长期施肥对双季稻区红壤性水稻土质量的影响及其评价

为量化27年连续施用化肥及其与猪粪、稻草配施处理对双季稻区土壤质量的影响,选择土壤容重、最大持水量、孔隙度、标准化平均质量直径、pH、阳离子交换量、有效养分、土壤有机质、微生物生物量碳、土壤酶和作物生产力等项目作为评价指标,并根据不同指标所具有的功能归纳为：抗物理退化的能力、养分供应和贮藏的能力、抗生物化学退化的能力、保持作物生产力的能力4项功能,以这4项功能为基础划分土壤质量指数(SQI).结果表明：SQI等级范围为0.544（CK）～0.729（施氮磷钾肥＋稻草处理）.与施氮磷钾肥（NPK）处理土壤相比,长期非均衡施肥的PK、NP、NK处理土壤质量发生了退化.土壤缺磷和缺钾是限制水稻生产力的主要因素,即使每年施用30 t·hm^-2猪粪或4.2 t·hm^-2稻草也不能达到满足高产水稻所需要的土壤磷、钾含量水平.长期施用石灰对红壤水稻土质量的提升效果不明显.在南方红壤水稻种植区,氮、磷、钾与有机肥配施是提升土壤质量的最佳措施.     

Survival and death of epiblast cells during embryonic stem cell derivation revealed by long-term live-cell imaging with an Oct4 reporter system

Despite the broad literature on embryonic stem cells (ESCs), their derivation process remains enigmatic. This may be because of the lack of experimental systems that can monitor this prolonged cellular process. Here we applied a live-cell imaging technique to monitor the process of ESC derivation over 10 days from morula to outgrowth phase using an Oct4/eGFP reporter system. Our imaging reflects the ‘natural’ state of ESC derivation, as the ESCs established after the imaging were both competent in chimeric mice formation and germ-line transmission. Using this technique, ESC derivation in conventional conditions was imaged. After the blastocoel was formed, the intensity of Oct4 signals attenuated in the trophoblast cells but was maintained in the inner cell mass (ICM). Thereafter, the Oct4-positive cells scattered and their number decreased along with apoptosis of the other Oct4-nagative cells likely corresponds to trophoblast and hypoblast cells, and then only the surviving Oct4-positive cells proliferated and formed the colony. All embryos without exception passed through this cell death phase. Importantly, the addition of caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK to the medium dramatically suppressed the loss of Oct4-positive cells and also other embryo-derived cells, suggesting that the cell deaths was induced by a caspase-dependent apoptotic pathway. Next we imaged the ESC derivation in 3i medium, which consists of chemical compounds that can suppress differentiation. The most significant difference between the conventional and 3i methods was that there was no obvious cell death in 3i, so that the colony formation was rapid and all of the Oct4-positive cells contributed to the formation of the outgrown colony. These data indicate that the prevention of cell death in epiblast cells is one of the important events for the successful establishment of ESCs. Thus, our imaging technique can advance the understanding of the time-dependent cellular changes during ESC derivation.     

前列腺素F2α受体(PTGFR)基因在白色杜洛克×二花脸资源群体中的遗传变异及其与母猪母性行为的关联性

母猪分娩期间的母性行为对新生仔猪的成活致关重要,失败的母性行为如杀婴行为和压仔行为等经常在一些母猪中发生,给养猪业造成巨大的经济损失,给仔猪福利带来严重影响。前列腺素F2α不但可促发母猪产前的做窝行为,而且通过其受体基因(PTGFR)编码的蛋白FP在母猪繁殖过程和母性行为中发挥重要作用。文章以白色杜洛克×二花脸资源群体为材料,对PTGFR基因进行了SNP搜寻并分析其与母猪产前做窝行为、产后杀婴行为和压仔行为的关联性。结果:在PTGFR基因的两个外显子中共搜寻到5个同义突变SNP。选择Exon1g.250AG、Exon1g.619GA和Exon2g.483TC3个SNP在F0、F1个体和289头F2母猪中进行了基因型判定。基于家系基础上的传递不平衡(TDT)分析结果显示,PTGFR基因的3个SNP及单倍型与母猪做窝行为、杀婴行为和压仔行为均未达到显著相关(P0.05)。所以PTGFR基因可能并不是影响母猪母性行为的主效候选基因。     

Broadening the avenue of intersubgenomic heterosis in oilseed Brassica

Accumulated evidence has shown that each of the three basic Brassica genomes (A, B and C) has undergone profound changes in different species, and has led to the concept of the “subgenome”. Significant intersubgenomic heterosis was observed in hybrids between traditional Brassica napus and first generation lines of new type B. napus. The latter were produced by the partial introgression of subgenomic components from different species into B. napus. To increase the proportion of exotic subgenomic components and thus achieve stronger heterosis, lines of first generation new type B. napus were intercrossed with each other, and subjected to intensive marker-assisted selection to develop the second generation of new type B. napus. The second generation showed better agronomic traits and a higher proportion of introgression of subgenomic components than did the first generation. Compared with the commercial hybrid and the hybrids produced with the first generation new type B. napus, the novel hybrids showed stronger heterosis for seed yield during the 2 years of field trials. The extent of heterosis showed a significant positive correlation with the introgressed subgenomic components in the parental new type B. napus. To increase the content of the exotic subgenomic components further and to allow sustainable breeding of novel lines of new type B. napus, we initiated the development of a gene pool for new type B. napus that contained a substantial amount of genetic variation in the A^r and C^c genome. We discuss new approaches to broaden the avenue of intersubgenomic heterosis in oilseed Brassica.     

Inhibition of MAPK signaling by eNOS gene transfer improves ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction through reduction of inflammation

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and nitric oxide (NO) may play an important role in attenuating cardiac remodeling and apoptosis after myocardial infarction. However, the anti-inflammation effects of eNOS in infarcted myocardium and the role of MAPK signaling in eNOS/NO mediated cardiac remodeling have not yet been elucidated. Adenovirus carrying Human eNOS gene was delivered locally into heart 4 days prior to induction of myocardial infarction (MI) by left anterior descending coronary artery ligation. Monocyte/macrophage infiltration was detected by ED-1 immunohistochemistry. Western blot was employed to examine the activation of MAPK. eNOS gene transfer significantly reduced myocardial infarct size and improved cardiac contractility as well as left ventricle (LV) diastolic function at 7 days after MI. In addition, eNOS gene transfer decreased monocyte/macrophage infiltration in the infarct region of the heart. Phosphorylation of MAPK after MI were also dramatically reduced by eNOS gene transfer. All the protective effects of eNOS were blocked by N(ω)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) administration, indicating a NO-mediated event. These results demonstrate that the eNOS/NO system provides cardiac protection after MI injury through inhibition of inflammation and suppression of MAPK signaling.     

Particle inflow gun-mediated transformation of multiple-shoot clumps in rhodes grass (Chloris gayana)

Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) is one of the most important warm-season forage grasses. It is cultivated in tropical and subtropical parts of the world and is mostly used for grazing and hay production. We have established a particle-bombardment transformation protocol for rhodes grass using multiple-shoot clumps (MSCs) as the target tissue. A vector pAHC25 containing a herbicide-resistance gene (bar) together with the beta-glucuronidase (GUS) gene was used in transformation experiments. The most efficient recovery of bialaphos-resistant tissue was achieved when the bombarded MSCs were first cultured for 15 d on bialaphos-free medium before being subjected to selection pressure. The resistant tissues regenerated transgenic plants that displayed GUS gene expression. Under optimized conditions, 251 target pieces yielded 46 transgenic plants from 4 independent transgenic lines.     

四眼斑龟消化、呼吸系统的解剖

解剖测量了 8只成年四眼斑龟的消化系统和呼吸系统 ,结果表明 :消化管总长 ( 6 0 4 3± 99.2 )mm ,为背甲长的 3 75～ 5 77倍。舌不能伸缩 ;食管扩展性强 ;胃呈囊状 ,被肝叶覆盖 ;小肠较长 ,为消化的主要场所 ,约占消化道总长的 4 8% ;盲肠不发达。肝较大 ,重约 ( 14 12± 8 2 4 )g ,分左、中、右三叶 ,占体重的 6 %左右 ,绿色胆囊位于右叶小肝内 ;胰腺长条形 ,分布于十二指肠肠系膜内。肺长囊形 ,内壁有复杂的间隔 ,把内腔分隔成蜂窝状小室 ,紧贴在背甲的内表面 ,位于肩带和腰带之间 ;气管较长 ,由 6 5～ 85个软骨环连接而成 ;支气管较短 ,由 30～ 4 0个软骨环连接而成     

Binding activity of H-Ras is necessary for in vivo inhibition of ASK1 activity

H-Ras is well known as one of the essential components of Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK cascade, which is a critical prosurvival signaling mechanism in most eukaryotic cells. Ras targets Raf/MEK/ERK cascade by integrating and transmitting extracellular signals from growth factor receptors to Raf, leading to the propagation of signals to modulate a serious of cellular survival events. Apoptosis signal-regulating kinasel (ASK1) serves as a general mediator of cell death because it is responsive to a variety of death signals. In this study, we found that H-Ras interacted with ASK1 to cause the inhibition of both ASK1 activity and ASKl-induced apoptosis in vivo, which was reversed only partially by addition of RafS621 A, an antagonist of Raf, whereas MEK inhibitor, PD98059, and PI3K inhibitor, LY294002, did not disturb the inhibitory effect of H-Ras on ASK-1-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, by means of immunoprecipitate and kinase assays, we demonstrated that the interaction between H-Ras and ASK1 as well as the inhibition of ASKI activity were dependent on the binding activity of H-Ras. These results suggest that a novel mechanism may be involved in H-Rasmediated cell survival in addition to the well established MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt kinase-dependent enhancement of cell survival.     

Functional differentiation in the leucine-rich repeat domains of closely related plant virus-resistance proteins that recognize common avr proteins

The N' gene of Nicotiana sylvestris and L genes of Capsicum plants confer the resistance response accompanying the hypersensitive response (HR) elicited by tobamovirus coat proteins (CP) but with different viral specificities. Here, we report the identification of the N' gene. We amplified and cloned an N' candidate using polymerase chain reaction primers designed from L gene sequences. The N' candidate gene was a single 4143 base pairs fragment encoding a coiled-coil nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (LRR)-type resistance protein of 1,380 amino acids. The candidate gene induced the HR in response to the coexpression of tobamovirus CP with the identical specificity as reported for N'. Analysis of N'-containing and tobamovirus-susceptible N. tabacum accessions supported the hypothesis that the candidate is the N' gene itself. Chimera analysis between N' and L(3) revealed that their LRR domains determine the spectrum of their tobamovirus CP recognition. Deletion and mutation analyses of N' and L(3) revealed that the conserved sequences in their C-terminal regions have important roles but contribute differentially to the recognition of common avirulence proteins. The results collectively suggest that Nicotiana N' and Capsicum L genes, which most likely evolved from a common ancestor, differentiated in their recognition specificity through changes in the structural requirements for LRR function.     

Cigarette smoking in male patients with chronic schizophrenia in a Chinese population: prevalence and relationship to clinical phenotypes

The high prevalence of smoking in schizophrenia of European background may be related to smoking's reducing clinical symptoms and medication side effects. Because smoking prevalence and its associations with clinical phenotypes are less well characterized in Chinese than European patients with schizophrenia, we assessed these smoking behaviors using clinician-administered questionnaires and the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) in 776 Chinese male schizophrenia and 560 control subjects. Patients also were rated on the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS), the Simpson and Angus Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale (SAES), and the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS). We found that the schizophrenia patients had a higher lifetime incidence of smoking (79% vs 63%), were more likely to be heavy smokers (61% vs 31%), and had lower smoking cessation rates (4% vs 9%) (all p<0.0001) than controls. Among the schizophrenia patients smoking prevalence increased with age, with the largest difference from controls in the age cohort of 55-75 years: 75% vs 46% (p<0.0001). Among the schizophrenia smokers 73% started to smoke before the onset of their illness by an average of 7.6 years. The patients with schizophrenia who were current smokers scored significantly lower on the PANSS negative symptom subscore (p<0.005), and on the SAES symptom scale (p<0.04; Bonferroni corrected p>0.05) than the non-smoking patients. These results suggest that Chinese males with schizophrenia smoke more frequently than the general population. Further, smokers with schizophrenia may display fewer negative symptoms and possibly less parkinsonism than non-smokers with schizophrenia.