In vitro antioxidant activity and polyphenol estimation of methanolic extract of endangered medicinal tree species, Hildegardia populifolia (Roxb.) Schott & Endl.

Antioxidant property of methanolic leaf and stem bark extracts of the endangered medicinal tree species, Hildegardia populifolia was evaluated by studying the contents of total phenolics, tannins and flavonoids, free radical scavenging activity using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrozyl (DPPH), hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, reducing power activity, ABTS·+ assay and metal chelating activity. The results of the study revealed that both the parts studied were found to have potent antioxidant activity against DPPH, hydroxyl and ABTS·+ radicals with the IC50 value of 92.86 and 309.83 for methanolic extracts of leaf and stem bark respectively for DPPH radicals and 820.30 (leaf) and 456.71 (stem bark) for hydroxyl radicals. Therefore methanolic extracts of both leaf and stem bark of H. populifolia can be considered as a new potential source of natural antioxidants for pharmaceutical industries

Euler–Lehmer constants and a conjecture of Erdös

AbstractThe Euler–Lehmer constants γ(a,q) are defined as the limitslimx→∞(∑n⩽xn≡a(modq)1n−logxq). We show that at most one number in the infinite listγ(a,q),1⩽a<q,q⩾2, is an algebraic number. The methods used to prove this theorem can also be applied to study the following question of Erdös. If f:Z/qZ→Q is such that f(a)=±1 and f(q)=0, then Erdös conjectured that∑n=1∞f(n)n≠0. If q≡3(mod4), we show that the Erdös conjecture is true

SOLVING HYBRID FUZZY FRACTIONAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS BY IMPROVED EULER METHOD

In this paper we study numerical methods for hybrid fuzzy fractional differential equations and the iteration method is used to solve the hybrid fuzzy fractional differential equations with a fuzzy initial condition. We consider a differential equation of fractional order  and we compared the results with their exact solutions in order to demonstrate the validity and applicability of the method. We further give the definition of the Degree of Sub element hood of hybrid fuzzy fractional differential equations with examples.

SOLVING SECOND ORDER HYBRID FUZZY FRACTIONAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS BY RUNGE KUTTA 4TH ORDER METHOD

In this paper we study numerical methods for second order hybrid fuzzy fractional differential equations and the variational iteration method is used to solve the hybrid fuzzy fractional differential equations with a fuzzy initial condition. We consider a second differential equation of fractional order and we compared the results with their exact solutions in order to demonstrate the validity and applicability of the method. We further give the definition of the Degree of Sub element hood of hybrid fuzzy fractional differential equations with examples.   Keywords: hybrid fuzzy fractional differential equations, Degree of Sub Element Hoo

IN VITRO ANTIMICROBIAL POTENTIAL OF ROOT EXTRACTS OF THE MEDICINAL PLANT SPECIES, EMILIA SONCHIFOLIA (LINN.) DC

ABSTRACT In the present investigation, evaluation of antimicrobial potential of the methanolic root extracts (25, 50, 75 and 100mg/mL) of the plant species, Emilia sonchifolia (Asteraceae) was carried out against certain Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, B. subtilis and Streptococcus faecalis) and Gram-negative bacteria (Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeureginosa, Shigella dysenteriae and Klebsiella pneumoniae) and fungi (Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, Tricoderma viride, Azospirillum lipoferum and Mucor racemosus) by detecting the zone of inhibition using disc diffusion method. The methanolic root extracts possess significant antimicrobial activity at 100mg/mL against the tested bacteria and fungi. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the extracts ranged from 400 to1000µg/mL. Therefore, the result obtained suggests that the root extracts exhibited effective target based molecular drugs against dreadful microorganisms

an observational study

Objective This study aimed to investigate total and device-specific screen viewing (SV) and its determinants in children aged 2 years and below. Design Cross-sectional study conducted in February 2014. Setting Well-child clinics in Singapore national polyclinics. Participants Parents of children (Singapore citizens or permanent residents) aged 2 years and below were enrolled during routine clinic visits. Out of 794 eligible parent–child dyads, 725 (91.3%) provided informed consent and were included in the analysis. Main outcome measures Device-specific information on SV and determinants was ascertained using interviewer-administered survey questionnaires. The prevalence and duration of aggregate and device-specific SV were reported. Associations with potential determinants were investigated using multiple logistic regression analysis. A p value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The prevalence of daily SV and SV ≥2 h/day constituted 53.5% and 16.3%, respectively. The majority of children aged 18–24 months (88.2%) engaged in daily SV. TVs and mobile devices were the most commonly used screen devices, followed by computers and video consoles. In multivariable analysis, younger child age, Chinese ethnicity and setting rules on time of SV were strongly and consistently associated with lower levels of any SV and SV ≥2 h/day. Parental knowledge of SV recommendations and less parental SV were additionally associated with lower levels of SV ≥2 h/day. The number of screen devices was not associated with children's SV. Conclusions In contrast to recommendations, SV prevalence in children aged less than 2 years is high and appears to increase steadily across age groups. TVs and mobile devices are most frequently used. Improving parental knowledge of SV recommendations, reducing parental SV and especially the implementation of strict rules on SV time could be successful strategies to reduce SV in young children

Does 3-Day Course of Oral Amoxycillin Benefit Children of Non-Severe Pneumonia with Wheeze: A Multicentric Randomised Controlled Trial

WHO-defined pneumonias, treated with antibiotics, are responsible for a significant proportion of childhood morbidity and mortality in the developing countries. Since substantial proportion pneumonias have a viral etiology, where children are more likely to present with wheeze, there is a concern that currently antibiotics are being over-prescribed for it. Hence the current trial was conducted with the objective to show the therapeutic equivalence of two treatments (placebo and amoxycillin) for children presenting with non-severe pneumonia with wheeze, who have persistent fast breathing after nebulisation with salbutamol, and have normal chest radiograph.This multi-centric, randomised placebo controlled double blind clinical trial intended to investigate equivalent efficacy of placebo and amoxicillin and was conducted in ambulatory care settings in eight government hospitals in India. Participants were children aged 2-59 months of age, who received either oral amoxycillin (31-54 mg/Kg/day, in three divided doses for three days) or placebo, and standard bronchodilator therapy. Primary outcome was clinical failure on or before day- 4.We randomized 836 cases in placebo and 835 in amoxycillin group. Clinical failures occurred in 201 (24.0%) on placebo and 166 (19.9%) on amoxycillin (risk difference 4.2% in favour of antibiotic, 95% CI: 0.2 to 8.1). Adherence for both placebo and amoxycillin was >96% and 98.9% subjects were followed up on day- 4. Clinical failure was associated with (i) placebo treatment (adjusted OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.01 to1.62), (ii) excess respiratory rate of >10 breaths per minute (adjusted OR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.19, 1.92), (iii) vomiting at enrolment (adjusted OR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.13, 1.96), (iv) history of use of broncho-dilators (adjusted OR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.30, 2.24) and (v) non-adherence (adjusted OR = 8.06, 95% CI: 4.36, 14.92).Treating children with non-severe pneumonia and wheeze with a placebo is not equivalent to treatment with oral amoxycillin.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00407394

Sociodemographic, home environment and parental influences on total and device-specific screen viewing in children aged 2 years and below: an observational study

Objective: This study aimed to investigate total and device-specific screen viewing (SV) and its determinants in children aged 2 years and below. Design: Cross-sectional study conducted in February 2014. Setting: Well-child clinics in Singapore national polyclinics. Participants: Parents of children (Singapore citizens or permanent residents) aged 2 years and below were enrolled during routine clinic visits. Out of 794 eligible parent–child dyads, 725 (91.3%) provided informed consent and were included in the analysis. Main outcome measures Device-specific information on SV and determinants was ascertained using interviewer-administered survey questionnaires. The prevalence and duration of aggregate and device-specific SV were reported. Associations with potential determinants were investigated using multiple logistic regression analysis. A p value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The prevalence of daily SV and SV ≥2 h/day constituted 53.5% and 16.3%, respectively. The majority of children aged 18–24 months (88.2%) engaged in daily SV. TVs and mobile devices were the most commonly used screen devices, followed by computers and video consoles. In multivariable analysis, younger child age, Chinese ethnicity and setting rules on time of SV were strongly and consistently associated with lower levels of any SV and SV ≥2 h/day. Parental knowledge of SV recommendations and less parental SV were additionally associated with lower levels of SV ≥2 h/day. The number of screen devices was not associated with children's SV. Conclusions: In contrast to recommendations, SV prevalence in children aged less than 2 years is high and appears to increase steadily across age groups. TVs and mobile devices are most frequently used. Improving parental knowledge of SV recommendations, reducing parental SV and especially the implementation of strict rules on SV time could be successful strategies to reduce SV in young children

Fine Mapping of Genetic Variants in BIN1, CLU, CR1 and PICALM for Association with Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease

Recent genome-wide association studies of Alzheimer's disease (AD) have identified variants in BIN1, CLU, CR1 and PICALM that show replicable association with risk for disease. We have thoroughly sampled common variation in these genes, genotyping 355 variants in over 600 individuals for whom measurements of two AD biomarkers, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) 42 amino acid amyloid beta fragments (Aβ42) and tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 (ptau181), have been obtained. Association analyses were performed to determine whether variants in BIN1, CLU, CR1 or PICALM are associated with changes in the CSF levels of these biomarkers. Despite adequate power to detect effects as small as a 1.05 fold difference, we have failed to detect evidence for association between SNPs in these genes and CSF Aβ42 or ptau181 levels in our sample. Our results suggest that these variants do not affect risk via a mechanism that results in a strong additive effect on CSF levels of Aβ42 or ptau181

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

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