Molecular Cloning and Characterization of a Novel Gene Involved in Fatty Acid Synthesis in Brassica napus L.

Based on the sequence of a novel expressed sequence tag (EST), the full-length cDNA of 1 017 nucleotides was cloned from Brassica napus cv. Xiangyou 15 through rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The gene was designated as Bnhol34 (HQ585980), encoding a protein of 338 amino acids. BLAST analysis showed no high degree of sequence identity to any known gene. The calculated molecular weight of the Bnhol34 protein was 36.23 kDa, and the theoretical isoelectric point was 8.74. The Bnhol34 was also cloned from a high oleic acid mutant 854-1 through homologous cloning. There was no difference between the two Bnhol34 genes. Bnhol34 was localized in a tissue-specific manner in B. napus, and its expression level was about eight-fold greater in Xiangyou 15 seeds than in 854-1. The promoter region sequences of Bnhol34 were then isolated from Xiangyou 15 and 854-1, and a 93-bp deletion was found to occur in the Bnhol34 promoter region of 854-1. Three abscisic acid-responsive cis-elements (ABRE) were identified in the promoter region of Xiangyou 15. Real-time PCR analyses revealed that exogenous abscisic acid increased Bnhol34 expression by about four-fold in Xiangyou 15 seeds, yet did not change Bnhol34 expression in 854-1. It appeared that Bnhol34 might be abscisic acid insensitive in 854-1.     

Analysis of human infectious avian influenza virus: Hemagglutinin genetic characteristics in Asia and Africa from 2004 to 2009

In the present study, we used nucleotide and protein sequences of avian influenza virus H5N1, which were obtained in Asia and Africa, analyzed HA proteins using ClustalX1.83 and MEGA4.0, and built a genetic evolutionary tree of HA nucleotides. The analysis revealed that the receptor specificity amino acid of A/HK/213/2003, A/Turkey/65596/2006 and etc mutated into QNG, which could bind with á–2, 3 galactose and á–2, 6 galactose. A mutation might thus take place and lead to an outbreak of human infections of avian influenza virus. The mutations of HA protein amino acids from 2004 to 2009 coincided with human infections provided by the World Health Organization, indicating a “low–high–highest–high–low” pattern. We also found out that virus strains in Asia are from different origins: strains from Southeast Asia and East Asia are of the same origin, whereas those from West Asia, South Asia and Africa descend from one ancestor. The composition of the phylogenetic tree and mutations of key site amino acids in HA proteins reflected the fact that the majority of strains are regional and long term, and virus diffusions exist between China, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iraq. We would advise that pertinent vaccines be developed and due attention be paid to the spread of viruses between neighboring countries and the dangers of virus mutation and evolution.     

叶酸对铅中毒幼年大鼠中枢神经系统的保护作用

通过研究铅对大鼠中枢神经元的损伤以及应用叶酸后的影响，探讨了叶酸对铅中毒条件下中枢神经元的保护作用。将健康清洁级初断乳3周龄SD大鼠随机分为铅染毒组，叶酸给药组及生理盐水组。各组于处理后第2、3、4周取材。铅染毒组、叶酸给药组每组各30只，生理盐水组12只，共72只。测量血铅，分别进行海马和小脑组织的H—E染色及凋亡抑制基因Bcl—2、凋亡基因Bax的蛋白免疫电泳，并作光密度分析。结果，通过对各个时间段各组血铅测定，可得叶酸给药组血铅含量低于铅染毒组。铅染毒组Bcl-2蛋白表达量少于给药组，而Bax多于给药组，H—E染色结果铅染毒组神经细胞数量明显少于叶酸给药组。结果表明，叶酸可降低铅中毒大鼠的血铅浓度，并具有一定抗细胞损伤作用，对铅中毒大鼠的中枢神经元具有一定的保护作用。     

Persistent anthelmintic activity of topically administered ivermectin in red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) against lungworms (Dictyocaulus viviparus)

A controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the persistent anthelmintic effect of ivermectin as a topical treatment at 500 μg/kg against induced infection with lungworm (Dicryocaulus viviparus) in red deer (Cervus elaphus). The results showed a highly significant (p < 0.01) anthelmintic activity for at least 28 days against a newly acquired infection with Dictyocauus viviparus (> 99% efficacy).     

Changes in Hormonal Balance: A Possible Mechanism of Pre‐Sowing Chilling‐Induced Salt Tolerance in Spring Wheat

There is a lack of knowledge about factors contributing to the chilling‐induced alleviatory effects on growth of plants under salt stress. Thus, the primary objective of the study was to determine whether chilling‐induced changes in endogenous hormones, ionic partitioning within shoots and roots and/or gaseous exchange characteristics is involved in salt tolerance of two genetically diverses of wheat crops. For this purpose, the seeds of two spring wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivars, MH‐97 (salt intolerant) and Inqlab‐91 (salt tolerant) were chilled at 3°C for 2 weeks. The chilled, hydroprimed and non‐primed (control) seeds of the two wheat cultivars were sown in both Petri dishes in a growth room and in the field after treatment with 15 dS m^?1 NaCl salinity. Chilling was very effective in increasing germination rate and subsequent growth when compared with hydropriming and control under salt stress. Results from field experiments clearly indicated the efficacy of chilling over hydropriming in improving shoot dry biomass and grain yield in either cultivar, particularly under salt stress. This increase in growth and yield was related to increased net photosynthetic rate, greater potential to uptake and accumulate the beneficial mineral elements (K⁺ and Ca²⁺) in the roots and reduced uptake and accumulation of toxic mineral element (Na⁺) in the shoots of both wheat cultivars when grown under salt stress. Salt‐stressed plants of both wheat cultivars raised from chilled seed had greater concentrations of indoleacetic acid, abscisic acid, salicylic acid and spermine when compared with hydropriming and control. Therefore, induction of salt tolerance by pre‐sowing chilling treatment in wheat could be attributed to its beneficial effects on ionic homeostasis and hormonal balance. The results presented are also helpful to understand the chilling‐induced cross adaptation of plants in natural environments. Moreover, efficacy of pre‐sowing chilling treatment over hydropriming suggested its commercial utilization as a low risk priming treatment for better wheat crop production under stressful environments.     

Effects of Increasing Salinity Stress and Decreasing Water Availability on Ecophysiological Traits of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) Grown in a Mediterranean‐Type Agroecosystem

Quinoa is a native Andean crop for domestic consumption and market sale, widely investigated due to its nutritional composition and gluten‐free seeds. Leaf water potential (Ψ_leaf) and its components and stomatal conductance (g_s) of quinoa, cultivar Titicaca, were investigated in Southern Italy, in field trials (2009 and 2010). This alternative crop was subjected to irrigation treatments, with the restitution of 100 %, 50 % and 25 % of the water necessary to replenish field capacity, with well water (100 W, 50 W, 25 W) and saline water (100 WS, 50 WS, 25 WS) with an electrical conductivity (EC_w) of 22 dS m^?1. As water and salt stress developed and Ψ_leaf decreased, the leaf osmotic potential (Ψ_π) declined (below ?2.05 MPa) to maintain turgor. Stomatal conductance decreased with the reduction in Ψ_leaf (with a steep drop at Ψ_leaf between ?0.8 and 1.2 MPa) and Ψ_π (with a steep drop at Ψ_π between ?1.2 and ?1.4 MPa). Salt and drought stress, in both years, did not affect markedly the relationship between water potential components, RWC and g_s. Leaf water potentials and g_s were inversely related to water limitation and soil salinity experimentally imposed, showing exponential (Ψ_leaf and turgor pressure, Ψ_p, vs. g_s) or linear (Ψ_leaf and Ψ_p vs. SWC) functions. At the end of the experiment, salt‐irrigated plants showed a severe drop in Ψ_leaf (below ?2 MPa), resulting in stomatal closure through interactive effects of soil water availability and salt excess to control the loss of turgor in leaves. The effects of salinity and drought resulted in strict dependencies between RWC and water potential components, showing that regulating cellular water deficit and volume is a powerful mechanism for conserving cellular hydration under stress, resulting in osmotic adjustment at turgor loss. The extent of osmotic adjustment associated with drought was not reflected in Ψ_π at full turgor. As soil was drying, the association between Ψ_leaf and SWC reflected the ability of quinoa to explore soil volume to continue extracting available water from the soil. However, leaf ABA content did not vary under concomitant salinity and drought stress conditions in 2009, while differing between 100 W and 100 WS in 2010. Quinoa showed good resistance to water and salt stress through stomatal responses and osmotic adjustments that played a role in the maintenance of a leaf turgor favourable to plant growth and preserved crop yield in cropping systems similar to those of Southern Italy.     

油茶籽脂肪酸成分含量与高光谱反射率的相关性

测定来自不同产地的30个油茶籽样品的油酸、亚油酸、棕榈酸含量和高光谱反射率，分析油茶籽高光谱反射率与脂肪酸含量间的相关关系。结果显示，与油茶籽脂肪酸成分含量相关性比较好的高光谱波段主要分布在400~500、600~630 nm以及900 nm左右，且敏感波段区高光谱反射率与脂肪酸成分含量的相关系数均在0. 4 以上。     

Changes of Intramuscular Fat Composition,Lipid Oxidation and Lipase Activity in Biceps femoris and Semimembranosus of Xuanwei Ham During Controlled Salting Stages

Fatty acid composition of neutral lipids （NLs）, phospholipids （PLs） and free fatty acids （FFAs） from intramuscular fat （IMF）, lipid oxidation and lipase activity in muscle Semimembranosus （SM） and msucle Biceps femoris （BF） of dry-cured Xuanwei ham during the 90-d salting stages were analysed. The salt content increased from 0.34 to 3.52%in BF and from 0.10 to 5.42%in SM during the 90 d salting stage, respectively. PLs of IMF in both BF and SM decreased 54.70%（P〈0.001） and 34.64%（P〈0.05）, furthermore, the saturated fatty acids （SFA）, monounsaturated fatty acids （MUFA） and polyunsaturated fatty acids （PUFA） of PLs in both muscles were hydrolysed almost isochronously. FFAs were increased from 0.46 g 100 g-1 lipids to 2.92 g 100 g-1 lipids in BF at the end of salting, which was lower than SM （from 1.29 g 100 g-1 lipids to 9.70 g 100 g-1 lipids）. The activities of acid lipase, neutral lipase and acid phospholipase all remained active in the 90 d. The thiobarbituric acid reactive substances （TBARS） was slowly increased to 1.34 mg kg-1 muscle in BF and to 2.44 mg kg-1 muscle in SM during the salting stage. In conclusion, the controlled salting process prompted the hydrolysis of PLs of IMF notably and increased the lipid oxidation of muscles within some limits.