The James Webb Space Telescope Mission

Twenty-six years ago a small committee report, building on earlier studies, expounded a compelling and poetic vision for the future of astronomy, calling for an infrared-optimized space telescope with an aperture of at least $4m$. With the support of their governments in the US, Europe, and Canada, 20,000 people realized that vision as the $6.5m$ James Webb Space Telescope. A generation of astronomers will celebrate their accomplishments for the life of the mission, potentially as long as 20 years, and beyond. This report and the scientific discoveries that follow are extended thank-you notes to the 20,000 team members. The telescope is working perfectly, with much better image quality than expected. In this and accompanying papers, we give a brief history, describe the observatory, outline its objectives and current observing program, and discuss the inventions and people who made it possible. We cite detailed reports on the design and the measured performance on orbit.Comment: Accepted by PASP for the special issue on The James Webb Space Telescope Overview, 29 pages, 4 figure

Effects of angiotensin II on sexual function, blood pressure, and fluid intake are differentially affected by AT-1 receptor blockade

We have previously reported that third ventricular administration of angiotensin II (ANG II) immediately before mating tests suppressed copulatory behavior in male rats. The present studies examine the effects of short- (3 days) and long-term (21 days) intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) infusion of ANG II (6 μg/h), on parameters of copulatory behavior, fluid intake, and blood pressure in sexually experienced male Long Evans rats. Further, to test the hypothesis that suppression of masculine copulatory behavior by ANG II involves interaction with the angiotensin AT-1 receptor, a highly selective nonpeptide antagonist (L-158,809) was administered in the drinking water (25 mg/liter) to a group of ANG II-infused animals. I.c.v. infusion of ANG II was associated with increases in systolic blood pressure and fluid intake. In copulatory tests after 3, 9 and 15 days of infusion, rats infused with ANG II exhibited increased latencies to the initiation of copulatory behavior and to ejaculation, as well as increased intervals to reinitiate copulatory behavior after the ejaculation. Administration of L-158,809 blocked the effects of i.c.v. infusion of ANG II on systolic blood pressure and fluid intake. Further, L-158,809 attenuated the effects of i.c.v. infusion of ANG II on parameters of copulatory behavior. Data from this study provide support for a modulatory role for ANG II in the regulation of sexual behavior. In addition, this regulation seems to involve the AT-1 receptor. Copyright (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc

Testosterone-induced copulatory behavior is affected by the postcastration interval

A well entrenched hypothesis regarding hormonal action is that as the time interval following hormonal deprivation increases there is a corresponding decrease in the sensitivity of the system to the effects of hormone replacement. With this in mind, we examined the effects of a prolonged period of hormonal deprivation (9 mo), and compared these to the effects of a shorter period (1 month), on the restoration of copulatory behavior and seminal vesicle weights. Castration of sexually vigorous male Long-Evans rats at 6 mo of age was followed by the virtual disappearance of ejaculatory behavior within 1 mo. Testosterone (T) was administered (5 mm or 20 mm T-containing Silastic capsules) either 1 or 9 mo after castration, and copulatory tests were conducted 3, 7, 10, 14, and 17 days later. 5 mmT and 20mmT were equally effective in restoring behavior in the rats treated 1 mo after castration. In contrast, 5 mmT was more effective in inducing copulatory behavior than 20 mmT in the rats treated 9 mo after castration. The time course to maximal effect was longer in the rats given T 9 mo after castration. Rats were sacrificed 21 days after T administration. Expressed seminal vesicle weights and plasma testosterone were increased in a dose-dependent manner independent of the postcastration interval. These data indicate that somatic and behavioral effects of T are differentially modified by the period of preceding hormonal deprivation. © 1995

A review on pharmacological activities of Mukia maderaspatana

Cucurbits are consumable crops, belonging to the family of Cucurbitaceae. They are widely distributed in the regions of tropical and sub-tropical region. These tendril climbers are grown in village surrounding. The plant has been grown from olden days for its medicinal value. It is used as herbal drug for cough and cold. All parts of plant such as leaf, stem, root, fruit and seeds are used in historical system of medicine.  Cucurbits are naturally trailing plant. Edible food such as watermelon and cucumber are found in cucurbit family. Plants belonging to cucurbits family are higher in nutritional value. Mukia maderaspatana belongs to Cucurbitaceae genus. It is (called as “musumusukkai” in tamil). It is also known as Cucumis maderaspatana.  Mukia maderaspatana has pharmacological activities such as aperient, diuretic, stomachic, antipyretic, anti-flatulent, anti-asthmatic, antitussive, antihistaminic, antibronchitic, hypolipidemic, hepatoprotective, hypoglycaemic, antiulcer. Phytochemical screening shows the presence of glycosides, flavonoids, phenols, alkaloids, saponin, carbohydrate and steroid in ethanol and methanol extraction. In this article we discuss on pharmacological activities of Mukia maderaspatana

Anticancer activity of hydroalcoholic extract of Enhalus acoroides

Cancer is a major public health concern in both developed and developing countries. Anticancer activity refers to the ability of natural and synthetic, biological and chemical agents to revert, stop, or halt carcinogenic progression. To treat the ailment, several synthetic pharmaceuticals are utilised, but they have negative effects, thus researchers are investigating into plant-derived chemotherapeutic treatments. Enhalus acoroides, a member of the Hydrocharitaceae family, is found along the southeast coast of India and the tropical western Pacific. Hydroalcoholic extract of Enhalus acoroides inhibits the proliferation of Liver cancer and Breast cancer. The cell viability was analysed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, which shows that Hydroalcoholic extract of Enhalus acoroides significantly reduced the growth with IC50 value for HepG2 as 112.20μg/ml    and MCF-7 as 101.60μg/ml. Hence the results of current study conclude that Hydroalcoholic extract of Enhalus acoroides is a potent anticancer drug that can be utilized for the treatment of Hepatocellular cancer and Breast cancer

Anticancer Activity of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Enhalus Acoroides

Cancer is a major public health concern in both developed and developing countries. Anticancer activity refers to the ability of natural and synthetic, biological and chemical agents to revert, stop, or halt carcinogenic progression. To treat the ailment, several synthetic pharmaceuticals are utilised, but they have negative effects, thus researchers are investigating into plant-derived chemotherapeutic treatments. Enhalus acoroides, a member of the Hydrocharitaceae family, is found along the southeast coast of India and the tropical western Pacific. Hydroalcoholic extract of Enhalus acoroides inhibits the proliferation of Liver cancer and Breast cancer. The cell viability was analysed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, which shows that Hydroalcoholic extract of Enhalus acoroides significantly reduced the growth with IC50 value for HepG2 as 112.20μg/ml    and MCF-7 as 101.60μg/ml. Hence the results of current study conclude that Hydroalcoholic extract of Enhalus acoroides is a potent anticancer drug that can be utilized for the treatment of Hepatocellular cancer and Breast cancer

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) levels in alcoholic and food restricted male rats: implications for site selective function

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) has been implicated in the control of ingestive, cardiovascular, and reproductive function. Blood pressure and sexual function were examined in Long-Evans rats receiving 6% ethanol-containing or calorically matched liquid diets, or rat chow ad lib. After 12 weeks of exposure, rats were sacrificed and plasma hormone levels and NPY content of microdissected brain regions were determined. Neither long-term alcohol ingestion nor caloric restriction were associated with major decrements in copulatory behavior. Long-term alcohol ingestion was associated with decrements in erectile function ex copula. Long-term alcohol ingestion was also associated with: (i) a moderate degree of hypertension; (ii) a failure to gain weight; (iii) decrements in circulating levels of LH, testosterone, and ACTH (but not progesterone); and (iv) increased corticosterone levels. Long-term alcohol ingesting and calorically-restricted rats exhibited alterations in daily feeding patterns. These physiological changes in response to long-term alcohol ingestion or caloric restriction were associated with neural site-selective differences in NPY content. Elevated NPY in the paraventricular nucleus was associated with voluntary (as in alcohol ingestion) or involuntary (as in caloric restriction) reductions in food intake. Differences in NPY in the suprachiasmatic and ventromedial nuclei were associated with the differences in feeding patterns. The decrements in hormone levels were associated with higher levels of NPY in the median eminence and in the arcuate nucleus. Copyright (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V

A Review on Pharmacological Activities of Mukia Maderaspatana

Cucurbits are consumable crops, belonging to the family of Cucurbitaceae. They are widely distributed in the regions of tropical and sub-tropical region. These tendril climbers are grown in village surrounding. The plant has been grown from olden days for its medicinal value. It is used as herbal drug for cough and cold. All parts of plant such as leaf, stem, root, fruit and seeds are used in historical system of medicine.  Cucurbits are naturally trailing plant. Edible food such as watermelon and cucumber are found in cucurbit family. Plants belonging to cucurbits family are higher in nutritional value. Mukia maderaspatana belongs to Cucurbitaceae genus. It is (called as “musumusukkai” in tamil). It is also known as Cucumis maderaspatana.  Mukia maderaspatana has pharmacological activities such as aperient, diuretic, stomachic, antipyretic, anti-flatulent, anti-asthmatic, antitussive, antihistaminic, antibronchitic, hypolipidemic, hepatoprotective, hypoglycaemic, antiulcer. Phytochemical screening shows the presence of glycosides, flavonoids, phenols, alkaloids, saponin, carbohydrate and steroid in ethanol and methanol extraction. In this article we discuss on pharmacological activities of Mukia maderaspatana