Antioxidative Properties of Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia) and Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo)

The enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidative capacities of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) and zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) were investigated in water extracts and chemical buffer extracts. Bitter gourd and zucchini fruits were purchased from a farmer’s market and homogenized separately in water and in a native enzyme extraction buffer. Total phenolic compounds, free radical DPPH scavenging activity, SOD activity and β- glucosidase activity were assayed in the extracts. The average total phenolic compounds recorded in bitter gourd were 13.28 GAE/g fresh weights while in zucchini, the average was 8.67GAE/g fresh weight. This study also found that bitter gourd was 82.05% as effective as ascorbic acid in inhibiting the free radical DPPH while zucchini was 12.19% as effective. The results indicated that bitter gourd was significantly higher in antioxidant content and in β-glucosidase activities than zucchini (P\u3c0.05). On the other hand, significantly higher SOD activities were recorded in zucchini than in bitter gourd extracts

Observations of H3+ in the Diffuse Interstellar Medium

Surprisingly large column densities of H3+ have been detected using infrared absorption spectroscopy in seven diffuse cloud sightlines (Cygnus OB2 12, Cygnus OB2 5, HD 183143, HD 20041, WR 104, WR 118, and WR 121), demonstrating that H3+ is ubiquitous in the diffuse interstellar medium. Using the standard model of diffuse cloud chemistry, our H3+ column densities imply unreasonably long path lengths (~1 kpc) and low densities (~3 cm^-3). Complimentary millimeter-wave, infrared, and visible observations of related species suggest that the chemical model is incorrect and that the number density of H3+ must be increased by one to two orders of magnitude. Possible solutions include a reduced electron fraction, an enhanced rate of H2 ionization, and/or a smaller value of the H3+ dissociative recombination rate constant than implied by laboratory experiments.Comment: To be published in Astrophysical Journal, March 200

Diabetes status and post-load plasma glucose concentration in relation to site-specific cancer mortality: findings from the original Whitehall study

ObjectiveWhile several studies have reported on the relation of diabetes status with pancreatic cancer risk, the predictive value of this disorder for other malignancies is unclear. Methods: The Whitehall study, a 25year follow-up for mortality experience of 18,006 men with data on post-challenge blood glucose and self-reported diabetes, allowed us to address these issues. Results: There were 2158 cancer deaths at follow-up. Of the 15 cancer outcomes, diabetes status was positively associated with mortality from carcinoma of the pancreas and liver, while the relationship with lung cancer was inverse, after controlling for a range of potential covariates and mediators which included obesity and socioeconomic position. After excluding deaths occurring in the first 10years of follow-up to examine the effect of reverse causality, the magnitude of the relationships for carcinoma of the pancreas and lung was little altered, while for liver cancer it was markedly attenuated. Conclusions: In the present study, diabetes status was related to pancreatic, liver, and lung cancer risk. Cohorts with serially collected data on blood glucose and covariates are required to further examine this area

Testing A (Stringy) Model of Quantum Gravity

I discuss a specific model of space-time foam, inspired by the modern non-perturbative approach to string theory (D-branes). The model views our world as a three brane, intersecting with D-particles that represent stringy quantum gravity effects, which can be real or virtual. In this picture, matter is represented generically by (closed or open) strings on the D3 brane propagating in such a background. Scattering of the (matter) strings off the D-particles causes recoil of the latter, which in turn results in a distortion of the surrounding space-time fluid and the formation of (microscopic, i.e. Planckian size) horizons around the defects. As a mean-field result, the dispersion relation of the various particle excitations is modified, leading to non-trivial optical properties of the space time, for instance a non-trivial refractive index for the case of photons or other massless probes. Such models make falsifiable predictions, that may be tested experimentally in the foreseeable future. I describe a few such tests, ranging from observations of light from distant gamma-ray-bursters and ultra high energy cosmic rays, to tests using gravity-wave interferometric devices and terrestrial particle physics experients involving, for instance, neutral kaons.Comment: 25 pages LATEX, four figures incorporated, uses special proceedings style. Invited talk at the third international conference on Dark Matter in Astro and Particle Physics, DARK2000, Heidelberg, Germany, July 10-15 200

Second order QCD corrections to inclusive semileptonic b \to Xc l \bar \nu_l decays with massless and massive lepton

We extend previous computations of the second order QCD corrections to semileptonic b \to c inclusive transitions, to the case where the charged lepton in the final state is massive. This allows accurate description of b \to c \tau \bar \nu_\tau decays. We review techniques used in the computation of O(\alpha_s^2) corrections to inclusive semileptonic b \to c transitions and present extensive numerical studies of O(\alpha_s^2) QCD corrections to b \to c l \bar \nu_l decays, for l =e, \tau.Comment: 30 pages, 4 figures, 5 table

Isolation of a wide range of minerals from a thermally treated plant: Equisetum arvense, a Mare’s tale

Silica is the second most abundant biomineral being exceeded in nature only by biogenic CaCO3. Many land plants (such as rice, cereals, cucumber, etc.) deposit silica in significant amounts to reinforce their tissues and as a systematic response to pathogen attack. One of the most ancient species of living vascular plants, Equisetum arvense is also able to take up and accumulate silica in all parts of the plant. Numerous methods have been developed for elimination of the organic material and/or metal ions present in plant material to isolate biogenic silica. However, depending on the chemical and/or physical treatment applied to branch or stem from Equisetum arvense; other mineral forms such glass-type materials (i.e. CaSiO3), salts (i.e. KCl) or luminescent materials can also be isolated from the plant material. In the current contribution, we show the chemical and/or thermal routes that lead to the formation of a number of different mineral types in addition to biogenic silica

Annotations for Rule-Based Models

The chapter reviews the syntax to store machine-readable annotations and describes the mapping between rule-based modelling entities (e.g., agents and rules) and these annotations. In particular, we review an annotation framework and the associated guidelines for annotating rule-based models of molecular interactions, encoded in the commonly used Kappa and BioNetGen languages, and present prototypes that can be used to extract and query the annotations. An ontology is used to annotate models and facilitate their description

Electroweak Physics at LHC

The prospects for electroweak physics at the LHC are reviewed focusing mainly on precision studies. This includes projections for measurements of the effective Z pole weak mixing angle, of top quark, W boson, and Higgs scalar properties, and new physics searches

A pivotal role for starch in the reconfiguration of 14C-partitioning and allocation in Arabidopsis thaliana under short-term abiotic stress.

Plant carbon status is optimized for normal growth but is affected by abiotic stress. Here, we used 14C-labeling to provide the first holistic picture of carbon use changes during short-term osmotic, salinity, and cold stress in Arabidopsis thaliana. This could inform on the early mechanisms plants use to survive adverse environment, which is important for efficient agricultural production. We found that carbon allocation from source to sinks, and partitioning into major metabolite pools in the source leaf, sink leaves and roots showed both conserved and divergent responses to the stresses examined. Carbohydrates changed under all abiotic stresses applied; plants re-partitioned 14C to maintain sugar levels under stress, primarily by reducing 14C into the storage compounds in the source leaf, and decreasing 14C into the pools used for growth processes in the roots. Salinity and cold increased 14C-flux into protein, but as the stress progressed, protein degradation increased to produce amino acids, presumably for osmoprotection. Our work also emphasized that stress regulated the carbon channeled into starch, and its metabolic turnover. These stress-induced changes in starch metabolism and sugar export in the source were partly accompanied by transcriptional alteration in the T6P/SnRK1 regulatory pathway that are normally activated by carbon starvation