Comparison of evolutionary rates in the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b gene and control region and their implications for phylogeny of the Cobitoidea (Teleostei : Cypriniformes)

It is widely accepted that mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region evolves faster than protein encoding genes with few exceptions. In the present study, we sequenced the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (cyt b) and control region (CR) and compared their rates in 93 specimens representing 67 species of loaches and some related taxa in the Cobitoidea (Order Cypriniformes). The results showed that sequence divergences of the CR were broadly higher than those of the cyt b (about 1.83 times). However, in considering only closely related species, CR sequence evolution was slower than that of cyt b gene (ratio of CR/cyt b is 0.78), a pattern that is found to be very common in Cypriniformes. Combined data of the cyt b and CR were used to estimate the phylogenetic relationship of the Cobitoidea by maximum parsimony, neighbor-joining, and Bayesian methods. With Cyprinus carpio and Danio rerio as outgroups, three analyses identified the same four lineages representing four subfamilies of loaches, with Botiinae on the basal-most clade. The phylogenctic relationship of the Cobitoidea was ((Catostomidae + Gyrinocheilidae) + (Botiinae + (Balitorinae + (Cobitinae + Nemacheilinae)))), which indicated that Sawada's Cobitidae (including Cobitinae and Botiinae) was not monophyletic. Our molecular phylogenetic analyses are in very close agreement with the phylogenetic results based on the morphological data proposed by Nalbant and Bianco, wherein these four subfamilies were elevated to the family level as Botiidae, Balitoridae, Cobitidae, and Nemacheilidae. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using epilithic diatom communities to assess ecological condition of Xiangxi River system

Assessment method for ecological condition of Xiangxi River system was studied by using 13 candidate metrics of epilithic diatom which can reflect conditions in pH, salinity, nitrogen uptake metabolism, oxygen requirements, saprobity, trophic state, morphological character and pollution tolerant capability etc. By one-way ANOVA, the metrics of relative abundance of acidobiontic algae (ACID), freshwater algae (FRESH), high oxygen requirement (HIGH-O), eutraphentic state (EUTRA) and mobile taxa ( MOBILE) were suitable for distinguishing sites in different conditions. Then, the river diatom index (RDI) composed of these five metrics was used to evaluate ecological condition of the river. The results showed that the healthiest sites were in the Guanmenshan Natural Reserve ( with the mean RDI of 79.73). The sites located in tributary of Jiuchong River also owned excellent state (mean RDI of 78.25). Mean RDI of another tributary - Gufu River and the main river were 70.85 and 68.45 respectively, and the unhealthiest tributary was Gaolan River (with mean RDI of 65.64). The mean RDI for all the 51 sites was 71.40. The competence of RDI was discussed with comparison of evaluation results of DAIpo and TDI, it can be concluded that multimetrics is more competent in assessment task.

THIN-FILM BIPBSRCACUO DIRECT-CURRENT SUPERCONDUCTING QUANTUM INTERFERING DEVICES OPERATING AT 78-K

Direct current SQUIDs (superconducting quantum interference devices) have been successfully fabricated by using a Pb-doped BiSrCaCuO superconducting thin film made by mixed evaporation of a single source composed of related components with a resistance heater. The dc SQUID comprises a square washer with a small hole. These SQUIDs show perfectly periodic voltage-flux characteristics without magnetic shield, that is, typically, the flux noise and energy resolution at a frequency range from dc to 1 Hz and at 78 K being 1.7 x 10(-3) PHI-0/ square-root Hz and 3.6 x 10(-26) J/Hz, respectively. Meanwhile, we have found out that one of the SQUIDs still was able to operate on flux-locked mode without bias currents and showed voltage-flux second harmonic characteristics. This phenomenon is not well understood, but it may be related to I-V (current-voltage) characteristics of the dc SQUID.

1.78 μm Strained InGaAs-InGaAsP-InP Distributed Feedback Quantum Well Lasers

Ridge-waveguide distributed-feedback(DFB) lasers with highly strained InGaAs/InGaAsP active regions,emitting at 1.78 μm were fabricated by low pressure metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy(LP-MOVPE) and tested.The lasers exhibited threshold current of 33 mA for 900 μm long cavities at room temperature.A maximum light output power of 8 mW from one facet and an external differential quantum efficiency of 7% were also obtained.In oddition,the side mode suppression ratio (SMSR) is 27.5 dB.

科尔沁沙地78种植物繁殖体重量和形状比较

研究了科尔沁沙地 78种植物的繁殖体 (2 3种为种子 ,5 5种为果实 )重量和形状 ,其重量差别很大 ,最小的单粒重不足 0 .1mg,最大的超过 130 mg;形状差异也很大 ,最小的方差不足 0 .0 3,最大的超过 0 .18。综合本研究和以前研究的全部 14 0种植物的研究结果 ,进行了分析。结果表明 :1计有 2 4种植物繁殖体单粒重小于 1mg并接近圆球形 (方差小于 0 .0 9) ,它们可能具有持久种子库 ;2 1年生植物 (平均方差为 0 .0 70 )与 2年生植物 (平均方差为 0 .12 9)间的形状差异显著 (P<0 .0 5 ) ,2年生植物的繁殖体更加扁、长 ;1年生植物也与多年生草本植物 (平均方差为 0 .10 9)之间形状差异显著 (P<0 .0 5 ) ,多年生草本植物的繁殖体更加扁、长 ;3有 5 5 %的豆科植物、70 %的藜科植物繁殖体接近圆球形 (方差 <0 .0 6 ) ,所有的菊科、萝摩科植物繁殖体都很扁、长 (方差 >0 .0 6 )。豆科植物显著比菊科、禾本科、藜科植物繁殖体的重量大 (P<0 .0 5 ) ;4繁殖体附属物在植物的传播和定居方面具有重要的作用 :6种萝摩科植物和 3种杨柳科植物具有绢毛 ,6 0 %的菊科植物具有冠毛 ,6种植物有翅 ,8种植物有宿存花柱或宿存花萼 ,这些植物可能易于被风传播 ;5 4 %的禾本科植物具芒 ,减小了传播可能 ;苍耳、雾冰藜、鹤虱、蒺藜、