304 research outputs found
Estimation of crop coefficient for Marigold (Tagetes erecta (L.)) under drip irrigated greenhouse
Crop water consumption (ETc) varies from region to region depending on crop type, growth stages, soil, and climate conditions. In order to obtain full yield and avoid unnecessary water usage, the water demand of the cultivated plants should be accurately calculated, and irrigation water should be applied in accordance with plant needs. In this, the study was carried out in field No.C3 of Central farm at Agricultural Engineering College and Research Institute, Kumulur, Trichy district to determine the growth stage-specific crop coefficient (Kc) and pan coefficient (Kp) for the greenhouse grown marigold (Tagetes erecta (L.). Since, a large area was occupied by a ClassA pan, the reduced-size evaporative pans (20 and 60 cm compared with Class A pan) was used and pan coefficient was determined as 0.93 and 0.96 respectively. A pan coefficient (Kp) was used to convert pan evaporation (Epan) to grass reference evapotranspiration (ETo). Based on the tensiometer readings, the depleted moisture content was taken to reckon the crop coefficient for different growth stage. The results revealed that crop coefficient (Kc) for marigold was observed as 0.37 during the initial stage (Kcin), 0.8 during mid-stage (Kcmid) and 0.47 (Kcfin) during the final stage. These results would be helpful for crop water requirement and irrigation scheduling for similar condition
Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Aqueous Extract of Leaves Of Oryza Sativa Linn in In-Vitro Enzyme Assays and Carageenan Induced Paw Edema in Wistar Rats
AIM AND OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of leaves of Oryza
sativa Linn. by carrying out the pharmacological studies with the aqueous extract of leaves of
Oryza sativa Linn.
While over-the-counter painkillers can be really helpful, and in some cases may be the
best option, they can also cause gastrointestinal upset and definitely aren’t the best long-term
strategy for coping with chronic pain. The goal is, of course, to try and help relieve pain by
developing a new herbal remedy for the inflammatory action. Among the various
Complementary and alternative medicine, “herbal medicine” is the most popular and fastest
growing approach used to treat various ailments worldwide.[1]
The side effects produced by the synthetic agents include dizziness, weakness and
increasing the gatric ulceration, elevates liver enzyme (diclofenac),nausea, vomiting, pruritis,
headache, insomnia, steven johnson syndrome, peptic ulcer and nephrotoxicity caused by
NSAIDs (aniline derivative), etc.
The key to reduce chronic inflammation in our body starts with our diet and being
liberal in the use of high-quality herbs and spices is one simple way to boost the quality of
our food. They are an inexpensive "secret weapon" that just about everyone can take
advantage of. Spicing up our meals is not enough, however, if processed foods comprise the
bulk part of our life. Thus there is a need to replace synthetic agents by safe and effective
plant based herbal remedies as anti-inflammatory agents. Many plants extracts have been
used as anti-inflammatory agent in folklore claim and in traditional medicines. DISCUSSION:At present, most inflammatory diseases are treated with conventional antiinflammatory
drugs, such as steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (SAIDs) and non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). However, prolonged use of these drugs may produce
many adverse effects, including gastrointestinal disorders,[68,69] immunodeficiency and
humoral disturbances.[70] From long time plants have been used as source of drugs for the
treatment of various ailments in developed as well as developing countries. In the present
study, aqueous extract of leaves of Oryza sativa Linn. was evaluated for its and antiinflammatory
activity in experimental rats.
Preliminary phytochemical analysis of the aqueous extract of leaves of Oryza
sativa Linn. showed the presence of phytochemical such as Alkaloids, Carbohydrate,
Steroids, Phenols, Flavanoids, Terpenoids.
Acute oral toxicity studies of the aqueous extract of leaves of Oryza sativa Linn.
were performed by using OECD 423 guidelines. Studies did not exhibit any lethality or
any profound toxic reactions at a dose of 2000 mg/kg/p.o. According to the OECD 423
guidelines, for acute oral toxicity study, LD50 dose of 2000 mg/kg/p.o of the aqueous
extract of leaves of Oryza sativa Linn. was found to be safe.
From this statistical analysis, it was concluded that the ‘Carrageenan induced’ Group II
shows the inflammatory action and elevated level of Paw Volume is observed. But the 4th
and 5th group deals with the anti-inflammatory activity of the aqueous extract of leaves of
Oryza sativa Linn. which gives low Paw Volume at the end of 6th h. The antiinflammatory
activity is more effective in Group IV Carrageenan induction with oral
administration of aqueous extract of leaves of Oryza sativa Linn. of 200 mg/kg/p.o
compared to Group V in which Carrageenan given after the oral administration of
aqueous extract of leaves of Oryza sativa Linn. of 400 mg/kg/i.p. Significant inhibition
of paw edema was observed with both doses tested till the sixth hour. However,
maximum inhibition of paw edema was found to be in Group IV 87.24 % and although
the inhibition of paw edema with the extract was higher than that found with the standard
drug Indomethacin. The low percentage of inhibition is 43.12 % which belongs to the
Group II i.e., Carrageenan alone induced. The duration of action was found to be
comparable to that of Indomethacin till the sixth hour during investigation. CONCLUSION: Phenolics are ubiquitous secondary metabolites in plants and possess a wide range
of therapeutic uses such as antioxidant, antimutagenic, anticarcinogenic, free radical
scavenging activities. These also decrease cardiovascular complications. The scavenging
ability of the phenolics is mainly due to the presence of hydroxyl groups. The aqueous
extract of leaves of Oryza sativa Linn. showed significantly higher inhibition percentage
(stronger hydrogen-donating ability) positively correlated with total phenolic content.
Flavonoids are a group of polyphenolic compounds, which exhibit several
biological effects such as anti-inflammatory, anti-hepatotoxic, anti-ulcer, anti-allergic,
anti-viral, and anti-cancer activities. The present investigation suggests that the aqueous
extract of leaves of Oryza sativa Linn. shows good antioxidant activity, reducing power,
free radical scavenging activity and hepatic protection. Phytochemical screening of the
aqueous extract of leaves of Oryza sativa Linn. reveals the presence of Alkaloids,
Carbohydrate, Steroids, Phenols, Flavanoids, Terpenoids.
Acute oral toxicity studies of the aqueous extract of leaves of Oryza sativa Linn. did not
produce any mortality or signs of toxicity at the dose of 2000 mg/kg b.w/p.o, in
experimental rats.
Since carrageenan-induced inflammation model is a significant predictive test for antiinflammatory
agents acting by the mediators of acute inflammation the results of this
study are an indication that Oryza sativa Linn. can be effective in acute inflammatory
disorders.[3] In this study, maximum inhibition of paw edema was found to be in Group
IV pretreated with the aqueous extract of leaves of Oryza sativa Linn. (400 mg/kg).
Although the inhibition of paw edema with the extract was higher than that found with
the standard drug Indomethacin is suggestive of its protective effect against inflammation.
During inflammation, the extracellular proteins of the connective tissue can also be
degraded by proteases released from (polymorphonuclear) PMNs or macrophages. It is
not easily decided at present whether proteolytic degradation or free radical – dependent
fragmentation is responsible for the phagocyte dependent connective tissue lesions and
most likely these are not mutually exclusive. A preceding or simultaneous free radical
induced fragmentation could render the connective tissue accessible to enzymatic degradation. The aqueous extract of leaves of Oryza sativa Linn. (400 mg/kg) possess
good anti-inflammatory activity against carageenan induced paw edema by increasing the
level of TP, ALP, SGOT and SGPT in serum.
Our body has an effective defense system against free radical induced damage. It consists
of a set of endogenous antioxidant enzymes, two of the key components of which is
catalase (CAT) Superoxide dismutase (SOD).[71] Superoxide production by leukocytes
apparently contributes to the killing of ingested bacteria.[72]
Regarding non-enzymic antioxidants, reduced glutathione (GSH) is a critical determinant
of tissue susceptibility to oxidative damage. It is an intracellular reductant which is
extensively found in cells. It protects cells against electrophilic attacks by xenobiotics
such as free radicals peroxides. In the present study it is observed that, the antioxidant
studies reveal that the levels of renal (hepatic enzymes) GSH, SOD, CAT, GPx and
Na+/K+ATPase in the carageenan treated animals were decreased significantly along with
an increased LPO content compared to control group. On treating with the aqueous
extract of leaves of Oryza sativa Linn. (400 mg/kg) LPO, GSH, SOD, CAT, GPx,
Na+/K+ATPase levels were increased with negative control.
In the present study it was confirmed that, the aqueous extract of leaves of Oryza sativa
Linn. (400 mg/kg) possess anti-inflammatory activity. The result also supports the plant
in the treatment of inflammation related disease traditionally.
Further isolation, characterization and purification of the active constituents and further
experimentation would be necessary to elucidate the exact mechanism of action of leaves
of Oryza sativa Linn
HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis for women and infants prevents vaginal and oral HIV transmission in a preclinical model of HIV infection
Approximately 1.5 million HIV-positive women become pregnant annually. Without treatment, up to 45% will transmit HIV to their infants, primarily through breastfeeding. These numbers highlight that HIV acquisition is a major health concern for women and children globally. They also emphasize the urgent need for novel approaches to prevent HIV acquisition that are safe, effective and convenient to use by women and children in places where they are most needed
Peripheral halo-functionalization in [Cu(N^N)(P^P)]+ emitters: influence on the performances of light-emitting electrochemical cells
A series of heteroleptic [Cu(N^N)(P^P)][PF6] complexes is described in which P^P = bis(2-(diphenylphosphino)phenyl)ether (POP) or 4,5-bis(diphenylphosphino)-9,9-dimethylxanthene (xantphos) and N^N = 4,4′-diphenyl-6,6′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine substituted in the 4-position of the phenyl groups with atom X (N^N = 1 has X = F, 2 has X = Cl, 3 has X = Br, 4 has X = I; the benchmark N^N ligand with X = H is 5). These complexes have been characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, elemental analyses and cyclic voltammetry; representative single crystal structures are also reported. The solution absorption spectra are characterized by high energy bands (arising from ligand-centred transitions) which are red-shifted on going from X = H to X = I, and a broad metal-to-ligand charge transfer band with λmax in the range 387–395 nm. The ten complexes are yellow emitters in solution and yellow or yellow-orange emitters in the solid-state. For a given N^N ligand, the solution photoluminescence (PL) spectra show no significant change on going from [Cu(N^N)(POP)]+ to [Cu(N^N)(xantphos)]+; introducing the iodo-functionality into the N^N domain leads to a red-shift in λmaxem compared to the complexes with the benchmark N^N ligand 5. In the solid state, [Cu(1)(POP)][PF6] and [Cu(1)(xantphos)][PF6] (fluoro-substituent) exhibit the highest PL quantum yields (74 and 25%, respectively) with values of τ1/2 = 11.1 and 5.8 μs, respectively. Light-emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) with [Cu(N^N)(P^P)][PF6] complexes in the emissive layer have been tested. Using a block-wave pulsed current driving mode, the best performing device employed [Cu(1)(xantphos)]+ and this showed a maximum luminance (Lummax) of 129 cd m−2 and a device lifetime (t1/2) of 54 h; however, the turn-on time (time to reach Lummax) was 4.1 h. Trends in performance data reveal that the introduction of fluoro-groups is beneficial, but that the incorporation of heavier halo-substituents leads to poor devices, probably due to a detrimental effect on charge transport; LECs with the iodo-functionalized N^N ligand 4 failed to show any electroluminescence after 50 h
A human CCT5 gene mutation causing distal neuropathy impairs hexadecamer assembly in an archaeal model
Chaperonins mediate protein folding in a cavity formed by multisubunit rings. The human CCT has eight
non-identical subunits and the His147Arg mutation in one subunit, CCT5, causes neuropathy. Knowledge
is scarce on the impact of this and other mutations upon the chaperone’s structure and functions. To make
progress, experimental models must be developed. We used an archaeal mutant homolog and demonstrated
that the His147Arg mutant has impaired oligomeric assembly, ATPase activity, and defective protein
homeostasis functions. These results establish for the first time that a human chaperonin gene defect can be
reproduced and studied at the molecular level with an archaeal homolog. The major advantage of the system,
consisting of rings with eight identical subunits, is that it amplifies the effects of a mutation as compared
with the human counterpart, in which just one subunit per ring is defective. Therefore, the slight deficit of a
non-lethal mutation can be detected and characterized
A Murine Model to Study Epilepsy and SUDEP Induced by Malaria Infection
One of the largest single sources of epilepsy in the world is produced as a neurological sequela in survivors of cerebral malaria. Nevertheless, the pathophysiological mechanisms of such epileptogenesis remain unknown and no adjunctive therapy during cerebral malaria has been shown to reduce the rate of subsequent epilepsy. There is no existing animal model of postmalarial epilepsy. In this technical report we demonstrate the first such animal models. These models were created from multiple mouse and parasite strain combinations, so that the epilepsy observed retained universality with respect to genetic background. We also discovered spontaneous sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) in two of our strain combinations. These models offer a platform to enable new preclinical research into mechanisms and prevention of epilepsy and SUDEP
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Missed, not missing: Phylogenomic evidence for the existence of Avian FoxP3
The Forkhead box transcription factor FoxP3 is pivotal to the development and function of regulatory T cells (Tregs), which make a major contribution to peripheral tolerance. FoxP3 is believed to perform a regulatory role in all the vertebrate species in which it has been detected. The prevailing view is that FoxP3 is absent in birds and that avian Tregs rely on alternative developmental and suppressive pathways. Prompted by the automated annotation of foxp3 in the ground tit (Parus humilis) genome, we have questioned this assumption. Our analysis of all available avian genomes has revealed that the foxp3 locus is missing, incomplete or of poor quality in the relevant genomic assemblies for nearly all avian species. Nevertheless, in two species, the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) and the saker falcon (F. cherrug), there is compelling evidence for the existence of exons showing synteny with foxp3 in the ground tit. A broader phylogenomic analysis has shown that FoxP3 sequences from these three species are similar to crocodilian sequences, the closest living relatives of birds. In both birds and crocodilians, we have also identified a highly proline-enriched region at the N terminus of FoxP3, a region previously identified only in mammals
A Murine Model to Study Epilepsy and SUDEP Induced by Malaria Infection.
One of the largest single sources of epilepsy in the world is produced as a neurological sequela in survivors of cerebral malaria. Nevertheless, the pathophysiological mechanisms of such epileptogenesis remain unknown and no adjunctive therapy during cerebral malaria has been shown to reduce the rate of subsequent epilepsy. There is no existing animal model of postmalarial epilepsy. In this technical report we demonstrate the first such animal models. These models were created from multiple mouse and parasite strain combinations, so that the epilepsy observed retained universality with respect to genetic background. We also discovered spontaneous sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) in two of our strain combinations. These models offer a platform to enable new preclinical research into mechanisms and prevention of epilepsy and SUDEP
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