Evidence supporting dissimilatory and assimilatory lignin degradation in Enterobacter lignolyticus SCF1

Lignocellulosic biofuels are promising as sustainable alternative fuels, but lignin inhibits access of enzymes to cellulose, and by-products of lignin degradation can be toxic to cells. The fast growth, high efficiency and specificity of enzymes employed in the anaerobic litter deconstruction carried out by tropical soil bacteria make these organisms useful templates for improving biofuel production. The facultative anaerobe Enterobacter lignolyticus SCF1 was initially cultivated from Cloud Forest soils in the Luquillo Experimental Forest in Puerto Rico, based on anaerobic growth on lignin as sole carbon source. The source of the isolate was tropical forest soils that decompose litter rapidly with low and fluctuating redox potentials, where bacteria using oxygen-independent enzymes likely play an important role in decomposition. We have used transcriptomics and proteomics to examine the observed increased growth of SCF1 grown on media amended with lignin compared to unamended growth. Proteomics suggested accelerated xylose uptake and metabolism under lignin-amended growth, with up-regulation of proteins involved in lignin degradation via the 4-hydroxyphenylacetate degradation pathway, catalase/peroxidase enzymes, and the glutathione biosynthesis and glutathione S-transferase (GST) proteins. We also observed increased production of NADH-quinone oxidoreductase, other electron transport chain proteins, and ATP synthase and ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. This suggested the use of lignin as terminal electron acceptor. We detected significant lignin degradation over time by absorbance, and also used metabolomics to demonstrate moderately significant decreased xylose concentrations as well as increased metabolic products acetate and formate in stationary phase in lignin-amended compared to unamended growth conditions. Our data show the advantages of a multi-omics approach toward providing insights as to how lignin may be used in nature by microorganisms coping with poor carbon availability

A Genome-wide Combinatorial Strategy Dissects Complex Genetic Architecture of Seed Coat Color in Chickpea

The study identified 9045 high-quality SNPs employing both genome-wide GBS- and candidate gene-based SNP genotyping assays in 172, including 93 cultivated (desi and kabuli) and 79 wild chickpea accessions. The GWAS in a structured population of 93 sequenced accessions detected 15 major genomic loci exhibiting significant association with seed coat color. Five seed color-associated major genomic loci underlying robust QTLs mapped on a high-density intra-specific genetic linkage map were validated by QTL mapping. The integration of association and QTL mapping with gene haplotype-specific LD mapping and transcript profiling identified novel allelic variants (non-synonymous SNPs) and haplotypes in a MATE secondary transporter gene regulating light/yellow brown and beige seed coat color differentiation in chickpea. The down-regulation and decreased transcript expression of beige seed coat color-associated MATE gene haplotype was correlated with reduced proanthocyanidins accumulation in the mature seed coats of beige than light/yellow brown seed colored desi and kabuli accessions for their coloration/pigmentation. This seed color-regulating MATE gene revealed strong purifying selection pressure primarily in LB/YB seed colored desi and wild Cicer reticulatum accessions compared with the BE seed colored kabuli accessions. The functionally relevant molecular tags identified have potential to decipher the complex transcriptional regulatory gene function of seed coat coloration and for understanding the selective sweep-based seed color trait evolutionary pattern in cultivated and wild accessions during chickpea domestication. The genome-wide integrated approach employed will expedite marker-assisted genetic enhancement for developing cultivars with desirable seed coat color types in chickpea

To identify Electrocardiographic changes in severely malnourished children

AbstractAims and objective: To identify myocardial changes in severely malnourished children.Material and method: This prospective, observational study enrolled 200 children between six months- five years of age who were fulfilling WHO criteria for severe malnutrition. The parents were duly informed and explained about the study and consent was taken. The material for the present study consisted of 200 cases (120 male and 80 female children) suffering from severe protein energy malnutrition according to the mentioned criteria during the period of one year. The age group of the selected cases were divided in five groups viz. <1 years,1-2 years,2-3 years,3-4 years,4-5 years. A random selection of cases was done irrespectively of caste, creed, religion, sex and socioeconomic status etc.Results: 32% cases had flat P-wave on admission, out of which 75%. 84% of cases have increased Q-Tc-Interval at admission. S-T segment was depressed only in 8% of cases. 88% of cases have altered (flat to depressed) T-wave at admission. All of these changes reverted to normal upon nutritional supplementation at discharge.Conclusion: The Electrocardiographic changes may be of help in assessing the severity and prognosis of severe acute malnutrition. The reversal of electrocardiographic changes was observed after dietary therapy. Reversibility of ECG changes suggests that the cardiac changes are not permanent in nature and will not have an effect in adult life. The cardiac status as denoted by heart rate remained same even after a fortnight, suggesting that a prolonged therapy and assessment of cardiac status is warranted even after fortnight therapy

Titrated flow versus fixed flow Bubble Nasal CPAP for respiratory distress in preterm neonates.

Background: The clinical effects of a pre-fixed flow of air-oxygen versus a flow titrated according to visible bubbling are not well understood.Objective: To compare the effects of a fixed flow (5 L/min) and titrated flow ( flow just enough to ensure bubbling ) at different set pressures on delivered intra-prong pressure, gas exchange and clinical parameters in preterm infants on bubble CPAP for respiratory distress.Methods: Preterm infants less than 35 weeks gestation on bubble CPAP and less than 96 h of age, were enrolled in this cross over study. They were subjected to 30 minute periods of titrated flow and fixed flow. At the end of both epochs, gas flow rate, set pressure, FiO2, SpO2, Silverman retraction score, respiratory rate , abdominal girth, and blood gases were recorded. The delivered intra-prong pressure was measured by an electronic manometer. Results: Sixty nine recordings were made in 54 infants. For each of the set CPAP pressures (4, 5 and 6 cm H2O), the mean delivered pressure with a fixed flow of 5 L/min was higher than that delivered by the titrated flow. During the fixed flow epoch, the delivered pressure was closer to and higher than the set pressure resulting in higher PaO2 and lower PaCO2 as compared to titrated flow epoch. In the titrated flow period, the delivered pressure was consistently lower than the set pressure. Conclusion: In preterm infants on bubble CPAP with set pressures of 4 to 6 cm H2O, a fixed flow of 5 L/min is more effective than a flow titrated to ensure adequate visible bubbling. It achieves higher delivered pressures, better oxygenation and ventilation

Blood Pressure Profile in School Children (6-16yrs.) Of Southern India: A Prospective Observational Study.

Aims and objective: To determine normal blood pressure in apparently healthy, asymptomatic school children in the age group of 6 – 16yrs and to determine the correlation of blood pressure values with different sex, weight, height and Body mass index (BMI) and also to find out prevalence of hypertension in school going population. Material and method: This prospective, observational study enrolled 3302 urban children (1,658boys and 1,644 girls) in the age group of 6-16 years .These were analysed to study the distribution pattern of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) at different ages, sex, weight, height and BMI. The systolic and diastolic BP were noted as per age and sex. The association was seen between mean SBP and mean DBP with weight, height and BMI. Information was collected about the family history of hypertension and was correlated with the obtained SBP and DBP readings.Results: The mean systolic blood pressure in males at 6 years was 99.69 ± 3.62 mm of Hg, at 10 years was 102.20 ± 2.16 mm of Hg and at 16 years was 115.33 ± 1.26 mm of Hg. The mean SBP in females at 6 years was 96.55 ± 2.86 mm of Hg, at 10 years was 101.16± 2.12 mm of Hg and at 16 years was 112.41 ± 1.06 mm of Hg. The correlation coefficient for relationship between age and SBP in males and females was 0.89 and 0.91 respectively and for DBP was 0.92 and 0.90 respectively. The correlation coefficient for relationship between height and SBP in males and females was 0.91 and 0.93 respectively and for DBP was 0.92 and 0.88 respectively.The correlation coefficient for relationship between weight and SBP in males and females was 0.92 and 0.92 respectively and for DBP was 0.94 and 0.91 respectively .In the normogram obtained in the study 95%of study population fall between mean +2SD and– 2SD. Conclusion: The Blood pressure (SBP and DBP) tends to increase with age, weight, height and BMI. The Blood Pressure values (SBP and DBP) increases grossly after 11 years of ag

The Molecular Basis for IntersexualityPart One: The Developing Testis

The participation of the general public in the research design, data collection and interpretation process together with scientists is often referred to as citizen science. While citizen science itself has existed since the start of scientific practice, developments in sensing technology, data processing and visualization, and communication of ideas and results, are creating a wide range of new opportunities for public participation in scientific research. This paper reviews the state of citizen science in a hydrological context and explores the potential of citizen science to complement more traditional ways of scientific data collection and knowledge generation for hydrological sciences and water resources management. Although hydrological data collection often involves advanced technology, the advent of robust, cheap, and low-maintenance sensing equipment provides unprecedented opportunities for data collection in a citizen science context. These data have a significant potential to create new hydrological knowledge, especially in relation to the characterization of process heterogeneity, remote regions, and human impacts on the water cycle. However, the nature and quality of data collected in citizen science experiments is potentially very different from those of traditional monitoring networks. This poses challenges in terms of their processing, interpretation, and use, especially with regard to assimilation of traditional knowledge, the quantification of uncertainties, and their role in decision support. It also requires care in designing citizen science projects such that the generated data complement optimally other available knowledge. Lastly, using 4 case studies from remote mountain regions we reflect on the challenges and opportunities in the integration of hydrologically-oriented citizen science in water resources management, the role of scientific knowledge in the decision-making process, and the potential contestation to established community institutions posed by co-generation of new knowledge