Uncertainty in predictions of the climate response to rising levels of greenhouse gases

The range of possibilities for future climate evolution needs to be taken into account when planning climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. This requires ensembles of multi-decadal simulations to assess both chaotic climate variability and model response uncertainty. Statistical estimates of model response uncertainty, based on observations of recent climate change, admit climate sensitivities--defined as the equilibrium response of global mean temperature to doubling levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide--substantially greater than 5 K. But such strong responses are not used in ranges for future climate change because they have not been seen in general circulation models. Here we present results from the 'climateprediction.net' experiment, the first multi-thousand-member grand ensemble of simulations using a general circulation model and thereby explicitly resolving regional details. We find model versions as realistic as other state-of-the-art climate models but with climate sensitivities ranging from less than 2 K to more than 11 K. Models with such extreme sensitivities are critical for the study of the full range of possible responses of the climate system to rising greenhouse gas levels, and for assessing the risks associated with specific targets for stabilizing these levels.     

Genomic screening and replication using the same data set in family-based association testing

The Human Genome Project and its spin-offs are making it increasingly feasible to determine the genetic basis of complex traits using genome-wide association studies. The statistical challenge of analyzing such studies stems from the severe multiple-comparison problem resulting from the analysis of thousands of SNPs. Our methodology for genome-wide family-based association studies, using single SNPs or haplotypes, can identify associations that achieve genome-wide significance. In relation to developing guidelines for our screening tools, we determined lower bounds for the estimated power to detect the gene underlying the disease-susceptibility locus, which hold regardless of the linkage disequilibrium structure present in the data. We also assessed the power of our approach in the presence of multiple disease-susceptibility loci. Our screening tools accommodate genomic control and use the concept of haplotype-tagging SNPs. Our methods use the entire sample and do not require separate screening and validation samples to establish genome-wide significance, as population-based designs do.     

Measurement of polyethylene glycol 4000: Effect of storage and freeze thawing in biological fluids

Summary The effects of storage and freeze-thawing on polyethylene glycol 4000 (PEG 4000) and¹⁴C PEG 4000 in a solution of NaCl (150 mmoles/l) containing varying amounts of human albumin were studied. Results showed that the analysis of both PEG 4000 and¹⁴C PEG 4000 is likely to be inaccurate in these fluids if the specimens have been freeze-stored, thawed and refrozen several times during a period of several weeks. This seems to be due to the freeze-thawing process itself rather than the actual storage. The amount of protein in the samples may increase the fall in estimated levels of polyethylene glycol observed.     

Cholinesterase in the atherosclerotic intima and in fibroblast cultures.

Cholinesterase activity was present in the atheromatous plaque of the rabbit's atherosclerotic aorta. Cholinesterase activity was significantly increased in rat fibroblast cultures grown in the presence of hypercholesterolemic serum. Cholesterol ester synthesis in these cultures was inhibited by neostigmine, a cholinesterase inhibitor.     

Species diversity and habitat of grassland passerines during grazing of a prescribe-burned, mixed-grass prairie

No published data exist on responses of grassland passerines and their habitat to combined grazing and burning treatments in northern mixed-grass prairie. At Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge (LNWR) in northwestern North Dakota, we monitored breeding bird occurrence, abundance, and habitat during successive annual grazing treatments (1998-2000) on 5 prescribe-burned, mixed-grass prairie management units (range = 50-534 ha, each burned 3-6 times in the previous 10-20 years). All breeding passerine species characteristic of upland, northern mixed-grass prairie were common (> 10% occurrence) during at least 1 of 3 years on burned and grazed units, except Chestnut-collared Longspur ( Calcarius ornatus ), which was uncommon. Vegetation was generally shorter and sparser than that found on 4 nearby units treated by fire only (1999; density, visual obstruction, and height, all P Molothrus ater ) occurred 2.4 times more frequently on burned and grazed units studied. Our data suggest that species diversity of breeding grassland passerines changes little during initial years of rotation grazing at moderate stocking rates in fire-managed, northern mixed-grass prairie at LNWR.     

Genetic consequences of postglacial colonization by the endemic Yarkand hare （Lepus yarkandensis） of the arid Tarim Basin

Orogenesis of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau,which occurred in a stepwise manner,contributed to the extreme aridity of the Tarim Basin,resulting in vulnerable and unstable ecosystems.Quaternary climatic oscillations may have affected the ecosystems and,consequently,the distributions and genetic structuring of the Tarim Basin’s biota.We used nucleotide sequence data from 2 mitochondrial (mt) DNA genes (Cyt b and the D-loop) to test hypotheses associated with the matrilineal and demographical histories of the Tarim Basin’s endemic Yarkand hare (Lepus yarkandensis).Range-wide sampling involving 20 populations and 224 individuals detected 126 haplotypes that clustered into 5 major lineages in both the phylogenetic tree and median-joining network.Populations from the northern and eastern Tarim Basin shared a similar history,as did those from the western and southern regions.Demographical analysis and genetic diversity estimations suggested that the western and southern regions might have served as glacial refugia for the Yarkand hare during Quaternary climatic oscillations.The distribution of the Yarkand hare,especially in the northern and eastern parts,probably represented 3 postglacial colonization events,dated to 0.21,0.090 and 0.054 MYA,which corresponded to known interglacial periods.Given the relatively complete geographic isolation between the eastern and southern populations,the Yarkand hare likely dispersed during postglacial periods from the southwest to the north,and then onward to the east.The absence of water likely forced the species into refugia,and this differed from other Pleistocene biogeographical drivers.The demographical and historical patterns have important implications for conservation.     

非离子表面活性剂Tween-80存在下5-Br-PADAP分光光度法同时测定微量Cu(Ⅲ)和Fe(Ⅲ)

:在 p H3 .50酸性介质中 ,Cu( )和 Fe( )在非离子表面活性剂 Tween-80存在下与 5-Br-PADAP生成有色配合物 .有色配合物最大吸收波长都位于 570 nm处 ;表观摩尔吸光系数分别为 7.96× 1 0 4 L· mol-1· cm-1和 6.3 0× 1 0 4 L· mol-1· cm-1;Cu( )在 0～ 1 3μg/2 5ml,Fe( )在 0～ 1 8μg/2 5ml范围内符合比耳定律 .用拟定的方法测定了铝片和水样中的 Cu( )和 Fe( ) ,结果令人满意     

Pentaploidy in hybrid salamanders demonstrates enhanced tolerance of multiple chromosome sets

Summary Breeding populations of unisexual hybrid salamanders (genusAmbystoma) are dominated by allotriploid (3n) and allotetraploid (4n) forms, however, sexually mature allopentaploids (5n) may also occur. These are the first known naturally-occurring pentaploid vertebrates, and their genesis differs from that of previously studied autopentaploid urodeles induced or observed in the laboratory. The latter always suffered severely deleterious effects in development, and could not attain sexual maturity.