Use of netting and whitewash spray to protect papaya plants against Nivun Haamir (NH)-dieback disease

A disease causing the decline of papaya (Carica papaya) plants was noticed in the Jordan Valley in 1982. The disease caused severe yellowing of the upper leaves and dieback of the apex. The disease was not transmissible mechanically and continued efforts to associate viruses and viroids have so far been unsuccessful. Epidemiological observations suggested that the disease is airborne and probably caused by a mollicute. In order to test this hypothesis, plots were covered by an insect-proof net and with white nets providing 15, 30 and 50% shade. The 30%, 50% and insect-proof nettings provided complete protection, and the 15% netting reduced disease incidence to <2%, compared with>37% in the uncovered control plot. Spraying plants at weekly intervals with a commercial whitewash solution was also found to be effective in reducing disease incidence. The advantages of using a range of netting field treatments as a simple means for obtaining information on the epidemiological nature of a new disease are described.     

地被菊花粉萌发及花粉活力的研究

用ME的盐类和维生素附加16％聚乙二醇4000(PEG4000)和15％蔗糖对野菊及新红、塞旗红、玫瑰红的花粉进行培养。结果表明，萌发率分别为80．2％、85．3％、61．3％和46．5％。PE‰对菊花萌发有明显促进作用。但庶糖的作用不能被PEG所取代。菊花花粉萌发较合适的温度为10-20℃，在4-8℃时，萌发率及速度迅速降低，35℃萌发虽快。但花粉管短且破裂。在4℃条件下花粉可贮藏4-14d。但不宜干燥贮藏。     

城镇化水平计算方法比较分析

城镇化是社会经济发展的必然趋势，与小城镇人口、经济实力、社会发展和环境保护等方面密切相关。城镇化判别指标归纳起来分两大类：一类是单一指标法或称主要指标法；另一类是多项指标法、复合指标法或称综合指标法。在常用的、单一指标法的城镇化水平计算方法中，城镇人口比重指标法和带眷系数法两种方法能够比较准确地反映小城镇的城镇化水平，尤其以城镇人口比重指标法计算结果最符合实际。     

Enhancement of sulfide auto-oxidation by metal ion in artificial seawater and a seawater which is a possible source of aoshio

SUMMARY: Aoshio is hypoxic milky blue-green seawater observed in some eutrophic bays. Previous studies have shown that colloidal sulfur causes the coloration and that the source of aoshio water is attributed to coastal anoxic bottom water. Occurrences of aoshio have been reported in limited areas of coastal seawater, although hypoxic transparent water seems rather universal. Promotion in auto-oxidation of sulfide by metal ions in seawater was investigated to explain the occurrences of aoshio. Artificial seawater containing 10 μM metal ion was assayed for the sulfide oxidation rate. The velocity constant which represents the oxidation rate within the initial 30 min and the amount of reacted sulfide in 2 h were determined by oxygen monitoring and sulfide quantification, respectively. Fe²⁺ and Cu²⁺ enhanced the initial 30 min reaction. Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺ and Ni²⁺ increased the amount of reacted sulfide in 2 h, forming whitish turbid water. Seawater from a suspected source of aoshio water was also assayed for the auto-oxidation rate of sulfide. The oxidation rate in water from 12 m depth was 13–19 times higher than the artificial seawater without an addition of heavy metal ions. More than 15% of the oxidation rate in 12 m deep seawater was explained by dissolved iron in the seawater.     

一种沼液冲厕装置

目前农村所建户用沼气池基本上都是厕所、猪圈、沼气池三结合,人畜粪便虽能自流入池,但厕所常有积便,每到夏季蝇蛆滋生,既不卫生,又易传播疾病,要保持厕所卫生就必须经常冲洗.     

槟榔红色素的抗氧化活性

测定槟榔红色素(areca red pigment,AP)对 DPPH·和·OH的清除能力、对脂质体过氧化的抑制能力、对Fe2+的络合能力,并测定其还原能力.结果表明:槟榔色素对DPPH·、·OH的清除能力较强:对脂质体过氧化的抑制能力很强,抑制率高达79.84%;与VE、没食子酸(gallic acid,GA)、BHT相比,槟榔色素的还原力、对Fe2+的络合能力较弱.说明槟榔红色素是较好的抗氧化剂.     

High frequency embryogenic callus induction and plant regeneration from mature caryposis of big bluestem and little bluestem

Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman) and little bluestem [Schizachyrium scoparium (Michaux) Nash.] are native to the North America and are important forage grasses and ornamental grasses. Both grasses are proposed as ideal biomass producers for cellulosic ethanol production. To apply genetic transformation, which is an important tool for incorporating desirable agronomic traits into plants to both species, however requires an efficient and reproducible regeneration protocol. We used mature caryopses from big and little bluestem as explants and tested the effect of various combinations of 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2, 4-D) (1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 mg l⁻¹) and kinetin (KT) (0, 0.1 or 0.2 mg l⁻¹) on embryogenic callus induction with LS as the basal medium. The highest percentage of embryogenic calli induction occurred on medium containing 2, 4-D alone at 2 mg l⁻¹ for ‘Bison’ and on medium containing 4 mg l⁻¹ 2, 4-D alone for ‘Bonilla’ big bluestem. For little bluestem, the highest percentage of embryogenic callus induction occurred on medium containing 3 mg l⁻¹ 2, 4-D plus 0.1 mg l⁻¹ kinetin, suggesting that addition of KT is beneficial. Shoot regeneration took place on LS basal medium without any plant growth regulator for both species, although the addition of KT increased both regeneration frequency and the number of shoots produced per callus. Rooting of shoots reaching about 2 cm long occurred readily with or without α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). Rooted plantlets were all successfully established in the soil.     

Effect of bFGF on glucose regulated protein 78 expression and apoptosis in human ovarian cancer CAOV3 cells

AIM: To evaluate the effect of bFGF on the apoptosis and the expression of glucose regulated protein 78 (GRP78) in ovarian cancer CAOV3 cells.METHODS: Starvation induced cell apoptosis was conducted. After treatment with bFGF, the cell cycle and apoptosis were determined by FACS analysis and Annexin V/PI staining, respectively. The expression of protein kinase B (PKB) and GRP78 were detected by Western blotting and RT-PCR. RESULTS: Compared to starvation group, the cells treated with bFGF were still viable and increased activation of PKB and high expression of GRP78 were observed, which were prevented by PKB inhibitor wortmannin effectively (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: bFGF plays a critical role in anti-apoptosis and proliferation in human ovarian cancer through PKB signal transduction pathway, partly by upregulating the expression of GRP78.