Motility of sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus spermatozoa in the post‐activation phase

The characterization of sperm motility patterns, particularly post‐activation changes, is the first step in setting up species‐specific protocols involving gamete management and embryo production, for both aquaculture and laboratory research purposes. This study is aimed at the characterization of the sperm motility pattern of the purple sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. Semen samples were individually diluted in artificial sea water for sperm motility activation. They were then incubated at 18°C for up to 24 hr. Motility was evaluated on dilution, and 1 hr, 3 hr and 24 hr after activation, by computerized analyser. The semen fertilization capacity was also evaluated. Under our experimental conditions (dilution 1:1,000 in artificial sea water plus 0.05% BSA, 18°C, in the dark), P. lividus semen remained viable for up to 24 hr, as the total motile sperm and the fertilization percentages did not change significantly during the incubation time. In contrast, the mean curvilinear velocity and the subpopulation of rapid sperm (those having a curvilinear velocity > 100 µm/s) slightly but significantly decreased after 3 hr, thereafter remaining unchanged for up to 24 hr after activation. In conclusion, our results show that diluted P. lividus semen can be used for a longer period than that of most fish species, with no need for motility inhibition procedures, supporting its wider use in laboratory research. In addition, the development of artificial fertilization protocols for aquaculture production is simplified by long‐lasting sperm motility.     

温度对玉米螟赤眼蜂发育的影响

在实验室内以米蛾卵作寄主,观察了玉米螟赤眼蜂在5个恒温条件下(17,21,25,29,33℃)的发育羽化情况及成蜂寿命、产卵量和后代性比,实验中光照为14：10(L：D),相对湿度控制为75％．结果表明,玉米螟赤眼蜂完成一代所需的发育时间随温度的升高而减少,在17℃时完成一代需要25．12d,而在33℃时仅需要8．11d;在17～25℃成蜂羽化率最高,33℃时最低,其次是29℃;雌蜂的寿命在17℃时最长为219h,但随温度的升高而缩短,在33℃时仅为19．20h;在21．25℃范围内,雌蜂产卵量达到最高;所设定的5个温度条件下发育的雌蜂,其所产的后代中雌性均超过雄性,后代雌性百分率在17～29℃达到高峰,但在33℃时有所下降．     

Indicative properties of fly‐ash affected forest soils in Northeastern Germany

Many forest ecosystems in Germany are strongly influenced by emissions of pollutants like SO₂ and alkaline dusts. To quantify and evaluate the consequences of long‐term fly ash deposition on forest soils, a study was conducted in pine stands (Pinus sylvestris) in the Dübener Heide in Northeastern Germany. This forest area has been influenced mainly by emissions from coal‐fired power plants and the chemical industry of the industrial region Bitterfeld‐Wolfen‐Zschornewitz since the early 1900. The study sites are located along a fly ash deposition gradient of 8, 16, 14, 18, and 25 km away from the main emission source in Bitterfeld (sites 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively). Samples of the organic horizons (Oi, Oe, and Oa) and mineral topsoil (0—10 cm) were taken in fall 1998 and analyzed for their ferromagnetic susceptibility and total ash content. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X‐ray microanalysis (EDX) were performed on selected samples to differentiate between the pedogenic and atmospheric origin of the mineral components in the organic horizons. As a result of the long‐term deposition, ferromagnetic fly ash components are mainly accumulated in the Oe and Oa horizons of the forest soils studied. Ferromagnetic susceptibility was significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) in the Oe horizon of sites 1 and 2 compared to sites 3, 4, and 5. Unusually high total ash contents for organic horizons of > 74 % were determined in the Oa at all sites. SEM revealed 3 distinct features of persistent fly ash deposits from coal‐fired power plants within the organic horizons that can be defined as ”︁stable glasses” with magnetic properties, aluminum‐silicate‐minerals, and slag fragments. SEM and EDX indicated that a great portion of the mineral particles found in the organic horizons of forests soils influenced by fly ash are from atmospheric sources. For detection of atmospheric lignite‐derived deposition into forest soils, the Oe and Oa horizons have to be considered as specific diagnostic horizons because they show indicative properties for such soils.     

脉红螺交配后性选择机制

交配后性选择是雌性混交动物中的一种普遍现象,其选择机制较为复杂,是性选择研究领域中的重点和难点问题.脉红螺是我国重要的大型经济贝类之一,繁殖形式为多雌多雄混交模式.为了研究该模式繁殖机制,本研究利用6个微卫星标记及行为学观察对脉红螺3个家系进行父权分析.结果表明,3个家系均存在多父性现象,证实脉红螺繁殖属于真正遗传意义上的雌性混交模式.3个家系中父权比例与父本的6个形态学参数及交配持续时间不存在关联性,但均表现出最先与母本交配的父本其后代比例最高,而最后交配的父本其后代比例最低,表明脉红螺交配后性选择存在最先雄性精子优先受精现象,这一现象符合“topping off”假说,即最先交配的雄性排放了大量精子占据了受精囊的主要空间,导致其子代的比例最高;而最后交配的雄性由于受精囊空间的限制,其精子占据空间最少.本研究为海洋无脊椎动物的交配后性选择机制研究提供重要参考资料.     

泛素激活酶抑制剂对猪精子获能状态、膜重构及体外受精的影响

【目的】评估泛素激活酶(E1)对猪精子获能、膜重构和体外受精的影响。【方法】选取5头长白猪采集精液,以硫醇酯法评估泛素激活酶(ubiquitin activating enzyme, E1)抑制剂(TAK-243)对精子中泛素(ubiquitin, Ub)与E1结合的影响;将精子分为鲜精组(Fresh)、DMSO组(DMSO)、获能组(Capacitated)及2.4、4.8和7.2 nmol/L TAK-243组,鲜精组用2 mL PBS重悬精子沉淀;获能组用2 mL获能液重悬精子沉淀;DMSO组及2.4、4.8和7.2 nmol/L TAK-243组分别用2 mL含0.07%DMSO及2.4、4.8和7.2 nmol/L TAK-243的获能液重悬精子沉淀,使用微生物动(静)态图像检测系统检测精子的动力学参数;以Western blotting法检测精子的酪氨酸磷酸化水平;Zn²⁺荧光探针检测精子的Zn²⁺含量;花生凝集素染色检测精子的顶体膜重构;免疫荧光法检测顶体表面精子黏附蛋白(AQN-1、AWN)的表达;体外受精法检测TAK-243...     

不同浓度大豆卵磷脂替代蛋黄对东佛里生奶绵羊精液冷冻保存效果的影响

本试验皆在研究添加不同浓度大豆卵磷脂（SL）冷冻保存东佛里生奶绵羊精液的效果。我们在Tris基础稀释液中,添加18%蛋黄为对照组,添加0.5%、1%、1.5%、2%、2.5%SL设为试验组,检测冷冻精液解冻后的精子活率和顶体完整率。结果显示,添加0.5%、2.5% SL冷冻稀释液稀释的精液,解冻后精子活率和顶体完整率与其他组之间存在显著差异（P<0.05）;添加18%蛋黄和1%～2% SL冷冻稀释液稀释的精液,冷冻解冻后精子活率和顶体完整率之间无显著差异（P>0.05）;添加18%蛋黄和1.0%～1.5% SL冷冻稀释液稀释后的精液,进行人工授精后母羊的妊娠率与对照组无显著差异（P>0.05）。因此,大豆卵磷脂可以作为冷冻保护剂用于东佛里生奶绵羊精液的冷冻保存,其最佳添加浓度为1～2%（g／L）。     

1+X 证书制度下宠物养护与驯导专业育人模式探析

在1+X证书制度下,以宠物养护与驯导专业为试点,积极探索和实践现代职业教育“产教融合、校企合作、工学结合、知行合一”的人才培养模式,以期提高本专业的育人质量。     

3种鲆鲽鱼精子和卵子表面形态结构的比较研究

使用扫描电镜对牙鲆、大菱鲆和条斑星鲽的精子和卵子表面形态结构进行比较研究。观察结果表明,3种精子形态结构在核前凹陷位置、精子头部形状、中段线粒体数及鞭毛长度4个方面存在明显差异;3种卵子表面形态结构中,牙鲆和大菱鲆比较相似,而条斑星鲽成熟卵子壳膜具有4点特异性:外表面粗糙、有点状和斑块状突起、网纹较深;壳膜上微小孔孔径差距大;卵膜厚度最厚为(3.87±0.24)μm,约为牙鲆和大菱鲆卵膜厚度的2倍;受精孔的管道螺旋层为4~6层,约为前两者的1/2。条斑星鲽与牙鲆和大菱鲆的精卵表面形态结构差异明显。     

Reproductive and Morphological Quality of Commercial Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Drones in the United States

Exploration into reproductive quality in honey bees (Apis mellifera Linneaus (Hymenoptera: Apidae) largely focuses on factors that affect queens, with drones primarily being considered insofar as they pass on effects of environmental stressors to the queen and subsequent offspring. In those studies that consider drone quality explicitly, a primary focus has been on the dimorphic nature of drones laid in worker cells (either through rare queen error or worker reproduction) as compared to drones laid by the queen in the slightly larger drone cells. The implication from these studies is that that there exists a bimodality of drone morphological quality that is related to reproductive quality and competitive ability during mating. Our study quantifies the presence of such small drones in commercial populations, finding that rates of ‘low-quality’ drones are far higher than theoretically predicted under optimum conditions. Observations from commercial colonies also show significant inter-colony variation among the size and fecundity of drones produced, prompting speculation as to the mechanisms inducing such variation and the potential use of drone-quality variation for the colony- or apiary-level exposure to nutrition, agrichemical, or parasitic stressors.