Journal of Advanced Laboratory Research in Biology
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Leaf Area, Fresh Weight and Dry Weight Prediction Models for Ornamental Plants Ficus benjamina (cv. Starlight)
Get PDFMeasurements of leaf growth indices namely leaf area, fresh weight and dry weight are of value in physiological studies and plant growth estimation. The use of prediction models to estimate leaf area, fresh weight and dry weight is simple, rapid and non-destructive. Several mathematical functions have been formulated for estimating leaf area, fresh weight and dry weight of various crops but almost there is no information for Ficus benjamina. This work was aimed to propose leaf area (LA), fresh weight (FW) and dry weight (DW) prediction models for Ficus benjamina (cv. Starlight) leafy ornamental pot plant using leaf length (L) and width (W). 1000 leaves were collected randomly from greenhouse grown plants and 700 of cuts were used for prediction models. LA was measured with a digital area meter (DELTA-T, Co. Durham, UK), related FW and DW also were weighted and leaf dimensions were determined by the ruler. For each studying growth index LA, FW and DW the predictive abilities of three regression equations (linear, polynomial and power) were compared with different independent variables for each equation. Leaf length × width provided a good estimation of leaf area and fresh weight of the leaves of Ficus benjamina. It was also concluded that leaves the dry weight of Ficus benjamina can be estimated or simulated as a power function of L×W or L+W with reasonable accuracy. Moreover, a reasonable relationship between leaf fresh weight and leaf area was found too
Effective Selection Criteria for Predicting Thermotolerance in Wheat under Field Conditions
Get PDFA field experiment was conducted at the experimental area of the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during Rabi season. Five Wheat cultivars (PBW-343, WH-542, PBW-502, PBW-509 and PBW-3765) sown on six dates of sowing starting from 31st October at weekly intervals up to 5th December to find suitable thermotolerance traits and genotypes. Amongst eleven traits recorded at different growth stages showed that the largest variability was observed in crop growth rate (CGR), Leaf area index (LAI) grain spike weight ratio (GSPWR), spike growth duration (SGD), cumulative growing degree days (GDD) accumulated during vegetative and reproductive phenophases and grain attributes and grain yield at maturity. The highest grain yield was recorded in cultivars PBW-343, WH-542 and PBW-502. The maximum grain yield was correlated with longer filling duration, higher crop growth rate and grain spike weight ratio at anthesis phase. The results revealed that the cumulative growing degree-days (GDD) accumulated more during the reproductive phases as compared with the vegetative phases of wheat cultivars. The GDD is the effective selection criteria for screening thermotolerance in wheat cultivars
NADPH Oxidase has a Regulatory Role in Acute Allergic Asthma
Get PDFObjective: For the establishment of inflammation, a constant interplay between different effector cells from circulation, local resident cells, soluble mediators and genetic host factors is required. Molecular mechanisms, initiating and perpetuating inflammation, in particular, the involvement of effector cells in redox reactions for producing O2- (superoxide anion) through the mediation of NADPH oxidase is a critical step. Prior data suggest that reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by NADPH oxidase homologues in non-phagocytic cells play an important role in the regulation of signal transduction, while macrophages use a membrane-associated NADPH oxidase to generate an array of oxidizing intermediates which inactivate MMPs on or near them.
Materials, Methods and Treatment: To clarify the role of NADPH oxidase in T cell-initiated, macrophage-associated allergic asthma, we induced allergen dependent inflammation in a gp91phox-/- mouse.
Results: Both inflammation and airway hyperreactivity were more extensive than in wildtype mice post-OVA. Although OVA-specific IgE in plasma were comparable in wildtype and knockout mice, enhanced inflammatory cell recruitment from circulation and cytokine release in lung and BALf, accompanied by higher airway resistance as well as Penh in response to methacholine, indicates a regulatory role for NADPH oxidase in development of allergic asthma. While T cell-mediated functions like Th2 cytokine secretion, and proliferation to OVA were up-regulated synchronous with the overall robustness of the asthma phenotype, macrophage up-regulation in functions such as proliferation, mixed lymphocyte reaction, and MCP-1 directed chemotaxis, but downregulation of respiratory burst response indicates a forking in their signaling pathways. gp91phox-/- MMP12 double knockout (DKO) mice show a similar phenotype as the gp91phox-/- showing the non-involvement or synergistic involvement of MMP12 in the response pathway. In mixed lymphocyte reaction using the Increased B7.1 but reduced B7.2 and MHC class II expression indicating alteration of co-stimulatory molecule expression critical for T cell activation on both gp91phox-/- and DKO mice may explain the mechanism by which gp91phox may regulate Th2 pathway in allergic asthma
Syzygium cumini Leaf Extract Showed Vibriocidal Activity on Selected Diarrhea Causing Bacteria
Get PDFThe objective of the study was to investigate the effect of ethanolic leaf extract (ELE) of Syzygium cumini against Vibrio cholerae particularly two serogroups Ogawa and Inaba. The phenolic content of the ELE was found high which is comparable to ascorbic acid. Brine shrimp lethality bioassay was then performed to check the cytotoxic effects of ELE. The lower LC50 value of ELE obtained indicated its less cytotoxic properties. The antimicrobial activity of the extract was then evaluated by the disc diffusion method against multi-drug resistant Vibrio serogroups Ogawa and Inaba. The extract effectively inhibited the growth of both serogroups. Altogether, the results demonstrated that the ELE of S. cumini has a significant vibriocidal activity that might be useful as a drug for the treatment of cholera
The Effect of Using Vitavax Fungicide on Microbial Flora of Peas and Barley Roots and Some Vegetative Characteristics
Get PDFThe fungicide Vitavax was used to fumigate both barley and pea seeds at concentrations; 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5mg/g seeds and kept for a period reaching five months. The data obtained indicate that germination percentage and the plant growth characteristics were slightly affected with differences in the two plants under investigation. With regard to microbial content in both rhizosphere and rhizoplan; the total viable count was slightly affected after one month of storage, but the counts remained at a good rate till the 5th month of storage. The dominant strains belonged to Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Micrococcus, Sarcina and Actinomyces. The counts of Azotobacter were not affected in a high degree. The fungicide concentration of 0.3mg/g was the best among the treatments with 3 months storage period, for either plant growth parameters or bacterial counts although it reached five months with other treatments
Evaluation of Effect of Organic Fertilizer’s Treatments and Soil Compaction on the Qualitative Traits of Sport Lawn in Different Seasons
Get PDFNatural structure of lawn brings about the sensitivity of it to climate conditions and imposed destructive forces during its use. In this study, the effect of several types of organic fertilizers including leaf mold (LM), rice husk (RH), livestock manure, spent mushroom compost (SMC), a mixture of LM, RH and livestock manure (mixture 1), a mixture of LM, RH and SMC (mixture 2) with the ratio of 1:1:1 and control (no fertilizer) along with several levels of compaction including roller weighted of 36, 56 and 76 kilograms were studied on the change qualitative traits of sport lawn in different seasons. An experiment was conducted at the strip plot design in three replications, in research farm of Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources during 2008-2009. According to the results, the chlorophyll rate in the fall was higher than winter and spring. With the comparison of the cover rate, density and height, it was observed that in different seasons, the highest and lowest rate of these attributes was related to spring and summer respectively
Involvement of HLA in Serum Beta-2 Microglobulin levels among Mumbai HIV-1 Patients
Get PDFHLA allele involves along with B-2 microglobulin (B2M) and T cell receptor in host specific immune response. HLA alleles are known for its extensive polymorphism in order to accommodate the maximum of antigenic peptides. Serum beta-2 microglobulin has been reported to have a prognostic value for predicting disease progression in HIV patients. In this study, we evaluated the serum B2M levels and the HLA profile among the 124 HIV patients and 94 Normal healthy controls from Mumbai. The B2M levels were estimated by conventional ELISA technique while the HLA A and HLA B were done using PCR – SSOP molecular kits. Our results revealed that HIV patients showed increased B2M levels (88.70%) range (2.5ug/ml – 60ug/ml) compared the controls (42.55%). HLA A*11:01:01 (OR=3.25; P value 0.0015), HLA B*35:01:01 OR=3.57;P value 0.0002), HLA B*44:03:01 (OR=5.32; P value 0.0036), haplotypes HLA A*11:01:01- B*35:01:01 (OR=5.68; P value 2.47E-05), HLA A*33:03:01- B* 44:03:01 (OR=19.95; P value 0.0003) were significantly increased among the B2M increased HIV patients. While HLA A*03:01:01:01(OR=0.18; P value 0.0061) was significantly decreased among B2M increased HIV patients. Our results reveal that the production of serum B2M levels correlates with the HIV disease progression. Therefore it could be of a prognostic value in HIV infection
Effect of Anaerobically Digested Slurry of Cow Dung and Kitchen Waste on the Seed Quality in Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.)
Get PDFThe present study was carried out to see the effect of anaerobically digested slurry of cow dung and kitchen waste on the seed quality parameters in Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.). The seeds were treated with both cow dung slurry and kitchen waste slurry (100% and diluted to 50% with H2O) and kept for different time durations (6 hours and 18 hours). The seed germination was increased when the kitchen waste slurry was diluted to 50% and kept for 6 hours during daytime. Cow dung slurry when used as such (100%) for 6 hrs increased the percent seed germination and seedling length significantly thus increasing the seed vigour I and II
Breeding Biology in Hybrid Sparrow (Passer domesticus × P. hispaniolensis) in Northern Algerian Sahara: Case Study of Biskra Date Palm-Grove
Get PDFThe Hybrid Sparrow’s reproduction was monitored in two stations, in the Filiach region at 5 km from Biskra (5°45'E, 34°50'N), on the one hand in a suburban (Tahraoui) and secondly date-palm-grove (Khireddine). To this end, we identified 327 nests of Passer domesticus × P. hispaniolensis with 221 nests placed in holes on walls and in the hangar roof of the Tahraoui’s farm. A set of 106 nests was installed in a livestock hangar in the date palm-grove of Khireddine. A sample of 52 nests was considered (27 nests in Tahraoui and 25 in Khireddine). On these 52 nests were followed on three consecutive clutches. The height of the nest location is between 2.4 and 5.5 m in Tahraoui’s farm where the clutch size varies between 1 and 5 eggs with a mean of 4.15 ± 1.14 during the first clutch, 3 to 6 eggs (mean = 4.9 ± 0.99) during the second clutch and 2 to 4 eggs (mean = 3 ± 0.82) for the third clutch. The most common clutch size is five eggs (AR% = 37.0%). In the palm-grove of Khireddine, the height of nest location varies between 2.7 to 3.4 m; where in a hutch size of 3 to 5 eggs (mean = 4.4 ± 0.89) was noted during the first clutch, 1 to 6 eggs (mean = 3.93 ± 1.38) during the second clutch and 2 to 4 eggs (mean = 3.5 ± 0.84) during the third clutch. The common clutch size is four eggs (AR% = 44%). Over the three clutches, the representative hatching rate is the third clutch with 93.8% in the first farm and 90.5% in the second
Antagonistic Effects of Lactobacilli on Gram-Negative Bacteria
Get PDFThree lactobacilli strains were examined for the inhibitory activity against some gram-negative bacteria with a well diffusion method. Lactobacilli have strongest antagonistic activity against P. aeruginosa in well diffusion method; it was the least sensitive tested bacteria. In spite of E. coli is inhibited secondly in well diffusion method (16mm), the value of the inhibition is lower than spot on lawn method (26mm). These results showed that spot on lawn method is a better method than the well diffusion method