Population density of striped hyenas in relation to habitat in a semi-arid landscape,western India

We used camera trapping in conjunction with a spatial explicit capture–recapture model to estimate striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) density and occupancy models to investigate factors affecting striped hyena detection probabilities in Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve (RTR), Rajasthan, India. A sampling effort of 4,450 trap days/nights over 75 days yield 68 photo captures of 21 unique striped hyenas (based on individual markings and visual identification); the estimated striped hyena density was 5.49?±?1.27 individuals/100 km². Results of our occupancy model suggested that a rugged terrain is an important factor that influences striped hyena detection probability. Correlation with striped hyena detection with human settlement provides evidence of social tolerance of striped hyena towards humans, and more occurrence of resources allowed coexistence of hyena in a human-dominated landscape. This elasticity (inhabited areas close to humans) demonstrated by striped hyenas is an exception among carnivore communities living in this semi-arid habitat.     

Mechanistic insights into mode of action of potent natural antagonists of BACE-1 for checking Alzheimer’s plaque pathology

Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative disorder resulting in memory loss and decline in cognitive abilities. Accumulation of extracellular beta amyloidal plaques is one of the major pathology associated with this disease. β-Secretase or BACE-1 performs the initial and rate limiting step of amyloidic pathway in which 37–43 amino acid long peptides are generated which aggregate to form plaques. Inhibition of this enzyme offers a viable prospect to check the growth of these plaques. Numerous efforts have been made in recent years for the generation of BACE-1 inhibitors but many of them failed during the preclinical or clinical trials due to drug related or drug induced toxicity. In the present work, we have used computational methods to screen a large dataset of natural compounds to search for small molecules having BACE-1 inhibitory activity with low toxicity to normal cells. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to analyze molecular interactions between the screened compounds and the active residues of the enzyme. Herein, we report two natural compounds of inhibitory nature active against β-secretase enzyme of amyloidic pathway and are potent lead molecules against Alzheimer’s disease.     

Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli infection induces IL-8 production via activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases and the transcription factors NF-κB and AP-1 in INT-407 cells

Multiple mucosal immune factors, such as TNF-α and IL-1β, are thought to be key mediators involved in inflammatory bowel disease. We evaluated the role of the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α on nitric oxide synthase (NOS) expression in indomethacin-induced jejunoileitis in rats. Jejunoileitis was induced in rats with subcutaneous injections of indomethacin (7.5 mg/kg) 24 h apart for two consecutive days, and animals were randomized into four groups. Group 1 received only indomethacin. Group 2 was treated with a daily dose of phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor (theophylline or pentoxifylline) by oral gavage for 2 days before and 4 days after indomethacin. Group 3 received a single dose of anti-TNF-α monoclonal antibody (TNF-Ab, IP) 30 min before indomethacin. Group 4 was treated with 1 h hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO₂) for 5 days after indomethacin. Rats were sacrificed at 12 h or 4 days after final indomethacin injection. PDE inhibitor, TNF-Ab, or HBO₂ treatment significantly decreased indomethacin-induced ulceration, myeloperoxidase activity, and disease activity index. Although indomethacin significantly increased serum TNF-α and nitrate/nitrite (NOx) concentrations above control values at 12 h, inducible NOS (iNOS) expression was detected only at day 4. Serum IL-1β levels did not change at 12 h but increased 4-fold after 4 days. Indomethacin had no effect on constitutive NOS. Treatment with PDE inhibitor, TNF-Ab, or HBO₂ significantly reduced serum/tissue TNF-α, IL-1β, NOx, and iNOS expression. Our data show TNF-α plays an early pro-inflammatory role in indomethacin-induced jejunoileitis. Additionally, down-regulation of NOx by PDE inhibitors, TNF-Ab, or HBO₂ suggests that TNF-α modulates iNOS expression.     

Basidiobolomycosis of the Nose and Face: A Case Report and a Mini-Review of Unusual Cases of Basidiobolomycosis

Background  

Subcutaneous zygomycosis is a chronic infection caused by fungus of the order Entomophthorales. It can have varying presentations and presents in the nose and face area with gradually progressing subcutaneous swelling that may be difficult to diagnose unless a strong suspicion of fungal involvement is maintained. We present a case of subcutaneous zygomycosis in a 35-year-old male patient, resident of a North Indian state. The patient was diagnosed to be suffering from subcutaneous zygomycosis, the causative agent being Basidiobolus ranarum identified on culture and lactophenol cotton blue mount preparation. He responded well to treatment with Itraconazole and Terbinafine and is asymptomatic on follow-up.     

A convenient method for saponin isolation in tumour therapy

Saponinum album (Merck), which is a crude mixture of saponins from Gypsophila paniculata L., was shown to improve the anti cancer therapy when used in vivo in combination with saporin-based targeted toxins. Unfortunately saponinum album cannot be used for further development since Merck has ceased its production in the 1990s. As pure saponins are mandatory for use in medical purposes we developed a convenient method for saponin isolation directly from the roots of Gypsophila paniculata L. The developed method is rapid, cheap and scaling up is also possible. By combining dialysis and HPLC three saponins were isolated in a one-step procedure. Chemical structures of the purified saponins were characterized by extensive one and two-dimensional NMR-spectroscopy and by using ESI-TOF-MS. The biological activities of the purified saponins were also investigated. The method presented herein enabled a rapid and cheap isolation of saponins for tumour therapy.     

Establishment of <Emphasis Type="Italic">lacZ</Emphasis> marked strain of phosphate solubilizing bacterium in the rhizosphere and its effect on plant growth in mungbean

The establishment of lacZ marked strain of P-solubilizing bacterium Pseudomonas in the rhizosphere of mungbean (Vigna radiata) under pothouse conditions was studied. The lacZ marker was transferred to Pseudomonas P-36 on LB medium using donor strain of E. coli. The lacZ marked strain formed blue colonies on selective media and could be identified from soil on the basis of this character. The lacZ marked strain was able to survive in rhizosphere of mungbean under pothouse conditions and maintained a population of about 10⁴ g^?1 of rhizosphere soils up to 60 days study period. Positive effect of inoculation with P-solubilizing bacterium on dry matter yield, P and N-uptake was observed using rock phosphate and single super phosphate as P sources with and without farmyard amendment.     

Polyamine catabolism influences antioxidative defense mechanism in shoots and roots of five wheat genotypes under high temperature stress

Effect of high temperature stress on polyamine catabolism and antioxidant enzyme activity in relation to glutathione, ascorbate and proline accumulation was studied in five wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes (differently susceptible to temperature stress). High temperature significantly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in shoots of all genotypes. Higher activities of GPX in C 306, C 273 and APX in PBW 550, PBW 343 and PBW 534 demonstrate their important role in scavenging H₂O₂. Conversely, high temperature stress led to a significant decline in SOD, CAT, APX and GPX activities of roots with a subsequent increase in diamine oxidase (DAO) and polyamine oxidase (PAO) activities especially in PBW 550 and PBW 343. The concentration of ascorbic acid declined with the imposition of heat stress, however, polyamines responded to high temperature stress by increasing spermidine and spermine levels and decreasing putrescine levels. After exposure to high temperature, proline accumulation was significantly decreased in roots and increased in shoots though maximum concentration was achieved in C 306 genotype. Apparently, the wheat seedlings respond to high temperature mediated increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by altering antioxidative defense mechanism and polyamine catabolism though differentially in five wheat genotypes. Among five genotypes studied, C 306 and C 273 seem to be better protected against temperature stress. The results suggested that shoots were more resistant against the destructive effects of ROS as is indicated by low levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances under high temperature stress.     

Carbon concentration mechanisms in photosynthetic microorganisms

Unicellular green algae and cyanobacteria have mechanism to actively concentrate dissolved inorganic carbon into the cells, only if they are grown with air levels of CO2. The carbon concentration mechanisms are commonly known as "CCM" or "DIC-pumps". The DIC-pumps are environmental adaptation that function to actively transport and accumulate inorganic carbon (HCO3- and CO2; Ci) within the cell and then uses this Ci pool to actively increase the concentration of CO2 at the site of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase (Rubisco), the primary CO2-fixing enzyme. The current working model for dissolved inorganic carbon concentration mechanism in unicellular green algae includes several isoforms of carbonic anhydrase (CA), and ATPase driven active transporters at the plasmalemma and at the inner chloroplast envelopes. In the past fifteen years, significant progress has been made in isolating and characterizing the various isoforms of carbonic anhydrase at the biochemical and molecular level. However, we have an inadequate understanding of active transporters that are located on the plasmalemma and at the chloroplast envelopes. In this mini-review we focus on certain aspects of the induction, function and significance of the dissolved inorganic carbon concentration mechanisms in aquatic photosynthetic microorganisms.     

Stability of grassland production is robust to changes in the consumer food web

Theory predicts that consumers may stabilise or destabilise plant production depending on model assumptions, and tests in aquatic food webs suggest that trophic interactions are stabilising. We quantified the effects of trophic interactions on temporal variability (standard deviation) and temporal stability (mean/standard deviation) of grassland biomass production and the plant diversity–stability relationship by experimentally removing heterotrophs (large vertebrates, arthropods, foliar and soil fungi) from naturally and experimentally assembled grasslands of varying diversity. In both grassland types, trophic interactions proportionately decreased plant community biomass mean and variability over the course of 6 years, leading to no net change in temporal stability or the plant diversity–stability relationship. Heterotrophs also mediated plant coexistence; their removal reduced diversity in naturally assembled grasslands. Thus, herbivores and fungi reduce biomass production, concurrently reducing the temporal variability of energy and material fluxes. Because of this coupling, grassland stability is robust to large food web perturbations.