Role of HOX Genes in Stem Cell Differentiation and Cancer.

HOX genes encode an evolutionarily conserved set of transcription factors that control how the phenotype of an organism becomes organized during development based on its genetic makeup. For example, in bilaterian-type animals, HOX genes are organized in gene clusters that encode anatomic segment identity, that is, whether the embryo will form with bilateral symmetry with a head (anterior), tail (posterior), back (dorsal), and belly (ventral). Although HOX genes are known to regulate stem cell (SC) differentiation and HOX genes are dysregulated in cancer, the mechanisms by which dysregulation of HOX genes in SCs causes cancer development is not fully understood. Therefore, the purpose of this manuscript was (i) to review the role of HOX genes in SC differentiation, particularly in embryonic, adult tissue-specific, and induced pluripotent SC, and (ii) to investigate how dysregulated HOX genes in SCs are responsible for the development of colorectal cancer (CRC) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We analyzed HOX gene expression in CRC and AML using information from The Cancer Genome Atlas study. Finally, we reviewed the literature on HOX genes and related therapeutics that might help us understand ways to develop SC-specific therapies that target aberrant HOX gene expression that contributes to cancer development

Equity in distribution of benefits from water harvesting and groundwater recharge: an economic study in Sujala Watershed Project in Karnataka

The paper looks at the impact of water harvesting programs in ground water recharge through the case of the Sujala watershed in Karnataka. On comparison with areas of non sujala watershed and non watershed cases in one normal rainfall and one drought year, it was revealed that Sujala has been successful in recharging groundwater, improving farmers’ incomes and increasing crop production. Further the program is inclusive and the benefits were accrued even to the small and marginal farmers. In fact the net return for small and marginal farmers was higher that that for large and medium farmers. The study concluded that there is potential for expansion of Sujala pattern of watershed development program in other parts of Karnataka and India.Length: pp.720-746Water harvestingGroundwater rechargeWatershedsDevelopment projectsGroundwater irrigationWellsEconomic impact

Sexual Desire as Experienced by South Asian Women Living in British Columbia

Cultural beliefs and values play a significant role in the conceptualization, expression, and experience of sexual desire and functioning. Previous studies have found higher mainstream acculturation was associated with higher sexual desire and arousal. Many of these studies have also linked the cultural effects on sexual functioning to culture-differences in sexual conservatism. Within South Asian culture there is a propensity towards sexual conservatism, especially in relation to female sexual desire, yet research with regards to sexual desire and South Asian women is absent from the literature. Given the dearth of research related to this topic, further research in this area is warranted. This study used the Vancouver Index of Acculturation (VIA) and the Sexual Desire Inventory-2 (SDI-2) to investigate the relationship between acculturation to mainstream (Canadian) culture and sexual desire and enculturation to heritage (South Asian) culture and sexual desire in South Asian females living in BC. Results of this study found a positive relationship between acculturation to mainstream culture and sexual desire. No evidence of a significant relationship between enculturation to heritage culture and sexual desire was reported. Exploratory analysis of demographic factors found that as age increased acculturation scores decreased; parents and pregnant women reported higher enculturation and lower acculturation scores; non-parents scored higher on sexual desire; married participants reported lower acculturation scores, and participants in a relationship (but not married) reported the highest levels of sexual desire. Moreover, participants who identified as having Hindu or Islamic belief systems reported lower average solitary sexual desire scores than participants from other spirituality/religious groups. Finally, there were small positive correlations regarding those who agreed with statements related to female sexuality and their VIA and SDI-2 scores. Keeping in mind that this study was the first to explore sexual desire and South Asian women, findings from this study may further build on our understanding of South Asian female sexual desire as well as assist in supporting the sexual health of South Asian women. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA http://aura.antioch.edu/ and OhioLink ETD Center https://etd.ohiolink.edu/etd

Normal and Abnormal Personality Traits are Associated with Marital Satisfaction for both Men and Women: An Actor–Partner Interdependence Model Analysis

Research has demonstrated associations between relationship satisfaction and personality traits. Using the Actor–Partner Interdependence Model, we explored associations between self-reported relationship satisfaction in couples (n = 118) and various measures of normal and abnormal personality, including higher-order dimensions of PE/Extraversion, NE/Neuroticism, Constraint (CON), and their lower-order facets. We also examined gender differences and moderators of associations. Consistent with the Vulnerability Stress Adaptation Model, self- and partner-reported NE and PE were related to satisfaction, and their lower-order traits demonstrated differential associations with satisfaction. Further, abnormal personality traits specific to the interpersonal domain and personality disorder symptoms demonstrated effects. Relationship length emerged as a significant moderator, with associations weakening as relationship duration increased

A REVIEW ON TOXICITY OF CALOTROPIS (ARKA) AND MANAGEMENT

The herbal medicine occupies distinct position right from ancient period in Ayurveda. Arka (Calotropis) an important drug of Ayurvedic toxicology and therapeutics is known in India from ancient period since Samhitakala. There are two types of Arka mentioned in Ayurveda. Sweata arka (Calotropis gigantea) and Rakta arka (Calotropis procera). Among the two Raktaarka (Calotropis procera) is more toxic and is assumed even more poisonous than cobra venom. Both these plants belong to Asclepiadaceae family and closely resemble each other in chemical and physiological actions. It is included under Bhedaniya (Vagbhata) Vamanopaga, Svedopaga (Caraka), Arkadi, Adhobhagahara, gana (Susruta) and also included under Guduchyadi Osadhi varga. Toxic principals are Uscharin, Calotoxin, Calactin, Calotropin, Calotropage. Ksheera (Milk) being an irritant, neurotoxic and also due to anticholinergic responses cause toxicity and various fatal presentation. Serum containing 3% of Gigantin is highly virulent CSF toxicant. Toxic symptoms are Vanti (vomiting), Rechana (diarrhoea) on ingestion. It exerts caustic (Kshara) effect to the skin on direct contact. It can lead to blindness if its latex is put in to the eyes, causing opacity to the cornea. Ghee is considered to be an antidote for internal usage and external application of Cincha patra kalka. The dried latex and dried root are used as an antidote for snake poisoning in Bagata tribe of Eastern Ghats of Visakhapatnam district, Andhra Pradesh. A detailed account of toxic effect of Arka and its descriptions in Ayurveda along with its management have been emphasized in the present review with toxic symptoms, management, medico legal cases and case reports

Power and Preferences: Developing Countries and the Role of the WTO Appellate Body

Although it is conventional to view the World Trade Organization (WTO) as a law-based regime, we should not underestimate the ways in which state power has molded, and continues to mold, the regime. Understanding the role of power is especially important for our understanding of the relationship between developed and developing countries, the disparity of power between the two has provided the GATT/WTO regime with the challenge of trying to incorporate the powerless developing states into a system that is built on power. We review that challenge in the context of the dispute over the conditions that developed countries impose when they give developing countries preferential trade agreements. Because such preferences are, in theory, gifts, not exchanges, they should be understood as methods by which powerful countries recognize and respond to the powerlessness of the developing countries. Yet as developed countries put more and more conditions on the preferences, they diminish the redistributive character of the preferences, and the preferences begin to look like additional sources of power rather than unilateral gifts to powerless states. We examine the role of the WTO\u27s Appellate Body in monitoring this dynamic between the powerful and powerless states. Although the Appellate Body performs a judicial, interpretive function, its role in the WTO calls for a far more politically sensitive posture. Without abandoning its interpretive function, the Appellate Body must be attentive to the systemic values that drive the WTO regime. We believe that within the interpretive discretion that it has, the Appellate Body has recognized, and should exercise, the role of monitoring the power relationships between developed and developing countries

Implementation of Input Oriented Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling for Multiplier on FPGA

This paper presents an Implementation of Dynamic voltage and frequency scaling according to input data. In the conventional method the power supply is fixed and independent on workload, so, voltage and area will be consumed unnecessary .Paper proposes the approach which focuses on making system dynamic for low power digital multiplier on reconfigurable device FPGA (Spartan III). For making system Dynamic input workload should be known and scanning is used to detect range of input so system can adjust voltage and frequency. Control signal generated from scanning which can dynamically change voltage and frequency for low power consumption according to input data

Synthetic and Biocidal Studies of Zn-Hydrazone Complexes

A series of hydrazone derivatives were synthesized through multi-step reactions. The 2-(2-oxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline-7-yloxy)acetohydrazide was prepared from 7-hydroxy-3,4-dihydroquinolin-2(1H)-one as starting material. Then the condensation of 2-(2-oxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline-7-yloxy)acetohydrazide with different o-hydroxyaldehyde derivatives yielded into hydrazone derivatives . These hydrazone ligands were complexed with Zn (II) yielded complexes . The molecular structures of the hydrazones and Zn (II) complexes were characterized by FTIR, 1H and 13C NMR, LCMS, XRD, DSC-TGA, UV–Visible, Fluorescence and elemental analysis. The conductivity experiments showed that all the complexes are non-electrolytes. This is the first comprehensive review of the biological activity of hydrazone-transition metal complexes. Hydrazone complexes gained much attention because of their antifugial, antibacterial anticonvulsant, and analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antimalarial, antimicrobial, antituberculosis, anticancer, and antiviral activities. Additionally, some of the hydrazone complexes were used in treatment of iron overload diseases. One application, which reflects the importance of hydrazone complexes, is their use in detection and determination of metals and some organic constituents in pharmaceutical formulations.The Zn-hydrazone complexes also have biocidal properties

Antioxidant activity of Geraniol, Geranial acetate, Gingerol and Eugenol

Antioxidants have been reported to prevent oxidative damage caused by free radical and can be used in cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory diseases. Natural antioxidants have been used instead of synthetic antioxidants to retard lipid oxidation in foods to improve their quality and nutritional value. Apart from their use as aroma additives in food, essential oils from aromatic plants have antioxidant properties. In present study the Antioxidant activity of Geraniol, Geranial acetate, Gingerol and Eugenol was employed by two complementary test systems, namely, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free-radical scavenging and Super Oxide Dimutase (SOD) activity. Antioxidant activity of Gingerol was found to be higher than those of the others in DPPH assay. While Eugenol has more antioxidant activity in Super Oxide Dimutase activity. These essential oils showed a promising sources of natural antioxidant activity and these findings give scientific bases to their ethno pharmacological uses

Pattern of management of febrile neutropenia among breast cancer patients treated with different chemotherapeutic regimens

Background: Breast cancer is one of the common malignancies in females. Chemotherapy with Adriamycin and Cyclophosphamide (AC) followed by the Docetaxel (AC-T, Regimen-I), AC followed by Docetaxel and Carboplatin (AC-T+Cr, Regimen-II) and AC followed by Docetaxel and Trastuzumab (AC-T+Tr, Regimen-III) are commonly given for treatment. These cause myelosuppression and febrile neutropenia and need necessary interventions.Methods: This is a prospective open labelled observational comparative study to evaluate the antibiotic usage needed to treat sepsis following febrile neutropenia among breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy with regimen I, II and III. All patients received prophylactic Pegfilgrastim / Filgrastim. Antibiotics used and days in intensive care unit (ICU) in all the 8 cycles of chemotherapy were recorded. 38 patients in Regimen I, 40 patients in Regimen II and 46 patients in Regimen III completed the study and were included in the statistical analysis.Results: In regimen II, following cycle 2 of chemotherapy, none of the patients needed antibiotic therapy. Antibiotic use was maximum, following cycle 1of chemotherapy in regimen I and III, maximum number of antibiotics prescribed were 7. Number of days of ICU care needed for regimen II patients following 3rd cycle of chemotherapy was 3.5±3.5 days. No ICU care was needed for regimen III patients, following cycles 2, 3 and for regimen II following cycle 7.Conclusions: Febrile neutropenia produced by chemotherapy were effectively treated with intravenous antibiotics in ICU for an average of 2-3 days. No mortality was associated with febrile neutropenia and all patients were recovered