Zika: From Lush Forest to Pandemic.

Before the Zika fever had hit the headlines, Zika was known amongst the scientific community and birdwatchers as an overgrown tropical forest of Uganda, a protected area of about 25 hectares for research under the Uganda Virus Research Institute. The Zika virus (ZIKV), causative organism of the Zika fever, is a member of the family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus. Genome of the Zika virus is a single stranded, non-segmented, positive sense 10794 bases long RNA1 that encodes a 3419 amino acid long polyprotein. The polyprotein is subsequently cleaved into smaller proteins: the capsid (C), the precursor membrane (prM), the envelope (E), and the non-structural proteins (NS). The C proteins form the 25-30 nm diameter icosahedral capsid which is surrounded by a host-membrane derived lipid bilayer containing the envelop proteins E and M. The virion has a diameter of 40 nm and has surface projections of 5-10 nm.

Characterization of an Avian Protease Inhibitor.

Ovomucoid is a serine proteinase inhibitor in the egg whites of all avian species at a concentration of about 10 mg/ml. The involvement of proteinases in a multitude of control functions in an organism has created an interest in their physiological inhibitors. Regulation of proteolytic activity in tissues is a critical requirement in the maintenance of homeostasis. Egg white proteins possess ACE-inhibitory activity, & also high radical-scavenging activity. The combined antioxidant and ACE-inhibitory properties of egg white hydrolysates, or the corresponding peptides, would make a useful multifunctional preparation for the control of cardiovascular diseases. Proteases play key roles in several physiological processes, including intracellular protein degradation, bone remodeling, and antigen presentation, and their activities are increased in pathophysiological conditions such as cancer metastasis and inflammation. They are also required for invasion by microorganism. Four protease inhibitors have been identified in egg white: cystatin, ovomucoid, ovomacroglobulin (also known as ovostatin), and ovoinhibitor. Use of proteinase inhibitors in the treatment of certain diseases has renewed interest in their specificity and stability, both of which in turn depend on the tertiary structure of the inhibitor. Structural alteration to obtain molecules of desired properties requires knowledge of relationship between structure, function and stability. Aims: In view of its importance, in the present study duck ovomucoid was isolated and characterized for its physicochemical properties. Methodology: Duck ovomucoid was isolated and characterized for its physicochemical properties. Analytical gel filtration (Sephacryl S-100 HR column) was used for purification, determination of molecular weight (MW), carbohydrate content and Stokes radius.

Variation in response to experimental pain across the menstrual cycle in women compared with one month respose in men.

Gender differences in pain perception have been reported in literature. However, most such studies have ignored the role of female sex hormones in influencing pain response across menstrual cycle (MC). In this study, we have investigated the variation in pain response on different days of the menstrual cycle. Ninety subjects (60 females) were subjected to experimental pain of cold pressor task, on days 1, 7, 14, and 21 of the MC (females), and on four consecutive Mondays of a month (males). Male subjects showed no variation in pain response. Females reported higher pain sensitivity on days 7 and 14 of MC. We suggest that experimental pain studies involving female menstruating subjects should be carried out only during a particular phase of the cycle, and this phase should be reported in literature to increase the reproducibility of the experiment.