Magnitude and distribution of sea turtle bycatch in the sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) dredge fishery in two areas of the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, 2001–2002

In May 2001, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) opened two areas in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean that had been previously closed to the U.S. sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) dredge fishery. Upon reopening these areas, termed the “Hudson Canyon Controlled Access Area” and the “Virginia Beach Controlled Access Area,” NMFS observers found that marine turtles were being caught incidentally in scallop dredges. This study uses the generalized linear model and the generalized additive model fitting techniques to identify environmental factors and gear characteristics that influence bycatch rates, and to predict total bycatch in these two areas during May-December 2001 and 2002 by incorporating environmental factors into the models. Significant factors affecting sea turtle bycatch were season, time-of-day, sea surface temperature, and depth zone. In estimating total bycatch, rates were stratified according to a combination of all these factors except time-of-day which was not available in fishing logbooks. Highest bycatch rates occurred during the summer season, in temperatures greater than 19°C, and in water depths from 49 to 57 m. Total estimated bycatch of sea turtles during May–December in 2001 and 2002 in both areas combined was 169 animals (CV=55.3), of which 164 (97%) animals were caught in the Hudson Canyon area. From these findings, it may be possible to predict hot spots for sea turtle bycatch in future years in the controlled access areas.

水稻RAD21/REC8家族基因的分离与功能分析

染色体黏着是有丝分裂和减数分裂的关键事件，是保证姊妹（或同源）染色体正确分离并分配到子细胞中的关键调控环节之一，它建立于细胞分裂前的S期将新复制的姊妹染色体紧密联系在一起。来自酵母的研究结果已经证明姊妹染色体之间的黏着是由多亚基的蛋白质复合体－黏着素所介导的。在芽殖酵母有丝分裂中，黏着素由Scc1，Scc3，Smc1和Smc3四个亚基组成。减数分裂黏着素的组成与有丝分裂中的相似，只是Scc1被其减数分裂特异的Rec8变体所替换。目前，已经从高等真核生物线虫，果蝇，人，鼠以及拟南芥中分离到了黏着素相关的基因，但是对于这些基因在高等真核生物特别是植物细胞分裂中的功能还知之甚少。即使在酵母中人们对于减数分裂和有丝分裂过程中有关染色体黏着与分离的许多基本问题仍然不清楚，而且许多现象表明减数分裂的详细机制在各种生物中存在重大差异。 我们通过同源克隆的方法证明水稻（和拟南芥）基因组编码4个RAD21/REC8-like基因。这4个基因均以单拷贝存在，在核苷酸水平上没有相似性。它们所编码的蛋白质的相似性主要局限于其N-末端结构域和C-末端结构域。这4个蛋白质的中间区域没有（或者仅有极低的）相似性，但是中间区域都含有潜在的核定位信号，PEST序列，分离酶的识别序列以及多个磷酸化位点。 半定量RT-PCR，原位杂交以及Western杂交结果显示这4个基因都在生殖器官中优势表达，但是它们在花发育过程中的表达动态是不同的。OsRAD21-1和OsRAD21-3都在减数分裂时期的颖花中表达量最高，但是OsRAD21-3还在成熟花粉中高表达;OsRAD21-4在减数分裂前的颖花中表达量最高;OsRAD21-2则在雌雄蕊形成时期表达最强，之后逐渐降低。这些结果暗示这4个基因的功能可能是不同的。 免疫荧光定位分析表明，OsRad21-1和OsRad21-3 特异地定位于有丝分裂的染色体上，其分布动态表明这两个蛋白可能都参与了有丝分裂姊妹染色体之间的黏着。由于水稻四个RAD21/REC8类基因中，只有OsRAD21-3在花粉发育过程中表达，同时水稻花粉的发育成熟要经过两次有丝分裂，推测OsRad21-3蛋白可能参与这两次有丝分裂过程姊妹染色体之间的黏着。OsRad21-4则特异地定位于减数分裂前间期到中期Ⅰ的染色体上，说明它可能特异地介导减数分裂过程姊妹染色体之间的黏着。与其它已知的Rad21/Rec8-like蛋白不同，不论在有丝分裂还是在减数分裂过程中，OsRad21-2蛋白都不定位于染色体上而是特异地定位在核仁中，并且它的动态变化与核仁重建和解体的动态规律在时间上也是相一致的，这说明OsRad21-2是一种新的核仁蛋白质而与染色体的黏着无关。 OsRAD21-4 RNAi转基因水稻植株的花粉活性受到严重影响，种子结实率降低。雄性减数分裂过程中染色体出现多种异常行为：前期Ⅰ染色体异常凝集;同源染色体提早分离;染色体出现片断化。进一步的FISH实验结果证明RNAi株系中同源染色体配对和姊妹染色体臂的黏着均发生异常。因此，OsRad21-4是酵母Rec8的同源蛋白，是正确的减数分裂所必需的。 与表达分析和功能分析所得的结果相一致，进化树分析可以将Rad21/Rec8-like蛋白质分为三个亚家族：（1）Rad21亚家族，参与有丝分裂姊妹染色体黏着;（2）Rec8亚家族，参与减数分裂染色体黏着;（3）Rno亚家族，目前仅发现于高等植物中，是一种核仁蛋白质而与其它的Rad21/Rec8-like蛋白的功能不同，可能不参与染色体之间的黏着。

高等植物PSI ,PSII反应中心及天线系统色素蛋白复合体结构与功能的研究

一、实验证明了Cd H、Mg“在小麦类囊体膜上色素蛋白复合体的解聚和再聚合过程中，具有不同的作用。因此，二阶阳离子对激发能在光系统间的分配调节作用，可能不能仅仅用“静电现象”(Barber(1980))去解释。分析表明，在Ca2+作用下与PSII内周天线CP-47，GP-43多肽结合的L H C II和LHClb是来自间质膜区的PS I系统的。从PSI迁移到P S II的捕光色素蛋白，增加了PSII的捕光截面，从而促进了激发能有利于PsII分配。 二、Ca2*、Mg2+对小麦和菠菜类囊体膜光谱性质的影响有所差异。Ca2+对小麦类囊体膜光谱性质的影响还可以随着介质中Ca2+的消除而消除。同小麦类囊体膜相比，菠菜PSII以及LHCII更为集中在基粒区域，这可能是菠菜类囊体膜强Fv以及高F888／F735，F89H／F735比值的原因。因此，Ca2+，HgH对激发能在光系统间分配的调节作用是依赖于光系统间激发能及天线色素蛋白的分配状况的。 三、对菠菜叶中分离的PSII-RC: D1-D2-cyt b55g复合物进行的低温荧光发射光谱的研究表明，这一复合物可能具有F681和F684两种波长的低温荧光发射，但它们通常并不是同时存在，而是取决于Ca-670与Ca-680 Chla分子的相对含量的。PSII-RC内周无线GP-47，GP-43多肽的存在是D1-D2-cyt b559复合物低温荧光发射红移的原因;而D1一D2cyt b559复合物的不稳定性则与其低温荧光发射的蓝移现象有关。 从蕹菜叶中分离的Dl—D2-cyt b559复合物的F 381低温荧光发射也是由其相对含量较高的C．i-6 7 0 Chla分子的存在决定的。对蕹菜D 1一D 2-cyt b559复合物中的分析还表明，F 681的低温荧光发射直接来源于Di／D2复合物，而415nm处相对较强的吸收，则可能主要是与Pheo的存在有关的。 四、多肽分析与光谱分析的对照表明，CP-26内周天线多肽可能是PSII中F695低温荧光发射的真正来源。 五、实验分析了蔗糖密度离心分离的LHClI和PSI颗粒。结果排除了CP-27多肽（以及CP，一2 5，GP-47，CP -4 3多肽）具有F695低温荧光发射的可能，因此支持了CP-26多肽是PSII中F695低荧光发射来源的看法。对PsI颗粒的分析表明，P700的存在可能是与PSI-RC中较大的Sub-I亚基相联系的。 六、根据以上的研究结果，提出了PSI，PSII在类囊体膜上的结构模式，并对其内容进行了分析和讨论。

Competitive training in hidden Markov models

The use of hidden Markov models is placed in a connectionist framework, and an alternative approach to improving their ability to discriminate between classes is described. Using a network style of training, a measure of discrimination based on the a posteriori probability of state occupation is proposed, and the theory for its optimization using error back-propagation and gradient ascent is presented. The method is shown to be numerically well behaved, and results are presented which demonstrate that when using a simple threshold test on the probability of state occupation, the proposed optimization scheme leads to improved recognition performance.

Use of crude salt in rearing of freshwater giant prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man) larvae

Three different types of culture media: (i) 100% brine (B 100 ), (ii) 75% brine and 25% crude salt (B 75 CS 25 ), and 50% brine and 50% crude salt (B 50 CS 50) were tested to evaluate the possible use of brackish water reconstituted from the crude salt for the production of M. rosenbergii post-larvae. The production rate of 25.26±0.20 PI/l with a corresponding survival rate of 84.20±0.66% was significantly higher (P<0.05) for the larvae reared on B100 than that of 22.10±0.57 Pl/l with a corresponding survival rate of 73.68±1.89% on B50CS50. Larvae cultured on B75CS25 did not show any significant difference (P<0.05) in production as well as in survival of post-larvae than that on B100. The result shows that, for rearing of prawn larvae, use of brine can be replaced up to 25% without any undue reduction in production of post-larvae. However, the production as well as survival rate of post-larvae with 50% replacement (B50CS50) is also appreciable. It is assumed that the mineral constituents of natural seawater might have some triggering effects on prawn larvae in closing their larval cycle.

The first antimicrobial peptide from sea amphibian

The crab-eating frog, Rana cancrivora, is one of only a handful of amphibians worldwide that tolerates saline waters. It typically inhabits brackish water of mangrove forests of Southeast Asia. A large amount of antimicrobial peptides belonging to different families have been identified from skins of amphibians inhabiting freshwater. No antimicrobial peptide from sea amphibians has been reported. In this paper, we firstly reported the antimicrobial peptide and its cDNA cloning from skin secretions of the crab-eating frog R. cancrivora. The antimicrobial peptide was named cancrin with an amino acid sequence of GSAQPYKQLHKVVNWDPYG. By BLAST search, cancrin had no significant similarity to any known peptides. The cDNA encoding cancrin was cloned from the cDNA library of the skin of R. cancrivora. The cancrin precursor is composed of 68 amino acid residues including a signal peptide, acidic spacer peptide, which are similar to other antimicrobial peptide precursors from Ranid amphibians and mature cancrin. The overall structure is similar to other amphibian antimicrobial peptide precursors although mature cancrin is different from known peptides. The current results reported a new family of amphibian antimicrobial peptide and the first antimicrobial peptide from sea amphibian. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of pelagic primary and secondary production in Sefidrud River estuary

Sefid-Rood River Estuary (SRE) is the most important riverine ecosystem in the south Caspian Sea along the Iranian coast lines. The aim of this study was to examine spatial and temporal variability in Phytoplankton and Zooplankton abundance and diversity in SRE. Variability of Chlorophyll a and inorganic nutrient concentration were determined during a year (November 2004– October 2005) in five sampling stations. Primary and secondry production were determined during a year. Total chlorophyll a concentration during the investigation ranged between zero to 22.8 μgl-1 and the highest levels were consistently recorded during summer and the lowest during winter with a annual mean concentration 4.48 μgl-1. Nutrient concentration was seasonally related to river flow with annual mean concentration: NO2 0.05±0.2 mgl-1, NO3 1.13±0.57 mgl-1, NH4 0.51±0.66 mgl-1, total phosphate 0.13±0.1mgl-1 and SiO2 5.68±1.91 mgl-1. Bacillariophytes, Cyanophytes, Chlorophytes, Pyrophytes and Euglenophytes were the dominant phytoplankton groups in this shallow and turbid estuary. The diversity and abundance of phytoplankton had a seasonal pattern while Diatomas and Chrysophytes were dominant throughout the year but Cyanophytes observed only during the summer. Zooplankton community structure was dominated by copepods which 68% of the total zooplankton. In the winter and summer seasons two increased in the number of zooplankton community and usually toward the sea had occurred. Zooplankton also showed a significant spatial and temporal variation. The high turbidity and temperature prime characteristics of SRE seem to be determining factors acting directly on phytoplankton and zooplankton temporal variability and nutrient fluctuations. Everywhere in this estuary nutrients appeared to be in excess of algal requirement and did not influence a phytoplankton and zooplankton composition. Also there was a positive correlation between chlorophyll a and temperature and a negative one with DIN and TP. Primary production determined in this estuary by dark and light butter method and G.P.P. 38.27±34.12 mgcm-2h-1 and N,PP 201.6±289.9 mgcm-2d-1. secondry production determined 15/128 mgc/m3/year. Everywhere in this estuary nutrients appeared to be in excess to algal requirement and did not influence in Chl. a and primary production. The most important factor influence on Chl. a was water temperature.