Effects of different amounts of organic fertilizers on growth and production of tilapia in monoculture

The experiment was conducted to determine the effects of different amounts of organic fertilizers on growth and production of Tilapia (monosex GIFT tilapia) in monoculture system for a period of 120 days. The experiment was carried out in six earthen ponds, which were situated at the south-east corner of the Fisheries Faculty Building under the Department of Fisheries Management, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. The experiment was designed with three treatments and each of them consisted of two replications. Fish population density was 120 fish per decimal for all the treatments. Ponds were treated with organic fertilizers (cow dung) at the rate of 2 kg, 4 kg and 6 kg per decimal were supplied fortnightly for treatment-I, treatment-II and treatment-III, respectively. The ranges of water temperature, transparency, dissolved oxygen, total alkalinity, free CO2, phosphate-phosphorus and nitrate-nitrogen found were 15.82 to 24.49 ºC, 17.00 to 32.00 cm, 7.00 to 10.30 mg L-1, pH 7.20 to 7.90, 140.00 to 192.00 mg L-1, 2.00 to 6.00 mg L-1, 1.40 to 1.95 mg L-1 and 3.30 to 3.73 mg L-1, respectively. All the physical and chemical parameters except temperature were within the productive range and more or less similar among all the ponds under three treatments. 18 genera of phytoplankton under five major groups and 9 genera of zooplankton under three major groups were identified in the experimental ponds. Average survival rate of fish under treatment-I, treatment-II, and treatment-III were 94.50%, 94.00% and 95.00%, respectively. The calculated net fish production under treatment-I was 3.554 ton ha-1 yr-1 and that under treatment-II was 3.648 ton ha-1 yr-1 and under treatment-III was 2.919 ton ha-1 yr-1. The net fish productions under treatment-II and treatment-III were 102.64% and 82.13% comparing with treatment on which was taken for 100%. According to cost-benefit analysis, the ratios of net profit under treatments I, II, and III were 1:0.81, 1:0.54, and 1:0.04. According to specific growth rate, treatment-II was the best and survival rate of treatment-III was the best, and according to cost-benefit analysis, treatment-I (ratio 1:0.81) was the best. So, organic fertilizer at the rate of 2 kg per decimal (treatment-I) was considered the best among three treatments in this experiment. Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 8 (2): 24-31, December, 201

Rapid Activation of Rac GTPase in Living Cells by Force Is Independent of Src

It is well known that mechanical forces are crucial in regulating functions of every tissue and organ in a human body. However, it remains unclear how mechanical forces are transduced into biochemical activities and biological responses at the cellular and molecular level. Using the magnetic twisting cytometry technique, we applied local mechanical stresses to living human airway smooth muscle cells with a magnetic bead bound to the cell surface via transmembrane adhesion molecule integrins. The temporal and spatial activation of Rac, a small guanosine triphosphatase, was quantified using a fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET) method that measures changes in Rac activity in response to mechanical stresses by quantifying intensity ratios of ECFP (enhanced cyan fluorescent protein as a donor) and YPet (a variant yellow fluorescent protein as an acceptor) of the Rac biosensor. The applied stress induced rapid activation (less than 300 ms) of Rac at the cell periphery. In contrast, platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) induced Rac activation at a much later time (>30 sec). There was no stress-induced Rac activation when a mutant form of the Rac biosensor (RacN17) was transfected or when the magnetic bead was coated with transferrin or with poly-L-lysine. It is known that PDGF-induced Rac activation depends on Src activity. Surprisingly, pre-treatment of the cells with specific Src inhibitor PP1 or knocking-out Src gene had no effects on stress-induced Rac activation. In addition, eliminating lipid rafts through extraction of cholesterol from the plasma membrane did not prevent stress-induced Rac activation, suggesting a raft-independent mechanism in governing the Rac activation upon mechanical stimulation. Further evidence indicates that Rac activation by stress depends on the magnitudes of the applied stress and cytoskeletal integrity. Our results suggest that Rac activation by mechanical forces is rapid, direct and does not depend on Src activation. These findings suggest that signaling pathways of mechanical forces via integrins might be fundamentally different from those of growth factors

Salbutamol in acute organophosphorus insecticide poisoning - a pilotdose-response phase II study

Treatment of acute organophosphorus (OP) insecticide poisoning is difficult, with many patients dying despite best care. Pre-clinical studies have shown benefit from salbutamol, possibly due speeding alveolar fluid clearance or reducing bronchoconstriction. In this small pilot dose-response study, we aimed to explore whether addition of nebulized salbutamol to standard care might improve resuscitation.We performed a single-blind phase II study comparing the effect of two different doses of nebulized salbutamol versus saline placebo, in addition to standard treatment. Primary outcome was oxygen saturations over the first 60 min of resuscitation; secondary outcomes included heart rate, incidence of dysrhythmias, time to 'atropinization', atropine dose required, and mortality.Seventy-five patients were randomized to receive 5 mg (Salb5, n = 25) or 2.5mg (Salb2.5, n = 25) of salbutamol, or saline placebo (NoSalb, n = 25), by nebulizer. Oxygen saturations did not differ between groups over the first 60 min of resuscitation (median AUC NoSalb: 1376 [95% CI 1282 to 1470], Salb2.5: 1395 [1305 to 1486], Salb5: 1233 [1100 to 1367]; p = .9898). Heart rate was also similar across the three arms. Median time to full atropinization, and atropine dose required, were the same for all three arms (NoSalb 15.0 [10-16] min and 12.6 [8.0-13.4] mg, Salb2.5 15.0 [10-16] min and 12.6 [9.3-16.8] mg, and Salb5 15.0 [10-20] min and 12.6 [10.7-20.6] mg; p = .4805 and p = .1871, respectively). Three (12%) patients died in the Salb2.5 and Salb5 groups and two (8%) in the NoSalb group.This pilot study, within the limitations of its small size and variation between patients, found no apparent evidence that administration of nebulized salbutamol improved resuscitation of patients with acute OP insecticide self-poisoning. The data obtained provides a basis to design further studies to ultimately test the role of salbutamol in OP insecticide poisoning

Modelling the potential non-breeding distribution of Spoon-billed Sandpiper Calidris pygmaea

SummaryThe Spoon-billed Sandpiper Calidris pygmaea is a ‘Critically Endangered’ migratory shorebird. The species faces an array of threats in its non-breeding range, making conservation intervention essential. However, conservation efforts are reliant on identifying the species’ key stopover and wintering sites. Using Maximum Entropy models, we predicted Spoon-billed Sandpiper distribution across the non-breeding range, using data from recent field surveys and satellite tracking. Model outputs suggest only a limited number of stopover sites are suitable for migrating birds, with sites in the Yellow Sea and on the Jiangsu coast in China highlighted as particularly important. All the previously known core wintering sites were identified by the model including the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta, Nan Thar Island and the Gulf of Mottama. In addition, the model highlighted sites subsequently found to be occupied, and pinpointed potential new sites meriting investigation, notably on Borneo and Sulawesi, and in parts of India and the Philippines. A comparison between the areas identified as most likely to be occupied and protected areas showed that very few locations are covered by conservation designations. Known sites must be managed for conservation as a priority, and potential new sites should be surveyed as soon as is feasible to assess occupancy status. Site protection should take place in concert with conservation interventions including habitat management, discouraging hunting, and fostering alternative livelihoods.Field surveys in Russian non-breeding grounds were supported by RSPB, MHS and NABU. Field surveys in Gulf of Mottama partly supported by BBC Wildlife Fund. Satellite tagging data collection partly supported by The Biodiversity Investigation, Observation and Assessment Program (2019 - 2023) of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China, RSPB and a private donor. Bangladesh Spoon-billed Sandpiper Conservation Project’s fieldwork in Meghna Estuary (2015 - 2016) supported by RSPB. Data collection by EL partly supported by Basic research program (budgetary funds), projects number АААА-А19-119022190168-8 and АААА-А19-119021990093-8). PT supported by Moscow State University Grant for Leading Scientific Schools "Depository of the Living Systems" in the MSU Development Program framework. TBL was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council UK, and the IAPETUS Doctoral Training Partnership

Apolipoprotein E gene polymorphism is not a strong risk factor for diabetic nephropathy and retinopathy in Type I diabetes: case-control study

BACKGROUND: The gene encoding apolipoprotein E (APOE) has been proposed as a candidate gene for vascular complications in Type I diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the influence of three-allelic variations in the APOE gene for the development of diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy. RESULTS: Neither APOE alleles frequencies or APOE genotypes frequencies differed between Type I diabetic groups either with or without nephropathy. Similar results were found for patients with and without diabetic retinopathy. CONCLUSIONS: APOE gene polymorphism does not determine genetic susceptibility for the development of diabetic retinopathy in Type I diabetes patients. Association between APOE gene polymorphism and diabetic nephropathy may be weak or moderate, but not strong

Soft Substrates Promote Homogeneous Self-Renewal of Embryonic Stem Cells via Downregulating Cell-Matrix Tractions

Maintaining undifferentiated mouse embryonic stem cell (mESC) culture has been a major challenge as mESCs cultured in Leukemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF) conditions exhibit spontaneous differentiation, fluctuating expression of pluripotency genes, and genes of specialized cells. Here we show that, in sharp contrast to the mESCs seeded on the conventional rigid substrates, the mESCs cultured on the soft substrates that match the intrinsic stiffness of the mESCs and in the absence of exogenous LIF for 5 days, surprisingly still generated homogeneous undifferentiated colonies, maintained high levels of Oct3/4, Nanog, and Alkaline Phosphatase (AP) activities, and formed embryoid bodies and teratomas efficiently. A different line of mESCs, cultured on the soft substrates without exogenous LIF, maintained the capacity of generating homogeneous undifferentiated colonies with relatively high levels of Oct3/4 and AP activities, up to at least 15 passages, suggesting that this soft substrate approach applies to long term culture of different mESC lines. mESC colonies on these soft substrates without LIF generated low cell-matrix tractions and low stiffness. Both tractions and stiffness of the colonies increased with substrate stiffness, accompanied by downregulation of Oct3/4 expression. Our findings demonstrate that mESC self-renewal and pluripotency can be maintained homogeneously on soft substrates via the biophysical mechanism of facilitating generation of low cell-matrix tractions

Sunitinib and other targeted therapies for renal cell carcinoma

Targeted therapy has radically altered the way metastatic renal cancer is treated. Six drugs are now licensed in this setting, with several other agents under evaluation. Sunitinib is currently the most widely used in the first line setting with impressive efficacy and an established toxicity profile. However, as further randomised studies report and as newer drugs become available this may change. In this review, we address our current understanding of targeted therapy in renal cancer. We also discuss areas in which our knowledge is incomplete, including the identification of correlative biomarkers and mechanisms of drug resistance. Finally, we will describe the major areas of clinical research that will report over the next few years