Phenotyping bananas for drought resistance.

Drought has emerged as one of the major constraints in banana production. Its effects are pronounced substantially in the tropics and sub-tropics of the world due to climate change. Bananas are quite sensitive to drought; however, genotypes with "B" genome are more tolerant to abiotic stresses than those solely based on "A" genome.

Autotransplantation of mandibular third molar: a case report.

Autogenous transplantation is a feasible, fast, and economical option for the treatment of nonsalvageable teeth when a suitable donor tooth is available. This paper presents successful autotransplantation of a mature mandibular left third molar (38) without anatomical variances is used to replace a mandibular left second molar (37). The mandibular second molar was nonrestorable due to extensive root caries and resorption of distal root.

Flee or fight: ontogenetic changes in the behavior of cobweb spiders in encounters with spider-hunting wasps.

An animal's body size plays a predominant role in shaping its interspecific interactions, and, in encounters between two predators, often determines which shall be predator and which shall be prey. Spiders are top predators of insects, yet can fall prey to mud-dauber wasps that provision their larval nests with paralyzed spiders. Here we examined predator-prey interactions between Chalybion californicum (Saussure) (Sphecidae), a mud-dauber wasp, and Parasteatoda tepidariorum C.

Electrical field stimulation (EFS)-induced relaxations turn into contractions upon removal of extracellular calcium in rat mesenteric artery.

In the present study, we aimed to examine the effect of blockade of L-type Ca(2+) channels (LTCC) and in addition the removal of extracellular Ca(2+), on EFS-induced relaxations in rings of rat mesenteric artery. EFS applied to the tissues precontracted with phenylephrine caused relaxations which were markedly inhibited by nifedipine (10(-7)M) and tetraethylammonium (TEA) (1mM). Addition of LTCC opener BAY K 8644 (10(-7)M) failed to enhance the relaxations.

Chemopreventive effect and HPTLC fingerprinting analysis of Jasminum sambac (L.) Ait. Extract against DLA-induced lymphoma in experimental animals.

The anticancer activity of the ethanolic extract of Jasminum sambac against Dalton's lymphoma ascites-induced lymphatic cancer in Swiss albino mice was investigated. The anticancer activity of J. sambac was studied against lymphoma using lipid profiles, biochemical parameters, and membrane-bound marker enzymes by standard procedures.

Siderophore mediated uranium sequestration by marine cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus BDU 130911.

Four different marine cyanobacterial morphotypes were tested for their efficacy to produce siderophores in Fe minus [Fe(-)], Fe minus Uranium dosed [Fe(-)U(+)], and Fe dosed Uranium dosed [Fe(-)U(+)] media. Of the four organisms tested, Synechococcus elongatus BDU 130911 produced the highest amount of siderophore of 58μgmg(-1) dryweight. The results clearly indicate that uranium induces siderophore production in marine cyanobacteria even in the presence of iron [Fe(-)U(+)] condition.

Comparative morphometric study of AgNORs in variants of ameloblastoma.

Aims: To compare the area and number of AgNORs (silver stained nucleolar organizer regions) by morphometry between follicular and plexiform variants of ameloblastoma in order to analyze their cell proliferation rates.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study was carried out on 30 cases each of follicular and plexiform ameloblastoma. The sections were obtained and stained with silver staining technique to identify the nucleolar organizer regions.

Syphilis of Fungal world: Novel Skin Manifestations of Histoplasmosis in an Immunocompetent Host.

A case of chronic disseminated cutaneous histoplasmosis with unusual skin manifestations in an immunocompetent host is reported. Presence of cutaneous ulcers, linear erythematous plaques, skin coloured atrophic plaques and recurrent self-limiting oral ulcers in a single patient has not been documented in literature so far. Diagnosis was established by identifying small intracellular yeast-like cells of Histoplasma in tissue smear and skin biopsy.

Toll-like receptors 7, 8, and 9 expression and function in primary human cervical cancer Langerhans cells: evidence of anergy.

Objective: Human papillomavirus oncoproteins E6 and E7 down modulate Toll-like receptor (TLR) 9 expression in infected keratinocytes. We explored the status of expression and function of TLR7, TLR8, and TLR9 in primary human Langerhans cells (LCs) isolated from cervical tumors.

Methodology: Single-cell suspensions were made from fresh tissues of squamous cell carcinoma (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IB2); myeloid dendritic cells were purified using CD1c magnetic activated cell separation kits.

Mining of EST-SSR markers of Musa and their transferability studies among the members of order the Zingiberales.

Expressed sequence tags (ESTs) databases of 11 Musa complementary DNA libraries were retrieved from National Center of Biotechnology Information and used for mining simple sequence repeats (SSRs). Out of 21,056 unique ESTs, SSR regions were found only in 5,158 ESTs. Among these SSR containing ESTs, the occurrence of trinucleotide repeats are the most abundant followed by mono-, di-, tetra-, hexa-, and pentanucleotides.

Novel lithium-containing honeycomb structures.

Rock-salt-based honeycomb structures containing Te(VI) and Sb(V) with innumerable prospects of properties and applications were realized in the two new series of mixed-metal oxides of lithium, Li(8)M(2)Te(2)O(12) (M(II) = Co, Ni, Cu, Zn) and Li(8)M(2)Sb(2)O(12) (M(III) = Cr, Fe, Al, Ga). The structures of Li(8)Co(2)Te(2)O(12) and Li(8)Cu(2)Te(2)O(12) were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction for the first time, and mixed-occupancy Li/M was identified.

Cutaneous angiosarcoma in chronic lymphedema: secondary to filariasis.

Cutaneous angiosarcoma is a very aggressive tumor with poor prognosis. We report a case of cutaneous angiosarcoma in a patient with elephantiasis. To the best of our knowledge, there are very few cases reported in the literature.

Antioxidant properties of Rajgira (Amaranthus paniculatus) leaves and potential synergy in chemoprevention.

In recent years there has been a substantial increase in the use of functional foods for disease control. Fruits and vegetables produce phytochemicals such as flavonoids and antioxidants which can lower oxidative stress and reduce the risk of chronic ailments like cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antioxidant capacity and the possible protective effects of Amaranthus paniculatus leaves on the antioxidant defense system in Ehrlich's ascites carcinoma (EAC) -treated mice.

Clinical and microbiologic effects of commercially available gel and powder containing Acacia arabica on gingivitis.

Background: There is a need for an anti-plaque agent that can be used on a daily basis without the side effects of antibacterial chemicals such as chlorhexidine. The present study was designed to evaluate the clinical and microbiologic effects of commercially available gel and powder containing Acacia arabica in subjects with gingivitis.

Methods: One hundred and twenty subjects with chronic generalized gingivitis were selected and randomly divided into four groups: Group 1 - placebo group; Group 2 -Acacia arabica gel group; Group 3 -Acacia arabica powder group; and Group 4 - 1% chlorhexidine gel group.

A hybrid formalism combining fluctuating hydrodynamics and generalized Langevin dynamics for the simulation of nanoparticle thermal motion in an incompressible fluid medium.

A novel hybrid scheme based on Markovian fluctuating hydrodynamics of the fluid and a non-Markovian Langevin dynamics with the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck noise perturbing the translational and rotational equations of motion of the nanoparticle is employed to study the thermal motion of a nanoparticle in an incompressible Newtonian fluid medium. A direct numerical simulation adopting an arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) based finite element method (FEM) is employed in simulating the thermal motion of a particle suspended in the fluid confined in a cylindrical vessel. The results for thermal equilibrium between the particle and the fluid are validated by comparing the numerically predicted temperature of the nanoparticle with that obtained from the equipartition theorem.

Production of bio-ethanol from pretreated agricultural byproduct using enzymatic hydrolysis and simultaneous saccharification.

Global warming alerts and threats are on the rise due to the utilization of fossil fuels. Alternative fuel sources like bio-ethanol and biodiesel are being produced to combat against these threats. Bio-ethanol can be produced from a range of substrate.

Fluctuating Hydrodynamics Approach for the Simulation of Nanoparticle Brownian Motion in a Newtonian Fluid.

The Brownian motion of a nanoparticle in an incompressible Newtonian fluid (quiescent or fully developed Poiseuille flow) has been investigated with an arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian based finite element method. Results for the motion in a compressible fluid medium are estimated. Thermal fluctuations from the fluid are implemented using a fluctuating hydrodynamics approach.

Ethyl (E)-3-[1'-ethyl-2-oxo-4'-(phenyl-sulfon-yl)-2H-spiro-[acenaphthyl-ene-1,2'-pyrrolidine]-3'-yl]acrylate.

In the title compound, C(28)H(27)NO(5)S, the five-membered pyrrolidine ring, which exhibits an envelope conformation (the C atom at the spiral junction being the flap atom), makes dihedral angles of 57.37 (10) and 86.84 (8)°, respectively, with the phenyl ring and the acenaphthyl-ene ring system.

(2E,4E)-Ethyl 5-(phenyl-sulfon-yl)penta-2,4-dienoate.

In the title compound, C(13)H(14)O(4)S, both C=C double bonds adopt an E conformation. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked into centrosymmetric R(2) (2)(14) dimers via pairs of C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds.

MODELING OF A NANOPARTICLE MOTION IN A NEWTONIAN FLUID: A COMPARISON BETWEEN FLUCTUATING HYDRODYNAMICS AND GENERALIZED LANGEVIN PROCEDURES.

A direct numerical simulation adopting an arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian based finite element method is employed to simulate the motion of a nanocarrier in a quiescent fluid contained in a cylindrical tube. The nanocarrier is treated as a solid sphere. Thermal fluctuations are implemented using two different approaches: (1) fluctuating hydrodynamics; (2) generalized Langevin dynamics (Mittag-Leffler noise).

Evidence of bluetongue virus serotype 21 (BTV-21) divergence.

Bluetongue virus serotype 21 (BTV-21) was originally isolated from Australia, but has now been reported from India, Indonesia, China and Japan. We report the isolation, and sequencing of BTV-21 from India. The complete ORF sequence of VP2 gene of this isolate showed that it is closely related to recent BTV-21 isolates from Japan (93-94% identity), and distantly related to BTV-21 reference strain (86% identity).

Genetic characterization of bluetongue virus serotype 9 isolates from India.

Recent incursions of bluetongue virus (BTV) into previously naive geographical areas have emphasised the need to better understand virus movement and epidemiology. Several bluetongue virus (BTV) serotypes are known to exist in India, and some serotype viruses have been isolated. However, the complete genome of not a single isolate is available to date.

Ant mimicry lessens predation on a North American jumping spider by larger salticid spiders.

Ant-like appearance (myrmecomorphy) has evolved >70 times in insects and spiders, accounting for >2,000 species of myrmecomorphic arthropods. Most myrmecomorphic spiders are considered to be Batesian mimics; that is, a palatable spider avoids predation through resemblance to an unpalatable ant-although this presumption has been tested in relatively few cases. Here we explicitly examined the extent to which Peckhamia picata (Salticidae), a North American ant-mimicking jumping spider, is protected from four species of jumping spider predators, relative to nonmimetic salticids and model ants.

Synthesis and structural investigation of a unique columnar phase in the Bi2O3–TeO2–V2O5 System.

A new columnar phase Bi(11.65)Te(1.35)V(5)O(34-δ) (δ ∼ 1.