Cyclic AMP increases COX-2 expression via mitogen-activated kinase in human myometrial cells

Cyclic AMP (cAMP) is the archetypal smooth muscle relaxant, mediating the effects of many hormones and drugs. However, recently PGI2, acting via cAMP/PKA, was found to increase contraction-associated protein expression in myometrial cells and to promote oxytocin-driven myometrial contractility. Cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) is the rate-limiting enzyme in prostaglandin synthesis, which is critical to the onset and progression of human labour. We have investigated the impact of cAMP on myometrial COX-2 expression, synthesis and activity. Three cAMP agonists (8-bromo-cAMP, forskolin and rolipram) increased COX-2 mRNA expression and further studies confirmed that this was associated with COX-2 protein synthesis and activity (increased PGE2 and PGI2 in culture supernatant) in primary cultures of human myometrial cells. These effects were neither reproduced by specific agonists nor inhibited by specific inhibitors of known cAMP-effectors (PKA, EPAC and AMPK). We then used shRNA to knockdown the same effectors and another recently described cAMP-effector PDZ-GEF1-2, without changing the response to cAMP. We found that MAPK activation mediated the cAMP effects on COX-2 expression and that PGE2 acts through EP-2 to activate MAPK and increase COX-2. These data provide further evidence in support of a dual role for cAMP in the regulation of myometrial function

Seaweed resources of the Tuticorin-Tiruchendur coast, Tamil Nadu, India

The southern coast of Tamil Nadu (Mandapam to Kanyakumari) supports luxuriant growth of economic seaweeds. The entire indigenous phycocoUoid industry of the country gets the raw material from this region and during the last two decades, due to indiscriminate harvesting, there has been over-exploitation of the resource. The present paper deals with survey conducted in the first sector from Tuticorin to Tiruchendur during December 1986—March 1987. In this study 58 species of marine algae were recorded of which 7 belong to Chlorophyta, 12 to Phaeophyta and 39 to Rhodophyta besides 3 species of seagrasses namely Cymodocea seiriilata, Halophila ovalis and //. ovata within 650 sq. km area surveyed. The total standing crop of the seaweeds was estimated at 9,100 tonnes (wt.). The estimates for the dominant species are Dictyota maxima 530 t, Sargassum tenerrium 640 t, D. bartayresiana 8601, Selieria rebusta 2,0901 and Hypnea valemiae 2,4301. The seaweed potential for commercial exploitation has been briefly discussed

Seaweed resources off Tamil Nadu coast: Sector III. Valinokkam - Kilakkarai

Survey of seaweed resources in deep water was carried out in the area between Valinokkam and Kilakkarai during January 1989 and March,l990 respectively. In the survey from Valinokkam to Kilakkarai 33 species of marine algae were recorded of which 8 species belong to Chlorophyta, 8 to Phaeophyta and 17 to Rhodophyta. Only one species of seagrass Halophila ovalis was recorded. Among the 200 sq Icm area surveyed, vegetation occurred only in 27.5 sq.km with a total standing crop of 2962.5 tonnes (wet wt)

Seaweed resources off Tamil Nadu coast: Sector II. Alanthali - Manapad and Vembar – Nallathanni Thivu

The seaweeds are used for the production of polysaccharides such as agar, algin, carragennan and they are harvested from intertidal regions along the southeast shores of India. The resource potential from intertidal regions was estimated (Anon 1978

Distribution of sea weeds off Kattapadu - Tiruchendur coast, Tamil nadu

The present paper deals with the distribution of seaweeds and seagrasses during the deep sea survey conducted in the first sector from Kattapadu to Tiruchendur in Tamil Nadu coast between December 1986 and March 1987 covering an area of 650 sq.km. In thiS survey. 58 species of marine algae \\ere recorded. of which 7 belong to Chlorophyta. 12 to Phaeophyta and 39 to Rhodophyta. Three species of seagrasses vi z. Cymodocea serrl/lata. Halophila ovails and H. ovala were also recorded at the depths ranging from 5.5 to 21.5 III Halim eda macroloba, D,ClyOIO barlayresiana, D. Maxima, Gracliaria corl/cala var. corlicala, G. edulis, Sarcodia indica, Sarconema filiform e, Soliena rob"sla, flypnea esperi and H. "alenliae were found to be dominant and widely distributed. Hydrological data were also collected from area surveyed. The atmospheric and bottom water temperature varied from 25.0 to 36.8'C and 26.0 to 31.8'C respectively. The pH ranged from 8.3 to 8.6 and the salinity from 26.39 to 33.430/00 . The dissolved oxygen ranged from 3A2 to 6.47 mill. The phosphate content varied from 0.05 to 0. 15 I'g atm/ l, silicate from 4.00 to 12.00 I'g atmll, nitrate from 0.25 to 1.00 I'g at mil and nitrite from 1.05 to 3.99 I'g atml l

Trichodion, a new inhibitor of inflammatory signal transduction pathways from a Trichosporiella species

AbstractIn a search for new inhibitors of the IFN-γ mediated signal transduction in HeLa S3 cells using secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) as reporter gene, the novel pyran-dione trichodion was isolated from fermentations of the imperfect fungus Trichosporiella sp. 20-95. The compound inhibits the IFN-γ mediated expression of the reporter gene with IC50 values of 21–42 μM (5–10 μg/ml). The NF-κB and AP-1 mediated expression of the reporter gene are inhibited with IC50 values of 42–84 μM (10–20 μg/ml) and 21 μM (5 μg/ml) respectively. Western blotting with COX-2 and NOS II antibodies showed that the expression of both proinflammatory enzymes is almost completely inhibited at 21–42 μM (5–10 μg/ml) in LPS/IFN-γ stimulated J774 mouse macrophages. Studies on the mode of action of the compound revealed that the inhibition of the NF-κB dependent pathway is due to the stabilization of the IκB protein and the inhibition of the IFN-γ dependent signaling is caused by an inhibition of the phosphorylation of the STAT1α transcription factor

Seaweed resources off Tamil nadu coast, Sector - IV Kilakkarai - Rameswaram island (Dhanushkodi

Survey of the deep water area from Kilakkarai (Appa Tivu to Rameswaram Island (Dhanushkodi) was undertaken from December 1990 to January 1991 in the IV Sector survey of Deep water Seaweed Resources off Tamil Nadu coast, which formed the last phase of the survey from Rameswaram to Kanyakumari carried out during 1986-91. An area of 417 .5 sq.km. was surveyed yielding a total biomass of 18,162.5 tons (wet) seaweeds. Out of 167 stations surveyed in 13 transects, vegetation occurred only in 12 stations. Of the 29 species of marine algae recorded 8 belonged to Chlorophyta, 8 to Phaeophyta, 12 to Rhodophyta, and I to Cyanophyta, One species of seagrass Cymodocea serrulata was also recorded. Twenty species were found in estimable quantities, of which the following 8 species were abundant: Halimeda macr%ba, Spatog/ossum asperum, Zonaria crenata, Sargassum ilicijolium, Amphiroa jragilissima, Hypnea muscijormis, Botryocladia /eplOpoda and Lyngbya majuscula with a biomass of 1325, 9775, 650, 1550, 1925,300,862.5 and 1012.5 tons (wet) respectively. The species of Hypnea and Sargassum could be exploited for the manufacture of phytochemicals

Implementation of Fast technique for Unit Commitment Based on Unit Clustering

A new approach to the problem of large scale unit commitment is presented in this paper. The units are classified into various clusters based on their similar characteristics in order to reduce the computational time and also to satisfy the minimum up/down constraints easily. Unit commitment problem is an important optimizing task in daily operational planning of power systems which can be mathematically formulated as a large scale nonlinear mixed-integer minimization problem. A new methodology employing the concept of cluster algorithm called as additive and divisive hierarchical clustering has been employed along with particle swarm optimization in order to carry out the technique of unit commitment. Proposed methodology involves two individual algorithms. While the load is increasing, additive cluster algorithm has been employed while divisive cluster algorithm is used when the load is decreasing. The proposed technique is tested on a 10 unit system and the simulation results show the performance of the proposed technique. Keywords: Unit commitment, additive clustering, divisive clustering, Lambda iteration method

Power quality conditioning using two-level buck inverter based DSTATCOM

A two-level buck inverter is derived from the voltage source inverter, by replacing the additional power devices and suitable combination of inductor circuits respectively. Novel isolated buck inverter, featuring each-phase conversion and soft-switching within wide operation range, is developed. An optimized control strategy is employed to realize isolated buck conversion. By utilizing the buck inverter, the voltage stress on the power devices and passive components, the self-supported capacitor and filter inductance, is reduced to the half of the output voltage. Moreover, it is proven that the thyristor-controlled series capacitor (TCSC) equipped with a well-designed distributed static compensator (DSTATCOM) can effectively improve source current harmonics reduction, power factor correction in the source side, load compensation, regulation of load voltage and upholding constant voltage across the DC-link capacitor. In order to verify the effectiveness of the proposed DSTATCOM, its performance is compared with the two level DSTATCOM. The extensive simulations are carried out using MATLAB/Simulink to analyze the results. Experimental results using dSPACE-1104 prototype verify the appropriate DSTATCOM

Comparison of Performance of SSSC and TCPS in Automatic Generation Control of Hydrothermal System Under Deregulated Scenario

This paper presents the modelling and simulation of Static Synchronous Series Compensator (SSSC) in a two area system for Automatic Generation Control (AGC) under deregulated environment. The modelling of Thyristor Controlled phase Shifter (TCPS) is also carried out and comparison is made between SSSC and TCPS. A two area hydrothermal system under deregulated environment has been considered for this purpose.  The devices are modeled and attempt has been made to incorporate these devices in the two area system thus improving the dynamic response of the system. The effect of these parameters on the system is demonstrated with the help of computer simulations. A systematic method has also been demonstrated for the modeling of this component in the system. Computer simulations reveal that due to the presence of SSSC along with TCPS, the dynamic performance of the system in terms of settling time, overshoot is greatly improved than that of without SSSC.DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.11591/ijece.v1i1.2