Prolific shoot regeneration from immature embryo explants of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.)

Summary Immature cotyledons and embryo axes of sainfoin were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) media supplemented with various concentrations of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and a-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) to induce adventitious shoot regeneration. The highest frequency of shoot regeneration occurred following an initial callus growth on a MS medium containing 0.5 mg/l BAP and 2 mg/l NAA. Immature embryo axes showed higher regeneration capacity than immature cotyledons, however, shoot elongation was best achieved on immature cotyledons. Regenerated shoots were excised and rooted in half strength MS medium with 1 mg/l indole-butyric acid (IBA) or 1 mg/l NAA. The rooted plantlets were finally transferred to compost.     

Plasma selenium levels in rheumatoid arthritis

The plasma selenium (Se) levels were determined in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and healthy controls. Plasma Se levels in 60 patients were found to be significantly lower than those in 60 normal, healthy controls (p<0.001). Similar significant differences were determined in sex-matched comparisons between patients and controls (p<0.001) but there was no significant difference in plasma Se levels in sex-matched comparisons in both groups (p>0.05). Our results suggest that Se is an important factor in RA.     

A note on the brine shrimp Artemia in Tuz Lake (Turkey)

Population density, fecundity andreproduction period of Artemia sp. in TuzLake, Turkey, beside environmental factors, such as oxygen,temperature, salinity, pH and electrical conductivity werestudied during 1993 and 1994.Artemia sp. occurred at two stations at the coast.Overwintering cysts hatched in early May, when the population was composed of 90% metanauplii (93%at Y4 and 99% at Y5) and few adult females. Peak abundanceoccurred in late May, at 106to 114 ind.m^–3.     

Curcumin prevents liver fat accumulation and serum fetuin-A increase in rats fed a high-fat diet

Fetuin-A is synthesized in the liver and is secreted into the bloodstream. Clinical studies suggest involvement of fetuin-A in metabolic disorders such as visceral obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, and fatty liver. Curcumin is extracted from the rhizome Curcuma longa and has been shown to possess potent antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, and hypoglycemic properties. In this study, we investigated the effect of curcumin treatment on serum fetuin-A levels as well as hepatic lipids and prooxidant–antioxidant status in rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Male Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into six groups. Group 1 was fed control diet (10 % of total calories from fat). Groups 2 and 3 were given curcumin (100 and 400 mg/kg bw/day, respectively ) by gavage for 8 weeks and were fed control diet. Group 4 was fed with HFD (60 % of total calories from fat). Groups 5 and 6 received HFD together with the two doses of curcumin, respectively. Curcumin treatment appeared to be effective in reducing liver triglycerides and serum fetuin-A levels. These findings suggest that the reduction of fetuin-A may contribute to the beneficial effects of curcumin in the pathogenesis of obesity.     

Synthesis of naphthalimide derivatives with potential anticancer activity,their comparative ds- and G-quadruplex-DNA binding studies and related biological activities

Molecular Biology Reports - Two new cytotoxic 1,8-naphthalimide derivatives have been synthesized and characterized. Their biological activities as cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activities and...     

Maintaining Resources for Traditional Medicine: A Global Overview and a Case Study from Buganda (Uganda)

 Presentations at a session of the 13th Congress of the International Society for Ethnobiology (ISE, May 2012) provided a global overview of ‘maintaining resources for traditional medicine’. Two themes received special attention, transmission of traditional medical knowledge and conservation of medicinal plants. The consensus at the well attended session was that traditional medicine can play a useful role in primary healthcare, including for chronic complaints and spiritual problems. However, the use of traditional medicine is declining in many places. Some practical efforts at maintaining resources for traditional medicine are described. A case study for Buganda (Uganda), given in greater detail, shows that progress in maintaining resources for traditional medicine can be impeded by forces not directly related to its intrinsic merits. The value of making efforts to maintain resources for traditional medicine is discussed in relation to its contribution to biocultural conservation, much needed today to counter balance the homogenising and ecologically destabilising influences of globalisation.     

Nitric oxide: a novel inducer for enhancement of microbial lipase production

The purpose of this study was to elucidate whether exogenous nitric oxide (NO) has a potential beneficial effect on lipase production capacity of some microorganisms. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP) was used as an exogenous NO donor in production medium. In comparison with the control (0 nM SNP), SNP concentrations from 10 to 100 nM induced lipase production in mesophilic bacterium Bacillus subtilis and cold-adapted yeast Yarrowia lipolytica. Especially, the maximum lipase activities for Y. lipolytica (81.2 U/L) and B. subtilis (74.5 U/L) were attained at 30 and 50 nM SNP concentrations, respectively. When compared to the control, the optimal SNP concentrations resulted in about 5.14 and 2.27-fold increases in lipase activities of B. subtilis and Y. lipolytica, respectively. Besides, it was found that the optimal SNP concentrations provided shorter incubation periods for lipase production. Conversely, no significant positive effect of exogenous NO on lipase production was determined for thermophilic bacterium Geobacillus stearothermophilus. This study showed for the first time that exogenous NO could be used as an inducer in the production of microbial lipases.     

Cold storage effects on flesh quality of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum, 1792) fed diets containing different vegetable oils

The intention of this experiment was to assess the effects of different sources of dietary lipid on the fatty acid composition of the fillet and liver and the flesh quality traits of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) after a 70‐day feeding period. Four iso‐nitrogenous (approx. 51% crude protein) and iso‐lipidic (approx. 14% crude lipid) experimental diets were formulated. The control diet contained only fish oil (FO) as the primary lipid source. In the other three dietary treatments, fish oil was replaced by 100% (LO30/SO35/SFO35) and 70% (FO30/LO35/SO35 or FO30/SO35/SFO35) sesame oil (SO), linseed oil (LO), or sunflower oil (SFO). Triplicate groups of 40 rainbow trout (~46 g) held under similar culture conditions were hand‐fed daily to apparent satiation for 70 days. At the end of the feeding trials, no difference in growth performance among experimental groups was noted (P > 0.05). There were some differences in the proximate composition of fish fillets (P < 0.05): the eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels were highest in fish fed the control diet (P < 0.05); and EPA and DHA levels in fish fed the FO30/LO35/SO35 diet were closest to the control diet (P < 0.05). In contrast, fish fed the diet containing 100% plant oils (LO30/SO35/SFO35) had the highest level of total n‐6 fatty acids in the fillet and liver. In a 12‐day refrigerated storage at 1°C the thiobarbituric acid (TBA), trimethylamin nitrogen (TMA‐N) and pH values gradually increased in all dietary groups (P < 0.05). The chemical indicators of spoilage, TBA, TMA‐N, and pH values were within the limit of acceptability for human consumption.