Effects of inorganic arsenic on growth and microcystin production of a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Microcystis</Emphasis> strain isolated from an algal bloom in Dianchi Lake,China

Our previous data have shown that inorganic arsenic concentrations were high in Dianchi Lake, China, where Microcystis blooms often occur. To explore the relationship between arsenic and the growth of Microcystis, the effects of arsenite [As(III)] and arsenate [As(V)] on the growth and toxin production of M. aeruginosa strain FACHB 905 were tested. Results showed that M. aeruginosa FACHB 905 was tolerant to inorganic arsenic and its growth was not inhibited when the concentration of As(III) was below 10⁻⁵ mol L⁻¹ or that of As(V) below 10⁻³ mol L⁻¹. Total microcystin production was stimulated in the presence of 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹ As(III) and the response of this M. aeruginosa strain to As(III) seemed to be a typical inverted U-shaped hormesis. The content increase of microcystin-LR per cell indicated that the toxicity was enhanced as M. aeruginosa FACHB 905 was exposed to As(V). Considering the relatively high concentration of inorganic arsenic in Dianchi Lake (139 μg L⁻¹ in epilimnetic water), the origin of the M. aeruginosa strain, inorganic arsenic favors survival of M. aeruginosa FACHB 905 and may stimulate its microcystin production and cellular toxicity.     

Study of the interaction of DNA and histones by spin-stretching and droplet evaporation

Molecular combing is a powerful and simple method for aligning DNA molecules onto a surface. Using this technique combined with fluorescence microscopy, DNA-histone complexes are stretched on a hydrophobic polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) surface and observed directly. We have developed a new method to stretch single DNA-histone complexes, termed spin-stretching. The results show that the histones markedly enhance DNA binding to the PMMA surface. DNA winds around the histones and therefore decreases in length. The number of histones that bind to each DNA molecule is found to correlate with the histone concentration. The combed DNA-histone complexes are found to depend on two factors: the binding force on the surface and the centrifugal force at its local position. Na+ ions should compete with histones for binding to DNA; however, the observed competitive binding effect of Na+ ions at low concentrations was negligible.     

Monitoring the binding of metal cations and histones to DNA in real time using fluorescence assays

The binding of cations (Na +,K +,Mg 2+,Ca 2+,Mn 2+) and histones to DNA can be studied using fluorescence assays.Here,we measured the fluorescence intensity and fluorescence anisotropy of DNA and DNA-histone complexes in the presence of cations.We demonstrate that when different cations are added into a DNA solution,the fluorescence intensities of the stained DNA are reduced by different amounts.Compared with divalent cations,monovalent cations had a weaker effect on fluorescence intensity and fluorescence anisotropy.Divalent (Mn 2+,Mg 2+,Ca 2+) cations markedly enhanced the fluorescence anisotropy of DNA.The binding modes of monovalent and divalent cations to DNA may be different.Divalent cations can change the structure of DNA molecules,or promote the assembly of DNA strands.The addition of histones causes DNA condensation,which mostly occurs during the first few seconds.Cation binding to DNA is abrupt,and is much faster than that of histones.     

High lake levels on Alxa Plateau during the Late Quaternary

Field investigations including lake shoreline measurement and ¹⁴C chronology have been carried out on the Alxa Plateau to better understand the formation and evolution of the high lake levels in northwest China during the late Pleistocene. Comprehensive field investigations show that there are at least ten shorelines at different elevations at Juyan Lake, at least four on the northwest side of the Jilantai Salt Lake, and nine shorelines and one terrace on the northeast margin of Zhuye Lake. Stratigraphic correlations and chronological evidence indicate that the paleo-lakes have the highest lake levels in Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3. Though the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) results which have been reported by some scholars do not support this view, the fact that the paleo-lakes have the highest lake levels in MIS 3 can not be denied. Differences between OSL and ¹⁴C results from this work might indicate that high lake levels existed on the Alxa Plateau during two different periods. It also suggests that the high lake levels may exist in both MIS 5 and early MIS 3. This paper also provides the basic hydrological information for further water resources research in this arid region.     

Characterization of MHC class II A genes in Hainan Eld’s deer (Cervus eldi hainanus)

The major histocompatibility complex(MHC) genes play pivotal roles in the immune system of vertebrates against antigens.They are also significant indicators of genetic structure,and are vital to species-level population viability analyses and disease risk assessments.In this study,two DRA and two DQA sequences were isolated from Hainan Eld’s deer(Cervus eldi hainanus) using rapid amplification of cDNA ends(RACE) and single-strand conformation polymorphism-heteroduplex(SSCP-HD) analysis.Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed large differences between the two DQA sequences,especially in their exon 2 regions,but only minimal differences between the variants of the DRA gene.Comparison of the predicted amino acid sequences of the Ceel-MHC class Ⅱ A variants with those from six other species revealed that these molecules share high homology among ruminants.A phylogenetic tree of four class Ⅱ A sequences from Hainan Eld’s deer and the other species placed the newly identified DQA and DRA genes on two distinct branches(100%-supportively),and further divided the two DQA sequences into 98%-supportive DQA1 and 99%-supportive DQA2 clusters,respectively.Therefore,this study identified monomorphic Ceel-DQA1 and Ceel-DQA2 genes,and one dimorphic Ceel-DRA gene from Hainan Eld’s deer.     

方型和矩型环管湍流直接数值模拟分析：I.平均流场,对直管道充分发展湍流边界层的再认识

通过对槽道,方型环管及矩型环管内一系列充分发展湍流的系统直接数值模拟研究,建立直管内充分发展湍流数据库,其中包括详细的湍流统计数据：（1）湍流平均流场,即平均流向速度与湍流驱动平均二次流（史称Prandtl第二类二次流）;（2）湍流雷诺应力场;（3）湍流能量谱.在此基础上,作为系统研究的第一部分,本文对这些流动构型的湍流平均流场,包括平均流向速度,由湍流驱动的平均二次流结构以及平壁-角域剪切应力等,进行仔细剖析,进而总结出具有规律性的重要物理内涵.建立了直管内充分发展湍流边界层的广义壁面律,其中涵盖了von Karman平壁律和Xu90°凸,凹角域律.通过构造广义抑制函数和广义加强函数来定量描述和揭示这些规律之间的数学物理联系.首次提出在广义湍流边界层的框架下,泛型直管道边界层内层底部无量纲壁面切应力可以在一个较为宽广的范围内存在,即w0Ud3.23.5.而传统意义上由von Karman平壁律所支配的单位无量纲切应力,即层流底层关系wUy1,则仅为广义壁面律中的中性情形之特例.广义湍流边界层概念的提出和直管内充分发展湍流广义壁面律的建立,对传统意义上的湍流边界层及其密切相关的平壁律物理机制和相应数学表述进行了重新认识和重要拓展,由此达到对泛型直管内充分发展湍流边界层再认知的目的.