Age estimation of different tree species using a special kind of an electrically recording resistance drill

The determination of tree age is an important issue for urban green planning, forestry and dendrology; finding non-destructive and quasi-non-destructive methods for this purpose is of great theoretical and practical importance. The resistance drilling method is quasi-non-destructive because the average diameter of an opening that remains after drilling does not exceed 3 mm. Do electrically recording resistance drills allow precise assessment of tree age? The aim of this study is to assess the accuracy of determining the number of tree rings based on an examination of this special kind of drilling resistance profiles for three tree species, the pine Pinus sylvestris L., the oak Quercus robur L., and the birch Betula pendula ROTH. In 2015 and 2016, 15 pine trees, 15 oak trees, and 15 birch trees were randomly selected. For each studied tree, a measurement was conducted using the electrically recording resistance drill IML-Resi E400 with a flat-tipped 1.5/3 mm steel needle (research sample), and an increment core was taken (reference sample). The drill used was not a real Resistograph^®. The analysis of the E400-profiles underestimated the number of tree rings; the mean bias error (MBE) values were –6.5, –2.5, and –6.0 years for pine, oak, and birch, respectively. The proportion of investigated trees with less than five years difference between the research and reference samples varied from 38.4 (birch) to 66.7 (oak) percent. The accuracy of tree age determination was lowest for birch and highest for oak. The binomial generalised linear model (GLM) revealed that the most accurate tree age assessments were obtained from tree rings wider than 2 mm. The measurements clearly showed that the electrically recording resistance drill IML-Resi E400 enables a quick, although approximate, tree age assessment. Future research should concentrate on electronically regulating and recording drills, providing a higher spatial and signal resolution, and a stronger correlation to wood density.     

Protective efficacy of an H5/H7 trivalent inactivated vaccine produced from Re-11, Re-12, and H7-Re2 strains against challenge with different H5 and H7 viruses in chickens

We developed an H5/H7 trivalent inactivated vaccine by using Re-11, Re-12, and H7-Re2 vaccine seed viruses, which were generated by reverse genetics and derived their HA genes from A/duck/Guizhou/S4184/2017(H5 N6)(DK/GZ/S4184/17)(a clade 2.3.4.4 d virus), A/chicken/Liaoning/SD007/2017(H5 N1)(CK/LN/SD007/17)(a clade 2.3.2.1 d virus), and A/chicken/Guangxi/SD098/2017(H7 N9)(CK/GX/SD098/17), respectively. The protective efficacy of this novel vaccine and that of the recently used H5/H7 bivalent inactivated vaccine against different H5 and H7 N9 viruses was evaluated in chickens. We found that the H5/H7 bivalent vaccine provided solid protection against the H7 N9 virus CK/GX/SD098/17, but only 50–60% protection against different H5 viruses. In contrast, the novel H5/H7 trivalent vaccine provided complete protection against the H5 and H7 viruses tested. Our study underscores the importance of timely updating of vaccines for avian influenza control.     

Zerumbone attenuates MPP+-induced cytotoxicity in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells by inhibition of oxidative stress

AIM: To investigate the role of zerumbone (ZER) in 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP⁺)-induced cytotoxicity of human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. METHODS: Human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells were cultured in vitro and the protective effect of ZER against MPP⁺-induced cytotoxicity was measured by CCK-8 assay. Flow cytometry was used to determine the apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS). The expression of Parkinson disease protein 7 (PARK7) was knocked-down by using PARK7-specific short hairpin RNA (shRNA). The protein levels of PARK7, nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were determined by Western blot. RESULTS: MMP⁺ remarkably reduced the cell viability in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. The SH-SY5Y cell injury model was established by treatment with MPP⁺ at 600 μmol/L for 24 h. ZER up-regulated the protein levels of PARK7 and Nrf2 (P<0.05), alleviated apoptosis (P<0.05), and reduced ROS production (P<0.05) in the SH-SY5Y cell injury model. Meanwhile, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) had the similar functions. Moreover, significant reductions in the protein levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 (P<0.05), and obvious increases in apoptosis (P<0.05) and ROS level (P<0.05) were demonstrated in PARK7-knockdown cells. CONCLUSION: ZER protects SH-SY5Y cells against MPP⁺-induced cytotoxi-city, which may be related to activation of PARK7/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, and subsequent attenuation of oxidative stress and apoptosis.     

EPS364, a Novel Deep-Sea Bacterial Exopolysaccharide,Inhibits Liver Cancer Cell Growth and Adhesion

The prognosis of liver cancer was inferior among tumors. New medicine treatments are urgently needed. In this study, a novel exopolysaccharide EPS364 was purified from Vibrio alginolyticus 364, which was isolated from a deep-sea cold seep of the South China Sea. Further research showed that EPS364 consisted of mannose, glucosamine, gluconic acid, galactosamine and arabinose with a molar ratio of 5:9:3.4:0.5:0.8. The relative molecular weight of EPS364 was 14.8 kDa. Our results further revealed that EPS364 was a β-linked and phosphorylated polysaccharide. Notably, EPS364 exhibited a significant antitumor activity, with inducing apoptosis, dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in Huh7.5 liver cancer cells. Proteomic and quantitative real-time PCR analyses indicated that EPS364 inhibited cancer cell growth and adhesion via targeting the FGF19-FGFR4 signaling pathway. These findings suggest that EPS364 is a promising antitumor agent for pharmacotherapy.     

水稻苗期根系铵钾离子吸收的交互作用研究

【目的】为探讨水稻幼苗根系NH_4~+、K~+吸收的交互作用,深化水稻养分吸收理论,【方法】采用溶液培养的方法,对低钾及高钾浓度下水稻在有铵和无铵时的K~+吸收动力学特征进行了研究,对不同钾浓度下水稻根系NH_4~+的吸收速率进行了比较。【结果】1)当K~+0.2 mmol/L时,水稻根系通过高亲和转运系统吸收K~+服从Michaelich-Menten动力学方程;NH_4~+的存在显著降低K~+的最大吸收速率(Vmax),且降幅随着NH_4~+浓度的增加而增大;NH_4~+对水稻根表载体与K~+的亲和力(Km)影响较小,在1.62 mmol/L NH_4~+浓度下,水稻品种齐粒丝苗和沪科3号的Km分别下降了12.33%和16.46%,远低于Vmax 47.30%和39.21%的降幅。2)当K~+0.5 mmol/L时,水稻根系K~+低亲和转运系统发挥作用,K~+吸收速率随浓度的增加而不断增加,呈不饱和特征;但在相同K~+浓度下,水稻根系的K~+吸收速率随NH_4~+浓度的增加而下降。3)水稻根系对NH_4~+的吸收速率随着NH_4~+浓度的增加而增加;在相同NH_4~+浓度下,水稻根系对NH_4~+的吸收速率受K~+浓度的影响很小。【结论】NH_4~+抑制水稻苗期根系K~+的高亲和转运和低亲和转运,NH_4~+对K~+高亲和吸收的影响主要是由于铵竞争细胞膜上的钾载体所致;外界K~+浓度的变化对水稻幼苗的NH_4~+吸收速率影响很小。水稻铵钾的交互作用主要表现在NH_4~+对K~+吸收的抑制作用。     

多酚类化合物协同抗氧化性研究进展

多酚类化合物是一种大量存在于植物体内的物质，因其具有优良的抗氧化、抗癌、抗衰老等 性能而受到研究者们的广泛关注。多项研究表明具有抗氧化性能的物质之间大多具有协同作用，两 种或两种以上的物质化合，其抗氧化能力往往强于单一物质的抗氧化能力。近年来，许多研究者将目 光聚焦到多酚类物质与小分子物质化合所具有的协同抗氧化能力的研究上并做出多项试验。本文论 述了多酚类化合物的抗氧化机理及协同抗氧化机理，并以茶多酚与维生素C、维生素E 化合为例对协 同抗氧化进行论述。     

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.     

法氏囊活性肽在大肠杆菌中的克隆与表达

法氏囊活性肽（Bursin,BS)作为一种免疫增强剂，临床应用广泛，为了大量制备BS，按大肠杆菌惯用密码子合成BS基因。并用色氨酸将5个BS基因串联，克隆于质粒pU57的SmaI位点，经测序证明序列正确后，以PCR扩增，克隆于表达载体pBV220的EcoRI,HinDⅢ位点，温敏诱导表达，其表达水平占全菌总蛋白的13.4%。     

NO对大鼠中脑腹侧被盖区DA神经元的调节

实验观察了微量注射 NOS抑制剂 L -NAME及微量联合注射 NO的前体 L-精氨酸( L-Arg) L-NAME于大鼠中脑腹侧被盖区( VTA)对该部位多巴胺神经元的调节。发现VTA注射 L -NAME( 1 mg/ 5μL )后 ,伏隔核( Acb)多巴胺 ( DA )代谢产物—双羟苯乙酸( DOPAC)水平升高到注射前的 1 2 2 .5% ( P <0 .0 0 1 ) ,小剂量注射 L-NAME( 0 .2 mg/ 5μL)对伏隔核 DOPAC水平无明显影响 ;同样方法联合注射 L-Arg( 3 0 0 μg/ 5μL) L-NAME( 1 mg/5μL)后 ,伏隔核 DOPAC水平无明显变化。结论 :VTA微量注射 L-NAME兴奋了该部位的DA神经元 ,而 L -Arg L -NAME联合注射 ,却不能影响 DA神经元的活动 ,说明 NO可以通过L-Arg-NOS-NO途径参与 VTA多巴胺神经元的调节     

小麦品种鄂恩一号和7023生期规律的对比观察与分析

通过对豫南小麦当家品种鄂恩一号和种植多年的7023的对比观察,找出二者在生育规律上的差异,进而分析在栽培措施上的异同。与7023相比,鄂恩一号出叶速度快,容易形成壮苗;抽穗后绿叶保持时间较长,有利后期光合作用;年前分蘖数比例大,总分蘖及成穗数没有7023多;幼穗分化开始早,进程快,小穗数及穗粒数比较少;开花早,灌浆时间长,灌浆强度大,子粒大,千粒重高。基于这些特点,提出了十月下旬播种,三叶期、药隔形成期追肥,四分子期根外喷肥,加强后期管理等针对该品种特性的栽培措施。