Effects of silver nanoparticle size, concentration and coating on soil quality as indicated by arylsulfatase and sulfite oxidase activities

Recently, the nanotechnology industry has seen a growing interest in integrating silver nanoparticles(AgNPs) into agricultural products, which increases soil exposure to these particles. This demands an investigation into the effect of AgNPs on soil health. Changes in soil enzyme activities upon exposure to AgNPs can serve as early indicators of any adverse effects that these particles may have on soil quality. This study aimed to determine the effects of AgNP size, concentration, coating, and e...     

功夫菊酯固体分散体的制备及性能分析

[目的]制备功夫菊酯不同载体固体分散体,并研究其对功夫菊酯的增溶效果及溶出特性,为开发功夫菊酯新剂型提供参考.[方法]选择聚乙二醇6000(PEG-6000)、聚乙二醇20000(PEG-20000)和聚乙烯吡咯烷酮K30(PVP-K30)作为载体,采用溶剂-熔融法和溶剂法制备功夫菊酯固体分散体;采用紫外可见分光光度法测定功夫菊酯固体分散体的溶解度及溶出度.利用紫外光谱和红外光谱、扫描电镜等表征手段对固体分散体的结构特征进行分析,并在玉米上采用内吸法测定功夫菊酯固体分散体对玉米螟的生物活性.[结果]固体分散体中功夫菊酯的溶解度比功夫菊酯原药及相同质量比物理混合物的溶解度有明显提高,其中以PVP-K30的增溶效果最好,功夫菊酯的溶解度由0.0050 mg/增加到28.1776mg/L.物相分析结果表明,药物以非晶型高度分散在载体中.毒力测定结果表明,固体分散体的杀虫活性超过2.5%功夫菊酯微乳液,表现出一定的杀虫效果.[结论]以PEG-6000、PEG-20000和PVP-K30为载体制备的功夫菊酯固体分散体能明显提高功夫菊酯的溶解度,进而提高杀虫效果,可在农业生产中推广应用.     

Influence of Plasma Proteins on Erythrocyte Aggregation in Three Mammalian Species

The aggregation capacity of human erythrocytes lies between that of the non-aggregating bovine erythrocytes and the remarkably aggregating equine ones. As the ability to aggregate is attributed to cell factors and the composition of the plasma proteins, the role that plasma proteins play in the aggregation process in these three species was studied. Washed erythrocytes were suspended in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS; pH 7.4, 300 mOsm/L) plus polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) in a suitable concentration to obtain an average intensity of aggregation (control media). The superimposed effect of replacing 80% of the medium by either autologous plasma, serum or albumin solution was studied. The plasma proteins appeared to enhance aggregation by human and equine erythrocytes, but impaired this process in bovine erythrocytes. Some evidence was obtained supporting the existence of serum factors capable of reducing aggregation of erythrocytes in cattle and it was concluded that the non-aggregating behaviour of bovine erythrocytes may be due to the cells interacting particularly with the macromolecules in the serum.     

阿维菌素缓释固体分散体的制备及性能研究

制备阿维菌素不同载体固体分散体,并研究其对阿维菌素的增溶情况及溶出特性。选择聚乙二醇(PEG 6000、PEG 20000)、聚乙烯吡咯烷酮K30(PVP)作为载体,用熔融法和溶剂法制备了阿维菌素固体分散体;采用紫外可见分光光度法测定阿维菌素固体分散体的溶解度以及缓释溶出度。利用紫外光谱和红外光谱、扫描电镜等表征手段对固体分散体的结构特征进行分析研究。结果表明,固体分散体中阿维菌素的溶解度比阿维菌素及相同质量比的物理混合物的溶解度有明显提高,其中PVP-K30的增溶效果最好;固体分散体表现出了良好的缓释效果。物相分析结果表明,药物以非晶型高度分散在载体中。以PEG 6000、PEG 20000、PVP-K30为载体制备的阿维菌素固体分散体能显著提高阿维菌素的溶解度,且缓释效果良好,具有实际应用价值。     

聚乙烯吡咯酮与促卵泡素对奶牛活体采卵效率的影响

采用4×4拉丁方设计,研究聚乙烯吡咯酮(PVP)溶解促卵泡素(FSH)一次肌肉注射对奶牛活体采卵效率和体内血清FSH含量的影响。将8头荷斯坦空怀母奶牛随机分为4组,每组2头,分别用5mgFSH 5mL15%PVP(15%PVP组)、5mgFSH 5mL30%PVP(30%PVP组)、5mgFSH 5mL生理盐水(对照组)和常规注射FSH(常规组)处理供体奶牛。试验期4个月,每月处理1次,各组均为处理后4d应用B型超声波导引采卵。结果如下:30%PVP组每头次平均可采卵泡9个,获可用卵母细胞4枚,与常规组比较差异不显著(P>0.05),但与对照组比较差异显著(P<0.05);15%PVP组每头次平均可采卵泡6个,获可用卵母细胞2.25枚,与对照组比较差异显著(P<0.05);体内血清FSH浓度,30%PVP组与常规组变化趋势相似,维持适宜FSH浓度时间较长,15%PVP组次之,而对照组注射后4~12h血清FSH浓度较高,以后急剧下降,表明PVP可延长FSH在体内存留时间,但以30%PVP效果最佳。     

A modified chemiluminescence method for hydrogen peroxide determination in apple fruit tissues

Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is one of the important by-products produced by plant and fruit tissues during normal metabolism as well as under stress conditions. Evidence suggests that it is actively involved in many physiological activities in plants, including ripening, senescence and the development of disorders. Quantitative measurement of H₂O₂ in fruit has been a challenge due to variations in methodologies, and their sensitivities and interferences present in plant samples. Among the currently used methodologies, chemiluminescence (CL) is one of the most promising, due to its high specificity and sensitivity. However, direct application of CL methods developed for leaf analysis is not suitable for fruit, especially fruit peel tissues, possibly due to interfering compounds in fruit tissues. In this study, evaluation of the efficiency of removal of interfering compounds by PVP, PVPP and activated charcoal revealed that the PVPP is the most effective compound to remove the interference. This modified protocol can measure H₂O₂ content in apple peel and flesh tissues. ‘Red Delicious’ apple peel and flesh tissues were measured with amount of 1.48 and 1.03 μmol/g FW, respectively. The established protocol can also be used for a wide variety of tissues in addition to apple fruit, including strawberry tissues (fruit, calyx and leaves) and spinach leaves. This protocol was applied to determine the H₂O₂ concentration in 1-MCP and DPA treated apples after 5 months of storage, but no significant difference in H₂O₂ in those samples was found. Direct comparison of CL with a commercial hydrogen peroxide measurement OXIS kit was also made. The challenges to accurately assay H₂O₂ in fruit/plant tissue were discussed.     

聚乙烯吡咯烷酮对公猪精液冷冻的影响

试验旨在评价聚乙烯吡咯烷酮（polyvinylpyrrolidone,PVP）对公猪精液冷冻的影响。试验分为5组,分别为对照组（不添加PVP）和PVP处理组（在冷冻基础液中分别加入0.25%、0.50%、1.00%、2.00% PVP）。采用手握法采集松辽黑猪精液,用5种冷冻基础液稀释,在25 ℃平衡1 h,17 ℃平衡2 h,4 ℃平衡3 h后灌装于0.5 mL细管中,在液氮上方3 cm处熏蒸10 min,保存在液氮罐中30 d后进行检测。样本解冻后分别检测精子活力、质膜完整性、顶体完整性、线粒体活性、DNA完整性、过氧化氢酶（catalase,CAT）活性、超氧化物歧化酶（superoxide dismutase,SOD）活性、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（glutathioneperoxidase,GSH-Px）活性、活性氧簇（reactive oxygen species,ROS）水平及丙二醛（malondialdehyde,MDA）水平。结果显示,与对照组相比,冷冻基础液中添加0.50% PVP显著提高冻融后精子的活力、质膜完整性、顶体完整性、线粒体活性、CAT活性、SOD活性、GSH-Px活性（P<0.05）,显著降低精子ROS和MDA水平（P<0.05）;与对照组相比,添加PVP有利于提高DNA完整性,但差异不显著（P>0.05）。因此,猪精液冷冻基础液中添加PVP可改善冻融后精子质量,添加0.50%效果最佳。     

Interspecific hybridization in Lonicera caerulea and Lonicera gracilipes: The occurrence of green/albino plants by reciprocal crossing

Lonicera caerulea L. var. emphyllocalyx (Maxim.) Nakai is a berry crop cultivated in cold regions. So far, commercial cultivars have been mainly introduced from selection of wild plants. Therefore, fruit traits and other agricultural characteristics have been limited. In this study, interspecific crosses between L. caerulea var. emphyllocalyx and Lonicera gracilipes var. glabra Miquel were examined to increase genetic variability of L. caerulea var. emphyllocalyx. Seedlings were obtained from reciprocal crosses between L. caerulea var. emphyllocalyx and L. gracilipes var. glabra. The hybrid nature of seedlings was confirmed with random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis. Viable green plants were obtained efficiently from L. gracilipes var. glabra × L. caerulea var. emphyllocalyx. In contrast, all plants produced from L. caerulea var. emphyllocalyx × L. gracilipes var. glabra were albino. These albino plants were very weak and only survived in culture condition. The chlorophyll deficiency was unilaterally observed, suggesting the occurrence of nuclear–cytoplasmic incompatibility. Viable F₁ hybrids obtained from L. gracilipes var. glabra × L. caerulea var. emphyllocalyx are amphidiploid (2n = 4x = 36) as showing same to both parents. The hybrid plants are expected to increase the variability of fruit traits, and may have heat tolerance from L. gracilipes var. glabra.     

In vitro propagation and regeneration of an industrial plant kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.)

The present study report a protocol for the efficient in vitro propagation of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L., an industrial crop having high cellulosic fiber content) on hormone free MS medium using the shoot apex and nodal explants. Shoot tips and nodes were isolated from 15 days old seedlings cultivated on MS medium. Different combinations and concentrations of auxin/cytokinin were used and added to the MS medium to assess the shoot and root induction of theses explants. Several subcultures were drived in order to enhance the multiplication rate. Healthy and well developed in vitro propagated shoots were transferred for acclimatization under greenhouse conditions in pots filled with different substrates (sand + compost or perlite). Our results showed that shoots could elongate and root within 4-6 weeks on MS basal medium without any callus formation. However, addition of growth regulators to the MS medium leaded to a decrease in shoot and root induction rates. Indeed, the highest shoot regeneration frequency (90.5%) was obtained on MS control medium. Elongated shoots were transferred onto the same hormone free MS medium using five subcultures where the multiplication rate reached the highest value (3.66) at the fifth and last step. The in vitro rooted plantlets were acclimatized in greenhouse and successfully transplanted to natural conditions with 70% survival.     

ISSR molecular characterization and leaf volatiles analysis of Pittosporum undulatum Vent. naturalized in the Azores archipelago (Portugal)

Pittosporum undulatum from the Azores archipelago was characterized by both molecular and volatiles analyses. Inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) evaluation was performed based on a random sampling of 77 individuals from a total of 123 samples collected on all the Azorean islands. Molecular studies grouped the samples mainly according to the geographical collection site, with some exceptions. Leaf volatiles were isolated by distillation-extraction and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) from all the 123 samples. Cluster analysis based on the leaf volatiles chemical composition defined three main clusters, not related to sample site collection, and was based mainly on the relative amounts of limonene (3-89%), sabinene (0.1-64%) and terpinen-4-ol (traces-43%). Clusters obtained from both molecular studies and volatiles composition were not superimposable and no correlation between ISSR markers and volatile oils could be drawn. The results suggest that there is a high genetic variability among individuals of P. undulatum that can explain the invasive ability of this species in the Azores archipelago. The detailed characterization of this alien weed species may assist finding potential commercial uses as well as management strategies to help its eradication and/or control.