Occipital post-traumatic intradiploic arachnoid cyst converted to pseudomeningocele after re-trauma: a rare complication of rare pathology.

Background: Growing skull fracture (GSF)/pseudomeningocele is a rare complication of head injury in children. Post-traumatic intradiploic arachnoid cyst (PTIAC) is a variant but it is extremely rare. PTIACs are usually asymptomatic or with mild symptoms like headache.

Glial lipid droplets and ROS induced by mitochondrial defects promote neurodegeneration.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial defects in neurons are implicated in neurodegenerative disease. Here, we find that a key consequence of ROS and neuronal mitochondrial dysfunction is the accumulation of lipid droplets (LD) in glia. In Drosophila, ROS triggers c-Jun-N-terminal Kinase (JNK) and Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein (SREBP) activity in neurons leading to LD accumulation in glia prior to or at the onset of neurodegeneration.

Nanoemulsion: an advanced mode of drug delivery system.

An advanced mode of drug delivery system has been developed to overcome the major drawbacks associated with conventional drug delivery systems. This review gives a detailed idea about a nanoemulsion system. Nanoemulsions are nano-sized emulsions, which are manufactured for improving the delivery of active pharmaceutical ingredients.

XLPM: efficient algorithm for the analysis of protein-protein contacts using chemical cross-linking mass spectrometry.

Background: Chemical cross-linking is used for protein-protein contacts mapping and for structural analysis. One of the difficulties in cross-linking studies is the analysis of mass-spectrometry data and the assignment of the site of cross-link incorporation. The difficulties are due to higher charges of fragment ions, and to the overall low-abundance of cross-link species in the background of linear peptides.

Mitochondrial fusion but not fission regulates larval growth and synaptic development through steroid hormone production.

Mitochondrial fusion and fission affect the distribution and quality control of mitochondria. We show that Marf (Mitochondrial associated regulatory factor), is required for mitochondrial fusion and transport in long axons. Moreover, loss of Marf leads to a severe depletion of mitochondria in neuromuscular junctions (NMJs).

A drosophila genetic resource of mutants to study mechanisms underlying human genetic diseases.

Invertebrate model systems are powerful tools for studying human disease owing to their genetic tractability and ease of screening. We conducted a mosaic genetic screen of lethal mutations on the Drosophila X chromosome to identify genes required for the development, function, and maintenance of the nervous system. We identified 165 genes, most of whose function has not been studied in vivo.

Large-scale identification of chemically induced mutations in Drosophila melanogaster.

Forward genetic screens using chemical mutagens have been successful in defining the function of thousands of genes in eukaryotic model organisms. The main drawback of this strategy is the time-consuming identification of the molecular lesions causative of the phenotypes of interest. With whole-genome sequencing (WGS), it is now possible to sequence hundreds of strains, but determining which mutations are causative among thousands of polymorphisms remains challenging.

Platelet-activating factor: a role in preterm delivery and an essential interaction with Toll-like receptor signaling in mice.

Platelet-activating factor (PAF), a potent phospholipid activator of inflammation that signals through its cognate receptor (platelet-activating factor receptor, PTAFR), has been shown to induce preterm delivery in mice. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are transmembrane receptors that mediate innate immunity. We have shown previously that Escherichia coli-induced preterm delivery in mice requires TLR signaling via the adaptor protein myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88), but not an alternative adaptor, Toll/IL-1 receptor domain-containing adapter protein-inducing interferon-beta (TRIF).

Giant spin Hall effect in graphene grown by chemical vapour deposition.

Advances in large-area graphene synthesis via chemical vapour deposition on metals like copper were instrumental in the demonstration of graphene-based novel, wafer-scale electronic circuits and proof-of-concept applications such as flexible touch panels. Here, we show that graphene grown by chemical vapour deposition on copper is equally promising for spintronics applications. In contrast to natural graphene, our experiments demonstrate that chemically synthesized graphene has a strong spin-orbit coupling as high as 20 meV giving rise to a giant spin Hall effect.

Unconventional transport through graphene on SrTiO₃: a plausible effect of SrTiO₃ phase-transitions.

High-k dielectric oxides are supposedly ideal gate-materials for ultra-high doping in graphene and other 2D-crystals. Here, we report a temperature-dependent electronic transport study on chemical vapor deposited-graphene gated with SrTiO₃ (STO) thin film substrate. At carrier densities away from charge neutrality point the temperature-dependent resistivity of our graphene samples on both STO and SiO₂/Si substrates show metallic behavior with contributions from Coulomb scattering and flexural phonons attributable to the presence of characteristic quasi-periodic nano-ripple arrays.

Glucose control and diabetic neuropathy: lessons from recent large clinical trials.

Diabetic peripheral and autonomic neuropathies are common complications of diabetes with broad spectrums of clinical manifestations and high morbidity. Studies using various agents to target the pathways implicated in the development and progression of diabetic neuropathy were promising in animal models. In humans, however, randomized controlled studies have failed to show efficacy on objective measures of neuropathy.

Baseline extracellular potassium level as an indicator of the rate of increase of the same on further storage in CPDA-1 whole blood units: a potential approach to complement FIFO system for prioritisation of blood bags for release from blood-banks.

Background: Potassium levels in stored blood bags increases as they age. Hyperkalemia in transfused blood has undesirable cardiac effects.

Materials And Methods: Within a 19-month period, baseline and weekly samples from 15 CPDA-1 whole blood bags were collected till 28 days of storage and analysed for potassium, sodium, uric acid, albumin and whole blood haemoglobin.

Identification and characterization of alkaline protease producing Bacillus firmus species EMBS023 by 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

Probiotic microorganisms are those which exert a positive exect on the growth of the host, when administered as a dietary mixture in an adequate amount. They form the best alternative to the use of antibiotics for controlling enteric diseases in poultry farm animals, especially in the light of the gruesome problems of development of antibiotic resistance in enteric pathogens and the contamination of poultry products with antibiotics. 16S rDNA sequencing which has gained wide popularity amongst microbiologists for the molecular characterization and identification of newly discovered isolates provides accurate identification of isolates down to the level of sub-species (strain).

Future directions of clinical laboratory evaluation of pregnancy.

In recent years, our understanding of how the immune system interacts with the developing fetus and placenta has greatly expanded. There are many laboratories that provide tests for diagnosis of pregnancy outcome in women who have recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) or pre-eclampsia. These tests are based on the premise that immune response to the fetus is equivalent to the adaptive immune response to a transplant.

Association between impaired cardiovascular autonomic function and hypoglycemia in patients with type 1 diabetes.

Objective: We studied the association between glycemic variability (GV) reflecting hypoglycemic stress and cardiovascular autonomic function in subjects with type 1 diabetes.

Research Design And Methods: Forty-four type 1 diabetic patients (mean age 34 ± 13 years, 40% male, 86% Caucasian, mean diabetes duration 13 ± 6 years, mean hemoglobin A1c [HbA1c] 8.0 ± 1.

Lipids and lipid management in diabetes.

Cardiovascular disease is more prevalent in type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and continues to be the leading cause of death among adults with diabetes. Although atherosclerotic vascular disease has a multi-factorial etiology, disorders of lipid metabolism play a central role. The coexistence of diabetes with other risk factors, in particular with dyslipidemia, further increases cardiovascular disease risk.

A mitocentric view of Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease, yet the underlying causative molecular mechanisms are ill defined. Numerous observations based on drug studies and mutations in genes that cause PD point to a complex set of rather subtle mitochondrial defects that may be causative. Indeed, intensive investigation of these genes in model organisms has revealed roles in the electron transport chain, mitochondrial protein homeostasis, mitophagy, and the fusion and fission of mitochondria.

The retromer complex is required for rhodopsin recycling and its loss leads to photoreceptor degeneration.

Rhodopsin mistrafficking can cause photoreceptor (PR) degeneration. Upon light exposure, activated rhodopsin 1 (Rh1) in Drosophila PRs is internalized via endocytosis and degraded in lysosomes. Whether internalized Rh1 can be recycled is unknown.

Dual pH and temperature stimuli-responsive magnetic nanohydrogels for thermo-chemotherapy.

Dual stimuli pH and temperature-responsive nanohydrogels based on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-chitosan have been synthesized. Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) (-12 nm) have been incorporated into hydrogels to achieve temperature optimized magnetic nanohydrogel (MNHG) for magnetic hyperthermia with lower critical solution temperature, LCST > 42 degrees C. The composite was further investigated for its potential application in drug delivery and in vitro cancer cell cytotoxicity.

Thermoresponsive magnetic hydrogels as theranostic nanoconstructs.

We report the development of thermoresponsive magnetic hydrogels based on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) encapsulation of Fe3O4 magnetic nanostructures (MNS). In particular, we examined the effects of hydrogels encapsulated with poly-ethylene glycol (PEG) and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) surface modified Fe3O4 MNS on magnetic resonance (MR) T2 (transverse spin relaxation) contrast enhancement and associated delivery efficacy of absorbed therapeutic cargo. The microstructural characterization reveal the regular spherical shape and size (∼200 nm) of the hydrogels with elevated hydrophilic to hydrophobic transition temperature (∼40 °C) characterized by LCST (lower critical solution temperature) due to the presence of encapsulated MNS.

Activating mutations in RRAS underlie a phenotype within the RASopathy spectrum and contribute to leukaemogenesis.

RASopathies, a family of disorders characterized by cardiac defects, defective growth, facial dysmorphism, variable cognitive deficits and predisposition to certain malignancies, are caused by constitutional dysregulation of RAS signalling predominantly through the RAF/MEK/ERK (MAPK) cascade. We report on two germline mutations (p.Gly39dup and p.

Vacuolar-ATPase isoform a2 regulates macrophages and cytokine profile necessary for normal spermatogenesis in testis.

a2V is required for maturation of sperm. The decreased expression of a2V at the feto-maternal interphase causes poor pregnancy outcome. The present study examined the role of a2V in spermatogenesis and inflammatory network in the testis.

Biocompatibility, biodistribution and efficacy of magnetic nanohydrogels in inhibiting growth of tumors in experimental mice models.

We report in vivo evaluation of a thermo-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-chitosan based magnetic nanohydrogel (MNHG) incorporated with FeO nanoparticles (NPs) in mice models with expandible scope for use in localized delivery of chemotherapeutics. Biocompatibility and biodistribution of the MNHG are studied in normal Swiss mice while efficacy in tumor growth inhibition is studied in a subcutaneous fibrosarcoma tumor. The ex vivo time-dependent pattern of accumulated MNHG into vital organs; lung, liver, spleen, kidney and brain collected at 1 h, 48 h, 7 d and 14 d post intravenous administration are investigated using both a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) method.

Effect of pain in pediatric inherited neuropathies.

Objective: Assess the prevalence and impact of pain in children with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease.

Methods: In this prospective cross-sectional study on children with CMT disease seen at study sites of the Inherited Neuropathy Consortium, we collected standardized assessments of pain (Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale) from 176 patients (140 children aged 8-18 years, and 36 children aged 2-7 years through parent proxies), along with standardized clinical assessments and quality-of-life (QOL) outcomes. We then developed a series of multivariate regression models to determine whether standardized measures of neuropathy severity, functional impact, or structural changes to the feet explained the observed pain scores.