Discovery of a novel non-steroidal GR antagonist with in vivo efficacy in the olanzapine-induced weight gain model in the rat

We report the optimization of a series of non-steroidal GR antagonists that led to the identification of compound 7. This compound is efficacious when dosed orally in an olanzapine-induced weight gain model in rats.     

Mating behaviour and behavioural ecology of a Predatory Wasp,Symmorphus allobrogus (de Saussure) (Hymenoptera: Eumeninae)

This paper represents an attempt to investigate the mating behaviour of Symmorphus allobrogus, explaining the willingness of male to mount and copulate. The male displays including mode and frequency of antennation and position while copulating, the displays further comprises of intensity and frequency of rejecting behaviour. The presence of the male’s copulatory and postcopulatory courtship studies, understands the maintenance of monandry. The wasp has numerous secondary sexual characters, and the mating behaviour follows a phyletic and the specific sexual mating characters in context of sexual selection. The duration of mating phases and the number of male antennation series during precopulatory, copulatory and postcopulatory phases of mounting, differs significantly. Mating success depends mostly on the activities of male in the premounting phase and the behaviour of both sexes has a roughly equal importance for it in precopulatory phase. While during copulation, activity of male has little influence on its duration; however, behaviour of female has crucial effect, inducing its earlier termination.     

Small universal spiking neural P systems

In search for small universal computing devices of various types, we consider here the case of spiking neural P systems (SN P systems), in two variants: as devices that compute functions and as devices that generate sets of numbers. We start with the first case and we produce a universal spiking neural P system with 84 neurons. If a slight generalization of the used rules is adopted, namely, we allow rules for producing simultaneously several spikes, then a considerable reduction, to 49 neurons, is obtained. For SN P systems used as generators of sets of numbers, we find a universal system with restricted rules having 76 neurons and one with extended rules having 50 neurons.     

Differential impact of caveolae and caveolin-1 scaffolds on the membrane raft proteome

Caveolae, a class of cholesterol-rich lipid rafts, are smooth invaginations of the plasma membrane whose formation in nonmuscle cells requires caveolin-1 (Cav1). The recent demonstration that Cav1-associated cavin proteins, in particular PTRF/cavin-1, are also required for caveolae formation supports a functional role for Cav1 independently of caveolae. In tumor cells deficient for Golgi β-1,6N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V (Mgat5), reduced Cav1 expression is associated not with caveolae but with oligomerized Cav1 domains, or scaffolds, that functionally regulate receptor signaling and raft-dependent endocytosis. Using subdiffraction-limit microscopy, we show that Cav1 scaffolds are homogenous subdiffraction-limit sized structures whose size distribution differs from that of Cav1 in caveolae expressing cells. These cell lines displaying differing Cav1/caveolae phenotypes are effective tools for probing the structure and composition of caveolae. Using stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture, we are able to quantitatively distinguish the composition of caveolae from the background of detergent-resistant membrane proteins and show that the presence of caveolae enriches the protein composition of detergent-resistant membrane, including the recruitment of multiple heterotrimeric G-protein subunits. These data were further supported by analysis of immuno-isolated Cav1 domains and of methyl-β-cyclodextrin-disrupted detergent-resistant membrane. Our data show that loss of caveolae results in a dramatic change to the membrane raft proteome and that this change is independent of Cav1 expression. The proteomics data, in combination with subdiffraction-limit microscopy, indicates that noncaveolar Cav1 domains, or scaffolds are structurally and functionally distinct from caveolae and differentially impact on the molecular composition of lipid rafts.     

The gene product of the gp78/AMFR ubiquitin E3 ligase cDNA is selectively recognized by the 3F3A antibody within a subdomain of the endoplasmic reticulum

The receptor for the autocrine motility factor/phosphoglucose isomerase cytokine (gp78 or AMFR) has been extensively characterized using the 3F3A monoclonal antibody. Cloning of AMFR identified a seven-transmembrane domain G-protein-coupled receptor ubiquitin E3 ligase whose identity as AMFR was based on prior expression cloning with the 3F3A mAb that generated a truncated sequence. We show here that the gp78/AMFR gene product is indeed recognized by the 3F3A mAb. The FLAG-taggedAMFR immunoprecipitated with an anti-FLAG antibody was recognized by the 3F3A mAb in Western blot analysis and cells transfected with AMFR exhibit increased labeling with the 3F3A mAb. The 3F3A mAb does not however recognize higher molecular weight isoforms of AMFR. 3F3A labeling colocalizes with tagged AMFR in a peripheral ER network but does not recognize FLAG- or GFP-tagged AMFR localized to a perinuclear ER domain that likely corresponds to misfolded forms of the protein retained in the ER. These data indicate that 3F3A antibody binding is highly specific for a subpopulation of AMFR localized to an ER subdomain. Coexpression of AMFR-GFP and a lumenal ER-targeted RFP presented extensive colocalization in living cells andAMFR-GFP is concentrated in a basal ER network morphologically similar to that labeled by the 3F3A mAb in fixed cells. The3F3A anti-AMFR mAb therefore selectively recognizes a subpopulation of expressed AMFR localized to a subdomain of the ER.     

Risk of immunodeficiency virus infection may increase with vaccine-induced immune response

To explore the efficacy of novel complementary prime-boost immunization regimens in a nonhuman primate model for HIV infection, rhesus monkeys primed by different DNA vaccines were boosted with virus-like particles (VLP) and then challenged by repeated low-dose rectal exposure to simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). Characteristic of the cellular immune response after the VLP booster immunization were high numbers of SIV-specific, gamma interferon-secreting cells after stimulation with inactivated SIV particles, but not SIV peptides, and the absence of detectable levels of CD8(+) T cell responses. Antibodies specific to SIV Gag and SIV Env could be induced in all animals, but, consistent with a poor neutralizing activity at the time of challenge, vaccinated monkeys were not protected from acquisition of infection and did not control viremia. Surprisingly, vaccinees with high numbers of SIV-specific, gamma interferon-secreting cells were infected fastest during the repeated low-dose exposures and the numbers of these immune cells in vaccinated macaques correlated with susceptibility to infection. Thus, in the absence of protective antibodies or cytotoxic T cell responses, vaccine-induced immune responses may increase the susceptibility to acquisition of immunodeficiency virus infection. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that virus-specific T helper cells mediate this detrimental effect and contribute to the inefficacy of past HIV vaccination attempts (e.g., STEP study).     

Phenolic constituents and genetic profile of Hypericum perforatum L. from India

The content of hypericins (hypericin and pseudohypericin), hyperforin, and flavonoids (rutin, hyperoside, quercitrin, and quercetin) and genetic profiles of eight accessions of Hypericum perforatum L., collected from different locations in India, have been determined. The secondary metabolite content was determined using a highly selective LC/MS/MS method. Pearson and Spearman's correlation coefficient were used to investigate the relationships between the secondary metabolites and a significant positive correlation was found between hypericin and pseudohypericin contents. Genetic profiling was undertaken using the random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and single sequence repeat (SSR) methods. Among the 49 random primers used for the initial screening, only nine yielded polymorphic RAPD profiles. The SSR analysis shows that seven out of the 11 primers were polymorphic. There exists only a partial correlation between the chemical content and genetic profiling data among the accessions under study.     

Bioconversion of phosphatidylcholine to phosphatidylserine using immobilized enzyme mini-columns

Phospholipase-d, immobilized on controlled porosity glass beads, was used for the preparation of phosphatidylserine. The synthesis of phosphatidylserine was monitored using immobilized mini-reactors of choline oxidase and serine dehydratase isolated from rat liver. The immobilized enzymes showed good stability, and no deterioration in enzyme activity was recorded after use for 4 months.     

Removal of chromium on Polyalthia longifolia leaves biomass

Adsorption is an environmental friendly process for removal and/or recovery of heavy metals from wastewater. In recent years, it has been substantiated as a popular technique to treat industrial waste effluents, with significant advantages. In this work, batchwise removal of chromium (III) ions from water by Polyalthia longifolia leaves was studied as a function of adsorbent dose, pH, contact time, and agitation speed. Surface characteristics of the leaves were evaluated by recording IR spectra. The Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin adsorption isotherms were employed to explain the sorption process. It was found that one gram of leaves can remove 1.87 mg of trivalent chromium when working at pH 3.0. It has been concluded that Polyalthia longifolia leaves can be used as cost-effective and benign adsorbents for removal of Cr(III) ions from wastewater.     

Molecular markers in medicinal plant biotechnology: past and present

Plant based medicines have gained popularity worldwide due to their almost negligible side effects. In India, the three traditional medicinal systems, namely homeopathy, Ayurveda and Siddha rely heavily on plants for medicinal formulations. To prevent the indiscriminate collection of these valuable medicinal plants and for their proper authentication and conservation, it is imperative to go for sustained efforts towards proper germplasm cataloguing and devising conservation strategies. For this purpose, molecular markers have a significant role, as they provide information ranging from diversity at nucleotide level (single nucleotide polymorphisms) to gene and allele frequencies (genotype information), the extent and distribution of genetic diversity, and population structure. Over the past twenty years, the molecular marker field has completely transformed the meaning of conservation genetics which has emerged from a theory-based field of population biology to a full-fledged pragmatic discipline. In this review, we have explored the transition and transformation of molecular marker technologies throughout these years.