Sometimes we can learn just by Seeing

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3D Model sculptured by Dr Aman Biswas and Dr Subroto Biswas

This model in its raw form is generated for large scale production for an International company for which Dr Surbroto and Dr Aman are the Scientific Advisors and consultants. Several such sculptures are scientifically produced, finished, coloured, labelled and authored by the duo.

 

Hand of my lady (Dr Aman Biswas) modelled and structured by me

This is model  of a hand  (of my lady) in POP is prepared for showing anatomical structures such as  bones , muscles, blood vessels ,  nerves and  ligaments. The students of Biology and medicine could understand the internal structure without even dissecting one!

Many a such 3D Models are on pipeline.

What do you understand by Acrophobia ?

ASSAULTS ON DNA ?

Several agents cause damage to our genome thus change the structure and function of body.

What is retrogressive metamorphosis ?

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Tintin never grew up…a case of HH ?

Readers all over the world followed Tintin for almost fifty years and yet the Belgian journalist is as young as ever. He showed no signs of ageing whatsoever. No grey hair, no wrinkles, no loss of stamina. Can a human remain as young as ever … not older than the age of fifteen ? Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism – or HH – is a condition in which the afflicted person never reaches puberty. Therefore, he shows no signs of becoming old, no facial hair nor any mature genital organs. Tintin too never grew a beard. Tintin a HH manwould not produce male hormone, testosterone, is deficient. One protein which seems to have a key role in this regulation: the KiSS-1 receptor, so as to develop the male and female gonads. The KiSS-1 receptor is found both in the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland and plays a role is to transduce a signal which is involved in the regulation of gonadotropin secretion. Thus gonadotropin stimulates the production of testosterone in males. I hope Tintin is listening

To which family do you think this tree belongs to ?

What are Aptamers ?
Synthetic nucleic acid ligands, called aptamers, bind to protein targets with high specificity and affinity. They are very potent inhibitors of protein function and their application can greatly enhance the process of target validation and drug development.
An important benefit of this technology is the recent development of rapidly identifying these sophisticated ligands for almost any target molecule in multi-parallel, automated workstations. The aptamer technology is thus well-suited to addressing the growing demand for high-throughput analysis and functional validation of potential drug targets. Numerous examples have shown the potency of aptamers in inhibiting the function of proteins in cell culture and in vivo models.
Nanosyn will offer its libraries of small organic compounds, while Aptanomics will use its proprietary peptide aptamer technology to screen those compounds and to characterize any that have promising qualities. Peptide aptamers are artificial recognition molecules whose design is based on the structure of antibodies. They consist of a variable peptide loop attached at both ends to a protein scaffold. This double structural constraint greatly increases the binding affinity of the peptide aptamer to levels comparable to that of an antibody.

The Blackest Flower in the World
Lisianthius nigrescens
Family: Gentianaceae
Origin: Mexico, Oaxaca, Guatemala
Lisianthius nigrescens is a low growing perennial with lanceolate leaves and drooping bell-shaped flowers. They are completely black in color. One of the rarest of black flower colors it is a less-known Mexican species.
La flor de muerte - a vernacular name comes from the local custom of planting the flower around graves. Probably therefore, named as Flower of Death or the Black Lisianthus.

Where do we get terpentine from?

Pinus roxburghii is pine tree about 100 feet high found at 460 to 2300 mts in the himalayas.
Known as the Chir Pine it is named after William Roxburgh.
It is a large tree with needle-like leaves , in fascicles of threeand distinctly yellowish green.
The cones are ovoid in shape, green at first, ripens to chestnut-brown when 24 months old.
They open in the following year or so, or after being heated by a forest fire, to release the seeds. Wind helps them to disperse.

RETINOBLASTOMA

RB1 is a tumor suppressor gene. Mutations in the RB1 gene are responsible for most cases of retinoblastoma. Cells in the retina divide uncontrollably to form cancerous tumors.
A small percentage of retinoblastomas are caused by deletions in the region of chromosome 13 that contains the RB1 gene. Affected children usually have intellectual disability, slow growth, and distinctive facial features (such as prominent eyebrows, a short nose with a broad nasal bridge, and ear abnormalities). The most common first sign of retinoblastoma is a visible whiteness in the pupil called “cat’s eye reflex” or leukocoria.
People with germinal retinoblastoma are at risk of passing on the mutated RB1 gene to the next generation. The other 60 percent of retinoblastomas are non-germinal, which means that RB1 mutations occur only in the eye and cannot be passed to the next generation.

Cheetah : Is it the fastest runner ?

Cheetah is a large species of cat called the hunting leopard (Acinonyx jubatus) found in hot and arid regions of Africa and India. This long legged animal with non-retractable claws and distinctive round black spots is capable of running at more than 95 km/hr.

Can a fish fly ?

Exocoetus , the flying fish, can make a flight lasting between four to ten seconds by spreading its large elongated pectoral fins. To emerge from the sea it holds its fins close to its body, takes off from the chest of a wave then spreads its fins to glide into the air. this tropical marine fish is found in warm waters worldwide.

GUTTATION

In herbaceous plants like strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) water passes through special cells at the edges of the leaves in form of small droplets. This is a result of root pressure that forces water through margin and tip of leaves. Mostly guttation occurs at night.

POLYDACTYLY

This seven month old Chinese baby was born with six fingers in his hand and feet. This is a genetic problem.

Anthurium : An entomophillous flower

A member of family Araceae it is native of Tropical America as Brazil and Peru . The dried leaves are highly scented and mixed with tobacco to give it an aroma. The spathes of Anthurium are brightly colored as red, white, pink, crimson and yellow. The slender spadix with its cluster of small flowers attract bees and flies. These plants grow in warm green house conditions and the cut flowers lasts for many days.

We lost this bird

In early 1500, Dodo, the fat dove like birds, were discovered by the Portuguese on the island of Mauritius. Named “Dodo” these flightless 50-pound birds with curly tail were killed off by 1681. These birds were as stupid as they looked and defenseless.

BOTULISM

 

Clostridium botulinum causes serious food poisoning called Botulism and is one of the most potent poison (neurotoxin) being used as bio-weapon. This anaerobic bacterium is found in food (canned meat and fish) that survived 3500 million years without oxygen. It is a Gram positive bacterium.

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

It infects and gradually destroys WBC of the body’s immune system known as Cd4 lymphocytes which normally fight infection. AIDS (Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome) virus is a RNA virus (retro-virus) primarily detected by ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay) test and confirmed by more precise Western Blot Test. Antiretroviral drugs, such as Zidovudine (AZT), are used to treat HIV infection.

The giant panda

It is the symbol of the WWF…World Wide Fund for Nature (formerly World Wildlife Fund)- one of the world’s largest nature conservation organizations. Panda is in great danger of becoming extinct. There are only about 700 giant panda left in the world. They live only in bamboo forests of western China. Their name means “Bamboo Eaters” and they mostly live on bamboo shoots.

Water hyacinth : The Bengal Terror

Eichhornia crassipes has attractive flowers and is a dangerous plant. In dirty, nutrient rich waters, it rapidly produces its leaves and roots that choke the lakes and water bodies. Although native to South America , it has been introduced to tropical waters in many parts of the world with disastrous results.

Hansen’s disease

Leprosy affects more than 12 million worldwide. it is better to prevent the disease rather than treating it with vaccines or drugs (like dapsone). An important recent achievement is the ability to produce leprosy in the nine banded armadillo and in monkey(close to humans) in hope of developing good diagnostic blood tests and vaccines.

THE KING OF WOOLS

Shahtoosh is one of the finest of wools made from the hair of the Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsoni) also called CHIRU. The shawls made from chiru wool are so fine that they can be slipped through a finger ring. Due to high scale poaching of these animals on the high desert plateau of China, International trade in shahtoosh has been prohibited.

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Better your Biology with…………….. http://bisbio.in

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What are goitrogens and in which food are they found?

Goitrogens are naturally-occurring substances that can interfere with function of the thyroid gland. Goitrogens get their name from the term “goiter,” which means an enlargement of the thyroid gland. If the thyroid gland is having difficulty making thyroid hormone, it may enlarge as a way of trying to compensate for this inadequate hormone production. “Goitrogens,” like circumstances that cause goiter, cause difficulty for the thyroid in making its hormone.

Foods that contain goitrogens
There are two general categories of foods that have been associated with disrupted thyroid hormone production in humans: soybean-related foods and cruciferous vegetables.

In addition, there are a few other foods not included in these categories – such as peaches, strawberries and millet – that also contain goitrogens. The table below shows a list of some foods that contain goitrogens.

Soybean-related foods
Included in the category of soybean-related foods are soybeans themselves as well as soy extracts, and foods made from soy, including tofu and tempeh. While soy foods share many common ingredients, it is the isoflavones in soy that have been associated with decreased thyroid hormone output. Isoflavones are naturally-occurring substances that belong to the flavonoid family of nutrients. Flavonoids, found in virtually all plants, are pigments that give plants their amazing array of colors. Most research studies in the health sciences have focused on the beneficial properties of flavonoids, and these naturally-occurring phytonutrients have repeatedly been shown to be highly health-supportive.
The link between isoflavones and decreased thyroid function is, in fact, one of the few areas in which flavonoid intake has called into question as problematic. Isoflavones like genistein appear to reduce thyroid hormone output by blocking activity of an enzyme called thyroid peroxidase. This enzyme is responsible for adding iodine onto the thyroid hormones. (Thyroid hormones must typically have three or four iodine atoms added on to their structure in order to function properly.)

WHAT ARE HOT SPOTS ?

Areas with most biodiverse and endemic organisms. There are 25 such hot spots in the world.

Biodiversity hotspots of India

The Western Ghats
The chain of hills that run along the western edge of peninsular India.
These regions have moist deciduous forest and rain forest.
The region shows high species diversity as well as high levels of endemism.
Nearly 77% of the amphibians and 62% of the reptile species found here are found nowhere else.
Along with Sri Lanka this region also shows some faunal similarities with the Madagascan region especially in the reptiles and amphibians.
Examples include the Sibynophis (snakes), the Purple frog and Sri Lankan lizard of genus, Nessia which appears similar to the Madagascar genus Acontias.
Numerous floral links to the Madagascan region also exist as genus Nepenthes.

The Eastern Himalayas
The Eastern Himalayas is the region encompassing Bhutan, northeastern India, and southern, central, and eastern Nepal.
It has nearly 163 globally threatened species including the One-horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis), the Wild Asian Water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis and in all 45 mammals, 50 birds, 17 reptiles, 12 amphibians, 3 invertebrate and 36 plant species.
The Relict Dragonfly (Epiophlebia laidlawi) is an endangered species found here.
The region is also home to the Himalayan Newt (Tylototriton verrucosus), the only salamander species found within Indian limits.

Evolution and Revolution

THE EXTINCT SPECIES
The exploitation of land and forest resources by humans along with hunting and trapping for food and sport has led to the extinction of many species in India in recent times.
Probably the first species to vanish during the time of the Indus Vally civilisation was the species of wild cattle, Bos primegenius nomadicus or the wild zebu, which vanished from its range in the Indus valley and western India, possibly due to inter-breeding with domestic cattle and resultant fragmentation of wild populations due to loss of habitat.
The mammals which became extinct recently are :
1. Indian / Asiatic Cheetah,
2. Javan Rhinoceros and
3. Sumatran Rhinoceros.
Hubbardia heptaneuron, a species of grass that grew in the spray zone of the Jog Falls prior to the construction of the Linganamakki reservoir, was thought to be extinct but a few were rediscovered near Kolhapur.
Some species of birds gone extinct in recent times are :
1. Pink-headed Duck (Rhodonessa caryophyllacea)
2. Himalayan Quail (Ophrysia superciliosa).
3. A species of warbler, Acrocephalus orinus, known earlier from a single specimen collected by Allan Octavian Hume from near Rampur in Himachal Pradesh was rediscovered after 139 years in Thailand.
4. Jerdon’s Courser (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus), named after the zoologist Thomas C. Jerdon who discovered it in 1848, was rediscovered in 1986 by Bharat Bhushan, an ornithologist at the Bombay Natural History Society after being thought to be extinct.

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METAGENOMICS
A new field that combines molecular biology and genetics in an attempt to identify and characterize the genetic material from environmental samples and apply that knowledge. The genetic diversity is assessed by isolation of DNA followed by direct cloning of functional genes from the environmental sample.

Applications of Metagenomics
Many microorganisms have the ability to degrade waste products, make new drugs for medicine, make environment-friendly plastics, or even make some of the ingredients of food we eat. By isolating the DNA from these organisms, we can optimize these processes and adapt them for use in our society. Metagenomics thus act as a powerful tool to access the abounding biodiversity of native environmental samples. It effectively characterizes the genetic diversity present in samples regardless of the availability of laboratory culturing techniques. Information from metagenomic libraries has the ability to enrich the knowledge and applications of many aspects of industry, therapeutics, and environmental sustainability. This information can then be applied to society in an effort to create a healthy human population that lives in balance with the environment. Metagenomics is a new and exciting field of molecular biology that is likely to grow into a standard technique for understanding biological diversity.

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