A role of frontal association cortex in long-term object recognition memory of objects with complex features in rats.

Perirhinal cortex is a brain area that has been considered crucial for the object recognition memory (ORM). However, with the use of an ORM enhancer named RGS14414 as gain-in-function tool, we show here that frontal association cortex and not the Perirhinal cortex is essential for the ORM of objects with complex features that consisted of detailed drawing on the object surface (complex ORM). An expression of RGS14414, in rat brain frontal association cortex, induced the formation of long-term complex ORM, whereas the expression of the same memory enhancer in Perirhinal cortex failed to produce this effect. Instead, RGS14414 expression in Perirhinal cortex caused the formation of ORM of objects with simple features that consisted of the shape of object (simple ORM). Further, a selective elimination of frontal association cortex neurons by treatment with an immunotoxin Ox7-SAP completely abrogated the formation of complex ORM. Thus, our results suggest that frontal association cortex plays a key role in processing of a high-order recognition memory information in brain.

A Practical Approach to the Management of Residual Cardiovascular Risk: United Arab Emirates Expert Consensus Panel on the Evidence for Icosapent Ethyl and Omega-3 Fatty Acids.

PURPOSE: Patients with hyperlipidemia treated with statins remain at a residual cardiovascular (CV) risk. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids hold the potential to mitigate the residual CV risk in statin-treated patients, with persistently elevated triglyceride (TG) levels. METHOD: We reviewed the current evidence on the use of icosapent ethyl (IPE), an omega-3 fatty acid yielding a pure form of eicosapentaenoic acid. RESULTS: REDUCE-IT reported a significant 25% reduction in CV events, including the need for coronary revascularization, the risk of fatal/nonfatal myocardial infarction, stroke, hospitalization for unstable angina, and CV death in patients on IPE, unseen with other omega-3 fatty acids treatments. IPE was effective in all patients regardless of baseline CV risk enhancers (TG levels, type-2 diabetes status, weight status, prior revascularization, or renal function). Adverse events (atrial fibrillation/flutter) related to IPE have occurred mostly in patients with prior atrial fibrillation. Yet, the net clinical benefit largely exceeded potential risks. The combination with other omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, in particular DHA, eliminated the effect of EPA alone, as reported in the STRENGTH and OMEMI trials. Adding IPE to statin treatment seems to be cost-effective, especially in the context of secondary prevention of CVD, decreasing CV event frequency and subsequently the use of healthcare resources. CONCLUSION: Importantly, IPE has been endorsed by 20 international medical societies as a statin add-on treatment in patients with dyslipidemia and high CV risk. Robust medical evidence supports IPE as a pillar in the management of dyslipidemia.

Evaluation of the Effects of Wastewater Irrigation on Heavy Metal Accumulation in Vegetables and Human Health in the Cauliflower Example : Heavy Metal Accumulation in Cauliflower.

The goals of the present research were to determine the heavy metal contents in the water-soil-cauliflower samples in industrial wastewater irrigated areas and to assess the health risks of these metals to the people. Metal analyses were carried out using the atomic absorption spectrophotometer equipped with a graphite furnace. The metal readings in the cauliflower specimens ranged from 1.153 to 1.389, 0.037 to 0.095, 0.61 to 0.892, 0.625 to 0.921, 1.165 to 2.399, 0.561 to 0.652, 0.565 to 0.585, 0.159 to 0.218 and 1.268 to 1.816 mg/kg for Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Zn and Mn, respectively. Statistics revealed that, with the exception of Pb and Co (p > 0.05), there was no statistically significant variation in the metal concentrations in the cauliflower samples according to the irrigation type. Pb, Ni, and Cr had HRI values below 1.0 and did not seem to be a hazard to human health, in contrast to Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Zn and Mn, which glanced to constitute a health risk. Regular monitoring of vegetables irrigated with wastewater is strongly advised to reduce health hazards to people.

Bioaccumulation and Health Risk Assessment of Potentially Toxic Metals in Citrus Limetta & Citrus Sinensis Irrigated by Wastewater.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of different irrigation sources on the levels of potentially toxic metals (Cd, Cr, Fe and Mn) in the edibles of citrus fruits (Citrus sinensis and Citrus limetta). The samples of fruit, soil and water were collected from two locations (fresh water irrigated-FW I and sewage water irrigated-SW II) within the city of Sargodha. The samples utilized in the study for metal analysis were prepared utilizing the wet acid digestion method. Metal determination was performed using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS). The potentially toxic metal values in the citrus samples ranged from 0.010 to 0.063, 0.015 to 0.293, 6.691 to 11.342 and 0.366 to 0.667 mg/kg for Cd, Cr, Fe and Mn, respectively. Analysis of Citrus limetta and Citrus sinensis indicated that the highest concentration of Cr, Fe and Mn is observed at the sewage water irrigation site (SW-II), whilst the minimum levels of Cr, Fe and Mn were observed at the fresh water irrigation site (FW-I). The results show that the levels of these metals in soil and fruit samples meet the acceptable guidelines outlined by USEPA and WHO. It was found that the metal pollution constitutes a potential threat to human health due to the HRI values for Cd, Cr, and Fe being above 1, despite the DIM values being below 1. Regular monitoring of vegetables irrigated with wastewater is highly recommended in order to minimise health risks to individuals.

RGS14414-Mediated Activation of the 14-3-3ζ in Rodent Perirhinal Cortex Induces Dendritic Arborization, an Increase in Spine Number, Long-Lasting Memory Enhancement, and the Prevention of Memory Deficits.

The remedy of memory deficits has been inadequate, as all potential candidates studied thus far have shown limited to no effects and a search for an effective strategy is ongoing. Here, we show that an expression of RGS14414 in rat perirhinal cortex (PRh) produced long-lasting object recognition memory (ORM) enhancement and that this effect was mediated through the upregulation of 14-3-3ζ, which caused a boost in BDNF protein levels and increase in pyramidal neuron dendritic arborization and dendritic spine number. A knockdown of the 14-3-3ζ gene in rat or the deletion of the BDNF gene in mice caused complete loss in ORM enhancement and increase in BDNF protein levels and neuronal plasticity, indicating that 14-3-3ζ-BDNF pathway-mediated structural plasticity is an essential step in RGS14414-induced memory enhancement. We further observed that RGS14414 treatment was able to prevent deficits in recognition, spatial, and temporal memory, which are types of memory that are particularly affected in patients with memory dysfunctions, in rodent models of aging and Alzheimer's disease. These results suggest that 14-3-3ζ-BDNF pathway might play an important role in the maintenance of the synaptic structures in PRh that support memory functions and that RGS14414-mediated activation of this pathway could serve as a remedy to treat memory deficits.

SONG: A Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm for Delay and Energy Aware Facility Location in Vehicular Fog Networks.

With the emergence of delay- and energy-critical vehicular applications, forwarding sense-actuate data from vehicles to the cloud became practically infeasible. Therefore, a new computational model called Vehicular Fog Computing (VFC) was proposed. It offloads the computation workload from passenger devices (PDs) to transportation infrastructures such as roadside units (RSUs) and base stations (BSs), called static fog nodes. It can also exploit the underutilized computation resources of nearby vehicles that can act as vehicular fog nodes (VFNs) and provide delay- and energy-aware computing services. However, the capacity planning and dimensioning of VFC, which come under a class of facility location problems (FLPs), is a challenging issue. The complexity arises from the spatio-temporal dynamics of vehicular traffic, varying resource demand from PD applications, and the mobility of VFNs. This paper proposes a multi-objective optimization model to investigate the facility location in VFC networks. The solutions to this model generate optimal VFC topologies pertaining to an optimized trade-off (Pareto front) between the service delay and energy consumption. Thus, to solve this model, we propose a hybrid Evolutionary Multi-Objective (EMO) algorithm called Swarm Optimized Non-dominated sorting Genetic algorithm (SONG). It combines the convergence and search efficiency of two popular EMO algorithms: the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGA-II) and Speed-constrained Particle Swarm Optimization (SMPSO). First, we solve an example problem using the SONG algorithm to illustrate the delay-energy solution frontiers and plotted the corresponding layout topology. Subsequently, we evaluate the evolutionary performance of the SONG algorithm on real-world vehicular traces against three quality indicators: Hyper-Volume (HV), Inverted Generational Distance (IGD) and CPU delay gap. The empirical results show that SONG exhibits improved solution quality over the NSGA-II and SMPSO algorithms and hence can be utilized as a potential tool by the service providers for the planning and design of VFC networks.

Superparamagnetic Iron-Oxide Nanoparticles Synthesized via Green Chemistry for the Potential Treatment of Breast Cancer.

In the emerging field of nanomedicine, nanoparticles have been widely considered as drug carriers and are now used in various clinically approved products. Therefore, in this study, we synthesized superparamagnetic iron-oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) via green chemistry, and the SPIONs were further coated with tamoxifen-conjugated bovine serum albumin (BSA-SPIONs-TMX). The BSA-SPIONs-TMX were within the nanometric hydrodynamic size (117 ± 4 nm), with a small poly dispersity index (0.28 ± 0.02) and zeta potential of -30.2 ± 0.09 mV. FTIR, DSC, X-RD, and elemental analysis confirmed that BSA-SPIONs-TMX were successfully prepared. The saturation magnetization (Ms) of BSA-SPIONs-TMX was found to be ~8.31 emu/g, indicating that BSA-SPIONs-TMX possess superparamagnetic properties for theragnostic applications. In addition, BSA-SPIONs-TMX were efficiently internalized into breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and T47D) and were effective in reducing cell proliferation of breast cancer cells, with IC50 values of 4.97 ± 0.42 µM and 6.29 ± 0.21 µM in MCF-7 and T47D cells, respectively. Furthermore, an acute toxicity study on rats confirmed that these BSA-SPIONs-TMX are safe for use in drug delivery systems. In conclusion, green synthesized superparamagnetic iron-oxide nanoparticles have the potential to be used as drug delivery carriers and may also have diagnostic applications.

Arsenic Levels and Seasonal Variation in Pasture Soil, Forage and Horse Blood Plasma in Central Punjab, Pakistan.

The present study aimed to determine the accumulation levels of arsenic in pasture soil, forage and animals. An atomic absorption spectrophotometer was used to determine the concentration of metals in the samples of soil, forage and blood plasma of horses. The level of arsenic ranged between 4.26 mg/kg (summer) and 4.66 mg/kg (winter) in soil samples and 2.67 mg/kg (summer) and 2.94 mg/kg (winter) in forage samples. In blood plasma samples, the mean arsenic (As) values varied between 1.38 and 1.52 mg/L. In the blood plasma samples, the mean As values varied between 1.38 and 1.52 mg/L. No statistically significant changes were observed for arsenic concentrations in plasma samples of horses for sampling seasons (p > 0.05). A positive correlation was observed for forage and blood plasma to a certain degree for arsenic but for other media, arsenic correlations were negative and insignificant. It is therefore suggested that regular monitoring of heavy metals in soils/plants/animals is essential to prevent excessive build-up of arsenic.

Does Industrial Wastewater Irrigation Cause Potentially Toxic Metal Contamination and Risk to Human Health? Sugar Industry Wastewater and Radish Examples.

The goal of this study was to appraise potentially toxic metal contents in the soil-radish system in industrial wastewater irrigated areas. The analysis of metals in water, soil and radish samples were performed with spectrophotometric method. The potentially toxic metal values in the wastewater irrigated radish samples were ranged from 1.25 to 1.41, 0.02 to 0.10, 0.77 to 0.81, 0.72 to 0.80, 0.92 to 1.19, 0.69 to 0.78, 0.08 to 0.11, 1.64 to 1.67 and 0.49 to 0.63 mg/kg for Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Zn and Mn, respectively. The potentially toxic metal values in the soil and radish samples irrigated with wastewater were lower than the maximum allowable limits, except for Cd. The results of the Health Risk Index evaluation conducted in this study also showed that the accumulations of Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Cr, and Zn, especially Cd, pose a health risk in terms of consumption.

Regulation of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 antisense promoter by myocyte enhancer factor-2C in the context of adult T-cell leukemia and lymphoma.

Adult T-cell leukemia and lymphoma (ATLL) is an intractable T-cell neoplasia caused by a retrovirus, namely human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1). Patients suffering from ATLL present a poor prognosis and have a dearth of treatment options. In contrast to the sporadic expression of viral transactivator protein Tax present at the 5' promoter region long terminal repeats (LTR), HTLV-1 bZIP gene (HBZ) is encoded by 3'LTR (the antisense promoter) and maintains its constant expression in ATLL cells and patients. The antisense promoter is associated with selective retroviral gene expression and has been an understudied phenomenon. Herein, we delineate the activity of transcription factor MEF (myocyte enhancer factor)-2 family members, which were found to be enriched at the 3'LTR and play an important role in the pathogenesis of ATLL. Of the four MEF isoforms (A to D), MEF-2A and 2C were highly overexpressed in a wide array of ATLL cell lines and in acute ATLL patients. The activity of MEF-2 isoforms were determined by knockdown experiments that led to decreased cell proliferation and regulated cell cycle progression. High enrichment of MEF-2C was observed at the 3'LTR along with cofactors Menin and JunD resulting in binding of MEF-2C to HBZ at this region. Chemical inhibition of MEF-2 proteins resulted in the cytotoxicity of ATLL cells in vitro and reduction of proviral load in a humanized mouse model. Taken together, this study provides a novel mechanism of 3'LTR regulation and establishes MEF-2 signaling a potential target for therapeutic intervention for ATLL.

A Comparative Study on Alvogyl and a Mixture of Black Seed Oil and Powder for Alveolar Osteitis: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Clinical Trial.

Introduction: Alveolar osteitis (AO) is the most common complication faced by exodontia patients and is usually seen 24-74 hours after tooth extraction, heralded by severe throbbing pain. Nigella sativa is commonly known as black seed known to have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties along with other reparative properties that enhance bone formation. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the effects of Alvogyl and a mixture of Nigella sativa powder and oil in the treatment of dry sockets. Materials and Methods: Sixty patients above the age of 18 and below 70 years, from both genders, who underwent extraction of teeth and were clinically diagnosed with a dry socket at the clinic of the College of Dentistry, Jouf University, Saudi Arabia, were included in this study. Pain scores were assessed after placement of the dressing at the following intervals: 5 minutes, 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 2nd day, 4th day, and 7th day. Patients were randomly allocated to three groups, namely, Group 1 (Alvogyl), Group 2 (mixture of Nigella sativa's powder and oil), and Group 3 (control). Pain relief and healing of the socket were compared between the three groups. The collected data were subjected to statistical analysis through Spearman's correlation test, independent t-test, ANOVA, and post hoc test. Results: A mixture of Nigella sativa powder and oil showed a statistically significant difference in relieving pain compared to the Alvogyl group. A mixture of Nigella sativa's powder and oil required fewer dressings when compared to the Alvogyl group. Conclusion: A mixture of Nigella sativa powder and oil is the more efficacious dressing material for the management of dry sockets compared to Alvogyl. It provides immediate and complete pain relief and fewer numbers of repeated visits.

Assessing the health risk of cadmium to the local population through consumption of contaminated vegetables grown in municipal solid waste-amended soil.

Pollution caused by municipal solid waste (MSW) is becoming a serious threat to the environment. Composting may be an effective way to speed up the decomposition of biodegradable components in MSW, resulting in compost that can be utilized as an organic fertilizer. The pot experiments were carried out with different soil-MSW mixtures (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, and 25:75; w/w) to determine the impact of MSW on the bioconcentration of Cd in commonly consumed plants of Sargodha. The possible health risks were evaluated by applying pollution indices, such as the pollution load index, bioconcentration factor, enrichment factor, and health risk index. The pollution load index was higher than 1 in 75% MSW-amended soil. However, the concentration of Cd was found to be below the permissible limits in all studied vegetables, with a range of 0.019-0.106 mg/kg. In the study, serum samples from different volunteers living in four sites in Sargodha were also collected and analyzed. For vegetable crops, the health risk index (HRI) was less than one. It is concluded that the concentration of Cd was increased by increasing the fraction of MSW. Although the metal contents in the soil treated with MSW were not high enough to categorize the soil as polluted, these findings show that the reuse of MSW can serve as an alternative to mineral fertilizers. However, the presence of Cd in MSW can have a direct impact on soil fertility and, if biomagnified, on crop production and human health.

Potentially Toxic Metal Accumulation in Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) Irrigated with Industrial Wastewater and Health Risk Assessment from Consumption.

This study aimed to determine the potentially toxic metal contents in soil and spinach samples in areas irrigated with industrial wastewater and to evaluate the potentially toxic metal accumulation in spinach samples according to pollution indices. Water, soil and spinach samples were analysed using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Perkin-Elmer AAS-300). In this study, it was determined that the potentially toxic metal values ​​in the spinach samples irrigated with groundwater and sugar industry wastewater varied between 1.59 and 1.84, 0.22-0.68, 0.56-1.14, 1.41-1.56, 1.62-3.23, 0.57-1.02, 0.86-1.33, 0.20-0.32 and 0.35-2.10 mg/kg for Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Zn and Mn, respectively. It was concluded that the difference between the metal values ​​in the spinach samples according to the irrigation sources was statistically significant, except for Cu and Pb (p > 0.05). According to the results of this study, there is no health risk for Pb, Co and Cr with HRI values ​​below 1.0, while there is a risk for Cd, Cu, Fe, Ni, Mn and Zn. The much higher HRI values ​​of Cd than 1 (196.8 and 169.6) suggested that this metal is likely to cause significant health problems in the region.

Factors associated with low bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the factors related to low bone density in postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS: The prospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the Rheumatology Department of Fauji Foundation Hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from June 1 to November 30, 2020, and comprised postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis. On the basis of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan of total hip, femoral neck, and lumbar spine, the subjects were categorised into osteoporosis, osteopenia and normal bone density groups. The risk factors were compared across these subgroups. Data was analysed using SPSS 21. RESULTS: Of the 114 women, 74(64.9%) had osteoporosis, 31(27.2%) had osteopenia and 9(7.9%) had normal bone mineral density. Those with osteoporosis were older (p<0.05), had low body mass index (p<0.002) and had a longer duration since menopause (p<0.004) compared to the other groups. Age and body mass index were significant factors associated with the condition (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Older age, lesser body mass index and time since menopause were the factors significantly associated with osteoporosis.

14-3-3ζ is crucial for the conversion of labile short-term object recognition memory into stable long-term memory.

The consolidation of new memories into long-lasting memories is multistage process characterized by distinct temporal dynamics. However, our understanding on the initial stage of transformation of labile memory of recent experience into stable memory remains elusive. Here, with the use of rats and mice overexpressing a memory enhancer called regulator of G protein signaling 14 of 414 amino acids (RGS14414 ) as a tool, we show that the expression of RGS14414 in male rats' perirhinal cortex (PRh), which is a brain area crucial for object recognition memory (ORM), enhanced the ORM to the extent that it caused the conversion of labile short-term ORM (ST-ORM) expected to last for 40 min into stable long-term ORM (LT-ORM) traceable after a delay of 24 hr, and that the temporal window of 40 to 60 min after object exposure not only was key for this conversion but also was the time frame when a surge in 14-3-3ζ protein was observed. A knockdown of 14-3-3ζ gene abrogated both the increase in 14-3-3ζ protein and the formation of LT-ORM. Furthermore, this 14-3-3ζ upregulation increased brain-derived growth factor (BDNF) levels in the time frame of 60 min and 24 hr and 14-3-3ζ knockdown decreased the BDNF levels, and a deletion of BDNF gene produced loss in mice ability to form LT-ORM. Thus, within 60 min of object exposure, 14-3-3ζ facilitated the conversion of labile ORM into stable ORM, whereas beyond the 60 min, it mediated the consolidation of the stable memory into long-lasting ORM by regulating BDNF signaling.

Automated pupillometry helps monitor the efficacy of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and predict return of spontaneous circulation.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the effectiveness of automated pupillometry on monitoring cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and predicting return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in a swine model of cardiac arrest (CA). METHODS: Sixteen male domestic pigs were included. Traditional indices including coronary perfusion pressure (CPP), end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2), regional cerebral tissue oxygen saturation (rSO2) and carotid blood flow (CBF) were continuously monitored throughout the experiment. In addition, the pupillary parameters including the initial pupil size before constriction (Init, maximum diameter), the end pupil size at peak constriction (End, minimum diameter), and percentage of change (%PLR) were measured by an automated quantitative pupillometer at baseline, at 1, 4, 7 min during CA, and at 1, 4, 7 min during CPR. RESULTS: ROSC was achieved in 11/16 animals. The levels of CPP, ETCO2, rSO2 and CBF were significantly greater during CPR in resuscitated animals than those non-resuscitated ones. Init and End were decreased and %PLR was increased during CPR in resuscitated animals when compared with those non-resuscitated ones. There were moderate to good significant correlations between traditional indices and Init, End, and %PLR (|r| = 0.46-0.78, all P < 0.001). Furthermore, comparable performance was also achieved by automated pupillometry (AUCs of Init, End and %PLR were 0.821, 0.873 and 0.821, respectively, all P < 0.05) compared with the traditional indices (AUCs = 0.809-0.946). CONCLUSION: The automated pupillometry may serve as an effective surrogate method to monitor cardiopulmonary resuscitation efficacy and predict ROSC in a swine model of cardiac arrest.

Evaluation of temporomandibular disorders among dental students of Saudi Arabia using Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD): a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are a broad category of conditions arising from the various components of the temporomandibular joint complex. Bio-psychosocial model is the most accepted theory describing the etiopathogenesis of TMD. Dental students are vulnerable to psychological disorders, including anxiety, depression, and stress. Hence, the aim of the current study was to evaluate the prevalence and possible risk factors of TMD among dental students of various academic levels and explore the association of TMDs with demographic, academic, and psychosocial parameters. METHODS: A total of 246 students of a Saudi Arabia dental school were chosen for the study. After getting consent, all students were examined according to the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders, including Axis I and II components. RESULTS: The overall cross-sectional prevalence of TMD was found to be 36.99%. Pain arising from the jaw, temple, and the peri-auricular area were the most commonly reported symptoms and elicited signs during examination. Among the pain-related TMD, myalgia was the commonest diagnosed condition, whereas disc displacement with reduction was found prevalent in the intra-articular disorder category. Female (OR = 1.94; P = 0.004), married (OR = 1.74; P = 0.04), and students in clinical academic levels (OR = 1.65; P = 0.03) were found to have significantly increased risk of TMD. Among the psychosocial parameters, anxiety (OR = 1.55; P = 0.04) and parafunctional behaviours (OR = 2.10; P < 0.001) were shown to increase the risk of developing TMD. Students with any TMD reported to have significantly higher pain intensity levels (OR = 1.68; P = 0.01) and jaw functional limitations (OR = 1.45; P = 0.008). CONCLUSION: Dental students, especially in clinical levels were shown to pose a higher risk of developing TMD, hence strategies such as academic counselling and objective evaluation via rubrics should be planned to modify the administration of the curriculum, training methods and evaluation process.

Mineral availability in soil and fodders affecting blood profiles in Nili-Ravi dairy buffaloes.

A mineral assessment study for dairy buffaloes, Nili-Ravi breed, was carried out seasonally at silvopasture farm at Sargodha, Pakistan. Sampling for soil, forage, and buffalo serum was done seasonally for a period of 1 year for mineral (P, Mg, Na, K, Ca) evaluation. In the study, experiments on forages showed significant differences in mean concentrations of Mg and P with changing seasons, whereas the values for Ca, Mg, Na, and K did not vary significantly. Three groups of buffaloes were checked for mineral concentration in blood serum, viz., calves, lactating and non-lactating. Ca mean concentration varied significantly for non-lactating buffaloes and calves between two seasons. Na mean level showed a significant difference for two sampling seasons among calves and lactating buffaloes. Mean level for Mg only differed significantly in serum of non-lactating buffaloes between the two seasons. Mean levels for Ca and P in soil and forage remained higher than the optimal level, whereas soil Na was below the critical level. K concentrations in soil and blood serum were above the critical level, while Mg levels remained below the optimal range in soil, forage, and blood serum. K concentration in forage remained below the optimal level. All buffalo categories displayed lower levels of Ca and P in serum. Na concentration in forage and serum exceeded the critical level. Furthermore, Ca yielded significant and positive correlation between soil and serum level, whereas K had significant but negative correlation for soil-forage and forage-serum. Overall, it was determined that P deficiency existed among buffaloes, which could be improved via supplementation. Similarly, K deficiency and Mg deficiency were exhibited for forage and soil respectively which could be countered through addition of fertilizers rich for these minerals. In brief, the mineral utilization of buffaloes is affected by reduced availability of essential nutrients and may result in lower productivity. It is suggested to add mineral supplementation in addition to natural diet of buffaloes to enhance the productivity of these animals.

RGS14414 treatment induces memory enhancement and rescues episodic memory deficits.

Memory deficits affect a large proportion of the human population and are associated with aging and many neurologic, neurodegenerative, and psychiatric diseases. Treatment of this mental disorder has been disappointing because all potential candidates studied thus far have failed to produce consistent effects across various types of memory and have shown limited to no effects on memory deficits. Here, we show that the promotion of neuronal arborization through the expression of the regulator of G-protein signaling 14 of 414 amino acids (RGS14414) not only induced robust enhancement of multiple types of memory but was also sufficient for the recovery of recognition, spatial, and temporal memory, which are kinds of episodic memory that are primarily affected in patients or individuals with memory dysfunction. We observed that a surge in neuronal arborization was mediated by up-regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling and that the deletion of BDNF abrogated both neuronal arborization activation and memory enhancement. The activation of BDNF-dependent neuronal arborization generated almost 2-fold increases in synapse numbers in dendrites of pyramidal neurons and in neurites of nonpyramidal neurons. This increase in synaptic connections might have evoked reorganization within neuronal circuits and eventually supported an increase in the activity of such circuits. Thus, in addition to showing the potential of RGS14414 for rescuing memory deficits, our results suggest that a boost in circuit activity could facilitate memory enhancement and the reversal of memory deficits.-Masmudi-Martín, M., Navarro-Lobato, I., López-Aranda, M. F., Delgado, G., Martín-Montañez, E., Quiros-Ortega, M. E., Carretero-Rey, M., Narváez, L., Garcia-Garrido, M. F., Posadas, S., López-Téllez, J. F., Blanco, E., Jiménez-Recuerda, I., Granados-Durán, P., Paez-Rueda, J., López, J. C., Khan, Z. U. RGS14414 treatment induces memory enhancement and rescues episodic memory deficits.

Effect of Organic Manure and Mineral Fertilizers on Bioaccumulation and Translocation of Trace Metals in Maize.

Mineral fertilizers and organic manure are used as soil amender to enhance the mineral status of the soil. These fertilizers contain trace metals besides providing macro and micronutrients. The present study was performed to observe the effect of mineral fertilizers, poultry manure and cow manure on trace metal content of soil and various parts (root, shoot, and grains) of maize plant (Zea mays L.). The analysis of metals was performed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AA-6300 Shimadzu Japan). The highest level of Pb, Fe, Ni and Cu was observed in the root as 0.36-0.55, 70.41-83.03, 4.98-7.44 and 2.94-4.43 mg kg- 1, respectively. The highest level of Cd, Zn and Mn was determined in grains as 0.44-1.59, 28.05-46.39 and 26.24-46.57 mg kg- 1, respectively. The values of all metals were found within their permissible limit given by FAO/WHO except for the Cd. The interactive use of mineral and organic fertilizers enhanced the level of trace metals in maize as compared to their sole application. In the present findings, the health risk index for all metals was less than 1 in all treatments. So, it was concluded that the level of metals in poultry manure, cow manure and mineral fertilizer treated maize did not pose any potential threat to the consumers.