肥胖基因研究进展

与肥胖有关的基因已发现很多，但ob基因是研究的重点，其表达产物Leptin的作用机制已有较深入的了解。本文主要介绍了ob基因及其产物Leptin的作用机制、生物学效应、Leptin抵抗现象，以及其它与肥胖有关的基因和蛋白。     

The rates of maize growth and lignin biosynthesis change after root-applied chalcone

The effects of root-applied chalcone at 0.15 mmol L⁻¹ on the growth and lignin biosynthesis in maize were investigated. The contents of 4-coumarate: CoA ligase (4CL, EC 6.2.1.12) substrates in maize shoots were increased more rapidly in the samples with chalcone application than in the control and the increase occurred at ≤ 3 h after the application (HAA). The lignin content was reduced by chalcone at ≤ 6 HAA. The shoot growth was suppressed by chalcone at ≤ 9 HAA. Consequently, the results suggest that chalcone suppressed maize growth by inhibiting monolignol biosynthesis.     

Apoplastic redox metabolism: Synergistic phenolic oxidation and a novel oxidative burst

The plant apoplast is an important mediator of communication between the cell cytoplasm and its surroundings. Plant cell suspensions offer a convenient model system to gain insight into apoplastic physiology. Here, we describe a novel phenomenon that took place when two naturally occurring phenolics were added together to either soybean or tobacco cell suspensions. Acetosyringone (AS) and/or hydroxyacetophenone (HAP), phenolics found in the extracellular/apoplast of tobacco cells, were added to soybean or tobacco cell suspensions undergoing an oxidative burst. Individually, AS appeared to be utilized as a typical peroxidase substrate to scavenge hydrogen peroxide, while HAP was utilized at a much lower rate. However, when added together the rate of utilization of both phenolics increased and surprisingly resulted in the production of hydrogen peroxide. We have further characterized this novel phenomenon in suspension cells. This study demonstrates that certain phenolics in plants can cause co-oxidation which, as in animals, could alter the structure and bioactivity of surrounding phenolics.     

Effects of winter wheat cultivars and seed rate on the biological characteristics of naturally occurring weed flora

Summary Differential competitive ability of six winter wheat cultivars and traits that confer such attributes were investigated for a range of seed rates in the presence or absence of weeds for a naturally occurring weed flora in two successive years in split-plot field experiments. Crop height and tillering capacity were considered suitable attributes for weed suppression, although competitiveness is a relative rather than an absolute characteristic. Maris Huntsman and Maris Widgeon were the most competitive cultivars whereas Fresco was the least competitive. Manipulation of seed rate was a more reliable factor than cultivar selection for enhancement of weed suppression, although competitiveness of cultivars Buster, Riband and Maris Widgeon was not enhanced by increased seed rate. Crop densities ranging between 125 and 270 plants m⁻² were found to offer adequate weed suppression. Linear relationships were observed between individual and total weed species dry weight and reproductive structures per unit area.     

Further suppression of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Botrytis cinerea</Emphasis> disease in cucumber seedlings by chitosan-copper complex as compared with chitosan alone

Chitosan-copper complex compared with chitosan alone enhanced suppression ofBotrytis cinerea rot development on four-true-leaf cucumber seedlings in controlled growth chambers. This paper constitutes the first report of such enhancement. The optimal concentrations for the most effective suppression ofBotrytis development were 0.2 gl ⁻¹ chitosan and 1.6 mmole copper. After 12 days’ incubation, marked and significantly better disease suppression was obtained with chitosan-copper complex (75% suppression) than with chitosan alone. The chitosan-copper complex could be a very promising decay control agent for use in both conventional and organic agriculture. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Dec. 18, 2002.     

Immune Function in Critically Ill Dogs

Background

People with critical illness (CI) commonly develop various forms of immune dysfunction, however, there is limited information concerning immune dysfunction in dogs with CI.

Hypothesis

The immune response in CI dogs differs from that of healthy dogs.

Animals

Immunologic variables were compared between 14 dogs with CI, defined as APPLE_fast score of >20 points, admitted to the University of Missouri Veterinary Health Center Small Animal Clinic Intensive Care Unit and healthy controls (n = 15).

Methods

Cohort study evaluating constitutive and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐stimulated TNF‐α, IL‐6, and IL‐10 production, phagocytosis of opsonized E. coli and respiratory burst capacity after opsonized E. coli or phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate (PMA) stimulation, peripheral blood lymphocyte phenotype, and monocyte expressions of HLA‐DR and TLR‐4.

Results

Lipopolysaccharide‐stimulated leukocyte TNF‐α (median, Q1, Q3; CI, 49, 49, 120; control, 655, 446, 1174 pg/mL; P = < 0.001), IL‐6 (median, Q1, Q3; CI, 49, 49, 64; control, 100, 49, 166 pg/mL; P = 0.029), and IL‐10 (CI, 49, 49, 56; control, 96, 49, 203 pg/mL; P = 0.014) production and both E. coli (median, Q1, Q3; CI, 60.5, 43, 88.5; control, 86.6, 81, 89.2%; P = 0.047) and PMA (CI, 40, 11.7, 70; control, 93, 83, 97.6%; P = < 0.001)‐stimulated respiratory burst capacity significantly decreased in CI dogs. Percentage of monocytes expressing TLR‐4 greater in the CI dogs (median, Q1, Q3; CI, 46.9, 24.3, 64.2; control, 16.4, 9.4, 26.2%; P = 0.005).

Conclusion

These findings suggest dogs with CI develop immune system alterations that result in reduced respiratory burst function and cytokine production despite upregulation of TLR‐4.     

枣抑制消减cDNA文库构建与分析

枣树具有独特的开花结果特性,为获得枣花发育基因,以金丝4号枣不同发育时期的花蕾和同时期的叶片cDNA互为试验方和驱动方,利用抑制消减杂交技术分别构建了枣花和枣叶抑制消减杂交cDNA文库(SSH文库)。枣花和枣叶SSH文库重组率分别是92.05%和90.26%,插入片段长度均介于200~2 000 bp之间,主要集中于1 000 bp左右。分别从枣花和枣叶SSH文库中随机挑选1 000个阳性克隆进行DNA测序、组装拼接,结果显示枣花SSH文库中获得96条unigene,其中contigs 43个,singletons 53个,96条unigene预测得到73个ORF,经过同源比对分析获得有注释的序列20条,按功能分为7类;枣叶SSH文库中获得86条unigene,其中contigs 45个,singletons 41个,86条unigene预测得到70个ORF,经过同源比对分析获得有23条注释的序列,按功能分为6类。     

基于铱星通信技术的土壤墒情远程监测网络研究

为了实现野外偏远、无GPRS信号地区土壤墒情、温度及降雨量的远程无线实时监测,设计了一套由土壤墒情及相关影响信息实时采集系统、铱星通信以及互联网技术构成的"物联网"架构式土壤墒情实时监测系统,围绕铱星SBD(Short burst data)终端模块9602开发了具有独立知识产权的数据采集系统。该系统实现了智能化、网络化的土壤墒情实时监测,以及历史数据的查询、下载,根据设定阈值进行短信报警、传感器和通信故障报警等功能。该系统自2011年8月在山东省、北京市等地运行以来,可以安全、稳定、可靠地获取监测土壤含水率、温度及降雨量信息。通过试验可知铱星通信在空旷地带成功率为97.2%,单个节点通信费用为每月200元(12 000字节),达到了对土壤墒情、温度和降雨量变化规律进行长期监测的目的。     

鱼游泳能力对体长的响应及其在鱼道设计中的应用

为了探讨鱼类体长对游泳能力的影响并为鱼道水流的设计提供参考,该研究在封闭水槽中使用"递增流速法"测试了海南省某水利枢纽鱼道目标对象的游泳能力,并用Origin软件进行了数据统计分析,得到了试验鱼感应流速、临界游泳速度和爆发游泳速度的直线回归方程和Kaplan-Meier曲线。结果表明:1)随着试验鱼体长增大,相对感应流速、临界游泳速度和爆发游泳速度(体长/s)均减小,体长和鱼类速度的相关关系可用直线方程表示,且数据经过对数变换后的直线方程拟合效果比未经过对数变换的拟合效果更好,其中R2由0.664～0.725提高至0.907～0.933。2)根据鱼道设计规范、导则及文献,结合本工程目标过鱼对象的感应流速、临界游泳速度和爆发游泳速度(m/s),建议本工程鱼道进口诱鱼流速控制在0.35～0.47 m/s,池室流速控制在0.21～0.59 m/s,竖缝流速控制在0.57～0.74 m/s,出口断面至下一个池室之间的流速控制在0.21～0.50 m/s。鱼类体长对相对游泳速度(体长/s)产生了负面影响,鱼类游泳速度及其变化规律可对鱼道水流设计值提供参考。     

果园巡检机器人长臂抖动抑制方法

针对果园巡检机器人长臂因抖动而严重制约图像采集效率的问题,该研究提出基于臂体上3个部位的仰角构建单一反馈量进行抖动抑制的方法。首先基于臂体外伸段的有限元模态分析结果,通过固有频率和静变形的等效,建立三杆两扭簧等效机构的动力学模型。并基于微分平坦理论将3个倾角传感器读数合成为一个系统输出量,以平坦输出量作为被控量,采用PID控制器进行抑振试验,再利用自抗扰控制(Active Disturbance Rejection Control, ADRC)思想中对广义扰动的处理方法,将被控模型等效为二阶系统形式,并将模型信息代入到扩张状态观测器中进行对比试验。试验结果表明,基于本文构建的方法均能起到快速抑制长臂抖动的作用。在冲击作用致使末端产生10°幅值的抖动情况下,PID控制器实现了7 s内抑制大幅抖动,自抗扰控制器实现了8 s内快速抑制大幅抖动的效果。PID控制器的输出出现3次饱和现象且小幅较高频率抖动不易消除,而自抗扰控制器仅出现一次饱和,具有抖动抑制过程平滑的优点。本文的控制算法简洁适于在单片机等微型计算机系统中应用,系统结构简单成本低,可为现代农业装备研发与应用中解决长臂类结构抖动的主动抑制问题提供理论参考。