Identification and characterization of the Vibrio anguillarum prtV gene encoding a new metalloprotease

We cloned and sequenced a prtV-like gene from Vibrio anguillarum M3 strain. This prtV gene encodes a putative protein of 918 amino acids, and is highly homologous to the V. cholerae prtV gene. We found that a prtV insertion mutant strain displayed lower gelatinase activity on gelatin agar, lower protease activity against azocasein, and lower activity for four glycosidases. This prtV mutant strain also had increased activity for two esterases in its extracellular products, as analyzed by the API ZYM system. In addition, the prtV mutant strain exhibited decreased growth in turbot intestinal mucus and reduced hemolytic activity on turbot erythrocytes. Infection experiments showed that the LD₅₀ of the prtV mutant strain increased by at least 1 log compared to the wild-type in turbot fish. We propose that prtV plays an important role in the pathogenesis of V. anguillarum.     

Adhesion mechanisms of Vibrio fluvialis to skin mucus of Epinephelus awoara

Vibrio fluvialis incubated in trypticase soy broth (TSB) showed stronger adhesion to the skin mucus of Epinephelus awoara than V. fluvialis grown on trypticase soy agar (TSA), and this bacterial adhesion was assessed in terms of saturation kinetics. Treating bacteria with antibody against O-antigens resulted in significantly reduced bacterial adhesion. In the early growth stage, the adhering bacteria numbers increased with incubation time, peaked at 24 h, and then dropped sharply. Prior heat treatment of the mucus at various temperatures resulted in different effects on bacterial adhesion. No remarkable effect on bacterial adhesion was detected after treating mucus with protease K and trypsin, whereas periodic acid treatment significantly enhanced bacterial adhesion. Extracts of V. fluvialis surface structures at high concentrations significantly inhibited bacterial adhesion, while relatively low concentrations enhanced adhesion. V. fluvialis had strong affinity for a high molecular weight mucus component. These results indicate that V. fluvialis adhered strongly to E. awoara mucus by specific adhesion and that this adhesion was influenced by many factors, including bacterial conditions, mucus, and the environment.     

Microhabitat effect on iron distribution and transfer in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Carex pseudocuraica</Emphasis> in Sanjiang Plain Wetlands

Ten clonal units of Carex pseudocuraica growing in four different microhabitats (perennial flooded ditch water, perennial flooded ditch sediment, seasonal flooded ditch sediment and perennial flooded soil) of the Sanjiang Plain, Northeast China, were collected randomly for phenotypic plasticity analysis. Iron content, chemical and physical properties of substrates and the total Fe of nine plant modules were measured as well. The results show that the performance of the C. pseudocuraica is affected by the microhabitat, with the greatest performance score in perennial flooded ditch water, and the lowest in perennial flooded soil. The biomass allocation indexes indicate that much more mass is allocated to stems and roots to expand colonization area. The distribution of the total Fe in plant modules appears as pyramids from the tip to the root, while marked differences are observed in the distribution proportion of stems, tillering nodes and roots that are allometrically growing. Iron transfer from substrates to the plant is mainly controlled by the substrate type. The differences of iron distribution and transfer in the plant in different microhabitats are attributed to the iron contents of the substrates as well as the phenotypic plasticity of the plant.     

甘肃祁连山主动源重复探测项目建设及震源重复性分析

甘肃祁连山主动源重复探测激发源位于甘肃省张掖市祁连山西流水水库,2015年7月9日各系统开始正式运行,11月10日完成了为期40天的连续激发实验。观测资料处理结果表明,气枪震源具有良好的一致性和可重复性,整个观测系统能比较清晰地记录到震源激发的信号。祁连山主动源项目建设取得的结果可为主动源探测工作提供宝贵经验和科学借鉴,不断取得的观测数据为跟踪了解祁连山地区的深部结构时空变化提供了可能。     

风水复合侵蚀研究进展与展望

风水复合侵蚀是干旱,半干旱区一种常见的土壤侵蚀类型,是风水两相外营力相互耦合驱动下发生的地表物质再分配过程。在辨析风水复合侵蚀类型的基础上,将风水复合侵蚀影响因子归结为侵蚀动力因子、土壤抗蚀性因子与干扰因子,并分析了影响因子间的互馈关系;从全球尺度、区域尺度和局地尺度,总结了风水复合侵蚀在空间尺度上的差异;评述了风水共同侵蚀过程中侵蚀力与侵蚀能量的叠加效应,风水交替侵蚀过程中侵蚀力与侵蚀能量的交替性特征,以及下垫面和干扰因子对风水复合侵蚀的响应;阐述了风力与水力侵蚀在总侵蚀量中的贡献比率与两者叠加所产生的耦合效应;认为风水复合侵蚀实验研究是认识风水复合侵蚀过程与机理的基础,应将风水复合侵蚀过程段研究扩展到全过程研究,同时加强下垫面在风水复合侵蚀中的响应机制以及水蚀与风蚀间的抑制效应研究,以期达到全面客观地认识风水复合侵蚀过程与机制的目的。     

Microelectrode Study of Oxygen Uptake and Organic Matter Decomposition in The Sediments of Xiamen Western Bay

Sediment cores were sampled from Xiamen Western Bay at five sites during the summer and winter of 2006 and Hg–Au microelectrodes were used to make on board measurements of the concentration gradients of dissolved oxygen, Mn²⁺, and Fe²⁺ within the sediments. The O₂ concentrations decreased sharply from about 200 μmol L⁻¹ in the bottom seawater to zero within a depth of a few millimeters into the sediment. Dissolved Mn²⁺ was detected below the oxic zones with peak concentrations up to 600 μmol L⁻¹, whereas dissolved Fe²⁺ had peak concentrations up to 1,000 μmol L⁻¹ in deeper layers. The elemental contents of organic carbon and nitrogen within the sediments were analyzed and their C/N ratios were in the range of 9.0 to 10.1, indicative of heavy terrestrial origin. Sediments from two sites near municipal wastewater discharge outlets had higher organic contents than those from the other sites. These high organic contents corresponded to shallow O₂ penetration depths, high dissolved Mn²⁺ and Fe²⁺ concentrations, and negative redox potentials within the sediments. This indicated that the high organic matter content had promoted microbial respiration within the sediments. Overall, the organic content did not show any appreciable decrease with increasing sediment depths, so a quadratic polynomial function was used to fit the curve of O₂ profiles within the sediments. Based on the O₂ profiles, O₂ fluxes across the seawater and sediment interface were estimated to be in the range 6.07 to 14.9 mmol m⁻² day⁻¹, and organic carbon consumption rates within the surface sediments were estimated to be in the range 3.3 to 20.8 mgC cm⁻³ a⁻¹. The case demonstrated that biogeochemistry within the sediments of the bay was very sensitive to human activities such as sewage discharge.     

含煤地层AVO正演模型参数优选分析

采用GEOVIEW软件,选取顶底板为泥岩,中间为煤层（厚度变化范围0～30m）的三层介质作模型,通过改变中间煤层的厚度、处理采样率、子波等参数,并保持上下围岩参数不变的方式来讨论相关参数对AVO响应的影响,结果表明当处理采样率越高时,AVO截距和梯度精度就越高;子波采样率过低,会引起AVO截距和梯度值的扰动现象;当子波采样率提高到一定程度时,扰动现象消除;子波主频的大小决定了调谐效应的范围,提高地震波主频,有利于提高分辨率;子波长度的变化对AVO截距和梯度值求取影响不大。上述结论为AVO正演模型参数优选提供了依据,其最佳参数的选取可有效提高含煤地层AVO正演模型的精度。     

Spatial Access to Health Care Services and Disparities in Colorectal Cancer Stage at Diagnosis in Texas

Early diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) is important for improving the survival rate of the disease. Disparities in CRC diagnosis among different population groups have persisted in the United States. This study examines whether spatial access to medical services contributes to disparities of late-stage diagnosis of CRC in Texas. Analysis results suggest that there are significant disparities in late-stage CRC diagnosis by race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geographic location in Texas. It is concluded that spatial access to primary care is associated with CRC stage at diagnosis, but not with racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities.     

辽中南城市群城市竞争力综合评价与时间演变分析

以辽中南城市群为对象,选取33个评价指标,组成评价指标体系,并运用SPSS软件对城市竞争力进行定量实证分析。运用主成分分析法评价辽中南城市群城市竞争力及其时间演变,并在此基础上采用聚类分析法,对辽中南城市群的10个城市进行竞争力类型划分。结果表明:大连和沈阳城市竞争力强;鞍山、本溪和抚顺竞争力较强;营口、丹东、辽阳、盘锦和铁岭竞争力弱;辽中南城市群整体竞争力水平略有下降,城市间经济发展不平衡。     

洛阳地震台面波震级的偏差研究

利用洛阳地震台1985 ～ 2003 年记录的1755 个地震的面波资料,采用与国家地震台网中心相同的面波震级公式,研究了该台测定的面波震级与国家地震台网中心测定面波震级之间的偏差。结果表明,洛阳地震台测定面波震级的偏差与震中距之间有明显的相关性,在1°≤Δ≤130°范围内面波震级由偏小0. 1 逐渐变化到偏大,Δ≥20°时偏大0. 2 ～ 0. 3;在130° ＜ Δ≤180°范围内偏大0. 2。