Identification and metabolite profiling of Sitophilus oryzae L. by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy

The polyphagous insect Sitophilus oryzae L. (Coleoptera:Curculionidae) has a tremendous adaptability in feeding behaviour, making it a serious invasive pest of stored cereals. The present study identifies the metabolite composition of Sitophilus oryzae (S. oryzae) using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Assignment of 1D-proton by NMR, 1H-1H COSY, 2D-TOCSY 1H-1H, had been done. Amongst the various biochemically important metabolites isoleucine, valine, leucine, beta-hydroxybutyrate, lysine, glutamate, glutamine, proline, lactate, alanine, di-methylamine, alpha-glucose, beta-glucose, choline, glycerophosphorylcholine and tyrosine are present in S. oryzae. In wheat-fed S. oryzae, the presence of threonine and the absence of lactate is observed. In rice-fed S. oryzae, however, the presence of lactate and the absence of threonine were observed. Barley-fed S. oryzae shows presence of both tyrosine and lactate. It is concluded that the pest S. oryzae has adaptability on different stored cereals and grains, depicting the presence of earlier reported metabolites. The present study aims to identify the key metabolic components and associated enzymes in Sitophilus oryzae fed on different cereals.

Differential transcriptional expression following thidiazuron-induced callus differentiation developmental shifts in rice

Very little is known about molecular events associated with callus differentiation in indica rice. The genes expressed differentially during shoot meristem initiation were identified on genomic arrays applied to efficiently regenerating rice calli. A thidiazuron (TDZ; N-phenyl-N-thiadiazol-1,2,3-5,ylurea)-dependent regeneration protocol was developed for efficient embryogenesis in indica rice. The regenerating embryogenic calli induced by TDZ for 10 days showed transcriptional modulation of a number of genes associated with photosynthesis, hormone metabolism, plant development, signal transduction, light response, and plant defense. Eighteen candidate miRNAs were predicted to target the genes expressed differentially in the embryogenic calli grown in TDZ-containing medium. The majority of the photosynthesis-related genes up-regulated in differentiating calli were not expressed or were down-regulated in developing seeds and inflorescences. Most of the genes down-regulated in differentiating calli were up-regulated in developing seeds. The transcriptome of differentiating callus most closely resembled that of the germinating whole seed.

Usefulness of percutaneously injected ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer in conjunction with standard endovascular embolization techniques for preoperative devascularization of hypervascular head and neck tumors: technique, initial experience, and correlation with surgical observations

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Few reports have described the embolization of head and neck lesions by using direct percutaneous techniques. We report our preliminary experience in the direct percutaneous embolization of hypervascular head and neck tumors by using Onyx in conjunction with standard endovascular embolization techniques. We describe the technical aspects of the procedure and its efficacy in reducing intraoperative blood loss.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively studied 14 patients (3 females and 11 males; mean age, 33.4 years; range, 11-56 years) with 15 hypervascular tumors of the head and neck that underwent direct percutaneous embolization with Onyx in conjunction with particulate embolization. Nine paragangliomas and 6 JNAs underwent treatment. Documented blood loss was obtained from operative reports in these 15 patients with surgical resection performed 24-48 hours after the embolization.

RESULTS

Intratumoral penetration with progressive blood flow stasis was achieved during each injection. A mean of 3.1 needles (20-gauge, 3.5-inch spinal needle) were placed percutaneously into the lesion (range, 1-6). The mean intraoperative blood loss was 780 mL (range, <50-2200 mL). Near total angiographic devascularization was achieved in 13 of 15 tumors. There were no local complications or neurologic deficits from the percutaneous access or embolization of these hypervascular tumors.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, the use of percutaneous injected Onyx in conjunction with standard endovascular embolization techniques in patients with hypervascular head and neck tumors seemed to enhance the ability to devascularize these tumors before operative removal.

Multi-detector row CT angiography with direct intra-arterial contrast injection for the evaluation of neurovascular disease: technique, applications, and initial experience

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of 64-section multi-detector row CT angiography (CTA) with direct intra-arterial contrast injection (IA-CTA) for the evaluation of neurovascular disease. This technique was used in 11 patients at our institution. All studies were technically successful, and there were no complications. Small vascular malformations were mapped easily on high-resolution IA-CTA images, enabling microsurgical resection or stereotactic radiosurgery. In a similar fashion, additional morphologic features were revealed on IA-CTA images not seen on standard 2D and 3D digital subtraction angiography. Of 11 patients undergoing IA-CTA, 7 patients had further anatomic clarity of the small arteriovenous fistula/malformation and 4 patients had changes in the treatment plan on the basis of the IA-CTA findings.

Isolation and characterization of plant growth-promoting strain Pantoea NII-186. From Western Ghat forest soil, India

AIMS

To isolate plant growth-promoting bacterium from Western Ghat forests in India.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A Gram-negative, rod shaped, cream white coloured strain Pantoea NII-186 isolated from Western Ghat soil sample. The taxonomic position of the bacterium was confirmed by sequencing of 16S rRNA and phylogenetic analysis. A strain grew at a wide range of temperature ranging from 5-40 degrees C, but optimum growth was observed at 28-30 degrees C. It showed multiple plant growth-promoting attributes such as phosphate solubilization activity, indole acetic acid (IAA) production, siderophore production and HCN production. It was able to solubilize (28 microg of Ca(3)PO(4) ml(-1) day(-1)), and produce IAA (59 microg) at 28 degrees C. The solubilization of insoluble phosphate was associates with a drop in the pH of the culture medium. Pantoea sp. NII-186 tolerate to different environmental stresses like 5-40 degrees C, 0-7% salt concentration and 4-12 pH range.

CONCLUSIONS

The 16S rRNA gene sequence confirmed that the isolate NII-186 was belongs to Pantoea genus and showed considerable differences in physiological properties with previously reported species of this genus. Isolate NII-186 possessed multiple attributes of plant growth-promoting activity.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Hence in the context it is proposed that Pantoea sp. NII-186, could be deployed as an inoculant to attain the desired plant growth-promoting activity in agricultural environment.

Pediatric carcinoma of rectum--Varanasi experience

BACKGROUND

Primary gastrointestinal system malignancies constitute approximately 2% of pediatric neoplasm and of these; colorectal carcinoma is the second most common malignancy. This is one of the rarer diseases in children.

AIM

We reviewed our records to study the clinical features, outcome and the follow-up of this condition with evaluation of the prognostic factors.

SETTINGS AND DESIGN

Tertiary care Pediatric Surgery centre. Retrospective study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The data of all patients with diagnosis of colorectal carcinoma from January 1986 to January 2006 were reviewed. The confirmation of the diagnosis was by biopsy from the lesion. The age, sex, family history, clinical features, response to the treatment and follow-up were studied.

RESULTS

There were four male patients. All had bleeding per rectum as the presenting complaint. Three patients had advanced disease at presentation. All the patients had signet cell adenocarcinoma. The two patients expired and one was lost to follow-up. One patient is alive after one year of follow up and is receiving treatment.

CONCLUSION

Colorectal cancer in children though rare can be a reality, hence any children presenting with pain in abdomen along with doubtful history of constipation and rectal bleeding should be examined carefully with special emphasis on digital rectal examination.

Compared to purpurinimides, the pyropheophorbide containing an iodobenzyl group showed enhanced PDT efficacy and tumor imaging (124I-PET) ability

Two positional isomers of purpurinimide, 3-[1'-(3-iodobenzyloxyethyl)] purpurin-18-N-hexylimide methyl ester 4, in which the iodobenzyl group is present at the top half of the molecule (position-3), and a 3-(1'-hexyloxyethy)purpurin-18-N-(3-iodo-benzylimide)] methyl ester 5, where the iodobenzyl group is introduced at the bottom half (N-substitued cyclicimide) of the molecule, were derived from chlorophyll-a. The tumor uptake and phototherapeutic abilities of these isomers were compared with the pyropheophorbide analogue 1 (lead compound). These compounds were then converted into the corresponding 124I-labeled PET imaging agents with specific activity >1 Ci/micromol. Among the positional isomers 4 and 5, purpurinimide 5 showed enhanced imaging and therapeutic potential. However, the lead compound 1 derived from pyropheophorbide-a exhibited the best PET imaging and PDT efficacy. For investigating the overall lipophilicity of the molecule, the 3-O-hexyl ether group present at position-3 of purpurinimide 5 was replaced with a methyl ether substituent, and the resulting product 10 showed improved tumor uptake, but due to its significantly higher uptake in the liver, spleen, and other organs, a poor tumor contrast in whole-body tumor imaging was observed.

192 EFFECT OF DIFFERENT CULTURE MEDIUM ON THE PRODUCTION OF GRANULOSA SCNT EMBRYOS IN WATER BUFFALO (BUBALUS BUBALIS) AND THEIR mRNA TRANSCRIPT ANALYSIS AT DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES IN COMPARISON WITH IN VITRO FERTILIZATION-PRODUCED EMBRYOS

Success of NT is as low as 0.2 to 3.4% in cloned offspring, and many cloned embryos arrest development before implantation. Expression patterns of mRNA in NT embryos at critical time points play an important role in epigenetic reprogramming and are affected by external factors (Dean et al. 2001 PNAS 98, 13 734–13 738). Embryo culture system can affect the silencing or activations of a particular gene at fetal development stages (Wrenzycki et al. 2001 Hum. Reprod. 16, 893–901). The study was aimed to analyze the expression of genes responsible for growth and embryogenesis (IGF1, IGF2, IGF1R & IGF2R), cellular metabolism (Glut1), gap junction (Cx43) with internal standard (GAPDH) in SCNT embryos in TCM199+FBS, TCM199+PVA and CR1aa+BSA culture media. Passage-5 granulosa cells were used as donor cells after analyzing their proliferation, senescence and ploidy levels. IVM oocytes after nuclear transfer were activated electrically (1.5 kV cm–2, 15 μs) and chemically (ionomycin, 6DMAP, CHX & CytoB) and were cultured up to blastocyst stage. For control IVM oocytes were fertilized with BO medium capacitated frozen semen in TCM199+10%FBS. The cDNA was prepared from single 2, 4, 8, 16-cell, morula and blastocyst embryos using cell to cDNA kit (Ambion). Relative expression of candidate genes was quantified using real-time PCR with ΔΔCT method. Data was analyzed for one-way ANOVA and Post-Hoc Duncan multiple range tests at P ≤ 0.05 level of significance. Blastocyst production was significantly different among groups with the greatest rate (22.36%) in TCM199+FBS than in TCM199+PVA (15.6%) & CR1aa+BSA (19.21%). Cx43 expression was normal in TCM199+FBS as compared with other media. This could be related to modifications in intercellular communication between other connexin proteins in serum. Glut1 level was abnormal in all NT embryo culture groups. Glucose transport efficiency increased in response to glucose starvation in mediums and can be related to greater Glut1 expression (Gardner and Kaye 1995 Reprod. Fertil. Dev. 7, 41–50). IGF1 & IGF2 were up regulated and IGF1R & IGF2R were down regulated in all NT embryo culture groups than in IVF. The temporal and spatial expression of these transcripts determined by real-time software (Stratagene) was significantly affected by the presence of exogenous protein in medium. IGF1R & IGF2R transcripts showed aberrant reprogramming of donor cells, which affect chromatin remodeling, and is highly correlated to imprinted genes (Giraldo et al. 2008 Biol. Reprod. 78, 832–840). In TCM199+PVA & CR1aa+BSA regulation of all transcripts was more aberrant than TCM199+BSA as compared with IVF embryos. Altered mRNA levels in NT embryos at certain stages are indicative of their vulnerability to grow probably due to suboptimal culture conditions. To improve the efficiency and production of healthy clones, expression analysis of important gene in preimplantation embryos can be correlated with developmental competence of SCNT embryos before transfer in surrogates.