In Vitro Multiplication and Cryopreservation of Penthorum chinense Shoot Tips.

This study provides alternative approaches toward ex situ conservation by means of in vitro seed germination and the multiplication of Penthorum chinense Pursh using nodal explants. An overlay of a liquid medium on top of a gelled medium significantly increased the growth of shoots and roots, while the presence of activated charcoal or growth regulators (benzyl adenine and α-naphthaleneacetic acid) decreased the growth. Shoot tips of in vitro plantlets were cryopreserved using a droplet-vitrification method. The standard procedure included preculture with 10% sucrose for 31 h and with 17.5% sucrose for 17 h, osmoprotection with loading solution C4-35% (17.5% glycerol + 17.5% sucrose, w/v) for 20 min, cryoprotection with alternative plant vitrification solution (PVS) A3-70% (29.2% glycerol + 11.7% DMSO + 11.7% EG + 17.4% sucrose, w/v) at 0 °C for 30 min, cooling the samples in liquid nitrogen using aluminum foil strips and rewarming by plunging into pre-heated (40 °C) unloading solution (35% sucrose) for 40 min. A three-step regrowth procedure starting with ammonium-free medium followed by ammonium-containing medium with and without growth regulators was essential for the regeneration of cryopreserved shoot tips. The species was found to be very sensitive to the chemical cytotoxicity of permeating cryoprotectants during cryoprotection and to ammonium-induced oxidant stress during initial regrowth steps. Improvement of donor plant vigor by using apical sections and liquid overlay on top of the solid medium for propagation, improved shoot tip tolerance to osmotic stress and increased post-cryopreservation regeneration up to 64% were observed following PVS B5-85% (42.5% glycerol + 42.5% sucrose) treatment for 60 min. The systematic approach used in this study enables fast optimization of the in vitro growth and cryopreservation procedure for a new stress-sensitive wild plant species.

Boosting animal performance, immune index and antioxidant status in post-weaned bull calves through dietary augmentation of selective traditional medicinal plants.

Traditional medicinal plants (TMP) are considered valuable alternatives to hazardous synthetic chemical utilized as animal growth promoters. This study aimed to evaluate effects of dietary supplementation of seed and leaf powder (75:25) of three Bangladeshi TMP viz. Emblica officinalis Gaertn., Terminalia bellirica Gaertn. Roxb., and Terminalia chebula Retz. on growth performance, digestibility of nutrients, hematological indices, immune index and antioxidant status in post-weaned bull calves. Dietary treatments: TMP1 (basal diet = green grass + concentrate), TMP2 (basal diet + 0.5% mixture of seed and leaf (75:25) of E. officinalis Gaertn.), TMP3 (basal diet + 0.5% mixture of seed and leaf (75:25) of T. bellirica Gaertn. Roxb.), and TMP4 (basal diet + 0.5% mixture of seed and leaf (75:25) of T. chebula Retz.). Supplementation of TMP significantly (p < 0.10) improved weight gain without affecting digestibility. Hematological indices did not change much by treatment of TMP except for enhancement of monocyte (p < 0.10) and platelet percentage (p < 0.05). A reduction in IGF, enhancement (p < 0.05) of lymphocyte proliferation, and IgG were recorded in TMP2, TMP3 and TMP4 compared to TMP1. Decreasing (p < 0.05) trend of interleukins-1 and 6, and an elevation of TNF-α and antioxidant status were recorded in the TMP2, TMP3, and TMP4 in comparison to TMP1. An elevated level of total antioxidant and glutathione peroxidase activities were found in calves treated with TMP2, TMP3, and TMP4 (p < 0.05) relative to TMP1. Taken together, our results indicate that supplementation of feed with Bangladeshi TMP promoted growth and some health indices like immune-advocating efficacy of post-weaned bull calves.

Evaluation of 35 cases of abdominal lymphoma.

Abdominal lymphoma is not a common clinical entity in Bangladesh. Still, in our Clinical practice we come across such problem occasionally. Because of their rarity and variable unusual behaviour, such case may present a major challenge even to experienced clinicians. Thirty five cases are reported in this series of which 29 were male and 6 were female (M:F = 4.8:1). Cases were collected from BSMMU, DMCH, MMCH, different clinics of Dhaka. Mean age was 36.7 years. Out of 35 cases 20(57.15%) had primary abdominal lymphoma, 08(22.85%) had secondary lymphomatous involvement, 07(20%) were cases of nodal lymphomas with or without superficial lymphnode involvement. All patients presented with gastrointestinal symptoms with or without an abdominal lump. Duration of symptoms of these patients ranged from 03 months to 02 years. In only 02 patients a clinical diagnosis of lymphoma was made pre-operatively. Various operative procedures were performed according to circumstances. Most common site of involvement was small intestine followed by large intestine, mesenteric lymphnodes, rectum and stomach. Among 35 cases, 28(80%) were Non-Hodgkin's, lymphoma 05(14.28%) were Hodgkin's and lymphoma 2(5.71%) were unclassified. All of the patients were referred to oncologist. Some of the patients received chemotherapy. The patients were followed up for a variable period. This study showed that abdominal lymphoma has a good prognosis provided diagnosed and treated early.

Effects of cholesterol on the kinetics of mitochondrial ATPase.

Enrichment of the inner mitochondrial membrane with cholesterol induces an increase in ATPase activity with a decrease in the Km for ATP. Cholesterol also abolishes the discontinuity normally found in the Arrhenius plot of ATPase activity. Since no change is detected in the rate of proton translocation through the ATPase membrane sector, it is concluded that cholesterol incorporation induces changes in the hydrolytic step of ATPase via a conformational change transmitted from the membrane sector to the catalytic sector F1.

A temperature-dependent structural change of mitochondrial ATPase.

The temperature dependence of the intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence in either bovine heart submitochondrial particles or oligomycin-sensitive ATPase isolated therefrom shows a discontinuity at near 25 degrees C, which coincides with the temperature where a break in the Arrhenius plot of ATPase activity is found. Addition of n-butanol to submitochondrial particles induces a decrease of tryptophan fluorescence in the whole temperature range. The discontinuity is interpreted as a temperature-dependent structural change and related to a viscosity-induced phase separation of the intrinsic mitochondrial proteins.

[Effect of carbenoxolone (CBO) on metabolism of nucleic acids, polyamines and proteins of gastric mucosa "in vivo" and "in vitro" (author's transl)]. / Modificazioni del metabolismo nucleoproteico nella mucosa gastrica: effetto del carbenoxalone

Carbenoxolone was administrated, by intubation per os, to guinea-pigs, then the animals were killed 2 and 4 hours later. In perfusion experiments, carbenoxolone was injected for 5,10 and 20 min respectively. The results show a decreased uptake of formiate-H3 into RNA and DNA in vivo. During perfusion of stomach, CBO causes a precocious enhancement of specific radioactivity of nucleic acids, then a decrease was observed. The pattern of polyamines in perfused stomach shows an increased uptake of putrescine-C14 into spermidine. Finally, the specific radioactivity of proteins was enhanced in vivo and in vitro by CBO. The results demonstrate that the drug alterates the proliferative cell cycle and induces the synthesis of proteins.

[Pleuroparenchymal and cardiomediastinal reactions in the radiotherapy of malignant lymphomas. (author's transl)]. / Reazioni pleuroparenchimali e cardiomediastiniche nella radioterapia dei linfomi maligni

The radiographic documentation for over 300 malignant lymphoma patients who received radiotherapy to the hilo-mediastinal regions at the National Cancer Institute of Milan is examined with a view to ascertaining the pleuroparenchymal and cardiomediastinal sequelae of irradiation in a fairly homogeneous series in respect of treatment techniques. Early and late lesions of varying severity, mild, marked and severe, were found in 60% of the patients. Only in 15% were the lesions severe; in 6% pronounced pleural effusions were found and in 1.2% exudative pericarditis. To identify the etiological factors, the lesions were correlated with several variables: patient age, disease stage, pretreatment condition of the intrathoracic organs, radiotherapeutic techniques and doses, and combined therapy with Bleomycin at the doses usually given in the treatment of lymphomas, where relevant. Of these factors only the radiotherapeutic technique (site and number of fields, division of dose) and especially the dose absorbed seem to be relatively closely related to the frequency and severity of the post-irradiation lesions. There seem to be other factors in the genesis of these lesions, probably related to individual reactivity, but for these we have no evaluation parameters.