Absorption of inorganic, trivalent and hexavalent chromium following oral and intrajejunal doses in rats

The intestinal absorption of trivalent and hexavalent chromium (Cr) given orally (experiment I) or infused in the intestine (experiment II) was investigated in rats. The nonabsorbable form of chromium (51Cr2O3) and water-soluble and more absorbable Na2(51)CrO4 (the hexavalent form of Cr) were compared. Total retention of chromium given orally ranged around 15 percent of the dose, regardless of the chromium compounds applied. The absorption rate of chromic oxide, which is considered a nonabsorbable compound, was 14.4 as a percentage of chromium intake. This result indicates that some loss of chromium has to be taken into account in metabolic trials made by the indicator method. In isolated rat intestine, from the injected Cr 2.5% of chromic oxide and 43.2% of sodium chromate were absorbed during an hour (experiment II). The absorbed chromium was transferred to the liver where the liver tissue retained 10.9% of chromic oxide and 51.1% of sodium chromate. Radioactivity of v. cava caudalis following intestinal injection of Na2CrO4 was thirtyfold greater than after Cr2O3 dosing. This phenomenon can be explained by the lower blood clearance of chromate. Different absorption rate of chromate depending on the route of administration could be due to the fact that the hexavalent form given orally was reduced to Cr3+ in the acidic environment of the stomach. When Na2CrO4 was infused directly in the intestine of rats, such reduction could not occur. This means that the acidic gastric juice might play a role in inhibiting the intestinal absorption of Na2CrO4 when this compound is given orally.     

新形势下农业高职院校学生德育工作创新与实践——以北京农业职业学院为例

针对新形势,借鉴国内外职业教育德育工作的优秀经验,分析加强农业高职院校德育工作的必要性,总结当前农业高职院校德育工作存在的问题,探索农业高职院校具有自身特色的德育工作模式,并进行创新实践。农业高职院校德育工作要将立德树人作为人才培养的核心,强化平台建设,发挥学生和教师双主体作用,帮助学生树立正确的“三观”,厚植知农爱农情怀,坚定强农兴农使命,助力乡村振兴。     

壳寡糖类物质对烟草TMV的抑制及防御酶系的影响

在接种烟草花叶病毒(TMV)前几天,用自制的壳寡糖溶液处理心叶烟(Nicotiana glutinosa)和烟草品种NC89(Nicotiana tobaccumcvNC89),测定其在烟草上对TMV的抑制作用及引起的寄主体内防御酶系变化。结果表明:壳寡糖处理后,在心叶烟上对TMV的病斑抑制率在第10天达最高,为79.10%;在烟草品种NC89上对TMV的防效在第10天达最高,为32.41%。同时,壳寡糖处理可导致烟草品种NC89叶片的PAL、POD、PPO、SOD活性不同程度提高,可溶性蛋白含量增加。表明壳寡糖类物质可以诱导烟草对TMV的抗性,提高烟草的免疫能力。     

Considering neighborhood effects improves individual dbh growth models for natural mixed-species forests in Mexico

Key message

More accurate diameter at breast height (dbh)-growth models are needed for developing management tools for mixed-species forests in Mexico. Individual distance-dependent dbh growth models that quantify local neighborhood effects have been developed for four species groups in such forests. The performance of the models is improved by distinguishing between inter- and intraspecific group competitions.

Context

The management of mixed-species forests in the northwest of Durango, Mexico, is mainly based on the selection method. Understanding the interspecific and intraspecific competition is critical to developing management tools for such mixed-species forests.

Aims

An individual-based distance-dependent modeling approach was used to model the growth of dbh and to evaluate neighborhood effects for four species groups in Mexican mixed-species stands.

Methods

Twenty-two species were classified into four groups: Pinus (seven species), other conifers (three species), other broadleaves (four species), and Quercus (eight species). Four methods were used to select neighboring trees and 12 competition indices (CIs) were calculated. Comparisons of the neighboring trees selection methods and CIs and tests of assumptions about neighborhood effects were conducted.

Results

Intra-species-group competition significantly reduced diameter growth for all species groups, except for the Quercus group. The Pinus, other conifers, and Quercus groups had significant and negative neighborhood effects on the other broadleaves species group, and not vice versa. The Quercus group also had negative neighborhood effect on the Pinus and other conifers species groups, and not vice versa. The Pinus and other conifers species groups had negative neighborhood effects on each other. All fitted age-independent dbh growth models showed a good of fit to the data (adjusted coefficient of determination larger than 0.977).

Conclusion

The growth models can be used to predict dbh growth for species groups and competition in mixed-species stand from Durango, Mexico.

     

马铃薯SGT3基因表达及其启动子功能分析

鼠李糖转移酶(rhamnosyltransferase SGT3)是植物糖苷生物碱合成的关键酶,它主要调控α-茄碱和α-查茄碱从其β形式的转化。本文研究马铃薯栽培种SGT3基因的表达特点及其启动子的功能。实时定量PCR结果发现在红光照射24 h后,SGT3的表达量是黑暗处理的26.8倍,说明红光显著诱导了SGT3的表达;为进一步分析该基因的光调控机理,本项研究克隆到SGT3上游长度为2449 bp的启动子序列,通过分析发现该启动子的转录起始位点位于翻译起始位点上游-152 bp,同时确定了该启动子核心序列及上游增强子、抑制子序列,受病原菌、损伤、干旱、ABA 激素及一系列光调控的顺式元件。构建不同长度(349,572,979,1312和1870 bp)的该启动子驱动报告基因GUS的植物表达载体并转化烟草。结果证明,不同长度的SGT3启动子都可以启动GUS表达,但没有CMV 35S启动的GUS表达量高;其中在P572和P979的表达强度较高,这可能与该片段含有启动子的正调控元件(GATA BOX,5′UTRPY-RICH STRETCH)有关,GUS表达强度在P1312和P1870中明显减弱,预测到该区段存在抑制基因表达的负调控元件(WRKY710S);SGT3启动子的组织特异性实验表明GUS染色主要集中在烟草叶片的叶脉部分,茎中的表皮、韧皮部及木质部,但髓部几乎不表达,根中主要分布在根冠、分生区以及维管束组织中。上述结果为将来研究SGT3在糖苷生物碱合成过程中的调节功能提供了依据。     

Effects of melatonin on maturation,histone acetylation,autophagy of porcine oocytes and subsequent embryonic development

Melatonin (MLT) is an endogenous hormone with roles in animal germ cell development. However, the effect of MLT on porcine oocyte maturation and its underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated the effects of exogenous MLT on oocyte maturation, histone acetylation, autophagy and subsequent embryonic development. We found that 1 nmol/L MLT supplemented in maturation medium was the optimal concentration to promote porcine oocyte maturation and subsequent developmental competence and quality of parthenogenetic embryos. Interestingly, the beneficial effects of 1 nmol/L MLT treatment on porcine oocyte maturation and embryo development were mainly attributed to the first half period of in vitro maturation. Simultaneously, MLT treatment could also improve maturation of small follicle‐derived oocytes, morphologically poor (cumulus cell layer ≤1) and even artificially denuded oocytes and their subsequent embryo development. Furthermore, MLT treatment not only could decrease the levels of H3K27ac and H4K16ac in metaphase II (MII) oocytes, but also could increase the expression abundances of genes associated with cumulus cell expansion, meiotic maturation, histone acetylation and autophagy in cumulus cells or MII oocytes. These results indicate that MLT treatment can facilitate porcine oocyte maturation and subsequent embryonic development probably, through improvements in histone acetylation and autophagy in oocytes.     

Intestinal absorption of forsythoside A in different compositions of Shuang-Huang-Lian

Shuang-Huang-Lian (SHL), a traditional Chinese formula containing Lonicerae japonicae flos (LJF), Scutellariae radix (SR) and Forsythiae fructus (FF), is commonly used to treat acute upper respiratory tract infection, acute bronchitis and light pneumonia. Forsythoside A is one of the main active ingredients in Forsythiae fructus, a key herb in SHL. In the present study, effects of different compositions in SHL on the intestinal absorption of forsythoside A were investigated. The observations from in situ intestinal circulation model showed that A/%(h^− 1) of forsythoside A in FF + LSF, FF + SR and SHL were all reduced greatly compared with that in FF. However, in pharmacokinetics study, C_max and AUC_0 → 1440 of forsythoside A all increased and T_1/2 prolonged in SHL, FF + LJF and FF + SR compared with FF. The results indicated that the different compositions of SHL decreased absorption but increased bioavailability of forsythoside A, which may be related to its metabolism inhibited in intestine or liver.     

Seasonal and temporal changes in species use of the landscape: how do they impact the inferences from multi-scale habitat modeling?

Context

Multi-scale approaches to habitat modeling have been shown to provide more accurate understanding and predictions of species-habitat associations. It remains however unexplored how spatial and temporal variations in habitat use may affect multi-scale habitat modeling.

Objectives

We aimed at assessing how seasonal and temporal differences in species habitat use and distribution impact operational scales, variable influence, habitat suitability spatial patterns, and performance of multi-scale models.

Methods

We evaluated the environmental factors driving brown bear habitat relationships in the Cantabrian Range (Spain) based on species presence records (ground observations) for the period 2000–2010, LiDAR data on forest structure, and seasonal estimates of foraging resources. We separately developed multi-scale habitat models for (i) each season (spring, summer, fall and winter) (ii) two sub-periods with different population status: 2000–2004 (with brown bear distribution restricted to the main population nuclei) and 2005–2010 (with expanding bear population and range); and (iii) the entire 2000–2010 period.

Results

Scales of effect remained considerably stable across seasonal and temporal variations, but not the influence of certain environmental variables. The predictive ability of multi-scale models was lower in the seasons or periods in which populations used larger areas and a broader variety of environmental conditions. Seasonal estimates of foraging resources, together with LiDAR data, appeared to improve the performance of multi-scale habitat models.

Conclusions

We highlight that the understanding of multi-scale behavioral responses of species to spatial patterns that continually shift over time may be essential to unravel habitat relationships and produce reliable estimates of species distributions.

     

Weeds,aphids, and specialist parasitoids and predators benefit differently from organic and conventional cropping of winter cereals

The aphid–natural enemy interaction in winter wheat fields constitutes a complex system that has been frequently studied because of its implication for biological control. However, not all of the aphids living in cereal fields are crop pests, as there are also aphids living on weeds that may serve as alternative hosts or prey for aphid parasitoids or predators. In this context, a concomitant survey of the plant and insect communities was conducted to understand how different plant communities affect the abundance and richness of aphids and the interactions with their natural enemies. The plant community was split into functional groups (grasses, legumes and forbs), and the aphid community was divided into feeding groups according to their host preferences (specialists in grasses or forbs). The grass aphids, which dominated the total aphid catches, responded positively to grass cover, which was particularly enhanced in the conventional fields. Conversely, the forb aphids, which mainly conditioned the total species richness of the aphids, were closely correlated with the local abundance of legumes. The system of cereal aphid-parasitoids was enhanced in the conventional fields, where the abundance of grasses was higher, whereas the legumes of the organic fields indirectly played a key role in enhancing the richness of the parasitoids and the abundance of predators. Our findings indicate that a bottom-up effect exists throughout the plant community, aphids, and aphidophagous insects and that plant community characteristics should be considered to better understand cereal aphid control.     

A NMR study of water distribution in hardwoods at several equilibrium moisture contents

The water state of one tropical (Robinia coccinea) and two temperate (Acer saccharum and Fagus grandifolia) hardwoods was determined at different equilibrium moisture contents (EMC) during desorption at 25°C. NMR technique was used to separate different components of water in wood. The species studied presented different structures, which were apparent on the spin–spin relaxation T₂ values. Three different water components were separated: slow T₂ (liquid water in vessel elements), medium T₂ (liquid water in fiber and parenchyma elements) and fast T₂ (bound or cell wall water). The NMR results showed that even at equilibrated conditions a region exists where loss of liquid water and bound water takes place simultaneously. This region will vary according to the wood structure. Finally, liquid water was present at EMC lower than the fiber saturation point, which contradicts the concept of this point when considered as a bulk property of wood.