Traditional Media and Social Media: An Approach

If we talk about the relationship between the society and the media, it emerges that this relationship has always been one of loyalty. Media is a powerful medium for the promotion and dissemination of social aspects or activities. Media network is playing a major role in the dissemination of information. The medium of development and communication has given the form of media to every citizen of the society. With the change of time, this form is now visible in front of the society in the form of social media. As far as the question of social media websites, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram is concerned, these apps have played an important role in it. In the research paper, along with the change from media to social media, both its positive and negative aspects have been highlighted

Triazole-based C3-symmetric multivalent dendritic architecture as Cu(II) ion sensor

C3-symmetric triazole-based multivalent dendritic architecture having uniform aromatic core and branches has been employed to study its metal binding ability towards Cr(III), Mn(II), Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) ions. The dendritic architecture is found to exhibit a high affinity for Cu(II) ions and formed a solid complex with a blue shift in the dd-band of Cu(II) chloride. X-band EPR spectra at low temperature has supported a distorted tetrahedral geometry for the complex. The complex has displayed quasi-reversible redox waves in cyclic voltammetry (CV). DFT calculations have shown that Cu(II) has a high affinity for the dendritic structure, leading to high complexation energies of the order of -25 eV, showing that the complexation reactions are highly exothermic. The binding constant (K) for the Cu(II) complex has been determined using a fluorescence titration method

Analysis of cardiac autonomic modulation in normotensive obese and eutrophic adults of Nepal

Background: Obese people have a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease, though unknown mechanism, supposed to be due to autonomic dysfunction which is still in controversy. This study aimed to assess and compare heart rate variability (HRV) between normotensive obese and adults.Methods: The study was conducted on 30 normotensive obese adults (mean age 32.07±7.25 years) with BMI>30 and 29 age- and sex-matched normal weight controls (mean age 30.48±8.01 years) with BMI: 18-24 Kg/m2. Short-term HRV variables were assessed using standard protocol. The data were compared between the groups using Mann Whitney ‘U’ test.Results: In obese group, there was significant increase in the mean heart rate [79.17±8.80 Vs 71.48±8.41 beats/min, p=0.001], systolic blood pressure [121.20±9.89 Vs 113.24±11.07, mmHg, p=0.004] and diastolic blood pressure [84.97±7.87 Vs 74.83±10.31 mmHg, p=0.000]. The HRV parasympathetic indicators were less [RMSSD {28.75(16.72-38.35) Vs 41.55(30.6-56.75) ms, p=0.018}, NN50 {15.5(2-39) Vs 83.5(32.75-116.25), p=0.010}], and sympathetic indicator LF/HF ratio [1.2(0.65-2.20) Vs 0.79(0.5-1.02), p=0.004] was more in obese group.Conclusions: Obese persons have increased sympathetic activity with a reduction in parasympathetic (vagal) tone indicating poor autonomic cardiac rhythm control. Moreover, the altered autonomic activity could be the reason for increased mean heart rate and blood pressures in normotensive obese persons

On-farm Diversity Assessment and Evaluation of Finger Millet Genotypes in the Mid Hills of Nepal

The objective of the study is to assess the phenotypic diversity among the finger millet genotypes and evaluate overall performance for the recommendation of genotypes to the farming community of mid hills of Nepal. The overall performance of 8 candidate genotypes selected  from diversity block of 46 varieties in 2015, were assessed in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates under on-farm conditions in Lamjung district during 2016. Highly significant (p?0.01) variability among the selected 8 genotypes for agro-morphological traits viz., plant height, number of fingers per head, grain yield, 1000 grain weight, straw yield, days to heading and maturity was revealed. Strong inter-correlation among grain yield, plant height, time to flowering and straw yield was detected. The traits viz., plant height, grain yield, straw yield, days to heading and days to maturity were the most important traits contributing to the overall variability and thus, provide options for selection

Comparative cytogenetics of three species of Dichotomius (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae)

Meiotic and mitotic chromosomes of Dichotomius nisus, D. semisquamosus and D. sericeus were analyzed after conventional staining, C-banding and silver nitrate staining. In addition, Dichotomius nisus and D. semisquamosus chromosomes were also analyzed after fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) with an rDNA probe. The species analyzed had an asymmetrical karyotype with 2n = 18 and meta-submetacentric chromosomes. The sex determination mechanism was of the Xyp type in D. nisus and D. semisquamosus and of the Xy r type in D. sericeus. C-banding revealed the presence of pericentromeric blocks of constitutive heterochromatin (CH) in all the chromosomes of the three species. After silver staining, the nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) were located in autosomes of D. semisquamosus and D. sericeus and in the sexual bivalent of D. nisus. FISH with an rDNA probe confirmed NORs location in D. semisquamosus and in D. nisus. Our results suggest that chromosome inversions and fusions occurred during the evolution of the group

Identification and distribution of neuronal nitric oxide synthase and neurochemical markers in the neuroepithelial cells of the gill and the skin in the giant mudskipper, Periophthalmodon schlosseri

Mudskippers are amphibious fishes living in mudflats and mangroves. These fishes hold air in their large buccopharyngeal-opercular cavities where respiratory gas exchange takes place via the gills and higher vascularized epithelium lining the cavities and also the skin epidermis. Although aerial ventilation response to changes in ambient gas concentration has been studied in mudskippers, the localization and distribution of respiratory chemoreceptors, their neurochemical coding and function as well as physiological evidence for the gill or skin as site for O2 and CO2 sensing are currently not known. In the present study we assessed the distribution of serotonin, acetylcholine, catecholamines and nitric oxide in the neuroepithelial cells (NECs) of the mudskipper gill and skin epithelium using immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy. Colocalization studies showed that 5-HT is coexpressed with nNOS, Na+/K+-ATPase, TH and VAChT; nNOS is coexpressed with Na+/K+-ATPase and TH in the skin. In the gill 5-HT is coexpressed with nNOS and VAhHT and nNOS is coexpressed with Na+/K+-ATPase and TH. Acetylcholine is also expressed in chain and proximal neurons projecting to the efferent filament artery and branchial smooth muscle. The serotonergic cells c labeled with VAChT, nNOS and TH, thus indicating the presence of NEC populations and the possibility that these neurotransmitters (other than serotonin) may act as primary transmitters in the hypoxic reflex in fish gills. Immunolabeling with TH antibodies revealed that NECs in the gill and the skin are innervated by catecholaminergic nerves, thus suggesting that these cells are involved in a central control of branchial functions through their relationships with the sympathetic branchial nervous system. The Na+/K+-ATPase in mitochondria-rich cells (MRCs), which are most concentrated in the gill lamellar epithelium, is colabeled with nNOS and associated with TH nerve terminals. TH-immunopositive fine varicosities were also associated with the numerous capillaries in the skin surface and the layers of the swollen cells. Based on the often hypercapnic and hypoxic habitat of the mudskippers, these fishes may represent an attractive model for pursuing studies on O2 and CO2 sensing due to the air-breathing that increases the importance of acid/base regulation and the O2-related drive including the function of gasotransmitters such as nitric oxide that has an inhibitory (regulatory) function in ionoregulation.This research was supported by project PAN LAB PONA3_00166. The authors would like to thank Michał Ignaszewski (TDT) for his kind help in statistical analysis

Antibodies Elicited in Response to EBNA-1 May Cross-React with dsDNA

Several genetic and environmental factors have been linked to Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). One environmental trigger that has a strong association with SLE is the Epstein Barr Virus (EBV). Our laboratory previously demonstrated that BALB/c mice expressing the complete EBNA-1 protein can develop antibodies to double stranded DNA (dsDNA). The present study was undertaken to understand why anti-dsDNA antibodies arise during the immune response to EBNA-1.In this study, we demonstrated that mouse antibodies elicited in response to EBNA-1 cross-react with dsDNA. First, we showed that adsorption of sera reactive with EBNA-1 and dsDNA, on dsDNA cellulose columns, diminished reactivity with EBNA-1. Next, we generated monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to EBNA-1 and showed, by several methods, that they also reacted with dsDNA. Examination of two cross-reactive MAbs--3D4, generated in this laboratory, and 0211, a commercial MAb--revealed that 3D4 recognizes the carboxyl region of EBNA-1, while 0211 recognizes both the amino and carboxyl regions. In addition, 0211 binds moderately well to the ribonucleoprotein, Sm, which has been reported by others to elicit a cross-reactive response with EBNA-1, while 3D4 binds only weakly to Sm. This suggests that the epitope in the carboxyl region may be more important for cross-reactivity with dsDNA while the epitope in the amino region may be more important for cross-reactivity with Sm.In conclusion, our results demonstrate that antibodies to the EBNA-1 protein cross-react with dsDNA. This study is significant because it demonstrates a direct link between the viral antigen and the development of anti-dsDNA antibodies, which are the hallmark of SLE. Furthermore, it illustrates the crucial need to identify the epitopes in EBNA-1 responsible for this cross-reactivity so that therapeutic strategies can be designed to mask these regions from the immune system following EBV exposure

High-resolution CT phenotypes in pulmonary sarcoidosis: a multinational Delphi consensus study

One view of sarcoidosis is that the term covers many different diseases. However, no classification framework exists for the future exploration of pathogenetic pathways, genetic or trigger predilections, patterns of lung function impairment, or treatment separations, or for the development of diagnostic algorithms or relevant outcome measures. We aimed to establish agreement on high-resolution CT (HRCT) phenotypic separations in sarcoidosis to anchor future CT research through a multinational two-round Delphi consensus process. Delphi participants included members of the Fleischner Society and the World Association of Sarcoidosis and other Granulomatous Disorders, as well as members' nominees. 146 individuals (98 chest physicians, 48 thoracic radiologists) from 28 countries took part, 144 of whom completed both Delphi rounds. After rating of 35 Delphi statements on a five-point Likert scale, consensus was achieved for 22 (63%) statements. There was 97% agreement on the existence of distinct HRCT phenotypes, with seven HRCT phenotypes that were categorised by participants as non-fibrotic or likely to be fibrotic. The international consensus reached in this Delphi exercise justifies the formulation of a CT classification as a basis for the possible definition of separate diseases. Further refinement of phenotypes with rapidly achievable CT studies is now needed to underpin the development of a formal classification of sarcoidosis