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Theridion impressum is one of the dominant foliage dwelling spider species of maize fields in Hungary. Spider webs were collected from Bt and isogenic maize plots in three successive years. Captured insects in the web were identified. The most frequent prey items were aphids, plant hoppers and beetles. Although the number of captured insects in web samples from isogenic maize was slightly higher than those from Bt maize in the case of almost each insect order, except for two samples (Sternorrhyncha, 2001; Neuroptera, 2002), the differences between Bt and isogenic samples were not significant.
Benthic diatom investigations of some Hungarian streams have been carried out in order to find reference sites in assistance to the ecological quality analysis of the different river types according to the Hungarian river typology. On the basis of the coevaluation of biological and chemical parameters, among the investigated streams, some part of Kemence stream seems to be the appropriate reference site for the classification of the highland, siliceous rivers of Hungary. However, further invastigations are needed for the selection of reference sites for the other types of Hungarian river typology. This is the most difficult in the case of lowland rivers, which are exposed to more severe anthropogenic impacts. Important is the question which biological parameters should be investigated and considered when assessing the ecological condition of our waters. In the United States, e.g. the assessment of the relative abundance of Achnanthidium minutissimum is quite widespread (Stevenson and Bahls 1999), the extent of which indicates the level of disturbance. The use of this method is hampered, on one hand, by the fact that A. minutissimum is an early coloniser species which means that if we do not take samples from mature periphyton, we might find it dominant simply because of that, and, on the other hand, that distinguishing between the species varieties is not always unambiguous under light microscope because of its small size, and these can have different ecological needs. It is also recommended to calculate species richness, diversity and evenness (Stevenson and Bahls 1999), but based on our investigations these parameters are not in correlation with water quality. Investigation of other diatom features such as tolerance and sensitivity, some autecological parameters (as it was applied and recommended by Fore and Grafe 2002 for investigating the reaction of diatom associations to anthropogenic disturbances) might also be useful in completing the water quality analysis of rivers, however, these methods need further investigations. Some of the indices (EPI-D, IPS, IBD) calculated with the software Omnidia are suitable for the classification of our rivers, but the investigation of more rivers, flowing through different types of stone are necessary to choose the appropriate indices. The reason for this is that the different indices work with a different register of species and obviously those indices will prove to be suitable the species register of which shows the highest similarity to the diatom associations of the certain water type.
The PC12 phaeochromocytoma cell line provides a useful model to study nerve growth factor-induced neuronal differentiation. The central signaling route of this process is mediated by the Ras-dependent extracellular signal-regulated kinase cascade. However, Ras-independent pathways are also stimulated by nerve growth factor and may contribute to differentiation signaling. One mediator for Ras-independent signal transduction in PC12 cells is phospholipase C-g that generates the second messengers diacylglycerol and inositol-trisphosphate. To probe the possible involvement of this enzyme in nerve growth factor-promoted differentiation, we used the phospholipase C inhibitor U73122 and the inositol-trisphosphate-receptor inhibitor Xestospongin C. Our results show that both chemicals block nerve growth factor-promoted neurite outgrowth, but the blockage of phospholipase C does not inhibit nerve growth factor-induced expression of c-fos, zif268 and transin genes. In addition, induction of these genes by nerve growth factor plus dibutyryl-cAMP is comparable in wild-type PC12 cells as well as in cells in which both Ras- and phospholipase C-g-mediated pathways are inhibited. The phospholipase C-g pathway thus belongs to those nerve growth factor receptor-originated signaling routes that contribute to the biological response of PC12 cells to nerve growth factor, but its gene activating potential does not have a major role in its neuritogenic effect.
Bending, twitching and quivering are different types of tentacle movements observed during olfactory orientation of the snail. Three recently discovered special muscles, spanning along the length of superior tentacles from the tip to the base, seem to be responsible for the execution of these movements. In this study we have investigated the ultrastructure, contractile properties and protein composition of these muscles. Our ultrastructural studies show that smooth muscle fibers are loosely embedded in a collagen matrix and they are coupled with long sarcolemma protrusions. The muscle fibers apparently lack organized SR and transverse tubular system. Instead subsarcolemmal vesicles and mitochondria have been shown to be possible Ca2+ pools for contraction. It was shown that external Ca2+ is required for contraction elicited by high (40 mM) K+ or 10−4 M ACh. Caffeine (5 mM) induced contraction in Ca2+-free solution suggesting the presence of a substantial intracellular Ca2+ pool. High-resolution electrophoretic analysis of columellar and tentacular muscles did not reveal differences in major contractile proteins, such as actin, myosin and paramyosin. Differences were observed however in several bands representing presumably regulatory enzymes. It is concluded that, the ultrastructural, biochemical and contractile properties of the string muscles support their special physiological function.
Komárek, J. and Anagnostidis, K. (2005): Cyanoprokaryota. 2. Teil: Oscillatoriales. - In: Büdel, B., Krienitz, L., Gärtner, G. and Schagerl, M. (eds): Süßwasserflora von Mitteleuropa, Band 19/2. Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Elsevier GmbH, München, 759 pp.; Ross, I. A. (2005): Medicinal plants of the world - chemical constituents, traditional and modern medicinal uses. Volume 3. - Humana Press, Totowa, New Jersey, 623 pp. (ISBN 1-59259-887-0); Siver, P. A., Hamilton, P. B., Stachura-Suchoples, K. and Kociolek, J. P. (2005): Diatoms of North America: The freshwater flora of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, U.S.A. - In: Lange-Bertalot, H. (ed.): Iconographia Diatomologica. Annotated Diatom Micrographs. Vol. 14. A. R. G. Gantner Verlag K. G. Ruggel, 463 pp.;
The transitions between various developmental phases are critical in determining the ecological adaptation and yield of cereals. In order to elaborate a methodology for establishing the timing of the consecutive plant developmental phases from germination to the fully developed plant, regular measurements of changes in developmental components were carried out on one winter (Kompolti Korai) and one spring (Morex) barley cultivar in a model experiment. Under the controlled environmental conditions linear regression was characteristic of the associations between the chronological time and all or most of the time course data of plant height, tiller and leaf numbers. The initial growth of the spring barley was twice as intensive as that of the winter barley. The length of the stem elongation phases was similar for the two varieties, but the winter barley cultivar showed significantly more intensive stem growth compared to the spring barley. The spring barley reached all the plant developmental phases significantly earlier than the winter barley. For both cultivars, tillering continued till after first node appearance and there was a definite delay between first node appearance and the beginning of the stem elongation phase. The determination of the full series of phenophases, together with the evaluation of various yield components on the same plant, provide an excellent way of establishing plant developmental patterns and may make a significant contribution to achieving a better understanding of the associations between plant developmental patterns and the adaptation and yielding ability of cereals.
Consumption of dietary supplements (DS) has been showing a persistent, rapidly growing tendency all over the world. A new branch has been created on the borderline of food and pharmaceutical industries. It is a general tendency that the policy and regulation towards the products of this branch are lagging far behind the practice. This is an especially important problem with adolescents. To work out an efficient regulatory framework, we have to have an adequate picture on consumer behaviour and attitudes towards these products. Based on literature analysis of two focus group interviews, we have developed a motivational model on usage of DS, which has been tasted during a direct-question survey involving more than 500 respondents. Our results have proven that the consumption of DS is proliferated among young recreational athletes. One quarter of them consumes proteins, one tenth L-carnitine at least 2–3 times a week. The most important motivational factor is the improvement of sport performance. The level of confidence in these products is considerably influenced by peers and trainers. The propensity to underestimate the potentially adverse consequences of these products is high.
Barley-infecting isolates of Wheat dwarf virus (WDV) were collected in the field in the vicinity of the cities Dunakiliti, Heves and Siófok, in Hungary. Viral genomic DNA was amplified by the rolling circle amplification technique, digested with Hind III, cloned into pBSK+ plasmid and sequenced. The clones were of the same size and showed above 99% identity to each other. Based on DNA sequences WDV-D01, WDV-H1 and WDV-H07 isolates showed high identity (94–99%) to isolates of WDV barley strain and Barley dwarf virus and lower identity to Oat dwarf virus (71% identity) and WDV wheat strains (85% identity).
