Alpha 1 antitrypsin gene: A case-control study in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency is an inherited disorder that causes low levels of, or no AAT in the blood. The most common illness in adults with AAT deficiency is lung disease during the third and fourth decades of life. Most commonly, it is associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Mutations in the protease inhibitor (PI) gene, located on chromosome 14, are associated with this genetic disorder. The Z protein is due to a single amino acid substitution of 342 glutamine lysine. Although cigarette smoking is the main environmental risk factor, only about 15% of smokers develop clinically significant disease suggesting other influences on disease expression. The study included hospital based age and sex matched 100 cases of COPD and 100 controls without COPD recruited from Christian Medical Centre, Jorhat, Assam. These cases were recruited from February 2009 to December 2009. Subjects were included in the COPD group on the basis of lung function test. DNA extraction was done by DNA extraction kit and amplification for AAT gene was done by site directed mutagenesis polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method as described by Tazellar et al. (1992). We found that smoking was the prior cause of COPD. A1AT deficiency is not prevalent in our population subset but certain other genes could be the attributable factor for COPD.Key words: Alpha 1-antitrypsin, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD)

Restrictions and extensions of semibounded operators

We study restriction and extension theory for semibounded Hermitian operators in the Hardy space of analytic functions on the disk D. Starting with the operator zd/dz, we show that, for every choice of a closed subset F in T=bd(D) of measure zero, there is a densely defined Hermitian restriction of zd/dz corresponding to boundary functions vanishing on F. For every such restriction operator, we classify all its selfadjoint extension, and for each we present a complete spectral picture. We prove that different sets F with the same cardinality can lead to quite different boundary-value problems, inequivalent selfadjoint extension operators, and quite different spectral configurations. As a tool in our analysis, we prove that the von Neumann deficiency spaces, for a fixed set F, have a natural presentation as reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces, with a Hurwitz zeta-function, restricted to FxF, as reproducing kernel.Comment: 63 pages, 11 figure

Lack of the Long Pentraxin PTX3 Promotes Autoimmune Lung Disease but not Glomerulonephritis in Murine Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

The long pentraxin PTX3 has multiple roles in innate immunity. For example, PTX3 regulates C1q binding to pathogens and dead cells and regulates their uptake by phagocytes. It also inhibits P-selectin-mediated recruitment of leukocytes. Both of these mechanisms are known to be involved in autoimmunity and autoimmune tissue injury, e.g. in systemic lupus erythematosus, but a contribution of PTX3 is hypothetical. To evaluate a potential immunoregulatory role of PTX3 in autoimmunity we crossed Ptx3-deficient mice with Fas-deficient (lpr) C57BL/6 (B6) mice with mild lupus-like autoimmunity. PTX3 was found to be increasingly expressed in kidneys and lungs of B6lpr along disease progression. Lack of PTX3 impaired the phagocytic uptake of apoptotic T cells into peritoneal macrophages and selectively expanded CD4/CD8 double negative T cells while other immune cell subsets and lupus autoantibody production remained unaffected. Lack of PTX3 also aggravated autoimmune lung disease, i.e. peribronchial and perivascular CD3+ T cell and macrophage infiltrates of B6lpr mice. In contrast, histomorphological and functional parameters of lupus nephritis remained unaffected by the Ptx3 genotype. Together, PTX3 specifically suppresses autoimmune lung disease that is associated with systemic lupus erythematosus. Vice versa, loss-of-function mutations in the Ptx3 gene might represent a genetic risk factor for pulmonary (but not renal) manifestations of systemic lupus or other autoimmune diseases

Hypericum sp.: essential oil composition and biological activities

Phytochemical composition of Hypericum genus has been investigated for many years. In the recent past, studies on the essential oils (EO) of this genus have been progressing and many of them have reported interesting biological activities. Variations in the EO composition of Hypericum species influenced by seasonal variation, geographic distribution, phenological cycle and type of the organ in which EO are produced and/or accumulated have also been reported. Although many reviews attributed to the characterization as well as biological activities of H. perforatum crude extracts have been published, no review has been published on the EO composition and biological activities of Hypericum species until recently (Crockett in Nat Prod Commun 5(9):1493–1506, 2010; Bertoli et al. in Global Sci Books 5:29–47, 2011). In this article, we summarize and update information regarding the composition and biological activities of Hypericum species EO. Based on experimental work carried out in our laboratory we also mention possible biotechnology approaches envisaging EO improvement of some species of the genus.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - project PTDC/AGR AAM/70418/2006, SFRH/BD/ 13283/2003

Ten years of Dryland Agricultural Research. AICRPDA, Biswanath chariali

Not AvailableThe Assam state has 28.1 lakh hectares of net cropped area accounting for nearly 35.1 % of the total geographical area. The state receives an average rainfall of 1968.1 mm with intermittent dry spells. Majority of area in Assam comes under rainfed area. The rainfed areas are endowed with wide range of constraints with respect to soil and crop management and socio economic issues. The All India Coordinated Research for Dryland Agriculture(AICRPDA) center which was initially established at Jorhat in 2005 was shifted to Biswanath Chariali during 2010. Since its inception, the center has generated significant amount of database and good number of technologies on rain water management, nutrient management, cropping system, energy management, resource characterization, evaluation of improved varieties, IFS and alternate land use systems etc. for increasing the productivity of dryland agriculture on sustainable basis. These technologies have been demonstrated in the farmers' field with their participation under the NICRA project, NICRA upscaling programmes, TSP programmes and success stories have been documented. This publication includes research result of AICRPDA for the past one decade. The information provided in this publication would help the researchers, farmers/stake holders, extension workers and all those involved in development of rainfed agriculture furthering the cause of dryland research and for upscaling the different dryland technologies for increasing the productivity. I appreciate the efforts of the team of Scientists of AICRPDA, Biswanath Chariali and Jorhat center and congratulate them for bringing out the publication entitled " Ten Years of Dryland Agricultural Research". I wish them all success in future research and development endeavor.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableAim: The aim of the study was to explore the anti-methanogenic potential of phyto-sources from Northeast region of the country and assess the effect on rumen fermentation characteristics and protozoa for their likely inclusion in animal diet to reduce methane emission. Materials and Methods: Twenty phyto-sources were collected from Northeast state, Assam, during March to April 2014. Phyto-sources were analyzed for their tannin content followed by screening for methane mitigation potential using in vitro system. The effect of tannin on methane production and other fermentation parameters was confirmed by attenuating the effect of tannin with polyethylene glycol (PEG)-6000 addition. About 200 mg dried phyto-source samples were incubated for 24 h in vitro, and volume of gas produced was recorded. The gas sample was analyzed on gas chromatograph for the proportion of methane in the sample. The effect of phyto-sources on rumen fermentation characteristics and protozoal population was determined using standard methodologies. Results: Results from studies demonstrated that Litchi chinensis, Melastoma malabathricum, Lagerstroemia speciosa, Terminalia chebula, and Syzygium cumini produced comparatively less methane, while Christella parasitica, Leucas linifolia, Citrus grandis, and Aquilaria malaccensis produced relatively more methane during in vitro incubation. An increase (p<0.05) in gas and methane production from the phyto-sources was observed when incubated with PEG-6000. Entodinimorphs were prominent ciliates irrespective of the phyto-sources, while holotrichs represented only small fraction of protozoa. An increase (p<0.05) in total protozoa, entodinimorphs, and holotrichs was noted when PEG-6000 added to the basal substrate. Our study confirmed variable impact of phyto-sources on total volatile fatty acid production and ammonia-N. Conclusion: It may be concluded that L. chinensis, M. malabathricum, L. speciosa, S. cumini, and T. chebula are having potent methane suppressing properties as observed in vitro in 24 h. These leaves could be supplemented in the animal diet for reducing methane emission; however, in vivo trials are warranted to confirm the methane inhibitory action and optimize the level of supplementation.ICA

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Not AvailableAim:This study was carried out to determine the effect of graded level supplementation of selected tanniniferous phyto-sources, viz. Syzygium cumini,Machilus bombycina and Acharas zapota on in vitromethane, fermentation characteristics and rumen protozoa population in order to determine the optimum dose of supplementation for the inclusion in the ruminant diet to achieve methane reduction.Study Design: This study was design based on previousscreening studies carried out in our laboratory. A graded level study was carried out here to determine the optimum dose of inclusion of these phyto-sources in the ruminant diet. Methodology: In vitrogas production test was carried out by adding these sources at different levels viz. 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% to the basal diet consisting finger milletstraw (Elusine coracana)as roughage source and concentrate in 70:30. The gas samples obtained after 24 h of incubation were analysed using gas chromatograph. Theeffect of phyto-sources on rumen fermentation characteristics and protozoa population was determined using standard methodologies.Results:The addition of these phyto-sources significantly (P=.05) reduced the total gas production at 10% in case of Machilus bombycina and above 10% in Syzygium cumini, while Acharas zapotahad reduce gas production at the highest inclusion level. However, all the phyto-sources reduced methane production as the percentage of inclusion increased.Effect on fibre digestion wasalso observed.A significant effect (P=.05) on rumen ammonia-N and protozoa were observed. An overall reduction in TVFA was also recorded in this study. Conclusion:This study confirms that the selected phyto-sources were potent methane inhibitor. Considering 200 mg of basal diet, S.cuminiand A.zapotacan be included within 10% of the basal diet and M.bombycina, at a maximum of 5% to reduce methanewithout affecting rumen fermentation unfavourably. However, long-term in vivotrials should be conducted to determine the efficacy of these phyto-sources on enteric methane emission.ICA