Fucoidan inhibits the development of proteinuria in active Heymann nephritis

Fucoidan, the sulphated polysaccharide extracted from brown seaweed, has various biological activities. The effect of fucoidan on the formation of proteinuria and renal functions in active Heymann nephritis was investigated in this study. Active Heymann nephritis was induced by administering brush border protein of rat proximal uriniferous tubules (FX1A). Fucoidan was administered by oral intubation to Heymann nephritis rats at three doses (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) once daily for 4 weeks. The elevated urinary protein excretion and plasma creatinine due to the induction of Heymann nephritis were significantly reduced by fucoidan at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg. The results indicated that fucoidan has a renoprotective effect on active Heymann nephritis and is a promising therapeutic agent for nephritis. Copyright (c) 2005 John Wiley F Sons, Ltd.

On two species of spider crabs of the genus Doclea (Crustacea : Decapoda : Brachyura : Majidae : Pisinae) from China, one of which is new

A new species of spider crab, Doclea unidentata, is described from the South China Sea. Allied to D. brachyrhynchos Bleeker, 1856, and D. macracanthus Bleeker, 1856, it can easily be distinguished by its very short, unidentate rostrum. The identity of Doclea canalifera Stimpson, 1857, is resolved with the selection of a neotype, and it is here regarded as a senior subjective synonym of D. japonica Ortmann, 1893. The taxonomy of this species as well as the allied D. ovis (Fabricius, 1787) is also discussed.

Determination of chemical species of iodine in some seaweeds .1.

The chemical species of iodine in seven marine algae Codium fragile, Ulva pertusa, Monostroma nitidum, Gracilaria confervoides, Sargassum Kjellmanianum, Dictyopteris divaricata and Laminaria japonica were studied using neutron activation analysis combined with chemical separation. The contents of total iodine, water-soluble iodine, soluble organic iodine, I- and IO3- were determined. The results indicate that the chemical species and contents of iodine in various algae are remarkably different. The highest iodine content of 734 mg/kg (wet basis) was found in Laminaria japonica, with 99.2% of the total iodine being water soluble. The iodine contents of the other six algae are lower and soluble iodine makes up 16-41% of the total. In the aqueous leachate, iodine is mainly I-, which amounts to 61-93% of total water-soluble iodine; the percentages of organic iodine making up 5.5-37.4%, while the contents of IO3- are the lowest, 1.4-4.5%. This result suggests that the mechanism of iodine enrichment is different for various algae and that its bioavailability varies as well. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.

Extraction of the polysaccharides from five algae and their potential antioxidant activity in vitro

The sulfated polysaccharides extracted from algae possess excellent antioxidant activities. In this study, we prepared five polysaccharides extracted from five algae including one brown alga Laminaria japonica. one red alga Porphyra haitanensis and three green algae Ulva pertusa, Enteromorpha linza and Bryopsis plumose. And then the antioxidant activities of all the samples were investigated including scavenging effects of superoxide and hydroxyl radicals, and reducing power. The chemical analysis and FT-IR spectrum showed these extracts were polysaccharides. And in addition, we found that certain polysaccharide exhibited stronger antioxidant activity in certain antioxidant activity. Factors effecting and attributing to radical scavenging effect need to be further studied. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

喀斯特山区先锋植物叶片解剖特征及其生态适应性评价——以贵州花江峡谷区为例

通过研究贵州西南部典型喀斯特植被退化区花江峡谷植被现状，选取具一定经济价值和推广价值的先锋植物，采用生物显微制片技术与数理统计方法相结合，报导了6科10种分属不同生活型的植物叶片的解剖结构特征，并进行了比较和解剖因子分析。结果表明研究区喀斯特先锋植物叶片在不同种类之间具有明显差异，这些差异除受遗传因子控制外，环境因子(主要为光照和水分)也有重要作用；生活型不同对先锋植物叶片特征有一定影响，但未表现出规律性。根据叶片适应特征的差异，10种先锋植物可分为3种类型，即旱生或阳生叶类型的构树(Broussonetia papyrifera)、火棘(pyracantha fortuneana)、刺槐(Robinia pseudoacacia)、白三叶(Trifolium repens)；偏中生叶类型(香椿的Toona sirensis)、顶坛花椒(Zanthaxylum pinum var．dingtanensis)、黔滇木蓝(In-digofera esquirolii)、忍冬(Lomicera japonica)、紫云英(Astragalus sinicus)；偏阴生叶类型的繁缕(Stellaria media)。

RNAi Effector Diversity in Nematodes

While RNA interference (RNAi) has been deployed to facilitate gene function studies in diverse helminths, parasitic nematodes appear variably susceptible. To test if this is due to inter-species differences in RNAi effector complements, we performed a primary sequence similarity survey for orthologs of 77 Caenorhabditis elegans RNAi pathway proteins in 13 nematode species for which genomic or transcriptomic datasets were available, with all outputs subjected to domain-structure verification. Our dataset spanned transcriptomes of Ancylostoma caninum and Oesophagostomum dentatum, and genomes of Trichinella spiralis, Ascaris suum, Brugia malayi, Haemonchus contortus, Meloidogyne hapla, Meloidogyne incognita and Pristionchus pacificus, as well as the Caenorhabditis species C. brenneri, C. briggsae, C. japonica and C. remanei, and revealed that: (i) Most of the C. elegans proteins responsible for uptake and spread of exogenously applied double stranded (ds)RNA are absent from parasitic species, including RNAi-competent plant-nematodes; (ii) The Argonautes (AGOs) responsible for gene expression regulation in C. elegans are broadly conserved, unlike those recruited during the induction of RNAi by exogenous dsRNA; (iii) Secondary Argonautes (SAGOs) are poorly conserved, and the nuclear AGO NRDE-3 was not identified in any parasite; (iv) All five Caenorhabditis spp. possess an expanded RNAi effector repertoire relative to the parasitic nematodes, consistent with the propensity for gene loss in nematode parasites; (v) In spite of the quantitative differences in RNAi effector complements across nematode species, all displayed qualitatively similar coverage of functional protein groups. In summary, we could not identify RNAi effector deficiencies that associate with reduced susceptibility in parasitic nematodes. Indeed, similarities in the RNAi effector complements of RNAi refractory and competent nematode parasites support the broad applicability of this research genetic tool in nematodes.

Identification of low inorganic and total grain arsenic rice cultivars from Bangladesh

For the world's population, rice consumption is a major source of inorganic arsenic (As), a nonthreshold class 1 carcinogen. Reducing the amount of total and inorganic As within the rice grain would reduce the exposure risk. In this study, grain As was measured in 76 cultivars consisting of Bangladeshi landraces, improved Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) cultivars, and parents of permanent mapping populations grown in two field sites in Bangladesh, Faridpur and Sonargaon, irrigated with As-contaminated tubewell water. Grain As ranged from 0.16 to 0.74 mg kg(-1) at Faridpur and from 0.07 to 0.28 mg kg(-1) at Sonargaon. Highly significant cultivar differences were detected and a significant correlation (r = 0.802) in the grain As between the two field sites was observed, indicating stable genetic differences in As accumulation. The cultivars with the highest concentration of grain As were the Bangladeshi landraces. Landraces with red bran had significantly more grain As than the cultivars with brown bran. The percent of inorganic As decreased linearly with increasing total As, but genetic variation within this trend was identified. A number of local cultivars with low grain As were identified. Some tropical japonica cultivars with low grain As have the potential to be used in breeding programs and genetic studies aiming to identify genes which decrease grain As.

Natural variation of rice strigolactone biosynthesis is associated with the deletion of two MAX1 orthologs

Rice (Oryza sativa) cultivar Azucena--belonging to the Japonica subspecies--exudes high strigolactone (SL) levels and induces high germination of the root parasitic plant Striga hermonthica. Consistent with the fact that SLs also inhibit shoot branching, Azucena is a low-tillering variety. In contrast, Bala, an Indica cultivar, is a low-SL producer, stimulates less Striga germination, and is highly tillered. Using a Bala × Azucena F6 population, a major quantitative trait loci--qSLB1.1--for the exudation of SL, tillering, and induction of Striga germination was detected on chromosome 1. Sequence analysis of the corresponding locus revealed a rearrangement of a 51- to 59-kbp stretch between 28.9 and 29 Mbp in the Bala genome, resulting in the deletion of two cytochrome P450 genes--SLB1 and SLB2--with high homology to the Arabidopsis SL biosynthesis gene, MAX1. Both rice genes rescue the Arabidopsis max1-1 highly branched mutant phenotype and increase the production of the SL, ent-2'-epi-5-deoxystrigol, when overexpressed in Bala. Furthermore, analysis of this region in 367 cultivars of the publicly available Rice Diversity Panel population shows that the rearrangement at this locus is a recurrent natural trait associated with the Indica/Japonica divide in rice.

Efectos del Fenómeno «El Niño» sobre el Fitoplancton

El fenómeno «El Niño» (EN) que se caracteriza por la presencia de aguas de altas temperaturas y salinidades mayores de 35%0 o menos de 34,8%0 , de acuerdo a la masa de agua que ingresa, produce cambios significativos en la comunidad fitoplanctónica tanto en la abundancia, distribución, así como en la composición específica. La biomasa planctónica en la costa peruana normal­ mente es alta, presentando volúmenes promedios ma­ yores de 3 mi m -3, pero cuando se producen alteraciones como el fenómeno EN encontramos los volúmenes promedio bajos, menores que 1 mi m -3 . En cuanto a la distribución, el fitoplancton en épocas normales está constituido principalmente por las diatomeas, las mismas que se distribuyen a lo largo de la costa y en su mayoría hasta las 60 millas, afuera de ella el fitoplancton está representado por los dinotlagela­ dos; mientras que, en épocas consideradas como EN las diatomeas se distribuyen dentro de las 10 millas y los dinotlagelados propios de aguas calientes se acercan generalmente hasta las 10 millas de la costa. La composición del fitoplancton también varía. En años considerados normales la predominancia está dada por diatomeas como : Schroderella delicatula, Thalassionema nitzschioides, Skeletonema costatum, Asterionella japonica y Chaetoceros y los dinotlagela­ dos: Ceratiumfurca, Protoperidinium obtusum, etc. En épocas consideradas anormales se presentan otras especies como : Thalassiosira partheneia, Rhizosolenia temperei, Rh. castracanei, Streptotheca thamensis y Biddulphia sinensis ; dentro de los dinotlagelados : Cera­ tium breve, C. extensum, C. longirostrum, C. trichoceros, Ceratocorys horrida, Ornithocercus magnificus, O. qua­ dratus, O. steinii y Protoperidinium elegans.

Actin cytoskeleton regulates pollen tube growth and tropism

La fertilisation chez les plantes dépend de la livraison des cellules spermatiques contenues dans le pollen à l’ovule. Au contact du stigmate, le grain de pollen s’hydrate et forme une protubérance, le tube pollinique, chargé de livrer les noyaux spermatiques à l’ovule. Le tube pollinique est une cellule à croissance rapide, anisotrope et non autotrophe; ainsi tout au long de sa croissance à travers l’apoplaste du tissu pistillaire, le tube pollinique puise ses sources de carbohydrates et de minéraux du pistil. Ces éléments servent à la synthèse des constituants de la paroi qui seront acheminés par des vésicules de sécrétion jusqu’à l’apex du tube. Ce dernier doit aussi résister à des pressions mécaniques pour maintenir sa forme cylindrique et doit répondre à différents signaux directionnels pour pouvoir atteindre l’ovule. Mon projet de doctorat était de comprendre le rôle du cytosquelette dans la croissance anisotrope du tube pollinique et d’identifier les éléments responsables de sa croissance et de son guidage. Le cytosquelette du tube pollinique est composé des microfilaments d’actine et des microtubules. Pour assurer une bonne croissance des tubes polliniques in vitro, les carbohydrates et les éléments de croissance doivent être ajoutés au milieu à des concentrations bien spécifiques. J’ai donc optimisé les conditions de croissance du pollen d’Arabidopsis thaliana et de Camellia japonica qui ont été utilisés avec le pollen de Lilium longiflorum comme modèles pour mes expériences. J’ai développé une méthode rapide et efficace de fixation et de marquage du tube pollinique basée sur la technologie des microondes. J’ai aussi utilisé des outils pharmacologiques, mécaniques et moléculaires couplés à différentes techniques de microscopie pour comprendre le rôle du cytosquelette d’actine lors de la croissance et le tropisme du tube pollinique. J’ai trouvé que le cytosquelette d’actine et plus précisément l’anneau d’actine localisé dans la partie sub-apicale du tube est fortement impliqué dans la croissance et le maintien de l’architecture du tube à travers le contrôle de la livraison des vésicules de sécrétion. J’ai construit une chambre galvanotropique qui peut être montée sur un microscope inversé et qui sert à envoyer des signaux tropistiques bien précis à des tubes polliniques en croissance. J’ai trouvé que les filaments d’actine sont impliqués dans la capacité du tube pollinique à changer de direction. Ce comportement tropistique dépend de la concentration du calcium dans le milieu de croissance et du flux de calcium à travers des canaux calciques. Le gradient de calcium établi dans le tube pollinique affecte l’activité de certaines protéines qui se lient à l’actine et dont le rôle est la réorganisation des filaments d’actine. Parmi ces protéines, il y a celles de dépolymérisation de l’actine (ADF) dont deux spécifiquement exprimées dans le gamétophyte mâle d’Arabidopsis (ADF7 et ADF10). Par marquage avec des proteins fluorescents, j’ai trouvé que l’ADF7 et l’ADF10 ont des expressions différentielles pendant la microsporogenèse et la germination et croissance du tube pollinique et qu’elles partagent entre elles des rôles importants durant ces différents stades.

Studying the cytomechanic aspects of pollen tube growth behavior using Lab-On-Chip technology

L'élongation cellulaire de cellules cultivant bout comme hyphae fongueux, inculquez hairs, des tubes de pollen et des neurones, est limité au bout de la cellule, qui permet à ces cellules d'envahir l'encerclement substrate et atteindre une cible. Les cellules cultivant bout d'équipement sont entourées par le mur polysaccharide rigide qui régule la croissance et l'élongation de ces cellules, un mécanisme qui est radicalement différent des cellules non-walled. La compréhension du règlement du mur de cellule les propriétés mécaniques dans le contrôle de la croissance et du fonctionnement cellulaire du tube de pollen, une cellule rapidement grandissante d'équipement, est le but de ce projet. Le tube de pollen porte des spermatozoïdes du grain de pollen à l'ovule pour la fertilisation et sur sa voie du stigmate vers l'ovaire le tube de pollen envahit physiquement le stylar le tissu émettant de la fleur. Pour atteindre sa cible il doit aussi changer sa direction de croissance les temps multiples. Pour évaluer la conduite de tubes de pollen grandissants, un dans le système expérimental vitro basé sur la technologie de laboratoire-sur-fragment (LOC) et MEMS (les systèmes micro-électromécaniques) ont été conçus. En utilisant ces artifices nous avons mesuré une variété de propriétés physiques caractérisant le tube de pollen de Camélia, comme la croissance la croissance accélérée, envahissante et dilatant la force. Dans une des organisations expérimentales les tubes ont été exposés aux ouvertures en forme de fente faites de l'élastique PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) la matière nous permettant de mesurer la force qu'un tube de pollen exerce pour dilater la croissance substrate. Cette capacité d'invasion est essentielle pour les tubes de pollen de leur permettre d'entrer dans les espaces intercellulaires étroits dans les tissus pistillar. Dans d'autres essais nous avons utilisé l'organisation microfluidic pour évaluer si les tubes de pollen peuvent s'allonger dans l'air et s'ils ont une mémoire directionnelle. Une des applications auxquelles le laboratoire s'intéresse est l'enquête de processus intracellulaires comme le mouvement d'organelles fluorescemment étiqueté ou les macromolécules pendant que les tubes de pollen grandissent dans les artifices LOC. Pour prouver que les artifices sont compatibles avec la microscopie optique à haute résolution et la microscopie de fluorescence, j'ai utilisé le colorant de styryl FM1-43 pour étiqueter le système endomembrane de tubes de pollen de cognassier du Japon de Camélia. L'observation du cône de vésicule, une agrégation d'endocytic et les vésicules exocytic dans le cytoplasme apical du bout de tube de pollen, n'a pas posé de problèmes des tubes de pollen trouvés dans le LOC. Pourtant, le colorant particulier en question a adhéré au sidewalls du LOC microfluidic le réseau, en faisant l'observation de tubes de pollen près du difficile sidewalls à cause du signal extrêmement fluorescent du mur. Cette propriété du colorant pourrait être utile de refléter la géométrie de réseau en faisant marcher dans le mode de fluorescence.

Protokoll der Gewässerschau in Kassel am 19. April 2005

Bei der Begehung von Olebach, Losse und Alte Losse wurden der ökomorphologische Zustand von Sohle, Böschung, Linienführung, Verzahnung von Wasser und Land und der Ufergehölze sowie die Landnutzung notiert. Einleitungen von Abwässern und die Ablagerung von Abfällen auf Böschung und Ufer wurde protokolliert. Wassertemperatur und elektrische Leitfähigkeit wurden an mehreren Punkten gemessen. Die Leitfähigkeitswerte werden vor dem Hintergrund der Geologie der Einzugsgebiete interpretiert und zur chemischen Indikation von diffusen und punktförmigen Einleitungen genutzt. Es werden Maßnahmen zur Renaturierung, Maßnahmen gegen die Ablagerung von Gartenabfällen auf Ufer und Böschung, Maßnahmen gegen die ackerbauliche Nutzung und Bebauung im Gewässerrandstreifen vorgeschlagen.

Global transcript analysis of rice leaf and seed using SAGE technology.

We have compiled two comprehensive gene expression profiles from mature leaf and immature seed tissue of rice (Oryza sativa ssp. japonica cultivar Nipponbare) using Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE) technology. Analysis revealed a total of 50 519 SAGE tags, corresponding to 15 131 unique transcripts. Of these, the large majority (approximately 70%) occur only once in both libraries. Unexpectedly, the most abundant transcript (approximately 3% of the total) in the leaf library was derived from a type 3 metallothionein gene. The overall frequency profiles of the abundant tag species from both tissues differ greatly and reveal seed tissue as exhibiting a non-typical pattern of gene expression characterized by an over abundance of a small number of transcripts coding for storage proteins. A high proportion ( approximately 80%) of the abundant tags (> or = 9) matched entries in our reference rice EST database, with many fewer matches for low abundant tags. Singleton transcripts that are common to both tissues were collated to generate a summary of low abundant transcripts that are expressed constitutively in rice tissues. Finally and most surprisingly, a significant number of tags were found to code for antisense transcripts, a finding that suggests a novel mechanism of gene regulation, and may have implications for the use of antisense constructs in transgenic technology.

Introducing improved cultivars: Understanding farmers' seed drying and storage practices in central Ghana

Improved upland rice cultivars introduced in Volta Region, Ghana, have been perceived to store poorly compared to farmers' traditional cultivars. A survey was conducted in 2003 in the Hohoc district of this region, where a participatory Varietal Selection programme had started in 1997, to gain insight into fanners' seed production and storage practices that are likely to affect seed quality in storage. Farmers rated keeping quality (p < 0.001), tolerance to storage pests (p < 0.001), seed quality (p < 0.001) and establishment of their local cultivars Kawomo, Viono and Wuwulili as much better than the improved cultivar IDSA 85. Initial seed moisture content ranged from 12.8 to 18% and germination from 0 to 82%. There was a significant relationship between seed moisture content and duration of drying prior to storage (p < 0.001) and storage method (p = 0.015). Germination loss in storage was rapid at high moisture content and slow at low moisture content. Between 60 and 80% of seeds germinated after six Months storage at 12.8% moisture content. The viability equation predicted accurately germination of farmer-saved seed stored under ambient temperature in Ghana. Except for the japonica rice cultivar WAB 126-18-HB, the traditional cultivars Kawomo, Viono and Wuwulili survived better in storage than improved cultivars. There is a need to improve seed quality of improved cultivars if farmers are to benefit from their higher yields and grain quality and to improve storage practices.

High temperature stress and spikelet fertility in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

In future climates, greater heat tolerance at anthesis will be required in rice. The effect of high temperature at anthesis on spikelet fertility was studied on IR64 (lowland indica) and Azucena (upland Japonica) at 29.6 degrees C (control), 33.7 degrees C, and 36.2 degrees C tissue temperatures. The objectives of the study were to: (i) determine the effect of temperature on flowering pattern; (ii) examine the effect of time of day of spikelet anthesis relative to a high temperature episode on spikelet fertility; and (iii) study the interactions between duration of exposure and temperature on spikelet fertility. Plants were grown at 30/24 degrees C day/night temperature in a greenhouse and transferred to growth cabinets for the temperature treatments. Individual spikelets were marked with paint to relate fertility to the time of exposure to different temperatures and durations. In both genotypes the pattern of flowering was similar, and peak anthesis occurred between 10.30 h and 11.30 h at 29.2 degrees C, and about 45 min earlier at 36.2 degrees C. In IR64, high temperature increased the number of spikelets reaching anthesis, whereas in Azucena numbers were reduced. In both genotypes :511 h exposure to >= 33.7 degrees C at anthesis caused sterility. In IR64, there was no interaction between temperature and duration of exposure, and spikelet fertility was reduced by about 7% per degrees C > 29.6 degrees C. In Azucena there was a significant interaction and spikelet fertility was reduced by 2.4% degrees Cd-1 above a threshold of 33 degrees C. Marking individual spikelets is an effective method to phenotype genotypes and lines for heat tolerance that removes any apparent tolerance due to temporal escape.