63 research outputs found

    Effect of Terminalia chebula fruit extract on lipid peroxidation and antioxidative system of testis of albino rats

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    The effect of aqueous extract of the Terminalia chebula was studied in male albino rats to explore its activities on testis. 1.0 ml of aqueous extract of T. chebula (500 mg/kg body weight) was given orally for 45 days. The activity of lipid peroxidation and superoxide dismutase were significantly increased but the concentration of antioxidant enzyme glutathione, and catalase were decreased in the aqueous extract administered rats rather than in control rats. Significant decrease in the activities of antioxidant enzymes, spermatogenesis and increase in the level of lipid peroxidation, indicate the severity of oxidative stress induced as a result of administration of extract of T. chebula. The aqueous extract also lead to changes in the parameters such as sperm count, motility and morphology, protein and cholesterol content of the rat testis. The long term (45 days) administration of the extract causes significant changes in the rat testis

    Low switching power neuromorphic perovskite devices with quick relearning functionality

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    In the quest to reduce energy consumption, there is a growing demand for technology beyond silicon as electronic materials for neuromorphic artificial intelligence devices. Equipped with the criteria of energy efficiency and excellent adaptability, organohalide perovskites can emulate the characteristics of synaptic functions in the human brain. In this aspect, this study designs and develops CsFAPbI3-based memristive neuromorphic devices that can switch at low power and show larger endurance by adopting the powder engineering methodology. The neuromorphic characteristics of the CsFAPbI3-based devices exhibit an ultra-high paired-pulse facilitation index for an applied electric stimuli pulse. Moreover, the transition from short-term to long-term memory requires ultra-low energy with long relaxation times. The learning and training cycles illustrate that the CsFAPbI3-based devices exhibit faster learning and memorization process owing to their larger carrier lifetime compared to other perovskites. The results provide a pathway to attain low-power neuromorphic devices that are synchronic to the human brain's performance

    Rapid near-patient impedimetric sensing platform for prostate cancer diagnosis

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    With the global escalation of concerns surrounding prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis, reliance on the serologic prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test remains the primary approach. However, the imperative for early PCa diagnosis necessitates more effective, accurate, and rapid diagnostic point-of-care (POC) devices to enhance the result reliability and minimize disease-related complications. Among POC approaches, electrochemical biosensors, known for their amenability and miniaturization capabilities, have emerged as promising candidates. In this study, we developed an impedimetric sensing platform to detect urinary zinc (UZn) in both artificial and clinical urine samples. Our approach lies in integrating label-free impedimetric sensing and the introduction of porosity through surface modification techniques. Leveraging a cellulose acetate/reduced graphene oxide composite, our sensor’s recognition layer is engineered to exhibit enhanced porosity, critical for improving the sensitivity, capture, and interaction with UZn. The sensitivity is further amplified by incorporating zincon as an external dopant, establishing highly effective recognition sites. Our sensor demonstrates a limit of detection of 7.33 ng/mL in the 0.1–1000 ng/mL dynamic range, which aligns with the reference benchmark samples from clinical biochemistry. Our sensor results are comparable with the results of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) where a notable correlation of 0.991 is achieved. To validate our sensor in a real-life scenario, tests were performed on human urine samples from patients being investigated for prostate cancer. Testing clinical urine samples using our sensing platform and ICP-MS produced highly comparable results. A linear correlation with R2 = 0.964 with no significant difference between two groups (p-value = 0.936) was found, thus confirming the reliability of our sensing platform

    Glutaredoxin-1 Overexpression Enhances Neovascularization and Diminishes Ventricular Remodeling in Chronic Myocardial Infarction

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    Oxidative stress plays a critical role in the pathophysiology of cardiac failure, including the modulation of neovascularization following myocardial infarction (MI). Redox molecules thioredoxin (Trx) and glutaredoxin (Grx) superfamilies actively maintain intracellular thiol-redox homeostasis by scavenging reactive oxygen species. Among these two superfamilies, the pro-angiogenic function of Trx-1 has been reported in chronic MI model whereas similar role of Grx-1 remains uncertain. The present study attempts to establish the role of Grx-1 in neovascularization and ventricular remodeling following MI. Wild-type (WT) and Grx-1 transgenic (Grx-1Tg/+) mice were randomized into wild-type sham (WTS), Grx-1Tg/+ Sham (Grx-1Tg/+S), WTMI, Grx-1Tg/+MI. MI was induced by permanent occlusion of the LAD coronary artery. Sham groups underwent identical time-matched surgical procedures without LAD ligation. Significant increase in arteriolar density was observed 7 days (d) after surgical intervention in the Grx-1Tg/+MI group as compared to the WTMI animals. Further, improvement in myocardial functional parameters 30 d after MI was observed including decreased LVIDs, LVIDd, increased ejection fraction and, fractional shortening was also observed in the Grx-1Tg/+MI group as compared to the WTMI animals. Moreover, attenuation of oxidative stress and apoptotic cardiomyocytes was observed in the Grx-1Tg/+MI group as compared to the WTMI animals. Increased expression of p-Akt, VEGF, Ang-1, Bcl-2, survivin and DNA binding activity of NF-κB were observed in the Grx-1Tg/+MI group when compared to WTMI animals as revealed by Western blot analysis and Gel-shift analysis, respectively. These results are the first to demonstrate that Grx-1 induces angiogenesis and diminishes ventricular remodeling apparently through neovascularization mediated by Akt, VEGF, Ang-1 and NF-κB as well as Bcl-2 and survivin-mediated anti-apoptotic pathway in the infarcted myocardium

    Potential biological role of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) in male gametes

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    Maintaining the integrity of sperm DNA is vital to reproduction and male fertility. Sperm contain a number of molecules and pathways for the repair of base excision, base mismatches and DNA strand breaks. The presence of Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), a DNA repair enzyme, and its homologues has recently been shown in male germ cells, specifically during stage VII of spermatogenesis. High PARP expression has been reported in mature spermatozoa and in proven fertile men. Whenever there are strand breaks in sperm DNA due to oxidative stress, chromatin remodeling or cell death, PARP is activated. However, the cleavage of PARP by caspase-3 inactivates it and inhibits PARP's DNA-repairing abilities. Therefore, cleaved PARP (cPARP) may be considered a marker of apoptosis. The presence of higher levels of cPARP in sperm of infertile men adds a new proof for the correlation between apoptosis and male infertility. This review describes the possible biological significance of PARP in mammalian cells with the focus on male reproduction. The review elaborates on the role played by PARP during spermatogenesis, sperm maturation in ejaculated spermatozoa and the potential role of PARP as new marker of sperm damage. PARP could provide new strategies to preserve fertility in cancer patients subjected to genotoxic stresses and may be a key to better male reproductive health
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