Addition of transglutaminase enzyme in camel milk yoghurt to increase its sensorial aspects

Camel milk was obtained from A-block UVAS Ravi Campus Pattoki. After pasteurization at 72 °C (15 sec) it was cooled to 42 °C, then glutathione treated transglutaminase enzyme was added with the concentration of 0.5 g/300 mL, 1 g/300 mL, 1.5 g/300 mL, 2 g/300 mL while control sample with the addition of 1.5 g/300 mL gelatin. Then inoculation of milk was done with standard cultures of Yoghurt Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus at the rate of 2% for 3-4 hours at 42 °C. Samples were stored at 4 °C and were analyzed on 1st day and 28th day of storage. In our findings, there was slight increase in sensorial properties of all the samples. It was also observed that syneresis was reduced with the increase of enzyme quantity.

Effect of temperature & humdity on population dynamics of insects’ pest complex of cotton crop

The current study was directed to investigate the effect of temperature and humidity on insect pest complex of cotton. This study was carried out on the farmer field of a farmer of MouzaMehraywala tehsil and district Rajanpur southern part of the Punjab, Pakistan (29.1044° N, 70.3301° E) in the month of May, 2019 to November 2019. The climatic conditions of the study site were; a Rajanpur lie on 96m above sea level Rajanpur has a desert climate. During the year, there is virtually no rainfall. The average temperature in Rajanpur is 26.0°C | 78.8°F. Precipitation here is about 205 mm / 8.1 inch per year. Our results indicate that’s the correlation of temperature (minimum and maximum), humidity (minimum and maximum), rainfall and weather condition (clear or cloud), it is clear that except temperature there is a positive correlation of jassid population. While among the relation of jassid with different factor there is very weak relation with jassid population regarding temperature (-0.001), the relation of humidity, rainfall and sky condition with jassid population is positive and moderate (0.520, 0.668 & 0.575 respectively), while the relation of jassid population among these factor is significant except temperature. The results indicate that’s the correlation of temperature, humidity, rainfall and weather condition, it is clear that there is positive correlation of thrips population. While among the relation of thrips with different factor there is very weak relation of thrips population with temperature (.103), the relation of humidity, rainfall and sky condition with thrips population is positive and moderate (.515.751& .577 respectively), while the relation thrips population among these factor is significant except temperature. The results indicate that’s correlation of temperature, humidity, rainfall and weather condition, it is clear that there is positive correlation of Whitefly population. While among the relation of Whitefly with different factors there is very moderate relation of Whitefly population with temperature (.076), the relation of humidity, rainfall and sky condition with Whitefly population is negative and moderate (-.051.-.368 & -.559 respectively), while the relation Whitefly population among these factor is significant except temperature.

P4146The six-transmembrane protein Stamp2 protects from hypoxia-induced pulmonary vascular remodeling and pulmonary hypertension via actions in mononuclear cells and CXCL12

Background

The six-transmembrane protein of prostate (Stamp2) is a potent anti-inflammatory player in adipocytes and also in macrophages. Stamp2's actions in these cells protects from diet-induced diabetes and from atherosclerosis mice. As chronic inflammation is a hallmark of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PH), we sought to investigate the role of Stamp2 in PH.

Methods and results

Morphometric analyses of small pulmonary arteries after 3 weeks of chronic hypoxia (10% O2) showed aggravated pulmonary vascular remodeling in Stamp2−/− mice as compared to WT, demonstrated by a significantly reduced number of non-muscularized vessels and higher extent of fully-muscularized vessels. Consequently, right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP, Millar catheter via right jugular vein) was significantly higher in Stamp2−/− mice (33.4±0.7 mmHg vs. 30.3±1.4, p<0.05). As endothelial (EC) and smooth muscle cells (PASMC) are critical for remodeling processes in PH, the role of Stamp2 in these cells was explored. However, siRNA-mediated knock-down of Stamp2 in human microvascular EC had no effect on apoptotic susceptibility (CellDeath Detection ELISA), or release of IL-6 (qPCR). Furthermore, Stamp2-deficiency in isolated primary PASMC had no effect on proliferation (BrdU incorporation) and chemotaxis (modified Boyden chamber). As Stamp2 deficiency promotes higher expression of inflammatory cytokines (IL6, IL1b, MCP1, TNFa, CXCL12, qPCR) and increased numbers of CD68-positive cells in the lung, actions of Stamp2 in macrophages are potentially driving vascular remodeling in PH. To test this hypothesis, PASMC proliferation and chemotaxis were assessed in response to treatment with supernatants from primary thioglycolate-elicited peritoneal Stamp2−/− or WT-macrophages. These experiments revealed that supernatants from Stamp2−/− macrophages induced PASMC proliferation and chemotaxis significantly stronger, thus providing a link between inflammatory actions in Stamp2 deficiency and vascular remodeling. To gain further insights, a cytokine array was performed with supernatants from Stamp2−/− and WT-macrophages, revealing CXCL12 as the most relevant candidate. Experiments with neutralizing antibodies confirmed the role of CXCL12 in driving Stamp2's actions on vascular remodelling processes in PASMC.

Importantly, Stamp2 expression (qPCR, western blot analyses) was significantly lower in the lung of humans with idiopathic PAH (IPAH), as well as in experimental PH in rats (monocrotalin, sugen/hypoxia) and in mice (hypoxia).

Conclusions

Stamp2 deficiency aggravates hypoxia-induced pulmonary vascular remodeling and pulmonary hypertension in mice. On the cellular level, actions of Stamp2 in macrophages drive vascular remodelling processes in smooth muscle cells via secreted factors such as CXCL12. The finding of decreased expression of Stamp2 in human and various experimental forms of PH points towards a general protective role of Stamp2.

Long-term results of subtotal colectomy and evidence of noncolonic involvement in patients with idiopathic slow-transit constipation

BACKGROUND

Patients with chronic idiopathic constipation can be difficult to manage either medically or surgically. We report our experience of long-term follow-up of 21 patients who had undergone colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis for difficult chronic idiopathic constipation.

METHODS

The patients (19 female, 2 male) were aged 26-68 (median = 46) years and had undergone subtotal colectomy 5-12 (median = 8) years before their assessment. They answered a questionnaire about severity of abdominal pain, bloating, urgency, and straining. They also completed the hospital anxiety and depression questionnaire. Fifteen ulcerative colitis patients with panproctocolectomy and 13 colon cancer patients with colonic resection who had a similar follow-up period served as control groups. The following assessments were performed in chronic idiopathic constipation patients with subtotal colectomy: a) oesophageal manometry; b) scintigraphic gastric emptying test; c) review of barium follow-through; d) glucose H2 breath test; e) urodynamic studies; and f) autonomic function tests.

RESULTS

Twenty-four per cent of patients with chronic idiopathic constipation had a family history of difficult constipation requiring hospital investigations and treatment. At the time of assessment abdominal pain, bloating, urgency, and straining at defecation were all significantly more frequent in patients with chronic idiopathic constipation with colectomy than in the control groups with colectomy. Seventy-one per cent of chronic idiopathic constipation patients had at least one episode of intestinal obstruction after subtotal colectomy, which is significantly higher (P < 0.01) than in the control groups (ulcerative colitis, 13%; colonic carcinoma, 8%). In patients with chronic idiopathic constipation, among those studied, 68% had some oesophageal motor dysfunction: 19% delayed gastric emptying; 10%, prolonged small-bowel transit on barium follow-through; 54%, abnormal urodynamic variables; and 14%, abnormal autonomic function tests.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows considerable morbidity in a selected cohort of patients with chronic idiopathic constipation who were sufficiently disabled by their symptoms to undergo subtotal colectomy. They had more abdominal and rectal symptoms and more frequent intestinal obstructive episodes than control groups with colonic resection. Evidence of generalized smooth-muscle dysfunction and familial occurrence of constipation suggests a primary chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction-like disorder in some of these patients.