Role of macrophage-colony stimulating factor and osteoclast differentiation factor in osteoclastogenesis of bone marrow derived stem cells

Macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) and osteoclast differentiation factor (ODF) regulate osteoclastogenesis in vivo. Regulation of osteoclast development in vitro by these cytokines has been reported in the present study. Simultaneous addition of ODF and M-CSF during initiation of bone marrow culture inhibited osteoclastogenesis. However, delayed addition of ODF (three days after initiation of the culture) resulted in dramatic increase in phenotypically and functionally mature osteoclast cells. Delayed addition of ODF beyond day three decreased osteoclastogenesis. Further, removal of M-CSF as early as day three inhibited ODF-induced osteoclastogenesis. These studies provided evidence for the importance of co-ordinated regulation of osteoclastogenesis by M-CSF and ODF.     

Founder mutation R245H of Sanfilippo syndrome type A in the Cayman Islands

Sanfilippo A syndrome is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disease. This disease was reported in the Cayman Islands population with carrier frequency of 1/7 to 1/10 in the West Bay district of Grand Cayman. The carrier testing of Sanfilippo A disease for families at risk was carried out using the thermal characteristics of sulfamidase activity. In the present study, a search for mutations in the sulfamidase gene in an index family was performed. In addition, 77 individuals, relatives of children with Sanfilippo A syndrome, were also studied by single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP), restriction fragment-length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses, and sequencing. A single mutation, G746A (R245H), was found in the family, with the patient being homozygous and both parents and 1 of the 3 siblings being carriers. Among the 77 family members of the patient with Sanfilippo syndrome, the same mutation was found among carriers of the disease. The finding of a single mutation supports the idea of a founder effect, which facilitates accurate carrier identification of Sanfilippo A syndrome in the population of Cayman Islands.     

A new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brasiliomyces</Emphasis> (Erysiphaceae) on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dalbergia cultrata</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">cultrata</Emphasis> from Thailand

A powdery mildew fungus on leaves of Dalbergia cultrata var. cultrata (Fabaceae) collected at the Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden in northern Thailand is proven to be a new species of the genus Brasiliomyces and is described as B. chiangmaiensis sp. nov. with light and SEM micrographs. Differences in known Brasiliomyces species are discussed, and a key to species of this genus is provided.     

16.1% Efficient Hysteresis‐Free Mesostructured Perovskite Solar Cells Based on Synergistically Improved ZnO Nanorod Arrays

Significant efficiency improvements are reported in mesoscopic perovskite solar cells based on the development of a low‐temperature solution‐processed ZnO nanorod (NR) array exhibiting higher NR aspect ratio, enhanced electron density, and substantially reduced work function than conventional ZnO NRs. These features synergistically result in hysteresis‐free, scan‐independent, and stabilized devices with an efficiency of 16.1%. Electron‐rich, nitrogen‐doped ZnO (N:ZnO) NR‐based electron transporting materials (ETMs) with enhanced electron mobility produced using ammonium acetate show consistently higher efficiencies by one to three power points than undoped ZnO NRs. Additionally, the preferential electrostatic interaction between the ­nonpolar facets of N:ZnO and the conjugated polyelectrolyte polyethylenimine (PEI) has been relied on to promote the hydrothermal growth of high aspect ratio NR arrays and substantially improve the infiltration of the perovskite light absorber into the ETM. Using the same interactions, a conformal PEI coating on the electron‐rich high aspect ratio N:ZnO NR arrays is ­successfully applied, resulting in a favorable work function shift and altogether leading to the significant boost in efficiency from <10% up to >16%. These results largely surpass the state‐of‐the‐art PCE of ZnO‐based perovskite solar cells and highlight the benefits of synergistically combining mesoscale control with doping and surface modification.     

Glucocorticoid Stress Responses of Reintroduced Tigers in Relation to Anthropogenic Disturbance in Sariska Tiger Reserve in India

Tiger (Panthera tigris), an endangered species, is under severe threat from poaching, habitat loss, prey depletion and habitat disturbance. Such factors have been reported causing local extermination of tiger populations including in one of the most important reserves in India, namely Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR) in northwestern India. Consequently, tigers were reintroduced in STR between 2008 and 2010, but inadequate breeding success was observed over the years, thus invoking an investigation to ascertain physiological correlates. In the present study, we report glucocorticoid stress responses of the reintroduced tigers in relation to anthropogenic disturbance in the STR from 2011 to 2013. We found anthropogenic disturbance such as encounter rates of livestock and humans, distance to roads and efforts to kill domestic livestock associated with an elevation in fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentrations in the monitored tigers. In this regard, female tigers seem more sensitive to such disturbance than males. It was possible to discern that tiger’s fGCM levels were significantly positively related to the time spent in disturbed areas. Resulting management recommendations include relocation of villages from core areas and restriction of all anthropogenic activities in the entire STR.     

Accumulation of Trace Metals by Mangrove Plants in Indian Sundarban Wetland: Prospects for Phytoremediation

The work investigates on the potential of ten mangrove species for absorption, accumulation and partitioning of trace metal(loid)s in individual plant tissues (leaves, bark and root/pneumatophore) at two study sites of Indian Sundarban Wetland. The metal(loid) concentration in host sediments and their geochemical characteristics were also considered. Mangrove sediments showed unique potential in many- fold increase for most metal(loid)s than plant tissues due to their inherent physicochemical properties. The ranges of concentration of trace metal(loid)s for As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn in plant tissue were 0.006–0.31, 0.02–2.97, 0.10–4.80, 0.13–6.49, 4.46–48.30, 9.2–938.1, 0.02–0.13, 9.8–1726, 11–5.41, 0.04–7.64, 3.81–52.20 μg g ^?1respectively. The bio- concentration factor (BCF) showed its maximum value (15.5) in Excoecaria agallocha for Cd, suggesting that it can be considered as a high-efficient plant for heavy metal bioaccumulation. Among all metals, Cd and Zn were highly bioaccumulated in E. agallocha (2.97 and 52.2 μg g ^?1 respectively. Our findings suggest that the species may be classified as efficient metal trap for Cd in aerial parts, as indicated by higher metal accumulation in the leaves combined with BCF and translocation factor (TF) values.