Do coarse resolution U.S. presettlement land survey records adequately represent the spatial pattern of individual tree species?

Presettlement land survey records (PLSRs) are a valuable and unique source of information for the reconstruction of presettlement forest patterns. The purpose of this study was to determine whether coarsely resolved PLSRs are adequate to characterize the spatial patterns of individual tree species over large areas. The General Land Office Survey records of the PLSRs of Minnesota were used and species selected in the analysis were based on their abundances and degrees of clustering. A geostatistical procedure was developed to analyze observations of bearing-tree point-locations, at progressively coarser resolutions from 1×1 mile to 24×24 miles, to create spatially continuous probability surfaces of species occurrences across the landscape. Statistical and visual analyses of the geostatistical predictions indicated that coarsely resolved PLSRs, as coarse as 24×24 miles, can adequately represent the spatial pattern of individual species over large areas. Mean errors in predictions increased as more coarsely resolved data were used, primarily in response to the decreased abundance of a species and minorly in response to the degree of spatial clustering of a species. The results indicate that coarsely resolved township-level data of 6×6 miles can be used for presettlement vegetation reconstruction of large areas of several counties.     

Protein recovery from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) processing byproducts via isoelectric solubilization/precipitation and its gelation properties as affected by functional additives

Solubility of rainbow trout proteins was determined between pH 1.5 and 13.0 and various ionic strengths (IS). Minimum solubility occurred at pH 5.5; however, when IS = 0.2, the minimum solubility shifted toward more acidic pH. Isoelectric solubilization/precipitation was applied to trout processing byproducts (fish meat left over on bones, head, skin, etc.), resulting in protein recovery yields (Kjeldahl, dry basis) between 77.7% and 89.0%, depending of the pH used for solubilization and precipitation. The recovered protein contained 1.4-2.1% ash (dry basis), while the trout processing byproducts (i.e., starting material) 13.9%. Typical boneless and skinless trout fillets contain 5.5% ash, and therefore, the isoelectric solubilization/precipitation effectively removed impurities such as bones, scales, skin, etc., from the trout processing byproducts. The recovered proteins retained gel-forming ability as assessed with dynamic rheology, torsion test, and texture profile analysis (TPA). However, the recovered proteins failed to gel unless beef plasma protein (BPP) was added. Even with BPP, the recovered protein showed some proteolysis between 40 and 55 degrees C. Addition of potato starch, transglutaminase, and phosphate to the recovered proteins resulted in good texture of trout gels as confirmed by torsion test and TPA. Higher ( P < 0.05) shear stress and strain were measured for gels developed from basic pH treatments than the acidic counterparts. However, proteins recovered from acidic treatments had higher ( P < 0.05) lipid content than the basic treatments. This is probably why the gels from acidic treatments were whiter ( L* - 3 b*) ( P < 0.05) than those from the basic ones. Our study demonstrates that functional proteins can be efficiently recovered from low-value fish processing byproducts using isoelectric solubilization/precipitation and subsequently be used in value-added human foods.     

Inhibition of low-density lipoprotein oxidation and oxidative burst in polymorphonuclear neutrophils by caffeic acid and hispidin derivatives isolated from sword brake fern (Pteris ensiformis Burm.)

Several antioxidant compounds have been previously identified from sword brake fern (Pteris ensiformis Burm.) by DPPH bleaching and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) analyses. Among the isolates, 7-O-caffeoylhydroxymaltol 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside and hispidin 4-O-beta- D-glucopyranoside [6-(3,4-dihydroxystyryl)-4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside-2-pyrone] were two new compounds. The aim of this study is to elucidate the possible effect of the aqueous extract of sword brake fern (SBF) and these two compounds in preventing atherosclerosis. The results demonstrated that SBF and these two compounds strongly inhibited Cu2+-mediated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation measured by thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances assay (TBARS), conjugated diene production, and relative electrophoretic mobility. The commercial antioxidant dl-alpha-tocopherol showed lower antioxidant activity than these two compounds at the same molecular concentration. SBF and these two compounds also suppressed N-formylmethionyl-leucylphenylalanine (fMLP)-stimulated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in human polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN). These findings indicate that sword brake fern may prevent atherosclerosis via inhibition of both LDL oxidation and ROS production.     

天津市无公害蔬菜产品“电子身份证”的建立与示范

天津市无公害蔬菜产品的质量安全不仅关系到蔬菜产业的健康发展,更关系到市民的健康与天津市农产品市场在全国的形象。为提高天津市蔬菜质量安全,有效增强政府对农产品质量监管的力度,提升品牌形象,增强产品竞争力,促进农民增收,农业主管部门启动了“天津市无公害蔬菜电子身份证的建立与示范”项目。该项目以创建天津市蔬菜安全生产和质量追溯系统为基础,从蔬菜基地安全生产技术、管理规范、市场准入及产品质量全程监测系统等方面进行研究和示范,积极探索“从农田到餐桌”的全程监管新模式,为打造放心蔬菜、品牌蔬菜提供可靠的技术支撑。     

Effects of Antrodia camphorata on alcohol clearance and antifibrosis in livers of rats continuously fed alcohol

Alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD) is the result of an excessive or chronic consumption of alcohol. Nine male Wistar rats per group were randomly assigned to one of the following drinking treatments: a 20% (w/w) alcohol solution (ALC); a 20% (w/w) alcohol solution cotreated with 0.25 g silymarin/kg BW/day; or a 20% (w/w) alcohol solution cotreated with 0.025 g Niuchangchih ( Antrodia camphorata )/kg BW/day for 4 weeks. Rats with cotreatments of silymarin or Niuchangchih had smaller (p < 0.05) relative liver size, less (p < 0.05) liver lipid accumulation, and lower (p < 0.05) liver damage indices [aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) values]. In the regulation of alcohol metabolism, the lower serum alcohol level was observed only in alcohol-fed rats supplemented with Niuchangchih. Meanwhile, cotreatment of silymarin or Niuchangchih increased (p < 0.05) CAT and ALDH activities but did not (p > 0.05) affect ADH and CYP2E1 expressions, which accelerate alcohol metabolism in the body. Additionally, neither silymarin nor Niuchangchih (p > 0.05) influenced serum/hepatic MMP-2 activities and NF-κB, AP1, and α-SMA gene expressions, but serum/hepatic MMP-9 activities and TNF-α, KLF-6, and TGF-β1 gene expressions of alcohol-fed rats were down-regulated (p < 0.05) by silymarin or Niuchangchih, which also could explain the lower liver damage observed in rats chronically fed alcohol.     

Treatment with taurine attenuates hepatic apoptosis in NZB/W F1 mice fed with a high-cholesterol diet

Cholesterol-rich diets are known to cause hepatic apoptosis, which has been associated with the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, the mechanisms and treatments for hepatic apoptosis in SLE are poorly understood. To clarify the effects of taurine on hepatic apoptosis in SLE, NZB/W F1 mice received control, cholesterol, and cholesterol/taurine diets. Significant reductions of caspase-3 activity, TUNEL-positive cells, and Fas- and mitochondrial- dependent apoptosis were detected in liver from the cholesterol/taurine group as compared to the cholesterol group. Moreover, significant increases of phosphorylated AKT, NF-kappaB (p65), and ERK1/2 proteins were detected in liver from the cholesterol/taurine group as compared to the cholesterol group. In contrast, a significant reduction of phosphorylated p38 protein was observed in the cholesterol/taurine group. These experimental results demonstrated positive effects of taurine against hepatic apoptosis in NZB/W F1 mice fed a high-cholesterol diet and suggested the therapeutic potential of taurine in SLE.     

CmRT1, a Ty3-gypsy-like retrotransposon in Castanea mollissima,is associated with a short-catkin mutation

Summary

Retrotransposons are major components of the genomes of most eukaryotic organisms and have resulted in the introduction of desirable traits in many crops, including fruit trees. Here, we describe a Ty3-gypsy-like retrotransposon associated with a short-catkin mutant in Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima), resulting in catkins that are < 20% the length of normal staminate catkins. A partial sequence of the retrotransposon, named CmRT1, detected by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis, and its complete sequence were determined from the genome of Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima) using improved Tail-PCR. CmRT1 was 10,067 bp in length and shared high homology in its predicted amino acid sequence and motifs with other Ty3/gypsy-like retrotransposons. The 5’ long terminal repeat (LTR) of CmRT1 contained a TATA box and several cis-elements that were predicted to be important for processes involving abscisic acid, gibberellic acid, and auxins and in stress-mediated responses. Further characterisation of the transposition event that led to the short-catkin phenotype was performed using two pairs of primers that aligned with the flanking region of the LTRs. The expected PCR bands were observed only in genomic DNA from plants that showed the mutation. Finally, cloning and real-time qPCR analysis of an NADP-dependent alkenal double-bond reductase (CmADBR) target gene that was adjacent to CmRT1, revealed that CmADBR expression was significantly down-regulated in the short-catkin mutant. Taken together, these results suggest that the CmRT1 retrotransposon is responsible for the short-catkin phenotype.     

马铃薯CrRLK1Ls基因家族的鉴定及响应晚疫病菌信号的表达分析

Catharanthus roseus receptor-like kinase1-like kinases (CrRLK1Ls)是植物所特有的一类蛋白类受体激酶,在维持细胞壁完整性、细胞间通讯、生物和非生物应激反应中发挥重要作用。本研究鉴定了马铃薯CrRLK1Ls (StCrRLK1Ls)基因家族的成员数量,并对其理化特性、染色体位置、进化特征、亚细胞定位和对晚疫病菌侵染时的表达模式进行全面分析。结果显示,共获得17个StCrRLK1Ls基因,其氨基酸序列大小为753～997 aa,分子量和等电点分别为83.34～108.69kD和5.30～7.56,主要位于质膜。进化分析将马铃薯、拟南芥、水稻、苹果和番茄的CrRLK1Ls家族成员分为7个亚组,马铃薯CrRLK1Ls家族成员分布于亚组Ⅲ、Ⅳ、Ⅴ、Ⅵ和Ⅶ。StCrRLK1Ls不均匀的分布于8条染色体上,存在3个串联重复基因簇,包含6个基因。此外,StCrRLK1Ls启动子区域存在响应植物激素、防卫和逆境等多种顺式调控元件。‘大西洋’和‘陇薯7号’接种晚疫病菌(Phytophthora infestans,Pi)后,大量StCrRLK1...     

Buddhist monasteries facilitated landscape conservation on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Landscape Ecology - The Sanjiangyuan region of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau—also known as the “Three Rivers’ Headwaters”—is the origin of the Yellow, Yangtze, and...