Interbirth interval and litter size of free-ranging Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) in dry tropical deciduous forests of India

We studied the interbirth interval (IBI) and litter size of the population of free-ranging Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) in dry tropical deciduous forests in Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve (RTR), Rajasthan, and Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR), Madhya Pradesh, between April 2005 and June 2011. Data on 15 breeding females in RTR and nine breeding females in PTR were collected using camera trapping, direct observation and radio-telemetry. The mean?±?standard error of IBI (months) in RTR was 33.4?±?3.7 and in PTR was 25.2?±?1.8. A significant difference was observed between the mean IBI of tigresses in RTR and those in PTR (df?=?9, P?=?0.04). The estimated mean litter size in RTR was 2.3?±?0.1 and that in PTR was 2.9?±?0.2. There was a significant difference between the litter size in RTR and that in PTR (χ ²?=?12.04, P?=?0.017, df?=?4). Since RTR and PTR are the important source populations of tigers in the Western and Central Indian landscapes, we propose that the tigers in these reserves be monitored, particularly for reproductive traits that are essential for understanding aspects of their population ecology.     

Vitamin D (25OHD) Serum Seasonality in the United States

Background

Vitamin D is an important micronutrient for health. Hypovitaminosis D is thought to play a role in the seasonality of a number of diseases and adverse health conditions. To refine hypotheses about the links between vitamin D and seasonal diseases, good estimates of the cyclicality of serum vitamin D are necessary.

Objectives

The objective of this study is to describe quantitatively the cyclicality of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) in the United States. We provide a statistical analysis with weekly time resolution, in comparison to the quarterly (winter/spring/summer/fall) estimates already in the literature.

Methods

We analyzed time series data on 25OHD, spanning 287 consecutive weeks. The pooled data set comes from 3.44 million serum samples from the United States. We statistically analyzed the proportion of sera that were vitamin D sufficient, defined as 25OHD ng/mL, as a function of date.

Results

In the United States, serum 25OHD follows a lagged pattern relative to the astronomical seasons, peaking in late summer (August) and troughing in late winter (February). Airmass, which is a function of solar altitude, fits the 25OHD data very well when lagged by 8 weeks.

Conclusions

Serum vitamin D levels can be modeled as a function of date, working through a double-log transformation of minimal solar airmass (easily calculated from solar altitude, retrievable from an online solar altitude/azimuth table).     

Genome wide association mapping and candidate gene analysis for pod shatter resistance in Brassica juncea and its progenitor species

Molecular Biology Reports - We investigated phenotypic variations for pod shattering, pod length and number of seeds per pod in large germplasm collections of Brassica juncea (2n?=?36;...     

Bacosides Encapsulated in Lactoferrin Conjugated PEG-PLA-PCL-OH Based Polymersomes Act as Epigenetic Modulator in Chemically Induced Amnesia

Neurochemical Research - The present study demonstrates the epigenetic mechanisms underlying the effect of Bacoside rich extract of Bacopa monniera—a nootropic herb, on scopolamine treated...     

Insight into Pleiotropic Drug Resistance ATP-binding Cassette Pump Drug Transport through Mutagenesis of Cdr1p Transmembrane Domains

The fungal ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter Cdr1 protein (Cdr1p), responsible for clinically significant drug resistance, is composed of two transmembrane domains (TMDs) and two nucleotide binding domains (NBDs). We have probed the nature of the drug binding pocket by performing systematic mutagenesis of the primary sequences of the 12 transmembrane segments (TMSs) found in the TMDs. All mutated proteins were expressed equally well and localized properly at the plasma membrane in the heterologous host Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but some variants differed significantly in efflux activity, substrate specificity, and coupled ATPase activity. Replacement of the majority of the amino acid residues with alanine or glycine yielded neutral mutations, but about 42% of the variants lost resistance to drug efflux substrates completely or selectively. A predicted three-dimensional homology model shows that all the TMSs, apart from TMS4 and TMS10, interact directly with the drug-binding cavity in both the open and closed Cdr1p conformations. However, TMS4 and TMS10 mutations can also induce total or selective drug susceptibility. Functional data and homology modeling assisted identification of critical amino acids within a drug-binding cavity that, upon mutation, abolished resistance to all drugs tested singly or in combinations. The open and closed Cdr1p models enabled the identification of amino acid residues that bordered a drug-binding cavity dominated by hydrophobic residues. The disposition of TMD residues with differential effects on drug binding and transport are consistent with a large polyspecific drug binding pocket in this yeast multidrug transporter.     

Isolation and functional characterization of Salt overly sensitive 1 (SOS1) gene promoter from Salicornia brachiata

Soil salinity is a major abiotic stress and salt overly sensitive (SOS) pathway plays an important role in imparting tolerance to salinity by reinstating cellular ionic equilibrium. Salt overly sensitive 1 (SOS1) gene of SOS pathway has been implicated in increasing salt tolerance in plants. In this study, a 734 bp fragment of SOS1 promoter (SbUSOS1) was isolated from a halophyte Salicornia brachiata Roxb. In silico analysis of SbUSOS1 predicted several cis-acting regulatory elements such as DOF motif, GT elements, ABRE-like sequence, and root specific motifs. Functional validation of SbUSOS1 into tobacco stems and leaves using the GUS reporter gene showed that this promoter is induced by salt stress (250 mM NaCl) but not by ABA (500 μM) and cold (4 °C) stresses. This study indicated that SbUSOS1 was functional with predicted cis-acting elements that could be responsible for its salt-inducible nature. It can be used for the development of salt stress tolerant transgenic plants.     

Development of indole/indazole-aminopyrimidines as inhibitors of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK): Optimization for JNK potency and physicochemical properties

A novel series of indole/indazole-aminopyrimidines was designed and synthesized with an aim to achieve optimal potency and selectivity for the c-Jun kinase family or JNKs. Structure guided design was used to optimize the series resulting in a significant potency improvement. The best compound (17) has IC₅₀ of 3 nM for JNK1 and 20 nM for JNK2, with greater than 40-fold selectivity against other kinases with good physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties.     

The Glove-like Structure of the Conserved Membrane Protein TatC Provides Insight into Signal Sequence Recognition in Twin-Arginine Translocation

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Highlights? Crystal structures of TatC from the thermophile Aquifex aeolicus are presented ? The architecture of TatC generates a glove-shaped pocket buried in the bilayer ? Molecular dynamics reveal destabilization of the membrane around the pocket ? Correlation to biochemical results suggest the signal sequence binds in this pocket     

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG antagonizes Giardia intestinalis induced oxidative stress and intestinal disaccharidases: an experimental study

The present study describes the in vivo modulatory potential of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG), an effective probiotic, in Giardia intestinalis-infected BALB/c mice. Experimentally, it was observed that oral administration of lactobacilli prior or simultaneous with Giardia trophozoites to mice, efficiently (p < 0.05) reduced both the severity and duration of giardiasis. More specifically, probiotics fed, Giardia-infected mice, showed a significant increase in the levels of antioxidants [reduced glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD)] and intestinal disaccharidases [sucrase and lactase] and decreased levels of oxidants in the small intestine, in comparison with Giardia-infected mice. Histopathological findings also revealed almost normal cellular morphology of the small intestine in probiotic-fed Giardia-infected mice compared with fused enterocytes, villous atrophy and increased infiltration of lymphocytes in Giardia-infected mice. The results of the present study has shed new light on the anti-oxidative properties of LGG in Giardia mediated tissue injury, thereby suggesting that the effects of probiotic LGG are biologically plausible and could be used as an alternative microbial interference therapy.     

Refinement of Imaging Predictors of Recurrent Events following Transient Ischemic Attack and Minor Stroke

Background

TIA and minor stroke have a high risk of recurrent stroke. Abnormalities on CT/CTA and MRI predict recurrent events in TIA and minor stroke. However there are many other imaging abnormalities that could potentially predict outcome that have not been assessed in this population. Also the definition of recurrent events used includes deterioration due to stroke progression or recurrent stroke and whether imaging is either of these is not known.

Aims

To improve upon the clinical, CT/CTA and MRI parameters that predict recurrent events after TIA and minor stroke by assessing further imaging parameters. Secondary aim was to explore predictors of stroke progression versus recurrent stroke.

Methods

510 consecutive TIA and minor stroke patients had CT/CTA and most had MRI. Primary outcome was recurrent events (stroke progression or recurrent stroke) within 90 days. Further imaging parameters were assessed for prediction of recurrent events (combined outcome of stroke progression and recurrent stroke). We also explored predictors of symptom progression versus recurrence individually.

Results

36 recurrent events (36/510, 7.1% (95% CI: 5.0–9.6)) including 19 progression and 17 recurrent strokes. On CT/CTA: white matter disease, prior stroke, aortic arch focal plaque≥4 mm, or intraluminal thrombus did not predict recurrent events (progression or recurrent stroke). On MRI: white matter disease, prior stroke, and microbleeds did not predict recurrent events. Parameters predicting the individual outcome of symptom progression included: ongoing symptoms at initial assessment, symptom fluctuation, intracranial occlusion, intracranial occlusion or stenosis, and the CT/CTA metric. No parameter was strongly predictive of a distinct recurrent stroke.

Conclusions

There was no imaging parameter that could improve upon our original CT/CTA or MRI metrics to predict the combined outcome of stroke progression or a recurrent stroke after TIA and minor stroke. We are better at using imaging to predict stroke progression rather than recurrent stroke.