Assessment of growth and seed oil composition of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) germplasm

This study was conducted to evaluate the growth characteristics and fatty acid composition among 15 kenaf mutants derived from the kenaf germplasm C14 and 15 kenaf accessions originating from Russia, India, China, Iran, and Italy. The overall growth performance (plant height, stem diameter, flowering date, leaf, and flower size) of the stem color mutant lines derived from C14 are similar to those of the original variety. However, the flower color mutant lines derived from C14 showed flowering to occur 10 days later when compared with the original variety and showed smaller leaf sizes than the original variety. Late-ripened kenaf accessions (Jinju, Auxu, and Jnagdae) can yield more bio-mass compared with early or medium-maturing germplasm. The late maturity kenaf (Auxu, Jinju, and Jangdae) has a higher oil percentage than the early maturity germplasm. Linoleic, oleic, and palmitic acids were the predominant fatty acids in all kenaf seeds. The stem color mutant lines significantly surpassed the parental means of all saturated fatty acids. In addition, the flower color mutant lines showed broad ranges of variation in oleic acid. The 15 accessions showed a wide range of fatty acid compositions, spanning from 29.75 to 38.30% saturated fatty acids and 61.70 to 70.24% total unsaturated fatty acids, and the late maturity kenaf has a higher linoleic acid percentage than the early maturity germplasm. The flowering period was highly positively (P ≤ 0.01) correlated with the plant height, stem diameter, oil percent, and linolenic acid (C_18:3), and it was significantly negatively (P ≤ 0.01) correlated with stearic acid (C_18:0). These results will provide valuable information to assist the parental selection of kenaf breeding.     

模拟CO2浓度升高对宁夏枸杞营养生长与果实品质的影响

【目的】研究宁夏枸杞对大气CO2浓度升高的生理生态响应机制,为探究枸杞及其他木本经济林植物在气候变化背景下优质高效栽培与育种提供理论依据。【方法】以‘宁杞1号’扦插苗为材料,采用开顶气室(open-top chamber,OTC)及自动监控系统模拟控制CO2浓度,测定宁夏枸杞在升高CO2浓度环境下植株营养生长指标与果实糖分含量、主要活性物质含量和蔗糖代谢相关酶活性的变化。【结果】 1) CO2浓度升高,促进宁夏枸杞植株生长发育,苗高增长量较对照分别高11.67%和18.65%,地径分别高55.09%和62.58%,新梢加长和加粗生长均呈增加趋势。2) 2种CO2浓度升高处理下,宁夏枸杞果实横径较对照分别增加4.56%和7.71%,单果质量分别增加15.05%和34.53%,果实更加饱满。3) CO2浓度升高处理下,夏果(处理90天左右)果实中果糖含量较对照略高,秋果(处理120天后)含量比对照分别低1.39%和3.98%。试验处理期间,果实中葡萄糖和总糖含量均低于对照,且CO2浓度升高1倍[(760±20)μmol·mol^-1 ]处理下降最为明显。夏果果实蔗糖含量均低于对照,秋果在CO2浓度升高1倍[(760±20)μmol·mol^-1 ]下较对照略高。4)果实中枸杞多糖含量低于对照,黄酮含量在秋果期比对照分别低16.62%和18.35%,且CO2浓度升高1倍[(760±20)μmol·mol^-1 ]处理对果实活性物质含量影响较大。5) CO2浓度升高增加了酸性转化酶和中性转化酶活性;夏果蔗糖磷酸合成酶较对照明显增加,但秋果酶活性低于对照;蔗糖合成酶分解方向与合成方向酶活性变化趋势相同,夏果均高于对照,秋果酶活性低于对照,CO2浓度升高1倍[(760±20)μmol·mol^-1 ]处理下差异极显著。【结论】长期高CO2浓度处理促进宁夏枸杞植株营养生长,果实单果质量与纵横径增大,有利于改善果实外观品质;但果实中糖分含量和枸杞多糖、黄酮等生物活性物质的含量明显降低,相关酶活性发生变化,影响果实营养品质。     

Association of antioxidant vitamins and oxidative stress levels in pregnancy with infant growth during the first year of life

OBJECTIVE: Whereas there are numerous reports in the literature relating the impact of maternal nutritional status on subsequent birth outcome, much less is known about the long-term impact on infant growth after birth. Therefore, we conducted a prospective cohort study to investigate the association of maternal micronutrient status (vitamins A, C and E, folate) and oxidative stress status in pregnancy with infant growth during the first year of life. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Outpatient clinic of obstetrics, Ewha Womans University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.Subjects and methodsTwo groups were constructed for this study - the Ewha pregnancy cohort (n = 677) and the infant growth cohort comprising follow-up live newborns of all the recruited pregnant women (n = 317). Maternal serum vitamin and urinary oxidative stress levels were collected and infant weights and heights were measured at birth and at 6 and 12 months after birth. RESULTS: Division of the subjects into folate-deficient and normal groups revealed that infant weight and height at 0, 6 and 12 months were adversely affected by folate deficiency. High maternal vitamin C was associated with increased infant weight and height at birth and after birth.ConclusionOur findings indicate the importance of preventing folate deficiency and supplementing vitamin C during pregnancy.     

Synthesis of conjugated linoleic acid by human-derived Bifidobacterium breve LMC 017: utilization as a functional starter culture for milk fermentation

This study was performed to discover bifidobacteria isolated from human intestines that optimally convert linoleic acid (LA) to conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and to optimize the culture conditions of milk fermentation. One hundred and fifty neonatal bifidobacteria were screened for CLA-producing ability, and Bifidobacterium breve LMC 017 was selected as it showed about 90% conversion of free LA in MRS broth. The selected strain showed resistance at 0.5% LA in microaerophillic conditions. When monolinolein (LA 90%) was used as a substrate for CLA production, the conversion rate was lower compared to free LA, but the growth rate was unaffected during the milk fermentation. There was no significant difference in CLA production between aerobic and anaerobic conditions, and little decline in CLA was shown after the maximal CLA level had been reached. CLA production increased by 80% with 24 h of incubation in milk containing additional skim milk (5%), where the proteins may have facilitated the production of CLA by enhancing the interaction of substrate with the bacteria. CLA production did not decline after 9 h of fermentation and an additional 12 weeks of storage with other commercial starters. This demonstrates the possibility of using this strain as a costarter in the production of CLA-enriched yogurt.     

Reproduction of postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome in pigs by prenatal porcine circovirus 2 infection and postnatal porcine parvovirus infection or immunostimulation

Postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) was reproduced in prenatally porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2)-infected pigs by either postnatal infection with porcine parvovirus (PPV) or by immunostimulation. Twenty-four randomly selected piglets from 3 sows, which had been experimentally infected during gestation with PCV2, were randomly divided into 3 groups; group 1 (prenatal PCV2 infection, with postnatal PPV infection), group 2 (prenatal PCV2 infection, with postnatal keyhole limpet hemocyanin, emulsified in incomplete Freund's adjuvant [KLH/ICFA] injection), and group 3 (prenatal PCV2 infection only). Twenty-four randomly selected piglets from 3 uninfected sows were randomly divided into 3 groups; group 4 (no prenatal infection, with postnatal PCV2 and PPV infection), group 5 (no prenatal infection, with postnatal PCV2 infection), and group 6 (negative control pigs). Body weight in negative control pigs (group 6) was increased significantly compared with pigs in groups 1, 2, and 4 at 49, 52, 56, 59, and 63 days of age. The granulomatous inflammatory reaction and lymphoid depletion that are typical lesions in pigs with PMWS were observed in the lymph node of piglets in groups 1, 2, and 4 at 63 days of age. Pigs in group 3 had significantly fewer PCV2-positive cells than those from groups 1, 2, 4, or 5. When the prenatally PCV2-infected pigs were infected with PPV or injected with immunostimulant in the postnatal period, they developed PMWS. Thus, factors that potentiate the progression of prenatal PCV2 infection to PMWS are postnatal infection with PPV or immune stimulation.     

浅议一河多桥断面流量分配计算方法

本文用壅水平衡原理对最一般情况下的一河多桥断面流量分配进行了分析,计算,结果表明,用壅水平原理计算一河多桥的断面流量分配是符合实际的。     

扦插时期、光照与密度等条件在马铃薯微型薯生产中的影响

在马铃薯微型薯生产过程中,扦插时期不同,使马铃薯植株不同物候期所处的环境条件不同,严重影响植株生物学性状及微型薯产量。试管苗扦插生根主要受温度影响,光照通过影响温、湿度对生根起作用。密度不同,植株生长受到影响,微型薯数量与产量均不同。