Steroidogenesis and cyclic adenosine 3', 5'-monophosphate accumulation in rat adrenal cells: divergent effects of adrenocorticotropin and its o-nitrophenyl sulfenyl derivative

Both adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and its o-nitrophenyl sulfenyl derivative (NPS-ACTH) in which the single tryptophan residue of the hormone is modified, were able to stimulate corticosterone synthesis to the same maximal rate in isolated rat adrenal cells. The concentration of NPS-ACTH required for half-maximal steroidogenesis was approximately 70 times that of ACTH. Although both ACTH and NPS-ACTH stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation, the effect of NPS-ACTH was marginal; the maximal stimulation of cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) accumulation in response to ACTH was 30 to 100-fold greater than that due to NPS-ACTH. Apparently ACTH increased cyclic AMP accumulation well beyond that required for the stimulation of maximal steroidogenesis. NPS-ACTH appeared to inhibit in a competitive manner the effect of ACTH on cyclic AMP production but not steroid synthesis. The continued presence of ACTH or NPS-ACTH was necessary for the continued stimulation of steroidogenesis indicating that the factor (or factors) mediating the steroidogenic response must be present throughout the time of stimulation. The relationship between steroid synthesis and cyclic AMP accumulation was different for ACTH and NPS-ACTH. Much less cyclic AMP was produced when NPS-ACTH stimulated steroid synthesis to 75% of the maximal level than when ACTH enhanced steroidogenesis half-maximally. Even though cyclic AMP was found to leave the cells during the time of incubation, the same lack of correlation between cyclic AMP generation and rate of steroid synthesis mentioned above was found whether intracellular or total cyclic AMP was measured. These results suggest that there may be two receptors for ACTH in the adrenal cell population which may be in the same cell or in different cell types. NPS-ACTH stimulates one of these receptors but inhibits the other. Furthermore, these results imply that either very small amounts of cyclic AMP are required for the stimulation of steroidogenesis or factor (or factors) besides cyclic AMP may be involved in mediating this function of ACTH

ADEPOS: Anomaly Detection based Power Saving for Predictive Maintenance using Edge Computing

In industry 4.0, predictive maintenance(PM) is one of the most important applications pertaining to the Internet of Things(IoT). Machine learning is used to predict the possible failure of a machine before the actual event occurs. However, the main challenges in PM are (a) lack of enough data from failing machines, and (b) paucity of power and bandwidth to transmit sensor data to cloud throughout the lifetime of the machine. Alternatively, edge computing approaches reduce data transmission and consume low energy. In this paper, we propose Anomaly Detection based Power Saving(ADEPOS) scheme using approximate computing through the lifetime of the machine. In the beginning of the machines life, low accuracy computations are used when the machine is healthy. However, on the detection of anomalies, as time progresses, the system is switched to higher accuracy modes. We show using the NASA bearing dataset that using ADEPOS, we need 8.8X less neurons on average and based on post-layout results, the resultant energy savings are 6.4 to 6.65XComment: Submitted to ASP-DAC 2019, Japa

Crystal structure and docking studies of hexahydrocycloocta[b]pyridine-3-carbonitriles

The crystal structures of two new isomorphous pyridine structures, 2-ethoxy-4-(2-flurophenyl)-5,6,7,8,9,10-hexahydrocycloocta[b]pyridine-3-carbonitrile (Ia) and 2-methoxy-4-(4-isopropylphenyl)-5,6,7,8,9,10-hexahydrocycloocta[b]pyridine-3-carbonitrile (Ib) were elucidated by single crystal X ray diffraction. Compound (Ia) C20H21FN2O, crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P21/n with a = 7.0738 (3) Å, b = 17.3519(8) Å, c = 14.4239 (7) Å, b = 91.837 (2)° and Z = 4. The compound (Ib), C22H25N2O, crystallizes in the same crystal system as compound (Ib), space group P21/c with a = 9.7123(6) Å, b = 20.6046(9) Å, c = 10.4657(6) Å,  b = 117.208 (3)° and Z = 4. The central heterocyclic ring adopts a planar conformation and the cyclooctane ring adopts a twisted boat chair conformation in both (Ia) and (Ib).   The synthesized compounds were screened for their anti-tuberculosis activity and were used to identify lead structures through docking studies, by automated docking. This approach was used to determine the orientation of inhibitors bound in the active site with the enzyme N-acetyl-gamma-glutamyl-phosphate reductase that is involved in arginine biosynthesis in M. tuberculosis (MtbAGPR). Details of the preparation, crystal structure determination, intra and inter molecular interactions of the compounds and their docking studies are given

Instructional Design and Strategies for Multicultural Education: A Qualitative Case Study

With more people moving abroad for education and work, many countries are becoming multicultural in population. Hence, developing multicultural attitudes is becoming imperative to prevent negative thoughts and feelings toward minorities that may translate into discriminatory behaviors toward them. One way to ensure this is through multicultural education. The aim of multicultural education is to ensure that students from diverse racial, ethnic, and social-class groups will experience educational equality. This qualitative case study analyzes the course design and instructional strategies implemented by a professor in a multicultural education course offered in a U.S. university. We have examined how the professor taught about multicultural education, ensured educational equality in her class, and also successfully produced multicultural attitudes among her students

Reference Distorted Prices

I show that when consumers (mis)perceive prices relative to reference prices, budgets turn out to be soft, prices tend to be lower and the average quality of goods sold decreases. These observations provide explanations for decentralized purchase decisions, for people being happy with a purchase even when they have paid their evaluation, and for why trade might affect high quality local firms 'unfairly'

USERS’ ENGAGEMENT IN BANKING ACTIVITIES ON SOCIAL MEDIA: A STUDY WITH REFERENCE TO FACEBOOK

This study was conducted to assess the users’ (customers’) engagement in Indian commercial banks on social media through customer reactions (likes, comments and shares) to the banking activities (banks’ Facebook page posts) on Facebook. The data was collected through Facebook for a period of five and half years (June 2016 to December 2021). This paper also found the presence of Indian commercial banks on various social media platforms. The results show that most of the commercial banks are present in popular social media platforms and all the banks are present on Facebook as well. With respect to users’ engagement in social media, private sector banks have more engaged users, especially in ICICI bank in comparison to public sector banks even though there are more public sector banks’ activities

EpCAM aptamer mediated cancer cell specific delivery of EpCAM siRNA using polymeric nanocomplex

BACKGROUND: Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) is overexpressed in solid tumors and regarded as a putative cancer stem cell marker. Here, we report that employing EpCAM aptamer (EpApt) and EpCAM siRNA (SiEp) dual approach, for the targeted delivery of siRNA to EpCAM positive cancer cells, efficiently inhibits cancer cell proliferation. RESULTS: Targeted delivery of siRNA using polyethyleneimine is one of the efficient methods for gene delivery, and thus, we developed a novel aptamer-PEI-siRNA nanocomplex for EpCAM targeting. PEI nanocomplex synthesized with EpCAM aptamer (EpApt) and EpCAM siRNA (SiEp) showed 198 nm diameter sized particles by dynamic light scattering, spherical shaped particles, of 151 ± 11 nm size by TEM. The surface charge of the nanoparticles was -30.0 mV using zeta potential measurements. Gel retardation assay confirmed the PEI-EpApt-SiEp nanoparticles formation. The difference in size observed by DLS and TEM could be due to coating of aptamer and siRNA on PEI nanocore. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that PEI-EpApt-SiEp has superior binding to cancer cells compared to EpApt or scramble aptamer (ScrApt) or PEI-ScrApt-SiEp. PEI-EpApt-SiEp downregulated EpCAM and inhibited selectively the cell proliferation of MCF-7 and WERI-Rb1 cells. CONCLUSIONS: The PEI nanocomplex fabricated with EpApt and siEp was able to target EpCAM tumor cells, deliver the siRNA and silence the target gene. This nanocomplex exhibited decreased cell proliferation than the scrambled aptamer loaded nanocomplex in the EpCAM expressing cancer cells and may have potential for EpCAM targeting in vivo