Effects of Caffeine on the Seed Germination of Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranean (L.) Verdc)

This study was conducted to determine the effects of different caffeine concentrations on seed germination of Bambara groundnut. The seeds were pre-soaked in distilled water for 12 hours and then exposed to the different concentrations of the caffeine doses prepared on weight basis, i.e. 0.005 %, 0.25 %, 0.5 %, and 0.75 % 1.0 %, 1.25 %, 1.5%, 1.75% and 2.0% w/w caffeine in solution, prepared in a phosphate buffer of pH-7 2. Three replications of the treatments were made and sown with each seed of the treated concentrations in a pot using a Complete Randomized Block Design (CRBD). Seed germination was scored for seven days and the germinated seedlings were further observed for 9 weeks. The radicle length, shoot height, and stem girth were measured weekly after germination. From the results, it was evident that increased concentration of caffeine reduced the germination percentage of the seeds. The caffeine concentrations of 1.75-2.0% recorded no germination compared with more than 90% germination at the end of the 7 days recorded in the case of 0.05-0.25% caffeine concentrations. There was a reduction in radicle length as the caffeine concentration increased at 7 weeks after planting. 0.5% caffeine concentration recorded the highest shoot length of 3.32cm among the caffeine concentrations with no significant difference detected in the stem girth studied. From the results obtained therefore, lower caffeine concentrations showed an increase in Bambara groundnut germination, hence could result in general improvement in crop yield.Keywords: Bambara nuts, Caffeine, Crop, Germination, Vigna, Yol

Allostery without conformation change: modelling protein dynamics at multiple scales

The original ideas of Cooper and Dryden, that allosteric signalling can be induced between distant binding sites on proteins without any change in mean structural conformation, has proved to be a remarkably prescient insight into the rich structure of protein dynamics. It represents an alternative to the celebrated Monod–Wyman–Changeux mechanism and proposes that modulation of the amplitude of thermal fluctuations around a mean structure, rather than shifts in the structure itself, give rise to allostery in ligand binding. In a complementary approach to experiments on real proteins, here we take a theoretical route to identify the necessary structural components of this mechanism. By reviewing and extending an approach that moves from very coarse-grained to more detailed models, we show that, a fundamental requirement for a body supporting fluctuation-induced allostery is a strongly inhomogeneous elastic modulus. This requirement is reflected in many real proteins, where a good approximation of the elastic structure maps strongly coherent domains onto rigid blocks connected by more flexible interface regions

Relationship between sperm plasma membrane integrity and morphology and fertility following artificial insemination

Sperm quality plays an important role in determining fertility. The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between sperm plasma membrane integrity and morphology, and fertility following artificial insemination (AI). A total of 16 ejaculates were collected from three Large White boars using the gloved hand technique. The semen was extended with a commercial extender. The AI dose contained 80 mL semen sample (3 × 109 sperm/mL). Aliquots of diluted semen were assessed for sperm plasma membrane integrity (synthetic binding CD-14 (SYBR+)/propidium iodide (PI-) and sperm morphology (eosin nigrosin). A total of 73 Duroc-type, Large White and nondescript multiparous sows from smallholder farms were inseminated with extended semen samples. Boar sperm plasma membrane integrity and morphology were subjected to one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The average boar sperm plasma membrane integrity and normal sperm morphology were 78.6% and 77.2%, respectively. The average conception and farrowing rates following artificial insemination (AI) were 78.1 and 57.5%, respectively. A negative correlation was observed between sperm plasma membrane integrity and fertility. There was a weak positive correlation between normal sperm morphology and conception rate (r = 0.11). Additionally, a relationship was observed between normal sperm morphology and litter size (r = 0.37) and total number born alive (r = 0.03), although relatively low. In conclusion, a negative relationship was found between sperm plasma membrane integrity and fertility. Moreover, there was a relationship between morphologically normal sperm and litter size, as well as number of piglets born alive, although relatively low.Keywords: Boar, Eosin Nigrosin, Semen quality, SYBR14/P

Life cycle modelling of environmental impacts of application of processed organic municipal solid waste on agricultural land (EASEWASTE)

A model capable of quantifying the potential environmental impacts of agricultural application of composted or anaerobically digested source-separated organic municipal solid waste (MSW) is presented. In addition to the direct impacts, the model accounts for savings by avoiding the production and use of commercial fertilizers. The model is part of a larger model, Environmental Assessment of Solid Waste Systems and Technology (EASEWASTE), developed as a decisionsupport model, focusing on assessment of alternative waste management options. The environmental impacts of the land application of processed organic waste are quantified by emission coefficients referring to the composition of the processed waste and related to specific crop rotation as well as soil type. The model contains several default parameters based on literature data, field experiments and modelling by the agro-ecosystem model, Daisy. All data can be modified by the user allowing application of the model to other situations. A case study including four scenarios was performed to illustrate the use of the model. One tonne of nitrogen in composted and anaerobically digested MSW was applied as fertilizer to loamy and sandy soil at a plant farm in western Denmark. Application of the processed organic waste mainly affected the environmental impact categories global warming (0.4–0.7 PE), acidification (–0.06 (saving)–1.6 PE), nutrient enrichment (–1.0 (saving)–3.1 PE), and toxicity. The main contributors to these categories were nitrous oxide formation (global warming), ammonia volatilization (acidification and nutrient enrichment), nitrate losses (nutrient enrichment and groundwater contamination), and heavy metal input to soil (toxicity potentials). The local agricultural conditions as well as the composition of the processed MSW showed large influence on the environmental impacts. A range of benefits, mainly related to improved soil quality from long-term application of the processed organic waste, could not be generally quantified with respect to the chosen life cycle assessment impact categories and were therefore not included in the model. These effects should be considered in conjunction with the results of the life cycle assessment

Chemical telemetry of OH observed to measure interstellar magnetic fields

We present models for the chemistry in gas moving towards the ionization front of an HII region. When it is far from the ionization front, the gas is highly depleted of elements more massive than helium. However, as it approaches the ionization front, ices are destroyed and species formed on the grain surfaces are injected into the gas phase. Photodissociation removes gas phase molecular species as the gas flows towards the ionization front. We identify models for which the OH column densities are comparable to those measured in observations undertaken to study the magnetic fields in star forming regions and give results for the column densities of other species that should be abundant if the observed OH arises through a combination of the liberation of H2O from surfaces and photodissociation. They include CH3OH, H2CO, and H2S. Observations of these other species may help establish the nature of the OH spatial distribution in the clouds, which is important for the interpretation of the magnetic field results.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, accepted by Astrophysics and Space Scienc

Aldehyde dehydrogenase-1a1 induces oncogene suppressor genes in B cell populations

AbstractThe deregulation of B cell differentiation has been shown to contribute to autoimmune disorders, hematological cancers, and aging. We provide evidence that the retinoic acid-producing enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase 1a1 (Aldh1a1) is an oncogene suppressor in specific splenic IgG1+/CD19− and IgG1+/CD19+ B cell populations. Aldh1a1 regulated transcription factors during B cell differentiation in a sequential manner: 1) retinoic acid receptor alpha (Rara) in IgG1+/CD19− and 2) zinc finger protein Zfp423 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (Pparg) in IgG1+/CD19+ splenocytes. In Aldh1a1−/− mice, splenic IgG1+/CD19− and IgG1+/CD19+ B cells acquired expression of proto-oncogenic genes c-Fos, c-Jun, and Hoxa10 that resulted in splenomegaly. Human multiple myeloma B cell lines also lack Aldh1a1 expression; however, ectopic Aldh1a1 expression rescued Rara and Znf423 expressions in these cells. Our data highlight a mechanism by which an enzyme involved in vitamin A metabolism can improve B cell resistance to oncogenesis

Moduli Dependent mu-Terms in a Heterotic Standard Model

In this paper, we present a formalism for computing the non-vanishing Higgs mu-terms in a heterotic standard model. This is accomplished by calculating the cubic product of the cohomology groups associated with the vector bundle moduli (phi), Higgs (H) and Higgs conjugate (Hbar) superfields. This leads to terms proportional to phi H Hbar in the low energy superpotential which, for non-zero moduli expectation values, generate moduli dependent mu-terms of the form H Hbar. It is found that these interactions are subject to two very restrictive selection rules, each arising from a Leray spectral sequence, which greatly reduce the number of moduli that can couple to Higgs-Higgs conjugate fields. We apply our formalism to a specific heterotic standard model vacuum. The non-vanishing cubic interactions phi H Hbar are explicitly computed in this context and shown to contain only four of the nineteen vector bundle moduli.Comment: 23 pages, LaTe

Yukawa Couplings in Heterotic Standard Models

In this paper, we present a formalism for computing the Yukawa couplings in heterotic standard models. This is accomplished by calculating the relevant triple products of cohomology groups, leading to terms proportional to Q*H*u, Q*Hbar*d, L*H*nu and L*Hbar*e in the low energy superpotential. These interactions are subject to two very restrictive selection rules arising from the geometry of the Calabi-Yau manifold. We apply our formalism to the "minimal" heterotic standard model whose observable sector matter spectrum is exactly that of the MSSM. The non-vanishing Yukawa interactions are explicitly computed in this context. These interactions exhibit a texture rendering one out of the three quark/lepton families naturally light.Comment: 21 pages, LaTe

Classical and Quantum Nambu Mechanics

The classical and quantum features of Nambu mechanics are analyzed and fundamental issues are resolved. The classical theory is reviewed and developed utilizing varied examples. The quantum theory is discussed in a parallel presentation, and illustrated with detailed specific cases. Quantization is carried out with standard Hilbert space methods. With the proper physical interpretation, obtained by allowing for different time scales on different invariant sectors of a theory, the resulting non-Abelian approach to quantum Nambu mechanics is shown to be fully consistent.Comment: 44 pages, 1 figure, 1 table Minor changes to conform to journal versio