In vitro studies of Norwegian Red bovine semen immobilized and cryopreserved in alginate solid gel network

Development of new semen cryopreservation techniques improving sperm survival and ensuring availability of viable spermatozoa for a prolonged time‐period after AI is promising tools to reduce sensitivity of timing of AI and enhance overall fertility. The SpermVital^® technology utilizes immobilization of bull spermatozoa in a solid network of alginate gel prior to freezing, which will provide a gradual release of spermatozoa after AI. The objective of this study was to compare post‐thaw sperm quality and in vitro sperm survival over time of Norwegian Red bull semen processed by the SpermVital^® (SV) technology, the first commercialized production line of SpermVital^® (C) and by conventional procedure applying Biladyl^® extender (B). Post‐thaw sperm motility was not significantly different between SV, C and B semen (p > .05). However, sperm viability and acrosome intactness were higher for SV than C and B semen (p < .05). Small differences in DNA quality were observed (p < .05). Sperm viability after storage in uterus ex vivo was higher for SV than for C semen (p < .05). Furthermore, sperm survival in vitro over time at physiological temperature was significantly higher for SV semen than C semen as well as B semen during the incubation period of 48 hr (p < .05). In conclusion, the SpermVital^® technology is improved and is more efficient in conserving post‐thaw sperm quality and results in higher sperm viability over time in vitro for SV than for C and B semen.     

亚硒酸钠浸种对春小麦种子萌发特性的研究

为研究硒浸种对春小麦种子活力和幼苗生长特性的影响,分别设置0,0.5,1.0,2.5,3.5,5.0,10.0,50.0 mg/L共8个亚硒酸钠溶液浓度,通过发芽试验,比较研究了不同浓度的亚硒酸钠浸种对春小麦种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响.结果表明:随着亚硒酸钠溶液浓度升高,春小麦种子的发芽率、发芽势、发芽指数、活力指数、幼苗和根长以及干鲜重等指标均呈先升高后下降的趋势;1.0 mg/L的亚硒酸钠溶液对小麦种子萌发和幼苗生长有促进作用;随着亚硒酸钠浓度的升高(≥2.5 mg/L),其各项指标显著下降,并对根和苗的生长表现出抑制作用;因此在实际生产中,掌握合适的硒浸种浓度非常关键.     

木制家具出口呼唤“中国品牌”

近两年，我国木制家具出口可以说是超常规发展。2004年我国出口木制家具为129亿件，到了2005年，达到了1．49亿件，增幅高达16％；至2006年，尽管国际上欧美一些发达国家对我国家具出口“反倾销”和知识产权侵权诉讼接连不断，国内下半年又有国家出口退税率下调等显然不利于家具出口的政策出台，但所有这些内外在因素的合力，似乎都未能构成对我国家具出口大潮本质上的阻扼。     

Method for determining nitrogenous heterocycle compounds in wine

Qualitative and quantitative analyses of N-heterocycle compounds were conducted by using a liquid-liquid extraction followed by additional chemical silica gel purification and injection into a gas chromatographic (GC) column coupled to a nitrogen-phosphorus detector (NPD). The purified extract fraction was investigated by GC-NPD and by GC-mass spectrometry. The compounds identified and quantified in wines were 2,4,5-trimethyloxazole, 2,4-dimethylthiazole, and 4-methylthiazole by GC-NPD and both 2-acetylthiazole and 2-acetyl-2-thiazoline by GC-MS. The procedure was used to analyze different wines and gave reliable and reproducible results.     

Amphotericin B methyl ester hydrochloride and amphotericin B: comparative acute toxicity

In single-dose parenteral studies with mice and dogs, the methyl ester hydrochloride of amphotericin B proved to be significantly less toxic than the parent compound, especially to the kidney.     

Persistence of Gunnison’s prairie dog colonies in Arizona, USA

Although the five species of prairie dogs (Cynomys spp.) are recognized as important components of grassland ecosystems in western North America, they have experienced major population declines due to poisoning, outbreaks of sylvatic plague, recreational shooting, and habitat conversion. From May 2000 to October 2001, we investigated 270 colonies of Gunnison’s prairie dog (Cynomys gunnisoni) in Arizona. Because these colonies were classified as active in previous surveys (1987, 1990-1994, 1998), we were able to examine their persistence. Most (70%) of the colonies became inactive between the initial and recent surveys, with colony extinctions spanning our study area. Colony persistence was positively associated with the persistence of the nearest neighboring colony but was not associated with major vegetation type, distance to nearest neighboring colony, or initial size of the colony. The amount of area occupied by individual colonies varied between surveys, sometimes dramatically. We found little evidence that the reduction in active colonies was due to poisoning, recreational shooting, or habitat conversion. Rather, direct and indirect evidence suggest plague is the primary factor negatively impacting Gunnison’s prairie dog populations in Arizona. Currently, there is no way to control or prevent plague outbreaks in Gunnison’s prairie dog populations. To mitigate the effects of localized plague outbreaks on the overall population of this species, we suggest that Gunnison’s prairie dog be reintroduced to public lands throughout its historical range.     

减量灌溉下不同施氮量对南疆机采棉田干物质积累及产量影响

【目的】研究新疆南疆机采棉地区在适宜的水氮供应下,棉花干物质动态积累、产量及水肥利用状况。【方法】在南疆阿克苏地区机采棉田,设置不同灌溉量(2 250 、3 450、4 650 m³/hm²)和施氮量(0、300、600 kg/hm²)2个因子,分析不同处理的棉花生长状况、干物质积累及水肥生产效率。【结果】增加施氮量有利于棉花开花结铃,在干物质积累及花后贡献率上,灌溉量和施氮量二者其中一个因素过高或者过低均会影响棉花干物质快速积累及花后干物质的贡献率,灌溉量3 450 m³/hm²和施氮量为300 kg/hm²时干物质积累速率的加快,花后干物质的贡献率较大,有利于干物质的快速积累;在棉花产量和水肥利用效率上,随着灌溉量增加籽棉产量也随着增加,当灌溉量由3 450增加到4 650 m³/hm²时,籽棉产量的增加幅度减小,在灌溉量3 450 m³/hm²下,随着施氮量的增加棉花产量呈现先升后降的趋势,当施氮量为N2时,棉花产量最大为7 153.08 kg/hm²。【结论】在不同灌溉量下,随着施氮量增加有利于棉花干物质积累、产量及水肥利用效率提高。但随着灌溉量增加施氮量的正效应将会减少。南疆机采棉田在3 450 m³/hm²灌溉量下,施肥量(纯N)为300 kg/hm²时,能够有效的提高棉花产量及水肥利用效率。     

Worldwide genotyping of castor bean germplasm (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ricinus communis</Emphasis> L.) using AFLPs and SSRs

Worldwide genetic diversity in 200 individuals comprising 41 castor bean accessions was assessed using amplified fragment polymorphisms (AFLPs) and simple sequence repeats (SSRs). We found that, despite surveying five continents and 35 countries, genetic diversity in castor bean germplasm is relatively low (overall H _e = 0.126 for AFLPs and 0.188 for SSRs) compared to estimates of genetic diversity in other plant species. Our data also show no geographic structuring of genotypes across continents or countries within continents. An assessment of the congruence between AFLP and SSRs indicates a low correlation (R ² = 0.19) between the two data sets, but each marker class nonetheless shows similar patterns of low-genetic diversity and a lack of geographic structure. Our data do suggest that SSRs yield a higher percentage of polymorphic loci, higher heterozyosity and a greater range of genetic distances, and are therefore more informative than are AFLPs on a locus-by-locus basis. Based on comparisons with numerous other plant species, we suggest that the lower genetic variation in this worldwide collection may be due to one or more factors including: sampling strategies that have not captured the full extent of genetic variation in the species; artifactual variation due to long-term germplasm storage and seed regeneration; or intense selection followed by domestic cultivation of a limited number of castor bean genotypes, which are widely propagated for their horticultural and agro-economic value.     

绵羊心脏脂肪酸结合蛋白基因单核苷酸多态性分析

试验旨在探讨心脏脂肪酸结合蛋白（heart fatty acid-binding protein，H-FABP）基因在绵羊中的遗传多态性，并寻找可用于辅助选择的分子标记。本研究以滩羊（250只）及滩羊×湖羊杂交F1代（174只）为试验动物，利用SNaPshot分型技术对H-FABP基因（GenBank登录号：AY157617）的多态位点进行单核苷酸多态性（SNP）分析，统计基因频率和基因型频率，进行Hardy-Weinberg平衡性检测，计算期望杂合度（He）、多态信息含量（PIC）和有效等位基因数（Ne）等遗传多态指标，分析候选基因不同基因型与体重、体长、体高、胸围、胸深、胸宽和管围等生长性状的关联性。结果显示：①检测到9个多态位点：939[A/G]、980[G/A]、1018[T/C]、2878[C/T]、2956[C/T]、3017[G/A]、3341[G/C]、3394[T/A]、1056[-/G]，其中有6处转换、2处颠换、1处单碱基插入。②939[A/G]、980[G/A]、2956[C/T]、3341[G/C]、3394[T/A]和1018[T/C]的He为0.3200~0.4666，PIC为0.2688~0.3577；2878[C/T]、3017[G/A]位点的He为0.0283~0.1272，PIC为0.0279~0.1191，为低度多态；1056[-/G]位点的He在滩羊、滩羊×湖羊杂交F1代群体中分别为0.0120和0，PIC在滩羊、滩羊×湖羊杂交F1代群体中分别为0.0119和0；9个多态位点在滩羊、滩羊×湖羊杂交F1代群体中均符合Hardy-Weinberg平衡定律。③5个多态位点：939[A/G]、980[G/A]、2956[C/T]、3341[G/C]、3394[T/A]处于紧密连锁（D'>0.99），将H-FABP基因分为3个单倍型：AA、AB和BB。④在41只滩羊×湖羊杂交F1代羊中，BB单倍型在各生产性状上具有最大值，但各单倍型间差异不显著（P>0.05）。结果表明，绵羊H-FABP基因具有丰富的遗传多态性，939[A/G]、980[G/A]、2956[C/T]、3341[G/C]、3394[T/A]5个位点紧密连锁，BB单倍型可能是与绵羊生产性状相关的优势单倍型。