Formação in vitro de biofilme de Candida albicans em materiais usados no preenchimento dos acessos aos parafusos das próteses sobre implantes

Os orifícios de acesso aos parafusos de retenção devem ser preenchidos para que o parafuso não seja danificado caso seja necessária a remoção da prótese. Dentre os materiais mais utilizados estão o algodão, a fita de politetrafluoretileno e a guta percha. O objetivo deste estudo é avaliar a formação de biofilme de Candida albicans nos materiais anteriormente descritos, buscando estabelecer um parâmetro que contribua para a escolha do tipo de material mais adequado a ser utilizado clinicamente. Foram utilizados UCLAs, análogos e parafusos sextavados, todos de titânio. Os conjuntos foram montados com torque de 32N. Os materiais foram condensados no interior dos UCLAs e colocados em meio de cultura com uma suspensão de 3x106 células/ml de Candida albicans. O sistema foi armazenado à 37C com agitação, por 15 dias e o meio foi renovado a cada 48 horas. A quantificação de biofilme foi realizada pelo ensaio de MTT e leitura à 490nm, resultando em diferentes valores de densidade óptica. A normalidade (p=0,304 - Kolmogorov-Smirnov) e a igualdade de variâncias (p=0,721 - Scheffe) foram testadas primeiramente. O teste de análise de variância demonstrou diferença significativa entre os grupos (p<0,001) e com o Holm-Sidak foi observada diferença significativa entre os grupos algodão e guta (p<0,05) e algodão e fita de politetrafluoetileno (p<0,05); não houve diferença significativa entre os grupos guta e fita de politatrafluoretileno (p>0,05), apesar dos valores da fita de politetrafluoetileno terem sido maiores. Considerando-se as limitações deste estudo in vitro, podemos concluir que tanto a guta-percha quanto a fita de politetrafluoretileno apresentaram menor formação de biofilme, não havendo diferença estatisticamente significativa entre os materiais. O algodão apresentou um nível de formação de biofilme significativamente maior que a fita de politetrafluoretileno e a guta percha. Diante disso, serão necessários novos estudos para confirmar as limitações que este tipo de material pode apresentar quando usado como material de preenchimento do acesso do parafuso da prótese sobre implante.

Utilização de materiais restauradores autocondicionantes na prevenção de descoloração coronária causada por minociclina

O objetivo desse estudo foi comparar a capacidade de dois materiais restauradores em prevenir a descoloração coronária causada pela minociclina como medicação intracanal e propor uma técnica de fácil implementação para encorajar o uso da pasta tri-antibiótica para desinfecção do sistema de canais radiculares durante procedimentos de regeneração pulpar sem perda estética. Cem dentes foram selecionados, seus canais radiculares foram instrumentados e divididos em quatro grupos de acordo com o tratamento dentinário utilizado: Grupo OB- Agente adesivo OptiBond All-In-One (KERR); Grupo U200- Cimento resinoso auto-condicionante e auto adesivo RelyX U200 (3M ESPE); Grupo MIN- Sem revestimento; Grupo CN- Sem revestimento (controle negativo). Em todos os grupos, com exceção do CN, foi utilizada pasta de minociclina como medicação intracanal coberta por uma bolinha de algodão e vedados com restauração provisória. As medições de cor foram realizadas com um espectrofotômetro no início do estudo (T0), e 7(T7), 14 (T14), 21 (T21) e 28 dias (T28) pós-minociclina. Os resultados obtidos foram submetidos à análise estatística. As diferenças de cor (E*) foram crescentes nos grupos CN, OB, U200 e MIN, respectivamente. A diferença de luminosidade (L*) foi também crescente nos grupos CN, OB, U200 e MIN, respectivamente. Houve diferença significante entre os grupos MIN e CN, e entre os grupos MIN e U200 (p<0,05). O eixo amarelo-azul (b*) não apresentou alteração de cor significante (p>0,05). Uma alteração de cor significante no eixo vermelho-verde (a*) foi observada no grupo MIN em relação ao grupo CN (p<0,05). Portanto, conclui-se que a técnica foi fácil de ser implementada, ambos materiais reduziram a descoloração da coroa causada pela pasta de minociclina mas foram ineficazes em impedi-la completamente.

The Irwell. Story of an industrial river

This is the Irwell: Story of an industrial river document produced by the North West Water in 1979. This report is a leaflet format document. It focuses on the historical evolution of River Irwell, since it was “born” the river Irwell, about three hundred million years ago when shallow seas covered most of south east Lancashire and Europe to present years. It looks at Irwell’s pollution, highlighting the Irwell’s lower stretches were some of the region was the most polluted due to the population growth and establishment of industrial activities i.e. Lancashire’s great cotton industry, breach and dye works, paper mills, tanneries, chemical and gas works. Wastes from these industries were discharged directly to the river, together with crude sewage from an ever increasing population. However over the years the condition of the Irwell was gradually improved.

MDNR-NOAA trawl standardization study

Long-term living resource monitoring programs are commonly conducted globally to evaluate trends and impacts of environmental change and management actions. For example, the Woods Hole bottom trawl survey has been conducted since 1963 providing critical information on the biology and distribution of finfish and shellfish in the North Atlantic (Despres-Patango et al. 1988). Similarly in the Chesapeake Bay, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) Summer Blue Crab Trawl survey has been conducted continuously since 1977 providing management-relevant information on the abundance of this important commercial and recreational species. A key component of monitoring program design is standardization of methods over time to allow for a continuous, unbiased data set. However, complete standardization is not always possible where multiple vessels, captains, and crews are required to cover large geographic areas (Tyson et al. 2006). Of equal issue is technological advancement of gear which serves to increase capture efficiency or ease of use. Thus, to maintain consistency and facilitate interpretation of reported data in long-term datasets, it is imperative to understand and quantify the impacts of changes in gear and vessels on catch per unit of effort (CPUE). While vessel changes are inevitable due to ageing fleets and other factors, gear changes often reflect a decision to exploit technological advances. A prime example of this is the otter trawl, a common tool for fisheries monitoring and research worldwide. Historically, trawl nets were constructed of natural materials such as cotton and linen. However modern net construction consists of synthetic materials such as polyamide, polyester, polyethylene, and polypropylene (Nielson et. al. 1983). Over the past several decades, polyamide materials which will be referred to as nylon, has been a standard material used in otter trawl construction. These trawls are typically dipped into a latex coating for increased abrasion resistance, a process that is referred to as “green dipped.” More recently, polyethylene netting has become popular among living resource monitoring agencies. Polyethylene netting, commonly known as sapphire netting, consists of braided filaments that form a very durable material more resistant to abrasion than nylon. Additionally, sapphire netting allows for stronger knot strength during construction of the net further increasing the net’s durability and longevity. Also, sapphire absorbs less water with a specific gravity near 0.91 allowing the material to float as compared to nylon with specific gravity of 1.14 (Nielson et. al. 1983). This same property results in a light weight net which is more efficient in deployment, retrieval and fishing of the net, particularly when towing from small vessels. While there are many advantages to the sapphire netting, no comparative efficiency data is available for these two trawl net types. Traditional nylon netting has been used consistently for decades by the MDDNR to generate long term living resource data sets of great value. However, there is much interest in switching to the advanced materials. In addition, recent collaborative efforts between MDNR and NOAA’s Cooperative Oxford Laboratory (NOAA-COL) require using different vessels for trawling in support of joint projects. In order to continue collaborative programs, or change to more innovative netting materials, the influence of these changes must be demonstrated to be negligible or correction factors determined. Thus, the objective of this study was to examine the influence of trawl net type, vessel type, and their interaction on capture efficiency.

陆地棉组织培养及转化研究

1．以MS无机盐+B 5有机成分为基本培养基，附加2，4-D，KT，ZT等激素，以农艺性状良好，抗枯萎病的棉花品种“冀492”为材料，建立了愈伤组织诱导，体细胞胚胎发生和植株再生体系． 2．实验结果表明，2，4-D是诱导愈伤组织产生的促进因子，效果明显好于其它生长素类物质，但是随着培养基中2，4-D浓度的升高，愈伤组织状态也会变差，褐化严重，而且，附加O.lppm 2，4-D，O.lppm K T的培养基是较为合适的培养基．IAA，NAA对愈伤组织的诱导不十分理想，此外，愈伤组织的产生还同外植体，基因型和一些物理条件有关， 胚性愈伤组织的产生，需不断调节培养基中激素浓度，逐步降低2，4 -D浓度，并添加低浓度ZT，胚状体要在去除2，4-D的培养基上才能产生．虽然，2，4-D对于胚性愈伤组织的诱导是必须的，但是却抑制胚状体的发育． 3．培养基中硝态氮和氨态氮比例，激素浓度和种类，活性炭的添加，对于胚状体的萌发和成熟有重要影响，硝酸钾加倍，硝酸铵减半，并附加低浓度ABA和活性炭是胚状体诱导和成苗（去除ABA）的适宜培养基，而附加0.2ppm N A A，0.2ppm ZT和活性炭的M S2培养基是胚状体成熟的适宜培养基．通过对胚性愈伤组织的干燥处理，培养基中低浓度ABA和活性炭的添加，比较有效地抑制了畸形胚的产生，大大地提高了正常胚的比例． 4．对陆地棉“冀4 9 2”的下胚轴和子叶利用含Bt抗虫基因的根农杆菌(AgrobacterIIm tumefrens)进行了遗传转化研究，在筛选培养基上获得了大量生长旺盛的阳性愈伤组织，葡糖酸苷检测结果表明，大部分愈伤组织均有G us基因的表达． 5．通过花粉管通道法，进行了将含有Bt抗虫基因DNA的大肠杆菌质粒导入陆地棉“冀492”的实验，并收获了近1 0，000粒种子，为从大量种子中筛选出抗性种质材料，建立了卡那霉素田间初步筛选法． 6．利用活体压片和石蜡切片技术对体细胞胚胎发生过程和胚状体起源进行了观察，发现胚状体发生主要是通过类合子途径进行的，胚状体可能起源于单细胞． 7．通过对相同培养基上的非胚性愈伤组织，胚性愈伤组织和不同时期胚状体的可溶性蛋白SDS - PAGE电泳分析，发现16KD和50K D蛋白特异性地存在于胚性愈伤和各期胚状体中，该蛋白可作为胚性愈伤组织的筛选标记．对不同发育时期的愈伤组织进行了同工酶和可溶性蛋白的IE F/SD S-PA G E双向电泳分析，结果表明，不同发育时期的愈伤组织同工酶酶谱和可溶性蛋白电泳图谱之间具有较大的差别，分化前期的胚性愈伤组织酶的活性强，种类多，并且有新的蛋白斑点的出现，这些都可能与体细胞胚胎发生相关．

棉花抗虫基因工程研究

本文通过根农杆菌（Agrobacterium tumfaciens）介导法分别将Signal和KDEL修饰的豇豆胰蛋白酶抑制剂（Cowpea trypsin inhibitor, CpTI）基因、豌豆外源凝集素（Pea lectin, P-Lec）和大豆Kunitz型胰蛋白酶抑制剂（Soybean Kunitz typsin inhibitor, SKTI）双价抗虫基因、雪花莲外源凝集素（Galanthus nivals agglutinin, GNA）基因以及高效复合启动子OM控制的苏云金杆菌（Bacillus thuringiensis, B.t.）杀虫毒蛋白基因导入了陆地棉（Gossypium hirsutum L.）栽培品种新陆早1号、新陆中2号、晋棉7号、冀合321、辽9和晋棉12号，并获得了大批转基因再生植株。 实验中对影响棉花转化和再生的一些条件进行了研究，从根农杆菌培养、棉花无菌苗的制备、转化操作和共培养等方面对转化条件进行了探讨;从激素配化、植物表达载体、外植体类型、基因型等方面对抗性愈伤组织的诱导进行了摸索;从激素、从碳源、培养容器、pH值、抗褐化剂及固化剂的选择等方面对影响植株再生的条件进行了优化。 本文开创性地采用嫁接代替移栽，从而极大地提高了转化植株定植成活率，缩短了缓苗时间并增加了转化植株当代的繁殖系数。 在建立了一套较为高效的陆地棉转化及再生系统基础上，本文还进行了其它转化方式和转化体系的初步探讨。利用棉花幼嫩种子无菌苗下胚轴作为外植体，通过改变愈伤组织诱导培养基配方面提高胚性愈伤组织的诱导频率，进而得到更多的体细胞胚状和再生植株，缩短再生周期;尝试用胚性愈伤组织作为外植体的根农杆菌介导法转化，确定了一些与转化有关的条件;建立了一套棉花茎尖培养程序，为运用基因枪法轰击棉花茎尖分生组织或用根农杆菌直接转化茎尖分生组织，以克服根农杆菌转化棉花时体胚发生的基因型局限开辟了一条新途径。 本文还建立了一种快速鉴定转化植株后代的方法。这一简便方法还有助于进行转基因棉纯合系的筛选以及外源基因的遗传稳定性研究。 转基因植株经Npt-II ELISA、PCR、PCR Southern 检测证明外源抗虫基因CpTI、SKTI、P-lec、GNA以及B.t.基因已存在于转化植株基因组内。修饰的CpTI转基因植株抗棉铃虫（Heliothis armigera Hubner）试验结果表明，其杀虫效果显著优于前期未修饰的CpTI转化植株。P－lec和SKTI双价转基因植株抗棉铃虫试验结果表明，转基因植株对棉铃虫幼虫具有较强的杀虫活力。 目前，已获得转以上抗虫基因棉花T1代植株。为今后进一步将植物基因工程技术应用于棉花遗传改良打下了基础。

花粉管通道遗传转化方法的新证据

将pBIN35S-mGFP4质粒转入受体菌DH5α中，扩繁后提取纯化质粒DNA，待棉花盛花期时，用花粉管通道转化方法将其注射到授粉24小时左右的子房中。在被检测的950个发育10～20天左右的幼胚中，发现七个幼胚在蓝光(460～490nm)激发下发出绿色荧光，而对照发出程度不同的红色荧光。将收获的“转化种子”浸泡萌发得到生长5～6天的黄化无菌苗，在200粒种子来源的无菌苗中，检出两棵转化植株。在紫外光照射灯下转化植株发出绿色荧光，其叶片和下胚轴横切面在蓝光激发下也与对照明显不同。PCR及Southern blotting结果均证实转化植株的真实性，从而为花粉管通道转化方法的可行性提供了直接可靠的细胞及分子生物学证据。 将GFPmut1质粒的gfp通过一端平接一端粘接后重组到pBI121的BamH1和Sal1限制性酶切位点从而代替GUS基因，然后将新的重组质粒用三亲交配法转入到LBA4404菌株中得到双元载体，用于棉花下胚轴切段的转化。结果表明，gfp象gus一样可作为报告基因用于农杆菌介导的棉花转化。在对筛选培养基上生长的“抗性愈伤”进一步进行报告基因检测时，只需手持紫外灯就可以检出GFP阳性愈伤，大大减少了工作量和试验费用。 另外，在进行农杆菌转化前的棉花卡那霉素敏感性实验中发现，卡那霉素对棉花下胚轴的愈伤组织形成和增殖均有明显的抑制作用，随其浓度的增加，愈伤组织形成的频率降低，增殖的倍数减小;当浓度增加到100mg/L时，愈伤组织严重褐化，其正常生长受到完全抑制;下胚轴形态学上端切段较下端更易受卡那霉素的影响。

陆地棉抗虫基因工程研究

以陆地棉（Gossypium hirsutum L.）栽培品种新陆早4号、系550、冀资492、衡无89-30、邯93-2、冀资123等为材料，进行了组织培养及植株再生研究，建立了一套陆地棉体细胞植株再生速成体系。通过调整激素种类与比例以及改善培养条件，降低了畸形胚发生频率（从80%降为41%），并可将畸形苗转化为正常苗（转化率约为78%）;通过水培和嫁接，结合试管扦插、扩繁技术，解决了棉花生根及移栽难题，为农杆菌介导法转化棉花奠定了基础。 用绿色荧光蛋白基因（gfp）作为报告基因，构建了pBGb1m（含Bt和gfp二价基因）、pBGbf（含Bt-gfp融合基因）和pBGbfg（含Bt-gfp融合基因和gna基因）等三种植物表达载体。通过农杆菌介导法转化烟草，转基因再生植株经过荧光、虫试、PCR、Southern blot和Western blot等检测，表明三种植物表达载体能够在转基因植物中有效表达，同时，绿色荧光蛋白（GFP）的检测表现出了简便、经济、快速、可靠等优点，为大量棉花转基因苗的检测提供了一种有效方法。 采用花粉管通道法将携带细胞间隙定位信号肽的Bt基因的pBin438-S1m质粒导入棉花品种冀资492，经过田间卡那霉素筛选、虫试、PCR、PCR-Southern blot和Southern blot检测，证明Bt基因已整合至棉花基因组中，而且可能是以单拷贝形式插入。 同时，通过农杆菌介导法将三种植物表达载体（pBGb1m、pBGbf和pBGbfg）转化陆地棉栽培品种新陆早4号、冀资492、衡无89-30和邯93-2等材料，获得了大量转化再生棉株。经过PCR和PCR-Southern blot检测，转基因阳性植株为转为再生植株总数的89.45%。目前，虫试、Southern blot及Western blot正在进行之中。

棉花抗黄萎病基因工程研究和防卫反应相关基因的克隆

系统获得性抗性(Systematic acquired resistance, SAR)是植物抵御病原菌侵染的最有效手段，利用基因工程技术导入SAR信号发生过程中的关键基因后，植物的SAR基因表达量提高并且对病原菌侵染的反应速度加快，因此植物的抗病性得以增强，与传统的抗病基因工程技术相比它对病原菌没有专一性，许多学者称之为广谱抗病基因工程，该领域已成为目前抗病基因工程研究的热点和前沿。 NDR1和NPR1基因在植物的SAR发生中起着重要的作用，前者功能定位在ROS(reactive oxygen species)的激活和随后的水杨酸(SA)诱导合成之间，突变株病原菌诱导后SA合成能力降低，SAR发生减弱，目前还没有对该基因进行过量表达分析的报道;后者功能定位在SAR信号转导级联反应之中的SA积累和随后的SAR基因表达之间。该突变株在病原菌侵染时不产生病程相关蛋白(PRs)，表现为感病，而对照抗病;过量表达该基因的转基因拟南芥对多种病原菌的侵染产生抗性，PR1等PRs蛋白的表达量也提高，异源表达该基因的水稻对白叶枯病的抗性也提高。本研究利用RT-PCR方法从拟南芥中克隆了这两种基因，序列分析表明拟南芥Wassilewskija生态型的NDR1基因与Columbia生态型相比，共有7处碱基不同，引起编码氨基酸变化4处，而NPR1基因与报道的Wassilewskija生态型来源的NPR1基因完全相同。 我们构建了35S启动子驱动的NDR1和NPR1基因的植物组成型高效表达载体，利用农杆菌介导法转化烟草，PCR和Southern鉴定外源基因已经整合到植物基因组中。抗病性分析显示过量表达NDR1和NPR1基因的烟草对晚疫病和赤星病的抗性都有明显提高，说明这两个基因的在其它植物中异源表达后，都能提高植物对多种病原菌的抗性。 本论文提出了利用这两个基因来培育抗黄萎病棉花的设想，一方面为解决这个“世纪性”难题积累新的资料，另一方面也为其它作物的抗病基因工程提供新的经验。利用35S启动子驱动的NDR1和NPR1基因的植物组成型表达载体分别对陆地棉品种石远321进行花粉管通道法转化。同时，还探讨了这两个基因在棉花中的共转化实验，希望它们的“协同增效”能进一步提高棉花的抗病性。对其中2001年夏天在南京注射所获得的5,000粒种子在三亚进行100 g/ml卡那霉素筛选，初步鉴定分别获得转NDR1和NPR1基因株系26和24棵，PCR进一步鉴定其中分别有12和7棵为转基因阳性，转基因频率分别为0.50％和0.27％，目前利用营养钵蘸根法对其二代进行抗枯、黄萎病鉴定，结果显示有转基因植株对枯、黄萎病的抗性都明显增强，进一步的鉴定正在进行中。2002年初海南注射分别获得转NDR1和NPR1基因以及共转化种子22,000、10,500和12,500粒种子，2002年夏在中国农科院植保所黄萎菌病圃筛选抗黄萎病单株，并利用100 g/ml卡那霉素初步筛选出了一批抗性植株，每种转基因株系随机挑选5株进行PCR鉴定，结果显示为阳性。进一步的抗黄萎病鉴定和筛选以及分子分析正在进行中。 同时，本文还探讨了病原菌诱导型启动子在广谱抗病基因工程应用的可能性。根据烟草的Pr1-a启动子已知序列设计引物，PCR扩增启动子序列后,构建病原菌诱导型NPR1基因植物表达载体，并对棉花进行转化，获得种子11,500粒，利用同上的筛选方法，获得了一致的结果，目前抗黄萎病鉴定、分子检测以及生物学分析正在进行中。 最后，鉴于抗生素标记在转基因植物的应用引起了许多“安全性”争论的事实，还构建了无筛选标记的表达载体对抗虫棉进行转化，这样在生产上可以直接获得抗虫棉抗黄萎病棉花新材料，也为其它作物抗病基因工程积累经验。 本研究还提出了一种较为有效的提取高质量棉花总RNA的方法，与原来一些棉花RNA纯化方法相比，该方法所用都为常规试剂，易于重复，质量高。并且利用获得的总RNA构建了黄萎菌激发子诱导的cDNA文库，滴度测定为1╳107pfμ/μg，插入片段大小在5 00~2 000 bp范围内。 鉴于NPR1基因研究的重要性，本研究还利用简并引物PCR技术从海岛棉和陆地棉的基因组中都分离到了NPR1基因的同源片段，大小都为208 bp，与拟南芥NPR1基因的相应部分的同源性分别为66％和65％，它们之间的同源性为87％，目前该基因的全长正在分离鉴定中。 多聚半乳糖醛酸酶抑制蛋白(PGIPs)在植物的防御反应中起着重要的作用，通过分析已知20余种pgip基因序列的保守区，设计简并引物，PCR扩增海岛棉（Gossypium barbadense）7124 cDNA文库，得到一条长561 bp的片段，序列测定后分析确认为pgip基因的一部分。根据此序列和棉花病原菌诱导的cDNA文库载体中已知部分设计RACE引物，扩增后，5’和3’RACE分别得到666bp和906 bp的片段。序列分析表明它具有完整的编码框，产物为330 aa的蛋白质。序列分析该蛋白具有10个串联的LRR(leucine-rich repeat)区，与柑桔(Citrus)和枳(Poncirus)的pgip基因的同源性分别为69.2%和68.7%。进一步PCR扩增得到该基因的全长阅读框，并且获得了相应的基因组片段，序列分析发现该基因没有内含子。这是从棉属植物中克隆的第一个pgip基因。

生物安全信息建设和转基因棉花根际土壤微生物的分子生态学初探

第一部分：生物安全信息的建设 生物安全( biosafety)是指经过遗传修饰的生物释放到自然界以后对人类健康和生态环境的影响。随着生物技术的发展，转基因生物的大量涌现，其安全性问题越来越引起人们的关注。本文主要介绍了作者在生物安全信息建设的一些工作，建立了生物安全主页和生物安全文献数据库。对主页和数据库的结构和主要内容进行了详细介绍，生物安全主页介绍了全球转基因生物的发展情况，由此带来的一些潜在风险，国内外对生物安全管理的法规和管理机制，以及对风险评估的技术准则和风险的评价指标体系。生物安全文献数据库收录了600多篇有关的文献。 第二部分：转基因棉花根际土壤微生物分子生态学初探 应用分子生物学方法对转基因棉花和对照非转基因棉花根际土壤微生物的多样性进行了一个生长季的跟踪研究，直接从土壤中提取微生物的总DNA，用PCR方法扩增出原核生物核糖体小亚基16S基因和真核生物ITS片段，并对它们进行了克隆和序列测定，共获得80条16S基因全序列和50条ITS段序列，经过分析它们分别属于7个大类的原核微生物和5个大类的真核生物共计33个属。其中，有44个克隆是传统方法所不能分析的不能被培养的微生物种类。应用邻近法分别绘制了系统关系树状图。 这是首次应用全序列分析的方法研究棉花根际土壤微生物的种类组成。为国际核酸序列数据库贡献130条核酸序列，其中有50条是16S rDNA的全序列。在最后对分子生物学方法在微生物生态学中的应用进行了简短讨论。

Ⅰ濒危植物银杉幼树对生长光强的适应研究、Ⅱ滴灌棉田根区水分对棉花根系生长的调节研究

一． 濒危植物银杉幼树对生长光强的适应研究 银杉（Cathaya argyrophylla）是我国松科中的特有单种属植物，被认为处于濒危状态。在对银杉群落多年调查研究的基础上，针对银杉幼树生长过程对光强的需求特性，开展了银杉幼树对光的适应性研究。试验在人工培育的银杉苗圃地，采用遮荫的方法，设置不同的光环境处理（100%、45%和3%自然光强），利用气体交换技术和叶绿素荧光技术测定了3种光强下银杉叶片光合生理指标的变化，探讨了不同光环境下银杉幼树光合能力在不同季节的变化及对生长光强的响应等。结果表明，在夏季银杉生长旺盛时期，遮荫导致叶片最大光合速率（Pnmax）、羧化效率(CE)明显下降。不同叶龄叶片的下降幅度不同，在3%低光环境下，当年生叶片较1年生叶片降低幅度大。银杉幼树光补偿点(LCP)和光饱和点(L．SP)随生长光强的下降均有所降低，但低光强（3%自然光强）条件下，全晴天时实际的光辐射量高于当年生叶片光补偿点的累积时间约6h，而且距离光饱和的区域相差极大，造成全天碳同化量低，同化物累积少，严重影响了银杉幼树的正常生长：在不同处理中全光强条件下银杉幼树长势最好，45%光强条件下幼树生长减慢。冬季银杉最大光合速率（Pnmax）、羧化效率(CE)值均低于夏季，光补偿点(LCP)和光饱和点(L．SP)也较夏季降低。全光照条件下无论是当年生叶片和1年生叶片，在冬季均出现了轻微光抑制现象，适度遮荫有利于银杉抵御冬季光抑制。无论在遮荫或不遮荫条件下，冬季银杉叶片将所吸收的相对过多光能通过非辐射途经耗散出去，表现出一种光保护策略。 二．滴灌棉田根区水分对棉花根系生长的调节研究 为了探讨膜下滴灌棉花根区土壤水分对棉花根系生长的影响及地上部的关系，揭示膜下滴灌棉花节水高产的生理机理，本试验通过设置不同滴水量处理，控制根区水分供应，研究膜下滴灌棉花根区水分变化对根系生长的调节效应。结果表明，限量滴灌条件下0-40cm土层内相对田间持水率在每次滴水前下降到50%以下，难以满足棉花正常生长对水分的要求;常规滴灌在每次滴水前，根区水分保持在临界水平下限以上，可基本满足棉花根系正常生长的需要，而充分滴灌量处理根区水分偏多。水分对根系生物量的影响表现为，充分滴灌与常规滴灌处理根系生物量差异不显著，两者均显著高于限量滴灌处理。随滴水量的增加，土层中根系分布集中，土壤浅层根量所占比重增加;根系在水平方向上以棉株为中心10cm区域内根量约占总根量的80%以上。根区水分对棉株生理特性也具有一定的调节作用，常规滴灌量的根系活力在生育后期高于充分滴灌量和限量滴灌处理，且深层根系活力所占比例较高。根区水分能够调节棉花根系与地上部生长比例，限量滴灌条件下棉花受到严重的干旱胁迫，虽然根冠比升高，但根系及地上部生物量均明显降低;充分滴灌量条件下单位面积根系总量、总生物学产量在各生育时期均高于常规滴灌量和限量滴灌处理，有较高铃数，但营养器官生物量占总生物量的比例较常规滴灌量处理高，最终实收棉花产量较常规滴灌量处理的低;常规滴灌在各生育时期根冠比适宜，单位重量根系的生产力较高，棉花经济产量高和水分利用效率均较高，增产潜力大。

Recent advances in our knowledge of the biology and conservation of mahseers

Mahseers (Tor khudree), at one time considered to be of single species, are now represented by 6 valid species distributed all over India. Studies on their food habits, ecology of spawning grounds, eggs, larval development and especially methods of artificial propagation have advanced in recent years. Transport of eggs of Tor khudree by air in moist cotton has been possible for easy distribution. Breeding of T. khudree not only by hypophysation, but even without it in small ponds by manipulation of flow of water, exercise and feed has also been possible. Fry and fingerlings of T. khudree are being distributed to many of the states in the country to help conserve the species.

Trends in development in the prawn fishing technique in India: a review

The paper provides some background information about the developments in the prawn fishing technique. The important indigenous gear for prawns are the filtering type nets like the stake nets, boat seines and beach seines with bag. The only indigenous net, which can be compared in design with the modern bottom trawling gear, is the "Thuri Valai" of the Madras Coast. Prawns have also been reported from the catches of gill nets and cast nets. Dredges and beam trawls are simplest among the dragged gear. Even though several earlier attempts were made with the beam trawl, in 1959 season a detailed experiment was made to study the fishing features of this gear. The subsequent experiments conducted were for comparison with otter trawl, towing of 2 beam trawls one behind the other and the use of tickler chain. The initial experiments with otter trawls were mainly directed towards operational aspects. The experiments were to evaluate the effectiveness of fully mechanised and partially mechanised operation, the effect of extra buoyancy of floats and the use of tickler chain. Subsequent developments had been on the structure and design of prawn trawling gear. Effect of long wings and sweeps were tested. Catches of nylon and cotton nets were compared. The sizes of meshes of the cod-end have also been increased.

Experiments on preservation and weathering of net twines

Koura (1963) reporting the results of the comparative studies on different preservation methods of cotton twines stated that "by the difference of rotting in the different waters, not ever one method may be the most economical one". The observations were simultaneously made at Alexandria in Egypt in the sub-tropical region and Cuxhaven in the estuary of the River Elbe in the temperate zone. The course of weathering and effect of immersion in water of man-made fibres have also been mentioned in this communication. Subsequently work on similar lines were extended to Cochin in the tropical region with Cuxhaven and Hamburg as the other places of observation and the results of these studies are presented in this paper.

Growth and survival of Clarias batrachus (Lin.) larvae fed on formulated diets

An experiment was conducted for a period of 28 days using 7-day old C. batrachus larvae of initial total length (±S.D.) of 7.4 ± 0.49 mm and weight (±S.D.) of 2.8 ± 0.75 mg. Five test diets viz. diets I, II, III, IV and V were prepared. Diet I was formulated using 30% fish meal (FM), 20% soybean meal (SM) and 20% Baker's yeast (BY), diet III using 15% FM, 20% SM, 15% cotton seed meal and 30% BY and diet IV using 20% FM, 30% BY and 30% powdered milk. The remaining two diets (diets II and V) were prepared using minced clam meat (96%) and BY (90%) respectively as the sole source of protein. Three replications were used for each treatment. The larvae fed on diet II exhibited significantly (P<0.05) better length gain and specific growth rate (SGR) than those of the larvae fed on diet III and there was no significant difference among the length gain and SGR of the larvae fed on diet I,II,IV and V. The larvae fed on diet II also showed significantly better weight gain and survival than those of the larvae fed on other diets. There was no significant difference between the condition factor of the larvae fed on diet II and IV. However, the larvae fed on diet II showed better condition factor than those of the larvae fed on other diets.