The effect of pre-incubation of Allium cepa L. roots in the ATH-rich extract on Pb uptake and localization

The positive influence of anthocyanin (ATH) on toxic metal-treated plant material is well documented; however, it is still not explained if it is caused by changes in element absorption and distribution. Therefore, detailed analysis of the effect of the ATH-rich extract from red cabbage leaves on Pb uptake and localization at morphological, anatomical and ultrastructural level was the goal of this study. Two-day-old adventitious roots of Allium cepa L. (cv. Polanowska) were treated for 2 h with the aqueous solution of Pb(NO3)2 at the concentration of 100 μM with or without preliminary incubation in the anthocyanin-rich extract from Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata rubra leaves (250 μM, 3 h). The red cabbage extract did not change the total Pb uptake but it enhanced the translocation of accumulated metal from roots to shoots. Within the pretreated roots, more Pb was deposited in their basal part and definitely smaller amount of the metal was bound in the apoplast of the outer layers of cortex cells. The ultrastructural analysis (transmission electron microscopy and X-ray microanalysis) revealed that the ATH-rich extract lowered the number of Pb deposits in intracellular spaces, cell wall and cytoplasm of root meristematic cells as well as in such organelles important to cell metabolism as mitochondria, plastids and nucleus. The Pb deposits were preferably localised in those vacuoles where ATH also occurred. This sequestration of Pb in vacuoles is probably responsible for reduction of metal cytotoxicity and consequently could lead to better plant growth.This work was supported by the grant of the University of Lodz, no. 505/04038

SINDROMUL METABOLIC LA COPIL

Sindromul metabolic (SM) reprezintă un cumul de factori de risc ce duc la apariţia bolilor cadiovasculare şi a diabetului zaharat. Dintre aceşti factori amintim: obezitatea abdominală, dislipidemia, hipertensiunea arterială, alterarea toleranţei la glucoză. Astfel, identifi carea precoce a copiilor cu risc de a dezvolta SM devine extrem de importantă. La sfârşitul secolului XX, incidenţa DZ tip 2 la copil a crescut dramatic. Această tendinţă de creştere a prevalenţei DZ tip 2 la copil este atribuită creşterii ratei obezităţii în rândul persoanelor de vârstă tânără. Deşi mecanismele fi zio-patologice ale SM nu sunt pe deplin elucidate, se pare că insulino-rezistenţa (IR) are un rol-cheie. IR reprezintă, de fapt, un răspuns defi citar la efectele fi ziologice ale insulinei (afectate fi ind metabolismul glucidic, lipidic, proteic precum şi funcţia endoteliului vascular). Se prezintă cazul unei adolescente în vârstă de 13 ani, cu greutate mare la naştere şi cu exces ponderal din perioada de copil mic. Pacienta este îndrumată spre Clinica II Pediatrie când la excesul ponderal se asociază unor valori tensionale crescute

DIABETUL ZAHARAT TIP 2 LA COPIL ŞI ADOLESCENT – O REALITATE ÎN PATOLOGIA PEDIATRICĂ

Până nu demult, majoritatea cazurilor de diabet zaharat al copilului erau încadrate ca şi DZ tip 1. În ultimii 20 de ani însă, creşterea incidenţei obezităţii a dus la o creştere sporire a numărului cazurilor de DZ tip 2 la copil şi adolescent. Se pare că insulino-rezistenţa reprezintă punctul cheie în dezvoltarea DZ tip 2 atât la copil, cât şi la adult. Având în vedere acest lucru, personalul medical trebuie avizat să efectueze teste screening la copiii cu risc de a dezvolta DZ tip 2, acest lucru determinând implicit un diagnostic precoce şi un management adecvat al bolii

Evaluarea eficacităţii unor produse „bio” faţă de agenţii patogeni care produc făinarea la tomate şi pepeni galbeni în condiţii de laborator

The purpose of this experimentwas to study the biological efficacy of "bio"products Mimoten 0.3% (80% Mimosa tenuifolia extract) and Zytron 0.15%(20% citric seeds extract), ontomatoes and melons against Erysiphe sp. and Sphaerotheca fuliginea, respectively. The experiments were carried out in "wet chambers" (in thermostat at 26± 20C and 60 -70% RH) on detached leaves with similarlevels ofthe attackdegreefrom tomato and melonsplants attacked by Erysiphe sp. on tomatoes and Sphaerotheca fuliginea onmelons. The combination of Mimoten 0.3% + Zytron 0.15% products had the best efficacy incontrollingof both pathogensErysiphe sp.on tomatoes(76.3%) and Sphaerotheca fuliginea on melons (65.4%)

IMPACT OF SOLUTE MOLECULAR PROPERTIES ON THE ORGANIZATION OF NEARBY WATER: A CELLULAR AUTOMATA MODEL

The goal of this study was the creation of a model to understand how solute properties influence the structure of nearby water. To this end, we used a two-dimensional cellular automaton model of aqueous solutions. The probabilities of translocation of water and solute molecules to occupy nearby sites, and their momentary distributions (including that of vacancies), are considered indicative of solute molecular mechanics and hydrophatic character, and are reflected in water molecules packing, i.e. 'organization'. We found that in the presence of hydrophilic solutes the fraction of water molecules with fewer neighbors was dominant, and inverse-proportionally dependent on their relative concentration. Hydrophobic molecules induced water organization, but this effect was countered by their own flexibility. These results show the emergence of cooperative effects in the manner the molecular milieu affects local organization of water, and suggests a mechanism through which molecular mechanics and crowding add a defining contribution to the way the solute impacts on nearby water