Supplementary effect of spirulina on hematological status of rats during pregnancy and lactation

The effect of Spirulina on iron status was assessed based on hemoglobin, packed cell volume, serum iron, total iron binding capacity and ferritin levels of rats during pregnancy and lactation. Rats were fed 5 different kinds of diets (casein, Spirulina, wheat gluten, Spirulina + wheat gluten, Spirulina without additional vitamins and minerals) each providing 22 percent protein. Diets containing Spirulina alone or in combination with wheat gluten resulted in significantly higher iron storage and hemoglobin contents than casein and wheat gluten diets during the first half of pregnancy and lactation. Wheat gluten diet result in the smallest increase in hemoglobin levels and iron stores compared to other diets. The values of serum iron and iron binding capacity remained unchanged with different diets. Spirulina appears to be effective in improving the iron status of rats during pregnancy and lactation.     

Understanding cross-tolerance mechanism and effect of drought priming on individual heat stress and combinatorial heat and drought stress in chickpea

Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology - In northern India, chickpea experiences abrupt heat and drought stress during the late developmental stage and entails significant production loss. In...     

Effect of blends proportion on the characteristics of dry and Pre-wet nylon/viscose blended air-jet textured yarns

Blending of nylon filament with viscose can overcome the drawbacks of these yarns. Thermoplastic and thermoset filament yarns can be blended in air-jet texturising method. The characteristics of nylon/viscose blended filament yarns are required to be understood in order to convert them in to useful products. Therefore, nylon/viscose blended yarns in different proportions were produced using nylon 6 and viscose filament yarns in air jet texturising machine. The textured yarns were also produced in dry and pre-wet conditions to understand the effect of water on textured yarn characteristics. It was found that the loops frequency, bulkiness of nylon/viscose blended textured yarns increase with increase in viscose proportion. The Loops stability, tenacity and breaking elongation decrease with increase in viscose proportion. Pre-wet textured yarn show higher loops, bulkiness, and good loop stability than their corresponding dry textured yarns.     

Development and validation of gene-based markers for shrunken2-Reference allele and their utilization in marker-assisted sweet corn (Zea mays Sachharata) breeding programme

The recessive shrunken2-Reference (sh2-Ref) allele is traditionally used in sweet corn cultivar development worldwide. However, non-availability of suitable gene-based marker(s) for sh2-Ref has considerably delayed its utilization in molecular breeding. Here, 7,320 bp sequence of Sh2 gene among five wild- and six sh2-Ref-based inbreds was analysed by employing 13 overlapping primers. SNP583 (A in wild and G in mutant) and SNP755 (T in wild and C in mutant) in 5’UTR, and SNP5112 (C in wild and T in mutant) in intron-12 clearly differentiated dominant (Sh2) and recessive (sh2-Ref) allele. These SNPs were used to develop four gene-based PCR markers. The newly developed markers were validated in six F₂ populations segregating for sh2-Ref allele, and 230 diverse inbreds of normal and sweet corn types. These markers were further used in genotyping of BC₁F₁ populations leading to successful selection of sh2-Ref allele in the marker-assisted breeding. Globally, this assumes great significance in molecular breeding of sweet corn.     

Improved immune response by ID-pVAC: a secretory DNA vaccine construct delivered by PLG micro particles against foot and mouth disease in guinea pigs

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks usually have devastating effects on the economy of countries were disease is endemic due to direct and indirect cost; most of them related to international trade embargoes of animals and animal products. Although currently used inactivated vaccine provides protection, it has several drawbacks like short duration of immunity, and the requirement for containment facilities. A DNA vaccine construct which expresses the secretary antigens, delivered through micro particles could be one of the alternate approaches to overcome these limitations. Present study is envisaged to prepare a DNA vaccine construct containing the VP1 sequence of FMDV serotype O in pVAC vector. DNA vaccine was formulated by adsorbing plasmid DNA construct on cationic micro particles and administered in guinea pigs @25 μg DNA vaccine construct per animal intramuscularly. Sera samples collected were analyzed by sandwich ELISA and SNT, shown enhanced immune response in PLG adjuvanted DNA vaccine. MTT and 3H Thymidine incorporation have shown good CMI responses to PLG adjuvanted DNA. When challenged with 100 gpid50 of homologous virus 5 of the six animals were protected.     

Ozone forming potential of tropical plant species of the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra state of India

Volatile organic compounds (VOC) are emitted by many plants. In this study, sixty common plant species of the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, India were examined for VOC (isoprene and monoterpene) emissions. Plant species VOC emission rates ranged from undetectable to 75.2 μg g^?1 h^?1. Dalbergia sissoo exhibited a maximum VOC emission rate of 75.2 μg g^?1 h^?1. Ozone forming potentials (OFP) of the sixty plant species were also estimated using the method of Benjamin and Winer (1998). Maximum ozone forming potential of 77 g O₃ (tree)^?1 d^?1 was observed in the case of Mangifera indica. Out of 60 species, 26 species (43.3%) had low OFP (less than 1 g O₃ (tree)^?1 d^?1), 18 species (30%) had medium OFP (less than 1–10 g O₃ (tree)^?1 d^?1) and 16 species (26.7%) had high OFP (more than 10 g O₃ (tree)^?1 d^?1).     

Taguchi analysis of fabric shrinkage

This article reports on the effects of fabric constructional factors such as fabric sett, warp tension, back rest position, and pick insertion rate, on the warp-way and weft-way shrinkages of a three-up-one-down twill woven fabric using a Taguchi design of experiments. It was observed that the fabric shrinkage in the warp direction was mostly affected by the change in the number of picks per inch, followed by warp tension, number of ends per inch, number of picks per minute, and back rest position, respectively. The fabric shrinkage in the weft direction was found to be mostly affected by the change in number of ends per inch, followed by number of picks per inch, back rest position, number of picks per minute, respectively and least affected by warp tension. It was observed that the aforesaid five factors were able to explain 99.02 % and 82.81 % of the total variation of fabric shrinkage in the warp and weft directions, respectively.     

The effects of PPR on the reproductive health of Black Bengal goats and the possible role played by oxidative stress

Outbreaks of Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) viral disease in Black Bengal goats were investigated from the middle Indo-Gangetic Plains of India. Clinical profile of PPR-affected flocks was recorded from four different outbreak sites of the region. The PPR outbreak was diagnosed serologically using commercially available sandwich ELISA kit. Relatively, low mortality rate (mean 26.75%) for PPR outbreak was recorded due to the endemic status of the disease. To understand the role of oxidative stress in PPR virus pathogenesis, various oxidant and antioxidant parameters in goats infected with PPR were estimated and compared with the uninfected/healthy goats of the same flock. The measured high level of pro-oxidant malondialdehyde (MDA) obtained from lipid peroxidation along with lower levels of anti-oxidants viz. superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT) in PPR-affected Black Bengal goats suggests oxidative stress as one of the mechanism of pathogenesis of PPR virus. In addition, the correlation of oxidative stress due to PPR and the resulting reproductive disorders in the female goats were evaluated. The abortion in pregnant does observed during PPR outbreak was proportional to debility and oxidative stress manifested during PPR infection. The reproductive performance of recovered female goats in the period of 18 months of monitoring was significantly compromised in terms of kidding and twinning frequency. The mortality rate in kids born from PPR-recovered goats was significantly higher compared to those from health goats in the first 9 months post-recovery. From the present study, it may be concluded that together with the PPR virus, infection in goats and the resulting oxidative stress play a vital role for abortion and reduced post-reproductive performance in Black Bengal female goat.     

Identification of new resistant sources for bacterial blight in pomegranate

Bacterial blight is a highly devastating disease caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. punicae, recording 60 to 80 percent yield-loss of pomegranate in India. In the present investigation, a total of 209 genotypes including 105 exotic types from USDA, 66 wild types and 38 cultivated types from India were screened and categorized into fifteen clusters using cluster and principal component analysis. Genotypes of cluster 15, viz. 108 B and 99 A from USDA and 318734, Daru-18 and IIHR-30 from India, were found to be resistant to bacterial blight while genotypes of cluster 9 were highly susceptible. Two genotypes, each from cluster 15 (318734) and 9 (Ruby), were compared for biochemical and histological parameters to understand the defense mechanism. Significantly, higher accumulation of defense related metabolites, viz. total phenol, flavonoid and antioxidant contents, were observed in resistant genotype (318734). Fewer numbers of stomatal pores that served as portals of entry for plant pathogens were recorded in this genotype. Resistance observed in genotype 318734 might be due to an incompatible interaction between host and pathogen compared to other genotypes. This is the first report of putative resistance sources in pomegranate against Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. punicae.