Biochemical,physiological and molecular evaluation of rice cultivars differing in salt tolerance at the seedling stage

Changes in the antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation, sodium and potassium, chlorophyll, H₂O₂ and proline content were monitored in the leaves of 42 rice varieties which were not yet well-documented for the salinity tolerance under different salinity levels. The tolerant varieties (FL478, Hassani, Shahpasand, Gharib and Nemat) showed signs of tolerance (lower Na⁺/K⁺ ratio, high proline accumulation, less membrane damage, lower H₂O₂ production, and higher superoxide dismutase and catalase activity) very well. The positive relationship between the level of salt tolerance and the amount of proline accumulation in the rice varieties support the important role of proline under the salt stress. The varieties were genotyped for 12 microsatellite markers that were closely linked to SalTol QTL. The results of association analysis indicated that RM1287, RM8094, RM3412 and AP3206 markers had the high value of R² for the regression models of the studied traits. It shows the important role of SalTol in controlling physio-biochemical traits. The results can be used in the future marker assisted selection (MAS) directly, if the results are confirmed.     

Salmonella contamination of vegetables irrigated with untreated wastewater

The irrigation of vegetables with raw wastewater has been practised in El Azzouzia, the wastewater-spreading field of Marrakesh city (Morocco), for many years. This water was found to be contaminated with different serogroups of Salmonella. B and C were the most frequently isolated groups. These same serogroups were detected on vegetables irrigated with these wastewater effluents. The crops whose edible product develops on the ground surface, such as lettuce and parsley, were more contaminated than those which grow, above the soil surface, like tomatoes and pimento. Except on lettuce, Salmonella on crops did not persist beyond 3 days after irrigation.     

Solar inactivation of mesophilic Aeromonas by exogenous photooxidation in high-rate algal pond treating waste water

AIMS: Investigations were carried out to observe the effect of sunlight on the survival of mesophilic Aeromonas (A. caviae, A. hydrophila and A. sobria) in high-rate algal pond. METHODS AND RESULTS: Light damage was estimated by loss of bacterial culturability, using simple beaker experiments. Survival of the strains studied under illuminated conditions was highly affected by the physico-chemical conditions within the microcosms. The inactivation of Aeromonas increased strongly as dissolved oxygen was increased, and was dependent on exogenous sensitizers. This process was enhanced by the high pH of water. Die-off of bacteria was prevented by adding catalase and pyruvate (H2O2 scavengers) into the microcosms. CONCLUSIONS: The damage of Aeromonas was mainly due to exogenous photooxidation. Hydrogen peroxide at least was involved in light-induced damage of bacteria. Aeromonas sobria appeared to be slightly less sensitive to photooxidation than A. hydrophila and A. caviae. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF STUDY: The present study could explain the relative resistance of A. sobria to treatment in wastewater stabilization ponds.     

Modeling of the aorta artery aneurysms and renal artery stenosis using cardiovascular electronic system

Background  

The aortic aneurysm is a dilatation of the aortic wall which occurs in the saccular and fusiform types. The aortic aneurysms can rupture, if left untreated. The renal stenosis occurs when the flow of blood from the arteries leading to the kidneys is constricted by atherosclerotic plaque. This narrowing may lead to the renal failure. Previous works have shown that, modelling is a useful tool for understanding of cardiovascular system functioning and pathophysiology of the system. The present study is concerned with the modelling of aortic aneurysms and renal artery stenosis using the cardiovascular electronic system.     

Normal feeding behavior, body weight and leptin response require the neuropeptide Y Y2 receptor.

Neuropeptide Y (NPY), a 36-amino-acid peptide widely expressed in the brain is involved in many physiological responses, including hypothalamic control of food intake and cardiovascular homeostasis. NPY mediates its effects through binding to the Y1, Y2 and Y5 G-protein-coupled receptors. Little is known of the role of the Y2 receptor in mediating the different NPY effects. We inactivated the Y2 receptor subtype in mice and found that these mice developed increased body weight, food intake and fat deposition. The null mutant mice showed an attenuated response to leptin administration but a normal response to NPY-induced food intake and intact regulation of re-feeding and body weight after starvation. An absence of the Y2 receptor subtype also affected the basal control of heart rate, but did not influence blood pressure. These findings indicate an inhibitory role for the Y2 receptor subtype in the central regulation of body weight and control of food intake.     

Benzofuran-, benzothiophene-, indazole- and benzisoxazole-quinones: Excellent substrates for NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1

A series of heterocyclic quinones based on benzofuran, benzothiophene, indazole and benzisoxazole has been synthesized, and evaluated for their ability to function as substrates for recombinant human NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1), a two-electron reductase upregulated in tumor cells. Overall, the quinones are excellent substrates for NQO1, approaching the reduction rates observed for menadione.     

Chemical composition and synergistic effect of three Moroccan lavender EOs with ciprofloxacin against foodborne bacteria: a promising approach to modulate antimicrobial resistance

The aim of this study was to determine the chemical profile of the essential oils (EOs) of three Moroccan lavender species (Lavandula pedunculata, LP; Lavandula angustifolia, LA; and Lavandula maroccana, LM) and to investigate, for the first time, the synergistic effect of the optimal mixture of the EOs with conventional antibiotic ciprofloxacin against three pathogenic foodborne bacteria. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis showed that eucalyptol (39·05%), camphor (24·21%) and borneol (8·29%) were the dominant compounds of LA-EO. LP-EO was characterized by the abundance of camphor (74·51%) and fenchone (27·06%), whereas carvacrol (42·08%), camphor (17·95%) and fenchone (12·05%) were the main constituents of LM-EO. EOs alone or combined showed a remarkable antimicrobial activity against the tested bacteria with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 3·53 to 15·96 mg ml⁻¹. The optimal mixture, calculated using a mixture design, corresponded to 19% LA, 38% LP and 43% LM. All combination of the EOs and the best EO mixture with ciprofloxacin exhibited a total synergism with fractional inhibitory concentration index values ranging from 0·27 to 0·37. The best EO mixture showed the highest gain of 128-fold, especially against Salmonella spp., more than that found testing the EOs separately. These findings should be taken into consideration for a possible application in the pharmaceutical and food industries.