Compatibility of root growth and tuber production of potato cultivars with dynamic and static water‐saving irrigation managements

The important root characteristics of root length density (RLD) and root mass density (RMD) generally differ among irrigation managements and potato cultivars. The objective of this study was to investigate the RLD and RMD variations and their functional relationships with gross potato tuber yield for two commercial potato cultivars, Agria and Sante, under different irrigation strategies. Full irrigation and water‐saving irrigation strategies, deficit and partial root drying irrigations, were applied statically (S) and dynamically (D) based on daily crop evapotranspiration. Results showed that SPRD had significantly greater RLD (3.64 cm/cm³) and RMD (132.7 μg/cm³) than other irrigation treatments. Between the potato cultivars, Agria had significantly larger values of RLD (3.50 cm/cm³) and RMD (138.7 μg/cm³) than Sante. The functional relationship between the root growth characteristics and tuber yield showed that under water‐saving irrigations, Agria increased root mass at the expense of gross tuber yield but Sante increased root mass to maintain larger gross tuber yields. However, Agria produced more roots and gross tuber yield than Sante, and it is concluded that Agria is a more drought‐tolerant potato cultivar, which is recommended for tuber production in regions where water might be scarce. It was shown that larger root production in potatoes was associated with improved tolerance to water stress.     

Getting cosy in freshwater: Assumed to be brackish pike are not so brackish after all

Pike (Esox lucius) occupy coastal streams and rivers of the Baltic Sea, where they attain large sizes (>5 kg). These large sizes are perhaps due to the fact that they can tolerate relatively high salinities and can thus forage in the nearby more productive brackish environments. In an attempt to quantify the extent to which pike utilise brackish environments, and to provide some insight into the underlying causes for brackish water migrations, we tagged 30 pike from a western Baltic river with acoustic transmitters and were able to track 21 individuals for 1 year. Based on experienced from local anglers, this population was assumed to be brackish in nature, where individuals underwent freshwater migrations to spawn. Our findings however suggest that the smallest and most active individuals make short exits into brackish waters and do so on rare occasions. Our results further indicate that neither sex nor size is related to activity level. We suggest that these patterns reflect two distinct behaviours—active and passive—and that large pike can be supported by the food availability in the river, without the need to venture into coastal zones, thus defying the conventional view that Baltic pike are all brackish in nature.     

水飞蓟对动物机体免疫功能的影响研究

将小鼠分为四组，分别饲喂１０％水飞蓟、２０％水飞蓟、环磷酰胺（０．０１ｇ／ｋｇ）和空白对照（常规饲料），研究对小鼠免疫功能的影响。实验结果证明，水飞蓟各剂量组能增高小鼠外周血白细胞数目（Ｐ＜０．０１、０．００１）；提高小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞的吞噬率（Ｐ＜０．００１，０．００１）及吞噬指数（Ｐ＜０．０５、０．００１）并随剂量加大有增强的趋势；能促进小鼠淋巴细胞转化，提高淋巴细胞转化百分率（Ｐ＜０．０１、０     

PEG诱导水分胁迫对柑桔幼苗细胞质膜透性及脯氨酸含量的影响

柑桔叶片相对含水量(RWC)随聚乙二醇(PEG)处理渗透势的降低而依次降低;叶片细胞质膜透性随PEG处理浓度的增加而依次增大;幼苗叶片累积脯氨酸的数量随水分胁迫时间和强度递增。     

Investigation of Cervical Patency and Uterine Appearance in Domestic Cats by Fluoroscopy and Scintigraphy

The cervical patency of six domestic female cats was monitored under sedation by infusion of contrast medium (Omnipaque) into the cranial vagina during early oestrus, mid‐oestrus, late oestrus and interoestrus or a radiopharmaceutical (^99mTc‐HSA) during mid‐ and interoestrus in a non‐ovulatory oestrous cycle. The transport of the contrast medium or the radiopharmaceutical through the cervix and within the uterine horns was observed under fluoroscopy and with the aid of scintigraphy. In three of the queens, transcervical transport of contrast medium was demonstrated in all stages of oestrus, in one queen during mid‐oestrus, late oestrus and 1 day after oestrus, and in two queens only during late oestrus. The relations between the cervical patency to the contrast medium and the oestrous behaviour, cornification of the vaginal cells and the serum oestradiol‐17β concentration were evaluated, and a relationship was found between the cervical patency and the degree of vaginal cornification. Transcervical transport of the radiopharmaceutical was observed in three queens during mid‐oestrus. When the cervix was open, hysterography under a fluoroscope and hysteroscintigraphy were performed. The fluoroscopic and scintigraphic recordings revealed the patterns of the uterine contractions during oestrus in both ascending and descending directions, and the movement of the uterine contents back and forth between the uterine horns. The hysterograms were classified according to the shape of the uterine horns and the appearance of the endometrial lining. Spiral‐shaped uterine horns with a smooth inner contour were observed in two queens, and a corkscrew appearance with irregular filling defects in the uterine lumen was shown in two queens that had developed subclinical cystic endometrial hyperplasia. These findings demonstrated that fluids or particles deposited in the cranial vagina of the cat can be transported into the uterus during some stages of the oestrous cycle. The fluoroscopic and scintigraphic techniques developed in this study may be further modified to permit more detailed studies of uterine contractile patterns and sperm transport in the feline female reproductive tract. Hysterography proved useful to diagnose uterine disease. The information on cervical patency is of value also for the development of techniques for artificial insemination in this species, and should be studied also in the ovulatory cycle.     

Reproductive roles predict sexual dimorphism in internal and external morphology of lake whitefish,Coregonus clupeaformis

Abstract – The different reproductive roles of the sexes can predict the direction and magnitude of sexual dimorphism of external and internal morphology. Males should have enlarged structures that enhance the acquisition of mating opportunities, whereas females are predicted to have enlarged organs that are associated with the production of eggs. We tested these predictions in male and female lake whitefish, a species in which both sexes have similar overall body size and shape. After controlling for body size, male lake whitefish had significantly longer jaws and pectoral and pelvic fins, larger hearts, and more muscle than females. Sexual dimorphism in relative muscle mass may be one of the most fundamental morphological differences between males and females. Females had relatively heavier livers than males. Because the liver is important for the breakdown of fats and vitellogenesis, selection should favour an enlarged liver in females for the processing of energy and the production of large numbers of eggs.     

广东省蚕学会评选优秀学术论文

为了繁荣科学技术事业,鼓励本会会员和蚕桑丝绸业界的广大科技工作者积极投身科学实践,促进科技人才的成长和科学技术进步,充分发挥科学技术是第一生产力的作用,省蚕学会决定评选优秀学术论文:每两年评选一次,评选范围限于在《广东蚕业》刊物上刊登的学术性论文。     

表达HAV结构基因的重组腺病毒鉴定及细胞病变分析

利用RT-PCR方法,从HAV-L8株的RNA中扩增出结构基因(vp3 vp1),克隆到穿梭质粒pXCX2NotI上。采用磷酸钙-DNA共沉淀技术,将腺病毒载体pJM17与pXCX2-CMV-HAV共转染293细胞。在光学显微镜下观察到明显的细胞病变(CPE);经RT-PCR、免疫荧光染色和蛋白印迹鉴定证明HAV的结构基因已插入到腺病毒基因组中;在电子显微镜下观察发现有二十面体的病毒颗粒。以上结果表明获得了重组腺病毒rAdHAV,纯化后的rAdHAV滴度为1×109.0TCID50/mL。