A Structural Proteomics Exploration of Synphilin-1 and Alpha-Synuclein Interaction in Pathogenesis of Parkinson's Disease.

Pathological significance of interaction of Synphilin-1 with mutated alpha-synuclein is well known to have serious consequences in causing the formation of inclusion bodies that are linked to Parkinson's disease (PD). Information extracted so far pointed out that specific mutations, A53T, A30P, and E46K, in alpha-synuclein promote such interactions. However, a detailed structural study of this interaction is pending due to the unavailability of the complete structures of the large protein Synphilin-1 of chain length 919 residues and the mutated alpha-synuclein having all the reported specific mutations so far.

Rhizobacterial mediated interactions in for plant growth and enhanced crop productivity: a systematic review.

Turmeric ( L.), a significant commercial crop of the Indian subcontinent is widely used as a condiment, natural dye, and as a cure for different ailments. Various bioactive compounds such as turmerones and curcuminoids have been isolated from that have shown remarkable medicinal activity against various ailments.

Analytical comparability to evaluate impact of manufacturing changes of ARX788, an Anti-HER2 ADC in late-stage clinical development.

ARX788 is an anti-HER2 antibody drug conjugate (ADC) developed using Ambrx proprietary Engineered Precision Biologics technology. The manufacturing process of ARX788 has been optimized during the course of early to late-phase clinical development. A comprehensive evaluation of side-by-side comparability between pre- and post-change process for ARX788 drug substance and drug product from a quality perspective was conducted based on ICH Q5E guidelines consisting of batch release assays, physicochemical and biophysical characterization, biological characterization, and forced degradation studies.

Application of sequence semantic and integrated cellular geography approach to study alternative biogenesis of exonic circular RNA.

Background: Concurrent existence of lncRNA and circular RNA at both nucleus and cytosol within a cell at different proportions is well reported. Previous studies showed that circular RNAs are synthesized in nucleus followed by transportation across the nuclear membrane and the export is primarily defined by their length. lncRNAs primarily originated through inefficient splicing and seem to use NXF1 for cytoplasm export.

TemPred: A Novel Protein Template Search Engine to Improve Protein Structure Prediction.

Among new protein structure predictors, the recently developed AlphaFold predictor relies on contact map in line with contact map potential based threading model that basically relies on fold recognition. In parallel, sequence similarity based homology model relies on homologue recognition. Both of these methods rely on sequence-structure or sequence-sequence similarity with protein with known structure in absence of which, as argued in the development of AlphaFold, the structure prediction becomes quite challenging.

Down But Not Out: Vasectomy Is Faring Poorly Almost Everywhere-We Can Do Better To Make It A True Method Option.

Introduction: Demand for vasectomy-1 of 2 contraceptive methods for men-has been low, with deep-seated myths, misconceptions, and provider bias against it widespread. Programmatic attention and donor funding have been limited and sporadic.

Methods: We analyzed vasectomy use in 84 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) plus the 11 high-income countries with vasectomy prevalence above 1%.

Understanding factors associated with continuation of intrauterine device use in Gujarat and Rajasthan, India: a cross-sectional household study.

The Government of India has promoted the expansion of access to and uptake of intrauterine devices (IUDs), during both the interval (IIUD) and postpartum (PPIUD) periods, as part of its Family Planning 2020 initiative. This study, conducted by EngenderHealth as part of the Expanding Access to IUD Services in India project, examines IIUD and PPIUD continuation rates over time and investigates factors associated with IUD continuation. We recruited respondents (= 5024) through a repeated cross-sectional household study between February and December 2019.

ProtPCV: A Fixed Dimensional Numerical Representation of Protein Sequence to Significantly Reduce Sequence Search Time.

Protein sequence is a wealth of experimental information which is yet to be exploited to extract information on protein homologues. Consequently, it is observed from publications that dynamic programming, heuristics and HMM profile-based alignment techniques along with the alignment free techniques do not directly utilize ordered profile of physicochemical properties of a protein to identify its homologue. Also, it is found that these works lack crucial bench-marking or validation in absence of which their incorporation in search engines may appears to be questionable.

Potential for Improving Intrauterine Device (IUD) Service Delivery Quality: Results from a Secondary Data Analysis.

To accelerate progress toward Family Planning 2020 (FP2020) goals, the government of India focused on improving the quality of intrauterine device (IUD) services. EngenderHealth, an international sexual and reproductive health and rights organization, has been supporting the governments of Gujarat and Rajasthan since 2014 through the Expanding Access to IUD Services in India (EAISI) project by building the capacity of service providers, monitoring compliance with standard practices, and strengthening health systems. This study sought to assess whether EAISI-trained providers offer higher quality IUD services than non-EAISI-trained providers, as indicated by a reduction in confirmed IUD complications.

APT: An Automated Probe Tracker From Gene Expression Data.

Out of currently available semi-automatic tools for detecting diagnostic probes relevant to a pathophysiological condition, ArrayMining and GEO2R of NCBI are most popular. The shortcomings of ArrayMining and GEO2R are that both tools list the probes ordering them on the basis of their individual statistical level of significances with only difference of statistical methods used by them. While the latest tool GEO2R outputs either top 250 or all genes following its own ranking mechanism, ArrayMining requires number of probes to be inputted by the user.

Health-related quality of life assessment for head-and-neck cancer patients during and at 3 months after radiotherapy - A prospective, analytical questionnaire-based study.

Introduction: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is a more specific area of QoL that deals with the evaluation and assessment of the impact of the disease and its treatment-related morbidities on a patient's physical, psychological, and social aspects. The aim of the present study was to assess the HRQoL of patients with head-and-neck cancer (HNCs) during and at 3 months after completion of radiotherapy (RT) by intensity-modulated RT.

Materials And Methods: This study was a prospective, longitudinal, observational, and self-completed questionnaire-based study that included 120 patients with HNC who underwent intensity-modulated RT.

Synthesis and structure of [(PhP)Cu(μ-SeCHPh)In(SeCHPh)] as a single-source precursor for the preparation of CuInSe nano-materials.

The reaction of freshly prepared Na[In(SeCHCH)] with the mixture of CuCl and triphenylphosphine in methanol yielded [(PPh)CuIn(SeCHCH)]. The X-ray structure of the complex revealed the monomeric form of [(PhP)Cu(μ-SeCHPh)In(SeCHPh)] consisting of tetrahedral Cu(i) and In(iii) centers, bridged by two benzyl selenolate ligands. The complex on pyrolysis in a furnace or in oleylamine/HDA yielded tetragonal CuInSe.

An improved protein structure evaluation using a semi-empirically derived structure property.

Background: In the backdrop of challenge to obtain a protein structure under the known limitations of both experimental and theoretical techniques, the need of a fast as well as accurate protein structure evaluation method still exists to substantially reduce a huge gap between number of known sequences and structures. Among currently practiced theoretical techniques, homology modelling backed by molecular dynamics based optimization appears to be the most popular one. However it suffers from contradictory indications of different validation parameters generated from a set of protein models which are predicted against a particular target protein.

The use of adaptive intensity-modulated radiotherapy in the treatment of small-cell carcinoma lung refractory to chemotherapy in a patient with preexisting interstitial lung disease.

This is a case report of a 60-year-old diabetic, hypertensive male with a good performance status and a history of bilateral interstitial lung disease with a left upper lobe lung mass diagnosed to be a Stage IIB mixed small-cell/squamous cell carcinoma which was refractory to carboplatin- and etoposide-based chemotherapy. The patient was then taken up for adaptive intensity-modulated radiotherapy with tighter margin under image guidance with a mid-treatment replanning done at 25#. Acute toxicities were assessed weekly and showed no Grade 3 or more reactions.

Dosimetric Comparison of Pencil-Beam Scanning and Photon-Based Radiation Therapy as a Boost in Carcinoma of Cervix.

Purpose: Brachytherapy is essential for local treatment in cervical carcinoma, but some patients are not suitable for it. Presently, for these patients, the authors prefer a boost by using intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). The authors evaluated the dosimetric comparison of proton-modulated radiation therapy versus IMRT and volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) as a boost to know whether protons can replace photons.

Development of X-ray CCD camera based X-ray micro-CT system.

Availability of microfocus X-ray sources and high resolution X-ray area detectors has made it possible for high resolution microtomography studies to be performed outside the purview of synchrotron. In this paper, we present the work towards the use of an external shutter on a high resolution microtomography system using X-ray CCD camera as a detector. During micro computed tomography experiments, the X-ray source is continuously ON and owing to the readout mechanism of the CCD detector electronics, the detector registers photons reaching it during the read-out period too.

Comparison between weekly cisplatin-enhanced radiotherapy and cetuximab-enhanced radiotherapy in locally advanced head and neck cancer: first retrospective study in Asian population.

Aim: To present a direct comparison between chemotherapy-enhanced radiotherapy (CERT) and biotherapy-enhanced radiotherapy (BERT) in locally advanced head and neck cancer.

Methods: It is a retrospective analysis of 53 patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer treated from August 2006 to December 2008. For CERT, patients received weekly cisplatin (40 mg/m ) and for BERT, a loading dose of 400 mg/m of cetuximab given one week prior to radiotherapy followed by 250 mg/m given weekly along with radiotherapy.

Dosimetric influence of filtered and flattening filter free photon beam on rapid arc (RA) radiotherapy planning in case of cervix carcinoma.

Aim: To investigate the dosimetric influence of filtered and flattening filter free (FFF) photon beam of 6 and 10 MV energies on cervix RA radiotherapy planning and to find possibilities to develop the clinically acceptable RA plans with FFFB photon beam and explore their potential benefits to cervix cancer patients.

Background: FFF photon beams enhances the treatment delivery by increased dose rate which results in shorter treatment time, this shorter treatment time reduces intrafraction motion and enhance comfort to the patients.

Materials And Methods: RA plans were generated for filtered and flattening filter free photon beams of 6 and 10 MV energies using same dose-volumes constraints.

Tumour volumes: Predictors of early treatment response in locally advanced head and neck cancers treated with definitive chemoradiation.

Aim: To analyse and predict early response 3 months post definitive chemoradiation (CCRT) utilising tumour volume (TV) measurement in locally advanced head and neck cancers (LAHNC).

Background: LAHNC are 3-dimentional lesions. The largest diameter of these tumours measured for T-classification may not necessarily reflect the true tumour dimensions.

Radiation-induced dental caries, prevention and treatment - A systematic review.

Treatment of head and neck cancers (HNCs) involves radiotherapy. Patients undergoing radiotherapy for HNCs are prone to dental complications. Radiotherapy to the head and neck region causes xerostomia and salivary gland dysfunction which dramatically increases the risk of dental caries and its sequelae.

Improving the accuracy of target volume delineation by combined use of computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography in head and neck carcinomas.

Objective: Conformal radiation therapy mandates accurate delineation of target volumes, which requires incorporation of modern imaging modalities like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) in addition to conventionally used computed tomography (CT). This can resolve discrepancies in target delineation in head and neck carcinomas resulting in better local control. We hereby report the comparison of Gross Tumor Volumes (GTVs) (primary) drawn using PET, CT and MRI and their concordance indices.

The dosimetric impact of different photon beam energy on RapidArc radiotherapy planning for cervix carcinoma.

The main purpose of this study is to know the effect of three different photon energies viz., 6, 10, and 15 mega voltage (MV) on RapidArc (RA) planning for deep-seated cervix tumor and to develop clinically acceptable RA plans with suitable photon energy. RA plans were generated for 6, 10, and 15 MV photon energies for twenty patients reported with cervix carcinoma.

PCV: An Alignment Free Method for Finding Homologous Nucleotide Sequences and its Application in Phylogenetic Study.

Online retrieval of the homologous nucleotide sequences through existing alignment techniques is a common practice against the given database of sequences. The salient point of these techniques is their dependence on local alignment techniques and scoring matrices the reliability of which is limited by computational complexity and accuracy. Toward this direction, this work offers a novel way for numerical representation of genes which can further help in dividing the data space into smaller partitions helping formation of a search tree.