Fungal elicitors of the phytoalexin response in higher plants

Several types of fungal molecules including cell wall polysaccharides, polypeptides, glycoproteins and lipid molecules have been found to serve as elicitors of phytoalexins in higher plants. Recent work has shown that an extracellular enzyme, endopolygalacturonase, from culture filtrates of the fungusRhizopus stolonifer elicits the biosynthesis of an antifungal antibiotic, casbene, in extracts of treated castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) seedlings. A suggested mode of action of this elicitor in the plant in which fragments of the plant cell wall released through the catalytic action of the enzyme serve as secondary elicitors to trigger the plant response is proposed on the basis of preliminary observations. Possible modes of interaction of other types of fungal elicitors with plants are also discussed.     

Synchronization of amniotic fluid cells for high resolution cytogenetics

A high resolution technique was applied to amniotic fluid cells by synchronization. After inoculation, the cells were incubated for 30 h in the presence of either thymidine or 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU). After removal of the blocking agent and addition of a low concentration of thymidine, the cells were incubated for another 6 1/2–7 h, then harvested in prometaphase without colcemid. This technique gives a mitotic index of 3·7 per cent after thymidine synchronization and of 3·2 per cent after BrdU synchronization, and more than half of the mitoses were in the earlier phases with the chromosomes showing more than 550 bands per haploid set. GBG, GTG, and RHG prometaphases are presented. Precise high-resolution banding of chromosomes of amniotic fluid cells can increase diagnostic accuracy.     

Cellulose biogenesis in bacteria and higher plants is disrupted by magnetic fields

This work was supported by a grant from Johnson &; Johnson to RMB. We 5 thank Dr. M. Schülein, Novo A/S, Bagsvaerd, Denmark for providing CBH.     

Ultraweak photon emission from herbivory-injured maize plants

Following perception of herbivory or infection, plants exhibit a wide range of inducible responses. In this study, we found ultraweak photon emissions from maize leaves damaged by Helicoverpa armigera (Noctuidae). Interestingly, mechanically damaged maize leaves treated with caterpillar regurgitants emitted the same intensity and pattern of photon emissions as those from maize leaves damaged by caterpillars. Furthermore, two-dimensional imaging of the leaf section treated with the oral secretions clearly shows that photon emissions were observed specifically at the lip of the wound exposed to the secretions. These results suggest that the direct interaction between maize leaf cells and chemicals contained in caterpillar regurgitants triggers these photon emissions.     

Insect pollinated plants benefit from organic farming

Organic farming is predicted to enhance diversity in agroecosystems. This study addresses the question of whether the often observed positive effect of organic farming on arable weed and pollinator diversity results in a significant shift in arable weed community structure towards a higher proportion of insect pollinated species in organic crop fields. To examine whether plant community patterns were consistent with this hypothesis, arable weed communities were compared with respect to the type of pollination (i.e. insect pollination versus non-insect pollination) in the edges and centres of 20 organic and 20 conventional wheat fields. Plant species numbers of both pollination types were much higher in organic than in conventional fields and higher in the field edge than in the field centre. A comparison of the proportions of both pollination types to all plant species revealed that the relative number of insect pollinated species was higher in organic than in conventional fields and higher at the field edge than in the field centre, whereas the relative number of non-insect pollinated species was higher in conventional fields and in the field centre. Our results show that insect pollinated plants benefit disproportionately from organic farming, which appeared to be related to higher pollinator densities in organic fields, whereas in the centres of conventional fields non-insect pollinated plants dominate presumably due to a limitation of pollinators. Hence, disruption of plant-pollinator interactions due to agricultural intensification may cause important shifts in plant community structure.     

Removal of metals by sorghum plants from contaminated land

The growth of high biomass crops facilitated by optimal of agronomic practices has been considered as an alternative to phytoremediation of soils contaminated by heavy metals. A field trial was carried out to evaluate the phytoextraction efficiency of heavy metals by three varieties of sweet sorghum (Sorghum biocolor L.), a high biomass energy plant. Ethylene diamine tetraacetate (EDTA), ammonium nitrate (NH₄NO₃) and ammonium sulphate ((NH₄)₂SO₄) were tested for their abilities to enhance the removal of heavy metals Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu by sweet sorghum from a contaminated agricultural soil. Sorghum plants always achieved the greatest removal of Pb by leaves and the greatest removal of Cd, Zn and Cu by stems. There was no significant difference among the Keller, Rio and Mray varieties of sweet sorghums in accumulating heavy metals. EDTA treatment was more efficient than ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulphate in promoting Pb accumulation in sweet sorghum from the contaminated agricultural soil. The application of ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulphate increased the accumulation of both Zn and Cd in roots of sorghum plants. Results from this study suggest that cropping of sorghum plants facilitated by agronomic practices may be a sustainable technique for partial decontamination of heavy metal contaminated soils.     

Hydrocarbons from plants: Analytical methods and observations

We have suggested that certain plants rich in hydrocarbon-like materials might be cultivated for renewable photosynthetic products. Two species were selected for experimental plantations: Euphorbia lathyris, an annual from seed and Euphorbia tirucalli, a perennial from cuttings. The yield from each species is over 10 barrels of oil/acre/year without genetic or agronomic improvement. In addition to plants, there are trees, such as species of Copaifera in Brazil and other tropical areas, which produce a diesel-like oil upon tapping. Each tree produces approximately 40 liters of hydrocarbon per year, and this material can be used directly by a diesel-powered car. Further efforts to develop plants as alternate energy sources are underway, as well as a continuing search for additional plant species throughout the world which have a similar capability.     

五种水生植物对水中铀的去除作用

采用水培实验,研究了浮叶植物野生水葫芦(Eichhornia crassipes)、漂浮植物浮萍(Lemna minor L)、满江红(Azolla imbircata)、沉水植物菹草(Potamogeton crispus)、挺水植物空心莲子草(Alligator Alternanthera Herb)在初始铀浓度分别为0.15、1.50和15.00 mg·L^-1水中的生长状况及它们对水中铀的去除能力.结果表明,在21 d的水培试验期内,满江红对铀表现出了最强的抗性,0.15、1.50和15.00 mg·L^-1的铀对满江红的生长抑制率分别只有4.56%、2.48%和6.79%,而满江红对水中铀的去除率分别达到了94%、97%和92%.进一步的试验表明,每1 L水中种植7.5 g满江红,可以获得最大的铀去除率,将初始铀浓度为1.25、2.50、5.00和10.00 mg·L^-1的水体降至国家排放标准(GB 23727—2009)规定值(0.05 mg·L^-1)以下分别需要17、19、23和25 d.研究结果为进一步开展铀污染水体植物修复的研究打下了基础.     

Cercaricidal activity of some essential oils of plants from Brazil

Extended screening tests on the cercaricidal activity of various plants from northeast Brazil have shown that the extracts of the leaves and fruits ofPiper marginatum,Protium heptaphyllum, andCapsicum annuum show a remarkable effect on the cercaria ofSchistosoma mansoni. In the case of the oils ofPiper marginatum andCapsicum annuum, 90–96% of the cercaria ofSchistosoma mansoni were killed within 15 min. According to the NMR spectra, the active principles of the extracts seem to be water-soluble unsaturated compounds from the oils or their hydrolysis products. Natural substances provide an attractive alternative for preventive actions against schistosomiasis, as the perturbation of the ecological equilibrium of natural waters can be avoided in this manner.     

Significantly higher number of fetal cells in the maternal circulation of women with pre-eclampsia

Although the pathophysiology of pre-eclampsia is unknown, several studies have indicated that abnormal placentation early in pregnancy might play a key role. It has recently been suggested that this abnormal placentation may result in transfusion of fetal cells (feto-maternal transfusion) in women with pre-eclampsia. In the present study, fetal nucleated red blood cells were isolated from 20 women with pre-eclampsia and 20 controls using a very efficient magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS) protocol. The number of male cells was determined using two-color fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for X and Y chromosomes. Significantly more XY cells could be detected in women with pre-eclampsia (0.61±1.2 XY cells/ml blood) compared to women with uncomplicated pregnancies (0.02±0.04 XY cells/ml blood) (Mann–Whitney U-test, p<0.001). These results suggest that fetal cell trafficking is enhanced in women with pre-eclampsia, and this finding may contribute to the understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

污水处理厂原始数据可靠性评价方法

利用生物营养物去除（BNR）实验室试验系统,建立了物料平衡关系矩阵,并借助于Macrobal软件对原始运行数据进行深入检查和可靠性评估.结果表明,物料平衡检查过程不仅能发现并修正测量中隐藏的大误差,准确地确定污泥龄（SRT）;此外,还能得出COD的氧化量（OCCOD）、硝化量（Qnitr）、反硝化量（Qdeni）及氧的净消耗量（OCnet）等开放平衡数据.其中,准确的污泥龄(SRT)是获得良好模拟预测效果的关键,反硝化量（Qdeni）将为反硝化过程的校正提供可靠依据,氧的净消耗量（OCnet）可用于模型校正的最终检验过程.     

Mercury emissions and partitioning from Indian coal-fired power plants

In India coal combustion is the single largest source of emission of mercury which is a wide-spread persistent global toxicant, travelling across international borders through air and water. As a party to the Minamata convention, India aims to monitor and reduce Hg emissions and stricter norms are introduced for mercury emissions from power plants (30 μg/Nm³for flue gas in stack).This paper presents the results obtained during the experimental studies performed on mercury emissions at four coal-fired and one lignite-fired power plants in India. The mercury concentration in the feed coal varied between 0.12–0.27 mg/Kg. In the mercury mass balance, significant proportion of feed coal mercury has been found to be associated with fly ash, whereas bottom ash contained very low mercury. 80%–90% of mercury was released to air through stack gas. However, for circulating fluidised bed boiler burning lignite, about 64.8% of feed mercury was found to get captured in the fly ash and only 32.4% was released to air. The mercury emission factor was found to lie in the range of 4.7–15.7 mg/GJ.