Global warming causes a range of negative impacts on plants especially due to rapid changes in temperatures, alterations of rainfall patterns, floods or drought conditions, and outbreaks of pests and diseases. These, in turn, affect crop production reducing the quality and quantity of agricultural produce. Climatic extremes and high population growth significantly increase the world’s food demand. Therefore, fulfilling the goal of attaining food security for the present and future generations is of prime importance. Biotechnology enables creating dramatic alterations on crops to withstand stress which is difficult to attain using conventional breeding approaches. It is a viable tool used to improve agricultural production. The development of biotechnological approaches such as genetic engineering, genome editing, RNA-mediated gene silencing armored with next-generation sequencing, and genome mapping have paved the way for precise and faster genetic modifications of plants. Such intensive efforts are currently underway creating desirable crop cultivars to meet the food demand and to support sustainable agricultural productivity for climate change adaptation.

This study examines the length of the estrous cycle in 16 Sambar deer hinds in National zoological gardens in Dehiwala and Kegalle, Sri Lanka (NZGDK) assessed with the use of changes in progesterone concentrations, along with the changes in the profile of this hormone and by the visual estrus manifestations. The objectives of the present study were to characterize ovarian activity throughout the estrous cycle and the non-pregnant luteal phase of captive sambar deer in Sri Lanka. These objectives were achieved with the use of radioimmunoassay (RIA) to measure fecal concentrations of progesterone and visual estrus manifestation. Fecal samples were collected from non-pregnant sambar deer hinds (aged 2–4 years)over the period of six months on daily basis, both during breeding and non-breeding seasons. Estrous cycles were recorded in non-pregnant females, based on fecal progesterone concentrations. The average estrous cycle length was 26.1±2.08 days (mean ± SEM) and 2.10 ± 0.51 days in the inter-luteal phase.The average fecal progesterone concentrations attained the peak mid-luteal values of 2.74 ng mL–1. There appeared to be variation in fecal progesterone amplitude between animals and between dates, but the low frequency of sampling prohibited confirmation of trends. Behavioral estrus was detected only when the average progesterone concentrations were less than 0.07 ng mL–1. However, not all periods of depressed progesterone secretion were associated with the observed estrus. Behavioral estrus was detected in hinds when progesterone concentrations were less than 0.07 ng mL–1; a subsequent rise in progesterone indicated ovulation taking place at this time.

No abstract

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common epithelial malignancies of multifactorial etiology linked with considerable mortality and morbidity. Generally, OSCC arises from pre-existing oral lesions quoted as oral potentially malignant disorders. Early diagnosis of OSCC is an attractive strategy to increase the survival rate of patients. Despite the accessibility of prominent diagnostic tools, many factors restrain the successful application of these approaches. The discovery of novel alternative methods to diagnose cancer definitively with higher selectivity and sensitivity has aroused scientific interest. Metabolomics is an unbiased analytical approach for qualitative and quantitative analyses of different metabolites in cells, tissues, or biological fluids and their alterations in response to pathophysiological stimuli. Several coupled techniques, together with chromatographic platforms, have facilitated metabolic profiling and, at the same time, detected cancer biomarkers, which are crucial for an effective treatment process. This overview discusses some of the most recent technological advances in metabolomics and focuses on their application to reveal the underlying causes of OSCC and their potential implications for personalised medicine.

No abstract