Arsenic speciation in food and estimation of the dietary intake of inorganic arsenic in a rural village of West Bengal, India

Arsenic (As) species were quantified by HPLC-HG-AFS in water and vegetables from a rural area of West Bengal (India). Inorganic species predominated in vegetables (including rice) and drinking water; in fact, inorganic arsenic (i-As) represented more than 80% of the total arsenic (t-As) content. To evaluate i-As intake in an arsenic affected rural village, a food survey was carried out on 129 people (69 men and 60 women). The data from the survey showed that the basic diet, of this rural population, was mainly rice and vegetables, representing more than 50% of their total daily food intake. During the periods when nonvegetarian foods (fish and meat) were scarce, the importance of rice increased, and rice alone represented more than 70% of the total daily food intake. The food analysis and the food questionnaires administrated led us to establish a daily intake of i-As of about 170 microg i-As day (-1), which was above the tolerable daily intake of 150 microg i-As day (-1), generally admitted. Our results clearly demonstrated that food is a very important source of i-As and that this source should never be forgotten in populations depending heavily on vegetables (mainly rice) for their diet.     

Anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activity of Thymus pubescens extract

Thymus pubescens is an aromatic and medicinal plant, which has been widely distributed in Iran. The anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of the T. pubescens aerial parts methanol extract were studied at doses of 50-400 mg/kg i.p. using carrageenan-induced edema, formalin, hot plate and writhing tests. The extract produced a significant decrease in the degree of swelling, 3 h after carrageenan injection and caused graded inhibition of both phases of formalin-induced pain. Moreover, in the hot plate test, it significantly raised the pain threshold. While in the writhing test produced a significant decrease in the number of writhing in comparison with the control group (P<0.001). The results of pharmacological tests performed in the present study suggest that the extract of T. pubescens presents analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects.     

Momordica charantia L. (Cucurbitaceae) floral volatiles causing attraction of Epilachna dodecastigma (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Epilachna dodecastigma (Wied.) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) causes economic losses to bitter gourd, Momordica charantia L. (Cucurbitaceae) production in India and Bangladesh because adults feed on the leaves and flowers resulting death of the plant. This insect is currently controlled by insecticides, which are harmful to human health and environment. We studied the behavioral responses of E. dodecastigma females to floral volatiles and synthetic compounds comparable to floral volatiles in a Y-tube olfactometer to determine their potential for monitoring this pest. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) analyses of M. charantia floral volatiles revealed the presence of 20 compounds. Myrcene was predominant followed by methyl jasmonate and 1-octadecanol in floral volatiles. Epilachna dodecastigma females were attracted to floral volatiles by a Y-tube olfactometer bioassay. Females were attracted to individual synthetic 1-heptanol, sabinene, myrcene and ocimene at 16, 1, 20, and 8 µg/25 mL methylene chloride in a dose response bioassay, respectively, and hence, these compounds might be used for insect pest management strategies such as baited traps.     

Spontaneous Colibacillosis in Infectious Bursal Disease-affected Broiler Flocks

Tropical Animal Health and Production -     

Seed treatment for viability,vigour and productivity of tomato

Soaking—drying treatment of stored tomato seeds greatly reduced their deterioration under accelerated and natural ageing conditions. Hydration by moisture equilibration at 100% RH for 24 hours followed by drying-back was also very effective. Treatment of harvest-fresh seed was ineffective. The beneficial effects of the soaking—drying treatments were reflected in the productivity of the crop. Treatment with dilute solutions of sodium chloride (10^?3 M) or sodium phosphate (dibasic, 10^?4 M) proved better than water for field performance and productivity.     

Differential Ovarian Morphometry and Follicular Expression of BMP15, GDF9 and BMPR1B Influence the Prolificacy in Goat

The variation in the kidding size of Black Bengal and Sirohi breed of goats makes them an interesting genetic material to study the underlying genetic mechanism of prolificacy. Accordingly, we studied the comparative ovarian morphometry including disparity in numbers of antral follicles of different sizes between these two breeds. Further, we evaluated the differential expression of the important candidate genes (viz., BMP15, GDF9 and BMPR1B) known to influence the ovulation rates and the prolificacy. The ovaries of Black Bengal (n = 20) goat were lighter (p < 0.01) in weight and smaller (p < 0.01) in diameter than those of Sirohi (n = 19) goats but possessed more numbers (p < 0.05) of corpus luteum (CL), large and small antral follicles. Quantitative real‐time PCR (RT‐qPCR) analysis revealed differential expression of mRNAs encoding for the BMP15 and GDF9. Small antral follicles of Black Bengal goats expressed 2.78‐fold more (p < 0.05) of BMP 15 than those of Sirohi goat. Expression of BMP15 (p < 0.01) and GDF9 (p < 0.05) mRNAs was more abundant in the small than the large antral follicles of Black Bengal goat. The more numbers of antral follicles per unit of ovarian mass and differential expression of BMP15 and GDF9 may serve as an important clue for higher prolificacy.     

Flavoring Extracts of Hemidesmus indicus Roots and Vanilla planifolia Pods Exhibit In vitro Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitory Activities

Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs) are important for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological disorders. Search for potent and safe AChEIs from plant sources still continues. In the present work, we explored fragrant plant extracts that are traditionally used in flavoring foods, namely, Hemidesmus indicus and Vanilla planifolia, as possible sources for AChEI. Root and pod extracts of H. indicus and V. planifolia, respectively, produce fragrant phenolic compounds, 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde (MBALD) and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde (vanillin). These methoxybenzaldehydes were shown to have inhibitory potential against acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Vanillin (IC₅₀?=?0.037 mM) was detected as more efficient inhibitor than MBALD (IC₅₀?=?0.047 mM). This finding was supported by kinetic analysis. Thus, plant-based food flavoring agents showed capacity in curing Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological dysfunctions.     

The First Report of Drought Tolerance Assessment of Iranian Asparagus

Asparagus officinalis is the most economically important species of asparagus worldwide. Commercial cultivars of asparagus are susceptible to some biotic and abiotic stresses. Drought stress is one of the most common stresses in agricultural crops cultivation. The main purpose of the current study was to compare Iranian asparagus accessions drought tolerance rate with that of ‘Mary Washington’ commercial cultivar and introducing superior accessions in terms of dry resistance rate. A factorial experiment was laid out based on a completely randomized design with three replications. The factors were a) asparagus accession in 10 levels including nine wild accessions of Iranian asparagus and ‘Mary Washington’ commercial cultivar (as control) and b) drought stress in four levels including 0 (as control), 5, 10 and 15% (w/v polyethylene glycol). Results showed that highest values of percentage and speed of seed germination and lengths of radicle and plumule were recorded in Gazanak accession. The lowest values of radicle length were recorded in Chalaki and Shiraz accessions (6.19 and 8.01?mm, respectively). Calli of ‘Mary Washington’ cultivar under highest applied level of drought stress showed the lowest value of relative growth rate (11.53?mg/day). Cluster analysis based on assessed characteristics under different applied levels of drought stress, divided Iranian asparagus accessions into four groups at Euclidean distance of 2.0. In conclusion, obtained results showed that Iranian asparagus accessions especially Gazanak accession could be a good candidate to apply in asparagus breeding programs with aim of producing asparagus dry tolerant cultivars.