Infection of the Anther-smut Microbotryum violaceum in Populations of Silene dioica: Variation in Floral Morphology, Patterns of Spore Deposition and Pathogen-Pollinator Mediated Selection

The anther-smut Microbotryum violaceum ( Brandenburger and Schvinn) G. Deml. and Oberw.) causes a systematic infection of its host Silene dioica ( L.) Clairv., resulting in sterility and production of teliospores (dispersal propagules) in flowers. These spores are transmitted to healthy plants mainly by flower visitors. The behavioral responses of flower visitors to a variation in floral characters are not only likely to affect rates of pollen export/import, but also the rate of spore deposition and probability of disease. In a transplantation experiment, using plants from four different populations, we tested for correlation between variation in female floral morphology and patterns of spore and pollen deposition, and a resulting risk of disease. The source populations in this experiment were located on four islands in Skeppsvik archipelago in northern Sweden, and represented a gradient of disease incidence from completely healthy ( Island 1), low incidence ( Island 2) to high incidences ( Islands 3 and 4) of disease. Fifty plants from each population were transplanted to the center, of the population on Island 4. There were significant differences among the transplants in floral characters, i.e. corolla size, style length and ovule number. Plants from the non-diseased population had larger flowers and longer styles than plants from the highly diseased populations. Numbers of pollen grains and spores deposited on flowers were strongly and positively correlated. We found that plants originating from the non-diseased population captured approximately 4 times more pollen and 9 times more spores, per flower than die individuals from the resident population (Island 4, population 4). The incidences of disease among plants, from the four populations differed significantly, and was 37%, 20%, 18% and 0 for populations 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. In a survey of ten populations we found a significant negative correlation between the mean style length ( positively correlated with corolla size and ovule number) among healthy plants and incidence of disease in these populations. The potentiality for pathogen-pollinator mediated selection oil floral characters; and consequences for gone flow between populations of Silene dioica are discussed.

Comparison of T-2 Toxin and HT-2 Toxin Distributed in the Skeletal System with That in Other Tissues of Rats by Acute Toxicity Test

Twelve healthy rats were divided into the T-2 toxin group receiving gavage of 1 mg/kg T-2 toxin and the control group receiving gavage of normal saline. Total relative concentrations of T-2 toxin and HT-2 toxin in the skeletal system（thighbone, knee joints, and costal cartilage） were significantly higher than those in the heart, liver, and kidneys（P 〈 0.05）. The relative concentrations of T-2 toxin and HT-2 toxin in the skeletal system（thighbone and costal cartilage） were also significantly higher than those in the heart, liver, and kidneys. The rats administered T-2 toxin showed rapid metabolism compared with that in rats administered HT-2 toxin, and the metabolic conversion rates in the different tissues were 68.20%-90.70%.

发酵黑麦糠对右旋葡聚糖硫酸钠诱导的小鼠结肠炎的保护作用

背景:溃疡性结肠炎是一种病因和发病机制尚不明确的结肠黏膜和黏膜下层慢性炎症。体内外试实验表明,发酵黑麦糠可抑制幽门螺杆菌(H.pylori)对胃黏膜的黏附作用,从而保护小鼠免受H.pylori感染。目的:明确发酵黑麦糠是否对右旋葡聚糖硫酸钠(DSS)诱导的小鼠结肠炎有保护作用。方法:以3.5%DSS诱导小鼠产生结肠炎,部分小鼠同时加用发酵黑麦糠,观察结肠炎小鼠的临床表现(体重下降情况、直肠出血情况和有无腹泻)和结肠黏膜的组织学改变。结果:DSS+发酵黑麦糠组小鼠结肠炎起病晚、症状轻,在观察期内无一例出现腹泻;组织学检查和评分结果亦显示该组小鼠结肠黏膜炎症较DSS组轻。结论:发酵黑麦糠对DSS诱导的小鼠结肠炎有保护作用,其具体作用机制尚有待进一步明确。

Secretion of Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor Type 1 by Cultured Ovarian Cells Obtained From Gonadotropin-treated Immature Rats

It is demonstrated that i) theca-interstitial compartment synthesizes the majority ofplasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) in the ovary before ovulation,and the follicular wall maytherefore serve as a specific barrier with the presence of PAI-1 activity to prevent the secretion of tPA intothe extrafollicular compartments;ii) granulosa cells secrete only a small amount of ovarian PAI-1,butsynthesize the most of tissue-type plasminogen activator tPA involved in the processes leading to ovula-tion;iii) since only matured cumulus-oocyte complexes secrete a large amount of tPA and PAI-1,bothtPA and PAI-1 activity in the conditioned medium may be used as reliable markers for evaluating oocytequality for in vitro fertilization.

Scientific challenges and instrumentation for the International Meridian Circle Program

Earth’s ecosystems and human activities are threatened by a broad spectrum of hazards of major importance for the safety of ground infrastructures,space systems and space flight:solar activity,earthquakes,atmospheric and climatic disturbances,changes in the geomagnetic field,fluctuations of the global electric circuit.Monitoring and understanding these major hazards to better predict and mitigate their effects is one of the greatest scientific and operational challenges of the 21st century.Though diverse,these hazards share one feature in common:they all leave their characteristic imprints on a critical layer of the Earth’s environment:its ionosphere,middle and upper atmosphere(IMUA).The objective of the International Meridian Circle Program(IMCP),a major international program led by the Chines Academy of Sciences(CAS),is to deploy,integrate and operate a global network of research and monitoring instruments to use the IMUA as a screen on which to detect these imprints.In this article,we first show that the geometry required for the IMCP global observation system leads to a deployment of instruments in priority along the 120°E-60°W great meridian circle,which will cover in an optimal way both the dominant geographic and geomagnetic latitude variations,possibly complemented by a second Great Circle along the 30°E-150°W meridians to capture longitude variations.Then,starting from the Chinese Meridian Project(CMP)network and using it as a template,we give a preliminary and promising description of the instruments to be integrated and deployed along the 120°E-60°W great circle running across China,Australia and the Americas.

The status of Eustachian tube balloon dilations in Nordic countries

There is no unanimous consensus for indications of eustachian tube balloon dilation(ETBD).Nordic countries have relatively similar hospital organizations and treatment guidelines.Therefore,it was logical to organize a consensus meeting of ETBD.The symposium:Nordic Experiences on Eustachian Tube Balloon Dilation,in Copenhagen,30-31 March,2017.The panellists from Denmark,Finland,Norway and Sweden and the attendees of the meeting agreed a consensus on the following issues:Candidates,Definition of Eustachian Tube Dysfunction,Diagnostic Work up,Differential Diagnosis,Contraindications,ETBD Procedure,Complications,Follow-up,and Outcomes.The article also presents the status for ETBD in each of these countries.Thereafter the consensus statement has been discussed in the national societies and meetings for ear surgeons in each of these countries.It can be assumed that surgeons in the hospitals of these Nordic countries generally follow the recommendations from the consensus meeting.