鄂北地区栗瘿蜂综合防治技术研究

栗瘿蜂在鄂北地区一年发生一代，以初龄幼虫在被害芽内越冬。翌年4月上旬栗芽萌动时开始为害，使被害芽形成虫瘿抑制新梢生长，导致减产甚至绝收。当地该瘿蜂优势种天敌是中华长尾小蜂，益害比1∶5时能抑制栗瘿蜂的大发生。以冬季清园铲除杂草，剪除病虫枝等农业防治为基础，收集虫瘿于3月下旬挂于栗园保护天敌为主导，辅之以化学防治的综合防治措施能有效地控制栗瘿蜂的为害。     

Use of a three-drill-tract technique for arthrodesis of the distal tarsal joints in horses with distal tarsal osteoarthritis: 54 cases (1990-1999)

OBJECTIVE: To assess the long-term clinical outcome of horses with distal tarsal osteoarthritis (OA) in which a 3-drill-tract technique was used to induce arthrodesis of the affected joints, identify any preoperative or operative factors associated with outcome, and describe any complications associated with the technique. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 54 horses. PROCEDURE: Medical records were reviewed for information on signalment, use, history, physical and lameness examination findings, surgical technique, and postoperative care. Radiographs were examined, and severity of OA was graded. Follow-up information was obtained through telephone interviews with owners at least 13 months after the procedure. RESULTS: 32 (59%) horses had a successful outcome, 6 (11%) improved but were not sound after surgery, and 16 (30%) did not improve following surgery. Outcome was negatively associated with the previous use of intra-articular injections. Few postoperative complications were evident. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that distal tarsal OA in horses can be successfully treated by means of distal tarsal arthrodesis with a 3-drill-tract technique. Horses with advanced distal tarsal OA are likely to have poorer outcomes, and the procedure will likely be of minimal benefit in horses with concomitant causes of hind limb lameness prior to surgery and in horses with preexisting proximal intertarsal joint disease.     

Rapid Determination of Mercury in Plant and Soil Samples Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy, a Comparative Study

The objectives of this study were to simplify sample preparation and validate mercury detection in soil and plant samples using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). A set of mercury contaminated and mercury free soil and plant samples were digested and analyzed by ICP-AES, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and cold vapor atomic absorption spectroscopy (CVAAS). Results show that mercury measurements in soil and plant samples using ICP-AES were in agreement with those analyzed using ICP-MS and CVAAS. The concentrations of mercury in soils and plant tissues determined by ICP-AES were 92.2% and 90.5% of those determined by CVAAS and ICP-MS, respectively. Digestion of soil samples with 4 M HNO₃ and direct measurement by ICP-AES without reduction of Hg²⁺ to Hg⁰ gave a reasonable and acceptable recovery (92%) for determining Hg in soils. We conclude that ICP-AES with optimized conditions (addition of gold chloride, extension of washing time, linear working range, and selection of wavelength – 194 nm) resulted in reliable detection of mercury in environmental samples.     

Genotypic variation in grain cadmium concentration of lowland rice

Cadmium (Cd) contamination of paddy rice soils is commonly observed in the Yangtse River Delta, China. Large Cd uptake by rice plants and its translocation into the grains can entail human‐health risks. Genotypic variations in Cd uptake and a differential Cd partitioning into grains will be the basis for developing a rice screening or breeding tool for low grain Cd. A field experiment, conducted at the experimental farm of Jiaxing, Zhejiang province from 2002 to 2004, compared 38 rice genotypes of different types (indica vs. japonica) collected from the Yangtse River Delta. The results showed large differences in Cd concentrations in straw, brown rice, and grain chaff among the rice genotypes grown on Cd‐contaminated soil. Concentrations in brown rice ranged from 0.06 to 0.99 mg Cd kg^–1. The total Cd uptake in brown rice varied between 0.96 and 28.58 μg plant ^{– 1}. In general, indica‐type cultivars accumulated significantly more Cd than the japonica‐type cultivars. The Cd concentration in straw was highly correlated with that in brown rice. While significant differences in the Cd‐partitioning ratio (% share of total Cd uptake found in brown rice) among rice genotypes were observed, these were not correlated with Cd concentration of brown rice. This indicates that the Cd accumulation in rice grains appears to be governed mainly by the Cd uptake by the plant and probably not by differential Cd partitioning. The large genotypic variation suggests the possibility to lower the Cd content of rice by genotype selection. The development of such breeding tools should focus on low Cd uptake rather than Cd partitioning between straw and grain.     

Identification of the cystic fibrosis gene: chromosome walking and jumping

An understanding of the basic defect in the inherited disorder cystic fibrosis requires cloning of the cystic fibrosis gene and definition of its protein product. In the absence of direct functional information, chromosomal map position is a guide for locating the gene. Chromosome walking and jumping and complementary DNA hybridization were used to isolate DNA sequences, encompassing more than 500,000 base pairs, from the cystic fibrosis region on the long arm of human chromosome 7. Several transcribed sequences and conserved segments were identified in this cloned region. One of these corresponds to the cystic fibrosis gene and spans approximately 250,000 base pairs of genomic DNA.