Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on agricultural exports

The COVID-19 outbreak has shocked the world's economies in the year of 2020. As this pandemic spreads around the globe, many experts feared that the global food supplies might start running short, especially if supply chains were disrupted. COVID-19 also added to the uncertainty of the business operation. Therefore, it is critical to understand how COVID-19 pandemic affected global food supply and market. In this study, we investigate the impact of COVID-19 on agricultural export companies in China using a unique firm-level survey data. We found that although on average agricultural businesses experienced declines in the exports, exports of some agricultural products especially grain and oil held strong and even increased, implying the essential demand for staple food during the pandemic. Not surprisingly, exports of medicinal herb also increased significantly during the pandemic. However, exports of goods such as edible fungus and horticultural products sharply decreased. Our results also showed that in general, impact of COVID-19 on smaller firms was more severe than that on larger firms. The results of this study can provide useful guidance and implications for agricultural businesses and policy makers on their COVID-19 mitigation efforts to navigate this global pandemic.     

EPS364, a Novel Deep-Sea Bacterial Exopolysaccharide,Inhibits Liver Cancer Cell Growth and Adhesion

The prognosis of liver cancer was inferior among tumors. New medicine treatments are urgently needed. In this study, a novel exopolysaccharide EPS364 was purified from Vibrio alginolyticus 364, which was isolated from a deep-sea cold seep of the South China Sea. Further research showed that EPS364 consisted of mannose, glucosamine, gluconic acid, galactosamine and arabinose with a molar ratio of 5:9:3.4:0.5:0.8. The relative molecular weight of EPS364 was 14.8 kDa. Our results further revealed that EPS364 was a β-linked and phosphorylated polysaccharide. Notably, EPS364 exhibited a significant antitumor activity, with inducing apoptosis, dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in Huh7.5 liver cancer cells. Proteomic and quantitative real-time PCR analyses indicated that EPS364 inhibited cancer cell growth and adhesion via targeting the FGF19-FGFR4 signaling pathway. These findings suggest that EPS364 is a promising antitumor agent for pharmacotherapy.     

河套地区种植方式与密度对'张杂谷19号'产量的影响

为明确河套地区不同栽培模式对'张杂谷19号'产量的影响,以新抗旱谷子杂交种'张杂谷19号'为试验材料,研究3种种植方式（干旱无膜、干旱覆膜及灌溉无膜）和5种密度（4.5万、9万、13.5万、22.5万、45万株/hm²）对'张杂谷19号'稳产和丰产性的影响。结果表明,正常灌溉条件下,'张杂谷9号'的产量随着种植密度的增加而增加。当密度为45万株/hm²时产量最高,达到8724.36 kg/hm²。而干旱条件下,适宜种植密度可以同样获得较高产量,与正常灌溉条件下最高产量差异不显著。当种植密度为9万~ 45万株/hm²时,产量普遍提高到7700 kg/hm²以上,最高可达8654.33 kg/hm²。河套地区'张杂谷19号'播前灌溉1次足水、地膜覆盖及种植密度9万~45万株/hm²,可以实现水分高效利用和产量达到较高水平。     

鸡传染性贫血病毒VP1、VP2基因在杆状病毒表达系统中的表达

将鸡传染性贫血病毒M9905株VP1、VP2基因分别或同时克隆到杆状病毒转移载体pFastBacDUAL中，然后转化到DHIOBAC感受态细胞中与Bacmid杆状病毒穿梭载体进行转座重组，最后将重组子转染Sf9昆虫细胞，得到分别或同时含VP1、VP2基因的重组杆状病毒rBacVP1、rBacVP2及rBacVP1—2。PCR扩增结果证实VP1、VP2基因重组到杆状病毒基因组中；SDS-PAGE电泳分析和间接免疫荧光试验结果表明VP1、VP2基因在重组病毒中得到了表达。     

鸡传染性腔上囊病病毒VP2基因在昆虫细胞中的表达

为了深入研究鸡传染性腔上囊病病毒（IBDV）VP2基因的结构和功能,利用Bac-to-Bac系统研制出含有VP2基因的重组杆状病毒rBac-VP2,将rBac-VP2感染Sf9细胞,并用抗IBDV VP2特异性单克隆抗体经间接免疫荧光试验检测,证实感染重组病毒Sf9细胞能高效表达IBDV VP2基因产物;Western-blotting分析结果表明,VP2基因表达产物的分子质量约为40 ku.     

鹅细小病毒VP2基因在大肠杆菌中的表达及纯化

将鹅细小病毒 (GPV) VP2基因插入原核表达载体 p PROEX- HTb,获得重组表达质粒 p PROEX- HTb- VP2。将其转化大肠杆菌 DH5α,用 IPTG诱导表达 ,表达菌体蛋白中可产生与预期大小相符的约 72 0 0 0的蛋白。以光密度扫描对该表达产物进行定量分析 ,表达产物约占菌体总蛋白的 14 %。经 His- tag金属螯合层析纯化 ,获得纯度较高的 6 His- VP2融合蛋白。 Western- blot结果表明 ,所得蛋白与鹅抗 GPV高免血清有较好的免疫反应性 ,说明在 VP2的 N端融合 6个组氨酸不影响其与特异抗体结合的活性。     

IBDV地方变异株VP2基因的克隆与特性鉴定

应用 RT- PCR技术对 1株分离于地方免疫鸡群中暴发的传染性法氏囊病病例的传染性法氏囊病病毒 ( infec-tious bursal disease virus,IBDV) HN0 2 6株的 VP2基因进行了克隆与序列分析 ,并与相应毒株的 VP2高变区核苷酸及氨基酸序列进行了比较研究。结果表明 ,HN0 2 6株的核苷酸和氨基酸序列与变异株 Var- A的同源性最高 ,分别达97.3%和 97.6 % ;其次为超强毒株 UK6 6 1 ,分别为 95 .7%和 95 .2 % ;而和弱毒株 PBG98的同源率仅有 92 .8%和90 .3%。其中 ,在第一、二亲水区 ,HN0 2 6株均有 1个氨基酸发生了变化 ,即第 2 2 2位转变为 E、第 31 8位转变为 D。更重要的是 ,其 2 4 9位和 2 5 4位上的氨基酸分别为 K和 S,这些均为变异株的特性。另外 ,HN0 2 6株的七肽区保持SWSASGS不变 ,且第 2 79位和 2 84位氨基酸分别为 D和 A,又完全具备强毒株的特性。因此 ,初步确定所分离的HN0 2 6为有较强致病力的变异株 IBDV。     

SLeX和CK19表达与甲状腺乳头状癌浸润转移的关系

目的探讨SLeX和CK19蛋白在甲状腺乳头状癌中的表达及其与癌组织浸润转移的关系。方法应用免疫组化染色EliVisionTMplus两步法检测127例甲状腺乳头状癌组织和30例癌旁甲状腺组织中SLeX和CK19蛋白的表达状况。结果甲状腺乳头状癌组织SLeX和CK19总体阳性表达率分别为70.1%和96.1%,显著高于癌旁甲状腺组织(P0.05);存在浸润和伴有淋巴结转移者,SLeX和CK19阳性表达率显著高于无浸润和无淋巴结转移者(P0.05);SLeX与CK19表达具有一定正相关性(r=0.30)。结论 SLeX和CK19在甲状腺乳头状癌组织中多数呈强阳性表达,两者与癌组织浸润转移密切相关。