近江牡蛎受精细胞学研究

用醋酸──地衣红染色的方法对近江牡蛎人工授精的卵子减数分裂和受精过程进行了详细的细胞学观察．精子入卵前，卵子处于第一次减数分裂的前期（胚泡期），精子入卵后，胚泡消失，然后进行两次减数分裂，在海水温度为２８．８℃的情况下，授精后３３ｍｉｎ和４５ｍｉｎ，绝大部分受精卵已排出第一极体和第二极体，雄原核可在第一极体排出后及第二极体排出前任何时期内形成，雌雄原核以联合的方式将两组染色体合并，授精后１ｈ，大部分卵子完成第一次卵裂．在２５℃和２６℃授精的情况下，观察到了较多的多精入卵的现象．卵子发育的非同步性现象非常明显．     

Embryo viability indexing using Raman spectroscopy of spent culture media

ABSTRACT

Embryo viability quantification is an important topic for in vitro fertilization researchers. This study suggests Raman spectroscopy as a candidate method to find an objective measure of embryo viability. Raman spectra of 31 spent embryo culture samples (16 nonpregnant, 15 pregnant) from 31 patients were analyzed with band component analysis. The band area ratio of 902 to 943 cm^?1 was found to be the most discriminatory. These bands are related to glutamine, glycine, proline, aspartic acid, and valine. According to the pregnancy outcome the sensitivity and specificity of Raman analysis were found to be 93% and 77%, respectively.     

Design and verification of halogen-bonding system at the complex interface of human fertilization-related MUP PDZ5 domain with CAMK’s C-terminal peptide

Calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CAMK) is physiologically activated in fertilized human oocytes and is involved in the Ca²⁺ response pathways that link the fertilization calmodulin signal to meiosis resumption and cortical granule exocytosis. The kinase has an unstructured C-terminal tail that can be recognized and bound by the PDZ5 domain of its cognate partner, the multi-PDZ domain protein (MUP). In the current study, we reported a rational biomolecular design of halogen-bonding system at the complex interface of CAMK’s C-terminal peptide with MUP PDZ5 domain by using high-level computational approaches. Four organic halogens were employed as atom probes to explore the structural geometry and energetic property of designed halogen bonds in the PDZ5–peptide complex. It was found that the heavier halogen elements such as bromine Br and iodine I can confer stronger halogen bond but would cause bad atomic contacts and overlaps at the complex interface, while fluorine F cannot form effective halogen bond in the complex. In addition, the halogen substitution at different positions of peptide’s aromatic ring would result in distinct effects on the halogen-bonding system. The computational findings were then verified by using fluorescence analysis; it is indicated that the halogen type and substitution position play critical role in the interaction strength of halogen bonds, and thus the PDZ5–peptide binding affinity can be improved considerably by optimizing their combination.     

杭州西郊茶园土壤重金属的积累特点与来源分析

选择了杭州市西部近郊、远郊和农村等3个受人为不同程度影响的区块,分析了同为第四纪红土母质发育的茶园与附近林地土壤剖面中重金属垂直分布的特点,探讨了茶园土壤重金属的来源。结果表明,相同区块的茶园与附近林地土壤重金属Pb、Cd和Hg剖面分布相似,均随剖面深度下降,表土Pb、Cd和Hg含量随离城市距离增加而下降,说明研究区茶园土壤中重金属Pb、Cd和Hg的积累主要与大气沉降有关;茶园与附近林地土壤重金属Cu和Zn也随剖面深度而下降,但同一区块中茶园表土重金属Cu和Zn含量明显高于附近林地土壤,说明施肥等农业措施对茶园土壤Cu和Zn的积累有较大的影响;茶园土壤中Cu和Zn的积累与地理位置关系不大。茶园土壤中Cr和Co的积累不明显,并有淋失的趋势。     

THE EFFECTS OF REDUCING MATING LIKELIHOOD ON POPULATION VIABILITY

Abstract The success a species may have invading a patch previously unoccupied is of considerable interest for pest managers and conservation ecologists. The purpose here is to present a mechanistic approach to analyze reproductive Allee effects appearing through the failure in the process of fertilization in a two‐sex population and observe how the survival in an invaded patch is affected. This is in contrast to the usually employed stochastic models with a deterministic skeleton that describe the presence of Allee effects. A Poisson–Ricker model, which includes stochastic demography and sex determination with females classified as successfully fertilized or not fertilized, is used. Numerical approximations to the probabilities of extinction and the mean time to extinction are presented, for fixed parameter values, suggesting how stochasticity in the mating process combined with random fluctuations in the male and female densities, at each generation, contribute to the risk of extinction of a population which started an invasion at a low density.     

Health-Promoting Compounds in Stevia: The Effect of Mycorrhizal Symbiosis,Phosphorus Supply and Harvest Time

This work aimed to establish the synergic role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) symbiosis, phosphorus (P) fertilization and harvest time on the contents of stevia secondary metabolites. Consequently, steviol glycosides (SVglys) concentration and profile, total phenols and flavonoids as well as antioxidant assays, have been assessed in inoculated and no-inoculated plants, grown with or without P supply and collected at different growth stages(69, 89 and 123 days after transplanting).The obtained results suggest that the synthesis of stevia secondary metabolites is induced and/or modulated by all the investigated variability factors. In particular, AMF symbiosis promoted total SVglys content and positively influenced the concentration of some minor compounds (steviolbioside, dulcoside A and rebaudioside B), indicating a clear effect of mycorrhizal inoculation on SVglys biosynthetic pathway. Interestingly, only the mycorrhizal plants were able to synthesize rebaudioside B. In addition, P supply provided the highest levels of total phenols and flavonoids at leaf level, together with the maximum in vitro antioxidant activities (FRAP and ORAC). Finally, the harvest time carried out during the full vegetative phase enhanced the entire composition of the phytocomplex (steviolbioside, dulcoside A, stevioside, rebaudioside A, B, C. total phenols and flavonoids). Moreover, polyphenols and SVglys appeared to be the main contributors to the in vitro antioxidant capacity, while only total phenols mostly contributed to the cellular antioxidant activity (CAA). These findings provide original information about the role played by AMF in association with P supply, in modulating the accumulation of bioactive compounds during stevia growth. At the cultivation level, the control of these preharvest factors, together with the most appropriate harvest time, can be used as tools for improving the nutraceutical value of raw material, with particular attention to its exploitation as functional ingredient for food and dietary supplements and cosmetics.     

泥鳅精子入卵程序的扫描电镜观察

用扫描电镜对泥鳅精子入卵全过程进行了观察，力图找出精子受精时限，为人工繁殖提供理论依据；对单精受精机制作了些探讨，为丰富我国鱼类受精生物学基础理论积累资料．     

Anaerobically treated wastewater in agricultural irrigation as an alternative for posttreatment in water-demanding zones

Agroindustries usually produce high amounts of wastewaters and are frequently located close to agricultural activities. Agricultural use of treated wastewaters therefore represents a unique opportunity to solve the problem of water supply for irrigation and disposal of treated water at the same time. This article is the result of collaborative work with the biggest Chilean pisco-(a distillated drink prepared from Muscatel wine) producing company at present. Experiments were conducted to establish anaerobic treatability of wastewaters and also irrigation properties of treated water. With the purpose of confirming laboratory results, a full-scale anaerobic plant was built, and treated water is being used to irrigate 3000 eucalypti. The results showed, at both laboratory and full scale, that anaerobic treatment is suitable for the treatment of pisco wastewater, and that nutrient content of treated water can be beneficial for plant growth, reducing the need for fertilizers.     

Humic Acid Improves Zn Fertilization in Oxisols Successively Cultivated with Maize–Brachiaria

Zinc (Zn) is an essential micronutrient for plant growth, and Zn deficiency is a global issue, especially in tropical soils. This study aimed to investigate the effects of humic acid (HA) and the Zn addition (Zn sulfate + HA) on the growth of maize and brachiaria in two contrasting Oxisols. The potential complexation of Zn sulfate by HA was evaluated by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis. Zinc content and its availability in solution and the shoot and root biomass of maize and brachiaria were determined. FTIR spectroscopy revealed the complexation of Zn sulfate by HA through its S and C functional groups. In both Oxisols, solution Zn increased due to the combined use of Zn and HA. In a soil type-dependent manner, maize biomass and Zn in its shoots were affected only by the exclusive use of Zn fertilization. In the Yellow Oxisol, brachiaria growth and Zn accumulated in its shoot were positively affected by the combined use of Zn fertilization with HA. In the Oxisol with lower organic matter content, HA can assure adequate supplying of residual Zn, while increasing growth of brachiaria cultivated in sequence to maize.     

STUDY ON in vitro SPERM CAPACITATION AND EGG-PENETRATION OF GIANT PANDA

A preliminary report on in vitro sperm capacitation and egg-penetration of giant panda is briefly presented. The panda spermatozoon consists of head, neck and tail, just like the spermatozoa of other animals. Before capacitation sperm heads clusterd together and dispersed after capacitation. They were then able to swim straight forwared. During the time of in vitro capacitation the plasm membrane of the sperm head was first expanded tov arious degrees, then disintegrated, and finally became detached. The electro-dense material in the acrosome appeared in small clumps with high density. Extensive vesiculation occurred between the bi-layered acrosome membranes and thus led to disintegration. Vesiculation in panda sperm differs from that reported in hamsters. When the capacitated panda spermatozoa came into contact with the hamster eggs, the region between the acrosome collar and postacrosome cap first fused with the egg membrane followed by the penetration of the nucleus into the cortex of the egg. Some o