DET1 and COP1 Modulate the Coordination of Growth and Immunity in Response to Key Seasonal Signals in Arabidopsis

This is the final version. Available from Elsevier via the DOI in this record.Plant growth and development and outcomes of plant-microbe interactions are defined by coordinated responses to seasonal signals. The mechanisms that control the coordinated regulation of growth and immunity are not well understood. Here, we show that a common signaling module integrates environmental signals, such as photoperiod and temperature, to regulate the growth-defense balance. Key light-signaling components De-Etiolated 1 (DET1) and Constitutive Photomorphogenic 1 (COP1) negatively regulate immunity and are essential for immune modulation by photoperiod and temperature. Our results show that this is regulated by the transcription factor Phytochrome Interacting Factor 4 (PIF4), suggesting that the DET1/COP1-PIF4 module acts as a central hub for the control of growth and immunity in response to seasonal signals. These findings provide a regulatory framework for environmental signal integration. In plants, adaptive traits such as growth and immunity are strongly influenced by the environment. How multiple seasonal signals are integrated is not well understood. Gangappa and Kumar show that a common signaling module comprising DET1, COP1, and PIF4 coordinates growth and immunity in response to key seasonal signals

Unusual formation and sub-omohyoid course of external jugular vein.

Variations in the origin and termination of external jugular vein are common and are reported in the past. However, variations in the course of external jugular vein are uncommon. During routine dissection classes for medical undergraduates, we came across the unusual formation and course of right external jugular vein and absence of common facial vein, in an approximately 60-year-old male cadaver of Indian origin. External jugular vein was formed by the continuation of undivided trunk of retromandibular vein. Following its formation, it passed vertically superficial to sternocleidomastoid muscle to the lower part of occipital triangle. In the occipital triangle it pierced the investing layer of deep cervical fascia and passed deep to the inferior belly of omohyoid muscle and coursed through the subclavian triangle. Then, it terminated at the junction of subclavian vein with internal jugular vein. Facial vein joined with submental vein and finally drained into internal jugular vein. Further, the posterior auricular vein and anterior jugular veins were absent. Knowledge about the variations of the retromandibular vein, common facial vein and external jugular vein observed in this study, may be important for the surgeons, to prevent inadvertent injury and excessive bleeding during diagnostic and therapeutic procedures

Isolation and identification of microsatellite repeat motifs from the Epinephelus fuscoguttatus genome

Epinephelus fuscoguttatus belongs to one of the largest serranidae fish family. Genetic information regarding existing fish populations in the wild is crucial for the conservation, particularly since the species is listed under the IUCD Red List due to intense fishing. Microsatellites of E. fuscoguttatus were isolated using streptavidin-biotin enrichment method. In total, 378 microsatellites were identified and characterized. Of these 378 total microsatellites, 46 (12.2%) were mononucleotides, 175 (46.3%) were dinucleotides, 109 (28.8%) were trinucleotides, 36 (9.5%) were tetranucloetides, 7 (1.9%) were pentanucleotides, 4 (1.1%) were hexanucleotides and 1 (0.3%) was a heptanucleotide. The most abundant microsatellite present in E. fuscoguttatus was the dinucleotide motif, (AC)n.Key words: Enrichment, Epinephelus fuscoguttatus, microsatellite, diversity

Development of Mucoadhesive Nanoparticulate System of Ebastine for Nasal Drug Delivery

Purpose: To prepare and evaluate mucoadhesive nanoparticulate system of ebastine for nasal drug delivery.Methods: The nanoparticles were prepared by ionic gelation method using drug-chitosan weight ratios 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3, and incorporating 0.5 or 0.7 % w/v sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) and poloxamer 407. The mucoadhesive nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), differential scanning colorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and evaluated for drug loading, entrapment efficiency, in vitro mucoadhesion, in vitro drug release and ex-vivo permeation.Results: FTIR and DSC studies indicate that no chemical interaction occurred between the drug and polymer. Nanoparticle size ranged from 169 to 500 nm. Drug loading and entrapment efficiency increased with increase in chitosan concentration and decreased with increase in poloxamer 407 concentration. The highest drug loading obtained for the nanoparticles was 19.5 %. With increase in polymer (chitosan) concentration (1:1 to 1:3), production yield was unchanged (73.2 to 74.4 % (F6)). Mucoadhesion increased with increase in the concentration of chitosan. In vitro drug release from all the formulations was biphasic, being characterized by a slight ‘burst’ followed by slow release. At the end of 8 h F6 (1:3) showed drug release of only 86.9 %, indicating sustained release. Ex-vivo permeation of pure ebastine was more rapid than from F6, thus indicating the capability of chitosan to control drug permeation rate through sheep nasal mucosa.Conclusion: The results indicate that a mucoadhesive nanoparticulate system can be used effectively for the nasal delivery of the antihistamine, ebastine.Keywords: Chitosan, Ebastine, Mucoadhesive, Nanoparticles, Ionotropic gelation, Permeation, Drug release, Poloxame

Congenital tuberculosis with multisystem involvement

Congenital tuberculosis is an uncommon condition, but in a country like India, where largest tuberculosis burden is found, there should be an eye on early diagnosis and management of this condition so as to prevent the devastating consequences of this disease considering the absence of specific pathogenic signs and symptoms. Here, we present a case of congenital tuberculosis in a newborn who was admitted on the 17th day after birth with the complaint of difficulty in breathing and lethargy for 3 days. On observing the antenatal history, it was found that mother after conception was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis and was inadequately treated. The clinical indexes included no increase in body weight, hepatosplenomegaly, lethargy, and emaciated appearance. The treatment was initiated with antibiotics in intravenous form along with 4-drug antitubercular treatment (ATT). The 4-drug ATT was stopped after 1 week due to negative outcome in the tubercular screening, which leads to respiratory complications. The 4-drug ATT regimen was started again after a week on clinical basis which resulted in significant improvement within a few days. Hence, the present case presents a perspective that congenital tuberculosis can be considered in a newborn when mother has a history of tuberculosis before or during pregnancy

Minimizing the Cost of Team Exploration

A group of mobile agents is given a task to explore an edge-weighted graph $G$, i.e., every vertex of $G$ has to be visited by at least one agent. There is no centralized unit to coordinate their actions, but they can freely communicate with each other. The goal is to construct a deterministic strategy which allows agents to complete their task optimally. In this paper we are interested in a cost-optimal strategy, where the cost is understood as the total distance traversed by agents coupled with the cost of invoking them. Two graph classes are analyzed, rings and trees, in the off-line and on-line setting, i.e., when a structure of a graph is known and not known to agents in advance. We present algorithms that compute the optimal solutions for a given ring and tree of order $n$, in $O(n)$ time units. For rings in the on-line setting, we give the $2$-competitive algorithm and prove the lower bound of $3/2$ for the competitive ratio for any on-line strategy. For every strategy for trees in the on-line setting, we prove the competitive ratio to be no less than $2$, which can be achieved by the $DFS$ algorithm.Comment: 25 pages, 4 figures, 5 pseudo-code