Concurrence of Danish Dementia and Cataract: Insights from the Interactions of Dementia Associated Peptides with Eye Lens α-Crystallin

Familial Danish Dementia (FDD) is an autosomal disease, which is distinguished by gradual loss of vision, deafness, progressive ataxia and dementia. Cataract is the first manifestation of the disease. In this article, we demonstrate a specific correlation between the poisoning of the chaperone activity of the rat eye lens α-crystallins, loss of lens transparency in organ culture by the pathogenic form of the Danish dementia peptide, i.e. the reduced Danish dementia peptide (redADan peptide), by a combination of ex vivo, in vitro, biophysical and biochemical techniques. The interaction of redADan peptide and lens crystallins are very specific when compared with another chaperone, HSP-70, underscoring the specificity of the pathogenic form of Danish dementia peptide, redADan, for the early onset of cataract in this disease

Study of natural background gamma radiation levels in Hyderabad and its surroundings, Andhra Pradesh, India

778-781The natural background gamma radiation levels were measured in the dwellings of urban Hyderabad and its surroundings using thermoluminescence (TL) dosimeters and Geiger-Muller based R-survey meter. The measured minimum, maximum and average radiation levels were found to be 226, 506 and 314±47 nGyh−1 for urban Hyderabad and 190, 462 and 309± 81 nGyh−1 for surroundings of Hyderabad. In this study, the natural background gamma radiation levels in different dwellings with types of constructions have been correlated. It was found that these levels are higher in the constructions made by mud, which is of local soil. The annual effective dose due to natural background gamma radiation exposure in the Hyderabad and its surroundings is calculated and found to be 1.54±0.23 mSv and 1.52±0.40 mSv, respectively

Dielectric and optical properties — Structure correlations in NiO doped Li₂O-MgO-B₂O₃ glasses

243-255Glasses of the system, Li₂O-MgO-B₂O₃ containing different concentrations of NiO (ranging from 0 to 1.0 mol %) were prepared. A number of studies viz., dielectric properties (constant Ɛ, loss tan δ, ac conductivity σ ac over a range of frequency and temperature and dielectric breakdown strength) optical absorption, magnetic susceptibility and thermoluminescence on these glasses were carried out as a function of NiO concentration. An anomaly has been observed in all these properties when the concentration of NiO is about 0.6 mol % in the glass matrix. This has been explained in the light variation in the environment of Ni²⁺ ions in the glass network

57Fe Mossbauer and electrical studies of Mn doped YFeO3 prepared via sol-gel technique

Polycrystalline YFe _1−x Mn _x O _3 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5) samples are prepared via sol-gel method. Structural characterization of these samples is done by x-ray diffraction (XRD) technique and Raman spectroscopic method. Intense peaks in XRD graphs show that the sample is crystalline in nature and Reitveld refined XRD data shows that the samples are formed in single phase. Raman spectroscopic study confirms the structure and phase purity of the samples. Room temperature ^57 Fe Mossbauer studies confirm that Fe ion exists in ferric state. The hyperfine field (B _hf ) values are found to decrease with increase in manganese (Mn) concentration. This decrease in B _hf value indicates the increase in antiferromagnetic nature of the samples, which arises due to the weakening of magnetic interactions between the Fe ions. From room temperature leakage current density (J-E) measurements, it is observed that leakage current density increases with increase in Mn doping. Scanning electron micrographs explain the reason of increase in leakage current density based on the micro structure of the samples. The samples are found to exhibit Ohmic conduction mechanism in entire electric field range

Radiological Risk Assessment due to Radon and Thoron in the Dwellings of Peddamula Village, Nalgonda District, Telangana, India

467-471Radon and thoron are significant contributors for radiological risk in indoors and are originating from decay chain of uranium and thorium, which are prevalent in the environment. These concentrations in indoors depends on the presence of uranium and thorium concentration, and lifestyle of the habitants. The village “Peddamula” is located in the neighbourhood area of proposed mining for exploration of uranium. The estimated concentration of radon and thoron is found in the range 14- 448 Bq.m-3 with an average value of 120 ± 82 Bq.m-3 (GM 100Bq.m-3), and vary from 7 to 452 Bq.m-3with an average value of 154 ± 111 Bq.m-3 (GM 112Bq.m-3), respectively. Computed the contribution to the effective dose per annum from, radon 3.02 mSv.y-1 and thoron is 4.32mSv.y-1. In this paper the seasonal variation and distribution of 222Rn and 220Rn levels in the dwellings of the study area will be discussed

<span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; color:black;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language: HI" lang="EN-IN">Influence of certain metal ions on thermoluminescence of A₂O-CaF₂-B₂O₃ glasses</span>

282-288<span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:" times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";="" color:black;mso-ansi-language:en-in;mso-fareast-language:en-in;mso-bidi-language:="" hi"="" lang="EN-IN">Thermoluminescence study on X-ray irradiated A2O - CaF2 - B2O3 (where A=Li, Na and K) glasses has been carried out in the temperature range 303-600 K. All these glasses exhibit a single TL glow peak between 480-500 K; the study is further extended after these glasses are doped with different conventional activating or killing ions (viz., Sn2+, Ag+, Ce3+, Bi3+ and Cu2+) in small concentration (0.2%). All these ions are observed to inhibit the TL light output in these glasses. The trap depth parameters with the observed TL glow curves have been evaluated using Chen's formulae. The probable mechanism responsible for quenching of thermoluminescence emission by dopant ions in these glasses has been suggested.</span

A stereoselective synthesis of coriolic acid and dimorphecolic acid

A convenient stereoselective synthesis of coriolic acid (1̲) and dimorphecolic acid (2̲), the two natural divalent cation ionophores and the self defensive substances in rice plant against rice blast disease, is described