Rolling of Al-SiC_p Composites

Aluminum based metal matrix composites are offering o utstanding properties in a number of automotive and aircraft components and body structures. The major advantages of these composite materials are their high st rength to weight ratio, high stiffness, high hardness, wear resistance, low coef ficient of thermal expansion, superior dimensional stability and versatility to designer. In addition to these their isotropic properties, good forming characte ristics, easy availability of cheaper reinforcements...     

Excretion of acid hydrolases during molting inPhilosamia ricini

Summary The level of the acid hydrolases -glucuronidase (EC 3.2.3.11), acid phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.2) and acid protease (EC 3.4.4) was studied during larval growth and molting inP. ricini. The level of activity of these enzymes remained low during larval growth; however, the level increased sharply at the time of molting and declined sharply thereafter in the newly ecdysed insect. Interestingly, the diminished activity of these enzymes was almost quantitatively recovered in the cast-off cuticle. The excretion of acid hydrolases through the cast-off cuticle has hitherto not been reported in insects during molting.     

A genome-wide association study for celiac disease identifies risk variants in the region harboring IL2 and IL21

We tested 310,605 SNPs for association in 778 individuals with celiac disease and 1,422 controls. Outside the HLA region, the most significant finding (rs13119723; P = 2.0 x 10(-7)) was in the KIAA1109-TENR-IL2-IL21 linkage disequilibrium block. We independently confirmed association in two further collections (strongest association at rs6822844, 24 kb 5' of IL21; meta-analysis P = 1.3 x 10(-14), odds ratio = 0.63), suggesting that genetic variation in this region predisposes to celiac disease.     

Formalising and Detecting Community Structures in Real World Complex Networks

Community structure is an integral characteristic of real world networks whichever processes or areas they emerge from. This paper addresses the problem of community structure detection theoretically as well as computationally. The authors introduce a number of concepts such as the neighbourhood and strength of a subgraph, p-community, local maximal p-community, hubs, and outliers that play elemental role in formalising the concept of community structure in complex networks. A few preliminary results have been derived that lead to the development of an algorithm for community structure detection in undirected unweighted networks. The algorithm is based on a local seed expansion strategy that uses the concept of interaction coefficient. The authors have analysed the algorithm on a number of parameters such as accuracy, stability, and quality on synthetic and real world networks from different areas.     

Common variants on 1p36 and 1q42 are associated with cutaneous basal cell carcinoma but not with melanoma or pigmentation traits

To search for new sequence variants that confer risk of cutaneous basal cell carcinoma (BCC), we conducted a genome-wide SNP association study of 930 Icelanders with BCC and 33,117 controls. After analyzing 304,083 SNPs, we observed signals from loci at 1p36 and 1q42, and replicated these associations in additional sample sets from Iceland and Eastern Europe. Overall, the most significant signals were from rs7538876 on 1p36 (OR = 1.28, P = 4.4 x 10(-12)) and rs801114 on 1q42 (OR = 1.28, P = 5.9 x 10(-12)). The 1p36 locus contains the candidate genes PADI4, PADI6, RCC2 and ARHGEF10L, and the gene nearest to the 1q42 locus is the ras-homolog RHOU. Neither locus was associated with fair pigmentation traits that are known risk factors for BCC, and no risk was observed for melanoma. Approximately 1.6% of individuals of European ancestry are homozygous for both variants, and their estimated risk of BCC is 2.68 times that of noncarriers.     

miR-1, miR-10b,miR-155, and miR-191 are novel regulators of BDNF

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a secreted protein of the neurotrophin family that regulates brain development, synaptogenesis, memory and learning, as well as development of peripheral organs, such as angiogenesis in the heart and postnatal growth and repair of skeletal muscle. However, while precise regulation of BDNF levels is an important determinant in defining the biological outcome, the role of microRNAs (miRs) in modulating BDNF expression has not been extensively analyzed. Using in silico approaches, reporter systems, and analysis of endogenous BDNF, we show that miR-1, miR-10b, miR-155, and miR-191 directly repress BDNF through binding to their predicted sites in BDNF 3′UTR. We find that the overexpression of miR-1 and miR-10b suppresses endogenous BDNF protein levels and that silencing endogenous miR-10b increases BDNF mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, we show that miR-1/206 binding sites within BDNF 3′UTR are used in differentiated myotubes but not in undifferentiated myoblasts. Finally, our data from two cell lines suggest that endogenous miR-1/206 and miR-10 family miRs act cooperatively in suppressing BDNF through their predicted sites in BDNF 3′UTR. In conclusion, our results highlight miR-1, miR-10b, miR-155, and miR-191 as novel regulators of BDNF long and short 3′UTR isoforms, supporting future research in different physiological and pathological contexts.     

Mutations in CTC1, encoding conserved telomere maintenance component 1, cause Coats plus

Coats plus is a highly pleiotropic disorder particularly affecting the eye, brain, bone and gastrointestinal tract. Here, we show that Coats plus results from mutations in CTC1, encoding conserved telomere maintenance component 1, a member of the mammalian homolog of the yeast heterotrimeric CST telomeric capping complex. Consistent with the observation of shortened telomeres in an Arabidopsis CTC1 mutant and the phenotypic overlap of Coats plus with the telomeric maintenance disorders comprising dyskeratosis congenita, we observed shortened telomeres in three individuals with Coats plus and an increase in spontaneous γH2AX-positive cells in cell lines derived from two affected individuals. CTC1 is also a subunit of the α-accessory factor (AAF) complex, stimulating the activity of DNA polymerase-α primase, the only enzyme known to initiate DNA replication in eukaryotic cells. Thus, CTC1 may have a function in DNA metabolism that is necessary for but not specific to telomeric integrity.     

Autoradiographic studies on RNA synthesis and transport in the Salivary gland ofLygaeus sp. (Hemiptera-Lygaeidae)

Summary Autoradiographic studies using³H-uridine in the salivary gland of adultLygaeus sp. were carried out. The gland cell nuclei, particularly the multiple nucleoli, are the sites of incorporation of the label exhibiting RNA synthesis. The labelled molecules (RNA) are transported to the cell cytoplasm and then into the gland lumen in which no turnover of the radioactivity is observed.I am grateful to my teacher, Prof. P. S. Ramamurty, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, for his constant inspiration. Grateful acknowledgement is made to Prof. J. P. Thapliyal, Dept of Zoology, B. H. U. for encouragement and to Dr Om Prakash, Dept of Biochemistry, B. H. U. for his valuable criticism.     

Diurnal variations in cholinesterase activities in the slug,Laevicaulis alte

Summary Cyclical variations in acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) levels in foot muscle (FM) and AChE activity in central nervous system (CNS) ofLaevicaulis, during 24-h-day, were maximal at 04.00 h and minimal at 12.00 h. But BuChE activity was 180°C out of phase with AChE in CNS. The rhythmic trend of AChE in CNS might be due to true cholinesterase activity.Acknowledgements. The Senior Fellowship (CSIR) awarded to TPK is thankfully acknowledged.