In the present investigation, we tested the hypothesis that suppression of the phospho-extracellular signal regulated kinase (pERK1/2)-nuclear factor kappa (NFκ)-B signaling, subsequent to tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) inhibition, underlies thalidomide (TLM) mediated neuroprotection. Male Wistar rats (250-280 g) were divided into five groups: (1) sham; (2) negative control receiving TLM (5μg/1μl/site) and 3 groups of ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury rats pretreated with: (3) vehicle (DMSO 100%); (4) TLM (5μg/1μl/site) or (5) PD98059 (0.16μg/1μl/site). IR rats were subjected to occlusion of both common carotid arteries for 45 min followed by reperfusion for 24 h. Drugs and/or vehicles were administered by unilateral intrahippocampal injection after removal of the carotid occlusion and at the beginning of the reperfusion period. IR rats exhibited significant infarct size, histopathological damage, memory impairment, motor incoordination and hyperactivity. Unilateral intra-hippocampal TLM ameliorated these behavioral deficits along with the following ex vivo hippocampal effects: (i) abrogation of the IR-evoked elevations in hippocampal TNF-α, pERK1/2, NFκB, BDNF, iNOS contents and (ii) partial restoration of the reduced anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and p-nNOS . These neurochemical effects, which were replicated by the pERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059, likely underlie the reductions in c-Fos and caspase-3 levels as well as the anti-apoptotic effect of TLM in the IR model. These results suggest a crucial anti-inflammatory role for pERK1/2 inhibition in the salutary neuronal and behavioral effects of TLM in a model of brain IR injury.

The polycomb group (PcG) proteins are a class of transcriptional repressors that mediate gene silencing through histone post-translational modifications. They are involved in the maintenance of stem cell self-renewal and proliferation, processes that are often dysregulated in cancer. Apart from their canonical functions in epigenetic gene silencing, several studies have uncovered a function for PcG proteins in DNA damage signaling and repair. In particular, members of the poly-comb group complexes (PRC) 1 and 2 have been shown to recruit to sites of DNA damage and mediate DNA double-strand break repair. Here, we review current understanding of the PRCs and their roles in cancer development. We then focus on the PRC1 member BMI1, discussing the current state of knowledge of its role in DNA repair and genome integrity, and outline how it can be targeted pharmacologically.

The various forms of nanoparticles (NPs) designed so far and their application in crop plants for sustainable crop production is receiving great attention in today’s life. In plants, NPs minimize loss of nutrients, reduces various diseases and improves the growth and yields under different abiotic stresses. Application of various forms of NPs in plants affect seed germination, seedling vigor, respiration, flowering, initiation of roots, antioxidant defense responses, growth and photosynthesis and regulate responses to various abiotic stress conditions. The usage of various NPs is occupied in the plants’ to protect against induced oxidative stress as they have been found to mimic the role of various antioxidative enzymes. The high doses of NPs induces phytotoxic effect in plants as they orchestrates the production of various reactive oxygen species (ROS), whereas, low doses of NPs exert beneficiary results in various plants. Therefore, keeping in view such a conflicting and ambiguous situation of NPs, the present chapter deciphers the ameliorating role of various NPs under stressful environmental conditions like salt, drought and heavy metal stresses in crop plants. A brief explanation of NPs mediated control of vital plant processes under abiotic stresses is also presented.

The various forms of nanoparticles (NPs) designed so far and their application in crop plants for sustainable crop production is receiving great attention in today’s life. In plants, NPs minimize loss of nutrients, reduces various diseases and improves the growth and yields under different abiotic stresses. Application of various forms of NPs in plants affect seed germination, seedling vigor, respiration, flowering, initiation of roots, antioxidant defense responses, growth and photosynthesis and regulate responses to various abiotic stress conditions. The usage of various NPs is occupied in the plants’ to protect against induced oxidative stress as they have been found to mimic the role of various antioxidative enzymes. The high doses of NPs induces phytotoxic effect in plants as they orchestrates the production of various reactive oxygen species (ROS), whereas, low doses of NPs exert beneficiary results in various plants. Therefore, keeping in view such a conflicting and ambiguous situation of NPs, the present chapter deciphers the ameliorating role of various NPs under stressful environmental conditions like salt, drought and heavy metal stresses in crop plants. A brief explanation of NPs mediated control of vital plant processes under abiotic stresses is also presented.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the root resorption resulting from miniscrew-supported maxillary posterior dentoalveolar intrusion using two different force magnitudes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult patients with skeletal open bite, indicated for maxillary posterior dentoalveolar intrusion, were recruited and randomly assigned to the comparison or intervention groups. The comparison group involved applying 200 g of intrusive force per segment, which measured 20 g per root, while this force was 400 g per segment in the intervention group, measuring 40 g per root.

RESULTS: Twenty participants were included in the final analysis after 2 patients dropped out, 1 in each group, to end up with 10 subjects (200 roots) per group. There was statistically significant root resorption of 0.84 ± 0.96 mm and 0.93 ± 1.00 mm in the comparison and the intervention groups, respectively. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Root resorption inevitably took place in association with orthodontic intrusion. However, increasing the magnitude of the intrusive force did not increase the amount of root resorption, either statistically or clinically.