Optimization of germination conditions to enhance hydroxyl radical inhibition by water-soluble protein from stress millet

This study aimed to further increase the yield of the hydroxyl radical inhibitory water-soluble protein from stress germinated millet. For this, the effects of the sprouting conditions (temperature, time and pH of stress medium) on the hydroxyl radical inhibition were investigated carefully by single-factor experiments and statistical experimental designs, which included a fractional factorial design, steepest ascent experiments, a central composite experimental design and response surface methodology. The optimal conditions were identified as temperature 28 °C, culture time 54 h and stress medium pH 7.5. Under the optimum conditions, the highest inhibition (60.38%) was achieved.     

Bioactive carbazole alkaloids from Murraya koenigii (L.) Spreng

Four new carbazole alkaloids (1–4) and fourteen known carbazole alkaloids (5–18) were isolated from Murraya koenigii. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis. Compounds 4, 6, 16, and 17 (10 μM) had moderate hepatoprotective activities against d-galactosamine-induced HL-7702 cell damage. Compounds 11, 12 and 18 showed significant PTP1B inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ values of 1.773, 1.875 and 2.286 μM, respectively.     

The vascular protective properties of kinsenoside isolated from Anoectochilus roxburghii under high glucose condition

Anoectochilus roxburghii is a traditional Chinese herb used for the treatment of diabetes and some other diseases. The vascular protective effect of its major active ingredient, kinsenoside, in high glucose conditions was investigated in in vivo and in vitro experiments. In in vivo tests, kinsenoside (50 and 100 mg/kg) efficiently lowered blood glucose and cholesterol levels and it enhanced the oxidation resistance of diabetic mice induced by streptozotocin. In the in vitro assay, kinsenoside (20 and 50 μg/mL) markedly inhibited changes in various biochemical substances (nitric oxide (NO), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT)) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) damaged by high glucose (35 mM) and restored vascular endothelial structure by balancing the matrix metalloproteinases–the tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP–TIMP) system. The vascular protective effects of kinsenoside were speculated to be attributed to oxidative stress inhibition and the reduction of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) mRNA expression levels in high glucose conditions. Moreover, histological examination, including hematoxylin–eosin (H&E) staining, masson trichrome (Masson) staining, and periodic Schiff-methenamine (PASM) staining, greatly supported the morphological and functional amelioration of diabetes-related changes in mice aortas after kinsenoside (20 and 50 μg/mL) treatment. These results indicated that kinsenoside might be a promising agent for the treatment of diabetic vascular disease.     

Control of postharvest radish decay using a Cryptococcus albidus yeast coating formulation

An antagonist yeast strain, WY-1, was identified using 18S and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA region sequences. The 18S and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA sequences of this yeast strain were amplified and sequenced using the universal primer pairs NS1/NS8 and ITS4/ITS5. The ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA sequence and 18S neighbor-joining tree showed that WY-1 was a strain of Cryptococcus albidus. The biocontrol activity of C. albidus WY-1 on postharvest decay of radishes caused by Alternaria spp. and Fusarium spp. was investigated. In vitro, at 10⁸ CFU ml⁻¹ C. albidus WY-1 inhibited the mycelial weight increases of Alternaria spp. and Fusarium spp. by 45.3% and 59.6%, respectively. In vivo, infection incidence and lesion development of radish decay were suppressed by the application of C. albidus WY-1 at 10⁸ CFU ml⁻¹. After 6 days of incubation at 20 °C or 24 days at 4 °C, disease incidences were 2.8% and 1.4%, respectively; however, the disease incidences of control fruit were 98.6% and 87.5% under these incubation conditions, respectively. Application of C. albidus WY-1 and the chemical fungicide thiabendazole were statistically just as effective. Finally, C. albidus cell counts around inoculation sites remained high at 4 °C even 32 days after inoculation (6.7 × 10⁵ CFU per cm²).     

中国茶树炭疽菌属病害研究进展及展望

茶树是一种重要的经济作物,广泛种植于热带和亚热带地区。随着茶产品经济价值的提高,茶叶生产安全备受关注。炭疽菌是引起茶树病害的病原菌之一,严重影响茶叶产量和茶产品品质,威胁我国茶产业的良性发展。利用抗病品种是防治茶树病害最为经济、有效的措施。目前,茶树炭疽菌种名使用混乱,茶树与炭疽菌的互作研究也较为薄弱,而简单依靠药剂防治病害也对茶叶质量安全造成一定的影响。本文梳理并明确了危害茶树的炭疽菌种类;总结了现有的茶树和炭疽菌互作的研究成果,提出识别免疫(effector triggered immunity,ETI)模式是茶树防御炭疽菌的主要机制;对茶树病理学存在的问题进行了归纳并提出解决办法,并展望了深入开展茶树抗病机理研究的思路,以期为制定茶园绿色防控技术及选育茶树抗病良种提供科学参考。     

Alkaline sulfite–anthraquinone (AS/AQ) pulping of wheat straw and totally chlorine free (TCF) bleaching of pulps

Alkaline sulfite–anthraquinone (AS/AQ) pulping of wheat straw and totally chlorine free (TCF) bleaching of resulting pulps was investigated. Wheat straw was supplied by the Ferdosii University Experimental Station in Northeastern Iran, cleaned and chopped into about 3–5 cm long pieces. In the AS/AQ pulping experiments, the active alkali charge on oven dry wheat straw, heating time to maximum cooking temperature, AQ dose and liquor to straw ratio were kept constant at 16%, 60 min, 0.1% and 4/1, respectively. The alkali ratio, Na₂SO₃/NaOH, calculated as NaOH, was varied from 20/80 to 80/20. Cooking time at maximum temperature was varied from 30 to 90 min and maximum cooking temperature was adjusted between 152 and 160 °C. Reference soda and soda/AQ pulps were produced.AS/AQ and soda/AQ pulps with kappa numbers below 15 were produced easily. Cooking of corresponding soda pulps under comparable conditions stopped at a kappa number of 25. The characteristics of unbleached AS/AQ, soda/AQ and soda pulps were compared. AS/AQ and soda/AQ pulps had similar tensile strength but tear was in favor to AS/AQ. The latter had much higher yield and brightness.TCF bleaching of AS/AQ pulp was performed in O Q (OP) or O Q (OP) P sequences. Oxygen delignification (O) resulted in a delignification degree of approximately one third. Followed by a chelating treatment (Q) and a subsequent (OP) stage under drastic conditions a brightness of 82.7% ISO was achieved in an O Q (OP) sequence. The sequence O Q (OP) P, with 2% H₂O₂ in the final P stage, improved brightness from 77.2% ISO after the OP stage to 83.6% ISO. Bleaching led to only small losses in tensile and burst strength but enhanced tear strength. Short beating in a Jokro mill was sufficient to attain good pulp strength. The results of this study indicate that AS/AQ pulping and TCF bleaching is a convincing alternative to produce high-quality pulp from wheat straw for writing and printing paper.     

中间球海胆性腺氨基酸组成研究

试验结果表明,中间球海胆鲜味氨基酸含量占总氨基酸含量的43%以上,尤其是含有较高的甘氨酸、谷氨酸.雄性性腺鲜味氨基酸含量高于雌性,因此,雄性味更美.在生产中采集中间球海胆时期最好选在早期成熟阶段,在海胆成熟后期自然排放之前采收完毕.     

中国野生葡萄抗黑痘病基因RAPD标记的克隆、序列分析及辅助育种应用

对中国野生葡萄抗黑痘病基因RAPD标记OPS03-1300进行了克隆、测序及序列分析,结果表明该标记实际长度是1354bp,因此更名为OPS03-1354,其GenBank登录号为DQ350885。该标记序列与99条来自欧洲葡萄的EST有同源性,其中与1条来自赤霞珠叶片感染葡萄皮尔斯病病原菌后获得的EST同源性为82%,与2条来自赤霞珠果实在不同发育期获得的EST同源性分别为80%和85%。该序列与1条来自中国野生华东葡萄白河-35-1叶片接种霜霉病病原菌后获得的EST同源性为67%。该序列编码葡萄的一种假定蛋白。此外,应用该标记对中国野生葡萄与欧洲葡萄的种间杂交广西-1×京可晶F1代339株、白河-35-1×佳利酿F2代207株进行了辅助选择。     

Response of cucurbit rootstocks to Pythium aphanidermatum

Damping-off and vine decline diseases affect most greenhouse cucumber crops in Oman, with losses frequently exceeding 25% of seedlings and adult plants. As a consequence of some recent reports that disease control using metalaxyl fungicides were ineffective, seven local and introduced rootstocks were assessed for their response to Pythium aphanidermatum. The rootstocks were also tested for grafting compatibility and production potential under greenhouse conditions. During artificial inoculation trials, no damping-off symptoms were observed in the Hercules and Titan varieties, ridge gourd or sponge gourd. In three separate greenhouse trials, Titan, Hercules and squash var. Magda showed no damping-off or vine decline symptoms up to 45 days after transplanting. When cucumber was grafted onto the seven rootstocks, no symptoms were observed in the cucumber plants grafted onto Titan and Hercules rootstocks, whereas the cucumber grafted onto the other rootstocks showed varying levels of damping-off and vine decline diseases (10–40%). The Titan and Hercules rootstocks significantly increased the vegetative growth and the fruit number, weight and length compared to the self-grafted cucumbers, non-grafted cucumbers and cucumbers that were grafted onto the other rootstocks (P < 0.05). To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to examine the influence of grafting on the resistance to Pythium and on the vegetative growth and yield of greenhouse cucumbers.