Inducing long-shoot growth for vegetative propagation of western larch

This study evaluated methods to release from suppression both short shoots on lower stems and developing buds on leaders of western larch (Larix occidentalis Nutt.) seedlings, in order to increase the number of long shoots suitable for stem-tip cuttings. Treatments included application of the cytokinin N-6-benzyladenine (BA), horizontal stem bending, and decapitation on container-grown 1.5-year-old seedling ortets. The rate of release of suppressed growth of short shoots on the basal stem segments increased from 15% to 83% after spraying with 200 ppm BA and doubled on unsprayed horizontally-bent stems. Syllepsis on the upper stems increased by 19% following decapitation and by 32% after a combination of decapitation and BA treatments. Although these treatments resulted in large increases in the numbers of long shoots available for stem cuttings, the rootability of BA-treated shoots needs assessing before use in operational programs.     

Comparison of the modified Weibull and Richards growth function for developing site index equations

A site index model based on the Weibull cumulative distribution function was fitted to three stem analysis data sets of black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill) BSP), white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) and aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.). The resulting equations were compared with those based on the modified Richards' (1959) biological growth function (Ek 1971; Payandeh 1977, 1978). The Weibull-type model performed as well as or better than the biological growth function for white spruce and aspen, respectively, but it performed less accurately in the case of black spruce. The Weibull-type model appears to behave better, i.e., it produces more realistic height growth patterns, than the Richards function upon extrapolation particularly at young ages.     

金露梅扦插繁殖技术研究

金露梅(Potentilla fruticosa L.)又称为金老梅、金蜡梅,蔷薇科(Rosaceae)委陵菜属(Potentilla L.)落叶灌木,因花黄色、似梅而得名[1].     

Browse yield and nutritive value of two Salix species and Dorycnium rectum in New Zealand

The willows Salix matsudana x alba and S. kinuyanagi, and the leguminous shrub Dorycnium rectum, are used for soil conservation in New Zealand and have potential value as browse plants. Two experiments were conducted in the lower North Island to ascertain the effect of selected establishment and cutting practices on their browse yield and nutritive value. A hill site experiment determined the effect of rooted and unrooted stem cuttings on establishment and initial production of the Salix species. A flat site experiment determined the effect of cutting height (0.10–0.30 m, 0.80 m, and 1.20 m above ground) and cutting frequency (once or twice per year) on yield of the Salix species and D. rectum. The establishment and dry matter (DM) yields of the Salix species were unaffected by the type of stem cutting. S. matsudana x alba (1.2 kg DM/tree) plants yielded more edible DM than S. kinuyanagi (0.9 kg DM/tree) and D. rectum (0.4 kg DM/tree). Cutting height had no effect on edible DM yield but affected total DM yield of the Salix species. Nitrogen concentration in edible DM, of all species, was 18–22 g/kg DM. In vitro organic matter digestibility of S. matsudana x alba (648–691 g/kg DM) and D. rectum (664–666 g/kg DM) was greater than S. kinuyanagi (611–615 g/kg DM). The condensed tannin concentration in edible DM of S. kinuyanagi was four-fold higher than in S. matsudana x alba (255 vs. 59 g/kg DM). It was concluded that S. matsudana x alba had the greatest potential as a browse species and D. rectum the least.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

用热扩散式茎流计测定园林树木蒸腾耗水量

采用热扩散式边材液流探针和环境自动监测系统对北京3种园林树木的树干液流及主要环境因子进行了一个生长季的同步观测.结果表明,3树种树干液流的日变化呈明显的单峰曲线,晴天的液流速率大于多云天和阴天,紫叶李和悬铃木的日耗水量明显大于元宝枫;对不同天气3树种每h的液流速率与相应的环境因子进行逐步回归分析.结果显示,影响3树种液流速率的主要环境因子是空气温度、空气相对湿度、辐射强度和5 cm土层温度,在不同天气里起主导作用的因子不同,环境因子与树干液流之间的数量关系能较好地预测树木的蒸腾耗水量.     

Mesenchymal stem cell-induced CD8α+ Jagged2high CD11bhigh regulatory dendritic cells prevent and treat mouse aGVHD

AIM: To investigate the role of mesenchymal stem cell-induced regulatory dendritic cells (MSC-DCregs) in mouse acute graft-versus-host disease(aGVHD) model. METHODS: Bone marrow cells from BALB/c (H-2^d) mice were isolated and were induced to differentiate into DCs. The DCs were selected by flow cytometry, and after 10 d co-culture with MSCs, they were induced to be MSC-DCregs. Male 8-week-old C57BL/6 (H-2^b) mice were used as donor mice. The female 8-week-old BALB/c (H-2^d) mice, who had received 100 cm source-skin distance, 30 cm×30 cm radiation field, 700 cGy total body irradiation (TBI) pretreatment were used as recipient mice. The recipients were divided into 5 groups: control group, TBI group (injected with medium only), bone marrow transplantation group (injected with 1×10⁷ bone marrow cells), aGVHD group (injected with 1×10⁷ bone marrow cells and 1×10⁷ spleen cells), and MSC-DCregs group (injected with 1×10⁷ bone marrow cells, 1×10⁷ spleen cells and 1×10⁶ MSC-DCregs). The white blood cell count, recipients' chimerism, clinical evaluation of aGVHD, survival analysis and pathological changes were determined. RESULTS: Hematopoieic recovery was seen at 10 d after transplantation. The recipients' chimerism was parallel to the donors' at 30 d. The median survival time of the mice in aGVHD group and MSC-DCregs group was 27 d and 33 d, and the survival rates at 30 d were 20% and 100% (P<0.01), respectively. The clinical scores of the mice in MSC-DCregs group were lower than those in aGVHD group (P<0.01). Moreover, the pathological changes in the skin and liver of the mice in MSC-DCregs group were less serious than those in aGVHD group. CONCLUSION: The MSC-DCregs induce an aGVHD tolerance in vivo, and further research of its mechanism is still in great necessary.     

Development of cell model of polymer/liquid crystal and effect of their elasticity on adhesion of rBM-MSCs

AIM: To develop the cell model of polymer/liquid crystal and to study the effect of their elasticity on the adhesion of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rBM-MSCs). METHODS: Using the method of solvent evaporation induced phase separation, the cell model of polymer/liquid crystal was constructed. The surface morphology and phase separation structure were determined by polarized optical microscopy (POM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). rBM-MSCs were separated and expanded by adherent culture. The surface markers of rBM-MSCs were detected by flow cytometry. The cells were induced to osteogenic differentiation and adipogenic differentiation for 2 weeks. After 3 passages, the cells were divided into 4 groups, including total PU control group, 10% membrane group, 30% membrane group and 50% membrane group. The cells were then incubated with rhodamine phalloidin for cytoskeleton staining and were observed under the confocal laser scanning microscope after cultured for 24 h. RESULTS: The cell model of polymer/liquid crystal was constructed successfully using the method of solvent evaporation induced phase separation. Flow cytometry results showed that the rBM-MSCs positively expressed CD29, CD44 and CD90, and negatively expressed CD34 and CD45. After stained with alizarin red S and oil red O, the calcium nodule and lipid droplets in rBM-MSCs were observed obviously. The cytoskeleton staining result indicated that the area in total PU control group, 10% membrane group and 30% membrane group were greater, and the actin microfilaments were also clearer than that in 50% membrane group. CONCLUSION: The cell model with suitable content of liquid crystal made a contribution to the rBM-MSCs' adhesion, but too much liquid crystal inhibits cell adhesion.     

Transplantation of bcl-2 gene-modified bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells improves cardiac function and angiogenesis in rabbit ischemic car-diac insufficiency model

AIM: To investigate the effects of transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) modified by bcl-2 gene on myocardial cell apoptosis, angiogenesis and cardiac function in the rabbit after acute myocardial infarction (MI).METHODS: The rabbit BMSCs were isolated, cultured and purified in vitro. The BMSCs were transfected with adenovirus or adenovirus-Bcl-2. The rabbit model of MI was established by ligation of left anterior descending branch. The rabbits were injected with Ad-Bcl-2-BMSCs (MI+Bcl-2-BMSCs group), Ad-BMSCs (MI+BMSCs group) and DMEM (MI group) in infarction marginal zone 2 weeks after ligation. The cardiac function was evaluated by echocardiography.The apoptosis of myocardial cells was measured by TUNEL. The mRNA expression of VEGF was detected by real-time PCR. The expression of CD31 was examined by immunohistochemical staining, and new blood capillaries were counted at 4 weeks after BMSCs transplantation. The correlation of the above values with cardiac function was analyzed.RESULTS: The cardiac function was better, the apoptotic rate was lower, the mRNA expression of VEGF and the capillary density were higher in both MI+Bcl-2-BMSCs group and the MI+BMSCs group than those in MI group, and those in MI+Bcl-2-BMSCs group increased more obviously.The left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) had a negative correlation with the myocardial cell apoptosis rate. A positive correlation with the mRNA expression level of VEGF and the capillary density was also observed.CONCLUSION: The transplantation of BMSCs modified by bcl-2 gene significantly reduces the myocardial cell apoptosis, promotes angiogenesis, improves heart function of the rabbits with MI.     

多花相思的组织培养和快速繁殖

用多花相思茎段作外植体,采用在木本植物茎叶组培材料上经常采用的3种消毒方法,以及前人已在相思类植物营养器官组培上取得成功的4种芽诱导培养基、芽增殖培养基和生根培养基进行对比试验。结果表明,材料消毒以1/800灭菌净10 min+75%酒精50 s+0.1%HgCl25 min处理效果最好;芽诱导和芽增殖都以改良MS+6-BA1.0+NAA0.2效果最好;生根效果最好的培养基是1/2MS+IBA1.0。     

Tree size dependence of litter production, and above-ground net production in a young Hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtusa) stand

The study was carried out in a 9-year-old hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa (Sieb. et Zucc.) Endl.), stand over a span of three years from July 1992 to June 1995, primarily to predict litter production from exteral tree dimensions by combining open-top clothtrap and clipping methods. Litter production was virtually concentrated in October and November. Stem cross-sectional area at the crown base was proved to be the reliable predictor of litter production, and that single regression model was evolved irrespective of year. The regression model had proportional constants of 2.696 × 10⁻² and 3.540 × 10⁻² kg cm⁻² year⁻¹ for leaf litter and total litter production, respectively. Utilizing the model, leaf litter production of the stand was assessed to be 5.04, 5.12, and 4.99, and total litter production to be 6.48, 6.58, and 6.40 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ for the first, second and third year, respectively. Biomass increment was 6.67, 7.80, and 7.70, tree mortality was 0.15, 0.13, and 0.41, and insect grazing was 0.09, 0.05, and 0.002 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ for the first, second and third year, respectively. Above-groud net production was therefore 13.39, 14.55, and 14.51, Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, and biomass accumulation ratio (biomass/net production) was 1.86, 2.21, and 2.76 year for the first, second and third year, respectively. Considering data from earlier studies and the results of this study, biomass accumulation ratio,BAR (year), of hinoki stands was best related to above-ground biomass,y (Mg ha⁻¹), using the power function:BAR=0.112y ^0.936. Excluding seedling stands, leaf efficiency (above-ground net production per unit leaf mass) of hinoki stands was 0.91±0.02 (SE) Mg Mg⁻¹ year⁻¹, irrespective of stand biomass or age.