Melatonin,immune function and aging

Aging is associated with a decline in immune function (immunosenescence), a situation known to correlate with increased incidence of cancer, infectious and degenerative diseases. Innate, cellular and humoral immunity all exhibit increased deterioration with age. A decrease in functional competence of individual natural killer (NK) cells is found with advancing age. Macrophages and granulocytes show functional decline in aging as evidenced by their diminished phagocytic activity and impairment of superoxide generation. There is also marked shift in cytokine profile as age advances, e.g., CD3+ and CD4+ cells decline in number whereas CD8+ cells increase in elderly individuals. A decline in organ specific antibodies occurs causing reduced humoral responsiveness. Circulating melatonin decreases with age and in recent years much interest has been focused on its immunomodulatory effect. Melatonin stimulates the production of progenitor cells for granulocytes-macrophages. It also stimulates the production of NK cells and CD4+ cells and inhibits CD8+ cells. The production and release of various cytokines from NK cells and T-helper lymphocytes also are enhanced by melatonin. Melatonin presumably regulates immune function by acting on the immune-opioid network, by affecting G protein-cAMP signal pathway and by regulating intracellular glutathione levels. Melatonin has the potential therapeutic value to enhance immune function in aged individuals and in patients in an immunocompromised state.     

应用附加绿黄色光二极管的黄色胶片监测温室中的粉虱、蚜虫和蕈蚊

绿黄色光二极管(LED)附加在塑胶杯和胶片捕捉器可增加捕捉实验室和温室中昆虫的数量。附加有530nm绿黄色LED的塑胶杯捕捉器比没有附加的捕捉到更多的Trialeurodes vaporariorum(Westwood)和Bemisia tabaci(Gennadius)B生态型。在温室中昆虫笼以四季豆和棉花试验,附加有530nm绿黄色LED的黄色胶片(YC)和透明塑胶片(CS)分别缩写为LED—YC和LED—CS)比每一种没有附加的捕捉器捕捉到更多的T.vaporariorum,B．tabaci B生态型,Ahis gossypii(Glover)和Bradysia coprophila(Lintner)成虫。绿黄色LED—YC在温室中有用为监测和控制的潜在性。