Nutrient effects on production of cellulolytic enzymes by Aspergillus niger

The production of cellulase (filter paper activity, endoglucanase and )-glucosidase) by Aspergillus niger on three media in liquid shake culture was compared. The culture filtrate of this organism exhibited relatively highest activity of all three enzymes and extracellular protein content at 7-day interval during the course of its growth on Czapek-Dox medium supplemented with 1.0% (w/v) cellulose. Urea as a nitrogen source and pH 5.0 were found to be optimal for growth and cellulase production by A.niger. Among various soluble organic carbon sources and lignocelluloses tested in this study, carboxymethylcellulose and sawdust at 1% supported maximum production of all three enzymes by A.niger.Keywords: Aspergillus niger, cellulase activity, nutrients, 6-glucosidas

Protective effect of Acampe praemorsa (Roxb.) Blatt. & McCann against oxidative stress

The current study was carried to make available phytochemical information and evaluation of antioxidant activity of Acampe praemorsa (Roxb.) Blatt. & McCann. The phytochemical analysis was carried out using procedures and quantified phenolic and alkaloid contents. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by in-vitro and in-vivo studies. The In-vitro antioxidant activity was carried on free radicals such as superoxide, hydroxyl DPPH, hydrogen peroxide, evaluation of reducing power. In-vivo study was carried on albino Wistar rats with different doses of extracts. The results provide that, A. praemorsa extracts have diversified phytochemicals in extracts like steroids, alkaloids, phenolics, glycosides, oils, quinones, tannins etc. The hydroalcoholic extract has more phenolic (26.80±0.51) and alkaloid (20.59±0.22) contents. The antioxidant activity results provide information that the extracts possess concentration dependent activity on tested free radicals. The hydroalcoholic extract has more protective nature against superoxide, DPPH, H2O2 free radicals and reducing power but ethyl acetate extract has more potential against hydroxyl free radical than hydroalcoholic extract. The extracts were found to be safe on toxic studies and In-vivo study results and they play significant role in controlling the oxidative enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, lipid peroxidation (malonaldehyde) in the body. Thus, it was determined that A. praemorsa have potential bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity

In vitro shoot multiplication and conservation of Caralluma bhupenderiana Sarkaria - an endangered medicinal plant from South India

An efficient protocol was described for the rapid in vitro multiplication of an endangered medicinal plant, Caralluma bhupenderiana Sarkaria, via enhanced axillary bud proliferation from nodal explants collected from young shoots of six-months-old plant. The physiological effects of growth regulators [6- Benzyladenine (BA), kinetin (Kn), 2-Isopentyl adenine (2iP), zeatin (Zn), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), indole-3-butyric acid (IBA)], different strengths of Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium and various pH levels on in vitro morphogenesis were investigated. The highest number (8.40 + 0.50) of shoots and the maximum average shoot length (3.2 ± 0.31 cm) were recorded on MS medium supplemented with BA (8.87 μM) at pH 5.8. Rooting was best achieved on half-strength MS medium augmented with NAA (2.69 μM). The plantlets regenerated in vitro with well-developed shoot and roots were successfully established in pots containing peat mass and garden manure in 1:1 ratio and grown in a greenhouse with 80% survival rate. The regenerated plants did not show any immediate detectable phenotypic variation.Key words: Apocynaceae, asclepiadoideae, conservation, micro-propagation, endangered, Caralluma bhupenderiana

Cause of Death and Predictors of All-Cause Mortality in Anticoagulated Patients With Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation : Data From ROCKET AF

M. Kaste on työryhmän ROCKET AF Steering Comm jäsen.Background-Atrial fibrillation is associated with higher mortality. Identification of causes of death and contemporary risk factors for all-cause mortality may guide interventions. Methods and Results-In the Rivaroxaban Once Daily Oral Direct Factor Xa Inhibition Compared with Vitamin K Antagonism for Prevention of Stroke and Embolism Trial in Atrial Fibrillation (ROCKET AF) study, patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation were randomized to rivaroxaban or dose-adjusted warfarin. Cox proportional hazards regression with backward elimination identified factors at randomization that were independently associated with all-cause mortality in the 14 171 participants in the intention-to-treat population. The median age was 73 years, and the mean CHADS(2) score was 3.5. Over 1.9 years of median follow-up, 1214 (8.6%) patients died. Kaplan-Meier mortality rates were 4.2% at 1 year and 8.9% at 2 years. The majority of classified deaths (1081) were cardiovascular (72%), whereas only 6% were nonhemorrhagic stroke or systemic embolism. No significant difference in all-cause mortality was observed between the rivaroxaban and warfarin arms (P=0.15). Heart failure (hazard ratio 1.51, 95% CI 1.33-1.70, P= 75 years (hazard ratio 1.69, 95% CI 1.51-1.90, P Conclusions-In a large population of patients anticoagulated for nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, approximate to 7 in 10 deaths were cardiovascular, whereasPeer reviewe

Antiinflammatory Therapy with Canakinumab for Atherosclerotic Disease

Background: Experimental and clinical data suggest that reducing inflammation without affecting lipid levels may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Yet, the inflammatory hypothesis of atherothrombosis has remained unproved. Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind trial of canakinumab, a therapeutic monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-1β, involving 10,061 patients with previous myocardial infarction and a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level of 2 mg or more per liter. The trial compared three doses of canakinumab (50 mg, 150 mg, and 300 mg, administered subcutaneously every 3 months) with placebo. The primary efficacy end point was nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or cardiovascular death. RESULTS: At 48 months, the median reduction from baseline in the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level was 26 percentage points greater in the group that received the 50-mg dose of canakinumab, 37 percentage points greater in the 150-mg group, and 41 percentage points greater in the 300-mg group than in the placebo group. Canakinumab did not reduce lipid levels from baseline. At a median follow-up of 3.7 years, the incidence rate for the primary end point was 4.50 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group, 4.11 events per 100 person-years in the 50-mg group, 3.86 events per 100 person-years in the 150-mg group, and 3.90 events per 100 person-years in the 300-mg group. The hazard ratios as compared with placebo were as follows: in the 50-mg group, 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80 to 1.07; P = 0.30); in the 150-mg group, 0.85 (95% CI, 0.74 to 0.98; P = 0.021); and in the 300-mg group, 0.86 (95% CI, 0.75 to 0.99; P = 0.031). The 150-mg dose, but not the other doses, met the prespecified multiplicity-adjusted threshold for statistical significance for the primary end point and the secondary end point that additionally included hospitalization for unstable angina that led to urgent revascularization (hazard ratio vs. placebo, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.73 to 0.95; P = 0.005). Canakinumab was associated with a higher incidence of fatal infection than was placebo. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality (hazard ratio for all canakinumab doses vs. placebo, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.83 to 1.06; P = 0.31). Conclusions: Antiinflammatory therapy targeting the interleukin-1β innate immunity pathway with canakinumab at a dose of 150 mg every 3 months led to a significantly lower rate of recurrent cardiovascular events than placebo, independent of lipid-level lowering. (Funded by Novartis; CANTOS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01327846.

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Not AvailableThe inheritance of resistance to castor wilt derived from ‘Haritha’and ‘48-1’conferring resistance to race 1 of the pathogen Fusarium oxysporum F. sp. ricini has been determined. The F2 individuals and backcross F1 families of two crosses Haritha and ‘48-1’(resistant)בKranthi’(susceptible) were screened against Fusarium wilt in combined tests which indicated dominant control by single locus of tightly linked gene (s). Bulked segregant analysis (BSA) was carried out on F2 and BC1F1 individuals with 186 RAPD primers that resulted in the identification of two RAPD markers linked to resistance that distinguished the bulks. Of these, the RAPD markers OPH-124973 and OPJ-154268 were tightly linked to ‘Haritha’and ‘48-1’at a distance of 5.0 cM and 7.0 cM to wilt resistance. These closely linked markers to the wilt resistance gene (s) provide a valuable basis for marker-assisted selection in castor breeding programs.Not Availabl

Combining Ability Studies on Yield and Yield Related Traits in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Aim: The present study was conducted to generate information regarding the general combining ability (GCA), specific combining ability (SCA), genetic parameters and GCA and SCA variances in tomato. Study Design: The parents and F1s were laid out in Randomized block design with 3 replications. Place and Duration of Study: The present study was conducted at research farm of Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. Crosses were generated in Line x Tester design and resultant F1, F2 and parents were evaluated. Methodology: After genetic diversity evaluation, ten genotypes were selected and used as females which were crossed with three other selected genotypes used as males in Line × Tester mating design followed by evaluation of their F1 hybrids along with parents. Results: The study concluded that Pant T-3 was a good general combiner for plant height, days to 50% flowering and days to first fruit set, Kashi Amrit was a good general combiner for number of primay branches/plant, CO-3 was a good general combiner for number of flower clusters/plant, number of flowers/cluster and number of fruits/plant, H-86 was a good general combiner for number of fruits/cluster, Fla 7171 was a good general combiner for fruit length, fruit width and fruit weight. Based on sca effects best specific combiner for plant height and fruit yield was Punjab Upma × Azad T-5. The ratio of σ2gca/σ2sca is less than unity for all characters except fruit shape index which also indicated the preponderance of non additive genetic variance. High heritability (>60%) combined with high genetic advance (>20%) was observed for fruit yield, number of primary branches/plant, plant height, number of flower clusters/plant, number of flowers/cluster, fruit weight, number of fruits/cluster, number of fruits/plant. These traits can be improved by simple selection in tomato breeding programme. Conclusion: From the study it was concluded that best general combiners for various yield and yield related traits were Pant T-3, Kashi Amrit, CO-3, H-86 and Fla 7171. Based on sca best specific combiner for plant height and fruit yield was Punjab Upma × Azad T-5