Effects of salinity on the growth, photosynthesis and mineral constituents of the mangrove Rhizophora apiculata L. seedlings

The effects of salinity on growth, chlorophyll content, photosynthetic rates, as measured by leaf stomatal conductance and leaf chlorophyll fluorescence induction, and ion accumulation in the mangrove plant Rhizophora apiculata were determined. The following questions were addressed:                (1) What effect does salinity have on growth responses at different ages? (2) Is R. apiculata an ion accumulator? (3) Does R. apiculata accumulate chlorophyll, net photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence in response to salinity? Rhizophora apiculata  plants were grown in pots at 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 % in sand culture in a plant growth chamber and plants were harvested after 30 and 90 d. Plant total fresh and dry weight and moisture content was significantly inhibited at 75 per cent seawater. Seawater salinity stimulated the chlorophyll contents and they were increased upto 75 per cent seawater.  The net photosynthesis increased with increasing salinity upto the optimal level and the CO2 uptake rate was identical in this species at various salt concentrations. Even at extreme salinity, the CO2 uptake was comparable to that non-saline control plants and CO2 uptake could be correlated with the chlorophyll content. The photochemical activities such as PSI and PSII of the isolated cells increased upto the optimal salinity. The result of the chlorophyll fluorescence kinetics provided with additional proof to the finding of CO2 exchange rate and photochemical activities.  The Na+ and Cl− content in both shoots and roots increased with increases in salinity. Increased treatment levels of NaCl induced decreases in Ca+, P, K+, Mg+   and N in plants

Antibacterial Activity of Salicornia brachiata, A Halophyte

Antibacterial activity of Salicornia brachiata was studied by the agar diffusion and dilution methods.  The methanolic extract of leaves of this species was more active than the aqueous extracts against Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus pumilus, Micrococcus luteus and Staphylococcus aureus.ÂÂ

Development of breathable and liquid/microbes barrier woven surgical gowns for hospital usage

An attempt has been made to develop a breathable woven surgical gown with antimicrobial and liquid repellent properties by finishing with nanoparticles of silver and fluorocarbon using pad-dry-cure method. Box-Behnken design has been used to optimize the coating parameters, i.e. concentrations of nanosilver (NS), nanofluorocarbon (NFC) and binder. The selected coating parameters has decisive influence on the fabric properties, such as air permeability, moisture vapour permeability, antimicrobial and tensile behaviour. The optimum coating parameters such as concentrations of NS, NFC and binder result in improved air permeability and moisture vapour permeability of the fabric for 3 g/L of NS and 40 g/L of NFC. The antibacterial activity of fabric is found to be higher for increased NS concentration and lower for increased NFC. In case of tensile properties of coated fabrics, the increase in NS concentration increases the tensile strength and decreases the bending modulus of fabrics

An unusual presentation of primary renal lymphoma: A case report

Lymphomatous involvement of the kidney is often seen as a part of the disseminated disease but primary renal lymphoma is very rare. It is essential to differentiate between renal cell carcinoma and renal lymphoma in patients presenting with renal masses. The prognosis is usually poor with a median survival less than a year. We present the case of a 81-year-old male who presented with type B symptoms and was diagnosed to have primary lymphoma of the kidney and discuss briefly about the primary renal lymphoma

Higher Plant Cytochrome b5 Polypeptides Modulate Fatty Acid Desaturation

BACKGROUND: Synthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in the endoplasmic reticulum of plants typically involves the fatty acid desaturases FAD2 and FAD3, which use cytochrome b(5) (Cb5) as an electron donor. Higher plants are reported to have multiple isoforms of Cb5, in contrast to a single Cb5 in mammals and yeast. Despite the wealth of information available on the roles of FAD2 and FAD3 in PUFA synthesis, information regarding the contributions of various Cb5 isoforms in desaturase-mediated reactions is limited. RESULTS: The present functional characterization of Cb5 polypeptides revealed that all Arabidopsis Cb5 isoforms are not similarly efficient in ω-6 desaturation, as evidenced by significant variation in their product outcomes in yeast-based functional assays. On the other hand, characterization of Cb5 polypeptides of soybean (Glycine max) suggested that similar ω-6 desaturation efficiencies were shared by various isoforms. With regard to ω-3 desaturation, certain Cb5 genes of both Arabidopsis and soybean were shown to facilitate the accumulation of more desaturation products than others when co-expressed with their native FAD3. Additionally, similar trends of differential desaturation product accumulation were also observed with most Cb5 genes of both soybean and Arabidopsis even if co-expressed with non-native FAD3. CONCLUSIONS: The present study reports the first description of the differential nature of the Cb5 genes of higher plants in fatty acid desaturation and further suggests that ω-3/ω-6 desaturation product outcome is determined by the nature of both the Cb5 isoform and the fatty acid desaturases