Complete Sequences of Organelle Genomes from the Medicinal Plant Rhazya Stricta (Apocynaceae) and Contrasting Patterns of Mitochondrial Genome Evolution Across Asterids

Rhazya stricta is native to arid regions in South Asia and the Middle East and is used extensively in folk medicine to treat a wide range of diseases. In addition to generating genomic resources for this medicinally important plant, analyses of the complete plastid and mitochondrial genomes and a nuclear transcriptome from Rhazya provide insights into inter-compartmental transfers between genomes and the patterns of evolution among eight asterid mitochondrial genomes. Results: The 154,841 bp plastid genome is highly conserved with gene content and order identical to the ancestral organization of angiosperms. The 548,608 bp mitochondrial genome exhibits a number of phenomena including the presence of recombinogenic repeats that generate a multipartite organization, transferred DNA from the plastid and nuclear genomes, and bidirectional DNA transfers between the mitochondrion and the nucleus. The mitochondrial genes sdh3 and rps14 have been transferred to the nucleus and have acquired targeting presequences. In the case of rps14, two copies are present in the nucleus; only one has a mitochondrial targeting presequence and may be functional. Phylogenetic analyses of both nuclear and mitochondrial copies of rps14 across angiosperms suggests Rhazya has experienced a single transfer of this gene to the nucleus, followed by a duplication event. Furthermore, the phylogenetic distribution of gene losses and the high level of sequence divergence in targeting presequences suggest multiple, independent transfers of both sdh3 and rps14 across asterids. Comparative analyses of mitochondrial genomes of eight sequenced asterids indicates a complicated evolutionary history in this large angiosperm clade with considerable diversity in genome organization and size, repeat, gene and intron content, and amount of foreign DNA from the plastid and nuclear genomes. Conclusions: Organelle genomes of Rhazya stricta provide valuable information for improving the understanding of mitochondrial genome evolution among angiosperms. The genomic data have enabled a rigorous examination of the gene transfer events. Rhazya is unique among the eight sequenced asterids in the types of events that have shaped the evolution of its mitochondrial genome. Furthermore, the organelle genomes of R. stricta provide valuable genomic resources for utilizing this important medicinal plant in biotechnology applications.King Abdulaziz UniversityIntegrative Biolog

Use of intravenous anti-D in patients with refractory and relapsed immune thrombocytopenic purpura

Objective: To determine the response to IV anti-D and its comparison with splenectomy as second line therapy in refractory and relapsed cases of ITP, in the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. Methods: A total of 23 patients with chronic ITP were treated with either anti-D or splenectomy as second line treatment. The patients were assessed for time to achieve a response to second line treatment, duration ofresponse and adverse events. Results: There were 12 patients in the anti-D group and 11 in the splenectomy group. The mean platelet count at presentation was 9,000/cumm. The mean age was 8.9 years and 13.0 years and the male to female ratio was 1:1 and 1:1.2 in anti-D and splenectomy group respectively. 54.5% of the patient in the anti-D group responded compared to 81.8% in the splenectomy group. Median time to achieve a response was 7 days in the anti-D group and 1 day in the splenectomy group. Mean time to relapse was 87.8 days in the anti-D group and 55.4 days in the splenectomy group. No adverse events were recorded for any of the infusions of anti-D and none of the patients had more than 0.5 gm /dl fall in the hemoglobin level following anti-D infusion. Conclusion: It was thus concluded that Anti-D is a relatively safe, convenient and effective therapy for chronic ITP and can be used as a splenectomy sparing agent when treatment is clinically indicated

CONDUITE A TENIR DEVANT UN ETAT D’AGITATION MANAGEMENT OF AGITATED PATIENTS IN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS

Agitated patients require immediate emergency care in order to quickly calm patients and to confirm the diagnosis. In the emergency care, the physician should try to establish verbal communication to reassure the patient and to propose oral medication. In some cases the need for more forceful restraint may be required and specific guidelines must be followed. Although the use of neuroleptics is preferred by most clinicians in this situation, the interest of rapid action benzodiazepines should be considered particularly because this sedative and anticonvulsant agent has a specific receptor antagonist.L’état d’agitation est une urgence absolue. Elle nécessite une prise en charge immédiate avec deux objectifs qui sont de maîtriser la situation et de réaliser le diagnostic étiologique. Afin de calmer le patient, si une contention est mise en œuvre, celle-ci doit respecter plusieurs règles qui permettent de prévenir les complications qui y sont associées. Tandis que les neuroleptiques sont actuellement les plus utilisés pour sédater les patients agités, l’intérêt des benzodiazépines d’action rapide doit être souligné. Du fait de la dangerosité du patient pour lui-même et pour autrui, du risque de fugue et de désorganisation immédiate de l'activité médicale et paramédicale, l'état d'agitation préoccupe tous les intervenants. Il est donc essentiel que l’ensemble des médecins s’approprient cette prise en charge qui est n’est psychiatrique que dans un deuxième temps le plus souvent

New Iterative Method Based on Laplace Decomposition Algorithm

We introduce a new form of Laplace decomposition algorithm (LDA). By this form a new iterative method was achieved in which there is no need to calculate Adomian polynomials, which require so much computational time for higher-order approximations. We have implemented this method for the solutions of different types of nonlinear pantograph equations to support the proposed analysis

Transcriptomic and metabolic responses of Calotropis procera to salt and drought stress

Background: Calotropis procera is a wild plant species in the family Apocynaceae that is able to grow in harsh, arid and heat stressed conditions. Understanding how this highly adapted plant persists in harsh environments should inform future efforts to improve the hardiness of crop and forage plant species. To study the plant response to droμght and osmotic stress, we treated plants with polyethylene glycol and NaCl and carried out transcriptomic and metabolomics measurements across a time-course of five days. Results: We identified a highly dynamic transcriptional response across the time-course including dramatic changes in inositol signaling, stress response genes and cytokinins. The resulting metabolome changes also involved sharp increases of myo-inositol, a key signaling molecule and elevated amino acid metabolites at later times. Conclusions: The data generated here provide a first glimpse at the expressed genome of C. procera, a plant that is exceptionally well adapted to arid environments. We demonstrate, through transcriptome and metabolome analysis that myo-inositol signaling is strongly induced in response to drought and salt stress and that there is elevation of amino acid concentrations after prolonged osmotic stress. This work should lay the foundations of future studies in adaptation to arid environments

Coexistence and Criticality in Size-Asymmetric Hard-Core Electrolytes

Liquid-vapor coexistence curves and critical parameters for hard-core 1:1 electrolyte models with diameter ratios lambda = sigma_{-}/\sigma_{+}=1 to 5.7 have been studied by fine-discretization Monte Carlo methods. Normalizing via the length scale sigma_{+-}=(sigma_{+} + sigma_{-})/2 relevant for the low densities in question, both Tc* (=kB Tc sigma_{+-}/q^2 and rhoc* (= rhoc sigma _{+-}^{3}) decrease rapidly (from ~ 0.05 to 0.03 and 0.08 to 0.04, respectively) as lambda increases. These trends, which unequivocally contradict current theories, are closely mirrored by results for tightly tethered dipolar dimers (with Tc* lower by ~ 0-11% and rhoc* greater by 37-12%).Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Viscosity and thermal conductivity on magneto-hydrodynamic chemically reacting nanofluid over a vertical cone embedded in porous medium

The purpose of current investigations is to explore the impacts of variable fluid properties on the vertical cone embedded in a porous medium for reduced skin friction rates and enhanced mass transfer rates. The flow governing systems of highly nonlinear partial differential equations is obtained by using the Rivilin Erickson tensor along with the theory of boundary layer approximation. Buongiorno model is analyzed using the impacts of variable properties of the fluid based on the nanofluids characteristics. The present model has been numerically tackled using the boundary value problem technique in MATLAB and the criterion for convergence or tolerance is taken as 10−6. The outcome of present study shows the variable thermal conductivity, which is improved by using the heat transfer coefficient and reduces the skin friction based on the nanofluid. The Sherwood number is also increased under the Thermophoresis diffusion and the Brownian motion. Momentum boundary layer has expanded under the adjustable thermal conductivity along with the viscidity parameter. It is stated that these investigations have not been found by using the boundary value algorithm to solve the utilizing Buongiorno nanofluid model over the vertical cone based on the permeable medium. © 2023 The Author(s

The nexus of CSR and co-creation : a roadmap towards consumer loyalty

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is regarded as an effort to be undertaken by the businesses to contribute towards society at large positively. The idea behind the concept of CSR is that businesses are required to pursue the notion of pro-social objectives along with economic objectives. Research has long established that corporate social responsibility, along with its philanthropic nature, can also produce extraordinary marketing results for businesses. The relationship between CSR and consumer loyalty is well acknowledged in extant literature. Likewise, involving consumers through co-creation in the product/service development process may provide an exciting experience to consumers, which is likely to influence their loyalty. With these arguments, the present research investigates the impact of CSR on consumer loyalty with the mediating role of co-creation in the banking sector of an emerging economy such as Pakistan. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is used for data analysis in the present study. The results validate that CSR improves consumer loyalty, and co-creation partially mediates this relationship. The results of the current survey will help banking institutions to identify how they can develop core strategic considerations based on CSR and co-creation

Antidiabetic Effects of Momordica charantia (Karela) in Male long Evans Rat

The hypoglycemic effect of Momordica charantia (Karela) has been reported from many laboratories. To our knowledge, the underlying biochemical mechanism of action of this important clinical effect has not been reported. During the course of investigation of this aspect of the herbal fruit, it was reported from our laboratory that ethanolic extract of Momordica charantia suppressed gluconeogenesis in normal and streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats by depressing the hepatic gluconeogenic enzymes fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase and glucose-6-phosphatase. The herbal extract had also enhanced the activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, the rate-limiting enzyme of hexose monophosphate shunt (a pathway for the oxidation of glucose)

Thermodynamics of Electrolytes on Anisotropic Lattices

The phase behavior of ionic fluids on simple cubic and tetragonal (anisotropic) lattices has been studied by grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations. Systems with both the true lattice Coulombic potential and continuous-space $1/r$ electrostatic interactions have been investigated. At all degrees of anisotropy, only coexistence between a disordered low-density phase and an ordered high-density phase with the structure similar to ionic crystal was found, in contrast to recent theoretical predictions. Tricritical parameters were determined to be monotonously increasing functions of anisotropy parameters which is consistent with theoretical calculations based on the Debye-H\"uckel approach. At large anisotropies a two-dimensional-like behavior is observed, from which we estimated the dimensionless tricritical temperature and density for the two-dimensional square lattice electrolyte to be $T^*_{tri}=0.14$ and $\rho^*_{tri} = 0.70$.Comment: submitted to PR