Responses of carbon metabolism and antioxidant system of summer maize to waterlogging at different stages

A field experiment was performed to explore responses of carbon metabolism, antioxidant system and endogenous hormone content of summer maize hybrids DengHai605 (DH605) and ZhengDan958 (ZD958) to waterlogging at the third leaf stage (V3), the sixth leaf stage (V6) and the 10th day after the tasselling stage (10VT). Results showed that waterlogging significantly decreased the contents of zeatin riboside (ZR), indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellic acid (GA), compared to those of CK. However, leaf abscisic acid (ABA) content was significantly increased by waterlogging at different stages, with the most significant increase was found in the treatment of waterlogging at V3 (V3‐W), with an increase of 30% and 29% for DH605 and ZD958, respectively. Waterlogging significantly decreased antioxidative enzyme activities, accelerating leaf senescence, resulted in the disorder of leaf gas exchange parameters and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters. In addition, waterlogging decreased key enzyme activities of carbon metabolism (ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase), with the most significant reduction in V3‐W, with a decrease of 46% and 49% for DH605, and 53% and 55% for ZD958, respectively. Visibly, waterlogging disturbed carbon metabolism, affected plant endogenous hormone content, accelerated leaf senescence and eventually resulted in a significant reduction in photosynthetic characteristic and grain yield. V3 was most susceptible to waterlogging, followed by V6 and 10VT.     

大熊猫分布区近半个世纪逐日气温空间插值分析

目的高时空分辨率的气温分布是准确模拟物种适宜分布区的基础。大熊猫分布区是全球35个生物多样性热点区之一，属于典型山地地形。方法为了有效消除海拔效应在气温空间插值中的误差，本研究基于线性递减率调整法(linear lapse rate adjustment, LLRA)对大熊猫分布区42个气象站点1960—2010年的日最高气温(daily maximum temperature，dT_max)、日最低气温(daily minimum temperature，dT_min)和日平均气温(daily mean temperature，dT_mean)进行了空间插值，评估了LLRA插值法的准确度，并分析了近半个世纪大熊猫分布区气候变暖的格局。结果结果表明，使用LLRA法校正误差的局域递减率插值，准确度明显高于全球平均递减率和初步局域递减率；大熊猫分布区将近90%的区域dT_max、dT_min和dT_mean同时显著上升，上升最快的地区主要集中在秦岭和岷山西北部；dT_max、dT_min和dT_mean显著上升的中位速度分别为每100年上升1.68、2.32和1.77 ℃，超过3/4的区域dT_min上升速度大于dT_max；在气象站点代表的低于3 500 m的海拔范围内，dT_min和dT_mean的变化速度随海拔上升表现出显著增加趋势，且dT_min的上升趋势大于dT_mean。结论本研究证明了LLRA法能有效消除海拔效应在气温空间插值时造成的误差，提高山地气温空间插值的准确度。研究发现，大熊猫分布区近半个世纪经历了显著变暖，由LLRA插值获得的逐日气温分布图可为进一步评估变暖对大熊猫分布区珍稀濒危物种的分布影响、制定相应的保护规划提供基础。      

Guinea Pig Model of Uterine Leiomyoma Established by Intragastric Administration of Estrogen

[Objective] The paper was to establish the guinea pig model of uterine leiomyoma by intragastric administration of estrogen and to dis-cuss the effect of different doses and administration cycles on formation of uterine leiomyoma. [Method] Mature female guinea pigs were divided into short term model group and long term model group, and intragastrically administrated with estradiol valerate at the dose of 0.1 mg/100 g body weight twice a week for 6 and 8 weeks respectively. Guinea pigs intragastrically administrated with equal volume of normal saline were set as con-trol. After 6 or 8 weeks, the guinea pigs were sacrificed. The serum levels of estrogen and progesterone were measured by ELISA and the leiomyoma formation rate was measured. Histological changes were compared between treatment group and control group with HE staining. [Results] The leiomyoma formation rate was 30% in short term model group and 40% in long term model group. The overall leiomyoma formation rate was 35%.The serum level of estrogen in model animals increased significantly and the progesterone level decreased in long term model group. Histopathologi-cal examination confirmed that the guinea pig model of uterine leiomyoma was established successfully. [Conclusions] Intragastric administration of estrogen is a simple and effective method for establishing guinea pigs model of uterine leiomyoma.     

Integrated Evaluation and the Physiological and Biochemical Responses of Semi-Wild Cotton under Complex Salt-Alkali Stress

[Objective] The genetic diversity of semi-wild cotton was abundant, so more new elite resistant genes could be found and applied to improve the resistance of cotton. The aim of this study was to primarily study on the regulation of response to salt-alkali stress, explore the method of integrated evaluation and characterize the resistance of semi-wild cotton. [Method] Four semi-wild and two cultivated Gossypium hirsutum accessions were evaluated for phonotypical, physiological and biochemical traits under alkali-salt versus normal conditions in hydroponic solutions. The alkali-salt tolerance was determined based on principal component analysis, cluster analysis, correlation analysis, grey rational analysis and analysis of variance. [Result] On the basis of the overall results, the alkali-salt stress tolerance of the six accessions was ranked as: Marie-galante85 > Latifolium32 > CRI16 > CRI12 > Latifolium40 > Latifolium130. Roots were found to be the most important responsive systems to complex alkali-salt stress. At seedling growth stage, the active scavenging system played a crucial role in response to alkali-salt stress. In addition, the salt tolerant and salt sensitive accessions showed different response tends towards leaf peroxidase, root ascorbate peroxidase and root catalase within 48 h, suggesting the accessions have different levels of response to salt stress. [Conclusion]Our study identified the most alkali-salt tolerant accessions and provided basic concept of complex alkali-salt tolerance mechanism within cotton accessions. And, our study provided a simple and rapid, highly accurate and precise method for evaluating salt resistance of cotton, and proved that the balance of ROS system play an important role in response to salt-alkali stress. Hence, mining of salt tolerant genes from these accessions may facilitate the development of novel salt tolerant variety.     

A metabolic study in hepatopancreas of Litopenaeus vannamei response to white spot syndrome virus

International Aquatic Research - White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) cause great harm in shrimp aquaculture. To understand the impact of viral infection on the shrimp metabolism, we monitored the...     

Effects of dietary protein to energy ratios on growth,body composition and digestive enzyme activities in Chinese mitten‐handed crab,Eriocheir sinensis

This study aimed to determine the optimal protein to energy ratio (P/E ratio) and evaluate the effect of dietary protein and lipid levels on growth performance, body composition and digestive enzymes activities in Chinese mitten‐handed crab, Eriocheir sinensis. Nine practical diets containing three levels both for protein (DP 30%, 35% and 40%) and lipid (DL 2%, 7% and 12%) with P/E ratios ranging from 13.69 to 19.79 mg KJ^?1 were fed to four replicates of crabs (3.39 ± 0.10 g) for 10 weeks. Weight gain increased significantly with the increase in DP level at each DL level. Moreover, weight gain increased in crabs fed with diets containing DL level from 2% to 12% and DP level from 30% to 35%. However, the diet containing 40% DP and 12% DL levels significantly decreased the growth performance and protein efficiency of the crabs. The whole crab and hepatopancreas lipid contents also increased as dietary lipid increased, but not dietary protein. The total protease activity increased significantly with the increase in dietary protein at each lipid level. The lipase activity was statistically comparable among different DL levels at each DP level. Taken together, the crab fed the diet containing 35% protein and 12% lipid levels with P/E 15.77 mg KJ^?1 revealed optimal growth, feed utilization efficiency and digestive enzymes activities. Moreover, our study indicated that the higher dietary lipid level at a relatively lower dietary protein level could provide protein sparing effect in Eriocheir sinensis.     

Properties of polymers as a nanoscale material for fibers in leather

Hyperbranched polymers, an innovative class of nano-polymers, could enhance the properties of fibers owning to their unique structures. In this study, the ester compound (HPAE) of 3-(bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amino)propionic acid and pentaerythritol was treated with undecylenic acid to obtain novel hyperbranched multiterminal alkenyl polymers (HPAE-UAs). The sizes of the HPAE-UAs could be controlled conveniently from 400 to 1300 nm by adjusting the capped fraction of the hydroxyl groups with undecylenic acids. The molecular structures of HPAE-UAs were characterized by means of FT-IR and ¹H-NMR. Then, the effect of the HPAE-UAs on the structures, thermal, and mechanical properties of the wet blue leather were investigated. TEM and SEM demonstrated that the spacing between fibers was enlarged. The thermogravimetric analysis showed that the residual volume of leather could reach up to 30.3 % at about 500 °C. Furthermore, the shrinkage temperature increased to 89.4 °C. It was found that the HPAE-UAs used in leather could improve the thermal performance, physical and mechanical properties. All of these results indicate that HPAE-UAs can be used as a fatliquor with retanning in leather process.     

Berberine attenuates oxidative stress and hepatocytes apoptosis via protecting mitochondria in blunt snout bream <Emphasis Type="Italic">Megalobrama amblycephala</Emphasis> fed high-fat diets

High-fat diets may have favorable effects on growth and cost, but high-fat diets often induce excessive fat deposition, resulting in liver damage. This study aimed to identify the hepatoprotective of a Chinese herb (berberine) for blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala). Fish were fed with a normal diet (LFD, 5 % fat), high-fat diet (HFD, 15 % fat) or berberine-supplemented diets (BSD, 15 % fat with berberine 50 or 100 mg/kg level) for 8 weeks. After the feeding, histology, oxidative status and mitochondrial function of liver were assessed. The results showed that HFD caused fat accumulation, oxidative stress and apoptosis in hepatocytes of fish. Hepatocytes in HFD group appeared to be hypertrophied, with larger liver cells diameter than these of LFD group. Berberine-supplemented diets could attenuate oxidative stress and hepatocytes apoptosis. HFD induced the decreasing mitochondrial complexes activities and bulk density and surface area density. Berberine improved function of mitochondrial respiratory chain via increasing the complex activities. Moreover, the histological results showed that berberine has the potential to repair mitochondrial ultrastructural damage and elevate the density in cells. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that berberine has attenuated liver damage induced by the high fat mainly via the protection for mitochondria.     

High water content silk protein-based hydrogels with tunable elasticity fabricated via a Ru(II) mediated photochemical cross-linking method

Silk is very promising in the field of biomaterials as a natural biomacromolecule. Silk protein can be made into various forms of materials, including hydrogels. However, silk protein-based hydrogels have not attracted much attention due to its weak mechanical properties. Here, we report high water content silk protein-based hydrogels with tunable elasticity which were fabricated through Ru(II) mediated photochemically cross-linking tyrosine residues in regenerated silk protein. The regenerated silk protein was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The gelation kinetics of the silk protein was studied by rheology measurements. The compressive mechanical properties of the silk protein-based hydrogels was investigated using compressive tests and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Compressive modulus of the hydrogels reached 349±64 MPa at 15 % strain. The fabricated silk protein-based hydrogels were also characterized by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), revealing an interconnected porous network structure, typical of hydrogels, with an average pore size of approximately 130 μm. Finally, biocompatibility of the silk protein-based hydrogels was demonstrated through cell culture studies using a human fibroblast cell line, HFL1. The reported silk protein-based hydrogels represent a promising candidate for biomaterial applications.