Characterizing the pigmented traditional rice cultivars grown in temperate regions of Kashmir (India) for free and bound phenolics compounds and in vitro antioxidant properties

The purpose of the research was to identify the phenolic and flavonoid compounds of seven different traditional pigmented whole rice cultivars grown in the temperate regions of Kashmir so as to study their relationship with in vitro antioxidant capacities. The completely pigmented rice cultivars were found to have higher phenolic, flavonoid, anthocyanin contents and exhibited higher antioxidant capacities than the light colored and sparely colored rice cultivars. A total of 40 compounds had been identified in the analyzed rice cultivars that were found to be distributed in 6 major categories with 6-phenolics, 6-flavonoids, 11-hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, 7-hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives, 3-anthocyanins and 7-flavonoid glucosides of different flavonoid compounds. Among the free and bound fractions for each cultivars the light and sparsely colored depicted higher content of phenolics and in vitro antioxidant properties in bound faction, while the completely pigmented cultivars showed higher antioxidant properties in free fractions. The anthocyanins quercetin-3-O-galactoside, cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside and pelargonidin-3-O-diglucoside had been identified by LC-MS existing in the free fractions of the analyzed rice cultivars whereas, the free fraction of acetone + H₂O possessed higher percentage of phenolic compounds as compared to methanolic extracts and bound fractions. The black colored cultivars possessed higher DPPH scavenging activity and lipid peroxidation inhibition.     

Neuroprotective Metabolites from Vietnamese Marine Derived Fungi of Aspergillus and Penicillium Genera

Low molecular weight secondary metabolites of marine fungi Aspergillus flocculosus, Aspergillus terreus and Penicillium sp. from Van Phong and Nha Trang Bays (Vietnam) were studied and a number of polyketides, bis-indole quinones and terpenoids were isolated. The structures of the isolated compounds were determined by 1D and 2D NMR and HR-ESI-MS techniques. Stereochemistry of some compounds was established based on ECD data. A chemical structure of asterriquinone F (6) was thoroughly described for the first time. Anthraquinone (13) was firstly obtained from a natural source. Neuroprotective influences of the isolated compounds against 6-OHDA, paraquat and rotenone toxicity were investigated. 4-Hydroxyscytalone (1), 4-hydroxy-6-dehydroxyscytalone (2) and demethylcitreoviranol (3) have shown significant increasing of paraquat- and rotenone-treated Neuro-2a cell viability and anti-ROS activity.     

白藜芦醇对绵羊冷冻精液质量的影响

试验旨在研究白藜芦醇对绵羊冷冻精液质量的改善效果。采用假阴道法采集6只云南半细毛羊精液，用含不同浓度（0、0.1、1、10、20 μmol/L）白藜芦醇的Optidyl稀释液稀释后进行细管分装，低温平衡和液氮气相预冻后，在液氮中保存30 d。解冻后测定精子活力、质膜完整性、磷脂酰丝氨酸（PS）分布、顶体完整性和活性氧等指标。结果表明，解冻后10 μmol/L白藜芦醇组精子总活力、直线运动百分率、精子弯尾率分别为76.14%±0.97%、43.56%±0.91%、43.24%±1.68%，均显著高于其他各组（P<0.05）；而20 μmol/L白藜芦醇组精子总活力、直线运动百分率、精子弯尾率分别为21.78%±0.79%、25.23%±1.34%、4.84%±0.68%，均显著低于其他各组（P<0.05）。10 μmol/L白藜芦醇组精子顶体完整性最高，为50.47%±0.91%，显著高于其他各处理组（P<0.05）。PS分布结果表明，10 μmol/L白藜芦醇组正常精子百分率为46.43%±2.95%，显著高于20 μmol/L组（31.14%±3.56%，P<0.05），与其他各组无显著性差异（P>0.05）。20 μmol/L白藜芦醇组PS标记率（39.82%±3.38%）显著高于其他处理组（P<0.05）。活性氧试验结果表明，10 μmol/L白藜芦醇组正常精子（63.57%±0.71%）显著高于其他各组（P<0.05）；而20 μmol/L白藜芦醇组正常精子（32.45%±1.42%）显著低于其他各组（P<0.05）。综上，在冷冻稀释液中添加白藜芦醇可以改善绵羊冷冻精液品质，这与白藜芦醇的抗氧化特性有关。但是，白藜芦醇的冷冻保护效果具有明显的浓度依赖性，其最佳作用浓度为10 μmol/L，过高浓度的白藜芦醇反而加重精子的冷冻损伤。此外，对于白藜芦醇对绵羊精子的抗冻保护效果仍然需要体外受精或人工授精验证。     

裂脖跳小蜂属(膜翅目:跳小蜂科)1新种及1新记录种记述

记述了裂脖跳小蜂属1新种--韩氏裂脖跳小蜂(Rhopus hanni Zu&Li, sp. nov.),1中国新记录种--硫磺裂脖跳小蜂(Rhopus sulphureus(Westwood,1837))。对新种及新记录种的形态特征和分布进行了详细的描述,并附有成虫特征照片。     

Reactive oxygen species are involved in cell death in wheat roots against powdery mildew

Inoculation of wheat(Triticum aestivum L.) leaves with wheat powdery mildew fungus(Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici) induces the cell death in adventitious roots. Reactive oxygen species(ROS) play a key role in respond to biotic stress in plants. To study the involvement of ROS and the degree of cell death in the wheat roots following inoculation, ROS levels and microstructure of root cells were analyzed in two wheat cultivars that are susceptible(Huamai 8) and resistant(Shenmai 8) to powdery mildew fungus. At 18 d after powdery mildew fungus inoculation, only Huamai 8 displayed the leaf lesions, while root cell death occurred in both varieties. Huamai 8 had a high level of ROS accumulation, which is associated with increased root cell degradation, while in Shenmai 8, there was little ROS accumulation correlating with slight root cell degradation. The molecular study about the expression levels of ROS scavenging genes(MnSOD and CAT) in wheat roots showed that these genes expression decreased after the leaves of wheat was inoculated. The difference between Huamai 8 and Shenmai 8 on subcellular localization of H2 O2 and O2–· was corresponded with the different down-regulation of the genes encoding for superoxide dismutase and catalase in two wheat cultivars. These results suggested that ROS were involved in the process by which powdery mildew fungus induced cell death in wheat roots.     

Growth and survival of juvenile red drum,Sciaenops ocellatus,acclimated to freshwater at three different stocking densities in a partial recirculation system

Preliminary technical baseline information for the inland culture of juvenile red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus, in a freshwater fish hatchery is presented. Three initial stocking densities (d₁ = 83, d₂ = 167, and d₃ = 250 fish/m³) were tested in a semirecirculation system for 575 days using a commercially available feed (48.1% protein, 25% lipids, and 0.13% fiber). Initial and final mean fish weight were 7.11 ± 0.02 g and 287.6 ± 27 g. As carrying capacity appeared to have been reached, only data from Days 1–333 were analyzed. One‐way ANOVA analyses indicated that the survival rate of the smaller density (d₁ =40 ± 3.7%) was significantly different from the other two densities (d₃ = 21 ± 1.1% and d₂ = 23 ± 1.0%), which did not differ between them. Absolute growth rate (0.87 ± 0.02 g/day) was not significantly different between densities (F = 0.23. p = .801). Neither was weight significantly different between treatments. There were significant differences in the feed conversion rate (FCR) between densities (F = 8.54; p = .02). FCR for d₁ was significantly lower than for the two other densities, which did not differ from each other. A von Bertalanffy growth model was adjusted (R² = 0.95), and weight–length relationship presented negative allometric values (b = 2.85, R² = 0.98).     

Mapping the current and future distributions of Onosma species endemic to Iran

Climate change may cause shifts in the natural range of species especially for those that are geographically restricted and/or endemic species. In this study, the spatial distribution of five endemic and threatened species belonging to the genus Onosma (including O. asperrima, O. bisotunensis, O. kotschyi, O. platyphylla, and O. straussii) was investigated under present and future climate change scenarios: RCP2.6 (RCP, representative concentration pathway; optimistic scenario) and RCP8.5 (pessimistic scenario) for the years 2050 and 2080 in Iran. Analysis was conducted using the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model to provide a basis for the protection and conservation of these species. Seven environmental variables including aspect, depth of soil, silt content, slope, annual precipitation, minimum temperature of the coldest month, and annual temperature range were used as main predictors in this study. The model output for the potential habitat suitability of the studied species showed acceptable performance for all species (i.e., the area under the curve (AUC)>0.800). According to the models generated by MaxEnt, the potential current patterns of the species were consistent with the observed areas of distributions. The projected climate maps under optimistic and pessimistic scenarios (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5, respectively) of 2050 and 2080 resulted in reductions and expansions as well as positive range changes for all species in comparison to their current predicted distributions. Among all species, O. bisotunensis showed the most significant and highest increase under the pessimistic scenario of 2050 and 2080. Finally, the results of this study revealed that the studied plant species have shown an acute adaptability to environmental changes. The results can provide useful information to managers to apply appropriate strategies for the management and conservation of these valuable Iranian medicinal and threatened plant species in the future.     

热处理对低温胁迫下黄瓜活性氧代谢和膜脂组分的影响

为探讨热处理减轻黄瓜果实低温冷害的作用机理,本试验研究了47℃热水浸泡5 min处理对黄瓜果实在4℃贮藏期间活性氧代谢和膜脂组分的影响。结果表明,47℃热水5 min处理可显著抑制黄瓜果实冷害的发生,贮藏15 d后果实冷害指数较对照(CK)低20.87%。此外,热处理还可抑制黄瓜相对电导率及丙二醛(MDA)含量的上升,提高黄瓜果实超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化物酶(DOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)和抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX)的活性,抑制超氧阴离子($\mathop{{O}}_{2}^{{\mathop{}_{\ ·}^{-}}}$)及过氧化氢(H₂O₂)的产生,同时降低脂氧合酶的活性,保持较低的饱和脂肪酸含量、较高的不饱和脂肪酸含量和膜脂不饱和度。综上,热处理可维持黄瓜果实活性氧代谢的平衡,抑制膜脂的过氧化作用,从而提高黄瓜果实的抗冷性,减轻果实冷害损伤。