Effects of tetrandrine and fructose-1, 6-diphosphate on the elevated intrasynaptosomal [Ca2+]i induced by excitatory amino acids

AIM: To study the effects of tetrandrine(Tet) and fructose-1, 6-diphosphate(FDP) on the elevated intrasynaptosomal [Ca²⁺]_i induced by excitatory amino acids(EAA). METHODS: A rapid method for preparing synaptosomes was used, and intrasynaptosomal free calcium([Ca²⁺]_i) was measured by using the fluorescent indicator quin-2. RESULTS: L-glutamate(Glu, 100 μmol/L), aspartate(Asp, 100 μmol·L^-1), N-methy1-D-aspartate(100 μmol/L) and Glu(50 μmol/L) plus Asp(50 μmol/L) all elevated intrasynaptosomal [Ca²⁺]_i in a dose-dependent manner. Pretreatment with Tet(10, 30, 60 μmol/L), FDP(15, 30, 75, 150 μmol/L), MK-801(10, 20 μmol/L) and Tet(15, 30 μmol/L) plus FDP(15, 30 μmol/L) all attenuated the increase in intrasynaptosomal [Ca²⁺]_i induced by EAAs mentioned as above in a dose-dependent manner, and the effect of Tet plus FDP was most significant. CONCLUSION: Both Tet and FDP inhibited a rise in intrasynaptosomal [Ca²⁺]_i induced by EAAs, which may be one of mechanisms that Tet and FDP pretect cerebral tissues against ischemia injury.     

Change of central noradrenergic system in Alzheimer's disease

The abnormality of the central noradrenergic system in Alzheimer's disease has two cases: decrease or increase. The former is easy to be understood, because it is resulted from the outstanding forfeit of the noradrenergic neurons in the nucleus locus ceruleus (nLC); but the noradrenalin concentration does not change and enen increase, it seems to disagree with the loss of the noradrenergic neurons in the nLC. This article put emphasis on it, enumerated the related evidence and analyzed the possible causes. At present time, the drugs to increase noradrenalin is used mostly in clinic. This paper summarized it and put forth our own opinions.     

Effects of angiotensin II-induced hypertension chemotherapy on the activity of interleukin-1β converting enzyme in transplanted intracerebral rat gliomas

AIM: To investigate the activity of interleukin-1β converting enzyme in transplanted intracerebral rat gliomas under angiotensin II-induced hypertension chemotherapy. METHODS: The brain tumor model was produced in Wistar rats by stereotaxic inoculation of C6 glioma cells (1×10¹² /L). Tumor-bearing rats were treated with carmustine, teniposide and lisplatin (chemotherapy) during angiotensin II-induced hypertension. Then, the survival time of tumor-bearing rats, tumor blood flow, the concentration of drug, volume of gliomas and the activity of interleukin-1β converting enzyme in glioma were examined.RESULTS: The survival time of tumor-bearing rats was significantly longer in chemotherapy with angiotensin II-induced hypertension group than that of chemotherapy alone. In addition, regional tumor blood flow, the concentration of chemotherapeutic drug and the activity of interleukin -1β converting enzyme in transplanted rat gliomas were increased, while the volume of gliomas was decreased in hypertention chemotherapy group compared with chemotherapy alone. CONCLUSION: Chemotherapy with angiotensin II-induced hypertension has a enhancing effect on chemotherapy for improving the drug delivery to tumor tissue by a increased tumor blood flow and enhancing activity of interleukin -1β converting enzyme.     

西瓜新品种‘红冠龙’

 ‘红冠龙’为中熟西瓜一代杂种, 全生育期100 d 左右, 果实椭圆形, 平均单瓜质量8 kg 以上, 瓤红色, 可溶性固形物含量12. 2 %, 高抗枯萎病、炭疽病, 抗旱耐湿性均佳, 适合全国主要西瓜产区种植。     

Seasonal distribution of phytoplasmas in Australian grapevines

The distribution and persistence of phytoplasmas were determined in Australian grapevines. Phytoplasmas could be detected using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from shoots, cordons, trunks and roots throughout the year, and phytoplasmas appear to persistently infect Australian grapevines from year to year. Phytoplasmas were not always detected in samples from the same sampling area from one sampling period to the next. Phytoplasma detection by PCR was improved by sampling from shoots, cordons and trunks, especially during October (early spring). The diseases expressed by the 20 grapevines used in the distribution and persistence studies were monitored. Australian grapevine yellows disease (AGY) was expressed by 17/20 grapevines at some time during the study, whilst only 4/20 and 15/20 grapevines expressed restricted growth disease (RG) and late season leaf curl disease (LSLC), respectively. All grapevines with RG and LSLC also had AGY. The three diseases were persistently expressed in some grapevines and remission of disease was observed in others. The results of PCR detection in the same grapevines indicated that phytoplasmas were more frequently detected in AGY-affected grapevines that also expressed RG and LSLC compared with grapevines expressing AGY alone. Phytoplasmas were detected in symptomless plant material but less frequently compared with AGY-affected material.     

Further Contributions to the Development of a Differential Set of Pea Cultivars (Pisum sativum) to Investigate the Virulence of Isolates of Aphanomyces euteiches

Common root rot (Aphanomyces euteiches Drechs.) has become a very destructive disease in the French pea crops since 1993. For an accurate investigation of the virulence variability among French A. euteiches populations and between French and foreign populations, a new set of differential pea genotypes was developed. Thirty-three American and European pea lines, displaying different levels of resistance, were screened in a growth chamber against two French isolates. Symptoms (disease severity from 0 to 5, evaluating symptom surface on roots and epicotyl) and percentage of top fresh weight (inoculated/uninoculated top fresh weight ratio) were measured. From this screening 12 relatively resistant lines, from various genetic backgrounds, were identified along with a highly susceptible control. This set of 13 genotypes was inoculated under controlled conditions with 14 isolates from France, Sweden, USA, Canada and New Zealand, to investigate genotype–isolate interactions. Root symptoms were rated (disease severity), and a susceptibility/resistance threshold was established at disease severity = 1. Significant quantitative interactions were observed, and five 'resistance patterns' were identified, leading to a set of six pea genotypes: Baccara (susceptible), Capella, MN313, 902131, 552 and PI180693. Fields trials of this set in 1999 and 2000 gave the same resistance rankings than in growth chamber conditions. This set will allow more accurate assessments of the variability in virulence/aggressiveness of A. euteiches isolates from France and foreign countries, and further investigations of the epidemiological and genetic basis of pea–A. euteiches interactions.     

Modelling Plant Disease Epidemics

An epidemic is the progress of disease in time and space. Each epidemic has a structure whose temporal dynamics and spatial patterns are jointly determined by the pathosystem characteristics and environmental conditions. One of the important objectives in epidemiology is to understand such spatio-temporal dynamics via mathematical and statistical modelling. In this paper, we outline common methodologies that are used to quantify and model spatio-temporal dynamics of plant diseases, with emphasis on developing temporal forecast models and on quantifying spatial patterns. Several examples of epidemiological models in cereal crops are described, including one for Fusarium head blight.     

Occurrence of Mirafiori Lettuce Virus and Lettuce Big-vein Virus in Relation to Development of Big-vein Symptoms in Lettuce Crops

Big-vein disease (BV) of lettuce has been attributed to infection by Lettuce big-vein virus (LBVV), vectored by the soil fungus Olpidium brassicae. The finding of a second soil-borne virus in lettuce, Mirafiori lettuce virus (MiLV), led to a re-investigation of the role of LBVV in big-vein disease, with evidence emerging that both MiLV and LBVV are vectored by O. brassicae, and that MiLV, not LBVV, is the cause of BV (Lot et al. (2002), Phytopathology 92: 288–293). The two viruses have coat proteins of similar size but have different morphologies and are serologically unrelated. We tested individual lettuce plants in BV-prone fields and protected crops in France and Italy for the presence of the two viruses, using DAS-ELISA and antisera specific for each virus. Both MiLV and LBVV were found at high incidence, often together but sometimes separately. Symptoms were frequently found to be associated with MiLV alone or both viruses, but rarely LBVV alone. However, no absolute correlation emerged, because sometimes MiLV was present in the absence of symptoms, and vice versa. To clarify the situation, individual lettuce plants were examined over a period of time in two further surveys. In surveys of protected crops in France, plants with big-vein were always ELISA-positive for MiLV, or else symptomless plants positive for MiLV were later seen to develop big-vein symptoms. Presence or absence of LBVV appeared to have no effect on symptom development. In surveys of open fields in Italy, all combinations were found: presence of both viruses, apparent absence of both viruses, or presence of each one alone, in plants that developed BV. At the end of the observation period, nearly all plants had BV and contained both viruses.