Effects of dieldrin and sumithion on the amino acid nitrogen and proteins in the haemolymph of desert locust Schistocerca gregaria Forsk

The changes in amino acid nitrogen, proline, and proteins in the haemolymph of desert locusts at different stages of dieldrin and sumithion posioning are reported using techniques of colorimetry, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, Sephadex gel chromatography, and electro-gel chromatography.Both the insecticides did not alter amino acid nitrogen and proline titers during the initial stages of poisoning. However, drastic changes were noted at the later stages. In comparison to amino acid nitrogen, the depletion in proline content was of much higher magnitude. Initially the protein content of haemolymph depleted and increased significantly at the acute poisoning stage. Several changes in the electrophoregrams and protein elution profiles were noted in the haemolymph samples of treated insects. Many new proteins were detected in treated insects and their molecular weights, diffusion coefficients, and Stoke's radii are reported.These results are discussed in relation to current ideas of protein metabolism in insects. Further, a possible role of haemolymph proteins as insecticide carriers has been postulated.     

Progeny evaluation of Jatropha curcas and Pongamia pinnata with comparison to bioproductivity and biodiesel parameters

Progeny studies of Jatropha curcas and Pongamia pinnata were carried with respect to bioproductivity,pod and seed characters which is one of the selection methods in tree improvement programmes. Variations in bioproductivity and biodiesel parameters of both the plants were compared every 6 months for 4 years of investigation and analyzed by analysis of variance and correlation coefficient by Pearson’s method using software Graphpad instat 3.06(for Windows and Mac). P. pinnata has better germination rate(71.4 %), 100 pod weight(PW)(311.59 g) and 100 seed weight(SW)(173.46 g) as compared to J. curcas for germination rate(43.2 %), 100 PW(111.29 g) and 100 SW(67.46 g). P. pinnata has strong correlation for plant height to canopy growth(CG)(0.948), collar diameter(CD)(0.994), number of branches per plant(NBP)(0.995) and to number of leaves per branch(NLB)(0.862) as compared to J.curcas which showed good correlation among plant height to CG(0.976), CD(0.970), NBP(0.988), NLB(0.920) and to number of pods per branch(0.657). However, J. curcas depicted negative correlation for pod breadth to seed length(SL)(-0.447), seed breadth(-0.248) and to seed thickness(ST)(-0.364) and among the 100 PW to SL(-0.199), ST(-0.220) and to 100 SW(-0.704). About 4 kg of P. pinnata seeds were required for each liter of crude oil which yields896 ml of biodiesel on transesterification as compared to5.66 kg of J. curcas seeds for a liter of crude oil, producing about 663 ml of biodiesel. The quality of biodiesel meets the major specification of American Society for Testing and Materials(ASTM) standards for biodiesel. The crude glycerin and seed cake obtained as byproduct during biodiesel production were also measured which can be purified and used in composting, animal feeds, pharmaceuticals and cosmetic industries.     

Identification of Apoptotic Bodies in Equine Semen

Apoptosis in the testis is required to ensure an efficient spermatogenesis. However, sometimes, defective germ cells that are marked for elimination during this process escape elimination in the testes, giving rise to ejaculates with increased percentages of abnormal and apoptotic spermatozoa and a high percentage of apoptotic bodies. Apoptosis markers in the ejaculate have been associated with low fertility, either in animals or humans. Therefore, the goal of this study was to investigate whether fresh equine semen contains apoptotic bodies [initially named Merocyanine 540 (M540) bodies] and to study the relationship between the quantity of these bodies and cell concentration, the volume of ejaculate, viability and motility. Moreover, we also studied whether the presence apoptotic bodies in fresh semen was related to the resistance of the stallion spermatozoa to being incubated at 37°C or being frozen and thawed. Fresh equine semen was stained with fluorescent dyes such as M540 and Annexin‐V. Active Caspase 3 was studied in fresh semen through Western blotting and immunofluorescence with a specific antibody. Sperm kinematics was assessed in fresh, incubated and thawed samples using computer‐assisted semen analysis, and viability was evaluated with the LIVE/DEAD Sperm Viability Kit. Overall, our results demonstrate for the first time the presence of apoptotic bodies in equine semen. The quantity of apoptotic bodies was highly variable among stallions and was positively correlated with Caspase 3 activity in fresh samples and negatively correlated with the viability and motility of stallion spermatozoa after the cryopreservation process.     

Systemic Immunosuppression by Methylprednisolone and Pregnancy Rates in Goats Undergoing the Transfer of Cloned Embryos

The presence of the zona pellucida has been perceived as a requirement for the oviductal transfer of cloned embryos at early stages of development while protecting the embryo from an immune system response. We hypothesized that steroid hormone therapy could reduce a potential cellular immune response after the transfer of zona‐free cloned embryos into the oviduct of recipient female goats. In Experiment 1, seven does were used to study the systemic immunosuppressant effect of the methylprednisolone administration (for 3 days) on blood cell counts. Whole blood was collected prior to treatment with methyprednisolone and then on Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 14, 21 and 28 after the first dose of methylprednisolone for the analysis of haematological parameters. Methylprednisolone treatment significantly reduced circulating white blood cells and neutrophils in comparison with pre‐treatment levels, demonstrating a systemic immunosuppressant effect. In Experiment 2, a group of 58 does were used as recipient females to study the effect of administration of methylprednisolone for 3 days on the establishment of pregnancies after the transfer of zona‐free cloned embryos into the oviducts. No effects on pregnancy rates on Day 30 were observed regarding the distinct treatment groups (control vs. methylprednisolone), the source of oocytes (in vivo‐ vs in vitro‐matured) or the presence or absence of the zona pellucida in embryos. In summary, methylprednisolone was effective at inducing a systemic immunosuppressed state in goats, but the treatment prior to embryo transfer did not affect pregnancy rates. Moreover, pregnancy rates were similar between zona‐free and zona‐intact goat cloned embryos.     

The shaping of modern human immune systems by multiregional admixture with archaic humans

Whole genome comparisons identified introgression from archaic to modern humans. Our analysis of highly polymorphic human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I, vital immune system components subject to strong balancing selection, shows how modern humans acquired the HLA-B*73 allele in west Asia through admixture with archaic humans called Denisovans, a likely sister group to the Neandertals. Virtual genotyping of Denisovan and Neandertal genomes identified archaic HLA haplotypes carrying functionally distinctive alleles that have introgressed into modern Eurasian and Oceanian populations. These alleles, of which several encode unique or strong ligands for natural killer cell receptors, now represent more than half the HLA alleles of modern Eurasians and also appear to have been later introduced into Africans. Thus, adaptive introgression of archaic alleles has significantly shaped modern human immune systems.     

Evidence for phenotypic assortative mating for flower colour in periwinkle

Two experiments were conducted with periwinkle, Catharanthus roseus, to determine the extent of natural outcrossing. Three white-flowered, fully self-fertile, monogenic recessive mutants, namely, dwarf, wavy leaf margin and curved leaf were used, together with their parental white-flowered variety, ‘Nirmal’, and a normal pink-flowered variety, PS-1. The extent of total outcrossing ranged from 43.4 to 79.3% among mutants. Outcrossing between white × white-flowered plants ranged from 28.3 to 65.3% and was two to four times greater than that between white × pink-flowered plants in the three mutants. The extent of out-crossing between white × pink-flowered plants was similar “02.2-15.0%” in all mutants and also similar to that in the normal white-flowered variety,‘Nirmal’(00.4%), where white × white flower out-crossing could not be estimated. There were no large differences in the number of seeds per fruit, percentage fruit set and germination percentage of seeds obtained from self, white × white and white × pink flower crosses made in the glasshouse. There were also no significant differences in the number of flowers produced by the genotypes used in the study. The observed higher frequency of white × white flower matings compared with white × pink flower matings appeared to be due to the constancy of flower colour exhibited by the butterfly pollinators Pachliopta hector and Catopsilia pyranthae during their flower visits. Observations made on the occurrence of natural self-pollination revealed that automatic self-pollination did not occur in periwinkle.     

Three cycles of honeycomb selection for herb yield in davana (Artemisia pallens Wall.)

Summary Three cycles of honeycomb selection for herb yield, applied on widely spaced individual plants of davana (Artemisia pallens Wall.), resulted in an increase in yield of 12.4% per cycle when the resulting populations were evaluated at commercial plant density. The selection had no adverse effect on essential oil content, davanone content in oil and plant height.