Search

Continuous monitoring of respiratory patterns and physical activity levels can be useful for remote health management of patients with conditions such as heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In a clinical setting, spirometers serve as the gold standard for monitoring respiratory patterns such as breathing rate and changes in lung volume. However, direct measurements using a spirometer requires placement of a sensor in the patient's airway and is thus infeasible for continuous monitoring in nonclinical, ambulatory settings. Under these conditions, indirect respiration monitoring using electrical impedance plethysmographs (EIP) is more suitable but are susceptible to motion artifacts. In this paper, we investigate whether multichannel EIP can be used to perform virtual spirometry under ambulatory settings. The experiments presented in this paper are based on preliminary data collected from 19 adult human subjects under realistic ambulatory and nonambulatory settings. We first highlight the salient features of the signal acquired from a standard spirometer. We then compare the performance of different biosignal processing algorithms in estimating the spirometer signal using multiple EIP sensors and in the presence of motion artifacts and real-world interferences. We demonstrate that in addition to reliably determining different respiratory patterns and states, multichannel EIP could also be used to reliably extract information regarding different patient physical activity states like bending or stretching.

With the advancement in sensor technology, the use of multispectral imaging is gaining wide popularity for computer vision applications. Multispectral imaging is used to achieve better discrimination between the radiance spectra, as compared to the color images. However, it is still sensitive to illumination changes. This study evaluates the potential evolution of illuminant estimation models from color to multispectral imaging. We first present a state of the art on computational color constancy and then extend a set of algorithms to use them in multispectral imaging. We investigate the influence of camera spectral sensitivities and the number of channels. Experiments are performed on simulations over hyperspectral data. The outcomes indicate that extension of computational color constancy algorithms from color to spectral gives promising results and may have the potential to lead towards efficient and stable representation across illuminants. However, this is highly dependent on spectral sensitivities and noise. We believe that the development of illuminant invariant multispectral imaging systems will be a key enabler for further use of this technology.

Introduction: Multi-Detector Computed Tomography (MDCT) has revealed excellent results in various systems of the body. Its role in abdominal imaging for solid viscera has been proved beyond doubt. It is an emerging non invasive tool for evaluation of bowel diseases., Aim: To see the efficacy of MDCT in evaluation of various bowel diseases., Materials and Methods: The study was carried out in the Department of Radiodiagnosis and Imaging, Batra Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Delhi, India. A total of 60 patients were enrolled in this study from March 2008 to June 2010 over a period of 24 months. All patients suspected to have inflammatory, obstructive, ischaemic and neoplastic diseases of small or large bowel disease were included in the study. The patients with past history of chronic renal failure, allergic reaction to contrast were excluded from the study. Comparison was made between CT findings with the operative findings, endoscopy, angiography or histopathology correlation whichever was relevant with case. All this data was compiled and statistically analysed., Results: Out of 60 patients 12 patients were diagnosed having appendicitis using axial, Multiplaner Reconstruction (MPR) and curved MPR images. The findings of appendicitis were confirmed on surgery and subsequent histopathology correlation. Inflammatory bowel diseases comprised of 28 cases out of which seven persons were diagnosed with intestinal Koch's disease. Four patients had idiopathic inflammatory bowel diseases. Rest of the 17 patients were reported to have findings of non-specific colitis and they responded well with antibiotic treatment., Conclusion: The sensitivity and specificity of MDCT in case of bowel obstruction clearly demonstrates not only the site of obstruction, but also reveal the cause of obstruction which includes intraluminal, intramural and extrinsic factors. CT scan categorizes the lesion to inflammatory or neoplastic to a greater accuracy. MDCT can also demonstrate the complications associated with obstruction like strangulation and perforation. CT is now considered a good tool in the evaluation of patients with suspected bowel obstruction, particularly in indeterminate clinical and conventional radiographic findings.

Penetrating neck and chest injuries are a common form of occupational injuries. We hereby report a unique case in which a metallic rod had penetrated the left chest and neck of a plastic factory worker. The patient was vitally stable when he presented to Emergency Room. Chest X-ray was performed and the patient was rushed to the operating room. VATS (video assisted thoracoscopic surgery) and neck dissection was done for retrieval of the metallic rod. On table, endoscopy was also done to rule out injury to oesophagus. No injury to vital structures was found and the subsequent recovery was uneventful.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI), commonly known as heart attack, is a medical emergency that is potentially fatal if not promptly and properly managed. The early diagnosis of AMI is critically important for the timely institution of pharmacotherapy to prevent myocardial damage and preserve cardiac function. Ischemic insults during AMI cause myocardial tissue damage, releasing the cardiac muscle protein troponin T into the blood stream. Therefore, serum troponin T levels are used as a sensitive and specific indicator of myocardial injury for diagnosing AMI. However, there remains a requirement for developing technologies for more accurate biomarkers or signatures for AMI diagnosis or prognosis. Previous studies have implicated impaired lipid metabolism as a causative factor in AMI development. Lipoproteins are important constituents of lipid metabolism; their levels in the blood stream are a convenient biomarker tool for monitoring lipid metabolism. This review summarizes recent findings (data of studies from 2001 to 2016) regarding the biomarker potentials of various lipoproteins, including low-density lipoprotein, oxidized low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, lipoprotein-a, and remnant lipoprotein, for the risk stratification of AMI.

Physical activities are known to introduce motion artifacts in electrical impedance plethysmographic (EIP) sensors. Existing literature considers motion artifacts as a nuisance and generally discards the artifact containing portion of the sensor output. This paper examines the notion of exploiting motion artifacts for detecting the underlying physical activities which give rise to the artifacts in question. In particular, we investigate whether the artifact pattern associated with a physical activity is unique; and does it vary from one human-subject to another? Data was recorded from 19 adult human-subjects while conducting 5 distinct, artifact inducing, activities. A set of novel features based on the time-frequency signatures of the sensor outputs are then constructed. Our analysis demonstrates that these features enable high accuracy detection of the underlying physical activity. Using an SVM classifier we are able to differentiate between 5 distinct physical activities (coughing, reaching, walking, eating and rolling-on-bed) with an average accuracy of 85.46%. Classification is performed solely using features designed specifically to capture the time-frequency signatures of different physical activities. This enables us to measure both respiratory and motion information using only one type of sensor. This is in contrast to conventional approaches to physical activity monitoring; which rely on additional hardware such as accelerometers to capture activity information.

Introduction TP53 mutation and overexpression have been correlated with poor survival in many cancers including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We aim to understand the role of TP53 overexpression in OSCC in our population and correlate it with five-year survival to test its viability as a prognostic marker for OSCC patients. Materials and methods Patients with biopsy proven OSCC at Aga Khan University Hospital from January 2000 to January 2008 were recruited. Immunohistochemistry was used to establish TP53 status and the results were published. Following up on these patients, five-year data were collected and correlated with TP53 status and other clinicopathologic parameters. Results Overexpression of TP53 was not significantly associated with five-year survival (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.543; 95% CI: 0.911-2.612; p = 0.107). Conclusion Although we had proven statistical relevance when correlated with overall survival in our previous study, we were unable to extend the same relevance to TP53 overexpression when it comes to five-year survival., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: Liver inflammation or hepatitis is a result of pluripotent interactions of cell death molecules, cytokines, chemokines and the resident immune cells collectively called as microenvironment. The interplay of these inflammatory mediators and switching of immune responses during hepatotoxic, viral, drug-induced and immune cell-mediated hepatitis decide the fate of liver pathology. The present review aimed to describe the mechanisms of liver injury, its relevance to human liver pathology and insights for the future therapeutic interventions., Data Sources: The data of mouse hepatic models and relevant human liver diseases presented in this review are systematically collected from PubMed, ScienceDirect and the Web of Science databases published in English., Results: The hepatotoxic liver injury in mice induced by the metabolites of CCl 4 , acetaminophen or alcohol represent necrotic cell death with activation of cytochrome pathway, formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial damage. The Fas or TNF-alpha induced apoptotic liver injury was dependent on activation of caspases, release of cytochrome c and apoptosome formation. The ConA-hepatitis demonstrated the involvement of TRAIL-dependent necrotic/necroptotic cell death with activation of RIPK1/3. The alpha-GalCer-induced liver injury was mediated by TNF-alpha. The LPS-induced hepatitis involved TNF-alpha, Fas/FasL, and perforin/granzyme cell death pathways. The MHV3 or Poly(I:C) induced liver injury was mediated by natural killer cells and TNF-alpha signaling. The necrotic ischemia-reperfusion liver injury was mediated by hypoxia, ROS, and pro-inflammatory cytokines; however, necroptotic cell death was found in partial hepatectomy. The crucial role of immune cells and cell death mediators in viral hepatitis (HBV, HCV), drug-induced liver injury, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and alcoholic liver disease in human were discussed., Conclusions: The mouse animal models of hepatitis provide a parallel approach for the study of human liver pathology. Blocking or stimulating the pathways associated with liver cell death could unveil the novel therapeutic strategies in the management of liver diseases.

Recently, gold nanoparticles (GNPs) have shown promising applications in targeted drug delivery and contrast imaging. Although in vitro cytotoxicity of GNPs has been thoroughly studied, there are limited data on in vivo toxicity of GNPs. In this study, we evaluated the effects of intraperitoneally injected 10 nm and 50 nm GNPs (5 μg/animal) on the expression of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α) on day 1 and day 5, post-exposure. The results of immunohistochemistry showed that both 10 nm and 50 nm GNPs induced an acute phase expression of proinflammatory cytokines in renal cortex and medulla. This proinflammatory response was comparatively more intense in renal medulla than cortex. All the three cytokines were undetectable in control cortex and medulla. In conclusion, both 10 nm and 50 nm GNPs caused an acute phase induction of proinflammatory cytokines in cortex and medulla of rat kidneys. An intense immunostaining of proinflammatory cytokines in renal medulla warrants further studies to evaluate the nephrotoxicity of GNPs to validate the safe application of GNPs for contrast imaging in renal insufficiency.

Reproductive processes of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) are particularly sensitive to salinity. We tested whether limited photoassimilate availability contributes to reproductive failure in salt-stressed chickpea. Rupali, a salt-sensitive genotype, was grown in aerated nutrient solution, either with non-saline (control) or 30mM NaCl treatment. At flowering, stems were either infused with sucrose solution (0.44M), water only or maintained without any infusion, for 75 d. The sucrose and water infusion treatments of non-saline plants had no effect on growth or yield, but photosynthesis declined in response to sucrose infusion. Salt stress reduced photosynthesis, decreased tissue sugars by 22-47%, and vegetative and reproductive growth were severely impaired. Sucrose infusion of salt-treated plants increased total sugars in stems, leaves and developing pods, to levels similar to those of non-saline plants. In salt-stressed plants, sucrose infusion increased dry mass (2.6-fold), pod numbers (3.8-fold), seed numbers (6.5-fold) and seed yield (10.4-fold), yet vegetative growth and reproductive failure were not rescued completely by sucrose infusion. Sucrose infusion partly rescued reproductive failure in chickpea by increasing vegetative growth enabling more flower production and by providing sucrose for pod and seed growth. We conclude that insufficient assimilate availability limits yield in salt-stressed chickpea., (© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.)

Background/aims: South Asia is an enigma for gastric cancer (GC) because it is a low risk region with a high prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infections. We evaluated the trend of GC clinical presentation and risk factors in patients with dyspeptic symptoms., Materials and Methods: The medical records of patients, coded by the international classification of diseases (ICD-10-CM, 2015, Diagnosis Code C16.9) for malignancies of stomach diagnosed by esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and histopathology, were studied., Results: 394 GC cases with a mean age of 54±15 years, range of 18 to 88, were analyzed. 256 (65%) were male. Distal non-cardiac and cardiac tumors were 302 (77%) and 92 (23%) cases, respectively. The WHO classification of GC defined 222 (56%) cases as intestinal type adenocarcinoma, 68 (17%) cases as signet ring cell carcinoma (SRC), 62 (16%) cases as diffuse type and 42 (11%) cases as B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The co-morbid conditions associated with GC were H. pylori infection (positive in 246 (62%) cases), diabetes mellitus type 2 (in 90 (23%) cases), and cigarette smoking (in 94 (24%) cases). Of the male patients, 88 (34%) (p<0.001) were smokers. Body mass index was abnormal in all age groups and in both sexes. Cardiac regions for GC were more common in the 46- to 60-year old age range and in males. Diffuse GC was seen in all age groups but there were significantly more common in the 18- to 45-year old age range. Gastric non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was seen at an early age of 18-45 years in 14(12%) and a later of 61-88 years in 20 (15%)., Conclusion: Intestinal type GC is common at all ages but SRC and diffuse GC are more common in patients less than 50 years old. SRC and diffuse GC were not specific to the elderly in our study population.

We report a 5-year boy presenting with pain in the lower chest and upper abdomen. On evaluation with computed tomography scan of the chest, he was found to have a large 16 x 14 cm posterior mediastinal mass compressing the inferior vena cava and liver, and shifting the heart to the opposite side. Tumor was approached via right postero-lateral thoracotomy and dissected off from esophagus, heart, inferior vena cava and lungs. The entire tumor was resected without any complications. Postoperative course was unremarkable. Resection of the tumor was successful. The histopathology showed it to be giant ganglioneuroma with no evidence of malignancy.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune inflammatory disorder with synovial hyperplasia, destruction of cartilage, bone damage is often associated with risk of infections. Such risk could be attributed towards usage of immunosuppressive agents. Thus, the present study was undertaken to evaluate the anti-arthritic efficacy of aquo-alcoholic extract of Camellia sinensis (L.)., Material and Methods: Dried leaves of Camellia sinensis (L.) or Cs were filtered and extracted in 1:1 aqueous: ethanol by Soxhlet apparatus followed by lyophilization and spray drying to develop amorphous powder. Four different oral doses (50, 100, 200, 400mg/kg/body wt.) of aquo-alcoholic extract were evaluated for anti-edematogenic effect in collagen induced arthritis model. The selected anti-arthritic doses of Cs were evaluated for the oxidative stress markers like Glutathione [5-5'dithio-bis-2-nitrobenzoicacid (DTNB)], Superoxide dismutase [Epinephrine], Catalase [Hydrogen peroxide], Lipid peroxidation [Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS)], Nitric oxide [Griess reagents:Nitrobluetetrazolium], Articular elastase [N-methoxysuccinyl-Ala-Ala-Pro- Val p-nitroanilide] in joints followed by haematological evaluation including RBC, WBC, Haemoglobin, platelets and haematocrit. To validate these biochemical changes, the radiological and histopathological (Haematoxylin & Eosin) evaluation was also conducted., Results: The selected anti-arthritic dose of Cs i.e. 400mg/kg/body wt. (∼60% anti-arthritic efficacy on 35th day) could be attributed towards significant (p<0.05) increase in the levels of enzymatic (Superoxide dismutase and Catalase) and non-enzymatic (Glutathione) antioxidants by 34%, 59% and 50% respectively. Simultaneously, the significant (p<0.05) reduction of lipid peroxides, nitrite radical and elastase activity by 32%, 45% & 32% respectively as compare to control indicated overall decrease in oxidative stress. Haematological evaluation revealed restoration of RBC, WBC and platelets level in treatment group. The confirmatory analysis utilizing radiological and histological assessment showed alleviation of joint deformity, tissue swelling, pannus formation and neutrophils infiltration in treatment group as compared to collagen induced arthritis., Conclusion: The analysis showed that Cs can play an effective role in reduction of oxidative stress by modulating levels of antioxidants, reducing levels of free radicals while restoring normal haematopoietic cascade as observed in collagen induced arthritis model. Thus, the cumulative dose impact of 400mg/kg body wt., over a period of 14days also found extremely effective in terms of safeguarding their structural conformity against such auto-immune disorder., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To report a case of atypical serpiginous choroiditis with previously unreported findings on optical coherence tomographic angiography., Case Report: A 35-year-old otherwise healthy man had a 1-week history of vision loss in his right eye. The visual acuity in right eye was counting fingers at 1 meter. Fundoscopy showed a classic peripapillary serpiginous lesion and a solitary macular lesion. Fundus fluorescein angiography revealed early hypofluorescence of active lesions with gradual increase in fluorescence across the phase of angiogram. Optical coherence tomography showed hyperreflectivity in outer retinal layers and loss of ellipsoid zone band. The patient was treated with oral prednisone and visual acuity returned to near normal. The inflammation recurred once the patient discontinued corticosteroid therapy. The flare-up was treated with intravenous methylprednisolone followed by oral steroids. Oral azathioprine was added as a steroid-sparing agent and oral prednisone was tapered slowly and discontinued. The visual acuity returned to normal with settlement of all lesions after initiating azathioprine. Optical coherence tomography showed reintegration of retinal anatomy. No recurrence was seen after discontinuation of corticosteroids. Optical coherence tomographic angiography in resolved serpiginous choroiditis was consistent with loss of choriocapillaris homogeneity., Conclusions: Serpiginous choroiditis may manifest with multifocal lesions and may be confused with relentless placoid chorioretinitis. However, it ends up in a typical geographic scar. Optical coherence tomography can be used to monitor the changes in retinal structure. Choriocapillaris changes as seen on optical coherence tomographic angiography may be a possible mechanism behind the development of choroidal neovascularization in later stages of the disease.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common type of chronic inflammatory disease which is triggered by dysfunction in the immune system which in turn affects synovial joints. Current treatment of RA with NSAIDs and DMRDs is limited by their side effect. As a result, the interest in alternative, well tolerated anti-inflammatory remedies has re-emerged. Our aim was to evaluate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities underlying the anti-RA effect of Yohimbine hydrochloride (YCL) in collagen induced arthritis (CIA) in Wistar rats. The YCL was administered at doses of 5 and 10 mg kg -1 body weight once daily for 28 days. The effects of treatment in the rats were assessed by biochemical parameter (articular elastase, LPO, GSH, catalase, SOD), hematological parameter (ESR, WBC, C-reactive protein (CRP), immunohistochemical expression (COX2, TNF-α, and NF-κB), and histological changes in joints. YCL showed anti-RA efficacy as it significantly reduced articular elastase, LPO and catalase level and ameliorates histological changes. This is in addition to its antioxidant efficacy as YCL shown a significant increase in GSH and SOD level. Also, YCL showed effective anti-inflammatory activity as it significantly decreased the expression of COX-2, TNF-α, and NF-ĸB. The therapeutic effect of YCL against RA was also evident from lower arthritis scoring and reduced hematological parameter (ESR, WBC, and C-reactive protein level). The abilities to inhibit proinflammatory cytokines and modulation of antioxidant states that the protective effect of YCL on arthritis rats might be mediated via the modulation of the immune system. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 32: 619-629, 2017., (© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are increasingly being developed for use in biomedical applications, including drug delivery. One of the most promising applications under evaluation is in treating pulmonary diseases such as tuberculosis. Once inhaled or administered, the nanoparticles are likely to be recognised by innate immune molecules in the lungs such as hydrophilic pulmonary surfactant proteins. Here, we set out to examine the interaction between surfactant protein D (SP-D), a key lung pattern recognition molecule and CNTs, and possible downstream effects on the immune response via macrophages. We show here that a recombinant form of human SP-D (rhSP-D) bound to oxidised and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) coated CNTs via its C-type lectin domain and enhanced phagocytosis by U937 and THP-1 macrophages/monocytic cell lines, together with an increased pro-inflammatory response, suggesting that sequestration of SP-D by CNTs in the lungs can trigger an unwanted and damaging immune response. We also observed that functionalised CNTs, opsonised with rhSP-D, continued to activate complement via the classical pathway, suggesting that C1q, which is the recognition sub-component of the classical pathway, and SP-D have distinct pattern recognition sites on the CNTs. Consistent with our earlier reports, complement deposition on the rhSP-D opsonised CNTs led to dampening of the pro-inflammatory immune response by THP-1 macrophages, as evident from qPCR, cytokine array and NF-κB nuclear translocation analyses. This study highlights the importance of understanding the interplay between innate immune humoral factors including complement in devising nanoparticle based drug delivery strategies.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR γ ) is a potential target for the treatment of several disorders. In view of several FDA approved kinase inhibitors, in the current study, we have investigated the interaction of selected kinase inhibitors with PPAR γ using computational modeling, docking, and molecular dynamics simulations (MDS). The docked conformations and MDS studies suggest that the selected KIs interact with PPAR γ in the ligand binding domain (LBD) with high positive predictive values. Hence, we have for the first time shown the plausible binding of KIs in the PPAR γ ligand binding site. The results obtained from these in silico investigations warrant further evaluation of kinase inhibitors as PPAR γ ligands in vitro and in vivo., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this paper.

The heterotrimeric globular head (gC1q) domain of human C1q is made up of the C-terminal ends of the three individual chains, ghA, ghB, and ghC. A candidate receptor for the gC1q domain is a multi-functional pattern recognition protein, gC1qR. Since understanding of gC1qR and gC1q interaction could provide an insight into the pleiotropic functions of gC1qR, this study was undertaken to identify the gC1qR-binding site on the gC1q domain, using the recombinant ghA, ghB, and ghC modules and their substitution mutants. Our results show that ghA, ghB, and ghC modules can interact with gC1qR independently, thus reinforcing the notion of modularity within the gC1q domain of human C1q. Mutational analysis revealed that while Arg162 in the ghA module is central to interaction between gC1qR and C1q, a single amino acid substitution (arginine to glutamate) in residue 114 of the ghB module resulted in enhanced binding. Expression of gC1qR and C1q in adherent monocytes with or without pro-inflammatory stimuli was also analyzed by qPCR; it showed an autocrine/paracrine basis of C1q and gC1qR interaction. Microscopic studies revealed that C1q and gC1qR are colocalized on PBMCs. Cell proliferation assays indicated that ghA, ghB, and ghC modules were able to attenuate phytohemagglutinin-stimulated proliferation of PBMCs. Addition of gC1qR had an additive effect on the anti-proliferative effect of globular head modules. In summary, our results identify residues involved in C1q-gC1qR interaction and explain, to a certain level, their involvement on the immune cell surface, which is relevant for C1q-induced functions including inflammation, infection, and immunity.

Increasing occurrence of gastroenteritis outbreaks caused by food borne opportunistic microorganisms has become a major problem in food industry as well as in immunocompromised host. Antimicrobial agents are losing their efficacy due to increase in the microbial resistance. For such reasons, conventional treatment has become limited to manage the infections state. Need of the hour is to instigate the search for safer holistic alternatives. The present study was hence conducted to assess the antibiofilm effect and mode of action of aquo alcoholic extracts of Holarrhena antidysentrica (Ha) and Andrographis paniculata (Ap) against the Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium. Both the extracts were screened for the presence of phytocompounds followed by the characterization using Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR) infrared spectroscopy and bioactivity finger print analysis. Anti-biofilm assays were determined to test the potential of both extracts to inhibit the biofilm formation, while Propidium Iodide (PI) uptake analysis revealed that cell membrane was damaged by the exposure of nutraceuticals for 1 h. This study has demonstrated that both nutraceuticals have anti-biofilm and antimicrobial activity perturbing the membrane integrity of food-borne S. typhimurium and could be used as curative remedy to control the food borne microbial infection., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Bullet embolization cases are rare and even rarer are its retrograde migration in the veins. We report the case of a 14 year old male with a gunshot wound to the left side of his chest. CT scan revealed bilateral haemothorax and foreign body in the right common iliac vein. The patient was immediately taken to the operating theatre and median sternotomy performed. Bullet entry tear was found in the inferior vena cava however, the bullet was found lodged in the right common iliac vein and slipped down against the flow of blood. The bullet was left in situ and after the necessary repair the chest was closed and the patient shifted to the CICU and discharged after 4 days in stable condition. Patient was followed after 1 week and reassured and advised for one year follow-up.

Myxoid liposarcomas of the head and neck are mostly metastatic in nature, with the primary lesion usually in lower extremities or retroperitoneum. Primary mediastinal liposarcomas are even rarer. Although there have been previous cases reporting their incidence, there is no evidence of any case comprising of both the neck and the mediastinal region yet. We here present a case of a 43 year old male with a primary liposarcoma of the myxoid subtype originating in the anterior mediastinum. This is the first time such a case has presented in literature. The patient presented with a right sided neck swelling associated with pain and shortness of breath upon lying down. CT neck revealed an enhancing mass extending from right cervical region to axilla and encasing the subclavian artery and involving a portion of the right lung. The patient underwent wide local excision of the mass along with chemoradiotherapy to prevent recurrence.

Main Conclusion: Salt sensitivity in chickpea is determined by Na(+) toxicity, whereas relatively high leaf tissue concentrations of Cl(-) were tolerated, and the osmotic component of 60-mM NaCl was not detrimental. Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is sensitive to salinity. This study dissected the responses of chickpea to osmotic and ionic components (Na(+) and/or Cl(-)) of salt stress. Two genotypes with contrasting salt tolerances were exposed to osmotic treatments (-0.16 and -0.29 MPa), Na(+)-salts, Cl(-)-salts, or NaCl at 0, 30, or 60 mM for 42 days and growth, tissue ion concentrations and leaf gas-exchange were assessed. The osmotic treatments and Cl(-)-salts did not affect growth, whereas Na(+)-salts and NaCl treatments equally impaired growth in either genotype. Shoot Na(+) and Cl(-) concentrations had markedly increased, whereas shoot K(+) had declined in the NaCl treatments, but both genotypes had similar shoot concentrations of each of these individual ions after 14 and 28 days of treatments. Genesis836 achieved higher net photosynthetic rate (64-84 % of control) compared with Rupali (35-56 % of control) at equivalent leaf Na(+) concentrations. We conclude that (1) salt sensitivity in chickpea is determined by Na(+) toxicity, and (2) the two contrasting genotypes appear to differ in 'tissue tolerance' of high Na(+). This study provides a basis for focus on Na(+) tolerance traits for future varietal improvement programs for salinity tolerance in chickpea.

Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) possess promising applications in targeted drug delivery and controlled release of a variety of chemical agents. However, the immunocompatibility of GNPs is poorly understood. After exposure, GNPs preferentially tend to accumulate is liver, where they induce an acute phase proinflammatory response. We therefore compared the two techniques, immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR for measuring the protein and mRNA expressions of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in liver of rats after intraperitoneal injections (5μg/animal) of 10 and 50nm diameter GNPs for 1 and 5days. The results showed that both 10nm and 50nm GNPs induced an acute phase expression of proinflammatory cytokines that receded on day 5. The proinflammatory response on day 1 was comparatively more severe with 50nm GNPs than 10nm GNPs. A comparative evaluation between immunostaining and real-time PCR showed that the latter technique is more sensitive as it could detect the cytokines mRNA expression in control samples as well. This could be partly attributed to the amplification strategy used in real-time PCR and partly to the variations in the half lives of cytokines mRNA and their resulting proteins., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

This paper presents the fabrication methodology of a linear variable photonic crystal (PC) filter with narrowband reflection that varies over a broad spectral range along the length of the filter. The key component of the linear variable PC filter is a polymer surface-relief grating whose period changes linearly as a function of its position on the filter. The grating is fabricated using a nanoreplica molding process with a wedge-shaped elastomer mold. The top surface of the mold carries the grating pattern and the wedge is formed by a shallow angle between the top and bottom surfaces of the mold. During the replica molding process, a uniaxial force is applied to stretch the mold, resulting in a nearly linearly varying grating period. The period of the grating is determined using the magnitude of the force and the local thickness of the mold. The grating period of the fabricated device spans a range of 421.8-463.3 nm over a distance of 20 mm. A high refractive index dielectric film is deposited on the graded-period grating to act as the waveguide layer of the PC device. The resonance reflection feature of the device varies linearly in a range of 680.2-737.0 nm over the length of the grating.

The protein arginine deiminases (PADs) catalyze the post-translational deimination of arginine side chains. Multiple PAD isozymes have been characterized, and abnormal PAD activity has been associated with several human disease states. PAD3 has been characterized as a modulator of cell growth via apoptosis inducing factor and has been implicated in the neurodegenerative response to spinal cord injury. Here, we describe the design, synthesis, and evaluation of conformationally constrained versions of the potent and selective PAD3 inhibitor 2. The cell activity of representative inhibitors in this series was also demonstrated for the first time by rescue of thapsigargin-induced cell death in PAD3-expressing HEK293T cells.

Diabetes is a global endemic with rapidly increasing prevalence in both developing and developed countries. The American Diabetes Association has recommended glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) as a possible substitute to fasting blood glucose for diagnosis of diabetes. HbA1c is an important indicator of long-term glycemic control with the ability to reflect the cumulative glycemic history of the preceding two to three months. HbA1c not only provides a reliable measure of chronic hyperglycemia but also correlates well with the risk of long-term diabetes complications. Elevated HbA1c has also been regarded as an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease and stroke in subjects with or without diabetes. The valuable information provided by a single HbA1c test has rendered it as a reliable biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of diabetes. This review highlights the role of HbA1c in diagnosis and prognosis of diabetes patients.

Infections due to Dengue virus are widespread throughout the world. Disease starts with mild flu like sickness to a severe intricate condition which results in the death of the patient. Dengue illness has high morbidity and mortality in Pakistan as well as in other Asian countries. The Review article is a discourse analysis that explores the facts about the history, emergence and impact of dengue in Pakistan and other Asian countries. Data was collected from internet sources, mainly using Science Direct and PubMed. The final literature was reviewed and summarised. About 150 articles were identified and 47 articles were shortlisted for final review. Aedesaegypti was found to be a major vector for the transmission and spread of dengue illness. Treatment comprises supportive therapy as no specific treatment was available. During the last couple of years, the incidence of dengue fever was extraordinary in metropolitan cities of Pakistan.

Reduced sensitivity to insecticides in insect pests often results in control failures and increases in the dose and frequency of applications, ultimately polluting the environment. Reduced sensitivity to emamectin benzoate, a broad-spectrum agrochemical belonging to the avermectin group of pesticides, was reported in house flies (Musca domestica L.) collected from Punjab, Pakistan, in 2013. The aim of the present study was to investigate the risk for resistance development, biochemical mechanism, and cross-resistance potential to other insecticides in an emamectin benzoate selected (EB-SEL) strain of house flies. A field-collected strain showing reduced sensitivity to emamectin was re-selected in the laboratory for five consecutive generations and compared with a laboratory susceptible (Lab-Susceptible) reference strain, using bioassays. The field strain showed rapid development of resistance to emamectin (resistance ratio (RR) increased from 35.15 to 149.26-fold) as a result of selection experiments; however, resistance declined when the selection pressure uplifted. The EB-SEL strain showed reduction in resistance to abamectin, indoxacarb, and thiamethoxam. The results of synergism experiments using piperonyl butoxide (PBO) and S,S,S-tributylphosphorotrithioate (DEF) enzyme inhibitors and biochemical analyses revealed that the metabolic resistance mechanism was not responsible in developing emamectin resistance in the EB-SEL strain. In conclusion, the risk for the rapid development of emamectin resistance under continuous selection pressure suggests using a multifaceted integrated pest management approach for house flies. Moreover, the instable nature of emamectin resistance in the EB-SEL strain and lack of cross-resistance to other insecticides provide windows for the rotational use of insecticides with different modes of action. This will ultimately reduce emamectin selection pressure and help improving management programs for house flies without polluting the environment., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The purpose of this review was to examine the comprehensively accumulated data regarding potential therapeutic aspects of exogenous administration of interleukin 33 (IL-33) or its antagonists in allergic, cancerous, infectious, and inflammatory diseases., Methods: A selected review was undertaken of publications that examined the protective and exacerbating effects of IL-33 or its inhibitors in different diseases. Mechanisms of action are summarized to examine the putative role of IL-33 in various diseases., Findings: IL-33 promoted antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and vaccine adjuvant functions. However, in TH2-biased respiratory, allergic, parasitic, and inflammatory conditions, IL-33 exhibited disease-sensitizing effects. The alarmin cytokine IL-33 induced protective effects in diseases via recruitment of regulatory T cells; antiviral CD8(+) cells, natural killer cells, γδ T cells, and nuocytes; antibacterial and antifungal neutrophils or macrophages; vaccine-associated B/T cells; and inhibition of nuclear factor-κB-mediated gene transcription. In contrast, IL-33 exacerbated the disease process by increasing TH2 cytokines, IgE and eosinophilic immune responses, and inhibition of leukocyte recruitment in various diseases., Implications: The protective or exacerbated aspects of use of IL-33 or its inhibitors are dependent on the type of infection or inflammatory condition, duration of disease (acute or chronic), organ involved, cytokine microenvironment, dose or kinetics of IL-33, and genetic predisposition. The alarmin cytokine IL-33 acts at cellular, molecular, and transcriptional levels to mediate pluripotent functions in various diseases and has potential therapeutic value to mitigate the disease process., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Properdin upregulates the alternative complement pathway by binding and stabilising the C3 convertase complex (C3bBb). Properdin is a soluble glycoprotein and its flexible rod-like 53kDa monomers form cyclic polymers (dimers, trimers, tetramers and pentamers). The properdin monomer consists of seven thrombospondin type I repeats (TSR 0-6), which are similar and homologous to domains found in circumsporozoite and thrombospondin-related anonymous proteins of Plasmodium species, ETP100 of Eimeria tenella, various complement components C6-C9, and thrombospondin I and II. Using deletion constructs, TSR4 and TSR5 of human properdin were implicated in C3b binding and stabilising C3 convertase. However, individually expressed TSR4 or TSR5 failed to bind properdin ligands. Here, we have expressed and characterized biologically active TSR4 and TSR5 together (TSR4+5) in tandem in Escherichia coli, fused to maltose-binding protein. MBP-TSR4+5 bind solid-phase C3b, sulfatides and glycosaminoglycans. In addition, functionally active recombinant TSR4+5 modules inhibit the alternative pathway of complement., (Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Reactivity to myelin associated proteins is the hallmark of human multiple sclerosis (M.S) and its experimental counterparts. However, the nature of such reactivity has not been described fully. Herein, we report that myelin basic protein (MBP) reactivity accumulates in a rat model for M.S. over a period of time and sensitizes TRAIL mediated progressive oligodendrocyte apoptosis. We used active immunization by Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein (MOG, 50 μg) to study chronic remitting relapsing encephalomyelitis in rats. A time point analysis of the progressive disease revealed cumulative accumulation of anti myelin basic protein antibodies during the disease progression with minimal change in the anti-MOG antibodies. Increased reactivity to MBP was studied to sensitize TNF related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and other proinflammatory cytokines in a cumulative fashion leading to the Caspase dependent apoptosis of oligodendrocytes and myelin loss. In a rescue experiment, we could limit the demyelination and prevent disease progression by neutralizing the effector, TRAIL in an early stage of the disease. This is the first study to identify the accumulation of MBP antibodies in MOG induced EAE which possibly leads to TRAIL sensitized oligodendrocyte apoptosis in the white mater of EAE rats. This finding stresses on the need to study MBP antibody titers in M.S. patients and therefore might serve as an alternate marker for progressive demyelination.

The house fly, Musca domestica, is a serious pest of public health importance with the ability to develop insecticide resistance. The focus of the present study was to evaluate toxicity and resistance of the field collected house flies from Punjab, Pakistan, against insect growth regulator (IGR) insecticides. House flies collected from six different localities exhibited very low levels of resistance to cyromazine, triflumuron, and methoxyfenozide compared with the Lab-susceptible reference strain, with resistance ratios (RRs) ranging between 3.56- to 8.19-fold, 1.45- to 3.68-fold, and 2.20- to 8.60-fold, respectively. However, very low to low levels of resistance were observed for pyriproxyfen and very low to moderate levels for lufenuron with RRs ranged from 4.13- to 11.63-fold to 8.57- to 22.75-fold, respectively. There was a significant correlation between RRs of cyromazine and triflumuron (r = 0.976, p < 0.001), suggesting the possibility for cross-resistance. Susceptibility status of different IGRs in Pakistani strains of house flies is reported here for the first time. The trend observed in decreasing susceptibility towards different IGR insecticides tested will continue unless resistance management practices are followed.

Black fat-tailed scorpion (Androctonus bicolor) belongs to the family Buthidae and is one of the most venomous scorpions in the world. The effects of A. bicolor venom on serum electrolytes were not known and therefore investigated in this study. Adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into seven groups with five animals in each group. One of the groups served as control and received vehicle only. The animals in the remaining groups received a single subcutaneous injection of crude A. bicolor venom (200 μg/kg bodyweight) and were killed at different time intervals including 30 min, 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, 8 h, and 24 h after venom injection. The results showed that scorpion venom caused significant increase in serum sodium levels within 30 min after injection which slightly subsided after 1 h and then persisted over 24 h. Serum potassium levels continued to significantly increase until 4 h and then slightly subsided. There were significant decreases in serum magnesium (Mg(+)) levels following scorpion venom injection, at all the time points during the course of study. Serum calcium levels were significantly increased during the entire course of study, whereas serum chloride was significantly decreased. In conclusion, A. bicolor envenomation in rats caused severe and persistent hypomagnesemia with accompanied hypernatremia, hyperkalemia, and hypercalcemia. It is important to measure serum Mg(+) levels in victims of scorpion envenomation, and patients with severe Mg(+) deficiency should be treated accordingly., (© The Author(s) 2015.)

Insect pests in stored wheat cause significant losses and play an important role in the dispersal of viable fungal spores of various species including aflatoxin producing Aspergillus parasiticus. The problem of insecticide resistance in stored insects and environmental hazards associated with fumigants and conventional grain protectants underscore the need to explore reduced risk insecticides to control stored insects with the ultimate effect on aflatoxin production. The purpose of this study was to investigate the insecticidal potential of four biorational insecticides: spinosad, thiamethoxam, imidacloprid and indoxacarb, on wheat grains artificially infested with Rhyzopertha dominica/Sitophilus oryzae and/or A. parasiticus spores, and the subsequent effect on aflatoxin production. Spinosad and thiamethoxam were the most effective insecticides against R. dominica compared to S. oryzae followed by imidacloprid. Spinosad applied at 0.25-1 ppm and thiamethoxam at 2 and 4 ppm concentrations resulted in complete mortality of R. dominica. However, indoxacarb was more toxic against S. oryzae compared to R. dominica. Wheat grains inoculated with R. dominica/S. oryzae +spores elicited higher aflatoxin levels than wheat grains inoculated with or without insecticide+spores. In all the treatment combinations containing insects, aflatoxin production was dependent on insects' survival rate. In addition, thiamethoxam and imidacloprid had also a significant direct effect on reducing aflatoxin production. Aflatoxin levels were lower in the treatment combinations with any concentration of thiamethoxam/imidacloprid+spores as compared to wheat grains inoculated with spores only. Correlation analyses revealed highly significant and positive association between moisture contents/insect survival rate and production of aflatoxin levels, and insect survival rate and moisture contents of the wheat grains. In conclusion, the results of the present study provide baseline data on the use of biorational insecticides against R. dominica and S. oryzae and subsequent effect on aflatoxin production.

Background: The purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis of the new classification system of distal end radius fractures (Barzullah working classification) proposed by one of the author in a prospective cohort study, among the orthopaedic residents., Methods: The initial post-injury radiographs of 300 patients with distal radius fractures in a tertiary centre were classified by two junior residents (JR1 and JR2) and two senior residents (SR1 and SR2) in the emergency department over a period of two years. The collected data was analysed statistically by using Cohan's kappa for measuring Intraobserver reproducibility and Fleiss kappa for measuring Interobserver agreement., Results: The mean kappa value for Interobserver agreement was 0.53 (moderate agreement) at the end of one year and the mean kappa value at the end of study period was 0.64 (substantial agreement). The mean kappa value for Intraobserver reproducibility of JR1 was 0.45 (moderate agreement), JR2 was 0.39 (fair agreement), SR1 was 0.62 (substantial agreement) and SR2 was 0.67 (substantial agreement)., Conclusions: Barzullah working classification of distal radius fractures presented in this study has good characteristics compared to those of already studied classification systems among orthopaedic residents.

Background: Dengue is amongst the most serious mosquito-borne infectious disease with hot spots in tropical and subtropical parts of the world. Unfortunately, no licensed vaccine for the disease is currently available in medicine markets. The only option available is the management of dengue vector mosquito, Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae)., Method: Predatory potential of five odonate nymphs namely Anax parthenope, Bradinopyga geminate, Ischnura forcipata, Rhinocypha quadrimaculata, and Orthetrum sabina were evaluated against the 4(th) instar larvae of the dengue vector mosquito, Aedes aegypti, under laboratory conditions. The consumption of the mosquito larvae was evaluated at three water volume levels viz., 1 liter, 2 liter and 3 liter., Results: The number of Ae. aegypti larvae consumed varied significantly among the five species, and at different levels of water volume (P< 0.01). However, the interaction between odonate nymphs and the water volumes was statistically non-significant (P> 0.05). Ischnura forcipata consumed the highest number of Ae. aegypti larvae (n=56) followed by A. parthenope (n=47) and B. geminate (n=46). The number of larvae consumed was decreased with increasing search area or water volume, and the highest predation was observed at 1-liter water volume., Conclusion: The odonate nymphs could be a good source of biological agents for the management of the mosquitoes at larval stages.

Purpose: To report a case of acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy (APMPPE) with atypical features., Case Report: A 30-year-old otherwise healthy woman presented with a 7-day history of visual disturbance in her left eye. The best corrected visual acuity in her left eye was 6/36. Funduscopy revealed multiple cream-colored placoid lesions, serous macular elevation, and papillitis. Fundus fluorescein angiography revealed early hypofluorescence and late hyperfluorescence. Systemic and neurologic assessments were normal. The case shared features with both APMPPE and Harada's disease, making it a diagnostic challenge. However, APMPPE may rarely mimic Harada's disease when it manifests with atypical features, like serous retinal detachment and papillitis. The patient was managed with oral prednisolone with slow tapering. Her visual acuity improved gradually to 6/12. Neither involvement of fellow eye nor recurrence in same eye was noted for a period of 1 year., Conclusions: Acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy may rarely manifest with atypical features, including papillitis and serous retinal detachment, perplexing the diagnosis and management.

Parathyroid adenoma is the main cause of primary hyperparathyroidism. It is usually asymptomatic and occurs more commonly in adults. It presents with raised parathormone (PTH) and Ca+ levels in serum. Its presentation in adolescence is rare. We report one such incidence of a 14 years old girl who presented with bone pains short stature, and generalized muscle wasting. She was found to have genu valgum at the knee joint, pectus carniatum, scoliosis and cystic changes in pelvis and calvarium. Biochemical investigations and parathyroid Tc-99mMIBI scan confirmed the diagnosis of a parathyroid adenoma. The gland was removed by parathyroidectomy. Till date 12 such cases are reported and none had thoracic, vertebral or calvarium involvement.

Interaction between the complement system and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can modify their intended biomedical applications. Pristine and derivatised CNTs can activate complement primarily via the classical pathway which enhances uptake of CNTs and suppresses pro-inflammatory response by immune cells. Here, we report that the interaction of C1q, the classical pathway recognition molecule, with CNTs involves charge pattern and classical pathway activation that is partly inhibited by factor H, a complement regulator. C1q and its globular modules, but not factor H, enhanced uptake of CNTs by macrophages and modulated the pro-inflammatory immune response. Thus, soluble complement factors can interact differentially with CNTs and alter the immune response even without complement activation. Coating CNTs with recombinant C1q globular heads offers a novel way of controlling classical pathway activation in nanotherapeutics. Surprisingly, the globular heads also enhance clearance by phagocytes and down-regulate inflammation, suggesting unexpected complexity in receptor interaction., From the Clinical Editor: Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) maybe useful in the clinical setting as targeting drug carriers. However, it is also well known that they can interact and activate the complement system, which may have a negative impact on the applicability of CNTs. In this study, the authors functionalized multi-walled CNT (MWNT), and investigated the interaction with the complement pathway. These studies are important so as to gain further understanding of the underlying mechanism in preparation for future use of CNTs in the clinical setting., (Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Unlabelled: Cancer invasion and metastasis is the most morbid aspect of cancer and is governed by different cellular mechanisms than those driving the deregulated growth of tumors. We addressed here the question of whether a common DNA methylation signature of invasion exists in cancer cells from different origins that differentiates invasive from non-invasive cells. We identified a common DNA methylation signature consisting of hyper- and hypomethylation and determined the overlap of differences in DNA methylation with differences in mRNA expression using expression array analyses. A pathway analysis reveals that the hypomethylation signature includes some of the major pathways that were previously implicated in cancer migration and invasion such as TGF beta and ERBB2 triggered pathways. The relevance of these hypomethylation events in human tumors was validated by identification of the signature in several publicly available databases of human tumor transcriptomes. We shortlisted novel invasion promoting candidates and tested the role of four genes in cellular invasiveness from the list C11orf68, G0S2, SHISA2 and TMEM156 in invasiveness using siRNA depletion. Importantly these genes are upregulated in human cancer specimens as determined by immunostaining of human normal and cancer breast, liver and prostate tissue arrays. Since these genes are activated in cancer they constitute a group of targets for specific pharmacological inhibitors of cancer invasiveness., Summary: Our study provides evidence that common DNA hypomethylation signature exists between cancer cells derived from different tissues, pointing to a common mechanism of cancer invasiveness in cancer cells from different origins that could serve as drug targets.

Introduction: β, β'-iminodipropionitrile (IDPN) is a synthetic nitrile that produces a permanent movement disorder in rodents. Although IDPN-induced vestibular pathology is well documented, the mode of IDPN interaction with other organ systems is poorly understood. We examined the behavioral signs and histopathological changes in the vestibular labyrinth, brain, liver and kidneys of mice exposed to IDPN., Material and Methods: Adult male SWR/J mice were divided into 2 groups of 6 animals each. One group of mice received normal saline (control group) and the other group was treated with IDPN (400 mg/kg, i.p.) daily for 7 days. Dyskinetic movements including vertical and horizontal head weaving, circling and backward walking were quantified on days 7, 8 and 9., Results: We observed a direct correlation between the severity of IDPN-induced behavioral deficits and the degeneration of vestibular hair cells in the crista ampullaris of mice. The brain cortex of both groups appeared similar, whereas the kidney histopathology revealed mild nephrotoxicity in some of the IDPN-treated mice. Administration of IDPN caused severe hepatotoxicity, but the intensity of hepatic damage was not correlated with the severity of behavioral deficits., Conclusions: Degeneration of vestibular sensory hair cells plays an important role in the development of IDPN-induced behavioral deficits in mice. Exposure to IDPN also caused severe hepatotoxicity which was independent of the behavioral symptoms. These findings could be of potential relevance to human health, particularly after the observation that IDPN not only causes a movement disorder but also produces acute liver injury.

The recent discovery of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), an epigenetic modifier and oxidation product of 5-methylcytosine (5mC), has broadened the scope and understanding of neural development and neurodegenerative diseases. By virtue of their functional groups, 5mC and 5hmC exert opposite effects on gene expression; the former is generally associated with gene silencing whereas the latter is mainly involved in up-regulation of gene expression affecting the cellular processes such as differentiation, development, and aging. Although DNA methylation plays an important role in normal neural development and neuroprotection, an altered pathway due to complex interaction with environmental and genetic factors may cause severe neurodegeneration. The levels of 5hmC in brain increase progressively from birth until death, while in patients with neurodegenerative disorders, the levels are found to be highly compromised. This article discusses the recent developments in the area of hydroxymethylation, with particular emphasis on the role of 5hmC in neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's diseases and Huntington's disease. We have also included recent findings on the role of 5hmC in brain tumors (gliomas). Despite compelling evidence on the involvement of 5hmC in neurodegeneration, it is yet to be established whether this epigenetic molecule is the cause or the effect of the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

House flies are major insect pests at dairy farms in Pakistan and are mainly controlled with insecticides of different classes, including organophosphates. To develop a better resistance management strategy, a field strain of house flies was selected in the laboratory to study the potential for the development of resistance, possible mechanisms of resistance and cross-resistance to other insecticides. The selection of the field strain with profenofos for five consecutive generations resulted in the LC50 values to increase from 50.49 to 176.03 µg/ml, and the resistance ratio increased from 29.70 to 103.55 as compared with a laboratory-susceptible strain; however, the resistance was decreased significantly when the selected strain was reared for the next five generations without exposure to any insecticide. The profenofos-selected strain (Profen-SEL) showed cross-resistance to chlorpyrifos and deltamethrin but no cross-resistance observed to spinosad. Synergism studies with piperonyl butoxide and S,S,S-tributylphosphorotrithioate indicated that the resistance to profenofos was probably associated with esterase and, possibly, microsomal oxidase activity. Resistance to profenofos in the selected strain suggests that the resistance, owing to instability, could be overcome by switching off profenofos use for few generations in the field or by rotation with different insecticides having different modes of action., (© The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Increasing use of heavy metals in various fields, their environmental persistency, and poor regulatory efforts have significantly increased their fraction in river water. We studied the effect of Musi river water pollution on oxidative stress biomarkers and histopathology in rat after 28 days repeated oral treatment. River water analysis showed the presence of Zn and Pb at mg/l concentration and Ag, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, Sn, and Sb at μg/l concentration. River water treatment resulted in a dose-dependent accumulation of metals in rat organs, being more in liver followed by kidney and brain. Metal content in both control and low-dose group rat organs was below limit of detection. However, metal bioaccumulation in high- and medium-dose group organs as follows: liver-Zn (21.4 & 14.5 μg/g), Cu (8.3 & 3.6 μg/g), and Pb (8.2 & 0.4 μg/g); kidney-Zn (16.2 & 7.9 μg/g), Cu (3.5 & 1.4 μg/g), Mn (2.9 & 0.5 μg/g), and Pb (2.6 & 0.5 μg/g); and brain-Zn (2.4 & 1.1 μg/g), and Ni (1 & 0.3 μg/g). These metals were present at high concentrations in respective organs than other metals. The increased heavy metal concentration in treated rat resulted significant increase in superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione S transferase enzymes activity, and lipid peroxidation in a dose-dependent manner. However, glutathione content and catalase activity were significantly decreased in treated rat organs. Histopathological examination also confirmed morphological changes in rat organs due to polluted river water treatment. In conclusion, the findings of this study clearly indicate the oxidative stress condition in rat organs due to repeated oral treatment of polluted Musi river water.

There is a need to identify novel targets in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), a hematopoietic cancer affecting children, to improve our understanding of disease biology and that can be used for developing new therapeutics. Hence, the aim of our study was to find new genes as targets using in silico studies; for this we retrieved the top 10% overexpressed genes from Oncomine public domain microarray expression database; 530 overexpressed genes were short-listed from Oncomine database. Then, using prioritization tools such as ENDEAVOUR, DIR and TOPPGene online tools, we found fifty-four genes common to the three prioritization tools which formed our candidate leukemogenic genes for this study. As per the protocol we selected thirty training genes from PubMed. The prioritized and training genes were then used to construct STRING functional association network, which was further analyzed using cytoHubba hub analysis tool to investigate new genes which could form drug targets in leukemia. Analysis of the STRING protein network built from these prioritized and training genes led to identification of two hub genes, SMAD2 and CDK9, which were not implicated in leukemogenesis earlier. Filtering out from several hundred genes in the network we also found MEN1, HDAC1 and LCK genes, which re-emphasized the important role of these genes in leukemogenesis. This is the first report on these five additional signature genes in leukemogenesis. We propose these as new targets for developing novel therapeutics and also as biomarkers in leukemogenesis, which could be important for prognosis and diagnosis.

The responses of termite species to bait depend upon the quality of the food used in the stations. Woods are the most common food sources for termites but different termite species behave differently to different wood species and types. The knowledge of the preference status of different wood species to a termite species helps in effective monitoring and baiting program. The current study was carried out to evaluate the preference of 21 wood species to the termite, Microtermes mycophagus in the field by no-choice and choice feeding tests. The results indicated silk cotton tree and sacred fig woods as the most preferred wood species with mean mass losses of 71.21 ± 5.09% and 68.38 ± 7.27% in no-choice test and 95.02 ± 1.65% and 91.69 ± 2.07% in choice tests, respectively. White cedar was the least preferred wood species with mean mass losses of 7.49 ± 1.64% and 13.92 ± 1.89% in no choice and choice feeding tests, respectively. Based on present studies, sapwood of silk cotton tree and sacred fig may be used in effective monitoring and baiting program against M. mycophagus.