The effects of agricultural fields and human settlements on the use of rivers by wildlife in the mid-Zambezi valley,Zimbabwe

After the eradication of the Tse-Tse fly in the Mid-Zambezi valley, human settlements and fields extended mainly along the main rivers. In order to investigate the consequences of this human development on wildlife diversity we monitored three rivers of the Mid-Zambezi valley in Zimbabwe: Angwa, Manyame and Kadzi. The rivers were divided in segments of 200 m which were checked for spoors in order to assess the number of species and the number of individuals that used the segments. Human settlements were also recorded. We used a GIS to define the spatial characteristics of the fields present along the rivers, and related them to the distribution and abundance of wild species spoors in the river beds and banks. Our results show that the number of species in one segment of the river decreased with the increasing size of the field area bordering the segment. For all the major ungulate species, the numbers of individuals recorded per segment decreased with increasing field area. A similar trend was observed for small and medium-sized carnivores, though they were in lower numbers when present. Our analyses thus confirm that the extension of human agriculture in wildlife areas has an impact on most wild species, but we also define some threshold value of field size above which there seem to be an acceleration of the decrease in wildlife density and diversity: 3.2 ha for medium and small herbivores and carnivores; only the elephant seem to tolerate larger field area with a threshold value of 32 ha.This revised version was published online in May 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

基于控制区序列分析河鲈遗传多样性

河鲈为我区优质经济鱼类之一,在我国仅分布于新疆阿勒泰地区。为更好的保护和合理开发利用这一有限资源,我们基于mtDNA控制区序列对额尔齐斯河-乌伦古河水系的5个野生群体进行了遗传多样性和遗传结构进行了研究。PCR-SSCP标记结果显示,18个单倍型分布于5个群体的100个个体中。对这18个单倍型个体的mtDNA控制区序列克隆和测序,最终确定13个单倍型,检测到14个变异位点,占分析序列的1.60%。河鲈总种群表现高的单倍型多样度（0.942±0.034）和偏低的核苷酸多样度（0.00242±0.00450）。Tajima’s D和Fuand Li’s D指数的估算结果显示,河鲈5个群体遗传分化不显著（P〉0.1）,具有较稳定的种群结构。YBW,BEJH和LSW群体间存在着一定的基因流（Nm〉1）,WLGH群体与其他群体间的基因流水平低（Nm〉0.6）,存在着由于遗传漂变而产生分化的危险。5个群体间的单倍型序列差异为0.003,说明单倍型间未出现分化。     

额尔齐斯河银鲫形态学及COI基因序列分析

采用传统形态学方法和线粒体COI基因序列分析对额尔齐斯河银鲫(Carassius auratus gibelio)两个群体的形态和遗传差异进行了比较。结果显示:通过对8个可量性状和20个框架数据的主成分分析可以看出,两个群体分别占据两个不相重叠的区域,两个群体在形态上存在明显分化。COI基因序列分析显示,两群体之间遗传距离为0.012,群体间遗传距离是群体内最大遗传距离的4倍,两群体间在编码的氨基酸序列上出现了一处替换,群体遗分化指数值为0.96078,基因流值为0.01,表明群体间缺乏基因交流,群体间有明显的遗传分化。     

Effect of in vitro exposure to Vibrio vulnificus on hydroelectrolytic transport and structural changes of sea bream (Sparus aurata L.) intestine

The everted gut sac technique has been used to investigate the effect of Vibrio vulnificus on water and electrolyte (Na⁺, K⁺, Cl⁻, HCO₃ ⁻) transport on the intestine of sea bream (Sparus aurata L.). Both the anterior and the posterior intestine were incubated in a medium containing 10⁸ V. vulnificus cells ml⁻¹ at 25°C for 2 h. The presence of V. vulnificus resulted in a significant reduction (P < 0.05) of water absorption in the anterior intestine, while sodium absorption in the anterior (P < 0.01) and posterior (P < 0.05) intestine was elevated. Chloride absorption was increased, but the changed was not significant, while potassium absorption decreased significantly (P < 0.05), but only in the posterior intestine. Incubation the sea bream intestine with V. vulnificus did not affect carbonate secretion in the anterior segment, whereas high secretion was stimulated in the posterior segment (P < 0.01). Histological evaluations demonstrated damage in the anterior intestine of sea bream that was characterized by the detachment of degenerative enterocytes, alterations in the microvilli, and the presence of a heterogenous cell population, indicating inflammation. Based on our results, we conclude that V. vulnificus caused cell damage to the intestine of sea bream and that the anterior intestine is more susceptible than the posterior part of the intestine. Several hypotheses are suggested to explain our observations, such as the presence of higher numbers of villosities in the anterior intestine than in the posterior one and/or the presence of endogenous bacteria in the posterior intestine which may have a protector role.     

家庭式微植物工厂监控系统设计

为了解决家庭阳台种植作物过程中湿气重、难控制的问题,提出了家庭式微植物工厂。它是密闭式的,利用智能化控制技术使作物进行自我调节,采用层结构设计及配套环境监测装置。监测系统是以无线传感技术、控制技术和多传感器融合技术为核心;以STM32为核心控制单元;以上位机为终端实时显示系统内环境参数的家庭种植环境监控设备。系统实现了微型植物工厂内部温湿度、光照等多个环境因子的实时显示和精确控制,具有较高的实用性。      

Effect of polyamines on intracellular calcium of the rat cardiomyocytes with anoxia and reoxygenation

AIM: To study the effect of extrogenous low concentration polyamine on cardiomyocyte calcium overload caused by anoxia and reoxygenation. METHODS: Enzymatically isolated rat ventricular myocytes were perfused with normal Tyrode solution for 8 min, then change to anoxia solution for 32 min, at last back to normal Tyrode solution perfusion for 8 min to establish the cardiomyocyte model of anoxia and reoxygenation. Spermine was added extracellularly to the bath before anoxia and spermine, spermidine or putrescine was added extracellularly after reoxygenation. Intracellular calcium fluorescence intensity (FI) was measured continuously by laser scan confocal microscope (LSCM). RESULTS: In the unstimulated state, exogenous spermine (1 mol/L) did not change resting ［Ca2+］i in the rat cardiomyocytes. Adding spermine before anoxia antagonized the ［Ca2+］i elevating caused by anoxia/reoxygenation. Adding spermine after reoxygenation also lowed the enhanced ［Ca2+］i caused by reoxygenation. Considering the potency of two conditions, the former was more efficacious than the later. Spermidine and putrescine also lowed the enhanced ［Ca2+］i caused by reoxygenation, but they were less efficacious than spermine. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that spermine given before anoxia or after reoxygenation, antagonized or lowed the cardiomyocytes calcium overload caused by anoxia/reoxygenation, but the later was weaker than the former. The order of potency of the polyamine lighten cardiomyocytes calcium overload caused by anoxia/reoxygenation was spermine>spermindine>putrescine.     

The effects of cyclophosphamide and its uroprotective agents, mesna and hyperbaric oxygen, on urinary bladder motility in guinea pigs

The aim of this research was to observe the effects of cyclophosphamide and its uroprotective agents, mesna and hyperbaric oxygen (HBO), on the motility of urinary bladder muscle in guinea pigs. In the experimental groups, mesna and cyclophosphamide were intraperitoneally injected at a dose of 21.5 mg/kg and 68.1 mg/kg, respectively. For the combination of mesna and cyclophosphamide, one dose of mesna was injected 20 min before cyclophosphamide administration and three additional injections of mesna were repeated every three hours. A total of 8 HBO exposures were performed at 2.8 ATA for 90 min twice daily for another experimental group. In the HBO and cyclophosphamide combined group 5 HBO exposures were given prophylactically before cyclophosphamide. The combination of mesna, HBO and cyclophosphamide was administered by the same procedure. The contractions obtained in response to acetylcholine (ACh, 10(-4) M) in the control group were reduced using cyclophosphamide and HBO individually, but not by mesna. However, the contractions belonging to the various combinations of these three agents were not different from those seen in the control group. On the other hand, the combinations of cyclophosphamide, mesna and HBO showed higher responses to ACh than the groups in which cyclophosphamide and HBO were used individually, while the responses elicited by the cyclophosphamide and HBO combination were greater than those seen in the group treated with HBO only.     

Detection of leptospiral antigens in kidney and liver of cattle

This study was designed to investigate the presence of leptospiral antigens in kidney and liver of naturally infected cattle using an immunoperoxidase (IP) staining and Levaditi's staining methods. A total of 39 cattle suspected from leptospirosis were examined histologically and immunohistochemically for the presence of leptospiral antigens. The leptospiral antigens were detected in 16 out of 39 cases (seven kidneys, three livers, and six kidneys and livers) when IP staining method was used, whereas leptospiral antigens were detected in 6 out of 39 cases (four kidneys and two livers) when Levaditi's staining method was used. This study ascertained that IP staining was more sensitive method than Levaditi's staining method for demonstrating the presence of leptospirosis in cattle.     

Passive protection of dogs against clinical disease due to Canine parvovirus-2 by specific antibody from chicken egg yolk

The protective effect of immunoglobulins derived from chicken egg yolk (IgY) against infection by Canine parvovirus 2 (CPV-2) was evaluated in 10 beagle dogs orally challenged with a strain of the virus. The 2-mo-old dogs were divided into 3 groups and treated with powders containing CPV-2 IgY or normal egg yolk for 7 d after the challenge. The 4 dogs receiving normal egg yolk (control group) demonstrated mild symptoms typical of CPV-2 infection, such as vomiting, diarrhea, and weight loss. No symptoms were observed by 16 d after challenge in the 3 dogs receiving 2 g of IgY powder. Of the 3 dogs receiving 0.5 g of IgY powder, 2 had clinical CPV-2 disease; however, the manifestations were less severe than in the control group. Furthermore, the IgY-treated groups had significantly greater weight gain and shorter duration of virus shedding than the control group. These results indicate that IgY is useful in protecting dogs from CPV-2-induced clinical disease.     

不同品种紫花苜蓿中总皂苷含量的比较研究

采用比色法测定了北京地区栽培不同年限的45个紫花苜蓿品种茎、叶中总皂苷的含量。结果表明，各品种苜蓿叶片中的皂苷含量均高于茎，在不同品种之间存在明显差异。4年生植株中皂苷含量最高的品种“Vernal”为1.174%，最低的品种“Empress”为0.606%；3年生植株中最高的品种“WL442”为1.141%，最低的品种“农保”为0.788%；2年生植株中最高的品种“胜利者”为1.293%，最低的品种“全能”为0.722%。综合比较，含量最低品种与最高的品种相差2.13倍。栽培年限对紫花苜蓿皂苷含量具有一定影响。