A preliminary study of crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) in the endangered aquatic quillwortIsoetes sinensis Palmer in China

Isoetes sinensis Palmer (Isoetaceae) is an aquatic or amphibious plant that is critically endangered in China. Previous studies have revealed the crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM)-like photosynthetic pathway occurs commonly in submerged leaves in genusIsoetes. Water chemistry parameters and the titratable acidity content of the plant extract were measured from samples obtained in the early morning (7∶00) and late afternoon (15∶00) from twoI. sinensis populations in China. One population occurs in the eulittoral zone of a freshwater tidal river at low elevation (134 m) and another occurs in a densely vegetated, high elevation (1 100 m) alpine shallow pool. Significant differences in pH and titratable acidity of the plant extract were detected between the morning and afternoon samples. These changes are associated with diurnal changes in water chemistry. Our results provide the first evidence for the existence of the CAM pathway in the East Asian endemicIsoetes sinensis Palmer. The magnitude of fluctuations in the titratable acidity of the plant extract may be correlated with the severe carbon limitation imposed on the plants by its aquatic habitat. Foundation item: Supported by the State Key Basic Research and Development Plan (G2000046805) Biography:Pang Xin-an (1974-), male, Master candidate, research direction: conservation biology.     

Holocene lake deposits of Bosten Lake, southern Xinjiang, China

A 9.25-m-long sediment core from Bosten Lake,Xinjiang, provides detailed information about changes in the water budget and biological acticity over the last 8400 cal-endar years. The chronology is constructed from six AMS radiocarbon dates on the terrestrial plant remains. Based onanalyses of TOC, CO3, detrital compounds and biogenic SiO2,lake level fluctuations and periods of remarkably-negative water budget appeared at 8.4-8.2 cal ka, 7.38-7.25 cal ka,5.7-5.5 cal ka, 3.7-3.4 cal ka and 3.3-2.9 cal ka, respec-tively. As they are in-phase with low lake levels at Sumxl Co and Bangong Co in western Tibet Plateau and with paleo-lakes in Inner Mongolia, a climate-induced change to some-what drier and warmer conditions is inferred. A further drop in lake level after 1320 AD of about 200 yr duration may heattributed to a negative water balance prior to the main phase of the Little Ice Age. Deep and stable lake phases of 1500 yr and 1800 yr duration at 7.2-5.7 cal ka and 5.5-3.7cal ka coincide with maximum moisture during the Holocene Megathermai in China. The long term trend towards aridity since about 4.3 cal ka can dearly be recognised. The reduced water budget of Bosten Lake from 640-1200 AD may be attributed to local effects.     

南澳岛及其附近岛屿夏季鸟类的初步调查

作者一行于 2 0 0 1年夏季对南澳及其附近岛屿的鸟类资源状况进行了调查研究 .结果发现 ,南澳及其附近岛屿有鸟类 51种 ,隶属 1 3目 2 8科 ,其中雀形目 2 3种 ,占所发现种类的 45% ,非雀形目 2 8种 ,占 55% ;国家一、二级保护动物各一种 ,分别为 :白腹军舰鸟 (F regataandrewsi)和岩鹭 (Egretta sacra) .按鸟类的栖息和迁徙习惯划分 ,有海鸟 8种 ,湿地候鸟 2种 ,湿地留鸟 9种 ,陆地候鸟 4种 ,陆地留鸟 2 8种 .在所有鸟类中以褐翅燕鸥 (Sterna anae-thetus)为优势种 ,数量最大 ,分布最广 .     

生物医学研究热点及意义

生物医学研究是目前发展最快、令人振奋的科技领域。本文概述了生物医学的发展趋势，并对生物医学前沿领域的研究热点，如基因组、蛋白质组、细胞信号转导机制、干细胞研究、神经科学研究、生物信息学等进行了分析。对生物技术领域的研究热点，如生物芯片技术、高效基因转移系统技术、组织工程技术和干细胞定向分化技术、基因敲除和敲入技术、克隆技术等进行了综述。提出研究中应该注意针对研究热点选题，注意多学科交叉和集团作战，同时注意知识产权保护。     

豫西早二叠世掌蕨Chiropteris Kurr和髻籽羊齿Nystroemia Halle有机连接标本的发现

基于河南登封早二叠世肾掌蕨Chiropteris reniformis Kawasaki和髻籽羊齿Nystroemia pectiniformis Halle有机连接的标本, 确立了肾髻籽羊齿(新组合)Nystroemia reniformis (Kawasaki) comb.nov.营养叶具长柄, 肾形, 基部心形, 全缘或具细齿; 叶脉细, 多次二歧分叉并结为多边形或菱形细网.生殖枝在苞片腋部着生.苞片与营养叶同形.胚珠器官在叶性器官腋部着生或两者分别不规则地着生于生殖枝的轴上.极多的具翼双角籽倒圆锥形, 呈两列状排列, 珠孔朝上.该植物代表了一种新的已灭绝的裸子植物.     

三峡兴隆洞出土12~15万年前的古人类化石和象牙刻划

在重庆市奉节县兴隆洞发掘出土早期智人牙齿、石器、有人工刻划痕迹的象牙和丰富的哺乳动物化石. 这些材料的种类、特点和埋藏状况说明该洞穴是一处远古人类的居住遗址. 通过出土动物群推断和铀系年代测定, 古人类在该洞穴的生存行为发生在中更新世晚期, 距今12~15万年前. 这是在三峡地区首次发现的早期智人化石. 出现在剑齿象门齿上的刻划纹成组分布, 组成简单而抽象的图案, 是目前所知最早的人类有意识的刻划作品, 对原始艺术的起源和东亚地区现代人类的起源、演化和行为方式的研究具有重要的学术意义.     

一类带有奇异项的临界椭圆方程正解的存在性

研究了一类带有负指数项和Sobolev-Hardy临界项的半线性椭圆方程，运用变分法证明了正解的存在性。     

Effect of hydrogen peroxide on the binding of Merocyanine 540 to human erythrocytes

The fluorescent dye Merocyanine 540 (MC540) is often used as a probe to monitor the molecular packing of phospholipids in the outer leaflet of biomembranes. In a previous study we showed that the increased staining of erythrocytes with a perturbed membrane structure was mainly due to an increase in the fluorescence yield of cell-bound MC540, rather than to an increase of the number of bound molecules. Erythrocytes and ghosts exposed to continuous fluxes of H₂O₂ exhibited pronounced lipid peroxidation. Further, red blood cells subjected to this form of oxidative stress also showed increased staining with MC540. It appeared that this was caused by a strong increase in binding of MC540, together with a slight red shift of the fluorescence emission maximum and a small increase in the fluorescence yield of bound MC540. The changed MC540 binding characteristics were not observed when lipid peroxidation was suppressed by the presence of the antioxidant BHT in the incubation medium. However, open ghosts exposed to H₂O₂ showed no increase of MC540 binding, excluding a direct involvement of lipid peroxidation. Measurement of fluorescence emission spectra and gel filtration studies showed that MC540 can bind to H₂O₂-exposed hemoglobin. Experiments with erythrocytes lysed in hypotonic medium after exposure to H₂O₂ revealed that peroxidation of lipids with H₂O₂ induced a non-specific permeabilization of the plasma membrane to MC540, thereby allowing MC540 to bind to the oxidatively denatured, more hydrophobic hemoglobin. These results indicate that conclusions about packing of phospholipids in the outer leaflet of the membrane based on increased MC540-staining should be drawn with care. Received 27 September 1996; received after revision 5 November 1996; accepted 27 November 1996