Yield and quality evaluations on a pair of processing tomato lines nearly isogenic for the Tm2a gene for resistance to the tobacco mosaic virus

A pair of processing tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) lines, nearly isogenic for the Tm-2^a gene for resistance to tobacco mosaic virus, were grown in replicated trials under commercial production conditions in five locations worldwide. The lines were evaluated for 17 processing traits including fruit yield, size, soluble solids concentration, color, firmness, and viscosity. Eight of those traits differed significantly among the nearly-isogenic lines (NILs). Most notably, the NIL heterozygous for Tm-2^a yielded, on average, 16% more than the NIL homozygous for the susceptible allele and 33% more than the NIL homozygous for Tm-2^a. Viscosity was lower in the heterozygous NIL and the homozygous and heterozygous resistant NILs had softer fruit with larger stem scars compared to the homozygous susceptible NIL. These results indicate the presence of the Tm-2^a locus affects many traits of importance for processing tomatoes and may be used, in the heterozygous state, to significantly increase yield. Whether the observed effects are due to the Tm-2^a gene itself or genes associated via linkage drag could not be determined. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

培养基对尖孢镰刀菌非致病力菌株281产孢量的影响

选择8种培养基，采用液体培养法，研究培养基质对尖孢镰刀菌(Fusarium oxysporum Schl.)281菌株小孢子产生量的影响，结果表明，在PDA培养基上培养144h得到最大小孢子产量1.283×109cfu/ml，与其它培养基产孢量差异显著（P=0.05）。培养至192h时，ATCC培养基的小孢子数量达到1.325×109cfu/ml，与PDA培养基之间无显著差异（P=0.05），与其它6种培养基之间差异显著（P=0.05）。综合比较8种培养基，PDA培养基培养时间短，配制简单，是较为理想的产小孢子培养基。     

Weak northern and strong tropical land carbon uptake from vertical profiles of atmospheric CO2

Measurements of midday vertical atmospheric CO2 distributions reveal annual-mean vertical CO2 gradients that are inconsistent with atmospheric models that estimate a large transfer of terrestrial carbon from tropical to northern latitudes. The three models that most closely reproduce the observed annual-mean vertical CO2 gradients estimate weaker northern uptake of -1.5 petagrams of carbon per year (Pg C year(-1)) and weaker tropical emission of +0.1 Pg C year(-1) compared with previous consensus estimates of -2.4 and +1.8 Pg C year(-1), respectively. This suggests that northern terrestrial uptake of industrial CO2 emissions plays a smaller role than previously thought and that, after subtracting land-use emissions, tropical ecosystems may currently be strong sinks for CO2.     

Geologic evolution of northern tibet: results of an expedition to ulugh muztagh

A reconnaissance expedition across the northern margin of the Tibetan plateau revealed evidence of a late Cenozoic northward progression of the locus of crustal shortening and, therefore, of a northward growth of the area encompassed by the plateau. Active reverse faults crop out at the foot of the Altyn Tagh, on the northern edge of the plateau, and at the bases of several ranges within the Altyn Tagh and Kunlun, where the elevations of the neighboring basins are less than 4000 meters. Farther south, where elevations are higher, there was no evidence of recent faulting, but late Cenozoic rock in the Ayak Kum K?l basin has been strongly folded. South of this basin, Ulugh Muztagh, apparently the highest mountain in the eastern Kunlun, is underlain by late Miocene, tourmaline-bearing and two-mica granite. These rocks suggest that thickening of continental crust had begun in this area by late Miocene time. Overlying quartz-sanidine welded tuffs of Pliocene age imply that uplift and erosion occurred between Miocene and Pliocene time, but with little subsequent erosion. In addition, we found an east-west trending belt of mafic and ultramafic rock that probably marks a suture of a crustal fragment with southern Asia in Triassic or more recent time.     

Effects of dopamine infusion on cardiac and renal blood flows in dogs

In veterinary medicine, dopamine is currently being administered clinically by infusion for treatment of kidney disorders at low doses (< or = 3 microg/kg/min) and for assessment of hemodynamics at high doses (> or = 5 microg/kg/min). However, since high doses of dopamine cause peripheral vasoconstriction due to its effect on alpha adrenoceptors, high doses have no longer been recommended. The present study was conducted to explore possible regimens for the use of dopamine infusion in dogs. The regional (renal and cardiac) blood flow for 60 min was measured by using colored microspheres at three doses (3, 10 and 20 microg/kg/min) of dopamine infusion in healthy anesthetized mongrel dogs. The effects on kidney and peripheral hemodynamics at each dose and the resultant cardiac output, mean arterial blood pressure and total peripheral resistance were determined. Renal blood flow increased markedly at 3 microg/kg/min dopamine. Improvement in hemodynamics indicated by marked increase in cardiac blood flow, cardiac output and mean arterial blood pressure and decreased total peripheral resistance was observed at higher doses (10 and 20 microg/kg/min). At 10 microg/kg/min, in addition to the satisfactory increase in cardiac blood flow, there was also a stable satisfactory increase in renal blood flow. However, at 20 microg/kg/min, increased myocardial oxygen consumption (manifested by marked increased in cardiac output), arrythmia and irregular increase in renal blood flow were detected. This study suggests that the clinical use of dopamine infusion in dogs could be safely expanded to moderately higher doses.     

Effects of porcine leptin receptor gene polymorphisms on backfat thickness,fat area ratios by image analysis,and serum leptin concentrations in a Duroc purebred population

The leptin receptor (LEPR) gene is considered a candidate gene for fatness traits. It is located on SSC 6 in a region in which quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for backfat thickness (BF), fat area ratios, and serum leptin concentration (LEPC) have previously been detected in a Duroc purebred population. The objectives of the present study were to identify porcine LEPR polymorphisms and examine the effects of LEPR polymorphisms on fatness traits in this same population. The Duroc pigs (226 to 953 pigs) were evaluated for BF, fat area ratios using image analysis, and LEPC. A total of seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the full‐length LEPR coding region were identified in pigs from the base population. Four non‐synonymous SNPs of the LEPR gene and 15 microsatellite markers on SSC 6 were then genotyped in all pigs. During candidate gene analysis, we detected significant effects of the non‐synonymous SNP c.2002C>T in exon 14 on all traits. In fine mapping analysis, significant QTLs for BF, fat area ratios, and LEPC were detected near the LEPR gene in the same region. These results indicated that the c.2002C>T SNP of LEPR has a strong effect on BF, fat area ratios and LEPC.     

A Novel Angiotensin-I-Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitory Peptide from Takifugu flavidus

Alcalase, neutral protease, and pepsin were used to hydrolyze the skin of Takifugu flavidus. The T. flavidus hydrolysates (TFHs) with the maximum degree of hydrolysis (DH) and angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory activity were selected and then ultra-filtered to obtain fractions with components of different molecular weights (MWs) (<1, 1–3, 3–10, 10–50, and >50 kDa). The components with MWs < 1 kDa showed the strongest ACE-inhibitory activity with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of 0.58 mg/mL. Purification and identification using semi-preparative liquid chromatography, Sephadex G-15 gel chromatography, RP-HPLC, and LC–MS/MS yielded one new potential ACE-inhibitory peptide, PPLLFAAL (non-competitive suppression mode; IC₅₀ of 28 μmmol·L⁻¹). Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations indicated that the peptides should bind well to ACE and interact with amino acid residues and the zinc ion at the ACE active site. Furthermore, a short-term assay of antihypertensive activity in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) revealed that PPLLFAAL could significantly decrease the systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of SHRs after intravenous administration. These results suggested that PPLLFAAL may have potential applications in functional foods or pharmaceuticals as an antihypertensive agent.     

Stopped-flow kinetic study of the aroxyl radical-scavenging action of catechins and vitamin C in ethanol and micellar solutions

Kinetic study of the aroxyl radical-scavenging action of catechins (epicatechin (EC), epicatechin gallate (ECG), epigallocatechin (EGC), and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) and related compounds (methyl gallate (MG), 4-methylcatechol (MC), and 5-methoxyresorcinol (MR)) has been performed. The second-order rate constant ( k s) for the reaction of these antioxidants with aroxyl radical has been measured in ethanol and aqueous Triton X-100 micellar solution (5.0 wt %). The k s values decreased in the order of EGCG > EGC > MC > ECG > EC > MG > MR in ethanol, indicating that the reactivity of the OH groups in catechins decreased in the order of pyrogallol B-ring > catechol B-ring > gallate G-ring > resorcinol A-ring. The structure-activity relationship in the free radical-scavenging reaction by catechins has been clarified by the detailed analyses of the pH dependence of k s values. From the results, the p K a values have been determined for catechins. The monoanion form at catechol B- and resorcinol A-rings and dianion form at pyrogallol B- and gallate G-rings show the highest activity for free radical scavenging. It was found that the free radical-scavenging activities of catechins are 3.2-13 times larger than that of vitamin C at pH 7.0.