Induction of somatic embryogenesis in Brassica juncea L. and analysis of regenerants using ISSR-PCR and flow cytometer

A new and simple protocol has been developed and standardized for direct somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration from aseptic seedlings derived from immature Brassica juncea seeds. Depending on the age of immature seeds and nutrient media, in vitro occurrence of embryogenesis and the number of embryos from each seedling have varied greatly. The largest number of somatic embryos, producing 12.7 embryos per seedlings, have been developed by seedlings obtained from immature seeds collected after 21 days of pollination (DAP). Effect of different nutrient media [Gamborg (B5), Murashige and Skoog (MS) and Linsmaier and Skoog (SH)] and carbon sources (fructose, glucose, maltose and sucrose) were assessed to induce somatic embryos and the maximum response were achieved on Nitsch culture medium fortified with sucrose (3% w/v) followed by fructose and maltose. The somatic embryo converted into complete plantlets within 04-weeks of culture on Nitsch medium containing half-strength of micro and macro salts. The regenerated plantlets were successfully established in soil with 90% survival rate. The acclimated plants were subsequently transferred to field condition where they grew normally without any phenotypic differences. Genetic stability of B. juncea plants regenerated from somatic embryos were confirmed by inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR)-PCR analysis and flow cytometry. No significant difference in ploidy level and ISSR banding pattern were documented between somatic embryo’s plants and control plants grown ex vitro.     

Monomorium dryhimi sp. n., a new ant species (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of the M. monomorium group from Saudi Arabia, with a key to the Arabian Monomorium monomorium-group

A new ant species, Monomorium dryhimi, is described based on workers from a single colony collected in Al Bahah, Asir Province, Saudi Arabia. This is the fourth species of the Monomorium monomorium-group collected from Arabian Peninsula, and appears to be closely related to Monomorium holothir Bolton, 1987, from Kenya. It can be distinguished by the following characters: head in profile with a weakly convex dorsal surface and a clearly convex ventral surface; eyes of moderate size with maximum diameter EL 0.19-0.25 × HW and with 6 ommatidia in the longest row; body colour yellow to light brownish yellow. In some individuals, head and gaster slightly but conspicuously darker than rest of body. Second halves of first and second gastral tergites with two characteristic brownish transverse bands. An identification key to the workers of the Arabian species of the Monomorium monomorium-group is presented. Scanning electron micrographs are given to illustrate the new species.     

Suicide among Arab-Americans

Background

Arab-American (AA) populations in the US are exposed to discrimination and acculturative stress—two factors that have been associated with higher suicide risk. However, prior work suggests that socially oriented norms and behaviors, which characterize recent immigrant ethnic groups, may be protective against suicide risk. Here we explored suicide rates and their determinants among AAs in Michigan, the state with the largest proportion of AAs in the US.

Methodology/Principal Findings

ICD-9/10 underlying cause of death codes were used to identify suicide deaths from among all deaths in Michigan between 1990 and 2007. Data from the 2000 U.S. Census were collected for population denominators. Age-adjusted suicide rates among AAs and non-ethnic whites were calculated by gender using the direct method of standardization. We also stratified by residence inside or outside of Wayne County (WC), the county with the largest AA population in the state. Suicide rates were 25.10 per 100,000 per year among men and 6.40 per 100,000 per year among women in Michigan from 1990 to 2007. AA men had a 51% lower suicide rate and AA women had a 33% lower rate than non-ethnic white men and women, respectively. The suicide rate among AA men in WC was 29% lower than in all other counties, while the rate among AA women in WC was 20% lower than in all other counties. Among non-ethnic whites, the suicide rate in WC was higher compared to all other counties among both men (12%) and women (16%).

Conclusions/Significance

Suicide rates were higher among non-ethnic white men and women compared to AA men and women in both contexts. Arab ethnicity may protect against suicide in both sexes, but more so among men. Additionally, ethnic density may protect against suicide among Arab-Americans.     

Stimulatory effect of copper and zinc sulphate on plant regeneration,glutathione-S-transferase analysis and assessment of antioxidant activities in Mucuna pruriens L. (DC)

Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC) - The effect of heavy metals, CuSO4 and ZnSO4 on morphogenic response of cotyledonary node explants of Mucuna pruriens (L.), a fast growing tropical...     

Effect of hydropriming on Trigonella foenum callus growth,biochemical traits and phytochemical components under PEG treatment

The induction of secondary metabolites under osmotic stress is well documented. However, cell death is probably due to osmotic stress. This work tries to study the synergetic effect of hydropriming and polyethylene glycol (PEG) on enhancing the secondary metabolites production in fenugreek callus cultures without facing cell death. PEG initiates the stress and the hydropriming increase the plant cell response against the stress. Fenugreek calli were initiated from hypocotyl of two groups of seeds, the first was hydroprimed overnight before germination, the second remained dry. Three months old calli of the two groups were subcultured on media containing two different concentration of PEG (5, 10%). The calli growth, biochemical analysis, secondary metabolism keys, and secondary metabolites were determined after 4 weeks. PE induced oxidative stress, which increased the membrane lipid peroxidation and decreased cell viability and growth. Hydropriming enhanced the activity of antioxidant enzymes, regulating the reactive oxygen species level, accumulating the osmolytes and secondary products. Therefore the primed callus can tolerate the osmotic stress initiated with PEG. Consequently, cell biomass increased and not affected by PEG treatment. On the other hand, the calli from non-primed seeds have a significant decrease in fresh weight, and dry weight under the higher PEG treatment. The hydropriming protected the growth of the cells under PEG treatment with a high content of secondary metabolites and high antioxidant machinery. The synergetic effect of hydropriming and PEG can be used as a simple and low-cost way to produce valuable compounds in commercial industrial bioreactors.

     

Correlation between Serum Electrolytes and Fasting Glucose and Hb1Ac in Saudi Diabetic Patients

In subjects with impaired insulin action, alterations of the serum sodium and potassium concentrations have been reported. The resulting cationic imbalance, along with the osmotic effect of the elevated sugar levels, could influence the course of diabetes mellitus management. Therefore, this study was conducted to compare the fasting blood glucose and HbA1c levels with those of the serum electrolytes. Blood samples were collected for assessment of HbA1c, fasting blood glucose (FBS), and electrolytes using different automated methods. A significant association between the serum sodium and FBS levels among types 1 and 2 insulin-treated patients, and type 2 oral agent patients was observed. A total of 138 diabetic subjects were randomly selected from any gender aged between 25 and 65?years at the University Diabetes Center, King Saud University, Riyadh KSA. The subjects were classified into types 1 or 2 DM using ADA criteria. Blood samples were collected for assessment of HbA1c, FBS, and electrolytes using different automated methods. It showed a significant association between serum sodium, FBS among type 1, type 2 insulin treated, and type 2 oral agent groups. However, the association of sodium and HbA1c was insignificant when analyzed individually. A statistically significant association (P?相似文献   

Low‐Temperature‐Processed Colloidal Quantum Dots as Building Blocks for Thermoelectrics

Colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) are demonstrated to be promising materials to realize high‐performance thermoelectrics owing to their low thermal conductivity. The most studied CQD films, however, are using long ligands that require high processing and operation temperature (>400 °C) to achieve optimum thermoelectric performance. Here the thermoelectric properties of CQD films cross‐linked using short ligands that allow strong inter‐QD coupling are reported. Using the ligands, p‐type thermoelectric solids are demonstrated with a high Seebeck coefficient and power factor of 400 μV K^?1 and 30 µW m^?1 K^?2, respectively, leading to maximum ZT of 0.02 at a lower measurement temperature (<400 K) and lower processing temperature (<300 °C). These ligands further reduce the annealing temperature to 175 °C, significantly increasing the Seebeck coefficient of the CQD films to 580 μV K^?1. This high Seebeck coefficient with a superior ZT near room temperature compared to previously reported high temperature‐annealed CQD films is ascribed to the smaller grain size, which enables the retainment of quantum confinement and significantly increases the hole effective mass in the films. This study provides a pathway to approach quantum confinement for achieving a high Seebeck coefficient yet strong inter‐QD coupling, which offers a step toward low‐temperature‐processed high‐performance thermoelectric generators.     

On the use of AAA and AcurosXB algorithms for three different stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) techniques: Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT), intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and 3D conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT)

AimThe purpose of this study was to investigate the dosimetric characteristics of three stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) techniques using the anisotropic analytical algorithm (AAA) and Acuros XB algorithm. The SABR techniques include coplanar volumetric modulated arc therapy (C-VMAT), non-coplanar intensity modulated radiation therapy (NC-IMRT) and non-coplanar three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (NC-3D CRT).BackgroundSABR is a special type of radiotherapy where a high dose of radiation is delivered over a short time. The treatment outcome and accuracy of the dose delivered to cancer patients highly depend on the dose calculation algorithm and treatment technique.Materials and methodsTwelve lung cancer patients underwent 4D CT scanning, and three different treatment plans were generated: C-VMAT, NC-IMRT, NC-3D CRT. Dose calculation was performed using the AAA and Acuros XB algorithm. The dosimetric indices, such as conformity index (CI), homogeneity index, dose fall-off index, doses received by organs at risk and planning target volume, were used to compare the plans. The accuracy of AAA and Acuros XB (AXB) algorithms for the lung was validated against measured dose on a CIRS thorax phantom.ResultsThe CIs for C-VMAT, NC-IMRT and NC-3D CRT were 1.21, 1.28 and 1.38 for the AAA, respectively, and 1.17, 1.26 and 1.36 for the Acuros XB algorithm, respectively. The overall dose computed by AcurosXB algorithm was close to the measured dose when compared to the AAA algorithm. The overall dose computed by the AcurosXB algorithm was close to the measured dose when compared to the AAA algorithm.ConclusionThis study showed that the treatment planning results obtained using the Acuros XB algorithm was better than those using the AAA algorithm in SABR lung radiotherapy.