Stable isotopes in fish otoliths discriminate between lagoonal and oceanic residents of Taiaro Atoll (Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia)

 The fully enclosed Taiaro lagoon is hypersaline (42.5 psu) and non-tidal; constant salinity and water level result from strong evaporation balanced by low percolation through the lagoon floor. Seawater can flow over the atoll rim during exceptionally high seas and may then replenish lagoonal communities with propagules of oceanic origin. The distinctive water chemistry of the lagoon suggests a possible way of identifying these immigrants. We established this potential by analysing stable isotopes of carbon and oxygen in the recent growth layers of otoliths of two adult reef fishes, Chaetodon ulietensis and Acanthurus triostegus, collected from both sides of the atoll rim. Fish from the two locations were discriminated by their isotopic signatures, suggesting that analysis of the microchemical signatures deposited during the larval development could be used in future work to determine which individuals and species complete their life-cycles in this unusual lagoon. Accepted: 28 August 1997     

Multidrug resistance evaluation by confocal microscopy in primary urothelial cancer explant colonies

Assessing functional multidrug resistance (MDR) status in clinical biopsy material using drug autofluorescence has potential applications to clinical management. The small size of many cystoscopy specimens has led us to develop, as an alternative to flow cytometry, a protocol for studying epirubicin accumulation in adherent colonies of primary bladder cancer cells viewed live andin situ by confocal microscopy. The limitations to quantitation inherent in this technique are compensated for by preservation of cellular organisation and the elimination of non-malignant cells. Biopsy material is disaggregated and explanted into culture-grade petri dishes. After incubation for three to seven days plaques of epithelial cells have developed. Classical patterns of sensitive and resistant drug distribution are observed. Cells of the rolled edges of the colony accumulate more drug than those of the inner epithelial monolayer. Some central areas of larger colonies give the appearance of drug arrested at the intercellular junctions to give a fenestrated pattern. These observations contribute to the understanding of mechanisms in MDR as well as forming the basis for a clinical urological MDR evaluation protocol.     

SWAT模型对景观格局变化的敏感性分析——以丹江口库区老灌河流域为例

景观的空间配置与类型组成能够对流域的产流、产沙及非点源污染产生影响。在以往SWAT模型研究中,往往默认水文模型考虑了该影响。为分析SWAT模型对不同景观格局变化的敏感性,根据老灌河流域2000年土地利用在各子流域的组成,模拟研究区更为破碎、复杂的景观空间配置,通过设置多套试验参数,利用SWAT模型生成基于不同景观格局的模拟结果。结果表明,SWAT模型不能反映除坡度和面积变化之外的景观水平下各斑块之间因景观空间格局改变对流域产流、产沙以及非点源污染的影响;模型通过其他参数的调整,弥补了模型分析数据的不足,使实测数据与模型部分结果高度吻合。这表明,一个能够反映流域部分水文特征的SWAT模型,未必是对研究区真实情形的模拟,而是各个参数间平衡的结果。因此,在利用SWAT模型分析模拟景观变化时,不应默认模型能够模拟景观空间格局改变对流域水文过程的影响,同时研究者可以通过划分坡度带,提高模型对不同坡度土地利用的敏感性。     

Production of somatic embryos and shoots from sugarbeet callus: Effects of abscisic acid, other growth regulators, nitrogen source, sucrose concentration and genotype

Summary Two sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L.) genotypes, REL-1 and REL-2, were used to measure the level of somatic embryo and shoot production from hormone-autonomous callus plated under varied nutrient medium combinations of abscisic acid with the growth regulators 6-benzyladenine, 1-naphthaleneacetic acid, or 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, with eight sole nitrogen sources, or with different sucrose concentrations. Clone REL-2 produced embryos up to 35-fold more frequently than clone REL-1. Inclusion of abscisic acid at some concentrations consistently improved embryo production in all experiments and was observed to stimulate shoot production. At some concentrations, 1-naphthaleneacetic acid as well as urea and glutamine stimulated greater embryo production over the control, but only for REL-1, for which there was greater room for improvement. Three and five percent sucrose were superior to 1, 7, and 9%. Higher initial 6-benzyladenine concentration [in the range 0, 0.1−1.0 mg/L (0.44−4.44 μM)] was associated with lower embryo production but greater shoot regeneration for both clones. REL-2 was significantly better than REL-1 in shoot regeneration. The range of embryo production was more than 35-fold between genotypes, whereas the range of physiological effects was no greater than 10-fold. REL-2 has been released to sugarbeet researchers because of its superior embryogenic and shoot regeneration abilities for application in biotechnology.     

中华羊茅内生真菌Neotyphodium sp.生物学与生理学特性的研究

本文对中华羊茅Festuca sinensis内生真菌Neotyphodium sp.的生物学与生理学特性进行了报道。研究发现:中华羊茅内生真菌能在10-30℃生长,5℃和35℃几乎不能生长,最适生长温度是25℃;适宜的pH是7-9;不同的碳、氮源利用能力不同,利用能力最好的分别是甘露醇和酵母浸液;在不同培养基上的生长速度与产孢特性存在差异,马铃薯葡萄糖琼脂(PDA)培养基上生长最快,水琼脂(WA)和海水营养琼脂(SNA)培养基上生长最慢,但WA和SNA产孢最多。     

Hormone directed sucrose transport during fruit set induced by gibberellins in Pisum sativum

A new system has been developed to study hormone-directed transport in intact plants during parthenocarpic fruit set induced by gibberellins. Gibberellic acid (GA₃) and gibberellin A₁ (GA₁) applied to unpollinated ovaries of pea ( Pisum sativum L. cv. Alaska) promoted sucrose transport from the leaf to the site of hormone application. In vivo experiments showed an early (30 min) accumulation of [¹⁴C]-sucrose in ovaries of pea stimulated by gibberellins. This activation of sucrose transport appears to be mediated by gibberellins (GA₁, GA₃), increasing both loading of phloem with sucrose in the leaf (source) and sucrose unloading in the ovary (sink). The ability of pea tissue segments to take up sucrose in vitro was not affected by the hormonal treatment.     

Nitrogen use efficiency by a slow-growing species as affected by CO2 levels, root temperature, N source and availability

This study examines the importance of N source and concentration on plant response to distinct CO₂ concentrations and root temperatures. The experimental design of this work was a factorial combination of: CO₂ concentration, nitrogen concentration, nitrogen source and root temperature. Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) was assessed as a potential model of a slow growing Mediterranean species.

The results showed that: 1) biomass increment under high CO₂ varied between 13 and 100 percnt; in relation to plants grown under the same conditions but at ambient CO₂ concentrations, depending on the root temperature and nitrogen source; 2) nitrate-fed plants attained a larger increase in biomass production compared to ammonium-fed ones. This performance seems to be linked to the co-ordinated regulation of the activities of glutamine synthetase and sucrose phosphate synthase. The variations in the magnitude and nature of growth responses to elevated CO₂ observed resulted in substantial changes in the chemical composition of the plant material and consequently in plant nitrogen use efficiency.

Although performed with seedlings and under controlled conditions, this work emphasizes the importance of the nitrogen source used by the plants, a factor rarely taken into consideration when forecasting plant responses to global changes. Particularly, the results presented here, highlight the potential for uncoupling biomass accumulation from increment of air CO₂ concentration and show that more than nitrogen availability N source may offset positive plant growth responses under elevated CO₂ and root temperature.     

不同激素及其不同配比对绞股兰愈伤组织诱导的统计学分析

绞股兰的茎段和叶碎片外植体可在合适的激素调节诱导下形成愈伤组织．通过含有不同水平激素的MS培养基对绞股兰愈伤组织诱导试验,经统计学分析,可以找出对绞股兰脱分化形成愈伤组织细胞影响显著的激素及其适宜的激素水平．     

A divergent synthesis of [1-14C]-mono-E isomers of fatty acids

A convenient synthesis of [1-14C]-mono-trans fatty acid using olefin inversion as a key-step is described. This methodology allows for a facile synthesis of [1-14C]-labelled mono-trans analogues of oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids. As an example, only eleven steps were necessary to obtain the [1-14C]-mono-E isomers of linolenic acid from its commercial all-Z form. In the first step, Barton's decarboxylation procedure yielded a bromo intermediate. Epoxidation of this compound resulted in the formation of three monoepoxides, which could be separated by HPLC. After identification by 1H NMR and MS, the pure monoepoxides were then subjected to inversion consisting of a stereospecific deoxygenation followed by a beta-elimination step. Finally, the labelling was introduced by substitution of the bromine by a [14C]-cyano group followed by hydrolysis.