Effects of N-methyl-D, L-aspartate on secretion of growth hormone-releasing hormone from the boar hypothalamic-preoptic area and median eminence in vitro

N-methyl-D, L-aspartate (NMA) elicited secretion of growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone from both the hypothalamic-preoptic area and the median eminence that were collected from boars. We suggest that the previously described increase in GH secretion that follows peripheral treatment of swine with NMA is attributable, at least in part, to NMA-stimulated secretion of GH-releasing hormone from the central nervous system.     

Sequences of the 3′ Halves of the Genomes of Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus-PAV cpA Isolates that Vary in Symptom Severity

Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV)-PAV isolates from USA have been separated into two distinct clusters (Chay et al. (1996) Virology 219: 57–65; Chay et al. (1996) Phytopathology 86: 370–377). Following this finding we have shown that BYDV-PAV is divided into two groups cpA and cpB based on their coat protein gene sequence, and distinct host preferences (Mastari et al. (1998) Phytopathology 88: 818–821). We have sequenced the complete 3 half of the genomes of two lethal and two mild cpA isolates and compared them with those of several known PAV cpA isolates to assess variability and locate potential determinants of severity. Open reading frames (ORFs) 3, 4, 5, 6 and the 3 untranslated regions had different percent homologies between isolates: ORF5 (92–97%), ORF3 (88–98%) 3-translational enhancer (87–100%) ORF4 (85–99%), 3 untranslated region (72–97%) and ORF6 (61–99%). In contrast to the mild isolates, the field-lethal isolates (FHv1 and FHv2) fell into the same cluster, regardless of the genomic region analysed. The isolates FHv1 and FHv2 differed from mild isolates by eight amino acid substitutions in ORFs 3 and 4, and insertions in ORF5. Four amino acid substitutions in the 17-kDa protein encoded by ORF4 caused a change in local net charge in the field-lethal isolates. Two insertions of four amino acids were identified in the C-terminal half of ORF5 of the field-lethal isolates, but were not present systematically in all lethal isolates analysed. The potential relationships of these differences in predicted amino acid sequences to disease severity are discussed.     

Alteration of serum interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α after ischemic stimulation of coronary artery in PTCA

AIM: Inflammatory responses play an important role in the post- percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) restenosis and has been demonstrated occuring immediately after PTCA. Interleukin-6(IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) are the main inflammatory cytokines. We try to compare the changes in interleukin-6(IL-6) and TNF-α after PTCA in the patients with and without collateral circulation to probe into the pathogenesis of early inflammatory response. METHODS: The extent of myocardial ischemia induced by balloon inflation was quantified by a scoring system referring to the Leaman coronary score. The IL-6、TNF-α levels of coronary heart disease group and control group before and after PTCA are calculated. RESULTS: The concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-α were (9.592±1.847) ng/L and (26.959±1.967) ng/L, respectively, and were significantly increased 4 hours after PTCA. CONCLUSION: IL-6 and TNF-α are sensitive indicators of the early inflammatory response after PTCA. Ischemia scores reflected the extent of ischemia reperfusion injury during PTCA. Collateral circulation decreased the early inflammatory response after PTCA.     

Flowering-pattern and yield components at inflorescence nodes of snap bean as affected by irrigation and plant density

This paper reports the results of a 2 × 2 factorial experiment on bush snap beans ‘Oregon 1604’. The treatments were 2 contrasted irrigation regimes and 2 contrasted plant densities, and were applied in 1978 and repeated in 1979. Data were collected on the number of flowers and pods, and pod size, at each node of the terminal inflorescence (6-T) of the main stem, and at each node of the oldest inflorescence (2-A) at Node 2. High and low plant densities were 45 and 18 plants m^?2 in 1978 and 54 and 33 plants m^?2 in 1979. High temperatures, frequently above 32°C, prevailed during bloom and pod development in 1978, but for the most part occurred only during the week prior to bloom in 1979. Inflorescences 6-T and 2-A usually formed 4 and 3 RN's, respectively, in 1978 and 3 and 2 RN's in 1979. The flowers at the proximal nodes of each inflorescence all opened within a few days of one another (duration of flowering at proximal nodes between 3 and 5 days); the flowering-periods of adjacent nodes overlapped, and the flowering period increased acropetally within the inflorescence (duration of flowering at distal nodes between 7 and 13 days). In general, number of flowers, pods formed, pods harvested and percent set decreased acropetally within each inflorescence. The rate of acropetal decline was lessened by high irrigation or low plant density. In both years, high irrigation increased the percent set of all RN's of the 2-A inflorescences, but few other consistent effects between years were observed. The 2 most proximal RN's together produced 93% or more of the yield of each inflorescence. High irrigation significantly increased the total number of pods harvested from these RN's of inflorescences 6-T and 2-A, and low density had a similar effect on 2-A.     

Present Concepts on the Inflammatory Modulators with Special Reference to Cytokines*

The pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines create a network of interactions between cells that lead to both stimulatory and inhibitory responses that maintain an effective homeostatic regulation. The anti-inflammatory cytokines are a family of peptides that modulate the pro-inflammatory cytokine response. Cytokines act in concert with non-cytokine mediators, such as prostaglandin E₂, glucocorticosteroids, lipocortins, and catecholamines. This review highlights new developments in our understanding of the pathophysiology of inflammation and gives an example of a more recent approach to the modulation of acute systemic inflammatory disorders: activation of ₂-adrenergic receptors on macrophages. In this respect the potent ₂-adrenergic agonist clenbuterol seems of therapeutic interest.     

猪ERK6基因编码区的克隆及组织表达谱分析

利用RT-PCR方法扩增了猪ERK6基因编码区的序列，将扩增产物与pMD18-T载体连接，构建了重组质粒；重组质粒经PCR、酶切鉴定后进行测序；采用Northern杂交和半定量RT-PCR方法在猪不同部位骨骼肌中分析了ERK6基因转录本的个数、大小及组织表达谱。结果显示，所克隆的猪ERK6基因片段长1113bp，含有1个1104bp的开放阅读框（ORF），该ORF编码367个氨基酸；该基因与已报道的人ERK6基因核苷酸序列相似性为90％；猪ERK6基因在肌肉组织中只有一个转录本，大小约1．5kb。此基因在骨骼肌中的表达量最高，心、子宫次之，卵巢最低；而在脂肪、胃、肝、脾、肺、肾、十二指肠和胰腺中未见表达。结果表明，猪ERK6基因与已报道的小鼠和人ERK6基因一样，主要在骨骼中特异表达。     

Interactions between dietary fatty acids and hepatic gene expression in livers of pigs during the weaning period

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of dietary fatty acids (FA) during the weaning period on expression of genes involved in the oxidation and metabolism of FA (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR-), stearoyl-CoA-desaturase (SCD), Δ6-desaturase (D6D), acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC) and fatty acid synthase (FAS)). Liver samples were obtained from littermates, either on day 28 of age just before weaning, or at day 56 after the 4 weeks ad lib. provision of 5% of either animal fat, fish oil or sunflower oil. In conclusion, genes involved in the regulation of FA conversion (SCD, D6D) were influenced by the n-6 to n-3 ratio, whereas the FA oxidation, as indicated by the expression of PPAR-, was highly likely regulated by the hepatic ratio between mono- and poly-unsaturated FA. Furthermore, weaning and/or age affected the hepatic expression of genes involved in FA synthesis and conversion, but not the expression of PPAR-.     

鸡白细胞介素-6活性MTT检测方法的建立

采用白细胞介素-6依赖细胞株B9建立了鸡白细胞介素-6活性的MTT检测方法。每孔培养细胞数在2.5×103~4×104范围内D值与细胞数显示有良好的线性关系,MTT的最佳保留时间为4 h,最低检测限为0.1 U/mL。应用该方法检测了健康艾维茵肉鸡25例,血清chIL-6活性为(4.33±0.75)U/mL,而25例葡萄球菌病患鸡血清chIL-6的活性为(14.05±6.87)U/mL,与健康肉鸡比较差异极显著(P<0.01),为该方法进一步临床应用奠定了基础。     

Hybridization and in vitro culture of an orchid hybrid Ascocenda ‘Kangla’

The present study focuses on hybridization program involving two species belonging to two different vandaceous genera, viz., Ascocentrum ampullaceum (Roxb.) Schltr. var. auranticum, a narrow endemic orchid of Manipur and Vanda coerulea Griff., an endangered orchid of Appendix I of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), to synthesize the primary hybrid genus with intermediate and improved characters in the F₁ generation. Observations on the crossability in the present bigeneric cross between V. coerulea and A. auranticum had been achieved with 60% success when V. coerulea was taken as female parent. Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium at half-strength was effective for the development of the hybrid seedlings of V. coerulea × A. auranticum followed by Vacin and Went (VW) and Knudson C (KC) media. The best response of seedling growth was observed on MS medium at half-strength supplemented with 2.3 μM kinetin + 0.5 μM α-naphthalene acetic acid with maximum shoot height (2.7 cm), leaf number (4.6) and root number (4.1) after 150 days of inoculation. The survival percentage and growth performance of the seedlings were found to be higher (80% survival) in potting substrate consisting of brick:charcoal in the ratio 2:1 mulched with moss (Sphagnum sp.) than in potting substrate consisting of brick:charcoal:tree fern in the ratio 2:1:1. The first flowering was observed in the hybrid seedlings of V. coerulea × A. auranticum after 2 years of transfer to the ex vitro environment. Morphologically, the flowers differed from that of the parents clearly showing the success of the hybridization experiment. Registration of the hybrid has been made with the Royal Horticultural Society with the nomenclature Ascocenda ‘Kangla’ (No. T128725).     

High frequency plantlet regeneration from callus and artificial seed production of rock plant Pogonatherum paniceum (Lam.) Hack. (Poaceae)

Pogonatherum paniceum (Lam.) Hack. is a rock plant with good potential for vegetative recovery on naked lands. A high frequency in vitro regeneration system was developed for P. paniceum. Calli were induced from explants of mature seeds, seedlings, young leaves, and stem segments on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 1.0 mg L⁻¹ 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 2.0 mg L⁻¹ α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and 0.2 mg L⁻¹ 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). High induction rates (59.57%) and regeneration rates (100%) were obtained from mature seed explants; calli were sub-cultured for over 2 years and still retained a high regenerative capacity. One seed explant resulted in 69,997 plants in 1 year. Shoot buds derived from calli were used for encapsulation in liquid MS medium containing 3% sucrose and two different alginate matrices (3% sodium alginate (w/v) + MS medium containing 3% sucrose and 3% sodium alginate + 1% activated carbon (w/v) + MS medium containing 3% sucrose) with a 20-min exposure to 2% CaCl₂ and 0.3% bavistin (w/v). The capsule with 3.0% sodium alginate (w/v) and 1% activated carbon (w/v) showed a higher conversion rate (61.58%) and stronger plantlets under non-aseptic conditions. These systems are useful for the rapid clonal propagation and dissemination of artificial seed material of P. paniceum for eco-recovery.