11 research outputs found
Alternative methods in toxicology: CFU assays application, limitation and future prospective
Meal-feeding scheme: twenty years of research in Brazil
Naomi Shinomiya Hell was the first researcher to investigate the physiological adaptations to a meal-feeding scheme (MFS) in Brazil. Over a period of 20 years, from 1979 to 1999, Naomi's group determined the physiological and metabolic adaptations induced by this feeding scheme in rats. The group showed the persistence of such adaptations even when MFS is associated with moderate exercise training and the performance to a session of intense physical effort. The metabolic changes induced by the feeding training were discriminated from those caused by the effective fasting period. Naomi made an important contribution to the understanding of the MFS but a lot still has to be done. One crucial question still remains to be satisfactorily answered: what is the ideal control for the MFS
Adverse Effects in Humans and Animals of Prenatal Exposure to Selected Therapeutic Drugs and Estimation of Embryo-Fetal Sensitivity of Animals for Human Risk Assessment
Superoxide dismutase-mentor of abiotic stress tolerance in crop plants
Abiotic stresses impact growth, development,
and productivity, and significantly limit the global agricultural
productivity mainly by impairing cellular
physiology/biochemistry via elevating reactive oxygen
species (ROS) generation. If not metabolized, ROS
(such as O2
•−, OH•, H2O2, or 1O2) exceeds the status
of antioxidants and cause damage to DNA, proteins,
lipids, and other macromolecules, and finally cellular
metabolism arrest. Plants are endowed with a family
of enzymes called superoxide dismutases (SODs) that
protects cells against potential consequences caused by
cytotoxic O2
•− by catalyzing its conversion to O2 and
H2O2. Hence, SODs constitute the first line of defense
against abiotic stress-accrued enhanced ROS and its reaction
products. In the light of recent reports, the present
effort: (a) overviews abiotic stresses, ROS, and their
metabolism; (b) introduces and discusses SODs and
their types, significance, and appraises abiotic stressmediated
modulation in plants; (c) analyzes major reports
available on genetic engineering of SODs in
plants; and finally, (d) highlights major aspects so far
least studied in the current context. Literature appraised
herein reflects clear information paucity in context with
the molecular/genetic insights into the major functions
(and underlying mechanisms) performed by SODs, and
also with the regulation of SODs by post-translational
modifications. If the previous aspects are considered in
the future works, the outcome can be significant in sustainably
improving plant abiotic stress tolerance and efficiently
managing agricultural challenges under changing
climatic conditions