Impaired male meiosis, morphology and distribution pattern of different cytotypes of Bupleurum lanceolatum Wall. (Apiaceae) from the Western Himalayas

Detailed male meiosis, critical morphological observations and distribution pattern of diploid as well as tetraploid cytotypes of the Western Himalayan species, Bupleurum lanceolatum have been evaluated at present. A diploid (n = 8) cytotype is reported from Kashmir, whereas, both diploid (n = 8) and tetraploid (n = 16) cytotypes are available from two districts Kangra and Sirmaur of Himachal Pradesh. Out of these, the tetraploid cytotype makes new addition for the species on a worldwide basis. As per behavior, a tetraploid cytotype is characterized by abnormal meiosis leading to high pollen sterility and size variation of the pollen grains. Morphologically, tetraploids are noted to be luxuriant in comparison to the diploids.     

Cytological studies of Brassicaceae Burn. (Cruciferae Juss.) from Western Himalayas

Cytological studies have been carried out on 12 species of Brassicaceae Burn. on population basis from different geographical areas of Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh in the Western Himalayas. Variable chromosome reports for Barbaraea intermedia (n = 16), Cardamine loxostemonoides (n = 8), Nasturtium officinale (n = 8), Sisymbrium orientale (n = 14) on world-wide basis have been added to the previous reports of these species. The chromosome numbers in seven species as Barbaraea intermedia (n = 8), B. vulgaris (n = 8), Capsella bursa-pastoris (n = 8), Descuriania Sophia (n = 10), Rorippa islandica (n = 8), Sisymbrium strictum (n = 7) and Thlaspi alpestre (n = 7) have been worked out for the first time from India. The meiotic course in the populations of seven species such as Barbaraea intermedia, Capsella bursa-pastoris, Coronopus didymus, Descuriania sophia, Nasturtium officinale, Sisymbrium orientale and S. strictum varies from normal to abnormal while all the populations of two species Barbaraea vulgaris and Sisymbrium irio show abnormal meiotic course. Meiotic abnormalities are in the form of cytomixis, chromosomal stickiness, unoriented bivalents, inter-bivalent connections, formation of laggards and bridges, all resulting into abnormal microsporogenesis. Heterogenous sized fertile pollen grains and reduced reproductive potentialities have invariably been observed in all the meiotically abnormal populations. However, the meiotic course in all the populations of Cardamine loxostemonoides, Rorippa islandica and Thalspi alpestre is found to be normal with high pollen fertility.     

A case of primary amenorrhea with 46+XY genotype from Kashmir Valley

Primary amenorrhea is one of the common reproductive disorder affecting females. It leads to the absence of menarche in the reproductive age group in females and/or complete absence of reproductive organs. There are many causes which lead to PA, including genetic aberrations which are the leading factors.     

Endothelial cell confluence regulates Weibel-Palade body formation

Secretory granules called Weibel-Palade bodies (WPBs) containing Von Willebrand factor (VWF) are characteristic of the mammalian endothelium. We hypothesized that vascular-specific antigens such as VWF are linked to endothelial identity and proliferation in vitro. To test this idea, the cellular accumulation of VWF in WPBs was monitored as a function of cell proliferation, confluence and passage number in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). We found that as passage number increased the percentage of cells containing VWF in WPBs was reduced significantly, whilst the protein was still detected within the secretory pathway at all times. However, the endothelial-specific marker protein, PECAM-1, is present on all cells even when WPBs are absent, indicating partial maintenance of endothelial identity. Biochemical studies show that a significant pool of immature pro-VWF can be detected in sub-confluent HUVECs; however, a larger pool of mature, processed VWF is detected in confluent cells. Newly synthesized VWF must thus be differentially sorted and packaged along the secretory pathway in semi-confluent versus confluent endothelial cells. Our studies thus show that WPB formation is linked to the formation of a confluent endothelial monolayer.     

Additions to the cytologically investigated species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Potentilla</Emphasis> L. (Rosaceae) from India

At present 14 species of Potentilla L. have been cytologically worked out from different geographical areas of Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh in the Western Himalayas. New chromosome numbers in nine species—Potentilla argyrophylla (n = 14), P. atrosanguinea (n = 7, 14), P. desertorum (n = 7), P. gerardiana (n = 14), P. indica (n = 14), P. micropetala (n = 14), P. nepalensis (n = 14), P. sibbaldia (n = 14) and P. thomsonii (n = 7)—have been reported on a worldwide basis for the first time. Additional chromosomal races of polyploid cytotypes for P. argyrophylla (n = 28) and P. desertorum (n = 14) along with a diploid cytotype for P. micropetala (n = 7) plus diploid cytotypes for the five species as P. fulgens (n = 7), P. gelida (n = 7), P. kleiniana (n = 7), P. sibbaldia (n = 7) and P. sundaica (n = 7) as well as a tetraploid cytotype for P. fruticosa (n = 14) all have been cytologically worked out from India for the first time. The course of meiosis varies from normal to abnormal in different populations of the majority of the species, such as P. argyrophylla, P. atrosanguinea, P. desertorum, P. fruticosa, P. fulgens, P. gelida, P. indica, P. nepalensis, P. sibbaldia and P. sundaica, except for normal meiosis observed in P. gerardiana, P. kleiniana, P. micropetala and P. thomsonii. The anomalous taxa are marked with meiotic abnormalities in the form of cytomixis, chromosomal stickiness, unoriented bivalents, formation of laggards and bridges resulting in abnormal microsporogenesis, and production of heterogenous-sized fertile pollen grains along with reduced pollen fertility. All the taxa with normal meiotic courses show nearly one hundred percent pollen fertility.     

Differences in Reporting of Violence and Deliberate Self Harm Related Injuries to Health and Police Authorities,Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Background

The aim of study was to assess differences in reporting of violence and deliberate self harm (DSH) related injuries to police and emergency department (ED) in an urban town of Pakistan.

Methods/Principal Findings

Study setting was Rawalpindi city of 1.6 million inhabitants. Incidences of violence and DSH related injuries and deaths were estimated from record linkage of police and ED data. These were then compared to reported figures in both datasets. All persons reporting violence and DSH related injury to the police station, the public hospital''s ED, or both in Rawalpindi city from July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008 were included. In Rawalpindi city, 1 016 intentional injury victims reported to police whereas 3 012 reported to ED. Comparing violence related fatality estimates (N = 56, 95% CI: 46–64), police reported 75.0% and ED reported 42.8% of them. Comparing violence related injury estimates (N = 7 990, 95% CI: 7 322–8 565), police reported 12.1% and ED reported 33.2% of them. Comparing DSH related fatality estimates (N = 17, 95% CI: 4–30), police reported 17.7% and ED reported 47.1% of them. Comparing DSH related injury estimates (N = 809, 95% CI: 101–1 516), police reported 0.5% and ED reported 39.9% of them.

Conclusion

In Rawalpindi city, police records were more likely to be complete for violence related deaths as compared to injuries due to same mechanism. As compared to ED, police reported DSH related injuries and deaths far less than those due to other types of violence.     

Is high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency a correlate for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder?

The aim of the study was to determine the association between vitamin D and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and difference in the level of vitamin D in ADHD children and control. This a case–control study carried out in school health and primary health care clinics. A total of 1,331 children and adolescents who were diagnosed with ADHD based on clinical criteria and standardized questionnaires were enrolled in this study and were matched with 1,331 controls, aged 5–18 years old. Data on body mass index (BMI), clinical biochemistry variables including serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D were collected. The study found significant association between ADHD and vitamin D deficiency after adjusting for BMI and sex (adj. OR 1.54; 95 % CI 1.32–1.81; P < 0.001). Majority of the ADHD children were in the age group 5–10 years (40.7 %), followed by 11–13 years (38.4 %). The proportion of BMI <85th percentile was significantly over represented in ADHD group as compared to healthy control (87.8 vs. 83 %; P < 0.001, respectively), while on the other hand, BMI >95th percentile was over represented in the control than ADHD group (7.6 vs. 4.6 %; P < 0.001, respectively). Mean values of vitamin D (ng/mL) were significantly lower in ADHD children (16.6 ± 7.8) than in healthy children (23.5 ± 9.0) (P < 0.001). There was significant correlation between vitamin D deficiency and age (r = ?0.191, P = 0.001); calcium (r = 0.272, P = 0.001); phosphorous (r = 0.284, P = 0.001); magnesium (r = 0.292, P = 0.001); and BMI (r = 0.498, P = 0.001) in ADHD children. The vitamin D deficiency was higher in ADHD children compared to healthy children.     

Spontaneous development of Alzheimer's disease‐associated brain pathology in a Shugoshin‐1 mouse cohesinopathy model

Spontaneous late‐onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) accounts for more than 95% of all human AD. As mice do not normally develop AD and as understanding on molecular processes leading to spontaneous LOAD has been insufficient to successfully model LOAD in mouse, no mouse model for LOAD has been available. Existing mouse AD models are all early‐onset AD (EOAD) models that rely on forcible expression of AD‐associated protein(s), which may not recapitulate prerequisites for spontaneous LOAD. This limitation in AD modeling may contribute to the high failure rate of AD drugs in clinical trials. In this study, we hypothesized that genomic instability facilitates development of LOAD and tested two genomic instability mice models in the brain pathology at the old age. Shugoshin‐1 (Sgo1) haploinsufficient (?) mice, a model of chromosome instability (CIN) with chromosomal and centrosomal cohesinopathy, spontaneously exhibited a major feature of AD pathology; amyloid beta accumulation that colocalized with phosphorylated Tau, beta‐secretase 1 (BACE), and mitotic marker phospho‐Histone H3 (p‐H3) in the brain. Another CIN model, spindle checkpoint‐defective BubR1^?/+ haploinsufficient mice, did not exhibit the pathology at the same age, suggesting the prolonged mitosis‐origin of the AD pathology. RNA‐seq identified ten differentially expressed genes, among which seven genes have indicated association with AD pathology or neuronal functions (e.g., ARC, EBF3). Thus, the model represents a novel model that recapitulates spontaneous LOAD pathology in mouse. The Sgo1^?/+ mouse may serve as a novel tool for investigating mechanisms of spontaneous progression of LOAD pathology, for early diagnosis markers, and for drug development.     

Post-exposure temperature influence on the toxicity of conventional and new chemistry insecticides to green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) is an important biological control agent currently being used in many integrated pest management (IPM) programs to control insect pests. The effect of post-treatment temperature on insecticide toxicity of a spinosyn (spinosad), pyrethroid (lambda cyhalothrin), organophosphate (chlorpyrifos) and new chemistry (acetamiprid) to C. carnea larvae was investigated under laboratory conditions. Temperature coefficients of each insecticide tested were evaluated. From 20 to 40 °C, toxicity of lambda cyhalothrin and spinosad decreased by 2.15- and 1.87-fold while toxicity of acetamiprid and chlorpyrifos increased by 2.00 and 1.79-fold, respectively. The study demonstrates that pesticide effectiveness may vary according to environmental conditions. In cropping systems where multiple insecticide products are used, attention should be given to temperature variation as a key factor in making pest management strategies safer for biological control agents. Insecticides with a negative temperature coefficient may play a constructive role to conserve C. carnea populations.     

Integrated use of plant residues,phosphorus and beneficial microbes improve hybrid maize productivity in semiarid climates

Phosphorus unavailability and lack of organic matter in calcareous soils under semiarid climates are the major reasons for low crop productivity. A field experiment was conducted at The Agronomy Research Farm of The University of Agriculture Peshawar (semiarid climate), during summer 2015. The objective of the research was to investigate the effect of plant residues, organic and inorganic phosphorus management on improving yield and yield components of hybrid maize (CS-200) with (+) and without (?) phosphate solubilizing bacteria. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with split plot arrangement, using three replications. A combination of plant residues and phosphorus sources were used as mainplot factor, and phosphate solubilizing bacteria were used as a subplot factor. The results revealed that plant residues, phosphorus sources and phosphate solubilizing bacteria significantly affected all parameters under study except number of plants at harvest. Application of legume residues (Faba bean) increased ear length (22.9 cm), grains row^?1 (46) and ear^?1 (419), 1000 grains weight (365 g), grain yield (6175 kg ha^?1) and shelling percentage (83) as compared to paper mulberry and garlic residues. Phosphorus application at the higher rate of 120 kg ha^?1 from inorganic source (single super phosphate) was superior in terms of higher ear length (24.4 cm), number of grains row^?1 (48) and ear^?1 (455), 1000 grains weight (380 g), grain yield (6558 kg ha^?1), harvest index (42.7%) and shelling percentage (83%) than the lower rate of phosphorus (60 kg P ha^?1). Inoculation of maize seeds with beneficial microbes (phosphate solubilizing bacteria) significantly increased ear length (22.9 cm), number of grains row^?1 (45) and ear^?1 (413), 1000 grains weight (364 g), grain yield (6237 kg ha^?1), harvest index (41.8%) and shelling percentage (82) than without seed inoculation. On the basis of our results from this study, we concluded that application of faba bean residues, 120 kg P ha^?1 as single super phosphate along with seed inoculation with phosphate solubilizing bacteria could improve yield and yield components of hybrid maize under semiarid climates.