AMELIORATIVE ROLE OF GARLIC (ALLIUM SATIVUM) ON CHROMIUM (VI) - INDUCED MEMBRANE DAMAGE IN MALE ALBINO RATS

Objective: Membrane damage is one of the important consequences of chromium (Cr) induced cytotoxicity. Garlic possesses antioxidant property to scavenge the toxic radicals and cytoprotective activity. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the ameliorative role of aqueous extract of garlic (AEG) on Cr-induced membrane damage of both liver and kidneys in male albino rats. Methods: Male albino rats of Wistar strain (80-100 g) were used for the present study. Rats were divided into three groups of almost equal average body weight. The animals of two groups were injected K2Cr2O7 at a dose of 0.8 mg per 100 g body weight per day for 28 days. The animals of one of the Cr-treated groups served as the supplemented group supplied aqueous extract of garlic (AEG) (250 mg per kg body weight daily at an interval of 6 h after injection of Cr for a period of 28 days). The animals of the remaining group received only the vehicle (0.9% NaCl), served as control. The body weights of the animals were taken in each day of treatment schedule. Results: The results indicated that significant increases in membrane cholesterol level as well as significant decreases in membrane phospholipid level in Cr exposed animals suggest structural alterations in both liver and kidneys plasma membrane. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total ATPase, and Na+-K+- ATPase activities of plasma membrane were significantly decreased in both liver and kidneys after Cr treatment. On the other hand, AEG supplementation plays a vital role to restore such alterations induced by Cr in plasma membrane of both liver and kidney. Conclusion: These findings indicate that Cr treatment at the present dose and duration induces structural and functional alterations in the plasma membrane in both liver and kidney. However, AEG supplementation restored those alterations induced by Cr in plasma membrane of both liver and kidneys but was not able to eliminate the deposited Cr from the liver and kidney tissues

Dark Energy from pNGB Mediated Dirac Neutrino Condensate

We consider an extension of the Standard Model that provide an unified description of eV scale neutrino mass and dark energy. An explicit model is presented by augmenting the Standard Model with an $SU(2)_L$ doublet scalar, a singlet scalar and right handed neutrinos where all of them are assumed to be charged under a global $U(1)_X$ symmetry. A light pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone Boson, associated with the spontaneously broken $U(1)_{X}$ symmetry, acts as a mediator of an attractive force leading to a Dirac neutrino condensate, with large correlation length, and a non-zero gap in the right range providing a cosmologically feasible dark energy scenario. The neutrino mass is generated through the usual Dirac seesaw mechanism. Parameter space, reproducing viable dark energy scenario while having neutrino mass in the right ballpark, is presented.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures, 2 tables; new clarifications and discussions are added; updated reference list; matches published versio

Green synthesized silver nanoparticles destroy multidrug resistant bacteria via reactive oxygen species mediated membrane damage

AbstractThe growing need of antimicrobial agent for novel therapies against multi-drug resistant bacteria has drawn researchers to green nanotechnology. Especially, eco-friendly biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) has shown its interesting impact against bacterial infection in laboratory research. In this study, a simple method was developed to form Ag NPs at room temperature, bio-reduction of silver ions from silver nitrate salt by leaf extract from Ocimum gratissimum. The Ag NPs appear to be capped with plant proteins, but are otherwise highly crystalline and pure. The Ag NPs have a zeta potential of −15mV, a hydrodynamic diameter of 31nm with polydispersity index of 0.65, and dry sizes of 18±3nm and 16±2nm, based on scanning and transmission electron microscopy respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the Ag NPs against a multi-drug resistant Escherichia coli was 4μg/mL and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) was 8μg/mL, while the MIC and MBC against a resistant strain of Staphylococcus aureus were slightly higher at 8μg/mL and 16μg/mL respectively. Further, the Ag NPs inhibited biofilm formation by both Escherichia coli and S. aureus at concentrations similar to the MIC for each strain. Treatment of E. coli and S. aureus with Ag NPs resulted in damage to the surface of the cells and the production of reactive oxygen species. Both mechanisms likely contribute to bacterial cell death. In summary, this new method appears promising for green biosynthesis of pure Ag NPs with potent antimicrobial activity

Dynamics of Hot QCD Matter -- Current Status and Developments

The discovery and characterization of hot and dense QCD matter, known as Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP), remains the most international collaborative effort and synergy between theorists and experimentalists in modern nuclear physics to date. The experimentalists around the world not only collect an unprecedented amount of data in heavy-ion collisions, at Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) in New York, USA, and the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland but also analyze these data to unravel the mystery of this new phase of matter that filled a few microseconds old universe, just after the Big Bang. In the meantime, advancements in theoretical works and computing capability extend our wisdom about the hot-dense QCD matter and its dynamics through mathematical equations. The exchange of ideas between experimentalists and theoreticians is crucial for the progress of our knowledge. The motivation of this first conference named "HOT QCD Matter 2022" is to bring the community together to have a discourse on this topic. In this article, there are 36 sections discussing various topics in the field of relativistic heavy-ion collisions and related phenomena that cover a snapshot of the current experimental observations and theoretical progress. This article begins with the theoretical overview of relativistic spin-hydrodynamics in the presence of the external magnetic field, followed by the Lattice QCD results on heavy quarks in QGP, and finally, it ends with an overview of experiment results.Comment: Compilation of the contributions (148 pages) as presented in the `Hot QCD Matter 2022 conference', held from May 12 to 14, 2022, jointly organized by IIT Goa & Goa University, Goa, Indi

Nations within a nation: variations in epidemiological transition across the states of India, 1990–2016 in the Global Burden of Disease Study

18% of the world's population lives in India, and many states of India have populations similar to those of large countries. Action to effectively improve population health in India requires availability of reliable and comprehensive state-level estimates of disease burden and risk factors over time. Such comprehensive estimates have not been available so far for all major diseases and risk factors. Thus, we aimed to estimate the disease burden and risk factors in every state of India as part of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2016