Full-sib and reciprocal recurrent selection in relation to pearl millet improvement

Summary During the years 1973 to 1976 two populations of Pearl millet with wide genetic base, namely, Delhi composite (DC) and Vijay composite (VC) were used to compare the response to selection by the full-sib family method from biparental material and reciprocal recurrent selection (RRS). The results indicated that it was possible to advance grain yield with one cycle of RRS by about 23 percent in the case of population DC and 21 percent in population VC, while for the full-sib selection method, the improvement in grain yield was not so rapid. The studies on the nature of gene action indicated that both additive and dominance gene actions were important for grain yield, ear length and ear girth. The coefficient of variation as a result of RRS was reduced in population DC, while it was comparable to base population in the other population. The correlation studies indicated that the magnitude of favourable correlation of different characters with grain yield were higher in case of RRS compared to the full-sib system. The presence of negative correlation of plant height with grain yield in both the improved populations indicated the possibility of breakage of unfavourable gene combinations through RRS and full-sibs developed from biparental mating.     

Effets à long terme de 4 détersifs chez le pulmoné d'eau douce Lymnaea stagnalis L.: Intoxication des adultes

Detergents added to the rearing water of the molluscLymnaea induce a sharp mortality of all the animals of each experimental group after a variable delay, depending upon the nature of the detergent and its concentration.No important perturbation of the shell growth is noted with the cationic detergent; conversely a light decrease is observed with the anionic detergents and a very severe effect is induced by a commercial washing mixture.The fecundity is always reduced by the detergents: the number of egg-masses per snail and the number of eggs per mass are diversely changed according to the products.In many cases the egg fertility is decreased and the duration of embryogenesis is increased. For each detergent the reduction of the biological yield ofLymnaea is calculated and the curves drawn allow to classify these detergents according to their chemical nature: among the anionic detergents, A has a low toxicity, B and P are characterized by higher toxicities and the cationic detergent is strongly toxic.

     

Treatment of periodontal disease using xanthan based chlorhexidine gel

People of all ages are suffering from periodontal disease. It causes indirect damage in the oral cavity. It is of interest to evaluate the efficacy of xanthan-based chlorhexidine gel (Xan-CHX) in patients with mild-severe chronic periodontitis. Five patients with 60 sites were divided in two groups. Group A (treated with SRP) and group B (treated with Chlosite i.e., SRP + CHL). The recorded clinical parameters were Plaque index (PI), Gingival index (GI), Bleeding index (BI), and Clinical attachment Level (CAL) with sub gingival plaque subjected to microbial analysis. Significant reduction was observed in both groups. However, group B (treated with Chlosite i.e., SRP + CHL) showed statistically significant improvement on above mentioned parameters as compared to group A. Data suggest that in the treatment of periodontal disease (viz. PI, GI, BI and CAL) combination of SRP and Chlosite showed added benefits over only SRP.     

Inhibition of deleterious chronic wound enzymes with plant polyphenols

The chronic wound environment is characterized by high concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and elevated levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and collagenases, together impairing the healing process. Therefore, the management of chronic wounds at a molecular level requires the synergistic use of antioxidants, MPO and collagenase inhibitors to simultaneously target multiple factors from wound pathogenesis. In this study, a polyphenolic extract from Hamamelis virginiana plant, rich in condensed and hydrolysable oligomeric tannins, was evaluated as an inhibitor of MPO and collagenase. In addition to efficient scavengers of radical and non-radical reactive species, H. virginiana polyphenols were found to act as substrates in the MPO peroxidase cycle, preventing the accumulation of ROS in the chronic wound site. Furthermore, it was also found that the plant exerts an irreversible inhibitory effect on collagenase activity (IC₅₀ = 75 ± 10 μg/mL).     

Ablation of Gadd45β ameliorates the inflammation and renal fibrosis caused by unilateral ureteral obstruction

The growth arrest and DNA damage‐inducible beta (Gadd45β) protein have been associated with various cellular functions, but its role in progressive renal disease is currently unknown. Here, we examined the effect of Gadd45β deletion on cell proliferation and apoptosis, inflammation, and renal fibrosis in an early chronic kidney disease (CKD) mouse model following unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). Wild‐type (WT) and Gadd45β‐knockout (KO) mice underwent either a sham operation or UUO and the kidneys were sampled eight days later. A histological assay revealed that ablation of Gadd45β ameliorated UUO‐induced renal injury. Cell proliferation was higher in Gadd45β KO mouse kidneys, but apoptosis was similar in both genotypes after UUO. Expression of pro‐inflammatory cytokines after UUO was down‐regulated in the kidneys from Gadd45β KO mice, whereas UUO‐mediated immune cell infiltration remained unchanged. The expression of pro‐inflammatory cytokines in response to LPS stimulation decreased in bone marrow‐derived macrophages from Gadd45β KO mice compared with that in WT mice. Importantly, UUO‐induced renal fibrosis was ameliorated in Gadd45β KO mice unlike in WT mice. Gadd45β was involved in TGF‐β signalling pathway regulation in kidney fibroblasts. Our findings demonstrate that Gadd45β plays a crucial role in renal injury and may be a therapeutic target for the treatment of CKD.     

Gastrodin relieves inflammation injury induced by lipopolysaccharides in MRC‐5 cells by up‐regulation of miR‐103

The beneficial function of gastrodin towards many inflammatory diseases has been identified. This study designed to see the influence of gastrodin in a cell model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). MRC‐5 cells were treated by LPS, before which gastrodin was administrated. The effects of gastrodin were evaluated by conducting CCK‐8, FITC‐PI double staining, Western blot, qRT‐PCR and ELISA. Besides this, the downstream effector and signalling were studied to decode how gastrodin exerted its function. And dual‐luciferase assay was used to detect the targeting link between miR‐103 and lipoprotein receptor‐related protein 1 (LRP1). LPS induced apoptosis and the release of MCP‐1, IL‐6 and TNF‐α in MRC‐5 cells. Pre‐treating MRC‐5 cells with gastrodin attenuated LPS‐induced cell damage. Meanwhile, p38/JNK and NF‐κB pathways induced by LPS were repressed by gastrodin. miR‐103 expression was elevated by gastrodin. Further, the protective functions of gastrodin were attenuated by miR‐103 silencing. And LRP1 was a target of miR‐103 and negatively regulated by miR‐103. The in vitro data illustrated the protective function of gastrodin in LPS‐injured MRC‐5 cells. Gastrodin exerted its function possibly by up‐regulating miR‐103 and modulating p38/JNK and NF‐κB pathways.     

Kruppel‐like factor 4 improves obesity‐related nephropathy through increasing mitochondrial biogenesis and activities

Obesity is positively linked to multiple metabolic complications including renal diseases. Several studies have demonstrated Kruppel‐like factor 4 (KLF4) participated in renal dysfunction and structural disorders in acute kidney injuries, but whether it affected the process of chronic kidney diseases was unknown. Therefore, present study was to disclose the role of renal KLF4 in dietary‐induced renal injuries and underlying mechanisms in obesity. Through utilizing high‐fat diet‐fed mice and human renal biopsies, we provided the physiological roles of KLF4 in protecting against obesity‐related nephropathy. Decreased levels of renal KLF4 were positively correlated with dietary‐induced renal dysfunction, including increased levels of creatinine and blood urea nitrogen. Overexpression of renal KLF4 suppressed inflammatory response in palmitic acid‐treated mouse endothelial cells. Furthermore, overexpressed KLF4 also attenuated dietary‐induced renal functional disorders, abnormal structural remodelling and inflammation. Mechanistically, KLF4 maintained renal mitochondrial biogenesis and activities to combat obesity‐induced mitochondrial dysfunction. In clinical renal biopsies and plasma, the renal Klf4 level was negatively associated with circulating levels of creatinine but positively associated with renal creatinine clearance. In conclusions, the present findings firstly supported that renal KLF4 played an important role in combating obesity‐related nephropathy, and KLF4/mitochondrial function partially determined the energy homeostasis in chronic kidney diseases.