Determination of Rx expression in the adult mouse retina and delineation of the Rx mediated gene regulation

The Retinal homeobox gene, Rx, is expressed in the anterior neural plate and the optic vesicle shows Rx expression throughout development. Rx is required for the proliferation of retinal progenitor cells during eye development.;Our expression studies of the Rx gene in the adult mouse retina show Rx expression in the Photoreceptor and inner nuclear layer of the adult neural retina and ciliarybody. The cotransfection assays indicate that Rx supports the transcription of neural retinal markers, as well as the RPE-markers. Therefore we characterize Rx as a proliferation marker for the entire optic vesicle region.;To determine the mechanism of Rx-mediated regulation of its target genes, we studied the BMP-4 promoter sequence. The mutation in one PCE-1 site significantly reduced the activity of BMP-4 promoter. Also the construct with all three PCE-1 mutated sites, show decreased activity. The 3\u27 end of the promoter by itself also shows reduced promoter activity

Separation of variables for a lattice integrable system and the inverse problem

We investigate the relation between the local variables of a discrete integrable lattice system and the corresponding separation variables, derived from the associated spectral curve. In particular, we have shown how the inverse transformation from the separation variables to the discrete lattice variables may be factorised as a sequence of canonical transformations, following the procedure outlined by Kuznetsov.Comment: 14 pages. submitted for publicatio

RATIO OF TRIGLYCERIDES TO HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL AND MARKERS OF LIVER INJURY IN DIABETES MELLITUS

Objectives: The present study was done to evaluate and compare the triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein (TG/HDL) ratio in subjects with diabetesmellitus (DM) and diabetic prone subjects (impaired glucose tolerance [IGT]) with normal subjects without diabetes. An attempt was also made tocorrelate TG/HDL with markers of liver injury such as alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP).Methods: Lab data of 496 patients attending Pushpagiri medical health checkup were obtained. The subjects were grouped into DM: (fasting plasmaglucose >126 mg/dl), IGT: (Fasting plasma glucose: 110-126 mg/dl) and normal: (fasting plasma glucose < 110 mg/dl).Results: Statistically significant difference were observed in levels of TG, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), TG/HDL ratio, AST, ALP between diabetes, IGTand normal subjects. Statistical significance within the groups was tested using post-hoc Analysis. The level of TG and TG/HDL ratio was significantlyhigher in subjects with DM compared to normal subjects. The mean value of total cholesterol and LDL-C was found to be higher in normal subjectsthan in DM and IGT. AST, ALP values were found to be significantly higher in subjects with IGT than normal subjects.Conclusion: From this study, it can be concluded that TG and TG/HDL ratio were high in DM and IGT than subjects with normal plasma glucose. Liverinjury marker enzymes were found to be high in IGT and is correlated with TG/HDL ratio in DM.Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, Impaired glucose tolerance, Hypertriglyceridemia, Triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein ratio, Markers of liver injury

Symbiotic Human Gut Bacteria with Variable Metabolic Priorities for Host Mucosal Glycans.

UnlabelledMany symbiotic gut bacteria possess the ability to degrade multiple polysaccharides, thereby providing nutritional advantages to their hosts. Like microorganisms adapted to other complex nutrient environments, gut symbionts give different metabolic priorities to substrates present in mixtures. We investigated the responses of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, a common human intestinal bacterium that metabolizes more than a dozen different polysaccharides, including the O-linked glycans that are abundant in secreted mucin. Experiments in which mucin glycans were presented simultaneously with other carbohydrates show that degradation of these host carbohydrates is consistently repressed in the presence of alternative substrates, even by B. thetaiotaomicron previously acclimated to growth in pure mucin glycans. Experiments with media containing systematically varied carbohydrate cues and genetic mutants reveal that transcriptional repression of genes involved in mucin glycan metabolism is imposed by simple sugars and, in one example that was tested, is mediated through a small intergenic region in a transcript-autonomous fashion. Repression of mucin glycan-responsive gene clusters in two other human gut bacteria, Bacteroides massiliensis and Bacteroides fragilis, exhibited variable and sometimes reciprocal responses compared to those of B. thetaiotaomicron, revealing that these symbionts vary in their preference for mucin glycans and that these differences occur at the level of controlling individual gene clusters. Our results reveal that sensing and metabolic triaging of glycans are complex processes that vary among species, underscoring the idea that these phenomena are likely to be hidden drivers of microbiota community dynamics and may dictate which microorganisms preferentially commit to various niches in a constantly changing nutritional environment.ImportanceHuman intestinal microorganisms impact many aspects of health and disease, including digestion and the propensity to develop disorders such as inflammation and colon cancer. Complex carbohydrates are a major component of the intestinal habitat, and numerous species have evolved and refined strategies to compete for these coveted nutrients. Our findings reveal that individual bacteria exhibit different preferences for carbohydrates emanating from host diet and mucosal secretions and that some of these prioritization strategies are opposite to one another. Thus, we reveal new aspects of how individual bacteria, some with otherwise similar metabolic potential, partition to "preferred niches" in the complex gut ecosystem, which has important and immediate implications for understanding and predicting the behavioral dynamics of this community

Spatial heterogeneity in the radiogenic activity of the lunar interior: Inferences from CHACE and LLRI on Chandrayaan-1

In the past, clues on the potential radiogenic activity of the lunar interior have been obtained from the isotopic composition of noble gases like Argon. Excess Argon (40) relative to Argon (36), as compared to the solar wind composition, is generally ascribed to the radiogenic activity of the lunar interior. Almost all the previous estimates were based on, 'on-the-spot' measurements from the landing sites. Relative concentration of the isotopes of 40Ar and 36Ar along a meridian by the Chandra's Altitudinal Composition Explorer (CHACE) experiment, on the Moon Impact Probe (MIP) of India's first mission to Moon, has independently yielded clues on the possible spatial heterogeneity in the radiogenic activity of the lunar interior in addition to providing indicative 'antiquity' of the lunar surface along the ground track over the near side of the moon. These results are shown to broadly corroborate the independent topography measurements by the Lunar Laser Ranging Instrument (LLRI) in the main orbiter Chandrayaan-1. The unique combination of these experiments provided high spatial resolution data while indicating the possible close linkages between the lunar interior and the lunar ambience

A Study and Analysis of Manuscript Publications in the Open Access Journals

The purpose of this study is to analyze the research article publishing with special reference to preparing to publish and peer-reviewing. Peer reviewing is the process required for standardizing any publications. Manuscript writing is an art. Though it appears to be simple there is a lot of effort required. Peer-reviewing is the process that eliminates articles that do not meet the standard of the journals and the scope of the journals. The study investigated authors\u27 views on manuscript submissions to the publishing process. There are 375 samples selected for this study who have experienced publishing journals listed in refereed journals. For the selection of the sample 50 ScimagoJR Library and Information Science open access journals between 2019-2021 are verified by the authors

Effect of educational intervention on knowledge, attitude and practice of hepatitis B vaccine among medical students

Background: Aim of the study were to assess the impact of education on knowledge, attitude and practice of Hepatitis B vaccine among medical students and to educate the students regarding Hepatitis B vaccination.Methods: Non-randomized before and after comparison study was conducted to evaluate changes in knowledge, attitude and practice of Hepatitis B vaccination (HBV), assigning structured questionnaire of 26 different statements concerning knowledge, attitude and practice by pre and post educational intervention on Hepatitis B and its vaccination.Results: The study was conducted among 100 second year medical students. The response rate was 100%. There was statistically significant improvement in knowledge from pre-test mean scores for modes of transmission (87.4+4.70 vs 95.8+1.61; p=0.0001), preventive measures (92+0.47 vs 98+0.94; p=0.001) and Hepatitis B vaccine (71+4.72 to 84.7+6.65; p=0.0001) to post-test. While the increase in mean scores from pre-test for attitude (68.6+9.21 vs 77.43+11.1) and practice (55+25.41 vs 65.6+32.6) were statistically significant in post-test (p=0.0001; p=0.001 respectively).Conclusions: Structured educational intervention among medical students about Hepatitis B vaccination showed improved knowledge and behaviour and also increased the percentage of students willing to get screened and their participation in health education programmes related to Hepatitis B. However, there is slight lack of knowledge regarding the transmission of Hepatitis B and its vaccination schedule. In this regard, implementation and evaluation of educational intervention is needed as a preventative measure

Solitary Langerhans cell histiocytosis of liver with sclerosing cholangitis in an adult female

Liver is affected as a late complication of high risk cases of Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Sclerosing cholangitis is a rare pattern associated with Langerhans cell histiocytosis of liver, which is even rarer in the adult population and has high mortality. The treatment is difficult and may require liver transplantation. We report a unique case of a 40-year-old female who developed sclerosing cholangitis associated with Langerhans cell histiocytosis without any evidence of involvement of other systems. Our patient required only surgery, and had been followed up for two years without recurrence. We could not find any other case of solitary liver involvement of Langerhans cell histiocytosis in literature published so far

Prune belly syndrome (sequenze): a case report

The Prune Belly syndrome (PBS) also known as Eagle Barret syndrome is a rare disorder. It is an abdominal muscles deficiency syndrome characterized by a Triad syndrome i.e. deficiency of abdominal wall muscles, failure of testicular descent and dilation of the urinary tract. This syndrome has derived its name from the wrinkled prune appearance of the abdominal wall. Prune Belly syndrome is a rare anomaly seen in one in 35,000-50,000 live births. It occurs in all races. Prune Belly syndrome almost exclusively occurs in males (M:F, 20:1). The diagnosis can be made in utero by ultrasonography at 21 weeks of gestation or in the Neonate with characteristic clinical findings.                                                                                 The present case was a dead male fetus of 20 weeks of gestation sent to Anatomy department after Medical termination of pregnancy, due to congenital anomalies identified in routine ultrasound examination during antenatal checkup