中华蜜蜂气味结合蛋白AcerOBP14的表达及配体结合特性分析

[目的]气味结合蛋白(odorant binding proteins,OBPs)在昆虫寄主定位、产卵地选择等行为中发挥着重要作用,明确中华蜜蜂Apis cerana cerana AcerOBP14与配体的结合特性有助于阐明中华蜜蜂嗅觉识别的分子机制.[方法]通过qRT-PCR测定OBP14在20日龄中华蜜蜂成年工蜂...     

Contractile responses of the human umbilical artery to KCl and serotonin in Ca-free medium and the effects of levcromakalim

It is known that K(ATP) channel openers inhibit the release and refilling of Ca(2+) from intracellular stores. The present study was designed to test the effects of levcromakalim in human umbilical artery (HUA) rings stimulated by serotonin (5-HT) and KCl in Ca-free medium. Umbilical cords were obtained at vaginal or cesarean deliveries from healthy, term pregnancies. After the isolation, HUA rings were placed in organ baths in solution with indomethacin (10(-5) M) and N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (10(-3) M) at 37 degrees C and aerated with 95% O(2) and 5% CO(2) for the measurement of isometric force. In Ca-free solution with Ethylene glycol-bis (ss-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) (2 mM) the contractions produced by 5-HT (10(-6) M) and KCl (40 mM) decreased significantly. Afterwards, HUA rings were treated with 5-HT and KCl in repeated manner in Ca-free medium. In contrast to KCl, 5-HT induced contractions reduced in each application, progressively. Levcromakalim (10(-4) M) abolished the contractions elicited by 5-HT. On the other hand, levcromakalim had a little but significant inhibitory effect on KCl induced contraction in Ca-free medium. These results suggest that Ca(2+) is not the only transduction pathway in KCl produced contractions of HUA smooth muscle cells.     

Hair-bearing submental artery island flap for reconstruction of mustache and beard

Loss of mustache and beard in the adult male caused by severe burn, trauma, or tumor resection may cause cosmetic and psychological problems for these patients. Reconstruction of the elements of the face presents difficult and often daunting problems for plastic surgeons. The tissue that will be used for this purpose should have the same characteristics as the facial area, consisting of thin, pliable, hair-bearing tissue with a good color match. There is a very limited amount of donor area that has these characteristics. A hair-bearing submental island flap was used successfully for mustache and beard reconstruction in 11 male patients during the last 5 years. The scar was on the mentum in four cases, right cheek in two cases, right half of the upper lip in two cases, left cheek in one case, left half of the upper lip in one case, and both sides of the upper lip in one case. The submental island flap is supplied by the submental artery, a branch of the facial artery. The maximum flap size was 13 x 6 cm and the minimum size was 6 x 3 cm (average, 10 x 4 cm) in this series. Direct closure was achieved at all donor sites. Patients were followed up for 6 months to 5 years. No major complication was noted other than one case of temporary palsy of the marginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve. The mean postoperative stay was 7 days. Color and texture match were good. Hair growth on the flap was normal, and characteristics of the hair were the same as the intact side of the face in all patients. The submental island flap is safe, rapid, and simple to raise and leaves a well-hidden donor-site scar. The authors believe that the submental artery island flap surpasses the other flaps in reconstruction of the mustache and beard in male patients. Application of the technique and results are discussed in this article.     

Effect of brewery sludge amendments on some chemical properties of acid soil in pot experiments

A laboratory experiment was performed for an incubation period of 120 days in order to evaluate the changes in chemical properties of an acid soil amended with 0, 15, 30, 60 and 120 t ha-' of brewery sludge (BS). Increasing BS rates and incubation time reduced pH of the soil by 0.3-0.5 unit with respect to the control while soluble salts increased from 0.11 to 0.80 dS m(-1). Organic C, exchangeable cations, soluble cations and anions, NH4+-N and NO3--N contents of the amended soil increased as BS rates increased. In addition, BS application caused a slight increase in cation exchange capacity (CEC) and a slight decrease in exchangeable acidity.     

Report of two cases with Van der Woude syndrome: a child and her mother

Report of two cases with Van der Woude syndrome: a child and her mother: Congenital pits of the lower lip are rare malformations. They are closely associated with cleft lip (CL), cleft lip/palate (CL/CP) or isolated cleft palate (CP) and if so this condition is known as Van der Woude syndrome, which is inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion with high penetrance. Two individuals, one with lower lip pits and cleft palate and the other with isolated lower lip pit from the same family are described. Autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance was observed in this family and treatment consisted of complete removal of sinus tracts in one patient. Pathological features of sinus tracts consisted of stratified nonkeratinized squamous epithelium and a lamina propria of dense connective tissue. Importance of genetic counseling is emphasized as at least half of gene carriers have some kind of clefting.     

Effects of salicylic acid and cold on freezing tolerance in winter wheat leaves

The effects of salicylic acid (SA) (0.01, 0.1 and 1 mM) and cold on freezing tolerance (freezing injury and ice nucleation activity) were investigated in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Dogu-88) grown under control (20/18 °C for 15, 30 and 45-day) and cold (15/10 °C for 15-day, 10/5 °C for 30-day and 5/3 °C for 45-day) conditions. Cold acclimatisation caused a decrease of injury to leaf segments removed from the plants and subjected to freezing conditions. Exogenous SA also decreased freezing injury in the leaves grown under cold (15/10 °C) and control (15 and 30-day) conditions. Cold conditions (10/5 and 5/3 °C) caused an increase in ice nucleation activity by apoplastic proteins, which were isolated from the leaves. For the first time, it was shown that exogenous SA caused an increase in ice nucleation activity under cold (15/10 and 10/5 °C) and control conditions. These results show that salicylic acid can increase freezing tolerance in winter wheat leaves by affecting apoplastic proteins.     

Effects of some boron compounds on peripheral human blood

Peripheral blood cultures were exposed to various doses (5 to 500 mg/L) of boron compounds. Sister-chromatid exchange, micronucleus and chromosomal aberration tests were applied to estimate the DNA damage, and biochemical parameters (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, total glutathione, malondialdehyde and total antioxidant capacity) were examined to determine oxidative stress. According to our findings, various boron compounds at low doses were useful in supporting antioxidant enzyme activities in human blood cultures. It was found that the boron compounds do not have genotoxic effects even in the highest concentrations, though in increasing doses they constitute oxidative stress. It is concluded that the tested boron compounds can be used safely, but it is necessary to consider the tissue damages which are likely to appear depending on the oxidative stress.     

Insecticidal effects of some biological agents on Agelastica alni (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

The alder leaf beetle (Agelastica alni L., Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) causes approximately 10% of total economic damage to hazelnut product per year in Turkey. A. alni larvae are susceptible to several pathogens indigenous to the area in which these insects occur in Turkey. In the present study, in order to find a more effective and safer biological control agent against this common pest, we evaluated the various biological agents’ insecticidal activity during the four hazelnut seasons from 2002 to 2005 on the larvae of the alder leaf beetle collected from the vicinity of Trabzon, Turkey. The tested agents are 25 insect-originating bacteria, 2 bacterial toxins and 1 viral preparation. The results showed that the highest insecticidal activity was obtained by bacterial isolates at 1.8 × 10⁹ bacteria/mL dose, within ten days on the larvae of A. alni. These are 90% for Bacillus thuringiensis biovar tenebrionis (4AA1), Bacillus sphaericus (Ar4, isolated from Anoplus roboris L., Col.: Curculionidae), and Bacillus thuringiensis (Mm2, isolated from Melolontha melolontha L., Col.: Scarabaeidae). Our results indicate that these isolates may be valuable as biological control agent.     

Novel 1-(2-pyrimidin-2-yl)piperazine derivatives as selective monoamine oxidase (MAO)-A inhibitors

In the present study, a new series of 2-[4-(pyrimidin-2-yl)piperazin-1-yl]-2-oxoethyl 4-substituted piperazine-1-carbodithioate derivatives (2a-n) were synthesized and screened for their monoamine oxidase A and B inhibitory activity. The structures of compounds were elucidated using spectroscopic methods and some physicochemical properties of new compounds were predicted using Molinspiration and MolSoft programs. Compounds 2-[4-(pyrimidin-2-yl)piperazin-1-yl]-2-oxoethyl 4-(4-nitrophenyl)piperazine-1-carbodithioate (2j) and 2-[4-(pyrimidin-2-yl)piperazin-1-yl]-2-oxoethyl 4-benzhydrylpiperazine-1-carbodithioate (2m) exhibited selective MAO-A inhibitory activity with IC_50?=_?23.10, 24.14?µM, respectively. Some of the biological results were found in accordance with the obtained in silico data based on Lipinski’s fule of five.     

A new species of Astragalus L. (section Onobrychoidei DC.: Fabaceae) from Turkey

A new species of Astragalus L., A. trabzonicus (section Onobrychoidei DC.), is described and illustrated from north‐east Anatolia in Turkey. The diagnostic, pollen morphological, and chromosomal characteristics are discussed. A distribution map and conservation status are given. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 157 , 741–747.