Genetic variant BDNF (Val66Met) polymorphism alters anxiety-related behavior

A common single-nucleotide polymorphism in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene, a methionine (Met) substitution for valine (Val) at codon 66 (Val66Met), is associated with alterations in brain anatomy and memory, but its relevance to clinical disorders is unclear. We generated a variant BDNF mouse (BDNF(Met/Met)) that reproduces the phenotypic hallmarks in humans with the variant allele. BDNF(Met) was expressed in brain at normal levels, but its secretion from neurons was defective. When placed in stressful settings, BDNF(Met/Met) mice exhibited increased anxiety-related behaviors that were not normalized by the antidepressant, fluoxetine. A variant BDNF may thus play a key role in genetic predispositions to anxiety and depressive disorders.     

Effect of delaying the time of insemination with sex-sorted semen on pregnancy rate in Holstein heifers

The objective of the study was to evaluate the interval from onset of oestrus to time of artificial insemination (AI) to obtain the optimum pregnancy rate with sex-sorted semen in Holstein heifers. Heifers in oestrus were detected and inseminated only by using heat–rumination neck collar comprised electronic identification tag at the age of 13–14 months. Heifers (n = 283) were randomly assigned to one of three groups according to the timing of insemination at 12–16 hr (G1, n = 97), at 16.1–20 hr (G2, n = 94) and at 20.1–24 hr (G3, n = 92) after reaching the activity threshold. The mean duration of oestrus was 18.6 ± 0.1 hr, and mean peak activity was found at 7.5 ± 0.1 hr after activity threshold. The mean interval from activity threshold to ovulation was 29.4 ± 0.4 hr. The overall pregnancy per AI (P/AI) was 53.0% at 29–35 days and 50.9% at 60–66 days after AI. There was a significant reduction between G1 (13.8 ± 1.4 hr) and G3 (7.9 ± 1.4 hr) related to the intervals from AI to ovulation time. Sex-sorted semen resulted in significantly higher P/AI at 29–35 days when heifers inseminated in G3 (60.9%) after oestrus than those inseminated in G1 (49.5%) and G2 (48.9%). In terms of fertility, when the temperature–humidity index (THI) was below the threshold value (THI ≤65) at the time of AI, there was a tendency (≤65; 57.2% vs. > 65; 47.1%) for high pregnancy rate. There was no effect of sire on P/AI. In addition, the interaction of the technician with the time of AI was found significant, and three-way interaction of technician, sire and time of AI was tended to be significant on pregnancy rate. Thus, in addition to delaying the time of insemination (between 20.1 and 24 hr) after oestrous detection, THI and experienced technician were also found to be critical factors in increasing fertility with the use of sex-sorted semen in Holstein heifers.     

Pharmacokinetics of thymoquinone in layer chickens following oral and intravenous administration

Thymoquinone (TQ) is the major constituent of Nigella sativa and known to possess a variety of pharmacological effects. This study was designed to evaluate the pharmacokinetic profile of TQ following oral (PO) and intravenous (IV) administration in layer chickens. The layer chickens were equally divided into two groups (six chickens in each group, total 12 chickens), and TQ was administered via PO and IV routes. For PO route, the dose was 20 mg/kg b.w. and for IV route, 5 mg/kg b.w. was administered, respectively. A sensitive and accurate High‐Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) technique was validated for the quantification of TQ from plasma. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.02 µg/ml and 0.05 µg/ml, respectively with >80% recovery. Maximum plasma concentration (C_max) following PO and IV administration was 8.805 and 4.497 µg/ml, respectively, while time to reach at maximum concentration (T_max) was 1 and 0.1 hr, respectively. The elimination half‐lives were recorded as 1.02 and 0.978 hr, whereas the mean residence times were 1.79 and 1.036 hr following both PO and IV administration, respectively. The 85% PO bioavailability was indicative that TQ could be used for various therapeutic purposes in layer chickens.     

Pseudomonas putida improved soil enzyme activity and growth of kasumbha under low input of mineral fertilizers

Effective management of the nutrients and enzyme activity in the soil is necessary for maximum crop growth and productivity. However, the excessive use of chemical fertilizers (CFs) not only adversely affects the soil nutrient status and soil physicochemical properties but also aids pollution to the ecosystem. The objective of present study was to investigate the effect of single as well as combined applications of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria and agrochemicals on important soil enzyme activities and their impact on the growth of kasumbha (safflower). Pseudomonas putida (P. putida;10⁶ cells/mL) was applied as seed inoculation prior to sowing, and CFs were applied as full, half, and quarter doses during sowing to modulate the growth of kasumbha host plants. P. putida in combination with half dose of CFs (PH) increased the soil urease and phosphatase activities, while P. putida combined with quarter dose of CFs (PQ) augmented the soil invertase activities. Moreover, the PQ treatment exhibited the maximum colony-forming units of P. putida. Leaf chlorophyll, carotenoids, protein contents, and root lengths were increased by PH treatment. Whereas, shoot length and leaf area were improved by PH and PQ treatments, respectively. Leaf protease activity was enhanced by P. putida in combination with full dose of CFs and PQ treatments, while leaf phosphate contents were significantly improved by PQ treatment. It can be concluded that P. putida in combination with half as well as quarter doses of CFs is a promising approach for the improvement of soil enzyme activities and growth of kasumbha and replacing 50% of the use of CFs.     

Biodiversity, current developments and potential biotechnological applications of phosphorus-solubilizing and -mobilizing microbes: A review

As one of the most important and essential macronutrients next to nitrogen,phosphorus(P)is important for plant development,but it is the least mobile nutrient element in plant and soil.Globally,P is mined from geological sediments and added to agricultural soils so as to meet the critical requirements of crop plants for agronomic productivity.Phosphorus exists in soil in both organic and inorganic forms.The various inorganic forms of the element in soil are salts with calcium,iron,and aluminum,whereas the organic forms come from decaying vegetation and microbial residue.There is a huge diversity of plant microbiomes(epiphytic,endophytic,and rhizospheric)and soil microbiomes that have the capability to solubilize the insoluble P and make it available to plant.The main mechanism for the solubilization of inorganic P is by the production of organic acids,which lowers soil pH,or by the production of acid and alkaline phosphatases,which causes the mineralization of organic P.The P-solubilizing and-mobilizing microorganisms belong to all three domains,comprising archaea,bacteria,and eukarya.The strains belonging to the genera Arthrobacter,Bacillus,Burkholderia,Natrinema,Pseudomonas,Rhizobium,and Serratia have been reported as efficient and potential P solubilizers.The use of P solubilizers,alone or in combination with other plant growth-promoting microbes as an eco-friendly microbial consortium,could increase the P uptake of crops,increasing their yields for agricultural and environmental sustainability.     

An extremely luminous panchromatic outburst from the nucleus of a distant galaxy

Variable x-ray and γ-ray emission is characteristic of the most extreme physical processes in the universe. We present multiwavelength observations of a unique γ-ray-selected transient detected by the Swift satellite, accompanied by bright emission across the electromagnetic spectrum, and whose properties are unlike any previously observed source. We pinpoint the event to the center of a small, star-forming galaxy at redshift z = 0.3534. Its high-energy emission has lasted much longer than any γ-ray burst, whereas its peak luminosity was ～100 times higher than bright active galactic nuclei. The association of the outburst with the center of its host galaxy suggests that this phenomenon has its origin in a rare mechanism involving the massive black hole in the nucleus of that galaxy.     

Monitoring Nitrogen Dioxide Levels in Urban Areas in Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Nitrogen dioxide is an important gaseous air pollutant. It plays a major role in atmospheric chemistry, particularly in the formation of secondary air pollutants, and contributes to environmental acidification. A comprehensive assessment of NO₂ levels in the atmosphere is required for developing effective strategies for control of air pollution and air quality improvement. Air pollution is a serious problem in all major cities of Pakistan and needs to be addressed to minimize detrimental effects on human health and urban vegetation. In this research, we focused on the monitoring of NO₂ levels in the urban environment of Rawalpindi city. Because of the lack of expensive continuous sampling devices and to get a good spatial coverage of the NO₂ concentrations in the study area, NO₂ passive samplers were exposed at 42 different sites within the city limits of Rawalpindi from January to December, 2008. Samplers were exchanged every 10 days and the associated meteorological conditions like temperature, wind speed, rainfall and relative humidity were also monitored. The average NO₂ concentration was found to be 27.46?±?0.32 ppb. The highest values of NO₂ were measured near to main roads and educational institutions due to intense flow of road vehicles. Moreover, the study showed that the values obtained for NO₂ for all sampling points exceeded the annual limit value set by World Health Organization. So, this is very important to take different steps to control this before it becomes a serious hazard for people living in those areas.     

Internal transcribed spacer sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA resolving complex taxonomic history in the genus Vicia L.

The ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region of the 18S-28S nrDNA was sequenced in 49 Vicia species and subspecies selected from nine sections of the two subgenera to resolve taxonomic contradictions. Phylogenies derived from the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences strongly support the view that both Vicia faba and Vicia bithynica are distant from the Narbonensis species complex (NSC) in section Faba. V. faba is more closely aligned with sections Peregrinae and Hypechusa, whereas V. bithynica is more closely aligned with section Vicia. Six synapomorphic substitutions unique to the NSC support a separate section for the Narbonensis complex. Vicia johannis subsp. johannis was the most diverged species within the NSC with high genetic distance between V. johannis subsp. johannis and remaining species and subspecies of the NSC. These results suggest that Vicia johannis subsp. johannis should be given species rank. The neighbor-joining and parsimony based trees supported the sections Vicia (after the exclusion of Vicia lathyroides) and Cracca (after the exclusion of Vicia vicioides and Vicia hirsuta). The section Hypechusa is polyphyletic and paraphyletic based on the present ITS sequence cladistic analysis. The x = 7 as the ancestral number for the genus is supported by the present study.