Increasing dominance of large lianas in Amazonian forests

Ecological orthodoxy suggests that old-growth forests should be close to dynamic equilibrium, but this view has been challenged by recent findings that neotropical forests are accumulating carbon and biomass, possibly in response to the increasing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide. However, it is unclear whether the recent increase in tree biomass has been accompanied by a shift in community composition. Such changes could reduce or enhance the carbon storage potential of old-growth forests in the long term. Here we show that non-fragmented Amazon forests are experiencing a concerted increase in the density, basal area and mean size of woody climbing plants (lianas). Over the last two decades of the twentieth century the dominance of large lianas relative to trees has increased by 1.7-4.6% a year. Lianas enhance tree mortality and suppress tree growth, so their rapid increase implies that the tropical terrestrial carbon sink may shut down sooner than current models suggest. Predictions of future tropical carbon fluxes will need to account for the changing composition and dynamics of supposedly undisturbed forests.     

Coulomb blockade and the Kondo effect in single-atom transistors

Using molecules as electronic components is a powerful new direction in the science and technology of nanometre-scale systems. Experiments to date have examined a multitude of molecules conducting in parallel, or, in some cases, transport through single molecules. The latter includes molecules probed in a two-terminal geometry using mechanically controlled break junctions or scanning probes as well as three-terminal single-molecule transistors made from carbon nanotubes, C(60) molecules, and conjugated molecules diluted in a less-conducting molecular layer. The ultimate limit would be a device where electrons hop on to, and off from, a single atom between two contacts. Here we describe transistors incorporating a transition-metal complex designed so that electron transport occurs through well-defined charge states of a single atom. We examine two related molecules containing a Co ion bonded to polypyridyl ligands, attached to insulating tethers of different lengths. Changing the length of the insulating tether alters the coupling of the ion to the electrodes, enabling the fabrication of devices that exhibit either single-electron phenomena, such as Coulomb blockade, or the Kondo effect.     

Large Cretaceous sphenodontian from Patagonia provides insight into lepidosaur evolution in Gondwana

Sphenodontian reptiles successfully radiated during Triassic and Jurassic times, but were driven almost to extinction during the Cretaceous period. The sparse Early Cretaceous record of sphenodontians has been interpreted as reflecting the decline of the group in favour of lizards, their suspected ecological successors. However, recent discoveries in Late Cretaceous beds in Patagonia partially modify this interpretation. Numerous skeletons of a new sphenodontian, Priosphenodon avelasi gen. et sp. nov., were collected from a single locality in the Cenomanian-Turonian Candeleros Formation, where it is more abundant than any other tetrapod group recorded in the quarry (for example, Crocodyliformes, Serpentes, Dinosauria and Mammalia). Adult specimens of Priosphenodon reached one metre in length, larger than any previously known terrestrial sphenodontian. Here we propose, using available evidence, that sphenodontians were not a minor component of the Cretaceous terrestrial ecosystems of South America, and that their ecological replacement by squamates was delayed until the early Tertiary. The new discovery helps to bridge the considerable gap in the fossil record (around 120 million years) that separates the Early Cretaceous sphenodontians from their living relatives (Sphenodon).     

Juxtaposed regions of extensive and minimal linkage disequilibrium in human Xq25 and Xq28

Linkage disequilibrium (LD), or the non-random association of alleles, is poorly understood in the human genome. Population genetic theory suggests that LD is determined by the age of the markers, population history, recombination rate, selection and genetic drift. Despite the uncertainties in determining the relative contributions of these factors, some groups have argued that LD is a simple function of distance between markers. Disease-gene mapping studies and a simulation study gave differing predictions on the degree of LD in isolated and general populations. In view of the discrepancies between theory and experimental observations, we constructed a high-density SNP map of the Xq25-Xq28 region and analysed the male genotypes and haplotypes across this region for LD in three populations. The populations included an outbred European sample (CEPH males) and isolated population samples from Finland and Sardinia. We found two extended regions of strong LD bracketed by regions with no evidence for LD in all three samples. Haplotype analysis showed a paucity of haplotypes in regions of strong LD. Our results suggest that, in this region of the X chromosome, LD is not a monotonic function of the distance between markers, but is more a property of the particular location in the human genome.     

集装箱船体波浪载荷应力短期分布的统计分析

基于对波浪载荷所引起的交变应力范围数据统计分析的结论，建议用一类双峰正态混合分布拟合．利用EM算法对混合分布的参数进行估计,借助估计出的参数值，揭示了在一定条件下船体不同部位疲劳载荷的固有关系．船体波浪载荷应力在船首处尤为复杂，双峰对称正态逆高斯混合分布对该处波浪载荷所引起的交变应力范围数据拟合效果更好．实证分析表明，所提供的概率分布参数能够反映船体不同部位的疲劳载荷大小，所得到的关于船体不同部位疲劳载荷固有关系的结论可为船舶运行品质研究提供理论基础．     

电势降落对DNA分子器件电荷输运的影响

基于晶格格林函数和Landauer-Büttiker公式,研究了脱氧核糖核酸分子器件在不同电势降落下的电荷输运性质。界面处的电势降落可以导致负微分电导现象的出现,而且随着电势降落在脱氧核糖核酸分子上的比例的提高,这个效应更加明显。电势降落导致的分子轨道的局域化是产生负微分电导现象的关键因素。     

The novel Cer-like protein Caronte mediates the establishment of embryonic left-right asymmetry.

In the chick embryo, left-right asymmetric patterns of gene expression in the lateral plate mesoderm are initiated by signals located in and around Hensen's node. Here we show that Caronte (Car), a secreted protein encoded by a member of the Cerberus/Dan gene family, mediates the Sonic hedgehog (Shh)-dependent induction of left-specific genes in the lateral plate mesoderm. Car is induced by Shh and repressed by fibroblast growth factor-8 (FGF-8). Car activates the expression of Nodal by antagonizing a repressive activity of bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs). Our results define a complex network of antagonistic molecular interactions between Activin, FGF-8, Lefty-1, Nodal, BMPs and Car that cooperate to control left-right asymmetry in the chick embryo.     

经济可持续发展与平顶山市科技发展战略

本文论述了经济可持续发展与科技发展的关系，认为平顶山市科技发展战略的模式包括优势技术战略和适用技术战略两个部分。     

对大学生学习武术动机的研究

本文主要分析了大学生在武术课教学过程中学习动机的类型和学习动机对学习成绩及身体素质的影响．研究表明，具有问接远景性学习动机的学生比具有直接近景性学习动机的学生的学习成绩和身体素质有明显的提高．所以，学习动机对学生学习成绩和身体素质的提高起着重要的作用．