Impact of annual legume 'break' crops on the yield and quality of canola in comparison with the impact on yield of wheat

This study investigated the yield, oil and protein content of canola in response to alternative single-season legume crops, and compared the yield response with that of wheat. Two field trials were conducted in consecutive years at Wagga Wagga on the South West Slopes of New South Wales. The soil type was Red Kandasol. The legume treatments were field pea and vetch managed for silage production, vetch managed for green manure, a mixture of aerial seeding clovers (Berseem, Arrowleaf, Persian: 6 : 3 : 3) managed for silage, hay or green manure, and field pea and narrow-leaf lupin managed for grain. There was one wheat treatment managed for grain. In terms of growing season rainfall, the rainfall-use efficiency of canola was low and similar to that achieved on farms (5.1 kg/ha.mm rainfall). Yields of canola were less than potential water-limited yields and the canola equivalent wheat yields were less than comparative wheat yields. The constraint(s) on canola yield meant that nitrogen-limited yield potential was not reached, and in contrast to wheat in adjacent plots, there was no relationship between canola seed yield and soil mineral nitrogen available during seedling establishment of canola. However, relative to other legume treatments, antecedent crops of the clover mix depressed yield and total oil content, particularly in one year. It was concluded that under field conditions that constrained canola productivity to that similar to on-farm productivity, wheat may make more efficient use of legume nitrogen than canola. Were canola to be used as the response crop, antecedent legumes of vetch or pea, rather than aerial seeding clover, would give higher potential yield and total oil content of the canola.

CC Chemokine Ligand 19 Secreted by Mature Dendritic Cells Increases Naive T Cell Scanning Behavior and Their Response to Rare Cognate Antigen

For immune responses to take place, naive T cells have to encounter, adhere to, and be stimulated by dendritic cells (DCs). In murine lymph nodes, T cells move randomly and scan the surface of multiple DCs. The factors controlling this motility as well as its consequences remain unclear. We have monitored by video-imaging the earliest steps of the interaction between human DCs and autologous naive CD4+ T cells in the absence of exogenous Ags. Mature, but not immature, DCs were able to elicit small calcium responses in naive T cells along with cell polarization and random motility, resulting in an efficient scanning of DC surfaces by T cells. We identified CCL19 as a key factor enabling all these early T cell responses, including the occurrence of calcium transients. Because this chemokine did not influence the strength of naive T cell adhesion to DCs, enhanced LFA-1 affinity for ICAM-1 was not the main mechanism by which CCL19 increased Ag-independent calcium transients. However, concomitantly to T cell motility, CCL19 augmented the frequency of T cell responses to rare anti-CD3/CD28-coated beads, used as surrogate APCs. We thus propose a new role for CCL19 in humans: by conditioning T cells into a motile DC-scanning state, this chemokine promotes Ag-independent responses and increases the probability of cognate MHC-peptide encounter.

Pelvic pain during pregnancy: a descriptive study of signs and symptoms of 870 patients in primary care

STUDY DESIGN

The authors conducted a cross-sectional analysis.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to describe the signs and symptoms of pregnant women with pain and dysfunction in the pelvic area.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Pelvic pain during pregnancy is common with incidence rates of 48% to 56%. The exact cause of pelvic pain during pregnancy is still unclear. Also unclear is the association between physical examination and the occurrence of pelvic pain during pregnancy.

METHODS

Pregnant women with pelvic pain were sent for treatment to 2 physical therapy practices between January 1997 and January 2002. A standardized clinical examination protocol and an extensive questionnaire were used to obtain relevant clinical and demographic characteristics.

RESULTS

In total, 870 women were included. The average score of the overall severity of the complaints was 7.8 (scale 0-15). Main complaints were located around the sacroiliac joints (76.6%) and the pubic symphysis (57.2%). The area of pain was not related to positive signs in passive hip movements and sacroiliac tests. The highest positive test results were found for Patrick sign (71.7%), active straight leg raise (ASLR) test (66.4%), resisted adduction (54.4%), and passive hip abduction (36.9%). Overall severity of complaints was related to age, number of weeks pregnant, passive hip flexion and internal rotation, and swimming. The total explained variance of these factors was 15.9%. No relationship was found between overall complaints and sacroiliac tests, pelvic pain during a previous pregnancy, extremely painful or type of previous deliveries.

CONCLUSIONS

Pregnant patients with pelvic pain show a considerable level of complaints. The overall severity of complaints is not related to previous peripartum pelvic pain or type of deliveries or to commonly used tests. Further study on the role of clinical examination, including passive flexion and internal rotation of the hip joints, is recommended.

The efficacy of inhibitors involved in spermidine metabolism in Plasmodium falciparum, Anopheles stephensi and Trypanosoma evansi

In the present study, we have tested the effect of different polyamine inhibitors of the spermidine metabolizing enzymes deoxyhypusine synthase and homospermidine synthase in different chloroquine resistant Plasmodium falciparum strains, in the mosquito Anopheles stephensi (Diptera: Culicidae) and in a Trypanosoma evansi clone I from strain STIB 806 K China. Recent experiments have shown that agmatine is a growth inhibitor of the malaria parasite P. falciparum (Kaiser et al. 2001) in vitro. A comparison of agmatine efficacy with the new antimalarials artemisinin, triclosan and conventional chloroquine showed similar or even better results on the basis of growth inhibition and the reduction of developmental forms. However, no effect of triclosan or agmatine was observed at the ribonucleic acid level. In a second set of experiments, we tested the effect of 1,7-diaminoheptane and agmatine on oocyst formation in A. stephensi after infection with Plasmodium yoelii. Agmatine had an antisporozoite effect since 1,000 microM led to a 59.5% inhibition of oocysts. A much weaker inhibitor of oocyst formation was 1,7-diaminoheptane. The most effective in in vitro inhibition of T. evansi was dicyclohexylamine, an inhibitor of spermidine biosynthesis with an IC(50 ) value of 47.44 microM and the deoxyhypusine inhibitor 1,7-diaminoheptane with an IC(50) value of 47.80 microM. However, both drugs were ineffective in in vivo experiments in a Trypanosoma mouse model. Two different spermidine analogues, 1,8-diaminooctane and 1,3-diaminopropane with IC(50) values of 171 microM and 181.37 microM, respectively, were moderate inhibitors in vitro and ineffective in vivo.

Immature Dendritic Cells (DCs) Use Chemokines and Intercellular Adhesion Molecule (ICAM)-1, But Not DC-Specific ICAM-3-Grabbing Nonintegrin, to Stimulate CD4+ T Cells in the Absence of Exogenous Antigen

Dendritic cells (DCs) possess a number of unique features that distinguish them from other APCs. One such feature is their ability to trigger Ag-independent responses in T cells. Previous studies have focused on mature DCs, but the prevalence of this phenomenon in the resting-state immature DCs has never been considered. In this study, we show that, in the absence of Ag, human immature DCs trigger multiple responses in autologous primary CD4+ T cells, namely, increased motility, small Ca2+ transients, and up-regulation of CD69. These responses are particularly marked in CD4+ memory T cells. By using several experimental approaches, we found that DC-specific ICAM-3-grabbing nonintegrin plays no role in the induction of T cell responses, whereas ICAM-1/LFA-1 interactions are required. In addition, DC-produced chemokines contribute to the Ag-independent T cell stimulatory ability of DCs, because pertussis toxin-treated T cells exhibit diminished responses to immature DCs. More particularly, CCL17 and CCL22, which are constitutively produced by immature DCs, mediate both T cell polarization and attraction. Thus, immature DCs owe part of their outstanding Ag-independent T cell stimulatory ability to chemokines and ICAM-1, but not DC-specific ICAM-3-grabbing nonintegrin.

Targeting enzymes involved in spermidine metabolism of parasitic protozoa--a possible new strategy for anti-parasitic treatment

Sequencing data obtained from the Plasmodium, Anopheles gambiae and human genome projects provide a new basis for drug and vaccine development. One of the most characteristic features in the process of drug development against parasitic protozoa is target identification in a biological pathway. The next step must be a structure-based rational drug design if the target is not only present in the parasite. In mouse models of malaria, such drugs should be tested for efficacy of the new therapies. Here, we present data that pinpoint the existence of two enzymes of the polyamine pathway involved in spermidine metabolism in P. falciparum, i.e. deoxyhypusine synthase (DHS; EC 1.1.1.249) and homospermidine synthase (HSS; EC 2.5.1.45). Recent data obtained from the malaria genome databases showed that at least a putative gene encoding DHS is present in the parasite. Sequencing data from the P. falciparum genome project prove that the eukaryotic initiation factor eIF5A (the substrate for DHS) exists in P. falciparum. Here, we present the amino acid sequence of eIF5A from P. vivax, which causes tertiary malaria. EIF5A from P. vivax shows 82% nucleic acid and 97% amino acid identity to its homologue from P. falciparum. GC/MS data and inhibitor studies with agmatine prove that the triamine homospermidine occurs in the parasite. These data suggest a separate locus encoding HSS in P. falciparum. The hss gene recruits from the dhs gene in eukaryotes. Here, we present genomic DNA fragments obtained by amplification with primers of a conserved region (amino acid positions 550-1,043) between the putative P. falciparum DHS gene ( dhs) and the HSS gene ( hss) from the plant Senecio vulgaris (Asteraceae). The amplification product from different P. falciparum strains reveals differences in sequence identity, compared with the putative dhs gene from P. falciparum strain 3D7. Expression of the full-length clone and determination of HSS-specific activity will finally prove whether a separate region encoding HSS exists.

Outcome after treatment of coronary in-stent restenosis; results from a systematic review using meta-analysis techniques

AIMS

To evaluate the clinical outcome after treatment of coronary in-stent restenosis.

METHODS AND RESULTS

For identification of the relevant literature a specific search strategy was conducted and explicit inclusion criteria were defined to avoid selection bias. Based on the selected literature, a systematic review using descriptive statistics and meta-analysis methods regarding the outcome after treatment of coronary in-stent restenosis was performed. The proportion of patients experiencing a major adverse cardiac event (MACE) as defined by death, myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization was the main outcome measure. A total of 1304 citations were identified. Among these, 28 studies (six different treatment modalities) including a total of 3012 patients met the inclusion criteria and were incorporated into this analysis. The estimated average probability of experiencing a major cardiac adverse event after treatment for in-stent restenosis with a follow-up period of 9+/-4 months was 30.0% (25.0-34.9%, 95% confidence interval) with strong evidence for heterogeneity between study specific results (P=0.0001). The clinical outcome was not significantly different between treatment modalities. After adjustment for confounding factors (i.e. lesion length), however, patients undergoing intracoronary radiation showed an estimated advantage of 16.9% (-37.7+/-4.0%, 95% confidence interval) in MACE free survival, as compared to balloon angioplasty. The post-interventional diameter stenosis was the only independent predictor for the long-term outcome after treatment of in-stent restenosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment of in-stent restenosis is associated with an overall 30% rate of major adverse cardiac events. Currently, repeat angioplasty is the treatment option of choice, especially when a sufficient acute procedural result can be achieved. Intracoronary radiation should be considered in cases with therapy refractory forms of diffuse in-stent restenosis.

Naive CD8+ T cell recruitment and proliferation are dependent on stage of dendritic cell maturation

Dendritic cells (DC) play a crucial role in controlling the initiation and orientation of antigen (Ag)-specific immune responses. It is widely accepted that optimal T cell priming requires mature DC. Although the molecular events associated with DC activation have been extensively studied, little is known about the consequences of DC maturation on recruitment and expansion of naive T cells. In the present study, we used a model tumor Ag to show that the kinetics of human DC maturation drastically affect the induction of Ag-specific effector CD8(+) T cells. In absence of exogenous cytokines and CD4 help, only DC at early stages of maturation were able to generate high frequencies of CTL. This expansion resulted from both enhanced recruitment and intense proliferation ofT cell precursors and could lead to an increase of up to 1,000-fold in the final number of effector T cells compared to non-matured DC. In our model, larger recruitment of naïve CD8(+) cells did not modify the overall avidity of the Ag-specific T cell population.

Impact of legume 'break' crops on the yield and grain quality of wheat and relationship with soil mineral N and crop N content

The effect of annual 'break' crops on the yield and protein content of wheat was investigated over 3 seasons on a Red Kandasol on the south-western slopes of New South Wales. The 'break' crops included lupin and pea grown for grain, pea and vetch managed for silage, clovers managed for silage or hay, and vetch and clovers managed for green manuring. Wheat was sown for 2 years following the legume year, or canola and wheat followed the legumes. Averaged over 3 experiments the yields of first crop wheat following pea or vetch silage crops were comparable with those after grain pea. Yields following clover forage conservation crops or green manures exceeded those after grain pea by at least 0.41 t/ha; average yield increase after clover green manure was 0.93 t/ha. In one experiment, yields of second crop wheat were greater, by up to 0.37 t/ha, after forage conservation or green manure legume 'breaks' than after grain legumes. In 2 experiments, second crop wheat yields were greater after a first crop of canola than a first crop of wheat. Compared with continuous wheat yield, aggregate mean wheat yield increases were 3.5–4 t/ha following grain legumes, pea, and vetch silage crops, but 5.3–6.3 t/ha following clover forage conservation and green manure crops. However, the relative effects of legume treatments on wheat yield were significantly seasonally dependent. Yield and grain protein variation in wheat after legumes was significantly correlated with variation in mineral N at wheat establishment. However, in one experiment, yield was correlated only with variation in mineral N below the 20-cm soil depth, whereas protein was correlated only with variation in mineral N above the 20 cm soil depth. Yield increases in first crop wheat did not occur at the expense of grain protein.

Impact of legume 'break' crops on the residual amount and distribution of soil mineral nitrogen

Important factors in the successful uptake of grain legumes by cereal growers have been their capacity to increase soil N and control cereal disease, as these have underpinned high yields in following wheat crops. However, alternative 1-year legume crops are required to introduce additional biodiversity and management flexibility for cereal growers. The effects on soil mineral N and potential contribution to soil total N of other legume enterprises were studied. These included vetch (Vicia bengalhensis) or clovers (mix of Trifolium alexandrinum, T.�versiculosum, T. resupinatum) managed for green manure; pea (Pisum sativum), vetch, or clovers managed for silage; and clovers managed for hay. These were compared with pea and lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) managed for grain production. Wheat was also included as a control. The legumes were grown in acidic Red Kandasol soil at Wagga Wagga in southern New South Wales, in 1996, 1997, and 1998. Mineral N was measured in the autumn or winter of seasons 1997 and 1998 respectively. Amounts of stubble residue N were measured in all seasons. The green manure crops, particularly vetch, produced more mineral N than both grain legumes. The forage conservation crops (silage or hay) produced similar amounts of mineral N to grain pea and more than grain lupin. For the grain and green manure legume crops, variation in amounts of mineral N was explained by the total N content of legume stubble residue, but for the forage conservation crops, more mineral N was measured than was predictable from stubble N. The amounts of mineral N at different soil depths differed between legume treatments and experiments (sites and years). Based only on above-ground plant N, the green manure crops contributed more to increasing total soil N than grain legumes; in turn, the grain legumes contributed more than the forage conservation crops. It was concluded that alternative annual legume enterprises to grain legumes may provide at least similar enrichment of soil mineral N early in the following season, and that all annual legume enterprises may accumulate nitrate deep in the soil profile in some seasons.

The necessity to develop drugs against parasitic diseases

This review focuses on the most significant trends in the development of drugs for the treatment of malaria, African sleeping sickness and toxoplasmosis. In the case of malaria, those include new fixed-dose artemisinin combinations, antifolates and new targets in the apicoplast of Plasmodium falciparum. Targets in the treatment of trypanosomiasis are the biosynthesis of glycosylphosphatidylinositol and enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of trypanothione. Efforts to develop a vaccine against toxoplasmosis are discussed as well.

The adenoma-carcinoma sequence applies to epithelial tumours of the papilla of Vater

Adenomas of the papilla of Vater are relatively rare tumours. They are of particular interest, not only because of their particular topography, but also because the adenoma-carcinoma sequence - accepted in the colorectum - has also been postulated to apply to the papilla of Vater. In fact, ampullary adenoma is often considered to be a precancerous lesion. To investigate this hypothesis, we reviewed the surgical specimens obtained during Whipple's procedures carried out to treat histologically confirmed carcinoma of the ampulla. A total of 37 surgical specimens obtained since January 1991 were reexamined for the presence of coexisting adenomatous structures. Such adenomatous residues were confirmed in 24/37 (65 %) cases. In 13/37 (35 %) cases, no residual adenoma was found. A comparison of the two groups revealed that detection of coexisting adenomatous structures decreased with increasing tumour progression. In similar manner, this also applied to the degree of malignancy: with increasing grade of malignancy the rate of detectable adenomatous structures decreased significantly. It may be assumed that these observations are due to the 'overgrowth' of preexisting adenomas by carcinomatous tissue. Further evidence is provided by the histological observation of transitional stages from adenoma with mild, moderate and severe cellular atypia to invasive carcinoma. These findings support the hypothesis of an adenoma-carcinoma sequence.

[Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma of the heart in association with myelodysplastic syndrome]

The case of a primary cardiac epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) arising multifocally in the papillary muscle of the tricuspid valve and the deeper trabecular muscle in a 68-year-old male with myelodysplastic syndrome is presented. The tumor was an incidental autopsy finding. Histologically the tumor is characterized by proliferation of plump epithelial-like endothelial cells with the vascular differentiation being mostly expressed at a cellular level in the form of cytoplasmic vacuoles. In the differential diagnosis, metastatic carcinoma, cardiac myxoma as well as other epithelioid vascular neoplasms should be considered. EHEs are indolent tumors of intermediate malignancy with the potential to metastasize, even after a long time. Primary cardiac EHE is extremely rare. To our knowledge, only four EHEs of the heart have been reported in the literature. We believe, this is the first report of a cardiac EHE in this localization and the first one in association with myelodysplastic syndrome.

A novel black-hooded mutant rat (ci3) with spontaneous circling behavior but normal auditory and vestibular functions

Abnormal circling behavior in rodents is usually attributed to vestibular dysfunction. In rats, all circling mutants described previously have inner ear defects resulting in auditory and vestibular dysfunctions. Here, we describe a new mutant rat with abnormal spontaneous circling behavior but normal auditory and vestibular functions. The new circling mutant rat was discovered in progeny of an apparently normal black-hooded (BH) rat inbred line [BH.7A(LEW)/Won] and was termed ci3, because we recently found two other mutant circling rats (ci1 and ci2) in a Lewis (LEW) inbred rat strain. The ci3 mutant is characterized by circling behavior and locomotor hyperactivity, which occur in phases or bursts either spontaneously or in response to stress, e.g., when rats are transferred to a new environment. Video monitoring of undisturbed rats in their home cage during the light and dark periods showed that circling behavior is much more intense during the dark period, i.e., during the active phase of the animals. Most ci3 rats show a lateral preference in their rotational behavior, i.e., they either rotate to the left or to the right. Brainstem auditory evoked potential testing and different tests of vestibular function did not disclose any auditory or marked vestibular defects in ci3 rats. Furthermore, no morphological abnormalities were seen during histological examination of the cochlear and vestibular nuclei in the brainstem. Neurochemical determination of dopamine and dopamine metabolite levels in striatum, nucleus accumbens and substantia nigra showed that ci3 rats have a significant asymmetry in striatal dopamine in that dopamine levels were significantly lower in the hemisphere contralateral to the preferred direction of turning. Consistent with this finding, immunohistological examination of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area yielded a significant laterality in the medial part of substantia nigra pars compacta with a lower density of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons in the contralateral hemisphere of mutant circling rats, while no laterality was seen in unaffected rats of the background strain [BH.7A(LEW)/Won].Thus, the novel mutant ci3 rat exhibits several features which clearly differ from previously described circling rat or mouse mutants. The behavioral phenotype occurs in the absence of auditory or obvious vestibular defects and is most likely a consequence of lateralized abnormalities found in the nigrostriatal circuit. Apart from the use of ci3 rats for studying the functional lateralization of brain functions, the ci3 mutant may serve as a new model for movement disorders with abnormal lateralization.

Annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) seed survival and digestibility in cattle and sheep

A trial was conducted to investigate the survival and digestibility of annual ryegrass (ARG) seed (Lolium rigidum L.) eaten by sheep and cattle. Sheep (n= 8) and cattle (n = 8) were fed a basal diet containing 1:1 lucerne chaff:oaten chaff with (ARG) or without (control) the inclusion of 20% total dry matter of annual ryegrass seed in a changeover design. Intake was restricted to 17 g/kg liveweight. Digestibility of the control diet was lower (P<0.01) for sheep than cattle. Annual ryegrass seed was present (P<0.01) in the faeces of both sheep and cattle within 24 h of first ingestion. Some 10.8 and 32.8% of seed ingested was excreted by sheep and cattle respectively, with 3.9% (sheep) and 11.9% (cattle) remaining germinable. Annual ryegrass seed continued to be excreted by both sheep and cattle up to 5 days after removal from the diet. Dry matter digestibility of the annual ryegrass diet was 53% in cattle.