Salicylic Acid-Altering Arabidopsis Mutants Response to NO2 Exposure

Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂)-induced responses in wild type (wt) and salicylic acid (SA)-altering Arabidopsis mutants snc1 (suppressor of npr1-1, constitutive) with high SA level, transgenic line nahG with low SA level, npr1-1 (nonexpressor of PR gene) with SA signaling blockage and double mutant snc1nahG plants, were investigated. All mutant lines except sncl showed that NO₂ exposure at 0.25 μL L⁻¹ increased chlorophyll content and biomass accumulation, elevated photosynthetic rate, and decreased MDA content compared to their respective controls. The sncl plants were similar to the control plants for these measured indices. NO₂ exposure at 0.5 μL L⁻¹ and higher doses caused injury to wt, nahG, npr1-1 and snc1nahG plants, whereas the snc1 plants exhibited a stronger tolerance. To evaluate the resistance mechanism, we further investigated the changes in the mutants exposed to 1 μL L⁻¹ of NO₂ in relation to endogenous SA level, antioxidant capacity and redox status. The collected data demonstrated that the NO₂ tolerance in snc1, with a high SA level, was tightly linked to the increased antioxidant capacity and decreased oxidative stress. This suggests that SA may play an important protective function in plant response to NO₂ stress.     

冷适应对钴-60照射大鼠应激反应的影响

目的 研究冷适应是否会引起辐射敏感性的变化。方法 对冷适应后大鼠进行钴-60照射,测定其血中肾上腺素(ADR)、去甲肾上腺素(NAD)及一氧化氮(NO)含量。结果 冷适应后可以明显降低由于辐射而引起的心率加快,明显减轻由于单纯照射造成的NO降低,还可以减轻由于辐射而引起的ADR的升高。结论 冷适应可能降低单纯照射引起的应激反应。     

Refining and using Lotus 1-2-3, Part 2. Using Lotus 1-2-3 to assist with indicator monitors

Spreadsheet database tables provide accuracy and flexibility for analysis of indicator monitors and afford substantial time savings. The ease of data rearrangement allows for better detection of patterns, more accurate comparisons against accepted threshold values, and enhances the laboratorian's ability to make recommendations.     

Response of Human Epidermis to Graded Thermal Stress

Using a newly devised method of calculating very small kinetic differences, it was established that both sulfur dioxide and ozone inhibit the enzymic activity of acetylchoUnesterase (AChE) in vitro. Starting from approximately 4 ppm for S0₂ and 0.3 ppm for 0₃, the relative activity of the exposed AChE can be derived from the formula: y?=?100 – be ⁰⁰ , where y is the relative enzymic activity and x is the concentration of the polltant.     

医师职业紧张和紧张反应的研究

[目的]评价医师职业紧张和紧张反应强度。[方法]应用职业紧张量表修订版(OSI-R)(1998修订版)对 342名医师(医师组)和362名非卫生部门脑力劳动者(对照组)进行了测试。[结果]医师职业任务得分高于对照组, 差异有非常显著性(P<0．01)。医师的主要紧张源为任务过重、任务不适和责任感。医师仅人际关系紧张反应因子得分显著高于对照组(P<0．01)。医师的职业紧张水平和紧张反应强度随年龄增长而增高,不同年龄段之间差异呈非常显著性(P<0．01);男医师的职业紧张水平和紧张反应显著高于女医师(P<0．01)。[结论]医师职业是个紧张的职业,加强医师业务和医德学习,缓解医患矛盾,减少工作压力可保护和促进他们的健康。     

Response of Arabidopsis thaliana, Seedlings to Cadmium in Relation to Ammonium Availability

This study explored the natural variability of Arabidopsis thaliana to find out its response to ammonium availability and characterize the tolerance capacity to cadmic stress under low, average or high nitrogen supplies. Growth was determined by different morphological traits and metabolic enzymes. Plant growth was inhibited by cadmium at low nitrogen regime. But, at average or high nitrogen conditions, plant growth seems to be no affected by cadmium. Cadmium inhibited glutamine synthetase activity and stimulated glutamate dehydrogenase one in order to tolerate cadmium stress. Cadmium enhanced proline and sugar tenor in average or high nitrogen plants parallel with activation of Rubisco. Observations show that cadmium-induced stress was alleviated by optimal ammonium availability.     

Response of Chlorococcum sp. AZHB to Copper and Cadmius Stress

No abstract available.     

Breastfeeding and Maternal Stress Response and Health

This article reviews findings on the maternal stress and health effects of lactation. Several significant associations have emerged. Compared with not breastfeeding, breastfeeding is associated with increased parasympathetic nervous system modulation, greater vascular stress response, lower perceived stress levels, and fewer depressive symptoms. Breastfeeding exclusively is associated with an attenuated initial sympathetic cardiac nervous system response to some laboratory stressors. Bottle-feeding is associated with increased sympathetic and decreased parasympathetic cardiac control. The act of breastfeeding is associated with decreased neuroendocrine response to stressors and decreased negative mood. Finally, breastfeeding is associated with enhanced physical and mental health compared with non-breastfeeding .     

Cardiovascular Response to Acute Cold Stress in Non-Obese and Obese Healthy Adults

Background

Obesity is a global epidemic with important health care and financial implications. The cold pressor test (CPT) which is considered to be a sympathy-excitatory manoeuvre is a simple, noninvasive and validated test. The objective of this study was to assess and compare the cardiovascular response to cold pressor test in non-obese and obese healthy adults.

Methods

The study included 400 subjects, of which the study group included 200 adults who had body mass index (BMI) of more than 30 Kg/m,² and 200 non-obese adults were enrolled as controls with BMI less than 25 kg/m². The study was conducted for a period of two months. CPT was used to assess cardiac response to acute cold exposure in the present study. Baseline systolic and diastolic blood pressure recording was done using mercury sphygmomanometer during resting condition and following cold pressor test. The results were expressed as mean, standard deviation, and data were analyzed using ANOVA test. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

The mean change in systolic blood pressure before and after cold pressor test (CPT) was less in obese (7.12 ± 5.28) as compared to non-obese subjects (10.38 ±6.35). This was statistically significant which indicates impaired sympathetic function in otherwise healthy obese.

Conclusion

The study concluded that blood pressure response to cold pressor test was reduced in obese compared to non-obese subjects indicating reduced sympathetic activity in healthy obese adults.     

Pertussis antitoxin decay after vaccination with DTPa. Response to a first booster dose 3 1/2-6 1/2 years after the third vaccine dose

Longitudinal serum samples were collected from 542 children that had participated in a Swedish pertussis vaccine trial 1992-1995 [Gustafsson L, Hallander HO, Olin P, Reizenstein E, Storsaeter J. A controlled trial of a two-component acellular, a five-component acellular, and a whole-cell pertussis vaccine. N Engl J Med 1996;334(6):349-355] and who did not contract pertussis. The sera were analyzed for post vaccination antibody decay and for booster response of anti-PT (IgG antibodies against pertussis toxin), as measured by ELISA. Generally, an initial rapid decay of antitoxin antibody concentration was followed by a slower decay; the change occurring when the geometric mean level of antitoxin concentration reached 8-9 ELISA Units/mL (EU/mL). The time needed to reach this level was 8-9 months after the third dose in a 2, 4, and 6 months schedule. A "best-fit" combined regression model was used to predict when 50% of the children have less than the minimum level of detection of anti-PT (1EU/mL). This occurred about 65 months after dose 3 at an age of 6 years. The anti-PT response to a booster dose was evident but the post-booster geometric mean values decreased with number of years after the third dose and the response appeared later. The results indicate that a pre-school booster might be considered at 6 years of age or earlier.     

Antioxidant Modulation in Response to Metal-Induced Oxidative Stress in Algal Chloroplasts

To investigate adaptive responses to metal stress at the subcellular level, the oxidative balance in isolated chloroplasts was evaluated for the first time in the unicellular alga Gonyaulax polyedra exposed to the toxic metals Hg²⁺, Cd²⁺, Pb²⁺, and Cu²⁺. Different antioxidant responses were verified according to the metal and model of stress applied. Cells chronically exposed to metals exhibited high activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase, high glutathione content, and decrease of peridinin levels, whereas no significant changes were detected for β-carotene levels. In contrast, cells subjected to acute metal stress displayed twice as much β-carotene but only a slight increase in superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase activities. The correlation of acute metal treatment and oxidative stress was inferred from the higher oxygen uptake and decreased reduced glutathione pool found in treated cells. In addition, increased oxidative damage to proteins and lipids occurred mainly in cells under acute stress. Pb²⁺ was the most damaging toxicant, causing protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation even at chronic treatment. These results indicate that heavy metals are able to induce oxidative stress in chloroplasts of G. polyedra, particularly under acute conditions. Nevertheless, the maintenance of a high antioxidant capacity within chloroplasts seems to be an important strategy during acclimation of G. polyedra to chronic metal stress. By acting at the subcellular site, where oxidative stress is triggered, induction of such chloroplast antioxidants might be crucial for cell survival during exposure to heavy metals. Received: 4 April 2000/Accepted: 9 July 2000     

中国仓鼠肺成纤维细胞过氧化适应及其机理

目的为研究真核细胞过氧化适应反应及其可能机理。方法在中国仓鼠肺成纤维细胞（ＣＨＬ）上，通过低剂量Ｈ２Ｏ２预处理，观察细胞和ＤＮＡ对高剂量Ｈ２Ｏ２再处理的适应反应，同时测定ＣＡＴ酶和ＰＡＲＰ的变化及其在适应ＤＮＡ断裂中的作用。结果在细胞活力和ＤＮＡ断裂水平上均观察到非致死性适应反应，然而这两种水平的适应模式（条件）有所不同，提示两者可能存在不同的诱导适应的途径。低剂量Ｈ２Ｏ２可诱导ＣＡＴ酶活性增高，并与抑制ＤＮＡ断裂的适应效应具有相关性（ｒ＝０．９５，Ｐ＜０．０５），同时ＰＡＲＰ阻断剂３氨基苯胺（３ＡＢ）可明显抑制ＤＮＡ断裂水平的适应反应。结论ＣＨＬ细胞系存在细胞活力变化和ＤＮＡ断裂的过氧化非致死性适应。ＣＡＴ和ＰＡＲＰ参与过氧化ＤＮＡ断裂的适应诱导     

Gender Atypicality and Anxiety Response to Social Interaction Stress in Homosexual and Heterosexual Men

Gender non-conforming behavior and a homosexual sexual orientation have both been linked to higher levels of anxiety. This study examined the independent and interactive effects of gender atypicality and sexual orientation on levels of state anxiety immediately following a stressful social interaction task among a sample of homosexual and heterosexual Israeli men (n = 36). Gender atypicality was measured via both self-report and observer ratings. State anxiety was measured via both self-report immediately subsequent to the stressful social interaction task and pre- to post task changes in salivary cortisol. Results showed that self-reported gender atypicality and heterosexual sexual orientation predicted higher levels of self-reported social interaction anxiety, but not changes in cortisol. There were no sexual orientation by gender behavior interactions and there were no significant effects for observer rated gender atypicality. These findings suggest that gender atypicality, not homosexuality, place individuals at risk for increased anxiety.     

Response of Wheat Seedlings to Ni Stress: Effects of Supplemental Calcium

The effect of excess Ni (1 mM Ni) on wheat plants as well as the role of Ca (1 mM Ni+5000 μM Ca) for amelioration of toxicity and recovery of growth and photosynthesis in Ni-stressed wheat was evaluated. Growth, nutrient status (Ca, Mg, Fe, K, Na), and photosynthesis showed a distinct decrease strictly related to the period of treatment. Calcium ameliorated to a certain extent toxic symptoms of Ni, due to antagonistic action between Ni and Ca ions. Since chlorophyll content and variable fluorescence (Fv) decreased significantly, but Fo did not particularly change, the decrease of t_1/2 with increasing duration of Ni exposure indicates negative changes on the acceptor side of PSII, which also may result from diminution of Calvin cycle. The maximum quantum yield for energy trapping was also suppressed. Plant transfer to Hoagland solution+5000 μM Ca caused recovery to plant morphology and physiology. Even in control plants, during recovery period an increased Ca concentration in plant tissues with concomitant increased rates of growth and morphology was observed. Ni concentration in plants exposed to 1 mM Ni+5000 μM Ca was lower than in plants exposed to 1 mM Ni. In all treatments a certain increase of plant nutrients was observed during recovery.     

Synthesis and antimicrobial evaluation of 1-(benzofuran-2-yl)-4-nitro-3-arylbutan-1-ones and 3-(benzofuran-2-yl)-4,5-dihydro-5-aryl-1-[4-(aryl)-1,3-thiazol-2-yl]-1H-pyrazoles

2-Acetylbenzofuran 1 on treatment with substituted aldehydes affords the corresponding chalcones 2a-c. Treatment of the chalcones with nitromethane under Michael addition condition furnished the corresponding Michael adducts 3a-c. Cyclocondensation of the chalcones 2a and 2b with thiosemicarbazide under basic refluxing conditions gave 3-(benzofuran-2-yl)-5-(4-aryl)-4,5-dihydropyrazole-1-carbothioamides 4a,b. The pyrazolines 7a-d were synthesized by treating 4a,b with phenacyl bromides in refluxing ethanol. All the synthesized compounds were screened for their antibacterial and antifungal activities at 100 microg concentration. Some of our compounds showed excellent antimicrobial activities than control drugs.