Radioisotope and stable isotope ratios (Δ14C, δ15N) suggest larval lamprey growth is dependent on both fresh and aged organic matter in streams

Lampreys have a complex life cycle which includes a multi‐year infaunal larval stage (ammocoete). Gut content analysis has generally identified detritus (i.e., unidentifiable organic matter) as the major dietary component to ammocoetes, though algae can also be important. However, gut content preserves only a snapshot of the animal's diet and does not reflect assimilated material. In order to better characterise the nutritional sources supporting ammocoete growth, we analysed ammocoete body tissue and potential dietary sources at two streams using natural Δ¹⁴C and δ¹⁵N to estimate time‐integrated nutritional support. Bayesian isotope mixing models revealed differences in the importance of sources supporting ammocoetes between sites. Ammocoetes from a stream in a mixed land usage area (~50% agriculture, ~40% forest and ~10% developed) were primarily supported (mean: ~50%) by fresh terrestrial organic matter but were also supported by substantial contributions (mean: ~30%) by aged organic matter (AOM) and autochthonous material (algae; mean ~20%). In a predominantly forested (~90%) headwater stream, different modelling scenarios (uninformed or informed priors) suggested that algal support of ammocoete nutrition ranged from 7% to 45%. However, the model relying on informed priors developed from gut content analysis produced the low estimates, suggesting these were more reliable. When algae were a minor component of the nutrition at the forested site, ammocoetes were highly dependent on AOM (83 ± 26%; mean ± SD). Based on these findings, ammocoete growth and development are predicted to be strongly influenced by both land use and the availability of allochthonous and autochthonous materials of varying ages within streams.     

8株优良大豆根瘤菌与不同地区27个大豆主栽品种的匹配性研究

大豆是我国重要的油料作物和高蛋白粮饲兼用作物,具有与根瘤菌共生固氮的能力。近十几年来,我国大豆品种更新快,导致大豆根瘤菌株与新品种匹配能力差、接种效果不明显。筛选与主栽大豆品种匹配性好、固氮效率高的广谱性优良菌株,可为针对性的施用大豆根瘤菌接种剂提供菌种资源和方案。选取本实验室前期分离保存的6个优良快生型大豆根瘤菌株和2个慢生型大豆根瘤菌株,在砂培盆栽条件下与不同地区的27个大豆主栽品种进行匹配试验。测定分析了植株地上部分生物量、高度、根瘤数量、根瘤生物量和根瘤固氮酶活指标。结果表明:不同大豆根瘤菌之间结瘤固氮能力存在极显著的差异;供试根瘤菌均能够与国内24个大豆品种结瘤,广谱性较好;植株地上部分高度、根瘤数量、根瘤生物量和根瘤固氮酶活与地上部分生物量呈显著相关;大部分接种根瘤菌后的植物生物量显著高于CK;HN01、GR3、HH29、HH103匹配性和固氮效率均不逊色于USDA110,具有在东北地区、黄淮海地区、长江流域、东南地区推广的潜能;从品种来看,中豆39、BD2、天隆1号与8株供试大豆根瘤菌的匹配接种表现出高生物量特点。此外,本文还筛选出大豆-大豆根瘤菌的表型最佳匹配组合中豆39-GR3,适合长江流域地区;同样筛选到东北地区、黄淮海地区、东南地区最佳匹配组合,分别是HN01-辽豆14、HN01-徐豆14、HN01-BD2。本文初步建立了优良根瘤菌与大豆主栽品种的匹配关系,为在田间试验中进一步筛选和应用这些优良菌株提供了材料和指导。     

控释肥对花生氮代谢相关酶活性的影响

大田条件下,以花育22号和花育20号为试验材料,设控释肥(T1)、控释肥减施(T2)、普通肥料(T3)和不施肥(T4)处理,研究了控释肥对花生氮代谢相关酶活性的影响。结果表明,与不施肥处理相比,施肥处理花生结荚期和成熟期根系和叶片的可溶性蛋白含量、NRase、GDH、GS、GPT等活性显著增加。各施肥处理间比较,与普通肥料相比,控释肥可有效提高花生结荚期和成熟期根、叶可溶性蛋白质含量,增加氮代谢相关酶NRase、GDH、GS、GPT等活性;控释肥减施处理花生根叶可溶性蛋白含量和相关酶活性花生生育前期低于控释肥处理和普通肥料处理,但成熟期和普通肥料处理差异不显著。总之,控释肥比普通无机肥更有利于花生生育后期氮素同化和蛋白质的合成,延缓根系和叶片衰老。     

Selection efficiency of high inorganic phosphorus-low stachyose lines from soybean breeding populations of different genetic backgrounds

Reducing the antinutritional components of soybean (Glycine max) seed is necessary for producing animal feed with increased metabolizable energy and nutrient availability. The objective of this study was to evaluate marker-assisted and phenotypic selection for the high inorganic phosphorus (Pi) and low stachyose traits controlled by the Lpa and MIPS1 mutations in six breeding populations. Phenotypic selection for low phytate individuals carrying Lpa mutations using Pi was reliable, but the assay should include parental genotypes to construct thresholds before performing selections, as the effect of Lpa on Pi depends on genetic background. Phenotypic selection for low phytate individuals carrying MIPS1 using Pi should be complemented with sugar data because selection based solely on Pi may be inefficient, as this trait is not environmentally stable in MIPS1 germplasm. Marker-assisted selection for simple sequence repeat (SSR) linked to Lpa2 (Satt527, Satt561) depended on the pedigree of the population suggesting that perfect markers (e.g., single nucleotide polymorphism) should become the molecular tool for screening a large number of progenies with high efficiency.     

Three dimensional (3D) spatial metrics for objects

Landscape Ecology - The increasing availability of lidar data and structure from motion processing techniques is moving pattern metric research toward the development of three-dimensional (3D)...     

Inhibition of postharvest senescence of green leafy vegetables by exogenous D-cysteine and L-cysteine as precursors of hydrogen sulphide

Hydrogen sulphide (H₂S) inhibits senescence in harvested fruit and vegetables but presents logistical, safety and regulatory issues to become a commercial treatment. D-cysteine and L-cysteine are semi-essential amino acids that are metabolised to hydrogen sulphide by plant tissues albeit by different pathways. This paper examines the effect of cysteine on postharvest senescence of three green leafy vegetables. Spraying pak choy leaves with 10 mmol D-cysteine, L-cysteine or DL-cysteine inhibited leaf senescence through a delayed loss of green colour expressed as market life, reduced respiration rate and reduced ethylene production. The beneficial effects of cysteine were similar to those achieved by fumigation with hydrogen sulphide. L-cysteine sprays on parsley and peppermint leaves also showed reduced leaf colour loss and respiration compared to untreated leaves. Cysteine, either as the racemate or individual enantiomers, is considered to have commercial potential for green leafy vegetables as it provides the beneficial effect of hydrogen sulphide but should be easier to register for commercial use due to the GRAS status of L-cysteine.     

NBA sweet spots: Distance‐based impacts on establishment‐level sales

This paper examines distance‐based effects of the introduction of a National Basketball Association (NBA) team on establishment‐level sales. Using a unique micro dataset with precise geographic location information and industry detail, we apply spatio‐temporal estimation strategies following Harger et al. and Ahlfeldt and Kavetsos. We build on the literature by focusing on sales activity, a broad measure of economic activity, for industries related to the NBA‐product. Our application considers the relocation of the NBA’s Seattle franchise (Supersonics) to Oklahoma City (Thunder). The results reveal spatially differentiated impacts that would be obscured using data aggregated over space or industry. Specifically, food establishments exhibit increased sales and entertainment establishments exhibit decreased sales relative to establishments in the outer most ring of the study area.     

Impact of land‐use intensity on the relationships between vegetation indices,photosynthesis and biomass of intensively and extensively managed grassland fens

Vegetation indices are widely used as model inputs and for non‐destructive estimation of biomass and photosynthesis, but there have been few validation studies of the underlying relationships. To test their applicability on temperate fens and the impact of management intensity, we investigated the relationships between normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), leaf area index (LAI), brown and green above‐ground biomass and photosynthesis potential (PP). Only the linear relationship between NDVI and PP was management independent (R² = 0·53). LAI to PP was described by a site‐specific and negative logarithmic function (R² = 0·07–0·68). The hyperbolic relationship of LAI versus NDVI showed a high residual standard error (s.e.) of 1·71–1·84 and differed between extensive and intensive meadows. Biomass and LAI correlated poorly (R² = 0·30), with high species‐specific variability. Intensive meadows had a higher ratio of LAI to biomass than extensive grasslands. The fraction of green to total biomass versus NDVI showed considerable noise (s.e. = 0·13). These relationships were relatively weak compared with results from other ecosystems. A likely explanation could be the high amount of standing litter, which was unevenly distributed within the vegetation canopy depending on the season and on the timing of cutting events. Our results show there is high uncertainty in the application of the relationships on temperate fen meadows. For reliable estimations, management intensity needs to be taken into account and several direct measurements throughout the year are required for site‐specific correction of the relationships, especially under extensive management. Using NDVI instead of LAI could reduce uncertainty in photosynthesis models.     

Effect of beclin-1 gene silencing on TuAKe-injured gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells

AIM: To observe the effect of beclin-1 silencing by the technique of RNA interference on the injury of human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cell by Sheliugu extract (the extract from tuber of Amorphophallus konjac, TuAKe). METHODS: To knock down the expression of beclin-1 gene, SGC-7901 cells were transfected with lentiviral vector carrying beclin-1-shRNA. The beclin-1 gene knock-down and non-knock-down SGC-7901 cells were treated with TuAKe. The cell viability was analyzed by CKK-8 assay. The percentages of apoptotic cells were detected by flow cytometry. The expression of beclin-1 and LC3 was detected by Western blot. RESULTS: The beclin-1 gene silencing decreased the protein expression of beclin-1 and increased the protein expression of LC3 in the SGC-7901 cells, leading to the decrease in cell viability and the increase in apoptotic rate (P<0.05). TuAKe increased the protein expression of beclin-1 and LC3 in the SGC-7901 cells, and decreased the protein expression of LC3 in the SGC-7901 cells with beclin-1 gene silencing, thus inhibiting the cell viability and increasing the apoptotic rate (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Beclin-1 gene silencing inhibits the activation of beclin-1-related signaling pathway in gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells, and aggravates the injury of cell viability induced by TuAKe.     

智慧图书馆微观知识生态系统运行机理研究

伴随多元化时代的来临,用户的知识需求日益多元化、专业化,对图书馆服务提出了新的挑战。对智慧图书馆微观知识生态系统运行机理的研究,能够为新型知识服务提供理论基础,保障知识资源进行有效的优化整合,实现服务升级。文章在简要分析智慧图书馆微观知识生态系统四大要素的基础上,着重从社会发展、技术进步,知识富集、优化调整和需求驱动、服务升级三方面探讨其形成动因,重点分析智慧图书馆微观知识生态系统的生命周期,最后从合作、循环和保障三方面探讨其运行机理。