NISCAIR Online Periodicals Repository Collection: IJEB Vol.49(10) [October 2011]

Sodium selenite attenuated cisplatin-induced toxicity in rats: Role of electrolytes homeostasis

Title: Sodium selenite attenuated cisplatin-induced toxicity in rats: Role of electrolytes homeostasis

Authors: Noori, Shafaq; Mahboob, Tabassum

Abstract: Sodium selenite (1 mg/kg body weight, ip) for 10 consecutive days treatment showed marked increase in intra-erythrocytes K⁺ and plasma Na⁺ level while slight increase in Na⁺K⁺ ATPase level. No mortality was observed at this dose of sodium selenite. However, sodium selenite pretreatment partially restored the Na⁺ K⁺ ATPase and intra-erythorcytes and plasma sodium level, while completely restored the intra-erythrocytes K⁺and plasma Mg²⁺level. No change was observed in plasma Ca²⁺ level. Thus sodium selenite successively attenuated the Cisplatin-induced electrolytes alterations and toxicity by exerting the stress response of sodium.

Page(s): 791-794

Effect of mating and parasitism regimes on progeny production and sex-ratio of Campoletis chlorideae Uchida

Title: Effect of mating and parasitism regimes on progeny production and sex-ratio of Campoletis chlorideae Uchida

Authors: Dhillon, M K; Sharma, H C

Abstract: The ichneumonid parasitoid, C. chlorideae is an important natural enemy of pod borer/bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) in different agro-ecosystems. The sex-ratio of parasitoids has an important bearing on the population build up of the natural enemies for biological control of insect pests. Therefore, the present studies were conducted to gain an understanding of the influence of mating behaviour and abundance of the insect host on fecundity and sex-ratio of the parasitoid, C. chlorideae. There was no significant influence of number of matings and abundance of the insect host on cocoon formation, adult emergence, and larval and pupal periods of C. chlorideae. However, fecundity and female longevity were significantly influenced by mating and abundance of the insect host. There was a significant and positive correlation (r = 0.84**) between longevity and fecundity of C. chlorideae females. The unmated C. chlorideae females produced only males. Nearly 20% of the females that had mated twice were able to parasitize the H. armigera larvae successfully. The sex-ratio of the progeny from females that had mated twice was male biased. Females mated with males from the unmated females produced significantly less numbers of females than those mated with males from the fertilized females, indicating genetic regulation of sex-ratio in C. chlorideae.

Page(s): 786-790

Non-exhaustive test for aerobic capacity determination in running rats

Title: Non-exhaustive test for aerobic capacity determination in running rats

Authors: Manchado-Gobatto, FB; Gobatto, CA; Contarteze, RVL; Mello, MAR

Abstract: A simple and applicable method for non-exhaustive aerobic evaluation in running rats is described. Wistar rats were submitted to running test at different velocities (10, 15, 20, 25 m/min) with 48 h recovery among them. At each velocity, the rats ran two bouts of 5 min with 2 min of rest between bouts. Blood samples were collected at the end of each bout for lactate determination. For each intensity, delta lactate was calculated and using deltas obtained by four tests, an individual linear interpolation was plotted. The y-intercept of linear interpolation was the “null delta lactate” equivalent to the critical velocity (CV). To verify the lactate stabilization at CV, the animals were submitted to 25 min of continuous exercise (15, 20, 25 m/min), with blood collection every 5 min. The estimated CV was 16.6±0.7 m/min, with significant linear regressions (R=0.90±0.03). The rats presented maximal lactate steady state (MLSS) at 3.9±0.4 mmol/L, at 20 m/min. The CV was less than MLSS but significantly correlated with this parameter (r=0.78). This non-exhaustive test seems to be valid for the aerobic evaluation of sedentary rats and this protocol underestimates the MLSS in 20%. This test seems to be the interesting method for the evaluation of rats submitted to acute exercise or physical training.

Page(s): 781-785

Novel substrate (algal protein) for cultivation of Rhodospirillum rubrum

Title: Novel substrate (algal protein) for cultivation of Rhodospirillum rubrum

Authors: Vatsala, T M; Rekha, R; Srividhya, R

Abstract: Rhodospirillum rubrum was grown under light anaerobic conditions with phycocyanin (C-pc) extracted from Spirulina platensis as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen. When grown under these conditions cellular components like lipids, carbohydrates, protein, carotenoids, bacteriochlorophyll were similar to the one grown with malic acid and ammonium chloride. Growth of R. rubrum increased with increase in concentration of C-pc (200 to 1000 mg/l). R. rubrum also utilized C-pc under dark anaerobic condition. With both malic acid and C-pc as carbon sources C-pc was consumed only after exhaustion of malic acid under light anaerobic condition. No aberration of cell morphology was seen under scanning electron microscope (SEM). R. rubrum utilized both phycocyanobilin and phycoprotein individually as well as in combination. When grown with 1000 mg/l of phycoprotein 450 mg/l of biomass was obtained, and with combination of phycocyanobilin (75 mg/l) and phycoprotein (925 mg/l) 610 mg/l of biomass was obtained. Phycocyanobilin alone did not inhibit the growth of R. rubrum. Utilization of C-pc with protease like activity was observed in plate assay. Protease like activity was also observed as zones around the colonies in plates containing sterilized casein, gelatin and filter sterilized bovine serum albumin. No amino acids were detected in the supernatant when analyzed with ninhydrin. Extracellular protease like activity was highest when C-pc was used as substrate (2.8 U/ml). Intracellular protease like activity was not detected in cell free extracts.

Page(s): 773-780