Interactive effect of boron and NaCl on germinatinion performance in soybean.

The present work was carried out to study the individual and combined effects of boron and salinity on soybean seed germination. The results revealed that all the treatments of both NaCl and boron (5 ppm) delayed the germination. However higher concentrations (50 and 100 ppm) of boron was found to be enhanced germination percentage over control by 10 %. The combinations of boron with NaCl (especially 5 and 100 ppm Boron with 200 mM NaCl and 50 ppm boron with 100 mM NaCl) effectively mitigate the adverse effects of NaCl on germination of soybean seeds. In addition to it 50 mM NaCl concentration was found to be reduced the delayed effects of 5 ppm boron on germination.

Targeting CYP450 modulation to decrease the risk of induced cataract in the experimental model.

Background: Diabetes is one of the major causes of cataract. Some drugs prescribed for the treatment of diabetes are the modulators of CYP450, which may alter the risk of cataract. Objective: To study the effect of CYP450 modulation in galactosemic cataract. Materials and Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley suckling rats were allotted to four groups (n = 6), as follows: Group 1: Normal control, Group 2: Galactose control, Group 3: CYP450 inhibitor pretreated and Group 4: CYP450 inducer pretreated. Cataract was induced in animals of all groups except group 1 by feeding them galactose (50%), 21 days after parturition. From the eighteenth day of life, CYP450 inhibitor (nifedipine; 8.1 mg/kg) and CYP450 inducer (pioglitazone; 3.8 mg/kg) were given orally to groups 3 and 4, respectively. The maturation pattern of the cataract was observed by an operating microscope, every third day. Biochemical changes in the lenses of all groups, for example, CYP450 activity expressed as µM NADPH oxidized / unit time, alterations in the levels of total proteins, soluble proteins, and reduced glutathione (GSH) following the induction of cataract, were estimated. Results: The microscopic examination of the lenses indicated that CYP450 inhibitor pre-treatment delayed (fourteenth day) the occurrence of cataract, while CYP450 inducer pretreatment demonstrated an early (ninth day) cataract as compared to galactose control rats (twelfth day). A significant decrease and increase in CYP450 activity was observed with the CYP450 inhibitor and inducer pre-treatment, respectively. There was no alteration in the GSH level, but a significant increase in total and soluble protein was found in groups 3 and 4 as compared to group 2. Conclusion: CYP450 may have a role in the initiation of cataract without any effect on the maturation pattern, as revealed by the delayed occurrence of cataract with the CYP450 inhibitor and an early onset of cataract with the CYP450 inducer.

Pancreatic juice and duodenal fluid flow rate in cow calves from birth to early ruminant state.

The present investigation on pancreatic juice (PJ) and duodenal fluid (DF) was carried out in 10 crossbred (Jersey x Kankrej) male cow calves from birth to early ruminant state (15 week). The respective samples were measured in situ by cannulating the pancreatic duct and duodenal lumen, 30 minutes before feeding (BF) and 30 minutes after feeding (AF) both during morning (MH) and evening (EH). The results revealed significant increase in PJ and DF flow rate with age. Diurnal effect was nonsignificant except a significant increase recorded during EH on 4 d for PJ and 3 d for DF.