Internal amplification controls have not been employed in fungal PCR hence potential false negative results

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is subject to false negative results. Samples of fungi with the genes of interest (e.g. a disease or mycotoxin) may be categorized as negative and safe as a consequence. Fungi are eukaryotic organisms that are involved in many fields of human activity such as antibiotic, toxin and food production. Certain taxa are implicated in human, animal and plant diseases. However, fungi are difficult to identify and PCR techniques have been proposed increasingly for this purpose. Internal amplification controls (IACs) will ameliorate the situation and need to become mandatory. These are nucleic acids that posses a sequence which will provide a PCR product (i) using the same primers employed for the target gene, and (ii) that will not coincide on the gel with the product of the target gene. Only one group of workers employed an IAC, to respond to potential inhibition, which was reported in 1995 from this present assessment of numerous reports. Inhibitors in cultures need to be minimized, and secondary metabolites are an obvious source. The fields reviewed herein include medical mycology, mycotoxicology, environmental mycology and plant mycology. The conclusion is that previous reports are compromised because IACs have not been employed in fungal PCR; future research must include this control at an early stage.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Prunella vulgaris: A comprehensive review of chemical constituents, pharmacological effects and clinical applications.

Prunella vulgaris (PV) is a perennial herb belonging to the Labiate family and is widely distributed in northeastern Asian countries such as Korea, Japan, and China. It is reported to display diverse biological activities including anti-microbial, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammation as determined by in vitro or in vivo studies. So far, about 200 compounds have been isolated from PV plant and majority of these have been characterized mainly as triterpenoids, sterols and flavonoids, followed by coumarins, phenylpropanoids, polysaccharides and volatile oils. This review summarizes and analyzes the current knowledge on the chemical constituents, pharmacological activities, mechanisms of action and clinical applications of the PV plant including its potential as a future medicinal plant. Although some of the chemical constituents of the PV plant and their mechanism of action have been investigated the biological activities of many of these remain unknown and further clinical trials are required to further enhance its reputation as a medicinal plant

The dominant Anopheles vectors of human malaria in the Asia-Pacific region: occurrence data, distribution maps and bionomic précis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The final article in a series of three publications examining the global distribution of 41 dominant vector species (DVS) of malaria is presented here. The first publication examined the DVS from the Americas, with the second covering those species present in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Here we discuss the 19 DVS of the Asian-Pacific region. This region experiences a high diversity of vector species, many occurring sympatrically, which, combined with the occurrence of a high number of species complexes and suspected species complexes, and behavioural plasticity of many of these major vectors, adds a level of entomological complexity not comparable elsewhere globally. To try and untangle the intricacy of the vectors of this region and to increase the effectiveness of vector control interventions, an understanding of the contemporary distribution of each species, combined with a synthesis of the current knowledge of their behaviour and ecology is needed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Expert opinion (EO) range maps, created with the most up-to-date expert knowledge of each DVS distribution, were combined with a contemporary database of occurrence data and a suite of open access, environmental and climatic variables. Using the Boosted Regression Tree (BRT) modelling method, distribution maps of each DVS were produced. The occurrence data were abstracted from the formal, published literature, plus other relevant sources, resulting in the collation of DVS occurrence at 10116 locations across 31 countries, of which 8853 were successfully geo-referenced and 7430 were resolved to spatial areas that could be included in the BRT model. A detailed summary of the information on the bionomics of each species and species complex is also presented.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This article concludes a project aimed to establish the contemporary global distribution of the DVS of malaria. The three articles produced are intended as a detailed reference for scientists continuing research into the aspects of taxonomy, biology and ecology relevant to species-specific vector control. This research is particularly relevant to help unravel the complicated taxonomic status, ecology and epidemiology of the vectors of the Asia-Pacific region. All the occurrence data, predictive maps and EO-shape files generated during the production of these publications will be made available in the public domain. We hope that this will encourage data sharing to improve future iterations of the distribution maps.</p

Diversity of Global Rice Markets and the Science Required for Consumer-Targeted Rice Breeding

With the ever-increasing global demand for high quality rice in both local production regions and with Western consumers, we have a strong desire to understand better the importance of the different traits that make up the quality of the rice grain and obtain a full picture of rice quality demographics. Rice is by no means a ‘one size fits all’ crop. Regional preferences are not only striking, they drive the market and hence are of major economic importance in any rice breeding / improvement strategy. In this analysis, we have engaged local experts across the world to perform a full assessment of all the major rice quality trait characteristics and importantly, to determine how these are combined in the most preferred varieties for each of their regions. Physical as well as biochemical characteristics have been monitored and this has resulted in the identification of no less than 18 quality trait combinations. This complexity immediately reveals the extent of the specificity of consumer preference. Nevertheless, further assessment of these combinations at the variety level reveals that several groups still comprise varieties which consumers can readily identify as being different. This emphasises the shortcomings in the current tools we have available to assess rice quality and raises the issue of how we might correct for this in the future. Only with additional tools and research will we be able to define directed strategies for rice breeding which are able to combine important agronomic features with the demands of local consumers for specific quality attributes and hence, design new, improved crop varieties which will be awarded success in the global market

GEOSPATIAL TECHNIQUE IN URBAN DISTRIBUTION NETWORK MAPPING AND MODELING

ABSTRACT Geographic Information System

LIPASE INHIBITORS FROM NIGELLA SATIVA AND PUNICA GRANATUM AS AN EFFECTIVE APPROACH TOWARDS CONTROLLING OBESITY

Two distinct lipase inhibitor cocktails RAYstat4ns and SHAMstat3pg have been purified from seeds of Nigella sativa and Punica granatum respectively. Structural characterization has shown RAYstat4ns to be a mixture of 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and one saturated fatty acid while SHAMstat3pg is a triglyceride mixture comprising of three different kinds of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Ethanol extracted fractions of seeds of Nigella saliva and Punic a granatum having high lipase inhibitory activity were purified by HPLC followed by TLC to yield respectively RAYstat4ns and SHAMstat3pg . These plant based lipase inhibitors have shown good lipase inhibitory activity against pancreatic lipase with mixed type of inhibition. RAYstat4ns and SHAMstat3pg have also shown inhibition of hormone sensitive lipase. The experimental IC50 of the purified lipase inhibitors RAYstat4ns and SHAMstat3pg was&nbsp;found to be respectively 4.02μg/μl and 7.35 μg/μl for pancreatic lipase and 6.31 μg/μl and 11.45 μg/μl respectively for hormone sensitive lipase. Hence ,these plant-based lipase inhibitors can be used in controlling lipolysis and insulin resistance in addition to inhibiting absorption of dietary lipid into the living system. In vivo studies could help confirm the potency of these plant based isolates as efficient lipase inhibitors.&nbsp

Brown Planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens Stål Resistance in Backcross Derived Rice Lines

A prominent rice pest, brown planthopper (BPH) significantly reduces the grain yield in rice across the globe and employing chemical pesticides leads to unwarranted environmental issues. Breeding for BPH resistance is an essential strategy to mitigate the losses caused by them. Host plant resistance through marker assisted selection is a chief strategy to lessen harms caused by BPH and boost rice production. In this study, we have analyzed BPH resistance in the BC1F5 population, which is a backcross derivative of improved CO51 and Ptb33. Improved CO51 has already been introgressed with bacterial blight resistant genes xa5, xa13 and Xa21 and blast resistant gene Pi54 via marker assisted selection (MAS). Ptb33 was used as the donor parent to incorporate BPH resistant genes bph2 and Bph32 to this CO51 background. The genotypically and phenotypically selected 26 lines of BC1F5 generation were screened against BPH along with parents and checks. The bioassay of the population exhibited a range of variation for BPH resistance. Among the 26 near isogenic lines, 18 (2 resistant and 16 are moderately resistant) and eight showed susceptible to moderate susceptible reaction. The 18 resistant lines were further multiplied and are now in hot spot screening