Generation of transgenic human embryonic stem cell line BJNhem20–OCIAD1-OV

Ovarian Carcinoma Immuno-reactive Antigen domain containing protein 1 (OCIAD1) was overexpressed in BJNhem20 human embryonic stem cell line (hESC) using plasmid transfection, followed by stable cell line generation. The construct pCAG-OCIAD1 was introduced into hESCs by microporation

Expression of conserved signalling pathway genes during spontaneous vascular differentiation of R1 embryonic stem cells and in Py-4-1 endothelial cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are an invaluable model for identifying subtle phenotypes as well as severe outcomes of perturbing gene function that may otherwise result in lethality. However, though ES cells of different origins are regarded as equally pluripotent, their in vitro differentiation potential varies, suggesting that their response to developmental signals is different. The R1 cell line is widely used for gene manipulation due to its good growth characteristics and highly efficient germline transmission. Hence, we analysed the expression of Notch, Wnt and Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) pathway genes during differentiation of R1 cells into early vascular lineages. Notch-, Wnt- and Shh-mediated signalling is important during embryonic development. Regulation of gene expression through these signalling molecules is a frequently used theme, resulting in context-dependent outcomes during development. Perturbing these pathways can result in severe and possibly lethal developmental phenotypes often due to primary cardiovascular defects. We report that during early spontaneous differentiation of R1 cells, Notch-1 and the Wnt target Brachyury are active whereas the Shh receptor is not detected. This expression pattern is similar to that seen in a mouse endothelial cell line. This temporal study of expression of genes representative of all three pathways in ES cell differentiation will aid in further analysis of cell signalling during vascular development

Physico-morphological and biochemical characteristics of jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) genotypes

Thirty-eight jackfruit genotypes including check varieties ‘Muttom Varikka’ and ‘Sindhoor’ selected from homesteads of farmers across Kerala, were characterized for their dessert quality. Results revealed that the TSS and total sugar contents of AH-32, AH-18, AH-33 and AH-36 were 32, 25.5, 25.9 and 29.7 °Brix, whereas, the total sugars were 34.75, 25.92, 21.9 and 25%, respectively. Among the accessions, AH-2 recorded the highest total carotenoids (3131.88 μg 100g-1), which, was higher than check varieties ‘Muttom Varikka’ and ‘Sindhoor’. The genotypes viz., AH-18, AH-32, AH-33 and AH-36 can be considered ideal for dessert purpose and can also be used for development of value added products. However, the promising ones can be utilized in breeding programmes to improve quality and yield

Study on correlation between six minute walk test and BODE index in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is preventable and treatable disease with progressive persistent airflow limitation and enhanced chronic inflammatory response in the airways. Indian council of medical research conducted a study and found that total burden of COPD in India has more than doubled to about 14.84 million in 2011 from about 6.45 million in 1971Methods: It was an open label cross sectional study. It was conducted on patients attending the outpatient department of respiratory medicine, new medical college and hospital, Kota, over a period of one year. 100 COPD patients attending the respiratory outpatient department of GMC, Kota and fulfilling the inclusion criteria’s were included in the study. A diagnosis and severity of COPD was established by clinical symptoms and spirometric data as per GOLD guideline (ratio of FEV1 and forced vital capacity <0.7).Results: We found a significant negative correlation (Pearson correlation coefficient r = -0.664, p< 0.001) between 6 MWD and BODE index in study population.Conclusions: Thus, we concluded that the functional exercise capacity of COPD patients measured by 6MWT deteriorates linearly with severity of the disease assessed by the GOLD staging criteria. Hence we can use 6 MWT for assessing the severity of COPD in place of spirometry where the facility of spirometry is not feasible

Superconductivity in a new hexagonal high entropy alloy

High entropy alloys (HEAs) are the new class of materials with an attractive combination of tunable mechanical and physicochemical properties. They crystallize mainly in cubic structures, however, for practical applications, HEAs with hexagonal close-packed (hcp) structure are highly desirable in connection to their in general high hardness. Herein, we report the synthesis, structure and detailed superconducting properties of Re$_{0.56}$Nb$_{0.11}$Ti$_{0.11}$Zr$_{0.11}$Hf$_{0.11}$-the first hexagonal superconducting high entropy alloy (HEA) composed of five randomly distributed transition-metals. Combination of room temperature precession electron diffraction, precession electron diffraction tomography and powder X-ray diffraction is utilized to determine the room temperature crystal structure. Transport, magnetic and heat capacity measurements show that the material is a type-II superconductor with the bulk superconducting transition at $T_{c}$ = 4.4 K, lower critical field $H_{c1}$(0) = 2.3 mT and upper critical field $H_{c2}$(0) = 3.6 T. Low-temperature specific heat measurement indicates that Re$_{0.56}$Nb$_{0.11}$Ti$_{0.11}$Zr$_{0.11}$Hf$_{0.11}$ is a phonon-mediated superconductor in the weak electron-phonon coupling limit with a normalized specific heat jump $\frac{\Delta C_{el}}{\gamma_{n}T_{c}}$ = 1.32. Further, hexagonal to cubic structural transition is observed by lowering the valence electron counts and $T_{c}$ follows crystalline-like behaviour.Comment: 6 Pages, 9 Figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1804.1009

A morphometric study of the human mandible in the Indian population for sex determination

Sex determination from bones is important in forensic investigations for establishing identity in cases of mutilated bodies. Many morphometric criteria have been laid down for various bones for sex determination in previous studies. The present study aimed at setting up some parameters of the mandible as indicators of sex in the Indian population. The length of body of the mandible, angle of the mandible and minimum ramus breadth were considered as chief parameters for sex determination from dried bones obtained from the Departments of Anatomy in two medical colleges of Punjab and Chandigarh. There was a statistically significant difference found in the diagonal length, horizontal length and minimum ramus breadth with their mean values 79.77 ± 4.68 mm, 71.99 ± 4.54 mm and 30.93 ± 2.56 mm in adult males, respectively and 73.83 ± 4.84 mm, 68.62 ± 4.78 mm and 29.57 ± 2.86 mm in adult females, respectively, whereas no significant difference was found in the mandibular angle of males and females. The parameters used for the present study gave an overall 60% accuracy in determining the sex of the mandible

Clinical significance of accessory foramina in adult human mandible

Background: The mandible is the strongest and largest bone of facial skeleton. It consists of one horseshoe-shaped body and a pair of rami. On external surface of body in the midline there is a faint ridge i.e. symphysis menti indicating the line of fusion of two halves of mandible during development. The aim of this study is to describe the position and incidence of accessory foramina on the inner surface of the body and rami of both sides of mandible to provide simple important reliable surgical landmarks.Methods: The present study was conducted on 100 dried adult human mandibles. Bones which had deformities, asymmetries, external pathological changes and fractures were excluded from the present study.Results: In 97% cases at least one accessory foramen was observed on inner surface of mandible. The accessory lingual foramen was found to be constant finding with incidence of 81%. Frequency of infraspinous or sublingual foramen was 58%, of lateral foramen was 50% and that of accessory mandibular foramen was 39%.Conclusions: The anatomical knowledge about the common location and incidence of accessory foramina in mandible are important for surgeons and anaesthetists performing surgeries in the area around mandible. These accessory foramina transmit neurovascular bundles which provide accessory innervations to the roots of teeth.  Thus proper knowledge of accessory foramina are important in relation to achieving complete inferior alveolar nerve block and for avoiding injury to neurovascular bundle passing through them

Upper ocean variability in the Bay of Bengal during the tropical cyclones Nargis and Laila

Upper ocean variability at different stages in the evolution of the tropical cyclones Nargis and Laila is evaluated over the Bay of Bengal (BoB) during May 2008 and May 2010 respectively. Nargis initially developed on 24 April 2008; intensified twice on 27–28 April and 1 May, and eventually made landfall at Myanmar on 2 May 2008. Laila developed over the western BoB in May 2010 and moved westward towards the east coast of India. Data from the Argo Profiling floats, the Research Moored Array for African–Asian–Australian Monsoon Analysis and prediction (RAMA), and various satellite products are analyzed to evaluate upper ocean variability due to Nargis and Laila. The analysis reveals pre-conditioning of the central BoB prior to Nargis with warm (>30 °C) Sea Surface Temperature (SST), low (<33 psu) Sea Surface Salinity (SSS) and shallow (<30 m) mixed layer depths during March–April 2008. Enhanced ocean response to the right of the storm track due to Nargis includes a large SST drop by ∼1.76 °C, SSS increase up to 0.74 psu, mixed layer deepening of 32 m, shoaling of the 26 °C isotherm by 36 m and high net heat loss at the sea surface. During Nargis, strong inertial currents (up to 0.9 ms−1) were generated to the right of storm track as measured at a RAMA buoy located at 15 °N, 90 °E, producing strong turbulent mixing that lead to the deepening of mixed layer. This mixing facilitated entrainment of cold waters from as deep as 75 m and, together with net heat loss at sea surface and cyclone-induced subsurface upwelling, contributed to the observed SST cooling in the wake of the storm. A similar upper ocean response occurs during Laila, though it was a significantly weaker storm than Nargi