Regulatory effect of astragaloside IV on SDF-1α/CXCR4 in EPCs

AIM: To investigate the effects of astragaloside IV (AS-IV) on chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) and stromal cell-derived factor 1α (SDF-1α) in endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and its mechanism. METHODS: Rat bone marrow-derived EPCs were cultured in vitro. The proliferation, adhesion, migration, apoptosis and tube formation capacity of EPCs treated with AS-IV and AMD3100, a specific blocker of CXCR4, were observed. The effects of AS-IV on the expression of SDF-1α/CXCR4 at mRNA and protein levels and the protein level of p-CXCR4 in the EPCs were determined. RESULTS: AS-IV significantly enhanced the proliferation, adhesion, migration and tube formation abilities of EPCs, reduced the apoptosis of EPCs, and up-regulated the mRNA and protein expression of SDF-1α and CXCR4 and the p-CXCR4 protein level in the EPCs. On the other hand, AMD3100 blocked the up-regulating effect of AS-IV on the mRNA and protein expression of CXCR4 and the p-CXCR4 protein level in the EPCs, but did not affect the effect of AS-IV on the expression of SDF-1α. CONCLUSION: AS-IV might enhance the biological function of EPCs by regulating the expression of SDF-1α/CXCR in EPCs.     

The role of ear environment in postharvest susceptibility of maize to toxigenic Aspergillus flavus

A kernel screening assay (KSA) was used to assess the genetic and environmental effects on the vulnerability of maize to aflatoxin accumulation. Kernels of 26 inbred lines that had been grown in seven environments, and 190 lines of the Intermated B73xMo17 (IBM) population grown in one location in the United States, were inoculated with a toxigenic strain of A. flavus and incubated in the dark at 30°C for 6 days. Percent kernel colonization (PKC), sporulation and aflatoxin were influenced by the maize genotypes (G), the location (“ear environment” or E) and the GxE interactions. Overall, low broad‐sense heritabilities were observed for PKC, sporulation and aflatoxin. PKC was significantly correlated with sporulation in all environments. Aflatoxin was positively correlated with colonization for two and with sporulation for all ear environments. Higher grain sulphur or magnesium in IBM was associated with less colonization or aflatoxin. Postharvest susceptibility of maize to aflatoxin is thus influenced by factors that are modulated by the ear environment. In a KSA, sporulation could be a proxy test for aflatoxin accumulation.     

A data transfer method for improving seed identification of maize (Zea mays) haploid breeding based on genetic similarity

Maize haploid breeding technology is able to identify haploid seeds non‐destructively, rapidly and at low cost with the help of Near‐infrared (NIR) spectral analysis. However, due to the hybridization of numerous parents and the low production rate of haploid, the haploid data collection becomes a burden for engineering this technology. Biologically, there are considerable similarities between the progeny of the same female parent and different male parents. Based on this advantage, similar spectral data can be transferred when the NIR technology is employed. A revised method of Transfer adaptive boost (TrAdaBoost) is proposed to improve identifying for the backpropagation neural network (BPNN) classifier. To avoid the negative transfer, a screening thresh is used to select out similar data, and the amount of these data are limited to join current training. The results show that the identification performances are improved significantly when the data amount is small. This method shows a high ability to make the seed identification more convenient for engineering maize haploid breeding.     

天津经济技术开发区绿地土壤盐分动态变化特征

【目的】掌握天津经济技术开发区土壤盐分的动态变化及分布情况,保证城市绿地的可持续性。【方法】通过长期定位监测,分析了研究区2007―2014年的土壤含盐量及pH值。【结果】研究区土壤含盐量整体上均呈逐年降低趋势,截至2014年3月研究区0～80 cm各层次土壤含盐量均在0.11%～0.14%之间,已经达到了滨海地区绿化种植土壤标准对土壤含盐量要求;土壤pH值整体随时间呈波动减小趋势,土壤pH值整体下降了0.33;研究区绿地土壤含盐量分布不均,但随着时间变化,研究区土壤总体的盐分水平分布的均一性有所提高,研究区土壤pH值分布较为均一。【结论】"暗管排盐"措施对天津经济技术开发区的绿地土壤盐分调控效果良好,但仍要加强对绿地土壤水盐动态的监测,减少土壤次生盐渍化的发生。     

播期对河套地区玉米灌浆进度的影响

旨在为玉米的高产栽培提供理论支撑。采用分期播种法,利用试验数据,建立28个生长模型（方程均通过0.01的极显著检验）,将玉米灌浆期百粒干重、百粒体积随灌浆日数增加的时段分为三阶段,即渐增期、快增期和缓增期。适时播种的玉米吐丝后百粒体积、百粒干重增加进入渐增期,终止日分别为吐丝后的6天和20天,此后进入快速增长期,时间分别为22天和18天;其后到籽粒体积和干重增加进入缓慢增长期。适时播种的玉米百粒干重增加逐渐增长期为吐丝后活动积温区间0~502.4℃·d,增幅0.014 g/℃·d;快速增长期为吐丝后活动积温区间502.4~938.4℃·d,增幅0.049 g/℃·d;缓慢增长期为吐丝后活动积温区间938.4~1355.1℃·d,增幅0.018 g/℃·d。     

不同林龄湿地松林土壤酶活性与土壤养分特征

以大鹤国有防护林场3种不同林龄(15、23、34 a)的湿地松林为研究对象,研究了不同林龄湿地松林土壤酶活性及其养分含量变化特征。结果表明:土壤pH值随着林龄增加呈先降低后升高,随着土层深度的增加逐渐升高。随着林龄的增长,土壤有机质先增加后降低;土壤水解氮、有效磷和速效钾含量逐渐降低。土壤中的脲酶、蔗糖酶、过氧化氢酶和多酚氧化酶活性随林龄的增长逐渐降低;酸性磷酸酶活性仅在表层土随着林龄的增长逐渐降低,而随着土层的加深表现为先增长后降低。土壤养分和酶活性随土层深度的变化均存在显著性变化。相关分析表明,土壤脲酶、蔗糖酶和酸性磷酸酶均与土壤有机质、水解氮、有效磷和速效钾存在极显著正相关(P<0.01),多酚氧化酶与速效钾呈显著负相关(P<0.05)。滨海地区湿地松在林龄较低阶段土壤养分较为充足,随着林龄的增长,土壤肥力逐渐下降,不利于森林可持续发展。     

Effect of DNA methylation of miR-30a-5p promoter region on hepatic injury induced by homocysteine

AIM: To explore the role of DNA methylation of microRNA-30a-5p(miR-30a-5p) promoter region in hepatic injury. METHODS: Four-week-old normal mice and cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) single gene knockout mice were used and divided into normal (CBS^+/+, n=12) group and single gene knockout (CBS^+/-, n=12) group, and the mice were fed with high methionine diet for 8 weeks. HL-7702 hepatic cells were routinely cultured in vitro and divided into control group, homocysteine (Hcy) group and Hcy+5-azacytidne (AZC) group. Serum Hcy, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were measured by automatic biochemical analyzer. The levels of ALT and AST in the cells culture medium were determined by the microplate method. Hepatic injury in the mice were observed with HE staining. Cell viability staining was used to measure the viability of hepatocytes. RT-qPCR was used to detect the expression of miR-30a-5p in the liver tissues and hepatocytes. The correlation between the expression of miR-30a-5p and serum ALT and AST levels was analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis. DNA methylation level of miR-30a-5p promoter region in the liver tissues and hepatocytes was detected by nested landing methylation-specific PCR (nMS-PCR). RESULTS: Compared with the CBS^+/+ mice, the serum levels of Hcy, ALT and AST in the CBS^+/- mice were significantly increased (P < 0.05). HE staining showed the hepatocyte swelling and nuclear fragmentation and dissolution. The expression level of miR-30a-5p in the liver tissues was decreased (P < 0.01). Besides, the expression level of miR-30a-5p in the mice was negatively correlated with serum ALT and AST levels (r²=0.4557, P=0.0003, r²=0.4626, P=0.0003), and the DNA methylation of miR-30a-5p promoter region was increased (P < 0.01). In the HL-7702 cells, compared with control group,the ALT and AST levels were increased in Hcy group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and the cell viability was remarkablely decreased. DNA methylation of miR-30a-5p promoter region was increased (P < 0.01), which decreased after treated the cells with AZC (P < 0.05), while the expression level of miR-30a-5p in the cells was increased (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Hypermethylation of miR-30a-5p promoter region may play an important role in hepatic injury.     

番茄/茄子嫁接对其根际土壤生物学性状及细菌群落结构的影响

以茄子作为砧木，番茄为接穗进行嫁接，并以番茄自根植株和茄子自根植株作为对照，基于传统及现代高通量测序技术分析根际土壤的生物学性状及细菌群落结构特征，旨在揭示嫁接植株抗性增强的机制。结果表明：番茄/茄子嫁接植株根际土壤中可培养细菌、放线菌数量，微生物生物量、酶活性和细菌丰富度、多样性指数均显著高于茄子和番茄自根植株；另一方面，norank_c_Acidobacteria、硝化螺菌属（Nitrospira）、芽孢杆菌属（Bacillus）、norank_f_Gemmatimonadaceae、norank_o_Gaiellales、norank_f_Xanthobacteraceae、norank_o_SC-I-84、norank_f_Anaerolineaceae、norank_f_Nitrosomonadaceae、鞘脂单胞菌属（Sphingomonas）细菌是嫁接植株与茄子、番茄自根植株根际土壤中的共有优势细菌属；g_unclassified_o_Ignavibacteriales 、 醋酸杆菌属（ g_Acetobacter ）、g_norank_f_Longimicrobiaceae 、g_unclassified_f_Verrucomicrobiaceae、g_norank_p_FBP、g_norank_p_Aminicenantes 属细菌是嫁接植株根际土壤的特有优势细菌属。与自根植株相比，番茄/茄子嫁接植株根际土壤存在更高可培养微生物数量，微生物生物量和相关酶活性，具有更高的土壤养分有效性，同时拥有不同占比的共有优势细菌门属，尤其拥有更为丰富的微生物可操作分类单元（operational taxonomic units，OTU）和特有 OTU 数量，这是嫁接植株抗性增强的主要原因。     

羊角椒新品种寿研梦扬的选育

寿研梦扬是由母本CSVHPM1407001和父本CSVHPF1407002配制而成的羊角椒一代杂种。植株长势旺盛,连续坐果能力强;果实长羊角形,果长25～30 cm,果肩宽3～4 cm;青熟果黄绿色,老熟果红色;外表光亮,商品性好,耐贮运;单果质量100 g左右,辣味浓,宜鲜食;田间对病毒病、炭疽病和疫病的抗性强于对照喜洋洋。保护地栽培鲜椒产量可达12 840 kg·(667 m~2)~(-1)左右。适宜山东、河北等地区早春、秋延保护地种植。     

黑甜糯玉米新品种黑甜糯639的选育

黑甜糯639是以糯玉米自交系HNF为母本,以甜玉米自交系D91为父本配制而成的黑甜糯玉米一代杂种。生育期为91 d(天),株高263 cm,穗位151 cm,雄穗主轴与分枝角度中等,一级分枝18～23个,果穗筒型,籽粒黑紫色,甜糯籽粒比例为1∶3,籽粒可溶性糖含量为12.5%,支链淀粉占总淀粉含量的98.1%,口感佳。高抗丝黑穗病、茎腐病、大斑病,抗穗腐病和矮花叶病,平均每667 m~2鲜穗产量900 kg左右。适宜在山西省鲜食糯玉米主产区种植。