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The fingerprint image quality is very important for a fingerprint biometric authentication system. Therefore, the performance of the extraction of the minutiae of the fingerprint strongly depends on the biometric fingerprint image. As a result, the image enhancement stage of the recognition process has a significant impact on the biometric fingerprint verification system's performance. Image enhancement is a critical stage in biometric fingerprint recognition that improves image quality by reducing noise, repairing broken ridges, and smoothing the image. In this paper compare three methods like Canny algorithm, Sobel edge detection Laplacian edge detection with proposed composite algorithm that uses a Gaussian mask to smooth the image and two sobel convolutions to detect edges. The proposed research work is implemented using .net technology and with FingerDos database. The performance of proposed work is compared using parameter like PSNR, MSE, and execution time and quality of an image prove that proposed algorithm give better performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, analytical UV and RP-HPLC methods for repaglinide were developed for tablet formulation. UV method shows linearity in the range of 10-30 µg mL-1 with a relative coefficient of 0.9999. Linearity is shown in HPLC method in the range of 10-30 µg mL-1 with a relative coefficient of 0.9985. Each method was validated for different validation parameters like specificity, repeatability, accuracy, precision, linearity, robustness, limit of detection and limit of quantification. The results were obtained as per ICH guidelines. The developed UV and HPLC methods were compared with some available methods by statistical analysis one way ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) test, and it was found to be statistically significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background information is provided on the link between intimate partner violence and suicidal behavior, as this association sets the stage for interventions for this population. Attention then is paid to the theoretical components of an innovative culturally competent intervention for abused and suicidal, low-income African American women, entitled Grady Nia Project. The intervention is guided by the theory of triadic influence. Cultural competence components essential to implementing an intervention with this unique population and guided by this model are articulated. The Grady Nia Project is then described in detail, focusing on the context in which the intervention is conducted, the content of the 10 sessions, and treatment satisfaction and outcome data. Implications for culturally informed practice with abused, suicidal African American women are noted. Keywords: intimate partner violence, suicide attempts, African American women, low income, culturally competent Interventions

The synthesis of some new heterocyclic derivatives comprising imidazothaidiazole, diaryl ketone and chromen as starting compound has been reported. The new series of chromen analogues have been synthesized. The reaction has been monitored by Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) using suitable mobile phase. The Rf values have been compared and the melting points of derivatives determined. Further, these derivatives have been characterized and confirmed by IR, 1H NMR and mass spectral (MS) studies. All the selected compounds submitted to National Cancer Institute (NCI) for in vitro anticancer assay have been evaluated for their anticancer activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world characterized by neoplasia in the colon, rectum, or vermiform appendix. Current treatment approaches include chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery however non-specific bio-distribution of anti-cancer drug, lack of effective and safe drug delivery career, drug resistance and relapse are major limiting factors of current therapy. Gene therapy is a technique for correcting defective genes responsible for disease development. The future of gene therapy depends on achieving successful delivery of wild type gene to replace a faulty gene. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in delivery of drugs and gene via the gastrointestinal tract. Gene therapy via this route has many advantages, including non-invasive access and the versatility to treat local diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancer, as well as systemic diseases, such as haemophilia. However, the intestine presents several distinct barriers and, therefore, the design of robust non-viral delivery systems is key to future success. The review covers obstacles in the path of successful gene therapy using oral route to treat colorectal cancer as well as strategies to overcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

G-protein signaling is known to be required for cell-cell contacts during the development of the Drosophila dorsal vessel. However, the identity of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that regulates this signaling pathway activity is unknown. Here we describe the identification of a novel cardiac specific GPCR, called Gia, for “GPCR in aorta”. Gia is the only heart-specific GPCR identified in Drosophila to date and it is specifically expressed in cardioblasts that fuse at the dorsal midline to become the aorta. Gia is the only Drosophila gene so far identified for which expression is entirely restricted to cells of the aorta. Deletion of Gia led to a broken-hearted phenotype, characterized by pericardial cells dissociated from cardioblasts and abnormal distribution of cell junction proteins. Both phenotypes were similar to those observed in mutants of the heterotrimeric cardiac G proteins. Lack of Gia also led to defects in the alignment and fusion of cardioblasts in the aorta. Gia forms a protein complex with G-αo47A, the alpha subunit of the heterotrimeric cardiac G proteins and interacts genetically with G-αo47A during cardiac morphogenesis. Our study identified Gia as an essential aorta-specific GPCR that functions upstream of cardiac heterotrimeric G proteins and is required for morphological integrity of the aorta during heart tube formation. These studies lead to a redefinition of the bro phenotype, to encompass morphological integrity of the heart tube as well as cardioblast-pericardial cell spatial interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial regulation is often encountered as a component of multi-tiered regulatory systems in eukaryotes, where processes are readily segregated by organelle boundaries. Well-characterized examples of spatial regulation are less common in bacteria. Low-fidelity DNA polymerase V (UmuD′2C) is produced in Escherichia coli as part of the bacterial SOS response to DNA damage. Due to the mutagenic potential of this enzyme, pol V activity is controlled by means of an elaborate regulatory system at transcriptional and posttranslational levels. Using single-molecule fluorescence microscopy to visualize UmuC inside living cells in space and time, we now show that pol V is also subject to a novel form of spatial regulation. After an initial delay (~ 45 min) post UV irradiation, UmuC is synthesized, but is not immediately activated. Instead, it is sequestered at the inner cell membrane. The release of UmuC into the cytosol requires the RecA* nucleoprotein filament-mediated cleavage of UmuD→UmuD′. Classic SOS damage response mutants either block [umuD(K97A)] or constitutively stimulate [recA(E38K)] UmuC release from the membrane. Foci of mutagenically active pol V Mut (UmuD′2C-RecA-ATP) formed in the cytosol after UV irradiation do not co-localize with pol III replisomes, suggesting a capacity to promote translesion DNA synthesis at lesions skipped over by DNA polymerase III. In effect, at least three molecular mechanisms limit the amount of time that pol V has to access DNA: (1) transcriptional and posttranslational regulation that initially keep the intracellular levels of pol V to a minimum; (2) spatial regulation via transient sequestration of UmuC at the membrane, which further delays pol V activation; and (3) the hydrolytic activity of a recently discovered pol V Mut ATPase function that limits active polymerase time on the chromosomal template. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetative parts (stem, leaf, and nodal explants) ofTinospora cordifoliawere excised from anin vivogrown mature plant and thereafter cultured on MS medium supplemented with 2, 4-D and bark extracts ofAzadirachta indicaandAcacia niloticaprepared in hexane, ethyl acetate, chloroform and methanol. The best callus growth was observed on MS medium supplemented with 2, 4-D (1 mg.L−1) and A. indica bark methanolic extract (1 mg.L−1). The methanol extracts of the dried callus showed the presence of alkaloids and sterols. HPLC, HPTLC, and GC-MS analysis of callus [MS+2, 4-D (1 mg.L−1)] and callus [MS+2, 4-D (1 mg.L−1) +A. indicamethanolic extract (1 mg.L−1)] were carried out for comparative study. The new-found peaks revealed the presence of methyl hexadecanoic acid with molecular weight of 270. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non transferrin bound iron comprises the forms of plasma iron which are not bound to its traditional transporter plasma protein transferrin. Such forms of iron have been suggested to be toxic due to its redox activity through Haiber weiss and Fenton chemistry. Non transferrin bound iron has been widely studied in patients suffering from iron overload conditions like hemochromatosis and thalassemia receiving blood transfusion treatment due to obvious higher transferrin saturation. NTBI has been suggested to be studied by various researchers to determine the efficacy of chelators used to chelate iron in iron overload patients. Several researchers suggested a variety of methods based on diverse approaches like chromatography, fluorimetry, atomic absorption spectroscopy, spectrophotometry etc. to determine the level of Non transferrin bound iron. However none of them is still widely accepted or considered gold standard due to high complexity of methodology, requirement of sophisticated specialized instruments and accessories as well as debatable reliability. We have experimented different variation in bathophenanthroline based colorimetric method for non transferrin bound iron estimation to make it simple, rapid, cost effective and suitable to be opted in laboratories with limited resources without compromising the reliability of the results. From all the trials, protocol giving most consistent results was used to determine the NTBI value in β thalassemia patients as well as control group. We found that the high speed centrifugation with in between sample pre incubation had significantly decreased the background noise and generated the most consistent results. The mean Non transferrin bound iron value we got in β thalassemia patient group was significantly higher than the respective mean of control group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron is an essential trace element and plays a number of vital roles in biological system. It also leads the chains of pathological actions if present in excess and/or present in free form. Major portion of iron in circulation is associated with transferrin, a classical iron transporter, which prevent the existence of free iron. The fraction of iron which is free of transferrin is known as 'non transferrin bound iron'. Along with the incidence in iron over loaded patient non transferrin bound iron has been indicated in patients without iron overload. It has been suggested as cause as well as consequence in a number of pathological conditions. The major organs influenced by iron toxicity are heart, pancreas, kidney, organs involved in hematopoiesis etc. The most commonly suggested way for iron mediated pathogenesis is through increased oxidative stress and their secondary effects. Generation of free oxygen radicals by iron has been well documented in Fenton chemistry and Haber-Weiss reaction. Non transferrin bound iron has obvious chance to generate the free reactive radicals as it is not been shielded by the protective carrier protein apo transferrin. The nature of non transferrin bound iron is not clear at present time but it is definitely a group of heterogenous iron forms free from transferrin and ferritin. A variety of analytical approaches like colorimetry, chromatography, fluorimetry etc. have been experimented in different research laboratories for estimation of non transferrin bound iron. However the universally accepted gold standard method which can be operated in pathological laboratories is still to be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Functional studies of the methuselah/methuselah-like ( mth/ mthl) gene family have focused on the founding member mth, but little is known regarding the developmental functions of this receptor or any of its paralogs. We undertook a comprehensive analysis of developmental expression and sequence divergence in the mth/ mthl gene family. Using in situ hybridization techniques, we detect expression of six genes ( mthl1, 5, 9, 11, 13, and 14) in the embryo during gastrulation and development of the gut, heart, and lymph glands. Four receptors ( mthl3, 4, 6, and 8) are expressed in the larval central nervous system, imaginal discs, or both, and two receptors ( mthl10 and mth) are expressed in both embryos and larvae. Phylogenetic analysis of all mth/ mthl genes in five Drosophila species, mosquito and flour beetle structured the mth/ mthl family into several subclades. mthl1, 5, and 14 are present in most species, each forming a separate clade. A newly identified Drosophila mthl gene ( CG31720; herein mthl15) formed another ancient clade. The remaining Drosophila receptors, including mth, are members of a large 'superclade' that diversified relatively recently during dipteran evolution, in many cases within the melanogaster subgroup. Comparing the expression patterns of the mth/ mthl 'superclade' paralogs to the embryonic expression of the singleton ortholog in Tribolium suggests both subfunctionalization and acquisition of novel functionalities. Taken together, our findings shed novel light on mth as a young member of an adaptively evolving developmental gene family. J. Exp. Zool. (Mol. Dev. Evol.) 318B:368-387, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Military sexual trauma (MST) is reported by 20-40% of female veterans. The purpose of this study of female veterans referred for MST treatment was to examine the relationships between lifetime trauma (physical, sexual, and psychological) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, physical health, and quality of life using retrospective cross-sectional data from medical records. Of the 135 participants, 95.4% reported at least one trauma in addition to MST, most notably sexual abuse as adult civilians (77.0%) and as children (52.6%). PTSD, depression, and sleep difficulty rates were clinically significant. Chronic pain (66.4%) was associated with childhood abuse, physical health, sleep difficulties, and coping. Integrating mental and physical health treatment is necessary to treat MST and PTSD in female veterans. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 34:457-467, 2011. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Escherichia coli, cell survival and genomic stability after UV radiation depends on repair mechanisms induced as part of the SOS response to DNA damage. The early phase of the SOS response is mostly dominated by accurate DNA repair, while the later phase is characterized with elevated mutation levels caused by error-prone DNA replication. SOS mutagenesis is largely the result of the action of DNA polymerase V (pol V), which has the ability to insert nucleotides opposite various DNA lesions in a process termed translesion DNA synthesis (TLS). Pol V is a low-fidelity polymerase that is composed of UmuD′2C and is encoded by the umuDC operon. Pol V is strictly regulated in the cell so as to avoid genomic mutation overload. RecA nucleoprotein filaments (RecA*), formed by RecA binding to single-stranded DNA with ATP, are essential for pol V-catalyzed TLS both in vivo and in vitro. This review focuses on recent studies addressing the protein composition of active DNA polymerase V, and the role of RecA protein in activating this enzyme. Based on unforeseen properties of RecA*, we describe a new model for pol V-catalyzed SOS-induced mutagenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]