UPTAKE, TRANSLOCATION AND METABOLISM OF SIMAZINE IN NORWAY SPRUCE (PICEA ABIES)

Summary. Uptake, distribution and fate simazine (2-chioro-4,6-biserthylamino- s -triazine) in 4-year-old seedlings of Norway spruce ( Picea abies ) are discussed. Simazine was found to be readily absorbed and distributed in the spruce seedlings. A positive relationship between the amount of simazine absorbed and the growth intensities of the plants indicates an active mechanism of uptake. A fixation of simazine in roots and sterm was observed.
Simazine was degraded by roots and stem to hydroxysimazine and two other unknown metabolites. No simazine and only metabolites could be traced in the needles, indicating a very rapid rate of metabolism in the root system. The glucose derivative of benzoxazinone was extracted from all parts of the spruce seedlings and is probably responsible for the hydrolysis of simazine.
The results indicate a very slow degradation of the metabolites to CO₂ as one of the final products.     

THE EFFECT OF SIMAZINE ON THE PHOTOFIXATION OF CO2 AND ON TRANSLOCATION OF ASSIMILATES IN NORWAY SPRUCE (PICEA ABIES)

Summary. A method of exposing seedlings of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) to ¹⁴CO₂ is described. Within the 1st hr alter ¹⁴CO₂ exposure, no translocation of the ¹⁴C out of the treated branch could be observed. After a 24-hr period, however, the ¹⁴C in dormant seedlings had been translocated basipetally to part of the root system only, with no lateral diffusion of the ¹⁴C-compounds in the stem. About a week after exposure, both symplastic and apoplastic patterns of translocation had caused a more uniform distribution of ¹⁴C. In seedlings at active internode elongation, the translocation patterns were fundamentally identical to those in dormant seedlings, but the active shoot growth had led to a more uniform distribution of the ¹⁴C.
Simazine at 20 ppm had apparently stimulated both the photofixation of ¹⁴CO₂ and the rate of translocation of the ¹⁴C-assimilates. At 30 ppm, however, simazine had blocked the translocation of nutrients to the roots. On the other hand, the ¹⁴CO₂ uptake was not influenced. The simazine incubation had apparently no influence on the synthesis of cationic photosynthate.     

Ghrelin Accelerates In Vitro Maturation of Bovine Oocytes

Ghrelin, apart from its metabolic role, is nowadays considered as a basic regulator of reproductive functions of mammals, acting at central and gonadal levels. Here, we investigated for possible direct actions of ghrelin on in vitro maturation of bovine oocytes and for its effects on blastocyst yield and quality. In experiment 1, cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were matured in the presence of four different concentrations of ghrelin (0, 200, 800 and 2000 pg/ml). In vitro fertilization and embryo culture were carried out in the absence of ghrelin, and blastocyst formation rates were examined on days 7, 8 and 9. In experiment 2, only the 800 pg/ml dose of ghrelin was used. Four groups of COCs were matured for 18 or 24 h (C18, Ghr18, C24 and Ghr24), and subsequently, they were examined for oocyte nuclear maturation and cumulus layer expansion; blastocysts were produced as in experiment 1. The relative mRNA abundance of various genes related to metabolism, oxidation, developmental competence and apoptosis was examined in snap‐frozen cumulus cells, oocytes and day‐7 blastocysts. In experiment 1, ghrelin significantly suppressed blastocyst formation rates. In experiment 2, more ghrelin‐treated oocytes matured for 18 h reached MII compared with controls, while no difference was observed when maturation lasted for 24 h. At 18 and 24 h, the cumulus layer was more expanded in ghrelin‐treated COCs than in the controls. The blastocyst formation rate was higher in Ghr18 (27.7 ± 2.4%) compared with Ghr24 (17.5 ± 2.4%). Differences were detected in various genes’ expression, indicating that in the presence of ghrelin, incubation of COCs for 24 h caused over‐maturation (induced ageing) of oocytes, but formed blastocysts had a higher hatching rate compared with the controls. We infer that ghrelin exerts a specific and direct role on the oocyte, accelerating its maturational process.     

An improved method for preparing Agrobacterium cells that simplifies the Arabidopsis transformation protocol

Background  

The Agrobacterium vacuum (Bechtold et al 1993) and floral-dip (Clough and Bent 1998) are very efficient methods for generating transgenic Arabidopsis plants. These methods allow plant transformation without the need for tissue culture. Large volumes of bacterial cultures grown in liquid media are necessary for both of these transformation methods. This limits the number of transformations that can be done at a given time due to the need for expensive large shakers and limited space on them. Additionally, the bacterial colonies derived from solid media necessary for starting these liquid cultures often fail to grow in such large volumes. Therefore the optimum stage of plant material for transformation is often missed and new plant material needs to be grown.     

Copper-Catalyzed Oxidation of Alcohols to Aldehydes and Ketones: An Efficient, Aerobic Alternative

An efficient, copper-based catalyst has been discovered that oxidizes a wide range of alcohols into aldehydes and ketones under mild conditions. This catalytic system utilizes oxygen or air as the ultimate, stoichiometric oxidant, producing water as the only by-product.     

温室监控系统的设计与实现

针对传统温室监控系统存在的种种弊端,设计了以单片机为前端控制器、PC机为远程监控机的上下位机控制的温室监控系统,并阐述了系统软、硬件组成,工作原理和系统实现的主要技术。     

Hypervitaminosis A in first‐feeding fry of the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.)

Atlantic salmon fry were reared on a fishmeal based diet with increasing levels of vitamin A (VA) (6, 122 and 938 mg retinol kg^–1 dry feed) from startfeeding and for 14 weeks. Signs of VA stress, such as reduced fat stores, liver size and growth, were found for groups receiving 122 and 938 mg retinol kg^–1. Signs of vitamin A toxicity, such as increased mortality, abnormal vertebral growth, and reduced growth, were found for groups receiving 938 mg retinol kg^–1. These results suggest that excess VA in the early life stages of Atlantic salmon is deleterious for normal development.     

基质分散固相萃取-QuEChERS耦合HPLC法测定棉花叶片中吡虫啉及其相关代谢物

建立了QuEChERS前处理的棉花叶片中吡虫啉及其代谢物含量的高效液相色谱（HPLC）分析方法。在QuEChERS前处理方法的基础上,确定了乙腈作为提取剂,盐析材料为1.00 g氯化钠、4.00 g无水硫酸镁、0.50 g柠檬酸二钠和1.00 g柠檬酸钠,净化材料为25 mg的N-丙基乙二胺（PSA）,在2%乙腈-甲醇∶水=3∶7条件下HPLC法进行定量测定。结果表明：棉花叶片中的吡虫啉及其4种代谢物吡虫啉脲、烯式吡虫啉、吡虫啉胍和6-氯烟酸的平均加标回收率为92.84%~110.90%,相对标准偏差（RSD）在0.15%~6.99%之间,检出限（LOD）分别为0.0044、0.042、0.0011、0.091 mg·kg^-1和0.0066 mg·kg^-1,定量限（LOQ）分别为0.015、0.19、0.0059、0.036 mg·kg^-1和0.028 mg·kg^-1。该分析方法前处理简便、快速、准确,可为棉花叶片中吡虫啉及其代谢物残留的测定提供参考。