• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.311-317
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• 2015

Phenotypic characterization and body biometric in 13 traits (height at withers, body length, chest girth, paunch girth, ear length, tail length, length of tail up to switch, face length, face width, horn length, circumference of horn at base, distances between pin bone and hip bone) were recorded in 233 adult Gojri buffaloes from Punjab and Himachal Pradesh states of India. Traits were analysed by using varimax rotated principal component analysis (PCA) with Kaiser Normalization to explain body conformation. PCA revealed four components which explained about 70.9% of the total variation. First component described the general body conformation and explained 31.5% of total variation. It was represented by significant positive high loading of height at wither, body length, heart girth, face length and face width. The communality ranged from 0.83 (hip bone distance) to 0.45 (horn length) and unique factors ranged from 0.16 to 0.55 for all these 13 different biometric traits. Present study suggests that first principal component can be used in the evaluation and comparison of body conformation in buffaloes and thus provides an opportunity to distinguish between early and late maturing to adult, based on a small group of biometric traits to explain body conformation in adult buffaloes.

• Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.45-50
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• 2008

Lignans and neolignans are optically active plant secondary metabolites. Research on biosynthesis of lignans has already been advanced especially for the formation of (+) pinoresinol but information on the biosynthesis of 8-O-4'- neolignans is still limited. Moreover, the chemical structure(position of substituents on aromatic rings) and stereochemistry of 8-O-4' neolignans is not clear. Katayama and Kado discovered that incubation of cell-free extracts from E. ulmoides with coniferyl alcohol in the presence of hydrogen peroxide gave (+)-erythro- and (-)-threo- guaiacylglycerol 8-O-4'-(coniferyl alcohol) ether (GGCE)(diastereomeric ratio, 3:2) which is the first report on enzymatic formation of optically active -8-O-4' neolignans from an achiral monolignol. In this aspect, enzymatic formation of guaiacyl 8-O-4' neolignan is noteworthy to clarify its stereochemistry from incubation of coniferyl alcohol with enzyme prepared from Eucommia ulmoides. In this experiment, soluble and insoluble enzymes prepared from E. ulmoides were incubated with 30 mM coniferyl alcohol(CA) for 60 min. The enzyme catalyzed GGCE, dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol(DHCA), and pinoresinol identified by reversed phase HPLC. Consequently, diastereomeric compositions of GGCE were determined as erythro and threo isomer. Enantiomeric composition was determined by the chiral column HPLC. Both enzyme preparations enantioselectively formed (-)-erythro, (+)-erythro and (+)-threo, (-)-threo-GGCEs respectively.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.10
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• pp.4319-4323
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• 2014

Background: Phospholipase C epsilon 1 (PLCE1) encodes a member of the phospholipase family of proteins that play crucial roles in carcinogenesis and progression of several cancers including esophageal cancer (EC). In two large scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP, rs2274223A>G, rs3765524C>T) in PLCE1 were identified as novel susceptibility loci of esophageal cancer (EC) in China. The aim of the present study was to investigate this finding in Kashmir Valley, a high risk area. Materials and Methods: We determined genotypes of three potentially functional SNPs (rs2274223A>G, rs3765524C>T and rs7922612C>T) of PLCE1 in 135 EC patients, and 195 age and gender matched controls in Kashmiri valley by PCR RFLP method. Risk for developing EC was estimated by binary logistic regression using SPSS. Results: The selected PLCE1 polymorphisms did not show independent association with EC. However, the $G_{2274223}T_{3765524}T_{7922612}$ haplotype was significantly associated with increased risk of EC (OR=2.92; 95% CI=1.30-6.54; p=0.009). Smoking and salted tea proved to be independent risk factors for EC. Conclusions: Genetic variations in PLCE1 modulate risk of EC in the high risk Kashmiri population.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.913-918
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• 2014

Five mol % tungsten-doped tin oxide ($W_{0.05}Sn_{0.95}O_2$, TTO5) was prepared by co-precipitation of $SnCl_4{\cdot}5H_2O$ and $WCl_4$, followed by calcination at $1000^{\circ}C$. The as-prepared TTO5 was in the pure cassiterite phase with a particle size of ~50 nm and optical bandgap of 2.51 eV. Herein it was applied for the formation of TTO5/$TiO_2$ heterojunctions by covering the TTO5 surface with $TiO_2$ by sol-gel method. Under visible-light irradiation (${\lambda}{\geq}420$ nm), TTO5/$TiO_2$ showed a significantly high photocatalytic activity in removing gaseous 2-propanol (IP) and evolving $CO_2$. It is deduced that its high visible-light activity is caused by inter-semiconductor holetransfer between the valence band (VB) of TTO5 and $TiO_2$, since the TTO5 nanoparticle (NP) exhibits the absorption edge at ~450 nm and its VB level is located more positive side than that of $TiO_2$. The evidence for the hole-transport mechanism between TTO5 and $TiO_2$ was also investigated by monitoring the holescavenging reaction with 1,4-terephthalic acid (TA).

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.3691-3696
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• 2015

Background: Cancer loci comprise heterogeneous cell populations with diverse cellular secretions. Therefore, disseminating cancer-specific or cancer-associated protein antigens from tissue lysates could only be marginally correct, if otherwise not validated against precise standards. Materials and Methods: In this study, 2DE proteomic profiles were examined from lysates of 13 lung-adenocarcinoma tissue samples and matched against the A549 cell line proteome. A549 matched-cancer-specific hits were analyzed and characterized by MALDI-TOF/MS. Results: Comparative analysis identified a total of 13 protein spots with differential expression. These proteins were found to be involved in critical cellular functions regulating pyrimidine metabolism, pentose phosphate pathway and integrin signaling. Gene ontology based analysis classified majority of protein hits responsible for metabolic processes. Among these, only a single non-predictive protein spot was found to be a cancer cell specific hit, identified as Armadillo repeat-containing protein 8 (ARMC8). Pathway reconstruction studies showed that ARMC8 lies at the centre of cancer metabolic pathways. Conclusions: The findings in this report are suggestive of a regulatory role of ARMC8 in control of proliferation and differentiation in lung adenocarcinomas.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6779-6782
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• 2013

Background: The DNA repair gene XRCC1 Arg399Gln gene polymorphism has been found to be implicated in the development of various cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC), in different populations. We aimed to determine any association of this polymorphism with the risk of CRC in Kashmir. Materials and Methods: A total of 120 confirmed cases of CRC and 146 healthy cancer free controls from the Kashmiri population were included in this study. Genotyping was carried out by the polymerase chain reaction- restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. Results: Genotype frequencies of XRCC1 Arg399Gln observed in controls were 34.2%, 42.5% and 23.3% for GG (Arg/Arg), GA (Arg/Gln), AA( Gln/Gln), respectively, and 28.3%, 66.7% and 5% in cases, with an odds ratio (OR)=5.7 and 95% confidence interval (CI) =2.3-14.1 (p=0.0001). No significant association of Arg399Gln SNP with any clinicopathological parameters of CRC was found. Conclusions: We found the protective role of 399Gln allele against risk to the development of CRC. The XRCC1 heterozygote status appears to be a strong risk factor for CRC development in the Kashmiri population.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2017.06a
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• pp.235-235
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• 2017

Chromium (Cr) toxicity is hazardous to the seed germination, growth, and development of plants. ${\gamma}$-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a non-protein amino acid and is involved in stress tolerance in plants. To investigate the effects of GABA in alleviating Cr toxicity, we treated eight-d-old mustard (Brassica juncea L.) seedlings with Cr (0.15 mM and 0.3 mM $K_2CrO_4$, 5 days) alone and in combination with GABA ($125{\mu}M$) in a semi-hydroponic medium. The roots and shoots of the seedlings accumulated Cr in a dose-dependent manner, which led to an increase in oxidative damage [lipid peroxidation; hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) content; superoxide ($O{_2}^{{\cdot}-}$) generation; lipoxygenase (LOX) activity], MG content, and disrupted antioxidant defense and glyoxalase systems. Chromium stress also reduced growth, leaf relative water content (RWC), and chlorophyll (chl) content but increased phytochelatin (PC) and proline (Pro) content. Furthermore, supplementing the Cr-treated seedlings with GABA reduced Cr uptake and upregulated the non-enzymatic antioxidants (ascorbate, AsA; glutathione, GSH) and the activities of the enzymatic antioxidants including ascorbate peroxidase (APX), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glyoxalase I (Gly I), and glyoxalase II (Gly II), and finally reduced oxidative damage. Adding GABA also increased leaf RWC and chl content, decreased Pro and PC content, and restored plant growth. These findings shed light on the effect of GABA in improving the physiological mechanisms of mustard seedlings in response to Cr stress.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.818-823
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• 2008

The interaction of fibre degrading microbes and methanogens was studied using two forages, lucerne (Medicago sativa) hay and maize (Zea mays) hay, as substrate and 2-bromoethanesulphonic acid (BES) as an additive in an in vitro gas production test. Gas and methane production (ml/g dry matter) were significantly higher (p<0.05) on lucerne as compared to maize hay. Inclusion of BES in the incubation medium significantly suppressed methane emission irrespective of substrate. The population density of total bacteria, fungi, Ruminococcus flavefaciens and Fibrobacter succinogenes was higher, whereas that of methanogens was lower with maize hay as compared to lucerne as substrate. BES suppressed methanogen population by 7 fold on lucerene and by 8.5 fold on maize at 24 h incubation as estimated by real time-PCR. This suppression was accompanied by almost complete (>98% of control) inhibition of methanogenesis. The proportion of acetate decreased, whereas that of propionate increased significantly by inclusion of BES, resulting in narrowing of acetate to propionate ratio. In vitro true digestibility (IVTD) of lucerne was significantly higher as compared to maize but BES inclusion did not affect IVTD.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.975-981
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• 2014

Cervical cancer is an issue of foremost importance globally, specifically affecting the developing nations. Significant advances have taken place with regard to diagnosis of cervical cancer, especially with screening. Appropriate screening measures can thus reduce the incidence of cervical cancer. The most desirable screening technique should be less invasive, easy to perform, cost-effective and cover a wide range of diagnostic icons. Manual liquid based cytology (MLBC) can be considered as one of the suitable technique for screening with the above-mentioned benefits. The aim of the current study was to compare two cervical screening techniques on the basis of different morphological parameters and staining parameters by using modified acetic acid Pap staining to see the possibility of reducing time economy involved in conventional Pap staining (CPS). The study was conducted on a total 88 cases and all were analyzed with both MLBC and CPS. Forty eight cases that were regarded as satisfactory on the basis of Bethesda system by both methods were further recruited for investigation. Their morphological parameters and staining quality were compared and scored according to a scoring system defined in the study. Quality indices was calculated for both staining procedures and smear techniques.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.1353-1357
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• 2007

Second-order rate constants (kN) have been determined spectrophotometrically for reactions of Y-substituted phenyl 2-furoates (1a-h) with piperidine and morpholine in 80 mol % H2O/20 mol % DMSO at 25.0 ± 0.1 oC. The Brønsted-type plot exhibits a downward curvature for the reactions with strongly basic piperidine but is linear for the reactions with weakly basic morpholine. The slope of the curved Brønsted-type plot changes from -1.25 to ?0.28 as the pKa of the conjugate acid of the leaving aryloxides decreases. The pKa at the center of the Brønsted curvature, defined as pKa°, was determined to be 6.4. The aminolysis of 1a-h has been concluded to proceed through a stepwise mechanism on the basis of the curved Brønsted-type plot. The reactions of Ysubstituted phenyl cinnamates (2a-g) with piperidine resulted in a curved Brønsted-type plot with a pKa° values of 6.4. However, the curved Brønsted-type plot has been suggested to be not due to a change in the RDS but due to a normal Hammond effect of a concerted mechanism, since the Brønsted-type plot for the corresponding reactions with morpholine results in also a curved Brønsted-type plot with a pKa° values of 6.1. The furoates with a basic leaving group (i.e., 1b-g) are less reactive than the corresponding cinnamates (i.e., 2b-g). The k2/ k-1 ratios for the reactions of 1b-h are much smaller than unity, which has been suggested to be responsible for their low reactivity.