Influence of ecological and edaphic factors on biodiversity of soil nematodes

Nematodes are the most diverse and highly significant group of soil-inhabiting microorganisms that play a vital role in organic material decomposition and nutrient recycling.Diverse geographical locations and environmental gradients show a significant impact on the diversity of nematodes. Present study aims to assess the effects of ecological (altitude, temperature, moisture) and edaphic (soil pH, nutrients, soil patches) factors on the soil nematode diversity and structure at five different landscape patches (forests, apple orchards, rice fields, pastures, and alpine zone) from ten different sites of Kashmir valley (India). Differences in the altitudinal gradients results in the shift of generic nematode population. Among the soil patches, highest nematode diversity was observed in forest soil and least in alpine soil; however, bacteriovorous nematodes dominated all the soil patches. The temperature and moisture have a significant effect on nematode diversity, the highest nematode trophic levels were observed above 21°C temperature, and 30% moisture. Nematode abundance decreased from alkaline to acidic pH of the soil. Soil nutrients such as, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) have shown a detrimental effect in nematode richness at each site, where nematode diversity and richness of genera were higher at abundant soil N and P but decreased at low soil nutrients. Ecological indices like diversity index (DI), Shannon-Wiener Index (H'), enrichment index (EI), and maturity Index (MI) values demonstrated forest soil more favourable for nematodes and high soil health status than other soil patches. This study suggested that these indices may be helpful as soil monitoring tools and assessing ecosystem sustainability and biodiversity.     

lncRNA在动物脂肪沉积中的研究进展*

长链非编码RNA(long non-coding RNA,lncRNA),是一种长度大于200个核苷酸的调控性非编码RNA,能在转录水平、转录后水平及表观遗传水平等多个层面影响基因的表达。脂肪生成是一个复杂而有序的过程。大量研究表明,lncRNA在脂肪生成过程中扮演着重要角色,它可以影响脂质代谢及成脂分化等多种生物过程,从而间接影响肉品质。这对于提高畜禽肉品质、避免养殖业饲料过多转化成脂肪所导致的浪费以及对预防和治疗与脂肪代谢相关的疾病都具有重要意义。对lncRNA的基本特征、在动物脂肪沉积中的作用进展进行了综述,以期为培育优质畜禽,预防和治疗与脂肪代谢相关的疾病提供理论依据。     

Effect of diallyldisulphide on an antioxidant enzyme system in Candida species

This study was carried out to show the effect of diallyldisulphide (DADS), an important organosulphur compound found in garlic (Allium sativum), on antioxidant systems in Candida species. Changes in antioxidant metabolites and antioxidant activity in the presence of DADS were found in Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis. Candida cells were treated with sublethal concentrations of DADS. DADS caused a decrease in the activity of all antioxidant enzymes except catalase, resulting in oxidative stress and damaged cells. The amount of oxidative stress generated by DADS was found to be a function of its concentration. A significant decrease in superoxide dismutase, glutathione-S-transferase, and glutathione peroxidase activities but an increase in catalase activity were observed. Increased levels of lipid peroxidation and decreased levels of glutathione were observed in treated cells. Activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase decreased significantly following DADS treatment and could be correlated with a decrease in glutathione concentration in both Candida species. These results indicate that diallyl disulphide acts as a pro-oxidant to Candida species and hence may act as a potent antifungal in the management of candidiasis.     

The meaning of significant mean group differences for biomarker discovery

Over the past decade, biomarker discovery has become a key goal in psychiatry to aid in the more reliable diagnosis and prognosis of heterogeneous psychiatric conditions and the development of tailored therapies. Nevertheless, the prevailing statistical approach is still the mean group comparison between “cases” and “controls,” which tends to ignore within-group variability. In this educational article, we used empirical data simulations to investigate how effect size, sample size, and the shape of distributions impact the interpretation of mean group differences for biomarker discovery. We then applied these statistical criteria to evaluate biomarker discovery in one area of psychiatric research—autism research. Across the most influential areas of autism research, effect size estimates ranged from small (d = 0.21, anatomical structure) to medium (d = 0.36 electrophysiology, d = 0.5, eye-tracking) to large (d = 1.1 theory of mind). We show that in normal distributions, this translates to approximately 45% to 63% of cases performing within 1 standard deviation (SD) of the typical range, i.e., they do not have a deficit/atypicality in a statistical sense. For a measure to have diagnostic utility as defined by 80% sensitivity and 80% specificity, Cohen’s d of 1.66 is required, with still 40% of cases falling within 1 SD. However, in both normal and nonnormal distributions, 1 (skewness) or 2 (platykurtic, bimodal) biologically plausible subgroups may exist despite small or even nonsignificant mean group differences. This conclusion drastically contrasts the way mean group differences are frequently reported. Over 95% of studies omitted the “on average” when summarising their findings in their abstracts (“autistic people have deficits in X”), which can be misleading as it implies that the group-level difference applies to all individuals in that group. We outline practical approaches and steps for researchers to explore mean group comparisons for the discovery of stratification biomarkers.     

Attenuation of Dichlorvos-Induced Microglial Activation and Neuronal Apoptosis by 4-Hydroxy TEMPO

The neurotoxic consequences of acute high-level as well as chronic low-level organophosphates exposure are associated with a range of abnormalities in nerve functions. Previously, we have shown that after 24 h of dichlorvos exposure, microglia become activated and secrete pro-inflammatory molecules like nitric oxide, tumour necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β. Here, we extended our findings and focused on the neuronal damage caused by dichlorvos via microglial activation. For this, neurons and microglia were isolated separately from 1-day-old Wistar rat pups. Microglia were treated with dichlorvos for 24 h and supernatant was collected (dichlorvos-induced conditioned medium, DCM). However, when 4-hydroxy TEMPO (4-HT) pretreatment was given, we observed significant attenuation of dichlorvos-induced microglial activation; we also collected the supernatant of this culture (4-HT + DCM, TDCM). Next, we checked the effects of DCM on neurons and found heavy loss in viability as evident from NF-H immunostaining and MTT results, whereas dichlorvos alone-treated neurons showed comparatively less damage. However, we observed significant increase in neuronal viability when cells were treated with TDCM. Semi-quantitative PCR and western blot results revealed significant increase in p53, Bax and cytochrome c levels along with caspase 3 activation after 24 h of DCM treatment. However, TDCM-treated neurons showed significant decrease in the expression of these pro-apoptotic molecules. Taken together, these findings suggest that 4-HT can significantly attenuate dichlorvos-induced microglial activation and prevent apoptotic neuronal cell death.     

Interaction of a flavone loaded on surface-modified dextran-spooled superparamagnetic nanoparticles with β-cyclodextrin and DNA

Flavones are biologically active compounds obtained mainly from plant sources. Pharmaceutically important compounds can be delivered to the physiological target by loading them in carriers like cyclodextrins and magnetic nanoparticles. Herein, the binding of 6-methoxyflavone to β-cyclodextrin and DNA is studied using UV–visible absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. The loading of 6-methoxyflavone onto a magnetic nanoparticles is employed. β-cyclodextrin encapsulates the 6-methoxyflavone to form an inclusion complex. β-cyclodextrin also used to draw forth 6-methoxyflavone loaded onto a magnetic nanoparticles. The morphology, magnetic property and the crystallite size of the nanoparticles are studied using scanning electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry and X-ray diffraction techniques, respectively. The binding of the drug-loaded magnetic nanoparticles to DNA shows that the compound is accessible to DNA and available mostly on the surface of the nanoparticles despite a modified dextan polymer supposedly encapsulates the flavone.     

Cereal root exudates contain highly structurally complex polysaccharides with soil‐binding properties

Rhizosheaths function in plant?soil interactions, and are proposed to form due to a mix of soil particle entanglement in root hairs and the action of adhesive root exudates. The soil‐binding factors released into rhizospheres to form rhizosheaths have not been characterised. Analysis of the high‐molecular‐weight (HMW) root exudates of both wheat and maize plants indicate the presence of complex, highly branched polysaccharide components with a wide range of galactosyl, glucosyl and mannosyl linkages that do not directly reflect cereal root cell wall polysaccharide structures. Periodate oxidation indicates that it is the carbohydrate components of the HMW exudates that have soil‐binding properties. The root exudates contain xyloglucan (LM25), heteroxylan (LM11/LM27) and arabinogalactan‐protein (LM2) epitopes, and sandwich‐ELISA evidence indicates that, in wheat particularly, these can be interlinked in multi‐polysaccharide complexes. Using wheat as a model, exudate‐binding monoclonal antibodies have enabled the tracking of polysaccharide release along root axes of young seedlings, and their presence at root hair surfaces and in rhizosheaths. The observations indicate that specific root exudate polysaccharides, distinct from cell wall polysaccharides, are adhesive factors secreted by root axes, and that they contribute to the formation and stabilisation of cereal rhizosheaths.