Effect of tea-polyphenols on the activation of NF-κB and the expression of TGF-β1 mRNA in THP-1 cells incubated with VLDL,LDL or ox-LDL

AIM:To investigate the effect of tea-polyphenols (TP) on the activation of NF-κB and the expression of TGF-β₁ mRNA in THP-1 cells (a human acute monocytic leukemia cell line). METHODS:THP-1 cells were incubated with the different concentrations of TP, VLDL, LDL or ox-LDL. In the THP-1 cellls, the nuclear malposition rate of NF-κB was detected with immunohistochemistry technique, the positive index of the TGF-β₁ mRNA expression was detected by hybridization in situ, and accumulation of total cholesterol (TC) in cells incubated with 0.4-40 μg/L TP was determined with oxidase assay. RESULTS:The nuclear malposition rate of NF-κB, the positive index of the TGF-β₁ mRNA expression and TC in THP-1 cells incubated with 0.4-40 μg/L of TP were lower than those with 0 μg/L of TP in TP-V group, TP-L group and TP-O (P＜0.05). The differences of these markers in THP-1 cells incubated with more than 40 μg/L TP in TP-V group, TP-L group and TP-O were not statistically significant, compared with TP-C group (P＞0.05). CONCLUSION:TP inhibited the activation of NF-κB, the expression of TGF-β₁ mRNA and the foam cell formation in the mono-macrophage.     

Predicting the spatial distribution of ground flora on large domains using a hierarchical Bayesian model

Accomodation of important sources of uncertainty in ecological models is essential to realistically predicting ecological processes. The purpose of this project is to develop a robust methodology for modeling natural processes on a landscape while accounting for the variability in a process by utilizing environmental and spatial random effects. A hierarchical Bayesian framework has allowed the simultaneous integration of these effects. This framework naturally assumes variables to be random and the posterior distribution of the model provides probabilistic information about the process. Two species in the genus Desmodium were used as examples to illustrate the utility of the model in Southeast Missouri, USA. In addition, two validation techniques were applied to evaluate the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the predictions.This revised version was published online in May 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Characteristics for Practical Use of Attenuated Isolate UA-Fukushima of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tomato mosaic virus</Emphasis>

L₁₁A-Fukushima (L₁₁A-F) derived from attenuated isolate LuA of Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) has the highest ability to cross protect against virulent ToMV among LuA and its derivatives and is stably inherited. Growth, yield, fruit quality and symptom attenuation of inoculated tomato plants did not differ significantly between L₁₁A-F and L₁₁A. The infectivity of progeny viruses in tomato infected with LuA-F was less than 4% of that with virulent ToMV. From these results, L₁₁A-F appears to possess the properties necessary for practical use. To manage L₁₁A-F strictly, a PCR-based assay to detect trace contamination of virulent ToMV in L₁₁A-F preparations was established. Received 10 June 2002/ Accepted in revised form 30 October 2002     

Engineering of a Single Chain Variable Fragment Antibody Specific for the Citrus tristeza virus and its Expression in Escherichia coli and Nicotiana tabacum

Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) is one of the most destructive citrus virus diseases in the world. The construction of an engineered antibody, EMBL accession number AJ278109, able to specifically recognize its antigen, i.e. the coat protein of CTV, directly on infected plant material without any purification or manipulation of the entire woody plant. The potential uses of this engineered antibody are discussed.     

Growth and development of Cuscuta chinensis Lam. and its impact on selected crops

The growth and development of Cuscuta chinensis Lam., and the effects of the holoparasite on the growth and yield of tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum ), chilli ( Capsicum annuum ) and rice ( Oryza sativa ) were investigated in pot experiments under glasshouse conditions. 'Mature' and 'immature' seeds of C. chinensis showed 15 and 47% germination, respectively. The independent life duration of seedlings from 'immature' seeds was 6 days shorter than 'mature' seeds (19 days). Cuscuta chinensis formed haustoria on chilli and tomato, but not on rice seedlings. Infection with three C. chinensis seedlings per host plant reduced leaf area, dry weight, carbon and nitrogen content by 78–84% and 27–44% in tomato and chilli plants, respectively. Dry weight of C. chinensis was 0.63 g per pot in tomato, and 0.24 g per pot in chilli. Carbon and nitrogen content of C. chinensis was 0.189 and 0.028 g per pot, respectively, when grown with tomato. When it was grown with chilli, the carbon and nitrogen content of C. chinensis was 0.001 and 0.007 g per pot, respectively. Cuscuta chinensis reduced the fruit yield of tomato and chilli by 72 and 29%, respectively. The results indicated that tomato is a preferred host of C. chinensis compared with chilli, and rice is not preferred. In the host–parasite associations, C. chinensis suppressed growth and yield of chilli and tomato by diverting the elaborated products of metabolism of the hosts.     

Effects of aqueous extracts and decomposition of Mikania micrantha H.B.K. debris on selected agronomic crops

Laboratory and greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine the effects of aqueous extract and the debris of Mile-a-Minute ( Mikania micrantha H.B.K.) on the germination and growth of four test species, viz. tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), Chinese cabbage ( Brassica chinensis L.), corn ( Zea mays L.) and long bean ( Vigna sesquipedalis L.). Germination percentage, radicle length and fresh weight of two crops, Chinese cabbage and tomato, decreased progressively when plants were exposed to increasing concentrations (12.5, 25, 37.5 and 50 g L⁻¹) of aqueous extract of Mikania , but did not affect those of corn and long bean seedlings. The emergence of tomato and Chinese cabbage was greatly reduced when Mikania debris was incorporated into the soil, irrespective of the amount of debris and the decomposition period. In contrast, the emergence of corn and long bean seedlings was not affected. The application of fertilizer (NPK 15 : 15 : 15) enhanced the fresh weight of all seedlings tested as compared with those not supplied with the fertilizer. Four compounds were identified in the leaf extract of Mikania , viz. caffeic acid, p -hydroxybenzaldehyde, resorcinol and vanillic acid.     

Effects of weed control practices on surface-dwelling arthropod predators in tomato agroecosystems

Weed control, an important practice in agroecosystems to protect crop production, is usually achieved with herbicides. However, these pesticides are expensive, pose potential risks to the environment, may affect some beneficial organisms indirectly, and decrease overall arthropod biodiversity, including pests and their natural enemies, by removing weeds that might act as hosts or shelters for many organisms. The activity density response of important surface-dwelling arthropod predators (ground beetles [Coleoptera: Carabidae], ants [Hymenoptera: Formicidae] and spiders [Arachnida: Araneae]) to herbicides (trifluralin and paraquat), and to two alternative weed management practices (rye straw mulch and mechanical treatment to maintain weeds below threshold levels, in comparison with an untreated check), was assessed using pitfall traps. The mulch treatment had the greatest effect on activity density, reducing the number of predators trapped significantly (P<0.05). Herbicide use resulted in significant (P<0.05) reductions in the activity density of ground beetles. Most predators were trapped in the check plots — which had the highest weed biomass, followed in turn by numbers trapped in the threshold weed control treatment, the full herbicide application and the mulch treatment plots. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting July 10, 2002.     

新疆棉区转Bt基因棉对棉田主要害虫及其天敌种群数量的影响

20 0 0～ 2 0 0 1年 ,在新疆棉区系统地研究了转Bt基因棉田主要害虫及其天敌的发生规律。结果表明 :转Bt基因棉对棉铃虫有良好的控制作用 ,发生高峰期百株落卵量和百株幼虫数量都显著低于常规对照 ,转Bt自控田和转Bt化防田棉蚜和棉盲蝽发生数量则显著高于常规棉对照田。在天敌方面 ,转Bt自控田和转Bt化防田较常规棉对照田 ,丽草蛉种群数量有所增加 ,而小花蝽和黑食蚜盲蝽等 5种捕食性和几种寄生性天敌数量都有所下降。转Bt基因棉田棉蚜和棉盲蝽等刺吸性害虫发生数量加重而多种天敌数量减少的趋势值得引起重视。鉴于新疆地区棉铃虫发生数量较低目前无需专门防治的特点 ,作者建议 :可以考虑推广农艺性状较好的常规棉品种并保护天敌 ,以达到控制害虫、丰产丰收的目的。     

转基因食品的检测方法

目前，世界各国对转基因食品的检测主要从外源DNA和蛋白两种生物大分子入手，所广泛采用的方法有聚合酶链式反应（PCR）、生物芯片技术（Biochips)、酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）和侧流技术（Lateral Flow)。本文综述了各种方法的原理以及这些方法用于检测转基因食品时的优缺点。