Bioassay and Identification of Root Exudates of Three Fruit Tree Species

A laboratory bioassay was designed to determine the aileiopathic potential of root exudates of three fruit tree species on apple germination. The results showed that root exudates of apple （Malus pumila L.） and peach （Prunus persica L.）, each at concentrations of 0.02 and 0.2 mg/L, inhibited germination and radicle growth of apple seeds by 56.7%, 60.7%, 51.5%, and 59.3%, respectively. The corresponding shoot growth inhibition rate was 49.5%, 46.7%, 36. 4%, and 44%, respectively. Root exudates of jujube （Ziziphus jujuba Mill.） had no significant effect on apple seeds. Qualitative determination of root exudates of apple, peach, and jujube tree was developed with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The root exudates of apple seedlings mainly contain organic acids, glycol, esters, and benzenphenol derivatives. Peach root exudates contained phenolic acids and benzenphenoi derivatives in addition to two unidentified compounds. The root exudates of jujube did not contain any phenolic acids.     

Variation in the pH of experimental diets affects the performance of Lymantria dispar asiatica larvae and its gut microbiota

To study dietary pH effects on Lymantria dispar asiatica larvae and provide a theoretical basis for its control in different forests, phosphate buffers (PBs) of pH 6, 7, and 8 were used to prepare experimental diets. The diet prepared with pH 6 PB was named as DPB6, with pH 8 PB as DPB8, and with pH 7 PB as DPB7 (control). The dietary pH was 5.00 in DPB6, 6.05 in control, and 6.50 in DPB8. After feeding on the diets with different pH values for 84 hr, fourth-instar caterpillars were randomly collected. Growth and various physiological traits were determined and 16S recombinant DNA sequencing was performed using the intestinal microflora of surviving larvae. Results showed that the mortality was 30% in DPB6, and 10% in DPB8, while no mortality was observed in control. The partial least squares discriminant analyses suggested that diets prepared with PB of different pH resulted in different food intake, amount of produced feces, weight gain, digestive enzyme activities, and antioxidant enzyme activities in larvae. Interestingly, both the highest weight gain and the lowest total antioxidant capacities were seen in control larvae. Results also showed that the larval gut microbiota community structure was significantly affected by dietary pH. Moreover, linear discriminant analysis effect size suggested that the family Acetobacteraceae in control, genus Prevotella in DPB8, and genus Lactococcus, family Flavobacteriaceae, family Mitochondria, and family Burkholderiaceae in DPB6 contributed to the diversity of the larval gut microbial community.     

Measurement of the Water Potential of Intact Plant Tissues2PISUM SATIVUM L.)

Through the use of a microthermocouple psychrometer it has becomepossible to measure the water potential over part of the surfaceof a pea seed, starting about 19 hours after sowing in distilledwater, or later in the case of seeds germinating at lower osmoticpotentials, in both instances until well after radicles haveemerged. It has been shown that the potential of air-dry seedsis well below –6,000 joules/kg but increases rapidly duringimbibition, depending upon the water potential of the germinationmedium. Pea seeds subjected to lower external water potentialsgerminate at lower internal water potentials than they exhibitin distilled water. The water potentials of the seeds decreasejust after radicle emergence till the radicle establishes contactwith its germination medium, possibly as a result of demandfor moisture during that period due to incipient cell elongation.No detectable amounts of osmotically active substances are exudedfrom the seed during germination; the pea seed coat restrictsthe entry of polyethylene glycol molecules into the seed untilemergence of the radicle.     

The Novel Relationship between Urban Air Pollution and Epilepsy: A Time Series Study

MethodsA hospital record-based study was carried out in Xi’an, a heavily-polluted metropolis in China. Daily baseline data were obtained. Time-series Poisson regression models were applied to analyze the association between air pollution and epilepsy.ResultsA 10 μg/m³ increase of NO₂, SO₂, and O₃ concentrations corresponded to 3.17% (95%Cl: 1.41%, 4.93%), 3.55% (95%Cl: 1.93%, 5.18%), and -0.84% (95%Cl: -1.58%, 0.09%) increase in outpatient-visits for epilepsy on the concurrent days, which were significantly influenced by sex and age. The effects of NO₂ and SO₂ would be stronger when adjusted for PM_2.5. As for O₃, a -1.14% (95%Cl: -1.90%, -0.39%) decrease was evidenced when adjusted for NO₂. The lag models showed that the most significant effects were evidenced on concurrent days.ConclusionsWe discovered previously undocumented relationships between short-term air pollution exposure and epilepsy: while NO₂ and SO₂ were positively associated with outpatient-visits of epilepsy, O₃ might be associated with reduced risk.     

呼伦贝尔草原风蚀坑及下风侧积沙区植被小群落特征

采用传统样方法,调查了呼伦贝尔草原固定风蚀坑、半裸露风蚀坑和裸露风蚀坑及其积沙区的植被小群落,并对野外数据进行了统计学分析.结果表明:3种风蚀坑及积沙区植被小群落盖度都小于原生植被大针茅群系盖度,并随着固定风蚀坑、半裸露风蚀坑、裸露风蚀坑的顺序依次下降.固定风蚀坑小群落由无茎委陵菜和糙隐子草占优势,分盖度为5%.半裸露风蚀坑中未被风蚀区小群落以无茎委陵菜和苔草占优势,分盖度为2%;积沙区小群落以无茎委陵菜、冰草、糙隐子草和百里香占优势,分盖度为4%.裸露风蚀坑无植被或仅西南坡出现沙蓬占优势的小群落.裸露风蚀坑积沙区中部以沙蓬占优势,分盖度为4.7%;在其边缘沿顺风向依次以冰草(2.7%)、苔草(2.6%)和百里香(1.7%)占优势.物种重要值平均值在固定风蚀坑、半裸露风蚀坑和裸露风蚀坑分别为12.64%、13.38%和20.08%,在半裸露风蚀坑积沙区、裸露风蚀坑积沙区中部和边缘分别为12.55%、40.48%和11.15%.     

Some observations on propionic acid fermentation in silage

Summary Propionic acid was found in samples of potato pulp silage and of silage made from mixed grass and potato pulp. Often butyric acid was present besides propionic acid. This implies, as was also demonstrated, that theLepper distillation method can not be used for the detection of butyric acid in the kinds of silage mentioned. Its use with other kinds of silage seems unsafe. The propionic acid was probably formed by propionic acid bacteria. Six cultures of these were isolated. Two were identified asPropionibacterium freudenreichii and the remaining cultures tentatively, asPbm zeae. Part of this work was carried out at the Netherlands Institute for Dairy Research, Ede, Netherlands.     

膜蛋白的表达：在无细胞体系中实现功能性表达、折叠和组装

膜蛋白在人类和其他物种的生命活动中都起着至关重要的作用.在已完成测序的基因组中,膜蛋白占据30%.药物作用靶向位点、细胞之间的信号传递以及对外界环境的探测等功能,大多是通过生物膜上的特殊膜受体蛋白实现的.膜蛋白研究在工业、环境、国防、医学等领域具有重大意义.嗅觉受体蛋白是一类典型的膜蛋白,属于G蛋白偶联受体家族.嗅觉受体蛋白调控着生物的食物寻找、危险趋避和求偶行为.其主要分布于脊椎动物鼻腔和昆虫触角.嗅觉受体蛋白可以直接识别气味分子,将生物信号转化为电信号,最终传递至神经中枢,进而做出相关应答.膜蛋白的获取并不容易.天然组织中的膜蛋白含量太低不足以支撑学术研究.异源表达难以实现膜蛋白整合上膜,这给膜蛋白的结构和功能研究带来很大挑战.无细胞蛋白质合成系统是一个开放体系,且不依赖细胞活性,是体外表达蛋白质的有效方法.通过无细胞蛋白合成体系,在体外实现膜蛋白二聚体的自组装,将为膜蛋白研究带来全新突破.本文总结了用于无细胞表达的膜蛋白研究进展.