Bioaccumulation of selected metals in the gill,liver and muscle tissue of rednose labeo Labeo rosae from two impoundments on the Olifants River,Limpopo river system,South Africa

Metal concentrations in the gill, muscle and liver tissues of Labeo rosae from two impoundments, Loskop and Flag Boshielo dams on the Olifants River, were evaluated in 2011 to detect patterns in metal associations between tissues and impoundments. Elevated concentrations of Ba, Zn, B, Al, Si and Fe, relative to a pristine site in the catchment, were found in the muscle, liver and gill tissues at both impoundments. Molybdenum concentrations were exceptionally high in all tissues at Loskop Dam and in liver at Flag Boshielo Dam. No definite pattern in the ratio metal concentrations within, or between, fish tissues was identified. The expected trend, liver > gills > muscle, was found at both impoundments, but was less prominent at Loskop Dam. Metal concentrations in muscle of Loskop Dam fish were significantly higher than in those at Flag Boshielo Dam. The inverse was true for liver. The long-term impact of elevated metal concentrations on fish health at both impoundments raises concern.     

Heavy Ion-Acoustic Solitary Waves and Double Layers in a Multi-Ion Plasma

The formation and propagation of small-amplitude heavy-ion-acoustic (HIA) solitary waves and double layers in an unmagnetized collisionless multicomponent plasma system consisting of superthermal electrons, Boltzmann distributed light ions, and adiabatic positively charged inertial heavy ions are theoretically investigated. The reductive perturbation technique is employed to derive the modified Korteweg–de Vries (mKdV) and standard Gardner (SG) equations. The solitary wave (SW) solution of mKdV and SG equations, as well as double layers (DLs) solution of SG equation, is studied for analysis of higher order nonlinearity. It is found that the plasma system under consideration supports positive and negative potential Gardner solitons, but only positive potential mKdV solitons. In addition, it is shown that, the basic properties of HIA mKdV and Gardner solitons and DLs (viz. polarity, amplitude, width, and phase speed) are incomparably influenced by the adiabaticity effect of heavy ions and the superthermality effect of electrons. The relevance of the present findings to the system of space plasmas, as well as to the system of researchers interest, is specified.     

Identified taste bud cell proliferation in the perihatching chick [published erratum appears in Chem Senses 1998 Aug;23(4):459]

Developing taste buds in the anterior mandibular floor of perihatching chicks were studied by high voltage electron microscopic autoradiography in order to identify proliferating gemmal cell types. Montaged profiles of 29 taste buds in five cases euthanized between embryonic day 21 and posthatching day 2 were analyzed after a single [3H]thymidine injection administered on embryonic day 16, 17 or 18. Results showed that dark cells comprised 55% of identified (n = 900 cells) and 62% of labeled (n = 568 cells) gemmal cells as compared with light, intermediate, basal or perigemmal bud cells. Dark cells had both a greater (P < 0.05) number of labeled cells and a greater amount of label (grains/nucleus) than the other four bud cell types, irrespective of injection day. The nuclear area (micron 2) of dark cells was not significantly larger (P > 0.05) than that of the other gemmal cell types and therefore cannot account for the greater amount for label in the dark cells. Interestingly, only dark cells showed a positive correlation (P < 0.003) between amount of label and nuclear area. Results suggest that, during the perihatching period of robust cell proliferation, dividing dark cells may give rise primarily, but not exclusively, to dark cell progeny.      

The ecological integrity of the Lower Olifants River,Limpopo province,South Africa: 2009–2015 – Part A: Olifants River main stem

The major rivers of the South African ‘Lowveld’ (low-latitude savanna) suffer numerous impacts from upstream economic activities. Whereas monitoring these rivers is required to detect biodiversity losses, record pollution events and devise mitigation strategies, current monitoring programmes are inadequate. In 2009, the South African Earth Observation Network initiated an intensive long-term research programme on the Lowveld reaches of the Olifants River. Physico-chemical parameters, aquatic macroinvertebrates and fish abundances were recorded at four Lowveld sites in the Olifants River. We review six years of this programme. The results suggest deterioration in the ecological condition of the Olifants River with no discernible improvement through protected areas. Trends could not be detected. The parameters measured, sampling methods and/or sampling frequency might be responsible for the limited trends observed, or alternatively the results simply reflect stable conditions despite on-going pollution. Real time monitoring and an expansion in the parameters monitored would add value to the monitoring programme.     

CNS anti-depressant,anxiolytic and analgesic effects of Ganoderma applanatum (mushroom) along with ligand-receptor binding screening provide new insights: Multi-disciplinary approaches

This research was designed to evaluate the CNS depressant, anxiolytic, and analgesic action of aqueous and ethanol extract of Ganoderma applanatum, a valuable medicinal fungus used in multiple disorders belongs to Ganodermataceae family. Two extracts of G. applanatum were prepared using distilled water and ethanol as solvents and named AEGA and EEGA. Open field method, rotarod method, tail suspension method, and hole cross method were utilized for the CNS depressant action. In contrast, elevated plus-maze test and hole board method were utilized for the anxiolytic action. For determining the analgesic potential, acetic acid-induced writhing test, hot plate method, and tail immersion test were used. Besides, molecular docking has been implemented by using Discovery studio 2020, UCSF Chimera and PyRx autodock vina. At both doses (200 and 400 mg/kg) of AEGA and EEGA showed significant CNS depressant effect (p < 0.05 to 0.001) against all four tests used for CNS depressant activity. Both doses of AEGA and EEGA exhibited important anxiolytic activity effect (p < 0.05 to 0.001)against the EPM and hole board test. Both doses of AEGA and EEGA also exhibited a potential analgesic effect (p < 0.05 to 0.001) against all three tests used for analgesic action. In addition, in the molecular docking the compounds obtained the scores of ?5.2 to ?12.8 kcal/mol. Ganoapplanin, sphaeropsidin D and cytosporone C showed the best binding affinity to the selected recptors. It can be concluded that AEGA and EEGA have potential CNS depressant, anxiolytic, and analgesic action, which can be used as a natural antidepressant, anxiolytic, and analgesic source.     

Nonlinear ion modes in a strongly coupled plasma in the presence of nonthermal ion fluids and polarization force

The nonlinear propagation of ion-acoustic (IA) waves in a strongly coupled plasma system containing Maxwellian electrons and nonthermal ions has been theoretically and numerically investigated. The well-known reductive perturbation technique is used to derive both the Burgers and Korteweg?de Vries (KdV) equations. Their shock and solitary wave solutions have also been numerically analyzed in understanding localized electrostatic disturbances. It has been observed that the basic features (viz. polarity, amplitude, width, etc.) of IA waves are significantly modified by the effect of polarization force and other plasma parameters (e.g., the electron-to-ion number density ratio and ion-to-electron temperature ratio). This is a unique finding among all theoretical investigations made before, whose probable implications are discussed in this investigation. The implications of the results obtained from this investigation may be useful in understanding the wave propagation in both space and laboratory plasmas.     

Electroacoustic Waves in a Collision-Free Magnetized Superthermal Bi-Ion Plasma

Plasma Physics Reports - The electroacoustic waves, particularly ion-acoustic waves (IAWs), and their expansion in the medium of a magnetized collision-free plasma system has been investigated...