Antioxidant activity contributes to flavonol cardioprotection during reperfusion of rat hearts

The mechanism of flavonol-induced cardioprotection is unclear. We compared the protective actions of a flavonol that inhibits calcium utilization and has antioxidant activity, 3′,4′-dihydroxyflavonol (DiOHF); a flavonol that affects only calcium activity, 4′-OH-3′-OCH₃-flavonol (4′-OH-3′-OCH₃F); and a water-soluble flavonol with selective antioxidant activity, DiOHF-6-succinamic acid (DiOHF-6-SA), in isolated, perfused rat hearts. Hearts were subjected to global ischemia for 20 min followed by 30 min reperfusion and were treated with vehicle (0.05% DMSO), DiOHF, 4′-OH-3′-OCH₃F, or DiOHF-6-SA (all 10 μM, n = 5-8 per group). Flavonols were infused for 10 min before ischemia and during reperfusion. In vehicle-treated hearts, left-ventricular (LV) + dP/dt was reduced by 60% at the end of reperfusion compared to the preischemic level. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release was elevated and endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) expression was lower in vehicle-treated hearts compared to shams. In comparison, DiOHF treatment improved LV function upon reperfusion, decreased LDH, and preserved eNOS expression. The antioxidant DiOHF-6-SA also preserved contractility, reduced LDH, and preserved eNOS expression. In contrast, hearts treated with 4′-OH-3′-OCH₃F showed a degree of contractile impairment similar to that of the vehicle group. DiOHF and DiOHF-6-SA also exerted cardioprotection when given only during reperfusion and not when administered only before ischemia. Flavonol-induced cardioprotection relies on antioxidant activity and is mainly exerted during reperfusion.     

野生二棱大麦种子休眠型态与农艺性状及生态地理因素相关性研究

对来自以色列不同地区16个生态型野生二棱大麦种子的休眠型态与其农艺性状及起源地生态地里因素的相关性进行了研究。结果表明：高温（40℃）储藏可以打破种子的休眠;16个生态型种子在高温处理下的萌发率表现出显著差异,其休眠打破过程显示出不同型态的对数生长曲线：8个旱生生态型为S型,而8个湿生生态型为倒L型。休眠深度用实际达到最大萌发率的时间度量,最低休眠深度（15·6d）是来自湿润地区＂进化峡谷＂的生态型37-N,而最深休眠深度（103·1d）是来自干旱地区Ein-Zukim（死海附近）的生态型32-6。此外,对11个物候及农艺性状指标与休眠深度做斯皮尔曼秩相关分析,结果有9个显示出显著相关,尤其是粒重与休眠深度有极显著相关性。同时,休眠深度与起源地15个生态地理因素中的9个有显著相关,种子休眠主要受其起源地的地理位置、温度和水分条件等影响。可见,野生二棱大麦自然选择进化了休眠特性去应对干热环境而繁衍生息。本研究结果可用于进一步遗传研究和现代栽培大麦品种的改良。     

孕穗期低温对黑龙江省主栽水稻品种空壳率的影响

障碍型冷害对黑龙江省水稻生产影响巨大,明确主栽水稻品种耐冷性及障碍型冷害的量化指标,可为当地水稻安全生产提供科学依据。本文对黑龙江省4个主栽水稻品种(垦稻12、龙稻3号、龙稻7号和空育131)在孕穗期进行不同低温处理,分析了各处理对水稻空壳率的影响。结果表明:在平均温度为15℃时,孕穗期低温的持续天数是水稻形成障碍型冷害的关键因素;在低温持续时间相同的条件下,昼夜恒温15℃使各品种水稻受低温影响最严重;在不同低温处理条件下,不同品种水稻发生一般障碍型冷害的临界时长为1～4d或5～8d,发生严重障碍型冷害的临界时长为5～8d或8d以上,品种间临界时长有所差异;供试品种中,垦稻12和龙稻3号耐冷性较弱,空育131耐冷性较强,龙稻7号耐冷性居中。     

国家库贮藏20年以上种子生活力与田间出苗率监测

对34种作物1.4万多份的国家库贮存种子进行了生活力监测,结果表明,贮存20年后,92.9%被监测种子的发芽率仍保持在85%以上,但有155份种子（占被监测份数的1.1%）出现了明显的下降（发芽率从80%以上降至70%以下）。发芽率显著下降的作物包括蚕豆、红小豆、黄麻、蓖麻、甜菜、西瓜、烟草、牧草。小麦等8种作物2078份种子的田间出苗率调查表明,所有种质均有出苗,但有8份种质的出苗率低于10%。出苗率与入库初始平均发芽率存在差别,平均出苗率最高的作物为普通菜豆86.2%,比该批入库初始发芽率平均值低9.3%;平均出苗率最低作物为谷子39.2%,比该批种子的入库初始发芽率平均值低51.3%。总体而言,国家库内保存的作物种子中,多数可安全保存20年以上,尤其是水稻等禾谷类作物种子,但对于蚕豆、红小豆等平均监测发芽率出现显著下降的作物种子需要增加监测频率,以确保种子的长期安全保存。     

提高米粒在培养基上发芽率的研究

米粒在培养基上的发芽率与米粒的浸泡时间、消毒时间以及储存时间密切相关,在室温２５℃和１０℃时,浸泡时间分别为２ｈ与４ｈ为佳。消毒适宜时间５ｍｉｎ,米粒随着储存时间越长,发芽率越低。因此,使用当天脱皮的米粒最好。     

An MspI polymorphism at the bovine growth hormone (bGH) gene is linked to a locus affecting milk protein percentage

SSCP analysis of the bovine growth hormone (bGH) gene in Israel Holstein dairy cattle uncovered five intragenic haplotypes, denoted A to E. Of these, Haplotype E differed from the others at six fragments; one of which corresponded to the polymorphic MspI site in intron III, at which haplotype E carried the disabled MspI (-) allele. Haplotype E was observed in a single sire only, carrying haplotype A as the second bGH allele. In 523 daughters of this sire genotyped for the MspI polymorphism, heterozygous (+/-) as compared to homozygous (+/+) daughters, showed a significant increasing effect on protein percentage and kg protein per year; and a decreasing effect (P < 0.10) on milk somatic cell counts (MSSC). None of the daughters were homozygous (-/-), indicating that the frequency of this allele in the general population was essentially zero. Calculated skewness (g1) values for the two daughter groups differed significantly with (+/-) daughters showing negative skewness (in the direction of lower protein percentage), and (+/+) daughters positive skewness (in the direction of higher protein percentage). The direction of skewness in each group is indicative of the presence of a QTL having an increasing effect on milk protein percentage in coupling linkage with the MspI (-) allele in this sire, but at some distance from it. Maximum likelihood estimates of the proportion of recombination (r) between the putative QTL and bGH, and the allele substitution effect at the QTL (d), were r = 0.33, a = 0.07% protein, with standard errors 0.058 and 0.009% protein, respectively.     

Effect of Cystoseira barbata and Dictyota dichotoma-algae on reproduction and protein pattern of Biomphalaria alexandrina snails

Controlling the snail intermediate host of schistosomiasis is one of the strategies used to reduce disease incidence. In this study screening tests were carried out on the action of dried powder of eight algal species against Biomphalaria alexandrina snails. The most effective powders were from Dictyota dichotoma and Cystoseira barbata with LC₅₀ values of 560 and 2200?ppm, respectively. Prolonged exposure to sublethal concentrations of these two powders caused adverse effects on snails' reproduction especially at LC₂₅. Hatchability of exposed eggs was lowest at LC₂₅ of C. barbata, and LC₁₅ of D. dichotoma. The most pronounced effects on the hermaphrodite gland of snails were caused by high concentrations of both algal suspensions, where ova were either degenerated or deformed and there were detrimental effects on all spermatogenesis stages. The electrophoretic separation of haemolymph proteins showed that the concentration with most effect was the LC₁₅ for both tested algae as they resulted in more bands than the control and also an elevation in total protein content.     

The complete mitochondrial genome of Pauropus longiramus (Myriapoda: Pauropoda): implications on early diversification of the myriapods revealed from comparative analysis

Myriapods are among the earliest arthropods and may have evolved to become part of the terrestrial biota more than 400 million years ago. A noticeable lack of mitochondrial genome data from Pauropoda hampers phylogenetic and evolutionary studies within the subphylum Myriapoda. We sequenced the first complete mitochondrial genome of a microscopic pauropod, Pauropus longiramus (Arthropoda: Myriapoda), and conducted comprehensive mitogenomic analyses across the Myriapoda. The pauropod mitochondrial genome is a circular molecule of 14,487 bp long and contains the entire set of thirty-seven genes. Frequent intergenic overlaps occurred between adjacent tRNAs, and between tRNA and protein-coding genes. This is the first example of a mitochondrial genome with multiple intergenic overlaps and reveals a strategy for arthropods to effectively compact the mitochondrial genome by overlapping and truncating tRNA genes with neighbor genes, instead of only truncating tRNAs. Phylogenetic analyses based on protein-coding genes provide strong evidence that the sister group of Pauropoda is Symphyla. Additionally, approximately unbiased (AU) tests strongly support the Progoneata and confirm the basal position of Chilopoda in Myriapoda. This study provides an estimation of myriapod origins around 555 Ma (95% CI: 444-704 Ma) and this date is comparable with that of the Cambrian explosion and candidate myriapod-like fossils. A new time-scale suggests that deep radiations during early myriapod diversification occurred at least three times, not once as previously proposed. A Carboniferous origin of pauropods is congruent with the idea that these taxa are derived, rather than basal, progoneatans.