A New Technique Facilitating Studies of Scant Cell Specimens

A simple method is described by which multiple cytological and cytochemical studies can be done on a clinical sample that contains relatively few cells. The cells are concentrated by centrifugation. The cell pellet is fixed, frozen and embedded in plastic. Thin (2-μm) sections are cut from the plastic. Thus, each cell may appear in several sections and many slides can be made from a single specimen. The advantages of this method over cytospins and Millipore filter preparations of cell suspensions are optimal utilization of all cells, excellent morphological and immunological preservation and ease and reproducibility of this technique.     

Resurrecting complexity: the interplay of plasticity and rapid evolution in the multiple trait response to strong changes in predation pressure in the water flea Daphnia magna

A resurrection ecology reconstruction of 14 morphological, life history and behavioural traits revealed that a natural Daphnia magna population rapidly tracked changes in fish predation by integrating phenotypic plasticity and widespread evolutionary changes both in mean trait values and in trait plasticity. Increased fish predation mainly generated rapid adaptive evolution of plasticity (especially in the presence of maladaptive ancestral plasticity) resulting in an important change in the magnitude and direction of the multivariate reaction norm. Subsequent relaxation of the fish predation pressure resulted in reversed phenotypic plasticity and mainly caused evolution of the trait means towards the ancestral pre‐fish means. Relaxation from fish predation did, however, not result in a complete reversal to the ancestral fishless multivariate phenotype. Our study emphasises that the study population rapidly tracked environmental changes through a mosaic of plasticity, evolution of trait means and evolution of plasticity to generate integrated phenotypic changes in multiple traits.     

采用常规电泳设备建立CLARITY透明脑技术

目的:CLARITY是一种全新的组织形态学研究技术,在脑结构与功能研究中具有重要用途。探讨能否采用常规电泳设备开展该项技术。方法:从ICR雌性小鼠取得新鲜脑组织,依次进行多聚甲醛组织固定、聚丙烯酰胺水凝胶包埋、SDS电泳洗涤,通过拍照记录结果。结果:多聚甲醛固定和水凝胶包埋后的脑组织呈乳白色,柔软富有弹性;电泳洗涤后的脑组织从周边开始逐渐透明化,至洗涤第10 d时呈现均匀的半透明状态,可用于三维神经网络原位分析。结论:研究结果为采用常规电泳设备开展CLARITY技术提供了基础数据。     

Fibrin clots keep non-adhering living cells in place on glass for perfusion or fixation

We describe a method to hold living cells in place that ordinarily do not adhere to glass coverslips. The method, developed for insect spermatocytes but with application to other cell types, consists of embedding cells in a fibrin clot that forms after the enzyme thrombin cleaves the blood protein fibrinogen. The method permits continuous observation of living cells as they are treated with and recover from drug or other treatments: when held in the clot the living cells remain in place and keep their shapes when perfused with drugs that ordinarily cause drastic shape changes, and they remain in place and keep their shapes through lysis/fixation procedures. We describe how to place live cells in a fibrin clot and how subsequently to perfuse them.     

Life Cycle Impacts of Natural Fiber Composites for Automotive Applications: Effects of Renewable Energy Content and Lightweighting

This study examines the life cycle energy demand and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with substituting natural cellulose and kenaf in place of glass fibers in automotive components. Specifically, a 30 wt% glass‐fiber composite component weighing 3 kilograms (kg) was compared to a 30 wt% cellulose fiber composite component (2.65 kg) and 40 wt% kenaf fiber composite component (2.79 kg) for six cars, crossovers, and sport utility vehicles. The use‐phase fuel consumption of the baseline and substitute components, with and without powertrain resizing, were determined using a mass‐induced fuel consumption model based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency test records. For all vehicles, compared to the baseline glass fiber component, using the cellulose composite material reduced life cycle energy demand by 9.2% with powertrain resizing (7.2% without) and reduced life cycle GHG emissions by 18.6% with powertrain resizing (16.3% without), whereas the kenaf composite component reduced energy demand by 6.0% with powertrain resizing (4.8% without) and GHG emissions by 10.7% with powertrain resizing (9.2% without). For both natural fiber components, the majority of the life cycle energy savings is realized in the use‐phase fuel consumption as a result of the reduced weight of the component.     

Effect of solarization of soil within plastic bags on root rot of gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii L.)

Solarization of soil, (potting mix = coarse sand:Eucalyptus marginata fines = 1∶1) infested with 3 fungi pathogenic to gerbera (Phytophthora cryptogea, Fusarium oxysporum andRhizoctonia solani), for 3 to 4 weeks within transparent polyethylene bags controlled root rot of gerbera. Solarization for 2 weeks however, was less effective. All plants grown in the infested potting mix which had been kept in shade for 2, 3 or 4 weeks were severely attacked. Solarization of soil within plastic bags for 4 weeks also increased availability of nutrients such as NH₄ ⁺-N, PO₄ ⁻ and K⁺ in comparison to bagged soil kept in the shade for the same period.     

不同海拔下全程覆膜对烤烟光合功能和产量、质量的影响

以烤烟"云烟87"为材料,研究了在湖北省恩施州2种海拔下(1000、1300 m),全程覆膜和团棵期揭膜培土2种措施对烤烟光合功能和产量、质量的影响.结果表明:在2个海拔下,全程覆膜均会在烟株生育后期引起净光合速率和叶绿素含量快速下降,加速了光合功能的衰退,从而导致光合同化物分解加速;在海拔1000 m处,团棵期揭膜培土措施提高了烤烟总体光合功能,增加光合同化产物,明显提高产量和品质;在海拔1300 m处,虽然全程覆膜有早衰现象发生,但总体光合功能及其同化产物含量仍处于较高水平;在本试验条件下,在海拔1000 m处提倡采用团棵期揭膜培土的措施,在海拔1300 m处提倡采用全程覆膜的生产措施.

Abstract：

Field experiments were conducted at the elevations 1000 m and 1300 m in Enshi Autonomous Prefecture of Hubei to study the effects of plastic film mulching in whole growth period and of uncovering plastic film and hilling at rosette stage on the photosynthetic function,yield,and quality of flue-cured tobacco Yunyan 87.At the two elevations,plastic film mulching in whole growth period caused a rapid decrease of net photosynthetic rate and leaf chlorophyll content at the later growth stages of tobacco,and thus,accelcrated the decline of photosynthetic function,and induced the rapid decomposition of assimilation products.At the elevation 1000 m,uncovering plastic film and hilling at rosette stage enhanced the photosynthetic function,in creased the assimilation products,and improved tobacco yield and quality.At elevation 1300 m,plastic film mulching in whole growth period caused the premature senescence,but maintained the photosynthetic function and assimilation products at a higher level.It was advocated that in the study area,plastic film mulching in whole growth period and uncovering plastic film and hilling at rosette stage would be appropriate for cultivating flue-cured tobacco at the elevations 1300m and 1000 m,respectively.     

川中丘陵区覆膜栽培再生稻对CH4排放的影响

为探讨覆膜栽培再生稻对CH_4排放的影响,采用静态箱-气相色谱法观测了川中丘陵区2016和2017年覆膜条件下再生稻田的CH_4排放通量。试验设置覆膜单季中稻(SR)和覆膜中稻-再生稻(SR-RR)两个处理。结果表明:SR-RR处理中稻季提前出现CH_4排放峰,再生季CH_4排放量少,约占两季总排放的8%—10%。全观测期内SR-RR处理两季的CH_4排放总量为103—306 kg/hm~2,比SR处理的单季排放量高11%—16%(P0.05)。SR-RR处理两季稻谷总产量为10.2—10.4 t/hm~2,比SR处理高出19%—22%(P0.05)。SR-RR处理单位产量的CH_4排放量为9.9—30.1 kg/t、,比SR处理减少6%(P0.05)。覆膜条件下种植再生稻,可保证水稻高产稳产,减少单位产量的CH_4排放量,值得推广。     

刈割对苜蓿主要害虫种群数量动态的影响

在甘肃省定西市九华沟系统研究了刈割对苜蓿主要害虫种群数量动态的影响.结果表明,刈割对害虫种群数量的影响在不同害虫种类之间存在明显差异.刈割对苜蓿斑蚜、豌豆蚜和蓟马的控制效果非常明显.6月初第1次刈割能极显著降低其季节平均数量,并使其保持较低的种群密度水平,7月中旬第2次刈割对其季节平均数量的影响小于第1次刈割.刈割对盲蝽种群的影响有所不同,虽然第1次刈割初期盲蝽的种群数量显著低于未刈割田,但刈割后盲蝽的种群数量回升较快,到8月上旬其种群数量显著高于未刈割田.第2次刈割对其季节平均数量的影响大于第1次刈割.     

The Benzidine Staining Method for Blood Vessels

Two modifications of the method are described: A. Living specimens of sabellid and serpluid polychaetes, earthworms, small tadpoles, or fish larvae are immersed in an approximately saturated solution of benzidine for 30 minutes and then 3% hydrogen peroxide is added until bubbles of gas appear. When the blood vessels appear dark blue, the specimens are fixed in acidified 70% alcohol, dehydrated, cleared and either mounted in Canada balsam as whole mounts, or embedded in paraffin, sectioned at 100 to 250µ and mounted. B. Material fixed in 10% formalin in sea-water, or in formalin hypertonic saline, is incubated at 37°C. for one hour in an aqueous mixture containing sodium nitroprusside, 0.1%; benzidine, acetic acid 0.5%, followed by a weak (0.01–0.02%) hydrogen peroxide solution for a further hour, embedded in paraffin, cut into thick sections and mounted.