The Investigation of Relationships Between Some Fruit and Kernel Traits with Canonical Correlation Analysis in Ankara Region Walnuts

Canonical correlation analysis is a multivariate technique, which is employed to examine relationships between two variable sets, each of that consist of two or more variables. In the analysis, by maximizing the relationships between two sets, it is aimed to obtain new variables called as canonical variates that formed by linear combinations of the original variables for each sets. In this study, it is aimed to examine the relationships between some fruit and kernel characteristics of Ankara region walnuts. Thus, the following eight traits Fruit Length (mm), Fruit Width (mm) Fruit Height (mm) Fruit Weight (g), Shell Thickness (mm), Kernel Weight (g), Kernel Ratio (%) and Filled-firm Kernel Ratio (%) of 364 walnut samples were measured. First five of these characteristics were grouped as X variable and the rest of as Y variable. As a result, the correlation between the first canonical variable pair was found as 0.979 (p?<?0.01).     

仔鼠哺乳期补充参苓白术散改善抗生素诱导的肠道稳态失衡

旨在探究参苓白术散调节哺乳期母鼠肠道菌群紊乱导致的仔鼠肠道稳态失衡以及减轻仔鼠断奶应激的机制。选取9只妊娠SD大鼠,随机分成空白组(CON组)、抗生素组(ABX组)、参苓白术散组(SLBZS组)。母鼠分娩后,在ABX组和SLBZS组母鼠饮水中添加抗生素,CON组母鼠正常饮食,第14天开始连续一周给SLBZS组仔鼠灌胃参苓白术散水煎液,CON组与ABX组的仔鼠灌胃等量生理盐水。分娩后第14、21天采集仔鼠的粪便进行微生物16S rRNA基因测序,采用Western blot法检测结肠组织中紧密连接蛋白ZO-1和Occludin的表达量,采用苏木精-伊红(HE)染色法对仔鼠结肠组织进行组织病理学观察。结果显示,母鼠抗生素处理导致仔鼠肠道菌群的多样性显著低于CON组(P<0.05),而参苓白术散处理有效缓解仔鼠菌群紊乱,降低了Enterococcus、Sutterella、Shigella等病原菌的相对丰度,并升高了Lactobacillus、Blautia及Akkermansia等菌属的相对丰度;ABX组仔鼠结肠中紧密连接蛋白ZO-1和Occludin的表达量显著低于CON组(P&l...     

Changes of secondary metabolites in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus sylvestris</Emphasis> L. needles under increasing soil water deficit

Key message

A multiphasic response to water deficit was found in Scots pine primary and secondary metabolism. First, an increase of terpenoids coincided with the stomatal closure. Second, an accumulation of proline, ABA, and shikimic acid was detected when photosynthesis was negligible.

Context

Drought-induced mortality is characterized by a major needle yellowing followed by severe defoliation and whole branch death. Before these external visual symptoms of drought stress take place, different alterations occur in plant metabolism.

Aims

This study aims to detect changes in primary and secondary metabolism of Pinus sylvestris L. in response to a decrease in soil water availability.

Methods

We analyzed needle water potential, photosynthetic characteristics, and concentrations of proline, terpenoids, shikimic acid, total polyphenols, and abscisic acid (ABA) in P. sylvestris through a 55-day soil water deficit period.

Results

Concentrations of most metabolites varied with the decrease in soil water availability, but changes in different compounds were triggered at different times, highlighting a multiphasic response. Increases in monoterpene and sesquiterpenoid content at moderate water deficit coincided with stomatal closure which preceded the accumulation of proline, ABA, and shikimic acid under severe water deficit when net photosynthesis was negligible.

Conclusion

This work confirms that most of the secondary metabolites under investigation in Pinus sylvestris did not increase until a moderate to severe water deficit was experienced, when photosynthesis was limited by stomatal closure.

     

Reproductive strategies in males of the world's southernmost lizards

Reproductive and life history patterns in reptiles are tightly related to the environmental conditions, so male reproductive cycles have been historically characterized as continuous, for tropical lizards, or seasonal, for temperate lizards. However, males of Liolaemus and Phymaturus lizards (Liolaemidae), from cold temperate climates of high altitudes or latitudes in Argentina and Chile, have developed a variety of reproductive cycles to coordinate with the short female reproductive season and to deal with the low frequency of reproductive females in the population. Using gonadal histology and morphological analysis, we describe the male reproductive biology, fat storage and sexual dimorphism of the viviparous lizards Liolaemus sarmientoi and Liolaemus magellanicus that inhabit an austral grass steppe at 51°S, in the southern limit of the American continent. Males of L. sarmientoi and L. magellanicus are reproductively available during the entire activity season of approximately 5 months. In addition, males of both species exhibit greater body sizes than females in morphological variables relevant in sexual selection. Meanwhile, females of both species exhibit larger inter‐limb length than conspecific males, which suggests fecundity selection to increase space for a larger litter size. The continuous sperm production throughout the activity season allows these liolaemids to mate at any time when females ovulate, representing a selective advantage to deal with the short activity season and the adversities of the cold environment they inhabit.     

Bois noir affects the yield and wine quality of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vitis vinifera</Emphasis> L. cv. ‘Chardonnay’

The Bois noir (BN) disease induced by ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’ (CPs) is common in European vineyards. Its damage has not been fully investigated, especially with regards to wine attributes. The impact of BN on yield, berry composition and wine characteristics of Vitis vinifera L. cv. ‘Chardonnay’ was therefore comprehensively characterized in a 3-year field experiment in Hungary, Eger winegrowing region. Additionally, the bindweed-related tuf-b1 genotype was identified to be involved in the BN pathosystem in the experimental vineyard. Infection of CPs tuf-b1 genotype resulted in severe yield loss, the average decrease in number of bunches and total yield per vine was 56.7% and 68.4%, respectively. Analyses of wines produced from grapes of BN infected vines revealed decreased alcohol, epicatechin and iron contents; and increased organic acids, titratable acidity, catechin and calcium contents. Sensory evaluation of these wines confirmed unfavourable characteristics, i.e. higher acidity, bitterness, and usually pinkish discolouration. Negative impact on berry composition and wine quality were pronounced in the vintage with favourable weather conditions for grapevine production, whereas the negative effects of BN infection were less prominent, even masked, in the vintages with unfavourable weather (wet and cool). To reduce BN-caused damage, the need for improved preventative and curative measures for BN disease is highlighted.     

Molecular detection of Babesia equi and Babesia caballi in horse blood by PCR amplification of part of the 16S rRNA gene.

Babesia equi and Babesia caballi are tick-borne haemoparasites that may cause babesiosis of Equidae. In southern Europe B. equi is enzootic and infections may occur asymptomatically and more frequently than those due to B. caballi. Complement fixation test (CFT) is the official serological test for the diagnosis of equine babesiosis, but it has low sensitivity during early and latent stages of the disease. With the aim of developing more sensitive and rapid direct diagnostic alternatives, PCR systems that amplified DNA targets of 664 or 659 bp regions of the 16S rRNA genes were designed and demonstrated to specifically detect the genomes of B. equi and B. caballi, respectively. An approximated parasitaemia of 0.000083% was detected by the PCR system for B. equi compared with reported limits of 0.001% for microscopic examination of stained blood smears, and up to 0.00025% for DNA probes. Although the sensitivity of the PCR system for B. caballi could not be estimated, samples with microscopically undetectable parasitaemia as well as those with 0.017% parasitised red blood cells were detected. DNA extracts of blood collected with EDTA as an anticoagulant from 23 horses from Portugal were tested with both PCR systems. Of these samples, 22 were positive for B. equi and 8 were positive for B. caballi with PCR tests and intraerythrocytic parasites were seen in all samples. Antibodies against both parasites were not detected by CFT in several cases, but in these cases the presence of either or both parasites was apparent by PCR tests. The PCR systems may be useful in the diagnosis of equine babesiosis covering a wider range of clinical disease, as useful adjuncts to serological, microscopic, and cultural methods, especially for the import and export testing of horses.     

Plasticity in mesophyll volume fraction modulates light-acclimation in needle photosynthesis in two pines

Acclimation potential of needle photosynthetic capacity varies greatly among pine species, but the underlying chemical, anatomical and morphological controls are not entirely understood. We investigated the light-dependent variation in needle characteristics in individuals of Pinus patula Schlect. & Cham., which has 19-31-cm long pendulous needles, and individuals of P. radiata D. Don., which has shorter (8-17-cm-long) stiffer needles. Needle nitrogen and carbon contents, mesophyll and structural tissue volume fractions, needle dry mass per unit total area (M(A)) and its components, volume to total area ratio (V/A(T)) and needle density (D = M(A)/(V/A(T))), and maximum carboxylase activity of Rubisco (V(cmax)) and capacity of photosynthetic electron transport (J(max)) were investigated in relation to seasonal mean integrated irradiance (Q(int)). Increases in Q(int) from canopy bottom to top resulted in proportional increases in both needle thickness and width such that needle total to projected surface area ratio, characterizing the efficiency of light interception, was independent of Q(int). Increased light availability also led to larger M(A) and nitrogen content per unit area (N(A)). Light-dependent modifications in M(A) resulted from increases in both V/A(T) and D, whereas N(A) changed because of increases in both M(A) and mass-based nitrogen content (N(M)) (N(A) = N(M)M(A)). Overall, the volume fraction of mesophyll cells increased with increasing irradiance and V/A(T) as the fraction of hypodermis and epidermis decreased with increasing needle thickness. Increases in M(A) and N(A) resulted in enhanced J(max) and V(cmax) per unit area in both species, but mass-based photosynthetic capacity increased only in P. patula. In addition, J(max) and V(cmax) showed greater plasticity in response to light in P. patula. Species differences in mesophyll volume fraction explained most of the variation in mass-based needle photosynthetic capacity between species, demonstrating that differences in plastic adjustments in mass-based photosynthetic activities among these representative individuals were mainly associated with contrasting investments in mesophyll cells. Greater area-based photosynthetic plasticity in P. patula relative to P. radiata was associated with larger increases in M(A) and mesophyll volume fraction with increasing irradiance. These data collectively demonstrate that light-dependent increases in mass-based nitrogen contents and photosynthetic activities were associated with an increased mesophyll volume fraction in needles at higher irradiances. They also emphasize the importance of light-dependent anatomical modifications in determining needle photosynthetic capacity.     

外源褪黑素对桃生长及果实品质的影响

[目的]探讨外源褪黑素对桃生长和果实品质的影响.[方法]以早熟桃'早蜜'为试材,于果实膨大期对其叶片喷施不同浓度的褪黑素,测定了桃果实成熟期的新梢生长量、生理状况和果实品质指标.[结果]50?150 pmol?L-1的褪黑素处理能促进桃新梢的生长,增加其茎长和茎粗.150μmol L1褪黑素提高了桃叶片超氧化物歧化酶活...     

乳粉中1-油酸-2-棕榈酸-3-亚油酸甘油三酯的测定

建立乳粉中1-油酸-2-棕榈酸-3-亚油酸甘油三酯（1-oleic-2-palmitic-3-linoleic acid triglyceride,OPL）的气相色谱检测方法。样品经乙醚和石油醚提取,提取液浓缩近干,正庚烷定容,通过CP-TAP CB弹性石英毛细管柱分离,以氢火焰离子化检测器检测,外标法定量。结果表明：通过CP-TAP CB弹性石英毛细管柱程序升温分离,进样口温度330℃,分流进样,分流比1∶10,进样体积1.0 μL;氢火焰离子化检测器温度360℃,载气：氮气,尾吹流量（氮气）25 mL/min;乳粉中OPL的添加量为1～6 g/100 g时,加标回收率为95.2%～101.9%,相对标准偏差为1.289%～1.998%;方法的检出限为0.2 g/100 g,定量限为1.0 g/100 g。该方法操作简单、结果准确、重复性好,适用于乳粉中OPL的测定。