Amenorrhea Due to Defects in Steroid Biosynthesis

Amenorrhea as the first manifestation of a steroid biosynthetic defect is rather unusual. The common forms of congenital adrenal hyperplasia are classic examples of steroid biosynthetic defects. Yet in genotypic females, this disorder is usually evident from birth because of virilization. Effective treatment usually ensues and amenorrhea is only a problem when control is inadequate. However, there are individuals whose disorder will be manifest for the first time in the postnatal or adult period. In addition, multiple other steroid defects have now been clearly delineated. Many of these individuals will have amenorrhea, virilization, or sexual ambiguities as part of the clinical picture. The paper will describe some of the more clearly delineated steroidal biosynthetic defects. Also the clinical management of patients with postnatal onset of 21-hydroxylase deficiency form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia will be discussed

Priprava i vrednovanje biorazgradljivih implantata s kontroliranim oslobađanjem za postoperativnu primjenu

Biodegradable implants of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride for post operative site delivery were prepared using glyceryl monostearate and different concentrations of polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000) glycerol and Tween 80 as erosion enhancers by compression and molding technique. Formulations were subjected to in vitro drug release by the USP dissolution method, while promising formulations were subjected to in vitro drug release by the agar gel method and also to stability studies. It was observed that glyceryl monostearate formed hydrophobic matrix and delayed the drug delivery. Antibiotic release profile was controlled by using different combinations of erosion enhancers. The formulation prepared by compression method showed more delayed release as compared to formulations prepared by molding method.Biorazgradljivi implantati ciprofloksacin hidroklorida za postoperativnu primjenu pripravljeni su pomoću gliceril monostearata (GMS) i različitih koncentracija polietilen glikola (PEG 6000), glicerola i Tween 80 kao promotora erozije metodom kompresije i lijevanja. Oslobađanje ljekovite tvari iz pripravaka praćeno je in vitro prema USP metodi. Pripravci koji su dali dobre rezultate ispitani su i in vitro metodom s agarom te su podvrgnuti testovima stabilnosti. Primijećeno je da gliceril monostearat tvori hidrofobni matriks i usporava oslobađanje lijeka. Koristeći različite kombinacije promotora erozije postignuto je kontrolirano oslobađanje antibiotika. Oslobađanje iz implantata dobivenih metodom kompresije sporije je od implantata dobivenih metodom lijevanja

An enzyme immunoassay for detection of Japanese encephalitis virus-induced chemotactic cytokine

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) induces human peripheral blood monocytes to secrete a chemotactic cytokine [human macrophage-derived factor (hMDF)] which causes chemotaxis of neutrophils. The only known assay for hMDF cannot quantify its level in samples, so an enzyme immunoassay has been standardized for detection of hMDF and hMDF-specific antibodies in test samples. The reported enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was found to be sensitive (89%), specific (91%), accurate (92.2%) and reproducible and was able to detect a minimum concentration of 23 ng hMDF/ml in test samples. The chemotactic factor could be detected in JEV inoculated mouse sera and JEV infected culture fluids. Significant finding of the test was the detection of hMDF in sera of human cases of JE

Waste-liquors generated during Handmade paper manufacture from cow dung as a potential source of biofertilizer

In India, cow dung is widely utilized to create formulations that serve as effective plant growth enhancers with antimicrobial properties. The cow dung-derived handmade paper manufacturing process produces two waste-liquor streams, a Raw Liquor (RL) produced through the dewatering of the cow-dung slurry and a Black Liquor (BL) produced during the soda pulping of dewatered cow dung. The present  study explored the potential of these waste streams to be used as plant biofertilizers for germination and cultivation of Vigna radiata seeds (mung bean, IPM-02-03 variety). An in vitro assay for seed germination efficiency and a pot study for plant growth promotion (PGP) activity were used to assess this potential. The in vitro assay demonstrated that nutrient-rich RL, with its 100% seed germination efficiency (better than the 85.7% of tap water) was an effective biofertilizer for seed germination. In contrast, BL yielded poor seed germination efficiency. The pot study showed that water irrigation led to good seed germination, survival, plant rooting and shooting, but it was probably deprived of nutrients for inducing good grain yields. When water was replaced with RL, it was able to replicate the results, but with good grain yields. In contrast, BL produced poorer germination, seed survival and PGP results. The poor biofertilization efficiency of BL was most probably due to the nutrient losses and toxic chemicals produced in the harsh pulping process. The  results showed that RL, though considered a waste stream, is sufficiently nutrient-rich to act as an effective biofertilizer for germinating mung bean seeds and promoting plant growth and grain yields.

Effect of Procainization of Ventromedial Nucleus of Hypothalamus on the Feeding Behavior of Rats

Bilateral lesions in the Ventromedial nucleus of hypothalamus (VMH) cause hyperphagia and a preference for high lipid, high carbohydrate diet. Reversible lesion by procaine microinfusion produces a decrease in serum glucose and immunoreactive insulin levels. In the present study the effect of procaine microinfusion on feeding behavior and taste preference was observed. 5 h and 24 h food intake, water intake and weekly body weight of the rats was measured. Three bottle preference test was used to study the diet preferences. The 24 h food intake was found to be significantly more on 1st, 2nd and 3rd day (41 ± 6.03, 38.83 ± 6.17 and 33.66 ± 5.88 g/day, respectively) of procaine injection. There was also a significant increase in food intake at 0.25 h (4.166 ± 2.04 g) and 1 h (5 ± 0 g) as compared to saline group (0 ± 0 g at 0.25 h and 0.83 ± 2.04 g at 1 h). Post procaine water intake and body weight for seven days was not statistically significantly when compared to pre-lesion values. In the three bottles preference test, after procaine microinfusion there was a significantly increased preference for 20% sucrose and 0.15% saccharin than quinine and citric acid. The results suggest that bilateral procainization of VMH produces a transient increase in food intake and enhance preference for sweet tasting substances

Dynamics and Critical Behaviour of the q-model

The $q$-model, a random walk model rich in behaviour and applications, is investigated. We introduce and motivate the $q$-model via its application proposed by Coppersmith {\em et al.} to the flow of stress through granular matter at rest. For a special value of its parameters the $q$-model has a critical point that we analyse. To characterise the critical point we imagine that a uniform load has been applied to the top of the granular medium and we study the evolution with depth of fluctuations in the distribution of load. Close to the critical point explicit calculation reveals that the evolution of load exhibits scaling behaviour analogous to thermodynamic critical phenomena. The critical behaviour is remarkably tractable: the harvest of analytic results includes scaling functions that describe the evolution of the variance of the load distribution close to the critical point and of the entire load distribution right at the critical point, values of the associated critical exponents, and determination of the upper critical dimension. These results are of intrinsic interest as a tractable example of a random critical point. Of the many applications of the q-model, the critical behaviour is particularly relevant to network models of river basins, as we briefly discuss. Finally we discuss circumstances under which quantum network models that describe the surface electronic states of a quantum Hall multilayer can be mapped onto the classical $q$-model. For mesoscopic multilayers of finite circumference the mapping fails; instead a mapping to a ferromagnetic supersymmetric spin chain has proved fruitful. We discuss aspects of the superspin mapping and give a new elementary derivation of it making use of operator rather than functional methods.Comment: 34 pages, Revtex, typo correcte

Heterologous expression of phytase in Schizochytrium sp. as a fortified feed additive for the Livestock industry

Phytates present in plant-derived feed can chelate nutrients and reduce their bioavailability for monogastric animals such as poultry and swine. The addition of hydrolase, phytase can alleviate this problem but is hindered by its cost. The goal of the current study is to clone, express and purify the phytase gene from Bacillus sp. (DS11) into Schizochytrium sp. ATCC 20888 is also a good producer of Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). This is expected to enhance animal nutrition and reduce phosphate pollution. The DNA sequence analysis using multiple sequence alignments showed significant similarity to the phytase gene from Bacillus sp. (DS11). Subsequently, specific primers were designed based on the consensus sequence of the Bacillus phytase gene obtained from sequencing. The coding DNA sequence was determined to have a length of 1152 base pairs. Phytase gene was successfully cloned into the pRI201-AN DNA vector and transformed into Schyzochytrium sp. Screening on G418 plates showed 53 resistant colonies and from this 11 prominent colonies were chosen for further testing. Out of this, 8 colonies tested positive, with colony PCR having 1.5 kb with a phytase activity of 1.77 U/ml of crude lysate. Further purification with Ni-NTA affinity chromatography provided a specific activity of 15.59 U/mg. This appears to be the first ever reported recombinant phytase produced in Schizochytrium sp. The phytase recommendations are 250U/Kg of feed preparation for broiler & swine diets  . It was also determined that 72.64 U/5.2 gm of wet biomass and 1.80% of w/w microalgae would fulfil these requirements per kg of feed preparation

Factor XII deficiency - A rare coagulation disorder

Severe coagulation factor XII (FXII) deficiency is a very rare, mysterious, and not well-known inherited condition. Unlike other coagulation factor deficiencies, it is usually asymptomatic in most of the cases. Congenital FXII deficiency is the most common cause of an isolated prolongation of the activated partial thromboplastin time in a non-bleeding child or adult; consequently, most patients are detected during a routine pre-operative coagulation study. Surprisingly, it does not lead to abnormal bleeding, but some cases of severe FXII deficiency experiences thrombotic events in their lifetime. There are only a few reports of FXII deficiency in literature. We are reporting a case of congenital FXII deficiency in a 7-month-old child