Salinity Tolerance of Forage Range Legumes during Germination and Early Seedling Growth

Salinity is one of the rising problems causing tremendous yield losses in many regions of the world especially in arid and semiarid regions. In India, about 5.95M ha areas were affected by salinity. Five states viz. Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh accounts for 48% of the total salt affected soils of the country. Establishment of seedlings at early growth stages of crop plants as one of the most important determinants of high yield is severely affected by soil salinity. Increasing salinity levels significantly decreased germination parameters, shoot and root length, shoot and root fresh and dry weights of some forage sorghum cultivars (Kandil et al., 2012). Therefore, in the present investigation three forage range legumes namely centro, clitoria and siratro were tested for their relative salt tolerance to increasing levels of salinity in those combinations of salts which nearly exist in the natural salt affected soils

Persistent left superior vena cava mistaken for nodal metastasis: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Evaluation of the mediastinum is crucial for patients with lung cancer. Mediastinal lymph node metastases play a dramatic role in the process of staging. Physicians should be aware of the potential pitfalls regarding mediastinal evaluation. This case report provides an example.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We report the case of a 57-year-old Caucasian man who presented with a four-month history of non-productive cough. He was diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer. Initially, it was thought to be inoperable due to the presence of a para-aortic lymph node. A more careful examination of the mediastinum revealed that the "lymph node" was in fact a persistent left superior vena cava.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study highlights the difficulties in mediastinal staging, especially when intravenous contrast is not used. The recognition of this vascular malformation dramatically changed the therapeutic decisions, giving our patient the opportunity of surgical resection. To the best of our knowledge, such correlation has not been described in English literature.</p

The feasibility of milkfish (Chanos chanos) aquaculture in Solomon Islands

Fish is crucial to food and nutrition security in Solomon Islands, and demand is expected to increase due to a growing population. However, it is projected that current capture fisheries production will not meet this growing demand. Aquaculture has the potential to mitigate the capture fishery shortfall, and the Government of Solomon Islands is prioritizing aquaculture as a solution to meet future food and income needs. Aquaculture in Solomon Islands is still in early development. Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) is farmed for household consumption, but its prolific reproductive rate and resulting slow growth limit its potential as a commercial aquaculture species. More productive fish species that are not indigenous to Solomon Islands but are successfully farmed overseas could be introduced; however, such a decision needs to take into account the potential ecological or social impacts. For land-based pond aquaculture, the only indigenous species that has been farmed extensively elsewhere is milkfish (Chanos chanos). This report presents a feasibility assessment for milkfish farming in Solomon Islands. It synthesizes the current knowledge about milkfish farming and presents results of a 4-year study on the potential for milkfish aquaculture in Solomon Islands

Pathways to Achieve National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) in India

The rapid economic growth and steep population increase in India’s urban areas, and the lack of policy measures to control pollution in these regions, are causing public health problems, significant environmental degradation, including of air, water, and land, and increased production of greenhouse gases. Together, these undermine the potential for sustainable socio-economic development of the country, and will particularly have severe implications for the poor. A large share of the Indian population is exposed to pollution levels that do not conform to global and national air quality standards. Globally, Indian cities rank poorly in terms of air pollution. Numerous monitoring sites across India report high concentrations of PM2.5, which exceed the benchmark limit (of 40 μg/m³) suggested by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). It is estimated that in 2015, more than half the Indian population—about 670 million people—were exposed to ambient PM2.5 concentrations that do not comply with India’s NAAQS. Further, less than one per cent enjoyed air quality that met the global World Health Organization (WHO) benchmark limit of 10 μg/m³. About one-quarter of the population lived in areas where the WHO guideline was exceeded by more than nine times. Exposure to air pollution poses a serious health burden in India. Available health impact assessments suggest that several hundred thousand cases of premature deaths annually are attributable to pollution

Fermented wheat germ extract - nutritional supplement or anticancer drug?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Fermented wheat germ extract (FWGE) is a multisubstance composition and, besides others, contains 2-methoxy benzoquinone and 2, 6-dimethoxy benzoquinone which are likely to exert some of its biological effects. FWGE interferes with anaerobic glycolysis, pentose cycle and ribonucleotide reductase. It has significant antiproliferative effects and kills tumor cells by the induction of apoptosis via the caspase-poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase-pathway. FWGE interacts synergistically with a variety of different anticancer drugs and exerted antimetastatic properties in mouse models. In addition, FWGE modulates immune response by downregulation of MHC-I complex and the induction of TNF-α and various interleukins. Data in the F-344 rat model provide evidence for a colon cancer preventing effect of FWGE.</p> <p>Clinical data from a randomized phase II trial in melanoma patients indicate a significant benefit for patients treated with dacarbazine in combination with FWGE in terms of progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Similarly, data from studies in colorectal cancer suggested a benefit of FWGE treatment. Besides extension of OS and PFS, FWGE improved the quality of life in several studies.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In conclusion, available data so far, justify the use of FWGE as a non-prescription medical nutriment for cancer patients. Further randomized, controlled and large scale clinical studies are mandatory, to further clarify the value of FWGE as a drug component of future chemotherapy regimens.</p

EMT transcription factors snail and slug directly contribute to cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a molecular process through which an epithelial cell undergoes transdifferentiation into a mesenchymal phenotype. The role of EMT in embryogenesis is well-characterized and increasing evidence suggests that elements of the transition may be important in other processes, including metastasis and drug resistance in various different cancers.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Agilent 4 × 44 K whole human genome arrays and selected reaction monitoring mass spectrometry were used to investigate mRNA and protein expression in A2780 cisplatin sensitive and resistant cell lines. Invasion and migration were assessed using Boyden chamber assays. Gene knockdown of <it>snail </it>and <it>slug </it>was done using targeted siRNA. Clinical relevance of the EMT pathway was assessed in a cohort of primary ovarian tumours using data from Affymetrix GeneChip Human Genome U133 plus 2.0 arrays.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Morphological and phenotypic hallmarks of EMT were identified in the chemoresistant cells. Subsequent gene expression profiling revealed upregulation of EMT-related transcription factors including <it>snail, slug, twist2 </it>and <it>zeb2</it>. Proteomic analysis demonstrated up regulation of Snail and Slug as well as the mesenchymal marker Vimentin, and down regulation of E-cadherin, an epithelial marker. By reducing expression of <it>snail </it>and <it>slug</it>, the mesenchymal phenotype was largely reversed and cells were resensitized to cisplatin. Finally, gene expression data from primary tumours mirrored the finding that an EMT-like pathway is activated in resistant tumours relative to sensitive tumours, suggesting that the involvement of this transition may not be limited to <it>in vitro </it>drug effects.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This work strongly suggests that genes associated with EMT may play a significant role in cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer, therefore potentially leading to the development of predictive biomarkers of drug response or novel therapeutic strategies for overcoming drug resistance.</p

Grambank reveals the importance of genealogical constraints on linguistic diversity and highlights the impact of language loss

While global patterns of human genetic diversity are increasingly well characterized, the diversity of human languages remains less systematically described. Here we outline the Grambank database. With over 400,000 data points and 2,400 languages, Grambank is the largest comparative grammatical database available. The comprehensiveness of Grambank allows us to quantify the relative effects of genealogical inheritance and geographic proximity on the structural diversity of the world's languages, evaluate constraints on linguistic diversity, and identify the world's most unusual languages. An analysis of the consequences of language loss reveals that the reduction in diversity will be strikingly uneven across the major linguistic regions of the world. Without sustained efforts to document and revitalize endangered languages, our linguistic window into human history, cognition and culture will be seriously fragmented.Genealogy versus geography Constraints on grammar Unusual languages Language loss Conclusio