Identification of endogenous and exogenous activity in a molluscan neurone by spike train analysis

The statistical properties of background spike train activity recorded from a molluscan neurone are used to identify lengths of discharge which are produced by endogeneous pacemaker mechanisms. Such pacemaker discharge has an infinitely divisible interspike interval probability density function.     

Hypoglycemic and hepatoprotective activity of Rosmarinus officinalis extract in diabetic rats

The present study examined the effect of water extract (200 mg/kg body weight) of Rosmarinus officinalis L. in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats for 21 days. The hepatoprotective effects were investigated in the liver tissues sections. There was a significant increase in serum liver biochemical parameters (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase), accompanied by a significant decrease in the level of total protein and albumin in the STZ-induced rats when compared with that of the normal group. The high-dose treatment group (200 mg/kg body wt) significantly restored the elevated liver function enzymes near to normal. This study revealed that rosemary extracts exerted a hepatoprotective effect. The results indicate that the extract exhibits the protective effect on tissues and prove its potentials as an antidiabetic agent.     

Efficacy of Saccharomyces cerevisiae on controlling the root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne javanica) infection and promoting cucumber growth and yield under laboratory and field conditions

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a promising plant growth-promoting yeast for different crops. Applicability of S. cerevisiae as a biocontrol agent of the root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne javanica) was investigated on cucumber under growth-room and field conditions. The yeast S. cerevisiae similar to the nematicide, Ethoprophos, when applied as a rhizospheric soil drench treatment led to an obvious reduction of root galling caused by M. javanica and resulted in reducing the nematode reproduction ability on cucumber under growth room and field conditions. The yeast was more effective at 10 than at 5?g/l. Furthermore, the application of S. cerevisiae resulted in improving cucumber plant growth and increasing its fruit yield. High content of total phenolics in cucumber roots of S. cerevisiae-treated plants and hydrogen peroxide-treated plants gives a clue on the ability of the yeast to induced plant resistance in a similar way to exogenous hydrogen peroxide.     

Antimicrobial and immunomodulating activities of hesperidin and ellagic acid against diarrheic Aeromonas hydrophila in a murine model

Aims

The present study is designed to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo bactericidal and immunomodulating activities of hesperidin (HES) and ellagic acid (EA) against Aeromonas hydrophila. A hydrophila, an uncommon human pathogen, can cause invasive infections in immunocompromised individuals and common clinical presentations in acute gastrointestinal illness, soft-tissue infections and sepsis. The antimicrobial activities of medicinal plants against A. hydrophila have received only cursory attention.

Methods

We examined the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values in vitro. Moreover, the effects of HES and EA against bacterial colonization were studied in vivo. Also, humoral immune response was tested against A. hydrophila-LPS or A. hydrophila-ECP antigen preparations and the intestinal histopathological alterations were studied.

Results

Data revealed that the treatments with HES and EA each had antimicrobial activities against A. hydrophila. Both HES and EA treatments significantly increased anti-LPS IgM levels and reduced anti-LPS and anti-ECP IgA levels to their normal values in comparison to the infected group, which recorded significantly elevated levels two week post-infection. In conclusion, the present data suggest that HES and EA have antimicrobial and immunomodulating activities against murine A. hydrophila infections.

Significant

These data warrant clinical studies to delineate HES and EA roles in human infectious diseases.     

Brief communication: Effect of nomadic subsistence practices on lactase persistence associated genetic variation in Kuwait

Lactase persistence (LP)—the ability to digest lactose in adulthood—is paradigmatic of Holocenic dietary change affecting the evolutionary trajectory of specific populations. Kuwait represents one location of high LP where the variation in associated genomic regions has not been examined. Here, we present new sequence data from a 427 bp amplicon 14 kb upstream of the LCT (lactase) gene for two Bedouin tribal populations, the Ajman and Mutran. We estimate the frequency of known LP associated alleles and discuss the impact of nomadic‐pastoralism on the associated genetic variation. We observe high frequency (56% on average) of the ?13,915*G allele in both tribes, which is consistent with the high prevalence of LP in Kuwait. Whilst LP associated alleles occur in Kuwait at a similar frequency to other regional populations, we suggest that the ?13,915*G allele frequency among the Kuwaiti Bedouin may be higher than among non‐Bedouin Kuwaitis, possibly due to greater historical reliance on milk consumption or genetic drift. Am J Phys Anthropol 152:140–144, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Pollen morphology and ultrastructure of Marathrum schiedeanum (Podostemaceae)

The Podostemaceae, or river-weeds, comprise 46 genera and 270 species of dicots and are the largest family of strictly aquatic angiosperms. Despite the large size, specialized habitats, and enigmatic morphology of the family, relatively little is known about the palynology of Podostemaceae. In the current paper, pollen morphology and ultrastructure of Marathrum schiedeanum are described. Pollen grains are relatively small, spheroidal, and tricolpate to spiraperturate. The exine has a microechinate ornament, a tectate-granular sexine and a relatively thick nexine in non-apertural regions, and a semitectate sexine and thinner nexine in apertural regions. Although aperture variation occurs in the family, this is the first report of the spiral aperture type in Podostemaceae. The spiraperturate condition appears to be derived in river-weeds, as does the granular pollen wall, which represents a reduction of the typical columellae found in eudicots.     

Re-evaluation of a neglected layer in pollen wall development with comments on its evolution

This study focuses on one particular layer of the pollen wall, which develops below the endexine in the free microspore stage and prior to the initiation of the intine. This membranous-granular layer (MGL) has been described by different terms in the literature and has often been interpreted either as part of the endexine, or the intine. During ontogeny, however, the granular material shows a development that is clearly distinct, both in timing and mode of formation, from the endexine as well as the intine. Its chemical composition is also characteristic; the MGL resists acetolysis. Our ontogenetic observations from four dicot and one monocot species are used to illustrate the systematically widespread occurrence of this wall layer, its ultrastructure and histochemistry, and its comparable nature throughout angiosperms.     

Localization of the Major Allergen Bet V 1 in Betula Pollen Using Monoclonal Antibody Labelling

The major allergen Bet ver 1 of Betula pendula (= B. verrucosa) pollen grains has been localized by gold labelling with monoclonal antibodies. The allergen is located predominantly in the starch grains and to a slight extent in the exine and intine. The possibility that environmental factors might influence the liberation of allergenic compounds present in birch pollen grains is discussed.     

Intra‐specific pollen polymorphism in Mimosa pigra (Mimosaceae)

Five different types of pollen tetrads were detected from the short and long stamens of the male and hermaphrodite flowers of the androdioecious species, Mimosa pigra L. Light (LM) and scanning electron microscopes (SEM) were used in this study to redescribe the pollen forms and to identify the various pollen types encountered. An identification key and relative percentages of these pollen types were also presented. The study showed that the long stamens of the male flowers and those of the hermaphrodite ones have five (I, II, III, IV and V) and two (I and V) pollen types respectively, whereas the short stamens of both male and hermaphrodite flowers have only one pollen type (type I). We report here the first incidence of intra‐specific pollen polymorphism in androdioecious species.