Insights into APC/C: From cellular function to diseases and therapeutics

Anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) is a multifunctional ubiquitin-protein ligase that targets different substrates for ubiquitylation and therefore regulates a variety of cellular processes such as cell division, differentiation, genome stability, energy metabolism, cell death, autophagy as well as carcinogenesis. Activity of APC/C is principally governed by two WD-40 domain proteins, Cdc20 and Cdh1, in and beyond cell cycle. In the past decade, the results based on numerous biochemical, 3D structural, mouse genetic and small molecule inhibitor studies have largely attracted our attention into the emerging role of APC/C and its regulation in biological function, human diseases and potential therapeutics. This review will aim to summarize some recently reported insights into APC/C in regulating cellular function, connection of its dysfunction with human diseases and its implication of therapeutics

Prevalence of Hypertension and Association of Obesity with Hypertension in School Ggoing Children of Surat City, Western India.

Purpose: The association of obesity with hypertension has been recognized for the decades which are the important risk factors for the cardiovascular disease. So the purpose of the present study was to determine association of obesity with hypertension in school going children of Surat. Methodology: School going children aged between 12-18 years, of five schools in Surat were selected for the study. Height and weight were measured and BMI was calculated. Blood pressure measurements were taken as per recommendation of American heart society and family history of hypertension has also been assessed. Hypertension was considered if blood pressure is more than 95th percentile according to the update of task force report and Obesity was diagnosed by BMI for age. Results: Of 682 children, 8.94% were obese and 20.09% were hypertensive. Conclusion: Obesity is strongly associated with hypertension in children and both together may risk factors for later coronary disease

An investigation into anterior segment anatomy and genetics of pigment dispersion syndrome

Pigment dispersion syndrome (PDS) is an ocular condition predisposing to glaucomatous optic neuropathy in patients at a relatively young age. Concavity of the iris is considered to be important in the pathogenesis of PDS, however, it is also appears to be a feature of non-PDS eyes, particularly in young myopes. Much of the current understanding of anterior segment anatomy is derived from studies using ultrasound biomicroscopy, a relatively invasive imaging modality that involves direct ocular contact. Anterior-segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) allows imaging of the anterior segment with the patient in the upright position without the need for contact with the ocular surface. AS-OCT may allow a more physiological assessment of anterior segment anatomy as well as being better suited to paediatric subjects. AS-OCT was used to conduct a case-control study of anterior segment anatomy in PDS subjects and age-, sex- and refraction- matched controls to determine which features of anterior segment anatomy best discriminated between the 2 groups. In addition AS-OCT was used to assess anterior segment anatomy, with particular emphasis on iris curvature, in a cohort of 10-12 year old school children and explore correlations with ocular biometry and parameters reflecting corneal biomechanical properties. Longitudinal data was collected through re-visiting the cohort 2 years later. Chromosomal susceptibility loci for PDS have been described, although no causative gene has been identified. Two approaches were used to identify novel disease susceptibility loci: 1) linkage analysis was used in a 3-generation family segregating for PDS/pigmentary glaucoma, and, 2) DNA from a large cohort of unrelated PDS probands was collected and sent for genotyping with a view to conducting a pilot genome-wide association study. Finally a candidate gene, GPNMB, the human homologue of a causative gene in a mouse model of pigmentary glaucoma was sequenced in a panel of 96 unrelated PDS/pigmentary glaucoma subjects

Enzymes used in detergents: Lipases

Microbial lipases are an important group of biotechnologically valuable enzymes, because of the versatility of their applied properties and ease of mass production. Lipases of microbial origin are widely diversified in their enzymatic properties and substrate specificity, which make them very attractive for industrial applications. This review describes the applications of microbial lipases in detergents. Enzymes can reduce the environmental load of detergent products as the chemicals used in conventional detergents are reduced; they are biodegradable, non-toxic and leave no harmful residues. Besides lipases, other enzymes are widely used in household cleaning products, in laundering, medical, agriculture, etc. This article also reviews the use of enzymes, especially lipases as detergents and different types of lipase containing detergents available in the market.Key words: Detergents, enzymes, lipases

Mortality associated with avian reovirus infection in a free-living magpie (Pica pica) in Great Britain

Avian reoviruses (ARVs) cause a range of disease presentations in domestic, captive and free-living bird species. ARVs have been reported as a cause of significant disease and mortality in free-living corvid species in North America and continental Europe. Until this report, there have been no confirmed cases of ARV-associated disease in British wild birds

Psychrotrophic bacteria isolated from -20°C freezer

Three psychrotrophic bacteria, morpho-physiologically, identified as Bacillus subtilis MRLBA7, Bacillus licheniformis MRLBA8 and Bacillus megaterium MRLBA9 were isolated from -20°C freezer of the Microbiology Research Laboratory (MRL), Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. These strains were able to grow aerobically at 6°C but not at 40°C except MRLBA8 that could grow at 48°C. None of the isolates showed inhibition of growth in the presence of glycerol. Isolate MRLBA7, bearing central spore, grew in the presence of 30% glycerol at 0°C after 48 h of incubation and showed maximum growth without glycerol at 25°C after 24 h. Isolate MRLBA8 showed growth in the presence of 50% glycerol at 4°C after 72 h of incubation and maximum growth was observed at 20°C in the absence ofglycerol. Isolate MRLBA9 showed growth at 6°C in the presence of 40% glycerol after 48 h of incubation and maximum growth was observed at 25°C in the absence of glycerol. Isolates were susceptible to antibiotics except Bacillus subtilis MRLBA7 that exhibited antibiotic resistance against penicillin and fosphomycin, Bacillus licheniformis MRLBA8 against aztreonam and fosphomycin, and Bacillus megaterium MRLBA9 against vancomycin and penicillin. The growth profile and biochemical characteristics of all the isolates were rather similar to that of mesophilic counterparts except adaptation to low temperature. These strains could be used as model microbial strains for characterization of food contaminants in freezers, to understand the mechanism of antibiotic resistanceinduced at low temperature and as a source of psychrotrophic enzymes

Observations on antifertility and abortifacient herbal drugs

This communication presents first hand information gathered on 36 medicinal plants belonging to 23 families traditionally used by the tribal and rural women of northern areas of North West Frontier Province (NWFP), Pakistan for birth control. Study provides information on local names, mode of administration and dosages as `practiced by rural and tribal women. Most effective plant species to induce abortion include: Artemisia maritime L., Boerhavaia diffusa Auct. Plur., Buddleja asiatica Lour, Chrysanthemum parthenium (L.) Bernh, Justacia adhatod L., Ricinus communis L., Zingiber officinale Roscol., Daucus crota L., Momordica charantia L., Plumbago zeylanica L., Sapindus mukorossi Gaertn., Plantago ovata Forssk, Tanacetum vulgare and Arctium lappa L. The most widely used contraceptives are: Amaranthus viridis L., Achyranthes aspera L., Ricinus communis L., Mentha arvensis L., Nepeta cataria L., Cuscuta reflexa Roxb., Curcuma longa L., Foeniculum vulgare Miller., Butea monosperma (Lam.) O. Kze., Albizia lebbeck (L.) Bth., Ficus religosa L. and Mentha longifolia (L.) Huds. The tribalpopulation of the region primarily depends upon these plants for family planning. They use herbal drugs to induce abortion and as contraceptives. Further studies on chemical and pharmacologicalactions are suggested to validate the claims

Efficient photocatalysis through conductive polymer coated FTO counter electrode in platinum free dye sensitized solar cells

This is the final version. Available on open access from Elsevier via the DOI in this recordPlatinum-free counter electrodes are crucial for developing cost effective solar energy harvesting technology. We describe here the fabrication of efficient platinum free FTO counter electrodes for dye sensitized solar cells based on pristine polyaniline, polyaniline doped with sulfuric acid, ammonuim lauryl sulfate, as well as binary doped with sulfuric acid and ammonium lauryl sulphate. The characteristics of these counter electrodes were analyzed using cyclic voltammetry, photocurrent density–voltage and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. At optimized fabrication conditions, the counter electrode shows significantly high photoelectric conversion efficiency of 4.54% compared to 4.03% for reference platinum counter electrode. Charge transfer resistance at the interface between electrolyte and counter-electrode is also decreased for the optimized polyaniline based counter electrode. Furthermore, the device presented characteristics of multiple start/stop ability and fast activity. The simple preparation procedure, low cost and improved photoelectric properties permit fabricated counter electrode to be a reliable alternative for dye sensitized solar cells.Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, GermanyHigher Education Commission Pakista

Distortion in Social Choice Problems: The First 15 Years and beyond

The notion of distortion in social choice problems has been defined to measure the loss in efficiency-typically measured by the utilitarian social welfare, the sum of utilities of the participating agents-due to having access only to limited information about the preferences of the agents. We survey the most significant results of the literature on distortion from the past 15 years, and highlight important open problems and the most promising avenues of ongoing and future work