Characterisation of Trichodorus similis (Nematoda: Trichodoridae) associated with potato from the Czech Republic

Trichodorus similis associated with potato in the Czech Republic was described and illustrated. This study provides additional information on morphometrical and morphological characters of T. similis and integrates morphological and genetic data obtained by species-specific polymerase chain reaction and sequencing (ITS1 and D2-D3 expansion segments of 28S rDNA). The knowledge on morphological variability and genetic diversity is extended, and a rapid and accurate molecular diagnostics was successfully applied.

Description of the male and first-stage juvenile of Longidorus intermedius Kozlowska & Seinhorst, 1979 (Nematoda: Dorylaimida), and notes on its morphology and distribution

Longidorus intermedius Kozlowska & Seinhorst, 1979 is redescribed from specimens recovered from oak (Quercus L.) forests in Bulgaria. The male and the first-stage juvenile were recorded for the first time, as were populations from Macedonia and Turkey. L. intermedius is identified here as the first species in the genus with only three juvenile stages and a pan-European distribution. The species was recovered from 36 of 46 oak forests in Bulgaria, found associated with each of nine oak species sampled and reached population densities of up to 289 specimens per 200 cm(3) of soil. The distribution of L. intermedius in Bulgaria, and in other countries, suggests that this species, like Xenocriconemella macrodora (Taylor, 1936) and probably L. aetnaeus Lamberti, Agostinelli & Vinciguerra, 1986, can be used as an ecological indicator for habitats where Quercus associations represent a primary vegetation type.

Longidorus cretensis n. sp. (Nematoda: Longidoridae) from a vineyard infected with a foliar 'yellow mosaic' on Crete, Greece

A description is provided of Longidorus cretensis n. sp., a bisexual species associated with grapevines in Crete, Greece. The species is characterised by a body length of 6.3-8.7 mm, head flattened anteriorly and continuous with the body profile, amphids pocket-shaped and not bilobed, a posteriorly situated guide-ring, posteriorly situated oesophageal glands, and a tail bluntly rounded to hemispherical. Xiphinema index was present throughout the vineyard, but L. cretensis n. sp. occurred only in an area where the grapevine foliage exhibited a 'yellow mosaic' disease, and in association with X. pachtaicum from the rhizosphere of an olive tree growing adjacent to the vineyard. Nematode-transmitted virus was not recovered from weed species growing in the vicinity of the olive tree, or by bait-testing soil collected from the rhizosphere of the tree. Population densities of L. cretensis n. sp. were similar under olive and grapevine, but twice as many adult specimens were recovered from soil samples collected in the vineyard. Three quarters of L. cretensis specimens were present at 21-40 cm depth under olive, whereas a similar proportion of the population was equally distributed under grapevine at 21-40 cm and 41-60 cm depths.

Longidorus camelliae n. sp. (Nematoda: Longidoridae) associated with ornamental cultivars of Camellia japonica L. growing in a nursery at Fuyang, Zhejiang Province, eastern China

A description is provided of Longidorus camelliae n. sp., a bisexual species associated with ornamental cultivars of Camellia japonica L. growing in Fuyang, Zhejiang Province, eastern China. The species is characterised by its small body length (1.83-3.54 mm), narrow (6-10 microm), anteriorly flattened, continuous head region, non-bilobed amphidial pouches, medium odontostyle length (80-91, microm) and elongate, conoid tail (32-39 microm; c' = 1.1-1.4). Males are characterised by having short spicules (44-48 microm) and a row of seven supplements. The species has only three juvenile development stages.

Criconematidae (Nematoda) from oak forests in two nature reserves in Russia

Seven criconematid species: Ogma menzeli, Criconema annuliferum, C. princeps, Criconemoides pleriannulatus, Mesocriconema solivagum, M. xenoplax and Xenocriconemella macrodora were recovered from soil samples collected from oak forests in the Shulgan-Tash and Voronezh nature reserves in Russia. Examination of C. pleriannulatus by SEM confirmed the absence of submedian lobes and revealed the presence of a small lip annule; juveniles exhibit fringe-like cuticular ornamentation of the annules. Ogma menzeli and C. pleriannulatus are new geographical records for Russia, and all species have already been reported in association with different oak species with the exception of M. solivagum and C. pleriannulatus. Criconemoides mutabilis Eroshenko, 1980 is proposed as ajunior synonym of C. pleriannulatus Ebsary, 1979.

Nitrous oxide with fentanyl and droperidol minimizes lipid peroxidation in the liver

We have studied the level of lipid peroxidation in the liver of rats exposed to nitrous oxide plus oxygen or injected with droperidol of fentanyl. The effect of nitrous oxide used in combination with droperidol and fentanyl was also investigated. All the tested anaesthetics caused lipid peroxidation in the rat liver. It seems likely, however, that the mechanism by which droperidol and fentanyl initiate lipid peroxidation differs from that which nitrous oxide uses. Free radical products and/or activated oxygen species are produced during fentanyl and droperidol metabolism in the liver. However, nitrous oxide is not metabolized in the liver and probably undergoes one electron reduction outside the liver thus producing free radical products and/or activated oxygen species which are able to diffuse and initiate lipid peroxidation in the liver. It was also found that the level of lipid peroxidation in the liver of rats injected with droperidol and fentanyl and then exposed to nitrous oxide was low and close to that of the control animals. We suggest that, when used in combination, the products generated outside the liver as a result of nitrous oxide metabolism are transported to the liver and take part in reactions with the products of the metabolism of droperidol and fentanyl, thus decreasing the concentration of the species able to initiate lipid peroxidation.

Polyamines as modulators of lipoperoxidation

The polyamines spermine and spermidine and the diamine putrescine inhibit lipid peroxidation in phospholipid liposome suspensions and rat liver homogenates. Using the chemiluminescence technique the antioxidant activity of polyamines was found to be due to reactions with the free radical intermediates of lipid peroxidation and/or superoxide radicals. Also, the antioxidant action of polyamines correlated with the amount of their amino groups: the antioxidant activity increases from putrescine to spermine.

[The effect of isoprenaline on the aggregation and adhesive properties of circulating rat neutrophils]

It is well known that isoprenaline (1-3-4-dihydroxy-phenyl-isopropyl-aminoethanol) (IP) induce necrosis in myocardium of laboratory animals, which is similar to pathomorphological development of clinical myocardial infarction. This process is accompanied by peripheral blood leukocytes. The IP-inductor effects on arachidonate-dependent aggregation and endothelial adhesion of peripheral blood neutrophils (PN) were studied in this paper. The enhancement of PN aggregational properties within 2-4 hours after intravenous IP-injection to rats was demonstrated. Using the method of vital microscopy it was shown that intravenous IP-injection to rats or IP-application on rat mesentery lead to an increase of leukocyte's marginal pool on the endothelium of mesenteric venules. However, it was noted that the change of cell functional properties is not due to the direct influence of IP on PN. The pathogenetic mechanisms of IP-induced cardiomyopathy in rats were discussed.

[Functional activity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in isoprenaline-induced cardiomyopathy in rats]

The article studies the dynamics of changes of the parameters of the functional activity using chemiluminescent and turbidimetric methods as well as blood plasma myocardium and liver homogenates in isoprenaline cardiomyopathy in rats. Mechanisms of pathogenesis of isoprenaline-induced cardiomyopathy in rats is being discussed.

[Pesticide residues in honey]

Investigated were a total of 40 samples of flower honey from seven regions of the country (the districts of Mihailovgrad, Gorna Oryahovitsa, Turgovishte, Plovdiv, Pazarjik, Sliven, and Byala Slatina). In 20 per cent of the samples there were traces of the phosphororganic pesticides trichlorfon and DDVF, and in 32 per cent - traces of chlororganic insecticides - HChCH and DDE. The studies made use of the agar diffusion, thin layer chromatography, and gas chromatography methods. It was established that honey was a product that was negligibly contaminated with pesticides. The residual amounts found were minimal (0.0002 to 0.00060 ppm) and were within the range of the admissible Bulgarian and international standards concerning the respective pesticides in food products. These amounts were found to correspond to the values established by other authors.