Isolation and PCR Amplification of Genomic DNA From Traded Seeds Of Nutmeg (M. Fragrans)

An efficient protocol for the isolation of high molecular weight DNA from powder of traded nutmeg seeds (Myristica fragrans) is described which will aid in protecting the intellectual property rights of those who trade nutmeg in the world market. The method involves a modified 3 % CTAB (hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide) procedure with 2M NaCl, 0.3 per cent mercaptoethanol and 1.5% polyvinylpyrrolidone. The yield of the DNA obtained from the samples varied from 4 to 6 ug/g tissue. The isolated DNA was subjected to Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) amplification using a random decamer primer 5 GGACCCTTAC3 and showed distinct and reproducible band patterns. The protocol has trade implications as it will help in the PCR characterization of traded nutmeg seeds and powders from different regions and thus help in tracing the geographical origin of the commodity. Keywords: Nutmeg, Myristica fragrans, RAPD, PCR, DNA, spice, powder, recalcitran

Stem Cell Banking: an Update On Current Scenario

The emerging medical science coupled with biotechnological innovations is paving way for an exciting science - stem cell research. The researchers in the area of stem cell banking are exploiting the factual impending market worldwide. The possible clinical application of stem cells has generated great curiosity amongst medical professionals and general public. No only this, but stem cell research can be used for the treatment of widespread diseases like diabetes, Parkinson\u27s disease, severe aplastic anemia, leukeamias, etc. The present article highlights the historical perspective about the stem cell banking along with an overview of global scenario of stem cell banking in the private and public sectors

Maternal thyroid hormone status in pre-eclampsia: a tertiary care hospital based study

Background: The objective of the study was to study the association between thyroid hormone status with preeclampsia and correlate it with severity of pre-eclampsia.Methods: In this case control study, 200 women attending tertiary care hospital between the study period September 2012 to August 2014 were recruited in the study in which 100 women were cases (diagnosed as preeclampsia) and 100 were taken as control (healthy normotensive women). Assessment of thyroid status of cases and control was done. Association was studied between thyroid hormone status and pre-eclampsia and co-related with severity of preeclampsia.Results: There was a significant association between pre-eclampsia and thyroid hypofunction (overt and sub clinical hypothyroidism) with P-value being 0.0406. Odds-ratio indicates that preeclampsia group have chance of higher TSH (>4.8 mIU/L) by 2.19 times. (95% confidence intervals= 1.0223 –4.6934). The association between severity of pre-eclampsia and thyroid hypofunction (subclinical and overt hypothyroidism) was found to be statistically significant (p= 0.02717). Odds ratio indicates that severe preeclampsia group have 2.87 times more chance of thyroid hypofunction.Conclusions: In the present study a positive association was found between thyroid hypofunction and pre-eclampsia and it was found to be statistically significant. With regards to the results of the present study, “the measurement of serum levels of FT3, FT4 and TSH” can be suggested as a criterion for prediction of pre-eclampsia

Awareness regarding Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram among pregnant women of Marathwada, Maharashtra, India

Background: Government of India has launched “Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram” on 1st July 2011, to assure free and cashless services (including free transport) to all pregnant women and sick neonates accessing public health institutions.  The objective of the study was to find out level of awareness regarding JSSK entitlement in pregnant women and to examine the association between different socio-demographic factors and awareness level.Methods: This was a cross sectional study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Govt. Medical College and Hospital, Aurangabad involving 1000 pregnant women attending antenatal clinic between September 2015 to March 2016. Questionnaire was given to assess the awareness about JSSK entitlements and if it was known to them, then the source of information was noted. Information regarding socio-demographic characteristics was noted. The study subject was considered as aware of the scheme, if she had heard about the scheme and had knowledge about certain key points of the scheme. One point each was given to all the correctly answered questions and mean was calculated. Subjects whose correctly answered questions were more than the mean value were considered to have good awareness level. Analysis was done usingSPSS version 20. Chi-square test for association between awareness level and different socio-demographic factors. Significance level was considered at p value <0.05.Results: Among 1000 antenatal women, good awareness level regarding JSSK entitlements was seen in only 472 (47.2%) study subjects. Maximum awareness regarding JSSK entitlements was noted to be for Free vaginal delivery in 869 (86.90%) followed by free drugs and consumables to mother (73.4%) and free treatment for sick infants 662 (66.2%) and least awareness was noted for free drop back of sick infant from health facility to home (9%) and free caesarean section (9.6%). Not even a single woman answered all the 17 entitlements correctly. Only 13 (1.3%) women were able to answer 16 questions correctly. Advancing age, increasing level of education, member of nuclear family, increasing number of conception (gravidity) and advanced gestational age are significantly associated with the level of awareness. However, religion, socioeconomic status and occupation did not have any statistical significant association with the level of awareness regarding various entitlements of JSSK in antenatal women. Regarding the source of information, the most common source of information was from health personnel, followed by friends and family. None of the women reported that Radio, TV, Newspaper had contributed as a source of information.Conclusions: Awareness level of JSSK entitlements in the pregnant women in our study is low. Maximum awareness was noticed for the provision of free vaginal delivery whereas awareness for provisions like free caesarean section, free drop back facility to home, free provision of blood is very low. Further efforts are needed to increase the overall awareness of various entitlements of JSSK among pregnant women to increase the utilization of the benefits of the scheme and thus indirectly helping in reducing MMR and IMR

Portal vein thrombosis with protein C-S deficiency in a non-cirrhotic patient

There are several conditions that can lead to portal vein thrombosis (PVT), including including infection, malignancies, and coagulation disorders. Anew condition of interest is protein C and S deficiencies, associated with hypercoagulation and recurrent venous thromboembolism. We report the case of a non-cirrhotic 24-year-old male diagnosed with acute superior mesenteric vein thrombosis and PVT and combined deficiencies in proteins C and S

Fine needle aspiration cytology study of HIV lymphadenopathy and its correlation with CD4 count

Background: HIV-AIDS is considered as a worldwide pandemic with an epicentre in Asia. Lymphadenopathy is the commonest manifestation observed in HIV-AIDS. Although multiple studies have been conducted in western countries, there is need for further studies to evaluate the causes of lymphadenopathy in Indian setting. So the FNAC study of HIV lymphadenopathy and its correlation with CD4 counts was carried out.Methods: Two yrs. observational study was carried out at the Tertiary care centre from Jan 2013 to Dec 2014.  All the patients of HIV lymphadenopathy during this period were included in the study. History and clinical details were obtained from medical records. Thorough clinical examination was done in all cases. Thereafter Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), both guided and unguided was performed, as needed. Smears were fixed and stained with H & E stain & special stains, as required. CD4 counts were carried out at the antiretroviral treatment (ART) centre.Results: Out of 64 cases, Tuberculosis (TB) lymphadenitis was the most common lesion with 47.05% cases & its mean CD4 count was 329/ul. There were 4 cases of malignancy; two were that of primary malignancy - lymphoma and other two were metastasis from epithelial malignancies.Conclusions: FNAC is a simple and rapid investigative technique to differentiate and diagnose various causes of lymphadenopathy. TB lymphadenitis is the most common lesion associated with HIV positive patients. CD4 counts correlate well with underlying lymph node pathology, TB lymphadenitis being common in CD4 range of 200-500/ul and HIV associated malignancies seen in CD4 count less than 100/ul.

The C-terminal tail of the yeast mitochondrial transcription factor Mtf1 coordinates template strand alignment, DNA scrunching and timely transition into elongation

Mitochondrial RNA polymerases depend on initiation factors, such as TFB2M in humans and Mtf1 in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, for promoterspecific transcription. These factors drive the melting of promoter DNA, but how they support RNA priming and growth was not understood. We show that the flexible C-terminal tails of Mtf1 and TFB2M play a crucial role in RNA priming by aiding template strand alignment in the active site for high-affinity binding of the initiating nucleotides. Using single-molecule fluorescence approaches, we show that the Mtf1 C-tail promotes RNA growth during initiation by stabilizing the scrunched DNA conformation. Additionally, due to its location in the path of the nascent RNA, the C-tail of Mtf1 serves as a sensor of the RNA- DNA hybrid length. Initially, steric clashes of the Mtf1 C-tail with short RNA-DNA hybrids cause abortive synthesis but clashes with longer RNA-DNA trigger conformational changes for the timely release of the promoter DNA to commence the transition into elongation. The remarkable similarities in the functions of the C-tail and sigma 3.2 finger of the bacterial factor suggest mechanistic convergence of a flexible element in the transcription initiation factor that engages the DNA template for RNA priming and growth and disengages when needed to generate the elongation complex

Genética neuropsiquiátrica en países en desarrollo: desafíos actuales

Neuropsychiatric disorders (NPDs) constitute a heavy burden on public health systems around the world and studies have demonstrated that the negative impact of NPDs is larger in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs). In recent decades, several studies have come to the understanding that genetic factors play a major role in the risk for a large number of NPDs. However, few neuropsychiatric genetics studies have been published from LMICs. In this Editorial, we discuss important issues impinging on advances in neuropsychiatric genetics research in LMICs. It is essential that scientists educate policymakers and officials of funding agencies on the importance of providing adequate funding for research in these areas. Development of local well-supported research programs focused on NPD genetics should be an important asset to develop; it would facilitate the establishment of sustainable research efforts that could lead to appropriate diagnosis and specific, affordable and feasible interventions in LMICs. It is important to point out that research into the biological basis of human NPDs is not only an academic effort reserved for a few elite institutions in economically developed countries, but it is vitally important for the mental health of people around the world

Role of miRNA binding site SNPs in candidate genes in a North Indian schizophrenia cohort

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a debilitating neuropsychiatric disorder with ~80% heritability. Despite several genetic studies including linkage and candidate gene association and more recently GWAS, which have identified several risk variants, the total heritability of SZ remains elusive. In addition, a number of gene expression studies have reported dysregulation of candidate genes both in brain and blood of SZ cases compared to controls. Although, the role of coding, promoter, intergenic and UTR SNPs, have been demonstrated, very little is known about the role of miRNA binding site SNPs. In this study, we undertook to investigate the association, if any, of this important class of regulatory variants with SZ. Using in silico prediction tools, 27 functionally relevant SNPs from around 150 candidate genes were prioritized and genotyped in a north Indian SZ cohort (n=507 cases; n=522 controls).\ud \ud Test of association of these SNPs showed only one variant rs7430 in PPP3CC to be associated (p=0.01) with SZ. Analysis of genotype data in a subset of patients (TD positive n=89; TD negative n=160) with Tardive dyskinesia (TD), an iatrogenic disorder of SZ, showed association of rs4846049 in MTHFR (p=0.04) & rs17881908 in GCLM (p= 0.05 ) with this condition. Further regression analysis of the genotype data with neurocognitive measures in a subset (cases n=152; controls n=290) of the study cohort, showed significant association of nine SNPs (p< 0.05) with different domains of cognition. Based on this moderately powered study, the contribution of miRNA binding site SNPs in candidate genes to SZ and to TD seems negligible. However, their promising contribution to cognitive parameters warrants additional investigations

AN OVERVIEW ON CARBON NANOTUBES

ABSTRACT: In different fields like semiconductors, field emission, conductive plastics, energy storage, conductive adhesives and connectors, molecular electronics, thermal materials carbon nanotubes are applicable. Carbon nanotubes are generally produced by three main techniques: arc discharge, laser ablation, chemical vapour deposition. In arc discharge, a vapour is created by an arc discharge between two carbon electrodes with or without catalyst. Nanotubes self-assemble from the resulting carbon vapour. In the laser ablation technique, a high-power laser beam impinges on a volume of carbon -containing feedstock gas (methane or carbon monoxide). At the moment, laser ablation produces a small amount of clean nanotubes, whereas arc discharge methods generally produce large quantities of impure material. In general, chemical vapour deposition (CVD) results in Multi Walled Nanotubes or poor quality Single Walled Nanotubes. The SWNTs produced with CVD have a large diameter range, which can be poorly controlled. But on the other hand, this method is very easy to scale up, what favours commercial production