Contrasting mineralogy and strain partitioning across N-S oriented Sitampundi - Kanjamalai Shear in Sitampundi Anorthosite Layered Complex

Sitampundi Anorthosite Layered Complex (SALC) is a complexly folded and metamorphosed terrain that shows different metamorphic grade separated by a regional linear divide. In the north-eastern part of the complex, the anorthosites contain green-colored clinozoisites that are strikingly absent in the western part of the limb. Based on the presence of the clinozoisites, the entire SALC can be divided into two zones. The Sitampundi-Kanjamalai shear zone (SKSZ) separates mega crystals of clinozoite bearing anorthosites from clinozoisite free anorthosites. To add furthermore, strain analysis of different samples of anorthosite on either side of the zones was conducted by employing Flinn method. In general, anorthosites fall into the flattening field. The clinozoisite free anorthosites are more flattening and clinozoisite bearing anorthosites exhibit a slight difference in their strain ratio, ie., it is comparatively less flattening.  Geochemistry of clinozoisites was studied using EPMA & XRD methods. The percentage of oxides obtained from EPMA coincides with that of epidote. But, XRD confirms the mineral to be clinozoisite indicating the transition phase of epidote to clinozoisite. Zoning has had occurred in clinozoisites with aluminium oxide rich core and FeO rich rim. This could be related to a retrogression corresponding to a shearing event

Vicious walk with a wall, noncolliding meanders, and chiral and Bogoliubov-deGennes random matrices

Spatially and temporally inhomogeneous evolution of one-dimensional vicious walkers with wall restriction is studied. We show that its continuum version is equivalent with a noncolliding system of stochastic processes called Brownian meanders. Here the Brownian meander is a temporally inhomogeneous process introduced by Yor as a transform of the Bessel process that is a motion of radial coordinate of the three-dimensional Brownian motion represented in the spherical coordinates. It is proved that the spatial distribution of vicious walkers with a wall at the origin can be described by the eigenvalue-statistics of Gaussian ensembles of Bogoliubov-deGennes Hamiltonians of the mean-field theory of superconductivity, which have the particle-hole symmetry. We report that the time evolution of the present stochastic process is fully characterized by the change of symmetry classes from the type $C$ to the type $C$I in the nonstandard classes of random matrix theory of Altland and Zirnbauer. The relation between the non-colliding systems of the generalized meanders of Yor, which are associated with the even-dimensional Bessel processes, and the chiral random matrix theory is also clarified.Comment: REVTeX4, 16 pages, 4 figures. v2: some additions and correction

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Cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic effects of Abrus precatorius L. on human metastatic breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231

Abrus precatorius is highly regarded as a universal panacea in the herbal medicine with diverse pharmacological activity spectra. This experimental study on the mechanism of the anticancer activity of A. precatorius leaf extracts, may offer new evidence for A. precatorius in the treatment of breast cancer in clinical practice. Cell death was determined by using MTT assay. Further analyses were carried out by doing DNA laddering, PARP cleavage, FACS, semi-quantitative RT-PCR and detection of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) by DCFDA assay. A. precatorius showed very striking inhibition on MDA-MB-231 cells. MTT assay showed more than 75 inhibition of the cells and treated cells indicated visible laddering pattern with thick compact band. PARP cleavage produced 89 kDa cleavage product which was associated with apoptosis. Flow cytometer exhibited a sub-G0/G1 peak as an indicative of apoptosis. mRNA expression level of apoptosis-related genes p21 and p53 was markedly increased in cells treated with the extract as compared to control. The up-regulation of p21 and p53 may be the molecular mechanisms by which A. precatorius extract which induces apoptosis. An increase in the concentration of A. precatorius extract does not generate ROS, instead it reduces ROS formation in MDA-MB-231 cells, as evident from the shift in fluorescence below untreated control. This is the first report showing that A. precatorius leaf extract exhibits a growth inhibitory effect by induction of apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells. Our results contribute towards validation of the A. precatorius extract as a potentially effective chemopreventive or therapeutic agent against breast cancer. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media B.V

Cost-effectiveness of a Stepwise Approach vs Standard Care for Diabetes Prevention in India.

Question Is a stepwise approach to identifying, delaying, and preventing diabetes in individuals with high risk in a low-income to middle-income country setting cost-effective? Findings In this economic evaluation study, conducted within a randomized clinical trial during a 3-year period, it would cost 145 international dollars to screen for and reduce diabetes incidence by 1 percentage point, 14 & x202f;539 international dollars per diabetes case prevented and/or delayed, and 14 & x202f;986 international dollars per quality-adjusted life-year gained. Meaning The findings of this study suggest that a stepwise approach for identification of high-risk individuals and diabetes prevention is likely cost-effective, even in a low-income to middle-income country setting.This economic evaluation estimates the cost-effectiveness of a stepwise approach to diabetes prevention among adults in India participating in the Diabetes Community Lifestyle Improvement Program.Importance A stepwise approach that includes screening and lifestyle modification followed by the addition of metformin for individuals with high risk of diabetes is recommended to delay progression to diabetes; however, there is scant evidence regarding whether this approach is cost-effective. Objective To estimate the cost-effectiveness of a stepwise approach in the Diabetes Community Lifestyle Improvement Program. Design, Setting, and Participants This economic evaluation study included 578 adults with impaired glucose tolerance, impaired fasting glucose, or both. Participants were enrolled in the Diabetes Community Lifestyle Improvement Program, a randomized clinical trial with 3-year follow-up conducted at a diabetes care and research center in Chennai, India. Interventions The intervention group underwent a 6-month lifestyle modification curriculum plus stepwise addition of metformin; the control group received standard lifestyle advice. Main Outcomes and Measures Cost, health benefits, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were estimated from multipayer (including direct medical costs) and societal (including direct medical and nonmedical costs) perspectives. Costs and ICERs were reported in 2019 Indian rupees (INR) and purchasing power parity-adjusted international dollars (INT $). Results The mean (SD) age of the 578 participants was 44.4 (9.3) years, and 364 (63.2$803 [95% CI, INT $771-834]) higher direct costs; INR 5194 (95$395; 95% CI, INT $65-147) higher direct nonmedical costs, an absolute diabetes risk reduction of 10.2$145) per 1 percentage point diabetes risk reduction, INR 191 & x202f;090 (INT 14 & x202f;539) per diabetes case prevented and/or delayed, and INR 196 & x202f;960 (INT 14 & x202f;986) per quality-adjusted life-year gained. In the scenario of a 50% increase or decrease in screening and intervention costs, the mean ICERs varied from INR 855 (INT $65) to INR 2968 (INT$226) per 1 percentage point diabetes risk reduction, from INR 85 & x202f;495 (INT 6505) to INR 296 & x202f;681 (INT 22 & x202f;574) per diabetes case prevented, and from INR 88 & x202f;121 (INT 6705) to INR 305 & x202f;798 (INT 23 & x202f;267) per quality-adjusted life-year gained. Conclusions and Relevance The findings of this study suggest that a stepwise approach for diabetes prevention is likely to be cost-effective, even if screening costs for identifying high-risk individuals are added