Habitat-induced reciprocal transformation in the root phenotype of Oriental ginseng is associated with alteration in DNA methylation

Oriental ginseng is an important medicinal plant that grows in 2 major forms or ecotypes, wild and domesticated. Each form differs conspicuously in root phenotype, but can be converted from one type to another by habitat. Here we show that the habitat-induced transformation of ginseng root phenotype was accompanied by alteration in cytosine methylation at a large number of 5′-CCGG-3′ sites detected by the methylation-sensitive polymorphism (MSAP) marker. The collective CG and CHG methylation levels of all 4 landraces of the domesticated form were significantly lower than those of the wild form. Interestingly, artificially transplanted ginseng plants recreated in both directions the methylation levels (at least in CHG) of their natural counterparts. The methylation differences between the 2 ginseng ecotypes were validated at 2 isolated MSAP loci bearing homology to a 5S rRNA gene or a copia retrotransposon. Our results implicate a link between epigenetic variation and habitat-induced phenotypic flexibility in Oriental ginseng.     

Carbon and hydrogen isotopic compositions and their evolutions of gases generated by herbaceous swamp peat at different thermal maturity stages

Coalbed methane (CBM) accumulation models include continuous gas accumulation and staged gas accumulation.However,studied on the geochemical characteristics and indices to evaluate staged accumulation CBM are lacking.This study for the first time obtained the carbon and hydrogen isotopic compositions of methane and ethane generated at different evolution stages using thermal simulation of samples prepared by treating an herbaceous swamp peat at different temperatures.The results showed that the carbon isotopic compositions of methane and ethane were obviously affected by the thermal evolution level of the starting sample,while the hydrogen isotopic compositions were closely related to the maturity of gases.The carbon and hydrogen isotopic compositions of gases generated by coal-forming organic matter with Ro values from 1.2%,1.7%,2.4%,3.2% and 3.7% to 5.2% were determinated.The relationship between Ro values and the carbon and hydrogen isotopic compositions of gases generated by coal-forming organic matter at different evolution stages as well as the carbon or hydrogen isotopic relationships between methane and ethane were established.The results provide a scientific basis for studying the genesis of CBM generated at different maturity intervals and understanding the geochemical characteristics of staged accumulation CBM.These results were applied to a case study on CBM from the southern Qinshui basin,and it was found that the CBM accumulated after the Middle Jurassic and was characteristic of staged gas accumulation.This is consistent with the result of geological studies,and further showed that the results of thermal simulation experiments are very important for evaluating the genesis of natural CBM.     

Behavior and adrenal activity in a group of zoo golden snub-nosed monkeys, Rhinopithecus roxellana, following social structure change

The effects of individual removal by zoo managers on behavior and fecal glucocorticoid changes in snub-nosed monkeys(Rhinopithecus roxellana) were investigated at Beijing Zoo.The results showed that the effect of the removal of three subordinate individuals(DD,male,4 years;XZZ,male,3 years and LL,female,3 years) from a group varied across the remaining group members that may be related to individual’s social status,gender and age.The dominant male was impacted less than subordinate individuals in both the frequency and time duration for the four main behavioral categories.The frequency of stereotypic behavior significantly decreased in the dominant female after the removal of three animals(Z= 2.862,P=0.003).Fluctuations were found in both the behavioral frequency and time duration in other remaining individuals.These findings suggest that small,socially stable groups were somewhat resilient to changes in member composition.Moreover,the cortisol level did not change significantly in the remaining members.An alternative method of hormone assay using fecal samples for vulnerable animals was presented,and that may be useful for monitoring wild golden monkeys and other endangered species of animal.     

提高三点法在线测量系统精度的研究

本文旨在提高在线检测系统的检测精度，对三点法在线测量系统的的测量误差源进行了分析，并提出了减小误差的具体措施。     

Scanning for sisnatures of geosraphically restricted selection based on population genomics analysis

Natural selection, as the driving force of human evolution, has direct impact on population differentiation. However, it is still unclear to what extent the genetic differentiation has been caused by natural selection. To explore this question, we performed a genome-wide scan with single nucleotide polymorphism （SNP） data from the International HapMap Project. Single locus FsTanalysis was applied to assess the frequency difference among populations in autosomes. Based on the empirical distribution of FsT, we identified 12669 SNPs correlating to population differentiation and 1853 candidate genes subjected to geographic restricted natural selection. Further interpretation of gene ontogeny revealed 121 categories of biological process with the enrichments of candidate genes. Our results suggest that natural selection may play an important role in human population differentiation. In addition, our analysis provides new clues as well as research methods for our understanding of population differentiation and natural selection.     

An approach to identify the functional transduction and transmission of an activated pathway

In this study, we investigated the features of latency-amplitude (L-A) functions at different sound frequencies, using extracellular recording from auditory neurons in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus (ICC) in mice. Isofrequency L-A functions from single neurons could be fit with a newly developed equation based on Pieron’s law. The high degree of fitness indicates that the curvatures of all isofrequency L-A functions for a given neuron are similar, and that the difference between L-A functions is due to a shift in their positions in the coordinate system. When we normalized the L-A functions to match the position of the L-A function obtained at the neuronal characteristic frequency (CF), all isofrequency L-A functions from a given ICC neuron were highly superimposed. The similar shapes of the L-A functions at different frequencies may reflect the physical laws of sound being transferred into bioelectric signals. The position of a non-CF L-A function could be measured as the differences of the asymptotic L and A ( L and A) compared to the L-A function at a reference frequency such as the CF. The nerve fibers and synapses connecting to a neuron for acoustic information processing can be functionally simplified as a single "wire" (as the total length of nerve fibers) and "joint" (as the summated size/strength of synapses). The wire and joint mediate information transmission and transduction, respectively. Thus, L and A may be measurements of the total length of nerve fibers and the strength of summated synapses in the activated auditory pathway. L and A differed between frequency channels and neurons, suggesting that the differences of acoustic neuronal responses are always caused by activation of different pathways, and that the pathways that process sounds are diverse.     

First record of Lower Triassic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Undichna</Emphasis> spp. fish swimming traces from Emei,Sichuan Province,China

We discuss traces from the ichnospecies Undichna unisulca recorded from the Triassic that are reported for the first time in this paper. These fossils are also some of the oldest vertebrate ichnites discovered in China to date. The fish swimming traces (Undichna unisulca) described originate from the Lower Triassic. These traces were found in the Jialingjiang Formation and are located at a gorge ~7.5 km from Emei, Sichuan Province, China. The ichnospecies Undichna unisulca consists of a regular sinusoidal wave. The wavelengths and amplitudes are quite constant between each specimen ranging between 28-32 mm and 9-12 mm, respectively. The fish swimming traces and distribution within the same bed are preserved as hypichnial ridges at the undersurface.     

Changes in the power spectrum of electrical signals in maize leaf induced by osmotic stress

To quantify the characteristics of the power spectrum of plant electrical signals, we defined the following concepts:spectral edge frequency (SEF), spectral center frequency (SCF), power index (PI) and power spectral entropy (PSE). These parameters were used to examine and quantify changes in the power spectrum of electrical signals in maize leaves under osmotic stress. In the absence of osmotic stress, the SEF of the electrical signal in maize leaves was approx. 0.2 Hz and the SCF was approx. 0.1 Hz. The electrical signal in maize leaves was mainly a slow wave signal with a frequency of 0-0.1 Hz. After 2 h osmotic stress, the SEF and SCF of the electrical signal increased to higher frequencies. The proportion of the fast wave frequency also increased to 0.1-0.2 Hz, resulting in a dramatic increase in PSE. We also found that the changes in PSE and SCF were significantly correlated during osmotic stress. We propose that the changes in the PSE and SCF in maize leaves can be used as a sensitive signal indicating water deficit in leaf cells under osmotic stress. Thus, measurement of SCF or PSE of electrical signals in maize leaves could be used to develop early warning and rapid diagnosis techniques for the water demands of plants.     

在冲击波纳秒加载过程中水的结晶相变及其动力学现象

在一级轻气炮加载实验中,利用光透射测量技术在线观测了水在多次冲击下发生结晶相变的动力学过程.实验研究表明:当水被压缩到液-固相边界附近,在界面效应的作用下,处于亚稳状态的水迅速局部结晶成核,并且在数十个纳秒内达到对入射光产生散射效应的尺度.固相体积分数随压力递增而增加,当样品中的压力达到平衡时结晶速率逐渐变缓.     

Validation of full cavitation model in cryogenic fluids

Numerical simulation of cavitation in cryogenic fluids is important in improving the stable operation of the propulsion system in liquid-fuel rocket. It also represents a broader class of problems where the fluid is operating close to its critical point and the thermal effects of cavitation are pronounced. The present article focuses on simulating cryogenic cavitation by implementing the “full cavitation model”, coupled with energy equation, in conjunction with iterative update of the real fluid properties at local temperatures. Steady state computations are then conducted on hydrofoil and ogive in liquid nitrogen and hydrogen respectively, based on which we explore the mechanism of cavitation with thermal effects. Comprehensive comparisons between the simulation results and experimental data as well as previous computations by other researchers validate the full cavitation model in cryogenic fluids. The sensitivity of cavity length to cavitation number is also examined. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 50706042)