ABSTRACT
The survival, biomass production and copper (Cu) remediation efficiency of Jatropha curcas L. was evaluated in Cu rich industrial wasteland soil (IWLS), collected from a local town, Sandila (Hardoi), Uttar Pradesh, India. The IWLS had high bulk density, water holding capacity (WHC), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), organic carbon and NPK. The Cu and Mn contents in IWLS were about 3 and 2 fold higher than that in the normal field soil (control). Stem cuttings of the J. curcas clones (BTP-A, BTP-N and BTP-K) were planted in IWLS as well as the same amended with cowdung or sand. The percent survival, net elongations and biomass accumulation of J. curcas were decreased slightly in IWLS, as compared to the control soil. The translocation of Cu from soil to the plants was higher in IWLS grown plants, which was more pronounced in IWLS amended with cowdung. J. curcas clones BTP-N, showed better survival and Cu removal efficiency from IWLS.
ABSTRACT
Objective: Exposure to environmental toxicants such as copper has been suggested to have adverse effects on male reproduction. Therefore, our aim in the present study was to investigate morphometrical changes of rat testes following long term consumption. Methods: Animals were divided into three experimental groups. Two different doses of copper sulfate were applied once a day for 8 weeks by gavage. The first treatment group received copper sulfate at a dose of 100 mg/kg (Cu100 group) and the second treatment group was given copper sulfate at a dose of 200 mg/kg (Cu200 group). Control animals received normal saline using the same method. Testes from five cases of 15 animals of each group were removed for histopathological examinations on days 14, 28 and 56. Morphometrically, seminiferous tubules diameter, spermatogonial cells nuclei diameter, sertoli cells nuclei diameter and epithelial height were measured in the experimental groups. Meiotic index and the percentage of spermatogenesis were also calculated.Results: The mean values of about mentioned morphometrical parameters in copper treated groups showed significant decrease on 14th day compared to the control group. Copper administration caused a significant damage to morphometrical parameters on 28th day compared to the day 14. Also, in some parameters further decreases were observed specially in the Cu200 group on 56th day such as the diameter of seminiferous tubules, spermatogonial and sertoli cells nuclei and epithelial height of germinal layer (P<0.05). Conclusions: The results show that exposure to copper has the deleterious effects on morphometrical structure of testes which are appeared as early as two weeks.
ABSTRACT
The experiment was conducted to examine the effect of copper toxicity on the peripheral blood T-lymphocyte using the flow cytometry(FCM) and ANAE.180 one-day-old Avian broilers were divided randomly into three groups,and fed diets as follows:(1)Controls(Cu 11.97 mg/kg diet) and (2)copper toxic(Cu 650 mg/kg diet,copper toxic group Ⅰ;Cu 850 mg/kg diet,copper toxic group Ⅱ) for six weeks.The ANAE positive ratios of the peripheral blood T-lymphocytes were much lower in the two copper toxic groups than in control group from 1 to 6 weeks of age(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Also,there was significant difference between copper toxic groups Ⅰ and Ⅱ at 1,3,5 and 6 weeks of age(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).CD+4 T cell numbers reduced from 2 to 6 weeks of age in both copper toxic group Ⅰ and copper toxic group Ⅱ as compared with those of control group(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).At the same time,there was significant difference between copper toxic groups Ⅰ and Ⅱ at 6 weeks of age(P＜0.05).But the numbers of CD+8 T cell were not varied from 2 to 6 weeks of age in copper toxic groups Ⅰ and Ⅱ in comparison with those of control group(P＞0.05).The CD+4/CD+8 ratio was lower from 2 to 6 weeks of age in copper toxic groups Ⅰ and Ⅱ than in control group.The results showed that copper toxicity could suppress the development of T-lymphocytes and reduce the peripheral blood T-lymphocyte populations.Potential mechanisms underlying these observations are also discussed.
ABSTRACT
The inhibition of growth of a wild strain of Neurospora crassa by Cu2+ is counteracted by histidine, histidine methyl ester, histidinol and Mn2+. In the presence of Cu2+, the total free amino acid content decreased by 30%. The decreased free amino acid pools of arginine, histidine and tyrosine were restored on the addition of Mn2+. Histidinol phosphate phosphatase showed a decrease in activity in the presence of Cu2+. This inhibition was reversed on the addition of excess Mn2+.. The data suggest that copper toxicity in the mould is due to suppression of histidine biosynthesis.