Effect of Achyranthes aspera on the immunity and survival of Labeo rohita infected with Aeromonas hydrophila

Achyranthes aspera seed was incorporated in the diets (at 0.01%, 0.1% and 0.5%) of Labeo rohita, rohu fingerlings (3.0+/-0.4 g). After 2 weeks, the fish were immunized with heat-killed Aeromonas hydrophila, and after a further 2 weeks the rohu were experimentally infected with Aeromonas hydrophila (ATCC 49140). After 7 days blood and serum were sampled to determine superoxide anion production, bactericidal activity, lysozyme, serum protein, albumin, globulin, serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Superoxide anion production, serum bactericidal activity, lysozyme, ALP, serum protein, albumin:globulin ratio (A/G) were enhanced in Achyranthes treated groups compared to the control group. SGOT and SGPT levels were elevated in control group, but in Achyranthes treated groups the levels were similar to the uninfected-control group. Higher cumulative mortalities were observed in the control group (77%) up to day-9 after infection. This gradually decreased with increasing dose of Achyranthes, 66% mortality in 0.01% group, 57% mortality in 0.1% group and 28% mortality in 0.5% group. These results indicate that Achyranthes aspera stimulates immunity and increases resistance to infection in L. rohita.     

Symbiotic effectiveness, rate of respiration and glutamine synthetase activity of sodium azide-resistant strains of Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar trifolii

Nitrogen fixing efficiency of sodium azide-resistant strains of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii was studied in symbiosis with berseem clover plants in chillum jars. Rate of respiration and glutamine synthetase activity were tested in cultured cells and nodules, respectively. It was observed that shoot dry weight and percentage shoot nitrogen were maximum in plants inoculated with strains resistant to 15 μg ml⁻¹ sodium azide. Rate of respiration in cultured cells was lowest in strains resistant to 15 μg ml⁻¹ sodium azide and highest in strains resistant to 5 μg ml⁻¹ sodium azide. A negative correlation was observed between rate of respiration (in cultured cells) and shoot dry weight of host plants. Glutamine synthetase activity was maximum in nodule extracts of host plants inoculated with strains resistant to 5 and 10 μg ml⁻¹ sodium azide, whereas it was minimum for strains resistant to 15 μg ml⁻¹ sodium azide. Hence, resistance to low doses (15 μg ml⁻¹) of sodium azide, together with lower respiratory and glutamine synthetase activities, could be used as a potential method for isolating the symbiotically effective strains of Rh. leguminosarum bv. trifolii.     

Development of Sinks as an Autocatalytic Feed-back Process: a Test using the Asymmetric Growth of Leaves in Mestha (Hibiscus cannabinus L.)

Differential development of sinks that depend on a common resourcepool has been viewed as a consequence of an autocatalytic feedbackprocess of flow of resource units into them. The feed-back processimplies that the stronger a sink is relative to its competitors,the greater is its probability of getting further resourcesas a non-linear function of its resource drawing ability andsink size. We show that this model contrasts with that of thesink-strength dependent model in its prediction of the subsequentdevelopment of the initial asymmetry of growing leaves whentheir resource drawing ability is enhanced. By artificiallyenhancing the resource drawing ability of the leaves of Mestha(Hibiscus cannabinus L.) by external application of growth regulators,we test these predictions and show that the results are in conformitywith the autocatalytic model proposed by Ganeshaiah and UmaShaanker.Copyright 1995, 1999 Academic Press Autocatalytic growth, resource flow, leaf asymmetry, sink-strength, self-organization, Hibiscus cannabinus (L.)     

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Novel Fused [1,2,3]Triazolo[4',5':3,4] pyrrolo[2,1-f]purines as Potent Anti-Proliferative Agents

Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry - In search of the best anticancer agents, a series of novel fused [1,2,3]triazolo[4',5':3,4] pyrrolo[2,1-f]purine derivatives in one vessel was...     

Hydnocarpus sharmae (Flacourtiaceae) is Siphonodon celastrineus (Celastraceae)

Notes on Siphonodon celastrineus (Celastraceae). Hydnocarpus sharmae , a new species described recently from Andaman Islands, India, is Siphonodon celastrineus of Celastraceae and not a species of Flacourtiaceae.     

Further studies on the role of sulfhydryl groups in the morphogenesis of the chick embryo

Summary The teratogenic effects on chick embryos of chloroacetophenone, a specific sulfhydryl reagent, are known to be reversible by cysteine and glutathione. Dithiothreitol (Cleland's reagent) and thiomalic acid cannot ameliorate the -SH block syndrome. While cysteine and glutathione can elicit differentiation of axial structures in the post-nodal pieces of the chick blastoderm, dithiothreitol and thiomalic acid cannot do so. This finding seems to suggest that the naturally occurring thiols, cysteine and glutathione, play an important role in the primary organizer action.This work was supported by a grant from the Indian Council of Medical Research. The author wishes to express his thanks to Miss N. Tripura Sundari for technical assistance. The Cleland's reagent used in this study was a gift from Dr. D. E. S. Truman of the University of Edinburgh.     

Comparative analyses of biomolecules

Systematic examination of the gene encoding CYP2B6, a human cytochrome P450, has characterized genetic polymorphisms that might account for its variability in expression and function between individuals.     

Marinobacterium alkalitolerans sp. nov., with nitrate reductase and urease activity isolated from green algal mat collected from a solar saltern

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek - A novel Gram-staining-negative, rod-shaped, 0.6–0.8 µm wide and 2.0–3.0 µm in length, motile bacterium designated strain AK62T, was...