Biodegradation of Chlorpyrifos in Soil by Enriched Cultures

Three aerobic bacterial consortia, AC, BC, and DC, developed from pesticide-contaminated soils of Punjab were able to degrade chlorpyrifos after 21 days of incubation in basal medium by 54, 46, and 61% and chlorpyrifos (50 mg/L) in soil after 30 days by 50, 56, and 64%. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus cereus, Klebsiella sp., and Serratia marscecens obtained from these consortia showed 84, 84, 81, and 80% degradation of chlorpyrifos (50 mg/L) in liquid medium after 20 days and 92, 60, 56, and 37% degradation of chlorpyrifos (50 mg/L) in soil after 30 days. Populations of Bacillus cereus, Klebsiella sp., and Serratia marscecens remained steady in soil experiments except for P. aeruginosa, where the population showed a substantial increase. Formation of 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol, the major metabolite of chlorpyrifos degradation, was observed during the degradation of chlorpyrifos by P. aeruginosa, which disappeared to negligible amounts.     

Genetic Variation in Indian Populations of Scirpophaga incertulas as Revealed by RAPD-PCR Analysis

Scirpophaga incertulas, commonly referred to as yellow stem borer, is a predominant pest of rice causing serious losses in its yield. Genetic variation among populations of Scirpophaga incertulas collected from 28 hotspot locations in India was examined using the randomly amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR). In all, 32 primers were used and 354 amplification products were observed. No RAPD-PCR bands diagnostic to the pest population from any specific region were identified. Cluster analysis using UPGMA showed that, with the exception of the pest population from Pattambi, all the populations cluster as one group with GD values in the range of 6–22%, suggesting that gene flow between populations is independent of geographic distance and appears to be unrestricted. The relatively high GD value of 48% exhibited by the pest population from Pattambi was the only exception.     

Plasma Proteome Database as a resource for proteomics research

Plasma is one of the best studied compartments in the human body and serves as an ideal body fluid for the diagnosis of diseases. This report provides a detailed functional annotation of all the plasma proteins identified to date. In all, gene products encoded by 3778 distinct genes were annotated based on proteins previously published in the literature as plasma proteins and the identification of multiple peptides from proteins under HUPO's Plasma Proteome Project. Our analysis revealed that 51% of these genes encoded more than one protein isoform. All single nucleotide polymorphisms involving protein-coding regions were mapped onto the protein sequences. We found a number of examples of isoform-specific subcellular localization as well as tissue expression. This database is an attempt at comprehensive annotation of a complex subproteome and is available on the web at http://www.plasmaproteomedatabase.org.     

Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery Induces Early Plasma Metabolomic and Lipidomic Alterations in Humans Associated with Diabetes Remission

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is an effective method to attain sustained weight loss and diabetes remission. We aimed to elucidate early changes in the plasma metabolome and lipidome after RYGB. Plasma samples from 16 insulin-resistant morbidly obese subjects, of whom 14 had diabetes, were subjected to global metabolomics and lipidomics analysis at pre-surgery and 4 and 42 days after RYGB. Metabolites and lipid species were compared between time points and between subjects who were in remission and not in remission from diabetes 2 years after surgery. We found that the variables that were most discriminatory between time points were decanoic acid and octanoic acid, which were elevated 42 days after surgery, and sphingomyelins (18:1/21:0 and 18:1/23:3), which were at their lowest level 42 days after surgery. Insulin levels were lower at 4 and 42 days after surgery compared with pre-surgery levels. At 4 days after surgery, insulin levels correlated positively with metabolites of branched chain and aromatic amino acid metabolism and negatively with triglycerides with long-chain fatty acids. Of the 14 subjects with diabetes prior to surgery, 7 were in remission 2 years after surgery. The subjects in remission displayed higher pre-surgery levels of tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates and triglycerides with long-chain fatty acids compared with subjects not in remission. Thus, metabolic alterations are induced soon after surgery and subjects with diabetes remission differ in the metabolic profiles at pre- and early post-surgery time points compared to patients not in remission.     

Cardioprotective properties of natural medicine in isoproterenol induced myocardial damage in the male Albino rats

The main aim of this study is to investigate cardioprotective properties of natural medicine inmyocardial damage induced male Albino rats. The aqueous extractof Allium sativumwas used for the determination of phenolic compounds and flavonoids. The amount of phenol (1.39 ± 0.37 GAE/g dry weight) and flavonoids (49.1 ± 2.79 QE/g dry weight) were high in aqueous extract. A. sativumextract and showed 68.39 ± 3.6% DPPHscavenging activity. Isoproterenol was used to induce myocardial injury in Albino rats in vivo by subcutaneous injection (100 mg/kg body weight). To achieve this, experimental animals were categorized into six groups (n = 4), namely, positive, negative control, only isoproterenol administered groups, and garlic extract administered group at 100–300 mg extract/kg body weight. Oxidative stress marker and cardiac markers were assayed to analyze the cardioprotective properties of garlic extract. At 300 mg/kg doseof garlic extract, rat was recovered from various altered factors such as, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline transminase and alkaline phosphatase. The rats treated with 300 mggarlic extract/kg body weight decreased the level of asparate aminotransferase (126 ± 6.4 IU/L) than other lower doses (100 mg extract/kg and 200 mg extract/kg). Alkaline transaminase level of rat serum level was 81 ± 4.34 IU/L. In the isoproterenol treated rats elevated level was observed (152 ± 4.42 IU/L enzyme activity). Pre-treatment of Albino rat with A. sativum extract reduced cardiac damage. Isoproterenol exposed animal showed 207.6 ± 1.2 mg/dL triglyceride and the garlic administered rat (300 mgextract/kg) reduced LDL-cholesterol level (61.3 ± 1.3 mg/dL) significantly (p < 0.05). Creatinine kinase -MB level was 269.5 ± 12.5 IU/L in the control animal and stress induced animal showed elevated level (572.3 ± 19.4 IU/L). Garlic treated experimental animal (300 µg/kg bw) decreased CK-MB level. To conclude, the aqueous extract of A. sativumshowed cardio protective properties against myocardial injury.     

Social organization of the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) in southern India inferred from microsatellite DNA

Social organization of the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) is not well understood in the absence of long-term studies of identified individuals. Adult Asian elephant females and their young offspring of both sexes form matriarchal groups, with pubertal males dispersing from natal groups, but whether these social groups represent families and whether males show locational or social dispersal were unknown. Using nuclear microsatellite loci amplified from dung-extracted DNA of free-ranging elephants in a large southern Indian population, we demonstrate that female-led herds comprise closely related individuals that are indeed families, and that males exhibit non-random locational dispersal.