Comparative study of cathinone and amphetamine on brown adipose thermogenesis

The effect of cathinone and amphetamine on brown adipose tissue thermogenesis and its modification with propranolol and timolol has been studied in rats. Both cathinone and amphetamine produced significant dose dependent increases in intracapsular brown adipose tissue (IBAT) and rectal temperatures. Amphetamine was found to be three times more potent as compared to cathinone, on a dose basis. Pretreatment of animals with propranolol and timolol individually inhibited cathinone and amphetamine induced hyperthermia. These findings suggest the involvement of beta adrenergic receptors in cathinone and amphetamine induced thermogenesis.     

Sea snake (Microcephalophis gracilis) hemoglobin: Primary structure and relationships to other forms

The hemoglobin of the sea snakeMicrocephalophis gracilis was purified and the primary structure of the α and β chains determined. This is the first sea snake hemoglobin structure characterized, and apparently also the first complete structure of any snake hemoglobin (an α chain of a viper was known), allowing judgments of reptilian variants. Variations between the sea snake form and other reptilian forms are large (52–65 differences for the α chains), of similar order as those between the sea snake and avian (56–65 differences) or human (58 differences) forms. Functionally, 19 residues at α/β contact areas and 7 at heme contacts are exchanged in relation to the human α and β chains. Four positions of the sea snake hemoglobin contain residues thus far unique to this form. However, all replacements appear compatible with conserved overall functional properties.     

Microbial α-mannosidases

Microbial α-mannosidases are used in the analysis of glycopeptides and the developmental regulation of lysosomal enzymes. This survey presents comparison of properties of this high molecular weight, oligomeric protein from a number of microbial sources.     

Influence of lodging and nitrogen rate on the yield and yield attributes of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.)

The effects of lodging and nitrogen rate were studied in a field trial of oilseed rapeBrassica napus L. Lodging decreased seed yield (16%) compared with a frame-raised crop. Yield decreased because of a significant reduction in each of the yield components coupled with a reduced plant population caused by stem breakage at the ground level. Lodging also reduced the final crop dry weight and harvest index. Seed yield was also lower when 200 kg ha^–1 nitrogen was applied than with 400 kg ha^–1. A general decrease in pod number m^–2, seed nuber pod^–1 and seed weight caused the lower yields. The use of 400 kg ha^–1 of nitrogen changed the contribution of the terminal raceme and individual branches with respect to seed yield. Seed nitrogn content and nitrogen yield increased at the 400 kg ha^–1, lowering both seed oil content and oil yield.     

Plant regeneration from nucllar tissues of Aegle marmelos through organogenesis

A protocol for organogenesis from nucellar explants excised from fertilized ovules of immature fruits of Aegle marmelos Corr. was developed. Adventitious buds were initiated on Murashige and Skoog's (MS) medium containing various combinations of 6-benzyladenine (BA), -naphthalene-acetic acid (NAA), 3-indoleacetic acid and gibberellic acid. Medium containing 4.4 m BA and 2.7 M NAA produced the maximum number of adventitious buds per explant. Shoots were elongated by transferring explants with shoot buds to medium with a low concentration of BA (0.44 M). Rooting of in vitro-regenerated shoots was obtained in half-strength MS medium with 4.9 M indole-3-butyric acid. This is the first report of plant regeneration from nucellar explants of A. marmelos.Abbreviations BA benzyladenine - IAA indoleacetic acid - IBA indolebutyric acid - NAA naphthaleneacetic acid - GA₃ gibberellic acid     

Improvement of Early Maturing and Climate Resilient Chickpea (<i>Cicer arietinum</i> L.) Cultivars Suitable for Multiple Environments in Bangladesh

Ensuring food security for the rapidly increasing population and changing climatic scenarios are requisites for exploiting the genetic divergence of food crops. A study was undertaken to sort out an early maturing chickpea variety for fitting easily between rice-rice cropping systems in the Eastern Indo-Gangetic Plain of Bangladesh. The trial was comprised of eight elite lines of chickpea and executed at various localities in Bangladesh from 2014– 15 to 2017–18. The result explored the chickpea genotype, BARI Chola-11 remained superior to the rest of the elite genotypes for having a short maturity period (100–106 days), and lesser days to 50% flowering (47– 55 days). The same genotype was recorded to have robust vegetative and reproductive yield attributes including plant height (49–57 cm), podsplant⁻¹ (37–50), and optimum 100 seed weight (19.5–20.6 g). Owing to better yield attributes, BARI Chola-11 resulted in the maximum seed yield (1200–1500 kg ha⁻¹ ) of chickpea and might be recommended for general adoption in the region for boosting nutritional security status through improved productivity under changing climate.     

Unveiling the Anthelminthic Potential of Merremia vitifolia Stem through in Vitro and in Silico Approach

This study aimed to assess the anthelmintic activity of methanol extracts from Merremia vitifolia stems using a combination approach encompassing experimental, in vitro, and in silico evaluations. Despite the well-recognized pharmacological properties of M. vitifolia, its potential as an anthelmintic agent remained unexplored. This plant's anthelmintic potential was assessed on adult earthworms (Pheretima posthuma), revealing a dose-dependent reduction in spontaneous motility leading to paralysis and eventual mortality. The most effective dose of M. vitifolia (200 mg/ml) for anthelmintic effects on Pheretima posthuma was identified. Complementary in silico investigations were also conducted, employing Autodock PyRx 0.8 for docking studies of reported M. vitifolia compounds. Notably, quercetin emerged as a promising candidate with superior binding energies against β-tubulin (−8.3 Kcal/mol). Moreover, this comprehensive research underlines the anthelmintic potential of Merremia vitifolia stem extract and highlights quercetin as a noteworthy compound for further investigation in the quest for novel anthelmintic agents.     

Desferrioxamine-dependent iron transport in Erwinia amylovora CFBP1430: cloning of the gene encoding the ferrioxamine receptor FoxR

Iron deprivation of Erwinia amylovora CFBP1430, a species causing fire blight on Pomoïdeae, was shown to induce the production of siderophores of the desferrioxamine (dfo) family and two outer membrane polypeptides with apparent molecular weight of about 70 and 80 kDa, respectively. Cyclic dfo E was characterized as the major metabolite. Phage MudII_pR13 insertional mutagenesis and screening on CAS-agar medium yielded three dfo non-producing and one overproducing clones. These clones failed to grow in the presence of the Fe(III) chelator EDDHA and were determined further as dfo and ferrioxamine transport negative mutants, respectively. The transport mutant which appeared to lack the 70 kDa polypeptide in the outer membrane allowed the purification of dfo E. Growth under iron limitation of dfo negative mutants was stimulated with ferrioxamine E and B but not with other ferrisiderophores tested. The host DNA sequence flanking the left terminal part of the MudII_pR13 prophage responsible for the transport mutation was cloned and used to probe a parental gene library by DNA-DNA hybridization. Two recombinant cosmids restoring the transport mutation to normal were identified. Both cosmids also conferred the ability to utilize ferrioxamine B and E as iron sources on a FhuE¹ mutant of Escherichia coli. This correlated with the production of an additional polypeptide of 70 kDa in the outer membrane of E. coli transconjugants, thus confirming that this protein serves the ferrioxamine receptor function (FoxR) in E. amylovora.R. Kachadourian and A. Dellagi have contributed equally to this work.