Uteroglobin Represses Allergen-induced Inflammatory Response by Blocking PGD2 Receptor–mediated Functions

Uteroglobin (UG) is an antiinflammatory protein secreted by the epithelial lining of all organs communicating with the external environment. We reported previously that UG-knockout mice manifest exaggerated inflammatory response to allergen, characterized by increased eotaxin and Th2 cytokine gene expression, and eosinophil infiltration in the lungs. In this study, we uncovered that the airway epithelia of these mice also express high levels of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, a key enzyme for the production of proinflammatory lipid mediators, and the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) contain elevated levels of prostaglandin D2. These effects are abrogated by recombinant UG treatment. Although it has been reported that prostaglandin D2 mediates allergic inflammation via its receptor, DP, neither the molecular mechanism(s) of DP signaling nor the mechanism by which UG suppresses DP-mediated inflammatory response are clearly understood. Here we report that DP signaling is mediated via p38 mitogen–activated protein kinase, p44/42 mitogen–activated protein kinase, and protein kinase C pathways in a cell type–specific manner leading to nuclear factor–κB activation stimulating COX-2 gene expression. Further, we found that recombinant UG blocks DP-mediated nuclear factor–κB activation and suppresses COX-2 gene expression. We propose that UG is an essential component of a novel innate homeostatic mechanism in the mammalian airways to repress allergen-induced inflammatory responses

"The fruits of independence": Satyajit Ray, Indian nationhood and the spectre of empire

Challenging the longstanding consensus that Satyajit Ray's work is largely free of ideological concerns and notable only for its humanistic richness, this article shows with reference to representations of British colonialism and Indian nationhood that Ray's films and stories are marked deeply and consistently by a distinctively Bengali variety of liberalism. Drawn from an ongoing biographical project, it commences with an overview of the nationalist milieu in which Ray grew up and emphasizes the preoccupation with colonialism and nationalism that marked his earliest unfilmed scripts. It then shows with case studies of Kanchanjangha (1962), Charulata (1964), First Class Kamra (First-Class Compartment, 1981), Pratidwandi (The Adversary, 1970), Shatranj ke Khilari (The Chess Players, 1977), Agantuk (The Stranger, 1991) and Robertsoner Ruby (Robertson's Ruby, 1992) how Ray's mature work continued to combine a strongly anti-colonial viewpoint with a shifting perspective on Indian nationhood and an unequivocal commitment to cultural cosmopolitanism. Analysing how Ray articulated his ideological positions through the quintessentially liberal device of complexly staged debates that were apparently free, but in fact closed by the scenarist/director on ideologically specific notes, this article concludes that Ray's reputation as an all-forgiving, ‘everybody-has-his-reasons’ humanist is based on simplistic or even tendentious readings of his work

Crystal structure of [Fe(L¹)₂](ClO₄)₂.H₂O having Fe^IIN₆ coordination [L¹= 2,6- bis(pyrazol-1-ylmethyl)pyridine]

973-975The structure of the compound [Fe(L1)2](ClO4)2.H2O (1)[L1= 2,6- bis(pyrazol-1-ylmethyl)pyridine] has been determined by X-ray crystallography at ≈130 K. Temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility and Mossbauer spectral studies reveal that the iron atom in 1 is in the high-spin state at room temperature and in the low-spin state at low temperature, whereas in [Fe(L2)2](ClO4)2.H2O (2) and [Fe(L3)2](ClO4)2.H2O (3) [L2 = 2,6-bis(3,5- dimethylpyrazole-1-ylmethyl)pyridine and L3 = 2-(pyrazol-1-ylmethyl)- 6-(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-ylmethyl)pyridine) the iron atom is in the high-spin state at both the temperatures [Mahapatra S, Mukherjee R, Polyhedron 12 (1993) 1603]. The metal-ligand bond distances in 1 have been compared with those of 3, determined at ≈173 K [Mahapatra S, Butcher R J, Mukherjee, R, J chem Soc, Dalton Trans (1993) 3723]. The Fe-Npyridine and Fe-Npyrazole bond distances in 1 are shorter by ~0.23 Å and ~0.14 Å,respectively, than those for the high-spin complex 3, revealing its low-spin character. Moreover, a noticeable variation of the N-Fe-N angles, leading to a more regular shape of the FeIIN6 octahedron in 1, is observed

Factors Influencing Workplace Violence against Health Care Personnel in a Tertiary Health Care Institute of West Bengal,India, India

Background: Violence in health sector although being a global issue as well as an alarming burden in India, has received limited attention till now. The present study aimed at estimation of perceived causes of workplace violence (WPV) in health sector and exploration of the possible measures to prevent it. Methods: A qualitative study was undertaken in Burdwan Medical College and Hospital a tertiary health care facility of West Bengal,India, during September – December 2018 among different types of health care personnel. Six from each stratum of doctors, nurses and support staffs i.e. 18 health personnel were included as the study subjects in Focussed Group Discussions (FGD) to explore the perceived causes of workplace violence. In-depth interview were (IDI) done with 25 individual. 3 Key Informant Interviews (KII) were done among senior faculties associated with hospital administration. 3 Focussed Group Discussions (FGD) were undertaken with the 18 health care personnel comprising 6 participants in each session with the help of a predetermined FGD guide composed of some guiding questions.Results: Doctor patient miscommunication, lack of manpower, political influence was few of the salient reasons of violence in health sector.Conclusion: The study highlights several issues like behavioural aspects, communication gaps between service provider and beneficiaries, resource crisis and political as well as social factors to be causative for violence in health sector

Hepatocyte Growth Factor Inhibits Epithelial to Myofibroblast Transition in Lung Cells via Smad7

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a lethal parenchymal lung disease characterized by denudation of the lung epithelium, fibroblast proliferation, and collagen deposition. Cellular changes underlying disease progression involve injury to alveolar epithelial cells, epithelial to mesenchymal transition, proliferation of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA)–expressing myofibroblasts and of fibroblasts resulting in enhanced deposition of extracellular matrix proteins. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) inhibits progression of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. The mechanism underlying the inhibitory effect of HGF was investigated in an in vitro model. We show that HGF markedly antagonizes basal and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β–induced expression of myofibroblast markers such as α-SMA, collagen type 1, and fibronectin in rat alveolar epithelial cells. HGF also inhibited TGF-β–induced α-SMA expression in primary murine alveolar epithelial cells. Since TGF-β is known to regulate α-SMA expression, the effect of HGF on components of TGF-β signaling was investigated. HGF induced expression of Smad7, an inhibitor of TGF-β signaling, in a mitogen-activated protein kinase–dependent manner. HGF also induced the nuclear export of Smad7 and Smad ubiquitin regulatory factor 1 (Smurf1) to the cytoplasm. HGF-dependent decrease in α-SMA was abolished with specific siRNAs targeted to Smad7. Thus, induction of Smad7 by HGF serves to limit acquisition of the myofibroblast phenotype in alveolar epithelial cells