Reading Habits among College Students of Kashmir across Genders

Purpose Reading has increasingly been the object of empirical and theoretical investigation since decades being studied from different dimension by subject specialists particularly Psychology, Sociology, Education, Media Studies and Library & Information Science. The present study aims to investigate the reading habits of the college students and their gender variability. Design/Methodology/Approach The survey method is employed with a questionnaire for data collection following stratified random sampling. The data is analysed using different statistical and quantitative techniques. The findings obtained are correlated with earlier studies. Besides Z-statistic test is applied for the testing of hypothesis. Findings The results reveal that the college students have positive attitude towards reading with females being more dominant. The students, irrespective of gender acquire reading habits mostly of their own and prefer to read in morning, at home and in English language. The results discover that male read for information and females for education more. It further reveals that the male students mostly read about Religion, Politics and Literature whereas majority of female prefer Religion, Science & Technology and Literature. Research limitations/implications Despite providing meaningful insights on reading habits across genders, the limitation of the study is its sample size and frame focussing college students. This makes it difficult to generalise the results across different sections of the society. Originality/value The study confirms that gender is the principle factor affecting reading habits of students and females are more pre-dominant than males in reading culture

Agribusiness Entrepreneurs and their Market Share

Agribusiness venture has huge function in the economy to foster rural development in the nation The current agribusiness venture in UT of Jammu and Kashmir is mainly in the nature of food processing units They have implications on food security and essential necessities of human beings The present study aims at recognizing qualities shortcomings opportunities and threats for agribusiness ventures with economic and financial perspectives in UT of Jammu and Kashmir to capture market shar

Regulation of TNF-α and NF-κB activation through the JAK/STAT signaling pathway downstream of histamine 4 receptor in a rat model of LPS-induced joint inflammation.

Histamine 4 receptor (H4R) is a novel target for the pharmacological modulation of histamine-mediated immune signals during inflammatory diseases. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of the H4R agonist 4-methylhistamine dihydrochloride (4-MeH) and antagonist JNJ7777120 (JNJ) in the inflamed rat knee. Animals were fasted for 18h before a single dose of 4-MeH or JNJ (30mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally (i.p.), both followed by intra-articular (i.a.) injection of LPS 2h later. Blood and synovial fluid were collected after a short incubation period and TNF-α, NF-κB, and IkB-α levels were measured via flow cytometry. Additionally, we assessed the effects of H4R engagement on the expression of IL-1β, TNF-α, and NF-κB mRNAs and the protein levels of TNF-α, NF-κB, JAK-1, and STAT-3 in the inflamed knee tissue. These results revealed increased TNF-α and NF-κB expression and decreased IkB-α levels in both the LPS alone and 4-MeH treated groups in whole blood and synovial fluid. Further, IL-1β, TNF-α, and NF-κB mRNA levels were significantly increased and western blot analysis confirmed increased expression of TNF-α, NF-κB, JAK-1, and STAT-3 in both LPS and 4-MeH treatment groups. Furthermore, these increases were completely inhibited in the inflamed knee tissue of the JNJ-treated group. Thus, the inhibition of inflammatory mediators and signaling pathways by the H4R antagonist JNJ suggests the anti-arthritic importance of this molecule

Stimulation of the histamine 4 receptor with 4-methylhistamine modulates the effects of chronic stress on the Th1/Th2 cytokine balance.

Alterations to the immune system caused by stress have been considered to markedly increase the risk for immune-related diseases such as cancer and autoimmune disorders. We investigated the potential anti-stress effects of the histamine 4 receptor (H4R) agonist, 4-methylhistamine (4-MeH), in a murine stress model. Mice were placed in 50ml conical centrifuge tubes for 12h followed by a 12h rest. The effects of treatment with 4-MeH (30mg/kg, i.p., twice daily) for 2 days were assessed. At 2 days after physical restraint, mice were sacrificed and tissues harvested. We evaluated the effects of 4-MeH treatment on CD4(+) T cell production, and intracellular IFN-γ and IL-4 expression in these cells. We also assessed IL-1β, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-4 mRNA expression as well as IFN-γ, TNF-α, GITR, Ox40 and IL-4 protein expression in the spleen. The results showed that 4-MeH treatment of stressed mice results in a substantial increase in the CD4(+) T cells as well as in IFN-γ production by these cells. Compared to both untreated and stressed controls. In contrast, IL-4 expression decreased significantly following 4-MeH treatment of mice. Moreover, stimulation of the H4R resulted in up-regulated expression of IL-1β, IFN-γ and TNF-α mRNAs and decreased the expression of IL-4. Western blot analysis confirmed decreased protein expression of IFN-γ, TNF-α, GITR, Ox40 and increased IL-4 in the SC group and treatment of mice with 4-MeH reversed these effects. Our results confirm the significant impact of chronic stress on T cell function and production of Th1/Th2 mediators H4R

CROMOSOMAS Y CITOGENÉTICA DE HELMINTOS (TURBELLARIA, TREMATODA, CESTODA, NEMATODAYACANTHOCEPHALA)

En este artículo revisamos la literatura desde 1886 hasta 2014 y el estado actual del conocimiento de los cromosomas y la citogenética de todas las especies de las familias de turbellaria, trematoda, cestoda, nematoda y acanthocephala. Datos cariológicos son analizados y tabulados para 614 especies: 115 especies de turbellaria, 278 especies de trematoda, 117 especies de cestoda, 85 especies de nematoda y 19 especies de acantocephala. Los Turbelarios no son parásitos a excepción de unas pocas posibles excepciones y muestran una reducción gradual del número básico de cromosomas. Trematodes son numerosos requiriendo apuntar hacia los esfuerzos continuos en este campo de investigación. Los datos sobre los cromosomas se carecen para cestodos acetabulados de las órdenes: Litobothriidea, Lecanicephalidea, Cathetocephalidea, Rhinebothriidea y Tetrabothriidea

CARIOTIPO DE ADENOSCOLEX OREINI: PRIMER DATO CITOGENÉTICO DEL ORDEN CARYOPHYLLIDEA (CESTODA) DE ESPECIES DE SCHIZOTHORAX DEL VALLE DE KASHMIR, INDIA

Un cariotipo de Adenoscolex oreini Fotedar, 1958 (Capingentidae), un parásito céstodo de carpas, Kashir Gaad, Schizothorax niger (Cypriniformes) ha sido estudiado por primera vez. Consiste en un conjunto de cromosomas de 20 pares de cromosomas metacéntricos, submetacéntricos y acrocéntricos (2n = 20; n = 8m+1sm+1a). Todos los pares son pequeños, miden 1,86-7,22 μm. Parece que el número de cromosomas de A. oreini es mayor en comparación con la de los miembros de la familia Caryophyllaeidae. La variación en el tamaño de los más pequeños bivalentes y otros bivalentes indican que los cromosomas somáticos mostrarán una marcada variación en la longitud del cromosoma más largo y más corto en A. oreini. Hasta ahora nadie ha emprendido los estudios citológicos de este parásito y en la presente investigación se está divulgando su número cromosómico por primera vez

Naringin attenuates the development of carrageenan-induced acute lung inflammation through inhibition of NF-κb, STAT3 and pro-inflammatory mediators and enhancement of IκBα and anti-inflammatory cytokines

Naringin has been reported to possess diverse pharmacological properties, including anti-arthritic and anti-inflammatory activities. The aim of the present study was to determine the potential anti-inflammatory effect of naringin in a mouse model of carrageenan-induced pleurisy. A single dose of naringin (40 and 80 mg/kg) was administered per oral (p.o.) 1 h before carrageenan (Cg) administration. Pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines were analysed in pleural fluid. We also assessed the effects of naringin on the expression levels of iNOS, inducible cyclooxygenase isoform (COX-2), ICAM-1, MIP-2, PGE2, STAT3, TGF-β1, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and inhibitor of kappa B (IκBα) in lung tissue. The histological examinations revealed anti-inflammatory effect of naringin while Cg group deteriorated. Naringin downregulated Th1 and upregulated Th2 cytokines. Western blot analyses revealed increased protein expression of NF-κB, STAT3 and COX-2 and decreased IκBα in response to Cg treatment, which were reversed by the treatment with naringin. In the Cg group, mRNA expression levels of pro-inflammatory mediators upregulated and anti-inflammatory mediators downregulated. Naringin reversed these actions

Gene expression of IQGAPs and Ras families in an experimental mouse model for hepatocellular carcinoma: a mechanistic study of cancer progression

IQGAPs genes play critical role in either induction or suppression of cancer and its progression, however the relationship between Ras genes and these genes are still unclear. In this study, we tried to understand the mechanistic action of IQGAPs genes and its correlation with Ras genes in mouse hepatic cancer model. The genetic expressions of IQGAP1, IQGAP2, IQGAP3, Hras, Kras, Nras, Mras, Caspase3, and BAX were followed in both hepatocellular carcinoma and normal liver cells of Balbc mice. Genotoxic agent diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced hepatic cancer model was induced in male mice and recorded the occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma by morphological and histological changes in the liver. It was observed that mRNA expressions of IQGAP1, Hras, Kras, Nras, Mras, Caspase3, and BAX genes were highly elevated in hepatocellular carcinoma cells when compared with normal liver cells, additionally their expressions increased by concentrating the dose of DEN. While, the expressions of IQGAP2 and IQGAP3 were significantly decreased in hepatocellular carcinoma cells when compared with normal liver cells, as well as their expressions decreased more with increasing the dose of DEN. It was concluded from this study that IQGAP1 has a strong signaling relationship with Ras genes in induction of cancer and it is considered as a key gene for induction or suppression of the hepatocellular carcinoma

In vitro immunomodulatory study of different parts of Prunus cerasus L. (sour cherry) Plant

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