Adherence to buccal epithelial cells, enzymatic and hemolytic activities of Candida isolates from HIV-infected individuals.

Candida spp., along with other microorganisms are usually found in the normal flora of the human oral mucosa. However in HIV-infected individuals these yeasts can become opportunistic pathogens and lead to mucosal infections.

Spatial characterization of electric potentials generated by pulsed microelectrode arrays.

This presentation is a report on the in situ characterization of stimulating microelectrodes in the context of multielectrode retinal prosthetic implants. The experimental system approximately replicates the geometric and electrical parameters of Second Sight Medical Products' Argus II Retinal Implant. Topographic maps of electric potentials have been prepared for a 60 electrode structure in which selected electrodes were stimulated with biphasic repetitively pulsed charge densities at 100 microC·cm(-2).

Multistate unfolding of α-mannosidase from Canavalia ensiformis (Jack Bean): evidence for the thermostable molten globule.

The relevance of partially ordered states of proteins (such as the molten-globule state) in cellular processes is beginning to be understood. We examined the conformational transitions in a multimeric and high molecular weight class II α-mannosidase from Canavalia ensiformis (Jack Bean) (Jbα-man) utilizing intrinsic fluorescence, solute quenching, hydrophobic dye binding, size exclusion chromatography and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy for the protein in presence of Guanidine hydrochloride (GdnHCl). The decomposition analysis of the protein spectra obtained during unfolding showed progressive appearance of class S, I, II and III trp.

Conformational transitions in Ariesaema curvatum lectin: characterization of an acid induced active molten globule.

Biophysical characterization of a lectin from Ariesaema curvatum (ACL) was carried out using steady state as well as time resolved fluorescence and CD spectroscopy under various denaturing conditions. An intermediate with altered tryptophan microenvironment was detected in the phase diagram, which exibited pronounced secondary structure and hemagglutinating activity in presence of 0.25 M Gdn-HCl.

Measuring behavioral and endocrine responses to novelty stress in adult zebrafish.

Several behavioral assays are currently used for high-throughput neurophenotyping and screening of genetic mutations and psychotropic drugs in zebrafish (Danio rerio). In this protocol, we describe a battery of two assays to characterize anxiety-related behavioral and endocrine phenotypes in adult zebrafish. Here, we detail how to use the 'novel tank' test to assess behavioral indices of anxiety (including reduced exploration, increased freezing behavior and erratic movement), which are quantifiable using manual registration and computer-aided video-tracking analyses.

Primary pleuro-pulmonary synovial sarcoma.

Primary pleuro-pulmonary synovial sarcoma (PPSS) is a rare tumour and poses adiagnostic challenge particularly when unusual histological features are present. We report a case of a 30-year-old immunocompromised human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) sero-positive male who was referred to us with complaints of cough, breathlessness and left-sided chestpain for the past two months. The PPSS can be confirmed on tru-cut biopsy.

Effect of induced oxidative stress and herbal extracts on acid phosphatase activity in lysosomal and microsomal fractions of midgut tissue of the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Lysosomal and microsomal acid phosphatase activity was estimated in midgut tissue of silkworm larvae, Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae), after induced oxidative stress by D-galactose. The larvae were simultaneously were treated with ethanolic extracts of Bacopa monniera and Lactuca sativa to study their antioxidant properties.

Electrophysiological characteristics of seizure clusters.

The phenomenon of temporal clustering of seizures is well known, but its effect on seizure localization has not been rigorously analyzed. The aim of our study was to assess electrophysiological localization during Video EEG (VEEG) monitoring in patients with intractable epilepsy demonstrating a cluster of seizures. The study was conducted on 203 intractable epilepsy patients, aged 2 to 60 years (19.

Homebase behavior of zebrafish in novelty-based paradigms.

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are emerging as a promising model species in neuroscience research. Many traditional rodent behavioral paradigms may be adapted for zebrafish testing. Exposing zebrafish to three different "open field" tanks for 30 min, we showed that fish display robust homebase behavior, in which one area of the tank is chosen as a preferred point of reference during the test, which the fish frequently return to and spend a longer duration in.

Cerebral miliary micro aneurysms in polyarteritis nodosa: report of two cases.

Cerebral involvement is rare in polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) and is mostly characterized by ischemic events and intracranial hemorrhages secondary to cerebral aneurysms is extremely rare. We report two patients of PAN with multiple intracranial aneurysms. One patient presented with intracerebral hemorrhage and in the other patient multiple intracranial aneurysms were incidental findings and were asymptomatic.

Characterization of behavioral and endocrine effects of LSD on zebrafish.

Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a potent hallucinogenic drug that strongly affects animal and human behavior. Although adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) are emerging as a promising neurobehavioral model, the effects of LSD on zebrafish have not been investigated previously. Several behavioral paradigms (the novel tank, observation cylinder, light-dark box, open field, T-maze, social preference and shoaling tests), as well as modern video-tracking tools and whole-body cortisol assay were used to characterize the effects of acute LSD in zebrafish.

Isolation, structure, and functional elucidation of a modified pentapeptide, cysteine protease inhibitor (CPI-2081) from Streptomyces species 2081 that exhibit inhibitory effect on cancer cell migration.

Cysteine proteases play an important role in cell migration and tumor metastasis. Therefore, their inhibitors are of colossal interest, having potential to be developed as effective antimetastatic drugs for tumor chemotherapy. Traditionally, secondary metabolites from streptomyces show a wide range of diversity with respect to their biological activity and chemical nature.

Modeling seizure-related behavioral and endocrine phenotypes in adult zebrafish.

Larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) have recently been suggested as a high-throughput experimental model of epilepsy-related pathogenetic states. Here we use adult zebrafish to study behavioral symptoms associated with drug-evoked seizures. Experimental epilepsy-like states were evoked in zebrafish by exposure for 20min to three chemoconvulsant drugs: caffeine (250mg/L; 1.

Surgery for medically intractable epilepsy due to postinfectious etiologies.

Medically intractable epilepsy (MIE) resulting from postinfectious etiologies requiring surgery have been uncommonly reported. A series of 28 cases are presented (hospital prevalence 5.7%).

Conformational and functional transitions in class II alpha-mannosidase from Aspergillus fischeri.

The conformational transitions in an oligomeric and high molecular weight class II alpha-mannosidase from Aspergillus fischeri were examined using fluorescence and CD spectroscopy under chemical, thermal and acid denaturing conditions. The enzyme lost the activity first and then the overall folded conformation and secondary structure. The midpoint values of GdnHCl mediated changes measured by inactivation; fluorescence and negative ellipticity were 0.

Intra-operative electrocorticography in lesional epilepsy.

Intra-operative electrocorticography (ECoG) is useful in epilepsy surgery to delineate margins of epileptogenic zone, guide resection and evaluate completeness of resection in surgically remediable intractable epilepsies. The study evaluated 157 cases (2000-2008). The preoperative evaluation also included ictal SPECT (122) and PET in 32 cases.

The effects of chronic social defeat stress on mouse self-grooming behavior and its patterning.

Stress induced by social defeat is a strong modifier of animal anxiety and depression-like phenotypes. Self-grooming is a common rodent behavior, and has an ordered cephalo-caudal progression from licking of the paws to head, body, genitals and tail. Acute stress is known to alter grooming activity levels and disrupt its patterning.

Modeling withdrawal syndrome in zebrafish.

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is rapidly becoming a popular model species in behavioral neuroscience research. Zebrafish behavior is robustly affected by environmental and pharmacological manipulations, and can be examined using exploration-based paradigms, paralleled by analysis of endocrine (cortisol) stress responses. Discontinuation of various psychotropic drugs evokes withdrawal in both humans and rodents, characterized by increased anxiety.

Signal regulatory protein-beta1: a microglial modulator of phagocytosis in Alzheimer's disease.

The signal regulatory protein-beta1 (SIRPbeta1) is a DAP12-associated transmembrane receptor expressed in a subset of hematopoietic cells. Recently, it was shown that peritoneal macrophages express SIRPbeta1, which positively regulated phagocytosis. Here, we found that SIRPbeta1 was up-regulated and acted as a phagocytic receptor on microglia in amyloid precursor protein J20 (APP/J20) transgenic mice and in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients.

Rhodotorula aurantiaca penicillin V acylase: active site characterization and fluorometric studies.

Penicillin V acylase (PVA), a member of newly evolved Ntn-hydrolase superfamily, is a pharmaceutically important enzyme to produce 6-aminopenicillanic acid. Active site characterization of recently purified monomeric PVA from Rhodotorula aurantiaca (Ra-PVA), the yeast source, showed the involvement of serine and tryptophan in the enzyme activity. Modification of the protein with serine and tryptophan specific reagents such as PMSF and NBS showed partial loss of PVA activity and substrate protection.

Conformational characterization of human eukaryotic initiation factor 2alpha: a single tryptophan protein.

The alpha-subunit of the human eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (heIF2alpha), a GTP binding protein, plays a major role in the initiation of protein synthesis. During various cytoplasmic stresses, eIF2alpha gets phosphorylated by eIF2alpha-specific kinases resulting in inhibition of protein synthesis. The cloned and over expressed heIF2alpha, a protein with a single tryptophan (trp) residue was examined for its conformational characteristics using steady-state and time-resolved tryptophan fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD) and hydrophobic dye binding.

Parthenogenesis and somatic cell nuclear transfer in sheep oocytes using Polscope.

Parthenogenesis and Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) techniques, offer a unique approach to manipulate the genetic composition of derived human embryonic stem cells - an essential step if the full opportunities for disease modeling, drug discovery or individualized stem cell therapy are to be realized. The present study describes the use of sheep oocytes to acquire expertise and establish methods to reconstruct embryos for obtaining blastocysts before venturing into human SCNT where the oocytes are a very precious starting material. Maturation of sheep eggs in vitro for 20-24 hr resulted in 65% metaphase II (MII) eggs which were either parthenogenetically activated using calcium ionomycin or ethanol or subjected to SCNT using cumulus cell as somatic cell.

Intra-arterial thrombolysis in basilar artery occlusions combination of intra-arterial thrombolytics and Gp IIb/IIIa inhibitors in basilar artery thrombosis.

Basilar artery thrombosis has high morbidity and mortality. Though intra-arterial thrombolytics have proven efficacy in the treatment of acute basilar artery occlusion, the elevation of procoagulant factors in the blood after intra-arterial thrombolysis could result in subsequent thrombus formation and clinical deterioration. Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors have been shown to reduce this elevation in procoagulants.