Examination of common ragweed's (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) allelopathic effect on some weed species

In the last decades the importance of some weed species increased in Hungary. The common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) also belongs to this group. The allelopathic effect of watery extract made from different plant parts of common ragweed (air dried leafy shoots, seeds) were studied on the germination and growth of some weed species. The extracts were prepared with tap water, chopped dry plant materials were added to water and 24 hours later the material was filtered. The germination took place in a Binder KBW type thermostat in dark. 25 seeds were put into one Petri-dish, adding 15 ml plant extract to each in four repeats. The timing of germination was checked in every two days and the rate of growth was estimated after a week, by counting the numbers of germinated seeds and measuring the length of the radicle and plumula. The measured data were statistically analysed and the effect of extracts on germinating ratio and seedling length were evaluated.     

Recombination is suppressed in an alien introgression in peanut harboring Rma, a dominant root-knot nematode resistance gene

Rma, a dominant root-knot nematode resistance gene introduced into tetraploid peanut (Arachis hypogaea) from a synthetic allotetraploid donor (TxAG-6), has been widely deployed in modern cultivars. The genomic location and borders of the alien chromosome segment introgressed from TxAG-6 into NemaTAM (a BC₇-derived introgression line) and other modern cultivars carrying Rma have not been genetically mapped, and resistance gene candidates (RGCs) have not been identified for Rma. Our study focused on densely populating the alien introgression with codominant DNA markers, identifying and mapping the borders of the alien introgression carried by NemaTAM, and identifying RGCs for Rma. Altogether, 2,847 simple sequence repeat (SSR) and 380 single strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) markers were screened for linkage to Rma-247 of the SSCP markers targeted 202 nucleotide binding site (NBS) leucine-rich repeat (LRR) and other resistance (R) gene homologs (75 were identified by mining a peanut EST database). SSR, NBS-LRR, and Ser/Thr receptor-like protein loci within the alien introgression co-segregated with Rma in an F₄ population (Gregory × Tifguard) and were tightly linked and spanned 3.4 cM in an F₅ population (NemaTAM × GP-NC-WS-14). By comparative mapping in the A-genome progenitor of peanut (A. duranensis), Rma was discovered to have been introduced on an interstitial alien chromosome segment spanning one-third to one-half of chromosome 9A. Numerous codominant DNA markers were identified for finer mapping of Rma, shortening the alien introgression harboring Rma by marker-assisted selection, and introducing novel root-knot nematode R-genes into peanut by targeting syntenic segments on chromosomes 9A and 9B in wild diploid donors.     

Amelioration of tamoxifen-induced liver injury in rats by grape seed extract, black seed extract and curcumin

Liver injury was induced in female rats using tamoxifen (TAM). Grape seeds (Vitis vinifera) extract (GSE), black seed (Nigella sativa) extract (NSE), curcumin (CUR) or silymarin (SYL) were orally administered to TAM-intoxicated rats. Liver histopathology of TAM-intoxicated:rats showed pathological changes. TAM-intoxication elicited declines in liver antioxidant enzymes levels (glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase and catalase), reduced glutathione (GSH) and GSH/GSSG ratio plus the hepatic elevations in lipid peroxides, oxidized glutathione (GSSG), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and serum liver enzymes; alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase and gamma glutamyl transferase levels. Oral intake of NSE, GSE, CUR or SYL to TAM-intoxicated rats, attenuated histopathological changes and corrected all parameters mentioned above. Improvements were prominent in case of NSE (similarly SYL) > CUR > GSE. Data indicated that NSE, GSE or CUR act as free radicals scavengers and protect TAM-induced liver injury in rats.     

Microbial community structure changes during oyster mushroom substrate preparation

Although oyster mushroom (Pleurotus spp.) is a valuable food, cultivated worldwide on an industrial scale, still very little is known about the microbial dynamics during oyster mushroom substrate preparation. Therefore, the characterization of the microbial dynamics by chemical and biological tools was the objective of this study. During substrate preparation, enzymatic digestibility of the substrate improved by 77%, whereas the cellulose and hemicellulose to lignin ratios decreased by 9% and 19%, respectively. Fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis reached its minimum value at the temperature maximum of the process during the composting phase and exceeded the initial level at the end of the process. Fungal species played part in the initial mesophilic phase of the substrate preparation process, but they disappeared after pasteurization in tunnels at constant elevated temperatures. Changes in the microbiota showed a marked bacterial community succession during substrate preparation investigated by 16S ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid-based terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP). Mature samples represented the least variance, which indicated the effect of the standardized preparation protocol. The relation between mushroom yield and the bacterial community T-RFLP fingerprints was investigated, but the uniformity of mushroom yields did not support any significant correlation.     

Replacing Asn207 by aspartate at the neck of the D channel in the aa3-type cytochrome c oxidase from Rhodobacter sphaeroides results in decoupling the proton pump

Cytochrome oxidase catalyzes the reduction of O2 to water and conserves the considerable free energy available from this reaction in the form of a proton motive force. For each electron, one proton is electrogenically pumped across the membrane. Of particular interest is the mechanism by which the proton pump operates. Previous studies of the oxidase from Rhodobacter sphaeroides have shown that all of the pumped protons enter the enzyme through the D channel and that a point mutant, N139D, in the D channel completely eliminates proton pumping without reducing oxidase activity. N139 is one of three asparagines near the entrance of the D channel, where there is a narrowing or neck, through which a single file of water molecules pass. In the current work, it is shown that replacement of a second asparagine in this region by an asparate, N207D, also decouples the proton pump without altering the oxidase activity of the enzyme. Previous studies demonstrated that the N139D mutant results in an increase in the apparent pKa of E286, a functionally critical residue that is located 20 A away from N139 at the opposite end of the D channel. In the current work, it is shown that the N207 mutation also increases the apparent pKa of E286. This finding reinforces the proposal that the elimination of proton pumping is the result of an increase of the apparent proton affinity of E286, which, in turn, prevents the timely proton transfer to a proton accepter group within the exit channel of the proton pump.     

Suppression of viral RNA recombination by a host exoribonuclease

RNA viruses of humans, animals, and plants evolve rapidly due to mutations and RNA recombination. A previous genome-wide screen in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a model host, identified five host genes, including XRN1, encoding a 5'-3' exoribonuclease, whose absence led to an approximately 10- to 50-fold enhancement of RNA recombination in Tomato bushy stunt virus (E. Serviene, N. Shapka, C. P. Cheng, T. Panavas, B. Phuangrat, J. Baker, and P. D. Nagy, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 102:10545-10550, 2005). In this study, we found abundant 5'-truncated viral RNAs in xrn1delta mutant strains but not in the parental yeast strains, suggesting that these RNAs might serve as recombination substrates promoting RNA recombination in xrn1delta mutant yeast. This model is supported by data showing that an enhanced level of viral recombinant accumulation occurred when two different 5'-truncated viral RNAs were expressed in the parental and xrn1delta mutant yeast strains or electroporated into plant protoplasts. Moreover, we demonstrate that purified Xrn1p can degrade the 5'-truncated viral RNAs in vitro. Based on these findings, we propose that Xrn1p can suppress viral RNA recombination by rapidly removing the 5'-truncated RNAs, the substrates of recombination, and thus reducing the chance for recombination to occur in the parental yeast strain. In addition, we show that the 5'-truncated viral RNAs are generated by host endoribonucleases. Accordingly, overexpression of the Ngl2p endoribonuclease led to an increased accumulation of cleaved viral RNAs in vivo and in vitro. Altogether, this paper establishes that host ribonucleases and host-mediated viral RNA turnover play major roles in RNA virus recombination and evolution.     

Immune suppression uncovers endogenous cytopathic effects of the hepatitis B virus

It is generally accepted that the host's immune response rather than the virus itself is causing the hepatocellular damage seen in acute and chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections. However, in situations of severe immune suppression, chronic HBV patients may develop a considerable degree of liver disease. To examine whether HBV has direct cytopathic effects in severely immune compromised hosts, we have infected severe combined immune deficient mice (uPA-SCID), harboring human liver cells, with HBV. Serologic analysis of the plasma of HBV-infected animals revealed the presence of extremely high amounts of viral genomes and proteins. Histological analysis of the livers of uPA-SCID chimeras infected with HBV for more than 2 months showed that the majority of human hepatocytes had a ground-glass appearance, stained intensely for viral proteins, and showed signs of considerable damage and cell death. This histopathologic pattern closely resembles the picture observed in the livers of immunosuppressed HBV patients. These lesions were not observed in animals infected with HBV for less than 1 month. Ultrastructural analysis of long-term-infected hepatocytes showed a highly increased presence of cylindrical HBsAg structures, core particles, and Dane particles compared to short-term-infected hepatocytes. These long-term-infected hepatocytes also contained elevated amounts of HBV cccDNA. In conclusion, HBV causes dramatic intracellular changes and hepatocellular damage in the human hepatocytes that reside in a severely immune deficient mouse. These lesions show much resemblance to the ones encountered in immunosuppressed chronic HBV patients. Our observations indicate that HBV may be directly cytopathic in conditions of severe immune suppression.     

Periodically interrupted amperometry. A way of improving analytical performance of membrane coated electrodes

Amperometry is a powerful voltammetric measuring method. Its application is specially advantageous when used in combination with a separation step or with some other sample treatment method providing selectivity. The selectivity is often achieved by coating the amperometric working electrode surface with a membrane of special character. Size exclusion membrane, immobilized enzyme containing reaction layer, protecting dialysis membrane, perm selective ion exchange film etc can be mentioned here. In conventional amperometry the measuring potential is continuously applied, therefore in case of membrane coated electrodes the electrode process depletes the diffusion layer. In this work the performance of a new periodically interrupted amperometric (PIA) measuring program has been investigated in case of glucose enzyme sensor. The measuring program allowing time for reloading the diffusion layer provided higher current and therefore improved sensitivity and lower limit of detection.     

Influence of instability and muscular weakness in ethiopathogenesis of hip fractures

The aim of our study was to, in accordance with the presented theoretical presumptions, analyze the possible reasons for hip fractures of the older population in the north-eastern part of Croatia. A group of 2,696 persons (1,936 women and 760 men) with hip fractures has been analyzed during a 12 year period (from 1993. until 2005. year) in the Clinical Hospital Osijek. The date of admittance, age, gender and fracture location were recorded. In men, the incidence of total hip fracture number on the left side was greater 23.5% (p<0.01) compared to the right side, while in women this difference does not exist. Men have a greater incidence of trochanteric fractures than fractures of femoral neck on both sides, while in women this difference could be shown on the right side only. In women, a 30.5% (p<0.001) higher fracture incidence occurred in the winter compared to the summer. It has been concluded that in men the impaired neuromuscular function on the left body side caused the greater incidence of falls on this side. The more frequent multifragmental fractures of the trochanteric massive in men indicate the possible role of preserved pelvitrochanteric muscle tension in fracture characterization. Increased incidence of falls and fractures in the older female population can be interpreted with a more pronounced weakness of pelvitrochanteric muscles and consequent walking instability. Furthermore, a smaller incidence of hip fractures was noticed in the summer compared with winter. This is explained by a reduced exhaustion of pelvic muscles in summer (primarily pelvitrochanteric) and decrease in fall frequency.