Phytochemicals of medicinal plants encompass a diverse chemical space for drug discovery. India is rich with a flora of indigenous medicinal plants that have been used for centuries in traditional ...Indian medicine to treat human maladies. A comprehensive online database on the phytochemistry of Indian medicinal plants will enable computational approaches towards natural product based drug discovery. In this direction, we present, IMPPAT, a manually curated database of 1742 Indian Medicinal Plants, 9596 Phytochemicals, And 1124 Therapeutic uses spanning 27074 plant-phytochemical associations and 11514 plant-therapeutic associations. Notably, the curation effort led to a non-redundant in silico library of 9596 phytochemicals with standard chemical identifiers and structure information. Using cheminformatic approaches, we have computed the physicochemical, ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, toxicity) and drug-likeliness properties of the IMPPAT phytochemicals. We show that the stereochemical complexity and shape complexity of IMPPAT phytochemicals differ from libraries of commercial compounds or diversity-oriented synthesis compounds while being similar to other libraries of natural products. Within IMPPAT, we have filtered a subset of 960 potential druggable phytochemicals, of which majority have no significant similarity to existing FDA approved drugs, and thus, rendering them as good candidates for prospective drugs. IMPPAT database is openly accessible at: https://cb.imsc.res.in/imppat .
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Introduction
Currently, Buprenorphine maintenance therapy (BMT) is an evidence-based treatment in retaining patients who are dependent on opioids. However, factors influencing retention are often ...measured objectively. Studies on patient’s perspectives on take home BMT in developing countries are limited.
Objectives
This study examines the potential factors influencing treatment compliance in the early phase of Buprenorphine maintenance treatment from the patient’s perspective
Methods
Participants (n=89) who were initiated on BMT were recruited and followed after six weeks. A semi-structured interview was conducted with 62 patients who remained in treatment and 24 patients who dropped out of the study
Results
Based on the semi qualitative analysis some of the factors which facilitated the patient’s retention in treatment were: (1) Effectiveness in blocking withdrawal symptoms (2) effectiveness in reducing their cravings and controlling their opioid use (3) decreased fear of withdrawal and/or missing doses(4) improvement in the quality of life(5) patient-related factors like family support (6) effectiveness of the treatment program. Around nine percent of patients reported family support as the reason for retention, which is not noticed in other studies. Barriers reported by the patients while on medication were: (1) negative effect experienced with medication (2) program related difficulties like distance, unavailability (3) major life event interrupting the treatment (4) patient-related factors like low mood, financial constraints.
Conclusions
Understanding factors associated with barriers to treatment provide insights into preventable factors that contribute to premature drop out from BMT and to improve clinical practice, policy decisions, or future research.
Water security, due to heavy metal pollution in water resources, has become a serious problem in modern urbanized society. Plants with a good source of cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, lignin, etc., ...are the most promising adsorbents for the removal of heavy metals from water. In this work, for the first time, a low-cost local plant named Acorus calamus (AC; flag root or sweet flag) and citric acid modified AC root powder (CAMAC) were used as potential adsorbents. The samples were characterized by SEM, FT-IR, XRD, and the sorption properties were investigated by different parameters, such as solution pH, batch kinetic study, batch isotherm, effect of adsorbent dose, effect of initial concentration, and effect of contact time. The results of ACRP on removal efficiency of copper (II) and arsenic (III) in an aqueous solution showed an excellent adsorption behavior (~ 80 % adsorption efficiency). This study opens up an easy and economical method for the decontamination of harsh polluting metal ions from water. Keywords: bioadsorption, heavy metal removal, Acorus calamus, water security, batch isotherm
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Aim
To test and refine a performance‐based management system to improve health worker performance in Nepal.
Methods
A mixed‐methods implementation research in three districts. The study assessed ...health workers’ job satisfaction at the start and end of the study. Qualitative techniques were used to document processes, and routine health service data were analysed to measure outcomes.
Results
Job satisfaction significantly increased in six of nine key areas, and the proportion of staff absenteeism significantly declined in the study districts. It demonstrated an increase in immunisation coverage, the proportion of women who had a first antenatal check‐up also having a fourth check‐up and the proportion of childbirth in a health facility. The greatest perceived strengths of the system were its robust approach to performance planning and evaluation, supportive supervision, outcome‐based job descriptions and a transparent reward system. A functional health facility environment, leadership and community engagement support successful implementation.
Conclusion
The performance‐based management system has the potential to increase health workers’ job satisfaction, and it offers a tool to link facility‐wide human resource management. A collaborative approach, ownership and commitment of the health system are critical to success. Considering the Nepal context, a management system that demonstrates a positive improvement has potential for improved health care delivery.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
The purpose of this paper is to explore the antecedents of customer perception and its effect on the purchase intention and finally on buying decision-making about branded products especially luxury ...products, finally the role of price discounts in converting intentions into buying decision. This research has been carried in NCR with a collection of primary data by including statements related to the customer perception, buying intentions regarding branded luxury products and one section of the questionnaire included statements of Price discounts and buying decisions. The study used Exploratory Factor Analysis, Structure Equation Modeling, and Mediation through AMOS 19 to analyze the data. Results explored four major determinants named Quality, Trust, Psychological, and Social which were considered to contribute to building the perception of any customer for branded products and creates the purchase intention which will finally be converted into buying decisions making. The price discount plays a role of partial mediation, where due to price discount available for luxury branded products the buying decision-making has been reduced significantly.
Anti-
therapy is considered to be a useful therapeutic approach in many tumors, but the low efficacy and drug resistance limit its therapeutic potential and promote tumor growth through alternative ...mechanisms. We reanalyzed the gene expression data of xenografts of tumors of bevacizumab-resistant glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients, using bioinformatics tools, to understand the molecular mechanisms of this resistance. An analysis of the gene set data from three generations of xenografts, identified as 646, 873 and 1220, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the first, fourth and ninth generations, respectively, of the anti-
-resistant GBM cells. Gene Ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment analyses demonstrated that the DEGs were significantly enriched in biological processes such as angiogenesis, cell proliferation, cell migration, and apoptosis. The protein-protein interaction network and module analysis revealed 21 hub genes, which were enriched in cancer pathways, the cell cycle, the
signaling pathway, and microRNAs in cancer. The
pathway analysis revealed nine upregulated (
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
, and
) and five downregulated hub genes (
,
,
,
, and
) linked with several of the
signaling pathway components. The survival analysis showed that three upregulated hub genes (
,
, and
) were associated with poor survival. The results predict that these hub genes associated with the GBM resistance to bevacizumab may be potential therapeutic targets or can be biomarkers of the anti-
resistance of GBM.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
A reproducible procedure was developed for genetic transformation of grasspea using epicotyl segment co-cultivation with Agrobacterium. Two disarmed Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains, EHA 105 and LBA ...4404, both carrying the binary plasmid p35SGUSINT with the neomycin phosphotransferase II (nptII) gene and the beta-glucuronidase (gus)-intron, were studied as vector systems. The latter was found to have a higher transforming ability. Several key factors modifying the transformation rate were optimized. The highest transformation rate was achieved using hand-pricked explants for infection with an Agrobacterium culture corresponding to OD(600) congruent with 0.6 and diluted to a cell density of 10(9) cells ml(-1) for 10 min, followed by co-cultivation for 4 days in a medium maintained at pH 5.6. Putative transformed explants capable of forming shoots were selected on regeneration medium containing kanamycin (100 mug ml(-1)). We achieved up to 36% transient expression based on the GUS histochemical assay. Southern hybridization of genomic DNA of the kanamycin-resistant GUS-expressive shoots to a gus-intron probe substantiated the integration of the transgene. Transformed shoots were rooted on half-strength MS containing 0.5 mg l(-1) indole-3-acetic acid, acclimated in vermi-compost and established in the experimental field. Germ-line transformation was evident through progeny analysis. Among T(1) seedlings of most transgenic plant lines, kanamycin-resistant and -sensitive plants segregated in a ratio close to 3:1.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
In this work, an exact analysis on the effects of heat generation and nanoparticle volume concentration on an unsteady free convective flow of a nanofluid past an impulsively started infinite ...vertical plate is presented. Nanofluids containing nanoparticles of aluminum oxide, copper, titanium oxide, and silver with a nanoparticle volume concentration range smaller than or equal to 0.04 are considered. The governing dimensionless partial differential equations are solved by using the Laplace transform technique. The effects of heat generation and nanoparticle volume concentration on the velocity and temperature profiles are represented graphically. The expressions for the skin friction coefficient and Nusselt number are derived. The effect of heat transfer is found to be more pronounced in a silver–water nanofluid than in the other nanofluids. Comparisons with other published results are found to be in excellent agreement.
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DOBA, EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
A metabolite of leucine, ß-hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate (HMB), used as a dietary supplement effects muscle tissue gain and bone tissue quality. Since there are no studies on the effects of HMB during ...pregnancy yet, the aim of the current study was to determine the effects of HMB supplementation during pregnancy on osteoporotic bone quality postpartum and post-lactation using spiny mice (Acomys cahirinus) as the animal models. The six-month-old dams were divided into four groups: pregnant and lactating controls, and pregnant and lactating HMB-treated (during the second trimester of pregnancy) females. The intensity of the immunoreaction of osteocalcin (OC), osteoprotegerin (OPG), bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2 (TIMP-2), matrix metalloproteinase 8 and 13 (MMP-8 and MMP-13) and proteins involved in bone turnover, was measured in femoral trabecular and compact bone, as well as in the hyaline and epiphyseal cartilage of the femora. The analysis of the trabecular bone microarchitecture showed that the administration of HMB to pregnant females, by influencing the proteins responsible for bone cell activity and collagen remodeling, can provide protection from bone loss. Based on the results of the current study it can be assumed that HMB administration to pregnant females has a more positive impact on trabecular than compact bone.
An assessment of genetic diversity studies was undertaken to understand the level and pattern of diversity in 65 mango (
Mangifera indica
L.) genotypes of India including 20 commercial cultivars, 18 ...hybrids, 25 local genotypes and two exotic cultivars based on qualitative and quantitative fruit characters as well as RAPD and ISSR profiles. A considerable variation was observed in respect of three important qualitative characters namely table quality, fruit attractiveness and storage life of ripe fruits and potentially superior genotypes for the above traits were identified. A wide variation was noticeable regarding metabolite composition of pulp of ripe mango fruit with respect to total soluble solids, total sugar, reducing sugar, acidity, sugar:acid ratio, ascorbic acid and phenolic content. Fifteen RAPD primers yielded 27 monomorphic and 129 polymorphic bands with percent polymorphism averaging 82.7%. Of a total 70 ISSR bands generated from eight ISSR primers, 60 bands (85.71%) were found to be polymorphic. Cumulative band data from these two methods precisely arranged accessions into eight clusters which correspond well with their pedigree relationship. UPGMA dendrograms drawn using RAPD, ISSR and cumulative data showed highly similar grouping of genotypes on the basis of their parental origin. No clear-cut geographical separation was revealed among East, West, North and South Indian mango cultivars by neither of these molecular markers nor their combinations. This supports the common gene pool origin of mango as well as operation of similar selection pressure as the cultivar preferences in these areas are largely similar.
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