巨桉凋落叶分解初期对菊苣生长和光合特性的影响

采用盆栽试验,于2010年3-5月在四川农业大学教学科研园区内研究了巨桉凋落叶分解初期对受体植物菊苣幼苗生长和光合特性的影响.试验设置CK (0 g·pot-1)、A1(30 g·pot-1)、A2(60 g·pot-1)和A3 (90 g·pot-1)4个凋落叶施用水平,将各处理的凋落叶分别与12 kg土壤混合后装盆,播种菊苣,分别在播种30、45、60和75 d测定菊苣生长指标,待凋落叶量的最高处理组A3植株第3片真叶完全展开后,测定菊苣叶片的光合生理指标.结果表明:在各测定时间下,不同巨桉凋落叶施用水平的菊苣生物量积累和叶面积增长受到显著抑制;在凋落叶分解初期,菊苣幼苗叶片光合色素合成受到明显抑制,且随着凋落叶施用量增加抑制作用加大,各处理幼苗的光合速率日变化均呈午休双峰型曲线,气孔导度和水分利用效率的变化趋势与净光合速率相同,日光合总量表现为CK＞A1 ＞A2 ＞A3.经GC-MS定期检测,凋落叶中有33种小分子化合物随着凋落叶的分解而逐步释放,以具有化感作用的萜类物质为主.     

Mass spectrometric techniques for characterisation of platinum–humic substance complexes in soil and street dust samples

Abstract

Increased platinum concentrations have been detected in environmental samples since the introduction of catalytic converters in Europe. It was previously believed that PGE are relatively inert and that the soluble fraction of automobile catalyst emitted PGE is only a few percent. However, new studies suggested that metallic Pt is oxidised in the soil and that the majority of the Pt species could be humic substance complexes.

The aim of the present paper is the characterisation of platinum-humic acid complexes in spiked soil and street dust samples. A number of different soft ionisation mass spectrometric techniques, such as ESI-Q-MS, ESI-ION TRAP-MS and MALDI-TOF-MS have been tested. The ESI mass spectra of the soil humic acids were characterised by high complexity and irreproducibility.

MALDI-TOF-MS was used for humic acid complexes characterisation in positive and negative modes. Positive ionisation was less effective and produced more simple and less informative spectra than negative ionisation. Two different MALDI matrices (CHCA, DHBA) were tested for use with humic substances. DHBA yielded better results, exhibiting superior ionisation efficiency, low spectral background and the matrix peaks were almost completely suppressed causing no interferences with identified analyte peaks. The application of MALDI-TOF-MS shows its suitability for humic substance characterisation. The comparison of the MALDI-spectra of humic acids, extracted from spiked and native soil proved that Pt undergoes transformation in the environment to humic acid complexes.     

Comparison of the Effects of Orally Administered Linoleic Acid,and Its Hydroperoxides and Secondary Autoxidation Products on Hepatic Lipid Metabolism in Rats

Linoleic acid, and its hydroperoxides and secondary autoxidation products were orally administered to rats (400 mg/rat). Their effects on hepatic lipid metabolism were examined. Linoleic acid reduced the activities of de novo synthesis of fatty acids and acetyl-CoA carboxylase. It decreased the CoASH level and caused the accumulation of long-chain acyl-CoA. Hydroperoxides changed the compositions of unsaturated fatty acids in the hepatic lipids and lowered the content of neutral lipids. Secondary products stimulated carnitine palmitoyltransferase and decreased the content of neutral lipids. They reduced the activities of de novo synthesis of fatty acids and acetyl-CoA carboxylase, and the levels of CoASH and acetyl-CoA. Thus, the effect of secondary products was apparently different from those of linoleic acid and its hydroperoxides.     

Ionophorous Properties of SY-1 (20-Deoxysalinomycin) in Rat Liver Mitochondri

SY-1 (20-deoxysalinomycin), a monocarboxylic polyether antibiotic closely related to salinomycin, caused a rapid release of previously accumulated alkali metal cations by valinomycin or monazomycin in rat liver mitochondria, and simultaneously reversed swelling of mitochondria.

With a strict specificity for substrate and cation, SY-1 exhibited a property of inhibiting mitochondrial functions such as substrate oxidation, oxidative phosphorylation and ATP hydrolysis induced by valinomycin or monazomycin, In comparative study with salinomycin, SY-1 was found to be more effective on the mitochondrial functions than salinomycin.

On the basis of the results so far obtained, the inhibitory effect of SY-1 on mitochondria is interpreted as a result of interaction with essential cations, especially with K⁺, in mitochondria.     

Trends and inequities in colorectal cancer screening participation in Ontario,Canada, 2005–2011

Background: Participation in screening tests for colorectal cancer (CRC) is generally low in Ontario, Canada. In addition, inequities in participation exist including lower participation among low-income individuals, males and individuals living in rural areas. In April 2008, Colon Cancer Check (CCC) program, the province-wide CRC screening program, was launched in Ontario. This study describes the trends and inequities in CRC screening participation three years before and three years after the CCC, and assesses the effect of the program on CRC screening participation, overall and among certain population groups. Methods: We used administrative data to identify cohorts of individuals eligible for CRC screening in fiscal years 2005–2011. We calculated the age-standardized percent of Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) participation, large bowel endoscopy participation, and being ‘up-to-date’ with CRC screening tests. Results: From 2005 to 2011, FOBT participation increased from 7.6% to 14.8%, large bowel endoscopy participation from 3.4% to 5.7%, and ‘up-to-date’ with CRC screening from 27.2% to 41.3%. Before the launch of the CCC program, the quarterly increase in FOBT participation was 0.07% (p = 0.19), increased immediately after the launch (1.8%, p < 0.01), followed by a decline (?0.08%, p = 0.08), returning to its pre-program increase rate. We noted a significant decrease in FOBT participation every summer (?0.44%, p < 0.01). The CCC program had minimal effect on large bowel endoscopy participation. Before the launch of the CCC program, the quarterly increase in ‘up-to-date’ with CRC screening was 0.9% (p < 0.01), increased immediately after the launch (2.5%, p = 0.05), followed by a modest decline thereafter (?0.59%, p < 0.02). From 2005 to 2011, recent residents living in low-income neighborhoods were consistently and significantly less likely to have a FOBT and be ‘up-to-date’ with CRC screening than long-term residents living in high-income neighborhoods (2.9–4.5%; 14.7–17.3% respectively). Pre-CCC inequities in CRC participation persisted after the launch of the program. Conclusion: CRC testing was increasing in Ontario from 2005. An immediate increase in CRC testing, FOBT in particular, occurred after the launch of the CCC program, followed by a return to its pre-CCC increase rate thereafter. Future efforts are needed to improve screening participation and address inequities.     

外源H2O2对盐碱混合胁迫下裸燕麦幼苗生长和抗性生理的影响

为探讨信号分子过氧化氢（H₂O₂）增强裸燕麦盐碱耐性的作用及其生理机制,以裸燕麦品种‘定莜6号’为材料,在日光温室内用珍珠岩培养幼苗至三叶一心期时叶面喷施0.01 mmol·L^-1 H₂O₂的同时根部浇灌75 mmol·L^-1盐碱混合溶液（NaCl：Na₂SO₄：NaHCO₃：Na₂CO₃=12：8：9：1）或添加H₂O₂淬灭剂二甲基硫脲（DMTU）,研究对幼苗生长及叶片光合色素含量、活性氧代谢和渗透调节物质积累的影响。结果表明：喷施H₂O₂能够缓解盐碱混合胁迫对裸燕麦幼苗生长的抑制,提高幼苗根长、株高和植株干重及叶片叶绿素a、叶绿素b、总叶绿素、类胡萝卜素含量和超氧化物歧化酶、过氧化物酶、过氧化氢酶、抗坏血酸过氧化物酶活性,降低超氧阴离子、H₂O₂、丙二醛、抗坏血酸、谷胱甘肽和游离氨基酸含量,促进抗氧化物质类黄酮、总酚和原花青素及渗透调节物质可溶性蛋白质、可溶性糖和脯氨酸积累。添加DMTU部分或完全逆转了H₂O₂的上述作用。采用隶属函数综合评价显示,喷施H₂O₂提高了盐碱混合胁迫下裸燕麦幼苗的综合评价值D,添加DMTU完全逆转了H₂O₂对D值的提升作用。表明外源H₂O₂通过参与活性氧代谢和渗透调节物质积累等生理代谢调控缓解盐碱混合胁迫诱导的氧化伤害和生长抑制,从而提高裸燕麦对盐碱胁迫的适应能力。     

摇瓶培养条件下雷公藤不定根生长及次生代谢产物含量的研究

以雷公藤(Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. f.)不定根为材料,研究摇瓶悬浮培养条件下接种密度、装液比例、逐级放大、消泡剂、大孔吸附树脂种类及浓度对雷公藤不定根增长量、不定根及培养基中雷公藤内酯醇、雷公藤吉碱、雷公藤次碱含量的影响。结果显示,接种密度在15 g/L (FW)时较适合不定根的继代培养和次生代谢产物的积累。250 m L摇瓶中装入100 m L培养基,即装液量为2/5时,培养基利用率最高。随着摇瓶体积的逐渐放大,不定根增长量和3种次生代谢产物含量略有下降,5 L摇瓶中不定根增长量为对照的91.6%,内酯醇、吉碱和次碱的含量分别为对照的91.8%、91.7%和96.9%。6种大孔吸附树脂中,XAD-7处理对不定根的生长有明显促进作用,培养结束时,3种次生代谢产物产量显著提高,当XAD-7浓度为0.5 g/瓶时不定根增长量为对照的1.2倍,内酯醇、吉碱和次碱产量最高,分别为对照的2.9、2.4和2.2倍。培养基中添加消泡剂后不定根增长量、3种次生代谢产物总产量均不同程度下降,其中,LX-603处理后,虽然不定根增长量为对照的85%,内酯醇、吉碱和次碱产量分别为对照的78%、64%和87%,但明显抑制了培养过程中泡沫的产生。研究结果表明筛选的摇瓶逐级放大培养雷公藤不定根的方法效果较好,可为雷公藤不定根生物反应器放大培养奠定基础。     

Analysis of terminal sugar moieties and species-specificities of acrosome reaction-inducing substance in Xenopus (ARISX)

The acrosome reaction of Xenopus sperm is triggered by the acrosome reaction-inducing substance in Xenopus (ARISX), an oviductal pars recta-derived, sugar-rich substance decorated on the entire surface of the vitelline envelope (VE) during ovulation. Here we addressed the functional importance of the sugar moiety in ARISX. Among various lectins examined, soybean agglutinin and Dolichos biflorus agglutinin were shown to abolish the acrosome reaction-inducing activity of ARISX present in pars recta extract or on the VE, indicating the importance of the terminal alpha-N-acetylgalactosamine residue for the function of ARISX. Consistently, the acrosome reaction-inducing activity was not affected by proteinase K digestion, in spite of the simultaneous shift of ARISX to a smaller molecular weight. Indirect immunofluorescence microscopic examinations showed that ARISX was distributed as two types of structures on VE; thick fiber-like materials and thin filamentous materials, and that a new structure appeared on the fertilization envelope instead of the thin filamentous materials. Sperm from several amphibian species were subjected to an in vitro assay during induction of the acrosome reaction with ARISX. The resulting limited population of sperm from a non-Xenopus species underwent acrosome reaction, implying a weak species-specificity of ARISX.     

A switch in the cellular basis of skeletogenesis in late-stage sea urchin larvae

Primary mesenchyme cells (PMCs) are solely responsible for the skeletogenesis during early larval development of the sea urchin, but the cells responsible for late larval and adult skeletal formation are not clear. To investigate the origin of larval and adult skeletogenic cells, I first performed transplantation experiments in Pseudocentrotus depressus and Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus, which have different skeletal phenotypes. When P. depressus PMCs were transplanted into H. pulcherrimus embryos, the donor phenotype was observed only in the early larval stage, whereas when secondary mesenchyme cells (SMCs) were transplanted, the donor phenotype was observed in late and metamorphic larvae. Second, a reporter construct driven by the spicule matrix protein 50 (SM50) promoter was introduced into fertilized eggs and their PMCs/SMCs were transplanted. In the resultant 6-armed pluteus, green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression was observed in both PMC and SMC transplantations, suggesting SMC participation in late skeletogenesis. Third, transplanted PMCs or SMCs tagged with GFP were analyzed by PCR in the transgenic chimeras. As a result, SMCs were detected in both larval and adult stages, but GFP from PMCs was undetectable after metamorphosis. Thus, it appears that SMCs participate in skeletogenesis in late development and that PMCs disappear in the adult sea urchin, suggesting that the skeletogenesis may pass from PMCs to SMCs during the late larval stage.     

Smad signaling in the neural crest regulates cardiac outflow tract remodeling through cell autonomous and non-cell autonomous effects

Neural crest cells (NCCs) are indispensable for the development of the cardiac outflow tract (OFT). Here, we show that mice lacking Smad4 in NCCs have persistent truncus arteriosus (PTA), severe OFT cushion hypoplasia, defective OFT elongation, and mispositioning of the OFT. Cardiac NCCs lacking Smad4 have increased apoptosis, apparently due to decreased Msx1/2 expression. This contributes to the reduction of NCCs in the OFT. Unexpectedly, mutants have MF20-expressing cardiomyocytes in the splanchnic mesoderm within the second heart field (SHF). This may result from abnormal differentiation or defective recruitment of differentiating SHF cells into OFT. Alterations in Bmp4, Sema3C, and PlexinA2 signals in the mutant OFT, SHF, and NCCs, disrupt the communications among different cell populations. Such disruptions can further affect the recruitment of NCCs into the OFT mesenchyme, causing severe OFT cushion hypoplasia and OFT septation failure. Furthermore, these NCCs have drastically reduced levels of Ids and MT1-MMP, affecting the positioning and remodeling of the OFT. Thus, Smad-signaling in cardiac NCCs has cell autonomous effects on their survival and non-cell autonomous effects on coordinating the movement of multiple cell lineages in the positioning and the remodeling of the OFT.