Structural Microstructural and Electrical Transport Studies of Ba(Fe0.25Eu0.25Nb0.5)O3

The complex multifunctional ceramic Ba(Fe0.25Eu0.25Nb0.5)O3 (BFEN) has been synthesized. The structural studies show two iso-structured phases related with BFN and BEN co-exists in the compound. The high dielectric constant and low dielectric loss of the compound below 575 K promises industrial applications. The activation energies obtained from the Arrhenius analysis of dc conductivity supports possible ferroelectric transition at elevated temperatures. Thus the desirable properties of two different compounds viz. multiferroic properties of BFN and high quality factor of BEN are successfully incorporated in a single compound. When you are citing the document, use the following link http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/3101

Preservation and Handling Practices of Household Drinking Water in Ahmedabad city with special reference to Bacterial Contamination and Diarrheal Episode in Children: A Cross Sectional Study

Background: Safe drinking water is essential for healthy human life. Presence of coliform organism, E. coli in particular, has been found to be the most specific bacteriological indicator of faecal contamination. Studying their preservation and handling practices of household drinking water, its contamination and diarrheal episodes in children is very necessary for hygiene promotion intervention. Methods: This crosssectional study was conducted at urban field practice area of community medicine department B.J.M.C, Ahmedabad in year 2020-2021. Total 168 Drinking water samples were collected from each household and tested at microbiology department. Information regarding household characteristics, preservation and handling practices of drinking water were gathered from mother using pre-tested and pre-designed proforma. Data were entered in Microsoft excel and analysed using Epi-info Software. Result: Out of 168 households studied, 165(98.2%) households used matka / earthen pot and 161(95.8%) used narrow necked covered container to preserve drinking water. Only in 10 (5.8%) households‘ water was filtered with folded cotton cloth at the time of collection. 101 (60%) water containers did have tap while 67 (39.8%) didn‘t have it. 4/168 (2.3%) samples were bacteriologically not acceptable for drinking purpose. Conclusion: Narrow necked coveredmatka (earthen pot) was the most commonly used container to preserve drinking water. Though prevalence of bacterial contamination and ADD episodes in under five child were low due to pre-treated piped water supply, diarrhoeal morbidity is more in household where broad necked, non tapped containers used. Education of mother has positive impact on preservation and handling practices of drinking water

Lipocalin2 Promotes Invasion, Tumorigenicity and Gemcitabine Resistance in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

<div><p>Lipocalin 2 (LCN2) is a small secreted protein and its elevated expression has been observed in pancreatic as well as other cancer types. LCN2 has been reported to promote resistance to drug-induced apoptosis, enhance invasion through its physical association with matrix metalloproteinase-9, and promote <em>in vivo</em> tumor growth. LCN2 was found to be commonly expressed in patient PDAC samples and its pattern of immunohistochemical staining intensified with increasing severity in high-grade precursor lesions. Downregulation of LCN2 in two pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cell lines (BxPC3 and HPAF-II) with high LCN2 expression significantly reduced attachment, invasion, and tumour growth <em>in vivo</em>, but not proliferation or motility. Downregulation of LCN2 in two pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cell lines (BxPC3 and HPAF-II) with high expression significantly reduced attachment, invasion, and tumour growth <em>in vivo</em>. In contrast, LCN2 overexpression in PANC1, with low endogenous expression, significantly increased invasion, attachment, and enhanced tumor growth. Suppression of LCN2 in BxPC3 and HPAF-II cells increased their sensitivity to gemcitabine <em>in vitro</em>, and <em>in vivo</em> when BxPC3 was tested. Furthermore, LCN2 promotes expression of VEGF and HIF1A which contribute to enhanced vascularity. These overall results demonstrate that LCN2 plays an important role in the malignant progression of pancreatic ductal carcinoma and is a potential therapeutic target for this disease.</p> </div

LCN2 promotes resistance to gemcitabine and angiogenesis.

<p>Effect of gemcitabine on the growth of tumors formed by (A) BxPC3-NS and –LCN2KD2 cell lines and (B) with PANC1-EV and –LCN2 cell lines [*denotes significance between vehicle treated cell lines (n = 10 per group, p<0.0001, mixed model multiple regression) †denotes significance between vehicle and gemcitabine treated mice injected with BxPC3 LCN2KD2 (n = 10 per group, p = 0.0003, mixed model multiple regression)]. (C) Protein lysates isolated from BxPC3 and PANC1 xenografts were assayed for caspase-3 cleavage after gemcitabine treatment (n = 10). (D) Representative histological images of xenografts formed by BxPC3 NS and –LCN2KD2, and PANC1-EV and –LCN2 cells after H&E, and immunostaining for LCN2, Ki67, and murine CD31. (E) Vascular density in five hot spots at high magnification in the BxPC3 NS and –LCN2KD2, and PANC1-EV and –LCN2 xenografts. The mRNA expression of (F) HIF1A and (G) VEGF in the BxPC3 and PANC1 xenografts. Gene expression was compared between KD and NS, or LCN2 and EV. [*denotes significance between KD and NS, or LCN2 and EV (n = 20; p<0.05, student t-test)].</p

LCN2 promotes adhesion, invasion, and gemcitabine resistance in PDAC cells.

<p>Adhesion assays on the (A) H6c7 KrT, (B) BxPC3, HPAF-II, and PANC1 cell lines. Fold changes were calculated by comparing the KD to NS or LCN2 to EV (n = 3). The fold changes in invasive ability were calculated by comparing the effects of the shRNA constructs against the NS control, or LCN2 overexpression compared to the EV control. Invasive ability was assessed in (C) H6c7KrT cells (n = 3), (D) BxPC3, HPAF-II, and PANC1 cells (n = 6) were seeded onto Matrigel or collagen IV coated membranes. To assess MMP-9 activity gelatin zymography was performed on the conditioned media from (E) H6c7 KrT cells, (F) BxPC3, HPAF-II, and PANC1 cell lines (n = 3). (G) PI exclusion assays for cell death (n = 6) and (H) immunoblot analysis after 72 hours treatment by gemcitabine on the BxPC3, HPAF-II, and PANC1 cell lines (n = 3). (Gem., gemcitabine; C3, caspase 3; CC3, cleaved caspase 3; * denotes significant differences between the test and control samples student t-tests or one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni’s post hoc tests where appropriate.).</p

LCN2 expression in pancreatic neoplastic lesions and PDAC cell lines.

<p>(A) The LCN2 immunostaining pattern for normal (n = 31), PanIN1 (n = 22), PanIN-2 (n = 13), PanIN -3 and PDAC (n = 82). Mean scores and the SEM for LCN2 immunostaining are noted below the sections. (B) LCN2 gene expression was examined in 21 different PDAC cell lines. Relative expression was normalized using loading controls and then normalized to the H6c7 ratio. (C) Representative immunoblots of LCN2 and GAPDH protein expression in PDAC cell lines.</p

LCN2 promotes tumor growth and invasion <i>in vivo</i>.

<p>Growth curves of tumors formed by (A) BxPC3 NS and –LCN2KD2, (B) HPAF-II NS and –LCN2KD2, and (C) PANC1 EV and –LCN2 cells implanted subcutaneously in SCID mice. Gelatin zymography was perform on protein lysates isolated from (D) BxPC3 NS and –LCN2KD2, (E) HPAF-II NS and –LCN2KD2, and (F) PANC1 EV and –LCN2 xenografts (*denotes significance between KD and NS, or LCN2 and EV, p<0.05, student t-tests, n = 5).</p

LCN2 promotes survival and adhesion.

<p>(A) LCN2 enhances the expression of anti-apoptotic genes and downregulated the pro-apoptotic genes. (B) LCN2 enhances adhesion and ECM. Target genes whose expression was up/downregulated by at least 1.5-fold in the control cell line and xenograft samples compared to the LCN2 downregulated cell line and xenograft samples. Red triangles denote increased expression and green triangles denote decreased expression. The mRNA expression of (C) AIFM, (D) BIRC2, (E) FAIM, (F) MCL-1, (G) LAMAC2, (H) MMP7, (I) CDH11, and (J) ITGA2 were assessed in BxPC3, HPAF-II, and PANC1 cell lines. (* denotes significant differences between the test and control samples (p<0.05, student t-tests, n = 3).</p