The risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) is increased tremendously among menopausal women, and there is an increasing demand for alternative therapies for managing factors like dyslipidemia that contribute to CVD development.
The feasibility of using papaya seeds (PS), abundantly available waste in Malaysia, for the cationic dye (methylene blue) adsorption has been investigated. Batch adsorption studies were conducted to study the effects of contact time, initial concentration (50-360 mg/L), pH (3-10) and adsorbent dose (0.05-1.00 g) on the removal of methylene blue (MB) at temperature of 30 degrees C. The equilibrium data were analyzed by the Langmuir, the Freundlich and the Temkin isotherms. The data fitted well with the Langmuir model with a maximum adsorption capacity of 555.557 mg/g. The pseudo-second-order kinetics was the best for the adsorption of MB by PS with good correlation. The results demonstrated that the PS is very effective to remove methylene blue from aqueous solutions.
In this work, pumpkin seed hull (PSH), an agricultural solid waste, is proposed as a novel material for the removal of methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions. The effects of the initial concentration, agitation time and solution pH were studied in batch experiments at 30 degrees C. The equilibrium process was described well by the multilayer adsorption isotherm. The adsorption kinetics can be predicted by the pseudo-first-order and the modified pseudo-first-order models. The mechanism of adsorption was also studied. It was found that for a short time period the rate of adsorption is controlled by film diffusion. However, at longer adsorption times, pore-diffusion controls the rate of adsorption. Pore diffusion takes place in two distinct regimes, corresponding to diffusion in macro- and mesopores. The results demonstrate that the PSH is very effective in the removal of MB from aqueous solutions.
Fusarium is one of the most important pathogenic and toxigenic fungi widely distributed all over the world, including Iran. Fusarium species are found frequently in stored agriculture products especially wheat. The objective of this study was to identify Fusarium species associated with stored wheat seeds and their pathogenicity on root and head of wheat in Kermanshah, the leading province in wheat production in Iran. In this survey 75 seed samples of stored wheat were collected from 10 different regions during 2006-2008 and tested for the presence of Fusarium. Fusarium spp. were found in 51 (68%) of 75 samples. A total of 580 Fusarium strains were isolated, identified and preserved. All these strains belong to 20 Fusarium spp. according to morphological characters. Each conidial suspension of selected strains representing all species was evaluated for their pathogenicity on roots and spikes of healthy wheat var. Fallat in the greenhouse. F. graminearum, F. crookwellense, F. trichothecioides, F. culmorum and F. verticillioides were the most pathogenic to wheat's head. Foot rot assessment revealed that F. pseudograminearum and F. culmorum were the most damaging species. Of the Fusarium isolates, F. graminearum was the most prevalent followed by F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum. This is the first comprehensive report on identity and distribution of Fusarium spp. from stored wheat seeds in Iran while F. nelsonii was reported for the first time from wheat seeds in Iran.
Moisture plays a major role in the dynamics of mosquito populations, especially those breeding in container habitats. Despite this importance, the role of moisture conditions as they affect oviposition and egg development in Aedes vectors remains largely unexplored. We investigated the effect of exposing gravid female Aedes albopictus mosquitoes and their eggs to different moisture levels (MLs) for various periods on oviposition and hatching. Overall, high-moisture substrates (HMSs; 66% and 72%) provided better environments for egg laying. The timing of initial egg laying was far longer at the lowest substrate moisture level (LSML, 25% and 41.2%) than at HMSs. The numbers of eggs laid were much lower in the drier environments. At LSMLs, gravid females retained increasing numbers of mature eggs until death, and egg retention decreased gradually with increasing ML. The HMSs also provided better environments for larval eclosion. The numbers of eggs hatched were lower at the LSML than the HSML environment. No egg hatching occurred after 1 h exposure to moisture. However, egg hatching occurred by installment, with spontaneous hatching (SH) increasing gradually with increasing ML. High-moisture conditions combined with long exposure (30 h and 48 h) favored SH. These results suggest that Ae. albopictus females can respond to better moisture conditions for increased success of embryonation and larval eclosion. This information may be useful in the colonization of floodwater Aedes species.
In this study, we report the molecular characterization of clone Eg707 isolated from cell suspension culture of the oil palm. The deduced polypeptide of clone Eg707 is highly similar to an unknown protein from Arabidopsis thaliana. The presence of an Ald-Xan-dh-C2 superfamily domain in the deduced protein sequence suggested that Eg707 protein might be involved in abscisic acid biosynthesis. Eg707 might be present as a single copy gene in the oil palm genome. This gene is highly expressed in tissue cultured materials compared to vegetative and reproductive tissues, suggesting a role of this gene during oil palm somatic embryogenesis or at the early stages of embryo development. Expression analysis of Eg707 by RNA in situ hybridization showed that Eg707 transcripts were present throughout somatic embryo development starting from proembryo formation at the embryogenic callus stages till the maturing embryo stages. Since proembryo formation within the embryogenic callus is one of the first key factors in oil palm somatic embryo development, it is suggested that Eg707 could be used as a reliable molecular marker for detecting early stage of oil palm somatic embryogenesis.
In the present study, we have reported a simple, fast and efficient regeneration protocol using mature embryos as explants, and discovered its effective applicability to a range of Indica rice genotypes. We have considered the response of six varieties in the steps of the regeneration procedure. The results showed that calli were variably developed from the scutellar region of seeds and visible within 6-20 days. The highest and lowest calli induction frequency (70% and 51.66%) and number of induced calli from seeds (14 and 10.33) were observed in MR269 and MRQ74, respectively. The maximum and minimum number (7.66 and 4) and frequency of embryogenic calli (38.33% and 20%) were recorded in MR219 and MRQ74, respectively. However, the highest browning rate was observed in MR84 (87%) and the lowest rate in MRQ50 (46%). The majority of plants regenerated from embryogenic calli were obtained from MRQ50 (54%) and the minimum number of plants from MR84. In this study, the maximum numbers of plantlets were regenerated from the varieties with highest rate of embryogenic calli. Also, various varieties, including MRQ50, MR269, MR276 and MR219, were satisfactorily responding, while MRQ74 and MR84 weakly responded to the procedure. Such a simple, successful and generalized method possesses the potential to become an important tool for crop improvement and functional studies of genes in rice as a model monocot plant.
In this study, optimization of supercritical reactive extraction directly from Jatropha seeds in a high pressure batch reactor using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) coupled with Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD) was performed. Four primary variables (methanol to solid ratio (SSR), reaction temperature, time and CO2 initial pressure) were investigated under the proposed constraints. It was found that all variables had significant effects towards fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) yield. Moreover, three interaction effects between the variables also played a major role in influencing the final FAME yield. Optimum FAME yield at 92.0 wt.% was achieved under the following conditions: 5.9 SSR, 300°C, 12.3 min and 20 bar CO2. Final FAME product was discovered to fulfil existing international standard. Preliminary characterization analysis proved that the solid residue can be burnt as solid fuel in the form of biochar while the liquid product can be separated as specialty chemicals or burned as bio-oil for energy production.
A systematic collection of fetal morphometric measurements was started seven years ago in 1987 with the prospective entry of data into personal computer-based stations in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Singapore General Hospital. A cross-sectional study was done, comparing 2392 Chinese fetuses with 2117 Malay fetuses and 459 Indian fetuses from 18 to 40 weeks. The mean values of the head circumference (HC), abdominal circumference (AC) and femur length (FL) of the 3 ethnic groups were analysed. There were no statistical significant differences in the head circumference and abdominal circumference of Chinese, Malay and Indian fetuses in Singapore. The Chinese and Malay fetal femur length appeared similar but were apparently shorter than the Indian femur length. Nomograms of head circumference, abdominal circumference and femur length were constructed for application to fetuses of all 3 ethnic groups.
pbx1, a TALE (three-amino acid loop extension) homeodomain transcription factor, is involved in a diverse range of developmental processes. We examined the expression of pbx1 during zebrafish development by in situ hybridization. pbx1 transcripts could be detected in the central nervous system and pharyngeal arches from 24 hpf onwards. In the swim bladder anlage, pbx1 was detected as early as 28 hpf, making it the earliest known marker for this organ. Morpholino-mediated gene knockdown of pbx1 revealed that the swim bladder failed to inflate, with eventual lethality occurring by 8 dpf. The knockdown of pbx1 did not perturb the expression of prdc and foxA3, with both early swim bladder markers appearing normally at 36 and 48 hpf, respectively. However, the expression of anxa5 was completely abolished by pbx1 knockdown at 60 hpf suggesting that pbx1 may be required during the late stage of swim bladder development.
Matched MeSH terms: Air Sacs/embryology*; Branchial Region/embryology; Central Nervous System/embryology
Congenital spinal fusion of an odontoid process to an atlantal hemiarch is very rare. The unfamiliarity of the medical fraternity with this congenital malformation can easily be mistaken for an acute fracture, chronic infection or inflammatory disease. We present our experience of managing an adult who presented with neck pain after a motor vehicle accident. Radiological investigation revealed congenital fusion of the odontoid process to the atlantal hemiarch. The prevalence, embryology and clinical significance of this anomaly are discussed. As the natural progression of this anomaly is not well documented, we suggest periodic follow-up to monitor the progression of degenerative changes and instability of the occipitoatlantal junction.
Adhesion and fusion of epithelial sheets marks the completion of many morphogenetic events during embryogenesis. Neural tube closure involves an epithelial fusion sequence in which the apposing neural folds adhere initially via cellular protrusions, proceed to a more stable union, and subsequently undergo remodeling of the epithelial structures to yield a separate neural tube roof plate and overlying nonneural ectoderm. Cellular protrusions comprise lamellipodia and filopodia, and studies in several different systems emphasize the critical role of RhoGTPases in their regulation. How epithelia establish initial adhesion is poorly understood but, in neurulation, may involve interactions between EphA receptors and their ephrinA ligands. Epithelial remodeling is spatially and temporally correlated with apoptosis in the dorsal neural tube midline, but experimental inhibition of this cell death does not prevent fusion and remodeling. A variety of molecular signaling systems have been implicated in the late events of morphogenesis, but genetic redundancy, for example among the integrins and laminins, makes identification of the critical players challenging. An improved understanding of epithelial fusion can provide insights into normal developmental processes and may also indicate the mode of origin of clinically important birth defects.
Three main reproductive strategies have been described among insects: most common oviparity, ovoviviparity and viviparity. In the latter strategy, the embryonic development takes place within the body of the mother which provides gas exchange and nutrients for embryos. Here we present the results of histological and EM analyses of the female reproductive system of the viviparous earwig, Arixenia esau, focusing on all the modifications related to the viviparity. We show that in the studied species the embryonic development consists of two "physiological phases" that take place in two clearly disparate compartments, i.e. the terminal ovarian follicle and the uterus. In both compartments the embryos are associated with synthetically active epithelial cells. We suggest that these cells are involved in the nourishment of the embryo. Our results indicate that viviparity in arixeniids is more complex than previously considered. We propose the new term "pseudoplacento-uterotrophic viviparity" for this unique two-phase reproductive strategy.
CTP Synthase (CTPS) is a metabolic enzyme that is recognized as a catalyst for nucleotide, phospholipid and sialoglycoprotein production. Though the structural characteristics and regulatory mechanisms of CTPS are well-understood, little is known regarding the extent of its involvement during the early developmental stages of vertebrates. Zebrafish carries two CTPS genes, annotated as ctps1a and ctps1b. Phylogenetic analyses show that both genes had diverged from homologues in the ancestral Actinopterygii, Oreochromis niloticus. Conservation of common CTPS-catalytic regions further establishes that both proteins are likely to be functionally similar to hsaCTPS. Here, we show that ctps1a is more critical throughout the initial period of embryonic development than ctps1b. The effects of concurrent partial knockdown are dependent on ctps1a vs ctps1b dosage ratios. When these are equally attenuated, abnormal phenotypes acquired prior to the pharyngula period disappear in hatchlings (48hpf); however, if either gene is more attenuated than the other, these only become more pronounced in advanced stages. Generally, disruption to normal ctps1a or ctps1b expression levels by morpholinos culminates in the distortion of the early spinal column as well as multiple-tissue oedema. Other effects include slower growth rates, increased mortality rates and impaired structural formation of the young fish's extremities. Embryos grown in DON, a glutamine-analogue drug and CTPS antagonist, also exhibit similar characteristics, thus strengthening the validity of the morpholino-induced phenotypes observed. Together, our results demonstrate the importance of CTPS for the development of zebrafish embryos, as well as a disparity in activity and overall importance amongst isozymes.
Understanding Macrobrachium rosenbergii ovarian maturation control at the genome level is an important aspect for increasing larvae production. In this study, an ovarian maturation related gene, M. rosenbergii vWD domain and three Kazal-type domains of a gene (MrvWD-Kazal) have been studied. The MrvWD-Kazal gene was isolated using a rapid amplification of cDNA end (RACE) method and the relative abundances of MrvWD-Kazal mRNA in the ovary, hepatopancreas, stomach, intestine and gill were determined by using the quantitative PCR technique. The MrvWD-Kazal gene is composed of 2194 bp with an open reading frame (ORF) of 1998 bp encoding 665 amino acids and has great similarity to the M. nipponense vWD-Kazal gene (91%). The qPCR analyses indicated the relative abundance of MrvWD-Kazal mRNA transcript varied among different stages of ovarian function (P < 0.05), but there were no differences abundance in hepatopancreas, stomach, intestine and gill (P> 0.05). In the ovary, relative abundance of MrvWD-Kazal mRNA transcript gradually increased with ovarian maturation from Stages 1 (Spent; 1.00-fold), to 2 (Proliferative; 3.47-fold) to 3 (Premature; 6.18-fold) and decreased at Stage 4 (Mature; 1.31-fold). Differential relative abundances of MrvWD-Kazal mRNA transcript in the ovary indicate the MrvWD-Kazal protein may have an important function in ovarian maturation of M. rosenbergii. The results of this study also indicate the MrvWD-Kazal is not involved in regulation of the reproductive related function of the hepatopancreas, digestive system (stomach and intestine) and respiratory system (gill).
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent pollutants and chemically a class of structurally similar chemical compounds characterized by the presence of fused aromatic rings. This research was undertaken to find out immunotoxic effects produced by pyrene, phenanthrene and fluoranthene. These chemicals were injected into developing chicks at three dose levels (0.2, 2 and 20 mg per kg) through allantioc route to rule out possible mechanisms involved in immunotoxicity. DNA adduct produced by PAHs in immune organs were analyzed by DNA adduct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit and DNA damage was assessed by comet assay. A significant increase in the DNA adduct levels was found in thymus and bursa in 2 mg and 20 mg dose levels of pyrene, fluoranthene and phenanthrene treated groups, whereas those in spleen simulated the value of controls. Comet assay indicated that PAHs especially pyrene, fluoranthene and phenanthrene were capable of inducing increased level of comet parameters in thymus at all the dose levels. Bursa of Fabricius and spleen also showed a gradual rise in comet parameters corresponding to all dose levels, but the increase was more marked as in thymus. Thus, it can be concluded that DNA adducts produced by PAHs lead to single-strand breaks and reduced DNA repair, which ultimately begin a carcinogenic process. Hence, this experiment can be considered as a strong evidence of genotoxic potential of PAHs like pyrene, phenanthrene and fluoranthene in developing chicks.
Matched MeSH terms: Bursa of Fabricius/embryology; Spleen/embryology; Thymus Gland/embryology
Few researchers have investigated the direction of commissural axon projections on the contralateral side of the vertebrate embryonic spinal cord, especially for comparison between its different regions. In this study, pCAGGS-GFP plasmid expression was limited to different regions of the chicken embryonic spinal cord (cervical, anterior limb, anterior thorax, posterior thorax and posterior limb) at E3 using in ovo electroporation with modified electrodes and optimal electroporation conditions. Then open-book technique was performed at E6 to analyze the direction of axon projections in different spinal cord regions. The results show that in the five investigated regions, most axons projected rostrally after crossing the floor plate while a minority projected caudally. And there was a significant difference between the rostral and caudal projection quantities (P<0.01). The ratio of rostral and caudal projections was significantly different between the five investigated regions (P<0.05), except between the cervical region and the anterior limb (P>0.05). The projections were most likely to be rostral for the posterior limb followed by the posterior thorax, cervical region, anterior limb and anterior thorax. Our data for the direction of the commissural axon projections will be helpful in the future analyses of axon projection mechanisms and spinal cord-brain circuit formation.
During nervous system development, neurons project axons over long distances to reach the appropriate targets for correct neural circuit formation. Sonic hedgehog (Shh) is a secreted protein and plays a key role in regulating vertebrate embryogenesis, especially in central nervous system (CNS) patterning, including neuronal migration and axonal projection in the brain and spinal cord. In the developing ventral midbrain, Shh is sufficient to specify a striped pattern of cell fates. Little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying the Shh regulation of the neural precursor cell fate during the optic tectum development. Here, we aimed at studying how Shh might regulate chicken optic tectum patterning. In the present study, in ovo electroporation methods were employed to achieve the overexpression of Shh in the optic tectum during chicken embryo development. Besides, the study combined in ovo electroporation and neuron isolation culturing to study the function of Shh in vivo and in vitro. The fluorescent immunohistochemistry methods were used to check the related indicators. The results showed that Shh overexpression caused 87.8% of cells to be distributed to the stratum griseum central (SGC) layer, while only 39.3% of the GFP-transfected cells resided in the SGC layer in the control group. Shh overexpression also reduced the axon length in vivo and in vitro. In conclusion, we provide evidence that Shh regulates the neural precursor cell fate during chicken optic tectum development. Shh overexpression impairs neuronal migration and may affect the fate determination of transfected neurons.
SummaryThis study investigated the breeding parameters and embryogenic development of diploid and heat shock-induced triploid eggs of Anabas testudineus (Bloch, 1792). To this effect, broodstocks of A. testudineus were induced to spawn using the Ovaprim® hormone. After fertilization, the eggs were divided into two groups and one portion heat shocked at 41°C (for 3 min), at approximately 4 min after fertilization. Results of fertilization, hatchability, as well as the sequence and timing of embryogenic development were collated from three breeding trials. Fertilization percentages were similar in both treatments (≈90%) while hatchability was higher in the diploid eggs (79.56%) than the triploid induced eggs (50.04%). Both treatments had the same sequence of embryogenetic stages; however, the timing of development was significantly delayed in the triploids (i.e. beyond the 2-cell stages) as compared with the observations in the control group (diploid eggs). Consequently, hatching time was 5 h faster in the diploid eggs [i.e. 18 hours post fertilization (hpf)] compared with the triploid induced eggs (23 hpf). The most critical stage of embryonic development in which mass mortality occurred in the different treatments was the somite stage. The status of triploid hatchlings was affirmed using erythrocyte morphology in 2-month-old fingerlings.
Meat tenderness is one of the most important organoleptic properties in determining consumer acceptance in meat product marketability. Therefore, an effective meat tenderization method is sought after by exploring plant-derived proteolytic enzymes as meat tenderizer. In this study, a novel protease from Cashew was identified as a new alternative halal meat tenderizer. The extraction of cashew protease was optimized using response surface methodology (R2 = 0.9803) by varying pH, CaCl2 concentration, mixing time, and mass. pH 6.34, 7.92 mM CaCl2 concentration, 5.51 min mixing time, and 19.24 g sample mass were the optimal extraction conditions. There was no significant difference (n = 3; p