Grassland bird associations with introduced and native grass Conservation Reserve Program fields in the Southern High Plains

We examined relative abundances of grassland birds among Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) fields seeded with 2 monocultures of introduced grass species and 2 mixes of native grasses in the Southern High Plains of Texas. We assessed bird compositions among these 4 cover types and between the cover types pooled into categories of introduced and native fields. Breeding season bird diversity and total abundance did not differ among cover types or between introduced and native fields. Grasshopper Sparrows ( Ammodramus savannarum ), Cassin’s Sparrows ( Aimophila cassinii ), and Western Meadowlarks ( Sturnella neglecta ) accounted for more than 90% of breeding season detections. Grasshopper Sparrows were the most abundant and found in all cover types. Cassin’s Sparrows were 38% to 170% more abundant among the native seed mix without buffalograss ( Buchloë dactyloides ) compared to 3 other cover types. Although this association was statistically lost when cover types were pooled into introduced or native fields ( U = 93.5, P = 0.91), the species was still 50% more abundant among native CRP than introduced CRP fields. Meadowlarks occurred ubiquitously but at very low numbers during the breeding season. During winter, avian abundance was 44% greater among native CRP than introduced CRP fields. Meadowlarks, Horned Larks ( Eremophila alpestris ), and Savannah Sparrows ( Passerculus sandwichensis ) accounted for 94% of all winter detections. Meadowlarks occurred ubiquitously, but Horned Larks and Savannah Sparrows were 157% and 96% more abundant, respectively, among native CRP than introduced CRP fields. Our data suggest that monocultures of introduced grasses may benefit some bird species but also that native seed mixes may have a more positive influence through increased diversity and abundance of grassland birds. However, pooling cover types into the broader categories of introduced or native grasses may dampen or occlude biologically meaningful results. It may be prudent to avoid broad categorization of CRP fields based solely on native or introduced grass cover when assessing habitat associations of grassland birds.     

Acquisition of a multifunctional IgA+ plasma cell phenotype in the gut

The largest mucosal surface in the body is in the gastrointestinal tract, a location that is heavily colonized by microbes that are normally harmless. A key mechanism required for maintaining a homeostatic balance between this microbial burden and the lymphocytes that densely populate the gastrointestinal tract is the production and transepithelial transport of poly-reactive IgA (ref. 1). Within the mucosal tissues, B cells respond to cytokines, sometimes in the absence of T-cell help, undergo class switch recombination of their immunoglobulin receptor to IgA, and differentiate to become plasma cells. However, IgA-secreting plasma cells probably have additional attributes that are needed for coping with the tremendous bacterial load in the gastrointestinal tract. Here we report that mouse IgA(+) plasma cells also produce the antimicrobial mediators tumour-necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and express many molecules that are commonly associated with monocyte/granulocytic cell types. The development of iNOS-producing IgA(+) plasma cells can be recapitulated in vitro in the presence of gut stroma, and the acquisition of this multifunctional phenotype in vivo and in vitro relies on microbial co-stimulation. Deletion of TNF-α and iNOS in B-lineage cells resulted in a reduction in IgA production, altered diversification of the gut microbiota and poor clearance of a gut-tropic pathogen. These findings reveal a novel adaptation to maintaining homeostasis in the gut, and extend the repertoire of protective responses exhibited by some B-lineage cells.     

最小阶线性函数观测器设计的最好理论结果(英文)

最小阶线性函数观测器直接估测Kx(t)信号,其中K是任意给定的.这个观测器的极点在设计时也是任意给定的.1986年发表的一个设计程序所要解的公式是将这一设计问题简化成的一组线性方程组,保证设计出来的观测器阶数的上下限也是至今为止最低的.自1986年以来,上述的这一线性方程组已被宣称定性为这一设计问题的最可能简单的公式,上述的观测器阶数的上下限也已被宣称定性为最可能低的上下限.本文进一步证明和宣称定性这一1986年的结果是这一设计问题的最可能好的理论结果.这一宣称定性的重大意义可由以下两个事实来说明.首先这一明确而决定性的宣称定性是该结果发表26年后才作出的.其次相比最近发表的一篇相关论文,该文只是将整个设计问题推导成复杂得多的公式,没能提出真正系统地计算该复杂公式的解的计算程序,却宣称只有该文才得到了整个设计问题的解!     

An aqueous extract of Liu Wei Di Huang Wan alters the labeling of blood constituents with Technetium-99m

The Liu Wei Di Huang Wan is a formula of a traditional Chinese medicine that is used to treat asthma patients and has been shown to have several important properties,such as antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities.The influence of an extract of Liu Wei Di Huang Wan on the labeling of blood constituents with technetium-99m was investigated.Anticoagulated blood(Wistar rats) was incubated with the extract,stannous chloride and technetium-99m,as sodium pertechnetate.Samples were centrifuged and aliquots of plasma and blood cells were separated and precipitated with trichloroacetic acid,to obtain soluble and insoluble fractions of the blood constituents.The percentage of radioactivity(%ATI) in all the fractions was determined.The analysis of the results shows that the extract at the highest concentration used(70 mg/mL) decreased significantly(P<0.05) the %ATI(from 96.48 ± 1.19 to 54.46 ± 7.38) on blood cells compartment,(from 81.11 ± 4.15 to 61.33 ± 4.74) on insoluble fractions of blood cells and(from 65.91 ± 2.44 to 13.15 ± 3.62) on insoluble fractions of plasma.In conclusion,the results suggest that the substances present on this extract can alter this labeling process,probably due to(i) redox properties(antioxidant and chelator activities) and/or(ii) specific actions in the binding sites where the 99mTc would be bound on the blood constituents.As a consequence,precaution is suggested on the interpretation of the nuclear medicine results from performed with blood constituents labeled with 99m Tc in patients that have undertaken LWDHW,although the current findings were obtained in experimental animal models.     

MRPⅡ中物料清单树型结构的分析与实现

针对ＭＲＰⅡ物料清单的树状特点,提出了以物料结构与单据相结合的程序开发模式,以及相应的数据库设计方法。并且采用Ｖｉｓｕａｌ Ｐｏｘｐｒｏ５．０对物料清单管理进行了编程实现,得到了较为直观,方便,灵活的实用效果。另外,也与Ｇｏｚｉｎｔｏｇｒａｐｈ设计形式比较分析说明了物料清单树状结构设计实现的优势。     

颗粒增强聚合物复合材料损伤模型

研究了颗粒增强聚合物复合材料的力学行为,研究得知:材料屈服、裂纹形核、扩展与贯通直至最终断裂是一逐渐劣化过程,而损伤理论正是这一劣化过程的良好描述.通过假设自由能和耗散势函数,导出了损伤演化规律,与实验比较,模型和试验结果基本符合.进一步采用改进的Dugdale模型,重点研究损伤对GB/PPO复合材料宏观裂纹起裂的影响,通过建立损伤模型来描述材料的劣化行为和裂纹扩展,结果表明,损伤区域严重影响裂尖的性能,材料损伤对宏观裂纹起裂影响不可忽略.     

Decoherence of matter waves by thermal emission of radiation

Emergent quantum technologies have led to increasing interest in decoherence--the processes that limit the appearance of quantum effects and turn them into classical phenomena. One important cause of decoherence is the interaction of a quantum system with its environment, which 'entangles' the two and distributes the quantum coherence over so many degrees of freedom as to render it unobservable. Decoherence theory has been complemented by experiments using matter waves coupled to external photons or molecules, and by investigations using coherent photon states, trapped ions and electron interferometers. Large molecules are particularly suitable for the investigation of the quantum-classical transition because they can store much energy in numerous internal degrees of freedom; the internal energy can be converted into thermal radiation and thus induce decoherence. Here we report matter wave interferometer experiments in which C70 molecules lose their quantum behaviour by thermal emission of radiation. We find good quantitative agreement between our experimental observations and microscopic decoherence theory. Decoherence by emission of thermal radiation is a general mechanism that should be relevant to all macroscopic bodies.