Top-down control of motor cortex ensembles by dorsomedial prefrontal cortex

Dorsomedial prefrontal cortex is critical for the temporal control of behavior. Dorsomedial prefrontal cortex might alter neuronal activity in areas such as motor cortex to inhibit temporally inappropriate responses. We tested this hypothesis by recording from neuronal ensembles in rodent dorsomedial prefrontal cortex during a delayed-response task. One-third of dorsomedial prefrontal neurons were significantly modulated during the delay period. The activity of many of these neurons was predictive of premature responding. We then reversibly inactivated dorsomedial prefrontal cortex while recording ensemble activity in motor cortex. Inactivation of dorsomedial prefrontal cortex reduced delay-related firing, but not response-related firing, in motor cortex. Finally, we made simultaneous recordings in dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and motor cortex and found strong delay-related temporal correlations between neurons in the two cortical areas. These data suggest that functional interactions between dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and motor cortex might serve as a top-down control signal that inhibits inappropriate responding.     

Antibacterial properties of nine pure metals: a laboratory study using Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli

Bacterial attachment and growth on material surfaces are considered to be the primary steps leading to the formation of biofilm. Biofilms in hospital and food processing settings can result in bacterial infection and food contamination, respectively. Prevention of bacterial attachment, therefore, is considered to be the best strategy for abating these menaces and therefore the development of antibacterial metals becomes important. In this study, nine pure metals, viz. titanium, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, zirconium, molybdenum, tin, and lead have been tested for their antibacterial properties against two bacterial strains, Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli. This was accomplished using two assay methods, the film contact method and the shaking flask method. The results show that the antibacterial properties varied significantly with different metals and the effectiveness of metals to resist bacterial attachment varied with the bacterial strain. Among the metals tested, titanium and tin did not exhibit antibacterial properties. TEM images showed that metal accumulation resulted in the disruption of the bacterial cell wall and other cellular components.     

Exophiala dermatitidis as a cause of central line associated bloodstream infection in an infant: Case report and literature review

BackgroundExophiala dermatitidis is a dematiaceous fungus known to cause superficial, subcutaneous, cutaneous and deep seated infections, and rarely central line associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI). A case of CLABSI due to E. dermatitidis in an infant is described.Case reportClinical and laboratory data were extracted from patient's chart and laboratory records. The isolate was identified as E. dermatitidis by phenotypic characterization and sequencing of the ITS and LSU regions of the ribosomal DNA. Medline search was done to review all cases of CLABSI due to E. dermatitidis. Among the azoles tested, posaconazole (0.06 mg/l), voriconazole (0.03 mg/l) and itraconazole (0.03 mg/l) showed very low MICs when compared to fluconazole (4 mg/l)ConclusionsAs we did not found in the literature any case of CLABSI due to E. dermatitidis in an infant, we report the first one. Sequencing is a mandatory method for accurately identifying this species. Prompt removal of the central line, followed by a treatment with amphotericin B or an azole, seems to be the most effective treatment.     

Outcome of Tuberculosis Treatment in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus Treated in the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme in Malappuram District,Kerala, India

Settings

Kerala State, India has reported the greatest dual burden of Tuberculosis (TB) and Diabetes Mellitus (DM). Malappuram district in Kerala has monitored and recorded DM status and its control from 2010 under Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP).

Objectives

To assess, under programme conditions, comprehensiveness of recording DM status among TB cases and the TB treatment outcomes among DM patients (disaggregated by glycemic control) and compare with-non DM patients.

Design

This retrospective record review included 3,116TB patients from April 2010 to September 2011.DM was defined as per international guidelines and TB treatment outcomes were categorized as favourable(cured and treatment completed) and unfavourable(death, default, failure and transfer out). Relative Risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals(CI) were calculated to assess the risk of unfavourable outcomes.

Results

DM status was recorded in 90% of TB cases and 667 (24%) had DM. 17% of DM patients and 23% of patients with unknown DM status had unfavourable outcomes but this difference was not statistically significant. Unadjusted RR for poor glycemic control or unknown control status for unfavourable outcome were (2.00; 95% CI 0.97–4.13) and (2.14; 95% CI 1.11–4.13).

Conclusion

This study could not confirm an adverse association between DM or its control during treatment and the course of response to TB treatment.DM screening in TB cases and recording of DM care needs to be improved to enable more conclusive evidence.     

Rapid suppression of defence enzymes and compounds by sheath blight (Rhizoctonia solani) and sheath rot (Sarocladium oryzae) toxins in rice cell suspension cultures

To understand the suppression mechanisms against disease resistance in rice, we took advantage of the fact that suspension cultured cells exhibit many of the defence responses that are characteristic of intact tissues. In this study we constitutively measured the Rhizoctonia solani and Sarocladium oryzae toxins, induced and suppressed levels of phenylalanine ammonia lyase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, phenols, catalase, β-1,3-glucanase and chitinase in rice suspension cultured cells. The addition of Rhizoctonia solani and Sarocladium oryzae toxins separately in suspension cultured cells shows the suppression of defence enzymes and compounds at 24 h and 48 h respectively except SOD. The rice cultivar IR50 delays the disease suppression effect when compared to the other cultivars viz., Pusa Basmati and Co 43. The PR proteins (namely β-1,3-glucanase and chitinase) activities in rice suspension cultured cells were reduced during 48 h and 72 h after the addition of Rhizoctonia solani toxin, whereas the activities were suppressed only after 72 h when inoculated with Sarocladium oryzae toxin. Selective suppression of these defence enzymes and compounds by Rhizoctonia solani and Sarocladium oryzae toxin shows that toxins play a major role during pathogenesis in rice cells.     

Autophagy induced by rapamycin and carbon-starvation have distinct proteome profiles in Aspergillus nidulans

It is hypothesized that autophagy, a global catabolic pathway which is highly conserved from yeast to man, plays an important role in many bioprocesses. Though autophagy is known to be induced by either nutrient starvation or treatment with the drug rapamycin, it is not clear whether the two modes of induction have the same long-term impact in the cell, particularly in the biotechnologically important filamentous fungi. Here, we compare the overall proteomes from the carbon-starved (G-) and rapamycin treated (R+) model fungus Aspergillus nidulans. From about 1,100 visualized protein spots, we conservatively selected a total of 26 proteins with significant different expression. To highlight, increased levels of glucosidases and decreased levels of N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase were observed, suggesting degradation of the fungal cell wall as an alternate carbon source for both modes of induction. Cdc37 was reduced in expression while 14-3-3 ArtA was increased, implying regulation of polar growth, while also potentially regulating autophagy negatively via PKA or Tor. Other proteins included aspartate transaminase, tryptophan synthase B (TrpB), glycylpeptide N-tetradecanoyltransferase (Nmt1), and aldehyde dehydrogenase (aldA). More interestingly, the majority of the identified proteins (16 of 26) were uniquely expressed in elevated levels in G-. A novel predicted protein from AN8223 which has no sequence homology to other organisms is also implicated to be involved in carbon-starvation. Thus, proteomic data here show that in A. nidulans, rapamycin-induced autophagy and carbon-starvation induced autophagy share some effectors for cell survival, but predominantly involve different long-term effectors.     

Pathogenic autoreactive B cells are not negatively selected toward matrix protein collagen II

We have addressed the importance of B cell tolerance to collagen type II, a matrix protein, which is a target in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its mouse models. We generated a germline-encoded anti-collagen type II (CII) IgH replacement anti-C1 B cell mouse strain (ACB) to investigate how B cell tolerance to CII, a matrix protein, is subverted and to further understand pathogenesis of RA. Phenotypic analysis revealed that CII-specific B cells were surprisingly neither deleted nor anergized. Instead, they were readily detected in all lymphoid organs. Spontaneously produced autoantibodies could bind directly to cartilage surface without detectable pathology. However, exaggerated arthritis was seen after injection of anti-CII Abs specific for other epitopes. In addition, Abs from CII-specific hybridomas generated from ACB mice induced arthritis. Interestingly, IgH/L chain sequence data in B cell hybridomas revealed a lack of somatic mutations in autoreactive B cells. The ACB model provides the first possibility, to our knowledge, to study B cell tolerance to a matrix protein, and the observations made in the study could not be predicted from previous models. B cell-reactive epitopes on CII are largely shared between human RA and rodent CII-induced arthritis; this study, therefore, has important implications for further understanding of pathological processes in autoimmune diseases like RA.     

Identification of Potential Peptide Inhibitors of ACE-2 Target of SARS-CoV-2 from Buckwheat & Quinoa

International Journal of Peptide Research and Therapeutics - It is well established fact that peptides from various foods offer human health benefits displaying diverse functionalities. Millets...