Effect of Storage Temperature on Structure and Function of Cultured Human Oral Keratinocytes.

Purpose/aims: To assess the effect of storage temperature on the viability, phenotype, metabolism, and morphology of cultured human oral keratinocytes (HOK).

Materials And Methods: Cultured HOK cells were stored in HEPES- and sodium bicarbonate-buffered Minimum Essential Medium (MEM) at nine temperatures in approximately 4 °C increments from 4 °C to 37 °C for seven days. Cells were characterized for viability by calcein fluorescence, phenotype retention by immunocytochemistry, metabolic parameters (pH, glucose, lactate, and O2) within the storage medium by blood gas analysis, and morphology by scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy.

Epidemiological Aspect and common Bacterial and Fungal isolates from Suppurative Corneal Ulcer in Mymensingh Region.

This prospective study was done to find out the epidemiological factors of suppurative corneal ulcer and the common causative bacterial and fungal isolates from the, patients with suppurative corneal ulcer in secondary and tertiary level hospital at Mymensingh region. A total 100 samples of corneal scrapings were collected purposively from clinically diagnosed suppurative corneal ulcer patients from March 18, 2012 to March 17, 2013. Out of the total 100 samples, bacterial species were 29(29%) cases and the fungal spacies were 71(71%) identified by the culture in blood agar, chocolate agar and sabouraud's agar media and also by microscopic examination.

Polymer immobilized Cu(I) formation and azide-alkyne cycloaddition: A one pot reaction.

During the polymerization of aniline using copper sulphate, act as an oxidizing agent, the in-situ synthesized Cu(I) ion catalyzed the cyclo-addition between azides and alkynes. This work represents the merging of two steps, synthesis of the catalyst and application of the catalyst, in a one pot reaction. The elimination of the separate catalyst synthesis step is economic in terms of cost and time.

Strongly correlated quantum walks in optical lattices.

Full control over the dynamics of interacting, indistinguishable quantum particles is an important prerequisite for the experimental study of strongly correlated quantum matter and the implementation of high-fidelity quantum information processing. We demonstrate such control over the quantum walk-the quantum mechanical analog of the classical random walk-in the regime where dynamics are dominated by interparticle interactions. Using interacting bosonic atoms in an optical lattice, we directly observed fundamental effects such as the emergence of correlations in two-particle quantum walks, as well as strongly correlated Bloch oscillations in tilted optical lattices.

Who serves the urban poor? A geospatial and descriptive analysis of health services in slum settlements in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

In Bangladesh, the health risks of unplanned urbanization are disproportionately shouldered by the urban poor. At the same time, affordable formal primary care services are scarce, and what exists is almost exclusively provided by non-government organizations (NGOs) working on a project basis. So where do the poor go for health care? A health facility mapping of six urban slum settlements in Dhaka was undertaken to explore the configuration of healthcare services proximate to where the poor reside.

Toxicity of anthraquinones: differential effects of rumex seed extracts on rat organ weights and biochemical and haematological parameters.

The genus Rumex and related species such as Rheum and Polygonum are widely used as medicinal herbs and foods. They contain anthraquinones (AQ) such as emodin and chrysophanol as active ingredients, and there is concern about the toxicity of these compounds. This study evaluated the chronic effects of Rumex patientia seed aqueous and ethanolic extracts, in male and female rats separately, on organ weights and over 30 haematological, biochemical and histological parameters, immediately after 14-week administration and after a further period of 15 days without drug treatment.

Serum-free and xenobiotic-free preservation of cultured human limbal epithelial cells.

Aim/purpose Of The Study: To develop a one-week storage method, without serum and xenobiotics, that would maintain cell viability, morphology, and phenotype of cultured human limbal epithelial sheets.

Materials And Methods: Human limbal explants were cultured on intact human amniotic membranes for two weeks. The sheets were stored in a hermetically sealed container at 23°C in either a serum-free medium with selected animal serum-derived compounds (Quantum 286) or a xenobiotic-free medium (Minimal Essential Medium) for 4 and 7 days.

3-Oxoisoxazole-2(3H)-carboxamides and isoxazol-3-yl carbamates: Resistance-breaking acetylcholinesterase inhibitors targeting the malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae.

To identify potential selective and resistance-breaking mosquitocides against the African malaria vector Anopheles gambiae, we investigated the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory and mosquitocidal properties of isoxazol-3-yl dimethylcarbamates (15), and the corresponding 3-oxoisoxazole-2(3H)-dimethylcarboxamide isomers (14). In both series, compounds were found with excellent contact toxicity to wild-type susceptible (G3) strain and multiply resistant (Akron) strain mosquitoes that carry the G119S resistance mutation of AChE. Compounds possessing good to excellent toxicity to Akron strain mosquitoes inhibit the G119S mutant of An.

Optimization of influential nutrients during direct cellulose fermentation into hydrogen by Clostridium thermocellum.

Combinatorial effects of influential growth nutrients were investigated in order to enhance hydrogen (H2) production during direct conversion of cellulose by Clostridium thermocellum DSM 1237. A central composite face-centered design and response surface methodology (RSM) were applied to optimize concentrations of cellulose, yeast extract (YE), and magnesium chloride (Mg) in culture. The overall optimum composition generated by the desirability function resulted in 57.

Health checkup and telemedical intervention program for preventive medicine in developing countries: verification study.

Background: The prevalence of non-communicable diseases is increasing throughout the world, including developing countries.

Objective: The intent was to conduct a study of a preventive medical service in a developing country, combining eHealth checkups and teleconsultation as well as assess stratification rules and the short-term effects of intervention.

Methods: We developed an eHealth system that comprises a set of sensor devices in an attaché case, a data transmission system linked to a mobile network, and a data management application.

8th GCC: consolidated feedback to US FDA on the 2013 draft FDA guidance on bioanalytical method validation.

The 8th GCC Closed Forum for Bioanalysis was held in Baltimore, MD, USA on 5 December 2013, immediately following the 2013 AAPS Workshop (Crystal City V): Quantitative Bioanalytical Methods Validation and Implementation--The 2013 Revised FDA Guidance. This GCC meeting was organized to discuss the contents of the draft revised FDA Guidance on bioanalytical method validation that was published in September 2013 and consolidate the feedback of the GCC members. In attendance were 63 senior-level participants, from seven countries, representing 46 bioanalytical CRO companies/sites.

Bangladesh Midlife Women's Health Study (BMWHS): methods, challenges and experiences.

Objectives: To understand the challenges and experiences encountered during data collection for Bangladesh Midlife Women's Health Study (BMWHS) that investigated the low uptake of cervical cancer (CCa) screening barriers, understanding of breast cancer (BCa) knowledge and practices, the prevalence of urinary and fecal incontinence and menopausal symptoms.

Methods: A multistage cluster sampling technique was used to recruit women from the 32 districts of Bangladesh that had offered CCa screening. Female interviewers were trained to undertake structured face-to-face interviews that incorporated both non-validated and several validated questionnaires, such as Question for Urinary Incontinence Diagnosis, Pelvic Organ Prolapse Distress Inventory, Colorectal-Anal Distress Inventory and Menopause-Specific Quality of Life.

Stealth lipoplex decorated with triazole-tethered galactosyl moieties: a strong hepatotropic gene vector.

Mono-antennary galacto derivatives of cholesterol are being actively developed to direct lipoplexes to the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGP-R) on hepatocytes. Here we report on a novel ASGP-R ligand cholest-5-en-3-yl [1-(β-D-galactopyranosyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl]methylcarbamate (4), assembled by a copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (click chemistry), and compare it with cholest-5-en-3-yl-β-D-galactopyranoside (2) and cholest-5-en-3-yl [1-(β-D-galactopyranosyl-1'-oxy)phen-4-yl]carbamate (3), in liposome formulations with or without 5 mol% distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine poly(ethylene glycol)2000, intended for DNA delivery to ASGP-R-positive hepatocyte-derived HepG2 cells and the ASGP-R-negative embryo kidney cell line HEK293. Transfection levels attained with lipoplex 4 were 100 and 300% greater than those for lipoplexes 2 and 3 respectively in HepG2 cells, while competition assays reduced transfection levels by up to 98%.

Community perceptions of a rural medical school: a pilot qualitative study.

Background: This paper explores local community perceptions of a relatively new rural medical school. For the purposes of this paper, community engagement is conceptualized as involvement in planning, delivering, and evaluating the medical program. Although there are several reviews of patient involvement in medical curricula development, this study was designed to pilot an approach to exploring the perspectives of well members of the community in the transition of institutional policy on community engagement to one medical school.

Transport and thermoelectric properties of polyaniline/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites.

Polyanilines (PANI)/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanocomposites are chemically synthesized. Their structure and morphology are characterized by scanning and transmission electron microscopies, x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. In addition, the nanocomposites' electrical, thermal and thermoelectric (TE) transport characteristics are investigated as a function of RGO content.

Expression of root-related transcription factors associated with flooding tolerance of soybean (Glycine max).

Much research has been conducted on the changes in gene expression of the model plant Arabidopsis to low-oxygen stress. Flooding results in a low oxygen environment in the root zone. However, there is ample evidence that tolerance to soil flooding is more than tolerance to low oxygen alone.

Pin1 plays a critical role as a molecular switch in canonical BMP signaling.

Pin1 is a peptidyl prolyl cis-trans isomerase that specifically binds to the phosphoserine-proline or phosphothreonine-proline motifs of numerous proteins. Previously, we reported that Pin1 deficiency resulted in defects in osteoblast differentiation during early bone development. In this study, we found that adult Pin1-deficient mice developed osteoporotic phenotypes compared to age-matched controls.

Heuristics in Managing Complex Clinical Decision Tasks in Experts' Decision Making.

Background: Clinical decision support is a tool to help experts make optimal and efficient decisions. However, little is known about the high level of abstractions in the thinking process for the experts.

Objective: The objective of the study is to understand how clinicians manage complexity while dealing with complex clinical decision tasks.

Quantum catalysis of magnetic phase transitions in a quantum simulator.

We control quantum fluctuations to create the ground state magnetic phases of a classical Ising model with a tunable longitudinal magnetic field using a system of 6 to 10 atomic ion spins. Because of the long-range Ising interactions, the various ground state spin configurations are separated by multiple first-order phase transitions, which in our zero temperature system cannot be driven by thermal fluctuations. We instead use a transverse magnetic field as a quantum catalyst to observe the first steps of the complete fractal devil's staircase, which emerges in the thermodynamic limit and can be mapped to a large number of many-body and energy-optimization problems.

Knowledge and awareness about STDs among women in Bangladesh.

Background: Knowledge and awareness concerning sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) has become the burning issue of the day. Although STDs pose serious risks to health security, there is very little literature quantifying the knowledge and awareness of these diseases and their principal socioeconomic determinants. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of different socio-economic and demographic factors on knowledge and awareness about STDs among women in Bangladesh.

Design and synthesis of phenolic hydrazide hydrazones as potent poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) inhibitors.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) are enzymes responsible for catalyzing the formation and degradation of poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) polymers, respectively. Activation of PARP has been shown to be involved in cell death induced by genotoxic stimuli. On the other hand, genetic disruption of PARG also leads to increased level of cell death by accumulation of PAR.

eHealth and mHealth initiatives in Bangladesh: a scoping study.

Background: The health system of Bangladesh is haunted by challenges of accessibility and affordability. Despite impressive gains in many health indicators, recent evidence has raised concerns regarding the utilization, quality and equity of healthcare. In the context of new and unfamiliar public health challenges including high population density and rapid urbanization, eHealth and mHealth are being promoted as a route to cost-effective, equitable and quality healthcare in Bangladesh.

Pin1 regulates osteoclast fusion through suppression of the master regulator of cell fusion DC-STAMP.

Cell fusion is a fundamental biological event that is essential for the development of multinucleated cells such as osteoclasts. Fusion failure leads to the accumulation of dense bone such as in osteopetrosis, demonstrating the importance of fusion in osteoclast maturity and bone remodeling. In a recent study, we reported that Pin1 plays a role in the regulation of bone formation and Runx2 regulation.

Beat note stabilization of mode-locked lasers for quantum information processing.

We stabilize a chosen radio frequency beat note between two optical fields derived from the same mode-locked laser pulse train in order to coherently manipulate quantum information. This scheme does not require access or active stabilization of the laser repetition rate. We implement and characterize this external lock, in the context of two-photon stimulated Raman transitions between the hyperfine ground states of trapped 171Yb(+) quantum bits.

Gastric polyps: a review of clinical, endoscopic, and histopathologic features and management decisions.

The increasing use of endoscopy has led to more discernable abnormalities in the stomach, including polyps. Gastric polyps encompass a spectrum of pathologic conditions that can vary in histology, neoplastic potential, and management. Despite their high prevalence, there is a paucity of literature to support management and treatment decisions for endoscopists.