Variability of systemic and oro-dental phenotype in two families with non-lethal Raine syndrome with FAM20C mutations

Background: Raine syndrome (RS) is a rare autosomal recessive bone dysplasia typified by osteosclerosis and dysmorphic facies due to FAM20C mutations. Initially reported as lethal in infancy, survival is possible into adulthood. We describe the molecular analysis and clinical phenotypes of five individuals from two consanguineous Brazilian families with attenuated Raine Syndrome with previously unreported features. Methods: The medical and dental clinical records were reviewed. Extracted deciduous and permanent teeth as well as oral soft tissues were analysed. Whole exome sequencing was undertaken and FAM20C cDNA sequenced in family 1. Results: Family 1 included 3 siblings with hypoplastic Amelogenesis Imperfecta (AI) (inherited abnormal dental enamel formation). Mild facial dysmorphism was noted in the absence of other obvious skeletal or growth abnormalities. A mild hypophosphataemia and soft tissue ectopic mineralization were present. A homozygous FAM20C donor splice site mutation (c.784 + 5 g > c) was identified which led to abnormal cDNA sequence. Family 2 included 2 siblings with hypoplastic AI and tooth dentine abnormalities as part of a more obvious syndrome with facial dysmorphism. There was hypophosphataemia, soft tissue ectopic mineralization, but no osteosclerosis. A homozygous missense mutation in FAM20C (c.1487C > T; p.P496L) was identified. Conclusions: The clinical phenotype of non-lethal Raine Syndrome is more variable, including between affected siblings, than previously described and an adverse impact on bone growth and health may not be a prominent feature. By contrast, a profound failure of dental enamel formation leading to a distinctive hypoplastic AI in all teeth should alert clinicians to the possibility of FAM20C mutations

Harmful and beneficial aspects of Parthenium hysterophorus: an update

Parthenium hysterophorus is a noxious weed in America, Asia, Africa and Australia. This weed is considered to be a cause of allergic respiratory problems, contact dermatitis, mutagenicity in human and livestock. Crop production is drastically reduced owing to its allelopathy. Also aggressive dominance of this weed threatens biodiversity. Eradication of P. hysterophorus by burning, chemical herbicides, eucalyptus oil and biological control by leaf-feeding beetle, stem-galling moth, stem-boring weevil and fungi have been carried out with variable degrees of success. Recently many innovative uses of this hitherto notorious plant have been discovered. Parthenium hysterophorus confers many health benefits, viz remedy for skin inflammation, rheumatic pain, diarrhoea, urinary tract infections, dysentery, malaria and neuralgia. Its prospect as nano-medicine is being carried out with some preliminary success so far. Removal of heavy metals and dye from the environment, eradication of aquatic weeds, use as substrate for commercial enzyme production, additives in cattle manure for biogas production, as biopesticide, as green manure and compost are to name a few of some other potentials. The active compounds responsible for hazardous properties have been summarized. The aim of this review article is to explore the problem P. hysterophorus poses as a weed, the effective control measures that can be implemented as well as to unravel the latent beneficial prospects of this weed

Effects of Bacillus thuringiensis δ -endotoxin-fed Helicoverpa armigera on the survival and development of the parasitoid Campoletis chlorideae

With the deployment of transgenic crops expressing δ-endotoxins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) for pest management, there is a need to generate information on the interaction of crop pests with their natural enemies that are important for regulation of pest populations. Therefore, we studied the effects of the Bt δ-endotoxins Cry1Ab and Cry1Ac on the survival and development of the parasitoid Campoletis chlorideae Uchida (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) reared on Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae fed on Bt toxin-intoxicated artificial diet. The H. armigera larvae fed on artificial diet impregnated with Cry1Ab and Cry1Ac at LC50 (effective concentration to kill 50% of the neonate H. armigera larvae) and ED50 (effective concentration to cause a 50% reduction in larval weight) levels before and after parasitization resulted in a significant reduction in cocoon formation and adult emergence of C. chlorideae. Larval period of the parasitoid was prolonged by 2 days when fed on Bt-intoxicated larvae. No adverse effects were observed on female fecundity. The observed effects appeared to be indirect in nature, because no Bt proteins were detected through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the C. chlorideae larvae, cocoons, or adults fed on Cry1Ab- or Cry1Ac-treated H. armigera larvae. The effects of Bt toxin proteins on C. chlorideae were due to early mortality of H. armigera larvae, that is, before completion of parasitoid larval development

On the surface morphology and transport properties of chemical bath deposited Co(x)Cd1-xS thin films: A correlation

CoxCd1-xS (0 <= x <= 0.5) thin composite films were grown onto glass micro slides from an aqueous alkaline medium using a chemical bath deposition process. A complex liquid phase was formed by the addition of equimolar (1 M) volumes of cadmium sulphate, thiourea and cobaltous sulphate. For deposition, various preparative parameters, viz., speed, temperature, pH, and time were selected as optimized earlier. The chemical composition and surface morphology of these films were determined by an Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), respectively. EDS revealed the film composites to be Cd-rich. SEM revealed polycrystalline randomly oriented crystallites of elongated rhomboids with sharp and clear edges having leaf like appearance (up to x = 0.1). Optical studies revealed that the absorption increased with the increase of Co content in CdS lattice. The strong absorption edge also shifted towards the longer wavelength side and hence the band gap of the materials decreased with the increase of Co content. The temperature and composition dependence of electrical conductivity and thermoelectric power were studied and analyzed to determine the characteristic film properties and to understand the mechanism of an electrical conduction. A continuous decrease in electrical conductivity has been observed when x was varied from 0 to 0.5. The thermo power measurements showed n-type conduction. The observed results are interpreted and supported by the microscopic observations on these films. (C) 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd

Electrochemical photovoltaic studies of Cd1-xCoxS thin film electrodes deposited by a liquid phase chemical deposition route

Cd1-xCoxS (0 <= x <= 0.5) thin films were made feasible on the chemomechanically and ultrasonically cleaned stainless steel substrates. The previously optimized conditions were used for the deposition. The electrode/electrolyte interfaces were then formed between the n-type Cd1-xCoxS photo sensing electrodes and a sulphide/polysulphide (0.25 M) redox electrolyte and investigated through the I-V and C-V characteristics in dark, power output characteristics and various other photo responsive characteristics. The dependance of the dark current through the junction and the junction capacitance on the voltage applied across the junction were examined and analyzed. Upon illumination of the interfaces with a light of 10 mW/cm(2), the maximum open-circuit photo voltage of 414 mV and short circuit photocurrent of 0.196 mA/cm(2) were developed in a cell devised with an electrode composition of x = 0.1. This resulted in energy conversion efficiency of 3.84% and a fill factor of 47.1%. The spectral and photo responsiveness of these cells were also studied. The studies at room temperature showed a shift in cut off wavelength from 515 nm to 635 nm for the change of x from 0 to 0.5. The other cell performance parameters were also determined for the series of the cells and the impact of the composition parameter x, on them is discussed at length. Overall, the photovoltaic output performance of the Cd1-xCoxS based electrochemical cell is much improved after Co-implantation (x = 0.1) in CdS. The observed results have been predicted and supported by the microscopic studies of the photoelectrode material. (c) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Utilisation of bubber wood shavings for the removal of Cu(II) and Ni(II) from aqueous solution

The potential of heat and chemically treated rubber wood shavings (RWS) to remove Cu (II) and Ni(II) was evaluated at bench-scale by varying parameters such as initial Cu(II) and Ni(II) concentrations, contact time and adsorbent dosage. Maximum Cu(II) and Ni(II) uptake was achieved using NaOH-treated RWS after 5 h of contact time, pH 5.0 (Cu), 5.5 (Ni) and 6.0 (mixed-metal solution), initial Cu(II) and Ni(II) of 100 mg L-1 and RWS dosage of 0.3% (w/v). Point of zero charge (pHPZC) value of 4.35 suggests the appropriateness of pH range used. Higher Cu(II) and Ni(II) adsorption following NaOH treatment was due to smaller average pore diameter (34.63 Å), higher mesopore content and higher surface negativity charge. EDAX analysis confirmed the presence of Cu and Ni on the surface of the RWS. The importance of carboxyl and hydroxyl functional groups during Cu(II) and Ni(II) removal is supported by the FTIR analysis and good correlation (R 2 of 0.96–0.99) with the pseudo-secondorder adsorption kinetic model. The results indicate the potential of using RWS as an alternative adsorbent to remove Cu(II) and Ni(II) from industrial wastewaters