Population Dynamics,Root Penetration,and Feeding Behavior of Pratylenchus agilis in Monoxenic Root Cultures of Corn,Tomato, and Soybean

Population dynamics, rate of root penetration, and external root feeding behavior of Pratylenchus agilis (Pa) in monoxenic cultures of intact corn seedlings and root explants of corn, tomato, and soybean were studied. In descending order of suitability as hosts were I. O. Chief corn, Rutgers tomato, and Williams soybean. Soybean entries Kent, Pickett 71, PI 90763, and Essex were poor hosts. Numbers of eggs and vermiform Pa in the agar medium indicated total fecundity and host suitability. Agar, sand, or soil as support media did not appear to affect Pa root penetration, but the rate of corn root growth did. Whereas most vermiform Pa and eggs were in roots, substantial numbers appeared able to feed and complete their life cycle as ectoparasites on root epidermal cells and root hairs.     

Adiponectin Levels during Low‐ and High‐Fat Eucaloric Diets in Lean and Obese Women

Objective: Adiponectin influences insulin sensitivity (S_I) and fat oxidation. Little is known about changes in adiponectin with changes in the fat content of eucaloric diets. We hypothesized that dietary fat content may influence adiponectin according to an individual's S_I. Research Methods and Procedures: We measured changes in adiponectin, insulin, glucose, and leptin in response to high‐fat (HF) and low‐fat (LF) eucaloric diets in lean (n = 10) and obese (n = 11) subjects. Obese subjects were further subdivided in relation to a priori S_I. Results: We found significantly higher insulin, glucose, and leptin and lower adiponectin in obese vs. lean subjects during both HF and LF. The mean group values of these measurements, including adiponectin (lean, HF 21.9 ± 9.8; LF, 20.8 ± 6.6; obese, HF 10.0 ± 3.3; LF, 9.5 ± 2.3 ng/mL; mean ± SD), did not significantly change between HF and LF diets. However, within the obese group, the insulin‐sensitive subjects had significantly higher adiponectin during HF than did the insulin‐resistant subjects. Additionally, the change in adiponectin from LF to HF diet correlated positively with the obese subjects’ baseline S_I. Discussion: Although in lean and obese women, group mean values for adiponectin did not change significantly with a change in fat content of a eucaloric diet, a priori measured S_I in obese subjects predicted an increase in adiponectin during the HF diet; this may be a mechanism that preserves S_I in an already obese group.     

Penicillin-binding proteins 4 and 5 of Haemophilus influenzae are involved in cell wall incorporation

Abstract Permeabilized cells of Haemophilus influenzae incorporate wall precursors into murein material in an ampicillin-sensitive reaction. In resistant transformants that contain the low antibiotic affinity penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) 4 and 5, the sensitivity of this incorporation reaction to ampicillin is proportionally lower, suggesting a catalytic role for these proteins in wall synthesis. We conclude that, analogous to the reaction in Escherichia coli , PBPs 4 and 5 of H. influenzae have transpeptidase activity.     

Effects of agricultural cropping systems on micronutrients transformation

Summary The effect of cropping systems of wheat-maize (WM), wheat-rice (WR), wheat-groundnut (WG), gram-bajra (GrB), potato-guara (PGu), and raya-mash (RaMa) in combination with treatments of dummy (uncultivated area) and applied Zn 0.0 (Zn₀), 2.8 (Zn₁), 5.6 (Zn₂) 11.2 (Zn₃) kg/ha was studied on the transformation of labile Zn fractions: exchangeable (Exch.), adsorbed (TAd) [weakly (WAd), moderately (MAd), strongly (SAd)], and organic matter (OM) in different layers of sandy loam soil. The added Zn stayed largely in the 0–30 cm layer and was associated with the WAd- and OM-Zn fractions. About 70% of the total labile Zn (PAv) remained in the WAd- and OM-Zn, that is, 33 and 39% in 0–15 cm layer, and 33–39% and 31–36% in 16–150 cm layer. All the Zn fractions in 0–15 cm layer, and only of WAd in 16–30 cm layer, significantly increased with rates of Zn addition. These were also significantly higher in Zn_1–3 than Zn₀ and dummy treatments because of the residual Zn. Diverse effects of cropping systems on soil properties, residual Zn, and labile Zn fractions were found. The influence was strong in 0–15 cm layer decreasing gradually with soil depth due largely to differences in Zn requirement, crop intake of various Zn fractions and the cultural practices of the systems. All the crops and rotations appreciabilly responded to Zn application. Uptake of Zn by crops markedly and successively increased with increasing rates of Zn application. The WR caused a significant increase in soil organic matter whereas WR and WM in CaCO₃. The WR, WM and GrB resulted in a decrease in pH while WG and GrB in CaCO₃. The RaMa and PGu maintained much higher residual Zn than other systems. The systems which caused the maximum decrease in Zn fractions were: cereal-cereal (WM) in Exch. legume-millet (GrB) in all the adsorbed, PAv and the Zn associated with CaCO₃, vegetable-legume (PGu) also in MAd and SAd; and cereal-legume (WG) in OM and PAv. Hence GrB, WG and WM in that order will cause the deficiency of Zn much earlier than the other systems due to greater use and or transformation of WAd- andOM-Zn. Such effects were least under RaMa because it increased the WAd-, MAd- and OM-Zn.     

Activity of the natural algicide, cyanobacterin, on eukaryotic microorganisms

Abstract The natural product cyanobacterin has been shown to be toxic to most cyanobacteria at a concentration of approx. 5 μM. We demonstrate here that cyanobacterin will also inhibit the growth of most eukaryotic algae at a similar concentration. Some algae, such as Euglena gracilis , are resistant because they are able to maintain themselves by heterotrophic nutrition. Others, such as Chlamydomonas reinhardtii , can apparently induce a detoxification mechanism to maintain photosynthesis in the presence of low concentrations of the inhibitor. Non-photosynthetic microorganisms are not affected by cyanobacterin.     

Embryo culture of Medicago scutellata and M. sativa

Resistance to the alfalfa weevil (Hypera postica (Gyllenhal)) and the potato leafhopper (Empoasco fabae (Harris)) is lacking in cultivated alfalfa. However, a closely related annual Medicago, Medicago scutellata, possesses dense glandular stem and leaf hairs which provides a mechanism for resistance. Several attempts have been made at transfering the glandular haired traint from M. scutellata to perennial alfalfa with limited success. Earlier studies have shown that one reason for the lack of success is embryo abortion. Therefore, this study was initiated to observe zygotic embryo-genesis and to develop an embryo rescue technique for M. scutellata and M. sativa. Observations of zygotic embryogenesis showed that the two species are similar in morphology and can be described from youngest to oldest as globular, heart, torpedo, and hook shaped embryos. M. sativa embryos are smaller than M. scutellata embryos and develop three to four days later. Self pollinated M. scutellata (PI 307446) and sib mated M. sativa (Saranac AR) embryos were cultivated on Murashige and (2,4-D), indolacetic acid (IAA), 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), and kinetic (KIN). Embryos from both species were also cultured on Schenk and Hildebrandt's (SH) basal medium with the addition of L-glutamine and L-proline. The experimental design was a completely randomized factorial for each experiment. Heart and torpedo shaped embryos from M. scutellata grew best (27.5% plantlet recovery) when cultured on MS medium with 0.05 mgl^-1 of both IAA and BAP. After 15 to 30 days on this medium, the embryos had only developed shoots. Therefore, it was necessary to transfer the shoots to MS basal medium without phytohormones for rooting. Rooting occurred in 15 to 30 days and the plantlets could be acclimatized to soil within 2 to 4 weeks. M. sativa embryos grew best (31% plantlet recovery) on SH medium with 50 mM L-glutamine. M. sativa embryos developed both shoots and roots on this medium. This information may now be applied to the development of an embryo culture method for recovering insect resistant hybrids between M. scutellata and M. sativa. Disclaimer statement: Mention of a trademark or proprietary product does not constitute a guarantee or warranty of the product by the USDA, and does not imply its approval to the exclusion of other products that may also be suitable.     

Density and maturation of rodlet cells in brain tissue of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed to trematode cercariae

Evidence for the presumed linkage between the enigmatic rodlet cells of fish and exposure to helminths is anecdotal and indirect. We evaluated the proliferation and development of rodlet cells in the optic lobes of fathead minnows exposed to cercariae of Ornithodiplostomum ptychocheilus. Mean rodlet cell densities (ca. 10/mm²) in the optic lobes were similar between unexposed controls and minnows with 1- and 2-week old infections. Rodlet cell densities increased at 4 weeks p.i., reaching maxima (ca. 200/mm²) at 6 weeks p.i., followed by a decline at 9 weeks. This temporal pattern of proliferation and maturation paralleled the development of metacercariae within the optic lobes. Unencysted metacercariae develop rapidly within tissues of the optic lobes for approximately 4 weeks after penetration by cercariae, then shift to the adjacent meninges to encyst. The former stage is associated with tissue damage, the latter with massive inflammation of the meninges. Thus, peak densities and maturation of rodlet cells correspond to the period when inflammation of the meninges caused by the large metacercarial cysts is at a maximum. Our results support recent contentions that rodlet cells comprise part of the host inflammatory defence response.