Effect of alpha-tocopherol on pulmonary antioxidant defence system and lipid peroxidation in cigarette smoke inhaling mice

BACKGROUND: Free radicals generated in biological systems by cigarette smoke (CS) inhalation can cause oxidative stress in tissues, resulting in lipid peroxidation (LPO). In view of the antioxidant properties of α-tocopherol (AT), in the present study, effects of AT on antioxidant defence system and LPO were investigated in mice inhaling CS for different time intervals. RESULTS: Male Balb/c mice were fed orally with AT (5 I.U./Kg.b.wt.) and /or exposed to CS for 2, 4, 6 or 8 weeks. No effect was observed on body growth, diet consumption, water intake and lung weight due to AT and /or CS treatment in any of the groups as compared to their control counterparts. After two weeks of treatment, no change in LPO, reduced glutathione (GSH) levels and antioxidant enzymes were observed except for glutathione reductase (GR) which increased in all the treated groups. A significant increase in pulmonary LPO levels was observed in mice exposed to CS inhalation for 4, 6 or 8 weeks. There was a gradual increase in the LPO levels as the extent of CS inhalation increased from 4 to 8 weeks. However, the extent of increase in LPO levels due to CS exposure for 4, 6 or 8 weeks in the mice treated with AT was comparatively less. A significant decrease in the GSH levels was also observed in all the animals exposed to CS for 4, 6 or 8 weeks. There was a significant increase in the activities of catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and GR observed in all the groups exposed to CS for 4,6 or 8 weeks. The increase in above antioxidant enzymes seems to be insufficient to combat the oxidative stress posed by CS inhalation. There was a marked decrease observed in the LPO levels in the animals treated with AT alone for 4, 6, or 8 weeks, when compared to their control counterparts. However, the supplementation of AT for 4, 6 or 8 weeks demonstrated a significant increase in GSH levels. CONCLUSION: It appears from our studies that AT exhibits its antioxidant role either directly by scavenging the oxidative species or indirectly by modulating the GSH levels

A Comparative Study of Effect of Propofol, Etomidate Lipuro and Propofol-Etomidate Lipuro Admixture on Haemodyanamic Response and on BIS Values at Induction of General Anaesthesia- A RCT

Background: Patients undergoing elective surgical procedures require an anesthetic agent which would provide a smooth, pleasant, rapid induction and recovery along with   hemodynamic stability and minimal side effects. To achieve these goals Propofol, Etomidate and propofol – etomidate lipuro admixture may be the agents of choice. Bispectral index (BIS) monitoring has emerged as a convenient and versatile tool to titrate hypnotic agentsAim: 1. To compare the time of onset, of ,loss of consciousness and induction of anaesthesia using BIS index value among the propofol (1%), etomidate-lipuro (0.2%) and 50% (1:1) admixture of these agents (Etofol) in various  procedures to choose the better induction agent. 2. To compare the hemodynamic changes caused by these agents.Material and methods:90 patients of either sex and of ASA physical status I or II scheduled for elective surgery under general anesthesia were selected for the study and were randomly placed into three groups. Group P was induced with intravenous Propofol 1%, Group E with intravenous Etomidate (2mg/ml) and Group PE with intravenous mixture of Propofol plus Etomidate (1:1) @ 400ml/hr till the BIS value reached 40.  Patient was considered to be induced once the BIS value reached 40 and this time was noted for all three groups.  BIS values and hemodynamic measurements were recorded before induction (T1), at induction (T2), before intubation (T3) after intubation (T4) and then after intubation, at 1 min (T5), at 3 min (T6), at 5 min (T7) and at 10 min (T8).Results: The Induction (time to reach BIS value of 40) was fastest in Etofol group. Induction dose of Etofol provided better control of BIS values after orotracheal intubation. It was also noted that Heart Rate remained near baseline in Etofol group at different time intervals. In the Post intubation period, a significant increase in the Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP), Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP) and Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP), was noted in Group E. The increase in blood pressure at different intervals after intubation was found to be lowest in Group PE.Conclusion: We conclude that Etofol is associated with a shorter induction time and better haemodyanamic stability than Etomidate and Propofol alone. It also provides effective control of BIS values during induction, orotracheal intubation and thereafter. Key words: Etomidate, Propofol, Etofol, bispectral index (BIS) and haemodyanamic stability

Does vitamin D3 supplementation improve medial joint space narrowing in patients with osteoarthritis knee

Background: Although vitamin D3 levels are known to improve pain and knee function in patients with knee OA, no clear evidence is available regarding relation between improvement in medial joint space with improvement in vitamin D3 levels. The aim of this study was to evaluate effectiveness of vitamin D3 supplements in improving joint space in the patients with OA knee.Methods: 100 patients with OA Knee who fulfilled inclusion criteria and consented to participate were enrolled for study. Patients of OA Knee were blinded and randomized to receive either tablet vitamin D3 or identical placebo tablet. Vitamin D3 Tab was administered in a dose of 60000U/week for 3 months in 12 doses while placebo tablets with identical dosing schedule were used for control group. The patients who received vitamin D3 tablets were allocated to case group while those receiving identical placebo tablets were grouped as controls. The vitamin D3 levels and medial joint space were assessed at baseline, 3 mo, 6mo and 1 year in both the groups.Results: In two groups of patients of OA knee of 50 patients each vitamin D3 supplementation increased levels of vitamin D3 in case group. While no significant improvement in joint space narrowing was noted with vitamin D3 supplementation in case group. Also no significant correlation was observed between vitamin D3 levels and medial joint space narrowing.Conclusions: There was no improvement in medial knee joint space with vitamin D3 supplementation

Case Report Three rooted maxillary first premolar-a case report

Abstract: Endodontic literature has described the standard anatomy of maxillary first premolar to have two roots and two canals. At the same time, there are many cases reports documenting numerous aberrations in its root canal morphology. This article showcases a documented case of an extracted three rooted premolar that was recovered during collections of samples for an in vitro study

Do energy resources matter for growth level? The dynamic effects of different strategies of renewable energy, carbon emissions on sustainable economic growth

Correction to: Do Energy Resources matter for Growth Level? The dynamic effects of different strategies of renewable energy, carbon emissions on sustainable economic growth (Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, (2022), 10.1007/s10098-022-02432-9) - 2-s2.0-85144909701This study examines the association between renewable energy strategies and carbon emissions on sustainable economic growth under affordable and clean energy sources to achieve sustainable development goal seven. This research provides new insight by exploring the nexus between environmental pollution and the creation of numerous bases of renewable energies, such as hydropower, wind power, biomass, geothermal, and solar photovoltaic, and economic growth epitomizing capital, trade openness, and government spending. Moreover, this investigation uses second-generation devices for econometric investigation and a heterogeneous methodology for panel data for selected Asian countries. The empirical exploration of long-term influences drove by the Common Correlated Effects Mean Group, close by Augmented Mean Group and Mean Group assessors confirm the positive and significant influence of renewable energy like hydropower, solar photovoltaic, wind, biomass, and geothermal on the economic growth of Asian economies. Study findings provide valuable insights for all stakeholders in an integrated and coherent manner

A Novel Polymorphism of FcgammaRIIIa (CD16) Alters Receptor Function and Predisposes to Autoimmune Disease

A novel polymorphism in the extracellular domain 2 (EC2) of FcgammaRIIIA affects ligand binding by natural killer (NK) cells and monocytes from genotyped homozygous normal donors independently of receptor expression. The nonconservative T to G substitution at nucleotide 559 predicts a change of phenylalanine (F) to valine (V) at amino acid position 176. Compared with F/F homozygotes, FcgammaRIIIa expressed on NK cells and monocytes in V/V homozygotes bound more IgG1 and IgG3 despite identical levels of receptor expression. In response to a standard aggregated human IgG stimulus, FcgammaRIIIa engagement on NK cells from V/V (high-binding) homozygotes led to a larger rise in [Ca2+]i, a greater level of NK cell activation, and a more rapid induction of activation-induced cell death (by apoptosis). Investigation of an independently phenotyped normal cohort revealed that all donors with a low binding phenotype are F/F homozygotes, while all phenotypic high binding donors have at least one V allele. Initial analysis of 200 patients with SLE indicates a strong association of the low binding phenotype with disease, especially in patients with nephritis who have an underrepresentation of the homozygous high binding phenotype. Thus, the FcgammaRIIIa polymorphism at residue 176 appears to impact directly on human biology, an effect which may extend beyond autoimmune disease characterized by immune complexes to host defense mechanisms

Differential cross section measurements for the production of a W boson in association with jets in proton–proton collisions at √s = 7 TeV

Measurements are reported of differential cross sections for the production of a W boson, which decays into a muon and a neutrino, in association with jets, as a function of several variables, including the transverse momenta (pT) and pseudorapidities of the four leading jets, the scalar sum of jet transverse momenta (HT), and the difference in azimuthal angle between the directions of each jet and the muon. The data sample of pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV was collected with the CMS detector at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 fb[superscript −1]. The measured cross sections are compared to predictions from Monte Carlo generators, MadGraph + pythia and sherpa, and to next-to-leading-order calculations from BlackHat + sherpa. The differential cross sections are found to be in agreement with the predictions, apart from the pT distributions of the leading jets at high pT values, the distributions of the HT at high-HT and low jet multiplicity, and the distribution of the difference in azimuthal angle between the leading jet and the muon at low values.United States. Dept. of EnergyNational Science Foundation (U.S.)Alfred P. Sloan Foundatio

Juxtaposing BTE and ATE – on the role of the European insurance industry in funding civil litigation

One of the ways in which legal services are financed, and indeed shaped, is through private insurance arrangement. Two contrasting types of legal expenses insurance contracts (LEI) seem to dominate in Europe: before the event (BTE) and after the event (ATE) legal expenses insurance. Notwithstanding institutional differences between different legal systems, BTE and ATE insurance arrangements may be instrumental if government policy is geared towards strengthening a market-oriented system of financing access to justice for individuals and business. At the same time, emphasizing the role of a private industry as a keeper of the gates to justice raises issues of accountability and transparency, not readily reconcilable with demands of competition. Moreover, multiple actors (clients, lawyers, courts, insurers) are involved, causing behavioural dynamics which are not easily predicted or influenced. Against this background, this paper looks into BTE and ATE arrangements by analysing the particularities of BTE and ATE arrangements currently available in some European jurisdictions and by painting a picture of their respective markets and legal contexts. This allows for some reflection on the performance of BTE and ATE providers as both financiers and keepers. Two issues emerge from the analysis that are worthy of some further reflection. Firstly, there is the problematic long-term sustainability of some ATE products. Secondly, the challenges faced by policymakers that would like to nudge consumers into voluntarily taking out BTE LEI

Penilaian Kinerja Keuangan Koperasi di Kabupaten Pelalawan

This paper describe development and financial performance of cooperative in District Pelalawan among 2007 - 2008. Studies on primary and secondary cooperative in 12 sub-districts. Method in this stady use performance measuring of productivity, efficiency, growth, liquidity, and solvability of cooperative. Productivity of cooperative in Pelalawan was highly but efficiency still low. Profit and income were highly, even liquidity of cooperative very high, and solvability was good