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Plant genetic resource collection expedition across various parts of India and herbarium study of Amaranthus and Luffa genera at Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Kolkata and Coimbatore revealed the distribution of 18 plant taxa new to various Indian states/union territory, viz., Arunachal Pradesh (7), Andaman & Nicobar Islands (5), Jammu & Kashmir (3), Andhra Pradesh (2), Manipur (1), and Tamil Nadu (1). Out of these, 14 taxa have importance as wild relatives of 12 crop species. In addition, herbarium studies at the BSI, Kolkata revealed the natural distribution of a cucurbitaceous species – Siraitia siamensis in Myanmar, which remained unnoticed and unreported so far. Locality of herbarium/ germplasm collection, habitat and other field observations have been highlighted here.

Background and objective Hypoglycemia is a major hindrance for optimal glycemic control in women with gestational diabetes mellitus[GDM] on insulin. We objectively estimated masked hypoglycemia [glucose

During survey and exploration undertaken for collection of germplasm of crop wild relatives from terai region (foothills) of Uttarakhand and parts of Uttar Pradesh, a wild species of okra [Abelmoschus manihot (L.) Medik. subsp. tetraphyllus (Roxb. ex Hornem.) Borss. Waalk.] locally called “Sukhlai” being used as organic clearant in small scale jaggery industry was reported for the first time under cultivation in farmers’ field. There is no specific documentation on its commercial cultivation for the above use. Variability study was undertaken for cultivated and wild types in areas of exploration to work out trends of domestication. Brief information on botany, distribution, genetic resource value and methodology of use of the species in jaggery industry has been discussed.

Chinese chives (Allium tuberosum Rottler ex Sprengel) is a less known cultivated vegetable in western and eastern Himalayan regions of India. This species is reported here for its potential for commercialization to supplement the onion and garlic production in different parts of India especially under the present unpredictable climatic conditions. Due to multipurpose use and wider adaptability of the species future thrust is laid on collection and conservation programmes in India.

Background The 7.5-kb chlamydial cryptic plasmid remains a widely used sequence target for Chlamydia trachomatis nucleic acid amplification tests, but sequence variation in this plasmid, particularly a previously reported 377-bp deletion, can cause false-negative results. Here we report the presence in Australia of a C. trachomatis strain lacking the cryptic plasmid. Methods: A rectal swab from a male in his 50s provided a positive result for C. trachomatis using the Roche Cobas 4800 test, but a negative result in our confirmatory in-house polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method targeting the chlamydial cryptic plasmid. This result was unexpected given our in-house PCR assay targeted a region of sequence outside the recognised 377-bp deletion. To further investigate this discrepancy, the sample was retested using a second in-house PCR targeting a chromosomal (ompA) gene as well as six primer sets flanking various regions of the cryptic plasmid. Results: The sample provided positive results in the second in-house method, confirming the presence of C. trachomatis DNA. All other primer sets targeting the cryptic plasmid failed to amplify, indicating a lack of the chlamydial cryptic plasmid in this sample. Conclusions: The recognition of a plasmid-deficient strain of C. trachomatis within Australia highlights further limitations of using the chlamydial cryptic plasmid for C. trachomatis diagnostics and re-emphasises the benefits of using multitarget assays to avoid false-negative results.

Milk fat is a natural product containing essential nutrients as well as fatty acids and other food factors with reported anti-cancer potential. Here bovine milk fat was tested for its ability to inhibit the growth of breast and colon cancers and their metastasis to the lung and liver; either alone or in combination with the chemotherapeutic agent paclitaxel. A diet containing 5% typical anhydrous milk fat (representing ~70% of the total dietary fat component) fed to Balb/c mice delayed the appearance of subcutaneous 4T1 breast and CT26 colon cancer tumours and inhibited their metastasis to the lung and liver, when compared to the control diet containing soybean oil as the only fat component. It augmented the inhibitory effects of paclitaxel on tumour growth and metastasis, and reduced the microvessel density of tumours. It displayed no apparent organ toxicity, but instead was beneficial for well-being of tumour-bearing mice by maintaining gastrocnemius muscle and epididymal adipose tissue that were otherwise depleted by cachexia. The milk fat diet ameliorated gut damage caused by paclitaxel in non-tumour-bearing mice, as evidenced by retention of jejunal morphology, villi length and intestinal γ-glutamyl transpeptidase activity, and inhibition of crypt apoptosis. It prevented loss of red and white blood cells due to both cancer-mediated immunosuppression and the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy. The present study warrants the use of milk fat as an adjuvant to inhibit tumour metastasis during cancer chemotherapy, and to spare patients from the debilitating side-effects of cytotoxic drugs.

Adenosine is a constitutive cell metabolite with a putative role in protection and regeneration in many tissues. This study was undertaken to determine if adenosine signalling pathways are involved in protection against noise injury. A1 adenosine receptor expression levels were altered in the cochlea exposed to loud sound, suggesting their involvement in the development of noise injury. Adenosine and selective adenosine receptor agonists (CCPA, CGS-21680 and Cl-IB-MECA) were applied to the round window membrane of the cochlea 6 h after noise exposure. Auditory brainstem responses measured 48 h after drug administration demonstrated partial recovery of hearing thresholds (up to 20 dB) in the cochleae treated with adenosine (non-selective adenosine receptor agonist) or CCPA (selective A1 adenosine receptor agonist). In contrast, the selective A2A adenosine receptor agonist CGS-21680 and A3 adenosine receptor agonist Cl-IB-MECA did not protect the cochlea from hearing loss. Sound-evoked cochlear potentials in control rats exposed to ambient noise were minimally altered by local administration of the adenosine receptor agonists used in the noise study. Free radical generation in the cochlea exposed to noise was reduced by administration of adenosine and CCPA. This study pinpoints A1 adenosine receptors as attractive targets for pharmacological interventions to reduce noise-induced cochlear injury after exposure.

Objectives: We determined the frequencies of (1) female patients aged 65 years and older having bone density measurement performed and (2) prescription therapy use among osteoporotic women. Methods: We completed a retrospective chart audit to assess our adherence to Physician Quality Reporting Initiative guidelines. Women aged 65 to 75 with an office visit between June 1 to November 30, 2007, were divided into 3 subgroups: those who had a recent preventive general medical examination (GME), those who received one in the last 10 years, and those who had not. We determined osteoporosis screening rates for all 3 groups. The first group then underwent electronic medical record review to obtain patient demographics, determine bone mineral density results, and review if those with osteoporosis were receiving prescription treatment. Results: Ninety-six percent of 305 female patients seen for a GME during the study period had completed bone mineral density testing. This was a screening rate significantly greater than that for patients with an earlier GME and those who never had one in our offices (70% and 50%, respectively). Seventy-seven percent of recent GME patients had abnormal T scores. Low weight and body mass index were significantly associated with osteoporotic T scores. Seventy-four percent of patients whose latest T scores were less than −2.5 were receiving prescription therapy. Conclusions: Female patients who completed a recent GME had extraordinarily high rates of screening for osteoporosis. We believe this demonstrates the importance of a dedicated preventive health examination as well as the increased significance that physicians and patients currently place on this behavior.

Study objectives To determine whether, in patients with bilateral pleural effusions, the main cellular and biochemical features of the pleural fluid on the right side differ from or correlate with those on the left side. We examined lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), glucose, and total protein (TP) levels, RBC count, nucleated cell count (NCC), and differential cell count. Patients and methods Twenty-seven patients with bilateral pleural effusions, including 13 patients with effusions after coronary artery bypass graft surgery, 12 patients with congestive heart failure, 1 patient with malignant pericarditis, and 1 patient with renal failure, were studied retrospectively. Results The right-sided and the left-sided pleural effusions did not differ in the mean TP (p = 0.38), glucose (p = 0.31), and LDH (p = 0.39) levels, RBC count (p = 0.31), NCC (p = 0.96), and the percentage of neutrophils (p = 0.22), lymphocytes (p = 0.73), mononuclear cells (MNCs) [p = 0.49], and eosinophils (p = 0.65). The bias ± precision was 0.1 ± 0.64 g/dL for TP, − 2.7 ± 23 mg/dL for glucose, 41 ± 362 IU/L for LDH, 6,100 ± 62,900 cells/μL for RBC count, − 36 ± 1,043 cells/μL for NCC, − 2.9 ± 11.6% for the percentage of neutrophils, 1.15 ± 17% for the percentage of lymphocytes, 2.3 ± 17% for the percentage of the MNCs, and − 0.15 ± 5.4% for the percentage of eosinophils. Moreover, there was a close correlation between the right-sided and the left-sided pleural effusions concerning TP level ( r = 0.85, p r = 0.78, p r = 0.71, p r = 0.66, p r = 0.60, p = 0.001), and the percentage of neutrophils ( r = 0.77, p r = 0.77, p r = 0.74, p r = 0.84, p Conclusion Since the pleural fluid findings tend to be similar in both sides of patients with bilateral pleural effusion, we suggest that diagnostic thoracentesis may not need to be performed on both sides, unless there is a specific clinical indication.

Teke, Ali (Balikesir Author), We report on the operation and non-linear dynamics of a hot electron device that emits light with wavelength tunability, The device consists of p-GaAs/n-Ga-1 -xAlxAs heterojunction containing an inversion layer on the p-side, and GaAs quantum wells on the n-side. It is referred to as HELLISH-2 (Hot Electron Light Emitting and Lasing in Semiconductor Heterostructure Type 2). The device utilises hot electron longitudinal transport and the light emission is independent of the polarity of applied voltage. The wavelength of the emitted light can be tuned with applied bias from 1.50 to 1.61 eV. The operation of the device requires only two diffused in point contacts. Theoretical modelling of the device operation has been carried out and compared with the experimental results.

Teke, Ahmet (Balikesir Author), We demonstrate the operation of a novel tunable wavelength surface emitting device. The device is based on a p-GaAs and n-Ga1-xAlxAs heterojunction containing an inversion layer on the p-side, and GaAs quantum wells on the n-side, and is referred to as HELLISH-II (hot-electron light emitting and lasing in semiconductor heterojunction). The device utilizes hot-electron longitudinal transport and, therefore, light emission is independent of the polarity of the applied voltage. Because of this symmetric property, the device can perform light logic functions. The wavelength of the emitted tight can be tuned with the applied bias from GaAs band-to-band transition in the inversion layer to e1-hh1 transition in the quantum wells. The operation of the device requires only two diffused in point contacts. Therefore, a two-dimensional array of surface emitters can be fabricated very cheaply and easily. Theoretical modelling of the device operation is carried out and compared with the experimental results. An optimized structure for high-efficiency device operation, as based on our model calculations, is also proposed.

A model is presented which determines the output from a semiconductor laser as a function of the direct current (d.c.) and radio frequency (r.f.) current applied to the laser. It is shown that by adjusting these two components the output optical pulse from a laser can be shifted in time without change to the pulse shape or height. Experimental results are presented which support the model. It is suggested how these results can be used to produce a semiconductor pump-probe source, which is essential for the development of optical probing.

Background Reverse engineering in systems biology entails inference of gene regulatory networks from observational data. This data typically include gene expression measurements of wild type and mutant cells in response to a given stimulus. It has been shown that when more than one type of experiment is used in the network inference process the accuracy is higher. Therefore the development of generally applicable and effective methodologies that embed multiple sources of information in a single computational framework is a worthwhile objective. Results This paper presents a new method for network inference, which uses multi-objective optimisation (MOO) to integrate multiple inference methods and experiments. We illustrate the potential of the methodology by combining ODE and correlation-based network inference procedures as well as time course and gene inactivation experiments. Here we show that our methodology is effective for a wide spectrum of data sets and method integration strategies. Conclusions The approach we present in this paper is flexible and can be used in any scenario that benefits from integration of multiple sources of information and modelling procedures in the inference process. Moreover, the application of this method to two case studies representative of bacteria and vertebrate systems has shown potential in identifying key regulators of important biological processes.

Hearing loss from noise exposure is a leading occupational disease, with up to 5% of the population at risk world-wide. Here, we present a novel purine-based pharmacological intervention that can ameliorate noise-induced cochlear injury. Wistar rats were exposed to narrow-band noise (8-12 kHz, 110 dB SPL, 2-24 h) to induce cochlear damage and permanent hearing loss. The selective adenosine A(1) receptor agonist, adenosine amine congener (ADAC), was administered intraperitoneally (100 microg/kg/day) at time intervals after noise exposure. Hearing thresholds were assessed using auditory brainstem responses and the hair cell loss was evaluated by quantitative histology. Free radical damage in the organ of Corti was assessed using nitrotyrosine immunohistochemistry. The treatment with ADAC after noise exposure led to a significantly greater recovery of hearing thresholds compared with controls. These results were upheld by increased survival of sensory hair cells and reduced nitrotyrosine immunoreactivity in ADAC-treated cochlea. We propose that ADAC could be a valuable treatment for noise-induced cochlear injury in instances of both acute and extended noise exposures.

We demonstrate the operation of a surface emitting light emitting diode. The wavelength of the emitted light can be tuned with the applied voltage. The device is based on a p‐GaAs and n‐Ga1−xAlxAs heterojunction containing an inversion layer in the p side and, GaAs quantum wells in the n side, and, is referred to as HELLISH‐II (hot electron light emitting and lasing in semiconductor heterojunction). The device utilizes hot electron longitudinal transport and, therefore, light emission is independent of the polarity of the applied voltage.

One of the draw-backs of the conventional light emitters appears to be that the light emission is confined to a small region of the facets of the devices1. Thus, the compatibility in generic integration technology remains a problem. The research on simple devices that emit light from the surface with good control of wavelength tunability, and which can be fabricated in large scale 2- dimensional arrays has been largely stimulated by potential applications in optical signal processing. One possible candidate for such a simple functional device is the light emitting charge injection transistor (CHINT) 2. Another light emitter, HELLISH-1 (Hot Electron Light Emission and Lasing in Semiconductor Heterostructures) has been proposed by us3–5. In this paper we present a novel surface emitting device, HELLISH-2 and demonstrate its operation with a simple model. We also report the results of our recent studies on a heavily p-n doped HELLISH-1 device.

In transport the creation of hot LU phonons causes a reduction in the carrier energy relaxation rate but an enhancement of the momentum relaxation rate. The magnitude of the latter determines the drift velocity attainable at high electric fields - which in turn limits the speed of devices such as FETs. How big this effect is depends on the rate of relaxation of phonon drift. Mechanisms for this relaxation are discussed and phonon-momentum relaxation rates are calculated for bulk and layered structures. Processes considered include the FrOhlich interaction with charged impurities phonon-phonon scattering and scattering at interface irregularities. We conclude that the quality of the material structure is crucial.

The effect of phonons in non-thermodynamic equilibrium (hot-phonons) on steady-state transport in degenerate bulk and two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor structures is studied. The phonon-drift effects are taken to be negligible, and, the formulation is confined to electrons in a single parabolic band interacting with a non-drifted population of polar-optic phonons, restricted to interface modes in the 2D case. Hot phonons in bulk semiconductors lead not only to a decrease in the energy relaxation rate, but, also, to a decrease in the mobility as the carrier concentration n3D is increased. Hot phonons in 2D systems, on the other hand, cause the energy relaxation rate and mobility to go through a minima as the electron concentration n2D is increased. The electron drift velocity, contrary to the bulk case, is seen to increase with n2D for n2D > 1012cm−2, and reflects the difference in the nature of electron density of states in the two cases.

Scattering and well‐width nonuniformities in double‐barrier structures introduce level broadening, particularly in the quantum‐well region, and the effect of this level broadening on coherent and sequential transmission of electrons through these structures has been examined. First, it is shown that resonant energies are eigenenergies of the overall system, so that it is the same energy level which is involved in both tunneling mechanisms. This explains why the negative differential resistance (NDR) peak occurs at the same voltage for coherent and sequential tunneling. Expressions for the transmission coefficients and, consequently, for the current density are derived, and it is shown that the effect of broadening is to reduce the peak current and the peak‐to‐valley ratio for both tunneling processes, this reduction being quite remarkable for the case of coherent tunneling through the structures with thick barriers. Based on this, ways are suggested to distinguish between the two tunneling phenomena. This broadening‐induced reduction in peak current and peak‐to‐valley ratio leads to a reduction in the NDR‐related maximum operating frequency in these structures. On the other hand, the effect of broadening on coherent tunneling itself is to reduce the resonant tunneling time, thus allowing higher‐frequency operation in optical devices. Above a critical amount of broadening the assumption of coherent tunneling breaks down, and sequential tunneling takes over. Critical broadenings for a number of cases are estimated. It is emphasized that the form of the NDR and hence the frequency response is dependent on whether the emitter density of states is two‐ or three‐dimensional‐like.