Lophirones B and C halt acetaminophen hepatotoxicity by upregulating redox transcription factor Nrf‐2 through Akt,PI3K,and PKC pathways

We investigated the mechanism of lophirones B‐ and C‐mediated protection against acetaminophen hepatotoxicity. Mice were pretreated with 20 mg/kg body weight lophirones B and C for 7 days and challenged with acetaminophen on day 7. Acetaminophen raised nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) in the liver of mice but lowered protein kinase B (Akt). Although, acetaminophen produced no significant alteration on nuclear erythroid related factor‐2 (Nrf‐2), phosphoinositide 3‐kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase C (PKC), lophirones B and C raised the level of these proteins and Akt. The acetaminophen‐mediated increase in NF‐κB was significantly reversed by lophirones B and C. Lophirones B and C prevented acetaminophen‐mediated alterations in serum biomarkers of hepatic injury. Similarly, lophirones B and C lowered the biomarkers of oxidative stress in the liver of acetaminophen‐treated mice. It can be inferred from this study that lophirones B and C prevent acetaminophen‐induced liver injury by enhancing Nrf‐2 through Akt, PI3K, and PKC pathways.     

Beyond landraces: developing improved germplasm resources for underutilized species – a case for Bambara groundnut

The potential for underutilized crops (also known as minor, neglected or orphan crops) to improve food and nutrition security has been gaining prominence within the research community in recent years. This is due to their significance for diversified agricultural systems which is a necessary component of future agriculture to address food and nutritional security concerns posed by changing climate and a growing world population. Developing workable value chain systems for underutilized crop species, coupled with comparative trait studies with major crops, potentially allows us to identify suitable agricultural modalities for such species. Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea L. Verdc.), an underutilized leguminous species, is of interest for its reported high levels of drought tolerance in particular, which contributes to environmental resilience in semi-arid environments. Here, we present a synopsis of suitable strategies for the genetic improvement of Bambara groundnut as a guide to other underutilized crop species. Underutilized crops have often been adapted over thousands of years in particular regions by farmers and largely still exist as landraces with little or no genetic knowledge of key phenotypic traits. Breeding in these species is fundamentally different to breeding in major crops, where significant pedigree structures and history allow highly directed improvement. In this regard, deploying new integrated germplasm development approaches for variety development and genetic analysis, such as multi-parent advance generation inter-crosses (MAGIC), within breeding programmes of underutilized species will be important to be able to fully utilize such crops.     

On the origin and evolution of apomixis in Boechera

The genetic mechanisms causing seed development by gametophytic apomixis in plants are predominantly unknown. As apomixis is consistently associated with hybridity and polyploidy, these confounding factors may either (a) be the underlying mechanism for the expression of apomixis, or (b) obscure the genetic factors which cause apomixis. To distinguish between these hypotheses, we analyzed the population genetic patterns of diploid and triploid apomictic lineages and their sexual progenitors in the genus Boechera (Brassicaceae). We find that while triploid apomixis is associated with hybridization, the majority of diploid apomictic lineages are likely the product of intra-specific crosses. We then show that these diploid apomicts are more likely to sire triploid apomictic lineages than conspecific sexuals. Combined with flow cytometric seed screen phenotyping for male and female components of apomixis, our analyses demonstrate that hybridization is an indirect correlate of apomixis in Boechera.     

Menadione perturbs oxidative stress biomarkers and testicular function indices of rats

In this study, we evaluated the influence of menadione on the androgenic, oxidative stress biomarkers, and testicular function indices in rats. Rats (20) were randomized into four groups (A‐D) of five rats each. Rats in groups A, B, C, and D received the vehicle of administration (olive oil), 25, 50, or 100 mg/kg body weight menadione intraperitoneally, respectively, for 7 days. Menadione lowered serum cholesterol, follicle‐stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and testosterone and luteinizing hormone reduced significantly in rats when compared with the control rats. Furthermore, menadione lowered the testicular function indices in the testes of rats. The activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase in the testes of menadione‐treated rats decreased significantly. Also, glutathione was depleted with concomitant malondialdehyde increase. The findings of this study show that menadione induces testicular toxicity by depleting the antioxidant defense system leading to perturbation in the testicular function indices.     

Wine produced from date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) fruits using Saccharomyces cerevisiae X01 isolated from Nigerian locally fermented beverages

Archives of Microbiology - The study focused on the production of wine from date palm fruits (Phoenix dactylifera L.) using a strain of yeast isolated from selected Nigerian locally fermented...     

Ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030: Time to reset targets for 2025

Paul De Lay and co-authors introduce a Collection on the design of targets for ending the AIDS epidemic.