Cryopreservation of Citrus aurantifolia seeds and embryonic axes using a desiccation protocol.

The desiccation and freezing tolerance of seeds, with and without testas, and embryonic axes of Citrus aurantifolia were investigated. Seeds were desiccated with silica gel, under the laminar air flow cabinet or by placing them on a laboratory bench. Whatever the desiccation method employed, survival before and after cryopreservation was higher for seeds without testas.

Synthesis and evaluation of anticancer activity of some imidazothiazolyl, imidazobenzothiazolyl and dihydroimidazothiazolyl coumarins.

A series of 6-(2H-1-benzopyran-2-one-3-yl)imidazo[2,1-b]thiazoles (1), 2-(2H-1-benzopyran-2-one-3-yl)imidazo[2,1-b]benzothiazoles (2) and 3-(2H-1-benzopyran-2-one-3-yl)-5,6-dihydroimidazo[2,1-b]thiazoles (3) have been synthesized and evaluated for anticancer activity in vitro. The compounds showed very good activity against different tumor cell lines.

Cryopreservation of Citrus madurensis zygotic embryonic axes by vitrification: importance of pregrowth and preculture conditions.

The role of pregrowth and preculture treatments in terms of both medium composition and exposure duration on survival of embryonic axes of Citrus madurensis after cryopreservation using the vitrification procedure was investigated. The optimal pregrowth treatment for excised embryonic axes was a 3-day treatment with 0.1M sucrose.

Influence of heavy metals on methane oxidation in tropical rice soils.

In a laboratory incubation study, the effect of select heavy metals on methane (CH4) oxidation in two rice soils was investigated under two moisture regimes. Heavy metals differed in their effect on CH4 oxidation in both soils under the two water regimes. Cr significantly inhibited CH4 oxidation in the alluvial soil at 60% moisture holding capacity, while Cu stimulated the process.

Serum levels of bone alkaline phosphatase in breast and prostate cancers with bone metastasis.

BALP activity in the sera of metastatic patients of breast and prostate malignancy has increased significantly. Our studies with patients in India conform the earlier reports that BALP may have a useful complementary role in the early diagnosis of bone metastases.

Expression cloning of protein targets for 3-phosphorylated phosphoinositides.

The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3'-K) family of lipid kinases play a critical role in cell proliferation, survival, vesicle trafficking, motility, cytoskeletal rearrangements, and oncogenesis. To identify downstream effectors of PI 3'-K, we developed a novel screen to isolate proteins that bind to the major products of PI 3'-K: phosphatidylinositol-3,4-bisphosphate (PtdIns-3,4-P(2)) and PtdIns-3,4,5-trisphosphate (PtdIns-3,4,5-P(3)). This screen uses synthetic biotinylated analogs of these lipids in conjunction with libraries of radiolabeled proteins that are produced by coupled in vitro transcription/translation reactions.

A chemically synthesized version of the insect antibacterial glycopeptide, diptericin, disrupts bacterial membrane integrity.

Insects protect themselves against bacterial infection by secreting a battery of antimicrobial peptides into the hemolymph. Despite recent progress, important mechanistic questions, such as the precise bacterial targets, the nature of any cooperation that occurs between peptides, and the purpose of multiple peptide isoforms, remain largely unanswered. We report herein the chemical synthesis and preliminary mechanistic investigation of diptericin, an 82 residue glycopeptide that contains regions similar to two different types of antibacterial peptides.

Circulating levels in serum of total sialic acid, lipid-associated sialic acid, and fucose in precancerous lesion and cancer of the oral cavity.

Total sialic acid (TSA), lipid-associated sialic acid (LASA), and fucose were estimated in sera of 35 patients with precancerous lesion of the oral cavity, 68 patients with cancer of the oral cavity, and 25 age- and sex-matched non-chewers of both tobacco and betal nut and nonsmokers as controls. Significant elevation in the serum levels of TSA and LASA were observed in patients with the precancerous and cancer lesions when compared with the controls. Serum TSA levels were elevated significantly in patients with cancer when compared with those with precancerous lesions.

Serum vitamins' status in oral leucoplakias--a preliminary study.

Vitamins, such as A, beta carotene, C, E, B12 and folate, are the micronutrients with the strongest evidence of having a link to cancer prevention and control. Deficiency of these vitamins at the dietary, systemic or mucosal level will interact with tobacco use and increase the risk of oral precancerous lesions. The objective of this study was to (1) establish the baseline circulating levels of these vitamins in our normal population with and without tobacco use and (2) compare these levels with the values obtained in cases of oral leucoplakias.

Distribution of contaminants in aquatic organisms from East Fork Popular Creek.

The ecological risk assessment of East Fork Poplar Creek (EFPC) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, investigated the nature and magnitude of the observed or expected adverse effects of the site's organic and inorganic contaminants on the ecosystem structure and function. Aquatic biota such as benthic macroinvertebrates, crayfish (Astacidae), redbreast sunfish (Lepomis auritus), and stonerollers (Campostoma anomalum), representative of various habitats, were sampled for whole-body contaminant analysis. The whole-body residue analysis of the representative aquatic organisms revealed the presence of over 50 contaminants in varying proportions.

Reversible non enhancing lesions without focal neurological deficits in eclampsia.

Nine patients with eclampsia, were subjected to computerized tomographic scan (CT scan) of the head to ascertain the changes in the brain that accompany seizures and encephalopathy of eclampsia. Only those patients who had a seizure within the past 24 h were included in this study. None of the patients had any focal neurological deficit.

Activating mutations of rhodopsin and other G protein-coupled receptors.

Rhodopsin, the visual pigment of rod photoreceptors cells, is a member of the large family of G protein-coupled receptors. Rhodopsin is composed of two parts: a polypeptide chain called opsin and an 11-cis-retinal chromophore covalently bound to the protein by means of a protonated Schiff base linkage to Lys296 located in the seventh transmembrane segment of the protein. Several mutations have been described that constitutively activate the apoprotein opsin.

Balloon angioplasty of the femoro-popliteal segment: follow up results from southern India.

Background: Disease of the femoral and popliteal arteries, though one of the commonest manifestations of atherosclerosis, is under-recognized because the morbidity it produces is less catastrophic than coronary or cerebrovascular arterial involvement. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty is performed for femoro-popliteal lesions at different centres in India, but post-angioplasty follow up data are scarce. We present our results after femoro-popliteal balloon angioplasty in 140 lesions.

A novel application of a competitive binding model in dioxin risk assessment.

The EPA-recommended toxicity equivalence factor (TEF) approach to estimating the lifetime incremental cancer risks for dioxins does not address (a) differences in the severity of toxicity according to the composition of chemical mixture and (b) potentials for modification of tissue-level doses of congeners in mixtures and consequently the cancer risk estimates. Our earlier efforts to model the binding of congeners to the Ah receptor in the low-dose range and to develop quantitative estimates for the formation of fractions of Ah receptor-congener complexes resulted in the definition of a unique parameter, defined as competitive binding ratio (CBR), to adjust tissue-level doses for mixture exposure. We made an effort to incorporate CBR values in the dose-response analysis and risk characterization of congeners in two distinct exposure scenarios.

Effect of herbicides on nitrogen fixation (C2H2 reduction) associated with rice rhizosphere.

In a field study nitrogenase activity associated with rice rhizosphere was differently influenced by the applied herbicides. Pretilachlor at two application levels had no effect on nitrogenase activity while butachlor and benthiocarb exerted marginal stimulation. Cinmethylin consistently stimulated nitrogenase activity throughout the plant growth period.

Focal occlusive disease of the common femoral artery: a report of 20 cases.

Occlusive disease localized to the common femoral artery without contiguous involvement of the external iliac and superficial femoral arteries is distinctly uncommon in vascular surgical practice. Twenty patients with focal occlusive disease in 21 common femoral arteries are featured in this report. All except one had severe disabling symptoms: Fontaine classification was stage I in one patient, stage IIb in 13, and stage III in six patients.

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of the subclavian artery in nonspecific aortoarteritis: results of long-term follow-up.

Purpose: The results of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of the subclavian artery in nonspecific aortoarteritis (Takayasu disease) are analyzed.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-four patients (15 men, nine women; age range, 18-47 years; mean, 37.1 years) with occlusive disease in 26 subclavian arteries, had symptoms due to vertebrobasilar insufficiency, upper limb claudication, or both.

Angiographic analysis and results of endovascular therapy of aneurysm of vein of Galen.

Angioarchitecture of the aneurysmal malformation of the vein of Galen in 9 patients is analysed. An arterial maze arborised directly into the vein of Galen in 6 patients. Direct fistulous communication from one or two pedicles was noted in three children.

Modified crossover and guidewire loop technique for double-balloon angioplasty of the aortic bifurcation.

A modified form of crossover railroad technique is described for iliac and aortic bifurcation obstructions in which the iliac occlusion is crossed from the opposite side by a guidewire which is brought out through the ipsilateral puncture site. After forming a loop in the abdominal aorta, dilatation with two balloons is performed. This procedure was successfully performed in 2 patients having iliac artery occlusions and aortic bifurcation obstruction.

Rhodopsin mutation G90D and a molecular mechanism for congenital night blindness.

Mutations in the gene for the visual pigment rhodopsin cause retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and congenital night blindness. Inheritance of the diseases is generally autosomal dominant and about 40 different rhodopsin mutations have been documented. Although the cell death and retinal degeneration associated with RP have been suggested to result from improper folding and accumulation of the mutant proteins in rod photoreceptor cells, this may not account for the disease in all cases.

Self-expandable stents for tracheal stenosis: experience in two patients.

Two patients with cervical tracheal stenosis, following prolonged ventilatory support, underwent balloon dilatation and expandable stainless steel stent placement across the stenoses. Following the successful release of the stent, there was gradual widening of the stenosed trachea in one patient, while in the other re-stenosis occurred due to columns of tracheal tissue projecting between the limbs of the stent. In the chronically ill and debilitated, use of expandable stents provides a good alternative to complex reconstructive surgery.

Natural history of aortoarteritis: an angiographic study in 26 survivors.

The natural history of aortoarteritis was angiographically studied in 26 surviving patients (19 female; 7 male). The interval between the initial and current angiographic study was 38-228 months (mean -84.46 months).

Influence of ammonium and 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid on nitrogenase activity in Azospirillum species from rice rhizosphere.

The influence of 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) and ammonium on the nitrogenase activity of Azospirillum sp. under normal fixing and low-fixing conditions was evaluated. Nitrogenase activity was substantially stimulated following exposure to 2,4-D at various concentrations up to 5 ppm under normal fixing conditions.

Endovascular management of carotid cavernous fistulae: observation on angiographic and clinical results.

Twenty-five patients with carotid cavernous fistulae (CCFs) were managed at our institute during a five-year period. Transarterial and transvenous treatment of traumatic carotid cavernous fistulae using the detachable balloon technique was performed in 21 patients resulting in angiographic and clinical cure in 20 patients and fatal outcome in one patient following venous rerouting. Surgical ligation of the infraclinoid internal carotid artery was needed in one patient.