Purification and characterization of a myotoxic phospholipase-a2 from indian cobra (Naja-Naja-Naja) venom

Purification and characterization of a myotoxic phospholipase A2 from Indian cobra (Naja naja naja) venom. Toxicon27, 861–873, 1989.—A major phospholipase A2 (NN-XIII-PLA2) which constitutes 20% of the whole Naja naja naja venom was purified to homogeneity on CM-Sephadex C-25 column chromatography. NN-XIII-PLA2 is a basic protein with a mol. wt of 11,200 by SDS-PAGE. This enzyme has low enzymatic activity but is more toxic to mice than the whole venom. The ld50 value (i.p.) of NN-XIII-PLA2 is 2.4 mg/kg body weight (whole venoms ld50 is 2.8 mg/kg body weight). It induces neurotoxic-like signs in experimental animals. It induces myotoxicity when injected i.m. into the thigh muscle of mice and edema when injected into the foot pads of mice. This enzyme has a fluorescence maxima between 310–316 nm which is typical of tyrosine residues

Critical Analysis on Chakshushya Varga

The word Chakshushya means promotion of Eye health. In present scenario, due to lifestyle modifications eye has become more susceptible to various ocular diseases. Hence prevention and promotion of ocular health plays a major role. Here an attempt is made to analyse the drugs mentioned by Chakrapanidatta in Chakradatta’s Chakshushya Varga

4-(4-Chloro­phen­yl)-N-[(E)-4-(dimethyl­amino)­benzyl­idene]-1,3-thia­zol-2-amine

The title compound, C18H16ClN3S, adopts an extended mol­ecular structure. The thia­zole ring is inclined by 9.2 (1) and 15.3 (1)° with respect to the chloro­phenyl and 4-(dimethyl­amino)­phenyl rings, respectively, while the benzene ring planes make an angle of 19.0 (1)°. A weak inter­molecular C—H⋯π contact is observed in the crystal structure

Transition Metal Complexes of Ethopropazine: Synthesis and Characterization

Abstract Ethopropazine (EP) or profenamine is a phenothiazine derivative, N 10 -(2-diethylaminopropyl)phenothiazine

First urology simulation boot camp in the United Kingdom

Objective: Simulation is now firmly established in modern surgical training and is applicable not only to acquiring surgical skills but also to non-surgical skills and professionalism. A 5-day intensive Urology Simulation Boot Camp was run to teach emergency procedural skills, clinical reasoning, and communication skills using clinical scenario simulations, endoscopic and laparoscopic trainers. This paper reports the educational value of this first urology boot camp. Subjects and methods: Sixteen urology UK trainees completed pre-course questionnaires on their operative experience and confidence level in common urological procedures. The course included seven modules covering basic scrotal procedures, laparoscopic skills, ureteroscopy, transurethral resection of the prostate and bladder tumour, green light laser prostatectomy, familiarisation with common endoscopic equipment, bladder washout to remove clots, bladder botox injection, setting up urodynamics. Emergency urological conditions were managed using scenarios on SimMan®. The main focus of the course was hands-on training using animal models, bench-top models and virtual reality simulators. Post-course assessment and feedback on the course structure and utility of knowledge gained together with a global outcome score was collected. Results: Overall all the sections of feedback received score of over 4.5/5, with the hands-on training on simulators getting the best score 4.8/5. When trainees were asked “The training has equipped me with enhanced knowledge, understanding and skills,” the average score was 4.9/5.0. The vast majority of participants felt they would recommend the boot camp to future junior trainees. Conclusion: This first UK Urology Simulation Boot Camp has demonstrated feasibility and effectiveness in enhancing trainee’s experience. Given these positive feedbacks there is a good reason to expect that future courses will improve the overall skills of a new urology trainee

Characterization of the large (L) RNA of peanut bud necrosis tospovirus

The nucleocapsids purified from groundnut plants systemically infected with peanut bud necrosis tospovirus (PBNV) contained both viral (v) and viral complementary (vc) sense L RNAs. Defective forms of L RNA containing core polymerase region were observed. The full length L RNA of PBNV was sequenced using overlapping cDNA clones. The 8911 nucleotide L RNA contains a single open reading frame (ORF) in the vc strand, and encodes a protein of 330 kDa. At the 5' and 3' termini of the v sense RNA there were 247 and 32 nt untranslated regions, respectively, containing an 18 nt complementary sequence with 1 mismatch. Comparisons of the predicted amino acid sequence of the L protein of PBNV with other members of Bunyaviridae suggest that the L protein of PBNV is a viral polymerase. The L protein had highest identity in the core-polymerase domain with the corresponding regions of tospoviruses, tomato spotted wilt tospovirus and impatiens necrotic spot tospovirus

Evidence that whitefly-transmitted cowpea mild mottle virus belongs to the genus Carlavirus

Two strains of whitefly-transmitted cowpea mild mottle virus (CPMMV) causing severe (CPMMV-S) and mild (CPMMV-M) disease symptoms in groundnuts were collected from 2 distinct agro-ecological zones in India. The host-range of these strains was restricted to Leguminosae and Chenopodiaceae, and each could be distinguished on the basis of symptoms incited in different hosts. The 3'-terminal 2500 nucleotide sequence of the genomic RNA of both the strains was 70% identical and contained 5 open reading frames (ORFs). The first three (P25, P12 and P7) overlapped to form a triple gene block of proteins, P32 encoded the coat protein, followed by P12 protein located at the 3' end of the genome. Genome organization and pair-wise comparisons of amino acid sequences of proteins encoded by these ORFs with corresponding proteins of known carlaviruses and potexviruses suggested that CPMMV-S and CPMMV-M are closely related to viruses in the genus Carlavirus. Based on the data, it is concluded that CPMMV is a distinct species in the genus Carlavirus

Adult plant development in triticale (× triticosecale wittmack) is controlled by dynamic genetic patterns of regulation

Many biologically and agronomically important traits are dynamic and show temporal variation. In this study, we used triticale (× Triticosecale Wittmack) as a model crop to assess the genetic dynamics underlying phenotypic plasticity of adult plant development. To this end, a large mapping population with 647 doubled haploid lines derived from four partially connected families from crosses among six parents was scored for developmental stage at three different time points. Using genome-wide association mapping, we identified main effect and epistatic quantitative trait loci (QTL) at all three time points. Interestingly, some of these QTL were identified at all time points, whereas others appear to only contribute to the genetic architecture at certain developmental stages. Our results illustrate the temporal contribution of QTL to the genetic control of adult plant development and more generally, the temporal genetic patterns of regulation that underlie dynamic traits.Tobias Würschum, Wenxin Liu, Katharina V. Alheit, Matthew R. Tucker, Manje Gowda, Elmar A. Weissmann, Volker Hahn and Hans Peter Maur

A combinatorial approach of comprehensive QTL-based comparative genome mapping and transcript profiling identified a seed weight-regulating candidate gene in chickpea

High experimental validation/genotyping success rate (94–96%) and intra-specific polymorphic potential (82–96%) of 1536 SNP and 472 SSR markers showing in silico polymorphism between desi ICC 4958 and kabuli ICC 12968 chickpea was obtained in a 190 mapping population (ICC 4958 × ICC 12968) and 92 diverse desi and kabuli genotypes. A high-density 2001 marker-based intra-specific genetic linkage map comprising of eight LGs constructed is comparatively much saturated (mean map-density: 0.94 cM) in contrast to existing intra-specific genetic maps in chickpea. Fifteen robust QTLs (PVE: 8.8–25.8% with LOD: 7.0–13.8) associated with pod and seed number/plant (PN and SN) and 100 seed weight (SW) were identified and mapped on 10 major genomic regions of eight LGs. One of 126.8 kb major genomic region harbouring a strong SW-associated robust QTL (Caq'SW1.1: 169.1–171.3 cM) has been delineated by integrating high-resolution QTL mapping with comprehensive marker-based comparative genome mapping and differential expression profiling. This identified one potential regulatory SNP (G/A) in the cis-acting element of candidate ERF (ethylene responsive factor) TF (transcription factor) gene governing seed weight in chickpea. The functionally relevant molecular tags identified have potential to be utilized for marker-assisted genetic improvement of chickpea

Peanut yellow spot virus: A distinct tospovirus species based on serology and nucleic acid hybridisation

Nucleocapsids of peanut yellow spot virus (PYSV), purified from peanut (= groundnut) plant tissue, contained a protein with a molecular mass of 29 kDa. In ELISA and immuno-blot analysis the virus did not react with tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), Impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV) and peanut bud necrosis virus (PBNV) antisera. PYSV contained three RNA species, a large (L) RNA (c.8900 nucleotides), a medium (M) RNA (c.4800 nucleotides) and a small (S) RNA (c.3000 nucleotides), similar to other tospoviruses. In addition, a fourth RNA species of approximately 1800 nucleotides was also present in purified preparations. Hybridisation analysis under high stringency conditions revealed no hybridisation between PYSV RNAs and cDNA probes representing the nucleocapsid (N) gene, the glycoprotein (GP) gene and the 3' half of the RNA polymerase gene of PBNV. PYSV genomic RNAs also failed to hybridise with cDNA probes from the GP genes of TSWV and INSV. In reciprocal tests, the cDNA clones of PYSV S and M RNAs did not hybridise with any of the PBNV RNAs. Based on the absence of serological relationships between PYSV and PBNV, TSWV and INSV and lack of nucleotide homology based on hybridisation studies between the PYSV RNAs and cDNA clones from PBNV, TSWV and INSV, PYSV should be considered as a distinct species of the genus Tospovirus under a new serogroup, putatively designated ‘V