光照和氮素对外来植物凤眼莲生长和生理特性的影响

通过研究不同光照和氮素营养处理的外来植物凤眼莲的生长、生物量分配、硝酸还原酶活性、游离氨基酸以及可溶性蛋白质含量变化，探讨其对环境适应性的生理学机制。凤眼莲表现出极强的可塑性，随光照和氮素营养的增加，凤眼莲生长速率明显加快，氮素代谢关键酶硝酸还原酶活性上升。根部吸收的硝酸根离子大部分运输到叶片中还原，氮素同化效率高。氨基酸含量和可溶性蛋白质含量呈现明显的变化，叶片可溶性蛋白质含量与根冠生物量分配显著相关。本研究表明风眼莲对光照和氮素表现出很强的适应性，其快速生长和高可塑性依赖于对环境变化的牛理响廊。     

AN INDIVIDUAL‐BASED MODEL FOR FERAL HOGS IN GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK

The expansion of feral hog (Sus scrofa) populations in the United States has resulted in increased efforts to develop and implement control strategies designed to minimize the impacts done by this invasive species. We describe an individual‐based model for feral hogs in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP). The objectives of the model are to provide an understanding of the population dynamics of this feral hog population and to determine the efficacy of the annual harvest as a population control method. Results suggest that the dynamics of the population are driven by fall hard mast production and the GSMNP harvests currently limit growth of the population, but these control efforts have not reduced the population.     

Development of an HPTLC‐based diagnostic method for invasive aspergillosis

A rapid, sensitive and specific high‐performance thin‐layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method was developed and validated for determination of gliotoxin in Aspergillus infected immunocompromised patients with invasive aspergillosis (IA). Densitometric analysis of gliotoxin was carried out in the absorbance mode at 254 nm after single‐step extraction with chloroform. The method uses TLC aluminum plates pre‐coated with silica gel 60F‐254 as a stationary phase and toluene–isoamyl alcohol–methanol (10:0.5:0.5, v/v/v) as mobile phase, which gives compact spot of gliotoxin (R_f = 0.51). The calibration curve was linear (r² ≥ 0.994) between peak area and concentration in the tested range of 100–1000 ng spot^?1 with minimum detectable range 0.025 ng μ^?1 of serum sample. The mean ± SD value of slope and intercept of the standard chromatogram of gliotoxin were found to be 523.2 ± 1.555635 and 915.8 ± 30.68843, respectively. The developed method is simple, rapid, precise and less costly than earlier diagnostic methods, and different serum samples can be run on a single TLC plate for comparative analysis. The proposed method can be used to analyze gliotoxin in patient serum for easy, rapid and cost‐effective diagnosis of IA. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A new infinite family of minimally nonideal matrices

Minimally nonideal matrices are a key to understanding when the set covering problem can be solved using linear programming. The complete classification of minimally nonideal matrices is an open problem. One of the most important results on these matrices comes from a theorem of Lehman, which gives a property of the core of a minimally nonideal matrix. Cornuéjols and Novick gave a conjecture on the possible cores of minimally nonideal matrices. This paper disproves their conjecture by constructing a new infinite family of square minimally nonideal matrices. In particular, we show that there exists a minimally nonideal matrix with r ones in each row and column for any r?3.     

外来种喜旱莲子草的克隆生长特性

通过对外来种喜旱莲子草（Alternanthera philoxeroides（Mart．）Griseb）生长指标的测定和分析，研究了它的克隆生长规律，并探讨丁它的觅食行为．在一个生长季节内，喜旱莲子草生物量增加了近30倍，一级葡萄茎分株数增加了近50倍，最长的一级葡萄茎长度增长了近40倍，一级葡萄茎总长度增长了近13倍；一、二、三级葡萄茎上的总分株数增加了近130倍，3个级别匍匍苇总长度增长了近28倍．通过各级葡萄茎个数，葡萄茎总长度和葡萄茎总分株数比较发现，二级葡萄茎比一、二级葡萄苇生长的都要快，而一级葡萄茎的间隔物平均长度远远大于二级和三级葡萄茎．克隆植物的觅食行为与它的克隆生长紧密相连，从觅食行为来看，喜旱莲子草克隆构型随生长季节的变化说明了它对生长季节具有很强的适应性．这种快速克隆生长的特性和对生长季节的适应性有利于喜旱莲子成功入侵新的生境。     

Some insight into characterizations of minimally nonideal matrices

Lehman (Polyhedral combinatorics 1 of DIMACS series in discrete math. and theoretical computer science, pp 101–105, 1990) described some conditions regular minimally nonideal (mni) matrices must satisfy. Although, there are few results on sufficient conditions for mni matrices. In most of these results, the covering polyhedron must have a unique fractional extreme point. This condition corresponds to ask the matrix to be the blocker of a near-ideal matrix, defined by the authors in a previous work (2006). In this paper we prove that, having the blocker of a near-ideal matrix, only a few very easy conditions have to be checked in order to decide if the matrix is regular mni. In doing so, we define the class of quasi mni matrices, containing regular mni matrices, and we find a generalization on the number of integer extreme points adjacent to the fractional extreme point in the covering polyhedron. We also give a relationship between the covering and stability number of regular mni matrices which allows to prove when a regular mni matrix can be a proper minor of a quasi mni. Partially supported by CONICET Grant PIP 2807/2000 (Argentina) and by CNPq/PROSUL Grant 490333/2004-4 (Brasil).     

围长为2的偶数阶本原极小强连通有向图的1一指数集

本文研究了围长为2的n阶本原极小强连通有向图的1-指数集,证明了：当n（≥4）为偶数时,E（1）={4,5,6,7,…,2n-4）,无缺数段。     

实时三维超声引导 VACORA真空微创穿刺活检系统在乳腺良性疾病微创诊疗中的应用

目的探讨三维超声引导下VACORA真空微创穿刺活检系统在乳腺良性疾病诊疗中的应用价值。方法选取术前诊断为乳腺良性肿块患者103例（223个肿块）,经二维超声引导治疗54例（二维组）,经实时三维超声引导治疗49例（三维组）,记录两组患者肿块容积、手术切除条数、手术耗时、术后血肿发生情况及血肿吸收情况。结果全部肿块均成功引导切除,两组患者手术耗时无明显差异（P＞0.05）,三维组肿块切除条数及术后血肿发生率均明显少于二维组（均P＜0.05）,而且血肿0.16～3.80ml者平均吸收时间均显著明显短于血肿4.7～19.5及25.2～32.0ml者（均P＜0.01）。两组患者术后随访1～12个月均无复发。结论超声引导VACORA真空微创穿刺活检系统适用于体积＜2.4ml乳腺良性肿块的微创切除,实时三维超声引导定位准确、安全、损伤小,是乳腺肿块微创切除的一种有效方法。     

Tracking extended mucociliary transport activity of individual deposited particles: longitudinal synchrotron X‐ray imaging in live mice

To assess potential therapies for respiratory diseases in which mucociliary transit (MCT) is impaired, such as cystic fibrosis and primary ciliary dyskinesia, a novel and non‐invasive MCT quantification method has been developed in which the transit rate and behaviour of individual micrometre‐sized deposited particles are measured in live mice using synchrotron phase‐contrast X‐ray imaging. Particle clearance by MCT is known to be a two‐phase process that occurs over a period of minutes to days. Previous studies have assessed MCT in the fast‐clearance phase, ～20 min after marker particle dosing. The aim of this study was to non‐invasively image changes in particle presence and MCT during the slow‐clearance phase, and simultaneously determine whether repeat synchrotron X‐ray imaging of mice was feasible over periods of 3, 9 and 25 h. All mice tolerated the repeat imaging procedure with no adverse effects. Quantitative image analysis revealed that the particle MCT rate and the number of particles present in the airway both decreased with time. This study successfully demonstrated for the first time that longitudinal synchrotron X‐ray imaging studies are possible in live small animals, provided appropriate animal handling techniques are used and care is taken to reduce the delivered radiation dose.     

Recent Insights Into the Biomedical Applications of Shape‐memory Polymers

Shape‐memory polymers (SMP) are versatile stimuli‐responsive materials that can switch, upon stimulation, from a temporary to a permanent shape. This advanced functionality makes SMP suitable and promising materials for diverse technological applications, including the fabrication of smart biomedical devices. In this paper, advances in the design of SMP are discussed, with emphasis on materials investigated for medical applications. Future directions necessary to bring SMP closer to their clinical application are also highlighted.