Identification of microRNA-target modules from rice variety Pusa Basmati-1 under high temperature and salt stress.

High temperature and salinity stress are major factors limiting the growth and productivity of rice crop on a global scale. It is therefore an essential prerequisite to understand the molecular genetic regulation of plant responses to dual stresses. MicroRNAs (miRs) are recognized as key controllers of gene expression which act mainly at the post-transcriptional level to regulate various aspects of plant development. The present study attempts to investigate the miR circuits that are modulated in response to high temperature and salinity stress in rice. To gain insights into the pathway, preliminary miR profiles were generated using the next-generation sequencing (NGS) datasets. The identified molecules were filtered on the basis of fold differential regulation under high temperature, and time kinetics of their expression under the two individual stresses was followed to capture the regulatory windows. The analysis revealed the involvement of common miR regulatory nodes in response to two different abiotic stresses, thereby broadening our perspective about the stress-mediated regulatory mechanisms operative in rice.

Sociodemographic and Clinical Predictors of Response in Manic Episodes: A Naturalistic, Prospective, Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Response to treatment of a manic episode is dependent on several sociodemographic and clinical factors as reported by researchers from other countries. The prescription of mood stabilizers and/or antipsychotics for manic episode depends on these factors. There is a lack of availability of data from India on this topic. Hence, this study was planned to identify the predictors of pharmacological response. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-two patients with a diagnosis of bipolar affective disorder current episode manic were enrolled and assessed for sociodemographic variables and clinical variables such as age of onset, family history, comorbidities, index episode, and number of past episodes. They were divided into four groups depending on the treatment they were receiving, namely, lithium with an antipsychotic (n = 25), lithium with divalproex and an antipsychotic (n = 8), divalproex with an antipsychotic (n = 5), and the miscellaneous group (n = 4). The primary outcome measure was improvement in the Young Mania Rating Scale score and secondary outcome measure was duration of ward stay. RESULTS: There was a significant improvement in all the treatment modalities and it was comparable. There was no significant impact of any sociodemographic or clinical variable on treatment outcome except that females had significantly better response than males. There was nearly significant shorter duration of hospitalization in the lithium and antipsychotics groups compared to divalproex group. CONCLUSION: All treatment modalities are equally efficacious in the management of manic episode in short term. However, lithium and antipsychotics tend to produce early response than divalproex. Other sociodemographic and clinical predictors were not significantly associated with response.

Differential Potency of 2,6-Dimethylcyclohexanol Isomers for Positive Modulation of GABAA Receptor Currents.

GABAA receptors meet all of the pharmacological requirements necessary to be considered important targets for the action of general anesthetic agents in the mammalian brain. In the following patch-clamp study, the relative modulatory effects of 2,6-dimethylcyclohexanol diastereomers were investigated on human GABAA (α1ß3γ2s) receptor currents stably expressed in human embryonic kidney cells. Cis,cis-, trans,trans-, and cis,trans-isomers were isolated from commercially available 2,6-dimethylcyclohexanol and were tested for positive modulation of submaximal GABA responses. For example, the addition of 30 µM cis,cis-isomer resulted in an approximately 2- to 3-fold enhancement of the EC20 GABA current. Coapplications of 30 µM 2,6-dimethylcyclohexanol isomers produced a range of positive enhancements of control GABA responses with a rank order for positive modulation: cis,cis > trans,trans ≥ mixture of isomers > > cis,trans-isomer. In molecular modeling studies, the three cyclohexanol isomers bound with the highest binding energies to a pocket within transmembrane helices M1 and M2 of the ß3 subunit through hydrogen-bonding interactions with a glutamine at the 224 position and a tyrosine at the 220 position. The energies for binding to and hydrogen-bond lengths within this pocket corresponded with the relative potencies of the agents for positive modulation of GABAA receptor currents (cis,cis > trans,trans > cis,trans-2,6-dimethylcyclohexanol). In conclusion, the stereochemical configuration within the dimethylcyclohexanols is an important molecular feature in conferring positive modulation of GABAA receptor activity and for binding to the receptor, a consideration that needs to be taken into account when designing novel anesthetics with enhanced therapeutic indices.

Pyrenochaeta romeroi causing subcutaneous phaeohyphomycotic cyst in a diabetic female.

Opportunistic subcutaneous fungal infections are increasing in present times due to increasing incidence of many medical conditions causing immunosupression like diabetes, AIDS, organ transplant recipients and anticancer therapy. Pyrenochaeta romeroi, a fungus from the dematiaceae group, first described by Borelli in 1959, is saprophyte to soil and plants.We present a rare case of subcutaneous phaeohyphomycotic cyst in a diabetic female caused by P. romeroi.

Cyclohexanol analogues are positive modulators of GABA(A) receptor currents and act as general anaesthetics in vivo.

GABA(A) receptors meet all the pharmacological criteria required to be considered important general anaesthetic targets. In the following study, the modulatory effects of various commercially available and novel cyclohexanols were investigated on recombinant human γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA(A), α(1)ß(2)γ(2s)) receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes, and compared to the modulatory effects on GABA currents observed with exposures to the intravenous anaesthetic agent, propofol. Submaximal EC(20) GABA currents were typically enhanced by co-applications of 3-300 µM cyclohexanols. For instance, at 30 µM 2,6-diisopropylcyclohexanol (a novel compound) GABA responses were increased ~3-fold (although similar enhancements were achieved at 3 µM propofol). As regards rank order for modulation by the cyclohexanol analogues at 30 µM, the % enhancements for 2,6-dimethylcyclohexanol~2,6-diethylcyclohexanol~2,6-diisopropylcyclohexanol~2,6-di-sec-butylcyclohexanol ≫2,6-di-tert-butylcyclohexanol~4-tert-butylcyclohexanol>cyclohexanol~cyclopentanol~2-methylcyclohexanol. We further tested the potencies of the cyclohexanol analogues as general anaesthetics using a tadpole in vivo assay. Both 2,6-diisopropylcyclohexanol and 2,6-dimethylcyclohexanol were effective as anaesthetics with EC(50)s of 14.0 µM and 13.1 µM respectively, while other cyclohexanols with bulkier side chains were less potent. In conclusion, our data indicate that cyclohexanols are both positive modulators of GABA(A) receptors currents and anaesthetics. The positioning and size of the alkyl groups at the 2 and 6 positions on the cyclohexanol ring were critical determinants of activity.

Rhinomaxillary mucormycosis with cerebral extension.

Mucormycosis is a rare opportunistic infection caused by fungus belonging to the order Mucorales. A case of a controlled diabetic male with rhino maxillary mucormycosis, with cerebral extension, is described. The patient presented with hemifacial swelling, a nasal twang in his voice, fever, ocular signs, gross tissue destruction, and was sluggish. Early recognition of mucormycosis is necessary to limit the spread of infection, which can lead to high morbidity and mortality. Therefore, health practitioners should be familiar with the signs and symptoms of the disease.