Tipburn of Chinese cabbage in relation to calcium nutrition and distribution

Heading Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris ssp. pekinensis Rupr.) grown with low Ca or B developed dark tan lesions near the leaf margins. A synergistic effect of low Ca and low B accompanied the development of this symptom. Plants grown under humid conditions were free of tipburn. Plants grown under less humidity developed tipburn. Total chemical analysis revealed a steady decrease in total Ca from the outer to the inner leaves. Fractional chemical analysis showed 7 times more water-soluble Ca in the outer than in the inner leaves, and 2 times more 1 N NaCl-soluble Ca in the outer than in inner leaves. Threshold concentration of water-soluble forms of Ca for tipburn was around 3.0 mg/g dry weight. Data suggest that root pressure flow is required to move adequate amounts of water-soluble Ca to the wrapper leaves to prevent tipburn of Chinese cabbage.     

Crustal dilatation observed by GRACE after the 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake

We report the detection of an earthquake by a space-based measurement. The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites observed a +/-15-microgalileo gravity change induced by the great December 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake. Coseismic deformation produces sudden changes in the gravity field by vertical displacement of Earth's layered density structure and by changing the densities of the crust and mantle. GRACE's sensitivity to the long spatial wavelength of gravity changes resulted in roughly equal contributions of vertical displacement and dilatation effects in the gravity measurements. The GRACE observations provide evidence of crustal dilatation resulting from an undersea earthquake.     

Characterization of three Colletotrichum acutatum isolates from Capsicum spp.

Colletotrichum acutatum causes anthracnose on peppers (Capsicum spp.), resulting in severe yield losses in Taiwan. Fungal isolates Coll-153, Coll-365 and Coll-524 collected from diseased peppers were found to differ in pathogenicity. Pathogenicity assays on various index plants revealed that Coll-524 was highly virulent and Coll-153 was moderately virulent to three commercially available pepper cultivars. Both isolates induced anthracnose lesions and produced abundant conidia. Coll-365 was only weakly virulent on pepper fruit, where it caused small lesions and hardly produced conidia on pepper fruit. However, Coll-365 was highly pathogenic to tomato fruit and mango leaves, where it caused anthracnose lesions and formed acervuli and conidia. All three isolates showed similar abilities in the attachment and germination of conidia, formation of highly branched hyphae and appressoria, penetration of cuticles, and infection of epidermal cells on chili peppers. Coll-365 accumulated less turgor pressure in appressoria but produced higher levels of cutinase and protease activity than Coll-153 and Coll-524 did. All three isolates invaded the neighbouring cells through plasmodesmata in chili peppers and showed similar pectinase or cellulase activities in culture. However, the most virulent strain Coll-524 expressed stronger laccase activity and was more resistant to capsaicin compared to Coll-153 and Coll-365. The three isolates are different in numbers and sizes of double-stranded RNAs. Depending on the cultivar genotypes, cellular resistance of chili pepper to C. acutatum might rely on the ability to restrict penetration, colonization, or conidiation of the pathogen. We conclude that the differences in pathogenicity among the three C. acutatum isolates of pepper are attributed to their ability to colonize the host plant.     

玉米雌穗发育异常及防控措施

2010年东北部分地区的玉米出现了雌穗发育异常现象,给农业生产造成了一定的损失,本文在调查基础上,参考了其他农业科研单位和高校的诸多专家的意见,就玉米雌穗分化过程中几种异常现象的表现、成因及防治措施进行分析探讨。     

Functional processing of PET fabrics using boehmite/silica/thiazole dye hybrid materials

A series of hybrid materials composed of boehmite/silica/thiazole dyes and prepared via the sol-gel process is synthesized from aluminum isopropoxide (AIP) and tetraethoxysilane using heteroaryl 2-amino-thiazole azo dyes. Heterocyclic 2-amino-thiazole azo dyes undergo a hydrolysis-condensation reaction with an appropriate proportion of AIP under a catalyst, at a constant ratio of vinyltriethoxysilane (VTES) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). The structures of these hybrid materials composed of boehmite/silica/thiazole dyes are characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis. The surface morphology of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabrics is evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM images show uniform dyeing of the PET fabrics that confirms the reaction of the hybrid materials with the PET fabrics. The water contact angle, washing fastness, color evenness, air permeability, and warmth retention of the PET fabrics dyed with hybrid materials composed of boehmite/silica/thiazole dyes are evaluated. The evaluation results indicate improved warmth retention property and good water repellency.     

基于三维重建技术的坡面细沟侵蚀演变过程研究

作为黄土高原地区沟头溯源侵蚀和水流汇集发源地的梁峁坡面,在强降雨下其产流产沙对沟缘线以下坡面及沟道侵蚀有着重大影响。该研究根据野外实地考查构建5°～35°变坡段实体模型,进行6场间歇性人工模拟降雨试验,并借助基于三维重建技术的PhotoScan软件获取坡面DEM,将其侵蚀演化过程进行图形化、数字化,定性定量揭示其侵蚀形态演变特征。研究表明:1)梁峁坡面细沟侵蚀历经4个阶段:面蚀阶段,即产生一系列呈串珠状分布的侵蚀跌坑,宽度5～9 cm,深度1～4 cm;细沟形成阶段,由面蚀所产生的微小跌坑在径流作用下长、宽、深均不断增大,最大分别达到266、7.6、13.8cm;细沟网形成阶段,细沟出现分叉及联通,有明显流路;小切沟形成阶段,伴随沟壁崩塌、沟壁加宽和沟底下切,最大沟长及最大沟深较细沟形成时增大3倍以上。2)对比次降雨过程基于三维建模所计算侵蚀量与实测侵蚀量,第1场降雨试验因地表疏松颗粒较多导致实测侵蚀量比建模计算侵蚀量大而引起较大偏差(20.82%),其他场次偏差均在10%左右或以下,总体来说,该技术可以较好地应用于侵蚀发育过程的研究。该研究实现侵蚀演变关键过程图形化、数字化,有助于人们定性、定量了解和认识梁峁坡面侵蚀过程,且对于创新侵蚀过程研究方法亦具有实践指导价值。     

Cloning, expression, and characterization of two beta-glucosidases from isoflavone glycoside-hydrolyzing Bacillus subtilis natto

On the basis of the genomic sequence of Bacillus subtilis 168, two beta-glucosidase genes (bglH and yckE) from B. subtilis natto, which has been reported to have high isoflavone glucoside-hydrolyzing activity, were cloned and overexpressed in E. coli M15. The temperature for the optimal p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucoside hydrolyzing activity of both enzymes was between 37 and 45 degrees C, but BglH had a higher thermal stability than YckE. Both showed high activity at pH 6.0, but YckE was stable over a wider pH range than BglH. Recombinant BglH was inhibited 73%, 63%, and 43% by 1.0 mM Cd(2+), Fe(2+), or Cu(2+), respectively, while other divalent metal ions resulted in 0-23% inhibition, whereas YckE was inhibited by less than 20% by any of the divalent metal ions we tested. Among the substrate we used, BglH showed the highest affinity for genistin and YckE showed the highest affinity for p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-fructopyranoside. Both BglH and YckE hydrolyzed genistin and daidzin into their isoflavone aglycones, genistein and daidzein, but BglH was more efficient than YckE in isoflavone glucoside hydrolysis (20-fold higher kcat). Our results suggest that recombinant BglH may be applicable in the process of isoflavones deglycosylation.     

Effect of phytocompounds from the heartwood of Acacia confusa on inflammatory mediator production

Acacia confusa Merr. (Leguminosae) is traditionally used as a medicinal plant in Taiwan. In the present study, anti-inflammatory activity of extracts from the heartwood of A. confusa were investigated for the first time. Results demonstrated that ethanolic extracts of A. confusa heartwood strongly suppressed NO production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Among all fractions derived from ethanolic extracts, the EtOAc fraction exhibited the best inhibitory activity. Following column chromatography and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, 13 specific phytocompounds including 5 new flavonoids (i.e., 7,8,3',4'-tetrahydroxy-4-methoxyflavan-3-ol, 7,8,3',4'-tetrahydroxyflavone, 7,8,3'-trihydroxy-3,4'-dimethoxyflavone, 7,3',4'-trihydroxyflavone, and 7,3',4'-trihydroxy-3-methoxyflavone) were isolated and identified from the EtOAc fraction. In addition, melanoxetin (3,7,8,3',4'-pentahydroxyflavone), a major compound in the EtOAc fraction, markedly suppressed LPS-induced NO and prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2) production. Moreover, melanoxetin completely suppressed gene expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) at 50 and 100 microM, respectively. This is the first report to identify the inhibitory bioactivities of melanoxetin on iNOS and COX-2.     

Black soybean promotes the formation of active components with antihepatoma activity in the fermentation product of Agaricus blazei

The antihepatoma activity and related active components in the fermentation products of Agaricus blazei (AB) cultured in the medium containing soybean (S) or black soybean (BS) were investigated. AB(BS)-pE and AB(S)-pE were the ethanolic extracts from the fermentation products of AB(BS) and AB(S), respectively. According to the IC 50 values, AB(BS)-pE (161.1 and 24.0 microg/mL for Hep 3B and Hep G2 cells, respectively) exhibited stronger cytotoxicities against hepatoma cells than AB(S)-pE (>200 and 99.9 microg/mL for Hep 3B and Hep G2 cells, respectively). AB(BS)-pE was separated by silica gel column chromatography and eluted with n-hexane/ethyl acetate/methanol gradient solvent system into 21 fractions. Fraction 3 [AB(BS)-pE-F3], eluted with n-hexane/ethyl acetate (97:3 and 19:1, v/v), was the most active fraction having inhibitory activity on the proliferation of Hep 3B and Hep G2 cells (IC 50 of 3.6 and 1.9 microg/mL, respectively). Three major compounds, compounds 1- 3, were further isolated from the AB(BS)-pE-F3 fraction by reversed-phase semipreparative high-performance liquid chromatography. Compounds 2 and 3 gave better antihepatoma activity than that of compound 1. The IC 50 values of compounds 2 and 3 were 2.8 and 4.5 microg/mL for Hep 3B cells and 1.4 and 2.0 microg/mL for Hep G2 cells, respectively. The structures of compounds 2 and 3 were identified by UV, IR, electron impact mass spectrometry, and (1)H and (13)C NMR to be blazeispirols A and C, respectively. Blazeispirols A and C existed in the mycelia but not in the broth and were more in AB(BS)-pE (49.9 +/- 8.9 and 14.2 +/- 2.4 mg/g, respectively) than AB(S)-pE (15.9 +/- 1.7 and 3.9 +/- 0.6 mg/g, respectively). Additionally, the result shows that the production of blazeispirols A and C was increased after cultivation in the medium containing black soybean on day 6 and reached the maximum on day 12, and the contents of blazeispirols A and C were negatively correlated with Hep 3B and Hep G2 cell viabilities ( r = -0.84 to -0.93, P < 0.01). It suggests that blazeispirols A and C could be used as biomarkers to produce the fermentation product of A. blazei with antihepatoma activity.     

苹果管道气力输送装置参数优化与试验

针对苹果在管道输送过程中的撞击损伤问题,对管道气力输送装置的参数组合进行研究。以输送管道内径、管型和进风口风速为影响因素,以苹果迎风面风速为响应值,通过单因素仿真试验确定各因素对响应值的影响规律;基于单因素仿真结果利用多因素仿真试验获得最优输送参数组合,通过验证试验检验最优组合的可靠性。单因素仿真试验结果表明:当管道内径分别为88、96、104、112和120 mm时,随着输送管道内径的增大,苹果迎风面风速呈先增大后减小的趋势;管型对苹果迎风面风速大小影响的排序为,下圆弧管>螺旋管>S型管>上圆弧管>反S型管;当进风风速分别为14.07、15.83、17.59、19.35和21.11 m/s时,随着进风风速的增大,苹果迎风面风速呈先增大后减小的趋势。多因素仿真试验结果表明:最优输送参数组合为,管道内径112 mm、下圆弧型管型、进风风速19.35 m/s,此时苹果迎风面风速为18.46 m/s。验证试验结果表明,基于最优输送参数组合的管道气力输送装置输送苹果时苹果损伤率为14%,苹果损伤面积0~14.82 mm²,损伤体积0~23.84 mm³,86%的苹果为一等及以上果,14%的苹果为二等果。管道气力输送装置可有效降低苹果采摘后落入果筐时的损伤。