EVERYMAN’S SCIENCE Vol. L No. 5 (Dec’15 - Jan’16) EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD EDITORIAL BOARD Dr. Kaushik Majumdar (Gurgaon) Editor-in-Chief Dr. Ashok Kumar Saxena Prof. Prabhu Nath Pandey (Ranchi) Area Editors Prof. (Dr.) N.K. Saksena (Kanpur) Dr. (Mrs.) Vijay Laxmi Saxena Dr. Rajeev Jain (Gwalior) (Biological Sciences) Dr. Tejender Nath Jowhar (Dehradun) Dr. Pramod Kumar Verma (Earth Sciences, Engineering & Material Sciences) Prof. Asis Mazumdar (Kolkata) Dr. Manoj Kumar Chakrabarti Dr. Gangadhar Mishra (Ranchi) (Medical Sciences including Physiology) Prof. Karbhari Vishwanath Kale Dr. Arvind Kumar Saxena (Aurangabad) (Physical Sciences) Dr. Arvind Kumar Dixit (Kanpur) Dr. (Mrs.) Vipin Sobti (Social Sciences) Dr. Snehashish Chakraverty (Rourkela) General Secretary (Membership Affairs) Prof. (Dr.) Chittaranjan Maity (Kolkata) Dr. Nilangshu Bhushan Basu Prof. Jagdish Rai (Bareilly) General Secretary (Scientific Activities) Prof. Arun Kumar Prof. Dinesh Kumar Maheshwari (Haridwar) Editorial Secretary Dr. Amit Krishna De COVER PHOTOGRAPHS Past General Presidents of ISCA Printed and published by Dr. Ashok Kumar Saxena 1. Dr. Vasant Gowariker (1992) on behalf of Indian Science Congress Association 2. Dr. S. Z. Qasim (1993) and printed at T. C. Dutta Merchants Pvt. Ltd., P- 3. Prof. P. N. Srivastava (1994) 23/24, Radha Bazar Street, Kolkata - 700 001 and 4. Dr. S. C. Pakrashi (1995) published at Indian Science Congress Association, 5. Prof. U. R. Rao (1996) 14, Dr. Biresh Guha Street, Kolkata - 700 017, with Dr. Ashok Kumar Saxena as Editor. 6. Dr. S. K. Joshi (1997) Annual Subscription : (6 issues) For permission to reprint or reproduce any portion of the journal, please write Institutional Þ 500/- ; Individual Þ 300/- to the Editor-in-Chief. Price: Þ 20/- per issue Everyman’s Science Vol. L No. 5 December’15- January’16 CONTENTS EDITORIAL : Epigenetics M. K. Chakrabarti 284 ARTICLES : Sheath Rot: Emerging Threat to Rice Production 286 Manoj Kumar Yadav, Aravindan S., A. K. Mukherjee, M. K. Bag and S. Lenka Tendril Perversion in Cucurbits 289 Ruksana Aziz, Anjan Barman, Udaratta Bhattacharjee, Rahul Kumar, EeshanKalita and Suvendra Kumar Ray Lymphatic Filariasis: A Neglected Disease of India 295 Diksha Katiyar Conservation Status of Nicobar Megapode Megapodius nicobariensis in Nicobar Group of Islands 301 Biba Jasmine and Sivakumar Kuppusamy Alcohol Consumption, Dependence, Mediated Disorders and Challenges 305 Subodh Kumar Jain Nepal Rocked by 7.3 Magnitude Earthquake Near Mount Everest 310 Arupanand Naik Sunflower Perspective in Indian Agriculture and Human Health 314 Parveen Sachdeva Genetically Modified Plants: Boon or Bane? 320 Ranjana Roy Mishra 103rd Indian Science Congress Awardees for 2015-2016 325 KNOW THY INSTITUTIONS 332 CONFERENCES / MEETINGS / SYMPOSIA / SEMINARS 335 S & T ACROSS THE WORLD 338 Everyman’s Science Vol. L No. 5 December’15- January’16 ISCA PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS (1992 TO 1997) President Title of Presidential Address* Dr. Vasant Gowariker Science, Population and Development 79th Indian Science Congress 1992, Baroda Dr. S.Z.Qasim Science and Quality of Life 80th Indian Science Congress 1993, Goa Prof. P.N.Srivastava Science in India: Excellence and Accountability 81st Indian Science Congress 1994, Jaipur Dr. S.C.Pakrashi Science, Technology and Industrial Development in India 82nd Indian Science Congress 1995, Calcutta Prof. U.R. Rao Science and Technology for Achieving Food, Economic and 83rd Indian Science Congress Health Security 1996, Patiala Dr. S.K. Joshi Frontiers in Science and Engineering and their Relevance to 84th Indian Science Congress National Development 1997, Delhi * Available in the Book “The Shaping of Indian Science” Published by University Press (India) Pvt. Ltd., 3-5-819 Hyderguda, Hyderabad 500 029. As per decision of Council meeting held on May 03, 2014, Presidential Address will not be printed henceforth in Everyman's Science as they are already printed in the above mentioned book. 283 Everyman’s Science Vol. L No. 5 December’15- January’16 EDITORIAL Epigenetics Epigenetic refers to any natural process that observations in which environmental stress caused alters gene activity without changing the DNA genetic assimilation of certain phenotypic sequence, and leads to modifications that can be characteristics in Drosophila fruit flies. Since then, transmitted to daughter cells. The common types of research have been focused on unraveling the epigenetic regulation are DNA methylation, histone epigenetic mechanisms related to these types of modifications, and RNA-associated silencing. It is changes. Study of epigenetic is comprised of DNA essential to many organism functions, but if they methylation [DNA methylation is an epigenetic occur improperly, there can be major adverse health mechanism that occurs by the addition of a methyl and behavioral effects. (CH3) group at the 5-carbon of the cytosine ring We know every cell in our body starts off with resulting in 5-methylcytosine (5-mC) in DNA, the same DNA sequence. Then how different types thereby often modifying the function of the genes], of cell are present in our body and they function histones and their modifications [A histone differently. The answer is epigenetics. Epigenetics modification is a covalent post-translational can be defined as heritable change in gene modification to histone proteins. The modifications expression that does not involve changes to the made to histone can alter chromatin structure or underlying DNA sequence: a change in phenotype recruit various histone modifiers], and non-coding without a change in genotype. So it can be referred to RNAs. A non-coding RNA (ncRNA) is a functional the covalent modification of DNA, protein, or RNA, RNA molecule that is transcribed from DNA but not resulting in changes to the function and/or regulation translated into proteins]. Acting in concert, these of these molecules, without altering their primary features coordinate intricate regulatory mechanisms sequences. Simply if we consider DNA sequence as that tightly control the expression of the genome. an instruction manual of making human body then The study of epigenetic mechanisms has become epigenetic is someone who mark different parts of increasingly important in many areas of research, the instruction manual in different color which including DNA repair, cell cycle control, demonstrate the part of the text needed to read developmental biology, and cancer research, carefully and this inturn affects how cells read the identification of biomarkers, predisposition factors, genes and how they function differently in spite of and potential drug targets. Cancer was the first having same DNA sequence. human disease to be linked to epigenetic. It is found The term epigenetics, which was coined by that DNA hypomethylation can activate oncogenes Waddington in 1942, was derived from the Greek and initiate chromosome instability, whereas DNA word “epigenesis” which originally used to denote hypermethylation initiates silencing of tumor the poorly understood processes by which a suppressor genes. An accumulation of genetic and fertilized zygote developed into a mature, complex epigenetic errors can transform a normal cell into an organism. A renewed interest in genetic assimilation invasive or metastatic tumor cell. Additionally DNA started during 1990s. This lead to elucidation of the methylation patterns may cause abnormal expression molecular basis of Conrad Waddington's of cancer associated genes. Epigenetics also has 284 Everyman’s Science Vol. L No. 5 December’15- January’16 many and varied potential medical applications. over the past years allow us to better understand the Moreover, there are several pieces of evidence interplay between epigenetic changes, and human showing that epigenetic errors play a role in diseases, and will lead to the development of new autoimmune diseases, immune deficiencies and approaches for molecular diagnosis and targeted various other syndromes. Subsequently, these treatments across the clinical spectrum. increased knowledge and technologies in epigenetics Dr. M. K. Chakrabarti NICED, Kolkata An experinent is a question which science poses to Nature, and a measurent is the recording of nature’s answer -Max Planck, 1858 to 1947, Theoretical Physicist 285 Everyman’s Science Vol. L No. 5 December’15- January’16 SHEATH ROT: EMERGING THREAT TO RICE PRODUCTION Manoj Kumar Yadav, Aravindan S., A. K. Mukherjee, M. K. Bag and S. Lenka Rice sheath rot disease, caused by Sarocladium oryzae (Sawada), is a common rice disease in South East Asia and the Indian subcontinent. The disease is characterized by grayish brown lesions on sheaths enclosing the panicle. Severe infection resulted in partially emerged or totally compressed panicles and chaffy grains. The yield loss caused by S. oryzae implies that the disease could be a potential threat to rice production. This article explains an integrated disease management approach which shows to be effective against sheath rot disease in rice. INTRODUCTION ice (Oryza sativa) is a staple food for more secondary metabolites, helvolic acid and cerulenin in Rthan half of the world's population. Although liquid culture. rice production has doubled over the past few decades, due to the introduction of high-yielding SYMPTOMS varieties/hybrids and improved cultivation practices, producers are still unable to meet ever-increasing S. oryzae mainly attacks the uppermost leaf global demands. Disease damage to rice can greatly sheaths enclosing the young panicles. The