The Potential of Light Microscopic Features of the Oral Mucosa in Predicting Post-mortem Interval.

Objectives: The post-mortem interval (PMI) refers to the amount of time elapsed between death and discovery of the body. This study aimed to evaluate light microscopic cellular changes in the oral mucosa and identify the potential of this method for predicting PMI.

Methods: This prospective study was conducted between July 2016 and January 2018 at the Institute of Dental Sciences, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan University, Bhubaneswar, India.

Culture-Independent Metagenomic Surveillance of Commercially Available Probiotics with High-Throughput Next-Generation Sequencing.

Millions of people consume dietary supplements either following a doctor's recommendation or at their own discretion to improve their overall health and well-being. This is a rapidly growing trend, with an associated and expanding manufacturing industry to meet the demand for new health-related products. In this study, we examined the contents and microbial viability of several popular probiotic products on the United States market.

Development and utility of the FDA 'GutProbe' DNA microarray for identification, genotyping and metagenomic analysis of commercially available probiotics.

Aim: Lactic acid bacteria are beneficial microbes added to many food products and dietary supplements for their purported health benefits. Proper identification of bacteria is important to assess safety as well as proper product labelling. A custom microarray (FDA GutProbe) was developed to verify accurate labelling in commercial dietary supplements.

The energetic difference between synthesis of correct and incorrect base pairs accounts for highly accurate DNA replication.

To better understand the energetics of accurate DNA replication, we directly measured ΔG(o) for the incorporation of a nucleotide into elongating dsDNA in solution (ΔG(o)(incorporation)). Direct measurements of the energetic difference between synthesis of correct and incorrect base pairs found it to be much larger than previously believed (average ΔΔG(o)(incorporation) = 5.2 ± 1.

Leadership in occupational therapy: self-perceptions of occupational therapy managers.

ABSTRACT The development of leaders in occupational therapy is a major priority of the profession's Centennial Vision. This study examined the leadership characteristics of 53 occupational therapy clinical managers. A demographic measure and the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) collected data via a non-experimental survey.

B family DNA polymerases asymmetrically recognize pyrimidines and purines.

We utilized a series of pyrimidine analogues modified at O(2), N-3, and N(4)/O(4) to determine if two B family DNA polymerases, human DNA polymerase α and herpes simplex virus I DNA polymerase, choose whether to polymerize pyrimidine dNTPs using the same mechanisms they use for purine dNTPs. Removing O(2) of a pyrimidine dNTP vastly decreased the level of incorporation by these enzymes and also compromised fidelity in the case of C analogues, while removing O(2) from the templating base had more modest effects. Removing the Watson-Crick hydrogen bonding groups of N-3 and N(4)/O(4) greatly impaired polymerization, both of the resulting dNTP analogues and of natural dNTPs opposite these pyrimidine analogues when present in the template strand.

Studies on Flowability, Compressibility and In-vitro Release ofTerminalia chebula Fruit Powder Tablets.

The dried fruit of Terminalia chebula is widely used for its laxative properties. The objective of the present study was to examine the flowability and compressibility of Terminalia chebula fruit powder, subsequently developing its tablet formulations by utilizing wet granulation and direct compression technology. Initial studies on flowability and compressibility revealed that the fruit powder flows poorly, is poorly compressible and mucilaginous in nature.

Interaction of human DNA polymerase alpha and DNA polymerase I from Bacillus stearothermophilus with hypoxanthine and 8-oxoguanine nucleotides.

To better understand how DNA polymerases interact with mutagenic bases, we examined how human DNA polymerase alpha (pol alpha), a B family enzyme, and DNA polymerase from Bacillus stearothermophilus (BF), an A family enzyme, generate adenine:hypoxanthine and adenine:8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoG) base pairs. Pol alpha strongly discriminated against polymerizing dATP opposite 8-oxoG, and removing N1, N(6), or N7 further inhibited incorporation, whereas removing N3 from dATP dramatically increased incorporation (32-fold). Eliminating N(6) from 3-deaza-dATP now greatly reduced incorporation, suggesting that incorporation of dATP (analogues) opposite 8-oxoguanine proceeds via a Hoogsteen base pair and that pol alpha uses N3 of a purine dNTP to block this incorporation.

Discrimination between right and wrong purine dNTPs by DNA polymerase I from Bacillus stearothermophilus.

We used a series of dATP and dGTP analogues to determine how DNA polymerase I from Bacillus stearothermophilus (BF), a prototypical A family polymerase, uses N-1, N(2), N-3, and N(6) of purine dNTPs to differentiate between right and wrong nucleotide incorporation. Altering any of these nitrogens had two effects. First, it decreased the efficiency of correct incorporation of the resulting dNTP analogue, with the loss of N-1 and N-3 having the most severe effects.

Role of the 2-amino group of purines during dNTP polymerization by human DNA polymerase alpha.

We used a series of dNTP analogues in conjunction with templates containing modified bases to elucidate the role that N(2) of a purine plays during dNTP polymerization by human DNA polymerase alpha. Removing N(2) from dGTP had small effects during correct incorporation opposite C but specifically increased misincorporation opposite A. Adding N(2) to dATP and related analogues had small and variable effects on the efficiency of polymerization opposite T.

Effect of vitamins C and E on spermatogenesis in mice exposed to cadmium.

Cadmium (Cd) is a potential pollutant of the environment. It manifests cyto-toxic effects in different organs in animals. In the present study, intraperitoneal injection of CdCl(2) (1mg/kg body weight) increased lipid peroxidation in Swiss mice testes indicating oxidative stress during 5th to 8th week of post-treatment .

Studies on the replication of the ring opened formamidopyrimidine, Fapy.dG in Escherichia coli.

Fapy.dG is produced in DNA as a result of oxidative stress from a precursor that also forms OxodG. Bypass of Fapy.

Synthesis, DNA polymerase incorporation, and enzymatic phosphate hydrolysis of formamidopyrimidine nucleoside triphosphates.

The nucleoside triphosphates of N6-(2-deoxy-alpha,beta-d-erythro-pentofuranosyl)-2,6-diamino-4-hydroxy-5-formamidopyrimidine (Fapy.dGTP) and its C-nucleoside analogue (beta-C-Fapy.dGTP) were synthesized.

Excision of formamidopyrimidine lesions by endonucleases III and VIII is not a major DNA repair pathway in Escherichia coli.

Proper maintenance of the genome is of great importance. Consequently, damaged nucleotides are repaired through redundant pathways. We considered whether the genome is protected from formamidopyrimidine nucleosides (Fapy*dA, Fapy*dG) via a pathway distinct from the Escherichia coli guanine oxidation system.

Synthesis of oligonucleotides containing Fapy.dG (N(6)-(2-deoxy-alpha,beta-D-erythropentofuranosyl)-2,6-diamino-4-hydroxy-5-formamidopyrimidine) using a 5'-dimethoxytrityl dinucleotide phosphoramidite.

Fapy.dG (N(6)()-(2-deoxy-alpha,beta-d-erythropentofuranosyl)-2,6-diamino-4-hydroxy-5-formamidopyrimidine) is a modified purine lesion produced by a variety of DNA-damaging agents, which shows interesting biochemical properties. The previous method for synthesizing oligonucleotides containing Fapy.

Probing the configurations of formamidopyrimidine lesions Fapy.dA and Fapy.dG in DNA using endonuclease IV.

The formamidopyrimidines Fapy.dA and Fapy.dG are produced in DNA as a result of oxidative stress.