Toxic effect of copper sulphate on protein alterations in esturine fish, Mugil cephalus

Heavy metals are common pollutants of estuarine ecosystems where they induce adverse effects on the aquatic biota. Copper is one of the most toxic heavy metal to fish and consumption of fish after copper treatment in water may pose a serious risk to human health. Fishes are generally used as pollution indicators in water quality management. Chronic effects include reduced growth, shorter lifespan, reproductive problems, reduced fertility and behavioral changes. Esturine fish, Mugil cephalus is an important fin fish species of Uppanar estury in Cuddalore region having good nutritional values. Fishes living in close association with the sediment may accumulate copper sulphate. In the present observation, the toxic effects of the copper sulphate LC50 35 μg/L (CuSO4) on (10% and 30%) two sublethal concentrations of total protein in gill, liver and muscles tissues of the esturine fish, Mugil cephalus were estimated during the periods of 5, 10 and 15 days exposure. There is decreased in all tissues on comparison with control. The results indicated the toxic nature of the heavy metal copper sulphate

Mean first passage times for bond formation for a Brownian particle in linear shear flow above a wall

Motivated by cell adhesion in hydrodynamic flow, here we study bond formation between a spherical Brownian particle in linear shear flow carrying receptors for ligands covering the boundary wall. We derive the appropriate Langevin equation which includes multiplicative noise due to position-dependent mobility functions resulting from the Stokes equation. We present a numerical scheme which allows to simulate it with high accuracy for all model parameters, including shear rate and three parameters describing receptor geometry (distance, size and height of the receptor patches). In the case of homogeneous coating, the mean first passage time problem can be solved exactly. In the case of position-resolved receptor-ligand binding, we identify different scaling regimes and discuss their biological relevance.Comment: final version after minor revision

The choice of approach in total hip arthroplasty, does it really matters?

Background: Various surgical approaches have been described for total hip arthroplasty with their own advantages and disadvantages. In the study it would like to know whether there is significant difference exists between the most widely used posterior and lateral approaches.Methods: Study was a randomized prospective study in 108 hips. Out of 108 hips 52 were operated by posterior approach and the remaining 56 by lateral approach. The choice of approach was determined by random numbers. In the study functional outcome was compared with the Harris hip score, rate of complications and the effect of approach on the placement of acetabular cup with relation to its inclination and version in arthroplasty of the hip.Results: Similar results in both approaches were found; there were no statistically significant difference in the outcome.Conclusions: To conclude, the approach did not significantly affect the outcome in total hip replacement with respect to functional outcome or rates of complication. And it neither influences the acetabular cup placement. Proper operative technique seems to be more important than the choice of approach in total hip replacement. Studies with a bigger sample size need to be done to further throw light on the role of approach on cup placement.

Stabilization of Black Cotton Soil using Lime, Coir Fiber & Rice Husk

Because of their low bearing capacity, the expansive black cotton soils' high swelling and shrinking characteristics have posed numerous challenges to construction projects. When subjected to varying levels of moisture, black cotton soil expands and contracts rapidly. As a result, stabilising the soil is necessary to address these issues. Rice Husk Ash (RHA), Cori Fiber, and Lime are being tested in this study to see if they can act as a stabilising material in the expansive black cotton soil. The impact of RHA, CF, and LIME on the expansive soil's index and engineering properties was studied in the lab. Coir fibre concentration is 1.5 percent, lime is 5 percent by weight of dry soil, and RHA is mixed in at a ratio of 20 percent. The virgin soil sample is first tested for specific gravity and grain size distribution. With and without these admixtures soil's index properties like its plastic limit, liquid limit and shrinkage limit and its strength properties like its California Bearing Ratio, Unconfined Compressive Strength tests are discovered. According to the test results, a combination of 5 percent lime and 1.5 percent coir fibre yielded the strongest soil and best index properties

Partial Homology Relations - Satisfiability in terms of Di-Cographs

Directed cographs (di-cographs) play a crucial role in the reconstruction of evolutionary histories of genes based on homology relations which are binary relations between genes. A variety of methods based on pairwise sequence comparisons can be used to infer such homology relations (e.g.\ orthology, paralogy, xenology). They are \emph{satisfiable} if the relations can be explained by an event-labeled gene tree, i.e., they can simultaneously co-exist in an evolutionary history of the underlying genes. Every gene tree is equivalently interpreted as a so-called cotree that entirely encodes the structure of a di-cograph. Thus, satisfiable homology relations must necessarily form a di-cograph. The inferred homology relations might not cover each pair of genes and thus, provide only partial knowledge on the full set of homology relations. Moreover, for particular pairs of genes, it might be known with a high degree of certainty that they are not orthologs (resp.\ paralogs, xenologs) which yields forbidden pairs of genes. Motivated by this observation, we characterize (partial) satisfiable homology relations with or without forbidden gene pairs, provide a quadratic-time algorithm for their recognition and for the computation of a cotree that explains the given relations

A phase 1b study of Selumetinib in combination with Cisplatin and Gemcitabine in advanced or metastatic biliary tract cancer: the ABC-04 study

BACKGROUND: Combined treatment with cisplatin and gemcitabine (CisGem) is the standard of care for patients with advanced biliary tract cancer (ABC). Selumetinib (AZD6244, ARRY-142886) potently and selectively inhibits MEK1/2, an intracellular kinase and has shown activity in ABC. The objective of the ABC-04 trial was to establish the recommended dose of selumetinib in combination with CisGem in patients with ABC. METHODS: Eligible patients were ≥ 18 years, had histologically or cytologically-confirmed unresectable recurrent or metastatic biliary tract, gallbladder or ampullary carcinoma, WHO performance status 0-2, and adequate major organ function. Patients may have had prior surgery, radiotherapy or adjuvant chemotherapy, but no prior CisGem and no prior chemotherapy for locally advanced or metastatic disease. Patients received cisplatin 25 mg/m(2) plus gemcitabine 1000 mg/m(2) intravenously on days 1 and 8 of a 21-day cycle. Selumetinib capsules were taken daily. Patients received up to 8 cycles of CisGem and could receive selumetinib until disease progression. A dose de-escalation scheme was used to determine the recommended dose of selumetinib. The first dose level was 75 mg bd. Patients were recruited in cohorts of 3 and assessed for dose limiting toxicity (DLT) during the first cycle of treatment. RESULTS: Thirteen patients were recruited, of whom 12 were evaluable for DLT (1 did not start treatment). All evaluable patients received the starting dose of selumetinib 75 mg bd and one patient experienced a DLT (cardiac chest pain). The median number of days selumetinib was taken (adjusted for the number of days of dose interruptions) was 171.5 (IQR: 75.5 to 344). Two patients remained on treatment at 14 and 19 months post registration. There were 3 temporary and 1 permanent interruptions of selumetinib in cycle 1. Eight patients were evaluable for objective response (RECIST v1.1): 3 had a partial response and 5 stable disease. The median PFS was 6.4 months (IQR 5.2 to 13.7). Toxicities related to selumetinib were mostly related to oedema and rash, grade 1-2 and manageable. Pharmacokinetic analysis showed that the AUC(0-t), AUC(0-∞) and Cmax of selumetinib increased by 12, 11 and 30 % respectively when it was administered with CisGem, while Cmax for the N-desmethyl metabolite of selumetinib decreased by 40 %. There was no evidence that the time of Cmax for selumetinib or N-desmethyl metabolite of selumetinib were different when selumetinib was administered alone or with CisGem. CONCLUSION: The recommended dose of selumetinib when combined with CisGem was 75 mg bd. Translational studies are underway to identify biomarkers that may predict outcome (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01242605 July 6(th) 2010)

Panel Discussion on the History of the Women in Engineering Division: Reflections From Past Chairs of the Division

In celebration of 125 years of the American Society of Engineering Education, past Chairs of the Women in Engineering Division (WIED), Beth Holloway, Donna Llewellyn, Sarah Rajala, and Noel Schulz convened in a focused panel that looked back through the division’s history. To help archive the historical perspective of these leaders, this paper was developed to help the former Chairs focus their perspectives with guiding questions. One additional chair, who could not attend the conference, Donna Reese participated in this paper. The guiding questions for chairs concerned: the influence of their leadership of the WIED on their career, their perspective on the climate for women, the main issues the division faced when they were chair, and what research questions people should be asking now

First Report on Infection of Argulus quadristriatus (Arthropoda: Crustacea: Branchiura) on Marine Fish Cobia in Brood Stock Pond Culture [2019]

A total of 30 specimens of fish cobia Rachycentron canadum (Total Length = 45–120 cm, Weight = 3.0–25 kg) were stocked at the density of 1 kg/m³ in the polythene lined earthen pond. After 3 months of stocking, fish cobia was found with infection of ectoparasites. Then fishes were sampled at fortnight interval to find the percentage distribution of ectoparasites in different parts of the body for a year and also any pathological symptoms. Identification of the parasite was made through light and electron microscopies. The parasite was identified as Argulus quadristriatus Devaraj and Ameer Hamsa, 1977 (Crustacea: Branchiura: Argulidae) commonly called as fish lice. The maximum distribution of pathogenic argulid was observed on the head and operculum of cobia and was found high in summer months from April to June. Pathological symptoms were observed on cobia as erratic swimming, rubbing against substrate in the pond and lesions of epithelial tissues on the infected regions. It must be due to continuous rupturing and feeding of argulids on the skin of cobia using its powerful antennae. Scanning electron micrographs revealed some important morphological features of A. quadristriatus. This is a first report of A. quadristriatus infection on cobia reared in a land-based pond ecosystem