Identification of QTLs Associated with Callogenesis and Embryogenesis in Oil Palm Using Genetic Linkage Maps Improved with SSR Markers.

Clonal reproduction of oil palm by means of tissue culture is a very inefficient process. Tissue culturability is known to be genotype dependent with some genotypes being more amenable to tissue culture than others. In this study, genetic linkage maps enriched with simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were developed for dura (ENL48) and pisifera (ML161), the two fruit forms of oil palm, Elaeis guineensis. The SSR markers were mapped onto earlier reported parental maps based on amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) markers. The new linkage map of ENL48 contains 148 markers (33 AFLPs, 38 RFLPs and 77 SSRs) in 23 linkage groups (LGs), covering a total map length of 798.0 cM. The ML161 map contains 240 markers (50 AFLPs, 71 RFLPs and 119 SSRs) in 24 LGs covering a total of 1,328.1 cM. Using the improved maps, two quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with tissue culturability were identified each for callusing rate and embryogenesis rate. A QTL for callogenesis was identified in LGD4b of ENL48 and explained 17.5% of the phenotypic variation. For embryogenesis rate, a QTL was detected on LGP16b in ML161 and explained 20.1% of the variation. This study is the first attempt to identify QTL associated with tissue culture amenity in oil palm which is an important step towards understanding the molecular processes underlying clonal regeneration of oil palm

Dispersion of a heavy plume in a structured shear layer

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Antidiabetic effects of Centratherum anthelminticum seeds methanolic fraction on pancreatic cells,ß-TC6 and its alleviating role in type 2 diabetic rats

Ethnopharmacological relevance:Seeds of Centratherum anthelminticum (Asteraceae)have been popularly used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat diabetes and skin disorders.Folk medicine from Rayalaseema(Andhra Pradesh,India)reported wide spread usage in diabetes. Aim of the study:To investigate the hypoglycemic properties and mechanism of the me than olic fraction of Centratherum anthelminticum seeds(CAMFs)on mouse ß-TC6 pancreatic cell line and streptozotocin (STZ)induced diabetic rat models. Materials and Methods:We investigated the crude methanolic fraction of Centratherum an thelminticum seeds(CAMFs)on ß-TC6 cellline and confirmed its effects on type 1 and type 2 diabetic rats to understand its mechanism in managing diabetes mellitus.(CAMFs) was initially tested on ß-TC6 cells for cytotoxicity, 2 NBDG glucose uptake,insulin secretion and glucose transporter (GLUT1,2and4)protein expression.Furthermore,streptozotocin(STZ)–induced type 1 diabetic and STZ-nicotinamide–induced type2 diabetic rats were in traperitoneally (i.p)injected or administered orally with CAMFs daily for 28days.The effect of CAMFs on blood glucose and insulin levels was subsequently evaluated

New Mn(II), Ni(II), Cd(II), Pb(II)complexes with 2-methylbenzimidazole and other ligands. synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, crystal structure, magnetic susceptibility and biological activity studies

Synthesis and characterization of Mn(II), Ni(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II) mixed ligand complexes of 2-methylbenzimidazole with other ligands have been reported. The structure of the ligands and their complexes was investigated using elemental analysis, IR, UV-Vis, ( 1H, 13C) NMR spectroscopy, molar conductivity and magnetic susceptibility measurements. In all the studies of complexes, the 2-methylbenzimidazole behaves as a neutral monodentate ligand which is coordinated with the metal ions through the N atom. While benzotriazole behaves as a neutral bidentate ligand which is coordinated with the Ni(II) ion through the two N atoms. Moreover, the N-acetylglycine behaves as a bidentate ligand which is coordinated with the Mn(II), Ni(II) and Pb(II) ions through the N atom and the terminal carboxyl oxygen atom. The magnetic and spectral data indicate the tetrahedral geometry for Mn(II) complex, irregular tetrahedral geometry for Pb(II) complex and octahedral geometry for Ni(II) complex. The X-ray single crystal diffraction method was used to confirm a centrosymmetric dinuclear Cd(II) complex as each two metal ions are linked by a pair of thiocyanate N = S bridge. Two 2-methylbenzimidazole N-atom donors and one terminal thiocyanate N atom complete a highly distorted square pyramid geometry around the Cd atom. Besides, different cell types were used to determine the inhibitory effect of Mn(II), Ni(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II) complexes on cell growth using MTT assay. Cd(II) complex showed cytotoxic effect on various types of cancer cell lines with different EC 50 values. © 2012

The methanolic fraction of Centratherum anthelminticum seed downregulates pro-inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress, and hyperglycemia in STZ-nicotinamide-induced type 2 diabetic rats.

This study aimed to ascertain the potential of Centratherum anthelminticum seeds methanolic fraction (CAMFs) for the management of type 2 diabetes and its associated complications. CAMFs was initially tested on β-TC6 cells for H2O2-induced nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) translocation effects. The result displayed that CAMFs significantly inhibited NF-κB translocation from cytoplasm into the nucleus, dose-dependently. Furthermore, a 12-week sub-chronic CAMFs study was carried out on streptozotocin (STZ)-nicotinamide�induced type 2 diabetic rat model to evaluate glycemia, essential biochemical parameters, lipid levels, oxidative stress markers, and pro-inflammatory cytokines level. Our study result showed that CAMFs reduced hyperglycemia by increasing serum insulin, C-peptide, total protein, and albumin levels, significantly. Whereas, elevated blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, lipids and enzyme activities were restored to near normal. CAMFs confirmed antioxidant potential by elevating glutathione (GSH) and reducing malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in diabetic rats. Interestingly, CAMFs down-regulated elevated tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 in the tissues and serum of the diabetic rats. We conclude that CAMFs exerted apparent antidiabetic effects and demonstrated as a valuable candidate nutraceutical for insulin-resistant type 2 diabetes and its associated complications such as dyslipidemia, oxidative stress, and inflammation

Real-world experiences of folic acid supplementation (5 versus 30 mg/week) with methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis patients: a comparison study

The objective of this study was to compare the tolerability of methotrexate in two different regimes of folic acid (FA) supplementation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We performed a multicenter, cross-sectional observational cohort study on 240 RA patients with 120 patients each in 5 mg of FA weekly and 30 mg of FA weekly supplementation. There were no significant differences for side effects (14.2 versus 22.5%, P=0.523) and discontinuation of methotrexate (3.6 versus 13.3%, P=0.085). RA patients given 5 mg of FA weekly supplementation had a lower disease activity score 28 compared to 30 mg of FA weekly supplementation [3.44 (1.10) versus 3.85 (1.40), P=0.014]. FA supplementation of 5 mg per week and 30 mg per week was associated with similar tolerability of methotrexate in RA patients

Somaclonal variation in micropropagated oil palm : characterization of two novel genes with enhanced expression in epigenetically abnormal cell lines and in response to auxin

In vitro micropropagation based on somatic embryogenesis provides an efficient means to multiply selected genotypes of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.). Despite its considerable potential, somatic embryogenesis can yield plants bearing a homeotic flowering abnormality known as mantled. Because the mantled abnormality is epigenetic, it cannot be detected with conventional structural molecular markers. Thus, to develop a means of discriminating among callus cultures carrying or lacking the mantled abnormality, we used a gene expression approach. We describe two novel oil palm genes, EgM39A and EgIAA1, both of which display increased transcript accumulation in epigenetically abnormal calli. EgIAA1 codes for an oil palm relative of the Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. AXR3/IAA17 protein involved in early auxin response and EgM39A codes for a protein of unknown function sharing sequence similarities with asparagine synthetases. In addition to their enhanced expression in somaclonal variant callus lines, both genes displayed increased transcript accumulation in response to auxin treatment. Normal seed-derived zygotic embryos germinated in the presence of auxin accumulated increased amounts of EgIAA1 transcripts after a few hours of treatment, suggesting a role in auxin response similar to that demonstrated for IAA genes in other species. The EgM39A gene also displayed enhanced transcript accumulation in auxin-treated zygotic embryos. Although only a small increase was seen after 24 h, greater changes were observed after 15 days. Both genes show potential as early markers of clonal conformity and may help to elucidate the nature of the epigenetic changes causing the mantled abnormality