The Primacy of Moringa (<i>Moringa oleifera</i> Lam.) in Boosting Nutrition Status and Immunity Defence Amidst the COVID-19 Catastrophe: A Perspective

A severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) led novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak spread through China has become the biggest global public health challenge today. The virus upon several mutations has led to the resurgence of more infectious and lethal variants infecting over 298 million people with more than 5.46 million deaths worldwide by the end of December, 2021. Though vaccines are available, various preventive measures particularly a high body immunity is still extremely important which determines the likelihood of disease severity and subsequent recovery in the current and future pandemics. This review acknowledges the potentiality of miraculous Moringa oleifera Lam. against recently evolved novel coronavirus and accompanying health complications. Moringa a well-proven super-food, densely packed with an abundant quantity of 92 minerals, several vitamins, 46 antioxidants, and numerous bioactive compounds, thus own a massive therapeutic potential for healing all levels of nutritional deficiencies and poor immunities and cure above 300 diseases. Moringa acts as anti-asthmatic, anti-cancerous, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, hypotensive, hepatic, renal and cardio-protective, and anti-viral in nature. Thus it may reduce the severity of COVID-19 infections and associated serious medical emergencies. In addition, self-isolation at home or the workplace has put people at increased risk of physical and mental sicknesses, which could be simply addressed by integrating this wonderful plant into everyday diet. Furthermore, the immune-modulatory properties and viral inhibiting nature of moringa contribute to reduced risk of COVID-19 infection and quicker recovery from its symptoms. As per the existing pieces of literature, it is a great time to harness the esteemed moringa for safeguarding people from the terrible ongoing COVID-19 situation and other future pandemics.     

Recent Developments to Mitigate Selenium Deficiency in Agricultural Eco-Systems

Under changing climate, trace elements like selenium (Se) have emerged as vital constituent of agro-ecosystems enabling crop plants to off-set the adverse effects of suboptimal growth conditions. The available form of selenium is important for boosting its bioavailability to crop plants having varied agro-botanical traits and root architectural systems. As compared to selenite, the selenate has a weaker soil bonding, higher absorption in the soil solution which results in a comparatively absorption by plant roots. Various factors including dry climate, high pH, optimal ambient air temperature, less accumulation of water, and low concentration of organic matter in the soil tend to boost the selenate ratio in the soil. The use of selenium pelleted seeds has emerged as an interesting and viable alternative to alleviate selenium deficiency in agricultural eco-systems. Similarly, the co-inoculation of a mixture of Selenobacteria and Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi represents an evolving promising strategy for the bio-fortification of wheat plants to produce selenium-rich flour to supplement human dietary needs. Furthermore, in-depth research is required to assure the effectiveness of biological fertilization procedures in field conditions as well as to explore and increase our understanding pertaining to the underlying main mechanisms and channels of selenium absorption in plants. The focus of this review is to synthesize the recent developments on Se dynamics in soil-plant systems and emerging promising strategies to optimize its levels for crop plants. Recent developments regarding the use of micro-organisms as a biotechnological mean to enhance plant nutrition and crop quality have been objectively elaborated. The study becomes even more pertinent for arid and semi-arid agro-ecosystems owing to the potential role of selenium in providing stress tolerance to crop plants. Moreover, this review synthesizes and summarizes the recent developments on climate change and bioavailability, and the protective role of selenium in crop plants.

     

Thymol and Carvacrol Prevent Cisplatin‐Induced Nephrotoxicity by Abrogation of Oxidative Stress,Inflammation, and Apoptosis in Rats

The aim of the present study is to assess the possible protective effects of thymol and carvacrol against cisplatin (CP)‐induced nephrotoxicity. A single dose of CP {6 mg/kg, intraperitoneally (i.p.)} injected to male rats revealed significant increases in serum urea, creatinine, and tumor necrosis factor alpha levels. It also increased kidney contents of malondialdehyde and caspase‐3 activity with significant reduction in serum albumin, kidney content of reduced glutathione as well as catalase, and superoxide dismutase activity as compared to that of the control group. In contrast, administration of thymol {20 mg/kg, orally (p.o.)} and/or carvacrol (15 mg/kg, p.o.) for 14 days before CP injection and for 7 days after CP administration restored the kidney function and examined oxidative stress parameters. In conclusion, thymol was more effective nephroprotective than carvacrol. Moreover, a combination of thymol and carvacrol had a synergistic nephroprotective effect that might be attributed to antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and antiapoptotic activities.     

Oxidative Stress Tolerance Mechanism in Rice under Salinity

The research was conducted to investigate comparative oxidative damage including probable protective roles of antioxidant and glyoxalase systems in rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings under salinity stress. Seedlings of two rice genotypes: Pokkali (tolerant) and BRRI dhan28 (sensitive) were subjected to 8 dSm⁻¹ salinity stress for seven days in a hydroponic system. We observed significant variation between Pokkali and BRRI dhan28 in phenotypic, biochemical and molecular level under salinity stress. Carotenoid content, ion homeostasis, antioxidant enzymes, ascorbate and glutathione redox system and proline accumulation may help Pokkali to develop defense system during salinity stress. However, the activity antioxidant enzymes particularly superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and non-chloroplastic peroxidase (POD) were observed significantly higher in Pokkali compared to salt-sensitive BRRI dhan28. Higher glyoxalase (Gly-I) and glyoxalase (Gly-II) activity might have also accompanied Pokkali genotype to reduce potential cytotoxic MG through non-toxic hydroxy acids conversion. However, the efficient antioxidants and glyoxalase system together increased adaptability in Pokkali during salinity stress.     

Lactosylceramide induced by elastin-derived peptides decreases adipocyte differentiation

Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry - Elastin, the major protein of the extracellular matrix, is specially found in cardiovascular tissues and contributing to 30–50% of the dry weight of...     

Local adaptation in populations of a Brachionus group plicatilis cryptic species inhabiting three deep crater lakes in Central Mexico

1. Salinity is a strong selective force for many aquatic organisms, affecting both ecological and evolutionary processes. Most of our knowledge on the effects of salinity on rotifers in the Brachionus plicatilis species complex is based mainly on populations from waterbodies that experience broad environmental changes both seasonally and annually. We tested the hypothesis that, despite the supposedly high potential for gene flow among rotifers inhabiting neighbouring environments, constant salinity has promoted local adaptation, genetic population divergence and even cryptic speciation in B. plicatilis complex populations from three deep maar lakes of distinct salinities [1.1, 6.5 and 9.0 g L^?1 total dissolved solids (TDS)] in Central Mexico. 2. To look for local adaptation, we performed common garden experiments to test the effect of different salinities on population density and intrinsic growth rate (r). Then, we evaluated the genetic divergence by sequencing the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene and performed reproductive trials to assess the potential gene flow among the three populations and with other closely related B. plicatilis complex species. 3. We confirmed that the rotifer populations have phenotypic plasticity in tolerance of salinity, but only rotifers from the least saline lake are adapted to low salinity. Among the populations, sequence divergence at COI was very low (just a single haplotype was found), suggesting a persistent founder effect from a relatively recent single colonisation event and a subsequent dispersal from one lake to the others, and a very restricted immigration rate. In the phylogenetic analysis, rotifers from this area of Mexico clustered in the same clade with the middle‐sized species Brachionus ibericus and B. sp. ‘Almenara’. Mexican rotifers showed successful recognition, copulation and formation of hybrids among them, but interpopulation breeding with the Spanish B. ibericus and B. sp. ‘Almenara’ was unsuccessful. 4. We conclude that the B. plicatilis complex populations from these three lakes belong to a new biological species not yet described (presently named B. sp. ‘Mexico’). To our knowledge, this is the first report of local adaptation of a natural B. plicatilis complex population living in freshwater conditions (1.1 g L^?1 TDS).     

High-Speed Cell Sorting of Infectious Trophic and Cystic Forms of Pneumocystis carinii

ABSTRACT. The separation of Pneumocystis carinii life-cycle stages while preserving infectivity is a hitherto unresolved challenge. We describe an original, reproducible, and efficient method for separating trophic from cystic forms of P. carinii using a high-speed cell sorter. The large amounts of highly purified (99.6±0.3%) infectious trophic and cystic forms can now be used to elucidate the poorly understood P. carinii life cycle.     

Pollen competition and seed-siring success in Picea abies

The aim of the present work was to study pollen-tube competition in Picea abies. Controlled crossings were performed with pollen mixtures including pairs of pollen lots with fast and slowly elongating pollen-tubes. Paternity analysis using isozyme markers was performed on the progenies in order to study whether the in vitro pollen-germination vigour corresponds to the proportion of seeds sired by the pollen donor. Paternal success was found to be unequal, 15 out of 23 crossings producing progeny that differed significantly from the hypothetical ratio of 1:1. The paternal contribution in the majority of the crossings was as expected: the pollen parent with more-vigorous in vitro germination sired more seeds than the less-vigorous pollen. In the case of two pollen mixtures, however, the seed-siring success summed over the maternal trees was the opposite to the expected value. Despite these aberrations, the results support the hypothesis that pollen-tube competition is one of the factors contributing to male fitness in P. abies. However, when all the other factors affecting pollination and seed set under natural conditions are taken into account, it is clear that the seed-siring success of a particular paternal genotype cannot be predicted reliably by measuring only the in vitro pollen vigour. Received: 2 July 2001 / Accepted: 7 August 2001     

Identification and structural characterization of the neuronal luteinizing hormone receptor associated with sensory systems

The luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) is a G protein-coupled receptor involved in regulation of ovarian and testicular functions. Here we show that the receptor is present also in specific areas of the peripheral and central nervous system and may thus have a broader functional role than has been anticipated. Full-length LHR mRNA and two receptor protein species of M(r) 90,000 and 73,000, representing mature and precursor forms, respectively, were expressed in adult and developing rat nervous tissue, starting at fetal day 14.5. The receptor was capable of ligand binding because it was purified by ligand affinity chromatography, and human chorionic gonadotropin and LH were able to displace (125)I-labeled human chorionic gonadotropin binding to fetal head membranes in a dose-dependent manner. Finally, two 5'-flanking sequences ( approximately 2 and 4 kb) of the rat LHR gene were shown to direct expression of the lacZ reporter to specific areas of the peripheral and central nervous system in fetal and adult transgenic mice, especially to structures associated with sensory, memory, reproductive behavior, and autonomic functions. Importantly, the transgene activity was confined to neurons and colocalized with the cytochrome P450 side chain cleavage enzyme. Taken together, these results indicate that the neuronal LHR is a functional protein, implicating a role in neuronal development and function, possibly by means of regulating synthesis of neurosteroids.     

Open Access to essential health care information

Open Access publishing is a valuable resource for the synthesis and distribution of essential health care information. This article discusses the potential benefits of Open Access, specifically in terms of Low and Middle Income (LAMI) countries in which there is currently a lack of informed health care providers - mainly a consequence of poor availability to information. We propose that without copyright restrictions, Open Access facilitates distribution of the most relevant research and health care information. Furthermore, we suggest that the technology and infrastructure that has been put in place for Open Access could be used to publish download-able manuals, guides or basic handbooks created by healthcare providers in LAMI countries.