Redescription of Pulvinaria indica Avasthi Shafee, 1985 (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Coccidae) with new host and distribution records.

The soft scale Pulvinaria indica (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Coccidae) was described by Avasthi Shafee in 1985 from four females collected on Duranta repens Linn. from Simhachalam, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. The original description, however, was scanty and attempts to locate the type material were unsuccessful. To facilitate the identification and separation of P. indica from other similar species, we redescribe and illustrate the adult female, based on newly collected specimens found on an economically important new host plant. Management options in the event of its future occurrence are discussed briefly.

Once-daily pantoprazole 40 mg and esomeprazole 40 mg have equivalent overall efficacy in relieving GERD-related symptoms.

AIM: To compare the efficacy of pantoprazole and esomeprazole for the treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease- (GERD-) related symptoms. METHODS: In this multicentre, randomized, double-blind study 217 patients [intention-to-treat (ITT) population] diagnosed with endoscopically proven GERD grade B/C received pantoprazole (40 mg once daily (o.d.), n = 112] or esomeprazole (40 mg o.d/, n = 105) for 4 weeks. Patients recorded GERD-related symptoms (daytime and night-time) using diaries (daily), and/or by telephone interviews (every third day) and completed the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) questionnaire. The area under the time curve (AUC) for the sum score of GERD-related symptoms (symptom load of each patient during the treatment) and the time to reach adequate relief from GERD-related symptoms were calculated. RESULTS: Patients reported first adequate relief from daytime GERD-related symptoms after a mean of 3.7 (pantoprazole) and 5.9 days (esomeprazole) (P = 0.034); the values for the night-time were 1.7 and 3.5 days, respectively (P = 0.012, ITT). The AUCs for the single symptoms and the sum scores were comparable. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with pantoprazole resulted in significantly faster first-time relief from daytime and night-time GERD-related symptoms than esomeprazole. Pantoprazole and esomeprazole were similar with respect to reduction of load of GERD-related symptoms.

Bioequivalence between omeprazole MUPS 20 mg as tablet and omeprazole MUPS 20 mg as tablet encapsulated in a hard gelatine capsule.

AIMS: To investigate pharmacokinetic characteristics of omeprazole MUPS 20 mg tablets and its encapsulated form. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Bioequivalence of omeprazole MUPS 20 mg tablet (Reference) and omeprazole MUPS 20 mg tablet in a hard gelatine capsule (Test) was evaluated in a randomized, 2-period crossover study in 38 healthy male Caucasian subjects who received a single oral dose of 20 mg omeprazole in each study period. Serum concentrations of omeprazole MUPS 20 mg were measured using an HPLC assay. In addition, in vitro dissolution profiles were studied. RESULTS: Both formulations were bioequivalent as assessed by the primary pharmacokinetic characteristics AUC(0-infinity) and Cmax, the corresponding ratios (Test/Reference) being 0.97 and 0.98, respectively. Thus, the 90% CI of these ratios were within the equivalence range of 0.8 to 1.25 for AUC(0-infinity) (CI 0.90-1.04) and 0.67 to 1.50 for Cmax (Cl 0.86-1.10). The ratios of the secondary criteria, Cmax/AUC(0-infinity) and t 1/2, were also within the equivalence range. Median tmax of Reference and Test was identical. Both formulations revealed comparable dissolution profiles with high batch conformity and homogeneity releasing > 80% omeprazole within 1 hour. Both study formulations were well tolerated without relevant differences. CONCLUSION: The encapsulation of omeprazole MUPS 20 mg tablets does not influence the extent and rate of absorption as indicated by the AUC and Cmax ratios. Thus, bioequivalence could be demonstrated.

Characterization of the membranous denitrification enzymes nitrite reductase (cytochrome cd1) and copper-containing nitrous oxide reductase from Thiobacillus denitrificans.

Cytochrome cd1-nitrite reductase and nitrous oxide reductase of Thiobacillus denitrificans were purified and characterized by biochemical and immunochemical methods. In contrast to the generally soluble nature of the denitrification enzymes, these two enzymes were isolated from the membrane fraction of T. denitrificans and remained active after solubilization with Triton X-100. The properties of the membrane-derived enzymes were similar to those of their soluble counterparts from the same organism. Nitrous oxide reductase activity was inhibited by acetylene. Nitrite reductase and nitrous oxide reductase cross-reacted with antisera raised against the soluble enzymes from Pseudomonas stutzeri. The nirS, norBC, and nosZ genes encoding the cytochrome cd1-nitrite reductase, nitric oxide reductase, and nitrous oxide reductase, respectively, from P. stutzeri hybridized with genomic DNA from T. denitrificans. Cross-reactivity and similar N-terminal amino acid and gene sequences suggest that the primary structures of the Thiobacillus enzymes are homologous to the soluble proteins from P. stutzeri.

Ammonia-forming cytochrome c nitrite reductase from Sulfurospirillum deleyianum is a tetraheme protein: new aspects of the molecular composition and spectroscopic properties.

Ammonia-forming cytochrome c nitrite reductase from Sulfurospirillum deleyianum contains four covalently bound heme c groups/55 kDa subunit as determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy and the pyridine Fe(II)-hemochrome technique. Nitrite reductase was isolated from the membrane fraction as a monomer (M(r) 55 +/- 2 kDa) and as a heterooligomeric complex. Both the monomeric and the complex form of the enzyme exhibited a high specific activity, with up to 1050 mumol NO2-min-1 mg-1. The complex was built from four 55 kDa units and contained a 22 kDa c-type cytochrome which was absent in the monomeric form. EPR spectra of the complex displayed a prominent feature at g 4.83 (baseline crossing). This resonance, which was not observed in the spectra of the monomeric nitrite reductase, was assigned to the 22 kDa c-type cytochrome subunit. Identical results were obtained for the enzyme from Wolinella succinogenes which had been reinvestigated for comparison.