Study of insulin resistance and antioxidant vitamin status in prostate cancer patients

The incidence of prostate cancer is 5 per 100000 in southern and eastern Asia. Both genetic and environmental factors have been implicated in its etiology. The mitogenic and growth stimulatory effects of Insulin growth factor may be involved in prostate carcinogenesis. To evaluate serum insulin and insulin resistance was passed by HOMA- IR. Prostatic specific antigen passed by immune-enzymatic assay. Vitamins were estimated by high performance liquid chromatography. In our study 30 prostate cancer patients aged 60-80years were taken as cases. 30 normal age matched disease free person were taken as controls in both groups, Insulin resistance and antioxidant vitamin status was studied.  In the present study, the value of HOMA-IR was (P <0.05) is significantly higher compare to controls. Serum vitamin E and vitamin C values for cases was reduced (P <0.05) significantly lower than controls. The development of prostate cancer is a multistep process. Hyperinsulinemia associated with insulin resistance may play a role in pathogenesis of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer cells generate high levels a ROS

Modification of silicon carbide fibers for use in SiC/Ti composites

The degradation of silicon carbide fibers during exposure to conditions typical of composite fabrication was investigated. The tensile strength of pristine fibers and fibers sputtered with thin metal coatings were determined before and after treatment at 870 C for one hour in vacuum. Each fiber strength distribution was related by an analytical procedure to a projected composite ultimate tensile strength (PC UTS). The results indicate that a thin aluminum diffusion barrier can yield a 150 percent increase in PC UTS over the baseline SiC/Ti system

Inflaton Decay in an Alpha Vacuum

We study the alpha vacua of de Sitter space by considering the decay rate of the inflaton field coupled to a scalar field placed in an alpha vacuum. We find an {\em alpha dependent} Bose enhancement relative to the Bunch-Davies vacuum and, surprisingly, no non-renormalizable divergences. We also consider a modified alpha dependent time ordering prescription for the Feynman propagator and show that it leads to an alpha independent result. This result suggests that it may be possible to calculate in any alpha vacuum if we employ the appropriate causality preserving prescription.Comment: 16 pages, 1 figure, Revtex 4 preprin

B1 but not B2 bradykinin receptor agonists promote DU145 prostate cancer cell proliferation and migration

Background: The kallikrein-kinin system (KKS) is an endogenous pathway involved in angiogenesis and tumourigenesis, both vital for cancer growth and progression.Objectives: To investigate the effect of two bradykinin receptor (B1R and B2R) agonists on growth and motility of prostate tumour (DU145) and micro-vascular endothelial cells (dMVECs).Methods: Increasing concentrations of selective B1R and B2R agonists were added to cultured cells. Cell proliferation and migration were assessed using the 3-[4,5 dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and modified Boyden Chamber assays, respectively. Where significant stimulation was found, the influence of an antagonist was also investigated.Results: Neither growth nor motility of endothelial cells was affected by either agonist. In DU145 cells, while the B2R agonist was without any significant effect, the B1R agonist stimulated proliferation and migration at concentrations of 10nM and 50nM respectively. Further, this effect was abrogated when cells were pre-incubated with a B1R antagonist.Conclusions: Unlike the physiologically-active B2R, the pathologically-inducible B1R may be implicated in prostate tumourigenic events. The involvement of the KKS in malignant prostate pathology supports on-going exploration of bradykinin receptor antagonists as target candidates in the development of alternate approaches to cancer therapy.Keywords: Bradykinin receptor antagonists, Kallikrein, Prostate tumour, Angiogenesis, Endothelial, Conditioned mediu

Magnetic Field Structure and Stochastic Reconnection in a Partially Ionized Gas

We consider stochastic reconnection in a magnetized, partially ionized medium. Stochastic reconnection is a generic effect, due to field line wandering, in which the speed of reconnection is determined by the ability of ejected plasma to diffuse away from the current sheet along magnetic field lines, rather than by the details of current sheet structure. We consider the limit of weak stochasticity, so that the mean magnetic field energy density is greater than either the turbulent kinetic energy density or the energy density associated with the fluctuating component of the field. We consider field line stochasticity generated through a turbulent cascade, which leads us to consider the effect of neutral drag on the turbulent cascade of energy. In a collisionless plasma, neutral particle viscosity and ion-neutral drag will damp mid-scale turbulent motions, but the power spectrum of the magnetic perturbations extends below the viscous cutoff scale. We give a simple physical picture of the magnetic field structure below this cutoff, consistent with numerical experiments. We provide arguments for the reemergence of the turbulent cascade well below the viscous cut-off scale and derive estimates for field line diffusion on all scales. We note that this explains the persistence of a single power law form for the turbulent power spectrum of the interstellar medium, from scales of tens of parsecs down to thousands of kilometers. We find that under typical conditions in the ISM stochastic reconnection speeds are reduced by the presence of neutrals, but by no more than an order of magnitude.Comment: Astrophysical Journal in pres

The national integration trajectory towards national development: the inculcation dynamics of english language nationhood values education in selected Malaysian secondary schools

The ethnically ‘compartmentalised’ Malaysian society characterised increasingly today by a state of constant ‘stable tension’ in the nation’s social fabric, can be attributed to the ‘divided’ education system. This is said to have resulted today in a lack of mutual understanding, particularly amongst the nation’s growing youth. The cardinal issue here is a knowledge deficiency amongst school-youth of positive cognitive learning towards developing a deep sense of a nationalistic ethos based on the national ideology, the Rukun Negara. As such, the primary objectives of this study are to firstly, look into the extent the English Language public school education curriculum can instill nationhood values in students, and secondly, how it can contribute towards the building of strong ‘social bridges’ amongst Malaysian school-youth. Thus, accordingly, this study uses both the qualitative and quantitative research approaches. Further, to investigate the problem statement of this study, the research methodology encompassed the study and analysis of materials from primary and secondary sources, such as journal articles, books, book chapters, official government statements, including internet-based materials. Interviews were conducted, with the respondents who consisted of groups of students, teachers, academics, and certain identified public individuals. A structured questionnaire survey was used to obtain information from the form two lower secondary and form four upper secondary students in public secondary schools. The findings of this study indicated that the form two students were more positively inclined towards the acceptance of nationhood values, than form four students; both student groups felt that the ‘education’ of English Language nationhood values can further enhance the said values in students. Further, they suggested that all education authorities need to do more to achieve the goal of national integration. The respondents opined emphatically that the learning of English can be a constructive platform for the nurturing of nationhood values in students. Nearly all the respondents strongly emphasised that the teacher is one of the nation’s key nation-builders, and is a crucial agent in ‘educating’ school-youth with nationhood values-based 'education', and further, the young Malaysian generation

Toxic Effects of Glyphosate on Environment and Human Health

Globally, massive amounts of pesticides are manufactured and used both in agriculture and households to get rid of various pests, some of which reach soils and aquatic systems through various pathways. Glyphosate-based herbicides (GlyBH), including Roundup, are the most widely used pesticides worldwide. Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide that is effective against all types of weeds and has been used for many years. Their uses have increased exponentially since their introduction into the market. Residue levels in food or water, as well as human exposures, are escalating including in the environmental segments. It can, therefore, be found as a contaminant in water, and procedures are required for its removal. This work investigates the toxic effects associated with the use of Glyphosate on environmental and human health. © 2020 Author(s).Dr. BGR is highly thankful to UGC for the award of Post Doctoral Fellowship, File No. F./PDFSS-2014-15-SCAND-7541

VALIDATED SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF CHLORAMPHENICOL IN PURE AND IN ITS DOSAGE FORM

A simple, précis, rapid sensitive and accurate spectrophotometric methods have been developed for the estimation of Chloramphenicol UV in pure form and its pharmaceutical formulations based on oxidative coupling reaction UV with MBTH reagent at P H-4 which is extractable at 620 nm. Beer's law is obeyed in the concentration range 1-6 ml (10-60 µgml-1). The developed method was applied directly and easily for the analysis of the pharmaceutical formulations. RSD was found to be 0.0194 % and recovery 99.73%. The method was completely validated and proven to be rugged. The interferences of the ingredients and excipients were not observed. The repeatability and the performance of the proved method were established by point and internal hypothesis and through recovery studies.Keywords: Spectrophotometry, Chloramphenicol, MBTH, Oxidative coupling

VALIDATED SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF CHLORAMPHENICOL IN PURE AND IN ITS DOSAGE FORM

Objective: A simple, economic, selective, precise, and accurate UV-Visible spectrophotometric method for the analysis of Chloramphenicol in bulk drug and pharmaceutical formulations was developed and validated in the present study. Methods: Based on oxidative coupling reaction with MBTH reagent at PH-4.5 which is extractable at 620 nm. The Beer's law is obeyed in the concentration range 1-6 ml (10-60 µg ml-1). Results: The RSD was found to be 0.0194% and recovery is 99.73%. The method was completely validated and proven to be rugged. The interferences of the ingredients and recipients were not observed. The repeatability and the performance of the proved method were established by point and internal hypothesis and through recovery studies. Conclusion: The method was found to be accurate and precise, as indicated by recovery studies close to 100 and % RSD is not more than 2. The summery of validation parameters of proposed UV-Visible method is given