Paradigm Shift: Sex Education

With LGBTQ+ topics added to sex education at a young age, kids will learn that these topics are normal and cause a significant drop in bullying. Although some might say adding this would worsen the issue, it would teach students and faculty to be more accepting of these topics, and more accepting of LGBTQ+ people. Schools in Lincoln Public Schools and Omaha Public Schools have both been challenged with this topic recently, and reacted to them in different ways. Overall, the main issue of this topic is the current paradigm of our peers. Inclusive sex education in classrooms is a must for all public education because it significantly affects every single person, whether they fall into the LGBTQ+ category or not. It affects knowledge on health, mentality, social behavior, and so on. Implementing this into basic education will create a paradigm shift in the next generation because they will be taught the normality of LGBTQ+ people. This should create a safer school environment because students will be educated and in time completely cease to bully based on these differences

Istraživanje oksidativnog stresa i genotoksičnosti slatkovodnih riba Cyprinus Carpio nakon izloženosti subletalnoj dozi triazofosa

Triazophos (TAP), an organophosphorus insecticide, is widely used in agricultural practice for controlling various insect pests. The present research work aimed to elucidate the impact of TAP on the antioxidant status and DNA content of the freshwater fish Cyprinus carpio. The fish were grouped into batches (n=6) and received a sublethal dose of 0.3mg/L for a duration of 1 (E1), 10 (E2), 20 (E3) and 30 days (E4). Another group, devoid of any toxicant, was maintained as the control (C). Changes in the enzymatic threshold of the selected antioxidants and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels suggested the conformation of oxidative stress in the livers of the freshwater fish C. carpio due to TAP exposure. Additionally, comet assays and micronucleus tests performed on the peripheral blood of the fish suggested increased damage in the form of the percentage of tail DNA formation and a high frequency of micronucleus as compared to the control. A positive correlation was seen between the decline in antioxidant activity, the elevation in MDA and the comet length and micronucleus frequency. The study thus highlights the impact of TAP on antioxidant levels in the livers and genotoxicity in the blood of the freshwater fish C. carpio. The findings of the study confirm that the antioxidant status, along with the comet assay and micronucleus tests could be used as tools in determining the potential genotoxicity due to the TAP impact. It is therefore suggested that extensive use of TAP should be avoided as it may contribute to the decline in the C. carpio population in its natural habitats.Triazofos (TAP) je organofosforni insekticid koji se široko koristi u poljoprivrednoj praksi za suzbijanje raznih štetnih insekata. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je procjeniti utjecaj TAP-a na antioksidativni status i DNK slatkovodne ribe Cyprinus carpio. Ribe su razvrstane u skupine (n = 6) u kojima su primale subletalnu dozu TAP-a 0.3mg/L u trajanju od 1 (E1), 10 (E2), 20 (E3) i 30 dana (E4). Druga skupina, koja nije izložena TAP-u, smatrana je kontrolnom (C). Promjene enzimskog praga odabranih antioksidansa i razina malondialdehida (MDA) potvrdile su da izloženost TAP-u izaziva oksidativni stres u jetrama slatkovodne ribe C. carpio. Osim toga, komet analize i mikronukleusni testovi provedeni na perifernoj krvi riba ukazali su da u eksperimentalnih skupina u odnosu na kontrolu postoji povećani postotak oštećenja u obliku DNK repa i povećane učestalosti mikronukleusa. Uočena je pozitivna korelacija između pada antioksidativne aktivnosti, porasta MDA, duljine kometa i učestalosti mikronukleusa. Uzevši u obzir navedeno, istraživanje naglašava utjecaj TAP-a na razine antioksidansa u jetrama i genotoksičnost u krvi slatkovodne ribe C. carpio. Rezultati potvrđuju da se antioksidativni status, zajedno s kometnim testom i mikronukleusnim testovima, može koristiti kao alat za određivanje potencijalne genotoksičnosti TAP-a. Stoga se predlaže izbjegavanje široke uporaba TAP-a koja bi mogla doprinijeti smanjenju populacije C. carpio u njezinim prirodnim staništima

Rapid callogenesis and plant regeneration from nodal explants of Sida cordifolia L.- an important medicinal plant

An efficient reproducible protocol for rapid callus induction and plant regeneration from young nodal explants of Sida cordifolia L. was developed. High frequency of green, compact organogenic callus was obtained from nodal explants cultured on MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/L Kinetin individually and combination with 0.5 mg/L NAA and successful plant regeneration from in vitro derived callus of Sida cordifolia L. Kn and BAP individually and in combinations with NAA and IAA  used for regeneration of plantlets from callus culture. Maximum number of multiple shoots were developed on MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/L KN+0.5 mg/L NAA. All the in vitro shoots were then transferred to rooting medium supplemented with different concentrations of 0.2-1.0 mg/L NAA and IAA individually. The best rooting response was observed on 0.8 mg/L NAA. The well rooted plantlets were transferred to polybags containing soil + sand + vermiculites (2:1:1) for hardening. Finally the hardened plantlets were transferred to fields for acclimatization.&nbsp

A comparative study of surfactant versus nonsurfactant therapy among preterm with respiratory distress syndrome

Background: Respiratory distress is a clinical condition characterized by the presence of one or more signs of increased work of breathing including tachypnea, nasal flaring, grunting, and chest wall retraction. Objective: The objective of the study was to study the outcome of surfactant therapy in preterm with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Materials and Methods: A prospective comparative study was conducted in the neonatal intensive care unit of a tertiary care hospital in Cuttack, Odisha, over a period of 2 years. Parents of the babies, who gave their consent for surfactant (who can afford), were assigned as surfactant group while those who could not afford it, were included in nonsurfactant group after matching general characteristics. Results: Overall, mortality was less in the surfactant group (28.94%) than in nonsurfactant group (54.92%). However, the late neonatal death was more in the surfactant group (63.63%) than in nonsurfactant group (53.84%). Sepsis was the most common cause of the death in both groups, contributing 58% to overall death of both groups. Conclusion: Surfactant should be used in preterm with established RDS with due care to neonatal sepsis

A Nutrient Network Regulating Cellular Cholesterol and Glucose Metabolism

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)Insulin resistance, a hallmark of type 2 diabetes (T2D), is associated with accompanying derangements such as hyperinsulinemia that promote the progression of insulin resistance, yet a mechanism(s) is imperfectly understood. Data have demonstrated that hyperinsulinemia promotes insulin resistance as evidenced by diminished ability of insulin to mobilize glucose transporter GLUT4 to the plasma membrane (PM). We found that loss of PM phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2)-regulated filamentous actin (F-actin) structure contributes to hyperinsulinemia-induced insulin resistance. We tested if increased glucose flux through hexosamine biosynthesis pathway (HBP) causes dysregulation of PM components necessary for GLUT4 translocation. Increased HBP activity was detected in 3T3-L1 adipocytes cultured in hyperinsulinemia (5 nM Ins; 12 h) and also 2 mM glucosamine (GlcN), a distal HBP activator, inducing losses of PM PIP2 and F-actin. In accordance with HBP flux directly weakening PIP2/F-actin structure, inhibition of the rate-limiting HBP enzyme (glutamine:fructose-6-phosphate amidotransferase) restored F-actin and insulin responsiveness. Furthermore, less invasive challenges with glucose led to PIP2/F-actin dysregulation. New findings support a negative correlation between PM cholesterol accrual, PIP2/F-actin structure and GLUT4 regulation. These data stemmed from parallel study aimed at understanding the antidiabetic mechanism of the nutrient chromium (Cr3+). We found that chromium picolinate (CrPic) enhanced insulin-stimulated GLUT4 trafficking via reduction in PM cholesterol. In line with glucose/cholesterol toxicity findings, we demonstrated that therapeutic effects of CrPic occurred solely in adipocytes with increased HBP activity and a concomitant elevation in PM cholesterol. Mechanistically, data are consistent with a role of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in CrPic action. These data show that CrPic increases AMPK activity and perhaps suppresses cholesterol synthesis via distal phosphorylation and inactivation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase (HMGR), a rate-limiting enzyme in cholesterol synthesis. Continued study of the consequence of increased HBP activity revealed alterations in cholesterogenic transcription factors – Sp1, SREBP-1, and NFY – with Sp1 showing a significant increase in O-linked glycosylation. Consistent with Sp1 modification eliciting maximal transcriptional activation of SREBP-1, Hmgr mRNA was significantly enhanced. In conclusion, these data are consistent with a central role of PM cholesterol in glucose transport and suggest perturbations in this lipid have a contributory role in developing insulin resistance

Effect of Partial Replacement of Slag and Nano Silica Infused Slag on Properties of Concrete

Investigations were carried out on the changes in properties of concrete when steel slag is used in concrete in its normal form and after modifying its properties by infusing it with nano-silica. The sand is replaced by steel slag and modified steel slag by 10%, 20% and 30% in M30 grade concrete. Tests results on compressive strength and workability of concrete revealed that compressive strength of concrete cubes after 28 days increased by 25.4%, 26.4% and 45.2% for 10%, 20% and 30% respectively after replacing sand by steel slag. After modification of steel slag properties by infusing it with nano silica, the 28 days compressive strength was observed to be increased by 38.19%, 35.80% and 27.89% for 10%, 20% and 30% as compared to traditional concrete mix respectively after replacement. Infusing steel slag with nano silica increased the compressive strength of concrete mix by 20.17%, 25.74% and 49.64% for 10%, 20% and 30% respectively when compared to normal steel slag concrete mix. It was also observed that using steel slag in concrete mix also influences on water consumption in concrete mix. Workability tests conducted using 0.45 and 0.5 w/c ratio and the inference was that the workability increased with the increase in percentage of steel slag but workability decreases with the increase in percentage of modified steel slag