Quantitative trait locus analysis of seed germination,seedling vigour and seedling‐regulated hormones in Brassica napus

Good germination and seedling vigour are major breeding targets in winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus), because seedling vigour and prewinter crop establishment are closely associated with postwinter growth and yield. Here, we identified quantitative trait loci (QTL) related to germination, seedling vigour and seedling‐regulated hormones in a doubled haploid (DH) mapping population from a cross between winter oilseed rape parents with high vigour (Express 617) and low vigour (1012‐98). By phenotyping in a climate‐controlled glasshouse, we identified a total of 13 QTL on nine chromosomes for germination and seedling‐related traits at 7 and 14 days after sowing (DAS), explaining up to 11.2% of the phenotypic variation for seedling vigour. Forty‐seven metabolic QTL on 15 chromosomes were identified for auxin, abscisic acid (ABA) and dihydrophaseic acid (DPA) at 5 and 12 DAS, explaining up to 49.4% of phenotypic variation in seedling hormone composition. Multitrait QTL hot spots contribute to our understanding of the genetics and metabolomics of germination and seeding vigour in B. napus, and represent potential targets to breed high‐vigour cultivars.     

Interval number fuzzy linear programming for climate change impact assessments of reservoir active storage

The major uncertainty in the climate change impact study inherits from applying the predictions of General Circulation Models (GCMs). Different results might be obtained by using various GCMs’ predictions, which causes difficulties on the decision making of water resources management. This study proposed an integrated hydrological simulations and optimization framework, consisting of a fuzzy linear programming model with interval numbers, a streamflow simulation model, and agricultural water demand projections, to evaluate the impacts of climate change on reservoir active storage. The reservoir inflows are simulated by the WatBal model, while agricultural water demands are predicted based on the projected change of potential evapotranspiration. Inflows and water demands are used to formulate an interval number fuzzy linear programming model. Fuzzy relationships are used to describe tolerable deficits of water resources, and the interval number is employed to indicate ranges of possible inflows and water demands. This systematic framework is applied to study the Tsengwen reservoir watershed to provide an optimal interval of active storage. The results further indicate the higher tolerable deficit, the smaller difference between superior and inferior active storage.     

Spawning behaviour of Penaeus (Fenneropenaeus) merguiensis de Man and the effect of light intensity on spawning

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of light intensity just prior to and during spawning of Penaeus (Fenneropenaeus) merguiensis de Man in the laboratory. Neither the presence of light nor light intensity (0, 10 and 1100 lux) had a significant effect on the spawning process or hatching rate in P. merguiensis. Difference in the percentage of spawners, percentage of incomplete spawning, fecundity and hatching rate were all insignificant (P > 0.05) among the three light treatments. However, spawning was delayed (up to 21 min on average) under 1100 lux with a high percentage of incomplete spawning, compared with the Control (0 lux). For the first time, spawning behaviour of P. merguiensis was observed and fully described. The spawning process can be divided into four phases: dormant, pre‐spawning, spawning and post‐spawning by distinct behaviour of prawn broodstock. The dormant phase was characterized by a quiescent and non‐feeding period, whereas movement of prawn broodstock was active during the pre‐spawning and post‐spawning phases. Depending on the individual, spawning was completed within 3–5 min. Prawns often stayed still on the water surface during spawning with occasional manoeuvres to change the position. After a short rest at the termination of the spawning phase, prawn broodstock re‐exhibited active movement as in the pre‐spawning phase, but showing conspicuous care to the deposited eggs. The role of light in controlling ovarian development and spawning, and the behaviour of prawn broodstock in relation to maximizing fertilization rate are discussed.     

Rearing the spotted seahorse Hippocampus kuda by feeding live and frozen copepods collected from shrimp ponds

This study evaluated the use of live and frozen copepods collected from shrimp ponds for rearing juveniles of the spotted seahorse Hippocampus kuda. Protein and HUFA contents in frozen copepods were all higher than in Artemia nauplii, the conventional live food for seahorse juveniles. The results of this study showed that copepods can be used as feed for rearing seahorse fry and juvenile. The spotted seahorse showed obvious preference for live copepods and rarely fed on dead copepods on the tank bottom. Furthermore, the combination of frozen copepods and live Artemia nauplii resulted in highest growth and highest survival of the experimental seahorses. Further research on possible effects of DHA:EPA ratio on survival and growth of young H. kuda is recommended.     

Permeation of oxygen, water vapor, and limonene through printed and unprinted biaxially oriented polypropylene films.

Oriented polypropylene (OPP) and coated OPP (acrylic/OPP/PVDC) films were printed with two commercially available inks to investigate the influence of inks on water vapor and oxygen transmission rates. The permeation of an aroma compound (d-limonene) through coated OPP film printed with these inks was also evaluated at 35 degrees C and 100% relative humidity. The water vapor transmission rate increased significantly through OPP film printed with nitrocellulose-based ink. The oxygen transmission rate was significantly lower through both OPP and coated OPP films printed with the nitrocellulose ink. The effect of inks on limonene permeation was minor compared to the marked increase in permeation measured when the PVDC side of the coated film was exposed to the aroma, compared to the acrylic side. Scanning electron micrographs of coated film cross sections revealed changes in film structure upon exposure to limonene vapors, which were most pronounced when the PVDC side was exposed to limonene.     

Reconfiguring the online tool of SkinSensPred for predicting skin sensitization of pesticides

Adverse outcome pathway (AOP)-based computational models provide state-of-the-art prediction for human skin sensitizers and are promising alternatives to animal testing. However, little is known about their applicability to pesticides due to scarce pesticide data for evaluation. Moreover, pesticides traditionally have been tested on animals without human data, making validation difficult. Direct application of AOP-based models to pesticides may be inappropriate since their original applicability domains were designed to maximize reliability for human response prediction on diverse chemicals but not pesticides. This study proposed to identify a consensus chemical space with concordant human responses predicted by the SkinSensPred online tool and animal testing data to reduce animal testing. The identified consensus chemical space for non-sensitizers achieved high concordance of 85% and 100% for the cross-validation and independent test, respectively. The reconfigured SkinSensPred can be applied as the first-tier tool for identifying non-sensitizers to reduce. animal testing for pesticides by 19.6%.     

Bioactive phytochemicals of leaf essential oils of Cinnamomum osmophloeum prevent lipopolysaccharide/D-galactosamine (LPS/D-GalN)-induced acute hepatitis in mice

The purpose of this study was to investigate the bioactive phytochemicals of leaf essential oils of Cinnamomum osmophloeum on lipopolysaccharide/D-galactosamine (LPS/D-GalN)-induced acute hepatitis. The results revealed that post-treatment with 100 μmol/kg trans-cinnamaldehyde, (-)-aromadendrene, T-cadinol, or α-cadinol significantly decreased the aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) levels in serum. Moreover, both T-cadinol and α-cadinol treatments decreased the expressions of cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) in the liver tissues when compared with the LPS/D-GalN group. Liver histopathology also showed that silymarin, trans-cinnamaldehyde, (-)-aromadendrene, T-cadinol, or α-cadinol significantly reduced the incidence of liver lesions induced by LPS/D-GalN. These results suggest that the above phytochemicals exhibit potent hepatoprotection against LPS/D-GalN-induced liver damage in mice, and their hepatoprotective effects may be due to the modulation of anti-inflammatory activities.     

Evidence of intracellular stages in Trypanosoma (Megatrypanum) theileri in non-phagocytic mammalian cells

Trypanosoma (subgenus Megatrypanum) theileri was first identified over one hundred years ago, and is a widespread parasite in cattle. Its life cycle within the mammalian host has rarely been reported. Whether there is an intracellular stage in tissues is unknown and such a stage has not been demonstrated experimentally. Intriguingly, using Giemsa staining with light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy examination, we found that the parasite was able not only to attach to cells but also to invade several phagocytic and non-phagocytic mammalian cells. Based on these findings, we conducted further investigations using a special antibody in immunofluorescence confocal images. Moreover, we examined a series of possible events of cell invasion in T. theileri. The results revealed that GM1, a marker of membrane rafts, was implicated in the mechanism of entry by this parasite. After incubation with tissue culture trypomastigotes, the gelatinolytic activity was significantly increased and accumulated at the attachment sites. Using ultrastructural localization detection by CytoTracker live imaging and confocal immunofluorescence microscopy, we found that lysosome fusion and the autophagy pathway were engaged in invaginating processes. T. theileri amastigotes also invaded cells and were enclosed by the lysosomes. Furthermore, tissue-cultured trypomastigotes were found to be capable of triggering intracellular free Ca²⁺ transients and TGF-β-signaling. Our findings that intracellular amastigote stages exist in mammalian cells infected with T. theileri and that the invasion processes involved various host cell components and cell signalings were extremely surprising and warrant further investigation.