Dissipation Kinetics of Trifloxystrobin and Tebuconazole on Wheat Leaves and Their Harvest Time Residues in Wheat Grains and Soil

Following single application of Nativo 75 WG (trifloxystrobin 25 % + tebuconazole 50 %) on wheat crop @ 300 and 600 g ha⁻¹, resulting in active application of trifloxystrobin @ 75.0 and 150.0 g a.i. ha⁻¹ and tebuconazole @ 150 and 300 g a.i. ha⁻¹, the average initial deposits of trifloxystrobin on wheat leaves were 5.54 and 8.30 mg kg⁻¹, and that of tebuconazole were 14.66 and 27.94 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. Half-life values for trifloxystrobin were observed to be 2.80 and 2.51 days whereas those for tebuconazole were found to be 2.46 and 1.85 days at recommended and double the recommended dosages, respectively. The residues of trifloxystrobin and tebuconazole dissipated to the extent of >89 % at both the dosages after 7 days. Wheat grain samples at harvest having pre harvest interval of 140 days did not show the presence of trifloxystrobin and tebuconazole at their determination limit of 0.01 mg kg⁻¹.     

Toxicity Assessment of Traditionally Used Medicinal Plants Sesbania sesban var. Bicolor,Cyperus Compressus and Asparagus Racemosus

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, India Section B: Biological Sciences - Several medicinal plants have been used in traditional medicine without the required scientific data to...     

Primary Hyperparathyroidism Masquerading as Rickets: Diagnostic Challenge and Treatment Outcomes

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is extremely uncommon among children and is more likely to be associated with genetic syndromes, multiglandular involvement, and more severe symptoms. Rickets can very rarely be the presenting feature of PHPT in children. Rickets was diagnosed in a 12-year-old girl presenting with short stature, genu valgum, eversion deformity at the ankle joints, and flat feet. Radiograms showed generalized osteopenia, widening of the distal ends of the long bones along with splaying, cupping and fraying. Biochemical evaluation revealed low serum calcium (7.8 mg/dL), low phosphorus (1.4 mg/dL), vitamin-D deficiency [25-hydroxy-vitamin-D (25(OH)D): 8.7 ng/mL], and elevated intact parathyroid hormone (PTH, 811 pg/mL). Re-evaluation due to lack of clinical improvement following vitamin-D and calcium supplementation revealed hypercalcemia 11.9 mg/dL, normal 25(OH)D 41 ng/mL, persistence of elevated PTH 632 pg/mL. A 99mTc-sestamibi scan showed increased uptake at the lower pole of the right lobe of the thyroid. A right inferior parathyroidectomy was performed. Histopathology revealed chief cell type parathyroid adenoma. Last evaluated 4 months after surgery, the bone pains and proximal weakness had resolved, with significant improvement in the patient’s quality of life. Rickets in the setting of PHPT often masks the classical phenotype of PHPT. In a child with rickets, lack of improvement following vitamin-D supplementation, hypercalcemia at presentation or following vitamin-D supplementation are warning signs which necessitate further evaluation to rule out PHPT.Conflict of interest:None declared.     

Unexplained absence of both fallopian tubes with ovary in the omentum

A rare case of unexplained absence of both fallopian tubes and ovaries from their normal position, resulting infertility is presented. On careful search an ectopic ovary containing dermoid cyst was found in the omentum. Possible mechanism and clinical significance of such a rare occurrence is discussed.     

Endometrial histology and progesterone levels in women using norethindrone acetate implants for contraception

The effect of a single implant-D containing 40 mg of norethindrone acetate on the endometrium and serum progesterone, and its mode of contraceptive action was investigated. 20 women aged 20-40 (parity 1-5) had used implant-D for periods of 7-27 months. Endometrial biopsies and peripheral venous bloods were collected between the 16th-28th days of the menstrual cycle. Endometrial dating was done according to the criteria of Noyes et al. 19 of the 20 biopsies taken showed the endometrium in the secretory phase, and serum progesterone levels above 3 ng/ml confirming that ovulation had occurred. The biopsy of the remaining woman showed proliferative endometrium and serum progesterone of 2.15 ng/ml. The dating of the endometrium revealed disparity between stromal, glandular, and vascular components of the specimens; thus, only approximate dates could be assigned to a particular specimen. In the dating of the endometrium, 5 women showed retardation by more than 3 days and 4 women showed enhancement of 3 or more days. The results show that the norethindrone-acetate-containing silastic implant-D does not inhibit ovulation and 1 mode of its interaction in fertility control is by bringing about an imbalance in endometrial maturation during the luteal phase.     

Ancylostoma Ceylanicum: I. Protein and Antigenic Composition of Adult and Larval Stages

The protein and antigenic composition of adult and larval stages of Ancylostoma ceylanicum, a human hookworm maintained in golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus), was studied employing immunochemical techniques. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed the presence of 47 and 43 protein bands in adult worms and infective larvae respectively in the molecular weight range of 10-170 kD. Crossed immunoelectrophoretic analysis, using immune rabbit sera, showed the presence of 32 antigenic peaks in adults and 19 in infective larval stage. Most of the antigens were common between adult and larval stage as evidenced by cross-line immunoelectrophoresis, although some stage specific antigens were also identified. These studies also demonstrate the complex nature of adult worms as compared to larvae.     

Silymarin and silibinin cause G1 and G2-M cell cycle arrest via distinct circuitries in human prostate cancer PC3 cells: a comparison of flavanone silibinin with flavanolignan mixture silymarin

Here, we assessed and compared the anticancer efficacy and associated mechanisms of silymarin and silibinin in human prostate cancer (PCA) PC3 cells; silymarin is comprised of silibinin and its other stereoisomers, including isosilybin A, isosilybin B, silydianin, silychristin and isosilychristin. Silymarin and silibinin (50-100 microg/ml) inhibited cell proliferation, induced cell death, and caused G1 and G2-M cell cycle arrest in a dose/time-dependent manner. Molecular studies showed that G1 arrest was associated with a decrease in cyclin D1, cyclin D3, cyclin E, cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)4, CDK6 and CDK2 protein levels, and CDK2 and CDK4 kinase activity, together with an increase in CDK inhibitors (CDKIs) Kip1/p27 and Cip1/p21. Further, both agents caused cytoplasmic sequestration of cyclin D1 and CDK2, contributing to G1 arrest. The G2-M arrest by silibinin and silymarin was associated with decreased levels of cyclin B1, cyclin A, pCdc2 (Tyr15), Cdc2, and an inhibition of Cdc2 kinase activity. Both agents also decreased the levels of Cdc25B and cell division cycle 25C (Cdc25C) phosphatases with an increased phosphorylation of Cdc25C at Ser216 and its translocation from nucleus to the cytoplasm, which was accompanied by an increased binding with 14-3-3beta. Both agents also increased checkpoint kinase (Chk)2 phosphorylation at Thr68 and Ser19 sites, which is known to phosphorylate Cdc25C at Ser216 site. Chk2-specific small interfering RNA largely attenuated the silymarin and silibinin-induced G2-M arrest. An increase in the phosphorylation of histone 2AX and ataxia telangiectasia mutated was also observed. These findings indicate that silymarin and silibinin modulate G1 phase cyclins-CDKs-CDKIs for G1 arrest, and the Chk2-Cdc25C-Cdc2/cyclin B1 pathway for G2-M arrest, together with an altered subcellular localization of critical cell cycle regulators. Overall, we observed comparable effects for both silymarin and silibinin at equal concentrations by weight, suggesting that silibinin could be a major cell cycle-inhibitory component in silymarin. However, other silibinin stereoisomers present in silymarin also contribute to its efficacy, and could be of interest for future investigation.