Metabolism of [ring-2,6-14]parathion in plant cell suspension cultures of carrot (Daucus carota), purple foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), soybean,thorn apple (Datura stramonium) and wheat (Triticum aestivum)

By means of standardized procedures, the metabolism of [ring-2,6-¹⁴C]-parathion was investigated in carrot (Daucus carota L.), purple foxglove (Digitalis purpurea L.), soybean (Glycine max Merrill cv. ?Mandarin’?, and Glycine max Merrill cv. ?Harosoy 63’? cultivated on B5 and Miller media, respectively), thorn apple (Datura stramonium L.), and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cell suspension cultures. In the wheat and soybean (Mandarin) cells only 2.9 and 8.9%, respectively, of the applied parthion remained unmetabolized after 48 h of incubation, while 51.2, 57.9, 60.3, and 62.4% of the unchanged parent were detected in the D. purpurea, D. Stramonium, carrot and soybean (Harosoy) cultures, respectively. In all suspensions, paraoxon and 4-nitrophenol were found as phase I metabolites, thus demonstrating that plant tissues can catalyse oxidative desulfuration and dearylation of parathion. 4-Nitrophenol was also glycosylated with glucose and possibly galactose. Further, as yet unidentified, metabolites indicated that bio-transformations had also occurred at the aromatic moiety. Large amounts of non-extractable residues were detected in the wheat suspension (38.3%), while the other cultures showed a lower incorporation of ¹⁴C into insoluble cell material (0.9-9.4%). For a prospective ecotoxicological evaluation of the metabolic fate of pesticides and xenobiotics in plants in general, the differential metabolic capacity of plant cell cultures and plants should be taken into account.     

Impact of dopamine or dobutamine infusions on cardiovascular variables after rapid blood loss and volume replacement during isoflurane-induced anesthesia in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To determine the cardiovascular effects of dopamine and dobutamine infusions during nor-movolemia, hypovolemia (HV) through blood loss of 10 mL/kg (HV(10)), further loss to 25 mL/kg (HV(25)), and volume replacement (VR) in isoflurane-anesthetized dogs. ANIMALS: 7 healthy young dogs. PROCEDURES: Dogs were anesthetized with isoflurane 2 times (3 weeks apart). Cardiovascular measurements were obtained for each volume state. The cardiac index (CI) determined by the lithium dilution technique was compared with CI assessed by the arterial pulse contour technique. At each volume state, random treatment with dobutamine or dopamine was assessed (CI by the arterial pulse contour technique). Ten-minute treatments with 3 and 6 microg of dobutamine/kg/min or 7 and 14 microg of dopamine/kg/min (low and high doses, respectively) were administered sequentially. Differences from baseline were determined for volume, drug, and dose effects. RESULTS: Significant proportional changes in blood pressure (BP), stroke index (SI), and CI were evident with changes in volume state. Systemic vascular resistance (SVR) decreased after VR. Dobutamine induced little change in BP; increased heart rate (HR), SI, and CI; and decreased SVR (high dose). Dopamine increased BP and SI, did not change CI, and increased SVR (high dose). The arterial pulse contour technique underestimated changes in CI associated with volume changes. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Isoflurane eliminates clinically obvious compensatory increases in HR during HV. Dopamine is suitable for temporary management of blood loss in isoflurane-anesthetized dogs. Dobutamine increased CI without an associated improvement in BP. The arterial pulse contour monitor should be recalibrated when volume status changes.     

Growth and reproductive performance of two rabbit breeds reared under intensive system in Ghana

A study on the growth and reproductive performance of two rabbit breeds was undertaken. Data on 588 kits and 97 does of California White and 574 kits and 90 does of New Zealand White rabbits reared under hot and humid environment in Ghana were taken. The reproductive performance of the two breeds, in terms of litter size at birth and weaning, litter weight at birth and weaning, kindling interval, age at sexual maturity, and gestation length as influenced by breed, season of kindling (rainy and dry), year of kindling (2005–2012), and parity (first to sixth and over) were determined. The performance of California White in terms of litter size at birth, at weaning, kit weight at birth, and age at first kindling was 5.9?±?0.2, 4.6?±?0.1, 54.7?±?0.4 g, and 159.8?±?0.2 days, respectively. That of New Zealand White was 5.9?±?0.1, 5.1?±?0.1, 55.2?±?1.0 g, and 159.9?±?0.2 days, respectively. The results obtained also showed a significant breed effects on kit weight at birth, litter weight at weaning, and mortality; whereas no significant differences (p?>?0.05) were observed between the two breeds regarding the other traits measured. Parity had significant effects (p?<?0.05) on all the growth and reproductive parameters measured with the exception of age at first kindling. Year of kindling also had significant effect on litter weight at birth, kit weight at birth, and at weaning (p?<?0.05) but did not have any significant effect on the age at sexual maturity and mortality. Season also had significant (p?<?0.05) effects on kit weight at birth, gestation length, kindling interval, and mortality with better performance experienced during the rainy season.

     

Numerical taxonomic studies in the generaTriticum L. andPisum L.

Summary Up till now numerical taxonomy has been applied to cultivated plants only to a limited extent though this method seems to be especially suitable for handling the great diversity of these plants. Moreover the theory of numerical taxonomy has not been studied sufficiently.Therefore studies with cultivated plants were begun with the aim to investigate the fitness of different numerical taxonomic techniques for their classification. Materials used: 1) 24 species ofTriticum and additionally 24 species ofAegilops 2) 1225Triticum taxa from Iran (mostlyT. aestivum) 3) 312 taxa ofPisum (mostlyP. sativum).Using 10 coefficients and 7 clustering methods inTriticum andAegilops in most cases a clear separation of both genera resulted as well as a species arrangement withinTriticum according to the genomes.The main aim when dealing with the wheat from Iran was the investigation of the influence of different character sets. At this the coefficient ofGower and the unweighted pair-group method using arithmetic averages (UPGMA) were applied. The separation of the different species is satisfying clear while the representatives of the different varieties ofT. aestivum could not always be found in one cluster. This effect increased when adding further characters sets.InPisum the influence of 11 similarity coefficients to the dendrogram formation has been investigated. With two-state characters the simple matching coefficient and with mainly multistate characters the Canberra metric gave best results (using UPGMA and information measures SUMRAT and SAMRAT).The hitherto existing results show the complicatedness of the evaluation of numerical taxonomic methods in their application to cultivated plants. Therefore generalizations are not yet possible.

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Numerisch-taxonomische Studien in den GattungenTriticum L. undPisum L.

     

Human gene expression as a tool to determine horticultural maturity in a bioactive plant (Echinacea purpurea L. Moench)

A phenological study was conducted to determine the impact of harvest maturity on the immune-modulating properties of Echinacea purpurea. The aerial parts of this plant were collected during seven stages of development and were assayed for a common botanical marker for this species, cichoric acid. Plants of selected development stages were also assayed for total polysaccharides and compared for their immune-modulating effects on the THP-1 monocyte/macrophage cell line by means of a gene expression study. Although the concentration of cichoric acid did not change significantly during the course of the study, stage 1 (advanced vegetative) had the highest concentration of total polysaccharides and exhibited the most potent induction activity on immune-modulating cytokines such as interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. These findings suggest that the use of gene expression may be an effective tool not only to standardize botanical extracts but also to optimize harvest time.     

Selenium-enriched sprouts. A raw material for fortified cereal-based diets

The selenium supply in almost all European countries, including Austria and Germany, is below the recommended daily intake. In these countries, selenium fortification of foods and the use of selenium supplements are quite popular to compensate for low Se intake from diets. In general, wheat (Triticum aestivum) is known to be a good source for bioavailable selenium, and many studies have been performed to enrich selenium in wheat by selenium fertilization of the soil. In the present work, the process of sprouting was investigated as an alternative to enrich selenium in wheat. Sprouting was chosen because it additionally improves the nutritional value of seeds, for example, by a higher vitamin content, a better quality of protein, and some other parameters. Wheat, alfalfa (Medicago sativa), and sunflower (Helianthus annuus) seeds were germinated for 5 and 7 days in solutions containing selenate. The selenium sensitivity of the sprouts was tested by measuring visible germination levels and seedling development. Uptake rates were studied by determination of total selenium using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Metabolism of the absorbed selenium was analyzed by determination of selenium species in extracts of the sprouts using anion exchange HPLC coupled to ICP-MS. It was shown that sunflower sprouts were the most resistant and had the highest uptake rates (up to 900 mg/kg), but almost 100% of the selenium was extracted with water and found to be nonmetabolized selenate. Wheat and alfalfa were less resistant and enriched selenium up to concentrations of 100 and 150 mg of Se/kg of dry mass, respectively. The metabolism of the selenate was inversely related to the total uptake rates. At low Se enrichment (approximately 1-2 mg of Se/kg), <20% of the total selenium content within the sprouts remained as inorganic selenium, indicating a high metabolism rate. With increasing uptake the amount of selenate increased to approximately 40-50%. However, with the method used it is possible to produce sprouts containing certain amounts of selenium, which might provide substantial proportions of bioavailable selenium. In combination with the generally high nutritional value of sprouts, they might serve for production of improved cereal-based diets.     

Mutations in a human ROBO gene disrupt hindbrain axon pathway crossing and morphogenesis

The mechanisms controlling axon guidance are of fundamental importance in understanding brain development. Growing corticospinal and somatosensory axons cross the midline in the medulla to reach their targets and thus form the basis of contralateral motor control and sensory input. The motor and sensory projections appeared uncrossed in patients with horizontal gaze palsy with progressive scoliosis (HGPPS). In patients affected with HGPPS, we identified mutations in the ROBO3 gene, which shares homology with roundabout genes important in axon guidance in developing Drosophila, zebrafish, and mouse. Like its murine homolog Rig1/Robo3, but unlike other Robo proteins, ROBO3 is required for hindbrain axon midline crossing.     

Palladium-catalyzed aerobic dehydrogenation of substituted cyclohexanones to phenols

Aromatic molecules are key constituents of many pharmaceuticals, electronic materials, and commodity plastics. The utility of these molecules directly reflects the identity and pattern of substituents on the aromatic ring. Here, we report a palladium(II) catalyst system, incorporating an unconventional ortho-dimethylaminopyridine ligand, for the conversion of substituted cyclohexanones to the corresponding phenols. The reaction proceeds via successive dehydrogenation of two saturated carbon-carbon bonds of the six-membered ring and uses molecular oxygen as the hydrogen acceptor. This reactivity demonstrates a versatile and efficient strategy for the synthesis of substituted aromatic molecules with fundamentally different selectivity constraints from the numerous known synthetic methods that rely on substitution of a preexisting aromatic ring.