Analysing Indian G-Secs with a Predictive Approach

The bond movement being observed keenly by the business communities across the world is primarily because of the fact that large organizations require a huge sum of money which cannot be met in the form of bank loans alone. The solution is to raise money from the public by issuing bonds. It is of equal interest to the investors because bonds are fixed income securities. In this market it is imperative to understand the interplay of macroeconomic factors such as inflation levels, interest rates, foreign exchange rates, purchasing power parity, price movements, monetary and fiscal policies. The rationale behind the decision to invest in a particular bond is directly influenced by the present value of the bond. This paper aims to build a model using Panel Data Regression to predict the present value of the bonds by considering the components of the term structure such as interest rates, maturity, bond yield etc

New Device for Intrinsic Hand Muscle Strength Measurement: An Alternative to Strain Gauge Handheld Dynamometer

© The Author(s) 2017. An accurate measurement of intrinsic hand muscle strength (IHMS) is required by clinicians for effective clinical decision-making, diagnosis of certain diseases, and evaluation of the outcome of treatment. In practice, the clinicians use Intrins-o-meter and Rotterdam Intrinsic Hand Myometer for IHMS measurement. These are quite bulky, expensive, and possess poor interobserver reliability (37–52%) and sensitivity. The purpose of this study was to develop an alternative lightweight, accurate, cost-effective force measurement device with a simple electronic circuit and test its suitability for IHMS measurement. The device was constructed with ketjenblack/deproteinized natural rubber sensor, 1-MΩ potential divider, and Arduino Uno through the custom-written software. Then, the device was calibrated and tested for accuracy and repeatability within the force range of finger muscles (100 N). The 95% limit of agreement in accuracy from −1.95 N to 2.06 N for 10 to 100 N applied load and repeatability coefficient of ±1.91 N or 6.2% was achieved. Furthermore, the expenditure for the device construction was around US$ 53. For a practical demonstration, the device was tested among 16 participants for isometric strength measurement of the ulnar abductor and dorsal interossei. The results revealed that the performance of the device was suitable for IHMS measurement

Effects of multicomponent exercise training on physical functioning among institutionalized elderly

This quasiexperimental study aimed to measure the effects of 12-week multicomponent exercise training on physical functioning among institutionalized elderly. Forty-three participants (age = 70.88 ± 7.82 years) were self-assigned to an intervention (n=23) or control (n=20) group. Before and after training, cardiorespiratory endurance, arm curl strength, grip strength, lower limb strength, upper and lower limb flexibility, balance, and mobility were assessed. The training included aerobic, resistance, balance and flexibility exercises, performed 3 times per week. Significant increases (P0.05) The control group did not show any significant changes (P>0.05) in any variables. The data suggested that 12-week multicomponent exercise training may improve physical functioning among institutionalized elderly

Architecture of human Rag GTPase heterodimers and their complex with mTORC1

© 2019 American Association for the Advancement of Science. All rights reserved. The Rag guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases) recruit the master kinase mTORC1 to lysosomes to regulate cell growth and proliferation in response to amino acid availability. The nucleotide state of Rag heterodimers is critical for their association with mTORC1. Our cryo–electron microscopy structure of RagA/RagC in complex with mTORC1 shows the details of RagA/RagC binding to the RAPTOR subunit of mTORC1 and explains why only the RagAGTP/RagCGDPnucleotide state binds mTORC1. Previous kinetic studies suggested that GTP binding to one Rag locks the heterodimer to prevent GTP binding to the other. Our crystal structures and dynamics of RagA/RagC show the mechanism for this locking and explain how oncogenic hotspot mutations disrupt this process. In contrast to allosteric activation by RHEB, Rag heterodimer binding does not change mTORC1 conformation and activates mTORC1 by targeting it to lysosomes

Chemical composition of pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) seeds and its supplemental effect on Indian women with metabolic syndrome

his study aimed to investigate the effect of pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) seed supplementation on the anthropometric measurements, biochemical parameters, and blood pressure (BP) of Indian women with metabolic syndrome (MetS). Initially, in vitro antioxidant activities of pumpkin seeds extract were assessed using standard methods. In vitro alpha-amylase, alphaglucosidase, and dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) inhibition effects, along with glucose uptake assay using 3T3-L1 cell lines were performed to determine the antidiabetic effects of the seeds extract. Fatty acids and phytoconstituents were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Indian women aged 30–50 years, having MetS were assigned either to intervention (n = 21) or control (n = 21) group on a random basis. Participants in the intervention group received 5 g of pumpkin seeds for 60 days. Participants in both intervention and control were advised to follow certain dietary guidelines throughout the study. Pumpkin seeds extract exhibited not only strong reducing power but also scavenged DPPH and ABTSd+ free radicals with low IC 50 values. Pumpkin seeds inhibited alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase, and DPP-IV enzymes at varying concentrations with IC 50 values of 138, 22, and 246 mg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, glucose uptake was enhanced by 213% at 300 ng/mL on the 3T3-L1 cell line. GC–MS analysis showed the presence of propyl piperidine, flavone, oleic acid, and methyl esters of fatty acids in the seed extract. On comparing the changes in mean reduction/ increment in the anthropometric measurements as well as biochemical parameters and BP between the groups, significant difference (P = 0.012) was observed only for fasting plasma glucose. Findings of the present study highlight the role of pumpkin seeds as a cost-effective adjunct in treating MetS

IP6 is an HIV pocket factor that prevents capsid collapse and promotes DNA synthesis.

The HIV capsid is semipermeable and covered in electropositive pores that are essential for viral DNA synthesis and infection. Here, we show that these pores bind the abundant cellular polyanion IP6, transforming viral stability from minutes to hours and allowing newly synthesised DNA to accumulate inside the capsid. An arginine ring within the pore coordinates IP6, which strengthens capsid hexamers by almost 10°C. Single molecule measurements demonstrate that this renders native HIV capsids highly stable and protected from spontaneous collapse. Moreover, encapsidated reverse transcription assays reveal that, once stabilised by IP6, the accumulation of new viral DNA inside the capsid increases >100 fold. Remarkably, isotopic labelling of inositol in virus-producing cells reveals that HIV selectively packages over 300 IP6 molecules per infectious virion. We propose that HIV recruits IP6 to regulate capsid stability and uncoating, analogous to picornavirus pocket factors. HIV-1/IP6/capsid/co-factor/reverse transcription

Reliability and preliminary reference values for the Total Faulty Breathing Scale (TFBS): A cross-sectional study

Background and Aims: The evaluation of breathing function is crucial in the clinical examination of the respiratory system. The Total Faulty Breathing Scale (TFBS) could be used in clinical settings to quantify the measurement of breathing dysfunction. Reliability data for the TFBS are available for males, but there is a requirement to determine reliability for females and to develop reference values. The aim of this study, therefore, was to determine the reliability in females and to establish the preliminary reference values for the TFBS. Methods: Twenty‐three healthy female participants for reliability and 44 (7 male and 37 female) participants for preliminary reference values participated in this cross‐sectional study. For both aspects of the study, participants were instructed to breathe at their own pace with no specific instruction. Then each participant was observed carrying out normal breathing for a period of 10 breaths and deep breathing for a period of 10 breaths while being assessed with the TFBS. Results: Intrarater and interrater reliability of the TFBS showed a kappa value of 0.769 and 0.751, respectively, indicating substantial agreement for female participants. The preliminary reference categories for TFBS were reported to be normal for 20 (45.5%) participants and mild faulty breathing for the remaining 24 (54.4%) participants. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggested that TFBS was reliable to measure breathing function among female participants, and the reference categories may be helpful in the identification of normal and faulty breathing

Molecular determinants underlying functional innovations of TBP and their impact on transcription initiation.

Funder: RCUK | Medical Research Council (MRC); doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100000265TATA-box binding protein (TBP) is required for every single transcription event in archaea and eukaryotes. It binds DNA and harbors two repeats with an internal structural symmetry that show sequence asymmetry. At various times in evolution, TBP has acquired multiple interaction partners and different organisms have evolved TBP paralogs with additional protein regions. Together, these observations raise questions of what molecular determinants (i.e. key residues) led to the ability of TBP to acquire new interactions, resulting in an increasingly complex transcriptional system in eukaryotes. We present a comprehensive study of the evolutionary history of TBP and its interaction partners across all domains of life, including viruses. Our analysis reveals the molecular determinants and suggests a unified and multi-stage evolutionary model for the functional innovations of TBP. These findings highlight how concerted chemical changes on a conserved structural scaffold allow for the emergence of complexity in a fundamental biological process