Cell Signaling Crosstalk and Differentiation of F9 Cells into Extraembryonic Endoderm

Mouse F9 cells differentiate into primitive endoderm (PrE) when treated with retinoic acid (RA). During PrE differentiation the canonical Wnt signaling pathway is known to play an integral role in the process. In addition to Wnt signaling, there have been implications that the Hedgehog (Hh) pathway may also be involved. Previous results show that the Indian Hedgehog (Ihh) gene is upregulated during RA-induced differentiation; however further details of Hh signaling during PrE differentiation have yet to be discovered. A Gli-luciferase construct indicated that Hh signaling increases during RA-induced differentiation, implicating that the pathway is involved in PrE formation. Inhibiting Hh signaling impeded the ability of RA to induce cells to differentiate to PrE, revealing that the Hh pathway is required for PrE differentiation. Despite being required, active Hh signaling alone was unable to facilitate differentiation. Overexpression of Gata6, a gene encoding a master regulator of extraembryonic endoderm pattering, was found to increase expression of Ihh as well as increasing Gli activity; further corroborating for the involvement of the Hh pathway during embryonic development. In addition to these findings, I found that there is signaling crosstalk between the Hh and Wnt pathways in F9 cells. For instance, while induced Wnt signaling was found to increase the activity of a Gli reporter, the inhibition of the Hh pathway impeded the ability of RA to increase Wnt signaling. Together, these results indicate that the Hh signaling pathway plays an important role in early embryogenesis, and this is obvious with its interactions with the Wnt signaling pathway in PrE differentiation

SUPERSTITIOUS BEHAVIOR: THE INVINCIBLE AND INVISIBLE PHENOMENON IN BASKETBALL SPORTS

The present study was aimed to identify the role of superstitious behavior in performance of basketball players. For this purpose, sixty female basketball players of 19 to 25 years of age were selected. All the subjects, after having been informed about the objective and protocol of the study, gave their consent and volunteered to participate in this study. They were divided into three groups; (i.e., N1=20; District, N2=20; State and N3=20 National). To measure the level of superstitions behaviors of the subjects, the superstitions beliefs and behaviour scale constructed by Bleak and Frederick (1998) was administered. One Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was employed to compare the three groups of basketball. Where F values were found significant, LSD (Least Significant Difference) Post-hoc test was applied to find out the direction and degree of difference. For testing the hypotheses, the level of significance was set at 0.05. Summarizing from the above findings we can say that insignificant differences were found in basketball players on the sub-variables of Clothing and Appearance, Fetish, Preparation, Game/Competition, Team Ritual, Prayer, Coach and superstitions behavior.  Article visualizations

Ethical Tensions of Library and Information Science Profession: Theoretical Perspective

The present paper focuses on the issue of professional ethics and related problems in the field of Library and Information Science. The study, to begin with, reveals the dichotomy of professional ethics from the general social ethics through visible boundaries and jurisdictions. Further, some most general and universally found issues and reasons of ethical tensions are discussed. The study argues that unawareness about professional ethics, lack of universal patterns of ethics as well as universal mechanism for the implementation and the dilemma of social ethics versus professional ethics are the issues, which result in ethical tensions. Besides these, in certain cases, the individual preference of a library professional to self-interest while ignoring the professional ethics also creates problems. The study suggests that a universal mechanism of prescribing and implementing the professional ethics in the field of Library and Information Science is sturdily required to reduce the amount as well as enormity of ethical tensions in the discipline

Effect of incorporation of wheat straw and nitrogen addition on the flux of soil gases (CH4 and N2O) at two moisture and temperature regimes

Non-Peer ReviewedMethane and nitrous oxide contribute to global warming of the earth's atmosphere. The concentration of CH4 and N2O in the atmosphere is increasing at an alarming rate of 1% and 0.25% yr-1, respectively. Little information is available about the effect of agronomic practices on soil gases emitted from cultivated soils in the prairies. An incubation study was undertaken to understand the effects of agronomic management practices and environmental factors on CH4 and N2O emissions from a cultivated soil. Methane production was preceded by a two week lag phase, and it was emitted only from submerged soils incubated at 25°C. Addition of straw enhanced the emission and N addition reduced the rate of CH4 production. Soil incubated at -30kPa moisture may act as a sink for methane. Emission of N2O was observed within 2 days of submergence and was maximum when nitrogen alone was added to the soil. Addition of wheat straw along with nitrogen decreased the emission of N2O as compared to nitrogen alone. Temperature of 10 °C and moisture at -30kPa limited the emissions of N2O from the soil

DIURNAL VARIATION ON THE PERFORMANCE OF COORDINATIVE ABILITIES OF SOCCER PLAYERS

The purpose of the study was to investigate the “Diurnal variation on the performance of coordinative abilities of soccer players”. The study was conducted on 50 male soccer players of Punjabi University Patiala, Punjab India, and age ranging from 17 to 24 years. The subjects were selected from soccer match practice group. The data was collected by administration of Coordinative Ability test as suggested by Peter Hirtz (1985). The subjects were tested two times (one time in morning (between 7 AM to 9 AM) and one time in evening (between 5 PM to 7 PM)). The Coordinative abilities includes Orientation ability, Differentiation Ability, Reaction Ability, Balance Ability and Rhythm Ability which was measured by Numbered Medicine Ball Run Test, Backward Medicine Ball Throw Test, Ball Reaction Exercise Test, Long Nose Balance Test and Sprint at the given Rhythm Test respectively. It was hypothesized that diurnal variation would significantly affect the performance of the subjects on Coordinative abilities. The data collected on Coordinative abilities was analysed by dependent “t” test. The level of significance for testing the hypothesis was set at 0.05 level of confidence. The mean values of Orientation ability in morning and evening were 7.44 seconds and 7.30 seconds respectively. Significant time of day (diurnal variation) effect was found for the Orientation ability (tcal=2.42>ttab=1.99). The mean values of Reaction ability in morning and evening were 166.60 Centimetres and 160.70 Centimetres respectively. Significant time of day (diurnal variation) effect was found for the Reaction Ability (tcal=4.56>ttab=1.99). The mean values of Balance ability in morning and evening were 7.26 seconds and 7.01 seconds respectively. Significant time of day (diurnal variation) effect was found for the Balance Ability (tcal=4.15>ttab=1.99). The mean values of Rhythm ability in morning and evening were 0.51 seconds and 0.44 seconds respectively. Rhythm Ability (tcal=5.50>ttab=1.99) shown significant time of day (diurnal variation) effect among soccer players whereas the mean values of differentiation ability in morning and evening were 15.14 seconds and 14.80 respectively. No significant time of day (diurnal variation) effect was found for differentiation ability (tcal=1.04<ttab=1.99) among soccer players. The result showed that diurnal variation significantly affect the performance of soccer players on Orientation ability, Reaction Ability, Balance Ability and Rhythm Ability  whereas differentiation ability showed insignificant diurnal effect among soccer players.  Article visualizations