Aminomethylene peptide nucleic acid (am-PNA): synthesis, regio-/stereospecific DNA binding, and differential cell uptake of (α/γ,R/S)am-PNA analogues.

Inherently chiral, cationic am-PNAs having pendant aminomethylene groups at α(R/S) or γ(S) sites on PNA backbone have been synthesized. The modified PNAs are shown to stabilize duplexes with complementary cDNA in a regio- and stereo-preferred manner with γ(S)-am PNA superior to α(R/S)-am PNAs and α(R)-am PNA better than the α(S) isomer. The enhanced stabilization of am-PNA:DNA duplexes is accompanied by a greater discrimination of mismatched bases.

Kappa statistics in the screening of malignancy of prostate.

The optimal upper limit of the normal range for prostate specific antigen (PSA) is suggested, but review of literature reveals that, malignancy of prostate can occur below that range and some benign prostatic diseases are occasionally associated with higher levels. The aim of the study is for early detection of prostatic malignancy. We tried to evaluate digital rectal examination (DRE), estimation of PSA and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guided core needle biopsy and histopathological examination in the patients.

Microstructure, morphology, and ultrafast dynamics of a novel edible microemulsion.

An edible microemulsion (ME) composed of Tween 80/butyl lactate/isopropyl myristate (IPM)/water has been formulated. Pseudoternary phase diagram of the system contains a large single isotropic region. The phase behavior of the system is also studied at low pH (2.

Management of a severe Class III malocclusion with extreme dentoalveolar compensations.

This case report describes the treatment of a 21-year-old woman with a severe Class III malocclusion, 9-mm anterior crossbite, extremely proclined maxillary anterior incisors associated with decreased buccolingual alveolar width, and a malformed supernumerary tooth. The treatment plan included fixed appliances to align and level the teeth, en masse retraction of maxillary anterior incisors after a labial and palatal corticotomy using temporary anchorage devices, high Le Fort I maxillary osteotomy for maxillary advancement, and bilateral sagittal split osteotomy for mandibular setback. Ideal overjet and overbite relationships were established, and the final esthetic result was pleasing.

Are bleaching and desensitizing agents contraindication for patients seeking orthodontic treatment?

Aim: To compare in vitro the effects on shear bond strength of the application of a dental bleaching and desensitizer agent prior to bonding metallic orthodontic brackets to extracted human teeth.

Method: Sixty therapeutically extracted human premolars without any visible defects were collected and stored in 0.1% thymol solution at room temperature.

Short-term enrichment makes male rats more attractive, more defensive and alters hypothalamic neurons.

Innate behaviors are shaped by contingencies built during evolutionary history. On the other hand, environmental stimuli play a significant role in shaping behavior. In particular, a short period of environmental enrichment can enhance cognitive behavior, modify effects of stress on learned behaviors and induce brain plasticity.

On the equivalence of posterior inference based on retrospective and prospective likelihoods: application to a case-control study of colorectal cancer.

The paper develops a class of priors that leads to equivalent posterior inference for odds ratio parameters based on prospective and retrospective models for categorical response data. The results are applicable to both unmatched and matched case-control studies. The results hold for a general class of link functions for categorical response.

Young male with systemic lupus erythematosus presenting with sensorineural deafness with immune suppression induced miliary tuberculosis.

A 32 year male presented with deafness and other classical symptoms suggestive of SLE. Subsequent serological investigations confirmed the diagnosis. Renal biopsy showed the presence of SLE induced Grade V nephropathy.

A systematic study of gene expression variation at single-nucleotide resolution reveals widespread regulatory roles for uAUGs.

Regulatory single-nucleotide polymorphisms (rSNPs) alter gene expression. Common approaches for identifying rSNPs focus on sequence variants in conserved regions; however, it is unknown what fraction of rSNPs is undetectable using this approach. We present a systematic analysis of gene expression variation at the single-nucleotide level in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae GAL1-10 regulatory region.

The human respiratory syncytial virus matrix protein is required for maturation of viral filaments.

An experimental system was developed to generate infectious human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) lacking matrix (M) protein expression (M-null virus) from cDNA. The role of the M protein in virus assembly was then examined by infecting HEp-2 and Vero cells with the M-null virus and assessing the impact on infectious virus production and viral protein trafficking. In the absence of M, the production of infectious progeny was strongly impaired.

Rare variants in APP, PSEN1 and PSEN2 increase risk for AD in late-onset Alzheimer's disease families.

Pathogenic mutations in APP, PSEN1, PSEN2, MAPT and GRN have previously been linked to familial early onset forms of dementia. Mutation screening in these genes has been performed in either very small series or in single families with late onset AD (LOAD). Similarly, studies in single families have reported mutations in MAPT and GRN associated with clinical AD but no systematic screen of a large dataset has been performed to determine how frequently this occurs.

Retrotransposon profiling of RNA polymerase III initiation sites.

Although retroviruses are relatively promiscuous in choice of integration sites, retrotransposons can display marked integration specificity. In yeast and slime mold, some retrotransposons are associated with tRNA genes (tDNAs). In the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome, the long terminal repeat retrotransposon Ty3 is found at RNA polymerase III (Pol III) transcription start sites of tDNAs.

Sodium butyrate modulates pRb phosphorylation and induces cell death in human vestibular schwannomas in vitro.

In the present study, effect of Na-Bu on the pRb phosphorylation was analysed in the primary cultures of 12 VS tumors. Primary cultures of VS tumors were established from the fresh tumor tissues removed surgically and were treated with Na-Bu. Na-Bu treatment for 48 h led to morphological changes and apoptotic cell death in VS tumor cells.

Physicochemical insights in supramolecular interaction of fullerenes C60 and C70 with a monoporphyrin in presence of silver nanoparticles.

The present article reports for the first time on supramolecular interaction between fullerenes (C60 and C70) and a designed monoporphyrin in solution, e.g., 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-methoxyphenyl)-21H,23H-porphine (1), in absence and presence of silver nanoparticles (AgNp) having varying diameter of range between 3 and 7 nm.

Slow relaxation dynamics of water in hydroxypropyl cellulose-water mixture traces its phase transition pathway: a spectroscopic investigation.

In this study, we have explored the slow (of the order of several hundreds of picoseconds) relaxation dynamics of water associated with the hydration shell of a biocompatible polymer, hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC)-water mixture as a function of HPC concentration using time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. The relaxation dynamics slows down with a progressive increase in HPC content indicating restriction of the relaxation pathway of water molecules specially beyond a cellulose concentration of 20% wherein an isotropic to liquid crystalline cholesteric microscopic phase separation sets in. The activation energy calculated from the temperature dependent solvation dynamics studies also shows a similar trend.

"Calling cards" for DNA-binding proteins in mammalian cells.

The ability to chronicle transcription-factor binding events throughout the development of an organism would facilitate mapping of transcriptional networks that control cell-fate decisions. We describe a method for permanently recording protein-DNA interactions in mammalian cells. We endow transcription factors with the ability to deposit a transposon into the genome near to where they bind.

Primary Lymphoepithelioma-like Carcinoma of the Lung in a 13 year old Girl.

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma, a large cell carcinoma with pronounced lymphocyte infiltration, is a rare entity mostly seen in the nasopharynx. But primary pulmonary LELC in children & adolescents is extremely rare. Here we present a 13 year old girl with chief complaint of fever, cough, shortness of breath and heaviness in the left side of chest.

Physical activity patterns of children in Toronto: the relative role of neighbourhood type and socio-economic status.

Objective: A child's opportunity for physical activity and the safety of engaging in activity are influenced by built environment (BE) elements. This study examined the relationship of neighbourhood type and socio-economic status (SES) with activity using a sampling frame that purposely located schools in varying neighbourhoods to ensure that there was variability in BE characteristics and SES.

Methods: Participants (1,027 Grade 5 & 6 students, Toronto, ON) were drawn from 16 schools that varied by neighbourhood type (pre-1946 "old/urban BE" with grid-based street layout versus post-1946 "new/inner-suburban BE" with looping street layout) and socio-economic status (low and high SES).

There's no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing: climate, weather and active school transportation in Toronto, Canada.

Objective: Climatic conditions may enable or deter active school transportation in many North American cities, but the topic remains largely overlooked in the existing literature. This study explores the effect of seasonal climate (i.e.

Hla-a and hla-B alleles associated in psoriasis patients from mumbai, Western India.

Background: Psoriasis, a common autoimmune disorder characterized by T cell-mediated keratinocyte hyperproliferation, is known to be associated with the presence of certain specific Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) alleles.

Aim: To evaluate distribution of HLA-A and HLA-B alleles and hence identify the susceptible allele of psoriasis from patients in Western India.

Materials And Methods: The study design included 84 psoriasis patients and 291 normal individuals as controls from same geographical region.

The transcriptional coactivators, PGC-1α and β, cooperate to maintain cardiac mitochondrial function during the early stages of insulin resistance.

We previously demonstrated a cardiac mitochondrial biogenic response in insulin resistant mice that requires the nuclear receptor transcription factor PPARα. We hypothesized that the PPARα coactivator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1α) is necessary for mitochondrial biogenesis in insulin resistant hearts and that this response was adaptive. Mitochondrial phenotype was assessed in insulin resistant mouse models in wild-type (WT) versus PGC-1α deficient (PGC-1α(-/-)) backgrounds.

An activatable multimodal/multifunctional nanoprobe for direct imaging of intracellular drug delivery.

Multifunctional nanoparticles integrated with imaging modalities (such as magnetic resonance and optical) and therapeutic drugs are promising candidates for future cancer diagnostics and therapy. While targeted drug delivery and imaging of tumor cells have been the major focus in engineering nanoparticle probes, no extensive efforts have been made towards developing sensing probes that can confirm and monitor intracellular drug release events. Here, we present quantum dot (Qdot)-iron oxide (IO) based multimodal/multifunctional nanocomposite probe that is optically and magnetically imageable, targetable and capable of reporting on intracellular drug release events.

Probing the interior of self-assembled caffeine dimer at various temperatures.

The self-assembly of non-toxic well-consumed small caffeine molecules into well-defined structures has important implications for future medical applications seeking to target the transport of small drugs in human body. Particularly, the solvation of the microenvironments of the self assembly ultimately dictates the interaction with the drug molecules and their therapeutic efficacy. We present femtosecond-resolved studies of the dynamics of aqueous solvation within self-assembled dimeric structure of caffeine molecules.

Bacterial expression, purification and characterization of a rice voltage-dependent, anion-selective channel isoform, OsVDAC4.

The voltage-dependent anion-selective channel (VDAC) is the most abundant protein in the mitochondrial outer membrane and forms the major conduit for metabolite transport across this membrane. VDACs from different sources show varied primary sequence but conserved functional properties. Here, we report on the characterization of a rice channel, OsVDAC4, which complements a VDAC1 deficiency in yeast.