ABSTRACT
Nitrate reductase (NR) is considered to be an essential enzyme in plants, as it catalyses the conversion of nitrate to nitrite. In mulberry (Morus spp.), a plant of sericultural importance, the NR enzyme activity is found to be regulated by light. Three mulberry genotypes used in the present study showed that the NR enzyme activity increased in response to light. To identify whether light also regulates NR gene at the transcriptional level the expression of NR mRNA has been studied. The analysis of NR gene expression showed that light plays a significant role in regulating the NR gene with basal or no expression in response to light during the day while it is found to increase in the dark during the night showing maximum expression at pre-dawn hours.
ABSTRACT
Forty five patients of multiple sclerosis diagnosed on the basis of Poser's criteria from West Bengal were studied. The male-female ratio was 1:1.5, mean age of onset 31.83 years in male and 29.11 years in females. The maximum cases were between the 3rd and 4th decade.Definite MS comprised of 60%, while remaining 40% were probable.Visual impairment (53.33%), weakness of limbs (31.11%) and sensory paraesthesia (20%) were the common presenting symptoms whereas pyramidal tract involvement (93.33%) with absent abdominal reflexes (90%) and optic pallor (64.44%) were common signs. Posterior column and spinothalamic sensations were involved in 55% and 51% of cases respectively. Inter-nuclear ophthalmoplegia was present in 6.66% of cases. Pattern of involvement commonly showed three or more sites of lesion. Optico-spinal affection was present in 22.2% of cases. Relapsing and remitting course was found in 48. 91%, relapsing and progressive course in 33.33% and chronic progressive in 17.8%. MRI of brain showed positive results in 16 out of 23 cases. CSF study showed increased positivity in estimation of immunoglobulin level than oligoclonal band. Findings revalidate the disease pattern as being similar to that in other parts of India as well as Asia.