A microfluidic route for synthesis of scandium oxide microspheres, their characterization and neutron activation

Radioactive scandium-46 microspheres have applications in mapping flow in a chemical reactor through a technique known as radioactive particle tracking (RPT). In the present study a novel microfluidic method has been developed for synthesis of controlled size scandium oxide microspheres. An inline/in-situ mixing of the scandium precursor and gelling agents was implemented which makes the microfluidic platform amenable for truly continuous operation. Microspheres of size varying from 937 to 666 μm were produced by varying O/A ratio from 10 to 30. Perfectly spherical and monodispersed (PDI <10 %) microspheres were obtained at O/A 15 and beyond. The morphology, elemental composition, and structure of the microspheres were analysed by SEM, EDS and XRD, respectively. Subsequently the microspheres were irradiated with thermal neutrons in a nuclear reactor to obtain radioactive Sc-46 oxide microspheres. The activity produced on each Sc-46 microspheres with different sizes was in the range 19.5-34.0 MBq.

Psychedelics for alzheimer's disease-related dementia: Unveiling therapeutic possibilities and pathways

Psychedelics have traditionally been used for spiritual and recreational purposes, but recent developments in psychotherapy have highlighted their potential as therapeutic agents. These compounds, which act as potent 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT) agonists, have been recognized for their ability to enhance neural plasticity through the activation of the serotoninergic and glutamatergic systems. However, the implications of these findings for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders, particularly dementia, have not been fully explored. In recent years, studies have revealed the modulatory and beneficial effects of psychedelics in the context of dementia, specifically Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related dementia, which lacks a definitive cure. Psychedelics such as N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and Psilocybin have shown potential in mitigating the effects of this debilitating disease. These compounds not only target neurotransmitter imbalances but also act at the molecular level to modulate signalling pathways in AD, including the brain-derived neurotrophic factor signalling pathway and the subsequent activation of mammalian target of rapamycin and other autophagy regulators. Therefore, the controlled and dose-dependent administration of psychedelics represents a novel therapeutic intervention worth exploring and considering for the development of drugs for the treatment of AD-related dementia. In this article, we critically examined the literature that sheds light on the therapeutic possibilities and pathways of psychedelics for AD-related dementia. While this emerging field of research holds great promise, further studies are necessary to elucidate the long-term safety, efficacy, and optimal treatment protocols. Ultimately, the integration of psychedelics into the current treatment paradigm may provide a transformative approach for addressing the unmet needs of individuals living with AD-related dementia and their caregivers.

Unconventional Breathing Currents Far beyond the Quantum Tunneling Distances in Large-Gapped Nanoplasmonic Systems

Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in plasmonic nanoparticles propels the field of plasmo-electronics, holding promise for transformative optoelectronic devices through efficient light-to-current conversion. Plasmonic excitations strongly influence the charge distribution within nanoparticles, giving rise to electromagnetic fields that can significantly impact the macroscopic charge flows within the nanoparticle housing material. In this study, we present evidence of ultralow, unconventional breathing currents resulting from dynamic irradiance interactions between widely separated nanoparticles, extending far beyond conventional electron (quantum) tunneling distances. We develop an electric analogue model and derive an empirical expression to elucidate the generation of these unconventional breathing currents in cascaded nanoplasmonic systems under irradiance modulation. This technique and theoretical model have significant potential for applications requiring a deeper understanding of current dynamics, particularly on large nanostructured surfaces relevant to photocatalysis, energy harvesting, sensing, imaging, and the development of future photonic devices.

Recent Advances in Drug Delivery Systems Targeting Insulin Signalling for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid-β plaques. Recent research has unveiled the pivotal role of insulin signaling dysfunction in the pathogenesis of AD. Insulin, once thought to be unrelated to brain function, has emerged as a crucial factor in neuronal survival, synaptic plasticity, and cognitive processes. Insulin and the downstream insulin signaling molecules are found mainly in the hippocampus and cortex. Some molecules responsible for dysfunction in insulin signaling are GSK-3β, Akt, PI3K, and IRS. Irregularities in insulin signaling or insulin resistance may arise from changes in the phosphorylation levels of key molecules, which can be influenced by both stimulation and inactivity. This, in turn, is believed to be a crucial factor contributing to the development of AD, which is characterized by oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and other pathological hallmarks. Furthermore, this route is known to be indirectly influenced by Nrf2, NF-κB, and the caspases. This mini-review delves into the intricate relationship between insulin signaling and AD, exploring how disruptions in this pathway contribute to disease progression. Moreover, we examine recent advances in drug delivery systems designed to target insulin signaling for AD treatment. From oral insulin delivery to innovative nanoparticle approaches and intranasal administration, these strategies hold promise in mitigating the impact of insulin resistance on AD. This review consolidates current knowledge to shed light on the potential of these interventions as targeted therapeutic options for AD.

Integration of biochar with nitrogen in acidic soil: A strategy to sequester carbon and improve the yield of stevia via altering soil properties and nutrient recycling

The health of agroecosystems is subsiding unremittingly, and the over-use of chemical fertilizers is one of the key reasons. It is hypothesized that integrating biochar, a carbon (C)-rich product, would be an effective approach to reducing the uses of synthetic fertilizers and securing crop productivity through improving soil properties and nutrient cycling. The bamboo biochar at different quantities (4-12 Mg ha-1) and combinations with chemical fertilizers were tested in stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) farming in silty clay acidic soil. The integration of biochar at 8 Mg ha-1 with 100% nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) produced statistically (p ≤ 0.05) higher leaf area index, dry leaf yield, and steviol glycosides yield by about 18.0-33.0, 25.8-44.9, and 20.5-59.4%, respectively, compared with the 100% NPK via improving soil physicochemical properties. Soil bulk density was reduced by 5-8% with biochar at ≥ 8 Mg ha-1, indicating the soil porosity was increased by altering the soil macrostructure. The soil pH was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) augmented with the addition of biochar alone or in the combination of N because of the alkaline nature of the used biochar (pH = 9.65). Furthermore, integrating biochar at 8 Mg ha-1 with 100% NPK increased 22.7% soil organic C compared with the sole 100% NPK. The priming effect of applied N activates soil microorganisms to mineralize the stable C. Our results satisfy the hypothesis that adding bamboo biochar would be a novel strategy for sustaining productivity by altering soil physicochemical properties.

Hydrological performance of rain gardens having Calendula officinalis plant with varied planting mixtures

The rain gardens (RGs) have been one of the best management practices in cities to reduce the impact of urban flooding. However, very little is known about various design parameters of RGs, viz., the type of plantation, planting mixtures, and RG dimensions. This study pertains to examining the influence of planting mixtures on the variations of percolation rates of the RG with Calendula officinalis plant and without plants. Six types of planting mixtures in different experimental RGs have been tried. It has been observed that the percolation rate increases with a higher percentage of compost in the planting mixture for RGs with and without plants. The percolation rate is highest for the planting mixture having 25% compost. The runoff rate reduces with a higher percentage of compost in the planting mixture for RGs with C. officinalis and bare surfaces. No runoff is produced in RGs with plant having a compost of more than 20% in the planting mixture. The outcome of the study will be useful in deciding the composition of the planting mixture which will keep the RG plant healthy and at the same time improve the hydrological performance leading to lowering urban flooding magnitude.

Municipal Wastewater Treatment uses Vertical Flow Followed by Horizontal Flow in a Two-Stage Hybrid-Constructed Wetland Planted with Calibanus hookeri and Canna indica (Cannaceae)

The utilization of hybrid-constructed wetland systems has recently expanded due to more rigorous municipal wastewater discharge and also complex wastewaters treated in hybrid-constructed wetlands (HCWs). A lab-scale two-stage experimental setup of vertical flow followed by horizontal flow hybrid-constructed wetland (VFHCW-HFHCW) configuration was built. First-stage vertical flow hybrid-constructed wetland reactor with the surface area was 1963.49 cm² and second-stage horizontal flow hybrid-constructed wetland reactor with the surface area was 2025 cm². The HCW unit was planted with two type plants: Calibanus hookeri and Canna indica (Cannaceae). Influent Municipal wastewater flow rate 112.32 l/day, hydraulic loading rate (HLR) 0.55 m/day, and hydraulic retention time of 1 day. The efficiency was evaluated in municipal wastewater quality improvement and physico-chemical analysis in our laboratory. The removal rate after the second-stage horizontal flow of BOD₃ at 27 °C, COD, TSS, TP, NH₃-N, and NO₃-N reached 92.75%, 89.90%, 85.45%, 88.83%, 99.09%, and 96.05%, respectively. The results shown after both stage hybrid-constructed wetland VFHCW-HFHCW, treated effluent of Municipal wastewater produced high-quality effluent which may be reused in gardening, agriculture, and flushing in toilet purpose according to Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) code for practices. However, in the future, hybrid-constructed wetlands could be standards design criteria developing and enhancing the performance standards and economic meets both to make more popular technology of the hybrid-constructed wetland (HCW).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11270-022-05984-0.

Emerging techniques of western blotting for purification and analysis of protein

Background

Western blotting is frequently employed in molecular techniques like Proteomics and Biology. Because it is a sequential framework, differences and inaccuracies could even take place at any stage, decreasing this particular method's reproducibility and reliability.

Main text

New approaches, like automated microfluid western blotting, DigiWest, single cell resolution, microchip electrophoresis, and capillary electrophoresis, were all implemented to reduce the future conflicts linked with the western blot analysis approach. Discovery of new in devices and higher susceptibility for western blots gives innovative opportunities to expand Western blot’s clinical relevance. The advancements in various region of west blotting included in this analysis of transfer of protein and validation of antibody are described.

Conclusion

This paper describes another very developed strategy available as well as demonstrated the correlation among Western blotting techniques of the next generation and their clinical implications. In this review, the different techniques of western blotting and their improvement in different stages have been discussed.

Rain garden infiltration rate modeling using gradient boosting machine and deep learning techniques

Rain garden is effective in reducing storm water runoff, whose efficiency depends upon several parameters such as soil type, vegetation and meteorological factors. Evaluation of rain gardens has been done by various researchers. However, knowledge for sound design of rain gardens is still very limited, particularly the accurate modeling of infiltration rate and how much it differs from infiltration of natural ground surface. The present study uses experimentally observed infiltration rate of rain gardens with different types of vegetation (grass, candytuft, marigold and daisy with different plant densities) and flow conditions. After that, modeling has been done by the popular infiltration model i.e. Philip's model (which is valid for natural ground surface) and soft computing tools viz. Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM) and Deep Learning (DL). Results suggest a promising performance (in terms of CC, RMSE, MAE, MSE and NSE) by GBM and DL in comparison to the relation proposed by Philip's model (1957). Most of the values predicted by both GBM and DL are within scatter limits of ±5%, whereas the values by Philips model are within the range of ±25% error lines and even outside. GBM performs better than DL as the values of the correlation coefficients and Nash-Sutcliffe model efficiency (NSE) coefficient are the highest and the root mean square error is the lowest. The results of the study will be useful in selection of plant type and its density in the rain garden of the urban area.

A high-frequency single nucleotide polymorphism in the MtrB sensor kinase in clinical strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis alters its biochemical and physiological properties

The DNA polymorphisms found in clinical strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis drive altered physiology, virulence, and pathogenesis in them. Although the lineages of these clinical strains can be traced back to common ancestor/s, there exists a plethora of difference between them, compared to those that have evolved in the laboratory. We identify a mutation present in ~80% of clinical strains, which maps in the HATPase domain of the sensor kinase MtrB and alters kinase and phosphatase activities, and affects its physiological role. The changes conferred by the mutation were probed by in-vitro biochemical assays which revealed changes in signaling properties of the sensor kinase. These changes also affect bacterial cell division rates, size and membrane properties. The study highlights the impact of DNA polymorphisms on the pathophysiology of clinical strains and provides insights into underlying mechanisms that drive signal transduction in pathogenic bacteria.

Reconstruction of sedimentation rates based on the chronological framework of Lake Pykara, Tamil Nadu, India

This work presents a piece of initial information about the estimation of the sedimentation rate for Lake Pykara. In this investigation, a chronological sequence of sediment core was set up dependent on ¹³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Pb_ex analysis to study sediment accumulation rates in Lake Pykara. Caesium-137 (Cs) is an artificial radionuclide and is regularly utilized in building up the chronology of lake sediments in the Anthropocene period. The unsupported ²¹⁰Pb profile shows a non-exponential decline of ²¹⁰Pb activity with sediment depth. Sedimentation rates dependent on global atmospheric nuclear weapon maximum fallout of ¹³⁷Cs (1963) bolster the utilization of the consistent rate of ²¹⁰Pb supply (CRS) model in core sediments. The geochronology studies of the core were performed using the ¹³⁷Cs method, to evaluate the model of time changes in the sediment. The ¹³⁷Cs radioactivity was resolved directly by gamma spectrometry and fluctuated from 13.11 ± 1.3 Bq kg^-1 for top layers to 1.21 ± 0.1 Bq kg^-1 for the bottom of the core. Two trademark peaks of ¹³⁷Cs radioactivity identified with the global fallouts after atomic weapons testing and the Chernobyl mishap were observed and used to affirm the ²¹⁰Pb dating method. Radioactivity of ²¹⁰Pb_ex ranged from 8.00 ± 1.0 to 1.40 ± 0.1 Bq kg^-1. The mean sedimentation rate evaluated from both models was 0.71 ± 0.06 cm year^-1, while the estimated age of Lake Pykara was 514.08 years (¹³⁷Cs) and 521.43 years (²¹⁰Pb_ex), respectively.

Machine Learning-Assisted Array-Based Detection of Proteins in Serum Using Functionalized MoS2 Nanosheets and Green Fluorescent Protein Conjugates

Abnormal concentrations of a specific protein or the presence of some biomarker proteins may indicate life-threatening diseases. Pattern-based detection of specific analytes using affinity-regulated receptors is one of the potential alternatives to specific antigen-antibody-based detection. In this report, we have schemed a sensor array by using various functionalized two-dimensional (2D)-MoS2 nanosheets and green fluorescent protein (GFP) as the receptor and the signal transducer, respectively. Two-dimensional MoS2 has been used as a promising candidate for recognition of the bioanalytes because of its high surface-to-volume ratio compared to those of other nanomaterials. Easy surface tunability of this material provides additional advantages to analyze the target of interest. The optimized 2D-MoS2-GFP conjugates are able to discriminate 15 different proteins at 50 nM concentration with a detection limit of 1 nM. Moreover, proteins in the binary mixture and in the presence of serum were discriminated successfully. Ten different proteins in serum media at relevant concentrations were classified successfully with 100% jackknifed classification accuracy, which proves the potentiality of the above system. We have also implemented and discussed the implication of using different machine learning models on the pattern recognition problem associated with array-based sensing.

Status of glaciers and climate change of East Karakoram in early twenty-first century

This study aims to assess the glaciers change status in Shyok basin, East Karakoram in terms of area and mass balance, and to ascertain if glaciers in this part of Karakoram also display similar anomaly like central or western counterparts. The spatio-temporal monitoring of glaciers during the time frame of 24 years (1990/2000/2014) suggests major percentage of stable glaciers and insignificant retreat in the total glaciated area. The percentage of retreating glaciers has increased after year 2000. Area change analysis of glaciers having size >1 km² (569 glaciers) suggests the number of fluctuated glaciers have substantially increased i.e. overall 56% glaciers remained stable, 35% retreated and 9% advanced during 1990-2014. The geodetic based findings using SRTM-C (2000) and Cartosat-1 (2010/2011/2014) stereo-imageries for 201 glaciers suggest the mass loss at the rate of -0.10 ± 0.07 m w.e. a^-1. To better apprehend the status of glaciers changes in the region, climatic studies using in-situ observations as well as reanalysis dataset (ERA-I) were also undertaken of past 30 years. Therefore, this study is also a maiden attempt to ascertain if along with Karakoram anomaly, a climatic anomaly exists in the Eastern parts of Karakoram or not. A long term field collected snow-meteorological data of East Karakoram region suggests overall warming trend in annual temperature and no trend for snowfall during 1985-2015. The statistically significant increased rates of warming and decreased snowfall after year 2000 support the spatial variations in glaciers of East Karakoram and marginal mass loss. The observations of the marginal mass loss along with warming temperatures indicate that no Karakoram or climatic anomaly is existent over the East Karakoram region. Our study further refutes the prevalence of the elevation-dependent warming (EDW) over East Karakoram region vis-à-vis North-West Himalayan ranges. The impact of hiatus in global warming was also not observed over studied region.

Acetylation of Response Regulator Protein MtrA in M. tuberculosis Regulates Its Repressor Activity

MtrA is an essential response regulator (RR) protein in M. tuberculosis, and its activity is modulated after phosphorylation from its sensor kinase MtrB. Interestingly, many regulatory effects of MtrA have been reported to be independent of its phosphorylation, thereby suggesting alternate mechanisms of regulation of the MtrAB two-component system in M. tuberculosis. Here, we show that RR MtrA undergoes non-enzymatic acetylation through acetyl phosphate, modulating its activities independent of its phosphorylation status. Acetylated MtrA shows increased phosphorylation and enhanced interaction with SK MtrB assessed by phosphotransfer assays and FRET analysis. We also observed that acetylated MtrA loses its DNA-binding ability on gene targets that are otherwise enhanced by phosphorylation. More interestingly, acetylation is the dominant post-translational modification, overriding the effect of phosphorylation. Evaluation of the impact of MtrA and its lysine mutant overexpression on the growth of H37Ra bacteria under different conditions along with the infection studies on alveolar epithelial cells further strengthens the importance of acetylated MtrA protein in regulating the growth of M. tuberculosis. Overall, we show that both acetylation and phosphorylation regulate the activities of RR MtrA on different target genomic regions. We propose here that, although phosphorylation-dependent binding of MtrA drives its repressor activity on oriC and rpf, acetylation of MtrA turns this off and facilitates division in mycobacteria. Our findings, thus, reveal a more complex regulatory role of RR proteins in which multiple post-translational modifications regulate the activities at the levels of interaction with SK and the target gene expression.

A Review of Publicly Available Automatic Brain Segmentation Methodologies, Machine Learning Models, Recent Advancements, and Their Comparison

BACKGROUND

The noninvasive study of the structure and functions of the brain using neuroimaging techniques is increasingly being used for its clinical and research perspective. The morphological and volumetric changes in several regions and structures of brains are associated with the prognosis of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, schizophrenia, etc. and the early identification of such changes can have huge clinical significance. The accurate segmentation of three-dimensional brain magnetic resonance images into tissue types (i.e., grey matter, white matter, cerebrospinal fluid) and brain structures, thus, has huge importance as they can act as early biomarkers. The manual segmentation though considered the "gold standard" is time-consuming, subjective, and not suitable for bigger neuroimaging studies. Several automatic segmentation tools and algorithms have been developed over the years; the machine learning models particularly those using deep convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture are increasingly being applied to improve the accuracy of automatic methods.

PURPOSE

The purpose of the study is to understand the current and emerging state of automatic segmentation tools, their comparison, machine learning models, their reliability, and shortcomings with an intent to focus on the development of improved methods and algorithms.

METHODS

The study focuses on the review of publicly available neuroimaging tools, their comparison, and emerging machine learning models particularly those based on CNN architecture developed and published during the last five years.

CONCLUSION

Several software tools developed by various research groups and made publicly available for automatic segmentation of the brain show variability in their results in several comparison studies and have not attained the level of reliability required for clinical studies. The machine learning models particularly three dimensional fully convolutional network models can provide a robust and efficient alternative with relation to publicly available tools but perform poorly on unseen datasets. The challenges related to training, computation cost, reproducibility, and validation across distinct scanning modalities for machine learning models need to be addressed.

Evolution of Antibodies to Epitopes of PE_PGRS51 in the Spectrum of Active Pulmonary Tuberculosis

BACKGROUND

Intrafamily homology has impeded correlation of expression of individual PE_PGRS proteins with stage of tuberculosis (TB). We investigated the in vivo expression of PE_PGRS51, which has 3 unique regions.

METHODS

Sera from patients across the spectrum of TB were used to screen peptide arrays spanning PE_PGRS51.

RESULTS

Antibodies against a subset of conserved "core epitopes" within PE/PGRS domains are elicited during early TB. The epitope repertoire expands to adjacent regions with disease progression. Antiunique region antibodies appear only during cavitary TB.

CONCLUSIONS

Elicitation of antiunique region antibodies can serve as markers for in vivo expression of PE_PGRS proteins.

Evaluation of forewarning models for mustard aphids in different agro-climatic zones of India

Mustard aphid, Lipaphis erysimi (Kaltenbach), is the most serious pest of Rapeseed-Mustard which is known to be responsible for a tremendous loss in yield and oil content, under various agro-climatic conditions of India. Information support on aphid occurrence and intensity is necessary for effective management by the farmers in the mustard-growing belt. In this study, an effort is made to develop forewarning model using the field data on aphid for 12 consecutive rabi seasons from 2003-2004 to 2014-2015 under different agro-climatic locations in India. Three main components of aphid-related stages were identified for which necessary forewarnings were needed to be issued: (1) severity, (2) the time of reaching the economic threshold level (ETL) for decision-making on pesticide application, and (3) time of occurrence of peak population. To address these, three different models were developed/used and validated using incident field dataset. Those field observations when the infestation level were below severe category (< 60) during rising phase of the aphid population were found to indicate highest R sqr. (0.82) for the model-I during validation. When model-II was used, 11 out of 14 locations (78.57%) stood validated. The assumptions made in model-III also got validated when humidity thermal ratio (HTR) of the week of peak population ranged between 1.5 and 4 (lowest among the weeks considered), and population reached severe category. The models showed better results during real-time validation in seasons 2016-2017 and 2017-2018, thus suggesting that these three models can be used to ascertain the severity, week of ETL, and week of peak aphid population for Brassica juncea varieties all over the mustard belt in India and can be operationalized spatially to forewarn against the aphid pest population in future under Gramin Krishi Mausam Sewa (GKMS) scheme.

Protocol development for discovery of angiogenesis inhibitors via automated methods using zebrafish

Their optical clarity as larvae and embryos, small size, and high fecundity make zebrafish ideal for whole animal high throughput screening. A high-throughput drug discovery platform (HTP) has been built to perform fully automated screens of compound libraries with zebrafish embryos. A Tg(kdrl:EGFP) line, marking endothelial cell cytoplasm, was used in this work to help develop protocols and functional algorithms for the system, with the intent of screening for angiogenesis inhibitors. Indirubin 3’ Monoxime (I3M), a known angiogenesis inhibitor, was used at various concentrations to validate the protocols. Consistent with previous studies, a dose dependant inhibitory effect of I3M on angiogenesis was confirmed. The methods and protocols developed here could significantly increase the throughput of drug screens, while limiting human errors. These methods are expected to facilitate the discovery of novel anti-angiogenesis compounds and can be adapted for many other applications in which samples have a good fluorescent signal.

P5434P300-mediated inactivation of p53 protects against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity

Introduction

Doxorubicin is amongst the most widely prescribed chemotherapy drugs due to its effectiveness in cancer treatment. However, progressive treatment using doxorubicin severely increases the risk of congestive heart failure. Mechanistically, researchers have shown that doxorubicin (i) intercalates into DNA and disrupts topoisomerase-II-mediated DNA repair and (ii) generates free radicals which then causes damage to cellular membranes, DNA, and proteins. Ultimately these cellular insults induce cardiomyocyte (CM) death mediated by the tumour suppressor, p53. Currently, there are no clinically applicable preventative treatments for doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity and so, extensive research is being done in discovering a potential therapy. One such candidate is curcumin – a natural polyphenol compound non-toxic to humans. We have previously demonstrated that curcumin inhibits lysine acetyltransferase activity of p300, therefore reducing both histone and non-histone protein acetylation. To induce CM death, p53 requires acetylation by p300. Therefore, we hypothesize that curcumin protects against doxorubicin-induced CM death and cardiotoxicity via p300-mediated inactivation of p53.

Methods

Rat H9c2 cardiomyoblast cells were cultured and treated with a 2.5 μM dose of doxorubicin for 16 hours. One group of cells were pre-treated with curcumin (15μM) 4 hours prior to doxorubicin treatment, and controls were cultured with only diluent added. Following treatment, the cells were harvested for total protein. At end point, we performed immunoblotting to measure protein expression of key proteins involved in DNA damage (y-H2A.X, p53), and apoptosis (cleaved-Caspase 3).

Results

Our findings show that following doxorubicin treatment, p53 expression was significantly increased (p<0.001), confirming its role in doxorubicin-associated cardiotoxicity. Furthermore, doxorubicin was associated with increased DNA-damage as evidenced by increased expression and activation of DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs) marker, y-H2A.X (p<0.001). Elevated levels of DNA-damage were further associated with significantly increased doxorubicin-induced apoptosis as measured by immunoblotting for cleaved-Caspase 3 (p<0.001). However, DNA-damage and apoptosis were attenuated by pre-treatment of cells with curcumin. Curcumin treatment led to a significant decrease in both y-H2A.X (p<0.01) and cleaved-Caspase 3 (p<0.01) expression compared to cells treated with only doxorubicin.

Conclusions

Our data provides the first evidence that curcumin protects against doxorubicin-induced apoptosis in rat cardiomyoblast cells in vitro. Further studies are warranted in vivo to confirm the potential of curcumin as a cardio-protective drug. Curcumin is a natural compound with little to no side-effects in humans, therefore our finding may provide a novel therapeutic target and treatment approach for doxorubicin-associated cardiotoxicity.

Acknowledgement/Funding

Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada

Role of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the management of chronic right upper quadrant pain due to biliary dyskinesia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

The objective of this study was to evaluate the surgical outcomes and feasibility of performing laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) in patients with longstanding right upper quadrant pain secondary to biliary dyskinesia.

Methods

A systematic review of the literature including published randomized, controlled trials, non-randomized trials and comparative trials of any type, reporting outcomes of LC in the management of chronic right upper quadrant pain in patients with biliary dyskinesia, using the principles of meta-analysis on RevMan 5.3 statistical software, was undertaken.

Results

Thirteen studies including 740 patients evaluating the symptomatic improvement following LC in patients with biliary dyskinesia presenting as chronic right upper quadrant pain were included. There were 542 patients in LC group and 198 patients in Non-LC group. Successful complete resolution of symptoms was more likely to be achieved in LC group [risk ratio (RR), 0.21; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.09-0.50, P=0.00001]. In addition, the risk of failure to resolve symptoms (risk ratio, 0.15; 95% CI, 0.05-0.39, P=0.00001) was lower in LC group.

Conclusions

LC may be considered as an acceptable surgical intervention in patients with biliary dyskinesia presenting with chronic right upper quadrant pain. Currently there is insufficient evidence to recommend the routine use of LC in every patient with biliary dyskinesia. Paucity of high power randomised, controlled trials is the major reason for this lack of evidence which should be addressed soon and until then current study may be used to provide the basis for offering LC in selected group of patients.

Novel regulatory role of neuropilin-1 in endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition and fibrosis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by an intense fibrotic reaction termed tumor desmoplasia, which is in part responsible for its aggressiveness. Endothelial cells have been shown to display cellular plasticity in the form of endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) that serves as an important source of fibroblasts in pathological disorders, including cancer. Angiogenic co-receptor, neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) actively binds TGFβ1, the primary mediator of EndMT and is involved in oncogenic processes like epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). NRP-1 and TGFβ1 signaling have been shown to be aberrantly up-regulated in PDAC. We report herein a positive correlation between NRP-1 levels, EndMT and fibrosis in human PDAC xenografts. Loss of NRP-1 in HUVECs limited TGFβ1-induced EndMT as demonstrated by gain of endothelial and loss of mesenchymal markers, while maintaining endothelial cell architecture. Knockdown of NRP-1 down-regulated TGFβ canonical signaling (pSMAD2) and associated pro-fibrotic genes. Overexpression of NRP-1 exacerbated TGFβ1-induced EndMT and up-regulated TGFβ signaling and expression of pro-fibrotic genes. In vivo, loss of NRP-1 attenuated tumor perfusion and size, accompanied by reduction in EndMT and fibrosis. This study defines a previously unrecognized role of NRP-1 in regulating TGFβ1-induced EndMT and fibrosis, and advocates NRP-1 as a therapeutic target to reduce tumor fibrosis and PDAC progression.

Application of hot melt extrusion for improving bioavailability of artemisinin a thermolabile drug

Hot melt extrusion has been used to produce a solid dispersion of the thermolabile drug artemisinin. Formulation and process conditions were optimized prior to evaluation of dissolution and biopharmaceutical performance. Soluplus^®, a low T_g amphiphilic polymer especially designed for solid dispersions enabled melt extrusion at 110 °C although some drug-polymer incompatibility was observed. Addition of 5% citric acid as a pH modifier was found to suppress the degradation. The area under plasma concentration time curve (AUC_0-24h) and peak plasma concentration (C_max) were four times higher for the modified solid dispersion compared to that of pure artemisinin.

Bulk synthesis of multi-walled carbon nanotubes by AC arc discharge method

This work proposes the production of multi-walled carbon nanotubes by AC arc discharging of spectroscopically pure graphite electrodes of different shapes, that is, movable cylindrical and stationary rectangular electrode by manual metal arc welding setup. Continuous arc was generated by maintaining the gap of about 3 mm between the electrodes which in turn formed the plasma zone. Vaporization of carbon cations followed by sudden quenching paved the way for formation of carbon nantotubes. Nanotubes produced were deposited on the stationary graphite electrode in the form of soot. Further extraction of the nanoparticles from the soot was performed by conducting series of purification processes which will be discussed in upcoming chapters. Morphology and purity of the extracted nanotubes were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Following the characterization process, it was observed that the so-produced nanotubes were of different shapes, that is, carbon cone nanotubes, nanocapsules, nanoparticles and branching type and randomly oriented. The length of the nanotubes varied from 231 to 561 nm, whereas diameter was found to be in the range of 14–55 nm.

Postharvest Processing and Benefits of Black Pepper, Coriander, Cinnamon, Fenugreek, and Turmeric Spices

Spices are prime source for flavor, aroma, and taste in cuisines and play an active role as medicines due to their high antioxidant properties. As medicine or food, the importance of spices cannot be overemphasized. The medicinal values of spices are very well established in treating various ailments like cancer, fever, malaria, stomach offset, nausea, and many more. A spice may be available in several forms: fresh, whole dried, or pre-ground dried which requires further processing to be utilized in the form of value-added product. This review paper deals with the cultivation, postharvesting, chemical composition, uses, health, and medicinal benefits of the selected spice viz., black pepper, coriander, cinnamon, fenugreek, turmeric, and technological advances in processing of spices viz., super critical fluid extraction, cryogenic grinding, and microencapsulation etc. This paper also focuses on issues related to utilization of spices toward its high end-product development and characterization in pharmaceuticals and other medicinal purposes. The availability of different spices and their varietal differences and location have their pertinent characters, which are much demanding to refine postharvest and processing to assure its quality in the international market.

Sustained Early Disruption of Mitochondrial Function Contributes to Arsenic-Induced Prostate Tumorigenesis

Arsenic is a well-known human carcinogen that affects millions of people worldwide, but the underlying mechanisms of carcinogenesis are unclear. Several epidemiological studies have suggested increased prostate cancer incidence and mortality due to exposure to arsenic. Due to lack of an animal model of arsenic-induced carcinogenesis, we used a prostate epithelial cell culture model to identify a role for mitochondria in arsenic-induced prostate cancer. Mitochondrial morphology and membrane potential was impacted within a few hours of arsenic exposure of non-neoplastic prostate epithelial cells. Chronic arsenic treatment induced mutations in mitochondrial genes and altered mitochondrial functions. Human non-neoplastic prostate epithelial cells continuously cultured for seven months in the presence of 5 µM arsenite showed tumorigenic properties in vitro and induced tumors in SCID mice, which indicated transformation of these cells. Protein and mRNA expression of subunits of mtOXPHOS complex I were decreased in arsenic-transformed cells. Alterations in complex I, a main site for reactive oxygen species (ROS) production as well as increased expression of ROS-producing NOX4 in arsenic-transformed cells suggested a role of oxidative stress in tumorigenic transformation of prostate epithelial cells. Whole genome cGH array analyses of arsenic-transformed prostate cells identified extensive genomic instability. Our study revealed mitochondrial dysfunction induced oxidative stress and decreased expression of p53 in arsenic-transformed cells as an underlying mechanism of the mitochondrial and nuclear genomic instability. These studies suggest that early changes in mitochondrial functions are sustained during prolong arsenic exposure. Overall, our study provides evidence that arsenic disruption of mitochondrial function is an early and key step in tumorigenic transformation of prostate epithelial cells.

Clinico-anesthetic changes following administration of propofol alone and in combination of meperidine and pentazocine lactate in dogs

Aim:

The aim of this study is to find out the effect of propofol and its combination with meperidine and pentazocine lactate on certain clinico-anesthetic profiles in dogs.

Materials and Methods:

15 apparently healthy mongrel dogs of either sex of about 1 year of age were randomly divided into three groups of five dogs each. The animals of Group I were administered propofol intravenously alone “to effect,” whereas meperidine at 2 mg/kgb.wt. and pentazocine lactate at 2 mg/kg b.wt. were injected intramuscularly 15 min before propofol “to effect” in Groups II and III, respectively. Atropine sulfate at 0.04 mg/kgb.wt. was injected intramuscularly 20 min before each treatment. Rectal temperature, heart rate, respiration rate, and anesthetic indices were recorded before and at 5, 10, 20, 30, and 60 min of induction.

Results:

As compared to Group I, the animals of Groups II and III exhibited a significant decrease (p<0.05) in the level of rectal temperature, respiration rate, and heart rate. Duration of recumbency, time of standing, time of recovery as well as the duration of analgesia were longer in pentazocine lactate (Group III) followed by meperidine (Group II) as compared to propofol alone (Group I). Meperidine treated dogs showed defecation and muscle twitching during anesthesia.

Conclusion:

Meperidine and pentazocine are suitable opioids used in combination with propofol for achieving surgical anesthesia and helpful in reduction of propofol dose.

Knowledge, attitude and practice GAP in family planning usage: an analysis of selected cities of Uttar Pradesh

Background

The GAP between the knowledge of contraception and its actual practice is well recognized in the literature of family welfare studies. The present study assessed the relation between the level of knowledge and practice of contraception among the women and sought to explore the reasons behind the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice - GAP (KAP GAP) regarding contraceptive users in six cities of Uttar Pradesh.

Method

Present analysis based on 17,643 currently married women aged 15 to 49. A Bivariate analysis (χ2 test) and a multivariable logistic regression were performed for the study.

Result

The highest percentages of respondents (women) were in the age group 35-49 (40-45 %) in all the districts considered. Knowledge of contraceptives was almost universal; tubal ligation and pill were the commonly known methods. Information about the contraceptive methods was mostly obtained through the husband. In the present study, there was a highly significant association (p < 0.01) of age group, educational status of respondents, the number of living children, the wealth of the respondent, media exposure and husband's education with the variable KAP GAP for all six cities. Health concern issues in all the districts were the most prominent reason for not using contraception.

Conclusion

There differences in the socioeconomic and demographic factors exist, which lead to KAP GAP in the family planning (FP) usages. Therefore, in designing effective family planning programme, there is a need to understand the various factors which influence the practice of contraception.

Antioxidant, antimicrobial activity and bioactive compounds of Bergenia ciliata Sternb.: A valuable medicinal herb of Sikkim Himalaya

Bergenia ciliata Sternb., commonly known as Paashaanbhed, is a well known herb of Sikkim Himalaya with various pharmaceutical properties. However, scientific exploration of B. ciliata, growing in the Sikkim Himalaya, for phytochemicals and pharmacological properties is in infancy. With this view, the present study was undertaken to investigate B. ciliata leaf extracts for antioxidant, antimicrobial activity and bioactive compounds. Three solvents viz., methanol, ethyl acetate and hexane were used for extraction and the respective leaf extracts were analyzed for total phenolic and flavonoid contents along with the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Amongst the tested solvents, methanol was found to be the best solvent for extraction with highest total phenolic contents and the lowest IC₅₀ values for the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays. Methanol extract also exhibited effective antimicrobial activity, particularly against bacteria and actinomycetes. Further, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis revealed that methanolic extract contains the highest amount of all the three analyzed bioactive compounds viz. bergenin, catechin and gallic acid. The current study suggests that the methanol extract of B. ciliata is a potential source of natural antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds that can be used in food and drug industries.

Contraceptive use before first pregnancy by women in India (2005-2006): determinants and differentials

Background

There exist ample of research literature investigating the various facet of contraceptive use behaviors in India but the use of contraception by married Indian women, prior to having their first pregnancy has been neglected so far. This study attempts to identify the socio demographic determinants and differentials of contraceptive use or non use by a woman in India, before she proceeds to have her first child. The analysis was done using data from the third National Family Health Survey (2005–2006), India.

Methods

This study utilized information from 54,918 women who ever have been married and whose current age at the time of NFHS-3 survey was 15–34 years. To identify the crucial socio-demographic determinants governing this pioneering behavior, logistic regression technique has been used. Hosmer Lemeshow test and ROC curve analysis was also performed in order to check the fitting of logistic regression model to the data under consideration.

Results

Of all the considered explanatory variables religion, caste, education, current age, age at marriage, media exposure and zonal classifications were found to be significantly affecting the study behavior. Place of residence i.e. urban - rural locality came to be insignificant in multivariable logistic regression.

Conclusions

In the light of sufficient evidences confirming the presence of early marriages and child bearing practices in India, conjunct efforts are required to address the socio demographic differentials in contraceptive use by the young married women prior to their first pregnancy. Encouraging women to opt for higher education, ensuring marriages only after legal minimum age at marriage and promoting the family planning programs via print and electronic media may address the existing socio economic barriers. Also, the family planning programs should be oriented to take care of the geographical variations in the study behavior.

Influence of pin and hammer mill on grinding characteristics, thermal and antioxidant properties of coriander powder

In present study, influence of grinding (hammer and pin mills) and moisture content (range: 6.4-13.6 % dry basis) on the quality traits of coriander powder were investigated. These include grinding parameters, colour parameters, specific heat, thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, glass transition temperature, essential oil, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and DPPH scavenging (%) of coriander powder. For coriander seed, the geometric properties such as major, medium, minor dimensions, geometric mean diameter, arithmetic mean diameter, sphericity, surface area and volume of coriander seeds increased significantly with increasing moisture (6.4-13.6 % db). For coriander powder, the grinding parameters such as average particle size, volume surface mean diameter and volume mean diameter increased significantly with increasing moisture (6.4-13.6 % db). With the grinding method, the colour attributes of coriander powder such as L-value, a-value, b-value, hue angle and browning index varied significantly. It was observed that the specific heat followed second order polynomial relationship with temperature and moisture whereas thermal conductivity varied linearly with temperature and moisture content. The variation of glass transition temperature with moisture can be best represented in quadratic manner. Total flavonoid content (mg QE/g crude seed extract) and DPPH scavenging % activity of coriander powder is significantly affected by grinding methods. A lower value of specific heat was observed for hammer ground coriander powder as compared to pin mill ground coriander powder. The thermal conductivity of hammer mill ground coriander powder was higher as compared to pin mill ground coriander. It was observed that hammer mill yields more fine coriander powder in comparison to pin mill. The browning index was more in hammer mill ground coriander powder.

Laparoscopic management of a cystic artery pseudoaneurysm in a patient with calculus cholecystitis

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Pseudoaneurysm of the cystic artery following acute cholecystitis is rare.

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It can be safely managed laparoscopically with simultaneous cholecystectomy.

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This avoids multiple invasive procedures and decreases morbidity associated with open surgery.

INTRODUCTION

Pseudoaneurysm of the cystic artery is very rare. In the majority of cases it has been reported as a post-operative complication of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, however it has also been associated with the presence of acute cholecystitis or pancreatitis.

When these pseudoaneurysms rupture they can lead to intraperitoneal bleeding, haemobilia and upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage. Radiological as well as open surgical approaches have been described for control of this rare pathology.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

We report the laparoscopic surgical management of an incidental, unruptured cystic artery pseudoaneurysm in a patient presenting with acute cholecystitis.

DISCUSSION

Cystic artery pseudoaneurysm is a rare entity and as such there is no consensus on the clinical management of this condition. A variety of treatment strategies have been reported in the literature including radiological selective embolisation and coiling, open cholecystectomy with ligation of the aneurysm, or a two-step approach involving radiological management of the pseudoaneurysm followed by an elective cholecystectomy.

CONCLUSION

In this report we have demonstrated that laparoscopic management of a cystic artery pseudoaneurysm with simultaneous laparoscopic cholecystectomy is feasible and safe. This avoids multiple invasive procedures and decreases morbidity associated with open surgery.

Abstract 4171: Novel regulatory role of Neuropilin-1 in endothelial to mesenchymal transition as a potential source of carcinoma associated fibroblasts

BACKGROUND: Endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) is an extreme form of endothelial cell plasticity whereby endothelial cells acquire mesenchymal phenotype. While EndMT is a significant component during embryogenesis, maladaptive EndMT is a key contributor to fibrotic pathologies including cancer. With regard to this, EndMT accounts for up to 40% of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) that play an important role in cancer progression through potentially oncogenic signals like transforming growth factor- β (TGF-β). Recent investigations have demonstrated that the angiogenic co-receptor Neuropilin-1 (NRP1) is aberrantly expressed in cancer and modulates cancer progression through interaction with various ligands, including TGF-β. However, the relationship and driving mechanisms linking NRP1 and EndMT remain unexplored.

METHODS: SiRNA-mediated NRP1 gene knockdown studies using Dharmafect-4 transfection reagent and siNRP1 or scramble control (Ambion) were performed on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), at baseline and after TGF-β stimulation. Total RNA was extracted using Trizol® reagent (Invitrogen), and precipitated with isopropanol. Complementary DNA was synthesized using iScript cDNA synthesis kit (Bio-Rad) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed using SYBR Green (Bio-Rad) following manufacturer's protocols. Markers of EndMT and mediators of TGF-β1 signalling were evaluated by RT-PCR, western blotting and immunocytochemistry.

RESULTS: RT-PCR and western blots measuring NRP1 mRNA and protein levels in HUVEC lysates confirmed successful silencing. Light and fluorescence microscopy revealed marked morphological changes in TGF-β1 stimulated scramble siRNA-transfected HUVECs. TGF-β1 stimulated HUVECs demonstrated a distinct change from “cobblestone-like endothelial cell morphology” to an enlarged spindle shaped appearance consistent with a “fibroblast like morphology”, accompanied by re-arrangement of the cytoskeleton. We further observed that these characteristic EndMT features were revoked upon NRP1 silencing where cells maintained a conventional cobblestone phenotype. Expression of endothelial cell markers, CD-31 and VE-Cadherin, were significantly higher in NRP1-silenced vs. scramble siRNA-treated HUVECs; additionally, NRP1 silencing was associated with significant reduction in expression of the mesenchymal markers α-smooth muscle actin, Slug and N-Cadherin. Loss of NRP1 was accompanied by decreased expression of TGF-β1 and its receptors as well as significant changes in the key downstream effectors of TGF-β1 signalling.

CONCLUSION: Our novel findings demonstrating that loss of NRP1 revokes TGF-β-dependent EndMT-like phenotype switching suggesting that NRP1 may represent a novel therapeutic target to limit the source of EndMT derived CAFs and associated cancer aggression.

Citation Format: Pratiek N. Matkar, Krishna Kumar Singh, Gerald Prud'homme, Howard Leong-Poi. Novel regulatory role of Neuropilin-1 in endothelial to mesenchymal transition as a potential source of carcinoma associated fibroblasts. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 4171. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-4171

Evaluation of multiplex polymerase chain reaction utilising multiple targets in Mycobacterium tuberculosis direct test negative but culture positive cases: a potential method for enhancing the diagnosis of tuberculosis

PURPOSE

To evaluate multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (MPCR) utilising multiple targets (IS6110, Protein b [Pab] and MPB64 genes) in Mycobacterium tuberculosis Direct Test (MTD) negative but culture positive cases and comparison of MPCR with Real-Time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for diagnosis of tuberculosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

MPCR was carried out on 28 culture positive sputum samples. Out of 28 culture positive samples, 17 were originally reported, as MTD test negative and 11 were MTD test positive, respectively. The results of MPCR were compared with RT-PCR. To check the specificity of the tests, MPCR and RT-PCR were also evaluated with 16 non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) isolates.

RESULTS

Out of 28 culture positive sputum samples, MPCR was positive in all 28/28 samples, whereas RT-PCR was positive in 27/28 samples and MTD test was originally tested positive in six sputum samples and on repeating MTD testing, five more sputum samples were positive and thus total number of MTD positive were 11/28 sputum samples, respectively. All the tests were negative on evaluation with all the 16 NTMs, thus giving specificity of 100% to all the tests; sensitivity of MPCR, RT-PCR and MTD tests were 100%, 96.42% and 39.28%, respectively, in these specifically selected samples.

CONCLUSIONS

MPCR may be an important tool in the rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis especially in disease endemic, resource limited countries.

Laparoscopic management of Bouveret syndrome

Bouveret syndrome is a proximal form of gallstone ileus where a large gallstone lodges in the pylorus or proximal duodenum, having passed through a bilioenteric fistula that has formed secondary to previous cholecystitis. We describe the laparoscopic extraction of a giant 'Bouveret' gallstone from the duodenum of an elderly man with morbid obesity.

Bardet-Biedl syndrome presenting with steroid sensitive nephrotic syndrome

Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by postaxial polydactyly, retinitis pigmentosa, central obesity, mental retardation, hypogonadism, and renal involvement. Renal involvement in various forms has been seen in BBS. Cases with nephrotic range proteinuria not responding to steroid have been described in this syndrome. Here we report a case of BBS who presented with nephrotic range proteinuria. The biopsy findings were suggestive of minimal change disease. The child responded well to steroid therapy and remains in remission.