The biology and chemistry of hyperlipidemia

Coronary arterial diseases are responsible for more deaths than all other associated causes combined. Elevated serum cholesterol levels leading to atherosclerosis can cause coronary heart disease (CHD). Reduction in serum cholesterol levels reduces the risk for CHD, substantially. Medicinal chemists all around the world have been designing, synthesizing, and evaluating a variety of new bioactive molecules for lowering lipid levels. This review summarizes the disorders associated with elevation of lipids in blood and the current strategies to control them. The emphasis has been laid in particular on the new potential biological targets and the possible treatments as well as the current ongoing research status in the field of lipid lowering agents.     

Rapid Growth Mutants of Escherichia Coli

If rapid growth (rap) mutants of Escherichia coli could be obtained, these might prove a valuable contribution to fields as diverse as growth rate control, biotechnology and the regulation of the bacterial cell cycle. To obtain rap mutants, a dnaQ mutator strain was grown for four and a half days continuously in batch culture. At the end of the selection period, there was no significant change in growth rate. This result means that selecting rap mutants may require an alternative strategy and a number of such alternatives are discussed.     

Habitat mapping,population size and preventing extinction through improving the conservation status of Calamus nambariensis Becc. - an endemic and threatened cane of Assam,India

Cane is one of the important forest products after timber, form an integral part of a rural and tribal population of many of the tropical countries of South East Asia, Africa and America. Calamus nambariensis Becc. has been recognized as endemic and threatened cane to the North East region of India. The plant is restricted to only two pockets of Assam with a poor population size. Therefore, conservation of this plant through proper scientific investigation is utmost necessary. The present investigation has as its objectives to study the distribution, estimation of population size, standardization of suitable micropropagation methods for reintroduction and reinforcement in suitable wild habitat as determined by ecological niche modelling (ENM) for the purposes of conservation. For improving the conservation status of the species, potential area and habitat for reintroduction was determined using maximum entropy (MaxEnt) distribution modelling algorithm. The population size in both the site was found to be very poor i.e., mean density, frequency of occurrence and abundance in relation to other associated species was 0.600, 29.26 and 2.307 in Nambor Reserve Forest whereas 0.526, 27.407 and 2.112 respectively in Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary. Macropropagation of C. nambariensis was standardized here through seed germination which was found to be more efficient in terms of time and cost which revealed 87% germination in treated seeds, followed by 61% only for untreated seeds till 90 days. It was also observed that seedlings in the hilly slope of Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary (reinforcement) showed high survivability than that of the hilly slop of Lahorijan Reserve Forest (reintroduction). Further, survival rate was measured for 24 months, which revealed significantly very high on an average of 97.85% in both the locations, while 1200 numbers of C. nambariensis plantlets were transferred to the field. The present study could change the population size of C. nambariensis in its natural habitat, proving effective means for preventing extinction and improving conservation status of the plant.     

Overexpression of Sorghum plasma membrane-bound Na+/H+ antiporter-like protein (SbNHXLP) enhances salt tolerance in transgenic groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC) - Soil salinity and water-deficit conditions often affect crop productivity in groundnut. Therefore, developing transgenic groundnut that can grow under...     

Preparation of low molecular weight N-maleated chitosan-graft-PAMAM copolymer for enhanced DNA complexation

Low molecular weight N-maleated chitosan-graft-PAMAM (polyamidoamine) copolymer was prepared through N-maleated chitosan (NMC) by Michael type addition reaction to enhance its solubility in water as well as its cationic character for enhancement of DNA complexation. FTIR, (1)H NMR, XRD and GPC were used to characterize the graft copolymers. The copolymer showed better DNA complexation ability at low N/P ratio than that of chitosan due to increased surface charge density by the incorporation of PAMAM molecule on to chitosan backbone. The copolymer can effectively protect the DNA toward anionic surfactant. In vitro release study showed efficient DNA release occurred at physiological pH (pH 7.4). In vitro cell cytotoxicity test indicated toward less cytotoxicity of NMC-graft-PAMAM copolymers compared to that of 25kDa PEI. Thus, the synthesized NMC-graft-PAMAM copolymers have great potential of finding application in drug and gene delivery.     

Role of enzymes and identification of stage-specific proteins in developing somatic embryos of chickpea (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cicer arietinum</Emphasis> L.)

Accumulation of proline, activities of peroxidase (POX), catalase (CAT), phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) and malate dehydrogenase (MDH) were studied during different developmental stages of somatic embryos in chickpea. Callus cultures that did not form somatic embryos served as control. While increased levels of proline and POX activity were noticed in globular stages of embryos, CAT activity increased during early and late heart-shaped embryo formation indicating tissue-specific activation of these enzymes. The activity of PAL reached a peak during torpedo and cotyledonary stages of embryo development. On the other hand, MDH activity enhanced during the germination of somatic embryos inferring more requirement of energy during this stage. Electrophoretic (sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) pattern of proteins revealed that ten bands are associated with non-embryogenic tissues, whereas 11 bands with globular, heart, torpedo and cotyledonary stages of embryo development and nine bands during the germination stage of embryos. Two extra stage-specific protein bands with molecular masses of 16 and 18 kDa appeared during globular, heart, torpedo, and cotyledonary stages. But, these bands disappeared during germination of embryos and are absent in non-embryogenic cultures. This study thus may help in the identification of proteins and the role of above enzymes during different developmental stages of somatic embryo induction and their maturation in a recalcitrant leguminous crop plant chickpea.     

Paratritemnodon indicus (Creodonta: Mammalia) from the early Middle Eocene Subathu Formation,NW Himalaya,India, and the Kalakot mammalian community structure

A complete post-incisor upper dentition and a left mandible with P/3-M/3 of the proviverrine hyaenodontid (Creodonta: Mammalia)Paratritemnodon indicus, which was hitherto known by heavily worn P/3-M/3, are described from the uppermost Subathu Formation (Middle Eocene) of the Kalakot-Metka-Mohgala area, Rajauri District, Jammu and Kashmir.P. indicus is most closely related to the North American Early Eocene proviverrine,Tritemnodon; its relationships withProdissopsalis from the Middle Eocene of Europe andPropterodon from the Middle to Late Eocene of China are also close. In the Kalakot Eocene vertebrate community of the Subathu vertebrate bioprovince,P. indicus is the only land dwelling carnivorous mammal against more than 20 species of herbivorous mammals, a majority of which are larger than it. This is viewed as an imbalance in trie community and it reflects an immaturity of the ecosystem supporting the fauna. The scarcity of carnivore remains in the Kalakot mammalian fauna is not an artifact.