Potential chemical time bombs in the schelde estuary

The Schelde estuary is heavily polluted with many different (micro)pollutants. This results in high concentrations in the abiotic and biotic compartments of the Schelde estuary and in various effects. the present day suboxic and anoxic conditions in the upper estuary are probably responsible for the high distribution coefficients for some trace metals in the lower Schelde estuary (Western Schelde). a future reduction in discharges with a high biological oxygen demand will therefore not only result in higher oxygen concentrations, but probably also in lower distribution coefficients for trace metals in the Western Schelde. Simulations show that lower trace metal distribution coefficients will probably result in higher concentrations of dissolved (bioavailable) trace metals, even with substantially reduced discharge rates, due to the desorption of trace metals from resuspended bottom sediments.     

陆川猪ANKRD1基因克隆及其表达差异分析

[目的]克隆陆川猪心肌锚蛋白重复域1基因(ANKRD1),并进行生物信息学及组织表达谱分析,为研究ANKRD1在陆川猪机体内的功能作用提供参考依据.[方法]根据NCBI已公布的野猪ANKRD1基因序列(NM_213922.1)设计特异性引物,采用TRIzol法提取陆川猪心脏、肝脏、脾脏、肺脏、肾脏、背最长肌和皮下脂肪的总RNA,反转录合成cDNA,并以此为模板进行ANKRD1基因克隆,通过MegAlign、Protaram、Protscale、MHMM Server和Sig-nalP等在线分析软件进行生物信息学分析,最后以实时荧光定量PCR检测ANKRD1基因在陆川猪各组织中的表达情况.[结果]陆川猪ANKRD1基因蛋白编码区(CDS)序列全长960 bp,编码319个氨基酸残基,与NCBI已公布野猪ANKRD1基因(NM_213922.1)的CDS序列存在4处碱基突变,但均为同义突变,二者的ANKRD1氨基酸序列同源性为99.6%.陆川猪ANKRD1基因编码蛋白分子量为36125.70 Da,理论等电点(pI)为7.09,属于稳定蛋白,其二级结构中α-螺旋占46.39%、无规则卷曲占39.81%、β-转角占9.09%、延伸链占4.70%;陆川猪ANKRD1蛋白不存在跨膜结构,也无信号肽,有多个磷酸化位点.陆川猪ANKRD1基因在其心脏、肝脏、脾脏、肺脏、肾脏、背最长肌和皮下脂肪等7个组织中均有表达,其中以心脏中的相对表达量最高,显著高于在其他组织中的相对表达量(P<0.05,下同),在脾脏中的相对表达量最低,显著低于在心脏、肝脏、肺脏和背最长肌中的相对表达量.[结论]ANKRD1基因在陆川猪的心脏、肝脏、脾脏、肺脏、肾脏、背最长肌和皮下脂肪等组织中均有表达,且存在明显差异,故推测ANKRD1基因在不同组织中发挥不同作用.     

遮光与水分胁迫对盆栽芒萁光合与叶绿素荧光参数的影响

  目的  研究光合有效辐射与土壤水分变化对芒萁Dicranopteris dichotoma光响应进程及原初光化学反应的影响,分析芒萁单优层片发育成因。  方法  设置不同光合有效辐射[轻度遮光(透光率为35.96%,L₁),中度遮光(13.00%,L₂)和高度遮光(4.75%,L₃)]与土壤水分[充足水分(土壤相对含水量为75%~80%,W₁),中度干旱(50%~55%,W₂),重度干旱(25%~30%,W₃)]双因素控制试验,并以全光处理为对照,比较分析盆栽芒萁光合特征参数和叶绿素荧光诱导动力学参数的变化特征。  结果  ①轻度遮光条件下,重度干旱显著降低了芒萁的净光合速率(P_n)、表观量子效率(Y_AQ)和最大净光合速率(P_max),轻度遮光条件下充足水分(W₁)和中度干旱(W₂)的P_n大约比重度干旱(W₃)和对照(ck)高34.4%~69.2%;②中度遮光和高度遮光条件下,各浇水处理间芒萁的P_n大致相近且略高于ck,光补偿点(L_CP)和暗呼吸速率(R_d)差异不显著(P＞0.05),增加遮光强度能够缓解水分亏缺对芒萁的光合特征参数的负面影响;③在相同水分处理条件下,随着遮光强度增加,芒萁的荧光参数呈现先增加后下降的变化特征。④轻度和中度遮光下重度干旱降低了芒萁的光合机构能力,高度遮光时,随着土壤水分的降低,盆栽芒萁叶片的电子传递效率(ψ_O)、电子传递量子产额(φ_Eo)、能量流参数和光合性能指数(PI_ABS)均出现上升趋势,说明弱光环境下芒萁表现出明显的抗旱性。⑤遮光和干旱处理未对芒萁的PI_ABS和综合性能指数(PI_total)产生显著的抑制作用,说明芒萁的PSⅡ没有受到严重损害。  结论  因此,中度遮光+充足水分组合处理有利于盆栽芒萁积累光合产物,中度遮光与中度干旱下盆栽芒萁拥有最高的PSⅡ活性,盆栽芒萁对遮光和土壤水分变化的环境表现出较强的适应性。图3表3参38     

景观园林施工设计及绿化养护技术要点分析

无论是景观园林施工还是绿化养护,均是城市环境建设的重要组成部分,与人们的生产生活 息息相关。大多数综合性景观园林施工面临成本难以控制的问题,因其工程量较大、施工周期较长、 周边环境复杂,整个施工过程不可预测的变数较多,施工成本和施工难度居高不下。文章主要就景观 园林施工设计及绿化养护技术要点进行了分析与阐述,意在提高景观园林施工及绿化养护的水平和 质量。     

A New Bioassay Platform Design for the Discovery of Small Molecules with Anticancer Immunotherapeutic Activity

Immunotherapy takes advantage of the immune system to prevent, control, and eliminate neoplastic cells. The research in the field has already led to major breakthroughs to treat cancer. In this work, we describe a platform that integrates in vitro bioassays to test the immune response and direct antitumor effects for the preclinical discovery of anticancer candidates. The platform relies on the use of dendritic cells that are professional antigen-presenting cells (APC) able to activate T cells and trigger a primary adaptive immune response. The experimental procedure is based on two phenotypic assays for the selection of chemical leads by both a panel of nine tumor cell lines and growth factor-dependent immature mouse dendritic cells (D1). The positive hits are then validated by a secondary test on human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MoDCs). The aim of this approach is the selection of potential immunotherapeutic small molecules from natural extracts or chemical libraries.     

Preliminary Study on the Activity of Phycobiliproteins against Botrytis cinerea

Phycobiliproteins (PBPs) are proteins of cyanobacteria and some algae such as rhodophytes. They have antimicrobial, antiviral, antitumor, antioxidative, and anti-inflammatory activity at the human level, but there is a lack of knowledge on their antifungal activity against plant pathogens. We studied the activity of PBPs extracted from Arthrospira platensis and Hydropuntia cornea against Botrytis cinerea, one of the most important worldwide plant-pathogenic fungi. PBPs were characterized by using FT-IR and FT-Raman in order to investigate their structures. Their spectra differed in the relative composition in the amide bands, which were particularly strong in A. platensis. PBP activity was tested on tomato fruits against gray mold disease, fungal growth, and spore germination at different concentrations (0.3, 0.6, 1.2, 2.4, and 4.8 mg/mL). Both PBPs reduced fruit gray mold disease. A linear dose–response relationship was observed for both PBPs against disease incidence and H. cornea against disease severity. Pathogen mycelial growth and spore germination were reduced significantly by both PBPs. In conclusion, PBPs have the potential for being also considered as natural compounds for the control of fungal plant pathogens in sustainable agriculture.     

Toward the Identification of Novel Antimicrobial Agents: One-Pot Synthesis of Lipophilic Conjugates of N-Alkyl d- and l-Iminosugars

In the effort to improve the antimicrobial activity of iminosugars, we report the synthesis of lipophilic iminosugars 10a–b and 11a–b based on the one-pot conjugation of both enantiomeric forms of N-butyldeoxynojirimycin (NBDNJ) and N-nonyloxypentyldeoxynojirimycin (NPDNJ) with cholesterol and a succinic acid model linker. The conjugation reaction was tuned using the established PS-TPP/I₂/ImH activating system, which provided the desired compounds in high yields (94–96%) by a one-pot procedure. The substantial increase in the lipophilicity of 10a–b and 11a–b is supposed to improve internalization within the bacterial cell, thereby potentially leading to enhanced antimicrobial properties. However, assays are currently hampered by solubility problems; therefore, alternative administration strategies will need to be devised.     

Crop rotation sequencing to minimize yield losses of summer-irrigated lowland rice in Myanmar caused by the rice root-knot nematode Meloidogyne graminicola

Abstract

The effect of different rice-based crop rotation sequences on the population densities of Meloidogyne graminicola and on the yield of rice was evaluated in a microplot experiment under lowland rice field conditions. Ten treatments of cropping sequences were grown in four successive growing seasons: continuous growing of the susceptible rice cultivar Thihtatyin (rice-rice-rice-rice), four treatments of 1- season crop rotation sequences (rice-rice-chickpea-rice, rice-rice-black gram-rice, rice-rice-soybean-rice, rice-rice-cowpea-rice), and five treatments of 2-season crop rotation sequences (groundnut-rice-chickpea-rice, green gram-rice-black gram-rice, cowpea-rice-soybean-rice, sesame-rice-cowpea-rice, sunflower-rice-sesame-rice). Population densities of M. graminicola recovered from the rice plants and the nematode multiplication factors (Mf) in the soil in the continuous rice cropping sequence (rice-rice-rice-rice) was the highest among the ten cropping sequences. Lowest nematode Mf in the soil was observed in the 2-season crop rotation sequence sunflower-rice-sesame-rice and the highest was observed in the 1-season crop rotation sequence rice-rice-cowpea-rice among the nine crop rotation sequences. Highest rice yield was obtained in the 2-season crop rotation sequences green gram-rice-black gram-rice, sesame-rice-cowpea-rice and sunflower-rice-sesame-rice, which were about 2 times higher compared with the 1-season crop rotation sequences and about 3 times higher compared with the continuous rice cropping sequence.     

不同控释氮肥运筹对粳稻养分吸收与氮素利用的影响

以绥粳18为供试材料,通过盆栽试验,在一次性施入控释氮肥免追肥条件下,设置不同施肥量(高、中、低、无)和施肥深度(5 cm、10 cm),探讨不同氮肥施用方式对粳稻养分吸收和氮素利用的影响。结果表明,在不同氮肥运筹条件下,粳稻各生育期氮、磷、钾的吸收、转运均存在明显的协同效应,施肥深度5 cm组,随着氮肥施用量的增加,粳稻的氮吸收总量增加,同时可促进磷的吸收,但影响幅度较小。钾变化与氮、磷变化有所不同。施肥深度10cm组,施高量氮肥抑制了粳稻对磷的吸收、减少了对氮的吸收,但有利于提高氮素利用率,对钾的吸收无显著影响。施用树脂包膜控释肥,纯氮用量为153 kg/hm^2、施肥深度5 cm、一次性施肥免追肥可获得最优水稻氮素利用效率并显著提高磷钾肥利用效率。