Do different culture intervals (2 × 24 hours) after thaw of cleavage stage embryos affect pregnancy rates? A randomized controlled trial

The aim of the study was to evaluate whether selecting embryos for transfer after prolonged culture after thaw (18–24 h) has better pregnancy rates than selecting embryos for transfer after short culture after thaw (2–5 h).We performed a double-blinded, randomized, controlled trial, evaluating 388 patients submitted to ART treatment who had embryos frozen on day-2 and subsequently transferred. All patients received the same endometrial priming with estradiol valerate followed by vaginal progesterone. Patients were randomized for Frozen embryo transfer 2–5 h after thaw (Group D2) or 18–24 h after thaw (Group D2/D3). The main Outcome Measure was ongoing pregnancy rate (OPR) at 20 weeks' gestation per embryo transfer.A total of 179 patients had embryos transferred 2–5 h after thaw and 209 patients had embryos transferred 18–24 h after thaw. The mean age in group D2 was 36 ± 4.4 and 36 ± 5.4 in group D2/D3. Ongoing pregnancy rate was 28% and 33.5% (p = 0.2) for groups D2 and D2/D3, respectively.These results suggest that increasing the culture time of embryos in one day to improve selection before transfer does not increase ongoing pregnancy rate.Clinical trial registration numberNCT03381001.     

间伐强度对马尾松人工林间伐初期林下植被群落物种组成和多样性的影响

以川东低山区29年生马尾松人工林为对象,研究了不同间伐强度(0、10%、20%、30%、40%、50%)处理1年后林下植被群落物种组成与多样性分异特征初期响应。结果表明: 各间伐处理均能降低草本植物芒、芒萁的优势地位,而各处理灌木的优势物种组成较复杂,中等间伐强度(20%、30%、40%)处理泛化种较其他处理明显增多。各多样性指数随间伐强度增高呈现先增后降的变化趋势,草本植物较灌木的分异性更强,且各指数与土壤含水量均呈显著正相关。间伐强度与土壤理化性质对群落分异解释量为81%,中等间伐强度林下植被群落除全磷外与其他因子表现出正相关关系。间伐初期草本植物群落较灌木群落更能积极响应干扰;40%间伐强度处理与土壤环境因子关系紧密,群落稳定性高,物种最为丰富,为本试验条件下间伐措施的最佳处理。     

The PHIST protein GEXP02 targets the host cytoskeleton during sexual development of Plasmodium falciparum

A hallmark of the biology of Plasmodium falciparum blood stage parasites is their extensive host cell remodelling, facilitated by parasite proteins that are exported into the erythrocyte. Although this area has received extensive attention, only a few exported parasite proteins have been analysed in detail, and much of this remodelling process remains unknown, particularly for gametocyte development. Recent advances to induce high rates of sexual commitment enable the production of large numbers of gametocytes. We used this approach to study the Plasmodium helical interspersed subtelomeric (PHIST) protein GEXP02, which is expressed during sexual development. We show by immunofluorescence that GEXP02 is exported to the gametocyte‐infected host cell periphery. Co‐immunoprecipitation revealed potential interactions between GEXP02 and components of the erythrocyte cytoskeleton as well as other exported parasite proteins. This indicates that GEXP02 targets the erythrocyte cytoskeleton and is likely involved in its remodelling. GEXP02 knock‐out parasites show no obvious phenotype during gametocyte maturation, transmission through mosquitoes, and hepatocyte infection, suggesting auxiliary or redundant functions for this protein. In summary, we performed a detailed cellular and biochemical analysis of a sexual stage‐specific exported parasite protein using a novel experimental approach that is broadly applicable to study the biology of P. falciparum gametocytes.     

芝麻营养生长期枯萎病抗性鉴定技术研究

芝麻枯萎病是芝麻主要真菌病害之一,由尖孢镰刀菌芝麻专化型(FOS,Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.sesami)引起,主要在苗期和成株期发生。为精准评价营养生长时期(2对真叶~现蕾)芝麻种质对FOS菌株的抗性水平,试验分析了FOS菌液浓度、蘸根接菌时间、致病力等条件下芝麻种质枯萎病病症及病情指数变化规律,建立了营养生长期芝麻枯萎病抗性精准鉴定方法。结果表明,1×10^6 cfu/mL^5×10^6 cfu/mL浓度下,植株蘸根接菌处理1~2周即可发病;第4周样本枯萎病病情指数趋于稳定。上述方法反映不同芝麻种质营养生长期对FOS菌株的抗性水平以及不同FOS菌株的致病力。营养生长期芝麻枯萎病发生可分为0~4级共5个等级。采用上述鉴定方法对42份芝麻种质进行抗枯萎病鉴定结果显示,野生种Sesamum radiatum Thonn.ex Hornem.高抗枯萎病(DI=0),而S.angustifolium(Oliv.)Engl.高感枯萎病(DI=100)。40份栽培种资源中,高感(HS)种质比例极高(55%),抗病种质比例较低(27.5%)。研究结果为深入开展芝麻抗枯萎病遗传机理分析提供了技术支持。     

Abundances of thrips on plants in vegetative and flowering stages are related to plant volatiles

Western flower thrips (WFTs), Frankliniella occidentalis Pergrande, and onion thrips (OTs), Thrips tabaci Lindeman, are two cosmopolitan insect pests of agricultural and horticultural plants. Understanding the occurrence and development of thrips on plants is crucial for identifying suitable plants that can be used for developing a “push-pull” strategy against thrips. In this study, the dynamics of WFTs and OTs on plants (Allium fistulosum L., Medicago sativa L., Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem., Ocimum basilicum L., and Schizonepeta tenuifolia (Benth.) Briq.) were investigated for two consecutive years (2018–2019). Throughout the survey, the abundances of both thrips species were strongly associated with plant species and plant phenology; both thrips species were present at relatively high densities on M. sativa but very low densities on O. basilicum and S. tenuifolia. Populations of both thrips species greatly increased during plant flowering. A Y-tube olfactory test was used to study the effects of plant volatiles in mediating thrips behaviour and showed that volatiles of M. sativa were attractive to both thrips species whether emitted by the plant in the vegetative or flowering stage, while volatiles of O. basilicum and S. tenuifolia were repellent to thrips. Additionally, because of the presence of a high number of floral chemicals, both thrips species exhibited a greater preference for volatiles emitted by plants in the flowering period over those emitted by plants in the vegetative period. Our observations indicate that plant species and flowering status play an important role in the abundance dynamics of thrips and that the volatiles of flowering plants attract thrips more strongly than volatiles emitted by vegetative plants. These findings can facilitate the screening of attractive/unattractive plants for developing push-pull strategies to control thrips.     

Potential vector switching in the evolution of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus group nematodes (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae)

To show the importance of vector switching of nematodes in the evolution of the Bursaphelenchus xylophilus group, we tested a hypothesis that “Bursaphelenchus doui (or its ancestor) was transferred by Acalolepta fraudatrix, Acalolepta sejuncta, and/or Monochamus subfasciatus (or their ancestral species) from broad‐leaved trees to conifers, switched vectors from these cerambycid beetles to Monochamus beetles in conifers, and then evolved into the common ancestor of Bursaphelenchus mucronatus and B. xylophilus.” We used a simple nematode‐loading method to beetles and produced 20 binary combinations of five B. xylophilus group species and four cerambycid beetle species in the tribe Lamiini. The affinity of the nematodes for the beetles was examined based on phoretic stage formation of the nematodes. Phoretic stages of B. doui appeared in all beetle species examined, namely Acalolepta luxuriosa, Psacothea hilaris, A. fraudatrix, and Monochamus alternatus, although the affinity of the nematode for M. alternatus was weak. This finding indicates that B. doui could switch vectors to conifer‐using Monochamus beetles after transfer by A. fraudatrix from broad‐leaved trees to conifers. We conclude that vector switching of nematodes could have potentially happened during the evolutionary history of the B. xylophilus group.     

Coordination between plant and apex development in Hordeum vulgare ssp. distichum

Developmental scales for cereals describe apex and plant morphology separately. In order to link crucial steps of internal and external development, in three varieties of Hordeum vulgare spp. distichum L., sown in autumn and in spring, we recorded plant, leaf and apex stage, following the scales of Zadoks, Haun, and Banerjee and Wienhues, the number of primordia, culm and spike length, and the final number of leaves and spikelets. Primordia initiation was coordinated with leaf appearance and the relative rate was constant for the initiation of productive primordia. The maximum number of primordia was achieved just before the first node became detectable, but development was completed only by those initiated before floret differentiation and internode distension started. The first spikelet was initiated when the third leaf tip became visible, and the last one when plants were at the pseudo stem erection stage and five leaves had still to appear.     

Suitability of various stages of mealybug,Phenacoccus solenopsis (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae) for development and survival of the solitary endoparasitoid,Aenasius bambawalei (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae)

Aenasius bambawalei has been recently reported as a solitary endoparasitoid of Phenacoccus solenopsis in India. Laboratory experiments were conducted comparing the parasitoid's preference for the three developmental stages of mealybug and its effect on parasitism, development, progeny fitness and sex ratio of A. bambawalei. The studies revealed third instar mealybugs as the most preferred stage for development of the parasitoid.     

Plasticity of reproductive traits responding to variation in light availability at the rosette stage of the first year in a strict biennial,Pedicularis torta,from a field on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau,China

Light is a fundamental heterogeneous environmental factor for plants and often varies at both spatial and temporal scales. In the present study, we carried out a shading experiment to investigate the effect of variable light availability at the rosette stage of the first year in the strict biennial species Pedicularis torta (an endemic species of the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau) on reproductive traits (i.e. total number of flowers per plant, total number of fruits per plant/total number of flowers per plant, the number of seeds per fruit, mean individual seed mass and estimation of the total number of seeds per plant, plant size at maturity in the second year and on the relationships between reproductive traits and plant size at this stage). We found that light availability affected most of the reproductive traits (except for mean individual seed mass), plant size at maturity in the second year, and the relationship between the total number of flowers per plant and plant size at this stage. Our results indicate that reproductive traits respond to changes in light availability during the rosette plant stage.     

Effect of organic loading rate on VFA production, organic matter removal and microbial activity of a two-stage thermophilic anaerobic membrane bioreactor

This study focused on the VFA (volatile fatty acid) profile variation with organic loading rate (OLR) of a two stage thermophilic anaerobic membrane bioreactor (TAnMBR). The two stage TAnMBR treating high strength molasses-based synthetic wastewater was operated under a side-stream partial sedimentation mode at 55 °C. Reactor performances were studied at different OLR ranging from 5 to 12 kg COD m⁻³ d⁻¹. Operational performance of TAnMBR was monitored by assessing biological activity, organic removal efficiency, and VFA. The major intermediate products of anaerobic digestion were identified as acetate, propionate, iso-butyrate, n-butyrate and valerate. Among them acetate and n-butyrate were identified as the most abundant components. Increase of OLR changes the predominant VFA type from acetic acid to n-butyric acid and the total VFA concentration was increased with increased OLR. Moreover, increased OLR increased organic removal efficiency up to second loading rate and dropped in third loading rate while biological activity was increased continuously.