170 research outputs found
Association of pro/anti-inflammatory cytokine gene variants in renal transplant patients with allograft outcome and cyclosporine immunosuppressant levels
No full textParmeet Kaur Manchanda, Anant Kumar, Raj K Sharma, Himanshu Goel, Rama Devi MittalDepartment of Urology and Renal Transplantation, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Raebareli Road, Lucknow 226014, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaAbstract: T-helper (Th) type 1/Th2 cytokines are key mediators in induction/effecter phases of all immune and inflammatory responses playing role in acute/chronic renal allograft rejection. Association studies lead to identification of patient risk profiles enabling individualization of level of immunosuppressions. We investigated the association of allograft rejection with interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) –308, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) (C-del, codon 10 and 25) gene variants in 184 renal transplant recipients and 180 controls. These cytokine genotypes were also evaluated with cyclosporine levels (C2) at one month in 135 stable recipients. High producing genotypes B1B1 of IL-4 and AA of TNF-α −308 showed significant association with rejection of allograft. The dose-adjusted C2 levels were significantly lower in patients with the high producing genotype T/T of IL-2 and heterozygous G/C of TGF-β codon 25 (P = 0.012 and 0.010, respectively). Haplotype frequencies were comparable in subjects for TGF-β codon-10 and 25. Combined inter-gene interaction showed high risk for rejection in recipients with high producing genotype B1B1 of IL-4 and AA of TNF-α and high TNF-α (AA) with low TGF-β (CC or Pro/Pro). In conclusion, association of IL-4 VNTR and TNF-α –308 suggested the involvement of these cytokines contributing to pathogenesis of allograft rejection. Recipients with TT genotype of IL-2 and GC of TGF-β codon 25 having low C2 levels may require higher cyclosporine dosage. Combined analysis of gene-gene interaction demonstrated synergistic effect of cytokines increasing risk for rejection. Thus, this information may help in pre-assessment of allograft outcome and to optimize cyclosporine therapy in post-transplant patients.Keywords: cytokines, renal transplant, polymorphism, ARMS–PCR, PCR–RFLP, cyclosporin
An ethnobotanical study of plants used for the treatment of livestock diseases in Tikamgarh District of Bundelkhand, Central India
No full textABSTRACTObjectiveTo explore and document the information regarding usage of ethnoveterinary medicinal plants utilized by rural farmers and traditional herbal healers for livestock healthcare in Tikamgarh District of Bundelkhnad, Central India.MethodsThe remote villages of Tikamgarh district were regularly visited from July 2011 to June 2012. Following the methods of Jain and Goel (1995) information regarding the usage of ethnoveterinary medicinal plants was collected.ResultsA total of 41 plant species in 39 genera and 25 families were used traditionally with various plant parts and their combinations for the treatment of more than 36 diseases in the studied area. Trees (17 species) were found to be the most used Ethnoveterinary medicinal plants followed by herbs (15 species), shrubs (6 species) and grasses (3) in descending order. The most common diseases cough, diarrhoea and fever were treated by 04 ethnoveterinary medicinal plant species.ConclusionsThe present study recommended that the crop and medicinal plant genetic resources cannot be conserved and protected without conserving/managing of the agro-ecosystem or natural habitat of medicinal plants and the socio-cultural organization of the local people. The same may be applied to protect indigenous knowledge, related to the use of medicinal and other wild plants. Introduction of medicinal plants in degraded government and common lands could be another option for promoting the rural economy together with environmental conservation, but has not received attention in the land rehabilitation programs in this region
Clinopyroxene based glasses and glass-ceramics for functional applications
No full textDoutoramento em Ciência e Engenharia de MateriaisAs piroxenas são um vasto grupo de silicatos minerais encontrados em muitas rochas ígneas e metamórficas. Na sua forma mais simples, estes silicatos são constituídas por cadeias de SiO3 ligando grupos tetrahédricos de SiO4. A fórmula química geral das piroxenas é M2M1T2O6, onde M2 se refere a catiões geralmente em uma coordenação octaédrica distorcida (Mg2+, Fe2+, Mn2+, Li+, Ca2+, Na+), M1 refere-se a catiões numa coordenação octaédrica regular (Al3+,
Fe3+, Ti4+, Cr3+, V3+, Ti3+, Zr4+, Sc3+, Zn2+, Mg2+, Fe2+, Mn2+), e T a catiões em coordenação tetrahédrica (Si4+, Al3+, Fe3+). As piroxenas com estrutura monoclínica são designadas de clinopiroxenes. A estabilidade das
clinopyroxenes num espectro de composições químicas amplo, em conjugação com a possibilidade de ajustar as suas propriedades físicas e químicas e a durabilidade química, têm gerado um interesse mundial devido a suas
aplicações em ciência e tecnologia de materiais. Este trabalho trata do desenvolvimento de vidros e de vitro-cerâmicos baseadas de clinopiroxenas
para aplicações funcionais. O estudo teve objectivos científicos e tecnológicos; nomeadamente, adquirir conhecimentos fundamentais sobre a formação de fases cristalinas e soluções sólidas em determinados sistemas vitro-cerâmicos, e avaliar a viabilidade de aplicação dos novos materiais em diferentes áreas tecnológicas, com especial ênfase sobre a selagem em células de combustível de óxido sólido (SOFC). Com este intuito, prepararam-se vários vidros e
materiais vitro-cerâmicos ao longo das juntas Enstatite (MgSiO3) - diopsídio (CaMgSi2O6) e diopsídio (CaMgSi2O6) - Ca - Tschermak (CaAlSi2O6), os quais foram caracterizados através de um vasto leque de técnicas. Todos os vidros
foram preparados por fusão-arrefecimento enquanto os vitro-cerâmicos foram obtidos quer por sinterização e cristalização de fritas, quer por nucleação e cristalização de vidros monolíticos. Estudaram-se ainda os efeitos de várias substituições iónicas em composições de diopsídio contendo Al na estrutura, sinterização e no comportamento durante a cristalização de vidros e nas propriedades dos materiais vitro-cerâmicos, com relevância para a sua aplicação como selantes em SOFC. Verificou-se que Foi observado que os vidros/vitro-cerâmicos à base de enstatite não apresentavam as características necessárias para serem usados como materiais selantes em SOFC, enquanto as melhores propriedades apresentadas pelos vitro-cerâmicos à base de
diopsídio qualificaram-nos para futuros estudos neste tipo de aplicações. Para além de investigar a adequação dos vitro-cerâmicos à base de clinopyroxene como selantes, esta tese tem também como objetivo estudar a influência dos
agentes de nucleação na nucleação em volume dos vitro-cerâmicos resultantes á base de diopsídio, de modo a qualificá-los como potenciais
materiais hopedeiros de resíduos nucleares radioactivos.The pyroxenes are a wide spread group rock-forming silicate minerals found in many igneous and metamorphic rocks. They are silicates that, in their simplest form, contain single SiO3 chains of linked SiO4 tetrahedra. The general chemical formula for pyroxenes is M2M1T2O6, where M2 refers to cations in a generally distorted octahedral coordination (Mg2+, Fe2+, Mn+, Li+, Ca2+, Na+), M1 to cations in a regular octahedral coordination (Al3+, Fe3+, Ti4+, Cr3+, V3+, Ti3+, Zr4+, Sc3+, Zn2+, Mg2+, Fe2+, Mn2+), and T to tetrahedrally coordinated cations (Si4+, Al3+, Fe3+). Monoclinic pyroxenes are called clinopyroxenes. The stability
of clinopyroxenes over a broad spectrum of chemical compositions, in conjunction with the possibility of achieving desired physical properties and high chemical durability, has generated a worldwide interest due to their applications in material science and technology. The present work deals with the development of clinopyroxene based glasses and glass-ceramics for functional applications. The objective of the study was dual, both scientific and technological; particularly to gain fundamental knowledge on the formation of
crystalline phases and solid solutions in selected glass-ceramic systems, and to evaluate the feasibility for application of new materials in different
technological areas with emphasis on sealing in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC).
In this pursuit, various glasses and glass-ceramics along Enstatite (MgSiO3) - Diopside (CaMgSi2O6) and Diopside (CaMgSi2O6) – Ca – Tschermak
(CaAlSi2O6) joins have been prepared and characterized by a wide array of characterization techniques. All the glasses were prepared by melt-quenching technique while glass-ceramics were produced either by sintering and crystallization of glass powders or by nucleation and crystallization in monolithic glasses. Furthermore, influence of various ionic substitutions/additions in Alcontaining
diopside on the structure, sintering and crystallization behaviour of glasses and properties of resultant glass-ceramics has been investigated, in relevance with final application as sealants in SOFC. It has been observed that enstatite based glasses/glass-ceramics do not exhibit requisite characteristics in order to qualify for the job of sealing in SOFC while the superior properties
exhibited by diopside based glass-ceramics qualify them for further experimentation as SOFC sealants. Apart from investigating the suitability of
clinopyroxene based glass-ceramics as sealants, this thesis also aims to study the influence of nucleating agents on the volume nucleation in the resultant diopside based glass-ceramics so as to qualify them for further experimentation as hosts for radioactive nuclear wastes
Current scientific information on rehabilitative tongue therapy: An overview on dental perspective
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A study of knowledge and practice for disposal of unused and expired pharmaceuticals among medical undergraduates at tertiary care teaching hospitals in Uttar Pradesh, India
No full textBackground: Increasing disease incidence and prevalence necessitate healthcare practitioners to prescribe diverse medications. Families and patients are in possession of unused or expired medications and its risks have started gaining notice across the world. Majority of them including medical students are unaware about the disposal of unused or expired medicines. Misuse and improper disposal of unused/expired medications is a major safety and environmental concern, and thus proper disposal of those medications is highly important.Methods: Questionnaire based study was conducted among medical undergraduates of third year MBBS in two tertiary care teaching hospitals of Uttar Pradesh after approval from Institutional Ethical Committees during July-August 2018.Results: There were 65% of respondent had unused drugs in their home while 30% had the expired drugs. The most common reason for the unused and expiry drugs in the home was self-discontinuation. Analgesics were the main group of drugs possessed by participants. 67% in this study responded that drug disposal method was disposing the expired drugs to garbage. Only 26% know about the area in the city where unused/expired drugs are collected. 46% think that proper education of the community is required for appropriate disposal of unused drugs.Conclusions: Intervention by education about prudent drug disposal techniques that are also environmentally safe and acceptable is the need of time to change their behavior. There is also needing to understand the practice and awareness of the public to make any such education by program a success
Space-age evolution - remote sensing and IoT for productive and sustainable agricultural landscape
No full textProductive and sustainable agriculture (PSA) seeks to optimize agricultural output while protecting the environment, embodying the fundamental goals of modern agricultural practices by focusing on the efficient use of resources, protecting natural ecosystems, and enhancing soil health. In contemporary debates, both the scientific and agricultural communities emphasize the urgent need to achieve a balance between agricultural productivity, environmental sustainability and social justice. Earth Observation (EO) provides valuable spatio-temporal data for monitoring various agricultural indices (e.g., Palmer Drought Severity Index), while PSA adopts a regenerative, cyclical approach to natural resources, making it particularly beneficial for dry regions. Here, It has been observed that countries with Global Agriculture Orientation Index (AOI) closer to 1 are closer to achieving PSA. Only very few developed nations are nearer the goal of PSA, and no country has yet reached this goal. This creates challenges for shaping digitalization in a socially responsible manner. This study centre on technical expertise to tackle agricultural obstacles and promote sustainable intensification. A cohesive technologically driven agricultural framework through the integration of Earth observation data is proposed here to maximize the synergistic use of human and natural resources
A Survey on the Use of Pattern Recognition Techniques
No full textPattern recognition is an innate cognitive process of matching information from the environment with the information stored in memory. Core methods are successful in many areas of numerical analysis, pattern recognition and machine learning. These are methods which generate an abstracting model from given observations (objects, measurements) in a training step, which subsequently allows generalizing statements for new observations. Various approaches are used to implement a pattern recognition system. In this paper we will discuss Statistical, Structural, hybrid and Neural Network based approach
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