Genital primordium of the free-living marine nematode Halichoanolaimus sonorus (Chromadoria,Chromadorida)

Summary

The genital primordium of the first stage juvenile (J1) of the free-living marine nematode Halichoanolaimus sonorus (Chromadorida: Selachinematidae) was studied using transmission electron microscopy. The primordium consists of four undifferentiated cells: two primordial germ cells (PGC) 5–6 μm in diameter and two somatic cells. The PGC have a large nucleus with nucleolus. The centriole was detected in close vicinity of the PGC nucleus. Most of the cell mitochondria are in close contact with the nuclear envelope. The mitochondria are interspersed by 0.2–0.3 μm particles of an electron-dense diffuse substance devoid of surrounding membrane. Both PGC are closely attached to each other and to the neighboring somatic cells of the genital primordium. The elongated somatic cells contain nuclei devoid of nucleoli; the cytoplasm is filled with free ribosomes and contains occasional cisternae of rough endoplasmatic reticulum (RER), Golgi bodies, mitochondria, and transparent vesicles. The genital primordium is separated by a narrow space from of the intestine (dorsally) and the somatic muscles (ventrally). The PGC of H. sonorous are devoid of typical P granules known for previously studied nematodes as distinct markers of germ line cell lineage. Perinuclear particles of dense diffuse substance found in PGC of H. sonorous could be considered as germ determinants analogous to P granules.     

不同光环境对桤木幼苗生长和光合特性的影响

通过设置3个光照强度(100%、56.2% 和12.5%),模拟森林幼苗生长的旷地(采伐迹地)、林窗和林下光环境,研究不同光照强度对外来种台湾桤木和乡土种四川桤木幼苗的生长、光合特性以及生物量积累与分配的影响.结果表明： 低光环境限制了两种桤木幼苗形态指标的增长,适当遮荫的林窗环境比旷地更有利于幼苗的生长.台湾桤木幼苗具有较高的比叶面积和相对生长速率,较大的单叶面积、叶长、叶宽、株高和基径,较少的叶片数和较低的叶面积比、叶柄长.低光环境下,台湾桤木幼苗的最大净光合速率、光饱和点和表观光量子效率较高,光补偿点和暗呼吸速率较低.随着光照强度的降低,台湾桤木幼苗具有更高的根生物量比和更低的叶生物量比;四川桤木幼苗则相反,加剧了动物取食和机械损伤的风险.     

根际CO2浓度升高对网纹甜瓜光合特性及产量和品质的影响

采用雾培植株根际通CO₂处理方式,研究了开花结果期根际CO₂浓度升高对网纹甜瓜光合作用及产量和品质的影响.结果表明：在网纹甜瓜果实发育期间,与350 μL·L^-1（对照）处理相比,根际2500和5000 μL CO₂·L^-1处理的叶片光合色素含量、净光合速率（P_n）、气孔导度（g_s）、胞间CO₂浓度（C_i）及PSⅡ最大光化学效率（F_v/F_m）均不同程度降低,而气孔限制值（L_s）显著提高,且5000 μL CO₂·L^-1处理的变化幅度高于2500 μL CO₂·L^-1处理;单株产量、果实中维生素C和可溶性糖含量显著降低,有机酸含量显著提高.可见,网纹甜瓜果实发育期间根际CO₂浓度超过2500 μL·L^-1时,其光合作用及果实发育会受到显著抑制,从而导致产量和品质降低.
     

耕作方式对东北雨养区玉米光合与叶绿素荧光特性的影响

在东北地区设置大田试验,研究不同耕作方式下玉米全生育期耕层土壤温度、土壤含水量、叶片光合性能及叶绿素荧光参数的变化特征.结果表明:耕作方式对土壤水热性能的影响主要体现在播种-拔节阶段,2010-2011年平地播种中耕起垄(PL)和全生育期平作(PP)处理0～40 em土层土壤体积含水量在出苗期、苗期和拔节期比传统垄作(LL)处理平均提高5.6％和5.2％、4.6％和7.3％及3.9％和4.8％,苗期5 cm土壤最低温度分别比LL处理高1.4和1.3℃.由于土壤水热条件的改善,拔节期PL和PP处理的叶片净光合速率(Pn)、蒸腾速率(Tr)等指标显著高于LL处理,而PSⅡ潜在活性(Fv/Fo)和PSⅡ最大光化学效率(Fv/Fm)无显著差异,表明气孔导度和气孔限制值等气孔因素是导致光合作用差异的主要原因;灌浆期叶片Pn和Tr则以LL和PL处理显著高于PP处理,这主要是由于PP处理在强降雨时期经历了涝渍灾害,光合作用受到抑制.可见PL处理通过改善土壤水热条件增强了玉米光合性能,进而提高了籽粒产量.     

厌氧铁氧化菌研究进展

厌氧铁氧化菌(AFOM)是微生物学、地质学和环境学领域的重大发现.研究AFOM对于认识铁地质层形成,促进铁、氮、碳等元素的地球生物化学循环,丰富微生物学内容,开发厌氧铁氧化工艺,以及探索原始地球环境和外星生命现象,均有重要意义.本文综述了AFOM的研究进展,介绍了AFOM的存在生境,探讨了AFOM的物种多样性及其营养特性和代谢特性,阐述了AFOM在地质学、微生物学和环境学领域的潜在作用,并展望了AFOM在新物种发掘、代谢机理揭示以及开发应用等方面的研究方向.     

不同黑莓品种果实形态和硬度分析及其解剖结构和微形态特征观察

以3个黑莓(Rubus spp.)品种‘Arapaho’、‘Boysenberry’和‘Kiowa’的成熟果实为实验材料,对果实的形状指标以及硬度进行了测定,并采用石蜡切片技术和扫描电子显微镜分别对3个品种果实的解剖结构以及外果皮及果肉的微形态特征进行了观察;在此基础上,对果实结构与果实硬度的关系进行了探讨.结果表明:品种‘Arapaho’果实的硬度值(0.79 lb·mm-2)大于品种‘Boysenberry’和‘Kiowa’果实的硬度值(0 lb·mm-2):品种‘Arapaho’果实的纵径、横径和单果质量均极显著小于‘Boysenberry’和‘Kiowa’果实.石蜡切片观察结果显示:3个品种的外果皮均较薄且无角质层覆盖,由1～2层表皮细胞组成;其中,品种‘Arapaho’果实的表皮细胞1层、短小且排列紧密,品种‘Boysenberry’果实的表皮细胞2层、细长且排列疏松整齐,品种‘Kiowa’果实的表皮细胞2层、胞壁有褶皱且果面局部凹陷.品种‘Arapaho’的中果皮由大量较完整的薄壁细胞组成并包含没有解体的维管束,而品种‘Boysenberry’和‘Kiowa’的中果皮内均匀分布着解体的薄壁细胞.扫描电镜观察结果显示:品种‘Boysenberry’外果皮具浅波状纹饰、表皮细胞形状不规则,并具稀疏的表皮毛和片状分泌物;品种‘Kiowa’外果皮表面有明显的不规则波纹状纹饰;品种‘Arapaho’外果皮表面纹理紧凑致密、表皮细胞轮廓清晰且形状规则.3个品种的果肉细胞均呈现不同程度的解体现象,但品种‘Arapaho’的果肉细胞中分布有没有解体的胶状物质.根据观察结果推测:黑莓果实果皮和果肉的解剖结构以及微形态特征与其硬度有一定的关系.     

尤溪天然米槠林植物碳氮磷的化学计量特征及其分配格局

以福建尤溪的天然米槠[Castanopsis carlesii(Hemsl.) Hayata]林乔木层、灌木层和草本层的26个主要优势种为研究对象,分析了植物不同器官的C、N和P含量及其比值的差异及相关性,并对不同器官C、N和P含量在不同层次间的分布特征进行了研究.结果显示:同一器官中均为C平均含量最高、P平均含量最低;其中,叶片中C、N和P含量分别为344.95 ～ 486.15、6.26 ～ 19.50和0.18 ～0.62 mg·g-1,C/N、C/P和N/P比分别为22.52 ～61.21、696.64～2 589.72和11.38 ～58.94;根系中的C、N和P含量分别为277.95 ～458.30、1.41 ～12.73和0.13 ～0.44mg·g-1,C/N、C/P和N/P比分别为34.63 ～296.17、731.45 ～3 372.69和8.81 ～34.41;乔木层和灌木层植物枝条中C、N和P含量分别为407.75 ～473.75、3.10 ～7.39和0.09～0.61 mg·g-1,C/N、C/P和N/P比分别为57.43 ～148.15、776.64～5 054.44和7.05 ～48.11;乔木层植物树干中的C、N和P含量分别为432.56 ～463.32、2.67 ～6.35和0.16 ～0.31 mg·g-1,C/N、C/P和N/P比分别为68.12 ～167.73、1 494.58 ～2 860.63和11.35 ～29.06.乔木层植物的不同器官按C含量由高至低依次排序为叶片、枝条、树干、根系,按N和P含量由高至低依次排序为叶片、枝条、根系、树干;灌木层植物的C含量在枝条中最高、根系中最低,N和P含量在叶片中最高、枝条中最低;而草本层植物地上部分的C、N和P含量均高于地下部分.除根系中的N含量与P含量呈极显著正相关外,同一器官的C、N和P含量间均无显著相关性,但与C/N、C/P和N/P比值间大多有极显著的相关性.不同器官的C、N和P含量也因植物所处层次的不同而异,其中乔木层植物叶片中均最高、草本层植物叶片中均最低;乔木层植物全株的C含量最高、N含量最低,草本层植物全株的N含量最高、C含量最低,各层植物全株的P含量比较接近.研究结果表明:尤溪天然米槠林内植物叶片的C、N和P含量均偏低,P缺乏很可能是限制该林分植物生产力的最重要元素.     

Modeling the impact of early therapy for latent tuberculosis patients and its optimal control analysis

Effective tuberculosis (TB) control depends on case findings to discover infectious cases, investigation of contacts of those with TB, as well as appropriate treatment. Adherence and successful completion of the treatment are equally important. Unfortunately, due to a number of personal, psychosocial, economic, medical, and health service factors, a significant number of TB patients become irregular and default from treatment. In this paper, a mathematical model is developed to assess the impact of early therapy for latent TB and non-adherence on controlling TB transmission dynamics. Equilibrium states of the model are determined and their local stability is examined. With the aid of the center manifold theory, it is established that the model undergoes a backward bifurcation. Qualitative mathematical analysis of the model suggests that a high level of latent tuberculosis case findings, coupled with a decrease of defaulting rate, may be effective in controlling TB transmission dynamics in the community. Population-level effects of organized campaigns to improve early therapy and to guarantee successful completion of each treatment are evaluated through numerical simulations and presented in support of the analytical results.     

Interactions between climatic and production factors on returns of female pigs to service during summer in Japanese commercial breeding herds

The objectives of this study were to determine the associations between climatic factors and production factors for returns to service of female pigs during summer and to quantify the associations between these factors and occurrences of returns to service. The factors that were assessed were as follows: maximum temperature (HT), relative humidity, age of gilts at first mating, parity, weaning-to-first-mating interval (WMI), and lactation length. The study analyzed records of 18,307 gilts in 99 herds and 78,135 parity records of 56,322 sows in 103 herds; all the females were first-serviced between June and September, 2007 to 2009. Average daily HT and relative humidity for 15 days post-service of a female were obtained from 21 local weather stations and coordinated with the performance data of the respective local herds. The returns to service were categorized into three groups: regular returns (RRs: 18–24 days), irregular returns (IRs: 25–38 days), and late returns to service (LRs: 39 days or later). Two-level mixed-effects models were applied to the data by using a herd at level 2 and an individual record at level 1. In mated gilts, the occurrences (%) of RRs, IRs, and LRs were 4.8%, 1.8%, and 5.3%, respectively. In mated sows, the respective occurrences were 3.3%, 1.8%, and 4.2%. Mean values (ranges) of HT and relative humidity were 28.4 °C (13.6 °C–39.8 °C) and 73.4% (35.0%–98.0%), respectively. In gilts, as HT increased from 25 °C to 30 °C, the occurrence of RR increased from 3.7% to 4.4% (P < 0.05). However, there was no association between the occurrence of RR and either relative humidity (P = 0.17) or age at first mating (P = 0.23). In addition, there were no associations between the occurrences of either gilt IR or LR and HT (P ≥ 0.05), relative humidity (P ≥ 0.46), or age at first mating (P ≥ 0.32). In sows, greater occurrences of RRs, IRs, and LRs were associated with higher HT, lower parity, and a WMI of 7 days or longer (P < 0.05), but they were not associated with relative humidity (P ≥ 0.62) or lactation length (P ≥ 0.13). The occurrence of RRs in sows of all WMI groups increased 1.22 (1.04⁵) times for each 5 °C increase in HT. For sows with WMI 0 to 6 days, each 5 °C rise in HT increased the occurrence of IRs and LRs by 1.36 (1.06⁵) and 1.27 (1.05⁵) times, respectively. However, there was no association between increased HT and occurrences of IRs or LRs for sows with WMI 7 days or longer (P ≥ 0.38). Therefore, in order to prevent returns to service, it is recommended that producers apply cooling management for females during the post-service periods in summer.     

The social and economic circumstances of mixed ethnicity children in the UK: findings from the Millennium Cohort Study

The number of people with a ‘mixed’ ethnicity heritage is growing in contemporary Britain. Research in this area has largely focused on implications for cultural and racialized identities, and little is known about associated economic and social factors. Data from the Millennium Cohort Study, a representative panel survey of children born in 2000–2001, are used to examine the circumstances of mixed ethnicity children in comparison with their non-mixed and white counterparts. Findings suggest a cultural location between ‘white’ and minority identities, and socio-economic advantage in comparison with non-mixed counterparts. For example, households of non-mixed white children had poorer economic profiles than households of both mixed white and mixed Indian children. This effect is associated with the presence of a white parent, and the factors underlying it are examined. Although the statistical approach used bypasses a consideration of the dynamics of identity, it provides important evidence on stratification and inequality, and the factors driving this.