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The Neelakurunji (Strobilanthes kunthianus) is a semelparous plant species which flowers once in every 12 years in Western Ghats of South India. For the first time, pollen germination medium to germinate kurunji pollen in vitro was developed and reported. The pollen germination medium developed by Brewbaker and Kwack medium was modified, also urea and multivitamin was added to develop a medium which supports more than 91% pollen germination in vitro. Kurunji pollen is elliptical and the pollen tubes peculiarly emerge from the belly of the pollen. This new pollen germination medium (PGM) consisted of 15% sucrose +15% PEG 4000 + 100 mgl–1boric acid + 450 mgl–1 calcium nitrate +75 mgl–1 potassium nitrate+ 150 mgl–1 magnesium nitrate+ 50 mgl–1urea+200 mgl–1Neurobion forte(multivitamin tablet). Urea has been added as one of the constituents to pollen germination medium for the first time. Also the pollen viability and stigma receptivity were tested.

Purpose: The study aims to estimate the differences in vaginal surface, bladder, and rectal doses when adjuvant intracavitary brachytherapy is carried out with ovoids or with vaginal cylinders, in postoperative carcinoma endometrium and to assess the difference in variability in organs at risk (OAR) doses and thereby the reproducibility of application in subsequent sittings. Materials and Methods: Fifteen patients each received vaginal brachytherapy with ovoid and cylindrical applicators. The dose received by 0.1 cc, 1.0 cc, 2.0 cc, 5.0 cc, and 10.0 cc volumes of the OAR, namely, bladder, and rectum were analyzed using independent t-test. Interfractional variation in dose to OAR was evaluated using a two-way repeated ANOVA test. The dose received by the upper 2 cm of vagina was assessed using volume receiving 100% (V100) and dose received by 100% (D100) for documenting dose distribution to the target volume. Results: The mean dose to rectum and bladder were significantly lesser with ovoids (P < 0.0001). This difference was seen in all volumes analyzed. V100 (99.05% vs. 67.7%, P < 0.0001) and D100 (95.70% vs. 53.08%, P < 0.0001) were significantly better with cylinders compared to ovoids. There was no statistically significant interfractional variation between sittings with either applicator. Conclusion: The two applicators studied have different dosimetric properties conferring specific advantages and disadvantages as far as dose to OARs and target is concerned. Both applicators provide good reproducibility. The choice of applicator would ultimately depend on the clinical outcomes of these dosimetric differences which need to be prospectively analyzed.

Background. Perchlorate is an anion that occurs as a contaminant in groundwater. It originates from the improper disposal of ammonium perchlorate, a component of rocket fuel. The objective of this study was to explore whether the exposure to perchlorate in drinking water had an impact on the thyroid function of the population residing near an ammonium perchlorate plant in Kerala. Methodology. Using an ecological study design, we compared the serum levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone, thyroxine, and thyroid peroxidase antibodies among a representative sample of 289 study subjects from the area surrounding the ammonium perchlorate enrichment plant to 281 study subjects in a control area. Results. The perchlorate concentration in the groundwater varied from 1600 ppb to 57,000 ppb in the 10 samples from the contaminated area and was below 24 ppb in all locations in the control area. No significant differences were found in the mean serum TSH concentration and mean T4 levels between the subjects from the contaminated area and the control area. On regression analysis, perchlorate contamination was not found to be a significant predictor of TSH. Conclusion. This study did not find any significant association between perchlorate in drinking water and changes in thyroid hormone levels. Our findings indicate the need for further investigation of this hypothesis using urinary perchlorate as a measure of individual exposure.

Leaf rust (Puccinia triticina Eriks.) is a fungal disease of wheat (Triticum spp.), which causes considerable yield loss. Adult plant resistance (APR) is one of the most sustainable approaches to control leaf rust. In this study, field-testing was carried out across ten different locations, followed by molecular screening, to detect the presence of APR genes, Lr34+, Lr46+, Lr67+ and Lr68 in Indian wheat germplasm. In field screening, 190 wheat accessions were selected from 6,319 accessions based on leaf tip necrosis (LTN), disease severity and the average coefficient of infection. Molecular screening revealed that 73% of the accessions possessed known APR genes either as single or as a combination of two or three genes. The occurrence of increased LTN intensity, decreased leaf rust severity and greater expression of APR genes were more in relatively cooler locations. In 52 lines, although the presence of the APR genes was not detected, it still displayed high levels of resistance. Furthermore, 49 accessions possessing either two or three APR genes were evaluated for stability across locations for grain yield. It emerged that eight accessions had wider adaptability. Resistance based on APR genes, in the background of high yielding cultivars, is expected to provide a high level of race non-specific resistance, which is durable.

One hundred and four released varieties of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L ssp. aestivum) in India were crossed to two T. aestivum L ssp. aestivum testers, namely, C306 (Ne 1 Ne 1 ne 2 ne 2 ) and HD2329 (ne 1 ne 1 Ne 2 Ne 2 ) to determine the frequency and distribution of genes for hybrid necrosis present in them. Sixty-seven varieties (65.4 %) showed the presence of Ne 2 gene and only eight varieties (7.7 %) had Ne 1 gene in their background. Twenty-nine varieties (27.9 %) were non carrier (ne 1 ne 1 ne 2 ne 2 ) for both the genes. Most of the Ne 1-carriers are of Indian origin and their pedigree revealed the involvement of landraces and old varieties as parents. Predominance of Ne 2 gene in Indian varieties happened after the introduction of semi-dwarf Mexican wheat varieties, which are mostly Ne 2 carriers and also due to the extensive and continuous use of germplasm from Mexican and European origin in the hybridization programme. Moreover varieties with Ne 2 gene is selected for their linked beneficial traits mainly rust resistance genes. The phenomenon of hybrid necrosis is one among the post zygotic barrier speciation process which acts as a barrier for either intra or inter specific gene flow. The genetic architecture of hybrid necrosis in wheat is simple following the minimal predictions of the Bateson–Dobzhansky–Muller model. Widespread occurrence of dominant genes for hybrid necrosis in Indian varieties is of great concern to wheat breeders as it often interferes in the choice of elite parents and imposes restrictions on the productivity of crosses.

A noncentrosymmetric hard anisotropy crystals of Chloro bis thiourea mercury (II) chloride (CBTMC),[HgCl [CS(NH2)2]2Cl], was synthesized using water as solvent and grown by slow solvent evaporation method and its properties are reported for the first time to attest its suitability in nonlinear optical applications. CBTMC single crystals possessing good morphology with size up to 0.6 × 0.4 × 0.2 cm3 were collected from the crystallization vessels after 12 days. Crystallography structure diffraction analysis using X-radiation confirms the non-centrosymmetric (polar) space group Pmmn, which is the key requirement to exhibit nonlinear optical activity. The crystals are analyzed by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) to assess the good crystalline nature. The existence of various functional groups in the synthesized compound were manifested and examined by FTIR spectrum. The thermal analysis disclosed the maximum temperature of operation of 253 °C for CBTMC. The EDAX spectrum emphasized the presence of mercuric chloride in the metal complex. CBTMC crystal was subjected to SEM analysis and it divulged the surface topographies. The UV-Visible spectra revealed the absorption edge down to near UV absorption wavelength at 213 nm, which is a deciding property for SHG. From the UV absorption data optical direct band gap is assessed (Eg = 4.62 eV). The powder visible SHG response was judged by Kurtz-Perry method using a fundamental pulsed Nd: YAG laser radiation (λ = 1064 nm) and SHG efficiency was determined to be 0.736 times that of KDP, moreover KDP is phase-matchable.

The present study was designed to identify the role of folate, B12, homocysteine, and polymorphisms of methylene tetrahydrofolatereductase (MTHFR) gene in cervical carcinogenesis among 322 women from Kerala, South India. Serum folate, vitamin B12 (chemiluminescence assay), and homocysteine (EIA) along with genetic polymorphisms of MTHFR gene (polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism) were analyzed for 136 control subjects, 92 low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) subjects, and 94 invasive cervical cancer cases (ICC). Statistically significant associations between MTHFR polymorphisms, serum homocysteine, and folate levels with cervical carcinogenesis were not evident, but we found that these parameters acted as effect modifiers of serum vitamin B12. The risk estimates observed for B12 became prominent only when there was a deficiency in serum folate levels [LSIL-odds ratio (OR): 14.9 (95% CI: 2.65 to 84.4); ICC-OR = 8.72 (95% CI = 1.55 to 48.8)] or when MTHFR A1298C polymorphic variant was present [LSIL-OR = 9.8 (95% CI = 2.61 to 36.7); ICC-OR = 10.0 (95%CI = 2.5 to 39.3)]. The statistical significance of this effect modification was further studied using an interaction model, where only folate was observed to have an influence on B12 levels as suggested by the odds ratio of 7.11 (95% CI = 0.45 to 111.9) obtained for ICC group, implicating a synergistic role of these 2 vitamins in invasive cervical cancer.

In this study, we report in vitro pollen germination medium (PGM) for the egg plant and four of its wild species belonging to tertiary gene pool viz., Solanum torvum, S. khasianum, S. trilobatum and S. surrettence. The medium developed by Brewbaker and Kwack has been modified and improved with addition of poly ethylene glycol, ɛ-amino caproic acid etc which supported over 78% pollen germination and pollen tube growth of these species. The complete pollen germination medium for eggplant consists of 20% maltose + 250 mg l−1 Boric acid + 300 mg l−1 Calcium nitrate + 15% PEG 4000 + 750 mg l−1 EACA + 0.5–1% agar at 25 oC temperature for 3h of incubation. During the study, pollen sterility of 8–12% was observed at flowering period invariably in all Solanum species.

Purpose: This study seeks to define the role of pretreatment expression of the tumour-suppressor p53 protein and the anti-apoptotic protein bcl-2 and their relationship to tumour response to radiotherapy in cervical carcinoma. Methods: A total of 101 patients were evaluated and the possibility of a correlation done between the pretreatment status of the two proteins and clinical outcome following radiotherapy was investigated. Such patients were either disease-free (group 1, n = 65) or had residual/recurrent disease (group 2, n = 36) at a 16-month follow-up. p53 and bcl-2 protein expression was determined by immunocytochemistry. The presence of mutant p53 was detected by a mutant specific p53 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: There was no correlation between p53 immunoreactivity or the presence of mutant p53 protein and disease status after treatment. Expression of bcl-2 protein, however, showed significant pretreatment correlations with the final disease outcome (r = 0.643, P = 0.0001). Moreover the odds ratio of a tumour expressing moderate to intense levels of bcl-2 responding poorly to radiotherapy was 27.2 (95% CI 6.0, 123.3). Conclusions: bcl-2 protein functions in an anti-oxidant pathway to prevent apoptosis. Since radiotherapy efficacy depends on adequate DNA damage caused by free-radical generation, increased expression of bcl-2 may result in tumours becoming less responsive to radiation. Mutation of the p53 gene, however, is a rare event in cervical cancer. Since bcl-2 is negatively regulated by p53, it could be presumed that the p53 detected in the tumour cells may be non-functional or inactive possibly because of interaction with proteins such as E6 or mdm-2.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) and the oncogene product of c-erbB-2 have been shown to be expressed in human tumors and in some cases relate to clinical outcome. This study investigates the correlation between the presence of these receptor proteins and various histological grades of cervical tissues. Immunocytochemical analysis of benign, premalignant and malignant cervical tissues showed a highly significant correlation between the expression of the two proteins and the histological grade of the lesions. Moreover, the overall frequency of coexpression of these proteins was similar. This study suggests that these proteins may be involved in cellular proliferation and have a significant role in the progression of cervical cancer.

A reproducible in vitro pollen germination medium (PGM) for cereal rye is reported here using tryptone for the first time. Rye pollen is very difficult to germinate on nutrient medium being trinucleate and is classified as recalcitrant pollen. This study addresses the possibility of testing the viability of rye pollen within short time (15–20 min) using pollen germination medium (PGM). The viability of rye pollen was tested with FDA staining also. The results of both staining and in vitro pollen germination were found comparable. In this study, tryptone, a nitrogen source was used in addition to essential sugar and inorganic salts. PGM used for rye consisted of 19% maltose, 13% poly ethylene glycol 6000, 62.5 mgl−1 boric acid, 50 mgl−1 tryptone and 1% agar. During the flowering period, a pollen sterility of 3–12% was recorded. The PGM showed >93% pollen germination with intact pollen tubes at 17±1°C and pH 6–7. This tool would be useful in many pollen biotechnological aspects such as pollen transformation, overcoming crossability barriers especially in wheat x rye wide hybridization etc.

Cell proliferation is an important biological aspect of a tumor cell population which can affect clinical outcome. In addition to other well established clinical and histopathological prognostic criteria? cell kinetic data have significant predictive value. This study evaluates the proliferative activity of benign, premalignant and malignant cervical tissue by analyzing the expression of the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). PCNA is a 36 kD nuclear protein associated with the cell cycle and is directly involved in DNA synthesis during cell proliferation. A total of 122 subjects were included in the study. This included 30 benign tissue samples, 30 low grade lesions (CIN 1), 30 high grade lesions (CIN 2/3) and 32 invasive squamous carcinomas. There was significant difference in PCNA index between benign and high grade lesions as well as benign and invasive cancer. The percentage of PCNA positive cells were significantly higher in invasive carcinoma when compared with non malignant lesions. Moreover, there was also good correlation between increasing histological abnormality and PCNA expression. These results suggest that cell proliferation index as detected by PCNA expression may be useful in the evaluation of alterations in cell kinetics of various grades of cervical lesions. Such data could also possibly help explain the biological behaviour of these lesions and be useful in planning of radiotherapy for invasive cervical cancer.

Precocious puberty in a child less than 3 years of age is usually gonadotropin dependent and is often associated with extrasellar central nervous system disorders. The present report describes the case of a 2½-year-old girl who presented with gonadotropin-independent precocious puberty and had a sellar mass. She was referred for neurosurgical intervention to our institute. On investigation, she was found to have primary hypothyroidism of autoimmune aetiology, which is rarely associated with precocious puberty and sellar mass due to thyrotroph hyperplasia. She was successfully treated with levothyroxine, and with this secondary sexual characteristics progressively regressed and the sellar mass disappeared.

Aim To gain insight into the prevalence of peripheral neuropathy, foot care practices, foot at risk and foot ulcers in patients with diabetes mellitus at a tertiary care centre. Methods A prospective case study involving 1044 patients with diabetes mellitus attending the diabetes clinic of a tertiary care centre in north India from January 2007 to May 2008. All subjects underwent a detailed clinical assessment including vibration perception threshold (VPT) and ankle brachial pressure index (ABI), along with metabolic parameters, and were categorized into ulcer, foot at risk and patients with no risk factors. Foot care practices were assessed with a questionnaire. Peripheral neuropathy was defined as VPT score ≥ 25 V. Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) was defined as ABI

We describe a 60-year-old woman with Hashimoto's thyroiditis who presented with neuropsychiatric manifestations even on optimal and stable doses of levothyroxine replacement therapy. She had high anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody and responded to glucocorticoid treatment.

Objectives. Host genetic factors may play a role in human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated tumorigenesis, although the issue continues to be a focus of much debate. Biotransformation is critical in carcinogenic activity of numerous environmental carcinogens. It is therefore possible that polymorphisms of genes producing functional changes in xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes may be susceptible factors in cervical carcinogenesis. This study looked into possible relationships among these factors. Methods. In this case–control study, we analyzed leukocyte DNA from a total of 312 subjects for germline polymorphisms of CYP1A1 (m1 and m2), GSTM1 and GSTT1 at various stages of the cervical tumor progression spectrum, using PCR and RFLP. Results. Both m1 and m2 polymorphisms of the CYP1A1 gene were more frequent among cases (36.1% for m1 and 38.1% for m2) compared to control subjects (18.2% and 17.6% respectively). The odds ratio of a subject with homozygous CYP1A1 m1 and m2 variant being a case was highest (m1 OR = 4.77 [95% CI = 1.28–17.77]; P = 0.02 and m2 OR = 5.48 [95% CI = 1.49–20.19]; P = 0.011) respectively. The distribution of m1 and m2 CYP1A1 genotypes was also studied as a function of age and in relation to the presence of HPV 16 infection. The risk due to CYP1A1 m1 genotype, when adjusted for HPV status, showed a significantly increased risk (OR = 3.58, 95% CI = 1.88–6.81; P = 0.0001). Similar results were observed in the case of CYP1A1 m2 variant and HPV 16. There was a significant over-representation of both m1 (25.9% vs. 13.9%) and m2 (27.9% vs. 13.3%) polymorphisms in older women (46 years or more). GSTM1 and GSTT1 deletions were also prominent among cases (53.7% and 16.3% respectively) compared to controls (32.7% and 9.7% respectively). A higher proportion of both GSTT1 and GSTM1 deletions were also detected in HPV-16-positive subjects. Conclusions. These results suggest that polymorphisms in the CYP1A1 , GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes may render women more susceptible to the development of cervical cancer. The association between this susceptibility and the presence of human papillomavirus infection further emphasizes the significance of the genetic polymorphisms.

There is no robust and quick technique available for testing germination of wheat pollen. In this study, Brewbaker and Kwack (BK) pollen germination medium (PGM) was adjusted with-amino caproic acid (EACA), peptone water and maltose to develop an improved medium for wheat. Germination of pollen in this PGM ranged from 92% to 98.2% depending upon genotype pollen germination media (PGM). This is the first report of PGM which has >95% wheat pollen germination in vitro.

A simple, reliable medium for pollen germination of Cajanus cajan was developed by modifying Brewbaker and Kwack (BK) medium. Past attempts of C. cajan pollen germination in artificial media were not successful. A medium containing polyethylene glycol 4000 (PEG) showed more than 90% germination for C. cajan var. Pusa 33 only when the young buds (36 h before anthesis) were kept in pollen germination medium (PGM) for 36 h before pollen extraction. Supplementation of PGM with epsilon-amino caproic acid (EACA), an amino acid, showed improved pollen germination in Pusa 33 and also helped to avoid preconditioning of young buds before pollen extraction. It was also observed that there is a genotypic difference in the level of EACA required for in vitro pollen germination. Thus a complete medium for C. cajan genotypes consists of 37.5% sucrose+ 15% PEG 4000+250 mg l(-1) boric acid+300 mg l(-1) calcium nitrate+100 mg l(-1) potassium nitrate+ 200 mg l(-1) magnesium sulphate+1% agar+EACA (0, 100, 250, 500, 750 or 1000 mg l(-1)).

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is an important growth factor regulating both normal and malignant cells. The present study analyzes the expression pattern of EGF and its receptor (EGF-R) in 424 cases of various stages of tumor progression in the uterine cervix. In all the samples studied, EGF and EGF-R expression was predominant in the basal or basaloid cells. Increased expression of the two proteins correlated with increasing histological abnormality (dysplasia). In invasive cancer, alteration of EGF expression was more evident than EGF-R. The expression pattern showed significant correlation in the basal and spinal cell layers. This increased expression of EGF observed in dysplastic and malignant cells may be due to overexpression of EGF-R and suggests its role in cellular proliferation.

In vitro pollen germination is the most widely used technique for testing viability of pollen grains in a breeding programme. The germination medium (PGM) for pigeonpea species belonging to tertiary gene pool viz., Cajanus cinereus, Rhyncosia rothii and R. aureus has been modified from the earlier recommended medium.The improvement was done by adding poly ethylene glycol, which supported over 90% pollen germination and pollen tube growth of above mentioned species. It is expected that the use of the improved PGM will facilitate inter-specific and inter-generic hybridization imposed by biological barriers by resorting to pollen storage (in case of temporal isolation), in vitro fertilization and pollen selection etc.This is the first report of in vitro germination medium for these three tertiary gene pool species.

Background & objectives: Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) have been used to normalize the blood pressure and the dipping pattern in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and nephropathy. However, there are no data on the effect of the dual blockade on the dipping pattern in these subjects. We therefore, carried out this study to evaluate the effect of administrating an ACEI followed by ARB in the optimum doses in T1DM patients with nephropathy on 24 h blood pressure (BP) profile and nocturnal dipping pattern. Methods: An open label interventional pilot study was done during a one year period involving 30 consecutive patients who were treated with telmisartan 80 mg (0800-1000 h) for eight weeks followed by addition of ramipril 10 mg (1200-1400 h) for the next eight weeks. Ambulatory BP, dipping pattern and albumin excretion rate were studied after each phase. Twenty patients were hypertensive and 10 patients had macro- and 20 patients had microalbuminuria. Results: Telmisartan produced a fall in the clinic BP by 4/1.3 mm Hg (P5.5 mmol/l) was observed only in 2 patients towards the end of the study. Interpretation & conclusions: The dual blockade with telmisartan and ramipril had complimentary effect on lowering of the BP, however, similar beneficial effect on the nocturnal dipping was not observed. Further studies with large number of subjects with longer duration of follow-up are required to validate these observations.

We describe the case of a 77-year-old man who was admitted with recurrent episodes of altered behaviour. These episodes were related to insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) mediated hypoglycaemia. Imaging revealed a large retroperitoneal mass and he underwent debulking surgery uneventfully. Histopathology revealed a solitary fibroma with intense immunostaining positive for CD34 and vimentin, suggesting a mesenchymal origin of the tumour. Later he received chemo/radiotherapy and is on prednisolone with abatement of hypoglycaemic episodes.

Metachronous bilateral testicular germ cell tumors is a rare known problem. However, no report of metachronus bilateralism was identified in the PubMed database published from India so far, where testicular cancer is relatively rare. We report the cases of two gentlemen. One had stage 1 nonseminomatous germ cell tumor (NSGCT) at the age of 32 in 1990 and developed marker relapse on surveillance and had chemotherapy using cisplatin and etoposide for four cycles. He developed contralateral seminoma in the testis 13 years later. Another patient had left orchidectomy in 2003 for NSGCT, had adjuvant BEP for two cycles, and developed a contralateral testicular tumor 5 years later, which was also seminoma. As more patients with germ cell tumors are cured with chemotherapy, long-term problems become important. Contralateral testicular tumor is one of them. As it can be very late, many years of continued follow-up examination and patients' awareness are necessary.

MicroRNAs control gene expression at the posttranscriptional level by base-pairing to the 3′-UTR of their target mRNAs, thus leading to mRNA degradation of protein fabrication. We hypothesize, SNPs within miRNAs and their targets could be of significance to an individual's risk of developing cancer. We analyzed in silico SNP information on cervical cancer associated aberrant alleles and further investigated this in a case-control study by examining eleven SNPs from different genes. It was observed that a C to T polymorphism in putative miRNA target site of BCL2 was significantly conspicuous for the aberrant SNP allele in cancer tissues as compared to controls. This study provides evidence that SNPs in miRNA-binding sites may play an important role in increasing risk of cancer. The results also paves way for future studies to validate these results in other well-characterized populations as well as to explore the biological significance of these particular SNPs.

A rapid method for the determination of chloride in Portland cement concrete powder is described. The method involves the precipitation of the insoluble material present with a flocculating agent, after extraction of the concrete powder with hot water. The decanted material is analysed for chloride content using a chloride ion-selective electrode.