Antioxidant and chemoprotective properties of Momordica charantia L. (bitter melon) fruit extract

Momordica charantia, commonly known as bitter melon, is used as a vegetable in number of countries. Extracts of M. charantia plant, fruit pulp, and seed have been reported to have a wide medicinal use inthe traditional medical systems, most often as hypoglycemic and anti-diabetic agents. We have studied the effect of M. charantia, collected from Kazdaglari (Mount Ida) in Balikesir, fruit extract on glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), cytochrome P450s (CYPs), and antioxidant enzymes in rats. Male Wistar rats, aged 12 weeks and weighing 200-250 g, were given 200 mg M. charantia fruit extract per kg body weight, i.p., for four consecutive days. At the end of the experimental period, the animals were sacrificed, and liver, kidney, and lung were isolated. Our results have indicated significant increase inespecially hepatic antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities. The strongest increase (about 9-fold) was observed in GPx activities while about 2 to 5-fold increases were observed in SOD and CAT. M. charantia fruit extract also exhibited hepatoprotective effects in CCl4-intoxicated rats. In addition, about 50% increase wasalso noted with hepatic cytosolic GSTs. On the other hand, treatments of rats with M. charantia significantly reduced both ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) and methoxyresorufin O-deethylase(MROD) activities in rat liver microsomes, which are known to be catalyzed by CYP1A isoforms These results suggest that the M. charantia fruit extract possesses the anti-oxidant effects besides having protective activities in rats

Flora planine Aydogdu (Denizli / Turska)

The floristic characteristics of Mt Aydogdu (Denizli, Turkey) are presented and the vascular plant species growing in the area are documented. The study was carried out between 2000– 2003, and 1112 vascular plant samples were collected. At the end of the study, 586 taxa (at specific and infraspecific ranks) belonging to 82 families and 314 genera were identified. Asteraceae (76 species), Fabaceae (65 species) and Brassicaceae (43 species) are the largest families and Trifolium L. (13 species), Ornithogalum L. (9 species) and Veronica L. (9 species) are the largest genera in the area. The phytogeographic elements and their proportion represented in the study area are as follows: Mediterranean 180 (30.7%), Irano-Turanian 43 (7.3%), Euro-Siberian 24 (4.0%) and multiregional or of unknown phytogeographic origin 339 (58.0%). The endemism rate of the area is 9.7%, less then one third of the mean endemism rate in Turkey.U radu su prikazane florističke osobine planine Aydogdu (Denizli, Turska) i zabilježene su vrste vaskularnih biljaka koje rastu na tom području. Istraživanje je provedeno između 2000. i 2003., a prikupljeno je 1112 uzoraka vaskularnih biljaka. Na kraju istraživanja determinirano je sveukupno 586 svojti (na razini vrste i podvrste) iz 82 porodice i 314 rodova. Najzastupljenije porodice su Asteraceae (76 vrsta), Fabaceae (65 vrsta) i Brassicaceae (43 vrste), te rodovi Trifolium L. (13 vrsta), Ornithogalum L. (9 vrsta) i Veronica L. (9 vrsta). Fitogeografski elementi i njihov omjer je sljedeći: Mediteranski 180 (30.7%), Irano-Turanski 43 (7.3%), Eurosibirski 24 (4.0%) i multiregionalni ili nepoznatog fitogeografskog porijekla 339 (58.0%). Stupanj endemizma ovog područja je 9.7%, manje od jedne trećine srednje vrijednosti endemizma za Tursku

Spin 0 and spin 1/2 quantum relativistic particles in a constant gravitational field

The Klein-Gordon and Dirac equations in a semi-infinite lab ($x > 0$), in the background metric \ds^2 = u^2(x) (-\dt^2 + \dx^2) + \dy^2 + \dz^2, are investigated. The resulting equations are studied for the special case $u(x) = 1 + g x$. It is shown that in the case of zero transverse-momentum, the square of the energy eigenvalues of the spin-1/2 particles are less than the squares of the corresponding eigenvalues of spin-0 particles with same masses, by an amount of $mg\hbar c$. Finally, for nonzero transverse-momentum, the energy eigenvalues corresponding to large quantum numbers are obtained, and the results for spin-0 and spin-1/2 particles are compared to each other.Comment: 12 pages, LaTeX 2

The Dirac Equation Is Separable On The Dyon Black Hole Metric

Using the tetrad formalism, we carry out the separation of variables for the massive complex Dirac equation in the gravitational and electromagnetic field of a four-parameter (mass, angular momentum, electric and magnetic charges) black hole.Comment: 13 page

Weak field and slow motion limits in energy-momentum powered gravity

We explore the weak field and slow motion limits, Newtonian and Post-Newtonian limits, of the energy-momentum powered gravity (EMPG), viz., the energy-momentum squared gravity (EMSG) of the form $f(T_{\mu\nu}T^{\mu\nu})=\alpha (T_{\mu\nu}T^{\mu\nu})^{\eta}$ with $\alpha$ and $\eta$ being constants. We have shown that EMPG with $\eta\geq0$ and general relativity (GR) are not distinguishable by local tests, say, the Solar System tests; as they lead to the same gravitational potential form, PPN parameters, and geodesics for the test particles. However, within the EMPG framework, $M_{\rm ast}$, the mass of an astrophysical object inferred from astronomical observations such as planetary orbits and deflection of light, corresponds to the effective mass $M_{\rm eff}(\alpha,\eta,M)=M+M_{\rm empg}(\alpha,\eta,M)$, $M$ being the actual physical mass and $M_{\rm empg}$ being the modification due to EMPG. Accordingly, while in GR we simply have the relation $M_{\rm ast}=M$, in EMPG we have $M_{\rm ast}=M+M_{\rm empg}$. Within the framework of EMPG, if there is information about the values of $\{\alpha,\eta\}$ pair or $M$ from other independent phenomena (from cosmological observations, structure of the astrophysical object, etc.), then in principle it is possible to infer not only $M_{\rm ast}$ alone from astronomical observations, but $M$ and $M_{\rm empg}$ separately. For a proper analysis within EMPG framework, it is necessary to describe the slow motion condition (also related to the Newtonian limit approximation) by $|p_{\rm eff}/\rho_{\rm eff}|\ll1$ (where $p_{\rm eff}=p+p_{\rm empg}$ and $\rho_{\rm eff}=\rho+\rho_{\rm empg}$), whereas this condition leads to $|p/\rho|\ll1$ in GR.Comment: 12 pages, no figures and table

The standard "static" spherically symmetric ansatz with perfect fluid source revisited

Considering the standard "static" spherically symmetric ansatz ds2 = -B(r) dt2 + A(r) dr2 + r2 dOmega2 for Einstein's Equations with perfect fluid source, we ask how we can interpret solutions where A(r) and B(r) are not positive, as they must be for the static matter source interpretation to be valid. Noting that the requirement of Lorentzian signature implies A(r) B(r) >0, we find two possible interpretations: (i) The nonzero component of the source four-velocity does not have to be u0. This provides a connection from the above ansatz to the Kantowski-Sachs (KS) spacetimes. (ii) Regions with negative A(r) and B(r) of "static" solutions in the literature must be interpreted as corresponding to tachyonic source. The combinations of source type and four-velocity direction result in four possible cases. One is the standard case, one is identical to the KS case, and two are tachyonic. The dynamic tachyonic case was anticipated in the literature, but the static tachyonic case seems to be new. We derive Oppenheimer-Volkoff-like equations for each case, and find some simple solutions. We conclude that new "simple" black hole solutions of the above form, supported by a perfect fluid, do not exist.Comment: 24 standard LaTeX pages, no figures. Some change in emphasis; changes in parametrizations of some of the solutions (ND2, TD2, TD3, NS1); one new solution (TS4); removal of an incorrect statement (about ND4

Assessment of subjective sleep quality in iron deficiency anaemia

Objectives: We aimed to assess the effect of anemia on subjective sleep quality in patients with iron deficiency anemia (IDA).Methods: One hundred and four patients diagnosed with IDA and 80 healthy individuals, who are gender and age matched, were included in the study. All participants were requested to fill 3 forms: a socio-demographic form (age, gender, marital status, income level and educational status), hospital anxiety and depression (HAD) scale and pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI).Results: According to the HAD scale, the average anxiety score was found 9.24±4.37 in patients and 7.58± 4.07 in controls. And, the average depression score was 7.53±4.10 in patients and 6.41±2.74 in controls. The total sleep quality score was 6.71±3.02 in patients and 4.11±1.64 in controls. There was a statistically significant difference in terms of anxiety, depression and sleep quality scores. Linear regression analysis showed no association between anxiety and depression with poor sleeping.Conclusion: IDA affects sleep quality irrespective of psychological symptoms such as depression and anxiety.Keywords: Iron deficiency anemia, sleep quality, anxiet