Mother-to-mother therapy in India and Pakistan: adaptation and feasibility evaluation of the peer-delivered Thinking Healthy Programme.

BACKGROUND: Perinatal depression is highly prevalent in South Asia. Although effective and culturally feasible interventions exist, a key bottleneck for scaled-up delivery is lack of trained human resource. The aim of this study was to adapt an evidence-based intervention so that local women from the community (peers) could be trained to deliver it, and to test the adapted intervention for feasibility in India and Pakistan. METHODS: The study was conducted in Rawalpindi, Pakistan and Goa, India. To inform the adaptation process, qualitative data was collected through 7 focus groups (four in Pakistan and three in India) and 61 in-depth interviews (India only). Following adaptation, the intervention was delivered to depressed mothers (20 in Pakistan and 24 in India) for six months through 8 peers in Pakistan and nine in India. Post intervention data was collected from depressed mothers and peers through 41 in-depth interviews (29 in Pakistan and 12 in India) and eight focus groups (one in Pakistan and seven in India). Data was analysed using Framework Analysis approach. RESULTS: Most mothers perceived the intervention to be acceptable, useful, and viewed the peers as effective delivery-agents. The simple format using vignettes, pictures and everyday terms to describe distress made the intervention easy to understand and deliver. The peers were able to use techniques for behavioural activation with relative ease. Both the mothers and peers found that shared life-experiences and personal characteristics greatly facilitated the intervention-delivery. A minority of mothers had concerns about confidentiality and stigma related to their condition, and some peers felt the role was emotionally challenging. CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrates the feasibility of using peers to provide interventions for perinatal depression in two South Asian settings. Peers can be a potential resource to deliver evidence-based psychosocial interventions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Pakistan Trial: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02111915 (9 April 2014), India Trial: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02104232 (1 April 2014)

Comparative evaluation of fracture resistance of self adapting PFS and elastic FRC post and core systems – An invitro study

Background:  Endodontically treated teeth (ETT) with extensive coronal destruction are more prone to fracture, so restoring these teeth with techniques that will not compromise the integrity of remaining tooth structure with the use of Post and core systems to retain full and final crown restorations seems mandatory. Anatomic posts have been introduced which have better adaptability to the canal anatomy and conserve more amount of tooth structure. Aim: This study was done to compare the fracture resistance of ETT restored with two anatomic post systems elastic FRC post (everStick) and self adapting PFS (Spirapost). Materials and Methods: Twenty single rooted maxillary central incisors were selected for the study. All the samples were endodontically treated and randomly divided into 2 groups (n=10) according to the post system used (PFS post – Group I, FRC– Group II). In all the samples, post space preparation was done and the posts were luted using dual cure resin cement (Para core, Coltene, Mumbai, India).The remaining core was built using composite resin (Filtek, 3M, ESPE, USA). The samples were stored in saline for one week. All the samples were thermocycled for 500 cycles from 5 to 55 0 c ±5 0 c with a dwelling time of 30 seconds in each bath and a transfer time of five seconds. Fracture resistance of the samples was measured using universal testing machine. The obtained data was statistically analyzed by using independent t test. Results: There was no statistically siginificant difference between fracture resistance values of FRC and PFS groups. 30% and 70% of the samples of PFS and FRC showed favourable fractures respectively. Conclusion: In this study it was concluded that fracture resistance of PFS was comparable to that of FRC post. However FRC group showed predominantly more number of favourable fractures. &nbsp

Role of ribosomal RNA released from red cells in blood coagulation in zebrafish and humans

This article identifies that an rRNA released in hemolysis activates clotting in human and zebrafish plasma. Furthermore, it shows that fish Hgfac plays a role in rRNA-mediated activation of coagulation

Biostimulant Properties of Marine Bioactive Extracts in Plants: Incrimination toward Sustainable Crop Production in Rice

Enhancing productivity through integrated and comprehensive nutrient management is pertinent to sustainable intensification of agricultural ecosystems. The utilization of marine bioactive stimulants has been gaining momentum and impetus in crop agricultural farming system due to their phytoelicitor activity. Liquids biostimulants derived from seaweed evoke defense responses in plants that contribute to resistance to abiotic stresses and challenges like high temperature, salinity, moisture stress, and cold. Seaweed extracts are immensely organic and suitable for growing crops that are both organic and environmentally friendly. Seaweeds provide an abundant source of natural growth substances that can be employed to enhance plant growth. Seaweeds are one of the most significant marine resources of the world, and derived compounds have been extensively used as amendments in crop production systems due to the presence of macronutrients such as Ca, K, and P and micronutrients like Fe, Cu, Zn, B, Mn, Co, and Mo, presence of several plant growth stimulating compounds including cytokinin, auxins, gibberellins, and betaines which are essential for plant growth and development. The purpose of the current chapter is to explore the functional and growth characteristics induced by seaweed extracts in addition to their modes and mechanisms of action in rice crops, which are responsible for elicitor and phytostimulatory activities and boost in grain production and nutrient usage efficiency

Studies on Tissue Factor Pathway Inhibitor in Zebrafish

Tissue Factor Pathway Inhibitor (TFPI) is an anticoagulant protein containing three Kunitz domains, K1, K2 and K3. K1 inhibits Factor VIIa, K2 inhibits Factor Xa, and K3 enhances the Factor Xa inhibition by its interaction with Protein S. Since zebrafish is an excellent genetic model, we hypothesized that TFPI regulation could be studied using this model. As a first step, we confirmed the presence of tfpia in zebrafish. Subsequently, we performed knockdown of tfpia, and knockout of tfpia in K3 domain using CRISPR/Cas9. Both the tfpia knockdown and tfpia homozygous deletion mutants showed increased coagulation activities. Our data suggest that zebrafish tfpia is an orthologue for human TFPIα, and silencing it results in a thrombotic phenotype. We then optimized the piggyback knockdown method, where we could simultaneously piggyback 3 or 6 ASOs corresponding to 3 or 6 genes, respectively, using one VMO. These multiple gene knockdowns will increase the efficiency of genome-wide knockdowns. Since there are no studies on chromatin remodeling that control TFPI expression, we hypothesized that the genome-wide knockdowns of the Chromatin Binding and Regulatory Proteins (CBRPs) in zebrafish could help identify novel tfpia gene regulators. We chose 69 CBRPs and subjected them to simultaneous gene knockdowns. Our results have identified 5 novel regulators for tfpia. We exploited this information to discover UNC6852, a drug that enhances tfpia mRNA levels. This could be used as an antithrombotic drug. The approach developed here could be used to study the regulation of other coagulant and anticoagulant factors

Trypsin induces an aversive response in zebrafish by PAR2 activation in keratinocytes

Previously we have shown that trypsin, a protein typically involved in digestion, is released from gills of both fresh and saltwater fishes into surrounding water under stress or injury. We have also shown that each species produces trypsin with different specific activities. In this report, using zebrafish as a model, we identified that trypsin induces an aversive response in zebrafish larvae and adult zebrafish. Since Protease-Activated Receptor 2 (PAR2) responds to trypsin, we tested whether the aversive response is dependent on the activation of PAR2 located on the zebrafish skin cells. Zebrafish larvae treated separately with neomycin and zinc sulfate also showed aversive response indicating neuromast, and olfactory cells are not involved in this aversion. Cultured keratinocytes from zebrafish showed a response to trypsin. Zebrafish larvae subjected to knockdown of par2a also exhibited reduced escape response. Similarly, par2a-deficient mutant larvae displayed no response to trypsin. Since it has been shown that stress activates PAR2 and sends signals to the brain as shown by the increased c-fos expression, we tested c-fos expression in adult zebrafish brains after trypsin treatment of adults and found enhanced c-fos expression by qRT-PCR. Taken together, our results show that the trypsin activates PAR2 on keratinocytes signaling the brain, and this pathway of trypsin-induced escape response will provide a unique communication mechanism in zebrafish. Furthermore, since PAR2 activation also occurs in pain/pruritus sensing, this model might be useful in elucidating components of signaling pathways in pain/pruritus.</jats:p

RNaseH-mediated simultaneous piggyback knockdown of multiple genes in adult zebrafish

This article tests if it is possible to piggyback more than one antisense deoxyoligonucleotide (dO) with one vivo morpholino (VMO). The authors previously developed a piggyback knockdown method that was used to knockdown genes in adult zebrafish. In this article, the authors develop a method to knockdown three genes at one time, and by increasing the concentration of VMO by twofold, could knockdown six genes simultaneously. These multiple gene knockdowns will not only increase the efficiency of the method in whole genome-wide knockdowns but will also be useful to study multifactorial disorders

RNaseH-mediated simultaneous piggyback knockdown of multiple genes in adult zebrafish

AbstractWe recently developed a piggyback knockdown method that was used to knockdown genes in adult zebrafish. In this method, a vivo morpholino (VMO) piggybacks an antisense deoxyoligonucleotide (dO) into the somatic cells and reduces the cognate mRNA levels. In this paper, we tested whether we can piggyback more than one dO with one VMO. We designed various hybrids that had more than one dO that could be piggybacked with one VMO. We chose f7, f8, and αIIb genes and tested their knockdown by the appropriate assays. The knockdown with piggybacking either two or three dOs by one VMO yielded &gt; 85% knockdown efficiency. We also performed knockdown of argonautes and rnaseh separately along with f7. We found the knockdown of f7 occurs when knockdown of argonautes happens and not when rnaseh knockdown was performed, suggesting that RNaseH is involved in mRNA degradation. In conclusion, we developed a method where we could knockdown three genes at one time, and by increasing the concentration of VMO by twofold, we could knockdown six genes simultaneously. These multiple gene knockdowns will not only increase the efficiency of the method in whole genome-wide knockdowns but will also be useful to study multifactorial disorders.</jats:p

Trypsin induces an aversive response in zebrafish by PAR2 activation in keratinocytes

Article using zebrafish as a model and identifies that trypsin induces an aversive response in zebrafish larvae and adult zebrafish. Results show that the trypsin activates PAR2 on keratinocytes signaling the brain, and this pathway of trypsin-induced escape response will provide a unique communication mechanism in zebrafish

Effect of MS222 on Hemostasis in Zebrafish

Article studying the effect of MS222 on hemostasis in Zebrafish. The authors performed various assays and find that Hct values, the amount of blood collected, bleeding, and coagulation differ significantly between anesthetized and nonanesthetized fish. These results suggest that blood collected after MS222 anesthesia of zebrafish has altered hemostasis