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Key Clinical Message Neuroendocrine tumors, rare and slow‐growing, primarily affect the gastrointestinal tract, causing symptoms due to hormone secretion or mass effect. This case image described postprandial abdominal pain as an atypical initial presentation of abdominal neuroendocrine tumor recurrence in a middle‐aged male. Abstract Neuroendocrine tumors are a group of rare, slow‐growing neoplasms, most commonly affecting the gastrointestinal tract. Clinical presentations include symptoms related to the mass or hypersecretion of hormones, such as flushing, diarrhea, or bronchoconstriction. Postprandial abdominal pain is most commonly related to chronic mesenteric ischemia from atherosclerotic changes but is rarely linked to external mass compression, including gastrointestinal tumors. Hereby, the authors highlight an uncommon presentation of NET, which is very challenging to diagnose and demands a high index of suspicion.

Abstract Population declines of vultures of the genus Gyps in the Indian Subcontinent in the 1990s and 2000s were among the most rapid global population declines recorded for any bird species. Multiple lines of evidence identified veterinary treatment of cattle with the non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug (NSAID) diclofenac as the principal cause of the vulture population crash. Diclofenac causes kidney failure and death within a few days of a vulture scavenging the carcass of a recently treated cow. Despite coordinated regulatory action by governments to ban veterinary diclofenac in South Asia, enforcement has been incomplete in many areas. Progress in preventing the veterinary use of other NSAIDs now also known to be vulture‐toxic has been slow. A mosaic of inconsistent licensing processes currently exists across South Asian vulture range states, leading to issues with successful policy implementation, legitimacy and effectiveness. At present, mandatory safety testing to ensure NSAIDs already in use or proposed for use are vulture‐safe is not part of drug licensing procedures in any vulture range state. In 2021, Bangladesh became the first country to ban a vulture‐toxic NSAID, in addition to diclofenac, by banning veterinary use of ketoprofen. In 2023, India became the second country to take this step when the government announced a ban on veterinary aceclofenac and ketoprofen. This government action in India may have been triggered by a recent legal challenge. Despite its veterinary use now being banned in South Asian and the Middle Eastern countries, diclofenac has been authorised for sale since 2013 as a veterinary drug in Spain, even though Spain holds 90% of the vulture population of Europe. The European Commission's decision to leave the authorisation of this drug to Member States is at odds with a central pillar of environmental law in the European Union (EU): the precautionary principle. Furthermore, this approach is not consistent with the stringent standards and burden of proof applied to the licensing of EU plant protection products. Solution. A solution to this lack of protection of Gyps vulture populations is for regulatory regimes for veterinary NSAIDs to be augmented.

Key Clinical Message Lymphadenopathy following recent immunization is usually regional. Generalized lymphadenopathy should arouse suspicion for alternative underlying pathology. Prostate adenocarcinoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis for malignancy in an elderly male patient. Metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma can have good prognostic outcomes if treatment is started promptly, even in the setting of widespread disease. Abstract Generalized lymphadenopathy is commonly attributed to infectious causes or malignancy, often lymphoproliferative disorders. We present a rare case of metastatic prostate cancer diagnosed after initially presenting as generalized lymphadenopathy following a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID) booster vaccination. A 70‐year‐old Hispanic male presented with left lower quadrant abdominal pain, nausea, headache, myalgia, severe constipation, and a right‐sided neck swelling that had been increasing in size since the day of his vaccination. Computed tomography (CT) scans of soft tissue neck, chest, abdomen, and pelvis with contrast showed extensive lymphadenopathy. Ultrasound‐guided biopsy results of the enlarged right supraclavicular node and prostate revealed histopathology consistent with that of prostate acinar adenocarcinoma. He started on bicalutamide for 4 weeks, transitioned to gonadotropin releasing hormone analogue (leuprolide) injections every 3 months and oral androgen receptor signaling inhibitor (abiraterone with prednisone daily). PSA level declined from 121 ng/mL at diagnosis to 1.3 ng/mL after 3 months of therapy, and repeat imaging showed marked improvement in the size of his mediastinal, retroperitoneal, and pelvic lymphadenopathy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case reported of a COVID vaccine booster uncovering lymphadenopathy leading to the diagnosis of metastatic prostate cancer.

Earthworms are a highly abundant species in nature, with nearly 7000 different species being discovered. Despite the similarities in morphology among earthworm species, their regeneration capabilities vary based on the clitellum. The clitellum plays a crucial role in the clitellum-dependent worms, as it is involved in the processes of regeneration and reproduction in earthworms. The fascinating characteristic of the clitellum, which serves as a hub for stem cells in clitellum-dependent worms, plays a crucial role in various biological processes that require further exploration. This review focuses on the overall physiological functions and uncovers the lesser-known roles of the clitellum that have been documented in various research articles. In recent times, numerous studies have been conducted using the earthworm model to explore various areas. In that regard, the clitellum's different roles in regulating and controlling stem cells, the regeneration process, regulation of organogenesis, stress response, aging, autotomy, and various features have been briefly discussed. Ultimately, we emphasized the unique and versatile role of the clitellum in the animal model, making it an ideal choice for studying development, regeneration, stem cells, organogenesis, toxicology, autotomy, and aging response., (© 2024 American Association for Anatomy.)

Adriamycin is an anticancer anthracycline drug that inhibits the progression of topoisomerase II activity and causes apoptosis. The effective clinical application of the drug is very much limited by its adverse drug reactions on various tissues. Most importantly, Adriamycin causes cardiomyopathy, one of the life-threatening complications of the drug. Altered expression of PPARγ in adipocytes inhibited the glucose and fatty acids uptake by down regulating GLUT4 and CD36 expression and causes cardiotoxicity. Therefore, the influence of Adriamycin in cardiac ailments was investigated in vivo and in vitro. Adriamycin treated rats showed altered ECG profile, arrhythmic heartbeat with the elevated levels of CRP and LDH. Dysregulated lipid profiles with elevated levels of cholesterol and triglycerides were also observed. Possibilities of cardiac problems due to cardiomyopathy were analyzed through histopathology. Adriamycin treated rats showed no signs for atheromatous plaque formation in aorta but disorganized cardiomyocytes with myofibrillar loss and inflammation in heart tissue, indicative of cardiomyopathy. Reduced levels of antioxidant enzymes confirmed the incidence of oxidative stress. Adriamycin treatment significantly reduced glucose and insulin levels, creating energy demand due to decreased glucose and insulin levels with increased fatty acid accumulation, ultimately resulting in oxidative stress mediated cardiomyopathy. Since PPARs play a vital role in regulating oxidative stress, the effect of Adriamycin on PPARγ was analyzed by western blot. Adriamycin downregulated PPARγ in a dose-dependent manner in H9C2 cells in vitro. Overall, our study suggests that Adriamycin alters glucose and lipid metabolism via PPARγ inhibition that leads to oxidative stress and cardiomyopathy that necessitates a different therapeutic approach., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. Although many diagnostic and treatment regimens have been followed in the treatment for lung cancer, increasing mortality rate due to lung cancer is depressing and hence requires alternative plant based therapeutics with with less side-effects. Myrtenol exhibits anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Hence we intended to study the effect of Myrtenol on B(a)P-induced lung cancer. Our study showed that B(a)P lowered hematological count, decreased phagocyte and avidity indices, nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction, levels of immunoglubulins, antioxidant levels, whereas Myrtenol treatment restored them back to normal levels. On the other hand, xenobiotic and liver dysfunction marker enzymes and pro-inflammatory cytokines were elevated on B(a)P exposure, which retuned back to normal by Myrtenol. This study thus describes the immunomodulatory and antioxidant effects of Myrtenol on B[a]P-induced immune destruction., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Bacterial biofilms are a big menace to industries and the environment and also in the health sector, accumulation of which is a major challenge. Despite intensive efforts to curb this issue, a definitive solution is yet to be achieved. Enzyme-templated disruption of the extracellular matrix of biofilm and its control and elimination are emerging as an efficient and greener strategy. The study describes the antibiofilm potential of alpha-amylase from the marine microorganism Pantoea agglomerans PCI05, against food-borne pathogens. Amylase exhibited stability in a wide pH range and retained 50% of its activity at temperatures as high as 100°C. Thermal analysis of the enzyme produced showed thermal stability, up to 130°C. From these findings, it can be envisaged that the alpha-amylase produced from P. agglomerans can be used for starch liquefaction; it was also evaluated for antibiofilm activity. Amylase from this marine bacterium was found to efficiently disrupt the preformed biofilms of food-borne pathogens such as Bacillus cereus , Serratia marcescens , Vibrio parahaemolyticus , Listeria monocytogenes , and Salmonella enterica enterica serotype Typhi based on the value of biofilm inhibitory concentrations., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Charu Goel et al.)

Most of the medical and nonmedical research labs, all around the world, are racing against time to produce an effective vaccine or an antiviral medicine for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Conventional medicines and novel nano-materials including chemical and herbal-based compounds are all into positive trials toward coronaviruses and other pandemic infections. Among them, natural immune boosters have attracted physicians because of their longevity and reliability for fewer side effects. This is a review article with a detailed picture of an unexplored antiviral source with maximum potency in curing viral infections. Cyanobacteriae have been known for centuries and are rich in secondary metabolites of proteins, biopeptides, and polysaccharides for prominent antiviral action against chest infections. But detailed exploratory research is required to purify, scale-up, and commercialize the pharmacologically active agents from these drug reserves., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2022 The Authors. Chronic Diseases and Translational Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd on behalf of Chinese Medical Association.)

In addition to the physical barrier, the epidermis acts as a natural barrier against microbial proliferation. It is prone to bacterial infections on the skin and in the nose, such as Staphylococcus aureus, as well as a variety of other skin illnesses. Green nanomaterial production, which eliminates the use of harmful chemicals while simultaneously reducing time, is gaining popularity in the nanotechnology area. Using the leaf extract of the pharmacologically valuable plant Moringa oleifera, we described a green synthesis of ZnO NPs (zinc oxide nanoparticles). ZnO NPs had a particle size of 201.6 nm and a zeta potential of -56.80 mV, respectively. A novel aminoketone antibacterial medication was synthesized and tested for antibacterial activity using ZnO NPs as a phytocatalyst in this work. This method produces high yields while maintaining efficient and gentle reaction conditions. Moringa oleifera extract can reduce ZnO to ZnO NPs in a straightforward manner. FT-IR, 1 H-NMR, 13 C-NMR, mass spectra, elemental analysis, and morphological analysis were used to synthesize and describe the antibacterial medicines (1a-1g) and (2a-2g). In addition, antibacterial activity was evaluated against bacteria such as Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus, and compound 1c (63  μ g/mL, E. faecalis ) and compound 2e (0.12  μ g/mL, S. aureus ) were found to be very active when compared to other medications. mupirocin is used as a reference. In addition, studies of in silico molecular docking for the bacterial DsbA protein were conducted. The strong molecules 1c (-4.3 kcal/mol) and 2e (-5.1 kcal/mol) exhibit a high binding affinity through hydrogen bonding, according to docking tests., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Perumal Gobinath et al.)

This study aimed to prepare the fortified rice/flour with Cissus quadrangularis (CQ) stem powder to eliminate nutritional deficiency and improve bone health. Mineral analysis by atomic absorption spectroscopy revealed that the CQ stem has adequate quantities of calcium, magnesium, and a moderate amount of phosphorous to meet the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). Thus, the rice and flour were fortified with freeze-dried CQ stem powder to improve its nutraceutical contents. The fortification was done using standard vacuum impregnation and blending process. Furthermore, the recuperative activity of prepared fortified rice (CQFR) and flour (CQFF) was tested in chemically induced osteoporosis and osteoarthritis animal models. The efficiency of CQ fortified diet against these complications was confirmed by hematology, radiology, and histopathological analysis. The rat groups fed with CQFF/CQFR diet showed significant improvement from calcium deficiency and its allied physiological damage. Thus, this study confirms that the CQ fortified rice would provide recovery from skeletal complications associated with calcium deficiency through fixing both homeostasis and bio-accessibility of the calcium. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Micronutrient and mineral deficiency is relatively higher in the regions where rice/rice products are consumed as a staple diet. Dietary intake of calcium and some essential minerals have major influences on bone and joint health. Cissus quadrangularis (CQ) is a familiar herb, conventionally used in India to fix broken bones and strengthen the skeletal system. The Atomic absorption spectroscopy data from this study showed that the CQ stem holds a high amount of calcium and other essential minerals to promote skeletal health. Preparation of fortified rice and flour with CQ stem would be a beneficial source of the essential minerals/ bioactive principles to promote and sustain skeletal health in the underprivileged population. These study data substantiated the practical application of producing the CQ fortified nutraceutical staple diet, especially to the people who are afflicted with morbid skeletal complications., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Plant-derived bioactive molecules display potential antiviral activity against various viral targets including mode of viral entry and its replication in host cells. Considering the challenges and search for antiviral agents, this review provides substantiated data on chemical constituents of edible fruits with promising antiviral activity. The bioactive constituents like naringenin, mangiferin, α-mangostin, geraniin, punicalagin, and lectins of edible fruits exhibit antiviral effect by inhibiting viral replication against IFV, DENV, polio, CHIKV, Zika, HIV, HSV, HBV, HCV, and SARS-CoV. The significance of edible fruit phytochemicals to block the virulence of various deadly viruses through their inhibitory action against the entry and replication of viral genetic makeup and proteins are discussed. In view of the antiviral property of active constituents of edible fruits which can strengthen the immune system and reduce oxidative stress, they are suggested to be diet supplements to combat various viral diseases including COVID-19. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Considering the increasing threat of COVID-19, it is suggested to examine the therapeutic efficacy of existing antiviral molecules of edible fruits which may provide prophylactic and adjuvant therapy with their potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune-modulatory effects. Several active molecules like geraniin, naringenin, (2R,4R)-1,2,4-trihydroxyheptadec-16-one, betacyanins, mangiferin, punicalagin, isomangiferin, procyanidin B2, quercetin, marmelide, jacalin lectin, banana lectin, and α-mangostin isolated from various edible fruits have showed promising antiviral properties against different pathogenic viruses. Especially flavonoid compounds extracted from edible fruits possess potential antiviral activity against a wide array of viruses like HIV-1, HSV-1 and 2, HCV, INF, dengue, yellow fever, NSV, and Zika virus infection. Hence taking such fruits or edible fruits and their constituents/compounds as dietary supplements could deliver adequate plasma levels in the body to optimize the cell and tissue levels and could lead to possible benefits for the preventive measures for this pandemic COVID-19 situation., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

This investigation is to find a prolonged or delayed drug release system, exclusively for the treatment of hepatitis-B to reduce the side effects, which arise when conventional solid dose forms are administered. To pursue this goal, lamivudine-loaded Eudragit-coated pectin microspheres have been formulated employing water/oil (W/O) emulsion evaporation strategy. The formulation was optimised using a 3 4 factorial design. A drug to polymer ratio of 1:2, the surfactant of 1 ml, the volume of 50 ml of processing medium with a stirring speed of 2500 rpm were found to be the optimal parameters to obtain the lamivudine-loaded Eudragit-coated pectin microspheres formulation with a high drug entrapment efficiency of 89.44% ± 1.44%. The in vitro release kinetics of lamivudine was a suitable fit to the Higuchi model, indicating a diffusion-controlled release with anomalous transport. The obtained microspheres were then subjected to different characterisation studies, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results of this study clearly indicate that Eudragit-coated pectin microspheres could be the promising controlled release carriers for colon-specific delivery of lamivudine in the presence of rat cecal content., (© 2021 The Authors. IET Nanobiotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Institution of Engineering and Technology.)

The immunomodulating effect of Phenolic acid bound arabinoxylans (PCA-AXs) extracted from Little (PCA-AX-L) and Kodo (PCA-AX-K) millet seeds in RAW 264.7 cells were investigated. The PCA-AXs were extracted from millets and their chemical characterization were carried out by GC-MS, HPLC, and FT-IR. The immunomodulatory effect of PCA-AXs in RAW 264.7 cells were investigated by estimating ROS, NO, and cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and evaluation of molecular mechanism by q-PCR & western blotting techniques. The xylose: arabinose ratio of PCA-AX-L and PCA-AX-K were 1.48:1.0 and 2.26:1.0, respectively. The phenolic acids content was higher in PCA-AX-K than PCA-AX-L determined by HPLC. FT-IR analysis confirms the presence of α-glucosidic linkage with the degree of substitution of xylan backbone by arabinose residues. The evaluation of immunomodulating effect of PCA-AXs revealed that the PCA-AX-L-treated cells showed higher release of NO, ROS and cytokines than PCA-AX-K-treated cells. The mRNA expressions of TNF-α, iNOS and COX-2 were upregulated by PCA-AX-L and downregulated by PCA-AX-K in dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, in western blotting, the ERK and NF-κB were found to be activated by PCA-AX-L and inhibited by PCA-AX-K. Our findings suggest that the high branched arabinoxylans of PCA-AX-L could modulate the immune response in RAW 264.7 cells through activation of ERK and NF-κB signaling pathways and acts as an immunostimulant. The higher phenolic content in PCA-AX-K could modulate the immune response by downregulation of ERK and NF-κB signaling pathways and thus, it could act as an immunomodulator. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Millets are the richest source of arabinoxylans in which they are known to be bound with phenolic acids (PCA-AX). Arabinoxylans derived from rice and wheat is known immunomodulators. This study was focused to evaluate the immunomodulatory property of PCA-AX derived from two different millets little and kodo. The study results clearly indicated the immune stimulatory action of PCA-AX-L and immunomodulatory action of PCA-AX-K. The explored mechanism indicated that the PCA-AXs modulate NF-κB & ERK pathways for their immunomodulatory action., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Candida albicans ( C. albicans ) infection shows a growing burden on human health, and it has become challenging to search for treatment. Therefore, this work focused on the antifungal activity, and cytotoxic effect of biosynthesised nanostructures on human ovarian tetracarcinoma cells PA1 and their corresponding mechanism of cell death. Herein, the authors fabricated advanced biosynthesis of uncoated α-Fe 2 O 3 and coated α-Fe 2 O 3 nanostructures by using the carbohydrate of Spirulina platensis . The physicochemical features of nanostructures were characterised by UV-visible, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The antifungal activity of these nanostructures against C. albicans was studied by the broth dilution method, and examined by 2', 7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate staining. However, their cytotoxic effects against PA1 cell lines were evaluated by MTT and comet assays. Results indicated characteristic rod-shaped nanostructures, and increasing the average size of α-Fe 2 O 3 @ZnO nanocomposite (105.2 nm × 29.1 nm) to five times as compared to α-Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles (20.73nm × 5.25 nm). The surface coating of α-Fe 2 O 3 by ZnO has increased its antifungal efficiency against C. albicans . Moreover, the MTT results revealed that α-Fe 2 O 3 @ZnO nanocomposite reduces PA1 cell proliferation due to DNA fragmentation (IC 50 18.5 μg/ml). Continual advances of green nanotechnology and promising findings of this study are in favour of using the construction of rod-shaped nanostructures for therapeutic applications.

Copper nanoparticles (Cu-Nps) are one of the promising materials for the advancement of nanoscience and technology. In this work, we synthesized telmisartan copper nanoparticles and 2-pyrimidinamines via Biginelli reaction using telmisartan copper nanoparticles (Cu-Nps) as a reusable catalyst. The synthesis of 2-pyrimidinamine derivatives (1a-c) was achieved in water and under solvent-free condition (Green chemistry approach). Synthesis of 2-pyrimidinamine with telmisartan copper nanoparticle (Cu-Nps-Pyr) unexpected product was also isolated from synthesis of 2-pyrimidinamine preparation. Antioxidant and cytotoxic activities were carried out both in 2-pyrimidinamine (1a-1c) and 2-pyrimidinamine with telmisartan copper nanoparticles (Cu-Nps-Pyr). The synthesized 2-pyrimidinamine derivatives (1a-c) were characterized from FT-IR, 1 H and 13 C NMR spectroscopy, mass and elemental analyses. The synthesized telmisartan copper nanoparticles (Cu-Nps) were characterized from UV spectroscopy, XRD, SEM, EDX, AFM (atomic force microscopy), profile, waviness, and roughness analyses. Antioxidant activity was screened based on ABTS ·+ radical scavenging and linoleic acid peroxidation performance. Cu-Nps-Pyr-1b showed substantial antioxidant (97.2%) activity against ABTS ·+ assay and 91.2% activity against AAPH assays compared with Trolox. Cytotoxicity was evaluated using HepG2, HeLa, and MCF-7 cell lines, the Cu-Nps-Pyr-1a is high in toxicities (GI 50 = 0.01  μ m) against the HeLa cancel cell line compared with doxorubicin. The developed copper NPs with 2-pyrimidinamine (Cu-Nps-Pyr) could provide promising advances as antioxidant activities; this nanocomposition could be considered an anticancer treatment in future investigations., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Radhakrishnan Surendrakumar et al.)

Terminal drought substantially reduces chickpea yield. Reducing water use at vegetative stage by reducing transpiration under high vapor pressure deficit (VPD), i.e. under dry/hot conditions, contributes to drought adaptation. We hypothesized that this trait could relate to differences in a genotype's dependence on root water transport pathways and hydraulics. Transpiration rate responses in conservative and profligate chickpea genotypes were evaluated under increasing VPD in the presence/absence of apoplastic and cell-to-cell transport inhibitors. Conservative genotypes ICC 4958 and ICC 8058 restricted transpiration under high VPD compared to the profligate genotypes ICC 14799 and ICC 867. Profligate genotypes were more affected by aquaporin inhibition of the cell-to-cell pathway than conservative genotypes, as measured by the root hydraulic conductance and transpiration under high VPD. Aquaporin inhibitor treatment also led to a larger reduction in root hydraulic conductivity in profligate than in conservative genotypes. In contrast, blockage of the apoplastic pathway in roots decreased transpiration more in conservative than in profligate genotypes. Interestingly, conservative genotypes had high early vigour, whereas profligate genotypes had low early vigour. In conclusion, profligate genotypes depend more on the cell-to-cell pathway, which might explain their higher root hydraulic conductivity, whereas water-saving by restricting transpiration led to higher dependence on the apoplastic pathway. This opens the possibility to screen for conservative or profligate chickpea phenotypes using inhibitors, itself opening to the search of the genetic basis of these differences., (© 2020 German Society for Plant Sciences and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.)

The chemical characterization and evaluation of immunostimulating effect of phenolic acid bound arabinoxylan (PA-AXs) isolated from barnyard (PA-AX-B) and foxtail (PA-AX-F) millets were performed. The sugar composition analysis and bound phenolic acids' (caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, and ferulic acid) content of PA-AXs were examined by gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), respectively. The immunostimulatory activity of PA-AXs was evaluated by studying the effect of PA-AXs on the release of nitric oxide (NO), ROS, and cytokine (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) in RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells. The GC-MS results revealed the xylose: arabinose ratio of PA-AX-F and PA-AX-B as 1.96:1.0 and 1.64:1.0, respectively. In HPLC analysis, PA-AX-B showed higher phenolic acid content than PA-AX-F. In RAW 264.7 cells, immunostimulatory activity was established by its increased release of NO, ROS, and cytokine (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) in a dose-dependent manner. Both PA-AX-B and PA-AX-F exhibited significant immunostimulation in in vitro studies. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Millets are known for the higher content of phenolic acid bound arabinoxylans (PA-AX). The composition of PA-AX varies with different types of millets. In general, rice bran and wheat arabinoxylans are well reported to have significant immunostimulatory and antitumor properties. The bound ferulic acid with arabinoxylan isolated from finger millet bran also possesses immunostimulatory property. As the millets grains, foxtail and barnyard are also rich in PA-AXs, the present study was focused to evaluate the immunostimulatory property of PA-AX derived from two different millets. The study results indicated the immune stimulatory action of millet PA-AX's and thus the purified PA-AX can be explored further to identify the mechanism of action with respect to its immune stimulation property., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a disease affecting the macula by the new blood vessels formation. AMD is widely treated with a combination of anti-angiogenic and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents. The topical administration of nanodispersions showed enhanced ocular residence time with controlled and prolonged drug delivery to the disease site at the back of the eye. In the present study we developed and characterized nanodispersion containing anti-angiogenic (artemisinin) and anti-VEGF agent (dexamethasone) for the topical ocular administration in order to obtain a required drug concentration in the posterior part of the eye. The nanodispersions were prepared with varying concentration of polymer, polyvinyl pyrrolidone K90 and polymeric surfactant, Poloxamer 407. The nanodispersions were found to be smooth and spherical in shape with a size range of 12-26   nm. In-vitro drug release studies showed the 90-101% of artemisinin and 55-103% of dexamethasone release from the nanodispersions. The blank formulation with a high concentration of polymer and polymeric surfactant showed an acceptable level of haemolysis and DNA damage. The chorioallantoic membrane assay suggested that the nanodispersion possess good anti-angiogenic effect. Hence the formulated artemisinin and dexamethasone nanodispersion may have the great potential for the AMD treatment.

This work explores the rapid synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from Musa paradisiaca (M. paradisiaca) bract extract. The bio-reduction of Ag + ion was recorded using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy by a surface plasmon resonance extinction peak with an absorbance at 420 nm. The phytoconstituents responsible for the reduction of AgNPs was probed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The X-ray diffraction pattern confirmed the formation of crystalline AgNPs that were analogous to selected area electron diffraction patterns. Morphological studies showed that the obtained AgNPs were monodispersed with an average size of 15 nm. The biologically synthesised AgNPs showed higher obstruction against tested phytopathogens. The synthesised AgNPs exhibited higher inhibitory zone against fungal pathogen Alternaria alternata and bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae . Free radical scavenging potential of AgNPs was investigated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydroxyl and 2,2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulphonic acid assays which revealed that the synthesised AgNPs act as a potent radical scavenger. The catalytic efficiency of the synthesised AgNPs was investigated for azo dyes, methyl orange (MO), methylene blue (MB) and reduction of o-nitrophenol to o-aminophenol. The results portrayed that AgNPs act as an effective nanocatalyst to degrade MO to hydrazine derivatives, MB to leucomethylene blue, and o-nitro phenol to o-amino phenol.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic nosocomial pathogenic microorganism causing majority of acute hospital-acquired infections and poses a serious public health concern. The persistence of bacterial infection can be attributed to the highly synchronised cell-to-cell communication phenomenon, quorum sensing (QS) which regulates the expression of a number of virulence factors and biofilm formation which eventually imparts resistance to the conventional antimicrobial therapy. In this study, the anti-quorum sensing and anti-biofilm potential of ferulic acid encapsulated chitosan-tripolyphosphate nanoparticles (FANPs) was investigated against P. aeruginosa PAO1 and compared with native ferulic acid. Dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopic analysis confirmed the synthesis of FANPs with mean diameter of 215.55 nm. FANPs showed significant anti-quorum sensing activity by downregulating QS-regulated virulence factors. In addition, FANPs also significantly attenuate the swimming and swarming motility of P. aeruginosa PAO1. The anti-biofilm efficacy of FANPs as compared to native ferulic acid was established by light and confocal laser scanning microscopic analysis. The promising results of FANPs in attenuating QS highlighted the slow and sustained release of ferulic acid at the target sites with greater efficacy suggesting its application towards the development of anti-infective agents.

The major challenge in identifying dexamethasone, betamethasone, and paramethasone from a mixture of these corticosteroids is difficulty in achieving an efficient separation. In this study, we aimed to develop an efficient technique to identify these co-eluting isomers based on the mass spectral patterns of them and their corresponding phase II metabolites after electrospray ionization. Fragmentation pathways in tandem mass spectrometry revealed acceptable specificity within the groups of conjugates. The method was validated using individual isomers and mixtures at various compositions. The effects of concentration and collision energies on fragmentation patterns were also studied extensively. Matrix-fortified equine urine and plasma samples were also included so that matrix effects and interferences on fragmentation ratios could be elucidated. Preliminary results using biological samples demonstrated the suitability of this analytical strategy for direct measurement from their fragmentation patterns. Possible fragmentation pathways for each isomer were proposed., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Adriamycin is an effective anticancer drug used in a wide range of cancers. Anticancer drugs modulate oncogenes and nodal regulatory molecules that affect cell differentiation and organismal development. In this study, we explore the effect of adriamycin on Kruppel-like factor4 (Klf4), an essential pluripotent factor by choosing zebrafish embryos as a model system. Klf4 is involved in the regulation of cellular growth, proliferation, and differentiation. In zebrafish embryogenesis, Klf4 is a major regulator of differentiation of polster in the anterior mesendoderm region of cells into hatching gland cells. The importance of this study is to check the effect of adriamycin on embryonic development. We found, adriamycin dose dependently altered the gene expression level of Klf4 that occurs in parallel to its detrimental effect on hatching. Supportively, cathepsin L and cyclase-associated protein1 are the other two markers of hatching that are altered along with Klf4., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

In this study, the leaf extract of an important medicinal plant Crescentia cujete L. (CC) was employed as a green reducing agent to synthesise highly-stable C. cujete silver nanoparticles (CCAgNPs). The reduction of Ag + to Ag 0 nanoparticles was initially observed by a colour change which generates an intense surface plasmon resonance peak at 417 nm using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Various optimisation factors such as temperature, pH, time and the stoichiometric proportion of the reaction mixture were performed, which influence the size, dispersity and synthesis rate of CCAgNPs. In addition, surface chemistry of synthesised CCAgNPs through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy reveals the reducing/stabilising agent present in the aqueous extract of C. cujete and synthesised CCAgNPs. Transmission electron microscopy analysis features the spherical shape of CCAgNPs with an average size of 39.74 nm. Furthermore, an X-ray diffraction study confirms that the synthesised CCAgNPs were face-centred cubic crystalline in nature. The CCAgNPs display tremendous bactericidal activity against human pathogens Bacillus subtilis , Staphylococcus epidermidis , Rhodococcus rhodochrous , Salmonella typhi , Mycobacterium smegmatis , Shigella flexneri and Vibrio cholerae via penetrating into the bacterial cell membrane and causing failure of an internal chain reaction.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a notorious pathogen that causes biofilm aided infections in patients with cystic fibrosis and burn wounds, resulting in significant mortality in immunocompromised individuals. This study reports a novel one-step biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles using phytocompound, hordenine (HD), as a reducing and capping agent. The synthesis of the anisotropic hordenine-fabricated gold nanoparticles (HD-AuNPs) with an average particle size of 136.87 nm was achieved within 12 h of incubation at room temperature. Both HD and HD-AuNPs exhibited significant antibiofilm activity against P. aeruginosa PAO1, although greater biofilm inhibition was observed for the nanoparticles as compared to hordenine alone. In the microtitre plate assay and tube method, the nanoparticles significantly inhibited the biofilm formation by 73.69 and 78.41%, respectively. The exopolysaccharide production by the test pathogen was arrested by 68.46% on treatment with the nanoparticles. Further, the effect of HD and HD-AuNPs on the biofilm architecture of P. aeruginosa was revealed by light and confocal laser-scanning microscopy micrographs. The overall results of this study suggested the synergistic antibiofilm effect of AuNPs and HD for the treatment of chronic bacterial infections caused by biofilms forming pathogens.

Biosynthesis of novel therapeutic nano-scale materials for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications has been enormously developed, since last decade. Herein, the authors report an ecological way of synthesising the platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) using Streptomyces sp. for the first time . The produced PtNPs exhibited the face centred cubic system. The fourier transform infrared spectrum revealed the existence of amino acids in proteins which serves as an essential reductant for the formation of PtNPs. The spherical morphology of the PtNPs with an average size of 20-50 nm was observed from topographical images of atomic force microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The X-ray fluorescence spectrum confirms the presence of PtNPs with higher purity. The PtNPs size was further confirmed with transmission electron microscopy analysis and the particles were found to exist in the same size regime. Additionally, PtNPs showed the characteristic surface plasmon resonance peak at 262 nm. Dynamic light scattering studies report that 97.2% of particles were <100 nm, with an average particle diameter of about 45 nm. Furthermore, 3-(4, 5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2, 5-diphenyl-tetrazolium assay based in vitro cytotoxicity analysis was conducted for the PtNPs, which showed the inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) at 31.2 µg/ml against Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 breast cancer cells.

Huntington's disease (HD) is characterised by movement disorders, cognitive impairments, and psychiatric problems. The abnormal generation of reactive oxygen species and the resulting oxidative stress-induced mitochondrial damage in neurons upon CAG mutations in the HTT gene have been hypothesized as the contributing factors of neurodegeneration in HD. The potential use of antioxidants against free radical toxicity has been an emerging field in the management of ageing and many neurodegenerative disorders. Neural stem cells derived adult neurogenesis represents the regenerative capacity of the adult brain. The process of adult neurogenesis has been implicated in the cognitive functions of the brain and is highly modulated positively by different factors including antioxidants. The supportive role of antioxidants to reduce the severity of HD via promoting the functional neurogenesis and neuroprotection in the pathological adult brain has great promise. This review comprehends the recent studies describing the therapeutic roles of antioxidants in HD and other neurologic disorders and highlights the scope of using antioxidants to promote adult neurogenesis in HD. It also advocates a new line of research to delineate the mechanisms by which antioxidants promote adult neurogenesis in HD., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of HPV infection among women from three districts of Tamil Nadu (Erode, Salem, and Namakkal)., Methods: Between January 27, 2007, and December 15, 2009, 1800 women aged 20-70years who had normal cervical cytology were enrolled into a cross-sectional study. Participants completed interviews and provided first void urine samples for assessment of HPV infection., Results: Among 1699 eligible samples, 179 (10.5%) were HPV positive. HPV16 was the most common type (affecting 68 [4.0%] women), followed by HPV6 (58 [3.4%]). Among the 179 HPV-positive women, 71 (39.7%) were aged 36-45years. An annual income of less than 25 000 INR was significantly associated with HPV infection in all three districts (P<0.05). Regular intercourse was also associated with HPV in Erode and Salem (P<0.05)., Conclusion: Screening and prophylactic vaccines containing HPV16 and HPV6 should be promoted in western Tamil Nadu., (Copyright © 2014 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The impact of tributyltin (TBT) on the female gonad and the endocrine system in Macrobrachium rosenbergii was studied. Prawns were exposed to environmentally realistic concentrations of 10, 100, and 1000 ng/L of TBT for 6 months. Dose dependent effects were noticed in TBT exposed prawns. At 1000 ng/L TBT caused ovotestis formation (formation of male germ cells in ovary). Presence immature oocytes, fusion of developing oocytes, increase in interstitial connective tissues, and its modification into tubular like structure and abundance of spermatogonia in the ovary of TBT treated prawns. The control prawn ovary showed normal architecture of cellular organelles such as mature oocytes with type 2 yolk globules, lipid droplets, normal appearance of yolk envelop, and uniformly arranged microvilli. On the other hand, type 1 yolk globules, reduced size of microvilli, spermatogonial cells in ovary, spermatogonia with centrally located nucleus, and chromatin distribution throughout the nucleoplasm were present in the TBT treated group. Immunofluorescence staining indicated a reduction in vitellin content in ovary of TBT treated prawn. Moreover, TBT had inhibited the vitellogenesis by causing hormonal imbalance in M. rosenbergii. Thus, the present investigation demonstrates that TBT substantially affects sexual differentiation and gonadal development in M. rosenbergii.

Several approaches for predicting secondary structures from sequences have been developed and reached a fair accuracy. One of the most rigorous tests for these prediction methods is their ability to correctly predict identical fragments of protein sequences adopting different secondary structures in unrelated proteins. In our previous work, we obtained 30 identical octapeptide sequence fragments adopting different backbone conformations. It is of interest to find whether the presence of structurally ambivalent fragments in proteins will affect the accuracy of secondary structure prediction methods or not. Hence, in this work, we have made a systematic comparative analysis on secondary structure prediction results of 30 identical octapeptide pairs and 52 identical heptapeptide pairs adopting different conformations with the aid of segment overlap measure. The results reveal the better performance of profile-based methods such as PSIpred and JPred and misprediction by classical rule-based methods such as Garnier Osguthorpe Robson Method and Double Prediction Method. The results discussed here insist that modern secondary structure prediction methods are able to better discriminate conformationally ambivalent peptide fragments., (Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objective: To assess the prevalence of HPV infection among women with cervical cancer in Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, India., Methods: A case-control study was conducted with 246 women with cervical cancer and 257 control participants aged between 20 and 70 years. The presence of HPV DNA was determined using the MY09/11 PCR protocol, the GP5(+)/6(+) PCR protocol, and type-specific PCR-based assays., Results: The overall HPV prevalence was 54.9% and HPV 16 was the most prevalent type. The women the most vulnerable for HPV infection were those aged 41 to 60 years. The major contributing risk factors for cervical cancer were having had 3 or more pregnancies (OR 19.2; 95% CI, 10.78-10.16); harboring high-risk HPV DNA (OR 15.3; 95% CI, 9.81-23.8); being a manual worker (OR 14.9; 95% CI, 9.62-23.08); being illiterate (OR 8.28; 95% CI, 5.51-12.43); and having never been screened for cervical dysplasia (OR 6.70; 95% CI, 10.78-34.44)., Conclusion: The present report on the overall and type-specific prevalence rates and risk burden of HPV infection in Tamil Nadu confirms that screening and vaccination programs are urgently needed in this state to overcome the burden of HPV-associated cervical cancer., (Copyright © 2012 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Since proteins are dynamic in nature, they can alter their local structure in response to changes in their environment factors such as temperature, pH, phosphorylation, and binding of other small molecules. These conformational changes are extremely important for the correct folding and functioning of proteins. There are also a number of diseases associated with protein conformational change such as amyloid diseases. To stimulate research into the above factors which specify one conformation over another, different theoretical models have been proposed and tested against sequence similar distant structure protein fragments. In order to simplify the computational complexity of identifying conformational changes in proteins, various local sequence search algorithms were employed and the structural plasticity in unrelated proteins was examined by various research groups. In the present work, we revisit the mechanism of structural plasticity in unrelated proteins with increased number of structures in Protein Data Bank by comparing identical octapeptides in unrelated proteins with dictionary of protein secondary structure extracted from existing experimental data. Our goal is to bring out the influence of hydrophobic residues, hydrophilic residues, flanking residues, difference in secondary structural propensities of surrounding residues, difference in phi-psi angles and local and nonlocal interactions in identical octapeptides adopting different conformations. Also we have used surrounding hydrophobicity, environment dependent interaction energy, atomic mean force potential, structural unit contacts and difference profiles models to explore the factors which cause structural plasticity. The results discussed here may provide insights into protein folding, design and function., (Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Coimbatore is one of the fast growing industrial cities of Southern India with an urban population of 1.9 million. This study attempts to evaluate the trends of airborne fine particulates (PM 2.5) and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) on them. The PM 2.5 mass was collected in polytetra fluoroethylene filters using fine particulate sampler at monthly intervals during March 2009 to February 2010. PAHs were extracted from PM 2.5 and estimated by high-performance liquid chromatography. It is alarming to note that PM 2.5 values ranged between 27.85 and 165.75 μg/m(3) and exceeded the air quality standards in many sampling events. The sum of 9 PAHs bound to PM 2.5 in a single sampling event ranged from 4.1 to 1632.3 ng/m(3). PAH diagnostic ratios and principal component analysis results revealed vehicular emissions and diesel-powered generators as predominant sources of PAH in Coimbatore.

Long-range order (LRO) is one of the most successful descriptors in relating the three-dimensional structures of proteins with their folding rates. LRO highlights the importance of long-range contacts (residues that are far in sequence and closer in the 3D structure) in determining the folding rates of proteins across all structural classes of proteins. In this work, we have updated the data set of two-state folding proteins to examine the robustness of LRO parameter and to assess whether any refinements are required in defining the computation of LRO. LRO shows a better correlation (r = -0.85) for the increased dataset with a very small difference in distance cut-off compared to the old data set and reinforces the robustness of the parameter. When the dataset was grouped into three major structural classes, slight refinement of the parameter (distance of separation in space and sequence) gave better correlations. The corresponding correlation for the three structural classes are r = -0.92; sequence separation 23; spatial distance cut-off 5.5 A for all alpha structural class, r = -0.84; sequence separation 43; spatial distance cut-off 7 A for all beta structural class and r = -0.82; sequence separation 8; spatial distance cut-off 8 A for mixed class proteins. It is envisaged that during the process of protein folding, formation of long-range contacts beyond the above sequence separation limits may play a key role in determining the folding rates of proteins, and this aspect is discussed in the light of experimental studies on the formation of interresidue contacts and end-to-end loops in unfolded polypeptide chains., (2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The accumulation and utilization of storage proteins are prominent events linked to the metamorphosis of holometabolous insects. The female-specific storage protein 1 (SP1) is the major storage protein found in the hemolymph and fat body of female larvae of the groundnut pest, Amsacta albistriga. Here we show SP1 expression and localization in differentiated fat body tissues using biochemical and immunohistochemistry scrutiny. Comparison of A. albistriga SP1 with that of other species with respect to amino acid composition and N-terminal sequences show that SP1 is a methonine-rich protein and its identity was confirmed by means of immunoblot analysis. Northern blot studies revealed that the SP1 gene demonstrates stage- and tissue-specific expression in the peripheral fat body cells during the mid-larval period of fifth instar of A. albistriga. During the larval pupal transformation, SP1 are sequestered mainly by the perivisceral fat body tissues, until they serve the purpose of supplying amino acids for the production of egg yolk proteins. Further, electron microscopic studies using immunogold tracer techniques confirmed the localization of crystalline SP1 reserves, stored in the perivisceral fat body tissues. Hence, the peripheral fat body is responsible for biosynthesis of storage proteins, whereas the perivisceral fat body is a specialized storage organ., (Copyright 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Aeromonas hydrophila is a ubiquitous and opportunistic bacterial pathogen that produces ulcerative dermatitis under stress conditions and inflicts severe losses on global fisheries and fish culture. This study evaluates the antimicrobial potency of aqueous and ethanolic decoction (individual extract) and concoction (mixed extract) of three common medicinal herbs, turmeric Curcuma longa, Tulsi plant Ocimum sanctum, and neem Azadirachta indica, against the in vitro growth of A. hydrophila. Among the decoctions, A. indica exhibited the most potent antibacterial property (P < 0.05) against A. hydrophila. Among the concoctions, both the aqueous and ethanolic triherbal extracts mixed in the ratio of 1:1:1 had higher antibacterial activity (P < 0.05) than the other concoctions and decoctions. Goldfish Carassius auratus (10 +/- 2 g) were challenged with A. hydrophila intramuscularly in the caudal region with two separate doses (days 1 and 3) of 50 microL/fish (1.8 x 10(3) colony-forming units per milliliter). On days 9 (early) and 15 (late) of infection, fish were held in a net and dip treated for 5 min daily in a 1-L solution of 1% aqueous triherbal concoction. Red blood cell (RBC) count, hemoglobin, and hematocrit levels of the infected group were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those of the control group. In the early treated group, all of the affected profile values returned to near normal, while the late-treated group registered a partial recovery, such as improved RBC count. The derived hematological values, such as mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, of the early and late-treated groups also significantly declined (P < 0.05) but were restored to near normal (P > 0.05) only in the early treated group. The results suggest that dip treatment of A. hydrophila-infected goldfish in an aqueous triherbal concoction had a synergistic restorative effect on the hematological variables.

The epididymis of the fan-throated lizard Sitana ponticeriana was examined with light and transmission electron microscopy to understand the cellular mechanisms of fabrication of secretion granules in epithelial principal cells, granule release into the lumen, and the fate of the dense structured granules after reaching the lumen. Principal cells of the ductus epididymis, except at the cauda, secrete electron-dense biphasic granules copiously, which decrease in abundance from the initial segment to corpus. The principal cell possesses a prominent Golgi apparatus and all versions of endoplasmic reticulum (ER), rough, smooth, and sparsely granulated. The material of the dense portion of the secretion granules, after processing at the Golgi apparatus, appears to accumulate in large ER cisternae in the supranuclear cytoplasm. It undergoes condensation when the cisternae become condensing vacuoles. Mitochondria appear to play a role in dense granule formation. The condensing vacuoles are displaced toward the apical cytoplasm when the material of the less dense portion is added to the condensing vacuoles at the Golgi area. Thus, the less dense and dense portions of the secretion granules are secreted and added to the condensing vacuoles separately. The composite granules are released into the lumen by exocytosis when the less dense portion merges with the luminal content, whereas the dense portion maintains its structured identity. The latter, initially measuring 1-2 microm in diameter, increases in size several times. It is inferred that these granules release their content gradually, resulting in the appearance of vacuoles, and suggesting that the granules have an insoluble matrix in which there is a sparingly soluble material. The substance leaching out of the granules appears to contribute to keeping the sperm quiescent and alive during storage in the male reproductive tract., (J. Morphol. (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Among reptiles, an ampulla ductus deferentis has been reported only in Squamata. Fairly detailed studies are available only for two species, the lizard Calotes versicolor (Fam: Agamidae) and the snake Seminatrix pygaea (Fam: Colubridae). The light microscopic study on C. versicolor revealed the ampulla to be a prominent organ, whereas the light and transmission electron microscopic study in S. pygaea revealed it to be discernable only in histological preparations. Further, the epithelium of the ductal portion of vas deferens as well as the ampulla of C. versicolor appears to contribute to the seminal plasma and can also phagocytose dead sperm, whereas in S. pygaea neither of these roles has been established. Thus, we hypothesize that there may be variations in the anatomy, histology, and the role of the vas deferens in general, and the ampulla in particular, of the squamate reptiles. In this study, the ductus deferens of the small fan-throated lizard Sitana ponticeriana (Fam: Agamidae) was subjected to light and transmission electron microscopic analysis. In this lizard the ampulla is more prominent than in C. versicolor. The epithelium of the ductal portion of vas deferens consists of principal cells (with features reflecting roles in endocytosis and phagocytosis of dead sperm), dark cells (which are absent in the epithelium of the ductal portion of vas deferens of snakes), and basal cells. The ampulla of S. ponticeriana is differentiated into storage and glandular portions. The epithelium of the storage portion is like that in the ductal portion of the vas deferens, whereas that of the glandular portion, consisting of dark and light principal cells and foamy cells, is tall and forms into smooth villous folds. All three cell types show evidence for a role in secretion, in all likelihood different from each other, for release into the lumen to contribute to seminal plasma. These cells do not provide evidence of a role in phagocytosis of dead sperm. It appears that within the Squamata, the ductal ampulla differs in structure as well as function. We suggest that the ductal ampulla of agamid lizards is a composite gland of the ampulla ductus deferentis and seminal vesicles of mammals., (Copyright (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Caecilians are a unique group of limbless burrowing amphibians with discontinuous distribution. Several caecilian species are viviparous, and all practice internal fertilization. In amniotic vertebrates the sperm undergo post-testicular physiological maturation when they are initiated into motility under the influence of an epididymal secretion. Further, during ejaculation mammalian sperm are suspended in a fluid secreted by the male accessory sex glands, viz., prostate gland and seminal vesicles. Caecilians lack comparable glands, but still practice internal fertilization. Uniquely, male caecilians retain the Mullerian ducts in the adults as a pair of functional glands. It has long been hypothesized, based on indirect evidence, that the Mullerian gland would be a male accessory sex gland, secreting a fluid in which sperm are suspended during ejaculation and which would also provide nutritional support to the ejaculated sperm. In the present study, the secretory material of the Mullerian gland of Uraeotyphlus narayani was mixed with sperm obtained from the testis, and the changes in motility were recorded. Uraeotyphlus narayani sperm possess a perforatorium of the acrosome proceeding deep into the endonuclear canal of the nucleus. The midpiece is characterized by closely applied centrioles, the anterior ends of the axoneme and axial fiber, and a mitochondrial sheath. The long tail has an undulating membrane on one side, supported by the axoneme and an axial fiber. The live sperm possess a mitochondrial vesicle, also known as the cytoplasmic droplet, anywhere along the head and the midpiece, as in anuran sperm, which is shed from sperm that have ceased motility. Uraeotyphlus narayani sperm are motile the moment they are released directly from the testis, indicating that the sperm do not require post-testicular physiological maturation. On being mixed with the secretory material of the Mullerian gland, the spermatozoa are enhanced in speed as well as duration of motility. Therefore, the caecilian male Mullerian gland is considered to be the male accessory sex gland., (Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Caecilians are exceptional among the vertebrates in that males retain the Mullerian duct as a functional glandular structure. The Mullerian gland on each side is formed from a large number of tubular glands connecting to a central duct, which either connects to the urogenital duct or opens directly into the cloaca. The Mullerian gland is believed to secrete a substance to be added to the sperm during ejaculation. Thus, the Mullerian gland could function as a male accessory reproductive gland. Recently, we described the male Mullerian gland of Uraeotyphlus narayani using light and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and histochemistry. The present TEM study reports that the secretory cells of both the tubular and basal portions of the tubular glands of the male Mullerian gland of this caecilian produce secretion granules in the same manner as do other glandular epithelial cells. The secretion granules are released in the form of structured granules into the lumen of the tubular glands, and such granules are traceable to the lumen of the central duct of the Mullerian gland. This is comparable to the situation prevailing in the epididymal epithelium of several reptiles. In the secretory cells of the basal portion of the tubular glands, mitochondria are intimately associated with fabrication of the secretion granules. The structural and functional organization of the epithelium of the basal portion of the tubular glands is complicated by the presence of basal cells. This study suggests the origin of the basal cells from peritubular tissue leukocytes. The study also indicates a role for the basal cells in acquiring secretion granules from the neighboring secretory cells and processing them into lipofuscin material in the context of regression of the Mullerian gland during the period of reproductive quiescence. In these respects the basal cells match those in the epithelial lining of the epididymis of amniotes.