The Mycobacterium marinum mel2 locus displays similarity to bacterial bioluminescence systems and plays a role in defense against reactive oxygen and nitrogen species

BACKGROUND: Mycobacteria have developed a number of pathways that provide partial protection against both reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). We recently identified a locus in Mycobacterium marinum, mel2, that plays a role during infection of macrophages. The molecular mechanism of mel2 action is not well understood. RESULTS: To better understand the role of the M. marinum mel2 locus, we examined these genes for conserved motifs in silico. Striking similarities were observed between the mel2 locus and loci that encode bioluminescence in other bacterial species. Since bioluminescence systems can play a role in resistance to oxidative stress, we postulated that the mel2 locus might be important for mycobacterial resistance to ROS and RNS. We found that an M. marinum mutant in the first gene in this putative operon, melF, confers increased susceptibility to both ROS and RNS. This mutant is more susceptible to ROS and RNS together than either reactive species alone. CONCLUSION: These observations support a role for the M. marinum mel2 locus in resistance to oxidative stress and provide additional evidence that bioluminescence systems may have evolved from oxidative defense mechanisms

Farmland Prices in a Developing Economy: Some Stylised Facts and Determinants

The study constructs a district and state level series of farmland prices using the village level data from MIMAP-India survey and identifies the major determinants of farmland prices. The estimates at micro level showed that density of population in the rural areas, food grain yield and distance from the nearest town were the major determinants of farmland prices. When macro variables were added at the All India level, it was found that density of rural population, road density and share of non-agriculture in GDP as well as in work force affected farmland prices positively while rural poverty affected them adversely. The results appear to have implications for urban planning, industrial location and various government programs for rural development and poverty alleviation

Interstitial brachytherapy guided intensity modulated radiation therapy (IBGIMRT) in cervical cancer: a dosimetric study

Abstract Purpose: Interstitial brachytherapy (IBT) is used as an alternative to intracavitary radiotherapy in the management of cervical carcinoma. We have devised a new technique called interstitial brachytherapy guided intensity modulated radiotherapy (IBGIMRT) which can potentially reduce doses to organs at risk (OaRs). It utilizes IMRT planning on the target volume (TV) defined by implantation of IBT needles. This study compares the dosimetry of IBT and IBGIMRT. Material and methods: CT scan images of 18 patients with cervical cancer, who have been already treated by HDR-BT, were used to generate two rival plans, IBT and IBGIMRT, for a prescription dose of 10 Gy. Following dosimetric factors were used for comparison: volume receiving 95% of prescription dose (V 95 ), conformity index (COIN) and external volume index (EI) for target and for OaR, dose received by volume of 1 cm 3 (D 1cc ), 2 cm 3 (D 2cc ), 5 cm 3 (D 5cc ) and also volume receiving 50% and 75% of prescription dose (V 50 and V 75 ). Results: The two plans resulted in COIN difference of 49.8% (p < 0.0001) and EI difference of 36.4% (p < 0.0028) in favor of IBGIMRT. Mean D 1cc , D 2cc and D 5cc values for bladder were 8.3 Gy, 7.6 Gy and 6.4 Gy; and 7.8 Gy, 7.3 Gy and 5.8 Gy with IBT and IBGIMRT, respectively (p > 0.05). Similar figures for rectum with IBT vs. IBGIMRT were 11.2 Gy vs. 7.02 Gy, 10.5 Gy vs. 6.4 Gy and 9.1 Gy vs. 4.8 Gy respectively (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Our novel technique, IBGIMRT, has shown its dosimetric superiority and therefore needs to be studied in clinical set up. J Contemp Brachyther 2009; 1, 2: 87-9

Status of documentation activities in Indian universities

159-169<span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:" times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";="" mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa"="" lang="EN-US">Stresses the need of documentation activities in University libraries in view of the increasing emphasis on research, investigates the documentation activities in 32 responding universities. Concludes that the information services are inadequate and there is under utilization of the resource potential of academic libraries.</span

Anaesthesia and deep brain stimulation

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is becoming an increasingly popular minimally invasive surgical procedure for various movement disorders, especially Parkinson’s disease. Different nuclei have been identified depending on patients’ symptoms, but the success or failure of the procedure depends on various other factors such as proper patient selection and risk-benefit analysis. While various techniques of anaesthesia including monitored anaesthesia care, conscious sedation and general anaesthesia are being used routinely, no clear-cut evidence exists as to the best technique for this procedure. This review article discusses the surgical procedure of DBS, devices currently available, perioperative anaesthetic concerns and techniques, effect of anaesthetic drugs on microelectrode recordings and macro-stimulation and associated complications

Tuning of optical bandgap and magnetization of C-implanted ZnO thin films

The present study demonstrates that one can tune the bandgap and ferromagnetism in ZnO thin films by carbon implantation. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) study infers that at lower concentration, C ions prefer to occupy substitutional sites whereas at higher concentration it occupies partially interstitial sites. Combined with ferromagnetic behaviour, the results demonstrate that lower bandgap induces stronger magnetization and reverse in the case of wider bandgap. The optical and magnetic results are well supported by XRD and XPS measurements. These experimental results provide new evidence that ferromagnetic behaviour in these systems is closely related with the distribution of carbon ions in the host lattice