不同氮素水平下超高产夏玉米冠层的高光谱特征

为明确超高产夏玉米冠层高光谱特性,对不同生育期、不同氮肥处理下普通玉米与超高产夏玉米冠层高光谱特性进行了比较;对超高产夏玉米冠层高光谱反射率及其衍生的植被指数与干物质积累、叶绿素含量间的相关性进行了分析。结果表明,不同生育期,超高产夏玉米近红外波段的高光谱反射率均大于普通玉米,且在生育后期变化缓慢。开花期与灌浆期之间,出现"红边平台"现象,生育后期红边位置"蓝移"变化量显著小于普通玉米。随着施氮量的增加,超高产夏玉米冠层高光谱反射率及红边位置变化不大,而红边幅值与红边面积呈逐步增大趋势。在相关性分析中,由950、760、810、870nm构成的各类植被指数及红边幅值、红边面积与超高产夏玉米干物质积累量间的相关性最好,红边位置λred可用于估算叶绿素总量、叶绿素a、叶绿素b及类胡萝卜素的含量。不同氮肥下,超高产夏玉米冠层高光谱特征与普通玉米相比具有较大差异,研究结果能为超高产夏玉米生理特性的研究提供支持。     

高产玉米叶片冗余及其对产量和光合特性的影响

为探明高产玉米群体是否存在叶片冗余现象,根据2007年15000株·hm^-2密度下的产量结果,筛选出低密度条件下的冗余类型(超试1号)和非冗余类型(超试3号),2008年将两品种在各自最适密度的高产条件下进行开花期整株剪叶1/2（T₁）和1/4（T₂）处理,以其地上部干物质积累量和籽粒产量的变化来证实叶片冗余现象的存在;以Richards模型拟合籽粒灌浆过程;以穗位叶光合特征参数和叶绿素荧光参数来评价去除冗余叶片后光合生理特性的变化.结果表明：不同冗余类型的两个玉米品种,在最适密度的高产条件下都存在叶片冗余现象;适当去除玉米群体冗余叶片可以延长植株活跃灌浆时间,有利于获得较高籽粒产量;去除冗余叶片提高了玉米穗位叶净光合速率和光能利用效率.     

Soil greenhouse gas fluxes and global warming potential in four high-yielding maize systems

Crop intensification is often thought to increase greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but studies in which crop management is optimized to exploit crop yield potential are rare. We conducted a field study in eastern Nebraska, USA to quantify GHG emissions, changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) and the net global warming potential (GWP) in four irrigated systems: continuous maize with recommended best management practices (CC‐rec) or intensive management (CC‐int) and maize–soybean rotation with recommended (CS‐rec) or intensive management (CS‐int). Grain yields of maize and soybean were generally within 80–100% of the estimated site yield potential. Large soil surface carbon dioxide (CO₂) fluxes were mostly associated with rapid crop growth, high temperature and high soil water content. Within each crop rotation, soil CO₂ efflux under intensive management was not consistently higher than with recommended management. Owing to differences in residue inputs, SOC increased in the two continuous maize systems, but decreased in CS‐rec or remained unchanged in CS‐int. N₂O emission peaks were mainly associated with high temperature and high soil water content resulting from rainfall or irrigation events, but less clearly related to soil NO₃‐N levels. N₂O fluxes in intensively managed systems were only occasionally greater than those measured in the CC‐rec and CS‐rec systems. Fertilizer‐induced N₂O emissions ranged from 1.9% to 3.5% in 2003, from 0.8% to 1.5% in 2004 and from 0.4% to 0.5% in 2005, with no consistent differences among the four systems. All four cropping systems where net sources of GHG. However, due to increased soil C sequestration continuous maize systems had lower GWP than maize–soybean systems and intensive management did not cause a significant increase in GWP. Converting maize grain to ethanol in the two continuous maize systems resulted in a net reduction in life cycle GHG emissions of maize ethanol relative to petrol‐based gasoline by 33–38%. Our study provided evidence that net GHG emissions from agricultural systems can be kept low when management is optimized toward better exploitation of the yield potential. Major components for this included (i) choosing the right combination of adopted varieties, planting date and plant population to maximize crop biomass productivity, (ii) tactical water and nitrogen (N) management decisions that contributed to high N use efficiency and avoided extreme N₂O emissions, and (iii) a deep tillage and residue management approach that favored the build‐up of soil organic matter from large amounts of crop residues returned.     

高产夏玉米褐斑病产量损失模型及损失机理

采用田间自然发病、定点标记不同褐斑病病级植株的方法,形成玉米褐斑病不同发病程度的21个小组,利用DPS统计分析软件,采用逐步回归法构建了玉米单穗质量和百粒重的损失估计模型.结果表明:玉米百粒重损失模型为y=-4.012+0.377X1-0.228X2+0.694X3-0.144X4,穗粒质量损失模型为Y=-4.536+0.173X1+0.188X2+0.248X3-0.034X4(Y为损失率,1为开花期病情指数,X2为授粉期病情指数,X3为灌浆期病情指数,X4为蜡熟期病情指数).玉米不同生育期的褐斑病病情指数与单穗质量和百粒重损失之间的实测关系与模型模拟结果相符;褐斑病直接影响玉米穗位叶的净光合速率、RuBP羧化酶和PEP羧化酶活性,病级越高,净光合速率及两种酶的活性越低.     

Effects of seed dressing with imidacloprid on the seedlings growth and protective enzyme activities of high-yielding summer maize

A field plot experiment was conducted to study the effects of seed dressing with imidacloprid at the pesticide/seed mass ratios of 6:10000, 9:10000, and 12:10000 on the seedlings growth and protective enzyme activities of high-yielding summer maize. Seed dressing with an imidacloprid/seed mass ratio of 6:10000 increased the seedlings height, primary root length, secondary root number, aboveground fresh mass, and underground fresh mass by 2.81 cm, 2.31 cm, 1.71, 0.30 g, and 8.28 g, respectively, as compared to the control, and had better effect than the treatments 9:10000 and 12:10000. Comparing with the control, treatment 6:10000 increased the leaf- and root soluble protein content by 12.6% and 27.9% and catalase (CAT) activity by 2.5% and 11.5%, decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content by 26.3% and 60.9%, improved superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity by 19.7% and 5.6%, enhanced glutathione-S-transferase (GSTs) activity by 11.5% and 13.2%, respectively, and increased the root peroxidase (POD) activity by 31.8%. Seed dressing with imidacloprid at the pesticide/seed mass ratio of 6:10000 could markedly improve maize seedlings protective enzyme activities, but had no promotion effect on leaf peroxidase (POD) activity.     

吡虫啉拌种对高产夏玉米幼苗生长及其保护酶活性的影响

通过田间小区试验,研究了吡虫啉和种子质量比分别为6∶10000、9∶10000和12∶10000拌种处理对高产夏玉米幼苗生长及其保护酶活性的影响.结果表明:药种比为6∶10000处理幼苗株高、初生根长、次生根数、地上和地下部分鲜质量分别比对照增加了2.81 cm、2.31 cm、1.71、0.30 g和8.28 g,并较其他两个处理作用效果显著.与对照相比,药种比为6:10000处理幼苗叶片和根可溶性蛋白含量分别提高了12.6％和27.9％,过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性分别提高了2.5％和11.5％,丙二醛(MDA)含量分别降低了26.3％和60.9％,超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性分别提高了19.7％和5.6％,谷胱甘肽转移酶(GSTs)活性分别提高了11.5％和13.2％,根过氧化物酶(POD)活性提高了31.8％.药种比为6:10000处理除对叶片POD活性没有促进作用外,能够显著提高其他相关酶的活性.     

施氮时期对高产夏玉米氮代谢关键酶活性及抗氧化特性的影响

选用玉米品种登海661和郑单958为材料,研究了高产条件下施氮时期对夏玉米产量、氮素利用率、氮代谢相关酶及抗氧化酶活性的影响.结果表明:拔节期一次性施氮不利于夏玉米产量提高和氮素积累,分次施氮且增施花粒肥显著提高了植株和籽粒的吸氮量,并提高了籽粒产量.拔节期、10叶期、花后10d按2∶4∶4施氮,登海661产量最高可达14123.0kg· hm-2;基肥、拔节期、10叶期、花后10 d按1∶2∶5∶2施氮,郑单958产量最高可达14517.1 kg· hm-2,这2种施氮方式较拔节期一次性施氮分别增产14.5％和17.5％.花前分次施氮可以显著提高开花期硝酸还原酶活性;登海661和郑单958在花后0～42 d中,施氮处理的谷氨酰胺合成酶、谷氨酸合成酶、谷氨酸脱氢酶活性分别平均提高了32.6％、47.1％、50.4％和14.5％、61.8％、25.6％,减缓了其下降趋势;超氧化物歧化酶、过氧化氢酶活性提高了22.0％、36.6％和13.4％、62.0％,丙二醛含量显著降低.在高产条件下,分次施氮且适当增加花粒肥施入比例可以提高氮代谢相关酶活性,延缓植株衰老,促进氮素吸收利用,进而提高籽粒产量.     

胺鲜酯对高产夏玉米产量及叶片光合羧化酶和保护酶活性的影响

采用田间小区试验,以高产玉米新品种登海661为材料,研究了拔节期叶面喷施10、20和40 mg·L^-1的胺鲜酯（DA-6）对玉米叶片光合羧化酶、保护酶活性和产量的影响.结果表明：喷施胺鲜酯各处理玉米分别比对照（含有表面活性剂和水）增产10.0%(10 mg·L^-1)、8.9%(20 mg·L^-1)和9.4%(40 mg·L^-1),增产效果显著,但各浓度间差异不显著.胺鲜酯处理后,花后玉米的叶面积指数、光合速率、RuBP羧化酶和PEP羧化酶活性均显著上升(P＜0.05),且对光合速率、RuBP羧化酶和PEP羧化酶活性的影响随着处理浓度的增加而提高;与对照相比,胺鲜酯处理后吐丝期、灌浆期、乳熟期和蜡熟期叶片SOD、CAT、POD和GSTs活性及可溶性蛋白质含量显著提高(P＜0.05),MDA含量显著降低(P＜0.05),其中CAT活性随着处理浓度的增加呈上升趋势,其余生理指标各浓度间无显著性差异.     

Ovarian cysts in high-yielding dairy cows

We examined the hormonal and morphologic changes associated with ovarian cyst formation in high-yielding dairy cows. Follicle fluid was aspirated from 90 cysts and 15 preovulatory and 18 subordinate follicles and used for hormonal determination. Pieces of cystic wall were subjected to morphologic and immunohistochemical evaluation. Cysts were characterized by low concentrations of insulin, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), and glucose and high activity of IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs). Insulin and IGF-I levels were (mean ± SEM) 205 ± 22 pg/mL and 146 ± 42 ng/mL in preovulatory follicles and 3 ± 1 pg/mL and 61 ± 6 ng/mL in cysts, respectively (P < 0.001). Insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins activity was about 10 times higher in cysts than in preovulatory follicles. Cysts were classified into three types according to their estradiol-to-progesterone (E/P) ratio. Type 1 cysts (n = 23) exhibited the highest E/P ratio (10.8 ± 2.3), partial loss of granulosa cells, and severe morphologic changes in the theca interna. Expression of P₄₅₀ side-chain cleavage and P₄₅₀ 17α-hydroxylase was noted in theca cells and expression of inhibin-α in granulosa cells. Type 2 cysts (n = 35) had a low E/P ratio (0.07 ± 0.02), and patches of luteal-like tissue in the cystic wall. Type 3 cysts (n = 32) had an E/P ratio of 0.91 ± 0.17, and no recognizable granulosa or theca cells. In summary, intrafollicular steroid levels as expressed by E/P ratio, together with IGF-I and insulin levels and morphologic changes in the follicular wall, may serve as accurate cyst-classification parameters. Because IGF-I and/or insulin play an essential role in the final stage of follicle development, it can be speculated that abnormal levels of these metabolic hormones might lead to follicle dysfunction, resulting in follicular regression or cyst formation.     

乳链球菌肽高产菌株发酵条件的研究

对乳链球菌肽（Ｎｉｓｉｎ）高产菌株９７０６的发酵条件进行了研究,在Ｍ１７培养其中,效价远远低于ＣＭ１,正交实验法得出最适碳源、氨源、生长因子分别为蔗糖、鱼蛋白胨、酵母粉,并用正交实验优化了发酵培养基各组成的浓度。Ｎｉｓｉｎ的产生显示了初级代谢动力学特征,发酵的最适温度是３５℃,培养基最适初始ＰＨ为７．０－７．５,最适接种量５％－６％,振荡培养效价稍高于静止培养。     

Effects of protein on crosslinking of normal maize, waxy maize, and potato starches

Channels of maize starch granules are lined with proteins and phospholipids. Therefore, when they are treated with reagents that react at or near the surfaces of channels, three types of crosslinks could be produced: protein–protein, protein–starch, starch–starch. To determine which of these may be occurring and the effect(s) of channel proteins (and their removal) on crosslinking, normal and waxy maize starches were treated with a proteinase (thermolysin, which is known to remove protein from channels) before and after crosslinking, and the properties of the products were compared to those of a control (crosslinking without proteinase treatment). After establishing that treatment of starch with thermolysin alone had no effect on the RVA trace, three reaction sequences were used: crosslinking alone (CL), proteinase treatment before crosslinking (Enz-CL), proteinase treatment after crosslinking (CL-Enz). Two crosslinking reagents were used: phosphoryl chloride (POCl₃), which is known to react at or near channel surfaces; STMP, which is believed to react throughout the granule matrix. Three concentrations of POCl₃ (based on the weight of starch) were used. For both normal maize starch (NMS) and waxy maize starch (WMS) reacted with POCl₃, the trends were generally the same, with apparent relative degrees of crosslinking indicated to be CL-Enz = CL > Enz-CL, but the effects were greater with NMS and there were differences when different concentrations of reagent were used. The basic trends were the same when potato starch was used in the same experiments. Crosslinking with STMP was done both in the presence and the absence of sodium sulfate (SS). Both with and without SS and with both NMS and WMS, the order of indicated crosslinking was generally the same as found after reaction with POCl₃, with the indicated swelling inhibition being greater when SS was present in the reaction mixture. Examination of the maize starches with a protein stain indicated that channel protein was removed by treatment with thermolysin when the proteinase treatment occurred before crosslinking with either POCl₃ or STMP, but only incompletely or not at all if the treatment with the proteinase occurred after crosslinking. Because the crosslinking reactions were less effective when the protein was removed, the results are tentatively interpreted as indicating that they involved protein molecules, although there may not be a direct relationship.     

A high-yielding, generic fed-batch cell culture process for production of recombinant antibodies

A fed-batch cell culture process was developed that has general applicability to all evaluated Sp2/0 (n = 8) and NS0 (n = 1) antibody-producing cell lines. The two key elements of this generic process were a protein-free concentrated feed medium, and a robust, metabolically responsive feeding strategy based on the off-line measurement of glucose. The fed-batch process was shown to perform equivalently at the 15 L development scale and 750 L manufacturing scale. Compared to batch cultures, the fed-batch process yielded a 4. 3 fold increase in the average integral of viable cell concentration and a 1.7 fold increase in average specific antibody production rate, equivalent to a 7.6 fold increase in average final antibody concentration. The highest producing cell line reached a peak viable cell concentration of 1.0 x 10(7) cell mL(-1) and a final antibody concentration of 750 mg L(-1) in a 10 day process. For all lines evaluated, reducing bioreactor pH set point from 7.2 to 7.0 resulted in an additional 2.4 fold increase in average final antibody concentration. The optimized fed-batch process consistently yielded a volumetric productivity exceeding 50 mg L(-1) day(-1). This generic, high-yielding fed-batch process significantly decreased development time, and increased manufacturing efficiency, thereby facilitating the clinical evaluation of numerous recombinant antibodies.     

High-protein diet in lactation leads to a sudden infant death-like syndrome in mice

Background

It is well accepted that reduced foetal growth and development resulting from maternal malnutrition are associated with a number of chronic conditions in later life. On the other hand such generation-transcending effects of over-nutrition and of high-protein consumption in pregnancy and lactation, a proven fact in all developed societies, are widely unknown. Thus, we intended to describe the generation-transcending effects of a high-protein diet, covering most relevant topics of human life like embryonic mortality, infant death, and physical health in later life.

Methods

Female mice received control food (21% protein) or were fed a high protein diet (42% protein) during mating. After fertilisation, females stayed on their respective diet until weaning. At birth, pups were put to foster mothers who were fed with standard food or with HP diet. After weaning, control diet was fed to all mice. All offspring were monitored up to 360 days after birth. We determined glucose-tolerance and measured cardiovascular parameters using a tip-catheter. Finally, abdominal fat amount was measured.

Results and Conclusions

We identified a worried impact of high-protein diet during pregnancy on dams'' body weight gain, body weight of newborns, number of offspring, and also survival in later life. Even more important is the discovery that high-protein diet during lactation caused a more than eight-fold increase in offspring mortality. The observed higher newborn mortality during lactation is a hitherto non-described, unique link to the still incompletely understood human sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Thus, although offspring of lactating mothers on high-protein diet might have the advantage of lower abdominal fat within the second half of life, this benefit seems not to compensate the immense risk of an early sudden death during lactation. Our data may implicate that both pregnant women and lactating mothers should not follow classical high-protein diets.     

High-protein diets prevent steatosis and induce hepatic accumulation of monomethyl branched-chain fatty acids

The hallmark of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is steatosis of unknown etiology. To test how dietary protein decreases steatosis, we fed female C57BL/6 J mice low-fat (8 en%) or high-fat (42 en%) combined with low-protein (11 en%), high-protein (HP; 35 en%) or extra-high-protein (HPX; 58 en%) diets for 3 weeks. The 35 en% protein diets reduced hepatic triglyceride, free fatty acid, cholesterol and phospholipid contents to ~50% of that in 11 en% protein diets. Every additional 10 en% protein reduced hepatic fat content ~1.5 g%. HP diets had no effect on lipogenic or fatty acid-oxidizing genes except Ppargc1α (+30%), increased hepatic PCK1 content 3- to 5-fold, left plasma glucose and hepatic glycogen concentration unchanged, and decreased inflammation and cell stress (decreased Fgf21 and increased Gsta expression). The HP-mediated decrease in steatosis correlated inversely with plasma branched-chain amino-acid (BCAA) concentrations and hepatic content of BCAA-derived monomethyl branched-chain fatty acids (mmBCFAs) 14-methylpentadecanoic (14-MPDA; valine-derived) and, to a lesser extent, 14-methylhexadecanoic acid (isoleucine-derived). Liver lipid content was 1.6- to 1.8-fold higher in females than in males, but the anti-steatotic effect of HP diets was equally strong. The strong up-regulation of PCK1 and literature data showing an increase in phosphoenolpyruvate and a decline in tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates in liver reveal that an increased efflux of these intermediates from mitochondria represents an important effect of an HP diet. The HP diet-induced increase in 14-MPDA and the dietary response in gene expression were more pronounced in females than males. Our findings are compatible with a facilitating role of valine-derived mmBCFAs in the antisteatotic effect of HP diets.     

A fast, simple, and reliable high-yielding method for DNA extraction from different plant species

Genetic studies and pathogen detection in plants using molecular methods require the isolation of DNA from a large number of samples in a short time span. A rapid and versatile protocol for extracting high-quality DNA from different plant species is described. This method yields from 1 to 2 mg of DNA per gram of tissue. The absorbance ratios (A₂₆₀/A₂₈₀) obtained ranged from 1.6 to 2.0. A minimal presence of contaminating metabolites (as polymerase chain reaction [PCR] inhibitors) in samples and a considerable savings in reagents are characteristics of this protocol, as well as the low cost of the analysis per sample. The quality of the DNA was suitable for PCR amplification.     

High-protein diet during gestation and lactation affects mammary gland mRNA abundance, milk composition and pre-weaning litter growth in mice

We evaluated the effect of a high-protein diet (HP) on pregnancy, lactational and rearing success in mice. At the time of mating, females were randomly assigned to isoenergetic diets with HP (40% w/w) or control protein levels (C; 20%). After parturition, half of the dams were fed the other diet throughout lactation resulting in four dietary groups: CC (C diet during gestation and lactation), CHP (C diet during gestation and HP diet during lactation), HPC (HP diet during gestation and C diet during lactation) and HPHP (HP diet during gestation and lactation). Maternal and offspring body mass was monitored. Measurements of maternal mammary gland (MG), kidney and abdominal fat pad masses, MG histology and MG mRNA abundance, as well as milk composition were taken at selected time points. HP diet decreased abdominal fat and increased kidney mass of lactating dams. Litter mass at birth was lower in HP than in C dams (14.8 v. 16.8 g). Dams fed an HP diet during lactation showed 5% less food intake (10.4 v. 10.9 g/day) and lower body and MG mass. On day 14 of lactation, the proportion of MG parenchyma was lower in dams fed an HP diet during gestation as compared to dams fed a C diet (64.8% v. 75.8%). Abundance of MG α-lactalbumin, β-casein, whey acidic protein, xanthine oxidoreductase mRNA at mid-lactation was decreased in all groups receiving an HP diet either during gestation and/or lactation. Milk lactose content was lower in dams fed an HP diet during lactation compared to dams fed a C diet (1.6% v. 2.0%). On days 14, 18 and 21 of lactation total litter mass was lower in litters of dams fed an HP diet during lactation, and the pups' relative kidney mass was greater than in litters suckled by dams receiving a C diet. These findings indicate that excess protein intake in reproducing mice has adverse effects on offspring early in their postnatal growth as a consequence of impaired lactational function.