Iridoid compound 10-O-trans-p-coumaroylcatalpol extends longevity and reduces α synuclein aggregation in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Aging, the major cause of several ailments has led to intense exploration of potential drugs that delay aging and its associated effects. We mined the information on traditional Indian medicines and identified an iridoid, 10-O-trans-p-Coumaroylcatalpol (OCC), a major ingredient of Premna integrifolia Linn. (syn: Premna serratifolia).

Effects of α-synuclein overexpression in transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans strains.

The neural protein α-synuclein aggregates both in vivo and in vitro to form insoluble fibrils that are involved in Parkinson's disease pathogenesis. We have generated α-synuclein/fluorescent-protein fusion constructs overexpressed in muscle cells of the nematode, Caenorhabdtis elegans. Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) variants, Cerulean (C) or Venus (V), were fused to the C-terminus of human α-synuclein (S); the resultant fusion genes were designated SV and SC, plus a CV fusion as well as S, C and V singly.

Effect of various classes of pesticides on expression of stress genes in transgenic C. elegans model of Parkinson's disease.

Neurodegenerative diseases are known to be associated with genetic and environmental factors. The multifactorial Parkinson's disease (PD) is triggered and/or further worsened by exposure to certain pesticides. Existing literature suggests a link between pesticide exposure and increased incidence of PD.

Connecting research discovery with care delivery in dementia: the development of the Indianapolis Discovery Network for Dementia.

Background: The US Institute of Medicine has recommended an integrated, locally sensitive collaboration among the various members of the community, health care systems, and research organizations to improve dementia care and dementia research.

Methods: Using complex adaptive system theory and reflective adaptive process, we developed a professional network called the "Indianapolis Discovery Network for Dementia" (IDND). The IDND facilitates effective and sustainable interactions among a local and diverse group of dementia researchers, clinical providers, and community advocates interested in improving care for dementia patients in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Falls and nursing home residents with cognitive impairment: new insights into quality measures and interventions.

Objectives: Prevention and public reporting of falls have suffered due to inadequate attention given to the association of falls and cognitive impairment (CI) among nursing home (NH) residents. This study examines the relationship between CI, residence on dementia special care units (SCUs) and other resident characteristics and likelihood of residents experiencing new falls in NHs.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Prevalence of diabetes in Asian Indians based on glycated hemoglobin and fasting and 2-H post-load (75-g) plasma glucose (CURES-120).

Objective: With the introduction of glycated hemoglobin (A1c) as a method of screening for diabetes, it is essential to study how use of A1c would affect the prevalence of diabetes in different ethnic groups. We compared the prevalence of diabetes by fasting (FPG) and 2-h post-load (75-g) plasma glucose (2-h PG) and A1c criteria in an Asian Indian population.

Research Design And Methods: Subjects (n=2,188) without known diabetes were drawn from the Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiological Study, a population-based study in Chennai, South India.

RNAi of cat-2, a putative tyrosine hydroxylase, increases alpha synuclein aggregation and associated effects in transgenic C. elegans.

Neurodegenerative Parkinson's disease (PD) is a multifactorial disorder; effects like alpha synuclein aggregation, low dopamine levels and dopaminergic neurodegeneration are considered to be hallmarks of the disease. Several recent studies have pointed towards an important role of enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the pathophysiology of PD. We embarked on the present studies to explore the mechanistic role of C.

Secular trends of fibrocalculous pancreatic diabetes and diabetes secondary to alcoholic chronic pancreatitis at a tertiary care diabetes centre in South India.

Context: Data on prevalence and trends in diabetes secondary to chronic pancreatitis in developing countries is scarce.

Objective: To compare the secular trends in the prevalence of fibrocalculous pancreatic diabetes (FCPD) and diabetes secondary to alcoholic chronic pancreatitis (ACP) at a diabetes centre in south India.

Design: A retrospective analysis was done of all patients registered at Dr.

Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases: do they share a common soil? The Asian Indian experience.

In India, diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are growing health problems. CVD accounts for much of the increased morbidity and premature mortality associated with type 2 diabetes. Moreover, CVD also occurs 2-3 decades earlier among diabetic subjects and runs a more aggressive course and has a worse prognosis.

Gorham's disease of femur.

Gorham's disease is a rare condition of bones characterized by spontaneous massive and progressive osteolysis. Less than 200 cases have been reported so far. Femur is an uncommon site of Gorham disease.

Electronic excitation dynamics in multichromophoric systems described via a polaron-representation master equation.

We derive a many-site version of the non-Markovian time-convolutionless polaron master equation [Jang et al., J. Chem Phys.

Consistent treatment of coherent and incoherent energy transfer dynamics using a variational master equation.

We investigate the energy transfer dynamics in a donor-acceptor model by developing a time-local master equation technique based on a variational transformation of the underlying Hamiltonian. The variational transformation allows a minimisation of the Hamiltonian perturbation term dependent on the system parameters, and consequently results in a versatile master equation valid over a range of system-bath coupling strengths, temperatures, and environmental spectral densities. While our formalism reduces to the well-known Redfield, Förster and polaron forms in the appropriate limits, in general it is not equivalent to perturbing in either the system-environment or donor-acceptor coupling strengths, and hence can provide reliable results between these limits as well.

Anti-Parkinsonian effects of Bacopa monnieri: insights from transgenic and pharmacological Caenorhabditis elegans models of Parkinson's disease.

Neurodegenerative Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with aggregation of protein alpha synuclein and selective death of dopaminergic neurons, thereby leading to cognitive and motor impairment in patients. The disease has no complete cure yet; the current therapeutic strategies involve prescription of dopamine agonist drugs which turn ineffective after prolonged use. The present study utilized the powerful genetics of model system Caenorhabditis elegans towards exploring the anti-Parkinsonian effects of a neuro-protective botanical Bacopa monnieri.

Sir-2.1 modulates 'calorie-restriction-mediated' prevention of neurodegeneration in Caenorhabditis elegans: implications for Parkinson's disease.

The phenomenon of aging is known to modulate many disease conditions including neurodegenerative ailments like Parkinson's disease (PD) which is characterized by selective loss of dopaminergic neurons. Recent studies have reported on such effects, as calorie restriction, in modulating aging in living systems. We reason that PD, being an age-associated neurodegenerative disease might be modulated by interventions like calorie restriction.

Acoustic liver biopsy in patients with hepatitis C and advanced liver fibrosis using endoscopic ultrasound.

Background: Transabdominal ultrasound cannot be used to quantitate fibrosis in patients with advanced liver fibrosis due to variability in the abdominal wall thickness and composition. This variability can be eliminated by using endoscopic ultrasound.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the amount of fibrosis in the liver of hepatitis C patients with advanced fibrosis using endoscopic ultrasound.

Incorporating Scientific Publishing into an Undergraduate Neuroscience Course: A Case Study Using IMPULSE.

The journal IMPULSE offers undergraduates worldwide the opportunity to publish research and serve as peer reviewers for the submissions of others. Undergraduate faculty have recognized the journal's value in engaging students working in their labs in the publication process. However, integration of scientific publication into an undergraduate laboratory classroom setting has been lacking.

Monitoring quality of care for nursing home residents with behavioral and psychological symptoms related to dementia.

Background: Behavioral and psychological symptoms associated with dementia are common in nursing home residents. Quality indicators (QI) assessing quality of care for these residents are minimally risk adjusted and can provide inaccurate information regarding the quality of care provided by the facility.

Objective: Evaluate the performance of a new QI for the incidence of worsening behaviors in nursing home residents with behavioral and psychological symptoms association with dementia.

Observation of diameter dependent carrier distribution in nanowire-based transistors.

The successful implementation of nanowire (NW) based field-effect transistors (FET) critically depends on quantitative information about the carrier distribution inside such devices. Therefore, we have developed a method based on high-vacuum scanning spreading resistance microscopy (HV-SSRM) which allows two-dimensional (2D) quantitative carrier profiling of fully integrated silicon NW-based tunnel-FETs (TFETs) with 2 nm spatial resolution. The key elements of our characterization procedure are optimized NW cleaving and polishing steps, the use of in-house fabricated ultra-sharp diamond tips, measurements in high vacuum and a dedicated quantification procedure accounting for the Schottky-like tip-sample contact affected by surface states.

District level external quality assurance (EQA) of malaria microscopy in Pakistan: pilot implementation and feasibility.

Background: Prompt, quality assured laboratory diagnosis is key to effective malaria case management and control, especially since the introduction of the more expensive artemisinin combination therapy (ACT). The malaria programme and its non-government partners, on the basis of WHO recommended Lot Quality Assurance methods, have developed a district level external quality assurance (EQA) system. This study was designed to assess the feasibility, under programme conditions, of an integrated district level external quality assurance and supervision approach for malaria microscopy.

Phonon-induced Rabi-frequency renormalization of optically driven single InGaAs/GaAs quantum dots.

We study optically driven Rabi rotations of a quantum dot exciton transition between 5 and 50 K, and for pulse areas of up to 14π. In a high driving field regime, the decay of the Rabi rotations is nonmonotonic, and the period decreases with pulse area and increases with temperature. By comparing the experiments to a weak-coupling model of the exciton-phonon interaction, we demonstrate that the observed renormalization of the Rabi frequency is induced by fluctuations in the bath of longitudinal acoustic phonons, an effect that is a phonon analogy of the Lamb shift.