Effect of Resveratrol and Nicotine on PON1 Gene Expression: In Vitro Study

Dietary and lifestyle factors have been shown to have a profound effect on paraoxonase-1 (PON1) activity. Cigarette smoke has been shown to inhibit its mass and activity where as resveratrol has been shown to enhance it. We exposed hepatoma derived cell line (HepG2) to resveratrol and nicotine in varying doses and measured PON1 enzymatic activity and PON1 gene expression. In addition, total protein content of HepG2 cells was also measured. Resveratrol in a dose of 15 μmol/l or above significantly increased the PON1 enzyme activity (p > 0.001) where as nicotine in a dose of 1 μmol/l or higher significantly reduced it (p < 0.05). The resveratrol in this dose also enhanced the PON1 gene expression whereas nicotine decreased it as compared to controls. However, the protein conent of cells was not changed suggesting that they were not cytotoxic in the doses used. Till date the antioxidant vitamins have shown disappointing results against LDL oxidation and cardiovascular protection. However, the effect of resveratrol on PON1 gene expression and activity was significant, suggesting increase in PON1 activity and enhanced gene expression may be its alternative mechanism for offering protection against cardiovascular disease and may be an potential pharmacological agent which can be used for this.     

A Case of Sanfillippo’s Disease Correlating Clinical and Biochemical Findings

The mucopolysaccharidoses (MPSs) are a heterogeneous group of rare inherited disorders caused by deficiency of lysosomal enzyme necessary to break down mucopolysaccharides or glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). We had combined clinical findings and ophthalmological features. Biochemical test for urine glycosaminoglycans was done for confirmation of diagnosis in the patient. The case of Sanfillippo’s disease was characterized by delayed development, hyperactivity with aggressive behaviour. Coarse facial feature, hirsutism and sleep disorder. Urine GAG tests for MPS was positive in the case. Based on clinical findings and biochemical tests for MPS, this case was diagnosed as a type III mucopolysaccharidoses. Urinary GAG’s electrophoresis is an important screening test for MPS suspected cases.     

Analysis of bulked segregants to identify molecular markers linked with cocoon weight and cocoon shell weight in the silkworm Bombyx mori L

Two silkworm strains viz, B20 A (high cocoon shell ratio) and C.Nichi (low cocoon shell ratio) were sib mated for 10 generations to determine the homozygosis. Both bulked segregant analysis(BSA) and near isogenic lines (NIL) studies were done to identify the RFLP markers closely linked to cocoon shell parameters. Three hundred and fifty-two random clones were identified as the low copy number sequence and used for identification of Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphic (RFLP) marker linked to cocoon weight and cocoon shell character. In the bulk segregant analysis, DNA from the parents (B20 A, C.Nichi), F1 and F2 progeny of high shell ratio (HSR) and low shell ratio (LSR) were screened for hybridization with the random clones. Polymorphic banding pattern achieved through southern hybridization with different probes indicated the probable correlation of polymorphism with high and low cocoon shell character which are possible landmarks in identifying the putative marker(s) for the cocoon shell character. Out of the 100 probes tried with parents, F1, F2 and their bulks, 10 probes were found to be closely linked to cocoon shell characters.     

A tale of two studies: The Westinghouse-Ohio evaluation of project head start and the consortium for longitudinal studies report

In February 1981 as President Reagan and his Cabinet considered which programs to sustain and which to cut, Secretary Bell of the U.S. Department of Education Spoke out on behalf of Project Head Start. The program, he is reported to have said, is effective in preventing later school failure and is deserving of continuing support.The incident seems remarkable. Ten years earlier, the failure of Project Head Start was cited by another President at much the same juncture of his administration as part of the reason for dismantling the Office of Economic Opportunity. In a decade or less, it is not remarkable for a social service program to fall from favor to the abyss. Project Head Start may be, however, the only example if not of a resurrection, then at least of a salvation. For this reason, it may be instructive to examine what happened to Head Start, particularly the influence of two studies as distinctive as the fortunes of the program itself: the Westinghouse-Ohio and the Consortium for Longitudinal Studies evaluations.     

Tunnelling effects in chemistry

Most of the molecules react to form products by climbing a barrier. The energy involved in this climbing of the barrier is known as the activation energy of the reaction. Questions like how fast a reaction occurs can be answered by considering the height of the barrier. However, in some reactions, the reactants transform to products by directly tunnelling across the barrier instead of climbing over it. Such a purely quantum mechanical effect, which becomes more prominent for reactions at low temperatures can lead to interesting and even completely unexpected products. This effect and its consequences in representative examples are discussed.     

Analysis of bulked segregants to identify molecular markers linked with cocoon weight and cocoon shell weight in the silkworm <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bombyx mori</Emphasis> L

Two silkworm strains viz, B20 Λ (high cocoon shell ratio) and C. Nichi (low cocoon shell ratio) were sib mated for 10 generations to determine the homozygosis. Both bulked segregant analysis (BSA) and near isogenic lines (NIL) studies were done to identify the RFLP markers closely linked to cocoon shell parameters. Three hundred and fifty-two random clones were identified as the low copy number sequence and used for identification of Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphic (RFLP) marker linked to cocoon weight and cocoon shell character. In the bulk segregant analysis>DNA from the parents (B20 Λ C. Nichi), F₁ and F₂ progeny of high shell ratio (HSR) and low shell ratio (LSR) were screened for hybridization with the random clones. Polymorphic banding pattern achieved through southern hybridization with different probes indicated the probable correlation of polymorphism with high and low cocoon shell character which are possible landmarks in identifying the putative marker(s) for the cocoon shell character. Out of the 100 probes tried with parents, F₁, F₂ and their bulks, 10 probes were found to be closely linked to cocoon shell characters.     

The impact of vision impairment on students’ self-concept

This study investigated the self-concept of students with vision impairment who were placed in specialist and mainstream educational settings in South Australia. Self-Concept was explored across six dimensions, namely Physical, Moral, Personal, Family, Social and Academic Self-Concepts and the Total Self-Concept. The ‘Tennessee Self-Concept Scale: Second Edition’ was administered to 25 students with vision impairment (13 females and 12 males). Participating students’ age ranged between 15 and 25 years and they were included from all levels of vision impairment. The visual acuity of the participants ranged from 6/18 or less (low vision) to 3/60 and less (blindness). Although the majority of the students with vision impairment obtained low scores on all dimensions of self-concept, namely physical, moral, personal, family, social and academic, some students obtained normal scores in relation to family and academic self-concepts. There were no significant differences between female and male students with vision impairment across the six dimensions of self-concept and thus total self-concept. These findings have implications for teachers, special educators, policy-makers and a range of professionals in the education and special education sector in enabling greater understanding of the self-concept accomplishment of the students with vision impairment. However, this study has limited scope for generalisation of the study's conclusions due to the study's small population sample size.     

A Global Investigation of Granger Causality between Information Infrastructure Investment and Service-Sector Growth

Over the past two decades, both developed and developing countries have been investing a significant portion of their resources in the creation of an information infrastructure. However, speculation abounds regarding the efficacy of information infrastructure investments, especially when the opportunity cost for investing in information technology (IT) is measurably high among developing nations. This longitudinal study introduces and explores infrastructure development and service-sector growth as key metrics for IT investment success. It also traces the notional evidence of IT infrastructure development as mediating the causal relationship between information infrastructure investments and service-sector growth. Using data from low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries, the mediating and lagged impact of information infrastructure on service-sector growth reveals that information infrastructure development does play a significant role as a mediator. It points out that information infrastructure investments can be a misleading causal antecedent if countries fail to develop their infrastructure. It also provides evidence of a recursive relationship between infrastructure development and service-sector growth. An exploratory time-series analysis across different country categories suggests that information infrastructures must be properly developed to reconcile the paradox. In addition, exploratory tests reveal a distinct divergence between infrastructure investments and infrastructure development among different country tiers.     

No Association of Matrix Metalloproteinase [MMP]-2 (−735C > T) and Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase [TIMP]-2 (−418G > C) Gene Polymorphisms with Cervical Cancer Susceptibility

Matrix metalloproteinase [MMP]-2 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase [TIMP]-2 are emerging as pivotal players in inflammation and carcinogenesis. The present study aimed to evaluate the role of MMP-2 (−735C > T) [rs 2285053] and TIMP-2 (−418G > C) [rs 8179090] gene polymorphisms in cervical cancer susceptibility in Indian women. We recruited 200 cervical cancer patients from North India and 200 unrelated, age-matched, cancer-free healthy female controls of similar ethnicity. Genomic DNA extraction from peripheral blood samples, collected from the study subjects, was carried out using salting-out method. MMP-2 and TIMP-2 genotyping was performed using polymerase chain reaction-based restriction fragment length polymorphism. Our findings demonstrated no significant association between MMP-2 (−735C > T) and TIMP-2 (−418G > C) gene polymorphisms and the risk of developing cervical cancer in the study population. Further stratified analysis using a case-only study approach revealed that there was no effect of MMP-2/TIMP-2 polymorphisms on early and advanced stages of cervical cancer. Further MMP-2 and TIMP-2 polymorphisms did not modulate the risk in cervical cancer patients who smoked tobacco/cigarettes. Overall, the present study demonstrated a lack of association between MMP-2 and TIMP-2 gene polymorphisms and cervical cancer susceptibility in women of Northern India.