Revised Host Range and Studies on the Life Cycle of Longidorus africanus

The host range of Longidorus africanus was demonstrated to be much wider than previously reported. All commercial crop plants tested, except two of four crucifers, were hosts of L. africanus. The nematode was widespread in fields, and soil type did not appear to be related to its distribution. The minimum time to complete a life cycle was 9 weeks at 28 C in a plant growth chamber. Field observations of population densities indicated, however, that in undisturbed field soils the life cycle required considerably less time than was indicated by growth chamber studies.     

Influence of Temperature on Multiplication and Egg Hatching of Longidorus africanus

Longidorus africanus multiplication on tomato was highest at 29 °C. Few nematodes were recovered after 6 weeks at soil temperatures of 35 °C or below 23 °C. The time to egg hatching was shortest and the percentage of eggs hatching was highest at 29 °C. The minimum temperature and the heat sum above this temperature required for egg development were calculated to be 14.3 °C and 94.08 degree-days, respectively. The thermal times required for egg development by L. africanus and L. elongatus were nearly identical. For both species the product of the base temperature and the heat sum was near constant, and at a temperature of 22.3 °C the rates of egg development were equal.     

Biochemical Changes in Terminal Root Galls Caused by an Ectoparasitic Nematode,Longidorus africanus - Nucleic Acids

Changes in DNA and RNA in roots of bur marigold fed upon by Longidorus africanus were studied using analytical methods, radioactive precursors, and analytical CsC1 density-gradient centrifugation. The analyses showed that almost twice as much RNA and DNA was present in parasitized root tips as in those of nonparasitized control plants. Studies on the rates of incorporation of labeled thymidine and uridine confirmed the DNA levels determined by analytical methods, but revealed a much higher incorporation rate of RNA in healthy root tips than in those attacked by L. africanus. However, ³²P incorporation followed by DNase and RNase digestion showed that the seemingly greater amount of RNA in healthy root tips was due to a rapid formation of a pool of unlabeled uridine following infection.The possibility that L. africanus injected DNA into roots during feeding was examined by the density-gradient centrifugation method, with negative results. However, the rapid increase of RNA precursors in the parasitized roots might have been caused by injection of plant virus particles during nematode feeding.     

Biochemical Changes in Terminal Root Galls Caused by an Ectoparasitic Nematode,Longidorus africanus: Amino Acids

The amino acids of terminal root galls caused by Longidorus africanus on bur marigold (Bidens tripartita L.) and grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) were studied. The galled roots of bur marigold contained 73% more cell-wall protein and 184% more free amino acids. The main changes among the free amino acids of the galled tissue were a large increase (1900%) in proline and a decrease in aspartic acid (56%) compared with the respective check tissue. Hydroxyproline decreased in the wall protein fraction from 5.6% in the healthy tissue to 3.6% in the infected tissue.Percent of hydroxyproline in total amino acids of the wall protein fraction of grapevine roots decreased from 0.7% in the healthy tissue to 0.3% in the galled tissue, and total proteins of this fraction decreased from 9.5 mg to 4.5 rag, respectively. Total protein in the protoplasmic fraction also decreased from 3.0 mg in healthy to 1.0 mg in infected roots. No change was noticed in total proteins in the free amino acids fraction but free proline decreased 40% in the infected roots.The relationship of these differences to the specific reactions of the hosts to nematode feeding is discussed.     

Histological Studies of Ditylenchus africanus Within Peanut Pods

Ditylenchus africanus entered the immature pegs and pods of peanut (Arachis hypogaea cv. Sellie) at the peg-connection and subsequently invaded the parenchymatous regions of the hull exocarp and endocarp, and eventually the seed testa. The nematode caused malformations of the cells of infected tissues, cell wall breakage, and cell collapse. The damage appeared to be due to enzymatic activity. In some testae the entire parenchyma region, which aids in protection of the seed, was destroyed. In immature pods, the nematodes moved across the fibrous region of the mesocarp into the hull endocarp. In mature pods, however, the fibrous mesocarp of the hull was lignified and apparently was a barrier to penetration of the inner pod tissues. In late-harvested pods, increased numbers of eggs and anhydrobiotes were found in the hull tissues, and eggs in the seed testa, suggesting the onset of winter survival mechanisms of the nematode.     

鹭科鸟类分类及系统学研究进展

基于鹭科鸟类的生态学,形态学,羽毛角蛋白凝胶电泳,scnDNA杂交及线粒体Cytb序列分析等研究,对鹭科鸟类的分类学及系统学研究现状进行综述,提出了鹭科鸟类分类中目前存在争议的问题及系统学研究中的不足。     

A Comparison of Standard Lipid Staining Techniques Used in Electron Microscopic Studies of Mammalian Tissues

Comparisons of several standard techniques for staining lipids in ultrastructural studies have been undertaken using the rat uterine epithelium as the experimental tissue. The best technique for clarity, retention of stain, and acceptability of cellular ultrastructure utilized p-phenylenediamine after primary fixation in glutaraldehyde and postfixation in osmium tetroxide. While osmium by itself stained only unsaturated lipids and p-phenylenediamine stained no lipids in spot tests, when acting together, the staining of unsaturated lipids was enhanced and some staining of saturated lipids was seen. Further, the marked extraction of stained lipids normally found during dehydration did not then occur.     

长效缓释微球制剂生产技术的发展现状

长效缓释微球是将药物溶解或分散在高分子骨架材料中的微米级别的药物释放载体,这种新剂型可以显著降低给药频率,同时大分子材料的包裹可以提高药物的稳定性,降低药物的毒副作用,目前广泛应用在蛋白多肽等药物。已有一些用于治疗糖尿病、精神病、子宫内膜异位等疾病的长效缓释微球制剂被批准上市。然而,因为微球的制备工艺繁杂、质量控制困难,至今只在少数产品上应用,现在越来越多的口服难吸收的生物药物开始产品化,长效缓释微球在提高患者依从性方面备受瞩目。本综述对目前典型的微球制备技术做出分析和评判,以期对完善微球制备工艺有所帮助。     

Biochemical Changes in Terminal Root Galls Caused by an Ectoparasitic Nematode,Longidorus africanus: Phenols,Carbohydrates and Cytokinins

Biochemical changes occurred in roots of bur marigold and grapevine infected with Longidorus africanus. Phenols of infected root tips differed quantitatively from those of healthy root tips (optical density of 0.68 and 0.32, respectively). Column chromatography of the phenol extracts resulted in more fractions in the infected than in the healthy root extract. Of the enzymes involved in phenol metabolism, three were tested. No polyphenol oxidase activity was detected and no difference in catalase activity was found between healthy and infected roots. Peroxidase activity, however, was much higher in infected roots. The extra peroxidase was associated mainly with the cortical cells of the infected root tips.Galled roots contained twice the amount of simple sugars and inulin as did the healthy roots. A cytokinin-active fraction was found only in the noninfected roots.     

节腹泥蜂族分类研究进展

本文对节腹泥蜂族的分类研究现状进行了总结。该族目前世界已知2属911种。文中对该族的分类研究简史和生物学特性作了简要概述,并对种类的地理分布作了统计分析。     

Taxonomic Studies on Some Species of Diatoma

Six species and four varieties of Diatoma (D. hiemale (Roth) Heib. , D. maximum (Grun.) Fricke, D. mesodon (Ehr.) Kuetz. , D. moniliforme Kuetz. , D. tenue Ag., D. vulgare Bory and its varieties) were studied using optical microscope and scanning electron microscope. Their taxonomic problems were discussed as well.     

A reconstruction of the femur of Australopithecus africanus

Up to the present, no complete femur of Australopithecus has been discovered. Several proximal and distal femoral fragments are available and a fairly complete pelvis. Using this material and the biomechanical requirements of the femur implicit in an erect biped, we have calculated the bicondylar length of the femur of A. africanus to have been about 28 cm. This is smaller than most previous estimates and is consistent with a body size as small as 42–43 inches and a weight of between 40 and 50 pounds.     

篮状菌属的重要性及其分类学研究概况

篮状菌Talaromyces是一类广泛分布于自然界及人类活动场所的腐生真菌,它们与植物、动物和人类有着相当密切的关系.篮状菌最初被当作青霉Penicillium来研究,但后来的分子种系学研究表明篮状菌与青霉差异较大,分属于不同的科.篮状菌属目前可分8个组,全球已报道该属共162种,我国已报道57种.对篮状菌属的重要性、...     

Comparison and Evaluation of Silver Probe Preparation Techniques for Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

In this work, the different procedures for the fabrication of Ag probes for tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) in a top illumination/detection setup are proposed and tested. We focus on technologically simple methods allowing Si tips coated with plasmonic silver nanostructures and bulk metal Ag tips with good shape reproducibility to be produced for atomic force microscopy (AFM) feedback setup. The preparation of Ag TERS probes was based on chemical deposition and vacuum sputtering of Ag on the tips of commercially available Si cantilevers. A straightforward technique for the fabrication of bulk metal Ag probes by the electrochemical etching of Ag microwires was also proposed. Chemically coated, sputtered, and electrochemically etched TERS tips were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The produced tips were tested for TERS measurements using graphene oxide (GO) as the target analyte in a top illumination setup. A comparative analysis of enhancement factors (EF) for the different types of tips (probes) is presented in this work.     

Sinonasal Microbiome Sampling: A Comparison of Techniques

Background

The role of the sino-nasal microbiome in CRS remains unclear. We hypothesized that the bacteria within mucosal-associated biofilms may be different from the more superficial-lying, free-floating bacteria in the sinuses and that this may impact on the microbiome results obtained. This study investigates whether there is a significant difference in the microbiota of a sinonasal mucosal tissue sample versus a swab sample.

Methods

Cross-sectional study with paired design. Mucosal biopsy and swab samples were obtained intra-operatively from the ethmoid sinuses of 6 patients with CRS. Extracted DNA was sequenced on a Roche-454 sequencer using 16S-rRNA gene targeted primers. Data were analyzed using QIIME 1.8 software package.

Results

At a maximum subsampling depth of 1,100 reads, the mean observed species richness was 33.3 species (30.6 for swab, versus 36 for mucosa; p > 0.05). There was no significant difference in phylogenetic and non-phylogenetic alpha diversity metrics (Faith’s PD_Whole_Tree and Shannon’s index) between the two sampling methods (p > 0.05). The type of sample also had no significant effect on phylogenetic and non-phylogenetic beta diversity metrics (Unifrac and Bray-Curtis; p > 0.05).

Conclusion

We observed no significant difference between the microbiota of mucosal tissue and swab samples. This suggests that less invasive swab samples are representative of the sinonasal mucosa microbiome and can be used for future sinonasal microbiome studies.     

A Comparison of Pressure-Volume Curve Data Analysis Techniques

Schulte, P. J. and Hinckley, T. M. 1985. A comparison of pressure-volumecurve data analysis techniques.—J. exp. Bot. 36: 1590–1602. Computer assisted analysis of data derived with the pressure-volumetechnique is currently feasible. In this study, various computeralgorithms were used to analyse a variety of pressure-volumecurve data sets. Comparisons were made with respect to estimatesof osmotic potential, turgor loss point, symplastic fraction,and bulk modulus of elasticity. While osmotic potential estimationwas fairly insensitive to the model used, estimates of the bulkmodulus of elasticity appear to be highly dependent on the modelused for analysis of the data. Key words: Pressure-volume, computer analysis, elasticity     

文昌鱼分类学研究及展望

文昌鱼是最接近脊椎动物直接祖先的现生动物,在脊椎动物起源与演化研究中占有极其重要的位置。近年来,对文昌鱼的研究已引起越来越多的科学家的兴趣,然而作为生命科学研究的重要基础,这类动物的分类学研究相对滞后。依据已有的中国文昌鱼资源调查资料,中国沿海文昌鱼的分布应当十分广泛,即只要有适合文昌鱼栖息的沙滩,均有文昌鱼分布的可能。根据目前的分类学研究成果和动物命名法中的优先权原则,建议将产于青岛等地的文昌鱼种名Brnachiostoma belcheri tsingtauense订正为B.japonicus,南方的文昌鱼保留其原种名B.belcheri。由此,目前分布在中国沿海的鳃口文昌鱼属(Branchiostoma)至少有2种,侧殖文昌鱼属(Epigonichthys)有1～3种,漂浮文昌鱼(Amphioxides pelagicus)1种。DNA分子标记技术在文昌鱼分类学研究中将会发挥更大的作用。