Female Genital Coccidioidomycosis (FGC), Addison's Disease and Sigmoid Loop Abscess Due to Coccidioides Immites; Case Report and Review of Literature on FGC

Nine fungal strains of Dichotomomyces cejpii were studied for their ability to produce antibiotic metabolites. It was found that they produced secondary exo- and endo metabolites with antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, yeasts and moulds and with a toxic effect against animal organs in vitro. Detailed chemical characterization of these active principles need to be carried out. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Renal corticosterone 6β-hydroxylase in the spontaneously hypertensive rat

Excess 6β-OH-corticosterone production by family 3A cytochromes P-450 may play a role in genesis of hypertension in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR), by producing a renal defect in Na⁺ excretion. Renal cytochromes P-450 may be a causal factor in this genetic model. Since family 3A P-450 is present in rat kidney (collecting duct), the renal family 3A catalytic (6β-OHase) and immunoreactive activities were compared in SHR and normotensive control (Wistar-Kyoto; WKY) rats. Corticosterone 6β-hydroxulation is markedly higher in SHR than in WKY renal microsomal preparations. Western blot analysis with antibodies to rat and rabbit liver family 3A isoforms demonstrated related proteins. Densitometry revealed greater relative intensity of staining in SHR compared to WKY with both antibodies. Both antibodies inhibited corticosterone 6β-hydroxylation by SHR renal microsomes. Increased renal 6β-OH-corticosterone production by increased renal family 3A cytochromes P-450 may play a role in the blood pressure elevation in SHR.     

Hydrogenotrophic denitrification and perchlorate reduction in ion exchange brines using membrane biofilm reactors

Halophilic (salt loving), hydrogenotrophic (H₂ oxidizing) denitrifying bacteria were investigated for treatment of nitrate <$>({\rm NO}_3^ ‐ )<$> and perchlorate <$>({\rm ClO}_4^ ‐ )<$> contaminated groundwater and ion exchange (IX) brines. Hydrogenotrophic denitrifying bacteria were enriched from a denitrifying wastewater seed under both halophilc and non‐halophilc conditions. The cultures were inoculated into bench‐scale membrane biofilm reactors (MBfRs) with an “outside in” configuration, with contaminated water supplied to the lumen of the membranes and H₂ supplied to the shell. Abiotic mass transfer tests showed that H₂ mass transfer coefficients were lower in brines than in tap water at highest Reynolds number, possibly due to increased transport of salts and decreased H₂ solubility at the membrane/liquid interface. An average <$>{\rm NO}_3^ ‐ <$> removal efficiency of 93% was observed for the MBfR operated in continuous flow mode with synthetic contaminated groundwater. Removal efficiencies of 30% for <$>{\rm NO}_3^ ‐ <$> and 42% for <$>{\rm ClO}_4^ ‐ <$> were observed for the MBfR operated with synthetic IX brine in batch operating mode with a reaction time of 53 h. Phylogenetic analysis focused on the active microbial community and revealed that halotolerant, <$>{\rm NO}_3^ ‐ <$> ‐reducing bacteria of the bacterial classes Gamma‐Proteobacteria and Sphingobacteria were the metabolically dominant members within the stabilized biofilm. This study shows that, despite decreased H₂ transfer under high salt conditions, hydrogenotrophic biological reduction may be successfully used for the treatment of <$>{\rm NO}_3^ ‐ <$> and <$>{\rm ClO}_4^ ‐ <$> in a MBfR. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2009; 104: 483–491 © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Effect of Withania somnifera Dunal root extract against pentylenetetrazol seizure threshold in mice: possible involvement of GABAergic system

Withania somnifera (ashwagandha) is a widely used herb in the Ayurvedic system of medicine. The objective of the present study was to elucidate the effect of W. somnifera root extract (Ws) alone or in combination with exogenous gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA), a GABA receptor agonist or with diazepam, a GABA receptor modulator against pentylenetetrazol (PTZ, iv) seizure threshold in mice. Minimal dose of PTZ (iv, mg/kg) needed to induce different phases (myoclonic jerks, generalized clonus and tonic extension) of convulsions were recorded as an index of seizure threshold. Ws (100 or 200 mg/kg, po) increased the PTZ seizure threshold for the onset of tonic extension phase whereas a lower dose (50 mg/kg, po) did not show any effect on the seizure threshold. Co-administration of a sub-effective dose of Ws (50 mg/kg, po) with a sub-protective dose of either GABA (25 mg/kg, ip) or diazepam (0.5 mg/kg, ip) increased the seizure threshold. The results suggested that the anticonvulsant effect of W. somnifera against PTZ seizure threshold paradigm involved the GABAAergic modulation.     

Daily Increments of Light Hours Near Vernal Equinox Synchronize Circannual Testicular Cycle of Tropical Spotted Munia

In some long-lived organisms, particularly in tropical birds and migrants that spend part of the year close to the equator, endogenous circannual rhythms have been demonstrated in seasonal events like reproduction, molt, and migration. These, like the circadian rhythms, are expressed only in constant conditions of illumination with a periodicity deviating from 1 yr. If birds followed this periodicity, they would soon be out of phase with the annual calendar and perish and, therefore, they would need to be synchronized. However, almost nothing is known as to how synchronization is achieved in birds. Herein, with the help of a suitable model, viz., the tropical spotted munia and long-term experiments conducted in series over a 5-yr period, we provide direct evidence for the first time indicating that the segment of annual photocycle with maximal rate of increase prior to vernal equinox (approximately between mid-February and mid-March) synchronizes the circannual reproductive cycle with the monsoon period of ample food supply through a phase delay. Data also indicate, contrary to the prevalent view, that birds in the tropics can perceive minor changes in day-length, that birds respond to progressive changes in day-length as distinct from responding to fixed photoperiods of particular durations, and that birds can actually distinguish the quality of the environmental signal, viz., vernal equinox from early spring, or increasing days of spring from decreasing days of autumn. The underlying mechanisms, although yet to be identified, appear to involve a gonado-inhibitory rather than the conventional gonado-stimulatory response to increasing day-length. The photoperiodic responses of spotted munia are distinctly different from that of any “long-day” birds described thus far and do not conform to the prevalent “circadian coincidence” hypothesis of photoperiodism.     

A comparative study of antioxidative defense system in the copper and temperature acclimated strains of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anabaena doliolum</Emphasis>

This study provides first hand comparative account of growth and antioxidative defense system of the wild type, Cu²⁺ and temperature treated wild type and acclimated strains of Anabaena doliolum Bharadwaja against Cu²⁺ and high temperature. The acclimated strains showed perceptible growth at 250 μM Cu²⁺ and 47°C temperatures, respectively. In contrast to this the wild type strain on exposure to 50 μM Cu²⁺ and 47°C temperature depicted almost complete inhibition of growth. However, the peroxide content was significantly higher in the acclimated strains than the wild type. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione reductase (GR) showed maximum activity at high temperature followed by Cu²⁺ acclimated and minimum in the wild type strains. The ascorbate (ASC) and glutathione (GSH) contents were increased by 2.3 and 43.3, and 15.5 and 36.5-fold in Cu²⁺ and 47°C acclimated strains, respectively. However, when the wild type strain was subjected to Cu²⁺ and temperature all antioxidative enzymes except SOD showed inhibition of their activity. In case of wild type the GSH content was inhibited by 0.39-fold at 50 μM Cu²⁺ but the ASC content registered increase by 2 and 2.7-fold on subjecting to Cu²⁺ and temperature, respectively. Thus increased activity of enzymatic antioxidants as well as accumulation of ascorbate and glutathione in both the acclimated strains suggests that enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants help in the acclimation of A. doliolum Bharadwaja against Cu²⁺ and high temperature. However, inhibition of antioxidative defense system of wild type under Cu²⁺ and heat stress appears to be the reason for its non survival. In view of the appreciable increase in the level of antioxidants as well as greater inhibition of specific growth rate in temperature than Cu²⁺ acclimated strains, temperature (47°C) is proposed to be is more deleterious to the organism than copper (250 μM).     

Yield enhancement strategies for artemisinin production by suspension cultures of Artemisia annua

Artemisinin, isolated from the shrub-Artemisia annua, is a sesquiterpene lactone used to treat multi-drug resistant strains of falciparum malaria. It is also effective against a wide variety of cancers such as leukemia and colon cancer. To counter the present low content in leaves and uneconomical chemical synthesis, alternate ways to produce artemisinin have been sought. But this compound remains elusive in cell cultures of A. annua despite the extensive studies undertaken. This work reports the first successful approach for production of artemisinin by cell cultures of Indian variety of A. annua. In the present study, an integrated yield enhancement strategy, developed by addition of selected precursor (mevalonic acid lactone) and elicitor (methyl jasmonate) at optimized concentrations, resulted in 15.2g/l biomass and 110.2mg/l artemisinin, which was 5.93 times higher in productivity in comparison to control cultures.     

Discovery of a highly orally bioavailable c-5-[6-(4-Methanesulfonyloxyphenyl)hexyl]-2-methyl-1,3-dioxane-r-2-carboxylic acid as a potent hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic agent

A series of novel 1,3-dioxane-2-carboxylic acid derivatives containing alkyl chain tether and substituted phenyl group as a lipophilic tail have been prepared as agonists of PPARalpha and gamma. c-5-[6-(4-Methanesulfonyloxyphenyl)hexyl]-2-methyl-1,3-dioxane-r-2-carboxylic acid 13c exhibited potent hypoglycemic and lipid lowering activity with high oral bioavailability in animal models.