Current Trends in <strong>Biotechnology</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Pharmacy</strong>Vol. 5 (2) 1193-1205 April 2011. ISSN 0973-8916 (Print), 2230-7303 (Online)120539. Hern<strong>and</strong>ez-Avila, M., Gonzalez-Cossio, T.,Palazuelos, E., Romieu, I., Aro, A., Fishbein,E., Peterson, K. E. <strong>and</strong> Hu, H. (1996).Dietary <strong>and</strong> environmental determinants <strong>of</strong>blood <strong>and</strong> bone lead levels in lactatingpostpartum women living in Mexico City.Environ. Health. Perspect.104(10): 1076-1082.40. Ziegler, E. E., Edwards, B. B., Tensen, R.L., Mahaffey, K. R. <strong>and</strong> Forman, S. I.(1978). Absorption <strong>and</strong> retention <strong>of</strong> lead byinfants. Pediatr. Res. 12, 29-34.41. Kench, J. K. (1972). Trans. Roy. Bio. Afr.40: 209.42. Walton, G. M. <strong>and</strong> Gill, G. N. (1973).Adenosine 3', 5'-monophosphate <strong>and</strong> proteinkinase dependent phosphorylation <strong>of</strong>ribosomal protein. Biochemistry. 3;12(14):2604-2611.43. Cross, R. L., Cross, B.A. <strong>and</strong> Wang, J. H.(1970). Detection <strong>of</strong> a phosphorylatedintermediate in mitochondrial oxidativephosphorylation. Biochem. Biophys. Res.Commun. 10;40(5): 1155-61.44. Cardone, E., Lessler, M. A. <strong>and</strong> Brierley, G.P. (1971). Mitochondrial oxidativephosphorylation interaction <strong>of</strong> lead <strong>and</strong>inorganic phosphate. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol.Med. 136: 300.45. Bhaumik, Raychudhari. (1976), Ind. J.Physiol. Allied. Sci. 29(4): 111.46. Boyer, P. (1977). In: The Enzymes,Academic press, NY. 3 rd Edn. Vol. 13.47. Hussain, T., Ali, M. M. <strong>and</strong> Ch<strong>and</strong>ra, S. V.(1987). The combined effect <strong>of</strong> Pb 2+ <strong>and</strong>Mn 2+ on monoamine uptake <strong>and</strong> Na + , K + -ATPase in striatal synaptosomes. J ApplToxicol. 7(4):277-80.48. Siegel, G. J., Fogt, S. K. <strong>and</strong> Hurley, M.J.(1977). Lead action on sodium pluspotassium activated adenosinetriphosphatase from electroplax, rat brain<strong>and</strong> rat kidney. In: Eds, Shamoo, M. W. <strong>and</strong>A.E., Membrane Toxicity. Plenum press,New York. 465–493.49. Fox, D. A., Rubinstein, S. D. <strong>and</strong> Hsu, P.(1991). Developmental lead exposureinhibits adult rat retinal, but not kidney, Na +K + ATPase. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 109:482-493.50. Fox, D. A., Rubinstein, S. D. <strong>and</strong> Hsu, P.(1991). Developmental lead exposureinhibits adult rat retinal, but not kidney, Na +K + ATPase. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 109:482-493.51. Widzowski, D. V. <strong>and</strong> Cory-Slechta, D. A.(1994). Homogenity <strong>of</strong> regional brain leadconcentrations. Neurotoxicology 15(2): 295-307.52. Peraza, M. A., Fierro, F., Barber, D. S.,Casarez, E. <strong>and</strong> Rael, L. T. (1998). Effects<strong>of</strong> micronutrients on metal toxicity. Environ.Hlth. Perspect. 106(1), 203-216.Calcium protection against lead <strong>and</strong> manganese toxicity
Current Trends in <strong>Biotechnology</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Pharmacy</strong>Vol. 5 (2) April 2011. ISSN 0973-8916 (Print), 2230-7303 (Online)NEWSiIndian Government will universalise secondaryeducation: President <strong>of</strong> India Pratibha Patil recentlyemphasized on Right to Education for primaryschooling <strong>and</strong> government committed to universalizethe secondary education through RashtriyaMadhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan. Further announced inbudget session that Girls’ hostels are being set up in3,500 educationally backward blocks in the country tobring secondary education to all.Moment <strong>of</strong> immense tragedy for Japan: Prime Minister<strong>of</strong> India Dr. Manmohan Singh said, “This is a moment<strong>of</strong> immense <strong>and</strong> grave tragedy for Japan”. Dr. Singhexpressed heart-felt condolences to Japan <strong>and</strong> saidIndia st<strong>and</strong>s in <strong>full</strong> solidarity with the people <strong>of</strong> thatcountry. He said in Parliament that “I am confidentthat this House will join me in reiterating the heartfeltcondolences <strong>of</strong> people <strong>of</strong> India to the friendly people<strong>of</strong> Japan <strong>and</strong> extending our prayers <strong>and</strong> thoughts tothem during this most horrific disaster”.Peace needed for development: President PratibhaDevisingh Patil underscored the need for peace tousher in development so that people can devote theirenergy to cultural, educational, social <strong>and</strong> economicaldevelopment. Addressing the public at the NagaHeritage Village, Kisama, on her maiden visit to thestate, the President made a fervent appeal to the people<strong>of</strong> Nagal<strong>and</strong> to ensure an atmosphere <strong>of</strong> peace <strong>and</strong>tranquility. She asserted, people must work togetheras one unit, whatever tribe they are from, whateverregion they may come from, <strong>and</strong> whatever communitythey may belong to in order to add to the overallprogress <strong>of</strong> the nation. Asserting that our nation ismoving ahead to be counted as one <strong>of</strong> the majoreconomies <strong>of</strong> the world, she said our objective remainsto have a high economic growth rate <strong>and</strong> to have aninclusive growth process.Bacterial Computers: GeneticallyEngineered Bacteria have Potential to SolveComplicated Mathematical ProblemsA research team at Missouri Western StateUniversity in Missouri <strong>and</strong> Davidson College in NorthCarolina, USA engineered the DNA <strong>of</strong> E.coli, creatingbacterial computers capable <strong>of</strong> solving a classicmathematical problem known as the Hamiltonian PathProblem. The Hamiltonian Path Problem asks whetherthere is a route in a network from a beginning node toan ending node, visiting each node exactly once. Thegenetic circuitry <strong>of</strong> the bacteria was modified to enablethem to find a Hamiltonian path in a three-node graph.Bacteria that success<strong>full</strong>y solved the problem reportedtheir success by fluorescing both red <strong>and</strong> green,resulting in yellow colonies. The findings <strong>of</strong> theresearch demonstrate that computing in living cells isfeasible, opening the door to a number <strong>of</strong> applications.The second-generation bacterial computers illustratethe feasibility <strong>of</strong> extending the approach to othercomputationally challenging math problems.Anshul SarvateMicrowave Pre-Cooking <strong>of</strong> French FriesReduces Cancer ChemicalsMicrowaving the French fries before frying themreduces the levels <strong>of</strong> a cancer-causing substance. Thediscovery <strong>of</strong> acrylamide - a possible carcinogenic inhumans — has led to much research being done toinvestigate the benefits <strong>of</strong> alternative cookingmethods. Acrylamide forms during processes such asfrying, baking <strong>and</strong> roasting where high-temperature<strong>and</strong> low-moisture conditions exist. Microwaveapplication prior to frying resulted in a markedreduction <strong>of</strong> the acrylamide level in the surface region.When the potato strips were subjected to frying aftera microwave pre-cooking step, acrylamide content inthe whole potato strip was reduced by 36%, 41% <strong>and</strong>60% for frying at 150, 170 <strong>and</strong> 190 o C respectively.Microwaving French fries before cooking takes littletime <strong>and</strong> in fact, microwave pre-cooked samples friedto the same degree <strong>of</strong> cooking appeared to have amore acceptable colour, probably due to the moregentle heat treatment they experienced during frying.Pavithra VFound: The Apple Gene for RedCSIRO researchers have located the gene thatcontrols the colour <strong>of</strong> apples — a discovery that may