The study was carried out to investigate the domestication potential of Flacourtia jangomas (Lour.) Raeusch, a wild fruit species in Bangladesh, through nursery raising from seeds and clonal propagation by stem cutting. Air dried seeds were treated with four different pre-sowing treatments i.e., control (T0), seeds soakedin coldwater for 24 h (T1), 48 h (T2), or 72 h (T3) to explore the seedgermination ability of the species. Pre-sowing treatments significantly enhancedthe germination period, germination percentage andbiomass production of seedlings. The early germination (least imbibition period), highest germination percentage (81.3) and total dry biomass (0.52 g) was observed in T2 (seeds soaked in cold water for 48 h) while the lowest germination percentage (53.7) andtotal dry biomass (0.23 g) was observedin T3 andT0 respectively. The plant species was highly amenable for rooting for clonal propagation. However, the rooting ability of cuttings was significantly affectedby the application of IBA. The highest rooting percentage (100), maximum root number (5.63), the longest root length (3.28 cm) andbest survival (85.0%) were obtainedfrom the cuttings treatedwith 0.4% IBA solution followed by 0.2% IBA andthe lowest was in cuttings without treatment. Therefore, pre-sowing treatment ‘soaking of seeds in cold water for 48 h for nursery raising and ‘0.4% IBA treatment’ of stem cuttings for clonal propagation may be recommended for mass production of quality planting stocks for the domestication of the species through homestead agroforestry or in fruit orchards.
Anisoptera scaphula (Roxb.) Kurz, the tallest tree species in Bangladesh, is critically endangered worldwide due to its poor natural regeneration. This study describes the appropriate regeneration technique for A. scaphula through seed germination and clonal propagation by stem cutting. The fastest and highest germination percentage (65) was observed in dewinged seeds sown inverted orientation with half buried position (T10) followed by dewinged seeds (62.5%) sown horizontally in full buried (T7) and delayed germination with lowest percentage (15) was in control (T0). Optimum initial growth was also shown when seedlings were developed from the seeds under T7. Both winged and dewinged seeds sown vertically in full buried or half buried position produced curved seedlings. However, dewinged seeds sown in horizontal or inverted (winged side down) position produced otherwise i.e., straight seedlings. The highest rooting percentages (63%) and maximum number of root (4.8) per cutting were obtained when one node cuttings treated with 0.8% IBA solution followed by 0.4% IBA in turn affecting for better survival and growth of rooted cuttings in the nursery conditions.
The association between physiologically dependent pharmacokinetic parameters (CLB, T1/2β, Vdss) of marbofloxacin and body weight was studied in eight animal species based on allometric equation Y = aWb, where ‘Y’ is the pharmacokinetic parameter, ‘W’ is body weight, ‘a’ is allometric coefficient (intercept) and ‘b’ is the exponent that describes relation between pharmacokinetic parameter and body weight. The body clearance of marbofloxacin has shown significant (P<0.0001) relation with size (Bwt) in various animal species. However, half-life and volume of distribution were not in association with body weight. Although half-life and volume of distribution were not in a good correlation with body weight, statistically significant association between the body clearance and body weight suggests validity of allometric scaling for predicting pharmacokinetic parameters of marbofloxacin in animal species that have not been studied yet. However further study considering large sample size and other parameters influencing pharmacokinetics of marbofloxacin is recommended.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Relaxin-3 (RLN3) is recently discovered orexigenic peptide expressed in the brainstem. Neurons synthesizing RLN3 are highly responsive to stress factors, which makes RLN3 and its receptor (RXFP3) excellent candidates at the interface of stress- and feeding-related signaling. Hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) is considered a main site of action for RXFP3-mediated food intake and weight gain; which appeared linked to inhibition of PVN oxytocin neurons. RLN3 role in appetite control is considered sexually differentiated since increased expression of RLN3 in the NI (associated with reduced c-fos expression in the PVN) was observed only in female binge eating rats. To characterize the RLN3 influence on PVN neurons we conducted in vitro patch clamp recordings. METHODS: Male Wistar rats and Sprague-Dawley rats of both sexes (4–6-week old) were used. Rats were anesthetized and the brains collected for whole cell patch clamp experiment on hypothalamic slices. All drugs were applied via bath perfusion. Immunofluorescent staining was carried out to further characterize recorded neurons. RESULTS: RXFP3-A2 (600 nM) – a selective RXFP3 agonist, inhibited the majority of recorded PVN neurons [the effect persisted in the presence of 0.5 μM TTX, glutamate and GABA receptor blockers (10 μM)]. Moreover, studies on Sprague Dawley PVN neurons indicate discrepancy in proportion of cells responsive to RXFP3 selective agonist with more neurons affected in female than male rats. Importantly, among PVN neurons sensitive to RXFP3 agonist oxytocin-positive cells were present. CONCLUSIONS: Our data support the hypothesis that the relaxin-3/RXFP3 network is associated with feeding control in both male and female rats, indicating higher sensitivity of female rats PVN neurons to RXFP3 activation. Currently we are exploring sexual differences in behavioral effects of hypothalamic RXFP3 activation under different stress and dietary conditions. Funding: NSC, Poland DEC-2012/05D/NZ4/02984 and MSHE, Poland 0020/ DIA/2014/43.
Intensified salt stress is an acute hindrance to crop cultivation, whereas plant signaling molecules can efficiently prompt salinity tolerance. Therefore, this study was accomplished to explore the potential salinity stress-mitigating effect of different signaling molecules in rice. The rice (cv. BRRI dhan29) seeds were immersed in 20 mM KNO₃, 0.15 mM H₂O₂, 0.8 mM AsA (ascorbic acid) and 10 mM CaCl₂ solutions for 24 h. Eventually, primed seeds were exposed to 75 mM NaCl in Petri dishes during germination. Moreover, 14-day-old rice seedlings were pretreated with different agents, viz., KNO₃, H₂O₂, AsA and CaCl₂ (concentrations were same as previous), for 2 days. Primed and non-primed seedlings were grown for 4 days under 75 mM NaCl stress condition. The result revealed that salt stress caused reduced germination indices and pre-seedling and seedling growth inhibition and impaired photosynthetic capacity, whereas catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and peroxidase (POX) activities were decreased in salt-treated plants. However, application of the four signaling molecules promoted the germination indices and growth and resisted chlorosis. Pretreatment with CaCl₂ and AsA was observed to be relatively more efficient in conferring salinity tolerance of rice as reflected from the significant enhanced germination and growth in the saline medium by increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging capacity, both at germination and seedling stage. All the selected signaling molecules significantly detoxified excess ROS, i.e., H₂O₂ and O₂˙⁻ and reduced lipid peroxidation by up-regulating the enzymes, CAT, APX and POX. Moreover, H₂O₂ and KNO₃ pretreatment also mitigated salt-imposed oxidative stress and enhanced growth performance of rice seedlings. Overall, the study confirms that CaCl₂ and AsA pretreatment were more effective than H₂O₂ and KNO₃ priming to improve salt tolerance in rice.