The key roles of salicylic acid and sulfur in plant salinity stress tolerance

Journal of Plant Growth Regulation - The salinization of agriculture soils over the globe has become one of the most devastating stresses and is significantly limiting cultivated land area, and...     

Conceptual Method of Temperature Sensation in Bionic Hand by Extraordinary Perceptual Phenomenon

Lack of temperature sensation of myoelectric prosthetic hand limits the daily activities of amputees.To this end,a non-invasive temperature sensation method is proposed to train amputees to sense temperature with psychophysical sensory substitution.In this study,22 healthy participants took part besides 5 amputee participants.The duration time of the study was 31 days with five test steps according to the Leitner technique.An adjustable temperature mug and a Peltier were used to change the temperature of the water/phantom digits to induce temperature to participants.Also,to isolate the surround-ings and show colors,a Virtual Reality(VR)glass was employed.The statistical results conducted are based on the response of participants with questionnaire method.Using Chi-square tests,it is concluded that participants answer the experiment significantly correctly using the Leitner technique(P value＜0.05).Also,by applying the"Repeated Measures ANOVA",it is noticed that the time of numbness felt by participants had significant(P value＜0.001)difference.Participants could remember lowest and highest temperatures significantly better than other temperatures(P value＜0.001);furthermore,the well-trained amputee participant practically using the prosthesis with 72.58％could identify object's temperature with only once time experimenting the color temperature.     

Assessment of Morpho-Physiological and Biochemical Responses of Perennial Ryegrass to Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) Application Under Salinity Stress Using Multivariate Analyses Techniques

Journal of Plant Growth Regulation - Salinity stress is one of the most important global problems that afflicts and limits the growth and development of turfgrass in arid and semi-arid areas....     

Suitability evaluation of some specific crops in Souma area (Iran), using Cervatana and Almagra models

In the present study Cervatana and Almagra models from decision support system, MicroLEIS DSS, were applied to segregation of arable land surfaces from the marginal ones and suitability evaluation of wheat (Triticum aestivum), maize (Zea mays) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) in Souma area with approximately 4100 ha extension in West Azarbaijan. Obtained results from both models are presented and discussed in this research work. Soil morphological and analytical data were collected from 35 soil profiles, representative of the study area and stored in SDBm plus database. The control or vertical section of soil for applying and running the models for annual selected crops, was calculated by soil layer generator 0.0–50 cm in depth, or between the surface and the limit of useful depth when the latter is between 0.0 and 50 cm. According to results, 80.49% of the total area was good capable for agricultural uses and 19.51% must be reforested and not dedicated to agriculture. The lands with good capability for agricultural uses is classified as highly suitable area (S2) for wheat, maize and alfalfa, but results in 822 ha for maize and in 126 ha for alfalfa refers to an excellent suitable (S1) and moderately suitable (S3) classes respectively. The most important limitation factors are soil texture and carbonate alone or together and maize — wheat — alfalfa can be selected as the best crop rotation. A simple map subsystem (ArcView GIS) was used for basic data and models result demonstration on a map.     

Influence of selenium (Se) on carbohydrate metabolism, nodulation and growth in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

Background and aims

Extensive worldwide dryland degradation calls for identification of functional traits critical to dryland plant performance and restoration outcomes. Most trait examination has focused on drought tolerance, although most dryland systems are water and nutrient co-limited. We studied how drought impacts both plant water relations and nitrogen (N) nutrition.

Methods

We grew a suite of grasses common to the Intermountain West under both well-watered and drought conditions in the greenhouse. These grasses represented three congener pairs (Agropyron, Elymus, Festuca) differing in their habitat of origin (“wetter” or “drier”). We measured growth, water relations, N resorption efficiency and proficiency and photosynthetic N use efficiency in response to drought.

Results

Drought decreased growth and physiological function in the suite of grasses studied, including a negative impact on plant N resorption efficiency and proficiency. This effect on resorption increased over the course of the growing season. Evolutionary history constrained species responses to treatment, with genera varying in the magnitude of their response to drought conditions. Surprisingly, habitat of origin influenced few trait responses.

Conclusions

Drought impacted plant N conservation, although these responses also were constrained by evolutionary history. Future plant development programs should consider drought tolerance not only from the perspective of water relations but also plant mineral nutrition, taking into account the role of phylogeny.     

Calcitonin administration improves endometrial receptivity via regulation of LIF,Muc-1 and microRNA Let-7a in mice

Calcitonin (CT) is one of the factors affecting the embryo implantation, but its effects on the implantation window have not been fully investigated. The current study investigated the effects of CT on the endometrium receptivity by morphological study and evaluation of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), mucin 1 (Muc-1), and microRNA (miRNA) Let-7a in the ovarian stimulation and the normal ovarian cycle. Then the mechanism of the CT effects through the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway was studied by using PP242. A total of 64 BALB/c mice were divided into the normal ovarian cycle and ovarian stimulation groups. Each group consisted of four subgroups: control, calcitonin, PP242, and calcitonin+PP242. CT and PP242 were injected on the fourth of pregnancy into the mice and 24 hr later all the mice were killed. The uterine tissue samples were used for morphological analysis, and endometrial cells were mechanically isolated for evaluation of gene and protein expression. The results showed that ovarian stimulation induced mTOR phosphorylation as well as increased expression of the Let-7a miRNA. In addition, CT injection increased the expression of LIF and miRNA Let-7a in ovarian stimulation similar to that in normal ovarian cycles. However, injection of PP242 reduced expression of miRNA Let-7a and increased Muc-1 expression in ovarian stimulation group. In conclusion, the administration of CT improved endometrial receptivity in mice. This phenomenon occurred by upregulation of LIF, miRNA Let-7a and downregulation of Muc-1 via mTOR signaling pathway.     

Genetic relatedness among some wild cherry (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Prunus</Emphasis> subgenus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cerasus</Emphasis>) genotypes native to Iran assayed by morphological traits and random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis

Subgenus Cerasus species are useful genetic resources for cherry breeding programs. A total of 17 morphological traits together with 19 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) primers were used to study 39 accessions including 34 wild Cerasus subgenus genotypes belonging to Prunus avium L., P. cerasus L., P. mahaleb L., P. microcarpa Boiss., P. incana Pall., and P. brachypetala Boiss. species, along with an unknown wild Cerasus sample, two advanced cherry cultivars (‘Lambert’ and ‘Bulgar’), and two rootstocks (‘Colt’ and ‘Gisela 6’). Genotypes were separated into different groups according to their species and collection sites using cluster analysis performed by Ward’s clustering method based on morphological data. Nineteen RAPD primers from 60 screened produced 304 polymorphic reproducible bands (98.15% polymorphism). According to the similarity matrix, the lowest similarity was obtained between P. avium and P. microcarpa samples. A dendrogram was prepared by the unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic average (UPGMA), and the accessions were separated according to their species and geographic origin. In both morphological and molecular results, the advanced cultivars and rootstocks were separated from wild genotypes, and the unknown genotype was grouped with P. mahaleb accessions. Grouping by morphological characteristics was compared with the results of RAPD analysis, with no significant correlations between morphological and molecular data being found. This is the first report of molecular (RAPD) genetic diversity study in wild Cerasus subgenus genotypes from Iran, and the results demonstrate the high potential of RAPD analysis for discrimination of Cerasus subgenus genotypes.     

Management of Citrus sinensis peels for protection and treatment against gastric ulcer induced by ethanol in rats

Abstract

Introduction: Stomach ulcer is one of the most prevalent disorders worldwide. The study was aimed to isolate and characterize the major polymethoxylated flavonoids in Citrus sinensis peels petroleum ether extract and investigate its protective and curative effect on gastric ulcer.

Material and methods: Some spectral analyses were used for identification of the isolated compounds from the petroleum ether extract of Citrus sinensis peels. One oral dose (0.5?ml/100?g b.wt.) of absolute ethanol was orally given to rats after starvation for 24?h to induce gastric ulcer. To explore the protective and curative role of the plant extract, it was orally (250?mg/kg b.wt.) given for 1 week either before or post-ulcer induction. A reference drug, ranitidine (100?mg/kg b.wt.), was also evaluated. Stomach acidity, gastric volume, lesion counts, glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), acid phosphatase (AP), interlukin-10 (IL-10) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) were estimated. Stomach histopathological features were monitored.

Results: Nine polymethoxy flavonoids were identified from the extract. Treatment with C. sinensis peels extract recorded amelioration in all parameters.

Conclusion: Citrus sinensis petroleum ether peels extract had protective and curative effects against gastric ulcer. Therefore, the extract recorded anti-secretory, anti-ulcerative, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects. Its healing action exceeded its protective role due to its richness in polymethoxylated flavonoids