Phytohormone Profiles Induced by Trichoderma Isolates Correspond with Their Biocontrol and Plant Growth-Promoting Activity on Melon Plants

The application of Trichoderma strains with biocontrol and plant growth-promoting capacities to plant substrates can help reduce the input of chemical pesticides and fertilizers in agriculture. Some Trichoderma isolates can directly affect plant pathogens, but they also are known to influence the phytohormonal network of their host plant, thus leading to an improvement of plant growth and stress tolerance. In this study, we tested whether alterations in the phytohormone signature induced by different Trichoderma isolates correspond with their ability for biocontrol and growth promotion. Four Trichoderma isolates were collected from agricultural soils and were identified as the species Trichoderma harzianum (two isolates), Trichoderma ghanense, and Trichoderma hamatum. Their antagonistic activity against the plant pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis was tested in vitro, and their plant growth-promoting and biocontrol activity against Fusarium wilt on melon plants was examined in vivo, and compared to that of the commercial strain T. harzianum T-22. Several growth- and defense-related phytohormones were analyzed in the shoots of plants that were root-colonized by the different Trichoderma isolates. An increase in auxin and a decrease in cytokinins and abscisic acid content were induced by the isolates that promoted the plant growth. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to evaluate the relationship between the plant phenotypic and hormonal variables. PCA pointed to a strong association of auxin induction with plant growth stimulation by Trichoderma. Furthermore, the disease-protectant ability of the Trichoderma strains against F. oxysporum infection seems to be more related to their induced alterations in the content of the hormones abscisic acid, ethylene, and the cytokinin trans-zeatin riboside than to the in vitro antagonism activity against F. oxysporum.     

NIST reference goniophotometer for specular gloss measurements

The measurement of specular gloss consists of comparing the luminous reflectance from a test specimen to that from a gloss standard, under the same geometric conditions. The reference goniophotometer described here was designed and characterized to comply with the geometric and spectral conditions specified in the international documentary standards for specular gloss measurements at the standard geometries of 20, 60, and 85°. In addition, this instrument measures the bi-directional luminous reflectance and transmittance for incident angles from 0 to 85°. The goniophotometer and the measurement procedures used to determine the specular gloss of nonmetallic samples are described in this paper, as well as the characterization of the instrument and uncertainty analysis. The minimum relative expanded uncertainty (k=2) for the reference goniophotometer is 0.3%. Optical Technology Div., Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8441.     

Quantum‐dots‐based detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3 using RNA aptamer on chip

BACKGROUND: Over 170 million people, more than 3% of the world's population, suffer from the hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and the rate of death from liver‐related mortality to HCV has increased. In respect of this, the development of assays for biological imaging should be urgently considered as an essential factor in diagnosis. RESULTS: A novel HCV‐detecting technique using a nanoparticle‐supported aptamer probe was demonstrated. With the aid of nanoparticle quantum dots (QDs) with carboxyl group as an imaging probe, and 5′‐end‐amine‐modified RNA oligonucleotide as a capturing probe, target HCV NS3 was visually detected on chip. The QDs‐based RNA aptamer for HCV NS3 showed high selectivity and specificity against other protein such as BSA. The detection limit of HCV NS3 protein was 5 ng mL^?1 level. CONCLUSION: With a novel strategy for protein–aptamer interaction, the feasibility of applying QDs‐based fluorescent detection technique to HCV viral protein assay for the development of a protein biochip was demonstrated. This scheme of QDs‐mediated imaging with a target‐oriented specific RNA aptamer for the detection of infectious HCV diseases provides an efficient strategy and a promising new platform for monitoring applications. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Production of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids by Mortierella alpina Using Submerse and Solid State Fermentation

A new isolate of Mortierella alpina, > 98 % identical with M. alpina ATCC 16266, was cultivated in a defined glucose‐based medium with three organic nitrogen sources (glycine, urea and Na‐L‐glutamate) at three different concentrations in shaking flasks at 20 °C. The results were compared to the cultivation in complex medium with yeast extract as nitrogen source. In the defined media, high yields of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and arachidonic acid (ARA), respectively, were obtained with Na‐L‐glutamate. However, the absolute highest yields of PUFA and ARA were measured with the yeast extract medium. An optimized yeast extract complex medium was used for a submerse bioreactor cultivation in a 45‐L scale. Furthermore, M. alpina was cultivated in a solid state fermenter, using an oat bran water mixture as substrate.     

Polyethylene as an Additive for Mineral Oils — Part II: EHL Traction Behavior

In Part I of the paper ((1999), Trib. Trans., 42, pp. 851–859) we investigated the effect of the polyethylene concentration on the film forming properties in a rolling bearing. This second part presents the influence of the polymer additive concentration on the traction behavior experienced using a two-disk machine at different temperatures and contact pressures.

By using the traction data, a semi-empirical approach for determining the effective lubricant theological parameters in EHL contacts was performed. Using this approach, the effect of polymer concentration upon rheological parameters that appear in the Johnson and Tevaarwerk model with Eyring stress was quantified.     

Role of lattice oxygen in the partial oxidation of methane over Rh/zirconia-doped ceria. Isotopic studies

Isotopic tracer and nuclear reaction analysis (NRA) are used to probe the identity of oxygen for CO formation during the catalytic partial oxidation (CPOX) of methane to synthesis gas on ¹⁸O₂ labeled Rh (1 wt.%)/(Ce_0.56Zr_0.44)O_2−x. Results reveal that methane is selectively oxidized by lattice oxygen ions from the catalyst to form carbon monoxide. ¹⁸O₂ isotopic exchange experiments, as a function of temperature in the 0–850 °C range, were performed on Rh (1 wt.%)/(Ce_0.56Zr_0.44)O_2−x, and (Ce_0.56Zr_0.44)O_2−x. It was observed that the presence of rhodium considerably accelerates the oxygen exchange with the support; the maximal exchange rates could be observed at lower temperatures, 250 °C. This may be due to oxygen spillover from the metal particles to the oxide. Comparing results from the isotopic exchange experiments on Rh/γ-alumina and Rh (1 wt.%)/(Ce_0.56Zr_0.44)O_2−x. It was revealed that oxygen conducting materials have a much higher oxygen storage capacity and isotopic exchange rate than non-oxygen conducting materials.     

Distribution of morphology and transport properties of water vapor in injection‐molded biodegradable aliphatic polyester

A biodegradable polyester, poly(tetramethylene dodecanedioate), was injection molded in a rectangular cavity. Thin sections were sliced from molded samples starting from the skin. The morphology distribution inside the molded samples was studied by X‐ray analysis. The diffusion and solubility coefficient of water vapor were then measured using the microgravimetric method at the temperature of 30°C. Results show that morphology developed during the process influences the diffusion of water molecules through the polymer matrix. In particular, a direct influence of crystalline degree on the sorption and diffusion parameters was identified. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Ultraviolet B (UVB) Irradiation-Induced Apoptosis in Various Cell Lineages in Vitro

Ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation acts as a strong apoptotic trigger in many cell types, in tumor and normal cells. Several studies have demonstrated that UVB-induced cell death occurs through the generation of reactive oxygen species. The consequent oxidative stress includes the impairment of cellular antioxidants, the induction of DNA damage and the occurrence of apoptosis. In this review, we investigated UVB apoptotic action in various cell models by using ultrastructural, molecular and cytofluorimetric techniques. Myeloid leukemia HL-60, T-lymphoblastoid Molt-4 and myelomonocytic U937 human cells, generally affected by apoptotic stimuli, were studied. Human chondrocytes and C2C12 skeletal muscle cells, known to be more resistant to damage, were also considered. All of them, when exposed to UVB radiation, revealed a number of characteristic apoptotic markers. Membrane blebbing, cytoplasm shrinkage and chromatin condensation were detected by means of electron microscopy. DNA cleavage, investigated by using agarose gel electrophoresis and TUNEL reaction, was observed in suspended cells. Differently, in chondrocytes and in skeletal muscle cells, oligonucleosomic DNA fragmentation did not appear, even if a certain TUNEL positivity was detected. These findings demonstrate that UVB radiation appears to be an ideal tool to study the apoptotic behavior.     

Defining a complex intervention: The development of demarcation criteria for “meditation”.

The authors used a 5-round Delphi study with a panel of 7 experts in meditation research to achieve agreement on a set of criteria for a working definition of “meditation” for use in a comprehensive systematic review of the therapeutic use of meditation. Participants agreed that essential to a meditation practice is its use of (a) a defined technique, (b) logic relaxation, and (c) a self-induced state. Participants also agreed that a meditation practice may (d) involve a state of psychophysical relaxation somewhere in the process; (e) use a self-focus skill or anchor; (f) involve an altered state/mode of consciousness, mystic experience, enlightenment or suspension of logical thought processes; (g) be embedded in a religious/spiritual/philosophical context; or (h) involve an experience of mental silence. The results of this study provide insight into the challenges faced by researchers who want to demarcate meditative practices from nonmeditative practices, and they describe an approach to this problem that may prove useful for researchers trying to operationalize meditation in the context of comparative research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)