CO2 Saturation and Trophic Shift Induced by Microbial Metabolic Processes in a River-Dominated Ocean Margin (Tropical Shallow Lagoon,Chilika, India)

An effort has been made for the first time in Asia's largest brackish water lagoon, Chilika, to investigate the spatio-temporal variability in primary productivity (PP), bacterial productivity (BP), bacterial abundance (BA), bacterial respiration (BR) and bacterial growth efficiency (BGE) in relation to partial pressure of CO₂ (pCO₂) and CO₂ air–water flux and the resultant trophic switchover. Annually, PP ranged between 24 and 376 µg C L^?1 d^?1 with significantly low values throughout the monsoon (MN), caused by light limitation due to inputs of riverine suspended matter. On the contrary, BP and BR ranged from 11.5 to 186.3 µg C L^?1 d^?1 and from 14.1 to 389.4 µg C L^?1 d^?1, respectively, with exceptionally higher values during MN. A wide spatial and temporal variation in the lagoon trophic status was apparent from BP/PP (0.05–6.4) and PP/BR (0.10–18.2) ratios. The seasonal shift in net pelagic production from autotrophy to heterotrophy due to terrestrial organic matter inputs via rivers, enhanced the bacterial metabolism during the MN, as evident from the high pCO₂ (10,134 µatm) and CO₂ air–water flux (714 mm m^?2 d^?1). Large variability in BGE and BP/PP ratios especially during MN led to high bacteria-mediated carbon fluxes which was evident from significantly high bacterial carbon demand (BCD >100% of PP) during this season. This suggested that the net amount of organic carbon (either dissolved or particulate form) synthesized by primary producers in the lagoon was not sufficient to satisfy the bacterial carbon requirements. Lagoon sustained low to moderate autotrophic–heterotrophic coupling with annual mean BCD of 231% relative to the primary production, which depicted that bacterioplankton are the mainstay of the lagoon biogeochemical cycles and principal players that bring changes in trophic status. Study disclosed that the high CO₂ supersaturation and oxygen undersaturation during MN was attributed to the increased heterotrophic respiration (in excess of PP) fuelled by allochthonous organic matter. On a spatial scale, lagoon sectors such as south sector, central sector and outer channel recorded “net autotrophic,” while the northern sector showed “net heterotrophic” throughout the study period.     

萝卜硫素对急性低温暴露鼠骨骼肌Nrf2介导的抗氧化能力的影响

萝卜硫素(sulforaphane,SFN)是一种在十字花科植物中含量丰富,且具有抗氧化效应的天然物质。本文基于核因子E2相关因子2(nuclear factor E2-related factor 2,Nrf2)介导的抗氧化系统,探究不同时长低温暴露对骨骼肌抗氧化酶的影响及SFN对低温暴露骨骼肌抗氧化能力的作用。首先,30只雄性C57BL/6N小鼠随机分为常温对照组(0 h组)、低温暴露1 h组(1 h组)和低温暴露3 h组(3 h组)。其次,40只雄性C57BL/6N小鼠随机分为PBS常温对照组(PBS+Con),PBS低温暴露3 h组(PBS+Cold),SFN常温对照组(SFN+Con)和SFN低温暴露3 h组(SFN+Cold)。小鼠在急性温度干预前腹腔注射4次SFN或等体积PBS。急性低温暴露后,取小鼠骨骼肌,试剂盒检测活性氧(ROS)水平、总抗氧化能力(T-AOC)、还原型谷胱甘肽(GSH)和氧化型谷胱甘肽(GSSG)含量;荧光实时定量PCR检测Nrf2介导的抗氧化酶和参与生成谷胱甘肽相关酶的mRNA转录水平;Western blot检测Nrf2介导的抗氧化酶蛋白表达。结果显示,与0和1 h组相比,3 h组小鼠骨骼肌Nrf 2和抗氧化酶基因(Gpx 1、Hmox1、Cat、Sod 1和Nqo 1)的mRNA转录水平显著降低,ROS水平显著增加。与PBS+Con组相比,PBS+Cold组小鼠骨骼肌Nrf2和抗氧化酶(HMOX1和CAT)蛋白表达、GSH/GSSG比值及T-AOC水平显著降低,而GSSG含量和ROS水平增加。与PBS+Cold组相比,SFN+Cold组小鼠骨骼肌Nrf 2 mRNA及其蛋白表达、抗氧化酶(HMOX1和SOD1)蛋白表达、抗氧化酶基因(Gpx 1、Hmox 1、Cat、Sod 1和Nqo 1)mRNA转录水平、参与GSH生成的酶基因(Gclm和Gss)mRNA转录水平、GSH/GSSG比值以及T-AOC水平显著提高,而GSSG含量和ROS水平显著降低。综上,3 h急性低温暴露降低了Nrf2介导的抗氧化作用。而低温暴露前给予SFN补充,则激活了Nrf2介导的抗氧化酶和谷胱甘肽抗氧化系统,增强了骨骼肌抗氧化能力。     

短时高温暴露处理对双尾新小绥螨Neoseiulus bicaudus Wainstein生长发育的影响

【目的】明确新疆本地种捕食螨双尾新小绥螨Neoseiulus bicaudus Wainstein在遇到短时极端高温胁迫后,对其生长发育和种群发展的影响。【方法】利用短时极端高温处理试验,研究双尾新小绥螨卵和成螨分别在38℃、42℃和46℃下,处理2、4和6 h后的孵化率、存活率以及对其未成熟阶段发育历期和生命参数的影响。【结果】卵经过不同时间高温处理后,随着处理温度的升高,处理时间的延长,卵的孵化率逐渐降低,46℃处理2 h的孵化率仅为42.02%,且在46℃处理超过4 h,其卵不能孵化;其各未成熟阶段发育历期有先缩短后延长的趋势,当在38℃处理2 h时,其发育历期最短为4.82 d。雌成螨经过不同时间高温处理后,雌成螨的产卵量、产卵期和寿命随着处理温度的升高、处理时间的延长有逐渐下降和缩短的趋势;42℃,2 h处理下每雌产卵量最低为19.33粒,其产卵期也是最短为10.09 d;38℃,6 h处理下寿命最短为14.68 d。【结论】短时极端高温处理主要影响双尾新小绥螨卵的孵化率、存活率降低和未成熟阶段的发育历期;影响其雌成螨的产卵量和寿命。     

Biological diversity and cultural heritage

In this paper some examples of the development of communities of microorganisms and plants on historic buildings and montiments are shown. When the building stones differ from the surrounding natural substrata, an increase in the biological diversity of the area is produced. In some cases, monuments can come to constitute a true refuge for a few species when the natural habitat is threatened. It is suggested that biological diversity, when it does not represent a threat for the cultural heritage, should be considered worthy of preservation.     

Mechanisms involved in the neurotoxic and cognitive effects of developmental methamphetamine exposure

Methamphetamine exposure in utero leads to a variety of higher‐order cognitive deficits, such as decreased attention and working, and spatial memory impairments in exposed children (Piper et al., 2011; Roussotte et al., 2011; Kiblawi et al., 2011). As with other teratogens, the timing of methamphetamine exposure greatly determines its effects on both neuroanatomical and behavioral outcomes. Methamphetamine exposure in rodents during the third trimester human equivalent period of brain development results in distinct and long‐lasting route‐based and spatial navigation deficits (Williams et al., 2003; Vorhees et al., 2005, 2008, 2009;). Here, we examine the impact of neonatal methamphetamine‐induced neurotoxicity on behavioral outcomes, neurotransmission, receptor changes, plasticity proteins, and DNA damage. Birth Defects Research (Part C) 108:131–141, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

A simplified model for spatially differentiated impact assessment of air emissions

We developed a simplified emission dispersion and exposure-assessment model designed to reflect the site-specific health impacts of air pollution in life-cycle impact assessment (LCIA). We proposed an EXposure Per Emission Coefficient (EXPEC), a dimensionless parameter representing the relative amount of pollutant inhaled per emission. EXPEC values were calculated for two typical source categories - electric power plants and road vehicles — on a concentric circle model. The EXPEC values were significantly different for different locations and source categories. We examined the application of EXPEC in a case study that compared the effects of emissions from electric and gasoline-engine vehicles. EXPEC is a useful tool for assessing spatially differentiated potential impacts.     

热暴露大鼠心肌细胞钙稳态及其调节机制的研究

本文观察了离体成年大鼠心室肌肌质网、线粒体Ｃａ＾２＋－ＡＴＰ酶活性和总钙含是到及原代培养乳腺心肌细胞＾４６Ｃａ摄取、活性钙调素相对含量、胞浆内游离钙浓度在不同温度热暴露４０ｍｉｎ后的变化。结果表明：热暴露后,心肌奖浆、肌质网及线粒体中的Ｃａ＾２＋－ＡＴＰ酶活发表 所下降,心肌肌质网及线粒体中的总钙含量亦有降低趋势,心肌细胞活性钙调素相对含量显著下降,＾４６Ｃａ摄取量及胞浆内游离浓度显著升高。提示,     

荧光物示踪法测定重复施药胁迫下食虫沟瘤蛛的摄食量动态

定量评价农药对天敌的影响是IPM研究的重要内容之一,由于对天敌的捕食量缺乏有效的定量测量方法,农药对天敌摄食功能影响仍处于定性水平的研究,误差基数较大。本文采用一种定量的测定方法——荧光物示踪法,以稀土元素铕作为荧光示踪物质,定量地测定了食虫沟瘤蛛在重复接受噻嗪酮喷施后,其存活个体在药后13天内摄食量的变化趋势,且把药后食虫沟瘤蛛的死亡率加以考虑,计算药后整个试验食虫沟瘤蛛群体的摄食量变化。结果表明：任何浓度任何一次施药后2天左右食虫沟瘤蛛存活个体的捕食量均急剧下降;药物浓度较低时,第1次施药对食虫沟瘤蛛的影响最大;药物浓度较高时,食虫沟瘤蛛存活个体药后摄食量恢复周期较长。药后一段时间内整个食虫沟瘤蛛种群的摄食率相当低下,高浓度农药处理的食虫沟瘤蛛组3次施药后13天内的平均种群摄食率只有正常状况下的1/4左右（24.44%）,推荐浓度及低于推荐浓度的食虫沟瘤蛛种群摄食率也仅为对照组的1/3左右（38.69%,36.52%）。因此在对水稻虫害防治时,应当尽可能地避免使用化学农药,充分发挥天敌对害虫数量的调控作用;当害虫数量超过经济阈值而必须施药时,也应当掌握农药用药剂量和次数的尺度,以利于食虫沟瘤蛛等稻田天敌的生理恢复和群落重建。     

Aerated subsurface irrigation water gives growth and yield benefits to zucchini, vegetable soybean and cotton in heavy clay soils

Inadequate oxygen concentration in the root zone is a constraint to plant performance particularly in heavy, compacted and/or saline soils. Sub-surface drip irrigation (SDI) offers a means of increasing oxygen to plant roots in such soils, provided irrigation water can be hyper-aerated or oxygenated. Hydrogen peroxide (HP) at the rate of 5 litre ha⁻¹ at the end of each irrigation cycle was injected through SDI tape to a field-grown zucchini (courgette) crop (Cucurbita pepo) on a saturated heavy clay soil in Queensland, Australia. Fruit yield, number and shoot weight increased by 25%, 29% and 24% respectively due to HP treatment compared to the control. Two pot experiments with vegetable soybean (Glycine max) and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) compared the effectiveness of HP and air injection using a Mazzei air injector (a venturi), throughout the irrigation cycle in raising crop yield in a heavy clay soil kept at saturation or just under field capacity. Fresh pod yield of vegetable soybean increased by 82–96% in aeration treatments compared with the control. The yield increase was associated with more pods per plant and greater mean pod weight. Significantly higher above ground biomass and light interception were evident with aeration, irrespective of soil water treatment. Similarly cotton lint yield increased by 14–28% in aeration treatments compared with the control. The higher lint yield was associated with more squares and bolls per plant which accompanied greater above ground biomass and an increase in root mass, root length and soil respiration. Air injection and HP effected greater water use, but also brought about an enhancement of water use efficiency (WUE) for pod and lint yield, and increased leaf photosynthetic rate in both species but had no effect on transpiration rate and stomatal conductance per unit leaf area. Aeration-induced enhanced root function was arguably responsible for greater fruit set and yield in all three crops, while in vegetable soybean greater canopy cover, radiation interception and total vegetative biomass were responsible for additional yield benefit. Increased aeration of the root zone in heavy clay soils employing either air injection or HP proved beneficial to SDI irrigated crops, irrespective of the soil water conditions, and can add value to grower investments in SDI.