A synthetic cytokinin primes photosynthetic and growth response in grapevine under ion-independent salinity stress

Aiding optimal plant–environment interaction would favor plant resilience against environmental constrains including salt stress. We test the hypothesis that 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP) primes grapevine’s salt tolerance in vines (Vitis vinifera) received salt water (NaCl 100 mM) through the modulation of gene expression of BAP (AHK4, AHP1) and salt-stress (CAT, APX) inducible genes and morpho-physiological traits. A subgroup of vines had previously (48 h) been primed with BAP (80 mg/L) before salt stress. The gene expressions were 30% (CAT) and 56% (APX) lower in primed salt-stressed vines than that in un-primed. Salt treatment did not increase leaf Na+ but it lowered stomatal conductance (g s), photosynthesis (A), stem water potential (less negative) and photosystem-II efficiency (F v/F m). Chlorophyll-a concentrations were 30% higher in BAP-primed compared to un-primed. Adverse effects of salt were significantly reduced, maintaining high A/g s, F v/F m and growth. After the relief of the stress, the BAP primed vines had a fast recovery

Pharmacognostic and Phytochemical evaluation of fruit pulp of Tamarindus Indica linn.

Tamarind is fruit of plant which is botanically known as a Tamarindus indica Linn., belonging to Caesalpinaceae subfamily of Fabaceae. In Ayurveda, Tamarind (Amlika) is used to treat Arsha (piles), Gulma (abdominal lump), Yakshma (tuberculosis) etc., which indicates it high medicinal value traditionally. Pharmacognostical standardization of fruit pulp of Tamarindus indica is necessary as it is highly potent commercially. Pharmacognostical study is the preliminary step in the standardization of crude drugs. The present study established macro and microscopic characteristics, physicochemical values, and phytochemical screening of fruit pulp of Tamarindus indica. Microscopy showed presence of thin-walled elongated to polygonal paranchymatous cells, long fibro-vascular bundles, starch granules, thin walled fibers and numerous prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate. Physicochemical analysis revealed loss on drying 16.8% w/w, total ash content 4.7% w/w, Acid insoluble ash 10.6% w/w, water soluble extractive 83.6% w/w and alcohol soluble extractive 67.8% w/w. Phytoconstituents like carbohydrates, alkaloids, amino acids, phenols and glycosides were found present in aqueous and methanolic extracts of pulp. These parameters may serve as standard data for quality control studies of pharmaceutical preparations made from the fruit pulp of T. indica

Characterization and chromosomal organization of satellite DNA sequences in Picea abies

7nonenoneSARRI V; MINELLI S; PANARA F; MORGANTE M; JURMAN I; ZUCCOLO A; CIONINI PGSarri, V; Minelli, S; Panara, F; Morgante, Michele; Jurman, I; Zuccolo, A; Cionini, P

Age; gender and normalization covariates for spinal cord gray matter and total cross-sectional areas at cervical and thoracic levels: A 2D phase sensitive inversion recovery imaging study

The source of inter-subject variability and the influence of age and gender on morphometric characteristics of the spinal cord, such as the total cross-sectional area (TCA), the gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) areas, currently remain under investigation. Understanding the effect of covariates such as age, gender, brain volumes, and skull- and vertebra-derived metrics on cervical and thoracic spinal cord TCA and GM areas in healthy subjects would be fundamental for exploring compartment specific changes in neurological diseases affecting the spinal cord. Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging at 3T we investigated 32 healthy subjects using a 2D phase sensitive inversion recovery sequence and we measured TCA, GM and WM areas at 4 cervical and thoracic levels of the spinal cord. We assessed age and gender relationships of cord measures and explored associations between cord measures and a) brain volumes and b) skull- and vertebra-derived metrics. Age and gender had a significant effect on TCA, WM and GM areas (with women and elderly having smaller values than men and younger people respectively), but not on the GM area/TCA ratio. The total intracranial volume and C3 vertebra dimensions showed the highest correlations with cord measures. When used in multi-regression models, they reduced cord areas group variability by approximately a third. Age and gender influences on cord measures and normalization strategies here presented might be of use in the study of compartment specific changes in various neurological diseases affecting the spinal cord

Evaluation of anti-platelet activity of grape pomace extracts

Platelets aggregation plays a crucial role in atherothrombosis. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the anti-platelet activity of winery by-products extracts, to find the most potent one and to be further analyzed in order to be used for food fortification. For this purpose, grape pomace from four red varieties was extracted with four solvents of different polarity. The extracts' phenolic content, antioxidant capacity and their ability to inhibit human platelet aggregation against PAF, ADP, TRAP were determined by Light Transmission Aggregometry. The ethanolic extract was further analyzed concerning its anti-platelet effect and its chemical composition by LC-MS/MS and GC-MS. The ethanolic and Bligh-Dyer water phase extracts showed the highest phenolic compounds/anthocyanin content and the best antioxidant activity. However, the most potent inhibition of platelet aggregation was revealed by ethanol extracts, followed by the Bligh-Dyer lipoid phase extracts. Ethanolic extract, found to contain micro-constituents such as phospho-compounds, phenolic compounds and fatty acids. The most abundant phenolic compounds were catechin, epicatechin and quercetin and the most abundant fatty acids were linoleic acid (C18:2n6), linolenic acid (C18:3n3) and palmitic acid (C16:0). Ethanolic extract was capable of inhibiting platelets aggregation in a wide range of agonist concentrations and it also seems that its action is sustained when platelets from coronary heart disease patient were used. Ethanol extract of winery by-products exerts a potent anti-platelet effect and its valorization could lead to the production of functional foods with cardioprotective properties. © 2019 The Royal Society of Chemistry