Endometrial nitric oxide production and nitric oxide synthases in the equine endometrium: Relationship with microvascular density during the estrous cycle

Nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in angiogenesis and in the regulation of the blood flow. This study was carried out to investigate (i) the effects of endogenous estrogens and progestins and exogenous progesterone (P₄) (5 ng/ml or 1 μg/ml) or estradiol 17β (E₂β) (50 pg/ml or 1 μg/ml) on in vitro endometrial NO synthesis; (ii) the presence of different isoforms of NO synthase; (iii) and their relationship to microvascular density in the equine endometrium during the estrous cycle. NOS expression was also evaluated in the myometrium. Expression of endothelial and inducible forms of NOS in the uterus was assessed by Western blot and immunocytochemistry. Vascular density in endometrial tissue was determined on histologic sections. In the luteal phase, compared to the follicular phase, endometrial NO production increased without exogenous hormones and with exogenous E₂β (1 μg/ml). Although immunocytochemistry revealed iNOS and eNOS expression in the endometrium, no positive signal for iNOS was detected by Western blot. Endothelial NOS was observed in endometrial glands, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, blood and lymphatic vessels. Endometrial eNOS expression was the highest in the follicular and mid-luteal phases while it was found to be the lowest in the early luteal phase. In the follicular phase, hyperplasia of endometrial tissue with respect to myometrium was detected. No difference in vascular density was present between phases. All together, NO may play some roles in both proliferative and secretory phases of endometrial development in the mare.     

Density Functional Theory Compute on Electronegativities to Superconductivity of Oxides

In this article we have worked out the correlation between electronegativity and high temperature superconductivity for oxide. It is suggested the equalized electronegativity, X cq , can be used as a empirical criterion for superconductivities of oxides. For determining the X cq , a new formula for the calculation of X cq values has been obtained The X cq values of 230 oxide superconductors have been calculated. The result shows that the X cq values of all the oxide superconductors concentrate in a narrow range from 5.00 to 5.63 and that the oxides with values out side this region would be non-superconductive. This criterion can be applied to almost all the oxide superconductors. It is clearly that this result is able to benefit further inquiries about the mechanism of superconductivity.     

外源NO缓解果树胁迫的作用机理和研究进展

一氧化氮(Nitric oxide, NO)是一种重要的信号分子,广泛参与果树的生长发育调控和对生物与非生物环境胁迫的应答反应。大量证据表明,外源NO是缓解果树干旱、高温和酸雨等胁迫中重要的信使分子,其信号转导机制目前已广受人们关注。文章综述了NO的来源、NO的双重作用及作用机理、NO与其他信号分子间的关系以及近年来外源NO缓解果树胁迫的研究进展,为外源NO缓解果树胁迫的深入研究提供参考资料。     

嗜酸小球菌对凡纳滨对虾体液免疫因子的影响

在饲料中添加不同剂量的嗜酸小球菌投喂凡纳滨对虾,并在投喂后的20、40和60d,分别测定凡纳滨对虾血清中的一氧化氮合酶(NOS)、溶菌活力(Bacteriolytic activity)、总超氧化物歧化酶(T-SOD)、酸性磷酸酶(ACP)、碱性磷酸酶(AKP),并分析了这5种酶之间的相关性。结果显示,嗜酸小球菌能有效提高凡纳滨对虾体内的NOS、溶菌活力、T-SOD、ACP、AKP的活性;NOS与溶菌活力存在显著正相关性(P<0.05),与SOD存在显著负相关性,溶菌活力与AKP存在显著负相关性。表明在饲料中添加适量的嗜酸小球菌(剂量10mg/kg)可使凡纳滨对虾体液免疫因子活力到达较高的水平;凡纳滨对虾血清中一氧化氮合酶对于嗜酸小球菌的添加量较为敏感,可作为评价嗜酸小球菌使用效果的指标之一。     

Mitigating nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural soils by precision management

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions make up a significant part of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. There is an urgent need to identify new approaches to the mitigation of these emissions with emerging technology. In this short review four approaches to precision managements of agricultural systems are described based on examples of work being undertaken in the UK and New Zealand. They offer the opportunity for N₂O mitigation without any reduction in productivity. These approaches depend upon new sensor technology, modeling and spatial information with which to make management decisions and interventions that can both improve agricultural productivity and environmental protection.     

Roles of protein phosphatase 4 in down-regulation of eNOS Ser633 phosphorylation induced by palmitic acid in human umbilical vein endotheli?al cells

AIMTo investigate the roles of protein phosphatase 4 (PP4) in down-regulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) Ser633 phosphorylation induced by palmitic acid (PA). METHODSHuman umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with PA at 25 μmol/L, 50 μmol/L, 100 μmol/L and 200μmol/L for 36 h, or treated with PA at 100 μmol/L for 12 h, 24 h, 36 h and 48 h. Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) family inhibitor fostriecin (FST, 20 nmol/L) or okadaic acid (OA, 5 nmol/L) was selected to pretreat the HUVECs for 30 min. Protein phosphatase 4 catalytic subunit (PP4c) siRNA or protein phosphatase 2A catalytic subunit (PP2Ac) siRNA was transfected into the HUVECs. The protein expression levels of of eNOS, PP4c and PP2Ac, as well as the level of eNOS Ser633 phosphorylation, were detected by Western blot. The intracellular nitric oxide (NO) content was measured by DAF-FM DA. RESULTS(1) Compared with control group, the levels of eNOS Ser633 phosphorylation were decreased in PA groups in which the HUVECs were treated with 25 μmol/L, 50 μmol/L, 100 μmol/L and 200 μmol/L PA for 36 h (P<0.05) and 100 μmol/L PA for 24 h, 36 h and 48 h (P<0.05). No significant difference in the level of total eNOS protein expression among all the groups was observed. (2) Compared with control group, both FST and OA pretreatment reversed the reduction of eNOS Ser633 phosphorylation (P<0.05) and the decrease in intracellular NO content (P<0.05) induced by PA. No significant difference in the level of total eNOS protein expression among all the groups was observed. (3) Compared with si-Control group, the PP4c protein expression was significantly reduced (P<0.05), while the level of eNOS Ser633 phosphorylation was significantly increased in si-PP4c group (P<0.05). Although the levels of PP2Ac protein expression declined significantly (P<0.05), the level of eNOS Ser633 phosphorylation remained unchanged in si-PP2Ac group. No significant differencein the level of total eNOS protein expression among all the groups was found. CONCLUSION PA significantly reduces the level of eNOS Ser633 phosphorylation and the content of NO in the HUVECs, which may be due to PA inducing the activation of the PP2A family member PP4 rather than PP2A.     

不同施肥和保水措施对油茶土壤N2O排放的影响

为探究不同施肥和保水措施对油茶土壤N_2O排放的影响,采用静态暗箱-气相色谱法,设置对照(B0CK)、氮肥(N,0.13 g N·kg~(-1))、磷肥(P,0.065 g P·kg~(-1))、氮磷肥(NP,0.13 g N·kg~(-1)+0.065 g P·kg~(-1))、低复合保水材料(生物炭和聚丙烯酰胺,B1,每盆13.65 g炭+1.35 g聚丙烯酰胺)、高复合保水材料(生物炭和聚丙烯酰胺,B2,每盆27.30 g炭+2.70 g聚丙烯酰胺)、低复合保水材料和N(NB1)、高复合保水材料和N(NB2)、低复合保水材料和P(PB1)、高复合保水材料和P(PB2)、低复合保水材料和NP(NPB1)、高复合保水材料和NP(NPB2),共12个处理,进行不同施肥和保水措施下土壤N_2O排放的差异比较。结果表明,N、P添加均显著增加土壤N_2O的累积排放量,NP添加与对照无差异。施加复合保水材料抑制土壤N_2O的排放,随着复合保水材料施用量的增加,土壤N_2O的排放显著降低,与对照相比,B1和B2处理N_2O减排50%以上。N添加条件下,与对照相比,添加复合保水材料NB1、NB2的N_2O累积排放显著降低。P与复合保水材料无交互作用。N、P和复合保水材料对土壤N_2O累积排放量具有显著作用,在NP同施时,与对照相比,添加复合保水材料NPB1、NPB2的N_2O累积排放分别降低了1.18%、30.69%。因此,高复合保水材料类型的施肥措施对减少油茶土壤N_2O排放具有重要意义,从而对缓解全球气候变化具有重要影响。     

一氧化氮合成酶(NOS)研究方法及其在植物中的应用

一氧化氮(NO)在动植物生命活动中具有重要作用。近年来,其合成途径已成为研究焦点。文章综述了近10年来一氧化氮合成酶(NOS)研究方法及其在植物中的应用,包括生物化学方法、免疫学方法和分子生物学方法,并对其研究前景进行展望。     

Exogenous application of melatonin improves plant resistance to virus infection

In this study, melatonin (MEL)-mediated plant resistance to tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) was examined to study local infection in Nicotiana glutinosa and systemic infection in Solanum lycopersicum. Exogenous application of 100 µm MEL increased anti-virus infection activity to 37.4% in virus-infected N. glutinosa plants. The same treatment significantly reduced relative levels of virus RNA analysed by qRT-PCR and virus titres measured by dot-ELISA, and increased the relative expression levels of the PR1 and PR5 genes analysed by qRT-PCR, in virus-infected S. lycopersicum. MEL treatment induced considerable accumulations of salicylic acid (SA) and nitric oxide (NO) but did not significantly affect production of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) in the virus-infected S. lycopersicum plants. Transgenic nahG N. tabacum was used to determine whether MEL-induced TMV resistance was dependent on the SA pathway. The results showed that the relative RNA level of the TMV analysed by qRT-PCR and virus titres analysed by dot-ELISA were not reduced by the MEL treatment in the nahG transgenic N. tabacum seedlings treated twice with 100 µm MEL. The increased relative expression levels of PR1 and PR5 were greatly reduced when cPTIO, an NO scavenger, was included in the MEL treatment. A working model of MEL-mediated plant resistance to TMV is proposed. MEL-mediated plant resistance to viruses provides a new avenue to control plant viral diseases.