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Neuropsychological studies report anxiety and depression like symptoms in patients suffering from lifestyle disorder but its impact on locomotor function lacks clarity. Our study investigates locomotor deficits resulting due to perturbations in cerebellum of high fat diet (HFD), chronodisruption (CD) or a combination (HCD) model of lifestyle disorder. Significant downregulation in levels of cerebellar clock genes (Bmal-1, Clock, Per 1 and Per 2) and Bdnf-Trkb pathway genes (Bdnf, TrkB and Syn1 levels) were recorded. Further, locomotor deficits were observed in all the three experimental groups as evidenced by actimeter test, pole test and wire hanging test. Nuclear pyknosis of Purkinje cells, their derangement and inflammation were the hallmark of cerebellar tissue of all the three experimental groups. Taken together, this study generates important links between cerebellar clock oscillations, locomotor function and Bdnf-TrkB signaling., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Simple organisms are preferred for understanding the molecular and cellular function(s) of complex processes. Dictyostelium discoideum is a lower eukaryote, a protist and a cellular slime mould, which has been in recent times used for various studies such as cell differentiation, development, cell death, stress responses etc. It is a soil amoeba (unicellular) that undertakes a remarkable, facultative shift to multicellularity when exposed to starvation and requires signal pathways that result in alteration of gene expression and finally show cell differentiation. The amoebae aggregate, differentiate and form fruiting bodies with two terminally differentiated cells: the dead stalk (non-viable) and dormant spores (viable). In India, starting from the isolation of Dictyostelium species to morphogenesis, cell signalling and social evolution has been studied with many more new research additions. Advances in molecular genetics make Dictyostelium an attractive model system to study cell biology, biochemistry, signal transduction and many more.

Albumin is a versatile protein used as a carrier system for cancer therapeutics. As a carrier it can provide tumor specificity, reduce drug related toxicity, maintain therapeutic concentration of the active moiety like drug, gene, peptide, protein etc. for long period of time and also reduce drug related toxicities. Apart from cancer therapy, it is also utilized in the imaging and multimodal therapy of cancer. This review highlights the important properties, structure and types of albumin based nanocarriers with regards to their use for cancer targeting. It also provides brief discussion on methods of preparation of these nanocarriers and their surface modification. Applications of albumin nanocarriers for cancer therapy, gene delivery, imaging, phototherapy and multimodal therapy have also been discussed. This review also provides brief discussion about albumin based marketed nano formulations and those under clinical trials., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Carboplatin is a congener of cisplatin used in the treatment of ovarian, head and neck and small-cell lung cancer. However, the clinical efficacy of carboplatin is marred by the development of ROS-dependent nephrotoxicity. The pathophysiological damage inflicted upon the kidney by carboplatin closely resembles to that of Fanconi syndrome., Aims and Objectives: The present study aimed at inducing Fanconi-like syndrome in rats by administration of carboplatin. Objectives of the study involved evaluation of biochemical parameters coherent to Fanconi-like syndrome. Further, an attempt was made to evaluate the potential therapeutic effect of pentoxifylline in this condition., Results: The results of the study demonstrated that the urinary excretion profile of carboplatin treated rats closely resembled to that of patients suffering from Fanconi-like condition. Pentoxifylline was able to ameliorate this nephrotoxic condition as suggested by the change in levels of membrane bound ATPases, MDA and GSH. The urinary levels of tyrosine and cysteine correlate well with that of Fanconi-like condition in animals and humans., Conclusion: In lieu of these observations, our study suggested that carboplatin-induced renovascular damage resembles to Fanconi-like condition which can be mitigated by pentoxifylline., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A new rapid selective spectrophotometric method for the determination of sulphacetamide is described. The drug forms a orange-yellow colored complex with Cerium(IV) in sulfuric acid media which is extracted into ethyl acetate. The complex exhibits a maximum absorbance at 440 nm with a molar absorptivity of 3 x 10(2) 1 mol-1 cm-1. The system obeys Beer's law in the concentration range of 0.07-1.1 mg of sulphacetamide. The various parameters for the optimum extraction conditions are discussed. The method is applied to the determination of sulphacetamide in dosage forms.

Brush border membrane vesicles (BBMVs) were prepared from the 2nd instar larvae of Helicoverpa armigera. Binding of the activated Cry1Ac of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin was shown by immunoblot. A 120-kDa protein was identified as a receptor for the Cry1Ac type delta-endotoxin. The aminopeptidase-N activity of BBMVs was measured as the hydrolysis of L-leucine p-nitroanilide. The specific activity was 35 units/mg protein. The BBMV preparation also showed low level of alkaline phosphatase activity. Zn++ chelating agents 2,2'-dipyridyl and 1,10-phenanthroline inhibited aminopeptidase activity at 10 mM concentration, indicating the presence of zinc-dependent aminopeptidase in the brush border of H. armigera. The aminopeptidase activity was increased with increasing concentration of delta-endotoxin. The purified 120-kDa binding protein was N-terminally sequenced. The first 10-amino-acid sequence showed 60-77% similarity with human cysteine-rich secretory protein-1 precursor, inhibin alpha chain precursor. Salmonella flagellar hook protein and yeast carboxypeptidase S.

A virulent strain of pigeon pea wilt pathogen was isolated from wilted pigeon pea plants and was identified as Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. udum. Many bacterial cultures showing antagonism to the pathogen were isolated from various ecological niches. When tested under pot and field conditions, development of fusarial wilt symptoms was prevented in pigeon pea seeds treated with one such antagonist, Bacillus brevis. A formulation of B. brevis with vermiculite as a carrier had a shelf life of at least 6 months. Bacillus brevis produced an extracellular antagonistic substance which induced swelling of the pathogen's hyphal tips, and cells were bulbous and swollen with shrunken and granulated cytoplasm. The antagonistic substance also inhibited germination of conidia, and was fungicidal to the vegetative mycelia of the pathogen. Comparison of the properties of our antagonistic substance with that of known antibiotics produced by B. brevis suggests that our antagonistic substance is a novel compound. The observations reported here indicate that this strain of B. brevis may have potential as a biocontrol agent against fusarial wilt in pigeon pea.

An attempt was made to pharmaceutically develop a topical liposomal tretinoin (TRE) gel and clinically evaluate the developed formulation for the treatment of acne in patients. Liposomes of TRE were prepared using the lipid film hydration technique and the entrapment efficiency of TRE in liposomes was optimized to 79.96%. The drug retention in liposomes and in liposomal TRE gel (Carbopol 934 gel base) studied at three storage conditions indicated maximum drug retention at refrigeration temperature. For liposomal TRE gel, reduced drug leakage was observed as compared to that of liposomes at all three storage conditions. Diffusion studies of plain TRE gel and liposomal TRE gel suggested prolongation (3.4 times reduction in flux value) of drug diffusion and almost two-fold increase in skin drug retention after liposomal encapsulation of drug. A comparative double-blind clinical study of the developed liposomal TRE gel, carried out on 30 acne patients over a period of 3 months, demonstrated significant enhancement (about 1.5-fold) in drug efficacy. More remarkable improvement was observed in the treatment of comedones, where the mean percent reduction in lesions increased from 62.36% for plain TRE gel to 94.17% for liposomal TRE gel. Erythema and irritation associated with the use of plain TRE gel was reduced considerably with the use of liposomal TRE gel. The findings of this investigation therefore underscore potential utility of commercialization of liposomal TRE gel in the treatment of acne.

Prolonged exposure of rats to aluminium (Al) can result in an Alzheimer-like condition. To get better insights into the biochemical defects underlying AD, senility and ageing we exposed rats for long durations (90-100 days) to soluble salt of aluminium (AlCl3) and checked its influence on mitochondrial respiratory activity in the liver, brain and heart. In the liver and brain mitochondria the ADP/O ratio was impaired with NAD+ linked substrates. State three respiration decreased with glutamate in the liver. For succinate, the ADP/O ratio decreased in the liver mitochondria while state three and four respiration decreased in the brain mitochondria. In both the tissues respiration rates decreased with ascorbate + TMPD as the substrate. In the heart mitochondria ADP/O ratios with NAD+ linked substrates decreased, while respiration rates increased with all the substrates except for ascorbate + TMPD. Temperature kinetics data showed different effects on ATPase in the mitochondria from the three tissues. Data on lipid/phospholipid profiles suggested that the observed changes in energy metabolism were not mediated via lipid changes. Long-term exposure to Al resulted in approximately 100% increase in Al content of liver and brain mitochondria but in the heart there was phenomenal 11-fold increase, indicating thereby that the effects of Al exposure were indirect rather than direct due to Al accumulation.

A novel topical clofazimine (CLO) gel formulation containing liposomally encapsulated CLO, was prepared and investigated in vitro followed by a clinical evaluation. CLO liposomes were prepared by the lipid film hydration technique. Comparative in vitro diffusion studies were conducted with plain and liposomal CLO in HPMC K4M gel base (2% and 5%) using human cadaver skin (HCS). A double blind clinical study was conducted on eight leprosy patients. The results of these studies show that the new liposomal topical gel formulation not only prolongs the drug release but also promotes drug retention by the skin. Studies further support formation of a reservoir of drug on the skin modifying therapeutic efficacy of the formulation. The new liposomal gel formulation of CLO considerably reduces the healing time of external lesions due to a significantly prolonged skin residence time compared to plain CLO gel and hence is expected to reduce the time needed for leprosy treatment.

Several child health care programmes, though often well conceived, are poorly implemented at field level and focus primarily on quantitative achievements to the neglect of quality of care. This paper presents a quality of care (QOC) framework for child health programmes from the perspectives of the management system of an organization and the provider-client interface at point of service delivery. The paper subsequently describes the application of qualitative and quantitative research tools drawn from the social sciences and health sciences for planning and evaluating quality of care. An integrated and complementary use of these tools is recommended. It is suggested that minimum standards, which are region specific, be articulated for quality maintenance in child health programmes. These standards may be upgraded as quality improves. Finally, the challenges which a partnership of the health and social sciences may have to take up are discussed. These include advocacy for prioritization of QOC in child health programmes, facilitating an environment which supports quality of care, promoting inter-disciplinary action research, training students in social science research in universities and research organizations, documenting success stories.

Methylobacterium sp. ZP24, isolated from a local pond, is able to grow in a medium containing 12 g l-1 lactose as a sole source of carbon, giving 5.25 g l-1 biomass yield and poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) up to 59% of its dry weight in 40 h. The isolate was also able to utilize cheese whey and produce 1.1 g l-1 PHB. Addition of ammonium sulphate increased the production of PHB from whey 2.5-fold. The potential of Methylobacterium sp. ZP24 in PHB production from cheese whey is discussed.

Transdermal permeation of positively charged liposomally entrapped diphenhydramine hydrochloride (DPH-HCL) has been investigated in presence of pulse D.C. anodic current. Positively charged liposomes were prepared by lipid film hydration technique with stearyl amine as a charge inducer. The prepared liposomes were then subjected to in vitro permeation studies using artificial membrane (cellophane membrane) and human cadaver skin under the influence of iontophoretic current. The effect of variable current density as well as time frequency of application of current onto the release pattern of the plain drug and charged liposomally entrapped drug were studied and the results were compared. The results indicate that application of pulse D.C. anodic current significantly influences the transfer of positively charged liposomally entrapped DPH-HCL across HCS.

Cowpea miscellany group of rhizobia are generally broad host range. Transconjugants of these cowpea rhizobial isolates having nodABC-lacZ fusion were monitored for flavonoid/root exudate-induced activation of the nod genes in terms of beta-galactosidase activity, thus determining the potential host range of the rhizobial isolates.

Comamonas acidovorans D-4, capable of utilizing dimethylterephthalate (DMT) as the sole carbon source, was isolated from the activated sludge of petrochemical wastewater treatment plant. Almost complete utilization of as high as 0.5% (w/v) DMT was observed in 72 hr. Growth kinetics followed a parallel relation between the growth, DMT utilization and cell associated esterase activity. A cell free broth of DMT grown cells showed an extracellular esterase activity. During the DMT degradation an extracellular accumulation of terephthalic acid was found. Although, C. acidovorans grew on a number of phthalate esters and phthalic acids as the sole carbon source, growth was significantly high on phthalic acids. The potential of this organism in petrochemical pollution abatement is discussed.

Possible significance of licking of anogenital region by female rat in the initial steps of precopulatory behaviour was studied in short bouts of 3 min each. The order of conspicuous events was--(1) exploratory behaviour, (2) partners pursuing each other, (3) head-to-tail orientation and mutual licking of anogenital regions; particularly when females were in oestrous and metoestrous stages and (4) obvious avoidance and even aggressive behaviour by female during dioestrous stage.

Muscle ATPase activity did not show much change with any of the treatments, while hepatic total and Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-ATPase activities were decreased with low dose of dexamethasone (DXM(L) and enzyme activity in general was increased with both high dose of DXM(H) and corticosterone. Total and Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-ATPases were increased in testis of corticosterone treated chicks. Acid phosphatase activity of testis was increased with DXM(H) and decreased with DXM(L) while the enzyme activity in all the three tissues was increased with corticosterone. Muscle alkaline phosphatase activity was decreased with DXM treatments while that of testis was decreased with both DXM(H) and corticosterone treatments. Hepatic PDE activity was decreased with DXM and increased with corticosterone while muscle PDE activity was decreased under both DXM(H) and corticosterone treatments. The results suggest that both hypo. and hypercorticalism can induce tissue specific differential alterations in phosphomonoesterases, ATPases and PDE during early phases of post-natal development of chicks.

We report here a counter-selectable marker system for genetic transformation of the yeast Schwanniomyces alluvius, based on the complementation of uracil auxotrophs defective in either orotidine-5'-phosphate decarboxylase (URA3) or orotidine-5'-pyrophosphate (URA5). Uracil auxotrophs of S. alluvius were obtained by ethyl methanesulphonate mutagenesis and complemented using the ura3 gene from S. cerevisiae. A transformation frequency of approximately 10(4)/micrograms DNA was obtained, which is tenfold higher than results described in either reports. Transformants were analysed by Southern blot hybridisation and were found to be mitotically stable. The extrachromosomal nature of the transforming DNA was confirmed by Southern hybridisation and plasmid rescue. The rescued plasmid DNA had a restriction pattern identical to that of the parent plasmid.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa GS3 produced rhamnolipid biosurfactants during growth on carbohydrates, higher chain length n-alkanes and l-alkenes, petroleum crude oil and vegetable oils. With glucose as the substrate, maximum surfactant production (0.44 g/l) was observed during the stationary phase of growth. Partially purified rhamnolipids showed excellent surface-active properties in terms of reduction in the interfacial tension between them and a variety of hydrocarbons, hydrocarbon mixtures and vegetable oils and formation of stable emulsion.

To establish the relationship between thyroid hormone and cyclic Adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) during lacertilian tail regeneration, cAMP phosphodiesterase, the hydrolytic enzyme of cAMP, was assayed in the tail regenerate, liver, and skeletal muscle of control (group A), chemically thyroidectomized (group B), and thyroidectomized and T4-replaced (group C) animals during various periods of tail regeneration. Enzyme activity was elevated in all three tissues of group B animals. Animals of group C showed an intermediate level of enzyme activity between controls (group A) and experimental animals (group B). These observations suggest a possible regulatory role of thyroxine in maintaining optimum levels of phosphodiesterase. The retardation in regeneration observable in the hypothyroid group of animals may be correlated with low levels of tissue cAMP. However, the operation of other influencing factors on phosphodiesterase during regeneration can be surmised from the observed tendency to exhibit similar patterns of phase-specific modulations in enzyme activity. Our observations are discussed in terms of phase-specific involvement of cAMP in regeneration, as well as its role in other metabolic aspects and the possible mode of indirect control exerted by thyroxine on lacertilian tail regeneration.

The developmental profiles of sialidase, beta-galactosidase, beta-hexosaminidase and beta-glucosidase were compared to those of the gangliosides in rat brain and spinal cord. The glycosidase activities (enzyme units/g wet tissue), except beta-galactosidases, were found to be higher in brain than spinal cord, in adult rats. Among the hydrolases, beta-hexosaminidase showed a higher level of activity in both brain and spinal cord. In brain, the hydrolases, except beta-glucosidase, followed a similar developmental pattern, showing an increase from birth to 21 days, and then decreased to adult values by day 90. In the spinal cord, sialidase, beta-galactosidase, pH 3.1, and beta-hexosaminidase activities increased from birth to 21 days, reaching peak values. These activities then declined to adult values by 90 days of age. However, beta-galactosidase, pH 4.5, and beta-glucosidase activities showed a peak at day 14. Brain total ganglioside concentration (microgram N-acetylneuraminic acid/g tissue) increased slowly between birth and 7 days of age, followed by a rapid phase of increase to attain a peak value by day 21. The concentration of total gangliosides in the spinal cord is less when compared to the brain. The proportions of individual gangliosides in the central nervous system also vaired during development. The rapid phase of increase in enzyme activities between 0-7 and 14-21 days and a decrease thereafter is consistent with the turnover rate of gangliosides, which in rat brain is reported to be highest between 10 and 20 days.

The effect of salinity and osmotic stress on protein synthesis was studied in cowpea Rhizobium 4a. Osmotic component of salinity stress has been shown to induce ten proteins in a salt tolerant/osmosensitive cowpea Rhizobium. 4a (groundnut isolate). Of these seven polypeptides were induced only by salt/osmotic stress while two were induced by heat shock. The results demonstrate a commonality as well as stress specificity of protein synthesis regulation.

Paracetamol overdose (300 mg kg(-1)) in mice resulted in a time-dependent increase in the liver weight; no change was seen for the kidney. The total acid phosphatase activities in the two tissues increased significantly 0.5 h after paracetamol overdose and remained elevated up to 3 h. Free as well as total cathepsin D activities increased significantly in both the tissues within 2-2.5 h of paracetamol treatment. Simultaneously tyrosine positive materials in the two tissues increased. RNAse II and DNAse II activities were low in liver and kidneys of the controls. Paracetamol treatment elevated both free and total RNAse II activity in the two tissues by 0.5 h. Maximum activity of DNAse II (free and total) was seen at 2.5 h after paracetamol administration. The results suggest that concerted action of cathepsin D, RNAse II and DNAse II may be responsible for paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity.

Effect of spaying on liver and plasma phospholipid components was studied in 4-day cyclic rats (Haffkin Institute Strain). Rats were ovariectomized during diestrous stage of estrous cycle. Ovariectomy (OVX) was shown to increase the total phospholipid content in both the liver lobes after 24 hr interval, it remained higher in spigelian lobe up to 72 hr but it was lowered in the right lobe at 48 hr interval. Concentration of sphingomyelin (SHP) in total phospholipids, as assessed by TLC, was slightly increased in both lobes after 48 hr of spaying. It declined significantly by 72 hr only in the spigelian lobe. Phosphotidylcholin, phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine concentrations showed fluctuating pattern up to 48 hr of spaying, but most of these changes were seen to be restored to the normal level by 72 hr interval. Results indicate that the relative lack of ovarian hormones due to ovariectomy have obvious influence on hepatic lipid metabolism particularly that of phospholipid components. There appears to be an inverse relationship between hepatic lipid components and blood plasma. Spigelian lobe exhibits distinctly different responses to ovariectomy as compared to those of the right lobe. Maximal alterations are observable by 48 hr post-OVX interval.

This report concerns changes brought about in the submandibular salivary gland during different stages of the oestrous cycle in the concentrations of total lipids, cholesterol and protein, together with an assessment of the activities of cyclic AMP-specific phosphodiesterase, ATPase, succinate dehydrogenase and an estimation of plasma glucose concentrations. As it is known that the ovarian steroids influence metabolic processes, it was thought desirable to study such metabolic alterations. During the transition from a dioestrous to oestrous stage, lipid accumulation occurred. However, during the metoestrous stage, catabolic tendencies predominated although there was some protein synthesis.

A short interspersed nuclear element, Mg-SINE, was isolated and characterized from the genome of the rice blast fungus, Magnaporthe grisea. Mg-SINE was isolated as an insertion element within Pot2, an inverted-repeat transposon from M. grisea and shows typical features of a mammalian SINE. Mg-SINE is present as a 0.47-kb interspersed sequence at approximately 100 copies per haploid genome in both rice and non-rice isolates of M. grisea, indicating a common evolutionary origin. Secondary structure analysis of Mg-SINE revealed a tRNA-related region at the 5' end which folds into a cloverleaf structure. Genomic fusions resulting in chimeric Mg-SINEs (Ch-SINEs) composed of a sequence homologous to Mg-SINE at the 3' end and an unrelated sequence at its 5' end were also isolated, indicating that this and other DNA rearrangements mediated by these elements may have a major effect on the genomic architecture of this fungus.

The effects of long-term administration of the tricyclic antidepressant imipramine on energy metabolism of rat brain mitochondria were examined. Intraperitoneal administration of the drug resulted in significant stimulation of the state 3 respiration rates with glutamate, pyruvate+malate, beta-hydroxybutyrate and succinate as the substrates. The effect was evident within a week of imipramine administration and was sustained through the second week of the drug treatment. State 4 respiration rates were also found to be increased in general. However, the respiration with ascorbate+TMPD as the electron donor system decreased. The intramitochondrial content of cytochrome b and c+c1 increased in the first week of the drug treatment; that of aa3 cytochrome increased only in the second week.

The major goal of the study was to explore the possibility of developing an updated model that integrates the effect of various enhancers and inhibitors for predicting the potential availability of iron from typical Indian vegetarian meals. The interaction effects of four constituents namely ascorbic acid, citric acid, tannic acid and calcium phosphate was studied using a standard cereal meal (STD meal) providing 3 mg non-heme iron/250 ml homogenate. Based on the data, a regression equation was evolved which was tested for its predictive power as applied to a set of 10 typical Indian meals. Regression analysis of the data revealed that both ascorbate and citrate emerged as equally strong enhancers while tannate and calcium phosphate demonstrated strong inhibitory effect on iron availability in the STD meal. Further, when the prediction equation, generated on the basis of the interaction effect data was applied to the typical Indian meals, it showed a high correlation coefficient (r = 0.76) between the analysed values for iron availability vs the values computed using the enhancer and inhibitor contents of the meals. Comparison with the only other model available in the literature namely that of Monsen & Balintfy (1982) revealed that the present model was far better in predicting iron availability from cereal based Indian meals (r = 0.76) than Monsen's model (r = 0.19). The findings of the present study substantiated the hypothesis that a regression model, evolved from a cereal meal, by integrating the effect of enhancers as well as inhibitors, rather than only enhancers, provides a more precise estimate of iron availability from typical Indian meals. A limitation of the model however, was that phytate could not be incorporated into the equation.

Thyroid-status-dependent changes in lipid/phospholipid profiles in rat liver mitochondria were examined and attempts were made to correlate the observed changes with kinetic parameters of succinate-2,6-dichloroindophenol reductase (SDR) and membrane fluidity. Thyroidectomy caused substantial decrease in the total phospholipid and cholesterol contents; the proportion of all phospholipid components was also decreased significantly (50-100% decrease). The energy of activation, E1, for SDR decreased with a concomitant increase in the membrane fluidity. Treatment with physiologic doses or replacement doses of L-thyroxine resulted in partial restoration of lipid/phospholipid components. However, the SDR activity decreased with a simultaneous elevation in the phase-transition temperature and significant decreases in E1 and E2. Treatment with L-thyroxine restored membrane fluidity to almost euthyroid values. Regression analysis suggested a role for phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol microdomains in modulating the SDR activity. Membrane fluidity was strongly correlated with total phospholipid, cholesterol, diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidyl-inositol, and the ratio of cholesterol/total phospholipid (mol/mol).

We examined the effects of alloxan-diabetes on the kinetic properties of the soluble and the membrane-bound forms of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in rat brain. The Km (0.15 mM) and Vmax. (1.5 mmol/min per mg of protein) of the soluble form of the enzyme were unchanged in the diabetic animals. The membrane-bound enzyme in the control group displayed a lower Km (0.09 mM) and a higher Vmax. (7.2 mmol/min per mg of protein) compared with the soluble form of the enzyme; the diabetic state caused a significant increase (40%) in both Km and Vmax. Kis values were about 3-4 times higher for the membrane-bound enzyme in both control and diabetic animals. The results suggest that membrane binding and membrane alterations in diabetes can significantly influence the kinetic properties of AChE.

The production of beta-glucosidase by Aspergillus terreus was investigated in liquid shake cultures. Enzyme production was maximum on the 7th day of growth (2.18 U/ml) with the initial pH of the medium in the range of 4.0-5.5. Cellulose (Sigmacell Type 100) at 1.0% (wt/vol) gave maximum beta-glucosidase activity among the various soluble and insoluble carbon sources tested. Potassium nitrate was a suitable nitrogen source for enzyme production. Triton X-100 at 0.15% (vol/vol) increased the enzyme levels of A. terreus. The test fungal strain showed an ability to ferment glucose to ethanol.

We examined effects of graded doses of thyroid hormones 3,3', 5-tri-iodo-L-thyronine (T3) and L-thyroxine (T4) on the lipid composition of rat brain mitochondria. Neither hormone significantly affected the mitochondrial cholesterol or total phospholipid content, but did increase phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) at the expense of phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylinositol (PI) and phosphatidylcholine (PC). The phosphatidic acid (PA) content was also elevated, suggesting enhanced phospholipid turnover. Changes in sphingomyelin (SPM) and diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG) were minimal. Mitochondrial membrane fluidity also increased after thyroid-hormone treatment, and the increase was closely correlated with PC/PE and SPM/PE molar ratios.

Dose dependent study was performed to identify subcritical level of Pb and Cd. Blood delta-ALAD activity was inhibited by (0.1 mg/kg body wt) of both lead and cadmium in isolation and combination, the extent of which increases with duration of exposure. Hepatic delta-ALAD activity however is less affected by Cd and Pb-Cd together than Pb alone. Erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase activity though decrease in all groups, is not significant.

We report the cloning and characterisation of Pot2, a putative transposable element from Magnaporthe grisea. The element is 1857 bp in size, has 43-bp perfect terminal inverted repeats (TIRs) and 16-bp direct repeats within the TIRs. A large open reading frame, potentially coding for a transposase-like protein, was identified. This putative protein coding region showed extensive identity to that of Fot1, a transposable element from another phytopathogenic fungus, Fusarium oxysporum. Pot2, like the transposable elements Tc1 and Mariner of Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila, respectively, duplicates the dinucleotide TA at the target insertion site. Sequence analysis of DNA flanking 12 Pot2 elements revealed similarity to the consensus insertion sequence of Tc1. Pot2 is present at a copy number of approximately 100 per haploid genome and represents one of the major repetitive DNAs shared by both rice and non-rice pathogens of M. grisea.

The effects of in vivo treatment with graded doses (0.5-1.5 micrograms/g body weight) of thyroid hormones, tri-iodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), for 4 consecutive days to euthyroid rats on the respiratory activity of isolated brain mitochondria were examined. T4 stimulated coupled State-3 respiration with glutamate, pyruvate + malate, ascorbate + tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine and succinate, in a dose-dependent manner; T3 was effective only at the highest (1.5 micrograms) dose employed. T4 was more effective than T3 in stimulating respiratory activity. State-4 respiratory rates were in general not influenced except in the case of the ascorbate + tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine system. Primary dehydrogenase activities, i.e. glutamate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase, were stimulated about 2-fold; interestingly mitochondrial but not cytosolic malate dehydrogenase activity was influenced under these conditions. The hormone treatments did not greatly influence the mitochondrial cytochrome content. The results therefore suggest that thyroid hormone treatment not only stimulates primary dehydrogenase activities but may also directly influence the process of mitochondrial electron transfer.

Expression of the gene encoding the hepatitis B virus middle surface antigen (pre-HBsAg) in the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica has been studied. The preS2-HBsAg gene was expressed from the alkaline extracellular protease-encoding gene (XPR2) promoter. In the fusion construct, the membrane-spanning 'a' domain of preS2-HBsAg has been replaced by the leader peptide and the proI region of the alkaline protease, thus eliminating the epitope responsible for the immune escape mechanism. Expression has been found to be growth-stage dependent with the highest protein accumulation during the stationary phase, accounting for around 2.35% of the total soluble intracellular proteins. The produced protein was assembled into Dane particles and was immunogenic in mice. The expression vector was found to be stable for at least 100 generations under non-selective conditions.

Diclofenac sodium, famotidine and ketorolac tromethamine were determined by flow injection analysis (FIA) with spectrophotometric detection. The sample solutions (5-50 micrograms ml-1 of diclofenac sodium, 10-80 micrograms ml-1 of famotidine and 10-120 micrograms ml-1 of ketorolac tromethamine) in methanol were injected into a flow system containing 0.01% (w/v) of 2,4,dichloro-6-nitrophenol (DCNP) in methanol. The colour produced due to the formation of a charge transfer complex was measured with a spectrophotometric detector set at 450 nm. A sampling rate of 40 per hour was achieved with high reproducibility of measurements (RSD below 1.6%). The FIA method was applied to the determination of diclofenac sodium, famotidine and ketorolac tromethamine in pharmaceutical formulations.

Homeopathic drugs plumbum 1M and Opium 30 were partially effective in the recovery of delta ALAD activity of the lead (150 mg% lead acetate) intoxicated rats. Plumbum 1M did not exhibit protective effect when dietary lead at high concentrations (> 25 mg% lead acetate) were given concurrently as assessed by blood delta ALAD activity and hemoglobin concentration. However it was partially effective in the recovery of delta ALAD activity and relieving anemia caused by chronic exposure of low doses of lead (below 15 mg% lead acetate).

Titres of oestrogen are known to rise from dioestrous to proestrous stage of the oestrous cycle. Such a rising level of estrogen may be responsible for rise in intracellular concentration of cAMP. The estrogen primed tissue, changing from proestrous to oestrous, under known increasing progesterone level and preovulatory LH surge, may led to a sort of balancing action on the varying levels of glycogen synthetase and phosphorylase enzyme activities so as to play a role in maintaining a steady state of glycogen concentration in the salivary gland. Therefore, alterations in glycogen concentration and the activities of concerned enzymes viz. glycogen synthetase, phosphorylase and cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase (cAMP-PDE) have been studied in albino rats. An abrupt but significant drop in cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase (cAMP-PDE) activity was found to facilitate corresponding reduction in glycogen and lowering protein concentration of the gland, during transition from oestrous to metoestrous. Main features of the meteostrous stage were depletion of glycogen and protein concentration. Taking into consideration the alteration of glandular glycogen and protein concentration, during various stages of oestrous cycle, variation in the viscosity of saliva has been suggested; in phase with the cyclicity.