Dragon (repulsive guidance molecule b) inhibits IL-6 expression in macrophages

Despite the strong interest in the NK cell-mediated immunity toward malignant cells and viruses, there is a relative lack of data on the interplay between NK cells and filamentous fungi, especially Aspergillus fumigatus, which is the major cause of invasive aspergillosis. By studying the in vitro interaction between human NK cells and A. fumigatus, we found only germinated morphologies to be highly immunogenic, able to induce a Th1-like response, and capable of upregulating cytokines such as IFN-γ and TNF-α. Moreover, priming NK cells with human rIL-2 and stimulating NK cells by direct NK cell-pathogen contact were essential to induce damage against A. fumigatus. However, the most interesting finding was that NK cells did not mediate anti-Aspergillus cytotoxicity through degranulation of their cytotoxic proteins (perforin, granzymes, granulysine), but via an alternative mechanism involving soluble factor(s). To our knowledge, our study is the first to demonstrate that IFN-γ, released by NK cells, directly damages A. fumigatus, attributing new properties to both human NK cells and IFN-γ and suggesting them as possible therapeutic tools against IA.     

Transorbital Sonographic Evaluation of Normal Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter in Healthy Volunteers in Bangladesh

Introduction

Measurement of optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) by ultrasound is increasingly used as a marker to detect raised intracranial pressure (ICP). ONSD varies with age and there is no clear consensus between studies for an upper limit of normal. Knowledge of normal ONSD in a healthy population is essential to interpret this measurement.

Methods

In a prospective observational study, ONSD was measured using a 15 MHz ultrasound probe in healthy volunteers in Chittagong, Bangladesh. The aims were to determine the normal range of ONSD in healthy Bangladeshi adults and children, compare measurements in males and females, horizontal and vertical beam orientations and left and right eyes in the same individual and to determine whether ONSD varies with head circumference independent of age.

Results

136 subjects were enrolled, 12.5% of whom were age 16 or under. Median ONSD was 4.41 mm with 95% of subjects in the range 4.25–4.75 mm. ONSD was bimodally distributed. There was no relationship between ONSD and age (≥4 years), gender, head circumference, and no difference in left vs right eye or horizontal vs vertical beam.

Conclusions

Ultrasonographic ONSD in Bangladeshi healthy volunteers has a narrow bimodal distribution independent of age (≥4 years), gender and head circumference. ONSD >4.75 mm in this population should be considered abnormal.     

Gallbladder carcinoma: a retrospective analysis of twenty-two years experience of a single teaching hospital

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to retrospectively evaluate our experience with gallbladder cancer since the establishment of a tumour registry in our institute. METHODS: Between 1975 and 1998, 23 consecutive patients with gallbladder cancer were identified using the tumour registry database. There were 18 females (78%) and 5 (22%) males. The mean age at diagnosis was 70.6 (range 42-85) years. The diagnosis was achieved either intra-operatively or following the histological analysis of the gallbladder (n = 17), following gallbladder or liver biopsy (n = 4) or at autopsy (n = 2). Presenting symptoms included upper abdominal pain, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, fever, painless jaundice, hepatomegaly, upper abdominal mass, upper abdominal tenderness, and gastrointestinal haemorrhage. RESULTS: Histological examination revealed 20 adenocarcinomas (87%), 2 squamous cell carcinomas (9%) and one spindle cell sarcoma (4%). At presentation, 14 (61%) gallbladder cancers were stage IV, 5 (22%) were stage III and 4 (17%) were stage II. Kaplan Meier analysis revealed a mean survival of 3.2, 7.8 and 8.2 months for stage IV, III, and II disease respectively. Out of 14 patients with stage IV disease, 8 patients received adjuvant chemotherapy and survived for 4.6 months whereas six patients who did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy survived for 1.3 months. This difference was statistically significant (p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: The majority of patients with gallbladder cancer presented with advanced stage disease (stage IV) which carries a dismal prognosis. Patients who received chemotherapy with stage IV disease, however, did better than those who did not, but this is probably a reflection of patient selection.     

Identification of GABA A receptor modulators in Kadsura longipedunculata and assignment of absolute configurations by quantum-chemical ECD calculations

A petroleum ether extract of Kadsura longipedunculata enhanced the GABA-induced chloride current (I_GABA) by 122.5 ± 0.3% (n = 2) when tested at 100 μg/ml in Xenopuslaevis oocytes expressing GABA A receptors (α₁β₂γ_2S subtype) in two-microelectrode voltage clamp measurements. Thirteen compounds were subsequently identified by HPLC-based activity profiling as responsible for GABA A receptor activity and purified in preparative scale. 6-Cinnamoyl-6,7-dihydro-7-myrceneol and 5,6-dihydrocuparenic acid were thereby isolated for the first time. The determination of the absolute stereochemistry of these compounds was achieved by comparison of experimental and calculated ECD spectra. All but one of the 13 isolated compounds from K. longipedunculata potentiated I_GABA through GABA A receptors composed of α₁β₂γ_2S subunits in a concentration-dependent manner. Potencies ranged from 12.8 ± 3.1 to 135.6 ± 85.7 μM, and efficiencies ranged from 129.7 ± 36.8% to 885.8 ± 291.2%. The phytochemical profiles of petroleum ether extracts of Kadsura japonica fruits (114.1 ± 2.6% potentiation of I_GABA at 100 μg/ml, n = 2), and Schisandra chinensis fruits (inactive at 100 μg/ml) were compared by HPLC-PDA-ESIMS with that of K. longipedunculata.     

Length–weight relationships of three catfish species from a tributary of the Dhaleshwari River,Bangladesh

The present ichthyological report describes the length‐weight relationships (LWRs) of three catfish species (Eutropiichthys murius, Nangra nangra and Gagata viridescens) belonging to two families from the Kaliganga River, a tributary of the Dhaleshwari River, Bangladesh. The analyses included 306 specimens collected monthly from fishermen's catches during October 2015 to April 2016. Ranges of regression parameters a and b of the three species were within 0.0058–0.0099 and 2.900–3.142, respectively with highly correlated coefficients of determination (r² > .995; p < .001). The LWRs for all three species presented herein for the first time with a new maximum length record for N. nangra.     

A Space Efficient Flexible Pivot Selection Approach to Evaluate Determinant and Inverse of a Matrix

This paper presents new simple approaches for evaluating determinant and inverse of a matrix. The choice of pivot selection has been kept arbitrary thus they reduce the error while solving an ill conditioned system. Computation of determinant of a matrix has been made more efficient by saving unnecessary data storage and also by reducing the order of the matrix at each iteration, while dictionary notation [1] has been incorporated for computing the matrix inverse thereby saving unnecessary calculations. These algorithms are highly class room oriented, easy to use and implemented by students. By taking the advantage of flexibility in pivot selection, one may easily avoid development of the fractions by most. Unlike the matrix inversion method [2] and [3], the presented algorithms obviate the use of permutations and inverse permutations.     

Thermostable extracellular protease of Bacillus stearothermophilus: factors affecting its production

A strain of protease-producing Bacillus stearothermophilus has been isolated. Glycerol was the best carbon source for production whereas yeast extract was the best nitrogen source. The bacterium could grow up to 70°C but optimum protease production was at 60°C. Best initial pH for protease production was 5. Alkaline pH inhibited production. The enzyme was stable at 60°C for 18 h and was inhibited by EDTA, PMSF and HgCl₂.The authors are with the Enzyme and Microbial Technology Group, Faculty of Science and Environmental Studies, Universiti Pertanian Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia     

Soluble Production of Human Recombinant VEGF-A121 by Using SUMO Fusion Technology in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis>

Human recombinant vascular endothelial growth factor-A121 (hrVEGF-A121) has applications in pharmaceutical industry especially in regenerative medicine. Here, we report the expression, purification, and characterization of hrVEGF-A121 in Escherichia coli expression system using human small ubiquitin-related modifier-3 (hSUMO3) fusion partner. Total RNA was isolated from healthy human gingival tissue, VEGF-A121 gene was RT-PCR amplified, and hSUMO3 gene was tagged at N-terminus. The fusion gene (SUMO3-VEGF-A121) was cloned in pET-22b(+) expression vector and transferred into E. coli strains; BL21 codon?+?and Rosetta-gami B(DE3). The hrVEGF-A121 expression was optimized for temperature, IPTG concentration, and time in Terrific Broth (TB). The positive transformants were sequenced and hrVEGF-A121 nucleotide sequence was submitted to Genbank (Accession No. KT581010). Approximately 40% of total cell protein expression was observed in soluble form on 15% SDS-PAGE. The hSUMO3 was cleaved from hrVEGF-A121 with SUMO protease and purified by Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography using anionic Hi-trap Resource Q column. From 100 ml TB, ~?25.5% and ~?6.8 mg of hrVEGF-A121 protein was recovered. The dimerized hrVEGF-A121 was characterized by Native PAGE and Western blot, using human anti-VEGF-A antibody and ESI-MS showed dimeric hrVEGF-A121 at 31,015 Da. The biological activity of hrVEGF-A121 was assessed in vitro by MTT and cell viability assay and observed to be bioactive.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">TaELF3-1DL</Emphasis>, a homolog of <Emphasis Type="Italic">ELF3</Emphasis>, is associated with heading date in bread wheat

Early flowering 3 (ELF3) is a regulator to modulate photoperiod flowering in Arabidopsis. The homologs of ELF3 in rice and barley also have been identified essential for regulation of flowering time. In the current study, TaELF3 genes, homologs of ELF3 in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), were cloned by a comparative genomics approach and located on homologous group 1 chromosomes, designated as TaELF3-1AL, TaELF3-1BL, and TaELF3-1DL, respectively. A sequence-tagged site (STS) marker was developed based on sequence polymorphism at the TaELF3-1DL locus. A quantitative trait locus (QTL) for heading date (HD) co-segregating with TaELF3-1DL explained 7.7–20.6% of the phenotypic variance in a RIL mapping population derived from the Gaocheng 8901/Zhoumai 16 cross genotyped using the wheat 90K iSelect assay. The late HD allele of TaELF3-1DL was prevalently selected in China’s specific wheat-growing regions and other countries. This study produces novel information in better understanding HD and provides a reliable functional marker for molecular marker-assisted selection in wheat breeding.