Combining micro- and portable-XRF as a tool for fast identification of virus infections in plants: The case study of ASa-Virus in Fraxinus ornus L.

Plant viruses can affect micro- and macro-nutrients homeostasis in woody plants, with fluctuation in the concentration of some elements at the leaf level due to the pathogen activity and/or the plant physiological response to the infection.Leaves of Fraxinus ornus L. (flowering ash) were sampled for three consecutive years in the city of Hamburg (Germany), from both trees showing the typical symptoms of the ash shoestring associated virus infection (ASaV+) and healthy trees (ASaV-). Such leaves were analyzed by µ-XRF, using both laboratory and synchrotron X-ray sources, and large differences between symptomatic and not symptomatic leaves were observed: ASaV+ samples showed uneven element distribution and regions of the lamina with severe depletions of P, S, and Ca. Differently, K appeared more concentrated. Thus, 139 leaflets sampled from various healthy and infected ash trees over the three-year period were analyzed for K and Ca concentration with a portable XRF instrument. We found that the K:Ca concentration ratio was always significantly higher in ASaV+ samples, and this trend was verified for all the samplings over the tree years. We conclude that the K:Ca ratio parameter has potential in the frame of trendsetting diagnostics and could be used, together with visual symptoms, for a rapid, non-destructive, on-site and cheap indirect ASaV detection.

Effect of heparin on viologen-stimulated enzymatic NADH depletion.

Paraquat and diquat undergo redox cycling mediated by xanthine oxidase in the NADH-dependent manner. In these processes, the rates of NADH oxidation and superoxide formation are increased almost 10-fold. The addition of heparin can substantially inhibit these processes. A protective role of heparin against oxygen radicals formation can be rationalized in terms of its ability to bind paraquat or diquat. The binding process has been investigated by means of the pulse radiolysis technique. Biological consequences of the binding processes are discussed.

Frontal alpha power asymmetry in aggressive children and adolescents with mood and disruptive behavior disorders.

Building on prior research, which has suggested a relationship between aggression and left frontal activity, our study tested the hypothesis that proneness to impulsive aggression would be related to relative left frontal overactivation. EEG one-hertz resting alpha power frontal asymmetry was examined in 65 pediatric male psychiatric patients with a history of impulsive aggression and comorbid mood and disruptive behavior disorders. The strongest finding, which emerged from this analysis, was a finding of relative increases in left frontal activity compared with right frontal activity. The results also indicated that greater left frontal activity correlated positively with the severity of psychiatric disturbance. These findings suggest that relative increases in left frontal activity may be related to a locus of neurophysiological disruption associated with psychopathology characterized by behavioral and affective disinhibition. Results are discussed within a model of behavioral inhibition system-behavioral activation system theory.

[Nature of headaches in Kimmerle anomaly]. / Charakter bólów glowy w anomalii Kimmerlego.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Kimmerle anomaly is an anatomical variant of the first cervical vertebra consisting in the presence of an osseous canal in the place of a sulcus for the vertebral artery. The aim of our work was to determine the nature and frequency of headaches in this anomaly. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A hundred and eight patients, 58 females and 50 males at the age of 18-59 years (M. 36.9 years, SD=9.6) with radiologically verified Kimmerle anomaly were examined. A control group comprised 40 healthy subjects at the similar age range. The diagnosis of headaches was based on the criteria proposed by the IHS. All the patients underwent electrophysiological studies (ENG, EEG and VEP). The results were statistically analyzed using a SPSS/PC+ computer system. RESULTS: Headaches were reported by 83.3% of patients with Kimmerle anomaly and 15% of controls. The total number of 50% of Kimmerle patients appeared to suffer from tension-type headaches (T-TH) and nearly 25.6% had headaches of a neurovascular nature. Neuralgic headaches were reported by 24.4% of patients. In the control group only T-TH occurred. In 72.2% of patients headaches occurred for the first time before the age of 40 years. The headaches lasted from a few minutes to several days, most frequently from several dozen minutes (43.3% of cases) to a few hours (31.1% of cases). Frequency of headaches in a year was high. Headaches were accompanied by other complaints like dizziness and vertigo, nausea, drop attacks, paresthesia, sight and hearing disturbances and also vegetative symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with radiologically verified Kimmerle anomaly a complex of clinical signs develops with prevailing headaches (T-TH, neurovascular headaches and neuralgia).

[Morphological parameters of the optic disc in patients with primary open angle glaucoma and low myopia]. / Parametry morfologiczne tarczy nerwu wzrokowego u pacjentów z jaskra pierwotna otwartego kata i krótkowzrocznoscia niskiego stopnia.

PURPOSE: To compare the morphological parameters of the optic disc in patients with low myopia and primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and in patients with glaucoma without refractive errors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 53 patients, aged 33-88 (56.2 +/- 11.9) with POAG were qualified for our study. The group was divided into two: first group consisted of 14 patients--11 women and 3 men, aged 41-83 (58.2 +/- 10.9) comprising 28 eye balls with low myopia (-0.5 Dsph to -3.5 Dsph) and POAG. The second group consisted of 38 patients: 24 women and 14 men, aged 33-80 (51.0 +/- 13.4) comprising 71 eye balls including 43 emetropic eyes, 26 eyes with hyperopia (+0.5 Dsph to +3.0 Dsph) and 2 eyes with astigmatism. All patients demonstrated early changes in visual field 1-2 stage due to the Aulhom classification. The measurements of the morphological parameters of the optic disc were made with confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy using Heidelberg Retina Tomograph--HRT II with glaucoma software. We analyzed the following parameters: optic disc area, cup area, rim area, cup/disc ratio, linear c/d ratio, mean cup depth, maximum cup depth. The statistical analysis was made using Kolomogarow-Smirnow test. RESULTS: All analyzed parameters were higher in patients with low myopia and POAG than in patients with only POAG. The results in both groups were different but still no statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Low myopia has an influence on the optic disc morphology in patients with POAG.

1-Methylnicotinamide: a potent anti-inflammatory agent of vitamin origin.

It has been found that 1-methylnicotinamide (MNA+), a metabolite of nicotinamide, possesses significant anti-inflammatory properties. MNA+ is chemically stable, non-toxic and well tolerated. MNA+ can be used to treat wide variety of diseases and disorders and the use of this compound provides certain advantages over the use of nicotinamide.

[Clinical symptoms and signs in Kimmerle anomaly]. / Zespól objawów klinicznych w anomalii Kimmerlego.

The aim of the study was to consider Kimmerle anomaly (ponticulus posterior of the atlas) as an anatomic variant, which can cause a set of clinical symptoms and signs. A hundred and eight patients, 58 females and 50 males at the age of 18-59 years (M. 36.9 years, SD = 9.6) with radiologically verified Kimmerle anomaly were examined. A control group comprised 40 healthy subjects at the similar age range. The diagnosis of headaches was based on the criteria proposed by the IHS. A character of headaches, their localization, frequency, duration, number of days with headaches per year, circumstances associated with their onset and concomitant symptoms were evaluated. All the patients were subjected to electrophysiological studies (ENG, EEG and VEP). The results were statistically analyzed using a SPSS/PC+ computer system. It was revealed that clinical symptoms and signs in Kimmerle anomaly occurred most frequently in the third and fourth decade of life (65% of cases). These were most often tension-type headaches (50% of cases with headaches), vascular headaches (26% of cases) and neuralgia (24% of cases). Intensity of headaches was high. Headaches were accompanied by other complaints like vertigo (59% of cases) and in one third of cases--nausea. About 10% of patients also suffered from vomiting, paresthesia, dizziness, short periods of loss of consciousness. Sporadically--tinitus, drop attack, and vegetative symptoms. In cases without pain the most frequent signs were short periods of loss of consciousness, dizziness, and also nausea and dizziness. The EEG examination revealed pathology in 40% of patients with Kimmerle anomaly. The ENG examination in more than 33% of anomaly cases showed injury in the central part of vestibular system. Improper answers were reported in about 75% of the patients during the VEP examination.