Exploration of bacteria associated with chili peppers’ rhizosphere and their capacity to absorb and produce gibberellin hormone

Plant rhizospheric zone is a narrow soil region were rich in microbes. Microbes are of capacity to dissolve phosphate. Phosphate (P) is the second essential component after N, which plays a crucial part in photosynthesis and root development. P is difficult to dissolve due to strong bonding with compounds in the soil. Here, we explored rhizospheric bacteria around chili peppers’ roots area. The bacteria were isolated and purified on solid media. The bacterial isolates were then quantitatively assayed for their capacity to dissolve phosphate using Pikovskaya liquid medium consisted of Ca3(PO4)2 as Phosphate source. Moreover, the capacity to produce Gibberellin hormone was also evaluated using Borrow et al. method. The assays revealed that phosphate concentration produced by rhizospheric bacteria of chili pepper ranged from 19.0 to 58.8 μg/L. Meanwhile, gibberellin concentration ranged from 5.81 - 12.79 μg/L. Our results present that bacteria inoculated from roots and roots area of chili pepper are potential as Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria.vThe first section in your paper.

Enhancing the economic viability of pastoralism: the need to balance interventions

Extensive mobile pastoral systems do not follow conventional marketing optimisation models, since they must deal with the factors of mobility, erratic environments, dependency on natural resources, seasonality, and distance to markets. While pastoralist systems contribute substantially to national economies, government investment to support pastoralism remains limited or non-existent. Pastoralists are becoming increasingly integrated into larger market systems and therefore need investment and specially adapted policies to supply a growing demand for livestock products and to support their livelihoods. In this paper, the authors show that investment and technology can support and empower pastoralist marketing strategies in supplying higher-value and more stable livestock products. Furthermore, the authors demonstrate that pastoralists also supply services, broadening the marketing landscape within which they operate to include more players and trading options. Pastoralists are undeniably the custodians of rangelands and provide a wide range of ecosystem services. These new market prospects nevertheless require structuring (e.g. regulation, infrastructure) and adjustments in the trading environment of stakeholders all along the value chain. There is, however, an inherent risk in intervening in pastoral marketing and production processes. Too many or ill-adapted interventions can have severe effects on these systems, resulting in over-intensification and reduced mobility. Finding the right level of intervention to support extensive pastoral systems is important when developing policy, since it is about the only form of land use that can keep a third of the world's land surface in food production without additional inputs.

Chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum cerebral malaria in a chloroquine-susceptible area

Chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum is endemic in many areas. Saudi Arabia was considered to have chloroquine-susceptible P. falciparum. During the 1997-1998 season, an outbreak of malaria occurred in the southwestern region. Over a 4-month period, 32 cases (6.2%) of 520 malaria admissions met the World Health Organization criteria for cerebral malaria. The mean patient age was 28 years. Thirteen male and 19 female patients were admitted in coma. The mean duration of coma was 4.3 days; the case fatality rate was 41%. Compared with those who recovered, patients who died had a lower mean admission diastolic blood pressure and hemoglobin level, higher mean blood urea nitrogen and blood glucose levels, and thrombocytopenia. Logistic regression analysis identified treatment with quinine rather than chloroquine to be associated with survival. These findings show the potential of P. falciparum to emerge as chloroquine resistant in previously susceptible areas, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality in spite of sophisticated medical care.

Oligosaccharide Le(a)-Le(x): a cell surface marker for carcinomas derived from embryonic endoderm

An immunohistochemical evaluation of Le(a)-Le(x) expression by adenocarcinomas of the biliary tree, pancreas, colon and stomach was undertaken as examples of epithelial tumors derived from embryonic endoderm. This complements previous studies showing that Lea-Lex was present on the cell surface of non-small cell lung carcinomas, some non-lung carcinomas, and is a prognostic marker for squamous cell lung carcinomas. All of the tumor specimen evaluated were positive and no expression of Le(a)-Le(x) was detected in derivatives of neural, connective or muscle tissues. These findings indicate that it could be informative to examine the biological significance of Le(a)-Le(x) not only in carcinogenesis but during embryogenesis, as well.

Cell-cell interactions influence oligosaccharide modifications on mucins and other large glycoproteins

Intratumoral phenotypic diversity is well documented with regard to tumor associated carbohydrate antigens (TACA). The factors which control the expression of these cell-surface oligosaccharides on different cells of the same tumor are not understood. We investigated the expression of a panel of mucin associated oligosaccharides in cell lines growing at different surface densities (number of cells per cm2 of growth flask). Results show that the apparent expression of extended Lea-Lex, Lea and Lex, sialyl Lea, Tn and sialyl Tn varies with density of growth by an invasive human squamous cell lung carcinoma cell line (NU6-1), a benign variant (NE-18) and the human lung epithelial cell line BEAS-2B. The results indicate that one of the factors influencing the apparent expression of mucin-associated oligosaccharides is cell-cell interactions.

Expression of the carcinoma-associated le(a)-le(x) oligosaccharide in vertebrate endoderm and its fetal derivatives

The extended Le(a)-Le(x) oligosaccharide, expressed as a cell surface antigen by human squamous lung carcinomas marks cancer cells of tumors having poor prognosis. In order to see if the extended Le(a)-Le(x) also has a precisely controlled pattern of expression during embryogenesis, a survey of representative vertebrate embryos and fetuses in various stages was undertaken. Embryonic and fetal cells which express the epitope are derived from embryonic endoderm. No. epitope expression was demonstrated in tissues of ectodermal or mesodermal origin. Vertebrate conservation of this endodermal cell surface carbohydrate suggests function necessary for normal growth and development with inappropriate re-expression during carcinogenesis.

Transglutaminase activity in normal and hereditary cataractous rat lens and its partial purification

Hereditary cataractous rat lenses showed significantly higher specific activity for transglutaminase than the normal lenses of comparable age. Transglutaminase activity of normal lenses was distributed predominantly in the buffer-soluble fraction. The buffer-insoluble fraction showed 14% of total activity. The cortical and nuclear fractions of the normal lens showed 43% and 57% distribution of total activity, respectively. Protein solubilizing agents enhanced the activity of the enzyme in the lens homogenate in the following order: Triton X-100 greater than Tween 20 greater than Sodium dodecyl sulfate greater than Sodium deoxycholate greater than Sodium cholate greater than NaSCN greater than KI. Transglutaminase was purified 15 fold by hydrophobic affinity chromatography employing omega-amine octylagarose matrix. The purified enzyme was activated by calcium and inactivated by iodoacetamide and upon freeze-drying. Lens crystallins served as exogenous substrate for transglutaminase, with gamma-crystallin as the most effective amine acceptor.

Determination of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate levels in tissues of the free living nematode, Panagrellus redivivus

1. Tissue levels of adenosine 3', 5'-cyclic monophosphate (c-AMP) were determined by a protein binding assay in mixed populations of the free living nematode Panagrellus redivivus. 2. The values were 2.6 pmoles/mg dry weight (range 1.3-3.4 pmoles). 3. The identity of the c-AMP assayed was confirmed by both anion exchange and TLC as well as enzymatic degradation.

Determination of guanosine 3',5'-cyclic-monophosphate in tissues of the free living nematode, Panagrellus redivivus

1. Tissue levels of guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (c-GMP) were determined by radioimmunoassay in mixed-age populations of the free living nematode Panagrellus redivivus. 2. Cyclic-GMP was identified by chromatography (ion exchange and thin-layer) and by enzymatic degradation.