Production of doubled haploid plants from anther cultures of borage (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Borago officinalis</Emphasis> L.) by the application of chemical and physical stress

Cibotium barometz is an endangered tree fern, used both as ornamental plant and traditional Chinese medicinal plant. In this study, an effective in vitro propagation protocol was obtained through formation of green globular bodies (GGBs) from in vitro juvenile sporophytes. The effect of plant growth regulators (PGRs) on GGB induction and multiplication, as well as mineral salt concentration and active charcoal (AC) on plantlet regeneration from GGBs was evaluated. Thidiazuron (TDZ; 1-phenyl-3-(1,2,3-thiadiazol-5-yl) urea) had a significant effect on GGB induction and multiplication (P?<?0.001), while a-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) did not (P?>?0.05). GGB induction rate was above 80?% on 1/2 Murashige and Skoog (MS) media supplemented with TDZ (1.0 mg L^??1) and NAA (0.1, 0.3 or 0.5 mg L^??1). The same media were also optimal for GGB multiplication. GGBs cultured on 1/4 MS media supplemented with 0.1 or 0.2?% (w/v) AC showed a high rate of GGB development into plantlets above 90?%. 1/2 MS media supplemented with 0.1 or 0.2?% AC were the most effective for plantlet growth. Regenerated plantlets were successfully acclimatized (80?%) in greenhouse conditions. Morphological and histological analysis revealed that C. barometz GGBs was a yellow-green globular structure composed of the single GGB with meristems and hair-like structures, and new single GGBs were initiated from the epidermal cells of meristem zone.     

Interaction of aurein 1.2 and its analogue with DPPC lipid bilayer

Antibacterial peptides have potential as novel therapeutic agents for bacterial infections. Aurein 1.2 is one of the smallest antibacterial peptides extracted from an anuran. LLAA is a more active analogue of aurein 1.2. Antibacterial peptides usually accomplish their function by interacting with bacterial membrane selectively. In this study, we tried to find the reasons for the stronger antibacterial activity of LLAA compared with aurein 1.2. For this purpose, the interaction of aurein 1.2 and LLAA with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) was investigated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. In addition, the structure of peptides and their antibacterial activity were investigated by circular dichroism (CD) and dilution test method, respectively. MD results showed that LLAA is more flexible compared with aurein 1.2. Furthermore, LLAA loses its structure more than aurein 1.2 in the DPPC bilayer. A higher amount of water molecules penetrate into bilayer in the presence of LLAA relative to aurein 1.2. According to the antibacterial result that indicated LLAA is remarkably more active than aurein 1.2, it can be concluded that flexibility of the peptide is a determining factor in antibacterial activity. Probably, flexibility of the peptides facilitates formation of effective pores in the lipid bilayer.     

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is required for cardiac lineage differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) has been shown to regulate multiple cellular events such as differentiation, cell growth, and proliferation; however, the role of PTP1B in differentiation of embryonic stem (ES) cells into cardiomyocytes remains unexplored. In the present study, we investigated the effects of PTP1B inhibition on differentiation of ES cells into cardiomyocytes. PTP1B mRNA and protein levels were increased during the differentiation of ES cells into cardiomyocytes. Accordingly, a stable ES cell line expressing PTP1B shRNA was established. In vitro, the number and size of spontaneously beating embryoid bodies were significantly decreased in PTP1B-knockdown cells, compared with the control cells. Decreased expression of cardiac-specific markers Nkx2-5, MHC-α, cTnT, and CX43, as assessed by real-time PCR analysis, was further confirmed by immunocytochemistry of the markers. The results also showed that PTP1B inhibition induced apoptosis in both differentiated and undifferentiated ES cells, as presented by increasing the level of cleaved caspase-3, cytochrome C, and cleaved PARP. Further analyses revealed that PTP1B inhibition did not change proliferation and pluripotency of undifferentiated ES cells. Taken together, the data presented here suggest that PTP1B is essential for proper differentiation of ES cells into cardiomyocytes.     

Toxicity of Artemisia annua (Asteraceae) essential oil on the tea mealy bug,Pseudococcus viburni Sigornet (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)

A combination of bioassay and biochemical approaches were used to determine toxicity of Artemisia annua essential oil (AaEO) Pseudococcus viburni. AaEO via leaf dipping bioassay showed LC₅₀ values of 0.693 and 0.419% after two time exposures. Different concentrations of AaEO caused deterrence index between 28.58 to 86.26% by the calculated ED₅₀ of 0.4%. Although, α-esterase activity using α-naphtyl acetate increased in the treated nymphs by AaEO after 24 hours but it showed the lower activity in the treated nymphs using β-naphtyl acetate. Glutathione S-transferase assayed by CDNB showed the higher activity in the treated nymphs than control after 24 hours while the adverse results gained not only after 48 hours but also after 24 hours by using DCNB. No significant differences were found in the activity of alanine aminotransferase versus control, but aspartate aminotransferase and γ-glutamyl transferase showed the statistically higher activities in the treated nymphs in comparison with control. Activities of aldolase and lactate dehydrogenase were significantly lower than those of control. Only acid phosphatase showed the significantly altered activity in the treated nymphs in comparison with control after 24 hours. Results of our study indicated significant toxicity, deterrence and physiological effects of AaEO on P. viburni.     

Stimulated and Unstimulated Saliva Levels of Calcium and Magnesium in Giardiasis

Giardia lamblia causes malabsorption. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum and saliva calcium and magnesium levels in patients with giardiasis. Thirty patients with giardiasis as a case and 30 person without giardiasis as a control group were enrolled. The stimulated and unstimulated whole saliva and serum calcium and magnesium levels were assayed by Arsenazo reaction and xylidyl blue complex methods, respectively. Mean calcium and magnesium level was low in serum and stimulated saliva of case group than that of controls. However, they were higher in the unstimulated saliva of the case group. It is suggested that patients suffering from giardiasis have low calcium and magnesium levels, and they lose the most of calcium and magnesium by saliva during unstimulated condition.     

The Role of Probiotics in the Treatment of Dysentery: a Randomized Double-Blind Clinical Trial

Diarrhea is considered as an important cause of morbidity and mortality, even though one of the main reasons of death following diarrhea is initiated by dysentery. In recent years, the consumption of probiotics has been proposed for the treatment of infectious diarrhea. Despite most of the studies on probiotics have focused on acute watery diarrhea, few studies in the field of dysentery have found beneficial effects of probiotics. This study is a randomized double-blind clinical trial. The patients were randomly placed into control and case groups. In the intervention group, the patients received probiotics in the form of Kidilact® sachet, which contained high amounts of 7-strain friendly bacteria strains of Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium breve, and Streptococcus thermophiles. On the other hand, the patients in the control group received placebo sachets on a daily basis for 5 days. It is notable that the treatment protocol of acute dysentery was done on both groups. The results of this study showed significant differences in the duration of blood in diarrhea between probiotic consumers (2.62 days) and the control group (3.16 days) (P value = 0.05). Additionally, significant differences in the average length of hospitalization in probiotic consumers (3.16 days) and control (3.66 days), (P value = 0.02) could be claimed that the consumption of probiotics is effective in reducing the duration of dysentery and diarrhea. The results of this study suggest that the use of probiotics can be effective in reducing the duration of blood in diarrhea. This study was also recorded in the Iran center of clinical trials registration database (IRCT2014060617985N1).     

Comparative floral development in the tribe Mentheae (Nepetoideae: Lamiaceae) and its bearing on the evolution of floral patterns in asterids

A comparative developmental study of flowers was carried out using epi-illumination light microscopy on four genera of Lamiaceae (Nepeta, Rosmarinus, Salvia, andZiziphora), representing all three subtribes of Mentheae. All species examined share unidirectional (adaxial to abaxial) sepal initiation, except Rosmarinus, which has the reverse unidirectional sequence, starting abaxially. Initiated but suppressed bracteoles were detected only in Rosmarinus. In Rosmarinus, Salvia, and Ziziphora, initiation of petals and stamens proceeds unidirectionally from the abaxial side. Floral initiation of Nepeta has bidirectional inception of petals and unidirectional stamen initiation from the adaxial side. Temporal overlap in organ initiation between petal and stamen whorls occurs in all taxa, though this feature is more prominent in Rosmarinus. Significant structural and developmental features that distinguish the four genera include: (1) polysymmetric calyx tube, highly tomentose corolla and deeply four-partitioned ovary in Nepeta; (2) monosymmetric two-lipped calyx and shallowly four-partitioned ovary in Ziziphora; and (3) suppression of adaxial stamens in Salvia and Rosmarinus. Adaxial stamens are absent from Rosmarinus, but reduced stamens remain as staminodia in Salvia. In a phylogenetic context, the late monosymmetry of Nepeta and very early monosymmetry of Rosmarinus could both be regarded as derived conditions compared with the early monosymmetry ofSalvia and Ziziphora.