Genetic variation and heritability estimation in Jatropha curcas L. progenies for seed yield and vegetative traits

In this study, experiment was conducted on sandy loam soils poor in organic carbon and water holding capacity in southern Haryana, India to determine the best progenies of Jatropha curcas for bio-diesel production. Fifty progenies raised from seed sources collected from nine states of India were evaluated after five years of plantation for growth, seed and oil content traits. The progenies showed significant (P> 0.05) differences for all the traits studied. Maximum seed yield/plant (879.37 g), number of capsules/plant (522.67) and plant height (408.33 cm) was recorded in P-44. Maximum oil content observed in P-37 (36.08%) followed by P-5 (35.64%). The magnitude of phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was higher than the corresponding genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) for all the characters studied. Heritability was highest for oil content (95.49%) and 100-seed weight (87.75%) followed by seed yield (75.54%). Total capsules/plant exhibited highest genetic advance (92.69%) followed by number of branches per plant (64.32%). Hierarchical Euclidean cluster analysis of all 50 progenies using D2 statistics was done where the D2 analysis grouped the progenies into five clusters. The intra cluster distances ranged from 1.33 to 2.72. The maximum inter-cluster distance was observed between cluster II and V (6.43) followed by I and V indicating greater divergence among progenies belonging to these clusters and an attempt to cross the progenies in these clusters should bring out desirable gene combinations. These progenies showed considerable potential which can be tapped for planting and selecting the improved varieties

SWI/SNF regulates a transcriptional programme that induces senescence to prevent liver cancer

Oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) is a potent tumour suppressor mechanism. To identify senescence regulators relevant to cancer, we screened an shRNA library targeting genes deleted in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, we describe how knockdown of the SWI/SNF component ARID1B prevents OIS and cooperates with RAS to induce liver tumours. ARID1B controls p16INK4a and p21CIP1a transcription but also regulates DNA damage, oxidative stress and p53 induction, suggesting that SWI/SNF uses additional mechanisms to regulate senescence. To systematically identify SWI/SNF targets regulating senescence, we carried out a focused shRNA screen. We discovered several new senescence regulators including ENTPD7, an enzyme that hydrolyses nucleotides. ENTPD7 affects oxidative stress, DNA damage and senescence. Importantly, expression of ENTPD7 or inhibition of nucleotide synthesis in ARID1B-depleted cells results in re-establishment of senescence. Our results identify novel mechanisms by which epigenetic regulators can affect tumor progression and suggest that pro-senescence therapies could be employed against SWI/SNF-mutated cancers

Curcumin: A medicinal plant and its effects in medicine and dentistry

Since ancient time plants have been a major source of medicine. Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is an orange-yellow component of turmeric (Curcuma longa), a spice often found in curry powder. Traditionally known for its anti-inflammatory effects, C. longa has a long history of the curative use in the Ayurvedic and Chinese systems of medicine. Curcumin, a polyphenolic constituent, is the active ingredient in dietary spice turmeric. While numerous pharmacological activities, including antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, anti-inflammatory properties have been attributed to curcumin, turmeric can also be used as a pit and fissure sealant, mouthwash, and subgingival irrigant in various preparations. In gel form, it is a component in local drugs delivery system. This review gives a bird’s eye view mainly on the biological activities of the miswak and plausible medicinal and dental application

Early diagnosis of congenital methemoglobinemia type 1 in a 4-year-old child

Bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membrane is known as cyanosis which is a clinical sign that occurs in many diseases. Thecauses of central cyanosis are cardiac shunts causing mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood, lung diseases with ventilationperfusionmismatch, polycythemia, and methemoglobinemia. Methemoglobin is the oxidized form of hemoglobin, which doesnot bind oxygen and increases the affinity of oxygen for the partially oxidized portion of hemoglobin. Methemoglobinemia maybe congenital or acquired (usually drug induced). Congenital methemoglobinemia is a very rarely reported disease that is causedby a deficiency of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-cytochrome b5 reductase enzyme deficiency or by an abnormalhemoglobin called hemoglobin H. Acquired methemoglobinemia is caused by drugs, namely the sulfonamide group and localanesthetics such as benzocaine and prilocaine. Here, we present the case of a 4-year-old girl who presented with complaints ofbluishness of the fingers and lips without any other associated symptoms and later on diagnosed as congenital methemoglobinemi

Frequency and Practice-Level Variation in Inappropriate Aspirin Use for the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease Insights From the National Cardiovascular Disease Registry’s Practice Innovation and Clinical Excellence Registry

AbstractBackgroundAmong patients without cardiovascular disease (CVD) and low 10-year CVD risk, the risks of gastrointestinal bleeding and hemorrhagic strokes associated with aspirin use outweigh any potential atheroprotective benefit. According to the guidelines on primary prevention of CVD, aspirin use is considered appropriate only in patients with 10-year CVD risk ≥6% and inappropriate in patients with 10-year CVD risk <6%.ObjectivesThe goal of this study was to examine the frequency and practice-level variation in inappropriate aspirin use for primary prevention in a large U.S. nationwide registry.MethodsWithin the National Cardiovascular Disease Registry’s Practice Innovation and Clinical Excellence registry, we assessed 68,808 unique patients receiving aspirin for primary prevention from 119 U.S. practices. The frequency of inappropriate aspirin use was determined for primary prevention (aspirin use in those with 10-year CVD risk <6%). Using hierarchical regression models, the extent of practice-level variation using the median rate ratio (MRR) was assessed.ResultsInappropriate aspirin use frequency was 11.6% (7,972 of 68,808) in the overall cohort. There was significant practice-level variation in inappropriate use (range 0% to 71.8%; median 10.1%; interquartile range 6.4%) for practices; adjusted MRR was 1.63 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.47 to 1.77). Results remained consistent after excluding 21,052 women age ≥65 years (inappropriate aspirin use 15.2%; median practice-level inappropriate aspirin use 13.8%; interquartile range 8.2%; adjusted MRR 1.61 [95% CI: 1.46 to 1.75]) and after excluding patients with diabetes (inappropriate aspirin use 13.9%; median practice-level inappropriate aspirin use 12.4%; interquartile range 7.6%; adjusted MRR 1.55 [95% CI: 1.41 to 1.67]).ConclusionsMore than 1 in 10 patients in this national registry were receiving inappropriate aspirin therapy for primary prevention, with significant practice-level variations. Our findings suggest that there are important opportunities to improve evidence-based aspirin use for the primary prevention of CVD

Prospective Study Evaluating Management of Hypertension Induced by anti-VEGF Therapy in Patients with Active Cancer: VEGFHTN Trial

https://openworks.mdanderson.org/sumexp23/1027/thumbnail.jp

Myocardial Injury, Obesity, and the Obesity Paradox

To examine whether pre-heart failure (HF) myocardial injury explains the differential mortality after HF across weight categories

Quantitative Analysis of Protein Phosphorylations and Interactions by Multi-Colour IP-FCM as an Input for Kinetic Modelling of Signalling Networks

BACKGROUND: To understand complex biological signalling mechanisms, mathematical modelling of signal transduction pathways has been applied successfully in last few years. However, precise quantitative measurements of signal transduction events such as activation-dependent phosphorylation of proteins, remains one bottleneck to this success. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We use multi-colour immunoprecipitation measured by flow cytometry (IP-FCM) for studying signal transduction events to unrivalled precision. In this method, antibody-coupled latex beads capture the protein of interest from cellular lysates and are then stained with differently fluorescent-labelled antibodies to quantify the amount of the immunoprecipitated protein, of an interaction partner and of phosphorylation sites. The fluorescence signals are measured by FCM. Combining this procedure with beads containing defined amounts of a fluorophore allows retrieving absolute numbers of stained proteins, and not only relative values. Using IP-FCM we derived multidimensional data on the membrane-proximal T-cell antigen receptor (TCR-CD3) signalling network, including the recruitment of the kinase ZAP70 to the TCR-CD3 and subsequent ZAP70 activation by phosphorylation in the murine T-cell hybridoma and primary murine T cells. Counter-intuitively, these data showed that cell stimulation by pervanadate led to a transient decrease of the phospho-ZAP70/ZAP70 ratio at the TCR. A mechanistic mathematical model of the underlying processes demonstrated that an initial massive recruitment of non-phosphorylated ZAP70 was responsible for this behaviour. Further, the model predicted a temporal order of multisite phosphorylation of ZAP70 (with Y319 phosphorylation preceding phosphorylation at Y493) that we subsequently verified experimentally. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The quantitative data sets generated by IP-FCM are one order of magnitude more precise than Western blot data. This accuracy allowed us to gain unequalled insight into the dynamics of the TCR-CD3-ZAP70 signalling network