Antixenosis and antibiosis response of common bean (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phaseolus vulgaris</Emphasis>) to two-spotted spider mite (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Tetranychus urticae</Emphasis>)

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus uticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), is globally one of the most devastating pests that feed on numerous crops, including common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). This study was aimed to evaluate the effects of genotype and morphological attributes of common bean on T. uticae. Forty common bean accessions were used to investigate antixenosis and antibiosis through assessing mite feeding preference and reproduction under laboratory conditions. Three resistant (i.e., 56, 63, 238) and two susceptible (i.e., 182, 236) accessions, along with cultivars Naz (resistant) and Akhtar (susceptible), were used in a life-table study. Both antixenosis and antibiosis mechanism were observed in all of the accessions, albeit a negative correlation occurred. Significant differences were observed for all traits of T. urticae: developmental time of immature stages, reproduction, adult longevity and life-table parameters. Based on the intrinsic rate of increase, the accessions 56, 63, 182, 238, and cv. Naz impose high antibiotic effects on T. urticae. Although significant variation existed among accessions for morphological factors, only glandular trichomes correlated with mite fecundity and feeding preference.     

Antimicrobial Activity of Artemisia absinthium Against Surgical Wounds Infected by Staphylococcus aureus in a Rat Model

The wound infection is one of the frequent complications in patients undergoing surgical operations. Staphylococcus aureus is the most common cause of surgical wounds. Artemisia absinthium has been shown to bear strong antimicrobial activity, especially against Gram-positive pathogens. This study was designed to investigate the antimicrobial effects of A. absinthium against surgical wounds infected by S. aureus in a rat model. Twenty male Sprague–Dawley rats were divided randomly into two equal groups of treated and control rats. A circular incision was created on the dorsal inter-scapular region of each rat. After skin wounding, rats were inoculated locally with 1 × 10⁴ CFU of S. aureus at sites of skin wounds. The extract was applied topically twice a day throughout the experiment. Animals of the control group were left untreated. Results have revealed that topical application of A. absinthium extract on the infected wound sites produced significant antibacterial activity against S. aureus.     

Do high-mobility group box 1 gene polymorphisms affect the incidence of differentiation syndrome in acute promyelocytic leukemia?

Molecular Biology Reports - Differentiation syndrome (DS) is an inflammatory complication seen in some patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) undergoing differentiation therapy with...     

Down-Regulation of Excitatory Amino Acid Transporters EAAT1 and EAAT2 by the Kinases SPAK and OSR1

SPAK (SPS1-related proline/alanine-rich kinase) and OSR1 (oxidative stress-responsive kinase 1) are cell volume-sensitive kinases regulated by WNK (with-no-K[Lys]) kinases. SPAK/OSR1 regulate several channels and carriers. SPAK/OSR1 sensitive functions include neuronal excitability. Orchestration of neuronal excitation involves the excitatory glutamate transporters EAAT1 and EAAT2. Sensitivity of those carriers to SPAK/OSR1 has never been shown. The present study thus explored whether SPAK and/or OSR1 contribute to the regulation of EAAT1 and/or EAAT2. To this end, cRNA encoding EAAT1 or EAAT2 was injected into Xenopus oocytes without or with additional injection of cRNA encoding wild-type SPAK or wild-type OSR1, constitutively active ^T233ESPAK, WNK insensitive ^T233ASPAK, catalytically inactive ^D212ASPAK, constitutively active ^T185EOSR1, WNK insensitive ^T185AOSR1 or catalytically inactive ^D164AOSR1. The glutamate (2 mM)-induced inward current (I _Glu) was taken as a measure of glutamate transport. As a result, I _Glu was observed in EAAT1- and in EAAT2-expressing oocytes but not in water-injected oocytes, and was significantly decreased by coexpression of SPAK and OSR1. As shown for EAAT2, SPAK, and OSR1 decreased significantly the maximal transport rate but significantly enhanced the affinity of the carrier. The effect of wild-type SPAK/OSR1 on EAAT1 and EAAT2 was mimicked by ^T233ESPAK and ^T185EOSR1, but not by ^T233ASPAK, ^D212ASPAK, ^T185AOSR1, or ^D164AOSR1. Coexpression of either SPAK or OSR1 decreased the EAAT2 protein abundance in the cell membrane of EAAT2-expressing oocytes. In conclusion, SPAK and OSR1 are powerful negative regulators of the excitatory glutamate transporters EAAT1 and EAAT2.     

Liquid chromatography method for determination of mefenamic acid in human serum

A simple, rapid and specific method for analysis of mefenamic acid (I) in serum by a sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography is described. Only 70 microl of serum and a little sample work-up is required. A simple procedure of extraction by dichloromethane followed by evaporation to dryness under gentle stream of nitrogen and dissolving the dried residue in mobile phase was used. The mefenamic acid peak was separated from endogenous peaks on a C(8) column by a mobile phase of acetonitrile-water (50:50, v/v, pH 3). Mefenamic acid and internal standard (IS) (diclofenac) were eluted at 7.4 and 5.4 min, respectively. The limit of quantitation of mefenamic acid in serum was 25 ng/ml at 280 nm. The method was linear over the range of 25-2000 ng/ml with r(2) of 0.998. Mean recovery for mefenamic acid was 110%.     

Toxic metals accumulation in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trichoderma asperellum</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">T. harzianum</Emphasis>

Heavy metal contamination represents an important environmental issue due to the toxic effects of metals on different organisms. Filamentous fungi play an important impact in the bioremediation of heavy metal-contaminated wastewater and soil. The purpose of this investigation was to observe fungal uptake behavior toward heavy metal. For this aim Trichoderma asperellum TS141 and T. harzianum TS103 at growth period were screened for their tolerance and uptake capability of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and nickel (Ni) at different concentrations (0, 25, 50, 100, and 200 mg/L) in PDB media (potato dextrose broth as a complex medium). Results showed that both fungi were able to survive at the maximum concentration of 200 mg/L of the heavy metals, and remove them. T. asperellum had a better uptake capacity for Cd compared to Pb and Ni in the highest metal concentration in media. Maximum removal efficiency of Pb (68.4%) at 100 mg/L and Ni (78%) at 200 mg/L was performed by T. asperellum. For Cd, the highest removal efficiency (82.1%) was recorded by T. harzianum at 200 mg/L Cd in aqueous solution. The uptake of Cd was highly dependent on pH of solution than Pb and Ni so that the optimal pH of Cd uptake was 9 for T. asperellum and 4 for T. harzianum. Also, optimal temperature was 35°C for Cd and Pb uptake in both fungi, whereas for Ni uptake was 30 and 35°C in T. harzianum and T. asperellum, respectively. We propose that T. asperellum TS141 and T. harzianum TS103 can be used as a bioremediation agent for metal remediation from wastewater and heavy metal-contaminated soils.