Protective effect of pomegranate juice on retinal oxidative stress in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

AIM： To investigate the effect of pomegranate juice（PJ） intake on overall oxidation status in retinas of diabetic rats.METHODS： Twenty-seven rats were divided into four groups as control（CO）, diabetic（DM）, control treated with PJ（CO-PJ）, and diabetic treated with PJ（DM-PJ）.The retina tissues were used to determine 8-hydroxy-2＇-deoxyguanosine（8 OHd G）, malondialdehyde（MDA）, reduced glutathione（GSH） levels, and the enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase（SOD） and glutathione peroxidase（GSH-Px）. RESULTS： The levels of 8 OHdG and MDA were significantly increased in the retina of DM group compared to CO group（P=0.001, P〈0.001 respectively）. Both 8 OHd G and MDA levels were decreased in PJ-DM group compared to DM group（P=0.004, P〈0.001 respectively）. The activities of antioxidant enzymes GSH, SOD, and GDH-Px were significantly decreased in the retina of DM group compared to CO group（P≤0.01）. GSH and GSH-Px activities were higher in PJ-DM group compared with DM group（P=0.010, P=0.042, respectively） but SOD activity was not statistically different（P=0.938）. CONCLUSION： PJ intake is found to be effective in decreasing oxidative end products, and in increasing the activities of antioxidant enzymes in diabetic retinas of rats, which suggests it may be effective against oxidative stress in diabetic retinas.

Combining conservation tillage with nitrogen fertilization promotes maize straw decomposition by regulating soil microbial community and enzyme activities

Straw return can effectively improve farmland soil microenvironment and fertility.However,excessive straw in the topsoil adversely affects seed germination and crop growth.At present,the characteristics and key driving factors of straw decomposition in dry farmlands are unclear.Based on the interactions between tillage practices including zero tillage(ZT),chisel tillage(CT),and plow tillage(PT)and nitrogen(N)fertilization,i.e.,low N(N1,180 kg ha^(-1)),normal N(N2,240 kg ha^(-1)),and high N(N3,300 kg ha^(-1)),quantitative polymerase chain reaction technology and an enzymatic detection kit were used to investigate the effects of key straw C-degrading enzyme activities and microbial abundance in soil on maize straw decomposition during the growth period of winter wheat in the winter wheat/summer maize double cropping system in a dry farmland of the Loess Plateau,China.Between 2018 and 2020,ZT and CT significantly increased winter wheat yield(by 10.94%and 12.79%,respectively)and straw decomposition velocity(by 20%and 26.67%,respectively),compared with PT.Compared to N1 and N3,N2 significantly increased wheat yield(by 4.65%and 5.31%,respectively)and straw decomposition velocity(by 26.33%and 13.21%,respectively).The partial least squares pathway modelling showed significant positive direct effects of soil moisture,NO3-,NH4+,total N,bacteria,and cellulase,laccase,and xylanase activities on straw decomposition,while soil pH,fungi,and Actinomycetes had significant negative direct effects.Overall,conservation tillage(ZT and CT)combined with N2 was beneficial for straw decomposition in the drylands of the Loess Plateau and improved straw resource utilization and basic soil fertility.The results of the study clarified the key drivers of straw decomposition in dry farmlands and provided new ideas for developing updated soil management practices and adaptive N application strategies to promote the resource utilization of straw and achieve the goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality.

Alterations in hepatic metabolism of adult male rats following exposure to hydroxyprogesterone during embryonic development

Aim:To investigate the effect of in utero exposure to hydroxyprogesterone(HP)on liver metabolism in adult male albino rats.Methods:Pregnant Wistar strain albino rats were exposed to supra-normal levels(10 mg/kg and 25 mg/kg)of HP on days 1,7 and 14 of pregnancy.The male pups were maintained under controlled conditions and the rats were killed 90 days after birth.The liver tissue was immediately excised,weighed and used for biochemical assays. Results:The activity levels of succinate dehydrogenase(SDH),glutamate dehydrogenase(GDH),glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase(G-6-PDH),malate dehydrogenase(MDH)and aminotransaminases were significantly increased in the livers of rats exposed to HP during embryonic development.The lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)activity level was significantly decreased in the liver of experimental rats.Furthermore,there was a significant elevation of activity levels of antioxidant enzymes(glutathione S-transferase[GST] and catalase[CAT])with an increased lipid peroxidation in the hepatic tissue of experimental rats compared with the control group.Conclusion:The results of the present study suggest that there is an increase in the oxidative metabolism,antioxidative mechanism and levels of lipid peroxidation in rats exposed to HP during embryonic development.The increased aminotransaminase activities in these rats reveal tissue damage and disruption of mitochondrial integrity.(Asian J Androl 2006 Jul;8:463-467)

Effects of Paclobutrazol Seed Priming on Seedlings Quality,Physiological and Bakanae Disease Index Characteristics of Rice(Oryza sativa L.)

Rice(Oryza sativa L.)is one of the most important cereal crops in the world.Bakanae disease is a significant rice disease widely distributed in rice-growing regions worldwide.Therefore,the present investigation aimed to assess the optimal concentrations of paclobutrazol(PBZ)as a treatment for rice grains(cv.Sakha 108)to control bakanae disease,also evaluating its impact on grain germination,seedling growth parameters as well as disease index.Paclobutrazol concentrations had no significant impact on seed germination,regardless of whether the seeds were incubated with Fusarium fujikuroi or not.Application of PBZ,either alone or in combination with fungal pathogens,negatively impacted the rice seedlings’height.Paclobutrazol at 25,50 and 100 mg/L,combined with the fungal pathogen positively impacted root length.Paclobutrazol at 3 and 6 mg/L mitigated the adverse impact on chlorophyll pigments content in infected seedlings.The highest proline contents were achieved by 100 mg/L PBZ alone or in combination with fungal pathogens.It has been observed that the application of PBZ,either alone or in combination with a fungal pathogen,leads to the enhancement of catalase,peroxidase,and polyphenol oxidase activities.The median lethal concentration of PBZ was 0.874 mg/L;applying low concentrations of paclobutrazol effectively increased the percentage of fungal growth suppression.Application of PBZ,at higher concentrations(50 and 100 mg/L),decreased infection percentage and disease severity index(DSI)significantly.These findings suggest that PBZ can be an effective treatment for controlling bakanae disease and enhancing resistance in rice plants.

GSH-triggered sequential catalysis for tumor imaging and eradication based on star-like Au/Pt enzyme carrier system

Distinctively different metabolism between tumor cells and normal cells endows tumor tissues unique microenvironment.In this regard,we have successfully prepared a sequential catalytic platform based on Au/Pt star for tumor theragnostic.The multifunctional probes consisted of a gold/platinum star-shaped core(Au/Pt star)conjugated with a GSH-sensitive disulfide bond(S–S),a targeting ligand(rHSA-FA),a near-infrared fluorophore(IR780)and glucose oxidase(GOx).When systemically administered in a xenografted murine model,the probes specifically targeted the tumor sites.As the disulfide linker was cleaved by intracellular GSH,the IR780 molecules could be released for photo-thermal therapy&photodynamic therapy(PTT&PDT)and imaging.Subsequently,the Pt nanolayer of the Au/Pt star and the GOx formed a sequential catalytic system:GOx effectively catalyzed intracellular glucose by consuming oxygen to generate H2O2 and enhance the local acidity,and the Pt layer exhibited peroxidase-like property to catalyze H2O2 producing toxic·OH for tumor oxidative damage.Here we demonstrated that our probes simultaneously possessed a GSH-sensitive release,real-time imaging ability,and synergetic cancer starving-like therapy/enzyme oxidative therapy/PTT/PDT features,which provides a potential strategy for effective tumor theragnostic.

Extracts of passion fruit peel and seed of Passiflora edulis(Passifloraceae) attenuate oxidative stress in diabetic rats

This study was aimed at evaluating the anti-diabetic potential of passion fruit Passiflora edulis(EPE) extracts in diabetic rats, following Streptozotocin(STZ) induced oxidative stress. Thirty adult Wistar rats were divided into five groups, with six rats in each group. The control rats were injected intraperitoneally with citrate buffer(pH 4.5). The remaining groups of rats were administered single dose of 45 mg·kg-1 of STZ by intraperitoneal route to induce diabetes. The diabetic animals were treated with 250 and 500 mg·kg-1 of EPE and glibenclamide 0.6 mg·kg-1 for fifteen days by oral route. Blood glucose, end organ oxidative stress marker, and anti-oxidants were assayed. Further, histopathological investigation of pancreas was studied at the end of the experimentation. The results revealed that subacute administration of EPE significantly(P < 0.001) controlled the blood glucose level in the diabetic rats. In addition, EPE extract protected the end organs by restoring the anti-oxidants enzyme, significantly increasing super oxide dismutase level(SOD) and decreasing catalase(CAT) and TBARS level in visceral organs. In conclusion, that EPE extracts showed anti-diabetic and anti-oxidant potential against streptozotocin-induced diabetes.

Physiological and biochemical characteristic of Miscanthus×giganteus grown in heavy metal-oil sludge co-contaminated soil

The effect of oil sludge and zinc,present in soil both separately and as a mixture on the physiological and biochemical parameters of Miscanthus×giganteus plant was examined in a pot experiment.The opposite effect of pollutants on the accumulation of plant biomass was established:in comparison with uncontaminated control the oil sludge increased,and Zn reduced the root and shoot biomass.Oil sludge had an inhibitory effect on the plant photosynthetic apparatus,which intensified in the presence of Zn.The specific antioxidant response of M.×giganteus to the presence of both pollutants was a marked increase in the activity of superoxide dismutase(mostly owing to oil sludge)and glutathione-S-transferase(mostly owing to zinc)in the shoots.The participation of glutathione-S-transferase in the detoxification of both the organic and the inorganic pollutants was assumed.Zn inhibited the activity of laccase-like oxidase,whereas oil sludge promoted laccase and ascorbate oxi-dase activities.This finding suggests that these enzymes play a part in the oxidative detox-ification of the organic pollutant.With both pollutants used jointly,Zn accumulation in the roots increased 6-fold,leading to increase in the efficiency of soil clean-up from the metal.In turn,Zn did not significantly affect the soil clean-up from oil sludge.This study shows for the first time the effect of co-contamination of soil with oil sludge and Zn on the phys-iological and biochemical characteristics of the bioenergetic plant M.×giganteus.The data obtained are important for understanding the mechanisms of phytoremediation with this plant.