New data on the genus Chrysotoxum Meigen (Diptera: Syrphidae) from North-East Turkey,Armenia, Azerbaijan and Iran including descriptions of three new species

New data and records of the genus Chrysotoxum Meigen, 1803 are reported, arising from taxonomic and faunistic examination of adult specimens collected from 1920 to 2011 from four northeastern provinces of Turkey (Erzurum, Bayburt, Kars, and Artvin), and from the neighboring countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Iran. Three new species are described: Chrysotoxum antennalis Vuji?, Nedeljkovi? &; Hayat sp. n., C. clausseni Vuji?, Nedeljkovi? &; Hayat sp. n. and C. persicum Vuji?, Nedeljkovi? &; Hayat sp. n. The first two are known only from northeastern Turkey, and the third also occurs in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Iran. These new species have in common an antenna with the basoflagellomere being shorter than the scape and pedicel together.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:4C264678-8E47-4DE0-AC7D-91DABC597BCD     

Cardioprotective effects of resveratrol following myocardial ischemia and reperfusion

Resveratrol (RSV), a plant origin polyphenol, has shown beneficial cardiovascular effects. In this study, isolated hearts from male Wistar rats were studied using the Langendorff technique. Following 30 min stabilization, the hearts underwent 30 min global ischemia and 120 min reperfusion. The perfusion solution in the test group contained RSV (10 μM). Hemodynamics of the hearts, the markers of myocardial damage including creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and troponin I were studied during the study. Furthermore, the infarct size and the markers of oxidative stress including catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) were assayed in the homogenates of the hearts. The release of nitrite from the hearts and the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias were also monitored throughout the experiment. Resveratrol caused a significant improvement in the restoration of the mechanical performance of the hearts following myocardial ischemia and reperfusion (MIR). Besides, the infarct size, CK-MB, LDH, and troponin I declined in the test group. Besides, the cardiac release of nitrite increased, and the redox status of the heart was improved as indicated by the levels of CAT, SOD, GPX, and MDA. Finally, the treatment caused significant decreases in the occurrences of single and salvo arrhythmias, ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. The current study suggests strong cardioprotective and antiarrhythmic effects for RSV following MIR.

     

A mechanistic interpretation of the action of toxin II from Anemonia sulcata on the cardiac sodium channel

Cardiac sodium channels, modified by Anemonia sulcata toxin II, have been analyzed by the patch-clamp method. The open state of the modified sodium channels proved to be prolonged highly significantly and reopening from a closed state denoted c*-state frequently occurred, interrupted by silent periods, denoted i*-state. Activation from the c*-state was apparently not affected by toxin action, whereas activation from the i*-state was markedly prolonged. Upon higher depolarizations toxin-induced sodium channels disappeared and this behaviour has been attributed to dissociation of the toxin from the channel by use of a special pulse-protocol. The onset of the toxin effect on the action potential proved to depend on stimulation, and it is concluded that the toxin binds preferentially to the open (o)-state. Taking together the results, a kinetic scheme is suggested for action of the toxin on the cardiac sodium channel.