Role of Aryl Hydrocarbon-Ligands in the Regulation of Autoimmunity

The aim of this study is to show the effects of activating aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) by specific ligands, on the expression of responsive genes. Specific AhR-ligands were reported to play an important role in immune regulation. This chapter will focus mostly on the effects of activating AhR with different ligands on autoimmunity. Findings showed the possibility of using the AhR to treat inflammatory and autoimmune diseases in mice. AhR ligation with specific ligands can affect T cell differentiation, through activation of CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells and downregulation of the pro-inflammatory T helper 17 cells. The results showed the effects of specific AhR-ligands on the production of pro-inflammatory and/or anti-inflammatory T cell subsets, the potential to use AhR-ligands in regulating the inflammation of organ/tissues in various diseases, suggesting that specific AhR-ligands could be used for immune regulation in pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases of human and mice

BIOCHAR IN CATTLE FARMING: AN INNOVATIVE SOLUTION FOR SOIL FERTILITY AND CATTLE PRODUCTIVITY

Biochar as a soil amendment is increasingly popular in agricultural sector in the past few years. The production and application of biochar is increasing in a constant rate to meet farm requirements. Biochar is similar to charcoal and activated charcoal, which are pyrogenic carbonaceous matter derived from organic carbon rich matter through pyrolysis. The primary products generated by pyrolysis are biochar, syngas and bio-oils depending on biomass and pyrolysis conditions. The quality of biochar is according to primary biomass source, pyrolysis temperature and time which ultimately effects on variations in physicochemical properties such as porosity, carboncontent, elemental composition, surface area, retention capacity and overall applications. While biochar has been receiving attention as a restorative soil amendment, innovative dimensions for this ultra-porous material are cropping up all over the industrial landscape. In recent times, biochar has been gaining attention in agricultural productivity not as a soil fertility agent, but as an animal feed and animal husbandry applications. Biochar a carbonized biomass similar to charcoal is utilized for treating animals for centuries. An enhanced utility of biochar as cattle feed globally, to improve animal health, increased nutrient intake efficiency and thus productivity. Since biochar is enriched with nitrogen rich organic compounds during the digestion process, the excreted biochar manure acts as a valuable organic fertilizer causing lower nutrient losses and green house gas emissions during storage and soil application. The use of biochar as feed additive has the ability for general body fitness of animals, increased feed efficiency, minimize nutrient losses and greenhouse gas emission, increase the soil organic matter content and thus soil fertility as applied to soil. It can maintain blood cell contents, increase egg, milk and meat productivity and able to resist pathogens in gastrointestinal tract and reduce methane emission from animals. Moreover, the high sorption capacity of biochar removes the pollutants and toxins from the gastrointestinal tract of animals. However, current awareness on effectiveness of biochar in animal production is less, which should be explored more. The challenges such as safety, dosages, contaminations, cost and awareness among farmers need to be addressed. The review highlights the potential benefits of biochar as animal feed in all possible dimension

Polyvinylidene Difluoride Piezoelectric Electrospun Nanofibers: Review in Synthesis, Fabrication, Characterizations, and Applications

This review article highlights the methods and principles used for PVDF nanofiber creation and the use of these nanofibers in different fields by utilizing its piezoelectric performance, etc. The studies include different techniques to improve the alignment and piezoelectric behavior of nanofibers. The pressure versus sensitivity behavior of PVDF substrate is thoroughly analyzed. The optimum conditions (of experimental parameters) of the electrospinning technique are carefully studied to improve the structure, alignment, and performance of the generated nanofiber mats. In addition to experimental methods, the preparation of nanocomposites with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) also can improve the structure, alignment, and piezoelectric performance. The characterization tools used for the analyses of fabricated nanofibers are also discussed, in addition, to analyze the piezoelectric results of the targeted nanocomposite

Reproductive Ecology of Forage Alfalfa (<em>Medicago sativa</em> L.): Recent Advances

Plants display an assorted collection of reproductive tactics that eventually play a crucial role in perpetuation of species. Plant reproductive ecology is principally concerned with the adaptive implications of the plant in their vicinity, disparity in qualities allied with pollination, seed dispersal, and seedling establishment. The success in reproduction in most flowering plants depends on ecological interactions with pollinators and seed dispersal agents. Modern tactics in reproductive ecology can integrate proper surveys, advanced pollination studies, interaction between flower and pollinators and clear assessments of population genetic structure, which can provide new opportunities for plant reproductive biology. Alfalfa is an important forage legume and known as “Queen of forages” due to its worldwide adaptability, high yield potential and quality. Alfalfa produces seeds which are primarily used for forage production. It is a gift to livestock industry including dairy, beef, horses, and sheep for grazing, silage, hay etc. Alfalfa is also a medicinal herb with antioxidant, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and cardioprotective properties, utilized for treatment of arthritis, kidney problems. The seeds are exploited in alfalfa sprout industry. The current chapter highlights the reproductive biology of alfalfa from flower development to seed production and its advances

Vomerine hamartoma in a cleft palate child

A case of a female child born at full term after normal vaginal delivery with bilateral secondary complete cleft palate and vomerine hamartoma mimicking intra-oral midline encephalocoele. Radiologically the tumour was confined to the vomer without intra-cranial extension. The lesion was occupying the oral cavity causing feeding problem. Surgical excision of the tumour at the age of six months and two flaps palatoplasty at the age of twelve months were performed. On histopathology the lesion turned out to be a lipomatous hamartoma of a benign nature. The child was followed for 9 years with no evidence of recurrence and a satisfactory speech. To our knowledge this is the first report of cleft palate with vomerine hamartoma in the English literature

Complication of improper management of sodium hypochlorite accident during root canal treatment

Con objeto de analizar el alcance de algunas de las herramientas disponibles, para la definición de los rangos de confort térmico, fuente de información sustancial a la hora de iniciar un diseño bioclimático de espacios arquitectónicos, se realizó el estudio, en base a los valores suministrados por el Servicio Meteorológico Nacional, para distintas localidades del país. Al mismo tiempo se evaluó, el comportamiento de las mismas ante cambios de las variables identificadas como de mayor peso sobre los resultados, obteniendo respuestas disímiles ante situaciones semejantes. De lo anterior se desprende la necesidad de determinar los límites de dichas herramientas de cálculo y su aplicabilidad o necesaria adaptación a la situación analizada, ya sea dada la actividad que se realizara en los edificios, como así también a las características fisiológicas de los ocupantes. Se identificaron las similitudes, alcances y falencias de las herramientas de cálculo.With the purpose of analyzing the usefulness of some of the available calculation tools for defining thermal comfort ranges, a source of key information when starting the bioclimatic design of architectural spaces, a study, based on data provided by the Servicio Meteorologico Nacional (National Meteorological Service), for different location in the country, was accomplished. At the same time, the behaviour of the variables with greater incidence on the results was assessed. The conclusion arrived-at, was that the models yield different results for similar situations. From this analysis, the need of evaluating the limitations of the tools considered and their applicability or necessary adaptation to the analyzed situation was clearly evident, considering the activity carried on inside the building and the physiologic responses of the occupants. Similarities, scopes and short coming of the calculation tools were identified.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES

Giant gluteal lipoma-like liposarcoma: a case report

© 2008 Sultan et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens