Case study: Treatment of oral and locomotory stereotypic behaviors in a mature sow

A 32-month-old female 225-kg nonpregnant cross-bred Newsham sow presented a 6-week history of stereotypic behaviors when housed in a laboratory research facility. A behavioral examination over 12 daylight hours revealed 3 main stereotypic motor patterns, namely (1) oral-nasal gate manipulation defined as placement of the snout between the bars of the pen gate with repetitive, forceful up and down movement; (2) head weaving defined as repetitive lateral head and snout movement toward the pen gates while rocking back and forth on her forequarters with hooves remaining on ground at all times; and (3) body weaving defined as repetitive shifting of body weight from one side to the other with front hooves lifting alternately off the ground. The sow performed the oral-nasal gate manipulation and head and body weaving 4.0%, 12.4%, and 6.8% of her total baseline time budget, respectively. The presumptive diagnosis was oral-nasal and locomotory stereotypies. Three treatments were used to mitigate the duration and frequency of these stereotypic behaviors. Treatment 1—Social treatment (change social stimuli by providing visual and nose-to-nose contact with different neighboring sows); Treatment 2—Forage treatment (change foraging substrates by providing peat moss as a rooting substrate); and Treatment 3—Space treatment (change pen configuration by increasing space). The sow performed the oral-nasal gate manipulation and head and body weaving 0%, 0.4%, and 0.1% of her total time budget, respectively; social treatment: the sow performed the oral-nasal gate manipulation and head and body weaving 0.9%, 15.3%, and 11.3% of her total time budget, respectively; and forage treatment: the sow performed the oral-nasal gate manipulation and head and body weaving 0.5%, 28.0%, and 15.5% of her total time budget, respectively. This study is one of the first reports to evaluate the treatment of established stereotypies in a mature sow. Results suggest the promise of environmental enrichment as an effective treatment strategy. Further research is needed to evaluate the persistence of these behavioral changes and relative importance of different environmental manipulations provided.     

Intra-specific variation of wheat grain quality in response to elevated [CO2] at two sowing times under rain-fed and irrigation treatments

In order to investigate the intra-specific variation of wheat grain quality response to elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentration (e[CO₂]), eight wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)cultivars were grown at two CO₂ concentrations ([CO₂]) (current atmospheric, 389 CO₂ μmol mol⁻¹vs. e[CO₂], FACE (Free-Air CO₂ Enrichment), 550  ±  10% CO₂ μmol mol⁻¹), at two water levels (rain-fed vs. irrigated) and at two times of sowing (TOS₁, vs. TOS₂). The TOS treatment was mainly imposed to understand whether e[CO₂] could modify the effects of timing of higher grain filling temperatures on grain quality. When plants were grown at TOS₁, TKW (thousand kernel weight), grain test weight, hardness index, P, Ca, Na and phytate were not significantly changed under e[CO₂]. On the other hand, e[CO₂] increased TKW (16%), hardness index (9%), kernel diameter (6%), test weight (2%) but decreased grain protein (10%) and grain phytate (11%) at TOS₂. In regard to grain Zn, Mn and Cu concentrations and some flour rheological properties, cultivar specific responses to e[CO₂] were observed at both sowing times. Observed genetic variability in response to e[CO₂] in terms of grain minerals and flour rheological properties could be easily incorporated into future wheat breeding programs to enable adaptation to climate change.     

In vitro Selection of DNAAptamers and Fluorescence-Based Recognition for Rapid Detection Listeria monocytogenes

Aptamers are specific nucleic acid sequences that can bind to a wide range of nucleic acid and non-nucleic acid targets with high affinity and specificity. Nucleic acid aptamers are selected in vitro from single stranded DNA or RNA ligands containing random sequences of up to a few hundred nucleotides. Systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment （SELEX） was used to select and PCR amplify DNA sequences （aptamers） capable of binding to and detecting Listeria monocytogenes, one of the major food-borne pathogens. A simplified affinity separation approach was employed, in which L. monocytogenes in exponential （log） phase of growth was used as the separation target. A fluorescently-labeled aptamer assay scheme was devised for detecting L. monoeytogenes. This report described a novel approach to the detection of L. monocytogenes using DNA aptamers. Aptamers were developed by nine rounds of SELEX. A high affinity aptamer was successfully selected from the initial random DNA pool, and its secondary structure was also investigated. One of aptamers named e01 with the highest affinity was further tested in aptamer-peroxidase and aptamer-fluorescence staining protocols. This study has proved the principle that the whole-cell SELEX could be a promising technique to design aptamer-based molecular probes for dectection of pathogenic microorganisms without tedious isolation and purification of complex markers or targets.     

重金属在超富集植物少花龙葵和李氏禾体内的分布和移动特征

通过研究超富集植物少花龙葵和李氏禾在加镉/铬和去镉/铬处理中重金属的富集情况,探讨镉/铬在这两种植物体内的分布和移动特征.结果显示,少花龙葵在100 mg/L Cd污染时生物量显著高于对照,根、茎和叶镉含量分别达到22 930、3 250、94 mg/kg,富集系数分别为229、32.5和0.9.去镉处理改变了镉在少花龙葵体内的分布模式.少花龙葵根、茎的镉浓度在去镉处理比加镉处理降低31.2％和35.9％,叶的镉浓度上升90.3％.少花龙葵在加镉处理成熟叶(第2、3片叶)的镉含量最高,在去镉处理中转移至老叶(第1片)和新叶(第5、6片)中.李氏禾在加铬处理20mg/L Cr(Ⅲ)和20mg/L Cr(Ⅵ)时叶生物显著低于对照,但在去铬处理恢复正常.在20 mg/L Cr(Ⅲ)和20 mg/LCr(Ⅵ)处理中李氏禾根、茎和叶的铬浓度相当,分别为7 114、1 021、223 mg/kg,富集系数分别为352、51和6.8.李氏禾不同叶位的叶片铬浓度相差不大,去铬处理没有改变铬在李氏禾体内的分布模式.结果表明,少花龙葵和李氏禾对镉或者铬污染具有很好的修复效果;镉在少花龙葵体内具有移动性,镉离子进入植物根、茎和叶后,受到外部环境影响可以进行再分配;李氏禾对铬的吸收是一个单方向过程,先在根系中积累,进而跨膜转运至茎中,少部分转移叶中,铬进入植物体各部位,很难进行再分配.     

Response of seedlings growth of Pinus sylvestriformis to atmospheric CO_2 enrichment in Changbai Mountain

IntroductionGIobaIchangehasbeenoneoftheimpoFtantis-suesandscientistspaycIoseattentiontoit.ThegreatimportanceofforestecosystemisreflectednotonlybytheirhUgebiomass,butaIsobytheirsignifi-cantroIeintheglobaIcarbonbaIance.Howtreesrespondtoclimaticchangesmightbeofgreatsig-nificance.ManystudiesindicatethattherisingatmosphericCo,leveIscanmakeasubstantialeffectonplantgroWthanddevelopment.SomeonethinkcommonlythattherisingCo,levelscanstimuIatepIantgroWthandbiomassproduction,sincephotosynthesisofC…     

乳状液膜在金属离子测定中的分离富集作用

简要介绍乳状液膜技术在金属离子分析测定中的分离富集作用以及新的研究和应用进展状况。     

Effects of CO2 enrichment on young plant growth of 96 genotypes of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum)

Summary The early growth of 96 genotypes of tomato was studied at 320 ppm CO₂ and at 750 ppm CO₂ in separate climate rooms. Plants were harvested at 40 and 55 days after sowing. Fresh and dry weights were determined. Large differences between genotypes were found for average plant fresh and dry weights and for relative growth rates. The average overall growth enhancement by CO₂ enrichment was 2.3. Two genotypes showed significant genotype x CO₂ interaction. The consequences of these results for tomato breeding are discussed.     

锑矿区大叶女贞重金属富集特性研究

为了选择重金属污染土壤生态修复植物,利用采样测试分析的方法,对生长于冷水江严重Sb、As、Cd、Hg污染土壤的大叶女贞进行了研究。结果表明:大叶女贞能耐较严重重金属胁迫,其生长量、生物量受影响较小,胸径、树高和生物量分别减少2.58%、6.07%、7.58%;大叶女贞对各重金属的富集系数均大于2,其中Hg、Cd的富集系数最大,Cu、As的富集系数最小;对各重金属的转运系数均大于60,其中Sb的转运系数最大,Zn的转运系数最小;各重金属在大叶女贞根、茎、叶器官内的富集量有极显著差异,根、茎、叶等器官间富集的重金属有极显著差异,其叶部富集重金属的顺序为ZnSbAsPbCuCdHg,茎部富集重金属的顺序为ZnSbPbCdAsCuHg,根部富集重金属的顺序为ZnSbPbAsCuCdHg,叶、茎、根三器官富集各种重金属的顺序为叶茎根,至少有93.0%重金属富集在叶、茎、枝等地上部器官,其中至少有60.0%的重金属富集在叶部;大叶女贞为一优良重金属污染土壤生态修复树种。     

Changing climate and potential impacts on potato yield and quality ‘CHIP’: introduction, aims and methodology

Climate change effects caused by an increasing concentration of CO₂ and ozone represent an issue of major concern both for scientists and policy-makers. In a concerted program funded by the Commission of the European Union, a European network of experiments (in open-top chambers (OTC), and free air carbon dioxide enrichment systems (FACE)) and modelling was carried out to investigate the effects of increasing atmospheric CO₂ and ozone concentrations, under different climatic conditions, on potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Bintje). This contribution describes the experimental network and the standard protocol set-up for the assessments that served to improve and to validate process oriented potato growth simulation models leading to scenarios of future productivity of potato in Europe.     

Effects on nutrients and on grain quality in spring wheat crops grown under elevated CO2 concentrations and stress conditions in the European, multiple-site experiment ‘ESPACE-wheat’

Nutrient element concentrations and grain quality were assessed in spring wheat grown under elevated CO₂ concentrations and contrasting levels of tropospheric ozone at different nitrogen supply rates at several European sites. Carbon dioxide enrichment proved to affect nutrient concentrations in a complex manner. In green leaves, all elements (with exception of phosphorus and iron) decreased. In contrast, effects on the element composition of grains were restricted to reductions in nitrogen, calcium, sulphur and iron. Ozone exposure resulted in no significant effects on nutrient element concentrations in different tissues in the overall analysis. The nitrogen demand of green tissues was reduced due to CO₂ enrichment as shown by reductions in the critical leaf nitrogen concentration and also enhanced nitrogen use efficiency. Reductions in the content of ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase and repression of the photorespiratory pathway and reduced nitrogen allocation to enzymes driving the photosynthetic carbon oxidation cycle were chiefly responsible for this effect. Thus, nitrogen acquisition by the crop did not match carbon acquisition under CO₂ enrichment. Since crop nitrogen uptake from the soil was already completed at anthesis, nitrogen allocated to the grain after anthesis originated from vegetative pools—causing grain nitrogen concentrations to decrease under CO₂ enrichment (on average by 15% when CO₂ concentrations increased from 360 to 680 μmol mol⁻¹). Correspondingly, grain quality was reduced by CO₂ enrichment. The Zeleny value, Hagberg value and dry/wet gluten content decreased significantly with increasing [CO₂]. Despite the beneficial impact of CO₂ enrichment on growth and yield of C₃ cereal crops, declines in flour quality due to reduced nitrogen content are likely in a future, [CO₂]-rich world.