Variation in spawning responses, egg and larvae productions from induced rohu (Labeo rohita) during pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons: Relationship with hormonal changes and oocyte responsiveness during final maturation

Early induced spawning in captive rohu (Labeo rohita) often encounters with reduced spawning performances and devaluation of final product. The present study attempted to gain insight into the problems associated with poor performance of rohu during pre-monsoon spawning. A combination of sGnRHa and domperidone was used to induce final oocyte maturation (FOM) and ovulation in rohu during early (pre-monsoon, PM) and normal (monsoon, MN) spawning. The spawning performance parameters such as, spawning response, production and quality of egg and larvae showed significantly lower values (p < 0.05) in PM, when compared with MN spawning. The egg and spawn productions were recorded as 2.6 ± 0.05 and 2.41 ± 0.05 during the MN season, which were reduced by almost 50% in the PM season. Moreover the quality of egg and hatchling was devaluated significantly (p < 0.05) and exhibited higher percentage of mortality and abnormality in PM than those recorded in the MN season. The plasma concentration of carp gonadotropin (cGtH), 17β-estradiol (E) and 17α20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (DP) in relation to progress of FOM and ovulation at different seasons exhibited marked variation in hormonal profiles particularly in E and DP of PM fish. Higher initial plasma E (3.8 ± 0.3) and a distinct E peak clearly indicated the lack of transition from vitellogenic to post-vitellogenic stages that prevailed in PM rohu. Delayed DP and cGtH surge during FOM and ovulation resulted in longer latency period in spite of higher water temperature (31.5 °C) that prevailed during the PM period. In-vitro study on oocyte maturational competence (OMC) clearly depicted the lack of maturational competence in ovarian follicles during PM than MN in rohu. However priming the fish with purified carp gonadotropin (PCG) enhanced the acquisition of OMC in PM rohu in such an extent, that no marked seasonal differences (p > 0.05) in OMC were remained further, when compared with MN follicles. The PCG mediated acquisition of maturational competence was found to be dependent fully on new mRNA and protein synthesis in PM fish. The present study clearly demonstrated that the oocytes' unresponsiveness to hormonal induction was mainly responsible for reduced spawning performance in PM rohu, which could be ameliorated through PCG priming to achieve better spawning response in rohu during the pre-monsoon period. Thereby, the rohu fry production could be initiated successfully as early as May, allowing public and private hatcheries to produce larger age-0 rohu fingerlings ensuring reliable steady source of stocking materials for grow-out system earlier in the season.     

Toxicokinetics,recovery, and metabolism of triclopyr butotyl (ACTP) ester in goats

Toxicokinetic behavior, recovery, and metabolism studies of ACTP ester and its effect on cytochrome P(450) content of liver microsomal pellet were carried out in black Bengal goat after a single intravenous administration of 11.88 mg kg(-1) and consecutive oral administration of 79.22 mg kg(-1) for 7 days. ACTP ester achieved a maximum blood concentration of 42.64 +/- 4.26 microg mL(-1) at 0.08 h after intravenous administration followed by a sharp decline until 0.5 h, and the minimum blood concentration was recorded at 36 h (1.93 +/- 0.14 microg mL(-1)) postdosing. The kinetic behavior of ACTP ester followed a "two-compartment open model". Comparatively shorter alpha (0.81 +/- 0.02 h(-1)) and greater t1/2 (alpha) (0.86 +/- 0.03 h) indicated a slower rate of distribution of ACTP ester in goat. The t1/2(beta)()) (14.83 +/- 1.49 h) and V(d(area)) (0.91 +/- 0.19 L kg(-1)) suggested a longer elimination phase with general distribution in all compartments of the body. The higher T/B and K12/K21 values associated with a lower f(c) value suggested longer persistence in the tissue compartment at higher concentration. The higher Cl(R) compared to Cl(H) indicated the major amount was eliminated by the kidney. Maximum concentration of ACTP ester including its metabolites, triclopyr acid and trichloropyridinol, was excreted through urine at 48 h. The recovery of ACTP ester including metabolites after repeated nontoxic oral dose administration was 70.09%, of which recovery from feces was 4.45%, suggesting the major portion of administered ACTP ester was absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract of the goat. All of the tissues contained ACTP ester and its metabolites. ACTP ester did not alter the cytochrome P(450) content of the liver tissue following repeated nontoxic oral dose administration for 7 days.     

The influence of temperature,pH/molarity and extractant on the removal of arsenic,chromium and zinc from contaminated soil

Purpose  

Normal soil washing leave high residual pollutant content in soil. The remediation could be improved by targeting the extraction to coarser fractions. Further, a low/high extraction pH and higher temperature enhance the pollutant removal, but these measures are costly. In this study, the utility of NaOH, oxalate–citrate (OC) and dithionite–citrate–oxalate (DCO) solutions for extracting of arsenic, chromium and zinc from contaminated soil were assessed and compared. In addition the effects of NaOH concentration and temperature on NaOH extractions, and those of temperature and pH on OC and DCO extractions, were evaluated.     

Investigation on the transformation of fluchloralin by soil fungi: Identification of some metabolites

Fluchloralin [N-(2-chloroethyl)-α,α,α,-trifluoro-2,6-dinitro-N-propyl-p-toluidine] was transformed by two common soil fungi, Aspergillus flavus Link and Fusarium solani (Mart.) Sacc. in pure culture. The fungi were isolated from enrichment cultures of an analogous herbicidal compound, pendimethalin [N-(1-ethylpropyl)-2,6-dinitro-3,4-xylidine)]. Transformation of fluchloralin by these fungi resulted in the formation of several metabolites, 13 of which were identified. Besides the known mechanisms of microbial transformation of dinitroanilines, methylation of the anilino nitrogen and direct elimination of a nitro group at 2 position from the aromatic ring without any further substitution were also observed.     

Toxico‐kinetics,recovery efficiency and microsomal changes following administration of deltamethrin to black Bengal goats

A study of the toxico‐kinetics, recovery percentage from different substrates, cytotoxicity and role of cytochrome P₄₅₀ and b₅ of liver microsome in the metabolism of deltamethrin were carried out in female black Bengal goat. The ALD₅₀ value of deltamethrin in goat by intravenous route lies between 0.2 and 0.6 mg kg^?1. Intravenous disposition kinetics using a dose of 0.2 mg kg^?1 showed that the maximum blood concentration of deltamethrin was recorded at 0.5 min, followed by rapid decline, and a minimum concentration was detected at 6 min after administration. The following values were obtained : Vd_area 0.148 (± 0.02) litre kg^?1; t_1/2 (α) 0.22 (± 0.02) min; t_1/2 (β) 2.17 (± 0.37) min; K_el 1.05 (± 0.24) min^?1; AUC 4.30(± 0.45) µg min ml^?1; Cl_B 0.05 (± 0.006) litre kg^?1 min^?1; T～B 1.93 (± 0.58); fc 0.40(± 0.05). After 10 min, liver retained the maximum residue, and heart, adrenal gland, kidney, spleen, fat and brain also held the insecticide; liver, fat, heart and spleen retained residue after 30 min, and bone, liver and fat retained residue after 60 min of intravenous administration. Oral absorption of deltamethrin was poor and inconsistent, and approximately 65% of administered dose was recovered from faeces and gastrointestinal contents. The excretion of deltamethrin through urine was meagre, and only 0.01 and 0.013% of the administered dose was recovered after 3 and 5 days of oral administration respectively. All the tissues retained the residue after 3 days; while fat, rumen, reticulum, omasum, abomasum, large and small intestine and bone retained the residue after 5 days of oral administration; and the percentage recoveries were 1.73 and 0.027 respectively. Deltamethrin reduced the level of cytochrome P₄₅₀ content of liver microsomal pellet of goat after 5 days of oral administration. Histopathological examination of liver, kidney, heart, spleen brain and lung sections of treated goats did not reveal any pathological changes. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

Phototransformation of the insecticide hydramethylnon in aqueous systems

Sunlight irradiation of hydramethylnon in aqueous media of different pH values resulted in 80-94% transformation within 10h. The rate of disappearance of the insecticide was affected marginally by the initial pH of the reaction medium. After 10 h irradiation, eight photoproducts were formed. Three products were isolated as pure crystalline substances and the structures of two of these (I & III) were characterised by mass and NMR spectroscopy. The reaction mechanisms involved in the formation of photoproducts are discussed.     

Antibacterial activity of Urena lobata root

The methanol extract of Urena lobata root showed a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity.     

Response of climbing perch,Anabas testudineus to industrial pollutants: Head kidney peroxidase,iodide peroxidase,and blood thyroxine profiles

The study demonstrates that in teleosts pollutants influence thyroxine release mediated via the peroxidase system of iodination. Mixtures of toxicants either prepared in the laboratory or collected from a factory discharge, are equally detrimental towards the thyroxine homeostasis: Inhibition of head kidney peroxidase was usually associated with a decrease in iodide peroxidase activity and blood thyroxine level.     

Somatic embryogenesis of Limonium sinense: a study on the regeneration efficacy via direct and indirect approach followed by Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation

An efficient indirect somatic embryogenesis and Agrobacterium-mediated transformation protocol for Limonium sinense has been established, wherein neomycin phosphotransferase II (npt II) and β-glucuronidase (GUS) genes were used as selectable and screenable markers, respectively. The efficiency of plantlet regeneration from transformed tissue was compared between direct embryogenesis from leaf and indirect embryogenesis from callus. Embryogenic callus (EC) was initiated from leaf explants on MS medium supplemented with 6.7 μM 2,4-D and 2.22 μM BA. The somatic embryos were induced, matured, and germinated when ECs were transferred onto MS medium supplemented with 4.44 μM BA and 1.07 μM NAA. Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA 4404 containing the vector pBI121 was used for the transformation. Transient GUS expression frequency was evaluated and putative transgenic plants were successfully grown on culture medium in presence of kanamycin (80–100 mg L^?1). PCR analysis of putative transgenic plants confirmed the presence of GUS and nptII genes. The transformation efficiency obtained through indirect embryogenesis from calluses (4%) was much higher than through direct embryogenesis from leaf explants (0.9%).     

Time-dependent changes in dough color in hexaploid wheat landraces differing in polyphenol oxidase activity.

Time-dependent changes in the color of noodle sheets (using 2% NaCl or 1% alkaline salts in the formulation) made from 43 Iranian hexaploid wheat landrace accessions were measured. Pekar slick tests in water and in alkaline conditions were also carried out. A wide variation in color characteristics of the landraces was found, with L values of salted noodle sheets at 2 h ranging from 80.9 to 89.2 and b values of alkaline noodle sheets at 2 h ranging from 19.1 to 27.4, showing potential application in noodle wheat improvement programs. For initial rapid screening of samples it was observed that a single reading of the dough sheet after 2 h was adequate. The dough sheets should be kept at 5 degrees C during storage, to prevent microbiological activity in the dough, which would give erroneous results. The Pekar slick test results were not highly correlated to color measurements on the dough, so this test is not recommended for screening for noodle color potential in landraces.