Genome-wide association study of antidepressant response: involvement of the inorganic cation transmembrane transporter activity pathway

Description and statistics referred to the SNPs that showed p<0.05 (response phenotype) in both the analyzed samples. (DOC 157 kb

Epigenetic Conservation of Evolutionarily Conserved Cancer/Testis Antigens

DNA cytosine methylation is an important epigenetic modification that plays a key role in gene expression. DNA methylation has been shown to be involved in numerous processes, including X-chromosome inactivation in mammals, retrotransposon silencing, genomic imprinting, carcinogenesis and the regulation of tissue specific gene expression during development. Gene expression is tightly regulated via DNA methylation (5mC) and the aberrant expression of meiotic genes in mitotic cells via CpG promoter hypomethylation has been proposed to cause cancer. Cancer/Testis Antigens (CTAs) are a group of genes that encode tumour specific antigens and are expressed in the testis, certain cancers but not in normal post-natal somatic tissues. CpG island methylation and histone modifications appear to play a role in the epigenetic regulation of CTA expression, however, very little is known about their functions in vivo. A widely studied but poorly understood question to date is the mechanisms behind aberrant CTA reactivation in cancer. Given that 5mC mediated gene repression has been found to exist in vertebrate genomes and CTAs have also been identified to be a subset of highly evolutionarily conserved genes, it is critical to understand the role of 5mC mediated CTA silencing in vertebrates. By gaining a deeper understanding into the mechanisms behind this highly conserved pattern of gene repression on a specific subset of genes, we would be able to identify methods to prevent aberrant gene expression. In this study, I analysed publicly available whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS), RNA-seq and chromatin immuno-precipitation followed by massively parallel sequencing (ChIP-seq) data of developing embryonic and adult somatic tissue of 3 vertebrate species to elucidate the evolutionary epigenetic regulation of CTAs in vertebrate genomes. Integrative WGBS, RNA-seq and ChIP-seq analysis revealed that CTAs are evolutionarily conserved in zebrafish, mice and humans and mechanisms of their epigenetic regulation are also conserved. I observed that histone modifications could potentially serve as an indicator of the methylation status of CTA gene promoters and that the expression of CTAs was inversely related to gene promoter 5mC levels. I demonstrate that CTAs when over-expressed cause embryonic lethality in zebrafish and the same genes are aberrantly hypomethylated at their CpG islands in a subset of human cancers. Overall, my work shows that CTAs are epigenetically regulated in an evolutionarily conserved manner and possibly via a conserved transcription factor, ETS1, that is expressed both in embryonic and cancerous tissue

An implementation and evaluation of distributed information system based on the OSCA architecture guidelines

The concepts in this thesis discuss and evaluate the need for systems integration. As a conceptual architecture, the OSCATM architecture is investigated. A prototype of the CS Department distributed information system is built following the guidelines and standards of this conceptual architecture. This prototype is implemented in \u27C\u27. RPC (remote procedure call) is used for the communication channel to implement the distributed environment. Conclusions and results that were achieved by implementing this prototype are presented. The main outcome of this thesis is the introduction of the infrastructure to the GenSIF framework

Multifractal behavior of linear polymers in disordered media

The scaling behavior of linear polymers in disordered media modelled by self-avoiding random walks (SAWs) on the backbone of two- and three-dimensional percolation clusters at their critical concentrations p_c is studied. All possible SAW configurations of N steps on a single backbone configuration are enumerated exactly. We find that the moments of order q of the total number of SAWs obtained by averaging over many backbone configurations display multifractal behavior, i.e. different moments are dominated by different subsets of the backbone. This leads to generalized coordination numbers \mu_q and enhancement exponents \gamma_q, which depend on q. Our numerical results suggest that the relation \mu_1 = p_ c \mu between the first moment \mu_1 and its regular lattice counterpart \mu is valid.Comment: 11 pages, 12 postscript figures, to be published in Phys. Rev.

A CRITICAL APPRAISAL ON IMMUNOMODULATION AND BATTLE AGAINST COVID-19: AN EVIDENCE BASED PREVENTIVE AYURVEDIC APPROACH

The emergence of SARSCOV-2 has been noticed as the third introduction of a highly pathogenic corona virus into the human population after SARS-COV and MERV-COV in 21st century. It has posed a horrible situation that warrants urgent global attention due to the emergence of more virulent viral strain, predicted future viral mutations, prohibitive cost of available drugs, time lag between vaccine development and mass causalities occurring all over the world. Although specific antiviral vaccine is the effective solution but a potent and comprehensive immune response to maintain homeostasis is also critical for prophylactic as well as therapeutic management of the disease. Amidst all the gloom spread due to this outbreak, everyone is focusing on preventive measures until an effective vaccine is developed. Ayurveda- An holistic science offers a plethora of preventive therapies to enhance body’s resistance against infections. It is evident that nutritional and herbal approaches taken together provide potent tools for controlling an array of viral infections and have been effectively used by humans all over the world since ages during such outbreaks. Ayurveda and yoga have great potential for embracing the world in creating a more positive health abode. Herbs exhibit a diverse array of biological activities and can be effectively harnessed for managing this pandemic. This review portrays an eclectic overview for the preventive management of COVID-19 pandemic covering the dietary, lifestyle and herbal evidence based approaches that may be most likely helpful in managing the current pandemic scenario and also strengthens our body to cope-up with the next pandemic that might appear in not too distant future

EVIDENCE BASED PRECONCEPTIONAL CARE IN AYURVEDA AND ITS RELEVANCE IN MODERN SCENARIO: CRITICAL APPRAISAL

Motherhood is an eternal blessing. In today’s era due to competitive life, new generation desire only one child bestowed with good health, supreme intellect and wisdom. But, in today’s effluent societies, due to carrier orientation and busy life schedule, people are not paying attention towards marital age, healthy daily routine, seasonal regimen and outcome of these unhealthy habits is emerging out in the form of various disorders influencing physical, psychological and reproductive outcome. So, it is the need of hour to revitalize the ancient methods of health care to obtain its prime benefits for mankind. Ayurveda, The oldest ancient wisdom takes care of all aspects of human beings and has described compendious preconceptional care approach for getting excellent progeny. Although preconceptional care mentioned in Ayurveda classics is time tested, scientific, invincible, undoubtable preventive approach but today’s era is era of evidence based practice thereby requires to prove its relevance on scientific parameters by shifting the basis for decision making from tradition to firmly grounded scientific research. On detailed analysis of the concept, it was found that every single fact pertaining to preconceptional care mentioned in Ayurvedic context is scientific in terms of modern scientific knowledge. So, this paper summarizes the scientific revalidation of risk behaviour responsible for negative traits as well as of preventive care approach in present era to make it globally acceptable excellent preventive strategy for getting healthy progeny

Study of prevalence of bacterial vaginosis in preterm and term labour

Background: The objective of the study was to study the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis in women with preterm & term labour & to analyze the causal relationship of bacterial vaginosis with preterm labour.Methods: An observational study conducted on 100 patients reporting at labour room in Obstetrics & Gynaecology department of NIMS Medical College & hospital, between November 2013 to June 2014 involving 50 patients with preterm & 50 with term labour.Results: Patients who fulfilled Amsel’s criteria and patients with discharge suggestive of bacterial vaginosis were significantly more in preterm labour group as compared to term labour group. Out of 50 patients in preterm labour group, 18(36%) were suggestive of bacterial vaginosis, 32(64%) were not suggestive of bacterial vaginosis. Out of 50 patients in term labour group, 4(8%) were suggestive of bacterial vaginosis, 46(92%) were not suggestive of bacterial vaginosis.Conclusions: Bacterial vaginosis is major risk factor for preterm labour. Therefore, testing for bacterial vaginosis & prompt treatment may reduce risk of preterm labour

A study for efficacy and safety of ferric carboxymaltose versus iron sucrose in iron deficiency anemia among pregnant women in tertiary care hospital

Background: Anemia is one of the common manageable problem among the pregnant women worldwide, which contributes to maternal and perinatal mortality. This study aims to compare the efficacy and safety of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose with intravenous iron sucrose in treating anemia during pregnancy. Objective of this study was to compare safety and efficacy of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose with intravenous ferric sucrose in iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy.Methods: It’s an interventional prospective study conducted in Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at NIMS, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India constituting of 100 pregnant women. Group 1- 50 pregnant women were treated with intravenous ferric carboxymaltose and Group 2: 50 pregnant women were treated with intravenous iron sucrose. Hemoglobin and serum ferritin levels were measured pre and post treatment with parenteral iron therapy. The efficacy of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose in comparison to intravenous iron sucrose was assessed. The evaluation of safety and tolerance with the parenteral therapy was also performed.Results: Anemia during pregnancy was more prevalent among the reproductive age group and in multiparous women. The mean rise in the hemoglobin level with ferric carboxymaltose was 2.92 gm/dl and with that of iron, sucrose was 1.08 gm/dl. The man rise in the serum ferritin levels with ferric carboxymaltose was 64.97ng/ml and with iron sucrose was 31.64 ng/ml. Ferric carboxymaltose was observed to be safer with no adverse events in comparison to the Iron sucrose which was related with adverse events among 03 pregnant women.Conclusions: Intravenous ferric carboxymaltose was more efficacious and safer in comparison to intravenous iron sucrose among pregnant women. Hence, ferric carboxymaltose is the drug of choice in treatment of iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy