Some new results on Cox–Czanner divergence and their applications in survival studies

In the present communication, we propose a quantile-based measure for the divergence between two survival functions. This can also be used in a dynamic way where the divergence between survival functions varies with time. Several new properties of the proposed measure are investigated with suitable examples. The behavior of the measure for various reliability models is also investigated. A real data analysis is employed to compare the relative efficacy of two treatment groups using the proposed divergence measure.     

Critical roles of non-coding RNAs in lifecycle and biology of Marek’s disease herpesvirus

Science China Life Sciences - Over the past two decades, numerous non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been identified in different biological systems including virology, especially in large DNA viruses...     

Radiation-induced changes in oral carcinoma cells – a multiparametric evaluation

The aim of this study was to see whether serial cytological evaluation of various cellular abnormalities in tumours from patients receiving fractionated radiotherapy can predict radio-response in oral carcinoma. Cytological assessment was carried out in scrape smears collected prior to and during the course of radiotherapy in 68 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity planned for radical radiotherapy with accelerated fraction schedule. Smears were evaluated for a set of 15 radiation-induced cellular abnormalities. The relationship between the cellular alterations and the cumulative radiation dose was analysed by Kruskal-Wallis one-way anova. The results showed that among the various quantifiable changes that occur in irradiated cancer cells, karyolysis, karyorrhexis, pyknosis, cytolysis, multinucleation, micronucleation and nuclear budding show significant increase depending on the dose of radiation. The radio-resistant group of patients exhibited a lesser degree of change compared with the radio-sensitive group. This suggests that radio-resistance may be due to the defective induction of cell damage and that these cytological features may have potential use as predictive markers of radio-sensitivity in oral carcinoma.     

Electrophoretic mobility and immune response of outer membrane proteins of Vibrio cholerae O139

Abstract The outer membrane (OM) protein components of a Vibrio cholerae O1 and four V. cholerae O139 strains, collected from cholera patients, were analysed by SDS-PAGE. A protein of 69 kDa molecular mass was observed only when the OMPs were prepared from strains grown in synthetic broth. As a result of passage in the rabbit ileal loop (RIL), virulence was enhanced, and a protein component around 18 kDa of the V. cholerae O139 OM became the major protein component. On immunoblot analysis with rabbit antiserum against V. cholerae O139 OM, it was shown that, apart from the major protein component of V. cholerae O1 OM of around 45 kDa and that of V. cholerae O139 OM of around 38 kDa, all other minor protein components were cross-reactive between the two serogroups. In immunoblot assays with convalescent sera obtained from V. cholerae O139-infected patients, it was observed that in addition to the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced antibody, only the 38 kDa major protein component elicited considerable levels of antibody in the pateint. Minor OM components of 18 kDa were detected in the immunoblot analysis by LPS-directed antibody, however, as the OM proteins are known to be associated with LPS.     

Detection of a highly heterozygous locus in recombinant inbred lines of rice and its possible involvement in heterosis

Forty-seven recombinant inbred (RI) lines derived from a cross between two indica rices, cv Phalguna and the Assam land race ARC 6650, were subjected to restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis using cloned probes defining 150 single-copy loci uniformly dispersed on the 12 chromosomes of rice. Of the probes tested, 47 detected polymorphism between the parents. Heterozygosity was calculated for each line and for each of the polymorphic loci. Average heterozygosity per line was 9.6% but was excessive (>20%) in the 5 lines that seemed to have undergone outcrossing immediately prior to harvest. Average heterozygosity detected by each probe across the 47 RI lines was 9.7%. The majority of probes revealed the low level of heterozygosity (<8%) expected for F₅-F₆ lines in a species showing about 5% outbreeding. On the other hand, 7 probes exhibited heterozygosity in excess of 15%, while with a eighth probe (RG2 from chromosome 11) heterozygosity varied according to the restriction enzyme employed, ranging from 2% with SaII to 72% with EcoRV. The presence of 34 recombination sites in a segment of the genome as short as 24 kb indicates a strong selection for recombination between two neighbouring loci, one required as homozygous for the Phalguna allele, and the other heterozygous. Since selection was principally for yield advantage over that of the high-yielding parent, Phalguna, one or both of these loci may be important for heterosis in this cross. The results also indicate that heterozygosity as measured by RFLP can depend on the particular restriction endonuclease employed.     

New base-altered adenosine analogues: Synthesis and affinity at adenosine A1 and A2A receptors

N⁶-Substituted adenosine analogues containing cyclic hydrazines or chiral hydroxy (ar)alkyl groups, designed to interact with the S2 and S3 receptor subregions, have been synthesized and their binding to the adenosine A₁ and A_2A receptors have been investigated. Examples of both types of compounds were found to exhibit highly selective binding (K_i in low nM range) to the rat A₁ receptor.     

Emergence of tetracycline resistance due to a multiple drug resistance plasmid in Vibrio cholerae O139

Abstract Of the 173 clinical strains of Vibrio cholerae O139 isolated from India, Bangladesh, and Thailand tested, six strains from India were resistant to tetracycline, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, kanamycin, and gentamicin. These six strains harbored a self-transmissible plasmid that mediated resistance to tetracycline, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, kanamycin, gentamicin, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, and O/129. The multiple drug resistance plasmids were 200 kb in size and belonged to the incompatibility group C. Although a majority of the O139 strains (94.8%) were highly resistant to streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, and O/129, the tetracycline-susceptible strains so far tested were plasmid-negative. The data suggest the existence of two distinct multiple antimicrobial agent resistance (MAR) patterns in V. cholerae O139.