Protective Role of Oleuropein against Acute Deltamethrin-Induced Neurotoxicity in Rat Brain

Background:

Deltamethrin (DM) is a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide that can elicit neurotoxicity, leading to apoptosis. There is accumulating evidence that oleuropein (OE) has anti-apoptotic effect. The purpose of this study was to determine the anti-apoptotic effect of OE pretreatment in the neuronal cells of cerebral cortex.

Methods:

Rats were randomly divided into four groups each containing five rats: DM-treated group (12.5 mg/kg, a single dose), OE-treated group (20 mg/kg per day), DM + OE-treated group, and vehicle group. Sections of the brain were obtained 24 hours after DM injection and studied for histopathological and immunohistochemistry assessment.

Results:

The histopathological assessments showed lesser characteristics of neural degeneration in DM + OE group compared with DM group. Greater Bcl-2 and attenuated Bax expression could be detected in the DM + OE treated-mice compared with DM group.

Conclusion:

The results suggested that DM-induced neurotoxicity can be subsided by OE.Key Words: Deltamethrin, Oleuropein, Apoptosis     

Soil organic matter status of Chernozem soil in North Kazakhstan: effects of summer fallow

In North Kazakhstan there is concern about the degradation of Chernozem soil and agricultural sustainability by the inclusion and frequency of summer fallows in crop rotations in terms of their influence on the changes of soil organic matter (SOM) quality and quantity. We examined five fallow-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping systems with different frequencies of the fallow phase in Chernozem soil of North Kazakhstan; continuous wheat (CW), 6-y rotation (6R), 4-y rotation (4R), 2-y rotation (2R) and continuous fallow (CF). Soil samples were collected from the two phases of each rotation, pre- and post-fallow, and analyzed for potentially mineralizable C (PMC) and N (PMN), ‘light fraction’ organic matter (LF-OM), C (LF-C) and N (LF-N). Potentially mineralizable C was inversely proportional to the frequency of fallow and was highest in CW. Mineral N (min-N) and PMN were more responsive to rotation phase than other indices of SOM. Mineral N was higher in the post-fallow phase while PMN was higher in the pre-fallow phase. Light fraction organic matter was negatively correlated to the frequency of fallow and was higher in the pre-fallow than in the post-fallow phase in a rotation. The results suggested that the yearly input of plant residue in a less frequently fallowed system built up more PMC, whereas PMN was closely correlated to recent inputs of substrate added with plant residues. We conclude that a frequent fallow system may deplete SOM via accelerated mineralization. Also that LF-OM, PMC and PMN are more sensitive to detect subtle changes in SOM quality than total SOM. Our results may provide prediction of SOM response to fallow frequency in wheat-based rotation systems in Chernozem soils of semi-arid regions.     

Induction of peroxidase as a disease resistance response in resistant (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Hibiscus trionum</Emphasis>) and susceptible (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Althea armeniaca</Emphasis>) species in the family malvaceae

The pathogen-induced biosynthesis of peroxidase (PO) in resistant and susceptible wild species of Malvaceae was studied. Specifically,Hibiscus trionum was found to be resistant to the wilt pathogenVerticillium dahliae, andAlthea armeniaca was susceptible. After inoculation withV. dahliae, PO activity increased more rapidly in the resistant plant: increased activity inH. trionum was noted within 1 h after inoculation, remained high for 5 h, and decreased after 18 h. After 5 days, the levels did not differ from the control. In the susceptibleA. armeniaca, PO activity did not differ statistically from the control even after 18 h, but was significantly higher after 5 days. Electrophoretic analysis of inoculated tissue extracts showed the occurrence of two new isoforms inh. trionum after inoculation; new isoforms did not occur inA. armeniaca. A chitin affinity chromatography column showed the presence of a chitin-binding peroxidase isozyme in healthyH. trionum that increased dramatically after inoculation. Two chitin-binding peroxidase isozymes were observed in healthyA. armeniaca: one (R _f 0.26) did not increase and the other (R _f 0.89) evinced only a small increase after inoculation.     

Anxiolytic-Like Effect of a Salmon Phospholipopeptidic Complex Composed of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Bioactive Peptides

A phospholipopeptidic complex obtained by the enzymatic hydrolysis of salmon heads in green conditions; exert anxiolytic-like effects in a time and dose-dependent manner, with no affection of locomotor activity. This study focused on the physico-chemical properties of the lipidic and peptidic fractions from this natural product. The characterization of mineral composition, amino acid and fatty acids was carried out. Stability of nanoemulsions allowed us to realize a behavioral study conducted with four different tests on 80 mice. This work highlighted the dose dependent effects of the natural complex and its various fractions over a period of 14 days compared to a conventional anxiolytic. The intracellular redox status of neural cells was evaluated in order to determine the free radicals scavenging potential of these products in the central nervous system (CNS), after mice sacrifice. The complex peptidic fraction showed a strong scavenging property and similar results were found for the complex as well as its lipidic fraction. For the first time, the results of this study showed the anxiolytic-like and neuroprotective properties of a phospholipopeptidic complex extracted from salmon head. The applications on anxiety disorders might be relevant, depending on the doses, the fraction used and the chronicity of the supplementation.     

Gas Separation Polysulfone Membranes Modified by Cadmium-based Nanoparticles

This paper presents new mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) synthesized via incorporating hexamethylenetetramine dicyanamide cadmium nanoparticles, a metal organic framework (MOF), into the polysulfone (PSF) matrix. The MMMs are characterized using FTIR and SEM analyses, and their gas permeation properties are evaluated at different MOF loadings and various pressures. The results show that the nanoparticle is compatible with the polymer and distributes homogenously in the matrix. Compared to the pristine PSF membrane, the MMM with 2.5 wt. % of the MOF nanoparticles has lower CO₂, CH₄, N₂ and O₂ permeabilities but significantly higher CO₂/CH₄, CO₂/N₂ and O₂/N₂ gas pair selectivities (i.e., 41.66, 20.08 and 5.09, respectively, which are 42.6, 61.6 and 60.02 % higher). As the total pressure increases, the gas permeabilities of the pristine PSF membrane and the MMMs decrease, but their sieving abilities increase. These results suggest that gas selectivities of high free-volume polymers with poor sieving abilities can be improved by incorporating the MOF into the polymer.     

Effect of Food Deprivation on Formalin-Induced Nociceptive Behaviors and Beta-Endorphin and Sex Hormones Concentration in Rats

Background: The present study examined the possible role of endogenous opioidergic system in effect of food deprivation on formalin-induced nociceptive behaviors in male and female rats. Also, we investigated the effect of food deprivation on the plasma level of beta-endorphin and sex hormones. Methods: Food was withdrawn 48 h prior to performing the formalin test, but water continued to be available ad libitum. The formalin was injected into hind plantar paw. Results: There is significant difference between male and female control rats during phase 2B. Following 48-h food deprivation, both male and female rats exhibited enhanced nociceptive behavior in response to formalin. Food deprivation for 12 and 24 h increased and for 48 h decreased beta-endorphin level in male and female rats. Food deprivation for 24 h decreased testosterone level in male, while it had no significant effect on female rats and food deprivation for 48 h decreased testosterone level in both sexes. Food deprivation for 24 h increased estradiol level in female and that for 48 h had no significant effect on male and female rats. Conclusions: The present study demonstrates the existence of food deprivation for 48 h causes enhancement of nociception in the formalin test in male and female rats that has correlation with decrease in plasma beta-endorphin and testosterone levels. Key Words: Rat, Food Deprivation, beta-endorphin, Naloxone     

Bioremediation of Hexachlorocyclohexane-Contaminated Soil by the New <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhodococcus wratislaviensis</Emphasis> Strain Ch628

Currently, there are large areas of soils contaminated with hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers which are included in the group of persistent organic pollutants. For the bioremediation of such soils, a new HCH-degrading Rhodococcus wratislaviensis strain Ch628 was isolated from long-term organochlorine contaminated soils. The strain Ch628 was able to degrade 32.3% γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH/lindane), 25.2% hexachlorobenzene, and 100% chlorobenzene in resting cell conditions. The strain Ch628 was bioaugmented in chronically HCH-contaminated soil. The results showed that the bioaugmentation of contaminated soil with the strain Ch628 led to HCH degradation. In the bioaugmented system, the efficiency of HCH removal at the initial concentration of about 238.7 ± 4.9 mg kg^?1 soil was 44.8%, while the system with indigenous microflora (without R. wratislaviensis strain Ch628) and the system with abiotic control removed 33.3 and 16.4% of this compound during the same period, respectively. Strain Ch628 could effectively degrade α-, β-, and γ-isomers of HCH (77.1, 100, and 100%, respectively) and heptachlorocyclohexane (69.9%) in the model soil systems. Moreover, the bioaugmentation with the strain Ch628 led to degradation of tri-, tetra-, and penta-chlorobenzenes, which are of HCH degradation metabolites. For the first time, it was found that the bioaugmentation with the bacterial strain Rhodococcus wratislaviensis Сh628 led to a significant reduction of the toxicity of the HCH-contaminated soil for the test organisms, such as Chlorella vulgaris Beijer and Daphnia magna Straus.     

Hydraulic traits and tree-ring width in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Larix sibirica</Emphasis> Ledeb. as affected by summer drought and forest fragmentation in the Mongolian forest steppe

Key message

Wood-anatomical traits determining the hydraulic architecture of Larix sibirica in the drought-limited Mongolian forest steppe at the southern fringe of the boreal forest respond to summer drought, but only weakly to variations in microclimate that depend on forest stand size.

Context

Siberian larch (L. sibirica Ledeb.) is limited by summer drought and shows increasing mortality rates in the Mongolian forest steppe. The climate sensitivity of stemwood formation increases with decreasing forest stand size. The trees’ hydraulic architecture is crucial for drought resistance and thus the capability to deal with climate warming.

Aims

We studied whether hydraulic traits were influenced by temporal or forest size-dependent variations in water availability and were related to tree-ring width.

Methods

Hydraulic traits (tracheid diameter, tracheid density, potential sapwood area-specific hydraulic conductivity) of earlywood were studied in stemwood series of 30 years (1985–2014) and were related to climate data. Tree-ring width was measured for the same period. Trees were selected in stands of four different size classes with increasing drought exposure with decreasing stand size.

Results

Tracheid diameters and hydraulic conductivity decreased with decreasing late summer precipitation of the previous year and were positively correlated with tree-ring width. Forest stand size had only weak effects on hydraulic traits, despite known effects on stemwood increment.

Conclusion

Decreasing tracheid diameters and thus hydraulic conductivity are a drought acclimation of L. sibirica in the Mongolian forest steppe. These acclimations occur as a response to drought periods but are little site-dependent with respect to stand size.