[Effects of Restraint Manipulation on Learning-memory Ability, Visional Acuity and Body Mass of Rats].

Objective: Restraint manipulation is necessary for observing the effect of acupuncture or moxibustion stimulation on various variables in the experimental study. Thus, the present study was designed to examine the impact of restraint manipulation on rats' learning-memory ability, visional acuity, and body mass, so as to have a reasonable assessment on the influence of restraint stress.

Methods: Normal Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to a restraint group (=15) and a control group (=15).

Different patterns of changes between actin dynamics and synaptic density in the rat's primary visual cortex during a special period of visual development.

In our previous study, we found that the normalized levels of the synaptosomal filament actin (F-actin) to monomeric global actin (G-actin) ratio in the primary visual cortex (V1) of rats was significantly lower on postnatal day (P) 45 compared with P30, however, the synaptic density in the monocular area of primary visual cortex (V1M) maintained a stable high level from P30 to P45. The mechanisms underlying the different patterned of change in synaptic density and actin rearrangements from P30 to P45 are unclear. During visual development, there is a synaptic pruning process in the binocular segment of primates' visual cortex (V1B) and we suppose the pruning activity may contribute to the decreased synaptosomal F-actin to G-actin ratio.

[Effects of wheat synomones on Macrosiphum avenae and its natural enemies].

An investigation was made in winter wheat fields to study the effects of applying wheat synomones methyl salicylate and sulcatone (6-methy-5-hepten-2-one) on the dynamic changes of Macrosiphum avenae and its natural enemies Harmonia axyridis and Aphidius avenae. The results showed that wheat synomones didn' t change the population dynamics of M. avenae significantly, but had a significant effect on the reduction of M.