Chemosterilant and insecticidal activity of mixed aflatoxins against Anthonomus grandis (Coleoptera)

A mixture of the four major aflatoxins at 0.06 ppm in food supplied to adult boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis, was an effective chemosterilant.     

Effects of proteins on phospholipid vesicle aggregation and lipid vesicle-monolayer interactions

The effects of proteins on divalent cation-induced phospholipid vesicle aggregation and phospholipid vesicle-monolayer membrane interactions (fusion) were examined. Glycophorin (from human erythrocytes) suppressed the membrane interactions more than N-2 protein (from human brain myelin) when these proteins were incorporated into acidic phospholipid vesicle membranes. The threshold concentrations of divalent cations which induced vesicle aggregation were increased by protein incorporation, and the rate of vesicle aggregation was reduced. A similar inhibitory effect by the proteins, incorporated into lipid vesicle membranes, was observed for Ca²⁺-induced lipid vesicle-monolayer interactions. However, when these proteins were incorporated only in the acidic phospholipid monolayers, the interaction (fusion) of the lipid vesicle-monolayer membranes, induced by divalent cations, was not appreciably altered by the presence of the proteins.In contrast to these two proteins, the presence of synexin in the solution did enhance the Ca²⁺-induced aggregation of phosphatidylserine vesicles, but did not seem to affect the degree of Ca²⁺-induced fusion between phosphatidylserine/phosphatidylcholine (1:1) and phosphatidylserine vesicles and monolayer membranes.     

碳量子点对模式植物拟南芥的生物效应研究

以模式植物拟南芥（Arabidopsis thaliana（L.）Heynh）为材料,从生理及分子层面研究碳量子点（Carbon quantum dots,CQDs）对拟南芥生物效应的影响。结果显示,CQDs能被拟南芥根部吸收并连续运输到叶片,对种子萌发率无明显影响,但能显著促进幼苗主根伸长和株重的增加。幼苗叶片叶绿体中色素含量随CQDs浓度的升高而显著降低。脯氨酸与丙二醛含量随CQDs浓度的升高呈先上升后下降趋势。超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）和过氧化氢酶（CAT）活性随CQDs浓度的升高呈先上升后下降趋势,在抗氧化酶系统中起主导作用;叶片内源过氧化氢（H₂O₂）的积累随CQDs浓度的升高而升高,具有显著的浓度依赖效应。与其他纳米材料处理不一样的是,硫同化及胁迫相关基因在CQDs处理后表达量下调,这可能与CQDs粒子本身的特性有关。     

Oviposition and development of Drosophila modified by magnetic fields

Drosophila flies placed in a habitat with two lateral boxes demonstrated sensitivity to magnetic fields: Oviposition decreased by exposure to pulsated extremely low frequency (ELF) (100)Hz, 1.76 miliTesla (mT) and sinusosidal fields (50 Hz, 1 mT), while there was no initial effect of exposure to a static magnetic field (4.5 mT). Drosophila eggs treated for 48 h with the above described fields showed that (1) mortality of eggs was lower in controls than in eggs exposed to all tested magnetic fields; (2) mortality of larvae increased when a permanent magnet was used; (3) mortality of pupae was highest when a permanent magnet was used; and (4) general adult viability was highest in controls (67%) and diminished progressively when eggs were exposed to pulsated (55%), sinusoidal (45%), and static (35%) magnetic fields.     

A review of the salt sensitivity of the Australian freshwater biota

In Victoria, Australia, both dryland salinity and salinity in irrigation regions are serious agricultural problems. One option to control the latter is to pump groundwater to maintain it below the surface. However, this leaves a saline wastewater for disposal, probably into local streams or wetlands. This review of the salt sensitivity of the biota of Australian streams and wetlands gives information of interest to those responsible for developing controls on these discharges. The review addresses the lethal and sub-lethal effects of salinity on microbes (mainly bacteria), macrophytes and micro-algae, riparian vegetation, invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds. Data suggest that direct adverse biological effects are likely to occur in Australian river, stream and wetland ecosystems if salinity is increased to around 1 000 mg L⁻¹. The review highlights a general lack of data on the sensitivity of freshwater plants and animals to salinity increases.     

Demographic parameters of Brachionus calyciflorus Pallas (Rotifers) exposed to sublethal endosulfan concentrations

The effects of sublethal levels of endosulfan (0, 1, 1.5, 2.5 and 3.3 mg 1^–1) on the demography of the rotifer Brachionus calyciorus were studied. Life expectancy at birth (e _o), net reproductive rate (Ro), generation time (T) and intrinsic rate of natural increase (r) were significant differentes between blank controls and controls with acetone. The effective endosulfan concentration at which a given parameter value was reduced to 50% of the controls (EC50) was calculated for life expectancy.     

Stimulatory and Inhibitory Effects of N-Methyl-D-Aspartate on 3H-Inositol Polyphosphate Accumulation in Rat Cortical Slices

The actions of the excitatory amino acid N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) on the accumulation of 3H-inositol polyphosphate isomers in rat cerebral cortex slices have been examined over short (less than 5 min) incubation periods. NMDA caused the dose-dependent accumulation of only [3H]inositol monophosphate and [3H]inositol bisphosphate (maximal effect between 0.3 and 1 mM), with no increase in [3H]inositol trisphosphate ([3H]InsP3) and [3H]inositol tetrakisphosphate ([3H]InsP4). HPLC analysis confirmed this, showing no increases in the breakdown products of [3H]Ins(1,3,4,5)P4. When present with the muscarinic agonist carbachol (1 mM), high concentrations of NMDA (1 mM) could almost totally inhibit carbachol-induced accumulation of 3H-inositol polyphosphates. In contrast, at lower concentrations of NMDA (10 microM), the inhibitory effect was replaced with a synergistic accumulation of inositol polyphosphates, especially [3H]InsP4 and [3H]InsP3. The inhibitory effects of NMDA were only apparent when extracellular Ca2+ was present, although incubation in media with no added Ca2+ resulted in somewhat reduced stimulatory responses to NMDA alone, but suppressed totally the inhibitory effects of 1 mM NMDA and reduced the synergistic effects of 10 microM NMDA on carbachol responses. These studies, therefore, reveal Ca(2+)-dependent effects of NMDA indicative of indirect mechanisms of action and show that care must be made in interpreting the effects of NMDA on phosphoinositide metabolism unless the inositol polyphosphate composition has been fully characterised.     

Some effects of rearing the yellow dung fly Scatophaga stercoraria in cattle dung containing invermectin

Invermectin was added to cattle dung in controlled concentrations like those found in the pats of injected cattle, and the medium was used to rear larvae of the dung fly Scatophaga stercoraria. Ivermectin at 0.036 ppm (wt/wet weight) debilitates 50% of the larvae within 48 h. At 0.015 ppm, 50% of the larvae are unable to pupariate, while at 0.001 ppm, 50% of the larvae fail to reach the adult stage. Adults produced from larvae reared in pats containing 0.0005 ppm invermectin show high levels of fluctuating asymmetry in wing characteristics as well as deformities in the wing veins themselves. The data are discussed in relation to the effects of excreted ivermectin on pastureland biology.