Use of uni-enzyme on cotton knitted fabric and its comparison with commercial formulation

349-353This research compares the effectivity of a neutral cellulase isolated from Bacillus licheniformis KM999221 with a commercial biofinishing agent. The results clearly show the efficacy of this enzyme and its potential to perform over and above a commercial biofinishing formulation. The application of this neutral cellulase would not only be soft on the environment but also fabrics friendly in terms of fabric handle, bursting strength and minimal fabric pilling. This study helps in successfully optimizing the biopolishing of cotton fabrics using a uni/single system, thus paving the way for the use of more such enzyme to be tapped as potential biofinishing agents

Macrophage Depletion in Hypertensive Rats Accelerates Development of Cardiomyopathy

Inflammation contributes to the process of ventricular remodeling after acute myocardial injury. To investigate the role of macrophages in the chronic process of cardiac remodeling, they were selectively depleted by intravenous administration of liposomal clodronate in heart failure-prone hypertensive Ren-2 rats from the age of 7 until 13 weeks. plain liposomes were used for comparison. Liposomal clodronate treatment reduced the number of blood monocytes and decreased the number of macrophages in the myocardium. Compared to plain liposomes, liposomal clodronate treatment rapidly worsened left ventricular ejection function in hypertensive rats. Liposomal clodronate-treated Ren-2 rat hearts showed areas of myocyte loss with abundant inflammatory cell infiltration, predominantly comprising CD4 positive T lymphocytes. The current-study showed that lack of macrophages vas associated with earlier development of myocardial dysfunction in hypertensive rats. Modulation of macrophage function may be of value in the evolution of cardiomyopath

Strong Association of 677 C>T Substitution in the MTHFR Gene with Male Infertility - A Study on an Indian Population and a Meta-Analysis

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is an important enzyme of folate and methionine metabolism, making it crucial for DNA synthesis and methylation. The objective of this study was to analyze MTHFR gene 677C>T polymorphism in infertile male individuals from North India, followed by a meta-analysis on our data and published studies.We undertook genotyping on a total of 837 individuals including well characterized infertile (N = 522) and confirmed fertile (N = 315) individuals. The SNP was typed by direct DNA sequencing. Chi square test was done for statistical analysis. Published studies were searched using appropriate keywords. Source of data collection for meta-analysis included 'Pubmed', 'Ovid' and 'Google Scholar'. Those studies analyzing 677C>T polymorphism in male infertility and presenting all relevant data were included in meta-analysis. The genotype data for infertile subjects and fertile controls was extracted from each study. Chi square test was done to obtain odds ratio (OR) and p-value. Meta-analysis was performed using Comprehensive Meta-analysis software (Version 2). The frequency of mutant (T) allele (p = 0.0025) and genotypes (CT+TT) (p = 0.0187) was significantly higher in infertile individuals in comparison to fertile controls in our case-control study. The overall summary estimate (OR) for allele and genotype meta-analysis were 1.304 (p = 0.000), 1.310 (p = 0.000), respectively, establishing significant association of 677C>T polymorphism with male infertility.677C>T substitution associated strongly with male infertility in Indian population. Allele and genotype meta-analysis also supported its strong correlation with male infertility, thus establishing it as a risk factor

Long non-coding RNA HOTAIR reprograms chromatin state to promote cancer metastasis.

Large intervening non-coding RNAs (lincRNAs) are pervasively transcribed in the genome 1-3 yet their potential involvement in human disease is not well understood We hybridized RNA derived from normal human breast epithelia, primary breast carcinomas, and distant metastases to ultra-dense HOX tiling arrays 7 Quantitative PCR showed that HOTAIR is overexpressed from hundreds to nearly two-thousand-fold in breast cancer metastases, and the HOTAIR expression level is sometimes high but heterogeneous among primary tumours We next examined the effects of manipulating HOTAIR level in several breast cancer cell lines. HOTAIR levels in cell lines are significantly lower than those seen in primary or metastatic breast tumours To quantify further metastatic potential in vivo, we performed tail vein xenografts and compared the rates of lung colonization. Vector expression in the non-metastatic cell line SK-BR3 never showed lung colonization after tail vein xenograft (0 out of 15 mice), but HOTAI

Extensive and coordinated transcription of noncoding RNAs within cell-cycle promoters

Transcription of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) within gene regulatory elements can modulate gene activity in response to external stimuli, but the scope and functions of such activity are not known. Here we use an ultrahigh-density array that tiles the promoters of 56 cell-cycle genes to interrogate 108 samples representing diverse perturbations. We identify 216 transcribed regions that encode putative lncRNAs, many with RT-PCR–validated periodic expression during the cell cycle, show altered expression in human cancers and are regulated in expression by specific oncogenic stimuli, stem cell differentiation or DNA damage. DNA damage induces five lncRNAs from the CDKN1A promoter, and one such lncRNA, named PANDA, is induced in a p53-dependent manner. PANDA interacts with the transcription factor NF-YA to limit expression of pro-apoptotic genes; PANDA depletion markedly sensitized human fibroblasts to apoptosis by doxorubicin. These findings suggest potentially widespread roles for promoter lncRNAs in cell-growth control.National Institutes of Health (U.S.)National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (U.S.) (NIAMS) (K08-AR054615))National Cancer Institute (U.S.) (NIH/(NCI) (R01-CA118750))National Cancer Institute (U.S.) (NIH/(NCI) R01-CA130795))Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation InternationalAmerican Cancer SocietyHoward Hughes Medical Institute (Early career scientist)Stanford University (Graduate Fellowship)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Graduate Research Fellowship)United States. Dept. of Defense (National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship

Use of uni-enzyme on cotton knitted fabric and its comparison with commercial formulation

This research compares the effectivity of a neutral cellulase isolated from Bacillus licheniformis KM999221 with a commercial biofinishing agent. The results clearly show the efficacy of this enzyme and its potential to perform over and above a commercial biofinishing formulation. The application of this neutral cellulase would not only be soft on the environment but also fabrics friendly in terms of fabric handle, bursting strength and minimal fabric pilling. This study helps in successfully optimizing the biopolishing of cotton fabrics using a uni/single system, thus paving the way for the use of more such enzyme to be tapped as potential biofinishing agents.

Cytology of some Digitaria species

This article does not have an abstract

Role of antioxidants in chronic fatigue syndrome in mice

1240-1244<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:8.0pt;font-family:" arial","sans-serif""="">The present study was carried out using mice model of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in which mice were forced to swim everyday for 7 days for a 6 min session. There was a significant increase in despair behavior (immobility period) in-saline treated mice on successive days. Treatment with potent antioxidants carvedilol (5 mg/kg, ip) and melatonin (10 mg/<span style="font-size:14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:9.0pt;font-family:" times="" new="" roman","serif""="">kg, ip) produced a significant reduction in immobility period. Similar results were observed with herbal products St.John's Wort <span style="font-size: 12.5pt;mso-bidi-font-size:7.5pt;font-family:" arial","sans-serif""="">(Hypericum  perforatum.L) ( 10 mg/kg, po) and GS-02 (20 mg<span style="font-size:14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:9.0pt;font-family:" times="" new="" roman","serif""="">/kg, po). Fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor produced a significant effect only on first and second day of its treatment. Biochemical analysis revealed that chronic swim test significantly increased lipid peroxidation and catalase levels in whole brains of mice. There was a decrease in the <span style="font-size: 13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:8.0pt;font-family:" arial","sans-serif""="">levels of super oxide dismutase (SOD) and glulathione reductase (GSH) in the brain . Administration of carvedilol, melatonin, GS-02 and St. John's Wort restored the levels of lipid peroxidation and glutathione. The enzymes SOD and catalase were also .restored. Fluoxetine affected the biochemical variables not to the same extent as other treatments. The findings of the present study suggest that oxidative stress might play a significant role in the pathophysiology of CFS. Thus antioxidants and herbal products like St. Johns wort and GS-02 could be useful in the treatment of CFS. </span

Infections averted by a comprehensive HIV prevention intervention and its cost-effectiveness: A prospective cohort study of persons who inject drugs in Delhi, India

This paper presents the cost-effectiveness of a WHO-recommended harm-reduction programme implemented among a cohort of persons who inject drugs in Delhi, India. We estimate the number of infections averted using Bernoulli process model and calculate cost-effectiveness ratio as the total programme cost per infection averted. The intervention averted 996 HIV infections over 36 months, with a cost-effectiveness ratio of INR 24,763 (US$ 476) per infection averted per year. The first phase, when HIV testing and counselling were initiated, was more cost-effective than the second phase when full intervention package, including needle-syringe exchange, condom distribution, harm-reduction education, etc., was implemented