Drivers of fine-scale avian functional diversity with changing land use: an assessment of the effects of eco-estate housing development and management

Landscape Ecology - The effects of changing land use, and especially urbanisation, on species and functional diversity are of global concern. Eco-estates are a form of urban housing development...     

化肥减施下紫云英不同翻压量对双季稻产量及养分利用效率的影响

为了探索紫云英替代化肥的可行性和适宜翻压量,利用连续11 a田间定位试验,共设置7个处理,分别为CK(不施紫云英和化肥)、GM_(22.5)(单施紫云英22.5 t/hm~2)、100%CF(常规施肥)及60%化肥施用量条件下将紫云英翻压量设15.0(GM_(15.0)),22.5(GM_(22.5)),30.0(GM_(30.0)),37.5(GM_(37.5)) t/hm~2 4个水平,研究化肥减施下不同紫云英翻压量对双季稻产量、氮磷钾积累量、氮磷钾利用率及土壤肥力的影响。结果表明:与CK相比,施肥处理均能显著增加早晚稻及全年两季籽粒产量(P0.05),增幅分别为79.1%～91.1%,44.8%～50.7%,56.8%～64.7%。单施紫云英可显著增加水稻产量(P0.05),与CK相比,早晚稻及全年两季籽粒产量增幅分别为23.9%,12.4%,16.4%。60%化肥与不同量紫云英配施处理早晚稻及全年两季籽粒产量与常规施肥相比差异不显著,紫云英翻压量为15.0～30.0 t/hm~2时,早晚稻及全年两季籽粒产量均随紫云英翻压量的增多而提高,当紫云英翻压量多于30.0 t/hm~2时,则呈下降趋势。在所有的化肥配施紫云英处理中,早晚稻籽粒氮、磷、钾养分积累量均以翻压紫云英30.0 t/hm~2时最高。与常规化肥相比,紫云英与化肥配施可提高氮、钾肥回收利用率、农学效率和偏生产力。与CK相比,各施肥处理均不同程度地提高土壤有机质、全氮、碱解氮、有效磷、速效钾含量。紫云英翻压量为22.5～30.0 t/hm~2时,土壤有机质、全氮、碱解氮、有效磷含量均显著高于常规化肥处理(P0.05)。因此,在本试验施用60%化肥条件下长期翻压紫云英有利于促进水稻增产及水稻氮、磷、钾素的吸收,提高双季稻氮、磷、钾养分利用效率及土壤肥力。     

Verrucosamide,a Cytotoxic 1,4-Thiazepane-Containing Thiodepsipeptide from a Marine-Derived Actinomycete

A new cytotoxic thiodepsipeptide, verrucosamide (1), was isolated along with the known, related cyclic peptide thiocoraline, from the extract of a marine-derived actinomycete, a Verrucosispora sp., our strain CNX-026. The new peptide, which is composed of two rare seven-membered 1,4-thiazepane rings, was elucidated by a combination of spectral methods and the absolute configuration was determined by a single X-ray diffraction study. Verrucosamide (1) showed moderate cytotoxicity and selectivity in the NCI 60 cell line bioassay. The most susceptible cell lines were MDA-MB-468 breast carcinoma with an LD₅₀ of 1.26 µM, and COLO 205 colon adenocarcinoma with an LD₅₀ of 1.4 µM. Also isolated along with verrucosamide were three small 3-hydroxy(alkoxy)-quinaldic acid derivatives that appear to be products of the same biosynthetic pathway.     

Shikonin reverses HGF-induced resistance to gefitinib in lung cancer cells HCC827

AIM: To investigate the effect of shikonin on reversing hepatocyte growth factor(HGF)-induced resistance to gefitinib in lung cancer HCC827 cells, and to explore its possible mechanisms.METHODS: The gefitinib-resistant HCC827 cells induced by HGF were treated with shikonin and gefitinibthe alone or in combination. The inhibition rates of cell viability were determined by MTT assay. The invasive ability of HCC827 cells with HGF-induced resistance to gefitinib was determined by Transwell assay. The protein levels of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and related signaling pathway in the HCC827 cells were detected by Western blot.RESULTS: The results of MTT assay showed that the cell activity of HCC827 cells was significantly inhibited by shikonin in a dose dependent manner. The IC₅₀ of shikonin in HCC827 cells was 3.06 μmol/L. And the IC₅₀ of gefitinib in HCC827 cells was 0.51 μmol/L. Under the condition of combined treatment with shikonin and gefitinib in the presence of HGF (20 μg/L), the IC₅₀ of gefitinib was 7.36 μmol/L, significantly lower than that treated with gefitinib alone (P<0.01), so did the result of the cell migration (P<0.01). HGF induced EMT, while shikonin reversed this effect. The protein expression level of p-AKT was significantly up-regulated by HGF, while markedly down-regulated treatment with shikonin and gefitinib compared with gefitinib alone (P<0.01).CONCLUSION: Shikonin reverses HGF-induced resistance to gefitinib in lung cancer HCC827 cells, and the mechanism may be likely related to the preventon of EMT and the inhibition of HGF-induced activation of p-AKT signaling pathway.     

Immunodeficiency associated with lymphosarcoma in a horse.

Immune system dysfunction and immunoglobulin deficiency was diagnosed in a 2-year-old horse with disseminated lymphosarcoma. Prolonged (35 days) parenteral nutrition was delivered to support the horse during a period in which immune function studies could be performed. Correction of nutritional compromise by use of parenteral nutrition did not correct the immunoglobulin deficiency, and results of lymphocyte phenotype testing did not indicate abnormal proportions of leukocytes. Lymphoblast transformation studies were suggestive of a circulating immunosuppressive factor in the horse's serum. Normal cell function was detected when the cells were stimulated in precolostral equine serum.     

Cryptococcal osteomyelitis in a dog

Osteomyelitis caused by Cryptococcus neoformans was diagnosed in a three-year-old male Irish wolfhound. The case details and radiological findings of radiolucency and periosteal reaction of the left third metatarsal bone had lead to an initial diagnosis of a malignant bone tumour. Biopsy revealed a fungal granuloma and culture identified the causal organism. A four month course of ketaconazole was instigated and the lameness resolved. Twelve months after the end of treatment there was no recurrence of the problem.     

Factors affecting skim milk progesterone assay results.

Five studies were performed to determine factors affecting progesterone concentration in skim milk. Results of the first study indicated that progesterone concentration was higher in skim milk of samples kept 16 hours in an ice bath (0 C) than of those left at room temperature (21 C). In the second study, this temperature effect was found to be reversible, with skim milk progesterone concentration increasing when whole milk samples were cooled prior to centrifugation. In the third study, [3H]-labeled progesterone was used to determine the relationship between fat content of foremilk (the first milk obtained from the teats), midmilk (milk obtained midway through milking), and strippings (milk obtained immediately after milking machines have been removed) samples and temperature (4 C and 21 C) on the percentage of progesterone in the skim milk fraction. The relationship between percentage of butterfat and percentage of progesterone in skim milk was linear when the log of these variables was used for calculations. In the fourth study, assayable progesterone in the skim milk fraction of foremilk, midmilk, and strippings was affected by temperature. In the fifth study, a multiple-regression procedure was used to determine the amount of variation in percentage of radioactive progesterone in the skim milk fraction. Independent variables (whole milk butterfat and temperature of incubation [1, 3, 13, 22, 37, and 50 C]) and the natural log of each variable, were entered into a stepwise multiple-regression analysis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)