Evaluating and Comparing the Natural Cell Structure and Dimensions of Honey Bee Comb Cells of Chinese Bee,Apis cerana cerana (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and Italian Bee,Apis mellifera ligustica (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

The hexagonal structure of the honey bee comb cell has been the source of many studies attempting to understand its structure and function. In the storage area of the comb, only honey is stored and no brood is reared. We predicted that honey bees may construct different hexagonal cells for brood rearing and honey storage. We used quantitative analyses to evaluate the structure and function of the natural comb cell in the Chinese bee, Apis cerana cerana and the Italian bee, A. mellifera ligustica. We made cell molds using a crystal glue solution and measured the structure and inclination of cells. We found that the comb cells of A. c. cerana had both upward-sloping and downward-sloping cells; while the A. m. ligustica cells all tilted upwards. Interestingly, the cells did not conform to the regular hexagonal prism structure and showed irregular diameter sizes. In both species, comb cells also were differentiated into worker, drone and honey cells, differing in their diameter and depth. This study revealed unique differences in the structure and function of comb cells and showed that honey bees design their cells with precise engineering to increase storage capacity, and to create adequate growing room for their brood.     

Inhibition of porcine circovirus type 1 and type 2 production in PK-15 cells by small interfering RNAs targeting the Rep gene

Porcine circovirus type 1 (PCV1) and type 2 (PCV2) are two genotypes of porcine circovirus. Both of them are presumed to be widespread in the swine population. Currently, there is no specific treatment for their infections. RNA interference (RNAi) is a sequence-specific RNA degradation mechanism mediated by small interfering RNA (siRNA), which represents a possible therapeutic application for the treatment of viral infections. In this study, three siRNA expression plasmids (pS-RepA, pS-RepB and pS-RepC) were generated to target three different coding regions of the Rep protein (Rep) of PCV. These siRNAs were used to inhibit PCV production in a porcine kidney cell line, PK-15 cells. Our results revealed that Rep gene expression was inhibited by pS-RepA, pS-RepB and pS-RepC to different degrees. Moreover, our study also showed that the production of PCV1 and PCV2 was reduced by these siRNAs. pS-RepC, which targets the middle region of Rep gene, proved to be the most efficient siRNA for inhibition of Rep expression and viral production. Taken together, our data suggest that RNAi could be investigated as a potential treatment for PCV infection.     

Stepwise in-straw dilution and direct transfer using open pulled straws (OPS) in the mouse: a potential model for field manipulation of vitrified embryos

In the present study, mouse blastocysts were employed to investigate the feasibility and efficiency of stepwise in-straw dilution and direct transfer using the open pulled straw (OPS) method. In experiment I, the effects of various vitrification solutions (VS) on embryo survival were examined. After thawing, the expanded blastocyst rates (97.59 and 95.05%) and hatching rates (80.48 and 78.95%) achieved in the EDFS30 [15% ethylene glycol (EG), 15% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), Ficoll, and sucrose] and EFS40 [40% EG, Ficoll, and sucrose] groups were no different from those (96.15% and 83.33%) of the control group. However, the rates in the EFS30 [30% EG, Ficoll, and sucrose] (87.80 and 55.43%) and EDFS40 [20% EG, 20% DMSO, Ficoll, and sucrose] (95.69 and 70.97%) groups were significantly lower than those (96.15 and 83.33%) of the control group (P<0.05). In the experiment II, the effects of the volume of VS in the OPS on the survival of embryos after in-straw thawing were investigated. When the length of the VS in the column was less than 1 cm, the in vitro viability of embryos thawed by stepwise in-straw dilution was no different among the experimental and control groups. The embryos could be successfully thawed by immersing the OPS in 0.5 M sucrose for 3 min and then 0.25 M sucrose for 2 min. In experiment III, the effect of immersion time of the OPS in diluent (PBS) on the viability of vitrified embryos was investigated. After in-straw thawing, OPSs were immersed immediately in 1 ml PBS for 0 to 30 min. When the immersion time of the OPSs in PBS was less than 12 min, in vitro development of the in-straw thawed embryos was no different from that of the controls. In experiment IV, in-straw thawed blastocysts were directly transferred to pseudopregnant mice to examine their in vivo developmental viability. The pregnancy (91.67%) and birth rates (42.42%) of embryos in-straw thawed and directly transferred were no different from those of the unvitrified controls (90.90 and 40%) and embryos thawed by the conventional method (84.61 and 46.94%). These results demonstrate that mouse embryos vitrified with OPS could be successfully thawed by stepwise in-straw dilution and transferred directly to a recipient and that this method might be a model for field manipulation of vitrified embryos in farm animals.     

胺鲜酯(DA-6)浸种对盐胁迫下白三叶种子萌发及抗盐性的影响

以白三叶(Trifolium repens L.‘Haifa’)为研究对象,研究了0.8 mmol·L^-1胺鲜酯(DA-6)浸种处理对白三叶种子在盐胁迫条件下萌发的影响,并对DA-6诱导的耐盐机理进行初步研究,为白三叶的栽培管理提供参考。结果表明,DA-6浸种显著提高了盐胁迫下种子的发芽势、发芽率、活力指数、发芽指数、茎长和鲜干重(P<0.05)。盐胁迫显著诱导了游离脯氨酸和可溶性糖的积累,降低了细胞渗透势(P<0.05)。此外,盐胁迫导致了萌发种子中活性氧(超氧阴离子和过氧化氢)和膜脂过氧化产物丙二醛含量显著增加,电导率显著升高(P<0.05)。DA-6浸种前处理显著提高了胁迫下抗氧化酶(SOD、POD和APX)的活性,增幅分别为33.0%、31.9%和49.1%,这有效地缓解了由盐胁迫引起的氧化损伤,有利于幼苗稳定细胞膜(P<0.05)。本研究表明DA-6浸种处理通过增强抗氧化防御并降低细胞氧化伤害,从而提高盐胁迫下白三叶种子的萌发特性和胁迫耐受性。     

四川省凉山黑绵羊疫病防控现状及对策

凉山黑绵羊是我国十大优异畜禽遗传资源之一。通过问卷调查、实地调研和查阅资料等方式,发现近年来凉山黑绵羊产业得到了前所未有的发展,但疫病防控也面临着羊病流行情况复杂、免疫效果不佳、疫病监测预警能力弱等诸多短板,由此提出提高疫病综合防控能力和养殖户疫病防控意识,优化科学合理的免疫程序,加强监测预警能力建设,科学防治寄生虫病等防控策略,旨在提升凉山黑绵羊产业疫病防控能力,助力乡村振兴,保障国家核心畜禽种源安全。     

乌江流域茶园土壤理化性状对茶叶品质影响的研究

对乌江流域主要茶场茶园土壤理化性状、茶叶生化成份测定结果表明：不同母岩发育的土壤理化性状各不相同，其对应的茶叶品质也不相同。土壤理化性状及茶叶品质优劣依序为硅质黄壤＞砂页岩黄壤＞第四纪粘质黄壤＞小黄泥＞黄棕壤     

三棱栎种子特性与其致濒关系初步分析

三棱栎是云南特有种,国家二级保护植物,主要分布在澜沧、沧源、孟连、西盟、勐腊等县.研究表明,其萌发温度在20～35℃范围内,萌发率在5.3%～9.1%之间.4个不同分布地和8种温度条件下萌发率差异不显著.本文认为三棱栎濒危的主要原因是:(1)三棱栎果实结实率低;(2)果实的特殊形状,不利于传播;(3)幼苗缺乏竞争力.针对三棱栎的濒危现状和原因,提出了三棱栎的一些保护措施.     

The Effect of Additions in the Fermented Solution on Bubble Coalescence

This paper presents a detail study of bubble coalescence in inorganic salts and organic compounds of fermented solution ,and preliminary analyses the principle of bubble coalescence.The experiments show that the relationship between the solute concentration and coalescence frequency reveals the existence of sharp transition concentration.     

人工合成甘蓝型油菜高频率再生研究初报

资源材料保存在作物遗传资源的研究与利用中起到非常重要的作用。该实验以不同来源的人工合成甘蓝型油菜KH106，KH109，KH111D为材料，以花序轴，子房，果柄为外植体研究其再生情况，结果表明，由芥蓝和小白菜人工合成的甘蓝型油菜KH106的再生频率极显著高于由羽衣甘蓝和白菜型油菜人工合成的甘蓝型油菜KH109和KH111；与花序轴和子房为外植体再生频率相比，以果柄为外植体平均再生频率最高，差异达到极显著水平；利用不同预处理培养基处理不同时间，结果显示不经过预处理直接接种到分化培养基上再生频率最高。     

PP333对小麦幼苗抗旱性的影响

PP333 (多效唑,MET) 是英国ICI有限公司于70年代末推出的一种高效低毒植物生长延缓剂。十多年来,国内对其在植物的形态建成和生理效应方面已有不少研究报告,近年还出版了一些专集,但PP333对作物抗逆性的影响报道则不多。本文报告PP333对小麦抗旱能力的影响。