36 research outputs found

    Pharmacological Effects of Asiatic acid in Glioblastoma Cells under Hypoxia

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    Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and malignant primary brain tumor in adults. Despite current treatment options including surgery followed by radiation and chemotherapy with temozolomide (TMZ) and cisplatin, the median survival rate remains low (<16 months). Combined with increasing drug resistance and the inability of some compounds to cross the blood brain barrier (BBB), novel compounds are being sought for the treatment of this disease. Here, we aimed to examine the pharmacological effect of Asiatic acid (AA) in glioblastoma under hypoxia. To investigate the effects of AA on cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis and wound healing, SVG p12 fetal glia and U87-MG grade IV glioblastoma cells were cultured under normoxic (21% O2) and hypoxic (1% O2) conditions. In normoxia, AA reduced cell viability in U87-MG cells in a time and concentration-dependent manner. A significant decrease in viability, compared to cisplatin, was observed following 2hrs of AA treatment with no significant changes in cell proliferation or cell cycle progression observed. Under hypoxia, a significantly greater number of cells underwent apoptosis in comparison to cisplatin. While cisplatin showed a reduction in wound healing in normoxia, a significantly greater reduction was observed following AA treatment. An overall reduction in wound healing was observed under hypoxia. The results of this study show that AA has cytotoxic effects on glioma cell lines and has the potential to become an alternative treatment for glioblastoma

    EGb761, a Ginkgo Biloba Extract, Is Effective Against Atherosclerosis In Vitro, and in a Rat Model of Type 2 Diabetes

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    BACKGROUND: EGb761, a standardized Ginkgo biloba extract, has antioxidant and antiplatelet aggregation and thus might protect against atherosclerosis. However, molecular and functional properties of EGb761 and its major subcomponents have not been well characterized. We investigated the effect of EGb761 and its major subcomponents (bilobalide, kaemferol, and quercetin) on preventing atherosclerosis in vitro, and in a rat model of type 2 diabetes. METHODS AND RESULTS: EGb761 (100 and 200 mg/kg) or normal saline (control) were administered to Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty rats, an obese insulin-resistant rat model, for 6 weeks (from 3 weeks before to 3 weeks after carotid artery injury). Immunohistochemical staining was performed to investigate cell proliferation and apoptosis in the injured arteries. Cell migration, caspase-3 activity and DNA fragmentation, monocyte adhesion, and ICAM-1/VCAM-1 levels were explored in vitro. Treatment with EGb761 dose-dependently reduced intima-media ratio, proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and induced greater apoptosis than the controls. Proliferation and migration of VSMCs in vitro were also decreased by the treatment of EGb761. Glucose homeostasis and circulating adiponectin levels were improved, and plasma hsCRP concentrations were decreased in the treatment groups. Caspase-3 activity and DNA fragmentation increased while monocyte adhesion and ICAM-1/VCAM-1 levels decreased significantly. Among subcomponents of EGb761, kaemferol and quercetin reduced VSMC migration and increased caspase activity. CONCLUSIONS: EGb761 has a protective role in the development of atherosclerosis and is a potential therapeutic agent for preventing atherosclerosis

    Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

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    Background: Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. // Methods: We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung's disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. // Findings: We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung's disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middle-income countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in low-income countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. // Interpretation: Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

    Ocean surface wind from ERS-1 scatterometer and its use in inferring cyclone parameters for storm surge modelling

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    46-51The present paper deals with the use of satellite scatterometer derived ocean surface wind vectors in inferring cyclone parameters useful for the storm surge modelling. The high density of satellite surface wind data of a cyclone formed over ocean has been utilised in determining the cyclone parameters like location of cyclone centre and the radius and intensity of maximum winds. These parameters are necessary for obtaining the distribution of wind field under the influence of a cyclone which is an essential input for the storm surge modelling and prediction. Due to certain reasons like coarser spatial resolution of scatterometer compared to the size of cyclone core and the saturation of radar backscatter with increasing wind speed and the inadequacies of the model functions used for retrieval of winds, the high intensity winds in the core region of the cyclone are underestimated by the scatterometer. The method proposed here makes use of the high spatial density of wind data from scatterometer and the axially symmetric distribution of cyclonic winds around its centre to infer the cyclone parameters like the location of cyclone centre, radius and intensity of maximum winds. Results of analyses of ERS-1 scatterometer wind data for few cyclones formed over Indian oceanic region in inferring, the cyclone parameters have been presented here. Comparison of cyclone parameters inferred from ERS-1 scatterometer derived winds with those available from India Meteorological Department (IMD) has been performed which indicate the usefulness of the satellite data for the purpose

    Evaluation of oceansat-2-derived ocean surface winds using observations from global buoys and other scatterometers

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    This paper describes the validation of ocean surface winds derived from Oceansat-2 Scatterometer (OSCAT) using global moored buoy observations and data from Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) and QuikSCAT (QSCAT) scatterometer. The analysis performed with the global in situ buoy data for the period of 9 months shows the root-mean-square error of around 1.5 m/s for the wind speed and around 20° in the direction. The OSCAT and ASCAT data comparison also shows a high correlation with the difference of 1.5 m/s for the full range of winds and 1.2 m/s for the range 4-24 m/s. © 2012 IEEE

    Evaluation of oceansat-2-derived ocean surface winds using observations from global buoys and other scatterometers

    No full text
    This paper describes the validation of ocean surface winds derived from Oceansat-2 Scatterometer (OSCAT) using global moored buoy observations and data from Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) and QuikSCAT (QSCAT) scatterometer. The analysis performed with the global in situ buoy data for the period of 9 months shows the root-mean-square error of around 1.5 m/s for the wind speed and around 20 ^{\circ} in the direction. The OSCAT and ASCAT data comparison also shows a high correlation with the difference of 1.5 m/s for the full range of winds and \sim 1.2 m/s for the range 4–24 m/s

    Rain detection and measurement from Megha-Tropiques microwave sounderSAPHIR

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    The Megha-Tropiques, an Indo-French satellite, carries on board a microwave sounder, Sondeur Atmospherique du Profil d'Humidite Intertropical par Radiometrie (SAPHIR), and a microwave radiometer, Microwave Analysis and Detection of Rain and Atmospheric Structures (MADRAS), along with two other instruments. Being a Global Precipitation Measurement constellation satellite MT-MADRAS was an important sensor to study the convective clouds and rainfall. Due to the nonfunctioning of MADRAS, the possibility of detection and estimation of rain from SAPHIR is explored. Using near-concurrent SAPHIR and precipitation radar (PR) onboard Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) observations, the rain effect on SAPHIR channels is examined. All the six channels of the SAPHIR are used to calculate the average rain probability (P-R) for each SAPHIR pixel. Further, an exponential rain retrieval algorithm is developed. This algorithm explains a correlation of 0.72, RMS error of 0.75mm/h, and bias of 0.04mm/h. When rain identification and retrieval algorithms are applied together, it explains a correlation of 0.69 with an RMS error of 0.47mm/h and bias of 0.01mm/h. On applying the algorithm to the independent SAPHIR data set and compared with TRMM-3B42 rain on monthly scale, it explains a correlation of 0.85 and RMS error of 0.09mm/h. Further distribution of rain difference of SAPHIR with other rain products is presented on global scale as well as for the climatic zones. For examining the capability of SAPHIR to measure intense rain, instantaneous rain over Phailin cyclone from SAPHIR is compared with other standard satellite-based rain products such as 3B42, Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation, and Precipitation Estimation from Remote Sensing Information using Artificial Neural Network
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