finally, an ecohydrological model was used to simulate changes in average annual stream flow originating from the CSHC based on implementing the ‘target’ and ‘priority’ area re-vegetation activities within the constraints of two land limits.     

Traders' preference for goat characteristics in selected markets of Pangasinan, Philippines

Preference for goat characteristics was determined from 42 traders in six markets in Pangasinan, an important trading center for goats in Luzon, the Philippines, and analyzed using a hedonic price model to determine whether these characteristics are important price determinants of goats. This information is important to goat raisers to respond to the needs of the local market, and thus to achieve a better price and higher income in goat raising. Meatiness, size, breed, sex and age (in descending order) were the dominant goat characteristics preferred by traders. Meatiness had the largest positive influence on price, with a price premium of US$6.24 (US$1.00 = PhP 53), whereas the age of the animal had the smallest influence at US$3.72. However, size and meatiness are manifestations of good breeds. Therefore, continued efforts to improve breeds in order to produce good quality goats are imperative to cater to market needs. Different characteristics implied different price premiums. Traders offered a higher price premium for better goat characteristics; thus, the improvement of these characteristics could result in higher returns for goat raisers.