Beobachtungen über das Verhalten der Mehligen Apfelblattlaus (Dysaphis plantaginea) in Trentino (Italia)

Seit 1995 bis 1999 hat man genaue Beobachtungen des Wiedererscheinens und der Entwicklung der mehlige Apfelblattlaus in Adige Tal (Trentino-Italia) durchgeführt Die Beobachtungen wurden in einer Anlage von 2000mq, auf 261 Bäumen von Golden Delicious, Stayman und Red Delicious (15 bis 25 Jahre alt) auf M7, M26 und M9 gemacht

Motor cortex excitability in Alzheimer's disease: A transcranial magnetic stimulation study

Motor deficits affect patients with Alzheimer's disease only at later stages. Recent studies demonstrate that the primary motor cortex is affected by neuronal degeneration accompanied by the formation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. It is conceivable that neuronal loss is compensated by reorganization of the neural circuitries occurring along the natural course of the disease, thereby maintaining motor performances in daily living. Cortical motor output to upper limbs was tested via motor-evoked potentials from forearm and hand muscles elicited by transcranial magnetic stimulation of motor cortex in 16 patients with mild Alzheimer's disease without motor deficits. Motor cortex excitability was increased, and the center of gravity of motor cortical output, as represented by excitable scalp sites, showed a frontal and medial shift, without correlated changes in the site of maximal excitability (hot-spot). This may indicate functional reorganization, possibly after the neuronal loss in motor areas. Hyperexcitability might be caused by a dysregulation of the intracortical GABAergic inhibitory circuitries and selective alteration of glutamatergic neurotransmission. Such findings suggest that motor cortex hyperexcitability and reorganization allows prolonged preservation of motor function during the clinical course of Alzheimer's disease

Copper perturbation in 2 monozygotic twins discordant for degree of cognitive impairment

Background: Recent evidence indicates that peripheral tissue markers can provide information regarding changes affecting cellular metabolism in Alzheimer disease (AD). We previously reported that serum copper levels can discriminate subjects with AD from normal control subjects (with 60% sensitivity and 95% specificity) and from patients with vascular dementia (with 63% sensitivity and 85% specificity). Objective: To study the correlation between AD and serum levels of transition metals and markers of peripheral oxidative stress. Design: Case study. Setting: General hospital inpatient wards and outpatient clinics. Patients: A pair of elderly monozygotic female twins discordant for AD. Main Outcome Measures: Biochemical analyses of peripheral-blood transition metals and indicators of oxidative stress and neurologic and neuropsychological assessments of clinical status for presence of cognitive impairment and AD. Results: Serum copper and total peroxide levels were both 44% higher in the twin with greater cognitive impairment and a diagnosis of AD. Conclusions: The cases reported support the hypothesis of a major involvement of copper and oxidative abnormalities in AD