Effects of visible lights, photodermatoses and role of antioxidants in skin health

Visible light (VL) radiation poses potential risks to the skin, including solar urticaria, chronic actinic dermatitis (CAD), cutaneous porphyrias, and others. Photodermatoses, another skin condition, can be worsened by exposure to light. Involves the production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS, respectively), which harms proteins, lipids, and DNA results in an inflammatory reaction and increased skin pigmentation. Studies show that plant-derived antioxidants can shield VIS-exposed skin from oxidative damage brought on by ROS. Both API (Active pharmaceutical ingredients) and BTC (Bis trichloromethyl carbonate) give protection against harm caused by VL and useful topical antioxidants that can be added to sunscreens in terms of sun protection techniques, whereas, vitamins A, C, and E are antioxidants that reduce the aging process by preventing free radicals from oxidizing sensitive biological components. With an emphasis on either VL blocking (tinted sunscreens) or production of reactive species and radical quenching (antioxidant sunscreens), availability of photoprotection products that contain VL protection is expanding. Promising advancements have been made in incorporating antioxidants and radical scavengers into sunscreen formulations to address the induction of ROS/RNS by visible light. Topical application of an antioxidant blend containing varying concentrations of a singlet oxygen quencher along with fixed concentrations of vitamin E (0.25%) and vitamin C (0.01%) has shown ability to inhibit erythema and reduce pigmentation in certain skin types. Recent advancements in understanding VL's ability to induce reactive species have paved the way for antioxidant-based formulations, which offer promising alternatives for photoprotection across all skin types

DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF STABILITY INDICATING HPTLC METHOD FOR DETERMINATION OF APIXABAN AS BULK DRUG

Objective: To develop and validate simple, sensitive stability indicating HPTLC (High performance thin layer chromatography) method for apixaban. Methods: The chromatographic separation was performed on aluminium plates precoated with silica gel 60 F254 using toluene: ethyl acetate: methanol (3:6:1 v/v/v) as mobile phase followed by densitometric scanning at 279 nm. Results: The chromatographic condition shows sharp peak of apixaban at Rf value of 0.38±0.03. Stress testing was carried out according to international conference on harmonization (ICH)Q1A (R2) guidelines and the method was validated as per ICH Q2(R1) guidelines. The calibration curve was found to be linear in the concentration range of 100-500 ng/band for apixaban. The limit of detection and quantification was found to be 11.66ng/bandand35.33ng/band, respectively. Conclusion: A new simple, sensitive, stability indicating high performance thin layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method has been developed and validated for the determination of apixaban

Genetic differentiation of populations residing in areas of high malaria endemicity in India

This article does not have an abstract

Allergen Challenge Induces Ifng Dependent GTPases in the Lungs as Part of a Th1 Transcriptome Response in a Murine Model of Allergic Asthma

According to the current paradigm, allergic airway inflammation is mediated by Th2 cytokines and pro-inflammatory chemokines. Since allergic inflammation is self-limited, we hypothesized that allergen challenge simultaneously induces anti-inflammatory genes to counter-balance the effects of Th2 cytokines and chemokines. To identify these putative anti-inflammatory genes, we compared the gene expression profile in the lungs of ragweed-sensitized mice four hours after challenge with either PBS or ragweed extract (RWE) using a micro-array platform. Consistent with our hypothesis, RWE challenge concurrently upregulated Th1-associated early target genes of the Il12/Stat4 pathway, such as p47 and p65 GTPases (Iigp, Tgtp and Gbp1), Socs1, Cxcl9, Cxcl10 and Gadd45g with the Th2 genes Il4, Il5, Ccl2 and Ccl7. These Th1-associated genes remain upregulated longer than the Th2 genes. Augmentation of the local Th1 milieu by administration of Il12 or CpG prior to RWE challenge further upregulated these Th1 genes. Abolition of the Th1 response by disrupting the Ifng gene increased allergic airway inflammation and abrogated RWE challenge-induced upregulation of GTPases, Cxcl9, Cxcl10 and Socs1, but not Gadd45g. Our data demonstrate that allergen challenge induces two sets of Th1-associated genes in the lungs: 1) Ifng-dependent genes such as p47 and p65 GTPases, Socs1, Cxcl9 and Cxcl10 and 2) Ifng-independent Th1-inducing genes like Gadd45g. We propose that allergen-induced airway inflammation is regulated by simultaneous upregulation of Th1 and Th2 genes, and that persistent unopposed upregulation of Th1 genes resolves allergic inflammation

Detection of Brain Injury Using Different Soft Computing Techniques: A Survey

The detection of brain injury is one of the important and difficult task in the field of medicine. If the brain injuries are not detected in time, then it can cause serious problems in patients and sometimes can even lead to death. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the major causes of mortality and poor quality of life among the survivors. Various imaging techniques are available for taking the images of the brain so that the injuries can be detected. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the common medical imaging technique used for the delineation of soft tissues such as that of the brain. This paper analyses few of the methods and their performances that have been proposed for the detection of the brain injury. In these methods different soft computing techniques such as artificial neural networks (ANN), k nearest neighbor (k-NN), support vector machine (SVM), Parzan window, etc. were used for the classification of abnormal and normal brain images. Before classification feature extraction and reduction were done using the methods such as DWT, GLCM, PCA, etc. DOI: 10.17762/ijritcc2321-8169.15030

Variations in host genes encoding adhesion molecules and susceptibility to falciparum malaria in India

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Host adhesion molecules play a significant role in the pathogenesis of <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>malaria and changes in their structure or levels in individuals can influence the outcome of infection. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of SNPs of three adhesion molecule genes, <it>ICAM1</it>, <it>PECAM1 </it>and <it>CD36</it>, with severity of falciparum malaria in a malaria-endemic and a non-endemic region of India.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The frequency distribution of seven selected SNPs of <it>ICAM1</it>, <it>PECAM1 </it>and <it>CD36 </it>was determined in 552 individuals drawn from 24 populations across India. SNP-disease association was analysed in a case-control study format. Genotyping of the population panel was performed by Sequenom mass spectroscopy and patient/control samples were genotyped by SNaPshot method. Haplotypes and linkage disequilibrium (LD) plots were generated using PHASE and Haploview, respectively. Odds-ratio (OR) for risk assessment was estimated using EpiInfo™ version 3.4.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Association of the ICAM1 rs5498 (exon 6) G allele and the CD36 exon 1a A allele with increased risk of severe malaria was observed (severe versus control, OR = 1.91 and 2.66, P = 0.02 and 0.0012, respectively). The CD36 rs1334512 (-53) T allele as well as the TT genotype associated with protection from severe disease (severe versus control, TT versus GG, OR = 0.37, P = 0.004). Interestingly, a SNP of the <it>PECAM1 </it>gene (rs668, exon 3, C/G) with low minor allele frequency in populations of the endemic region compared to the non-endemic region exhibited differential association with disease in these regions; the G allele was a risk factor for malaria in the endemic region, but exhibited significant association with protection from disease in the non-endemic region.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The data highlights the significance of variations in the <it>ICAM1</it>, <it>PECAM1 </it>and <it>CD36 </it>genes in the manifestation of falciparum malaria in India. The <it>PECAM1 </it>exon 3 SNP exhibits altered association with disease in the endemic and non-endemic region.</p

Polymorphisms of TNF-enhancer and gene for FcγRIIa correlate with the severity of falciparum malaria in the ethnically diverse Indian population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Susceptibility/resistance to <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>malaria has been correlated with polymorphisms in more than 30 human genes with most association analyses having been carried out on patients from Africa and south-east Asia. The aim of this study was to examine the possible contribution of genetic variants in the <it>TNF </it>and <it>FCGR2A </it>genes in determining severity/resistance to <it>P. falciparum </it>malaria in Indian subjects.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Allelic frequency distribution in populations across India was first determined by typing genetic variants of the <it>TNF </it>enhancer and the <it>FCGR2A </it>G/A SNP in 1871 individuals from 55 populations. Genotyping was carried out by DNA sequencing, single base extension (SNaPshot), and DNA mass array (Sequenom). Plasma TNF was determined by ELISA. Comparison of datasets was carried out by Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. Haplotypes and LD plots were generated by PHASE and Haploview, respectively. Odds ratio (OR) for risk assessment was calculated using EpiInfo™ version 3.4.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A novel single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at position -76 was identified in the <it>TNF </it>enhancer along with other reported variants. Five <it>TNF </it>enhancer SNPs and the <it>FCGR2A </it>R131H (G/A) SNP were analyzed for association with severity of <it>P. falciparum </it>malaria in a malaria-endemic and a non-endemic region of India in a case-control study with ethnically-matched controls enrolled from both regions. <it>TNF </it>-1031C and -863A alleles as well as homozygotes for the TNF enhancer haplotype CACGG (-1031T>C, -863C>A, -857C>T, -308G>A, -238G>A) correlated with enhanced plasma TNF levels in both patients and controls. Significantly higher TNF levels were observed in patients with severe malaria. Minor alleles of -1031 and -863 SNPs were associated with increased susceptibility to severe malaria. The high-affinity IgG2 binding FcγRIIa AA (131H) genotype was significantly associated with protection from disease manifestation, with stronger association observed in the malaria non-endemic region. These results represent the first genetic analysis of the two immune regulatory molecules in the context of <it>P. falciparum </it>severity/resistance in the Indian population.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Association of specific <it>TNF </it>and <it>FCGR2A </it>SNPs with cytokine levels and disease severity/resistance was indicated in patients from areas with differential disease endemicity. The data emphasizes the need for addressing the contribution of human genetic factors in malaria in the context of disease epidemiology and population genetic substructure within India.</p

Development and evaluation of introgression lines with yield enhancing genes of the Indian mega-variety of rice, MTU1010

MTU 1010 is an early maturing and high-yielding mega rice variety widely grown in an area of 3 Mha. It is characterised by limited grain number and panicle branching. To improve the grain number in MTU 1010, an IRRI breeding line, IR121055-2-10-5 was utilized as donor to transfer yield-enhancing genes Gn1a and OsSPL14 (associated with increased grain number and better panicle branching, respectively) into MTU1010 by Marker-Assisted Backcross Breeding (MABB). At each backcross generation, foreground selection was carried out with Gn1a and OsSPL14- specific molecular markers, whilst background selection was done with a set of SSR markers polymorphic between the IR121055-2-10-5 and MTU1010. With the use of a gene-specific marker, homozygous BC2 F2 plants carrying the yield-enhancing gene were identified and advanced through pedigree-method of selection till BC2 F6 and best performing ten lines were selected and evaluated in replicated station trials for yield contributing traits, where grain number and brancing per panicle exhibited high significant and positive correlation with single plant yield. Three promising lines namely RP6353-5-8-13-24, RP6353-26-13-39-5 and RP6353-32-12-8-16 with higher grain number and yield than MTU1010 were identified and nominated for evaluation in Initial Varietal Trial-Aerobic (IVT-Aerobic) of All India Crop Improvement Programme on Rice (AICRP), of which RP6353-26-13-39-5 (IET28674), was promoted for further testing

Quantifying the Effect of Embedded Component Orientation on Flexural Properties in Additively Manufactured Structures

In-situ embedding with Additive Manufacturing (AM) enables a user to insert functional components in a part by pausing the print, inserting the component into a specially designed cavity, and then resuming the print. This introduces the capability to merge the reliable functionality of external parts into AM structures, allowing multifunctional products to be manufactured in a single build. Previous research has shown that process interruption introduces weaknesses at the paused layer, and the presence of an embedding cavity further reduces the maximum tensile strength of the part. The research presented in this paper expands this understanding by investigating the impact of the process and design considerations for embedding on the strength of the material extrusion parts. A cuboidal geometry is embedded with different orientations with a flush surface at the paused layer, and tested for maximum bending strength. The findings help to further design guidelines for embedding with material extrusion AM.Mechanical Engineerin

Impact of Embedding Cavity Design on Thermal History between Layers in Polymer Material Extrusion Additive Manufacturing

By pausing an additive manufacturing process in mid-print, it is possible to create multifunctional structures through strategic insertion of foreign components. However, in polymer material extrusion, previous research has shown that pausing the build decreases the eventual strength of the final part, due to cooling between layers. To better predict this part weakness, this paper seeks to quantify how the toolpath affects the thermal history of a cross-section, thus impacting the formation of weld strength between printed layers. This is pertinent to in-situ embedding as different embedded geometries will require different cavity designs, which, in turn, will affect toolpath design. In-situ thermal measurements are experimentally collected with a thermocouple at the layer interface of structures with different cavity designs. The weld strength between layers is then obtained through tensile tests and theoretically evaluated using polymer weld theory. Results show more accurate predictions of load at failure with this method.Mechanical Engineerin