Farmers’ knowledge,perception and management of mango mealy bug,Drosicha mangiferae Green (Hemiptera: Monophlebidae), on Mangifera indica in Punjab,Pakistan

In 2004–05, during the December to February about 141 mango farmers were interviewed during peak activity of mango mealy bug in southern Punjab, Pakistan. The objective was to know the farmers’ knowledge, perceptions and practices in the management of mango mealy bug. Most of the farmers (94.33%) reported that Chaunsa variety (king of all mango varieties) was susceptible to mango and irrigation water was the major source of flare up of this pest. Basudin and Supracide were the most commonly used insecticides as 72.92 and 51.77 percent farmers gave positive response and grease bands were applied for the control of mango mealy bug by the majority of the respondents. Hundred percent yield losses was told by 22.7 percent respondents whereas 75 percent, 50 percent and 25 percent losses were reported by 39.7, 31.9 and 14.2 insecticidal spray did not show satisfaction to the respondents for the control of fertilized females of mango mealy bug coming down from the trees. Lack of knowledge about the pest, lack of money, adulterated and shortage of pesticides, lack of unity amongst farmers Further the growers’ views were tested in the field for confirmation and small land holdings were the main constraints for the control of mango mealy bug.     

Screening of Synthetic Isoxazolone Derivative Role in Alzheimer’s Disease: Computational and Pharmacological Approach

Neurochemical Research - Alzheimer's disease (AD) is age-dependent neurological disorder with progressive loss of cognition and memory. This multifactorial disease is characterized by...     

Computer aided screening of Accacia nilotica phytochemicals against HCV NS3/4a

Background: HCV has become a leading cause of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma and is a major health concern worldwide. To date, there is no vaccine available in the market to tackle this disease, therefore there is a strong need to develop antiviral compounds that can target all genotypes of HCV with the same efficiency. Medicinal plants have low cost and are less toxic therefore, extracts of medicinal plants can serve as important antiviral agents against HCV. This study was designed to screen phytochemicals of Accacia nilotica to find a potent drug candidate that can inhibit HCV infection effectively.Results: Docking of NS3/4A protease and Flavonoids of Accacia nilotica revealed that most of the flavonoids bound deeply with the active site of NS3/4A protease. Compound 01 showed a high ranking on docking score. All other compounds also showed reliable docking scores and had interactions with the binding cavity of NS3/4A protease, suggesting them as a potent drug candidate to block HCV replication.Conclusion: To recognize binding interactions of Accacia nilotica phytochemicals with NS3/4A protease, molecular docking was performed to find potential inhibitor against NS3/4A protease of HCV. After post docking analysis, important interactions were found between active compounds and active site of NS3/4A protease. It can be concluded from the study that phytochemicals of Accacia nilotica may serve as a potential drug candidate with relatively simple structural changes against HCV NS3/4A protease.     

Lower Cerebrospinal Fluid/Plasma Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 (FGF21) Ratios and Placental FGF21 Production in Gestational Diabetes

Objectives

Circulating Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 (FGF21) levels are increased in insulin resistant states such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). In addition, GDM is associated with serious maternal and fetal complications. We sought to study human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and corresponding circulating FGF21 levels in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and in age and BMI matched control subjects. We also assessed FGF21 secretion from GDM and control human placental explants.

Design

CSF and corresponding plasma FGF21 levels of 24 women were measured by ELISA [12 GDM (age: 26–47 years, BMI: 24.3–36.3 kg/m²) and 12 controls (age: 22–40 years, BMI: 30.1–37.0 kg/m²)]. FGF21 levels in conditioned media were secretion from GDM and control human placental explants were also measured by ELISA.

Results

Glucose, HOMA-IR and circulating NEFA levels were significantly higher in women with GDM compared to control subjects. Plasma FGF21 levels were significantly higher in women with GDM compared to control subjects [234.3 (150.2–352.7) vs. 115.5 (60.5–188.7) pg/ml; P<0.05]. However, there was no significant difference in CSF FGF21 levels in women with GDM compared to control subjects. Interestingly, CSF/Plasma FGF21 ratio was significantly lower in women with GDM compared to control subjects [0.4 (0.3–0.6) vs. 0.8 (0.5–1.6); P<0.05]. FGF21 secretion into conditioned media was significantly lower in human placental explants from women with GDM compared to control subjects (P<0.05).

Conclusions

The central actions of FGF21 in GDM subjects maybe pivotal in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance in GDM subjects. The significance of FGF21 produced by the placenta remains uncharted and maybe crucial in our understanding of the patho-physiology of GDM and its associated maternal and fetal complications. Future research should seek to elucidate these points.     

Nematicidal activity of Lysobacter capsici YS1215 and the role of gelatinolytic proteins against root-knot nematodes

Lysobacter capsici YS1215 is a soil-borne strain that could inhibit the growth of phytopathogenic fungi, including Phytophthora capsici, Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium oxysporum, as well as root-knot nematodes. The effect of different concentrations of bacterial culture filtrate (BCF) of L. capsici YS1215 on the mortality of second-stage juveniles (J2) of Meloidogyne incognita was studied using 24-well plates. The J2 mortality increased with increasing concentrations of BCF. YS1215 also produces gelatinases in the culture filtrate. To study its role in nematicidal activities, the partial purification and the characterisation of gelatinolytic proteins were done from the culture medium of the YS1215. The partially purified proteins showed three clear bands with molecular weights estimated using zymography to be 255.7, 232.1 and 146.4 kDa. The optimal pH and temperature for the proteins were 8.0 and 40°C, respectively. The activity of the proteins was inhibited by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, FeCl₃ and 1,10-phenanthroline, whereas it was activated by MnCl₂. The proteins may belong to the group of metalloproteases. Moreover, the proteins could hydrolyse skimmed milk, collagen, gelatin and bovine serum albumin (BSA) as substrates, but not casein. The proteins could induce 75% J2 mortality in five days and degrade the J2 bodies. The present study demonstrates the role of the gelatinolytic proteins in the nematicidal potential of L. capsici YS1215.     

Heat Transfer in a Micropolar Fluid over a Stretching Sheet with Newtonian Heating

This article looks at the steady flow of Micropolar fluid over a stretching surface with heat transfer in the presence of Newtonian heating. The relevant partial differential equations have been reduced to ordinary differential equations. The reduced ordinary differential equation system has been numerically solved by Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg fourth-fifth order method. Influence of different involved parameters on dimensionless velocity, microrotation and temperature is examined. An excellent agreement is found between the present and previous limiting results.     

Killing cancer with platycodin D through multiple mechanisms

Cancer is a multi‐faceted disease comprised of a combination of genetic, epigenetic, metabolic and signalling aberrations which severely disrupt the normal homoeostasis of cell growth and death. Rational developments of highly selective drugs which specifically block only one of the signalling pathways have been associated with limited therapeutic success. Multi‐targeted prevention of cancer has emerged as a new paradigm for effective anti‐cancer treatment. Platycodin D, a triterpenoid saponin, is one the major active components of the roots of Platycodon grandiflorum and possesses multiple biological and pharmacological properties including, anti‐nociceptive, anti‐atherosclerosis, antiviral, anti‐inflammatory, anti‐obesity, immunoregulatory, hepatoprotective and anti‐tumour activities. Recently, the anti‐cancer activity of platycodin D has been extensively studied. The purpose of this review was to give our perspectives on the current status of platycodin D and discuss its anti‐cancer activity and molecular mechanisms which may help the further design and conduct of pre‐clinical and clinical trials to develop it successfully into a potential lead drug for oncological therapy. Platycodin D has been shown to fight cancer by inducing apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and autophagy and inhibiting angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis by targeting multiple signalling pathways which are frequently deregulated in cancers suggesting that this multi‐target activity rather than a single effect may play an important role in developing platycodin D into potential anti‐cancer drug.