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Root-knot nematodes (RKN) cause considerable economic losses to kiwifruit production annually. Screening of resistant cultivars has been one of the long-standing methods to manage root-knot nematodes. Here, the reaction of the four most common commercial cultivars of kiwifruit, namely, Actinidia chinensis var. deliciosa cv. Hayward, A. chinensis var. deliciosa cv. Abbott, A. chinensis var. deliciosa cv. Bruno, and A. chinensis var. chinensis cv. Haegeum (commonly known as ‘Golden’ kiwifruit) to infection by the RKN, Meloidogyne incognita, was evaluated. Among examined cultivars ‘Golden’ was the most susceptible, having on average 52.8 galls, 56.1 egg masses per gram of root, and 642 J2 population per 200 gram of soil. ‘Bruno’ showed the highest resistance, with 3.3 galls, 4.1 egg masses per gram of root, and 79 J2 in 200 g of soil. Then, two potential biological control agents, namely Priestia megaterium 31.en and Agrobacterium tumefaciens 19.en were used on ‘Hayward’ seedlings against M. incognita and showed a significant reduction in the number of galls and egg masses on roots, juvenile population in the soil, and increased the growth parameters of the plants compared to non-treated seedlings. We demonstrated that integrated management using resistant cultivars and biological control can provide a safe and economic method to control RKN, and these resistant cultivars can be used in breeding programs.

Background: IL-4 is an important mediator of inflammatory cytokine derived from T helper cells and mast cells which triggers IgE synthesis. IL-4 plays an important role in allergic immune response for its ability to prevent apoptosis of T lymphocytes. IL-4 also plays a role in lymphocytes cell differentiation, cytokines and IgE production. This study aimed to evaluate the relation between the serum levels of IL-4 and IgE with disease severity in patients with allergic asthma. Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, 110 asthmatic patients referred to Asthma and Allergy Clinic in Kashan and 70 healthy controls were randomly selected. Blood sample (5 ml) was taken from all the patients and healthy subjects; the serum levels of IL-4 and IgE were measured using the standard laboratory kits and ELISA method, respectively. Results: The IL-4 and IgE mean levels were not significantly associated with age and sex. The mean IgE level increased from moderate to severe with increasing asthma severity (P=0.847). Moreover, the IL-4 level in patients with severe asthma was higher than the other patients (P=0.002). Conclusion: IL-4 level was increased with increasing asthma severity, but this was not the case for IgE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of valerian (Valeriana officinalis) consumption in pregnancy on cortical volume and the levels of zinc and copper, two essential elements that affect brain development and function, in the brain tissues of mouse fetuses., Methods: Pregnant female mice were treated with either saline or 1.2 g/kg body weight valerian extract intraperitoneally daily on gestation days (GD) 7 to 17. On GD 20, mice were sacrificed and their fetuses were collected. Fetal brains were dissected, weighed and processed for histological analysis. The volume of cerebral cortex was estimated by the Cavalieri principle. The levels of zinc and copper in the brain tissues were measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy., Results: The results indicated that valerian consumption in pregnancy had no significant effect on brain weight, cerebral cortex volume and copper level in fetal brain. However,it significantly decreased the level of zinc in the brain (P<0.05)., Conclusion: Using valerian during midgestation do not have an adverse effect on cerebral cortex; however,it caused a significant decrease in zinc level in the fetal brain. This suggests that valerian use should be limited during pregnancy.