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Biomedical subjects

S S Paul

Publications and source records attributed to S S Paul.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Effect of phenolic monomers on biomass and hydrolytic enzyme activities of an anaerobic fungus isolated from wild nil gai (Baselophus tragocamelus).

AIMS: To test the anaerobic fungus, Piromyces sp. FNG5, for its tolerance to phenolic monomers released in the rumen by degradation of lignocellulosic poor-quality feeds. METHODS AND RESULTS: Effects of phenolic monomers on biomass and fibrolytic enzyme activities of a pure culture of lignocellulolytic anaerobic fungus (Piromyces sp. FNG5) isolated from faeces of wild nil gai (blue bull, Baselophus tragocamelus) were evaluated. There was a reduction in fungal biomass at 1 mm concentration of catechol with complete inhibition at 10 mm. p-Coumaric acid caused a reduction in biomass at 10 mm and no growth was observed above 20 mm concentration. The fungal isolate could tolerate up to 5 mm of ferulic acid without any reduction in biomass level, and was able to grow to some extent up to the highest level of ferulic acid tested (20 mm). Vanillic acid had no effect on biomass of the fungus even up to 50 mm level. The phenolic monomers varied in their potential to inhibit the secretion of carboxymethyl cellulase, xylanase, beta-glucosidase and acetyl esterase activities with catechol being the most inhibitory and vanillic acid being the least inhibitory. After 14 days of incubation, 38.49-65.14%p-Coumaric acid, 65.22-74.10% ferulic acid and 34.13-66.78% vanillic acid disappeared from the medium under anaerobic conditions. CONCLUSIONS, SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: It is concluded that the anaerobic fungus Piromyces sp. FNG5 is tolerant to phenolic monomers and has ability to degrade them. Therefore, such anaerobic fungi may play an important role in fibre degradation in the rumen.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Distinct abscisic acid signaling pathways for modulation of guard cell versus mesophyll cell potassium channels revealed by expression studies in Xenopus laevis oocytes.

Regulation of guard cell ion transport by abscisic acid (ABA) and in particular ABA inhibition of a guard cell inward K(+) current (I(Kin)) is well documented. However, little is known concerning ABA effects on ion transport in other plant cell types. Here we applied patch clamp techniques to mesophyll cell protoplasts of fava bean (Vicia faba cv Long Pod) plants and demonstrated ABA inhibition of an outward K(+) current (I(Kout)). When mesophyll cell protoplast mRNA (mesophyll mRNA) was expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes, I(Kout) was generated that displayed similar properties to I(Kout) observed from direct analysis of mesophyll cell protoplasts. I(Kout) expressed by mesophyll mRNA-injected oocytes was inhibited by ABA, indicating that the ABA signal transduction pathway observed in mesophyll cells was preserved in the frog oocytes. Co-injection of oocytes with guard cell protoplast mRNA and cRNA for KAT1, an inward K(+) channel expressed in guard cells, resulted in I(Kin) that was similarly inhibited by ABA. However, oocytes co-injected with mesophyll mRNA and KAT1 cRNA produced I(Kin) that was not inhibited by ABA. These results demonstrate that the mesophyll-encoded signaling mechanism could not substitute for the guard cell pathway. These findings indicate that mesophyll cells and guard cells use distinct and different receptor types and/or signal transduction pathways in ABA regulation of K(+) channels.

Abscisic Acid↗
PubMed1995

Evidence for follicle-stimulating hormone mediation in the hemiorchidectomy-induced compensatory increase in the function of the remaining testis of the adult male bonnet monkey (Macaca radiata).

Hemiorchidectomy (HO) in the adult male bonnet monkey results in a selective increase in circulating concentrations of FSH and testosterone, and this is accompanied by compensatory increase in sperm production by the remaining testis. We investigated the possible role of increased FSH concentration that occurs after HO in the compensatory increase in the activity of the remaining testis. Of eight adult male bonnet monkeys that underwent HO, four received i.v. injections every other day for 30 days of a well-characterized ovine FSH antiserum (a/s) that cross-reacts with monkey FSH. The remaining four males received normal monkey serum (NMS) as control treatment in a protocol similar to that employed for a/s-treated males. Blood samples were collected between 2100 and 2200 h before and 1/2, 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 22, and 29 days after HO. Testicular weight, number of 3 beta-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase-positive (3 beta-HSD+) cells, and DNA flow cytometric analysis of germ cell populations were obtained for testes collected before and at the termination of NMS or a/s treatment. In NMS-treated males, circulating serum FSH concentrations progressively increased to reach a maximal level by Day 7 after HO (1.95 +/- 0.3 vs. 5.6 +/- 0.7 ng/ml on Days -1 and 7, respectively). Within 30 min of a/s injection, FSH antibodies were detected in circulation, and the antibody level was maintained at a constant level between Day 7 and end of treatment (exhibiting 50-60% binding to 125I-hFSH).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1995

The World Bank, pensions, and income (in)security in the global south.

The authors describe and analyze recent reductions and reorganizations of public pension programs in Latin America, as well as trends in pensions in the global South more broadly. They consider the role of the World Bank in the current pension "reform" process and situate the Bank's policies in the context of privatization, reduction of social budgets, and other aspects of structural adjustment. Chilean pension changes are analyzed in particular, showing that even by the Bank's criteria, the reforms have not been successful. The authors then discuss pension changes in China, where the World Bank is also deeply involved. The article concludes with the consideration of a number of arguments about pensions and support mechanisms in later life--including family support and means-tested welfarism--and argues in favor of global policy approaches, such as globally funded pensions and full access by older persons to productive and remunerated labor.

Aged↗
PubMed1980

Effect of partial treatment on purulent meningitis.

Various clinical and laboratory parameters were used for comparing 49 previously untreated and 55 partially treated children with purulent meningitis. The percentage of cases having fever, convulsions, unconsciousness and bulging anterior fontanel was almost the same in both groups. There was no difference in the cellular response and protein content of the cerebrospinal fluid. A Gram smear was positive in 32.6% of untreated and in 47.2% of partially treated patients. Percentages for a positive CSF culture were 38.7 and 50.9%; for CSF sugar of less than 40 mg, 59.1 and 72.7% respectively. The case fatality rate was the same in both groups. These observations suggest that partial treatment neither masks clinical and laboratory findings nor affects the case fatality rate in purulent meningitis in children.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1973

Poliomyelitis vaccination of infants: preimmunization status and seroconversion.

A study was carried out in Delhi on the preimmunization status of infants aged 2-6 months with regard to poliomyelitis and on seroconversion after the administration of oral poliomyelitis vaccine. It was found that 30.3% of the 204 infants included in the study excreted enteroviruses, 58% of which were found to be polioviruses. Of 197 sera examined for neutralizing antibodies against different types of poliovirus, 73% were found to be triple negative and only 4.0% triple positive. Three doses of oral poliomyelitis vaccine were administered at intervals of 1 month. It was found that 71.8% of the vaccinated infants excreted cytopathogenic agents in the 7 days following the first dose; 80.4% of these agents were found to be polioviruses. Seroconversion was studied in 71 infants, and good antibody responses to all three types of poliovirus were observed.

Antibodies, Viral↗