Role of the α subunit of nicotonic acetylcholine receptor in the selective action of imidacloprid

Examination of agonist interactions of imidacloprid on recombinant chicken α4β2 and Drosophila SAD/Chicken β2 hybrid receptors, expressed in Xenopus oocytes by nuclear injection of the cDNAs, indicates that imidacloprid is a partial agonist. Replacement of the α4 subunit for the Drosophila SAD subunit lowered the imidacloprid EC₅₀ 37-fold, whereas EC₅₀s for other agonists increased 4-50 fold, suggesting that the α subunit contributes to the high affinity of insect nicotonic receptors for imidacloprid. ©1999 Society of Chemical Industry     

Approaches to refining pesticide risk assessments – the spatial estimation of potential leaching risk

A Geographic Information System (GIS) has been combined with a simple leaching model to characterize the factors that influence pesticide leaching, and to identify the spatial distribution of these factors. The results were compared with those of a conventional simulation modeling approach, and a strong correlation was found for 40 selected sites in central and eastern USA. ©1999 Society of Chemical Industry     

Nematodes and Plant Health: Legislation and Sampling Strategies in Decision Making for Nematode Management

UK plant health measures are based principally on the Plant Health (Great Britain) Order 1993 and the similar Order covering forestry pests, both implementing EU Directive 77/93/EEC, as amended. Nematode species of quarantine status are Aphelenchoides besseyi, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, Ditylenchus destructor, D. dipsaci, Globodera pallida, G. rostochiensis, Longidorus diadecturus, Nacobbus aberrans, Rhadopholus similis, Xiphinema americanum sensu lato (non-European populations), and X. californicum. Soils are tested for freedom from Globodera spp. and virus vector nematodes under certain certification schemes and where necessary, for export crops. EU Marketing schemes require visual freedom from quality-affecting nematodes. Soil samples normally comprise 500 g of soil from 100 cores per 4 ha (or less).     

Long-term alternative dairy manure management approaches enhance microbial biomass and activity in perennial forage grass

Removing solids from liquid dairy manure slurry reduces manure phosphorus (P) and increases the available (mineral) fraction of nitrogen (N) but also decreases the organic matter content of the manure. While this novel treatment reduces environmental concerns associated with excess N and P application to soils, it may also reduce microbial biomass and activity in soil. This study evaluated the long-term effects of this alternative manure treatment compared to more typical nutrient applications in a perennial grass sward (tall fescue, Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) on soil microbial biomass, community composition, hydrolytic enzyme activity, and forage yield. Nutrient treatments for this long-term field experiment in Agassiz, British Columbia, Canada were started in 2003. The treatments included liquid dairy manure slurry, liquid dairy manure with solids removed, commercial fertilizer, a combination of fertilizer and dairy manure, and a control. All treatments were applied at 400–600 kg total N ha^?1 year^?1 in four equal doses. Soil microbial community composition (phospholipid fatty acid analysis) and activity (hydrolytic enzyme activity) were determined several times during the 2013 and 2014 growing seasons to a depth of 15 cm. Time of sampling (date) had a strong influence on microbial biomass, community composition, and activity, while the response to soil properties and yield was more varied. All manure treatments (dairy manure slurry, liquid fraction, and the combination) increased microbial biomass (by 19–32%) and the potential activity of cellulose-degrading enzymes (by 31–47%) compared to commercial fertilizer and unamended plots. The commercial fertilizer and liquid fraction lowered fungal/bacterial ratios compared with both whole manure and unamended plots. Our results indicate that separating the solid from the liquid fraction of manure, to improve crop yield and reduce P loading, did not reduce microbial community size and activity and that all manure treatments increased microbial biomass and activity compared to mineral fertilizer application.     

Angiotensin-converting enzyme I inhibitory activity of phlorotannins from Ecklonia stolonifera

ABSTRACT:   As part of our study of the isolation of antihypertensive agents derived from natural marine products, the bioactivity of 10 edible Korean seaweeds were screened by angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory and peroxynitrite assays. Among the crude extracts of selected seaweeds, including five Phaeophyta ( Ecklonia stolonifera , E. cava , Pelvetia siliquosa , Hizikia fusiforme , and Undaria pinnatifida ), four Rhodophyta ( Gigartina tenella , Gelidium amansii , Chondria crassicaulis , and Porphyra tenera ) and one Chlorophyta ( Capsosiphon fulvescens ), the ethanol extracts of E. stolonifera , E. cava , P. siliquosa , U. pinnatifida , and G. tenella exhibited significant inhibitory properties against ACE at more than 50% inhibition at a concentration of 163.93 µg/mL. Phloroglucinol 1 , eckstolonol 2 , eckol 3 , phlorofucofuroeckol A 4 , and dieckol 5 had been isolated previously, and triphlorethol-A 6 and fucosterol 7 were isolated for the first time from E. stolonifera. Also, the ACE inhibitory and peroxynitrite scavenging properties of phlorotannins 1–6 were evaluated, along with fucosterol 7 obtained from E. stolonifera . Among profound peroxynitrite scavenging compounds 1–6 , phlorotannins 3 , 4 and 5 were also determined to manifest marked inhibitory activity against ACE, with 50% inhibition concentration (IC₅₀) values of 70.82 ± 0.25, 12.74 ± 0.15, and 34.25 ± 3.56 µM, respectively.     

薄皮甜瓜内源激素对不同夜间温度的响应及与果实生长的关系

 【目的】探讨薄皮甜瓜内源激素对夜间不同温度的应答及果实内源激素与果实发育之间的关系。【方法】采用HPLC方法,测定果实膨大期不同夜温处理后薄皮甜瓜果实中内源激素的含量,分析不同夜温处理下内源激素含量与单果重增长率的相关关系。【结果】薄皮甜瓜果实中内源GA3和ZT含量均在果实膨大前期出现高峰,IAA在果实膨大后期出现高峰,ABA含量一直维持较低的水平。不同夜温处理后薄皮甜瓜果实中内源激素含量变化明显。与其它处理相比,夜温9℃处理后,果实内源GA3、ZT、IAA含量均明显降低,GA3/ABA、ZT/ABA明显减小,ABA含量在果实发育后期明显升高,均达到极显著水平。夜温18℃处理后果实内源GA3、GA3/ABA含量明显低于夜温15℃和12℃处理。在薄皮甜瓜整个夜温处理过程中,夜温15℃和12℃间的内源激素无显著差异。进一步分析果实内源激素与果实膨大的关系表明,GA3/ABA与单果重增长率呈极显著正相关,不适宜夜温下其二者直线相关的斜率较小,其中9℃最小。ZT/ABA与单果重增长率间,除夜温15℃和18℃达到显著正相关外,其它夜温处理均不显著。【结论】不同夜间温度对果实内源激素含量的影响不同,GA3和GA3/ABA可能与薄皮甜瓜果实生长具有一定的关系,同时还与其它因子有关。     

Linking long-term dietary patterns with gut microbial enterotypes

Diet strongly affects human health, partly by modulating gut microbiome composition. We used diet inventories and 16S rDNA sequencing to characterize fecal samples from 98 individuals. Fecal communities clustered into enterotypes distinguished primarily by levels of Bacteroides and Prevotella. Enterotypes were strongly associated with long-term diets, particularly protein and animal fat (Bacteroides) versus carbohydrates (Prevotella). A controlled-feeding study of 10 subjects showed that microbiome composition changed detectably within 24 hours of initiating a high-fat/low-fiber or low-fat/high-fiber diet, but that enterotype identity remained stable during the 10-day study. Thus, alternative enterotype states are associated with long-term diet.     

Calibration and performance of moisture sensors in soilless substrates: ECH2O and Theta probes

Reliable and affordable moisture sensors for measuring the water content in soilless substrates are limited. In this study, we examined the efficacy of two moisture sensors (ECH₂O-10 and Theta probe ML2X) for measuring water content in soilless substrates. We developed calibration equations and analyzed the effect of increasing electrical conductivity (EC) and substrate temperature on the voltage output of probes. We found that a single equation (one for each probe) could be used to adequately measure water content in different custom-made substrates maintained at low EC and a substrate temperature of ∼23 °C. The calibration equation developed for the Theta probe from substrates maintained at low EC could also be used in two commercial substrates with high EC (2.0–5.0 dS m⁻¹). Further measurements in substrates maintained at different water contents and EC levels indicated that the output of the ECH₂O-10 probe, but not the Theta probe, was significantly affected by substrate EC. The lack of a substrate EC effect on the Theta probe readings was surprising, because the probe was sensitive to EC when fertilizer solutions with different ECs were measured. Increasing the temperature of the substrate from 10 to 40 °C increased the voltage output of ECH₂O-10 probes by 1.88 mV °C⁻¹, or on average 0.0022 m³ m⁻³ water content per °C. There was no effect of increasing substrate temperature on the Theta probe. It was concluded that ECH₂O-10 probes can be used in greenhouse operations requiring less measurement precision (like irrigation), however for accurate measurements of water content, the Theta probe is preferred.