A uniformity trial on Indian mustard for determination of optimum size and shape of blocks

The aim of this study was to estimate the optimum block size with the shape for field research experiments. A uniform crop of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) variety RH-749 was raised during 2013-14 rabi season over an area of 48m × 48m (2304 basic units) at Research Farm of Oilseed section, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, CCSHAU, Hisar, Haryana, India. The harvesting of crop was done in small units each of size lm × lm (1m2). The blocks of sizes 4, 6, 8, 12 and 24 plots with various shapes, for different plot sizes were considered. The coefficient of variation (CV) decreased from 10.66 to 3.89 with the increase in block size from 4 to 24 , indicating that as the block size increased, homogeneity within the block also increases and the blocks elongated in E-W direction were more effective in reducing error variation than those elongated in N-S direction. It was also observed that C.V. without blocking (20.04) was much higher in comparison with the C.V. with blocking (3.89), thus indicating that blocking was beneficial in reducing error variation. The 24 plot blocks were found to be most efficient with 12m × 2m block shape. Rectangular blocks are also advisable either when the experimenter does not have any idea about the fertility pattern of the experimental area or when border effects are large

Aerosolized BC-819 Inhibits Primary but Not Secondary Lung Cancer Growth

Despite numerous efforts, drug based treatments for patients suffering from lung cancer remains poor. As a promising alternative, we investigated the therapeutic potential of BC-819 for the treatment of lung cancer in mouse tumor models. BC-819 is a novel plasmid DNA which encodes for the A-fragment of Diphtheria toxin and has previously been shown to successfully inhibit tumor growth in human clinical study of bladder carcinoma. In a first set of experiments, we examined in vitro efficacy of BC-819 in human lung cancer cell-lines NCI-H460, NCI-H358 and A549, which revealed >90% reduction of cell growth. In vivo efficacy was examined in an orthotopic mouse xenograft lung cancer model and in a lung metastasis model using luminescent A549-C8-luc adenocarcinoma cells. These cells resulted in peri- and intra-bronchiolar tumors upon intrabronchial application and parenchymal tumors upon intravenous injection, respectively. Mice suffering from these lung tumors were treated with BC-819, complexed to branched polyethylenimine (PEI) and aerosolized to the mice once per week for a period of 10 weeks. Using this regimen, growth of intrabronchially induced lung tumors was significantly inhibited (p = 0.01), whereas no effect could be observed in mice suffering from lung metastasis. In summary, we suggest that aerosolized PEI/BC-819 is capable of reducing growth only in tumors arising from the luminal part of the airways and are therefore directly accessible for inhaled BC-819

Diversity of Transcripts of Nitrite Reductase Genes (nirK and nirS) in Rhizospheres of Grain Legumes

Transcription of the nirK and nirS genes coding for dissimilatory bacterial nitrite reductases was analyzed by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) of mRNA isolated from rhizosphere samples of three economically important grain legumes at maturity: Vicia faba, Lupinus albus, and Pisum sativum. The nirK gene and transcripts could be detected in all the rhizosphere samples. In contrast, nirS could not be detected. Sampling variations were analyzed by comparing denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis profiles derived from nirK RT-PCR products. High similarity was observed between the replicates, and so one representative product per legume was cloned. Clones with the correct insert size were screened by restriction fragment length polymorphism by using the restriction enzyme MspI. The clones could be distributed into 12 different patterns. Patterns 1, 3, 4, 5, and 7 were common in clone libraries of the three rhizosphere types under study. Patterns 2, 9, 10, and 11 were absent from Pisum rhizospheres, while patterns 6, 8, and 12 were absent from the Vicia library. Pattern 1, which was the most dominant in the Vicia and Lupinus libraries, constituted about 25% of all clones. The Lupinus library had clones representing all 12 patterns, indicating it to be the most diverse among the three. Clones representative of each pattern were sequenced. All patterns grouped together forming a distinct cluster, which was divergent from previously described nirK sequences in the database. The study revealed a hitherto unknown diversity of denitrifiers in legume rhizospheres. A plant-dependent rhizosphere effect on the transcripts of a gene was evident

Variations in surface ozone at Nainital:a high-altitude site in the central Himalayas

Surface ozone measurements have been made for the first time at Nainital (29.37 degrees N, 79.45 degrees E, 1958 m amsl), a high-altitude site in the central Himalayas, between October 2006 and December 2008. Diurnal variations in ozone do not show the daytime photochemical build-up typical of urban or rural sites. The seasonal variation shows a distinct ozone maximum in late spring (May; 67.2 +/- 14.2 ppbv) with values sometimes exceeding 100 ppbv and a minimum in the summer/monsoon season (August; 24.9 +/- 8.4 ppbv). Springtime ozone values in the central Himalayas are significantly higher than those at another high-altitude site (Mt. Abu) in the western part of India. Seasonal variations in ozone and the processes responsible for the springtime peak are studied using meteorological parameters, insolation, spatial and temporal classifications of air mass trajectories, fire counts, and simulations with a chemical transport model. Net ozone production over the Northern Indian Subcontinent in regionally polluted air masses is estimated to be 3.2 ppbv/day in spring but no clear build-up is seen at other times of year. Annual average ozone values in regionally polluted air masses (47.1 +/- 16.7 ppbv) and on high insolation days (46.8 +/- 17.3 ppbv) are similar. Background ozone levels are estimated to be 30-35 ppbv. Regional pollution is shown to have maximum contribution (16.5 ppbv) to ozone levels during May-June and is about 7 ppbv on an annual basis, while the contribution of long-range transport is greatest during January-March (8-11 ppbv). The modeled stratospheric ozone contribution is 2-16 ppbv. Both the trajectory analysis and the model suggest that the stratospheric contribution is 4-6 ppbv greater than the contribution from regional pollution. Differences in the seasonal variation of ozone over high-altitude sites in the central Himalayas (Nainital) and western India (Mt. Abu) suggest diverse regional emission sources in India and highlight the large spatial and temporal variability in ozone over the Indian region

Survival of untreated and treated tumor-bearing mice.

<p>Mice bearing intrabronchially induced lung tumors showed a significant survival benefit (p = 0.01) when treated with BC-819 compared to animals which received no treatment (A). No survival benefit was observed in mice suffering from intravenously induced lung tumors, independent of treatment with BC-819 (B).</p

Histology of orthotopically induced lung tumors.

<p>Tumors were detectable as early as 10 days after intrabronchial implantation in the peribronchiolar region of the lungs (A). End stages of intrabronchially induced lung tumors were characterized by multiple, peribronchiolar and parenchymal localized tumors (B) and by tumor tissue within the luminal lung regions as well (C). Intravenous injection of A549-C8-luc, however, resulted in tumors predominately growing in the parenchyma of the lungs but not peribronchiolar or within the bronchi (D). Figure D shows parenchymal tumor tissue close to a bronchus, but not peribronchiolar. Alveolar tissue localized between the tumor and the bronchus however is condensed by the adjacent tumor nodule.</p

Effect of BC-819 on cell growth in different lung cancer cell lines.

<p>NCI-H460, NCI-H358 and A549 cells were transfected, using Lipofectamine 2000, with BC-819 and co-transfected with a plasmid, encoding for the reporter enzyme luciferase. As early as 24 h after transfection, luciferase activity (indirectly indicating cell growth) was reduced by at least >90% when 350 ng BC-819 was used (A). 48 hours later luciferase activity was decreased by more than 98%, except for the cell line NCI-H358. However, a luciferase decrease of more than 98% was observed in all cell lines when the amount of BC-819 was increased to 700 ng (B). The influence of BC-819 on bioluminescent A549-C8-luc was examined as well and revealed decreased luciferase and therefore reduced cell growth (more than 50%) as early as after 24 hours (C). Maximum inhibition of cell growth was reached by 48 hours after transfection, becoming apparent through more than 75% reduction in luciferase activity.</p