Exploring Therapeutic Frontiers: Unveiling the Potential of Natural Diterpenoid Derivatives in Addressing Neurological Disorders.

Neurological disorders present a formidable challenge in healthcare, necessitating the continuous exploration of innovative therapeutic avenues. This review delves into the burgeoning field of natural diterpenoid derivatives and their promising role in addressing neurological disorders. Derived from natural sources, these compounds exhibit a diverse range of pharmacological properties, positioning them as potential agents for treating conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. The review highlights recent advancements, shedding light on the multifaceted mechanisms through which diterpenoid derivatives exert their effects, from antiinflammatory to neuroprotective actions. As the scientific community navigates the translational journey from bench to bedside, integrating these natural compounds into neurotherapeutics emerges as a compelling prospect. This exploration of the therapeutic frontiers of natural diterpenoid derivatives signifies a significant step towards innovative and effective strategies in the management of neurological disorders. It highlights the potential of natural compounds to revolutionize neurotherapeutics.

Advances in gene therapy approaches targeting neuro-inflammation in neurodegenerative diseases.

Over the last three decades, neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) have increased in frequency. About 15% of the world's population suffers from NDs in some capacity, which causes cognitive and physical impairment. Neurodegenerative diseases, including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and others represent a significant and growing global health challenge. Neuroinflammation is recognized to be related to all NDs, even though NDs are caused by a complex mix of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Numerous genes and pathways such as NFκB, p38 MAPK, Akt/mTOR, caspase, nitric oxide, and COX are involved in triggering brain immune cells like astrocytes and microglia to secrete inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1ß, and IL-6. In AD, the binding of Aß with CD36, TLR4, and TLR6 receptors results in activation of microglia which start to produce proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Consequently, the pro-inflammatory cytokines worsen and spread neuroinflammation, causing the deterioration of healthy neurons and the impairment of brain functions. Gene therapy has emerged as a promising therapeutic approach to modulate the inflammatory response in NDs, offering potential neuroprotective effects and disease-modifying benefits. This review article focuses on recent advances in gene therapy strategies targeting neuroinflammation pathways in NDs. We discussed the molecular pathways involved in neuroinflammation, highlighted key genes and proteins implicated in these processes, and reviewed the latest preclinical and clinical studies utilizing gene therapy to modulate neuroinflammatory responses. Additionally, this review addressed the prospects and challenges in translating gene therapy approaches into effective treatments for NDs.

Safeguarding Neuronal Integrity: Unveiling Possible Role of NFκB in the Neuroprotective Efficacy of Andrographolide Contrary to Aluminium Chloride-induced Neurotoxicity and Associated Spatial Memory Impairments in Rats.

OBJECTIVE: The current study was structured to evaluate the neuroprotective properties of andrographolide in the context of aluminum chloride (AlCl3)-induced neurotoxicity, along with its concurrent impact on spatial memory impairment in Wistar rats. The present investigation elucidated the biochemical and neurobehavioral outcomes of andrographolide treatment in rats, emphasizing the areas of the brain associated with memory, i.e., the cortex and the hippocampus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prolonged dosing of AlCl3 (7 mg/kg) intraperitoneally for 10 days exhibited a substantial enhancement in the values of oxidative stress markers associated with a reduction in the concentrations of antioxidant enzymes within the brain. The selection of andrographolide doses (1, 2, and 3 mg/kg) was grounded in precedent safety and toxicity investigations, with subsequent oral administration. The evaluation of behavioral parameters, specifically spatial memory, was conducted through the utilization of the Radial Eight Arm Maze (RAM) test. On the concluding day of the experiment, the assessment encompassed biochemical parameter analysis and histological scrutiny of the brain tissue. RESULTS: The oral dosing of andrographolide at 1, 2, and 3 mg/kg, in conjunction with AlCl3, effectively mitigated the behavioral deficits induced by aluminum exposure. Notably, a significant suppression of NFκB was uncovered in the rats treated with andrographolide. Furthermore, histopathological examinations of the cortex and hippocampus of rat brains provided corroborative evidence, demonstrating that andrographolide substantially alleviated the toxic impact of AlCl3, thereby maintaining the typical histoarchitectural arrangement of these regions. CONCLUSION: These findings collectively suggest that andrographolide holds the potential to counteract memory impairment instigated by aluminum toxicity, accomplished through the modulation of NFκB activity and the amelioration of the adverse consequences of AlCl3 exposure.

Advancements in CRISPR-Based Therapies for Genetic Modulation in Neurodegenerative Disorders.

: Neurodegenerative disorders pose significant challenges in the realm of healthcare, as these conditions manifest in complex, multifaceted ways, often attributed to genetic anomalies. With the emergence of CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) technology, a new frontier has been unveiled in the quest for targeted, precise genetic manipulation. This abstract explores the recent advancements and potential applications of CRISPR-based therapies in addressing genetic components contributing to various neurodegenerative disorders. The review delves into the foundational principles of CRISPR technology, highlighting its unparalleled ability to edit genetic sequences with unprecedented precision. In addition, it talks about the latest progress in using CRISPR to target specific genetic mutations linked to neurodegenerative diseases like Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and Parkinson's disease. It talks about the most important studies and trials that show how well and safely CRISPR-based therapies work. This shows how this technology can change genetic variants that cause diseases. Notably, the discussion emphasizes the challenges and ethical considerations associated with the implementation of CRISPR in clinical settings, including off-target effects, delivery methods, and long-term implications. Furthermore, the article explores the prospects and potential hurdles in the widespread application of CRISPR technology for treating neurodegenerative disorders. It touches upon the need for continued research, improved delivery mechanisms, and ethical frameworks to ensure responsible and equitable access to these groundbreaking therapies.

Nanotechnology Integrated Innovative Drug Delivery and Therapy for Cancer.

Cancer remains a significant global health challenge, necessitating innovative approaches to enhance the efficacy and specificity of therapeutic interventions while minimizing adverse effects on healthy tissues. Nanotechnology has emerged as a promising avenue in cancer treatment, offering novel strategies for targeted drug delivery. Nanoparticles, liposomes, and polymer-based systems have played pivotal roles in revolutionizing cancer therapy. Nanotechnology possesses unique physicochemical properties, enabling efficient encapsulation of therapeutic agents and controlled and prolonged release at tumour sites. Advancement in formulations using nanotechnology has made it possible to make multifunctional systems that respond to the microenvironment of a tumour by releasing payloads in response to changes in pH, temperature, or enzymes. Stimuli-responsive polymers can release drugs in response to external cues, enabling site-specific drug release and minimizing systemic exposure. This review explores recent studies and preclinical trials that show how nanoparticles, liposomes, and polymerbased systems could be used to treat cancer, discussing challenges such as scalability, regulatory approval, and potential toxicity concerns along with patents published recently.

A Review of the Common Neurodegenerative Disorders: Current Therapeutic Approaches and the Potential Role of Bioactive Peptides.

Neurodegenerative disorders, which include Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), represent a significant and growing global health challenge. Current therapies predominantly focus on symptom management rather than altering disease progression. In this review, we discuss the major therapeutic strategies in practice for these disorders, highlighting their limitations. For AD, the mainstay treatments are cholinesterase inhibitors and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists. For PD, dopamine replacement therapies, including levodopa, are commonly used. HD is managed primarily with symptomatic treatments, and reusable extends survival in ALS. However, none of these therapies halts or substantially slows the neurodegenerative process. In contrast, this review highlights emerging research into bioactive peptides as potential therapeutic agents. These naturally occurring or synthetically designed molecules can interact with specific cellular targets, potentially modulating disease processes. Preclinical studies suggest that bioactive peptides may mitigate oxidative stress, inflammation, and protein misfolding, which are common pathological features in neurodegenerative diseases. Clinical trials using bioactive peptides for neurodegeneration are limited but show promising initial results. For instance, hemiacetal, a γ-secretase inhibitor peptide, has shown potential in AD by reducing amyloid-beta production, though its development was discontinued due to side effects. Despite these advancements, many challenges remain, including identifying optimal peptides, confirming their mechanisms of action, and overcoming obstacles related to their delivery to the brain. Future research should prioritize the discovery and development of novel bioactive peptides and improve our understanding of their pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Ultimately, this approach may lead to more effective therapies for neurodegenerative disorders, moving beyond symptom management to potentially modify the course of these devastating diseases.

Can sympathetic induction be a convenient technique for breeding Amblypharyngodon mola (Hamilton, 1822)?

Mola carplet (Amblypharyngodon mola) is one of the most popular small fish species of the Indian subcontinent. There are limited studies on captive breeding of this species, which is important for aquaculture and the conservation prospects of this species. The conventional induced breeding method using an inducing agent (GnRHa and dopamine antagonist) is one of the most effective and prevalent methods of breeding fish. It is a laborious and time-consuming process, particularly in mass fish breeding and in lieu of that, a less time-consuming method - sympathetic induction of the broodstock, is used in some regions of India, particularly in big carp fish. However, this method has not been reported in commercial-scale breeding of small indigenous fish species. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to compare the spawning efficiency of Amblypharyngodon mola bred by sympathetic induction with the conventional complete induced breeding method. The spawning performance in terms of latency period, relative fecundity, fertilization rate, incubation period, and hatching rates of sympathetically induced Amblypharyngodon mola were compared to completely induced Amblypharyngodon mola brooders. Although the latency period (7.8 hrs), relative fecundity (39 nos./g), fertilization rates (81.61%) and spawning efficiency coefficient (0.681) were better in conventionally induced fish, but lower post-spawning mortality (1.29%) and better hatching rates (86.21%) were observed in sympathetically induced fish. The results indicate that quality offspring of Amblypharyngodon mola could be obtained in terms of survivability through sympathetic breeding. Sympathetic induction breeding could be a cost-effective, convenient, time-saving method of mass-scale breeding and aquaculture of Amblypharyngodon mola.

Role of Phytoactive-based Nanoformulation for the Treatment of Arthritis.

Joints and arthritic conditions are among the most dangerous illnesses that humans have ever encountered and it is even more worrying that there is no recognized treatment for arthritis. The researchers looked for safer alternatives, such as herbal medicines, because the traditional treatments used to treat severe joint inflammatory issues have several negative side effects. A ligand-coated nanomedicine can bind to receptors that are overexpressed by cells in chronically inflammatory tissues, increasing its efficacy and reducing its systemic side effects. This is because the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis suggests that macrophages and overexpressed molecules exist within inflamed tissues, which increases permeability and allows nanomedicines to accumulate in inflamed tissue and cause retention phenomena. The anti-arthritic properties of a variety of plants, their components, extracts, and phyto-isolates have been studied to date. These plant compounds can pose stability and delivery problems, which restricts their efficacy as a treatment for inflammatory diseases. The multifunctional and adaptable features of different nanoparticles can help herbal remedies based on nanotechnology get beyond the delivery constraints of different natural ingredients. The application of nanoformulations in tissue engineering is an additional strategy for delivering drugs directly to bone and cartilage in RA patients. The medication is more therapeutically effective due to nanoformulation's improved synovium and cartilage absorption, accumulation, and penetration at inflammatory joints. Herbal medications with a nanotechnology foundation exhibit superior pharmacokinetic and drug delivery qualities, aid in better oral absorption, regulate drug release, boost in vivo retention capacity, target delivery, and have synergistic effects. This review provides an update on the use of herbal medicines based on nanotechnology, which show promise in treating arthritis and other ailments.

Cholesterol Absorption Inhibition by Some Nutraceuticals.

Hyperlipidemia, characterized by elevated levels of lipids in the blood, represents a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Conventional pharmacological interventions have been effective in managing hyperlipidemia, but concerns about side effects and long-term use have prompted interest in alternative approaches, particularly the use of nutraceuticals. This comprehensive review aims to summarize and critically evaluate the current body of knowledge surrounding the role of nutraceuticals in the management of hyperlipidemia. We provide an overview of the different classes of nutraceuticals, including plant sterols, omega-3 fatty acids, soluble fiber, antioxidants, and various herbal extracts, which have been investigated for their lipid-lowering properties. The mechanisms of action of these nutraceuticals are discussed, highlighting their ability to modulate lipid metabolism, reduce oxidative stress, and promote cardiovascular health. Furthermore, we review the results of clinical trials and epidemiological studies that have assessed the efficacy of nutraceutical interventions in lowering cholesterol levels, improving lipid profiles, and reducing the risk of cardiovascular events. In addition to their lipid-lowering effects, we examine the safety profile, dosage recommendations, and potential interactions of nutraceuticals with conventional lipid-lowering medications. We also address the importance of patient adherence to dietary and lifestyle modifications in conjunction with nutraceutical supplementation. While nutraceuticals offer a promising avenue for managing hyperlipidemia, we emphasize the need for further research to establish evidence-based guidelines for their use in clinical practice. Challenges related to standardization, quality control, and regulatory considerations are also discussed. In conclusion, this comprehensive review provides valuable insights into the potential of nutraceuticals as adjunctive or alternative therapies for managing hyperlipidemia. While further research is needed, the accumulating evidence suggests that nutraceuticals can play a valuable role in promoting cardiovascular health and reducing the burden of hyperlipidemia- related diseases.

Precision Genome Editing Techniques in Gene Therapy: Current State and Future Prospects.

Precision genome editing is a rapidly evolving field in gene therapy, allowing for the precise modification of genetic material. The CRISPR and Cas systems, particularly the CRISPR-- Cas9 system, have revolutionized genetic research and therapeutic development by enabling precise changes like single-nucleotide substitutions, insertions, and deletions. This technology has the potential to correct disease-causing mutations at their source, allowing for the treatment of various genetic diseases. Programmable nucleases like CRISPR-Cas9, transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs) can be used to restore normal gene function, paving the way for novel therapeutic interventions. However, challenges, such as off-target effects, unintended modifications, and ethical concerns surrounding germline editing, require careful consideration and mitigation strategies. Researchers are exploring innovative solutions, such as enhanced nucleases, refined delivery methods, and improved bioinformatics tools for predicting and minimizing off-target effects. The prospects of precision genome editing in gene therapy are promising, with continued research and innovation expected to refine existing techniques and uncover new therapeutic applications.

Recent Advances in Pharmaceutical Design: Unleashing the Potential of Novel Therapeutics.

Pharmaceutical design has made significant advancements in recent years, leading to the development of novel therapeutics with unprecedented efficacy and safety profiles. This review highlights the potential of these innovations to revolutionize healthcare and improve patient outcomes. The application of cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data mining in drug discovery and design has made it easier to find potential drug candidates. Combining big data and omics has led to the discovery of new therapeutic targets and personalized medicine strategies. Nanoparticles, liposomes, and microneedles are examples of advanced drug delivery systems that allow precise control over drug release, better bioavailability, and targeted delivery to specific tissues or cells. This improves the effectiveness of the treatment while reducing side effects. Stimuli-responsive materials and smart drug delivery systems enable drugs to be released on demand when specific internal or external signals are sent. Biologics and gene therapies are promising approaches in pharmaceutical design, offering high specificity and potency for treating various diseases like cancer, autoimmune disorders, and infectious diseases. Gene therapies hold tremendous potential for correcting genetic abnormalities, with recent breakthroughs demonstrating successful outcomes in inherited disorders and certain types of cancer. Advancements in nanotechnology and nanomedicine have paved the way for innovative diagnostic tools and therapeutics, such as nanoparticle-based imaging agents, targeted drug delivery systems, gene editing technologies, and regenerative medicine strategies. Finally, the review emphasizes the importance of regulatory considerations, ethical challenges, and future directions in pharmaceutical design. Regulatory agencies are adapting to the rapid advancements in the field, ensuring the safety and efficacy of novel therapeutics while fostering innovation. Ethical considerations regarding the use of emerging technologies, patient privacy, and access to advanced therapies also require careful attention.

The Pharmacological Potential of Resveratrol in Reducing Soft Tissue Damage in Osteoarthritis Patients.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that causes the cartilage and bone underneath the joint to break down. This causes pain and stiffness. Resveratrol, a polyphenolic compound found in various vegetables, fruits, and red wine, has been studied for its beneficial effects on osteoarthritis. Resveratrol has been shown to target a variety of pathways, including the NF-κB, PI3K/Akt, MAPK/ERK, and AMPK pathways. In particular, resveratrol has been studied for its potential use in treating osteoarthritis, and it has been shown to reduce inflammation, reduce cartilage degradation, and improve joint function. In this review, we discuss the evidence for the pharmacological use of resveratrol in minimizing soft tissue damage associated with osteoarthritis. We summarize the studies on how resveratrol has anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-apoptotic effects, as well as effects on cartilage degradation, osteoblast and synoviocyte proliferation, and cytokine production. We also discuss the possible mechanisms of action of resveratrol in osteoarthritis and its potential as a therapeutic agent. Finally, we discuss the potential risks and adverse effects of long-term resveratrol supplementation. Overall, resveratrol has been found to be a possible treatment for osteoarthritis because of its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-apoptotic properties, and its ability to control the production of enzymes that break down cartilage, osteoblasts, and synoviocytes. Although numerous clinical studies have demonstrated resveratrol's efficacy as an osteoarthritis management agent, further long-term studies are needed to better understand the safety and potential benefits of using resveratrol for osteoarthritis management.

Emerging Therapeutic Potential of Cannabidiol (CBD) in Neurological Disorders: A Comprehensive Review.

Cannabidiol (CBD), derived from Cannabis sativa, has gained remarkable attention for its potential therapeutic applications. This thorough analysis explores the increasing significance of CBD in treating neurological conditions including epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease, which present major healthcare concerns on a worldwide scale. Despite the lack of available therapies, CBD has been shown to possess a variety of pharmacological effects in preclinical and clinical studies, making it an intriguing competitor. This review brings together the most recent findings on the endocannabinoid and neurotransmitter systems, as well as anti-inflammatory pathways, that underlie CBD's modes of action. Synthesized efficacy and safety assessments for a range of neurological illnesses are included, covering human trials, in vitro studies, and animal models. The investigation includes how CBD could protect neurons, control neuroinflammation, fend off oxidative stress, and manage neuronal excitability. This study emphasizes existing clinical studies and future possibilities in CBD research, addressing research issues such as regulatory complications and contradicting results, and advocates for further investigation of therapeutic efficacy and ideal dose methodologies. By emphasizing CBD's potential to improve patient well-being, this investigation presents a revised viewpoint on its suitability as a therapeutic intervention for neurological illnesses.

Designing a Mini-Core Collection Effectively Representing 3004 Diverse Rice Accessions.

Genetic diversity provides the foundation for plant breeding and genetic research. Over 3000 rice genomes were recently sequenced as part of the 3K Rice Genome (3KRG) Project. We added four additional Indian rice accessions to create a panel of 3004 accessions. However, such a large collection of germplasm is difficult to preserve and evaluate. The construction of core and mini-core collections is an efficient method for the management of genetic resources. In this study, we developed a mini-core comprising 520 accessions that captured most of the SNPs and represented all of the phenotypes and geographic regions from the original panel. The mini-core was validated using different statistical analyses and contained representatives from all major rice groups, including japonica, indica, aus/boro, and aromatic/basmati. Genome-wide association analyses of the mini-core panel efficiently reproduced the marker-trait associations identified in the original panel. Haplotype analysis validated the utility of the mini-core panel. In the current era with many ongoing large-scale sequencing projects, such a strategy for mini-core design should be useful in many crops. The rice mini-core collection developed in this study would be valuable for agronomic trait evaluation and useful for rice improvement via marker-assisted molecular breeding.

Association Mapping for Important Agronomic Traits in Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) Core Collection Using Microsatellite Markers.

Carthamus tinctorius L. (safflower) is an important oilseed crop producing seed oil rich in unsaturated fatty acids. Scarcity of identified marker-trait associations is a major limitation toward development of successful marker-assisted breeding programs in safflower. In the present study, a safflower panel (CartAP) comprising 124 accessions derived from two core collections was assayed for its suitability for association mapping. Genotyping of CartAP using microsatellite markers revealed significant genetic diversity indicated by Shannon information index (H = 0.7537) and Nei's expected heterozygosity (I = 0.4432). In Principal Coordinate Analysis, the CartAP accessions were distributed homogeneously in all quadrants indicating their diverse nature. Distance-based Neighbor Joining analysis did not delineate the CartAP accessions in consonance with their geographical origin. Bayesian analysis of population structure of CartAP demonstrated the unstructured nature of the association panel. Kinship analysis at population (Gij ) and individual level (Fij ) revealed absence of or weak relatedness between the CartAP accessions. The above parameters established the suitability of CartAP for association mapping. We performed association mapping using phenotypic data for eight traits of agronomic value (viz., seed oil content, oleic acid, linoleic acid, plant height, number of primary branches, number of capitula per plant, 100-seed weight and days to 50% flowering) available for two growing seasons (2011-2012 and 2012-2013) through General Linear Model and Mixed Linear Model. Our study identified ninety-six significant marker-trait associations (MTAs; P < 0.05) of which, several MTAs with correlation coefficient (R2) > 10% were consistently represented in both models and in both seasons for traits viz., oil content, oleic acid content, linoleic acid content and number of primary branches. Several MTAs with high R2-values were detected either in a majority or in some environments (models and/or seasons). Many MTAs were also common between traits (viz., oleic/linoleic acid content; plant height/days to 50% flowering; number of primary branches/number of capitula per plant) that showed positive or negative correlation in their phenotypic values. The marker-trait associations identified in this study will facilitate marker-assisted breeding and identification of genetic determinants of trait variability.

Gene structure and comparative and phylogenetic analyses of Catla catla CYP1A full-length cDNA and its responsiveness to benzo(a)pyrene and copper sulphate at early developmental stages.

In the present study, full-length CYP1A cDNA from Catla catla (Catla) has been identified, and its real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) expression has been evaluated in different tissues, developmental stages (0, 3, 6, 12 and 24 h and 5, 7 and 9 days post-fertilization) and copper sulphate and benzo(a)pyrene (BaP)-treated 5-day post-fertilization (dpf) larvae (6 to 6.5 mm). Various structural, comparative and phylogenetic analyses of the deduced amino acid sequence revealed that the identified gene of Catla belongs to the CYP1A1 subfamily. Among different tissues of Catla, the highest CYP1A expression was observed in the kidney followed by the liver, muscle, gill, intestine and brain. CYP1A mRNA expression was detected during all the larval developmental stages, including the unfertilized egg with the highest expression on 9 dpf. BaP (3.5 ppb) and copper sulphate (sublethal dose 0.516 ppm) challenge test for 96 h to Catla larvae revealed the highest CYP1A1 expression at 48 h post-challenge. CYP1A1 transcript also showed a concentration-dependent increase in expression following exposure at 1.75 and 3.5 ppb of BaP for 48 h. Its expression profiling indicates that it is functional at early developmental stages. It can also be used to develop a specific biomarker tool for monitoring environmental pollution.

Analysis of variance, normal quantile-quantile correlation and effective expression support of pooled expression ratio of reference genes for defining expression stability.

Identification of a reference gene unaffected by the experimental conditions is obligatory for accurate measurement of gene expression through relative quantification. Most existing methods directly analyze variability in crossing point (Cp) values of reference genes and fail to account for template-independent factors that affect Cp values in their estimates. We describe the use of three simple statistical methods namely analysis of variance (ANOVA), normal quantile-quantile correlation (NQQC) and effective expression support (EES), on pooled expression ratios of reference genes in a panel to overcome this issue. The pooling of expression ratios across the genes in the panel nullify the sample specific effects uniformly affecting all genes that are falsely reflected as instability. Our methods also offer the flexibility to include sample specific PCR efficiencies in estimations, when available, for improved accuracy. Additionally, we describe a correction factor from the ANOVA method to correct the relative fold change of a target gene if no truly stable reference gene could be found in the analyzed panel. The analysis is described on a synthetic data set to simplify the explanation of the statistical treatment of data.

Utilization of Molecular, Phenotypic, and Geographical Diversity to Develop Compact Composite Core Collection in the Oilseed Crop, Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) through Maximization Strategy.

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is a dryland oilseed crop yielding high quality edible oil. Previous studies have described significant phenotypic variability in the crop and used geographical distribution and phenotypic trait values to develop core collections. However, the molecular diversity component was lacking in the earlier collections thereby limiting their utility in breeding programs. The present study evaluated the phenotypic variability for 12 agronomically important traits during two growing seasons (2011-12 and 2012-13) in a global reference collection of 531 safflower accessions, assessed earlier by our group for genetic diversity and population structure using AFLP markers. Significant phenotypic variation was observed for all the agronomic traits in the representative collection. Cluster analysis of phenotypic data grouped the accessions into five major clusters. Accessions from the Indian Subcontinent and America harbored maximal phenotypic variability with unique characters for a few traits. MANOVA analysis indicated significant interaction between genotypes and environment for both the seasons. Initially, six independent core collections (CC1-CC6) were developed using molecular marker and phenotypic data for two seasons through POWERCORE and MSTRAT. These collections captured the entire range of trait variability but failed to include complete genetic diversity represented in 19 clusters reported earlier through Bayesian analysis of population structure (BAPS). Therefore, we merged the three POWERCORE core collections (CC1-CC3) to generate a composite core collection, CartC1 and three MSTRAT core collections (CC4-CC6) to generate another composite core collection, CartC2. The mean difference percentage, variance difference percentage, variable rate of coefficient of variance percentage, coincidence rate of range percentage, Shannon's diversity index, and Nei's gene diversity for CartC1 were 11.2, 43.7, 132.4, 93.4, 0.47, and 0.306, respectively while the corresponding values for CartC2 were 9.3, 58.8, 124.6, 95.8, 0.46, and 0.301. Each composite core collection represented the complete range of phenotypic and genetic variability of the crop including 19 BAPS clusters. This is the first report describing development of core collections in safflower using molecular marker data with phenotypic values and geographical distribution. These core collections will facilitate identification of genetic determinants of trait variability and effective utilization of the prevalent diversity in crop improvement programs.

Mitigation of immunosuppressive and oxidative stress effect of dietary gelatinized starch in Labeo rohita fingerlings by elevation of rearing temperature within optimum range.

The present study was conducted to investigate the strategy to mitigate the immunosuppressive and oxidative stress effect of gelatinized starch in fingerling of Labeo rohita. Fingerlings were either maintained at ambient water temperature (26 °C) or exposed to 32 °C for one week and then subjected to 26 °C for four weeks. Both groups were fed with isoproteinous (30% crude protein) diets containing gelatinized (G) or non-gelatinized (NG) starch. After 5 weeks of feeding trial, fingerlings were challenged by Aeromonas hydrophila and survival rate was recorded for the next 7 days. Serum cortisol and glucose content was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in G starch fed group and decreased with the increase in temperature from 26 to 32 °C, which was consistent for next four week after decrease in temperature from 32 to 26 °C. Lower respiratory burst activity and serum total protein and globulin content in G starch fed group at 26 °C significantly (p < 0.05) increased after elevation of temperature from 26 to 32 °C and levelled off to NG starch fed group. Liver superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity of G starch fed group was significantly higher in group reared at 32 °C compared to 26 °C. After challenge, fish fed G starch showed lower survival rate than that of fish fed NG starch. Subsequently, exposure of elevated temperature (32 °C) for one week significantly increased the survival rate of G starch fed group and levelled off to NG starch fed group. The results of this study indicated that dietary G starch may cause metabolic stress of fingerling L. rohita, as might consequently lead to the decrease antioxidant abilities, depressed immunity and reduced resistance to A. hydrophila infection. Subsequently, exposure of elevated temperature (32 °C) for one week mitigate immunosuppressive and oxidative stress effect of dietary G starch.