Physiological and cell ultrastructure disturbances in wheat seedlings generated by Chenopodium murale hairy root exudate.

Chenopodium murale L. is an invasive weed species significantly interfering with wheat crop. However, the complete nature of its allelopathic influence on crops is not yet fully understood. In the present study, the focus is made on establishing the relation between plant morphophysiological changes and oxidative stress, induced by allelopathic extract. Phytotoxic medium of C. murale hairy root clone R5 reduced the germination rate (24% less than control value) of wheat cv. Nataša seeds, as well as seedling growth, diminishing shoot and root length significantly, decreased total chlorophyll content, and induced abnormal root gravitropism. The R5 treatment caused cellular structural abnormalities, reflecting on the root and leaf cell shape and organization. These abnormalities mostly included the increased number of mitochondria and reorganization of the vacuolar compartment, changes in nucleus shape, and chloroplast organization and distribution. The most significant structural changes were observed in cell wall in the form of amoeboid protrusions and folds leading to its irregular shape. These structural alterations were accompanied by an oxidative stress in tissues of treated wheat seedlings, reflected as increased level of H2O2 and other ROS molecules, an increase of radical scavenging capacity and total phenolic content. Accordingly, the retardation of wheat seedling growth by C. murale allelochemicals may represent a consequence of complex activity involving both cell structure alteration and physiological processes.This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Protoplasma. The final authenticated version is available online at: [http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00709-018-1250-0

Salivary amylase and pancreatic enzymes in Sjögren's syndrome.

Abstract Concentrations of immunoreactive trypsin (IRT) and pancreatic and salivary amylase activities were measured in 22 patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) and in 13 patients with secondary SS. Nineteen of the 22 patients with primary SS had above-normal IRT, and six had above-normal pancreatic isoamylase activity. Six of the 13 patients with secondary SS had above-normal IRT; none had above-normal isoamylase activities. Serum IRT and pancreatic isoamylase were correlated significantly (r = 0.7; p less than 0.0001). Above-normal values for IRT and pancreatic isoamylase were more frequent in patients who had SS for longer than 10 years, but were not related to the presence of salivary gland autoantibodies or to salivary isoamylase activity. We conclude that the concentration and activity of pancreatic enzymes are frequently abnormal in SS; that the abnormality is greater and more frequent in patients with primary SS; and that it increases with the duration of the disease.</jats:p

Salivary amylase and pancreatic enzymes in serum after total body irradiation.

Abstract Amylase increases in serum after total body irradiation (TBI). To investigate whether this increase is ascribable to pancreatic or salivary amylase, or both, we measured the post-irradiation activity concentration of the three major pancreatic enzymes (trypsin, amylase, and lipase) and of salivary-type amylase in serum from six leukemic patients given TBI before bone-marrow transplantation. Salivary amylase increased by as much as 50-fold after TBI, peaking on the first day after the irradiation. The increase was associated with the development of clinical parotitis. Pancreatic trypsin, total amylase, and lipase increased inconsistently and to a much smaller degree. There were no associated clinical features of pancreatitis. Our data show that, at the dose of radiation given to our patients, there is no danger of pancreatitis as a complication, but parotitis is a consistent development after TBI.</jats:p

Serum immunoreactive trypsin and pancreatic lipase in primary biliary cirrhosis.

Immunoreactive trypsin concentration and pancreatic lipase activity were measured in the sera of 33 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. Immunoreactive trypsin was increased (above the normal range) in 16 (48%) and pancreatic lipase activity in 18 (55%) patients. Both enzymes were increased in 10 (30%) patients. Twenty four patients (73%) had an increase of either one or both enzymes. There was a significant correlation between immunoreactive trypsin and pancreatic lipase activity. This abnormality was not related to treatment with D-penicillamine, the age of the patients, the stage of the disease, or the severity of cholestasis. Thus most patients with primary biliary cirrhosis have increased pancreatic enzyme activity and immunoreactive trypsin concentration in their sera. These data are indicative of damage to the exocrine pancreas. The cause of this damage is as yet unknown