Oxidative stress, NADPH oxidases, and arteries

Atherosclerosis and its major complications –myocardial infarction and stroke– remain major causes of death and disability in the United States and world-wide. Indeed, with dramatic increases in obesity and diabetes mellitus, the prevalence and public health impact of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) will likely remain high. Major advances have been made in development of new therapies to reduce the incidence of atherosclerosis and CVD, in particular for treatment of hypercholesterolemia and hypertension. Oxidative stress is the common mechanistic link for many CVD risk factors. However, only recently have the tools existed to study the interface between oxidative stress and CVD in animal models. The most important source of reactive oxygen species (and hence oxidative stress) in vascular cells are the multiple forms of enzymes nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase (NADPH oxidase). Recently published and emerging studies now clearly establish that: 1) NADPH oxidases are of critical importance in atherosclerosis and hypertension in animal models; 2) given the tissue-specific expression of key components of NADPH oxidase, it may be possible to target vascular oxidative stress for prevention of CVD

A study on clinico social impact of teenage pregnancy in a tertiary care hospital

Background: In India, teenage pregnancy is an important public-health problem, although the national policy of the Government of India advocates the minimum legal age of marriage for girls to be 18 years. Data of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-3 revealed that 16% of women, aged 15-19 years, have already started childbearing. Teenage pregnancies represent a high-risk group in reproductive terms because of the double burden of reproduction and growth. Complications of pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of mortality among girls aged 15-19 years in developing countries. Aim and objective of the study was to study the prevalence of teenage pregnancies and to study the clinic social impact of teenage pregnancies.Methods: The observational cross-sectional study was conducted in Government General Hospital, Guntur in the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology over three Months from August to October 2018. All pregnant women coming to either OPD or directly to the labour room were included in the study group. History was taken and examination was done.Results: Among the 709 deliveries in the institute, 138 are teenage pregnancies contributing to 19.4%. Prevalence of anaemia in teenage mothers is as high as 63.7%, pregnancy induced hypertension contributing to 26.8% and abortions 9.4%. The neonatal outcome is poor in teenage mothers, low birth weight 20.2% contributing to the main morbidity.Conclusions: Teenage pregnancy is associated with an increased incidence of preeclampsia, eclampsia, preterm delivery, increased incidence of instrumental deliveries and lower segment caesarean sections due to cephalopelvic disproportion, neonatal complications, increased neonatal morbidity and mortality mainly due to low birth weight was noted in babies delivered to teenage mothers.

THE CHARACTERIZED CONCEPT OF VAGUE CO-FRAMES

In this paper we introduce vague frame, vague co- frames, vague frame generated by frame and investigate some of its basic properties. In particular, some interesting characterizations closely related to the vague co- frames and vague cut sets on vague co-frame are given also studied their properties. Further we investigate the development of some important results and theorems about vague cut sets on vague co-frame

Advances in biotechnology and genomics of switchgrass

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a C4 perennial warm season grass indigenous to the North American tallgrass prairie. A number of its natural and agronomic traits, including adaptation to a wide geographical distribution, low nutrient requirements and production costs, high water use efficiency, high biomass potential, ease of harvesting, and potential for carbon storage, make it an attractive dedicated biomass crop for biofuel production. We believe that genetic improvements using biotechnology will be important to realize the potential of the biomass and biofuel-related uses of switchgrass. Tissue culture techniques aimed at rapid propagation of switchgrass and genetic transformation protocols have been developed. Rapid progress in genome sequencing and bioinformatics has provided efficient strategies to identify, tag, clone and manipulate many economically-important genes, including those related to higher biomass, saccharification efficiency, and lignin biosynthesis. Application of the best genetic tools should render improved switchgrass that will be more economically and environmentally sustainable as a lignocellulosic bioenergy feedstock

Redox signaling in cardiovascular health and disease

Spatiotemporal regulation of the activity of a vast array of intracellular proteins and signaling pathways by reactive oxygen species (ROS) governs normal cardiovascular function. However, data from experimental and animal studies strongly support that dysregulated redox signaling, resulting from hyper-activation of various cellular oxidases or mitochondrial dysfunction, is integral to the pathogenesis and progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD). In this review, we address how redox signaling modulates the protein function, the various sources of increased oxidative stress in CVD, and the labyrinth of redox-sensitive molecular mechanisms involved in the development of atherosclerosis, hypertension, cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure, and ischemia–reperfusion injury. Advances in redox biology and pharmacology for inhibiting ROS production in specific cell types and subcellular organelles combined with the development of nanotechnology-based new in vivo imaging systems and targeted drug delivery mechanisms may enable fine-tuning of redox signaling for the treatment and prevention of CVD

Seed Germination and Seedling Growth in Solanum Species to Water Stress under in vitro Conditions

A study on seed germination and seedling growth was conducted with five cultivars of Solanum melongena L. (cvs. Arka Nidhi, B.P.L.H.-1, Arka Neelakanth, Arka Keshav and Mattu Gulla) and a wild species Solanum macrocarpon L. under different levels of osmotic potential induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG 8000). Germination declined progressively in response to decreasing (more negative) water potential, and no germination was found beyond - 0.4MPa in any of the cultivars/species. Except for cvs. Arka Nidhi, B.P.L.H.-1 and Mattu Gulla, no germination was seen at -0.4MPa Cultivar Arka Neelkanth failed to germinate under any of the osmotic concentrations tested. Response in term of root growth was better in Arka Neelkanth, followed by Arka Nidhi and B.P.L.H.-1, upto transfer from different levels of osmotic potential to Control (0MPa). Germination of primed seeds within 24h indicates that many processes leading to normal germination would have been completed during the priming process itself. In contrast to germination, growth extension in radicle was less sensitive to water stress

Synthesis of 5:6:7-hydroxyflavones and their derivatives - Part I

This article does not have an abstract

Use of Geotextiles in Low Volume Roads — A Case Study

The application of geotextiles has been well accepted as a construction material in Civil engineering works. However, in India, the utility of geotextiles is very limited to particular areas of application in Civil Engineering such as highways, railways and irrigation projects etc. On an experimental basis, these fabrics have been used as an intermediate layer between subgrade and subbase to serve as a separation and drainage layer in a road constructed on soft subgrade soil. The main objective of field trials was to study the need, relevance and the relative efficacy of the use of geotextiles as compared to the use of conventional techniques in the construction and maintenance of road pavements on soft subgrades. The surface characteristics of different test sections were evaluated in terms of riding quality, rut depth and transverse/longitudinal slope variance. The structural adequacy of different specifications were determined using Benklemen Beam deflection tests. Based on the detailed data analysis, it is concluded that the geosynthetics are an effective substitute for conventional blanket courses as a separator with the added benefit that they ensure more effective subsurface drainage of the pavement compared to conventional blanket courses

Genetic structure of the rattan Calamus thwaitesii in core, buffer and peripheral regions of three protected areas in central Western Ghats, India: do protected areas serve as refugia for genetic resources of economically important plants?

Given the increasing anthropogenic pressures on forests, the various protected areas-national parks, sanctuaries, and biosphere reserves-serve as the last footholds for conserving biological diversity. However, because protected areas are often targeted for the conservation of selected species, particularly charismatic animals, concerns have been raised about their effectiveness in conserving nontarget taxa and their genetic resources. In this paper, we evaluate whether protected areas can serve as refugia for genetic resources of economically important plants that are threatened due to extraction pressures. We examine the population structure and genetic diversity of an economically important rattan, Calamus thwaitesii, in the core, buffer and peripheral regions of three protected areas in the central Western Ghats, southern India. Our results indicate that in all the three protected areas, the core and buffer regions maintain a better population structure, as well as higher genetic diversity, than the peripheral regions of the protected area. Thus, despite the escalating pressures of extraction, the protected areas are effective in conserving the genetic resources of rattan. These results underscore the importance of protected areas in conservation of nontarget species and emphasize the need to further strengthen the protected-area network to offer refugia for economically important plant species