The localization and anthropometry of mental foramen on late Byzantine mandibles

Comprehensive studies of the human skeletal features and variations between and within populations are beneficial both for clinical applications and determination of racial characteristics of populations. The aim of this study was to examine the location and anthropometric characteristics of the mental foramen in 36 adult male mandibles of the Late Byzantine period. The results demonstrated that the most common position of the mental foramen was in line with the longitudinal axis of the second premolar (50% right side; 47% left side) followed by a location between the first and second premolars (33% right side; 36% left side). When compared with the results of previous similar studies, the results obtained in the present study suggest that traits such as the localization of mental foramen may not only differ between populations of different geographic environment but also within the inhabitants of the same geography.     

“Atrial torsades de pointes” Induced by Low-Energy Shock From Implantable-Cardioverter Defibrillator

A 58 year-old-patient developed an episode of polymorphic atrial tachycardia which looked like "atrial torsades de pointes" after a 5J shock from implantable cardioverter defibrillator.     

Cardioprotective Effect of Selenium Against Cyclophosphamide-Induced Cardiotoxicity in Rats

The objective of this study is to evaluate the possible protective effects of selenium (Se) against cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced acute cardiotoxicity in rats. A total of 42 male Spraque-Dawley rats were divided into six groups (n = 7). Rats in the first group were served as control. Rats in the second group received CP (150 mg/kg) at the sixth day of experiment. Animals in the third and fourth groups were treated with only 0.5 and 1 mg/kg Se respectively for six consecutive days. Rats in the fifth and sixth groups received respective Se doses (0.5 or 1 mg/kg) for 6 days and then a single dose of CP administered on the sixth day. On day 7, the animals were sacrificed; blood samples were collected to measure malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), and ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) levels. Heart tissues were processed routinely and tissue sections were stained with H + E for light microscopic examination. In the CP-treated rats MDA, LDH, CK-MB, and IMA serum levels increased, while GSH levels decreased. Microscopic evaluation showed that tissue damage was conspicuously lower in CP plus Se groups. Moreover, 1 mg/kg Se was more protective than 0.5 mg/kg Se as indicated by histopathological and biochemical values. In conclusion, Se is suggested to be a potential candidate to ameliorate CP-induced cardiotoxicity which may be related to its antioxidant activity.     

Atropisomeric 3-aryl-2-oxo-4-oxazolidinones and some thione analogues--enantiodifferentiation and ligand competition in applying the dirhodium method

The atropisomeric 2-oxo-4-oxazolidinones 1Z bind weakly to the rhodium atoms in the complex Rh(II)2 [(R)-(+)-MTPA]4 (Rh*, MTPA-H = methoxytrifluoromethylphenylacetic acid identical with Mosher's acid), presumably via the C-2 carbonyl oxygen atom. There are some 1H and 13C NMR signals in these compounds which show small dispersion effects suitable for enantiodifferentiation. In contrast, the thiocarbonyl sulfur atoms in 2Z and 3Z bind strongly so that significant complexation shifts (Delta delta) and diastereomeric dispersion effects (Delta nu) can be observed, and chiral discrimination and the determination of enantiomeric ratios of these thiocarbonyl compounds is easy. So, it is shown that--as expected--C=S is a much better binding site when competing with C=O. In compounds of Series 2 a "syn-methyl effect" was discovered which describes the dependence of dispersion effects of syn-oriented methyl groups 6 on the nature of the substituents Z. A mechanism of combined steric and electronic interaction influencing the conformational equilibria inside the adducts is proposed. Determination of absolute configurations by correlation fails, at least on the basis of the data available.     

Characterization of tccP2 carried by atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli

Atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) comprise an important group of paediatric pathogens. Atypical EPEC have reservoirs in farm and domestic animals where they can be either commensal or pathogenic; serogroup O26 is dominant in humans and animals. Central to intestinal colonization by EPEC is the translocation of the type III secretion system effector Tir into enterocytes, which following phosphorylation (Tir-Yp) recruits Nck to activate the N-WASP actin signalling cascade. The authors have recently shown that typical EPEC strains, belonging to the EPEC-2 lineage, carry a tir gene encoding Tir-Yp and can also use the alternative TccP2 actin-signalling cascade. The aim of this study was to determine if tccP2 is found in atypical EPEC isolated from human and farm animals. tccP2 was found at a frequency of 41% in non-O26 EPEC isolates and in 82.3% of the O26 strains. TccP2 of human and animal strains show high level of sequence identity. It is shown that most strains carry a tir gene encoding Tir-Yp. In addition the authors identified two new variants of tir genes in EPEC O104:H12 and NT:H19 strains.     

Could Fetuin-A Be a Biomarker for Autism Spectrum Disorder and Cognitive Developmental Delay?

Biochemistry (Moscow) - Early detection of cognitive developmental delay (CDD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is challenging, despite the numerous scientific studies conducted and different...     

Cerebral palsy due to nonlethal maternal carbon monoxide intoxication

BACKGROUND: Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in pregnancy is a relatively rare occurrence, but it can result in fetal mortality and neurologic complications in fetuses who survive to term. CASE: We describe the course of an infant who was acutely exposed to CO at 20 weeks of gestation. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that despite maternal well-being, CO intoxication at critical periods of human brain development can lead to hypoxic-ischemic lesions in the globus pallidus and that dystonic cerebral palsy may develop in the infant during long-term follow-up.     

Evaluation of Genetic Diversity in Lemons and Some of Their Relatives Based on SRAP and SSR Markers

Genetic diversity was evaluated by sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers among 45 lemons (Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f.), five citrons (Citrus medica L.), four rough lemons (Citrus jambhiri Lush), and two Citrus volkameriana accessions. Twenty-one SRAP primer combinations produced a total of 141 (77%) polymorphic fragments with an average of 6.7 fragments per primer combinations whereas 13 SSR primers produced a total of 26 (76%) polymorphic fragments with an average of 2.0 per primer. The unweighted pair-group method arithmetic average analysis as assessed with combined SRAP and SSR data demonstrated that the accessions had a similarity range from 0.65 to 1.00. Rough lemons and C. volkameriana accessions were relatively closely related. In lemon group, accessions from hybrid origin were distant from the others. We also applied principal components analysis (PCA) for a better presentation of relation among the accessions studies. Using PCA, 88.7% of the total variation in the original dimensions could be represented by just the two dimensions defined by the first two PCs. Although nearly all accessions could be distinguished, there was a low level of genetic diversity detected among lemon cultivars.     

Increased Noradrenaline Levels in the Rostral Pons can be Reversed by M1 Antagonist in a Rat Model of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

The dysregulation of hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and noradrenergic, serotonergic and glutamatergic systems are thought to be involved in the pathophysiology of post-traumatic stress disorder. The effect of selective M1 muscarinic receptor antagonist, pirenzepine on anxiety indices was investigated by using elevated plus maze, following exposure to trauma reminder. Upon receiving the approval of ethics committee, Sprague–Dawley rats were exposed to dirty cat litter (trauma) for 10 min and 1 week later, the rats confronted to a trauma reminder (clean litter). The rats also received intraperitoneal pirenzepine (1 or 2 mg/kg/day) or saline for 8 days. Noradrenaline (NA) concentration in the rostral pons was analyzed by HPLC with electrochemical detection. The anxiety indices of the rats subjected to the trauma reminder were increased when compared to control rats (p < 0.05). Pirenzepine treatment in traumatized rats displayed similar anxiety indices of non-traumatized rats treated with physiological saline. Although freezing time was prolonged with pirenzepine in traumatized groups the change was not found statistically significant. The NA level was 1.5 ± 0.1 pg/mg in non-traumatized rats and increased to 2.4 ± 0.2 pg/mg in traumatized rats. Bonferroni post hoc test revealed that the NA content of the rostral pons of the traumatized rats treated with physiological saline was significantly higher than the content of other groups (p < 0.01). We conclude that NA content in the rostral pons increases in respect to confrontation to a trauma reminder which can be reversed by M1 antagonist pirenzepine indicating the roles of M1 receptors.