Synthesis and antiviral properties of arabino and ribonucleosides of 1,3-dideazaadenine, 4-nitro-1,3-dideazapurine and diketopiperazine

Different arabinosides and ribosides, viz. Ara-DDA or 9(1-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl) 1,3-dideazaadenine (6), Ara-NDDP or 9(1-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl) 4-nitro-1,3-dideazapurine (7), Ara-DKP or 1(1-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl) diketopiperazine (8), Ribo-DDA or 9(1-beta-D-ribofuranosyl) 1,3-dideazaadenine (9) and Ribo-NDDP or 9(1-beta-D-ribofuranosyl) 4-nitro-1,3-dideazapurine (10) have been synthesized as probable antiviral agents. The arabinosides have been synthesized using the catalyst TDA-1 that causes stereospecific formation of beta-nucleosides while a one-pot synthesis procedure was adopted for the synthesis of the ribonucleosides where beta-anomers were obtained in higher yields. All the five nucleoside analogs have been screened for antiviral property against HIV-1 (IIIB), HSV-1 and 2, parainfluenza-3, reovirus-1 and many others. It was observed that arabinosides had greater inhibitory action than ribosides. The compound 7 or Ara-NDDP has shown maximum inhibition of HIV-1 replication than the rest of the molecules with an IC50 of 79.4 microg/mL.     

A genome-wide scan for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG): the Barbados Family Study of Open-Angle Glaucoma

Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is characterized by damage to the optic nerve with associated loss of vision. Six named genetic loci have been identified as contributing to POAG susceptibility by genetic linkage analysis of mostly Caucasian families, and two of the six causative genes have been identified. The Barbados Family Study of Open-Angle Glaucoma (BFSG) was designed to evaluate the genetic component of POAG in a population of African descent. A genome-wide scan was performed on 1327 individuals from 146 families in Barbados, West Indies. Linkage results were based on models and parameter estimates derived from a segregation analysis of these families, and on model-free analyses. Two-point LOD scores >1.0 were identified on chromosomes 1, 2, 9, 10, 11, and 14, with increased multipoint LOD scores being found on chromosomes 2, 10, and 14. Fine mapping was subsequently carried out and indicated that POAG may be linked to intervals on chromosome 2q between D2S2188 and D2S2178 and chromosome 10p between D10S1477 and D10S601. Heterogeneity testing strongly supports linkage for glaucoma to at least one of these regions and suggests possible linkages to both. Although TIGR/myocilin and optineurin mutations have been shown to be causally linked to POAG in other populations, findings from this study do not support either of these as causative genes in an Afro-Caribbean population known to have relatively high rates of POAG.     

Purification and characterization of C-Phycocyanin from cyanobacterial species of marine and freshwater habitat

The present paper describes an efficient single step chromatographic method for purification of C-Phycocyanin from three cyanobacterial species, i.e., Spirulina sp. (freshwater), Phormidium sp. (marine water) and Lyngbya sp. (marine water). C-Phycocyanin from these cyanobacterial species was purified to homogeneity and some of their properties were investigated. The purification involves a multistep treatment of the crude extract by fractional precipitation with ammonium sulfate, followed by ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B column. Pure C-Phycocyanin was finally obtained from Spirulina, Phormidium, and Lyngbya spp. with purity ratio (A620/A280) 4.42, 4.43, and 4.59, respectively, further the purity and homogeneity were confirmed by native and SDS-PAGE. The estimated molecular weights of purified C-PC from Spirulina, Phormidium, and Lyngbya spp. were 112, 131, and 81 kDa, respectively. SDS-PAGE of pure C-Phycocyanin yielded two bands corresponding to alpha and beta subunits. The results of SDS-PAGE demonstrate the same molecular weight of beta subunits (24.4 kDa) for all the three cyanobacterial species, whereas the molecular weight of the alpha subunit is different for all (17 kDa Spirulina sp., 19.1 kDa Phormidium sp., 15.2 kDa Lyngbya sp.). Thus, the C-Phycocyanin was characterized as (alphabeta)3 for Spirulina and Phormidium spp., while as (alphabeta)2 for Lyngbya sp.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Spicocleidus namae</Emphasis> n. g., n. sp. (Monogenea: Dactylogyridae) on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chanda nama</Emphasis> (Hamilton) from Lucknow,India

Spicocleidus n. g. is proposed for S. namae n. sp., a new monogenean collected from the gills of an ambassid, Chanda nama (Ham.), in the River Sai near Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. The new genus is characterised by a pair of modified dorsal anchors (spikes), the absence of a dorsal bar, alate lateral expansion of the anterior haptor and the post-ovarian position of the testis.     

Municipal sludge-induced phytotoxicity

Municipal sludge (MS), containing various types of environmental pollutants, can exert phytotoxic effects in plants. Seed germination, chlorophyll content, plant weight, root and shoot growth, and metal levels, were measured as endpoints to assess the phytotoxic effects of leachates of MS from Lucknow city in three plants, Triticum aestivum, Brassica campestris and Phaseolus aureus. Among the five metals analysed, lead was found to be present at the highest concentration, and chromium at the lowest. Aqueous MS leachates had lower amounts of metals than pure MS. Seed germination was inhibited significantly in all three plants. The greatest inhibition of root and shoot growth was observed in B. campestris and T. aestivum. Total chlorophyll was depleted in all three plants, but the maximum depletion was observed in T.aestivum exposed to 10% leachate. Symptoms such as necrosis, leaf discoloration and root curling were also observed after exposure to 10% leachate, and plant weight was reduced significantly. It is evident that MS from Lucknow city exerted phytotoxic effects on all three test plant species.     

Serum LBP Is Associated with Insulin Resistance in Women with PCOS

Introduction

Lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) is closely associated with many metabolic disorders. However, no study has been done to explore the relationship between LBP and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The objective of this study was to investigate whether the serum LBP level is elevated and associated with insulin resistance (IR) in PCOS.

Participants and Design

In this cross-sectional study, 117 PCOS patients and 121 age-matched controls were recruited. Hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp was performed with an expression of M value for insulin sensitivity. Fasting serum samples were collected to detect LBP, lipids, insulin, sex hormones and high sensitive C reactive protein (hs-CRP). Pearson’s correlation and multiple linear regression was used to analyze the associations between M value and LBP level.

Settings

The study was performed in a clinical research center.

Results

Compared with controls, PCOS subjects had a significantly higher LBP concentration (33.03±14.59 vs. 24.35±10.31 μg/ml, p<0.001), and lower M value (8.21±3.06 vs. 12.31±1.72 mg/min/kg, p<0.001). Both in lean and overweight/obese individuals, serum LBP level was higher in PCOS subjects than that in controls. M value was negatively correlated with body mass index (BMI), fasting serum insulin, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), free testosterone, high sensitive C reactive protein (hs-CRP) and LBP, whereas positively correlated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). Serum LBP level was associated with M value after adjusting for BMI, fasting serum insulin, SHBG, as well as hs-CRP.

Conclusion

Serum LBP level significantly is elevated in PCOS, and is independently associated with IR in PCOS.     

Microstructural abnormalities of uncinate fasciculus as a function of impaired cognition in schizophrenia: A DTI study

Neuropsychological studies have reported that attention, memory, language, motor and emotion processing are impaired in schizophrenia. It is known that schizophrenia involves structural alterations in the white matter of brain that contribute to the pathophysiology of the disorder. Uncinate fasciculus (UNC), a bundle of white matter fibres, plays an important role in the pathology of this disorder and involved in cognitive functions such as memory, language and emotion processing. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate microstructural changes in UNC fibre in schizophrenia patients relative to controls and its correlation with neuropsychological scores.Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and Hindi version of Penn Computerised Neuropsychological Battery test was performed in 14 schizophrenia patients and 14 controls. DTI measures [fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD)] from UNC fibre were calculated and a comparison was made between patients and controls. Pearson’s correlation was performed between neuropsychological scores and DTI measures.Schizophrenia patients showed significantly reduced FA values in UNC fibre compared to controls. In schizophrenia patients, a positive correlation of attention, spatial memory, sensorimotor dexterity and emotion with FA was observed. These findings suggest that microstructural changes in UNC fibre may contribute to underlying dysfunction in the cognitive functions associated with schizophrenia.     

The Stress of Suicide: Temporal and Spatial Expression of Putative Heat Shock Protein 70 Protect the Cells from Heat Injury in Wheat (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Triticum aestivum</Emphasis>)

Heat stress adversely affects growth, development, and yield of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum). Plants have, however, evolved mechanisms to adapt to such conditions mainly by the expression of stress-associated chaperones, the heat shock proteins (HSPs), for modulating the tolerance level. Here, we report cloning of cytosolic putative HSP70 of 1678 bp from a thermotolerant cultivar (C306) of wheat (T. aestivum). A BLASTn search showed maximum homology with the predicted HSP70 protein reported from Hordeum vulgare (accession no AK354795.1). In silico characterization showed the presence of a nucleotide-binding domain of the sugar kinase/HSP70/actin superfamily in the sequence. Putative HSP70 showed temporal and spatial variations in the expression under heat stress (HS). We observed the abundance of HSP70 protein, H₂O₂, proline, and guaiacol peroxidase activity during the seed-hardening stage under HS; accumulation was, however, higher in the thermotolerant C306 than in thermosusceptible HD2329 cultivar. A gradual decrease in cell membrane stability (CMS) and an increase in total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were observed in both the cultivars at the different stages of growth. The expression of HSP70 showed a negative correlation with CMS and a positive correlation with TAC under HS; changes were less pronounced in C306 than in HD2329 at all the stages of growth studied. HSP70 seems to play diverse roles associated with thermotolerance, and partially protect wheat from terminal HS. Being the important member of family of the HSPs, HSP70 needs to be studied in detail, to be used for developing climate-smart wheat crops, through genetic engineering/breeding approaches.