茶园生态环境对红茶芳香化学物质及品质影响

国内外研究均表明,芳香化学物质是构成红茶品质的主要化学物质。茶叶中芳香化学物质的形成,与茶树品种、加工工艺密切相关。至于茶园生态环境和气象因子对红茶     

Host selection by the Louse Fly Crataerina pallida, an avian nest ectoparasite of the Common Swift Apus apus

Preferences by parasites for particular hosts may have important implications for the functioning of host–parasite systems, however, this parasitic life-history trait remains little studied. No detrimental effect of Louse Fly Crataerina pallida parasitism has been found on Common Swift Apus apus nestling hosts. Host selection choices may be mediating the effect this parasite has and account for this apparent avirulence. Two aspects of parasite host selection were studied at a breeding colony of Common Swifts during 2008; (1) intra-brood differences in C. pallida parasitism were studied to determine the influence of nestling rank, (2) differences in male and female C. pallida parasitism were investigated, as they may result in varying costs of parasitism to hosts. C. pallida populations were found to preferentially parasitize higher rather than lower ranking nestlings within broods of both two and three chicks. Greater proportions of females were seen upon nestlings than at the nest, and upon higher ranking than lower ranking nestlings within broods. These results indicate that host selection occurs and this may thus account for the lack of parasitic virulence reported within this host–parasite system.     

Condensed Tannins' Effect on White-Tailed Deer Forage Digestibility in Mississippi

Abstract: Condensed tannins (CT) can reduce digestibility of forages for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), potentially confounding estimates of diet quality and nutritional carrying capacity. We collected 143 spring and 142 summer samples of 8 important deer forage species from 22 properties in Mississippi, USA, and tested for CT content using a modified butanol-HCl assay. Three species (partridge pea [Chamaecrista fasciculata], southern dewberry [Rubus trivialis], and roundleaf greenbrier [Smilax rotundifolia]) contained CT, ranging from 0.11% to 6.46% dry weight. Summer CT concentration was greater than in spring for 2 species. We ranked soil samples from least to most fertile using 8 chemical characteristics and found a positive correlation between fertility and CT concentration for 1 species and no correlation for 2 species. We tested effects of CT concentration on in vitro dry matter disappearance (IVDMD) and in vitro protein digestibility using samples of partridge pea and roundleaf greenbrier and rumen fluid from 3 free-ranging deer. Average IVDMD was reduced 1.9% for each 1% increase in CT concentration. In vitro protein digestibility was reduced 2.5% for each 1% increase in CT concentration. Assuming that our methods reflect the effects of CT on in vivo digestibility, maximum loss of available crude protein (CP) in our samples was 3.0 g/100 g dry-weight forage, and only 13 of the 112 CT-containing forage samples (12%) would have decreased available CP by >1 g/100 g dry-weight forage. Deer consuming equal portions of sampled forages would lose <1% of dietary CP to CT. Comparisons of foraging area quality using crude protein estimates should be unaffected by CT under reasonable restrictions of similar habitat types, soil fertility, and time. Given the ability of deer to forage selectively and the abundance of alternative forages in Mississippi, the potential for CT to substantially affect spring or summer diet quality of deer appears minimal.     

籼爪交水稻F_2群体的蒸煮食味品质研究

分析了籼型高直链淀粉恢复系CG133R与糯性爪哇稻22号杂交衍生的F2群体的蒸煮品质变异及其与淀粉粘滞性特征间的相关性,以及F2群体颗粒结合淀粉合成酶(Wxa基因)和可溶性淀粉合成酶(SSⅡ-3基因)主效基因的遗传。结果表明:蒸煮品质指标和RVA谱特征值在F2群体中广泛分离,其中变异最大的是消减值,其次为胶稠度、直链淀粉含量。高直链淀粉材料各理化指标与RVA谱特征值的相关性不显著;RVA谱特征值在中、低直链淀粉含量和糯稻群体中与各理化指标存在显著或极显著相关;在中、低直链淀粉材料中,RVA谱特征值与糊化温度(GT)也存在显著或极显著相关。用Wxa基因和SSⅡ-3基因的分子标记检测到这两个基因在F2群体中存在偏分离,分别指向两个亲本类型。除高直链淀粉材料外,可以通过RVA谱特征值来辅助筛选优质水稻品种。     

Beef production potential of Norwegian Red and Holstein-Friesian bulls slaughtered at two ages

There is a paucity of data on the beef production potential of Norwegian Red (NOR) compared with 'modern' Holstein-Friesian (HF) cattle. The present study used a total of 64 bulls in a 2 × 2 factorial design study encompassing two breeds (HF and NOR) and two slaughter ages (485; E, and 610; L, days). The mean initial age and live weight of the HF bulls were 179 (s.d. 47.1) days and 203 (s.d. 64.0) kg, while the corresponding data for the NOR bulls were 176 (s.d. 39.7) days and 185 (s.d. 63.6) kg, respectively. Bulls were offered a 50 : 50 mixture (dry matter (DM) basis) of grass silage and concentrates. No breed × slaughter group interactions were recorded for any parameters evaluated (P > 0.05). HF bulls had higher (P < 0.001) DM intake and poorer (P < 0.01) efficiency of conversion of food to carcass gain than NOR bulls. HF bulls tended (P = 0.07) to have a higher rate of live-weight gain and were heavier (P < 0.001) at slaughter than NOR bulls, though both carcass weight and rate of carcass gain did not differ between the breeds (P > 0.05). NOR bulls had higher (P < 0.001) dressing proportion and carcass conformation score than HF bulls, while breed of bull had no influence (P > 0.05) on carcass fat classification, depth of subcutaneous fat, marbling score or on the weight of fat in the internal depots. Daily food intakes did not differ (P > 0.05) across the two slaughter age groups, though efficiency of conversion of food to carcass gain was poorer (P < 0.05) in the L compared with E bulls. Rate of live-weight gain was lower (P < 0.01) for L bulls, although rate of carcass gain did not differ (P > 0.05) between the E and L bulls. Increasing age at slaughter increased (P < 0.01 or greater) dressing proportion, carcass fat class, depth of subcutaneous fat, marbling score and internal fat depots, but had no effect (P > 0.05) on the carcass conformation score. Instrumental measures of meat quality indicated that meat from NOR bulls was tougher (P < 0.01) than meat from HF bulls, while delaying slaughter increased (P < 0.001) a* and C*ab, and decreased (P < 0.01) h0, indicating improved redness. It is concluded that NOR bulls have higher food efficiency and produce more highly conformed carcasses than HF bulls, but HF bulls produce more tender meat.     

Brood size manipulations reveal relationships among physiological performance,body condition and plumage colour in Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus nestlings

Visual signals of quality in offspring, such as plumage colour, should honestly advertise need and/or body condition, but links between nutritional status, physiological performance and the expression of colours are complex and poorly understood. We assess how food stress during rearing affected two physiological measures (T‐cell‐mediated immune function and corticosterone level in feathers: CORT_f) and how these two variables were related to carotenoid and melanin coloration in Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus nestlings. We were also interested in how these two physiological measures were influenced by the sex of the nestling. We experimentally manipulated brood size to alter levels of food availability to nestlings during development. We measured carotenoid‐based colour (chroma and brightness) in wing feathers and the size of melanin spots on breast feathers. In agreement with our prediction, nestlings in the reduced brood treatment had better body condition and stronger immune responses than those in the control and brood enlargement treatments. This supports the hypothesis that immune responses are energetically costly. In contrast, CORT_f was not related to nestling body condition or sex and was unaffected by brood size manipulation. Nestlings of both sexes with stronger T‐cell‐mediated immune responses had larger melanin spots but only males with higher immune responses also had brighter flight feathers. Feather brightness decreased with increasing CORT_f levels. Our study is one of the few to examine the relationship between multiple physiological and plumage measures in nestlings and shows that plumage colour and immune function signalled body condition of nestlings, but that feather corticosterone levels did not.     

Protein mutagenesis with monodispersity-based quality probing: selective inactivation of p53 degradation and DNA-binding properties of HPV E6 oncoprotein

Interpretation of protein mutagenesis experiments requires the ability to distinguish functionally relevant mutations from mutations affecting the structure. When a protein is expressed soluble in bacteria, properly folded mutants are expected to remain soluble whereas misfolded mutants should form insoluble aggregates. However, this rule may fail for proteins fused to highly soluble carrier proteins. In a previous study, we analysed the biophysical status of HPV oncoprotein E6 fused to the C-terminus of maltose-binding protein (MBP) and found that misfolded E6 moieties fused to MBP formed soluble aggregates of high molecular weight. By contrast, preparations of properly folded E6 fused to MBP were monodisperse. Here, we have used this finding to evaluate the quality of 19 MBP-fused E6 site-directed mutants by using a light scattering assay performed in a fluorimeter. This assay guided us to rule out structurally defective mutants and to obtain functionally relevant E6 mutants selectively altered for two molecular activities: degradation of tumour suppressor p53 and DNA recognition.     

Derivation and characterization of human embryonic stem cell lines from poor quality embryos

Poor quality embryos discarded from in vitro fertilization （IVF） laboratories are good sources for deriving human embryonic stem cell （hESC） lines. In this study, 166 poor quality embryos donated from IVF centers on day 3 were cultured in a blastocyst medium for 2 days, and 32 early blastocysts were further cultured in a blastocyst optimum culture medium for additional 2 days so that the inner cell masses （ICMs） could be identified and isolated easily. The ICMs of 17 blastocysts were isolated by a mechanical method, while those of the other 15 blastocysts were isolated by immunosurgery. All isolated ICMs were inoculated onto a feeder layer for subcultivation. The rates of ICM attachment, primary ICM colony formation and the efficiency of hESC derivation were similar between the ICMs isolated by the two methods （P〉0.05）. As a result, four new hESC lines were established. Three cell lines had normal karyotypes and one had an unbalanced Robertsonian translocation. All cell lines showed normal hESC characteristics and had the differentiation ability. In conclusion, we established a stable and effective method for hESC isolation and culture, and it was confirmed that the mechanical isolation was an effective method to isolate ICMs from poor embryos. These results further indicate that hESC lines can be derived from poor quality embryos discarded by IVF laboratories.     

两种落叶分解过程中养分和碳素的行为

利用分解袋法对日本亚高山针叶林的针叶(Abies veitchii Lindl,and A.mariesi Mast.)和阔叶(Betula ermanii Cham.and B.corylifolia Regal.et Maxim．)凋落物进行了分解实验研究。结果表明尽管分解初期的两种凋落物的养分以及分解后期凋落物剩余重量差异很大,但两种凋落物养分浓度在分解后期(30个月以后)趋于一致。这种趋同现象在不同养分中有不同的趋同机制。氮元素浓度升高到分解后期浓度差变小,这种现象是由于分解菌的固持作用及受木质素的束缚所致;钾和镁在分解初期浓度急剧下降,进而浓度差变小,是由于淋溶作用所致。在分解过程中这些元素非常容易被淋溶掉,直到和土壤中的浓度达到一致为止。钙是结构元素,它的行踪和有机物组分有密切关系。由于分解后期有机组分木质化和腐殖质化进而浓度趋同,所以钙的浓度也相应趋同。     

Seston quality controls zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha ) energetics in turbid rivers

Feeding processes and energetic balance of zebra mussels were both related to the quantity and quality of natural seston. Filtration rate and pseudofeces production increased while clearance rate remained constant with increasing seston concentration. Ingestion rate, assimilation efficiency, and assimilation rate all increased with increasing food quality, measured as the ratio of organic to inorganic material in the seston. Respiration rate did not change with either food quantity or quality. As a result, scope for growth declined with decreasing food quality, and fell below 0 cal mg⁻¹ h⁻¹ at an organic:inorganic ratio of 0.5. The association between feeding processes and food quality appears related to a breakdown in the ability of zebra mussels to selectively ingest high-quality organic particles when the organic content of the seston is low. Ingestion, assimilation efficiency, assimilation rate and scope for growth were all higher when seston was amended with an addition of a natural assemblage of algae. Food quality may be a better indicator of environmental conditions suitable for growth than food quantity. These results suggest that the conditions of high suspended inorganic sediment concentrations in large turbid rivers represent a difficult growth environment for the zebra mussel. Received: 12 May 1997 / Accepted: 7 July 1998