Photochromic fabrics with improved durability and photochromic performance

Previously, we have reported a method for producing photochromic wool fabric by applying a thin layer of hybrid silica-photochromic dye onto the wool surface. While the photochromic coating showed a very fast optical response and had little influence on the fabric handle, its durability was poor. In this study, the durability of the photochromic coating layer was improved by introducing epoxy groups into the silica matrix via co-hydrolysis and co-condensation of an alkyl trialkoxysilane compound (ATAS) and 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS). The presence of epoxy groups in the silica enhanced both washing and abrasion durability or fastness. In addition, the optical response speed was slightly increased as well. Effects of the type of alkyl silane and the GPTMS/alkyl silane ratio on the coating durability, fabric handle and optical response were examined.     

蔬菜硝酸盐累积调控措施的研究进展

硝酸盐含量是影响蔬菜品质的主要因素,含量高低受到植物本身遗传特性、营养以及环境条件的影响。综述了合理施肥如氮肥品种的选择、氮肥施肥量、平衡施肥、氮肥调控剂以及环境条件如水分、光照、温度等对蔬菜硝酸盐累积影响的研究进展。硝酸盐含量较低蔬菜品种的筛选培育以及平衡合理养分供应和环境条件的提供是降低蔬菜硝酸盐含量的重要保证。     

陶赛特羊和小尾寒羊在青海湟源地区的生态适应性分析

为评定引入青海省湟源县良种肉羊繁育基地的陶赛特羊和小尾寒羊两个绵羊品种的生态适应性,对其18个生理生化指标进行了系统测定分析,结果表明：①引入的陶赛特羊和小尾寒羊两个绵羊品种大多数生理生化指标在品种内或不同品种间的不同性别、不同年龄个体间以及同性别、同年龄个体间差异不显著（P〉0.05）。②两绵羊品种所测血浆CO2结合力远超出本地藏绵羊水平;体温（T）、呼吸频率（R）、脉搏（P）和瘤胃蠕动频率以及白细胞数（WBC）、红细胞数（RBC）、血红蛋白含量（HGB）的测定结果均大致在本地藏绵羊的各生理指标测定范围之内。③与已引入青海牧区的小尾寒羊大多数生理生化指标相比,本次引进的小尾寒羊在经过一段时间的适应性饲养后,其大多数生理生化指标已与其基本接近或一致;同时,引入的陶赛特羊和小尾寒羊与原产地相应品种在基础生理指标上相比较接近。     

Federal regulation of local and sustainable food claims in Canada: a case study of Local Food Plus

Interest in purchasing local food from suppliers who follow sustainable practices is growing in Canada. Such suppliers wish to have their products recognized in the market so that price premiums might be received, and new markets developed. In response, the organization Local Food Plus (LFP) developed standards and a certification process to authenticate local and sustainable claims. LFP provides certification seals, and labeling provisions for qualifying producers and processors. However, given pre-existing national food labeling rules, it is not evident that existing regulations permit such claims. Using LFP as a case, this study examined whether current federal labeling rules might impede the marketing of local and sustainable claims. Key findings include that the use of the terms natural, sustainable, and local in panel language and on shelf-talkers could be contested; and that the absence of specific regulation of numerous pertinent terms means they can only be assessed against general fraud prevention regulations, resulting in case-by-case determinations of compliance. Sustainability food label approvals in Canada, based on these general provisions, have not always been favorable to sustainable producers and firms. Existing regulation of these potentially contested terms appears to be out of step with other policy-related developments at the federal level and / or conceptual developments in the field. Proposals are made for amending existing rules to better support local and sustainable claims.     

Soil compaction and forest floor removal reduced microbial biomass and enzyme activities in a boreal aspen forest soil

Soil enzymes are linked to microbial functions and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems and are considered sensitive to soil disturbances. We investigated the effects of severe soil compaction and whole-tree harvesting plus forest floor removal (referred to as FFR below, compared with stem-only harvesting) on available N, microbial biomass C (MBC), microbial biomass N (MBN), and microbial biomass P (MBP), and dehydrogenase, protease, and phosphatase activities in the forest floor and 0–10 cm mineral soil in a boreal aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) forest soil near Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada. In the forest floor, no soil compaction effects were observed for any of the soil microbial or enzyme activity parameters measured. In the mineral soil, compaction reduced available N, MBP, and acid phosphatase by 53, 47, and 48%, respectively, when forest floor was intact, and protease and alkaline phosphatase activities by 28 and 27%, respectively, regardless of FFR. Forest floor removal reduced available P, MBC, MBN, and protease and alkaline phosphatase activities by 38, 46, 49, 25, and 45%, respectively, regardless of soil compaction, and available N, MBP, and acid phosphatase activity by 52, 50, and 39%, respectively, in the noncompacted soil. Neither soil compaction nor FFR affected dehydrogenase activities. Reductions in microbial biomass and protease and phosphatase activities after compaction and FFR likely led to the reduced N and P availabilities in the soil. Our results indicate that microbial biomass and enzyme activities were sensitive to soil compaction and FFR and that such disturbances had negative consequences for forest soil N and P cycling and fertility.     

稀土元素对作物生长的影响

综述了近几年我国在稀土元素对作物生长影响方面的研究进展。稀土元素在作物体内起到下列6种作用:①可以提高叶绿素的含量,改变叶绿素和叶绿体的结构;解除不饱和脂肪酸对叶绿体光反应的抑制;提高Rubisco酶以及偶联因子Ca2+-ATP和Mg2+-ATP酶的活力,从而促进作物的光合作用;②可以提高膜电位和质子跨膜梯度,从而促进作物的营养吸收、运输和转移;③可以提高作物内源激素含量和促进其迁移,加快作物的生长;④可以提高可溶性糖、脯氨酸和甜菜碱等的含量,增强作物的抗旱能力;⑤可以提高超氧化物歧化酶和过氧化氢酶等多种保护酶的活性,增强作物的抗病能力;⑥可以破坏芽孢菌鞘和壁,改变其通透性,增强作物的抑菌能力。这些作用的发现对促进稀土元素的开发利用有一定的指导意义。     

接种不同浓度松材线虫的黑松光谱学特征分析

利用光谱学进行植物病害的早期诊断是近年来植物病害监测预警研究的一个热点。本试验采用人工接种不同浓度松材线虫的方法,研究了野外健康黑松不同发病阶段黑松松针的反射光谱特征曲线,分析了多个光谱特征参数。结果表明:绿光波段(500～560 nm)和近红外波段(750～900 nm)反射光谱曲线对松树发病程度有一定的指示作用;红边(680～780 nm)位置蓝移、绿峰(510～580 nm)反射高度及红谷(640～700 nm)吸收深度降低、红边斜率减小等光谱特征参数的变化能够很好地反映松树的感病情况。本研究结果可为利用高光谱遥感技术进行松材线虫病监测与预警提供理论依据。     

不同生态恢复措施下宁南典型草原小气候变化及其与土壤水分的关系

为了探讨不同生态恢复措施对宁南典型草原小气候的影响以及小气候与土壤水分的关系,通过野外测定,研究了水平沟、鱼鳞坑和封育3种恢复措施下地上20 cm气温、空气湿度、风速及地温的变化特征及其与地表水分的关系,发现地上20 cm处气温和0~20 cm土壤含水率为水平沟>鱼鳞坑>封育草地,风速则相反;地上20 cm处湿度、0~15 cm土壤温度为封育草地>水平沟>鱼鳞坑;土壤0~20 cm含水率与地上20 cm处的风速负相关,与空气相对湿度正相关。     

豌豆革质膜形成与增长机理的研究

豌豆根据荚皮类型可分为硬荚豌豆和软荚豌豆,二者区别在于荚皮中有无革质膜.本文以两种荚皮类型的豌豆LIB(硬荚)和MICUI(软荚)为材料,调查豌豆荚在不同时期的发育情况.并通过测定各时期荚皮中的纤维素、半纤维素、木质素的含量以及木质素合成相关酶:苯丙氨酸解氨酶、肉桂酸脱氢酶和过氧化物酶的活性来分析革质膜形成的机理.     

‘Plantibodies’: a flexible approach to design resistance against pathogens

Engineering resistance against various diseases and pests is hampered by the lack of suitable genes. To overcome this problem we started a research program aimed at obtaining resistance by transfecting plants with genes encoding monoclonal antibodies against pathogen specific proteins. The idea is that monoclonal antibodies will inhibit the biological activity of molecules that are essential for the pathogenesis. Potato cyst nematodes are chosen as a model and it is thought that monoclonal antibodies are able to block the function of the saliva proteins of this parasite. These proteins are, among others, responsible for the induction of multinucleate transfer cells upon which the nematode feeds. It is well documented that the ability of antibodies to bind molecules is sufficient to inactivate the function of an antigen and in view of the potential of animals to synthesize antibodies to almost any molecular structure, this strategy should be feasible for a wide range of diseases and pests.Antibodies have several desirable features with regard to protein engineering. The antibody (IgG) is a Y-shaped molecule, in which the domains forming the tips of the arms bind to antigen and those forming the stem are responsible for triggering effector functions (Fc fragments) that eliminate the antigen from the animal. Domains carrying the antigen-binding loops (Fv and Fab fragments) can be used separately from the Fc fragments without loss of affinity. The antigen-binding domains can also be endowed with new properties by fusing them to toxins or enzymes. Antibody engineering is also facilitated by the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). A systematic comparison of the nucleotide sequence of more than 100 antibodies revealed that not only the 3′-ends, but also the 5′-ends of the antibody genes are relatively conserved. We were able to design a small set of primers with restriction sites for forced cloning, which allowed the amplification of genes encoding antibodies specific for the saliva proteins ofGlobodera rostochiensis. Complete heavy and light chain genes as well as single chain Fv fragments (scFv), in which the variable parts of the light (V_L) and heavy chain (V_H) are linked by a peptide, will be transferred to potato plants. A major challenge will be to establish a correct expression of the antibody genes with regard to three dimensional folding, assembly and intracellular location.