Metabolic status of temperature induced swollen conidia ofAspergillus nidulans

Summary There is an active synthesis of DNA, RNA, protein, and carbohydrate in conidia incubated at 48°C. DNA increases more or less 3 times; while RNA, protein and carbohydrate are synthesized at a much faster rate. Conidia do not germinate at this temperature.Acknowledgments. Grateful thanks are due to Professor B. M. Johri for valuable suggestions. R. K. S. acknowledges with thanks a Senior Research Fellowship of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi.     

Thymosin beta4 activates integrin-linked kinase and promotes cardiac cell migration, survival and cardiac repair

Heart disease is a leading cause of death in newborn children and in adults. Efforts to promote cardiac repair through the use of stem cells hold promise but typically involve isolation and introduction of progenitor cells. Here, we show that the G-actin sequestering peptide thymosin beta4 promotes myocardial and endothelial cell migration in the embryonic heart and retains this property in postnatal cardiomyocytes. Survival of embryonic and postnatal cardiomyocytes in culture was also enhanced by thymosin beta4. We found that thymosin beta4 formed a functional complex with PINCH and integrin-linked kinase (ILK), resulting in activation of the survival kinase Akt (also known as protein kinase B). After coronary artery ligation in mice, thymosin beta4 treatment resulted in upregulation of ILK and Akt activity in the heart, enhanced early myocyte survival and improved cardiac function. These findings suggest that thymosin beta4 promotes cardiomyocyte migration, survival and repair and the pathway it regulates may be a new therapeutic target in the setting of acute myocardial damage.     

Meta-analysis of genome-wide association data and large-scale replication identifies additional susceptibility loci for type 2 diabetes

Genome-wide association (GWA) studies have identified multiple loci at which common variants modestly but reproducibly influence risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Established associations to common and rare variants explain only a small proportion of the heritability of T2D. As previously published analyses had limited power to identify variants with modest effects, we carried out meta-analysis of three T2D GWA scans comprising 10,128 individuals of European descent and approximately 2.2 million SNPs (directly genotyped and imputed), followed by replication testing in an independent sample with an effective sample size of up to 53,975. We detected at least six previously unknown loci with robust evidence for association, including the JAZF1 (P = 5.0 x 10(-14)), CDC123-CAMK1D (P = 1.2 x 10(-10)), TSPAN8-LGR5 (P = 1.1 x 10(-9)), THADA (P = 1.1 x 10(-9)), ADAMTS9 (P = 1.2 x 10(-8)) and NOTCH2 (P = 4.1 x 10(-8)) gene regions. Our results illustrate the value of large discovery and follow-up samples for gaining further insights into the inherited basis of T2D.     

Hepatic acid hydrolases of albino rats,Mastomys natalensis and albino mice duringPlasmodium berghei infection

Summary Changes in liver acid hydrolase activities during the infection of albino rats,Mastomys or mice withPlasmodium berghei are described. B-Glucosidase, B-galactosidase and N-acetyl-B-D-glucosaminidase exhibited widely different responses with acid phosphatase and cathepsin-B the least responsive and are likely to be causally related to immunity of animals.     

Toxicity of some insecticides for crowded and isolated nymphs ofGryllodes sigillatus Wlk. (Orthoptera: Gryllidae)

Summary 6 insecticides; chlordane, malathion, fenitrothion, pyrethrum, rotenone and sevin, were screened againstGryllodes sigillatus Wlk. reared under crowded and isolated conditions. Chlordane was found to be most toxic, followed by malation, fenitrothion, pyrethrum, rotenone and sevin. Insects reared under crowded conditions were more susceptible to insecticides than insects reared under isolated conditions.Acknowledgments. The authors are grateful to Dr S. C. Saxena for providing all facilities.     

Raffinose as reserve sugar inDysdercus koenigii—a biosynthesis confirmation by14C glucose

Summary Dysdercus koenigii, studied for its sugar spectrum, showed consistent absence of trehalose in its blood and body muscles. Instead of this known reserve sugar, raffinose has been shown to fulfil this need. The biosynthesis confirmation has been made by¹⁴C glucose.     

Measurement of orientation responses of caterpillars indoors and outdoors on a grid

Summary A method has been developed to measure orientation responeses of caterpillars to various sources of stimuli at predetermined distances on a grid of intersecting ribs indoors and outdoors.The authors are grateful to the University Grants Commission, New Delhi, for grant which partially supported this work and to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, for the Junior Research Fellowships to P. K. and S. G.