Different effects of valproic acid on photoreceptor loss in Rd1 and Rd10 retinal degeneration mice.

Purpose: The histone-deacetylase inhibitor activity of valproic acid (VPA) was discovered after VPA's adoption as an anticonvulsant. This generated speculation for VPA's potential to increase the expression of neuroprotective genes. Clinical trials for retinitis pigmentosa (RP) are currently active, testing VPA's potential to reduce photoreceptor loss; however, we lack information regarding the effects of VPA on available mammalian models of retinal degeneration, nor do we know if retinal gene expression is perturbed by VPA in a predictable way.

Solitary intraosseous neurofibroma: Report of a unique case.

Neural tumors located centrally in jaw bones are relatively rare compared with soft tissue neurofibromas. Less than 50 cases have been reported in the literature with a predilection for mandible. This article aims to elucidate a unique case of intraosseous neurofibroma of mandible in a 62-year-old edentulous female patient associated with facial asymmetry due to the swelling extending from the right body of mandible to left body of mandible.

Comparison of clinical outcomes, patient, and surgeon satisfaction following topical versus peribulbar anesthesia for phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation: a randomized, controlled trial.

Background: Both cataract surgery and anesthesia techniques are rapidly evolving to become more patient friendly. However, comparison of topical anesthesia (TA) and peribulbar anesthesia (PA) for phacoemulsification and cataract surgery is limited. We evaluated the clinical outcomes and patient and surgeon satisfaction between anesthetic techniques.

Possible mechanism of antifungal phenazine-1-carboxamide from Pseudomonas sp. against dimorphic fungi Benjaminiella poitrasii and human pathogen Candida albicans.

Aim: Investigation of antifungal mechanism of phenazine 1-carboxamide (PC) produced by a Pseudomonas strain MCC2142.

Methods And Results: An antifungal metabolite produced by a Pseudomonas was purified and identified as PC. Human pathogenic fungi such as Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Cryptococcus neoformans, Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus niger were found to be inhibited by PC (MIC90 32-64 μg ml(-1)).

DNA cleavage by oxymyoglobin and cysteine-introduced metmyoglobin.

Double stranded DNA was cleaved oxidatively by incubation with oxygenated myoglobin, and Lys96Cys sperm whale myoglobin in its stable ferric form functioned as an artificial nuclease under air by formation of an oxygenated species, owing to electron transfer from the SH group of the introduced cysteine to the heme.

Child who presented with hematohidrosis (sweating blood) with oppositional defiant disorder.

Hematohidrosis is a very rare condition of sweating blood. A child's case who presented to us with hematohidrosis is reported. There are only few reports in the literature.

Hydrocortisone and triiodothyronine regulate hyaluronate synthesis in a tissue-engineered human dermal equivalent through independent pathways.

Hydrocortisone (HC) and triiodothyronine (T3) have both been shown to be capable of independently inhibiting hyaluronate (HA, hyaluronic acid) synthesis in a self-assembled human dermal equivalent (human dermal matrix). We sought to investigate the action of these two hormones in concert on extracellular matrix formation and HA inhibition in the tissue engineered human dermal matrix. To this end, neonatal human dermal fibroblasts were cultured in defined serum-free medium for 21 days in the presence of each hormone alone, or in combination, in varying concentrations.

Whole-mitochondrial genome sequencing in primary open-angle glaucoma using massively parallel sequencing identifies novel and known pathogenic variants.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine whether mutations in mitochondrial DNA play a role in high-pressure primary open-angle glaucoma (OMIM 137760) by analyzing new data from massively parallel sequencing of mitochondrial DNA.

Methods: Glaucoma patients with high-tension primary open-angle glaucoma and ethnically matched and age-matched control subjects without glaucoma were recruited. The entire human mitochondrial genome was amplified in two overlapping fragments by long-range polymerase chain reaction and used as a template for massively parallel sequencing on an Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine.

Vision development over an extended follow-up period in babies after successful vitrectomy for stage 4b retinopathy of prematurity.

Purpose/background: To demonstrate improvement in the vision of babies after successful vitrectomy for stage 4b retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) over an extended period of time.

Methods: This was an observational prospective case series. Eight babies who had undergone successful vitrectomy in either their only seeing eye (or both eyes) with stage 4b ROP were followed up post-operatively for a period of 80 weeks or more.

Formation of domain-swapped oligomer of cytochrome C from its molten globule state oligomer.

Many proteins, including cytochrome c (cyt c), have been shown to form domain-swapped oligomers, but the factors governing the oligomerization process remain unrevealed. We obtained oligomers of cyt c by refolding cyt c from its acid molten globule state to neutral pH state under high protein and ion concentrations. The amount of oligomeric cyt c obtained depended on the nature of the anion (chaotropic or kosmotropic) in the solution: ClO4(-) (oligomers, 11% ± 2% (heme unit)), SCN(-) (10% ± 2%), I(-) (6% ± 2%), NO3(-) (3% ± 1%), Br(-) (2% ± 1%), Cl(-) (2% ± 1%), and SO4(2-) (3% ± 1%) for refolding of 2 mM cyt c (anion concentration 125 mM).

Preclinical therapeutic potential of a nitrosylating agent in the treatment of ovarian cancer.

This study examines the role of s-nitrosylation in the growth of ovarian cancer using cell culture based and in vivo approaches. Using the nitrosylating agent, S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), a physiological nitric oxide molecule, we show that GSNO treatment inhibited proliferation of chemoresponsive and chemoresistant ovarian cancer cell lines (A2780, C200, SKVO3, ID8, OVCAR3, OVCAR4, OVCAR5, OVCAR7, OVCAR8, OVCAR10, PE01 and PE04) in a dose dependent manner. GSNO treatment abrogated growth factor (HB-EGF) induced signal transduction including phosphorylation of Akt, p42/44 and STAT3, which are known to play critical roles in ovarian cancer growth and progression.

Dimorphism and hydrocarbon metabolism in Yarrowia lipolytica var. indica.

Yarrowia lipolytica is able to metabolize high Mr hydrophobic natural compounds such as fatty acids and hydrocarbons. Characteristically, strains of Y. lipolytica can grow as populations with variable proportions of yeast and filamentous forms.

All-trans retinoic acid is an effective inhibitor of hyaluronate synthesis in a human dermal equivalent.

All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is known to have beneficial effects on skin. It has been used extensively for the treatment of photodamaged skin. To assess the effects of all-trans retinoic acid on the dermis, specifically its effect on hyaluronate (hyaluronic acid, HA) synthesis and inhibition, tissue-engineered human dermal equivalents were prepared in the presence of varying concentrations of ATRA using the method of "self-assembly".

Asthma medication use among U.S. adults 18 and older.

Background: Asthma is a chronic lung disease that currently affects an estimated 25 million Americans. One way to control the disease is by regular use of preventive asthma medications and controlled use of acute medications. However, little is known about adults with asthma and factors associated with their medication use.

Rapid encoding of an internal model for imitative learning.

As in human infant speech development, vocal imitation in songbirds involves sensory acquisition and memorization of adult-produced vocal signals, followed by a protracted phase of vocal motor practice. The internal model of adult tutor song in the juvenile male brain, termed 'the template', is central to the vocal imitation process. However, even the most fundamental aspects of the template, such as when, where and how it is encoded in the brain, remain poorly understood.

A prospective study evaluating efficacy of polymer free Pronova XR stent in treatment of denovo coronary artery stenosis.

Background: Drug eluting stents have remarkably improved results of percutaneous coronary angioplasty. Most of the currently available drug eluting stents uses a durable polymer as drug carrier which has been implicated in local inflammatory response and continued incidence of late and very late stent thrombosis. The Pronova XR stent is one from those new generation polymer free sirolimus eluting stents in which pharmaceutical excipient is used for the timed release of sirolimus from the XR stent platform instead of a polymeric coating.

Solitary Periosteal Osteoma of the Mandible: A case report.

Osteoma of the jaw bones is a rare entity with very few cases reported in the literature. Osteomas are benign, slow-growing osteogenic tumours of the bone commonly encountered in the craniofacial skeleton and characterised by the proliferation of compact or cancellous bone. They can be central, peripheral or extra-skeletal in their location.

Formation of oligomeric cytochrome c during folding by intermolecular hydrophobic interaction between N- and C-terminal α-helices.

We have previously shown that horse cytochrome c (cyt c) forms oligomers by domain swapping its C-terminal α-helix when interacting with ethanol. Although folding of cyt c has been studied extensively, formation of domain-swapped oligomers of cyt c during folding has never been reported. We found that domain-swapped oligomeric cyt c is produced during refolding from its guanidinium ion-induced unfolded state at high protein concentrations and low temperatures.

Craniofacial duplication: a case report.

A craniofacial duplication or diprosopus is an unusual variant of conjoined twinning. The reported incidence is one in 180,000-15 million births and 35 cases have been reported till date. The phenotype is wide, with the partial duplication of a few facial structures to complete dicephalus.

Antifungal dimeric chalcone derivative kamalachalcone E from Mallotus philippinensis.

From the red coloured extract (Kamala) prepared through acetone extraction of the fresh whole uncrushed fruits of Mallotus philippinensis, one new dimeric chalcone (1) along with three known compounds 1-(5,7-dihydroxy-2,2,6-trimethyl-2H-1-benzopyran-8-yl)-3-phenyl-2-propen-1-one (2), rottlerin (3) and 4'-hydroxyrottlerin (4) were isolated. The structure of compound 1 was elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR analyses that included HSQC, HMBC, COSY and ROESY experiments along with the literature comparison. Compounds 1-4 were evaluated for antifungal activity against different human pathogenic yeasts and filamentous fungi.

Parents' perceptions of pharmacists as providers of influenza vaccine to children.

Objective: To examine parents' experience with the process of obtaining the influenza vaccine and their perceptions about pharmacists providing influenza vaccination services to their children.

Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study.

Setting: Wisconsin between November 2011 and April 2012.

Evaluating the anti-inflammatory potential of Tectaria cicutaria L. rhizome extract in vitro as well as in vivo.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The rhizome of Tectaria cicutaria has been used in the folklore system of Indian traditional medicine (Ayurveda) for the treatment of various disorders such as rheumatic pain, chest complaints, burns, sprain, poisonous bites, tonsilitis, toothache, gum complaints, cuts and wounds. The present work has for the first time tried to elucidate the anti-inflammatory potential of aqueous extract of Tectaria cicutaria rhizome (TCRaq) in vitro as well as in vivo.

Materials And Methods: Anti-inflammatory potential of TCRaq was analyzed in vivo in carrageenan induced rat paw edema model.

Hydrocortisone effect on hyaluronate synthesis in a self-assembled human dermal equivalent.

Human dermal matrix is a 'self-assembled' dermal equivalent containing large amounts of the glycosaminoglycan hyaluronic acid (hyaluronate, hyaluronan, HA). We sought to investigate the actions of the hormone hydrocortisone on hyaluronate synthesis in the human dermal matrix. To this end, human dermal fibroblasts were cultured under serum-free conditions, and in the absence of a three-dimensional matrix, in the presence of varying amounts of hydrocortisone.

Mechanism of action of novel synthetic dodecapeptides against Candida albicans.

Background: Three de novo designed low molecular weight cationic peptides (IJ2, IJ3 and IJ4) containing an unnatural amino acid α,β-didehydrophenylalanine (∆Phe) exhibited potent antifungal activity against fluconazole (FLC) sensitive and resistant clinical isolates of Candida albicans as well as non-albicans and other yeast and filamentous pathogenic fungi. In the present study, their synthesis, susceptibility of different fungi and the mechanism of anti-candidal action have been elucidated.

Methods: The antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) were synthesized by solid-phase method and checked for antifungal activity against different yeasts and fungi by broth microdilution method.