Identity cards for patients infected with HIV?

Dr A C Srivastava has written to us to describe a case that raises the suggestion that people infected with the human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) should carry identity cards. We asked two physicians, a general practitioner working with patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), and a general practitioner with a special interest in medical ethics to respond to the broad issues raised by Dr Srivastava''s letter.     

Preface

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry -     

Quantitative structure activity relationship studies on 3-triazines using van der Waal volume and molecular connectivity index

QSAR studies have been performed on the homologues of 3-triazines, using molecular connectivity index and van der Waal volume as structural parameters. The regression analysis has shown good correlation between antitumour activity and the two structural parameters.     

Thiocyanate ion formation in rapeseed meals.

Meal prepared from unheated rapeseed (Brassica napus cv. Zephyr) showed the presence of t,iocyanate ion, while meal from heated seed of the same cultivar did not show detectable amounts. Unheated seed meal on autolysis, and heated seed meal on incubation with thioglucosidase, yielded increased amounts of thiocyanate ion. Various commercial rapeseed meals showed the presence of t,iocyanate ion only after enzyme incubation. Low glucosinolate, cv. Bronowski, and higher glucosinolate, cv. Zephyr on enzymic incubation yielded comparable amounts of thiocyanate ion, suggesting that the precursor responsible in the two varieties was the same and present in similar quantities. No formation of thiocyanate ion was observed on incubation of sinigrin with thioglucosidase. Rats dosed with heated meal, containing intact glucosinolate, showed a slight increase of thiocyanate ion in the urine as compared with control rats dosed with water, while a relatively large increase followed dosing with sinigrin. Rats dosed with meal containing free thiocyanate ion excreted the ingested thiocyanate ion almost quantitatively.     

Reproductive performance of four aphidophagous ladybirds on cowpea aphid, Aphis craccivora Koch

Abstract:  This study investigated prey consumption, egg production, percent progeny loss, reproductive, pre- and post-reproductive periods, reproductive time ratio, reproductive rate and bioconversion efficiency of four aphidophagous ladybirds, viz. Cheilomenes sexmaculata (Fabricius), Coccinella septempunctata Linnaeus, Coccinella transversalis Fabricius and Propylea dissecta (Mulsant) on Dolichos lablab Linnaeus infested with cowpea aphid, Aphis craccivora Koch. C. sexmaculata had the highest bioconversion efficiency, reproductive rate and reproductive time ratio followed in rank order by P. dissecta , C. transversalis and C. septempunctata . This study indicates that C. sexmaculata has a narrow ecological relationship with A. craccivora . The increased allocation of resources to reproduction as indicated through a high reproductive time ratio and high bioconversion efficiency of C. sexmaculata and P. dissecta suggest that they may be better adapted to compete for this prey with larger species like C. transversalis and C. septempunctata .     

In Vitro Propagation of Gladiolus: Optimisation of Conditions for Shoot Multiplication

Effect of some physical and chemical factors on in vitro shoot multiplication in Gladioius was investigated. A modified MS medium with NH₄NO₃ reduced to half strength, KH₂PO₄ replaced with 300 mg/l of NaH₂PO₄ 2 H₂O and Kl omitted completely, was found to be better than the original MS. BAP was better than either kinetin or 2iP. Of the various physical factors studied, the propagule size, light and container volume influenced the rate of shoot multiplication. On the modified medium containing 0.5 mg/l BAP in dark, the propagules bearing 20 buds showed 8-fold multiplication.     

Alpha-L-fucosidase from bull seminal plasma: its purification and acrosome reaction promoting property

Alpha-L-fucosidase was purified from the bull seminal plasma by chromatography on DEAE-disk, octyl sepharose hydrophobic column and HPLC. The enzyme appeared to be pure as judged by the polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis both under the nondenaturing and denaturing conditions. The pure enzyme promoted the acrosome reaction of guinea pig spermatozoa in vitro. This is the first report showing that an acrosomal enzyme induces acrosome reaction which is an essential pre-requisite for the gamete interaction and fertilization.     

Flow of couple stress fluid through stenotic blood vessels

The effects of an axially symmetric mild stenosis on the flow of blood, when blood is represented by a couple stress fluid model, have been studied. It is found that, for a fixed stenosis size, the resistance to flow and wall shear stress increase as the couple stress parameter eta decreases from unity. A comparison of the results with those of the Newtonian case shows that the magnitude of resistance to flow and wall shear under a given set of conditions, is greater in the case of the couple stress fluid model. It is seen that even in the case of a mild stenosis (19% area reduction), resistance to flow and wall shear values are increased over those for no stenosis by 60% and 62%, respectively, when compared with the case of a Newtonian fluid.