A neural network approach for the prediction of in vitro culture parameters for maximum biomass yields in hairy root cultures

The present study deals with ANN based prediction of culture parameters in terms of inoculum density, pH and volume of growth medium per culture vessel and sucrose content of the growth medium for Glycyrrhiza hairy root cultures. This kind of study could be a model system in exploitation of hairy root cultures for commercial production of pharmaceutical compounds using large bioreactors. The study is aimed to evaluate the efficiency of regression neural network and back propagation neural network for the prediction of optimal culture conditions for maximum hairy root biomass yield. The training data for regression and back propagation networks were primed on the basis of function approximation, where final biomass fresh weight (f_wt) was considered as a function of culture parameters. On this basis the variables in culture conditions were described in the form of equations which are for inoculum density: y=0.02x+0.04, for pH of growth medium: y=x+2.8, for sucrose content in medium: y=9.9464x+(−9.7143) and for culture medium per culture vessel: y=10x. The fresh weight values obtained from training data were considered as target values and further compared with predicted fresh weight values. The empirical data were used as testing data and further compared with values predicted from trained networks. Standard MATLAB inbuilt generalized regression network with radial basis function radbas as transfer function in layer one and purelin in layer two and back propagation having purelin as transfer function in output layer and logsig in hidden layer were used. Although in comparative assessment both the networks were found efficient for prediction of optimal culture conditions for high biomass production, more accuracy in results was seen with regression network.     

Cholesteryl ester hydrolase activity is abolished in HSL macrophages but unchanged in macrophages lacking KIAA1363

Cholesteryl ester (CE) accumulation in macrophages represents a crucial event during foam cell formation, a hallmark of atherogenesis. Here we investigated the role of two previously described CE hydrolases, hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) and KIAA1363, in macrophage CE hydrolysis. HSL and KIAA1363 exhibited marked differences in their abilities to hydrolyze CE, triacylglycerol (TG), diacylglycerol (DG), and 2-acetyl monoalkylglycerol ether (AcMAGE), a precursor for biosynthesis of platelet-activating factor (PAF). HSL efficiently cleaved all four substrates, whereas KIAA1363 hydrolyzed only AcMAGE. This contradicts previous studies suggesting that KIAA1363 is a neutral CE hydrolase. Macrophages of KIAA1363^−/− and wild-type mice exhibited identical neutral CE hydrolase activity, which was almost abolished in tissues and macrophages of HSL^−/− mice. Conversely, AcMAGE hydrolase activity was diminished in macrophages and some tissues of KIAA1363^−/− but unchanged in HSL^−/− mice. CE turnover was unaffected in macrophages lacking KIAA1363 and HSL, whereas cAMP-dependent cholesterol efflux was influenced by HSL but not by KIAA1363. Despite decreased CE hydrolase activities, HSL^−/− macrophages exhibited CE accumulation similar to wild-type (WT) macrophages. We conclude that additional enzymes must exist that cooperate with HSL to regulate CE levels in macrophages. KIAA1363 affects AcMAGE hydrolase activity but is of minor importance as a direct CE hydrolase in macrophages.     

Structural similarities among the high molecular weight protein fractions of oilseeds

Data on the physico-chemical properties of proteins from soybean, groundnut, sesame seed, sunflower seed, safflower seed, mustard seed, rapeseed and cotton seed are fairly extensive. An examination of the available data on high molecular weight proteins suggests that there are similarities in many of their properties. In this report the similarity in amino acid composition, size and shape, molecular weight, secondary structure, subunit composition, association-dissociation at high and low pH, stability towards denaturants, hydrolysis by enzymes and quaternary structure of the high molecular weight proteins is discussed. Based on these similarities a model has been proposed for the associationdissociation, denaturation and reassociation behaviour of the high molecular weight proteins of oilseeds.     

Morphological features of Jat dentition

Observations on morphological characters of milk and permanent teeth, based on 648 pairs of dental casts of 356 male and 292 female Jat children of Haryana (India) are reported. Deciduous teeth show high frequencies of bilateral winging of maxillary central incisor, Carabelli's cusp of maxillary second molar, and deflecting wrinkle of mandibular second molar. Reduction of maxillary molar cusps is more marked in males than in females. Y pattern is very common in deciduous molars. Permanent teeth have high frequencies of grooved cingulum of incisors, cingular nodule of lateral incisors and canines, and distal accessary ridge of canines. Low frequencies of Carabelli's cusp and winging are also common. The tendency towards faintly developed shovelling in milk incisors occurs more often than in the permanent teeth.     

Minor diterpenoid glycosides from the leaves of Stevia rebaudiana

From the commercial extract of the leaves of Stevia rebaudiana, three new diterpenoid glycosides were isolated besides eight known steviol glycosides including stevioside, rebaudiosides A–F and dulcoside A. The structures of the three compounds were identified as 13-[(2-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl) oxy]-kaur-16-en-18-oic acid-(6-O-β-d-xylopyranosyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl) ester (1), 13-[(2-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl) oxy]-17-hydroxy-kaur-15-en-18-oic acid β-d-glucopyranosyl ester (2), and 13-[(2-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl) oxy]-17-oxo-kaur-15-en-18-oic acid β-d-glucopyranosyl ester (3) on the basis of extensive NMR and MS spectral studies. Another known diterpenoid glycoside, 13-[(2-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl) oxy]-kaur-15-en-18-oic acid β-d-glucopyranosyl ester (4) was also isolated and its complete NMR spectral assignments were made on the basis of COSY, HSQC and HMBC spectral data.     

Development of a multiplex polymerase chain reaction for the simultaneous detection of microsporidians, nucleopolyhedrovirus, and densovirus infecting silkworms

We have developed a novel PCR-based assay for individual and simultaneous detection of three major pathogens (microsporidians, nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV) and densovirus (DNV)) infecting the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Multiplex PCR, using three primer pairs, two of which were designed from the conserved regions of 16S small subunit ribosomal RNA gene of microsporidians, and polyhedrin gene of NPVs respectively, and a third primer pair designed from the internal sequences of B. mori DNVs (BmDNV), showed discrete and pathogen specific PCR products. The assay showed high specificity and sensitivity for the pathogenic DNA. Under optimized PCR conditions, the assay yielded a 794 bp DNA fragment from Nosema bombycis, 471 bp fragment from B. mori NPV (BmNPV) and 391 bp fragment from BmDNV. Further, this detection method was successfully applied to other silkworm species such as Antheraea mylitta and Samia cynthia ricini, in detecting same or similar pathogens infecting them. This method is a valuable supplement to the conventional microscopic diagnostic methods and can be used for the early detection of pathogens infecting silkworms. Furthermore it can assist research and extension centers for the safe supply of disease-free silkworms to farmers.     

FOSSIL WOOD OF ROBINIA AND GLEDITSIA FROM THE TERTIARY OF MONTANA

Prakash , U., E. S. Barghoorn , and R. A. Scott . (Harvard U., Cambridge, Mass.) Fossil wood of Robinia and Gleditsia from the Tertiary of Montana . Amer. Jour. Bot. 49(7): 692–696. Illus. 1962.—Fossil woods representing 2 genera of the Leguminosae, Robinia Linnaeus and Gleditsia Clayton, have been identified from Tertiary beds in southern Montana. These woods are noteworthy owing to their exceptionally fine structural preservation and from the standpoint of their paleogeographical distribution. Neither genus now lives in the region of Montana.     

Chikungunya virus neutralization antigens and direct cell-to-cell transmission are revealed by human antibody-escape mutants

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an alphavirus responsible for numerous epidemics throughout Africa and Asia, causing infectious arthritis and reportedly linked with fatal infections in newborns and elderly. Previous studies in animal models indicate that humoral immunity can protect against CHIKV infection, but despite the potential efficacy of B-cell-driven intervention strategies, there are no virus-specific vaccines or therapies currently available. In addition, CHIKV has been reported to elicit long-lasting virus-specific IgM in humans, and to establish long-term persistence in non-human primates, suggesting that the virus might evade immune defenses to establish chronic infections in man. However, the mechanisms of immune evasion potentially employed by CHIKV remain uncharacterized. We previously described two human monoclonal antibodies that potently neutralize CHIKV infection. In the current report, we have characterized CHIKV mutants that escape antibody-dependent neutralization to identify the CHIKV E2 domain B and fusion loop "groove" as the primary determinants of CHIKV interaction with these antibodies. Furthermore, for the first time, we have also demonstrated direct CHIKV cell-to-cell transmission, as a mechanism that involves the E2 domain A and that is associated with viral resistance to antibody-dependent neutralization. Identification of CHIKV sub-domains that are associated with human protective immunity, will pave the way for the development of CHIKV-specific sub-domain vaccination strategies. Moreover, the clear demonstration of CHIKV cell-to-cell transmission and its possible role in the establishment of CHIKV persistence, will also inform the development of future anti-viral interventions. These data shed new light on CHIKV-host interactions that will help to combat human CHIKV infection and inform future studies of CHIKV pathogenesis.     

Copy number variation-based polymorphism in a new pseudoautosomal region 3 (PAR3) of a human X-chromosome-transposed region (XTR) in the Y chromosome

A 3.5-Mb region of the X chromosome underwent duplication and transposition to the Y chromosome ~5–6 Mya. This X-transposed-region (XTR) originated at Xq21.3 and was inserted at Yp11.2. The two locations have 98.78 % homology and a high concentration of tandem repeats. In whole-genome scans of ten large families with dyslexic members, we identified transposed blocks comprising >102 kb of the Yp11.2 region in its homologous region at Xq21.3 in three females from three different families. Although recombination is known to be limited only to the pseudoautosomal regions (PARs) of the X and Y chromosomes, we report allelic unequal recombination between the XTR region Yp11.2 and Xq21.3, indicating the presence of a new PAR, which we named PAR3. This PAR3 region was also found in 2 % of the general population. An additional layer of justification could be provided from six other dyslexic cases which harbored duplications and deletions in the same Xq21.3 and Yp11.2 regions through allelic unequal recombination.     

Lecithin organogels as a potential phospholipid-structured system for topical drug delivery: A review

The purpose of this review is to give an insight into the considerable potential of lecithin organogels (LOs) in the applications meant for topical drug delivery. LOs are clear, thermodynamically stable, viscoelastic, and biocompatible jelly-like phases, chiefly composed of hydrated phospholipids and appropriate organic liquid. These systems are currently of interest to the pharmaceutical scientist because of their structural and functional benefits. Several therapeutic agents have been formulated as LOs for their facilitated transport through topical route (for dermal or transdermal effect), with some very encouraging results. The improved topical drug delivery has mainly been attributed to the biphasic drug solubility, the desired drug partitioning, and the modification of skin barrier function by the organogel components. Being thermodynamically stable, LOs are prepared by spontaneous emulsification and therefore posses prolonged shelf life. The utility of this novel matrix as a topical vehicle has further increased owing to its very low skin irritancy potential. Varied aspects of LOs viz formation, composition, phase behavior, and characterization have been elaborated, including a general discussion on the developmental background. Besides a comprehensive update on the topical applications of lecithin organogels, the review also includes a detailed account on the mechanistics of organogelling. Published: October 6, 2005