Microbial transformation of tannin-rich substrate to gallic acid through co-culture method.

Modified solid-state fermentation (MSSF) of tannin-rich substrate yielding tannase and gallic acid was carried out using a co-culture of the filamentous fungi, Rhizopus oryzae (RO IIT RB-13, NRRL 21498) and Aspergillus foetidus (GMRB013 MTCC 3557). Powdered fruits of Terminalia chebula and powdered pod cover of Caesalpinia digyna was used in the process and the different process parameters for maximum production of tannase and gallic acid by co-culture method were optimized through media engineering. MSSF was carried out at the optimum conditions of 30 degrees C and 80% relative humidity.

ArrayExpress--a public repository for microarray gene expression data at the EBI.

ArrayExpress is a public repository for microarray data that supports the MIAME (Minimum Information About a Microarray Experiment) requirements and stores well-annotated raw and normalized data. As of November 2004, ArrayExpress contains data from approximately 12,000 hybridizations covering 35 species. Data can be submitted online or directly from local databases or LIMS in a standard format, and password-protected access to prepublication data is provided for reviewers and authors.

Arm-crank propelled three-wheeled chair: physiological evaluation of the propulsion using one arm and both arm patterns.

Disabled people in India frequently use the arm-crank propelled three-wheeled chair (ACWC) for outdoor transportation. Two models of these chairs are commercially available: one is powered by cranking using one arm (ACWC-1) and the other uses both arms (ACWC-2). The purpose of the study was to compare the efficiency of the two types of propulsion with respect to the standard physiological responses and, consequent upon the findings, to recommend the use of a suitable one.

The ArrayExpress gene expression database: a software engineering and implementation perspective.

Motivation: The lack of microarray data management systems and databases is still one of the major problems faced by many life sciences laboratories. While developing the public repository for microarray data ArrayExpress we had to find novel solutions to many non-trivial software engineering problems. Our experience will be both relevant and useful for most bioinformaticians involved in developing information systems for a wide range of high-throughput technologies.

The neurotoxic MEC-4(d) DEG/ENaC sodium channel conducts calcium: implications for necrosis initiation.

Hyperactivation of the Caenorhabditis elegans MEC-4 Na(+) channel of the DEG/ENaC superfamily (MEC-4(d)) induces neuronal necrosis through an increase in intracellular Ca(2+) and calpain activation. How exacerbated Na(+) channel activity elicits a toxic rise in cytoplasmic Ca(2+), however, has remained unclear. We tested the hypothesis that MEC-4(d)-induced membrane depolarization activates voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels (VGCCs) to initiate a toxic Ca(2+) influx, and ruled out a critical requirement for VGCCs.

Respiratory and general health impairments of ragpickers in India: a study in Delhi.

Objective: This study attempted to assess the respiratory and general health of ragpickers who rummage through the garbage dumps and landfill sites in India to collect and sell recyclable materials for a living.

Methods: 98 ragpickers and 60 controls from Delhi, matched for age, sex, and socioeconomic conditions, were examined. Health data were obtained from questionnaire survey, clinical examination, and laboratory investigations.

Separation of thoraco-omphalopagus Siamese twin.

A pair of female thoraco-omphalopagus twins, with two pairs of lungs, common diaphragm and separate pleural cavities was separated at the age of 5(1/2) months after a parasitic relationship had developed between them. Before separation both the babies developed recurrent respiratory tract infection and frequent diarrhea. They were treated with medical therapy and made fit for anesthesia.

Evolutionary operation-factorial design technique for optimization of conversion of mixed agroproducts into gallic acid.

This article presents the optimization of gallic acid production using filamentous fungi from tannin-rich mixed substrates taking into account the interaction effects of six variable process parameters. The methodology adopted for optimization was the evolutionary operation (EVOP)-factorial design technique. This technique combines the factorial method for designing experiments with the EVOP methodology for analyzing the experimental results systematically and arriving at conclusions according to its decision-making procedure.

Characterization and identification of chitinase producing Streptomyces venezuelae P10.

In an attempt to isolate chitinase producers from soil, a streptomycete strain was found potent using natural chitin as the substrate. Chitinolytic activity was tested directly on agar plates, also with crude enzyme. Chitinase assay showed that the isolate could produce 0.

Follicular dendritic cell tumour--a case report.

Follicular dendritic cell tumors are rare entities, which are however being increasingly recognised. One such tumor in the parapharyngeal region, diagnostically challenging, and with an unusual histological feature is reported, with a short review of the literature.

Scale-free network on a vertical plane.

A scale-free network is grown in the Euclidean space with a global directional bias. On a vertical plane, nodes are introduced at unit rate at randomly selected points and a node is allowed to be connected only to the subset of nodes which are below it using the attachment probability, pi(i)(t) approximately k(i)(t)l(alpha). Our numerical results indicate that the directed scale-free network for alpha=0 belongs to a different universality class compared to the isotropic scale-free network.

Biosynthesis of tannase and gallic acid from tannin rich substrates by Rhizopus oryzae and Aspergillus foetidus.

Modified solid-state fermentation (MSSF) of tannin-rich substrates for production of tannase and gallic acid was carried out using two fungal cultures, Rhizopus oryzae (RO IIT RB-13, NRRL 21498) and Aspergillus foetidus (GMRB013 MTCC 3557). The tannin rich substrates included powdered fruits of Terminalia chebula and Caesalpinia digyna pod cover powder. The different environmental parameters for the maximum production of tannase and gallic acid were optimized through media engineering.

Determination of the 8B neutrino spectrum.

We have measured the total energy of the alpha particles following the beta decay of 8B by implanting 8B into a planar silicon surface barrier detector. Calibration was performed using alpha particles following the beta decay of 20Na, similarly implanted. The alpha spectrum is used to infer the 8B neutrino spectrum which is an important input in the interpretation of experiments that detect energetic neutrinos from the Sun.

ArrayExpress: a public database of gene expression data at EBI.

ArrayExpress is a public repository for microarray-based gene expression data, resulting from the implementation of the MAGE object model to ensure accurate data structuring and the MIAME standard, which defines the annotation requirements. ArrayExpress accepts data as MAGE-ML files for direct submissions or data from MIAMExpress, the MIAME compliant web-based annotation and submission tool of EBI. A team of curators supports the submission process, providing assistance in data annotation.

Multiphonon vibrations at high angular momentum in 182 Os.

Evidence is presented for multiphonon excitations based on a high-spin (25 Planck) intrinsic state in the deformed nucleus 182 Os. Angular momentum generation by this mode competes with collective rotation. The experimental data are compared with tilted-axis cranking calculations, supporting the vibrational interpretation.

Primitive neuroectodermal tumor of the kidney. A report of two cases diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology.

Background: Primitive neurocetodermal tumors (PNETs) constitute a family of neoplasms of presumed neuroectrodermal origin most often presenting as bone or soft tissue masses. There are very few reported cases of PNET of the kidney and none diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), to the best of our knowledge, in the world literature. We present two cases of renal PNET diagnosed on cytology.

Overexpression of Skp2 in carcinoma of the cervix does not correlate inversely with p27 expression.

S-phase kinase associated protein 2 (Skp2) is a member of the F-box family of substrate recognition subunits of SCF-ubiquitin ligase complexes and controls progression from G(1)-S-phase by targeting cell cycle regulators such as p21 and p27. Its locus is at 5p13, a region of frequent amplification in several cancers including carcinoma of the cervix (CaCx). Overexpression of Skp2 has been observed in many cancers of an advanced stage.

Small-world properties of the Indian railway network.

Structural properties of the Indian railway network is studied in the light of recent investigations of the scaling properties of different complex networks. Stations are considered as "nodes" and an arbitrary pair of stations is said to be connected by a "link" when at least one train stops at both stations. Rigorous analysis of the existing data shows that the Indian railway network displays small-world properties.

Quasistatic scale-free networks.

A network is formed using the N sites of a one-dimensional lattice in the shape of a ring as nodes and each node with the initial degree k(in)=2. N links are then introduced to this network, each link starts from a distinct node, the other end being connected to any other node with degree k randomly selected with an attachment probability proportional to k(alpha). Tuning the control parameter alpha, we observe a transition where the average degree of the largest node changes its variation from N0 to N at a specific transition point of alpha(c).

Cytogenetic study of non-Hodgkin lymphoma from South India. histologic and geographic correlations.

Cytogenetic analysis of fine needle aspiration cultures was performed on 189 patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma from South India. Successful karyotyping was possible in 97 patients (51.3%).

Understanding clay minerals with fuzzy mathematics.

A long-existing geochemical problem is the lack of a means of chemically defining non-stoichiometric complex minerals such as clays, which have no distinct composition and no clear compositional boundaries. We propose here a novel approach for describing the chemical nature of clay minerals using fuzzy logic. This non-conventional mathematical approach allows us to quantify compositional vagueness in such systems.

Submandibular synovial sarcoma with t(X;18) and synovial sarcoma of the toe with additional cytogenetic abnormalities: presentation of two cases and review of the literature.

We report cytogenetic findings from fine-needle aspiration samples of two synovial sarcoma patients. The cases are of interest because (1) one case is of a rare site (submandibular region) of the head and neck, and (2) the other is a patient with synovial sarcoma of the toe showing additional cytogenetic abnormalities along with t(X;18). The literature of this tumor is reviewed.

Rhabdomyosarcoma: cytogenetics of five cases using fine-needle aspiration samples and review of the literature.

Cytogenetic analyses of fine-needle aspiration samples were performed on five cases of which three were alveolar rhabdomyosarcomas (RMS), one was embryonal RMS and one was RMS of mixed alveolar and embryonal histology. Three cases of alveolar RMS and one case of embryonal RMS showed t(2;13). A del(1)(p11) in a mixed alveolar and embryonal RMS was observed without the presence of t(2;13).

Direct observation of amorphous to amorphous apparently first-order phase transition in fused quartz.

We report for the first time the direct observation of an apparently first-order phase transition in amorphous silica from the low density amorphous phase to the high density amorphous phase with a discontinuous volume change of about 20% from the dilatometric measurements using the piston cylinder apparatus at 36 kbar and 680 degrees C. Our Raman spectroscopy measurements on the retrieved samples quenched from high pressure and high temperature experiments do not show any Raman peaks indicating a large modification in the intermediate range order in the structure of amorphous silica.