Etiological and histomorphological studies on early chick mortality in broiler chicken in Kashmir, India.

Background: Early chick mortality (ECM) is one of the most important problems of the poultry industry that causes severe economic losses to the farmers. The chick mortality varies in different geographical locations and its etiological factor also varies.

Aim: The aim of the present work was to isolate and identify various etiological agents responsible for causing ECM in broilers, and study the overall occurrence and pathology of various disease conditions responsible for causing ECM in broilers.

Molecular phylogenetic analysis and seasonal dynamics of Eimeria species infecting broilers of Kashmir, India.

Globally, the poultry industry is seriously threatened by coccidiosis caused by various species of Eimeria. This protozoan parasite inhabits the epithelial lining of the gastrointestinal tract of poultry globally and can cause serious clinical disease. The present study was carried out on poultry farms located in various regions of Kashmir, India, to investigate the prevalence and phylogenetic relationships of Eimeria species affecting broiler chickens.

EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR RECEPTOR (EGFR) POLYMORPHIC VARIATIONS (-216G/T & -191 C/A) POSE A HIGH RISK TO PATIENTS WITH MALIGNANT GLIOMA.

Background: Malignant gliomas are the most frequent and lethal brain tumors. Their molecular aspects remain intangible but current studies have pointed to certain genetic polymorphic loci that pose the risk. The polymorphic sequence variations of the epidermal growth factor receptor gene (EGFR) pathway play a vital role in the glioma risk, and the EGFR variants (216G>T and 191C>A) are identified to affect the risk for the development of different tumors including glioma.

Comparative efficacy of allopathic and herbal drugs in sheep naturally infected with coccidiosis.

Development of anticoccidial resistance and concerns of drug residues have prompted the evaluation of alternatives to allopathic drugs. In current study, anticoccidial effect of amprolium was compared with that of Curcuma longa and Zingiber officinale. Ninety (90) sheep, naturally infected with Eimeria spp.

Evaluation of chromosome 1p/19q deletion by Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization (FISH) as prognostic factors in malignant glioma patients on treatment with alkylating chemotherapy.

Background: Either deletion or co-deletion of chromosomal arms 1p or 19q is a characteristic and early genetic event in oligodendroglial tumors that is associated with a better prognosis and enhanced response to therapy. Information of 1p/19q status is now regarded as the standard of care when managing oligodendroglial tumors for therapeutic options in anticipation of the increased survival and progression-free survival times associated with it. Keeping this in view, we first time attempted to establish the FISH based detection of 1p/19q deletion in glioma tissue samples to evaluate its role and involvement in the disease.

Monoclonal antibodies in breast cancer: A critical appraisal.

In breast cancer, mAbs can play multifunctional roles like targeting cancer cells, sometimes directly attacking them, helping in locating and delivering therapeutic drugs to targets, inhibiting cell growth and blocking immune system inhibitors, etc. Monoclonal antibodies are also one of the important successful treatment strategies especially against HER2 but they have not been explored much for other types of breast cancers especially in triple negative breast cancers. Monoclonal antibodies impact the feasibility of antigen specificity, bispecific and trispecific mAbs have opened new doors for more targeted specific efficacy.

Pro-oxidant vitamin C mechanistically exploits p66Shc/Rac1 GTPase pathway in inducing cytotoxicity.

P66Shc is the master regulator of oxidative stress whose pro-oxidant functioning is governed by ser36 phosphorylation. Phosphorylated p66Shc via Rac1 GTPase activation modulates ROS levels which in turn influence its pro-oxidative functions. Vitamin C at higher concentrations exhibits cytotoxic activity in various cancers, inducing ROS mediated cell death via pro-apoptotic mechanisms.

Geraniol exerts its antiproliferative action by modulating molecular targets in lung and skin carcinoma cells.

Geraniol, an acyclic monoterpene present in several plant species' essential oils, is utilized as a food additive. It possesses potent antiproliferative and antitumor effects ascribed to its antiinflammatory, and antioxidant properties. The study aimed to understand geraniol's mechanism in human lung and skin cancer cells by employing molecular and cell target-based assays.

Favorable role of 1/2 mutations aided with promoter gene methylation in the outcome of patients with malignant glioma.

Aim: The implications of molecular biomarkers 1/2 mutations and gene promoter methylation were evaluated for prognostic outcome of glioma patients.

Materials & Methods: Glioma cases were analyzed for 1/2 mutations and promoter methylation by DNA sequencing and methylation-specific PCR, respectively.

Results: Mutations found in 1/2 genes totaled 63.

Association of strong risk of hTERT gene polymorphic variants to malignant glioma and its prognostic implications with respect to different histological types and survival of glioma cases.

Background: Germline genetic variants of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) are known to predispose for various malignancies, including glioma. The present study investigated genetic variation of hTERT T/G (rs2736100) and hTERT G/A (rs2736098) with respect to glioma risk.

Methods: Confirmed cases (n = 106) were tested against 210 cancer-free healthy controls by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique for genotyping.

Induced osteoblast differentiation by amide derivatives of stilbene: The possible osteogenic agents.

A series of amide derivatives of stilbene was synthesized and investigated for osteogenic activity. Out of sixteen, seven compounds viz19c, 19g, 19i, 24b, 25a, 25c and 26a showed significant osteoblast differentiation within 1 pM-1 µM concentrations. Amongst all, 26a was identified as most active molecule which presented effective mineralization of osteoblasts and expression of mRNA of osteogenic marker gene such as BMP-2, ALP, and Runx-2 at 1 pM.

Community structure, spatial distribution, diversity and functional characterization of culturable endophytic fungi associated with Glycyrrhiza glabra L.

A total of 266 endophytic fungal isolates were recovered from 1019 tissue segments of Glycyrrhiza glabra collected from four different locations in the North-Western Himalayas. The endophytes grouped into 21 genera and 38 different taxa. The host had strong affinity for the genus Phoma, followed by Fusarium.

Concordant association validates MGMT methylation and protein expression as favorable prognostic factors in glioma patients on alkylating chemotherapy (Temozolomide).

O-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation and its subsequent loss of protein expression has been identified to have a variable impact on clinical outcome of glioma patients indicated for chemotherapy with alkylating agents (Temozolomide). This study investigated methylation status of MGMT gene along with in situ protein expression in malignant glioma patients of different histological types to evaluate the associated clinical outcome vis-a-vis use of alkylating drugs and radiotherapy. Sixty three cases of glioma were evaluated for MGMT promoter methylation by methylation-specific PCR (MS-PCR) and protein expression by immunostaining (IHC).

Porostereum sp., Associated with Saffron (Crocus sativus L.), is a Latent Pathogen Capable of Producing Phytotoxic Chlorinated Aromatic Compounds.

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is one of the most expensive spices in the world due to its medicinal and aromatic value. However, saffron production is severely affected by the corm rot disease throughout the saffron producing countries.

ACE I/D sequence variants but not MTHFR C677T, is strongly linked to malignant glioma risk and its variant DD genotype may act as a promising predictive biomarker for overall survival of glioma patients.

Objective: ACE I/D and MTHFR C677T gene polymorphisms can be seen as candidate genes for glioma on the basis of their biological functions and their involvement in different cancers. The aim of this study was to analyze potential association and overall survival between MTHFR C677T and ACE I/D polymorphism in glioma patients in our population.

Materials And Methods: We tested genotype distribution of 112 glioma patients against 141 cancer-free controls from the same region.

Mortierella alpina CS10E4, an oleaginous fungal endophyte of Crocus sativus L. enhances apocarotenoid biosynthesis and stress tolerance in the host plant.

Crocus sativus is the only plant species which produces apocarotenoids like crocin, picrocrocin and safranal in significant amounts. These compounds impart organoleptic properties to saffron (dried stigmas of Crocus flower) making it world's costliest spice. Crocus apocarotenoids have tremendous medicinal properties as well.

Molecular phylogeny, diversity, community structure, and plant growth promoting properties of fungal endophytes associated with the corms of saffron plant: An insight into the microbiome of Crocus sativus Linn.

A total of 294 fungal endophytes were isolated from the corms of Crocus sativus at two stages of crocus life cycle collected from 14 different saffron growing sites in Jammu and Kashmir (J & K) State, India. Molecular phylogeny assigned them into 36 distinct internal transcribed spacer (ITS) genotypes which spread over 19 genera. The diversity of endophytes was higher at the dormant than at the vegetative stage.

Antimicrobial Potential of Thiodiketopiperazine Derivatives Produced by Phoma sp., an Endophyte of Glycyrrhiza glabra Linn.

During the screening of endophytes obtained from Glycyrrhiza glabra Linn., the extract from a fungal culture designated as GG1F1 showed significant antimicrobial activity. The fungus was identified as a species of the genus Phoma and was most closely related to Phoma cucurbitacearum.

A novel quinazolinone chalcone derivative induces mitochondrial dependent apoptosis and inhibits PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway in human colon cancer HCT-116 cells.

We have synthesized a novel quinazolinone chalcone derivative (QC) and first time reported its in-vitro and in-vivo anticancer potential. It inhibited the cell proliferation of different cancer cell lines like PC-3, Panc-1, Mia-Paca-2, A549, MCF-7 and HCT-116. It induces apoptosis as measured by several biological endpoints such as apoptotic body formation, evident by Hoechst and scanning electron microscopy, enhanced annexinV-FITC binding of the cells, increased sub-G0 cell fraction, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm), reduction of Bcl-2/Bax ratio, activation of caspase-9, caspase-3 and PARP-1 (poly-ADP Ribose polymerase) cleavage in HCT-116 cells.

Comprehensive transcriptome analysis of Crocus sativus for discovery and expression of genes involved in apocarotenoid biosynthesis.

Background: Crocus sativus stigmas form rich source of apocarotenoids like crocin, picrocrocin and saffranal which besides imparting color, flavour and aroma to saffron spice also have tremendous pharmacological properties. Inspite of their importance, the biosynthetic pathway of Crocus apocarotenoids is not fully elucidated. Moreover, the mechanism of their stigma specific accumulation remains unknown.

Anticancer activity of Aristolochia ringens Vahl. (Aristolochiaceae).

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and sustained focus is on the discovery and development of newer and better tolerated anticancer drugs especially from plants. The sulforhodamine B (SRB) in vitro cytotoxicity assay, sarcoma-180 (S-180) ascites and solid tumor, and L1210 lymphoid leukemia in vivo models were used to investigate the anticancer activity of root extracts of Aristolochia ringens Vahl. (Aristolochiaceae; mǎ dōu líng).

Colchicine derivatives with potent anticancer activity and reduced P-glycoprotein induction liability.

Colchicine (1), a nature-derived microtubule polymerization inhibitor, develops multi-drug resistance in tumor cells due to its P-gp substrate and induction activity, which in turn leads to its rapid efflux from tumor cells. This auto-induction of the efflux of colchicine remains a major challenge to medicinal chemists. Based on structure-based molecular modeling, a series of new colchicine derivatives were designed and synthesized with a potential for reduced P-gp induction liability.

In Vitro and In Vivo Anticancer Activity of Root Extracts of Sansevieria liberica Gerome and Labroy (Agavaceae).

Introduction. Sansevieria liberica Gerome and Labroy (Agavaceae) is a perennial plant widely distributed in tropical Africa. Preparations of the plant are commonly used across Nigeria for the treatment of inflammatory conditions.

Plant-endophyte symbiosis, an ecological perspective.

Endophytism is the phenomenon of mutualistic association of a plant with a microorganism wherein the microbe lives within the tissues of the plant without causing any symptoms of disease. In addition to being a treasured biological resource, endophytes play diverse indispensable functions in nature for plant growth, development, stress tolerance, and adaptation. Our understanding of endophytism and its ecological aspects are overtly limited, and we have only recently started to appreciate its essence.