Anther culture in rice proportionally rescues microspores according to gametophytic gene effect and enhances genetic study of hybrid sterility

Background

To investigate plant hybrid sterility, we studied interspecific hybrids of two cultivated rice species, Asian rice (Oryza sativa) and African rice (O. glaberrima). Male gametes of these hybrids display complete sterility owing to a dozen of hybrid sterility loci, termed HS loci, but this complicated genetic system remains poorly understood.

Results

Microspores from these interspecific hybrids form sterile pollen but are viable at the immature stage. Application of the anther culture (AC) method caused these immature microspores to induce callus. The segregation distortion of 11 among 13 known HS loci was assessed in the callus population. Using many individual calli, fine mapping of the HS loci was attempted based on heterozygotes produced from chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs). Transmission ratio distortion (TRD) from microspores was detected at 6 of 11 HS loci in the callus population. The fine mapping of S₁ and S₁₉ loci using CSSLs revealed precise distances of markers from the positions of HS loci exhibiting excessive TRD.

Conclusions

We demonstrated that AC to generate callus populations derived from immature microspores is a useful methodology for genetic study. The callus population facilitated detection of TRD at multiple HS loci and dramatically shortened the process for mapping hybrid sterility genes.

     

Quantifying landscape pattern and ecosystem service value changes in four rapidly urbanizing hill stations of Southeast Asia

Context

Hill stations are known for their favorable cool climate and natural environments which generate valuable ecosystem services that benefit the local population, tourists and visitors. However, rapid urbanization threatens the sustainability of these highly valued fragile landscapes.

Objectives

We aim to characterize and quantify the changes in the landscape patterns and ecosystem service values (ESVs) of Baguio (Philippines), Bogor (Indonesia), Dalat (Vietnam), and Pyin Oo Lwin (Myanmar), and discuss their implications to landscape sustainability.

Methods

We used remote sensing imagery to map land-use/cover (2001 and 2014), and spatial metrics and gradient analysis to characterize the changes in landscape pattern. We employed a benefit transfer method to estimate the changes in ESV and human-to-ESV ratio. A land-change model was used to simulate different scenarios of future built-up expansions (2014–2030).

Results

The landscapes of Dalat and Pyin Oo Lwin are becoming more fragmented, while those of Baguio and Bogor are getting more aggregated. Dalat had the highest decrease (absolute change) in ESV and H-ESV ratio, while Bogor had the highest percentage decrease (2001–2014).

Conclusions

Rapid urbanization has been a major factor in the landscape transformation of Baguio, Bogor, Dalat and Pyin Oo Lwin. If the current built-up expansion rate will speed up, the decline in future ESV and H-ESV ratio (2014–2030) will be higher than if the rate will continue or slow down. Unless the concept of landscape sustainability is taken seriously in landscape and urban planning, the respective ‘values’ of these precious hill stations will become less and less.

     

Interspecific differences in the post-settlement survival of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acropora</Emphasis> corals under a common garden experiment

Extremely low post-settlement survival is one of the largest barriers for artificial rehabilitation of Acropora corals. However, little data have been found for interspecific difference of the post-settlement survival probably because the observation of coral juvenile is difficult in the field. Here, we analyzed the survival of three dominant species of Acropora corals (A. digitifera, A. tenuis, A. yongei), with different colony morphologies and habitat preferences, for 2 years after settlement under the same environmental conditions. The post-settlement survival was significantly higher for A. tenuis than for A. digitifera 3 months after settlement. Two years later, the survival rate of A. tenuis was approximately 15 times higher than A. digitifera. In a separate analysis of three bottle-brush species (A. awi, A. echinata, A. subglabra) and A. tenuis, post-settlement survival was always higher for A. awi than for other two bottle-brush species, suggesting that the initial survival was different among morphologically sister species. Low survival was possibly associated with slow growth rates during the first 7 months. Thus, species selection is important for successful artificial coral rehabilitation, with A. tenuis being the most viable option. Alternatively, new techniques are required to improve post-settlement survival of slow growing coral species.     

Health-beneficial effects of probiotics: Its mode of action

It is now widely recognized that probiotics have health-beneficial effects on humans and animals. Probiotics should survive in the intestinal tract to exert beneficial effects on the host's health. To keep a sufficient level of probiotic bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, a shorter interval between doses may be required. Although adherence to the intestinal epithelial cell and mucus is not a universal property of probiotics, high ability to adhere to the intestinal surface might strongly interfere with infection of pathogenic bacteria and regulate the immune system. The administration of probiotic Lactobacillus stimulated indigenous Lactobacilli and the production of short-chain fatty acids. This alteration of the intestinal environment should contribute to maintain the host's health. The immunomodulatory effects of probiotics are related to important parts of their beneficial effects. Probiotics may modulate the intestinal immune response through the stimulation of certain cytokine and IgA secretion in intestinal mucosa. The health-beneficial effects, in particular the immunomodulation effect, of probiotics depend on the strain used. Differences in indigenous intestinal microflora significantly alter the magnitude of the effects of a probiotic. Specific probiotic strains suitable for each animal species and their life stage as well as each individual should be found.     

Immunohistochemical analysis of cyclooxygenase-2 induction during wound healing in dog skin

Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 is an inducible isoform of COX and is expressed under abnormal health conditions. This study elucidated the cutaneous induction of COX-2 during the wound healing processes in dog skin. Dog skin was sutured after punch biopsy and investigated histologically and immunohistochemically on days 0 (normal), 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14 after injury. Histological changes, including infiltration of inflammatory cells and proliferation of fibroblast-like cells, were observed as predicted, and there was a close and significant correlation between these 2 events. COX-2-positive cells were detected in the epidermis between days 1 and 7, and bimodal peaks were observed in the case of the percentage of COX-2-positive cells. In inflammatory cells, COX-positive signals were detected on day 3 only. Here, we clarified the localization and pattern of the induced COX-2 expression during wound healing in dog skin.     

Potassium behavior and clay mineral composition in the soil with low effectiveness of potassium application

ABSTRACT

Increasing exchangeable potassium (ExK) content in soil to an appropriate level is important to mitigate the transfer of radioactive cesium to crops. We focused on a buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) field with a low ExK content, despite the application of K, in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan (Field A), following the Tokyo Electric Power Company Fukushima Dai-ichi (No. 1) Nuclear Power Plant accident in March 2011. We examined the relationship between K concentration and clay mineral composition in the soil of Field A and compared the findings with another field in Fukushima Prefecture (Field B) to clarify whether K applied to the soil was leached or remaining fixed. Pot experiments showed that K concentration in water seepage from pots following irrigation was significantly lower in pots from Field A than in those from Field B. Soil ExK content after soybean cultivation was lower in soils of Field A than those of Field B. These results indicate that K applied to Field A was fixed in the soil. Analysis of clay mineral composition confirmed the distinctive vermiculitic nature of Field A soils. This clay mineralogy would be associated with the higher K fixation ability of Field A than Field B soils. This study demonstrated that K fixation in vermiculite was a factor preventing the increase in ExK content from K application to Field A.     

Comparisons among MRI signs,apparent diffusion coefficient,and fractional anisotropy in dogs with a solitary intracranial meningioma or histiocytic sarcoma

Although MRI has become widely used in small animal practice, little is known about the validity of advanced MRI techniques such as diffusion‐weighted imaging and diffusion tensor imaging. The aim of this retrospective analytical observational study was to investigate the characteristics of diffusion parameters, that is the apparent diffusion coefficient and fractional anisotropy, in dogs with a solitary intracranial meningioma or histiocytic sarcoma. Dogs were included based on the performance of diffusion MRI and histological confirmation. Statistical analyses were performed to compare apparent diffusion coefficient and fractional anisotropy for the two types of tumor in the intra‐ and peritumoral regions. Eleven cases with meningioma and six with histiocytic sarcoma satisfied the inclusion criteria. Significant differences in apparent diffusion coefficient value (× 10^?3 mm²/s) between meningioma vs. histiocytic sarcoma were recognized in intratumoral small (1.07 vs. 0.76) and large (1.04 vs. 0.77) regions of interest, in the peritumoral margin (0.93 vs. 1.08), and in the T2 high region (1.21 vs. 1.41). Significant differences in fractional anisotropy values were found in the peritumoral margin (0.29 vs. 0.24) and the T2 high region (0.24 vs. 0.17). The current study identified differences in measurements of apparent diffusion coefficient and fractional anisotropy for meningioma and histiocytic sarcoma in a small sample of dogs. In addition, we observed that all cases of intracranial histiocytic sarcoma showed leptomeningeal enhancement and/or mass formation invading into the sulci in the contrast study. Future studies are needed to determine the sensitivity of these imaging characteristics for differentiating between these tumor types.     

东北坡耕地春季融雪侵蚀观测研究

为研究东北地区坡耕地的春季融雪侵蚀特征及其影响因素,选取吉林省吉兴小流域内坡耕地进行原位观测,通过分析融雪过程中径流量和含沙量的变化,以及融雪径流、土壤解冻深度等指标对融雪侵蚀的影响,探讨坡耕地融雪侵蚀过程及变化规律。结果表明,在日平均温度0~3.8℃的气象条件下,春季融雪侵蚀较为集中,径流与含沙量变化均先增加后减少。融雪径流与表层土壤解冻深度是影响融雪侵蚀的重要因素,初期融雪产流,土壤未解冻,径流急剧增加,径流量占融雪期总径流量的59.15%;中期积雪融化趋于稳定,土壤表层开始解冻,径流减少含沙量增加,侵蚀量达到最大且占融雪期总侵蚀量的41.74%;末期融雪产流停止,土壤解冻深度增加,含沙量达到最大(8.00kg/m~3)。坡耕地融雪侵蚀受垄作区域与集水洼地地形变化的影响,产流产沙具有较强规律性,二者峰值出现频次一致时,径流—泥沙呈"8"字循环滞后关系,反之呈复式循环滞后关系。     

配施硫基肥对夏玉米镉铅累积的阻控效应

该文以府河流域污灌区农田为研究对象,通过田间小区试验研究了5种施肥措施对土壤重金属镉(Cd)、铅(Pb)有效性以及夏玉米(Zea mays L.)对Cd、Pb富集和转运能力的影响。结果表明:与农民常规施肥(CK)相比,尿素、磷酸二铵和氯化钾配施(N-P-K)以及腐殖酸复合肥、尿素和磷酸二铵配施(HA-N-P)的表层土壤Cd、Pb有效性以及夏玉米对Cd、Pb的富集和迁移能力差异均不显著(P0.05)。然而,腐殖酸复合肥、硫酸铵和磷酸二铵配施(HA-S-P)以及硫酸铵、磷酸二铵和硫酸钾配施(S-P-K)2种施肥措施的表层土壤有效Cd含量分别比CK降低了10.60%和6.36%,表层土壤有效Pb含量分别比CK降低了11.49%和6.00%。此外,HA-S-P处理和S-P-K处理夏玉米Pb转运系数分别比CK降低了50.33%和77.10%,且夏玉米籽粒Pb含量分别比CK降低了59.75%和80.43%(P0.05),但各处理间夏玉米对Cd的转运和富集能力差异并不显著,这说明施用硫基肥可有效抑制夏玉米对Pb的富集和转运,但并未影响其对Cd的富集和转运。综上所述,该污灌区轻度Cd、Pb复合污染农田土壤种植夏玉米建议硫酸铵、磷酸二铵和硫酸钾配施,或者腐殖酸复合肥、硫酸铵和磷酸二铵配施。