Loquat as a crop model for successful deficit irrigation

During three consecutive seasons, two different deficit irrigation strategies were compared with control fully irrigated trees regarding their capacity to induce early bloom and harvest in “Algerie” loquat. The first strategy, a continuous deficit irrigation strategy, consisted in a uniform reduction of 20% water needs through the entire season; the second strategy, a regulated deficit irrigation approach, while accounting for the same global reduction of 20% loquat water needs, concentrated water shortages after harvest from mid-May through the end of August. Regulated deficit irrigation resulted more successful. Postharvest regulated deficit irrigation advanced full bloom 10–20 days depending on the season. Such enhancement led to more precocious and valuable yield, with an average increase of fruit value of 0.21 € kg⁻¹. The effects of continuous deficit irrigation were less noticeable and average fruit value was increased 0.08 € kg⁻¹. Yield and fruit quality were not affected for the different deficit irrigation strategies. Water savings established around 1450 m³ ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. Deficit irrigation rose water use efficiency up to more than a 40%.     

An Octopus-Derived Peptide with Antidiuretic Activity in Rats

Discovering new drug candidates with high efficacy and few side effects is a major challenge in new drug development. The two evolutionarily related peptides oxytocin (OXT) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) are known to be associated with a variety of physiological and psychological processes via the association of OXT with three types of AVP receptors. Over decades, many synthetic analogs of these peptides have been designed and tested for therapeutic applications; however, only a few studies of their natural analogs have been performed. In this study, we investigated the bioactivity and usefulness of two natural OXT/AVP analogs that originate from the marine invertebrate Octopus vulgaris, named octopressin (OTP) and cephalotocin (CPT). By measuring the intracellular Ca²⁺ or cyclic AMP increase in each OXT/AVP receptor subtype–overexpressing cell, we found that CPT, but not OTP, acts as a selective agonist of human AVP type 1b and 2 receptors. This behavior is reminiscent of desmopressin, the most widely prescribed antidiuretic drug in the world. Similar to the case for desmopressin, a single intravenous tail injection of CPT into Sprague-Dawley rats reduced urine output and increased urinary osmolality. In conclusion, we suggest that CPT has a significant antidiuretic effect and that CPT might be beneficial for treating urological conditions such as nocturia, enuresis, and diabetes insipidus.     

中国潜在产出测算实证研究

在对中国潜在产出测算研究状况进行评介的基础上,分别使用H-P滤波法和生产函数法估算了中国1978—2004年间的潜在产出、产出缺口和潜在产出增长率。结果表明:(1)1978—2004年间,中国的产出缺口出现了波动水平正负交替的周期情形;(2)1995年以前产出缺口的波动幅度比较剧烈且较为频繁,1996年特别是1999年以后产出缺口的变化较为平缓;(3)1997年以后,虽然经济的增长率保持较高的水平,但是生产要素的实际利用水平却逐渐降低;(4)生产函数法得到的结果基本客观的反映了改革开放后,中国开始从计划经济向市场经济过渡到市场经济初步建立这一时期的生产要素使用情况。(5)根据H-P滤波法和生产函数法估算的潜在产出,得到1978—2004年间的平均潜在产出增长率分别为9.54%和9.67%。根据估计结果,在今后几年,通过适当的宏观调控,把中国的经济增长率稳定在8%～9%可能是一个较好的选择。     

利用表面等离子共振技术检测牛奶中的朊蛋白

利用生物传感器——表面等离子共振传感器建立在活体动物中检测朊蛋白的方法,依据抗原—抗体特异性原理检测牛奶中朊蛋白。结果表明:应用表面等离子共振技术进行检测,1 h以内即可达到在缓冲液中标准最低检测限30 ng/mL的水平,牛奶样品的最低检测限是120 ng/mL。     

浅谈高校图书馆与重点学科建设

重点学科建设关系到高校的发展,通过分析高校图书馆与重点学科建设的关系,提出了面向重点学科文献资源建设的策略和重点学科服务体系构建。     

Cobalt reduces nitrate inhibition of nodulation in mungbean (Vigna radiata)

 A cobalt-mediated decrease in ethylene production reduced the inhibition of nodulation by nitrate in Vigna radiata (mungbean). Nitrate increased the ethylene production in 5-day-old seedlings, while it caused a reduction in the nodulation status (nodule number and nodule weight) and nodule efficiency (acetylene reduction activity) in mungbean plants. The application of cobalt chloride inhibited nitrate-affected ethylene production and also decreased the inhibitory effect of nitrate on nodulation. The effect of cobalt was most marked on nodule number. Received: 6 August 1999     

Immune responses in piglets infected with highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection compromises the host's innate and adaptive immunity. The aim of this study was to investigate the immune responses of piglets infected with highly pathogenic (HP) PRRSV (HuN4 strain) with or without the immunization with CH-1R attenuated PRRSV vaccine. The response was evaluated for the clinical signs, pathological changes and virus load in immune organs, antibody responses and levels of serum IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-10. The result showed that in comparison with the piglets received the immunization, the piglets infected with HP-PRRSV alone had the thymus atrophy, decreased serum levels of IL-4 and increased serum levels of IL-10 and INF-γ. These results suggest that elevated IL-10 levels at the early stage of the infection may enhance virus survival and delay the induction of protective immunity, while increased levels of IL-4 induce the effective immune responses and increase the animals' health status.     

三七及竹节参中皂甙的不同提取方法

采用冷浸、回流、微波等方法提取三七及竹节参皂甙,按光密度值分别计算出三七及竹节参皂甙的含量。结果显示,微波提取法与冷浸、回流法相比提取率稍高,并且微波提取法操作简单、安全、省时。因此,微波提取法将使三七和竹节参资源得到更好的开发和利用。     

Cryptic occurrence of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chattonella marina</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">marina</Emphasis> in mangrove sediments in Probolinggo,East Java Province,Indonesia

Mangrove forests and adjacent creeks are known to be highly productive estuaries, which are partly supported by benthic microalgae that grow on the sediments. During surveys investigating the microalgal floras of mangrove swamps in the eastern part of Java Island, a mud sample unexpectedly included large numbers of a notorious fish killer, Chattonella-like motile cells, and its resting cysts. These motile cells were established as clonal cultures for further identification and physiological tests. The cysts were examined through palynological and molecular biological means. Identification based on light microscopy and ribosomal RNA gene sequences confirmed that these cells and cysts were Chattonella marina var. marina. While the strains were genetically identical to the temperate strains isolated from Japan and China, temperature experiments showed that the Indonesian strains possessed a high maximum quantum yield of photosystem II even after exposure to 34 °C, a temperature at which the Japanese strain could not survive. Salinity experiments showed adaptation of the strains to a salinity of 15. These findings, together with the discovery of populations of cysts in the mangrove sediment, highlight the tough and unique nature of the Indonesian strains, which are likely adapted to wide fluctuations of temperature and salinity in mangrove swamps, and pose a potential risk to fisheries in Indonesia.