Unravelling transcriptome changes between two distinct maize inbred lines using RNA-seq

Seed size play a significant role in maize yield production. Two maize inbred lines with distinct seed size and weight, V671 (a large-seed inbred line) and Mc (a small-seed inbred line), were investigated by RNA-seq at 14 days after pollination (DAP), when maize endosperm undergoes an active transition from mitosis to storage accumulation. RNA-seq expression data showed that the small-seed line Mc had a higher storage accumulation activity, whereas the large-seed kernel line V671 possessed a higher DNA synthesis activity. An investigation of the pattern of increasing kernel width at serial DAPs showed that V671 experienced an increased kernel width later than did Mc, but the rate and duration of increase were longer in V671. SDS-PAGE of the storage proteins and quantitative RT-PCR of cell cycle-related genes and indole-3-acetic (IAA) synthesis genes certified that the transition from mitosis to storage accumulation starts earlier in Mc. We hypothesized that the difference in the mitosis-to-storage accumulation transition accounts for the larger seed size in V671 vs. Mc.     

Ground-active arthropod response to distance from the Mediterranean seashore in coastal sand areas of western Israel

Information on the effects of distance from the seashore on soil biotic communities is limited and restricted to soil arthropods and microarthropods. The aim of this study, conducted in a sand-dune area, was to distinguish the changes of a ground-active arthropod community along a 4-km-transect from the seashore going inland. Pitfall traps were set up in open spaces at four locations (L1, through L2, L3, and L4 going inland) through the year. The abiotic gradient from the seashore going inland was found to be mostly dependent on seasonality. Group richness was found to be remarkably greater at the L2, L3, and L4 locations compared with the L1 location in winter, and at the L2 and L3 locations compared with the L1 location in spring. The Fisher α index was 0.32?±?0.21, 3.51?±?0.87, 5.04?±?0.70, and 4.86?±?0.54 in winter and 3.29?±?0.55, 13.79?±?1.49, 10.12?±?1.24, and 5.06?±?0.62 in spring at the L1, L2, L3, and L4 locations, respectively. Regarding abundance and group richness, the trophic relationships between predators, phytophages, omnivores, and saprophages were remarkably affected by both location and seasonality. The dominant groups and dominant index distribution of ground-active arthropod communities were found to follow a similar pattern. Soil organic carbon content was found to be the key factor driving the ground-active arthropod community structure along a coastal gradient going inland in winter and spring. We conclude that the distribution, trophic composition, and diversity index are affected by both location and seasonality, while total abundance is consistently affected by location across all three seasons.     

渐增负荷运动感情反应的变化模式研究*

研究的目的是探讨渐增负荷运动感情反应的变化模式。12名健康大学男生参加功率自行车渐增负荷运动,运动中和运动后测量血乳酸以确定个体乳酸阈,运动中每分钟测量主观运动强度和感情效价。结果显示,群组感情反应在时间上有显著差异,感情反应随强度递增呈线性和阶5下降模式,个体乳酸阈前1s及后面各点FS值均显著低于第1min、第2min的值。个体乳酸阈前感情反应均为积极,接近乳酸阈的感情反应有的积极有的消极,高于乳酸阈的感情反应大部分消极。     

外来植物豚草入侵对土壤碳氮转化的影响

选取撂荒田地为试验样地,以入侵植物豚草（Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.）为对象,以土著优势物种窃衣（Torilis scabra Thunb.）为参照,通过对入侵植物和土著植物根际土壤的采样分析,研究了入侵植物对入侵地土壤特性及土壤碳氮转化的影响。结果表明,与土著物种窃衣相比,豚草入侵使土壤有机质含量增加89.13%,全氮含量增加42.15%,铵态氮含量增加43.69%,硝态氮含量增加35.36%,微生物量碳增加52.08%,微生物量氮增加61.26%,氮净矿化速率增加1.41倍,氮净氨化速率增加206倍,但硝化速率和反硝化速率变化不明显。由此可见,豚草显著改变了入侵地土壤的理化特性,加速了土壤碳氮转化过程。     

稻谷玻璃化转变温度的测定方法及影响因素研究进展

对可测量稻谷玻璃化转变的方法进行了比较分析。简述了稻谷在干燥缓苏过程中影响玻璃化转变的主要因素:温度梯度和水分梯度。在不同的水分梯度稻谷各部位发生玻璃化转变的情况不同,稻谷表面含水量较低,易发生玻璃化转变;而稻谷内部则处于橡胶态,从而产生不同的内应力使稻谷产生裂纹,降低整精米率(HRY)。     

Multifunctionality and agrarian transition in alternative agro‐food production in the global South: The case of organic shrimp certification in the Mekong Delta,Vietnam

Processes of globalisation in the conventional food provision system have had widespread negative impacts on small‐scale farmers. Yet, alternative food networks, which are characterised by more sustainable production/consumption practices and fairer trade relations, have increasingly been ‘going global’ and, in the process, have been integrating small‐scale farms in the South. One such high‐value export‐led commodity is certified organic shrimp. International third‐party certification schemes are becoming popular as a tool to verify the intangible attributes of such commodities. Using concepts of multifunctionality and agrarian change, this paper examines the implications of introducing an international environmental certification programme to a site where the ‘peasantry’ has been preserved and has limited integration in the global agro‐food system. Drawing on a case study that examines the first certified organic shrimp production project in Vietnam, this paper concludes that the current movement towards post‐productivism in the global North has potential to keep local farming practices in the global South by justifying the value of peasant‐like production methods through international certification. As a result, the development path of agrarian transition might be reshaped into a form not necessarily pursuing industrialisation. This leads to the new interpretation of pre‐ and post‐productivism beyond the North and South divide.     

基于结构转换视角的中国重点国有林区经济转型发展路径分析

在我国全面停伐背景下, 实现国有林区经济社会转型迫在眉睫。文中测算、对比和评价2003—2014年全国及重点国有林区产业结构转换速度和方向, 以期掌握重点国有林区近年产业结构变动的基本特征, 得到以下结论:1)重点国有林区各森工林区产业结构转换速度普遍较慢, 同一林区不同产业的增速差异化不显著; 2)重点国有林区产业结构转换方向总体合理, 三次产业比重变动趋势有助于实现林区产业效率均衡与结构稳定; 3)重点国有林区产业结构转换能力整体低于全国水平。根据研究结论, 从巩固非林替代产业、培育主导产业、因地制宜进行产业结构与布局调整、注重制度配套以及深化体制改革等方面提出支撑重点国有林区产业结构调整与经济转型发展的可行路径。     

Economic growth and nutrition transition: an empirical analysis comparing demand elasticities for foods in China and Russia

This study provides empirical evidence on the link between economic growth and nutrition transition in two emerging economies, China and Russia. Both countries have experienced rising average incomes, accompanied by an increasing rate of nutrition-related chronic diseases in recent years. Given the regional heterogeneity between these two countries, we analyze the extent to which income growth as a major driver of nutrition transition has a significant effect on the consumption of different food aggregates and how these effects differ between Chinese and Russian consumers. Our results indicate that with increasing household incomes over time the demand for carbohydrates decreases, while the demand for meat and dairy products, as well as fruits increases. This is a development generally known as nutrition transition. Further, we estimate a Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System(QUAIDS) for nine different food aggregates for China and Russia. Our results indicate that in both countries all food aggregates have positive expenditure elasticities and are thus normal goods. Moreover, our results indicate that in 2008/2009 meat is still a luxury good in China yet a necessity good in Russia. For 2009, the highest own-price elasticities in China are found for non-meat protein sources and dairy products. Within the meat group, beef, poultry and mutton have the highest price elasticities in China. In Russia, the milk and dairy group, together with the vegetable group, is the most price-elastic food group in 2008. In line with the definition of a nutrition transition, our overall results underscore the finding that income growth in China and Russia tends to increase the demand for animal-based products much stronger than, for example, the demand for carbohydrates. Despite being a positive signal for problems of malnutrition in rural China, this trend of increasing meat consumption might further increase the incidence of chronic diseases in urban areas since there is convincing scientific evidence that increasing meat consumption, especially red and processed meat, is associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases.     

Inhibition of A549 Lung Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion by Ent-Caprolactin C via the Suppression of Transforming Growth Factor-β-Induced Epithelial—Mesenchymal Transition

The epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) of cancer cells is a crucial process in cancer cell metastasis. An Aquimarina sp. MC085 extract was found to inhibit A549 human lung cancer cell invasion, and caprolactin C (1), a new natural product, α-amino-ε-caprolactam linked to 3-methyl butanoic acid, was purified through bioactivity-guided isolation of the extract. Furthermore, its enantiomeric compound, ent-caprolactin C (2), was synthesized. Both 1 and 2 inhibited the invasion and γ-irradiation-induced migration of A549 cells. In transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-treated A549 cells, 2 inhibited the phosphorylation of Smad2/3 and suppressed the EMT cell marker proteins (N-cadherin, β-catenin, and vimentin), as well as the related messenger ribonucleic acid expression (N-cadherin, matrix metalloproteinase-9, Snail, and vimentin), while compound 1 did not suppress Smad2/3 phosphorylation and the expression of EMT cell markers. Therefore, compound 2 could be a potential candidate for antimetastatic agent development, because it suppresses TGF-β-induced EMT.