Effect of dust and anthropogenic aerosols on columnar aerosol optical properties over Darjeeling (2200 m asl), Eastern Himalayas, India

Background: The loading of atmospheric particulate matter (aerosol) in the eastern Himalaya is mainly regulated by the locally generated anthropogenic aerosols from the biomass burning and by the aerosols transported from the distance sources. These different types of aerosol loading not only affect the aerosol chemistry but also produce consequent signature on the radiative properties of aerosol. Methodology/Principal Findings: An extensive study has been made to study the seasonal variations in aerosol components of fine and coarse mode aerosols and black carbon along with the simultaneous measurements of aerosol optical depth on clear sky days over Darjeeling, a high altitude station (2200 masl) at eastern Himalayas during the year 2008. We observed a heavy loading of fine mode dust component (Ca2+) during pre-monsoon (Apr - May) which was higher by 162 than its annual mean whereas during winter (Dec - Feb), the loading of anthropogenic aerosol components mainly from biomass burning (fine mode SO4 2- and black carbon) were higher (76 for black carbon and 96 for fine mode SO4 2-) from their annual means. These high increases in dust aerosols during pre-monsoon and anthropogenic aerosols during winter enhanced the aerosol optical depth by 25 and 40, respectively. We observed that for every 1 increase in anthropogenic aerosols, AOD increased by 0.55 during winter whereas for every 1 increase in dust aerosols, AOD increased by 0.46 during pre-monsoon. Conclusion/Significance: The natural dust transport process (during pre-monsoon) plays as important a role in the radiation effects as the anthropogenic biomass burning (during winter) and their differential effects (rate of increase of the AOD with that of the aerosol concentration) are also very similar. This should be taken into account in proper modeling of the atmospheric environment over eastern Himalayas

Determination of nitric oxide metabolites, nitrate and nitrite, in Anopheles culicifacies mosquito midgut and haemolymph by anion exchange high-performance liquid chromatography: plausible mechanism of refractoriness

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The diverse physiological and pathological role of nitric oxide in innate immune defenses against many intra and extracellular pathogens, have led to the development of various methods for determining nitric oxide (NO) synthesis. NO metabolites, nitrite (NO₂^-) and nitrate (NO₃^-) are produced by the action of an inducible <it>Anopheles culicifacies </it>NO synthase (AcNOS) in mosquito mid-guts and may be central to anti-parasitic arsenal of these mosquitoes.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>While exploring a plausible mechanism of refractoriness based on nitric oxide synthase physiology among the sibling species of <it>An. culicifacies</it>, a sensitive, specific and cost effective high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed, which is not influenced by the presence of biogenic amines, for the determination of NO₂^-and NO₃^-from mosquito mid-guts and haemolymph.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>This method is based on extraction, efficiency, assay reproducibility and contaminant minimization. It entails de-proteinization by centrifugal ultra filtration through ultracel 3 K filter and analysis by high performance anion exchange liquid chromatography (Sphereclone, 5 μ SAX column) with UV detection at 214 nm. The lower detection limit of the assay procedure is 50 pmoles in all midgut and haemolymph samples. Retention times for NO₂^-and NO₃^-in standards and in mid-gut samples were 3.42 and 4.53 min. respectively. Assay linearity for standards ranged between 50 n<it>M </it>and 1 m<it>M</it>. Recoveries of NO₂^-and NO₃^-from spiked samples (1–100 μ<it>M</it>) and from the extracted standards (1–100 μ<it>M</it>) were calculated to be 100%. Intra-assay and inter assay variations and relative standard deviations (RSDs) for NO₂^-and NO₃^-in spiked and un-spiked midgut samples were 5.7% or less. Increased levels NO₂^-and NO₃^-in midguts and haemolymph of <it>An. culicifacies </it>sibling species B in comparison to species A reflect towards a mechanism of refractoriness based on AcNOS physiology.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>HPLC is a sensitive and accurate technique for identification and quantifying pmole levels of NO metabolites in mosquito midguts and haemolymph samples that can be useful for clinical investigations of NO biochemistry, physiology and pharmacology in various biological samples.</p

Association of CAPN10 SNPs and Haplotypes with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome among South Indian Women

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is known to be characterized by metabolic disorder in which hyperinsulinemia and peripheral insulin resistance are central features. Given the physiological overlap between PCOS and type-2 diabetes (T2DM), and calpain 10 gene (CAPN10) being a strong candidate for T2DM, a number of studies have analyzed CAPN10 SNPs among PCOS women yielding contradictory results. Our study is first of its kind to investigate the association pattern of CAPN10 polymorphisms (UCSNP-44, 43, 56, 19 and 63) with PCOS among Indian women. 250 PCOS cases and 299 controls from Southern India were recruited for this study. Allele and genotype frequencies of the SNPs were determined and compared between the cases and controls. Results show significant association of UCSNP-44 genotype CC with PCOS (p = 0.007) with highly significant odds ratio when compared to TC (OR = 2.51, p = 0.003, 95% CI = 1.37–4.61) as well as TT (OR = 1.94, p = 0.016, 95% CI = 1.13–3.34). While the haplotype carrying the SNP-44 and SNP-19 variants (21121) exhibited a 2 fold increase in the risk for PCOS (OR = 2.37, p = 0.03), the haplotype containing SNP-56 and SNP-19 variants (11221) seems to have a protective role against PCOS (OR = 0.20, p = 0.004). Our results support the earlier evidence for a possible role of UCSNP-44 of the CAPN10 gene in the manifestation of PCOS

Mahanine exerts in vitro and in vivo antileishmanial activity by modulation of redox homeostasis

Earlier we have established a carbazole alkaloid (mahanine) isolated from an Indian edible medicinal plant as an anticancer agent with minimal effect on normal cells. Here we report for the first time that mahanine-treated drug resistant and sensitive virulent Leishmania donovani promastigotes underwent apoptosis through phosphatidylserine externalization, DNA fragmentation and cell cycle arrest. An early induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) suggests that the mahanine-induced apoptosis was mediated by oxidative stress. Additionally, mahanine-treated Leishmania-infected macrophages exhibited anti-amastigote activity by nitric oxide (NO)/ROS generation along with suppression of uncoupling protein 2 and Th1-biased cytokines response through modulating STAT pathway. Moreover, we have demonstrated the interaction of a few antioxidant enzymes present in parasite with mahanine through molecular modeling. Reduced genetic and protein level expression of one such enzyme namely ascorbate peroxidase was also observed in mahanine-treated promastigotes. Furthermore, oral administration of mahanine in acute murine model exhibited almost complete reduction of parasite burden, upregulation of NO/iNOS/ROS/IL-12 and T cell proliferation. Taken together, we have established a new function of mahanine as a potent antileishmanial molecule, capable of inducing ROS and exploit antioxidant enzymes in parasite along with modulation of host’s immune response which could be developed as an inexpensive and nontoxic therapeutics either alone or in combination

Presence of two alternative kdr-like mutations, L1014F and L1014S, and a novel mutation, V1010L, in the voltage gated Na+ channel of Anopheles culicifacies from Orissa, India

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Knockdown resistance in insects resulting from mutation(s) in the voltage gated Na⁺channel (VGSC) is one of the mechanisms of resistance against DDT and pyrethroids. Recently a point mutation leading to Leu-to-Phe substitution in the VGSC at residue 1014, a most common <it>kdr </it>mutation in insects, was reported in <it>Anopheles culicifacies</it>-a major malaria vector in the Indian subcontinent. This study reports the presence of two additional amino acid substitutions in the VGSC of an <it>An. culicifacies </it>population from Malkangiri district of Orissa, India.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p><it>Anopheles culicifacies sensu lato (s.l.) </it>samples, collected from a population of Malkangiri district of Orissa (India), were sequenced for part of the second transmembrane segment of VGSC and analyzed for the presence of non-synonymous mutations. A new primer introduced restriction analysis-PCR (PIRA-PCR) was developed for the detection of the new mutation L1014S. The <it>An. culicifacies </it>population was genotyped for the presence of L1014F substitution by an amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS) and for L1014S substitutions by using a new PIRA-PCR developed in this study. The results were validated through DNA sequencing.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>DNA sequencing of <it>An. culicifacies </it>individuals collected from district Malkangiri revealed the presence of three amino acid substitutions in the IIS6 transmembrane segments of VGSC, each one resulting from a single point mutation. Two alternative point mutations, 3042A>T transversion or 3041T>C transition, were found at residue L1014 leading to Leu (TTA)-to-Phe (TTT) or -Ser (TCA) changes, respectively. A third and novel substitution, Val (GTG)-to-Leu (TTG or CTG), was identified at residue V1010 resulting from either of the two transversions–3028G>T or 3028G>C. The L1014S substitution co-existed with V1010L in all the samples analyzed irrespective of the type of point mutation associated with the latter. The PIRA-PCR strategy developed for the identification of the new mutation L1014S was found specific as evident from DNA sequencing results of respective samples. Since L1014S was found tightly linked to V1010L, no separate assay was developed for the latter mutation. Screening of population using PIRA-PCR assays for 1014S and ARMS for 1014F alleles revealed the presence of all the three amino acid substitutions in low frequency.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This is the first report of the presence of L1014S (homologous to the <it>kdr-e </it>in <it>An. gambiae</it>) and a novel mutation V1010L (resulting from G-to-T or -C transversions) in the VGSC of <it>An. culicifacies </it>in addition to the previously described mutation L1014F. The V1010L substitution was tightly linked to L1014S substitution. A new PIRA-PCR strategy was developed for the detection of L1014S mutation and the linked V1010L mutation.</p

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Not AvailableMango is an important fruit crop of economic importance in our country. However, the productivity of this crop is below world average. Nutritional constraitns in soil could be one of the limiting factors for achieving the potential yield in this crop. Therefore, sound knowledge of status of available major and micronutrients and their interrelationship with soil characteristics is helpful in understanding the inherent capacity of soil to supply these nutrients to plants and thereby to formulate a suitable production management strategy. A study was undertaken to assess the soil and leaf nutrients contents along with yield at farmers’ field. Soil and leaf sample analysis of 50 mango orchards in the adjoining areas of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, indicated that soils had pH of 6.1 to 7.4. Organic carbon content of most of the soil samples (>98%) were low. Soils were N deficient, medium to high in available P and medium in available K. Available Zn, Cu and Mn were deficient while Fe was sufficient. Available Zn, Cu and Mn were deficient in 48, 14 and 8 per cent soils, respectively while Fe was sufficient. Deficiency of B was recorded in all soil and leaf samples. DTPA extractable Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn and dehydrogenase activity positively and significantly correlated with organic carbon of the soils. 64% orchards showed less fruit yield as compared to the national average of 6.5 t ha-1. Thus, Zn and B seem to be the limiting factor for mango productivity in this region. This emphasized the immediate and urgent need for Zn and B nutrition along with sustainable organic matter management of orchard soil in order to maintain sound health of the soil through integrated nutrients management system in the orchards of this region for improving the productivity of mango.Not Availabl