Crossing the Threshold: Zora Neale Hurston, Racial Performance, and Seraph on the Suwanee

This essay explores Zora Neale Hurston’s evolving discourse on interracial cultural exchanges in her various representations of a black female child artist. It examines her treatment of race, performance, and audience in order to situate her critically neglected novel Seraph on the Suwanee within her writing trajectory. Whereas Hurston’s earlier works maintain the black female performer’s artistic integrity despite her racial and sexual vulnerability, her final novel Seraph on the Suwanee punctuates her discourse on racial performance by deconstructing white male mastery’s and pedestal white femininity’s dependence on black folk bodies. Reading across Hurston’s fiction and autobiographical writing not only enables a more comprehensive understanding of her efforts to promote black folk culture during the New Negro Renaissance, but it also acknowledges her postwar attempts to rewrite and reconcile the problematic of the black female artist

Ruthenium and osmium carbonyl clusters incorporating stannylene and stannyl ligands

The reaction of [Ru₃ (CO)₁₂] with Ph₃SnSPh in refluxing benzene furnished the bimetallic Ru-Sn compound [Ru₃(CO)₈(μ-SPh)₂(μ3-SnPh₂)(SnPh₃)₂] 1 which consists of a SnPh₂ stannylene bonded to three Ru atoms to give a planar tetra-metal core, with two peripheral SnPh₃ ligands. The stannylene ligand forms a very short bond to one Ru atom [Sn-Ru 2.538(1) Å] and very long bonds to the other two [Sn-Ru 3.074(1) Å]. The germanium compound [Ru₃(CO)₈(μ-SPh)₂(μ₃-GePh₂)(GePh₃)₂] 2 was obtained from the reaction of [Ru₃ (CO)₁₂] with Ph₃GeSPh and has a similar structure to that of 1 as evidenced by spectroscopic data. Treatment of [Os₃(CO)₁₀(MeCN)₂] with Ph₃SnSPh in refluxing benzene yielded the bimetallic Os-Sn compound [Os₃(CO)₉(μ-SPh)(μ₃-SnPh₂)(MeCN)(ƞ¹-C₆H₅)] 3. Cluster 3 has a superficially similar planar metal core, but with a different bonding mode with respect to that of 1. The Ph₂Sn group is bonded most closely to Os(2) and Os(3) [2.7862(3) and 2.7476(3) Å respectively] with a significantly longer bond to Os(1), 2.9981(3) Å indicating a weak back-donation to the Sn. The reaction of the bridging dppm compound [Ru₃(CO)₁₀(μ-dppm)] with Ph₃SnSPh afforded [Ru₃(CO)₆(μ-dppm)(μ₃-S)(μ₃-SPh)(SnPh₃)] 5. Compound 5 contains an open triangle of Ru atoms simultaneously capped by a sulfido and a PhS ligand on opposite sides of the cluster with a dppm ligand bridging one of the Ru-Ru edges and a Ph₃Sn group occupying an axial position on the Ru atom not bridged by the dppm ligand

Heat Shock Proteins: Conditional Mediators of Inflammation in Tumor Immunity

Heat shock protein (HSP)-based anticancer vaccines have undergone successful preclinical testing and are now entering clinical trial. Questions still remain, however regarding the immunological properties of HSPs. It is now accepted that many of the HSPs participate in tumor immunity, at least in part by chaperoning tumor antigenic peptides, introducing them into antigen presenting cells such as dendritic cells (DC) that display the antigens on MHC class I molecules on the cell surface and stimulate cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTL). However, in order for activated CD8+ T cells to function as effective CTL and kill tumor cells, additional signals must be induced to obtain a sturdy CTL response. These include the expression of co-stimulatory molecules on the DC surface and inflammatory events that can induce immunogenic cytokine cascades. That such events occur is indicated by the ability of Hsp70 vaccines to induce antitumor immunity and overcome tolerance to tumor antigens such as mucin1. Secondary activation of CTL can be induced by inflammatory signaling through Toll-like receptors and/or by interaction of antigen-activated T helper cells with the APC. We will discuss the role of the inflammatory properties of HSPs in tumor immunity and the potential role of HSPs in activating T helper cells and DC licensing

Antioxidant and anti-proliferative activity of different solvent extracts of Casuarina equisetifolia needles

The context and purpose of the study: Plants that have been used for traditional medicines are very good sources of phyotochemicals. There are many plants like Casuarina equisetifolia, which are still unexplored for their medicinal properties. In the present study, we have elucidated the in vitro antioxidant and antiproliferative activity of different solvent extracts (both polar and non polar) of C. equisetifolia needles.Main findings: In vitro antioxidant activity of different solvent extracts of C. equisetifolia needles was studied by analyzing the total polyphenols, flavonoids, total antioxidant capacity and free radical scavenging activity. The polar solvent extracts showed significantly high amount total polyphenols, flavonoids, antioxidants and free radical scavenging activity compared to the non polar solvent extracts. The cytotoxic and apoptosis inducing activity of the different solvent extracts were analyzed on MCF-7 cells by MTT assay, acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining, DAPI staining and caspase-3 release. The polar solvent extracts did not show any growth inhibition in MCF-7 cancer cells. But the non polar solvent extracts are very good in inducing cell death by inducing apoptosis which involves DNA fragmentation and release of caspase 3. Using silica gel fractionation and RP-HPLC analysis the active component present in non-polar solvent extracts was identified as ascorbic acid.Brief summary and potential implications: Our results indicated that the needles of C. equisetifolia are rich sources of antioxidants and also contain potential anticancer agents. Detailed study on the mechanism of action of purified compound on inhibition of cancer cell growth may provide some potential anticancer molecule from natural source

Private individual ambulatory health care providers in Madhya Pradesh province, India

Background: Ambulatory health care services are a major contributor to the large and inequitable health financing burdens (largely out-of-pocket) faced by households in India. The private sector has a virtual monopoly over ambulatory curative services in rural and urban India. Despite this, there is little knowledge about who these providers are, their numbers, distribution, and activities. Aim: This study describes the numbers, gender, distribution, and characteristics of private individual ambulatory care providers in Madhya Pradesh (60.4 million people), one of India’s largest provinces. It discusses the suitability of this provider mix to deal with maternal and child health, a major health priority in the province. Method: A survey enlisting all health care providers was conducted in the 52,117 villages and 394 towns of the province. Results: There were 14,046 private qualified physicians (12.5% women), 57,684 qualified paramedics (3.4% women), and 89,090 unqualified providers (10% women) providing ambulatory services in individual setups. In addition, 55,393 traditional birth attendants provided home-based intranatal care. The macro organization of these providers in this setting is presented. Given the high levels of maternal and child mortality in the province, excessive reliance is placed on less than competent providers as these present lower access barriers. Conclusion: Given the public health priorities in this province (maternal and child health), the provider mix is not optimally suited to the populations’ needs. There is a lack of competent qualified care required to deal with the major causes of morbidity and mortality, particularly in rural areas. Access to qualified women providers is low. The lack of a cadre of qualified midwives possibly contributes to some of the high maternal mortality observed in this province

The Role of Heat Shock Proteins in Antigen Cross Presentation

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are molecular chaperones that bind tumor antigens and mediate their uptake into antigen presenting cells. HSP–antigen complexes are then directed toward either the MHC class I pathway through antigen cross presentation or the conventional class II pathway, leading to activation of T cell subsets. Uptake of HSP-chaperoned polypeptides can involve both receptor-mediated and receptor-independent routes, and mechanisms of antigen sorting between the Class I and II pathways after uptake are currently under investigation. The processes involved in internalization of HSP–antigen complexes differ somewhat from the mechanisms previously determined for (unchaperoned) particulate and free soluble antigens. A number of studies show that HSP-facilitated antigen cross presentation requires uptake of the complexes by scavenger receptors (SR) followed by processing in the proteasome, and loading onto MHC class I molecules. In this review we have examined the roles of HSPs and SR in antigen uptake, sorting, processing, cell signaling, and activation of innate and adaptive immunity

Antioxidant and anti-proliferative activity of different solvent extracts of Casuarina equisetifolia needles

The context and purpose of the study: Plants that have been used for traditional medicines are very good sources of phyotochemicals. There are many plants like Casuarina equisetifolia, which are still unexplored for their medicinal properties. In the present study, we have elucidated the in vitro antioxidant and antiproliferative activity of different solvent extracts (both polar and non polar) of C. equisetifolia needles.Main findings: In vitro antioxidant activity of different solvent extracts of C. equisetifolia needles was studied by analyzing the total polyphenols, flavonoids, total antioxidant capacity and free radical scavenging activity. The polar solvent extracts showed significantly high amount total polyphenols, flavonoids, antioxidants and free radical scavenging activity compared to the non polar solvent extracts. The cytotoxic and apoptosis inducing activity of the different solvent extracts were analyzed on MCF-7 cells by MTT assay, acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining, DAPI staining and caspase-3 release. The polar solvent extracts did not show any growth inhibition in MCF-7 cancer cells. But the non polar solvent extracts are very good in inducing cell death by inducing apoptosis which involves DNA fragmentation and release of caspase 3. Using silica gel fractionation and RP-HPLC analysis the active component present in non-polar solvent extracts was identified as ascorbic acid.Brief summary and potential implications: Our results indicated that the needles of C. equisetifolia are rich sources of antioxidants and also contain potential anticancer agents. Detailed study on the mechanism of action of purified compound on inhibition of cancer cell growth may provide some potential anticancer molecule from natural source

An electron-deficient triosmium cluster containing the thianthrene ligand: Synthesis, structure and reactivity of [Os₃(CO)₉(μ3-η2-C₁₂H₇S₂)(μ-H)]

Reaction of [Os₃(CO)₁₀(CH₃CN)₂] with thianthrene at 80 °C leads to the nonacarbonyl dihydride compound [Os₃(CO)₉(μ-3,4-η²-C₁₂H₆S₂)(μ-H)₂] (1) and the 46-electron monohydride compound [Os₃(CO)₉(μ₃-η²-C₁₂H₇S₂)(μ-H)] (2). Compound 2 reacts reversibly with CO to give the CO adduct [Os₃(CO)₁₀(μ-η²-C₁₂H₇S₂)(μ-H)] (3) whereas with PPh₃ it gives the addition product [Os₃(CO)₉)(PPh₃)(μ-η²-C₁₂H₇S₂)(μ-H)] (4) as well as the substitution product 1,2-[Os₃(CO)₁₀ ((PPh₃)₂] (5) Compound 2 represents a unique example of an electron-deficient triosmium cluster in which the thianthrene ring is bound to cluster by coordination of the sulfur lone pair and a three-center-two-electron bond with the C(2) carbon which bridges the same edge of the triangle as the hydride. Electrochemical and DFT studies which elucidate the electronic properties of 2 are reported