Interactions of anti-sigma factor antagonists of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the yeast two-hybrid system.

Anti-sigma factor antagonists (anti-anti-sigma factors) play critical roles in regulating the expression of alternative sigma factors in response to specific stress signals. The Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COG) database has identified the existence of six genes, Rv0516c, Rv1364c, Rv1365c, Rv1904, Rv2638 and Rv3687c (grouped under the cluster COG1366), encoding potential anti-sigma factor antagonists in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. These molecules are speculated to regulate the expression of sigma factor SigF of M.

Methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MsrA) deficiency affects the survival of Mycobacterium smegmatis within macrophages.

Methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MsrA) is an antioxidant repair enzyme which reduces oxidized methionine to methionine. Since oxidation of methionine in proteins impairs their function, an absence of MsrA leads to abnormalities in different organisms, including alterations in the adherence patterns and in vivo survival of certain pathogenic bacteria. To understand the role of MsrA in intracellular survival of bacteria, we disrupted the gene encoding MsrA in Mycobacterium smegmatis through homologous recombination.

Performance of stochastic approaches for forecasting river water quality.

This study analysed water quality data collected from the river Ganges in India from 1981 to 1990 for forecasting using stochastic models. Initially the box and whisker plots and Kendall's tau test were used to identify the trends during the study period. For detecting the possible intervention in the data the time series plots and cusum charts were used.

Cytological study of exfoliated buccal mucosa cells of tribes in Orissa State (India) with high risk for oral cancer.

Buccal mucosa scrapings from 50 individuals belonging to tribes of Koraput district in Orissa State (India), were smeared and fixed. The cells were stained adopting Feulgen technique. All the tribes are active tobacco and alcohol users.

Inversion polymorphism and extra bristles in Indian natural populations of Drosophila ananassae: joint variation.

Five Indian natural populations of Drosophila ananassae were analysed for chromosome inversions and the presence of individuals with extra scutellar bristles in the F1 progeny of isofemale lines initiated from naturally impregnated females. Three commonly occurring inversions were found in these populations with varying frequencies as was the number of individuals with extra bristles (e.b.

Infection in haematological malignancies.

Fifty-six febrile episodes in 30 haematological malignancy cases were evaluated. Of these episodes 60.7% were in leukaemia cases.

Localized formation of micronuclei in the oral mucosa and tobacco-specific nitrosamines in the saliva of "reverse" smokers, Khaini-tobacco chewers and gudakhu users.

"Reverse"-cigar smokers (who hold the burning end of cigars within the mouth), dippers (who place a mixture of Khaini-tobacco and slaked lime into the lower gingival groove) and users of tobacco-containing toothpaste (gudakhu) in Orissa, India, were examined for precancerous oral lesions, the frequency of micronucleated cells at 3 different intra-oral sites, and levels of tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNA) in the saliva. Among reverse-cigar smokers, a high incidence of leukokeratosis nicotina palati, an elevated frequency of micronucleated cells in the palate (2.5% as compared to 0.

The influence of cerebellum on carbon dioxide responses in the dog.

The influence of the cerebellum on the baseline ventilatory responses while breathing oxygen and O2-CO2 mixture was investigated in mongrel dogs anaesthetized with sodium pentobarbital. Ablation of the anterior lobe of the cerebellum significantly depressed both the baseline and CO2 responses. By contrast, the posterior lobe ablation did not produce any significant change.

Application of the micronucleus test to exfoliated cells of high cancer risk groups: tobacco chewers.

Powdered tobacco (Khaini tobacco) with the addition of lime is commonly used by the residents of Bihar, India. The tobacco/lime mixture is usually placed on the inner side of the lower lip within the gingivolabial groove. About 42% of the users keep it at the front, the rest move the tobacco towards the left or right side within the oral cavity.

Elevated frequency of micronucleated cells in the buccal mucosa of individuals at high risk for oral cancer: betel quid chewers.

The micronucleus test was applied to buccal mucosa cells of 2 population groups at high risk for oral cancer: Khasis of the northeastern hill region of India, who eat raw betel nuts together with betel leaves and lime, and residents of the state of Orissa (India), who chew betel quids consisting mainly of perfumed tobacco, dried betel nut, betel leaf, lime and several spices. Micronuclei were scored on Feulgen/fast green-stained smear preparations of exfoliated cells obtained by scraping the surface of the buccal mucosa. All 17 raw betel nut eaters and all 20 chewers of betel quids had significantly elevated frequencies of micronucleated mucosa cells over nonchewing controls of comparable ethnic background and dietary habits.

Role of cerebellum on ventilatory change due to muscle-receptor stimulation in the dog.

The role of the cerebellum in reflex increase of ventilation due to muscle-receptor stimulation was studied in dogs anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium. Stimulilike pressure application or stretch of gastrocnemius muscle produced increase in ventilation. Ablation or cooling of the anterior lobe of cerebellum significantly reduced this ventilatory response to application of the same degree of pressure or stretch of the gastrocnemius muscle.