The effect of diflubenzuron on Eggs of the vine Moth,Lobesia (Polychrosis) Botrana Den. & Schiff (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

The activity of diflubenzuron against eggs ofLobesia botrana Den. & Schiff. was assayed with a dipping procedure, at 22° and 27° C. The compound was much more active at 27°C (LC-50 = 0.0072%) than at 22°C (LC-50 = 0.195%).     

Highly conserved protective epitopes on influenza B viruses

Identification of broadly neutralizing antibodies against influenza A viruses has raised hopes for the development of monoclonal antibody-based immunotherapy and "universal" vaccines for influenza. However, a substantial part of the annual flu burden is caused by two cocirculating, antigenically distinct lineages of influenza B viruses. Here, we report human monoclonal antibodies, CR8033, CR8071, and CR9114, that protect mice against lethal challenge from both lineages. Antibodies CR8033 and CR8071 recognize distinct conserved epitopes in the head region of the influenza B hemagglutinin (HA), whereas CR9114 binds a conserved epitope in the HA stem and protects against lethal challenge with influenza A and B viruses. These antibodies may inform on development of monoclonal antibody-based treatments and a universal flu vaccine for all influenza A and B viruses.     

5-HT4(a) receptors avert opioid-induced breathing depression without loss of analgesia

Opiates are widely used analgesics in anesthesiology, but they have serious adverse effects such as depression of breathing. This is caused by direct inhibition of rhythm-generating respiratory neurons in the Pre-Boetzinger complex (PBC) of the brainstem. We report that serotonin 4(a) [5-HT4(a)] receptors are strongly expressed in respiratory PBC neurons and that their selective activation protects spontaneous respiratory activity. Treatment of rats with a 5-HT4 receptor-specific agonist overcame fentanyl-induced respiratory depression and reestablished stable respiratory rhythm without loss of fentanyl's analgesic effect. These findings imply the prospect of a fine-tuned recovery from opioid-induced respiratory depression, through adjustment of intracellular adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate levels through the convergent signaling pathways in neurons.     

Nitrogen accumulation induced by phosphorus deficiency in citrus plants

Growth responses and nitrogen constituents were tested in young citrus trees grown on gradually decreasing amounts of phosphorus in greenhouse solution cultures. The phosphorus concentration in dry matter of minus-P leaves dropped to a third of that in control leaves and then remained steady throughout the experiment, while the total nitrogen concentration was low at the beginning and, rising gradually, reached an enormous amount. Nitrogen estimations in minus-P leaves showed the specific dynamics of the soluble nitrogen fraction: its content was low at the onset of the deficiency, and rose rapidly due to intensive accumulation of arginine in the tissues. Under conditions of acute phosphorus deficiency, arginine constituted more than 60% of the free amino acids and arginine nitrogen above 40% of the total, while in normal leaves arginine did not exceed 8% of the free amino acids, and about 1–% of the total.Similar patterns of increased nitrogen level due to arginine accumulation were found in leaves of phosphorus-deficient grapefruit and orange trees under field conditions.     

Growth response of mixed mediterranean oak coppices to rainfall reduction: Could selective thinning have any influence on it?

Climate change is one of the major challenges for ecosystem conservation. One of the most vulnerable areas to climate change is the Mediterranean Basin which is expected to suffer important changes in temperature and precipitation in the next few decades, leading to a warmer and dryer climate. Therefore, it is necessary to determine species-specific responses to increased drought to predict possible future changes in the structure and composition of Mediterranean forests, as well as to identify appropriate management strategies to mitigate these effects.The main aim of this study has been to experimentally simulate the effects of a 15% reduction in annual rainfall on the survival and growth of two co-occurring Mediterranean oaks with contrasting leaf-habit (the evergreen Quercus ilex spp. ilex and the winter-deciduous Quercus cerrioides) and, to assess whether traditional selective thinning carried out in these mixed oak coppices (i.e. selection of one to few stems per stump) can modify the consequences of rainfall reduction.Soil moisture decreased under the rainfall reduction level while it increased in the thinned plots. Reduced rainfall did not influence tree mortality, but did lead to species-specific effects on height growth: no changes were observed in Q. ilex while height growth rate of Q. cerrioides decreased (c.a. 20%). Selective thinning improved tree growth (c.a. 50%) in stands both under natural and, and to a lesser extent, under reduced rainfall conditions. Nevertheless, the positive effects of thinning rapidly declined during our three years experiment, probably because the vigorous resprouting of thinned stumps.Our results show that the forecasted reduction in annual rainfall for the Western Mediterranean Basin can constrain the growth of some deciduous oaks in mixed oak coppices. Traditional selective thinning can increase soil moisture and encourage tree growth, thus partially mitigating this effect. However, the transient results observed in this experiment suggest the need to reconsider the intensity and the frequency of this traditional management practice in light of new climatic scenarios.     

Structural Characterization of New Peptide Variants Produced by Cyanobacteria from the Brazilian Atlantic Coastal Forest Using Liquid Chromatography Coupled to Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Cyanobacteria from underexplored and extreme habitats are attracting increasing attention in the search for new bioactive substances. However, cyanobacterial communities from tropical and subtropical regions are still largely unknown, especially with respect to metabolite production. Among the structurally diverse secondary metabolites produced by these organisms, peptides are by far the most frequently described structures. In this work, liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization coupled to high resolution quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry with positive ion detection was applied to study the peptide profile of a group of cyanobacteria isolated from the Southeastern Brazilian coastal forest. A total of 38 peptides belonging to three different families (anabaenopeptins, aeruginosins, and cyanopeptolins) were detected in the extracts. Of the 38 peptides, 37 were detected here for the first time. New structural features were proposed based on mass accuracy data and isotopic patterns derived from full scan and MS/MS spectra. Interestingly, of the 40 surveyed strains only nine were confirmed to be peptide producers; all of these strains belonged to the order Nostocales (three Nostoc sp., two Desmonostoc sp. and four Brasilonema sp.).     

Genetic background of CTX‐M‐15‐producing Enterobacter hormaechei ST114 and Citrobacter freundii ST265 co‐infecting a free‐living green turtle (Chelonia mydas)

CTX‐M‐type extended‐spectrum β‐lactamase (ESBL)‐producing Enterobacteriaceae have become identified in marine ecosystem constituting a serious ecological issue. In this respect, although contamination of coastal waters and seafood, and even colonization of seabirds and fishes have been increasingly reported, molecular data are lacking to elucidate the clinical impact of ESBL producers in infected marine animals. In this study, using a genomic approach, we have analysed the genetic background of CTX‐M‐15‐producing Enterobacter hormaechei (belonging to the international human clone ST114) and Citrobacter freundii (ST265) co‐infecting a free‐living green turtle (Chelonia mydas) suffering from septic arthritis, which progressed to generalized coelomitis and death. Wide resistome of these pathogens contributed to treatment failure and death of the animal.     

Trypanocidal activity of extracts and fractions of Bertholletia excelsa

Crude extracts and fractions of Bertholletia excelsa stem barks were tested for trypanocidal activity. Acetone and methanol extracts showed significant in vitro trypanocidal activity against trypomastigote form of Trypanosoma cruzi since in the concentration of 500 microg/ml, the parasites were reduced in 100% and 90.3% respectively, whereas the triterpene betulinic acid pure isolated from hexane extract presented 75.4%.     

Role of phospholipase A2 in the induction of drip loss in porcine muscle

The role of phospholipase A2 in the induction of drip loss from pig muscle has been investigated. In samples from porcine M. longissimus dorsi, total PLA2 activity as well as mRNA and protein levels of the group VIA iPLA2 (iPLA2-VIA) increased during the initial 4 h post-mortem period. Morphological studies of porcine muscle showed that at 4 h post-mortem, gaps had formed between muscle fibers and that the sarcolemma membrane borders appeared blurred. At the same time iPLA2-VIA protein levels were increased inside muscle fibers and at the sarcolemma. iPLA2-VIA mRNA abundance in samples from different breeds of pigs with variations in drip loss revealed no clear correlation between drip loss level and iPLA2-VIA expression. Together, these data indicate that during the post-mortem period, iPLA2-VIA expression and activity is increased at the muscle fiber membranes. PLA2 activity may affect membrane permeability and consequently the progression of drip formation in porcine muscle.