Opinion: uracil DNA glycosylase (UNG) plays distinct and non-canonical roles in somatic hypermutation and class switch recombination.

Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) is essential to class switch recombination (CSR) and somatic hypermutation (SHM). Uracil DNA glycosylase (UNG), a member of the base excision repair complex, is required for CSR. The role of UNG in CSR and SHM is extremely controversial.

Lead optimization of P5U and urantide: discovery of novel potent ligands at the urotensin-II receptor.

We have optimized 1 (P5U) and urantide, two important ligands at the h-UT receptor, designing several analogues by the exchange of the Tyr9 residue with different unnatural aromatic amino acids. This study allowed us to discover novel ligands with improved activity. In particular, the replacement of the Tyr9 residue by (pCN)Phe or (pNO2)Phe within the urantide sequence led to compounds 13 (UPG-83) and 15 (UPG-95), respectively, which showed pure antagonist activity toward UT receptor in a rat aorta bioassay.

Chronic paronychia in a hairdresser.

Chronic paronychia is a common occupational disease. It is multifactorial and affects a number of different groups of workers. However, the condition is not described as affecting hairdressers although hairdressing is associated with a range of other occupation-related hand conditions.

Chromatin reader Brd4 functions in Ig class switching as a repair complex adaptor of nonhomologous end-joining.

Class switch recombination (CSR) is a B cell-specific genomic alteration induced by activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID)-dependent DNA break at the immunoglobulin heavy-chain locus, followed by repair. Although chromatin-associated factors in promoting AID-induced DNA break have been widely reported, the involvement of chromatin adaptors at the repair phase of CSR remains unknown. Here, we show that the acetylated histone reader Brd4 is critical for nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) repair of AID- and I-SceI-induced DNA breaks.

The impact of the 2008-2009 economic recession on acute myocardial infarction occurrences in various socioeconomic areas of raritan bay region, new jersey.

Background: Psychosocial stress is one important risk factor for myocardial infarction.

Aim: The study was to assess the impact of the 2008-2009 economic recession on myocardial infarction occurrences in different socioeconomic areas of Raritan Bay region, New Jersey.

Materials And Methods: The patients, who were treated for acute myocardial infarction from January 2006 to June 2012, were grouped based on the average incomes of their residence districts in the Raritan Bay region.

Effect of annealing on the structural, morphological and photoluminescence properties of ZnO thin films prepared by spin coating.

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were deposited on silicon substrates by a sol-gel method using the spin coating technique. The ZnO films were annealed at 700°C in an oxygen environment using different annealing times ranging from 1 to 4 h. It was observed that all the annealed films exhibited a hexagonal wurtzite structure.

Urotensin II receptor determines prognosis of bladder cancer regulating cell motility/invasion.

Background: Non Muscle Invasive Bladder Transitional Cancer (NMIBC) and Muscle Invasive Bladder Transitional Cancer (MIBC)/invasive have different gene profile and clinical course. NMIBC prognosis is not completely predictable, since the relapse rate is higher than 20%, even in the form of MIBC. The aim of this study is to evaluate if UTR expression can discriminate between NMIBC and MIBC and predict the risk of relapses in NMIBCs.

Differential regulation of S-region hypermutation and class-switch recombination by noncanonical functions of uracil DNA glycosylase.

Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) is essential to class-switch recombination (CSR) and somatic hypermutation (SHM) in both V region SHM and S region SHM (s-SHM). Uracil DNA glycosylase (UNG), a member of the base excision repair (BER) complex, is required for CSR. Strikingly, however, UNG deficiency causes augmentation of SHM, suggesting involvement of distinct functions of UNG in SHM and CSR.

Selective treatment and monitoring of disseminated cancer micrometastases in vivo using dual-function, activatable immunoconjugates.

Drug-resistant micrometastases that escape standard therapies often go undetected until the emergence of lethal recurrent disease. Here, we show that it is possible to treat microscopic tumors selectively using an activatable immunoconjugate. The immunoconjugate is composed of self-quenching, near-infrared chromophores loaded onto a cancer cell-targeting antibody.

Flaming alcoholic drinks: flirting with danger.

Alcohol-related burn injuries carry significant mortality and morbidity rates. Flaming alcoholic beverages served in trendy bars and clubs are becoming increasingly popular. The dangers associated with an ignited alcoholic drink are often underestimated by party goers whose risk assessment ability is already impaired by heavy alcohol consumption.

Influence of sorghum flour addition on flat bread in vitro starch digestibility, antioxidant capacity and consumer acceptability.

Wheat flour (WF) flat bread was prepared with varying levels of wholegrain "white" sorghum flour (WSF) or "red" sorghum flour (RSF). Farinograph dough rheology indicated reduced water absorption and stability time and increased breakdown with increased sorghum flour addition. The total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of the 40% RSF flat bread >40% WSF flat bread>control (100% WF) flat bread.

A case of mistaken identity? Vaccinia virus in a live camelpox vaccine.

Live-attenuated (LA), and inactivated adjuvant (IA) camelpox virus (CMLV) vaccines are produced in several countries worldwide. A tissue culture attenuated CMLV isolated (Jouf-78) is used to produce an LA vaccine in Saudi Arabia (Hafez et al., 1992).

Recovery and molecular characterization of live Camelpox virus from skin 12 months after onset of clinical signs reveals possible mechanism of virus persistence in herds.

Potentially pathogenic orthopoxviruses (OPVs) persist in nature and re-emerge for reasons we do not fully understand. New information pertaining to Orthopoxvirus (OPV) persistence in nature would significantly improve surveillance and control programs. In a recent investigation of a Camelpox virus (CMLV) outbreak in Eastern Saudi Arabia, atypical minute pox-like skin lesions (AMPL) persisted on 42.

An exploratory study on medications in Qatar homes.

Background: Drug therapy is the most often used intervention for treatment and prevention of disease. However, if used inappropriately, drugs can cause more harm than good. Improper drug storage and disposal can have a direct impact on public safety, the environment, and the health care services.

Epidermal growth factor receptor-targeted photosensitizer selectively inhibits EGFR signaling and induces targeted phototoxicity in ovarian cancer cells.

Targeted photosensitizer delivery to EGFR-expressing cells was achieved in the present study using a high purity, targeted photoimmunoconjugate (PIC). When the PDT agent, benzoporphyrin derivative monoacid ring A (BPD) was coupled to an EGFR-targeting antibody (cetuximab), we observed altered cellular localization and selective phototoxicity of EGFR-positive cells, but no phototoxicity of EGFR-negative cells. Cetuximab in the PIC formulation blocked EGF-induced activation of the EGFR and downstream signaling pathways.

Coordination versatility of tridentate pyridyl aroylhydrazones towards iron: tracking down the elusive aroylhydrazono-based ferric spin-crossover molecular materials.

The two potentially tridentate and monoprotic Schiff bases acetylpyridine benzoylhydrazone (HL(1)) and acetylpyridine 4-tert-butylbenzoylhydrazone (HL(2)) demonstrate remarkable coordination versatility towards iron on account of their propensity to undergo tautomeric transformations as imposed by the metal centre. Each of the pyridyl aroylhydrazone ligands complexes with the ferrous or ferric ion under strictly controlled reaction conditions to afford three six-coordinate mononuclear compounds [Fe(II)(HL)(2)](ClO(4))(2), [Fe(II)L(2)] and [Fe(III)L(2)]ClO(4) (HL = HL(1) or HL(2)) displaying distinct colours congruent with their intense CT visible absorptions. The synthetic manoeuvres rely crucially on the stoichiometry of the reactants, the basicities of the reaction mixtures and the choice of solvent.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy after a dancing session: a case report.

Introduction: Stress-induced (Takotsubo) cardiomyopathy is a rare form of cardiomyopathy which presents in a manner similar to that of acute coronary syndrome. This sometimes leads to unnecessary thrombolysis therapy. The pathogenesis of this disease is still poorly understood.

Detection of schistosomiasis antibodies in urine patients as a promising diagnostic maker.

Objective: To determine secreted antischistosoma antibodies in urine and to discern the epidemiological situation of schistosomiasis in the agricultural field labourers'camps city in the Gezira State-central Sudan.

Methods: Total of 66 urine and 66 serum paired samples were collected from those who confirmed parasitologically positive and negative with schistosomiasis from the two camps. Samples were tested using ELISA technique to measure and compare the immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels in serum and urine samples of schistosomiasis patients.

Killing hypoxic cell populations in a 3D tumor model with EtNBS-PDT.

An outstanding problem in cancer therapy is the battle against treatment-resistant disease. This is especially true for ovarian cancer, where the majority of patients eventually succumb to treatment-resistant metastatic carcinomatosis. Limited perfusion and diffusion, acidosis, and hypoxia play major roles in the development of resistance to the majority of front-line therapeutic regimens.

Investigation of the dependence of inactivation coefficient on pertinent physical quality parameters to low doses ionizing radiation.

Inactivation constant for V79 cells has been extracted from radiobiology experiments that utilize charged particles to irradiate mammal cells in vitro. Physical parameters such as effective charge, radiation mean free path and linear ionization which characterized protons and heluim-4 particles are determined using of standard values. The relationship between inactivation constant α and physical quality parameters have been determined, in this research, for protons and heluim-4 particles.

UVB radiation-induced β-catenin signaling is enhanced by COX-2 expression in keratinocytes.

UVB radiation is the major carcinogen responsible for skin carcinogenesis, thus elucidation of the molecular pathways altered in skin in response to UVB would reveal novel targets for therapeutic intervention. It is well established that UVB leads to upregulation of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) in the skin which contributes to skin carcinogenesis. Overexpression of COX-2 has been shown to promote colon cancer cell growth through β-catenin signaling, however, little is known about the connection between UVB, COX-2, and β-catenin in the skin.

Knowledge, attitude and practices of Qatari patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Objectives: Patient compliance with their medications and their ability for self-management in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a growing cause of concern to healthcare providers. Knowledge about diabetes, attitude towards the condition and time management with respect to the condition (practice), collectively known as KAP, are known to affect compliance and play an important part in diabetes management. We aimed to describe the knowledge, attitude, practice and psychological status of adult Qatari patients with T2DM, and to explore the interaction between these and other patient-related factors which could impact on the ability of the patients to manage their diabetes and to achieve desirable health outcomes.

Synergistic enhancement of carboplatin efficacy with photodynamic therapy in a three-dimensional model for micrometastatic ovarian cancer.

Metastatic ovarian cancer (OvCa) frequently recurs due to chemoresistance, highlighting the need for nonoverlapping combination therapies that mechanistically synergize to eradicate residual disease. Photodynamic therapy (PDT), a photochemistry-based cytotoxic modality, sensitizes ovarian tumors to platinum agents and biologics and has shown clinical promise against ovarian carcinomatosis. We introduce a three-dimensional (3D) model representing adherent ovarian micrometastases and high-throughput quantitative imaging methods to rapidly screen the order-dependent effects of combining benzoporphyrin-derivative (BPD) monoacid A-based PDT with low-dose carboplatin.