Enhanced Bioavailability of Buspirone From Reservoir-Based Transdermal Therapeutic System,Optimization of Formulation Employing Box–Behnken Statistical Design

The purpose of the present study was to develop and optimize reservoir-based transdermal therapeutic system (TTS) for buspirone (BUSP), a low bioavailable drug. A three-factor, three-level Box–Behnken design was employed to optimize the TTS. Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, d-limonene and propylene glycol were varied as independent variables; cumulative amount permeated across rat abdominal skin in 24 h, flux and lag time were selected as dependent variables. Mathematical equations and response surface plots were used to relate the dependent and independent variables. The statistical validity of polynomials was established, and optimized formulation factors were selected by feasibility and grid search. Validation of the optimization study with seven confirmatory runs indicated high degree of prognostic ability of response surface methodology. BUSP-OPT (optimized formulation) showed a flux 104.6 μg cm⁻² h⁻¹, which could meet target flux. The bioavailability studies in rabbits showed that about 2.65 times improvement (p < 0.05) in bioavailability, after transdermal administration of BUSP-OPT compared to oral solution. The ex vivo–in vivo correlation was found to have biphasic pattern and followed type A correlation. Reservoir-based TTS for BUSP was developed and optimized using Box–Behnken statistical design and could provide an effective treatment in the management of anxiety.     

Midday depression in photosynthesis: Effect on sucrose-phosphate synthase and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase in leaves of Prosopis juliflora (Swartz) DC

The midday depression in net photosynthetic rate (PN) and stomatal conductance (gs) in Prosopis juliflora was studied in relation to two key enzymes of carbon metabolism. Diurnal gas exchange measurements carried out in autumn on P. juliflora showed a pronounced depression in PN and gs along with a decrease in apparent carboxylation efficiency (CE*) during midday. The activities of sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS) and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBPCO) also showed large diurnal fluctuations. Initial RuBPCO activity (that present in vivo) and total activity (fully carbamylated activity) increased gradually with increase in irradiance, in the morning reaching a maximum by 08:00 h. The RuBPCO activity declined sharply during midday due to decrease in initial activity. The drop in the % activation of RuBPCO indicated that the deactivation of RuBPCO was achieved via a decarbamylation mechanism. There was a marked similarity in the diurnal patterns of SPS activity and the PN. During a diurnal rhythm, SPS activity increased after irradiation, reaching a maximum at 08:00 h and then declined during midday. Diurnal fluctuations in SPS activity could be due to the changes in the amount of protein (changes in Vmax) as well as to the changes in kinetic properties (changes in Vlim). Hence the midday decline in photosynthesis is closely associated with the regulation of RuBPCO and SPS activities. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The Curious Case of “Case Report” of Infections Caused by Human and Animal Fungal Pathogens: An Educational Tool,an Online Archive,or a Format in Need of Retooling

Case reports describe the unusual occurrence and complications of diseases, diagnostic challenges, and notable therapeutic successes. Some journals have discontinued the case reports, while new case report journals have appeared in recent years. During the eightieth anniversary of Mycopathologia, it is fitting to examine the relevance of the case report since the journal continues to traverse the boundaries of basic and clinical sciences. A random sample of recent case reports and other articles were selected from Mycopathologia. Springer Nature individual article download statistics, and Google Scholar and Scopus citations numbers were compared to assess the reader access and bibliometric impact of case reports. Our analysis indicated that the case report format continues to be a vital element of publication in a cross-disciplinary journal such as Mycopathologia. Medical and veterinary case reports covering fungal pathogens are widely read as evident from their download numbers. The download numbers have a positive correlation with the completeness of the report, the topics and geographic origin of reports have a neutral influence, and the recency leads to lower downloads. There is no discernible trend between the download numbers and the citations of case reports as measured by Google Scholar and Scopus. A specially designed checklist for Mycopathologia case reports and new format MycopathologiaIMAGES are being introduced to improve the quality and relevance of case reports further.     

Genome analysis of amaranths: Determination of inter- and intra-species variations

Amaranths are an important group of plants and include grain, vegetable and ornamental types. Despite the economic importance of the amaranths, there is very little information available about the extent and nature of genetic diversity present in the genus Amaranthus at molecular level. We now report the randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) profiles of different species of Amaranthus as well as different accessions of the species. These RAPD analyses have been carried out using 65 arbitrary sequence decamer primers. From the RAPD data, an UPGMA dendrogram illustrating the inter-as well as intra-species relationships has been computed. The putative hybrid origin of A.dubious from A. hybridus and A. spinosus is also ruled out by the RAPD data. The trends of species relationships amongst the amaranths determined by RAPDs is consistent with their cytogenetic and evolutionary relationships that have already been determined. NBRI Communication No:464 (N.S.).     

Inhibition of the nitrate reductase complex from spinach by oxylamines

The nitrate reductase complex from spinach (Spinacia oleracea) was found to be inhibited by oxylamine compounds such as aminooxyacetate, hydroxylamine and O-methoxylamine. These compounds appear to interact with reduced cytochrome b₅₅₇ during catalysis of the enzyme. However, if the enzyme is maintained in a reduced state by NADH in the absence of nitrate, an additional component involved in FMNH₂-nitrate reductase is also affected by them. The binding of the oxylamines with the enzyme is non-covalent in nature as the inhibition can be reversed by treatment with 2-oxoglutarate.     

Midday depression in photosynthesis: Effect on sucrose-phosphate synthase and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase in leaves of Prosopis juliflora (Swartz) DC

The midday depression in net photosynthetic rate (PN) and stomatal conductance (gs) in Prosopis juliflora was studied in relation to two key enzymes of carbon metabolism. Diurnal gas exchange measurements carried out in autumn on P. juliflora showed a pronounced depression in PN and gs along with a decrease in apparent carboxylation efficiency (CE*) during midday. The activities of sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS) and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBPCO) also showed large diurnal fluctuations. Initial RuBPCO activity (that present in vivo) and total activity (fully carbamylated activity) increased gradually with increase in irradiance, in the morning reaching a maximum by 08:00 h. The RuBPCO activity declined sharply during midday due to decrease in initial activity. The drop in the % activation of RuBPCO indicated that the deactivation of RuBPCO was achieved via a decarbamylation mechanism. There was a marked similarity in the diurnal patterns of SPS activity and the PN. During a diurnal rhythm, SPS activity increased after irradiation, reaching a maximum at 08:00 h and then declined during midday. Diurnal fluctuations in SPS activity could be due to the changes in the amount of protein (changes in Vmax) as well as to the changes in kinetic properties (changes in Vlim). Hence the midday decline in photosynthesis is closely associated with the regulation of RuBPCO and SPS activities.