Synergism of Entomopathogenic Nematodes and Imidacloprid against White Grubs: Greenhouse and Field Evaluation

In previous greenhouse studies, the insecticide imidacloprid and the entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar interacted synergistically against third instars of the masked chafers Cyclocephala hirta LeConte and C. pasadenae Casey (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). We tested this interaction for two additional nematode species and three additional scarab species under field conditions. In greenhouse tests, H. bacteriophora and Steinernema glaseri (Steiner) interacted synergistically against third instars of the Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman, the oriental beetle, Exomala orientalis Waterhouse, and the masked chafers Cyclocephala borealis Arrow, C. pasadenae, and C. hirta. The degree of interaction varied with nematode species. The strongest synergism occurred between imidacloprid and S. glaseri. Synergism between imidacloprid and H. bacteriophora was weaker and the interaction was not always significant. Combinations of imidacloprid and S. kushidai Mamiya only resulted in additive mortality. The synergistic interaction was also observed in field trials but the results were more variable than those under greenhouse conditions. The combination of nematodes and imidacloprid could be used for curative treatments of white grub infestations, especially against scarab species that are less susceptible to nematodes and/or imidacloprid. This combination has a low environmental impact and high compatibility with natural biological control of turfgrass insects. The possible roles of these combinations in augmentative control approaches are discussed.     

外源激素对风信子再生花芽发育的控制

外源激素在诱导再生花芽花器官发生和控制它们的数目中的关键作用被进一步证实。首先通过２ｍｇ／Ｌ ６－ＢＡ和０．１ｍｇ／Ｌ ２,４－Ｄ的激素组合诱导风信子Ｈｙａｃｉｎｔｈｕｓ ｏｒｉｅｎｔａｌｉｓ Ｌ．ｃｖ．Ｗｈｉｔｅ ｐｅａｒｌ）花芽从花被外植体发生,然后保持这种激素浓度,成功地控制了１００多片花被片的连续发生（自然情况下一个风信子花芽仅有６片花被片）。改变激素浓度（２ｍｇ／Ｌ ６－ＢＡ和０～０．０     

黄土半干旱区刺槐和侧柏林地土壤水分有效性及生产力分级研究

采用LI-6200型植物光合测定系统和LI-1600型稳态气孔计,对黄土半干旱区刺槐、侧柏的净光合速率、羧化效率、蒸腾速率、水分利用效率、气孔导度、气孔阻力、胞间CO2浓度和气孔限制值与土壤含水量的关系进行研究;并对林地土壤水分有效性及生产力进行分级与评价．结果表明,刺槐与侧柏林地土壤含水量分别在4．5％和4．0％以下为“无效水”;土壤含水量在4．5％～10．0％和4．0％～8．5％阈值内属于“低产低效水”;在10．0％～13．5％和85％～11．0％阈值内为“中产高效水”;在13．5％～17．0％和11．0％～16．0％阈值内属于“高产中效水”;在17．0％～19．0％和16．0％～19．0％阈值内为“中产低效水”;土壤含水量在19．0％以上也属于“低产低效水”。     

The antitumor molecular mechanism of Alisma orientalis with c-myc DNA: multi-spectroscopic analysis and molecular simulation

Abstract

We prepared extracts of Alisma orientalis from Sichuan and Fujian Province, China. Based on the ratio of alisol B 23-acetate (23B) to alisol A 24-acetate (24A) in two Alisma orientalis extracts, we prepared two mixtures of 24A and 23B (24A:23B?=?1:3 or 1:10). The antitumor molecular mechanism of the monomers 24A and 23B, the two mixtures and the effective components of Alisma orientalis from different habitats were studied. The MTT assay suggested that the difference in the antitumor activity of Alisma orientalis from different habitats was correlated to the ratio of 24A to 23B. The multi-spectroscopic analysis suggested that the effective components, the monomers and mixtures interacted with c-myc DNA in a partial intercalation manner. The binding strength of the alisol acetates to c-myc DNA was consistent with the anticancer activity, indicating that c-myc DNA was the anticancer target. The molecular simulation indicated that the mixtures were all directly bound to different base pairs of c-myc DNA for a superimposed effect, which led to the binding strength of the mixtures to c-myc DNA was stronger than that of the monomers. The molecules in the 1:3 mixture were all bound to different base pairs of c-myc DNA. However, for the 1:10 mixture, seven molecules of 23B bound to the side chain of 24A, resulting in the mixture with a long chain structure which increased the steric hindrance of 24A. As a result, affinity between 24A and c-myc DNA in the 1:10 mixture was weaker than that in the 1:3 mixture.

The antitumor molecular mechanism of the alisol monomers 24A and 23B, the mixtures with different proportions and the effective components of Alisma orientalis from different habitats were studied. The order of the antitumor activity was as follows: Sichuan?>?Fujian, 24A-23B (1:3) > 24A-23B (1:10) > 23B?>?24A. The antitumor activity of Alisma orientalis from different habitats was consistent with the mixtures which were designed according to the contents of the active ingredients of the medicinal materials, indicating that the antitumor activity of Alisma orientalis from Sichuan is better than that from Fujian which is related to the contents of 24A and 23B and the proportion of 1:3 is better than 1:10. The binding strength of the mixtures to c-myc DNA was consistent with the anticancer activity. The mixtures were all directly bound to different base pairs of c-myc DNA for a superimposed effect, which led to the strength of the interaction of the mixtures to c-myc DNA was stronger than that of the monomers. For the 24A-23B (1:3) mixture, the four small molecules bound to c-myc DNA directly and interacted with different base pairs of c-myc DNA. While for the 24A-23B (1:10) mixture, 24A and three 23B molecules interacted with c-myc DNA, the remaining seven 23B molecules bound to the side chain of 24A, which increased the steric hindrance. The binding of the mixture to c-myc DNA was decreased.

Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma     

PHASE AND PERIOD RESPONSES OF THE JERBOA JACULUS ORIENTALIS TO SHORT LIGHT PULSES

The phase and period responses to short light pulses were studied in the jerboa, a seasonal, hibernating, nocturnal rodent from the Atlas region in Morocco. The jerboa, which is a saltatory species, showed precise activity onsets and offsets under a light-dark (LD) cycle using infrared captors to record locomotor activity. When released into constant darkness (DD), the majority of animals showed a circadian period (τ) <24?h (mean τ?=?23.89?±?0.13?h) and a lengthening of the activity span, α. Animals were subsequently exposed to up to eight 15-min light pulses, each separated by at least 2 wks, for up to 160 days in DD. During this span, most individuals maintained robust circadian rhythmicity, with clearly defined activity onsets and offsets, similar levels of total activity, duration of α, and percent activity occurring during the subjective night. The phase response curve (PRC) is typical of other nocturnal rodents, with light eliciting delays during late subjective day and early subjective night (CT8–CT19) and advances during late subjective night to early subjective day (CT19–CT2). A dead zone, when light had no effect on phase, is observed during mid-subjective day (CT3–CT8). A few individuals showed large (>9?h) Type 0 phase resetting near the singularity region (CT19) that resulted in a complete phase reversal, but otherwise displayed normal phase-shifting responses at other CT times. The τ response curve showed a decrease in period from early to late subjective night with increases at other times, but these changes were small (maximum <9?min) and highly variable. There was a distinct tendency for animals that had an initial short τ in DD to conserve a short τ during the series of light pulses and, inversely, for animals with long τ to conserve a long τ. This suggests possible constraints on the plasticity of variation of τ in relation to the endogenous period of the animal. (Author correspondence: howard.cooper@inserm.fr)     

间断加热模式下热扩散技术在侧柏树干液流测定中的适用性

为了评估热扩散式探针法中的间断加热模式在侧柏树干液流速率测定中的适用性,提高树木蒸腾耗水测定的准确性,本研究选取侧柏为对象,以整树容器称重法测定值为基准,采用热扩散树干液流测定技术,设置3种不同的加热模式: 60 min/0 min(持续加热模式)、30 min/30 min(30 min加热30 min冷却的间断加热模式)、10 min/50 min(10 min加热50 min冷却的间断加热模式),分析不同加热模式处理下温差的梯度特征。同时构建间断加热模式下Granier校正公式,并进行有效性验证分析其误差大小。结果表明: 间断加热模式计算的液流速率与整树容器称重法测定的蒸腾速率日变化规律一致,且间断加热模式能够迅速升温、降温并趋于稳定。Granier原始公式计算的液流量较小,与称重法相比,降低了61.3%;经拟合后,10 min/50 min校正液流速率公式: F_d=0.0177K^0.9457(R²=0.88),30 min/30 min校正液流速率公式: F_d=0.0378K^1.3146(R²=0.85)。利用新的公式重新计算的侧柏液流速率较称重法测定的蒸腾速率差异较小,且10 min/50 min校正公式计算的液流速率较蒸腾速率的误差更小,降低了5.9%,可以表达出真实的液流速率。在实际应用中,采用10 min/50 min的间断加热模式能够降低自然温差的影响,减少功耗,准确反映侧柏的真实液流速率。     

禁食对东方蝾螈胃肠道嗜银细胞形态 和分布密度的影响

以改良的龙桂开浸银法,比较了喂食和禁食15 d后的东方蝾螈(Cynops orientalis)胃肠道的长度与重量、嗜银细胞的形态及分布密度的变化。结果表明,禁食后动物的肠鲜重下降,胃长度缩短。禁食处理对嗜银细胞的形态无明显影响,呈圆形、椭圆形、楔形、锥体形、毛笔头状和蝌蚪形等。喂食组的分布密度高峰为幽门,低谷为十二指肠;禁食组的分布密度高峰为贲门,低谷为十二指肠、回肠和直肠。除幽门和十二指肠外,禁食组其余胃肠道各部位的密度都高于喂食组。禁食使东方蝾螈胃肠道前、后端嗜银细胞的密度增加,这可能与东方蝾螈的摄食习性和能较长时间耐受饥饿的生理特性有关。     

风信子品种间杂交与幼胚离体培养研究

选用5个风信子品种进行花粉生命力测定,对完全双列杂交获得的杂种种子剥胚进行离体培养.试验表明:(1)风信子不同品种花粉萌发率差别较大,其中Fondante的花粉萌发率最高为74.45%,Amsterdam的最低为12.68%,其他3个品种的花粉萌发率介于二者之间.(2)品种间自交杂交亲和力存在一定差异,结实率大于30%的组合从高到低依次为Fondante×Atlantic(61.2%)、Fondante×Fondante(54.0%)、Carnegie×Carnegie(42.6%)、JanBos×JanBos(36.0%)、Carnegie×Atlantic(32.7%)、Atlantic×Fondante(30.0%),组合Atlantic×Amster-dam、Carnegie×JanBos、Amsterdam×Fondante、Amsterdam×JanBos、JanBos×Amsterdam未得到果实,其余组合结实率介于0～30%之间.(3)适宜风信子杂交幼胚离体培养的初代培养基为MS+100 mg/L谷氨酰胺,其次为MS+0.2 mg/LIBA+0.02 mg/L6-BA+100 mg/L谷氨酰胺...