Morpho - agronomic diversity in Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn landraces from Maharashtra State (India)

Sixty four finger millet [Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn] landraces and 2 cultivars were evaluated for yield contributing and morpho-agronomic characters. All the landraces were collected from Western Ghats zone of Maharashtra. Collected landraces were cultivated at Nashik (Maharashtra) and 5 representatives of each were evaluated for head weight, height, 1000 seed weight, tillers, panicle length, extra finger, number of grains/spikelet, number of fingers/ head, days to 50% flowering and days to maturity. Obtained data was used to determine GCV, PCV and correlation studies. A good amount of variability was found for all the selected characters. Among the characters highest GCV and PCV was recorded for tillers (54.95% and 71.38%). All the characters showed higher PCV values which indicate the influence of the environment. All the characters except height and tillers exhibited higher level of correlation. Heritability estimates ranged from 90.03 % for 1000 seed weight to lowest 44.03 % for height. 1000 seed weight exhibited high heritability coupled with low genetic advance. Obtained results revealed the existence of variability for the character studied. Present studies will be useful for selection of potential characters which could be used in the genetic improvement or selection program of Finger millets

Cytogenetical studies on the effect of omnacortil on root tip cells of Allium cepa L

Abstract: Omnacortil is steroid, an allopathic drug commonly used as analgesic and suppressant in various diseases. In the present work, onion root tips were subjected with a series of omnacortil concentrations, ranging from 0.2 µg/ml, 0.4 µg/ml, 0.6 µg/ml, 0.8 µg/ml and 1.0 µg/ml for 24 hours for studying its effect on root mitosis in Allium cepa L. The roots were examined in permanent root tip squash preparations stained by the aceto-orcein. This work has confirmed that omnacortil have various effects on chromosomes and induced different mitotic abnormalities and structural aberration of chromosomes. Mitotic index (MI), relative division rate (RDR), relative abnormality rate (RAR) of treated material has been determined. Obtained results showed that all the concentrations of omnacortil showed higher MI and RDR, lower concentrations such as 0.2 µg and 0.4 µg showed higher values over rest of the concentrations and control. Among the subjected concentrations 0.8 µg concentration is most effective and showed highest RAR. Low concentrations of steroids act as stimulants while higher concentrations induced various chromosomal aberrations such as clumping and stickiness, fragmentation, C-mitotic effect, anaphase bridge, chromosomal condensation and contraction, dissolution of chromosome, which clearly showed the mutagenic, clastogenic, antimitotic and cytotoxic effect of omnacortil. This is the first report detailing the effects of omnacortil on chromosomes

Characterizing and Predicting the Future Popularity of Online Videos

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Protective Effect of Resveratrol against Hypoxia-Induced Neural Oxidative Stress

Oxidative stress plays an important role in brain aging and in neurodegenerative diseases. New therapeutic agents are necessary to cross the blood–brain barrier and target disease pathogenesis without causing disagreeable side effects. Resveratrol (RSV) may act as a neuroprotective compound, but little is known about its potential in improving the cognitive and metabolic aspects that are associated with neurodegenerative diseases. The objective of this study was to investigate the protective effects and the underlying mechanisms of RSV against hypoxia-induced oxidative stress in neuronal PC12 cells. For the induction of the hypoxia model, the cells were exposed to oxygen-deprived gas in a hypoxic chamber. Cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by a fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis. The intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was analyzed by using dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFDA) and 5-(and-6)-chloromethyl-2’,7’-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate, acetyl ester (CM-H2DCFDA) tests. The expression of activated caspase-3, -9, Bcl-2, Bax, p53, and SOD was investigated by a Western blot analysis. We found that hypoxia reduced PC12 viability by inducing apoptosis, while RSV treatment attenuated the ROS-induced damage by reducing caspase-3, -9, and the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. The RSV treated groups were found to improve cellular health, with a 7.41% increase in the S phase population in the 10 µM group, compared to the control. Hence, RSV has a protective effect in neuronal cells and may halt the cell cycle in the G1/S phase to repair the intracellular damage. Therefore, RSV could be a good candidate to act as an antioxidant and promising preventive therapeutic agent in neurodegenerative diseases for personalized medicine

Discovery of thiazolidinedione-based pancreatic lipase inhibitors as anti-obesity agents: synthesis, <i>in silico</i> studies and pharmacological investigations

A series of new 2,5-disubstituted arylidene derivatives of thiazolidinedione (16a-e, 17a-d, 18a-c) designed using molecular hybridization approach were synthesized, structurally characterized, and explored for their anti-obesity potential via inhibition of Pancreatic Lipase (PL). Compound 18a presented the most potent PL inhibitory activity with IC50 = 2.71 ± 0.31 µM, as compared to the standard drug, Orlistat (IC50 = 0.99 µM). Kinetic study revealed reversible competitive mode of enzyme inhibition by compound 18a with an inhibitory constant value of 1.19 µM. The most promising compound 18a revealed satisfactory binding mode within the active site of the target protein (human PL, PDB ID: 1LPB). Also, MM/PBSA binding free energy and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation analysis were performed for the most promising compound 18a, which showed potent inhibition according to the results of in vitro studies. Furthermore, a stable conformation of the 1LPB-ligand suggested the stability of this compound in the dynamic environment. The ADME and toxicity analysis of the compounds were examined using web-based online platforms. Results of in vivo studies confirmed the anti-obesity efficacy of compound 18a, wherein oral treatment with compound 18a (30 mg/kg) resulted in a significant reduction in the body weight, BMI, Lee index, feed intake (in Kcal), body fat depots and serum triglycerides. Compound 18a significantly decreased the levels of serum total cholesterol (TC) to 128.6 ± 0.59 mg/dl and serum total triglycerides (TG) to 95.73 ± 0.67 mg/dl as compared to the HFD control group. The present study identified disubstituted TZD derivatives as a new promising class of anti-obesity agents. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma</p