Synchronization of follicular wave emergence prior to superovulation in Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus)

This study was conducted to synchronize follicle wave emergence prior to superovulation using either GnRH or progestogen treatments, in Bactrian camels. GnRH group camels (n=5) received 20 microg of the GnRH analogue Buserelin on Days -18 and -4 of the experiment (initiation of superovulation=Day 0). Camels in the progestogen group (n=5) received two consecutive treatments of progestogens, 7 days apart, on Days -14 and -8 of the experiment. On each occasion, each female received three norgestomet implants and 200mg progesterone (i.m.) and all implants were removed 14 days after the first progestogen treatment coinciding with Day -1 of superovulation. A combination of eCG and FSH was used to induce superovulation and the growth of all subsequent follicles and CLs were monitored daily by ultrasonography. Following the first GnRH injection, mature follicles ovulated within 1-2 days, and a new follicle wave emerged after 3+/-0.77 days. At the time of the second GnRH injection, a mature follicle (15.6+/-0.97 mm) ovulated and a new follicular wave emerged between 1 and 2 days after GnRH injection. Growing follicles at the time of the first progestogen treatment became either atretic (n=1) or persistent (n=4) and a new follicle wave (n=3) emerged 3-6 days later. At the initiation of superovulation, the diameters of the largest follicle in GnRH and progestogen groups were 7.4+/-0.59 and 20.5+/-2.26 mm, respectively but after superovulation and mating there was no significant differences in the number of unovulated follicles or CLs between groups. In conclusion, two GnRH injections, 14 days apart, may be used to synchronize follicle wave emergence in Bactrian camel.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel isoxazolo[4,3-e]indoles as antibacterial agents

The synthesis of a new series of 8-bromo-6-alkyl-1-aryl-6H-isoxazolo[4,3-e]indole derivatives is described. All the newly synthesized compounds were screened for their antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli HB101, Staphylococcus aureus pathogens (methicillin resistant S. aureus and methicillin susceptible S. aureus), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacillus subtilis; also MIC values of these compounds were determined.     

Effects of green synthesis of sulfur nanoparticles from Cinnamomum zeylanicum barks on physiological and biochemical factors of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa)

Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants - In this study, the effect of green synthesized sulfur nanoparticle (SNP) at different concentration (0, 0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10 mg/ml) on some...     

Biochemical characterisation of digestive proteases and carbohydrases of the pistachio fruit hull borer,Arimania komaroffi Ragonot (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Pistachio fruit hull borer, Arimania komaroffi Ragonot (Lep.: Pyralidae), is one the most important pests of pistachio in Iran. The larvae spin web as well as bore into young fruits, and the infested fruits fall off the trees. The second-generation adult moths appear in August and September, and their offspring feed on the fruit hull. Results indicated the presence of α-amylase, α-glucosidase, β-glucosidase, α-galactosidase, β-galactosidase and some proteases in the digestive tract of the pest. Highest activities of α-amylase, α-glucosidase, β-glucosidase, α-galactosidase and β-galactosidase were at pH 10, 7, 7, 6 and pH 6, respectively. Highest activities of trypsin, chymotrypsin and elastase of larval midgut were at pH 11. Zymogram analysis of α-amylase, α-glucosidase, β-glucosidase, tryptic, chymotryptic and elastase using native-PAGE revealed 1, 1, 2, 3, 3 and 2 bands of activity respectively, in A. komaroffi. One band was disappeared in the presence of the inhibitor TLCK, but no further inhibition by the inhibitors TPCK was observed. The results can be of help for designing new strategies for controlling the pistachio fruit hull borer based on natural proteases and carbohydrase inhibitors.     

Effect of chronic L-Arginine supplementation on aortic fatty streak formation and serum nitric oxide concentration in normal and high-cholesterol fed rabbits

Several reports indicated the beneficial effects of short-term L-Arginine (L-Arg) administration on atherosclerosis processes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of chronic L-Arg supplementation on serum lipid profile, aortic Fatty Streak (FS) formation, and serum Nitric oxide (NO) concentration in Normal Diet (ND) and High-Cholesterol Diet (HCD) fed rabbits. 24 male rabbits were randomly divided into four groups (n=6 in each group) (i): ND for seven months; (ii): ND for 1 month plus ND + L-Arg for six months; (iii): HCD (1%) for 1 month plus HCD (0.5%) for six months; (iv): HCD (1%) for 1 month plus HCD (0.5%) + L-Arg for six months. At the end of the study, histological evaluation of aortic FS formation was performed. Blood samples were taken for serum lipid profile and NO concentrations. L-Arg did not change serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL and LDL/HDL ratio in normal and hypercholesterolemic rabbits (p>0.05). Histological examination of thoracic aortae revealed that the HCD group had higher FS formation compared to the ND group (2.1 ± 0.16 vs. 0 ± 0; respectively; p<0.05) and L-Arg supplementation did not attenuate FS formation in the HCD group (1.93 ± 0.17 compare to 2.1 ± 0.16; p>0.05). Serum NO level in the HCD group was higher than ND groups (p<0.05). Chronic L-Arg supplementation did not alter serum NO concentration either in the hypercholesterolemic or in the ND group (p>0.05). It seems that chronic L-Arg supplementation does not have beneficial effects on aortic fatty streak formation, serum lipids and NO concentrations in this model of experimental hypercholesterolemia.     

Co-culture with neurotrophic factor secreting cells induced from adipose-derived stem cells: Promotes neurogenic differentiation

Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) can be equally proper in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. However, ADSCs have practical benefits. In this study, we attempted to induce the secretion of neurotrophic factors (NTF) in human ADSCs. We then evaluated the effects of co-culture with NTF secreting cells in neural differentiation of human ADSCs. Isolated human ADSCs were induced to neurotrophic factors secreting cells. To evaluate the in vitro effects of NTF-secreting ADSCs on neurogenic differentiation of ADSCs, we used neurogenic induction medium (control group), the combination of neurogenic medium and conditioned medium, or co-cultured NTF-secreting ADSCs which were encapsulated in alginate beads (co-culture) for 7 days. ELISA showed increased (by about 5 times) release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) in NTF-secreting ADSCs compared to human ADSCs. Real time RT-PCR analysis revealed that NTF-secreting ADSCs highly expressed NGF and BDNF. In addition, co-culture with NTF-secreting ADSCs could also promote neuronal differentiation relative to gliogenesis. Overall, NTF-secreting ADSCs secrete a range of growth factors whose levels in culture could promote neuronal differentiation and could support the survival and regeneration in a variety of neurodegenerative diseases.     

Microsatellite markers provide evidence for sexual reproduction of Mycosphaerella graminicola in Saskatchewan.

This study examined the genetic structure of a Saskatchewan population of Mycosphaerella graminicola, cause of the foliar disease Septoria tritici blotch of wheat. Such knowledge is valuable for understanding the evolutionary potential of this pathogen and for developing control strategies based on host resistance. Nine pairs of single-locus microsatellite primers were used to analyze the genomic DNA of 90 isolates of M. graminicola that were collected using a hierarchical sampling procedure from different locations, leaves, and lesions within a wheat field near Saskatoon. Allelic series at eight different loci were detected. The number of alleles per locus ranged from one to five with an average of three alleles per locus. Genetic diversity values ranged from 0.04 to 0.67. Partitioning the total genetic variability into within- and among-location components revealed that 88% of the genetic variability occurred within locations, i.e., within areas of 1 m(2), but relatively little variability occurred among locations. Low variability among locations and a high degree of variability within locations would result if the primary source of inoculum was airborne ascospores, which would be dispersed uniformly within the field. This finding was confirmed by gametic disequilibrium analysis and suggests that the sexual reproduction of M. graminicola occurs in Saskatchewan.     

Effects of Lifestyle Modification Programs on Cardiac Risk Factors

Medicare conducted a payment demonstration to evaluate the effectiveness of two intensive lifestyle modification programs in patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease: the Dr. Dean Ornish Program for Reversing Heart Disease (Ornish) and Cardiac Wellness Program of the Benson-Henry Mind Body Institute. This report describes the changes in cardiac risk factors achieved by each program during the active intervention year and subsequent year of follow-up. The demonstration enrolled 580 participants who had had an acute myocardial infarction, had undergone coronary artery bypass graft surgery or percutaneous coronary intervention within 12 months, or had documented stable angina pectoris. Of these, 98% completed the intense 3-month intervention, 71% the 12-month intervention, and 56% an additional follow-up year. Most cardiac risk factors improved significantly during the intense intervention period in both programs. Favorable changes in cardiac risk factors and functional cardiac capacity were maintained or improved further at 12 and 24 months in participants with active follow-up. Multivariable regressions found that risk-factor improvements were positively associated with abnormal baseline values, Ornish program participation for body mass index and systolic blood pressure, and with coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Expressed levels of motivation to lose weight and maintain weight loss were significant independent predictors of sustained weight loss (p = 0.006). Both lifestyle modification programs achieved well-sustained reductions in cardiac risk factors.     

Quantitative characterization of postnatal growth trends in proximal pulmonary arteries in rats by phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging

Malformations of the pulmonary arteries can increase right heart workload and result in morbidity, heart failure, and death. With the increased use of murine models to study these malformations, there is a pressing need for an accurate and noninvasive experimental technique that is capable of characterizing pulmonary arterial hemodynamics in these animals. We describe the growth trends of pulmonary arteries in 13 male Sprague-Dawley rats at 20, 36, 52, 100, and 160 days of age with the introduction of phase-contrast MRI as such a technique. PCMRI results correlated closely with cardiac output measurements by ultrasound echocardiography and with fluorescent microspheres in right-left lung flow split (flow partition). Mean flow, average cross-sectional area, distensibility, and shear rates for the right and left pulmonary arteries (RPA and LPA) were calculated. The RPA was larger and received more flow at all times than the LPA (P < 0.0001). Right-left flow split did not change significantly with age, and arterial distensibility was not significantly different between RPA and LPA, except at 160 days (P < 0.01). Shear rates were much higher for the LPA than the RPA (P < 0.0001) throughout development. The RPA and LPA showed different structure-function relationships but obeyed similar allometric scaling laws, with scaling exponents comparable to those of the main pulmonary artery. This study is the first to quantitatively describe changes in RPA and LPA flows and sizes with development and to apply phase-contrast MRI techniques to pulmonary arteries in rats.