In vitro mass multiplication of pomegranate from cotyledonary nodal explants cv. Ganesh

For surface sterilization of explants, treatment involving HgCl2 (0.1 %) for 3 min gave better sterilization of cotyledonary nodal explants. The maximum percentage establishment of cotyledonary node explants was observed on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium + 1.0 mg/l 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) + 0.5 mg/l naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). However, MS medium fortified with 1.0 mg/l BAP + 1.0 mg/l kinetin + 200 mg/l activated charcoal exhibited maximum multiplication rate for the first two subcultures. The maximum frequency of multiple shoots in cotyledonary explants (86.33 %) was observed on treatment MS + 1.0 mg/l BAP + 1.0 mg/l kinetin + 200 mg/l activated charcoal. In vitro rooting of regenerated shoot was found in half strength MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l NAA + 200 mg/l activated charcoal, which recorded the maximum number of root/shoot (4.17) and root length (3.87 cm). In vitro grown plantlets having 5 to 6 cm length of shoot were transferred to vermicompost + soil (1:1v/v) media kept in net house, which showed better survival of plantlet (85.50%) within 11.75 days.Keywords: Establishment, multiplication, rooting, acclimatization, Punica granatumAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(20), pp. 2863-286

The Effects of Ovarian Hormones on Memory Bias and Progesterone Receptors in Female Rats

Ovarian hormones can bias female rats to use one memory system over another when navigating a novel or familiar environment, resulting in a memory bias. High levels of estrogen (E) promotes places memory while low level of E promotes response memory. However, little is known about the effects of progesterone (P) on memory bias. Experiment 1 determined whether P affects memory bias. Ovariectomized (OVX) female rats were trained in a plus shaped maze, which assesses memory system bias, and received one of three hormonal treatments: Low 17β estradiol (E2), high E2 or high E2 + P. P did affect memory bias by reversing the effects of high E2 when rats receive P one hour prior to testing. To understand the mechanisms by which P affect memory bias in the hippocampus (HPC), antibodies directed at nPR, mPRβ and mPRδ were examined. The effects of low E2, high E2, and high E2+P were examined on immunoreactivity to these receptors in the HPC. All three receptor-types were found in the female rat HPC and were found to be insensitive to hormone administration. The presence of these receptors suggests that P can exert both genomic and non-genomic effects in the HPC. Other brain areas involved in memory bias remain to be examined further

Effect of different factors on in vitro growth and shoot proliferation of guava (Psidium guajava L.) cv. Allahabad Safeda

In the present experiment an attempt has been made to optimize the effect of different medium, levels of sucrose, pH, adenine sulphate and light intensity for culture establishment and shoot proliferation in guava using nodal segment explants. Culture establishment was greatly influenced by media types. Maximum establishment ofexplants (74.57%) was recorded on MS medium supplemented with 2.0 mg/l BAP + 0.2 mg/l IBA. In proliferation study, the maximum shoot proliferation was observed in MS + 1 mg/l BAP + 0.25 mg/l GA3. Sucrose 3% was found to be more favorable for maximum proliferation and growth of shoots moreover, it was reduced gradually as increased or decreased levels of sucrose from 30 g/l. among the various pH levels tested, pH 5.5 recorded maximum number of shoots (8.08) and maximum length of shoots (3.75 cm).In proliferation medium the length of shoot, numbers of shoots and growth rate were increased as increased the adenine sulphate level in the medium. Maximum proliferation was observed on 160 mg/l adenine sulphate in the medium. High light intensity 3000 lux was found to be most suitable for proper growth of regenerated shoots. Low light intensity (1000 lux) resulted in stunted growth. All the above factors significantly influenced shoot multiplication and growth. Thus, optimization of these factors showed significantly increased number of shoots and rapid multiplication. This could be useful for the in vitro production of cost effective healthy planting material of guav

Inhibitive action of Bridelia retusa leaves extract on corrosion of mild steel in acidic media

Extract of Bridelia retusa leaves was investigated as corrosion inhibitor of mild steel in 1 N H2SO4 using conventional weight loss, electrochemical polarizations, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopic studies. The weight loss results showed that the extract of Bridelia retusa leaves is excellent corrosion inhibitor and electrochemical polarizations data revealed the mixed mode of inhibition. While the results of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy have shown that the change in the impedance parameters, charge transfer resistance and double layer capacitance, with the change in concentration of the extract is due to the adsorption of active molecules leading to the formation of a protective layer on the surface of mild steel. Scanning electron microscopic studies provided the confirmatory evidence of improved surface condition, due to the adsorption, for the corrosion protection

The C-terminal tail of the yeast mitochondrial transcription factor Mtf1 coordinates template strand alignment, DNA scrunching and timely transition into elongation

Mitochondrial RNA polymerases depend on initiation factors, such as TFB2M in humans and Mtf1 in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, for promoterspecific transcription. These factors drive the melting of promoter DNA, but how they support RNA priming and growth was not understood. We show that the flexible C-terminal tails of Mtf1 and TFB2M play a crucial role in RNA priming by aiding template strand alignment in the active site for high-affinity binding of the initiating nucleotides. Using single-molecule fluorescence approaches, we show that the Mtf1 C-tail promotes RNA growth during initiation by stabilizing the scrunched DNA conformation. Additionally, due to its location in the path of the nascent RNA, the C-tail of Mtf1 serves as a sensor of the RNA- DNA hybrid length. Initially, steric clashes of the Mtf1 C-tail with short RNA-DNA hybrids cause abortive synthesis but clashes with longer RNA-DNA trigger conformational changes for the timely release of the promoter DNA to commence the transition into elongation. The remarkable similarities in the functions of the C-tail and sigma 3.2 finger of the bacterial factor suggest mechanistic convergence of a flexible element in the transcription initiation factor that engages the DNA template for RNA priming and growth and disengages when needed to generate the elongation complex

Comparison of antiemetic activity of palonosetron with granisetron in postoperative nausea and vomiting after laparoscopic gynaecological surgeries

Background: Granisetron is currently one of the commonly used drugs for prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) which is one of the most common distressing complications of laparoscopic surgeries and anesthesia. Palonosetron has emerged as alternative for PONV in adults. Thus, the study was aimed to conduct a comparison of the efficacy and adverse effects of granisetron with palonosetron to prevent PONV in patients undergoing general anaesthesia for elective laparoscopic gynaecological surgeries.Methods: This was a prospective, randomized, double blinded and a comparative study and was performed in Lokmanya Municipal Medical College and general Hospital, Sion, Mumbai, India on 60 patients undergoing elective laparoscopic gynaecologic surgeries, requiring general anaesthesia with endotracheal intubation.Results: Both granisetron 2.5 mg and palonosetron 75 µg are comparable in all respects. They have almost similar incidences in nausea, retching, vomiting and administration of rescue antiemetic at 0-2 hrs, 3 hrs, 12 hrs and 24 hrs postoperatively. The values were not significantly different. The adverse effects seen with both the drugs were not statistically significant.Conclusions: From the study this can be concluded that both the drugs are effective as prophylactic antiemetic in preventing PONV in laparoscopic gynaecological surgeries which are supposed to be highly emetogenic surgery

The expanding field of secondary antibody deficiency: causes, diagnosis, and management

Antibody deficiency or hypogammaglobulinemia can have primary or secondary etiologies. Primary antibody deficiency (PAD) is the result of intrinsic genetic defects, whereas secondary antibody deficiency may arise as a consequence of underlying conditions or medication use. On a global level, malnutrition, HIV, and malaria are major causes of secondary immunodeficiency. In this review we consider secondary antibody deficiency, for which common causes include hematological malignancies, such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia or multiple myeloma, and their treatment, protein-losing states, and side effects of a number of immunosuppressive agents and procedures involved in solid organ transplantation. Secondary antibody deficiency is not only much more common than PAD, but is also being increasingly recognized with the wider and more prolonged use of a growing list of agents targeting B cells. SAD may thus present to a broad range of specialties and is associated with an increased risk of infection. Early diagnosis and intervention is key to avoiding morbidity and mortality. Optimizing treatment requires careful clinical and laboratory assessment and may involve close monitoring of risk parameters, vaccination, antibiotic strategies, and in some patients, immunoglobulin replacement therapy (IgRT). This review discusses the rapidly evolving list of underlying causes of secondary antibody deficiency, specifically focusing on therapies targeting B cells, alongside recent advances in screening, biomarkers of risk for the development of secondary antibody deficiency, diagnosis, monitoring, and management