Compounds Identified from Marine Mangrove Plant (Avicennia alba) as Potential Antiviral Drug Candidates against WDSV,an In-Silico Approach

Walleye dermal sarcoma virus (WDSV) is a type of retrovirus, which affects most of the adult walleye fishes during the spawning time. The virus causes multiple epithelial tumors on the fish’s skin and fins that are liable for more than 50% of the mortality rate of fish around the world. Till now, no effective antiviral drug or vaccine candidates have been developed that can block the progression of the disease caused by the pathogen. It was found that the 582-amino-acid (aa) residues long internal structural gag polyprotein of the virus plays an important role in virus budding and virion maturation outside of the cell. Inhibition of the protein can block the budding and virion maturation process and can be developed as an antiviral drug candidate against the virus. Therefore, the study aimed to identify potential natural antiviral drug candidates from the tropical mangrove marine plant Avicennia alba, which will be able to block the budding and virion maturation process by inhibiting the activity of the gag protein of the virus. Initially, a homology modeling approach was applied to identify the 3D structure, followed by refinement and validation of the protein. The refined protein structures were then utilized for molecular docking simulation. Eleven phytochemical compounds have been isolated from the marine plant and docked against the virus gag polyprotein. Three compounds, namely Friedlein (CID244297), Phytosterols (CID12303662), and 1-Triacontanol ({"type":"entrez-protein","attrs":{"text":"CID68972","term_id":"813536909"}}CID68972) have been selected based on their docking score −8.5 kcal/mol, −8.0 kcal/mol and −7.9 kcal/mol, respectively, and were evaluated through ADME (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism and Excretion), and toxicity properties. Finally, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation was applied to confirm the binding stability of the protein-ligands complex structure. The ADME and toxicity analysis reveal the efficacy and non-toxic properties of the compounds, where MD simulation confirmed the binding stability of the selected three compounds with the targeted protein. This computational study revealed the virtuous value of the selected three compounds against the targeted gag polyprotein and will be effective and promising antiviral candidates against the pathogen in a significant and worthwhile manner. Although in vitro and in vivo study is required for further evaluation of the compounds against the targeted protein.     

Gastrointestinal uptake of nasunin, acylated anthocyanin in eggplant

We previously showed that nasunin, acylated anthocyanins in eggplant peel, comprises two isomers, cis-nasunin and trans-nasunin. In this study, gastrointestinal absorption of cis- and trans-nasunins was studied in rats. Orally administered nasunins were quickly absorbed in their original acylated forms and maximally appeared in blood plasma after 15 min. When the maximum plasma concentration and area under the plasma concentration curve were normalized by orally administered dose (micromoles per kilogram), there was no significant difference in the uptake efficiency between two isomers and both exhibited a plasma level almost identical to that of delphinidin 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside. However, metabolites such as 4'-O-methyl analogues and extended glucuronides which were observed for delphinidin 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside and cyanidin 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside metabolisms were not detected in urine or blood plasma. Moreover, deacylated and glycolytic products of nasunins such as delphinidin 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside or delphinidin (aglycone) were also not detected in blood plasma even after oral administration for 8 h. These results indicated that nasunins were absorbed in their original acylated forms and exhibit a bioavailability almost identical to that of nonacylated anthocyanins.     

The importance of demographic niches to tree diversity

Most ecological hypotheses about species coexistence hinge on species differences, but quantifying trait differences across species in diverse communities is often unfeasible. We examined the variation of demographic traits using a global tropical forest data set covering 4500 species in 10 large-scale tree inventories. With a hierarchical Bayesian approach, we quantified the distribution of mortality and growth rates of all tree species at each site. This allowed us to test the prediction that demographic differences facilitate species richness, as suggested by the theory that a tradeoff between high growth and high survival allows species to coexist. Contrary to the prediction, the most diverse forests had the least demographic variation. Although demographic differences may foster coexistence, they do not explain any of the 16-fold variation in tree species richness observed across the tropics.     

Laboratory Evaluation on Ammonia Volatilization from Coated Urea Fertilizers

Coated urea fertilizers are assumed to enhance crop yield and reducing the environmental pollution. Nevertheless, many of the coated urea fertilizers are expensive, thus not readily available for most farmers. In addition, many of these fertilizers release N not in tandem with the plant’s need, thus retard growth. Therefore, a laboratory study was conducted to evaluate effects of coated urea fertilizers on N losses via volatilization. Measurement of ammonia volatilization was carried out using the closed-dynamic air flow system. The study for ammonia volatilization was conducted using different rates of fertilizer (50, 100, and 200 kg N ha^?1) with different types of fertilizer (Urea, Sulfur-coated urea; SCU and Gypsum sulfur coated urea using rotating drum; GSCUD) in 37 days of incubation. The results indicate that SCU represents the best fertilizer which decreases the amount of ammonia volatilization at each rate of fertilizer. Besides, the rate of 50 kg N ha^?1 has the lowest percentage of ammonia volatilization. Moreover, the result proved the effectiveness of coating urea fertilizer may reduce the ammonia loss to the environment and new product which GSCUD can be comparable to the commercial product.     

Integrated control of fusarium head blight and deoxynivalenol mycotoxin in wheat

Fusarium head blight (FHB), a devastating disease that affects wheat, is caused by a complex of Fusarium species. The overall impact of Fusarium spp. in wheat production arises through the combination of FHB and mycotoxin infection of the grain harvested from infected wheat spikes. Spike infection occurs during opening of flowers and is favoured by high humidity or wet weather accompanied with warm temperatures. Available possibilities for controlling FHB include the use of cultural practices, fungicides and biological approaches. Three cultural practices are expected to be of prime importance in controlling FHB and the production of mycotoxins: soil preparation method (deep tillage), the choice of the preceding crop in the rotation and the selection of appropriate cultivar.     

The effect of post-mating hCG or progesterone administration on reproductive performance of Afshari × Booroola-Merino crossbred ewes

To investigate the efficiency of hCG/CIDR after breeding to increase the reproductive performance, 35 synchronized ewes were mated with fertile rams and were assigned to three treatment groups. Ewes in hCG group (n?=?12) received 400 IU hCG on day 11 post-mating, and ewes in CIDR group (n?=?11) received CIDR from day 7 until day 19 post-mating. Ewes in the control group (n?=?12) did not receive any treatment. Blood samples were collected on days 7, 12, 17, and 22 post-mating. Plasma P₄ concentrations were higher on days 12 and 17 post-mating in hCG- and CIDR-treated groups (P?<?0.05). However, the concentrations of P₄ on day 22 post-mating in hCG and control groups were higher than that in CIDR group (P?<?0.05). Ewes in hCG group produced more quadruplets (P?<?0.05) and triplets, and as a result, they had a larger litter size (P?<?0.05). The lamb mortality rate by weaning in hCG group (3.6%) was less than that in control (11.8%; P?<?0.05) and CIDR (9.1%; P?>?0.05) groups. Post-mating administration of hCG or CIDR did not affect the lamb birth weight in single and quadruplet births (P?>?0.05), but the birth weight of twin lambs was higher in the hCG and CIDR groups (P?<?0.05). Weaning weights of twin lambs were higher in the hCG and CIDR groups (P?<?0.05). In conclusion, hCG/CIDR administration post-mating increased the maternal P₄ concentrations and enhanced reproductive performance.     

Significance of sulfur in heat stressed cluster bean (Cymopsis tetragonoloba L. Taub) genotypes: responses of growth,sugar and antioxidative metabolism

A sand culture experiment was carried out to study the effects of sulfur deprivation on heat stress tolerance of two cluster bean (Cymopsis tetragonoloba L. Taub) cultivars (GC-1 and Pusa Nau Bahar (PNB)). Three weeks old sulfur-starved and sulfur-supplemented plants were subjected to heat stress (45°C/35°C) treatment for 24 h. Total dry weight, chlorophyll content, Chlorophyll a:b ratio, electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation, H₂O₂ content, sugar, glucose-6-phosphate (G-6-P), fructose-6-phosphate (F-6-P), ascorbate and glutathione concentrations and antioxidant enzyme activity (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT)) were monitored, at the end of the heat stress treatment. Heat stress enhanced and sulfur starvation depleted the contents of sugar metabolites, but the accumulation of sugar, G-6-P and F-6-P were not related with heat stress tolerance. Antioxidant enzyme activities of SOD and CAT were influenced significantly more by sulfur starvation than heat stress. The results showed that under heat stress, the addition of sulfur helps to mitigate the oxidative damage in both the cultivars. However, GC-1 was more heat tolerant as it was characterized by significantly higher total dry weight, chlorophyll content, ascorbate and glutathione content and lower H₂O₂, MDA, electrolyte leakage than PNB.     

Brucella abortus is Prevalent in Both Humans and Animals in Bangladesh

To determine the role of different Brucella (B.) spp. in Bangladesh, 62 animal samples and 500 human sera were tested. Animal samples from cattle, goats and sheep (including milk, bull semen, vaginal swabs and placentas) were cultured for Brucella spp. Three test‐positive human sera and all animal samples were screened by Brucella genus‐specific real‐time PCR (RT‐PCR), and positive samples were then tested by IS711 RT‐PCR to detect B. abortus and B. melitensis DNA. Only B. abortus DNA was amplified from 13 human and six animal samples. This is the first report describing B. abortus as the aetiological agent of brucellosis in occupationally exposed humans in Bangladesh. Of note is failure to detect B. melitensis DNA, the species most often associated with human brucellosis worldwide. Further studies are required to explore the occurrence of Brucella melitensis in Bangladesh.