Determinants of Women's Participation in Self-Help Group (SHG)-Led Microfinance Programme in Tamil Nadu

Factors determining participation of women in microfinance programme in Tamil Nadu have been identified following the multi-stage purposive and random sampling technique and selecting Coimbatore and Ramanathapuram districts for the study. It has been observed that socially backward, landless and marginal farm households participate more in this programme. Possession of livestock and consumer goods by the member households has been found to deter the joining of group. However, the number of households having informal borrowings, especially from moneylenders has been recorded to be higher among the members before joining the group. Analysis of determinants of women’s participation in microfinance programme using probit model has revealed that the age of women and value of productive assets other than land have a significant negative influence on their participation. However, social backwardness, indebtedness and presence of other microcredit programmes in the same or nearby villages have a significant positive influence on women’s participation in this programme.Agricultural Finance,

Effect of Potassium Iodide on the Tensile Bond Strength of Glass Ionomer Cement and Resin Modified Glass Ionomer Cement on Silver Diamine Fluoride treated Dentine: A Comparative in Vitro study

AIM OF THE STUDY: Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) promotes remineralization, inhibits demineralization, increases dentin hardness and outperforms in bactericidal effect. A significant disadvantage of SDF is the unaesthetic permanent black staining of teeth caused by silver oxide. The black staining caused by SDF can be overcome by the use of Potassium iodide (KI). However, the influence of potassium iodide on the bond strength of SDF to restorative materials has no enough documentation. Hence this study was designed to estimate the effect of SDF/KI on the tensile bond strengths of restorative materials - glass ionomer cement (GIC) and resin- modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC). METHODS: A total of 120 samples were used in the study. The occlusal surfaces were ground and polished using 600 grit silicon carbide abrasive paper under running water and embedded in self cure acrylic blocks. A hollow polyvinyl mould is placed on treated surface. Specimens were randomly divided into two groups (A, B) with 60 samples each. This in turn sub grouped to three subgroups each (A1, A2, A3 and B1, B2, B3) with twenty samples each. Subgroup A1 was conditioned with10% Polyacrylic acid (GC Dentin conditioner, GC Corp, Japan), rinsed, treated with 38% SDF (Fagamin) for ten seconds, rinsed, and then filled with GIC(GC IX, GC Corp, Tokyo, Japan). A 26 gauge ligature wire was twisted to form a loop at one end and placed inside the setting cement. Subgroup A2 was conditioned with10% Polyacrylic acid, rinsed, treated with 38% SDF for ten seconds, followed by potassium iodide (KI). On obtaining a creamy white precipitate it’s washed off and filled with GIC with the looped ligature wire. Subgroup A3 was conditioned with 10% Polyacrylic acid, rinsed and restored with GIC with the wire. Same procedure was followed for all subgroups in group B except that the restorative material here was RMGIC (GC II LC, GC Corp, Japan) and light cured at 400 nm/20 seconds. After complete setting the moulds were removed. All samples were tested for tensile bond strength by mounting onto the Universal Testing Machine running at a crosshead speed of 5mm/minute. RESULTS: The tensile bond strength of glass ionomer cement to dentin compared with the tensile bond strength of SDF followed by glass ionomer cement to dentin the P value was non significant (0.77). The comparison of tensile bond strength of resin- modified glass ionomer cement to dentin, to SDF followed by resin-modified glass ionomer cement to dentin was not statistically significant. (P-0.35). The P value for comparison of SDF treated glass ionomer cement was not significant to SDF/KI followed by GIC (P value - 0.23). Similarly the comparison of SDF treated resin modified glass ionomer cement was not significant to SDF/KI followed by RMGIC (P value - 0.46). On comparing the tensile bond strength of glass ionomer cement to dentin to tensile bond strength of resin-modified glass ionomer cement to dentin the mean difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Silver diamine fluoride does not affect the tensile bond strength of glass ionomer cement and resin-modified glass ionomer cement to dentin. Potassium iodide does not influence the tensile bond strength of glass ionomer cement and resin-modified glass ionomer cement on silver diamine fluoride treated dentin. Resin modified glass ionomer cement has higher tensile bond strength than glass ionomer cement and the choice of restorative material relies on the clinician’s choice based on individualized patient’s treatment needs

Arachis hypogaea derived activated carbon/Pt catalyst: reduction of organic dyes

Activated carbon from agro waste groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) shell was prepared by chemical activation and used as support for dispersion of 5% platinum nanoparticles. The Pt nanoparticles were obtained by the reduction in hydrogen gas medium. The synthesized groundnut activated carbon/platinum catalyst was characterized by various techniques such as X-ray powder diffraction, electron microscopies and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The catalytic behaviour of the synthesized catalyst was investigated by exploring it as catalyst for the reduction of various classes of dyes; namely, triphenylmethane dyes such as Malachite green, phenol red and bromophenol blue, xanthene dyes: rose bengal, rhodamine 6G, rhodamine B, thiazine dye: methyelene blue, azo dye: congo red and 4-nitrophenol by sodium borohydride in aqueous medium. Under suitable reaction conditions, for all tested dyes, cationic dyes were reduced at a faster rate than anionic dyes. The rate of reduction on the structure of dye and nature of catalyst was employed

MORIN PREVENTS ULTRAVIOLET-B RADIATION-INDUCED PHOTOCARCINOGENESIS THROUGH ACTIVATING THROMBOSPONDIN-1 IN THE MOUSE SKIN

 Objective: In this study, we investigated whether morin, a natural flavonoid, could able to inhibit ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced carcinogenesis in the skin of Swiss albino mice.Methods: The mice were exposed to UVB radiation (180 mJ/cm2) on weekly thrice for 30 weeks, and morin was administered intraperitoneal and topical application 1 h before UVB exposure. UVB radiation induces the overexpression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), and Bcl-2 genes.Results: Morin significantly prevented UVB-induced activation of COX-2, iNOS, VEGF, TGF-β, and Bcl-2 expression in mouse skin. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP), a novel endogenous factor, inhibits angiogenesis and inflammation.Conclusion: The present study illustrates that the protective effect of morin against UVB-induced carcinogenesis may be modulated through activation of TSP-1 in UVB-exposed Swiss albino mice

Immune indices and identical functions of two prophenoloxidases from the haemolymph of green tiger shrimp Penaeus semisulcatus and its antibiofilm activity

In the present study, we purified two prophenoloxidases (proPO) from haemolymph of green tigershrimp,Penaeus semisulcatusby gel fermentation chromatography using blue Sepharose matrix. The twopurified prophenoloxidase macromolecules are of about 76 and 75 kDa determined through SDS-PAGEand named asPenaeus semisulcatusprophenoloxidase I (PSproPO I) andPenaeus semisulcatusproph-enoloxidase II (PSproPO II). It was further characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier TransformInfrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Circular Dichroism (CD) and High Performance Liquid Chromatography(HPLC) analysis. The purified PSproPO I and PSproPO II showed the strongest agglutination titre againsthuman erythrocytes compared to goat RBC. The PSproPO I and PSproPO II showed phagocytic activityagainst yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiaeand encapsulation activity against Sepharose CL 6B beadscompared to CM Sepharose and Sodium alginate beads. The functional analysis of purified PSproPO I andPSproPO II showed enhanced PO activity when added with the triggering molecules such as pathogenassociated molecular patterns (PAMPs), metals and chemicals. In addition, eluted fraction containingPSproPO I and PSproPO II showed antibiofilm activity against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria.The above results concluded that no significant differences were found between the purified PSproPO Iand PSproPO II immune indices and functions. This study might provide a sensitive platform to under-stand more about the critical roles of PSproPO I and PSproPO II in crustacean immune syste

Determinants of Women's Participation in Self-Help Group (SHG)-Led Microfinance Programme in Tamil Nadu

Factors determining participation of women in microfinance programme in Tamil Nadu have been identified following the multi-stage purposive and random sampling technique and selecting Coimbatore and Ramanathapuram districts for the study. It has been observed that socially backward, landless and marginal farm households participate more in this programme. Possession of livestock and consumer goods by the member households has been found to deter the joining of group. However, the number of households having informal borrowings, especially from moneylenders has been recorded to be higher among the members before joining the group. Analysis of determinants of women’s participation in microfinance programme using probit model has revealed that the age of women and value of productive assets other than land have a significant negative influence on their participation. However, social backwardness, indebtedness and presence of other microcredit programmes in the same or nearby villages have a significant positive influence on women’s participation in this programme

STRUCTURE-BASED DOCKING STUDIES TOWARD EXPLORING THE POTENTIAL ANTICANCER ACTIVITY OF MORIN AGAINST NON-MELANOMA SKIN CANCER THERAPEUTIC DRUG TARGETS

 Objective: The purpose of this study is to explore the anticancer activity of morin compound against human cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) isotypes (PPARα and PPARγ) through in silico molecular docking studies.Methods: The 3D structures of human COX-2 complexed with ibuprofen (PDB ID: 4PH9), PPARα complexed with a synthetic agonist (2S)-2-(4- methoxy-3-{[(pyren-1-yl carbonyl) amino] methyl} benzyl) butanoic acid (PDB ID: 3VI8) and PPARγ complexed indomethacin (PDB ID: 3ADX) were retrieved from protein databank. The cocrystallized sites were considered as binding sites, and the docking with morin compound was performed along with their respective cocrystals for each target and compared their interactions and binding affinities.Results: It is observed that the morin compound exhibited better binding energy of -32.9528 kJ/mol against PPARα followed by COX-2 (binding energy: −18.4311 kJ/mol) and PPARγ (binding energy: −17.4228 kJ/mol) when compared to their cocrystallized ligands.Conclusion: The present study suggests that morin compound might serve as potential alternatives in the prevention of skin cancers by showing better activity against PPARα