Iron and zinc biofortification of rice by synergistic expression of OsNAS2 gene with monocot (Pennisetum glaucum) and dicot (Phaseolus vulgaris) ferritins

Iron and zinc deficiencies are the most prevalent cause of global hidden hunger. Rice, being one of the most consumed crops worldwide, is suitable to target for Fe and Zn biofortification. In present study, we generated rice transgenic lines to meet the recommended dietary requirement of iron and zinc through endosperm specific expression of dicot (kidney bean) and monocot (pearl millet) Ferritins along with constitutive expression of rice nicotianamine synthase 2 (OsNAS2) gene. Visualization through perls' prussian staining and quantification by ICP-MS showed significant improvement in grain iron content in all the transgenic lines. The transgenic lines expressing any of the three selected gene combinations (PvFerrtin-OsNAS2, feedPgFerrtin-OsNAS2 and foodPgFerritin-OsNAS2), showed the potential to surpass the 30% of the estimated average requirement (13 μg/g Fe and 28 μg/g Zn) proposed for rice in HarvestPlus breeding program. Though the expression of PvFerritin along with OsNAS2 gene in IET10364 (indica) variety showed the best result, providing up to 4.2- and 3.5-fold increase in iron (30.56 μg/g) and zinc (60.1 μg/g) content, respectively; in polished grains compared to non-transgenic control. Thus, the lines developed in our study can be used for further breeding purpose to enhance the iron and zinc content in commercial rice varieties.

A Lightweight and Robust Secure Key Establishment Protocol for Internet of Medical Things in COVID-19 Patients Care

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) has enabled the doctors to remotely diagnose the patients, control the medical equipment, and monitor the quarantined patients through their digital devices. Security is a major concern in IoMT because the Internet of Things (IoT) nodes exchange sensitive information between virtual medical facilities over the vulnerable wireless medium. Hence, the virtual facilities must be protected from adversarial threats through secure sessions. This article proposes a lightweight and physically secure mutual authentication and secret key establishment protocol that uses physical unclonable functions (PUFs) to enable the network devices to verify the doctor's legitimacy (user) and sensor node before establishing a session key. PUF also protects the sensor nodes deployed in an unattended and hostile environment from tampering, cloning, and side-channel attacks. The proposed protocol exhibits all the necessary security properties required to protect the IoMT networks, like authentication, confidentiality, integrity, and anonymity. The formal AVISPA and informal security analysis demonstrate its robustness against attacks like impersonation, replay, a man in the middle, etc. The proposed protocol also consumes fewer resources to operate and is safe from physical attacks, making it more suitable for IoT-enabled medical network applications.

A statistical approach to secure health care services from DDoS attacks during COVID-19 pandemic

Over the course of this year, more than a billion people have been afflicted by the COVID-19 outbreak. As long as individuals maintain their social distance, they should all be secure at this period. Because of this, there has been a rise in the usage of different online technologies, but at the same time, there has also been a rise in the likelihood of different cyber-attacks. A DDoS assault, the most prevalent and deadly of them all, impairs an online resource for its users. Thus, in this paper, we have proposed a filtering approach that can work efficiently in the COVID-19 scenario and detect the DDoS attack. We base our proposed approach on statistical methods like packet score and entropy variation for the identification of DDoS attack traffic. We have implemented our proposed approach on Omnet++ and for testing its efficiency we have checked it with different test cases. Our proposed approach detects the DDoS attack traffic with 96% accuracy and can also clearly have differentiated the DDoS attack traffic from the flash crowd.

Updated inventory, evolutionary and expression analyses of G (PDR) type ABC transporter genes of rice

ABC transporters constitute the largest family of transporter proteins in living organisms and divided into eight subfamilies, from A-H. ABCG members, specific to plants and fungi, belong to subfamily G. In this study, we provide updated inventory, detailed account of phylogeny, gene structure characteristics, and expression profiling during reproductive development, abiotic and biotic stresses of members of ABCG gene family in rice along with reannotation and cloning of FL-cDNA of OsABCG50/PDR23. We observed that of the 22 ABCGs/PDRs, four genes evolved as a result of gene duplication events and their expression pattern changed after duplication. Analysis of expression revealed seed and developmental stage preferential expression of five ABCG/PDR members. Transcript levels of eight ABCGs/PDRs were affected by abiotic and biotic stresses. Expression of seven ABCG/PDR genes was also altered by hormonal elicitors. The modulated expression is nicely correlated with the presence of tissue/stress specific cis-acting elements present in putative promoter region.

Role of fine-needle aspiration cytology in human immunodeficiency virus-associated lymphadenopathy: a cross-sectional study from northern India

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the role of fine-needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated lymphadenopathy.

DESIGN

Case series.

SETTING

Tertiary care teaching hospital, India.

PATIENTS

Fifty consecutive HIV-positive patients, who presented with lymphadenopathy at the out-patient department and antiretroviral therapy clinic.

RESULTS

Tubercular lymphadenitis was the most common diagnosis, reported in 74% (n=37) of patients; 97.2% of them were acid-fast bacilli-positive. Reactive lymphadenitis and fungal lymphadenitis were present in 10 and 1 cases, respectively. The most common cytomorphological pattern of tubercular lymphadenitis was necrotising suppurative lymphadenitis, present in 43.2% (n=16) of patients. Of eight biopsies done in reactive cases, six turned out to be tubercular lymphadenitis. Fine-needle aspiration cytology had a sensitivity of 83.7% for diagnosing tubercular lymphadenitis.

CONCLUSION

Necrotising suppurative lymphadenitis should be recognised as an established pattern of tubercular lymphadenitis. Reactive patterns should be considered inconclusive rather than a negative result, and re-evaluated with lymph node biopsy. Fine-needle aspiration cytology is an excellent test for diagnosing tubercular lymphadenitis in HIV-associated lymphadenopathy.

Biphasic 24-Hour Variations in Cyclic GMP Accumulation in the Rat Pineal Gland Are Due to Corresponding Changes in the Activity of Cytosolic and Particulate Guanylate Cyclase

Various parameters of the rat pineal gland display a 24-h rhythm. However, nothing is known about possible 24-h variations in cyclic GMP (cGMP) metabolism. In the present study, 24-h variations in pineal gland cGMP accumulation were investigated by determining the increase in cGMP level with and without inhibitors of phosphodiesterase at different time points over a light/dark cycle (12/12 h). Furthermore, the activity of guanylate cyclase (GC) was determined under substrate-saturated conditions regarding the cytosolic and particulate forms of the enzyme. It has been found that cGMP accumulation and GC activity display biphasic 24-h variations with two peaks--one approximately 7 h after lights "on" and the other approximately 7 h after lights "off." The activity of cytosolic GC remains unchanged in the presence of the nitric oxide (NO) synthesis inhibitor N-monomethyl-L-arginine, indicating that 24-h variations in the activity do not reflect changes in the synthesis of the GC stimulator NO.

Production and separation of alpha-agarase from Altermonas agarlyticus strain GJ1B

This paper presents results on the production of alpha-agarase by a fermentation process and its separation using membrane microfiltration (MF). Optimization of fermentation conditions for alpha-agarase production using Altermonas agarlyticus grown on medium containing agar as a carbon source was done in batch, fed-batch and continuous fermentations. Continuous culture at a dilution rate of 0.03 h(-1) appeared to be best suited for production of alpha-agarase by this organism. At 0.03 h(-1) dilution rate, enzyme activity was 0.9 U/ml. Clarification of broth was done using a hollow-fibre microfiltration membrane. The influence of hydrodynamic parameters on permeate flux and enzyme activity was studied. The best performance was obtained with prefiltered fermentation broth. A stable permeate flux of about 250-270 ml/min.m2 and an enzyme retention rate between 0% and 25% was obtained at temperatures between 6 degrees C and 22 degrees C, transmembrane pressure of 100 mm Hg and fluid cross-flow velocity of 4 x 10(-2) m/s. From the experiments on concentration of fermentation broth, the best compromise between enzyme activity transmission and permeate flux was obtained at a concentration factor of 2.

Sulfhydryl G proteins and phospholipase A(2)-associated G proteins are involved in adrenergic signal transduction in the rat pineal gland

The rat pineal gland with its circadian noradrenaline-regulated melatonin rhythm is an excellent model for studying adrenergic signal transduction with respect to cAMP and cGMP formation. The stimulatory G(s) proteins play a well-established role in this process. In contrast, the potential roles of the inhibitory G(i) proteins, the functionally unclear other G(o) proteins, and a number of G protein subtypes are not known. The present study examines the effects on beta(1)- and beta(1)-plus-alpha(1)-stimulated cAMP and cGMP formation of a number of G protein modulators in rat pinealocyte suspension cultures. The effects of the nitric oxide donor sodium nitroprusside on cGMP were also examined. The results showed that drugs that activate G proteins of the G(i)/G(o) family, i.e., pertussis toxin, mastoparan, and compound 48/80, had no effect on unstimulated, isoproterenol (beta(1))-stimulated, or combined isoproterenol/phenylephrine (beta(1)-plus()-alpha(1))-stimulated cAMP and cGMP accumulation. However, in this experimental paradigm, the inhibitors of sulfhydryl G proteins (N-ethylmaleimide) and those of phospholipase A2-related G proteins (isotetrandrine) exerted a clear inhibitory effect. Sodium-nitroprusside-stimulated cGMP accumulation was also inhibited. These results confirm a previous report that members of the G(i)/G(o) family, which are present in the rat pineal gland, do not play a major role in adrenergic signal transduction. The new finding that sulfhydryl G proteins and phospholipase A2-associated G proteins exert a clear stimulatory effect on adrenergic signal transduction suggests that they are subtypes of G(s) proteins.

Role of thyroidal and testicular hormones in regulation of tissue respiration in male air-breathing fish, Clarias batrachus (Linn.)

In vivo and in vitro effects of thyroidal hormones (MIT, DIT, T3, T4), propyl thiouracil (PTU), testosterone and cyproterone acetate were studied on the rate of tissue (liver, muscle, kidney and brain) respiration of adult male C. batrachus during winter and summer/rainy seasons. Monoiodotyrosine (MIT) and diiodothyrosine (DIT) increased the respiratory rate in a dose-dependent and temperature-independent manner. Triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) stimulated tissue respiration during summer/rainy months but not during winter. PTU decreased tissue respiration during summer/rainy season and also at simulated low temperature. Testosterone invariably stimulated the rate of respiration of the tissues, while in vivo treatment with cyproterone acetate significantly decreased the metabolic rate of all the tissues. The findings suggest that in C. batrachus MIT and DIT may be more important than T3 and T4 at low temperature, endogenous thyroid hormones are involved indirectly in energy metabolism even during winter/at low temperature and testicular hormones are actively involved in the respiration.

In vivo effects of a single dose of norepinephrine and epinephrine on tissue respiration of hibernating and non-hibernating species of frogs

In vivo effects of a single dose of norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (EP) were studied on the rate of tissue (liver and skeletal muscle) respiration in Rana limnocharis (hibernating Sp.) and Rana cyanophlyctis (non-hibernating Sp.) during winter and summer months after 10 and 30 min, 1, 6, 12 and 24 hr of administration. During winter both NE and EP induced significant increase in the rate of tissues respiration only after 30 min after their administration in both the species and the stimulatory effect lasted up to 6 hr. During summer, however, NE and EP stimulated respiratory rate of tissues comparatively after a shorter lag period (10 to 30 min) in R. limnocharis than that of R. cyanophlyctis (30 min to 6 hr). These findings seem to suggest that NE and EP can stimulate tissue respiration very quickly, and, therefore, might be suitable as emergency hormones for instant/faster stimulation of energy metabolism in amphibians.

Involvement of adrenal hormones in tissue respiration of sub-tropical hibernating and non-hibernating species of frogs

Effects of norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (EP), corticosterone and cortisol were studied both in vivo and in vitro on the rate of oxygen consumption of tissues (liver, skeletal muscle and kidney) of sub-tropical Indian frogs Rana limnocharis (a hibernating species) and Rana cyanophlyctis (a non-hibernating species) exposed to natural climatic conditions during winter and summer/rainy seasons. Further, the effects of NE and EP were also studied in vitro in the presence of specific beta- and alpha-adrenergic antagonists (propranolol and prazosin). NE, EP and corticosterone, when administered in vivo or in vitro, significantly stimulated the respiratory rate of the tissues of both the species irrespective of the seasons/temperature. Results suggest that NE, EP and corticosterone are directly involved in regulation of the energy metabolism of both hibernating and non-hibernating species of sub-tropical frogs. The calorigenic action of NE and EP seems to be mediated by both beta- and alpha-adrenergic receptors. However, the temporal involvement of beta- and alpha-adrenergic receptors seems to be tissue-dependent.

In vivo and in vitro effects of metabolic hormones on tissue respiration in toad, Bufo melanostictus during hibernation and active phase

In vivo and in vitro effects of L-T3, L-T4, estradiol, corticosterone, epinephrine and norepinephrine were studied on the rate of liver and muscle tissue respiration in B. melanostictus during hibernation and active phase under natural climatic conditions. Thyroid hormones were found to be calorigenic only during the active phase. Estradiol stimulated the respiratory rate directly during hibernation and indirectly during the active phase. Adrenal hormones invariably increased the respiratory rate of the tissues in all the experiments. On the basis of the present findings it can be concluded that the sensitivity of the tissues to various hormones is altered during the active phase and hibernation. The calorigenic action of thyroid hormones seems to be associated with activity-linked energy demand. Direct stimulation of tissue respiration by estradiol during hibernation may be of great adaptative significance. Due to their temperature-independent calorigenic action, adrenal hormones may be considered as emergency hormones for the regulation of the oxidative metabolism in the toad.

In vitro effects of putative neurotransmitters on synaptic ribbon numbers and N-acetyltransferase activity in the rat pineal gland

The pineal contains a large number of classical transmitters and neuropeptides. Some of these neurochemicals are involved in the regulation of serotonin N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity and hence in melatonin synthesis. Synaptic ribbons present in the pineal gland also exhibit a numerical day/night rhythm parallel to that of NAT activity. There is scarcity of information regarding the regulation of synaptic ribbon (SR) numbers. In the present study, we have investigated in vitro effects of a number of classical neurotransmitters and neuropeptides. NAT activity was used to monitor melatonin synthesis under the experimental conditions used. Norepinephrine (NE), Delta sleep-inducing peptide (DSIP), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), adenosine and N-acetyl-asp-glu (NAAG) significantly increased NAT activity in rat pineal. DSIP and VIP also increase the stimulatory effect of NE on NAT activity. These neurochemicals had no effect on SR numbers. Gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), serotonin and taurine affected neither NAT activity nor SR. Somatostatin increased SR numbers significantly, without having any effect on NAT activity. The effect of somatostatin is regarded to be pharmacologic, since rather high dosages (10(-4) M) were required to obtain a significant effect. Although somatostatin is present in the pineal and may change rhythmically, the inconsistency of the day/night rhythmicity and the lack of such a rhythm in female rats and male gerbils speaks against an important physiological role of somatostatin in regulating SR numbers.

Involvement of cyclic guanosine monophosphosphate (cGMP) and cytosolic guanylate cyclase in the regulation of synaptic ribbon numbers in rat pineal gland

In the rat pineal gland N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity and synaptic ribbon (SR) numbers display a circadian rhythm. It is well-known that NAT activity is regulated by adrenergic mechanisms involving cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) as a second messenger. However, the mechanism involved in the regulation of SR numbers has not been established so far. In the present in vitro study, we have investigated the effects of 8-bromo-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (8-bromo-cGMP), a cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) analog, and stimulation of guanylate cyclase on SR numbers. Incubation with 8-bromo-cGMP increased SR numbers in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Further, stimulation of the cytosolic guanylate cyclase also resulted in increased SR numbers. Adrenergic agonists stimulated cGMP but did not alter SR numbers. These findings suggest that cGMP is involved as a second messenger in the regulation of SR numbers. Since the adrenergically stimulated increase in cGMP did not influence SR numbers, a non-adrenergic cGMP metabolic pathway seems to be involved in the regulation of SR numbers in the rat pineal gland.

Acetylcholine and muscarinic agonists increase synaptic ribbon numbers in the rat pineal

Mammalian pinealocytes possess synaptic ribbons (SR) which are commonly present in photoreceptor cells at synaptic junctions. Pineal SR numbers undergo a diurnal rhythm parallel to that of pineal N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity and melatonin levels. Recent findings suggest that SR numbers, unlike NAT activity and melatonin synthesis and release, do not seem to be regulated by adrenergic mechanisms or neuropeptides in adult rats. Since the pineal gland also receives cholinergic nerve fibres, we have investigated in vitro effects of acetylcholine (ACh) and carbamyl-beta-methylcholine (CBMC; a specific muscarinic agonist) in the presence and absence of pirenzipine (a specific inhibitor of muscarinic M1 receptors). ACh and CBMC increased SR numbers significantly. Pirenzipine inhibited the CBMC-induced increase in SR numbers. On the basis of these findings, it is suggested that cholinergic agonists increase pineal SR numbers by acting through muscarinic M1 receptors. Hence muscarinic mechanisms may have a functional role in pineal physiology.

Comparison of polyamide and polypropylene membranes for plasma separation

Plasma separation experiments were made with polyamide experimental prototype hollow-fiber plasma filters with surface areas between 0.025 m2 and 0.1090 m2 using bovine blood collected in acid citrate dextrose (ACD). The maximum filtration velocity rose with the wall shear rate gamma w as gamma w 0.72 +/- 0.02 and decreased with the length of fiber L as L-0.41 with a correlation coefficient of 0.97 +/- 0.02. The results were similar to those with polypropylene fibers. We also investigated the occurrence of hemolysis as a function of shear rate and transmembrane pressure. The free hemoglobin concentration of filtered plasma was checked using a U.V. spectrophotometer. It was concluded that polyamide membrane filters can be safely used for plasma separation from blood.

Controlled trial of twice a day versus once a day cimetidine therapy for duodenal ulcer

A randomized controlled trial was carried out to compare the efficacy of conventional 400 mg twice daily dose of cimetidine with single bedtime 800 mg dose, in 40 patients with endoscopically proven duodenal ulcer. At repeat endoscopy after four weeks of therapy, complete ulcer healing was achieved in 78% of patients on twice daily dosage and 79% of patients on single daily dosage. A more convenient single nocturnal dosage of cimetidine is as effective in the treatment of duodenal ulcer as a twice daily dosage in the Indian population.

Albendazole in pulmonary hydatid disease

A case of bilateral pulmonary hydatid disease successfully treated with six courses of albendazole obviating need for surgery is being reported. No side-effects of the drug were observed. Though the cysts ruptured initially but disappeared completely. No recurrence has been observed.

Effects of thyroidal, gonadal and adrenal hormones on tissue respiration of streaked frog, Rana limnocharis, at low temperature

In vivo and in vitro effects of thyroidal, gonadal and adrenal hormones were studied on the rate of liver and skeletal muscle respiration in both the sexes of R. limnocharis during active and inactive phases of the annual activity cycle. Triiodothyronine (L-T3) and thyroxine (L-T4) did not stimulate tissue (liver and muscle) respiration in any of the experiments irrespective of season, sex and temperature. Testosterone, estradiol and corticosterone stimulated O2 uptake significantly irrespective of season, sex and temperature. Adrenaline and nor-adrenaline also stimulated tissue respiration significantly during the winter month. Since the ambient temperature was low even during the active phase (max. temperature 21 degrees C), it seems that the frog might have developed tissue sensitivity for gonadal and adrenal hormones at low temperatures when thyroid hormones are calorigenically ineffective.

Ultrasonography in non-cirrhotic portal hypertension: correlation with splenoportography

Real time sonography followed by splenoportography was performed in 38 cases with non-cirrhotic portal hypertension. Eleven of these cases, in whom porto-systemic shunt surgery was done, were also evaluated by real time sonography post-operatively. The ultrasound findings correlated well in 37 cases (98%) with splenoportography. All the post-operative cases also revealed a patent portosystemic shunt on sonography. Ultrasonography, a valuable, non-invasive, initial investigation of portal hypertension, may thus be used as the only investigation to distinguish intra- from extra-hepatic obstruction and to evaluate patency of surgically created porto-systemic shunts. Invasive portography may be performed only if surgical treatment is anticipated.

High shear rate hemofiltration: influence of fiber dimensions and shear rates

The variation of ultrafiltration flow rate (QF) at high transmembrane pressure with inlet wall shear rate (gamma w) was found to be proportional to gamma wn, with n ranging from 0.45 to 0.55, when gamma w increases up to 4,500 s-1. To test whether long filters operated at high shear rates were more efficient than shorter ones for the same inlet blood flow, we made experiments with 10- and 20-cm filters with same number of fibers (550) at various shear rates from 700 to 3,000 s-1. The filtration rates provided by the 20-cm filter were found to be 5-15% larger than those provided by two 10-cm filters arranged in parallel and 10-20% smaller than those provided by two 10-cm filters arranged in a series. The explanation lies in the rapid decay of QF with distance from the inlet due to the developing concentration boundary layer. When pulsations are imposed on the inlet blood flow, the filtration rate was seen to increase by 10-20%, and the effect of plugging was seen to decrease in small-area hemofilters.

Modelling of plasma-separation through microporous membranes

Available mathematical models of ultrafiltration have been used to predict changes in maximum plasma filtration rate with wall shear rate for given filters and blood properties. We have done many plasmapheresis experiments in vitro, using hollow-fiber filters (500-1000 cm2) and fresh bovine blood collected on ACD or heparin. The comparison between predicted and experimentally obtained filtration rates was good for models based on the concentration polarization theory and lift velocity theory. In other experiments with pulsatile inlet flow we found that plasma filtration rate increased by 20 to 50% compared to non-pulsatile conditions. These results are in good agreement with the modified model of ultrafiltration incorporating pulsating flow. This paper presents relationships between plasma filtration velocity (steady and pulsating flow) and hemolysis limit as a function of wall shear rate and filter size.

Rationale of filtration enhancement in membrane plasmapheresis by pulsatile blood flow

It has been demonstrated in our laboratory that blood flow pulsations enhance plasma filtration rate by 30-60 per cent. The increase in plasmafiltration over the steady flow value is found to be a function of the parameter F. delta V'/QB where F denotes the pulsation frequency, delta V' the volume amplitude of pulsed blood in the filter and QB is the time mean blood flow. The increment in plasma filtration may be related to the increase in time-mean absolute value of shear rate.

Effect of melatonin on gonads, body weight, and luteinizing hormone (LH) dependent coloration of the Indian finch, Lal munia (Estrilda amandava)

Four doses of melatonin were administered intramuscularly over 30 days in separate groups of intact adult male Lal munia, Estrilda amandava, during mid-day (1300 hr) and mid-night (0100 hr) in separate sets during the month of August (late progressive phase), and their effects were studied on the body weight, gonadal and thyroidal activities, and luteinizing hormone (LH)-dependent plumage and beak pigmentation. Melatonin, irrespective of its dose and the time of administration, invariably induced complete inhibition of seasonal gonadal growth and activity, and also the LH-dependent plumage pigmentation. Melatonin had no effect on LH-dependent beak coloration. The inhibitory effect of melatonin on the body weight growth was found to be dependent on the time of administration and the dose of the hormone. Melatonin inhibited the thyroid activity in all the groups. These findings seem to suggest that while melatonin influences gonadal activity, body weight growth, and thyroid activity by acting directly at the hypothalamo-hypophyseal complex, it counteracts the effect of LH at the feather papillae level. Further, synthesis and/or release of FSH seems to be more sensitive to melatonin than that of LH. However, the metabolic action of melatonin might be species specific.

Membrane plasma separation through small-area, hollow-fiber filters

The filtration capabilities of small polypropylene hollow-fiber plasma filters with membrane areas ranging from 100 to 1,000 cm2 have been investigated. It is found that the filtration flux per unit membrane area is approximately proportional to the wall shear rate gamma w at least up to gamma w = 7,500 s-1. As a result, the total filtration flow rate increases very little when the number of fibers is increased as the increase in membrane area is offset by the decrease in shear rate, but it increases with the fiber length L as L 2/3. Hemolysis occurs when the transmembrane pressure exceeds a certain threshold, but this threshold is itself an increasing function of shear rate. As a result, it is possible to circulate high blood flow rates even in very small filters (100 cm2) without hemolysis, provided the fiber length is below a critical value.

Role of thyroid and testicular hormones in the oxidative metabolism of the Indian garden lizard, Calotes versicolor

L-Thyroxine (L-T4) and testosterone were administered separately to intact, thyroidectomized, and castrated male Indian garden lizards, Calotes versicolor (maintained under natural climatic conditions) throughout the year to study their effects on the whole-body oxygen consumption and on tissue (liver, muscle, kidney, and brain) respiration. The findings indicate that the calorigenic actions of L-T4 and testosterone are independent of ambient temperature, and different tissues have different, temperature-independent, annual rhythms of sensitivity to L-T4 and testosterone. Internal factors seem to play a major role in the determination of these annual tissue sensitivity rhythms. Effects of thyroidectomy and castration are brought about by decreased levels of both thyroidal and testicular hormones. It is suggested that gonadal hormones are directly involved in the oxidative metabolism of Calotes which is regulated jointly by thyroid and gonadal steroids, and the degree of involvement of the glands depends upon the energy demand and sensitivity of tissues during different months of the year.

Role of thyroid and testicular hormones in the regulation of basal metabolic rate, gonad development, and body weight of spotted munia, Lonchura punctulata

Normal saline, L-thyroxine (L-T4, 0.5 micrograms/bird/day), and testosterone (100 micrograms/bird/day) were administered separately to intact, thyroidectomized, and castrated spotted munia over a 30-day period and the effects on basal metabolic rate (BMR), gonads, and body weight were recorded. Thyroidectomy and castration decreased the BMR. L-Thyroxine increased the BMR of intact and thyroidectomized but not of the castrated birds. Testosterone had no effect on BMR of either the intact or of the operated birds. L-Thyroxine and testosterone both had no effect on regressing gonads but inhibited thyroidectomy-induced testicular development. Body weight increased in intact, testosterone-treated birds, and in thyroidectomized and castrated spotted munia. L-Thyroxine inhibited body weight gain only in thyroidectomized birds. It is suggested that the physiological actions of L-T4 and testosterone depend on the gonadal status, thyroid activity, and nature of the thyroid-gonad relationship.

In vitro study of combined convection- diffusion mass transfer in hemodialysers

Clearance measurements have been obtained for urea, Vit B12 and myoglobin by simultaneous hemodialysis and ultrafiltration (UF) techniques, using various commercially available hemodialysers. The experimental results confirm that the overall clearance is less than the clearance of each process occurring separately due to interaction between convection and diffusion. Adequate urea clearance (100 ml/min) can be obtained either by using high ultrafiltration (60 ml/min) with low dialysate flow rate (70 ml/min) or moderate ultrafiltration (less than 30 ml/min) with higher dialysate flow rate (120 ml/min). The comparison of experimental clearance with the predictions of theoretical model (1) for urea are found to be in good agreement for dialysate flow rates of more than 300 ml/min and for smaller dialysate flow rates the predicted clearances are higher than measured ones. An approximate correlation for the overall clearance is CL = CLD + QF/2 where CLD is the dialytic clearance and QF the UF flow rate.

Thyroid and annual gonad development, body weight, plumage pigmentation, and bill color cycles of lal munia, Estrilda amandava

Long-term administration of L-thyroxine (T4) in the wax bill (lal munia) inhibited the current gonad development cycle, and the increase in gonadal volume in the second cycle was suppressed only by higher concentrations. Gonadal inhibition by high but not by low doses of L-T4 was associated with a failure in the development of LH-dependent pigmented nuptial plumage. This suggests that L-T4 depresses FSH secretion more readily than LH secretion. The results indicate that the effects of L-T4 administration on the body weight cycle depends upon the physiological and/or gonadal status of the bird at the start of the experiment and that the juvenile hypothalamo-hypophysial-gonadal axis is more sensitive to L-T4 than that of the adult birds. The bill color, like plumage pigmentation, appears to be LH controlled. It is suggested that while thyroid hormone, acting by way of the hypothalamo-hypophysial complex and/or by direct action on the feather papillae, modulates the annual cycles of plumage pigmentation, bill color, gonad development, and body weight of lal munia, the finch has an endogenous mechanism which enables it to adapt to chronic hyperthyroidism in such a way that breeding occurs at the normal time of the year.

Determination of native and denatured milk proteins by high-performance size exclusion chromatography

High-performance size exclusion chromatography on a TSK 3000 SW column was used to separate and quantify the individual milk proteins in their native and/or denatured state. Quantitation of the individual native whey proteins within +/- 10% was achieved. The denatured proteins were dissociated into their monomer units by using sodium dodecyl sulphate and beta-mercaptoethanol. A good separation of the whey protein monomers was achieved and the quantitation of the individual whey proteins within +/- 10% was possible. Under these conditions, alpha s1- and beta-casein were eluted as one peak, whereas kappa-casein and gamma-casein were eluted in the same position as beta-lactoglobulin and alpha-lactalbumin respectively. A method for calculating the areas and hence the concentration of the individual proteins in a mixture of casein and whey proteins is described.

Adrenal hormones and oxidative metabolism of the garden lizard (Calotes versicolor)

Daily administration of adrenaline over a 10-day period invariably induced significant increases in the metabolic rate of the whole body and of specific tissue (liver, muscle, kidney and brain) of both intact and thyroidectomized lizards except during June (breeding season) when the presence of thyroid hormones was a prerequisite for the stimulation of oxygen consumption by the whole body, muscle, kidney and brain but not by the liver. Corticosterone had no effect on whole body oxygen consumption but stimulated, inhibited or was without influence on the oxygen consumption of individual tissues, depending on the season and the presence or absence of thyroid hormones. It is suggested that adrenaline, due to its temperature-independent calorigenic effect, acts as the emergency hormone for energy release and helps the animal to survive during hibernation (winter months) when almost all the endocrine glands are inactive.

Thyroid and gonad in the oxidative metabolism, erythropoiesis, and light response of the migratory redheaded bunting, Emberiza bruniceps

In the thyroidectomized, adult male redheaded bunting exposed to a L/D cycle of 15/09, there were no significant changes in body weight, gonad size, respiratory rates of whole body, liver, muscle, red blood cell number, hemoglobin concentration, or hematocrit, unlike in intact birds. Further, while testosterone appeared as effective as L-T4 in determining body weight, gonadal size, and activity and oxygen uptake by skeletal muscle, it was of greater significance for kidney respiration and of secondary importance in its influence on blood morphology and respiratory rates of the liver and of the whole body of the bird.

Role of thyroid in tissue respiration of birds

Thyroidectomy after 1 week, 1 month, and 13 months significantly depressed and low level of L-T4 significantly elevated the oxygen uptake of the liver and skeletal muscle of spotted munia and common myna. A higher dose of L-T4 had no effect on the rate of respiration. A reexamination of the published results on submammalian vertebrates together with those presented here suggests that an uniform pattern of response of skeletal muscle emerges if the values from thyroidectomized animals are compared not only with the final controls but also with the initial controls. It is, therefore, suggested that all the earlier works be reexamined and reinterpreted.

A three-layer semi-empirical model for flow of blood and other particulate suspensions through narrow tubes

A three-layer mathematical model has been developed and tested for calculating the velocity profile and wall layer thickness for the flow of blood and other particulate suspensions in narrow tubes, from measurements of apparent viscosity and mean concentration in tube. The model consists of a thin cell-free layer, accounting for wall exclusion effect, a cell-depleted one due to radial cell migration and a central core with uniform cell concentration. It is shown that this model contains several previously published models as particular cases and that it gives more realistic predictions of velocity profiles from the same data than less refined models. With proper adjustment of its parameters it is applicable satisfactorily to a wide variety of suspensions. The model results confirm the importance of cell deformability on blood rheological properties in capillaries less than 100 mu.

A one-dimensional model of simultaneous hemodialysis and ultrafiltration with highly permeable membranes

A one-dimensional model of combined convective and diffusive mass transfer in a hemodialyser is presented. Solutions and results are given for two regimes of ultrafiltration (UF): at low transmembrane pressures when UF flow is proportional to transmembrane pressure and in the limit of large transmembrane pressures when UF is limited by protein concentration polarization. It is found that the overall clearance is always less than the sum of dialytic and UF clearances due to interaction between convective and diffusive transfers. For a given UF flow the clearance is not sensitive to UF flux distribution along the membrane. Model predictions of urea clearance are in good agreement with measurements obtained in vitro with saline on hemodialysers equipped with a polyacrylonitrile membrane.