The leaf-litter earthworm fauna (Annelida: Oligochaeta) of forests in Limpopo Province,South Africa: diversity,communities and conservation

A qualitative survey of the leaf-litter earthworm fauna of 11 selected indigenous forests in Limpopo Province, South Africa, was conducted to identify the species present, to describe the communities and to assess the relationship between indigenous and exotic species. A total of 8185 individuals from 17 species (five indigenous and 12 exotic species) were recorded. The average earthworm community comprised fewer than five species, but up to seven species were sampled from a single forest. Four of the species recorded are national (one species), regional (one species) or local (two species) endemics. Because these species are not known to live elsewhere, the protection of Limpopo Province forests is critical to their survival. The majority (71%) of the earthworm species sampled was exotic, and differences between exotic and indigenous species richness in forests were mostly significant. At the two spatial scales examined (20 m2 and individual forest) there is no evidence of an association between exotic and indigenous species richness. However, we cannot assume that exotic earthworms do not impact the forest ecosystem.     

苏丹草种子半透层定位与透性研究

通过硝酸镧示踪、透射电镜观测和X射线能量色散分析等技术,对苏丹草种子半透层的位置和透性进行了研究.从解剖学角度证明了苏丹草种子存在半透层,该组织位于糊粉层内侧紧靠未分化细胞处,对水分通透性好,但阻挡电解质渗出和镧盐渗入.老化对种子膜系统有一定损伤,但对半透层并无显著影响.     

Estimation of the total surface area in Indian elephants (Elephas maximus indicus)

Twenty-four adult Indian elephants (Elephas maximus indicus) of both sexes and different ages and weights, belonging to the Temple Devaswoms, the Forest Department of the Government of Kerala and the Gemini Circus formed the experimental subjects from which formulae were derived to predict the total surface area from either body measurements or areas of individual regions. Several models, using the parameters studied either singly or in combination, were tried independently for males and females and also for adults irrespective of sex. The best prediction of total surface area (S) in m² was obtained for adults irrespective of sex by using the two parameters, the height at the shoulders (H) in m and forefoot pad circumference (FFC) in m in the formula S=–8.245+6.807H+7.073FFC. No significant improvement in the accuracy of prediction resulted from the use of the independent best fit formulae for males and females. The conventional method of using the exponential of body weight (kg) for predicting suface area was not found to yield an equivalent accuracy in these animals.     

半干旱沙地草场地面节肢动物群落对封育措施的响应

以宁夏盐池国家级草原资源生态监测站为依托,选择荒漠草原典型冰草植被类型的封育(5年)与未封育样地对地面节肢动物、植物以及土壤性质进行了调查,同时分析了地面节肢动物对封育后植物和土壤变化的响应。结果表明,封育对地表植被和土壤性质均产生了明显的影响,尤其是植物个体数、高度和盖度以及生物量封育样地显著高于未封育样地(P<0.05)。调查样地共捕获地面节肢动物7目26科28个类群;封育围栏内外共有的优势类群为拟步甲科琵甲属,共有的常见类群有13个类群,共有类群数占总类群数的50%。并且,地面节肢动物对封育亦产生了积极的响应,动物群落个体数、类群数和多样性封育样地均高于未封育样地,但均没有达到显著水平(P>0.05),说明荒漠草原短期封育(5年)对地表植被和地面节肢动物具有不同的生态效应。相关分析表明,地面节肢动物类群数和Shannon指数均与土壤容重呈显著负相关(P<0.05),而优势度指数与土壤容重呈显著正相关(P<0.05)。表明土壤容重是地面节肢动物群落结构封育内外差异的主要影响因素,而且不同地面节肢动物类群对封育内外生境的选择性而表现出不同的响应特征。     

High speed field kinematics of foot contact in elite galloping horses in training

Reasons for performing study: Mechanical characterisation of the high speed gallop has significant importance for animal welfare and basic biology. Kinematic parameters such as the velocity of each foot at contact can inform theories of why animals gallop, and supplant epidemiological investigation into the mechanisms of musculoskeletal injury. Objective: To determine the velocity at which the fore and hind hooves of elite galloping horses impact the surface. Methods: High speed videography was used to measure the horizontal and vertical velocity of the hoof immediately prior to impact, and the subsequent sink (vertical) and slip (horizontal) distances travelled by the hoof into the surface. Horse speed ranged from 11–19 m/s. In total 170 forelimb and 168 hindlimb foot falls from 89 horses were analysed. Results: Horizontal and vertical hoof velocity increased with speed (P<0.001). Horizontal hoof velocity was significantly greater in the hindlimbs compared to the forelimbs (P<0.001) and was greater in the nonlead limbs compared to the lead limbs (P<0.001). Vertical hoof velocity was significantly greater in the lead limb than the nonlead limb (P<0.001). Overall, forelimbs contacted the ground with a more acute velocity vector angle than hindlimbs (P<0.001). Lead limbs contacted the ground at more acute angles than nonlead limbs (P<0.001). Vertical and horizontal velocities were highly correlated to sink and slip distance. Conclusion: Hindlimbs impact the surface at higher velocity than forelimbs, which is likely to result in higher peak impact forces in the hindlimbs. This runs counter to the finding of lower incidence of injury in hindlimbs. Potential relevance: Explanations consistent with these findings include the hindlimbs more effectively dampening peak impact forces, or that other injury mechanisms, such as limb vibration and limb load at mid stance, play an important role in injury.     

雁鹅羽毛毛囊形态结构与分布特点研究

雁鹅羽毛毛囊形态结构和分布特点与其羽绒性能密切相关。本试验采用组织切片技术和光学显微方法观察成年雁鹅羽毛毛囊形态结构和分布特点,用最小二乘均数法对胸、腹和背部羽区的毛囊密度、毛囊直径和S/P值的变化进行分析,以及性别因素对毛囊性状的影响进行研究。结果显示,雁鹅羽毛初级毛囊和次级毛囊均属有髓毛囊,二者独立发生发育并独立分布。鹅的次级毛囊显微形态结构与初级毛囊基本相似,但次级毛囊的羽嵴于羽髓周围呈放射状均匀分布,没有凸出的脊柱状较大嵴突存在。成年雌性雁鹅在其胸、腹、背部羽区的初级和次级毛囊密度均显著高于雄性雁鹅(P＜0.05),雁鹅胸、腹部羽区的次级毛囊密度和S/P值均显著高于背部的毛囊密度和S/P值(P＜0.05)。次级毛囊直径因性别差异变化较大,雄鹅胸、背部羽区的次级毛囊直径显著大于雌鹅(P＜0.05);且雄雌鹅腹部次级毛囊直径均显著小于其背部的次级毛囊直径(P＜0.05)。     

Src基因研究进展

Src是非受体蛋白酪氨酸激酶家族成员之一,属原癌基因,Src表达及活性异常往往引起乳腺癌、结肠癌、胰腺癌、前列腺癌、肺癌等某些肿瘤发生、发展。最近研究表明Src基因与乳腺的提前退化及泌乳失败相关。文从Src基因的定位、蛋白质结构、分布及功能等几方面进行简要的介绍。     

我国蚕茧生产成本变化的实证分析

以时间和空间为维度,梳理了1991～2010年间我国蚕茧生产成本资料,从蚕茧生产成本与蚕农收益的关系、蚕茧生产成本波动及成本结构的变化、7个蚕茧主产省(区)的蚕茧生产成本比较、蚕茧与其它农作物的比较效益等方面进行实证分析。结果表明:蚕茧生产成本变化与养蚕收益的变化有密切关系;全国蚕茧生产成本在1991～2010年明显呈现出"谷—峰—谷—峰"的变化特征;蚕茧生产总成本中人工费用占比明显高于物质费用;7个蚕茧主产省(区)的蚕茧生产成本相比较,四川省的生产成本最低,陕西省最高;与其它竞争作物蔬菜、水果、棉花相比,蚕茧生产成本依旧相对较高,比较效益较低。创新省力化养蚕技术及培育高产蚕、桑新品种,提高蚕农收益,是保障蚕丝业可持续发展的关键。     

雉鸡与星布罗肉鸡肌肉营养成分和组织学比较研究

雉鸡胸肌、腿肌中蛋白质含量高于星布罗肉鸡,而脂肪含量则低于星布罗肉鸡.雉鸡总氨基酸、必需脂肪酸、必需氨基酸及不饱和脂肪酸含量,以及Ca、P、Mg、Fe、Cu、Se含量均较星布罗肉鸡高.光镜下观察,雉鸡胸肌、腿肌的肌纤维排列紧密,而星布罗肉鸡的肌纤维间距较大.电镜下观察,雉鸡胸肌、腿肌的肌纤维间有大量脂肪组织和少量结缔组织,胸肌内线粒体数量大于腿肌;星布罗肉鸡胸肌、腿肌的肌纤维间含大量结缔组织和少量脂肪组织,腿肌内线粒体数量大于胸肌.     

银翘天甘含药血清制备工艺的优化

本研究通过单因素试验和响应面分析设计优化银翘天甘醇提物制剂含药血清的制备工艺,研究采血时间、给药次数及给药浓度对小鼠血清中绿原酸含量的影响。结果表明,银翘天甘醇提物制剂含药血清最佳制备工艺条件为:给药浓度为0.024 g/mL,给药4次,于最后一次给药后33 min采血。此条件下含药血清中绿原酸含量达到33.34μg/mL。